By Martin Regtien
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

The Speed Meter Head-Up Display which was reviewed by DigitalReviews.net is available now in various European countries but if you feel you can’t wait to pick up your own Speed Meter, GlobalTop has graciously made available 10 of these units to readers of the DigitalReviews Network and other sites linking to the review.  That would give you the opportunity to make up your own mind on the usefulness of this technology in your car.

So what must you do to score one of these Speed Meters?

Readers of RealTechNews can click on this link, which will take you to the article and Giveaway page.  Fill in your first name, a valid email address, make and model of your car, which blog you read this on and you’re in the running!  The Giveaway ends on May 31 at midnight.
There is just one favour we would like to ask: let us know what you’re thinking of the device, take some pictures and we would like to post them on our website as the final, the people’s, verdict.
All Speed Meters will be shipped directly from GlobalTop in Taiwan within a couple of weeks of the end of the Giveaway.

By Michael Santo
Executive Editor, RealTechNews

If you recall from a few days ago, my story about Isabodywear … underwear that purports to block cell phone radiation, thus protecting your, ahem, private parts. Well, you may need to start wrapping your Nissan “intelligent” or I-keys in them. Apparently, for some of them, get a cell phone too close to them, and not only will they stop working, they can’t be reprogrammed.

Complaints about some cell phones erasing Nissan’s I-keys for the 2007 Altima sedan and 2007 Infiniti G35 have the automaker advising customers to keep cell phones and the plastic fobs containing the starters “at least 1 inch apart at all times.”

A statement released Wednesday by Nissan North America Inc. says some cell phones, if allowed to touch the I-Key while sending or receiving a call, may alter it’s electronic code. “When this happens the I-Key will not start the vehicle and cannot be reprogrammed,” the statement said. Source: Breitbart.com

We Say: Well, if you don’t want to wrap your key in Isabodywear, how about leaving your phone in a holster and using a Bluetooth headset (as that California legislator should have, right)?

By Martin Regtien
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

Here is the second instalment of our review of the HG-100 Speed Meter from GlobalTop.
In Part One, published last week, we gave you the unboxing and modus operandi -how it works- of this Head-Up Display.
Now we will talk about the installation, test drives, availability and the all important Value for Money factor. 

And, oh yes, one of the test vehicles was a 1986 Ferrari…. 

Also: we have a special Giveaway of the Speed Meter for readers of RealTechNews!

Read about it here.

By Martin Regtien
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

DigitalReviews.net brought you the initial announcement of GlobalTop Technology’s fascinating Head-Up Display a few months ago and they follow that up today with their scoop review of the HG-100.

It’s one of the more innovative GPS products we have seen lately as it combines a Bluetooth GPS receiver with speed alerts and projects your speed and direction onto your windscreen.
Plus it works with the navigation software on your Smartphone or PDA!
This enables you to keep your eyes on the road when it is most needed and that’s why they are testing this on a Ferrari.

Click here, buckle in and come along for the ride!

By Alice Hill
RealTechNews

This has to the the wost product name ever for such a useful car gadget. The TransDoc is an FM transmitter that works with your iPod or other audio source. But it boasts a few nice extras - video out so you can doc your Video iPod and connect it to your car’s video system - that means the whole car can enjoy your saved videos on as many screen as you have, at once. It also will do audio out so you can connect to your car’s aux input or via the cassette adapter, and it has a USB port. If your cell phone or other USB-device is along for the ride, they can top off their batteries while the music and video good times keep on rolling.

Price: $99
Product Page
Source: DLO.com

By Alice Hill
RealTechNews

You have to stare at this a little while to get a good sense of it (not that the contraption make sense in any way.) Looks like a scooter-drawn ox cart painting scaffold.
Source: funniestgadgets.com

By Alice Hill
RealTechNews

Flipping off bad drivers is one thing, but what if you could shake them to their very core with an alarming emoticon display in your back window?

The Driving LED Emoticon is a battery powered, wirelessly controlled message sign that can be attached to the rear window of your car via the included suction cup. A remote control unit is kept in the front of the car (fixed to front window, dash, or laid in a storage compartment) to activate the messages by pressing one of its buttons. It can display any one of five different messages - smiling face, frowning face, “Thanks”, “Back Off” and “Idiot”.

Price: $29.99
Product Page
Source: Think Geek

We say: What else?

By Michael Santo
Executive Editor, RealTechNews

You could if PG&E’s plans pan out. Most people would charge their plug-in hybrids when? … right, at night, when electricity rates are lower. PG&E has a plan whereby people could charge their plug-in hybrids at night, then sell the power back to PG&E during the day, for a higher rate.

The utility demonstrated on Monday a twist on the concept of the plug-in hybrid, which uses a higher capacity battery than ordinary hybrids like Toyota’s Prius. The idea? To let car owners sell electricity purchased overnight back to the grid for a modest profit or to power their homes in the event of an emergency with the Vehicle-to-Grid program, said Bob Howard, a vice president with PG&E.

There’s still a lot of research that needs to be done in this area, but PG&E is studying how to incorporate the technology into its own service vehicles, Howard said. Source: News.com

We Say: As indicated in the article, infrastructure would have to be figured out (isn’t this always the case!), as most people would, naturally, drive their cars to work — and you need collection points. Still, it’s an interesting concept, though you certainly wouldn’t make up the extra premium (over an already more expensive hybrid) for a plug-in hybrid.