Ford announces SYNC 3 appearing on Fiesta and Escape

The beefed up version of Ford’s SYNC 3 has been announced to make its way to the 2016 Fiesta and Escape which are set to arrive in a few months’ time.

There are three zones found on the SYNC 3 home screen — Navigation, Audio and Phone. A quick access function tray are also situated along the bottom that gives off a more straight-forward user experience.

The new SYNC 3 boasts the following features:

  • Easier and faster navigation
  • Support for touchscreen
  • More natural voice commands
  • Wi-Fi updating
  • Better communication towards the connected mobile phone
  • Supports Android Auto and CarPlay
  • Capable to be tied up with navigation apps (like Waze) when launched

No exact dates were mentioned for the launch of the 2016 Fiesta and Escape, but they’re currently pegged for a summer release. For a more detailed information about the company’s upcoming infotainment, check out Ford’s official site.

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CH-Auto flaunts China’s first electric sports car

China has been known to make almost anything, and just recently Beijing-based CH-Auto made its first-ever electric vehicle. The environment-friendly speedster known as the Event packs capable internals that would file itself under the sports car category.

Event

The two-seater Event was on display at the Beijing Auto Show where it’s been reported to go from 0-100kph in less than 5 seconds. This sleek car carries a 48kWh battery that can last about 155 miles on a single charge. As for recharging, the source mentions lasting around six hours using a 220-volt charger.

The company already made a projected start date which is in late 2016, and is expected to be priced at around CNY 700,000 (approx. Php4.9M). CH-Auto made it clear that this wouldn’t be their first and last electric vehicle since they have a long term plan of producing up to 500,000 units (mass-market vehicles included) annually, reports the source.

With Tesla and Aston Martin making noise about eco-friendly cars, it’s not surprising that a manufacturer from China steps up to offer its own player.

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8 Ways to Tech Up Your Brand New Basic Car

While a lot of people buy cars that already have the bells and whistles built-in, some of us Filipinos get the thrill in upgrading our car one by one from its standard package. Here are some ways to tech up your brand new basic car.

oped-techupyourcar

1. GPS

car gps

For the road trip junkies out there, you know how GPS could save yourselves the stress and effort driving to an unfamiliar destination. Whether integrated in the car or using a smartphone with navigation apps, a GPS is an essential tool for finding directions in the fastest time possible.

2. Rear camera

Nissan-XTrail-7

A lot of mid-tier vehicles are now packaged with rear cameras that come handy while backing up. It helps the driver see the area behind the vehicle, estimating the space in tight places. If you want to kick it up a notch maybe you can tweak you ride with something like the new Nissan X-Trail that has all four sides covered with four different cameras, giving you a bird’s eye view of your car.

3. Built-in TV

car-tv

We all know that here in the Philippines it’s not seldom that you experience a bumper-to-bumper ride moreso if you always traverse the roads of EDSA. For times like these, a TV installed in your car might be able to make traffic a little more tolerable as you watch your news or your favorite teleserye.

4. Tablet Board or Media Player

car-tablet

If you’re more of a media guy and you want your files right at your fingertips, you can install a tablet board/media player on your car so you have something else to do when you’re done watching the news. It usually comes with built-in apps like Waze, VLC Player, and Spotify for all your navigation and media needs.

Alternatively, you can just mount your very own tablet on your windshield since it also has the aformentioned features. Just make sure that you get a stable mounting system to avoid dropping and possibly breaking your slate while driving.

5. Dash Cams

car-dash-cam

A lot of mishaps and even rare occurences have been accidentally recorded by dash cams and its purpose doesn’t just end there. You can use it as a sort of security camera for the car when you leave it unnattended, as evidence if ever you’re involved in an accident, or as proof to your boss that you were really stuck in traffic and not just making up stories for being late at the office.

Seriously, though, it’s a fun little gadget to have around and can serve various purposes.

6. Car Wi-Fi

huawei-carfi

Always finding yourself taking a selfie inside the car to upload on social media sites? How about streaming songs for that perfect road trip music? Whatever your online demands may be, a car Wi-Fi is a good alternative to access the Internet if data connection is unavailable. (Note: We currently have the Huawei CarFi that’s made exactly for this purpose. Stay tuned for our review!)

7. USB Power Hub

car-usb-hub

Using your gadgets will surely exhaust your battery. So for your charging needs you can opt to get a USB power hub that lets you charge multiple devices all at the same time.

8. AC/DC Power Converter

acdc-power-inverter

If driving out of town and going camping is your thing, then you might not help but bring electronics that get their power not just from lighter plugs seen in your vehicle. Things like charging your night light, heating water for coffee, or maybe you just need to charge your laptop while you work inside your SUV require you to plug into wall sockets and this is where power inverters come into play.

It basically takes direct current (DC) from the battery of the vehicle and converts it into alternating current (AC) which is the same kind of power delivered to houses, so your electronic products is supplied with the right power in order to function. It’s like bringing a little portion of your house’s comforts wherever you go.

(Bonus) Power bank/Jumpstarter

JUMPR

So you’re stuck in traffic going to work and for some reason fate decides to give you a more challening task to start your day — by letting your car battery die. This specific power bank not only charges smartphone batteries, it also jumpstarts cars. It’s a handy tech gadget to have inside the car so you’re prepared whenever the gadget (or car’s) battery needs a little nudge.

How many of these do you already have in your vehicle? Additionally, what tech do you have installed in your car that isn’t listed here? You may share them with everyone on the comments section below.

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Chevrolet unveils 2016 Spark with improved tech

Over at the New York Auto Show, Chevrolet takes the wraps off of its newest Spark that promises an engine with more kick and boasts a handful of tech features.

chevrolet-spark-1

2016 Chevrolet Spark specs and features:
1.4-liter Ecotec inline-4 engine
99PS of power
5-speed MT/Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
7-inch capacitive touch color screen
10-piece airbags
Rear-vision camera
Forward Collision Alert
Lane Departure Warning
Side Blind Spot Alert

chevrolet-spark-2

In addition to the 16% power increase of its engine compared to its predecessor the dimension has also been tweaked with a slightly longer wheelbase and a 1.6-inch height drop. On the other hand, its 7-inch panel can be used to open MyLink which lets users connect their smartphones to the car to control music, watch television, and access the phone’s contacts.

The new Chevy Spark will be on sale starting on the last quarter of the year and will be available in 40 different countries. Stay tuned for its local announcement.

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Nissan officially launches GT Academy in the Philippines

Nissan Philippines Inc. officially launches its GT Academy here in the Philippines which is a program that aims to turn gamers into professional race car drivers. Read more details after the break.

NissanGTAcademy1

For those unfamiliar, the GT Academy was initiated back in 2008. It is basically a driving program from Nissan, Sony, and Polyphony Digital that weeds out Gran Turismo (the popular PlayStation game) players and trains them to apply their on-screen talents on a real car, on a real track.

NissanGTAcademy2

As we’ve mentioned before, The race to the top is not an easy task as the academy will only choose the best virtual drivers. Once shortlisted, there will be activities to test not only skills, but also the physical endurance of the contestants at the latter part of the training. If you think you have the heart, talent, and the determination to be a professional racer then this might be your ticket in.

The first phase of the try-outs will be happening at malls nationwide starting April 10, 2015. The company is still yet to disclose the venue and time of the said event. They will be announcing it on their Facebook page so be sure to stay tuned as we wait for further details.

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