BloggingStocks http://www.bloggingstocks.com BloggingStocks http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/media/feedlogo.gif BloggingStocks http://www.bloggingstocks.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Closing Bell: Stock Market Snow Day! (ADBE, BIDU, HMC, S, MU, DF)]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/02/10/closing-bell-stock-market-snow-day-adbe-bidu-hmc-s-mu-df/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/02/10/closing-bell-stock-market-snow-day-adbe-bidu-hmc-s-mu-df/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/02/10/closing-bell-stock-market-snow-day-adbe-bidu-hmc-s-mu-df/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Today was one of those days that held up despite the negative tape throughout much of the day and despite another call for a crash. Washington D.C. was closed, much of New York City was closed, and the volume was frequently light enough that this might as well just be considered a throw-away day. Or a market snow-day.

Here were today's unofficial closing bell levels:

Dow 10,038.16 -20.48 (-0.20%)
S&P 500 1,068.15 -2.37 (-0.22%)
Nasdaq 2,147.18 -3.69 (-0.17%)

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Continue reading Closing Bell: Stock Market Snow Day! (ADBE, BIDU, HMC, S, MU, DF)

Closing Bell: Stock Market Snow Day! (ADBE, BIDU, HMC, S, MU, DF) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 10 Feb 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>airbagsautomobile safetyAutomobileSafetybaiduchinadean foodsDeanFoodshondamicron technologyMicronTechnologysearch engineSearchEngineWed, 10 Feb 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Too much new tech coming to newer vehicles with too little thinking]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/08/28/too-much-new-tech-coming-to-newer-vehicles-with-too-little-think/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/08/28/too-much-new-tech-coming-to-newer-vehicles-with-too-little-think/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/08/28/too-much-new-tech-coming-to-newer-vehicles-with-too-little-think/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Bluetooth logoIt was bound to happen -- automakers stopped competing on ancient specifications like horsepower and safety and started competing on technology-laden offerings inside new vehicles. In my opinion, safety is still the single largest feature of any vehicle. After all, these are rapidly moving barrels of steel competing for road space with a thousand other drivers. Yet, safety seems boring to many of us since we can't touch or see it. Enter new car technology like Bluetooth, GPS navigation, and iPod-integrated satellite stereo systems and you have a technology arsenal inside that new car.

And, we're not talking high-end luxury vehicles here -- many of these tech appointments can be found standard in some mainstream vehicles as well as affordable options in others. How much tech is too much for the average driver? That's a question that will be played out as the customer-uncentric auto technology engineer crams ever more gadgetry into all these newer vehicles. Hear that beep-beep-beep when your neighbor backs up his new SUV? That is the motion detector telling him or her that there are no objects behind them. No kids, bikes, etc.

Therein lies a central problem I see here -- engineers are trying to assist everyday vehicle maneuvers like using driving directions and backing up safely with technology. Notice I said "assist" -- but customers will expect these new features to 'replace' old habits. In other words, customers may use these new features (if they can understand them) to take over from paying attention while driving all these new cars. In a classic tale, and something I agree with, engineers don't understand the fine-tuning of how the average customer thinks and acts, but designs to how any logical driver would think and act. How many logical drivers out there in bumper-to-bumper traffic or with kids screaming in the back seat? Raise those hands higher, please. Apple, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) is about the only company I can think of who designs to how customers will use products, not to how the company 'thinks' customers will use its products. Maybe Steve Jobs and Co. should consult with the auto industry soon?

Too much new tech coming to newer vehicles with too little thinking originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 28 Aug 2007 17:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>automobile safetyBluetoothFFordGeneral MotorsGeneralMotorsGMGPS NavigationTMToyotaTue, 28 Aug 2007 17:42:00 EST<![CDATA[Hyundai teams with GE Plastics]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/03/10/hyundai-teams-with-ge-plastics/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/03/10/hyundai-teams-with-ge-plastics/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/03/10/hyundai-teams-with-ge-plastics/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

If the term holistic can be applied to automotive design, the concept car just brought to debut by Hyundai Motors Co. (Other OTC:HYMLF) in concert with General Electric Company's (NYSE:GE) GE Plastics would surely fit that description. The Hyundai QarmaQ concept is pushing the envelope in crossover utility vehicle design and construction. By the utilization of a high content of recycled plastics, derived mostly from discarded soft drink bottles, and some 29 other design, construction and material innovations, the QarmaQ boasts a weight reduction of 130 lbs as compared to vehicles of similar size and class. The designers claim that this results in a reduction in fuel usage equal to about one and a half SUV fuel tanks per vehicle per year. Granted, that may not seem like much when viewed on an individual vehicle basis, but multiply it by the total number of SUVs on the road and that's a lot of gallons saved.

Hyundai (pronounced hun-day) states that the QarmaQ Advanced Technology Demonstration Vehicle is a seamless blending of 30 environmentally progressive technologies that encompass the total vehicle design. Safety, economy, environment, and drivability are brought together in an aesthetically unique package that brings some strong design messages to the forefront of automotive engineering. Hyundai drops the gauntlet of change at the feet of the auto manufacturing world stating: "The QarmaQ is lighter, stronger, and more economical than any current production CUV in its class. It also offers significant recycling advantages both in construction and eventual disassembly. In short, it is a viable and realistic glimpse of the future potential of personal automotive transport. "

In addressing the issues of safety, Hyundai goes beyond the prime consideration of vehicle occupants and considers also the vehicle's surrounding world. Realizing that in continually compacting metro environments, our motor vehicles sometimes are involved with unavoidable pedestrian contacts, Hyundai has taken that as a design challenge and has trademarked QarmaQ's "Elastic Front" safety system and calls it "the world's first global pedestrian protection system." This system utilizes multiple advanced materials with inherent energy absorption properties and creates a vehicle skin that, when coupled with specialized underpanel construction elements, seeks to dissipate the force of impact and thereby reduce victim trauma in cases of vehicle/pedestrian collision. The Hyundai Elastic Front system is currently undergoing final testing to accomplish EEVC WG17 Phase2, Euro NCAP, and JNCA pedestrian impact requirement validation.

Continue reading Hyundai teams with GE Plastics

Hyundai teams with GE Plastics originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 10 Mar 2007 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auto designautomobile safetyElastic Front systemGEGE PlasticsGeneral ElectricGeneralElectricGregory A. AdamsHyundaiQarmaQrecycled plasticSat, 10 Mar 2007 17:40:00 EST