$5,000? Maybe a big one for restaurants. The Hoshizaki C-101BAH undercounter nugget (Sonic) ice maker is $2,500. 15" wide, installs undercounter and makes 92 lbs a day. Hoshizaki is a commercial company and makes robust machines. I have essentially the same model but mine makes bigger (cheaper too) cubes. One…

This is VW, remember? If VW management declares that they can build an electric Golf for $25K that recharges in 2 hours and has a 300 mile rage it will be done as proven by VW testing standards, you know by the same guys who did the diesel testing. A big problem for VW is that the current mix of vehicles is…

The best surge protectors are determined by testing not votes. Somebody truly responsible for mission critical installations wouldn’t touch any of the units listed. This was nothing more than clickbait.

The best surge protectors are determined by testing not votes. Somebody truly responsible for mission critical…

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In general the Dutch think Americans are idiots with respect to managing increasing sea levels. They see this a settled science. Sure, it will cost money but the answers are immediately at hand. The sky is not falling, get over it.

Notice how when there is a serious problem with one car they temporarily shut down all the other autonomous cars even if they are substantially different. This approach will continue and the widespread shutdowns will increase as numbers grow. Similar thing with planes. If Boeing has a crash with one model of plane…

BMW in the US has been performing this passive aggressive ploy for years. In Europe autos have been typically at additional charge. “Sure you can have the manual at no charge”, but as soon as it hits the street as used car it suffers an immediate penalty - automatic transmissions are valued higher. Oddly enough…

When air bags were first introduced it was commonly held that they would remain expensive and existing dealer mechanics would not be able to service. Now even cheap cars have them everywhere and replacing them is no longer seen as a risk. To assume that autonomous driving hardware will go down the same economic and…

Production dashes need permanent tooling to be built. Permanent tooling is made with hardened steel that is shaped with plunge EDM machines. If you want to get a future look at automotive interiors you just have to go to the small number of EDM shops who do most of the automotive work for all manufacturers…

And you wonder why the average tenure of a CIO is 6 months? Exceptions: banks and any firm handling other people’s money. Strangely enough companies are pretty fast and loose with their own money.

Remember Segway? It was going to revolutionize transportation but they couldn’t tell you what it was. It certainly has revolutionized campus and mall cops. These revolutionizing products typically cost a lot and require changes in local statutes to deliver their magic. Taking bets.

My apple source said it was a chip problem. The “problem” could be design or manufacturing, she didn’t give details.

The buying experience is far better for the Porsche than any other competing brands. Porsche treats its customers the same the world over. They provide options that Porsche deems important and they hope customers will agree. In 2011 they had 3 separate carbon brake options for the Base, the S and the GTS. I can’t…

Remove it with Windex and dental floss. Works better across the sharpest curve. Squirt Windex underneath, pull out a good measure of floss, in a sawing action get the floss under the edge, pull up on device as air leaks out. Leave device at the scene unharmed and cleaner than you found it. A tapered line used on…

Now we know why Audi was such an ass with respect to the availability of manual transmissions: they didn’t have a method to cheat the EPA.

There was a time when Toyota had a sports version for nearly every model. Pricewise they would be in the middle of the lineup. The constituent sport components was typically a standard manual transmission, with upgraded steering wheel, shocks, alloy wheels and tires. Worldwide, Toyota has a deep bench when it comes…

History frowns on European cars designed for the American market. The Bug short of lighting requirements was brought over as is and was wildly successful. Despite the stupid name the Rabbit was successful when European built. VW then felt compelled to build an American version in America and truly screwed the…

Assuming it could work if properly installed and calibrated where could you get the work done? Moreover the likely installers would be the guys in mobile electronics. Good luck on those guys getting any liability insurance. Also the states would soon wade in with training, testing and insurance requirements. This…

Agreed. One of the most important things you have to have is a way to accurately assess the condition of the battery. You have to know exactly what the range is on the newly charged battery. Perhaps the ultimate answer is to lease the batteries. The batteries will maintain a complete history detailing the user and…

Was in Houston’s largest Apple Store yesterday looking at Apple Watches. I was told that since the Series 2 was released they have only received limited stocks that are immediately sold out. Couldn’t believe it. Called my sister who works for Apple. She confirmed that retail availability is limited and buying…