So… “Data Logger Visualization Technology.” That’s a long and uninformative name. Technology that visualizes… data. Data that was at some point logged. What they’re trying to say is that they loaded up a real race car with monitoring gadgets and took note of a bunch of data — steering, throttle, G-force, and all that stuff — and logged it into a file. This file can be read by Gran Turismo 5 and produce essentially a 1:1 recreation of an actual real-world lap. Sure, you could race your own ghost, but why would you, when you can race Michael Schumacher’s?

This is only possible because the tracks and cars are simulated with such meticulous detail in GT5. Various scanning and storage technologies have allowed an almost unbelievable amount of precision, and although it’ll never be the same as actually going 140 around whatever circuit, it’s getting miiighty close.

[via CNET]

Polyphony Digital demonstrates its new Data Logger Visualization technology side-by-side with actual video footage.

Originally posted at The Car Tech blog

Here’s a big, fat GPS-enabled wristwatch that’ll allow you to walk around and then see where you walked around on Google Maps. You can also use it to find your way back to a certain location and even geo-tag photos to boot. There’s 8 megabytes of built-in storage to log all of your nefarious movements.

What’s also nice, if I may opine for a minute, is that if you hook this watch up to your computer via the USB cable, you can use it as an actual GPS receiver (XP and Vista only, apparently). So load up some sort of netbook or MID inside your car and then plug your watch into it for some nice Google Maps action.

Battery life is good for just 21 hours so if you’re not used to charging your timepiece every day, you’ll have to make it part of your daily routine. Maybe put “charge watch” somewhere in between “brush teeth,” “watch Golden Girls,” and “have a nice, long cry” if possible.

The GPS Watch costs $77.61 and is available from Chinavasion.

GPS Watch (Location Finder + Data Logger + Photo Tagger) [Chinavasion.com]

Yeah, don’t look at me this way! This is my question: what in earth is wrong with my car, as it gets lost almost each and every time it has the chance? And no, it’s not my fault, if you are rushing into conclusions that have nothing to do with the reality. It’s not my fault I can’t find it when I come back to the parking lot and realize I don’t have a clue about the place I left it. So, yeah, my question is justified, because it’s not my fault, so it has to be its fault, right?

Anyway, if you also have the tendency to forget where your car is, you should know that bright people have thought of a solution: the Travel Honey GPS Location Finder, which is being offered by Chinavision. It was especially designed to help you never lose your car again and to let you know there’s nothing wrong with it.

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The only thing you should do in order to get your car back is to let yourself guided by the red LED. In the moment you reach a distance of no more than 50 meters from the saved location, you’ll see a flashing arrow that will turn blue when you’ll be within 15 meters. In addition, the gadget comes with another interesting feature: it is able to convert your computer into a genuine GPS system, by just connecting it to the USB port of your computer.

The data logger function of this device can be used when you want to record the GPS information during a trip, such as position, speed and altitude, which you’ll be able to see on Google Maps or Google Earth as soon as you establish the connection between the dongle and your computer and the you make use of the software package included, called iTravel Data Logger.

So, you’ll have a four-in-one functionality that is, in fact, a mixture between: GPS receiver, Location Finder, Data Logger and Photo Tagger. The last one allows you to share the pictures that are immediately geo-tagged with your loved ones, on Flickr.

The Travel Honey is available at Chinavision for $54.

(Source: Coolest-Gadgets)

By Andrew Liszewski

Are you the type who’s constantly misplacing their car in a large parking lot? Or maybe your friends are always having to call in the national guard to find you when you’ve gone camping? Whatever the situation, this GPS Location Finder available from Chinavasion ensures you’ll always be able to find your way back to a given locale. For example, after you’ve parked your car somewhere unfamiliar you simply press a button on the device for 2 seconds to save the location’s coordinates. Then, when you’re ready to find your ride you just follow the red LED arrows on the compass which will point you to the saved location. When you get to within 50 meters the red arrow will start flashing, and when you get to within 15 meters the arrow will turn blue, at which point you should be close enough to see your car.

The GPS Location Finder also serves as a USB dongle for your laptop, turning it into a full-fledged GPS device given you have the appropriate mapping software installed. And it’s even got a data logger function which will store your GPS coordinates over time in a text file, allowing you to geo-tag photos or plot out your travels with the appropriate software. Not bad for just $54.

[ Chinavasion - GPS Receiver + Location Finder + Data Logger + Photo Tagger ] VIA [ GeekAlerts ]