SXSW may have peaked, and that's not a bad thing

In South by Southwest Interactive, the tech-geek festival that begins here Friday, some see a five-day spring break of sorts: a chance to discover some buzzy new apps, catch a few panels and party alongside Web celebrities, futurists and many, many bloggers.

But others see the festival as a microcosm of the larger tech-culture community, a place to preview things that may become mainstream in a few years and where trends that play out in downtown Austin are indicators of what's to come.

Which is why we wonder each year: Has the festival peaked? Will the irrationally app-exuberant bubble finally burst?

If SXSW Interactive doesn't keep growing at up to 40% every year, does that mean the tech industry is slowing down or that the festival itself has reached capacity? Or is it only the hype that has plateaued?

This year, some SXSW veterans feel the maturing festival, which began in the late 1990s, may have reached a saturation point, especially when it comes to startups trying to draw attention to new products. SXSW Interactive famously helped Twitter get off the ground in 2007 and gave apps such as Foursquare and Highlight a boost in recent years.

But as SXSW has gotten crowded, it's become much harder to stand out.

"I feel like people are having to put more effort because there's so much noise and so much going on," said Jennifer Sinski, an entrepreneur who runs RSVPster, which will auto-RSVP attendees to unofficial parties and events for a fee.

This year, Sinski said, "There's really no big app expected to launch, nothing huge people are excited for on the tech side."

That thought was echoed by a recent TechCrunch article wondering whether the era of big SXSW app launches may have passed.

Just days before the festival starts, there have also been no big blow-out events announced to rival 2012's American Express concert featuring Jay-Z, Bruce Springsteen's powerhouse gig or the party for the app Mobli that drew investors Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire to town.

American Express will still be at the festival, but it will likely keep a lower profile given it announced 5,400 job cuts in January. Microsoft is no longer a sponsor at Interactive this year, and the annual TechKaraoke event will be missing.

That being said, rumors that Justin Timberlake will perform continue to swirl and notables such as former Vice President Al Gore, entrepreneur Elon Musk, broadcaster Rachel Maddow and NBA star Shaquille O'Neal are part of the official programming. And this year's themes of private space travel, 3-D printing, hacker culture and crowdfunding, still feel forward-looking.

Hugh Forrest, the longtime director of SXSW Interactive, says a slowing of growth may actually benefit the festival, which in recent years has put a strain on Austin's infrastructure. Forrest says that based on registration so far, the Interactive part of the festival is expected to grow at a more modest rate of 5% to 8% this year.

"It's definitely not the sharper increases we've had in the last few years," Forrest said. "In many ways, that's a good thing. It gives us the bandwidth to work out some of the rough edges."

Some of the growing pains, especially in the festival's Startup Village and Accelerator (a kind of "American Idol" competition for startups), prompted the festival to expand its reach beyond Austin. In August, it will launch V2V in Las Vegas, a new SXSW Interactive conference focused on tech entrepreneurship.

It's one way SXSW is hoping to alleviate the hotel crunch and downtown congestion that happens here every March.

Stephanie Wonderlin, a senior manager and social strategist with Momentum Factor, will be attending Interactive for her third year. Last year, she hosted videos for Chevy, which was pushing its Volt vehicles to techies at the fest.

Wonderlin believes things have been quieter going into Interactive this year, at least from her perspective. "I keep asking myself, 'What do I feel is missing?' I don't know if it's me being snooty."

For 2013, she says her schedule has shifted from big parties to smaller gatherings and networking, a trend she's seeing among friends, some of whom aren't bothering to pay for a badge.

"I think the size and how big it's gotten were just so overblown that maybe people who have to be there now want to do things on their own. One person told me, 'I would rather grab a bottle of wine and head up to a rooftop with a small group of friends' than go to the big parties," Wonderlin said.

"A lot of people I know who are big company sponsors say they're not even going to any of the sessions. I think the purpose of SXSW has changed."

Sinski, who's been going to SXSW Music for eight years and became more interested in Interactive as she launched her company, says that people who use her service are less interested in hype and big stars than they are in free food, real networking and companies that have something unique to show.

"Spending a lot of money isn't as big a deal as it was two or three years ago," she said. "Now it's about what you can offer people."

5 New Car Trends for 2013

The automotive industry continues to innovate, by bringing to the market new models that are stylish, fuel efficient and loaded with the latest technological amenities. In a bid to meet stiffer federal fuel economy mandates, car manufacturers are making greater use of engineering to deliver vehicles that are lighter, smaller and more efficient than ever before. Let's take a look at five new car trends you'll see for the 2013 model year.
1. Turbochargers -- Until recently, turbocharged cars were few and far between. That's because such models are more expensive and turbochargers were not as resilient, able to handle the day in and day out punishment that they take. The engineering has certainly improved and today's turbo engines should hold up for many years to come. That's what Ford, Hyundai, GM and others are betting on and are rolling out dozens of new turbo models to deliver smaller engines with more power.
2. Transmissions -- The standard automatic transmission of the 1990s was a four-speed overdrive. By the end of the 2000s, the six-speed became the de facto measurement for car manufacturers. The six-speed is still used, but manufacturers are now incorporating eight- and nine-speed transmission to deliver even better highway fuel economy. Some manufacturers, such as Nissan, have successfully innovated by using continuously variable transmissions, matching or exceeding the fuel economy of other transmissions and engines.
3. EVs -- Electrified vehicles including hybrids have not sold as well as had been hoped. Currently, just over 2 percent of all vehicles sold are EVs. For 2013, you'll see a greater use of plug-in hybrids as both Toyota and Ford introduce new models. A plug-in Prius and the Ford C-MAX Energi will deliver exceptional fuel economy. Whether customers will be willing to pay a premium price remains to be seen.
4. Carbon fiber -- Materials such as carbon fiber are lightweight and durable. But, they are also very expensive. Nonetheless, when used, such materials can cut the weight of cars, helping to deliver improved fuel economy. High-performance race cars use a monocoque chassis assembly consisting of this material. The Lamborghini Aventador uses carbon fiber monocoque; the Ford Motor Company in partnership with Dow Chemicals expects to put carbon fiber into most of its vehicles by 2020.
5. Navigation -- If navigation isn't standard, it is available in nearly every car made today. Today's navigation systems are quite complex, but with voice activation can be very useful. Some manufacturers such as Renault are integrating TomTom with their systems, while others, such as Hyundai have developed proprietary systems that include 911 assist and emergency notification. Most systems include a rear view camera, bringing in yet one more safety innovation in today's cars.
New Car Shopping
Consumers shopping for a new car can expect to find new technologies included that weren't available 10 or even five years ago when they last purchased a new car. Today's cars are better equipped, more fuel efficient and stylish. Prices have gone up considerably too, which means consumers should be prepared to face sticker shock and to negotiate the best deal possible.

Global Auto Trends Heading Your Way

Until recently, the U.S. auto market was insulated from what took place in much of the rest of the world. Passenger vehicles built in North America, particularly in Canada and the United States, were often different from what car manufacturers built in Europe, Asia, South America and elsewhere.
Auto Trends
Beginning with the global economic crisis of 2008, automakers began to take stock in what they had to offer and how they could survive for the long term. General Motors and Chrysler went bankrupt, restructured and are far different companies than they were just a few years ago. Ford decided to internationalize its fleet, building and selling similar models in all markets under its "One Ford" plan.
The changes realized in the past few years portend to even greater movement in the coming months and years. We're tracking all of the latest auto trends and our forecast includes the following notables:
Global Mergers -- China is the new top dog in automotive world, with consumers there buying more cars annually than in the U.S., the former global leader. China's automotive manufacturing industry is still young and no cars are currently built in China and sold in the U.S. Expect that to change as Chinese companies snap up foreign manufacturers or at least expand their current manufacturing relationships in order to get Chinese products throughout the world.
More Hybrids -- Electric vehicles are getting plenty of press, but these cars are not notable sellers. Hybrids, which have gone through more than a decade of refinement, will grow in leaps and bounds as manufacturers figure out ways to cut and share costs, driving down the price of these vehicles within reach of most buyers. Look for hybrids to appear in a greater variety of vehicles and in non-traditional forms such as with Buick's eAssist technology, offering "partial" but effective hybridization.
Diesel Effectiveness -- The Ford Motor Company has figured out a way to squeeze even more mileage out of its diesel engines, promising that its European Ford Focus will get 80 mpg on the highway when it goes on sale in 2012. That vehicle will set off a race by manufacturers to upgrade technology, producing new diesels offering rock solid performance, excellent fuel efficiency and very few pollutants. Americans will finally embrace diesels by 2015, taking a significant chunk of business away from gas only models.
Advancing Technology -- We take for granted Bluetooth, collision avoidance systems and traction control, features not available in most cars until recently. The technology march continues and includes significant auto trends such as driverless cars, full mobile WI-FI and renewable features including seats, dashboards and floors. Indeed, most cars built in 2020 will be nearly fully recyclable -- not because of government mandate, but because manufacturers realize the importance of reducing what goes to landfills.
Global economic concerns will loom large in the years ahead as earthquakes in diverse places, political unrest, limited resources and environmental concerns weigh in. If not outright mergers, many companies will work together, sharing platforms, engines, transmissions and important components to keep costs down and to keep each company afloat.

Audi Auto Repair Tips - Ways to Reduce the Cost of Audi Repair

Auto repair has become so expensive nowadays especially for imported cars such as the Audi. If you find yourself having trouble with your Audi, then these tips could help in reducing the cost of repairs.

Check the Warranty of Your Audi

Before bringing your Audi to the repair shop, check if it is still covered by the warranty. If it is, then you need to contact your car dealer immediately and tell about the problems of your Audi.

You can get free service and parts replacement if the Audi is still within warranty. The car dealer and the manufacturer will be the one responsible for repairs.

The Do-It-Yourself Repair

If you understand cars and knows the basics of car repair and maintenance, then it is usually best to repair the Audi by yourself. You will not pay for services which are really expensive now.

When repairing the Audi yourself, take advantage of free auto repair manuals which can be found abundantly on the web. You can find general repair manuals and model-specific car repair manuals.

There are also sites that have repair manuals exclusively for Audi cars. Specific Audi problems are listed on these sites. You only have to choose which manual to use and start repairing your Audi.

Simply download these free repair manuals. They are usually formatted in PDF or Word so you can print them easily. Just follow the steps in the manual and you can surely troubleshoot the problem bugging your Audi.

Finding Car Repair Shops

In case you don't know anything about car repairs, then don't tinker with your Audi. You might do more harm to it than good. You should bring your Audi to a reliable car repair shop
and let the professionals repair your car.

It is best if you can find car repair shops that have extensive experience in repairing Audi cars. You can search for them on the Internet under the business listing and locator services of search engines.

You can also use the yellow pages to find the nearest Audi car repair shop. Call them and describe your problem. Ask them a few questions about the troubles being experienced by your Audi. They should be able to give their initial diagnosis on your car. This is an indication that you are dealing with professionals.

Repairing an Audi should not always be very expensive. There are lots of options available to you in order to reduce the cost of repairs.

Auto Technology - Audi and Volkswagon, Radar Following and Auto Safety

Where is the new auto technology? Where is it? We have it now, shouldn't we use it to reduce the 42,000 deaths in automobiles per year? We seem to be getting the shaft on all this new technology which could save lives in automobiles and seem to be a little behind Germany even though much of the technology has come from our own MIT genius kids here.
This is because the Big Three are trying to shave costs to compete and now we see with the dollar down and the Euro up that now the foreign car makers are also cutting their safety features on many models for instance: Volkswagen to cut costs and reduce investment. Volkswagen said it would cut costs and reduce investment after profits more than halved last year and sales of its latest Golf V hatchback got off to a weak start.
Meanwhile it’s parent company Audi is busy testing some new radar assisted driving and anti-collision products in proving grounds in AZ.
I recently had the opportunity to have coffee with the head engineer from Audi and he explained the problem of getting the technology into American cars is that they were worried about class action lawsuits and cost so they were not going to put in the newest ECS devices:
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What is most unfortunate about this is that 42,000 people die a year in auto accidents in this country now. We can fix that, of course this new technology will become victim of class action law suits. We need to immediately kill all the attorneys, Shakespeare was right, Caesar said it best, then we can move forward to save lives.

In Germany on many of the Audi models they have radar assisted following devices. For every 1 kilometer per hour the car is back half that distance so at 60 KPH the car is behind the car in front of it by 30 meters. Works great and several new cars have assisted white right line following also. Also they have a system that if a car is parked in front of you in the lane, your car lets off the accelerator and slightly tightens the seatbelts like the Honda SmartCar and then the steering wheel puts pressure to go around the obstacle, as your reflexes then take over.
The new ESC also interfaces with this system but it needs to be an all-wheel drive car for it to all work. This would help in Winter Weather safety too. We have also seen the weather is changing consumer buying behavior for all wheel drive vehicles on passenger cars as well as SUVs, so people will not be bothered with putting on chains on their cars. Due to the desire by car buyers to have a “go-anywhere, do-anything” capable car after the recent SUV trend we see that consumers have developed an affinity for this freedom in all their car choices.
Automakers are also seeing this it appears and are ready to satisfy the shift in preference by selling more cars that transfer engine power to all four corners - commonly called all-wheel drive, not four wheel drive although that too is way up in demand, all-wheel drive also shifts control around the car as you drive and is a SmartCar Technology. By 2006, car buyers who want All- wheel drive will have their choice of some 42 models, according to Industry Analysts and the website Gurus? This a 2/3 increase from the 2003-2004 model year. We have even heard estimates that by 2008, the number of all- wheel-drive cars on the road will double by today's count, well at least this is what Ford’s Visteon Corp., unit is saying and of course they hope so since they are a supplier of all- wheel-drive technology and other SmartCar electronic systems. For automakers, the rising demand for all-wheel-drive cars means greater profits and higher costs on cars for such options. All-wheel-drive systems now cost up to $1,500 as optional equipment.
The growing interest in all-wheel drive is obvious after checking out the Detroit Auto Show prototype cars. All these cars will have superior handling and better cornering for those 10 PM to midnight canyon burner runs at Mach 2, which if you are a real car lover you fully understand. Automakers with only rear-drive models cars may find this a challenge since the consumer now has a choice of All-wheel drive as well as manufacturers who have bee spending years convincing consumers that front-wheel drive is better on bad roads. Now consumers can have it all, those confused consumers will most likely opt for the both or All scenario. All-wheel drive essentially offers the best of both worlds.
Just over 50 percent of American women and 55 percent of their male counterparts surveyed said they prefer All wheel for safety and/or performance, along with the obvious benefit of better traction. Smart Cars are making friends and influencing people and the safety benefit to all is very incredible. SmartCars and Intelligent transportation.
If we look at the history of smart car type technologies we will see that this is always how it starts. It wasn't more than a decade or two ago that we sought and anti-locking braking systems, or ABS. At first, this was the safety benefit and only an option and only available on the high-end cars. Recently we've seen GPS navigation systems available as an option, now many the luxury cars, it comes standard. We're seeing this trend also on midrange cars and SUVs. It wasn't too long that airbags came onto the seen at first a safety item and an option later became standard on most of midrange and high-end vehicles, now airbags are on nearly every car, at least for the driver. About 50% of the models in Europe have the ESC options with all-wheel drive and in the US about 6% do to the need to cut the costs and still sell the cars.
In 30 years fatalities in Germany are down about 70% in the US per mile driven about 20%, which is good, but we can still do better. Remember when th big news came out about Firestone? Well actually only 3% of fatal rollovers were from tire wear, the rest from driving conditions and pilot error. Loss of control of about 20% of these accidents could have been prevented by ESC and it will be mandatory on 8-15 passenger vans by 2006.

Various Automotive Head Lights And Their Qualities

Headlights not only improve the overall appearance of the vehicle, but they also help the driver to see well. With the efforts of engineering science, these lights have evolved in terms of design and functionality over the years. They come in various types, including halogen, incandescent lights, xenon lights, fog lights, and pencil beams.

• The traditional incandescent lights use the bulbs with tungsten filament which can evaporate over time. The life of this bulb depends on the thickness of the filament, whereas the thinner filament emits brighter light.

• The halogen headlights also use tungsten filament like incandescent bulbs, but they are filled with halogen gas which extends their life. It eventually breaks out with the thinning of the filament.

• Xenon bulbs have come out with a bright lighting solution as compared to other types of headlights. These bulbs are xenon gas-filled, using two electrodes being known as high intensity discharge bulbs. These are much expensive and installed in the luxury automobiles.

• Fog lights focus directly on the roadway, keeping the light beam narrow. They enhance the visibility in extreme weather, as snow and rain. These lights are provided with lenses to distribute the light equally in all directions.

• The pencil beams are long-range headlights having a narrow spread being reserved for off-road vehicles. Having increased brightness and mounting nature, the use of these lights is considered illegal in certain states. Led lights having low energy consumption with high life span are true example of the engineers' efforts.

• Laser lights are being installed in vehicles for illuminating the roadway, covering a longer range. The harmful effects of these lights are filtered through the fluorescent material, which also changes the color of the light. Although, laser light is energy-efficient, but the installation of such light requires a huge modification in the car design.

• There are also adaptive headlights, which respond to the vehicle speed, steering through electronic sensors. Having wide range of movement, they can produce light in 360 degrees. These lights can automatically turn on and off depending on the speed of the vehicle. These lights ensure safety of the driver, but can distract other drivers as well.

No matter what type of headlights you want to install, they should have certain qualities. The lenses must be crystal clear to avoid any diffusion of light beams. The beams should be focused and bright providing proper vision and direction. These lights are often provided with plastic covers, offering maximum shatter resistance. The headlights must be purchased from original companies for a better performance.

All the above mentioned types and qualities will help you choose a right product for your vehicle.

Are you in search of cheap headlights, then everbuying.com is a best place for you. You can also buy cheap Led light bulbs, because the quality is good.

Mercedes Benz SLS Roadster Review - Striking Supercar

The Mercedes Benz SLS Roadster is a star in its own right. With an awesome grip and powerful performance, it is definitely "the car" if performance is what you desire. It runs on a super V8 engine that produces a great noise as far as car noises are concerned. However, in as much as the SLS is powerful, its interior is not all that fancy. As a matter of fact, there is not much change in terms of the interior design as compared to most common Mercedes cars. Most people expected the SLS to go a notch higher from the coupe's gull wing door. Sadly, it went a notch lower. All in all, the interior is the only comprises of only a slight percentage of the whole car. The SLS Roadster is still worth a try regardless of the interior!
· Performance
Powerful; that is how best to describe the performance of the Mercedes SLS Roadster in one word. A speed scale of 3.8seconds of up to 62mph is its maximum thrust. However, this is not the best part of it all. The shove from the back that comes in after hitting the throttle pedal is what impresses the most. The V8 engine, which has a capacity of 6.2 liters, has a growling soundtrack to finish it all up. The handling of the SLS is also top notch. The suspension used is similar to that of the FI. That combined with 20 inch tires at the back and 19 inch at the front plus proper stability systems enhance the handling of the SLS. Turning corners become a simple walk in park with the Roadster. The steering is also good. Being a rather small car, the SLS Roadster can be easily navigated through the smallest of roads. Bottom line; so long as you do not mind the roar produced, and then the SLS Roadster is a performer.
· Safety
Most car reviewers have given the SLS Mercedes roadster a 5 star rating when it comes to security and safety. The vehicle has been built in such a way that it guarantees proper security and safety just in case of any eventuality. To start with, it has been equipped with 8 large airbags. This is enough cushions for all the passengers just in case of any collision. In addition to this, the SLS is fully equipped with a stability control system that includes three stages. These two features ensure that passengers of the SLS Roadster are in very good hands just in case of any eventuality. As a matter of fact, it is the only supercar up to date with such an enhanced security system. When it comes to security, there is no much of technology. It relies on the usual security measures used on most cars.
· Interior and exterior
The exterior of the SLS Roadster is simply glamorous. It combines a sporty kind of design and an elegant look. This gives it that oomph! It is quite easy on the eye and comes in a wide variety of colors. As earlier stated, this particular car is rather small. However, it tends to defy all odds and has been designed in such a way that it has enough interior space for up to 5 passengers. Most of its interior aspects are however quite similar to those of the coupe. The space available in the boot is more or less similar to that in the coupe. Generally, its interior has just enough space. In fact, it more or less doubles the space available in the R8 Audi Spider.

· Final word
Although not with the best of interiors, the Mercedes SLS Roadster is by far a top-ranked performer that is definitely worth the 176,950 Pounds it is currently going for!