Great pair of articles, and a good read for you...
From Matthew Murphy at IBM:
You may recall Microsoft's initiative to have Windows CE used for embedded systems in cars:
http://www.industrialnetworking.co.uk/mag/v8-2/n2.htm
Microsoft has announced that the BMW 7 Series features its real-time embedded operating system, Windows CE. This comes shortly after Microsoft's Automotive Business Unit launched Windows CE for Automotive v3.5. This latest telematics software version based on Windows CE is an open platform that allows developers to create powerful in-car computing systems. It offers flexibility and choice of hardware platforms, peripherals and software components, as well as being able to take advantage of the growing community of experienced CE developers. Siemens VDO Automotive AG, BMW's preferred navigation supplier used CE in the Control Display, part of the BMW's iDrive concept which gives easy operation and access to in-car features including the navigation, telephone, climate control and entertainment systems.
So now we have the inevitable news story a year later:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=573&ncid=757&e=1&u=/nm/20030512/od_nm/life_thailand_car_dc
BANGKOK (Reuters) - Security guards smashed their way into an official limousine with sledgehammers on Monday to rescue Thailand's finance minister after his car's computer failed. Suchart Jaovisidha and his driver were trapped inside the BMW for more than 10 minutes before guards broke a window. All doors and windows had locked automatically when the computer crashed, and the air-conditioning stopped, officials said. 'We could hardly breathe for over 10 minutes,' Suchart told reporters. 'It took my guard a long time to realize that we really wanted the window smashed so that we could crawl out. It was a harrowing experience.'
And for the reading review portion of our blog today... I finished the novel The Jester by James Patterson and Andrew Gross. I normally read Patterson's work for the crime thriller stories, and I initially thought that was what I was getting into here when I put the book on hold at the library. When I got it, I was surprised to find that the story takes place in the 1050 AD time period, and involves a lowly jester fighting back against the injustices visited on him and the villagers by the ruling class. They think he has a relic from Christ's time, and they want it badly. He doesn't know what they are looking for, but he wants to avenge the death of his wife and child that occurred while he was off fighting in the Crusades. If I had known the story line beforehand, I would have (unfortunately) passed on it. Instead, it was a great story with plenty of twists and engaging characters. Highly recommend this one...
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Posted by Chris King At 18:15:32 On 13/05/2003 | - Website - |