The Japanese giant Sony has just introduced an entertainment system for cars with a seven inch screen. It is the XAV-W1, a gadget of considerable size that allows the reproduction of various formats such as Super Audio CD, MP3 or WNA, being compatible with Dolby Digital and DTS. Its price, around 800 bucks.

The great advantage of its size is that it will allow you to see DVD´s without leaving our eyes; we could also use it with other gadgets because you will be able to connect it to the iPod and an HD radio.

Another one of the great applications of this gadget is that is includes a remote so you can control it through the steering wheel. You can also connect it to other sources of video.

It seems that the vision of flying cars around our cities are not that far in to the future as we might have thought. I just read in tuexperto.com that some Mr. Paul Moller (that in the coming years could become a big celebrity) has built a flying car in the shape of a flying saucer. This prototype, which seems to come right out of Star Wars is called M200G and could move at 80.5 Km/h maintaining a constant height of 3 meters.

This Canadian scientist has invented motors called Rotapower, which allowed him back in 2002 to realize his first flights with the Skyca M400, a plane car with a capacity for four passengers, maximum flight velocity speed of 600 Km/h and could take off and land vertically.

That model was auctioned for 2 million dollars. The actual vehicle, that he would like to build in series, will cost about 90,000 dollars a unit.

This weekend I will go on an excursion to a place that I have not been to since I was a child. The Natural Carrascar Park of the Font Roja, located in the interior of the province of Alicante.The first thing to do is to rent a car in Alicante and take off north of the province. From the Font Roja there are tow heights of importance: The Pic del Menejador about 1352 meters high and the Pic de la Teixereta about 1350 meters tall.

The Natural Park of the Carrascar is one of the last spaces where the vegetation of the mountains of Alicante is conserved, it is probable the same vegetation that existed many years a go in this great part of valencian land, way before man modified it.

Photos in  Google

The gas prices have gone up so far this year between 11 and 12% and in the case of diesel, the raise has been 6%. For this reason the Consumer Union of Spain UCE, recommends a series of measures to save combustible.

-Make sure that the medium consumption establish by the manufactures corresponds to the actual consumption of the vehicle. If that is not the case, it is possible the vehicle needs a maintenance.

- Make sure that the tire pressure is accurate. If the tires are low, you will have higher gas consumption.

-Make sure you take your car to all the  maintenance revisions established by the manufacturer (oil change, filters, tires etc)

-Try to avoid traffic jams. Figure out your route before you go on the road.

-Don’t speed up as soon as you start up the car and try to change gears as needed.

Circulate in a uniform manner, without speeding up and breaking abruptly. Try to take advantage of the vehicles inertia.

-The higher the speed the more gas you will consume. The cost of gasoline increases from 100 km/h.

-Try not to overload your vehicle if its not necessary.

-Circulate with the windows rolled up, keeping them down increased the wind resistance and therefore increased the energy consumption. It also generates more consumption the roof racks because it reduces  aerodynamics.

-Use the manufactured recommended gasoline and try not to refuel in the heat of the day, in order to reduce the evaporation of the combustible.

-Carpool whenever possible and try to utilize public transport specially on shot trips or around the city.

I just read in El Mundo very surprising news and I couldn’t resist writing a blog. It seems José Gabino López, a student has designed a system so that the blind could hear the world that surrounds them.

The objective of the denominated ‘Proyecto Lázaro’ is to combine a series of technologies to create a sound image of the surroundings of a blind person allowing them better autonomy and mobility. Like a Daredevil, the blind develop other senses such as touch and sound.

This prototype uses a series of movement sensors and the GPS localization system to create an image of the surrounding that draws it closer to the disabled.

A central nucleus, that could be a PDA or a small laptop, generates a virtual representation of the area where it is moved to by its carrier. It uses holofonia , a technique that could place sounds in tri dimensional places.

To create this sound image of a space the system counts with data offered by the GPS, glasses with a movement sensor and other tools that can be added to the model

photos in Flickr

Today’s adventure is a quick getaway, in which in just twenty kilometres you can experience three different murals. First you need to rent a car at the Alicante airport and in a few minutes you are heading towards the capital.

In Alicante the presence of the Santa Barbara Castle is majestic. It is situated at the top of the Benacantil mountain, strategic point from where all the entrensances to the city and the coast can be viewed. In its grounds there have been found remains of the bronce era and the roman times, even thought the actual history is the fort is the Muslim domain at the end of the IX and during the X century.

Later we travel 22 km south. In the city of Elche, close to the municipal park in the interior and close to the river Vinapolo, you find the Altamira Palace, also called the Alcazar de la Señoria.. Dates back to the XII century. Another element we could visit is the Calahorra Tower.

The last stretch of our trip in Santa Pola, a city whose castle was constructed in the Herat of the villa in 1558. Three little architecturally jewels of the medieval era in just 22 km and with without any difficulty in finding them.