Category: Cool

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From Popular Science – New Technology, Science News, The Future Now: Video: People Flying, Superhero Style, Over New York City

New York Finally Gets Its Real-Life Superheroes

Viral marketing agency Thinkmodo has been bringing sci-fi to life in the skies over New York City for the past couple of weeks, so if you thought you saw something out of the ordinary in the past few days–like perhaps a few people lazily looping around the skyline like superheroes–no need to adjust your medication. To promote an upcoming film, the agency custom built three remote controlled aircraft shaped like humans and put them in the air over New York and New Jersey.

The three main characters in 20th Century Fox’s upcoming film Chronicle have the ability to fly, so Thinkmodo thought the best was to build hype around the film would be to create some “flying people” sightings around NYC. So far, so good. Local news stations picked up the story, and a video the team released documenting the campaign (see it below) has garnered well more than half a million hits as of this writing.

Viral marketing can be so absolutely boring, but a gnarly RC airplane hack for the sake of sci-fi? Consider our hats tipped.

[YouTube]

from Popular Science – New Technology, Science News, The Future Now

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From Autoblog: Report: New BMW 328i actually more fuel efficient than old 335d diesel

Wow! That’s awesome gas mileage!! 24/36 mpg city/highway! And quick to boot… Nice comeback for the 3-series, I say!
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2012 BMW 3 Series

Saying automotive journalists like diesel sedans is like arguing the color pink is going to do well with the 5-year-old-girl demographic this quarter. You’re not going to find too many dissenting voices. So, it should be no surprise that we love ourselves some BMW 335d. With plenty of power and impressive fuel economy, the outgoing diesel is a mechanical wonder child. And yet, thanks to the new F30-generation BMW 328i, with its 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine produces 240 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, there’s some competition for the title of most fuel efficient 3 Series.

Admittedly, the 328i’s numbers are a far cry from the 265 ponies and 425 lb-ft of torque cranked out by the diesel-fueled 3.0-liter inline six in the 335d. Even so, the 2012 328i is considerably lighter and more aerodynamic. It also boasts a next-generation transmission, which helps the car get to 60 mph one tenth of a second quicker than the old 335d. That’s surprising, but not nearly as surprising as the fact that the 328i manages 1 mpg better than the diesel in the combined cycle. According to the EPA’s just-released figures, the 328i nets 24 miles per gallon in the city and an impressive 36 mpg on the highway. The 335i? 23 mpg city and 36 highway.

We’ll give you a moment to pick up your jaw from the floor. Now all BMW needs to do, as Automobile points out, is drop a diesel four-cylinder behind the headlights of the 3 Seriesto go after even bigger green credentials. Fingers crossed.

 

from Autoblog