plus 4, NHRA 101: Your Guide to NHRA Drag Racing - NHRA.com |
- NHRA 101: Your Guide to NHRA Drag Racing - NHRA.com
- Videos on TV With a Flip of a Channel - Wall Street Journal
- Spartan to Introduce New Class in RV Platforms at RVIA - Stockhouse
- Top Midwest RV & - Consumer Electronics Net
- Ft. Erie Raceway Plan Decision Dec. 7 - Who Won
NHRA 101: Your Guide to NHRA Drag Racing - NHRA.com Posted: 01 Dec 2009 04:18 PM PST Amalie Oil has signed a multiyear partnership with Terry McMillen and Hoosier Thunder Motorsports that will allow McMillen's Top Fuel team to run the entire NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series season in 2010. The announcement extends a decade-long relationship for McMillen and Amalie Oil that began with McMillen's iconic Amalie Oil InstiGator Top Alcohol Funny Car. "This is a big step for us and for Amalie Oil," McMillen said. "Competing full time against the biggest and best teams in drag racing is going to be challenging and rewarding. I can't thank them enough for helping us grow our program to this level. It's the perfect place to showcase Amalie's 'Better than it has to be' product line." Amalie's racing heritage began when its red and white logo began appearing on legendary drag racing teams piloted by Gene Snow and Shirley Muldowney. A decade ago, Amalie began its relationship with McMillen, continuing its commitment to showcasing its high-performance oil in drag racing. For the past two seasons, Amalie has been backing McMillen's Top Fuel team at select NHRA races. McMillen qualified at every event entered, including in 2008 in Las Vegas as part of a record-setting field. In 2009, McMillen set a new career best in Englishtown and earned his first round-win against then points leader Antron Brown in Charlotte. "Terry has been a great representative for Amalie," said Andrew Bornstein, vice president North American Sales and Marketing, Amalie Oil Co. "The return that Terry provides Amalie far outweighs the investment. We're looking forward to the new markets that NHRA brings to our marketing efforts." Amalie will also provide unique experiences for NHRA fans, distributors, and customers during the 2010 season. Fans who watch on ESPN2 will see the Amalie dragster regularly with coverage via an onboard camera. Select distributors and customers will also be treated to a ringside seat with hospitality during events. The Amalie Oil Top Fuel dragster will begin the NHRA season at the Kragen O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals. This content has passed through fivefilters.org. |
Videos on TV With a Flip of a Channel - Wall Street Journal Posted: 01 Dec 2009 03:14 PM PST Remember when families used to gather around the television to watch home videos? The process sounds old fashioned now that we spend so much time watching videos on our computer screens. The company that introduced the popular Flip hand-held video cameras, now owned by Cisco Systems Inc., wants to send you and your home videos back to the living room. This week, I tested the device that hopes to do that: FlipShare TV (www.theflip.com). This is a $150 box that's available as of Wednesday at Amazon.com. It plugs into any TV and receives videos that are wirelessly shared. These videos can come directly from the hard drive of a nearby Windows PC or Mac, or via "channels" that you create so you or anyone else can post and share videos via the Internet by simply entering an email address. FlipShare TV would be a useful gift for friends or family members who don't want to bother with logging onto a site to watch shared videos or photos. It takes just minutes to set up, thanks to straightforward plug-and-play software, which originally made the Flip video cameras so popular. I tried FlipShare TV using Windows PCs and Macs, on an analog TV (using the included red, white and yellow audio-video cable to connect the box to the TV) and on a high-definition TV (using an HDMI cable, which is sold separately, usually for between $10 and $20). Included with FlipShare TV are a simple white remote control and a USB key that plugs into the computer to communicate with the box. My FlipShare TV box occasionally dropped the signal of a computer that was just 10 feet away, forcing me to unplug and re-plug its power cord to get it to work. Cisco said this was a problem in the pre-production unit that I tested and that this issue was fixed in final-production boxes. The company recommends that the FlipShare TV box be within 200 feet of the computer with the plugged-in USB key. When it worked, I enjoyed watching videos, like those from a friend's Thanksgiving charades tournament, on the big screen with such little effort. A few obstacles stand between you and the nostalgia of once again watching home videos from the couch. For starters, only videos that are captured with a Flip video camera (the least expensive model costs $150) definitely can be shared via the FlipShare TV box. (A techie workaround may be used to convert some other videos into a different format for viewing, but the company isn't advertising this.) Another problem is that to receive new videos on the FlipShare TV box, your corresponding computer must be on, its USB key must be plugged into it, and the FlipShare software must be running. But the most irritating issue with the FlipShare TV is that this box lacks an indicator to notify users when new videos are available for viewing. Instead, people must rely on text messages, emails, or Facebook notifications to know when someone has shared a new video. There is nothing wrong with these kinds of notifications—at least not for frequent users of email, Facebook and text messaging. But I imagine my grandparents or my parents using FlipShare TV, and none of them would want to be told about new videos via text message or Facebook. My parents would likely be checking email on a different floor of our house, not near the main TV where this box would sit. Assuming all systems are go, you need only to hit the "Input" button on your regular TV remote to switch over to FlipShare TV. The box creates its own point-to-point wireless network linking it to the USB key on the computer, so it doesn't depend on the quality of your home Wi-Fi network, or even require that you have one. FlipShare software, which installs on a Mac or Windows PC as soon as the USB key is plugged in, is easy to learn if you've never used it. If you own a Flip video camera, this software was automatically installed when you first plugged the camera into a computer, offering to save the camera's videos. It even auto-sorts video clips in folders like "September 2009" according to when they were captured. A category called Flip Channels creates a private place online where you can drag and drop any video for instant sharing with selected people, who receive notifications that a video is available for viewing on the channel. Those people can revisit the channel online whenever they want, unlike the traditional method of sharing videos via email, which requires digging up the original email to locate a video link again. And if the original "sharer" allows it, you can "re-share" a video via the Flip Channels with other people. Flip Channels also serve as a Web-based storage place for your videos, so you don't have to worry about your hard drive crashing and losing all of the Flip videos you've off-loaded onto a computer. A menu button on the FlipShare TV box remote displays a simple list on the TV screen with the option to view favorites (like a special video you saved), videos stored on the computer or videos shared via channels. As soon as a new video is posted to a channel you have acces to, it appears on the TV menu in a section labeled "New Items." Two friends shared several videos with me and thumbnail images representing each clip appeared instantly in New Items on my TV screen. After I watched a new video, it no longer appeared in that section but instead was placed into a section with the channel name given by the person who shared it. Along with videos, I also imported some JPEG photos to my personal channel. After 10 minutes of sitting idle, the screen of the TV connected to your FlipShare TV box will fill with still images representing each video, like an ever-changing collage. So as it is now, this box helps people circumvent the computer and go straight to the living room—but only as long as they are aware that someone shared a new video with them; their computer is on with its USB key plugged in; and the FlipShare software is running on a computer within range. Cisco says it will introduce a version of the FlipShare TV next year with an indicator so people will know exactly when someone has shared a video with them. FlipShare TV makes a lot of sense as a simple way to watch videos and look at photos in the living room. But it needs to be more intuitive for all users before family and friends can really sit back and enjoy the show. -- Edited by Walter S. Mossberg —Email mossbergsolution@wsj.comThis content has passed through fivefilters.org. |
Spartan to Introduce New Class in RV Platforms at RVIA - Stockhouse Posted: 01 Dec 2009 11:18 AM PST LOUISVILLE, Ky., Dec 01, 2009 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ -- A new class of RV - a specialty chassis integrated with a custom cap or cockpit - is debuting today at the 47th Annual National RV Trade Show in Louisville, Ky. Spartan Chassis, Inc., a subsidiary of Spartan Motors, Inc. (Nasdaq: SPAR), is set to debut the company's latest innovation, the Next Generation Platform (NGP), a new class in RV platforms (Booth # 2024 - East Hall). Spartan has filed a patent for the first-of-its-kind highline RV cap and chassis design which provides the quality and performance of a premium automotive platform with increased flexibility for fully customizable interiors and exteriors. Spartan said optional Coach-Ready Platforms are also available featuring a variety of OEM options for chassis integration. The development of the NGP was based on research conducted by Spartan which provided insights into the RV buying process. The research confirmed that the exterior of a vehicle excites the potential buyer and draws them inside the unit, but it is the features of the interior floor plan that typically closes the sale. In addition, the primary decision maker for the purchase is the female - like with many premium consumer products - and, not surprisingly, her main focus is on interior styling and features. The NGP integrates more components into the chassis configuration with an emphasis on functions that are critical to operating the vehicle but that are unimportant to the buyer. This reduces chassis-prep and engineering for RV OEMs and allows them to concentrate on customer-facing priorities such as the exterior design and interior floor plan. By offering OEMs the ability to choose from an extensive menu of available options for the front, middle and rear sections, motorhome makers have the freedom to design a vehicle to their exact specifications, yet still achieve faster model changeovers and increased speed to market for new designs and product features. "Like every other consumer category, the RV marketplace is constantly evolving as customers look for the latest body styles and new approaches to interior layouts, making it more important than ever to adapt quickly as styles, trends and desires change," said Tom Gorman, Chief Operating Officer of Spartan Motors. "The front driver's section, everything below the floor, and rear-engine sections all require a significant amount of engineering time, but the research has shown these things don't drive the purchasing decision. The NGP moves the non-floor plan area to the chassis builder, enabling the OEM to focus on the areas important to the customer." The final step of the buying process is the test drive, where ride performance and drivability are keys to confirming the buyer's decision. Inspired by Spartan's popular Furion fire truck chassis design, the Spartan NGP features a powerful rear diesel engine chassis and independent front suspension. Options including a smart wheel, tilt/telescopic steering column, adjustable pedals and six-way adjustable electric seats ensure a premium cockpit experience. Spartan said it expects to introduce a front engine configuration of the NGP in the fourth quarter of 2010, adding an even greater level of customization. "In a marketplace where there are more than 100 OEMs, a low cost to enter, and the business is hyper-competitive, products must and will change fast," said Gorman. "With Spartan absorbing a significant amount of responsibility, the NGP enables an OEM to enter and compete within the motorized segment with a minimal time and financial commitment. This new approach even makes it possible for a dealer to partner with an OEM to create their own private-label product, something that previously would have been extremely difficult due to the costs involved." RVIA (December 1-3, 2009) is the preeminent trade show for the RV dealer market bringing together suppliers, dealers, and other industry representatives each year to showcase the latest RV technology and new models. About Spartan Motors Chassis, Inc. Spartan Motors Chassis, Inc., (www.spartanmotors.com) a subsidiary of Spartan Motors, Inc. (NASDAQ: SPAR), designs, engineers and manufactures custom chassis, specialty vehicles and truck bodies and aftermarket parts for the outdoor recreation/RV, emergency-response, defense, delivery and service markets. The company's brand names - Spartan(TM), Crimson Fire(TM), Crimson Fire Aerials(TM), Road Rescue(TM) and Utilimaster(R) - are known for quality, value, service and being the first to market with innovative products. The company employs approximately 1,500 at facilities in Michigan, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Indiana and Texas. Spartan reported sales of $844.4 million in 2008 and is focused on becoming a global leader in the manufacture of specialty vehicles and chassis. This release contains forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements concerning our business, future plans and objectives and the performance of our products. These forward-looking statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that ultimately may not prove to be accurate. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Technical complications may arise that could prevent the prompt implementation of the plans outlined above. The company cautions that these forward-looking statements are further qualified by other factors including, but not limited to, those set forth in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K filing and other filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (available at http://www.sec.gov). Government contracts and subcontracts typically involve long payment and purchase cycles, competitive bidding, qualification requirements, delays or changes in funding, extensive specification development and changes, price negotiations and milestone requirements. An announced award of a governmental contract is not equivalent to a finalized executed contract and does not assure that orders will be issued and filled. Government agencies also often retain some portion of fees payable upon completion of a project and collection of contract fees may be delayed for long periods, which can negatively impact both prime contractors and subcontractors. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any statements in this release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. SOURCE Spartan Motors, Inc. http://www.spartanmotors.com Copyright (C) 2009 PR Newswire. All rights reservedThis content has passed through fivefilters.org. |
Top Midwest RV & - Consumer Electronics Net Posted: 01 Dec 2009 09:37 AM PST December 01, 2009 -- IDAHO FALLS, Idaho, BUSINESS WIRE --Source 1 Financial'a leading loan originator in the Midwest, serving over 800 dealerships'and Solex, a web-based lending solution, announced today a partnership that will enable the financial company to take RV and marine lending to a new level of efficiency. 'This industry is behind the auto industry, technologically speaking,' Source 1 president Matt Nelson said. 'This partnership will enable us to bring to the market something that hasn't been there until now.' Source 1 has been steadily growing since 1999, and with such a large customer base, was finding the traditional paper loan process too cumbersome, costly, time consuming and inaccurate. Solex, designed specifically for the consumer-lending marketplace, provided just the right solution. An easy-to-use, Web-based program, Solex walks users through the application process, allowing them to submit loans quickly, with an advanced document engine that creates compliant loan document packages easily printed from any standard printer. Lenders and dealers are connected via the Web, allowing fast and accurate transactions in real time, while minimizing risk and guaranteeing security and compliance. 'Right now our dealerships don't have a one-stop shop that allows them to submit the application to the lender and generate all the closing docs,' said Nelson. 'Typically, they're changing systems along the way for various steps in the process. With Solex, we can print the main contract, the closing docs, the titling, everything from the same program. In the past, we had to re-enter loan information up to three times'from the application, to transfer into our own database manager to send to the lender, and then again a third time to generate closing docs.' Nelson is particularly excited about how Solex will speed up the whole loan process. 'In the past, once we got approval, the quickest we could get the papers to the dealer was via overnight shipping. Now, as soon as we get the approval, we pass it on to the dealer through Solex, and they generate the closing docs on the spot.' 'We take a lot of the hassle out of the process,' said Steve Butler, President and CEO of Solex. 'We provide the automatic updates, show you the qualified approvals, eliminate the need for fax machines, give you side-by-side comparisons, allow you to print from any standard machine, and guarantee the loan is compliant. The days of shuffling papers and messing with dot-matrix printers are over.' Solex offers financial institutions additional revenue streams in the RV and marine marketplace, more efficient loan approval communications with participating dealers, and reduced risk of loans returned for stipulations. Menu-selling functionality increases after-market product sales, while compliance support helps with issues such as red flag rules. With Source 1 dealers now enjoying access to the program, Solex is moving more loans into the electronic world with minimal effort and maximum cost-saving benefits. 'Response from our dealers has been very positive,' Nelson said. 'Solex is going to help with our continued growth, and allow us to provide our dealers with an extra service that makes the financing process much more efficient for them and their customers.' About Source 1 Financial Services, Inc. Source 1 Financial Services, Inc. specializes in loan origination for the RV and marine industry. Headquartered in Burnsville, Minnesota, the company works with over 800 RV and marine dealerships in the Midwest, making it the top loan originator in that region. Source 1 prides itself on its customer service and its ability to create affordable and flexible terms with its network of supporting financial institutions. Additional information is available online at www.source1financial.com. About Solex Solex (Idaho Falls, Idaho) is an online lending solution designed for dealers that provides Finance and Insurance (F&I) managers with fast loan approvals and compliant loan documents. Solex connects dealers, credit bureaus and lenders in a seamless integration to provide multiple financing options. All loan documents are guaranteed compliant with lender and state guidelines and are compatible with all laser printers. Additional information about Solex is available online at www.solex.com.
This content has passed through fivefilters.org. |
Ft. Erie Raceway Plan Decision Dec. 7 - Who Won Posted: 01 Dec 2009 06:31 AM PST Canada Racing News Tuesday, December 1, 2009 Ft. Erie Raceway Plan Decision Dec. 7 by Walter Elliott FORT ERIE, Ontario, Canada -- The town council committee will take final public comments before voting on a $150 million ($142.129 million US) Canadian Motor Speedway racing complex proposal here after 6 p.m. Dec. 7. This content has passed through fivefilters.org. |
You are subscribed to email updates from Add Images to any RSS Feed To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 |
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar