Lincoln To Test New Mileage Program For Lease Customers: Video

It's called Lincoln Miles, and it's designed to make leasing a Lincoln easier to track with regard to your mileage usage.

It's called Lincoln Miles, and it's designed to make leasing a Lincoln easier to track with regard to your mileage usage. An app on your smartphone will allow you to monitor your daily mileage usage and predict where you'll end up when it's time to turn the vehicle back into the dealer. The bonus piece of the puzzle is that if you return the vehicle with unused miles, Lincoln will reward you with credits valued between $100 and $1,000.

Now, you're not going to get cash on your unused miles. Instead, you'd use these credits toward the purchase or lease of another Lincoln vehicle. Lincoln is currently rolling out a pilot version of the program to select clients. The automaker is targeting folks with 10 to 25 months left on their lease agreements, and those who are driving an MKC, MKX, or MKZ that supports connectivity functionality.

DON'T MISS: 2017 Lincoln Continental Lands At Detroit Auto Show: Live Photos And Video

It's actually surprising that there isn't another app out there already designed to keep track of lease mileage. Oh wait, there are tons of third party apps, but the automakers are just figuring out that this may be a useful thing. Well, useful in that it could potentially push someone with a lease into another vehicle from their stable when that lease is up.

We're not saying $1,000 toward a new lease is a bad thing, but it's not that exciting either. especially when Lincoln would want more than three times that amount for the down payment on a new lease.

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Watch Out for This Game-Breaking Fallout 4 Bug

Bethesda forum users report that a specific quest line in Fallout 4 is causing the game to crash without warning on all major platforms, preventing any more progress.

Users are starting to flood Bethesda’s forums with a potentially game-breaking bug that was discovered while doing one of the many quests available in Fallout 4 . This issue has started to rear its head during a settlement quest where players are sent to a location called Mosignor Plaza. Upon traveling to the area, the game simply crashes without any sort of warning or error.

While initially reported on the PC version of Fallout 4 , console players on the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 have also reported the same behavior. The user reporting the issue also indicated that loading an earlier save or starting a new game won’t solve the issue outright, but may hold off the crash for a little longer. After testing, the user has come to the conclusion that the only permanent fix for this issue is through an official patch.

Glitches and bugs are no strangers to Bethesda titles as many typically launched with a variety from the harmless graphical bugs, technical issues, and to the downright hilarious. Fallout 4 features many of these same issues players have come to expect from Bethesda’s open world titles though fans have found a way to make glitches work in their favoras well.

Even though these games are known to launch with issues, it doesn’t stop the public from picking up a copy. With Fallout 4 , Bethesda has set records with $750 million made in revenue at retailduring the launch of the game. Not only that, Bethesda has shipped 12 million units worldwide in order to meet the day one demand. Other high points from the launch week of Fallout 4 include having the most concurrent players on Steam, highest pre-ordered game this year, and the Pip-boy Edition was the fastest selling collectors edition of any game in history.

These staggering sales numbers for Fallout 4 are completely justified with how well liked the game is from criticsand gamers alike. We had a number of positively glowing things to sayabout the game as well.

Source: Bethesda Forums

When Does Fallout 4’s Automatron DLC Unlock?

Bethesda reveals exactly when Fallout 4’s Automatron DLC will unlock, with the first expansion pack for the acclaimed action RPG becoming available depending on region and device.

The release of the first set of Fallout 4 DLC is just around the corner. With the Automatron expansion pack due to be released tomorrow on March 22, some fans of the post-nuclear RPG who have pre-ordered the pack are still in the dark about exactly when the content will unlock. As it turns out, developer Bethesda has now confirmed exactly when players can expect Automatron to be available.

The developer has revealed that the availability of the firstDLC pack will depend on both region and device. Xbox One players will see the content at midnight EST in North America, and midnight locally in Europe. However, PS4 owners will instead receive the content by 1PM EST in North America, and once more midnight locally in Europe. Meanwhile, PC players will be receiving the content at the same time as their Xbox One counterparts.

Automatron is currently available for $10, or as part of the $50 Fallout 4 season pass. Unfortunately, those hoping for a discounted rate for the DLC pass are out of luck, after Bethesda upped the priceof the season pass from $30 to $50 at the beginning of the month. Citing an “expanded DLC plan,” Bethesda is planning to bring $60 of additional content to Fallout 4 over the course of 2016.

The Automatron expansion is the first of three planned DLC packs for the acclaimed post-apocalyptic RPG. Focusing on a new threat in the form of The Mechanist, the player must help bring the mysterious villain down. The pack will also introduce a new gameplay mechanic, where the sole survivor can build robotic companions to bring the fight to the wasteland.

Following on from this first DLC pack, Fallout 4 will then see a further two expansions. April will see the release of the Wasteland Workshop pack, which will allow the player to build traps to try and capture enemies of the Commonwealth. Meanwhile, the final DLC expansion is Far Harbor , which is set to introduce a brand new area to explore, along with additional quests and characters to discover.

Here’s the full release schedule for Automatron :

Xbox One: Midnight EST (North America) or midnight locally (Europe)

PC: Midnight EST (North America) or midnight locally (Europe)

PS4: Midnight locally (Europe) or by 1 PM EST (North America)

Source: GameSpot

Lincoln sees strong initial demand for new Continental

The car that Lincoln says will be responsible for reinventing its image and its portfolio has 40,000 potential buyers.

The 2017 Continental flagship sedanhas generated a considerable amount of interest among the media, and now Ford Motor Company's [NYSE:F] luxury division has put a figure on the number of people it says have expressed considerable interest.

CHECK OUT: Tesla Model 3 pre-orders reach 276,000 in 3 days

That 40,000 number comes from a list of people Lincoln says have said they're interested in a follow-up from the automaker when more information about the car's on sale date and list price become available this fall when the car is due in showrooms.

According to Automotive News (subscription required), Lincoln told dealers gathered at the NADA Convention last weekend that its pre-sale "hand-raiser" list of interested parties for the Continental has exceeded that of its new MKX, which went on sale for the 2016 model year.

Even without the Continental in showrooms, Lincoln is seeing something of a sales resurgence. Last year, for the first time since 2008, sales topped 100,000 units in the United States, although admittedly the auto industry as a whole has largely rebounded.

Through the first quarter of this year, Lincoln's sales are up 16 percent, buoyed by the automaker's redesigned MKX. The MKX alone has accounted for about 44 percent of Lincoln's sales in the U.S. this year, leaving a large gap in the automaker's portfolio for a new sedan.

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Oppo F1 smartphone to be launched in India today

Image: thegioididong
The anticipated Oppo F1 has made an appearance in聽Vietnam.

The anticipated Oppo F1 has made an appearance in聽Vietnam. The device is now up forat a price of聽VND 6,490,000 (approximately Rs 19,400)聽and will start shipping January 21.聽The device is also expected to launch in India聽today.

In terms of specifications, the device features a 5-inch display with a聽720 x 1280 pixel resolution along with a 2.5D Gorilla Glass 4 coating for protection along with a 294ppi. It is powered by a 1.7GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 616 processor paired with 3GB RAM. It offers an inbuilt storage of 16GB which can be further expanded up to 128GB via microSD card.

Image: thegioididong

Image: thegioididong

The Oppo F1 runs Android 5.1 Lollipop with Color 2.1 launcher on top. On the camera front, the smartphone comes equipped with a 13MP rear camera along with a single LED flash. For selfie lovers, the device includes an 8MP camera with additional features such as Beauty 3.0, live color filters and more. A聽2500mAh battery completes the package.

Image: thegioididong

Image: thegioididong

Earlier this month, Sky Li, Oppo聽Vice President and Managing Director of International Mobile Business, hadthat the F series will inherit the excellent camera performance and exquisite design tradition that have earned accolades for Oppo鈥檚 flagship series. The series will bring devices with impressive specs, eye-catching style and amazing prices that will have consumers doing double takes on the excellent specs and build quality. 鈥淲e are very excited to introduce the F series, which will allow an even wider range of users from all around the world to experience Oppo鈥檚 outstanding photography technology,鈥� said Li.

Tags: Oppo, Oppo F1, Oppo F1 features, Oppo F1 launch, Oppo F1 price, Oppo F1 specs, Oppo smartphones

Fallout 4 Doesn’t Have A Level Cap

When fans played through Fallout 3 , they were left bitterly disappointed upon completing the main story.

, they were left bitterly disappointed upon completing the main story. Unlike other Bethesdagames, Fallout 3 actually had a definitive ending, meaning that players had to reload a save before completing the final mission in order to continue their adventure, until later DLC rectified the issue.

Because of this oversight in Fallout 3 , some have been worried that Bethesda would opt for a similar route in Fallout 4 . However, speaking to fans on Twitter, Bethesda has laid these worries to rest, and they have expanded more on the end-game of.

As it turns out, Fallout 4 will not end once the main story is completed, so players are free to explore the Bostonian wastelandto their hearts’ desire even after the central conflict has been resolved. Furthermore, Bethesda also announced that Fallout 4 won’t have a level cap, so players can essentially play forever, always gaining XP, leveling up, and improving their character.

To our fans who’ve asked: Fallout 4 doesn’t end when the main story is over and there is no level cap. You can keep playing and leveling.

— BethesdaGameStudios (@BethesdaStudios) August 6, 2015

By forgoing a level cap, Fallout 4 becomes an even larger adventure than previously anticipated. We already knew that the game was set to be perhaps the most expansive Fallout game in history, with over 400 hours of gameplaypromised, but the lack of a level cap really pushes it over the top. Dedicated Bethesda fans already play their games endlessly, and now this is even more incentive to keep the disc in the tray.

Not content on resting on its laurels, Fallout 4 isn’t just a copy and paste job of Fallout 3 . The game is introducing plenty of new features for fans to indulge in, including weapon customization, settlement creation, and a revamped VATS combat system. So while they’re infinitely leveling, players should never be short of activities to partake in.

Ultimately, Bethesda’s decision to leave out the level cap seems to be a smart move. Not that Fallout 4 needed any more hype, but it really helps drive home the idea that the game is completely and utterly massive, which definitely makes it that much more appealing. Ever since its extremely impressive E3 2015 gameplay reveal, most thought that Bethesda had already shown all there was to see in regards to Fallout 4 , but we keep learning more, and the game sounds better with every bit of information that comes to light.

Do you agree with Fallout 4 ‘s lack of a level cap? Will it encourage you to play the game even more? Sound off in the comments and let us know what you think about Fallout 4 .

Fallout 4 will be available on November 10th for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

Source: BethesdaGameStudios

Fallout 4 Features 275 Separate Perk Levels

Fallout 4 remains one of, if not, the most anticipated game of the year.

remains one of, if not, the most anticipated game of the year. With the last Bethesda developed Fallout game launching back in 2008, fans have been eagerly anticipating any sort of news or detail to come out about the upcoming game since its reveal at E3 2015. With big changes like voice actingand crafting having already been revealed previously, fans are eager for even more information.

Even though Bethesda has commented that there would be no more story based reveals in the months and weeks leading up to the Fallout 4 launch, fans are still getting details about certain game mechanics and potential changes to gameplay. One recently revealed tidbit about the new leveling system in place acts as even more evidence that fans will be playing this game for a very long time.

After a recent interview with a Bethesda representative, details surrounding how perk levels are factored into the experience system have been revealed…

“You’ll still level up via XP, and each level increase will still give you a point to spend on a perk, but now those perks have varying XP levels of their own. It’s perk-ception, essentially, and means that, should you theoretically play long enough to max out every tier of every single one gaining untold buffs and no doubt all kinds of horrendous real-world illnesses in the process – you’ll top off with a total of 275.”

Basically, players will be gaining experience not just towards their character, but each individual perks as well. Every perk comes with different experience levels and after each additional level is gained, new bonuses will unlock. In order to max out every perk, the player would need to level up 275 times, something which should take a while to pull off.

Fans should now be starting to realize what Betheda meant when they revealed that Fallout 4 does not have a level caplike previous games. With 275 perk levels to gain in addition to character based XP to acquire, players should have more incentive and motivation to keep playing long after the story concludes.

Gamers eager to get a jump start on the character building progress should have a look at a Fallout 4 inspired character creation tool. Currently, the tool lets players plug 21 skill points into the seven S.P.E.C.I.A.L. stat categories which will update the perk system in real time. While the full perk list isn’t yet known, the tool allows players to get a sneak peak at certain builds as additional tool functionality is updated over time. Once the game has launched, the user responsible for the page has promised to make it a one stop destination for everything Fallout 4 .

What do you think of this new leveling system? How long do you think you’ll be playing Fallout 4 ? Let us know below in the comments.

Fallout 4 releases on November 10 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.

Source: Gamepur(via Official Xbox Magazine)

Fallout 4 Player Mods Real Life Dog Into Game

One truly loyal Fallout 4 player throws the modding community a bone, by offering up a texture pack that was created to add their real life pet pup into the game.

With the inspiration behind Dogmeatin Fallout 4 being based on a Bethesda developer’s own German Shepherd, for the sake of added realism, one fan decided to go the extra mile and mod his own mutt into the title. Modder 7iger has not only posted photos online of the admittedly adorable animal in-game and from real life, but the modder has also provided other Fallout 4 fans with the opportunity to put their own pets in the game with a free texture pack.

For those looking to give the post-apocalyptic Boston setting an extra dose of canine cuteness, the mod is available for download on NexusMods. Regarding its creation and the pictures below, 7iger has said:

“I created this texture using photos of my pup, ‘Pirate.’ He’s a kelpie x blue cattle dog and a lovable mutt. After posting [about it] to reddit, some users actually wanted to use my crappy re-texture so here it is.”

With it still being relatively early for Fallout 4 mods, 7iger wasn’t able to exactly nail every nuance of Pirate, but even so, this ought to delight dog lovers and owners to no end, as they will now be able to roam the Wasteland with a simulacrum of their true-to-life pooches. Plus, since Dogmeat can’t die as a companion, the mod will make for an extremely enjoyable experience, as one’s pet can now continue protecting its master indefinitely and roam freely forever, as it will be impervious to the indifferent hands of death in the virtual realm.

Nevertheless, with Fallout 4 ‘s first graphics modreleasing a little over a day after the action-RPG dropped, fans should expect to see plenty more posted soon. And with Bethesda promising would-be developers the official Creation Kit mod tools’ release dateas being early 2016, the Commonwealth is sure to become even more interesting next year.

What do you think about the Cattledog x Dogmeat Retexture mod for Fallout 4? Do you have a pup of your own that you might upload into the game? If so, feel free to share a picture or a story of your happy-hearted hounds in the comments below.

Fallout 4 is out now and available to play on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

Source: Reddit(via Kotaku, NexusMods)

Replica Of Original Batmobile Up For Sale In UK

A tribute to one of the most iconic and distinctive film cars of all time, the original Batmobile, will be the highlight of an auction taking place in the UK on June 2.

Original Batmobile replica

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A tribute to one of the most iconic and distinctive film cars of all time, the original Batmobile, will be the highlight of an auction taking place in the UK on June 2. The faithfully re-created car has been owned by Mark Perkins since it was completed in 1988 and is expected to raise the highest bid.

One of only three existing steel-bodied versions, Perkins’ Batmobile--complete with dashboard-mounted television, rear parachute pod and Batphone--is accompanied by an extensive clippings file, having made numerous promotional appearances, including the Batman stage show in the United Arab Emirates in 1993, and a number of showings alongside Adam West, star of the original Batman TV show.

Based on a Lincoln Continental chassis and built to a similar specification as the original car in the ‘60s, the car was finally completed in 1988, following input from renowned custom coachbuilder, Bill Chaplin.

Mark Perkins explained his reluctance to let the car go: “Classic cars, and this one in particular, should be driven to be enjoyed, and I’ve loved taking it on the road over the years. However, my work will leave me little time to do so in the future, and so sadly it’s time someone else derived pleasure of ownership.”

MLB Not Happy About Fallout 4 David Ortiz and Boston Red Sox Uniform Mod

Following the release of a Fallout 4 Boston Red Sox Jersey mod featuring a virtual David Ortiz, the MLB declares that they will pursue legal action against the modder.

With Fallout 4 being set in a post-apocalyptic version of Boston, Massachusetts, it was only a matter of time before someone created mods to bring more iconic things from Boston to the game. One such modder went so far as to create a faithful replica of the Boston Red Sox uniform and player David Ortiz, but the MLB didn’t take kindly to it.

The MLB don’t seem to be too concerned by the recreation of David Ortiz in the game, but instead, the use of their logos and intellectual property. The MLB issued a statement with regards to themod, stating that they consider the use of the Red Sox logo to be an infringement of their rights, and that intend to “enforce those rights.” Unlike the Skyrim paid mod fiascoearlier this year, the ‘Authentic Red Sox Uniforms’ mod was available to all Fallout 4 players for free, and the mod creator isn’t earning a penny from it. Still, the MLB is apparently determined to not allow the use of its intellectual property without permission and (presumably) licensing fees.

The modder, Richie Branson, previously stated that he would take down the mod if he must, as he’s not eager to fight over a free mod against a high-paid team of lawyers. Unfortunately, it looks like he’s lost the battle, as the mod is no longer available on Nexusmods, and he’s listed it as no longer available for download on his video demonstration of the mod. Thankfully, any gamers who download the mod should be able to keep it and continue using it.

It remains unclear if Branson decided to back down, or if the MLB contacted him. In any case, it’s rather sad that the MLB so resented a not-for-profit Fallout 4 mod. Trademarks, copyrighted items, and virtual takes on real-life people appear in mods all the time without being taken down. D.C. Comics didn’t make a fuss when a Superman Grand Theft Auto V modappeared, Nintendo didn’t sue when a modder recreated Splatoon in Minecraft , and no one complained when Skyrim ‘s dragons were replaced with Thomas the Tank Engine. However, it’s not a huge surprise that the MLB would be irritated by the mod, as a great deal of their income undoubtedly comes from merchandising and in-game licenses.

While the uniform is no longer available, the in-game character creation tools have already allowed players to make a litany of replicas of celebrities in Fallout 4 , so recreating David Ortiz shouldn’t be too hard. More mods recreating famous people and products are bound to be on the horizon – hopefully, other companies and corporations will be more forgiving of free publicity than the MLB is.

Source: Boston Globe, YouTube

Watch 100 Enemies Battle Each Other in Fallout 4

A fresh Fallout 4 fan video releases, showing off two enemy factions comprised of 100 units fighting to the bitter end for supremacy of the Commonwealth.

Fallout 4 ‘s only been out for slightly more than 24 hours, but the rabid fan base for Bethesda’s post-apocalyptic RPG has already begun tinkering with the game’s settings—the first graphics modquickly comes to mind— as well as the artificial intelligence to build large-scale set pieces of their own. Today, YouTuber Tyrannicon has put together a video featuring 50 Raiders battling 50 Generation 2 Synthsto the death, and the results are equally savage and spectacular.

As seen in the Fallout 4 clip below, it’s all-out carnage between the two groups, with the Synths wielding laser-based weapons and the Raiders firing plain old pistols. Although the androids have the edge as far as survival goes—their robotics allow for continuous fighting well after near-fatal wounds—the Raiders have a chance when relying on frag grenades in the compacted Boston location.

While the footage would benefit from a sweeping film score à la John Williams instead of Tyrannicon’s flat and disinterested voice, the combat is quite engaging. In fact, the action as a whole is reminiscent of a war between humans and Terminators. And since the video is short, so there’s no need to spoil which camp comes out on top.

This isn’t the first instance of Tyrannicon using one of Bethesda’s games to construct a virtual clash of clans. He’s created Skyrim videosin the past depicting his own fan-made mayhem on the battlefield, pitting NPC armies against one another. As expected, the YouTuber even makes reference to more Fallout 4- themed materials on the way when the clip above ends.

Although Fallout 4 ‘s existence as a playable title is still in its nascent stages, it’s not surprising that folks in the gaming community have already stepped up to create fan-made content. Of course, as time marches on, the Internet will soon be inundated with homages to the game.

Fallout 4 is finally out and is available for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

Source: Tyrannicon – YouTube(via Kotaku AU)

Neil Young Warehouse Fire Started By One-Off LincVolt Hybrid

Turns out the $800,000 warehouse fire suffered by Neil Young that we reported on last week was caused by the recording artist’s one-off LincVolt hybrid vehicle.

One-off LincVolt hybrid

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was caused by the recording artist’s one-off LincVolt hybrid vehicle. The LincVolt isn’t a production model but a custom ride based on a 1959 Lincoln Continental packed with an electric motor, an array of batteries and a diesel-powered generator.

According to fire officials, the flames started in the LincVolt and then spread to the rest of the warehouse and in the process engulfed hordes of memorabilia including guitars, photos, film canisters and crates of musical equipment. Thanks to the efforts of firefighters on the day of the incident, November 10, roughly 70 percent of Young’s possessions were saved--including six other cars.

Young originally commissioned the LincVolt back in 2008 and documented its development in a four-part film series.

While the exact cause of the fire is still being investigated, it’s thought that the fire was caused by a faulty component in the charging system. Investigators are now looking at the car’s computer to see if the exact cause can be found, and who knows, once solved the LincVolt may eventually roll again.

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No New Continental in Lincoln's Future

Ford [NYSE:F] is damping speculation that it's developing a new flagship sedan in the mold of the former Lincoln Continental.

1966 Lincoln Continental

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The Continental was one of the signature vehicles in the Lincoln lineup from the 1930s through the 1970s--the mini-brand was sold under its own nameplate, before it became an official Lincoln model after 1958. In the Sixties, the Continental hit its styling zenith, in two- and four-door versions drawn by Elwood Engel.

In the 1980s, the Continental became a derivative of the front-drive Taurus family, before it ended production in 2002.

Automotive News reports today that dealers were shown concept renderings of upcoming Lincoln vehicles at a brand meeting in the Detroit area on Monday, and that the renderings included plans for a Continental-like sedan.

Lincoln confirmed earlier this year that it would introduce seven new or heavily revamped vehiclesin the next few years.

However, a return to a Continental nameplate is unlikely. Lincoln has introduced new vehicles under an alphabetic naming strategy in the eight years since it sold its last Continental in 2002. The Zephyr became the MKZ; its new large luxury sedan--effectively a Continental-sized car--is the 2011 Lincoln MKS.

"We are on track to deliver seven new or significantly freshened vehicles for Lincoln in the next four years," Lincoln spokesman Christian Bokich says. "There are all-new products coming for the brand that we look forward to revealing down the road, but Continental is not one of them."

Lincoln also has confirmed it would stop production of the Town Car next year and will offer livery and limousine makers a stretched version of its MKTcrossover as a replacement for the fleet vehicle. And Ford CEO Alan Mulally has suggested that taking the Lincoln brand to international marketsisn't out of the question, as its new product lineup emerges.

A Pair Of Classic Lincolns From 'The Godfather' Head To Auction

If you have a thing for early 1940s Lincolns, or if you’re a huge fan of The Godfather (the second-greatest film in American cinema, according to the American Film Institute), you’ll want register to bid at the upcoming Bonhams Scottsdale auction.

1941 Lincoln Continental Coupe, as seen in 'The Godfather' - image: Bonhams Auctions

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Crossing the block will be a pair of 1941 Lincolnautomobiles, including the 1941 Lincoln Custom Limousinechosen by Francis Ford Coppola as the ride of choice for the enemies of the Corleone family.

The 1941 Lincoln Limousine also starred in the movie’s wedding scene, as it would have been a typical wedding car for the wealthy in the early 1940s. Only 295 Lincoln Custom Limousines were built in 1941, giving an idea of exactly how exclusive the cars were.

In addition to its movie star status, this example boasts a, L-head V-12 engine, a three-speed manual transmission with overdrive, and a well-documented ownership history. The car was restored prior to the filming of The Godfather, but has been kept by its current owner in climate-controlled storage.

Also up for grabs at Bonham’s Scottsdale auction is a 1941 Lincoln Continental Coupe, as driven by Sonny Corleone (played by James Caan) in the film. In one of the movie’s more memorable scenes, Sonny Corleone is ambushed at a remote Long Island tollbooth while behind the wheel of the Lincoln Coupe.

While the car for sale was used in filming, it was not destroyed in the making of the tollbooth scene. Instead, two less-pristine examples (including one shot full of .45 caliber bullets and a second rigged with pyrotechnic charges to simulate gunfire) were substituted, preserving this Continental Coupe in near-mint condition.

1941 Lincoln Continental Coupe, as seen in 'The Godfather' - image: Bonhams Auctions

Enlarge Photo

Like the 1941 Lincoln Custom Limousine, the 1941 Lincoln ContinentalCoupe was powered by a V-12 engine mated to a three-speed manual transmission. Meant to make a statement about its owner, the Continental Coupe was distinguished by its long and low body, compare to the Lincoln Zephyr. Its rear-mounted spare tire, encased in metal, gave rise to the term “Continental Kit.”

Guilty Pleasure: Lincoln Continental Mark V Givenchy Edition

Since we've had a real shortage of Ford products in this series lately (the Tempo Diesel we saw last week was just a start), it's time we "honor" the Lincoln division's contributions to the world of you-gotta-be-sick-to-want-this-thing cars.

The Continental Mark V, built for the 1977-79 model years, may look like an unutterably horrible, overwrought, self-parodying standard-bearer for an automotive era most of us would like to pretend never happened, but… well, actually, it is just that.

But what puts this two-and-a-half-ton, blinged-out monstrosity into Guilty Pleasure territory is the way FoMoCo managed to get some of the top fashion houses of the era to slap their names on special editions.

Cartier, Bill Blass, Pucci, and--of course--Givenchy. Of these, the Givenchy was the greatest/most terrible, because it came in Midnight Jade paint. Midnight Jade! It's impossible to avoid having some mis-wired junction box in one's hindbrain plead with one's higher functions to find and purchase a clean Givenchy Mark V. Best of all, the Givenchy Mark V came with an interior in "Dark Jade" leather or Majestic Velour. Majestic Velour! You'd need a custom-made Dark Jade Majestic Velour suit made immediately, were you to buy a Givenchy Mark V.

The Mark V scaled in at about 4,900 pounds and came with your choice of 160-horsepower 400M or a 208-horsepower 460 engines, delivering a power-to-weight ratio roughly similar to that of a Tuk-Tukand fuel economy in the "you don't want to know" region. Who cares? You'd be so unimaginably fly in your Givenchy Mark V that such matters would be beneath your notice.

Image source: Old Car Brochures

This is Why the Oculus Rift Costs $599

With controversy erupting regarding the Oculus Rift’s $599 price, Palmer Luckey describes the VR headset’s costs and apologizes for their pricing messaging.

Oculus’ reveal of the Rift’s $599 pricedid not go out smoothly. Calling the high price controversial would be a significant understatement. But hile pre-orders for the $599 VR headset seem to be doing quite well, with recent patrons seeing their shipments targeting June instead of March, that hasn’t prevented Oculus and founder Palmer Luckey from recognizing that mistakes were made. Yesterday evening Luckey had an AMA (Ask Me Anything) on Redditwere he explained the Rift’s costs, as well as apologizing for his messaging leading up to pre-orders.

Regarding the apology, since the controversy over pricing seems focused on certain Luckey quotes rather than the cost of the Rift’s manufacturing, Luckey was particularly honest and direct. “I handled the messaging poorly,” is his opening comment regarding pricing. Luckey goes into depth about such messaging in his post and specifically addresses the “ballpark $350”line that’s most often thrown around. He goes on to summarize his general feelings:

“There are a lot of reasons we did not do a better job of prepping people who already have high end GPUs, legal, financial, competitive, and otherwise, but to be perfectly honest, our biggest failing was assuming we had been clear enough about setting expectations. Another problem is that people looked at the much less advanced technology in DK2 for $350 and assumed the consumer Rift would cost a similar amount, an assumption that myself (and Oculus) did not do a good job of fixing. I apologize.”

With regards to gamers who do not already have a high end GPU, Palmer feels that he and Oculus did a much stronger job painting an accurate portrait of the financial situation. “$1500” dollars was what Palmer is quoted as saying will be the cost of the Rift and a PCthat meets VR’s recommended settings. And of course, for pre-order through Oculus’ website, a $1500 bundle for a PC and Rift is available. Maybe this is all indicative of the type of audience Oculus really wants to drive VR’s future forward.

Less controversial, but still under scrutiny, is the actual cost of the Oculus Rift. Most of the confusion tends to focus on pricing expectations, but there are some who also have a hard time believing a VR headset legitimately costs $599 and that Oculus is profiting heavily off of it. Luckey wasn’t willing to let those claims go unchecked, making clear that, “we don’t make money on the Rift.” Though even that is a step back for Luckey, who has previously said that Oculus will lose money on every Rift sold.

Luckey further delves into where the Rift’s cost are, and are not, coming from:

“A lot of people wish we would sell a bundle without ‘useless extras’ like high-end audio, a carrying case, the bundled games, etc, but those just don’t significantly impact the cost. The core technology in the Rift is the main driver – two built-for-VR OLED displays with very high refresh rate and pixel density, a very precise tracking system, mechanical adjustment systems that must be lightweight, durable, and precise, and cutting-edge optics that are more complex to manufacture than many high end DSLR lenses. It is expensive, but for the $599 you spend, you get a lot more than spending $599 on pretty much any other consumer electronics devices – phones that cost $599 cost a fraction of that to make, same with mid-range TVs that cost $599.”

Palmer Luckey is a great face for Oculus. He’s honest, he cuts through PR speak, and most of all he’s endlessly excited about VR. It’s easy to see Palmer making a mistake like he’s described above and his apology rings wholly sincere. However, it’s difficult to imagine Facebook making or allowing such a mistake, unless the “mistake” was their intent. The price tag absolutely seems justified for such a cutting edge piece of tech, but how we got here and where we go from now are likely inexorably tied.

The Oculus Rift VR headset is currently available for pre-orderat a cost of $599 to be charged upon shipment, which begin in March. Orders are backed up to the point where new pre-orders won’t be shipped until June.

Source: Reddit

Second-To-Last Lincoln Continental JFK Rode In Up For Sale

John F.

John F. Kennedy's last ride with breath in his lungs took place in the back seat of a 1961 Lincoln Continental. That car is in a museum as it's an important, if macabre, piece of American history. There's another Lincoln Continental that JFK took a ride in on that fateful day in Texas, and this trip was quite a bit more pleasant.

Earlier in the day, Kennedy and his wife, along with Texas Governor John Connally, were shuttled from breakfast through Fort Worth and off to Carswell Air Force Base.

Their Conti convertible for that ride was a 1963 model wearing white paint with a red interior. It was loaned out by Bill Golightly, a car dealer in Fort Worth. It exchanged hands a few times after Golightly got it back, but it ultimately ended up in a Museum of Tragedy where it sat until 1998.

Fast forward 15 years and the car has been completely restored. Now it's set to change hands again, because it's about to cross the auction block.

RR Auctions is playing host to the JFK 50th Anniversary Auction, which runs from October 17th through the 24th. This 1963 Lincoln Continental is lot 140, and it has a starting bid of $50,000. That seems like a great price to start for a car which, while not as iconic as the actual vehicle in which Kennedy was assassinated, has a lot of history behind it. Not to mention, that's a fair price for a well-restored Lincoln Continental, even without the Kennedy connection.

Still, we don't expect the price to hover at $50,000 for too long. Kennedy memorabilia moves quickly and for top dollar. He remains one of our most cherished presidents, and his death was a moment in American history that will never be forgotten. A chance to own a car connected to him doesn't come up very often.

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Valve VR Headset Vive Gets Its First Game With ‘Job Simulator’

Valve forced some collective shocked breaths out of the world when they not only announced their own Virtual Reality Headset this week, but also revealed it would be coming to stores by holiday 2015.

this week, but also revealed it would be coming to stores by holiday 2015. The Oculus Riftrival will likely be well-integrated with existing Steam platforms like Steam and potentially even Steam Machines, but as excited as gamers might have been Valve didn’t really show what the Vive can offer in terms of games. Today, gamers get their first look at the first Vive game, and it comes from respected Rift game producer Owlchemy Labs.

The game, simply entitled Job Simulator , is exactly what one might expect – gamers get to recreate blue collar jobs like cooking food and pouring beer, in a world where robots have replaced humanity for all jobs and make humans feel useful by letting them pretend to work. This game takes place in the not-so-distant future of 2050, so take from that what you will. Players will be tasked with frying up some great breakfast, making soup with the correct ingredients, and mastering the art that is sriracha sauce.

The aptly titled Job Simulator looks like it’s a game made to introduce players to virtual interaction, though they haven’t stated exactly how many jobs will be included within the game or if they’ll all be based on various parts of the food industry. The Vive itself is set for a release this holiday window, so it makes sense that Job Simulator will come out alongside the launch of Valve‘s headset.

Whilst Job Simulator is the first official Vive game to be publicly unveiled, those who enjoyed Owlchemy Labs’ previous outings on the Rift needn’t worry – the game will also launch for the Oculus, so both sides of the party will benefit from the ability to simulate jobs they might already have.

Source: PC Gamer

Star Citizen Hits $100 Million in Crowdfunding

The long-awaited PC space combat and flight simulator from Cloud Imperium Games announces Star Citizen ‘s reaching of $100 million in its crowdfunding campaign.

As most gaming fans are aware, Star Citizen has long since held the world recordas being the most successfully crowdfunded project of any kind in history once it made $63 million last year. Now, Cloud Imperium Games has revealed that Star Citizen has completely obliterated its original goals by obtaining an absolutely massive sum of more than $100 million from backers.

Before Star Citizen concluded as a project entirely, the space epic’s creator and director, Chris Roberts, had said $100 million was the target he wanted to hit, so in that respect the campaign has been a success. Unfortunately, though, achieving such a feat doesn’t mean that the production process for the game is over at all, as the additional funds for the title will go toward its continued development, however long that may be.

While a concrete date still hasn’t been set for its release, Star Citizen backers have at least been treated to some fruits of Cloud Imperium Games’ labor, as the game’s Alpha 2.0 updatereleased yesterday, allowing funders to take part in space combat, first-person shooting battles, and multi-crew flight adventures. In truth, it’s really the least developers could do, considering the sheer devotion of a lot of the space sim’s supporters. As it happens, last month, one fan admitted to contributing $30,000 to fund the campaign, with plans to donate even more in the future.

With $100 million in funding definitely being indicative of there being a rabid fan-base for Star Citizen, there are also some backers who have expressed concerns and wanted their money back due to Cloud Imperium Games’ nebulous release window of 2016. Thankfully, the studio honored the once-supporters’ requests, with backers receiving full pledge refunds.

Of course, having Star Citizen come out sooner rather than later would be wonderful, but with Cloud Imperium Games’ intention of creating a new genreof gaming by blending first-person shooting, open world discovery, flight simulation, aerial combat, and MMO elements is incredibly ambitious. Bearing all of that in mind, the most important thing for developers to do is take their time to ensure all of Star Citizen ‘s features are assiduously refined in order to deliver the best possible experience with the final product.

Star Citizen currently has no exact release date set, but Cloud Imperium Games have confirmed that the game will be available on PC once it launches.

Source: GameSpot

Lincoln MKS Replacement To Revive Continental Name?

Lincoln is set to launch a replacement for its MKS in 2016 and according to a somewhat unusual source it may end up being called a Continental.

2014 Lincoln MKS

Enlarge Photo

in 2016 and according to a somewhat unusual source it may end up being called a Continental. The source of the information is none other than singer Neil Young, who on a recent episode of Mad Money on CNBC (see below) revealed that he’s working with Lincoln to have his high-quality digital music player and download service, Pono, available on its "Continental" for a “2016 release.” He also revealed that Pono will be available in future Teslas.

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Although Young initially makes a mistake when mentioning the 2016 release in his interview—he starts of stating “1990” but then corrects himself—he is certainly no stranger to Lincoln and the Continental. Back in 2010, a 1959 Lincoln Continental converted to run on electricpower by Young caught fire and burned part of a warehouse packed with memorabilia from his music career.

As for the new Continental, if that is in fact the name of Lincoln’s MKS replacement, it will be based on a stretched version of the front-wheel-drive platform underpinning the MKZ and a host of other Ford Motor Company [NYSE:F] vehicles. We’ll get the standard version here in the U.S. while in China Lincoln will market a long-wheelbase version.

Look for the MKS replacement, whatever it’s called, to be revealed late next year before going on sale in  2016.

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RM Set To Offer 2002 Lincoln Continental Concept Car

Remember when Lincoln used to make some seriously cool cars?

Remember when Lincoln used to make some seriously cool cars? Even Lincoln remembers, or at least they did, because back in 2002 the automaker created a new concept vehicle that provided a possible glimpse at where the automaker was heading. The car was a retro-futuristic look at a new Continental, and it's everything that could've been for Lincoln... rather than the current jumble of alpha-numeric pieces currently occupying the lineup.

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The 2002 Lincoln Continental Concept was first shown at the LA Auto Show. It was well received at the time, thanks to both its wonderful styling and the potentially potent V-12 engine that would sit under the hood. Power production would be rated at over 400 for both horsepower and torque, and the world would be a better place.

Sadly, this car was never produced, but if you like the concept you can cheer up a bit... because it's for sale.

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The Continental Concept is set to cross the RM Auction block this November. It has been for sale in the past, and it's sold for less than $60,000 the last time it was under the RM lights. Once again, it's being offered with No Reserve and will be sold on a Bill of Sale. This means that it can't be driven on the street, the powertrain doesn't work, and it's simply garage eye candy.

However, if you're an insane person that we'd like to be friends with, you could always swap in a 5.0-liter Coyote motor and take it to the race track. Seems like a better life than serving as a never-was reminder of Lincoln's past (and possible future).

Robinson: The Journey Brings Dinosaur Virtual Reality to PlayStation VR

Crytek reveals a new trailer for Robinson: The Journey , confirming that the in-development dinosaur-filled exploration title is set for a PlayStation VR release.

The emergence of virtual reality as a viable form of gaming has brought with it the chance for gamers to explore a variety of new worlds. Although much of the capital behind VR is based on the technology’s potential, future users now have a very finite idea about what to expect. This comes in the form of the new trailer for Robinson: The Journey , a Crytektitle that promises players the ability to explore a world full on dinosaurs.

Robinson: The Journey was initially revealed during E3 2015, but the game has now been confirmed for a PlayStation VR release. The game will put players into the role of a young boy, accidentally crash landing on a strange planet full of strange flora and fauna. Then, the player character must explore the world around him, adventuring through the environment and, according to Executive Producer Elijah Freeman over on the PlayStation blog, act as a “pioneer” of sorts.

Freeman continued to explain about the origins of the title, with Crytek initially working on a series of demos entitled Back to Dinosaur Island . According to Freeman, the demos proved to be so popular that the developer felt they had confirmation to continue working on the project. Crytek has now set itself the task of providing gamers with a fantastic level of authenticity, and making a game that is both “visually stunning” and that delivers “a story that is emotionally engaging.”

The game’s PlayStation VR release was announced during Paris Games Week, and was joined by a number of other huge reveals. Amongst other news, Horizon: Zero Dawn received an 8-minute videoshowcasing the open-world RPG’s gameplay. Meanwhile, the highly anticipate space exploration title No Man’s Sky finally received a release date, with the game expected to launch in June, 2016.

It’s no surprise to see Sony building more momentum for PlayStation VR. After all, the virtual reality market is expected to be one of the largest battlegrounds of the near-future games industry. Along with Microsoft’s multi-purpose HoloLens device, Sony’s VR faces competition from the Facebook-owned Oculus Rift, whilst Valve entered into partnership with HTC to create the Vive headset.

Source: YouTube, PlayStation

Sony introduces PlayStation Messages app for iOS, Android

Image: PlayStation Blog
Sony has released a new standalone PlayStation Messages app for Android and iOS .

. This app will allow PlayStation network users to chat with each other privately and in a group as well.聽The Messages app also gives users聽an easy way to gather the team.

In a, John Koller, Vice President of PlayStation brand marketing at Sony Computer Entertainment America,聽stated that, making PS4 a socially connected experience has always been one of our core goals, and we think this app will help enhance that connectivity even further. It added, “we know that Messages is the most used feature of the PlayStation App, so we created the standalone PlayStation Messages app with a more streamlined design in order to get you into your Messages and communicating with your friends faster than ever before.”

Image: PlayStation Blog

In terms of features, the new PlayStation app gives users access to their friends list which includes current conversations, along with a favourite tab which聽allows users to mark individual users or groups of users as their favourites. It will also show any Favourite Groups which have been聽added to message several people at once. In addition, one can also聽send text or voice messages, as well as stickers and attachments. Users can also sort their friends list alphabetically or either by their online status respectively.

Tags: PlayStation Messages, PlayStation Messages Android, PlayStation Messages app, PlayStation Messages iOS, Sony

Lincoln Continental Comeback, Range Rover Flagship, New Camaro Details: Car News Headlines

What started out as a rumor several months ago has finally been confirmed—that Lincoln is serious about reviving its Continental nameplate.

Lincoln Continental concept

Enlarge Photo

What started out as a rumor several months ago has finally been confirmed—that Lincoln is serious about reviving its Continental nameplate. The confirmation came in the form of the striking Lincoln Continental concept, on display this week at the 2015 New York Auto Show and previewing the replacement for the MKS.

Land Rover has unveiled its priciest Range Rover yet. It’s called the “Range Rover SVAutobiography”, and its price tag rings in at $200k. It’s also on show this week in New York.

One upcoming car that won’t be in the Big Apple is the next-generation Chevrolet Camaro. Today we learned that the sixth-gen muscle car will weigh more than 200 pounds less than the current one, leading to better handling, acceleration and fuel economy.

You’ll find all of these stories and more in today’s car news, right here at Motor Authority.

Lincoln Continental ConceptDebuts At The 2015 New York Auto Show

Land Rover Launches New Range Rover SVAutobiography Flagship

2016 Chevy CamaroTo Be More Than 200 Pounds Lighter Than Current Model

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Alien: Isolation’ and ‘Game of Thrones’ Coming to Valve’s Virtual Reality Headset?

‘Alien: Isolation’ and ‘Game of Thrones’ Coming to Valve’s Virtual Reality Headset?

The Oculus Rift might’ve started the current virtual reality craze, with a $2.4 million Kickstarter campaign that sparked the imaginations of developers and fans alike – and caught the attention of Facebook, who bought Oculus for $2.3 billion in 2014 – but it’s not the only game in town. Sony’s hoping to transform the PlayStation 4’s massive install base into an army of VR headset wearing gamers with Project Morpheus. Meanwhile, Valve and HTC teamed up and created the Vive, which is poised to get a jump on the competition by coming out first; Valve estimates that the Vive will be available to consumers in late 2015.

Among those who have tried all three devices, the Vive, with its dual 1200 by 1080 displaysand superior motion tracking abilities, seems to be a narrow favorite. But impressive hardware is useless without good software to back it up; thankfully for Valve, it looks like the Vive might have an edge there, too. Recently, some fans on Reddit discovered hidden images on the Steam VR website that seem to list pieces of software currently in development for Valve’s upcoming device.

The list of upcoming games includes a few titles that Valve’s already showed off: Owlchemy’s Job Simulator, Vertigo Games’ Skyworld , Wemo Labs’ The Blu , and The Gallery by Cloudhead Games. However, there are a number of new games on the list, too. Real-time strategy game, originally released in 2013, is on its way to the Vive, as is Surgeon Simulator , Bossa Studios’ comedic simulation game, and Alien: Isolation , last year’s critically acclaimed horror title.

The biggest mystery on the list of Vive titles isby HBO. Basically, Game of Thrones is listed, but nobody’s sure what that means. Previously, HBO used the Oculus Rift to let users visit The Wall, Game of Thrones’ gigantic icy fortress. This could be a port of that demo; it could also be a new game, VR-augmented episodes of the show, or something entirely new.

The complete list of uncovered Vive titles is: Robot Repair Human Diversity Outreach Program – Valve Game of Thrones – HBO Google Earth – Google Company of Heroes 2 – Relic Secret Shop – Valve Job Simulator: The 2050 Archive – Owlchemy Quar VR – Steel Wool Games Alien: Isolation – Creative Assembly Step into Remarkable – HTC Longbow – Valve The Blu: Encounter – Wemo Labs Surgeon Simulator: Alien Invasion Super VR 64 – Bossa Skyworld – Vertigo Games Tilt Brush – Skillman & Hackett The Room Archives – Fireproof Games The Gallery – Cloudhead Games

Source: Reddit

Insomniac Games’ New Title ‘Edge of Nowhere’ is an Oculus Rift Exclusive

There’s no question that Insomniac Games has been one of the busiest developers in recent years.

There’s no question that Insomniac Games has been one of the busiest developers in recent years. Outside development of the highly stylized Xbox One-exclusive, the studio has been hard at work on its reboot of the Ratchet & Clank seriesfor PlayStation 4. In fact, exclusives seem to be the company’s strong suit, which is why it makes sense that it has decided to go that route once again with its latest title Edge of Nowhere .

During a pre-E3 showcase for Oculus Rift, the company displayed a medley of new games for its VR headset. Insomniac Games President and CEO Ted Price even showed up, hopping up on stage to announce the studio’s newest game, Edge of Nowhere , and confirm that it will be exclusive to the Oculus Rift.

The new game looks to be a third-person platforming title, with the camera presumably controlled entirely by the head movements of the individual wearing the Rift VR headset. As is evident by the brief trailer, there appears to be some horror elements to be found within the game, as the narrator alludes to slipping into madness. The feminine voice also addresses someone who is presumably the main hero, Victor, so that’s another tidbit that gamers have to go on for the time being.

Despite this, Insomniac’s Ted Price didn’t provide fans with any release information. Instead, he promised that the game will make good use of the technology, stating that players will be “surrounded on all sides by the unexpected, and nothing is as it seems.” While those are chilling words to be sure, it also sounds like the ideal environment for a game that relies so heavily on immersing players in the game via VR tech.

It could still be a while before the third-person survival title hits the marketplace, but stay tuned to Game Rant for any and all details about Insomniac Games’ Edge of Nowhere .

What do you think of Insomniac Games’ latest title? Are you okay with Edge of Nowhere being Oculus Rift exclusive? Get at us in the comments.

Oculus Rift is scheduled to arrive at some point in Q1 2016.

Elite: Dangerous to Receive SteamVR Support

Virtual Reality is set to become one of the most highly fought-over battlegrounds in the video game industry, with the newfound technology bringing a number of gaming giants to the table.

Virtual Reality is set to become one of the most highly fought-over battlegrounds in the video game industry, with the newfound technology bringing a number of gaming giants to the table. Sony’s Project Morpheus creation, which has recently been renamed PlayStation VR, will bring virtual reality to PlayStation consoles. Meanwhile, Microsoft is running a two-pronged attack, partnering with the Facebook-owned Oculus Riftas well as developing the Hololens, which gave an incredible Minecraft showcaseat E3 2015.

Microsoft, Sony, and Oculus have another competitor in the market, however, in the form of Valve. The creator of the Steam digital distribution platform has branched out into new hardware, with the first batch of Steam Machines set to arrive for pre-order customers in October, alongside the Steam Controller. The company was not done there, however, announcing a partnership with HTC to create SteamVR via the Vive headset.

The move may have been a gamble, but it seems as though SteamVR has been able to get the attention of at least one high-profile title. Frontier Developments has revealed that space flight simis going to receive support for the Valve/HTC virtual reality partnership. In an updated FAQ on the Frontier Supportwebsite, the developer confirmed that Elite: Dangerous will be compatible with SteamVR and the HTC Vive.

Frontier Developments revealed that the title will receive a free update in the holiday season of this year, making Elite: Dangerous playable using SteamVR ready for the Vive’s launch. The headset is scheduled to see a limited release at the end of 2015, with a full commercial launch expected in 2016. With the Vive itself likely to be more expensive than its competitors, it gives Elite: Dangerous players interested in a SteamVR experience a little bit of time to scrape their savings together.

Although VR has not quite won over everyone, with Nintendo in particular critical of the emerging hardware, it has nonetheless become a high-stakes venture for a number of major publishers. Valve may face an difficult battle against the likes of Microsoft and Sony, particularly given the Vive’s relatively high price tag and strong competition from Oculus, but this Elite: Dangerous compatibility will hopefully be a sign of good things to come. With Valve giving out free headsetsto certain developers, perhaps the Vive can take a claim to being the game creator’s headset of choice.

Source: Frontier Developments

Pro Drifter Pranks Driving Instructors: Video

Leona Chin is a pro driver from Malaysia.

Leona Chin is a pro driver from Malaysia. She also knows some people who clearly have a beef with some local driving instructors.

MUST SEE: Video Shows Just How Distracted Teen Drivers Can Get

A production company tasked Leona with dressing like a sort of clueless young girl in need of some behind-the-wheel lessons. Everyone keeps calling her look "nerdy." but simply adding glasses does not a nerd make, so we're sticking with the aforementioned description. Regardless, the instructors initially believe they're helping someone who could be a bit hopeless.

That all changes quickly though, as Leona leads them to an open parking lot.

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Turn the wheel, drop the clutch, and delve into the world of opposite lock mixed with screaming passengers. We feel a bit bad for the older lady who genuinely seems afraid that she's about to die. We don't feel as bad for the young male instructor who should've noticed the drift skills as soon as Leona started flicking the wheel. Either way, we're happy that the video exists.

Click play, sit back, and have a bit of a laugh as you wind down your Friday at work. Nice wheel work, Leona.

Video Shows Just How Distracted Teen Drivers Can Get

The fact that teenage drivers are statistically more likely to crash their cars is not news, but thanks to modern technology we can now gawk at the conditions that cause those crashes.

The fact that teenage drivers are statistically more likely to crash their cars is not news, but thanks to modern technology we can now gawk at the conditions that cause those crashes. To drive home the point of teen-driving safety, the AAA put together a videoof in-car camera footage showing some of the worst instances of distracted driving you're likely to ever see. They come from a pool of 6,842 videos compiled by Lytx, a company that makes dashboard cameras and event recorders.

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Each clip shows footage of the driver alongside footage of a dash cam looking ahead. They show teenagers texting, talking on the phone or to a passenger, and generally not paying attention. No clip appears to show a crash that led to injuries, but needless to say these are not people you would want to share the road with.

The video backs a recent AAA survey of camera and event-recorder data, which found that distraction was a factor in 58 percent of the 1,700 crashes studied. According to the group, top causes of distraction were "interacting with passengers"—which was a factor in 15 percent of cases—"cell phone use" (12 percent), and "looking at something in the vehicle" (10 percent).

In addition, researchers found that drivers using cell phones took their eyes off the road an average 4.1 of the final 6.0 seconds before a crash, and failed to react more than half the time during an impending rear-end collision.

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That young, inexperienced drivers are more prone to distraction, or even the more recent issue of cell-phone use, shouldn't be news to anyone. Many of the adult drivers who will probably "tsk" the teens in this video can likely remember doing equally stupid things when they were young—or maybe not so young.

A video like this is good for scaring people into awareness, but that's only helpful if awareness leads to action. That means keeping a watchful eye on new drivers, and perhaps expanding driver training to give those that pay attention the skills to deal with those that don't.

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Apple’s iPhone 5s got a massive price cut, but is it still worth it?

0
Apple launched the iPhone 5s in India back in November 2013.

By Mihir Patkar /  20 Dec 2015 , 12:04

Apple launched the iPhone 5s in India back in November 2013. Two years later, its price has now dropped significantly. for the 16GB version, does the iPhone 5s still make a good deal?

Of course, it鈥檚 not the latest and greatest version Apple鈥檚 smartphone. We鈥檝e already seen four new ones since, the iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6s and the 6s Plus. At a time when smartphones become irrelevant and outdated quickly, should you be spending money on a two-year-old device?

The best small size phone deal

Right now, if you鈥檙e considering an Android smartphone, you have two options: a small-sized handset that doesn鈥檛 perform very well, or a large-sized handset with all the bells and whistles. Seriously, it鈥檚 ridiculously difficult to get a small Android smartphone that will give you a great camera, excellent battery life, lag-free performance, and a vibrant high-def screen.

Image: Karlis Dambrans / Flickr

In that aspect, the iPhone 5s is a clear winner. The 4-inch screen and overall thin profile makes this phone eminently pocketable. You鈥檒l never feel like you need two hands to use it, although you can if you want to. And it鈥檚 all packaged in Apple鈥檚 incredible design and best-in-class materials, so it feels like a premium smartphone.

The best Android comparison in this size and price range is the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact. Now, that鈥檚 a really good phone, but let鈥檚 not kid ourselves, it can鈥檛 match up to the iPhone 5s on multiple fronts: camera, battery life, and performance.

With the iPhone 5s, we鈥檙e talking about hardware that simply isn鈥檛 available in any similar-sized Android smartphone in this price range. The 5s has a fingerprint sensor, one of the best cameras out there, and easily lasts all day, especially with iOS 9鈥檚 battery-saving features.

Will it get updates and support new apps?

And that鈥檚 the other thing: it has iOS 9 and is compatible with most apps. As , Apple鈥檚 phones support software updates for much longer than Android phones. Even the geriatric iPhone 4s has got iOS 9, so you can expect OS updates for some time given the better hardware on the iPhone 5s.

Image: Kelvinsong / Wikimedia

The iPhone 5s rocks Apple鈥檚 A7 chip, which is not only powerful enough for most regular uses but also supports a wider variety of apps than what you鈥檒l find on the iPhone 5. The benefit of the A7 chip is that it鈥檚 64-bit. As iOS progresses, developers are making apps for 64-bit processors, used in all devices from the iPhone 5s onwards. We鈥檝e already come across a few games that don鈥檛 support iPhone 5 because of the older 32-bit processor, but are compatible with 64-bit processors; so again, in terms of future compatibility, you鈥檙e more likely to be served well with the iPhone 5s.

When it comes to software updates and app support, the Android ecosystem is a joke compared to iOS, so let鈥檚 not even get into that debate. You鈥檒l be lucky if any non-flagship phone you buy is supported beyond 18 months, given that鈥檚 even Google鈥檚 official limit on its Nexus phones.

What are your compromises and limitations?

This isn鈥檛 to say that the iPhone 5s is a perfect phone experience. You鈥檒l have to be ready for a few compromises. While it鈥檚 smooth and functionality, the 5s isn鈥檛 as fast and zippy as the iPhone 6s. The biggest bottleneck you鈥檒l find is in the RAM, which can prove to be insufficient if you鈥檙e a power user, especially while browsing several tabs or if you are doing something while having multiple Facebook Messenger conversations (that app really eats up your available resources!).

Image: Karlis Dambrans / Flickr

You鈥檒l also miss out on some new technologies that could change how iOS apps are designed. For example, pressure-sensitive 3D Touch is available on the 6s, but you won鈥檛 get it on the 5s.

The ecosystem of accessories is also going to dwindle as you go forward. Apple has now decided that 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch are the two new device sizes they want to support, so third-party accessory makers will concentrate on making cases, speaker docks, and other devices for those sizes; not on the now-defunct 4-inch size.

Also, remember that the 21,000-rupee-deal is on the base 16GB model. As many have pointed out, that might become too little space very soon, if you don鈥檛 back up and clean your drive, or if you install a truckload of games.

A good thing in a small package

Despite these drawbacks, if you want to buy a small-sized smartphone, then the iPhone 5s is the most sensible deal right now. Its excellent performance on all parameters and long-term software support make it a clear winner in this size.

It鈥檚 difficult, almost impossible, to get a premium smartphone experience in a small-sized handset anymore. Both Android and iOS have pretty much ditched anything close to a 4-inch screen, so this is your best bet to get a great experience in a single hand. With the price cut, even more so!

Heck, even if we were to expand the price range to include all phones in this size, you can鈥檛 find a better value-for-money proposition right now.

What if I don鈥檛 want a small size phone?

If the small size isn鈥檛 the factor that鈥檚 of prime importance to you, then forget about the iPhone 5s. There are plenty of other phones in this price range that are a better deal. The secondary appeal of the iPhone 5s is in its size. What鈥檚 the primary appeal, you ask? Well, it鈥檚 an iPhone.

Tags: 3D Touch, Apple, Apple iPhone, iPhone, iPhone 5S, iphone 5s price cut, iPhone price cut, Sony Xperia Z1 Compact

Sony to release two Xperia Z6 models with Snapdragon 820 next year; may skip on 4K display

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Sony is expected to introduce 4 devices in 2016, as a part of its聽Xperia Z6 series,聽two of which will be flagships, packing in the Snapdragon 820 chipsets.聽Going by the current naming tradition, we would have the Xperia Z6, Xperia Z6 Compact, Xperia Z6 Plus and the Xperia Z6 Ultra.

By tech2 News Staff /  15 Dec 2015 , 17:06

The news again comes from聽that claims to have met聽those, who have actually used the new range of Sony devices.聽In terms of design, the source that used the device states that Sony has used聽more metal this time around, which hints at the fact that Xperia lovers could get to see an all-metal Sony Xperia smartphone instead of the Omni-Balance design with sandwiched glass and metal, that now seems to have gotten a bit old. The metal bits are expected to deliver a fresh new look to the Xperia Z6 series.

The Ultra would obviously be a phablet-sized device keeping in line with older ultra models. According to earlier reports, Sony was supposed to go with just one flagship in the coming year, so the update is indeed good news for Sony fans.

Again, the same source also reports that Sony will not be announcing its new range at the Mobile World Congress (MWC). Instead, Sony is expected to announce the same later in 2016. Lastly, there are also murmurs that Sony may skip on the 4K display that it had included in its Xperia Z5 Premium this year, so for those looking for that pixel perfect display, you may be a bit disappointed.

Tags: Sony, Sony Xperia, Sony Xperia Z6, Sony Xperia Z6 Compact, Sony Xperia Z6 Plus, Sony Xperia Z6 Ultra

2013 GMC Acadia Live Photos: 2012 Chicago Auto Show

Earlier this morning GMC revealed the refreshed 2013 Acadia crossover.

Earlier this morning GMC revealed the refreshed 2013 Acadia crossover. With a bold new grille up front, and a slightly altered rear-end, the large people mover is ready to take on the competition in an ever growing segment.

Remember the GMC Sierra All Terrain Concept? Well the new grille is almost exactly ripped from that concept. The new look incorporates LED accent lighting in the headlights and wrap-around rear glass. Hey, GM had to do something with all the left-over stock from the old Saturn Outlook.

The new Acadia Denali features integrated exhaust finishers and of course, loads of tasteful chrome. If we are being frank, and we always are, the Denali looks much cleaner this time around. With a body kit that is well integrated and doesn't look slapped on, GMC might have finally hit its stride with Acadia Denali model.

The interior has been upgraded with soft-touch materials on the doors and the dashboard. GMC's IntelliLink and HD radio are available, and a capacitive center stack is standard. The seats feature new adjustable headrests that look quite comfy, and captains chairs are still available in the second row.

GMC says the new 2013 Acadia will go on sale later this year. For more details please see our full preview right here. And for all the news from the 2012 Chicago Auto Show make sure to check out our hub.

Rumor Patrol: HTC Vive ‘Premiering’ December 8

The VR apocalypse looms ever closer.

The VR apocalypse looms ever closer. While the Oculus Riftand Sony’s PlayStation VRheadset have both said that early 2016 is when gamers will be needing to set their wallets aflame, HTC has remained steadfast regarding their plans to launch the Vive in 2015— albeit in limited quantity. Yet here we are quickly approaching the November holiday season and still no word on an official Vive launch. That may change soon, however, as an HTC Vive employee has now gone on record (twice) saying that December 8 will be the VR headset’s “premiere.”

Speaking with Polish website TVN24Bis.pland again with Gram.pl, HTC Product Commercialization Manager Bartosza Żuka says that the HTC Vivewill “premiere” on December 8. While exact translation of “premiere” may be unintentionally vague, it likely means that this is the date when the HTC Vive’s limited run will be launched. It’s also within the realm of possibility that the premiere might also simply be an unveiling of the final HTC Vive as well as the announcement of a final release date.

The other noteworthy part of the interview is that the HTC Vive’s premiere will only be in three different regions: the US, UK and Germany. That is to say that the rest of the world can breath easy, having avoided the looming VR apocalypsefor a brief amount of time. This will likely anger many gamers outside of these three premiere regions though, as their cult-like obsession with VR has them begging for the looming apocalypse. Looming.

RoadToVR has since reached out to HTC for an official comment, but despite the date coming from an HTC employee home base was not prepared to make any official statements. An official HTC representative said the following:

“I would not consider this information confirmed or from HTC official channels.”

As far as leaks go, this one seems to be fairly reliable as it’s coming from an official HTC employee hosting an official HTC Vive event. Yet considering it’s coming before any larger scale announcement, it still be be treated as a rumor. Many things can happen even if December 8 is currently the planned premiere date, things that may very well push the premiere further back into December or even into 2016. Best take this news with a grain of salt.

Hopefully we’ll hear more on the HTC Vive and its initial launch plans withing the weeks to come, as well as what gamesthat players can expect will be compatible with the headset at launch. And don’t forget, the HTV Vive VR headset is going to be expensive. Probably very expensive. Just how expensive may very well end up being revealed come December 8.

Source: RoadToVR