Formula

Did you know that a modern F1 car incorporates 130 sensors, transmitting a large volume of data during each race and practice session? During this weekend's Formula 1 race in Austin, Texas, teams from all over the world will be examining reams of data covering their cars' engine and driver performance.

Data storage company NetApp, the solutions of which are used by such F1 teams as BMW's Sauber, created a graphic (above), showing technology and other facts about modern Formula 1 racing.

For instance, did you know that active suspensions were banned in 1994, but kinetic energy recovery … Read more

Would you spend more than $9,000 on an iPod dock? No? What if it was made from the back end of a Formula One car? That's what gives the iXoost its grunt, making each custom-made dock a "pleasure machine, coupling fine mechanical workmanship with the high-tuned nerves of a throbbing Formula One tailpipe."

This "orchestra of sound and metal" comes in three distinct forms: the 8-cylinder iXoost òt, 10-cylinder iXoost dês, or 12-cylinder iXoost dàdês.… Read more

When you purchase a new Mac it almost goes without saying that some sort of office productivity suite is required, and though, based on popularity, some might gravitate to Microsoft's Office, there are others available as well, such as OpenOffice, NeoOffice, some standalone word processors, and also Apple's iWork suite.

iWork's programs include Pages for word processing, Keynote for presentations, and a relatively unique approach to spreadsheets with its Numbers program, which if you are used to Excel, offers some similar ways to manage data, albeit with some uniquenesses.

Unlike most spreadsheet programs that offer a seemingly … Read more

Thrustmaster has announced an authentic, life-size controller modeled after a Ferrari 150 Italia Formula 1 racing wheel. The replica is covered with buttons, switches, and dials, as well as two F1-style "push and pull" metal shifters. It's designed as a replacement wheel for the company's existing T500 RS racing system featuring 1,080-degree rotation, powerful force-feedback and a heavy-duty metal footrest.

A full setup will cost close to $800 ($199 for the F1 wheel and $599 for the T500 RS), which can be hard to stomach for most gamers even though it is PC- and PS3-compatible. But for that price, you do get an advanced PC mode that supports 25 action buttons and a directional pad for race simulation junkies. The Ferrari F1 Wheel add-on will be launched in early October.

(Source: Crave Asia via Ubergizmo) … Read more

DrawRace2 is the sequel to DrawRace, an unconventional but very fun take on racing games for the iPhone. In DrawRace games, you don't drive a car around a track in real time. Instead, you draw the path you will take around the track before the race even begins. When you're done drawing, you watch the race to see how you did.

While it sounds easy, you have to be very precise in the way you draw your line. As you come to sharp turns, for example, you'll need to draw more slowly, then speed up again as … Read more

Formulas Lite is a collection of important information and tools to help students get through some of the tougher subjects in school.

The meat of the Formulas Lite app is in the Subjects tab, where you'll find a huge database of must-know formulas for mathematics, physics, and chemistry. Within each of these top-level subjects, formulas are further organized by topic. For instance, under mathematics you'll see formulas organized in branches from algebra to statistics. Under physics, you'll see formulas organized in branches from relativity to torque. Within the chemistry section, you'll also find a functional periodic … Read more

Microsoft tweaked its Office Web Apps earlier this week with a few enhancements designed to make Excel and PowerPoint a bit more user friendly.

Excel aficionados can now insert, delete, and rename individual worksheets in a workbook, just like you can in the desktop version. To do this, open your Excel file in the online editor. Then simply right-click on a tab for an existing worksheet. You'll see the three familiar options to Insert, Delete, or Rename. Inserting adds a new worksheet in front of your current selection. Deleting asking for your confirmation to permanently get rid of the … Read more

A few lucky members of the international automotive press in January got a chance to test-drive the MP4-12C supercar. The folks at McLaren Automotive just posted this video on YouTube.

The Surrey, U.K.-based automaker chose Algarve Motor Park in Portugal to give members of the media a chance to evaluate the car for themselves.

Formula One driver Jenson Button also gave journalists a thrill by lapping the track at speeds of more than 200 mph.

The MP4-12C sports a carbon fiber chassis and runs on a twin-turbo 3.8-liter V-8 generating 592 horsepower. McLaren plans a limited number … Read more

Every time I see a concept car, I wonder why, many years later, I have still not seen anything like it on a road.

Every time I see a hybrid car, I wonder why, many years later, they are still on the road.

Thankfully, VW seems to have a psychic link to some of these concerns. For last week at a glitzy show in the motoring hotspot of Qatar, the company unveiled the Formula XL1.

If you look at this fine, silver object of grace, it is as if John DeLorean was gazing on the world from heaven and channeling … Read more