Tech Trends

Alfa Romeo To Make U.S. Comeback With New Car

February 12, 2013 2:33 pm | by Tom Krisher, AP Auto Writer | News | Comments

After a 30-year absence, Italy's storied Alfa Romeo brand will return to the United States later this year with a new two-seat compact sports car. Italian automaker Fiat SpA said Tuesday that the long-delayed Alfa 4C will go on sale during the second half of the year. Fiat owns Alfa and controls the Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram brands in the U.S.

Airships, Blimps To Take Off Again

February 12, 2013 1:22 pm | by CBS News | Videos | Comments

More than 75 years after the Hindenburg disaster, airships could be taking off again. Worldwide Aeros' calls its new blimp the evolution of air transport as it waits for FAA approval to take its aeroscraft for a test flight outside the hangar. CBS News' Bill Whitaker explains.

Solar Industry Grapples With Hazardous Wastes

February 11, 2013 10:13 am | by Jason Dearen, Associated Press | News | Comments

Homeowners on the hunt for sparkling solar panels are lured by ads filled with images of pristine landscapes and bright sunshine, and words about the technology's benefits for the environment — and the wallet. What customers may not know is that there's a dirtier side.

Humbled Toyota Rolls Out New Tundra Pickup

February 7, 2013 12:14 pm | by Dee-Ann Durbin, Tom Krisher, AP Auto Writers | News | Comments

Back in 2007, Toyota trumpeted its bulked-up Tundra as a game-changer that would cut into Detroit's dominance of the U.S. pickup truck market. "The truck that's changing it all," was the tagline from an ad that featured the beefy Tundra pulling a 10,000-pound trailer up a steep ramp.

Hot Wheels: Chevrolet Cruze Diesel

February 7, 2013 12:13 pm | by Tom Krisher, AP Auto Writer | News | Comments

General Motors is following the Volkswagen playbook by bringing a diesel-powered small car from Europe to the United States. The automaker will introduce the diesel version of the Chevrolet Cruze compact on Thursday at the Chicago Auto Show.

Pampering Lexus LS Is Fuss-Free Sedan

February 6, 2013 1:56 pm | by Ann M. Job, For The Associated Press | News | Comments

After decades of top reliability ratings, the Lexus LS 460 remains the quintessential serene, no-fuss, pampering, large, luxury sedan. In fact, the most recent J.D. Power and Associates Dependability Study noted the LS had the fewest owner-reported problems in the auto industry and ranked above vehicles from Mercedes-Benz, Audi and BMW.

Michael Dell's Journey To Take Back Dell

February 6, 2013 12:29 pm | by CNN Money | Videos | Comments

Dell decides to go private, the latest move by Michael Dell to take the computer company he founded to new heights. Like all good tech stories, Dell started in a college dorm room where Michael Dell would build computers and sell them directly to his classmates. Here is a look at how Michael Dell built his company.

New BlackBerry To Be Released In U.S. In Mid-March

February 5, 2013 10:08 am | by Rob Gillies, Associated Press | News | Comments

The chief executive of Research In Motion said he's disappointed the new BlackBerry won't be released in the United States until mid-March, but he said early data suggests sales in the U.K. are above expectations. Thorsten Heins said in an interview Monday with The Associated Press that he was disappointed in the mid-March U.S. release date. But he said the U.S. and its phone carriers have a rigid testing system.

Productivity Never Grows Old At Canadian Fab Shop

February 4, 2013 8:02 am | Articles | Comments

Other than conversation pieces, what’s the value in having decades-old machine tools occupy valuable floor space in a modern fab shop? The answer is “Plenty!” according to Ken Lennox, provided the machines are in suitable roles and were originally built with “the right stuff.”

Thermal Imagers: A Priceless Investment

January 31, 2013 3:29 pm | by Rachel Leisemann Immel, Associate Editor, IMPO | Articles | Comments

Industrial inspection cameras have revolutionized the predictive maintenance industry. From the many types of cameras available, thermal imagers are ones that have claimed their place in a manufacturer’s predictive maintenance arsenal. Once an instrument too expensive for the average facility, today’s technology has advanced thermal imagers to the point of necessity.

A New Industrial Revolution

January 31, 2013 3:08 pm | by Rachel Leisemann Immel, Associate Editor, IMPO | Articles | Comments

Pennsylvania is a growing energy leader in the United States, becoming a net exporter of natural gas in 2011. They have seized opportunities the Marcellus Shale boom has provided, and expanded into global leaders in natural gas—and are making the region known for its industrial innovation and talent, truly fueling a new industrial revolution.

The Most Desirable American Muscle Car?

January 30, 2013 2:44 pm | by CNN Money | Videos | Comments

The 1971 Hemi 'Cuda convertible was considered the most desirable - and most valuable - of all American muscle cars. Only 11 of them were produced that year. 'Cudas in good condition can be worth millions of dollars. After this 'Cuda was stolen and discovered in 2001, it was fully restored with original parts and painted 'Plum Crazy' color - take a look.

The New Horizon In Tech

January 30, 2013 2:40 pm | by CBS News | Videos | Comments

As devices get smaller and smaller, tech companies are looking for the next innovation that will keep consumers coming back for more. IBM Fellow and Vice President of Innovation Bernie Meyerson offers five new innovations that could change our lives within the next five years.

BlackBerry CEO Talks New Phones

January 30, 2013 11:49 am | by CNN Money | Videos | Comments

CEO Thorsten Heins, tasked with turning around the company, discusses the new phone and his future plans. The new Z10 features a virtual keyboard, and while a new Blackberry with a qwerty keyboard is coming, Heins says Blackberry has a "very loyal customer base" that won't mind waiting.

Can Blackberry 10 Breathe New Life Into RIM?

January 29, 2013 12:39 pm | by CBS News | Videos | Comments

Since 2006, the smartphone landscape has undergone seismic changes. Now, a former industry leader is looking to regain customers. CNET.com's Sumi Das reports RIM is making a gamble with their new Blackberry 10 operating system in a move to stay relevant.

Ford, Daimler, Nissan To Research Hydrogen Cars

January 28, 2013 2:04 pm | by Tom Krisher, AP Auto Writer | News | Comments

Ford is joining with Daimler and Renault-Nissan to speed development of cars that run on hydrogen, with hopes of bringing a vehicle to market in as little as four years. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles generate electricity after a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen. Hydrogen is stored in special high-pressure tanks, and the only emissions are water vapor and heat.

Manufacturing: The Solution To The Jobs Crisis

January 28, 2013 1:02 pm | by CNN Money | Videos | Comments

Dow Chemical CEO and chairman Andrew Liveris says advanced manufacturing is coming back to America and will drive our economy. Liveris argues that technology became the new word for manufacturing since technology has to be researched and made.

Bendable Phones Are Bunk

January 28, 2013 8:00 am | by Chris Fox, Associate Editor, PD&D | Blogs | Comments

The age has come! Phones are now bendable and flexible while containing every nuance of your life. A recent AP story even said, “By showing off a phone with a flexible screen, Samsung is hinting at a day when we might fold up our large phone or tablet screens as if they were maps.” It’s the next revolution in electronics! Who hasn’t been chomping at the bit for this tech?

Manufacturers Cutting White-Collar Jobs Now, Too

January 24, 2013 2:21 pm | by Bernard Condon, Paul Wiseman, AP Business Writers | News | Comments

Manufacturers have been using technology to cut blue-collar jobs for years. Now, they're targeting their white-collar workers, too. Factory Automation Systems makes machines that help companies cut, bundle and load products faster and cheaper than humans can. But it didn't realize how much technology could help its own business until the Great Recession hit.

Boeing Battery Burn-Out

January 24, 2013 1:42 pm | by University of Michigan | Videos | Comments

University of Michigan Chemical Engineering Professor Levi Thompson discusses the grounding of the Boeing 787 jets due to battery malfunction. Thompson explains how overheating of Lithium Ion batteries could cause leaking of fluids, which may lead to ignition. For more information visit http://www.engin.umich.edu.

Is Innovation Booming Or Dead?

January 23, 2013 4:25 pm | by CNN Money | Videos | Comments

There's only a handful of things that have truly changed the way the human condition lives, says Time International Editor Jim Frederick. Indoor plumbing and the railway have created life as we know it, but has innovation now reached a wall? At a Time/CNNMoney panel at the World Economic Forum, CEOs talk about the state of innovation in the global economy.

3-D Printing Factory Boosts 'Made In USA'

January 23, 2013 4:20 pm | by CNN Money | Videos | Comments

New York manufacturer, Shapeways, opened its first U.S. factory where up to forty 3-D printers will make designer products to ship worldwide. Shapeways CEO, Peter Weijmarshauser, talks about the factory and the company's plans for the future.

The Reimagining Of American Muscle

January 23, 2013 4:14 pm | by CBS News | Videos | Comments

In 1963, the newly unveiled Stingray turned the Corvette into something really special, and now the Corvette Stingray is back and in a big way. CBS News' Lee Cowan takes a spin in the new car and talks about this iconic roadster's history.

Is Technology A Job Killer?

January 23, 2013 2:17 pm | by Bernard Condon, AP Business Writer | News | Comments

To workers being pushed out of jobs by today's technology, history has a message: You're not the first. From textile machines to the horseless carriage to email, technology has upended industries and wiped out jobs for centuries. It also has created millions of jobs, though usually not for the people who lost them.

TN Volkswagen Plant Powers Up Solar Park

January 23, 2013 2:12 pm | by Erik Schelzig, Associated Press | News | Comments

German automaker Volkswagen on Wednesday flipped the on switch for a new solar park at its Tennessee assembly plant. The 33-acre installation next to the Chattanooga plant has a capacity to produce more than 13 gigawatt hours of electricity per year. That's the equivalent of the amount of energy used by 1,200 area homes each year, according to Volkswagen.