Johnson Controls Cloud-based App Generates Building Efficiency
Johnson Controls today opened a new cloud-based applications marketplace intended to help commercial-building owners and operators save energy and money. Among the 17 apps, users can keep track of tenants’ utilities, monitor buildings’ energy performance and display the amount of carbon emissions each building, or group of buildings, is responsible for. Five of these apps were developed by third parties on the Panoptix platform. Learn more
Nokia Competing for Smartphone Mapping Position
Nokia is taking bold moves that crosses into competitive markets to provide wide ranging mapping for Apple’s iOS under the HERE brands, and has made a browser map deal with Google competitor Mozilla. It will also develop reference systems for Android developers as it fights its way into the smartphone business. Nokia is taking on Apple directly with apps you just don’t find on Apple Maps. Learn more
Ford’s C-Max Energi Tapping into GPS for Extended Range
To make its new C-Max Energi competitive with the Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid, Ford engineers have written a set of algorithms called EV+ that tap the car’s GPS to learn driving habits and then modify battery usage so the vehicle stays in electric mode as long as possible. Once EV+ recognizes that the driver is in route to going home or other familiar location where charging usually happens, the system will keep tapping the battery rather than switch to the gasoline engine to conserve energy. Learn more
