Budweiser Buddy Cup: Making Bar Buddies Facebook Friends

Picture this: You had a late night with your friends, had one drink too many and don’t really remember how you got home. When you check into Facebook the next day, you find your home page flooded with statuses, pictures, posts etc., made by people you don’t really know and are quite sure you didn’t befriend. Relax, you’re not losing your mind and you’re not an amnesiac either: chances are you bumped a few beer glasses with those folks the other night.

If you find this confusing, well, it most probably is. Budweiser Brazil has created a special cup integrated with Facebook, called the Buddy Cup, which instantly makes you friends with the people you toast with, at least on the social network.

So how does it work? The beer glass has a built-in chip connected to Facebook. If you scan the QR code on the bottom of the glass with your smartphone, you can link your social media profile to the chip.

And whenever you bump Buddy Cups with someone, a message will appear on your Facebook wall and notify your contacts of the event and that you’re now friends with whomever you were drinking with. And a red LED light on the glass will alert you that you have just made a new friend.

Apparently Budweiser is planning to use this technology to increase interaction between Bud drinkers and also to enhance brand activation at sponsored events such as concerts or festivals.

Which is all very fine given that it comes from a company whose tagline is “The more Buds, the more friends.” With the Buddy Cup, this slogan is truer than ever. But this invention may lead to all sorts of problems and privacy concerns. Think about it, all you have to do is bump glasses with someone else, even accidentally, and that person will be able to see your entire Facebook profile. And especially when drinking is involved, would you really like people that you maybe have just met for the first time in your life to get access to your personal information?

[Images via digital trends]

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Is the Linux Car More Than Just A Rumor?

Linux has outgrown its status as an open source operating system, powering millions of desktops and servers over the world. It is also the basic platform for the Android OS, so you need to thank Linux for smartphones and tablets as well. The reputation of Linux has continued to grow over the years and it is more popular than ever among enterprise customers. Yet, there is something about Linux that even most of the ardent fans don’t know: the Linux car.

For years, there had been speculation that Linux was going to be used under the hood by several vehicle manufacturers. Most people dismissed it as a rumor. After all, Linux is an open source OS and not created for the sake of minting money. But, it is true. The Linux car is more than just a rumor. In fact, there are a number of cars already using Linux. Many companies are pouring millions of dollars into providing their customers with Linux when they purchase a car.

This was revealed by Matt Jones of the Jaguar Land Rover. Jones works in the infotainment systems department at Jaguar Land Rover and stated that the company was looking to use Linux to run the in-built entertainment systems in the cars they make. He announced that a subgroup of the Linux Foundation, called Automotive Grade Linux (AGL) is helping the company come up with a platform to make the collaboration work. This involves providing APIs and an OS the car maker can use.

The demands of the consumers in terms of in-vehicle entertainment have increased exponentially over the years. Now, more than ever, they want high-class infotainment available to them right there in the cabin. The automobile industry has developed the paraphernalia, including screens, speakers, jacks and whatnot for the people to use when they are driving. It is in networking where they are lacking and require Linux’s help.

It can hardly be easy providing the high-speed networking people expect when they are stuck in traffic. This is why Jaguar Land Rover is looking towards Linux as a means of alleviating this concern. Jones stated that once the interface was complete, it could be used as a prototype by the entire automobile industry. This would save time and the hassle of deciding which operating system to use. This makes sense, as the OS the infotainment system is running on is hardly anyone’s concern when buying a car.

So, the Linux car is more than just a rumor and it might not be too far in the future when you see it.

[Image via tested]

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Call of Duty Ghosts to Be Released November 5

The title of next installment in the widely popular Call of Duty franchise has been officially confirmed by publishers Activision, which also announced a release date for the game. Call of Duty Ghosts will hit the shelves on November 5.

The game will be first released for PC, Xbox 360 and PS3, but there are also plans to launch for next generation consoles. It is unclear when this may happen, given that both Microsoft’s next Xbox and Sony’s PlayStation 4 are both scheduled to be released this year but the exact dates are yet a mystery.

Ghosts is being developed by Infinity Ward, the same studio that actually created the Call of Duty franchise and what are believed to be its best titles so far, the Modern Warfare trilogy.

The teaser trailer released for the game does not actually show any footage, but is very intriguing, showing several warriors from ancient and modern times, all of them wearing masks. One in particular, a ghost mask, will be familiar to Call of Duty fans, as a character codenamed Ghost and wearing a similar headpiece appeared in Modern Warfare 2.

Activision said Ghosts will offer users an all-new gameplay experience and a completely new story. Like many of the previous Call of Duty installments, Ghosts will apparently be set in the future too. It is believed however that the storyline will feature current technology. The multiplayer campaign maps will reportedly include various traps and interactive areas.

But what really got fans drooling was the announcement that the game will be powered by a new engine, developed especially for next-generation gaming platforms. More details will be released on May 21, via Spike TV, Xbox.com and Xbox Live. That is the exact same day when Microsoft is expected to reveal its next-generation console, so it’s pretty safe to assume that Call of Duty Ghosts will be available for the future Xbox platform.

The game is available for pre-orders at worldwide retailers. Check out the teaser trailer below:

[Image via callofdutyghosts.wordpress]

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