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Driving a McLaren with a Mobile Phone
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Check out what happened when the guys at McLaren saw our remote control Grand Prix car film...
Mar 11, 2009 4:02 AM
Re: Driving a McLaren with a mobile phone
Ho-lee-crap, that is frickin' awesome. iPhone in a whole new light.
Re: Driving a McLaren with a Mobile Phone
Very cool, but... I highly doubt it's real.
It's a great commercial for the Blackberry Storm though.
I have a really hard time believing anyone would allow a car that costs hundreds of millions of dollars and can go over 220mph to be controlled via *bluetooth*. Bluetooth's range is extremely limited (by design), and there's no way in hell it would be responsive enough at 50 feet to control an F1, not to mention later on when the "driver" is standing in the grass with the car far away on the track. At best, a high power bluetooth receiver can do about 100 meters. The Blackberry Storm go do about 30 feet.
It's a great commercial for the Blackberry Storm though.
I have a really hard time believing anyone would allow a car that costs hundreds of millions of dollars and can go over 220mph to be controlled via *bluetooth*. Bluetooth's range is extremely limited (by design), and there's no way in hell it would be responsive enough at 50 feet to control an F1, not to mention later on when the "driver" is standing in the grass with the car far away on the track. At best, a high power bluetooth receiver can do about 100 meters. The Blackberry Storm go do about 30 feet.
By: decavolt
Re: Driving a McLaren with a Mobile Phone
Knowing that F1 teams use their engines to play music I wouldnt be too surprised if this was real.
By: KDSN
Re: Driving a McLaren with a Mobile Phone
The new generation Bluetooth has a range of about 300 ft, but it's not very common yet. The are, however, radio repeaters which are able to amplify a very wide range of frequencies considerable. This is extremely feasible.
Re: Driving a McLaren with a Mobile Phone
The pit mechanic said he made the car work on a bigger scale, who is to say that they are using bluetooth to control the car. The team directors and stratigiesers spend the race in a "control centre" using incredibly advanced technologies. I doubt this was a tough challenge for them. Perhaps an idea that could maybe be developed further for some use in future F1 seasons.
By: D3NIS
Re: Driving a McLaren with a Mobile Phone
Also why would McLaren invite 2 random guys down to the pit garage during crucial testing before the season starts. McLaren are the team I support and i wish i had this idea to be invited down to see this.
Plus the iPhone is only available on O2, if this was a promotional stunt i don't think vodafone -a sponsor for McLaren- would be too happy for them using a device that is only available a rival mobile phone company.
Plus the iPhone is only available on O2, if this was a promotional stunt i don't think vodafone -a sponsor for McLaren- would be too happy for them using a device that is only available a rival mobile phone company.
By: D3NIS
Re: Driving a McLaren with a Mobile Phone
Wasnt a iphone but a blackberry.
Looking at it in a techical sense one would have to think of how it would be done. Firstly making a remote control car even one like a F1 isnt hard, but what im missing here are the mechanics unless they rebuilt the whole drive system just to have a bit of a laught and use for a advert. One could argue that F1 cars are driven electricly, if so then the steering wheel wouldnt be moving.
But in the end i just think its a great advert and not to believe everything on TV ;)
Looking at it in a techical sense one would have to think of how it would be done. Firstly making a remote control car even one like a F1 isnt hard, but what im missing here are the mechanics unless they rebuilt the whole drive system just to have a bit of a laught and use for a advert. One could argue that F1 cars are driven electricly, if so then the steering wheel wouldnt be moving.
But in the end i just think its a great advert and not to believe everything on TV ;)
By: KingKyle
Re: Driving a McLaren with a Mobile Phone
All this confabulation is swell and all, but the only reason the mobile device is designed to be "aware" of its orientation is so it can adjust its display. Why would this info be transmitted to a bluetooth device?
By: ice-9
Re: Driving a McLaren with a Mobile Phone
oh there isnt any doubt that it could be used in that way, there are plenty of examples where it has been done. Just in this case if it was is the question.
By: KingKyle
Re: Driving a McLaren with a Mobile Phone
Okay, I'll take your word for it, but really, why is the Blue Tooth device designed to be aware of the phone's orientation...?
By: ice-9
