VXR Desktop Backgrounds From Total Vaxhall

Came across these today on their RSS feed ( I think I need to add that in to my site ) - Pretty good imho.

I've also added some links to the current offcial Vauxhall ones too.

http://www.totalvauxhall.co.uk/resources/totalvauxhall/vxrlarge.JPG

http://www.totalvauxhall.co.uk/resources/totalvauxhall/vxrlarge2.JPG

http://www.totalvauxhall.co.uk/resources/totalvauxhall/vxrlarge3.JPG

http://www.totalvauxhall.co.uk/resources/totalvauxhall/vxrlarge4.JPG

http://www.vauxhall.co.uk/vx/vxr/flash/images/galleryRange/vectra/1600x1200/img_01.jpg

http://www.vauxhall.co.uk/vx/vxr/flash/images/galleryRange/vectra/1600x1200/img_02.jpg

http://www.vauxhall.co.uk/vx/vxr/flash/images/galleryRange/vectra/1600x1200/img_03.jpg

Flux Media Launches Centrafuse

Centrafuse has finally come out of beta and still for sale. As far as the EU is concerned there is only a EU map pack and not a UK one although I think this may be forthcomming having read another post on their forums. In any case I've asked the question as well. Also with the launch of the new Destinator 7 David ( the CEO ) tells me they are just waiting for the new SDK wich Powerlock are testing currently. With this should come a host of new features and hopefully the latest maps. As such I'm just keeping an eye on this system as I do think it looks solid and tbh if I can get it to fit my purposes I may just convert. Theres two reasons for this.... 1) I want updatable supported GPS... this is because I do rely on it 2) If the FE is supported I may just get some extra features that I need added quicker. Heres the note they sent out to every one.....

"Dear Centrafuse Users,

Flux Media is very happy to announce that Centrafuse is now available!

Over two years of research, design & development have gone into our premiere edition, and it is our sincere hope that Centrafuse will prove itself to be the market leader in terms of performance and quality of design. We have studied our competition and we’ve worked tirelessly to offer our customers more features, better performance and overall…a superior user experience.

Centrafuse is now available in 3 Editions:

SE – our feature-rich standard edition XE – with Bluetooth
phone integration XLE – get all of the features included with XE + integrated
GPS navigation, provided by Destinator.

You may have noticed that we have been able to significantly lower our prices on our XLE Edition. Over the last few months, our GPS partners at Destinator Technologies maps, more options AND a lower price. We are now able
to offer customers our premium

Centrafuse:XLE Edition with integrated GPS navigation starting as low as $275.00.

For all our registered users we have created a promotional code that will be valid
for 30 days. This code can be entered in the shopping cart during the checkout
process. Use the code and you will receive 10% off your selected Flux
Media product.

Please visit our website at http://www.centrafuse.com/ and purchase
your copy of Centrafuse today!"

Yes - Destinator 6 Is On PC Thanks To A Community Effort

Every thing you want to know is here http://www.digital-car.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=7114 .... how ever heres some basics...

"D6 works great for PC, What i mean is that the pc version (the one bundeled
with Centrafuse) works great..so here is what you will need to get it up and
running..

1. Find and download borrow or whatever...CF 1.12 and use the DestCore.dll
1.12 and you will be fine.

2. get what you need from CF folder to run D6

3. BUY a map (buy a working version for ppc and take the map)

4. The App is 99% skinable..but veery difficult as there is no skin editor
. I have spent a couple of days to mod the basic skin so as to create a better
one, with larger buttons and nicer colors..and i am happy to share it with
you..

5. Now let us see what an SDK has to offer (if there was any for D6 that WE
could use) variables could be used in RR-events could be triggered by values
etc-volume could be muted when directions are spoken.The first 2 are not that
important to me that is..but the third is a must..so found this little external
app called Indievolume that could do that in a better way than any SDK could
offer

6. So go to http://www.indievolume.com/ and download (then buy)
indievolume version 2.0.61.127, this is the only version that would work
successfully.

7. Just select the 2 programs, winamp and destinator, and put destinator on
exclusive mode. don't forget to uncheck "own volume" for winamp (you will
understand when you will run the app). You will find a setting in the "options"
tab where you can put a value in miliseconds for the delay of giving the volume
back to the muted application, the default is 1000 (which is OK)

8. Put the skin i made in the skin folder of D6..and you are
ready..

9. This skin has been designed with specific dimensions.. to fit my
modified MC2 RR skin, (with an area for embedding of 800x410) so it will fit
larger areas of a skin but will not fit nicely to smaller areas when embedded
(smaller than 800x410)

10. Select the path of D6 in RRconfig, and write Destinator in "Gps window
name)

11. The voices of D6 are in a the SPX format (not readable by my PC at
least..so replace with PN voices/wav files)12. you are ready..skin link : http://rapidshare.com/files/38076647/Nomaders_skin.rar"

Now - I take no responsibiilty for any of the above as its freely available and I do suggest you buy Centrafuse just to be legal how ever I do say that Powerlock should make it easier to actually buy their product rather than hidding it away.... this is some thing I have publically said before, to them and probably will again in the furture.

My Navigator 2 App - Ended Before Its Started ?

I've spent thye last few days getting to grips with the basics of programming and the SDK and its seems that C++ is the most supported with VB needing the supplied interface to work. Even so I'm not sure it will do all I want and at its current price other CarPCer's are really not that intrested which in effect makes the whole project pretty unviable. Its a shame.... may be NavigatoR 3 will be better which I'm hoping will have some of the newer features such as lane changing directions that its PPC or PNA systems are getting.

Its not been helped either by the release of Directions Navigator 7 and the fact that Destinator 6 now seems to be runnable too ( only legal way is for you to buy Centrafuse ). So I'm left with the sad fact that there is still no ideal GPS system out there and the masses are still going with 'what can be made to work' rather than 'what does' off the shelf.

On a side note - if your in the UK - check out PetrolPrices.com - You can get reports of what petrol ( or Diesel ) is the cheapest in your area. Its defintily worth a look and you may even save a few bob at the same time.

NavigatoR 2 - Application Development Thread - Contributions Welcome

NavigatoR 2 is defo the best app I have tried so far how ever its lacking in some areas and I'd like to see more users in the CarPC community too... only this way will Navigon develop it further and add better features etc.

So as of today I've decided to take a great leap and start to develope some thing with the community by starting a new thread and sharing only the SDK documentation ONLY.

http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/other-cool-stuff/104341-navigator-2-application-development-thread-contributions-welcome.html

For those that want to read my review on NavigatoR 2 go here http://www.digital-car.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=6539. And for those of you that want to buy it ( and I highly recomend you do ) go here http://www.cartft.com/catalog/il/767.

Blogtastic News

You may have noticed a few changes in this Diary area... I've converted the old work log in to a full blown blog. I've done this so I can do more regular and quicker updates as thats some thing this sites lacked. The main reason behind that was because for the most part it was static HTML and took time to prepare - hence the once in a while updates. So - now I can keep you updated - I'm still doing loads and its for this reason I want to share it with you.
The blog its self can also be tracked by RSS & other methods using the links on the right hand side which also contains all the old archives too. Best of all the search function also covers the blog too so you'll be able to find that bit of elusive info quiet easily.....