Honda to bring a prototype EV to the Tokyo Motor Show in October
According to an article published today by the Associated Press, an unnamed spokesman at Honda in Tokyo has told a financial newspaper that Japan's second-largest automaker and a staunch hold-out on dedicated electric vehicles will in fact be presenting their first EV prototype at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show opening to the public on October 24 (all photos courtesy HondaMotor Co).
The Honda FCX Clarity, a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle
With this announcement, Honda joins the growing list of major car makers with an EV on the docket. Mitsubishi, for instance, has the i-MiEV, Nissan's got theLeaf, Ford's got the Transit Connect, and Chrysler's got the Dodge Circuit.
The Honda Civic GX, a natural gas vehicle
The spokesman said that the EV—about which there is scant information—will hit the US market "early next decade", which could mean anywhere from next year to 2013. Word is that it'll be something of a highway capable minicar
The EV will join Honda's growing list of green vehicles, including the FCX Clarity, the Civic GX NGV, and most recently the Insight hybrid, a car that was built with one purpose: to compete with and undercut the star of the hybrid world, Toyota's Prius. Honda took no chances on the Insight, going so far as to make it almost visually indistinguishable from a Prius, but cheaper.
Mack goes the extra mile to track down the new weapons and defense systems taking their place in the world's arsenal to deal with the changing missions of 21st-century warfare. There's still plenty of firepower, but you'll get an inside look at many of the breakthrough technologies designed to take on the challenges of terrorism, bomb threats, and close combat urban battlefields.
Episode 1 "Opening Round" In this action-packed opener, Mack gives us an exclusive look inside the secret device that uses water power to tear apart terrorist bombs. Next he travels to New Mexico to try out a new squad weapon that might just be your best friend in an ambush. In Sweden, Mack pays a visit to a military test range to get an up-close look at the latest surface-to-air missile. And finally Mack goes back to his roots in Florida to size up the US Army's newest sniper rifle. Featured Weapons: - AQUARAM TACTICAL DISRUPTER - LWRC INFANTRY AUTOMATIC RIFLE - SAAB BOFORS RBS 70 SHORT-RANGE MISSILE SYSTEM - KNIGHT'S ARMAMENT M110 SNIPER RIFLE
Episode 2 "Non-Lethal Special" FutureWeapons reveals the incredible science and technology behind the amazing weapons that can defeat the enemy without using lethal force. First, Mack takes on a terrorist hideout using the very latest stun munitions. Next, he sees how TASER® 's newest devices have been configured for use by the military and then explores the prototype technology of Beretta's super-smart baton round. Plus, Mack gets to see the newly developed, vehicle-stopping device that uses a high-tech net to stop suicide bombers. Featured Weapons: - ALS 400 Series STUN MUNITIONS - TASER® X-26TM ELECTRONIC CONTROL DEVICE and XREPTM - BERETTA LTLX7000 KINETIC ENERGY WEAPON - QINETIQ X-NET® VEHICLE ARREST DEVICE
Episode 3 "Close Protection" First up is the top-secret scanning device that will stop terrorist attempts to smuggle liquid bombs and guns on to passenger jets. Next, Mack takes command of the newest rapid-fire naval gun as he tries to take out waterborne suicide bombers. Back on land, he wields the very latest security detail carbine when he goes head to head with the Roswell SWAT Team during an exercise to protect a VIP from assassins. Then he gets to test the newest remote-controlled weapons station for armored personnel carriers. Featured Weapons: - OPTOSECURITY LIQUID THREAT TECHNOLOGY - BAE SYSTEMS 57mm Mk110 NAVAL GUN - LWRC M6 A2 PSD - WAVE REMOTE-CONTROLLED WEAPONS STATION
Episode 4 "Israel Special" FutureWeapons travels to the Middle East to uncover the cutting-edge weapons under design for the Israeli Defense Forces. Mack demonstrates an amazing weapon that will blow open the door of a terrorist hideout and if you want to take out the whole building, Mack has another trick in his arsenal. Next, he goes on an action-packed mission with a crack Israeli team carrying an array of the very latest weapons and surveillance technology to rescue hostages. Featured Weapons: - ELBIT SYSTEMS VIPER PORTABLE COMBAT ROBOT - HYDRO-NOA MENNY D4 DOOR BUSTER - HYDRO-NOA SHARON BREACHING KIT - CORNER SHOT 7.62 mm ASSAULT PISTOL RIFLE - IWI MICRO TAVOR ASSAULT RIFLE - RAFAEL SIMON 150 RIFLE-LAUNCHED GRENADE - RAFAEL MATADOR SHOULDER-LAUNCHED MISSILE SYSTEM
Episode 5 "GUNS" FutureWeapons goes big on guns starting with the rapid-fire cannon that’s fast becoming a huge hit with the U.S. armed forces. Next up, Mack takes a helicopter ride where he unleashes a firestorm with the lightweight Dillon Aero Gatling gun. On an Arizona firing range, he tests a new multi-caliber combat weapon that's lighter and tougher than any other weapon in its class. In the finale, Mack checks out a new breed of personal defense weapons that have the stopping power -- and amazingly, the accuracy -- of much bigger weapons. Featured Weapons: - ATK MK44 BUSHMASTER AUTOMATIC CANNON - DILLON AERO M134D GATLING GUN - MAGPUL MASADA ASSAULT RIFLE - KNIGHT'S ARMAMENT PERSONAL DEFENSE WEAPON
Episode 6 "Future Warrior": Premieres March 5 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT FutureWeapons tests an amazing state-of-the-art weapon that can be converted from assault rifle to sniper rifle in seconds; the family car that can withstand bombs and bullets and can even fight back; the unmanned ground vehicle being developed to fight alongside troops in the field and the latest portable spy in the sky that gives you a birds-eye view of the enemy. Featured Weapons: - LWRC SABR 308 SNIPER RIFLE - BAE SYSTEMS COMMERCIAL ARMORED VEHICLE - MULE UNMANNED GROUND VEHICLE - ELBIT SYSTEMS SKYLARK UAV
Episode 7 "Hard Target": Premieres March 12 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT FutureWeapons tests the amazing revolutionary armor for combat rubber raiding craft; the new longer range ammo for the awesome Milkor multiple grenade launcher that can reach out a half a mile; the latest generation of the A10 Thunderbolt ground attack plane with new "Precision Engagement" upgrades and the assault rifle round that stays supersonic out to 1200 yards. Featured Weapons: - ARMORFLATE RUBBER ARMOR SYSTEM - MEI MERCURY 40MM GRENADE AMMO - A-10C THUNDERBOLT II GROUND ATTACK AIRCRAFT - ALEXANDER ARMS 6.5 GRENDEL ASSAULT RIFLE
Episode 8 "Israel Special 2": Premieres March 19 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT FutureWeapons returns to the Middle East for more of the latest weapons being designed by the Israeli armed forces including the ingenious missile protection shield for tanks; one of the world’s toughest main battle tanks that fires super-smart rounds; a state-of-the-art cruise missile and the air defense system that is second to none. Featured Weapons: - IRON FIST ANTI-MISSILE PROTECTIVE SHIELD SYSTEM - MERKAVA IV MAIN BATTLE TANK - DELILAH CRUISE MISSILE - SPYDER-SR AIR DEFENSE SYSTEM
Episode 9 "Kill Zone": Premieres March 26 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT FutureWeapons witnesses the birth of a revolution in air warfare – the unmanned bomber that can operate from aircraft carriers; the amazing optical systems for rifles that makes them super accurate; the assault rifle that fires a massive .50 caliber round and the manned attack helicopters that are becoming unmanned. Featured Weapons: - LITTLE BIRD UAV - INTELLIGENT OPTICAL SYSTEM - X47B UNMANNED AIR COMBAT SYSTEM - BEOWULF ASSAULT RIFLE
Episode 10 "Alaska Special": Premieres April 24 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT In the heart of the Alaskan wilderness lies the US Army’s Cold Regions Test Center (CRTC). Part of the Army Test and Evaluation Command, the CRTC has granted Future Weapons exclusive access to film extreme cold weather tests on weapons systems and equipment – assessing their performance in Arctic conditions. Featured Weapons: - ARTIC SURVIVAL TRAINING SCHOOL - STRYKER MOBILE GUN SYSTEM - M56E1 SMOKE GENERATOR
Only one guide that i want to add is “Immediately change your SIM once you find out that someone is intercepting your communication. Don’t try experiment with any such interception”
I have been facing a lot of trouble for the last many weeks. It seems as if my Ufone number has been hacked by someone. I have been receiving calls from multiple spoofed numbers which include mobile and land line id’s. My text messages are being intercepted before or after they are delivered to my friends.
The sender (Hacker) has full command over the delivery date, time and telephone number of his choice and he can read my messages and send a reply from any cell number he desires, I am really puzzled. I have sent complaints to the Ufone and PTA authorities through email but they didn’t consider heeding them.
I am a student and my phone usage is purely of domestic origin. I don’t consider myself to be liable for the Legal Interception. Secondly, I am using a handset which doesn’t contain GPRS, infrared or Bluetooth facilities, so the possibilities of phone hack are out of place.
About two months ago I received a call from my sister’s cell number, who teaches at University of Karachi. There was a male on the other end who appeared to be a literate figure with an enchanting voice like most of the operators/service representatives possess. He told me that he had found the cell from the parking area and he was willing to return it back to us. I made two or three subsequent calls on the same (my sister’s) number that and it was received by the same person. But when I contacted my sister at her office, she was amazed over the whole situation since her cell was in her possession. I just couldn’t understand how could that man call me and receive my calls.
The same person made me a call from a local land line number a few days later and introduced himself as a service representative of Ufone. He further asked me to let him know three ufone numbers of my choice that I wished to be included into my free favorite list. I didn’t took him serious this time. But when I tried to recall him the number was dead. What was that?
It is for the last many weeks that I am facing similar problems more frequently. The culprit rings me miss calls from multiple mobile, local and international numbers and sends me messages from multiple mobile numbers which include almost all cellular networks of Pakistan. He has even communicated me through the numbers of my contacts via SMS. Whenever one of my contact makes me call or I call him/her during the call an SMS comes from the same number with wordings as, ”KEUN TANGG KARTAY HO ISAY.BOHAT ACHA LAGTA HAY MUJHAY PARESHAN KAR K” etc.. I am sure he can even listen our conversation since short after disconnecting the call I receive messages from the same number that are relevant to the course of the conversation. Let me tell you that most of the spoofed mobile and landline numbers belong to the Punjab region. I really am fed up of this situation and I have settled to terminate the use of a cell phone .This is a ruthless practice of Harassment and no one is there to rescue the victims. I am sure that I am not alone having such complaints. But I am the one who have raised my voice in pursuit of guidance and security.
RAHIM YAR KHAN, June 6: Scores of cell phone users of a company in the district have no clue to the loss of their pre-paid balance during May. As the company officials based here are not ready to help them out, the hapless subscribers do not know which door they should now knock at.
A good number of customers, after loading their pre-paid Mobilink Jazz cards in the first week of May, found Rs100 to 1,200 balance consumed without being used the very next morning. They immediately approached franchised outlets and the company’s local offices but to no avail.
In the second week of the month, those who had re-loaded their balance in April lost some amount in the same fashion. When the customers again visited the company offices, they were advised to lodge their complaints with the Mobilink helpline or the head office. “You must have dialled someone in the UK or Saudi Arabia,” was the reply complainants got from the helpline.
Although complaints are pouring in from the entire district, Rahim Yar Khan and Khanpur are the worst-hit towns. Some complaints were also reported from Bahawalpur and Lodhran.
While no responsible official was ready to speak on record, a company employee gave out that someone had developed a ‘Super SIM’ at Khanpur, a nearby town, which could hack the company’s pre-paid balance software and consume the balance of any customer.
He claimed that the ‘Super SIM’ was on sale for Rs2,000 in the market. In the beginning, the device was sold to acquaintances at some shops, especially PCO owners, in Khanpur and Rahim Yar Khan. Now it was being sold rather freely.
When the Super SIM, also know as ‘six-in-one’, is inserted in a mobile set, it is hooked up to the Mobilink network after two to five attempts. Several attempts at *111# can lead the user to any balance of another customer. When the balance is displayed, the user has to dial his required number in 30 seconds to stay connected to the Mobilink network. Once connected, one can talk as long as the balance permits.
A customer of Khanpur said the Super Sim was now available there by the name of ‘Magic SIM’ at Rs1,000 each.
Mian Cable Network, Link World Mobile shop and Global Mobile shop were selling these SIMs through selected salesmen. He said several people of Faisalabad and Karachi had also purchased this device from Khanpur.
Rahim Yar Khan’s Mobilink zonal manager Qazi Nadeem Ahmad, who admitted receiving complaints, sought time to respond to Dawn’s queries, but did not attend calls afterwards. Shahid Naeem, the company’s franchise representative, said all complaints had been referred to the head office but it had failed to address the problem.
A company spokesman in Islamabad said the customers had been advised to contact the Nine City Customer Centre in Rahim Yar Khan. He said all grievances would be redressed.
Another company official said the Super SIM could hack the software of any cell phone operator and that the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority should act swiftly.
The PTA, on the other hand, was not aware what was going on in Rahim Yar Khan. A senior official based in Islamabad said no body had reported this to the PTA so far.
