Rolo was on the right track...

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
It was actually a gas pump, and it is made by Microsoft.



Microsoft Gas Pump Prototype



That company never ceases to underwhelm me.



EDIT: The LeftLaneNews (from the macnn folks) link above seems to work squirrely in Safari. You can go to this page News and look for the Microsoft Gas Pump story.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 17
    Is this a joke?
  • Reply 2 of 17
    Quote:

    Originally posted by kim kap sol

    Is this a joke?



    Sadly, no:



    Press Release
  • Reply 3 of 17
    Couldn't people effectively use that 5 minutes by THINKING or DAYDREAMING? Both of these are more important than having some stoooooopid box pander to us.



    Gotta go. My favorite TV program starts in 3 minutes.
  • Reply 4 of 17
    Here there are a lot of TVs / Computers at the gas pumps.



    As if the gas companies can't find better ways to waste energy.



    I remember a time when gas stations were "full serve."
  • Reply 5 of 17
    hmmfehmmfe Posts: 79member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Bergermeister

    Couldn't people effectively use that 5 minutes by THINKING or DAYDREAMING? Both of these are more important than having some stoooooopid box pander to us.



    Gotta go. My favorite TV program starts in 3 minutes.




    Can that stat really be correct? 5 minutes a day pumping gas? I believe I spend less than 5 minutes a week pumping gas.
  • Reply 6 of 17
    tednditedndi Posts: 1,921member
    Oh great now my car will get infected with spyware and viri!!





    Apple is trying to get the ipod and the Appleness into cars and MS

    just wants to stick it in the orifice!!



    great!



  • Reply 7 of 17
    great now my pumps will crash now!!!
  • Reply 8 of 17
    a_greera_greer Posts: 4,594member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by atomicham

    Sadly, no:



    Press Release




    Hey...if it bluescreens after I scan my card (after fillup) but before the payment is complete, and I leave....am I a criminal?
  • Reply 9 of 17
    programmerprogrammer Posts: 3,457member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by hmmfe

    Can that stat really be correct? 5 minutes a day pumping gas? I believe I spend less than 5 minutes a week pumping gas.



    Depends on where you live. Some places (particularly in North America) basically force you to drive everywhere and the distances can be considerable. It wouldn't surprise me at all if people in this areas spend at least 5 minutes/day pumping gas.
  • Reply 10 of 17
    hmmfehmmfe Posts: 79member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Programmer

    Depends on where you live. Some places (particularly in North America) basically force you to drive everywhere and the distances can be considerable. It wouldn't surprise me at all if people in this areas spend at least 5 minutes/day pumping gas.



    Well, being a lifelong resident of North America - I appreciate the amount of driving necessary. I just filled up today and it took about 4 minutes to swipe the card, fill the tank, wash the windshield (while I was fueling), replace the cap, grab the receipt, and get back into the car. I have a 20 gallon tank so I am guessing that for a lot of people this time would actually be less (and for those driving land yachts maybe a bit more). I guess the point being I find it hard to believe that the average american is filling their tanks every day.



    A quick google search showed that the average american drives anywhere from 29-45 miles per day. The average fuel economy is 23-24.5 mpg. So, worst case scenario is that the average american burns about 2 gallons of gas per day. Let's up that by 50% to be safe and say 3 gallons per day.



    Let's also assume that the average size of a gas tank is 10 gallons (most likely this is a bit higher). One big assumption here is that people fill their tanks when they visit the gas station. I do remember in my younger days having to put 2 bucks in the tank so I had enough $$ to eat that night. Assumptions aside, the average would be a visit to the gas station every 3.3 days. To spend 5mins/day, the average visit would be 16.5 minutes.



    The EPA limits the rate of gas pumping to 10 gal/min. Let's say the actual average rate is 5 gal/min. That would mean that it takes 2 minutes to pump gas and fill a 10 gallon tank.



    What in the heck are people doing the other 14.5 minutes? I do realize that there are people that might spend this much time at the pump per day, but we're talking averages.
  • Reply 11 of 17
    tednditedndi Posts: 1,921member
    Quote:

    [i]What in the heck are people doing the other 14.5 minutes? [/B]



    Listening to my iPod?



  • Reply 12 of 17
    cory bauercory bauer Posts: 1,286member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by hmmfe

    The average fuel economy is 23-24.5 mpg.



    That is so depressing.
  • Reply 13 of 17
    brbr Posts: 8,395member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Cory Bauer

    That is so depressing.



    I wish I got that kind of mileage.
  • Reply 14 of 17
    19841984 Posts: 955member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by hmmfe

    Can that stat really be correct? 5 minutes a day pumping gas? I believe I spend less than 5 minutes a week pumping gas.



    Must be based on those who own SUVs I guess.
  • Reply 15 of 17
    hmmfehmmfe Posts: 79member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by TednDi

    Listening to my iPod?







    So that is you I am always waiting behind at the gas station.
  • Reply 16 of 17
    hmmfehmmfe Posts: 79member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Cory Bauer

    That is so depressing.



    While googling that little tidbit, I discovered that the average fuel economy has gone down in recent years. It is depresing that this country can't get its act together.
  • Reply 17 of 17
    tednditedndi Posts: 1,921member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by hmmfe

    So that is you I am always waiting behind at the gas station.



    Yup!



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