Some of these features are available on certain car models today, or will become available in the very near future. The Economist reports that by 2020, a quarter of all cars on the road will be connected online—possibly with these capabilities, and likely many more. Welcome to the age of the connected car. Let’s take a look at some of the models available for purchase today.

Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive

Equipped with advanced safety features that use a sensor system to detect dangers on the road, certain models allow for driving assistance (controlling the brakes, acceleration, and steering) at very low speeds, like when you’re in a traffic jam. The car can even detect potholes and adjust the suspension accordingly, making for a smoother ride.

Audi connect®

According to The Economist, Audi is working on a system that will allow you to exit the car and use your smartphone to make it park itself. In the meantime, you can settle for Audi Connect cars, which include the abilities to access real-time data on parking locations through voice-activated search and to turn your car into a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot.

Hyundai Assurance Blue Link Connected Care

Standard on all Blue Link–equipped Hyundai models purchased after May 2013, Connected Care has collision notification, emergency assistance, and maintenance alerts, among other high-tech features.

BMW ConnectedDrive

With BMW, you can control your car from your phone, including starting it remotely or locking and unlocking the doors. You also get intelligent parking assistance with sensors that not only help you park your car safely, but help you find a spot in the lot, too. BMW is working on making driving more automated with BMW ActiveAssist.

NissanConnect

Certain Nissan models come with NissanConnect, which basically turns your dashboard into a smartphone. You can connect with social networks, music-streaming applications, and weather and traffic information, all without using your hands.

The current trend is for higher-end models to get the connected-car treatment, but availability of technologically advanced connected cars is only increasing. Are you going to keep these functionalities in mind when picking out your next car? Or do you prefer to leave the driving to the driver?

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Computers

Both Mac desktops and Mac notebooks are common connected Apple devices for consumers. Whether you need a powerful iMac desktop or a MacBook that could fit in your purse, Apple computers have you covered. There is also an impressive array of Mac accessories, like the AirPort Extreme, which is a high-performance wireless access point for Apple devices, or a digital microphone for creating music on a computer.

Phones and Portable Devices

By far, the most popular Apple products on the market are iPhones and other portable devices, such as iPads and iPods. These devices play a big role in the collection of a connected Apple consumer, providing users with a range of devices that make the most sense for their lifestyle. An iPod shuffle’s simple design meets your most basic music playing needs, while an iPhone offers practically endless options to keep you connected.

Accessories

Portable speakers, water-resistant headphones, Smart Cases, and wireless keyboards are accessories that enhance your electronic experience, and Apple offers all of these products and more. Apple enthusiasts will undoubtedly have all the basics like a wireless keyboard and mouse, headphones, and chargers for their gadgets, but they could easily collect more advanced accessories, as well.

Services

Apple TV allows you to play content from your iOS devices directly on your high-definition television via AirPlay, and it connects you with content streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu Plus. iTunes offers free streaming radio stations via iTunes Radio and a way to purchase and organize all your music, movies, and television shows through any Apple iOS device. Apple Pay is a new technology that will allows you to purchase items in stores with the simple touch of a button, no wallet needed. The service will work with your iPhone 6 or the upcoming Apple Watch.

Applications

Apple’s new iOS 8 operating system has been upgraded with functionality that will help you improve your health and make your home technology more efficient. HealthKit will integrate health and fitness-app data to give you a better picture of your overall fitness, and HomeKit enables Apple fans to configure technical devices in their homes so they can control them with their wireless devices.

Connection via the Cloud

Tying everything together is Apple’s iCloud, which enables users to access all of their files from any Apple device. iCloud also lets you share your iTunes, iBooks, and App Store purchases with up to five other family members, and your photos and videos with anyone you’d like. This nifty cloud-storage and software solution will consolidate your mail, calendar, notes, contacts, and reminders, so no matter which Apple gadget you are currently using, iCloud updates your information across the board. Of course, this includes data backup as well as advanced security features. In short, iCloud connects you to your whole Apple world.

Connected Apple devices are just the beginning of the new technology Apple has to offer. If you are a fan, or thinking about becoming one, try some of their offerings today and keep an eye out for exciting new products and services on the horizon.

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High Cost of Materials

TechCrunch’s estimated price tag for the Apple Edition gold watch comes from jewelers familiar with the gold alloy used to make the watch cases. Also, watch expert Chad Rickicki gave a $600 projection for the cost of creating the 18-karat-gold components of the case alone. That does not include the watch-clasp hardware on the bands nor the watch electronics themselves. Adding in markup could very well put the price of the gold Apple Watch over $1,200, especially while the price of gold remains high.

Of course, the actual price tag for this elite collection set to be released in 2015 is anybody’s guess. Apple could have deals in the works with suppliers, and the target profit margin for the high-end Apple watches is unknown. One thing to be sure of, though, is they will not be cheap.

A Commitment to the Wearable Market

According to Apple, these expensive, polished versions of the Apple Watch will be released as the Edition Collection with six fashionable styles to choose from. All six designs will have 18-karat gold alloy watch cases and sapphire-crystal display protection. Unlike the other two collections—the Standard and the Sport—the cases will come in either yellow or rose gold and have specially designed bands in either dyed leather or “sport” plastic. The possibilities are endless, and consumers could feasibly have as many options for their smartwatch bands as they currently do for their smartphone cases.

What does this mean for Apple fans? For one, the company is taking a firm footing in the wearable luxury goods market. The Edition Collection watches will likely be highly exclusive, as the average consumer won’t be able to lightly spend $1,200 or more on an accessory. From the photos released on Apple’s website, these Edition items are meant to target the couture-minded customer.

What do you think of the Apple exclusive gold Watch Edition collection? Do you plan on purchasing a high-end Apple Watch model?

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Smart Contacts: An Evolving Product

In January, Google announced a smart contact lens project with a biomedical component via a blog post. Hoping assist diabetics with monitoring their blood sugar levels, Google invented contact lenses that are able to detect blood glucose levels from a patient’s tears. This project likely goes hand in hand with their latest patent application to integrate micro cameras into their smart contact lenses. They have also invented a multi-sensor component, which helps detect when a person is blinking and the orientation of the contact lenses.

These cameras would be able to detect a shift in a user’s gaze and follow it to capture images that can detect light, colors, faces, and motion just like smartphone cameras do today. These pictures would not obstruct a user’s vision and would be wirelessly transferable to a remote device.

Representing the Future of High-Tech

Perhaps the most remarkable part of the patent application is the potential uses Google outlines for such a device. Not just a fancy, biomechanical version of Google Glass, these contact lenses could conceivably help the blind. A sophisticated analysis component would process raw image data for a blind person wearing the contact lenses and warn them via an audio alarm if they approach a dangerous intersection, for example.

Even those without visual impairment could use the smart contact lenses to enhance their vision. Advanced facial recognition, motion detection, and a wider peripheral view would all be possible with this invention. The lenses could even focus on faraway objects, making binoculars a thing of the past.

Combine all these incredible features together and suddenly science fiction feels more like a soon-to-be reality. Of course, there will be many more obstacles before an invention like this can be brought to market. Consumer safety with such a device is a primary concern, and Google’s most recent patent application doesn’t address these issues—but that doesn’t necessarily mean they won’t. Expect to see Google file more patents on this exciting new technology soon.

What is your opinion of this type of technology? Would you ever wear camera contact lenses?

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According to AppleInsider, the company’s previous patent applications have pertained to the user experience, but this newest filing relates to how the service and infrastructure will work on the back end. This infrastructure will allow point of sale transactions that are protected from wireless theft. In the language of the patent application, Apple claims that a two-step process can be used to keep customer information safe. A “secure element” is mentioned that appears to protect data in a similar way to the Touch ID fingerprint scanner on the iPhone 5s. Both systems create aliases in order to secure the outgoing data.

The two-step process begins when the mobile device, say an iPhone, sends out a signal to the nearby point of sale receiver to initiate the payment. This part of the process could be done using near field communication (NFC) or Bluetooth communication. The first wireless interface is then followed by a separate second wireless transaction, which then connects to a backend server to complete the purchase.

In this scenario, the user’s credit card data is stored securely on the mobile device and is never stored anywhere else during or after the payment transaction. Instead, the information sent from the device to the point of sale system is actually a generated alias along with a cryptographic code. This data is sent through the second wireless connection directly to the server backend, which can identify and decrypt it. The transaction is complete once the backend matches the decrypted alias with one it already has on file.

Apple continues to lead the charge for the future of wireless payment solutions. The company clearly has big plans. Coupled with the iPhone’s e-wallet, which was the subject of a new patent application last year, this new secure payment system could see Apple take the lead against competitors such as PayPal. Assuming Apple can actually secure customer data as it claims.

What do you think? Do you think a wireless point of sale service can be totally secure?

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