When I first started at PC Magazine in 2006, Editor-In-Chief Jim Louderback put a car on the cover. It was timed to drop in conjunction with the New York Auto show and it looked unlike anything we'd ever done. It raised some eyebrows on staff and in the industry, but Jim wanted to send a message: The era of the connected car is coming. The definition of "personal computing" was changing, and PC Magazine needed to change with it. We haven't had a car on the cover since.
But if 2006 was too soon to put a car on the cover, now is the right time to do so. Automotive stories dominated the Consumer Electronics Show this year in Las Vegas. Before the show even started, Google announced the formation of the Open Automotive Alliance, a group of car and tech companies looking to standardize on Android as the in-car operating system. And Audi's keynote included two self-driving cars, including one with laser lights. Meanwhile, Ford is busy adding apps to its AppLink platform and is exploring what it can do with all of the data generated by smart vehicles.
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For this month's feature on the connected car we sent Consumer Electronics Managing Editor Jamie Lendino to the Detroit Auto Show. New features have always helped sell cars, but in Detroit Jamie found an industry that's focusing as much on app development and connected services as on conventional automotive selling points like fuel economy and performance. Automakers need to deliver more than four doors and four wheels; they need to deliver services for the lifetime of the vehicle. And it can't just be for the luxury market—it has to be for everyone. Jamie's piece shows the vendors that get it.
Of course, all this connectivity will change our relationship with our vehicles—and not all of the changes will be for the better. PC Magazine turned to veteran automotive journalist Doug Newcomb to see how prepared the industry for the privacy issues that connected cars will stir up. His conclusions may surprise you.
The car isn't the only high-tech renovation in this issue. Supermodel Coco Rocha discusses how she's giving her old stone farmhouse a makeover with the help of some Philips hue light bulbs, a Belkin WeMo sensor, and a little ifttt. And yes, that really is as cool as it sounds.
Indeed, this entire issue could be dedicated to redefining "personal computing." We have reviews of a reinvented watch (the Pebble Steel), a reimagined smoke detector (the Nest Protect), and a curved OLED HDTV (the LG 55EA9800). Of course, if you just want the best laptop to get work done, we can help you out there as well (the Lenovo ThinkPad X240).
Rest assured that as personal computing evolves, PC Magazine will evolve with it. If you like the issue, subscribe. We will redefine "personal computing" again next month.