Formula E, season 2, round 2, today – Putrajaya, Malaysia

Putrajaya, Malaysia
Round 2 - Saturday 07 November 2015
Practice - 07:45-09:00 Putrajaya local time
Qualifying - 10:00-11:00
Race - 14:00

Race time has been moved to the earlier time in an attempt to avoid monsoon rains.



Circuit guide
http://www.fiaformulae.com/en/calendar/2015-putrajaya/putrajaya-circuit.aspx

Trulli team out of Putrajaya ePrix
http://www.eurosport.co.uk/formula-e/jarno-trulli-out-of-putrajaya-eprix-after-failing-scrutineering_sto4980769/story.shtml

Interesting insights in this Verge article
http://www.theverge.com/2015/11/6/9680842/formula-e-racing-season-2-putrajaya-live-stream-time / Formula E all electric racing series fourth 2nd race Putrajaya Malaysia ePrix stadium races F1 FIA electricity sport electric vehicles EV terrific acceleration pass passing possible tracks with tight corners technology range race organizers Spark-Renault SRT_01E built French company Spark Racing Technology carbon fiber aluminum chassis Dallara electric powertrain electronics McLaren Electronics Systems Williams Advanced Engineering building 200 kiloWatt battery pack batteries powertrain generate 270 horsepower five-speed paddle shift gearbox fixed gear ratios Michelin 18 inch tires wet dry conditions sound 80 decibel whine full grid 20 cars FIA Formula E strategy street courses dedicated circuits tire wear grip management battery life charge prematurely testing drivers learn knowledge teams construction constructors constructing FanBoost pit stop second fully charged car advances in battery technology battery swaps charging battery Renault Michelin DHL Qualcomm Richard Branson Virgin Racing team Leonardo DiCaprio Venturi team lithium ion LiIon battery charge recharge range battery management system BMS /

Beware bad USB-C cables & adapters – Google engineer names & shames

Belkin USB-A to USB-C cable complies
Credit: Belkin

USB-C is the future of USB, but for now, those of us who own one of the small but growing number of devices with USB-C ports (including Google Chrome Pixel, Apple Macbook 12", Nokia N1 tablet, HP Pavilion x2 10 Hybrid, Nexus 5X & 6P phones) probably need one or more adapters between the older standards (USB-A, B, mini or micro) & USB-C. Some manufacturers are not complying with the standard, & can place users’ devices at risk.

Google engineer, Benson Leung, who worked on the Chromebook Pixel, is on a mission to name & shame manufacturers of cables & adapters which do not comply.

Point to note: the Macworld article linked at the bottom of this post, states that the problem involves only USB-C to USB-A or USB-B adapters or cables: “The issue lies solely with cables that have the new reversible USB Type-C connector on one end, & legacy Type-A or Type-B connectors on the other.”

However, Benson Leung describes a Micro USB to Type-C adapter which has the problem (“... do not work properly with the Chromebook Pixel.”) at:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/cdp/member-reviews/A25GROL6KJV3QG/ref=as_at?tag=httpwwwidgcsm-20&linkCode=as2&ie=UTF8&page=1&sort_by=MostRecentReview#R1189CCK1UXGT5

Macworld article:
http://www.macworld.com.au/news/beware-bad-usb-c-cables-google-engineer-warns-names-and-shames-140560/ / engineer Google personal campaign against non-compliant USB-C adapter cables potential charging problems device damage Benson Leung Google latest Chromebook Pixel Pixel C tablet calling out guilty cables reviews Amazon issue cables new reversible USB Type-C connector legacy Type-A or Type-B microUSB miniUSB micro USB mini USB connectors cables use specific resistor value meet compliance charge safely safety worst case scenario cables could damage user’s hub charger device plugged into laptop Chromebook Pixel fail charge properly reviewing USB cables Amazon early cables third party vendors blatantly flaunt specification hold them to task Leung wrote Google+ no easy way consumers identify non-compliant cable time of purchase Leung posted instructions Pixel users run their own tests developer mode help with the campaign for now best check Leung’s own reviews weed out bad actors identified seven non-compliant adapter cables vendors CableCreation Monba Kupx Juiced Systems Orzly TechMatte praising cables meet USB-C spec Frieq Belkin iOrange safe bets USB-C’s reversible connector vast improvement over legacy USB adapter cable work with older chargers peripherals cable makers exploit demand cutting corners early adopters USB-C devices Pixel 12in MacBook or new Nexus phones buying additional cables unknown brands /

Motorola Droid Turbo 2 Android smart phone

Looking for a new phone? You might like to consider Motorola’s Droid Turbo 2:
● almost indestructible
● 5.4-inch OLED display, 2560×1440 (Quad HD) resolution, 540ppi
● up to two days of battery life
● 13 hours of charge in only 15 minutes
● 21-megapixel camera
● instant shutter response
● 2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 SoC
● 3GB RAM
● zippy performance
● 32GB & 64GB configurations
● 4K video at 30fps
● microSD slot
● splash-proof

If you don’t believe the “almost indestructible” claim, check this:


http://www.wired.com/2015/11/motorola-droid-turbo-2/?mbid=nl_11415

http://www.androidauthority.com/motorola-droid-turbo-2-review-653534/ / gadgets beautiful want gadgets beautiful tech capabilities advance miracles become commodities do everything look good too flagship device handheld powerhouse built premium materials elegant curves wraparound display smart phone smartphone smashed screen prevent phones screens getting smashed protective cases cases hide craftsmanship Motorola Droid Turbo 2 problem doesn’t need a case drop it face-down screen Kimmy Schmidt of phones Volvo you cannot smash phone’s screen dropping it toss around repeatedly meets the ground gnarly sounding SLAP perfectly intact screen no spiderwebs no shards screen drop-proof can dent electronics inside 30 drops phone worked perfectly few minor scuffs unbreakable screen really sharp 5.4-inch OLED display 2560×1440 Quad HD resolution pixel density 540ppi screen plastic feels like glass touch Droid Turbo 2 durable display most impressive best battery life Motorola up to two days juice single charge plug it in included 25W Turbo Charger gives 13 hours battery life 15 minutes fully charge 3,760 mAh battery hour phone’s groundbreaking durability battery life Droid Turbo 2 best smartphones available 21-megapixel camera absurdly fast shutter fires instantly screenshot picture eight-core 2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 SoC 3GB of RAM performance zippy shoots 4K video at 30fps microSD slot 32GB 64GB not fully waterproof withstand splashes of water tough-as-nails build design wise design your own Moto Maker site materials ballistic nylon pebbled leather tested textured rubberized soft grip backing face-down on the floor bezels no physical buttons fingerprint reader under screen stereo speakers bottom handset plasticky running last year’s version of Android Android 5.1.1 Lollipop Motorola Verizon update Android Marshmallow coming soon OS update bloatware preinstalled apps hide pre-installed apps disabling disable ability withstand drop after drop after drop run single charge two days excellent Android phone Android flagships performance offering features no other phone can match shatterproof screen quick-charging high-capacity battery slicker-looking phones Nexus device Droid Turbo 2 singular carrier-exclusive phone pragmatists drop handset forget charger occasionally /

VW software emissions scandal widens to include Porsche

2015 Porsche Cayenne
Credit: Car & Driver

Volkswagen’s growing emissions software scandal looks set to expand to involve its wholly owned subsidiary, Porsche¹, too:

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/11/vw-software-emissions-scandal-widens-to-include-porsche/

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-03/vw-emissions-scadals-include-porches-audis/6907390

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/industry/11970987/Porsche-dragged-into-emissions-cheat-crisis.html
__________

¹Wikipedia: “Porsche”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porsche / Volkwsagen 800,000 vehicles bogus software Matthias Müller VW CEO automaker scandal VW vehicles US pollution regulators Volkswagen emissions-test cheating scandal Porsche brand run by VW new CEO EPA Environmental Protection Agency cheating software rig pollution tests 3.0 liter diesel engines Audis Porsches model years 2014 to 2016 VW failed obligation comply law protects clean air Americans Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator EPA's enforcement unit agency diesel models defeat device cheating software 2014 VW Touareg 2015 Porsche Cayenne 2016 Audi A6 Quattro A7 Quattro A8 A8L Q5 scandal hit Porsche VW's new chief executive Matthias Müller elevated VW's top position clean up emissions scandal head of Porsche VW EPA automaker vehicles 3.0 liter diesel V6 engines software function application process company US pollution regulators Volkswagen AG software installed 3-liter V6 diesel power units alter emissions characteristics VW EPA VW's software vehicles Auxiliary Emission Control Devices AECD failed to disclose describe justify applications certificate conformity manufacturer apply EPA approved certificate conformity model illegal cars AECD designed circumvent emissions test defeat device Porsche innocent Porsche Cayenne diesel fully compliant Porsche VW admitted 11 million diesel vehicles cheating software installed software rig emissions tests forcing engine pollute less during testing car function much better pollute more on the road US government software allowed vehicles spew toxic nitrogen oxide nine times beyond EPA standards VW victim rogue engineers tinkered software VW executives not corporate decision automaker $7.4 billion scandal criminal investigations /

IronWire – immortal iPhone cable

If you are tired of replacing broken cables for your iPhone, this may be the answer. Comes with a lifetime warranty, & Apple certification. Video shows it being used to tow move a Mini. Tangle-proof too.



IronWire is an Indiegogo project:
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/ironwire-by-echo-the-10-lifetime-iphone-cable/x/9010251#/ / $10 lifetime cable Apple licensed cable can pull a car lifetime warranty Echo IronWire $10 cable Apple certified braided cable lifetime warranty 10,000 unit pre-order target bring an end to poor cables broke second Lightning cable in six months buy stronger cable certified standard charging cable Echo’s IronWire free from general wear and tear broken cable strongest cables you can buy LIFETIME warranty persistent pain point cables tangle difficult to store sturdy braided design IronWire completely tangle-proof quality hefty price tag pre-order cable price far lower MFi certified cables cost for-profit campaign amazing deal need to sell minimum 10,000 cables price point target eliminate poor cables forever tough cable tow Mini IronWire Echo’s $10 IronWire strongest most efficient cable best price LIFETIME warranty cable extra long tangle-free MFi certified fully compatible Apple devices Lightning connector LED lights flash when your device is fully charged /

VW sued over emissions scandal

2012 Audi A3 TDI
Credit: Green Car Reports

Readers may recall the scandal over Volkswagen cheating on small diesel emissions standards, mentioned in these pages.

A recall of over 480,000 vehicles & cost of up to $18 billion was suggested. $18 billion may have seemed high, but Volkswagen may have to pay for more than just the recall.

Bannister Law in Australia, has filed two class action lawsuits: “... strong case for the owners of affected diesel vehicles to claim a full refund or other compensation under consumer law. The value of car owners' vehicles has been diminished through no fault of their own and people should be compensated ..." – Bannister Law principal, Charles Bannister – AAP/Business Spectator

http://www.businessspectator.com.au/news/2015/11/2/automotive/vw-audi-owners-launch-local-lawsuit?utm_source=exact&utm_medium=email&utm_content=1658233&utm_campaign=cs_daily&modapt=

Not only in Australia:
http://www.autonews.com/article/20151006/OEM01/151009900/vw-sued-by-west-virginia-over-clean-diesel-claims

And it’s not only vehicle buyers who have been burned:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-09-25/volkswagen-sued-by-pension-fund-over-diesel-emissions-scandal / announcement U.S. Environmental Protection Agency major automaker German carmakers Volkswagen Audi ordered recall half million popular TDI four-cylinder diesel vehicles sold U.S. 2009 to 2015 EPA TDI detect emission-testing cycles significantly reduce emissions cars software turns off emissions controls driving normally turns on emissions test Cynthia Giles EPA enforcement officer teleconference reporters defeat device software cars emit 40 times maximum level nitrous oxides permitted EPA regulations regulations Tier 2 Bin 5 carmakers sell diesels regulations urea injection more complex emission-control systems control nitrous-oxide emissions Volkswagen system separate tank holding urea injected aftertreatment system small four-cylinder TDI diesel VW's vehicles EPA limits urea injection Mazda high-efficiency diesel engine U.S.A. USA market urea injection several missed deadlines Mazda engine cost recall Volkswagen $18 billion Volkswagen America EPA investigation defeat device TDI diesel engines owners affected vehicles investigation European studies passenger-car diesel engines emitting far more Volkswagen Beetle Golf Jetta Jetta SportWagen Audi A3 TDI /

Android Nexus 6P bend tested

Remember Bendgate – claims, including video, that the iPhone 6+ was bending in users’ pockets.

Consumer Reports settled the question with objective testing of the forces required to bend the iPhone 6 & 6+, as well as a range of other phones, including HTC One (M8), LG G3, Apple iPhone 5 & Samsung Galaxy Note 3. Short answer was, “... any of these phones should stand up to typical use.”

Now a claim has surfaced, that the Nexus 6P (built by Huawei, to Google’s specification) has bending problems too:



… actually, no scratch that – seems it doesn’t:



As was demonstrated with the iPhone 6, the problem with most of the evidence is that it is unmeasured. Further, in the first 6P test, above, before the phone is bent, it is first subjected to a number of other destructive tests. Perhaps the take home message is, don’t scratch, burn, bend, or break the glass of, your phone. / iOS Apple iPhone 6 Bendgate video claimed to indicate that the iPhone 6+ bending bend bent users’ pockets Consumer Reports objective test forces required bend iPhone 6 6+ range other phones HTC One M8 LG G3 Apple iPhone 5 Samsung Galaxy Note 3 phones stand up typical use Nexus 6P built Huawei Google’s specification Google Andorid OS operating system bending problems scratch demonstrated iPhone 6 problem evidence unmeasured first 6P test bend test phone subjected number destructive tests before being bent don’t scratch break glass burn bend phone smartphone smart phone /