Lucid Air electric car will start at $US60,000

Lucid Air electric car
Credit: Lucid Motors/Financial Review

Remember the Lucid electric car?

HichHiker’s Guide 2 Tech – “Lucid Motors claims 400 mile range for its luxury electric car”
http://hhg2tech.blogspot.com/2016/12/lucid-motors-claims-400-mile-range-for.html

Specs, including 1,000 horsepower & 130 kWh battery (biggest battery in the Tesla Model S is 100 kWh), suggested a high price. However, Lucid has just announced a more modest version with 400 horsepower, RWD, 240 mile range, & hardware for autonomous driving. Asking price for the lower-spec version is $US60,000 – which becomes $US52,500 after deduction of the US $7,500 federal tax incentive.

Road & Track – “Lucid Air Electric Car Starts at $52,500, Gets 400 HP & 240 Miles of Range”
https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/future-cars/news/a32938/lucid-air-electric-car-starts-at-52500-gets-400-hp-and-240-miles-of-range/

Engadget makes much of, “The ‘entry’ car will offer all the hardware [emphasis mine] you need for autonomous driving … a big deal when Tesla makes you drop about $10,000 (for Enhanced Autopilot & full self-driving support) for similar features.” This is quite misleading. Tesla includes the hardware for fully autonomous driving in every vehicle.¹ Standard Model S makes use of the autonomous driving hardware for, “Active safety technologies, including collision avoidance & automatic emergency braking, have begun rolling out through over-the-air updates.” Extra charges are made for enabling the software for, “Enhanced Autopilot”, & “Full Self-Driving Capability”.²

Engadget – “Lucid's luxury electric car will start at $52,500”
https://www.engadget.com/2017/03/15/lucid-air-pricing/

C|Net/Road|show – “The Lucid Air electric luxury car will start at $52,500 ... sort of”
https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/the-lucid-air-electric-luxury-car-will-start-at-52500-sort-of/

The Verge – “Lucid Motors’ electric car will cost $60,000” http://www.theverge.com/2017/3/16/14944068/lucid-motors-air-electric-car-price-range-specs
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¹ Tesla: “Performance & safety refined”, https://www.tesla.com/en_AU/models#battery-options

“All Tesla vehicles produced in our factory, including Model 3, have the hardware needed for full self-driving capability at a safety level substantially greater than that of a human driver.”

² Tesla: “Model S”, https://www.tesla.com/en_AU/models/design?redirect=no / Lucid Air 1,000 HP electric Tesla-killer 400 mile range luxury mobility Lucid Motors Tesla rival Lucid prototype shop Fremont California automaker formerly known as Atieva Lucid Air luxury sedan Lucid Air perfect commuter vehicle power of a sports car 1,000 HP 1,000 horse power modern car start-up automaker fully-electric powertrain bodywork VP of design Derek Jenkins poached from Mazda MX-5 Miata completely different strategy mainstays of the auto industry game-changer model EV heavyweight Tesla market Lucid Tesla former Model S chief engineer Peter Rawlinson Lucid’s chief technology officer Tesla Model S luxury Model X SUV mass-market car Tesla Model 3 Tesla brand Lucid’s first car sports car electric drive powerful seamless makes traditional engines feel antiquated interior space similar Mercedes-Benz S-Class blending sublime luxury modern design relax spread out new space in the luxury vehicle market amazing commuter vehicle right size for urban conditions small city garages same size Mercedes E-Class connected technology autonomous features range commuters Lucid’s homegrown electric motor hardware 600 HP 600 horsepower 600 horse power space traditional Tesla-style battery slung between the wheelbase front suspension condensed system integration engineers HVAC blowers ahead bulkhead reducing cabin noise second power bundle at the rear multi-link rear suspension switchable volume inverted air-springs active damping Lucid’s solution increasing cabin space reducing external dimensions inter-systems spatial optimization optimisation executive jet-style reclining rear seats fit into the footprint of a car this size range launch initially 100 kilowatt hour battery pack 300 miles of driving Peter Rawlinson 130 kilowatt hour option up to 400 miles charge through a port on the nose Lucid paving the way car to drive itself autonomous driving Autopilot enabled at the start whole range of sensors built-in standard performance Tesla increasingly squeezing more power out of its cars Lucid deliver same sort of grunt total 1,000 horsepower 2.5 second 0-60 mph time cabin 29-speaker audio system 12 beam-forming microphones dashboard multiple displays touch-friendly centre center display more storage space Lucid Alexa-style voice controlled assistant automatically adjust settings who identifies inside at the wheel Lucid’s headlights high-intensity LEDs 9740 micro-lens array lenses per headlight dynamically angled production Casa Grande Arizona late 2018 brand new $700m manufacturing plant was announced late November produce up to 130,000 cars each year /

iPhone – what is Apple planning for the 10th anniversary year?

iPhone turns 10 this year – witness this advertisement from 2007:



Expect a big effort from Apple for the new iPhone – including perhaps skipping the 7S name for 8, or maybe 10 or X.

● 5.8" OLED screen
● curved
● edge-to-edge display
● USB-C
● no physical home button – imbedded in the display
● wireless charging

● more power efficient processor, together with OLED display will give better battery life

iPhone 8 – Wireless charging, edge-to-edge curved display, USB-C
Credit: Stock News USA

MacRumors – “iPhone 8”
https://www.macrumors.com/roundup/iphone-8/

Macworld – “iPhone 8 rumours: goodbye Lightning, hello USB-C”
http://www.macworld.com.au/news/iphone-8-rumors-goodbye-lightning-hello-usb-c-145060/#.WMlYJnR95E4

Business Insider – “These are the 12 most believable iPhone 8 rumors we've heard”
http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-iphone-8-2017-rumors-features-2017-3/?r=AU&IR=T/#1-there-will-be-an-s-model-of-the-iphone-7-1

Macworld – “Should Apple dump Lightning from the iPhone 8? The cases for & against”
http://www.macworld.com.au/news/should-apple-dump-lightning-from-the-iphone-8-the-cases-for-and-against-145079/#.WMlgGnR95E4 / iPhone 8 wireless charging edge-to-edge display USB-C 5.8" OLED screen curved edge-to-edge display USB-C no physical home button imbedded in display wireless charging more power efficient processor OLED display better battery life MacRumors iPhone 8 goodbye Lightning hello USB-C most believable iPhone 8 rumors Should Apple dump Lightning from the iPhone 8 die-hard iPhone fans AMOLED displays other phones Samsung look better than LCD screens iPhones rumors iPhone fans phone screens OLED display next iPhone OLED expensive rumors latest scuttlebutt Apple's next iPhone Barclays report Apple would skip the S model this year Apple from iPhone 7 to iPhone 8 iPhone 10 2017 tenth anniversary iPhone S models iPhone 7 updates processor new red color option Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo Japanese Apple blog MacOtakara third high-end iPhone Apple release high-end iPhone larger 5.8-inch screen premium phone Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge release new high-end iPhone model radical design tweaks feature curved screen flat implementation OLED design special iPhone model special 10th anniversary iPhone different technology Touch ID fingerprint reader OLED display rumors The Korea Herald high-end iPhone AMOLED display iPhone 7S 4-inch iPhone SE LCD displays like past iPhone models OLED displays superior to LCD displays almost every way more power efficient better colors better contrast better brightness /

VPN Internet security for mobile use

Black oval to the right of the laptop is a Keezel – mobile VPN in-a-box
Credit: Tom's Hardware

Public WiFi networks are far from secure.¹ Free WiFi at that coffee shop may not be the bargain it appears. A VPN represents a substantial security upgrade.²

Keezel is mobile VPN-in-a-box for WiFi networks – with single button operation.

HitchHiker's Guide 2 Tech – “Keezel: easy-to-use privacy & security for every online device, everywhere”
http://hhg2tech.blogspot.com/2015/07/keezel-easy-to-use-privacy-security-for.html

Indiegogo crowd funding closed on 23 August 2015. Estimated delivery at that time was December 2015. As of this date, few have been delivered. Contributions are still being taken, with delivery estimated as April 2017.

In the interim, there have been a number of changes, including:
● battery upgrade, from around 5,000 mAh to 8,000 mAh+
● announcement of VPN provision by PureVPN, proXPN, & Le VPN

While Keezel have been making little apparent progress, alternatives have appeared.

InvizBox Go



Ars Technica – “Invizbox Go aims to make mobile privacy painless over any Wi-Fi”
https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/09/invizbox-go-aims-to-make-mobile-privacy-painless-over-any-wi-fi/

InvizBox was crowdfunded through Indiegogo & Kickstarter. They can still be ordered on Indiegogo, with a range of VPN support packages provided by IP Vanish, ranging from 2 months ($US99) to lifetime ($US399).

Interesting point, a small VPN support package can be updated to lifetime after the InvizBox is delivered, if the supporter likes the device. Check this exchange in the comments earlier in March.

Darrylstp 12 days ago
Hi. Pledged Early Bird last night. Is there a potential upgrade route to lifetime or extended length if I find I really like the product, or do I have to buy Lifetime up front?

Paul Canavan [Campaigner] 11 days ago
@darrylstp – You can upgrade later. Just drop us a line!

Indiegogo Project – “InvizBox Go - Privacy.Security.Stream.Extend.Block”
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/invizbox-go-privacy-security-stream-extend-block-wifi-security/x/9010251#/

Kickstarter – “InvizBox Go - Privacy Made Easy”
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/683682172/invizbox-go

InvizBox manufacturer Web site
https://www.invizbox.com/

Betterspot



Betterspot is different in a few ways

● Keezel & InvizBox were built by engineers who then had to go looking for other organisations to provide their VPN backend – Betterspot was built by Betternet VPN as a mobile front end for their existing VPN service

● in addition to WiFi connections to the Internet & the user's device, Ethernet is also available

● no internal battery – powered by USB – for mobile use, a powered USB port on a laptop, or an external battery is required – this may be better in the long run, as the batteries in Keezel & InvizBox are not replaceable

BestVPN – “Betterspot VPN Router Review”, https://www.bestvpn.com/betterspot-vpn-router-review/

Indiegogo – “Betterspot: A Smart VPN Router for All Devices”
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/betterspot-a-smart-vpn-router-for-all-devices-security/x/9010251#/

Kickstarter – “Betterspot: A VPN Router for All Devices & Platforms”
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/betterspot/betterspot-a-vpn-router-for-all-devices-and-platfo
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¹ Digital Trends: “How dangerous is public Wi-Fi? We ask an expert”, http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/how-dangerous-is-public-wi-fi/

² “A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, allows you to create a secure connection to another network over the Internet.” – How to How-To Geek: “What Is a VPN, & Why Would I Need One?”, https://www.howtogeek.com/133680/htg-explains-what-is-a-vpn/ / public WiFi networks far from secure free WiFi VPN security Keezel mobile VPN-in-a-box WiFi networks single button operation Keezel easy-to-use privacy security online device everywhere Indiegogo crowd funding estimated delivery delivery battery upgrade mAh VPN provision PureVPN proXPN Le VPN alternatives InvizBox Go Invizbox Go mobile privacy painless Wi-Fi InvizBox crowdfunded Indiegogo Kickstarter range of VPN support packages IP Vanish IP Vanish IP Vanish 2 months lifetime small VPN support package can be updated to lifetime Campaigner InvizBox Go InvizBox manufacturer Web site Betterspot built by engineers provide their VPN backend Betterspot was built by Betternet VPN mobile front end for their existing VPN service WiFi connections Internet device Ethernet is also available no internal battery powered by USB for mobile use powered USB port on a laptop external battery BestVPN Betterspot VPN routerone device fits in your pocket changes online world control your Internet world’s first portable on line see what you are doing online visit blocked websites all over the world geographically locked region locked secure all your devices one keezel no software installation needed required growth intelligent worldwide keezel network provider provided best providers keezel switch it on with 1 button one button operation privacy feel secure connect to whatever you want control crowdfunding unique server network worldwide keezel chooses best available connection everytime you connect Keezel partners partner world class VPN providers servers worldwide combining multiple VPN networks provide largest most resilient network keezel automatically selects best connection best service simple big worldwide server network working for you keezel online freedom protecting your privacy security free and open internet WiFi networks all WiFi devices VPN technology simple campaign perks 1 year 2 year lifelong access our world class VPN network free basic service protect your privacy security on WiFi networks free WiFi connect to WiFi expose yourself to identity theft data leakage colleagues at work on the company network keezel protects your privacy security online coffee shops hotels airports at work at home encryption encrypts encrypt your connection all connected devices without having to install software app application many governments censor Internet blocking voices opposition Facebook Twitter other websites blocked Internet widespread problem websites TV shows watched in certain countries episodes your favorite show unavailable when travelling watch a sports game race inaccessible in your country or region connect keezel country of your choice keezel creates your own secure WiFi network Keezel connects to WiFi networks your favorite coffee shop creates a secure WiFi network open source encryption technology big companies government organizations protect their data doesn't require installation laptop phone smart solution works with all your WiFi devices connect your personal keezel WiFi online freedom without screens keezel's VPN service high quality resilient server network all over the world partners partner world class network providers best service super competitive price Indiegogo perks least one year of this service premium service limited speed locations secure browsing emailing encryption change location country great battery life charge charges your phone keezel powerful battery almost three times the capacity of your iPhone 6 use keezel charge other devices service subscription only limited speed locations 8000 mAh 7000 mAh 5000 mAh /

All leather, minimalist wallet – 33% off

Nash Solo & Trio are all leather, minimalist wallets:

● 100% vegetable tanned leather

● RFID blocking

● pull tab for card access

● holds 8-10 cards – still as thin as your phone

● 2 styles in 4 colours

Trio adds

● front pocket for cash

● rear pocket for your most frequently used card, with easy thumb push access

Nash Solo & Trio wallet project is crowd funding on both Kickstarter & Indiegogo. Pledge amounts are the same, but Trio is still available for a $24 pledge (33% off) on Kickstarter.

Kickstarter – “Nash Wallet: Leather Wallet with Easy Access Pull-Tab”
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/624879959/nash-wallet-leather-wallet-with-easy-access-pull-t/description

Indiegogo – “Nash Wallet: Sleekest & Most Functional Wallet”
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/nash-wallet-sleekest-and-most-functional-wallet-lifestyle-innovative--3/x/9010251#/ / all leather minimalist wallet 33% off Dulo supply Co dulo supply company minimal leather wallet with pull-tab quick and easy access to all your cards RFID blocking holds 6-10 cards minimalist style bulky wallets carry our valuables find a better solution minimal wallets minimal wallets elastic durable protection cards cash theft protection priced RFID skimming RFID protection minimal wallet durable protected our cards easy and convenient access to our cards solution Nash Wallet line Nash Wallet slim functional stylish comfortably holds 8-10 cards and cash thin as your smart phone back or front pocket hardly even notice it's there made with 100% genuine leather easy-access pull tab effortless get to your cards RFID Blocking pesky thieves scanning important card information RFID blocking capabilities card information is safe from theft Nash Wallet 2 styles and 4 colors Nash Solo Wallet 100% genuine leather wallet leather look better with age easy access pull-tab pull-tab feature quickly effortlessly get to your cards ultra thin comfortably holds 8-10 cards thin as your smart phone frequently used card slot card you use daily multiple times a day back pocket slot easy thumb push opening daily use frequent use Kickstarter Indiegogo crowd funding crowdfunding /

CAPTCHA is about to disappear – “Prove you’re not a bot” won't be bothering you much longer

Credit: Infragistics

Above, an example of the CAPTCHA¹ we’ve all learned to hate.

Below, example of the much more user-friendly reCAPTCHA² we've started to see more recently.


Credit: PC Mag

And coming soon, to a screen near you – the invisible reCAPTCHA that you won't even notice.

Ars Technica – ‘Google’s reCAPTCHA turns “invisible”, will separate bots from people without challenges’
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/03/googles-recaptcha-announces-invisible-background-captchas/

Google – ‘reCAPTCHA’
https://www.google.com/recaptcha/intro/invisible.html
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¹ Wikipedia: “CAPTCHA”, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CAPTCHA

² PC Mag: “reCAPTCHA”, http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/58160/recaptcha / Google’s Google reCAPTCHA CAPTCHA turns invisible will separate bots from people without challenges Google separate man from machine without tricky tests checkboxes Google's reCAPTCHA leading CAPTCHA service Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart the Web CAPTCHAs sign-up pages across the Web separate humans from spam bots spambots challenge pop up asking you to decipher a picture of words or numbers pick out objects grid of pictures click a checkbox seeing CAPTCHAs less and less Google is making them invisible reCAPTCHA pretty easy simple I'm not a robot checkbox sign-up page new version even simpler doesn't use challenge checkbox works invisibly background identify bots from humans Google system uses combination machine learning advanced risk analysis adapts new and emerging threats more detailed information how the system works probably help bot-makers crack it details reCAPTCHA bought by Google in 2009 OCR optical character recognition software reCAPTCHA system solving by humans reCAPTCHA looks like a set of numbers Google's Street View cars identify house numbers OCR software CAPTCHA solving by humans sites switch over invisible CAPTCHA system most users won't see CAPTCHAs at all I'm not a robot checkbox flagged suspicious /

Motherbox – real wireless charging

Motherbox wireless charger
Credit: Motherbox/Indiegogo

Existing “wireless” charging solutions for your phone have a number of shortcomings:

1. positioning is critical – differences of less than a centimetre (0.4 inch) can substantially reduce the charging current

2. slower

3. inefficient

4. harms the battery – part of that inefficiency is due to heating of the receiving aerial in the phone – which heats the battery – which shortens its life

5. more expensive

Motherbox promises a solution to the first two:


Credit: Motherbox/Indiegogo

No information available on points 3 & 4, but at $89 it’s not cheaper than a charging cable.



More about Motherbox on the Indiegogo project page
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-motherbox-true-wireless-charging-power-phone--2/x/9010251#/ / wireless charging overrated current form dream wireless power sounds great current wireless charging technologies plugless wireless less convenient slower less-efficient less efficient just plugging phone in wireless chargers more interesting proof of concept future technologies practical charge your smartphone plug it in cable wireless chargers even more constrained charging cables use wireless charger place your smartphone down charging mat mat plugged in wire sits on table smartphone charging mat wirelessly transmit power phone smartphone mat wireless charging stop wireless technologies wireless Internet freedom move around charging cable better cable smartphone is very short very near a power outlet much longer third-party charging cables Lightning cables iPhones standard USB cables Android phones plug your smartphone into longer cable use while charging smart phone wireless charger smartphone bedside table charging mat use longer cable charging smartphone desk longer cable cheaper buying wireless charger device less convenient smartphone wireless charger a bit finicky lines up starts charging plugging it in wireless chargers charging pad outlet phone charging pad contactless wireless wireless charger takes longer uses more power generates more heat faster more efficient transmit energy over wire wired charging much faster charging overnight quickly top-up your phone wired connection wireless less efficient take more electricity charge phone wirelessly wasted power excess heat destroy your phone heat enemy smartphone’s battery wireless charging extra power electric bill extra heat accelerate battery’s decay downsides less convenient flexible simply plugging your phone in even less efficient even slower more wasteful electricity MotherBox Receiver transmitter base station induction charge charging charger aerial transmitter receiver Yank Technologies inefficient inefficiency /

Samsung Galaxy S8 – what to expect – update

Credit: Samsung

Samsung’s Galaxy S8 is expected to be revealed at the Galaxy UNPACKED 2017 event on 29 March, starting at 11 am (US) EDT.

Check it at http://www.samsung.com/global/galaxy/

There is much speculation about the new Samsung Galaxy S8, but more revealing than most, is this image from an advertisement for an, “Olixar Ultra-Thin Case - 100% Clear”. Judging from the name of the case & the image, this is essentially how the phone looks without a case.


Samsung Galaxy S8 in Olixar Ultra-Thin Case - 100% Clear
Credit: Olixar/Samsung/Mobile Fun

It supports two of the most popular rumours about the S8 – no physical home button, & a fingerprint sensor on the back.

More detail at http://www.mobilefun.co.uk/olixar-ultra-thin-samsung-galaxy-s8-case-100-clear-p62870.htm


Samsung Galaxy S8
Credit: GSMArena

Screen is rumoured to be 5.8" (6.2" for the S8 Plus). This won't make the phone as big as you might first think. Notice a few things in the image above:

● screen is edge-to-edge – no bezel at the sides

● the top & bottom bezels are small – in part due to the absence of a home button

Taken together, this makes for a smaller phone than a 5.8" screen would suggest. Comparing with the Samsung s7, as quoted by GSMArena:

S7 dimensions 142.4 x 69.6 x 7.9 mm (5.61 x 2.74 x 0.31 in)¹
S8 dimensions 140.1 x 72.2 x 7.3 mm (5.52 x 2.84 x 0.29 in)²
This makes the S8 2.3 mm shorter & only 2.6 mm wider than the S7 .

Update 30 March – GSMArena have updated the dimensions of the S8
S8 dimensions 148.9 x 68.1 x 8 mm (5.86 x 2.68 x 0.31 in)²

This makes the S8 6.5 mm taller & 1.5 mm narrower than the S7.
On these numbers, S8 buyers will get a Galaxy Note size screen in a Galaxy S size phone.

More:

C|net – “Samsung Galaxy S8: Everything we know about Samsung's 2017 rebound phone, launching March 29”
https://www.cnet.com/au/products/samsung-galaxy-s8/preview/

GSMArena – “Samsung Galaxy S8”
http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s8-8161.php

Trusted Reviews – “Samsung Galaxy S8 release date, specs, rumours, & price explained”
http://www.trustedreviews.com/news/samsung-galaxy-s8-release-date-specs-rumours-price-uk

Forbes – “Galaxy S8 Release Date Revealed By Samsung?” https://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2017/02/23/galaxy-s8-release-date-and-price/#12be23c94b7a
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¹ GSMArena: “Samsung Galaxy S7”, http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s7-7821.php

² GSMArena: : “Samsung Galaxy S8”, http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s8-8161.php / Trusted Reviews Samsung Galaxy S8 release date specifications specs rumours price explained Samsung Galaxy S8 Olixar Ultra-Thin Case - 100% Clear Samsung's Galaxy S8 flagship is coming on March 29 Galaxy S8 reveal date revealed by Samsung apologizing to fans yet again for its disastrous drama recalling 3 million fire explosion Galaxy Note 7 phones teasing the Galaxy S8 design and announcement date safe buyable Galaxy S8 South Korean company giant mobile show Samsung characteristically launches its Galaxy S phones Samsung's profits are soaring chips S7 and S7 Edge phone sales $5 billion lost on the Note 7 impending lawsuits Samsung truly great phone most impressive phones Samsung ever made Galaxy S8 can Samsung win back buyers' trust Galaxy S8 rumors leaks rumour speculation Samsung official Galaxy S8 announcement Galaxy S8 could start selling mid-April Samsung will reveal the Galaxy S8 March 29 in New York City Samsung's revised eight-point battery testing procedure more space inside for the battery Galaxy S8 Plus Galaxy S8 + Galaxy S8 Edge curved screen Galaxy S8 Samsung's flagship phone dual-curved screens scaled the production process curved screens two phones Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus Galaxy S8 could still come in two sizes Galaxy S8 Edge Galaxy S8 Plus sizes hardware specs S8 /