Elon Musk: Tesla will make ‘millions’ of cars per year by 2025
While the Auto Show’s press preview events are winding down, it’s time for the Automotive News World Congress to take over, and tonight it featured a sit-down with Elon Musk. During the interview Musk answered questions about everything from where is the Model X (coming this summer) to whether or not he’s a good boss (Wall Street Journal says no, Musk says “not all the time.”) He said that he expects Tesla’s production to reach millions of cars per year by 2025, which is part of the reason he’s focusing on the Gigafactory (“if it doesn’t drive down the cost of batteries, I should be fired” says Musk) — more battery production will be needed first. First however, he expects the company will be profitable by about 2020. You can check out some of the quotes collected in tweets after the break, or read full liveblogs posted by the Detroit Free Press or The Verge.
Elon Musk actually emits a particular frequency of light that renders him immune to photography pic.twitter.com/dzEpDxSnmT
– Richard Lawler (@rjcc) January 13, 2015
Elon Musk: I have an issue with punctuality (in response to q about Model X delay) says Model X will ship this summer
– Richard Lawler (@rjcc) January 13, 2015
Musk: we’re not actively seeking partnerships. busy with Gigafactory, Model x, Model 3
– Richard Lawler (@rjcc) January 13, 2015
Musk: Our biggest focus is adding service centers (instead of stores) pic.twitter.com/hZE9obko5m
– Richard Lawler (@rjcc) January 13, 2015
Musk: I think I’m quite terrible at getting govt. money. Tesla got money 7yrs in for Model S, drive train.
– Richard Lawler (@rjcc) January 13, 2015
Got a few hundred million from govt. for Tesla, out of 4 or 5 billion in funding
– Richard Lawler (@rjcc) January 13, 2015
Are you a good boss? Musk: Not all the time. WSJ article yesterday was “BS”
– Richard Lawler (@rjcc) January 13, 2015
Musk: Our challenge is not selling the Model X, it’s producing it reliably, etc. No ads this year
– Richard Lawler (@rjcc) January 13, 2015
Elon Musk: even if all energy for EVs was created by hydrocarbons it would be better for the environment than gas. inherently just better
– Richard Lawler (@rjcc) January 13, 2015
According to Elon Musk, the Model 3 will hit its $35,000 price target without any tax credits
– Richard Lawler (@rjcc) January 13, 2015
Filed under: Transportation
Verizon announces new Verizon Vehicle service
Last week tech companies were having a big time at CES 2015 showing off new technology, some of which involves automobiles. This week the North American International Auto Show is underway in Detroit, where automobile manufacturers show off their new vehicles, parts and services, some of which involves technology. The cross over between our cars and our mobile devices should be no surprise given the popularity of both in this country. At the NAIAS, Verizon has announced their latest foray into the world of the automobile industry, Verizon Vehicle.
Verizon Vehicle is a subscription service that works similar to something like OnStar in giving drivers access to roadside assistance and related services. Verizon is pursuing this new venture as there is a market of about 200 million vehicles on the road that are not connected and could benefit from a service that is not tied to a specific vehicle. According to Erik Goldman, president of Verizon Telematics,
“Verizon Vehicle is a unique and truly holistic aftermarket solution available to over 200 million vehicles on the road today. It affords millions of drivers the power of knowing when things aren’t working well, potentially before a breakdown occurs — fostering a safer, smarter and more economical way to drive and maintain a vehicle.”
The new service utilizes an onboard OBD reader that consumers install themselves by plugging it into the diagnostic port under the dash of their vehicle. Verizon Vehicle will also come with a Bluetooth-enabled speaker that can be clipped to a visor and a smartphone app. The OBD reader can not only read diagnostic data from the vehicle, the system taps into GPS systems so Verizon and their network of A.S.E. certified mechanics can pinpoint a driver’s location if necessary.
Customers will have access to the following services and features through Verizon Vehicle:
- GPS-directed pinpoint Roadside Assistance for breakdowns, flat tires, overheating, a dead battery — anything that might require towing or immediate repair. Dispatches are made to the exact location of a disabled vehicle.
- Automatic Urgent Incident Alert System places a call to the Verizon Vehicle Member Care Center in the event of a suspected accident. Help is immediately dispatched to the location if an accident is confirmed or there is no response from the driver. The time saved can potentially save lives by delivering critical emergency assistance when a person may not be able to call for help.
- One-Button SOS Assistance immediately connects the driver to a live agent for emergency aid.
- Auto Health System with Predictive Diagnostics translates most “Check Engine” light occurrences into real terms, including the description and severity of the matter, the probable solutions for the problem – and the appropriate cost for the repairs. The system is also designed to provide early warnings relating to some vehicle functions, even before a warning light comes on, to help keep you off the side of the road.
- Mechanic’s Hotline is staffed with A.S.E. Certified Mechanics providing members access to immediate and unbiased information related to their vehicles, and a professional analysis of trouble they may be experiencing.
- Parking & Meter Tools help drivers find where they left their vehicle — using the Verizon Vehicle smartphone app — while also keeping track of how much time is left on the meter.
- Maintenance Alerts inform vehicle owners when scheduled maintenance is required. No more guesswork as to when to rotate those tires or change the oil.
- Stolen Vehicle Location Assistance guides drivers when reporting a theft and helps authorities recover the stolen vehicle.
- Travel & Repair Savings – Verizon Vehicle members will be entitled to substantial discounts on hotels, vehicle rentals, auto maintenance, repairs and related travel expenses.
Verizon is currently taking pre-orders for the service now. Verizon Vehicle will run $14.99 per month for the first vehicle and $12.99 per month for each additional vehicle. Verizon does require a two-year contract. Verizon anticipates shipping of the devices and the official launch to occur on or about April 10th.
For more information or to read the full press release, hit the source links below.
source: Verizon PR, Verizon Vehicle site
Come comment on this article: Verizon announces new Verizon Vehicle service
Late 2014 Mac Mini Gained Option for 2TB Fusion Drive in December [Mac Blog]
When the newest Mac mini first launched in October of 2014, Apple did not give the option for it to be configured with a 2TB drive, much to the disappointment of many Mac mini fans.
As noted by 9to5MacApple reversed its decision to only offer 1TB of storage space in December and quietly updated the Mac mini build-to-order options, adding an option for a 2TB Fusion Drive for an additional $100. Before the change, users could only choose a 1TB Fusion Drive or 1TB of PCIe-based flash storage.
Though the return of a 2TB storage option will likely please some potential Mac mini buyers, the new 2014 machine has not been well received due to its soldered RAM and lack of a quad-core processor option.
Apple’s Mac mini can be purchased from the company’s online store, with pricing starting at $499. The high-end 2.8GHz option with a custom 2TB Fusion Drive and 8GB of RAM is priced at $1,099.
New concept renders for Nexus 5 (2015)
Hey folks, we’ve got a while off until another Nexus phone shows up anywhere, but a lot of talk and predictions are that there will be a refreshed Nexus 5 phone rather than another Nexus 6. This is only talk of course, but for your enjoyment and imagination, we’ve got some fresh concept pictures of what I hope the upcoming Nexus phone will look like.
With aluminum sides, dual front-facing speakers and a clean, minimal front and back, this was designed to have Motorola and HTC qualities combined. The back is meant to look and feel like the plastic on the Nexus 6 back. The IR blaster is what you see on the top, and dual-flash located on both sides of the back camera.
Also, here’s a picture of customizable back covers, “Material Style”
Again, this is just a fan-made concept only to be taken as so.
The post New concept renders for Nexus 5 (2015) appeared first on AndroidGuys.
PayPal Here to get public SDK with Windows support later this month [updated]
PayPal announced today that an SDK with Windows support for PayPal Here, which is a point-of-sale credit card service akin to Square, will be launching publicly later this month.
Evolve is now available for pre-order and pre-download for Xbox One
Today, Turtle Rock Studios announced that you can now pre-order and pre-download Evolve for Xbox One ahead of the beta which launches this week. The pre-order comes with some early access in the beta as well as in the full game when it starts on February 10.
Sony reportedly looking into new ventures, partnerships and sales for their mobile division
Sony’s mobile division has been suffering over the past few years, and the company may be looking into a new venture to turn their business around. In a recent report, Sony is said to be exploring other options including new business partnerships and even a sale when it comes to the company’s mobile division. The report from Reuters doesn’t name any specific deals or avenues Sony is looking towards, but we do know that the electronics giant is looking for new ventures to save their dying mobile branch. Sony CEO, Kazuo Hirai, explains that “the mobile and TV businesses both require a drastic overhaul.” He goes on to say, “Without drastic reforms such as joint ventures or alliances, they will both be in the red three years from now.”
Sony has been largely focusing on high-end mobile phones and cost cutting over the past few years, and it’s apparent that these attempts to save money aren’t warranting any results. At CES 2015, Hirai elaborated on the company’s status to a group of reporters:
Electronics in general, along with entertainment and finance, will continue to be an important business. But within that there are some operations that will need to be run with caution – and that might be TV or mobile, for example.
All of these alternate business ventures haven’t spawned completely out of the blue, though. In late 2012, Sony moved its headquarters to Japan and vowed to cut 1,000 jobs by the year 2014. The effort didn’t produce many results because Sony later reported a $1.7 billion loss due to poor smartphone sales in late 2014. If that didn’t make a big difference, Sony has also recently planned to slim their smartphone line down to hopefully return some sort of profit.
Sony looking into other business opportunities seems to be a last-ditch effort on Hirai’s part to turn the company’s mobile division around. For now, only time will tell what the company will do to increase profits.
Interview with Energous Wireless Charging Solutions at CES 2015
Wireless charging has come a long way in the past few years, offering a more convenient way of making sure your device has enough battery to last the day. Though it may be convenient, wireless charging is still heavily dependent on cables in some form, whether you’re setting the device down on a PMA-powered charging mat or a Qi-enabled docking station. The folks at Energous would like to take this idea even further, offering wireless charging up to 15 feet away from the central ‘hub’, which is placed somewhere around your home. Using their WattUp technology, Energous has a vision that entails walking into your home and instantly having your devices begin charging. We had the great opportunity of speaking with Energous at CES 2015, and they explained their ideas and goals for the always-charging home.
Energous has a vision that entails walking into your home and instantly having your devices begin charging.
The technology is geared towards devices that can charge under 15 or 16 watts, which means it can charge any type of mobile device you have. Energous has a variety of WattUp hubs that can be placed anywhere, all specifically made to look like everyday items found around the house. In the examples shown to us, we saw televisions, speakers, routers and many more devices, all acting as wireless charging hubs. Each hub has a 15-foot charging radius from its core, so if you have a device in the center of a room, that means it has a 30-foot charging distance from end-to-end. Depending on how much power you’d like to give off at one time, these hubs can charge up to 24 devices at once. Energous has also partnered up with various companies to create receiver cases to place on your mobile devices that enables them to charge wirelessly. We’re assuming that if this technology becomes more mainstream, WattUp charging compatibility will be built into mobile phones and tablets without needing a receiver, but that vision is still a ways off.
Energous also commented on how they plan on keeping this technology safe. WattUp technology has already passed its first wave of regulatory approvals, and they’re working on building more partnerships to make this technology as safe as possible. Energous is currently partnered with 14 JDA partners, a retail planning software company, which all have tremendous knowledge of FCC regulations and health and safety practices.
Energous says they plan on making consumer-ready products available sometime around the end of 2015, but most products won’t hit the market until sometime in 2016.
Nexus 6 may have inbound call problem for Sprint customers
It has generally been viewed as a positive development that the Nexus 6 is available on all major U.S. carriers and a simple swap of a SIM card is all that is needed for users to switch networks if they are in a position to do so. That doesn’t come without some risk though and Sprint customers seem to be suffering the ill effects at the moment as several Nexus 6 owners are having trouble receiving calls.
The issue has been identified by users for well over a month already, but neither Sprint nor Google has found a solution. The inability to come up with something may be because of the sporadic nature of the problem that does not seem to be connected to location. Some users have indicated the issue does seem to only crop up when connected to Wi-Fi.
When the problem does come up for users, they will find that they do not receive inbound phone calls. To make matters worse, when the phone gets in this state of not accepting calls, it functions like a phone that has been turned off and does not pop up a missed call notification. Unless the caller leaves a voicemail or the Nexus 6 user checks their call history, they may never know they missed a call.
Anyone out there experienced this problem with the Nexus 6 on Sprint not receiving inbound calls?
source: Sprint
via: Android Police
Come comment on this article: Nexus 6 may have inbound call problem for Sprint customers
Here’s how the Apple Watch companion app works
It’s no secret that Apple is making customization a big part of the Apple Watch, but there’s apparently more to it than meets the eye. The folks at 9to5Mac claim to have details and images showing how a pre-release version of the wearable’s companion iPhone app works, and there’s a fairly extensive range of tweaks. For a start, you can create your own watch face monogram if you just have to remind everyone that it’s your wristwear. You also don’t have to embrace Apple’s fitness model if you don’t want to. You decide how often it gives you progress updates, and you can turn tracking off altogether if you’d rather not let the watch quietly judge your lifestyle.
Other noteworthy examples? You can customize the app grid from the phone, and limit when you get messages to prevent strangers (or just overly chatty friends) from buzzing your wrist non-stop. It’s not clear that this represents everything the app will do by the time it’s ready, and there’s certainly more customization on the watch itself, but this at least gives you an inkling of the control you’ll have when you strap this device on your arm.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wearables, Mobile, Apple
Source: 9to5Mac
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