Tesla allegedly exchanged repairs for owner silence
Tesla suffered a hit late last year when Consumer Reports revoked its “recommended” rating noting a “worse-than-average overall problem rate” in October. Now, the electric vehicle company headed by Elon Musk is facing scrutiny by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) over claims that the Tesla Model S had faulty suspension parts. A representative told Reuters that the agency is “examining the potential suspension issue on the Tesla Model S, and is seeking additional information from vehicle owners and the company.”
Tesla has refuted claims that it’s being investigated, saying in a blog post that “[the] NHTSA has not opened any investigation nor has it even started a ‘preliminary evaluation,’ which is the lowest form of formal investigatory work that it does.” The NHTSA acknowledges that it’s just in “data collection mode” right now, though the public at large may not grasp the distinction.
According to the owner, the left front hub assembly separated from the upper control arm of a customer’s 2013 Model S with 73,000 miles on it. When the customer took it in for service, the repair techs said that the amount of wear was abnormal, and was caused by a loose, rusty ball joint (shown below). The owner made a post on the Tesla Motors Club forums back in April (the thread is 18 pages long as of this writing) detailing the incident, which automotive site Daily Kanban picked up. An NHTSA safety report reportedly says that a defect could cause suspension control arms to break, which could severely impact a driver’s ability to control the vehicle.
Shortly after the incident, the automaker agreed to cover 50 percent of the repair costs since the car was out of its warranty period, but under one condition: that the owner keep quiet and not invoke any legal proceedings against the company, and not hold Tesla responsible for “any and all claims or damages arising out of or in any way connected with any claims or incidents leading or related to our provision of Goodwill [partially paying for the repairs],” according to a document obtained by Daily Kanban. Tesla allowed that “we will take a look at this situation and will work with [the] NHTSA to see if we can handle it differently.”
The NHTSA is concerned about the NDA, calling it “troublesome.” Tesla, however says that it uses the document, which it calls a “goodwill agreement,” to ensure that “Tesla doesn’t do a good deed, only to have that used against us in court for further gain.” It adds that the document does not stipulate that a buyer can’t talk to the NHTSA or government, calling the idea “preposterous.” (The exact wording is “you agree to keep confidential our provision of the Goodwill, the terms of this agreement and the incidents or claims leading or related to our provision of the Goodwill.”)
Following the NHSTA’s initial probe, the owner said the agency informed him that the parts weren’t in good condition and that a further investigation was warranted. An NHTSA spokesperson tells Bloomberg that anyone concerned about the safety of their cars should file a report at SafeCar.gov. The New York Times writes that since October, Tesla has received 33 complaints of similar suspension failures. Tesla agrees that the ball joint had “very abnormal rust,” but is says there is no safety defect, adding that “when we got the car, it was caked in dirt” because the owner lives on a long dirt road.
The new Telsa Model S 60
Tesla further writes in its post (entitled “A Grain of Salt”) that the Daily Kanban writer, Edward Niedermeyer, has a grudge against it. The company says he “fabricated this issue, then caused negative and incorrect news to be written about Tesla by reputable institutions,” adding “this is the same gentle soul who previously wrote a blog titled ‘Tesla Death Watch,’ which starting on May 19, 2008.”
The automaker also asserted that it’s “rigorous” about safety issues and working with the NHTSA. “Not only do we regularly meet with NHTSA, we have also shown that we won’t hesitate to conduct proactive and voluntary recalls even when there is only a slight risk of a safety issue. Most recently, Tesla recalled third row seats in the Model X even though not a single problem had been reported by any customer.”
However, the NHTSA told Reuters that it was concerned about the NDA, saying it wasn’t aware of other automakers requiring customers to sign similar documents. “Part of what we have to figure out is whether or not [non disclosure agreements] might have impeded people making [complaints],” says NHTSA administrator Mark Rosekind. “The agency immediately informed Tesla that any language implying that consumers should not contact the agency regarding safety concerns is unacceptable, and NHTSA expects Tesla to eliminate any such language.”
Steve Dent contributed to this report.
Via: Daily Kanban
Source: Tesla, Reuters
CarbFix turns a power plant’s CO2 emissions into rock
Apparently, pumping carbon dioxide into volcanic basalts is a pretty effective carbon capture technique. Back in 2012, scientists began an experiment in Iceland called the CarbFix Project. Since then, they’ve been injecting tons of carbon dioxide waste from a geothermal plant in the country into basaltic rock 1,600 feet underground. According to results they’ve recently published in Science, 95 percent of the gas they store underground turn into solid carbonate minerals within only two years. Even better, the team doesn’t have to turn the gas into liquid first.
Other carbon capture techniques require turning CO2 into liquid, which uses up energy. The scientists only have to mix the gas with water for this method, creating some sort of a bubbly, soda mixture. They found that the mixture ends up forming chalky veins in the porous rocks. The CarbFix project already stores 5,000 tons of carbon dioxide underground per year, and it only takes $30 to capture one ton of CO2 as opposed to $65 to a $100 convential techniques cost per ton. However, it’s still not the ultimate answer to climate change.
As Wired notes, the amount of carbon dioxide geothermal plants emit can’t even compare to the amount coal plants generate. Coal plants would need vast lands with basaltic rock, and other places just don’t have Iceland’s geology. Further, other basalts might not work as well as the country’s highly weathered rocks. While the team could pump carbon dioxide into the ocean floor, we still need to think of ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to continue developing renewable energy technology.
Source: Wired, Smithsonian, Science, MIT
ilumi Bluetooth Smartbulb: Add some color to your lights
When it comes to technology in our homes, one of the last things we probably think of is our light bulbs. I imagine that most people don’t even think about light bulbs at all until one goes out. However, there is an entire selection of bulbs that go far beyond simply lighting up our homes. Some of these light bulbs were created for pure fun while others are meant to add another level of security. Sitting right in the middle of those bulbs is the ilumi Bluetooth Smartbulb.
Design
The ilumi Bluetooth Smartbulb looks almost like any other light bulb except for the fact that it is built much sturdier. The body of the bulb is completely metal which gives the bulb a nice weight. The dome where the light shines through is made of translucent plastic, but even that feels sturdy. The overall feel of the ilumi Smartbulb is simple but elegant. It is understated and blends in, which is exactly what a light bulb should do.
That being said, the design does lend itself to some faults. While using the ilumi Smartbulb, it has gotten extremely hot due to the metal body. If something were to happen and you needed to remove the ilumi from a light socket, you will get burned if you attempt to hold it from the sides.
I am not sure if this problem would have been fixed with a plastic body, but I do know that the plastic dome does not get nearly as hot as the rest of the bulb. Even after sitting on my desk for 10 minutes after being taken out of my lamp, the ilumi is still too hot to touch. I would definitely recommend using ilumi Smartbulbs in places they will not be accidentally touched.
Setup
ilumi makes its bulbs extremely straightforward to set up. After downloading the ilumi app from the Play Store, all you need to do is create an account to get started. After putting your ilumi into a light fixture and turning on your phone’s Bluetooth, you should see your bulb appear in the menu.
From there, you can begin to customize your bulb to your liking. You can create Groups to control multiple bulbs at the same time, which can be useful if you have several ilumi Smartbulbs in one room. Once you have placed your bulbs into a group, you are ready to explore the numerous features in the ilumi app.
Features
The ilumi app is full of features, and we will touch briefly on the majority of them. Controlling your bulbs through Groups is a fairly straightforward process. After selecting the group you want to control, you are given a slider for brightness, several preselected color choices, and an RGB color wheel for fine tuning the color and tint of your lights.
Moving on from basic bulb control, there is a section labeled Experiences that contain several features for your ilumi. Rise and Shine is one of my favorite features because you can set it to begin at a certain time, and it will mimic a sunrise to gently wake you up from your sleep. You can change things like the time and days it is active, the duration of the sunrise, and even the type of sunrise.
Music Sync is one of those features that sounds super fun but is actually disappointing. In theory, activating it should cause your ilumi to pulse and change color to the music you are listening to. Unfortunately, I never found that to be the case. My ilumi always seemed to be confused by the music I listened to because it would never change with the beat. Perhaps the effect is best seen in a room with multiple bulbs at the same time, but I found it to be unusable with a single bulb.
Scene Scheduler is useful if you have a fairly structured schedule because it allows you to have your ilumi Smartbulbs change at certain times and on certain days. You can create different Scenes, which are basically preset settings for your ilumi, and schedule them to run at a certain time. This can be useful for those who return home at a specific time because they can have their lights turn on before they get home.
Vacation is one of the security features built into the ilumi app. Activating it will make you ilumi Smartbulbs turn on and off at random times to simulate you being home. This can be useful to ward off would be criminals or even just pesky neighborhood kids. If you are planning on taking advantage of this feature, I would recommend having several ilumi bulbs throughout your house because the effect is not convincing when only one light turns on and off.
Circadian is a feature meant to help you fall asleep easier. Having this feature enabled will cause your ilumi bulbs to change color throughout the day to mimic the Sun’s natural movement and color. In theory, this should help you get to sleep, but like many of the features in the app, it is probably more useful if you have more than one ilumi Smartbulb.
Torch, like Music Sense, should be an amazing feature but suffers from poor usability. Torch is meant to use your ilumi Smartbulbs as flashlights by turning them on as you get close to them. This way you can find your way around your house at night without having to turn on every light. Unfortunately, I found that it rarely worked with my single bulb. Perhaps it would have worked better with multiple ilumi bulbs, but I am skeptical.
Simon lets you play a fairly basic game of Simon Says with your ilumi Smartbulb. Even the hardest mode is not extremely challenging, but I imagine that children would have a blast playing it.
The last feature is called Shake, and it allows you to set times when shaking your phone will turn on certain ilumi Smartbulbs. I found this to be much more useful than Torch because I could just shake my phone (which is right next to my bed) if I needed to get out of bed at night, and my lamp would turn on.
Usage
I have been using the ilumi Smartbulb in the lamp in my room for a while now, and I have to say that it is a cool piece of technology. As far as being used for a light bulb, the ilumi is fairly average. It does not get extremely bright, but it is bright enough for most any task. The amount of colors to choose from is incredible and truly allows you to make your house your own.
Since the ilumi is controlled by Bluetooth instead of over WiFi, you are more limited in your ability to control it versus other smartbulbs like the Philips Hue. You must be in fairly close proximity to your bulbs to control them compared to being able to access WiFi connected ones from anywhere.
This limited reach also expands into the security side of smartbulbs. While the ilumi Smartbulb has a few security features such as Vacation mode, the fact that you cannot control your lights from far away means that you cannot activate this mode if you forgot before leaving your house. If the price of the ilumi Smartbulb were less than the price of comparable bulbs from the Philips Hue set, I could see a reason to purchase the ilumi bulbs over WiFi connected bulbs. However at a regular price of $60, I cannot see any reason to purchase an ilumi Smartbulb over a bulb controlled over WiFi.
Conclusion
Although the ilumi Bluetooth Smartbulb is a well-built bulb with several useful features, I believe that it is competing with better bulbs at its current price point. If you do not want to have your bulbs connected over WiFi, then I would strongly recommend the ilumi Smartbulbs. You can purchase the ilumi Bluetooth Smartbulb from Amazon on sale for only $45!
EC Technology Bluetooth 4.0 Speaker: Rock out on a budget (Review)
Overview
We all love getting things at a value and getting good quality out of it. EC Technology has worked tirelessly manufacturing products that provide its global customers with high quality products at budget friendly prices. They have stayed true to that core value with its Bluetooth speaker they offer in its Amazon store for just $24.99.
In the box
- Bluetooth speaker
- Instruction manual
- microUSB cable
- 3.5 mm audio cable
Design
The EC Tech Bluetooth speaker is one lustrous cubed device that measures in at three inches tall, with a width of two and a half inches wide, and is just heavy enough to feel like a paper weight. Yet, it’s still lightweight and still portable. The top of the speaker is made of black grated plastic, where the power button that also serves as an answer button rounds out the top. While playing music, the built in blue lights, flash making for one beautiful experience.
The body is made of a chrome like shiny plastic that you can see your reflection in. You can’t do your makeup in it, but it’s delightful to look at. The one downside is the speaker is a fingerprint magnet, but it doesn’t detract from its great looks.
Around the back is where the two skip buttons reside. If you long press them you control the volume. There is also a microUSB slot for charging, and located to the right of that is a 3.5 mm port for devices that don’t have Bluetooth.
Performance
The speaker volume is modest, the levels are balanced well, and they have an enhanced bass sound. To put it into perspective, one of my favorite songs to test with is Too Close by Next. In my book, a speaker sounds great if it can play my favorite song. The EC Tech Bluetooth speaker had me singing along with the song and it passed my sound test with flying colors. I wouldn’t recommend taking it to the lake on a Saturday, but setting it on your desk at work or perhaps next to your porch swing while reading a good book and drinking a glass of sweet tea would be perfect. It simply doesn’t have the power to be an outdoor speaker.
The EC Technology speaker has remarkable Bluetooth capabilities. You can go up to 30 feet away and through walls you can still reach the speaker. It does have a 3.5 mm audio cable input, but what’s the point if the Bluetooth doesn’t work? Since it has Bluetooth that means you can also make calls from your Android or iOS mobile device. On the receiving end you can hear clearly, however on the receiver’s end, they do have a hard time hearing me if I’m not right up on it.
This speaker has an acceptable battery life. You can easily get six to seven hours of play time, which is great for a work day. If you do need to recharge, it only takes about two hours and you’re ready to go again.
Conclusion
There are a lot of wireless speakers out there. It’s all about getting the biggest bang for your buck. EC Technology is dedicated to that very thing, and has provided a good product for a good price. It’s easy to operate, and easy to hook up. A satisfying bluetooth speaker for $25 is hard to beat.
Buy the EC Technology Bluetooth speaker
Twitter locks ‘millions’ of accounts with exposed passwords
While Twitter maintains that its servers have not been hacked, the company now says it has “cross-checked” the account data noted by LeakedSource and is taking pre-emptive measures. Particularly notable in light of hacks that have recently affected accounts from Katy Perry to Mark Zuckerberg to the NFL, the social network said it has identified a number of accounts for extra protection. No matter where the information came from, whether via malware or shared passwords revealed in hacks of other services, any accounts with “direct password exposure” have been locked (similar to pre-emptive moves Netflix and others are using when they see account details floating around), and emails were sent to the owner prompting for a password reset.
In light of recent events, learn more about account security on Twitter and what we’re doing to keep yours safe. https://t.co/Hug5cLr6r8
— Twitter (@twitter) June 10, 2016
There’s no word on exactly how many accounts in the database checked out, but Twitter told the Wall Street Journal that “millions” of accounts have been notified. If your account is vulnerable then you should’ve already been notified; so if your inbox is empty and you can still sign in then you don’t have anything (more than usual) to worry about. Still, it’s always a good time to reset your password just in case, use unique passwords on every account (a password manager like 1Password or LastPass can be helpful) and enable two-factor authentication wherever available.
Source: Twitter Blog
Apple creates a new company to sell solar energy
Apple has a new product quite unlike the ones you’re used to: solar energy. The tech giant has formed a new subsidiary called Apple Energy LLC in order to sell surplus solar power generated by its farms in Cupertino and Nevada. As The Verge notes, the company’s newest environmental responsibility report says it only generates enough energy to provide 93 percent of the electricity it needs worldwide. However, Apple might have plans to expand its farms even further to prepare for new projects, such as charging stations for the long-rumored Apple car.
In Apple’s Federal Energy Regulatory Commission filing, which 9to5Mac spotted, it said it could legally sell energy at market rates since it’s not a big energy company and can’t influence the price of electricity. While it could mean that Cupertino is thinking of selling power directly to home or business owners, most corporations sell surplus energy to power companies. We guess we’ll know what Apple’s up to soon enough: it requested permission from FERC to begin the LLC’s operations 60 days after it filed its application on June 6th.
Via: The Verge, 9to5Mac
Source: FERC Online
This short film was written by a sci-fi hungry neural network
Remember when we played with Google’s Deep Dream neural network to create trippy visuals that featured a whole lot dogs? The creators behind the short film Sunspring do. Instead of Google’s product, however, they turned to a neural network named “Jetson” to do all the heavy lifting. The result? A bizarre nine minutes that you’ll remember for quite some time.
Starring Silicon Valley’s Thomas Middleditch and directed by Oscar Sharp, the short features a special script compiled by the neural network that even wrote a song unique to the film. After being fed scripts like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Watchmen and Aliens (as well as tons of others) it produced a nonsensical mess that actually works quite well in practice. It’s terrible. But then again, it’s so intense it’s entertaining. The film was shot and edited in 48 hours, which is a feat considering how polished it looks in practice.
As one character says “Well, I don’t know anything about any of this, so…” You might get that feeling after viewing the film, but it’s just like watching the insane ramblings of porn stars in Vernon Chatman’s Final Flesh. They’re both eerily similar in tone, though Sunspring is far more incoherent. Check it out for yourself below.
Via: io9
VTime lets you hang with friends in VR, whatever the hardware
As virtual reality goes more and more mainstream, there are still scant few options where you can just get your friends together and, you know… hang out in a VR world. Like, on the side of a cliff perhaps. Enter: vTime, which just rolled out an updated version for Gear VR, Google Cardboard and Oculus Rift.
The main hook of vTime is a socializing feature where users can just sort of sit around and chat with family and friends (or their avatars, to be precise). The app currently offers a variety of exotic and pre-rendered settings in which to virtually hang, so this is your place if you’ve ever dreamt of catching up with pals on a Parisian rooftop at sunset, or talking to your VR-ready grandparents while dangling on the side of a cliff. (Which might actually be therapeutic for your friends with acrophobia.) While you can’t quite forge your own reality yet, vTime does allow users to create their own setting by uploading 360-degree images or 2D still photos. And there’s also a feature to take vSelfies of your vSelf hanging out with your vFriends.
While the concept may feel a bit like re-treading an early 2000s idea of a virtual chat room, it does offer cross-platform support for today’s fractured VR world.
Sketchy Rumor Says Apple Will Add ‘Deep Blue’ Color for iPhone 7, Drop ‘Space Gray’
Apple is planning to introduce a “Deep Blue” color option to replace the Space Gray color option for the upcoming iPhone 7, according to a new report from Japanese website Mac Otakara. The new color will stand alongside the already available Silver, Gold and Rose Gold.
Mac Otakara says Apple plans to discontinue the “Space Gray” color, which was introduced with the iPhone 5s in 2013. The lighter shade replaced the darker slate black used on the iPhone 5. The color has since found its way to other Apple products, like the iPad Air, iPad Pro and 12-inch MacBook.
The Cupertino company has steadily added color options to its iPhone lineup. In 2008, Apple debuted a white color option alongside the black iPhone 3G. The company later renamed the white option Silver with the iPhone 5s, which also saw the debut of the Gold color option. Most recently, Apple added the Rose Gold option with the iPhone 6s.
The report also says the iPhone 7 will keep the same LCD glass surface that current iPhone models employ. This corroborates an earlier report saying that no major display upgrades are expected until 2017, when Apple switches to OLED.
Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 7 this September, with recent rumors suggesting the new iPhone will have a design similar to that of both the iPhone 6 and 6s and more radical changes coming to the 2017 iPhone. However, the iPhone 7 may not include a 3.5mm headphone jack. Additional features for the iPhone 7 could include a faster A10 chip, waterproofing, adjusted antenna bands, faster LTE and Wi-Fi chips and more.
Related Roundup: iPhone 7
Tag: macotakara.jp
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Anova Precision Cooker Bluetooth + Wi-Fi review – CNET
The Good The easy-to-use $199 Anova Precision Cooker Bluetooth + Wi-Fi cooks food that retains its moisture and keeps a steady water-bath temperature. The device is also poised to have expanded connectivity to Apple’s HomeKit in the future, a promising prospect if you’re interested in smart home technology.
The Bad Other than the Wi-Fi, the Anova’s latest precision cooker isn’t much different than its predecessor, the $179 Anova Precision Cooker with Bluetooth. Like other sous vide devices, you still have to properly prep food in plastic bags before you place it in your water bath and sear some items at the end of your cooking time.
The Bottom Line The Anova Wi-Fi makes it easy to sous vide from afar, thanks to a response app that the company keeps improving. This is a good product to add to your own kitchen drawer.
Editors’ note, June 9, 2016: Anova Culinary has updated the app that pairs with the Wi-Fi portion of this sous vide device. We tested the new features and updated the review below.
Anova is poised to make its precision cooker more than just a part of your kitchen. The manufacturer wants to use Wi-Fi to make its sous vide appliance an active part of your life outside the home. The company just released the Anova Precision Cooker Bluetooth + Wi-Fi, a $199 sous vide device that heats and circulates water to cook vacuum-sealed foods. The price converts roughly to £130 in the UK and AU$275 in Australia.
More Anova product reviews
- Anova One Sous Vide Circulator
- Anova Precision Cooker
This is the company’s second connected product for home cooks; the previous Anova Precision cooker has just Bluetooth, which gives users the ability to control the cooker from across the house, but not across town. Besides the addition of Wi-Fi, the newest Anova isn’t much different than the Bluetooth-only model, which costs $20 less. Both cookers are nearly identical, as is their cooking performances.
The most notable difference is the app that pairs with the Wi-Fi unit. When I first reviewed the Anova Wi-Fi in November, I knocked the companion app for being too spare with its features and limited in its commands, especially when I compared it to Anova’s previous, more robust app for its Bluetooth-only models. However, Anova has updated the Wi-Fi app with cooking guides, pictures and an ice-bath setup feature that improve the way you connect and cook with the Anova Wi-Fi. Anova eventually plans to merge both apps so that Wi-Fi users can also access the library of recipes and guides that Bluetooth users have. This latest Wi-Fi app update is a successful step toward bridging this gap in features I lamented a few months ago.
Anova has aggressive long-term plans for its latest cooker. The Anova Wi-Fi has been available in select Apple stores alongside other connected home products such as the iDevices Kitchen Thermometer and Philips Hue light bulbs. This spring, the company began to bring the immersion circulator into some Target stores, and the device will start appearing on Best Buy shelves this summer. There are also plans to make the Anova compatible with HomeKit, Apple’s software platform built into iOS 8 and iOS 9 that integrates with Siri to control compatible devices, the company says.
The Anova Precision Cooker Bluetooth + Wi-Fi makes a strong case for adding sous vide to your kitchen routine. It doesn’t have the versatility of countertop systems like the Paragon Induction Cooktop or the Oliso SmartHub & Top. Fortunately, an immersion circulator like the Anova comes with a lower price and takes up less room than bigger sous vide systems. Pair those advantages with an improving app that sous vide cooking more convenient, and you’ve got a product that hard to dismiss.
Anova heats up sous vide with Wi-Fi (pictures)
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A sous vide primer
At last year’s IFA electronics show in Berlin, at least one European appliance company executive was skeptical of the American appetite for sous vide. This cooking method, which has been around since the 1970s, involves two parts: vacuum-sealing food in a plastic bag and cooking the bag in a controlled environment with the help of an often-pricey device. Sous vide has seen enough success overseas to warrant the creation of built-in sous vide systems such as the KitchenAid Chef Touch Sous Vide Column. It could be years or even decades before Americans are ready to etch out a special spot in their kitchens for such an intricate system. But manufacturers such as Anova have spent the past several years creating sous vide tools that fit on countertops or in drawers to nudge curious American home cooks toward adopting sous vide.
The device slides into an adjustable ring clamp that screws onto the side of a pot and suspends the stainless-steel covered pump, heating coil and temperature sensors into the water.
Tyler Lizenby/CNET
Easy-to-use device gets the app it deserves
You don’t need a lot of space or equipment for the Anova Wi-Fi. The precision cooker is identical to the Bluetooth version: a 14.75-inch-long column topped with a circular LCD display that shows the current temperature of the water and the set temperature the cooker is trying to reach. There is also a start-stop button and a Wi-Fi indicator on the display. The streamlined display is much simpler than the touchscreen Anova One Sous Vide Circulator. An LED backlit scroll wheel beneath the display lets you adjust the set temperature easily. The device slides into an adjustable ring clamp that screws onto the side of a pot and suspends the stainless-steel covered pump, heating coil and temperature sensors into the water.
AIVAnet 