Chevy beats Tesla to a sub $30,000 long-range EV

Oregon and California residents can now price very own electric car with an EPA range of 238 miles for under $30,000. Chevy’s pricing configurator for its Bolt EV is now online, and as expected, the base LT model with a 10.2-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay (or Android Auto) and a rear vision camera costs $37,495, or exactly $29,995 after the $7,500 federal tax credit. If you get the premier model with all the options (including driver assist features) it’ll cost $44,950, or $37,450 after US tax credits. As Chevy warned earlier, the DC fast charge option is $750 extra on all models.

If you live in one of the many US states which add their own EV incentives (like California, which will probably offer a $2,500 credit) you could pay as little as $27,495 for a base Bolt — well under the median price for a car in the US. With fuel savings included, the cost of ownership will be even less, especially if you have your own solar panels.

Chevy reportedly loses as much as $9,000 on every Bolt it sells, according to a Bloomberg report. However, hitting EV targets allows it to sell more of its profitable, gasoline-powered vehicles in green-centric states like California and New York. It’s also a way for GM to lure young buyers who would otherwise avoid what they see as a stodgy company. “It’s a statement about what we can do for the Chevy brand,” Marketing Officer Tim Mahoney said.

However, keep the US tax credit EV manufacturing caps in mind. The Bolt has nearly the same pricing as the Tesla Model 3, so Chevy will probably sell a lot of them — possibly in the hundreds of thousands, depending on production capacity. The federal government caps the EV tax credit at 200,000 vehicles per manufacturer, including all of GM, not just Chevy. The Hybrid Volt qualifes as an EV, as does the Cadillac SVR, so total sales from GM could hit 100,000 by the end of this year.

Unless the tax credit is extended for manufacturers, it will be reduced and eventually eliminated after 200,000 sold. That will probably happen by next year for GM (and Tesla too, for anyone not already on its pre-order list). In other words, you should think about ordering a Bolt soon if you want to get the full discount. It’s available now in Oregon and California, and will arrive in other states in early 2017.

Via: Techno Buffalo

Source: Chevrolet

The best Christmas movies on Netflix UK

Christmas isn’t Christmas if you’re not spending a good few hours of watching films. The terrestrial channels, joined by Sky, often offer a varied selection of festive movies, but thanks to streaming services like Netflix and Amazon, some are also available (albeit it in limited quantities) on demand. Here is our pick of films you might want to prioritise your viewing time around.

Home Alone

Get ready for your annual viewing of this classic 1990 film, starring Macaulay Culkin. If you remember seeing it when it first came out, maybe now is the time to introduce eight-year-old Kevin McCallister to your kids, nieces or nephews.

All I Want for Christmas

A little girl dreams of stopping her mother marrying another man and for her divorced parents to get back together again. But is that one wish too far for Santa Claus? Watch as people are unexpectedly thrown together, an old love is slowly rekindled and a new one fizzles out.

Deck the Halls

With Matthew Broderick, Danny DeVito and Kristin Davis amongst the cast of this movie, it goes without saying that you’re in for a laugh. There is always one house in any street that outdoes all the others when it comes to Christmas decorations. When someone new moves in and lights his house up so much that it can be seen from space, you have the scene set for a fairy light battle to outdo all others. Deck The Halls is available from December 21st.

Arthur Christmas

When a little girl accidentally gets missed off Santa’s increasingly hi-tech delivery chain, Arthur Christmas steps in to ensure that no child is forgotten and nobody’s belief in Father Christmas wavers. A classic animated family movie starring James McAvoy, Jim Broadbent and Bill Nighy.

Jingle All The Way

There’s always one toy that becomes ‘the’ toy that every kid wants for Christmas. It inevitably sells out and there’s a desperate rush as parents tries to secure one. That’s the premise of this film. A work-focused dad, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, leaves it until Christmas Eve to track down Turbo Man for the son he too often lets down.

A Very Murray Christmas

Fancy a sing song? Bill is worried that a dreadful snowstorm will stop people from being able to get to his show. But, surprise! A whole host of celebrities show up and sing a variety of Christmas hits with him. A great one to put on after everyone’s had a few too many Christmas drinks and want to keep things merry.

Die Hard

It’s often joked that it’s not officially Christmas until you’ve seen Hans Gruber fall from the Nakatomi Plaza. Bruce Willis plays John McClane, an off-duty NYPD cop, who travels to LA to spend the holidays with his his estranged wife but finds himself foiling a terrorist plot inside a city skyscraper. With plenty of guns and violence, it’s not your traditional Christmas movie but it does have some classic festive quotes.

Scrooged

Bill Murray is Frank Cross, an anguished TV network president who is approaching the Christmas season not in the best of moods. Think Scrooge in an update of A Christmas Carol. Given it was made in 1988, it’s not exactly a modern remake but it might be a nice change of pace from the varied selection of animated kids movies that’ll be on TV over the Christmas period.

Don’t get the vinyl ‘Gremlins’ soundtrack re-issue wet

Mondo is a music and memorabilia store that’s making a name for itself with sumptuous vinyl soundtrack re-issues of classic film and game scores. The company may have outdone itself this time with the re-release of Jerry Goldsmith’s score to Gremlins on green and brown vinyl. Even better, however, is what happens to both the gatefold and the disc sleeves when you expose them to sunlight or water. If you break two of the three golden rules of Mogwai keeping, then you’ll find more artwork of Gremlin-based chaos buried in the paper.

Obviously, it’s wise not to get the sleeves too wet, and Mondo recommend simply giving them a wipe with a lightly damp cloth. This re-issue is also the first time that the complete score has been available in this format, making it a must for film music fans as well as Gremlins nerds specifically. There’s also something rather touching about the fact that this release has been made with such care that, like in the film, you’re tempted to do exactly the opposite of what you’re meant to. The Gremlins re-issue is available now and will set you back $35.

Via: Pitchfork

Source: Mondo

Apple Plans to Use Data-Collecting Drones in Order to ‘Catch Up’ With Google Maps

Apple is putting together a team of robotics and data-collection experts who will use drones, and “new indoor navigation features,” to bolster and further improve the quality of Apple Maps. The move is said to be positioned as a method to catch up with Google, the longtime leader in the mapping field (via Bloomberg).

The drones will be able to capture and update Apple Maps at a far quicker rate than Apple’s collection of GPS data-collecting minivans, which began appearing in the United States in early 2015.

In addition, a new feature is said to be coming to Maps that will let users view the insides of buildings, thanks to its Indoor.io and WifiSLAM acquisitions, and overall improvements will be made to navigation within the app.

Apple wants to fly drones around to do things like examine street signs, track changes to roads and monitor if areas are under construction, the person said. The data collected would be sent to Apple teams that rapidly update the Maps app to provide fresh information to users, the person added.

According to documents gathered by Bloomberg News, Apple already filed for an exemption from the Federal Aviation Administration to be able to fly drones for commercial purposes, and was granted approval to “operate an unmanned aircraft system to conduct data collection, photography, and videography.” According to current rules, Apple’s drone fleet would be restricted from flying over people and buildings, would be designated to operate only in daytime, and could only be flown by licensed pilots.

One of the pilots is said to have already been hired from Amazon’s fledgling Prime Air program, and they will join the Apple Maps drone team at its base in Seattle, Washington. The indoor mapping initiative is said to be moving forward at the same pace as the drone fleet, with Apple’s hope being to help customers navigate airports “and other high-traffic buildings like museums” using their iPhones. This feature, along with a Maps update that will provide users “better guidance for changing lanes while driving,” is believed to launch next year.

Tag: Apple Maps
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HSBC Now Accepts Apple Pay in Singapore

HSBC has announced it now accepts Apple Pay in Singapore as of December 1. Visa and MasterCard credit cards issued by the bank can now be used with Apple Pay wherever contactless payments are accepted in the country.

Between now and January 15, 2017, the first 8,000 HSBC customers will receive $5 off every Apple Pay transaction with their HSBC credit cards, with a minimum spend of $10 per transaction. The cash back promotion is capped at $20 per customer.

Eligible cards can be added to Apple Pay by tapping “Add Credit or Debit Card” in the Wallet app on an iPhone 5 or newer. iOS 8.1 or later is required.

Apple Pay launched in Singapore in April 2016. Other participating banks in the country include DBS Bank, OCBC Bank, POSB Bank, Standard Chartered, and UOB. Non-bank-issued American Express cards are also supported.

Apple Pay also launched in Spain earlier today.

Related Roundup: Apple Pay
Tags: HSBC, Singapore
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Tiny Wings Launches on Apple TV for $2.99

Popular iOS game Tiny Wings has launched today on the fourth-generation Apple TV for $2.99. The launch was teased by the game’s creator on YouTube earlier in the week, with a video that showcased the game, now called “Tiny Wings TV,” and its split-screen multiplayer abilities.

Two players can play the game together on one Siri Remote, or with a combination of a Siri Remote and an Apple TV-supported MFi controller. Players can even connect to the iOS Tiny Wings app [Direct Link] and use their iPhone or iPad as a controller.

Otherwise, Tiny Wings TV keeps the same one-button control gameplay that requires players to guide a bird through levels by timing and aligning where the bird falls in the game’s procedurally generated hillsides, which will look different every day it’s played. iCloud support will also sync and save gameplay between the Apple TV and iOS versions of Tiny Wings.

Related Roundups: Apple TV, tvOS 10
Tag: Tiny Wings
Buyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Caution)
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Nokia making a comeback in 2017, Android phones inbound

Nokia’s first Android phones are coming in the first half of 2017.

Back in May, we heard that HMD Global — a new mobile company made up of ex-Nokia staffers — is looking to use the Nokia name to manufacture smartphones running Android as well as feature phones. Today, HMD has announced that it has secured exclusive licensing rights to Nokia’s branding for 10 years.

The first batch of Android smartphones bearing the Nokia name will make their debut in the first half of 2017:

Finnish company HMD will bring a new generation of mobile phones to consumers, with the first smartphone products set to be launched in the first half of 2017, alongside the existing Nokia branded feature phone business.

The launch of HMD comes just six months after the company signed a strategic licensing agreement with Nokia, giving HMD exclusive use of the Nokia brand on mobile phones and tablets worldwide for the next 10 years.

HMD has developed a unique strategic partnership model that will see it working with some of the world’s leading technology companies including Nokia, FIH Mobile Limited (FIH) and Google. Future Nokia smartphones will utilise Google’s Android operating system, currently deployed on 86% of the world’s smartphones.

HMD is developing an exciting new consumer centric product range which will focus on innovation, quality and experience, alongside the iconic Nokia mobile phone attributes of design, robustness, and reliability.

The devices will be manufactured by FIH Mobile, a subsidiary of Foxconn that acquired Microsoft’s feature phone business earlier this year.

HMD Global is helmed by Arto Nummela, who made the switch from Microsoft. Before that, he was at Nokia, where he held several product creation, business management, sales and marketing roles. He’s eager to restart the Nokia brand:

Today marks a happy and important day for HMD. Nokia has been one of the most iconic and recognisable phone brands globally for decades. The excitement of re-introducing this much-loved, well-known and trusted brand to smartphone consumers is a responsibility and an ambition that everyone at HMD shares.

We see this as a brilliant opportunity to solve real life consumer problems and to deliver on the quality and designs that the Nokia brand has been always known for. Our talented and passionate team is uniquely placed in this modern setup to deliver our promise of reliable, beautifully crafted and fun Nokia phones for consumers across the globe.

Nokia still has a strong brand cachet, particularly in emerging markets. With HMD taking charge and the company fielding several ex-Nokia employees, we could see a resurgence of one of the most iconic brands in this industry. Who’s excited?

Chromecast Audio devices playing out of sync? Here’s your fix!

How do I fix my Chromecast Audio devices going out of sync?

One of the best features of the Chromecast Audio is being able to put multiple units together into an audio group so they all play the same thing at the same time no matter where they are in your house. This is also something that can be dramatically affected by latency, so you need an easy way to get everything in sync.

We’ve seen it ourselves and so have plenty of others. This is because so many things can introduce latency — when a signal takes longer than expected to go from point A to point B — in a Chromecast setup. Not everything connects to the internet at exactly the same speeds, the location in your house can mean slower network data, and every speaker and the wires that connect it have their own built-in latency. And it doesn’t take much of it to make things sound off. Luckily, there’s an easy and completely non-technical way to fix it in your Chromecast Audio group.

• Open the Google Home app and find the affected unit in the Chromecast Devices.
• Tap the Settings icon (three dots) in the upper right corner.
• In the Advanced section, tap the Group delay correction setting.
• Adjust the slider until things sound “right” to you.

It sounds too easy to be true, but this works great. Sometimes, doing things “by ear” is the best way and this is one of those times. Numbers and widgets and meters can be fun, but in the end, all we want is for it to sound good to our ears.

It’s important to not adjust things until you know you have a problem and to make sure you’re adjusting the right thing. Momentary internet and network lag happen, and while there is a buffer to prevent it from causing an issue it can still happen. And adjusting the internal timing of a Chromecast Audio isn’t going to be able to fix network or connectivity problems. But if you notice a delay often and are sure everything else is good to go, here’s your fix.

Chromecast

• Chromecast and Chromecast Audio review
• Chromecast Ultra vs Roku
• Chromecast vs Chromecast Ultra: Which should you buy?
• Join the discussion in our forums

Chromecast:

Google
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Chromecast Audio:

Google
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Chromecast Ultra:

Google
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Samsung’s Game Launcher updated with new UI, better discovery options

Game Launcher now has a recommendation service.

Samsung’s Game Launcher made its debut earlier this year on the Galaxy S7, and the app is now picking up an update that introduces a new user interface and a discovery feature. Game Launcher lives as a separate folder icon, and the app automatically collates all the games installed on your phone. The service provides a set of tools designed to minimize frustrations while you’re in a game, and as such you have the ability to disable the back and recent keys, disable alerts, record in-game video, take screenshots, and more.

With the update to version 2.0, Samsung is rolling out Game Discovery, a recommendation service that suggests games based on your preferences. Then there’s My Diary, which analyzes and logs your scores over time. The interface now has a more opaque background, making it easier to read text.

The update also allows you to add non-gaming apps to the Game Launcher folder, if you’re interested in using the Game Tools features with other apps. Game Launcher is pre-installed on the Galaxy S7, S7 edge, S7 active, Note 5, Galaxy A8, and the Galaxy C series. It is available to download from Galaxy Apps for the Galaxy S6, S6 edge, and S6 edge+.

Samsung Gear S3 will make its debut in India in January

Gear S3 is coming soon to India.

If you’re like me and are eagerly waiting for the Gear S3 to make its debut in India, you’ll be glad to know that the smartwatch will be launching in the country next month. That’s according to the folks at SamMobile, who managed to wrangle the information out of Samsung India. There’s no mention of a specific launch date (or how much it’ll cost), but Samsung will bring both the Gear S3 classic and Gear S3 frontier models to the country.

Don’t want to wait until January? The Huawei Watch is going for ₹19,999 at Flipkart.