Best UK transport apps for Android

Google Maps offers the best all around experience when you are looking for easy ways to get around the UK. With plenty of options on route and mode, it can help you to get where you need to be as efficiently as possible.

Best overall

Google Maps

See at Play Store

Google Maps is pretty much the undisputed master of getting from point A to point B, no matter where you are. Google Maps can show you the easiest way to get around by walking, driving, or finding public transit. There are options to add stops on your journey, as well as avoiding highways or tolls along the way.

You can also access nearby places by checking out the Explore tab. This will show you nearby restaurants, gas stations, and more with top rated recommendations. Google Maps has up-to-date traffic conditions, which means that you’ll know before you hit a problem spot when navigating in the car.

If you’re on a longer trip, it’s also easy to program in stops along your way. This lets you ensure that you get back on track as quickly as possible.

Bottom line: Google Maps gives you a great overall experience whether you’re traveling by car, truck or train, and easily lets you find great local places to find a bite to eat.

One more thing: If you’re concerned about having data, you can also download areas that can be perused offline.

Why Google Maps is the best

Google Maps delivers you a little bit of everything, making it easy to get around even if you have no clue where you are.

There are dozens of apps that can help you get around, but none of them are quite as accurate or as all-encompassing as Google Maps has become. It covers just about every mode of transportation, and will also show you the different routes that you can take along the way. Absolutely free, it may even come preloaded on your phone, making it hassle free to use.

Google Maps also has tons of features that you can choose to use. You can save the locations of favorite restaurants, or your friends houses. If you use Google Calendar it will also show you the locations of upcoming events in your calendar. If you need to find food, you can see local restaurants and their reviews from customers.

One of the greatest features that Google Maps offers, though, is the ability to adjust your route. You can choose to avoid tolls and highways, as well as add stops on your trip. You can also see up to date traffic conditions while driving, which means that it’s easy to avoid accidents a few miles down the road.

The best for cities

Citymapper

See at Play Store

If you spend a lot of time in the city, then Citymapper goes above and beyond what Google Maps has to offer. You can easily get wherever you need to go, so long as it is within one of the app’s supported cities, like Manchester or Birmingham. There are detailed routes for public transit, as well as integration with Uber and even rain-safe routes to keep you dry during a downpour.

Citymapper even offers Android Wear support, so that you don’t need to keep an eye on your phone to keep from getting lost. Their Uber integration is also well done, letting you know if prices are surging. The biggest problem with the app is that it isn’t available for every city, but the list is always expanding.

Bottom line: Citymapper can make getting around in the city a breeze, you’ll just want to make sure you’re in a supported city before downloading and installing it.

One more thing: The SmartCommute feature can help you find the fastest and most cost effective routes for your commute.

Best for the Tube

Tube Map London Underground

See at Play Store

While having access to all public transit might be good, having a dedicated app to help you navigate the Tube is a good call. Tube Map London Underground is officially licensed by TfL and it is jam packed with just about anything you need to know. You get access to a zoomable map of the rail network, complete with every station. Tapping a station will get you more info, like departures, service info, and Wi-Fi coverage.

You can also use the route planner, which is especially handy for anyone not familiar with the city. This includes choosing between a fast route, or an easy one. You can also see how long it will take to walk between stations if there is a backup. You can even check out disruptions, and social media to help plan your trip.

Bottom line: Tube Map London Underground is the best aid to keep you up to date and getting where you need to go using the Tube.

One more thing: The basic app is free, but to get access to every feature you’ll need to upgrade to the Pro version.

Best ride share

Uber

See at Play Store

Whether you’re visiting the UK, or you’re just trying to get to work, driving yourself isn’t always an option. If you’re looking for a ride share to use while in the city, then you can trust Uber. While they aren’t accessible from anywhere, you can check coverage before you download the app.

Once you’ve signed it, and set up a payment method, you’re good to go. Uber is super convenient when staying in the city, and is often a lot cheaper and easier than using a taxi or public transit. You just want to keep an eye on choosing the correct level of service for your ride, and make sure that you are aware of any surge pricing before requesting a ride.

Bottom line: Uber is an accessible, easy, and often cheap way of getting around while in supported cities.

One more thing: Using Uber is a great way to go out for drinks, and not have to worry about a designated driver at the end of the night.

Best for driving

Waze

See at Play Store

If you’re getting from point A to point B, then having an app to keep you on course is a solid choice. Waze is particularly handy for avoiding congestion and traffic spots before you hit them. While information from Waze is included in Google Maps, the standalone app is well worth downloading.

On top of knowing about accidents and traffic, you’ll also be able to see fuel prices, and the presence of police. All information displayed within Waze is added by users, meaning that you’ll get real time updates as you head wherever you’re going. This is especially handy if you’re heading towards traffic, because you’ll see drivers reporting as it gets better — or worse.

Bottom line: Waze uses community reporting to deliver real-time up to date traffic conditions, as well as the presence of police, and local fuel prices.

One more thing: As you travel while using Waze, you’ll slowly unlock the various different reporting features.

Conclusion

While Google Maps can’t do absolutely everything, it does its level best to try. From exploring the area around you to navigating your way across the country, Google has you covered. It’s easy to save locations, add stops, and even avoid highways or tolls. Google Maps even delivers up to date traffic conditions as you drive to ensure that you get where you’re going with as few complications as possible.

Best overall

Google Maps

See at Play Store

Google Maps is pretty much the undisputed master of getting from point A to point B, no matter where you are. Google Maps can show you the easiest way to get around by walking, driving, or finding public transit. There are options to add stops on your journey, as well as avoiding highways or tolls along the way.

You can also access nearby places by checking out the Explore tab. This will show you nearby restaurants, gas stations, and more with top rated recommendations. Google Maps has up-to-date traffic conditions, which means that you’ll know before you hit a problem spot when navigating in the car.

If you’re on a longer trip, it’s also easy to program in stops along your way. This lets you ensure that you get back on track as quickly as possible.

Bottom line: Google Maps gives you a great overall experience whether you’re traveling by car, truck or train, and easily lets you find great local places to find a bite to eat.

One more thing: If you’re concerned about having data, you can also download areas that can be perused offline.

Ford will make your dumb car smart with plug-in module

Ford has said it will release a plug-in module later this year for Ford and Lincoln cars made between 2010 – 2016 without a modem, that will add smart functions such as remote start, security alerts and a Wi-Fi hotspot.

• New Ford Mustang offers 12-inch all-digital display, smartphone unlocking

The SmartLink module plugs into the car’s OBD II port, which is normally used for onboard diagnostics, and can be found below the steering wheel. Ford says it will be available from dealers later this year, although it’s likely to be available in just the US for now.

The module will make it possible to remote start, lock and unlock the car from a smartphone, provide a 4G Wi-Fi hotspot for up to eight devices, monitor vehicle health and security alerts and provide vehicle location assistance. Ford offers similar functions on the new Mustang.

Stephen Odell, executive vice president, global marketing, sales and and service said: “Ford SmartLink will surprise and delight owners of recent model-year vehicles by adding some of today’s popular connectivity features”,

“Offering it through our dealerships is another way to keep us connected with our customers and earn their loyalty”.

• Never stop at a red light again with future Ford and Jaguar Land Rover cars
• Ford announces refreshed 2017 Fiesta line-up with more technology than any other small car

“We are thrilled to offer this level of convenience and connectivity to our existing customers, extending the value their vehicles and giving them just one more reason to love their Ford or Lincoln vehicles”.

A different shade of green | 2018 Porsche Panamera 4 E-Hybrid First Drive

Acid Green, the color Porsche uses for details on its electrified cars, doesn’t exactly sound environmentally friendly. After driving the new Panamera E-Hybrid, you don’t really get a tree-hugging vibe either. Porsche’s third attempt at a gas-electric sedan uses its electric motor to add performance, with environmental advantages like lower fuel consumption and electric-only driving considered bonuses.

Of course environmental factors are the reason the 2018 Panamera 4 E-Hybrid exists, and plug-in hybrid benefits are no accident. But Porsche engineers approached the new E-Hybrid system with a goal to enhance the engine’s power any time it’s active, not to replace internal-combustion output with juice. This is a departure from most hybrids, including the last Panamera E-Hybrid. In the previous plug-in Panamera (second in the lineage), three conditions had to be met before any electric power was added: the car was in Sport mode, you pressed the accelerator more than 80 percent of the way, and you pressed through that travel quickly enough. You had to really want it, and the system had to want to give it to you.

Porsche’s new E-Hybrid system borrows the boosting strategy used on the 918 Spyder – hit the throttle in anything but electric-only E-Power mode and you get a combination of engine and motor power. Instead of the old Aisin automatic transmission that was unique to the last E-Hybrid, the new car uses a version of the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission used on all other Panameras. All-wheel drive is now standard (hence the 4 in the name) to appeal to more snow-staters, whereas before only rear-drive was offered due to packaging constraints – there wasn’t enough room for the front driveshaft on the electrified Panamera.

Transmission swap aside it’s the same basic powertrain setup in this Panamera, with an electric motor sitting between the engine and trans. That electric motor is now more powerful and battery capacity is up by about half, from 9.4 kWh to 14.1, though the new battery weighs the same as the old one. A full charge takes 12.5 hours at 120 volts, or 2.4 hours if you have the optional 7.2-kW on-board charger and a 240-volt hookup. On the European test cycle, it returns about 32 miles of electric-only driving.

The E-Hybrid’s engine contributes the same amount of power as a standard Panamera 4’s single-turbo 3.0-liter V6 (330 horsepower and 331 pound-feet of torque) but it’s a 2.9-liter twin-turbo six instead, a detuned version of the Panamera 4S engine. (Yes, two different engines with the same output ratings is weird.) With the electric motor factored in, the E-Hybrid powertrain puts out 462 hp and 516 lb-ft, increases of 46 hp and 81 lb-ft over the last E-Hybrid. Imagine them written in Acid Green, because these aren’t power levels you usually associate with hybrids.

And with those improvements, the new E-Hybrid is quicker than before. As long as there’s charge left in the battery, it will beat the lighter Panamera 4 in an acceleration fight, hitting 60 mph in 4.4 seconds compared to 5.0 for a Panamera 4 with launch control and 5.2 seconds for the outgoing E-Hybrid. The Sport Chrono package is standard on all 2018 E-Hybrids, which means launch control comes on each one as well. On a launch-control start, the E-Hybrid provides the familiar feeling of having your internal organs rearranged for a moment, but after the initial hit of acceleration there’s a pause, where it feels like the complex powertrain takes a breath, shifts up a gear, resets its electric motor, and then continues on. It’s not bad, just different.

You also notice the hybridity under normal full-throttle acceleration, where the gasps and whooshes of the turbos and exhaust are split by electric-motor whirrs that are surprisingly audible. The motor noise stands out more here than in a full EV because it’s a momentary surge instead of a building spinning sound, since the electric motor’s output is being fed through a multi-speed transmission and therefore has to pause in between gears along with the engine. Again, not bad, but different from the standard Panamera experience.

The electric-only E-Power mode is, of course, the biggest departure from regular Panamera driving. It’s active every time you start the car and otherwise selectable with the E position on the steering-wheel-mounted dial. When running electrically, there a physical detent in the throttle pedal travel that marks the threshold to engine activation – you can push through the stop like a kickdown switch. The car feels surprisingly normal when running under electric power, with adequate acceleration for around-town work, and it’s not that hard to keep the engine from lighting right up to the electric top speed of 86 mph. The transmission and its shifting help, both in keeping the engine off and giving a familiar feeling to the experience. The E-Hybrid acts more like a quiet luxury car with Acid Green trim than a big EV in this mode.

Two more electro-friendly modes can only be accessed through the central 12.3-inch touchscreen: E-Hold and E-Charge. As you might guess, E-Charge runs the engine to top up the battery, while E-Hold allows you to save your current state of charge for later – say a low-speed drive through town or to sneak back into the garage at night without waking your nosy neighbor.

Hybrid Auto mode is the default when once you’ve run down the battery, so for many drivers it will get the most use. It works like most hybrids, using the engine or electric-only power as needed but slightly smarter: the Panamera E-Hybrid uses nav data to make those choices when you have a route set, similar to how the optional InnoDrive system anticipates elevation changes and curves for cruise control. The engine is quiet enough at low revs, and the stop-start system so vibration-free, that you neither hear nor feel when combustion ceases or reignites. Contrast that with the 918 Spyder, which shouts in your ear every time the engine cracks to life. In the Panamera, you have to look down at the tach occasionally to check if the engine is running.

Once the revs pick up, the engine provides a pleasant performance-appropriate soundtrack much like the one from the Panamera S with the same engine. And you can now get the electronically controlled Sport Exhaust system, just like on other Porsche models, if you really want to hear the engine when it’s actually running.

Sport and Sport Plus keep the engine on, both to preserve electric charge for when full power is requested and to provide the quickest response. We didn’t find much need for either mode in normal driving, instead preferring to hit the Sport Response button in the center of the mode dial for a 20-second burst of the powertrain’s full attention and then letting the car relax back into whichever mode it was in prior. Sport Response is also effective in waking up passengers, who may have a tougher time relaxing back into their own previous mode.

Air suspension is standard on the hybrid, and the car rides and steers much like the other Panamera models. The added weight of the hybrid components is barely felt in most situations. There’s none of the shudder over bumps or transitional roll you get with some smaller battery-filled cars, in part because the Panamera is relatively big and its battery relatively light.

To us, the most interesting aspect of the Panamera E-Hybrid is its braking system, which goes the complex route to feel simple. It’s also the piece that could use the most work. Here the E-Hybrid again takes a page from the 918’s book, using a brake pedal linkage that passes through an electromechanical box of magic that is in turn connected to a master cylinder. The special master cylinder can circulate hydraulic fluid within itself instead of sending it out to the mechanical brakes, which is what it does when the brakes are in regen mode using only the motor, up to 0.3 g of deceleration. The upshot is that your foot is always moving hydraulic fluid and, in theory, the magic box can vary brake assist force so you can’t tell the difference between regen-only and mechanical braking.

It does that in most situations, but when the car is about to come to a stop – say, the last ten feet or so – you get nonlinear pedal force, either it goes soft when you don’t expect it to or it briefly firms up, while the brake response remains linear. Even with these faults, the system still beats most hybrid brakes. And we have some hope that the E-Hybrid’s brakes will improve, because 918 prototypes exhibited similar pedal feel that was smoothed out with subsequent updates. Luckily there’s the available Traffic Jam Assist to modulate the brakes in stop-and-go traffic without your feet getting involved, and it does so with no jerkiness at all.

Those really concerned with how their E-Hybrid stops can choose the Porsche Carbon Ceramic Brake (PCCB) option. The standard calipers and the larger ones for the carbon brakes come painted Acid Green, just like the ones on the 918. If you want to tone it down a little, black standard calipers and yellow PCCB calipers (okay, not that toned down) are a no-cost option. This is a marked change from Porsche’s original policy on hybrid brake colors, including the 918 Spyder, which originally had mandatory Acid Green caliper paint.

You’ll still see Predator-blood touches around the interior, mainly on the gauges, as well as on the exterior E-Hybrid badges and the Panamera 4 script on the back (the latter of which can be omitted with no-cost badge delete). The body doesn’t differ from a standard Panamera’s – there are no extra aero tweaks like on other hybridized models. And the interior has the same design and pile of tech, including the big center display, reconfigurable gauges, mix of haptic and non-haptic center-console “buttons,” and disappearing cup holders.

The E-Hybrid’s price doesn’t stray much from a regular Panamera 4’s either. The base MSRP of the nonhybrid car is $90,650 while the 4 E-Hybrid stickers for $100,650 (or $105,150 for the long-wheelbase Executive model). But when you factor in items that are standard on the hybrid and optional on the other car – Sport Chrono and air suspension – the price difference is $5,545. So yes, it’s still a good chunk more, but the plug on the right rear fender means you may be entitled to federal and local tax breaks or rebates. And that Acid Green trim is priceless, whether you like it or not.

If all you’re concerned about is performance, the quicker and more powerful Panamera 4S is only $300 more than a 4 E-Hybrid. It acts more like a normal car because it is as normal a car as you can buy at the price with four doors, a hatchback, and the looks of a sports car. But we can understand preferring the hybrid, either for the electric-only driving or the general whiz-bang neatness. Those who fall in that camp will be able to pick one up this summer.

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Tesla sues ex-Autopilot chief for stealing company secrets

Tesla is suing its former Autopilot director, claiming he took confidential, proprietary information about its self-driving technology and destroyed evidence to cover his tracks, according to a lawsuit filed in Santa Clara Superior Court. It alleges Sterling Anderson also attempted to recruit at least a dozen employees, in violation of his contract, all in an attempt to create a competing autonomous vehicle startup called “Aurora.” Also named in the suit is Google’s former self-driving director Chris Urmson, Anderson’s partner in the venture.

Tesla’s Model S and Model X vehicles have an autonomous driving system that gathers data from a dozen ultrasonic sensors, a camera and radar, in conjunction with GPS data. The company just rolled out a new Autopilot update that gives the vehicles even more autonomous capability. Ex-Googler Urmson is reportedly an advocate of fully self-driving vehicles, having lobbied congress to allow cars on public roads without pedals or a steering wheel.

According to the court documents, Anderson collaborated with Urmson on their venture “on Tesla time, using his Tesla company laptop, and on Tesla’s premises.” It alleges that they attempted to recruit Tesla engineers, making offers to at least a dozen employees. “Even after Tesla terminated Anderson that afternoon [on January 2nd], he and his partners continued to recruit from Tesla,” Tesla said, in violation of a contract that prohibits employee solicitation for 12 months after employment.

A Tesla Model X self-parks in a recent demo video (Tesla)

Furthermore, Anderson “downloaded hundreds of gigabytes of Tesla confidential and proprietary information to his personal Toshiba hard drive,” the document states. He then allegedly hacked the time-stamps on his laptop and secure-erased certain files to conceal the theft, it adds. “As for the company-issued iPhone that contained perhaps the most damning evidence of Anderson’s unlawful solicitation ofTesla employees — he wiped that altogether,” Tesla alleges.

Citing Cruise Automation, an autonomous car company GM recently bought for $1 billion, and Uber’s $680 million acquisition of self-driving startup Otto, Tesla believes that Aurora “decided to take a run at a similar fortune.” It adds that “Tesla does not file this action lightly,” saying it doesn’t bind employees to long-term contracts and is supportive of their personal ambitions. It adds, however, that it “cannot sit idly by” when an employee violates his non-solicit agreement, steals proprietary information and then tries to hide the evidence.

In a statement, Aurora replied that “Tesla’s meritless lawsuit reveals both a startling paranoia and an unhealthy fear of competition. This abuse of the legal system is a malicious attempt to stifle a competitor and destroy personal reputations. Aurora looks forward to disproving these false allegations in court and to building a successful self-driving business.”

Via: Techcrunch

Source: Santa Clara Court (PDF)

Chrome 56 Offers Faster Reloads, Better Security, Lower Power Usage, and More

Version 56 of Google Chrome browser started rolling out to Macs today, bringing with it several new security enhancements, lower power consumption, and a performance boost.

To begin with, Chrome now presents a clearer warning to users when a website requests password or credit card information over a non-HTTPS, unsecure connection. Chrome 56 is also the first version to make HTML5 the default standard for all users, with Flash content automatically blocked by the browser.

Support for the HTTPS-secure Web Bluetooth API has also been included, allowing websites to connect to Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) devices like printers and lightbulbs for a more interactive online experience. Chrome 56 also brings 51 additional security fixes to the browser.

According to a Google blog post, in the latest version of Chrome, changes to page reload behavior now produce reloads that are 28 percent faster and result in 60 percent less validation requests. The new behavior is said to maximize the reuse of cached resources which results in lower latency, power consumption, and data usage.

In addition, Chrome 56 brings built-in FLAC support for the first time, meaning users of the (non-iTunes compatible) audio format can listen to tracks from within the browser.

Lastly, in an attempt to deal with resource hogging Chrome tabs, Google has introduced a new Browser Timer feature that automatically throttles background pages overstepping their allotted runtime allowance, provided they aren’t playing media.

Chrome 56 is available to download for Mac users now. Existing users can update by selecting Chrome -> Preferences via the menu bar and clicking the About section. Users downloading Chrome for the first time will automatically receive the updated version from the Chrome download page. An update for the iOS browser app is expected soon.

Tag: Chrome
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NVIDIA updates older Shield TVs for 4K HDR game streaming

Remember when we told you the old NVIDIA Shield TV would be getting the new units smarts via firmware update? It’s rolling out now as part of an over-the-air patch, TechCrunch has noticed. That means 4K HDR for NVIDIA’s GameStream (which lets you broadcast titles from your gaming rig) as well as the newly added Amazon Prime app. (Netflix was already broadcasting in 4K HDR on the box last year.) Of course, if you really want to upgrade your Shield experience, you’ll need to pony up for the new game controller. But hey, $60 is a lot cheaper than $200 for the new streaming device itself.

Source: TechCrunch