BMW will repurpose i3 batteries for home energy storage

As the current crop of electric vehicles start to show their age, the EV industry is going to have to start dealing with a surplus of used batteries that once kept those cars rolling. Now, with over 45,000 electric i3 vehicles sold worldwide since 2013, BMW is joining Tesla in adapting its EV battery technology for home use. As Autoblog reports today, the German automaker has built a home energy system using i3 batteries that “integrates seamlessly with charging stations and solar panels.”

The system, which was announced today at the Electric Vehicle Symposium in Montreal, simply combines the automaker’s charging station with an extra 22- or 33-kWh battery pack that can charge off of the normal power grid and be used as a backup during outages or to cut costs during peak energy usage times when electric rates are highest. Unlike Tesla’s Powerwall, however, these batteries are identical to those found in the i3 and Mini E.

While BMW’s test system in California uses brand new batteries at the moment, the eventual goal is to repurpose used battery packs pulled right out of an i3 as they start to lose some of their charge/discharge capacity and hit the secondary market. In effect, it’s a home energy storage solution and a battery recycling program, all rolled up into one eco-friendly package. Finally, BMW claims a typical home in the United States averaged anywhere from 15–30 kWh of daily electricity in 2014, so even a diminished battery should be able to keep the lights on for a full 24 hours or more.

Judge Rules in Apple’s Favor, Dismisses ‘Error 53’ Lawsuit

Apple’s fight against an ongoing “error 53” lawsuit came to an end today when a U.S. district court judge dismissed the case and declared that the plaintiffs “lack standing to pursue injunctive relief” and have not been able to prove permanent data loss.

Apple’s error 53 woes began in February, when the media picked up a story about an ongoing “error 53” message that was permanently bricking iPhones. As it turned out, Apple had implemented a feature that disabled the iPhones of customers who had unauthorized repairs on the home buttons of their devices.

Non-matching repair components or damage that affected the Touch ID fingerprint sensor caused an iOS device to fail a Touch ID validation check because the mismatched parts were unable to properly sync. The validation check occurred during an iOS update or restore, and when failed, Apple disabled the iPhone, effectively “bricking” it in an effort to protect Touch ID and the related Secure Enclave that stores customer fingerprint information. Apple eventually said the error 53 bricking issue was meant to be a factory test that should not have affected customers.

Just days after the error 53 news began circulating, Apple was hit with a lawsuit seeking $5 million in damages and a repair program for affected devices. Plaintiffs accused Apple of false advertising and failing to warn consumers about the security features that ultimately rendered their iPhones inoperable and caused data loss.

Following the lawsuit, Apple released an updated version of iOS that restored iPhones and iPads affected by error 53 to working condition and prevented it from happening to additional devices. Apple also reimbursed customers who paid for out-of-warranty replacements for their devices and ensured all affected customers had working devices.

In May, Apple filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit based on its fix and reimbursement efforts, but the plaintiffs continued to argue that Apple hadn’t done enough to warn customers and hadn’t made it easy enough to get their devices fixed.

Those arguments fell on deaf ears, as the judge did indeed grant Apple’s dismissal motion, dissecting all of the plaintiffs’ claims and rendering them unsuitable for the continuation of the lawsuit. One of the main claims was data loss, but the plaintiffs were not able to prove data loss separate from the error 53 malfunction, nor were they able to prove Apple was aware of the error 53 defect to support claims of false advertising.

With regard to Apple’s alleged omissions, the plaintiffs’ position seems to be that Apple should have “disclosed that their devices would be destroyed by imbedded features if they had repaired devices using an independent service and then updated to certain iOS versions.” But the plaintiffs haven’t plausibly alleged that Apple actually knew of this alleged risk. […]

But the mere fact that a company has designed a product doesn’t mean it automatically knows about all of that product’s potential design flaws.

The plaintiffs in the case will be able to amend their claims to address the issues raised by the judge, so the lawsuit may be reconsidered in the future.

Tag: Error 53
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Apple TV Universal Search Gains Support for 9 New Channels Including Food Network and HGTV

Apple today added nine new channels to the universal search function on the fourth-generation Apple TV, introducing support for A&E, Cooking Channel, DIY, Food Network, FYI, HGTV, History, Lifetime, and Travel Channel.

For those unfamiliar with universal search, it’s a feature that allows users to conduct Siri voice searches or text-based searches to find TV and movie content across a wide range of channels. At launch, universal search only supported a few channels, but Apple has been rapidly expanding the feature to encompass additional channels.

Apple maintains a dedicated support document providing Apple TV owners with a full list of content that can be found via Siri using universal search. Unfortunately, universal search is an option largely limited to the United States. In other countries, In most other countries, only iTunes content is currently supported, while Netflix is also supported in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

Related Roundups: Apple TV, tvOS 10
Buyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Neutral)
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Best Xbox One games at E3 2016: Gears 4, Forza Horizon 3, ReCore, Sea of Thieves and more

E3 2016 shut its doors last week but not before we got our fill of every game on display.

The show presented a huge playground for the great and good titles that will be coming out anytime between now and the end of 2017, and the vast majority of them will be available on Xbox One.

Microsoft pulled a few major announcements out of its mighty hat, including two new consoles – the Xbox One S for August this year and Project Scorpio for Christmas 2017. It was revealed that its first-part strategy going forward is to simultaneously release Xbox One and Windows 10 versions of its titles, giving the purchaser of one the other for free.

Called “Play Anywhere”, the scheme also offers cross-platform play in some cases and the ability to pick up and play save games no matter the version. So if you have an Xbox One and a PC, be that desktop or laptop, you’ll be able to game anywhere and anytime you like.

READ: Xbox E3 2016 highlights: What was launched, Project Scorpio, Xbox One S and much more

In games terms, there were plenty of exclusive titles on show, including Gears of War 4, ReCore and Forza Horizon 3. We’re also particularly looking forward to playing co-op open world pirate game Sea of Thieves when it arrives early next year.

For now, have a flick through the gallery above to check out all the Xbox One games we saw at E3 2016 that piqued our interest.

READ: E3 2016: All the launches, games and consoles at the show

How to make your family room smart

Here you are: the family room. Kick back and relax. This is where you can watch TV, listen to music and more. Maybe it’s not the home cinema system you’ve yearned for, with projection room and seating in rows, but you can make it a brilliant den with lots going for it.

Panasonic DX902 TV

Start with the screen – and there are very few out there as good as this. It comes with the Ultra HD Premium badge that means it has the latest UHD resolution (four times that of a High Definition set) as well as HDR, that’s High Dynamic Range, for images that are dramatic and detail-rich both in bright skies and dark shadows.

This TV comes with a cute smart operating system from Firefox that adds apps and extra services like Netflix and Amazon. TVs like this have recently inspired Hollywood professionals to claim the picture is better than you can ever get in the cinema. Available in 65-inch and 58-inch screen sizes.

Apple TV

Apple

You’ll need something to watch on this fantastic TV, so try a streaming box like the Apple TV. It’s small but highly effective, with a great remote that includes a touch surface and a microphone so you tell the box to “Show me the episode of Modern Family with Edward Norton” or “Find the best Hugh Grant movies” – it’s plenty smart.

The interface is based around apps for Movies, TV shows and so on but also for other services like Netflix as well as games, Air bnb, magazines and more. There’s no UHD capability with this box, mind. 

PRICE: From $149, apple.com

Flatscreens are all very well, but flat speakers – which is all they come with – don’t match up to the picture. Here are two options to make your family room sound as good as it looks. 

Yamaha YSP-5600 soundbar with Dolby Atmos 

Dolby Atmos is the ultimate theater sound system, using speakers across the ceiling to amplify the effect. Now, the same effect is available in home speakers like this one.

There are 46 speaker drivers in this soundbar, with individual timings and delays to ensure perfect audio. Six speakers at each end of the unit are angled upwards to bounce sound off the ceiling to create the authentic Dolby Atmos sound. The result is persuasive surround sound without any rear speakers. The speaker also has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities. 

PRICE: $1599.95, usa.yamaha.com

Sonos Playbar and Play:3 speakers

Sonos

The Playbar is tremendous. It sits under the TV, or you can wall mount it above if you prefer. It makes even an average TV show sound great. Match it with two Play:3 speakers, which you can set up as a stereo pair on the opposite side of the room from the TV, and you have spectacular surround sound.

The Play:3 speakers have power cables but are otherwise wireless, so there’s no trail of wiring around the room. The Playbar connects by optical cable to the TV and it sounds so good that you might not need a separate system for music. It streams audio via Wi-Fi from your smartphone, tablet or PC.

PRICE: Playbar $699, Play:3 $299 per speaker, sonos.com

Amazon Echo

You can play music through the Echo speaker, from Spotify, Pandora and other services. The difference with the Echo is it’s voice-controlled, even when music is playing.

Begin a sentence with the word Alexa and the Echo listens (Alexa is the personal assistant’s name, you see). She’ll read audio books to you, tell you the news headlines and weather reports. You can even ask her to order you a pizza from Domino’s or an Uber from, well, Uber. 

PRICE: $179.99, amazon.com

Logitech Harmony Elite remote control

Logitech

This remote control is much more than most. It’s super-powerful, so it’ll change channels, turn up the volume and so on. It will also control up to 15 home entertainment machines though including Apple TV, Sonos, Xbox One, Honeywell, Samsung SmartThings and lots more. So, really, do try not to lose this one.

The touchscreen makes it easy to use and you can use it in the dark thanks to motion-activated, backlit controls. There are lots of customization options and it even has improved battery life than previous Harmony remotes. 

PRICE: $349.99, logitech.com

Honeywell Digital Door Lock with Tuxedo Touch

Tuxedo Touch is a controller that works with multiple devices so you can see what’s happening in other rooms, for instance. It even knows if outside doors are ajar and can text you when the dog walker turns up.

With the right door locks, such as the Digital Door Lock which comes in different metal finishes, you can lock a door remotely. It doesn’t matter whether you remember to do so just as you jump on the train or anywhere else in the world so long as you have a data connection.

These are locks that can be programmed to lock or unlock at the same times every day – handy for peace of mind at night and even handier when the babysitter arrives.

PRICE: $169.95 for the Digital Door Lock, honeywellstore.com

The Honeywell Lyric Water Leak and Freeze Detector is an early warning system that notifies you on your smartphone when a leak is detected or the temperature drops below a temperature of your choice. By catching it early, you may be able to avoid expensive repairs and loss of treasured items. To find out more visit Honeywell.com

This article was created in association with Honeywell.

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Acura built an electric NSX to tackle Pikes Peak

Acura’s eagerly anticipated next-gen NSX is finally going into production for 2017, but the car will hit the road before then — sort of. The company will race a highly modified version at the Pikes Peak hill climb event on June 26th. However, unlike the (mostly) gas-powered consumer model, The “EV Concept” race vehicle will be powered by four electric motors, one on each wheel. That means it looks roughly the same as a production NSX (other than the scoop and wing), but the custom EV drive train is completely different and built for racing.

The company hasn’t said how much power the motors make, but they will give the car something called “four-wheel torque vectoring.” That means engineers can dial a precise amount of power to each wheel, making it perform better in corners and when accelerating. The car also uses regenerative braking to extend the battery life.

Electric vehicles are ideal for Pikes Peak, since they aren’t affected by the 14,000 foot elevation that chokes gas-powered engines. Last year, Rhys Millen raced a modified eo PP03 up the track in 9:07.222, a time that would have won the gas-powered unlimited class in every year but 2013 and 2014. (Sebastien Loeb holds the unlimited record at 8:13.878, a time set in 2013).

The Acura NSX production car, set to arrive next year for around $150,000, is an odd vehicle. It has a turbocharged 500HP V6, but uses three small electric motors to boost acceleration and cut turbo lag. That gives it stunning acceleration, but purists are worried. The original NSX weighed just 2,712 pounds and was loved for its lack of excess, but the new model reportedly tips the scale at 3,800 pounds, thanks to the hybrid powertrain.

Via: Autoblog

Source: Honda

Karhoo takes its taxi-comparison app to more UK cities

Six weeks after its launch in London, Karhoo is taking on the rest of the UK. The ride-hailing app, which lets you compare different taxi companies simultaneously, is yet another alternative to Uber, Hailo and Kabbee. The difference is that Karhoo wants to be an open platform, presenting a range of prices, vehicles and estimated arrival times so that you can make an informed decision. Any company, aside from Uber, can theoretically sign up and have its fleet listed inside Karhoo’s iOS and Android apps. That includes black cab, minicab and executive car hire providers.

Karhoo is slowly rolling out in the following cities: Nottingham, Derby, Leeds, Bristol, Bradford, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Brighton, Stoke on Trent, Belfast, Manchester, Glasgow, Leicester and Birmingham. It’ll go international with New York and Singapore this summer.

Today’s expansion gives Karhoo considerable reach in the UK, which is important if it’s to gain traction as a viable Uber alternative. The company does have a few advantages over its ferocious and well-funded rival — you can pre-book a ride through the app, for instance, and there’s no surge pricing to worry about it. Karhoo’s battle is still a tricky one, however. It needs to get the word out, which is easier said than done, while undercutting its rivals and keeping the traditional taxi industry on side.