GOP Wants to Tax EV Drivers $200 a Year; Meta’s Standalone ChatGPT Competitor; Wikipedia Will Use AI, but Not Replacing Humans; Waymo & Toyota Partner on Self-Driving Vehicles

Posted: April 30, 2025 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The present Republican party seems determined to hate on, and fight against electric vehicles at every turn. Now, arstechnica.com reports that they have tucked into their proposed tax bill a new $200 per year tax on battery EVs. Hybrids will be dinged for $100. How about gas guzzling pickups, SUVs, and performance cars? Oh, they will pay a measly $20 per year…and even then only after October 1, 2030! Before that, nothing. Commercial vehicles are exempt, too. An argument the GOP makes is that EV drivers don’t pay any gas tax, and hybrid owners pay less gas tax than internal combustion engine vehicle owners. Of course, the EVs aren’t belching smog into the atmosphere either…to the climate change deniers, this tax is a win-win if it passes. This is a big ripoff for EVs and hybrids, as 39 states already charge EV drivers a registration fee and 28 states charge hybrid drivers. DISCLOSURE: I drive a hybrid, and have for the past 7 years…so yes, I have already been paying the gas tax…this is just an added tax penalty from the party that allegedly hates taxes.

Meta has its standalone ChatGPT competitor, which is pretty much the same as what you get with actual ChatGPT…but with an added feature. According to theverge.com, you can type to or talk with the app, generate images, and get real-time web results. The new wrinkle is that it has a Discover feed…which gets you a feed of interactions with Meta AI that other people…including, of course, your friends on Facebook and Instagram…have chosen to share on a prompt-by-prompt basis. Naturally since it is a meta product, you can like, comment, share, or remix the shared AI posts on your own feed. OpenAI is planning a social feed to ChatGPT, and Musk’s X is pretty intertwined with his Grok. Worth noting…Meta actually is using much of the View companion app for the Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses to underpin the freestanding Meta AI app.

Wikipedia is jumping into the AI game, but it stresses that artificial intelligence won’t be used to replace the community of editors and volunteers. Techcrunch.com says Wikipedia will use AI to build new features that “remove technical barriers,” allowing editors, moderators, and patrollers tools that allow them to accomplish what they need to do, without worrying about how to “technically achieve it.” Amid concerns that AI could eventually impact jobs held by people today, especially in terms of content creation, Wikipedia indicates that it intends to use AI as a tool that makes people’s jobs easier, not replace them.

The Waymo division of Alphabet and Toyota have announced a preliminary partnership to explore bringing robotaxi tech to personally-owned vehicles. “The companies will explore how to leverage Waymo’s autonomous technology and Toyota’s vehicle expertise to enhance next-generation personally owned vehicles,” the two companies announced. The companies said they aim to use the partnership to more quickly develop driver assistance and autonomous vehicle technologies for personal vehicles. Toyota is the world’s largest automaker by sales. Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana said the strategic partnership could also result in the Google-owned company incorporating Toyota’s “vehicles into our ride-hailing fleet.”

I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now. 

Apple Finally Cancels Car Project; ‘Greenest’ Car in America; Google Paying Publishers to Use Generative AI, Next Steps for Pet-Sitter Rover

Posted: February 28, 2024 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

After years of hearing about Apple’s secret car project, and all the turnover of executives there, Apple has now officially cancelled Project Titan. 9to5mac.com notes that the electric car project has been ongoing since 2014…ten years. Previously Apple had been shooting for 2028 for release and a selling price of $100,000. There are some 2,000 people involved in Project Titan. A number of employees will move to the Apple AI team, and some will be able to apply for jobs on other Apple teams, but an undisclosed number will be laid off. The original concept was a completely self-driving EV with no steering wheel or pedals. Tesla has promised a steering wheel-less car by 2021, but as with most things Musk…that hasn’t happened. 

The greenest car in America is an electric vehicle, right? You might think so, but that isn’t the case. According to an article in the Washington Post, The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy has found otherwise…and not for the first time. The non-profit that has been rating pollution for decades picks the Toyota Prius Prime SE, Toyota’s plug-in hybrid with a 44 mile range on electricity before the gas engine kicks in. The Prius Prime also was the top green car in 2020 and 2022. The analysis shows that simply running on electricity is not enough to guarantee that a car is “green” — its weight, battery size and overall efficiency matter, too. The nonprofit found that there are 1200 pretty green cars available for 2024, a record. Prius Prime scored 71 out of 100. The Nissan Leaf and Mini Cooper SE…both EVs, were in the high 60’s. At the bottom were large, gas-guzzling trucks…several of which scored in the low 20’s. 

Google has been stealthily been making deals with some publishers  to use new generative AI tools to publish stories. Engadget.com says the deals, reportedly worth tens of thousands of dollars a year, are apparently part of the Google News Initiative, a six-year-old program that funds media literacy projects, fact-checking tools, and other resources for newsrooms. But the move into generative AI publishing tools would be a new, and likely controversial, step for the company. It is important to note that the publishers in the program are not apparently required to disclose their use of AI. 

Rover, the pet sitting business, has closed a $2.3 billion deal with Blackstone. Rover’s CEO Aaron Easterly says he is bullish on what is ahead. Geekwire.com reports that Rover’s revenue was up 30% year-over-year to $66.2 million, with net income of $10.5 million. A majority of the company’s revenue comes from its marketplace that connects pet owners with sitters for overnight stays. Rover has fueled growth by expanding to different animals such as cats, and in new markets, particularly abroad. The CEO noted that “Pets continue to gobble up a larger share of disposable income.” That is NO shock to any of us that have pets. Over the years, Rover has also made moves into grooming, pet gear, and training.

I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now. 

Huawei Passes Apple to be the Avis of Smartphones; Facebook-100% Renewable Energy by 2020; Oculus Studies VR in Classrooms; Toyota Invests in Uber; Trump- Google is RIGGED

Posted: August 28, 2018 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Chinese smartphone maker Huawei has slipped past Apple to grab the #2 spot in smartphone sales. TechCrunch.com reports that a Gartner figure puts Huawei ahead in sales for the 2nd quarter. Huawei came in at 13.3%, up from 9.8% in the prior year, while Apple got 11.9%, off slightly from the 12.1% they had in 2017’s Q2. Samsung still stands tall as #1, at 19.3% this year, and 22.6% in 2017.

Facebook has announced they will cut greenhouse gas emissions by 75% and be running on 100% renewable energy by the end of 2020. According to theverge.com, Facebook has signed contracts for more than 3 gigawatts of new solar and wind energy since 2013. Those projects are all on the same grids as Facebook data centers in Oregon, Virginia, New Mexico, and Sweden. Samsung has also pledged to be on 100% renewable by 2020 in the US, Europe, and China. Apple and Google have also purchased enough renewable energy to offset their global energy consumption since April.

Oculus is getting ready to study how virtual reality can be used in education. Cnet.com says they have kicked off a pilot program called Oculus Education, which will distribute Oculus Go and Rift headsets to schools, libraries, and museums in Taiwan, Japan, and Seattle. The first phase will center around training teachers and other instructors in the use of VR and gathering feedback, and how VR can fill unique needs in those institutions. In conjunction with the headset program, Oculus is releasing 3 new VR experiences centered around history, science, and culture. They are all available at the Oculus store.

Toyota is pumping $500 million into Uber as part of a self-driving car partnership. Businessinsider.com reports that Toyota had previously invested in Uber a couple years ago as part of an auto leasing deal. Uber is reportedly selling self-driving tech to Toyota, while Toyota is promising to collaborate with Uber in moving self-driving tech forward. We may be seeing a Toyota self-driving Prius Hybrid sooner, not later.

Donald Trump fired off another angry Tweet from the White House…this time accusing Google of rigging search results against conservatives. According to gizmodo.com, the Chief Executive Tweeted “Google search results for ‘Trump News’ shows only the viewing/reporting of Fake New Media. In other words, they have it RIGGED, for me & others, so that almost all stories & news is BAD. Fake CNN is prominent. Republican/Conservative & Fair Media is shut out. Illegal?” He is claiming that ’96% of the results on ‘Trump News’ are from National Left-Wing Media, very dangerous.’ He went on to rail that it was a very serious situation and it will be addressed. It might help if he adjusted his view of ‘Fake News.’

Possible Folding Samsung Phone Features; Toyota Plans 10 Battery EV Models; Twitter Enforces Hate & Violence Policies; Facebook Demotes Clickbait Posts

Posted: December 18, 2017 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Another patent has surfaced for the folding Galaxy phone from Samsung. This one seems to indicate that the phone will not fold in half compactly like the old flip phones, but will open like a book, according to bgr.com. Also, when not in use, one screen can act as a touchpad for the other. The screens are attached with hinges, and can fold outward as well as inward to protect them, and stylus support appears to be in the plan. Ok…the phone in the drawings is really ugly and kludgy, but we’ll see what….if anything actually gets built.

Every car maker is now in full EV future mode. Reuters.com reports that Toyota is shooting for more than 10 battery EV models by the early 2020’s. They will initially bulk up EV sales in China, then move into Japan, India, the US, and Europe. Every Toyota and Lexus model will have either an electric hybrid or full battery electric version by 2025!

It’s been the wild, wild west up to now, but Twitter says it’s starting to enforce the new rules they announced a month ago about abuse, hateful conduct, and threats of violence. Theverge.com says the rules will apply to usernames and profiles as well as Tweets. They will also extend to cover accounts affiliated with hate groups both on and off the platform. They won’t apply to military or government entities, so don’t expect to see a lot of kindler and gentler posts from a well-known Tweeter on Pennsylvania Ave. in Washington, D.C.

Rejoice, Facebookers! Facebook is starting to crack down on clickbait posts! According to recode.net, they have adjusted their algorithm to drop such posts down in News Feeds. The vast majority of us won’t miss those ‘like and share if you agree’ posts. It’s doubtful they can keep all such posts off our walls, but less of them will be a welcome change!

Apple Working With LG on Foldable iPhone; Echo Dot Loses Its Touch; Toyota Hydrogen Trucks Go To Work in LA

Posted: October 12, 2017 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

We have heard rumors for a year that Samsung is working on a foldable phone. Now, it turns out Apple is, as well. Apple’s has some ‘one more thing’ type big trick, apparently…they are working with LG’s display unit on the OLED screens, for fear Samsung will steal their idea…which has happened wholesale in the past. According to 9to5mac.com, LG Innotek is also working on the rigid flexible circuit board that would power the phone. It’s expected in 2020. Samsung may have one out by next year.

Yesterday, we reported that Amazon’s preproduction Echo Dots were staying on all the time and eavesdropping on tech reporters that were supposed to be reviewing them. Google sent a patch, and said they were working on a more permanent fix. Now, 9to5google says it apparently wasn’t feasible…Google has killed the tap to wake feature…which was apparently causing the problem. Sorry, you’ll have to go to all the trouble of saying ‘OK, Google’ to wake your Echo Dot…but that beats the hell out of it recording everything in your bedroom 24/7!

All the attention is on electric cars, and even on a couple electric semi-trucks, with Tesla teasing showing their version soon. Another alternative fuel is hydrogen. While Mercedes and a couple of Japanese makers have done quite a bit with hydrogen fuel cell cars, not much has happened on the truck front…until now. According to techcrunch.com, Toyota is starting a pilot with fuel cell big rigs at the Port of LA. The rigs have 670 horsepower, and dan haul and 80,000 lb. load. They can run about 200 miles a day. If the fuel cells stand up to the frequent refueling, Toyota plans to test longer haul semi trucks powered by hydrogen fuel cells.

German Car Makers Heating Up on Hydrogen; Samsung New Smartwatch/Fitness Tracker?

Posted: January 18, 2016 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Audi and Mercedes are getting excited about hydrogen fueled cars. For Mercedes, it’s back to the future…they first had a fleet of them in 1980, but with a 150 mile range and 45 minutes to fuel up, killed the project. Now Audi has showed it’s h-tron Quttro fuel cell SUV at the North American International Auto Show, and according to arstechnica.com, Mercedes has green-lighted production of it’s fuel cell version of the GLC SUV to sell in 2017. BMW has showed an i8 and a 5 series with fuel cells, but neither is set for production so far. General Motors has partnered with the Army to investigate suitability of fuel cell EVs for military use. Toyota and Honda are well along in hydrogen fuel cell tech, too. Toyota has the 2016 Mirai that’s actually for sale. California…where you can buy a fuel cell EV, has now increased the subsidy on them up to $6500 on top of any federal incentive. A combination of hydrogen fuel cell and electric may be the wave of the automotive future…along with driving by Jarvis, apparently.

Details are sketchy, but Samsung may be about ready to launch new wearable, possibly to replace the less than exciting Gear Fit. It’s called SM-R150 for now, and a watch version has a rotating bezel like the Gear Fit. The interesting thing is a picture with one on a shirt…like a removable that you don’t have to keep on your wrist. Engadget.com points out that leaks so far don’t indicate if it will be a full blown smart watch or something more like a Fitbit, but expect it to be revealed in the coming months.

Toyota Pumping a Billion into AI & Robotics in Silicon Valley; One-Touch Google Play Update

Posted: November 6, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Toyota is dropping an eye-popping billion dollars in a research company it’s establishing in Silicon Valley, focusing on artificial intelligence and robotics. The automotive giant is determined to lead the way with top flight self-driving cars, in addition to applying AI and robotics to other areas of life. The AP reports that the initial facility will be near Stanford, with a second one planned later on to be set up near MIT.

Google has released version 8.3 of Google Play Services, with one tap Google sign in, and better wearable sync, according to 9to5google.com. Now, you can just press ‘Sign in with Google,’ and presto…you’re done. The update also makes signing in across devices easier, with a simpler dialog. The new version is supposed to use smarter syncing for wearables, too, improving battery life.

Amazon Rolls Out Food Delivery Service

Posted: September 8, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

Amazon has announced that it’s adding restaurant delivery an option for its one hour delivery app Prime Now. The initial service is just in specific zip codes in Seattle for the launch. Prime Now customers can view menus from participating restaurants in the app, order, and then track their delivery in real time like with package deliveries via the service. Amazon says there is no additional charge for the hour or less delivery, unlike other Prime Now one hour deliveries, which cost an additional $7.99. There are several dozen restaurants participating, but no national chains as yet. It’s likely that New York will be the second city to get the service.

Most people know that plenty of patents are filed that never see the light of day in products. According to Jalopnik.com, Toyota has filed one that may well be in that category. It’s for multiple, stacked wings that expand out of the roof of a future flying car. In the drawings, it appears to borrow from a pre-1900 ill-fated multi-winged airplane! Besides the flying issues, it seems the thing would put additional drag on the car while on the ground, hurting mileage….or maybe it’s an electric car-plane? We may never know!

Car Tech Helps Deal With Squirmy Kids

Posted: July 21, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , | Leave a comment

The 2015 Toyota Sienna van will let you use the built in microphone to holler at the kids. Engadget.com says your admonitions to Junior will come through the back speakers.

Immedia Semiconductor has a home security camera on Kickstarter. This one’s half the size of a smartphone, and runs $69. Gigaom.com reports that the killer feature is that it can run on a pair of batteries for a year, like a smoke detector.

There are lots of chat apps that delete your messages, but don’t you wish you could do that easily on Twitter and Facebook sometimes? Geekwire.com says Xpire is an iPhone app that lets you set delete times for your posts on those two social media platforms.