Tesla has recalled over two million vehicles in 2024 alone, so close to 10,000 more cars shouldn't be very noteworthy at this point. But Tesla's latest recall is a bit fussier in that technicians must review each car in person rather than just issuing an over-the-air update. Tesla's latest recall will see 9,136 Model X SUVs tended to manually due to concerns of a trim on the roof separating which could increase the risk of a crash, Reuters reports.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration stated, "The front and center roof cosmetic trim pieces may be adhered to the vehicle without primer. As a result, one or both pieces of trim may separate from the vehicle." Tesla will test the attachment of each vehicle's roof trim and join the pieces back together if necessary.
This year has seen previous recalls on Model X vehicles, along with the Model Y, Model 3, Model S and its Cybertruck. The issues responsible have ranged from the backup camera not working in reverse to a potential for the hood to detach.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/tesla-issues-an-in-person-recall-for-its-model-x-suv-150039573.html?src=rss
After keeping up with the Volkswagen ID.Buzz electric van for a while, we finally have more details about this retro-yet-modern vehicle. The exact release date isn’t yet specified, but the company claims it will be available in the US within this year. Volkswagen also released information about different trims, pricing and range.
The first version is the ID.Buzz Pro S, which has an MSRP of $59,995. It’s a rear-wheel-drive-only vehicle that accommodates up to seven passengers. Volkswagen is offering three exterior color schemes: Candy White, Deep Black Pearl and Metro Silver. The interior comes in either Copper (tan) or Moonlight (dark brown) color schemes.
VW / James Lipman
Next is the Pro S Plus, which has an MSRP of $63,495 for RWD and $67,995 for 4Motion AWD. Unlike the Pro S, this model only has six seats, but the higher price includes a head-up display, Harman Kardon 700-watt speakers and power-sliding rear doors, among other features. It comes in the same Candy White or Deep Black Pearl single-color exteriors, as well as an additional interior color: Dune (off-white). For an extra $995, there are eight two-tone exterior colors, including Candy White top with Cabana Blue, Blue Charcoal and more below. The alternative is Metro Silver top with Cherry Red.
The 2025 ID.Buzz's 91kWh battery should deliver an EPA estimated 234 miles on a full charge (or a slightly more modest 231 miles for those equipped with 4Motion.)
Volkswagen will also offer the launch-only 1st Edition, starting at $65,495 for RWD and $69,995 for AWD. These have a few unique features to set them apart: 20-inch wheels, upgraded audio, roof rail crossbars, "heritage-inspired floor mats" and exclusive badging. The optional glass roof available on the Pro S is also part of the package. It only comes in one of five exterior two-tone color options: Cabana Blue, Mahi Green, Metro Silver, Energetic Orange and Pomelo Yellow, all of which are contrasted with Candy White.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/volkswagens-long-awaited-electric-idbuzz-pricing-and-range-revealed-143929494.html?src=rss
When people think of musical instruments, they most probably think first of traditional ones like guitars, pianos, and violins. These days, music can come from a wide variety of sources, sometimes generated by unexpected things, like the flow of fluids in plants. There is going to be some debate on whether these random arrangements of tones can qualify as “music,” but there will be little argument that the sequences they produce can be melodic and even pleasant. Plus, the way they’re generated can be just as interesting as the sounds they make, like this drum-like cylinder that produces a curious mix of synth tones by moving magnetic balls and objects around its surface, almost like playing with marbles and sticks.
Thanks to modern electronics, software, and a bit of AI, it’s nearly possible to use any phenomenon to generate different kinds of sounds and combine them in a harmonic way. This opens up a world of possibilities in how instruments can be designed, from passive sources like the biological processes of plants to more actively controlled machines with knobs and sliders. Stacco is an experimental instrument that mixes these two, using magnetic forces influenced by objects in your hands.
At the heart of Stacco, or rather beneath the surface, are four devices called magnetic attractors. These can detect the changes in the magnetic fields around them, which is then processed by artificial intelligence called Neural Audio Synthesis into sound or data that can further be manipulated into music, mostly of the synth type. What makes Stacco interesting is that you can use a variety of objects to affect these attractors as long as they generate some amount of magnetic field.
You can, for example, push or roll around four magnetic marbles to produce sound. Ferromagnetic objects like nails, rods, and rings can also be used to “push” the magnetic fields around. You’re not limited to just moving the balls on the surface of the drum-like instrument either. To some extent, you can also pick and drop objects to have the same effect, though probably on a smaller or weaker scale.
This odd musical instrument not only offers a more interactive experience, it also changes the way you can record or compose music. Since the tones are generated by moving objects across the surface, these can be noted down as lines, circles, and other figures that can result in beautiful geometric patterns. Musicians can then just simply trace those lines to recreate the same musical score or simply let it guide their hands to create variations and discover new melodies in the process.
Samsung Electronics has taken a significant leap in gaming technology with the introduction of the Odyssey 3D, a groundbreaking glasses-free 3D gaming monitor. Unveiled at Gamescom 2024, this innovative monitor promises to transform the gaming experience by eliminating the need for 3D glasses. The Odyssey 3D uses advanced light field display (LFD) technology, eye tracking, […]
As usual, summer has sped by in the blink of an eye, which means it's already back-to-school season. Thankfully, there are some great tech deals for college students (and lucky high school ones), including a record-low price on Apple's 2022 MacBook Air with an M2 chip. Right now, you can get the 256GB laptop in any color for its Prime Day price of $799, down from $999 — a 20 percent discount.
The 2022 MacBook Air is our choice for best budget MacBook thanks to a range of features that hold up two years later. It's a "near-perfect Mac," as we called it while giving it a 96 in our review, offering a 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display with up to 500 nits of brightness and a 60Hz refresh rate.
This MacBook also has an M2 chip with eight CPU cores and up to 10 GPU cores. Apple has recently introduced the M4 chip, but the M2 should give you plenty of power for any run-of-the-mill programs. Speaking of power, you should get some excellent, vibrant sound quality with the MacBook Air's quad-speaker system — plus, it's compatible with Dolby Atmos and Spatial Audio.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-m2-macbook-air-drops-to-a-record-low-of-799-140005153.html?src=rss
The Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) efforts to ban noncompete agreements has been blocked by a federal judge in Texas. According to The Washington Post, US District Judge Ada Brown has determined that the agency doesn't have the authority to enforce the rule, which was supposed to take effect on September 4. She reportedly wrote in her decision that the FTC only looked at "inconsistent and flawed empirical evidence" and didn't consider evidence in support of noncompetes. "The role of an administrative agency is to do as told by Congress, not to do what the agency thinks it should do," she added.
FTC Chair Lina M. Khan explained that "noncompete clauses keep wages low, suppress new ideas, and rob the American economy of dynamism" when the agency voted 3-2 in favor of the ban. Noncompete agreements are widely used in the tech industry, and preventing companies from adding them to contracts would mean that workers will be able to freely move to a new job or start a business in the same field. The two Republican commissioners in the FTC, Melissa Holyoak and Andrew Ferguson, voted against the ban and also said that the agency "overstepped the boundaries of its power."
In July, Brown temporarily blocked the rule's enforcement to assess the lawsuit filed by Dallas tax services firm Ryan LLC mere hours after the FTC announced the ban. The US Chamber of Commerce and other groups of American businesses eventually joined the tax firm in challenging the new rule on noncompete clauses.
"We are disappointed by Judge Brown's decision and will keep fighting to stop noncompetes that restrict the economic liberty of hardworking Americans, hamper economic growth, limit innovation, and depress wages," FTC spokesperson Victoria Graham told The Post. "We are seriously considering a potential appeal, and today's decision does not prevent the FTC from addressing noncompetes through case-by-case enforcement actions."
A federal judge in Florida also blocked the rule last week, though only for the lawsuit's plaintiffs. Meanwhile, another judge in Pennsylvania ruled last month that the agency has the authority to enforce the ban in a separate case filed by a tree-care company in the state. All three cases could still be appealed and could even make their way to the Supreme Court.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/texas-judge-blocks-the-ftc-from-enforcing-its-ban-on-noncompete-agreements-133059676.html?src=rss
Apple has finally revealed the highly anticipated iPhone 16 series, introducing a range of impressive updates and features that set these devices apart from their predecessors. The new lineup, consisting of the iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, and 16 Pro Max, showcases Apple’s commitment to innovation and delivering innovative technology to its users. The video […]
You would think that in this age when we mostly listen to music through streaming services, old school ways of listening to music would be all but extinct. While we probably won’t see cassette tapes make a comeback soon, we still see CDs and vinyls have a pretty niche but passionate market. So we’re seeing several music players that are able to still play these “relics”, mostly for the vinyls (sadly, I have yet to see excellently designed CD players with great sound quality).
Designer: Vadzim Sadouski
There is no lack of great-looking and great-sounding turntables out there if you’re in the market for one. And there is also no dearth of interesting concepts for vinyl players, ranging from retro to cutesy to premium to sci-fi/out there levels. This concept for a “record player transparent design” is one of those that catches the eye and would be interesting to see as an actual vinyl player (and hopefully it gets a specific name too). From the moniker itself, you probably have an idea of what it would look like even if you don’t see the renders.
There’s a certain fascination with transparent things now and seeing how the inside looks like as it does its thing. This one is inspired by the play of light inside ribbed glass as the light refracts and plays around. The designer says the starting point for the design are things like glass, lighthouse lenses, tableware, and even lamps. What you get is a vinyl player with its base showing off the light inside from the glass grills.
Now as to how the vinyl records would sound like from having a transparent design like this is a problem for another day. But the concept itself seems pretty interesting and is definitely eye-catching. But real music lovers would tell you that no matter how well designed something is, the important thing is the sound quality of course.
MacBook Fans are eagerly awaiting the launch of the Apple M4 MacBook Pro models, slated for release in late 2024 or early 2025. These upcoming models promise significant enhancements in performance, efficiency, and battery life, solidifying Apple’s position as a leader in the laptop market. The video below from Matt Talks Tech gives us more […]
Ever find yourself drowning in a sea of notes, ideas, and to-do lists, wondering how to keep everything organized? You’re not alone. Many of us struggle with managing our information efficiently. But what if there was a way to streamline all your notes and ideas into one cohesive system? Microsoft OneNote might just be the […]
