Tesla vs. The Times: What one review means for the future of auto news

It’s been hard to miss, this brouhaha that’s been boiling over between Tesla CEO Elon Musk and The New York Times — specifically with reporter John M. Broder. Broder published a piece over the weekend called “Stalled Out on Tesla’s Electric Highway” in which he panned the Model S for inaccurate range estimates and drastically reduced range in cold weather. In fact, about the only thing he didn’t hate was the tow truck driver who was ultimately dispatched to pick up him and the charge-depleted Tesla he had been driving through Connecticut.

Musk, likely still stinging from an even more vitriolic 2011 takedown by Top Gear, was quick to take to Twitter and call the article “fake.” He later backed that up with comprehensive data logs recorded, apparently, without Broder’s knowledge. That data, at least at surface value, shows the Times piece is at best misleading — at worst libelous.

Case closed? Oh no, this is just beginning. In posting this data, and in chastising Broder’s driving habits, Musk inadvertently refocused the situation onto himself. Instead of asking how the Times allowed this piece to be published, many are instead asking whether it’s right for Tesla to be placing any sort of expectations on reviewers. And then, of course, there’s the disconcerting Big Brother aspect of the whole case. Who’s in the right? Who’s in the wrong? Let’s try to find out.

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Lego iPhone Cases Re-Define Brick Phone

We’re not always pro-iPhone clothing, but we’re generally very pro-Lego around here. And Belkin’s new Lego case definitely sits in the latter camp.

The best part is they’re buildable. That definitely gives a new meaning to the concept of a brick phone. Lego iPhones are way cooler than a Zack Morris monstrosity. You’ll start to see these awesome cases this spring. We don’t know pricing yet, but what we do know is this is only the first round. Belkin and Lego have a multi-year deal, which will give us more Lego gadgets in the future. We’re all for it. [HiSnobiety] More »

Lomo-Copter: The Artsy, Hipster Drone

There was some uproar about the possibility of using unarmed drones over US soil to locate that cop turned killer fugitive, but maybe that’s because drones have a bad rap because of all of the bombs they’ve been known to drop. Now, engineers at FliteTest are trying to make a kinder, gentler drone, the kind that captures artsy images.

lomo drone copter spy

The Lomo-Copter is a remote-controlled tricopter, outfitted with a medium-format Diana F+ Lomography camera with an instant back and remote-triggering mechanism. This brings fuzzy, light-leaky, and vignette stylized imagery to secret spy footage.

lomo drone copter birds eye view goggles

The Lomo-Copter also has another camera mounted to the Lomo-cam’s viewfinder, which transmits real-time footage to the operator’s stylish goggles for first-person-view operation of the drone, so they can snap pictures remotely with the old-school analog camera. Here’s a comparison of the FPV goggles and a Lomo print:

lomocopter pics

So if you’re worried about drones flying over your neighborhood, don’t be because some of them are actually pretty nice, and they might just Instagram you some photos of your garden gnomes.

Apple Plans To Fix iOS 6.1 Passcode Lock Bypass Exploit

Apple Plans To Fix iOS 6.1 Passcode Lock Bypass ExploitA flaw in the passcode lock in iOS 6.1 was revealed yesterday that allowed anyone to bypass it with very little effort in order to access the owner’s phone application to view voicemails, contact information and place calls. As a result, Apple has announced it is currently working on a fix that would help make its passcode lock feature function the way it should.

In a statement to CNET, Apple says the company ” takes user security very seriously.” They also say they “are aware of this issue, and will deliver a fix in a future software update.”

Apple didn’t give a timeline of when a fix to the passcode lock bypass in iOS 6.1 would be available.

iOS 6.1.1 was recently rushed to release in order to address issues iPhone 4S users were having with iOS 6.1. Those users complained of battery drain and 3G performance issues, but seeing how this is a major security concern, we’re hoping Apple releases the update much sooner to all iOS 6.1 users than they did with the release of iOS 6.1.1.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Apple Reportedly Pushing Out iOS 6.1.2 Early Next Week To Fix Passcode Exploit, Scosche Lightning Connector Cables Now Available,

Apple releases shorter 0.5-meter Lightning cable for $19

Taking a page from its Thunderbolt cable book, Apple has released a shorter Lightning-to-USB cable that measures just 0.5 meters long. Aimed at those who only need a couple feet of cable to charge their devices, this shorter offering will still set you back the same $19 that the 1-meter Lightning cable costs.

lightning_usb_cable_0_5_m

While it’s odd to see no price different between the two cables with different lengths, it provides users another option if they’re seeking out less cable clutter. This shorter cable is half the length of the regular Lightning cable that ships with newer iOS devices. Of course, while a shorter cable could be handy in some situations, we personally don’t see the problem with just wrapping up your normal Lightning cable in order to make it shorter.

Nevertheless, if you’re after a shorter cable, similar to the Thunderbolt offerings, Apple has you set. Furthermore, the company also updated its in-ear headphones with a redesigned mic switch to make it match the design Apple’s recently-released EarPods. The in-ear headphones will still cost you $79, and there doesn’t seem to be any changes to the headphones themselves.

in_ear_headphones_remotes

While Apple is known for holding special events when announcing updates to their product line, it’s also not rare for them to quietly make changes and update their products without telling anyone for the most part. Case in point: the company recently updated its MacBook Pro and Air lineup yesterday, stuffing in faster components and cutting the price down a bit.

[via MacRumors]


Apple releases shorter 0.5-meter Lightning cable for $19 is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
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New PlayStation 4 Controller Leaked?

New PlayStation 4 Controller Leaked?

Game site Destructoid has stumbled upon a photo of what looks like a never-seen before PlayStation controller. Obviously, the first question that comes to mind is : is that the PlayStation 4 controller? First of all, let’s take a look: the biggest change is in the middle, and there seems to be a glossy surface that could be a touch display or a display of some sort. Secondly the little holes in the middle do look like a microphone – possibly for voice commands. Or it may just be a weird speaker. At the very bottom, there is a little protrusion that may be a 3.5mm headphone jack, which would be great for multiplayer games, or for silent play in general.

In the front the glowing thing reminds me of the Move controllers, so I dare speculating that this would be used for motion tracking, and if that was the case, this would mean that more titles could rely on some form of basic motion sensing. It’s really fun to speculate over this, but in the end, I would bet that this is a prototype rather than the final controller. That said, it may provide good hints as of what type of functionality the final controller may have. Also, keep in mind that most prototypes come with all possible extensions and connectors, but it doesn’t mean that the final product will.  What do you think?

We’ll have more answers next week as Ubergizmo is heading to Sony’s PlayStation event in New York. Stay tuned!

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: NVIDIA Shield Is About Shaping The Mobile Chip Battlefield, Oculus Rift: Eyes On The Most Immersive VR Hardware,

How to Eliminate Your Ex From Your Facebook Timeline With Just a Few Clicks

It’s Valentine’s Day! Meaning everything is terrible. But things might get just a tiny bit better with a new app that Eternal Sunshines your Facebook timeline of your former ex quickly so you never have to worry about running into them again. More »

Take a look at the next PlayStation’s prototype controller

Take a look at the next PlayStation's prototype controller

What you see above is the next PlayStation’s controller, at least in some version of prototype, seemingly connected to a development unit for the next PlayStation (codenamed “Orbis“). The image popped up on Destructoid a few hours ago — we’ve spoken with development sources who confirmed it to be a recent version of the next PlayStation’s controller and a beta unit of the dev kit, though it’s not clear how much the pictured controller will match up with the final product (and the console will assuredly look quite different from the dev unit). Sony’s expected to show the PlayStation 3’s successor at a New York City event next Wednesday, February 20th, wherein a new version of the company’s classic DualShock controller is expected to be unveiled.

Corroborating reports, the pictured controller features a rectangular touchpad in between the standard d-pad and four-button setup, though it’s missing the rumored Share button. It’s also unclear if the blue light seen atop the controller serves a function — a stand-in for Move support, perhaps? — and our sources were unable to clarify. What looks like a speaker grill can be spotted just above a newly lowered PlayStation button, which seems to indicate some form of Wiimote-esque sound functionality built into the controller.

Update: A Sony rep tells us, “We can’t comment on rumors or speculation.”

[Photo credit: Destructoid]

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Source: Destructoid

OUYA Launching With Over 481 Android Games

OUYA Launching With Over 481 Android Games

The Android-powered Ouya is expected to arrive in retail stores this June and when it’s officially released too the gaming world, it will reportedly launch with 481 titles according to a recent post on OUYA’s forums.

Yes – if you decide to pick up a Ouya this summer, you’ll be able to pick from 481 games which means it will single-handedly go down in the record books as the only video game console to launch with that many titles. (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Watch Dogs Coming To ‘All Home Consoles’ This Holiday Season, Additional PS4 Controller Image Leaks Ahead Of Console Debut,

TomTom Rider, A Motorcycle GPS Guidance System

TomTom Rider, A Motorcycle GPS Guidance System

TomTom has just launched their GPS for motorcycles named TomTom Rider. In a press release from Amsterdam, the company introduced design and features of the GPS device: “With TomTom Rider, bikers can not only choose where to go, but more importantly how they want to get there,” said Corinne Vigreux, Managing Director of TomTom Consumer. “We listened to feedback from motorbike communities to create a device that was customized for the way they want to ride. We found that the overwhelming majority of bikers use their motorcycle for recreational purposes and many actively seek out routes that offer fantastic scenic touring experiences. TomTom Rider gives bikers the ability to find and ride the best scenic routes in the world.” (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Moveo Electric Scooter Is Foldable, No Parking Spot Required, Car Pedestrian Collision Sensor Limits Injury Risk,