5 REASONS TESLA MODEL X IS BEST CAR FOR ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE

Preppers are gonna prep, and doomsayers are gonna preach about Armageddon. If you’re one of those folks who believes that an SHTF (Shit Hits The Fan) event is right around the corner, you might consider a fully electric SUV like the Tesla Model X as a hedge against impending disaster.

Whether it’s a government meltdown, a viral epidemic, and/or zombie apocalypse, here are five reasons theTesla Model X is the best car to own when civilization breaks down.

#5) It’s Powered by the Sun (or the Wind)

The Tesla Model X features a 100% electric drivetrain and high-capacity lithium-ion battery packs. So even if the electrical grid fails and gas stations shut down, you’ll be able to charge up your Tesla Model X right in your compound from solar panels or wind turbines.

Sure, it might take a really large solar panel system to get enough juice for a full 250-mile range charge, but you’ll need that anyway to power the hair dryers for your wives and daughters. Be sure to pick up a fewTesla Powerwalls  so you can keep the lights (and the hair dryers) on at night and during those chilly winters.

The Model X falcon-wing doors allow you to load up survivors on rescue missions

#4) 5,000 Pounds of Towing Capacity Makes Supply Runs a Breeze

Without an internal combustion engine taking up the whole front of your car, the Model X has plenty of space for Bug-Out-Bags in its spacious frunk (front trunk). But even with the Model X’s overall rated storage capacity of 77 cubic feet, there are times you’re going to need to haul more gear, and that’s where a trailer will come in handy.

As the first fully electric SUV with decent towing capacity, the Model X can haul a whole lot of essentials. Whether that’s guns and ammo, cinder blocks to shore up your defenses, or just a shitload of beef jerky, you’ll be glad you can haul around a couple of tons worth of gear and supplies without ripping the seats in your vegan-friendly, luxuriously supple, non-leather interior.

#3) 0–60 in 3.2 Seconds: Outrun the Competition

Face it: in an SHTF scenario, there’s going to be a lot of competition for limited resources. You’re gonna want to get in and out of wherever you’re going quickly. And with the Ludicrous Speed–equipped Model X P90D’s top speed of 155 miles per hour, 713 lb-ft of instant torque, 503 horsepower to the rear motor and 259 horsepower to the front, you’ll be ready to roll.

The Model X won’t just leave the walking dead in the dust; it will also outrun those opportunistic scavengers who want what you’ve got. And long-term battery studies on the Roadster and Model S suggest that you’ll still have plenty of range after many years of use and many thousands of miles traveled. So you’ll be able to get around just fine as you wait for society to recover.

#2) Dual-Motor All-Wheel Drive Makes Off-Roading a Breeze

In the post-apocalyptic future, highway maintenance will be one of the first things to fall by the wayside. With fully independent front and rear high-torque electric motors, and user-adjustable air suspension height, theModel X should be able to get around road hazards and sloppy conditions with ease.

Just be sure to opt for the base 20-inch wheels and pick up some winter tires and chains if you’re hunkering down in the great white north. Those upgraded 22-inch rims and Z-rated performance tires might work well on the track but they won’t do you much good on those choked up pothole-ridden post-apocalyptic roadways.

#1) Bio-Weapon Defense Mode Keeps Your Cabin Air Fresh and Clean

Even Tesla seems to think that our future may not be so rosy, or at least that situations may arise where the air conditions outside may not be up to snuff.

So they’ve built a powerful HEPA air filter into the Model X that can reportedly withstand a military-grade bio-weapon attack. Just be sure to roll up those windows tight, kiddies, and opt for the “Premium Upgrades Package” (required in order to get the HEPA filter).

This so-called Bio-Weapon Defense Mode is said to capture all manner of particulate matter and gaseous pollutants in the air, including most bacteria, viruses, pollen, and mold spores.

It’s so powerful it actually cleans the air outside the car too (though doing that for your whole bunker may take a while). So while the rest of the world is dropping like flies, you can kick back and relax. You can find out more about Bio-Weapon Defense Mode in Tesla’s blog post.
Price is Irrelevant!

Tesla put their Bio-Weapon Defense Mode to the test by sealing the Model X inside a toxic bubble with real people inside

Of course, the Model X is an expensive car ($83,000 for a base model, around $152,000 for a fully loaded P90D), but hey, maybe that’s a bargain considering the $200,000 Ford paid to get one early? And what good will that 401K retirement account be when the banks fail? Just how much is your family’s survival worth to you, anyway?

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NEW BMW I8 EXPECTED LATE NEXT YEAR

Introduced in 2014, the BMW i8 is due for its first update. The new version is expected to hit the dealers in late 2017, and the hybrid powertrain will receive a host of improvements.

Autocar reports the electric motor will get a 10 percent boost in power in the facelifted car; the 1.5-liter three-cylinder gasoline engine will also be worked on. The combined power output would reach 420 horsepower instead of the current car’s 362 hp.

With the six-speed automatic transmission also getting updated, the laundry list of upgrades would result in an even faster car. Currently, the i8 hits 62 mph in 4.4 seconds. As for the battery packs, the capacity of the new ones isn’t disclosed, but as the Formula E safety car swaps its 7.1 kWh battery for a 10 kWh one, the same might be expected of the facelift i8.

And as the safety car has experimented with the Halo inductive wireless charging system engineered by BMW partner Qualcomm, expect that to appear in the production car as well.

Along with improvements ranging from revised suspension to 25 percent lighter carbonfibre wheels, the 2018 i8 should be an even better technological showcase of BMW’s hybrid capabilities.

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XIAOMI MI SMARTWATCH WILL DEBUT LATER THIS YEAR

Xiaomi will be hosting a press event on May 10, as the fast-rising Chinese company is set to unveil a couple new products, such as the Xiaomi Max and Mi Band 2, as well as the new MIUI 8 operating system/user experience. But it would appear that there’s another piece of Xiaomi hardware set to arrive after the 10th of May – the Mi Smartwatch.

The news of the Mi Smartwatch comes straight from Xiaomi vice president and co-founder Liu De. Speaking at a Beijing event, he said that the upcoming wearable is all set to launch, though it’s not quite sure when exactly it will be arriving for the first time.

Previous reports had suggested a release date in the second half of 2016, so we’d say Xiaomi will want a fair gap, at most, between arrival and release in stores. Still, it’s anybody’s guess as to when we can expect the MiSmartwatch to get revealed, apart from the very good chance it won’t be debuting on May 10.

What else can we expect from the Mi Smartwatch? As Xiaomi had previously confirmed some kiddie-oriented wearables, the upcoming device will be the firstSmartwatch for adults; the Mi Band and the upcoming Mi Band 2 are both meant for grown-up users too, but this will mark the first time an actual Smartwatch will be marketed to adults.

Specifications and selling features are also a big mystery at this point in the game. Pricing and worldwide availability is yet another unanswered question as of this time. Still, the consolation of the device most probably missing the May 10 launch event is that Xiaomi could let slip a few more details about it at that event.

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Android, Apple and Samsung Pay – Which One is Better?

Paying for things in this day and age is so simple compared to the days when people had to carry a heavy purse or wallet with cash in them. Not that some people don’t still do that, but now we have the option of paying with credit cards or by using smartphones – we can actually use them in a store or in an online purchase.

And this is so much more convenient than just carrying money in purse or wallet that can be more easily stolen or forgotten somewhere.

Right now, there are three mobile payment systems available. In Android’s case, there’s Android Pay and Samsung Pay and in Apple’s case there’s Apple Pay which was the first one ever released.

Here is an overview of these three systems that may help you decide which one to use for mobile payment and make your life easier and more efficient

Android Pay

Android Pay is Google’s current mobile paying system which is rooted in the 2011 Google Wallet service but with added features taken from Softcard, a company bought by the giant in 2015.

Android Pay works like this: when you log in to the app on whatever Android device you happen to have, you also have the option of adding payment cards just by using your camera for capturing the necessary card details. After it’s stored you are free to use it in any NFC terminals that have the Android Logo.

If you’re thinking that it doesn’t sound safe enough know that Android Pay will also ask for a fingerprint read in order to confirm your payment within the app and those devices that don’t have that technology ask for a passcode.

The downside is that it doesn’t have the same broad support of banks and credit cards.

Apple Pay

Apple was the company that initiated this type of payment system and it introduced it back in 2014. Since then, it has been the preferred app for mobile payment among users. It uses the same paying method as Android but it can also exchange information with contactless P.O.S systems.

Android Pay and Apple Pay are very similar but the latter has broader support from banks, retailers and credit card partners plus more availability in China and the UK.

Samsung Pay

Samsung Pay works in the same way that the aforementioned two work, but it also has a clear advantage over its competitors: a Magnetic Secure Transition where a magnetic coil inside the phone generates a magnetic field that allows it to interact with traditional credit card terminals – it basically functions like the magnetic card strip. Therefore, you can use it both in NFC based terminals and in traditional terminals.

Plus, any information exchanged during payment is tokenized which is a system that substitutes a card’s number with an encrypted unique alphanumerical identifier.

However, although it is supported by credit card partners, banks and retailers, it cannot be used for purchases in apps and these supported devices are limited to the latest Galaxy phone models.

Mobile Payments Beyond Smartphones

Other devices that can be used for payments besides mobiles are smartwatches which are now considered complementary options. So far, only Apple has offered this option on a smartwatch whit the Apple Pay app.

But we expect Samsung Gear S2 to support Samsung Pay very soon. Also, we hope Android Gear will start supporting Android Pay sometime in the near future.

Although, these payment systems have proven to be very useful, they do not have access everywhere so at this point in time, it would be impossible for them to completely replace credit cards or cash money.

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VOLVO FIRES AT TESLA, CALLS AUTOPILOT FEATURE A “WANNABE”

Is a Tesla what you want, what you really, really want? No, we’re not talking about THAT “wannabe,” but that’s the gist of what Volvo’s recent volley at the Palo Alto automaker and its Autopilot feature.

This isn’t the first time a rival automaker has unleashed some vitriol at Tesla and Autopilot, as BMW had recently said that the feature “will not allow Tesla to overtake BMW in autonomous driving technology because it isn’t as refined as it should be.”

Sounds tactful enough, but Volvo didn’t mince any words when it fired off at Tesla. According to Trent Victor, Volvo’s senior technical leader of crash avoidance, Autopilot is an “unsupervised wannabe,” and Tesla is, with this feature, “trying to create a semi-autonomous car that appears to be autonomous.”

Can you feel the burn, Elon Musk? Yes, those were very pointed words indeed from Victor, who added that Volvo’s similar feature will be substantially better than Tesla’s.

Putting things into perspective, Tesla said that Autopilot is Level 2 autonomous, or the combination of two technologies to facilitate a self-driving car.

There are some tech experts who insist that it’s Level 3 autonomous, which is even better – that meansAutopilot takes over functions that are critical to driver and occupant safety.

But since Victor believes Level 3 autonomy is a bunch of cow manure, as drivers need to be ready to take over in more intricate situations at this level, he promised that Volvo will unveil a Level 4 autonomous car in 2017.

That would be a vehicle that can drive itself autonomously without requiring a human driver to take over when the you-know-what hits the fan.

“In our concept, if you don’t take over, if you have fallen asleep or are watching a film, then we will take responsibility still,” Victor said in an interview with The Verge, talking about the experimental Level 4 car. “We won’t just turn (autonomous mode) off. We take responsibility and we’ll be stopping the vehicle if you don’t take over.”

source:toki-woki

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Android N Developer Preview 2 Available For The Nexus Player with Latest Features

Nexus The latest Developer Preview of Android N was released two weeks ago, but it became available for download only to the Nexus 5X, 6P, 6, 9, 9 LTE and Pixel C, but the Nexus Player didn’t make it to the list. Eventually, Android Developer Advocate Ian Lake has announced that the factory image is now available for Google’s Android TV device and that the build is identified with the version number NPC91O.

As you know, this fall, Google will release Android N, whose name hasn’t been chosen yet. Some say it will be Nutella, others believe it will be Nougat, but Google will conduct an online poll and in the end it will pick up the dessert name for its upcoming operating system. Meanwhile, developers have access to the new features that will make it into the final version of Android N OS and only a few Nexus devices have enrolled in the Android Beta Program.

The first Developer Preview of Android N arrived on March 9 and the second preview was released on April 13, but the factory image was made available only a few days ago for the Nexus Player. Developers can download it for fastboot or they can choose to sideload the OTA using adb. It will be interesting to try out Android N on a digital media player without a touchscreen, and if developers no longer want to be part of the Android Beta Program, they will head to the Android Beta Site, log into their Gmail account and scroll down to the list of eligible device and click on Unenroll Device, then accept the factory reset.

The Developer Preview introduced new features such as Multi-window, improved Doze mode, bundled notifications and the option to reply to incoming stuff from the notification. The second DP brought bug fixes, especially for multi-window and other issues reported through the public issue tracker. There are new emoji that look more human, launcher shortcuts and Vulkan (a new 3D rendering API).

source:toki-woki.com

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XIAOMI’S NEW PRODUCTS FOR THE WEARABLE MARKET

Xiaomi, the world’s 5th largest smartphone maker, is about to present a new smartwatch, according to Liu De, co-founder and Vice President of the company.

The wearable will work with MIUI 8 OS, the latest version of the mobile operating system developed by the Chinese tech giant. Last week, it also presented a $46 smartwatch for kids.

The smartwatch would be introduced in the second half of 2016, as reported by Gizmochina, which attended aXiaomi’s conference in Beijing. It appears that the product was almost ready for a massive sell. However, investors are expecting a delay due to some production issues related to manufacturers.

On the other hand, Liu De said that Xiaomi is not currently interested in creating automobiles, which is a major trend surrounding several tech developers worldwide. However, engineers are interested in creating products for short-term travels, such as an electric bike.

The Chinese private company has also established a new strategy that seeks to expand offline outlets by 2016. Liu De added that users would expect approximately 60 stores by the end of the year.

The new Band 2 will appear within the coming months

An updated Band plans to offer more on-screen information to users. Gizmochina said it is expected to be more expensive than its antecessor, which costs $16 (99 Yuan). The Mi band 1 comes with a heart rate sensor, powered by a battery that lasts 3 weeks. The new model would likely have a screen and a reduced battery.

Xiaomi has revealed more details about the Android-based MIUI 8 OS, which will be launched on May 10. Apps like Camera, Notes, Phone and Calculator will come with a new design and multi-touch gestures, like double swiping up to delete a note with a paper shredder effect.

Kids can own Mi Bunny Kids Watch for $46

The wearable, which is exclusively designed for kids is capable of making calls and offers audio amplifier, anti-breaking sound and hi-fi technology. Parents don’t need to pay for extra cards since the device is free-to-answer and has no monthly plans.

A feature called Custom Security Zones will send notifications to parents when kids are in determined places. If there’s an emergency, kids can press the power button, to send a special signal. It comes in two colors, light blue and pink. Moreover, it is built in “corning food-grade liquid silicone,” said MIUI in a blog post.

“Parents can set the phone APP end safety area, such as the only way to school, surrounding the house, as well as to and from school, when the child is outside this range, a message will immediately notify the parents,” said MIUI.

source:toki-woki

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