Tag Archives: data

Technology

How to Use Less Data While Browsing Instagram and TikTok

The iPhone has a feature called “Low Data Mode” that can help conserve data usage on both cellular data and Wi-Fi. When this mode is enabled, it affects all apps and services, not just Instagram and TikTok. In Low Data Mode, apps may stop using data when they aren’t actively being used, and Background App Refresh is disabled. Automatic downloads and backups are turned off, and streaming quality is reduced.

To enable Low Data Mode for cellular data, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap on “Cellular Data”.
  3. Go to “Cellular Data Options”.
  4. Tap on “Data Mode” and select “Low Data Mode”.

If you’re using two SIM cards, you can select one of your numbers in the Cellular Data menu and enable Low Data Mode. Repeat the process for the other number if needed. If you want to enable Low Data Mode when connected to Wi-Fi, here are the steps:

  1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap on “Wi-Fi”.
  3. Tap on the “i” next to the Wi-Fi network you’re connected to.
  4. Turn on the toggle next to “Low Data Mode”.
Cars, News

Elon Musk Provides Updates on Cybertruck Production and Demand

The Cybertruck, Tesla’s highly anticipated electric truck, has garnered nearly 1.9 million reservations, according to data from a crowd-sourced tracker. However, with Tesla currently planning to produce 375,000 Cybertrucks per year, it could take over five years for the most recent batch of reservations to be fulfilled. Nevertheless, Tesla aims to increase production figures in the coming quarters to meet the high demand. During a recent investor call, Elon Musk expressed his excitement over the overwhelming demand, stating that it is beyond expectations. Analysts even project that Tesla will surpass 10 million deliveries by 2030 and triple its stock price by then.

In the meantime, for those who have not reserved a Cybertruck yet, booking one might seem uncertain. The unique design and promised high performance and advanced technology of the electric truck have received mixed reviews. Originally, Tesla had set a base price of $39,900 for the rear-wheel-drive model with a range of around 250 miles, with the price increasing to $69,900 for the all-wheel-drive trim that offers over 500 miles on a single charge. However, Tesla has removed all information about trims and pricing from its official website. Musk has hinted that the final price will be higher due to the challenges of the new manufacturing method associated with the Cybertruck. Some analysts estimate the sticker price to be close to $50,000.

VauxhallUk

VAUXHALL LAUNCHES NEW INITIATIVE TO BOOST EV CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE AS INVESTIGATION REVEALS MORE THAN 70% OF UK COUNCILS HAVE NO CHARGING STRATEGY FOR RESIDENTIAL STREETS

  • Vauxhall ‘Electric Streets of Britain’ initiative launched after exclusive data reveals 71.6% of UK councils have no published strategy for residential on-street charging
  • 40% of British households do not have a driveway, leaving millions of potential EV owners unable to charge – this rises to over 60% in urban areas1
  • Study also reveals London has more than twice the number of residential on-street charge points of all other regions of the UK combined
  • UK database launched for residents to register interest in having charge points installed, so councils and charging operators can focus investment where demand exists today
  • ‘Enablement Fund’ established by Vauxhall to help improve Local Authority understanding of residential on-street charging needs
  • Three specialist on-street charging operators – char.gy, Connected Kerb and SureCharge – have signed up to access the programme, to elevate local authority understanding of the topic
  • From 2024, every model in the Vauxhall line up will be available with a fully electric version, and from 2028 Vauxhall will only offer all-electric cars and vans
  • To find out more, or register your street, visit http://electricstreets.co.uk/

Vauxhall has joined forces with leading charge point operators to address the findings of an exclusive investigation revealing that over 70% of UK councils do not have a published strategy for residential on-street charging for electric vehicles (EVs). This leaves millions of potential EV drivers without access to charging facilities.

The investigation, carried out through a Freedom of Information application to 414 councils and local authorities across the UK, also found that 69% of local authorities have yet to install any on-street chargers.

Data provided by 289 councils up to July 1st showed that only 14,188 new charge points are planned for installation this year, which is insufficient to meet the government’s target of 300,000 charge points by the end of 2030.

In response, Vauxhall has launched the ‘Electric Streets of Britain’ initiative to ensure that drivers without driveways are not left behind in the transition to electric mobility. This initiative is in line with Vauxhall’s commitment to offer a fully electric version of every car and van model in its line-up from 2024, and to sell only electric vehicles in the UK by 2028.

Working with charge point operators char.gy, Connected Kerb, and SureCharge, Vauxhall has established an ‘Enablement Fund’ to help local authorities understand the challenges and available solutions for on-street charging. The aim is to prepare for the government’s planned ban on the sale of new combustion engine cars in 2030.

Vauxhall has also created a national database, accessible at http://electricstreets.co.uk/, where the public can register their charging needs. This will enable councils to better understand the demand for on-street charging from existing and potential EV drivers.

On-street charging is crucial for EV adoption, as 80% of all EV charging currently takes place at home.2 However, approximately 40% of UK households do not have a driveway or off-street parking, rising to 60% in urban areas. On-street charging solutions include lamp post chargers, which can be installed and operational within 30 minutes, and pavement-mounted bollards.

London currently has 12,708 residential on-street charge points installed, with plans to install an additional 6,397 over the next year. This means that London will soon have a total of 19,105 on-street charge points, more than double the number available in all other UK regions combined.

Of the councils that responded to the investigation, 45% confirmed that they have no plans to install residential on-street chargers this year.

James Taylor, Managing Director of Vauxhall, emphasizes the importance of access to charging points near homes for the successful transition to electric vehicles in the UK. He states, “We want to galvanize the needs and interests of everyone, from the public, to the councils and the charging operators to make sure that anyone without a driveway is part of that journey. We want to help educate and inform the decision-makers and enable the installation of more chargers, more quickly.”

On-street charging solutions benefit not only private motorists but also businesses. About 40% of company-owned electric vans are charged at home by employees, so the availability of on-street charge points supports businesses in transitioning to electric by providing convenient charging options for van drivers while attending residential jobs.3

Vauxhall is already a popular choice for electric cars and vans, and by 2024, every model in its lineup will have a fully electric version. From 2028, Vauxhall will exclusively offer all-electric cars and vans. Additionally, Vauxhall’s Ellesmere Port plant is set to become the first manufacturing site within the Stellantis group dedicated to producing electric vehicles.

Vauxhall’s Freedom of Information research took place between May – July 2023, encompassing 414 councils across the United Kingdom.

1 TfL Feasibility Study into Electric Vehicle Uptake and the Impacts of Associated Infrastructure (Source: TfL Electric Vehicle Charging Study)

2 Energy Saving Trust (Source: Charging Electric Vehicles – Best Practice Guide)

3 Fleet News Survey 2022

  

News

Elon Musk’s X Corp Files $1 Million Lawsuit Over Twitter Data Scraping

X Corp, founded by Elon Musk, has filed a lawsuit seeking $1 million in damages over alleged data scraping from Twitter. The company claims that the actions of four unidentified individuals have harmed the functionality and reputation of Twitter. X Corp has requested a trial to determine the extent of the damages incurred.

While the lawsuit has been filed, it may face challenges due to the difficulties in identifying and prosecuting the alleged scrapers. Without knowing the identities of the individuals involved, it could be challenging to take appropriate legal action against them. The lawsuit also states that the damages sought will include the disgorgement of the defendants’ profits from the scraping. According to a report by Market Research Future, the web scraping industry is projected to exceed a billion dollars by 2030. Proving the illegality of the scraping without knowledge of the identities could present obstacles for X Corp.

It is important to note that web scraping of public data is not technically illegal. The U.S. Ninth Circuit of Appeals confirmed this in April 2022, as reported by TechCrunch. The majority of the data targeted by the scrapers in this case was publicly available Twitter data, which includes posts and user bios. Since this does not violate the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, it may be difficult for X Corp to establish the illegality of the scraping. The lawsuit is expected to undergo a lengthy legal process before a resolution is reached in the District Court of Dallas County.

To access the full lawsuit document, it can be found on Document Cloud here.

Cars

These Are The Cars Most Likely To Cause Fatalities in Crashes

According to data from the IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety), some of the deadliest vehicles on the road include the Chevy Camaro, Dodge Charger and Challenger, and the Ford Mustang. While this may seem like scaremongering at first, it becomes understandable when you examine the data and the characteristics of these vehicles. For instance, the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, with its 700-plus horsepower, is undeniably thrilling on the racetrack. The sound of the supercharger and the powerful V8 engine can bring joy to many. However, the combination of high horsepower and inexperienced or aggressive drivers can be a dangerous mix.

The IIHS also suggests that advertising plays a role in promoting risky behavior. Simply viewing Charger, Challenger, Camaro, or Mustang ads may influence drivers to operate their vehicles in a dangerous manner. Additionally, data shows that Dodge cars, in particular, are more likely to cause fatalities for both the driver and the driver of the other vehicle in a collision involving two vehicles.

It’s important to note that the compact Mitsubishi Mirage G4, rather than a muscle car, is actually the most dangerous vehicle for the driver. Its main selling point is that it’s the cheapest new car available today. Mini cars, like the Mitsubishi Mirage, Chevy Spark, and Hyundai Accent, top the list of vehicles with the highest driver fatalities.

Technology

How To Turn On Low Data Mode On Your iPhone (And Why You Might Want To)

If you don’t have an unlimited data plan, you understand how precious each gigabyte can be. Besides, realizing that you are about to run out of your data for the month at a time when you can’t get Internet service is the worst. Statista found that around 46 percent of Americans have unlimited data plans – this means that the majority of Americans, 54 percent, still have some sort of data cap on their phone plans.

It might be a shock, therefore, to learn that there is actually a way to reduce the amount of data you are using. It doesn’t matter whether you are connected to a metered Wi-Fi network or are approaching the end of your data cap and in need of conserving as much as possible. Low data mode can be an essential way to prevent going overboard with data consumption. You can even configure it separately for each type of connection.

So, what exactly does it do? According to Apple, it restricts background data usage in apps you may not even remember are running. It also turns off automatic app updates, lowers streaming quality, and restricts iCloud backups. With this mode on your side, you could find yourself using less data than ever before, which could save you a lot of data-related stress in the long run.

Finding and turning on low data mode

The process of finding low data mode is simple. If you would like to set up low data mode while still connected to a Wi-Fi network, here’s what you need to do.

  1. Go to the Settings app and click on the Wi-Fi button.
  2. When looking at the Wi-Fi network your iPhone is connected to, look to the right and click on the information icon.
  3. The toggle button for low data mode will be underneath the auto-join and password boxes. Click it to turn it on and off.

However, if you are looking to preserve your data, you likely aren’t already connected to Wi-Fi. Thankfully, it’s similarly easy to find this mode without the comforts of a stable Wi-Fi network. If you are on LTE, 4G, or 5G, take the following steps to turn on low data mode.

  1. Once again, go to the Settings app, this time clicking on the Cellular button.
  2. Once the Cellular page appears, click on the Cellular Data Options menu.
  3. Click the expanded menu for Data Mode, then choose low data mode.
Motorsport

Discontinued Land Cruiser, Fiat 500, Other Zombie Cars Sold In Q2 2023

As we move into the second half of 2023, automakers are releasing sales data for the first two quarters. One interesting trend that continues is the sales of models that have been discontinued for two or three years. Toyota, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, and other manufacturers are still reporting sales of these “zombie cars” in their sales reports.

In the last three months, Toyota managed to sell two Avalon sedans. This is surprising considering that the model was last produced in 2022 and is no longer available in the US market. The decline in sales can be attributed to changing consumer preferences for crossovers and SUVs. Despite Toyota releasing a new generation of the sedan in 2019, sales failed to improve and eventually led to the discontinuation of the model.