Tag Archives: sudden

Smartphones

12 Of The Most Common Android Problems (And How To Troubleshoot Them)

One of the most common issues you might encounter is sudden and unexpected battery drain. This can happen for a lot of reasons, but the most common is that a process on the phone has run out of control and is causing problems. Usually, troubleshooting involves finding the specific process and stopping it.

You can do this by going into your phone settings and navigating to the battery section. The battery life stats for Samsung devices are under Device Care, while many other manufacturers keep it in the Settings menu under Battery. Once there, you should be able to see which apps have used the most battery under Battery Usage By App. The problematic process should be listed at the top.

From there, you have three options. You can reboot the phone and see if that resolves the issue. The second thing to try is going back into Settings, navigating to the Apps section, and force-stopping the app. Finally, you can uninstall and reinstall the app to see if that resolves the problem.

Occasionally, it might be a system process that causes the excessive battery drain. If that’s the case, you can still force close the process by going to the Apps section of Settings, tapping the three-dot menu button, and selecting Show System Apps. Find the problematic process and force close it. Other than that, your best option is to check the Play Store for app updates, the settings for a system update, or tap this link from your phone to see if Google Play Services needs an update.

News, Technology

Google Slapped With Lawsuit Over Data Used To Train Its AI

The seemingly sudden explosion of publicly-available chatbots that utilize very capable large language models (LLMs) raised uncomfortable questions about the nature of copyright and how creators can be properly involved in (or, at least, compensated for) the AI-training process. At the heart of the matter are the datasets used to train various AI models, which can include everything from content scraped from random blogs to scientific journals, libraries of published books, social media platforms, and more. Some companies that wield vast quantities of human-generated content like Reddit and Twitter have scrambled to ensure they’re paid for the info.

While big companies fight with lawsuits, there are many people indirectly swept up in the matter who don’t have the resources to individually challenge tech giants, which is where class action lawsuits may come into play. It’s no surprise, then, that Google is facing a proposed class action suit that wants, among other things, for the company to hit pause on providing commercial access to its AI models. 

The legal action comes from Clarkson Law Firm, and one of the attorneys on the case, Tim Giordano, explained the reasoning in a statement to CNN: “Google needs to understand that ‘publicly available’ has never meant free to use for any purpose. Our personal information and our data is our property, and it’s valuable, and nobody has the right to just take it and use it for any purpose.” Alphabet, Google, and DeepMind haven’t commented on the lawsuit at the time of writing.

Motorsport

Watch And Listen As A 33-Year Old Audi 200 I5 Turbo Dominates the Autobahn

In 1990, Audi was facing declining sales and an outdated product line. An unfounded sudden acceleration scandal had damaged the brand’s reputation, resulting in a 50% drop in US sales since 1985. Audi was on the verge of withdrawing from the North American market, similar to Alfa Romeo and Peugeot. However, they decided to focus on their strengths.

Unlike Alfa Romeo and Peugeot, Audi had two advantages: its turbocharged inline-five-cylinder engine and Quattro all-wheel drive system. These technologies were introduced in the 1980s with the original Ur Quattro and the Sport Quattro S1, a powerful rally car. By incorporating the turbo five-cylinder and Quattro AWD into the mild-mannered 200 model, Audi began to regain its prominence.

In its stock form, the 1990 Audi 200 Quattro produced 217 horsepower and 228 pound-feet of torque from its turbocharged inline-five engine. However, the owner of the metallic brown sedan featured in this video claims that it has been modified to produce 480 horsepower. They describe the car as a “grandpa on steroids” as it takes to the autobahn for a top-speed run.

The distinct growl of the five-cylinder engine fills the air as it idles. Unlike the smoothness of an inline-six engine, the five-cylinder emits a rougher, bear-like sound, conveying both anger and eagerness to accelerate. The car wastes no time in reaching high speeds on the autobahn.

At 5,000 rpm and 180 kph (approximately 112 mph), the Audi 200 maintains a steady course in the left lane. The resonance of the inline-five is reminiscent of Lamborghini Huracan and Audi R8, both equipped with V10 engines that share the uneven pulses of the five-cylinder. As the turbo boost kicks in, the car gains momentum and races towards its 7,000 rpm redline, leaving caution behind.

During the video, the Audi 200 reaches a top speed of 240 kph (approximately 150 mph) before the driver encounters traffic and exercises self-preservation. For comparison, a new Audi S6, considered the modern equivalent of the 200, has a claimed top speed of 155 mph. However, while the Audi S6 may offer a safer and more comfortable driving experience, it lacks the raw excitement provided by the modified Audi 200 as it conquers the autobahn.

News

Obituary: Designer Peter Horbury dies aged 72

The international car design community is in shock and mourning following the sudden passing of Peter Horbury, a highly accomplished and respected figure in the industry.

Horbury, aged 72, tragically passed away during a business trip to China while visiting the headquarters of his employer, the Geely group. Until 2021, he held the position of executive vice-president of design at Group Lotus, where he played a crucial role in establishing a strong connection between Lotus and its Chinese owners. Prior to that, he served as the head of design for the fast-growing Geely group.

Throughout his career, Horbury worked on a wide range of design projects. He began his journey at Chrysler UK in the 1970s, where he was responsible for designing the iconic Talbot Horizon grille. After graduating from the Royal College of Art with a degree in design in 1974, he went on to achieve significant milestones. However, he is best known for his extraordinary tenure as Volvo’s design chief from 1991 to 2002. His innovative vision and philosophy played a pivotal role in saving the company, and his design influences can still be seen in modern Volvo vehicles.

After his time at Volvo, Horbury held design leadership positions at Ford’s Premier Automotive Group and eventually became the head of Ford design in the United States. He later returned to Volvo for another successful period before assuming his position at Geely. Regarded as a superb leader and mentor, as well as a captivating storyteller and a constant source of joy, Horbury will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege to know him during his illustrious 50-year career, including his close ties with Autocar.