Apple takes out ‘time remaining’ battery life estimate to address MacBook Pro battery complaints

It seems like a weird fix to the battery life complaints the new MacBook Pro has been receiving but there is logic behind Apple’s decision to take out the “time remaining” battery life estimate from these machines. According to an internal investigation by Apple, the battery issue isn’t a hardware flaw but more of a prediction inaccuracy of the time the MacBook Pro remains usable. This unreliability issue is seen to be caused by the latest low-power processors and how it switches between tasks. The battery life status menu couldn’t keep up with the CPU when it switches between low-power and high-performance modes, thus causing the erratic predictions.

Another cause seen is the use of iCloud syncing, especially when first using the machine. Some users don’t realize that the process of syncing kicks into overdrive when the new Mac is first set up so it can sync all your data. This works in the background and it’ll greatly affect battery life. It would take a few days for battery life and its estimate to normalize. What Apple has decided to do is just put the percentage of the remaining battery life on the screen.

Source: 9to5Mac

Amazon Prime Video streaming now showing in Canada

It took a while but the Amazon Prime Video streaming service is available in Canada to Amazon Prime subscribers. This means they are able to watch such acclaimed shows as The Grand Tour (only the most pirated TV show in recent history), Mozart in the Jungle and Transparent as well as a wide variety of other programs. The range of movies and TV shows is limited right now, certainly looks very sparse compared to Netflix, here's hoping for more parity to the US version of Prime Video.

Exisiting Amazon Prime Canada subscribers get the video streaming with their $79 yearly subscription. And, just like with Netflix, subscribers can download episodes for offline viewing.

Source: The Toronto Star

LockSmart Travel is a smart padlock with location tracking services

Dog & Bone, a leading brand in smart technology for mobile devices, today announced that the patented LockSmart Travel is now shipping. The LockSmart Travel is a TSA accepted, keyless, Bluetooth luggage padlock controlled by an iOS or Android app. It is equipped with a location tracking feature that allows users to track their luggage through the app when in Bluetooth range. Additionally, the location feature is designed to allow users to crowdsource through the growing LockSmart community in case luggage is lost or stolen.

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The 1,000-horsepower EV from Lucid Motors is up for preorder

California-based luxury automotive company Lucid Motors is gearing up to release its new 1,000-horsepower, 400-mile range electric vehicle and it wants interested buyers to know the car is now up for preorder. The Lucid Air, which is seen as a direct competitor to the Tesla Model S P100DL, has 100kWh and 130kWh battery packs and have long-range radar, cameras, LIDAR, and even an app and over-the-air updates. Pricing is expected to run over US$100,000 but no specific amount has been announced yet.

If getting a Lucid Air is something that interests you, you can hand over a US$2,500 deposit to reserve a “standard” production model. If you want something special, prepare to shell out US$25,500 for a “launch edition” that will be one of the first 255 cars of the production line. It might not be the best idea to buy one of the first cars off a production line, if you think about reliability. But Lucid Motors seems to be confident enough that the deposits on the car are refundable. If you’re curious about who’s behind the company. Its CTO is Peter Rawlinson, the former lead engineer for the Tesla Model S, and its chief designer is Derek Jenkins, who used to be the design head at Mazda.

Source: The Verge