BMW's plan to offer CarPlay as a subscription service is user-hostile

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

When buying a new car, the Apple CarPlay or Android Auto infotainment system, and the rights to use it, are usually factored into the vehicle's price or offered as an option. In many cases, it is an expected major feature and convenience that simplies a user's buying decision. Once you've purchased the vehicle, you can access CarPlay and its features all you want as a natural extension of your smartphone.

BMW, it seems, has other ideas. The German carmaker, which just recently added CarPlay to their vehicles, wants to charge a yearly subscription fee of US $80 for users. Apple CarPlay is already a $300 option when configuring a new Bimmer and while the first year to use CarPlay is free, customers will need to cough up $80 a year afterward

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Microsoft's newest Surface Book 2 devices coming to Canada

Microsoft os opening pre-orders for the larger 15-inch Surface Book 2 to 17 countries including Canada. The new and improved Surface Book 2 line improves many features in the company's flagship 2-in-1 line, including the latest Intel processors plus the ability to play high-end games as well as power VR experiences.

The larger 15-inch Surface Book 2 is the latest model and a larger form factor that will delight power users and pros looking for a versatile desktop replacement. The Surface Book comes to United Kingdom, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Sweden, and Switzerland this month and will be made available to even more countries in the next two months.

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‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’ gets its official synopsis

As what’s been the case in the past, Lucasfilm and Disney have kept details on the upcoming Han Solo film close to its chest. Now, it seems they’re ready to let us in a bit. They’ve just released the official synopsis for the film, which they say stars “the galaxy’s greatest scoundrel.” And it looks like Solo: A Star Wars Story will take us to a time when Han Solo meets Chewbecca and "notorious gambler" Lando Calrissian. Director Ron Howard has been giving hints about the film and you can check out all his updates in this link.

Here’s the full synopsis from Star Wars.com: “Board the Millennium Falcon and journey to a galaxy far, far away in Solo: A Star Wars Story, an all-new adventure with the most beloved scoundrel in the galaxy. Through a series of daring escapades deep within a dark and dangerous criminal underworld, Han Solo meets his mighty future copilot Chewbacca and encounters the notorious gambler Lando Calrissian, in a journey that will set the course of one of the Star Wars saga’s most unlikely heroes.”

Samsung launches Galaxy Note8 PyeongChang 2018 Limited Edition smartphone

With Samsung being one of the major sponsors of the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea, the company saw it fit to provide the athletes as well as the IOC staff with personalized Galaxy Note8 devices. The company gave over 4,000 units and this PyeonChang 2018 Olympic Games Limited Edition model features a shiny white back panel and a golden version of the five-ring Olympics logo at the back along with golden finish for the phone’s rim, buttons, and part of the S Pen. The phone comes preloaded with PyeongChang 2018 themed wallpapers and apps that are meant to “help cultivate the utmost Olympic Games experience.” Paralympians are also getting limited edition Galaxy Note8 but their phones will be coupled with cases that have the Paralympic Games logo.

Source: GSMArena