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Latest by Bruce Brown

research vocabulary size growth oldbooks feat

How many words do you know? Online test measures the size of your vocab

Researchers at Ghent University in Belgium wanted to study both vocabulary size and growth over time. After television coverage their Dutch test went viral.
psychology people uber surge pricing smartphone ridesharing app

Uber sues London transport agency over new written English test for drivers

Citing a new two-hour, written English test for new and renewing drivers, Uber has filed a lawsuit against the London transport agency.
vw electric car paris 300 mile range volkswagen e golf 1200x798

New electric Volkswagen debuts in Paris next month with 300-mile range

As part of its commitment to electric vehicles, Volkswagen plans to introduce a Golf-sized prototype at the Paris Motor Show next month.
Tesla Model 3

You'll be able to sleep in the back of a Tesla Model 3 (if you're not too tall)

Camping in your Tesla? The Tesla Model 3 interior will measure 5 feet and 6 inches with the rear seats folded flat, enough for most side sleepers.
lyft ride sharing

Lyft's new precise location feature takes the guesswork out of your ride

Lyft's ride-hailing app now has 200 places where riders can specify precise pickup and drop-off locations. This time-saver applies to airports and arenas.
2016 Nissan Leaf

Electric vehicles available now could replace 90 percent of cars used today, study says

A four-year MIT study of nationwide driving behavior concludes today's relatively short-range electric cars could replace 90 percent of current vehicles.
pennsylvania paper trail voting machine people in booth

Tech companies doing their part to get out the vote

Silicon Valley companies are putting on a push to get their employees to the polls this year. Some tech companies are giving employees the day off to vote.
mercedes benz electric car active aerodynamics iaa transformer concept  intelligent aerodynamic automobile

Mercedes to maximize electric car driving range with active aerodynamics

The wind resistance of electric cars can significantly affect driving range. Mercedes hints broadly that it will use active aerodynamics with electric cars.
Lyft

Replacing bus lines with Uber and Lyft seems like a good idea to two U.S. cities

Cities in Florida and Colorado are testing ride-hailing services Uber and Lyft to replace selected bus lines. The cities are trying to save money.

Volkswagen could face criminal charges in the U.S.

While it may seem that everyone is investigating Volkswagen, the Department of Justice reportedly has enough evidence to support criminal charges.
psychology people uber surge pricing smartphone ridesharing app

It turns out Uber drivers are abused more often than passengers are

Uber drivers are more likely to be abused or attacked by passengers than the other way round, says the company. Riders can be banned due to driver ratings.
online porn addicting erectile dysfunction 59187043  button on the computer keyboard

British psychosexual therapist says easy access to porn ‘damaging men’s health’

Young men addicted to online porn on mobile devices are showing up in clinics with erectile dysfunction in increasing numbers, says psychosexual therapist.
nissan variable compression gasoline engine 42180824  brand name berlin

Will Nissan’s variable compression tech be a game-changer for gasoline engines?

At the Paris Motor Show in September Nissan is going to debut a variable compression and displacement gasoline engine that could supplant diesels.
standing walking exercising reduce blood glucose level desk woman exercise ball chair

Get up, get on up — simply standing reduces blood sugar levels

The worst thing you can do if you have high blood sugar issues is to sit all day. Standing up and moving around, even briefly, can help glucose levels.
high tech bathroom renovations 41606266  exclusive modern white with glass shower

Time for a bathroom redo? Houzz unveils latest tech for toilets, tubs, and showers

Homeowners who renovate their bathrooms choose from a wide range of high-tech features, focusing on toilets, bathtubs, and showers.
tesla supercharge charge structure superchargers 1200x792

Even in zero emissions mandate states car dealers make buying electric cars hard

Even in states with Zero Emissions Vehicle mandates, car dealer don't make it easy to buy EVs, concludes a Sierra Club mystery shopper survey.
tesla mobileye autopilot component conflict fremont factory

Tesla joins Volvo and Mercedes in walking back ‘self-driving’ terminology

Language that describes driver assist modes takes another turn when Tesla removes 'Autopilot' and 'self-driving' from Chinese website following a crash.
Hacker

Buying a handgun on the dark web ‘just like buying a bar of chocolate’

The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms is going after illegal gun sales online, creating a special center specifically for that purpose.
Wilson connected trackable football

Meet Wilson X — the football that’s smarter than you are

Wilson's connected football could arrive near the beginning of the NFL football season. Wilson X football pre-orders will ship September 8.
gm lyft purchase denied founders crop

Lyft turned down a purchase offer from General Motors

General Motors recently tried to buy ridesharing company Lyft, increasing its current nine-percent share, but Lyft turned it down.
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California contemplates adding more teeth state's electric vehicle mandate

With support from Governor Brown, a California legislator plans a law requiring electric cars to be 15 percent of new cars sold within a decade.
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Rwandan entrepreneur uses solar phone-charging carts to create jobs in Africa

African Renewable Energy Distributor uses solar phone-charging kiosks in Rwanda to provide jobs and help smartphone users with no access to electricity.
new technology benefits versus adoption metrics laptop feat

Most companies slow to adopt new business tech even when it can help

Several barriers slow implementation of technology trends, even when top executives recognize the new tech could help the bottom line.
remote key fobs vulnerable vw 100 million volkswagen vehicles hacked

100 million Volkswagen vehicles can be unlocked wirelessly by hacker thieves

Researchers found separate hacks for remote key fob codes to unlock cars. Most VW Group vehicles made since 1995 and millions of other cars are vulnerable.
national drive electric week 2016 2015 bellingham wa steve coram 0272

Get behind the wheel of an EV during National Drive Electric Week

Here's your chance to look at, sit in, ride in, and drive electric cars with the people who own them. National Drive Electric Week 2016 is September 10-18.
Interior of a Chevrolet Bolt EV

Chevy Bolt design sacrifices aerodynamics in favor of cargo space

The 2017 Chevy Bolt all-electric vehicle was designed from the inside out as a family vehicle for the masses. Cargo capacity was a top priority.
BMW ReachNow

Park and fly at Sea-Tac with BMW ReachNow car sharing

BMW's ReachNow car-share service has recently added park-and-fly service at Sea-Tac airport for program members in the Seattle area.
dt cars top stories of 2015 fisker karma

Karma wants to build 50,000 cars a year in China, sell cars in the U.S. via dealers

Karma Automotive will sell cars in the U.S. via conventional auto dealerships and company showrooms. A Chinese factory is planned to build 50K cars a year.
Tesla Model 3

BMW courting Tesla Model 3 customers with ‘Wait or Drive’ ads

Two BMW television ads directly address customers on the waiting list for the Tesla Model 3, which won't be available until late 2017.
google fiber van

Google delays Fiber installation in Silicon Valley cities as it mulls alternatives

Google is reassessing technology options in rolling out gigabyte internet access. Five Silicon Valley city projects have been delayed.
A hand on a laptop in a dark surrounding.

Be alert, cash register credit card readers may be compromised by Oracle breach

Due to significant data breaches, Oracle is asking all Micros customers to reset customer support portal passwords and on-premises card reader passwords.
darpa

DARPA seeks building materials that can respond to change and heal after damage

DARPA is looking for proposals to develop self-healing, living building materials that grow as needed.
2017 BMW i3

Germany’s e-car discount program is off to a strong start

The German government's 1.2 billion euro electric car and plug-in hybrid discount program had almost 2,000 applications during its July kickoff month.
A hand on a laptop in a dark surrounding.

FTC flouts conventional wisdom, says changing passwords often can do harm

Conventional computer security wisdom has been to change passwords often. It turns out, however, that most people make changes in detectable patterns.