A growing number of automakers have announced plans to integrate fast data connections into their models. High-speed internet could lead to increased driver safety and entertainment options. However, the boost in features could also leave software vulnerabilities. “Modern vehicles already operate with more than 100 million lines of code, multiple communication mechanisms such as GPS, RDS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and more,” Brian Contos, the chief security officer of Phosphorus Cybersecurity, told Lifewire in an email interview....

Why Do Car Batteries Die? The list of issues that can cause a car battery to die is so long as to approach neverending, but virtually every battery killer out there can be shoehorned into the three basic categories of battery problems, electrical system problems, and simple user error. Some of these can be dealt with at home, and others will probably require a visit to your mechanic, but there’s no way to know for sure until you roll up your sleeves and dig in....

The social network, called dduplicata, supposedly gives you a second digital self that’s enhanced with artificial intelligence. The online clone is meant to take over the most routine tasks of everyday digital life, like sending emails. It’s part of a growing movement to create a metaverse or network of 3D virtual worlds focused on social connections. “I believe the importance of digital clones is going to grow as people begin to understand how they fit into their own lives and work,” Luke Thompson, COO of visual effects company ActionVFX, told Lifewire in an email interview....

That said, the iPhone 4 was a major step forward over its predecessors in a number of areas. First, the iPhone 4 was visibly different from earlier versions thanks to its more-square shape (gone were the iPhone 3GS’ tapered sides), a microSIM slot on its side, and circular volume buttons on the left. When looking at the iPhone 4 it was also immediately clear that something had changed: the screen was much higher resolution....

Sonos allows you to create “zones” around your home for listening to music. A zone can be a single “player” in a room, or it can be an area of your home, or it can be any combination of players in your home. A “zone” is created when you choose one or more players to play the same music at the same time. If you have more than one Sonos player, you can group all of the players, or choose any combination of players to create a zone in the living room, bedroom, kitchen, den, or even outdoors....

What Is an ACF File? A file with the ACF file extension is most likely an Adobe Custom Filter file, a format that stores values that are to be used in Adobe Photoshop for manipulating the pixels that exist around a specific pixel. Some files with this extension are associated with the Steam video game distribution platform as an application cache file, used to store information about downloads and updates. If your ACF file isn’t in either of these formats, it may instead be an X-Plane Aircraft file or an Agent Character Data file....

Some of the things smartwatches and activity trackers can measure are pretty unusual—such as fertility and sun exposure—while others are endlessly useful. Fitness Trackers When it comes to the vast majority of wearable tech, there are two basic categories: fitness trackers (also known as activity trackers, and most commonly identified with the brand Fitbit) and smartwatches. Not all wearables fall under one of these two boxes, but here we’ll focus on these two categories....

I’ve used Tile trackers in the past to stop misplacing my keys and wallet, but they’re mostly useful when you’re already in the same room as the item you’re looking for. AirTags leverage Apple’s existing Find My app and a new chip Apple developed itself called the U1, so I was very interested to see what they could do. I tested a set of four AirTags over the course of about a month, checking out how easy they are to set up and use, how effective they are at helping you find lost items, and how well the Find My app and U1 chip work....

The iTunes podcast directory is the de facto universal catalog of podcasts. Anyone can submit their show, and any developer can access the catalog and include it in their podcast app. It’s a fantastic resource that Apple has left alone for years. Now, though, Spotify is going after podcasting—and podcast advertising—in a big way, and Apple is finally starting to fight back. And that’s a very good thing. “Spotify was already the biggest threat to podcasts…,” wrote podcaster and podcast app developer Marco Arment on Twitter “They’re fragmenting podcasts into two worlds—Spotify’s walled garden with exclusives and ad tracking, and the open ecosystem of everyone else—to co-opt ‘podcasts’ to imply ‘on Spotify’....

The SE, starting at $279, bests its competitors in almost every respect. The screen is clear, sharp, and bright, and the performance is zippy. All it lacks is the ECG and blood oxygen monitoring of its more expensive Series 6 big brother, but there’s a good argument to be made that Apple’s health features aren’t for everyone. I’ll come right out and admit that I recently bought the Series 6....

Is a Mechanical Keyboard Good for Typing? Mechanical keyboards are generally regarded as good keyboards for typing. They offer switches under each key rather than rubber membrane like most standard keyboards, which means a superior feeling when typing. Each keypress is tangibly felt, helping users maintain more precise and accurate typing. Mechanical keyboards are often more customizable and last longer, which helps when typing. The main downside is they usually cost a lot more than a regular keyboard....

Basic Tenets of the ACID Model There are four basic tenets of the ACID model: The atomicity of transactions ensures that each database transaction is a single unit that adopts an “all or nothing” approach to execution. If any statement in the transaction fails, the entire transaction is rolled back. Relational databases also ensure the consistency of each transaction with the database’s business rules. If any element of an atomic transaction would disrupt the consistency of the database, the entire transaction fails....

First, make sure you are using a strong password. The password for your Google account is also your password for your Chromebook. Experts suggest using a combination of upper and lowercase letters, along with non-alphabetic characters, such as numbers or symbols. Others suggest using a passphrase rather than a password. It’s also a good idea to use two-factor authentication (2FA) to protect your account. 2FA requires that you confirm all logins with your phone before the login is successful....

The Q-Latch looks more like a widget you’d find in an IKEA furniture kit than a way to install an NVMe drive. The little internal drives, which are little more than a bunch of chips on a bare circuit board, are usually secured using tiny screws. The Q-Latch is nothing more than a rotating plastic latch on a metal shaft. It comes as standard in Asus’ latest AI motherboards, but could it point the way to more repairable gadgets?...

What Is a Modem, and Why Do I Need One? Modem stands for modulator-demodulator. When internet adoption was still somewhat new in many homes, data was transmitted over the same copper wiring that telephones used. However, transmitting the binary zeroes and ones of a data stream over long metal strands isn’t easy. Instead, the signal is sent as either high or low. These are translated to the ones and zeroes that computers expect....

Autofocus and manual focus do the same thing. Both adjust the focus of the camera lens. But, with autofocus, the camera determines the sharpest focus using sensors devoted to measuring it. In autofocus mode, the photographer doesn’t have to do anything. In manual mode, the photographer must adjust the lens focus by hand. While both can produce great results in most circumstances, there are times when it’s better to choose one over the other....

The Internet of Things The Nest replaces a traditional thermostat and provides features like an internet connection, an app to control it, the ability to control it over the internet, usage reports, and intelligent features like learning patterns and suggesting improvements to save energy and improve performance. Internet of Things devices is sometimes referred to as home automation or smart home devices. Those names are a bit misleading because the Internet of Things isn’t just the products used in the home....

Focus Assist does have a few more customizable options compared to the old Quiet Hours but it’s still able to do everything the original setting did. About Focus Assist, Windows 10’s New Quiet Hours Focus Assist is a primary setting on Windows 10 computers and tablets that lets users control the frequency and type of system notifications they get. Focus Assist can be turned on and off relatively quickly and there are three main options from which to choose....

Inside the pastel-toned cases of Google’s latest Pixel phones sits the Tensor, Google’s new system-on-a-chip (SoC), and its attempt to compete against Apple’s A-series chips. Like Apple Silicon, Tensor uses custom-designed chips matched to the hardware. In Google’s case, the Tensor includes a new security chip, the Titan M2, and a mobile TPU (Tensor Processing Unit), which is built to run AI processes like Night Sight, and Recorder voice transcription....

But even as alternatives like CD players, MP3 players, satellite radio, and now mobile devices have become more common, the radio is still a popular source of entertainment for drivers. You probably know the pain of listening to your favorite station only to have it interrupted by bad reception. It’s not quite as bad as having your car radio stop working altogether, but it’s still no fun. Here are some of the most common reasons why your radio reception might suck (and what you can do about it)....