Toyota's New Battery Achieves 932 Mile Range

Toyota, renowned as the world’s largest car company, has often been perceived as an anti-EV automaker due to its cautious approach and reluctance to embrace the EV revolution.

Toyota maintained its course to focus on alternative options or rather specifically saying hydrogen path for its automobility future.  

Instead of succumbing to the hype surrounding these vehicles, Toyota has consistently maintained its stance, emphasizing the need for battery technology to reach a certain stage before committing to the electric path.

However, recent revelations from the company’s “Let’s Change the Future of Cars” workshop suggest a shift in perspective.

After being called an EV-skeptic for ages, they’ve finally shouted from the rooftops that they’re ready to join the party. Cue the confetti cannons and the techno beats because Toyota is projecting that by 2026, the long-awaited stage for electric vehicles will finally be here.

Get this: their battery-powered beauties are expected to cruise an eye-popping range of 932 miles (1,500 kilometers) by 2028. Oh, and here’s the kicker—giga castings!

Yes, you heard it right. Toyota is now jumping on the Tesla train with their own Giga castings, proving that even the biggest skeptics can’t resist a little electric charm.

In light of these revelations, let us delve deeper into Toyota’s evolving stance and the significant implications it holds for the future of electric mobility.    READ MORE...

Ruining Your Devices

How many smartphones have you dropped and shattered? It’s an awful feeling – seeing it falling to the ground and knowing there’s nothing you can do.

Years ago, I put a tempered glass screen protector on my phone. The best part is when you drop your phone, and the glass gets nicked, you simply remove the protector, and it's good as new. Here’s a link to the brand I have used for years, ESR.

Our devices are big investments. You need to treat your tech well to get your money's worth. Regular maintenance is one way to stay ahead of the game. Tap or click for six checkups to do now to avoid a hefty repair bill later.

Based on calls to my show, emails, and questions posted on my website’s tech support forum, here are five common mistakes that could cost you:

1. You’re charging too much
Do you keep your phone plugged in all the time? Apple says that when your iPhone “remain(s) at full charge for prolonged periods of time, battery health can be affected.”

Android phone manufacturers, including Samsung, say the same. “Do not leave your phone connected to the charger for long periods of time or overnight.” Huawei says, “Keeping your battery level as close to the middle (30% to 70%) as possible can effectively prolong the battery life.”

The official word is to keep your phone charged – but not fully charged. Get in the habit of unplugging your tech after it is fully charged.

2. You wait too long to charge your laptop
Laptop batteries have a finite number of charge-discharge cycles. If you frequently let your battery entirely run out of juice, it affects the charge-discharge cycle and diminishes its intended lifespan.

Your laptop battery can also lose efficiency another way. Let’s say you regularly charge your laptop from 30% to 50%, or about 20% each time you charge it. Well, do that five times and you’ll have completed one battery cycle because you’ve charged your laptop 100% in total.

A good rule of thumb is to keep your battery charged to at least 40% most of the time. Tap or click here to check your laptop’s battery health.

3. You go with the cheapest option
If you lose your charger or a USB cable gets frayed, resist the temptation to buy the cheapest replacement. The few dollars you save on a low-cost substitute may very likely negatively affect your device’s performance.

One-size-fits-all charger and cable makers don’t want you to know that often their products do not have the proper voltage needed to work with your specific device. Why does that matter? Your battery may end up not getting the juice it needs to charge fully. Worse, it may erode the battery’s life.  READ MORE...