Weare The Mast Head

Tesla introduced the Model S Plaid Track Package for the first time, a feature that will enable a new top speed for owners of Tesla’s fastest car.

Tesla claims the Model S Plaid has a top speed of 200mph but it originally shipped with a top speed of just 163mph. Then, a new track mode was made available that increased the top speed to 175mph.

Tesla has begun selling a carbon ceramic brake kit for $20,000 that will upgrade the brakes to a point where Tesla feels more comfortable with their stopping power.

Then, the Tesla Model S Plaid Track package was teased with a post on Twitter that said it was “coming soon.” However, the package is now available to order online for $6,000.

as Electric Note, the new package adds new performance wheels and tires that can be used alongside the previous brake upgrade — meaning the whole thing will be a $26,000 upgrade for those starting from scratch.

Their $6,000 buyers will get:

• Zero-G wheels (front) with 2x 20X10J, 285/35R20 Goodyear Supercar 3R tires
• Zero-G wheels (rear) with 2x 20X11J, 305/30R20 Goodyear Supercar 3R tires
• TPMS, Zero-G center cap, tire nut valve and lug nut cover

Tesla says the new package will be available in June 2023.

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I heaped praise on the Galaxy S23 the other day, calling it “my happy little phone.” And it’s a really happy little guy who has taken over as my favorite phone right now because of its size, incredible battery life, solid camera, and software that I can tolerate. But just because that makes me happy doesn’t mean there isn’t everything I miss about not having a Google Pixel phone by my side.

So since I have to maintain my reputation as a Google salesman (I’m kidding), here are all the things I can’t wait to use again when the next Pixel wins me over.

1. Pixel Launcher

One of the best parts about Android has always come from the personalization side of things If you don’t like a feature or app that a company ships with their phone, you may have several options to replace it to meet your needs.

For me on every Samsung phone, the first thing I replace after finishing a review is the launcher. Samsung’s launcher is trash. Not only is it a nightmare to use when you open its app drawer, because it slides horizontally and is attached to the page, it also behaves in absurd ways, like when you try to do something as simple as add an app to your home screen. Even its way of zooming/expanding folders is annoying as hell. It’s the worst launcher on Android and it’s not even close.

I replace that launcher with Nova Launcher because I can customize it so that it almost matches what Google ships with the Pixel Launcher. I love Pixel Launcher, even as bare bones as it is. Whenever I spend a long time with a Samsung phone I miss it a lot.

There are many wonderful things for Pixel Launcher, such as the slickest app drawer, auto-show keyboard for system and app search within it, its fast scrolling and yes, its f*cking vertical layout. I love the way Google handles folders, the easy access to Google Search at all times, and its overall minimal environment Of course, the fact that I can’t remove the “at a glance” widget at the top of the main screen will put me off forever, but the rest feels like it was made for my style.

2. Haptics

While Samsung’s phones have been ultra-premium in their set of features, design and how they feel in the hand, they continue to disappoint in haptics. I’m talking about the subtle jolts and vibrations you feel when carrying a phone around – Samsung isn’t great.

Know who is doing haptics? Well, there is Google, but so is OnePlus. In fact, OnePlus is probably the best at Android, but we’ve heard talk about the Pixel dammit. And the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro have excellent haptics.

When you swipe back on the Pixel phone, swipe to the app drawer, type or do just about anything, the subtle bumps bring such satisfaction and joy. They confirm the action you’re taking while somehow adding to the experience. On a Samsung phone, those same bumps fall flat, aren’t timed correctly, or just don’t hit the same.

Now when using a Pixel phone, haptics are a big part of the Android experience and how it can take you deeper into the software. On Samsung phones, haptics still feel like an add-on that hasn’t been given enough love.

3. Lock screen clock

It may seem small, but Google’s lock screen clock is my favorite on Pixel phones. Specifically, I’m talking about that giant clock that takes up most of the screen when you don’t have any notifications to deal with. I actually wrote about it at length.

To sum up my love for this feature, it mostly boils down to serving as a big-ass clock that’s easy to read, but also as a notice that you’re all caught up and have nothing on your phone to deal with. If you look and you see a smaller version of it, you know you may have some work to do. It’s both beautiful and a part of Google’s best-in-Android notification system

Samsung’s lock screen clocks aren’t bad by any means, and I like the fact that you can customize them quite a bit. But no matter when you look at your Samsung phone, it always looks the same. The clock always stays the same size and is only joined by the notification icon as notifications arrive For me, it’s the size and position changes on Pixel phones that I really like Seeing that big clock is like hitting inbox zero in Gmail. It makes me happy.

4. Performance

This might confuse the chip bros in the building, so let me try to explain. First off, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 inside the Galaxy S23 is an interesting chip. It’s so ridiculously energy efficient as well powerful, that I’m struggling to see how we can improve it. Like, the jump from last year’s first 8 Gen 1 to this 8 Gen 2 is some next-level stuff. Hats off to Qualcomm. I have no complaints about the Galaxy S23’s performance.

But when it comes to Pixel phones and this new Tensor line of chips, the snappiness of the UI has a different feel when you touch it, when you interact with it, when you go from app to app or swipe from a screen. The latter, which no one else is doing. Every little touch of your thumb happens so quickly, so sharply, and so clearly that it almost feels like a step forward before you swipe home using gestures. Then you top that movement with Google’s Pixel experience and the beautiful animations and transitions of those haptics, and you’ve got a phone in your hands that moves like no other.

5. Camera

The results you get from a Galaxy S23 or a Pixel 7 camera are going to be very similar Both have excellent cameras that are good in every situation, so when I say I miss the Pixel 7 camera, it comes down to the little things.

The Pixel 7 camera gives me more confidence in all situations, whereas like the Galaxy S23 I’m still learning to trust it. I find the Pixel 7 camera slightly faster to open, focus, shoot and process than the Galaxy S23. I find its image processing more appealing to my eyes (the Samsung makes everything much warmer) and the night mode is almost as good as a Google phone. Google’s portrait mode remains my favorite, although something with the Samsung S23 is starting to change my mind.

In the end, I have absolutely zero regrets making this recent switch to the Galaxy S23. It’s a top tier phone without the price tag and should be a phone that more people buy But that doesn’t mean my eyes aren’t constantly searching for the next Google Pixel and another reason to go back. I miss some things.

Google announced support for Passkeys, allowing people to sign in to their Google Account without using a password

Google will require people to generate a new passkey per device, with the company saying access to your account will only be granted if the cryptographic private key stored on the device matches the one stored on Google’s servers.

When you sign in, we ask your device to sign a unique challenge with a private key Your device only does so if you authorize it by unlocking the device. Then we verify the signature with your public key.

However, setting up a new passkey on a new device is as easy as it sounds and once done, users will need to authenticate using their usual biometrics, be it something like Face ID or a fingerprint.

On the new device, you simply select the “Use a passkey from another device” option and follow the prompts. It doesn’t automatically transfer the passkey to the new device, it just uses your phone’s screen lock and proximity to authorize one-time sign-in. If the new device supports storing its own passkeys, we’ll ask separately if you want to create one there

It’s still early days for passkeys and more and more websites and services are starting to support them You’ll need to run a compatible web browser if you sign in on the web, of course, but once all the passkeys are set up it should solve the problem of people forgetting their passwords or getting leaked online.

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Lyra’s horizonWhat I call your new mobile game addiction, is now available for download on Android and iOS devices.

In this title, you fly around in what feels like an open island world, run with others and complete tasks. Compared to past Snowman titles, Laia’s Horizon seems to use a lot more content, with the player able to collect different caps that provide unique stats, as well as custom ones that enhance the flying experience.

I’ve had the chance to play the game over the past few weeks, and I have to tell you, if Marvel Snap hadn’t wasted my time, this would be the only mobile game I’d be playing. It’s fun, the controls feel very intuitive (after you get past the initial learning levels), and the world itself is very peaceful to settle into. As far as mobile games are concerned, it’s a 9 out of 10 for me. It doesn’t have the speed of Alto’s Odyssey, but this game is very enjoyable.

The only downside? You need a Netflix account to play it. Now whether you like it or not, on the bright side, there are zero ads and zero in-app purchases, thanks to Netflix being the publisher. I don’t want to hear any complaints.

Go have some fun!

Google Play Link

Apple today released its first Rapid Security Response update, upgrading the existing iOS 16.4.1 and macOS 13.3.1 releases to the new version.

This is the first time Apple has actually released a so-called RSR update that tests the release process as part of previous betas.

Rapid Security Response Updates 16.4.1 (a) and macOS 13.3.1 (a) are both designed to provide critical security updates to iOS 16.4.1 users and macOS 13.3.1 without the need to install the full iOS and macOS software. Although a device restart is still required, at least the download size is relatively small.

Users can download the update through the Settings app on iPhone and through the System Settings app on Mac, though those who want to disable the feature entirely can do so. The RSR update will be rolled into future traditional iOS and macOS updates, ensuring that people will eventually get the latest security fixes even if they don’t want to receive the RSR update directly.

If you don’t see RSR yet, it’s mentioned that Apple is gradually rolling out updates over the next 48 hours. However, some people can see the update and download it but are then told they can’t install it. Hopefully these teething issues can be resolved before future RSR updates are made available to the public.

If you still cannot download the RSR update, because the update is not offered or the installation fails, try again later.

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Qualcomm announced its Snapdragon W5+ chipset for wearables almost a year ago and we have yet to see it in a watch. At its reveal we were told that Mobvoi would ship the first W5+ smartwatch in a few months, but we’re now 10 months into the future and that watch is still not available. It could finally arrive at any moment though, and we know because a listing on Amazon just spoiled all the details.

A listing for the Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 has been spotted on Amazon and it tells us about the specs, software features and more. After seeing this information we don’t know what the price will be and when it will be shipped to our wrists. After looking at the list of features, this will be a watch to consider.

TicWatch Pro 5 Specs

The TicWatch Pro 5 will come with a 1.43″ dual-layer display that is both OLED and FSTN (400×400). If you know the TicWatch Pro watch, this will be familiar to you. These watches always feature FSTN displays that sip battery, but can then flip to OLED to give you a more colorful, powerful experience. This is the signature concept of the TicWatch Pro line.

Beneath that display, the watch will run Qualcomm’s Snapdragon W5+ chip and Wear OS with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. It has Bluetooth 5.2, 2.4GHz WiFi, Corning Gorilla Glass, NFC, mic and speakers, 5ATM water resistance, military grade durability, compass and barometer, and a new rotating crown. The rotating crown is a new feature for Mobvoi watches.

We don’t know the size of the battery, but Mobvoi is using a fast charging technology that will reach 65% in 30 minutes. There is also extended battery mode, which will extend its use up to 80 hours.

The TicWatch Pro 5 measures 50.1 x 48 x 12.2 mm and weighs 44.35 grams. It’s a big watch, like all the Pro models.

Mobvoi is apparently going to pitch this device as a health monitoring machine. The TicWatch Pro 5 will track recovery and VO2 max, sleep and 24-hour heart rate monitoring. It will even provide a health snapshot (heartrate, SpO2, stress, respiratory rate, etc.) with a single tap. It’s built for the outdoors with multi-GNSS, barometer, compass, and tracking for all kinds of outdoor activities.

Since this watch runs Wear OS (the latest version), you get access to Google Wallet (or G Pay, as we call it today), YouTube Music, Google Maps, and the rest of the Google suite. You get access to Google Play for additional app needs, watch faces, and more.

The TicWatch Pro 5 has it all, assuming you can handle a watch this big and want to worry about long-term software updates. Mobvoi isn’t known for being the best at updating their watches.

// Reddit

With Mother’s Day right around the corner, Apple has shared its new gift guide for the year with the company highlighting some of the products it thinks would make great gifts.

Apple has shared a product page that shows ‘Fresh Picks’ with new releases while other tabs include Apple Favorites and more.

Celebrate the one you call mom anew with a Mother’s Day gift. Surprise them with iPhone 14, AirPods Pro, Apple Watch and more.

Apple reminds everyone that they can customize some products, including AirPods, iPads and more.

Keen to highlight the list of Apple products we see some old favourites, including the original iPad, iPad mini and the relatively new yellow iPhone 14. Other colors are also available, but that yellow is the new hotness for Apple.

Other notable products include the HomePod and Apple Watch Series 8 while the iPhone 14 Pro is an option for people willing to spend a little more than most.

At the cheaper end of the list, we find the Apple Watch band, case and the ever-popular HomePod Mini in bright colors.

Alternatively, Apple reminds customers that they can buy a gift card for their mom instead, so they can choose the best product for themselves. This can be a good option for people who can’t choose between different iPhone colors, for example.

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Once the Google Pixel 7a is announced, you’ll probably be like, “Oops, it hasn’t been announced yet?” And you say that because you know the price, the specs, and what it looks like. You’ll even get to know all 4 colors that Google plans to offer it in, thanks to another leak

You’ve already seen the Pixel 7a in Obsidian (black/grey), Chalk (cotton/white), and “Arctic Blue,” but you’ve yet to see it in a rumored coral color. Well, my friends, here it is.

Sending something to the post office by someone @evleaks And then shared on reddit, we see the final color of the Pixel 7a. excellent

Rumors surrounding this particular color are that it might be exclusive to the Google Store. So while Best Buy will sell the other three colors, if you want a Pixel 7a in coral, you’ll have to go straight to the source.

Last time we saw a phone this Coral, probably the Pixel 4 was. The Pixel 4, in retrospect, was one of the best Pixel devices in my opinion. It failed miserably because the smaller version had a 5-hour battery life and the large forehead used for face unlock was awkwardly implemented. But man, it was such a clean design. The Pixel 6 camera is also in the Coral-ish variant, but this 7a is on another level.

Are you going to Pixel 7a in Coral on something else?

Now’s your chance to pick up one of three great UGREEN accessories while saving some money in the process.

Two of these deals are for chargers or charging cables, while the other is for the Apple AirPlay receiver. You’ll save money no matter which deal you choose, with some offering bigger discounts than others.

UGREEN AirPlay 2 Receiver
Buy: $59.99 | Original price is $90

This AirPlay 2 receiver is a great way to add AirPlay 2 support to another device, whether it’s one that doesn’t support AirPlay or only supports AirPlay 1.

Being able to stream via AirPlay 2 enables multi-room support as well as low latency and more. And now you can also benefit from 33% savings.

UGREEN Mini 20W USB C Charger
Buy: $7.80 | Original price is $16

We all need USB-C chargers to power our devices and with phones not often shipping with chargers in the box, this 20W USB-C charger can really come in handy. And you can save over 50% if you order yours today.

UGREEN USB C to USB C Cable 60W 2-Pack
Buy: $9.09 | Original price is $20

USB-C chargers are no good if you don’t have a USB-C cable, and this pack of two is a great way to add a few to your collection. Both cables are rated for 60W as well, so you can easily charge high-powered devices.

To check out more promotional UGREEN products, please visit their dedicated page here.

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The first Android 14 beta rolled out a few weeks ago and the initial response wasn’t the most positive. A number of bugs have led to experiences that many of you have shared frustrations with Today, Google is pushing a new Android 14 beta update to squash at least 5.

Android 14 Beta 1.1 is here with fixes for wallpaper and style screen bugging out, a broken fingerprint unlock, status bar not showing mobile networks, SIM and eSIM activation issues, and a smart lock message that confuses people. It often sounds like all the major bugs we shared with you in the Android 14 beta 1 release.

Here is the full list of bug fixes in more detail:

• Fixed an issue that caused the system UI to crash when trying to access the wallpaper and style screen via the Settings app or by long-pressing from the home screen. (Issue #277938424)
• Fixed some issues preventing fingerprint unlock from being used. (Issue #272403537)
• Fixed an issue where the status bar did not display the mobile network. (Issue #277892134)
• Fixed an issue that prevented a SIM card or eSIM from being detected or activated in some cases. (Issue #278026119)
• Fixed an issue where the lock screen displayed a message with an unresolved string placeholder when Smart Lock was enabled. (Issue #278011057)

Here is the build information for the new build, including a separate build for Verizon Pixel 6 devices:

Release Date: April 26, 2023
Construction:

• Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, and Pixel 6a devices that use Verizon as their carrier: UPB1.230309.017.A1
• All other devices: UPB1.230309.017

Emulator support x86 (64-bit), ARM (v8-A)
Security patch level:

• Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, and Pixel 6a devices using Verizon as their carrier: March 2023
• All other devices: April 2023

Google Play Services 23.13.12

The update is available for Pixel 4a (5G), Pixel 5 and 5a, Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, and Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro.

This new update should start rolling out immediately via factory images ( here ) and OTA files ( here ), as well as through the Android Beta Program ( documented ). If you’re in the Android beta program, you’ll see an over-the-air update, which is the easiest way to update. For those who prefer a little manual work, you can go ahead and flash the file.