Mods to Improve Your Vehicle’s Performance

Mods to Improve Your Vehicle’s Performance

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Car owners often want the performance of their cars to be better than when they came off the production line and some of them spend small fortunes making this happen. This is nothing new; it has been going on for decades and in some places meeting are held for them all to show off their improvements.

However, there are some mods that will just improve the look of the car and other that will make it perform better.

Tires

If you want your car to handle well, a good set of tires should be the first thing you spend any money on. No amount of power will be any good if your tires will not grip the road. You should also monitor the pressure of your tires. Having them at the correct pressure not only makes your car safer to drive, but it will also improve the way your car handles.

Spark Plugs

Good quality spark plugs can make a difference to the performance of your car. They will provide better combustion, which translates into more power as well as better fuel economy.

Whenever you are buying parts or accessories you should always purchase them from a reputable dealer such as Automotive Stuff. There are lots of fake items on the market, and then even the spark plugs would be a waste of your dollars.

Reprogramming ECU

The ECU in your car controls the mix of fuel and air. It is set at the factory at a level to maximize efficiency and power. The problem is that the factory settings are well below your engines true capacity, mainly as a safety net.

Reprogramming the ECU can unlock a huge amount of extra performance and sometimes leads to better fuel efficiency too.

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Cold-Air Intake

The easier it is for your car to ‘breathe’ the better it will run. The cold-air intake frees up the flow of air to your engine, which helps to keep it cooler. This translates into better performance, as engines love cold air.

Exhaust System

The exhaust system is a crucial part of the air, fuel and, spark equation. The freer flowing the air is through the exhaust the better your car will perform. There are many different exhaust systems on the market, and some drivers are considering the way they look as well as how good they are. You just have to be aware that if you fit an aftermarket exhaust on a fairly new car, you could make your warranty void.

Brakes

If you are going to make your car go faster, it needs to be able to stop faster too. There are brakes especially designed for performance cars. Some have hard ceramic brake pads, and there are slotted or drilled rotors for less brake fade. You can buy braided steel brake lines that can deliver more hydraulic pressure to the calipers, and wheel cylinders or oversize rotors that will slow you down even quicker. You just have to make sure that the brakes are up to the job once you have improved your car’s performance.

Surprising Uses For Carbon Fibre

Surprising Uses For Carbon Fibre

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Carbon fibre is a material which is used for many different things in the world. It is a materials which is made of a thin and strong crystal, and these crystal filaments fit together to create an incredibly durable and diverse material for everyday use and use in manufacturing.

When most of us think about carbon fibre we likely think of this as a scientific material and one which is used for automotive uses and manufacturing all over the world. However apart from these well known uses of this versatile material, there are a few more random uses which we are going to talk about today.

Jackets

Leather jackets are SO last season… why not rock up to your next party with a jacket made from carbon fiber sheets? The reason this can be used as a material for jackers is because it is pretty flexible and it is also super warm inside. It means that you can make the most of the cold weather and still look super stylish out and about. Plus, it is a little waterproof to protect you from the elements!

Thermal Mugs

One of the more random uses for carbon fibre is in thermal or travel mugs. The reason it is used for these purposes is likely more about the colour and design than anything else but it is pretty cool nonetheless!

Toilet Seats

Have you ever really looked at your toilet seat and thought ‘this could be more stylish’. Well, if you have always fancied feeling as if you are in the driver’s seat of the enterprise while you are doing your business: a carbon fibre toilet seat is just for you. To be fair, this can look pretty amazing in a modern bathroom and it can be a wonderful feature which will certainly act as a talking point between you and your guests when they come to visit!

Phone Case

For those of you who never have their phone out of their sight, a great idea for a gift for you would be a carbon fibre phone case. This does nothing for your phone apart from looking amazing, and it can be the perfect addition to your new device to protect it from damage. The good thing is that carbon fibre is very lightweight and very strong so if you do drop your phone, it is much less likely to break than if you were to have a regular plastic case.

Splashback

If you fancy channeling your inner diva in your home this year, a stunning addition to an open kitchen would be a carbon fibre splashback behind the oven. It will not only be impressive for you to see when you walk in the room, but it will do the job well and avoid your walls ever getting covered in tomatoey stains or worse.

Fashion

Fancy looking chic and modern this year? As we already mentioned, carbon fibre can be used for clothing and jackets to keep you warm and protected against the elements, but did you know they can also be shoes? Carbon fibre shoes and boots can be a great option for anyone who is always out and about working, and they will be durable and fashionable enough for you to wear in any situation.

Bathtub

How much more luxurious and sexy can you get than a black bathtub in your home? The answer is not much at all. If you really want to play around with your interior design and make an impact on your home, a black bathtub instead of the usual white can be bold, brave and stunning. As we said. Carbon fibre is lightweight and strong so it won’t be too heavy to carry, and the finished product can be stunning.

Wallet

Another fashionable piece, if you are sick of your wallet breaking after a month of owning it, one great option to try would be a carbon fibre wallet. A wallet made from this material can be great for your bag and it will keep your money and cards safe for much longer than a regular leather option. The design is sleek and stylish so its ideal for anyone and everyone will want to know where you got it from!

Stormtrooper Helmet

… because, why not? We had to end this list with something a bit more fun, and if you have always wanted to be a stormtrooper, you can be now with a stunning carbon fibre stormtrooper helmet. There’s no reason, just take our money!

5 Ways Smartphones Make Life Easier

5 Ways Smartphones Make Life Easier

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We can’t imagine a life without our smartphones. We rely on them more than ever, and they’ve become a part of us to the extent that if we ever leave our phone at home or lose it, it’s as if we’ve lost a part of ourselves. Smartphones make our lives a lot easier, and it enables us to utilize our time more effectively. So what ways do they make life easier?

Work On The Go

This is one that can be both good and bad, but for the majority, smartphones are now like mini laptops. They enable us to send emails on the go, edit presentations or documents so that we’re able to continue our working day while we’re commuting. It means that we’ve got more time for either extra work or to spend with family and friends. Apps are also a great way of being able to work on the go, with many of the programs and software we use in work, being available in a phone app format.

Access To Information

With so much at our fingertips, we’re able to access information quicker than ever before. Want to know what’s going on in the world’s news? Well, you can find out within a few seconds. Perhaps you need to know what the weather is going to be like this week? Well, you don’t need to wait for the weather report to broadcast on TV because you’ll have it readily available online. A smartphone comes in handy to solve an argument or answer a question you and your friends are trying to figure out over a beer in a pub.

Stay In Touch

No longer do you have to send bulk sms because, with platforms like Facebook and Whatsapp, you can communicate with your friends more effectively. Most will show you if the recipient has received the message and with IOS, you have the benefits of Facetime, where you can speak to someone face-to-face. Most of your friends and family will also be online, which makes staying in touch with long-distance relatives, much easier. Post a status or a picture of your cat. Communicating with the outside world has never been so easy!

Organization Tools

There are literally an app for everything on your smartphone. From to-do lists to workout diaries, organizing your life has never been so easy. Some of these organization apps even use AR technology that provides more tailored and personalized experiences to the user. Many aspects of life are now much easier with the help of smartphones and with them in our daily lives, we’ve advanced quite a bit.

Keeps You Safe

There’s many positives and negatives to using social media, but one thing that works well for smartphones is that they help in keeping us safe. From Facebook using a tracker which helps people check-in as safe during terrorist events to emergency calling on your phone whenever there’s an emergency. These safety features haven’t been around for long but have aided our safety increasingly over the last several years. It gives us and our friends and families, peace of mind for one another.

Smartphones and technology, in general, are really providing the human race with so many opportunities to grow and advance. We rely on them heavily, but they do make our lifestyles a lot easier from work to life outside it. If you don’t have a smartphone, then you should definitely consider getting one soon.

Is Your Job Safe From The Robot Invasion?

Is Your Job Safe From The Robot Invasion?

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Is your job safe from the robot invasion? No, we aren’t talking about Daleks, Replicants, and Terminators invading your workspace! Rather, we are referring to computers and automated machines that are replacing much of our workforce around the world. According to this study, one in three workers will see their jobs replaced partly or entirely by some kind of artificial intelligence somewhere around 2030.

Should you panic now?

Yes and no! In some cases, computers and other AI devices are making jobs easier. Those of you working in an office-based job will understand this, as there are now many advanced AI tools at your disposal to make light work of mundane and time-consuming tasks. The same is true of the construction industry where automated workers make light work of many jobs requiring physical labor. However, in both industries, there are complex tasks, decisions, and customer interactions that still require human intervention. You can breathe easy if you hold a job in these fields…for now!

On the other hand, if you work in the manufacturing industry, your job may be at risk. Many jobs have already been replaced by machines. The same is true of the transportation industry. There are more examples here of those industries where job security is questionable. In some of these cases, robots are collaborative, so human and machine can work together hand-in-hand. But it might only be a matter of time before machines take the priority, as in the long-term, it might be cheaper for a company to implement them in favor of hiring extra human employees.

So, what should you do?

If you are in a job that is at risk (see the link above), you might consider waiting before jumping ship into something else entirely. Research your industry and speak to other professionals to gather an opinion on how safe your job is. However, if you have already noticed redundancies, and have seen colleagues replaced by something automated, it’s worth considering the options below.

Some careers are safe, and if you aren’t in them already, you might want to think about the transition. These job roles include those in creative fields – writing, marketing, graphic design – and people-focussed jobs, such as teaching, nursing, and social work. There are other high-paying fields here that might be considered safe.

To ensure you survive the robot invasion, therefore, you might want to consider going back to school to retrain for a new career. Take these MSW schools online, for example, as a route into social work. You might also want to learn those skills in your current job that robots are not yet able to perform adequately, as this might save you from redundancy. Alternatively, you might escape the rat race altogether and start your own business. There is some advice here on things you need to know before you do.

So you see, there are options open to you, so while the risk of a robot invasion is a frightening prospect for some workers, there are ways to combat the threat. Pay attention to what is going on around you, consider your job security, and if you do need to take action, start putting something in place to futureproof your place in the workforce.

Let us know what you think!

These Two Companies Want Their Employees To Ditch Their Cars

These Two Companies Want Their Employees To Ditch Their Cars

A lot of big companies are starting to get worried about the environment, particularly climate change. Why? Because climate change threatens their business model and profits in the future. If people can’t work as productively, or the planet’s resources can’t support ever-greater consumer spending, then their bottom lines will take a hit, shareholders will lose out, and the magical growth story of our economy will finally come to an end.

One of the ways that companies are trying to make a difference is by getting their employees to start taking alternative means of transport to work – not surprising at all really. As these auto accident lawyers point out, driving is not only bad for the environment but dangerous too, costing employers large upfront fees in health insurance and lost working hours due to injury.

So what are companies doing to try to entice people out of their private motor vehicles and into something a little less taxing on the environment?

Google Is Giving People Lifts On Electric Buses

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Google is a company right at the forefront of the workplace commuting revolution. It knows that if it wants to get the best out of people, they have to show up to the office, day in, day out. But getting them there is an environmental nightmare.

Well, at least it was in the past. But now Google has started running a series of autonomous electric shuttle buses to ferry workers from A to B without having an appreciable impact on the environment at its offices in California. Of course, the buses use the company’s own autonomous driving technology and are reportedly very safe, but they’re not yet in mass usage across the country. If Waymo takes off, though, that could all change pretty quickly.

Panasonic Wants People To Ride On Public Transport

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Panasonic recently opened a new North America head office in Newark. Part of the reason for relocating there had to do with the transit benefits that the new Newark location would bring. Rather than employees having to drive alone – which more than 90 percent did at the former Secaucus office – the new Newark office was strategically placed near to the town’s station, providing easy access to workers.

That wasn’t the only change that the company made. It also gave employees 50 percent off their transit costs, incentivizing them to ditch their cars and take public transport instead. So did they? After the move to Newark, the number of people driving to work alone fell to an impressive 35 percent. Those taking public transport rocketed from about 5 percent to an impressive 55 percent.

The reason so many workers made the switch is easy to understand. The average employee saved around $150 to $200 per month on parking spaces alone, let alone the additional cost of fuel and motoring expenses.

Panasonic also helped educate its workforce on the benefits of taking mass transit up to two years before introducing the scheme, helping to grease the wheels once finally implemented. So far it’s been a roaring success.

Tech Highlights of 2018

Tech Highlights of 2018

A new year has started and with that comes the anticipation of new tech and a reflection of all those gadgets that made our lives more comfortable and more enjoyable. Here is a quick rundown of those tech gadgets and other technological advances you couldn’t do without last year.

2018 was the year of enhanced mobile phone camera lenses and sophisticated photography capabilities. We are way beyond the selfie stick now as the cameras in mobile phones are making giant leaps forward, offering multiple lenses in combination with purposely built software. Every new smartphone now offers some form of portrait mode, post editing possibilities, including changes in aperture and HDR options. Modern phones can not only take stunning photos, but they also make it easier for the end user as well.

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2018 was also the year where advances were made on tech that makes our lives safer. From tech that helps people with diabetes monitor their glucose levels, to make the use of dash cams more commonplace. See the best dash cam 2018 for some standout options. Facial recognition has come a long way, even touted to be used to combat human trafficking.

It wasn’t the year of VR or AR yet. Instead, we saw fin-tech taking a high flight, with financial services going app based. You know you can bank outside the typical brick & mortar financial institutions. Moreover, these companies offer compelling and sophisticated ways to organize and analyze your money and new ways to invest. It was also the year of chatbots, offering consumers almost real-time interaction experiences, any time anywhere. Most companies are responding to the call from an ever younger becoming target audience and their expectations on how companies should interact with them. And you can’t really say chatbot without mentioning AI. It seems that each year, machines are becoming smarter and smarter. Point and case is image recognition capability, which is becoming increasingly better at recognizing what’s in a picture.

2018 was also the year where we all came crashed back to earth from cryptocurrency highs. The blockchain is still a promising advancement, but we have now learned that it still needs to drive true added value, and FOMO is not a good indicator of value.

Previously mentioned face recognition also comes with a darker side. China is reportedly working to supercharge its national CCTV network with facial recognition to create something that is reminiscent of Big Brother practices. Also in the news, drones and the legislative grey area surrounding them. Recently drones near a UK airport grounded all planes, causing severe delays to people traveling.

What’s in store for 2019? It seems that engineers will determine the fate of big tech companies such as Facebook as it struggles with its public responsibility following the data scandals. Despite this, AI will continue to change the way we collect and use data. Wearable tech could make another leap forward seeing as smart watches have made another leap. More than ever, we are confronted with questions about data security. If 2019 is anything like the year just gone, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.

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