autoevolution
 

Bogdan Popa

13,195  ARTICLES

Personal motto:

"Cats are smarter than dogs. You can't get eight cats to pull a sled through snow" - Jeff Valdez, Stand-up Comedian.

Staff Writer
editor photo
Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world, and more often than not, you’ll see him writing about the whole thing with a typing speed that a traffic camera could easily issue a ticket for.

He typically carries both an iPhone and Android device because there’s no such thing as the perfect phone, and he drives a car that some say is blue, others say is green.

His guilty pleasure is finding bugs in Android Auto (cc @Google, you’d better keep an eye on his reports, as these could actually help you refine the experience behind the wheel), and he occasionally tries out all kinds of weird gadgets that many people didn’t even know they exist.

His daily tech arsenal also includes a smartwatch and earbuds because that’s how geeks rock, as well as a laptop that has nothing in common with fruit.

Bogdan’s long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space in the trunk for his kid’s toys, as well as convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as the phones that these two companies build.

When he’s not writing about cars, Bogdan’s probably trying to fit a bike in the 375-liter trunk of his car or posting tech stuff for autoevolution’s sister site Softpedia.
Android Auto Stops Working on Some Devices When the Screen Turns Off
Android Auto Stops Working on Some Devices When the Screen Turns Off

2 Aug 2020, 16:01 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / New day, new issues with Android Auto, as some users are now complaining that running the app with the phone screen turned off is no longer possible. And it’s all because Android Auto just freezes when the mobile device enters a locked sta...

 
This Smart Device Is a Professional Diagnostic Tool That Can Replace a Mechanic
This Smart Device Is a Professional Diagnostic Tool That Can Replace a Mechanic

2 Aug 2020, 16:01 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / THINKDIAG, a smart dongle that connects to your car and then sends information to your mobile device through a dedicated app, promises to provide you with the most powerful diagnostic tool ever built, pretty much replacing a mechanic for lots of is...

 
The Google Maps Car Getting Blocked by Camels Is a Pretty Unexpected Traffic Jam
The Google Maps Car Getting Blocked by Camels Is a Pretty Unexpected Traffic Jam

2 Aug 2020, 16:01 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Google Maps cars can be seen in so many locations across the world, and it’s all because of the search giant’s ambition of covering most of the planet with streel-level imagery and mapping data available for everyone, from their compute...

 
Google Releases Waze Update for CarPlay with Important Improvements
Google Releases Waze Update for CarPlay with Important Improvements

2 Aug 2020, 11:28 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Waze continues to be the preferred choice for many drivers who’re looking for a way to beat traffic jams in crowded cities, and fortunately, more and more improvements land on a regular basis. This time, Google has updated the iOS version,...

 
Google Announces Major Google Maps Update, Chances Are You Won’t Be Impressed
Google Announces Major Google Maps Update, Chances Are You Won’t Be Impressed

2 Aug 2020, 10:53 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Google Maps is without a doubt the world’s number one navigation service, but Google is constantly looking into new ways to further expand its functionality beyond its essential focus. So this week, the search giant announced something tha...

 
Android Auto Music Skipping Bug Fix Now Available for Nissan Cars
Android Auto Music Skipping Bug Fix Now Available for Nissan Cars

2 Aug 2020, 08:38 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / One of the most annoying issues that Android Auto users have come across lately is a music skipping problem that happens regardless of the car model or the app that’s being used to play the audio. And while some say the whole thing is rela...

 
This 1968 Pontiac Le Mans Barn Find Comes with a Vinyl Roof Surprise
This 1968 Pontiac Le Mans Barn Find Comes with a Vinyl Roof Surprise

2 Aug 2020, 08:25 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Back in 1968, Pontiac released the third-generation LeMans with a lineup of four different engines, namely a straight-six 250ci (4.1-liter), and three V8 units, with the 455ci (7.5-liter) offered as the most powerful choice in the entire lineup. ...

 
Google-Owned Waze App Blamed for Ruining London’s “People-Friendly Streets”
Google-Owned Waze App Blamed for Ruining London’s “People-Friendly Streets”

1 Aug 2020, 08:15 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Google’s own Waze navigation app has come in the crosshair of Richard Watts, the Council Leader of Islington London Borough Council, who claims that all their efforts to create what he describes as “people-friendly streets” are ru...

 
Google Releases the Most Anticipated Google Maps CarPlay Feature for Testers
Google Releases the Most Anticipated Google Maps CarPlay Feature for Testers

1 Aug 2020, 07:37 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Google has just released a new 5.50.0 beta build of Google Maps for iOS, and the biggest change this time is the addition of support for the CarPlay dashboard. This is without a doubt the most anticipated feature of the year for CarPlay users, a...

 
A New Android Auto Version Is Now Available with Big Changes Under the Hood
A New Android Auto Version Is Now Available with Big Changes Under the Hood

1 Aug 2020, 07:22 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Google has recently released a brand-new version of Android Auto, but just like before, the company hasn’t provided any specifics on what exactly has been improved. The good news is that an APK teardown provides us with a closer look at th...

 
The Next iPhone Update Will Include a Handy Unannounced Navigation Feature
The Next iPhone Update Will Include a Handy Unannounced Navigation Feature

31 Jul 2020, 13:17 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / The upcoming iOS 14 update will bring plenty of goodies to iPhone owners, including some features that haven’t been announced by Apple at the WWDC earlier this year. One of them is related to Smart Stack. Coming in iOS 14, the Smart Stack ...

 
This 2019 Mustang Is a Custom Build That Even Ford Bragged About
This 2019 Mustang Is a Custom Build That Even Ford Bragged About

31 Jul 2020, 10:42 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / There are lots of custom Mustangs out there, and when we say a lot, we really mean it. So if you’re in the market for such a car, it really shouldn’t take too long to find one that’s worth your money. On the other hand, if what...

 
Android Auto Sometimes Ignores Messages from Android Phones
Android Auto Sometimes Ignores Messages from Android Phones

31 Jul 2020, 10:02 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / I’ve seen lots of bugs on Android Auto, but the one that some users are now reporting on Google’s forums is pretty odd. More specifically, it looks like Android Auto sometimes fails to display notifications for any kind of message th...

 
This Custom Ford Mustang Is Carbon Fiber Overdose
This Custom Ford Mustang Is Carbon Fiber Overdose

31 Jul 2020, 09:39 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / The 2005 Ford Mustang GT is part of the fifth generation of the model, and it’s powered by a 4.6-liter V8 engine that develops no less than 300 horsepower and allows for a 0 to 97 km/h (60 mph) acceleration in just 5.6 seconds. But on the ...

 
These Are the Countries Where Google Maps Speed Limits Are More Accurate
These Are the Countries Where Google Maps Speed Limits Are More Accurate

30 Jul 2020, 14:23 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Google Maps is without a doubt the go-to app for the majority of drivers out there, no matter if we’re talking about running it on a mobile device, like Android or iPhone, or on head units that support Android Auto and CarPlay. And in addi...

 
Camaro “Iron Man” Is a Custom Build Whose Armor Is a Lexus Tri-Coat Paint
Camaro “Iron Man” Is a Custom Build Whose Armor Is a Lexus Tri-Coat Paint

30 Jul 2020, 13:18 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Custom Camaros have become more or less common these days, but a true one-of-a-kind build that can blow away the audience of a show like SEMA isn’t really easy to find. And yet, someone on eBay says they have it, as this custom 1969 Camaro...

 
This Dodge Challenger Is a One of a Kind SRT8 with Lamborghini-Like Scissor Door
This Dodge Challenger Is a One of a Kind SRT8 with Lamborghini-Like Scissor Door

30 Jul 2020, 12:35 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / The third-generation Dodge Challenger was officially unveiled in 2008 at the Chicago Auto Show, after the concept was presented at the 2006 North American International Auto Show. The model year 2010 didn’t bring any massive changes to the...

 
Google Releases Maps Update for Android with a Surprise New Feature
Google Releases Maps Update for Android with a Surprise New Feature

30 Jul 2020, 11:43 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Google keeps working on refining the experience with Google Maps on all platforms, not just on its own, but a new version released today seems to bring something that’s exclusive to Android users for the time being. More specifically, Goog...

 
BMW Silently Enables Android Auto in Select Models with July 2020 Update
BMW Silently Enables Android Auto in Select Models with July 2020 Update

29 Jul 2020, 17:14 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Back in December, BMW confirmed something that took many people by surprise: Android Auto was supposed to come to some of its models with a software update due in July 2020. July is almost over and BMW is yet to roll out an announcement regardin...

 
New Android Auto Headaches as Waze Experiencing GPS Issues
New Android Auto Headaches as Waze Experiencing GPS Issues

29 Jul 2020, 14:35 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / As far as Android Auto users are concerned, choosing a navigation app comes down to just two different choices, both of them belonging to Google. Waze and Google Maps are without a doubt the most popular navigation tools in the world of Android ...

 

Stories by Bogdan Popa