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.
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.
Toyota App for iPhone and Android Receives New Updates
16 May 2020, 18:26 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Toyota has released new updates for the official app on Android and iPhone, and just like usual, the company “forgot” to roll out a changelog too. In other words, while new versions of the Toyota app are now available for download on...
Apple Maps Shows Google Maps How It’s Done with Multiple Lanes Images
16 May 2020, 18:26 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Everybody agrees that right now Google Maps is the number one navigation app pretty much because… well… it is. But at the same time, there are several worthy alternatives out there, including not only the Google-owned Waze, which h...
Apple Silently Updates Siri Navigation Guidance in Apple Maps
16 May 2020, 17:05 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / While Google Maps and Waze are the preferred choices when it comes to navigation apps, some just stick with Apple Maps on their iPhones and on Apple CarPlay because it’s the native solution on the device. And given Apple Maps has evolved s...
Google Wants Users to Help Fix Widespread Android Auto Bug
16 May 2020, 16:42 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / One of the widespread issues in Android Auto right now concerns the autolaunch feature, which basically allows the app to run without user input when the phone is connected to the car. The issue was first reported earlier this year, and the comp...
Lexus GX 460 Gets a Taste of Tesla with a 15-inch Vertical Screen
16 May 2020, 16:26 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Vertical displays such as the ones in the Tesla Model S have become increasingly popular these days, so third-party device makers are trying to make the most of this customer appeal for everything touchscreen in their cars with a series of aftermar...
Audi Releases Update for iPhone and Android Apps, New Features Included
16 May 2020, 16:03 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Audi has released new versions of the myAudi app, which provides customers with features like access to the digital owner’s manual, route planning, service appointment scheduling, and even car information and remote locking and unlocking on s...
Music Video Created with Google Maps Street View Images Is Surprisingly Cool
16 May 2020, 13:12 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / While creating a professionally-looking music video most often requires advanced editing software, someone on reddit has discovered that you can actually make a good clip using nothing more than the images available on Google Maps Street View. A...
Waze Bug on iPhone Should Actually Become a Feature
16 May 2020, 12:32 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Waze continues to be one of the top navigation apps out there on both Android and iOS, and while some run it on their car’s screen using Android Auto or CarPlay, others just stick with their phones for a more straightforward approach. Some...
The Latest Porsche App for iPhone Brings a Feature New Owners Are Going to Love
16 May 2020, 08:18 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Porsche has recently updated its iPhone app with a feature that new customers will definitely enjoy as they wait for their car to be shipped. More specifically, after updating the My Porsche app for iOS to version 2.8.4, those who have only rece...
Good Guy Google Says Major Android Auto Improvements on the Way
16 May 2020, 05:54 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / The experience with Android Auto has been far from perfect lately, with users reporting a series of new problems, including broken connectivity with the Samsung Galaxy S20 and voice commands that no longer worked when trying to respond to messages....
This 1967 Porsche 912 Is the Dream Car That’s Been Parked for Over 30 Years
15 May 2020, 12:42 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / A ’67 Porsche 912 that’s in a surprisingly-good condition is being sold on Craigslist, and the best of all is that the owner isn’t even asking for a fortune in exchange for the car. The Porsche 912 is described as a true barn f...
Yet Another Messaging App Stops Working in the Newest Android Auto
15 May 2020, 12:36 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Google has released a new Android Auto version a couple of weeks ago, and it now looks that some aren’t getting exactly the experience they expected after installing it. While a number of users complained that Pulse SMS, a very popular tex...
You’d Better Not Update Your iPhone If You Use CarPlay When Driving
15 May 2020, 12:30 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / The most recent update for iPhones is likely the one to blame for a series of CarPlay problems that users are now complaining about on Apple’s forums. In the last couple of weeks, I’ve noticed that the number of people blaming iOS 13...
Tuned 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle Uses an LS3 6.2L 525 HP Corvette Engine
15 May 2020, 12:26 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / The owner of a fully-restored 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle that has also received a massive tuning package is now selling the car on eBay for $98,000. The Chevelle is now powered by a fully-certified LS3 6.2L 525HP Corvette engine that has only 6,000...
2020 Audi A3 Cabriolet Accurately Rendered, Looks Just Right
15 May 2020, 11:43 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Audi is expected to announce the new A3 Cabrio rather sooner than later, and while the German automaker has remained tight-lipped on what to expect from this model, the skilled designers in the industry already know what the car should end up looki...
This 1970 Oldsmobile 442 Was Used to Pull a Horse Trailer
15 May 2020, 11:17 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / If you’re looking for a ’70s Oldsmobile 442 muscle car in good condition, the model right here could be the want you want, as it comes not only with an impressive option list, but also with extra accessories that you most like...
All Original 1968 Pontiac GTO Needs a Second Chance
15 May 2020, 10:56 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / The Pontiac GTO remains one of the most popular classics that collectors are looking for these days, but on the other hand, it’s also one of the models that some would rather buy in a poor condition for a full restoration project. And...
Rare 1974 Pontiac Firebird Formula 400 Isn’t Your Average Barn Find
15 May 2020, 09:57 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / A rare 1974 Pontiac Firebird Formula 400 is now for sale on eBay, and the listing indicates this isn’t the typical barn find that you see these days. More specifically, the car has been sitting in a barn for many years, and the seller says...
This 1966 Ford Mustang Is a True Survivor, Has Been Parked for Over Two Decades
15 May 2020, 09:18 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Barn finds are cool, but barn finds that bring back an old Ford Mustang are the dream that never comes true for so many people. And yet, sometimes it does, and now someone on Craigslist wants to let others restore a ’66 Mustang Fastback th...
Ford Ka Crossover Looks Like the Child of Parents Ford and General Motors
15 May 2020, 08:25 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / A new pair of renderings published on Behance by Kleber Silva envisions a new crossover model produced by Ford that would essentially be an evolution of the current 2020 Ford Ka to a larger body style. As you can see for yourselves in the photos...