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Bogdan Popa

13,289  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
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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.
Mercedes Owners Unite Against “Rubbish” Apple CarPlay Experience
Mercedes Owners Unite Against “Rubbish” Apple CarPlay Experience

13 Feb 2020, 17:13 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / A petition that have already been signed by over 12,000 Mercedes owners calls for the German car manufacturer to update the MBUX multimedia system with better CarPlay support allowing for a full-screen user interface. As the petition states, all...

 
You Shouldn’t Update to Android 10 If You Send Texts Using Android Auto
You Shouldn’t Update to Android 10 If You Send Texts Using Android Auto

13 Feb 2020, 16:59 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / The rollout of Android 10 is now under way for Samsung smartphones, and some of those who have already received and installed the update discovered a nasty bug breaking down a key Android Auto feature. More specifically, some Samsung phone owner...

 
This Leaked Screenshot Reveals Spotify's Updated "Car Mode"
This Leaked Screenshot Reveals Spotify's Updated "Car Mode"

13 Feb 2020, 16:37 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Spotify is without a doubt the most popular music app on both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, despite alternatives like Apple Music and Deezer increasing their installs and subscribers counts on a monthly basis. But Spotify in a car doesn’...

 
Horror Experience with CarPlay as iPhones Overheat, Apple Music Crashes
Horror Experience with CarPlay as iPhones Overheat, Apple Music Crashes

12 Feb 2020, 19:37 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / A bug hitting a number of iPhones leads to random crashes of the Apple Music app whenever the smartphone is connected to a car. By the looks of things, the other symptoms also include the iPhone overheating, obviously leading to other problems s...

 
Brutal Crash Between Motorcycle and Pickup Truck Caught on Google Maps
Brutal Crash Between Motorcycle and Pickup Truck Caught on Google Maps

12 Feb 2020, 19:15 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / One Google Maps car capturing street-level photographs that are then supposed to be used in Street View also recorded what appears to be a super-brutal crash between a motorcycle and a pickup truck. The violent accident happened in Tlaquepaque, ...

 
This Guy’s Ferrari and Mercedes Garage in GTA Online Is Sick
This Guy’s Ferrari and Mercedes Garage in GTA Online Is Sick

12 Feb 2020, 18:44 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / GTA Online remains a gaming sensation, and players spend way too many hours trying to build stunning garages with exquisite cars that many can only dream about, not only in real life, but in the game as well. One hardcore GTA Online player, for ...

 
Google Maps Car Meets Apple Maps Car, It’s Love at First Sight
Google Maps Car Meets Apple Maps Car, It’s Love at First Sight

12 Feb 2020, 17:57 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Both Google and Apple bet big on street-level imagery for Google Maps and Apple Maps, respectively, so the two tech giants have lots of cars driving around to provide us with updated content. So awkward encounters sometimes do happen, including ...

 
Say Goodbye to the Infamous “Android Auto Connection Is Poor” Bug
Say Goodbye to the Infamous “Android Auto Connection Is Poor” Bug

12 Feb 2020, 17:08 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / A fix for a long-time bug in Android Auto causing a “connection is poor” error message is on its way, according to Mountain View-based Google. The issue, which was first discovered in October last year, mostly affects Samsung smartph...

 
CarPlay Users, Beware: Latest iPhone Update Breaks Down Wired, Wireless Systems
CarPlay Users, Beware: Latest iPhone Update Breaks Down Wired, Wireless Systems

11 Feb 2020, 19:21 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Another day, another bug hitting CarPlay, as users who installed the most recent stable iOS update on their iPhones claim that both wired and wireless connections to their cars are now broken down. The issue happens after the update to iOS 13.3....

 
Watch a Ferrari LaFerrari Win in Gran Turismo in the Last 0.043 Seconds
Watch a Ferrari LaFerrari Win in Gran Turismo in the Last 0.043 Seconds

11 Feb 2020, 19:01 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / If you ever played Gran Turismo, you certainly know how important it is to get a perfect lap time, as this is very often the easiest way to secure a win. But as this unlucky fellow found out the hard way, not even that perfect lap helps when rac...

 
Old Bug Makes Android Auto Think You’re Driving on Another Street
Old Bug Makes Android Auto Think You’re Driving on Another Street

11 Feb 2020, 18:08 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / A bug affecting a significant number of Android Auto users causes navigation apps to constantly lose GPS tracking, eventually positioning cars in random places, sometimes on a different street. The issue isn’t necessarily new, but it&rsquo...

 
Is This the Cheapest Way to Get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in an Old Car?
Is This the Cheapest Way to Get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in an Old Car?

11 Feb 2020, 17:45 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are two very popular options on new cars, but this doesn’t necessarily mean older models can’t use these systems. There are plenty of aftermarket head units out there, and most of them are available for...

 
Weird Bug Makes Android Auto Hate Fully Charged Phones
Weird Bug Makes Android Auto Hate Fully Charged Phones

10 Feb 2020, 19:16 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / A bug in Android Auto causes the system to automatically disconnect when the battery level of the phone exceeds certain thresholds or reaches 100%. The glitch was first reported in the fall of 2019, but users complain that similar issues causing...

 
Ferrari 458 Italia Hello Kitty Edition for Gran Turismo Doesn’t Make Any Sense
Ferrari 458 Italia Hello Kitty Edition for Gran Turismo Doesn’t Make Any Sense

10 Feb 2020, 18:39 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 is quite a beast, so it’s not necessarily surprising that it’s also one of the most popular cars in Gran Turismo. But sometimes, the passion for this model can lead to the creation of liveries that don’t ...

 
This Apple CarPlay Kit for Older Audi Models Looks Like a Factory-Installed Unit
This Apple CarPlay Kit for Older Audi Models Looks Like a Factory-Installed Unit

10 Feb 2020, 17:51 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Apple’s CarPlay and Google’s Android Auto are two systems that provide drivers with modern infotainment features and smart capabilities, all powered by smartphones connected to the vehicle either with a cable or wirelessly. And while...

 
Apple Made CarPlay So Much Better than Android Auto with Just One Maps Update
Apple Made CarPlay So Much Better than Android Auto with Just One Maps Update

10 Feb 2020, 14:38 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Apple has recently announced a major overhaul for its Apple Maps app, and it goes without saying that the most important new feature for drivers is the addition of traffic lights and stop signs. And starting this week, such content is available ...

 
This Innovative Gadget Makes Engine, Wind Noise Less Annoying During Phone Calls
This Innovative Gadget Makes Engine, Wind Noise Less Annoying During Phone Calls

9 Feb 2020, 17:52 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Talking on the phone while driving has been improved substantially in the last few years, mostly thanks to the addition of more advanced microphones and technology capable of improving call quality and reducing background noises. But a company c...

 
Update Your iPhone If Apple CarPlay Phone Calls Are Broken Down
Update Your iPhone If Apple CarPlay Phone Calls Are Broken Down

9 Feb 2020, 17:47 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / A bug breaking down phone calls started from Apple CarPlay has been fixed in the latest iOS update, so users should simply install this new release on the iPhone to get the patch. The issue was causing Apple CarPlay to either mute or reduce the ...

 
The Pirated Version of Oscar Nominee Ford v Ferrari Is a New Internet Phenomenon
The Pirated Version of Oscar Nominee Ford v Ferrari Is a New Internet Phenomenon

9 Feb 2020, 15:35 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Ford v Ferrari has become one of the most popular searches online in the last couple of weeks, and now it looks like the number of downloads for the pirated version keeps growing every hour. While we won’t provide any links for obvious rea...

 
This Guy Says Google Maps Told Him to Cross a Frozen River, So He Did (And Fell)
This Guy Says Google Maps Told Him to Cross a Frozen River, So He Did (And Fell)

9 Feb 2020, 14:42 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Google Maps is clearly a super-helpful piece of technology, not only when driving, but also when walking, as it can provide accurate instructions on how to find a specific destination. But if you don’t use it right, you could end up fallin...

 

Stories by Bogdan Popa