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Bogdan Popa

13,196  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.
Good News for Bubbletop Fans: Original 1961 Chevy Impala Ready for Restoration
Good News for Bubbletop Fans: Original 1961 Chevy Impala Ready for Restoration

17 Jun 2024, 21:10 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / As a big Impala fan, the 1961 model year is my all-time favorite release, mainly thanks to the debut of the Super Sport package. Available for only $53.80, the SS didn't bring much at first, albeit it still provided the Impala with a sportier ...

 
Next iPhone Update to Include a New CarPlay Feature You Could Easily Miss
Next iPhone Update to Include a New CarPlay Feature You Could Easily Miss

17 Jun 2024, 10:18 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / If you're a long-time CarPlay user, you probably know that Apple has barely improved the experience with its iPhone mirroring system in the last few years. CarPlay only gets updates as part of new iOS releases, as it can't be serviced sep...

 
Here's the First Carmaker to Admit Defeat to Android Auto and CarPlay
Here's the First Carmaker to Admit Defeat to Android Auto and CarPlay

17 Jun 2024, 09:24 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Android Auto and CarPlay have become must-have systems for modern drivers, and many customers wouldn't even imagine buying a new car without them. Apple's numbers speak for themselves. Nearly eight in ten new car buyers are ready to sa...

 
Good News for Android Auto Users: Say Hello to a Brand-New App
Good News for Android Auto Users: Say Hello to a Brand-New App

17 Jun 2024, 08:12 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Bringing apps to Android Auto and CarPlay has become a priority for software developers worldwide, and it all happens for a simple reason. Nobody wants users to leave their apps behind when they drive, as offering a consistent and uninterrupted exp...

 
"Totally Original and Absolutely Mint": 1987 Ford Thunderbird Turbo With 11K Miles
"Totally Original and Absolutely Mint": 1987 Ford Thunderbird Turbo With 11K Miles

17 Jun 2024, 03:38 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / The 1987 model year wasn't necessarily the best from a production perspective for the Thunderbird. Ford produced a little over 128K units, down from 165K in 1986. The decline happened despite Ford releasing several notable changes, includin...

 
Forget About Android Auto Wired: Top Wireless Adapter Now Cheaper Than Ever
Forget About Android Auto Wired: Top Wireless Adapter Now Cheaper Than Ever

16 Jun 2024, 21:26 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Motorola's MA1 remains one of the best Android Auto wireless adapters on the market. While AAWireless invented this product category, Motorola made it more mainstream despite the initial stock issues that made buying the device a huge challeng...

 
My, Oh, My: Mind-Blowing 1975 Chevrolet Caprice Flexes Mysterious Package, Perfect 10
My, Oh, My: Mind-Blowing 1975 Chevrolet Caprice Flexes Mysterious Package, Perfect 10

16 Jun 2024, 21:04 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / The Caprice was born in 1965 as an Impala version, with Chevrolet trying out an approach that worked like a charm in the late '50s. Back in 1958, the GM brand launched the Impala as a Bel Air version and promoted it to a stand-alone series a y...

 
Google Maps and Waze: The Route Option You Don't Need
Google Maps and Waze: The Route Option You Don't Need

16 Jun 2024, 16:37 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Millions of drivers rely on Google Maps and Waze every day for a simple reason: they find faster ways to reach their destinations, mainly because they're aware of what happens on the road ahead. Google Maps and Waze excel in terms of real-t...

 
So Many Colors: 1973 'Cuda Born With Rare Black on Black, Repainted Orange, Repainted Blue
So Many Colors: 1973 'Cuda Born With Rare Black on Black, Repainted Orange, Repainted Blue

16 Jun 2024, 15:20 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Buyers who walked into a Plymouth dealership to buy a Barracuda in 1973 had fewer choices, albeit the updated lineup made more sense now. A six-cylinder engine was no longer available, and sticking with V8 engines was undoubtedly the right call....

 
Rare 1969 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Convertible Flaunts 428 Cobra Jet Ram Air Muscle, 1 of 96
Rare 1969 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Convertible Flaunts 428 Cobra Jet Ram Air Muscle, 1 of 96

16 Jun 2024, 12:20 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / It took a while, but Mercury finally got the message in 1969: the Cougar deserved a convertible, so the refreshed lineup, which also landed with a massive overhaul, included a new body style with a hinged glass rear window. The Cougar convertibl...

 
The Android Navigation Apps Users Love the Most (Surprise: Google Maps Isn't Number 1)
The Android Navigation Apps Users Love the Most (Surprise: Google Maps Isn't Number 1)

15 Jun 2024, 07:15 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Google Maps is often considered the world's number one navigation app on Android and iPhone despite the fiercer competition in this space. By the number of downloads, Google Maps is by far the top choice, albeit the numbers might not always pa...

 
This Nocturne Blue Trans Am Proves a 1979 Pontiac Is Gorgeous Even When It's Not
This Nocturne Blue Trans Am Proves a 1979 Pontiac Is Gorgeous Even When It's Not

15 Jun 2024, 05:58 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / The 1979 Trans Am broke all records from a sales perspective, as Pontiac shipped over 117K units. It was an amazing performance that confirmed the GM brand was doing the right thing with the Trans Am, transforming it into a major hit just one decad...

 
Start Your Update Engines: Android Auto 12.2 Stable Now Available for Download
Start Your Update Engines: Android Auto 12.2 Stable Now Available for Download

15 Jun 2024, 05:00 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / I don't know about you, but I'm impressed with Google's commitment to shipping more frequent Android Auto updates. A few years ago, the company used a one-release-per-month strategy, with the new versions barely bringing any changes....

 
1964 Chevy Impala Rotting Away in a Field Proves You Shouldn't Judge a Book by Its Cover
1964 Chevy Impala Rotting Away in a Field Proves You Shouldn't Judge a Book by Its Cover

13 Jun 2024, 19:04 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / 1963 was a fabulous year for Chevrolet from a sales perspective. Everything worked like a charm, and the full-size lineup, with Impala in pole position, dominated the American automotive space. Chevrolet sold more than 1.5 million full-size cars...

 
Waze Says a Must-Have Feature Is "Currently Not Planned"
Waze Says a Must-Have Feature Is "Currently Not Planned"

13 Jun 2024, 17:22 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / While many people believe it's only a matter of time before Google Maps absorbs Waze, the latest updates proved the search giant has no intention of merging the two apps. Waze has been updated with several highly requested features, includi...

 
1978 Oldsmobile Supreme Emerges With Mysterious News Under the Hood
1978 Oldsmobile Supreme Emerges With Mysterious News Under the Hood

13 Jun 2024, 16:43 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / The Cutlass was already bringing home the bacon for Oldsmobile, and the 1978 model year did not disappoint. The parent company operated several notable changes, including a platform change that brought the Cutlass in line with the Chevy Malibu and ...

 
Google Releases Emergency Google Maps Update To Fix Key Feature
Google Releases Emergency Google Maps Update To Fix Key Feature

12 Jun 2024, 21:50 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / A widespread bug that appeared in late May has just received a fix, restoring multi-stop routes on Android devices. Routes with multiple stops come in handy for obvious reasons. Users whose routes include more than one destination can configure ...

 
Always Put Away in September: 1972 Oldsmobile 442 Ready To Leave Its One and Only Family
Always Put Away in September: 1972 Oldsmobile 442 Ready To Leave Its One and Only Family

12 Jun 2024, 21:04 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / 1972 brought several changes to the Oldsmobile lineup, and the most notable concerned the 442. Sales went through the roof for Oldsmobile, and no longer offering the 442 as a separate model paid off. The 442 was now a package available for Cutla...

 
Apple Unveils the Next-Generation CarPlay Design System
Apple Unveils the Next-Generation CarPlay Design System

12 Jun 2024, 15:38 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / The consensus is that Apple isn't committed enough to expanding in the automotive space, and all its efforts barely made any progress in the last couple of years. CarPlay is living proof. Apple announced the new-generation CarPlay in 202...

 
Worth the Effort? 1980 Pontiac Trans Am Emerges With Bad News Galore
Worth the Effort? 1980 Pontiac Trans Am Emerges With Bad News Galore

12 Jun 2024, 15:02 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / The Trans Am was a money-making machine during the '70s, peaking at over 117K sold units in 1979. Pontiac started the decade with disappointing numbers, barely selling 1,286 Trans Ams in 1972, but the numbers rapidly gained traction, more than...

 

Stories by Bogdan Popa