Facebook's webcam-like Portal TV mounts on your existing TV set to provide an immersive video calling experience on apps like Messenger and Zoom, provided you're willing to allow the social network into your living room. Now, LG has made it easier to install one on its webOS-powered TVs with a new firmware update, the company announced.
LG TVs can't run Portal TV by themselves. However, with the latest webOS 6.0 firmware, you'll just need to plug one into the HDMI port and it will be detected and display a pop-up notice (as shown below), allowing for quick access from the dashboard or webOS home screen. From there, you'll be able to control the Portal TV app directly from LG's Magic Remote without the need to dig up your Portal TV remote.
LG
You can make video calls on Facebook's own Messenger and WhatsApp apps, as well as Zoom, Workplace and GoToMeeting for business or personal video calls. Portal TV's smart camera will automatically pan and zoom to follow you around the room, or widen the view to accommodate new participants. The smart sound feature enhances your voice while minimizing background noise.
You might not be crazy about the idea of a camera from Facebook in your home, but it could be useful for seniors or technophobes who find it difficult to do video calls on PCs or smartphones. LG's latest update could help in that regard by making it easier for such folks to set it up without help.
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(WISH) — As Quenton Nelson prepares to enter his fourth season with the Colts, he’s using his platform to help give back.
The guard will be auctioning off digital artwork of some iconic moments of his career with the Horseshoe, including that iconic keg stand celebration. The majority of the money raised will be donated to the V Foundation in support of cancer research.
“I mean the biggest reason why I chose to do this is to give back to the V Foundation,” Nelson said. “I’m really excited to give back to such an amazing charity like that. And then it also gives the fans a way to interact with me. Whether it’s VIP tickets to my charity softball game that’s going to kick off next summer or a ticket to the private V Foundation dinners.”
The winning bidders will also score an invite to a private dinner with Nelson on July 7 in Indianapolis. You can take a look at artwork being auctioned off here.
A hot potato: After withdrawing from making smartphones, LG is facing the question of what to do with the floor space and personnel previously dedicated to handhelds at its "Best Shop" physical locations, of which there are about 400 across South Korea. The plan is to start selling Apple iPhones, which fellow Korean giant Samsung is understandably upset by.
As reported by Business Korea, LG have been looking to stock Apple products at its Best Shop brick-and-mortar stores, which continue to sell other LG products such as high-end TVs after the company's departure from the phone market.
Now, apparently Samsung has stepped in, citing an agreement signed in May 2018 that restricted manufacturers to sell only LG phones at LG shops and Samsung phones at their own retail locations. Selling Apple phones would violate this agreement, but LG claims that renegotiation can take place in the case of a major change in circumstances.
It's safe to say that LG exiting the phone business entirely is a pretty significant change. Meanwhile, the association responsible is concerned about the impact on smaller phone distributors, which the agreement was meant to protect, though it's agreed that renegotiation is necessary.
LG's physical retail presence in Korea is significant, so it's understandable that Samsung feels threatened by the move, especially as Apple have jumped to lead the market with a 29.8% share of 5G phones with its iPhone 12 series alone. Samsung currently sits back in joint fourth place for 5G handsets. Samsung is allegedly trying to lean on the big three South Korean mobile carriers -- SK Telecom, KT Corp, and LG U+ -- to push for its own phones to appear in Best Shops too.
LG Electronics is set to sell iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch in LG Bestshop (offline store in Korea) by LG employees from August 1. Now Samsung requested 3 carriers in Korea to indirectly request LG to sell Galaxy phones as well.
Details at https://t.co/INAn3SFaZQ
Samsung may be stuck between a rock and a hard place with these plans. Sharing shelf space in Best Shops would give LG a cut of the income from its latest and greatest Galaxy devices, as well as potentially cannibalize sales from its own physical stores -- but the alternative is allowing Apple products to be sold uncontested at over 400 new locations from the start of August, just in time for the iPhone 13 to arrive in September.
This illustration shows the LG and Magna joint venture with logos of each company, Sunday. Courtesy of LG Electronics
Talks are still underway between LG-Magna venture and AppleBy Kim Yoo-chul In business, chief competitors are basically frenemies, as seen in the complicated Samsung-Apple partnership. Samsung needs Apple as the iPhone designer orders lots of components, while Apple also needs Samsung as it can reliably produce lots of semiconductors for its gadgets. Unlike the high-profile Samsung-Apple partnership, LG is seeking a "next-level" partnership with Apple, from a mere supplier-client partnership to a substantial client-client partnership, amid the South Korean company's ongoing shift towards electronic vehicle supply chain-focused business-to-business (B2B) segment. Sources said LG Electronics plans to sell Apple iPhones at the firm's nationwide retail shops branded as LG Best Shop. LG was in talks with Apple to finalize some "outstanding issues" before the release of Apple devices ― excluding its computer lineup ― at its authorized local distributors in August this year. Of course, LG Electronics said "nothing has been decided." Sources said LG has no option but to sell Apple's core products here, as it can't afford to lose its edge in mobile marketing activities despite its withdrawal from the handset business. As LG Electronics will only be granted the right for the sale of Apple products at the company-owned stores with Apple handling and managing warranty policies, LG Electronics' de facto approvals will help Apple better compete with Samsung Electronics for more mobile sales in the Korean market.
In terms of the total market size, Korea is not such an important market for Apple from its viewpoint. But Apple is pushing ahead for improved sales of 5G-embedded devices with Korean carriers as a litmus test before advancing other target markets. LG Electronics' Best Shop has over 400 locations across the country and it is set to complete needed procedures regarding the withdrawal of its mobile business within the next month.
The central point is this possibility follows the upcoming launch of LG Magna e-Powertrain, LG's vehicle component joint venture with Magna International. Given LG's strengths in core electric vehicle (EV) components such as displays, batteries and motors and its long-time reliable partnerships with its tech affiliates, chances are high the LG-Magna venture will win an initial volume of Apple EVs. "Talks are still underway between the LG-Magna venture and Apple in terms of addressing outstanding issues and differentiation regarding the specifics for the production of first-generation Apple EVs," a top-ranking industry executive said by telephone, Sunday. In April, The Korea Times was the first to report that Apple was "very close" to signing an agreement with the LG-Magna venture. "Because of the withdrawal of it smartphone business, LG is assigned and asked to fill in the void of its mobile departure. Given its strength in automotive parts, winning even a small volume of Apple EVs would help the company build momentum in assisting the group's top management initiatives at the growing EV-related businesses," another industry executive said. LG Energy Solution trails only China's CATL for the top spot in EV batteries. LG Display operates "Apple-designated" panel lines in Gumi and Paju, regional cities in South Korea, while LG Innotek supplies camera modules to Apple and onboard cameras for vehicles.
India is considering making flex-fuel engines mandatory for automakers, according to remarks made by a government minister. Local media reports have cited Union minister Nitin Gadkari saying that a decision to confirm the move will be taken within ten days. He said the move – which would see cheaper bio-ethanol supplied for automotive use – would help farmers and boost the Indian economy. Bakar Sadik Agwan, senior automotive consulting analyst at GlobalData, said the latest development comes two weeks after the government brought forward the cut-off date for 20% ethanol blending petrol program (E20) from 2030 to 2025. The production mandate for ‘all flex-fuels vehicles’, if implemented, will be a major milestone in the Indian automotive sector but it will have its own sets of benefits and challenges. “The government’s swift attention to biofuels is a result of the increasing economic burden attributable to high crude-based fuel prices recently,” Agwan says. “India has a surplus of feedstock required for ethanol production, ensuring adequate supply for fuel production. Increase in ethanol blending can help the government to reduce oil imports, reduce carbon emission and curb fuel prices.” Agwan notes that there has been a push by the government in the past to increase ethanol blending in petrol for cost and environmental benefits. The National Policy on Biofuels, approved in 2018, aims at blending 10% ethanol in petrol by 2022 and 20% by 2025. Presently, about 8.5% of ethanol is mixed with petrol.
Chinese internet services giant Baidu is partnering with BAIC Group’s EV brand ARCFOX to jointly release Apollo Moon, a new generation of robotaxis that are set to be mass-produced with a per unit manufacturing price of RMB 480,000. The companies say the vehicle will be one third of the cost of average L4 autonomous vehicles and that Apollo Moon is a ‘monumental milestone in the large-scale commercialization of fully autonomous ride-hailing services in the smart transportation industry’. Apollo Moon has a projected operating cycle of over five years and it is planned it will provide dependable long-term robotaxi ride-hailing services. It is claimed the reduced cost of production will facilitate a greater degree of scalability, driving the widespread popularisation and increasing commercialisation of fully autonomous ride-hailing services in China. “As early as 2017, Baidu and BAIC Group entered into a strategic partnership. Both sides share the same goals and insist on independent R&D to promote the development of autonomous driving in China. The launch of Apollo Moon is an important breakthrough signifying the powerful linkage between China’s leading autonomous driving technology and the most advanced smart vehicle platform, marking a landmark step in the field of robotaxi ride-hailing services globally,” said Zhenyu Li, Senior Corporate Vice President of Baidu and General Manager of Intelligent Driving Group (IDG). At the press conference, Baidu and ARCFOX – the high-end brand of EVs under BAIC Group – reached a new strategic cooperation agreement to roll out a fleet of 1,000 Apollo Moon robotaxis in three years.
Faurecia’s Foundation is to sponsor 11 projects worldwide. For the second year in a row, Faurecia’s Foundation has launched an internal call for projects, mobilising employees across the group. Ideas submitted had to fall into the three focuses of the Foundation: equal access to education, social inclusion through mobility and environment conservation. Following a first round of selection in countries, a shortlist of 30 initiatives was presented to the foundation’s selection committee; out of which 11 projects were validated by its board. The new batch of projects comes on top of the three pilots launched last year in India, Morocco, and Mexico.
LG Electronics and Canadian auto components manufacturer Magna International are in the final stages of establishing a new electric vehicle (EV) powertrain joint venture, according to reports in South Korea, citing an industry insider. The joint venture was first announced at the end of last year with LG shareholders in March 2021 voting in favour of the deal which will give the South Korean electronics giant a 51% stake in the new company. The two partners are currently in the process of selecting their respective board members for the new company, which is expected to be called LG Magna e-Powertrain Company. LG is expected to appoint three members, including the chief executive officer (CEO) and Magna two, based on the agreed shareholder structure. LG is scheduled to spin off its EV powertrain operations into the new company on 1 July with Magna set to acquire a 49% stake for US$453m on the same day.
Subaru Motor said it would cut production at its Gunma plants in Japan in July due to a global shortage of semiconductors. “It is part of the production adjustment due to shortage of semiconductors,” a Subaru spokesman said. The plants would be idle on 16 July. Separately, Suzuki Motor said it was considering slashing production in July at its Kosai and Sagara plants in Shizuoka, Japan, for two and seven days, respectively.
Ford has named former Renault group executive Franck Louis-Victor as head of the company’s new businesses platform. Louis-Victor, 48, will start with Ford on 1 July and will be accountable for developing and executing a comprehensive strategic plan that includes the company’s existing and emerging portfolio of capabilities in areas like autonomous vehicles and mobility services, as well as the incubator, Ford X. “We’re accelerating development of disruptive technologies and focusing on being a leader in areas that enhance always-on relationships with customers and give them increasing freedom of movement,” said Ford president and CEO Jim Farley. “Franck’s got great experience that will help his team nurture new ideas through the start-up phase with the best opportunities launched on their own or integrated into our business units.”
Visteon and Qualcomm Technologies said Geely Auto’s new Xingyue L flagship SUV would be the first production vehicle to use their co-developed intelligent cockpit. This integrates Visteon’s SmartCore cockpit domain controller with the third generation Qualcomm Snapdragon automotive cockpit platforms into ECARX’s intelligent cockpit system and the three companies claimed to have established a new benchmark for integrated cockpits. Using the Snapdragon Automotive Cockpit Platforms, Visteon’s SmartCore supports various human machine interface (HMI) functions to provide drivers and passengers a variety of personalised information and services. The intelligent cockpit can also receive feature upgrades wirelessly over-the-air, eliminating the need to replace hardware to further extend the platform’s lifecycle. The Xingyue L SUV made its debut at the 2021 Shanghai Auto Show and is the first production vehicle to feature this cockpit.
Audi is using AI to monitor its supply chain and provide early warning of issues. Since October 2020, Audi has been using what it terms ‘intelligent algorithms’ to analyse news about suppliers from publicly available online media sources and social networks as part of a pilot project being conducted in around 150 countries worldwide. This analysis encompasses sustainability criteria such as environmental pollution, human rights violations, and corruption. If there is any suspicion of potential sustainability violations, artificial intelligence sounds the alarm. The ‘sustainability radar’ is designed to uncover violations at an early stage and initiate appropriate consequences. In 2020, more than 13,000 suppliers provided the Volkswagen Group with a self-assessment of their own sustainability performance. More than 800 suppliers were audited on site, and more than 1,300 have improved their sustainability performance and now meet Audi’s stringent standards.
As it faces a shake-up to powertrain mix, especially diesel-powered SUVs, JLR’s fuel cell plans are a way to keep strategic powertrain options open. With battery electric vehicle (BEV) hype at its zenith, a casual observer could be forgiven for thinking the pathway to vehicle fleet electrification is closed. While most companies are following the lead established by Tesla and are powering their EVs using on-board batteries charged from an external grid, a handful are also developing fuel-cell-powered EVs that generate power directly within the vehicle – early adopters include Toyota, Honda and Hyundai. Now, Land Rover has confirmed that it will launch a fuel-cell-powered Defender prototype in 2022 to further investigate the technology. Fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) offer a number of advantages compared with battery-powered electric vehicles. Crucially, FCEVs can be rapidly refuelled with hydrogen when they deplete their on-board storage – this negates the range anxiety of battery EVs and effectively means FCEVs’ range is only limited by the refuelling infrastructure that supports them. In addition, an EV with a fuel cell is usually lighter than an equivalent EV with a battery pack – this weight saving improves driving range and eats up less of the vehicle’s maximum permissible weight, allowing for more cargo capacity. This weight saving is why the likes of Land Rover and BMW etc with mid- and full-size SUVs are exploring FCEV possibilities.
It’s not here yet, but quantum computing promises a big leap in computing power and capability to manage huge data sets, including in the automotive sector. In Lisbon, VW worked with D-Wave on a pilot project for traffic optimisation with a quantum computer. Over the past year, the journalistic jargon surrounding the automotive industry increasingly presents the vehicles of tomorrow as ‘computers on wheels’. This characterisation has no doubt been fuelled by the global semiconductor shortage, which has harshly spotlighted the dependency of the sector on computing hardware. However, most of the chips affected by the current shortage concern lower-grade specifications, such as microcontrollers and system on chips (SoC) for automotive electronic control units (ECUs) and displays. Fixating on the shortage and the ‘computer on wheels’, as important as they are, may, therefore, actually divert attention from more consequential, high-grade developments in quantum computing (QC) which could revolutionize the automotive industry. The ‘computer on wheels’ metaphor also misses the potential of a computing revolution within and across the industry’s value chain (where investments are also more likely to tangibly pay off).
Analysis of May’s light vehicle markets shows recovery continued, but it is fragile and coming off a very low base. Global light vehicle sales increased 36.2% in May, but in the recovery phase an eye on SAAR remains more important. For SAAR it was the continued story of ‘one-step forward and then two-steps back’. After March and April’s strong showing the global market regressed to the hesitant levels of January and February with a SAAR of 80.8m recorded, the lowest level since January and February. Despite the positive year-on-year gains it was largely a disappointing month for sales. The SAAR for most regions – excluding North America – slipped back markedly in May demonstrating the fragility of the recovery in most markets. In Asia, the decline in SAAR was unsurprisingly most obvious in India as the country battled its 2nd wave of infections. In general, May’s market finished below GlobalData’s expectations for the month. Our model baked in a 42% gain for the month, marginally stronger than the month’s 36% outcome.
Amazon is offering the LG 31.5-inch 4K FreeSync Monitor (32UD60-B) for $296.99 shipped. That’s $53 off the typical rate there and beats the lowest price we have tracked by $3. When it comes to productivity, many would argue that having a 4K display is the ideal solution. Thankfully today’s deal ushers in a price that could make this weekend the perfect time to finally upgrade your setup. This unit features a 31.5-inch screen, 3840 x 2160 resolution, DCI P3 95% color gamut, in addition to support for AMD FreeSync. The display rests on top of a height-adjustable stand, paving the way reduced neck and shoulder pain once you’ve achieved dialed in a more ergonomic setup. Around back you’ll find HDMI and DisplayPort inputs. Rated 4.5/5 stars. Continue reading to find more monitors on sale and up to $70 off.
