Polls: Technology & Internet

This is the seventh in a series on auto makers in the world.

The United Kingdom is known for many things, including the manufacture of automobiles.

The poll lists the major British auto-makers, in alphabetical order.

Which do you think is the best British auto-maker?

Everybody knows about drones and probably knows about Lasers being the great hope in combating them. Every country is working on them. The pic is off an Australian offering.

This little beauty comes stock standard with a 100 KW laser but can be optioned up to 150 KW. It is rated at 20 drones per minute but could be 30 with the 150KW option. It's range is 3 KM for a drone kill but can dazzle sensors at 8KM

I was listening to a podcast which suggested China would probably use paratroopers initially on Taiwan then use amphibious landings.

It is an obvious thought to think why not laser paratroopers as they float down? Below this laser is a flat plain. Why not pick off enemy paratroopers on the plain as well?

According to Google a 10 KW laser can kill a person and fully option this bad boy is 15 times higher. It probably doesn't pro rata but that could be 15x30 = 450 soldiers per minute. Useful.

Also according to Google, 5 mW permanently blinds people. 5mW/150KW = 30 micro seconds per shot. Your ability to disable enemy troops is only limited by how fast you can point the laser at the paratroopers eyes because it would blind them very quickly.

The key point is a purely defensive drone laser could be an extremely good offensive weapon.

I imagine if a laser is to kill an enemy combatant it will have to burn a hole into the heart, lung or brain. That could hurt. To blind probably hurts less but it leaves the enemy combatant permanently incapacitated.

I'm interested on what people think the ethics of Direct Energy Weapons fire on people are. I think if it can be done it will be done especially when it is an existential threat.

What do people think the ethics are? Multi choice can't cover it. So put it in the comments.

This is the sixth in a series on auto makers in the world.

France is known for many things, including the manufacture of automobiles.

The poll lists the major French auto-makers, in alphabetical order.

Which do you think is the best French auto-maker?

This is the fifth in a series on auto makers in the world.

South Korea is known for many things, including the manufacture of automobiles.

The poll lists the major Korean auto-makers, in alphabetical order.

Which do you think is the best Korean auto-maker?

This is the fourth in a series on auto makers in the world.

The United States of America is known for many things, including the manufacture of automobiles.

The poll lists the major American auto-makers, in alphabetical order.

Which do you think is the best American auto-maker?

Note: General Motors' major brands are listed separately, while Ford/Lincoln are listed together.

Note: This question is for internal combustion engine brands. There is a separate question for electric vehicles (EVs) ...

What is the best EV-only car maker?

This is the third in a series on auto makers in the world.

Electric vehicles (EVs) are an alternative to conventional internal combustion vehicles. Though many companies now make EVs, this question is about those companies that only make EVs.

The poll lists the major EV auto-makers, in alphabetical order.

Which do you think is the best EV auto-maker?

This is the second in a series on auto makers in the world.

Germany is known for many things, including the manufacture of automobiles.

The poll lists the major German auto-makers, in alphabetical order.

Which do you think is the best German auto-maker?

Japan is known for many things, including the manufacture of automobiles.

The poll lists the major Japanese auto-makers, in alphabetical order.

Which do you think is the best Japanese auto-maker?

Note: Some auto-makers have a main line and a luxury line, and both are shown together in the poll.

Elon Musk has said that AI will make work "optional". I heard an economist talking about how all the investment in AI will make industry much more efficient and will be good for the economy. I just see companies like Amazon laying off 40,000 employees. The Teamsters Union at the Port of LA had written inro their current contract to limit the use of AI because they know it will result in massive job losses. I think that the gains in productivity will not be spread to all employees in the form of bonuses and a shorter work week. Instead only a few will greatly benefit from AI and the rest will be unemployed.

When I grew up 🤳🏻 📱 these were only just coming onto the shelves. Aka mid 2007 to late 2007.

Then forward to 2009 ⏩ more popular then by 2012 / 2015 it was unmissable 🧿🤳🏻📱photo sourced from internet

Thoughts? Personally I sometimes still could pick up a dumb phone aka a basic phone with a keypad, no touch screen, and have zero issues. Why? For as long as internet services on a desktop laptop, ATMs, payphones, and options for hardcopy still all exist - life can still be loved and lived with non smartphone. Beauty of no socials either besides call or SMS text. 📱 Or 📞 doesn't have the U shape. Lol.

Looks like people have finally figured out, as I've suspected all year on a personal level, "isn't AI just an over-exaggerated photo edit software and chat bot software, that already exists as Photoshop / chat"

The Dow Jones appears down the last few days as does the SP 500 - lol.

"Is this the beginning or the opening days finally of "the big crash* lol graph graph graph 📉 📉 📉 📉 downward spiral 🐚 👇🏻 👎🏻

Or nah? 🤭🥳😅

By Apple projecting a simplified iPhone layout onto the car’s central screen, CarPlay lets you use apps such as Apple Maps, Spotify, make hands-free calls, and dictate text messages. It is seamless, free, and loved by millions of iPhone owners.

Last month, General Motors announced that new cars made by the auto giant won’t support CarPlay and its counterpart, Android Auto. Surveys suggest that CarPlay and Android Auto are considered must-have features among many new-car shoppers. But according to GM, the company can create an even better experience for drivers by dropping Apple and making its own software. And like it or not, car makers are watching carefully.

GM has gone as far as invoking Apple in defending its decision: Remove a feature, such as the disk drive on a laptop, and people eventually adapt and move. GM the change “will happen over time, not overnight” and “if your car supports Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, that will continue.” Before its announcement, GM had already nixed CarPlay and Android Auto in EVs. But it’s not CarPlay. Some popular apps are missing, such as Apple Podcasts and Apple Music.

There is one other crucial difference. Because GM’s software isn’t tied to a phone like CarPlay is, access to the full suite of software requires its own data plan—through GM, of course. (The cheapest plan costs $10 a month.) Get used to these kinds of subscriptions, regardless of what kind of car you drive. In recent years, automakers have realized how much money they can make from in-car technology: Maybe they charge a subscription fee for hands-free highway cruise control. Maybe they charge for apps that let you control aspects of the car from your phone. Maybe they sell data that your navigation system collects about you.

Apple sees tremendous value in expanding its presence in your car: The next step is CarPlay Ultra, which enables your phone to temperature? Ask Siri to do it. It’s an Apple lover’s dream and a car company’s worst nightmare.