So, as I’m typing this, I’m thinking – I have a few busy Sunday’s coming up, and might just do a little 2 minute video summarising my Top Two Tech Stories! – and yes, I did previously say the podcast was coming back… and it will! (Just refining the content).
Ok, now for this week’s Top Two Tech Stories!
- First up – Google Photos!
So, like many, I use Google Photo’s and I wanted to share (in case you hadn’t heard) their offer for free unlimited storage for ‘high quality’ images ends on June 1.
One thing’s for sure – Google Photos is, and will continue to be, a fantastic option for saving your snaps online. The service offers simple and secure cross-platform access, plus a suite of smart sorting, editing and sharing tools to get the best out of your image library. And it’s not just for Android users: Google Photos plays nice with web browsers, as well as PCs, Macs and iOS devices.
Google Photos has proved popular because of the unlimited free storage capacity it previously offered for compressed photos. But that’s changing from 1 June 2020 – and it could have significant repercussions, depending on how you use the service.
Whether you’re new to Google Photos or a long-established user, it’s worth taking a few minutes to understand what the policy changes mean and how the new storage pricing structure will affect you. Most likely, you’ll have to upgrade…
2. Next up… Audi E-Tron
I’ve written a lot about Tesla’s recently, and I was asked about my thoughts on other EV’s (Electric Vehicles)… well, the Audi e-Tron GT concept was revealed three long years ago – and in my opinion looks like a good rival to Tesla! And finally, the production version of this highly anticipated EV has arrived. Almost identical to the car revealed at the 2018 LA Auto Show, it’s the second bespoke electric vehicle from Audi, following the e-Tron SUV. And this e-Tron ought to be good as the GT shares much of its DNA with the Porsche Taycan.
Like the Taycan, the e-Tron sits on the J1 platform, a bespoke electric framework jointly developed by Audi and Porsche. Designed from scratch for a high-performance electric car, it’s an antidote to the jacked-up crossovers, SUVs and mobility pods that currently dominate the EV market.
On first impressions the e-Tron GT is that this is an intriguing machine. Despite sharing the same architecture as the Taycan, it’s a very different car. It prioritises comfort over pure speed, and executes this mission cleanly.
Rather than creating a lazier version of the Porsche, Audi has crafted an electric GT designed for crunching miles. With 800V fast-charging capability where available (62 miles in five minutes) and a competitive range (RS is a claimed 283 miles, the quattro 298), the e-Tron GT could be the best EV for road trips currently on sale.
But the entry-level quattro – not the RS – will worry Tesla and the rivals the most: priced at under £80,000, it undercuts the entry-level Model S, while offering comparable performance and serious comfort.
So there we have it… Photo’s and Audi’s this week. And I will continue to share more about EV’s as they’re a hot topic!