ADAC
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Sony's hi-res turntable and software make it easy to go digital
Vinyl has seen a resurgence lately, with sales growth for this format outpacing digital. To stay on top of that trend, Sony refreshed its record player lineup to include the not-so-memorably named PS-HX500. Though it cuts a familiar figure, resembling many minimalist-style turntables, it was built with a 21st century purpose: to make quality digital copies of your treasured discs. That's important for long-time collectors, of course, but also newer vinyl enthusiasts, who will likely want to convert their discs into a high-resolution digital format as painlessly as possible.
Your BMW just downloaded a security patch
Have a BMW, Mini or Rolls Royce with the ConnectedDrive feature parked in your driveway? Maybe all three? Well, it turns out there was a bug that allowed ne'er-do-wells to manipulate it -- entirely wirelessly. According to Reuters, by simulating a fake phone network researchers at German outfit ADAC (essentially Deutschland's AAA) were able to gain access to systems governed by the platform's SIM card by spoofing a cell tower. They've even put together a video describing the gap in security which you can check out after the break -- if you speak German. While the vulnerabilities didn't include anything related to steering, acceleration or braking, the ConnectedDrive does have access to traffic information, air conditioning and... door locks.
ADAC crash tests first production Mitsubishi i-MiEV, it makes a mess but scores well
Looks like Volvo's C30 Electric isn't the only EV paying a heavy price for wanting to be run on the roads. Mitsubishi's i-MiEV, one of the first modern full-bore electric autos to be promised to hit US shores (but certainly not the first to make it), has just been subjected to crash testing by the ADAC, Europe's largest motorist club. The car went through both 40mph frontal and rear offset impacts, similar to the sort used by our own humble NHTSA. The car didn't score perfect marks, with some deformation in the footwell, but there were no major problems noted and, most importantly, the electrical systems safety cut automatically upon impact. This means no surprise electrocutions for anyone on the inside or out, which is a good thing -- unless you're a mutant lizard who enjoys such things. Update: We've updated the source link to the ADAC site, where you can see some additional images and even video of the crash. You'll need to exit the Google Translation window to view them, though.
