MasHD Blog

First of all ,Happy new year 2017!! MasHD - A tech blog which started out as a third-party tech news site back in 2011 was probably one of the longest tech news articles I've maintained for a long time , the Blog - launched as a platform to publish our now-defunct  "Mashdroid Magazine (2011-2013) was probably one of the fastest tech news blogs from Sri Lanka at the time - but as time went on the idea to continue the Mashdroid Magazine was dropped as users preferred up-to date information rather than a print ready PDF magazine - and thus , MasHD was born.     Mashdroid Magazine - June 2011  Click to read our last Mashdroid -Magazine on ISSU Mashdroid -"IFA" Sep 2013 With some success on the blogging side , MasHD slowly expanded its news content to gadgets and other lifestyle tech products other than Android Smartphones and Tablets , this also meant that i had to spend more time and energy on writing news articles ranging from fitness trackers to electric ca...

LeEco - A Chinese electronic manufacturer previously known as LePhone is now stepping into  the automotive world with its first concept electric tesla rival - the LeSee . The car , a first for the  company since they started backing the Farady Future Hypercar concept in January  is now set out to develop a 130 mph sedan with autonomous driving . The car , which allows a private space for its passengers is also said to feature a folding steering system which collapses when the autonomous mode kicks in .The future of this car  howver is not decided yet , but with LeEco testing the automotive waters with its deal with Faraday concept and their deal with Aston Martin , we might see some e- drive vehicle from this manufacturer in the coming future . Source - Techcrunch

Tesla has unveiled their newest member in the all electric ride club .the new Model 3 ,is the most affordable model to enter production as it features a starting price of $35,000 . The new Tesla model 3 , built on a all new platform focuses on seating a family of 5 and a 215 mile range*(346 km for everyone using SI) on one full charge . The car has a 0-60 time of less than 6 seconds , which puts it en par with some high performance European sports sedans while carrying all the bells and whistles of Teslas excellent safety systems including the Autopilot option .The car is said to go into mass production in 2017 , and due to its insane demand ( 100k + pre orders during the event) it will require a all new factory to be built as the current Tesla production lines are not sufficent to meet the insane demqnd for the vehicle .Overall the new Tesla model 3 looks to be promising and a true test for Tesla's  production department as the company goes mainstream . Source -...

Nvidia has officially anounced its in car supercomputer called Nvidia Drive PX 2 . The system , designed to give self driving cars the next generational push it need is set up using Nvidias new Pascal gpu which boasts of 8 tflops - this power however comes from 2 pascal GPU cores and 2 ARM based Tegra cores .details about the two tegra cores are not listed , but all we can say is it is based on ARM's 64bit cortex A57 architecture and each of them are configured as a quadcore Soc . The two Pascal processors on tbe other hand are designed using a 16nm FinFet technique and they generate the same power as 150 macbook pro's while remaining the same size as a meduim size lunchbox.  Via -Nvidia The system , equipped with its own cooling system ,the platform requires 250w .But considering that automakers will add this system to the cars battery , it will not be a issue at all .Volvo is said to be the first automaker out to make use of the Drive PX car computer  .Th...

Ford has anounced plans to add Googles Android auto system and Apple's Carplay system to its 2017 lineup's infotainment system . Android Auto - Googles intergrated car system is designed to pair with Android handsets to sync information from the phone to the car .Apple also has a similar platform called carplay and both systems are said to be available through Ford's intergrated Sync 3 infotainment unit.Although it sounds fancy ,Ford expects a majority of their future vehicles to have it by default at the year 2020 Current year 2016 models equipped with Sync will recieve a update to the Sync 3 standard and all 2017 models will get it along with new features such as LTE connectivity for car tracking and remote access to  the cars doors and engine. Written by Rakitha for MasHD SOURCE - Digitaltrends

As  you may already know , Apple is working on a electric powered car for the masses . The project , which is still in its development stage is conducted mostly by a team of 200 of which are mostly former employees of A123 systems - a company that specializes in batteries for electric cars . The project , which is said to be in a production ready state in 5 years is expected to yield a high quality electric car that can finally challenge Tesla's monopoly . Expected to launch in 2020 , the electric car will be a first for the technology company , but Apple already has a small footing in the auto industry thanks to Apple Carplay and therefore it might be a logical step to work on a car as many rivals like Google are already demonstrating vehicles of their own . Further details about the project is still unknown . Written By Rakitha for MasHD Source - GSMArena

The Toyota Hilux has a almost indestructible reputation thanks to shows like Topgear and rogue Militia's who mount rocket launchers and machineguns on them , but whatever its purpose , the Hilux name has lasted almost 7 generations and the next gen version is said to be unveiled next year . The current 7th gen Hilux has reportedly been boosted by Toyota and this new 7+ version is reportedly called Hilux "Invincible X". The new truck is said to have a 3 liter 4 cylinder D-4D as its only engine option in the Invincible range , the powerplant makes  169 Bhp - which is adequate as the double cab truck has a listed 2.5 tonne towing capacity . The truck also has many chrome accessories in the style options list including Chrome door handles , chrome air intake rims , front guard , aluminum scuff plates , also included are  4 choices of 17" alloy wheels . The Invincible model is said to come with 3 leather interior options which include Black , Tan and Red along with ...

Most of us petrolheads knew about  Porsche's upcoming Cayman GT4 - the car that is said to shadow the flagship Porsche 911.The Cayman GT4 - which shares the same 3.8 liter F-6 engine as the (991) and it has managed to take on Germany's greatest hit - the Nürburgring with a lap time of 7:40:00 - which is almost en par with the GT3 (minus 15 seconds) . Other specifications include 385 Bhp @7800RPM and a 0-60 Mph time of 4.4 seconds and a top speed of 295 Kmph . The car has a traditional manual (stick ) gearbox without the hard to spell PDK dual clutch system  and according to Porsche the manual option "will be the only gearbox option in the range" , a limited slip differential is standard on the Cayman as well as Porsche's Torque vectoring system and 20" alloys . The options list includes the Sports Chrono package which includes carbon ceramic brakes , leather upholstery , sport exhaust , and you can get aggressive styling bits if you spec the Club Sport pa...

Ferrari has always been a marque of passion and tradition, but for some reason the new Ferrari 488 GTB has ignored all of that as this is the first Turbocharged Mid-Engined  car to wear the GTB (Gran Turismo Berlinetta) to enter into production . The 488 GTB is technically the successor to the 458 Italia - which is considered to be one of the best Ferraris of recent times . The new 488 GTB makes 660 Bhp - which is a huge increase over the standard 458 and the 597Bhp 458 Speciale The Turbocharged 3.9 liter V8 can propel the car from 0-60 Mph in 3 seconds and thanks to its new manettino setting , you can adjust different performance settings of the car and make it easily reach its top speed of 205 mph .The 488 is said to be officially unveiled at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show . Written By Rakitha for MasHD Source - Jalopnik , Ferrari

After more than a half a century of driving in the extremes , the once mighty Defenders are now reaching the end of the line after a 68 year production history . The Land Rover Defender -a powerful , sturdy off road vehicle born out of the remnants of World war 2 lived on as a one of the last proper old school Chassis based 4x4 in the 21st century .The standard defender came in Wagon and short wheel base models (Defender 110 and 90) and it also came in truck versions as well , although the vehicle was considered a go anywhere vehicle , it was banned from entering the U.S after 1998 due to stringent safety factors to which the Defender was not designed for (no airbags and no pedestrian safety). To address this , and the poor fuel economy the 2100cc 4 cylinder engine had , LR is officially closing the tap on the classic Defender for good . As a final good bye , Landrover will produce 3 editions of its last 2015 Defender lineup , the LR Defender Heritage - a old school designed D...

Ford's new Shelby GT 350 series are probably the meanest looking Shelby's yet .The GT 350 and the 350R were present at the 2015 Detroit motor show along with the new Ford F150 Raptor .The standard GT 350 is just as impressive as its tracked based brother , the 350 has a naturally aspirated , flat plane crankshaft 5.3 liter V8 with 500 Bhp and 400 pound/feet of torque , and like all Shelby mustangs , it has a 6 speed manual gearbox . The rest of the specs , according to a newly leaked ordering guide shows that the standard 350 will be available with black suede Recaro seats , there is also a leather seat option for the standard 350 . The 350 will also get Michelin Pilot super sport tires with 295 in front and 305 at the back Of course the 350R is a different story , this asphalt munching monster is designed to work without creature comforts like Air conditioning , rear seats , most of the center console (audio , navigation A/C knobs etc) but they are listed as optional. ...

Inspired from aircraft designs , the new Ford GT is said to bring back old memories from the past  and modern names that terrify any Ford fan . The new GT- which has some GT40 essence , is all new from the ground up and it is the first time Ford decided to use their "ECOBOOST" series of engines in one . The Turbocharged 3500 cc  V6 ,which is said to deliver a good -600 Bhp which is impressive on its own , although it doesn't sound like a  thoroughbred V8, V6 engines are slowly becoming the new standard as emissions and politics tighten the noose around performance vehicles . Apart from the V6 , the new car has a 7 speed dual clutch system with paddle shifters , the car also comes with 20" wheels with adjustable ride height and scissor doors which helps the car get into the cool  Forza Motorsport 6 "cover car" title .  Written by Rakitha for MasHD Source - MotorAuthority

Lexus has unveiled their new BMW M series  killing  Rival .The new car is also the successor to the IS-F  - The car  -Lexus GS-F continues the traditional sports sedan "F" marque with the new model as well , the car has the traditional vacuum cleaner like grille  , angled led's and a traditional lexus style rear . The GSF comes with a Naturally aspirated V8 with either a 8 speed automatic gearbox or a manual ,the car also features Lexus' TVD  torque vectoring system ,speaking of torque , the car has 389lb-ft at 7800 RPM which will come into play when you really have a need for speed . Some specs of the car are still not out , but from what we can tell , the GS-F will surely be a good bang for your buck if you don't fancy a German sports sedan. Written by Rakitha for MasHD Source - Slashgear

One of Suzuki's best selling supermini's just received a upgrade , the new Suzuki Alto brings a major change in design which now has a 1980's printer type grille and a boxy design with improved fuel economy of 37 km/l  and low emissions thanks to a weight reduction of 60kg which brings the overall weight of the car to 610 kg . The new car will come with a CVT with a electro-hydraulic clutch and gear shifting mode or Automatic transmission . Pricing of the car is still unannounced Written by Rakitha for MasHD Source - SlashGear

When you hear the word Maybach - you immediately think of Rolls Royce phantom eating super luxury road yachts that appeal mostly to rappers , but now Maybach's parent company Mercedes has decided to combine Maybach into the S-Class  giving rise to the Mercedes Maybach S500/S600 which is basically Mercedes' ultra luxury S-Class for wealthy  billionaires in Asian markets. The Merc Maybach has two versions - one is a "low end" S-500  model with a v8-Bi-Turbo which has 450 Bhp with 750 nm of Torque and a somewhat nice $166,668 price tag  . The top of the range flagship S600 however has a V12 which delivers 530Bhp  830nm of torque and a 0-60 mph figure of 5 seconds - which is impressive for a car this heavy , pricing of the s600 model lists it at $233,571 which is still a huge bargain compared to the Maybach 57/62 models which cost well over $400,000 . The Mercedes Maybach models are said to go  on sale in February of next year . Written by Rakitha for Mas...

When Tata went about making the Tata Nano - the worlds cheapest car  , many amenities were sacrificed in order to reach the target production price, good looks , a powerful engine and a comfortable ride and (cough cough..passenger safety) were skipped and  it therefore  didn't reach the target  sales figures the company expected .Although the car is still seen peppering along the streets of India and Sri Lanka as cheap taxi cabs or family runabouts, the car has now been given some street cred thanks to JA Motorsports who has basically made the humble hatchback into something that looks like it came out of a cereal box . Say hello to the JA Motorsports - Tata Super Nano  . Armed with a 230 Bhp engine that hits a top speed of 190 Kmph (116 mph) is leagues away from the from the stock versions 38 Bhp  635cc engine that hits a total  105 Kmph (65mph) . The car is also given AP racing brakes , new blackened exhausts and new rims with MRF ZLO tires and...

 As the title states , Volvo has unveiled a new 3 cylinder powerplant for the future  . The engine , which is a part of Volvo's Drive E series of efficent engines are said to have very low emissions while providing adequate power and efficiency thanks to a plug-in hybrid system that will propel the 3 cylinder engine to adhere to the Euro 7 emission standards . The new engine is said to produce 180 Bhp and it is said to go into future versions of the Volvo S60 and V60 . Volvo currently has 3  four cylinder Drive engines which include a top of the range 400 Bhp Diesel Direct injection engine which is currently mated to the new Volvo XC90 T8 hybrid model . Volvo hasn't disclosed all details of the 3 cylinder engine yet, but we can expect to see more details in the future as the engine is still in a somewhat development stage. Written by Rakitha for MasHD Source - DigitalTrends

With tightening safety regulations and market availability issues (in the U.S)  many thought the Lotus Evora was basically a dead duck after the company failed to introduce a new 2015 model , but now the company is hoping to introduce a upgraded Evora at the 2015 Geneva motor show which is said to bring some of the biggest upgrades since its introduction 4 years ago . The new Evora will remain a 2+2 coupe and minor styling additions are said to be added to the body to make it more appealing and a 15% weight reduction which means the engine power to weight to ratio will be better , that being said the new car will likely have a more powerful Toyota sourced V6 with more power than the older engine that produced 276 Bhp .  The car is also said to feature new safety standards which will satisfy U.S road safety rules and allow Lotus to have a "road legal" car other than the track versions of the Elise and Exige .The 2014 model was given a 12 month notice in order for Lotus...

Luxury car companies are enjoying record sales from Asian markets , Rolls Royce , Bentley are already steaming ahead with they new full size road yachts and Maybach is probably one of the last ones to join the show with the new Maybach S class  . The Maybach luxury company as you know is owned by Mercedes , the 100 year + company has gone through several changes over the years and it was once even scheduled to be phased out due to financial recession  . The new Mercedes - Maybach S class builds on some design cues of the standard S - Class including a v12 engine and so it is now numbered as S-600 although Mercedes hopes to make Maybach a seperate brand from the usual list of Mercedes products . Speaking of products , the company has also re-shuffled its lineup and it now has a new numbering/class system that gets rid of the old M  class off road vehicle series in favor of the "GL" class  . The SLK roadster is also shelved in favor of  SLC that goes unde...

It might not beat a F1 car on a drag race , nor will it cost so much , but McLaren's new P1 GTR is truly a track inspired ride that will give you all the comforts of  a supercar while having the experience of driving a track suited 986bhp monster that has a 2008 F1 inspired steering wheel . The special edition P1 ,like the normal one, still has a spartan interior ,but that is justified as the car is made to achieve speed and nothing else (beauty too) . The car comes with a 3.8L Twin Turbo V8 that produces the before mentioned horsepower which is a 83 horse increase to the car . The P1 GTR also has a trainee program for novice drivers to get some pior training before strapping into the 6 harness DTM style seat .The sweet ride will only be in production for 30 units and each one will be GBP 2 million atleast . Written by Rakitha for MasHD Source - TopGear