autoevolution
 

Bogdan Popa

12,841  ARTICLES

Personal motto:

"Cats are smarter than dogs. You can't get eight cats to pull a sled through snow" - Jeff Valdez, Stand-up Comedian.

Staff Writer
editor photo
Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world, and more often than not, you’ll see him writing about the whole thing with a typing speed that a traffic camera could easily issue a ticket for.

He typically carries both an iPhone and Android device because there’s no such thing as the perfect phone, and he drives a car that some say is blue, others say is green.

His guilty pleasure is finding bugs in Android Auto (cc @Google, you’d better keep an eye on his reports, as these could actually help you refine the experience behind the wheel), and he occasionally tries out all kinds of weird gadgets that many people didn’t even know they exist.

His daily tech arsenal also includes a smartwatch and earbuds because that’s how geeks rock, as well as a laptop that has nothing in common with fruit.

Bogdan’s long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space in the trunk for his kid’s toys, as well as convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as the phones that these two companies build.

When he’s not writing about cars, Bogdan’s probably trying to fit a bike in the 375-liter trunk of his car or posting tech stuff for autoevolution’s sister site Softpedia.
Android Auto Gets a Long-Overdue Update to Make Driving Safer
Android Auto Gets a Long-Overdue Update to Make Driving Safer

26 Apr 2024, 18:34 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Android Auto might sometimes feel like a work in progress, and while this condition could make some people walk away, it's actually a good thing. New improvements and refinements land regularly, allowing Google to polish the experience with...

 
1965 Chevrolet Impala SS Comes Out of Long Storage, Complete and Ready for Restoration
1965 Chevrolet Impala SS Comes Out of Long Storage, Complete and Ready for Restoration

26 Apr 2024, 17:58 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Launched in 1958 and promoted to a stand-alone series a year later, the Impala was already becoming an automotive invasion in the early '60s. In 1965, the Impala became the first car in the United States, whose sales surpassed 1 million uni...

 
Google Teases Android Auto Announcements at Upcoming Event
Google Teases Android Auto Announcements at Upcoming Event

26 Apr 2024, 17:15 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Google's automotive strategy comes down to software and services because, unlike long-time rival Apple, the search giant has never been interested in building a vehicle from scratch. Android Auto, Android Automotive, and Google Automotive S...

 
1977 Pontiac Trans Am Promises Rare Surprises, Still All Original
1977 Pontiac Trans Am Promises Rare Surprises, Still All Original

26 Apr 2024, 16:53 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / The Trans Am production was already on the rise in 1977, with the yearly output increasing to 155,735 units. The Trans Am was already the most sought-after Firebird version, accounting for 68,744 units. The esprit was surprisingly popular, so it...

 
Customer Accuses GM of Sharing Data Without Consent, Increasing Insurance Costs
Customer Accuses GM of Sharing Data Without Consent, Increasing Insurance Costs

25 Apr 2024, 15:56 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / The more technologically advanced cars get, the more data they must handle. And like traditional software developers, carmakers are now facing another challenge: protecting users' data. A recent lawsuit in the United States could set a hist...

 
Free Google Maps Alternative Announces Major Real-Time Traffic Expansion
Free Google Maps Alternative Announces Major Real-Time Traffic Expansion

25 Apr 2024, 15:01 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Let's be honest about it: while Google Maps, Waze, and Apple Maps are the world's most popular navigation apps, they aren't everybody's cup of tea. I won't discuss the reasons, but the navigation space has expanded signific...

 
It Was Fun While It Lasted: Apple Maps to Start Showing Ads
It Was Fun While It Lasted: Apple Maps to Start Showing Ads

25 Apr 2024, 14:43 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / The demise of the Apple Car forced Apple to rethink its automotive strategy, and investing big in Apple Maps and CarPlay seems to be the chosen way to become more relevant in an unexplored world, potentially bringing home the bacon. Apple has be...

 
Android Auto 11.8 Now Available With a Change Google Probably Forgot About
Android Auto 11.8 Now Available With a Change Google Probably Forgot About

25 Apr 2024, 14:15 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Google started the Android Auto 11.8 rollout a few days ago, but as per the company's typical (and often frustrating) approach, the new version comes without a changelog. It means it's impossible to tell what's new in this version...

 
$0.99 1979 Pontiac Trans Am Is a Mysterious Barn Find, Rotting Away in a Yard
$0.99 1979 Pontiac Trans Am Is a Mysterious Barn Find, Rotting Away in a Yard

25 Apr 2024, 13:44 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Trans Am sales went through the roof in 1979, becoming the best year in the history of this nameplate. Pontiac produced 211,453 Firebirds, and the Trans Am accounted for more than half of this number. Over 117,000 units rolled off the assembly l...

 
1965 Pontiac GTO Emerges From Dry Storage With a Secret Many Won't Discover
1965 Pontiac GTO Emerges From Dry Storage With a Secret Many Won't Discover

25 Apr 2024, 12:36 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Most people who walked into a Pontiac dealership in 1965 ended up ordering a hardtop, with the carmaker producing 55,722 units this year. The convertible was the runner-up but its demand significantly lagged behind the hardtop, which kind of mak...

 
1964 Mercury Comet Emerges From a Barn, "Looks Like Everything Is There"
1964 Mercury Comet Emerges From a Barn, "Looks Like Everything Is There"

24 Apr 2024, 17:08 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Customers who walked into a Mercury dealership in 1964 looking for a brand-new Comet had to pay at least $2,126 for a 202 Series in a four-door sedan configuration. The two-door version was only a bit more expensive at $2,182. The Caliente was t...

 
Not Everybody Likes the Engine in This 1958 Bel Air, "It's a Shame It's Not an Impala"
Not Everybody Likes the Engine in This 1958 Bel Air, "It's a Shame It's Not an Impala"

24 Apr 2024, 15:14 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / After struggling to push Chevrolet back to the number one spot in the United States throughout the decade, the Bel Air eventually accomplished the mission with help from the Impala. Launched in 1958, the Impala was the Bel Air the world had never r...

 
This Is the Polestar Phone: Everything You Must Know About the $1,000 Android Phone
This Is the Polestar Phone: Everything You Must Know About the $1,000 Android Phone

24 Apr 2024, 14:38 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / The migration between the technology and the automotive worlds happens in both directions. Tech firms are trying to expand in the automotive space using different approaches, sometimes developing cars from scratch. Car companies try to bet bigger o...

 
Sony Launches New CarPlay Media Receiver, Bad News for Android Auto Fans
Sony Launches New CarPlay Media Receiver, Bad News for Android Auto Fans

23 Apr 2024, 11:00 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / There are multiple ways to get CarPlay and Android Auto in a car that shipped without such capabilities (especially if it's older), and the most common is installing an aftermarket media receiver. You'll be amazed by the plethora of op...

 
Widespread Google Maps Issue Causes the App to Freeze on iPhones
Widespread Google Maps Issue Causes the App to Freeze on iPhones

23 Apr 2024, 03:39 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / I typically use Google Maps on CarPlay when I drive, and despite the missing features and the experience downgrade compared to Android Auto, I still find the app a helpful companion behind the wheel. However, I occasionally use Google Maps on my...

 
Thief Steals Car, Takes It to a Car Wash, Puts in Gas, Has a Good Time. AirTag Inside
Thief Steals Car, Takes It to a Car Wash, Puts in Gas, Has a Good Time. AirTag Inside

23 Apr 2024, 03:16 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / An Apple AirTag has recently helped the owner of a stolen car recover the vehicle in only a few hours, sharing location information and helping the owner determine where the thief was driving. It happened in Long Beach, where a resident named Ph...

 
Mysterious 1959 Chevrolet Impala Emerges After 15 Years, More Questions Than Answers
Mysterious 1959 Chevrolet Impala Emerges After 15 Years, More Questions Than Answers

22 Apr 2024, 23:16 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / Presented in 1956 and pushed to mass production two years later, the Impala was an overnight sensation. It launched in 1958 as the top Bel Air version, and Chevrolet needed only a few months to sketch the long-term strategy. The Impala gained se...

 
Family-Owned 1969 Pontiac GTO Is a Mysterious Surprise, "Bigger Project Than Thought"
Family-Owned 1969 Pontiac GTO Is a Mysterious Surprise, "Bigger Project Than Thought"

22 Apr 2024, 22:00 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / I'm certain the first thing any Pontiac fanboy can think of when hearing about a 1969 GTO is the "Judge" package. The $337.02 package has become incredibly desirable today, especially in all-original condition and with the Ram Air...

 
From Barn Find to Spotless in 26 Years: Custom 1962 Chevy Nova Flexes Unique Upgrades
From Barn Find to Spotless in 26 Years: Custom 1962 Chevy Nova Flexes Unique Upgrades

22 Apr 2024, 21:06 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / The Chevy Nova was almost an overnight hit, with the GM brand producing over 326,000 units in the first year on the market. Most Novas rolled off the assembly lines with a six-cylinder engine under the hood – about 302,000 units, with the L4 ...

 
Google Maps Alternative Gets Massive Update on iPhone, Good News for CarPlay
Google Maps Alternative Gets Massive Update on iPhone, Good News for CarPlay

22 Apr 2024, 11:00 UTC · By: Bogdan Popa / The chances are that you've already come across OsmAnd if you were looking for a Google Maps alternative, as the application is one of the most advanced free navigation solutions currently on the market. In addition to its impressive featur...

 

Stories by Bogdan Popa