2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing and CT4-V Blackwing make their debut | Canada News Media
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2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing and CT4-V Blackwing make their debut

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General Motors pretty much gave it all it had in the warmup to Monday night’s unveiling of the 2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing and CT4-V Blackwing.

It kicked things off last week with an online media reveal of the four-door cars that was conducted by members of the engineering and design staffs. During the discussion, several mentions were made of Cadillac’s dominance in recent years of the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the first of sports car racing’s three big events, the 12 Hours of Sebring and the 24 Hours of Le Mans being the others.

It was obvious that Cadillac anticipated big things from its teams at Daytona last weekend and even emailed reporters a link to a commercial teasing the cars that was shown during the NBC telecast.

Everything was going to plan – except that Cadillac didn’t win the race. It came close. The Chip Ganassi Racing entry being driven by Renger van der Zande was second late in the running but a flat tire ended the team’s hopes with only minutes remaining.

That didn’t spoil the party, though. Cadillac officially unveiled the cars Monday night and you’d have to be a slug if you said you weren’t impressed. We’re talking about two ultra-high performance sedans that, the company says, “combine on-track excitement with luxury and comfort.”

Sounds good. Let’s take a closer look, starting with the power.

The CT5-V Blackwing uses an upgraded 6.2-litre supercharged V8 that, because of a higher flow air-intake and revised exhaust system, is rated at 668 horsepower and 659 lb-ft of torque. The company says that this makes the CT5 the most powerful production Cadillac ever built.

Now, get this: each CT5 V8 is hand-assembled at GM’s plant in Bowling Green, Ohio. Each engine is numbered and its plate is signed by the builder. Now, that’s luxury, in my books.

The CT4-V Blackwing is an evolution of the Cadillac 3.6L Twin-Turbo V6 and features an improved air intake system coupled with revised control system software to create 472 horsepower and 445 lb-ft torque.

Both cars come with Brembo brake calipers (they come in grey, blue, bronze and my favourite, red) for controlled braking on the track and, if necessary, sudden stops on the street.

We know that both cars have plenty of power (GM-estimated top track speed: more than 300 kilometres an hour; GM-estimated 0-100 kph: 3.7 seconds) but because of its racing heritage, speed plants like the ones at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park are the best places to stretch the legs of these two beauties.

There are other elements that go into making these cars fly like eagles – electronic limited slip rear differential, advanced suspension refinements, magnetic ride control, improved steering response and handling on the track – but that’s enough about speed and smoothness.

Because just as it’s highly unlikely that people who purchase luxury automobiles that double as off-road vehicles actually drive them onto the tundra, the same goes with people who will purchase these two dillacs. The cars might be track worthy but chances are they will probably never see one.

For those folks, here’s what interesting about the insides of the cars.

There are three levels of premium interiors (Base, Mid-level and Up-level) boasting unique trim and technologies including standard wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto capability and wireless phone charging.

The high-performance front seats can be adjusted 18 ways and include lumbar massage. The carbon-fibre seats in the CT5-V Blackwing cost extra but will likely be worth it.

As is the case with most manufacturers, Cadillac has been working on seat design that will improve comfort. The seats in these cars are designed to improve lateral support during track-day driving and adjustability to make people of all shapes and sizes feel comfy in other environments.

The seats have heat and driver’s memory settings plus those previously mentioned 18 adjustments.

The high-performance steering wheel comes with magnesium shift paddles and traction control. The steering wheel on the CT5-V is standard and an option on the CT4, which has one that’s less fancy. Meantime, the manual transmission centre console has a gearshift featuring a 3D-printed medallion cap.

A 12-inch-diagonal HD display includes unique V-Series Blackwing graphics and Track screen performance settings with timers for 0-100 kph and quarter-mile acceleration. A Performance Data Recorder will provide new levels of driving analysis. There are three display personas: Tour, Sport and Track.

The audio system has 14 speakers in the CT4-V Blackwing and 15 speakers in the CT5-V.

Reservations for both vehicles are now open with deliveries expected this summer. Pricing begins at $67,198 for the CT4-V Blackwing and $89,898 for the CT5-V.

Norris McDonald / Special to Wheels.ca 

Source:- Wheels.ca

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Ottawa orders TikTok’s Canadian arm to be dissolved

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The federal government is ordering the dissolution of TikTok’s Canadian business after a national security review of the Chinese company behind the social media platform, but stopped short of ordering people to stay off the app.

Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced the government’s “wind up” demand Wednesday, saying it is meant to address “risks” related to ByteDance Ltd.’s establishment of TikTok Technology Canada Inc.

“The decision was based on the information and evidence collected over the course of the review and on the advice of Canada’s security and intelligence community and other government partners,” he said in a statement.

The announcement added that the government is not blocking Canadians’ access to the TikTok application or their ability to create content.

However, it urged people to “adopt good cybersecurity practices and assess the possible risks of using social media platforms and applications, including how their information is likely to be protected, managed, used and shared by foreign actors, as well as to be aware of which country’s laws apply.”

Champagne’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment seeking details about what evidence led to the government’s dissolution demand, how long ByteDance has to comply and why the app is not being banned.

A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement that the shutdown of its Canadian offices will mean the loss of hundreds of well-paying local jobs.

“We will challenge this order in court,” the spokesperson said.

“The TikTok platform will remain available for creators to find an audience, explore new interests and for businesses to thrive.”

The federal Liberals ordered a national security review of TikTok in September 2023, but it was not public knowledge until The Canadian Press reported in March that it was investigating the company.

At the time, it said the review was based on the expansion of a business, which it said constituted the establishment of a new Canadian entity. It declined to provide any further details about what expansion it was reviewing.

A government database showed a notification of new business from TikTok in June 2023. It said Network Sense Ventures Ltd. in Toronto and Vancouver would engage in “marketing, advertising, and content/creator development activities in relation to the use of the TikTok app in Canada.”

Even before the review, ByteDance and TikTok were lightning rod for privacy and safety concerns because Chinese national security laws compel organizations in the country to assist with intelligence gathering.

Such concerns led the U.S. House of Representatives to pass a bill in March designed to ban TikTok unless its China-based owner sells its stake in the business.

Champagne’s office has maintained Canada’s review was not related to the U.S. bill, which has yet to pass.

Canada’s review was carried out through the Investment Canada Act, which allows the government to investigate any foreign investment with potential to might harm national security.

While cabinet can make investors sell parts of the business or shares, Champagne has said the act doesn’t allow him to disclose details of the review.

Wednesday’s dissolution order was made in accordance with the act.

The federal government banned TikTok from its mobile devices in February 2023 following the launch of an investigation into the company by federal and provincial privacy commissioners.

— With files from Anja Karadeglija in Ottawa

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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Here is how to prepare your online accounts for when you die

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LONDON (AP) — Most people have accumulated a pile of data — selfies, emails, videos and more — on their social media and digital accounts over their lifetimes. What happens to it when we die?

It’s wise to draft a will spelling out who inherits your physical assets after you’re gone, but don’t forget to take care of your digital estate too. Friends and family might treasure files and posts you’ve left behind, but they could get lost in digital purgatory after you pass away unless you take some simple steps.

Here’s how you can prepare your digital life for your survivors:

Apple

The iPhone maker lets you nominate a “ legacy contact ” who can access your Apple account’s data after you die. The company says it’s a secure way to give trusted people access to photos, files and messages. To set it up you’ll need an Apple device with a fairly recent operating system — iPhones and iPads need iOS or iPadOS 15.2 and MacBooks needs macOS Monterey 12.1.

For iPhones, go to settings, tap Sign-in & Security and then Legacy Contact. You can name one or more people, and they don’t need an Apple ID or device.

You’ll have to share an access key with your contact. It can be a digital version sent electronically, or you can print a copy or save it as a screenshot or PDF.

Take note that there are some types of files you won’t be able to pass on — including digital rights-protected music, movies and passwords stored in Apple’s password manager. Legacy contacts can only access a deceased user’s account for three years before Apple deletes the account.

Google

Google takes a different approach with its Inactive Account Manager, which allows you to share your data with someone if it notices that you’ve stopped using your account.

When setting it up, you need to decide how long Google should wait — from three to 18 months — before considering your account inactive. Once that time is up, Google can notify up to 10 people.

You can write a message informing them you’ve stopped using the account, and, optionally, include a link to download your data. You can choose what types of data they can access — including emails, photos, calendar entries and YouTube videos.

There’s also an option to automatically delete your account after three months of inactivity, so your contacts will have to download any data before that deadline.

Facebook and Instagram

Some social media platforms can preserve accounts for people who have died so that friends and family can honor their memories.

When users of Facebook or Instagram die, parent company Meta says it can memorialize the account if it gets a “valid request” from a friend or family member. Requests can be submitted through an online form.

The social media company strongly recommends Facebook users add a legacy contact to look after their memorial accounts. Legacy contacts can do things like respond to new friend requests and update pinned posts, but they can’t read private messages or remove or alter previous posts. You can only choose one person, who also has to have a Facebook account.

You can also ask Facebook or Instagram to delete a deceased user’s account if you’re a close family member or an executor. You’ll need to send in documents like a death certificate.

TikTok

The video-sharing platform says that if a user has died, people can submit a request to memorialize the account through the settings menu. Go to the Report a Problem section, then Account and profile, then Manage account, where you can report a deceased user.

Once an account has been memorialized, it will be labeled “Remembering.” No one will be able to log into the account, which prevents anyone from editing the profile or using the account to post new content or send messages.

X

It’s not possible to nominate a legacy contact on Elon Musk’s social media site. But family members or an authorized person can submit a request to deactivate a deceased user’s account.

Passwords

Besides the major online services, you’ll probably have dozens if not hundreds of other digital accounts that your survivors might need to access. You could just write all your login credentials down in a notebook and put it somewhere safe. But making a physical copy presents its own vulnerabilities. What if you lose track of it? What if someone finds it?

Instead, consider a password manager that has an emergency access feature. Password managers are digital vaults that you can use to store all your credentials. Some, like Keeper,Bitwarden and NordPass, allow users to nominate one or more trusted contacts who can access their keys in case of an emergency such as a death.

But there are a few catches: Those contacts also need to use the same password manager and you might have to pay for the service.

___

Is there a tech challenge you need help figuring out? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your questions.

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Google’s partnership with AI startup Anthropic faces a UK competition investigation

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LONDON (AP) — Britain’s competition watchdog said Thursday it’s opening a formal investigation into Google’s partnership with artificial intelligence startup Anthropic.

The Competition and Markets Authority said it has “sufficient information” to launch an initial probe after it sought input earlier this year on whether the deal would stifle competition.

The CMA has until Dec. 19 to decide whether to approve the deal or escalate its investigation.

“Google is committed to building the most open and innovative AI ecosystem in the world,” the company said. “Anthropic is free to use multiple cloud providers and does, and we don’t demand exclusive tech rights.”

San Francisco-based Anthropic was founded in 2021 by siblings Dario and Daniela Amodei, who previously worked at ChatGPT maker OpenAI. The company has focused on increasing the safety and reliability of AI models. Google reportedly agreed last year to make a multibillion-dollar investment in Anthropic, which has a popular chatbot named Claude.

Anthropic said it’s cooperating with the regulator and will provide “the complete picture about Google’s investment and our commercial collaboration.”

“We are an independent company and none of our strategic partnerships or investor relationships diminish the independence of our corporate governance or our freedom to partner with others,” it said in a statement.

The U.K. regulator has been scrutinizing a raft of AI deals as investment money floods into the industry to capitalize on the artificial intelligence boom. Last month it cleared Anthropic’s $4 billion deal with Amazon and it has also signed off on Microsoft’s deals with two other AI startups, Inflection and Mistral.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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