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Pixel 4a iFixit teardown reveals a trap-laden puzzle

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The Pixel 4a’s less than premium body normally implies a less than rugged phone. On the upside, that usually means a phone that’s also easy to open up and repair. If the Pixel 3a was anything to go by, iFixit’s silent, or should we say ASMR-inspired, teardown should be straightforward and uneventful. Unfortunately, they do say looks can be deceiving and the Pixel 4a definitely falls into that category, lulling technicians into a sense of security before springing its cable traps to snare their tools.

It begins simply enough, something the nearly-silent teardown video almost tries to suggest. iFixit discovered that opening up the Pixel 4a is almost like the Pixel 3a. Very little heat is needed to pry the display from the rest of the body and single display cable waits to be carefully disconnected before unscrewing the midframe.

That, however, is where the similarities end. iFixit notes that, unlike the Pixel 3a, the Pixel 4a’s mainboard actually comes off with the midframe. But more importantly, there are apparently quite a number of thin cables that need to be detached first, but not before carefully removing a metal shield to be able to detach them in the first place.

The rest of the teardown, fortunately, proceeds in peace (and relative silence, of course). The battery needed a bit of coaxing from some alcohol but ironically also had hidden adhesive straps underneath that should have made it easier to remove. Of course, Google, like all phone makers, is against such a removal, anyway.

iFixit didn’t give the Pixel 4a a score yet but, if we would take a guess, it would score lower than the Pixel 3a’s 6, maybe a 4 out of 10. The initial screen removal may have been relatively easy but Google definitely didn’t make the rest of the construction in the same way.

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Jeep’s Wild Wrangler Magneto 3.0 Concept EV Is Going Out With A Bang

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To go with that, Jeep has added Dynatrac 60 front axles (5.38:1 ratio) and Dynatrac 80 rear axles (5.38:1 ratio), along with 20-inch off-road beadlock wheels and 40-inch mud terrain tires. The whole thing is lifted by three inches compared to a standard Wrangler. The result, the automaker says, is an EV that excels in off-road situations, not least because of how controllable the power delivery is.

“When you’re rock crawling, you need to be very neat and clean with your driving,” Mike Allen, Jeep Design Chief, says, “especially if there’s a cliff next to you, you need to be very controlled with that.”

To help, Jeep has added a power selection switch. On the one hand, you can have the maximum 650 horsepower and 900 lb-ft of torque; alternatively, the standard setting tamps it down to a more conservative 285 horsepower and 273 lb-ft. Allen says the range is around 150 miles, though that — nor charging times —was never meant to be the Magneto concept’s focus.

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The Best Mods & Upgrades That Can Give New Life To A C4 Corvette

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Replacing your restrictive and likely corroded factory exhaust with a new cat-back exhaust is one of the best power adders that you can do to your C4 Corvette. The term “cat-back” refers to the section of the system that is downstream of the catalytic converter, a device that removes harmful emissions from exhaust gases.

An aftermarket exhaust with modern muffler technology will reduce backpressure, allowing more air to flow into the engine, which increases horsepower. According to the popular aftermarket exhaust manufacturer Corsa, a cat-back system for the L98 engine (the most common C4 engine) adds 14 horsepower and 16 foot-pounds of torque to an otherwise stock powerplant — all while adding a deep, muscular exhaust note that’ll make your C4 sound like a Corvette should.

Returning to catalytic converters for a moment, they’re typically long-lasting but may eventually fail by becoming contaminated, clogged, or overheated, leading to decreased horsepower. In the process of installing a cat-back exhaust, it’s worth inspecting or proactively replacing the catalytic converter itself. High-flow performance converters are available which will boost horsepower beyond the cat-back exhaust alone, yet still keep your vehicle compliant with the emissions guidelines of the EPA and local authorities.

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6 Easy Ways To Unlock Your Android Phone Without A Password

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For years, fingerprints have been the de-facto phone unlock method because of the method’s incredible convenience and relative security. While a bad actor can, in theory, replicate your fingerprint, and while some Android phones have had fingerprint reader bugs, the majority of the time it’s secure enough to trust while allowing you to access your device in less than a second.

Many modern Android phones utilize an under-display fingerprint sensor that uses either an optical light sensor or ultrasonics to analyze registered fingerprints, while others place a trusty capacitive sensor on the back of the phone or the power button.

Importantly, optical sensors are the easiest of the three to fool in the event someone gets access to your fingerprint. Law enforcement can be especially aggressive should they invent a reason to search your device, having once tried to use a dead man’s finger to do so. However, Android stores fingerprint data in a Trusted Execution Environment, an encrypted section of the phone’s memory that cannot be accessed by the main CPU or by apps.

Setting your fingerprints up can be a bit of a hassle, as some Android phones can be finicky. It may be a good idea to register the same fingerprint twice if you find that your phone’s fingerprint sensor has a hard time recognizing your preferred digit.

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