Charging ahead with GM + new Catalyst iPhone 14 Influence case

Book Review: “CHARGING AHEAD: General Motors, Mary Barra & The Reinvention of an American Icon” by David Welch (Detroit bureau chief for Bloomberg News):

This new book provides “an inside account of Mary Barra’s historic quest to transform GM into an electric carmaker,” making “EVs at a similar cost to gasoline-burning models.”

“America,” and the world, “needs to transition to a new era of clean energy and environmentally sustainable transportation,” yet General Motors is a 112-year-old company, and electrification is a massive change in direction. “GM’s attempt to catch Tesla and bring electric vehicles to the masses” (not just to luxury buyers) “is as important as it is dramatic.”

Mary Barra — the auto industry’s first female CEO — was selected by the GM directors in 2014. Her challenge to reinvent GM from a company known for its long and storied history of gasoline-burning Corvettes, Cadillac Escalade SUVs, Chevrolet Silverado pickup trucks and much more, to an ever-expanding range of exciting new vehicles powered by electricity is formidable. A new, all-electric Silverado was revealed at the Consumer Electronics Show in January 2021, anticipated to provide up to 400 miles of range and eventually the ability to tow up to 20,000 pounds!

In this book you will read “first-person accounts as Barra went through GM’s global operations, cutting and selling businesses” (to help fund the new GM) “as she prepared plans to go all-electric by 2035,” “the inside story on her battle with former President Donald Trump and the union that came about after her transformation plan took down factories in America’s heartland,” and “Barra’s own views on what it takes to change a company that has been in decline for decades and how she is trying to make the company a technology leader once again.”

I was sent both hardcover and advanced proof paperback editions to review.

The hardcover edition updates the epilogue, taking us well into 2022. It discusses growth, not downsizing; the need for more charging stations; the Bolt battery fires recalls; GM’s new, versatile Ultium battery platform; autonomous vehicle tech; and the company’s advantage over its competitors — already having many years of experience producing electric vehicles, including the EV1, Volt and Bolt. Honda believes in the Ultium battery platform, and is partnering “with GM to use the technology for its EVs.”

Catalyst iPhone 14 Pro Max Influence MagSafe case:

Catalyst has long been a leader in phone cases. My previous iPhone (12 Pro Max) was kept safe, secure and easily accessible in a Catalyst case, so when I recently ordered a new iPhone 14 Pro Max, checking out what Catalyst had to offer for that phone was a no brainer.

With that in mind, Catalyst sent me their brand-new, features-packed, innovative Influence series MagSafe case for the 2022 iPhone 14 Pro Max to review.

Its unique “forward audio” is designed for an optimal sound experience, engineered for up to 30% (100.5 dBA) louder sound and designed to minimize background noise. The patented mute switch is easily rotated.

Despite its ultra-slim design, this case has been built to survive a drop 2.5 times higher than military standard (MIL-STD-810G: 3 meters/10 feet), and its raised edge protects the phone’s screen. Its grip is textured to be anti-slip.

Ever since I once lost an audio recorder when I accidentally left it near the podium at a venue, after recording audio in a post-event Press conference, I have instead been using my iPhones to record interviews and sound at events. In order to keep both of my hands free, and yet be assured that I will not leave my phone somewhere, when recording sound I use the adjustable wrist loop on my Catalyst case’s lanyard (tested to 10kg) to attach the phone to a metal ring on my “Cotton Carrier” camera vest or a backpack. This lanyard is an absolute must-have feature, and it can be quickly and securely attached to any corner of the case.

I chose the MagSafe version of this case because, with its built-in magnet module, it provides the ability to magnetically attach an external battery to the case, for extra iPhone runtime.

To learn about the full line of multiple award-winning Catalyst products, visit: www.catalystcase.com.

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Copyright © 2022 by Jan Wagner – AutoMatters & More #764r1