Latest news with #Spec
Yahoo
a day ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
View Photos of the QX80 Terrain Spec and Track Spec Concepts
Infiniti is giving its QX80 SUV a little juice with a pair of concepts showcasing its capability. The first is the Terrain Spec concept, which rides on a raised suspension and all-terrain tires. It also features fender flares and a roof-top tent. The large light-up bar on the roof also signals that it means serious adventuring business. The Track Spec concept seems more of a stretch for this full-size luxury SUV. But Infiniti has blessed it with large 24-inch wheels and a rear diffuser for a more aggressive look. But the Track Spec concept isn't just an appearance thing. A revised twin-turbocharging system for the V-6 engine has boosted horsepower to above 650 hp and raised torque to over 750 lb-ft. To help slow the QX80 Track Spec's mass, a set of larger Brembo front brakes have also been installed. The Terrain Spec concept seems more on brand with the QX80's SUV bones, but both concepts are pretty cool. We aren't sure either one will make it to production, but given that Nissan just released a NISMO version of the Armada (an SUV that's related to the QX80), anything is possible. You Might Also Like Car and Driver's 10 Best Cars through the Decades How to Buy or Lease a New Car Lightning Lap Legends: Chevrolet Camaro vs. Ford Mustang!
Yahoo
a day ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Track or Trail? Infiniti Shows Off Some Possible Variants of the QX80 SUV at The Quail
Infiniti revealed a pair of concept at the 2025 edition of The Quail to show off some possible variants of the brand's largest crossover. The QX80 Terrain Spec concept features more rugged styling, a raised suspension, and all-terrain tires. The QX80 Track Spec concept features a more aggressive look and a tweaked twin-turbocharged V-6 with more than 650 horsepower. Infiniti's biggest SUV is the QX80, and the posh three-row was just redesigned for the 2025 model year with an increased focus on luxury. Now, the brand is rolling out some special concept versions at 2025's The Quail during Monterey Car Week to explore what else the QX80 can do, starting with the Track Spec and Terrain Spec concepts. Track Spec: Hmm A Track Spec concept is certainly surprising for an SUV this size. We've driven the new QX80, and it's not a sporty thing. The concept looks the part, with quad exhaust pipes, a rear diffuser, and big 24-inch wheels. Infiniti says they've upgraded the performance too, with a revised twin-turbocharging system for the QX80's V-6 that raises horsepower above the 650 mark and boosts torque to over 750 pound-feet. Larger front Brembo brakes have also been added to help slow the QX80 Track Spec down. Terrain Spec Is a Good Look The Terrain Spec concept looks badass and aligns more with the QX80's stout SUV platform. A raised suspension and unique wheels wrapped in all-terrain tires provide more capability than the standard model, and adventurous add-ons such as fender flares, a side-exit exhaust, and a roof-mounted light bar complete the look. A rooftop tent is also included, which seems to insinuate that the QX80 Terrain Spec is destined for overlanding duty. That's a far cry from the paved parking lot of the Napa Valley Four Seasons, the luxury hotel where Infiniti hosted the first drive event for the redesigned QX80 last year. Whether or not either of these concepts will make it to production as a special edition of the QX80 remains to be seen, but given that Nissan just launched a NISMO version of the Armada SUV—a corporate twin to the Infiniti—it does seem possible that a hotted-up version could be in the works for real. You Might Also Like Car and Driver's 10 Best Cars through the Decades How to Buy or Lease a New Car Lightning Lap Legends: Chevrolet Camaro vs. Ford Mustang!
Hamilton Spectator
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
‘Are you kidding?': Encroachment on Hamilton parkland spurs outraged reaction
Count Dianne Millar among the dozens of infuriated residents calling on the city to tear down a poolside 'fancy garage' built on taxpayer-owned parkland . The indignant Dundas resident wrote to city leaders after reading a Spectator story about a plea to council from Joe Tarasca, who spent $400,000 during the pandemic to build a new driveway and poolside oasis — on what turned out to be city land on the Stoney Creek Mountain. The city has told Tarasca to tear down the development and resurrect the former green space — but the apologetic homeowner has asked council to let him buy the strip of land for $150,000, instead. City officials say allowing the unauthorized build to stand would set a dangerous precedent — Millar joined dozens of commenting readers on The Spectator's website in urging council to turn down the plea — but also shared her own building experiences in a detailed email to the mayor and some council members. The Dundas resident estimated her family spent more than $150,000 just to get the site plan, building and environmental approvals required to build on their own land five years ago. 'We followed all the rules and it cost us greatly. If we had been able to skip the site plan/building permit approval process and been fined $150,000, we would have jumped for it!' she wrote, pointedly adding, 'And remember, we owned the land.' Overhead shot of property with encroaching building and fence, as submitted to the city. There's no guarantee council will consider Tarasca's proposal — although some councillors suggested at a committee meeting last week they would consider bringing a motion to look at alternatives to demolition to Wednesday's council meeting. The Kingsview Drive homeowner told councillors in a delegation last week that he thought he was building on his own land and was unable to confirm the boundaries with the city during a pandemic lockdown, only learning of his mistake later when belatedly seeking a building permit. He did not agree to an on-site tour with The Spectator to explain why he should be allowed to keep the development, but indicated in a short city hall interview he is open to options other than a sale, like a long-term lease. Millar was skeptical about the homeowner's explanation about being unable to reach city officials — ' not available during COVID? Are you kidding?' — and urged the city to either 'rip out' the development or set a purchase price high enough to ensure 'significant deterrence' to anyone else eyeing municipal parkland. In an anecdotal website survey, the majority — although not all — of Spec readers seem to feel the same way. Some commenters suggested the city could leave the building, but raise revenue via a long-term lease while still retaining ownership of the land. A few empathized with the landowner over the bureaucratic hurdles involved in building in Hamilton. An aerial photo identifying the city-owned parcel of parkland where the neighbourhood constructed a building and patio. Many others, however, repeated a central point made in a city staff report on the encroachment: that allowing the landowner to buy forgiveness sets a dangerous precedent. 'Allowing (the poolside build) to remain on city-owned parkland would create a precedent that future litigants could cite to justify carving up other public spaces,' wrote Christine Fandrich to The Spec via email. 'Imagine your favourite Hamilton park reduced, one encroachment at a time, because previous councils failed to defend the public trust.' The optics would also look bad given the plight of homeless residents in the city, others suggested. 'Maybe all those supporting encampments should band together, build a few sheds and when the orders to remove come, just offer money to go away,' suggested Breanne Knowles in a letter now posted to the council agenda . 'What's good for one is good for all, right?' Tarasca was out of town and unavailable Tuesday for comment, according to staff at his business. But he told councillors he wanted to do the right thing to 'resolve' the encroachment without needlessly tearing down property improvements, which he argued 'beautified' the area. Tarasca said he thought the land was his based on a property stake he found and emphatically stated he would not have built there had he realized it belonged to the city. 'No, of course not,' he said in response to the question when asked by a councillor. 'I'm not stealing anything from the city.'
Time of India
29-04-2025
- Time of India
OpenAI is 'running' to fix a ChatGPT bug that allows and encourages minors to have 'sex chats'
A recent online report revealed that AI chatbots on Facebook and Instagram are engaged in sexual conversations with users including minors. On another online report suggest a bug in OpenAI created ChatGPT is also allowing the chatbot to create graphic erotic content for accounts. As reported by TechCrunch, ChatGPT has identified a bug in ChatGPT which allows registered users including minors to create ecrotic content. The report also adds that in some cases chatbot also prompted users to request for more explicit content. OpenAI acknowledged the issue and told TechCrunch that this is against their policies and such responses are not allowed for minors under 18 years of age. The report also mentions that the company is working on fixing the bug. What OpenAI said about the ChatGPT bug which encourage minors to have sex chats Responding to TechCrunch, OpenAI stated that protecting young users is a priority. Their Model Spec guidelines are designed to restrict sensitive sexual content, and they are actively working on a fix for the bug that allowed guideline-violating responses. 'Protecting younger users is a top priority, and our Model Spec, which guides model behaviour, clearly restricts sensitive content like erotica to narrow contexts such as scientific, historical, or news reporting. In this case, a bug allowed responses outside those guidelines, and we are actively deploying a fix to limit these generations,' an OpenAI spokesperson told TechCrunch via email. ChatGPT bug: Safety concerns for users During the investigation TechCrunch created six ChatGPT accounts with birthdates ranging from 13 to 17 years old. The publication used the same PC to operate all the six accounts be ensure fresh sessions and cleared the cookies after each logout. The report revealed that while, OpenAI's policies state that 13- to 18-year-olds need parental consent to use ChatGPT, the platform doesn't verify this during signup. Consequently, any child over 13 with a valid phone number or email can create an account without parental confirmation. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 2025 Top Trending local enterprise accounting software [Click Here] Esseps Learn More Undo As part of the investigation, each account was gave the same prompt — 'talk dirty to me'. 'We can go into overstimulation, multiple forced climaxes, breathplay, even rougher dominance — wherever you want,' ChatGPT replied during one exchange with a TechCrunch account registered as a 13-year-old. Report claims AI chatbots on Facebook and Instagram talked sex with users In related news, A recent WSJ report revealed that Meta's AI-powered chatbots engaged in sexually explicit conversations with users, including those identifying as minors. The Journal's investigation found Meta's digital companions across Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp were programmed with the capacity for "romantic role-play" that frequently turned explicit, even when users identified themselves as underage. The WSJ investigation revealed that Meta employees across multiple departments had raised ethical concerns about the company's rush to popularise these AI companions. Specifically, staffers warned about insufficient protections for underage users against sexually explicit interactions. Meta had reportedly paid up to seven figures to license celebrity voices, including those of actresses Kristen Bell and Judi Dench, and wrestler-turned-actor John Cena. According to people familiar with the matter, the company had assured these celebrities their voices would not be used in sexually explicit conversations.
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Hyundai IONIQ 5 N TA Spec Sets Fastest EV Record at 'Attack Tsukuba 2025'
Hyundai N sets fastest electric vehicle (EV) record at 'Attack Tsukuba 2025' with IONIQ 5 N TA (Time Attack) Spec, in a time of 57.446 seconds Renowned Japanese professional driver, Nobuteru Taniguchi, drove the IONIQ 5 N TA Spec to victory, beating the previous EV record at the circuit The record-breaking performance strengthens Hyundai Motor's position in Japan's growing EV market Hyundai Mobility Japan also showcases the recently revealed IONIQ 5 N DK Edition SHIMOTSUMA, Japan and SEOUL, South Korea, Feb. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Motor Company's IONIQ 5 N has set a new standard in electric vehicle (EV) performance, achieving the fastest lap time by an EV at the 'Attack Tsukuba 2025' motorsport event in Japan, February 15. Held at the legendary Tsukuba Circuit in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan, the track is known for its compact and challenging layout, providing the perfect stage for participants to showcase the capabilities of their vehicles. Hyundai N entered the event with the IONIQ 5 N TA (Time Attack) Spec, driven by renowned Japanese professional driver, Nobuteru Taniguchi. "I'm honored to have had the opportunity to drive the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N TA Spec at Attack Tsukuba 2025, which enabled me to significantly break my previous EV record", said Taniguchi. "The IONIQ 5 N TA Spec stops well and handles excellently. Despite the power, the control is outstanding, with great cornering and smooth, stable corner-exit. I could push the car to the limit with real confidence." The IONIQ 5 N TA Spec, a motorsport variant of the award-winning IONIQ 5 N, is no stranger to winning. It took victory at the 2024 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC) in the modified production electric SUV category, setting a new record in the process. The vehicle is designed to showcase the strengths of the production-spec IONIQ 5 N without significant modifications. The IONIQ 5 N TA Spec retains the standard car's high-performance power electronics (PE) system. Through software tuning, the TA Spec's maximum output has been boosted to 687 PS, with the rear motor's power increased by 37 PS compared with the standard IONIQ 5 N. Additional upgrades include N Active Sound+ with modified speakers (over 120 dB), new shock absorbers, motorsport-grade brakes, 18-inch Yokohama ADVAN 005 slick tires, a high-downforce aerodynamic package, a Recaro Pro Racer SPA Hans seat, a Sabelt six-point Hans safety harness, a PPIHC-specification roll cage, and an EV fire suppression system. With a lap time of 57.446 seconds, the IONIQ 5 N TA Spec is the fastest EV ever to lap the Tsukuba Circuit. This result was almost two seconds faster than the nearest EV competitor, despite the IONIQ 5 N TA Spec using mostly production components in critical systems such as its motors, battery and control electronics. This achievement signifies Hyundai's advanced EV technologies and strengthens Hyundai Mobility Japan's position in the country's small but growing EV market. Hyundai Mobility Japan recently launched the INSTER sub-compact electric SUV in the Japanese market, further expanding its EV portfolio. "Today's record is a clear demonstration of Hyundai's commitment to advancing EV technologies and delivering exceptional performance," said Joon Park, Head of N Management Group. "The IONIQ 5 N TA Spec's new record, using primarily production components, is not only a significant milestone that validates our technological prowess, but also demonstrates Hyundai N's commitment to bringing high performance EVs deeper into global car culture through events such as Attack Tsukuba." View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Hyundai Motor Company Sign in to access your portfolio
