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E-Book Review: “Owning Model S” – The Definitive Guide to Buying and Owning the Tesla Model S
Nick Howe’s “Owning Model S” book has been receiving rave reviews from Model S owners and enthusiasts worldwide. But despite the temptation to purchase it, I held off on buying the paperback because I’ve been waiting for the e-book version. Well it’s finally here and I’m ecstatic to be reviewing it.
The e-Book
I consider myself pretty well read on the Model S from browsing through forums and blogs, but what surprised me most about ‘Owning Model S’ was that there was an abundance of hidden tips and useful information on the Model S that I never knew about. Not only is the book rich with content and contains excellent narratives, diagrams and pictures, but it’s also really well structured.
Forums are great for an interactive social discussion and you have the patience to comb through the noise, but they can drive you crazy if you’re just trying to find a specific piece of information! The book reads really well from front to back and also serves as a great reference guide. The sections are laid out in a very organized manner which allows you to quickly find the information you’re looking for.
As $16.95 the book may run a bit pricier than other traditional e-books, but given the considerable amount of time that went into the research and production of the book, I think it’s worth every penny.
e-Book Benefits
I usually install my e-book on multiple devices ranging from my desktop computer, a laptop computer, my iPhone 5 (and later 6) and my iPad mini. My e-books can be read on many popular devices. Having this type of access allows me to read it wherever I am and regardless of my device.
e-Books also come with a quick search capability that your traditional paperback doesn’t have. With the e-book you’re able to search by keyword and jump directly to the information you need. Much like a physical book you can also highlight sections of the book and mark key pages. The images in ‘Owning Model S’ are in high quality so you’re able to pinch zoom without it being distorted.
I made the move to all e-books years ago for many of the reasons above and I think the e-book format is the only way to go.
e-Book Challenge
No “Copy” in this e-book
Authors like Nick Howe have to be concerned about people copying his work and distributing it freely. That means Nick needed to protect his work through a Digital Rights Management (DRM) system. I’ve never published an e-book before but one thing I do know is that it’s possible to get published on the Amazon Kindle store. Considering Amazon provides readers for all platforms including one of the most popular e-book readers in the world, it’s hard to understand why ‘Owning Model S’ did not go down this path, thus limiting itself to distribution and convenience for its readers.
For “Owning Model S” they went with an Adobe DRM format that requires a special e-book reader you’re not likely to have used before. The process for getting the reader involves registering an account with Adobe (many people won’t have accounts with Adobe before this), downloading the reader (not by Adobe if on a mobile device) and finally opening the encrypted book which you should have received via email after purchasing online from EVAnnex. You’ll have to repeat this set up using the special reader on every device that you intend on using.
It’s confusing and it’s a pain. But to their credit, they do provide helpful instructions on how to move through the process. Amazon Kindle is unfortunately not supported, and don’t even think about reading this from your Model S 17″ touchscreen.
Other features missing from the reader is the ability to synchronize your read position across devices and the ability to select and copy text. Another really odd feature or lack thereof is the ability to click on URLs. And since you can’t copy text, there’s no way for you to copy the URL and paste it into a browser.
Ultimately, ‘Owning Model S’ is one of the most comprehensive guides for the Model S and a must have by all owners. I would love to see Nick put the book on the Amazon store one day and open distribution up to more devices and potential readers.
The Model S is an amazing feat of technology, but you don’t have to be a geek to drive it. That said, you shouldn’t have to be a tech savvy geek to be able to read about it either.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk to attend 2026 World Economic Forum at Davos
The Tesla CEO was confirmed as a last-minute speaker for a session with BlackRock CEO Larry Fink.
Elon Musk is poised to attend the 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos. The Tesla CEO was confirmed as a last-minute speaker for a session with BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, signaling a thaw in Musk’s long-strained relationship with the event.
A late addition
Organizers of the World Economic Forum confirmed that Elon Musk was added shortly before the event to a Thursday afternoon session, where he was scheduled to speak with Fink, as noted in a Bloomberg News report. Musk’s upcoming appearance marks Musk’s first participation in the forum, which annually draws political leaders, business executives, and global media to Davos, Switzerland.
Musk’s attendance represents a departure from his past stance toward the event. He had been invited in prior years but declined to attend, including in 2024. His upcoming appearance followed remarks from his political ally, Donald Trump, who addressed the forum earlier in the week with a wide-ranging speech.
A previously strained relationship
Musk had frequently criticized the World Economic Forum in the past, describing it as elitist and questioning its influence. In earlier posts, he characterized the gathering as “boring” and accused it of functioning like an unelected global authority. Those remarks contributed to a long-running distance between Musk and WEF organizers.
The forum previously said Musk had not been invited since 2015, though that position has since shifted. Organizers indicated last year that Musk was welcome amid heightened interest in his political and business activities, including his involvement in the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Musk later stepped away from that role.
Despite his friction with the World Economic Forum, Musk has remained central to several global events, from SpaceX’s provision of satellite internet services in geopolitically sensitive regions through Starlink to the growing use of xAI’s Grok in U.S. government applications.
News
Tesla states Giga Berlin workforce is stable, rejects media report
As per the electric vehicle maker, production and employment levels at the facility remain stable.
Tesla Germany has denied recent reports alleging that it has significantly reduced staffing at Gigafactory Berlin. As per the electric vehicle maker, production and employment levels at the facility remain stable.
Tesla denies Giga Berlin job cuts report
On Wednesday, German publication Handelsblatt reported that Tesla’s workforce in Gigafactory Berlin had been reduced by about 1,700 since 2024, a 14% drop. The publication cited internal documents as its source for its report.
In a statement to Reuters, Tesla Germany stated that there has been no significant reduction in permanent staff at its Gigafactory in Grünheide compared with 2024, and that there are no plans to curb production or cut jobs at the facility.
“Compared to 2024, there has been no significant reduction in the number of permanent staff. Nor are there any such plans. Compared to 2024, there has been no significant reduction in the number of permanent staff. Nor are there any such plans,” Tesla noted in an emailed statement.
Tesla Germany also noted that it’s “completely normal” for a facility like Giga Berlin to see fluctuations in its headcount.
A likely explanation
There might be a pretty good reason why Giga Berlin reduced its headcount in 2024. As highlighted by industry watcher Alex Voigt, in April of that year, Elon Musk reduced Tesla’s global workforce by more than 10% as part of an effort to lower costs and improve productivity. At the time, several notable executives departed the company, and the Supercharger team was culled.
As with Tesla’s other factories worldwide, Giga Berlin adjusted staffing during that period as well. This could suggest that a substantial number of the 1,700 employees reported by Handelsblatt were likely part of the workers who were let go by Elon Musk during Tesla’s last major workforce reduction.
In contrast to claims of contraction, Tesla has repeatedly signaled plans to expand production capacity in Germany. Giga Berlin factory manager André Thierig has stated on several occasions that the site is expected to increase output in 2026, reinforcing the idea that the facility’s long-term trajectory remains growth-oriented.
Elon Musk got a brash response from Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary, who said in a press conference on Wednesday afternoon that the Tesla frontman’s criticism of the airline not equipping Starlink has increased bookings for the next few months.
The two have had a continuing feud over the past several weeks after Musk criticized the airline for not using Starlink for its flights, which would enable fast, free, and reliable Wi-Fi on its aircraft.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk trolls budget airline after it refuses Starlink on its planes
Musk said earlier this week that he was entertaining the idea of purchasing Ryanair and putting someone named Ryan in charge, which would oust O’Leary from his position.
However, the barbs continued today, as O’Leary held a press conference, aiming to dispel any beliefs about Starlink and its use case for Ryanair flights, which are typically short in length.
O’Leary said in the press conference today:
“The Starlink people believe that 90% of our passengers would happily pay for wifi access. Our experience tells us less than 10% would pay; He (Elon) called me a retar*ed twat. He would have to join the back of a very, very long queue of people that already think I’m a retar*ed twat, including my four teenage children.”
He then went on to say that, due to Musk’s publicity, bookings for Ryanair flights have increased over the past few days, up 2 to 3 percent:
“But we do want to thank him for the wonderful boost in publicity. Our bookings are up 2-3% in the last few days. So thank you to Mr. Musk, but he’s wrong on the fuel drag. Non-European citizens cannot own a majority of European airlines, but if he wants to invest in Ryanair, we think it would be a very good investment.”
O’Leary didn’t end there, as he called Musk’s social media platform X a “cesspit,” and said he has no concern over becoming a member of it. However, Ryanair has been very active on X for several years, gaining notoriety for being comical and lighthearted.
🚨 Ryanair CEO’s comments on X and Starlink today at the planned presser.
Strange comments here, it just feels like it’s time to end all this crap https://t.co/NYeG95bM82
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) January 21, 2026
The public spat between the two has definitely benefited Ryanair, and many are calling for it to end, especially those who support Musk, as they see it as a distraction.
Nevertheless, it is likely going to end with no real movement either way, and is more than likely just a bit of hilarity between the two parties that will end in the coming days.
Elon Musk to attend 2026 World Economic Forum at Davos
Tesla states Giga Berlin workforce is stable, rejects media report
