Pixel 2 To Get OLED Screen; Twitter Users Want to Buy Twitter; TaskRabbit For Sale
Posted: April 10, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Galaxy S8, Gig economy, Google, iPhone 8, LG, Non-profit co-op, OLED screen, Pixel 2, Samsung, TaskRabbit, Twitter Leave a commentThe Samsung Galaxy S8 has one, the iPhone 8 is supposed to be getting a curved OLED screen, now it appears that Google may up their game….literally, with a larger, edge to edge curved screen. Bgr.com notes that the Pixel already features an OLED screen, but they have been buying them from Samsung…which will be pretty tapped out with their own phones and Apple’s. Google may drop almost a billion into LG Display, and will likely try to step up to the more technically advanced type like Samsung has built into the Galaxy S8.
Last fall, a group of Twitter users got a petition together to get the social net to sell itself to its users, and turn into a co-op. Now, recode.net reports that Twitter has actually put the idea on the agenda for their shareholder meeting next month. It doesn’t appear like the board is too keen to do it, but just the fact that they are considering it is interesting. A hybrid ownership model is also a possibility, which would give users a portion of voting shares and a few board seats. The Associated Press operates this way as a non-profit cooperative.
One of the pioneers of the so-called ‘gig’ economy, TaskRabbit, is thinking about selling itself. As startups for more specialized areas of pick up work have crowded the marketplace, continued capital has dried up. Techcrunch.com says tthere is still plenty of demand for handyman services, light home renovation, and the like…which are predicted to become a billion dollar business. Time will tell if TaskRabbit will outrun them all or become rabbit stew.
Galaxy S8’s Bixby Button Can Be Changed to Google Assistant; Apple Says No to All-ARM Macs; Spotify Testing Lossless Audio; Unexpected Changes From Driverless Cars
Posted: April 6, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, ARM processors, Bixby, Driverless cars, Galaxy S8, Google Assistant, Hi-Fi, Intel, Macs, Samsung, Spotify, Touchscreens Leave a commentSamsung touts its Bixby personal assistant and even provides a dedicated soft button for it. Now, 9to5google.com says an app lets you remap the button for Google Assistant (or other functions.) Just get the app All in One Gestures and you can remap buttons. Do expect a cat and mouse though, as Samsung try to disable the app from getting around their assistant!
Previously, Apple has said they think touchscreens on computers are less efficient than mice and touchpads. Macrumors.com reports that they have repeated this, and also said they have no plans for ARM chips in Macs, except as ‘companion processors,’ like the one that runs the Touch Bar in the new MacBook Pros. For the foreseeable future, Cupertino’s laptops and desktops will continue to run on Intel silicon.
Last month, Spotify tested a new lossless version of its audio stream. According to theverge.com Spotify Hi-Fi will cost an extra $10 a month, on top of the $10 price of the premium ad-free service. Tidal already has hi-fi streaming for $19.99 a month. If you have a great audio system you route your streaming audio into, and have golden ears, it may be worth it, but several tech writers say it’s hard to tell the difference.
Driverless cars…a lot of folks are looking forward to surfing the web, watching videos, and otherwise kicking back during a commute in vehicles that handle the piloting chore for us. Washingtonpost.com notes some ways things might change you may not have thought of. It’s possible traffic could become worse, as people opt for the privacy of self-driving cars and ditch public transport. Also, with the array of cams and sensors, cars may become witnesses to crimes. This is random, but as electric self driving cars come on line, cigarette sales may drop, since a lot of gas stations make considerable extra cash selling those cancer sticks while we fill up. Air bags and crumple zones may become a thing of the past, as crashes practically disappear and they aren’t needed. You won’t need to circle like a vulture for parking, since the computer in the car will be able to find the closest spot…which will open frequently as shared vehicles come and go. Car expenses will drop…most cash goes into crashes and engine repairs. Electric cars require far less upkeep, and with nearly no crashes, cars could last far longer, too. Self driving trucks may not displace as many drivers as originally thought…there’s already a shortage, and as drivers retire, they just won’t be replaced. Plus, some firms will always carry a human to make sure cargo that’s loaded and unloaded isn’t ‘shorted’…they will want their person at the site to supervise.
Predicted iPhone 8 Pricing; Galaxy S8 Battery Life Beats All Other Hero Androids; Self-Healing Smartphone Screen by 2020?
Posted: April 5, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Battery life, Galaxy S8, iPhone 8, Pricing, Samsung, Self-healing conductive plastic screens Leave a commentMost rumors have the iPhone 8…or whatever it will be called…coming in at over $1000, but now that the Samsung Galaxy S8 is out and less than that, analysts are revising downwards. Macrumors.com says while Apple is always pricey, they do stay very competitive. Now, the best guess is $850-$900 for a 64 gig model…just over the $840-$850 bucks for the Galaxy S8+. A 256 gig iPhone would then be $950 to a grand, so it still could break that barrier, but less people buy those. The 7S and 7S Plus are expected to stay $649 and $749 like the models they will replace.
The Samsung Galaxy S8+ beats all other top line Android phones in battery life. 9to5google.com reports that it comes in at exactly 8 hours. This beats the S7, which was 7 hours 18 minutes, and also blows past the Google Pixel, the OnePlus 3T and the rest. It does fall way short of the Apple iPhone 7 Plus, though…the Plus makes it 9 hours and 5 minutes! The new Samsung does fully recharge in an hour and 40 minutes if plugged in…longer if wireless charging is used.
Hate plastic screens? Like Gorilla Glass? You may change your tune in 2020. According to zdnet.com, scientists think we will have self-healing, stretchy conductive plastic screens that can recover from cuts and scratches. There are already phones like the LG Flex 2 that have self-healing backs, but they aren’t conductive, so can’t be used in touch screens. More testing is being done, but you could be able to ditch covers for your beautiful phone in just a few more years.
Mac Pro Will Rise Again; Nintendo Switch Warping issue; Oath for Pete’s Sake
Posted: April 4, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: AOL, Apple, CPU, Dock, GPU, iMac Pro, Mac Pro, Modular, Nintendo, Oath, Pro display, Speed bump, Switch, Verizon, Warping, Yahoo Leave a commentApple has…well kind of…admitted that the ‘trash can’ Mac Pro was a dumb design, and lifted the curtain slightly on the next generation of Pros. Daringfireball.com’s John Gruber was one of the handful of journalists that got to peek at it. The bad news is…it’s due next year. On the plus side, it will be more modular, and accommodate high end CPUs and GPUs, and won’t need to look like a dongle octopus! There will also be an Apple branded Pro display. For those that can’t wait, Apple will also release a Pro level iMac yet this year….so, can we call that one ‘semi-pro?’ In addition, the present ‘trash can’ Mac Pros get a speed bump as an upgrade, and the price is right…the $2999 entry level model gets a 6 core processor, and the $3999 model goes from 6 cores to 8.
In a literally ‘not cool’ item, the hot new Nintendo Switch is a little TOO hot when docked. Bgr.com says with heavy play in the dock, they are physically warping. Apparently, there is a thread on Reddit talking about the issue, complete with pictures of the bent Switch units. For some of the early complainers, the company says that they would either repair the unit or transfer all of its data to a new console and then ship it back. They have yet to publicly acknowledge the problem, though.
In what is becoming a rather long line of stupid rebranding names, Verizon’s Frankenstein mash up of Yahoo and AOL will be called Oath. Maybe the clown who came up with this name should be called an OAF! Techcrunch.com says the name was first acknowledged on Twitter yesterday. The company is modestly claiming that they are launching one of the most disruptive brand companies in digital. Yeah, with a moniker like Oath, good luck with that.
Galaxy S8 Fingerprint Scanner, Iris Scanner, & Face ‘Recognition’; Giant OLED Screen Order for iPhones from Samsung; Weirdest Things Left in Ubers
Posted: April 3, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Face recognition, Fingerprint scanner, Galaxy S8, Iris Scanner, OLED screens, Samsung, Super-cycle, Uber, Weird stuff Leave a commentApparently, Samsung had planned on putting the fingerprint sensor for the Galaxy S8 in the screen, but it didn’t come together in time, that’s why the scanner is on the back. It works just as before. Theverge.com notes the iris scanner is some cool tech…very James Bond, and also works fine, but you may want to steer clear of the facial recognition tech. Samsung warns not to use it for security, and they’re not kidding….it works with just a picture of you!
Apple is expecting a so-called ‘super-cycle’ of upgrades next fall. Super is the word, macrumors.com reports that they have ordered 70 million OLED panels from Samsung! Samsung may end up trying to get over 95 million of them to Apple before the end of 2017. Apple is expecting that 40% of iPhones sold next fall will be the new top line iPhone 8 with the OLED screen, with the balance being the less radical design iPhone 7S and 7S Plus.
Ever left something in an Uber, Lyft, or cab? A lot of people have. I have a couple friends who even left nice smartphones behind. Now, bgr.com has gotten a list from Uber of some of the weird stuff left behind…here are the top 10: Lobsters, Hot Cheetos, A bulletproof vest, Mustard, A ‘Back massage device,’—yeah, back— a potted plant, a Taser, Salsa, a tap handle, and an elf cutout. You probably carry an elf cutout around, right?
iPhone 8 & 7S Feature Update; Facebook ‘Borrows’ From GoFundMe
Posted: March 30, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 3D Facial recognition, Apple, Donations, Facebook, Fundraising, GoFundMe, iPhone 8, Re-focus pictures Leave a commentApple is expecting a ‘super cycle’ of iPhone upgrades this fall, and that may be one reason they are looking at pricing the iPhone 8…or Pro…or whatever…at over a grand. Bgr.com reports that Apple expects to sell about 41% of the new premium model, and wants to control demand a bit. As previously rumored, the phone will have the edge to edge OLED screen, and also a ‘structured-light-augmented’ rear camera that will let you re-focus pictures after taking them. The front cam will have 3D face recognition and 3D effects. According to this report, it will have a 5.85 inch screen, but be the size of the present iPhone 7 Plus. Apple apparently won’t be doing the 5.1 inch screen the size of their iPhone 7…at least not this fall. The iPhone 7S and 7S plus will also get the glass front and back, wireless charging, and 3D front camera, and some improvement to the back camera, but probably not focus after the fact.
After the latest Facebook Snapchat clone started rolling out…I got it last night in an update…Facebook has introduced personal fundraising like GoFundMe, and donate buttons in Facebook Live for Pages. According to techcrunch.com, users will be able to raise money for personal crises and other campaigns now. Also, Facebook Pages are able to include a donate button to their live broadcasts over Facebook. Facebook had already had a Kickstarter-like fundraising feature, but this considerably widens the appeal. Note that personal fundraisers are limited to 6 categories: education; medical; pet medical; crisis relief; personal emergencies; and funeral and loss.
LTE Apple Watch & AR Glasses Coming; Amazon Puts Off Brick & Mortar; Faraday Future Punts California Plant
Posted: March 28, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Amazon Go, Apple, Apple Watch, Augmented reality, brick and mortar, Ca, Electric Car, Faraday Future, Las Vegas, LTE, NV, Vallejo, VOiP Leave a commentIn a report picked up from Barron’s by 9to5mac.com, an analyst for Susquehanna Financial picked up repeated rumors of an LTE connected Apple Watch 3, complete with micro SIM card. It will have a very low power chip to save battery and VoIP tech for calling.
Also, the drumbeat continues that Apple is going big with Augmented Reality. Macrumors.com says Cupertino is focusing on moving from the science project stage towards a finished consumer product. Even at that, it will probably be a 2018 launch at the soonest….although one analyst insists they will roll out AR glasses with the iPhone 8 this fall.
Amazon Go, the brick and mortar Amazon store, has been put on hold. Recode.net says the biggest sticking point is that the tech in the stores with no cashiers or checkout lines can’t handle crowds. More than 20 people inside, and it goes bonkers over tracking people and what’s been taken from specific shelf space.
Another shattered dream for further revitalizing the former submarine base at Mare Island in Vallejo, CA. According to techcrunch.com, vaporware electric car maker Faraday Future has walked away from finalizing an assembly plant and showroom there, at least for now. Faraday plans to focus on finishing their original billion dollar, 3 million square foot plant in Nevada near Las Vegas…but has downsides that to 650,000 square feet. They say they will open it this fall.
Spotify Grabs Mighty TV; Wells Getting Cardless Apple Pay ATMs; Ikea Dives Into Smart Home Automation; Uber Grounds Self-Drivers in Az After Crash
Posted: March 27, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Android Pay, Apple Pay, ATM, Ikea, MightyTV, Programmatic advertising, Recommendations, Samsung Pay, Self Driving Cars, Smart home, Spotify, Tap and Pay, Tinder, Uber, Wells Fargo, Zigbee 2 CommentsSpotify has picked up MightyTV, which will shut down. Techcrunch.com reports that CEO Brian Adams will become Spotify’s VP of Technology. MIghtyTV had specialized in content recommendations, but used a Tinder style swipe left and right system. Spotify was also interested in adding MightyTV’s tech to improve its recommendations and beef up its programmatic advertising.
Wells Fargo customers will be able to withdraw from ATMs by later this year using Apple Pay without needing an ATM card. According to 9to5mac.com, it may be convoluted enough that most people will stick with the card for a while. You have to log into the Wells mobile app, select card-free, ask for a single use 8 digit code AND ATM card PIN, then withdraw. Towards year end, though, Wells Fargo says, you will be able to just use Apple’s Tap and Pay. They also will add Android Pay, Samsung Pay, and their own Wells Fargo Wallet to the Tap and Pay setup.
The smart home hub gets a boost from a big player known for low prices. Ikea is diving into the smart home with a system based on the ZigBee Light Link standard…same as Philips Hue uses. Theverge.com says the system has been in a few European countries since fall, but will be widely available the end of this month. Ikea will sell a base set of an internet gateway, remote, and two light bulbs for $85.40. An Ikea extra is a motion-controlled dimmer switch, which is an extra $20.41, but can be used independently of the connected system.
Uber has sidelined its self-driving cars in Arizona after a crash involving one left it on its side. Recode.net reports that there were no injuries, and only the back up driver was aboard. Some reports say that the other driver failed to yield, but Uber is pulling all of them until the investigation is complete. So far, Uber safety drivers have had to intervene every .8 miles, so their tech is far from solid at this point.
Apple Considers iPhone Powered Apple Laptop; iPhone Owners Have More Smart Home Gear; App Converts Your DVDs Into a Personal Netflix
Posted: March 23, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Blu-Ray, DVDs, iPhone powered, Laptops, Macbook, Samsung, Satisfaction, Smart home, Smart thermostat, streaming, Touchpad, Vudu, Walmart Leave a commentA patent just revealed that Apple is thinking about eventually making laptops that basically just run via your iPhone. According to cnet.com, the filing shows a cavity where the touchpad normally goes that holds an iPhone.The phone not only powers the laptop, but doubles as the touchpad. As always, keep in mind Apple patents lots of things that never see the light of day.
On the topic of iPhones, JD Power says iPhone owners have more smart home devices and are more satisfied with their phones. 9to5mac.com reports that- for example- 13% of iPhone owners have a smart thermostat, compared to 11% for Android owners. While Apple is still winning the satisfaction beauty contest, it’s just by a whisker now. Power says Apple’s average score is 840 out of 1000, but Samsung is just 1% behind at 839.
If you have a cabinet full of DVDs you rarely watch (raising hand here), there’s an app you may love. Businessinsider.com says Walmart’s Vudu will now let you scan the barcode of your DVDs and it will unlock the ability to watch that movie on the Vudu app for $2 each…and it works across all your devices that have the app. You can also upgrade from DVD to HDX for 5 bucks each. Right now, it works on about 8000 titles, but they are working to expand it…Vudu has around 100,000 total titles. Vudu says the average movie collector has about 100 DVDs and Blu Rays. Some of us have a lot more.
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