Netflix Offers Selectable Stream Quality on Cells; Periscope Tests Save Feature
Posted: May 5, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: #save, AT&T, Cellular, Facebook Live Video, Live Stream, Netflix, Periscope, Quality, streaming, Verizon, Vimeo, YouTube Leave a commentLast month, it was revealed that Netflix was quietly throttling video quality over Verizon and AT&T cellular systems. Since the word got out, theverge.com says Netflix has responded by offering users the choice of upping the quality and gobbling up more data…and the inevitable hit to your cell bill…or staying with a lower quality and saving a few bucks on your cell bill. You have to dig through the settings to find it, and the default is set to automatic. The app jumps back to higher quality automatically whenever you’re on Wi-Fi. It’s activated as of now.
Periscope is beta testing a feature to save your live streams. Up to now, they only save for 24 hours, but in the beta, you can save them indefinitely by putting hashtag save (#save) in the title. Up to now, you had to save the video to your camera roll, then upload it to YouTube or Vimeo. Thenextweb.com reports that the feature is partly because Facebook live saves closed streams on your timeline unless you delete them.
Apple Music Getting Much-Needed Makeover; Flexible Brighter e-Paper May Be Coming
Posted: May 4, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Amazon, Apple, Apple Music, Connect, e-paper, Graphene, Guangzhou OED Technologies, Kindle, WWDC 1 CommentApple will show a revamp of it’s Apple Music streaming service at WWDC in June, according to a Bloomberg report picked up by macrumors.com. The interface will allegedly be more intuitive and easier to use. The service has grown to more than 13 million subscribers in the past year, but has also taken considerable criticism on it’s clunkiness and artists have griped that the social aspect….Connect….has failed miserably.
A Chinese company has figured out a way to use graphene to make e-paper that’s brighter and more flexible that the present screen material. Geek.com reports that the company- Guangzhou OED Technologies- already markets e-paper displays under the O-paper brand. They are promising that production will start yet this year, so the next generation Kindles from Amazon in 2017 may be not only much more readable, but ‘bendy,’ or there could even possibly be a roll up e-paper device.
Google Self-Driving Tech in Chrysler Minivans Next Year; New iPhones We Can’t Live Without
Posted: May 3, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Chrysler, Google, hybrid, iPhone, Pacifica Minivans, Reality distortion field, Self Driving Cars, Steve Jobs, Tim Cook Leave a commentTech companies and car makers are moving at warp speed towards self-driving vehicles. Now, 9to5google.com has picked up a Bloomberg report that Google self-driving tech will be featured in 2017 Chrysler Pacifica hybrid minivans. The non-exclusive deal may be in place this week. The vans will have a 30 mile electric only range, have a gas V-6 that kicks in after that, and the battery can be recharged in 2 hours when plugged into 240 volts.
In an interview Monday, Apple’s Tim Cook teased that the next generation of iPhones will have features you ‘can’t live without, that you don’t even know you need today…’ So far, Wall Street is not impressed, and the stock is still down, but it does make one wonder if there’s One More Thing or maybe Two that Apple has kept under wraps so that KGI Securities and other usually reliable sources haven’t been able to get wind of. We’ll know in September whether it’s just Tim Cook channeling Steve Jobs’ legendary reality distortion field, or if Apple is really going to knock our socks off with some killer feature or features.
Hulu Working on $40 Skinny Bundle Cable Competitor; LG In-Screen Fingerprint Reader
Posted: May 2, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Comcast, Cord-cutters, Disney, Fingerprint sensor, FOX, Hulu, LG, Live channels, NBC, Skinny bundle, Waterproof Leave a commentJust as traditional cable companies are trying to win back cord cutters with so-called ‘skinny bundles’ that feature less content and a lower price, Hulu is building a cable-like TV package that will go for around $40 a month. According to businessinsider.com, it would give viewers live channels, and Hulu hopes to have it out first quarter of next year. So far, it would have Disney Channel, ABC, ESPN, Fox Broadcast, News, FX, and the Fox national and regional sports channels. Comcast hasn’t agreed to license NBCUniversal or it’s other channels so far, as they likely view the new Hulu service as a direct competitor.
A division of LG-LG Innotek, has revealed a fingerprint sensor module that lives under the glass cover or screen of your smart phone. 9to5google.com says this would allow for more waterproof models and a sleeker design….without the physical button below the screen. It reportedly has an accuracy of .002%! LG thinks they can have it out in a phone by next year.
New Ultra Thin HP Chromebook; iPhone 7 ‘Pro’ Drawings Leaked
Posted: April 28, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Audio jack, Chromebook, Dual Camera, HP, Intel, iPhone 7, Smart Connector Leave a commentHP showed off it’s new 13 inch screen, ultra thin Chromebook today. It sports a QHD Display, has a slick all-metal case, and weighs in at 2.86 lbs. According to venturebeat.com, it’s packed with 16 gigs of memory, runs on an Intel Core M processor, and the battery should last 11.5 hours. It’s available now for pre-order, ships May 6th, and starts at $499.
Drawings and diagrams leaked show a 5.5 inch iPhone 7, and as rumored, there is no 3.5 mm audio jack, and it sports a dual camera. Bgr.com reports that the leak came from Macotakara, which leaked accurate diagrams of the iPad Pro. It does have a Smart Connector port on the back, and still has a single speaker. Surprisingly, it’s no thinner than the present model, and doesn’t have a larger battery…which had previously been given as the reason Apple wanted to drop the audio jack.
Apple Watch 2 May Have Own Cellular Connection; Tesla’s Distant Cheaper 4th Model
Posted: April 27, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Apple Watch 2.0, Elon Musk, iPhone, Model 3, Model 4, No tethering, Tesla Leave a commentThe Apple Watch version 2.0 may have its own cell connection, which would allow it to operate without constant tethering to an iPhone. Macrumors.com also picked up from the Wall St Journal that the updated Watch may sport a faster processor as well and will drop in the fall. It would require its own cellular number and data plan, but that’s something a lot of users would be happy to pay for to be able to use it while leaving the phone in a bag, car, or even at home.
There’s been a lot of buzz in the last month about Tesla’s Model 3, which they began taking pre-orders for and which will have a base price of 35 grand. Now, according to bgr.com, Elon Musk says he’s already thinking about a 4th model…and he says it will be even more affordable than the model 3. At a meeting in Norway, Musk said ‘…with something like the Model 3, it’s designed such that roughly half the people will be able to afford the car. Then, with fourth generation and smaller cars, we’ll ultimately be in the position where everyone will be able to afford the car.”
Lobbying for Self-driving Cars Takes Quantum Leap; Amazon Prime Now SF Launch With New Guarantee
Posted: April 26, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Amazon, Ford, Google, Lyft, NHTSA, One hour restaurant delivery, Price guarantee, Prime Now, San Francisco, Self Driving Cars, Uber, Volvo Leave a commentA gigantic lobbying group has just been formed to press regulators to allow for self-driving cars. Google, Ford, Uber, Lyft, and Volvo are all involved. It’s called the Self-Driving Coalition for Safer Streets, according to theverge.com, and is headed by David Strickland, a former NHTSA administrator. They will press the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to come up with a clear set of federal standards by this summer.
Amazon has added San Francisco as the 8th city for its Prime Now one hour restaurant delivery service. With over 4000 restaurants packed into 49 square miles, San Francisco may be the restaurant capital of the world, and Amazon has thrown in a new feature…for all markets with Prime Now…a price guarantee. Geekwire.com says if you find a lower price on the restaurant’s in-person menu within 24 hours, you’ll get a refund. 33 zip codes in the City by the Bay will get the service, and there are 117 restaurants to choose from. If you want to try it out, it’s FREE during launch. Regular price for One Hour Prime Now is usually $7.99.
Wild iPhone 7 Rumors; Apple’s Watch Not Such a Flop, Play Store & Android Apps on Chromebooks
Posted: April 25, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Android, Apple, Apple Watch, Chrome OS, Chromebook, Dustproof, Google Play Store, Haptic feedback, iPhone 7, Waterproof Leave a commentWe’ve heard a lot about the ‘boring’ iPhone 7, which won’t change on the outside and won’t have a new, killer feature. Now comes a sketchy rumor out of China that it will have a flush, touch sensitive home button and waterproof, dustproof case. 9to5mac.com says Apple would use haptic feedback to make a flush, capacitive area act like the physical home button. A new, flat black case may join space gray and the golds for a new color choice that echoes of the old iPhones.
Speaking of old iPhones, another Apple product…the Apple Watch…has apparently sold twice as many units as the original iPhone did its first year. Bgr.com reports that a consensus of analysts is that Apple has pushed out between 12 and 13 million Apple Watches. That’s not only twice as many as the original iPhone sold in a year, it’s 61% of the global smartwatch market. Not bad for a flop.
Screen shots posted on Reddit Sunday indicate that the Google Play Store and millions of Android apps may be headed to the Chromebook and Chrome OS. According to cnet.com, arstechnica.com was able to replicate an option in settings on a second generation Chromebook Pixel that says ‘Enable Android apps to run on your Chromebook,’ which shows momentarily, then disappears. No response from Google, of course.
Uber Settlement Keeps Drivers as Contractors; Google I/O Highlights Virtual Reality
Posted: April 22, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Augmented reality, Google, I/O, Independent contractors, Lyft, Settlement, Tips, Uber, Virtual Reality, VR Leave a commentUber has settled a couple class action suits in California and Massachusetts that will eventually play out 100 million to drivers, but keeps them classified as independent contractors, and not employees. Cnet.com says it will also set up a ‘driver association’ to address driver concerns, and a key point is that Uber won’t be able to terminate drivers at will, and they will have to establish appeals panels for those who feel they have been terminated unfairly. Drivers will also be able to post signs to ask for tips. Lyft has already allowed for driver tipping. They also won’t be allowed to terminate drivers for turning down rides when logged in, which was considered a key issue in considering drivers as employees.
Google I/O is a month away, and much of the schedule has been posted. According to arstechnica.com, a large swath of time will be dedicated to virtual reality talks. VR is an entire content track at I/O this year, with 7 sessions dedicated to virtual or augmented reality…including one called ‘Google’s Vision for VR.’ The keynote for this year’s Google I/O is May 18th at 10am Pacific.
Facebook Considering Letting Users Monetize Posts; Apple Patents Folding Telephoto Lens for Smartphones
Posted: April 20, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Donations in posts, Facebook, iPhone 7 Plus, Monitization, Telephoto lens, Tip Jar Leave a commentFacebook is apparently thinking about letting users accept donations in posts…either to make money or for a charitable cause. According to thenextweb.com, a survey from the social media giant points to this. They are also looking at branded content and sharing earnings from ads on posts. For better or worse, you may be getting your Facebook ‘tip jar’ ready before long!
Apple has patented a super compact folding telephoto lens for mobile devices. Apple insider.com says it resembles a small letter ‘r,’ or a periscope, with part of the lens cluster at the bottom of the upright, and the rest at the end of the top curve….the upright is mirrored. Moving the secondary lens at the bottom up or down gets the telephoto effect, which is passed on to the image sensor. It’s unknown if this will end up in the two camera system touted in the iPhone 7 Plus for this fall, a later model, or like some Apple ideas…be filed away.
clarkreid 
Recent Comments