Apple Next Big Thing- VR; Your Twitter Timeline Isn’t Changing
Posted: February 8, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Augmented reality, Chronological, Dual lens camera, iPhone 7, Stanford, Twitter, Virtual Reality, VR Leave a commentEver since Steve Jobs left the mortal world, there’s been fairly continuous hand-wringing about what Apple’s going to do when they run out of his clever ideas. Now, it appears Apple’s next big thing may well be virtual reality. What could be bigger than a powerful computer in your hand? How about dropping you into a totally computer generated world of VR, or assisting you with amazing augmented reality? Business insider.com points out that Cupertino is already staffing up, and that a division has been building VR prototypes for months, and that Apple has purchased at least 4 startups in related tech. Then, there’s the fact that Apple-ites hadn’t set foot in Stanford’s VR lab for 13 years…until lately. Now, they’ve dropped in 3 times in the last 3 months. Finally, think about the dual lens camera Apple has been placing large orders for…as we’ve reported, to go into the iPhone 7. Besides shooting stills and video at the same time, and multi focus adjustable pictures, a dual lens is good for augmented reality.
After a major freakout that Twitter was going to kill the chronological timeline, CEO Jack Dorsey had to come out over the weekend and say ‘it ain’t so.’ Dorsey says such a change was never planned, and in fact Twitter hopes to make your timeline feel more…not less…live. As engadget.com notes, the chronological feed is the feature that separates Twitter from the other social networks…and despite out of order features like ‘while you were away,’ it will continue to be a firehose of breaking news and fresh information.
Facebook Killing Medical Pot Pages; Apple Patents Way to Share Touch ID
Posted: February 4, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Facebook, Friends Day, iPad, iPhone, Medical Marijuana, Pot, Touch ID Leave a commentFacebook is deleting pages for medical marijuana dispensaries in New Jersey and other states where they’re legal. Businessinsider.com says a dispensary got a popup on login that said ‘We remove any promotion or encouragement of drug use.’ On Facebook’s ad policy page, it does day the site also won’t allow ads that ‘promote the sale of prescription pharmaceuticals.’ Ironic that this story is out on Facebook’s 12th birthday, when they’re offering up cheery ‘Friends Day’ videos to users.
According to 9to5mac.com, Apple has a patent for additional functionality for the Touch ID home button…allowing different actions for different fingerprints. The patent application is mind numbingly technical, but looks like a way to give temporary access to an iPhone or iPad with only specific apps available….useful for letting kids use your device. The function would also limit the time the guest could use the iPhone or iPad. No word on when, or if, Apple will actually bake this feature in.
New Details About iPhone 7 Leaked; Zagg Buys Battery Phone Case Maker Mophie
Posted: February 3, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Antenna bands, Apple, Camera bump, Dual lens camera, iPhone 7, Juicepack, Mophie, Zagg Leave a commentIf rumors are true, the iPhone 7 due out in September will lose its camera bump on the back, as well as the unsightly antenna bands across the back. Macrumors.com reports that a thinner camera module, made possible by a patented curved portion, yields the flat rear surface. Apple has ordered dual lens camera modules from a supplier in addition to single lens ones, so the iPhone 7 Plus may get the duel lens camera that can shoot snapshots and HD video at the same time.
I have used Mophie’s Juicepack battery cases since the iPhone 3, and find their doubling of battery life invaluable for travel. Engadget.com says Zagg has swallowed up Mophie for a cool 100 million. It should be a good marriage…Zagg makes all kinds of mobile accessories from keyboards to screen protectors and cases, while Mophie has focused on battery cases and added memory cases for iPhones and Androids and stand alone battery packs. Yes, I’ll probably buy another Juicepack when the iPhone 7 rolls out…you can’t do a road trip without one.
March 15th Rollout for iPhone 5se, iPad Air 3, & Apple Watch Update; 2nd Tesla Powerwall Coming This Year
Posted: February 2, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Apple Watch, Elon Musk, Home battery, iPad Air 3, iPhone 5se, Powerwall, Tesla Leave a commentApple plans to unveil the new 4 inch iPhone 5se, as well as the iPad Air 3, and new band options for the Apple Watch at an event currently scheduled for March 15th. The small iPhone will be powered by the current 6S A9 chip, have better cameras, and run Live Photos and Apple Pay. The iPad Air 3 will feature better speakers and a Smart Connector, and likely a better than Retina screen. New bands will be showed off for the Apple Watch, including an entirely new one fashioned from a new material.
At a speech in Paris last week, Elon Musk said V 2.0 of the Tesla Powerwall home battery will likely be out in July. According to Gizmodo.com, it will get at least a bump in capabilities, but mainly that they will build enough that you might actually have a chance to buy one. No price point has been given yet for V 2.0, but the original ran $3500, and was about 7 grand installed with power inverter to hook it up to your home power system. A video of the Musk speech is up on YouTube.
Samsung Announces Galaxy Unpacked Date; Tesla May Mirror Apps On Big Screen
Posted: February 1, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Android, Android Auto, CarPlay, Galaxy S7, Galaxy Unpacked, iPhone, Mobile World Congress, S7 Edge, Samsung, Tesla, YouTube Leave a commentIt’s official…Samsung has announced their Galaxy Unpacked event at Mobile World Congress February 21st in Barcelona. 9to5google.com says the event will be live streamed at 10am Pacific, 1pm Eastern over Samsung’s YouTube channel. A teaser video has a person wearing a Gear VR virtual reality headset reaching for a cube with a 7 on it, a nod to the rollout of the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge.
Tesla is looking at allowing smartphone apps from iPhones and Androids to be mirrored on it’s big display in the centre console of the cars. Theverge.com reports that the maker may be going this direction instead of putting out their own native developer kit to wall the phone apps off from the system that controls the functionality of the car itself. Although Tesla has one of the better infotainment systems in any car, they haven’t embraced Android Auto and Apple CarPlay at this point.
4K iPad Air 3; Wireless iPhone Charging; Over the Air High Speed Internet
Posted: January 29, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 4K Display, Apple, Beam, iPad Air 3, Over the air internet, Starry, Starry Point, Wireless charging Leave a commentt’s no secret that iPad sales haven’t be setting the world on fire, and with the Air 3 supposed to be out in March, Apple needs something to create excitement. Bgr.com reports that they may have that something. There hasn’t been a real ‘oh wow’ feature on the iPad since the Retina display in 2012. The Air 3 may be taking it up a notch with a 4K screen! The next gen iPad Air will also reportedly have 4 gigs of ram and improved battery life.
A number of companies have wireless charging systems for their smartphones, but according to bloomberg.com, Apple may roll one out by next year that doesn’t rely on the phone making contact with a charging mat or plate. Cupertino is reportedly working on a system that can charge iPhones from across the room, and it may bow with the models out in 2017.
A company called Starry is working on over the air internet that could REALLY let you be a cable cutter. Their system uses 4 foot transmitters they call Beams that a small receiver called a Starry Point in a home’s window picks up and converts to something your router can broadcast through the house as regular WiFi. Businessinsider.com says t’s supposed to be significantly cheaper than the service from your cable or phone company, have no data caps, and offer speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second. They aren’t up and running yet, but claim to be able to set up in a town in a matter of weeks, once permissions for their rooftop Beam antennas is granted. Stay tuned!
Google Box On Wheels For Drone Deliveries; Another Feature Samsung Borrows from Apple for the Galaxy S7
Posted: January 28, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Box on Wheels, Drone Delivery, Galaxy S7, Google, iPhone, Leasing, Project Wing, Samsung, Upgrade Program Leave a commentSince announcing last November that they were launching the Project Wing drone delivery service, not much has been heard from Google on the topic. Now, thenextweb.com says a patent reveals a so-called ‘delivery receptacle.’ It’s essentially a box on wheels with a computing system and drive mechanism, so a drone can drop it off, and it rolls the final distance to you…even into your garage, if you have concerns with packages being stolen off your porch. Google is aiming for a system that will deliver packages of 5 lbs or less to your home or office in under 30 minutes, and this may be an important piece of that puzzle.
We had already reported that the Galaxy S7 will sport its own versions of Apple’s Live Photos and 3D Touch. Bgr.com reports that Samsung will also be rolling out an upgrade program like Apple’s iPhone Upgrade Program that arrived with the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus. The leasing type program will drop in South Korea first, then come to the US.
How Lyft Sees It’s (and Your) Driverless Future; Cup of Joe on the Go
Posted: January 27, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: General Motors, Kickstarter, Lyft, Mobile coffee maker, MoJo, Pods, Ridesharing Leave a commentLyft thinks that by 2030, they’ll be offering you driverless rides. That’s not so surprising, but what they will be IN may well be. As we’ve reported, Lyft has partnered with General Motors, with the latter pumping a half billion into the ride sharing service. According to buzzfeed.com, Lyft plans to furnish different types of vehicles to customize your ride. The vehicles will be like pods, according to the ride share service…not built around a driver as with present day vehicles. For a longer trip, you might call a napping pod, or you could hail one that offers a mani-pedi for a little spiffing up. Some may be all glass at the top for scenic routes. Other options considered may be carriage seating, where people face one another, or single pods for a quick trip across town. As predicted by others, individual car ownership may dwindle to a tiny number of hardcore driving enthusiasts. It’s only 15 years away…tech has a way of disrupting industries at warp speed.
A Kickstarter that every commuting coffee drinker will love, and Starbuck’s will hate is on the way by May. Mashable.com reports that the MoJoe mobile coffee system, which had shot for $20,000, has raised over $73,000, and will be on the way to backers by May. It looks like a Thermos, but you pour water into it, and a battery heats the water and pushes it up at 200 degrees through a mini filter full of grounds. Presto! Freshly brewed coffee in 6 to 10 minutes, depending on the temperature of water you pour in! The coffee is held in a separate chamber. The battery is rechargeable, and you can plug it in…the Thermos is designed to fit regular cup holders.
Could the Reviled iPhone ‘Camera Bump’ be Going Away; Apple Car on Hold; Amazon Prime’s Explosive Growth
Posted: January 26, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Amazon, Apple, Apple Car, Camera bump, iPhone 7, Prime, Project Titan, Spherically curved photosensor Leave a commentA clever Apple patent filed in 2013 and granted today points to the hated camera bump on the back of iPhones going away. 9to5mac.com reports that Cupertino has come up with an interesting way to defy physics, and make a smaller lens. Physics determines just how thin you can make a sensor and lens arrangement for any given aperture while retaining quality. But instead of the usual flat sensor, the patent describes a ‘spherically curved photosensor’ that would allow the distance between the lens elements and the sensor to be reduced, allowing for a thinner camera module…and no bump. It’s unclear if this will make it into the iPhone 7.
After the exit of Steve Zadesky, who was running Apple’s semi-secret car project dubbed Project Titan, macrumors.com is hearing that the Apple Car is on hold due to execs not being happy with progress being made on it’s development…especially Jony Ive. Rumors are that the Titan team feels Apple’s deadlines and goals are unattainable. Apple has apparently wanted final engineering specs for the car by 2019 or 2020…now, it looks like that deadline will slip for certain.
Amazon Prime’s US membership grew by 35% to 54 million in 2015. Think about that. The figure is according to a report from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners picked up by geekwire.com. When they went to $99 a year for the package of free shipping, videos, and audio, a lot of people predicted a fall off in members, but the exact opposite has happened. Prime members spend an average of $1100 a year with Amazon, compared to $600 for non-members, so Amazon can afford free Prime shipping as a bit of a loss leader.
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