Smartphones Pass Dumbphones, a REALLY Dumb Phone, & More

Here in the US, and especially the Bay Area, it seems everyone has a smartphone. There’s a Gartner study showing that smartphones just passed up dumb phones in the second quarter of this year. 79% run Android.

Hard to believe, but bgr.com says Samsung is still working on a folding phone…remember those? Pictures have leaked out of the Galaxy Folder. It has duel LOW resolution displays. Really?

The Google Play Store is up 67% the last 6 months, compared to a 15% bump at Apple’s App Store. A lot of that growth is in Asia. Apple’s market is still much bigger, though.

If you like to shoot good pictures, be watching for an amazing add-on from Sony. It’s a 20 megapixel camera that attaches to your Android or iPhone, and is controlled by the phone over Bluetooth. It has a 10 power zoom, Carl Zeiss optics. It has an SD card slot, and wifi so you can export your pictures easily. They’re saying it will be out soon…no price range yet. No more schlepping the DSLR, but same picture quality? I’m in.

iPad Neck and Other Tech Stories You May Have Missed

This will come as no surprise, but all the cool mobile devices we now use bring their own set of ergonomic problems to the workplace…and office furnishings haven’t kept up. According to doctors at Cornell, there’s even a new syndrome…iPad Neck…from leaning over a flat iPad on your desktop…get a stand!

The founders of You Tube have rolled out a video app called Mix Bit with an unique feature you can mix a number of videos for up to 16 seconds. It’s free at the Apple App store. 16 seconds isn’t that long…most cartoons change music every 7 seconds, and they run about 7-8 minutes long! Short Attention Span Theatre is becoming more and more true every day!

Just as Microsoft is taking preorders for the X Box One, Amazon is working to launch its own Amazon branded, Android powered console by the end of the year. Games will be sold through the Amazon AppStore. Will hard core gamers go for it, if they can’t download and keep the games they buy? That may be the real question for both, and give Sony a leg up.

Another step towards going walletless…Paypal is running a trial in Britain using your profile picture and the Paypal app to shop at stores and cafes. You do have a PIN number for extra security. They hope to be in 2000 stores by the end of the year. No more hold on to your wallet, but whatever you do, hold the phone!

The Smartwatch Wars and An App for Those Embarrassing FB Pics

The smartwatch wars are apparently heating up…we’ve noted that Apple has trademarked iWatch in an number of countries, and now techcrunch.com has discovered that Samsung has filed for Galaxy Gear for watches, wristbands, and bangles. Will they be self-contained or talk to your smartphone…and what about battery life? Mashable.com has a story about an app called secret dot li, which could save your bacon if you’re looking for a job or to switch jobs. It scrambles pixels on the photos you upload to Facebook except to friends you choose. You can also set it to delete those pics after a period of time. 9to5mac.com points to emerging markets and not the US as the real reason behind a cheaper, plastic iPhone. Apple’s smartphone has dropped to 7th place in China.

Digital Dash & Mobile Job Applications

The digital dashboard in cars…it’s not just coming from tech companies like Apple. Ford has their Sync AppLink, but GM’s been quiet up to now. Gigaom.com reports that GM is planning to turn their cars into virtual smartphones on wheels, not only with the normal apps and music, but even the car’s systems will be available to developers… It’s exposing a second set of APIs that give devs access to its telematics features — basically all of the vehicle data and remote access services provided by OnStar today.

At techcrunch.com, some good news for job seekers. Linkedin.com is going to allow job seekers to apply for jobs directly through their mobile apps. Applicants can use their LinkedIn Profie as a proxy resume. This will expand their usefulness (and stickiness.) Monster and Careerbuilder have already had this function.

Those super secure electronic locks for your house? Uh, not so much. Wired.com has a story that reports there are millions of Kwikset electronic locks that are hackable. The locks had been certified Grade 1 secure by Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association and are advertised by Kwikset as being invulnerable to being hacked with wires, screwdrivers, or anything else inserted in the keyway. Two lock hackers at DefCon showed that this isn’t the case…and also hacked high security locks like the White House has. The good old key might be your best bet.

Made In USA & X Box One’s Killer Feature?

More tech companies are bringing manufacturing back from Asia. Google is building the X Phone stateside, and Apple will build the new Mac Pro here. A survey from Boston Consulting Group reveals part of the reason for the sudden patriotism. The BCG survey shows that 80% of people will pay more for tech built in the USA. It’s ALWAYS about the cash!

Microsoft has gotten a lot of heat for the upcoming X Box One, but they may have something of a killer feature….developers can self publish their own games, and skirt going through a publisher. Microsoft will release more on this at the Gamescom conference next month. They have a big hill to climb with the X Box One, but this may be something of a lifeline.

Google Maps has been the gold standard, but City Maps may be the up and coming better choice. Think of City Maps as Google Maps with Yelp, Foursquare, and Instagram baked in. 15 million businesses are available. Tapping each business pulls up relevant information like directions, Instagram photos, popular Foursquare tips, menus and the ability to add them to a particular map you’ve created.You choose which of your friends can get access to your maps. Of course it also has the usual driving directions, walking maps and public transit information in addition to the sharing and business features.

Google Cloud Printing…and a Space Coffee Mug

Google is making some upgrades to their cloud service, including bringing cloud printing to Windows desktops. The computer will have to have their Chrome browser installed, but this should make printer sharing easier if you use Google cloud services. Speaking of Google, Samsung is cutting loose from them and doing their own developers’ conference. It will be in San Francisco in October. Since word has slipped out that Google will be keeping some unique features and a sleeker look for Android on their own Motorola phones, expect Samsung to pull away even more as time goes on.

Drinking coffee from a straw sucks, so scientists at Portland State have figured out a cup astronauts can sip coffee from in space. One sharp corner uses capillary force to get every drop of java into the space traveler’s mouth. The scientists just got a patent for the Zero Gravity Coffee cup.

Remote Cam Trigger for Selfies & Rejected GoogleGlass Commands

There’s probably not much more popular when it comes to cameras in smartphones, than taking selfies…or so it seems. Have trouble taking that great selfie? Help may be on the way. There’s a Kickstarter project called Shuttr. It’s a little bluetooth keyfob with a button that fires your phone’s camera…it should make for much easier selfies to post on social media. Because you can never have enough great selfies.

If you think people walking around wearing GoogleGlass, prefacing everything with ‘OK Glass’ seems a little silly, consider this: before Google settled on ‘OK Glass’ to activate GoogleGlass, they actually considered ‘Go Go Glass’ and…are you ready….’Pew, Pew, Pew.’ Seriously…you just can’t make this up.

Your Location Value, Tablets for Education & Real $ Games on Facebook

You’ve heard how your personal information is being sold on the web for pennies…but some things about you are worth more (that may or may not make you feel better.) Your car’s location can bring up to 10 bucks, thanks to those cameras that shoot your license plate.

Education, like the medical market, is embracing tablets in a big way, but the iPad’s biggest rival in schools is not another tablet, it’s google’s Chromebook. Some schools can pick them up for $99. Since the education market for years has been an Apple stronghold, they are no doubt not amused.

Facebook is getting real money gambling games in Britain, thanks to Zynga. It may not be limited to the Brits for all that long, either. Zynga has big plans to bring games like ZyngaPlusPoker and ZyngaPlusCasino to the US, starting by getting a gaming license in Nevada.

Zooming Maps & Florida Bans Computers-Oops!

Most people have GPS and mapping software on their phones, but now tech invades the venerable paper map. A Brit has developed a paper map that zooms in as you unfold it! It’s a Kickstarter campaign that will allow you to see more than the 4-5 inches on your phone’s screen…you can view a city on your 8 inch square map. As Apple continues to tweak the new mobile operating system, here’s something cool in the new iOS 7- although it may not be a feature you’ll use right away. Apple has baked in Airplay for cars. You could leave your phone in your pocket or purse in your next car and it will connect to the car via wifi for phone, music, navigation, and more. Honda, Mercedes, Nissan, Ferrari, Hyundai, Kia, and Infiniti will have cars that utilize Airplay, some as soon as next model year. A story not ripped from the Onion, but it sure seems that way…a law was passed in Florida to kill gambling at internet cafes…but the wording inadvertently bans computers and smartphones. Oops. Next time people complain about lawyers in government, keep in mind that it helps to have them when you need to write a law that does what the legislators intend!

Euro Anger at NSA, & Apple Wants More In-Store iPhone Sales

It’s not just people here in the US that are upset over the scope of NSA spying…the Europeans are getting madder and madder. They are angry enough, they may freeze American cloud providers out, setting up their own European cloud services. It’s a bit of pot meets kettle, since word has gotten out that the British, Germans, & French are also spying on their citizens to one extent or another.

Apple’s Tim Cook is starting to crack the whip…he plans sweeping changes for Apple Stores to get staffers to sell more iPhones…will that kill the buzz over genius bars? Employees say one of the thing adding to 80% of iPhones selling elsewhere is…according to customers…the lack of one with a bigger screen! Will that be one of the ‘special projects’ the former CEO of Yves St Laurent, Paule Deneve, who Apple just hired as a VP?