Google-Password Free Sign In Using Phones; Smaller iPhone 6c…or is it 7?
Posted: December 23, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 6c, 7c, Apple, China Mobile, Google, iPhone, Password-free log in Leave a commentGoogle is testing a way to sign in to your Google account without entering a password. You associate a prime smartphone with the account…locked with a PIN or password. Then, when you want to log in, a notification is sent to that phone. If you click yes, you’re logged in. It’s not super high security, but occasionally asks for a number you have on the phone. Since no password is entered…on a work computer, for example, it can’t be compromised that way. According to 9to5google.com, no word on when or if Google will roll this feature out.
China Mobile just held an event previewing upcoming plans for 2016, and they indicate a 4 inch iPhone which they call iPhone 7 in April, along with the new version of Apple Watch. Most other rumors have this phone as the iPhone 6c. Macrumors.com says it’s supposed to have an aluminum casing like the 5s, and use the A9 processor of the 6s and 6s Plus.
Google Partnering with Ford on Self-Driving Cars; Sony Working On 40% Longer-Lasting Battery
Posted: December 22, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 40% longer life, Ford, Google, Lithium Ion Batteries, Magnesium-sulphur batteries, Self Driving Cars, Sony, Sulfur based batteries Leave a commentGoogle and Ford are partnering to build self-driving cars, according to a report by Yahoo Autos. Businessinsider.com says the deal should be announced at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas next month. The joint venture will create a company that builds self-driving cars using Google technology. The entity will be legally separate from Ford, partly to protect Ford from potential liability. Google has been testing out their odd looking little self driving cars on city streets for a couple years now. Ford and numerous other car makers have been hard at work on self-driving car tech. The partnership would represent Google’s first success enlisting an established car-maker to adopt its technology.
Lithium-ion batteries have been powering our phones and laptops for a long time, but there are other technologies that may work better. Sony played a key part in popularizing Li-ion batteries in the 1990s. Mashable.com reports they are now working on new, sulfur-based batteries, which could offer up to 40% better energy density per volume. That means battery life would last roughly 40% longer.The first Li-S batteries were built in the late 2000s, almost none are commercially available today, mostly due to the sulfur easily degrading. It’s unclear exactly how Sony plans to solve this problem with its new batteries. Sony is apparently also working on magnesium-sulfur (Mg-S) batteries, which are potentially both more efficient and cheaper than today’s batteries.
Sony reportedly aims to have the new batteries ready for commercial production by 2020.
Nexus 6 for $250 at Amazon; Hi-Res Music May be coming to iTunes & Apple Music
Posted: December 21, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Amazon, Android, Apple, Apple Music, Hi-res, iTunes, Lightening, Marshmallow, Nexus 6 Leave a commentIf you are in the market for a phablet at a great deal, or for a last minute gift for someone you REALLY like, Amazon has a 32 gig Nexus 6 for $249.99 shipped in Cloud White or Midnight Blue. With Amazon Prime, it can be under the tree by the 23rd. 9to5toys.com says the 64 gig model is $299.99, and both come with Android Marshmallow.
A rumor is afoot again that hi-resolution audio is on the way to iTunes and Apple Music. This one is from Japanese blog Macotakara, picked up by 9to5mac.com. The blog claims Apple will have better than CD quality for iTunes sometime next year. The leak is from some manufacturers that make Lightening based headphones, which would support the higher res format.
Amazon Rolling Own in Air Cargo; Messenger Fastest Growing App
Posted: December 18, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Air Cargo, Amazon, Apple Music, Boeing, Facebook, FedEx, Logistics, Messenger, Moments, Nielsen, Post Office, UPS Leave a comment
In a move that should strike terror in the hearts…or at least indigestion in the bellies…of competitors, Amazon is talking to Boeing about acquiring 20 767 freighter jets. Geekwire.com reports that as of last month, some unknown firm, now presumed to be Amazon, was flying 4 cargo flights a day out of Ohio’s Wilmington Air Park…which was a DHL facility until 2008. They were bound for Allentown, PA, Ontario CA, Tampa, and Oakland…all close to Amazon distribution centers. DHL previously had 7500 employees at the air park. Earlier this month, Amazon bought thousands of truck trailers. They are getting ready to disrupt shipping and logistics….look out FedEX, UPS, and Post Office.
A lot of people questioned Facebook calving off Messenger into a separate app, bout according to Nielsen research picked up by techcrunch.com, it was a brilliant move. Facebook remains the top app of 2015, but Messenger is now the fastest growing app installed on smartphones. It’s not up as much as last year, when Facebook split it off and growth was 242%, but still up 31% from 2014. Now, Facebook has broken off its private photo-sharing feature into the Moments app. The second fastest growing app was Apple Music, at 26% increase year over year.
Amazon-Pitch Dangerous Hoverboards-They’ll Credit; iPad Air3 Coming Sans Force Touch
Posted: December 16, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Amazon, Apple Watch 2, E-waste, iPad Air 3, iPhone 6c Leave a commentWith more stories coming out about hover boards catching fire, Amazon had pulled them from their site. Now, according to engadget.com, they are telling US and British customers to e-waste or get rid of them, and Amazon will credit their accounts and eat the cost. The Consumer Product Safety Commission is investigating the safety of the devices.
The iPad Air 3 will apparently bow without Apple’s Force Touch for its 9.7 inch screen. This will be due to production issues with Force Touch on the bigger screen. It’s expected in the first half of the year, most likely early March along with the next generation Apple Watch, and probably the 4 inch screen iPhone 6c that will replace the aging 5c. 9to5mac.com reports that KGI Securities also agrees with Morgan Stanley in predicting lower iPhone 6S sales compared with the 6 models…but KGI attributes a fair amount of that to tight inventory due to production issues for the 3D Touch screens.
Facebook Tests Yelp Killer; GM Ahead of the Pack with Apple CarPlay
Posted: December 15, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Cadillac, CarPlay, Foursquare, General Motors, GM, Photo Syncing, Porsche, Professional Services Leave a commentA fair amount of movement at Facebook of late. On the heels of successfully splitting off private messages to their Messenger app on mobile, Facebook is doing the same now with their Photo Syncing, making users use their Moments app instead. But there’s something being tested out that may be a ‘Yelp’ killer, according to thenextweb.com. It’s called ‘Professional Services,’ and it helps you search for businesses around you, then shows you ratings and recommendations on where to go. You can search for things like dentists, pizza or veterinarians, type a city, and results appear with a star rating and a review. Contact details and a map are included. Right now, it’s only on the desktop, but if they launch it for mobile, Yelp and Foursquare could take big hits.
Giving people what the want…what a concept! It’s working for GM, and dealers say it’s helping them sell cars. What ‘it’ is is Apple CarPlay. Appleinsider.com reports that General Motors has rolled out CarPlay faster and across more models than competitors, and dealers are reporting that it’s helping close deals. For 2016, GM has added 14 Chevrolet models and now most Cadillac models have the system…for a total of 27 models with CarPlay…far more than any other auto company. Apple Maps is a big selling point, as navigation systems usually run around $1000, and you get navigation free with CarPlay. Users report GM’s CarPlay works better than those in BMW or Porsche.
Samsung’s Galaxy S7 Clones Apple Force Touch; Leather Tesla Stocking Stuffer
Posted: December 14, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Fast charging, Force Touch, Galaxy S7, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, RFID blocking, Samsung, Tesla, USB type C Leave a commentMore is leaking out about the Samsung Galaxy S7. Due out in March, the S7 will have a pressure sensitive screen copying Apple’s Force Touch, according to theverge.com. The non-Edge version will have expandable storage like the S6 models, and it will sport an improved camera with no ‘bump’ on the back. Maybe best of all, the S7 will have a USB-C port….the kind that lets you insert the cable in either way, and fast charging…reportedly a nearly full charge in 30 minutes! There are still rumors of a retina scanner, but those have been popping up since the S5, so don’t hold your breath.
Be still my heart….a Tesla for Christmas! Well, sort of. Like many other manufacturers, Tesla has leather left over after cutting those buttery seat covers. Now, they’ve started making iPhone 6 cases out of the excess. Bgr.com reports that they run $45 to $50, depending on whether for a 6 or 6 Plus, and if you want a wallet case or not. The wallet case has RFID blocking, too. Thanks, Santa Musk!
iPhone 7 Possibly Waterproof; Two More Players Join Self-Driving Car Rally
Posted: December 11, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Baidu, Elastomer, iPhone 7, Samsung, Self Driving Cars, Waterproof Leave a commentApple has a number of patents that never get used, but this is intriguing…Electronic Device with Hidden Connector. Bgr.com reports that the tech allows an opening like a USB port or headphone jack to automatically seal. It uses an elastomer, that expands and seals the moment a connector is removed. Not a sure thing, but rumors that the iPhone 7 might sport this technology, combined with others to prevent water damage, and make a waterproof iPhone.
Two more companies have joined to race to get self-driving cars on the road. Samsung and Baidu are dipping their toes into the water, according to theverge.com. Unlike what Apple is reportedly doing, Samsung is focusing on components for a driverless car. Baidu, however, is working on actual self-driving vehicles that could serve as public shuttles. The Chinese state news agency says they have already built a fully self-driving car based on a BMW 3 series that can hit 62 mph in a test. A former Googler is now assisting with the project.
Wal~Mart Launches Wal~Mart Pay; Adidas Looks to Robots to Make Shoes
Posted: December 10, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Adidas, Android, CurrentC, iOS, Mobile Wallet, Robots, Shoes, Speedfactory, Walmart, Walmart Pay Leave a commentWal~Mart has rolled out its own mobile wallet called Walmart Pay. It will be available on iOS and Android devices, and allows payment with any major credit, debit, pre-paid, or gift card. According to reuters.com, it should be in stores nationwide by the first half of 2016. The giant retailer says it’s not bailing on the merchant consortium that developed CurrentC, and will consider it as an additional mobile wallet option. CurrentC was beta launched in August.
No longer content to export jobs to people making slave wages in developing countries, Adidas is finishing up a factory in Germany that will be staffed with robots. Right now, there are 10 people helping make it work, but the company is shooting for 100% automated production. Geek.com says they are more concerned with shipping costs than rising wages in Asia, and building so-called ‘Speedfactories’ all around the globe where their customers live will help them move from selling 600 million shoes to a billion in the next 5 years.
Recent Comments