Google Now Takes a Leap Forward & More on Microsoft’s Surface Hub
Posted: June 10, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Google, Google Now, Microsoft, Surface Hub Leave a commentAs things move further towards software and assistants that actually work, bgr.com reports that Google Now can answer a new set of questions without the user including place names or addresses. If you’re standing in front of a restaurant, you can ask ‘when does this restaurant open,’ and Google Now will answer based on your location. If you’re next to a monument, you might query ‘when was this built,’ and it will tell you. A spooky cool new feature just announced by Google at an event in Paris.
We now have more information about Microsoft’s Surface Hubs. The 55 and 84 inch hub displays first shown in January will be out in September. Primarily intended for business conference rooms, they are a cool $6999 for the 55 inch model and $19,999 for the king sized 84 inch screen. Both feature 100 points of multitouch, 3 simultaneous pen inputs, dual hi res cameras, and microphones that reduce background noise during conference calls. They run a slimmed down version of Windows 10. Preorders open up July 1st.
A Killer App for Apple Pay & Better Battery Life
Posted: June 9, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Android M, Apple, Apple Pay, Battery life, Card Reader, iOS 9, NFC, Square Leave a commentWe’ve noted that while Apple says they hope to have half the top 100 retailers signed up for their iPhone based payment system by year’s end, they’re a long way away. Something shown at WWDC may be the proverbial killer app to energize the system. TechCrunch.com points out that Apple announced a new partnership with Square. Square will make a new card reader for small businesses that will take Apple Pay by NFC, or the regular old credit card swipe.
Something long clamored for by users is better battery life. iOS 9 rolls out improvements that will give an extra hour of use without doing anything differently. In addition, cnet.com reports there’s a new low power mode that Apple claims will net you an additional 3 hours of battery life on iPhones and iPads. It turns off processes under the hood, and Apple claims it won’t restrict your usage as much as the Android low power mode does. That said, Google is expected to give users more battery savings in the upcoming Android M.
DJI Eye in the Sky
Posted: June 8, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: DJI, Drone, ecoROTR, GE, Power generation, Stereo Cameras, Ultrasonic sensors, Wind Turbine Leave a commentThe latest DJI Eye in the Sky has….well, eyes. The company has unveiled a drone equipped with a guidance system using stereo cameras and ultrasonic sensors, that allows it to detect objects up to 65 feet away, and keep it at a preconfigured distance. Theverge.com says it’s the Matrice 100 model, and it’s built to be developer friendly and modifiable for various tasks across varying industries. It can fly 20 minutes-longer with an extra battery. No price has been announced yet.
GE Engineers have come up with a way to get more power from wind turbines, without making them so big they can’t be moved across country for installation. The ecoROTR has a 60 foot wide geodesic dome in the center, driving air to thicker…but not longer blades. According to gizmodo.com, this makes for a 3% increase in energy production. For an entire wind farm, that will be a significant boost in power generation.
Half of Top Merchants Will Use Apple Pay By Year’s End?
Posted: June 5, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Apple Pay, Baseball caps, Carbon Fiber, Kevlar, Kickstarter, Pitchers, Safer Sports Technologies 2 CommentsApple has been working overtime reeling in merchants and financial institutions for its Apple pay system. Appleinsider.com says Cupertino expects to sign a number of large merchants before the end of 2015, pulling around half of the top 100 US merchants into the Apple fold. It’s an uphill climb, with only 4 of those pledged to support the iPhone based pay system so far. Most are hesitating citing customer demand, so that could change quickly if demand does.
Not all tech is zoomy and connected to the web. Some can save people from injuries or patch us up after the fact. Safer Sports Technologies has developed a lightweight insert that goes in a baseball cap to protect a pitcher from being beaned. It’s a combination of carbon fiber and kevlar, and runs ear to ear across the middle of the forehead. The two ounce insert apparently feels like it’s barely there. With it installed, the pitcher can survive a line drive to the head of up to 94 miles per hour! It’s a $5000 kickstarter right now, and you can get left and right kid sized ones for a $60 pledge, or for $80…the full wrap pro version for adults.
Google on Verge of Releasing 1st New Nest Product Since They Bought It
Posted: June 4, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Google, iPhone 7, Nest, Nest Audio Leave a commentMedia invitations have been sent for an event June 17th for a Nest news conference in San Francisco. No other details were offered, but a lot of buzz is on it being Nest Audio. Google watchers say it could be something like the Amazon Echo. Businessinsider.com notes that whatever it is, we should know between 9:30 and 10 am on June 17th.
Reports out of Asia picked up by bgr.com indicate that besides an iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, Apple will again offer a 4 inch screen model that may be called the 7c in 2016. Sources say it will be a completely redesigned phone. The 7 and 7 Plus are expected to be the same 4.7 and 5.5 inch sizes as the 6 series and their successors due out this fall.
Apple TV Confirmed As the Hub for HomeKit
Posted: June 3, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Amazon, Apple, Apple TV, Free Shipping, Homekit, Small and Light, WWDC 1 CommentAs Moscone Center in San Francisco is being readied for Apple’s World Wide Developers Conference next week, more keeps leaking out. This week, several early HomeKit devices from 3rd parties rolled out, and now thenextweb.com reports that…as expected…you’ll need Apple TV to remotely control HomeKit gadgets. Apple has posted a setup page to help people configure the system. If you already have Apple TV, it needs to be 3rd generation or later with software version 7 or newer.
Amazon has rolled out free shipping on small and light products…that is, ones that weigh less than 8 ounces. According to geekwire.com, ‘Fulfillment by Amazon Small and Light’ will also focus on items that cost less than 10 bucks. No more $35 minimum purchase requirement or Prime membership for free shipping of these small and light items. It won’t be free TWO Day shipping though…expect your items in 4 to 8 days.
Intel Joins the USB C Bandwagon
Posted: June 2, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Chrombook Pixel, Doctor Who, Gamestop, Google, Hot Topic, Intel, Macbook, Nokia N1, Star Trek, Star Wars, Thinkgeek.com, Thunderbolt 3, USB type C Leave a commentAs has been widely reported, the latest 12 inch Apple Macbook has one port…the new USB C mini reversible cable. The Google Chromebook Pixel and Nokia N1 tablet also spot the versatile mini plug. The USB C can power the laptop, carry a display signal, and has fast data speeds all in one plug. Now, theverge.com says Intel is jumping in, announcing that the Thunderbolt 3 will use the USB C connector instead of the mini display port. Every time a standard like this changes, expect to drop more bucks on adapters, like Apple’s crazy-expensive $79.99 Macbook adapter…but it will allow for lighter thinner laptops and tablets…and you can never be too thin or light—or well heeled, right?
If you’re a little geeky, you’ve heard of thinkgeek.com. If you’re as geeky as some of us, you’ve ordered stuff from them. The website known for fan gear for Star Trek, Star Wars, Doctor Who, and both Marvel and DC comic gear is being bought by GameStop, according to engadget.com. It looked like Hot Topic was a foregone conclusion, but at the last minute, GameStop jumped in with $20 a share, eclipsing Hot Topic’s $17.50 bid. The collectables category is growing fast, and games from stores have been taking it in the shorts from online sources, so GameStop helps itself considerably with this purchase. Don’t forget to check your geek points!
Windows 10 Release Date & Prices Leaked
Posted: June 1, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Microsoft, Newegg, NREC, Self Driving Cars, Uber, Windows 10 Leave a commentThe cost and release date of windows 10 may have been leaked by a reseller. A page at newegg.com shows a release date to hardware makers of August 31st, according to zdnet.com. Newegg.com is taking preorders, and lists the Home edition for $109, and Professional edition $149, again to hardware makers. Ed Bott of ZDnet says Newegg also jumped the gun on preorders for Windows 8 in 2012.
Update: The Official Windows blog at blogs.windows.com announces Windows 10 will be available as an upgrade starting July 29th, and you can reserve an edition now.
Uber has wooed away a number of staffers from Carnegie Mellon University’s robotics department. The verge.com reports that the exodus started in January, and now nearly a third of the staff has joined Uber. It’s not uncommon for the National Robotics Engineering Centre to be doing work for external clients, and the staffers that have moved to a nearby building will also be wrapping up projects at Carnegie Mellon’s NREC. This is yet another indication that the move to self-driving cars is getting into high gear. Uber plans to be moving into their own new 53,000 square foot facility in San Francisco’s Mission Bay area by the end of the year.
Did Google Just Win the Cloud Wars?
Posted: May 29, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Consumer Reports, Dell, EasyTech, FREE, Geek Squad, Google, I/O, iCloud, Lenovo, Photos, Tech support Leave a commentAccording to bgr.com, Google may have won the cloud wars, with the announcement at I/O yesterday that their Photos app will allow for unlimited photos and videos in the cloud for FREE! By comparison, Apple gives you 5 Gigs of free storage on iCloud, then hits users with a buck a month for 20 gigs or $20 a month for a terabyte. If you have a large collection, and switched from Apple to Google, you’d save $240 a year. Google photos runs on Android, iOS, or the web, and syncs across all your devices.
Although that was just one of the things rolled out at Google I/O that caused gnashing of teeth at Apple, they should be smiling about this: Appleinsider.com says Consumer Reports ranked Apple highest for computer tech support in their annual survey. According to Consumer Reports, 4 out of 5 Mac owners using AppleCare said the service was able to solve their problem, compared to 61% for Dell and Lenovo. They were ranked pretty much even with indy stores for retail support, although Best Buy’s Geek Squad and Staples EasyTech both charge, and Apple’s geniuses will diagnose problems for free.
GoPro Quadcopter Out Next Year
Posted: May 28, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Chromecast, Drone, GoPro, Lenovo, Quadcopter Leave a commentWhy wear a camera for active videos when you can fly one overhead? Theverge.com says GoPro announced at the Code Conference that they plan to launch their own quadcopter drone the first half of next year. Although they declined to put a price point on the drone, CEO Nick Woodman noted that they’re a consumer focused company, so expect it to be competitively priced. GoPro also said there will be a number of related products available when the quadcopter launches.
Lenovo has dropped a competitor to Chromecast. According to slashgear.com, the hockey puck shaped gadget is due to sell for $49, and should be out in August. Like Chromecast and Roku and the rest, it’s plug and play. It has HDMI and micro USB ports, dual band WiFi, supports up to 1080p resolutions, and comes with a bracket, so you can mount it on the back of the TV instead of laying it on your TV stand.
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