Mac Pro Will Rise Again; Nintendo Switch Warping issue; Oath for Pete’s Sake

Posted: April 4, 2017 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Apple has…well kind of…admitted that the ‘trash can’ Mac Pro was a dumb design, and lifted the curtain slightly on the next generation of Pros. Daringfireball.com’s John Gruber was one of the handful of journalists that got to peek at it. The bad news is…it’s due next year. On the plus side, it will be more modular, and accommodate high end CPUs and GPUs, and won’t need to look like a dongle octopus! There will also be an Apple branded Pro display. For those that can’t wait, Apple will also release a Pro level iMac yet this year….so, can we call that one ‘semi-pro?’ In addition, the present ‘trash can’ Mac Pros get a speed bump as an upgrade, and the price is right…the $2999 entry level model gets a 6 core processor, and the $3999 model goes from 6 cores to 8.

In a literally ‘not cool’ item, the hot new Nintendo Switch is a little TOO hot when docked. Bgr.com says with heavy play in the dock, they are physically warping. Apparently, there is a thread on Reddit talking about the issue, complete with pictures of the bent Switch units. For some of the early complainers, the company says that they would either repair the unit or transfer all of its data to a new console and then ship it back. They have yet to publicly acknowledge the problem, though.

In what is becoming a rather long line of stupid rebranding names, Verizon’s Frankenstein mash up of Yahoo and AOL will be called Oath. Maybe the clown who came up with this name should be called an OAF! Techcrunch.com says the name was first acknowledged on Twitter yesterday. The company is modestly claiming that they are launching one of the most disruptive brand companies in digital. Yeah, with a moniker like Oath, good luck with that.

Galaxy S8 Fingerprint Scanner, Iris Scanner, & Face ‘Recognition’; Giant OLED Screen Order for iPhones from Samsung; Weirdest Things Left in Ubers

Posted: April 3, 2017 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Apparently, Samsung had planned on putting the fingerprint sensor for the Galaxy S8 in the screen, but it didn’t come together in time, that’s why the scanner is on the back. It works just as before. Theverge.com notes the iris scanner is some cool tech…very James Bond, and also works fine, but you may want to steer clear of the facial recognition tech. Samsung warns not to use it for security, and they’re not kidding….it works with just a picture of you!

Apple is expecting a so-called ‘super-cycle’ of upgrades next fall. Super is the word, macrumors.com reports that they have ordered 70 million OLED panels from Samsung! Samsung may end up trying to get over 95 million of them to Apple before the end of 2017. Apple is expecting that 40% of iPhones sold next fall will be the new top line iPhone 8 with the OLED screen, with the balance being the less radical design iPhone 7S and 7S Plus.

Ever left something in an Uber, Lyft, or cab? A lot of people have. I have a couple friends who even left nice smartphones behind. Now, bgr.com has gotten a list from Uber of some of the weird stuff left behind…here are the top 10: Lobsters, Hot Cheetos, A bulletproof vest, Mustard, A ‘Back massage device,’—yeah, back— a potted plant, a Taser, Salsa, a tap handle, and an elf cutout. You probably carry an elf cutout around, right?

iPhone 8 & 7S Feature Update; Facebook ‘Borrows’ From GoFundMe

Posted: March 30, 2017 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Apple is expecting a ‘super cycle’ of iPhone upgrades this fall, and that may be one reason they are looking at pricing the iPhone 8…or Pro…or whatever…at over a grand. Bgr.com reports that Apple expects to sell about 41% of the new premium model, and wants to control demand a bit. As previously rumored, the phone will have the edge to edge OLED screen, and also a ‘structured-light-augmented’ rear camera that will let you re-focus pictures after taking them. The front cam will have 3D face recognition and 3D effects. According to this report, it will have a 5.85 inch screen, but be the size of the present iPhone 7 Plus. Apple apparently won’t be doing the 5.1 inch screen the size of their iPhone 7…at least not this fall. The iPhone 7S and 7S plus will also get the glass front and back, wireless charging, and 3D front camera, and some improvement to the back camera, but probably not focus after the fact.

After the latest Facebook Snapchat clone started rolling out…I got it last night in an update…Facebook has introduced personal fundraising like GoFundMe, and donate buttons in Facebook Live for Pages. According to techcrunch.com, users will be able to raise money for personal crises and other campaigns now. Also, Facebook Pages are able to include a donate button to their live broadcasts over Facebook. Facebook had already had a Kickstarter-like fundraising feature, but this considerably widens the appeal. Note that personal fundraisers are limited to 6 categories: education; medical; pet medical; crisis relief; personal emergencies; and funeral and loss.

LTE Apple Watch & AR Glasses Coming; Amazon Puts Off Brick & Mortar; Faraday Future Punts California Plant

Posted: March 28, 2017 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

In a report picked up from Barron’s by 9to5mac.com, an analyst for Susquehanna Financial picked up repeated rumors of an LTE connected Apple Watch 3, complete with micro SIM card. It will have a very low power chip to save battery and VoIP tech for calling.

Also, the drumbeat continues that Apple is going big with Augmented Reality. Macrumors.com says Cupertino is focusing on moving from the science project stage towards a finished consumer product. Even at that, it will probably be a 2018 launch at the soonest….although one analyst insists they will roll out AR glasses with the iPhone 8 this fall.

Amazon Go, the brick and mortar Amazon store, has been put on hold. Recode.net says the biggest sticking point is that the tech in the stores with no cashiers or checkout lines can’t handle crowds. More than 20 people inside, and it goes bonkers over tracking people and what’s been taken from specific shelf space.

Another shattered dream for further revitalizing the former submarine base at Mare Island in Vallejo, CA. According to techcrunch.com, vaporware electric car maker Faraday Future has walked away from finalizing an assembly plant and showroom there, at least for now. Faraday plans to focus on finishing their original billion dollar, 3 million square foot plant in Nevada near Las Vegas…but has downsides that to 650,000 square feet. They say they will open it this fall.

Apple Considers iPhone Powered Apple Laptop; iPhone Owners Have More Smart Home Gear; App Converts Your DVDs Into a Personal Netflix

Posted: March 23, 2017 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A patent just revealed that Apple is thinking about eventually making laptops that basically just run via your iPhone. According to cnet.com, the filing shows a cavity where the touchpad normally goes that holds an iPhone.The phone not only powers the laptop, but doubles as the touchpad. As always, keep in mind Apple patents lots of things that never see the light of day.

On the topic of iPhones, JD Power says iPhone owners have more smart home devices and are more satisfied with their phones. 9to5mac.com reports that- for example- 13% of iPhone owners have a smart thermostat, compared to 11% for Android owners. While Apple is still winning the satisfaction beauty contest, it’s just by a whisker now. Power says Apple’s average score is 840 out of 1000, but Samsung is just 1% behind at 839.

If you have a cabinet full of DVDs you rarely watch (raising hand here), there’s an app you may love. Businessinsider.com says Walmart’s Vudu will now let you scan the barcode of your DVDs and it will unlock the ability to watch that movie on the Vudu app for $2 each…and it works across all your devices that have the app. You can also upgrade from DVD to HDX for 5 bucks each. Right now, it works on about 8000 titles, but they are working to expand it…Vudu has around 100,000 total titles. Vudu says the average movie collector has about 100 DVDs and Blu Rays. Some of us have a lot more.

Leak Shows Size of Galaxy S8 Screen; Mariott Testing Siri and Amazon Alexa for Rooms

Posted: March 22, 2017 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Samsung Galaxy S8 will be unveiled in just a week, and the leaks continue. BGR.com has one that is particularly interesting in that it shows a picture of the screen in use, giving an idea of just how much of the front is screen…they have pretty well made good on covering most of the front panel! Presumably, this is an indicator of what Apple’s iPhone 8 will do with front screen real estate…it’s pretty spectacular! The S8 will be released April 21st or 28th, and judging from the pix, it should be a huge hit!

While some people are delighted to have Amazon’s Alexa at their beck and call, and less are delighted with Apple’s Siri, Mariott is testing both out to decide which might be best for letting guests control their rooms via voice commands. Appleinsider.com says a Bloomberg report points to Mariott choosing one by mid year. Alexa has the advantage in both price and ease of use and add ons, but only works with English and German. Siri supports 21 languages. I can’t wait to hear people yelling at the door lock trying to get their room to open in the middle of the night. Have fun, travelers!

iPhone Curved After All-Just Not Screen; New iPad, iPhone 7 Color Update; Tesla Model S Sets Speed Record; Nintendo Originally Wanted Custom Android Running Switch

Posted: March 21, 2017 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

There has been a lot of chatter about the iPhone 8 having a curved screen, then flat, then slightly curved at the edges like the 7. Now, according to appleinsider.com, we may know why. A source out of Korea says it will have the flat AMOLED screen with slight curve at the edges, but the back will be a curved, 3D glass ‘water drop design.’

Apple today rolled out (RED) iPhone 7 and 7 Plus models, with part of the money going to the Global Fund for AIDS research. 9to5mac.com reports that they also announced a new $329 9.7 inch iPad which is on sale Friday. It replaces the Air 2, and has the older guts and just 32 Gigs of memory. This entry level iPad is out ahead of the expected upgrades and additional model to the iPad Pro line shortly.

A Tesla Model S P100 D just set a quarter mile speed record. It was already race car fast zero to sixty, but HorsepowerFreaks tweaked one a bit and pulled a quarter mile in 10.638 seconds. This is not a Tesla record, by the way….bgr.com notes it’s a record for ALL 4 door sedans…by an electric car. Let that set in, motorheads!

In a deal that never happened, Nintendo looked at getting a custom Android build from Cyanogen to run the Nintendo Switch. 9to5google.com says while that didn’t happen, the actual Switch runs an OS that is mostly a custom kernel with some ‘little bits of Android mixed inside.’ Cyanogen basically told them to ‘stick it,’ and Nintendo went back and rolled their own OS for the Switch…which seems to have worked out pretty well for them so far!

Galaxy S8-3 Colors and Pricier Than iPhone; iPhone May Tease AR Features; Dolby and Netflix Gage Viewer Reaction to Shows

Posted: March 20, 2017 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Samsung Galaxy S8 will drop with 3 different colors and cost more than an iPhone 7. That’s according to thenextweb.com. The colors are ‘black sky,’ ‘orchid grey,’ and ‘arctic silver.’ It looks like it will run $989, with the S8 Plus syphoning off $1113 of your bucks! A rumored feature has been confirmed…the S8 will have Bixby, Samsung’s AI assistant.

Apple is apparently betting big on AR. A large team of experts and engineers has been going full stop on AI since last spring, and some features may bow on the iPhone 8 this fall. Techcrunch.com reports that this may just be a warmup to some AR glasses Apple has in the works that will pair with iPhones. For the iPhone, most features will revolve around the camera….Snapchat style filters and possible after the fact re-focusing of pictures.

So much for Netflix and chill. Dolby Labs is using biosensors to detect how we are reacting to movies and TV shows. Theverge.com says the tech has been licensed to Netflix to use in their new series Iron Fist. Right now, the setup is far from subtile….the rig includes a 64 channel EEG cap, a wrist tracker that picks up heart rate and perspiration, one of those oxygen sensors on a fingertip, and a thermal imaging camera aimed at the viewer. The setup produces data on what scenes make hearts beat faster, what makes cheeks flush, and what ones put them to sleep. Netflix had already been using eye tracking tech to analyze how viewers reacted to their content. I feel like we aren’t far from a jack in the back of the head like in ‘The Matrix.’

Another Strong Hint that iPhone 8 Will Feature AR; Google Working on 3 Successors to Present Pixel Phone

Posted: March 16, 2017 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

While the tech world pours over rumors that the iPhone 8 will have an OLED screen…perhaps curved….and wireless charging, another strong hint has dropped that the real game changer may be AR. Bgr.com reports that advanced 3D sensor maker Lumentum put out guidance that it has booked revenue into what it calls ‘a high-volume mobile-device application.’ iPhones already have 3D sensors, but they are used as range finders and proximity detectors. Highly advanced 3D sensors like Lumentum makes could be used for gesture control or mapping the surrounding 3D environment. This truly could be Apple’s ‘next big thing.’

The folks at Google are apparently working on 3 models to update the Pixel phone. According to thenextweb.com, the three are code named for freshwater fish, and one will have a larger screen than the other two. There may be a cheaper version, as well as a feature packed waterproof high-end successor. As Apple and Samsung, the updated phones will likely have a slimmer bezel, too.

Dueling Display Rumors for iPhone 8; Gmail Android App Adds Money Sending

Posted: March 15, 2017 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Just yesterday, we had a rumor that the iPhone 8 would keep a flat screen as it goes to AMOLED. Now, macrumors.com says a new one points to a ‘slightly curved’ screen…not near as curved as a Samsung Galaxy Edge, but a gentle curve. Actually, the present iPhones curve at the edges very slightly, so it may be a matter of semantics or maybe it’s because Apple generally builds a number of different test models before settling on a final design. In this case, we may not really know for sure until fall.

Users of the Gmail app on Android can now send or request money with anyone, including those who don’t have a Gmail address, with just a tap. Mashable.com says
it’s designed to make exchanging money as easy as attaching a file. Just tap the attachment icon (the paperclip), then choose either send or request money. A pop-up window appears where you can input the amount and add a note, and send. The entire process takes place in the Gmail app — you don’t have to have Google Wallet installed. Recipients can configure it so the money they receive through Gmail goes directly into their bank account. There are no fees involved. A little late to the party, but Google joins PayPal, Venmo, Square Cash, Snapchat, and Facebook Messenger in adding a cash sending feature.

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