Next MacBook Pros May Be the Real Deal; Apple Patents Foldable Smartphone; Amazon Rules the Cloud; Mobile Web Passes Desktops; Facebook Extends Longevity
Posted: November 1, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Amazon, Amazon Web Services, Apple, Carbon nanotubes, Ceramic, Cloud, Facebook, Foldable smartphone, Fox Mulder, Google, IBM, Intel, Longevity, Macbook Pro, Microsoft, Mobile internet, X Files Leave a commentWith the continued griping that the new MacBook Pros aren’t all that ‘pro,’ here’s an interesting tidbit…9to5mac.com reports that KGI Securities says Apple was constrained by a late release of new Intel chips that are more powerful but use less juice. If the next Intel chips are more timely, 2017 may see faster, more powerful MacBook Pros with 32 gigs of ram!
Meanwhile, Apple has patented a bendable or foldable smartphone. Patentlyapple.com says this is different than Samsung’s designs…it uses advanced carbon nanotube structures. This could be done with a ceramic case…something the top Apple Watch uses, and rumored for the iPhone 8. the iPhone 9 or 10 could fold up and slip into a shirt pocket if this is put into use.
Synergy Research Group has crunched numbers, and Amazon Web Services is truly the 800 lb. gorilla of public cloud infrastructure…at 45%, they have more than Microsoft, Google, and IBM combined. According to Geekwire.com, this remains true even though Microsoft and Google are growing cloud revenue at over 100% per year. IBM does lead in managed private clouds, however.
Mobile internet use has passed desktop use for the first time, according to techcrunch.com. Mobile is now at 51.2%, with 48.7% of use still on desktops. Mobile is a whopping 75% in emerging markets like India!
Shades of ‘I want to believe’ from “X Files,” thenextweb.com has picked up a report that moderate Facebook use can lead to longer lives. It has been long known that people with strong social networks live longer, but what about online friends? A study of 12 million Facebook users by UC San Diego says yes. One of the researchers has ties to Facebook, but they claim the social media giant didn’t have a hand in determining the results. The average Facebook user is allegedly 12% less likely to die than non-users. Fox Mulder is using Facebook to look for aliens, and thinks you’re one.
New Tesla Powerwall Has Twice the Power; More on New MacBooks
Posted: October 31, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Dongles, F# chord, Macbook Pro, Powerwall 2, SSD drive, Tesla Leave a commentA pleasant surprise from Tesla…the upcoming Powerwall 2 will hold twice the charge as the present model’s 14 kW hours. Elon Musk says that’s enough to run lights, sockets, and fridge in a standard 4 bedroom home for an entire day! According to tech crunch.com, production will start in the next few weeks, and the rig will run $5500. Of course, you will need to add a few thousand to have it installed along with a power converter. Along with solar cells, you could do some serious cord-cutting….or at least unplugging for a good part of the day!
With lots of people up in arms about the new MacBooks losing ports, and the thoughts of buying a bag full of dongles, and other issues…like no physical escape button many programmers use, Apple has apparently thrown a bone to business and power users. 9to5mac.com reports that the SSD drive is replaceable and upgradable, at least in the low end model sans Touch Bar. In the prior models, it was soldered in. We’ll have to wait until some of the Touch Bar models are delivered to see if this is true across the line…if so, it would be welcomed. A couple of other notes…or lack of notes…the F sharp chord at startup is gone. The new Pros start when you open the lid, and it’s almost no difference from the wake when you open the lid of a machine that has already been booted up…except that it obviously takes a little longer. A moment of silence for the venerable Apple chord.
Microsoft Surface Studio; New Size for iPhone 8
Posted: October 27, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, iPhone 8, Microsoft, Microsoft Dial, Surface Studio Leave a commentMicrosoft has rolled out its Surface Studio all-in-one PC. They claim the thinnest display ever built. According to techcrunch.com, it features what they call TrueColor, which allows creative types to change color on the fly…say a filmmaker is working in DCI-P3, but wanted to know how it will look on a TV that doesn’t support P3 color…it can instantly show RGB color. The display also has True Scale…and inch of screen is an inch in real life. The touchscreen can lay down flat, and besides the usual keyboard and mouse, it supports the Surface Pen and a new device called the Surface Dial. The dial can be used on the desktop, or laid right on the display, and has varying functions. The dial works with the Surface Book, Pro 3, and Pro 4. The Surface Studio is on pre-order now, will ship by the holidays, and starts at $2999.
While dueling rumors have the iPhone 8 either all glass or just front and back glass with a bezel, 9to5mac.com reports that Apple will add a new size…a 5 inch model. Apparently, they haven’t decided if it will replace the 4.7 inch size, or be produced as a third size, along with the 5.5 inch iPhone. Some reports point to a curved screen like the Samsung Galaxy Edge, while others see a flat all-glass front coming. It may be that Apple is experimenting with a couple different designs, and we may have a better idea by spring.
Pixel Preorders Outstrip Demand; Microsoft VR Headset Partners; Surface Book i7; Renewables Pass Up Coal
Posted: October 26, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Acer, Apple, Asus, Dell, Galaxy Note 7, Google, Hololens, HP, iPhone, Lenovo, Microsoft, Pixel, Renewables, Samsung, Solar, Surface, Surface Book i7, VR headsets, Wind Leave a commentSince the sputtering flameout of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, Apple has increased production of iPhones, expecting to pick up new customers. According to 9to5google,com, they aren’t alone. Google Pixel phone preorder deliveries have now slipped to mid-November. Some phones originally slated for delivery this week will now be shipped November 18th!
At their event today, Microsoft announced they are working with partners to release standalone VR headsets starting at $299. Dell, HP, Lenovo, Asus, and Acer are all involved. Thenextweb.com says Redmond also showed off a ‘HoloTour’ app that was initially developed for the HoloLens that lets you take Street View like trips around the globe.
Microsoft adds the Surface Book i7 to the Surface family. It contains a number of internal upgrades according to arstechinca.com, including a welcome 16 hour battery life! More from the Microsoft event-which is going on now-tomorrow.
Noting a major milestone, slashdot.org reports that renewable energy sources like solar and wind have passed up coal as the world’s largest source of power capacity! The International Energy Agency says a million solar panels were installed every day last year, and two wind turbines were added every hour last year in China alone.
Mac Rollout This Week; Crazy New iPhone 8 Rumor; The Planned Galaxy Note 8
Posted: October 24, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 50% discount, Apple, AR, Galaxy Note 8, Glass Sandwich, iPhone 8, Macbook, Macbook Pro, OLED, Samsung, Touch ID Leave a commentApple is expected to roll out freshened MacBook Pros and a 13 inch MacBook on Thursday. Macrumors.com says the MacBook Pro will have the OLED touch bar and Touch ID sensor in both the 13 and 15 inch models, as previously leaked, USB C and Thunderbolt 3 connectors, but also will have an oxide panel screen for better display quality and energy efficiency, and get this…a TWO terabyte SSD available!
There have been rumors for most of the year about the iPhone 8 having glass panels front and back with either an aluminum or stainless steel bezel. Most think it will have an edge to edge glass screen with the fingerprint sensor and home button under the screen. Now, bgr.com reports that it may be more radical than originally thought. New rumors have the iPhone 8 as being a clear Gorilla Glass sandwich…with polycarbonates to help make it more shatter resistant…and with an OLED screen. According to some sources, you will be able to see straight through it, so it can be popped into an AR headset, and it allegedly will have a higher frame rate than a PC with an Nvidia 1080 card installed. It will have a next gen 3D sensor from Apple owned Primesense. Apple supposedly has 600 engineers in Israel working on the sensor alone. Buckle up, this could be youuuuge.
Samsung is officially planning a Galaxy Note 8 to replace the Note 7 after it’s flameout. According to Zdnet.com, they plan to offer buyers in Korea who traded their Note 7’s for S7 or S7 Edge models a 50% discount for the monthly upgrade program to keep them in the fold. No word yet if the deal will be extended to the US or other countries.
Samsung Offers $$ To Keep Note 7 Owners in the Fam; Chipmaker Revenue Shows iPhone 7’s Selling Well; Google Pixel Phones on Verizon Get Android Updates With Unlocked Phones
Posted: October 13, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 100, A10, Apple, Galaxy Note 7, Galaxy S7 Edge, Google, iPhone 7, Pixel, Samsung, Trade in, TSMC, Verizon Leave a commentSamsung is making the extra effort to hold on to customers burned (some literally) but the burning and exploding Galaxy Note 7. They will give $100 credit to exchange one for a Galaxy S7 Edge or other Samsung device. Engadget.com says this comes on the official Consumer Product Safety Commission recall of all Note 7’s. There have been 96 battery issues in the US alone since mid-August when the Note rolled out.
Chipmaker TSMC is reporting record profit and sales in Q3, and has raised its forecast for 2016 revenue. Yeah, so? This points to strong iPhone 7 sales, according to 9to5mac.com. After crunching the known numbers, like what percentage of TSMC business comes from the A10 chip in the new iPhones, it looks like Apple shipments of iPhone 7 models will be around 82 million…notably higher than earlier estimates. In other words, it’s not the boring dog of an iPhone a lot of the tech press predicted!
Contrary to earlier reports, Google says Pixel phones on the Verizon system will get Android updates simultaneously with unlocked phones. 9to5google.com reports that this indicates Google will be pushing out the updates like Apple does on iOS, not delivering them to Verizon, who many feared would sit on them.
Amazon’s Music Unlimited Service; Apple Really Magic Keyboard
Posted: October 12, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Amazon, Apple, Apple Music, Changeable keyboard, E ink, Macbook, Magic Keyboard, Music Unlimited, Prime, Sonder, Spotify Premium, touch strip Leave a commentAmazon has kicked off its new Music Unlimited service. Geekwire.com says it starts at $4 a month to use on a single Echo smart speaker, Echo Dot, or Amazon Tap. The Echo works well, and getting millions of songs for half the price of Apple Music or Spotify Premium should be a heck of a draw. To use it on unlimited devices, it’s $7.99 a month for Prime members, $9.99 otherwise. Prime members already have access to a couple million songs with their membership.
There’s been plenty of reporting about Apple adding a smart touchscreen strip above the keyboard on the upcoming MacBooks to replace the function keys. Apparently, morphing function keys isn’t the only thing like that they are working on. A leak out of China picked up by bgr.com says Apple is working on an even more magical Magic Keyboard…one with a changing, color E ink display on the keys that can change up depending on the user’s needs or application in use. Apple is apparently working with a startup called Sonder on this, and is working to buy Sonder. The Really Magic Keyboard could be out in 2018.
Samsung Kills Note 7; Amazon Considers Convenience Stores; Apple Patents Super Resolution Multi-Sensor Cam; Ridiculous Rich Kids App
Posted: October 11, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Amazon, AmazonFresh, Apple, brick and mortar, convenience stores, Facebook, Galaxy Note 7, Galaxy Note 8, iPhone, Rich Kids, Samsung, Super resolution camera Leave a commentAfter suspending production and halting sales, Samsung has killed production of the Galaxy Note 7. 9to5google.com notes that since a number of the allegedly ‘safe’ Notes also caught fire, and US carriers stopped selling it, there was really no way to save the handset. Samsung shares dropped 8% on the news, and as of this writing are down another 9.5%. The Galaxy Note 8 is due out in just a few months, and it remains to be seen if that can save face for Samsung.
Amazon, which has already caused great disruption to retail, is now thinking of adding brick and mortar convenience stores in addition to drive up grocery sites. Geekwire.com reports that they are scouting for locations. The outlets would carry perishables like milk, meat, and produce, and you could order other less perishable items for same day delivery with your phone or touch screens in the store. The stores would be open only to AmazonFresh customers.
On the heels of the new iPhone 7 Plus with the dual cameras and all, Apple has updated a patent from last year for ‘super resolution’ multi-sensor cameras with cube prisms. Yes, I know that sounds like I just rattled off some futuristic gadget from Star Trek. According to appleinsider.com, instead of filters, the system would split light into red, blue, and green that would be directed to different sensors. Smartphone cameras right now only use a single sensor. The prisms help jam the works into an iPhone….the whole rig would resemble a tiny periscope. No word when this super resolution cam might actually make it into an iPhone.
The running joke ‘there’s an app for that’ has maybe jumped the shark. Thenextweb.com says something of an ‘anti-Facebook’ app has launched. Instead of lots of friends, it’s the world’s most exclusive social network…Rich Kids. It costs $1000 a month to belong. An unintended punchline: you can sign up with your Facebook account! Apparently, regular folks can view the app, but just can’t post or share photos on it. Wanna check it out? Go ahead…I’m going to pass on this one.
New Galaxy ‘Bomb’ 7; Salesforce May Be Last Suitor Standing for Twitter; Stealth Job-Hunting Mode from LinkedIn
Posted: October 6, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Disney, Exploding, Galaxy Note 7, Google, Job-hunting, LinkedIn, Salesforce, Samsung, Stealth, Twitter Leave a commentSamsung had a terrible turn of events when Galaxy Note 7’s began catching fire and exploding just days before the iPhone 7 rolled out. Having recalled and replaced all those phones…some 2 million… in record time, the Note 7 was again flying off the shelves…until now. Yesterday, one of the new ones with the supposedly ‘good’ battery exploded and caught fire on a Southwest flight getting ready to take off. Bgr.com, which had, among others, touted it as the best ever Android phone, is now saying don’t buy one under any circumstances…and the executive editor has one! Word to the wise…wait!
It’s far from a secret that Twitter has been trying to sell itself. Now, according to recode.net, Google, Apple, and Disney have all signaled that they won’t be making an offer on the social media platform. This leaves Salesforce as the last one standing that’s known to be interested. Let’s all hope that Salesforce or some unknown white knight rescues the popular but financially disappointing social media company.
If you are wanting or needing to look for a new gig, but…like pretty much everybody…don’t want the boss to know….LinkedIn has just made it a little easier. Engadget.com reports that the widely-used site has launched Open Candidates, to let job hunters let recruiters know on the down low that they’re looking. Click on the Jobs tab at the top, then preferences, and slide the big button that says ‘let recruiters know you’re open.’ Wait for inquiries to start rolling in. That’s all there is too it!
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