iPhone 7 May Retain Headphone Jack; B of A ATMs getting Apple Pay; Twitter Acquires Another Machine Learning Company
Posted: June 20, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 3.5mm audio jack, Apple, Apple Pay, AR, ATMs, Bank of America, Chase, iPhone 7, Machine Learning, Madbits, Magic Pony, Twitter, VR, Wells Fargo, Whetlab Leave a commentSome new leaked pictures from a generally reliable source indicate that one of the biggest…and most hated….rumors about the iPhone 7 may not be true. Engadget.com says snaps from Chinese repair shop Rock Fix show a lightening port assembly that includes the beloved 3.5 mm audio jack. Also shown in shots are a dual SIM tray and 32 and 256 Gig chips, indicating that the base phone will be 32 gig, not 16, and there will be 256 Gig memory option.
9to5mac reports that Bank of America has some ATMs in place that allow withdrawing cash using Apple Pay. One was spotted in Redondo Beach with the Apple Pay logo and an NFC reader. You can’t make deposits with it, but of course you can already make those using B of A’s app on a smartphone, as well as do transfers between accounts. So far, it only works with B of A’s own cards, not others. Chase and Wells Fargo have also announced adding Apple Pay to ATMs but none have been seen yet.
Twitter has bought Magic Pony Technology for 150 million, according to TechCrunch.com. They use neural networks….basically machine learning…to improve images and videos. The technology can also help develop graphics for VR and AR. Twitter already had bought machine learning tech companies Whetlab and Madbits.
WWDC Keynote Brief Hilights
Posted: June 13, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, World Wide Developers Conference, WWDC Leave a commentiOS 10
If you use the notifications on the lock screen, Raise to Wake lets you see them before you hit the button and go to the home screen.
3D Touch allows you to reply to apps including 3rd party ones right from the lock screen.
Control Center has a right swipe now, with a dedicated music screen.
You can also right slide on Lock Screen, and get to the Camera.
Left swipe, and get to your widgets.
They are opening up Siri to developers. Some interesting things should come from this!
Improved contextual suggestions when you’re typing through deep learning.
Photos….significant changes. Adding object and scene recognition to Face recognition, and giving you the opportunity to see pix on a map. It’s all done locally on the iPhone. They also will categorized by trip and dates, and groups of people. A new interface is supposed to pull all these together through a new tab called Memories. In addition to your pix from an event, it will create a collage of what it picks as best, and even put them into a movie with sappy music. You can use key words like ‘epic’ to get different sappy music.
Maps has some cool new proactive updated functions, but also open to developers too, now. For example, Open Table would not only show the location, but you could book a reservation, book a car, and pay for both with Apple Pay all within the app.
Apple Music has finally gotten a redesign from the ground up. It will open to your library first, and they’ve added downloaded music to playlists, songs, artists, etc. You can finally see which songs have actually been downloaded to your phone, instead of being in the cloud.
There is also a discovery playlist, and new curated music, or you can use the Artist Connect to see stuff artist you follow have uploaded…pix, tour info, etc.
Updated design to their Apple News. It will create categories for you based on what you read. They also rolled out subscriptions, so you can now read publications right in the app.
HomeKit- They have added cameras, door locks, air conditioners, and more, and some major builders are integrating HomeKit into new houses now. A new app called Home has all your HomeKit controlled accessories on one screen. Scenes lets you lock the door, turn lights down and off, etc.
You can access all of your stuff from your phone remotely through Apple TV securely.
They have added transcription to voicemail on your phone, so you can read it instead of listening. Another feature uses a giant database to show if incoming calls from unknown numbers might be spam or telemarketers.
Your contact card remembers how you usually communicate, and hi lights that…if you text or call or Skype, or whatever mode you prefer.
Messages is the most frequently used app on iOS. They have added rich links that ads art work from the web automatically. You can tap camera in Messages, and it brings up a live viewfinder right in Messages so you can shoot and send.
Emoji are 3 times bigger in Messages. They have added emoji predictions, and even can add them after you finish tapping….it will hi light words that have emoji associated with them and you can tap and add.
They have added bubble effects…you can make the bubbles wiggle, jump in size, or even appear in ‘invisible ink’ so stuff will appear then disappear right in the app.
Quick replies allow you to quickly select a thumbs up, etc, but you can also scribble with your finger in your own crummy handwriting.
You can now access Apple Music right in Messages, and share songs.
They have a Jib Jab function that lets you plug in faces of your friends on a wacky moving Jib Jab character.
iOS 10 supports all iOS 9 devices except the iPhone 4s and iPad 2.
Mac OS update is called Sierra.
Siri is coming to the Mac, as the headline feature update. They are saying ‘it’s the same Siri we know and love,’ or in the case of some of us, know and hate…
Using the Continuity feature, where your devices sense each other, will now use the connection between Watch or iPhone to auto unlock and log in to your Mac, using a super secure connection. It only works when you’re right by it.
A universal clipboard will let you copy and paste items from, for example, your iPhone right to the clipboard on the Mac!
iCloud Drive will allow you to access stuff in your Documents and Desktop between Macs and from your Mac to your iPhone.
A new interface is offered to let you store older files in the Cloud, and will auto clear some stuff to free up space. For example, it will clear the Safari cache monthly.
Apple Pay is coming to the Mac….it will be web based. Now there will be a ‘pay with Apple Pay screen that will pop up. While shopping online, you can authenticate with your iPhone or Watch.
TV OS….Sling TV available today. New remote app that mimics Siri Remote. Live Tune in lets you load a channel app and start watching instantly.
Watch OS 3.0
Apps will load instantly. Scribble allows you to write replies in addition to just picking Apple’s canned ones. There are a number of updated screens, including showing the temp or your exercise circles on the home screen. You can swipe through the apps quickly, or even swipe faster using the little dots at the bottom of the screen.
A screen gives you a choice of different timers, and another shows you your calendars and to-do lists, etc.
One of the cool new adds is SOS, which will call 911 (or whatever emergency number in different countries) and it will also send your medical card…then, notify your family or contacts you have chosen automatically…and show them a map of where you are. It works over cellular or Wi-Fi.
Web Creator Working to Reinvent It; Apple Will Live Stream WWDC Keynote June 13th
Posted: June 8, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Live streaming, Micro payments, Peer to peer, Web 2.0, World Wide Developers Conference, World Wide Web, WWDC Leave a commentA group of scientists got together this week in San Francisco to look for ways to create web 2.0. Tim Berners-Lee came up with the world wide web 27 years ago, originally for scientists to find info easily. Commenting on the present day web, Berners-Lee said “It controls what people see, creates mechanisms for how people interact. It’s been great, but spying, blocking sites, repurposing people’s content, taking you to the wrong websites — that completely undermines the spirit of helping people create.” The New York Times says Berners-Lee and his group are working on coming up with a more peer-to-peer web that would be much less suited to spying on people or hoovering up their information, and might include a micro payment system, so that advertising wouldn’t be the only model to pay for it, and would ease the need for all our information for targeted advertising.
Apple will live stream the keynote for the World Wide Developers Conference Monday, June 13th. According to macrumors.com the stream will be available over apple.com, and via an events app on Apple TV. We’ll cover the hilights of announcements right here.
Outlier iPhone 7 Rumor; Xbox One Getting Cortana; Zuck’s Social Media Accounts Hacked
Posted: June 6, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Cortana, Facebook, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, LinkedIn, Mark Zuckerberg, Microsoft, Pinterest, Twitter, Xbox One Leave a commentThere are enough rumors and renderings out that we pretty well think we know what the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus will be like. Here’s an off the wall one picked up by bgr.com, though. It’s from MobiPicker, and they’re saying the the 7 will have 16, 64, and 128 gigs of RAM, but the Plus will have 32, 128, and 256 gigs. Also, the 7 will get two 12 megapixel rear cameras, and the Plus 21 megapixels. The Plus is also rumored to lose the Lightening port and get USB C. This is the only source claiming these things, so keep that in mind!
Microsoft has announced that Xbox One will get Cortana support in a summer update. TechCrunch.com reports that it won’t be just limited to gaming functions, either. You can use Cortana to check with friends, start a party, and search for nearby restaurants. Beta testers should be getting the update shortly, with a rollout to everybody in waves later this summer.
If you haven’t changed your LinkedIn password, stop reading or listening to this and do it now. Venturebeat.com says Mark Zuckerberg has had his Twitter and Pinterest accounts hacked over the weekend, and it points strongly to the LinkedIn password dump of a couple weeks ago. Even the CEO of mighty Facebook can be hacked if he doesn’t change his password after a major hack and dump. Just do it!
HoloLens Rolls Out Email and Calendar Apps; 72 New Emoji Late June, Including All-Important Bacon!
Posted: June 3, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Android N, Apple, AR, Bacon, Calendar, emoji, Google, Hololens, iOS 10, Mail, Microsoft, Unicode 9, VR Leave a commentBecause everybody needs to be working all the time, even when you’re using your Virtual or Augmented Reality system, Microsoft has rolled out dedicated email and calendar apps for HoloLens. Theverge.com says the apps look just like the standard ones, except…you know….in AR. The apps can be pinned into the side area of your view, so as not to spoil your game quite as much. Microsoft did throw in an image of the Seattle skyline at least. If you’re a developer, and have a $3000 HoloLens system, now you’re in luck…you can check your work email constantly.
72….count ‘em….72 new emoji have been approved, and will be out in Unicode 9 June 21st. 9to5google.com reports this includes the all-important bacon one, as well as a selfie one and a clown face…and as the saying goes, ‘many more.’ It’s worth noting that we probably won’t actually get our hands on these until Google releases Android N, and Apple drops iOS 10 this fall.
Xiaomi Getting Ready to Bring Their Smartphones to the US; Apple’s WWDC Starts June 13th
Posted: June 2, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, China, iOS 10, iPhone, Mac, Microsoft, Samsung, Smartphones, Watch, WWDC, Xiaomi Leave a commentAfter following the lead of Samsung and shamelessly aping Apple’s iPhone in their home country of China, it looks like maker Xiaomi is ready for their US closeup. Bgr.com reports that they have become the fastest growing smartphone maker, and now they’re coming to the US. Their latest crop of phones barely resemble the iPhone now, and they’ve purchased about 1500 patents from Microsoft. Xiaomi is known now for selling affordable smartphones with designs and specs that rival much more expensive ones, so if you’re on a budget but want a top flight phone, this could be the real deal.
We knew it was coming soon, and now we have a date. Apple’s World Wide Developer Conference will kick off in San Francisco Monday, June 13th, with the keynote at the usual 10 am Pacific. Bill Graham Civic Auditorium will be crammed to the rafters with tech reporters and developers. By noon that day, we should have lots more details about the next version of Apple’s iPhone/iPad software — iOS 10 — as well as news on Apple Watch, Apple TV and Macs. Cnet.com says they’ll have live coverage, as will a number of other tech sites. We’ll recap things right here. Stay tuned…
New ARM Chip Will Be a Big Boost to Samsung Phones; Apple Working on Flexible Touch Displays; Base iPhone 7 Gets a Simple, Big Upgrade
Posted: May 31, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, ARM, Flexible touchscreen, Foxconn, iOS, iPhone, Memory, Processors, Samsung, TPK, VR Leave a commentARM will have new chips out in time for next year’s flagship smartphones like those from Samsung that will boost performance by 30% while giving 30% better power efficiency. Cnet.com says ARM claims you will be able to run a phone’s chip at full speed for the duration of a movie, game, or VR experience! It’s the Cortex-A73 computing processor and Mali-G71 graphics processor. The graphics processor gives 50% higher performance with 20% energy savings. Samsung and a couple others have already licensed the tech…no word about Apple, but they’ve used ARM in the past.
An Apple supplier, TPK…which is a division of Foxconn, has a silver nanowire tech rolling out that will allow for flexible touch screens. Since Foxconn is the major supplier of iOS devices like the iPhone and iPad, patentlyapple.com notes that there’s a high probability that you’ll be seeing these everywhere in the next 2-5 years. More to the point, TPK says they expect their clients to launch flexible touch panel devices in the 2nd half of 2016! If they’re talking about Apple, a folding 7 inch tablet or display that wraps around your arm will be one hell of a ‘one more thing! Stay tuned!
One of the most boring, yet important tidbits has just dropped about the iPhone 7…bgr.com reports it will finally ship with 32 gigs of memory instead of the nearly useless 16 gigs in the base phone. No more cheapskate Apple buyers whining about having to delete pictures and songs from their iPhones anymore!
A jury has ruled that Google’s use of Java software — owned by Oracle — in the creation of Android constitutes fair use and is thus not a copyright violation.
Posted: May 27, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Amazon, Apple, Camera, Echo, Facial recognition, Fair Use, Google, Java, Oracle, Software Leave a commentA jury has found yesterday that Google’s use of Java software — owned by Oracle — in the creation of Android constitutes fair use and therefore is not a copyright violation. Recode.net notes that this fair use decision is huge for the entire software industry. Much of Silicon Valley and software developers around the world turn to fair use as their ‘not to reinvent the wheel’ when they make every new product. Although Oracle plans to appeal, the unanimous verdict should carry some weight with an appellate panel, even though they primarily look at the law and what happened in the case from below.
Earlier this week, we reported that Apple was indeed working on it’s version of Amazon’s Echo and Google’s new response to the Echo. Cnet.com reports that the Apple version…not expected until next year…will likely feature an always-on camera that will make it aware of who’s in the room with facial recognition tech. This would allow it to automatically pull up the preferences for music, lighting, and entertainment when they are in the room. Like with Microsoft’s X Box accessories, it will also very likely creep some people out who will cover the cam if they buy the gadget at all. Some users aren’t quite ready for the 1984-esque all-seeing eye watching you…which could be hacked just like a security camera, of course!
HP Goes Big for Gaming With Omen Line; Apple Drilling Down into Charging Electric Cars
Posted: May 26, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Charging Stations, Electric cars, HP, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Omen. Gaming, VR Leave a commentHP is bringing the Omen name to all it’s gaming hardware, with a new lineup of laptops and desktops. In the laptop arena, according to engadget.com, they’ll lead off with an $899 model sporting a 15.6 inch screen, and in desktops, they say they’re VR ready with enough power to run HTC Vive and Oculus Rift VR setups. A tradeoff to power up and stay cheaper…cheaper plastic cases on the laptops instead of aluminum. The laptops will bow July 10th, with the desktop and 32 inch monitor shipping in August.
One of the biggest silver bullets for electric cars is range…battery life. Another is getting recharged when and where you need to. According to theverge.com, Apple is diving into charging electric cars. A Reuters report says Cupertino is reaching out to charging station companies about their ‘underlying technology’ and has staffed up with engineers having experience in vehicle charging. If they are indeed working on an electric car with Project Titan, a network of charging stations will be critical to their success….as will cruising range.

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