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.
New Apple iPhone Battery Case; Google Makes Mobile Chrome Safe by Default
Posted: December 8, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Android, Apple, Apple Maps, Chrome, Google, iPhone 6, iPhone 6S, Logistics center, Sacramento, Safe Browsing, Smart Battery Case Leave a commentSeveral Apple news items: Today, Cupertino rolled out a Smart Battery Case for the iPhone 6S and 6, their first since 2007. According to appleinsider.com, Apple claims 25 hours of extended use. It’s soft silicone with a strange hump for the battery on the back, and runs $99. The silicone gives a sure grip, but does collect dirt.
Many people will be surprised to find that Apple Maps is now used 3 times as often as Google Maps on iPhone. Macrumors.com says this figure was given to the AP by Apple. Google does dominate over all smartphones, of course, with more Android phones in service than iPhones. I tried Apple Maps last spring traveling from Northern California to the Magic Kingdom, and it routed me off the 5 through city streets and back. I thought it was nuts, until I discovered it routed me around a terrible crash in LA with a monster backup.
Apple is dropping 13 million on their Sacramento area campus. Reportedly, this is to change a large warehouse into a logistics center, and they will add an additional 1450 parking spaces and jobs, of course. It’s possible more than logistics is going on…this facility was Apple’s last manufacturing center in the US until 2004.
In a nice move by Google, they have turned on Safe Browsing by default on Chrome for Android. Theverge.com reports that it has always been in the settings, but this will give an extra layer of protection to mobile browsing on Android for Chrome users. Google is releasing the feature as part of Play Services, which means it will appear in other in-house apps moving forward.
Medical Pot App, DNA Data Storage, & Apple Music Quadruples Library Size
Posted: December 7, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 000 songs, 10 Terabyte, 100, Apple, Apple Music, Board certified, DNA, EazeMD, iTunes, iTunes Match, Massive storage, Medical Marijuana Leave a commentSo you really need medical weed, but just can’t get yourself to a doctor? There’s an app for that, dude! Gizmodo.com reports that EazeMD, which works only in California so far, will hook you up with a board certified physician that will look at your medical history and do the evaluation. Once a recommendation is issued, you can order weed right on the spot from Eaze, and you will also get a recommendation in the mail you can take to a physical dispensary. The fee for the recommendation is billed directly by the doctor, and runs about $30.
We just reported on a 10 TB hard drive you can buy…if 6 or 8 isn’t enough, but storage limits may become a punchline if research on DNA pans out. Teams from Microsoft and the University of Washington, and a separate group at University of Illinois have published results that indicate all human knowledge could be stored in about 9 liters of solution. A speck of DNA the size of a grain of sand could store a million terabytes. According to geek.com, DNA storage stability is measured in centuries, so no worries about losing your data. It could be happening in just the next few years!
On the topic of enormous storage, great news for people with insanely large music collections. Appleinsider.com says Apple has finally increased the iTunes Match/Apple Music upload limits from 25,000 to 100,000 songs. Thank goodness, huh? Who has the time to upload, then listen to, 100,000 songs? I’ve been in broadcasting for a long time and only have 6369 as of today. A colleague has close to 15,000, and basically uploaded every track he’s ever come across. On behalf of the minuscule number of crazy people with this size library….thanks, Apple! Maybe in a few years we can store it in our DNA and won’t need a cloud.
Google’s Chromebook Has Taken Over Education; New 10 Terabyte Hard Drive
Posted: December 4, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 10 Terabyte, Apple, Chromebook, Classroom, Education, Google, Hard Drive, Helium, Microsoft, Schools, Storage, Western Digital Leave a commentEven as they seemed to be slipping away as a company back in the bad old days, Apple was a powerhouse in schools. Not anymore. According to 9to5google.com, Google’s Chromebooks have emerged as the clear leader in classrooms, leaving Apple in the dust. Chromebook’s now account for over half of all devices in US classrooms, up from 1 percent in 2012. Meanwhile, Apple has dropped from 52% to 24, and Microsoft from 43 to 24%.
If you really, really need an insane amount of storage, and want to trust it to a single drive, Western Digital has what you need. They just rolled out a helium-filled 10 terabyte hard drive that uses 44% less power than their 6TB model. Geek.com reports it will set you back around $460. That’s light years away from my original 10 MEGAbyte hard card back in the 80’s!
Samsung Shows Galaxy ‘A’ Series; 4 Inch iPhone May Drop in Early 2016
Posted: December 3, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 4 inch iPhone, Apple, Apple Pay, Galaxy A7, Galaxy S, iPhone 6S, Samsung, Samsung Pay Leave a commentThe updated Samsung Galaxy S smartphones will probably bow in 90 days or so, but they have just previewed the ‘A’ series. The next gen Galaxy A3, A5, and A7 feature faster charging, support for Samsung Pay, and upgraded cameras. 9to5google.com says the screen sizes remain at 4.7, 5.2, and 5.5 inches. The low end A3 doesn’t get fast charging, HD screen, and the upgraded cam. The A series will launch in China in a couple weeks, with a global launch a bit later.
Meanwhile, in Cupertino, word is that Apple may drop a new 4 inch iPhone with Apple Pay early next year. Theverge.com reports that the smartphone will have the same processor as the 6S, but keep the camera of the iPhone 5S. This word is from usually reliable KGI Securities. It reportedly will have a front glass that slightly curves at the edges like the 6S and 6S Plus, but WON’T support 3D touch. It may be between $4-500 without contract.
Facebook’s WhatsApp Leans on Telegram; Apple May Drop Headphone Jack on iPhone 7.
Posted: December 1, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Facebook, Headphone jack, iPhone 7, Lightening port, Telegram, WhatsApp Leave a commentFacebook is using its muscle to make it tougher to use a competitor for one of their apps. WhatsApp has started blocking outbound links to Telegram, the secure messaging service. Businessinsider.com reports that any such links are dead, and can’t be copied an pasted out of WhatsApp. The blocking came with a silent update yesterday. In an unintended but ironic side consequence, the app also now blocks links to telegram.com, a domain for a newspaper in Worcester, Mass that has nothing to do with the Telegram messaging app!
A rumor that has popped up everywhere the last 24 hours, including gizmodo.com, is that Apple may drop the headphone jack on the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, opting for earbuds that plug into the Lightening port. Besides meaning you couldn’t charge the phone and listen at the same time, or use your old…and perhaps expensive headphones…this means if you listen on a computer, iPad, or any other device that uses the standard 3.5mm headphone plug, you either will have to carry a dongle adapter around with you, or two sets of headphones or earbuds. You also won’t be able to plug directly into another system and feed your music from your phone to it…like at a party where they’re playing terrible music, and need a musical rescue! While Apple has done this sort of thing before…think the floppy disk and DVD/CD slot…it’s likely that dropping the headphone jack will REALLY make people mad, and could hurt sales. Let’s hope common sense prevails at Apple in this case!
Bigger, Thinner MacBook Air Coming; Amazon Unveils Delivery Drone
Posted: November 30, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Amazon, Apple, Drone, iPad Pro, Jeremy Clarkson, MacBook Air, Top Gear Leave a commentThere may be new, thinner MacBook Airs on the way by next June, including one with a 15 inch screen. 9to5mac.com reports that they will sport substantial internal changes, including battery, cooling modules, and more. Apple is still deciding whether to keep the 11 inch air, with the new iPad Pro now out.
Amazon has revealed a new delivery drone design with a 15 mile range. Geekwire.com says its intended to be able to deliver a small package directly through the air to your doorstep in 30 minutes. Amazon has a new video showing off the drone featuring Top Gear’s Jeremy Clarkson, who along with his colleagues, is starting a new car show for Amazon. The version 2.0 drone flies at under 400 feet, and weighs less than 55 lbs. Amazon says it won’t launch Prime Air until they are able to demonstrate safe operations.
Apple Buys Motion Tech Co That Worked on Star Wars; VW Introduces 3D Smart Glasses in Factories
Posted: November 25, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 3D Smart Glasses, Apple, Augmented reality, Faceshift, Volkswagen Leave a commentIt had been rumored earlier, now it’s confirmed that Apple bought Faceshift, the company that makes motion capture tech used in Star Wars. Techcrunch.com reports that the tech captures facial expressions in real time for creating animated avatars and other figures. Mainly used in games and movies, it may be used in facial recognition for security purposes, and augmented reality.
With all the bad news from Volkswagen over fudging fuel economy for their diesels using software, here’s a cool use of tech they are introducing. According to engadget.com, after a 3 month test at the Wolfsburg plant, VW will be issuing 3D smart glasses to all plant logistics workers. The glasses will give them a heads up display of pin locations and part numbers, which should speed up parts picking. To make things hands-free as possible, the camera will also function as a barcode scanner.
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