Samsung Continues to Move Out of High End Smartphones
Posted: December 29, 2014 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Apple Pay, Encrypted video calling, Galaxy Alpha, Mega, NFC, Samsung Leave a commentSamsung continues to regroup, and now will drop one of their best phones, the metal Galaxy Alpha, in favor of cheaper phones. Theverge.com says poor battery life and the cost doomed the model.
Riding on the success of Apple Pay in the US, the Cupertino giant is in talks to launch the smartphone based NFC payment system in Britain in the first half of 2015. Macrumors.com reports that banks there may be an easier sell than users.
Kim Dotcom’s company Mega may be getting ready to launch a fully encrypted video call service. Thenextweb.com says the browser based service will include high speed file transfers.
Apple May Add a 4 Inch Model to the iPhone 6S
Posted: December 23, 2014 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Autistic, Confide, Encryption, Google Play, iPhone 6, iPhone 6S, Look At Me, Samsung Leave a commentAfter going big with the iPhone 6 Plus, Apple is rumored to be looking at a return to a 4 inch model with an iPhone 6S Mini. Appleinsider.com says an analyst at Cowen and Company indicates it would have specs like last year’s iPhone 5S. This would be the first time Apple has had 3 different sizes of a current model if it happens.
Techcrunch.com reports that Samsung has released Look At Me, and app for autistic kids. It’s supposed to help kids to make better eye contact. Developed by South Korean psychologists and professors, it’s on Google Play.
App maker Confide is offering services to entertainments, labels, and networks. Cnet.com says their app has end to end encryption, and automatically self destructs…leaving no embarrassing email trail. No word on whether Sony has reached out to them.
Magnetic Accessories Don’t Agree with iPhone 6
Posted: December 15, 2014 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Apple Pay, Indiegogo, Indiegogo Life, iPhone 6, NFC, Skype, Skype Translator Leave a comment9to5mac.com cautions to stay away from accessories with magnets for iPhone 6 and 6 plus. They interfere with the camera and NFC…better known as Apple Pay.
Indiegogo has launched a new service called Life, for funding life events and raising money for individuals…not charities. Engadget.com says it will be a good option to help a family in need.
Users that signed up for Skype Translator can now give it a go. Thenextweb.com says real time translation is live between English and Spanish for voice, adding to the 40 languages via instant message.
The iPhone 6S Will Have Samsung Inside
Posted: December 12, 2014 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Driver Licenses, iPhone 6S, Microsoft, PS4, Samsung, Sony, TSMC, Wii U, Xbox One Leave a commentNext year’s iPhone 6S will probably have Samsung inside…macrumors.com says Samsung has started making Apple’s A9 chip in Texas. iPhone 6 chipmaker TSMC will provide a supplementary supply from Taiwan.
There’s joy in Mudville. After getting bettered by Sony, Microsoft sold 1.2 million Xbox Ones in November, beating out the PS4 and Wii U. Geekwire.com reports a $50 price cut helped out.
Iowa may lead the way in smartphone based driver’s licenses. 9to5google.com says they will have animation to limit spoofing, and will be scannable, so the phone doesn’t leave your hand. 20 other states are looking at doing this.
Apple Watch Production Should Start Next Month
Posted: December 11, 2014 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Amazon, Apple, Apple Watch, e-card, Robinhood, Stock trading, Surprise Leave a commentApple and suppliers have solved yield issues with some components, and macrumors.com says Apple Watch mass production should start in January. Apple is projecting shipping 24 million watches next year.
Those people who are too lazy to even grab a gift card at the store are in luck…Amazon has launched ‘Surprise.’ Engadget.com reports you can send an e-card with a voucher for a gift. Ahh, the personal touch!
Stock trading for free hits the iPhone with an app called Robinhood. Techcrunch.com says you can track, buy or sell. There’s a waiting list, but sign up now, and you could be trading in a couple months.
More On ‘Project Zero’- the Upcoming Samsung Galaxy S6
Posted: December 5, 2014 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Foxconn, Galaxy S6, Microsoft, Robots, Samsung, Windows 10 Leave a commentA big leak has outed the Samsung Galaxy S6 specifications. 9to5google.com says it will have a metal body, ditching the cheap plastic, and a 20 mp main camera. It’s expected to roll out in March.
Apple supplier Foxconn is finding their new robots aren’t precise enough to build iPhones. Macrumors.com reports that an upgrade to the so-called ‘Foxbots’ may take years. The present ones were scaled from machines that build cars.
Microsoft is still planning to launch Windows 10 by late summer or early fall, according to Microsoft COO Kevin Turner. ZDnet.com says they will show the first preview of the system in January.
Apple Patents Way For iPhones to Minimize Drop Damage
Posted: December 2, 2014 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Apple TV, Blockly, Chromecast, dropping, Google, iPhone, Made With Code, National Park Service, patent, Roku, streaming Leave a commentApple has patented a system that makes your phone turn in mid-drop, almost like a cat, to minimize damage from dropping. Techcrunch.com says it an older vibration motor than the iPhone 6 and 6+, so a variation may make it into future phones.
The first three quarters of this year, 10 percent of households with broadband bought at least one streaming player, according to cnet.com. Roku still leads the pack with 29% of streaming, with Google’s Chromecast at 20%, and Apple TV at 17%.
Google is partnering with the National Park Service to let kids program and animate the Christmas trees at the White House’s President’s park. Engadget.com says the Made with Code Holiday Lights Project is in the simple Blockly language.
Amazon Tablets & E-Readers On Fire
Posted: December 1, 2014 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Amazon, Apple, Chromebook, e-books, e-reader, Fire, Google, iPad, libraries, tablet 3 CommentsGeekwire.com says Amazon Fire tablet sales tripled and e-reader sales almost quadrupled on Black Friday. Amazon was the #3 tablet seller last holiday season, but then fell off to 5th. No word on the hapless Fire phone’s sales.
Speaking of e-readers, gizmodo.com reports that 95% of US public libraries now carry e-books. This is according to a survey by Library journal, and it’s an increase from 89% that checked out e-books last year. Most carry a little over 20,000 e-titles.
Apple’s tablet sales have slowed up to now, and 9to5google.com says Google sold more Chromebooks to US schools third quarter than Apple sold them iPads. Chromebook’s $199 price is given as the primary reason.
Will Apple Replace Google for Search On iPhones Next Year?
Posted: November 25, 2014 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Bing, Blackberry, Google, iPhone, Microsoft, Oculus, Passport, Samsung, Yahoo Leave a commentA big fight behind the scenes over your iPhone. Theinformation.com says Apple’s deal with Google is up next year, and Yahoo and Microsoft are scrapping to become the default search engine. Siri already relies on Bing for its (or her) search results!
Would you like to get $550 trade-in for your iPhone? Blackberry is offering up to that amount to switch to a Blackberry Passport. Thenextweb.com reports it varies by model, and $150 of it is on a Visa prepaid card, from December through next February.
The Gear VR virtual reality visor is just a start, and more joint Oculus and Samsung products are coming. Cnet.com says that’s according to Oculus CEO Brendan Iribe.He declined to be specific, except to hint about ‘storytelling.’
Samsung Joins Apple Chasing the In Store Beacon Biz
Posted: November 13, 2014 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Apple Watch, G-3, iBeacon, LG, Proximity, Samsung Leave a commentNot wanting to cede mall business entirely to Apple’s iBeacon, Samsung has introduced Proximity. Engadget.com says unlike Apple’s iBeacon, which takes an app, Samsung will serve in store ads on the system level.
Cnet.com reports that LG has snagged it’s highest ever market share in North America…16.3 percent. That’s more than double the 7.4 of a year ago, and mainly due to the LG G-3 flagship phone.
Chip suppliers for the Apple Watch are gearing up to start production. Apple insider.com picked up a report from DigiTimes that says indications are for 30 to 40 million Apple Watches. It’s expected out in the spring.
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