Apple Issues With Touch ID for iPhone 8; Snapchat Launches ‘World Lenses’; Pornhub Rolls Out Snapchat for Nudes
Posted: April 18, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 3D World Lenses, Apple, Apple Pay, Fingerprint scanner, Galaxy S8, iPhone 8, Pornhub, Samsung, Snapchat, Snapchat for nudes, Synaptics, Touch ID Leave a commentSome reports are indicating that Apple’s plan to put the fingerprint scanner under the edge to edge display is not going well. If so, this could be more than a fly in the ointment for the 10th anniversary iPhone….more like a buzzard! Bgr.com reports that even with 3D facial recognition cams that the phone will apparently have, Apple still needs Touch ID to work well for signing into apps and services, and using Apple Pay. Apparently, Cupertino hasn’t placed firm orders for production of the sensors. They have also looked at The Synaptic optical fingerprint solution Samsung wanted to use on the Galaxy S8…as we know, that one didn’t make it, and Samsung had to put the fingerprint reader on the back of the phone. Apple could delay the launch of the iPhone 8 or may have to drop the fingerprint sensor, which would cause an uproar.
Snapchat has rolled out what they call 3D World Lenses in an app update. According to 9to5google.com, World Lenses will work like the selfie Lenses feature, only add 3D elements to shots taken with the back camera, like adding shadows and depth, in addition to the whimsical overlays everyone loves from Snapchat.
In somewhat related news, Pornhub has released their own ‘Snapchat for nudes,’ giving people the option of covering their private areas with stickers and graphic animations. Thenextweb.com says the app is available from the App Store and Google Play for those who want to sext, but are a little shy about exposing the whole enchilada.
Pixel 2 To Get OLED Screen; Twitter Users Want to Buy Twitter; TaskRabbit For Sale
Posted: April 10, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Galaxy S8, Gig economy, Google, iPhone 8, LG, Non-profit co-op, OLED screen, Pixel 2, Samsung, TaskRabbit, Twitter Leave a commentThe Samsung Galaxy S8 has one, the iPhone 8 is supposed to be getting a curved OLED screen, now it appears that Google may up their game….literally, with a larger, edge to edge curved screen. Bgr.com notes that the Pixel already features an OLED screen, but they have been buying them from Samsung…which will be pretty tapped out with their own phones and Apple’s. Google may drop almost a billion into LG Display, and will likely try to step up to the more technically advanced type like Samsung has built into the Galaxy S8.
Last fall, a group of Twitter users got a petition together to get the social net to sell itself to its users, and turn into a co-op. Now, recode.net reports that Twitter has actually put the idea on the agenda for their shareholder meeting next month. It doesn’t appear like the board is too keen to do it, but just the fact that they are considering it is interesting. A hybrid ownership model is also a possibility, which would give users a portion of voting shares and a few board seats. The Associated Press operates this way as a non-profit cooperative.
One of the pioneers of the so-called ‘gig’ economy, TaskRabbit, is thinking about selling itself. As startups for more specialized areas of pick up work have crowded the marketplace, continued capital has dried up. Techcrunch.com says tthere is still plenty of demand for handyman services, light home renovation, and the like…which are predicted to become a billion dollar business. Time will tell if TaskRabbit will outrun them all or become rabbit stew.
Galaxy S8’s Bixby Button Can Be Changed to Google Assistant; Apple Says No to All-ARM Macs; Spotify Testing Lossless Audio; Unexpected Changes From Driverless Cars
Posted: April 6, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, ARM processors, Bixby, Driverless cars, Galaxy S8, Google Assistant, Hi-Fi, Intel, Macs, Samsung, Spotify, Touchscreens Leave a commentSamsung touts its Bixby personal assistant and even provides a dedicated soft button for it. Now, 9to5google.com says an app lets you remap the button for Google Assistant (or other functions.) Just get the app All in One Gestures and you can remap buttons. Do expect a cat and mouse though, as Samsung try to disable the app from getting around their assistant!
Previously, Apple has said they think touchscreens on computers are less efficient than mice and touchpads. Macrumors.com reports that they have repeated this, and also said they have no plans for ARM chips in Macs, except as ‘companion processors,’ like the one that runs the Touch Bar in the new MacBook Pros. For the foreseeable future, Cupertino’s laptops and desktops will continue to run on Intel silicon.
Last month, Spotify tested a new lossless version of its audio stream. According to theverge.com Spotify Hi-Fi will cost an extra $10 a month, on top of the $10 price of the premium ad-free service. Tidal already has hi-fi streaming for $19.99 a month. If you have a great audio system you route your streaming audio into, and have golden ears, it may be worth it, but several tech writers say it’s hard to tell the difference.
Driverless cars…a lot of folks are looking forward to surfing the web, watching videos, and otherwise kicking back during a commute in vehicles that handle the piloting chore for us. Washingtonpost.com notes some ways things might change you may not have thought of. It’s possible traffic could become worse, as people opt for the privacy of self-driving cars and ditch public transport. Also, with the array of cams and sensors, cars may become witnesses to crimes. This is random, but as electric self driving cars come on line, cigarette sales may drop, since a lot of gas stations make considerable extra cash selling those cancer sticks while we fill up. Air bags and crumple zones may become a thing of the past, as crashes practically disappear and they aren’t needed. You won’t need to circle like a vulture for parking, since the computer in the car will be able to find the closest spot…which will open frequently as shared vehicles come and go. Car expenses will drop…most cash goes into crashes and engine repairs. Electric cars require far less upkeep, and with nearly no crashes, cars could last far longer, too. Self driving trucks may not displace as many drivers as originally thought…there’s already a shortage, and as drivers retire, they just won’t be replaced. Plus, some firms will always carry a human to make sure cargo that’s loaded and unloaded isn’t ‘shorted’…they will want their person at the site to supervise.
Predicted iPhone 8 Pricing; Galaxy S8 Battery Life Beats All Other Hero Androids; Self-Healing Smartphone Screen by 2020?
Posted: April 5, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Battery life, Galaxy S8, iPhone 8, Pricing, Samsung, Self-healing conductive plastic screens Leave a commentMost rumors have the iPhone 8…or whatever it will be called…coming in at over $1000, but now that the Samsung Galaxy S8 is out and less than that, analysts are revising downwards. Macrumors.com says while Apple is always pricey, they do stay very competitive. Now, the best guess is $850-$900 for a 64 gig model…just over the $840-$850 bucks for the Galaxy S8+. A 256 gig iPhone would then be $950 to a grand, so it still could break that barrier, but less people buy those. The 7S and 7S Plus are expected to stay $649 and $749 like the models they will replace.
The Samsung Galaxy S8+ beats all other top line Android phones in battery life. 9to5google.com reports that it comes in at exactly 8 hours. This beats the S7, which was 7 hours 18 minutes, and also blows past the Google Pixel, the OnePlus 3T and the rest. It does fall way short of the Apple iPhone 7 Plus, though…the Plus makes it 9 hours and 5 minutes! The new Samsung does fully recharge in an hour and 40 minutes if plugged in…longer if wireless charging is used.
Hate plastic screens? Like Gorilla Glass? You may change your tune in 2020. According to zdnet.com, scientists think we will have self-healing, stretchy conductive plastic screens that can recover from cuts and scratches. There are already phones like the LG Flex 2 that have self-healing backs, but they aren’t conductive, so can’t be used in touch screens. More testing is being done, but you could be able to ditch covers for your beautiful phone in just a few more years.
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 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Face recognition, Fingerprint scanner, Galaxy S8, Iris Scanner, OLED screens, Samsung, Super-cycle, Uber, Weird stuff Leave a commentApparently, 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?
Leak Shows Size of Galaxy S8 Screen; Mariott Testing Siri and Amazon Alexa for Rooms
Posted: March 22, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Alexa, Amazon, Apple, Front screen, Galaxy S8, iPhone 8, Mariott, Samsung, Siri, Voice commands 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!
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 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: AI assistant, Apple, AR, Augmented reality, Biosensors, Bixby, Camera, Dolby Labs, Galaxy S8, Glasses, Netflix, Samsung, Viewer tracking Leave a commentThe 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.’
Screen Cost Much Higher for iPhone 8; Pricey But Cool Smartwatch; Volvo Rolls Out Cheaper Electric Car Than Tesla With Greater Range
Posted: March 14, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 3d Touch, AMOLED screen, Apple, Bolt, Chevrolet, Electric Car, Galaxy S8, iPhone 8, iPhone Edition, Samsung, Smartwatch, Tag Heuer, Tesla, Volvo Leave a commentWe’ve reported, along with numerous others, that the upcoming iPhone 8 or Edition or whatever will probably break the $1000 barrier…now we know why. According to 9to5mac.com, the OLED screen and 3D Touch module is costing 60% more to make than the ones on the iPhone 7. That, along with other premium components that integrate the fingerprint sensor and allow wireless charging will cause the new hero phone to break the 1 grand barrier. BTW, that 60% increase? It’s to $15, so don’t feel sorry for Cupertino!
Even though smartwatches haven’t really caught fire…FIGURATIVELY, Samsung fans….the latest Android Wear 2.0 smartwatch is from premium watchmaker Tag Heuer partnering with Intel. Theverge.com says it’s $1600, which kind of gives perspective to the next iPhone and to the Samsung Galaxy S8 topping a thousand dollars! On the other hand, it’s a Tag Heuer, so it looks gorgeous AND it’s modular…both when you order, and later. They say you can swap out the internals when the current one becomes obsolete for new smartwatch guts or even an analog chronograph!
Volvo is out with an electric car that will compete with the Tesla Model 3, only apparently is cheaper and has better range. Bgr.com reports that the Volvo will have a 250 mile range and sell for $35,000 to $40,000. Chevy already has the Bolt out in that price band with a 238 mile range. It’s expected that since it’s a Volvo, a mini-SUV body will be offered. It’s out this year.
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