Some Early Crash Statistics on Self-Driving Cars
Posted: June 19, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Delphi, Google, iBall, Microsoft, PC on a stick, Self Driving Cars 1 Comment
The California DMV has released brief details about 6 accidents involving self-driving cars. 9to5google.com says 5 of the 6 were Google’s, and one was from Delphi. In 100% of those crashes, the OTHER driver was at fault…not the self-driving car! No injuries occurred in any of them. This lends creedance to the thought that once all vehicles are self-driving, accident rates will plummet.
Microsoft has unveiled a $140 PC on a stick. The USB drive-sized PC runs Windows 8.1, and has an Intel Atom quad core processor with 2 gigs of ram and 32 gigs of storage. It can connect to TVs and monitors via HDMI, has a mini-usb port, and has Bluetooth. The PC on a stick is made by iBall, and goes on sale in India next month. No word on upgradability to Windows 10, or when it might be released in the US.
Find in iOS 9 Beta Points to Larger iPad
Posted: June 15, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Bookmark manager, Chrome, Google, iOS 9, iPad Pro, Larger keyboard, Lyft, San Francisco, security, Uber Leave a commentA developer running the beta of iOS 9 has found a hidden, larger keyboard layout in the system, according to theverge.com. The scaled up keyboard isn’t a dramatic departure from the present one, but does add a narrow top row of symbols keys, adds a redo key, a tab key, and a caps lock key. A widely rumored 12 inch plus iPad dubbed the ‘Pro’ is expected out later this year.
Engadget.com reports that Google has killed off the widely disliked bookmark manager, and reverted to the previous version. The cluttered, slower version can still be downloaded as an extension from the Chrome Web Store for those who really want it.
A security researcher was able to hack a page on Uber’s website, with a humorous result. Businessinsider.com says Uber’s micro-site on their website with a petition to get San Francisco to allow them to operate on Market Street had the flaw. The hacker was able to just key in ‘zipcode,’ instead of numbers. Being a security researcher, he didn’t dump malware code or steal information…he uploaded an ad for arch rival Lyft to Uber’s site!
Google Now Takes a Leap Forward & More on Microsoft’s Surface Hub
Posted: June 10, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Google, Google Now, Microsoft, Surface Hub Leave a commentAs things move further towards software and assistants that actually work, bgr.com reports that Google Now can answer a new set of questions without the user including place names or addresses. If you’re standing in front of a restaurant, you can ask ‘when does this restaurant open,’ and Google Now will answer based on your location. If you’re next to a monument, you might query ‘when was this built,’ and it will tell you. A spooky cool new feature just announced by Google at an event in Paris.
We now have more information about Microsoft’s Surface Hubs. The 55 and 84 inch hub displays first shown in January will be out in September. Primarily intended for business conference rooms, they are a cool $6999 for the 55 inch model and $19,999 for the king sized 84 inch screen. Both feature 100 points of multitouch, 3 simultaneous pen inputs, dual hi res cameras, and microphones that reduce background noise during conference calls. They run a slimmed down version of Windows 10. Preorders open up July 1st.
Google on Verge of Releasing 1st New Nest Product Since They Bought It
Posted: June 4, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Google, iPhone 7, Nest, Nest Audio Leave a commentMedia invitations have been sent for an event June 17th for a Nest news conference in San Francisco. No other details were offered, but a lot of buzz is on it being Nest Audio. Google watchers say it could be something like the Amazon Echo. Businessinsider.com notes that whatever it is, we should know between 9:30 and 10 am on June 17th.
Reports out of Asia picked up by bgr.com indicate that besides an iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, Apple will again offer a 4 inch screen model that may be called the 7c in 2016. Sources say it will be a completely redesigned phone. The 7 and 7 Plus are expected to be the same 4.7 and 5.5 inch sizes as the 6 series and their successors due out this fall.
Intel Joins the USB C Bandwagon
Posted: June 2, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Chrombook Pixel, Doctor Who, Gamestop, Google, Hot Topic, Intel, Macbook, Nokia N1, Star Trek, Star Wars, Thinkgeek.com, Thunderbolt 3, USB type C Leave a commentAs has been widely reported, the latest 12 inch Apple Macbook has one port…the new USB C mini reversible cable. The Google Chromebook Pixel and Nokia N1 tablet also spot the versatile mini plug. The USB C can power the laptop, carry a display signal, and has fast data speeds all in one plug. Now, theverge.com says Intel is jumping in, announcing that the Thunderbolt 3 will use the USB C connector instead of the mini display port. Every time a standard like this changes, expect to drop more bucks on adapters, like Apple’s crazy-expensive $79.99 Macbook adapter…but it will allow for lighter thinner laptops and tablets…and you can never be too thin or light—or well heeled, right?
If you’re a little geeky, you’ve heard of thinkgeek.com. If you’re as geeky as some of us, you’ve ordered stuff from them. The website known for fan gear for Star Trek, Star Wars, Doctor Who, and both Marvel and DC comic gear is being bought by GameStop, according to engadget.com. It looked like Hot Topic was a foregone conclusion, but at the last minute, GameStop jumped in with $20 a share, eclipsing Hot Topic’s $17.50 bid. The collectables category is growing fast, and games from stores have been taking it in the shorts from online sources, so GameStop helps itself considerably with this purchase. Don’t forget to check your geek points!
Did Google Just Win the Cloud Wars?
Posted: May 29, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Consumer Reports, Dell, EasyTech, FREE, Geek Squad, Google, I/O, iCloud, Lenovo, Photos, Tech support Leave a commentAccording to bgr.com, Google may have won the cloud wars, with the announcement at I/O yesterday that their Photos app will allow for unlimited photos and videos in the cloud for FREE! By comparison, Apple gives you 5 Gigs of free storage on iCloud, then hits users with a buck a month for 20 gigs or $20 a month for a terabyte. If you have a large collection, and switched from Apple to Google, you’d save $240 a year. Google photos runs on Android, iOS, or the web, and syncs across all your devices.
Although that was just one of the things rolled out at Google I/O that caused gnashing of teeth at Apple, they should be smiling about this: Appleinsider.com says Consumer Reports ranked Apple highest for computer tech support in their annual survey. According to Consumer Reports, 4 out of 5 Mac owners using AppleCare said the service was able to solve their problem, compared to 61% for Dell and Lenovo. They were ranked pretty much even with indy stores for retail support, although Best Buy’s Geek Squad and Staples EasyTech both charge, and Apple’s geniuses will diagnose problems for free.
The Next Version of Android
Posted: May 26, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Active Cellular Connections, Android M, Google, I/O, People Online Leave a commentGoogle is getting ready to unveil the latest version of Android…Android M. 9to5google.com says so-called ‘Macadamia Nut Cookie’ will bring improvements to battery life and RAM performance. No, they won’t be calling it by that mouthful of a code name upon rollout…it will likely be called Marshmallow for the public. We should get a preview Thursday at Google I/O, with the final release of the latest, greatest Android version slated for August.
An amazing number of people will be online by the end of the year. According to a report from the International Telecommunications Union picked up by thenextweb.com, that number would be 3.2 billion people. Out of those, 2 billion are from developing countries. There will be a mind-numbing 7 billion active cellular connections…nearly equaling the population of the entire planet!
Google Prepares to Enter the Internet of Things OS Sweepstakes
Posted: May 22, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Clipboard, Google, I/O, Internet of things, Microsoft, OneClip, Pushbullet Leave a commentGoogle reportedly may unveil an internet of things OS at their I/O conference next week. According to a report in The Information picked up by theverge.com, it runs on low power devices, and gives them the ability to communicate with other connected devices in proximity. The OS has had the code name ‘Brillo,’ but will likely carry an Android name when it’s rolled out. It’s expected to work on everything from refrigerators to small monitoring gadgets. The biggest issue with the internet of things may well end up being which OS to go with, since Google, Apple, Microsoft, Huawei, Samsung, and others are all angling to be in this market!
Microsoft is quietly working on an app that will at as a clipboard across your devices, whether iOS, Android, Windows Phone, or Windows PC. Thenextweb.com points out that this would compete with the Pushbullet app in many ways. Microsoft’s OneClip auto detects if the item on the clipboard is a URL, physical address, phone number, text snippet, or image, and categorizes it for you.
Tiny LiteOS Prepares for the Internet of Things
Posted: May 20, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Amazon, Amazon Web Services, Android, AWS, Cloud, DOS, Google, Huawei, Internet of things, iOS, LiteOS, Microsoft Leave a commentHuawei is readying their minuscule operating system, LiteOS, to power everything from wearables to cars to the electronics around your home. The system is 10 KILObytes! For a little perspective, Apple’s iOS 8 takes a gigabyte of space, and ancient DOS 2.11 was 28 kilobytes! The mini-system is designed for zero configuration, auto-discovery, and auto-networking. The verge.com says it isn’t intended to compete with iOS or Android, but to power small internet connected gadgets from light bulbs to toothbrushes.
From the very small to the biggest on the block…or in this case, the planet. Despite growing competition from Microsoft and Google, Amazon is the 800 pound gorilla of the cloud world. According to geekwire.com, Amazon Web Services not only increased market share in 2014, but operates more cloud capacity than the next 14 providers combined! Google cut cloud prices by 30% just yesterday, to try to grab more share, but it’s a long climb. Microsoft’s strategy is to provide more complete services for a price, where Amazon sticks to a la carte pricing. Microsoft’s revenues from cloud were up 96%, making them the leader by that metric.
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