Samsung & Google Partner on New Chromebooks; Batteries Now Rolling off Lines at Tesla Gigafactory; Energous Wireless Charging Debuts This Year; Nvidia Co-Pilot Driving Computer

Posted: January 5, 2017 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Chromebook Plus and Chromebook Pro have finally bowed from Samsung, in collaboration with Google. Theverge.com says they will be worthy competition for Apple’s iPad Pro and Microsoft’s Surface Pro. The Plus is out in February for $449, and sports baked in Android app support, a self-contained stylus, and on-screen inking. It has a 360 degree hinge to allow for both tablet and laptop modes. The Pro will be out later this year, and is basically the same except for a more powerful processor.

It took almost 3 years from the groundbreaking, but batteries are now rolling off the lines at Tesla’s Gigafactory. The first of the custom cells will go into Tesla’s storage products…the Powerwall 2 and Powerpack 2, but are designed to fit into all Tesla cars according to theverge.com. They will start installing them in the new Model 3s when they start production this year. Tesla says the Gigafactory will eventually crank out enough batteries for 1.5 million cars.

Energous will begin shipping its truly wireless systems by later this year, but is holding off due to a partner. Macrumors.com notes that most believe that partner to be Apple, and that the Watts Up system will debut in the iPhone 8 in September. The difference between Energous and other wireless systems is that theirs is truly over the air, and can charge a device from up to 15 feet away…no need to lay the phone on a charging pad. Energous did show off several devices that use contact charging at CES this week.

Nvidia had teased a powerful AI system earlier, and now has announced Co-Pilot. They are baking the tech into their Xavier drive computers they are making to assist drivers when they are doing the driving. Techcrunch.com reports that the system will utilize data from sensors inside and outside a car, and alert a driver when they need to take action. The system can either operate in self-driving mode, or as the Co-Pilot, continuing to monitor and warn drivers to react…say, should you not spot a pedestrian. They are already partnering with ZF in Europe, and may with Bosch as well.

iPad Pro Coming Sans Home Button & Bezel; Samsung Doing the Splits; Record Black Friday for Mobile

Posted: November 28, 2016 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

In a rumor that might telegraph features on next year’s iPhone 8, macrumors.com reports that a story from Japanese site Mac Otakara says Apple is planning a thicker, bezel-free iPad Pro with no home button. The tablet will have a 10.9 inch screen, but with the same footprint as the current 9.7 inch model. As for the thickness, it really will only be as thick as the original iPad Air. Expect it to drop around March.

On the heels of a proposal by an activist hedge fund manager, the board of Samsung Electronics will meet Tuesday to consider splitting itself in two, according to reuters.com. Samsung has a complicated corporate structure, and has a number of businesses. This might give a smartphone division more ability to become a greater player than ever in the mobile tech world.

It was a record Black Friday in one new way. Recode.net says it was the first billion dollar mobile shopping day ever, with shoppers dropping 1.2 billion on phones and tablets to pick up Black Friday bargains. Overall, it’s estimated that total online sales Black Friday hit 3.34 billion. It sounds like people are taking Lewis Black’s exhortation to …’buy more…um…stuff.’

New iPads Next Year; Bigger, Range-Increasing Battery for Teslas; Pokemon Influence On Upcoming Tech

Posted: August 15, 2016 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

According to KGI Securities, which has a good track record with accurate Apple rumors, Cupertino will roll out new iPads next year…freshening the 9.7 inch model with a ‘low cost’ version, adding a 10.5 inch iPad Pro, and beefing up the 12.9 inch iPad Pro with a more powerful processor. Macrumors.com also says Apple is planning a so-called ‘revolutionary’ iPad in the fall of 2018, with radical form factor changes and maybe a flexible AMOLED screen.

Tesla is getting ready to release a 100Kw battery for its Model S and Model X cars…giving the Model S a range of 380 miles….more than your bladder can handle without a pit stop. Theverge.com reports that a Dutch regulator that certifies Teslas for sale in the EU published model listings that included designations pointing to the increased battery size…100D and 100X. There’s also a P100D…maybe a higher end version of the Model S…in the listings.

Techcrunch.com is saying the influence of the wildly successful Pokemon Go is already rippling through the tech world, and will for years to come. The relatively simple game has suddenly gotten millions to understand what augmented reality is, and how cool it might be. Even though it’s been used in map software for some time, the game has opened up other avenues. In addition to mobile games, movies and Video games can extend their reach into ‘the real world.’ The Pokemon effect could even be extended to medical apps…helping an elderly person find where they left a medication, and remembering that they ‘captured’ their pill yesterday, and should take another. Look for other applications of AR as offshoots from Pokemon Go in the next months and into next year.

Apple’s iPhone SE & Smaller iPad Pro, etc; Chromecast Becomes Googlecast

Posted: March 22, 2016 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

If there was a ‘one more thing’ at Apple’s event yesterday, it didn’t come from Apple. The FBI put on hold it’s demand for Cupertino to crack the San Bernardino terrorist iPhone, claiming it had outside help to do so. Since two former CIA directors have said the NSA could do it, that’s a pretty good guess. Meanwhile, back in Cupertino, Apple showed the 4 inch iPhone SE, the new 9.7 inch iPad Pro model, and new Apple Watch bands. the iPhone SE is pretty much an iPhone 6S squeezed into an iPhone 5S case. It starts at $399 for the nearly useless 16 gigs of memory, and is $499 for the more useable 64 gigs. Preorders start Thursday, and it’s available March 31st.

Apple has shoehorned its iPad Pro into a smaller 9.7 inch version. You get the same 4 speakers and Apple Pencil stylus support. It weighs less than a pound, and has it’s own version of the keyboard case. The smaller Pro…Pro-ette? comes in silver, gold, space grey, and rose gold, and starts at $599 for 32 gigs. A loaded up one with the Pencil will pretty well murder a grand. It is also available for preorders starting Thursday and out on the 31st.

As expected, Apple Watch gets a so-called ‘Spring lineup’ of bands, but the big news is the price cut from $349 to $299. It’s a good guess that an Apple Watch v. 2.0 will be out in the fall with this price reduction.

Over at Google, or if you insist…Alphabet…Chromecast has morphed into Googlecast. 9to5google.com says some Vizio TVs will come with Googlecast built in, and there are some new Googlecast enabled speakers. The app is also renamed Googlecast, and the updated version will be out on Android and iOS this week.

Updated iPad Air May be Another iPad Pro; Facebook Rolls Out Live Video to Android

Posted: February 26, 2016 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Apple may not be launching a freshened 9.7 inch iPad Air in March…it may be an iPad Pro. Appleinsider.com picked up a rumor that the smaller sized Pro will have Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard support, complementing it’s larger 13 and 15 inch models. There may also be a 9.7 inch Air version, without Smart Connector and Apple Pencil support, and Apple may make the iPad Mini a version of the Air. The 9.7 inch Pro will reportedly have a rear camera flash and quad speakers…it should be rolled out March 15th.

Android phones should be seeing live video streaming via Facebook in the next week. Theverge.com says the rollout will start in the US, as it did with the iOS version, then expand to other countries within weeks. Facebook claims that people watch live video 3 times longer than video posted that was pre-recorded.

Bigger, Thinner MacBook Air Coming; Amazon Unveils Delivery Drone

Posted: November 30, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

There 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.

AmazonDrone V.2.0

iPad Pro On Sale Wednesday; ‘Periscope Glass’ Cracking On New Google Nexus 6P’s

Posted: November 9, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

Apple’s huge 12.9 inch iPad Pro goes on sale Wednesday, November 11th. According to thenextweb.com, Apple says it will take a few more days for it to show up in the Apple stores. They claim it will be huge for productivity, with the Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard, and it will need to be with competition from the hot Microsoft Surface Book. Base price starts at $799 for 32 Gigs wi-fi only, $1079 for 128 Gigs, wi-fi and cellular. Oh…and for all that productivity, plan to hand over another $99 for the pencil and $169 for the Smart Keyboard!

A problem is showing up on the newest Google flagship smartphone, the Nexus 6P. Businessinsider.com, 9to5google.com, and others report that the so-called ‘periscope’ panel of camera glass across the top is spontaneously cracking for some owners…NOT from a drop. Some users have said they’ve heard the glass snap while the phone is laying on a table, leaving a little pile of glass shavings under it. The phone launched in late September, and is made by Huawei. No comment so far from Google.

New 4K 21-1/2 Inch iMac Out Next Week; iPad Pro Coming

Posted: October 7, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Apple will start selling it’s 21.5 inch iMacs with 4K Retina displays next week, probably Tuesday. According to 9to5mac.com, they’ll keep the current form factor, but will sport the new 4096×2304 screens and noticeably faster graphics cards. No pricing yet, but expect them to be bumped up from the non-4K current version. It’s also not clear if the Magic Mouse 2 with Force Touch and updated Bluetooth Keyboard with better battery life will be out by next week. The iPad Pro looks set to drop in early November now.

Apple’s killer feature for the iPhone 6S and Plus may see Android competitors soon. According to thenextweb.com. Synaptics has announced its ClearForce tech, which works very much like Apple’s 3D Touch, will be integrated into Android phones that should be shipping early next year. Huawei has already showed a pressure sensitive display on it’s Mate S phone, so expect a slew of high end Android smartphones to horn in on Apple’s 3D Touch turf by 1st quarter of 2016.

Apple ‘Recapple’

Posted: September 10, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Apple rolled through their product updates and introductions in a couple of hours yesterday at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco. Here are a few hi lights:

Apple Watch- Mainly about fashion band accessories, particularly from high end Hermes, and new colors of gold and rose gold. It was announced that Watch OS will drop on September 16th, and include messaging apps like Facebook Messenger and also tight third party integration with AirStrip.

iPad Pro- It’s huge, has a great 12.9 inch screen, and…gasp…a stylus, which Steve Jobs famously mocked years ago. The Apple Pencil will be a separate $99 option. That screen…it has a higher pixel density than a Macbook Pro Retina. Apple claims 10 hours of battery life. It has a keyboard cover that screams ‘Microsoft Surface!’ iPad Pro starts at $799, and will be out in November.

Apple TV- Apple says this will be a game changer…you may have seen a clip of Tim Cook repeatedly on TV by now saying ‘we think the future of TV is apps.’ Apple TV has tight Siri integration, a new remote with the top part being touch screen, and buttons for volume, activating Siri and on-off. The remote is Bluetooth, so you don’t have to point it right at the box. A couple of cool features include asking Siri what did they say, and it will rewind about 15 seconds and playback…with captions. Also, you can ask Siri to search for something, and it will search across all platforms…Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, etc. With the remote, it has gaming capabilities, but don’t look for it to displace gaming systems any time soon. Apple TV is $149 or $199 depending on memory, and out the end of the year.

iPhone- The iPhone 6S and 6S plus debuted, with the expected banner feature of Force Touch, which Apple has renamed 3D Touch for the phones. It recognizes 3 levels of finger pressure, and will call up different results…for example, menus, or when pressing an email, it will pop it open so you can read it, and return you to the previous screen when you lift your finger. The new camera is a big leap…up to 12 megapixels, and capable of 4K video and an new gimmicky feature that records a second and a half of video and sound before and after each picture. When you press the picture on the phone, it shows you that 3 seconds of motion. Hey Siri now allows you to just say that, and Siri will respond without having to press and hold the home button. There’s a new rose gold color (and it and the other gold will now be exclusive to the 6S and 6S Plus). iOS 9 will be available September 16th, and iPhones go on preorder this Saturday, with deliveries to start September 25th. Prices are the same as on the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, while those models will be dropped as has been Apple’s past practice…so the 16 gig iPhone 6S will start at $199 with a two year contract. Apple has also added a contractless payment plan like a couple of the carriers have, that starts at $32 a month…PLUS carrier service costs, of course.

Apple May Also Show iPad Mini 4 September 9th

Posted: August 10, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

New leaks show a thinner, 6.1 millimeter fourth generation iPad Mini. Appleinsider.com reports that renderings found by generally reliable KGO Securities show a lot of design cues taken from the iPad Air 2. The latest mini may have an A8 processor like the Air 2, and 8 megapixel camera. If Apple goes ahead and rolls out the 13 inch iPad Pro September 9th along with the new iPhone 6S models, this new mini may be featured as well.

From the ‘not so good news’ department…a security researcher showed a $30 gadget he made at Defcon 2015 that will open keyless cars and garage doors that use rolling codes. Rolling codes let cars and garage doors skip to a new code each time, preventing thieves from nabbing the code as it transmits through the air. Engadget.com says this device jams the signal to the car or garage door motor and records the code. When the driver hits the fob or remote the next time the car or garage opens…making them think all is well, but the crook can return later and use the stored code the car or door never received, and steal at his leisure. Many car companies are aware of the issue, and have switched to codes that expire, but the security researcher hopes his demonstration will force car makers and garage door companies to upgrade older models, too. He says his own car is susceptible to such an attack.

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