Google May Be Designing Its Own Phones; iPhone 7 & Apple Watch Rumors
Posted: June 27, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Android, Apple, Apple Watch, Force Touch, Google, GPS, Haptic feedback, HTC, Huawei, iPhone 7, LG, Motorola, Nexus, Space Black, Waterproofing Leave a commentIn a report from the Telegraph picked up by thenextweb.com and others, Google is rumored to be designing its own Android phones for release later this year. While they do now have a hardware division being run by a former president of Motorola, this would really be a curve ball to other Android makers…especially LG, Huawei, and HTC, which have built the Nexus phones for Google. It’s not clear how an in-house designed phone would be more perfectly optimized for pure Android than the ones they already specify for their partners making the Nexus…stay tuned.
A report from an unconfirmed source (but one physically near Apple HQ in Cupertino) says iPhone 7 will come in a ‘Space Black’ color similar to the Apple Watch…no deep blue color. 9to5mac.com also reports that the Home button will include haptic feedback to simulate a click, like Force Touch. As for the Apple Watch, the version 2.0 may have GPS for accurate workout logging, and along with cellular would drop the need to carry an iPhone, and would gain the ability to track swimming…indicating a high level of waterproofing.
Samsung Gets Laptop That Converts to Tablet; Repositioned Sensors on iPhone 7 Mean New Cases
Posted: June 23, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Bendable hinge, Convertibles, Intel, iPhone 7, laptop, Lenovo, Notebook 7 Spin, Samsung, sensors, tablet, Windows 10 Leave a commentSamsung is getting in on the growing market for laptops that convert to a tablet, thanks to a bendy hinge. Lenovo has had success with their convertibles, and Mashable.com reports that now Samsung had dropped the Notebook 7 Spin in 13.3 and 15.6 screen sizes. They run Windows 10 with Intel’s Core i5 or i7 processors, and start at $800 for the 13 incher and a grand for the 15. The Notebook 7 Spins should be in Best Buy stores the 26th.
Besides moving the antenna bands, the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus should be indistinguishable from the 6S models…that is, unless you are a case or screen protector maker. According to appleinsider.com, Apple has moved the ambient light and proximity sensors, on the front panel. Those, in addition to the larger camera openings needed will make present case models and screen protectors obsolete. I will probably go for the larger phone model anyway, but for those who aren’t…thanks a lot, Apple….you’ll have to buy new cases when you upgrade.
Minor Refresh of iPhone 7-Big Changes Next Year; Samsung Gear 360 Cam Now in Limited US Availability
Posted: June 22, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 10th Anniversary iPhone, Apple, Gear 360 VR, iPhone 7, Jony Ive, OLED, Samsung, VidCon, VR Video camera Leave a commentAfter we noted reports here Monday that Apple would keep the audio jack on iPhone 7, several similar stories appeared Tuesday in WSJ, CNBC, & Business Insider, saying Apple WILL ditch the 3.5 mm phone jack. Looks like Apple may have planted these stories….sorry headphone fans, we’re all screwed. You will either need a Lightening adapter and dongle, or new Lightening or wireless headphones. Music companies will love this, as with no analog output, digital rights management will make sharing music harder. Also, reports are the 7 won’t be a major update…1 mm thinner, and moved antenna bands, but basically the same as the 6S and 6S Plus, albeit with upgraded processor and memory, and the dual camera on the Plus. Apparently, the tech isn’t ready for what Jony Ive wants until next year…OLED screen, and all glass phone…no physical button, and no bezel around the edges for iPhone’s 10th anniversary.
Samsung announced their Gear 360 VR camera earlier this year, and said it wouldn’t be available for a while in the US. That time has arrived, according to cnet.com. The cam is in limited availability for $350. If you’re able to score one, you can shoot your own VR videos for VR headsets. This week, you can only buy it at VidCon in Anaheim, and Samsung says they will have more details about further availability later. They have been on sale in South Korea and Singapore since April.
iPhone 7 May Retain Headphone Jack; B of A ATMs getting Apple Pay; Twitter Acquires Another Machine Learning Company
Posted: June 20, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 3.5mm audio jack, Apple, Apple Pay, AR, ATMs, Bank of America, Chase, iPhone 7, Machine Learning, Madbits, Magic Pony, Twitter, VR, Wells Fargo, Whetlab Leave a commentSome new leaked pictures from a generally reliable source indicate that one of the biggest…and most hated….rumors about the iPhone 7 may not be true. Engadget.com says snaps from Chinese repair shop Rock Fix show a lightening port assembly that includes the beloved 3.5 mm audio jack. Also shown in shots are a dual SIM tray and 32 and 256 Gig chips, indicating that the base phone will be 32 gig, not 16, and there will be 256 Gig memory option.
9to5mac reports that Bank of America has some ATMs in place that allow withdrawing cash using Apple Pay. One was spotted in Redondo Beach with the Apple Pay logo and an NFC reader. You can’t make deposits with it, but of course you can already make those using B of A’s app on a smartphone, as well as do transfers between accounts. So far, it only works with B of A’s own cards, not others. Chase and Wells Fargo have also announced adding Apple Pay to ATMs but none have been seen yet.
Twitter has bought Magic Pony Technology for 150 million, according to TechCrunch.com. They use neural networks….basically machine learning…to improve images and videos. The technology can also help develop graphics for VR and AR. Twitter already had bought machine learning tech companies Whetlab and Madbits.
Outlier iPhone 7 Rumor; Xbox One Getting Cortana; Zuck’s Social Media Accounts Hacked
Posted: June 6, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Cortana, Facebook, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, LinkedIn, Mark Zuckerberg, Microsoft, Pinterest, Twitter, Xbox One Leave a commentThere are enough rumors and renderings out that we pretty well think we know what the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus will be like. Here’s an off the wall one picked up by bgr.com, though. It’s from MobiPicker, and they’re saying the the 7 will have 16, 64, and 128 gigs of RAM, but the Plus will have 32, 128, and 256 gigs. Also, the 7 will get two 12 megapixel rear cameras, and the Plus 21 megapixels. The Plus is also rumored to lose the Lightening port and get USB C. This is the only source claiming these things, so keep that in mind!
Microsoft has announced that Xbox One will get Cortana support in a summer update. TechCrunch.com reports that it won’t be just limited to gaming functions, either. You can use Cortana to check with friends, start a party, and search for nearby restaurants. Beta testers should be getting the update shortly, with a rollout to everybody in waves later this summer.
If you haven’t changed your LinkedIn password, stop reading or listening to this and do it now. Venturebeat.com says Mark Zuckerberg has had his Twitter and Pinterest accounts hacked over the weekend, and it points strongly to the LinkedIn password dump of a couple weeks ago. Even the CEO of mighty Facebook can be hacked if he doesn’t change his password after a major hack and dump. Just do it!
Closer to Flying Car; ‘More Complex iPhone 7 Production Starting
Posted: May 18, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Electric flying private jet, Flying Car, Foxconn, iPhone 7, Laser focus, Lilium Aviation, Megatron Leave a comment
Lilium Aviation of Germany is working on an electric short haul private jet that could bring us closer to George Jetson’s flying car. According to BBC, it’s 100% electric, can fly 310 miles at 248 miles per hour, and has a ceiling of 9900 ft. It recharges overnight from a regular electrical outlet. It can land and take off from a back yard, and instead of one motor, has the redundancy of 36 small ducted fan motors.The 320Kw battery pack puts out 435 horsepower. It qualifies as a Light Sport Aircraft, so only requires 20-30 hours of training, and takes off and lands autonomously. Lilium has already flown a smaller prototype and is building a full sized one. They hope to be production ready by the end of 2018!
New leaks about the iPhone 7…despite talk that it will be practically an iPhone 6S, it is reported to be more complex to build…perhaps little change cosmetically, but some new and interesting features under the hood. Bgr.com reports that both Foxconn and Pegatron have started hiring a month earlier than usual for a new model. Also, new leaked images show the antenna stripes at the top and bottom…no longer crossing the back, and a new pinhole between the camera lens and flash may be for laser autofocus…a feature LG has had for a couple years.
More iPhone 7 Rumors; Twitter Limits US Spy Agencies Access to Alert Tool
Posted: May 9, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Analytics, Apple, Dataminr, Dual lens camera, iPhone 7, law enforcement, Smart Connector, Spies, Twitter Leave a commentWith the iPhone 7 models due out in around 4 months, the rumors are breaking more frequently now…and contradicting each other. Bgr.com says a design leak obtained by French site NowhereElse shows the iPhone 7 as having identical height and width as the 6 and 6S. It doesn’t disclose whether or not the next model will be thinner, however, or if the headphone jack on the bottom stays or goes. There is no opening at the bottom for a Smart Connector like on the iPad Pro, which had been rumored, but the camera opening is larger…it may not be large enough for the dual lens camera…which is supposed to bow on the larger iPhone 7 Plus anyway, but perhaps to allow for a larger sensor. The cam opening is closer to the edge, too.
Twitter has blocked US law enforcement and spy agencies from using a data analytics service that processes tweets and messages in real time. According to cnet.com, the tools are from the private company Dataminr. Twitter hasn’t publicly confirmed or denied the change. Apparently the analytics gave authorities a 10 minutes lead over mainstream media outlets in covering and responding to the Brussels attacks. Spies being spies, it’s probably only a matter of time…and not much time….before they are able to restore their access to this type of info from Twitter, even without Twitter’s blessing or knowledge.
GM & Lift Within a Year of Testing Self-Driving Taxis; iPhone 7 Generating More Buzz Than the 6S Did
Posted: May 6, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Chevy Bolt, China, Cruise Automation, General Motors, iPhone 7, Lyft, self-driving car, US Leave a commentGeneral Motors and Lyft’s on-demand, self-driving taxis will begin testing in an undisclosed city sometime in the next year, according to the Wall Street Journal and engadget.com. Earlier this year, the General invested $500 million in the ride-sharing service, and last month, GM also picked up San Francisco-based Cruise Automation. Cruise has been making aftermarket self-driving kits that could be added to several Audi vehicles for around $10,000. The self-driving cabs will be based on electric Chevy Bolts powered by Cruise’s self-driving technology.
After the 1st quarterly dip in iPhone sales since the first Apple smartphone rolled out, it looks like the slump may be over. Bgr.com says a UBS report shows that almost half of those surveyed said they ‘are holding off buying a new iPhone until the next model is available.’ They break it down to about 40% in the US…virtually the same as with the iPhone 6, and 50% of prospective iPhone 7 buyers in China.
New Ultra Thin HP Chromebook; iPhone 7 ‘Pro’ Drawings Leaked
Posted: April 28, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Audio jack, Chromebook, Dual Camera, HP, Intel, iPhone 7, Smart Connector Leave a commentHP showed off it’s new 13 inch screen, ultra thin Chromebook today. It sports a QHD Display, has a slick all-metal case, and weighs in at 2.86 lbs. According to venturebeat.com, it’s packed with 16 gigs of memory, runs on an Intel Core M processor, and the battery should last 11.5 hours. It’s available now for pre-order, ships May 6th, and starts at $499.
Drawings and diagrams leaked show a 5.5 inch iPhone 7, and as rumored, there is no 3.5 mm audio jack, and it sports a dual camera. Bgr.com reports that the leak came from Macotakara, which leaked accurate diagrams of the iPad Pro. It does have a Smart Connector port on the back, and still has a single speaker. Surprisingly, it’s no thinner than the present model, and doesn’t have a larger battery…which had previously been given as the reason Apple wanted to drop the audio jack.
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