Analyst-No, iPhone 8 Won’t Be $1200; Bixby is Launched in US; Facebook to Let Publishers Charge Readers to View Stories
Posted: July 19, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Bixby, Facebook, Galaxy S8, iPhone 8, Paywall, Publishers, Samsung, Voice Assistant Leave a commentThere have been several rumors that Apple’s iPhone 8 will start at over $1000, and go as high as $1200, to set it up as a ‘niche’ product. In a report picked up by apple insider.com, an analyst from UBS says they see the iPhone 8 shipping in November, and starting at $900 for the 64 gig model, and a $256 gig model for $1000. UBS thinks iPhone sales will be up 15% in Apple’s 2018 year. [Update: Analysts at JC Morgan believe it will ship in September, but with very tight availability.]
It wasn’t ready for the launch of the Galaxy S8 this spring, and Samsung promised voice assistant Bixby by the end of May in the US. Well, that didn’t happen either, but according to engadget.com, it’s out now. Bixby’s draw, according to Samsung, is that it understands natural language expressions better than other voice assistants. So far, the English release works in the US and South Korea. No word on if it is out in other English speaking countries yet. As we’ve reported, Samsung is working on a voice activated speaker like Amazon and Google have, and Apple is rolling out in December.
Facebook is preparing to let media outlets charge readers for access to their stories, starting in October. Businessinsider.com says they will be able to show 10 free articles per month before a paywall kicks in. No info on how much Facebook will skim from publishers on this, or if anyone there has calculated what percentage of people will simply click away, rather than pay…I predict that will be a huge majority of Facebook users. It’s tough to find people who don’t despise paywalls.
iPhone 8-Rear Facing 3D Laser; Cheaper, Wireless Oculus VR Headset Coming
Posted: July 13, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 3D lasers, Apple, AR, Facebook, iPhone 8, Oculus VR headset, Pacific, VR Leave a commentThe iPhone 8 is to have a rear facing 3D laser sensor to aid with augmented reality and photography. 9to5mac.com reports that it will make for a more accurate autofocus when shooting pictures. It’s possible the AR features may be activated in a later software update. The story from Fast Company also claims it will have sealed buttons that use haptic feedback, and are completely waterproof.
Facebook is planning to reveal a Wireless Oculus VR Headset next year, and it will run around $200. Unlike most cheaper headsets, it won’t require a phone to be popped into it, nor will it need to be hooked up to a PC or phone. Bloomberg says it’s aimed at immersive gaming, watching video, and social networking. It’s code named ‘Pacific,’ and looks like a pared down version of the Rift.
Galaxy Note 8 Unveil Date; Google Pixel 2; Apple Races to Fix Fingerprint Sensor for iPhone 8, Amazon’s Biggest Prime Day
Posted: July 12, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Amazon, Apple, Facial recognition, Fingerprint sensor, Galaxy Note 8, Google. Pixel 2, iPhone 8, Prime Day, Samsung Leave a commentDespite the tendency to flame out, the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 was so loved that it seemed the company was going to have to pry recalled models from the smoldering fingers of owners. The replacement Note 8 is supposed to be a hot seller, but not hot in the way the 7 was, thankfully! 9to5google.com says we can expect to see it revealed August 23rd in New York City. Samsung is wanting to push the early launch date to take advantage of a rumored delay for the Apple iPhone 8.
The latest leak and renders show a great looking Google Pixel 2 phone, with a big camera lens and slimmer bezels. Arstechinica.com reports that it is being built by LG, and is code named Taimen. It has a 6 inch AMOLED screen, up from the present model’s 5.7 incher. The back is now mostly metal, with just a small glass window, which should make it less prone to shattering when dropped. The phone has squeezable sides, which may activate the Google Assistant and launch apps.
Rumors are all over the place on the iPhone 8…it won’t have a fingerprint sensor at all, it will, but on the back, it’s under the screen. Apparently, Apple is having issues with the under screen sensor, and if they don’t get things resolved it may delay release of the new hero handset. Although KGI Securities and Bloomberg say Apple may phase out the sensor in favor of facial recognition, this seems unlikely, as it would rattle financial institutions. They will probably have to stick with the fingerprint reader until they can assure all that the facial scanner is secure. If Apple can’t get the sensor to work well by August, the iPhone 8 won’t be in volume production until late October or November.
Amazon’s Prime Day is in the history books, and the 30 hour ‘day’ is the biggest shopping day they have ever had, blowing past the last Prime Day, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday. According to businessinsider.com, Amazon said sales were up 60% in preliminary figures. No word on how many new signups they got for Prime as yet. Best selling deal was the reduced price Echo Dot with Alexa. Besides Amazon gadgets, most popular items in the US were an Instant Pot pressure cooker and an 23andMe DNA test.
iPhone 8 Color Rumor; 3 OLED iPhone 9 Models; Amazon Prime Poised to Pass Up Cable TV; Alexa Can Tell When Your Stuff is Out for Delivery; Future 3D Printing-Star Trek Replicator?
Posted: July 10, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 2018 iPhone, 3D printing, Alexa, Amazon Prime, Cable TV, Echo, iPhone 8, Mirror color, OLED, Out for delivery, Prime Day, Replicator, Satellite TV, Star Trek Leave a commentThe latest iPhone 8 rumor is that there will be 4 colors, and one will be mirror like. 9to5mac.com says it will be either sliver or black…which is confusing, since there is already the pretty mirror-like Jet Black. Perhaps with the glass back, it will be even more mirror-like. You can admire it before you stuff it in an Otterbox so you don’t break your precious thousand buck toy! In other future iPhone news, 2018 reportedly will bring 3 new iPhone models, and all will have OLED displays. It’s over a year away, but Nikkei sees Apple suppliers preparing to meet the expected demand.
Amazon Prime is nipping at cable TV’s numbers. According to recode.net, there are 79 million US homes that have Amazon Prime, including Prime Video. That compares to 90 million who are paying for cable or satellite this year. Amazon’s numbers grew from 66 million to the 79 million year over year, to they may pass up pay TV by next year! It’s a desirable market, too…over 80% of America’s wealthiest households have Amazon Prime.
If you are like most of us, you probably go to Amazon’s website and obsess over when your loot is going to be delivered. Theverge.com says you can ask Alexa ‘where’s my stuff,’ and your Echo will track deliveries. Now, just in time for prime day, your Echo will also light up a different color on delivery day. Alexa will ask you if you want to be notified when your package is out for delivery. For some of us, the Echo’s LED ring will probably actually stay that ‘out for delivery’ color all the time!
3D printing just gets more amazing all the time. They are building everything from toys to food to cars to houses right now…some admittedly pretty crude. Zdnet.com says the logical extension will be the Star Trek replicator making our food …or ‘Tea…Earl Grey….hot!’ They point out that there is a difference between printing materials at the molecular level and the micron level, but it’s really not that much. We may not see this right away, but it’s definitely on the horizon. With improving printers to work at the molecular level and better voice assistants, we could all be Captain Picard in this lifetime!
Analyst Claims No Touch ID on iPhone 8; Tesla Model 3 Production Starts Friday
Posted: July 3, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Apple Pay, Elon Musk, Facial recognition, iPhone 8, Model 3, Tesla, Touch ID Leave a commentFrequently reliable KGI Securities has put out a list of predictions about the iPhone 8….most of which everyone has been reporting on by now. According to 9to5mac.com, one has people scratching their heads. The analyst says no Touch ID…under the screen or on the back. It is widely believed that the new iPhone will have a facial recognition feature, but dropping Touch ID would not only anger buyers, but banks that Apple has wooed to use Apple Pay. There may be a somewhat obvious answer…KGI Securities has also said the iPhone 8 screen will have a ‘function area’ at the bottom of screen that’s not part of the main display. The Touch ID button may be integrated into this much like it is on the MacBook Pros. On them, there is an OLED strip that runs the width of the keyboard with the Touch ID button at the end. A close examination reveals that the Touch ID button is actually separate. That may be how Apple does it. KGI is very accurate in touting upcoming Apple features, but not 100%…number crunchers say more like 44%…which is very high when predicting, but not spot on.
Some day, there may be a little book of the Tweets of Elon Musk. Among them will certainly be one which just appeared today. Arstechnica.com reports that Musk has Tweeted that the Tesla Model 3 has passed all regulatory requirements, and goes into production Friday. Musk says they should be cranking out 20,000 a month by December!
Apple Working With Hertz; Apple Buys Eye Tracking Company; An Infarm in Every Grocery Store; Oscar Meyer Weiner Drone
Posted: June 27, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, AR, EDEKA, Eye tracking, Hertz, in-store produce, Infarm, iPhone 8, Oscar Mayer, Self Driving Cars, SensoMotoric Instruments, Smart glasses, Vertical farming, WeinerDrone, Weinermobile Leave a commentApple has tapped car rental firm Hertz to assist with testing of its autonomous vehicles. Macrumors.com reports that Cupertino is leasing vehicles from Donlen, the Hertz fleet management unit. The info showed up in information filed with the California Department of Motor Vehicles.
Meanwhile, Apple seems to be ramping up further towards an AR future. A story from appleinsider.com indicates they are buying a German company called SensoMotoric Instruments. They make hardware and software for eye tracking sensors, something key to augmented reality. The present tech tracks a wearer’s gaze in real time 120 times per second, which reduces input lag…that cuts down motion sickness when viewing. This tech probably won’t get into the iPhone 8, but could be important for the smart glasses Apple is reportedly working on.
What if fresh produce wasn’t trucked in and put in bags in your store, but was grown right there? A German startup called Infarm is working on indoor vertical farming that could grow herbs, lettuce, veggies, and fruit. According to techcrunch.com, this builds on something the Japanese have been doing, but brings it right into the supermarket, and on a modular scale. It could also find its way into restaurants. Infarm is partnering with EDEKA, Germany’s largest supermarket chain, to further develop the idea.
Everyone knows, and most people love, the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile. Now, besides the iconic hot dog cars and motor scooter with sidecar, Oscar Mayer has launched a WeinerDrone. Gizmodo.com says it has enough lifting power to transport a single wrapped hot dog about a mile. No word on if it can hold a fully loaded dog with all the trimmings some people like, or on how it delivers it to you….I’m not wanting to pick up a cold dog that hits the ground, even if it IS wrapped!
iPhone 8 Launch Timing-Supplier Leak; Google’s New AI Powered Jobs Engine; VR & AR Headsets May Hit 100 Million By 2021
Posted: June 20, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, AR, CareerBuilder, Facebook, Glassdoor, Google, iPhone 8, Job search, Laser sensors, LinkedIn, Monster, October delivery, Screenless viewers, VR Leave a commentThere had already been rumors that the iPhone 8 would be actually in peoples’ hands in October, now a supplier may have confirmed that. Bgr.com reports that Finisar, which supplies the high-tech lasers built into iPhone 8 for AR depth mapping and image recognition, will be supplying tens of millions of the lasers to one company later this year. Analysts have put things together, and look for a rollout in September as usual, but the phones actually shipping in October.
Google has launched a jobs search feature right in its search results pages that lets you search for jobs across virtually all major online jobs boards. According to techcrunch.com, that includes LinkedIn, Monster, WayUp, DirectEmployers, CareerBuilder, Facebook, and more. This may save job seekers a lot of hassle, as it eliminates duplicate postings and a lot of irrelevant jobs for you. Just key in something like ‘jobs near me’ or ‘writing jobs,’ and the job search widget will pop up. It’s on both Google’s desktop and mobile versions. You can also see Glassdoor and Indeed ratings.
It may not quite be here yet, but VR and AR really are The Next Big Thing, and a report by IDC picked up by cnet.com says sales of VR and AR headsets will reach about 100 million by 2021. Last year, less than 10 million of the headsets shipped. Right now, ones powered by smartphones, the so-called ‘screenless viewers’ are most popular. IDC thinks AR will fundamentally change industrial jobs in the next 5 years, and that at first, 80 percent of AR headsets will be for commercial use.
Supplier Appears to Confirm iPhone 8 Wireless Charging & Waterproof; Twitter Freshenes Design; Flight Prescreening By Fingerprint Being Tested
Posted: June 15, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Biometrics, Fingerprints, iPhone 8, TSA Precheck, Twitter, Waterproof, Wireless charging Leave a commentthe CEO of Apple’s prime partner in India, Wistron, let it slip that the iPhone 8 will indeed be waterproof and have wireless charging! 9to5mac.com reports that he was speaking to shareholders about different testing for the new handset, and mentioned that those features would alter the assembly and after-testing process a bit. iPhone 7 already got a good level of water resistance.
Twitter is trying to bulk up on new users, and has put a new coat of paint on the app across all platforms….mobile desktop, and web. According to techcrunch.com, its’ not a major makeover…mainly a move in settings, different typography, change in icon shape, and round profile pictures. A lot of these features were already in use on the Android app, but now have made the jump to all Twitter’s other platforms.
The TSA Precheck is nice for people who fly frequently, but now they are testing out making it even quicker and less painful. Cnet.com says TSA is testing out a fingerprint scanner….you won’t even need to show your boarding pass and Driver License or passport. The biometric screening is being tested out in Atlanta and Denver right now. As long as bad guys don’t get hold of James Bond type peel off fake fingerprints, it should be golden.
iPhone 8 Possible Pricing; 4K Zoom Nest Cam; Twitter Has Considered Premium Subscription
Posted: May 23, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 4K, Alphabet, Apple, iPhone 8, Nest, Nest Cam, Premium, Pricing, Subscription, Twitter, Zoom Leave a commentIn a report picked up by 9to5mac.com an analyst from UBS says the iPhone 8 won’t start at a grand, as has been speculated. He claims the new Apple hero phone will debut this fall for $870, and go up to $1070. The thought is, Cupertino won’t want to break that important thousand dollar psychological barrier with the base model of their new hero phone. He also predicts it will take up 45% of iPhone sales next year.
Alphabet owned Nest is working on a 4K indoor security camera. According to Android Police, it’s not that anyone needs 4K for that, it’s for a smart zoom feature. If you zoom in on an area with this cam, it won’t become all distorted, but give you a nice 1080p section of the view…like we’ve seen in movies for years! The new Nest Cam may be out shortly, and will reportedly cost over $300…yes, for ONE camera!
Twitter, the social network so many love and rely on, but which can’t seem to find a way to make any real money, is considering offering a premium subscription service. Recode.net reports that the short form firehose of information hasn’t decided to do it for sure, but if they do, it would include access to special features and services. CEO Jack Dorsey did stress that it was very important to them that Twitter be free and open to everyone around the world, however.
iPhone 8 May Be Slightly Taller Than 7s; ARM Chips For Brain Injury Implants; Emojis Prove Intent in Court
Posted: May 22, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, ARM, Brain implants, Court, emoji, iPhone 8, Israel, Landlord, Spinal injuries, Tenant Leave a commentMolds for new iPhones (the design of which is probably finalized by now) have been spotted that show the iPhone 8 as slightly taller than the 7S, but not as tall as the 7S Plus. Bgr.com says the mold pics were originally shown by Weibo, and they also show the vertical rear camera that has been widely reported for the 8…and no cutout or knockout for a rear fingerprint reader…so Apple must have gotten the under screen one to work. They are expected to be rolled out in September.
ARM is working with researchers to develop tiny, very low power processors that can be implanted in the brain. According to bbc.com, they would be made to help people with brain and spinal injuries, and would be placed inside the skull. The goal is to let people with such injuries carry out tasks and receive sensory feedback. They might be available within 10 years.
It hasn’t happened in the US yet, but in Israel, a court has ruled that emoji can be evidence of intent. Mashable.com reports that it was in a landlord/tenant dispute. The parties had exchanged texts for days, The court found that a sting of positive emojis from the prospective renter, while not enough to consist of a binding contract, did convey their desire to rent the place. The landlord relied on the text, and took down the ‘for rent sign.’ He was awarded $2200.
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