Twitter Use Back on An Upswing; Instagram Use Balloons; Mattel ‘Alexa for Kids’ Coming

Posted: April 26, 2017 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

Twitter is still a rather shaky proposition to Wall St. types, but did add 9 million users last quarter, the most since early 2015. Recode.net says they also made 11 cents a share on $548 million in revenue, beating the expected penny a share on $512 million for the quarter. Importantly, daily active users went up 14% year over year. Twitter doesn’t release the number of active users, only the percentage, but 14% growth is a good sign. Twitter claims about 328 million users.

Meanwhile, at Instagram, they now boast 700 million users, and added 100 million the last 4 months. Engadget.com reports that the last time they put on that many new users it took 6 months. If they can keep adding at that pace, they will be the second social network to pass a billion users, like parent Facebook has.

Mattel is about to release Aristotle, a $349 voice-activated speaker launching in May that functions like Google Home or Amazon Echo devices, but for kids. Aristotle is built to live in a child’s room—and answer a child’s questions. Think a combination of: a nanny, friend, and tutor, equally able to soothe a newborn and aid a tween with foreign-language homework. It’s an AI to help raise your child. Mashable.com says they have particularly worked on making little voices understandable to it and making it as hack proof as possible…since it’s equipped with a camera that streams video to your phone.

4 Inch iPhone & iPad Air 3 On Sale March 18th; Mattel To Sell 3D Printer-Kids Can Make Own Toys

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

Apple has an event March 15th, where it’s widely anticipated they will introduce the 4 inch iPhone 5se and iPad Air 3. 9to5mac.com says there’s an interesting wrinkle…apparently, instead of a couple weeks of preorders, Apple will just start selling both in stores and online on March 18th. Production of the fresh 4 inch iPhone started in January. The new phone will sport Apple’s latest A9 and M9 processors, an NFC chip for Apple Pay, support for always-on Siri activation, the iPhone 6’s camera system, and the ability to take Live Photos. It will feature the same color options as the 6S: gold, rose gold, silver, and space gray.

Mattel is going back to the future, re-introducing the old ThingMaker at the New York Toy Fair. It will be a quantum leap from the past ThingMaker, though…Fortune.com reports this one will be a 3D printer that will let kids print action figures, jewelry, and wearables at home. It won’t be out until fall, but preorders are open now on Amazon for $299. A large figure will take about 10 hours for the device to generate, so kids may want to fire it up before bedtime, and could have the toy or jewelry by morning.

New Way to Prevent Picture Shake from Apple

Posted: February 14, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The smartphone camera wars continue to push the envelope in picture taking. Apple has patented a tech called ‘Mirror Tilt Actuation’ for future iPhones. Bgr.com says it will actually tilt the tiny mirror in the camera assembly on future iPhones, to compensate for jitters and hand movement as you shoot that crucial selfie.

Visa is working with a service called Mobile Location Confirmation to use real time data from smartphones, to prevent fraud and so you don’t have to call your bank to let them know you’re traveling…especially out of the country. 9to5google.com reports that the service will be optional though, so check with your own card provider.

Google has partnered with Mattel to bring the venerable View Master into the 21st century. Thenextweb.com says instead of a plastic viewer and stereoscopic round cardboard, it works on Android smartphones, and provides 360 degree, 3D views. It’s out this fall, and $29.99…phone not included!