Facebook’s New Dedicated Video Tab; Huawei Shows New Dual Lens Leica Branded Cam in Latest Phone

Posted: April 6, 2016 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

In an update, Facebook has replaced the Messenger tab that was front and center at the bottom of the app with the live video tab. Theverge.com reports that the tab has different sections for broadcasts happening around the world and broadcasts by your friends and the pages you follow. You can also search for videos by topic. Facebook says the tab is rolling out initially to “a very small percentage” of users. If you like Periscope, you’ll find that they have borrowed features shamelessly from them.

Speaking of cameras and video, Huawei has showed off its latest flagship smartphones. The P9 has a 5.2 inch screen and the P9 Plus a 5.5 inch one. Both feature a Leica branded dual lens camera. TechCrunch.com notes that Huawei says the cam is co-engineered with the famous optics maker, so don’t expect actual Leica lenses! The dual lens rollout now gets the drop on Apple by almost 6 months. Huawei is the 3rd largest smartphone maker by global market share, behind Samsung and Apple. The setup is supposed to give better color and clarity, and allow refocusing after the fact as the old Lytro camera. They also have a ‘Leica film mode,’ which mimics 3 old film processing styles…for those that like to kick a smartphone camera old school.

Facebook Messenger Getting In-Store Purchasing and ‘Secret Conversations’; Kuvee Making a ‘Keurig for Wine’

Posted: March 29, 2016 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

Facebook is looking to roll out new features for its Messenger app. Thenextweb.com reports that someone has spotted code in the iPhone version that points to in-store payment for goods and services. There are also references to secret conversations…but it’s not clear if they would be encrypted, or it’s just a way to hide conversations on a smart device using the app.

Here’s a concept that grabbed my attention immediately…a Keurig for wine. According to engadget.com, Kuvee plans to roll one out by October. The prototype looks like a large square bottle with a touch screen on one side. Spun metal canisters of wine go inside, and it pours the selected wine, but keeps air out of the refill canister. Wine supposedly lasts a month! It will be $200, and only available initially in California and Massachusetts. Also, they will have 50 varieties of wine at launch, but you can only use their choices they sell in the canisters.

The Two Biggest Carriers Now Testing Blazing Fast 5G; Facebook Testing SMS Integration With Messenger on Android

Posted: February 12, 2016 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Last year, Verizon began testing its 5G network, and now AT&T has said they have as well. According to 9to5mac.com, AT&T expects speeds of 10-100 times faster than today’s LTE. Verizon has estimated their 5G system will be 30-50 times faster. AT&T says at 1 gigabit per second, you will be able to download a TV show in less than 3 seconds! Because standards have to be agreed upon, full 5G won’t hit until 2020, but some carriers are planning to offer at least some service by next year.

Facebook is testing out bringing back SMS message support to Messenger for Android. They had dropped such support in 2013 due to lack of use, but now think it will take off. Venturebeat.com says they are also adding multiple account support. Facebook says this will allow family members and friends to access their individual accounts from a shared phone, or a person to use their personal and business page accounts from the same device. For now, both SMS and multiple account access are only out on Android in the US.

Amazon Rolling Own in Air Cargo; Messenger Fastest Growing App

Posted: December 18, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

AmazonAir

In a move that should strike terror in the hearts…or at least indigestion in the bellies…of competitors, Amazon is talking to Boeing about acquiring 20 767 freighter jets. Geekwire.com reports that as of last month, some unknown firm, now presumed to be Amazon, was flying 4 cargo flights a day out of Ohio’s Wilmington Air Park…which was a DHL facility until 2008. They were bound for Allentown, PA, Ontario CA, Tampa, and Oakland…all close to Amazon distribution centers. DHL previously had 7500 employees at the air park. Earlier this month, Amazon bought thousands of truck trailers. They are getting ready to disrupt shipping and logistics….look out FedEX, UPS, and Post Office.

A lot of people questioned Facebook calving off Messenger into a separate app, bout according to Nielsen research picked up by techcrunch.com, it was a brilliant move. Facebook remains the top app of 2015, but Messenger is now the fastest growing app installed on smartphones. It’s not up as much as last year, when Facebook split it off and growth was 242%, but still up 31% from 2014. Now, Facebook has broken off its private photo-sharing feature into the Moments app. The second fastest growing app was Apple Music, at 26% increase year over year.

Apple Working on Holographic Screens; App Translates Into Emoji

Posted: December 17, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A story was out a few days ago that flew under the radar a bit about Apple opening a secret lab in Taiwan. Now, bgr.com says the 50 some researchers there may not just be working on thinner, brighter iPhone screens or OLED screens…it may be flexible and micro-LED screens…to make HOLOGRAPHIC iPhone screens! The holograms would be visible to the naked eye, no goofy special glasses. Apple already has a patent for interactive holographic display device and others for virtual and augmented reality, and recently purchased an augmented reality company. No idea on when or if this will happen, but when it does, talk about the next big thing!

Available free right now, for both iOS and Android…Speak Emoji. You speak into your smartphone’s microphone and it processes what you say into a sentence using emoji. Thenextweb.com reports you can then share your emoji sentence directly in a text message, and on Twitter, Facebook, Messenger, and email. For those who wish they’d picked up another language better in school…here’s your chance. 😛

ESPN Pulls Out of YouTube Due To YouTube Red Issues; World Series Updates on Facebook Messenger

Posted: October 28, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

On the heels of YouTube’s announcement of their ad-free subscription service called Red last week, ESPN has pulled all content from YouTube. The content is still available on ESPN’s own digital properties, according to 9to5google.com. The only reason given is ‘rights and legal issues.’ It appears that ESPN can’t sign on with YouTube Red due to deals it has with other distribution partners. Since ESPN is a Disney property, it’s a good bet that YouTube can get their content back by throwing money at them.

Meanwhile, if you’re where you can’t catch world series games on the tube or radio. Facebook has started letting some Messenger users subscribe to MLB World Series news, stories, and hi lights, embedded in a one on one chat. Thenextweb.com reports that it’s a slick way for Facebook to get into Twitter’s turf. So far, it seems to be just a test feature, but if you can’t catch the game, start a chat about it with a friend, and you may see the game updates invite from Facebook Messenger.

Facebook’s Plan to Make Money From Messenger (Hint: More of Your Data)

Posted: September 23, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

When Facebook rolled out their freestanding messenger app, one of the pitches was that people and businesses could message each other ad-free, but that’s then and this is now. Now, businessinsider.com reports that an ad exec at TechCrunch Disrupt revealed that Facebook is working on a new type of ad called ‘click to message.’ It revolves around businesses designing ads about their company or product, and Facebook putting a little ‘message’ button at the bottom. If you click the button and send a question or comment to the business, they pay for the click. Facebook already has call to action buttons on its pages, claiming people really don’t want to mess with websites, or make phone calls or email any more. Every click and like gives them more of your data, to serve more targeted ads. Install the Ghostery browser plug in, and you’ll minimize the ability of Facebook and other sites to do this.

Volvo has come up with a novel plan to eliminate a stinky job…using robots to collect garbage. The car maker is partnering with a couple universities and a waste management firm to design robots that would collect the refuse, while a human operator supervises from the more comfortable and less smelly cab of the garbage truck. First tests should start in 2016. So far, they aren’t looking at robots to take out the trash to the polycarts and bins, which would please wives and girlfriends a lot more.

Future Fuel Cell Powered Macbook Could Run Days or Weeks

Posted: September 4, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

We just reported about 10 days ago about a British company called Intelligent Energy working with Apple on a fuel cell battery case that can keep your iPhone going for a week. Now, businessinsider.com says Apple has a patent for a fuel cell battery that could run some of its devices for days or even weeks. This one describes a “portable and cost-effective fuel cell system for a portable computing device,” and it joins others Apple already had on the books. This one seems to be aimed at MacBooks…the filing mentions the ‘MagSafe’ connector, but not the Lightening connectors used on iPhones and iPads. Apparently, you would just replace a fuel cartridge ‘detachably affixed to the fuel cell system’ when the fuel runs out.

It seems like everyone has a smartphone now…and that perception isn’t far from reality. According to an analysis by ComScore picked up by marketingland.com, US smartphone penetration hit 77% in July. In the social media race on smartphones, Facebook dominates more than ever. They stay #1, and Facebook’s freestanding Messenger app is now #2, bumping YouTube to third place. Don’t shed a tear for Google though…their apps hold down slots 3, 4, 5, and 6! Pandora radio, Gmail, Instagram, and Yahoo stocks round out the top 10.

Facebook’s New Virtual Assistant

Posted: August 27, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Facebook has begun a soft rollout of ‘M,’ its new virtual assistant that runs in the freestanding Messenger app. According to wired.com, it will not only make restaurant reservations, shop for a birthday present for your sweetie, suggest-then-book a weekend getaway…Facebook claims it will perform tasks Siri, Google Now, and Cortana can’t. That’s because it doesn’t just rely on artificial intelligence…the secret ingredient in Facebook’s M is people.The people Facebook has in place behind the AI interface have customer service backgrounds. You’ll know when you get the new assistant when a new button appears at the bottom of you Facebook Messenger mobile app.

New cars come with a fair amount of connectivity, and a few companies like Automatic, and Zubie sell gadgets that let you turn an older vehicle into a connected one. Now, Forbes.com reports that Verizon is getting into the act with Hum. The communications giant will offer it directly to consumers, and Hum is designed to be installed by the user in their own cars. It has two pieces of hardware…a cellular modem that plugs into the ODB diagnostic port, and a Bluetooth connected speaker that lives on your visor. It should be able to spot issues before they get out of hand, and relay miles per gallon, overall vehicle health, and so on, which will display on a mobile app. Hum also comes with roadside assistance, emergency assistance, parking info, and a vehicle finder. The hardware is $120, and subscription to the service is $15 a month.

Coming With Apple TV Update

Posted: March 21, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The next version of Apple TV should make its debut at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference in June. Thenextweb.com says it will sport a new faster processor, more storage, Siri and HomeKit integration. They are likely to reveal more about their streaming TV service at WWDC, and preview an App Store just for Apple TV.

If you are really considering a smart watch, but worry about the poor battery life most have, bgr.com reports that Vector has a couple models available for preordering now. They claim 30 days of battery life for both the rectangular and round dial versions. A ‘sensor activated notification system’ pulls up notifications with the flick of a wrist. They sell for between $244 and $425.

According to tech crunch.com, next week at their F8 developer conference, Facebook will announce new ways for third parties to offer experiences through its messenger app. Facebook is wanting to turn Messenger into a freestanding platform.

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