Google Box On Wheels For Drone Deliveries; Another Feature Samsung Borrows from Apple for the Galaxy S7
Posted: January 28, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Box on Wheels, Drone Delivery, Galaxy S7, Google, iPhone, Leasing, Project Wing, Samsung, Upgrade Program Leave a commentSince announcing last November that they were launching the Project Wing drone delivery service, not much has been heard from Google on the topic. Now, thenextweb.com says a patent reveals a so-called ‘delivery receptacle.’ It’s essentially a box on wheels with a computing system and drive mechanism, so a drone can drop it off, and it rolls the final distance to you…even into your garage, if you have concerns with packages being stolen off your porch. Google is aiming for a system that will deliver packages of 5 lbs or less to your home or office in under 30 minutes, and this may be an important piece of that puzzle.
We had already reported that the Galaxy S7 will sport its own versions of Apple’s Live Photos and 3D Touch. Bgr.com reports that Samsung will also be rolling out an upgrade program like Apple’s iPhone Upgrade Program that arrived with the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus. The leasing type program will drop in South Korea first, then come to the US.
iPhone 5se in March & More on the iPhone 7; Galaxy S7 Out in March
Posted: January 25, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Galaxy S7, iPhone 5se, iPhone 6, iPhone 7, Pressure sensitive display, Samsung, Vivid Photos Leave a commentSeveral sources say the updated smaller iPhone will carry the 5se name when it drops in mid-March. 9to5mac.com also reports that the smaller phone will probably be powered by the current iPhone 6s’s A9 and M9 processors. Apparently, when the iPhone 7 comes out in the fall, Apple doesn’t want the 5se to have chips that are two generations older than the iPhone 7’s expected A10 system. The M9 chip will allow the 5se to have the always-on ‘Hey Siri’ feature. It’s also now thought it will replace the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus in the fall when iPhone 7 comes out.
Before all that happens at Apple, we now know the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge will launch in the US on March 11th. Samsung is widely expected to show the phones at a special event February 21st, or at Mobile World Congress the 22nd through the 25th in Barcelona. Bgr.com says the S7 will probably have a pressure sensitive display…a nod towards Apple’s 3D Touch, as well as Vivid Photos, which appears to be an answer to Apple’s Live Photos.
More iPhone OLED Display Rumors; Google Makes WHAT from Android?
Posted: January 22, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Android, Apple, Google, iPhone, Japan Display, Java, LG, OLED, Oracle, Samsung Leave a commentJapan Display says it will start mass producing OLED displays within the next 2 years, according to a Reuters report picked up by theverge.com. This is being seen as angling for the Apple iPhone business Samsung and LG are gunning for. It’s been widely rumored that iPhones will use OLED screens by 2018. Numerous Android phones already have them, with Samsung touting Super OLED. Those screens are lighter and thinner than the LCD displays Apple uses, and have more vibrant colors and greater contrast.
Those pesky lawyers! An attorney for Oracle said in court that Google’s Android generated revenue of $31 billion and $22 in profit. If my math is correct, that’s around a stunning 70% profit margin! Bloomberg.com says the disclosure was made January 14th in an Oracle suit accusing Google of using Java software without paying for it to develop Android. Meanwhile, Oracle’s copyright suit against Google also revealed that Google dropped a cool billion with Apple in 2014 to keep it’s search bar on the iPhone! Note to Apple: I’m available for adoption.
German Car Makers Heating Up on Hydrogen; Samsung New Smartwatch/Fitness Tracker?
Posted: January 18, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Audi, BMW, EV, Fitbit, Gear Fit, General Motors, Honda, Hydrogen Fuel Cell, Mercedes-Benz, Samsung, Smartwatch, Toyota, Wearable Leave a commentAudi and Mercedes are getting excited about hydrogen fueled cars. For Mercedes, it’s back to the future…they first had a fleet of them in 1980, but with a 150 mile range and 45 minutes to fuel up, killed the project. Now Audi has showed it’s h-tron Quttro fuel cell SUV at the North American International Auto Show, and according to arstechnica.com, Mercedes has green-lighted production of it’s fuel cell version of the GLC SUV to sell in 2017. BMW has showed an i8 and a 5 series with fuel cells, but neither is set for production so far. General Motors has partnered with the Army to investigate suitability of fuel cell EVs for military use. Toyota and Honda are well along in hydrogen fuel cell tech, too. Toyota has the 2016 Mirai that’s actually for sale. California…where you can buy a fuel cell EV, has now increased the subsidy on them up to $6500 on top of any federal incentive. A combination of hydrogen fuel cell and electric may be the wave of the automotive future…along with driving by Jarvis, apparently.
Details are sketchy, but Samsung may be about ready to launch new wearable, possibly to replace the less than exciting Gear Fit. It’s called SM-R150 for now, and a watch version has a rotating bezel like the Gear Fit. The interesting thing is a picture with one on a shirt…like a removable that you don’t have to keep on your wrist. Engadget.com points out that leaks so far don’t indicate if it will be a full blown smart watch or something more like a Fitbit, but expect it to be revealed in the coming months.
Samsung Looks Like Apple’s Primary OLED Screen Supplier; Microsoft Planning 2 New Flagship Phones
Posted: January 14, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple. iPhone, Lumia, Microsoft, Mobile World Congress, OLED, Samsung Leave a commentThere’s been a lot of buzz that Apple will move to OLED screens, like a number of Android phones have and as Apple uses in the Apple Watch. Now, 9to5mac.com reports that a deal is all but signed for Samsung to supply the bulk of OLED iPhone screens. Don’t look for a screen with the more vivid color and deeper blacks in the iPhone 7, though…they’re unlikely to get the new screens into a phone before 2018.
Every now and again, Microsoft does something to remind the world that they still make smartphones. According to businessinsider.com, Redmond may be planning a pair of flagship phones, which they’ll show next month at Mobile World Congress. The Lumia 850 would replace the 830, and there’s a 750 to take over for the 735. Microsoft appears to be keeping the 950, which came out in October. No details on the 750, but the 850 will have a 5.5 inch screen, Qualcomm processor, and 2 gigs of RAM.
Oculus Rift Pre-Orders Open Wednesday, Leak: Galaxy S7 Water Resistant & Micro SD, & Some Crazy Car News
Posted: January 5, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Bentley, Bespoke, Electric Car, Faraday Future, Galaxy S7, Oculus Rift, Samsung, VR Leave a comment
The long wait is nearly over for those wanting to immerse themselves in virtual reality with this highly touted device. Oculus Rift VR headsets go on pre-order at 8am Pacific tomorrow, January 6th. But…and there are always a couple of hitches…no pricing has been released yet! TechCrunch.com notes that the dev kit Rift was priced at $350, so you can count on it being more than that. Pre-orderers will get two games along with the purchase…Lucky’s Tale and Eve: Valkyrie.
A new leak indicates the the Samsung Galaxy S7 will be water resistant down to a meter…that’s 39.37 inches, and have a MicroSD slot…two features that aren’t on the S6 and S6 Edge. According to mashable.com, the MicroSD slot will support up to 200 gigs. The upcoming Samsung flagships will also have bigger batteries, revamped cameras, and a new processor.
Monday night, Faraday Future gave a peek at their modular electric car. The coupe looks like a Batmobile, is claimed to have 1000 horsepower, and do zero to 60 in under 3 seconds. As theverge.com notes, however, these are all theoretical…they haven’t produced a real car. Faraday claims it’s not vaporware, but come on, Faraday…even Preston Tucker built almost 50 pre-production models and that was in the 40’s! If you are insanely rich, and want to really stand out, Bentley has added a feature to their ‘bespoke’ collection. You can now get stone dashboards and trim to match your granite counter in the kitchen of your mansion. The bespoke line is for the ‘if you have to ask how much, you’re too poor’ crowd!
Samsung Plans Millions of Galaxy S7 Phones by February; App Finding Apple Pay Merchants Sees Huge Usage Increase
Posted: December 28, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Apple Pay, Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 Edge, PayFinders, Samsung Leave a commentSamsung is planning a run of 5 million of their next generation flagship Galaxy S7 smartphones ahead of the February rollout. Venturebeat.com reports that 3.3 million will be the 5.2 inch flat screen models, and the rest will be the 5.5 inch model with the curved screen dubbed the Galaxy S7 Edge.
A new app called PayFinders uses crowdsourcing to find merchants that accept Apple Pay. According to appleinsider.com, they had a 750% increase in usage in two days on December 26th and 27th. Apple Maps already has badges showing Apple Pay merchants, but really only the larger chains are represented, and it doesn’t always show all of the stores that have the system.
Samsung’s Galaxy S7 Clones Apple Force Touch; Leather Tesla Stocking Stuffer
Posted: December 14, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Fast charging, Force Touch, Galaxy S7, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, RFID blocking, Samsung, Tesla, USB type C Leave a commentMore is leaking out about the Samsung Galaxy S7. Due out in March, the S7 will have a pressure sensitive screen copying Apple’s Force Touch, according to theverge.com. The non-Edge version will have expandable storage like the S6 models, and it will sport an improved camera with no ‘bump’ on the back. Maybe best of all, the S7 will have a USB-C port….the kind that lets you insert the cable in either way, and fast charging…reportedly a nearly full charge in 30 minutes! There are still rumors of a retina scanner, but those have been popping up since the S5, so don’t hold your breath.
Be still my heart….a Tesla for Christmas! Well, sort of. Like many other manufacturers, Tesla has leather left over after cutting those buttery seat covers. Now, they’ve started making iPhone 6 cases out of the excess. Bgr.com reports that they run $45 to $50, depending on whether for a 6 or 6 Plus, and if you want a wallet case or not. The wallet case has RFID blocking, too. Thanks, Santa Musk!
iPhone 7 Possibly Waterproof; Two More Players Join Self-Driving Car Rally
Posted: December 11, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Baidu, Elastomer, iPhone 7, Samsung, Self Driving Cars, Waterproof Leave a commentApple has a number of patents that never get used, but this is intriguing…Electronic Device with Hidden Connector. Bgr.com reports that the tech allows an opening like a USB port or headphone jack to automatically seal. It uses an elastomer, that expands and seals the moment a connector is removed. Not a sure thing, but rumors that the iPhone 7 might sport this technology, combined with others to prevent water damage, and make a waterproof iPhone.
Two more companies have joined to race to get self-driving cars on the road. Samsung and Baidu are dipping their toes into the water, according to theverge.com. Unlike what Apple is reportedly doing, Samsung is focusing on components for a driverless car. Baidu, however, is working on actual self-driving vehicles that could serve as public shuttles. The Chinese state news agency says they have already built a fully self-driving car based on a BMW 3 series that can hit 62 mph in a test. A former Googler is now assisting with the project.
Samsung Shows Galaxy ‘A’ Series; 4 Inch iPhone May Drop in Early 2016
Posted: December 3, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 4 inch iPhone, Apple, Apple Pay, Galaxy A7, Galaxy S, iPhone 6S, Samsung, Samsung Pay Leave a commentThe updated Samsung Galaxy S smartphones will probably bow in 90 days or so, but they have just previewed the ‘A’ series. The next gen Galaxy A3, A5, and A7 feature faster charging, support for Samsung Pay, and upgraded cameras. 9to5google.com says the screen sizes remain at 4.7, 5.2, and 5.5 inches. The low end A3 doesn’t get fast charging, HD screen, and the upgraded cam. The A series will launch in China in a couple weeks, with a global launch a bit later.
Meanwhile, in Cupertino, word is that Apple may drop a new 4 inch iPhone with Apple Pay early next year. Theverge.com reports that the smartphone will have the same processor as the 6S, but keep the camera of the iPhone 5S. This word is from usually reliable KGI Securities. It reportedly will have a front glass that slightly curves at the edges like the 6S and 6S Plus, but WON’T support 3D touch. It may be between $4-500 without contract.
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