Samsung Working On Premium iPhone Competitor
Posted: November 28, 2014 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Blu-Ray, Galaxy A7, nano-coating, Samsung, Solar Panels, Stanford Leave a commentSamsung may announce one of it’s most promising phones soon. Bgr.com says it’s the Galaxy A7. It has a 5.2 inch screen and better specs than the S5, but has a metal case for a more ‘premium’ look and feel.
Some scientists may have come up with a way to get more than 10-15% efficiency out of solar panels. Geek.com says hey imprint them with little bumps and pits like a Blu Ray Disk for a 22% boost in efficiency.
Stanford engineers have cooked up a nano-coating that reflects heat away AND directs internal heat away. Slashdot.org reports it can cool a building an extra 9 degrees.
Will Apple Replace Google for Search On iPhones Next Year?
Posted: November 25, 2014 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Bing, Blackberry, Google, iPhone, Microsoft, Oculus, Passport, Samsung, Yahoo Leave a commentA big fight behind the scenes over your iPhone. Theinformation.com says Apple’s deal with Google is up next year, and Yahoo and Microsoft are scrapping to become the default search engine. Siri already relies on Bing for its (or her) search results!
Would you like to get $550 trade-in for your iPhone? Blackberry is offering up to that amount to switch to a Blackberry Passport. Thenextweb.com reports it varies by model, and $150 of it is on a Visa prepaid card, from December through next February.
The Gear VR virtual reality visor is just a start, and more joint Oculus and Samsung products are coming. Cnet.com says that’s according to Oculus CEO Brendan Iribe.He declined to be specific, except to hint about ‘storytelling.’
Google Shopping Gets Cool New Features
Posted: November 24, 2014 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Galaxy S5, Google, Google Shopping, MIcro Needle Patches, Samsung Leave a commentJust in time for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Google has improved Google Shopping. 9to5google.com says there’s more detailed information, many items have 360 degree views, there are customer reviews and where something’s in stock.
Scientists at Georgia Tech have developed micro needle patches designed to replace shots. They’re testing in mice right now. Gigaom.com reports you put it on…it’s painless, and take it off in 30 seconds to 5 minutes, and you’re innoculated.
No joy at Samsung…theverge.com reports that Samsung has sold 40% less Galaxy S5 handsets than predicted, down 50% in China, but sales were up in their biggest market, the US.
Wireless Broadband For Rural Areas and Some Cities
Posted: November 18, 2014 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Court Cases, Fitbit, Laser, Radio, Rural Broadband, Samsung Leave a commentCarriers are testing a combination of laser and radio to get broadband to rural areas where it’s not practical to run fiber optic lines. Engadget.com says it will help in cities with a lot of municipal red tape like San Francisco, too.
Don’t look now, but lawyers are gearing up to use Fitbit data in court in personal injury cases. Forbes.com reports a Canadian firm is doing so right now, to show accident effects on their client.
According to zdnet.com, Samsung display will launch a flexible smartphone display that can be folded in half. Parent Samsung plans to roll out 30% less different smartphone models next year, trying to compete better with Apple.
Samsung Joins Apple Chasing the In Store Beacon Biz
Posted: November 13, 2014 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Apple Watch, G-3, iBeacon, LG, Proximity, Samsung Leave a commentNot wanting to cede mall business entirely to Apple’s iBeacon, Samsung has introduced Proximity. Engadget.com says unlike Apple’s iBeacon, which takes an app, Samsung will serve in store ads on the system level.
Cnet.com reports that LG has snagged it’s highest ever market share in North America…16.3 percent. That’s more than double the 7.4 of a year ago, and mainly due to the LG G-3 flagship phone.
Chip suppliers for the Apple Watch are gearing up to start production. Apple insider.com picked up a report from DigiTimes that says indications are for 30 to 40 million Apple Watches. It’s expected out in the spring.
Firefox Scores a ‘Forget’ Button On Its Anniversary
Posted: November 10, 2014 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: factory, Firefox, Forget, Kidizen, Privacy, Samsung, ThreadUP, Vietnam Leave a commentFor their 10th anniversary, the open Firefox browser has added a ‘Forget’ button. Thenextweb.com says it will clear your history, cookies, etc. for the past 5 minutes, 2 hours or 24 hours. This is in addition to private mode.
Kidizen-a mobile startup to sell your used kids clothes, toys, and the like- is expanding 50% month to month. Unlike similar sites such as ThreadUP, tech crunch.com reports sellers keep 90% of the selling price. That might beat a yard sale or craigslist hands down.
Moving into mid priced smartphones more, Samsung is dropping a cool 3 billion to build a second factory in Vietnam. 9to5google.com says cheaper wages and tax breaks sealed the deal.
New Microsoft Smartphone Reveal in Days
Posted: November 7, 2014 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Galaxy S6, Lumia, Microsoft, Nokia, Project Zero, Samsung, Talkspace, therapy Leave a commentMicrosoft will show it’s first non-Nokia Lumia smartphone next week. Venturebeat.com says it will be unveiled on the 11th, have a 5 inch screen, and come in 7 different colors.
Meanwhile, Samsung is reportedly working on a mysterious new smartphone family. After taking drubbing from Apple, bgr.com has also heard that the Galaxy S6…or Project Zero…is not an improved S5, but being designed from scratch.
You can reach out to doctors and lawyers online, now Talkspace lets you text your issues to to a therapist for $25 a week. Thenextweb.com says if you pay monthly, you get unlimited texts for that price. The app is less pricey, and more discreet than in person therapy.
New Edge Phablet Coming From Samsung
Posted: November 3, 2014 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Cars, Galaxy Note Edge, keyless entry, NFC, Samsung, Starwood Hotels Leave a commentSamsung continues to roll out phones and phablets with their edge second screen. Thenextweb.com says the Galaxy Note Edge will be available November 14th. It’s basically a Galaxy Note 4 with the edge screen, then a 5.6 inch primary screen.
It’s going to get easier to pair smartphones with more car models. Autonews.com reports that car makers are working with NXP Semiconductor, and you should see NFC chips in 2016 model cars. Just tap and your connected…and no keys needed, either.
Speaking of no key, Starwood hotels are introducing keyless entry to rooms, and the ability to bypass checkin. gigaom.com says you book with an app, and get a code on your phone when the room’s ready. The service will start later this week.
LG Smartphone Sales Are Up Dramatically
Posted: October 29, 2014 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 3D printing, Apple Pay, Google Wallet, H-P, LG, Poynt, Samsung Leave a commentSales are flat for Samsung, but LG shipped 16.8 million smartphones in the third quarter. Techcrunch.com says that’s up 39% from a year ago. The flagship G3 did well, but was helped by sales of mid price models.
The former head of Google Wallet has launched Poynt, a so-called ‘future proof’ point of sale machine for stores. The verge.com reports it will read magnetic strip cards, chip & pin cards, NFC like Apple Pay, QR codes, and even Bluetooth Beacons.
HP has revealed more about its new 3D printing tech. Engadget.com says it uses a 4 step process to print 3D parts similarly to how an inkjet printer prints documents. HP claims products like gears could be made 10 times faster than with conventional methods.
New Moto Droid Doubles Down On A Monster Battery
Posted: October 23, 2014 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Droid Turbo, Ford, Foxconn, iPhone, LG, Motorola, Samsung, Sharp Leave a commentBgr.com says the Motorola Droid Turbo will be unveiled next week on Verizon. It has the specs you’d expect from a flagship smartphone, and appears a bit thick. The turbo has a 3900 milliamp/hour battery…more than TWICE the power of an iPhone 6!
Speaking of Apple, primary supplier Foxconn is angling to build future iPhone displays, and get a bigger piece of the ‘Apple pie’. 9to5mac.com reports they’re in discussions to build a new factory and take the business from Sharp, LG, and Samsung.
The auto world rolls on towards the self-driving car. According to engadget.com, Ford will introduce smart braking to some 2015 European models. The option uses cameras and radar to effect stops and avoid crashes.
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