Galaxy S7 Costs Samsung About What the S5 Did; Amazon Applies for Pay By Selfie Patent

Posted: March 14, 2016 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Costs are dropping for high end smartphone components apparently. 9to5google.com reports that an IHS teardown shows it costs Samsung about $255 to make the new Galaxy S7. That’s in the same range as the S5 cost 2 years ago. The priciest item? The Qualcomm quad core Snapdragon 820 processor at $62. In the US, the S7 sells for $670 unsubsidized, so Samsung pulls in $415 each on them. Of course, they have to cover marketing, R&D, software development, etc, so that’s not all pure gravy.

Amazon has filed a patent application for a process that lets people pay by selfie, instead of keying in their password. According to recode.net, it’s a companion patent for one Amazon has on tech to verify a user by photo or video. Amazon believes this will encourage customers to buy when they’re out and about, or chatting with friends….you do that right? ‘Wait a minute, I’ve got to buy this thing right now from Amazon?’ All joking aside, it actually should be a simpler and safer way to log in than remembering a password.

Pilotless Chopper to Fight Fires?

Posted: October 16, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Lockheed Martin and Kaman built the K-MAX helicopter to transport cargo in Afghanistan, but according to engadget.com, they showed off an autonomous version to the feds a few days ago in Idaho rigged to fight forest fires. Over the course of an hour and a half, the chopper scooped up buckets of water, and bombed targets, while the pilot on board held his hands up and away from the controls. California needs these now!

We’ve reported that Samsung’s next Galaxy smartphone, the S7, will have something resembling Apple’s 3D Touch and a new iteration Snapdragon processor. Now, 9to5google.com says you can expect a USB Type C port as well. The launch date will depend on when Qualcomm can get the Snapdragon 820 processors to them. SamMobile reports that just the US and China will get this processor, with other countries getting S7’s using the Exynos processor. Look for them in late Winter or early Spring of next year.

Next Year’s Android Smartphones Getting a Big Boost

Posted: September 15, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

Qualcomm has already said the next Snapdragon 820 chips will boost charging speeds…from dead to 80% charged in 90 minutes, to a lightening fast 30 minutes. Now, 9to5google.com reports that the 820 chip will increase maximum LTE download speeds by one third…from 450 megabytes per second to 600, and upload speeds will double to 150 megabytes per second. Look for the Snapdragon 820 in your next hero level Android smartphone. All US carriers are supposed to be in position to allow the upload and download speeds in 2016.

Researchers at a Japanese university, building on a concept from Stanford researchers, have built a nearly transparent lithium ion battery…something right out of Tony Stark’s Iron Man! According to bgr.com, besides being practically transparent, the battery can also charge via solar power. The battery was demoed at Innovation Japan early this month, and so far, no word on when it might be commercially available.

4th Generation Apple TV Coming in October

Posted: August 31, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

It’s slightly bigger than the present hockey puck, but still has a small footprint. The 4th generation Apple TV is rolling out in October, and will sell for between $149 and $199, according to 9to5mac.com. This is a bump of $50 to $100 bucks, depending on Apple’s final decision, and a good deal more than Roku, Google, or Amazon. Apple will keep the 3rd generation at $69, which it’s been selling for since March. The 4th gen model will feature Siri and a new remote control with a touchpad on top, a microphone for Siri, and motion sensors. There will also be an App store. Apple plans to launch a cable replacing streaming TV service next year for $40 a month that bundles multiple TV channels. The cheaper 3rd gen model won’t have the fancy remote control or Siri support.

It’s a constant battle for computers and smart devices to try to keep up with malware. Qualcomm is taking a new approach with their upcoming new Snapdragon 820 mobile processor. Engadget.com reports the processor will use what they call Smart Protect tech, which uses machine learning to watch for possible security issues in real time, as opposed to relying on a list of threats. In addition the Snapdragon 820 will have faster graphics capability, and an API for security software makers to utilize the chip’s heightened awareness.