Amazon AI Wearable Listens to Everything You Do; Starlink Bows Battery Powered Mini; YouTub Shorts Gets AI Image to Video Tool; Apple Care Plus Covers 3 Devices

Posted: July 23, 2025 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Amazon is in the process of picking up a Bay Area startup called Bee. Bee makes a wearable and Apple Watch app that can record everything a wearer says. Engadget.com says the deal isn’t finalized yet, but that all Bee employees have gotten offers to join Amazon. Bee positions its snoopy device and app as being like a personalized AI assistant that passively learns from its wearer by listening to all of their conversations and activities. While the wearable does have a button to mute recording, it can theoretically observe every single thing the owner does or says. The app can then summarize daily activities, suggest to-do items or recall previously discussed details. Basically, now you can take your Alexa with you everywhere, so the ‘A-Lady’ won’t miss a snappy or off-color remark, or other regrettable thing you might utter. By the way, the wearable starts at $50. That’s a heck of a price point compared to the doomed Humane AI pin that ran $499.

The Starlink Mini satellite dish has gotten more useful. According to theverge.com, you can now attach a $119 LinkPower 1 power bank from PeakDo. The pack locks onto the back to the smallest terminal from SpaceX and you can run on the battery pack for over 4.5 hours. The pack can also be simultaneously charged via a USB-C port from your vehicle, solar generator, or solar panel. It is still small enough to fit into a backpack, even with the power bank. If you travel, or are one of those folks like a couple I know that live in a van or sailboat full-time, the battery pack will come in very handy!

YouTube is unveiling an image to video AI tool that will make photos into a short video. TechCrunch.com notes that the tool lets you turn a picture from your camera roll into a 6 second video. You will get a list of suggestions, or you can choose I Feel Lucky, and see what you get. Look for the feature under the Effects icon in the Shorts camera, then tap AI to browse the generative effects. YouTube does say it uses SynthID watermarks and clear labels to indicate that the creations are made with generative AI. 

Apple is rolling out AppleCare+ tomorrow. The new plan will cover more than just iPhones…your iPhone, Watch, and iPad can be covered. Macrumors.com reports that the plan includes coverage for up to two incidents of theft or loss in a one-year period, and unlimited repairs for accidental damage. It starts at $4.99 a month for an iPad, and $2.99 a month for Apple Watch. The theft and loss coverage was previously only available for iPhones. Note that AppleCare+ with theft and loss is still not available for other devices, such as the Mac, Apple TV, HomePod, AirPods, and Apple Vision Pro.

I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now.

DeepSeek-Much Higher Failure Rate; Another Reason to Avoid DeepSeek; Sen Cruz Tries to Block Hot Spots for School Kids; iOS 18.3 Gets Starlink Support for T-Mobile

Posted: January 29, 2025 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

DeepSeek, the buzzy AI from China is now getting some not-so-good buzz. NewsGuard reports that the chatbot failed to provide accurate results about news and information topics 83% of the time. It scored 10th out of 11 compared to leading Western competitors. A NewsGuard audit found that DeepSeek debunked false claims only 17% of the time. 

If that poor a return doesn’t bother you, here is more food for thought about DeepSeek. According to bgr.com…and frankly pretty widely reported elsewhere too…there is built-in censorship about anything sensitive to China. It’s not only built in…the app censors itself in real time. An example from reporters at The Guardian…DeepSeek AI worked well until they asked it about Tiananmen Square and Taiwan. The report also details cases of censorship that other DeepSeek users experienced, including the remarkable discovery that censorship doesn’t happen before DeepSeek starts formulating its chain-of-thought approach to handle a sensitive topic. Instead, DeepSeek tries to answer the question just like ChatGPT and other similar AI models would. A user from Mexico shared their experience with DeepSeek when asking whether free speech was a legitimate right in China. Now, today, the app has apparently been removed from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store in Italy. Caveat Emptor. 

Poor kids have enough of a time trying to keep up with learning in our connected world. The FCC voted last July to adapt a rule allowing a plan to distribute Wi-Fi hotspots to school kids, so that kids without reliable internet access could complete their homework. Now, arstechnica.com notes that Senator Ted Cruz at a hearing this week came out in favor of blocking the plan…claiming it will lead to unsupervised Internet usage, endanger kids, and possibly restrict kids’ exposure to conservative viewpoints. “The government shouldn’t be complicit in harming students or impeding parents’ ability to decide what their kids see by subsidizing unsupervised access to inappropriate content,” Cruz said. A press release from Cruz’ office said the FCC action “violates federal law, creates major risks for kids’ online safety, [and] harms parental rights.” He has introduced a resolution to nullify the FCC rule. 

With Apple’s update to iOS, version 18.3, T-Mobile subscribers with a compatible iPhone and Starlink beta access are able to connect to Starlink satellites, reports Bloomberg. Apple quietly worked with SpaceX and T-Mobile to add support for Starlink to its ‌iPhone‌ lineup, and T-Mobile’s website confirms the new integration. Macrumors.com says that T-Moblie partnered with Starlink in 2022, and as of December 2024, opened up a beta program allowing subscribers to use Starlink satellites for texting in areas without cell towers. At the time, the T-Mobile Starlink beta program was limited to Samsung smartphones, and iPhones weren’t supported. The iPhone 14 and later already support satellite connectivity for text messages through Apple’s partnership with Globalstar, so ‌iPhone‌ users who are able to use Starlink can also opt to text with Apple’s built-in satellite service. Both Apple’s service and Starlink are only available when there is no nearby cellular network.

I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now.

Amazon Drops $2.75 Billion on AI Startup; LinkedIn Trialing TikTok Type Short Videos; Starlink Mobile Hits Speed Bump; US Sega Workers Ratify Union Contract 

Posted: March 28, 2024 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

Amazon has dropped the biggest chunk of cash on an  outside investment ever as it pumps $2.75 billion into AI startup Anthropic. The San Francisco-based startup is widely viewed as a frontrunner in generative artificial intelligence. Its foundation model and chatbot Claude competes with OpenAI and ChatGPT. Amazon will maintain a minority stake in the company and won’t have an Anthropic board seat, the company said. So I have to ask this…will we all stop saying Alexa, and start saying Claude? If so, will Alexa sue for half the community property? Stay tuned as the AI and chatbot wars continue to heat up.

LinkedIn is testing out a new TikTok-esque short form video feed. According to TechCrunch.com, the platform will be diving into an increasingly congested pool of short form video feeds including Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, and Netflix. The feed shows up on the navigation bar with a tab just marked ‘Video.’ Once you hit that button, you enter a vertical feed of short videos you can swipe through. You can like or comment on videos. Microsoft-owned LinkedIn says videos are becoming one of its users’ desired formats for learning from professionals and experts, which is why it’s testing a new way for users to discover relevant videos. The feature is in early testing, so most people won’t have access to it just yet.

It’s back to the drawing board for Starlink Mobile. Arstechnica.com says the FCC dismissed SpaceX’s application to use several bands of spectrum for mobile service. SpaceX is seeking approval to use up to 7,500 second-generation Starlink satellites with spectrum in the 1.6 GHz, 2 GHz, and 2.4 GHz bands. SpaceX could still end up getting what it wants but will have to go through new rulemaking processes in which the FCC will evaluate whether the spectrum bands can handle the system without affecting existing users. 

Tech and gaming have been pretty union-averse for years, but things are gradually changing. Engadget.com reports that Sega of America workers have officially ratified the union contract they overwhelmingly voted for last year. The pact covers some 150 people in various departments around the country, ranging from brand marketing, games as a service, sales, and quality assurance. This is one of the first major US video game companies to be unionized. ZeniMax and Activision are already partly unionized. 

I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now.

Apple Vision Pro Launch-Feb 2nd; Tesla & Space X Execs Have Musk Worries; Waymo Self-Drivers Coming to Phoenix Freeways; VW Will Add ChatGPT to Cars

Posted: January 8, 2024 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

As previously rumored, Apple will launch its Vision Pro mixed reality headset soon…and now we have an actual date. The $3500 headset will start shipping February 2nd in the US. Theverge.com reports that pre-orders will start January 19th at 8 AM Eastern. Apple also revealed the pricing for the Zeiss prescription lenses that users can get with it. Readers will be available for an extra $99, while prescription lenses will cost $149. The base model of the Vision Pro offers 256GB of storage and is packaged with the following accessories: solo knit band and dual loop band, a light seal and 2 light cushions, a cover, polishing cloth (wow, that’s an exciting one), battery, and USB-C charging cable and power adaptor. 

Over the weekend, a report came out that SpaceX and Tesla execs are concerned about Elon Musk’s drug use, and its possible affects on his security clearance and on SpaceX contracts. According to pcmag.com, in a report originally appearing in the Wall Street Journal, the Journal claims that Musk  has used marijuana, mushrooms, ketamine, LSD, ecstasy, and cocaine. His marijuana use put his security clearance at risk in 2019 after he smoked it on camera during an appearance on Joe Rogan’s podcast. SpaceX has federal spaceflight contracts, and the Drug-Free Workplace Act requires federal and non-federal workplaces with contracts of $100,000 or more to implement a Drug-Free Workplace Program, which includes drug testing requirements (even if the drug in question is legal in the state). NASA tests for marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines, opioids, and PCP, according to NASA documentation from March. The Journal details several incidents during which Musk appeared to be under the influence, though his use of drugs was not confirmed and no one in Tesla or SpaceX leadership officially called him out on it. 

The Waymo One ride-hailing service will soon be able to use freeways. 9to5google.com says that in Phoenix, Waymo will “begin testing its fully autonomous passenger cars without a human driver on freeways” for a “significantly” faster experience. For example, a trip from Sky Harbor Airport to the northern parts of Scottsdale takes 25 minutes, instead of 50, when utilizing the AZ-101 compared to just surface streets. Waymo says it is “laser focused on our freeway ride hailing testing.” This is “especially important” for bringing Waymo One to other cities. In Los Angeles, for example, they are vital for getting from one part of town to another in a reasonable amount of time. The vehicles without human divers on freeways will initially be ridden in only by employees for further testing before it becomes available to the public. 

Volkswagen has announced at the CES that they will be adding ChatGPT AI to every European model that has their IDA voice assistant. Techcrunch.com reports that the chatbot will be primarily used to read content out loud to drivers and passengers. It should start rolling out in the 2nd quarter in Europe…VW says the feature is being considered for US cars, but didn’t give a date when they might offer it. Mercedes-Benz already added the chatbot to its MBUX infotainment system last June. 

I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Techified’ for now. 

1st Starlink Satellites for Mobile Phones Launched; Facial Recognition to Replace Passports at UK Airports; Supreme Court Warns About AI in Legal System; Microsoft Copilot Now Available on iOS and Android

Posted: January 3, 2024 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

Last night, the first 6 Starlink satellites designed to connect mobile phone users anywhere in the world were launched. Theverge.com reports that there will be ultimately be 21 of the birds handling cell traffic in the company’s new Direct to Cell service. SpaceX will now test the service with ordinary 4G LTE-compatible phones on T-Mobile in the US before the text messaging service goes live in multiple countries this year. Voice and data (and IoT devices) will be added in 2025 as more Direct to Cell satellites come online. 

In an upcoming change that is both exciting and scary, Britain  is set to test facial verification tech that removes the need for passports, but experts have dashed hopes of a full launch this year.  According to thenextweb.com, the project was unveiled this week by Phil Douglas, the director-general of the UK’s Border Force. Douglas told the Times that he aims to install new e-gates at airports that create an “intelligent border.” By integrating enhanced facial verification, the system would make physical travel documents unnecessary. Trials of the tech are expected to start this year. A full rollout, however, remains a more distant prospect. Before travel, the passenger downloads the app, authenticates their ID, scans their face, and links their ticket. On arrival at St Pancras Station in London, they stroll through a dedicated lane for the tech, which verifies their entry. The Brits acknowledge that before the system is fully implemented, the reliability of facial recognition tech will have to become nearly 100% accurate. 

The US Supreme Court rarely comments on anything, but has put out a warning about the use of AI in the legal system. Mashable.com says the Supremes caution about “dehumanizing the law.” The remarks were in the 2023 Year End Report on the Federal Judiciary, which dropped Sunday. Chief Justice Roberts wrote “For those who cannot afford a lawyer, AI can help. It drives new, highly accessible tools that provide answers to basic questions, including where to find templates and court forms, how to fill them out, and where to bring them for presentation to the judge — all without leaving home.” However, though Roberts acknowledged the benefits AI may offer, he also noted that it comes with risks, particularly when inappropriately applied. In particular, he noted that much decision-making in the judicial system requires human assessment, discretion, and understanding of nuance. Simply entrusting such power to an algorithm is likely to result in unsatisfactory and unjust results, especially considering that AI models often contain inadvertent bias.

Microsoft had launched its AI chatbot Copilot for Android right before the holidays, and over the holidays, rolled out versions for iOS and iPadOS. TechCrunch.com reports that it works pretty much like any other chatbot…you can type in a question or a prompt and receive responses generated by artificial intelligence. Users can leverage the AI assistant to draft emails, compose stories or scripts, summarize complex texts, create personalized travel itineraries, write and update job resumes and more. Plus, You can use the app’s Image Creator feature, which is powered by DALL·E 3, to explore new styles and ideas, curate social media content, develop brand motifs, generate logo designs, create custom backgrounds, build a portfolio, visualize film and video storyboards and more. Microsoft says they have already had 1.5 million downloads. The big draw? It’s free for now…and is powered by OpenAI Chat GPT-4 tech…which OpenAI charges for. 

I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now.

Amazon Reveal About Project Kuiper Satellites; Threads Launches in Europe; Cruise Lays off 24% of Workforce; Humana Using AI Tool With 90% Error Rate to Deny Coverage

Posted: December 14, 2023 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

It has been speculated about, and now Amazon has admitted that its Project Kuiper satellites will communicate with each other via laser-based links. According to geekwire.com, the system has already been successfully tested in orbit. The laser satellite- to-satellite communication moves data much more quickly than when data has to be sent to ground stations, and then back up to other satellites. Amazon is calling it something akin to a mesh network in space. Amazon is using infrared lasers to make the links, and says that the tests produced a 100% success rate. They plan to launch about half their satellites, some 1600 of them, by 2026. It is a lot more satellites in low orbit, but nice to see something competing with Elon Musk’s Starlink.

Threads is finally available in the European Union. CEO Mark Zuckerberg posted the announcement: “Today we’re opening Threads to more countries in Europe.” The service was already available in the US and over 100 other countries worldwide, including the UK. Theverge.com reports that this will open up the service to almost half billion more people. Meta users in the EU will be able to browse Threads without needing a profile…which was an issue holding up its availability in the EU. Actually posting or interacting with content will still require an Instagram account, though. 

The fallout continues after a crash in San Francisco where a Cruise self-driving vehicle dragged a pedestrian as it tried to pull over after the collision. After getting banned from San Francisco streets and the launch of investigations, engadget.com notes that Cruise had canned 9 executives earlier this week. Now, the company is laying off 24% of its workforce…some 900 employees. An email says the layoffs primarily target non-engineering roles, including field workers, commercial operations, and corporate staffing. The layoffs weren’t a total shock as GM CEO Mary Barra had called for cuts of millions of dollars last month. 

A suit was filed this week claiming that Humana is using an AI model with a 90% error rate to override doctors’ medical judgment and wrongfully deny care to elderly people on the company’s Medicare Advantage plans. Arstechnica.com reports that it is the 2nd suit field over an insurers use of the artificial intelligence tool nH Predict from NaviHealth. A suit is also proceeding against United Health…also asserting that they are using the nH Predict AI to wrongfully deny care. Until AI gets much, much more accurate…and doesn’t ‘hallucinate,’ as the current jargon says…a nice way of saying that the AI doesn’t just make stuff up, there will be more of this. AI needs to be more like 98% right all the time, not 90% wrong!

I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Techinified’ for now.

Skype over Alexa; Apple Cuts iPhone Production Orders; Space-X Approved for 7,000 Com Satellites

Posted: November 19, 2018 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Microsoft has enabled Skype to work on Amazon’s Alexa devices. The rollout should be complete this week. Theverge.com reports that Echo-type hardware will be able to handle basic calling, and the Echo Show will include video support for Skype. Users will also be able to call mobile and land lines using SkypeOut, and call their contacts by simply asking Alexa to ‘Call Siri on Skype.’ OK, not really Siri…unless maybe you have a friend with that name, which would be nearly as confusing as having a pal named Alexa.

Apple has pared back production orders for the iPhone Xs, Xs Max, and XR, due to ‘lower than expected demand,’ according to a Wall Street Journal report picked up by macrumors.com. Somewhat surprisingly, the biggest cuts are for the XR, which has been whacked by a third of the original 70 million units originally scheduled. Some suppliers are calling the handsets a flop, but with Apple reporting record breaking revenue of $61.5 billion on iPhones during the launch quarter, that’s a stretch. Since Apple is going to quit reporting unit numbers for iPhone sales going forward it will make it even harder to track sales…but competitor Samsung hasn’t reported unit numbers in some time.

SpaceX has gotten FCC approval to launch over 7,000 satellites. Cnet.com says they will be in very low earth orbit, and will give the company the ability to provide global satellite broadband service. The FCC has also signed off on requests from Kepler Communications, Telesat Canada, and LeoSat MA to offer broadband in the US by satellite.

Tesla Model 3 Orders; Facebook-Not Listening; Google Gaming; CIMON Robot to ISS

Posted: June 29, 2018 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

If you have a reservation and deposit on a Tesla Model 3, you’re in luck….you can start spec’ing out your future car. On the occasion of Elon Musk’s 47th birthday, techcrunch.com says you can now log on to the Tesla website and start configuring your car with the online design studio. For now, only the two higher cost Model 3s are available to be configured, and they aren’t giving an estimated delivery time for some models, but if you pick the dual motor performance version…the most expensive one…Tesla says you should have it in two to four months. For advance order holders that plunked down $1000 to get in line, it will be nice to at least spec out their car.

There was a flurry of reports yesterday that a patent showed that Facebook might be getting ready to switch on your phone’s mic when your TV was on and secretly record you and what you are watching…to better serve you ads. Theverge.com has pointed out that a number of sources saw the title and what’s called the ‘abstract’ of a patent, and got this idea…without actually reading the claims…which are the actual subject matter of the patent.  It’s really a system that receives a user ID and an audio fingerprint, matches that audio fingerprint to some content, sees if that content was played for a certain duration, and then checks a counter to see if that content has been played a specific number of times. No microphone use at all. With all they already know about all of us, they could practically write a conversation in our living room, IMHO!

Earlier this year, there was a rumor that Google might be getting into gaming. Now, further reporting from 9to5google.com indicates that it’s happening. The project apparently involves a streaming platform to offer games from the cloud without presumably having to download large files in the tens of gigabytes, as well as hardware. In other words, you could open a tab on your browser and play a game. Google has been in talks with some major game studios about content. They have also hired some top game developers and marketers lately. Here’s a Google-esque wrinkle they are considering…if you hit a tough level or boss, you could hit a key to activate an overlay on your screen that cues up a YouTube walkthrough of the game you’re playing.

The International Space Station is getting a new crew member. On the SpaceX supply ship that blasted off this morning is a round robot with a flat side for a face dubbed CIMON…for Crew Interactive Mobile Companion. Engadget.com says it can speak, respond to spoken commands using AI, and fly…well, obviously fly…there’s no gravity on the ISS! The helpful robot can display repair instructions on a screen with just a voice command, so astronauts can keep both hands free for doing the repair. It will also be able to display procedures for experiments, and be something of a floating database. The ‘brains’ of the little robot are made by IBM, and the body and flight mechanism are built by Airbus.

SpaceX Will Build BFR in L.A.; Netflix Adds Yet More Subscribers; Big Walmart Web Makeover; If Facebook Went Subscription

Posted: April 17, 2018 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti let the cat out of the bag during a speech yesterday…and it’s a BIG cat! SpaceX will build their BFR- Big Falcon Rocket at the Port of L.A. According to arstechnica.com, SpaceX has leased an 18 acre site at Berth 240 at the port. SpaceX is apparently already moving hardware to temporary facilities, but will build a state of the art facility. The waterside site allows for easy shipping to test sites and launch pads. Preliminary tests could start in 2019. SpaceX has said the BFR might be used for colonizing Mars.

Netflix added over 7 million subscribers in the 1st quarter, and projects picking up another 6.35 million this quarter. Recode.net reports that Netflix is now up to 1245 million subscribers globally. This puts Netflix at the fastest growth rate since they went into streaming.

Walmart has done a major makeover to its website, in hopes that a cleaner, more modern walmart.com will better compete with Amazon. Reuters.com says the company has been investing heavily in its e-commerce business, including trying to leverage its 4700 brick and mortar stores to help fuel the web growth. Walmart has been letting pick up and return online orders in stores, and last month, announced that it was adding grocery delivery that would reach more than 40% of American households. Look for the big website update to be fully in place in a couple weeks. The company announced that its online sales had increased 23% last quarter, doing a bit over 11 billion. That’s just a trickle of sales compared to the nearly 319 billion the company does overall, though.

Although Mark Zuckerberg again insisted during recent Congressional hearings that Facebook would always remain free to everyone, so those who can’t afford a fee could use it, they have been considering an ad-free subscription. Techcrunch.com reports that based on ad earnings in the US and Canada, they would have to charge $7 per month. Of course, ads aren’t the only way they make money. Some users are more well heeled, and might buy nicer products and services, so they are worth more to advertisers. They also might spend more time on the platform….but would they pony up as much as $11 to $14 a month, like a higher end subscription to Netflix or Hulu? If so, would they be able to opt out of not only ads, but having their data sold off to third parties? Nothing is rumored as happening yet, but we could be seeing both a free tier and paid tier Facebook, and even multiple subscription prices at some point. Will that help ‘save’ Facebook from the Cambridge Analytica fallout? Stay tuned.

WWDC; SpaceX Broadband Sat Launch Delay; More Galaxy S9 Leaks; Starbucks Digital Guru to J. Crew

Posted: February 19, 2018 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

It looks like some folks have figured out the dates for Apple’s World Wide Developers Conference. Apparently, there are events all through June at San Jose’s McEnery Convention Center…….EXCEPT for Monday June 4th through Friday, June 8th. Macrumors.com says a reliable source has told them WWDC will again be in San Jose like last year. Previously, it was at Moscone Center in San Francisco from 2003 to 2016. With the exception of last year, Apple has released the date officially in April, so we won’t know until then. Usually, there around 5,000 developers and a thousand engineers for the event. Tickets go via a random lottery, and have been $1599 a pop.

There’s a lot of interest in SpaceX’s internet satellite launch. Now, the launch has been delayed for a few days. According to engadget.com, they want to run further final checkouts on the farings used to protect the Falcon 9’s payload. the Launch had been scheduled for February 17th…… now it will be on the 19th. The rocket will be taking up a Spanish radar imaging satellite, but most of us are interested in the Microsat-2a and 2b internet satellites. They would be the first of a number which would provide gigabit internet speeds around the globe.

Samsung will roll out its latest…the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus… next week at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. Of course, there was a huge leak yesterday, so much of what we had heard about the handset was confirmed, plus more. German site WinFuture says both phones will have variable aperture cameras…which should make them better than ever for low light pictures. The Plus gets a dual lens cam, the S9 a single, but both are 12 megapixel. The selfie cam is 8 megapixel with autofocus. That all-important battery capacity….it will be 3000 mAh on the S9 and 3500 on the Plus. Both phones have iris and face recognition, as well as a fingerprint sensor for biometric unlocking, and the Samsung version of Apple’s Animoji. The screens are the same as on the S8,  all changes are ‘under the hood.’ They will be available in  Midnight Black, Titanium Gray, Lilac Purple, and Coral Blue.

The man who headed up Starbucks digital business,  including its Mobile Order and Pay features and in-store Wi-Fi efforts, is leaving the coffee retailer to work his magic in apparel business. Adam Brotman, has jumped to J. Crew to help lead the struggling retailer as president and chief experience officer.  Geekwire.com notes that Starbucks is perceived as one of the most forward-looking companies when it comes to the use of technology in its operations.  J. Crew needs the help… same store sales dropped nine percent during the third quarter of 2017, and its net loss jumped to $17.6 million for that period.  Before Brotman joined them, J. Crew had pitched selling themselves to Amazon.