Tesla Planning Name Change & Wireless Charging; Texting to Get Another Makeover?

Posted: February 23, 2016 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tesla Motors has acquired the tesla.com site from a fan of the scientist that’s owned it since the 90’s. Businessinsider.com says right now, it redirects to teslamotors.com. It looks like Tesla is about to drop motors and just become Tesla…as Apple Computer became Apple years ago. They will fold their Tesla energy brand under this umbrella…the division that makes the Powerwall and Powerpack batteries, as well as the auto operation. The storage division is expected to be a third of their battery factory production by 2020.

Meanwhile, the Tesla Model S is on the way to getting wireless charging. According to mashable.com, a supplier called Plugless is taking $244 deposits on a wireless charger they plan to introduce late this spring. It will cost $2440 if you order now…more later. The wireless rig can run off any 50 amp circuit, and only needs pro installation for outdoors. It will give a Model S 20 miles of range per hour charge. Right now, no system is available for the all wheel drive Model S, the Model X, Roadster, or upcoming Model 3.

Text…the most old-school thing besides voice available on mobile phones…may be getting a makeover. Theverge.com reports that Google has partnered with 19 phone carriers to update SMS and MMS messages. The new moniker? RCS, or Rich Communications Service. It would allow for sending higher quality photos, starting group chats, and video. T-Mobile has already used it for video calling. If it ends up being baked into Android, it would simplify contacting people…in fact, a simple text could seamlessly start a video chat without choosing Skype, FaceTime, Hangouts, etc.

iPhone Users on Sprint Join T-Mobile Users With Wi-Fi Calling

Posted: April 9, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

With Apple’s latest update, iOS 8.3, iPhone users gain Wi-Fi calling on Sprint. T-Mobile users have had it since fall. The verge.com says AT&T and Verizon will cave, and allow the feature later this year. Wi-Fi calling routes calls through Wi-Fi you’re connected to, instead of over the cellular system, so doesn’t count against your minutes.

Samsung is expecting record sales from the Galaxy S6, but warns that the S6 Edge will be in short supply at launch. 9to5google.com reports that Samsung has warned that manufacturing difficulties will make the ‘edgier’ phone scarce at first.

According to thenextweb.com, YouTube will launch a paid service later this year for users that don’t want to see ads. It will cost you 10 bucks a month. Content creators will still get a percentage of revenue from the paid views.

No Mega iPad Until Fall

Posted: March 5, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Apple is delaying production of the reported 12.9 inch iPad until September according to bloomberg.com. In addition to business tools from IBM, it’s rumored to have a USB port, a first for an iPad.

T-Mobile has spilled the beans about the pricing of the new Samsung Galaxy S6…and bgr.com reports that it’s more expensive than an iPhone! The base 32Gb model will start at $699, 50 bucks more than the cheapest iPhone 6. It’s still expected to be $199 with a contract.

The Blue Link app is out for Hyundai owners. Engadget.com says the app, previewed at CES, will let owners of Hyundais as old as 2012 use Android Wear smart watches to lock and unlock their cars, start and stop the engine, honk the horn, and flash the lights.

The Nexus 6 To Get WiFi Calling on T-Mobile

Posted: February 22, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

WiFi calling may be coming to the Google Nexus 6…at least on the T-Mobile system. According to gigaom.com, they hope to have the exclusive feature ready to go by the end of March. They will also add voice over LTE and another band of frequencies by mid year with software updates.

Virgin Mobile has dropped the iPhone. 9to5mac.com says they have no plans to carry the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, and the iPhone pages now redirect people to their full smartphone inventory page at the web store. It may have just been too much of a challenge to sell the expensive Apple handsets to prepaid phone users.

For the person that’s truly addicted to their smartphone and apps, there’s the new Oral-B Bluetooth toothbrush. At a pricey $220…more than a number of actual smartphones…geek.com reports the brush and its app will track how long you brush, how much pressure you use, and nag you to floss. But wait…there’s more…the app will also bring you the morning news and weather! You wouldn’t want to be off the grid for those two minutes of brushing, now would you?

The Smaller Phone Carriers Duke It Out

Posted: January 24, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The carrier wars have escalated. A day after T-Mobile rolled out a program letting loyal customers avoid credit checks, Sprint has unveiled one guaranteeing any T-Mobile customer $200 credit for a working and activated T-Mobile smartphone. 9to5google.com says it’s still not as sweet a deal as Sprint offers switchers from AT&T and Verizon.

According to BGR.com, the upcoming Apple Watch, currently seeing much hand wringing over lack of battery life, will actually be more powerful than the first iPad. Meanwhile, Apple has hired Burberry’s VP of Digital Retail Initiatives. Chester Chipperfield is expected to help reorganize part of Apple’s stores to feature the watch.

Scientists have developed self-destructing nano-bots and implanted them in mice. Engadget.com reports that they are first being used to treat peptic ulcers and other stomach disorders. They can survive the gastrointestinal tract long enough to release medication, then destroy themselves without leaving any trace of harmful chemicals behind. You won’t be turning into a Borg for a while, yet!

California Grocery Stores Get Apple Pay

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

Apple Pay continues to spread. Macrumors.com says Save Mart has rolled it out at all 217 of its California and Nevada stores, including Lucky and Foodmaxx.

Always looking for ways to disrupt the bigger phone companies, T-Mobile has announced ‘Simply Prepaid.’ Gigaom.com reports it starts at $40, and you just pay for the 4G LTE data you expect to use. If you go over, you are just cut back to 3G the rest of the month.

Google just patented a way to activate private browsing on desktops and mobile. Thenextweb.com says it can be triggered by a secure login box or request for credit information. The Chrome browser should sport it soon.

New Sony Smartphones Send Data to China

Posted: October 28, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Not many people are buying Sony smartphones, but if you did, heads up. They are transmitting data to servers in China right out of the box. Geek.com says some have a Baidu folder that keeps coming back after deletion. A workaround is on their forum.

Upstart T-Mobile keeps on outgrowing the other phone providers. They signed 2.3 million new customers in 3rd quarter according to engadget.com. AT&T picked up 2 million, and Verizon grabbed 1.53 million.

If you have young girls, or are a fangirl, it’s jackpot time. Just in time for Christmas, Beats has unveiled Hello Kitty headphones. Cnet.com says they’re for Kitty’s 40th anniversary. As you might expect, they’re a pricey $249, and available mid-november.

Another Car Line Getting Android in the Dash

Posted: October 2, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

We’re seeing more and more of the connected car. Next year, Honda Civic models will run Android. Engadget.com says they’ll sport a 7 inch, customizable touch screen display that will act a lot like a smartphone.

If you’re a bargain hunter or on a budget, check the Lumia 530 at T-Mobile. Gigaom.com says it’s $79.80 off contract. The Windows smartphone will be available October 15th, with pre-ordering starting Sunday.

Set top box maker Roku has enabled screen mirroring from some Android smart devices and Windows devices to your HDTV. 9to5google.com says you can mirror apps, photos, games, and the web on your smart device and your big screen.

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