Twitter Nixes Services That Tracked Politicians’ Deleted Tweets
Posted: August 24, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Apple Watch, Diplotwoops, Open State Foundation, Politicians, Politwoops, Siri, Sunlight Foundation, Twitter, Watch OS2, WiFi Leave a commentBecause we wouldn’t want any politicians’ hasty and foolish, embarrassing Tweets to bite them later, or journalists to be able to actually report them, Twitter has kindly blocked Politwoops and sister site Diplotwoops from access of it’s API. Techcrunch.com reports Twitter says it violates terms of service. Surely it can’t be from pressure from politicians and governments? The US version was shut down earlier this year. The Open State Foundation and watchdog Sunlight Foundation said they will look for other ways to report deleted Tweets, noting that politicians shouldn’t have the same expectation of privacy as private citizens.
According to businessinsider.com, Apple is bringing a couple of major changes to the Apple Watch with the software update due out next month. Watch OS 2 will have native access to the watch, which means it won’t have to ‘phone home’ to your nearby iPhone constantly. Apps should load much faster. It will also remember WiFi connections you’ve used previously with your phone, allowing you to connect to the web without having your iPhone tagging along. This won’t work for everything, but will for iMessages and using Siri.
US Phone Carriers’ Switch to Installment Plans = Quicker iPhone Upgrade Cycles
Posted: August 12, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Facebook, Installment plans, iPhone, Mobile news alerts, Subsidized contracts, Twitter, Verizon Leave a commentWith big player Verizon now making the move to installment plans on smartphones from contract subsidies, a well-respected analyst says we could see quicker iPhone upgrade cycles. Appleinsider.com notes that Gene Munster of Piper Jaffray has crunched the numbers, and the switch to installment payments may net Apple an extra 2.9 million iPhone upgrades 3rd quarter, and 4.4 million 4th quarter. The installment plans drop the subsidy for a 2 year contract, and you just pay for the phone service, plus either buy the new phone outright…which almost no one does, or you have an installment payment rolled into your bill, and the carrier makes interest on you.
Facebook is building a Twitter-esque app that lets news providers send mobile breaking news alerts out en masse. The stand alone app is part of the Facebook for Business initiative. When it goes live, users can download the app and select what news providers or topics they want to follow for breaking news. The mobile alerts have 100 characters of text…40 less than Twitter…and a link to the article on the news provider’s website. Right now, the app won’t allow links to other sites…in other words, news organizations can’t just ‘reTweet’ another’s link.
Twitter Toys with Dedicated News Tab
Posted: August 4, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Dedicated news, iCloudVoicemail, iOS 10, iPhone, Twitter, Visual Voicemail Leave a commentTwitter is experimenting with a new tab for featured news…you may be one of the iOS or Android users that has noticed it popping up along with the other icons at the bottom of your Twitter screen. Hit it to check what’s currently happening in the world. When you touch a news item, it opens up a screen with an image, block of text and link from the source, and also but a list of tweets from other publishers and Twitter users about the item. As with test features in the past, a limited universe of users will see it, and it may not be permanent.
One of the best features of the original iPhone was Visual Voicemail…a great feature that continues to this day. It freed us from the aggravation of listening through voicemails in order, then deleting or saving them as the phone carriers made us do to use more minutes. Now, Apple’s taking it a step further, and another killer feature may show up in iOS 10 in 2016. Apple is testing having Siri record and transcribe messages from missed calls, and sending them to iCloud where you can read them as text later.
Samsung’s (Even) Bigger Galaxy S6 Edge Plus
Posted: June 12, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 140 Character limit, Android, DM, Galaxy S6 Edge Plus, Samsung, Twitter Leave a commentSamsung is apparently subscribing to the philosophy ‘go big or go home.’ Previously, we reported they were working on a Galaxy S6 Edge Plus, which would sport a 5.5 inch screen. According to bgr.com, which picked up a report from usually reliable SamMobile, that screen size will be a 5.7 inch dual edge display. It looks to drop third quarter, and will have a hexa-core Snapdragon 808 processor running Android 5.1.1.
While we’re talking bigger, the big news at Twitter has been that CEO Dick Costolo is resigning, but another big announcement you might be more interested in flew under the radar. Appleinsider.com says Twitter will be raising the 140 character limit in direct messages to 10,000 some time in July. The down side is with last April’s change to allow messages from people you don’t follow, now more spam direct messages may be popping up with other peoples’ DMs you get on Twitter.
Twitter Angling to Buy Mobile News App
Posted: May 2, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Circa, Curbside pickup, mobile news, Nordstrom, Twitter, Uber Leave a commentTwitter is in acquisition talks to buy mobile news app Circa, according to Businessinsider.com. Circa produces brief news stories for mobile devices. If the deal goes through, it would be a new direction for Twitter, which hasn’t produced any of its own content up to now.
With reports that Uber is branching out…experimenting with delivery of goods, here’s a different wrinkle on extending online shopping. Nordstrom is testing curbside pickups. You order online, then call or text when you’re outside the store, and a staffer brings your purchase right out to your car. Engadget.com says everal Nordstrom locations, including their Seattle flagship store are involved in the test option. If you’re in a hurry for an item, and can’t find parking, it could save both time and money.
Freshened Moto E Budget Phone Gets LTE & a Bigger Screen
Posted: February 25, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: LTE, Moto E, Motorola, Starwood Hotels, Twitter, Uber Leave a commentMotorola has rolled out a freshened Moto E. According to the verge.com, it has LTE, a 4.5 inch screen, more storage, and a faster processor. The budget Moto smartphone gets a small price bump from last year’s model, now $149. You can pick up the old model without 4G LTE for $119.
It’s been out for iOS for a month, but Twitter has dropped it’s ‘while you were out’ feature for Android. Geekwire.com reports it posts a recap of top tweets you may have missed from accounts you follow. If you aren’t interested, it hides with just a click.
There’s a new perk for Uber riders. Engadget.com says you can now earn points at upscale Starwood hotels and resorts. It’s a point or more for every buck spent on Uber. You have to be enrolled in the Starwood Preferred Guest program to qualify.
The Second Coming of Palm
Posted: January 1, 2015 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Palm, Samsung, Smart TVs, Tizen, Twitter Leave a commentBefore smartphones, a lot of us had Palm Pilots. Palm may be rising again. Thenextweb.com says a Chinese company has bought the Brand, and posted ‘coming soon’ at Palm.com.
Samsung hasn’t gotten much traction using their Tizen operating system on smartphones, but reuters.com reports that their smart TVs in 2015 will be running the operating system.
Twitter is starting to roll out a ‘while you were away’ recap feature to users. Techcrunch.com says it resemble’s Facebook’s timeline, and is Twitter’s first major non-chronological feature.
Tweets They THINK You’ll Like
Posted: October 17, 2014 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple Pay, Fingerprint ID, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, MasterCard, Twitter Leave a commentTwitter is at it again, those tweets they were dropping into your timeline from folks you don’t follow…they’re now a permanent thing. Thenextweb.com says these are in addition to the paid ad tweets you see.
Last year, the iPhone 5c wasn’t exactly a runaway success. Bgr.com reports that since the 6’s have come out, fully 24% of iPhone sales have been the bigger 6 Plus. The iPhone 6 is taking 62%, with only 14% of buyers picking up an older model.
MasterCard is taking a page from Apple Pay’s book, launching a fingerprint enabled card. TechCrunch.com says hold your thumb on the reader, wave it over the terminal, and you’ve paid.
The September 9 Apple Event & More
Posted: August 28, 2014 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Dyson, iPhone 6, iWatch, LG, Samsung, Twitter Leave a commentThe expected invite is out to the tech press…with the usual Apple cryptic slant…
it gives the widely expected date of September 9th, and then ‘Wish we could say more.’ Apple is building a huge 3 story structure next to the Flint Center for the Performing Arts in Cupertino, which was, as pointed out by macrumors.com and others, the location where Steve Jobs showed the original Mac 30 years ago.
With all the buzz that Apple will show the iWatch along with the iPhone 6 September 9th, both Samsung and LG have unveiled more smart watches now. 9to5mac.com says LG has revealed the G Watch R, and Samsung it’s Gear S. Bgr.com notes that the Gear S has virtually identical specs to Apple’s iPhone 4S!
Ever wonder if your tweets are getting noticed? Cnet.com reports that Twitter has rolled out analytics to everyone that used to be only or advertisers and verified users. Click the gear at the top for more info. This reporter had a huge spike in impressions last Sunday, after the Napa 6.0 earthquake.
Dyson has been teasing a secret gadget they’re working on with a YouTube video. Theverge.com says it’s probably a robot vacuum cleaner. Early this year, Dyson put 8 million in a lab that helps robots understand the world around them.
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