2013
Google Maps for IOS updated
Its time to update Google Maps for IOS. Version 1.1 released today allows you to search savced addresses of contacts, browse by category. Plus the update welcomes more locations into Google Maps' loving arms such as Bahrain, Egypt, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
Rumors about the iPhone 5s and its release date
As the unveiling date of the new Samsung Galaxy SIV get’s closer, we have started to hear rumors about the next iPhone. Now the team over at iMore believes that the next iPhone (the 5s maybe?) will be released in August, which matches up nicely to other rumors we have heard. In the last year, Apple seems to have moved away from a predictable release pattern which makes an August release possible. By allowing itself to have a flexible release cycle, it can respond to Android challengers more quickly and prevents customers from holding off from buying an existing phone (because the next release isn’t know, most won’t wait).
Evernote will implement 2 factor authentication
A couple of days ago, I wrote about Evernote being hacked and the fact that it is the new reality for cloud services. Now we learn that Evernote intends to implement 2 factor authentication. In case you were not aware, Evernote was hacked and it forced its 50 million users to reset their passwords. According to InformationWeek, they will offer some kind of 2 factor authentication for all of their users before the end of the year.
Why you shouldn't buy iCloud storage
Manufacturer specific cloud storage solutions are a bad idea. If you buy iCloud storage, it won’t work with your Windows PC or your wife’s Android device. This is the message Drew Houston , Dropbox’s CEO, shared with the audience at the Mobile World Congress. He highlighted the danger of getting locked into one manufacturer’s cloud storage solution (which won’t run on devices from any other brand). Houston talked about a user being able to store a file in the cloud and share it with any user regardless of their consumption device (Blackberry phone, Windows desktop or phone, Android device, etc).
D-Link Wireless Range Extender (DAP-1320) Review
Manufacturer description: Extend the range of your existing network Easy setup with the touch of a button Delivering up to 300Mbps wireless performance Universally works with any Wi-Fi device Why do I need the DAP-1320 wireless range extender? In my never-ending search to blanket my entire house with beautiful, warm and comforting WIFI, I decided to test the D-Link DAP-1320 Network Range Extender. A WIFI wireless Range extender is an easy way to push WIFI connectivity to every corner of your house without having to pass wiring.
Windows blue doesn't exist... Or does it?
Windows blue is expected to be the next major release of Windows (Windows 9 maybe). As expected, Microsoft denies everything but rumors has said the project has hit milestone 1. For Windows blue, we are expecting 2-3 milestones before the first customer preview. So far the project seems to be on track for a July/August release. The speculation started mid-2012 when a ZDNet writer, Mary Jo Foley, announced to the world that Microsoft was already at work for the next release of windows.
Blackberry converts from iPhone and Android users
Even though many of us aren’t interested in buying a Blackberry Z10 phone, we are cheering Blackberry on and hoping this is the lifeline they need to rebuild their business. As soon as we heard promising sales figures (in Canada and the UK), the naysayers jumped in and started trumpeting the lack of supply as the justification for sellouts and not excess demand. Now we learn that half of the buyers of the Z10 in Canada are migrating from competing products (1/3 of UK buyers).
Amiigo is the smartest fitness tracker
Related Articles: Fitbit Flex Wristband Announced Withings Smart Activity Tracker Lark Life May Be A Fitbit And Nike FuelBand Alternative Fitbit, Nike Fuelband And Lark Life Competitor - Enter Shine Amiigo is a new product currently being funded on crowd-funding site Indiegogo which is trying to make Fitbit, Shine, Jawbone and Lark Life obsolete. It is promising to use advanced algorithms and a bunch of sensors to do things none of its competitors can. The main piece is the Amiigo bracelet which contains an accelerometer, skin temperature sensor and pule oximeter).
Samsung Galaxy S IV teaser video
Excitement is building and Samsung has done an excellent job controlling leaks and creating a demand with tech enthusiasts. Now we get a promo video from Samsung. It is not very descriptive but some people may like it. For those not aware, the launch is scheduled for March 14 in the Big Apple.
Samsung Galaxy SIV benchmarks
Just 10 days left until the big Samsung reveal for the Galaxy SIV and you can feel the excitement with tech enthusiasts. Will this much anticipated phone deliver the innovations everyone is expecting? Faryaab Sheikh has twitted a picture of an Antutu benchmark showing a Samsung Glaxy SIV with an Exynos 5410 quad-core 1.8GHZ processor, 5 inch full HD screen, 2GB of RAM, a 13 megapixel camera and of course Android 4.2 #GalaxySIV features an Exynos Octa CPU, PowerVR SGX 544MP GPU, 2GB of RAM, 4.
$0.99 Lytro alternative for the iPhone
Related Article: Use Your DSLR As A (Cheaper Than) Lytro Alternative I remember first hearing about the wondrous Lytro camera before it was even released. I was amazed at what they had done and the promise of the incredible technology. Unfortunately the cost of the generation 1 camera is so high (Starts at $399) that I couldn’t justify getting it just yet. Imagine my surprise when I found a $0.99 app called tap2focus which simulates the light-field focus technology using clever and simple techniques.
Most popular content this week March 3 2013
Microsoft's Surface Pro now available in Canada and the US Android's Adult only app store has legs When group decision making goes wrong Carbonite makes your most used files available everywhere for free How to detect counterfeit headphones 6 months of free RDIO for Canadians and 14 other countries Time to switch from IOS to Android? Megaupload is back offering interesting new features Is Google killing SEO and organic search rankings? Google bypasses Internet Explorer's privacy settings Honest Bitcasa review
Evernote hacked
Earlier this weekend, my beloved Evernote emailed its customers advising them that they had detected acking attempts and they had reset all of the user passwords as a precaution. They were adamant that no user information was accessed. Unlike LinkedIn (whose stolen passwords were easily decrypted), the Evernote passwords are stored hashed and salted which means decrypting them is a long and tedious job (which will likely make it unpractical). They also promised to released software updates that will make changing the password easier.
Apple's iphone 5 AV adapter doesn't provide full HD
The developers over at Panic were playing with the Apple AV adapter for iPhone 5 (and iPad mini) and realized something was “not right”. They started investigating and discovered that the device wasn’t outputting full HD video (1080p). The signal was of lower quality and had artifacts in it. So they set out to find out why. It turns out the adapter isn’t outputting the highest quality HD signal you would expect so they cracked the connector open and discovered that it contains a SoC (System on a chip) with dedicated RAM.
What we know about the Samsung Galaxy SIV (S4)
Related Articles: Samsung Galaxy S4 Event March 14 More Samsung Galaxy S4 (S IV) Rumors First Peek At The Samsung Galaxy S IV Is Samsung Cooler Than Apple? What we know about upcoming Samsung Galaxy SIV The body When you look at the Galaxy Note 8, it uses the same polycarbonate body as the Galaxy SIII which means the SIV will likely keep the same plastic based phone case as its predecessor. The screen Most rumors peg a larger the Samsung Galaxy SIV screen than its predecessor (likely a 5”).
It's the ecosystem stupid
Search the internet for Google’s Pixel Chromebook and you’ll see something very strange, reviewers absolutely love the device but recommend that consumers don’t buy it. Why? What is going on here? Is this opposite-land? Why would a reviewer love a product then recommend you not buy it? It all comes down to ecosystem. In years past, the hardware was more important that the ecosystem (form over function). Now our perceptions and expectations have changed. As consumers, we understand that we are buying an entry ticket into an ecosystem.
Why working from home may harm your career
When you hear about non-traditional work arrangements, you probably think about a hot tech startup where employees come to work on Segways wearing Hawaiian shirts but most companies now offer some type of non-traditional work arrangement. The most common is flex time and work from home. These arrangements benefit the employees & employer. The employee gets a comfortable home work environment that is distraction free and saves dozens of travel hours. The employer gets a more productive employee and considerably reduced secondary costs (office, phone, internet, etc).
How Apple will compete with Google Now
Apple is the company everyone loves to hate right now and it seems every investor has turned its back on this mighty tech giant. The biggest complaint I hear is that “Apple is being out innovated by its competitors”. And I somewhat agree. IOS was revolutionary in 2007 when it was first released and it is the reason we all have fantastic smartphones in our pockets (Android, IOS or Windows phone). Since its triumphant launch, we really haven’t seen any major changes that would drive the next evolution in smartphones.
iPhones are more reliable than Samsung phones
A study undertaken by FixYa found that an iPhone is 300% more reliable than a Samsung device. Before anyone starts to discredit the findings, it is important to note that they looked at 722,558 problem reports mixed with data from Statcounter. The data is solid and paints an interesting picture. Where are our Finish friends from Nokia you ask? They were third in line. The least reliable were found to be Motorola devices, which is interesting considering all of the rumors of an unbreakable phone (called the X-phone).
Blackberry outsells Samsung Galaxy S3 and iPhone 5
Canadian retailer Glentel, who operates 330 stores, says the Blackberry Z10 is out selling the Samsung Galaxy S3 and the iPhone 5. They haven't provided any actual sales numbers but this may be the kind of lifesaving trend Blackberry needs right now. We should get more concrete sales number from Blackberry March 28 when it reports it's forth quarter results. It will be interesting to see how our American friends react to the new Z10 when it is finally made available "