Google Motorola MotoX launch is August 1

We knew the MotoX was coming and now we know the launch event is August 1st in New York City. If the rumors are true, the specs aren't anything to write home about:

  • 4.7" 1280x720 screen
  • dual-core 1.7GHz processor
  • 2 GB RAM
  • 16/32 GB Storage
The software has to be damn good to make up for what looks like very crappy hardware. Please Google, say it ain't slow. Tell me these leaks are all wrong.

Your counterfeit charger may kill you

I had written an article entitled "Counterfeit USB chargers on eBay may be dangerous" in November 2012 and I strongly recommend you read that article.

Now we learn that a 23 year old chinese woman may have been electrocuted as she answered an iPhone that was charging. The South China Morning Post and Sina new now report that the woman may have been using a "3rd party" charger (aka counterfeit). CCTV claims to have a photo showing the damaged iPhone and the charger that cause the users unexpected death.

Even a CCTV expert claimed that counterfeit chargers may use cheaper components that send the full unregulated current to the phone.  

the investigation is being handled by the Chinese police and Apple has pledged full cooperation.

Image courtesy of MacRumors.

Free app to organize and find your iPhone photos

Even the newer smartphones from Samsung and HTC don't produce [in my opinion] photos as beautiful as the ones taken with an iPhone (4s or 5). But like many, I end up with hundreds of photos on my iPhone and finding the one I am looking for is a daunting task.

Viewfinder is a new free app that aims to improve your photo organization experience [on the device] by leveraging the hidden data in each photo called metadata. Metadata says when the picture was taken, where it was taken, how it was taken, etc.

It indexes all of this wonderfully useful metadata then let's you easily search for photos using it. In addition to organizing your photos, it also allows you to easily share those photos with friends and family.

I say this is a definitely try. Download it here.

 

VLC for iPhone & iPad now available

VLC is the most capable, flexible and loved media player available on any platform and now any platform also includes IOS (iPhone and iPad). It was previously available but pulled because of a license incompatibility between the VLC license and the app store requirements. The team has now fixed that issue and made the app available again.

MacStories has said

VLC has been completely rewritten to use modern audio and video output modules, multi-core decoding, and support for any file type supported by VLC on the desktop. In my tests, the app was able to quickly start playing any video file that I threw at it, such as .mp4 and .mkv files.

I say download, download, download here.

 

 

Google's Chrome app launcher for Windows released

It seems Google has unceremoniously released the Google Chrome Launcher. The launcher ads itself to the Chrome start page, Windows Taskbar and the Windows Desktop.

Think of it as a quick launch menu system to the myriad of Google online apps and services.

Download it here.

  

 

Evernote 5 for Windows is released as a beta

Months after making version 5 available to Apple Mac users, Evernote finally brings the new version [in beta form] to Windows. Remember that beta means its still a work in progress and may not be ready for prime time just yet but you can play with it if you are feeling adventurous.

So what's changed? A cleaner more modern interface will greet you now. Evernote hopes this new interface will highlight your notes and make the app interface fade into the background. The search feature is improved and a related notes display is available for Premium clients. Reminders are now... wait... not yet. OK so reminders are expected soon but haven't been implemented yet.

 

TrueCaller database stollen (millions of telephone numbers)

Another day brings news of another popular web service getting hacked and having its data stollen. The victim this time is a popular mobile app called TrueCaller. The Syrian Electronic Army claims to have breached TrueCaller's security by exploiting a WordPress flaw and stealing 7 databases. 

The Syrian Electronic Army claims to have gained access to 1 million social networking accounts (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Google) through this exploit. The company itself acknowledged the hack on its website but provided this clarification:

“Our investigation into the matter indicates the attackers were able to access ‘tokens’, which was immediately reset. Metaphorically speaking, a ‘token’ is a unique lock for each user, but what the attackers did not acquire is the needed key, which has also been reset,”

Unfortunatly the truth probably lies somewhere in between both extreme statements.

The SEA also provided this database screenshot as "proof":

After they had harvested the information they needed, they added salt to the injury by publishing the login credentials and database name:

The moral of the story? We need to start demanding better security from cloud services and we need to be more judicious about what we store in the cloud.

Whatsapp for IOS will cost $0.99 /yr for new users

If your one of the million+ Whatsapp users, you probably downloaded an update for it yesterday. One of the major changes being introduced for IOS users is the pricing model already in place for Android, Blackberry and Windows Phone users : The first year is free and it costs $0.99 per year thereafter. 
Other changes the latest update brings are:
  • Multi-send User Interface - send multiple photos at the same time
  • URL Schema - allows third party apps (even on IOS) to hook into WhatsApp 
  • iCloud backup of messages

 

The good news for all current iPhone users is that WhatsApp will be free of charge for the rest of your life. - WhatsApp blog

 

Google Maps update now rolling out for IOS users

Google released a revamped Google Maps apps for Android last week and now IOS users will start to see that update slowly trickle out to them. This new version brings a much more refined discovery and exploration function.
Google Maps for IOS now has an optimized version for iPad. It also brings indoor navigation (for select locations), live traffic updates and a little but more. 
Although some users have reported receiving the update, most haven't received it yet  (I'm still waiting).

Rumored Sony’s Xperia i1 Honami photos leaked

Nokia's Lumia 1020 Windows Phone based "smartphone" is impressive with its 41 megapixel sensor. The reality is most consumers won't buy a windows phone device because of the very very small number of apps.
What is a smartphone photography lover to do? Why not wait for the next Android based Sony Honami. This new rumored Sony flagship smartphone is expected to look like the existing flagship phone but is expected to come equipped with some heart warming specs. The most important rumored spec is the 20 megapixel camera. 
It si expected to have the same 5 inch Triluminous display, a 2.2GHZ Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB of RAM, 16/32 GB of internal storage and a massive 3000 mAh battery. 
The main draw here would still be the 20 megapixel ExmoreRS camera sensor which is supposed to provide exceptional performance in difficult situations (such as dimly lit rooms). It seems this new massive sensor will be married to a new type of Sony smartphone lens being nicknamed the G-Lens which is suppose to rival glass sold for dSLRs.
I used my smartphone's camera a lot and having a better camera would definitely influence my buying decision. Like all rumors, take this with a grain of salt. Like all camera rumors, seeing will be believing. We won't know how desirably this device really is until we get some hands on time with it's camera.

Cola flavored Wine is here

A French winemaker (Haussmann Famille) is about to make your wildest dreams come true by introducing Cola flavored wine. This "magical" concoction is called Rouge Sucette and is 75% wine and 25% sugar,water and cola flavoring. It contains about 9% alcohol.
Citizens of the winemaking kingdom (aka France) will be able to enjoy [or be repulsed by] this new product as soon as next month. Could this be a new club favorite, something between regular code and rum and coke?
Why would a venerable industry like the French wine industry try something this different? They need to attract a younger demographic that currently prefers beer and spirits. You may not be aware but flavored wine has already been tried before with products like Arachon which is a grapefruit flavored rosée. 

Easily switch between Sense and the Google Experience on an HTC One

Customers looking for a new Android smartphone will have to decide between the original (subsidized) manufacturer skinned version or the new Google Play Experience phones with vanilla Android. One of the most popular phones right now is the HTC One and customers have to make this same decision.
Paul O'Brien, a popular Android dev, has released a cool switching app that allows customers to have both (Sense 5 and the Google Experience) with easy switching. Watch the below video for a quick demo of the app:
"MoDaCo.SWITCH for the HTC One is coming soon, allowing you to easily switch between Sense and Google Play edition on your phone, without maintaining two sets of data.
The new concept is demoed in the video below. I'm currently testing the build and looking for any last remaining issues / bugs before I let it loose on you lot in the form of a public Beta!
It will be installed via custom recovery in the usual way and is based on the 2.24 European One ROM (Android 4.2.2) and the shipping Google Play edition ROM. Stay tuned for further updates!" - from Modaco
This is a great tool that will make the decision process much easier.

Refresh app is a basic people intelligence tool

Business people are constantly meeting new people. The more you know about the people you are meeting the less awkward it will be and the more successful your meeting will likely be. 

Best practice recommends you conduct a Google (LinkedIn, Facebook, etc) search on everyone you will be meeting but what if you don't have the time? This is where a tool like Refresh shines. It will do all of the heavy lifting and give you a personalized person briefing within minutes.  

The tool is in private beta and I haven't received my invitation yet so everything in this article is based on articles, clips and info provided by the company. When I receive my invite, I will provide a more in-depth review.

What does Refresh do?

The app gpes through social media networks, search providers and the general net to provide a quick person briefing. It will give you info about the persons job history, interests, travels, etc.

How do I get Refresh?

As I mentioned, Refresh is in private beta so you should go to their website and sign-up using your Linkedin account. You will be put on a waiting list and eventually you will receive a private invitation.

Bell Mobility will switch to 2 year plans June 17

The CRTC limited the early cancellation fee to 24 months so as expected, we are starting to see the big Canadian carriers respond. We have now learned that Bell will be updating its pricing (June 17) to align with the new CRTC mandate changing plans to 30 day and 2 year terms. 

What does this mean?

Monthly plan costs should remain stable but device pricing will likely go up since the subsidy periods are going from 36 months down to 24 months. 

Verdict

I think this is a good move for consumers since most devices don't last for 36 months. The next step is to open up the Canadian market to international carriers so they can drive down our expensive mobile data costs.

 

Microsoft surface RT tablet now $349 (Save $150)

Microsoft's Surface RT tablet hasn't taken the world by storm but it is a well built tablet that will meet the demands of most casual users. In order to drum up demand, Microsoft has slashed the price by $150, making the 32GB a very affordable $349. 
Bestbuy Canada has it for $349 too:
I would buy this from a store like BestBuy that has a good return policy and I would get a 64GB model but the 32GB is definitely worth considering.

Moto X to have fast camera

Motorola pupblished an interesting tweet

We'll have to wait and see how "fast" the new Moto X camera really. If Google Motorola really want to make this a winner, it has to be a truly revolutionary device and not the same old same old with useless add on functions (like many features from the Sansung Galaxy S4).

Denture Bracelet : the ultimate in personal expression?

As you finally accept the weirdsness of the general population, people find new ways to get weirder. Now I present to you the denture bracelet. 
You too can have this "original" braclet for only $160 from an ETSY shop called ConcaveOblivion. This "original" thing is handmade from dental acrylic. 

Reusable e-ink luggage tag

Airlines are constantly looking for ways to cuts to increase profitability and an an often overlooked cost is the humble luggage label (the barcoded piece of paper that makes sure your bags are sent to the right place). 

"Once checked in, customers just need to hold their smartphone over the electronic tag, which automatically updates with a unique barcode containing their flight details and an easy-to-see view of their bag’s destination." 

This e-ink bagtag probably won't be used in the real world anytime soon (because of cost) but it is exciting to see airlines leveraging various technologies.

Designworks release about the e-ink digital luggage tag.

 

Skyview Travel Seatback Mount is the ultimate airplane gadget

Last week was a long travel week where I flew :
  • Montreal to London
  • London to Belfast
  • Belfast to London
  • London  to Berlin
  • Berlin to Frankfurt
  • Frankfurt to Montreal

Some of these flights didn't offer any in-flight entertainment and the others offered horribly bad movie options. So what is a traveller to do? enjoy your own hand picked entertainment using the new Griffin Skyview Travel Seatback Mount.

This is a special mount that uses a special connector that latches to the seat back tray table or as a stand on your lowered tray tablet. The hand holds many smartphones, tablets and ereaders.

All of this wonderful enjoyment can be yours for only $29.99 (which is a small price to pay to beat the monotonous boredom of a long flight).

You can read about the product here.

Make a Tetris sandwich

It's time to make sandwich time a little more exciting with the  Bites and Pieces Sandwich Crust Cutter which converts your plain old sandwich into a Tetris inspired eating game.
Finally a great reason to play with your food. 
You can check out the product and buy it here.