Labels
By Ravie Lakshmanan

Tech Roundup: Microsoft Pre-Touch Sensing, YouTube Unplugged & More

So let's talk about Apple's iPhone SE. The iPhone Special Edition. To be honest I like it. It's iterative and doesn't break new technological ground, yes, but which phone does these days? Apple has long been criticized for its over-reliance on iPhone to generate record breaking profits, but with high-end phones approaching saturation in several markets across the world, the tech giant, by releasing a premium mid-tier iPhone SE, seems to be exploring an additional avenue to attract new customers in developed and emerging markets. The same tactic several Android OEMs like Sony and Samsung have been long following for years with mixed results, offering smartphones and tablets with a range of screen sizes to capture a broad section of the market. Whether this will pay off for Apple is anybody's guess. In the long run though, Apple should start seriously thinking about making a truly affordable flagship iPhone. Not to mention, getting rid of 16GB variants altogether.

Alphabet/Google:
  • Acquires Synergyse, an interactive training system for Google Apps;.
  • Takes Google Glass to the next level; files new patent for an intra-ocular device (aka a computerised lens) that will be injected into your eyeballs.
  • Begins encrypting blogger websites by default.
  • Working on a a subscription-based Cable TV service called Unplugged to bring TV content to YouTube, reports Bloomberg.
Apple:
Microsoft:
  • Reports 300 million upgrades to Windows 10 since launch last July; reminds Windows 7 and 8.1 users that upgrades would cost $119 effective July 30.
  • Tests a new human-computer interaction feature called "pre-touch sensing" (made possible by a new technology called probabilistic programming) that allows users to trigger new functionality before you touch a smartphone's screen by making use of sensors to predict your finger movements.
Others:
  • Cassini satellite flybys reveal large methane seas on Saturn's moon Titan.
  • Reposting and sharing can lead to a cognitive overload, interfering with processes such as learning and memory retention, according to a new study by Beijing University.
  • French authorities warn parents "they could face fines of up to €45,000 (£35,000) and a year in prison for publishing intimate photos of their children on social media without permission, as part of the country’s strict privacy laws," reports The Guardian.
  • WhatsApp service restored in Brazil after being cut off for close to a day for failing to comply with a judicial order to share information in a criminal case; users seek refuge in rival chat services such as Telegram, as Brazilian telecom industry fights tooth and nail to declare VOIP services illegal.
  • LG's newly demoed fingerprint sensor sits beneath the smartphone screen, obviating the need for separate sensor slots either at the front or back.
  • Siri co-creators to unveil Viv, a new smart personal assistant and a glorified (and unified) chatbot that lets you do your bidding, reports Washington Post.
  • Tinder has more than 1 million paid subscribers who pay for Tinder Plus to swipe right a unlimited number of times to find a potential match on its mobile dating app.
  • Flipkart-owned Indian fashion etailer Myntra to make a desktop comeback after going mobile-only in February 2015.
  • Huawei's subsidiary Honor releases a mid-ranged Android smartphone 5C with a 1080p display, 13MP camera (8MP on the front), an octa-core processor, a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, 2GB RAM and 16GB of storage. (Seriously, this is mid-range now?)
  • Popular desktop ad blocking service Adblock Plus will let users tip websites for blocking ads.
  • Read it later service Pocket gets more social a la Twitter; adds options to like and repost stories on recommendation feed.
  • Australian entrepreneur Craig Wright publicly identifies himself as Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto; but retracts later when pressed for proof.

Comments

Post a Comment