Archive for September 7, 2016

So…. What Did Apple Announce Today?

Posted in Commentary with tags on September 7, 2016 by itnerd

Shock, Apple announced the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus in one of their media events. You’ll also be shocked to know that it dropped the headphone jack. Okay. You’re not shocked about that as rumors had been floating around in regards to that for some time. But in all seriousness, they did announce quite a bit. Here’s a quick rundown:

  • The Apple Watch “Series 2” was announced. The new Apple Watch is actually swim proof and adds swim tracking to the Workouts app including pool swimming and open water swimming. The Apple Watch speaker is the only unsealed part of the casing and it intelligently ejects water after a workout. It also has a built-in GPS is also included for outdoor running and walking without an iPhone. There’s also available in a new Nike+ version with a special version of the Sports band paired with the aluminum model watch. Nike+ Apple Watch is offered in four color options.Apple Watch Series 2 starts at $369 USD (including Apple Watch Nike+). The “original” Apple Watch gains the same S2 chip at $269 USD (without GPS and swimproof features). Pre-order starts September 9th ahead of release on September 16th. Nike+ models are coming in late October.
  • Pokemon Go is coming to the Apple Watch later this year. Yawn.
  • Apple has announced brand new truly wireless AirPods, premium wireless headphones that work in concert with the iPhone 7. The AirPods are independent separate earbuds, that have sensors in the buds to know when they are inside your ear.They work with both the iPhone and Apple Watch and can switch between them. Dedicated separate charging case delivering 5 hour battery life. A case provides 24 hours of power. If that’s not enough, Apple will be launching a range of new headphones with wireless Solo 3 and wireless Powerbeats 3. They are also launching a new range called BeatsX, which is a cheaper collection that uses cables.
  • macOS Sierra will be kicked out to the world on September 20th. Rejoice as it includes Siri for Mac, Apple Pay, and more. Oh yeah, it’s free.
  • iOS 10 will hit the streets on September 13th. Rejoice as it has a revamped iMessage app with things like stickers and new emoji features, Siri SDK for third-party integration with the personal voice assistant, redesigned Maps app, Faces and object tagging in Photos, and much more. It too will be free.
  • watchOS 3 will be coming on the same day as iOS 10. Surprise, it will be free.
  • Strangely, no mention of when tvOS will make an appearance.

  • Finally the iPhone 7 will start at $649 USD for the entry-level 32GB model and move up the usual premium for 128GBs and the new 256GB high-end model. The iPhone 7 Plus will be priced at its usual premium starting at $769 USD (32GB) and up from there for the 128G, and 256GB models. The new iPhone 7 models will go up for preorder on Friday, Sept 9 and launch on Sept 16.  Why should you get one? Here’s some reasons why:

    • Redesigned Home button with Taptic engine
    • A10 Fusion four-core CPU
    • Water and dust resistant enclosure
    • 12 Megapixel cameras with new quad-led True Tone flash
    • Dual-camera system for enhanced zoom on Plus models
    • Optical image stabilization in all iPhone 7 and 7 Plus models
    • Lightning Earpods + Lightning to 3.5mm adapter in box
    • Color options: New glossy “Jet black”, second “black” finish with black logo, silver, gold, and rose gold
    • Repositioned antennas

Now if you missed the event, Apple will post a replay that the public can get access to. As soon as the link is live, I will post it here.

UPDATE: Here’s a link to the video.

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Samsung’s Rush To Beat Apple Led To Exploding Batteries?

Posted in Commentary with tags on September 7, 2016 by itnerd

A report in Reuters is claiming that Samsung’s rush to beat Apple to market with new phones has led to a drop in quality, which in turn has led to the exploding battery fiasco that they are now facing:

“Samsung might have over-exerted itself trying to pre-empt Apple, since everybody knows the iPhones launch in September,” said Chang Sea-Jin, business professor at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology and author of “Sony vs. Samsung”, a history of the electronics giants.

“It’s an unfortunate event; it feels like Samsung rushed a bit, and it’s possible that this led to suppliers also being hurried.”

The last sentence should catch your attention because Samsung has fingered an un-named supplier in terms of the exploding batteries. One of those makers is Samsung:

Samsung SDI, one of two makers of batteries for the Note 7 – the other has not been identified – said it had not received notice from Samsung Electronics regarding its batteries and declined to comment further, including whether its batteries were found to be faulty. The company declined to comment on a local media report that it had production difficulties and struggled to meet orders in time.

So, it sounds like they either pushed themselves too hard, or some third party. Either way, it’s not good for Samsung. I fully expect Apple to make a comment about this in their media event just to highlight why people should buy an iPhone 7.

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Netatmo Reveals Its New Visual Identity

Posted in Commentary with tags on September 7, 2016 by itnerd

For its 5th anniversary, Netatmo reveals its new visual identity. The new graphic chart includes a new logo, a new graphic design and the creation of different product categories – corresponding to each area of the connected home.

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With all letters in uppercase, Netatmo’s new logo uses a slightly reworked Proxima typeface and refined sans-serif font. It becomes more visible and is easy to read. This new logo has been created by Netatmo’s internal graphics studio. Netatmo’s new logo portrays the company’s success and ambition: famous for its dynamism, Netatmo stands out on the smart home market due to its innovative approach. Combining modernity and dynamism, the Proxima typeface has been applied to all of the brand’s media communications: the website, mobile phone applications and printed documents.

Present in several areas of the connected home, Netatmo products and accessories are now grouped under three categories:

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Weather represented by the atmospheric motions icon. This covers the Personal Weather Station, the Additional Module, the Rain Gauge, and the Wind Gauge.

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Energy represented by the heat flow icon. This covers the Smart Thermostat and the Smart Radiator Valves.

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Security represented by the fingerprint icon. This covers the Welcome, the indoor security camera; Presence, the outdoor security camera and the Tags.

As of today, all packaging displays the new visual identity. Look out for them at your local retailer.

 

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NewerTech Announces NewerTech NuGuard KX Case for iPhone 7 and 7 Plus

Posted in Commentary with tags on September 7, 2016 by itnerd

NewerTech has announced the NewerTech NuGuard KX case for the upcoming iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. Unlike other protective cases for iPhone, the KX case uses state­-of-­the-­art military-grade X­Orbing Gel Technology to absorb and evenly distribute kinetic energy. This revolutionary technology is engineered into a one-piece design that features a hard outer shell integrated with a soft interior core, providing protection and style at a price you’d pay for a regular case. Incredibly thin at ½”, it protects your iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus against accidental drops, impacts, and scratches, while still easily fitting in your pocket.

Innovative Design, Incredible Impact Protection, and Lifetime Replacement Guarantee

Like NuGuard KX cases for other iPhone models, the KX case for iPhone 7 and 7 Plus provides enhanced protection around the device’s screen without interfering with edge­to­edge touch accessibility. Easily type messages with full access to the keyboard and organize apps across multiple screens. Simply use your new iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus as you normally would, but with the peace of mind of military-grade protection. Precision cutouts give access to all of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus ports and buttons. The new KX case features a unique crosshatch-texture on the back and sides for a comfortable grip in your hand and a strong grip on smooth surfaces, while still being able to quickly slip out of your pocket or bag. The strongest case also deserves the best warranty — KX cases ship with a lifetime-replacement guarantee.

NuGuard KX Case Features:

  • Revolutionary X­Orbing Gel Technology absorbs and evenly distributes kinetic energy. 
  • One piece design: hard outer shell integrated with soft interior core.
  • Exceptional protection without being bulky.
  • Fast and simple to install — takes seconds.
  • Easy access to all ports and buttons.
  • Crosshatch-texture design offers secure hand grip, yet easy pocket removal.
  • Lifetime replacement guarantee.
  • No risk, no hassle 30­-day money-back guarantee.

The KX cases for iPhone 7 and 7 Plus are available starting September 7, 2016 from NewerTech.com at: http://www.newertech.com/ipad-iphone-ipod/iphone.php.

The KX Case for iPhone 7 MSRP: $49.99 ($29.99 at most outlets). The KX Case for iPhone 7 Plus MSRP: $59.99 ($33.99 at most outlets).

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A Giant Tetris Tournament On The Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality Building

Posted in Commentary on September 7, 2016 by itnerd

Last week a giant Tetris tournament took place on the Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality building.

Two huge joysticks (1.5m*1.5m) were placed at Rabin Square inviting residents and visitors to play against each other on the Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality building that served as a huge, 3,000 square meter screen made up of 480 led lights.

The games Snake and Pong were also available to play and all games will be accessible for the public on every Thursday after dark.

The tournament took place to mark the DLD Tel Aviv Innovation Festival, which will take place on Sept. 25-29, 2016.

Here’s a video showing this game in action:

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