The Weekly: 02 June 2013
Highlights
Coffee by subscription, Gamepop by subscription, BBM for Android and iOS, Scrolls from makers of Minecraft, Google up calories, Palm-sized Processor, Real life tricorder, Jobs in cinemas, WWDC 2013, PS4 vs Xbox One
Coffee by subscription, Gamepop by subscription, BBM for Android and iOS, Scrolls from makers of Minecraft, Google up calories, Palm-sized Processor, Real life tricorder, Jobs in cinemas, WWDC 2013, PS4 vs Xbox One
Tonx is A Subscription-based Coffee Company
Who says you can't think outside the box? Okay this company is only available in the US right now, but this doesn't mean you can't start something here. Tonx gets subscription from users and send them packs of beans and ground coffee weekly, fresh. If you do, you got my subscription.
Gamepop is giving out subscription to play any Android Mobile game you want on a TV screen. I think it's still just in the US at the moment. I'm not saying this is awesome, I never regarded mobile games as actual games. But what if we can do an Xbox or PS4 monthly fee for all games? That can so work no? *cue PvZ jingle*
BBM for Android and iOS
News has been circulating that BBM could reach the Play Store and App Store by the end of this month. To me the BBM was an awesome platform before the emergence of apps like WhatsApp, Google Hangout, Line, Wechat and many more. The market is very intense, with competitors barely differentiating enough to make matter to consumers.
We want to go where everyone is going. What can BBM offer us besides IM with mini games and funky stickers? Besides security.
Scrolls is Computer Card Game
Take Magic the Gathering, chess and a computer, put it into a pot and stir in mild fire until it turns purply gold. Think this won't become a big game? Many people think the same for 8-bit sandbox games in the market today, until Minecraft. Yup, Scroll is made by the makers of Minecraft.
Google up Calories
You can now Google up calories of food. The list is still pretty limited and the facts very general, but we can be sure they'll get better soon enough. Maybe later Google Glass can identify the food you're taking in and be able to sum up your daily calorie intake vs your workouts. And the potential risk of certain diseases based on your family history. Freaky but cool.
Next Unit of Computing: Intel NUC
Palm-sized processor unit replacing your typical desktop tower. Comes with USB 3.0, Ethernet port and Thunderbolt port. Devices are either packed with Celeron, i3 or i5. Not enough juice? Stack another NUC and get double the power. Still not enough? Keep stacking until you're happy.
Not that 'revolutionary' since the Mac Mini was already out for a while now, except Intel's units are stack-able for desired power.
Scanadu Makes Tricorder
Don't know what's a tricorder? You're not geek enough. I won't explain it here, Google it up! The Scanadu Scout is a medical self-scanner that can read anything in between the heart rate, oximetry, temperature, ECG, HRV, PWTT, Ua and stress levels by simply placing the device against your temple. Sends all information to your smart device. Amazing! Book one from Indiegogo or their website HERE now.
jOBS Coming To Cinemas Soon
August to be exact, provided we will get it the same time as the other side of the world. Not-so-orange Ashton Kutcher stars as Steve Jobs in this biopic. I have read somewhere, sources forgotten, that Steve Wozniak didn't quite approve of this movie's story line. Let us watch and decide.
One thing I'm pretty sure to conclude, the poster looks bizarre.
Woozle!!
US$1.3b, Waze to maintain complete control. Well that gets Waze off the hands of Facebook and Apple. And when you add Google Maps and Waze, you get the perfect partner for every corner.
Apple's WWDC 2013 Creates Love-Hate
Some loved the keynote, others were pretty disappointed by it. I was disappointed. Firstly because the Macbook Air did not come with Retina Display. But I can understand that because I'd frankly rather have better battery life with the Haswell than cooler display.
Then the MacOS 10.9 moved away from cat names to Mavericks. I'm not bothered by it. Better than naming it Grumpy Cat.
The iOS 7 was a complete letdown to me. They took little things from Windows Phone, Android, Blackberry and other third-party apps, threw in disgusting vectors and Gaussian blurring and called it Revolutionary? Come on fellas, you can do better than calling moving wallpapers Parallax Motion and expect everyone to drool over it.
And oh that rubbish bin is a work of art, surely.
PS4 Slaughters Xbox One
When the Xbox announcement came out tagged with all sorts of restrictions over gaming, the PS4 launched without them problematic roadblocks. And it's cheaper than the Xbox. The tides have indeed turned, and it's no thanks to Microsoft thinking their consumers will buy into anything they churn out. I'm sorry but you're not Apple.
News has been circulating that BBM could reach the Play Store and App Store by the end of this month. To me the BBM was an awesome platform before the emergence of apps like WhatsApp, Google Hangout, Line, Wechat and many more. The market is very intense, with competitors barely differentiating enough to make matter to consumers.
We want to go where everyone is going. What can BBM offer us besides IM with mini games and funky stickers? Besides security.
Scrolls is Computer Card Game
Take Magic the Gathering, chess and a computer, put it into a pot and stir in mild fire until it turns purply gold. Think this won't become a big game? Many people think the same for 8-bit sandbox games in the market today, until Minecraft. Yup, Scroll is made by the makers of Minecraft.
You can now Google up calories of food. The list is still pretty limited and the facts very general, but we can be sure they'll get better soon enough. Maybe later Google Glass can identify the food you're taking in and be able to sum up your daily calorie intake vs your workouts. And the potential risk of certain diseases based on your family history. Freaky but cool.
Palm-sized processor unit replacing your typical desktop tower. Comes with USB 3.0, Ethernet port and Thunderbolt port. Devices are either packed with Celeron, i3 or i5. Not enough juice? Stack another NUC and get double the power. Still not enough? Keep stacking until you're happy.
Not that 'revolutionary' since the Mac Mini was already out for a while now, except Intel's units are stack-able for desired power.
Don't know what's a tricorder? You're not geek enough. I won't explain it here, Google it up! The Scanadu Scout is a medical self-scanner that can read anything in between the heart rate, oximetry, temperature, ECG, HRV, PWTT, Ua and stress levels by simply placing the device against your temple. Sends all information to your smart device. Amazing! Book one from Indiegogo or their website HERE now.
August to be exact, provided we will get it the same time as the other side of the world. Not-so-orange Ashton Kutcher stars as Steve Jobs in this biopic. I have read somewhere, sources forgotten, that Steve Wozniak didn't quite approve of this movie's story line. Let us watch and decide.
One thing I'm pretty sure to conclude, the poster looks bizarre.
US$1.3b, Waze to maintain complete control. Well that gets Waze off the hands of Facebook and Apple. And when you add Google Maps and Waze, you get the perfect partner for every corner.
Some loved the keynote, others were pretty disappointed by it. I was disappointed. Firstly because the Macbook Air did not come with Retina Display. But I can understand that because I'd frankly rather have better battery life with the Haswell than cooler display.
Then the MacOS 10.9 moved away from cat names to Mavericks. I'm not bothered by it. Better than naming it Grumpy Cat.
The iOS 7 was a complete letdown to me. They took little things from Windows Phone, Android, Blackberry and other third-party apps, threw in disgusting vectors and Gaussian blurring and called it Revolutionary? Come on fellas, you can do better than calling moving wallpapers Parallax Motion and expect everyone to drool over it.
And oh that rubbish bin is a work of art, surely.
PS4 Slaughters Xbox One
When the Xbox announcement came out tagged with all sorts of restrictions over gaming, the PS4 launched without them problematic roadblocks. And it's cheaper than the Xbox. The tides have indeed turned, and it's no thanks to Microsoft thinking their consumers will buy into anything they churn out. I'm sorry but you're not Apple.
