The Weekly: 01 August 2013
Highlights
Twitter advertises using our accounts, Chromecast dongle for your TV, health issues with 3D printers, Lomography's new lens, fake Twitter hack, no more 120 film from Fujifilm, Dropbox unlocks new achievement, Apple buys HopStop, Bitcoin banned in Thailand, Moto X is out, Nexus 7 scares Apple
Twitter advertises using our accounts, Chromecast dongle for your TV, health issues with 3D printers, Lomography's new lens, fake Twitter hack, no more 120 film from Fujifilm, Dropbox unlocks new achievement, Apple buys HopStop, Bitcoin banned in Thailand, Moto X is out, Nexus 7 scares Apple
Seems Twitter recently posted advertisements as users' (yes you and me) tweets' endorsements. This is scary from all angles. I personally saw some of my friends tweeting advertisement-like stuff just a couple of days ago. Twitter said they no longer do this as it is invasive. Yeah sure guys. You kill a person, pull out the knife and say you're sorry.
Just last week me and a few geek friends were talking about setting up a cable- and satellite-free home theater system in my new home, and that I may need to buy either a Mac Mini or an Intel NUC for my TV so I watch stuff from the net. Just a week from then, that idea seemed like it came from the dark ages.
Plug the Chromecast into a TV and you can watch anything your mobile device or computer can play in full HD glory. I can't wait for it to arrive in Malaysia. A giant step to a cordless future.
Studies showed that 3D printers emit higher than normal output of plastic particles that, when inhaled, can cause cancer and other diseases. Some people online have been going crazy over the hazard of this type of machine and that they shouldn't even be sold to everyone else.
Well that's the same as gas stoves, bleaches, laser pointers and knives. Just slap a 'Caution' sign and you'll be fine. Don't let your paranoia prevent the rest of us smarter people from getting our 3D printers please.
Pre-Instagram hipster photographers will know what Lomography are. Yes, famous for the revival of Diana+, Holga and all that. They're on Kickstarter now to crowdfund a Petzval lens. This time the product will mount onto Canon EF and Nikon F mounts. This will bring hipster back to photography. Here it is. Watch the amazing video!
Fake Twitter Hack Gone Viral
Chipotle, an Mexican Grill place in USA, faked a Twitter hack and spammed everyone with a huge list of stuff conveniently relevant to their products. Things marketers do to get publicity. Tsk tsk tsk.
From another point of view this could be what Chipotle said to cover the fact that they actually got hacked! That's burritos for thought.
Fujifilm Discontinues 120 Film
I know this has got nothing to do with technology, but somehow I feel compelled to make this known to all you readers out there. As of now only a great deal of toy cameras from Lomography use 120 films. Normal films are 35mm. Why do we use 120 films you ask? Because it's simply more hipster, silly. This is a sad day for hipsters worldwide.
Dropbox Builds For Developers
Finally some storage company is doing this. What is it they're doing that's so cool? Well for the longest time now developers still find it almost impossible to synchronize data across all platforms for users. Now with Dropbox, developers can build an app using Dropbox as the central storage so their clients can sync all their data across all platforms effortlessly. It's not syncing files but data too, which includes file systems which are actual software. Good on you guys, Dropbox!
Apple Buys HopStop
When Apple ditched Google Maps app iOS users were pretty pissed primarily because the Apple Maps were nowhere close to being able to give close-to-decent transit information. In order to fill the gap they just bought HopStop. HopStop is a transit navigation app for train, bus, foot, bike and car with information from over 500 cities. Let's hope this will up the navigation game a little.
From another point of view this could be what Chipotle said to cover the fact that they actually got hacked! That's burritos for thought.
I know this has got nothing to do with technology, but somehow I feel compelled to make this known to all you readers out there. As of now only a great deal of toy cameras from Lomography use 120 films. Normal films are 35mm. Why do we use 120 films you ask? Because it's simply more hipster, silly. This is a sad day for hipsters worldwide.
Finally some storage company is doing this. What is it they're doing that's so cool? Well for the longest time now developers still find it almost impossible to synchronize data across all platforms for users. Now with Dropbox, developers can build an app using Dropbox as the central storage so their clients can sync all their data across all platforms effortlessly. It's not syncing files but data too, which includes file systems which are actual software. Good on you guys, Dropbox!
When Apple ditched Google Maps app iOS users were pretty pissed primarily because the Apple Maps were nowhere close to being able to give close-to-decent transit information. In order to fill the gap they just bought HopStop. HopStop is a transit navigation app for train, bus, foot, bike and car with information from over 500 cities. Let's hope this will up the navigation game a little.
It has begun! Countries without the ability to manipulate its monetary position is only half as strong, as demonstrated by EURO zone. I do hope this ban ends with Thailand, but I got a feeling their move will prompt other government to follow suit.
Moto X Launches
It's the first Motorola phone out since Google's takeover, and it looks heluva good. They've gone the Nokia direction back in the 3210 and 3310 days by giving people the option to customize back cover plates by color and design. It runs vanilla Android inside, pretty typical with many phones these days. It's good to see Motorola finally taking the spotlight again, although most are only paying attention because it is now Google.
New Nexus 7 Breaks New Barrier
When the iPad Mini came out to keep up with, for the first time, Google, it didn't come with Retina Display. Apple had no plans to update the iPad Mini with Retina this year... Not until the new Nexus 7 came out. Cheap as hell, Retina-equivalent display and long battery life. Then all of a sudden there's a leaked rumor on a new iPad Mini with Retina. Win for competition!
Moto X Launches
It's the first Motorola phone out since Google's takeover, and it looks heluva good. They've gone the Nokia direction back in the 3210 and 3310 days by giving people the option to customize back cover plates by color and design. It runs vanilla Android inside, pretty typical with many phones these days. It's good to see Motorola finally taking the spotlight again, although most are only paying attention because it is now Google.
When the iPad Mini came out to keep up with, for the first time, Google, it didn't come with Retina Display. Apple had no plans to update the iPad Mini with Retina this year... Not until the new Nexus 7 came out. Cheap as hell, Retina-equivalent display and long battery life. Then all of a sudden there's a leaked rumor on a new iPad Mini with Retina. Win for competition!
