The Weekly: 02 August 2013
Highlights
Apple EarPods get fix, Google Play Books in the game against iBooks, iPhone 5S soon, new HTC with RDJ, New Lytro stuff in 2014, iPad Mini may Retinize, 3D printers cheaper than buying finished goods, Cheapcast is temporary Chromecast, electric buses in Korea charged by roads, Feedly responds to users, MixBit the new video app.
'Epic' EarPods Get Much Needed Accessory
Apple's new EarPods were supposedly designed for 'the perfect fit' for everyone, so they had to start with the ears. It seems that's where they stopped because EarPods fit less people than the older and more conventional designed earphones. Fuss not, Ohm Industrial Design came out with a quick fix for that. Sprng is a little sleeve extension that tucks one end to the EarPod and the other end under the concha of the ear to keep it from dropping off. Simple solution, really. Too simple for Apple not to have figured out. I wonder if they will sell them here in Malaysia.
If you guys don't dare say it, I will. I am disappointed, Apple.
Google Play Books Challenge iBooks
They fight is finally on, with Google's recent launch of Play Books that will enable purchase and even renting of textbooks. Rentals will last for 6 months, perfect for one semester's usage. Let's hope this will get iBooks to buck up. Available in iOS, and soon, hopefully, Android.
iPhone 5S Launch Predicted September 10
Sources from AllthingsD reported the launch of iPhone 5S to be very soon. Nothing on the cheaper plastic version though. This new device will spot better battery life, dual LED flashes for the camera and preloaded with iOS7. Other than that they expect nothing revolutionary. I hope they're wrong.
HTC Picks Up New Tagline and Robert Downey Jr
'Change' is the tagline replacing the recently dropped Quietly Brilliant, and they even got Downey Jr to become their ambassador constantly throwing punchlines starting with alphabets H, T and C. Here's to change
Lytro Will Be Awesome Come 2014
Lytro is a start up that makes the camera that will allow you to refocus around the composed shot after you took it. Yes it's an expensive camera that can do nothing else but that, and each file will cost you a lot of storage capacity. But they just said they will be competitive again in 2014 by launching some really good software/hardware combo products. Hopefully they'll also make it affordable enough for us puny-money holders.
iPad Mini May Retinize, Or Not
If it's not in their plans, they should replan. After the new Nexus 7, Apple would be silly not to try their hardest to fit retina into their new iPad Mini. We'll know next month I guess.
3D Printers Will Be So Worth It
Some researchers have been calculating a basket of good bought from the local store vs printing them individually, and it will cost almost a thousand times more to buy them. This plus the fact that you cannot customize the products if you buy them. And the fact that you can print replacement parts of a broken-down 3D Printer.
Cheapcast For Temporary Chromecast
For those of us living in the rest of the world Google can't be bothered about, there is a (temporary) solution to the recently raved-about Chromecast. It's a free app called Cheapcast, and it's only available on Android. So plug your phone to your TV's HDMI cable and project videos onto your TV.
Korean Buses Charged Wirelessly By Road
Magnetic chargers on the road will charge the buses as they pass through the 15-mile network. That's electric cars without the need for recharging after every 2 miles. Please don't let the world become like this though. I'm dead scared of the future when this will take over transportation worldwide.
Feedly Actually Listens
Last week Feedly announced they will only support https connection for paid users. Https just means secured connection. Then everyone complained and said https should be given as a standard to all users and not just to paid users. Feedly listened, and agreed. Achievement Unlocked!
MixBit Lets Us Edit Videos For Social
With Vine and then Instagram, it only makes sense that someone will come up with something that will allow us to edit and stitch clips together to make a video. What's better (or worse, depending on how you look at it) MixBIt lets you share clips socially. This will redefine remixed videos forever!
