Fresh off selling its mobile-phone business to Microsoft, Nokia is turning its attention to another area potentially ripe for rapid technological change: smarter cars.
Nokia Growth Partners, the company's venture capital group, plans to invest $100 million into companies that bring more computing and communications technology to cars, the company said in conjunction with this week's Global Mobile Internet Conference.
"The car is really becoming a platform like when the mobile handset became a smartphone and all the apps and services developed around that," Nokia Growth partner Paul Asel told Bloomberg.
Nokia has a significant presence in auto electronics through its Navteq division, which supplies mapping and navigation data for vehicle sat-nav systems. Through its Here brand, Nokia's technology extends to smartphones and tablets, too; the company has 6,000 employees working on mapping technology. But much bigger changes are afoot that go beyond navigation and likely mean driving will become a profoundly different experience.
The auto industry, prodded by Google, is moving toward a more radical transformation involving self-driving cars, car-to-car communications, platooning that links cars into efficient highway trains, andcoordinated city transportation infrastructure.
"We're seeing innovation that's happening across the auto ecosystem through the combination of mobility and the Internet," Asel said.
Nokia has struggled financially in recent years as its mobile-phone business struggled competitively, but Nokia Growth Partners has been a bright spot, Rajeev Suri, Nokia's new chief executive, said in a statement Monday.
"NGP has been consistently performing well bringing in both new innovation and financial return to Nokia," Suri said. "Our new $100 million venture fund launched today further underlines our belief that the connected car is a significant growth opportunity where NGP is poised to make great investments."
Fresh off selling its mobile-phone business to Microsoft, Nokia is turning its attention to another area potentially ripe for rapid technological change: smarter cars.
Nokia Growth Partners, the company's venture capital group, plans to invest $100 million into companies that bring more computing and communications technology to cars, the company said in conjunction with this week's Global Mobile Internet Conference.
"The car is really becoming a platform like when the mobile handset became a smartphone and all the apps and services developed around that," Nokia Growth partner Paul Asel told Bloomberg.
Nokia has a significant presence in auto electronics through its Navteq division, which supplies mapping and navigation data for vehicle sat-nav systems. Through its Here brand, Nokia's technology extends to smartphones and tablets, too; the company has 6,000 employees working on mapping technology. But much bigger changes are afoot that go beyond navigation and likely mean driving will become a profoundly different experience.
The auto industry, prodded by Google, is moving toward a more radical transformation involving self-driving cars, car-to-car communications, platooning that links cars into efficient highway trains, andcoordinated city transportation infrastructure.
"We're seeing innovation that's happening across the auto ecosystem through the combination of mobility and the Internet," Asel said.
Nokia has struggled financially in recent years as its mobile-phone business struggled competitively, but Nokia Growth Partners has been a bright spot, Rajeev Suri, Nokia's new chief executive, said in a statement Monday.
"NGP has been consistently performing well bringing in both new innovation and financial return to Nokia," Suri said. "Our new $100 million venture fund launched today further underlines our belief that the connected car is a significant growth opportunity where NGP is poised to make great investments."
The Surface 2 is one of the precious few exceptions of a Windows tablet with 4G. Problem is, it runs Windows RT not the full version of Windows 8.Microsoft
Apple started making cellular-capable tablets in April 2010, but four years later most Windows-Intel tablets are still Wi-Fi only. One would charitably call that being late to the tablet party.
The tablet isn't a novel device anymore. You might even call it a mature market. IDC said Thursday that worldwide tablet shipments (including 2-in-1 hybrid devices) showed only 3.9 percent growth over the same period a year ago.
And 2014 will be a "challenging year ahead for the category" with the "the rise of large-screen phones," IDC added.
So, what's the state of the Windows 8.1 tablet in 2014 ? While there are some decent new designs from the likes of Dell ($249 Venue Pro 8) and Lenovo ($399 ThinkPad 8), there are precious few with 4G/LTE.
The SlideStand can prop up your phone at a variety of angles.SlideStand
In my ideal universe, pizza is a health food, "The Matrix" sequels were never created, and all smartphones come with built-in stands.
It's getting there. I order my pizza with light cheese and extra sauce (it's less unhealthy, anyway), and I pretend those two "Matrix" abominations don't exist.
The SlideStand adds very little thickness to your phone.SlideStand
As for the third thing, it's unlikely to ever happen. Fortunately, there's an easy, inexpensive new solution: SlideStand, a low-profile add-on that works with nearly any phone.
It normally sells for $7.99 -- already a perfectly good deal -- but here's a Cheapskate exclusive for you: A SlideStand for just $5.59 when you apply discount code SS30M at checkout. Shipping to the U.S. adds $3.25, bringing your out-the-door total to $8.84. (Note that you'll need either Bitcoin or PayPal to make your purchase.)
This adhesive piece of plastic measures roughly 2.6 inches long by 1.6 inches wide. Better still, it's all of 3mm thick, so you hardly notice it's there. Until, that is, you fold out its multi-position arm, which can hold your phone upright (for portrait viewing) or on its side. The vast majority of kickstand cases I see offer only landscape positioning, which I find less than ideal for reading.
The SlideStand comes in an assortment of colors, several of which I must admit to finding kind of tacky. Red and purple? Pink and green? All-black or all-white for me, please. (Fortunately, those are among the options.) Of course, to each their own.
I stuck a SlideStand to the back of my iPhone's case and found that it worked splendidly for a variety of viewing angles. I'm concerned about the arm losing its stiffness over time, but for now it's just what this doctor ordered.
If there's a downside, it's that the adhesive is semi-permanent, meaning you can't remove the stand from your phone and then reapply it. You can, however, remove it without fear of leaving behind any residue, at least according to the the SlideStand folks.
Often you see little gizmo-accessories like this selling for $15-20, but I think $7.99 is a great price. And with the 30-percent-off code, it's even better. Buy some for early stocking-stuffers, dad/grad gifts, or whatever. Of course, if even $5.59 is too rich for your blood, there are plenty of DIY smartphone stands that don't cost a penny.
Bonus deal: If you're a desktop user who's into video editing, game playing, or media centering, you can't have too much storage. So here's a seriously unbeatable upgrade: TigerDirect has the Seagate Barracuda 4TB SATA III internal hard drive for $139.99 shipped. That's after applying coupon codeHLL125101 at checkout. That's a four-terabyte drive, people. Warranty: two years. User reviews: stellar. Deal: smokin'.
Bonus deal No. 2: If you're anything like me, you're looking extra stout about the tum after a winter of stress eating. (Hey, it was cold!) The best tools for weight loss are, of course, tech-powered tools, which is why I've started a new DietBet that kicks off this Thursday. Join me! The buy-in is $50, but you stand to make at least that much at the end of four weeks if you hit your goal. And remember: eating less saves you money!
Apple has secretly been bolstering its employee base with several medical professionals, according to a new report.
The technology pacesetter has been quietly hiring a medical team made up of senior medical technology executives who previously worked in the biotech field, Reuters is reporting, citing LinkedIn pages and sources who claim to have knowledge of the company's efforts. Most of the hires have some expertise in medical sensor technology, which could allow for Apple products to analyze everything from blood-sugar levels to heart rate.
Health, fitness, and medical care have caught the eye of major technology companies. Samsung, for example, has built several health-related features into its Galaxy S5, and many wearable technology devices today have similar elements. Samsung is even planning an event later this month to talk about health.Apple is believed to be working on some sort of wearable device, to be unveiled this year, that would use sensors and other technology to track health. Although it was initially believed that Apple's long-awaited iWatch would launch this year, it seems a bit more likely now that Apple will instead launch a "smartband" in partnership with Nike that will deliver those features.
According to Reuters, Apple might go further than that. The news service spoke with a "mobile health executive," who said that Apple could be planning to build out a full health services platform, delivering all kinds of health-related apps to track and monitor a person's health.
Apple plans to achieve these goals, according to Reuters, by enlisting some of the top experts in the bio medical field. The company has already brought on Chief Medical Officer Michael O'Reilly from Masimo Corp, a firm that specializes in non-invasive oxygen-saturation detection, called pulse oximetry. Apple has also hired Ravi Narasimhan, who previously worked as vice president for Vital Connect, which provides full tracking information on standard human vitals, such as heart rate.
Rumors have been swirling for months, suggesting that Apple is getting serious about making a splash in the health field, and this latest report appears to make that point all the more. So far, however, Apple hasn't confirmed any plans, so it's tough to say whether the company will launch any health-related features or devices this year.
Amazon unveiled a partnership with Twitter on Monday that may signal that the future of shopping lies in your social media feed.
Starting today, Twitter users can link their accounts to an Amazon account, and automatically add items to the shopping cart by responding to any tweet with an Amazon product link with the hashtag #AmazonCart. Customers never leave the Twitter feed, and the product is waiting for them when they head over to Amazon.
It's potentially a new business model for Twitter, which so far has relied on sponsored tweets for revenue, but has struggled both with growth and figuring out a way to make money off its 255 million monthly active users. For Amazon, adding another convenient way for its consumers to buy its products just fuels its primary business.
An Amazon spokeswoman said Twitter doesn't get revenue from the items added to the shopping carts through #AmazonCart, but declined to further discuss its relationship with Twitter.
"We are certainly open to working with other social networks," said the Amazon spokeswoman. "Twitter in particular offers a great environment for our customers to discover product recommendations from artists, experts, brands and friends."
A Twitter spokesman wasn't immediately available to comment.
Customers who have already linked their Twitter and Amazon accounts will be notified with a reply tweet from @MyAmazon and get an email from Amazon when an item is added to the cart. Customers who haven't yet linked their accounts will get receive a tweet reply asking them to do so to enable the feature.
It's not clear, however, whether consumers will embrace #AmazonCart. As all tweets are public, people risk publicizing their purchasing decisions by responding to a Tweet with that hashtag. The program could also lead to advertisers sending out more tweets with Amazon product links.
Amazon made it clear on its site that the tweet only adds the item to your cart, and isn't a confirmation for purchase. You would still have to go to Amazon later to check out and pay for the product.
Amazon customers in the UK can use #AmazonBasket to add items to their shopping carts starting today.
It's all explainable. In a way.
Funny OR die
I imagine them in a duel.
On one side, a scientist with the latest laser-blasting bazooka. On
the other, a believer with nothing more than a Bible and certainty.
At heart, though, they don't need to fight. Plenty of scientists are
deeply religious. Plenty of deeply religious people still leave a place
for science in their hearts (if not their souls).
Can't we all just get along? Oh, of course we can't.
Bill Nye debates creationist Ken Ham and neither seems to get anywhere with the other.
Moreover, those labeled creationists complain that Neil DeGrasse Tyson
hasn't left room for their version of life as we don't know it in his
fine series "Cosmos."
It is left, therefore, to comedians to bridge the gap between the two entrenched armies of truth.
The sometimes satanically amusing people at Funny Or Die
thought they'd take it upon themselves as a penance of peace to create a
creationist version of "Cosmos" and satisfy the cries of those who
claim they're not heard. Except, perhaps, on a Sunday. Why not
present a more fundamentalist explanation of our world's existence and
history? Why not depict Earth as less an example of evolution and more
the result of divine intervention?
Some might feel that Timothy
Simons (the not-so-Biblical Jonah in "Veep") is less immediately
persuasive than Tyson. He's a little too much like a Ph.D student,
rather than a seasoned professor.
He does, though, present an
uplifting and sincere air, as he explains the world's existence with
short words, short sentences and, indeed, a very short series.
After all, if there's only one explanation for everything, there are few mysteries left to be unraveled.
My own experience suggests the world is an absurd place, full of nonsense and non-sequiturs.
My
sense of humor would, therefore, be entirely appeased if scientists
worked for another few hundred years to unlock life's mysteries -- only
to discover, at the very, very end, a ten-legged being wearing a t-shirt
that said "God," laughing his/her/its head off at the sheer
insignificance of man.
It's all explainable. In a way.
Funny OR die
I imagine them in a duel.
On one side, a scientist with the latest laser-blasting bazooka. On
the other, a believer with nothing more than a Bible and certainty.
At heart, though, they don't need to fight. Plenty of scientists are
deeply religious. Plenty of deeply religious people still leave a place
for science in their hearts (if not their souls).
Can't we all just get along? Oh, of course we can't.
Bill Nye debates creationist Ken Ham and neither seems to get anywhere with the other.
Moreover, those labeled creationists complain that Neil DeGrasse Tyson
hasn't left room for their version of life as we don't know it in his
fine series "Cosmos."
It is left, therefore, to comedians to bridge the gap between the two entrenched armies of truth.
The sometimes satanically amusing people at Funny Or Die
thought they'd take it upon themselves as a penance of peace to create a
creationist version of "Cosmos" and satisfy the cries of those who
claim they're not heard. Except, perhaps, on a Sunday. Why not
present a more fundamentalist explanation of our world's existence and
history? Why not depict Earth as less an example of evolution and more
the result of divine intervention?
Some might feel that Timothy
Simons (the not-so-Biblical Jonah in "Veep") is less immediately
persuasive than Tyson. He's a little too much like a Ph.D student,
rather than a seasoned professor.
He does, though, present an
uplifting and sincere air, as he explains the world's existence with
short words, short sentences and, indeed, a very short series.
After all, if there's only one explanation for everything, there are few mysteries left to be unraveled.
My own experience suggests the world is an absurd place, full of nonsense and non-sequiturs.
My
sense of humor would, therefore, be entirely appeased if scientists
worked for another few hundred years to unlock life's mysteries -- only
to discover, at the very, very end, a ten-legged being wearing a t-shirt
that said "God," laughing his/her/its head off at the sheer
insignificance of man.
Google's
one-day Google Glass sale has proven to be a success. In just a few
short hours, the white "Cotton" version of the wearable has sold out. "Wow, what a morning! We're happy to see so many new faces (and frames) in the Explorer Program," the Google Glass team wrote on its Google+ page. "Just a quick update that -- ack -- we've sold out of Cotton (white), so things are moving really fast." Likewise, the company posted to Twitter, "Yikes, we're out of Cotton." Google opened up sales
of its computer-enabled eyeglass to the general public for the first
time ever on Tuesday. With its one-day online sale, the company offered
any US resident the ability to buy the Google Glass Explorer Edition at
the regular price of $1,500. With the purchase, the company also threw
in a free accessory, like frames or shades. Before Tuesday's sale only a few thousand people, mostly developers, owned the device. Google plans to make Glass available to everyone within this year. Google
Glass is the company's foray into a wearable computer. The device comes
in the form of eyeglasses that can record videos, take photos, chat,
get directions, look up facts on the Web, and more. While many people
have been wowed by the device, it has caused some issues with lawmakers, casinos, bar-owners, and bystanders who don't want to be recorded. Even
though the Cotton version of Glass has sold out, as of this writing the
Charcoal, Tangerine, Shale, and Sky versions are still available.
Google plans to end its Glass sale on Wednesday, April 16 at 6 a.m. PT.
The devices will be shipped to consumers within five to seven business
days. When CNET contacted Google for more specifics on the Glass sales, the company declined to comment.
The Dell Venue 8 Pro has been well received but Windows tablet numbers overall are small.
Dell
When Intel announced its tablet numbers for the first quarter on Tuesday, it was clear that Android buried Windows. Intel CEO Brian Krzanich said during the company's first-quarter earnings conference call that out of the 5 million tablet processors shipped "80 to 90 percent" were for Android and the rest Windows. That
leaves a pretty small number for Windows, underscoring the uphill
battle Microsoft is fighting against Android and Apple in the tablet market. "Windows
tablet numbers in general have been pretty modest," said Bob O'Donnell,
founder and chief analyst Technalysis Research. The problem is, a pure Windows tablet experience doesn't have a lot to offer when compared with Android and Apple. "Consumers
using Windows want more of a PC experience. And they're going to get
that from a device that has a keyboard," he said. O'Donnell continued. "That's why you see the latest updates to Windows 8.1 are pretty much focused [on adding] keyboard [functionality]. The keyboard angle of a PC is so essential." And
how does Intel define a tablet? "The 5 million shipments (and 40
million full year target) does not include 2-in-1s. [Those] are
reflected in [PC Client Group] results," said an Intel spokesman. "The primary difference is, if it detaches, that's a tablet; if it just folds over, that's a 2 in 1," he said. Indeed,
that kind of 2-in-1 that folds over -- like the Lenovo Yoga -- is very
laptop-like and a far cry from a tablet like an Apple iPad Air or
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3. Intel's PC revenue in the first quarter was
$7.94 billion, down from $8.54 billion a year earlier. And global
shipments of PCs have continued to fall, down 1.7 percent in the first
quarter of 2013, according to Gartner. On the other hand, the kind
of devices that would be categorized as a tablet include the Surface
Pro 2 and HP Spectre 13 x2, as both detach completely from the keyboard
and can be used as a pure tablet. In 2013, Gartner said that about 4 million Windows tablets shipped worldwide. That compares with 121 million Android and 70 million Apple tablets. Intel
thinks it has a solution, though. The chipmaker will increase the
amount it allocates to device makers to order to incentivize them to
bring out more Intel-based tablets, Stacy Smith, Intel 's chief
financial officer said Tuesday. But the question is, how much of that money will flow to Android tablet makers and how much to Windows.
An Amazon fulfillment center.
Oli Scarff/Getty Images
Amazon Prime's US members have until tomorrow to decide on whether they can swallow a $20 increase to their membership fees, as the hike raises questions about the two-day shipping program's real value. There
is an assumption that in addition to predictable, two-day shipping,
Prime customers end up saving money vs. non-Prime members, with the
membership fees often compared to the fees customers pay to join
warehouse clubs that offer bulk discounts. But CNET took a look at a
number of products and found that isn't always the case. In some
cases, certain products under Prime actually cost more than their
non-Prime counterpart, with the shipping fees baked in. For example, the
PlayStation 4
dual shock wireless controller costs $59.96 through Prime. A non-Prime
seller had the same item listed for $52.32 with a $3.99 shipping cost,
bringing the total to $56.22. The difference is mere dollars, but that
might be enough to sway shoppers. "I spend fairly large amounts at
Amazon but I was even starting to wonder if $79 was a reasonable
price," one customer wrote in an Amazon forum post about the fee increase.
"I have noticed that a large number of Prime items seem to cost more
already...This last year, more of the stores I encounter locally and
online have lower prices." Amazon Prime is an important part of
the company's plans for revenue growth on its retail side. Most of
Amazon's products and services, from the Kindle Fire tablets
to its video streaming service, are designed to drive customers to
Prime, which in turn will spark a higher frequency of online shopping on
it site. As a result, it has had to be sensitive about raising the fees
on the service. Any members who sign up after Thursday will have
to pay the new $99 per year membership fee. Any existing members who
renew their memberships after Thursday will also pay the new fee (so if
it's almost time for you to renew, you might want to renew early to lock
in the old $79 price for the next year). The membership provides
unlimited two-day shipping on 20 million Prime-eligible products as well
as unlimited access to Prime video streaming and the Kindle e-book
lending library. While Amazon says the hike will help cover rising
transportation costs, it has also had the unintentional effect of
causing some to pause and re-consider its value. But, most members seem
fixated on shipping and not the other perks. "I set my iCal
reminders for two weeks prior to expiration to 'END AMAZON PRIME
MEMBERSHIP,'" another customer wrote in Amazon's customer forums. "This
increase is a joke. Drone package deliveries, your own TV series, well, I
don't want to pay for it. I buy mostly camera gear, and B&H has
free shipping and great promotions without charging $99 a year. Thank
you for waking me up." Amazon, for its part, believes the value of
Prime shipping is on reliably knowing when a product will arrive at
your doorstep. The primary benefit isn't in price, but the two-day
delivery. "The comparison is only relevant if you include two-day
shipping on both purchases because Prime is a shipping service, not a
pricing program. Otherwise, you are comparing apples to oranges," Amazon
spokeswoman Julie Law said. Shoppers who don't pay for Prime can
still get free standard shipping on Prime-eligible items, but they have
to buy $35 worth of items, and it is delivered in three to five days.
Those who can't stomach the fee increase will just have to wait a bit
longer for their goods to arrive. The other products on Amazon are
sold and shipped by third-party merchants on the Amazon Marketplace, a
way to sell items that is similar to eBay. These sellers set their own
prices, ones that Amazon says its tries to beat. But, Amazon is not
trying to hide that some non-Prime items are cheaper. Law pointed to a Dirt Devil vacuum cleaner filter
listing that has includes a note that reads, "This item may be
available at a lower price from other sellers that are not eligible for
Amazon Prime." "I know it's complex, that's why we try really to
make it transparent as possible for the customers," Law said. Not all
items that have cheaper counterparts have this note, though. CNET
did a few comparisons and found that while Prime products were more
expensive in some of Amazon's top selling categories, there were also
some categories where Prime products were the much cheaper options. To
do the comparisons, we checked the price of Prime-eligible products
versus those non-Prime products that are also listed for sale. We used
items from Amazon's top selling products categories: toys, electronics,
camera and photo, video games, books, and clothing. We also tested out
household products because it's an area Amazon has been focused on. Household items, like laundry detergent or toothpaste, require frequent replenishing and encourage repeat purchases. To
get a sampling, we picked five items from each category and made two
separate shopping carts, Prime and non-Prime with identical items. It's
important to note that Amazon's prices are dynamic, and change so
frequently that some of these items may actually cost less or more now,
compared to when the comparisons were conducted
The Samsung Galaxy S5 is selling like warmed baked goods The Samsung Galaxy S5 is flying off the shelves, selling twice as many as the Galaxy S4 on launch day in the UK, with more than 9 out of 10 phones sold signed up to 4G contracts.
UK mobile phone retailers Phones 4U and Carphone Warehouse have
revealed that sales of the S5 were more than double that of the S4 on
its first day alone. The two big street staples say that pre-orders for
the new phone were "significantly" higher than its predecessor, with
Carphone Warehouse claiming sales 150 per cent of the S5 on day one.
And a whopping 95 percent of S5 contract sales at Carphone
Warehouse and 99 percent at Phones 4U saw phone fans signing up to 4G
contracts. 4G is still at a relatively early stage in Britain, but
it seems the S5 has arrived at the point when it's reached wide enough
coverage and hit price levels phone fans are willing to embrace. Both retail chains are partnered with Samsung to run dedicated Samsung Experience shops across Britain and Europe, the first of which opened just in time for the S5 launch. Samsung will be pleased: although the S4 undeniably did boffo business -- more than ten million shipped in its first month -- sales were a little slower than expected and didn't see the explosive growth of previous models. Speaking to Reuters, Yoon Han-kil, senior vice president of Samsung's product strategy team, said the S5 is "selling faster than the S4 so far."
The strategy with the S5 is not to fill it with gimmicks and bloatware.
"With the S4, we thought smartphones shouldn't just focus on hardware.
They also had to come with a lot of software and services, and that line
of thinking did lead us to cram many services into the device," Yoon
continues. By contrast, with the S5, "We decided not to put in so many
things and only include what the user really needs, so I cut out a lot
of services and software."
Canva's graphic design software
Canva
Guy
Kawasaki was on Apple's front line in the 1980s leading the charge to
convince developers to use the Macintosh. A well-known figure in Silicon
Valley, Kawasaki was the company's first chief evangelist, whose job
it was to make sure the Mac stood a chance against incumbent IBM by
winning hearts and minds among applications developers. Obviously, other culminating factors helped put the Mac on the map. There was an elaborate launch keynote by a young Steve Jobs
-- an early example of the kind of rousing presentation Apple's former
chief executive would become famous for delivering. And don't forget the
launch of Macworld, a magazine devoted to the machine, as well as a
now-iconic Super Bowl ad called "1984" by director Ridley Scott. But
Kawasaki hopes he can repeat his success at Apple as the chief
evangelist for a little-known, Sydney-based design tech company called Canva.
The startup makes free software that lets people design graphics for
use in blog posts, or on business cards, fliers, posters, or
presentations. The company announced Kawasaki's appointment on
Wednesday. "Apple was my first platform to democratize something,
which was computing," he said, referring to the Mac's role in bringing
personal computing to mainstream consumers. "Now, this is the way to
democratize design."
Guy Kawasaki
Canva's
software is in line with a greater trend that sees the Web catering to a
do-it-yourself mentality, from the growing popularity of 3D printing
with companies like MakerBot and Shapeways, to the online storefront
network Etsy. There are other graphic design tools, like the
venerable Adobe Illustrator. Kawasaki said the goal isn't to snake away
users from other software but to attract people who weren't doing any
designing to begin with. "It's about making the pie bigger," he said. Canva
was co-founded in August 2012 by Melanie Perkins, Cliff Obrecht, and
Cameron Adams. Perkins and Obrecht originally ran an e-publishing
platform for yearbooks, and spun out Canva from there. Since the
product launched last summer, the company said it has 330,000 registered
users who create 100,000 new designs a week and have collectively
created more than 1.5 million designs on the site. Kawasaki said
he learned of Canva because a woman who helps handle his social media
accounts was using it to create graphics for him. The company contacted
him three weeks ago after seeing his name in its user database. Outside
of Apple, Kawasaki has written several books, founded the venture
capital firm Garage.com, and started firms like the Mac database company
ACIUS and Alltop, a news aggregation site. But he hasn't donned the
evangelical title since working for Apple. Why would Kawasaki get
back in that saddle again? When asked, he paused, and the eloquent
Kawasaki stammered for the only time during our conversation. "It's
basically an emotional decision. Contrary to what many people believe, I
think that something like this is falling in love," he said. Typically,
he gets pitched on things constantly, then consults with his wife and
friends, and brushes the projects off. "I can tell you with great
honesty that this is the first time in my career that I didn't check
with anybody before deciding to do it. Then I let all my best friends
know." The biggest difference
between cheerleading a product now versus while he was at Apple is just
how powerful the communication channels have become. In 1997, he had
44,000 email addresses on his email list -- nothing to scoff at. Now, he
said he has more than 8 million followers across his social media
networks. To get the word out about Canva, he plans to do things like
writing blog posts on how to leverage the software and perform demos
during speaking engagements. While the software is intriguing,
there's got to be something more to attract a Silicon Valley big wig
like Kawasaki. After all, Apple didn't stop with the Mac and went on the
create the iPod and iPhone. Kawasaki said Canva has plans for
expansion, but he's mum about details. "Let's just say it's more than
designing online," he said.
The 8GB iPhone 5C is now selling in Italy, among other countriese Apple's new 8GB iPhone 5C is expanding its reach around the world.
As of this week, the 8GB version is available in six more countries, specifically the Netherlands, Italy, Sweden, Belgium, Poland, and the Czech Republic. The online Apple Store for all six regions show the lower-cost 5C as in stock and ready to ship within 24 hours.
Apple introduced the 8GB iPhone 5C in March
to consumers in the UK, France, Germany, Australia, and China to add to
the 16GB and 32GB editions. The new variant is not available in the US.
The decision to offer an even cheaper version of the 5C throughout the
world comes amid weak sales for the phone in general.
Will the 8GB version light a fire under sales of the 5C? Not likely.
Consumers
have expressed a strong preference for the 5S over the 5C. At Apple's
first-quarter conference call in January, even CEO Tim Cook
acknowledged that the 5S has grabbed the higher mix of sales.
The
5C's poor reception extends internationally. A report out last month
from China-based analytics firm Umeng found that the
5C picked up only 2 percent of the traffic on its network compared with 15 percent for the iPhone 5 and 12 percent for the 5S.
And with the iPhone 6
expected to launch in September, users who don't need a new phone will
likely sit tight the next few months to see what Apple cooks up next.
Buying last year's model often pays off when you're buying a new car.
It can also save you big bucks when you're shopping for a new
smartphone. Indeed, Samsung released its new Galaxy S5
on Friday on all four major wireless networks. There are a few
noticeable changes in the S5 compared to the S4, despite a couple of
much-talked-about new features on the S5. But most experts agree that
the technical differences between an S4 and an S5 are minor.
Instead, the biggest difference is the price tag. The older S4 is at least $100 less expensive than the brand new S5.
So what is a prospective smartphone subscriber to do? I answer that very question in this edition of Ask Maggie.
Galaxy S4 vs. Galaxy S5
Dear Maggie, I
need a new smartphone. I know I want a Samsung Galaxy. But I'm a little
torn about which one to get. I've also heard that you can get a good
discount on last year's model. Is it worth it to get the newer Galaxy S5
or could I get a good deal on the Galaxy S4 and still be happy? Thanks, Undecided smartphone shopper
Dear Undecided smartphone shopper,
Samsung's
Galaxy S5 is a modest improvement over the Galaxy S4. It has a faster
processor, slightly better camera, improved display and other tweaks
that according to my CNET Reviews colleague Jessica Dolcourt make the S5 "a superior superphone that hits every mark."
However
the improvements are minor. And even though they add up to offer a
better performing device over the Galaxy S4, you still have to ask
yourself if the added features are worth the extra cash. As you noted in
your question, the Galaxy S4 is at least $100 less expensive than the
newer Galaxy S5 released on all four major carriers this week.
Jessica said it best:
With
the exception of a few nonessential hardware and software additions --
like the fingerprint scanner and novel heart-rate monitor -- and a few
design tweaks, you're pretty much looking at the same phone Samsung
released in 2013.
She added that the S5 is more of a Galaxy S4 Plus than a revolutionary new device.
I
agree. Even when it comes to the design of the phone, the two look
almost identical. The S5 is slightly larger, a tad thicker and bit
heavier than the S4. It has the same plastic casing, but the newer S5
has a dimpled back that's supposed to feel more like faux leather.
Personally,
I don't think the design tweaks are enough to make me choose the S5
over the S4. And even though some of the upgrades to the processor and
the software make it run a bit more smoothly than its predecessor, these
are still not enhancements that change the experience drastically
enough for me to choose it over a less expensive S4. Galaxy S5I
am also completely unimpressed with the much talked about heart-rate
monitor that is included in the Galaxy S5 and is missing in the Galaxy
S4. This feature seems to me as if it's more of a novelty than an
everyday functional feature. In fact, I can't imagine anyone really
using this feature on a regular basis. Since it's lacking compared to
some of the full-functioning fitness bands on the market, my guess is
that hardcore fitness buffs would still use another gadget in addition
to the S5.
The Galaxy S5's good side
That said, there are a couple of features that make spending the extra money for the Galaxy S5 worthwhile.
The first is the fingerprint security sensor.
This is by no means the only smartphone on the market that allows you
to unlock the device by reading your fingerprint. The Apple iPhone 5S was the first to introduce this feature last fall. And I doubt it will be the last smartphone to embed this technology.
What
I like about this feature is that it not only adds extra security to
protect what's on your device, it can be more convenient than typing in
your PIN to unlock a device. It can also be used to authenticate mobile
payments.
But Jessica Dolcourt points out in her CNET review of
the S5 that like other fingerprint scanners on other devices, the S5's
scanner can have trouble reading your fingerprint. Damp fingers or
fingers with a touch of lotion can cause issues in getting an accurate
read on the fingerprint. She offers a few hints for making sure the
scanner works properly.
While I think this is a useful security
feature that will one day be added to most if not all smartphones, it's
still early days for the technology. So it may not hurt to wait until
the next generation of device that will improve on the technology.
But
remember, because this is a hardware feature built into the phone, no
amount of upgrading will allow it to function in the Galaxy S4. So the
only way to get access to this feature on the Galaxy products today is
to buy the S5.
The other significant feature on the S5 that excites me is that
the S5 is dust and water resistant. Even though the device isn't
considered "waterproof" it is water resistant meets the IP67 military
specifications for water resistance, which means that it can stay
underwater for up to 30 minutes at a depth of 1 meter or about 3 feet.
What this means is that accidentally dropping your phone in the pool or
spilling water on it or even dumping it in your beach bag littered with
grains of sand, won't hurt the phone.
Personally, I love the idea
of a fully water and dust resistant device. I've never bought a case
for my smartphone, so having a device that's already water and dust
resistant means that I don't even have to put it in a plastic bag when
I'm at the beach.
Even though I think this is a great feature and
I hope all smartphones in the future come with this added bonus, it may
not be a feature that's a must-have for everyone. And the truth is that
the Galaxy S4 also comes in a water and dust resistant model known as
the Galaxy S4 Active. The only limitation is that the Galaxy S4 Active
version of the S4 is only available on AT&T's network.
So what should you do?
As
I noted above, the Samsung Galaxy S5 is an improvement over the Galaxy
S4. Several features have been enhanced, such as the camera, which S5
performs better in low-light situations. There are also at least two new
features that don't come standard on the Galaxy S4 that could make it
worth buying the newer device.
CNET
But
as you pointed out in your question, the older Galaxy S4 will likely
cost you less money. How much less depends on the carrier you intend to
use and what types of deals that service provider may be offering.
In
general, the S4 will cost about $100 less than the S5, whether you buy
the phone outright or you buy it as part of a two-year contract. Most
operators are offering the S5 for about $650 at full retail and about
$200 with a two-year contract. Meanwhile, the S4 sells for about $550
and you can get it for about $100 with a two-year contract.
Some
of the major carriers are offering special deals on either the Galaxy S4
or the Galaxy S5 and some are offering promotions on one or both
devices. For example, Verizon is offering a buy-one-get-one-free
limited-time offer on the Galaxy S5 right now. But in order to be
eligible you must be a new Verizon customer. And you must sign-up for
two two-year contracts.
Unless you qualify for Verizon's offer
and you plan to be a Verizon customer, it looks like getting the Galaxy
S4 will be a better deal for you no matter which carrier you choose.
Even if you want to buy your device at full price to avoid a contract,
it still looks like the Galaxy S4 is a better deal.
The Bottom Line
Because
the Galaxy S4 can be significantly less expensive than the S5, I think
that the Galaxy S4 offers a better value. While it can't do everything
that the S5 can do, it's still a top notch phone. It shares many of the
design characteristics of the S5, and many of the software features can
be added with upgrades. There are a couple of notable hardware features
that if they are meaningful enough to you, could make the Galaxy S5 a
better value. But that determination is really up to individual
consumers.
I hope this answered your question and good luck!
Should you still consider the Galaxy S3?
Dear Maggie, I just read your article 'Why You Should still consider the Galaxy S3 to the Galaxy S4' and
I was wondering if the same logical thinking can be applied today? I
will be purchasing my first smartphone and I am a bit torn over the S3
and S4. If you can help that would be appreciated. Thanks, Humphrey
Dear Humphrey,
Samsung
just released its latest version of the Galaxy S smartphone this week,
called the Galaxy S5. That means that the Galaxy S3 is now two
generations old. I still consider the Galaxy S3 a very good device. But
because the device is already two years old, my only concern is that it
will not get software updates as quickly as the S4, which is only one
generation removed from the flagship Galaxy S5.
My guess is that
you will probably hang onto this device for at least another year or
two, which means that at the end of a two-year service contract, the
Galaxy S3 would be a four-year-old device. Again, my biggest concern in
having a smartphone that is that outdated from the flagship is that it
likely won't get software updates as frequently or at all. For some
consumers that's a really big deal, because they want to check out all
the software-enabled features as soon as they can. Meanwhile, there are
other people who wouldn't know how to use some of the new
software-enabled features even if they got them.
eBay
The
other thing to think about here is that with certain carrier
promotions, you could end up getting a Galaxy S4 for free. And that's a
very hard price to beat. For example, AT&T is offering the Galaxy S4
free with a two-year contract. And Verizon is offering a
buy-one-get-one-free promotion for the brand new Galaxy S5.
Having
said all this, there are a few instances in which I might recommend
buying the older Galaxy S3. If you plan to buy your device at full
price, you will get the Galaxy S3 or any two-year old device for a lot
less money than either of the newer versions.
For example,
according to data from eBay, in 2014 the average sales price of a Galaxy
S4 is $427. The average price for a Galaxy S3 is $286. And according to
sales trends over the past four years since the Galaxy S line of
smartphones was first introduced, prices will continue to fall for the
Galaxy S3 and all the Galaxy S devices as they age.
In 2010, the average full retail price of the Galaxy S on eBay was $410. In 2014, that price dropped to $155.
Of
course, you have to remember that the Galaxy S was introduced in June
2010. The phone is now four years old. And as I mentioned above, values
for these smartphones drop the longer they've been on the market.
Technology has come a long way since then.
What should you do?
Unless
you are on a tight budget, I'd buy the Galaxy S4. It's more affordable
than the newest model the S5. But it's not quite as old as the Galaxy
S3. What this means is that it's a smart idea to consider a device that
is at least one generation removed from the current phone. But you have
to be careful in choosing a phone that's too old, especially if you plan
to hang onto this device for any length of time
Sarah Tew/CNET
With
the second major revision to Windows 8, somewhat confusingly named
Windows 8.1 Update, Microsoft seems to have finally remembered that
there are PC users out there who still work with a monitor, keyboard,
and mouse. Not everyone is happily tapping and swiping away at tablet
and hybrid screens yet, and the loudest complaints about the OS have
been regarding its lack of support for those who use their PCs in a more
traditional fashion.Windows 8.1, released in October 2013, was a course correction of sorts, walking back some of the more egregious nods to trendy tablet thinking found in the original release of Windows 8,
including a limited-use Start button and a search function that no
longer required you to search apps, settings, and files separately.
Despite these improvements, Windows 8.1 still felt like a
one-size-fits-all solution, cramming a slate-style mentality onto every
screen.
With Windows 8.1 Update, you now get a computing
environment that feels flexible enough to work on 8-inch tablets as well
as 27-inch desktops. Touch is still the preferred input method for
working in the tile interface many still call Metro, but at last, mouse
and keyboard users aren't completely left out.
These select features stand out as the highlights of Windows 8.1 Update (read more about the rest of the new features here),
and the most likely reasons you'll finally feel OK about upgrading if
the somewhat tortured history of Windows 8 has scared you off before
now.
Screenshot by Sarah Tew/CNET
The return of the X-to-close button
If
you have a touch-screen device, anything from an 8-inch tablet to a
27-inch tabletop PC, one of the first Windows 8 moves you no doubt
learned was to swipe a finger down from the top of the screen to the
bottom in order to close native Windows 8 apps (accompanied by an
awkwardly stilted animation). But with a mouse, the same move was both
counterintuitive and hard to pull off consistently. Simply adding the
top-right-corner X button to close is such a no-brainer, it makes the
entire Windows 8.1 Update download worthwhile.
One weird catch,
however. Closing a Windows 8 bumps you back to the traditional desktop,
even if you were previously in the Metro interface. Inexplicably odd.
Screenshot by Sarah Tew/CNET
Different views for different screen sizes
Got
a traditional-size laptop or monitor screen? Then you'll boot right
into the familiar desktop view from previous versions of Windows, rather
than the tile-based menu. Of course, you can still switch at will, but
having the classic desktop as the main event rather than a hidden
feature is what politicians would call "walking back" a controversial
move. Small tablet-style screens still boot to the tile view, which
makes sense, and a taskbar properties menu allows for even more
customization.
Screenshot by Sarah Tew/CNET
Right-click support for Start screen tiles
The
blocky tiles that make up the Windows 8 Start screen can be baffling.
Launch a new PC for the first time, and you'll find a different mix of
apps represented by these tiles, in different sizes, and grouped into
different sections, all with little rhyme or reason. Even worse, some of
the largest tiles offer no usable information beyond a simple icon
drawing. That particular problem hasn't gone away, but at least it's now
easy and intuitive (that's a word that keeps on popping up, in case
anyone at Microsoft is paying attention) to simply right-click on any
tile and resize it, hide it completely, or even pin it to the classic
desktop taskbar.
Screenshot by Sarah Tew/CNET
An easy-to-find power button
Short
and simple, and exactly the type of common sense feature inexplicably
missing from Windows 8 for its first 18 months of life. In the
upper-right corner of the tile interface, there is now a big power icon,
which can restart, shut down, or set your system to sleep. Previously,
if you were using a mouse and/or didn't have a touch screen, you had to
hover the mouse cursor at the upper-right corner, then carefully
navigate down to the Setting section, then down to the tiny power button
all the way at the bottom of the screen. Search gets a top-corner icon
as well, but that was at least easier to find access pre-Update.
Screenshot by Sarah Tew/CNET
Add any app to the desktop taskbar
As
mentioned previously, you can now right-click on any Windows 8 app (the
kind that runs full-screen by default) and add it to the classic
desktop taskbar. Even if you hate the tile view, there are some good
apps hiding there, and I personally really like the built-in News app.
Now you can still access these without having to navigate to the
tile-filled Start screen first.
Screenshot by Sarah Tew/CNET
Battery, time, network, and date indicators in the Start screen
Actually,
these are all basic-but-useful features still missing from Windows 8.
Even after more than a year and a half, PC users can't simply glance at
the vaunted Start screen on their laptops, tablets, or hybrids, and see
how much battery life they have left, to say nothing of the ability see
the time or date. As always, activating the Charms bar gives you some of
this information (with just a very basic visual icon for the battery
and connection icon for the Wi-Fi network), but it still hides lots of
very practical things from view without user interaction. In contrast,
thanks to the live tiles on the Start screen, the latest sports scores,
recipes, and promoted app store apps are always easy to see.
Despite
this oversight, the updates included in both Windows 8.1 and Windows
8.1 Update are small pieces that add up to a very different feel from
the original Windows 8 experience. If the OS had launched in this
condition in 2012, we'd likely have a much different view of it, rather
than waiting for common-sense features to trickle in over time. That
said, for the first time, I now feel like using Windows 8 on a nontouch
all-in-one desktop is now a viable experience, rather than something
that constantly requires you to think about workarounds and compromises.
Apple and Samsung have sued each other for infringement.
CNET
SAN
JOSE, Calif. -- Google engineers have never copied Apple's iPhone
features for use in Android, an executive from the software giant said
Friday during testimony in the Apple v. Samsung patent-infringement
trial.
Hiroshi Lockheimer, Google vice president of Android,
walked the jury through early development of Android and said engineers
actually tried to make software that was very different from Apple's iOS
mobile operating system.
"We liked to have our own identity; we
liked to have our own ideas," Lockheimer said. "We were very passionate
about what we were doing, and it was important that we have our own
ideas."
Lockheimer was the first witness Samsung called in its
defense against Apple. Apple has accused Samsung of copying its iPhones
and iPads, but Samsung has argued that Google designed many of the
features for Android first.
Earlier Friday, Apple rested its case against Samsung after an expert detailed the $2.191 billion in damages the company says it's due from Samsung.
Samsung's
attorneys said the company may call as many as 17 witnesses by the end
of the day Monday, though many would be via deposition. Nevertheless,
Judge Lucy Koh said the company had to narrow its list.
Many of
the other witnesses on tap for Samsung are Google executives. Dianne
Hackborn and Cary Clark are slated to testify about the design,
development, and operation of Android, as well as possible alterations
made to the operating system. They should specifically talk about
features for quick links, or automatically detecting data in messages,
that Apple has accused of infringing its patent No. '647.
Almost two years after Apple and Samsung faced off in a messy patent dispute, the smartphone and tablet
rivals have returned to the same courtroom here to argue once again
over patents before federal Judge Koh. Apple is arguing that Samsung
infringed on five of its patents for the iPhone, its biggest moneymaker,
and that Apple is due $2 billion for that infringement. Samsung wants
about $7 million from Apple for infringing two of its software patents.
While
the companies are asking for damages, the case is about more than
money. What's really at stake is the market for mobile devices. Apple
now gets two-thirds of its sales from the iPhone and iPad; South
Korea-based Samsung is the world's largest maker of smartphones; and
both want to keep dominating the market. So far, Apple is ahead when it
comes to litigation in the US. Samsung has been ordered to pay the
company about $930 million in damages.
Most Samsung features that
Apple says infringe are items that are a part of Android, Google's
mobile operating system that powers Samsung's devices. All patents
except one, called "slide to unlock," are built into Android. Apple has
argued the patent-infringement trial has nothing to do with Android. However, Samsung argues that Apple's suit is an "attack on Android" and that Google had invented certain features before Apple patented them.
Suing Google
wouldn't get Apple anywhere since Google doesn't make its own phones or
tablets. Instead, Apple has sued companies that sell physical devices
using Android, a rival to Apple's iOS mobile operating system. In
particular, Apple believes Samsung has followed a strategy to copy its
products and then undercut Apple's pricing. While Apple isn't suing
Google, it expects that Google will make changes to its software if
Samsung is found to infringe on patents through Samsung's Android
devices.
Lockheimer on Friday said he joined Google in April 2006
to work on the Android team. At that time, there were only about 20 to
30 people on the team, and it operated like a startup. Currently, about
600 to 700 people working on Android report to Lockheimer, he said.
"People
tend to think of Google as a big company, but we were a small team,"
Lockheimer said. "We were autonomous, and the company let us do our own
thing." Apple has accused Samsung's Galaxy S3 of infringing three of its patents.
CNET
He
noted that there are "thousands" of features in Android, and all aim
for ease of use. He also testified as to the timeframe that Google
engineers developed features like quick links and background syncing for
Android. Many of the features were created in 2005 or 2006 ahead of the
first Android phone launch from HTC in October 2008, Lockheimer said.
The timing will be key to Samsung's argument that Google created Apple's
patented features first.
Lockheimer also testified about what
Android features handset vendors can tweak. For instance, phone makers
don't have to use the Google keyboard, but if they include it, they
can't change it.
Christopher Vellturo, an economist and
principal at consultancy Quantitative Economic Solutions, earlier Friday
wrapped up his testimony from earlier in the week, saying Apple should
receive about $2.191 billion in damages from Samsung for patent
infringement. He noted the figure includes damages -- such as lost
profits -- of $1.067 billion and reasonable royalties of $1.124 billion.
Vellturo on Tuesday had testified he determined the amount by
evaluating the scale of the infringement, the time span, the
head-to-head rivalry between Apple and Samsung, and the belief that the
patents were key for making Samsung devices easier to use and more
attractive to buyers. Samsung sold more than 37 million infringing
devices, Vellturo said. The total amount of sales in dollars was kept
confidential.
Earlier this week, another expert hired by Apple, MIT marketing professor John Hauser, argued that the company's patented features made Samsung's devices more appealing and that fewer people would have purchased the gadgets if the features were missing.
Hauser
and Vellturo are key to Apple's argument that it deserves about $2
billion in damages for Samsung's alleged infringement. The company
argues that Samsung copied Apple's iPhone as it tried to figure out how
to react and compete with the device. It realized it "simply did not
have a product that could compete successfully against the iPhone,"
Apple attorneys said during opening arguments earlier this month. Samsung, however, argues that many of the patented items are features Google had earlier created for Android.
