Amazon Echo, commonly referred to as “Alexa,” has become one of the most popular gadgets to debut in recent years. People the world over are embracing all of the ways that the device, first available in June 2015, can aid in managing the home and day-to-day life. While this kind of technology is often thought to appeal to only younger demographics, Boomers are finding new and innovative ways to use Echo to meet their specific needs.
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The device, by nature, is one that relies on auditory interaction instead of visual input. As we age, many people have trouble seeing the small screen offered by a phone, finding it even more difficult to use the tiny keyboard to enter text. Through the voice command interface offered by Echo, Boomers are finding features easier to use. Need to make a grocery list? Just ask aloud that Alexa add an item to your list, and she’ll compile all of your requested items so you can review them later. She’ll even send a text message to your phone or tablet with the list to help you when shopping in the store.
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One of the truly modern marvels of Echo is the ability to manage your home through the Internet of Things – those household devices that connect to the Internet. The device can be paired with several other gadgets now on the market to create a truly interconnected home management system.
Phillips offers its Hue line of light bulbs. When the bulbs are connected to the Echo, they can be controlled by simple voice command, making turning lights on and off a breeze. This function is very helpful for seniors traversing a home, letting users turn lights on before moving, providing added safety and security. Remember those times when you heard a strange noise in the house? Now the user can turn the lights on before leaving the bedroom to check it out!
The popular Nest thermostat system can be connected to Echo, allowing a user to control a home’s temperature by simply asking for it to be warmer or colder. The Nest also connects to phones and tablets, letting loved ones keep an eye on home temperature and energy usage from any location.
While any age demographic might find these abilities helpful, Boomers are especially appreciative as Echo combines the control of several devices into one easy-to-use interface that can take commands from anyone in the household, such as family members and caregivers.
The Echo’s reminder system is also very powerful when put to use for a Boomer. It can help remind users to take medications and set notifications for myriad daily tasks. These functions are especially useful for those with early-onset dementia, as the device never tires of reminding users what they need to do or of answering questions that a caregiver might find repetitive.
Retirement communities around the country are also seeing the benefits of these devices, offering them pre-installed in homes. These systems can be a huge benefit for the community, as they can sample information on power efficiency in units, check on resident safety and provide another vehicle for communication/information-sharing.
As this type of technology continues to evolve and grow, it is expected that additional interconnected products will be aimed squarely at the Boomer market. Google has entered the fray with its own in-home assistant, and several companies are developing similar devices for niche audiences, such as children and seniors. Additionally, more connected products are being developed each day. These include health management applications and devices, communication aides and, of course, new and varied entertainment options. By combining all of these functions into a device that doesn’t rely on a screen, manufacturers have found a niche for those who desire to age in place, providing control of their home by voice alone.
By embracing these advances, Boomers and seniors are finding ways to remain in their homes longer. Professionals marketing and selling to these demographics would do well to fully understand these products. They should definitely make them a part of their offerings going forward, whether that be interconnected applications or pre-installed, in home packages.
COMMENTARY:
Amazon Echo Product Lineup
Amazon Echo voice speaker device lineup (Click Image to Enlarge)
Amazon Echo
The Echo is the tall black cylinder (far right in above pic) that stated it all - a Bluetooth speaker equipped with far-field, always-on microphones and internet-connected smarts. The $179.99 device can control smart home products, play music from your phone, Amazon Prime, and Spotify, and even order products off Amazon just by listening to your voice.
With the Alexa app, you can customize the virtual assistant to your liking, with hundreds of Alexa Skills for everything from delivering more accurate weather forecasts to making fart sounds.
Amazon Eco Dot
Take the Echo, slice off the top, and you've got the Echo Dot (far right next to the taller Amazon Echo in the above pic). The Dot ditches the high-quality built-in speaker to cut down on cost, while still giving you all of Alexa's smarts. A smaller built-in speaker does let you talk to Alexa, but its not good enough for straming music. Instad, you can connect the Dot to speakers you already own via Bluetooth or an audio-out jack.
The Dot sells for $49, and Amazon offers a variety of bundles that package it with Bose speakers or other smart home products.
Amazon Tap
The Amazon Tap (far left in the above pic) takes the Echo's core features and packs them into a portable Bluetooth speaker. Since it's battery-powered, the Tap isn't always listening like the Echo or Echo Dot. Instead, you have to press a mic button to speak to Alexa.
Even though it's portable, the Tap requires a WiFi connection to use Alexa (there's no LTE option), so if you're out and about, you'll need to use your smartphone as a mobile hotspot. You can pre-order the Tap for $129.99, and like the Echo Dot, it ships March 31.
Amazon Fire TV
The Fire TV version (right of the Amazon Tap in the above pic) of Alexa doesn't have all the same features as Alexa on the Echo, but it can still control smart home products and take advantage of Alexa Skills.
The main difference is the way you interact with Alexa. You need to have your TV on and speak to Alexa through the Fire TV Remote. There's no always-on listening mode, but that might be a positive if you have privacy concerns.
Amazon Echo Units Sold
Amazon does not report how many Amazon Echo smart speaker devices they have sold since 2014 when the device was launched. Several IoT industry experts have estimated how many smart speakers have been sold.
According to the 2017 Voice Report from VoiceLabs, Amazon Echo and Google Home smart speakers will sell more than 24 million units combined through the end of 2017.
The report, which combines data from multiple sources, including CIRP, KPCB and InfoScout, shows that a total of 24.5 million devices will be sold by Google and Amazon in 2017.
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The report also shows that the total footprint of voice-first devices will hit 33 million units by the end of the year after expanding by 24.5 million units, which means there are only a total of 8.5 million units of Amazon Echo and Google Home combined.
That’s a little hard to believe, and it conflicts with information from Morgan Stanley, which showed that there were more than 11 million Amazon Echo devices sold between mid-2015 and December 1, 2016.
Both reports can’t be true, obviously, but we have to remember that both of them are estimates rather than actuals. There’s no way to get the actual numbers because only Amazon knows what those are – and they’re being very tight-lipped about it, other than the fact that Amazon Echo devices sold 9 times more during Cyber Week 2016 than the year before.
We know that Amazon sold at least 1 million Amazon Echo devices during the 2015 holiday season, possibly more. 9 times that means the company sold at least 9 million units at the end of 2016. That information comes directly from Amazon, so it has to be accurate.
As it stands, we believe that Morgan Stanley’s numbers are closer to being correct. What’s more, the investment bank even said that the estimate of 11 million is “likely very low.”
If that’s the case, then there are already between 11 million and 15 million Amazon Echo and its variants out there. But the VoiceLabs estimate is about 9 million in total – Amazon Echo and Google Home combined. That’s why we believe the number is way off.
However, what’s interesting is that the voice-first market is estimated to grow nearly four times over the course of 2017. According to their sources, that works out to 33 million devices by the end of this year.
Now, if we use the data from Morgan Stanley and the growth estimate from VoiceLabs’ sources, something interesting emerges: total voice-first device units will grow to at least 45 to 50 million devices by the end of 2017.
Amazon Echo will continue to dominate that market, at least through 2017, and Google Home and other smart speaker makers who have released or are releasing similar products this year will each get a share of market.
For Amazon, that’s great news because theirs is the only device that will offer direct voice shopping from Amazon’s extensive catalog of items.
Assuming that the figures are anywhere near accurate, we could see a further spurt in Amazon’s retail revenues in North America. The unit is already hitting close to $20 billion in revenues – $18.87 billion reported in the last quarter, to be exact. That figure should be well over $20 billion for the holiday quarter, which is being reported on February 2, 2017.
If they see a further spurt in growth based on voice shopping sales through Amazon Echo devices, 2017 could be the year that Amazon’s North America retail division alone hits the $100 billion a year mark.
As for Google Home, even strong sales in 2017 won’t make a big impact on their revenues, but it will give them a solid presence in the voice-based consumer electronics market.
And who knows, Google may well introduce voice advertising in future to monetize their voice search channel, with users coming in from Google Assistant on Google Home, Google Pixel smartphones and future devices.
BlackBerry Ltd.’s new Android phone hit the market through AT&T on November 6, 2015, and could be the company’s last attempt at making its devices profitable before ending production.
The Canadian company has unveiled several new phones in the two years since Chief Executive Officer John Chen took over, but none has managed to stop hardware sales from falling. Chen has repeatedly said he will exit the device business if he can’t make it profitable.
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The BlackBerry “Priv” -- named for its emphasis on privacy -- runs a full version of Google’s Android operating system but features some of BlackBerry’s highly respected security and productivity features. It comes preloaded with an application that tracks how much other applications on your phone are accessing your personal data and location. It also has BlackBerry’s signature physical keyboard, which slides down from under the touch screen.
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Brian Colello, a Chicago-based analyst at Morningstar Investment Services, said in an interview.
“Perhaps there’s something else in the pipeline, but this device does seem like a last stand. We’ve seen new products come out for the last couple years, BlackBerry’s trying to get a hit with any form factor, any price point and now it’s with a different operating system.”
With its share of the global smartphone market at less than 1 percent, BlackBerry has been working to shift its focus to higher-margin software sales. As he tries to turn around the company’s fortunes, Chen has held onto the phone business, which still accounts for about 40 percent of revenue. Blackberry could stop producing phones within the next year if it doesn’t begin turning a profit, he said at a conference in October.
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Software Target
Chen is working to reach $500 million in software revenue by March 2016 by acquiring security-focused software companies and building up new products like secure teleconferencing. BlackBerry completed its $425 million acquisition of Good Technology Corp. on Monday, a deal the company said will contribute about $160 million in revenue in the first year.
Ron Louks, BlackBerry’s head of devices, said the company will make announcements about its product “road map” in the beginning of 2016, but declined to say whether it would announce a new phone. Chen has said the company is going ahead with software updates to its BlackBerry operating system.
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By running Android for its new device, the Priv sidesteps one of the biggest problems BlackBerry has had in persuading people to use its phones: a lack of applications. As the company’s operating system waned in popularity, developers stopped making applications that were compatible with it, prompting even more people to ditch its devices.
If the Priv sells better than BlackBerry’s two most recent major releases, the Passport and the Classic, it may keep the phone business going, Colin Gillis, an analyst at BGC Financial LP, said in an interview.
Declining Shipments
BlackBerry shipped 800,000 smartphones in the quarter that ended Aug. 29, its lowestsince at least 2007.
Gillis, who has a buy rating on the stock, said.
“It doesn’t take a lot of phones to really move the needle for this company.”
The company’s shares gained 2.9 percent to $7.50 at the close in New York and have declined 32 percent this year.
The Priv, with a retail price of $699, is targeted at a “very, very competitive market,” of high-end Android phones, Colello said, including those made by HTC Corp. and Samsung Electronics Co. The new device is BlackBerry’s latest effort to find a phone that can stabilize sales as the company transitions toward Chen’s software revenue target. He said.
“They’ve done a good job of continuing to lower their break-even level for the hardware side to stay in business, but even though the bar’s going lower and lower, the sales still aren’t keeping up. I think BlackBerry’s still searching for a hit phone.”
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COMMENTARY:
Cellular Network Support, Prices, and Pre-Order Details For The BlackBerry Priv
AT&T is the currently the only U.S. cellular carrier offering BlackBerry's Priv smartphone. Customers can purchase the phone for $250.00 with a two-year contract or via AT&T Next with $0 down. You have your choice of the following contracts:
Next 24 (30 payments) for $24.67 per month.
Next 18 (24 payments) for $30.84 per month.
Next 12 (20 payments) for $37.00 per month.
Both T-Mobile, Sprint and Verizon are in negotiations to offer the BlackBerry Priv through their cellular networks, but no definite dates have been released. T-Mobile CEO John Legere told CNET that BlackBerry is "on a comeback" and hinted that the Uncarrier will have the Priv soon.
The comment on BlackBerry's comeback is just one in a growing collection of comments by Legere on BlackBerry. In an interview with Fox Business News anchor Liz Claman, Legere said that John Chen is doing a "great job running BlackBerry," and T-Mobile is "trying to figure out how to get to groups of zealots -- T-Mobile fans and BlackBerry fans -- how to get those two together.
T-Mobile confirmed that that talks are happening, and suggested a 2016 release date is probable. T-Mobile's network already works on the BlackBerry Priv, if the phone is unlocked.
The phone sold through the BlackBerry Store is designed to work with GSM cellular networks, but a CDMA-compatible is coming to Verizon soon. Verizon tweeted confirmation on November 6, and directed those interested to sign-up on its website for more information. No release timeframe was offered.
BlackBerry will also make the Priv available internationally as follows:
Canada - Rogers (Pre-Orders) and ShopBlackBerry Canada ($900 CDN)
United Kingdom - Carphone Warehouse and ShopBlackBerry UK (560 Pounds including VAT)
Marshmellow and Security Updates
In a recent interview with Android Central, Ron Louks, BlackBerry's president of devices, commented on the upcoming update to Android Marshmellow 6.0 and monthly security updates. Louks didn't give a firm date for Marshmellow 6.0, but said the update should hit "sometime in the new year," at least confirming that BlackBerry Priv users will not have to wait long for it.
BlackBerry's added improvements to Android that will attract enterprise users who seek data encryption and built-in security features that track how apps are interacting with your data (Click Image To Enlarge)
BlackBerry has done really solid work adding a layer of security to the Priv — "Priv" stands for "privacy," after all. The user-facing aspect of it is a piece of software called DTEK security, which monitors your phone for nefarious acts and also gives you a handy security audit that lets you know what's going on inside each one. The Priv isn't running the most recent version of Android, but it has the same ability to let you examine each app's access to your privacy settings and turn them off if you don't like them.
On security updates, Louks said BlackBerry will try to adhere -- at least in Europe -- to pushing security updates within a month of Google releasing them. As more malware and vulnerabilities hit Android, manufacturers are being called upon to quickly update devices and make sure users are safe and secure. BlackBerry will import its own security systems as well, to ensure vulnerabilities are mitigated before Google patches them.
Priv Specifications
BlackBerry has gone all-out with the Priv Android phone, so the specs are about as high-end as any other flagship Android phone -- Unfortunately, the Priv also has a high price tag to match. The phone has an intriguing slider design, the likes of which we haven't seen in a number of years, so that users can choose between a virtual keyboard or a physical keyboard. When you slide the screen back, a full QWERTY keyboard in the old school BlackBerry style is revealed. The keys are touch sensitive for scrolling and cursor control, too, so you can use it as a trackpad if need be.
GSMArena created this wonderful breakdown of the BlackBerry Priv's technical specifications:
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BlackBerry's New Android Apps
When it comes to software, BlackBerry's added a few bells and whistles to make Android secure enough to suit its standards. The BlackBerry Hub is included, which brings all your messages into one feed, as are other standard BlackBerry apps like BBM. BlackBerry's special DTEK for Android software will also alert you when your privacy may be at risk, give you a security rating for your device, and it offers for specific security features, so that you know what's going on with your personal info and more. You can determine which apps and services are allowed to use your microphone, camera, contacts, and more.
BlackBerry released a range of apps onto Google Play store in late October. The apps will be pre-installed on the BlackBerry Priv, and are apparently only usable on that device. Users that tried to download the apps were informed that their devices are incompatible.
The apps include BlackBerry Launcher, Keyboard, Camera and Services. Password Keeper has been added to store all passwords in a single folder, encrypted and secured by BlackBerry -- the app can also import infor from previous BlackBerry owners moving to Android. DTEK for BlackBerry and MicrosoftextFat for BlackBerry have also been added to the Google Play store.
Having all the applications available on the Google Play store should make them instantly available without a firmware update. BlackBerry plans to offer an almost stock experience, with additional security and some new applications ported over from BlackBerry 10.
BlackBerry "Old-Style" Keyboard
A lot of mobile device experts don't give the BlackBerry Priv a chance of succeeding among smartphone users or making a dent in the smartphone market, because its debut comes four years too late. However, I believe that the Priv will be able to capture market share because there is a latent demand for smartphones with old-style features like a physical keyboard.
Although the BlackBerry Priv may look "old-school," a physical keyboard fills a need in the marketplace. The limitations of a virtual keyboard on tablets like the iPad, quickly gave rise to attachable physical keyboards, and now they are a must-have accessory for most serious tablet users. It is my opinion that the Priv's physical keyboard is going to be a hit with users, especially old-school users like yours truly.
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BlackBerry's keyboard is truly special, incorporating fresh ideas that most smartphone makers ignore:
The keyboard software is optimized for the keyboard — no mean feat, given how few Android phones have bothered with them anymore.
The keyboard is also touch-sensitive, so you can scroll with it and swipe down on it to bring up an optional symbols keyboard.
The keyboard does not make the Priv top-heavy or ackward to hold or use.
You are probably not going to be any faster or more accurate using the Priv's physical keyboard than you are on a touchscreen virtual keyboard, but it isn't about what's definitively "better." Because after you reach a certain level of quality and functionality, it's perfectly fine just to have personal preference. Live and let live.
I believe that enterprise and government users will like and value the BlackBerry Priv's security and data encryption features. These are must-have features for corporate users, government agencies and individuals who want that extra layer of security not found in most of today's smartphones.
Multi-Tasking On The Priv
One change that I love on the Priv is the layout for multitasking. Instead of showing a vertical stack of cards, BlackBerry designed multitasking to show a grid of apps in varying sizes. Think of it like the Windows 8 Start menu for apps you already have open. Hitting the multitasking button and then thumbing through the list of apps on the keyboard’s touchpad feels like magic. Compared to the stacked card interfaces of Android Lollipop and Marshmallow and iOS 9, Blackberry’s implementation is a breath of fresh air. You can see more than one app with its preview clearly. It’s one of the biggest things I’ll miss when the Priv goes away.
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BlackBerry Priv Reviews
BlackBerry Priv reviews by expert reviewers are mostly good averaging about 3.5 stars out of 5. The Priv is regarded as a good phone, not a great phone, but a "great first effort for an Android phone." The $699.00 price tag may scare off a lot of potential buyers, but with a two-year plan through AT&T, the price is only $250.00. According to Ron Offringa, Droid-Life, ere are the good and bad of the Priv:
The Good
Display - The 5.4-inch (1440 x 2560 pixels) display on the Priv is visually great. Colors are accurate, text is crisp, and the curve along the edge of the display makes Android’s slide out menus feel more real. The display is able to get very dim, but I have definitely seen displays that get brighter, meaning you may have some issues in direct sunlight.
Hardware Design - The Priv feels like a tank. A plastic tank, but a tank nonetheless. That’s not a bad thing, but don’t expect the Priv to delicately slide into your pocket. The body looks downright handsome in its stealth black paint. Where other phones look delicate with their bendable aluminum bodies and glass backs, the Priv feels like a solid, well constructed pocket computer. The body of the Priv is curved to match the sloping glass on the front, but the middle edges are flat so that the phone is easy to grip. The power on/off button is on the left instead of the right, but that's no big deal. The bottom of the phone has a micro USB port at the center and the headphone jack on the right. The placement of the headphone jack makes it relatively easy to find with a cursory brush against the bottom of the device. The top of the phone features a micro SD card tray and the SIM tray. For whatever reason the SIM card should've been placed on the bottom of the tray (facing the back of the phone) instead of on the top. This isn’t a big deal, but it is an odd design that was confusing at first.
The Keyboard - The slider keyboard on the Priv is probably the single best thing about it. Can you type faster on a virtual keyboard? Probably not, but if you have never used a phone with a hardware keyboard then it might take you longer to adjust, but after using the Priv keyboard a few times, you will feel right at home. The keyboard is touch-sensitive and can be used as a trackpad for scrolling by brushing your fingers on the keyboard. Finally, as long as you’re using the stock launcher, you can also set shortcut keys for individual presses or long presses on the keyboard.
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The Software - The Priv runs an almost stock version of Android 5.1.1 (that’s right, no Marshmallow 6.0 Android on the most secure phone in the world), but CEO Chen says "they are working on it (getting Marshmallow upgrade) sometime in 2016." Here are a few changes to note. Notifications can be bundled by app, so if you have a ton of new notifications, but you really just want to see your emails you can tap on your email app icon and only see those in the notification shade. BlackBerry includes a Peek menu on the edge of the display to quickly see your calendar, favorite contacts, messages from BlackBerry Hub, and tasks. BlackBerry Hub is an app that summarizes your communications for you. All of your emails and texts and calls and even social media bits can be found in one place. I can see this being really helpful for someone who either needs or wants a summary of their day regularly or who wants a notification center to go to because they find the notification tray too limited or lacking context.
Device Search is a limited replacement for Google Now that allows you to search your device or, if you don’t find what you want, you can tap a button to search the web or Drive or any other app listed under Extended Search. When you’re on the home screen if you start typing on the keyboard it will ask if you’d like to use Device Search or Google Now. I haven't tried Device Search, but I use Google Now all the time, and like it very much.
Multitasking (See above) on the BlackBerry Priv is a breeze and one of the changes that users love is the layout for multitasking. Instead of showing a vertical stack of cards, BlackBerry designed multitasking to show a grid of apps in varying sizes. Think of it like the Windows 8 Start menu for apps you already have open. Hitting the multitasking button and then thumbing through the list of apps on the keyboard’s touchpad feels like magic.
Average
Security and Privacy - The first, and most important, is that the Priv lacks a fingerprint scanner like high-end phones like the iPhone, Nexus 6P, Nexus 5X, HTC One A9, Galaxy S6, and Note 5.
The second is that DTEK (See Above) thinks it’s secure for me to have a password or PIN that locks my device after 10 minutes. BlackBerry should not be giving that default setting a passing score. I also love that DTEK has a section that says that my device is secure because it is a BlackBerry.
The third is that the Priv runs Android 5.1.1. While this shouldn’t be too upsetting for users considering Marshmallow is only just over a month old, from a security standpoint it is a bit of an issue. Maybe BlackBerry will be quick with updates, but there’s a good chance that unless BlackBerry picks up the pace the OS itself will become a security issue.
NOTE: In my opinion, Ron Offringa from Droid-Life either does not understand the Priv's security features, or didn't want to dwelve too deeply into the Priv's security capabilities. For these reasons, I differ with the security review of Ron Offringa from Droid-Life.
If you wonder just how secure the BlackBerry Priv really is, well, it's very secure. For starters, the Priv uses data encryption technology and its security software works like an internal "firewall" that operates in the background and monitors for malware and mobile app spyware that might want to tamper with your program files and data. If it senses this, it will notify you immediately to take appropriate action.
And there's much more than meets the eye centered specifically around security and stability.
What about fingerprint readers? Apple does them. Google does them. Samsung does them. Why doesn’t BlackBerry? Dave Kleidermacher, BlackBerry’s chief security officer, said.
“User authentication is a freakin’ nightmare in the mobile world today. There is not yet a widespread and ubiquitous user authentication mechanism that is both strong for security and users don’t hate it."
Kleidermacer explains why the Priv does not come with a fingerprint scanner.
“The reason we haven’t put a fingerprint scanner is that if you lose your fingerprint, you’ve lost that part of your identity forever. And that’s a problem, because it’s a static picture of your finger. It’s just bits. You drop those bits, and you’re done. We’ve never put a fingerprint scanner on our devices because we think of it as a relatively weak authentication system.”
Kleidermacher argued that, if implemented poorly, it’s easy to steal those bits off of a device, or even lift the fingerprint off the actual device and use that to log into it. In short, he believes that using your fingerprint as your identity is flawed from the get-go, because it doesn’t change. Other types of biometrics, where the “password” isn’t just a static image, but rather something that is moving or changing, while still being unique to you, are “much better.”
He elaborated further.
“I’m not saying biometrics are a bad idea. I’m saying that today, in terms of what’s available in the market ubiquitously, there is not yet one that I’ve seen that passes our muster from a security and stability perspective.”
Indeed, Kleidermacher refused to declare that BlackBerry would never include a fingerprint reader in a future device. He said that relying on a combination of a fingerprint and something else might be a reasonable tradeoff, adding that “eyepanning” technology shows tremendous promise.
He continues.
“We are constantly evaluating biometrics in general, and when we feel satisfied that the security strengths, cost, and usability are in a sweet spot, then we would consider putting them into devices. When that will happen, and exactly what type of biometric, remains to be seen still.”
Translation: Don’t be surprised if a BlackBerry Android phone next year has some sort of biometric solution.
So, what exactly has BlackBerry added to the Priv that isn’t available in Lollipop out of the box? Quite a bit.
There’s the aforementioned DTEKand picture passwords, as well as a Password Keeper app and media card protection. FIPS 140-2 compliant full disk encryption is on by default, and you get the S/MIME encryption protocol for digitally signing and/or encrypting messages, and of course doubly encrypted messages via BBM (though you can install BBM yourself on any Android device, assuming you still have someone to message on it).
But there are three improvements that particularly stand out on the Priv:
Secure compound, a special BlackBerry area of firmware that runs below Android (making it immune to Android vulnerabilities) and handles operations such as validating the integrity of the Android OS itself
Verified Boot and Secure Bootchain, which uses the embedded keys to verify every layer of the device in order to make sure they haven’t been tampered with
Modifications to harden the Linux kernel with patches and configuration changes to improve security
The first two points we discussed earlier: These are the two that were impossible to pull off before Lollipop came along. For the third, Kleidermacher explained that BlackBerry has made “literally thousands of changes to both the Linux kernel below Android and to Android itself for security and privacy.” Of course, if Android 6.0 was the base, the company wouldn’t have had to include as many patches.
But there’s more than just software fixes here. Back in February 2009, BlackBerry acquired cryptography company Certicom. Ever since, BlackBerry has injected security keys into its chipsets to guarantee the “hardware root of trust.” This is a big sell to corporations, according to Kleidermacher.
He declared.
“How do I know that the hardware key, that the hardware root of trust, hasn’t been tampered with during the supply chain? You can’t test this with Fibs certification. So we don’t really care where the device is being manufactured, the chipset and the injection is controlled by BlackBerry and our Certicom technology. That can give users and businesses a very high level of confidence that the root of trust for all crypto (encryption, integrity validation, and application-level security policies) is rooted in something that is truly BlackBerry secure.”
This is where it becomes very clear that BlackBerry will be selling the Priv to die-hard BlackBerry fans, sure, but it will be mainly selling it to corporations. The Priv is meant to be Android plus BlackBerry, the best of the consumer and business worlds.
I know this has been an lengthy explanation for why I differ with Mr. Offringa's poor review of the Priv's security. Having said this, it is my opinion that the Priv's security is the real strength of this phone, and why security should be rated as one of its best features. Heads of IT and enterprise users are going to love the security features of the Priv, but I think that regular users concerned with mobile app spyware and malware will love the Priv as well. Security should be everybody's concern, so BlackBerry must communicate its security strengths when it markets the phone. Execution will be everything.
Performance - Performance on the Priv is great. Between the Snapdragon 808 and the 3 GB of RAM apps launched quickly, ran well, and stayed in memory for plenty of time. The device does run hot when under the stress of a game (which shouldn’t come as a surprise considering this year’s Snapdragons) and battery life definitely takes a hit. That being said, the Priv took everything thrown at it with aplomb. For whatever it's worth, I have the Snapdragon 800 on my non-BlackBerry smartphone, and it screams, plays video without any interruptions and the heating issue is hardly noticeable.
Audio- The front facing speaker on the Priv is great to see. It’s not a Boom Sound speaker or anything, but it’s plenty loud for speakerphone calls or listening to music in an otherwise quiet room. I put The Beach Boys on while washing dishes and I could hear Brian and the gang perfectly well. I do wish the volume got louder with headphones, though. With headphones the audio is certainly audible, but my iPhone and the Galaxies are able to get several clicks louder.
The Bad
Pricing and Availability - The BlackBerry Priv is available right now at AT&T for $24.67 per month on a payment plan or $249.99 on a 2-year contract. BlackBerry's CEO says the company is now negotiating with T-Mobile, Verizon and Sprint to carry the Priv, but not likely to become available through those carriers until Q1 2016. You can also buy the Priv directly from BlackBerry for $699.99. The model from BlackBerry will work with AT&T or T-Mobile. This isn’t the best availability we’ve seen on a phone at launch. I’m also not a huge fan of the pricing, but remember most top tier phones have been within $50 of this price point until very recently.
Battery Life - According to Droid-Life, battery life on the Priv was less than stellar. The same deficiency was reported by The Verge, CNET, Engadget and Android Authority. TechAdvisor gave the battery good marks for longevity, but they didn't use the phone for watching videos or playing games. Like most of the phones reviewed this year, fast charging is a nice workaround for low battery life. However, you need a fast charger which costs extra. The Priv is equipped with a very decent sized battery in it. On Ron Offringa's first full day with the phone the battery lasted until 3:30 PM when it was around 10%. Better results are expected of a phone whose manufacturer claims the battery can last up to 22 hours.
I never trust the claims of the manufacturer when it comes to battery life. They tend to exaggerate. How long the battery will last before requiring a charge depends on how you are using the phone. If you view a lot of online videos and play games, those activities are very processor and battery intensive, and this will drain a battery twice as fast. On the other hand, if you are just sending and receiving emails, texting, making or receiving calls, and visiting your social networks, and dont't view a lot of videos or play games, you could conceivably get 10-12 hours of usage.
A lot of these reviewers did not operate their Privs at different types of activity and intensity of usage. In my opinion, batteries should be tested for light use, medium use and heavy use (includes watching videos and playing games). I have a feeling that those 22 hours were based on very light usage.
Camera - The front facing camera on the Priv is good in bright light. In anything other than bright conditions you’re going to want someone else to take your selfies for you unless you love blue/green hazes over your photos. The fact that BlackBerry shipped a front facing camera this bad in 2015 just goes to show how little they care or know about what people want in a smartphone.
The rear facing camera on the Priv takes good shots. Pictures are sharp and clear, and colors are bright and true. The dynamic range was surprisingly good in shots where the light differed and it performs well enough in low light situations. That led to an experience a bit more akin to shooting with an actual camera and I felt like I was able to stabilize the shot better than I can if I have to push in a volume button or peck at the screen.
Pictures taken with the BlackBerry Priv's front-facing camera (Click Image To Enlarge)
The frustrating and ultimately disappointing part about the camera is that it is downright slow. It takes about a full second for the shutter to activate after you press the take picture button.
Here again, I beg to differ with Ron Offringa's bad review of the Priv's camera's. Most of the Priv's pictures will be taken with the 18-mega pixel rear-facing camera. As you can see from the above, the pictures are just fantastic. I think Ron's criticism of the front-facing camera is way over the top. I would've given the Priv a good grade for its phoos. Shame on Ron for being so centered on selfies. Kind of tells you what this narcistic reviewer does with his smartphone camera.
Final Verdict
The Priv features a lot of really good software ideas with interesting hardware, particularly with its security and stability, but the lackluster battery life and poor camera performance make it hard to recommend to anyone but the biggest keyboard nerd. If you don’t use your phone to take a lot of pictures and you don’t mind having to charge your phone then the Priv is worth looking at. This is heartbreaking to write because the Priv does so much so well and, most importantly, actually offers something you can’t get on any other Android phone.
It's apparent that Ron places far too much emphasis on battery life and the camera. Exactly what I thought he would do. Ron entirely misses the point of the Priv. This is not a phone targeted to Ron's Millennial generation. It is targeted at older Generation X, younger boomers, corporations, SMB owners, and former BlackBerry users who appreciate quality construction, a "built like a tank" smartphone, with unbreakable security, a physical keyboard, good rear-facing camera and accessibility to the Android ecosystem. If they want selfies, they will ask someone to take them using the rear-facing camera. If you want to make egg over the battery life, I can show you several instances, where even the iPhone and Galaxy phones can suck up a battery dry in no time at all. As a Boomer, I don't get all bent out of shape if my phone sucks up juice. I get a better battery, kill apps running in the background that I don't need, watch videos on my laptop, and drop the brightness of the display a bit. That's what I do with my ZTE ZMAX smartphone, and this works for me. It's been a long 15-hour day, and my ZTE ZMAX is telling me I have 80% power still available. Battery no problem. My grade 4.0 out of 5 stars. If you don't like me review, sue me.
Courtesy of an article dated November 2, 2015 appearing in Bloomberg, an article dated November 9, 2015 appearing in The Verge, an article dated November 6, 2015 appearing in VentureBeat, an article dated November 25, 2015 appearing in Droid-Life, an article dated November 17, 2015 appearing in Digital Trends, an article dated November 18, 2015 appearing in International Business News, an article dated November 17, 2015 appearing in ValueWalk
For the September quarter (FY Q4 2015), it earned $1.96 per share, on $51.5 billion in revenue. Its earnings were well ahead of expectations, while revenue was roughly in line.
Apple sold 48.05 million iPhones, which is a 22% jump compared to the previous year, and is about what analysts expected.
Investors basically yawned at the results, with the stock going nowhere in after-hours trading.
Apple offered holiday guidance that is a little light of expectations, but is generally fine. If Apple hits the high-end of its guidance, $77.5 billion, it would deliver 4% growth, which is reassuring to investors who were worried Apple's growth would go negative.
Apple analyst Gene Munster wrote in a note shortly after the numbers were released.
"Our early take is that the guidance seems to imply flattish (74-76 million) iPhones for December. This would imply iPhone units down 1% to up 2% year-over-year. We view this as a relief given investors were bracing for the start of the 6S cycle to be down meaningfully (down 5-8% y/y)."
Here are all the numbers versus expectations:
Revenue: $51.5 billion, up 22% year-over-year (y/y), versus expectations of $51.04 billion
EPS: $1.96, up 38% y/y, versus expectations of $1.88
Net income: $11.1 billion
iPhone units: 48.05 million, up 22% y/y, versus expectations of 48.5 million
iPhone's average selling price: $670
iPad units: 9.88 million versus, down 20% y/y, expectations of 10.2 million
iPad's average selling price: $432.66
Mac units: 5.71 million, up 4% y/y, versus expectations of 5.6 million
Gross margin: 39.9% versus expectations of 39.3%
Cash on hand: $206 billion
December quarter revenue: $75.5-$77.5 versus expectations of $77.13 billion. If Apple hits the top end of its guidance, revenue will be up 4% y/y.
Here's a table with all the results:
Revenues by Geographic Segment and Product Summary
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Charts
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Earnings Call Log
You may also view the Apple Q3 2015 Live Earnings Call Log by clicking HERE
COMMENTARY: Cook said the company began taking orders on Monday for the new Apple TV. He called it a “huge day” based on demand for the new product.
Apple also issued a healthy forecast for the holiday quarter, which began this month. These are the highlights:
revenue between $75.5 billion and $77.5 billion
gross margin between 39 percent and 40 percent
operating expenses between $6.3 billion and $6.4 billion
other income/(expense) of $400 million
tax rate of 26.2 percent
But analysts appeared to be concerned with Apple’s ability to continue growing strongly into 2016.
The company has not yet broken out numbers for Apple Watch sales but Cook said sales are ahead of Apple’s expectations.
I feel that investors and analysts were short-changed and left with a blank stare when it came to sales of the Apple Watch. For two consecutive quarters, Tim Cook has declined to provide data on actual Apple Watch sales. Cook stated that the lack of information about the Apple Watch is for "competitive reasons." Translation: He doesn't want to feel embarassed if Apple Watch sales are poor or below expectations.
Its my belief that Apple Watch sales are okay, but not spectacular, and he wants to wait until after Christmas to give the Apple Watch a boost in sales because consumers are likely to buy the watch as a gift. This period also gives existing Apple Watch owners and new buyers time to report any bugs or issues with the new Apple Watch OS 2.0.1 update which just became available for downloading on Monday. The new OS update improves batery life and security measures and offers bug fixes and new emoji's.
Apple's Q3 2015 (Fiscal 4th quarter) unaudited financial reports can found in its press release by clicking HERE.
Courtesy of an article dated October 27, 2015 appearing in Business Insider, an article dated October 27, 2015 appearing in Forbes. and an article dated October 27, 2015 appearing in Forbes Tech
Google is working on a new wearable technology effort known as Project Aura and is hiring consumer electronics experts from Amazon's secretive Lab126 to jump-start the new group.
Project Aura appears to have gotten started in June and is focused on reviving Google's troubled Glass computer eyeglasses, as well as accelerating Google's efforts to develop related wearable technology.
Project Aura will remain within Google rather than being a standalone company under the new Alphabet holding company or being folded into the Nest smart appliances business, a source familiar with the matter told Business Insider.
Nest CEO Tony Fadell will continue to have high-level oversight of the project, though it's unclear what will happen after Nest becomes a separate Alphabet company, the source said. Ivy Ross, a fashion industry veteran that Google hired to lead the Glass team in 2014, is heading up the Aura group.
Google has hired at least three employees from Lab126, Amazon's hardware division, to work in the new group and Aura has a dedicated recruiter tasked with bringing in more talent.
Several LinkedIn profiles and job listings viewed by Business Insider describe Project Aura as "Google Glass and Beyond."
The new Aura group provides a much-needed re-branding to the tattered Glass image as well as opening the door to a broader scope of wearable technology initiatives to help Google compete against rivals such as Facebook, Apple, and Microsoft.
By remaining within Google, the Aura group will be able to collaborate more closely with other advanced technology efforts such as Soli, which allows consumers to control gadgets through gestures such as rubbing fingers together, and Cardboard, which turns ordinary smartphones into virtual-reality devices using a cardboard headset.
While virtual-reality technology is an growing area of focus within the technology industry, particularly as Facebook preps the release of its Oculus VR headset, the source said it's still too soon to know whether the Aura group will be focused specifically on VR.
Although Business Insider first spotted Google job postings that indicated that the company planned to release other products in the Google Glass division besides just smart eyewear back in May, the existence of the Project Aura group and its new hires has not been reported until now.
Google stopped selling the initial $1,500 version of Glass to consumers earlier this year following waning interest and criticism that the device was too expensive and clunky, without enough practical-use cases. The head-mounted device, which allowed users to record video, also raised privacy concerns and caused a consumer backlash.
Google co-founder Sergey Brin officially unveiled Google Glass at the Google I/O 2012 Developer's Conference held at Moscone Center in San Francisco. It was one of the most exciting, buzz-filled new product unveilings that I have ever witnessed. If you didn't catch the Google Glass unveiling here's the Google Developer's video.
Incidentally, both Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak shotdown the idea for wearable VR glasses. Jeff Soto – an ex-Apple employee and founder of TENDIGI – a mobile development firm, writing on his personal blog – I am not Robot narrates an interesting story, which explains the reason Jobs shotdown wearable glasses like Google Glass.
"As soon as I saw the video for Google’s Project Glass I instantly recalled a funny story from my time at Apple. I was once at a Town Hall meeting in Cupertino where Steve Jobs commented on this type of wearable computing. An Apple employee in the audience asked Steve a question to the extent of: 'How can we reach out to our leadership if we have a really good idea'. Steve immediately put him on the spot and made him pitch the idea in front of everyone there. An opportunity to pitch Steve Jobs. What? The employee proceeded to pitch an idea about glasses you can wear that display various types of information. A heads up display a’la terminator cyborg vision if you will. He continued to explain how he wished he had a way to see projected information while he perhaps went for a run outside. Keep in mind this is happening in a room filled with a lot of people. Steve immediately shot his idea down and told the guy that he would probably trip and fall if that were the case. Steve also suggested he should get a girlfriend so he has someone to keep him company while running. I can not watch this Project Glass video without recalling this moment. So if you’re wondering what Steve would think about Project Glass, that’s pretty much it."
Google Glass Sales Suspended
The original Google Glass cost $1,500, and was only available to conference attendees. An estimated 2,000 people placed pre-orders.
Almost a year later, despite outstanding pre-orders, Google expanded the project. A competition was set up where the public were invited to explain what they'd do with Glass. They had to use the hashtag #ifihadglass.
In May 2014, Google started selling its new Glass Explorer for $1,500 through Google Play store to anyone who wanted it after months of exclusive, invite-only availability.
Google hasn’t disclosed sales of Google Glass, but Statista estimated that more than 831,000 units were sold in 2014. (NOTE: I find this number difficult to believe)
In January 16, 2015, Google suddenly suspended sales of Google Glass Explorer, its most hyped new product offering to come along in a long time. Sales were suspended not because Google Glass failed commercially, but because of the controversey Googe's "smart glasses" raised. The following infographic lists several issues that many people raised about Google Glass.
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Ori Inbar, the chief executive of the non-profit AugmentedReality.org, said it couldn’t be “farther from the truth” to call Google Glass dead, or a failure. He says Google has sold more hardware in the smart glass category than anyone else so far, which has helped to raise public awareness and create inroads for competition. Inbar said.
“Google elevated public awareness to smart glasses to an unprecedented level.”
Google's suspension of Google Glass gives competitors like archrival Epson, which was at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in early January 2015 full force showcasing its eyewear enterprise apps, the opportunity to grow their own installed base in its wake.
The popularization of smart glasses in the workplace has created inroads for other tech heavyweights to launch their own augmented reality glasses, attachments and goggles as well. Sony and Microsoft both stepped into the breach in January 2015, Sony with its SmartEyeglass Attach prototype that would clip into an existing pair of glasses, and Microsoft with HoloLens, a headware that implants holographs into the physical places, spaces and things of a wearer’s actual reality.
Lab126 Experts
Dima Svetlov, whose LinkedIn profile says he worked on Amazon's TV streaming stick, joined Aura as a software development manager in May. Amir Frenke joined in June as a director of software development. Tina Chen left Lab126 in August after working on its TV streaming box and smart-home assistant, Echo, and now works as Aura's manager of technical program management.
Svetlov, Frenke, and Chen, whose LinkedIn profiles don't reveal any details about Project Aura besides the description that it works on Glass "and beyond," are joining Apple veteran Max Ratner, who worked on the iPhone.
The project even has its own designated recruiter, Jessica Bailow, who has been focused on Aura since June, according to her LinkedIn profile. And Google recently posted several job openings for the Aura team, including a program manager for category development, an industrial designer and a UX designer.
Business Insider also recently reported that Adrian Wong, the former Google Glass lead electrical engineer, who had defected to Facebook-owned virtual-reality startup Oculus, quietly rejoined Googlein June. His LinkedIn profile describes his new job only as "building blocks" for Alphabet/Google.
But the added description that "G is for Gadgets, Glasses, and Goggles" suggests that he may be working on Project Aura as well.
Google declined to comment.
Courtesy of an article dated September 16, 2015 appearing in Business Insider, an article dated April 12, 2012 appearing in iPhoneHacks.com, an article dated January 30, 2015 appearing in MarketWatch, and an article dated September 5, 2014 appearing in The Verge
In 2010, the company opened a store in what used to be a bank, just across the street from Paris' famous opera house (Click Image To Enlarge)
The Apple Store is an incredible retail success.
On a quarterly basis over 100 million people shop at the company's 437 worldwide stores during the fiscal year ending September 30, 2014. According to the San Jose Mercury News, Apple stores generate more revenue per square foot than any other U.S. retailer.
Number of Apple Retail Stores Worldwide by Year - Fiscal Year September 30, 2005 Through September 30, 2014 - Statista (Click Image To Enlarge)
According to Fortune Magazine, Apple extended its lead over the top 10 U.S. retailers with its stores generating a staggering $4,798.82 in sales per square foot on an annualized basis at the end of 2014, according to brand new data provided to Fortune by eMarketer.
The store on New York's Fifth Avenue consists of a 32-foot glass cube that's entirely self-supporting. A glass staircase leads into the store below (Click Image To Enlarge)
That compares to $4,551 earlier in 2014 and well ahead of Apple’s closest rival on this front, luxury jeweler Tiffany & Co, which saw sales of $3,132.20 per square foot. (As a point of comparison, department stores such as J.C. Penney and Macy’s generate $160 to $200 per square foot — although to be fair, aisles and aisles of low-priced clothes and towels are less of a draw than than highly coveted electronics.)
Apple opened its first store in the southern hemisphere in 2008, a three-story shop located in the middle of Sydney's shopping district (Click Image To Enlarge)
Part of what has made Apple stores so successful over the years is the stunning design details put into each one.
Inside, all of the stores look pretty much the same — Apple trademarked its store layout in 2013 — but each one offers its own unique look from the outside.
In 2009, the late Apple CEO and founder Steve Jobs hired famed British architect Norman Foster to take over the design for its upcoming campus 2, dubbed the "Apple Spaceship" in Silicon Valley. Foster has also designed Apple's future retail stores. That development, along with the hiring of former Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts as retail chief, is a sign that Apple's retail dominance shouldn't be ending anytime soon.
Apple's retail store in Istanbul is the first location designed by Norman Foster. It's recessed into the ground and looks a lot like a MacBook from above (Click Image To Enlarge)
If you own a piece of Apple tech there's a good chance you've visited one of their retail locations. Every detail of each Apple store has been designed and planned out to influence the customer into spending more money as they shop and browse. Here's how it works.
In Beijing's Sanlitun district, a large stainless-steel structure makes an imposing impression (Click Image To Enlarge)
COMMENTARY: I've written about the Apple retail stores before, and came away amazed at the number of customers that visit the stores each day, the simplicity of the store design and layout of each store, high level of customer service they offer, and the way Apple products are displayed to appeal to evangelists who lust for their products. It is all about offering a great customer experience from beginning to end.
The Apple store in Shanghai's Pudong district is one of its most stunning. A glass cylinder leads to the main part of the store, situated underneath the courtyard (Click Image To Enlarge)
Every detail of each Apple store has been designed and planned to influence the customer into spending more money as they shop and browse. The following video explains how each store is deliberately designed to make their customers spend more money.
Apple store employees are known for their "insanely great service," They are not known as store clerks or associates, but as "Specialists," for their knowledge of all Apple products. Apple hires Specialists for their "magnetic personality as much as, if not more than proficiency." You can teach proficiency, but personality is a natural trait that you either have, or you just don't. Here's a video that illustrates this point.
I had a look at Apple's Annual Report for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2014, and the company had 437 stores generating $21.5 billion in net revenues and employing 46,200. The following table presents Retail information for the years ended and as of September 27, 2014, September 28, 2013 and September 29, 2012 (dollars in millions):
Apple Stores, Net Revenues and Head Counts (Click Image To Enlarge)
The growth in Retail segment net sales in 2014 was primarily driven by increases in net sales and unit sales of iPhone and Mac, partially offset by declines in net sales and unit sales of iPad and iPod. With an average of 424 and 403 open stores during 2014 and 2013, respectively, average revenue per store increased to $50.6 million in 2014 from $50.2 million in 2013.
The growth in Retail segment net sales during 2013 was primarily driven by increased unit sales of iPhone and iPad following the new product introductions in the first half of 2013 and increased sales of services. With an average of 403 and 365 open stores during 2013 and 2012, respectively, average revenue per store decreased to $50.2 million in 2013, compared to $51.5 million in 2012.
The Retail segment’s operating income was $4.6 billion, $4.0 billion and $4.6 billion during 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively. The year-over-year increase in Retail segment operating income in 2014 was attributable to higher net sales and higher gross margin primarily due to a higher mix of iPhone. The year-over-year decrease in Retail segment operating income in 2013 was primarily attributable to lower gross margin similar to that experienced by the Company overall, partially offset by higher net sales.
Satya Nadella CEO Microsoft gives keynote at Microsoft Windows 10 Device Event today in New York City (Click Image To Enlarge)
We’ve been talking about Windows 10 for over a year now and today we started our next chapter, with new devices designed for Windows 10.
Today I stood on stage in NYC along with members of my team and had the honor of unveiling a new era of Windows 10 devices from Microsoft. We introduced new Surface, Lumia, and Band devices and shared the latest from HoloLens, and Xbox. I’ve been using these devices for months and couldn’t wait to share them with you today.
Windows 10: Off to the Hottest Start in History
In just a few short months, it’s been incredible to see more than 110 million devices already running Windows 10. I’m personally humbled and excited to see people around the world loving Windows 10. Thank you for your feedback – the team and I love reading it and using it to help us shape the future of Windows.
I’ve also been thrilled to see the response from developers and people enjoying everything our new Windows Store has to offer. With over 1.25 billion visits, developers are seeing the benefits – with developer revenue per download increasing four times since Windows 10 launched. This early activity is attracting new universal Windows apps to Windows 10. Today, we announced Facebook will be building universal Windows apps for Facebook, Instagram, and Facebook Messenger. And, we’re excited to welcome new universal Windows apps for Box, Candy Crush Soda Saga, Flipagram, NASCAR, Uber and many, many more.
New Windows 10 Devices from Microsoft
Our approach to hardware is to create and reinvent categories – like we did with Xbox and Xbox Live, with Surface being the tablet that can replace your laptop, with Lumia and Continuum, with Surface Hub, and of course with HoloLens being the only platform enabling you to mix holograms into your world.
Today, we unveiled a range of new devices, all built to make the most of Windows 10:
Surface Book – the new, ultimate laptop from Microsoft brings together best in class performance with the versatility of pen and touch.
The Surface Book includes a 13.5-inch display with a pixel density of 267PPI. That display is optically bonded to the glass, which means it should look good. Microsoft says the Surface Book is housed in a machined magnesium body — basically, it's a silver metal laptop, but it manages to look far different than a MacBook, despite its similarities in name. Perhaps the standout design element here is the Surface Book's hinge. Microsoft calls it a "dynamic fulcrum." From the side, it appears to almost flex as it bends. It leaves a slightly awkward gap when the Surface Book is fully closed, but it also elevates the display at an angle when the screen is flipped around for use as a tablet. A button on the side releases the display, which detaches from the top of the hinge.
Microsoft says the Surface Book is for someone who wants a bigger screen and "the perfect typing experience" of a laptop. For one, that includes a backlit keyboard. There's also deeper keys, with 1.6mm of travel. Microsoft is kind of freaking out about this keyboard. It's calling it "perfect" and saying it'll type almost silently. Beneath all that, the Surface Book includes a glass trackpad with five points of touch sensitivity.
The Surface Book will work with Microsoft's Surface Pen stylus as well. As for why you'd want to use this device as a tablet, Microsoft is talking about it as a "digital clipboard." That's not the most compelling phrase, but it's really everything that the Surface line has always been: a very powerful tablet that runs desktop Windows. This one just happens to do a much better job of transforming into the laptop that it really wants to be.
On the inside, the Surface Book has the latest Intel Core i5 and i7 processors, from the Skylake family. There's also an Nvidia GeForce GPU with GDDR5 memory, however that's located in the base, so you'll need to keep the display docked to tap into its power. The dock also includes two USB 3.0 ports and an SD card slot.
All together, the machine is supposed to keep running for 12 hours on a single charge. Microsoft claims.
"Ounce-for-ounce, pound-for-pound, this is the fastest 13-inch laptop ever made anywhere on any planet."
Microsoft says it'll actually be twice as fast as the MacBook Pro.
Checkout the Surface Book's technical specs compared with the Surface Pro 4 and Apple Macbook Pro below:
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The Surface Book will go on sale October 26th with prices beginning at $1,499. Preorders will begin October 7th.
Surface Pro 4– the tablet that can replace your laptop just got thinner, lighter and faster.
The Surface Pro 4 is now official, and it's thinner, lighter, and more powerful, while also having a larger display than its predecessor. Intel's Skylake processors and Microsoft's own Windows 10 are at the heart of the Surface Pro 4.
Panos Panay introduced the Surface Pro 4 by reminding us how transformative this line of devices has already been:
"This challenge of the tablet and the laptop... which do you buy? Remember that problem? It's gone."
There's a fingerprint sensor on the keyboard and Cortana integration inside the new tablet, which fits a 12.3-inch display in the same physical footprint as the older 12-inch device. The Surface Pro 4 is therefore compatible with existing keyboard accessories, though Microsoft has done a ton to upgrade its keyboard covers this year. And yes, there's an all-new Surface Pen as well, which also has an eraser on the end of it. The new pen has 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity and attaches magnetically to the side of the Surface Pro 4 when not in use. It comes in a variety of colors and even has Cortana integration: you can activate Microsoft's voice assistant by holding the button on the stylus.
Microsoft says this is the "thinnest, most powerful" Intel Core PC ever shipped and it's "not even close." To make that possible, the company has tweaked and optimized multiple aspects of the design that are invisible to the user, such as the 0.4mm-thick Gorilla Glass 4 covering the front. Microsoft has even developed a special G5 chipset to run the optical stack. The promise is that this is the best, most natural touchscreen out there. Notably, though, Microsoft isn't comparing the Surface Pro 4 against other tablets, with Panay saying that they're just not in the same class. Compared against Apple's MacBook Air, however, the Surface Pro 4 is claimed to be 50 percent faster, while it also has high-end specs that wouldn't be out of place on an ultrabook laptop. Storage goes all the way up to 1TB and you can get 16GB of memory to go with that Intel 6th-gen processor.
See the Surface Book (above) for technical specifications for the Surface Pro 4.
The Surface Pro 4 is available to preorder now, starting at $899. It will be available on October 26th.
New Lumia Phones – the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL combine Windows 10 innovation with our most powerful hardware and top-of-the-line imaging to help you be more productive. And the Lumia 550, our most affordable 4G LTE smartphone running Windows 10.
Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL both run Windows 10 and combines powerful hardware and top-of-the-line imaging (Click Image To Enlarge)
Lumia 550 runs Windows 10 and is Microsoft's most affordable 4G LTE smartphone (Click Image To Enlarge)
Microsoft VP for Surface Computing Panos Panay unveils the new Lumia 950 and 950 XL smartphones during today's live demonstration in New York, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2015 (Click Image To Enlarge)
Panos Panay, Microsoft V.P., formerly in charge of the Surface product line, and now the head of engineering for all premium Microsoft hardware, said on stage.
“We want to put Windows in your pocket. If you haven’t thought about these phones, wake up!”
The Lumia 950 comes with octacore and hexacore processors and liquid cooling technology. The smaller version has a 5.2-inch display, while the bigger cousin features a 5.7-inch display. These are OLED displays with a pixel density of 564 ppi and 518 ppi respectively.
The Lumia 950 and the XL versions run 20-megapixel cameras with a natural flash. Like on the iPhone 6s, both can shoot 4K video and include fifth-generation optical image stabilization technology and a dedicated camera button.
They come with 32GB of internal storage, a microSD card slot and a new USB Type-C connector. Finally, you can charge them up to 50 percent in just 30 minutes.
The two devices will ship in November exclusively through A&T in the U.S. for $549 and $649, with the XL version costing $100 more.
Panay finally hinted at the power of this device. Why would you need liquid cooling for just a phone? Because it’s more than a phone. You can actually plug your Lumia 950 to a dock and use it with your display, mouse and keyboard. It runs a nearly full version of Windows 10.
Called Continuum, the dock has an HDMI, DisplayPort and three USB ports. It looks like a good old USB hub, it’s very tiny and easy to put in your bag. The tile interface in the Start menu copies your phone’s start menu so that you get the exact same apps on your computer and on your phone. Universal apps, such as Mail and Word are scaled up version of the mobile apps.
Microsoft Band 2– the new Band can help you live healthier and achieve more with a new curved screen, a barometer, and apps for email, text, running, biking, the gym, and golf.
Windows 10 is the first platform to support holographic computing with API's that enable gaze, gesture, voice, and environmental understanding on an untethered device.
Microsoft HoloLens is the first fully untethered, holographic computer, enabling high-definition holograms to integrate with your world. Unlock all-new ways to connect, create, collaborate, and explore.
Microsoft Hololens holographic headset (Click Image To Enlarge)
This Microsoft Hololens Project X-Ray demonstration at today's NYC event, dramatically illustrates how Hololens can bring the world of holographic games into your living room.
Xbox One– At the Microsoft event this morning, the company’s No. 2, Terry Myerson, announced that the company will be upgrading all of its Xbox One systems to Windows 10. That means the company’s fans will be able to play Xbox 360 games on the Xbox One.
The company is also introducing limited-edition consoles inspired by games. The Halo5 console, Myerson’s favorite, comes with 1 terabyte of storage and will retail for $499. Rumors have been that this will be dropping in November, but Myerson did not give a specific release date.
With the announcement, Microsoft comes one step closer to completing its promise to bring Windows10 to all hardware classes.
Myerson told the breathless (if somewhat groggy) crowd.
“Xbox One is going to bring some serious fun this holiday.”
Microsoft Xbox One Elite Bundle includes the Console with 1TB hard drive and Controller, but does not come bundled with any game software (Click Image To Enlarge)
Microsoft Xbox One comes bundled with a variety of different games at different price points to appeal to both novice gamers on a limited budget and and more advanced players who want more variety and are willing to pay for the privelege.
Xbox One Ultimate Edition (bundled with Gears of War game, the console and controller come in black with a 500GB HD) - $349 (Microsoft Store and Amazon)
Xbox One Ultimate Edition (bundled with Gears of War game, the console and controller come in white with a 500GB HD) - $349 (Walmart)
Xbox One Electronic Arts Sports Bundle (bundled with EA Madden NFL 16 football game and one year free EA Access to play older EA games, the console and controller come in black with a 1TB HD) - $399 (Microsoft Store and Amazon)
Xbox One Electronic Arts Sports Bundle (bundled with EA FIFA 16 soccer game and one year free EA Access to play older EA games, the console and controller come in black with a 1TB HD) - $399 (Microsoft Store and Amazon)
Xbox One Forza Motorsport 6 Bundle (bundled with Forza Motorsport 6 racing game and a promo code for a free Ten Year Anniversary Car Pack, the console and controller come in blue with a 1TB HD) - $399 (Microsoft Store and Amazon)
Xbox One Halo 5 Bundle (bundled with Halo 5 shooter game, the console and controller come in two-tone silver and black with a 1TB HD) - $499 (Microsoft Store and Amazon)
Xbox One Rise of the Tomb Raider Bundle (bundled with Rise of the Tomb Raider and Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition games, along with a Tactical Survival Kit Content Pack for the new game, the console and controller come in black with 1TB HD) - $499 (Microsoft Store and Best Buy)
Xbox One Lego Movie Bundle (bundled with the Lego Movie Videogame, the console and controller come in black with 500T HD) - $349 (Microsoft Store and Amazon)
Xbox One Fallout 4 Bundle (bundled with Bethesda Softworks Fallout 4 post-apocalypse game, the console and controller come in black with a 1TB HD) - $399 (Microsoft Store and Amazon)
Xbox One Holiday Bundle (bundled with three free games: Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, Rara Replay (with 30 older games from Rare made to work on the Xbox One) and Ori and the Blind Forest, the console and controller come in black with 1TB HD) - $399 (Microsoft Store and Amazon)
Xbox One Kinect Bundle (bundled with three free games (Dance Central Spotlight, Kinect Sports Rivals, and Zoo Tycoon) with its latest Kinect bundle, the console and controller come in black with 500GB HD) - $499 (Microsoft Store and Amazon)
Xbox One Elite Bundle - Sold without a free game. The Xbox One Elite Bundle comes with a 1TB hybrid hard drive and controller both in black with a solid state componant that will reportedly load games up to 20% faster. - $499 (Microsoft Store and Amazon)
COMMENTARY: I am very impressed with Microsoft's Windows 10 product unification strategy and new lineup of products running Windows 10. Microsoft gambled that by offering computer users a free upgrade from Windows 7 and 8 to Windows 10, that they could create a huge base of Windows 10 users has proven to be an overwhelming success. 110 million Windows 10 is some kind of a record for a new Windows operating system, and will only rise as diehard Windows 7 and 8 years will eventually upgrade their computer devices to newer devices pre-loaded with Windows 10.
Microsoft's strategy has always been a Windows-based product unification strategy similar to what Apple has done with iOS and OSX and what Google has done with Android. The ability for desktop and mobile devices to be able to "talk" with each other in a seamless fashion is a huge advantage because the interface works similarly on all devices, and makes it easier for Microsoft to sell its customers more goodies loaded with Windows 10. It also keeps customers grounded and loyal to the Microsoft brand and makes it harder for them to switch to Apple or Android.
For Microsoft's Windows-based product unfication strategy to work, you must have great products and ancillary products to support each product line. This time around, Microsoft has an outstanding group of new Windows 10 products. They are incredibly well designed and are truly head and shoulders above those of other competitors, including in my opinion even those of Apple. The Microsoft Surface Book notebook/tablet combination and Surface Pro 4 and Pen will give the Apple Air, Apple Macbook Pro and iPad Pro a run for their money from a design, features, price and performance standpoint.
Microsoft's Windows-based product unification strategy also works well with large enterprise users who depend on the compatability of Microsoft's Office Suite and other productivity software across both desktop and mobile devices. This new product unification strategy makes it least likely that enteprise users will switch to Apple, who has been eyeing enterprise users for some time now. It may even make a few Androids mobile phone users switch to the Lumia line of smartphones, but we shall see.
I recently purchased a new Asus touchscreen notebook, and like it very much, but if I had my druthers, I would've purchased the new Microsoft Surface Book. It is not an Apple-killer, but comes as close as it gets.
I was particularly blown away by the demonstration of Microsoft's Hololens and X-Ray Project hologram games. Google and Apple just filed holographic patents and appear to be moving in the same direction. Facebook's acquisition of Oculus and recent partnership with Samsung to market the Gear VR headset (see my previous blog post) hopes to make virtual reality games affordable and mainstream. With Hololens and X-Ray Project, Microsoft has suddently become a major player in VR.
In conclusion, this is as good as it gets for Microsoft, so I hope that there are no hardware or Windows 10 glitches to screw things up. Kudos for Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella who engineered this Windows 10 product unification strategy. We could be seeing Microsoft's transition from a strictly software-driven company to a hardware and software powerhouse like Apple did under Steve Jobs. Is Satya the next Steve Jobs? He just might be.
Courtesy of an article dated October 6, 2015 appearing in Microsoft Windows, an article dated October 6, 2015 appearing in TechCrunch, an article dated October 5, 2015 appearing in Windows Central, an article dated October 6, 2015 appearing in Xbox.com, an article dated October 6, 2015 appearing in Microsoft Hololens site, an article dated October 6, 2015 appearing in TechCrunch, an article dated October 6, 2015 appearing in The Verge, an article dated October 6, 2015 appearing in The Verge, and an article dated October 6, 2015 appearing in Business Insider
YOUR 2-MINUTE GUIDE TO THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS APPLE ANNOUNCED AT THEIR NEW PRODUCT UNVEILING ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2015
The iPhone 6s is here. And it brought with it several bigger cousins.
As expected, Apple unveiled the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus today at its annual fall product launch event in San Francisco. Despite their familiar looks, the phones sport a new aluminum exterior, new colors, and a new feature called 3D Touch (essentially Force Touch for the iPhone). 3D Touch allows the phone to recognize the degree of force being used in touch gestures—a mini-tap vs. a full tap, for instance—and respond accordingly. While navigating the iOS interface, 3D Touch can serve as a new sort of "right click" functionality, calling up menus and allowing users to preview content from outside of a given app. It also opens up new possibilities for playing (and developing) mobile games.
The iPhone 6s will ship with Apple's new A9 chip, which promises to be 70% faster than the A8 chip found in the iPhone 6.
As expected, both phones are getting camera upgrades. The iSight camera now packs 12 megapixels and shoots super high-def 4K video. Meanwhile, the front-facing FaceTime camera is now at 5 megapixels and has a front-facing flash. Apple is also debuting a new feature called Live Photos, which turns still photos into mini-animations.
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As usual, both new iPhone models start at 16 GB (somewhat surprising, considering the growing footprint of iOS and the amount of extra space Live Photos must eat up) and come in 64 GB and 128 GB models. The pricing of the new phones is the same as that of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus: The iPhone 6s starts at $199 (16 GB) and ranges up to $399 (128 GB), while the 6s Plus starts at $299 (16 GB) and gets as pricey as $499 (128 GB). And for the first time, Apple is offering an upgrade plan that lets users buy unlocked phones and upgrade them every year, starting at $32/month.
The iPhone 6s and 6s Plus will be available for pre-orders on September 12 and start shipping September 25. Meanwhile, iOS 9 will be available for download on September 16th.
Apple CEO Tim Cook before unveiling the new Apple TV said.
"Our vision for TV is simple, and perhaps a little provocative. We believe the future of television is apps."
The device also has a redesigned remote, which includes a touch pad and can be used as a game controller. As predicted, the device now also supports Siri voice control. It will ship with universal search, which will allow users to search for content across apps like Netflix, Hulu, HBO Now, and Showtime.
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While the overall user interface looks very familiar, the functionality of the Apple TV appears poised to change substantially, thanks to the integration of Siri and universal search. For instance, viewers can ask Siri for a specific episode of a specific show, or even an episode guest-starring a particular actor. As is typically the case with Apple, the name of the game here is usability. And with this update to Apple TV, the company is taking its most sincere crack yet at the fractured, imperfect design of Internet-based television and movie watching.
The Apple TV operating system now has a name: tvOS. The new OS, which Eddy Cue says is "based on iOS and built for the living room," also has a new suite of software development kit to let developers build new TV apps, including games—a use case Apple is pushing pretty hard, given how popular games have proven to be on the iPad and iPhone.
Apple also partnered with MLB to create new Apple TV-specific sports apps, promising to help scratch an itch often cited by those hesitant to cut the cord from cable. But the Apple TV won't be limited to video content, music, and games. Shopping app Gilt also demoed its upcoming Apple TV app on stage at today's event, and Cue mentioned the impending arrival of an Airbnb app on the Apple TV.
The new Apple TV, which comes in 32GB and 64GB versions, will ship in late October.
Apple TV specs:
Redesigned remote control featuring a touchpad, accelerometer, and gyroscope
Siri voice control
Developer kit and third-party app store
Universal, cross-app video search
tvOS operating system
Bluetooth 4.0
64 bit A8 chip
Apple's New iPad Pro Tablet Offers Desktop Performance, Huge 13-inch Retina Display and Built-In Apple Pencil Stylus
Click to view a video of the new Apple iPad Pro
As expected, Apple previewed the latest addition to its tablet lineup as well: the iPad Pro. It sports a 12.9-inch screen with 5.6 million pixels, which is a higher resolution than the display on the MacBook Pro with Retina. Its new A9X chip promises "desktop class performance" that is faster than 80% of portable PCs on the market. The iPad Pro will ship in November.
For the first time, an iOS device will have a physical keyboard. In addition to a case that includes a keyboard, the iPad Pro will also support the Apple Pencil, the first Apple-built stylus for an iOS device. The Apple Pencil can be charged using the iPad Pro's lightning connector port. Both the iPad Pencil and the keyboard ship separately as add-on accessories.
The launches of iPad Pro and Apple Pencil present new opportunities for developers. One early partners is Microsoft, which shared the stage with Apple to show off new productivity features in Office for iPad. Apps like Word and Excel have been fine-tuned to work specifically with the iPad Pro and Apple Pencil.
The iPad Pro comes with a built-in digital keyboard, but this lacks the feel of a physical keyboard, so Apple is offering an optional keyboard called the Smart Keyboard which serves as a protective case for the iPad Pro and folds out into a stand and full-size keyboard with sensitive touch keys.
Speaking of Apple rivals, Apple has also been working with Adobe to build apps for the iPad Pro. Adobe announced Photoshop Fix, a new app that was built for the iPad Pro first. Eric Snow, the director of design for mobile apps at Adobe, demoed how Fix can work with other Adobe mobile apps like Comp and Sketch, which have been custom-tweaked for the iPad Pro as well. The new iPad-only Adobe workflow will be available in October. TypeKit fonts are now available on a mobile device for the first time.
Apple also added the iPad Mini 4 ($400), which is essentially the iPad Air 2 but smaller. The iPad Mini 2 is now available for $269.
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iPad Pro specs:
12.9 inch screen ("The biggest we've ever built in an iOS device," says Phil Schiller)
The display sports 5.6 million pixels
A9X chip (double the memory bandwidth and 2x faster storage performance of the previous chip, the A8X)
10 hours of battery life.
Four-speaker audio system with 3 times the audio volume of the iPad Air 2.
6.9 millimeters thick (vs. the iPad Air 2 at 6.1mm)
New cover that has a built-in physical keyboard
Apple Pencil, the first Apple-built stylus for an iOS device
Touch ID
8 megapixel iSight camera
Up to 150 mbps LTE connectivity
Comes in silver, gold, and grey
The New Apple Watch OS2
Before beefing up its lineup across bigger screens, Apple gave a quick update on the Apple Watch, which now boasts over 10,000 apps, including new additions like Facebook Messenger and a GoPro app. The company also announced new watch bands and product designs, including a strap co-created with Hermes. The Apple Watch will come in two new finishes: rose gold and gold, both in anodized aluminum. There are also new Sport models available, which start shipping today.
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Apple is also pushing the medical use cases for Apple Watch pretty hard. Apple invited Dr. Cameron Powell to demo an app called AirStrip, which promises to "change how doctors interact with their patients." Doctors can view live feeds of patients' medical data (including their heart rate), as well as their schedules, using the AirStrip app for Apple Watch.
Watch OS 2 will be available for download on September 16.
COMMENTARY:
Apple Is A Great Copycat, But Did They Improve Anything?
It used to be that Apple was, without a doubt, considered the king of innovation. Steve Jobs delivered products that changed our lives. Think: iMac. Think: iPhone. Think Different–-you get the gist.
Apple events nowadays, however, are known as much for innovation as they are for copycatting. And yesterday's annual September iPhone event included several products that—while they may still be on my Christmas list—look awfully familiar.
It could be argued, of course, that Apple can only iterate on their own devices so much each year. And as Jobs biographer Rick Tetzeli pointed out, it took a quarter century to move from the personal computer to the mobile computer, and it could take just as long before we see the next major breakthrough. This shifts the debate from being about whether or not Apple ought to be copying the hard work of others (and to be fair, plenty of companies have copied from Apple over the years) to a more salient question: Whose product does it best?
APPLE PENCIL (SEPTEMBER 2015) VS FIFTYTHREE PENCIL (NOVEMBER 2013)
The name alone caused a flurry of Twitter outrage among the techno-savvy hipster artist elite. Apple outright lifted the "Pencil" name from, well, a real pencil—but that wasn't the issue. There's an existing stylus with that same name, FiftyThree’s much-praised Pencil.
Is Apple’s reinvention better?
Apple’s Pencil, judging from the demos during the keynote, is impressive. There's a virtually undetectable latency–-the time between when you begin pressing the Pencil to the screen and the time the iPad knows you’re doing this. But besides this latency improvement, Apple's Pencil itself doesn’t actually offer any noticeable drawing features that FiftyThree’s Pencil doesn’t. Both detect varying degrees of pressure to create thick or thin lines, both allow you to draw with the point of the tip or with the tip at an angle.
Apple’s hardware design does, however, seem to have some improved benefits when it comes to power. Apple’s Pencil plugs into a Lightning port for charging. FiftyThree’s Pencil requires you to take the battery out and plug it into a USB port. Also, it’s impressive that you can charge Apple’s Pencil for only 15 seconds and get 30 minutes' worth of use from it. Then again, Apple’s Pencil only lasts for 12 hours per charge, while FiftyThree’s Pencil lasts for up to 90 days–-that’s handy if you're sitting in a field sketching sunflowers for days at a time. Also in FiftyThree’s court: Its Pencil has an eraser at the other end. Apple’s Pencil? Nope.
As far as cosmetic design, Apple’s Pencil is what you would expect: a cold-looking sliver of white plastic (Steve Jobs might use it to impale himself if he saw it). FiftyThree’s Pencil, on the other hand, while trying a bit too hard to appeal to the Brooklyn hipster, at least offers a few varieties such as a nice black, brushed aluminum to give you more style options.
Engadget spoke with over a dozen professional artists, illustrators and designers to gauge the reaction to the new Apple Pencil stylus. Many use styli in their everyday workflows through options including dedicated Wacom graphic tablets, all-in-one solutions like the Surface series or capacitive options like FiftyThree's Pencil for iPad -- and they've got a lot to say about Apple's entry into the market.
"I've tried [Wacom's capacitive] Bamboo stylus on my iPad and it was rubbish. This looks much better. I can't see using it for sketching, though, because it's missing the software. The iPad versions of Adobe's Creative Suite aren't as good. ... I'd rather buy the [Wacom] Cintiq, and have full Photoshop with a sensitive pad."
Mike Messina, senior UX/UI designer at [Engadget's parent company] AOL says.
"It (Apple Pencil) doesn't look to have many practical applications in terms of a professional design tool as it's not possible to use full Creative Suite and other industry-standard applications on a tablet device."
Messina uses a Wacom professional tablet and stylus for his work in combination with Adobe apps like Illustrator and Photoshop. He says.
"I don't think [the Pencil] compares to traditional [graphics] tablets and is more of an expensive toy -- albeit a nice one."
Although Apple's dedicated developer community will undoubtedly create great apps that support the Pencil, the chances of these apps being useful for more than the average consumer are low. Many creative industries are entrenched in Adobe software, while other studios, such as Disney, have their own tools like Meander, the program that was used for the Oscar-winning short Paperman. Adobe's apps for iOS are useful for certain tasks, and they will sync through Creative Cloud to the regular desktop apps, making the iPad Pro a potentially useful companion device.
"Where I could see a big advantage is in this replacing my sketchbook. I like to go around the city and have a coffee while sketching out new ideas. The hassle with that is that I'm always carrying a variety of pens, pencils, rulers, a sketchbook, a lightpad, etc. If it's as accurate as said, this could potentially replace that whole bag of tools for me."
Winner: Close call, but FiftyThree did it first and offers a better design–-and that eraser.
APPLE SMART KEYBOARD (SEPTEMBER 2015) VS MICROSOFT SURFACE PRO TYPE COVER (FEBRUARY 2013)
Apple’s got a bold tagline on the page announcing their new Smart Keyboard page: "The only thing we didn’t reinvent was the alphabet."
Eh, that’s not exactly true. I mean they didn’t reinvent the other fabric covered tablet keyboards that came before this one. Microsoft’s Surface Pro Type Cover is the most obvious example. That keyboard cover has been around for years and works exceptionally well as both a keyboard and a cover for a tablet. That’s not to say Apple’s new Smart Keyboard for the iPad Pro won’t work just as well, it’s just not super innovative (though it is welcome to finally have an Apple-sanctioned keyboard cover).
Winner: The Microsoft Surface Pro Type Cover. Apple, talk to us when you add some kind of trackpad so we can slide the text cursor around the screen inside word processing apps.
SIRI REMOTE (SEPTEMBER 2015) VS WII CONTROLLER (NOVEMBER 2006) VS FIRE TV REMOTE (APRIL 2014)
The new Apple TV remote–-officially called the Siri remote-–features a glass touch surface across the top with physical buttons below it. Apple does deserve props for the glass touch surface, that is truly innovative on a television remote. However, two other big features of the Siri Remote–-Siri voice control and its use as a gesture-based game controller—are something we’ve seen before.
First, Amazon’s Fire TV has had voice control for a while now. You can press its mic button and speak what you want to watch. That being said, Fire TV's voice controlled remote only searches across the Amazon Instant Video library, while Apple's new remote will crawl across all apps and channels—including HBO, Hulu, Netflix, and Showtime—for what you want to watch.
As a game controller, the Apple TV has clearly borrowed from almost every other digital media player as well as games consoles, including the Roku and Wii. It’s still cool, just not original.
Winner: The new Apple TV and its Siri Remote beats what came before it. The fact Siri can handle more advanced commands other than simple movie search queries, such as fast-forward and check the weather, makes Apple the innovator in this department.
LIVE PHOTOS (SEPTEMBER 2015) VS GIFS (1987)
Apple managed to keep one small iPhone feature from getting leaked: the introduction of Live Photos on the iPhone 6s. Live Photos are pictures that automatically record a few seconds on each side of the still frame. When viewing the picture on your iPhone 6s it looks like a still image until you force-touch it. Then it comes to life.
Sure, this is a pointless eye-candy feature—but it’s one that I think offers surprise and delight. Of course, that’s not to say Apple has innovated here. I mean, wizards have had this technology for a long time. And seriously, CompuServe beat Apple to the animated GIF by about, oh, 38 years.
Winner: I’m going to say GIFs, because some can keep me laughing for hours. Then again, GIFs generally are low-res and don’t look anything close to as beautiful as the Live Photos the iPhone 6s allows you to take.
APPLE WATCH (SEPTEMBER 2015) VS A WATCH (1570S)
Apple began its iPhone event by showing off the latest iteration of the most expensive iPhone accessory ever: the Apple Watch. Though it didn’t unveil the Apple Watch 2 (that’s likely for 2016) it did unveil some pretty cool new anodized aluminum color options: gold and rose gold.
The Apple Watch is no doubt a computing marvel and it deserves its praise-–but I mean really, is it better than a regular watch? Take Storm watches, for example: They’re beautiful, come in a wide array of colors and materials, and have more band options than you could ever need–-and they, you know, tell the time exceptionally well while featuring a battery that lasts for years.
The Apple Watch is a great, tiny computer, but as far as a timekeeping piece? I like my watches to keep on ticking without needing to be recharged every 18 hours.
Winner: Regular watches.
Courtesy of an article dated September 9, 2015 appearing in Fast Company, an article dated September 10, 2015 appearing in Fast Company and an article dated September 10, 2015 appearing in Engadget
While the company beat expectations for revenue and earnings, iPhone sales were softer than expected, leading to stock falling over 7% in after hours trading.
Here are all the big numbers:
Revenue: $49.6 billion, up 33% annually, versus analyst expectations of $49.4 billion
EPS: $1.85, up 45% versus analyst expectations of $1.81
iPhone units: 47.5 million, up 35%, versus analyst expectations of 48.8 million (the whisper number was 50 million)
iPad units: 10.9 million, down 18%, versus analyst expectations of 10.9 million
Mac units: 4.8 million versus 4.9 million
Cash: $203 billion
Revenue guidance: $49 billion-$51 billion versus $51.06 billion
Overall, the numbers are good. But, analysts were getting all geeked up for a monster iPhone number, which didn't happen.
On the call, CEO Tim Cook explained, in part, why iPhone sales were below analyst expectations.
He said the company had 600,000 fewer iPhones in channel inventory. If those phones had been in the channel, then Apple would not have missed on iPhone units as badly. It would have also led to an extra $396 million in revenue, since the average selling price of the iPhone is $660.
Why did Apple have lower channel inventory? Just because. Cook said the company tries to avoid having unnecessary inventory when possible. If he wanted to smash expectations, he would have shipped the extra 600,000 units, but he doesn't run the company to the 90-day drumbeat of earnings expectations, he said on the call.
Even with 600,000 extra iPhone sales, Apple would have missed expectations.
Despite iPhone sales coming in short of expectations, it was still a strong quarter, with sales up 35% year over year.
On the call, Cook was optimistic about the future of the iPhone. He said Apple had its highest switcher rate from Android ever. He also said that only 27% of the people that owned iPhones before the iPhone 6 launched had upgraded to the iPhone 6 or iPhone 6+. The iPhone has loyalty rates above 86%, which means there's lots of room for growth from upgraders.
Also, sales in China were up 87%, CFO Luca Maestri said on the call.
The other thing of note from the call was information on the Apple Watch. Apple didn't provide any specific numbers, but it did say that sales were above internal expectations. It said the watch sold better in its first 9 weeks than the iPad sold in its first 9 weeks.
The watch was reported as part of the "other" category, but it says the watch was more than 100% of the annual growth in the "other" category. It says iPod, and other accessories dragged down growth in that category.
Overall, it was another good quarter from Apple, despite the fact that investors decided to sell.
Below are tables, charts, and our live blog of the call.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
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PRODUCT UNIT SALES
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TOTAL REVENUES
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REVENUES FROM SERVICES
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OTHER PRODUCT REVENUES
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COMMENTARY:
Notes from the Call
Tim Cook said.
"It's been a busy and exciting quarter."
Apple achieved record results despite reducing channel inventory.
iPhone unit sales grew over 35% and gained share in all geographical segments. Apple saw highest Android switcher rate ever as well.
Tim Cook said.
"Tremendous record quarter for Mac."
App Store revenue grew 24% in the quarter, reporting highest results ever.
Apple Watch demand immediately exceeded supply and Apple delayed the availability in their own retail stores until mid June. Apple has now caught up with demand and Apple Watch is now available in 19 countries. Apple is very happy with customer satisfaction and usage statistics. Apple's own market research shows that 94% of Watch owners wear it and use it every day.
Tim Cook said.
"It's a rare and special privilege to launch a new platform with such promise and potential."
25 leading publishers have been signed for Apple News, including CNN, Bloomberg Business, The Daily Telegraph, and ESPN.
"Millions and millions" of customers are already using Apple Music. 15,000 artists have signed up for Connect. Millions of listeners are enjoying Beats 1.
American Express will add Apple Pay support for corporate cards next month. 700 universities in the US will soon accept Apple Pay. Apple is on track for Apple Pay acceptance in 1.5 million locations in the US by the end of 2015.
Apple doesn't participate in the low end of the tablet market, saying CFO Luca Maestri.
Services revenue has increased 12% over the past year. Services growth was strong in China where App Store revenue doubled year over year.
Apple Watch revenue accounted for over 100% growth in the Other category for the quarter.
Tim Cook is very bullish on iPhone growth in the future given the headroom for Android switchers.
The iPhone 6 Plus is doing well in Greater China and other Asian markets.
The Apple Watch sell-through was higher than the same period for the original iPhone and iPad launches.
Tim Cook said.
"We're convinced that the Watch is going to be one of the top gifts of the holiday season."
Tim Cook talked about the iPad.
"It's not like people have forgotten iPad or anything. It's a fantastic product."
Tim Cood had this to say about China.
"China will be Apple's largest market at some point in the future."
Apple Watch sales have been higher in June than April or May.
If you would like to review the entire Apple earnings conference call with analysts click HERE.
CONCLUSIONS
What stands out clear as mud in the Unit Sales - 4 Quarter Moving Average (5th chart in the Product Unit Sales section) is that Apple is too dependent on sales of the iPhone. iPad and iPod sales are declining as they approach the end of their product life cyles. Although Mac sales were up, growth has been relativelyy flat for the last five quarters.
In my opinion, Apple must have a new hit product because sales of the Apple Watch are not sizzling. The Apple Watch is supposed to be that new hit product, but many forecasters are already saying that the watch will be a flop, in spite of what Tim Cook claims. My gut tells me that the watch is not going to be the runaway must-have product that Apple customers will lust after.
With over $200 billion in cash or convertible investments, you would think Apple would dedicate Manhattan Project resources to developing new products. We keep reading about an Apple TV, and the latest rumor to surface is an Apple electric vehicle. We have designed bigger and faster, more feature-packed smartphones, and a nearly endless parade of mobile apps, but I haven't seen that blockbuster product. Apple Music could become a major revenue contributor, not on the same level as hardware. So Apple better start innovating like crazy or their shares will really nose-dive if there is any hint of a slowdown in iPhone sales.
On a positive note, with only 27% of the iPhone installed base having upgraded to the iPhone 6/6 Plus at the end of Q3 2015, I have a strong feeling that Apple iPhone replacement sales will rebound strongly in the second half of 2015. Most of the future iPhone growth will be from China which represented 26% of Apple's revenues during the quarter.
Courtesy of an article dated July 21, 2015 appearing in The Wall Street Journal, an article dated July 21, 2015 appearing in MacStories, and a press release dated July 21, 2015 issued by Apple,
Without much fanfare, Samsung on Monday unveiled the Galaxy Tab S2, its new flagship tablet and successor to last year’s excellent Tab S. The Tab S2 will hit stores worldwide in August, but before it does so, we thought we’d stack it up against Apple’s iPad Air 2 and see exactly what Samsung has wrought this time around. Does the Tab S2 have what it takes to unseat the current reigning champion of tablets? Let’s find out.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 vs Apple iPad Air 2 - Front View (Click Image To Enlarge)
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 vs Apple iPad Air 2 - Rear View (Click Image To Enlarge)
First and foremost, we’re not expecting Android users to switch to the iPad, or vice versa, based on the hardware and software design. So let’s not look at this from an OS perspective, at least not too closely.
Design
Hardware-wise, it seems Samsung is taking a page out of its playbook for the Galaxy S6 — which in turn was influenced by the iPhone. For the first time, Samsung has adopted the iPad’s 4:3 aspect ratio for one of its Android tablets. “By recreating the same viewing experience of browsing through traditional print media, the Galaxy Tab S2 also makes it comfortable to read digital content, including e-books, magazines, webpages and newsfeeds. This reading-optimized ratio allows the user to enjoy a seamless reading experience without unnecessary scrolling.” So what happened to Samsung’s dedication to the theatrical 16:9 aspect ratio?
Quality of materials also gets a bump here. The Tab S2 has rounded silver metal edges that again call out to Apple’s design. It’s a little disappointing to see Samsung hew so closely to Apple’s products from last year like this; part of what made Samsung phones special were the differences, and at this point it’s starting to look a little desperate on Samsung’s part. That said, I can’t tell yet if the back of the Tab S2 is plastic, unlike Apple’s all-metal rear panel, or if it’s all metal; I’ll update this post when I get an answer.
The larger version of the Tab S2 measures 9.3 x 6.7 x 0.22 inches (HWD) and weighs 13.7 ounces. Compare that with the iPad Air 2: 9.4 x 6.6 x 0.24 inches and 15.4 ounces. Samsung made the Tab S2 thinner and lighter than Apple — if by a hair, thickness-wise — which is an impressive achievement indeed, given how featherweight the iPad Air 2 is to begin with.
Display
Both tablets have ultra-sharp displays, with the same 2048×1536 resolution and 264 PPI. The displays themselves are quite different, though, with Samsung using its excellent Super AMOLED technology, and Apple taking the more traditional IPS route with its own Retina Display. If the Tab S2 is anything like the excellent Galaxy S6 and Galaxy Note 4, it’s going to look stunning in person. I love the Galaxy Note 4’s display. And here, Samsung’s Adaptive Display auto-adjusts saturation, sharpness, and gamma levels based on the environment you’re using the Tab S2 in — it’s more than just an ambient light sensor, which mobile devices have had for years.
Performance
Underneath the hood, the S2 sports an Exynos 5433 octa-core (1.9GHz + 1.3GHz) processor, 3GB RAM, and a 5,870mAh battery. Apple has always played it fairly coy with its own lineup, saying just 64-bit A8X for the current model’s CPU; a teardown reveals 2GB RAM and a larger 7,340mAh battery. Samsung’s eight-core-chip sounds promising, and it’s certainly fast, but having so many cores isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be. Both models offer current-gen 802.11ac Wi-Fi on both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, and the Tab S2 will also have an LTE model like Apple, although details and pricing remain unclear.
The Galaxy Tab S2 looks a lot like the Apple iPad Air 2.
Operating System
The Tab s2 runs Android 5.0 Lollipop. For security, the company added a fingerprint sensor to the Tab S2, and it also has preloaded malware protection. Expect fairly heavy customizations typical of Samsung, though the company has shown a bit more restraint in recent generations. The peak (or perhaps nadir) of its software customizations was probably the Galaxy S4; the S5 and now S6 are both a bit lighter and easier to use on the software front, and I’d expect that to continue with the Tab S2. The Tab S2 has a dual-app Pop-Up Window, letting you multitask in ways that you can’t yet with an iPad — at least not until iOS 9 comes out in October.
Software
The Tab S2 comes preloaded with Microsoft Office Solutions, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote. That said, you can get Microsoft Office for free on the iPad, as well as Apple’s own suite of office apps. All of these are plenty enough for real work, though you’ll want to add a physical Bluetooth keyboard or case to both of them for serious writing and spreadsheet hacking.
Cameras
The two cameras on the Galaxy Tab S2 are standard fare, with an 8-megapixel sensor around back and a 2.1-megapixel front-facing sensor for selfies. On paper, that’s the same as the iPad’s rear camera and more detailed than its front camera, but Apple always puts a ton of work into its cameras to ensure they’re better than they look from the specs. For example, the iPad Air 2’s rear camera sports an f/2.4 aperture five-element lens and a hybrid IR filter, whereas the front camera has a wide f/2.2 aperature. Samsung has so far said not much of anything about the Tab S2’s cameras, which is a little worrisome.
Storage
Samsung is actually selling the Tab S2 in two flavors: a 9.7-inch model (the same size display as the iPad Air 2) and an 8-inch model (with a display that’s a tenth of an inch larger than the iPad mini 3’s). Both start at 32GB, which is double the base iPad Air 2 storage, and unlike with the iPad, you can add a microSD card to either Tab S2 for up to 128GB of additional media (if not application) storage. The Tab S2 maxes out at 64GB internally, whereas you can get a 128GB iPad Air 2.
Conclusion
The Galaxy Tab S2 looks like a nice tablet, but somewhat disappointingly, it looks a bit like the company gave up and just copied the design of the iPad Air 2 a little bit too closely. Obviously using it will be very different — Android is just a very different OS than iOS, and has its plusses and minuses, and Samsung’s own customizations differentiate the Tab S2 from its Android brethren even further. But I feel Google’s own Nexus lineup — the Nexus 6 in particular — as well as some of what Motorola and now Asus are doing advances the Android cause more than Samsung is, and are more unique as a result.
Samsung’s latest tablet looks like a very high quality product. The company may not always make original hardware (with the Galaxy S6 Edge being a recent and awesome exception), but it pretty consistently makes great hardware. As is often the case, the pricing will make or break the Tab S2. If the base model Tab S2 matches the iPad’s $499, then you’ll get twice the storage and a slightly thinner and lighter tablet, with a more vibrant AMOLED display, for the same price by going with Samsung. That could be enough to sway some buyers, especially existing Android fans that have been waiting for a tablet that’s easier to browse the Web and read books on.
COMMENTARY: Having test driven both the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 (16GB) and A10 (32GB), I came away very impressed with both tablets. In my opinion the price-to-value propositions of these two Samsung tablets when compared to the Apple iPad Air cannot be beat. This time around the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 leaves no stone unturned. I think it beats out the iPad Air 2 when you compare their specs side-by-side (see chart below).
I've always been critical of Apple because they box-in their evangelist users into deciding between buying a 16, 32, 64 or 128 GB storage device. There is no upgrade path, and they end up paying more. Apple historically does not offer MicroSD slots whereas Samsung does. I have always considered this a win-win for the Samsung consumer, and do so again in this case.
The camera's of the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 and A10 were without any doubt inferior to the Apple Air, but with the introduction of the Galaxy Tab S2, this is no longer appears to be an issue. The S2 camera is more than a match to the Air 2. I have not seen any reviews about picture quality comparisons, so I say this tongue-and-cheek.
I honestly don't give a damn that the Galaxy Tab S2 back is made of plastic, while the Air 2 is aluminum. It's simply not a deal breaker for me. The Galaxy Tab S2 still beat out the Air 2 in thickness and weight. So there. Be aware that aluminum does ding much easier than plastic. Let's not forget that the iPhone 6 phone had a bending problem. Having a very stiff and sturdy plastic frame is a big plus in my opinion.
In the opinion of several hardware testers, the Galaxy Tab S2's super AMOLED display is as good as the IPS LCD display of the Air 2. The IPS LCD does burn more power, and this probably accounts for the bigger storage battery on the Air 2. Unfortunately this added to the weight. I think it's a draw, but we have yet to see comparisons of battery usage times. I guess we will have to wait.
The Air 2 beats out the Galaxy Tab S2 when it comes to power. However, Apple has had problems delivering efficient power consumption. This was the case with the iPad Mini and iPad 4. The bigger power storage of the Air 2 is a plus, but the IPS LCD display will eat into that storage, so we will just have to wait and see if this additional storage was worth it in the end.
Click Image To Enlarge
Again, I think Samsung has caught or passed Apple when it comes to tablets with the unveiling of the Galaxy Tab S2. I really don't care if they are accused of copying Apple on specs as Jamie Lendino has said in the above article. Samsung has not released prices for their new tablet, but I don't mind paying a bit more for the the lower weight and thinness and storage flexibility offered with the microSD slot. It's a win-win for Samsung consumers.
Courtesy of an article dated July 22, 2015 appearing in Extreme Tech
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