Mobile Devices: A New Era

Connected intelligence in mobile devices will be the next major force behind mobile innovation, and it appears that the mobile industry sees this vision and is preparing to drive it in this direction. The PC innovation part started in the mid-1970s and we are approaching the 42nd year of this cycle. During that time, PCs, tablets and smartphones have been created and the backbone technology has been laid to drive even greater innovation. He expects that the next big wave will come with connected intelligence devices using IP networks and new wireless technologies that will, in context, drive a whole new ranges of products and services, as we have seen with IP telephony and cloud services. That is the connected part. As for the intelligence, data will be collected and stored (if it isn't already) and then that information will be used deliver more custom experience and innovation to different people. The last 10 years, especially, have given us the underlying technology in wireless connectivity, low-voltage processors, HD touchscreens and device innovation that really sets us up for what will be the next major phase of mobile.

Technology and the Middle Class

Many people always say that technology is one of the things that is going to help the people that are suffering from poverty and disease in third world countries. It can also make life better for many other people as far as communication services and social networks go. The problem is that not too many people want to see the issues that may come with the advanced technology. Take the job situation for example. The US still has two million fewer jobs than before the downturn, the unemployment rate is stuck at levels not seen since the early 1990s and the proportion of adults who are working is four percentage points off its peak in 2000. This job drought has spurred pundits to wonder whether a profound employment sickness has overtaken us. And from there, it’s only a short leap to ask whether that illness isn’t productivity itself. Have we mechanized and computerized ourselves into obsolescence? These questions are nothing new as we have seen during the industrial revolution. The debate is still very much relevant though. What are your thoughts?

The HTC One

Is it The One? One of the best things about the HTC One is that it’s the rare Android phone that actually emphasizes smart design. It’s pretty to look at, but it’s also durable. After three months without using a case, the HTC One doesn’t have a single scratch or blemish. That’s more than I can say about an iPhone 5, whose aluminum edges began collecting scuffs almost immediately. While it’s true that Android phones used to become obsolete after just a few months, things have changed. The pace of hardware advancements have slowed down, and Google has been updating Android without updating Android, which means HTC’s software doesn’t feel out of date despite being a minor version or two behind. The application development also keeps us with it. What do you think about this phone?

Amazon Dipping into Consoles

"Suddenly it seems like every tech titan wants to be in the game console business. Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony have theirs, of course, and Google is supposedly working on one of its own. Apple has at least laid the groundwork. In addition to the big companies, we also have the small upstarts like Ouya and GameStick. Now we can add Amazon to the pile, at least according to Game Informer’s unnamed sources."

I think it might be a good thing that more companies are making consoles because it will decrease the prices of the game systems. Application development would also need to keep up with the different platforms and systems in order to compete in the market. Are you going to be one of the first people to try the systems or are you going to wait until others try it?

Creativity

What does it take to write well? If you are a major in English, the only thing that you could realistically do for a decent paycheck is be a English teacher. But alas if your passion really is writing you should be able to enjoy it no matter the anguish and the blocks. Think of writing as a game and if you are stuck on a level, there are things called cheat codes. One of the techniques to start at the very end or at the very exciting part and work from there. Another way to get rid of the writers block is to bring elements into the story from a completely different genre and see how the characters deal with it. Lastly, one of the best things that you can do is take advantage of any some of communication services or social networks to bounce some ideas off of people. Any other ideas to combat the treacherous void where great words should be written?

GPS on Windshield

The next time when you look at your new car's windshield, you might see a whole view of maps and directions. Personally, I would find that really distracting but Garmin will choose to ignore that opinion and forge ahead with a product that will beam GPS information up on the windshield, as if having the GPS right there has not been enough. They believe that it would help with distractions because in California, potentially a big market for Garmin products, recently ruled that using GPS or mapping functions on a handheld is a moving violation, the same as texting or another communication service. What are your thoughts on the new trend in GPS tech?

Yota Phone

New and innovative smartphones are hard to find considering that most American companies have the market cornered. One of the more interesting phones at the CES is the YotaPhone. The YotaPhone’s main attraction is a 4.3-inch E-Ink display that sits on the phone’s curved backside. The E-Ink screen allows users to keep certain types of information in view, such as the time, notifications or a photo, without draining battery life. Would a secondary screen be that much more useful on a phone. If we are talking about a laptop, more people are using dual screens. One of the advantages that is mentioned in the presentation is that it will keep us away from our phones. If YotaPhone users can get accustomed to leaving their phones on a table or desk, with the E-Ink display facing up, they’ll be able to keep an eye on notifications without having to pick up the phone and fiddle with it. Also users are able to take a screen shot of anything on the main screen and send it to the E-Ink screen. This phone actually opens up the playing arena for mobile application development as well. Although Yota Devices isn’t known as a big smartphone brand, the company wants to launch the YotaPhone all over the world, including the United States.