AI, Mobile, and Eveything Around the Cloud

It's great that we now have FaceTime Audio.  It is a feature that should have easily come along with the video chat feature but I figure it's likely that Apple did not include it in the beginning to avoid roughing too much weathers with the carriers.  Now that we have it, great.  What's next for FaceTime? It's important to remember that we humans are social creatures.  Most of us are anyway.  Most of us not only want social interaction but need it.  FaceTime has allowed many people to stay in touch over the years from vast distances - fostering and retaining relationships.  And let's not forget how many parents and grandparents are able to keep in touch with their families because of it.  Now I ask this:  what is next for FaceTime?  What will Apple do to take FaceTime to the next level to make it a more robust mean of communication? I like to be able to see a conference feature - allowing more than just the one-to-one chat available now ...

Source:   CNET . Got a new smartphone or tablet?  Well, let me be the first to welcome you to the mobile rank.  You're about to be more connected, productive, and in a few days or weeks, you'll forget your old life or wonder how you managed with your new trusty sidekick. CNET has a post that suggests six things a brand new mobile warrior should do with his or her smartphone or tablet.  Personally, I think the first thing you should do is a happy dance.  Then after that, take a deep breath. If it's an upgrade, you already know what it is like being a member of the mobile society.  If you're a brand new mobile warrior on the 25th (or later if UPS or FEDEX happened to still have your Christmas present), you've stepped into the future.  Future because of how fast the mobile market is moving and you better be ready. Even before you follow CNET's suggestions, I think you should do the following: Gather all your e-mail and social credentials. ...

Source:   Android Guys ,  indiegogo . I'm surprised we haven't seen more of this or mobile and/or social sites haven't given this more attention.  Sex toys that the mobile and social environment we now live in should allow two people vast distances away to "connect". Lovense, as they've stated in the Youtube video, provides sensation from one partner to another using your good old sex toys.  Honestly, I've never seen one or held one in person so I've got no idea how it already works and how much better it will be now that there will be feedback and "sensational" input from a remote sex partner. The idea is simple.  Feedback from one partner's device will be felt on the sex toy belonging to the second partner (or maybe even partners?). Oh, and if you're just alone or your partner needs to charge his or her device or mobile device, well, there is still a way for you to entertain yourself.  In fact, it could move to any music y...

Battery issues are something I write significantly if not almost weekly. I've bought myself a couple of 10,000+ mAh batteries that has more than once saved me. And currently overseas, they're getting the workout that they were meant for. I thought I would be one of there few folks who carry around a battery pack or two in the US and even less so in Asia. Boy, was I surprised. In fact, I think one out of every three mobile warriors here could conceivably be carrying a battery pack with them. I n fact, it is very common to see battery packs of all capacities bring sold right in phone stores, 7-11 stores (there are a freaking lot of these), small convenience stores, markets, and public transportation stops. It goes to speak about the state of mobile in Asia and the dismal state of the battery technology. Be it the iPhone, HTC, or Samsung, there simply isn't enough battery life in these phones to sustain the growing role of mobile devices in our lives. And the ra...

Source:   Macrumors ,  WSJ . A couple of weeks ago, the big news was that Apple acquired a motion sensing company, PrimeSense ( On Apple ) that once made sensors for Microsoft's Kinect for the Xbox.  Late today, we learned that Apple has made use of its billions with another buyout: Topsy.  This one is just as significant and targeted as are other Apple buys. According to reports, Topsy is a search (interesting) and analytical company indexes social data - like being in business with Twitter since 2006.  Now, in the past, people have suggested that Apple buy Twitter.  It's common sense that it would never happen.  So why buy Twitter when you can buy the tweets? Does that mean that Apple will begin spying on its own ecosystem - iOS And Mac users?  Not likely.  However, it's possible for Apple to push ads, apps, contents, and whatever else in its ecosystem based on user tweets or just general trends based on all the information it alre...

I'm currently in Taiwan.  On vacation and visited work for a short while.  During the trip so far, it's been fun.  I've also suffered from food poisoning.  Better now.  One of the things I've noticed about Taiwan is the great mobile service.  Great single and decent plans.  In fact, I got a 3G sim card for my iPad.  It costs about $20 a month and it's data you want.  Unlimited. And as far as I know, I have yet to encountered any throttling. However, there is one issue that I found perplexing.  Wi-Fi isn't free.  I walk into a Starbucks expecting the same complimentary free Internet access in the US was no where to be found.  I was met with a Chinese mention that requires a paid log-in.  (I was told the local Starbucks here, and maybe elsewhere in the world, are not wholly-owned by Starbucks and are franchises.) Then I was told that in the capital city of Taiwan, Taipei, blocks of the city is blanketed by a Wi-FI c...