AI, Mobile, and Eveything Around the Cloud

Source:  New Scientist .This isn't really a tech or social media story that I normally like to share about Apple, Google, and others but the news that carbon dioxide emissions in 2014 was the same as the previous year is pretty significant.  And in some part, it has to do with alternative energy sources that came only despite a growing global economy. The only times this has happened were during economic slowdowns experienced in the early 80s, the recession of 1992, and the Great Recession in 2009. While researchers at Tyndall Institute for Climate Change Research at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, UK had expected a 2.3% increase in carbon emission, changing energy use and patterns should have alerted them to the possibility that carbon increase should slow dramatically.  As dirty as China is, renewable energy use is increasing in the Middle Kingdom while coal use is down.  Furthermore, tempered growth in China is also contributing to the carbon level in 20...

Much has been made about the iPad's diminish sales over the last year.  There is no denying that once of the last major products Steve Jobs introduced is not performing as well as most analysts and pundits believe it was to be.  Perhaps, there are even some at Apple that cannot see why the iPad isn't lighting the tablet market on fire or at least growing slowly.  It's the PC market that has shown life even as Mac sales continue to outperform. The problem for the iPad, and tablets in general, isn't that there is not a market for it.  Problem with a majority of users and in the media is the preception of what a tablet is for.  Instead of a multipurpose device with the potential as a laptop replacement, it's being looked upon as a device for media consumption - for business, education, and entertainment.  Consumption.  Not production of content.  If you wanna do that, you still need PCs for the most part.  The uses of tablets in my family and ...

It's been confirmed over the last year that tablet sales have been down.  So, does that mean PC sales are up?  Well, Mac sales are but the larger PC market is still stagnating.  Hence, Intel's warning.  So, what is exactly going on here?  What are the billions of people doing their computing on?  For the most part, people are holding on to their computers and tablets longer.  The upgrade cycle has become longer largely because today's computers and tablets are so powerful.  While Microsoft struggles to stimulate demand for next version of Windows, Windows 10, it certainly has not help with the computer buying cycle. When Intel warned that its outlook was not as rosy as stated, an interesting thing happened.  Microsoft and other tech companies associated with the PC market lost value while other tech giants like Apple and Google rose.  It spoke volumes about where the future is headed when Microsoft manages to stem the the PC market from ...

This post from Boy Genius Report rehashed many of the reason why Apple is not likely to develop its own car.  The most talked about reason why Apple will not develop its own car is because of the historically low margin the auto industry has selling each car while Apple's products enjoy margins might higher. If margin is more of an issue than the billions that Apple will likely make from selling cars, then that is correct.  It should also mean that Apple should get rid of some products with margins that are dragging down the iPhone.  Apple's crack team of executives have thought about this and will adjust the company as well as Wall Street accordingly.  As far as margins go, Apple would make sure it can at least match if not exceeed the 15% margin that Porchse is pulling in and at least twice that of most luxuary brands.  The other argument is the number of models Apple is likely to put out compared to BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, and other high-end cars.  Tels...

There is some disturbing news that Apple is discontinuing sales of competing health bands like Jawbone UP and Nike Fuelband.  Granted, these are health bands and not actual watches and, granted, the Nike Fuelband is as good as discontinued, it really highlights a segment of the health monitoring market that Apple is not addressing with the Apple Watch. Anything $250 and under market.  I would, in a heartbeat, get in on a $200 Apple band that monitors just steps and is integrated with the Health app on my iPhone.  I'm hoping that perhaps after a year or so, Apple will introduce additional health monitor devices and other forms of wearables for those not interested in a fully functioning computer that sits in a wrist.  I've been a dedicated user of the Up, Fuelband, and Fitbit - tried them all at different times as wear and tear forced me to get one or the other.  My latest was the Fibit Force that also monitored how many stairs I take.  After it died, just b...

Looks like Jay Z is trying to follow Apple's Dr. Dre, formerly of Beats, to become the next billionaire rapper.  That can be the only reason why he's starting his own music streaming service... ( The Verge )

Today, we got some needed answers to the Apple Watch's battery replacement.  It's important not only from the standpoint that the Apple Watch is completely a computer and without a functioning battery, it's as good as a dead weight.  In the case of the Edition, a very expensive dead weight.  It's not like you can wind it to make it work again (maybe someday).  But what about other forms of servicing? What comes to mind is what good is a gold-encased digital watch if it's going to be obsolete two or three years down the line?  As an Apple fan, I like to know the answer to this question even though I'll never put down $10K for a regular watch much less one that will lose out in favor of newer ones.  Don't get me wrong.  There will be folks who buy the Edition, costing up to $17K depending on the band.  And maybe the fact that there will be a limited number of Edition it itself value.  We'll just have to see how much value it holds up over the y...

Yup, Steve is smiling his trademark smile with a bit of a smirk at the news of the standalone HBO service, HBO Now, with Apple as its exclusive launch partner (media reports Apple with a 3-month window exclusivity).  The success of this launch, which others and I have already called it, will put mucho pressure the current cable TV model. According to Recode , HBO is hoping to gain leverage over the cable and satellite industry in generating more revenue.  For now, HBO will charge $15 a month.  With Apple and, 3 months later, other means by which HBO Now will be able to be watched, it will add a new market for the cable channel - cord-cutters who want HBO without paying for cable TV bundles that most do not want to watch.  HBO wants broadband service providers to sell this new standalone service.  And of course, Apple is all the more willing help HBO out if it means wrestling control of the media content away from the traditional players and destroying the curren...

Apple Watch may well be a flop.  No one knows until it actually goes on sale and, even then, we will have to wait a couple of quarters at least to know if this is actually the case.  On top of that, should the Apple Watch add a mere $10 billion a year to Apple's bottom line, it's only a flop compared to other Apple launches.  Ask any of Apple's competitors and ask them if they would like to see an extra $10 billion to their revenue. Still, this has not stopped headline grabbers from news outlets to "analysts" and other forms of pundits to come out and used the same tired argument about how Apple is doomed and/or how a device that will sell millions is a failure.  Take this list of detractors via USA Today . One of the arguments made about the Apple Watch being a failure is that it only works with the iPhone.  Duh.  It's the iOS ecosystem.  As last I checkedly, it's limited to the iPhone and iPad.  The success stories that Apple will be sharing wil...