AI, Mobile, and Eveything Around the Cloud

Source:   CNBC . This came out of nowhere.  Intel will be getting into the video biz.  We're talking about live streaming video.  Stuff we already see on cable/sat TV.  Okay, it's not cord-cutting but its still quite interesting that the world's premier PC chip provider is doing this. I don't know why they're doing this or why they think they will succeed but I like it a lot.  Thinking outside of the box. So, when?  Well, we just got a vague "this year" from CNBC and that Intel is still talking about it with content providers. So, why?  This is fun.  Well, as Apple and Google move into the living room along with console makers like Microsoft and Sony, these devices, Apple TV, Xbox, and Playstation will be sitting in the living room without "Intel Inside".  On top of that, Google's efforts also like involve ARM-based chips. By providing a bundled video service along with a set-top box, Intel is trying to assure it has a place...

Source:   GSM Arena . I came across this post from  GSM Arena  when I was looking into the Droid DNA's battery life.  It was adequate but it was the comoparison between the DNA with the iPhone 5 and Motorola RAZR MAXX that got me going a bit. In the post, the iPhone 5 and the RAZR never went head-to-head in the battery tests.  The RAZR blew away the field of Android devices in just about every category.  The iPhone 5 dominated in the Web browsing categoy but the RAZR was not a part of it. Based on the information provided in the post and what Apple listed for the iPhone 5 in its  tech specs page , we can surmise, though scientifically inaccurate, that the  RAZR with its 3300 mAh battery  has about a 60% advantage over the iPhone 5's 1440 mAh battery. Here's what I gather and I think I've been right about this.  Companies sacrificing battery life in the name of the thinness and lightness race.  I'm glad Motorola came out wit...

Apple’s Tim Cook will be joining FLOTUS for President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address to Congress and America (and the world).  I’m sure it’s about giving lip service to innovation and entrepreneurship.  But what if it’s more? I don’t think it’ll be about President Obama saying something like “Apple has given me permission to tell the world about the iWatch…”.  So, it makes me wonder about why Tim Cook is flying across the country for this. Obviously, when you’re invited by POTUS for an event, you don’t say no.  And it helps Apple’s agendas to have your CEO chatting up the President.  I’m sure Tim Cook whispered a thing or two about Apple’s feelings on immigration, corporate tax holiday and rate, and patent reform.  And maybe about the dismal state of American schools and how having and iPad the hands of eager students will help propel America back to the top again. In 2012, Steve Jobs’ wife, Laurene Powell Jobs, was a guest of Michelle Oba...

Source:   Macrumors . Apple just released iOS 6.1.1 for those who have had connectivity and/or battery issues.

Here is another opportunity for me to discuss a rumor in a different context other than to spread them and take a jab at the media by pointing out how stupid they are.  WSJ and the NYT both reported that Apple is working on a smart watch, AKA iWatch as it is called in the blogworld.  But then again, who isn’t working on a smart watch either as a replacement for the smartphone as another mobile device or as an extension to the smart devices like the iPhone, iPad, or Galaxy devices? I bet that Apple is working on this but so is LG, Sony, Samsung, and even Google and Microsoft.  There will be plenty of these smart watches on the market soon enough.  It’s not certain that Apple will be among them. You never know what Apple will or will not do.  At the same time, do expect a bunch of these smart watches running Android, Linux, and, perhaps, Windows 8. Another point I like to make is that not only are these guys, Apple included, play around with watches, they are...

Source:   Appleinsider . Over the Holidays, you could have gotten a good deal on Macbooks.  After that, prices go back up to where it's high Apple usually likes it.  But according to Appleinsider, you can get a $200 discount off the most basic Macbook Pro with Retina Display.  That would put the Retina Display model at about a $300 premium over a regular Macbook Pro on the low end - much better than the $500 premium we were looking at. There is no word on how long this will last.  But what's the reason behind the price cuts?  Apple's regular Macbook Pro and Air models have not been discounted much to such an extent but where were still inline with the Christmas discounts. So, I'll just the basis here for you.  And depending on the reasons for the cuts, it could be a good time to buy. One theory is that Apple's Mac sales have fallen on hard times.  First quarter sales were off by 1 million units.  Much of that could be attributed to th...

Let me be clear.  I'm a fiscal conservative as in I think I should live within my means.  So should the government.  While I think charity and helping neighbors should be the innate duty of every American and there are some things that governments can do that is good for the people, it's not the government's role to legislate many things and overspending. So, my political views are probably closer to the dumbass gentleman from Florida, Senator Marco Rubio. So, I don't want this to seem like a Democrat bashing a Republican.   Why dumbass, you ask? As an US senator, he's suggesting that he would migrate over to a phone made by a foreign company from an American one.  An iconic company no less. In this case, it's Apple and Samsung. Why migrate from Apple over to Samsung?  The reason is stupid to say the least.  It's not even an iOS versus Android issue.  It's because he thinks he has too many Apple plugs! I have Android devices. I’m con...