AI, Mobile, and Eveything Around the Cloud

People seems to be stressing themselves over the fact that Apple is looking into replacing the 3.5mm input for headsets and your only option will be to use the Lightning connectors or wirelessly through Bluetooth connectivity. Well, here is another shocker:  eventually, Apple will do away with that as well.  No ports.  Everything will have to be connected wirelessly - headsets, speakers, charging stations.  And not only for iOS devices but you can pretty much forget USB ports on most consumer oriented Macs as well.  Those who are complaining that Apple provided only one USB-C port?  Yeah, nada ports in the future. Why?  That's the future, homies.  And it goes to the design philosophy that Apple has.  It might not happen in the next couple of years but 5 years from now, that may well be the case.  As iPhone and iPad user, I'm still having to charge via the Lightning port, a wire.  But pretty much everything else is done wirelessly - ...

Just this week, the small subsection of the Interne that is the tech media is abuzz with the Tim Cook interview where he vowed that Apple will never merge its two operation systems, iOS for the iPhone and iPad with OS X running on the Macs.  Anyone call for that needs to stop because we always knew it would never happen.  However, with each annual iOS update, the iPad will feel more and more like a Mac with new features. Case in point is the new multitasking feature and picture-in-picture in iOS 9 that is available to the latest iPads.  Whether tech pundits call this move as a natural improvement to iOS to make the iPad more of a productivity tool or an answer to Microsoft's resuring Surface tablets, you can be sure that Apple is moving to address iOS's shortcomings as a productivity OS and sell iPads to enterprises. What's more, iOS 10 should bring more features that addresses even more issues some users have.  What is one glaring difference (omission as some might ...

Motley Fool is not a quite I'd recommend anyone go to for financial information, tips, or eye-opening posts but their fear-mongering post about the Apple Watch has made me decide to write this post, one that has been a long time in coming:  Apple should release a workout band.  Like what Fitbit, Jawbone, and dozens of others have released years before and continue to improve upon.  First, why $250? You think that is expensive and you're right if this was Fitbit's own workout band.  But this will be Apple's own iOS-linked band to the iPhone ecosystem.  Plus, it'll look pretty good too just as the Apple Watch does.  And yeah, it's an Apple product so it will command a premium.  The main reason Apple should release it is because it is leaving a ton of money on the table.  Tens of millions of these workout bands are sold annually and an increasingly health-conscious mobile population, Apple has a lot to offer.  Furthermore, sensors on these band...

Post from The Verge arguing that the iPad Pro, or any iPad isn't ready to replace the PC yet.  This is arguable but the post seemed to argue against itself.  At the end of the day, it's what you use a computer for, whether this computer happens to be in a PC or tablet form factor). The article said that people are not upgrading their iPads because their older iPads are simply adequate for what they need to do with it.  And for the most part, I think I would be happy with my iPad Air (I skipped the iPad 2, 3, and 4 and got an iPad mini).  I recently got an iPad mini 4 because I just wanted something small for media and ebook consumption.  And honestly, I'm done.  I'm interested in the iPad Pro but I'm more looking forward to an updated 12" Macbook, whenever Apple decides to ship it.  Why?  Keyboard, mouse, and productivity tools that are available only on the Mac and that I'm more comfortable with certain things on a laptop form than on a tablet:...

I love Apple's new iPhone payment plan where you can pay for a brand new iPhone over two years and upgrade to a new one after 12 payments have been made to get a new one (you'll have to trade in the old one though).  And here's the kicker:  I am not even a part of this installment plan because T-Mobile had issues the day I went to the Apple store to get my iPhone 6S.  However, given its appeal, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that Apple will expand this plan not only internationally and online so that you don't have to visit the store to do it (not sure how Apple will handle the part about you trading in your old iPhone), but Apple will include the iPad as well. When Apple add the iPad to the installment plan, it could be the catalyst that Wall Street and investors are looking for to jump start the iPad.  Furthermore, it could be also mean more sales as people who cannot or are unwilling to pay a premium up front for the iPad, iPad mini, or iPad Pro up front but ...

I decided perhaps I should try my hand at giving a product review. And it just so happens that I've got a brand-new Apple TV all set to go.  It'll take a week or so.  I don't see how people can review anything after spending only a day or two with it. Let me start by pointing this out.  I got it on Monday, 11/2.  I bought it home along with the controller and it's sitting by my front door.  And since Sunday, I've been watching Sling TV, Amazon Videos, Netflix, and my own iTunes purchases on the current Apple TV I have.  So, I've had the newly "no longer a hobby" Apple TV for almost 48 hours and have not rushed to open and put it to use.  It says a lot about the old Apple TV as an useful media center and what it is capable of with Airplay and how much better the new Apple TV better be for people to buy and use it as their primary media box for their home.

Here is a   Bloomberg post   about Holidays free shipping that struck a cord with me. Not all free shipping are the same but the post delved into something more important: in-store pickups. And not all IPSU ate all the same. I've experienced them before. Going to Best Buy. Wal-Mart. Even Apple stores. And the one thing that makes them a hassle even if you get what you ordered more quickly and free than online shopping is that you still have to wait. And I'm not talking about a couple of minutes. Tens of minutes. This is especially true for Apple stores. Move here. Line up there. Ten you have to wait until someone is free to help you.  Just add bad and mentioned in the Bloomberg post is that you have to walk around the store to find out where to go pick up what you need. And most of the time, when you do managed to find someone to help you, they haven't a clue what you're talking about. So far, Best Buy has the best of the lot because you just go tot he customer service ...