In About 5 Years, Your Mobile Devices May Lasts More Than 50% Longer Or More

By using sulfer, Sony has managed to increase the energy density of a new battery and, according to The Independent, give mobile warriors 40% increase in battery life.  And since this will not hit the market until 2020, there is ample time for Sony to improve up on that.

And with more efficient chips, software updates, and other energy saving components like more efficient screens, smartphones and other mobile devices may well see greater than the 40% increase in battery life.  I hesitate to say double but who knows right? 

Personally, I'd settle for a 50% increase that would allow me to go through a proper day of heavy use - gaming, watching videos, chatting on apps, and using the GPS for running or getting around town without worrying. 

Can't wait.  The limiting factor for true mobile experience has been the battery life. This will unleash us from having to worry about the battery drain and truly let us be mobile. 

While the article made no mention of laptops, I do consider them to be mobile devices, especially the lighter Chromebooks, Surface tablets, and the ever ligther Macbooks.  And while Apple, Google, and Microsoft give them 7-10 hours of battery life under certain use conditions, I find that real work use is actually 50% less.  Perhaps, this new Sony battery tech and really allow moderate to heavy users really be productive with true all-day devices in a few years.

Yahoo's Video Guide Offers Nothing Novel - So Why?

Yahoo launched another app today, Yahoo Video Guide App (tumblr), that is supposed to help users find content to watch on the mobile apps for Android and the iOS platform.  However, it does nothing that is novel that other apps do not already offer.  Hence, it's the reason why I've stayed away from it.  So, why? And why now?

Once you open up the app and find the show you want to watch, you are still forced to download that app if you already haven't or switch away from Yahoo's guide and enter the video streaming app.  Say you want to watch any of the Stargate TV series, which is only available for streaming on Amazon or for download on iTunes.  So, you'll still have to switch away.

Granted, it makes discovery a heck of a lot better which is probably the reason why Yahoo came up with this.  It's a nicer app than most other discovery ones that I've downloaded, used for a few minutes, and deleted for all of enternity.

As a long-time Yahoo fan and feel nostalgic whenever I think back to my college days using Yahoo to conduct rudimentary searches, I like to see Yahoo gain some foothold in the media market.  There has been quite a bit of turmoil of late for Yahoo and it feels like Yahoo is throwing stuff up on the wall and hoping something sticks.

Yahoo Video Guide, as nice as it is, feels that way. 

Source:  Techcrunch.

Time For Apple To Take The Gloves Off On Video Subscriptions

According to Bloomberg, Apple will not going to go through with their live TV/video subscription as planned.  At best, the whole concept is on hold.  It remains to be seen if Apple should just forget about their whole approach in trying to secure deals with content providers like CBS.  After all, Bloomberg's source for their post is CBS.  So, what should Apple do?  Take the gloves off and pour billions into the only demand and or live market.  Start signing deals and stripping others of content. 

For instance, start with sports.  Take the all the main sports in the US and put them all under the Apple Sports banner.  Apple can dish out games to those who are willing to play "ball".  For instance, Apple can allow Disney's ESPN to show some games because Apple and Disney likely have a better relationship and can come to amicable terms than say Apple and CBS can.  Deny those who are playing hardball with their cotnents. 

From there, Apple can build on their platform and get into developing and distributing its own content like Netflix is successfully doing.  Again, Apple can do deals with Disney or others as well.  Even with HBO or Netflix. 

The tens (or is it hundreds now) of billions that Apple has overseas can be put to work in similar fashion. Secure Asian contents like anime or Korean dramas or football games all over the world.  That money Apple earned overseas are not coming back to the US any time soon. 

Apple's brand and appeal will allow Tim Cook to launch a global network in such a way no other company has been able to do.  Apple can break down artificial barriers that content providers erected against admissions or to extract additional fees or protectionist reasons.  Finally, Apple can bring true competition worldwide. 

While it would be great to secure local live content, that should follow over time when providers see how successful Apple will be and will want to be a part of it. 

There is a time when Apple needed partners.  And Apple would rather have partners.  But if you ask someone to a dance and no one wants to, well, you just have to go at it alone and find out how to have fun.  For Apple, it's changing the rules and dirsupting the market.  Maybe it was not the right time when the Apple TV was still just a hobby.  Now, the Apple TV is a serious contender for living rooms across the world.  Apple has to get get serious about that and stop treating TV and video streaming as a hobby. 

Getting Rid of the 3.5 mm Jack Is Nothing: Eventually, All Apple Products Will Have No Ports

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 - data transfers like buying apps, using apps, and backing up my iCloud data.

And when I'm at Starbucks, I'm enjoying their wireless charging. Yes, it's through a wireless connector through the Lightning port but that's a temporary solution until Apple sees fit to introduce wireless charging (that we currently have on the Apple Watch) for other products as well. 

And if you want to jump a bit head, you can buy wireless charging setups for  your iPhone but, honestly, just wait for Apple's own implementation.  It's likely Apple has learn quite a bit from practical Apple Watch's wireless charging experiences and will bring that know-how over to iOS products, probably first to the iPhone and eventually, the iPad, and then Macbooks down the road.  And yes, eventually, your screens will serve as solar chargers from the sun as well as ambient light sources. 

Without the 3.5 mm jack and the Lightning port, all iOS devices will look even better.  And I'll tell you what - there are other things on the iPhone and iPad that will eventually going away as well.

Stay tuned. 

Mobile: Apple Will Not Merge iOS and OS X But iOS Will Feel More Like A PC With Each iOS Upgrade

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 call it) is that iOS does not support a mouse, something OS X and Windows 10 running on the Surfaces do.  Right now, anyone using a keyboard with an iPad or even iPhone has to use their fingers, hands, and, by extension, arms to touch the screens.  Imagine doing that 8 hours a day.  You can't right?  It's why Apple has not added touch interfaces to the iMacs.  This is an issue that Apple will need to address.  And let's be honest:  moving a cursor and clicking makes things a whole lot easier than pressing your finger against the screen. 

The reason why I'm bring this up now is because of this T-GAAP post I read (recommended reading even if I disagree with it) is that Apple is likely to replace Intel chips in its Macbooks with its own A-series chips.  The cost savings aside, I do not think it will ever happen unless Intel suffers a catastrophic meltdown down the road.  And even if that were to happen and Apple's A-series chips ended up being 4-5 times faster and more efficient, that is quite likely years and years away.  In the short term, Intel is firing on all cylinders as far as its mobile chips are concerned. 

And Apple does want to differentiate the two lines of computers.  Apple sees a different world ahead for mobile computing while the rest of the PC industry is saddled with legacy expectations. 

While Apple is not going to launch a Macbook with its own chips in 2016, 2017, 2018, or ever, I'm going to predict that Apple will in the near future allow developers to create apps on the iPad with its own version of Xcode.  This makes a lot of sense.  Also, quite possibly iBooks Author as well.

So, two ways Apple will address any real or imagined shortcomings of the iPads:  continue to improve iOS and highlight productivity tools and bring over development tools over to iOS.

Apple's $250 Band Would Be A Huge Life Saver (And Quite Profitable)

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 bands will fit right into Apple's own health care platforms.  It will serve as a halo device to other Apple products as well. 

Furthermore, an Apple band can serve as a remote to the Apple TV (and gaming) or the future Apple car just as I'm certain that the Apple Watch will play a pretty big role on the home as well as the car. 

Timing will be an issue.  Apple will give the Apple Watch ample time to mature and serve as the sole wearable device from Cupertino for another year or so before it launches any band, if it seems fit to do so. 

The question is whether Apple will indeed release an Apple band.  I'm gonna say yes only because Nike gave up its effort on the Nike Fuelband.  And Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, who happened to sit on the Nike board likely has some hand in that.  Perhaps through a collaborative effort, Apple will brind a band to the market with Nike's help.

On top of that, the health features of the Apple Watch is its main and killer feature.  If it did not have that, would anyone buy a watch just for notifications? 

iPad As a PC Replacement: It's Already Happened for Many But It Does Have A Long Way To Go

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:  mouse and keyboard.  Sure, I can hook up a Bluetooth keyboard up to an iPad but I'm just more used to a mouse and being able to flip easily from one app or screen to another.

And here's the irony of it all for the iPad as far as Apple is concerned.  Apple is not putting touch interfaces on the Macs because Apple argues rightfully that people don't want to poke at their monitors or LCD screens. And yet, it is asking iPad users to do just that when they are using them in laptop form (with a BT keyboard).  Wouldn't it be easier with a mouse?

And this is where The Verge is arguing that the Surface Book from Microsoft is hitting all the right notes.  And on this front, based on my needs and habits, I agree.  The Surface Book seems to say that it wants to bridge the best of both worlds.  And it does - it runs Windows 10 and you can use it as a tablet or laptop.  And yeah, it sits comfortable on your lap. You cannot say the same thing about the iPad in some scenarios. 

At the end of the day, you just wish that maybe Apple would come out with a MacPad running OS X that works as a tablet and can quickly transform into a Macbook when it is sitting on a laptop-like dock just like the Surface Book.

Whether the iPad is a PC replacement depends on the user.  It already is for many folks.  It is for me for the most part except the 20% of the work I do that requires a Macbook - some out of necessity and others out of how productive I want to be.  The Verge seems to suggest that the iPad and the Surface Book will evolve and converge to meet somewhere in the middle.  Perhaps, but it is awesome to see just where that might be.