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Google Assistant on the Pixel can now control your smart home devices

February 10, 2017 Dianne Jacobs

Google is rolling out a new voice-controlled hub in Pixel phones so you can manage your smart home devices straight from Google Assistant reports The Verge. The search giant appears to be rolling out a “Home control” center in the Google Assistant settings, from which you can send out commands to your smart home devices using just your voice, as spotted by Android Police. According to The Verge, the feature called Home Control, lets you use voice commands to control products like Belkin’s WeMo, Nest, Philips Hue, and Samsung SmartThings.…

Apple’s 10th anniversary iPhone could cost over $1,000

February 9, 2017 Dianne Jacobs

Apple is expected to debut an ultra high-end version of the iPhone alongside its next scheduled update to mark its 10 years of metal and glass slabs. According to a report from Fast Company, Tim Cook and company will likely roll out three new phones this year: the incremental iPhone 7S in the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch sizes, as well as a slightly larger, even more expensive 5.8-inch iPhone 8 with an edgeless OLED display and a few completely new features. To really play up the 10th anniversary bit, Apple may…

Smart TV company accused for massive privacy violation

February 7, 2017March 3, 2017

A top smart TV manufacturer will pay state and federal authorities $2.5 million to settle claims it illegally tracked and sold data on customer’s viewing habits without their consent, reports IT News. Vizio, which was acquired by Chinese electronics maker LeEco last year, has agreed to pay the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the New Jersey Divsion of Consumer Affairs a total of US$2.5 million (A$3.27 million) for the privacy violation, US$300,000 of which was suspended. Authorities claim that the company sold televisions loaded with software that, by default,…

The state of internet connectivity around the world

February 7, 2017 Dianne Jacobs

The internet is becoming more accessible. The price of mobile service is falling, with developing countries seeing costs fall by between 15% and 25% from 2013 to 2014. But service still remains more expensive for developing and least developed countries when looking at the cost as a percentage of their gross national incomes (GNI) per capita, a metric the ITU uses to make a more apples-to-apples comparison across countries with vastly different economies. This week, the International Telecommunication Union, an arm of the United Nations, released a report on global…

This is how robots will change the future of work

February 3, 2017 Dianne Jacobs

ManpowerGroup, one of the world’s largest jobs companies, released a report “The Skills Revolution,” detailing how the technological revolution is going to change the employment market forever. It surveyed more than 18,000 employers across 43 countries and six industry sectors. We Forum reports that while technological developments will cause greater automation, a decrease in headcount or slow growth in hiring in some areas, it will actually create a lot of jobs too, according to Manpower. “We are seeing the emergence of a Skills Revolution — where helping people upskill and…

Samsung Unveils new ‘Galaxy A series’

February 2, 2017February 2, 2017 Dianne Jacobs

Samsung has introduced its latest smartphone model, the Galaxy A series. The electronics giant on Monday introduced its updated Galaxy A series phones: the 5.7-inch A7, 5.2-inch A5 and 4.7-inch A3. The 2017 versions of these phones come with a handful of upgrades, like IP68 water and dust resistance and improved 16-megapixel front- and rear-facing cameras. The phone which comes with a sleek look coupled with beautiful design, powerful performance and ultimate convenience is set to hit the Ghanaian market after its recent global launch. Samsung’s Galaxy A range of…

Dropbox boosts collaboration & management for business users with Smart Sync and Paper

February 2, 2017 Dianne Jacobs

Dropbox has announced “significant product updates”, introducing Smart Sync (Dropbox Infinite), and Paper. According to beta news, the company says the introduction of Smart Sync and Paper will boost team productivity and improve collaborative processes, end-to-end. First up is the Smart Sync. Dropbox calls it an “industry first”, cross-platform, on-demand cloud storage solution. It offers intuitive storage, allowing users to sync all the content from their computers to their Dropbox accounts. Paper is a Google Docs competitor that Dropbox originally launched in open beta to give users the ability to collaborate…

Apple Said to Work on Mac Chip That Would Lessen Intel Role

February 2, 2017 Dianne Jacobs

Apple Inc. is designing a new chip for future Mac laptops that would take on more of the functionality currently handled by Intel Corp. processors, according to people familiar with the matter. According to Bloomberg Technology, the chip is similar to one already used in the latest Mac Book Pro to power the keyboard’s Touch Bar feature, the people said Although Apple only accounted for 7.5 percent of worldwide computer shipments in the fourth quarter, according to data from IDC, the Mac line has long set the standard for design…