Recently, HBO and CBS have put up subscription-based services that are giving subscribers the opportunity to tune into the shows that they want to watch at any time. The subscription based online services let users stream content instead of getting it of off the local cable or satellite service and also lets users tap into thousands of episodes of TV shows that have been featured on the channel such as Everybody Loves Raymond and the Big Bang Theory. The subscription fee (at least for CBS) will be $5.99 a month.
Link to article with more information on the specifics of the releases: https://www.yahoo.com/tech/consumers-win-as-internet-tv-gains-hbo-cbs-100343817824.html
Personally, I think that the move that CBS and HBO are making to let users choose the exact stations that they want to pay for is a step in the right direction for the entertainment industry. I also think that many other content providers will jump on the band wagon and will start to offer subscription based services that let people stream what they want to watch whenever they want to watch it. One of the major advantages of having multiple subscription based services that people have access to is that people don't have to pay for what they don't watch. Today it seems like you almost have to many channels and your cable service pack, and you rarely even watch half of the stations on your TV (I don't even watch TV anymore). This makes it seem like a waste because you are paying more for things that you don't even use. With a subscription based system users could subscribe only to the services that they want to stay in tune with. This could bring entertainment subscription fees down from over $100 to less than $50. One thing that is holding up the process of integrating the internet and television is sports broadcasting. It costs a lot of money to buy out the rights to broadcast a sporting event. I hope that this ends up not becoming that much of a problem and that the sports world will eventually move over to the internet in a similar fashion to movies and TV shows.
Hopefully the switch to internet based subscription services will be soon so I will be able to save a lot of money when I eventually move out of my house. I am looking forward to being able to pick what I want to watch and to having the ability to watch whatever I want whenever I want to watch it.
Word Count: 417
Sunday, October 19, 2014
Sunday, October 12, 2014
Lenovo's Yoga Pro 3 is Leading the Race for the Perfect 2 in 1 Laptop
Lenovo's Yoga Pro 2 was the best selling 2 in 1 laptop of all time and was well-known for its solid combination of performance and ergonomic qualities. This means that it is no surprise that there is a lot of hype for the newest version of the laptop the Lenovo is preparing to release: the Lenovo Yoga Pro 3. The laptop is planned to release next year and is going to be thinner, lighter, and posses more processing power and amazing tech-specs than before.
Link to an article that describes the specific features of the latop: https://www.yahoo.com/tech/lenovos-yoga-pro-3-hybrid-is-a-2-in-1-macbook-pro-99083254934.html
Personally, I think that Lenovo's efforts at providing a great hybrid between a tablet and a laptop are not only valiant but successful. The Lenovo Yoga Pro V2 showed that the hybrids between a laptop and a tablet have great potential, and are only going find an ever increasing steak in the mobile technology market. I think that it would be awesome to own a hybrid between a tablet and a laptop (even though I haven't had any hands on experience with one of these hybrid laptops). In my experience I have found that tablets are great for browsing the web and watching videos, while laptops are great for getting work done (because it is way easier to type with an actual keyboard). These hybrids, if designed well, could be a great way to combine productivity and leisure activity. The specs (tech term for specifications or details on the design of the product) suggest that the new version of the hybrid is going to be a great combination of high end processing power and ergonomic design. One of the features of the hybrid laptop that I like the most is its super high definition display that is 3200 x 1800 pixels. This makes for an extremely sharp image that rivals that of Apple's retina display (basically makes it so that corners are super smooth and that everything is really crisp). Although this feature of the device isn't that noticeable at the moment, the implementation of 4k resolution in things such as TV will make this feature on the laptop more and more valuable.
Hopefully more companies try to develop their own 2 in 1 laptop-tablet-hybrids. I hope to see better and better designs in the future, and I think that if the idea is implemented in the right way it has a lot of potential.
Word Count: 402
Link to an article that describes the specific features of the latop: https://www.yahoo.com/tech/lenovos-yoga-pro-3-hybrid-is-a-2-in-1-macbook-pro-99083254934.html
Personally, I think that Lenovo's efforts at providing a great hybrid between a tablet and a laptop are not only valiant but successful. The Lenovo Yoga Pro V2 showed that the hybrids between a laptop and a tablet have great potential, and are only going find an ever increasing steak in the mobile technology market. I think that it would be awesome to own a hybrid between a tablet and a laptop (even though I haven't had any hands on experience with one of these hybrid laptops). In my experience I have found that tablets are great for browsing the web and watching videos, while laptops are great for getting work done (because it is way easier to type with an actual keyboard). These hybrids, if designed well, could be a great way to combine productivity and leisure activity. The specs (tech term for specifications or details on the design of the product) suggest that the new version of the hybrid is going to be a great combination of high end processing power and ergonomic design. One of the features of the hybrid laptop that I like the most is its super high definition display that is 3200 x 1800 pixels. This makes for an extremely sharp image that rivals that of Apple's retina display (basically makes it so that corners are super smooth and that everything is really crisp). Although this feature of the device isn't that noticeable at the moment, the implementation of 4k resolution in things such as TV will make this feature on the laptop more and more valuable.
Hopefully more companies try to develop their own 2 in 1 laptop-tablet-hybrids. I hope to see better and better designs in the future, and I think that if the idea is implemented in the right way it has a lot of potential.
Word Count: 402
Sony's First Smart Phone for Verizon: The Z3v
Last Thursday, Sony announced that it is bringing one of its most recent phones exclusively to Verizon: the Xperia Z3v. This is a big step for the company because Verizon is the largest cell phone service provider in the United States, so Sony is taking steps to expand its smart phone market into the United States. The Xperia Z3v is a cross between Sony's top of the line Xperia Z3 and its previous version the Z2.
Link to article with more information on the new phone: https://www.yahoo.com/tech/sony-announces-its-first-smartphone-for-verizon-the-99580097679.html
Personally, I think that Sony's effort to expanding their market to the United States is great. Sony is known for producing products such as TVs and video game consoles. From my personal experience with their devices I have found that produce things that are well designed and that last a long time. This makes me excited for future lines of phones that they produce, as good design and sturdy structure are some of the most important (if not the most important) properties of phones. As for the actual phone itself, I think that it makes solid competition for other phones such as the iPhone 5 and the Galaxy series from Samsung. The only problem with the phone is that it lacks the slick, thin appearance and feel of phones such as the iPhone 6 and the Galaxy S3, which are phones that have set the standard for the next generation of phones to come with their appearance and feel. One thing that the phone does not lack is processing power. It has all the same tech specs as its brother, the Sony Xperia Z3, and features a quad core processor for peak performance. The phone also runs the same operating system of the Z3. The phone is also capable of playing back extremely high quality audio, which offers a much greater experience for the user than the traditional mp3.
Hopefully Sony continues to expand its market to the United States. This would help increase the competition within the mobile phone market, and would help advance the industry at a faster rate than it already advancing at. And who knows, maybe Sony will emerge as the new top of the mobile phone market in the coming years.
Word Count: 373
Link to article with more information on the new phone: https://www.yahoo.com/tech/sony-announces-its-first-smartphone-for-verizon-the-99580097679.html
Personally, I think that Sony's effort to expanding their market to the United States is great. Sony is known for producing products such as TVs and video game consoles. From my personal experience with their devices I have found that produce things that are well designed and that last a long time. This makes me excited for future lines of phones that they produce, as good design and sturdy structure are some of the most important (if not the most important) properties of phones. As for the actual phone itself, I think that it makes solid competition for other phones such as the iPhone 5 and the Galaxy series from Samsung. The only problem with the phone is that it lacks the slick, thin appearance and feel of phones such as the iPhone 6 and the Galaxy S3, which are phones that have set the standard for the next generation of phones to come with their appearance and feel. One thing that the phone does not lack is processing power. It has all the same tech specs as its brother, the Sony Xperia Z3, and features a quad core processor for peak performance. The phone also runs the same operating system of the Z3. The phone is also capable of playing back extremely high quality audio, which offers a much greater experience for the user than the traditional mp3.
Hopefully Sony continues to expand its market to the United States. This would help increase the competition within the mobile phone market, and would help advance the industry at a faster rate than it already advancing at. And who knows, maybe Sony will emerge as the new top of the mobile phone market in the coming years.
Word Count: 373
Apple Pay
With the release of Apple's Apple Pay coming around the corner and the recent security breaches of big corporations such as Target and JP Morgan many people are worried about the safety of their credit card information. In order to ensure the safety of its customers Apple has worked in close coordination with banks, credit card companies, and retailers to develop a system that is efficient and that helps keep things private.
Link to article where the details of the system are explained: https://www.yahoo.com/tech/heres-how-visa-plans-to-keep-your-credit-cards-safe-in-99672113099.html
Personally, I think that the efforts that Apple is taking to ensure the safety of their customers' personal information are great strides compared to what has been done in the past by other attempts at making electronic payment systems. Apple has used a great level of coordination with retailers, banks, and credit card companies in order to develop their Apple Pay system. I am glad that the system that they developed helps keep the process of paying for items as simple as possible. One thing that I think is great about the system that they set up is that the code that links your phone to your credit card and or bank account cannot be used to gather your personal information. This means that hackers, who will most likely be able to find some way to gather the codes, will not be able to use codes that they have acquired to tap into the bank information of their victims. Another great feature of the payment system is the ability of the owner of the phone to disable the ability for their phone to be able to make payments. This means that if you were to lose your phone or have it stolen you could call your cell phone service and make it so that anyone who might have your phone wouldn't be able to run up your bills. Although this part of the system might seem to be a no brainer, it is a great part of the system that adds an extra layer of information safety.
I think that Apple's Apple Pay is a great step forward for the consumer and technology worlds. Apple Pay is a perfect example of ways that technology can be used to make everyday tasks more convenient. Since the this is going to be the first version of the payment system there are going to be some bugs (you can't really avoid that), but I am pretty sure that one thing you can expect is that your credit card and bank information will be kept safe. I am very impressed with the thought and shear amount of work that went into developing Apple Pay on Apple's hand. Hopefully the launch of the system will run smoothly so the idea will catch on with the public so everyone can take advantage of this great technology.
Word Count: 466
Link to article where the details of the system are explained: https://www.yahoo.com/tech/heres-how-visa-plans-to-keep-your-credit-cards-safe-in-99672113099.html
Personally, I think that the efforts that Apple is taking to ensure the safety of their customers' personal information are great strides compared to what has been done in the past by other attempts at making electronic payment systems. Apple has used a great level of coordination with retailers, banks, and credit card companies in order to develop their Apple Pay system. I am glad that the system that they developed helps keep the process of paying for items as simple as possible. One thing that I think is great about the system that they set up is that the code that links your phone to your credit card and or bank account cannot be used to gather your personal information. This means that hackers, who will most likely be able to find some way to gather the codes, will not be able to use codes that they have acquired to tap into the bank information of their victims. Another great feature of the payment system is the ability of the owner of the phone to disable the ability for their phone to be able to make payments. This means that if you were to lose your phone or have it stolen you could call your cell phone service and make it so that anyone who might have your phone wouldn't be able to run up your bills. Although this part of the system might seem to be a no brainer, it is a great part of the system that adds an extra layer of information safety.
I think that Apple's Apple Pay is a great step forward for the consumer and technology worlds. Apple Pay is a perfect example of ways that technology can be used to make everyday tasks more convenient. Since the this is going to be the first version of the payment system there are going to be some bugs (you can't really avoid that), but I am pretty sure that one thing you can expect is that your credit card and bank information will be kept safe. I am very impressed with the thought and shear amount of work that went into developing Apple Pay on Apple's hand. Hopefully the launch of the system will run smoothly so the idea will catch on with the public so everyone can take advantage of this great technology.
Word Count: 466
Sunday, October 5, 2014
Windows 10 Preview Download
Earlier in the year Microsoft announced the name of the latest edition of the Windows operating system that they were developing. The OS is going to be called Windows 10 (nobody knows why they skipped Windows 9 from Windows 8 and decided to just go to Windows 10), and is planned to be released in the spring of 1025 at the earliest. The operating system has been shown off at multiple tech events and demos around the world, and is basically an improvement upon the Windows 8 operating system.
On October 1st Microsoft released the Windows 10 preview to the general public. The preview shows off the basic abilities and improvements that the OS has, one of which is the ability to display four applications at once on one screen. This installment of Windows is basically a reskin of Windows 8 with the return of the Start Menu that was characteristic of pre-Windows 8 Windows Operating Systems. This is great news to me because that is the main reason that I do not like Windows 8. Microsoft plans to increase the abilities of the user to multitask. As mentioned previously, one of these features is the ability to display four windows on one monitor at once. The company also plans to increase the productivity of its users by making the operating system run flawlessly on computers. It will also be more customizable. Microsoft also plans to make the operating system runnable on other devices such as xBoxes, smart phones, and tablets. This makes it so that they are able to easily implement cross platform content. This makes for a more unified technological experience. Just imagine being able to operate all of the devices in your house, such as your TV, with your smart phone or your computer.
I think that the release of the preview of Windows 10 helps to show the progress that companies such as Microsoft are making in the technology that they develop. As the years go on technology gets more weaved into our lives and becomes a better and better way to help maximize, or minimize, our productivity. I hope that Windows 10 is a great success not only in the world of PCs but in the world of smart phones and mobile tablets as well.
Word Count: 380
On October 1st Microsoft released the Windows 10 preview to the general public. The preview shows off the basic abilities and improvements that the OS has, one of which is the ability to display four applications at once on one screen. This installment of Windows is basically a reskin of Windows 8 with the return of the Start Menu that was characteristic of pre-Windows 8 Windows Operating Systems. This is great news to me because that is the main reason that I do not like Windows 8. Microsoft plans to increase the abilities of the user to multitask. As mentioned previously, one of these features is the ability to display four windows on one monitor at once. The company also plans to increase the productivity of its users by making the operating system run flawlessly on computers. It will also be more customizable. Microsoft also plans to make the operating system runnable on other devices such as xBoxes, smart phones, and tablets. This makes it so that they are able to easily implement cross platform content. This makes for a more unified technological experience. Just imagine being able to operate all of the devices in your house, such as your TV, with your smart phone or your computer.
I think that the release of the preview of Windows 10 helps to show the progress that companies such as Microsoft are making in the technology that they develop. As the years go on technology gets more weaved into our lives and becomes a better and better way to help maximize, or minimize, our productivity. I hope that Windows 10 is a great success not only in the world of PCs but in the world of smart phones and mobile tablets as well.
Word Count: 380
Is Apple's New Watch the Next Big Thing?
Ever since the creation of Apple the company has been pushing the world of technology forward in the form of many products. Apple was responsible for pushing the world forward into the era of the personal computer. Apple has also contributed to the rise of mobile devices, such as iPads and iPhones, and has set the the standard for technological innovation. Recently Apple has announced that they are developing an Apple or "smart" watch. The watch will have its on operating system, and users will be able to develop applications to run on it to help them accomplish tasks and to even just mess around.
The basic model of the watch is estimated to be priced at around 349 dollars. The price of the models can greatly differ, however, with the priciest model potentially being priced at over ten thousand dollars (this was predicted by watch specialist and writer named Ariel Adams). Apple took a great amount of time and care to design the product. Analysts who have gotten a chance to get their hands on the product have said that they were able to tell that there was a lot of consideration put into the design of the watch and its components. They said that even the wristband was carefully designed so that it could maximize the user experience (Apple has been known to put a ridiculous amount of effort into the design of their products ever since their creation.)
One of the most promising features of the watch is its ability to connect to the internet. This opens up a world of opportunities for software developers around the world. Since the watch will have so much processing power for its size people will be able to develop apps that can be used as great tools. many analysts have said that the main selling point for the watch probably won't be the actual hardware, but it will be some app that somebody design that takes great advantage of the capabilities of the device.
I personally think that wearable tech such as the watch that Apple developing will be a major part for our lives in future years. I think that the iWatch will be a great balance between the tech world and the actual world as its function is to not intrude upon the way that you do things but to be there as a type of assistant (This is why I don't think that something like Google Glass will become popular, it intrudes upon the interactions that you have with people everyday). Hopefully inventions such as the iWatch continue to pop up around the world and help increase the productivity and creativity of everyone.
Word Count: 446
Disney Brings Creatvitiy to the Wedding Cake Industry
Many people spend a large amount of money to make their wedding the best that it can be. Thousands of dollars are spent on dresses, venues , cakes, and more that last for only a couple hours of the day. One of the most important parts of weddings is the cake (after all it is what motivates the people to come in the first place). There are many types of wedding cakes that are made for weddings, and it is safe to assume that there is a wedding cake suitable for every type of person and the personal style. Some people want simple, elegant cakes, while others want extraordinary cakes the are as tall as a man or have rare chocolates and flavors.
Disney decided to step up the cake game and provide for those that want to add flare to their cakes in the form of moving images and messages. They do this by projecting the images onto the cake in a similar process to that of overhead projections. The example that they have working right now projects a "scene" from Cinderella, but couples will be able to customize the animations on the cake to be whatever they want. For example, a couple could put their favorites quotes on their cake and make the quotes fade in and out and move to different places on the cake. Currently, they include it in their "Wishes Collection" wedding catering package and nothing else. The package costs twelve thousand dollars, but is definitely worth it to die hard Disney fans (who doesn't want the seven dwarfs at their wedding?).
I think that the idea that Disney came up with is a great example of how technology can be used to make our lives more interesting and less complicated. It is a great way to customize the cakes and really cater to the needs of every couple that is getting married. Also, the cake projection idea makes it cheaper to buy a customized cake. It will no longer be as expensive because you could just buy a stand alone cake with a projector and then design whatever pattern or scene that you want to appear on the cake. Hopefully the technology becomes more widespread in the following years. I hope that when I get married I will be able to customize my cake to my liking and not be limited by the price or the fact that is a cake. So hopefully this technology becomes easier to obtain.
Word Count: 415
Disney decided to step up the cake game and provide for those that want to add flare to their cakes in the form of moving images and messages. They do this by projecting the images onto the cake in a similar process to that of overhead projections. The example that they have working right now projects a "scene" from Cinderella, but couples will be able to customize the animations on the cake to be whatever they want. For example, a couple could put their favorites quotes on their cake and make the quotes fade in and out and move to different places on the cake. Currently, they include it in their "Wishes Collection" wedding catering package and nothing else. The package costs twelve thousand dollars, but is definitely worth it to die hard Disney fans (who doesn't want the seven dwarfs at their wedding?).
I think that the idea that Disney came up with is a great example of how technology can be used to make our lives more interesting and less complicated. It is a great way to customize the cakes and really cater to the needs of every couple that is getting married. Also, the cake projection idea makes it cheaper to buy a customized cake. It will no longer be as expensive because you could just buy a stand alone cake with a projector and then design whatever pattern or scene that you want to appear on the cake. Hopefully the technology becomes more widespread in the following years. I hope that when I get married I will be able to customize my cake to my liking and not be limited by the price or the fact that is a cake. So hopefully this technology becomes easier to obtain.
Word Count: 415
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