Episode 608 – Aussie Tech Heads Shownotes

posted in: Show Notes

Apple refreshes Macs, iPad Pros and raises prices

 

Apple refreshed some of its lesser-known products at a New York event on Tuesday, adding iPhone features like facial recognition to the iPad Pro and faster processors and better displays to some Mac computers that had gone years without a major update.

The devices will hit stores on 7 November. Counting new iPhones and Apple Watches released last month, Apple will have more than half a dozen new products on shelves for the holiday shopping season, many at higher prices than previous models.

 

new versions of the iPad Pro, its higher-end tablet that competes with Microsoft’s Surface, with thinner bezels and more screen space, along with the face unlock system found on Apple’s newer iPhones.

Prices for the iPad Pros increased to $1229 and $1529 for 11- and 12.9-inch models, though Apple plans to keep an older 10.5-inch version on sale for $979.

 

new version of the Mac Book Air, originally released in 2011, will feature a higher-resolution display and thinner bezels and start at $1849, up from $1499.

 

Apple said the Mac Mini, a small desktop customers provide their own display and accessories for, would add processing power and memory capacity and start at $1249, also an increase.

As with previous models, the new machines rely on processors from Intel, but Apple said an increasing number of security features on the devices are being handled by its own so-called T2 chip.

 

The iPad Pro models have a USB-C port that allows them to work with an external monitor for the first time. When combined with the existing ability for an iPad Pro to work with a keyboard, the new port brings the devices closer to becoming a laptop competitor

 

Socks walk all over t-shirts as giveaways, say marketers

By Simon Sharwood

Oct 26 2018

 

I go to over 30 industry events a year and while the food, the venues and the keynote speech* are nearly always the same, one thing is new: branded socks are becoming a more common giveaway than branded t-shirts.

So I decided to find out why.

 

Nutanix’s head of marketing for ANZ Jade Meara summed up the reasons why socks have stepped up.

 

“From a vendor perspective, they are inexpensive to produce…  and easy to ship,” she said

 

Also socks can be more bold or unconventional in their design than a t-shirt, and people will still wear them! Finally, from a punter’s perspective, socks are a grudge purchase, so any chance to circumnavigate the annual sock purchase pilgrimage is usually welcomed.”

 

Socks are also easy because one size fits most.

But whoever scores  free socks and whatever they wear them with, they’re going to see them a lot.

 

“You wear a pair of socks once a fortnight and you see the brand on them four times during that period,” said Tom Lawrence, the managing director of Swanky Socks. With the average pair of socks lasting two years that means over 200 brand impressions.

 

Brisbane-based workforce SaaS provider Tanda gives away about 20,000 pairs of socks a year, mostly at trade shows. Senior Workforce success executive Phil Johnson said the company’s sales team also uses them to get a foot in the door.

 

Royole’s bendy-screen FlexPai phone unveiled in China

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nZeKcMz3as

A little-known California-based company has laid claim to creating the “world’s first foldable phone”.

Royole Corporation – a specialist in manufacturing flexible displays – unveiled the FlexPai handset at an event in Beijing.

When opened, the device presents a single display measuring 7.8in (19.8cm) – bigger than many tablets.

But when folded up, it presents three separate smaller screens – on the front, rear and spine of the device.

The six-year-old company said it would hold three “flash sales” to consumers in China on 1 November to offer the first product run.

The phones will be priced between 8,999 and 12,999 yuan ($1,290 to $1,863; £1,011 to £1,460) depending on the memory and storage specifications selected.

It intends to start deliveries in “late December”.

Royole says the FlexPai has been tested to withstand more than 200,000 open-and-shut movements, meaning it should offer many years of use before the action damages the picture.

 

Australia Post to run more robot trials

Australia Post says it has “regulator support” to conduct more trials of robots to make last mile deliveries after a trial run in the Brisbane suburb of New Farm at the end of last year.

The postal service ran a four week trial in November 2017 whereby a robot the size of an esky on wheels re-delivered parcels instead of requiring the recipient to attend a post office.

 

AusPost called the project its “mobile parcel locker trial” and revealed in its annual report [pdf] that “over the four weeks of the trial we made more than 100 deliveries and the robot travelled 140 kilometres autonomously.”

“The opt-in, evening redelivery service received overwhelmingly positive responses from customers and the public alike who shared the footpath with the robot,” Australia Post said.

 

What you need to know about 10 All Access streaming

10 All Access, will launch in December with 7000 TV episodes in its library including archive episodes of CBS shows NCIS, Cheers and Frasier as well as Australian content such as Neighbours, The Bachelor and The Living Room.

 

Channel 10 hasn’t revealed how much the service will cost. Other streaming services in Australia range from $5.99 a month for Hayu to $104 for the all-inclusive Foxtel Now package.

Its American parent company CBS’s paid streaming service in the US, CBS All Access, charges $US5.99 for a monthly service with ads and $US9.99 for an ad-free option, but that library is considerably larger.

The subscription streaming market in Australia is fast becoming crowded with Netflix, Stan, Amazon Prime Video, Foxtel Now, Hayu, YouTube Premium and DocPlay all vying for consumer dollars.

Roy Morgan estimates over 13 million Australians had access to some form of subscription or pay TV in the three months to June 30, an increase from 11.6 million from 12 months prior. Netflix alone reaches almost 10 million Australians.

 

This Halloween’s Google Doodle is its first multiplayer game

https://www.google.com/doodles/halloween-2018

 

For the 2018 Halloween Google Doodle, Google has reached an impressive milestone — launching its first multiplayer game The Great Ghoul Duel.

If you’re easily distracted, or prone to procrastination, you should avoid Google for the next 24 hours because this game is highly addictive.

 

The aim of The Great Ghoul Duel is quite simple. Players navigate a creepy-themed landscape, hunting down wandering spirit flames to deposit in their respective zone. Whichever team of four collects the most flames in the allotted time wins. Beware though, players are able to steal flames from each other making for fierce competition.

The Great Ghoul Duel invites players around the world to join either the purple or green team and compete to beat one another. Better still, players are able to create customised games.

“In a Doodle first, players can choose to host a game with up to seven friends and family via a custom invitation link or just play with randomised players around the globe,” the Google Doodle Team announced in a blog post.

The Great Ghoul Duel allows players to explore several different maps as one of eight different characters and achieve game bonuses such as speed boosts, flame magnetism and night vision.

There’s a learning curve to the game, but once you’ve mastered the skill of navigating the mazelike terrain and pocketing ghostly flames, you’ll be well on your way to taking out first place.

 

Joes Podcast for 01/11/2018

 

Elli•Q …. A  Robot and A

Companion for the Elderly

https://voicebot.ai/2017/01/23/elli%E2%80%A2q-new-robot-companion-elderly/

 

  • Elli•Q is a new artificial intelligence robot that is  designed to keep the elderly active and engaged throughout the day.
  • Developed by Intuition Robotics, the robot helps seniors access technology to stay in touch with family and friends. It also helps its user stay engaged mentally by providing, reminders to take medicine,  latest news, play your favorite music, and listen to audiobooks. Elli Q help also by suggesting activities like taking a walk, doing some exercise, or playing one on one games.

 

Play the Youtube – (takes 25 sec)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5S2yRKS2aA

It’s obvious when you look at the ElliQ that she doesn’t look like what you’d expect from a regular robot. She has a moving head which can tilt and swing around. It has a white light glow when she speaks to you from the head, that is a visual indicator that Elli Q is communicating with you.

 

  • Elli Q comes in 2 parts. One part is Elli Q The Robot and the other is the a detachable tablet with a camera sticking out from the top, which can be used for video calls.  Elli Q and the tablet come in white and they both sit on a white platform that sits on your desk or bench and which has the stand for the tablet to rest on.

 

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Elli•Q …. A  Robot and A

Companion for the Elderly

https://voicebot.ai/2017/01/23/elli%E2%80%A2q-new-robot-companion-elderly/

 

  • Elli•Q is a new artificial intelligence robot that is  designed to keep the elderly active and engaged throughout the day.