Apple Watch Needs More Health-Related Features

Apple Watch is a very well-designed digital time piece that has a very promising start given it pedigree and the features and functions it has so far.  However, we already have so much ways to tell time, receive notifications, and other daily or smartphone related features that Apple has to continue to give us reasons to wear our Apple Watches. And adding more health-related apps that can monitor our health and activities would go a long way in helping mobile warriors with wearable devices make better decisions about our health.

Here is a post about a couple of features that I like to see on the next generation or two of the Apple Watch (On Apple) - real-time senors to monitor temperatureand our surrounding and blood pressure monitoring. 

And if Apple continues to provide us features not found easily or conveniently accessible elsewhere is going to be key in making sure that once the novelty of the Apple Watch has worn off, we will continue wearing them. 

Major Security Flaw in iOS

Apple has left a major security hole in iOS and because of its dubious app approval system, malicious apps can potentially roam about the iDevices and steal passwords stored on Keychain and personal information (Source:  The Register).  Only yesterday, we were talking about Samsung's own security problem with its flawed digital signing.  Now, it's Apple's turn.

As of this moment, there is no word whether a fix is forthcoming.  And given the seriousness of this flaw, it's better that Apple address this as soon as possible.  What has made this flaw worse is that it gives malware the ability to circumvent Apple's sandboxing between apps and let it steal information from other apps.

This flaw was discovered six months ago and no word from Apple.  Either it does not take this seriously or that it has yet to find a solution.  Both scenarios are worrying for the average mobile warrior.

Privacy: DDG Attributes 600% Growth to Apple and Privacy Concerns

Source:  9to5Mac.

An interview with DuckDuckGo CEO, Gabe Weinberg, revealed how DuckDuckGo has made money without going to the extent Google and other companies that rely on ad revenues in which they collect information on their users.  They attribute their 3 billion searches a year growth on being part of Apple's library of search engines to choose from and concerns over various governments' big brother aspirations and privacy concerns.

Okay, specifically, the NSA was mentioned but, really, what government would not want the kinds and amounts of information the US government currently collects on us.  Granted that while I'm not concern about any malicious intents of the authorities (yet) and I genuinely believe that some believe they need the information to combat terrorism and other crimes, it does concern me at times.

So Duckduckgo is my default search engine but I'm more concern about what companies do with my information than just the NSA storing it in its databases.  Nevertheless, we all want to keep our eyes open no matter who or what wants to erode our sense of privacy.

Wearable Tech: Samsung Gear S With Two Day Battery Life, That's What Others Should Shoot For In The Next Year

Source:  Engadget.

Regardless of how you feel about Android, Google, Samsung, or how the whole smartwatch and other wearable tech is headed, we are still much earlier in wearable computing devices than ever before.  An equivalent situation would be as if we are in the beginning days of mobile, as in the early PDA days.  But what I have to say about Samsung's Gear S battery life is a good start.

Right now, even Apple's watch can barely hit 20 hours of light use.  And that's a stretch.  And it's coming someone who has one on his wrist as he pounds out this post.  The Engadget post is a worthy read.

I am hoping Apple, Motorola, LG, and the up-and-coming Chinese companies shoot for - at least a couple of days.

But don't think I'll be happy with just that.  I've been using various workout bands.  Jawbone Up, Nike Fuelband, and the Fitbit Force and Charge.  So, I'm very used to week long battery life.  That's what I want from these tech giants.

Great News: Online Video To Surprise Physical Sales and Rentals

Source:  Engadget, Bloomberg.

You want to know what disruption is like on a huge earthquakesque style?  Revenue from downloads like iTunes and Google Play and streaming services like Netflix and Amazon will surpass sales generated from DVD sales and rentals.  You can be sure the studios as well as any stores, brick-and-mortars or online stores, knew this was coming.   Perhaps, they did not think it would happen this fast.

Only in the last year have I noticed significantly more dicounts and bundles of online movies.  It's typical for Google to offer discounts on select movies but hardly on iTunes. And this year, I'm noticing more price cuts.  I'm guess DVD sales have slowed an Blu-ray has not delivered the content developers and studios to the promised land.

This is significant as we should see more parity in terms of prices and offerings between online versions and physical versions of movies and televison shows.  This will be in part to draw attention to the ease of downloading or streaming videos and not having to go to the stores to pick up a movie or wait for the UPS guy to deliver it. 

To make matters worse, or better depending on who you are, online revenue will also surprise box-office takes by 2017.  This is also signficant largely because skyrocketing prices of movie tickets.  Consider that a ticket will probably cost $15 each, or $20 (maybe more) if you watch it in IMAX or 3D, versus waiting a few months, sometimes weeks, to download and own it and watch it in the comfort of your home entertainment studio for about the same price. 

Does this mean we will be able to watch the next Avengers movie with family and friends on your 80" 4K setup?  Not even close.  The studios will have some foks with really good spreadsheet kung fu who will figure out how best for the studios to maximize their profits in light of tech changes and social movie watching behaviors.  It's possible some movies will be available for streaming or purchase the day it hits the theater.  I've often seen indie movies go that route.  This is especially true if there are limited releases. 

However, we never want to say never.  Let's just the studios will listen to their Silicon Valley partners and understand that the best way for us to part with our money is value and convenience. 

Showtime Follows HBO On Apple's Platform

Source: Variety.

So, CBS will be bringing its premium channel to Apple's platform as an exclusive for a short while.  No word on how long that window will be.  I'm sure with HBO's exclusive with Apple coming to an end, Android devices will soon be able to venture into Westero (Game of Thrones - HBO site) soon.

This is just another step forward in breaking the old TV model and venturing into the future of video entertainment.  Note that this is only a very small step.  It will be a while before Silicon Valley giants like Apple, Google, and maybe the social networks can wrestle control of video content away from entrenched and well funded cable companies with a lot of influence in Washington and state capitals. 

No work on when Apple and Showtime's exclusive deal will end.  I do have an Apple TV and I look forward to watching Homeland (official website).

Apple is currently working on deals with content providers to offer a subscription service to its customers.  Meanwhile, Google isn't standing ildly by.  Google is also putting together a package via Youtube (Bloomberg).

Take this a step further, it is not out of the realm of possibility that traditional tech and social media giants like Apple, Microsoft, Google, and Facebook could also get into the content creation business.  Microsoft already dipped its toe with TV show development.

Look for more to come.   Future has started.

Samsung's Problem Is Not Android's or Google's Problems

Source:  Forbes.

Samsung is not doing well.  It has not done well since the Galaxy S5.  But to put things in perspective, most mobile companies other than Apple would love to be in Samsung's position.  Who would not want to make billions a quarter instead of losses or simply breaking even?  Still, it is what it is and Samsung's flagship devices are not doing it for the Korean tech giant. 

On the high-end it's being hit hard by Apple's iPhone 6 and 6 Plus and getting creamed by Chinese brands and other similiarly featured and priced Android devices on the mid to low end segment of the mobile market. 

Some would go as far as to say that this on the whole is an Android issue.  I respectfully disagree.  Android is doing just fine if you're on Google's pure OS - Nexus continues to lead the way, if not in sales, in demonstrating just what Android is truly meant.  Sure, it's fully featured with Google apps but that is what Android is.  For others who use Android and add their own apps like Samsung, they simply are not adding anything that the rest of the market isn't doing.

Sure, there is Samsung's own mobile wallet but it is not doing or offering anything that is not already available with Google Wallet. And between the two wallets, which will you be more likely to use?  The native Google option or the one Samsung bought to compete with Apple Pay that Samsung did not develop or think through thoroughly to differentiate. 

Samsung and other Android device maekers' problem is the "me, too" syndrome.  And this is the perfect time for Google to go hard with the Nexus brand just as it is launching its own wireless service here in the United States.  It proves that innovation is alive and well on the Android ecosystem, provided that you're in the Nexus ecosystem.