Google recently released data showing that its self-driving cars have been involved in 11 minor crashes over the past six years, which has raised questions about when such autonomous vehicles will be ready for prime time. Nowadays, Google’s self-driving cars seem to operate seamlessly on the streets.
But that’s because the company essentially created a kind of Street View on steroids, a virtual-world map of the test town/area. That way, the self-driving cars know exactly how the streets look when empty, and only have to fill in the obstacles, such as cars and pedestrians.
So here is my quick cynical round-up of what will need to change before I will relax comfortably in a car which has no driver – first up for this part 1 blog?? Fail-proof software (my car powered by Windows 98!! – yikes). Take a short ride with me while I explain.
Before I throw my drivers’ license away I wonder what becomes of this: My self-driving car must be able to distinguish between dangerous and harmless situations otherwise the darn thing is going to be slamming on the brakes all the time for what I’ll call ‘no reason’ and yes I’m doing the annoying thing with my fingers as I insert those quotation marks. What I guess I mean is this – a paper bag floating across the motorway as I’m driving is to me very conspicuous, but not very dangerous. The pedestrian I see waiting on the sidewalk doesn’t look like he’s going to walk out into traffic after all , that guy on the bike coming up, is he going to swerve left or right?
Human brains do a masterful job of sorting and reacting to these hazards on the fly, but the current crop of sensors just isn’t equipped in my belief as yet to process that kind of data as quickly. Want to hear more? …I’ll be back soon. Share your thoughts.
So I find out recently that flexible displays are now making their debut in the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Round and the LG G Flex. Here’s tolooking ahead to new kinds of foldable devices; phones that can fold and bend in half from top to bottom? – hmm..I think I like it! Sites like TechRadar have more to say on the matter. This blog is really only to say ‘Can you believe it? did you know about this?’ ..want to know more? then do read on.
Samsung’s home territory may be beta testing already.
The Samsung Galaxy Round is available to buy right now in South Korea, even though it looks like an odd-shaped prototype that the company is testing out. This could be a sign of a future closer than we previously thought in material and available technology for use in the mobile phone market. This sort of limited testing phase if I remember, was done before when it launched the Samsung Galaxy S2 HD LTE. By the way, if you have the ways to secure one from South Korea, expect to part with over $1,000 (about £627, AU$1,047). But who’d ever let a thing like money stand in the way of keeping up with the Jones’s eh. Seriously though, I’d wait until they actually arrive at a phone shop near you; there’ll be the usual deals once the kit it fully tested to tempt you away from whatever current latest phone you have I’m sure.
And they aren’t the only ones ..
LG’s handset is Korea-only for now but LG has officially unveiled its first smartphone with a curved display, in the form of the 6-inch LG G Flex. The Korean company I’ve read, has lifted the lid on the handset which curves vertically from top to bottom, rather than horizontally like the rival Samsung Galaxy Round.
The device, which will only be on sale in South Korea, carries a 720p display, is powered by a Qualcomm 800 Snapdragon processor with 2GB of RAM. It’s also got a 13-megapixel camera and a 3500mAh battery. The real news I’m made aware, is the presence of the curve, which LG claims offers better ergonomics for making calls, holding and, of course watching video, which it likens to watching a movie in IMAX.
in closing..
Interestingly too, seems there’s also a completely new feature; a self healing coating on the rear of the device which LG says will eliminate scratches on the rear of the device within minutes. Say what? Yup, that’s what I’m ‘hearing’. The company is likening the new tech to Wolverine from the X-Men lol..how cool eh. The device also features the rear-mounted volume keys like the LG G2, and is expected to launch in Korea next month (Dec.13), again from all the articles I’ve found on this so far, but tell you what, I’ve yet to find anything on a potential roll out around the world. I’ll stay on it don’t you worry. But what I can say, is that it’s sounding like the Samsung Galaxy Round could be a test model for a future launch around 2014 in February. Amazing.
Got something to share about this post or have information to correct or add? Leave me a comment and I’ll get back to you.
Last year’s 4th-generation iPad was such a minor update that there was little reason for iPad 3 owners to consider taking the plunge. But this year, the iPad Air marks the biggest physical redesign of the tablet that I’ve seen so far. Is it worth the upgrade? My friend Josh has taken the plunge so Read on, as I share my initial impressions of the lighter, thinner iPad Air.
Physically, the iPad Air is like a big iPad mini I’d say. The first time I picked it up, it provided the same kind of “Wow, that’s light” moment as when I first tried the mini. The iPad Air is almost 30 percent lighter than last year’s iPad, and as my partner Kate and I thought – you really feel the difference. I thought the iPad 4 felt like a heavy brick next to the iPad mini. With the Air, that playing field has been leveled. I find that I can hold it very comfortably with one hand, something I would previously only say about the mini.
More techie stuff..
Speaking of the iPad mini, I was a fan of the first-gen model’s design and build, but I did keep getting feedback that the display was an issue. Many said their eyes would hurt after using its 1,024 x 768 screen for extended periods . The iPad Air offers that same build – the kind that makes most other tablets’ constructions look crummy by comparison – along with a huge 9.7-in Retina Display. That’s a very nice combination. But hey: Was it just me or did you ever notice how the last two iPads’ aluminum chassis would often get hot to the touch? So far with the iPad Air, that’s nowhere to be seen which I suppose is to be expected, given the smaller battery.
The display, by the way, is exactly what I saw on the 3rd- and 4th- generation iPads. But I find that the tablet’s smaller face puts more focus on the screen. There’s less iPad to look at, and the same size of content to look at. Same size painting, smaller frame. As for that A7 chip, sweet momma ..let’s just say performance isn’t an issue. Then again, I don’t remember thinking performance was an issue with the iPad 4 either, so that alone probably doesn’t make the upgrade worthwhile – consider it a nice bonus then.
In closing; upgrade time?
As for upgrading, well, that’s the big question here. I need to spend more time with the iPad Air before publishing a full byitSizePro review (and I can’t speak about the battery life yet), but my first impression is that this is the biggest step forward any single iPad has taken from its predecessor. It doesn’t necessarily look like it on paper, but its feathery build really changes the experience of using it. Have you got one? Let me know what you think.
The Metro interface in Windows 8.1 makes sense on a touch-enabled device, but on a traditional computer, it’s enough to have me pulling out my hair)). Those of you who know me will know there isn’t much hair to pull, but see I need you need to fully appreciate my pain. By-the-way, if you aren’t as anal as I about such things then this blog will bore you. If you want however, to
Windows 8 v Windows 7
free your inner geek; read on... fact, says I – that the new UI is aimed at tablets and phones, which makes it utterly useless on desktops and laptops. Arguably the most controversial pain point of Windows 8 and my current reason to rant, is the new Start screen, which is Microsoft’s new way of starting and managing apps. You may already be thinking – ‘this is old news no?!!’ as Windows 8.1 has been improved and includes features that will allow you to boot directly to the desktop and keep Metro elements out of your way if you prefer to stay on the traditional desktop as much as possible. Hey, if you didn’t know that – email me and I’ll give you some pointers but I want to rant – so I’m not sharing that info at this point. Lemmie get this out first okay.
Maybe it’s just me, but doesn’t it seem to you too that focusing on one (maybe two) tasks at a time dumbs down the entire user experience.? I find myself constantly switching between the new Start screen and the classic Windows 7-ish desktop (which includes the taskbar, desktop, explorer and so forth). Here’s an example of how my kinda fake annoyance goes:
Say, for example, you’re checking on your e-mails, using Outlook which is a traditional desktop application and one of your contacts is asking for a specific document. The next obvious step is to launch a file search right. The problem is: once you click on the Start orb or hit the WIN key to launch the search feature, the classic desktop disappears with all the fanfare and swoosh, you’re back on the new Start screen (as in the background of the picture above), since the Start menu search is now only available in the new Metro-style environment. You find the file, open it and with another swoosh it throws you back to the desktop. I realise soon that I’m basically spending 95% of my work time on the classic UI.
The same happens when you switch between the built-in Metro apps (such as Twitter@ama or Socialite) and your classic desktop applications. In terms of raw productivity, it’s a very noticeable UI break.
Solution: Well, there isn’t one as such, but you could turn the new Start screen off. Will I downgrade this laptop to Windows 7 ? or do I keep geek alive and buy another PC/laptop with Windows 7 – and enjoy moments of child like curiosity during off work times = play with both and enjoy blogging my faux exasperation? or I know.. really enjoy Bills hard work of Windows 8 by buying a Tablet – not try to use it on a desktop PC & mouse setup.
This came up today as I sat downloading songs to my iphone then loading them via itunes. I turned to my wife Kate and asked if she wanted me to add the songs to her iphone as well. We both thought,
Will it mess up my itunes or iphone if I try to add music to another iphone using my own computer/itunes?
There may be other ways to go about it, but here’s a few things to hopefully help. Option 1. If you share your computer with other people, you can maintain separate user accounts for each person who uses the computer. This is useful especially if each user has different tastes in music or other media; users can maintain separate, personalized iTunes libraries and can customize their devices’ sync settings accordingly.
Quit iTunes.
Locate your iTunes Media Folder. (This folder may instead be named “iTunes Music” if your iTunes Library was created before iTunes 9). It is stored by default:
Windows XP and Windows 2000: \Documents and Settings\username\My Documents\My Music\iTunes
Windows Vista and Windows 7: \Users\username\Music\iTunes
Note: By default, the Windows version of iTunes does not copy all of the music you add to your iTunes library to your iTunes Media folder. You can get iTunes to copy all of the Music in your library to your iTunes Media Folder (if you have enough hard drive space) by choosing Consolidate Library from the Advanced menu.
Drag the iTunes Media folder to a publicly accessible location. The publicly accessible music folder is:
Windows XP and Windows 2000: \Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\My Music
Windows Vista and Windows 7: \Users\Public\Public Music
Important: Do not move the iTunes folder, the iTunes Library file or the iTunes Library.xml file.
Open iTunes.
From the Edit menu, choose Preferences.
Click Advanced.
Click the Change button.
Navigate in the Change Music Folder Location dialog to the location of your iTunes Media folder.
Click OK.
Repeat these steps for each account that is sharing music with other users.
Note: If multiple users on your computer are storing music in one publicly accessible folder, duplicate song files appear when a user imports music from a CD that has already been imported by another user.
error: ! Windows could not connect to the internet – would you like to go online to check for a solution?
I’m trying to find solutions that make sense – see if this helps too – Option 2.
Create a separate iTunes library for each device. Note: It is important that you make a new iTunes Library file. Do not just make a copy of your existing iTunes Library file. If iTunes is open, quit it.
Mac users: Hold down the Option key while you open iTunes. Windows users: Hold down the Shift key while you open iTunes.
In the dialog that appears, click Create Library.
Name and save the alternate library file. iTunes opens with your brand new library file.
Open iTunes Preferences. Choose iTunes > Preferences (Mac) or Edit > Preferences (Windows).
Click the Advanced tab.
Deselect the “Copy files to iTunes Media folder when adding to library” checkbox if it is already selected and click OK. This will prevent iTunes from creating duplicates of your existing media files in the new library folder.
Add the specific media files you want on your device to iTunes either by dragging them into iTunes or choosing File > Add to Library (Mac) or File > Add File to Library or Add Folder to Library(Windows).
Once you have the iTunes Library just how you want it, connect and sync your device.
Once the sync is complete, quit iTunes.
(Mac users: Hold down the Option key while you open iTunes. )
Windows users: Hold down the Shift key while you open iTunes.
Click Choose library.
Choose your original iTunes Library and click Choose (Mac Users) or Open (Windows Users). You can now switch back and forth between the different libraries for different devices.
Is there a way to learn in the way you do when you experience something; without going through it yourself.?
If you’ve found yourself reading this because your iphone is able to ouput music to your head-phones, but you find that you can’t hear anything when you take the head-phones out – read on. And is it also the case that when you press the volume up and down buttons on the side of the phone, the on-screen display is telling you that you are lowering or increasing the head-phone volume setting? …..I don’t know about you, but solving this quickly was immediately my focus. I don’t even remember having a decision making moment.
‘Maybe it’s true, The difference between a mountain and a molehill is your perspective.’
Kate my partner having learned from me the situation I was dealing with, was immediately on the case, finding and reading online resource links for a solution to the problem. If you know her you already know shes an even bigger gadget and IT geek than I am. Well suffice to say, it didn’t take us long to realize that essentially what we’re dealing with here, is that something was blocking one of several or a key sensor inside the phone. And not wanting to open it up, I felt comfortable with the conclusion that it’s mostly likely the head-phone sensor.
“If I have to look like an idiot to become smarter, then so be it”
I’ll be honest with you, I tried the one that suggested I wrap the iphone in a bag of some sort, and put it in the freezer for times ranging between 90seconds, and 3 minutes. And perhaps I needed to have gone for the full 3 minutes, but I whimped out at a minute mark I think. And result?..it didn’t work. But listen I’d already toggled every setting, in the phones Settings which were even vaguely related to sound or output. Besides, stuff like that worked on batteries no? …I’d figured it was worth a try and Kate and I was enjoying watching and sharing in the Man versus iPhone moment. We’d already spent many times working from problems to solutions on websites, program codes, image issues, version upgrades to hardware or software etc. So this we found interesting and funny.
Repeatedly inserting and removing a compatible head-phone input jack is perhaps a worthwhile endeavor I’d still say, since after-all, unless you know for sure exactly what kind of foreign object is to blame; it could do the trick. And in that same line of thought, using air in some way could be the answer. Fast forward to 15 or so minutes after all this had begun and my phone and the entire Universe was running smoothly again.
‘A person who can explain colour to a blind man can probably explain everything in life’
I still don’t know what actually caused the problem in the first place, but now I have another experience under my belt.
Just when I’m finally used to seeing everybody constantly talking on their mobile phone (cell phone to my American friends), it suddenly seems like no one ‘s talking at all. We’re all heads down, dodging each other as we walk – TEXTING. Fine by me, not bothered at all. So I’ll continue.
Just when I thought I’d gotten junk-mail and e-mail spam under control, I start getting unsolicited text messages on my mobile phone. Not fine by me….very bothered ….arrrrrghhh!! Not only do I not need your loan, I’m also sure I sent you a text saying STOP five times now. If you don’t already know, not only are you paying for your text response – your text back (as with replying to a dodgy spam email) only serves to confirm to these companies or persons that they have reached their intended target and keep the flood gate open.
Come on Apple. At time of writing this, my beloved iPhone doesn’t give me an option to BLOCK specific mobile numbers. Why not? I’m pretty sure this needs to be screamed about by us humble consumers, so let’s get to it. Here’s my two pennys worth care of this rant. I’m also going to look further into just how exactly this annoying but wonderful communication medium works. I seem to remember being able to send a text message to a friend when at the time my Pay-As-You-go phone credit was paid and gone..but I sent the TEXT via my computer…by email. So there’s more to this than meets the eye. Watch this space..i’ll tell you more.
The display, by the way, is exactly what I saw on the 3rd- and 4th- generation iPads. But I find that the tablet’s smaller face puts more focus on the screen. There’s less iPad to look at, and the same size of content to look at. Same size painting, smaller frame. As for that A7 chip, sweet momma ..let’s just say performance isn’t an issue. Then again, I don’t remember thinking performance was an issue with the iPad 4 either, so that alone probably doesn’t make the upgrade worthwhile – consider it a nice bonus then.
Just when I’m finally used to seeing everybody constantly talking on their mobile phone (cell phone to my American friends), it suddenly seems like no one ‘s talking at all. We’re all heads down, dodging each other as we walk – TEXTING. Fine by me, not bothered at all. So I’ll continue.
Byitsize Blogging 
