technology

The Touch Bar Whisperer – Apples Quiet Giant

By Paul B. Kaiser on June 15, 2018

In 2016, Apple updated their MacBook Pro lie of laptops and with it came the infamous “touch bar” which replaced the function keys at the top of the keyboard. The MacBook Pro’s were updated in 2017, and with it came even more Apps that worked with the touch bar. The usual suspects like iMovie, Final Cut, Garage Band all have great short cuts and thoughtful multi touch functions.

But what seemed cool at first, quickly became a gimmick to the critics after it was launched. I have to admit that I thought the same thing, even thought I had not used it. The critics stated after using the touch bar for a few months that “it was not useful” and “it’s not worth the extra money.” Like all new Apple ideas, they are usually ahead of their time. It takes a bit for us to catch up. So now I’m here to tell you I think they’re all wrong.

I think the Touch Bar is not only cool, but useful, and sometimes quicker than using a mouse.

Now that I have used the MacBook Pro with touch bar for a bit, I now only find it useful but it adds fun back into the Mac. Its more than just a computer. Im engaging with the laptop in new ways. Rather than talk about it lets look at some of the touch bar layouts with shortcuts.

Basic functionality with Touch Bar.

You can expand from the bar above to these choices. And you can customize the touch bar as well. Which itself is very cool, by doing a drag and drop method.

Apple explains how to use and customize the touch bar here.

Your Favorite Emojis

Keynote

iMovie

iTunes

GarageBand

Here are two great movies to show you how to best use the Touch Bar.

Here is what Marques thinks. Because he is the coolest.

I recommend you check out the Touch Bar MacBook Pro, whether you use intensive graphics programs or just do general computing. It livens up the Mac and adds utility. If cost is a deal breaker, I totally understand. It is more expensive, however, with that increase you get bumped up to an I7 processor. Check out Best Buy or B&H Video for the best prices. They have a good return policy so you can drive them for a week or so. Enjoy!

3 Reasons why SXSW 2018 is Magical

By Paul B. Kaiser on March 12, 2018

SXSW 2018 is in full swing in Austin, and from what I can tell the “experiential” factor tops the interactive cake. I mean they have built sets, taken over houses, and created mind-blowing events before, but these three interactive promotions below are incredible. They have taken the 5 senses and added a sixth – “mind melt”. The event truly looks informative and magical.

If you’re a fan of HBO’s Westworld, than this SXSW event will make you wish you were in Austin. It might be one of the best publicity stunts of the 21st century.

The new movie Ready Player One, directed by Steven Spielberg, is coming out this month. But in Austin it has already arrived. This movie and SXSW stunt elevates VR to the next level. Not just with special effects but weaving it into life.

The tech giant is showing off about a dozen interactive demos at an air-conditioned warehouse here in Austin, and the event sounded like it would be really chill.

Sony wanted to make its visitors feel connected to its technology, and what better way to engage than through physical exertion.

They focused less on explaining the tech or convincing people why you’re here — just wow your audience with magical experiences.

Healthy Gadgets, VR and Connected Toilets at CES 2018

By Paul B. Kaiser on January 13, 2018

The number of innovations displayed at CES is never in shortage. So I’m highlighting only a few in this article with some links to the top winners. The bottom line is if you can imagine adding the internet to any type of gadget, it’s happening. Some very cool healthcare gadgets, enhanced VR and of course toilets are all in the consumers eye. And when you’re done laughing at the toilet IoT idea, let me tell you, it makes good sense. It cleans itself, it’s heated and it is voice activated. Definitely a dream come true.

May I introduce – the “Toto 750”.

Hey Google – Flush The Toilet

I hear angels when I see this toilet.

numi

Numi intelligent toilet with KOHLER Konnect is Kohler’s most advanced toilet. The Numi offers personalized experiences that let users fine-tune every aspect of their experience to their exact preference, from ambient colored lighting to wireless Bluetooth^® music sync capability to the heated seat and foot warmer. Numi delivers hands-free control, personalized cleansing functionality, and exceptional water efficiency.
Features of Numi with KOHLER Konnect can be controlled through voice-command, the KOHLER Konnect app, or the remote.

hey google ces As you’ve probably heard, Google has dominated CES 2018 and will be the driving force behind many gadgets. Google announced on their blog that Google assistant will be everywhere, on every device.

“The Google Assistant is your personal Google. It lets you have a conversation and ask about everything under the sun and, best of all, it’s available wherever you need help—at home or on the go. Over the past year, we’ve been working to bring the Assistant to more devices in more places and now it’s available on more than 400 million devices.”

The Google Assistant gives you an easy, hands-free way to control your home, whether it’s helping you dim the lights from the comfort of your couch or play your dinner party playlist. It’s already lending a helping hand in speakers like Google Home, Mini and Max. In fact, we’ve sold more than one Google Home every second since Google Home Mini started shipping in October. And with so much excitement around speakers, we’re making the Assistant even more available—this week we’re announcing that the Assistant is coming to new voice-activated speakers from Altec Lansing, Anker Innovations, Bang & Olufsen, Braven, iHome, JBL, Jensen, LG, Klipsch, Knit Audio, Memorex, RIVA Audio and SōLIS.

But there are also moments when a screen would make the Assistant even more helpful, like when you need to learn how to cut a pineapple, and the best way is to watch a video. Today, we’re announcing that the Assistant is coming to smart displays. These new devices have the Google Assistant built in, and with the added benefit of a touch screen, they can help you get even more done. You can watch videos from YouTube, video call with Google Duo, find photos from Google Photos and more. You can also get recommendations for your favorite content, right on the home screen.

Starting later this year, the Assistant is coming to new smart displays from four companies, including JBL, Lenovo, LG and Sony. To learn more about how smart displays were built, visit the Android Developers blog.

Cool Health Gadgets

Gadgets that focus on improving users’ health and well-being were in ample supply this year at CES. Philips launched a wearable headband to enhance sleep. Prevent Biometrics released a mouthguard that could detect concussions. Swim.com and Spire Health Tag collaborated to design a “smart swimsuit” that could help swimmers track their water workouts. Neutrogena unveiled its SkinScanner, which attaches to an iPhone and syncs with the Skin360 app to help users assess their skin health from home.

The SkinScanner product was made in partnership with a New York-based company called Fitskin. It’s a tool that slides onto the top of your iPhone and uses 12 LED lights and a 30x magnification lens to capture an up-close image of your skin. It also has a moisture sensor, around the rim of the lens. You open the app, press the device right onto your face, and take a series of images. Glamour shots these are not: these are close-up readings of your skin’s moisture levels, wrinkles, and pore size.

The L’Oreal UV Sense may help prevent Skin Cancer

The smaller a device is, the more wearable it becomes, and that’s one of the reasons that L’Oreal’s UV Sense is so intriguing. It’s a UV sensor no bigger than a thumbnail that tells you, via your smartphone, how much sun exposure you’ve received each day. The benefits are twofold: Not only could this help prevent skin cancer, it’s also a key step on a micro-wearable computing journey that could revolutionize the world.

Best of CES

See the list of CES winners

Photo by John Locher People walk through a display of television screens during CES International, in Las Vegas
Gadget Show LG, Las Vegas, USA – 09 Jan 2018

When it rains, it pours. And on the first day of CES 2018, the monstrous gadget expo that drew an astounding 184,000 people to Las Vegas this year, it rained. Hard. Traffic snarled, Google’s parking lot tent at the Las Vegas Convention Center flooded, drones were grounded, autonomous cars sat parked.

The next day, a power outage plunged the entire show floor into darkness.

It would be fair to say that CES 2018 gave us plenty of ominous reasons to remember it, but fortunately for us, there also were plenty of fun things to see when the lights were on. From the usual spate of wall-sized TVs to servile robots, crazy-fast PCs, and new VR headsets, all the usual culprits were in attendance. But we set out to find the best of the best for our annual Top Tech of CES awards.

Nice overview of CES 2018

Alexa and Google Home may be the Voice of Reason

By Paul B. Kaiser on December 30, 2017

The popularity of Alexa and Google Home are making voice technology a game changer in our daily lives and marketing opportunities. That voice in your head may soon turn on your toaster oven. As the IoT (Internet of Things) makes it’s way into our lives, even the simplest of tasks may be controlled by our voice commands. Whether this is a fad or the way of the future does not matter, it is coming – it’s here. Voice technology and digital assistants are about to change our lives.

Voice technology and digital assistants have crossed paths in the form of Alexa and Google Home. This past holiday has sealed the fate of our desire for robots. I think because it provides a feeling superiority, being able to tell another object to do something, and it understands, and it performs that task. While voice commands and digital assistants have a long way to go, they have made big leaps with machine learning.

Be my friend

All the advances in AI mean that the possibilities of a voice-activated world are finally becoming a reality, according to Speak Easy, a study conducted by J. Walter Thompson, Kantar and Mindshare. The emotional attachment to new people albeit, a mechanical robot is real. A recent study suggested that people will become more emotionally attached to their assistants as advances in machine learning continue. “As people, we crave intimacy, and the ability to forge more personal connections through voice is very apparent,” says Ida Siow. “A third of regular voice users in Singapore have admitted to having a sexual fantasy about their voice assistant, which demonstrates just how easy it is to anthropomorphize this form of AI technology. It’s just easier to connect with voice.”

Marketing a Voice

So what does this mean for companies looking to tap into the voice business? It could be a $50 billion a year market by 2020. According to comScore, 200 billion searches per month will be done with voice by 2020. This creates a $50+ billion per year market opportunity around voice search. As demand for voice intensifies, so will the demand for accessories, devices for the Home, ad revenue, and shopping opportunities (which Amazon already owns the space.)

The Speak Easy study also stated that “…when people voiced a question involving a brand name, their brain activity showed a significantly stronger emotional response compared to people typing that same question.” Ida continues.

“There is no doubt that voice builds emotional affinity, and a resounding 72% of users wanted brands to have unique voices and personalities for their apps. The implication for brands is huge – it’s no longer just about right time, right message, right place – brands need to ensure they are developing the right voice too.”

Future Me

So, where does this all lead us in the future of voice? Here’s what some of the digital minds of today think about voice?

Peter T. Boyd, President & Founder of PaperStreet

“Star Trek style full conversations where the computer interacts with the user and can control technology. Everyone can have a personal assistant to get routine tasks done, items purchased, calculations made, and control devices in your office, home and car. With that will be security concerns in being able to mimic voices and break-into various devices, but they can probably be overcome with additional security in other ways (pass codes or other body signatures).”

Others are not so optimistic. Steve Kovach says it’s time to admit digital assistants are overrated:

“The hype around digital assistants is real. But for now, it’s just that. Hype. And it’s arguably the more overrated than any other emerging technology…digital assistants have turned into a fragmented mess and they’re all little more than a minor convenience, assuming they work at all.”

Regardless of whether you think it’s a fad or a mainstay in the populous, it is on the way. What might be the practical use of voice commands now?

Top tasks voice controls are made for:

Voice will be a primary interface for the connected home, providing a natural means to communicate with alarm systems, lights, kitchen appliances, sound systems and more, as users go about their day-to-day lives.
Major cars on the market will adopt intelligent, voice-driven systems for entertainment and location-based search, keeping drivers’ and passengers’ eyes and hands free.
Audio and video entertainment systems will count on naturally spoken voice for content discovery to match the multitude of ways users think about content. (This can already be seen in products like the new Apple TV, which rejects any apps whose core functionality doesn’t support the voice-controlled Siri remote.)
Small-screened and screenless wearables will continue their upward climb in popularity, requiring smooth, fluid means of operation as more and more users expect better and better results.

It is expected that voice-controlled devices will also dominate workplaces that require hands-free mobility, such as hospitals, warehouses, laboratories and production plants. As far as I’m concerned, the next big advancement in voice is being able to have a conversation.

Final conversation

Having a conversation with digital assistants will not be easy with so many variations in language, pauses and pronunciations, but this is no doubt the holy grail for Amazon and Google. Amazon wants you to have long, real conversations with Alexa. The e-tail giant recently released new tools to app developers that allow Alexa to whisper, show emotion and pause naturally, like we humans do. And that’s just the start, says Rohit Prasad, Amazon’s head scientist for Alexa, who is playing a key role in the retailer’s efforts in artificial intelligence for Alexa—using computers to converse with us.

The roadmap is set, but the opportunities are wide open. It’s time to get on board with voice. if you want to know how to ramp up, wait for our next post – “OK People, create your voice commands!”

On the lighter side….

An Evening with Google Lens

By Paul B. Kaiser on November 13, 2017

I thought it would be fun to test Google Lens and see what it can recognize. This is not a formal test, very random as a matter of fact. It’s currently in beta for users, but I just had to share some of the results. It’s available in version 3.9 of Google Photos. So be on the lookout. If you want more info on Google Lens see this article for Google news.All in all, the machine learning behind Lens is amazing, but it generated some funny results too. Most of the images I show below are the bloopers and show funny results, but it got just as many right. It was actually a lot of fun to run different photos through Lens. Since I have a preview version, the public release may yield different results. I’m still trying to figure out their algorithms to describe an object or photo.

Note: On each of the screen grabs the Original photo is on top, and then the bottom half is what Google Lens thinks it is.

Here are screen grabs from photos run through Google Lens, with insights directly below.

I’m starting with the funniest one. So instead of reading the text that it was honey, it viewed the color and shape to be tequila. LOL

So, Lens basically got the Starbucks cup correct. Even pulled up a stock number. But turn the cup a little bit and forget it.

It’s a ceramic

And yet it read this crazy type correctly.

So I thought Lens would read the text first, but it went for the car instead.

So, at first glance this looks correct, since it read the text. However, the name of the place is “Jersey Freeze” in New Jersey, not “Taste the Best” located in Jamaica NY.

The old dog picture was pretty accurate. Our dog is a Yorkshire. Not sure if she’s a mixed breed, but you never know.

But now our same dog is in the picture and Lens is stumped. I’m surprised at this result. It knew the dog before and Google knows my daughter. It identifies her out all the time when I search for her image.

This is a hit and miss. It got the Starbucks right but it’s a iced coffee, and its not gold deco flakes. I’m surprised it even guessed at the type of drink.

Funny that it says the Google Pixel 2 is a nexus. I mean the green button is so unique.

How could it not know a fidget spinner?

So it got the shoe. But why doesn’t Lens use my location to even go further and say which store it’s from? Just saying.

Again, everyday product that it didn’t recognize.

It knows Apple products, even without the logo.

And it knows Google products too – thank goodness.

This software is fun right now. Soon it will be useful. The algorithms will be finessed and the machine learning will get better. Having the ability to look at an object and describe that the item, is going to be a big deal – soon. Look for the general release soon.

Did Apple sell you an iPhone X or iPhone 10?

By Paul B. Kaiser on November 11, 2017

If you’re unaware of the Apple iPhone X pronunciation debate, then tell me if you pronounce the new iPhone X with the alphabet “X” or as the number “10”? No worries because everyone has been confused since the announcement. Some people argue that you say the letter “X,” while others believe the “X” is meant as the roman numeral for 10. For diehard fans it doesn’t matter. They still waited in line for days to get the phone.

Apple has settled the debate once and for all. The company said iPhone X is meant to be pronounced “iPhone 10.” The X marks the company’s 10th anniversary since the first iPhone hit the shelves in 2007.

Here are some hands on shots of the iPhone X from the Apple store today.

“The iPhone X is loaded with high-end hardware and new features”

The iPhone X is loaded with high-end hardware and new features, including multiple cameras, wireless charging and a beautiful display. However, Apple got rid of the home button on the iPhone X and launched a new feature called “Face ID” that unlocks the phone when the user looks at it. But I think everyone is pretty happy.

4 really nice things about the iPhone X

The sharpest display ever on an iPhone

The iPhone X features a colorful OLED display with more than 2 million pixels. That means sharper text for reading, more impressive video playback and more. Better yet, it has a screen that runs from edge to edge so you get a bigger viewing area without having to carry a larger phone.

Facial recognition

You can register your face with the iPhone X so that it automatically unlocks when you look at it. We’ve seen this before in phones such as the Galaxy S8, but Apple says its face unlock uses 3-D imagery that’s even more secure. It says the new tech can’t be fooled by even a professionally made mask of your face, and is more secure than fingerprint locks.

Animoji

This ties in to facial recognition but is fun enough that it deserves its own spot on the list. Apple developed new “Animoji” that allow you to create short clips of your own emotions and send them off as emojis to friends and family. Maybe you’ll make a silly face with the pig emoji, for example: Apple’s facial recognition tech will help the emoji resemble the exact expressions you’re making.

Cameras galore

Wide-Angle Camera

An ƒ/1.8 six-element lens, optical image stabilization (OIS), and a larger, faster 12MP sensor make the most popular camera in the world even better.

Telephoto Camera

Using a state-of-the-art seven-magnet solution, iPhone X includes a second OIS system in the powerful ƒ/2.4 telephoto camera. Together the two cameras enable optical zoom to bring you closer to your subject. And deliver amazing shots with Portrait mode.

The iPhone X has a 12-megapixel wide-angle lens and a second telephoto lens for zooming. Apple says it offers huge improvements over the cameras we saw in the iPhone 7 Plus, which was the first to offer a telephoto lens. Also expect to see less shaky videos, improved pictures in low light, and more. Also, a new front-facing “TrueDepth” camera is capable of taking those fancy portrait shots that debuted on the iPhone 7 Plus, which create a blurred background bokeh effect that looks much more professional.