Would you believe it? The time has come to talk about next-generation consoles again. The PS4 and Xbox One have been in service for almost eight years and it’s time for a new phase of gaming machines. While Microsoft and Sony have been rather tight-lipped about their upcoming consoles, the recent E3 press conference in Los Angeles has brought us some exciting announcements.
Next to Google, Facebook is perhaps the biggest tech company holds most of the population personal data. The amount of information, be it text or photos, that people upload, provide it data points that can be used to build very accurate profiles. Unlike Google, however, Facebook hasn't been grilled over its privacy practices, or lack of it, until recently. Now all its old practices, messages, and secret policies are being dragged into the spotlight, revealing that Facebook's culture of disregarding users' privacy comes from its top executives.
Word on the app dev street is that Huawei is trying to discreetly woo Android app makers to publish their wares on the Chinese OEM's app store. It isn't yet making a big campaign probably for fear of kicking up a media storm. Not that it was able to avoid that anyway. It really surprised no one that it's trying to sell the idea of reaching millions of devices across the world but unless Huawei offers a few missing pieces, its call will fall on deaf ears.
With E3 2019 underway, there is naturally a lot of focus put on the latest trends in the industry. One of that is game streaming, which has gotten a large seal of approval when Google formally announced the upcoming launch of Stadia. Game streaming has the potential to break down device borders and simplifying playing games the way Netflix simplified binge-watching. But while the nascent technology does hold promise, it could end up isolating more players than it tries to pull in.
With the announcement of iPadOS, one of the biggest question that repeatedly comes up is whether the iPad, specifically the iPad Pro, is finally ready to be that new computer thing that Apple has been advertising. Better yet, is it finally ready to become the primary computer for most people? The answer, as you might have guessed, is a "yes, but". More than that answer to that, however, what the combination of the iPad Pro and the new iPadOS has done is give people fewer reasons to bear with Windows and Android and more reasons to get hooked and locked into Apple's entire ecosystem.
Earlier today, Google dished more details about its upcoming game streaming service, Stadia, in the first of what sounds like a series of livestreams called Stadia Connect. Ahead of Stadia Connect's premiere, Google teased new information about launch games, release timing, and pricing. That's more or less what we received during the show, but after all is said and done, the way Google is launching Stadia seems to be needlessly convoluted.
Apple made a new Mac Pro, but not everybody is happy. The potent new computer is a total reset on its much-derided predecessor, instead reminiscent of the earlier Mac Pro models that developers had begun to reminisce over with rose-tinted glasses. Its replacement, though, has turned out to be a wake-up call.
One of the most surprising things to come out of WWDC is arguably iPadOS. Until just a few hours before the event, there was very little evidence of its existence. Sure, Apple has been making iOS on iPads, especially iPad Pros, more and more capable but few probably expected it would come out with a slightly modified and dedicated version of iOS for larger screens. More than just confirming Apple's vision for its iPad line, iPadOS also reinforces the opportunity that Google and other Android device makers had with Android tablets and how they squandered that chance to beat Apple to this market.
Things were looking up for Huawei just a couple of weeks before. Plenty of well-reviewed products from sleek MateBook laptops to powerful phones gave it a winning streak. But everything seems to be going south now that Google and a list of other U.S. companies have cut ties with the Chinese tech company. Technology from China has been under great scrutiny in the U.S., with suspicions of spying that has led to the Trump administration blacklisting the company.
Let's talk about why Huawei's under fire right now, and why their smartphones aren't any more dangerous to you than an iPhone. This week I've been speaking to people from all over the United States about the value of a smartphone, how Huawei's taking over the world, and why trust in one phone company means trust in a government. Now let's get down to the nitty gritty: Is it safe to use a Huawei phone in 2019?
Apple likes a surprise and so, just a week before WWDC 2019, we have a new iPod touch to marvel at. The iOS-based media player had seemed like the afterthought of Apple's range, going untouched in 6th Generation form since 2015. Now, with a new 7th Generation iPod touch arriving, it's hard not to read some key messages into Apple's decision not to put the iPod out to pasture.
Google Assistant turns three this year. Whether you love it or not, it’s the AI for everyone. Google’s intelligent little helper has been powering almost every other smartphone for the past few years, getting better and smarter each day. Despite its dominance on mobile devices, Google shows no signs of slowing down. Aggressive marketing, widespread device integration and new innovations show where Google is placing its eggs.