The changes to the UI are in line with Apple policy, and even if they’re not to the personal taste of Margolis, he still thinks they’re great, and they were “tossed out” by Jobs all those years ago because iOS hadn’t happened as a global phenomenon to radically shake up his thinking. This fuss doesn’t even dim the prospects of a future Apple television system, because we know Jobs was involved in this project, and it could be a radical departure even from the current TV UI because Jobs thought he’d “cracked it.” There are even a clutch of recent patents that support this line of thinking. … [Read more...] about The Tweet That Ruined A Former Apple Designer’s Weekend [Updated, With Response]
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China Has Its Own Alexa, But It’s No Mere Knockoff
Baidu’s work may be rubbing off on its American counterparts as well. Although Amazon and Google have led the way with their own smart speakers, they’ve started to entrust hardware partners with the work of expanding Alexa and Google Assistant into new categories. Google, for instance, is leaning on Lenovo, JBL, and others for the first Assistant-powered “smart displays,” while Amazon is helping outside companies build Alexa earbuds and wearables, for now in lieu of selling its own. … [Read more...] about China Has Its Own Alexa, But It’s No Mere Knockoff
Baidu, China’s Google, To Release Own-Brand Smartphone, Cloud Service [Updated]
Update: The Changhong H5018 has now been revealed. Carrying a forked and gutted version of Android, the device is actually rather attractive with its colored plastic chassis seeming to take a number of design cues from Nokia’s N9 and Lumia range. It has a 3.5-inch screen and is an all-touchscreen affair that also includes Baidu’s own voice-recognition technology. … [Read more...] about Baidu, China’s Google, To Release Own-Brand Smartphone, Cloud Service [Updated]
Visualizing Bitcoin’s Amazingly Fast Spread Around The World
Because it allows for anonymity, much of its rise has been linked to illegal activities, such as on the shuttered drug marketplace Silk Road, and its value has been tied to speculators who ratchet up demand. But Bitcoin is also starting to be accepted as a mainstream form of payment for U.S.-centric sites like OkCupid and WordPress. Last week, even China’s web giant Baidu said it would start accepting Bitcoin payments for a firewall security service it sells. (Bitcoin demand has been growing rapidly in China in recent months, according to Wired). … [Read more...] about Visualizing Bitcoin’s Amazingly Fast Spread Around The World
