Massive R&D spending hints big changes are coming at Apple
Apple has been significantly increasing its spending on research and development in recent years, and we can safely assume that all that money wasn’t just going to the Apple Watch. Neil Cybart, one of the best Apple observers around, documents big increases in Apple’s R&D expenditures and suggests that the company is planning its “largest pivot yet.”
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When did huge 65″ 4K Ultra HD TVs get so affordable?
Black Friday is the best time of year to purchase a new television, but not everyone wants to wait all the way until November to make a purchase. Well, if you fall into that category we have some terrific news for you. TV prices are falling so quickly that you can find deals right now that are nearly as good as they were this past Black Friday, and here’s a perfect example: The premium Samsung UN65JU7100 65-Inch 4K Ultra HD 3D Smart LED TV is on sale right now for $1,840 with free scheduled delivery. That price is almost as low as it was during Amazon’s monster Black Friday sales last year, and it won’t last.
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The real reason Walmart is suing Visa
The US is rolling out chip-enabled credit cards nationwide, but the more fraud-resistant technology still relies on people using signatures. That’s a dumb security measure — heck, not really a security measure at all — that makes fraud easier, and Walmart wants to do something about it. Even though forcing PINs would make transactions far more secure, Visa is saying no.
The rest of the world uses Chip-and-PIN to verify card transactions in stores. It’s much the same as how chip transactions work in the US right now, only rather than drawing a meaningless scrawl on a receipt, customers enter a unique four-digit PIN to prove that they own the card.
Signatures are effectively meaningless — they’re only useful when you’re making a chargeback against fraud later, and provide no on-the-spot security. It’s one of the reasons the US accounts for 72 percent of credit card fraud worldwide.
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10 paid iPhone apps on sale for free right now
Today’s list of paid iPhone and iPad apps on sale for free comes a bit later than usual, but you’ll love it every bit as much as you do on any other day. We’ve got 10 fresh apps for you on Wednesday’s list, and you can snag even more if you head back to yesterday’s post, where you’ll find several remaining freebies.
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You can watch the first full-scale Hyperloop test right here
The first full-scale test of next-gen Hyperloop transportation technology has just taken place in the desert outside Las Vegas.
Although Hyperloop is an Elon Musk idea, he’s “too busy” to try and develop it himself. Instead, he released the plans for free, and private companies are designing their own solutions. At the forefront of the race is Hyperloop Technologies, which has conducted the first full-scale test.
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The killer iPhone we’re waiting for: Apple’s 2017 iPhone to feature edgeless display, no home button
If you’re of the opinion that Apple’s upcoming iPhone 7 is interesting but not necessarily exciting or compelling, we have some good news for you. While analysts and pundits alike have been busy exclaiming that Apple’s days of innovation are behind it, a new nugget of information about Apple’s 2017 model iPhone should put those concerns to rest.
During the most recent episode of John Gruber’s The Talk Show podcast, the well-connected blogger dropped a number of tantalizing tidbits about what we may expect to see from Apple’s 2017 iPhone, a device likely to be called the iPhone 7s or, depending on who you ask, the iPhone 8.
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Tesla’s ambitious Model 3 production plan faces steep hurdles
Even Tesla has been surprised by just how popular its Model 3 has been. With around 400,000 preorders, Tesla recently adopted a new production plan that would see it manufacture half a million vehicles a year in 2018, or two years faster than initial projections. Tesla also set an internal deadline for producing the Model 3, one that it confirmed it won’t be able to meet. As Tesla said, Model 3 production will actually depend on a lot of factors, many outside its reach.
And in a recently filed SEC document, Tesla went into further details about the challenges it will face when producing the Model 3.
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A single flash drive adds removable storage to your PC and Android phone
How cool is it that there’s a single flash drive that can add removable storage to your computers as well as your Android phones and tablets? The SanDisk Ultra 128GB Dual USB Drive 3.0 has a standard USB plug on one end that will fit any Windows, Mac or Chrome PC in the world. Then, on the other side, there’s a microUSB plug that will fit just about any Android smartphone or tablet. Both plugs retract, making this one of the most compact flash drives out there. And best of all, it’s on sale on Amazon right now through the end of the day on May 14.
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Top insider says the iPhone 7 Plus is the phone to buy this year
When it rains, it pours. An iPhone 7 leak earlier on Wednesday suggested that the iPhone 7 Plus will have a dual lens camera and a Smart Connector on the back and that both the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch models will lack the 3.5mm headphone jack. A report from a well-known Apple insider on Wednesday is now offering more details on the upcoming iPhone 7 phablet and it hints that the 5.5-inch model will be the best new iPhone to buy this year.
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Google I/O 2016 preview: All the biggest announcements you can expect next week
Every year during the spring and summer months, Android and Apple users alike are given a glimpse into the future of their respective mobile operating systems. Apple of course has WWDC which is slated to take place in June and Google will kick things off one month earlier when its annual I/O developers conference kicks off next week on May 18.
What makes Google’s I/O conference arguably more interesting and exciting than WWDC is that there’s a whole lot more to cover. While Apple will predictably cover the future of iOS and OS X, Google, as it’s prone to do, will cover an incredible array of products and technologies, hardly a surprise given how many different pots Google has its hands in these days. Indeed, Google’s broadening interest in all facets of technology – and even science – is what prompted the company to rename and restructure itself under the Alphabet umbrella.
All that said, we are eagerly anticipating Google to make a number of interesting announcements that extend far beyond the company’s upcoming Android N update. From a rumored VR headset to more information regarding a Project Tango smartphone, the collective eyes of the tech world will understandably be laser focused on all things Google I/O next week.
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