The Official Technology Thread

[Frank E]

Well, the important thing is that you let either Google or Amazon have an always on microphone in your home.

Yes, like all household appliances, the Echo microphone does have the natural design flaw that it's on unless it's turned off.

I thought that the point of these things is that they were always on, at your beck and call to answer whatever you were wondering about at any moment?

 

[Kin]

Well, the important thing is that you let either Google or Amazon have an always on microphone in your home.

Yes, like all household appliances, the Echo microphone does have the natural design flaw that it's on unless it's turned off.

Um, excuse me. I think your fair-minded practicality is interfering with my cheap and easy cynicism.

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

Well, the important thing is that you let either Google or Amazon have an always on microphone in your home.

Yes, like all household appliances, the Echo microphone does have the natural design flaw that it's on unless it's turned off.

I thought that the point of these things is that they were always on, at your beck and call to answer whatever you were wondering about at any moment?

The Echo microphone does have the natural design feature that can be turned on.

 

[Zee]

Well, the important thing is that you let either Google or Amazon have an always on microphone in your home.

Yes, like all household appliances, the Echo microphone does have the natural design flaw that it's on unless it's turned off.

I thought that the point of these things is that they were always on, at your beck and call to answer whatever you were wondering about at any moment?

The Echo microphone does have the natural design feature that can be turned on.

Yeah there's an on/off listening switch for the Google home as well

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

Well, the important thing is that you let either Google or Amazon have an always on microphone in your home.

Yes, like all household appliances, the Echo microphone does have the natural design flaw that it's on unless it's turned off.

I thought that the point of these things is that they were always on, at your beck and call to answer whatever you were wondering about at any moment?

The Echo microphone does have the natural design feature that can be turned on.

Yeah there's an on/off listening switch for the Google home as well

As there should be.

 

[Kin]

As there should be.

This is true but, to defend my nonsense a little, they're not really being sold as things that you just turn on to use because then they're not really any more convenient than asking Siri or looking something up with Google Assistant or whatever.

 

[bustaheims]

I?m still using the IPhone 6 for much the same reason, I?ve had a free upgrade available for well over a year and just haven?t seen anything that is miles better.

The iPhone X is jump, but not necessarily the kind we saw in the earlier days of smartphones. Not having a home button takes some getting used to, but the wireless charging is a really nice addition, and being able unlock my phone with my face is pretty fun. There's a few hardware upgrades that they don't really have apps to fully take advantage of (the augmented reality stuff, the facial mapping with the front camera, etc), but there's stuff.

Really, though, as it's probably not one of the phone you can get for free, it's not worth the upgrade from the 6 to the 8 unless your phone is having issues.

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

As there should be.

This is true but, to defend my nonsense a little, they're not really being sold as things that you just turn on to use because then they're not really any more convenient than asking Siri or looking something up with Google Assistant or whatever.

No, for sure.  I haven't turned off the microphone, other than to actually test pushing that button.

 

[hockeyfan1]

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 "Unpacking" event -- official unveiling:

https://youtu.be/zm5o8exbQN0

 

[hockeyfan1]

Apple introduces three new iPhones:

https://youtu.be/1kQ-mWgyZSQ

Compare Xs & Xs Max models in 3D:
https://www.hotspot3d.com

 

[hockeyfan1]

5G:  Not as simple as we think it is...

https://www.macworld.com/article/3434525/iphone-11-5g-speeds-coverage-rumors.html

 

[hockeyfan1]

For those who missed the Samsung ?unpacking event? official unveiling for the Galaxy Note 10 & Note 10+ and etc., originally presented on August 8th:

https://www.pocket-lint.com/phones/news/samsung/148526-samsung-event-how-to-watch-what-to-expect

Note 10+ is the ?pro? version. 
Both phones can connect to a Mac or PC via DEX.
Note 10+ comes in 5g as well (limited release depending on availability of networks in selected regions).

For a closer look:
https://www.samsung.com/ca/smartphones/galaxy-note10/

 

[hockeyfan1]

For those who missed it, the Apple unveiling event for the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and the iPhone 11 Pro Max was on September 10th:

https://youtu.be/fnJRuz7wTcc

- 3 iPhones ? iPhone 11 5.8?
                ?  iPhone 11 Pro 6.1?
                ? iPhone 11 Pro Max 6.5?

- A13 Bionic Chip deemed fastest in the industry of any smartphone
- ?machine-learning? video & camera including Night Mode (the Pro Max comes with more ?pro? features than the other two iPhones)
- HDR/OLED display; slofies (slow-motion selfies); a battery that lasts 4-5 hours longer than the previous iPhone XS Max; and so much more.

For a more in-depth look:
https://www.apple.com/iphone-11/