Amazon Is Past Its Prime Day

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Amazon Is Past Its Prime Day
Number 2538
Broadcast Date JULY 16, 2015
Episode Length 41:38
Hosts Tom Merritt
Guests Allison Sheridan

Is the desktop Office suite dead? In light of new Microsoft office versions for touchscreen and OS X, Allison Sheridan and Tom Merritt talk about what office tools people actually use these days.

Guest

Headlines

The Verge passes along a Financial Times report that Apple and Samsung are working with the GSM Association to develop a new SIM card standard to make it easier to switch between services. The embedded SIM or e-SIM would stay in the phone and let you switch your carrier without getting a new card. While work on the agreement is still in progress a new standard of some kind is expected in 2016.
The Wall Street Journal reports Facebook’s Oculus VR has agreed to buy Israel-based gesture-control company Pebbles. Hand and finger gesture control made by Pebbles was recently integrated into the Oculus. Pebbles’ system lets users see their own arms and hands in their VR display even including clothing and scars.
Venture Beat is reporting eBay has confirmed that it’s selling its enterprise services business, eBay Enterprise, for $925 million, $1.5 billion less than when it acquired it as GSI Commerce in 2011. eBay Enterprise does e-commerce sites for retailers. The buyer is a consortium consisting of investment companies. eBay officially spins out PayPal as a separate company Friday. PayPal begins trading on the Nasdaq Monday. Ebay revenue rose 7% last quarter with Paypal and Enterprise on board although revenue in its core marketplace fell due to currency fluctuations.
TechCrunch reports wearable maker Misfit has launched a new app today called Misfit Link that lets you use your Misfit activity tracker as a smart button. So for instance you click your tracker and your phone’s camera activates. The app works with the Misfit Flash and a new cheaper Misfit Flash Link, essentially a Flash without the wristband. The Link’s iOS app is available now with Android coming next month. It will also add integrations with IFTT and Logitech Harmony remotes over time. Misfit also lowered prices for its existing trackers.
Far from being just a button, the Verge notes that Moov has announced a newly-designed version of ita AI fitness tracker/coach called Moov Now. It’s smaller has a more breathable wrist strap and a replaceable battery. It also allegedly improves on the Moov’s ‘coaching’ features with specific apps for running, swimming, cycling, boxing and timed workouts. The AI talks to you throughout the workout encouraging you and giving you tips. Preorders start today at $59 with a jump to $99 when it ships this autumn.
The Verge reports Motorola has invited the press to a livestreamed event on July 28th at 9 AM Eastern. The text reads “Your relationship status is about to change, XOX, Moto.” Although the O could also be a G as in the MotoG.
Ars Techinca reports that Intel will build a 3rd generation of 14nm processors delaying a switch to 10nm to the second half of 2017. That’s the sound of Intel missing a beat in Moore’s law. Intel CEO Brian Krzanich confirmed the delay in an investor call. Skylake will follow Broadwell later this year then followed by Kaby Lake in 2016 with Cannonlake pushed to 2017. Krzanich said the more regular two year-per-process timeframe is still the long-term desire.
Engadget passes along that Samsung announced it has begun testing Samsung Pay for select owners of the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Plus in Korea. Samsung Pay combines NFC with the LoopPay technology for simulating a magnetic stripe.
Xiaomi introduced two new non-cellphone products according to CNET. The new 48-inch Mi TV 2S smart TV will sport a slim 9.9mm aluminum frame, a 60fps Samsung 4K panel and run the Miui TV interface for 2,999 yuan ($480) in China starting July 28. The other product announced was Mi Water Purifier selling for 1299 yuan ($210) capable of cleaning up to 76 barrels of water a day. It will be available at the Xiaomi website in China soon.
Engadget reports Jolla has found its first Sailfish OS licensing partner. India’s second largest phonemaker, Intex Technologies will sell Sailfish-powered phones and help develop a regional mobile ecosystem called Sailfish India. Intex will release Sailfish phones in India in late 2015, possibly along with Sailfish 2.0.

News From You

Reuters says Amazon customers ordered 34.4 million items during its Prime Day sale breaking the record set by last year’s Black Friday’s sale. Yet Time.com notes many Twitter users weren’t impressed. Example twitter posts included “one huge troll by Amazon" and "Amazon's Garage Day Sale" and "When I die, I want whoever was responsible for #PrimeDay to lower me down into my grave so I can be let down one more time." There’s nothing in logic that says you can’t make trolly comments on Twitter WHILE ordering a cheap Chromebook. Evidence seems to indicate this may have happened more than once.
Submitted by habichuelacondulce
Engadget reports that The Last Starfighter writer Jonathan Betuel is developing a TV Series called The Starfighter Chronicles with added VR content. The series will be about alien law enforcement but certain scenes will have more to them if you’re viewing in a VR headset. Betuel is working with folks at Surreal.tv and hoping to get someone to pick up the project either for network or streaming.
Submitted by spsheridan

Discussion

Pick of the Day

Not sure if this is considered tech. Listening to yesterday podcast about the taxi app for the visually impaired , I am reminded of a watch that doesn't need to be watched.

According to the web page, the Bradley is named after Brad Snyder. An ex naval-officer, Brad lost his eyesight in an explosion in Afghanistan in 2011. Brad competed in and won gold and silver medals in swimming at the 2012 Paralympics in London.

I am not visually impaired, but this is a great device if you need to know the time and trying not to be rude.
Submitted by Dickson (a Patreon Patron)

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Preceded by:
"Neil Young to Net: “Get off my lawn!”" 		Amazon Is Past Its Prime Day
 Followed by:
"Brute Force Updates"
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