Tech Review: Google Home

One of the devices that Google announced at Google's 2016 I/O conference was Google Home.  It's Google's answer to Amazon's Echo.  The base of Google Home is interchangeable, but Google hasn't started selling the bases yet.   Setup is relatively easy with the Google Home app that is available on Google Play and Apple's iTunes app store.  The process has been streamlined and is easier than the Chromecast app that Google first debuted with the original Chromecast.  In order to get the attention of the device's attention, just say "ok Google" just like Google Now on Android phones.  One of our favorite commands is "tell me about my day."  Google Home will then greet you and tell you the weather, your agenda, how long your drive to work is, and read you the news of the day.  They're even configurable in the Google Home app.  You can also just say "good morning" and it will also tell you the same thing as if you said "tell me about my day."  You can add a nickname and have it call you almost whatever you want.  You can also configure if you want the weather in Fahrenheit or Celsius.  The news sources is also configurable.  The best part is you can even configure it not to read any section aloud.  At $129, Google Home is a good looking speaker with Google Assistant that works well and will get better with time.

Samsung Galaxy S7 edge Gets Blue

If you're thinking the smartphone is depressed, that's not what happened.  Samsung Electronics has announced that the Galaxy S7 edge will now be available in Coral Blue.   It's the same blue that was first available with the now discontinued Galaxy Note 7.  Samsung says the new Coral Blue version "will be available in selected markets around the globe."  The other colors for the smartphone are Black Onyx, Gold Platinum, White Pearl, Silver Titanium and Pink Gold.

Is Seven Samsung's Lucky Number?

BARCELONA -- At Unpacked 2016 press event, Samsung as expected debuted the new Galaxy S7 flagship smartphone.  There weren't any real surprises as to the design of the phone as pics of the new S7 had already hit the web before Samsung held their event.  While the Galaxy S6 was a more revolutionary design, the S7 is more evolutionary than its predecessor.  As was rumored, the Galaxy S7 has a 5.1" display, while the S7 edge has a larger 5.5" display.  Some features from the Galaxy S5 make a comeback such as a microSD slot, and water resistance.  Unfortunately, removable battery does not make a come back, but is a feature of  the G5 from LG, a rival of Samsung's S series.  According to Samsung, the new Galaxy S7 and S7 edge will be available starting mid-March of this year.

  

Courtesy Samsung

Daily Life 1st Annual Best of 2015 Part I.

As 2015 is fast coming to an end I'd like to introduce my new series on technology that I find useful in my daily life.  Starting off,  I'll be focusing on the ones that I've found to be the best in 2015.  The first part of the best of 2015 will be smartphones.  They've seem to have become a part of our daily lives and to some people they have become so intertwined that they've actually become a part of ourselves.  Smartphones have become so powerful that they've become a lot more than just phones.  Most of us can't even deny that we use some social media app such as Facebook,  Twitter, or Instagram at least once a week or even daily on our smartphones.  The problem is as smartphones have become more powerful and RAM and storage have become larger and larger, the prices have as well.  When Sony first debuted the Xperia line of smartphones consumers knocked it for being as expensive as $800 to $1000 USD.  These days the best flagships carry similar pricing.  This makes it more important than ever to choose the right one as we tightening our belts and try to stretch our dollars further.  However, stretching the dollar further is more than just about features.  The phone that I find to be the best may not be the best phone for you.  One of the reasons why is because technology these days is all about ecosystem.  If you've heavily invested in one ecosystem, what I find to be the best may not be the best for you as it would require more money to switch.  So which smartphone do I find to be the best in my daily life?  Some would disagree, and others are greatly disappointed by what the manufacturer has decided to omit, but I find the best smartphone to be the Samsung Galaxy Note 5.  Smartphones have grown bigger and bigger but Samsung's Note series has always been big compared to most smartphones on the market.  Samsung was also the first to coin the term "phablet" because of the Note series.  Competitors may have also gained a stylus, but Samsung has had a head start and you won't find one that is as useful as the one for the Galaxy Note 5.  Despite what Steve Jobs was quoted, its the stylus for the Note 5 and its features that put the Note 5 above all other smartphones.

Samsung Galaxy Note 5 in "Gold Platinum"

EDITORIAL: Blackberry Priv Will Help Company

In the tech world, things change extremely quickly.  There was a time when it seemed like Palm, Motorola or Nokia was a dominant company.  Blackberry at one time was also a dominant player.  We've even all heard how President Obama prefers Blackberry.  These days in the media however the spotlight is usually on Apple's iPhone or Samsung's Android powered Galaxy S series.  In order to turn things around Blackberry has decided to add an Android powered smartphone called the Priv to its lineup.  Traditional Blackberry enthusiasts may decry foul but this may be what creates a more forward momentum for the venerable company.  Some consumers out there still believe in Blackberry for security and a slide out keyboard will definitely set the Priv apart from the sea of other Android powered devices.  If they add an Android powered Blackberry Classic and a Blackberry Pearl like device, Blackberry will have a lineup that is unique compared to all the other Android vendors out there.  This might not make them a dominant player again, but it'll definitely help them become a force to reckon with again.

Update:  Blackberry has put up a pre-order page for the Blackberry Priv at the price of $699 USD.

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