MobileViews Blog

Jon Westall and I are joined by our old friend Frank McPherson to discuss Google’s (mostly) hardware announcements in the past week.

1. $30 Google Pixel USB-C earbuds
2. Google Pixel 3
3. Buzzfeed News: Google Call Screen
4. Google Pixel Slate
   Lower price combo: $600 slate, $200 keyboard, $100 pen = $900
5. 7-inch Google Home Hub
6. ars technica: Google Android Things vs. Google Cast
7. Also: Pixel Stand, new Chromecast

Jon Westfall and I discuss the following topics in MobileViews Podcast 271

1. The Verge: Microsoft announcements”
   Surface Pro 6 and Surface Book 2 now have a new color option?????
   Surface Studio 2: Meh
   Surface Headphones: $349. Giant over ears cans design. Don’t understand why some people are excited by this
   Android & iOS app mirroring in future Windows 10 update. Meh
2. Google October 9 hardware announcements
   Pixel 3 and 3 XL
   Google Home Hub Smart Display
   Pixelbook 2
   Pixel Slate 2-in-1 Chromebook
   Misc stuff: Chromecast 3, Pixel Buds 2
3. Opera introduces Opera Touch and challenges Safari on iPhone

   “We have also worked the a built-in ad blocker and cryptojacking protection into Opera Touch to keep you browsing safely and without interruptions.”

4. Jigsaw Intra (Google subsidiary). DNS security for pre-Android OS 9 devices. I like this app better than the built-in Private DNS feature which doesn’t report anything.

   Intra protects you from DNS manipulation, a type of cyber attack used to block access to news sites, social media platforms, and messaging apps. Intra also helps protect you against phishing and malware. It’s easy for anyone to use

   Use Cloudflare with Google OS 9 Private VPN

   using 1.1.1.1 on your iPhone

Available via Google Music Podcasts and Apple iTunes.

Jon Westfall and I are joined by Sven Johannsen for this podcast.

1. Tim Berners-Lee: One Small Step for the Web…
2. MacOS Mojave is the last MacOS version that will support 32-bit apps
3. MacOS Mojave Continuity Camera: Bring a photo or scanned document directly from an iPhone
4. iPhone XS and the notch vs. VPN status information/li>
5. The Verge: Microsoft puts its touch-friendly Office apps for Windows 10 on hold

Available via Google Music Podcasts and Apple iTunes.

Jon Westfall and I discuss just two topics in this podcast. But, there’s a lot to discuss.

1. CNET video of Amazon announcements
   Amazon Echo announcements
   Updated Echo Dot
   Updated Echo Plus (Zigbee radio, thermometer)
   Updated Echo Show
   New Echo Subwoofer
   New Echo Smartplug
   New Alexa Guard
   New Echo Auto
   New Echo enabled clock
   New Echo enabled microwave
   New Echo Input (like a Chromecast)
   New FireTV Recast (DVR & antenna)
   Echo Link Amp
   Echo Link
2. iPhone Xs first impressions
   Moved from 7+ to Xs
   If you want a bag for the box, that costs 18 cents (seriously)
   Old phone service shut off even before I opened the box and turned on the Xs. Was told this would not happen by the sales person
   Serious problem pairing Apple Watch 3 to the Xs
   Chose smaller device/display on purpose
   Xs cannot display battery percentage in top right status area. Not enough screen space at top due to the notch. Xs Max can though

Available via Google Music Podcasts and Apple iTunes.

In this podcast, Jon Westfall and I discuss:

1. DC Universe apps for Android and iOS available along with service launch. Soft launched on Sept. 12 and full launch on Sept. 15
2. Apple broke naming conventions: Xs Max instead of Xs+
3. The “smaller” Xs 5.8-inch display is larger than the 7+ 5.5-inch screen I currently have
4. Apple Watch 4 band size
5. What wasn’t announced:
   USB-C for iOS devices
   Any new iPad / ipad mini (released 9/9/2015)
   Mac mini refresh
   Air Pod v2
   AirPower wireless charger announced last year is still a no-show

Available via Google Music Podcasts and Apple iTunes.

In this podcast Jon Westfall and I discuss:

1. No speculation discussion! Leave that for other podcasts
   Sept. 12 Apple event – iPhone and other stuff
   Oct. 2 Microsoft event – Surface
   Oct. 9 Google event – Pixel
2. Introducing Skype call recording
   Stores to MP4 format
3. Microsoft ‘Confirms’ Windows 7 New Monthly Charge starting January 14, 2020.
4. Jon’s Tech Find of the week: QNAP Nas Units can easily schedule services!
5. AnchorFree, Maker of a Top Online Privacy App, Raises $295 Million

   AnchorFree, the maker of Hotspot Shield, one of the oldest VPN apps, said Wednesday that it had raised $295 million. The round brings AnchorFree’s total funding to $358 million, far outpacing any of its competitors.

   The investment in AnchorFree suggests that the VPN category is becoming more mainstream. Investors previously avoided it in part because relatively few users have adopted the technology.

   MobileViews Podcast 23: Hotspot Shield – Free Ad-supported VPN – A Conversation with AnchorFree’s CEO David Gorodyansky – April 18, 2009

   “I was very skeptical of the service before speaking with David. But, I developed a level of comfort after speaking with him and am running their software and using their service on my Asus Eee PC 1000HA netbook running Windows 7 Beta.”

6. Lenovo Smart Display Bought the 10-inch model for $230 at Sams Club. It came bundled with a Google Home Mini.

   Has a physical front facing camera shutter for privacy. Also a microphone mute.
   Snapdragon™ 624, Octa-Core A53 1.8 GHz
   Beautiful 1920×1200 display.
   2″ 10W Full Range Speaker​, 2 x Passive Tweeters​
   2 x 2 Dual Microphone Arrays

   Kevin Tofel’s Lenovo Smart Display review

   Has portrait mode but it only works with Google Duo calls.
   Rule 1: The main thing to remember is this: Even though it has a touch display, try to ignore it as a UI option. Use your voice as much as possible.
   Rule 2: If you are invested in the Google environment, this is for you. Google Play Movies & TV, YouTube Premium, YouTube TV? Yes. Amazon Prime and Netflix? No. Lenovo is cagey about Netflix though. It can stream radio stations through iHeartRadio though.
   Rule 3: If there is more than one person in your home, be sure they all register with their Google account and train the smart display with their voice – Voice Match.

   Observations:
   Casting to the smart display
   Weather for my area is still near useless. Temperature is off (lower) 5 to 8 degrees consistently
   Synthetic voice is not quite as “natural” as the Amazon Echo’s

Available via Google Music Podcasts and Apple iTunes.