This is the eighth instalment of the Nurun IT Download, with the latest news stories from the technology industry and insights from Nurun experts.
1. Google Updates Glass and Adds Support For Prescription Lenses: Google offered members of the Glass Explorer program the opportunity to update their glasses to the second iteration of the product. It will also expand the program and allow each explorer to invite three more people to the trial. One of the most interesting updates is the option to get a prescription-compatible version of the device.
The Bottom Line: According to the US National Eye Institute, 64% of Americans wear prescription glasses. The prescription-compatible version should help drive interest in the device and make for a good second round of testing in the Explorer program.
2. Google Explains the Mystery Barge: Why does Google have a strange barge docked near San Francisco? Speculations of its purpose have been diverse, but Google finally announced that the barge will serve as a space to demonstrate and educate people about new technologies.
The Bottom Line: Much like Apple Stores, the barge will serve as an education centre where consumers can experience new products. With the mysterious arrival and the surprising concept, Google’s new space will surely be unique.
3. Motorola Becomes Phonebloks Partner and Brings Concept to Life:
When two guys developed a concept for an upgradable cell phone made of replaceable modules that connect together, the Internet became enamoured with the idea. Over 381 million people signed the petition, which attracted the attention of Motorola (now owned by Google). Project Ara is Motorola’s answer to this concept, which is currently in the prototype phase. Motorola and Phonebloks are now partners and will continue to work together to bring this concept to fruition.
The Bottom Line: This story illustrates the power and influence held by the public. Pollution and waste are clearly important in the minds of consumers, and this movement was enough to get the companies to notice. The possibilities for consumers, brands and hardware makers are exciting.
4. Google’s Project Shields Sets Out to Help Controversial Organizations: Setting up a website that is likely to be challenged by activist groups and protecting it from denial of service attacks and other hacking activities is never easy. Google is setting up a new platform to counter this and will offer specialized hosting for campaigns and sites that are prone to being targeted.
The Bottom Line: We have recently seen denial of service attacks happen on the Extra Life website, a charity event for gamers dedicated to helping sick children. If a platform like Google Shield can help bring back some order we will gladly welcome it.
5. Microsoft and Samsung Take on Google Glass: Both Microsoft and Samsung have been testing prototypes for Internet-connected glasses, trying to get their share of the blooming wearable device market.
The Bottom Line: It’s hard to say if glasses, watches, or another wearable technology form will end up being as widely adopted as the smartphone is today. The real challenge will be to design and create digital services that align with wearable technology and truly provide an added value over smartphones and similar devices.
6. World’s First Bitcoin ATM Arrives in Vancouver, Canada: Bitcoiniacs, a Canadian company already acting as a Bitcoin stock exchange, has installed the first Bitcoin ATM in Vancouver, Canada, and plans to set up more in Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Ottawa.
The Bottom Line: As Bitcoins become more popular, we will continue to see new services arise around them. There is definitely some space for innovation surrounding the online currency.
7. Nexus 5 Released with Android 4.4: Google released the Nexus 5, its flagship Android phone, along with a new version of the Android OS, named KitKat (4.4). While the device is getting good reviews, it’s the OS update that is getting the most attention. The most important features of KitKat, including important memory and performance optimizations, are found under the hood. Furthermore, Google has finally adopted Chromium as the rendering engine for its built-in browser, which will hopefully allow Google to iterate more quickly and allow developers to use the newest browser features. From a user perspective, there are a lot of new features: improved voice control, intelligent called ID, integration with Quickoffice, print support and a way for applications to let users use documents from one application to another. On the visual side KitKat matches the deferential pattern introduced in Apple’s iOS 7 with a new immersive mode for applications.
The Bottom Line: While KitKat is a very good upgrade for Android users—and a good answer to iOS 7—many feel that Google has yet to release a significant upgrade, such as the one from Gingerbread to Ice Cream Sandwich.
8. WeChat is Disrupting Mobile Games in China: WeChat, the tremendously popular Chinese chat platform / social network, is gaining popularity as the social module of mobile gaming. WeChat, like many other social networks, offers an authentication system for third party applications to integrate with. Once a user has logged in using WeChat, the game can use WeChat to let users interact with one another. This in turn leads to a viral effect, spreading the game to others. The most popular games in China use WeChat, which suggest that their popularity can be attributed, in part, to their WeChat integration.
The Bottom Line: Chinese social networks such as WeChat are innovating at an impressive pace. At the same time, some of these networks are gaining small, but increasing user bases outside of China, which suggest the same disruptions could also happen in the occidental markets.
9. Pebble Updates its SDK to Version 2: Pebble released version two of its smartwatch developer kit. Among the various new features, the biggest update is the integration with iOS 7’s notification centre. Now all notifications in the notification centre also appear on the Pebble, which opens up possibilities beyond SMS and calls. Native iOS apps don’t need to be adapted for their notifications to appear on Pebble.
Developers building native Pebble apps will also gain a lot of tools to improve usability. Apps can now access the raw data from the Pebble’s sensors, which would allow apps to use the accelerometer data for more than just step counting, such as for gesture detection or designing more reactive user interfaces.
The Bottom Line: The wearable category is increasingly innovating to improve the user experience. More convenient developer tools—such as the Pebble SDK 2.0—could motivate more developers to develop for these platforms, increasing in turn the value of these devices for consumers.
10. BlackBerry Acquisition Unlikely: BlackBerry had set a deadline for its potential sale last Monday, November 4th, but it failed to attract a buyer. Among the possible players, Facebook had been rumoured to be interested in the purchase. Instead, Fairfax Financial Holdings attracted investors to inject $1.1 billion in the company to give it a chance to restructure itself now that CEO Thorsten Heins has stepped down. The new interim CEO is expected to shift the company towards a software and service offering for enterprise rather than continuing to lose money selling hardware.
The Bottom Line: While the failure to attract a buyer can be a bad sign for BlackBerry’s future, the injection of more capital and a new CEO could save the company. However, it will have tough competition in the enterprise market where Apple and Google are making steady progress, and where Microsoft leads.
