Android Auto vs Apple CarPlay

Android Auto

It may be obvious coming from me, but I like Android Auto much better than Apple CarPlay. Android Auto seems much polished and totally customized for the Drive mode than the Apple’s counterpart which looks too familiar and more like looking at iPhone 3G!

It is easy to guess from these Screenshots which is what.

Android Auto

Apple Car Play

Manufacturers

Car maker support is all split for now. But I am expecting most of them to support both platforms. After all, they don’t want a $600 product to determine purchase of their $30,000 or more product!

Is it all about a big phone?

iPhone grows up, from a Lilliputian to a mature size, from being microscopic to be seen finally in naked eyes! Seriously in 2014, cannot imagine a tiny 4″ screen for a gorgeous UI (no pun intended). The bigger size has potential to change a lot, and it will. All the users Apple lost to Samsung, may come back to mother Apple. That in turn means pressure on other manufacturers and the ones who will thrive in this equal-sized war is us, the consumers!

Meanwhile, what does Samsung has to say? They have a point – “Its not just about big size, its about being more productive”. Let us wait and see how this goes.

Top 5 reasons why Nexus 5 is delayed [funny]

Obviously this is not meant to be a serious article. Just possible speculations on what might be going wrong that is delaying Android Kit Kat, Nexus 5, Nexus 10 and even a possible Google Watch.

5. Google wants to know what Apple had in store.

Well, usual wait and watch game. Also they might have wanted the new iPad wave to settle and don’t want their announcement to go in shadow.

4. Unexpected Kit Kat licensing issues or Hershey’s wants Halloween to be over.

How about a last minute royalty issues in using the name Kit Kat? Or… People are going to buy Kit Kat regardless till October 31st in the US. Later the announcement comes, more candies they can sell even after Halloween! Sounds counter intuitive though!

Bad Hershey’s!

3. Code issues at the Google Android camp.

How about some weird code issue that crashes and slows down Kit Kat every time? Google is spending all their energy and even buying companies to fix it!

2. Supply chain delays with LG.

Well, this one may be seriously happening. Happened in Nexus 4. Why not again? Or Google and LG wants to go as much into the Holiday season so the meager stock they have are all stuffed.

1. Government Shutdown.

This may be true as well. Google not able to get the devices FCC approved in time before the Government Shutdown and now they are waiting in line!

Whatever it is, release it already Google, before the hype dies…

The man behind Samsung Watch: Pranav Mistry

Wearable technology is going to create the next buzz in the consumer electronics industry – Smart Watches, Google Glass kind of augmented reality gadgets, Fitness gears etc. The industry will get shape next year 2014. One such revolutionizing product may even come from Apple.

Samsung Galaxy Gear:

Now, it is about the Samsung Galaxy Gear, aka Watch. Samsung wanted to get into the game ahead of Apple and created this for their first generation. Not bad function wise, but didn’t have that “wow” factor to impress most people. Looks more like a utilitarian than something special. The watch is said to be designed and presented to the world by an 32 year old Indian computer scientist, Pranav Mistry.

Who is Pranav Mistry:

Pranav joined Samsung in 2012 and is now heading their research department named think tank team. What was he doing before? Most of us know him for his TED video of sixth sense. It was an amazing video where he demonstrates the wearable gestural interface he had invented. He is also known for several other inventions in his young age and hails from Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai. From my opinion Galaxy gear may not be best of his creations, but eager to see more from this young potential.

Amazon revolutionizes Customer Service. Again.

Amazon introduced its new line of Kindle Fire HD tablets. Expected to happen. Nothing surprising.

But this is – A live customer support through a video chat at a single button click “Mayday”. The customer support can show how to use the device and well, provide support in any device related stuff! Two years ago, Amazon created a unique “Call Me” button in first gen Kindle Fire. Even for their such standards, this is a huge step. Of course we cannot expect Apple and Android device manufacturers to follow this, but this is an interesting step to watch how it all works in long term.

No iPhone 5s Pre-order. Is Apple worried?

The new flagship phone of Apple iPhone 5s is available this September 20th. To everyone’s surprise, you cannot pre-order it online (though cheaper iPhone 5c can be pre-ordered starting September 13th). If you want it on the first day, be ready to stand in line!

But why? Apple loves to make bold statements on their pre-order sales in the past. Did they realize that this new device will not cut it?

2010: 0.6 Million iPhone 4 in just 24 hours.

2011: 1 Million iPhone 4S in just 24 hours.

2012: 2 Million iPhone 5 in just 24 hours.

2013: Well under 2 Million. Pre-order NO SHOW?

Yes, there is a very high chance that iPhone 5s won’t sell as many like iPhone 5 and there could be several reasons for it.

• iPhone 5c which brings a new perspective in color. If all the “cool-dudes and gals” out there opts for this, then 5s sales will be hit.
• iPhone 5s as an upgrade is not well received so far. All same gimmicks. 1x size, 2x CPU, better camera… well, that’s it.
• The only new feature Fingerprint reader is currently facing more controversies than earning “wows”. Once the phone gets out in the market, this may settle down (or get worse as well if there are hacks).
• Competition is only getting higher every year. Last year it was only Samsung Galaxy S3. This year we have Samsung Galaxy S4 / Note 2, HTC One, subsidized Nexus 4, Moto X, LG G2 etc. all want a share of the pie.

And for the records, Apple is quoting their lack of inventory as a reason for not having a pre-order. Even if that is true, investors and analysts question why. It is so not Apple.

Next big thing for iPhone: Fingerprint Reader?

Motorola Atrix with Fingerprint Sensor

Apple is all set to announce its next iPhone on September 10th. As usual it will have 1x same size, 2x better CPU, 3x better graphic performance, 4x better battery life, 5x better camera, 6x better blah blah. From all the rumors floating out there, I really feel the presence of Fingerprint reader is going to be the game changer. This feature is not new to mobile industry. Motorola already had it in one of their flagship Atrix phones. They could not perfect it. What could Apple possibly do with it and how is this important? Read along.

• The Standard Apple Buzz: Regardless how much the feature is used at the beginning, Apple has the ability to create the Buzz around it and its “inventions” go a long way.
• No more PIN or stupid Patterns (Android) to unlock the phone. One touch with your registered finger does the trick.
• Can possibly provide an API to integrate to eliminate password altogether for apps.
• The best of all, mobile payments along with NFC (Near Field Communication) can be more trusted. Read my previous article on this topic here.
• Possibilities are endless as it tag teams with NFC for any field, like opening cars, boarding flights and with the fingerprint authentication whole lot of doors can be opened!

And by the way, want to know more on the new iPhone(s), catch this parody video! These kind of videos started to come already!

Who can rescue Google Wallet? Apple.

In the current mess Google Wallet is in, who can really rescue it, if at all? As the irony strikes, the answer I think is Apple! Yes.

To give an  idea of what mess it is in – well, no one is using it for the starters. Major carriers like Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile doesn’t support it and hence you cannot install the NFC enabled Google Wallet Android App in these carrier modified phones. There is no clear reason why these carriers don’t allow Google Wallet. At least T-Mobile has publicly said they are supporting a Wallet competitor ISIS and no one knows when that is going to be rolled out either.

Only Sprint allows usage of Wallet app in the United States, or you will have to have an unlocked GSM phone like the Nexus 4. Even in those cases, which Merchant isreally  allowing Mobile payments through Wallet? Hardly any. The supporting Merchant list was growing at sometime in past and because of lack of awareness, most establishments don’t allow anymore. Stores like CVS and Gas Stations where I remember using Google Wallet before, are now allergic to it. I have to see a manager to use a Mobile Payment. The process that is supposed to make Payment process easy is now a pain.

It is lack of awareness, folks. No one is fancying mobile payments, yet. There is no hype surrounding it, yet. It is still not a fanboi material, yet. Google is at least not able to bring in this awareness and publicity. Only Apple can. It’s their turf.

If Apple introduces NFC Payments in iPhone 5S (they better call it iPhone 6 to stop their stocks from bleeding!) or whatever it is through iTunes, there is going to be a boost. Huge boost. There will be hype. Huge hype. Apple will be said to be inventing mobile payments! In a way, they would, or would have given it a fresh life at the least. You can see people proudly waiting in checkout lines with their iPhones and iPads (if you can use it as a Camera, why not?) out for payment.

Apple will post in next WWDC how many million payment transactions they are processing per day. What Apple won’t realize is that the game is not over yet. What they have done is shattering the fears of people on this (not so) new concept. It will be time now for others to catch-up. Let the games begin, Apple!