All posts by Steve Makris

SMARTPHONE INCREMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS DISRUPTED BY HUAWEI’S P20 PRO ON STEROIDS

Photography has become the battleground for today’s smart phones. Especially flagship phones from Google, Apple, Samsung, LG and Huawei bringing several 2018 camera phones to the $1,000 club with more to come before the Holiday season.

Huawei P20 Pro uses three rear lenses for night, high resolution and black and white photography

Continue reading SMARTPHONE INCREMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS DISRUPTED BY HUAWEI’S P20 PRO ON STEROIDS

AMAZON CANADA UPS THE HOLIDAY ANTE WITH NEW ALEXA DESIGNS, MODELS AND FEATURES

Just time for the Holiday season Amazon Canada aims to keep its lead in smart speakers with new sleek designs, more power and new features:

Continue reading AMAZON CANADA UPS THE HOLIDAY ANTE WITH NEW ALEXA DESIGNS, MODELS AND FEATURES

IFA BERLIN 2018 HAS IT ALL – FROM QUIRKY TO AWESOME 8K TV

IFA Berlin 2018 had much to show from unusual gadgets to the first store-ready 8K TV’s. Started in 1924 IFA, is Europe’s leading trade show for consumer electronics and home appliances from around the world. This week, it reported record attendance and exhibitors on its closing day in Berlin – 245,000 visitors including 150,000 trade visitors attended the show; more than 50 per cent of the trade visitors came from abroad a new all-time high in international attendance. CES Las Vegas take note! Timed for the all-important end-of-year business ahead of Black Friday, Singles Day in China, and Christmas, the event hints to a positive mood for the consumer electronics industry. IFA reported high order volumes for deals struck during the convention, totaling 4.7 billion euros, a new high.

Here are some of the highlights of what was exhibited at IFA Berlin 2018 ranging from quirky to clever. And those 8K TVs with no content to show other than high quality photos from serious digital cameras? Well, you got to stand in front of one!

Somnox Smart Pillow relaxes by breathing along
  • The Somnox smart pillow, takes a life of its own, in and out while you hug it, giving you a better night’s sleep. Does it play music, sync phone alarms or notifications?

Continue reading IFA BERLIN 2018 HAS IT ALL – FROM QUIRKY TO AWESOME 8K TV

THE VOID STAR WARS VR EXPERIENCE IS AS CLOSE TO BEING IN THE MOVIE

The VOID arrives at the Rec Room in West Edmonton Mall with an out-of-this world hyper-reality experience: Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire. Part of a joint venture with Cineplex, this is the second location in Canada following a similar one in Toronto.

Our perilous ride on the storm troopers skiff looked so realistic

Continue reading THE VOID STAR WARS VR EXPERIENCE IS AS CLOSE TO BEING IN THE MOVIE

“ALEXA, ASK GMC TO START MY CAR”

“Alexa, ask GMC to start my car” now works in GM vehicles in Canada. More than 800,000 Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac owners are the first in Canada to be able to use Amazon Alexa enabled devices to remotely “start,” “stop,” “unlock,” and “lock,” from the comfort of their home. The linkage uses Owner Centre and Amazon accounts to voice command myChevrolet, myBuick, myGMC and myCadillac Alexa skills. Most 2011 or newer year models in Canada are eligible. It’s free for customers who currently have remote key fob services through the myChevrolet, myBuick, myGMC and myCadillac mobile apps or by subscribing to Remote Access or Premium Access plans for $14.99/month or $149.90 annually.

Continue reading “ALEXA, ASK GMC TO START MY CAR”

INTEL’S UPHILL CLIMB IN THE NEXT 50 YEARS

Happy 50th Intel! What a ride its been since the company’s first processor, the Intel 4004 is a 4-bit central processing unit (CPU) released by Intel Corporation in 1971. It was designed for calculator types of devices. Sporting 2,300 transistors buzzing along at 740KHz it pales in comparison with today’s chips.

Intel’s first 4004  processor with 2300 transistors  in 1971, left and latest 8th Gen Core i7 with more than 3 billion transistors

Continue reading INTEL’S UPHILL CLIMB IN THE NEXT 50 YEARS

ARE YOU PRIMED FOR 36 LONG HOURS OF AMAZON PRIME DAY?

It’s back! Prime Day (www.amazon.ca/primeday) returns July 16 at 12 p.m. PT/3 p.m. ET until July 17. In case you didn’t notice, that’s 36 hours long! A day and a half of non-stop deals on Amazon Canada.

 

Continue reading ARE YOU PRIMED FOR 36 LONG HOURS OF AMAZON PRIME DAY?

ALL TOGETHER NOW WITH ALEXA. “OH CANADA…”

Amazon’s Alexa joins Canada Day celebrations and her very own first year anniversary in Canada with Anthem singing, party ideas, Canadian jokes and tongue twisters and more. If you have an Alexa speaker you are all set. If not, check out Amazon’s Alexa smart speakers: Alexa Echo $99.99, Alexa Dot $39.99 and the newest Alexa Spot with screen and cameras, available at www.amazon.ca. Alexa tries Canadian accents, but she can’t pronounce Regina quite right, eh! Still, this new catalogue of voice command utterances are available now to make Canada Day special.

Continue reading ALL TOGETHER NOW WITH ALEXA. “OH CANADA…”

ONE SMALL SUPER CRUISE BUTTON, ONE GIANT LEAP FOR AUTONOMOUS DRIVING

Last week I was invited to try out the Cadillac Super Cruise on a leisurely 400 km drive along the St. Lawrence River to the picturesque town of Kamouraska, North East of Quebec.

Super Cruise kept the Cadillac CT6 rock steady even as a semi passed me in gusty winds

Continue reading ONE SMALL SUPER CRUISE BUTTON, ONE GIANT LEAP FOR AUTONOMOUS DRIVING

ONE SMALL SUPER CRUISE BUTTON, ONE GIANT LEAP FOR AUTONOMOUS DRIVING

Last week I was invited to try out the Cadillac Super Cruise on a leisurely 400 km drive along the St. Lawrence River to the picturesque town of Kamouraska, North East of Quebec.

Super Cruise kept the Cadillac CT6 rock steady even as a semi passed me in gusty winds

Continue reading ONE SMALL SUPER CRUISE BUTTON, ONE GIANT LEAP FOR AUTONOMOUS DRIVING