Sunday 13 September 2015

Talking Tech for September 15 2015

Apple’s September 9 Keynote announcements

 

Apple’s Keynote event Sep 9 (which was actually Sep 10 in Australia smile) gave us the following announcements (in the following order):

Demo of watch os 2, new Apple watch bands, new iPad pro, new Apple tv, and of course the new iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s plus.

 

 

Stream the Apple Keynote Event
 

The Apple Keynote for Sep 9 can be streamed from Apple’s event page at:

 

http://www.apple.com/apple-events/september-2015/

 

Watch os 2 release Sep 16 2015.

 

We’ll go more in to this when it is released, for now, use the following link to see what is new in watch os 2.

 

http://www.apple.com/watchos-2/

 

I’m personally looking forward to native apps running on the watch, replying to emails on the watch, and using the night stand mode which uses the Friends and Digital crown to turn off or sleep the alarm.

 

New Apple watch bands included more colours for the sports band, and a new range of bands for sports and the Apple watch.  The product red (band) is available for the Apple watch.

 

You will also be able to get the Apple watch sports in Rose gold.

 

iPad pro release November 2015

 

Main features:

a9x chip,

improved cameras,

12.9 inch display,

quad speakers,

improved screen touch sensitivity to support the Apple pencil),

10 hour battery life,

Will take advantage of iOS 9 two apps on  screen at same time,

Apple pencil (yes it’s a stylus smile),

Smart keyboard,

New covers.

 

I think this will be aimed at the enterprise market.

 

We will still have the iPad air and iPad air 2, with a new iPad mini 4 (small version of the iPad air 2) and the iPad mini 2.

 

Looks like the price will be in the range of $1300, the Apple pencil $99, and the Smart Keyboard $129.

 

http://www.apple.com/ipad-pro/

 

Apple tv release October 2015

 

Main features:

3gb and 6gb flash storage models,

a 3rd thicker than the existing Apple tv,

No optical out (as with previous versions),

Siri/touch remote,

Universal search via Siri across apps,

General Siri functionality (such what as what is the Weather),

Support multiple game controllers (including Remote app from iOS devices),

TV os app store,

New screen savers,

Apple music, and

New accessibility features (including Zoom).

 

The OS of the Apple tv is now TV os, and Apple made a special mention of the new accessibility options in the box and the remote on Apple’s dedicated accessibility page:

 

http://www.apple.com/accessibility/tvos/

Because the optical port is gone, I took the opportunity to purchase a new Amplifier (Yamaha xv-479) which allows more HDMI connectivity, Airplay, Bluetooth, UsB stick music play, internet access to Spotify or Pandora, and can be controlled via an app (AV Controller).

 

If your interested in reading about the Yamaha model, I’ve put in a link below.  I will not be installing the amplifier until I get the new Apple tv, so will let everyone know how it goes.  In addition, people have told me that there are some issues with the AV Controller app, so I will report back on this as well.

 

http://www.thecableconnection.com.au/Yamaha-RX-V479-RXV479-51-Channel-AV-Receiver-Now-with-Bluetooth---Black.html 

 

32gb $149,

64gb, $199.

 

It looks as if the existing 3rd generation Apple tv may be staying around at $109.

 

http://www.apple.com/tv/ 

iOS 9 release Sep 16 2015

 

We’ll go more in to this when it is released, for now, use the following link to see what is new in iOS 9.

 

http://www.apple.com/watchos-2/

 

I am looking forward to the Low Power mode option, having Hay Siri only respond to your voice via the Hay Siri training tutorial, and the new News app.

 

Preparing your iOS device for iOS 9

 

You may also want to consider reading this article on preparing your iOS device for iOS 9, and remember, if your device runs iOS 8, it’ll probably run iOS 9.

 

http://www.cnet.com/how-to/prepare-iphone-ipad-ipod-touch-ios-9/

 

iPhone 6s and iPhone 6 plus release Sep 25 2015

 

Just in case your wondering, know I didn’t buy and iPhone 6s or 6s plus smile.

 

The iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s plus feel the same as the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 plus.

 

Main new features are: 

a9 and m9 (motion) chip,

12mp rear camera, and 5mp front camera,

3d touch, and

Hay Siri functionality on all the time.

New cases.

 

3d touch which takes force touch further which is currently found on the Apple watch and newestMacbook pro’s will be fully accessible by VoiceOver as reported by Applevis on there blog relating to 3d touch: Peak (short touch), and pop (long touch):

 

http://www.applevis.com/blog/apple-iphone-news/apple-confirms-peek-and-pop-features-new-iphone-6s-will-be-accessible

 

New iPhones will of course come with iOS 9.

 

iPhone 6s and 6s plus pre-orders from Sep 11 with available in stores Sep 25 2015.

 

Due to the Australian dollar and the fact that Apple apparently increased the price of the iPhone by $100.00, all iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s plus models are over a thousand dollars.

iPhone 6s 16gb 1079,

64gb $1229, and

128gb $1379.

 

iPhone 6s plus 16gb $1229,

64gb $1379, and

128gb $1529.

 

The iPhone 5c has gone, leaving us with the iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 plus with the following prices:

iPhone 5s 16gb $749, and

32gb $829.

 

iPhone 6 16gb $929, and

64gb $1079.

 

iPhone 6 plus 16gb $1079, and

64gb $1229.

 

I think it is still painful that the 16gb is the bottom the range, should be 32gb, and a bit pushy of Apple to only make the 128gb version on the latest models.

 

http://www.apple.com/iphone-6s/


 

Link to plans outlining what the Australian Telco’s plans are for the iPhone 6s:

 

http://www.theage.com.au/digital-life/digital-life-news/iphone-6s-pricing-and-plans-from-telstra-optus-and-others-20150913-gjlfak.html

Monday 7 September 2015

Talking Tech for September 8 2015

FSCast 113 - What Is New in JAWS 17 preview Part 1

 

Public beta after the 10th of September with release with the end of October.

Language localisations will be faster.

Continue improvements with Windows 10.

Web smart navigation: recommended to try out smart Navigation with Semi-Forms mode..

FS has added the ability to script webpages.

Under the hood improvements to Braille with the addition of another Braille translation library: Liblouis: the US to start using UEB In January 2016.

 

FSCast 114 - What is new in JAWS 17 preview part 2 should be coming out in the week of the 7th of September 2015.

 

http://podcast.freedomscientific.com/FSCast/episodes/FSCast113-JAWS_17_part1.mp3 

 

Apple’s Keynote for September 9 to be Streamed on Windows (10) for the First Time

 

If you have Windows 10, you’ll be able to stream Apple’s Keynote for the first time using Windows: before only able to be streamed on iOS, OS X or the Apple TV.

 

Australian EST will be 3AM on Thursday the 10th.

 

Some of the announcements perhaps to include:

New iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s plus.

iOS 9.

Watch OS 2.

New colour watch bands.

New iPad pro.

New Apple TV.

 

Regardless of how your listening to it, use the following link to go to the event page:

 

http://www.apple.com/apple-events/september-2015/

 

An Interview About the RealSam from RealThing

 

This week in Talking Tech, we have Nick Chaperon from RealThing to talk to us about the RealSam media player.

 

The questions covered in the interview concerning the RealSam portable Newspaper, RSS player, eBook reader, and podcast player included:

 

What does the company RealThing do?

What is the objective or goal of the RealSAM as a device for the customer?

Describe it physically.

Explain the functionality and range of content.

What do people tell you about what it means for them?

Explain availability and cost.

How is it upgraded.

What is the help desk or ongoing support for the customer?

How does someone with an interest take the next step?

 

A demo of RealSam can be found on Youtube at:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulvgQhM_txs