Eric Olander is on to chat about Huawei, Xiaomi, and the coming disruption in smartphones that has Samsung and Apple in its sites. Also how Microsoft is fighting the U.S. government.
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Show Notes
Today’s guests: Eric Olander co-host of the weekly China in Africa podcast
Headlines
Thinner, lighter, faster: The Verge reports Samsung announced two new tablets Thursday, an 8.4-inch and 10.5-inch Galaxy Tab S. The tablets are similar to the Tab Pro and Tab 4 lines, but thinner at 6.6mm and sporting Super AMOLED screens. Samsung emphasized the screens not only have 2560 x 1600 resolution, but a wider color range for more natural colors. Both devices will be available beginning July 4 in Europe, and sometime in July in the U.S. The 16GB 8.4-inch WiFi-only tablet will run €399/$399/£349 and the 10.5-inch version €499/$499/£449. Models with LTE will follow and run about €100 more.
Google wants to get you fit: Forbes reports Google plans to launch a health service called Google Fit, which would aggregate data from popular fitness trackers and apps. Similar to Apple’s Healthkit, the service would use an open API to allow apps to share information with the new Google Fit ecosystem. Forbes sources say the service will launch at Google I/O June 25-26.
That’s hot! (In a bad way): The Verge reports Apple announced a replacement program for European iPhone adapters sold between October 2009 and September 2012. The adapter is at risk of overheating. The affected adapter, Model A1300, was packaged in with European sales of the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, and iPhone 4S, and was also sold separately. Customers should book an appointment at an Apple store or authorized service provider, or contact Apple Technical Support to make the exchange.
‘I LIKE YOU BIG’: CNET reports Facebook has updated its Messenger app for iOS and Android. Version 6.0 includes the ability to record and send video clips without leaving the app, though there’s a limit of 15 seconds. Another new feature lets you press and hold the like button longer to register a “Big Like.”
AT&T backs Microsoft: PC World reports AT&T has joined Verizon in filing a friend of the court brief in support of Microsoft’s resistance to hand over email from a server in Dublin, Ireland, to a U.S. government investigation. Microsoft argues the investigators should get an Irish judge to issue the order through the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty, or MLAT process. The U.S. argues the location of the company, in this case Microsoft, is what matters, not the location of the server. AT&T wrote “this practice rests on an understanding that when it comes to data storage and privacy protections, location matters.” And warned that if the U.S. ignores MLAT, then other countries might too, and take data from U.S. servers.
News From You
HobbitfromPA got a good number of upvotes on the Ars Technica story that Jonathan Daniel, the man who parodied Peoria Illinois mayor on Twitter is suing Peoria’s mayor and police for violating his civil rights. Daniel created a parody account called @peoriamayor using a picture of mayor Jim Ardis. In response Peoria’s mayor got Twitter to shut down the account, but also threatened to prosecute Daniel for impersonating a public official, and had police raid search and seize property. No charges of impersonation were filed, although police did charge Daniel’s roommate with felony possession of marijuana.
metalfreak posted the Network World story that Google has started an open-source project called PDFium to create a PDF software library which developers can incorporate into apps on a variety of platforms. Google intends to replace its current closed-source PDF reader with the project. The rendering engine for the project was developed by Foxit, a long-time maker of PDF-reading software. The code will carry a BSD-3 clause software license.
KAPT_Kipper posted the Ars Technica story that IPv4 addresses have just about run out from all major registries. Asia’s APNIC, Europe’s RIPE NCC and Latin America’s LACNIC will only allow operators to get one more block of 1024 addresses and then that’s it. ARIN, the North America registry just reached it’s last phase in April, so it’s still letting ISPs come back for more for now. Only Africa’s AfriNIC is continuing to supply IPv4 addresses as needed. So IPv6. You’re up.
spsheridan posted the CNET story that the US Marshals Service announced Thursday will auction nearly 30,000 bitcoins seized from Silk Road last October. The auction will take place June 27. Interested bidders mist register by June 23 and make a $200,000 wire transfer to a government bank to hold their place. The US Marshals Service will carry out the auction by selling nine blocks of 3,000 bitcoins and a tenth block of 2,657 bitcoins.
And KAPT_Kipper pointed out the BBC story that Xbox One owners complain a new TV ad featuring Breaking Bad’s Aaron Paul messes with their Xbox. In the ad for the Xbox One, Paul says “XZbox On” which apparently activates some Xbox One’s voice command interface turning the console on.
Discussion Section Links: Huawei
http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2014/06/13/huawei-renews-focus-on-europe/?mod=rss_Technology
http://www.engadget.com/2014/06/12/huawei-launches-an-online-store-to-sell-its-own-unlocked-phones/
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-06-04/chinas-xiaomi-the-worlds-fastest-growing-phone-maker
http://www.cnet.com/pictures/xiaomi-mi3s-brings-style-to-android-pictures/
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2014/05/28/biden-name-one-innovative-product-from-china/
Pick of the day: Tripit & FlightAware via Tom
Monday’s Guest: Mike Schramm
I really enjoyed Eric as a Co-host it was interesting hearing whats going on overseas…. Any work on Aereo? I listened to the court recordings and the Bench seems so out of touch with technology. It has me worried that the Supreme Court just inst informed enough to make decisions like this, They need to come up with a new branch of tech savvy judges to handle cases like this…
How much money is apple paying Eric, its not hard to spot the isheep, they stick out like a baboon’s ass. Lot of these devices won’t ever be apple devices killer because as soon as it is announced people like him go out and bash them and the sad thing is people listen to these guys, so they follow and spend two hundred dollars more on apple devices that restrict you like a Taliban husband . Give the devices a chance before you go out and try to manipulate the masses to get them support apple beause you have a cheque to collect from apple. BTW apple devices suck.
Although Eric seemed a little biased towards the Chinese perspective, which I guess is needed to get access in that arena, I am very glad someone finally voice the strong disgust I feel both concerning the direct data acquisition in Ireland and the selling information to third-parties such as insurance companies. These stories really give the impression that not only will my own posts but also what is surreptitiously being collected, have a real personal financial and security impact in the future. Given how easy systems like a Synology make being your own mail provider and the amount of people I see around me buying such systems, existing market players will hopefully be force to better their behavior.
I enjoyed hearing Eric’s perspective. I wonder, though, does Google compromise their ability to collect data by only rolling out services inside the US? For example, I don’t have the option to use Google Voice in Australia. This suggests to me that they’ve balanced the difficulty of setting up services outside the US against the value they might get from that service, and deemed it uneconomical. Google claims that they want to “organise the world’s information”, but are they really only interested in organising America’s information?
Hey great show as usual – two comments regarding all the stuff that Eric said (who, by the way, came across almost as someone with an agenda…)
1. Phone with Carrier contracts are very, very common in Europe, the US is not at all “isolated”.
2. All that pushing of Xiaomi and not a single mention, even a fleeting one about how much they’re ripping of Apple’s OS and industrial design? Sounded strange to me.
I’m sorry but Eric is biased and clearly don’t like Americans and clearly don’t know the american market where you can get $50 $100 Samsung zte huawei etc not contract. Also he says these Chinese company don’t need to make money? Really how are they going to stay alive. Apple is apple apple will always have big margins they don’t have to control the market. Also stop talking like the us is the only country spying or requesting information from companies. I’m sorry but I can’t listen to Eric any more if he gets better informed OK.
Eric was a great guest– quick and smart with an interesting take on the stories. Interesting in that his comments were thought provoking and came from what is clearly a knowledgable background.