TruTaxi was recently featured on Fox News as how a small group of drivers are trying to make a difference in daily commuting through use of technology.
Just within 2 weeks of its launch, TruTaxi application was featured on Fox News along with a complete news piece on their website. With an objective to give a better option to people for daily commuting, TruTaxi aims to provide commuters a hassle free ride without any hidden fee.
The health tracking industry was previously dominated by companies like Garmin and Fit bit but the health monitoring and fitness gadget sector is being taken by storm by new smartphones and accessories which offer various apps and features that help integrated these previously separate gadgets into the smartphone.
In light of this, Apple released iOS 8 with a very robust Healthkit App. It is an app designed and integrated with iOS 8 to help track your everybody metric from weight, caloric intake, cholesterol, sugar, and many more. This feature not only allows you to effortlessly list down your daily medical records, but it also helps you understand your overall state of health with informative graphs and fitness assessments. It also allows you to easily share collated health data and medical history so medical personnel can help you better in case of an emergency.
Healthkit was designed to be the central hub for all your health records and needs. This is a marked improvement over previous efforts where your data is spread out between different apps that help track your health. With various and separate apps, the user would have to manage and collate the data themselves, which defeats the purpose of this so-called convenience.
As a centralized hub, Apple designed the health kit to be the primary source of personal health data as well as the singular app where all health data is ultimately stored. To help illustrate this feature, let’s look at a day in Mike’s shoes:
1. Mike’s morning workouts app gathers personal health information from the Healthkit to create the right fitness workout profile for him. This will take into account important health data like current weight, caloric intake trends, etc. Mike would no longer have to input this data himself.
2. Mike would use the app’s workout and health programs to help improve his overall health status.
3. The app would then collate all the data from the workout and report it to Healthkit, updating the user’s personal health data with new stats and results of the workout.
4. Mike would then use several other supported fitness apps from the App Store during other times of the day.
5. The other apps will collect data from the Healthkit and then send the results back to Healthkit after use.
At the end of the day, Mike would have all the data and results from his other apps collated and illustrated in a singular app – the Healthkit, without having to input and collate the data himself, turning the whole thing into an automatic process.
Apple finally unleashed the next generation of their iPhones, the iPhone 6. Many would instantly recognize that it is a lot larger than the previous generations. The company has finally embraced the larger screen, which many would argue is long overdue, there is a lot more to this phone than the bigger screen.
The iPhone 6 finally hits HD resolution for the optimal video watching experience. While screens of the iPhone before were definitely very sharp, it failed to optimize HD playback. Coupled with the high resolution display is the new A8 processor, another investment in 64-bit processing and a noticeable increase in performance over the A7. It is a medley of better app performance and immersion.
Another new adoption is the NFC chip which will be marketed with Apple Pay, a mobile payment service that is soon to come. Whether this will be better than Google Wallet is still up in the air. What we do know is that Apple has the connections and influences to make it work.
Finally, we look at the improved camera. While it may have retained the same 8MP camera size, the quality of each shot has been vastly improved. Apple also increased the focus speed of every shot so you can still capture those moments that just might slip away with a slower focusing camera. With a limited internal space and people’s reliance on cloud storage, a lower file size yet higher quality shot is indeed a better option.
With the iPhone 6, there are a few things you may notice that other phones might do better for you. For one thing, the display may be bigger, but the bezel has also increased. Apple fit only a 4.7-inch display in a phone size that could easily fit a 5-inch display.
The overall size of the phone becomes a con for those who actually agreed to Apple’s previous notion that a phone should be easy to handle with just one hand. That is now nearly impossible with the iPhone 6 since you cannot grip it as tightly as the iPhone 5s. The reachability feature is highly helpful, but it simply isn’t the same as before.
In their drive to slim down the phone to help offset the larger frame, the phone suffers in battery life. While it is not worse than the previous iPhone 5s, it is definitely not any better. Other phones with larger frames embraced the size of the phone and put in a larger and longer lasting battery to match the obviously longer time you will spend staring at the bigger display.
Pure specs may keep the iPhone 6 down against competitors, but Apple’s uniquely married hardware and software still dishes out a more optimized performance than the higher spec alternatives in the market. The lack of new features may leave a lot of people wanting, but it seems Apple only seeks to perfect their previous design and features before focusing on building new ones right now, all except for the battery it seems.
What if you could access the health records of a patient on your phone? What if you could determine the location of the patient in a hospital? What about the assigned doctor and nurses to the patient? All of this could be possible with the help of Apple Inc. newest Bluetooth technology – the iBeacon.
iBeacon is the newest Bluetooth technology introduced by Apple Inc. and works using the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology or Bluetooth Smart. It provides location-based information and services to similar operating system or a compatible app. Hospitals with iBeacon can greatly raise quality service and provide valuable information to its customers specifically the families and patients.
With iBeacon, hospitals can dissipate information quickly and efficiently and all visiting customers will be able to track the location and room number of the patient they/re looking for. Customers will also be able to pinpoint the exact location of its facilities and other services. Promos, price rate, story, mission and vision of the hospital can also be provided to its customers with the help of iBeacon.
Accessing health records of patients is also a nice addition to the services a hospital can provide. Although security measures must be maintain to ensure all health records are only for confidential uses and will not be leaked outside. Medicine transcription and dosage can also be provided alongside the health records of patients to their customers. Most importantly, customers can keep track of the bills of the patient and can also settle payments.
iBeacon has been commercially been used for retail stores, and since then many establishments have been doing the same thing. It would be a huge step forward if hospitals would be able to utilize iBeacon to its full potential.
A week before we have talked about the iBeacon technology and have unfolded many questions about it. Earlier, while much of the focus was on what are iBeacons? How does it work etc etc, Today, we will explore the other side of it which we think you will love. We all love shopping; so what if you receive valuable information about an on going sale, any offer, information about what you are looking for and that to just when you enter a store, Isn’t it amazing and helpful, You don’t have to look and search for offers, coupons, or you no longer have to find your way for any specific store or mall, because now iBeacon will do all this for you.
Lets have a look that how this small coin sized and low cost device has made all the retailers to focus on itself;
Since we have been talking about the tracking thing, some of you may feel that these notifications are obtrusive and create a feeling of being spied. In such a case you don’t have to fret since it is a one way process. iBeacons can send signals but can not receive any information. Moreover, receiving these information is something which can not happen without your wish. For that you have to download this app, have to turn your bluetooth and location services on.
Infact some of the retailers have already started using it and customers are exploring their interest through it. Its not an another technology hype but its a change, change to your experience. We still have many sectors to unravel and evaluate the usage of iBeacons in them for that I would say – Stay tuned, we will bring it soon!!
I love technology, so we all do? Don’t you? I always look around to know about more technologies, trends, updates etc. But this time I am unaware of something, something which is raising questions in me. I curiously looked over the internet, read many articles, but I was still skeptical about this, and So I looked for people who can open my mind and can answer my questions. Questions about iBeacons, Yes, Here I am talking about iBeacons.
What are iBeacons, How does it actually works?
iBeacons are relatively small and low cost BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) Devices that can be placed anywhere, on a wall, table or any flat surface.They use Bluetooth 4.0 – a new version of Bluetooth built in many smartphones like iPhones from Apple 4S upwards, Samsung Galaxy S III etc most of all they are not required to be paired up.
Ok so how does it works and impact the customer experience, Lets see, just like a lighthouse emits light, iBeacons radiate Signals, When you enter in a store, iBeacon sends invisible and soundless signals to your smartphones.These signals catch information from local database or cloud storage and notify people using smartphone about different discounts, product information, events,and other deals running in the store. And if you are worried about its battery then you don’t have to be because it has a battery life of almost 5 years.
So for now, a lot has been clear about iBeacons and how it is productive for retailers and customers.
Ok, but I still have one question that is, Since iBeacon is based on the already existing technology called NFC (Near Field Communication). How it is different from NFC?
Lets See, while using NFC users have to tap their devices on NFC tag to receive content whereas with iBeacons the information is pushed directly to the smartphones, provided they have the brand’s app installed.
Secondly, NFC require bank cooperation or credit card companies to make the transactions whereas iBeacon just require an Apple account.
Thirdly, NFC has a small range whereas the range of iBeacon is up to 50 metres without any lack of precision.
I had my answers now, about this new and wonderful device and have realised that this small device has a great potential to change your shopping experience.
Dex has been working with iBeacon devices to develop apps that will provide unmatched experience to customers and we are excited to explore the potential that this small device hold for retail industry.
Those who ever grumbled about taxi and its services, the waiting time, the cost, etc, forget it.
Ignore standing on the bollard, whining for those taxi rides which never appear. Forget standing on empty streets waiting for some taxi to get back to your home on those rainy nights. For you, Uber has brought the solution and helped you to chuck the disappointment with its Uber app on your smartphone. Wherever, whenever you want, the driver will come to you and will offer a smooth and convenient service back to your door. Just as convenient as travelling in your own car.
Launched in San Francisco in 2010, it initially enabled its users to order taxi rides via mobile app, a smart car to get them wherever they want. And yes, not to forget the payment which is done via credit card, wherein the driver keeps somewhere around 70%-80% of the fare and the remainder is for Uber.
Indeed!!! Indeed they brought the revolution in the ‘Taxi Industry’. These apps have undoubtedly increased the size of the market for taxi and car services. Taxi apps have become a rising topic in tech industry, not only among users, but among investors and entrepreneurs also. Companies have come up with taxi apps like ‘Hailo, Lyft, Side.cr’ etc.
They have built a remarkable momentum for ordering rides in the market with such apps and made the lives easier in terms of ‘connectivity, secure payment, reaching out to your closest drivers without any delay, so and so forth’. They have also created the first on demand, real time delivery platform.
Following Uber, Hailo, Lyft and Side.cr there are other apps like TruTaxi which seems to be a promising taxi app. Entrepreneurs are coming up with more taxi apps to embrace this revolution which was once brought by Uber.
Many of you feel that you have been stuck with the standardized design of smartphones; with the same rectangular screen, same buttons for camera, volume etc. Undoubtedly the rectangular design of smartphones has limited the innovation. In fact the year 2013 was called as the year when “Smartphones Died” in terms of their looks and design. But then “Blackberry” played the last roll of their dice by introducing this Square Shaped Smartphone, “The Blackberry Passport”
The BlackBerry Passport offers a unique 4.5” inch square screen with Full HD-class (1,440 x 1,440) resolution. It offers a similar viewing space to a 5” inch phone but offers an even better viewing experience because of the screen’s width.
Among the rectangular handsets Apple, Samsung, Nokia etc Blackberry is taking a different approach but I was dubious, Why? What? What exactly it is? Is it a smartphone, a tablet? and there I was scratching my head and for that matter may be you also about this whole square idea. For sure this is not rectangular but wide, wide enough to cover almost two phones. The answer to these question were in the blog published by blackberry to give a significant reasoning about their Blackberry Passport Design.
They supported their design by calling it the ideal device for reading e-books, viewing documents and browsing the web. No more worrying about portrait or landscape modes making it a complete business phone.
It would not be wrong to call it a tool for many trades, It has been designed keeping different professionals in mind. It is a companion for Architects to design and look into their blueprints, contracts docs, doctors for checking xrays and other medical documents, Financier for keeping an eye on stock ups and downs and writers looking for stories or notes with a navigable keyboard, while the large square screen enables faster content development and delivery.
Passport the symbol of mobility might be the ticket to open new doors for your business. I believe with this new approach this passport will take you to different and more interesting business trips.
AdDuplex – a Cross-Promotion Network for Windows Store Apps announced this weekend, that according to its mapped data that the Window’s update 3 for the phone is just installed on 15% windows phone 8 handsets.
Microsoft had revealed the Update 3 also known as GDR3 in October last year wherein it mentioned what all would be included and it would provide notes which would indicate it’s delivery schedule.
It was obvious that Developers would get their hands on the same much earlier than the average Windows Phone 8 handset user, and it was assumed that the latter would be getting the update right between fall and early 2014.
What seems disappointing is the fact that come February the update has only reached a mere 15% handsets, though the pace is expected is to surge within a few months, but the long wait seems to become a trend for the Windows phone world.
Carriers seem to be the road block in this particular case and unless Microsoft is devising an alternative strategy for distribution of the update, it may result in its users being fragmented with some having the new version update while other’s don’t, which will not only hamper the development but will also result in a loss for user experience for Microsoft.
Another predicament that poses in front of Microsoft is the release date of Window’s phone 8.1 which would be due anytime in April 2014. With this there is an obvious question whether to wait for the update or for the new phone
Ok so first they were going longer and now, they choose to make it larger? , Thank you Apple for paying attention to the width, but it takes more than just the dimensions to become like Android!
Though it’s a word from the grapevine that Apple intends to make larger phones, the information is being sourced from WSJ report which states that Apple iPhone will be coming out with larger screens.
It is said that one iPhone shall have a 4.5 inch display and another will sport a 5 inch display, which would be of the same size as Galaxy SIII and SIV respectively.
Apple iPhone started with a 3.5 inch display, it then graduated to 4 inch in iPhone 5. Apple has always been forced to play along with Android in offering larger screens, but with Apple stuck with a smaller display, Android manufacturers had various sizes to play with. The apparent reason for Apple to play with this idea of increasing the display size could be due to the ‘love for large displays’ by Asian customers.
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