Author: todd

Aug. 30, 2015

In this podcast Jon Westfall and I (Todd Ogasawara) split our topics between Apple and Google.

– Android Wear interactive watch faces

– Cortana for Android beta (Extreme Tech)

– Todd: Google Fi—nally. Received my second invitation after months of waiting. Ordered a Nexus 6. No “welcome” kit option during the phone ordering process.

– Rumored new Apple TV “under $200”? Kind of expensive for Siri & apps.
(Ref: 9to5mac)

– Jon’s Mobile Decision: One Laptop is not all it’s cracked up to be… After 4 years of lugging my laptop to work and back, I’ve put an older Macbook Air at work, and am keeping the new Macbook Pro at home (and using it for travel). Instead of a bag, I’m taking a small portfolio to work (With full size iPad in it)

Jon’s Spending Spree this last week… fun stuff
– Apple Watch docks are starting to be designed for nightstand mode. Bought a Spigen stand on eBay for less than $10
– Decision to rehab a 6 year old Macbook – 4 GB Ram upgrade + new battery = ~$100
– Apple Watchbands (My obsession this last few months) – aftermarket fitness bands (3 for $30), adapter kits ($7), & paracord bracelet band off eBay ($20)
— Spring Bar Tool Set (for watch bands) – 5in., 7 Pc (Let’s you replace spring bars easily)

Jon Westfall and I (Todd Ogasawara) speak with special return guest Jack Cook in this podcast.

1. Both Android & Windows Phone smartphone market shares lost ground to iPhone in 2Q15.
   Smartphone sales in China now at saturation level.
   96.8 percent of new smartphones sold are either iPhone or Android devices
   And now Samsung has decided to annoy power users – the Note line no longer has removable batteries or SD card, something power users claimed Samsung wouldn’t take away from them.
2. Are the best mobile devices for use with Microsoft Office the iPhone & iPad?
   Deeper integration between Office documents and Outlook for iOS
   Jack has said in the past that he can just pick up where he left off across devices, but this isn’t just a Windows Phone only feature. is there anything you can do on Windows Phone that you can’t do on iOS / Android now?

Jack encouraged us to take another look at Microsoft OneNote and read what’s new at:
blogs.office.com/onenote

3. Android Wear fragmentation. Just like Android itself. It gained the ability to have interactive watch faces (interactive complications). But, the new feature only works if the Android Wear based watch is updated too. So, my Moto 360 can install but not use the new watch faces. And, it may be months until it gets updated firmware.
   Android Wear: Stay connected with interactive watch faces
4. Google OnHub WiFi access point/potentially smart hub. My ExtremeTech article about this:
   Google OnHub is more than just an expensive WiFi router
5. Jon’s latest (good) experience using ZipGrade in his teaching

In this podcast, Jon Westfall and I (Todd Ogasawara) discuss:

1. Former high flyers HTC, GroupOn, and StumbleUpon all downsizing
2. Drones – the new Google Glass. From cool to despised
3. Apple Boot Camp now supports Windows 10 installation
4. Alphabet holding company for Google and spin-offs like Niantic Labs
5. Jon’s App Pick of the Week: Threes (An oldie but goodie (1 year ago or so) tile game). Similar to 2048.

Back to School Tips: Teacher Edition!

1. remind.com – Send text reminders to students, for FREE
2. zipgrade.com – Scantron tests without the scantron, $7 a year
3. Moodle – Best Learning Management System on the planet, for FREE
4. VLC – Cue videos exactly as you want, drag drop via iTunes.
5. EventZilla – Set up free events and email tickets… for FREE
6. YouCanBook.Me – Syncs to your google calendar, students can schedule appointments.
7. Classroom Response:
   Socrative – Web based clickers
   Kahoot.it – Fun games
   Plickers – Paper clickers
8. Evernote – Free or premium, best tool for organization.
9. Google Cloud Print – Print to your office computer from your personal device. Or mobile device using a cloud print app.
10. TeamViewer – Access network resources from home

Regular co-host Jon Westfall rejoins me (Todd Ogasawara) on the MobileViews podcast. Thanks to Frank McPherson and Sven Johannsen for taking time out of their busy schedules to participate on the last two podcasts.

In podcast 126 Jon and I discuss:

1. Living on the Road for 2 weeks: Where Tech has gone well, and gone poorly
2. Apple Event on Sept 9 – what will we see? New iPhones, new iPads? new Apple TV
3. Jon’s story of “hiding” your Apple Watch in plain sight
4. Todd’s ExtremeTech article: Windows 10 Phone Companion app
5. Todd’s ExtremeTech article: 360 degree movie apps for iOS: Google Spotlight Stories & Roddenberry White Room: 02B3

I’m (Todd Ogasawara) joined by guest panelists Frank McPherson and Sven Johannsen for this podcast. Jon Westfall will rejoin the the podcast in August. In this podcast, we discuss:

1. Windows 10 production release on July 29. Build 10240 apparently the RTM.
2. Next “hero” Windows Phone models? Cityman & Talkman phones? Reminiscent of Sony branding – Walkman, Discman, etc. Ref: AllAboutMicrosoft
3. Moto 360 smart watch experience so far
4. Microsoft Universal Mobile Keyboard folding & non-folding Bluetooth models
5. Google Spotlight for iOS released with free 360 movie content. Includes one live-action 360 movie.