A new mobile technology has appeared approximately every decade since the first 1G system was introduced in 1981; 2G networks were made public in 1992, 3G rolled out in 2001, and 4G systems were standardized in 2012. Today, most of the world is rolling out 4G networks, but the Koreans are pushing for 5G mobile communications technology. They say it will be delivered to consumers by 2020. Samsung Electronics announced the successful outcome of their attempt to develop the world’s first adaptive array transceiver technology operating in the millimeter-wave Ka bands for cellular communications. More precisely, they’ve been successful in testing the super-fast successor of 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE), hitting a speed of 1.056 Gbps in tests, at a frequency of 28 GHz and to a distance of 2 kilometers. This represents the core of the 5G mobile communications system, this is what will make possible to transmit data up to several hundred times faster than current 4G networks. Once the 5G networks start being commercialized, users will be able to transmit massive data files, high quality digital movies “practically without limitation.” Fast, seamless downloads of 3D movies and games, real-time streaming of ultra high-definition content and even remote medical assistance will be available to subscribers. “The millimeter-wave band is the most effective solution to recent surges in wireless Internet usage. Samsung’s recent success in developing the adaptive array transceiver technology has brought us one step closer to the commercialization of 5G mobile communications in the millimeter-wave bands,” said Samsung executive vice president and head of digital media and communication R&D ChangYeong Kim. Although this sounds like a breakthrough, Samsung is not the first company to have developed the core tech for 5G networks. NTT DoGoMo, in collaboration with the Tokyo Institute of...
50 Billion Strong
Historic high for app downloads
The number of applications downloaded from Apple’s iTunes store has now surpassed 50 billion. That’s a lot of apps in five years’ time. And the lucky person who downloaded the 50 billionth app is being handsomely rewarded with a $10,000 iTunes gift card to be spent on – guess what? – more apps. And that’s a lot of apps, since the average price for a downloaded application was $3.18 on an iPhone and $4.44 on an iPad (as of late 2012). Many apps are free. The lower prices go, the more downloads go up. And by 2017, the average price per app is estimated to drop to less than dime, according to a forecast from Strategy Analytics. The pace at which apps are downloaded has speeded way up since the iTunes store began. It’s estimated that 2.5 billion downloads are now taking place every month. There’s an app for everything, and there are thousands of apps that are real estate related. Did you know that Yardi is the real estate technology solutions provider with the most applications available for download from the iTunes store? Here is the run down of the Yardi apps available that might help you improve your business performance. Yardi CRM Mobile – During the leasing process, every day a unit sits empty costs you money. Yardi CRM Mobile will help streamline leasing by automating the process. Prospect and customer contact information and history are tracked in Voyager and synced with Outlook throughout the leasing process, from first contact to final signing. Access to crucial data is always within reach when it is on the mobile device that never leaves your side. Lease abstracts can also be run from Yardi CRM Mobile, available for iPhone and iPad. Yardi Inspection Mobile –...
More Social Power
New Editor for Facebook Ads
Facebook has introduced a powerful tool for managing online advertising campaigns that is being heralded as a major advancement in targeted marketing. If you are using social media-based ads to reach potential renters for your multifamily property, the Facebook Power Editor could change and enhance the campaigns you create. It allows you to create and manage multiple advertising efforts at once, which means you can parse your ad budget according to the markets you most wish to reach. Placement of the ads within Facebook is a major added feature offered by the Power Editor, which will allow you to select where you want your ads to show up. You might choose to advertise in the Facebook News Feed (where users are accustomed to seeing posts from their Facebook Friends) or continue to advertise in the right side bar of the site, where advertising has traditionally appeared. However, many Facebook users say that they no longer see the right hand column, considering it a “blind spot” where ads will be ignored. You can also use the Power Editor to ensure your ads only appear on mobile devices, which is increasingly the way most users engage with Facebook – more users now use phones or tablets to reach the site than computers. And that group is getting larger – the number of people accessing the internet via a mobile phone has increased over 60 percent to 818.4 million since 2011. The mobile version of Facebook is a very different interface from the web-based interface, and ads must be formatted differently to reach mobile users. Using the Power Editor, which can only be accessed on the Google Chrome browser, you can decide on how large of an audience you’d like to reach. Targeting specific groups within the...
Wired Home
The Rise of Automation
Imagine driving up to your house after a long day of work. The garage door opens without touching a button. The front door unlocks – no need to fumble around for your keys – and the lights flip on. Your TV tunes to your favorite channel before you even take off your coat. Is this a dream? No. Welcome to your automated home. Home Automation Past & Present Home automation became accessible in the late 1970’s when X10 technology was made available to the American public. X10 modules allow compatible electronics to communicate via existing power lines in a house. Although X10 is relatively affordable, it is also somewhat complicated and time consuming to install. Home automation in the early days largely remained the pursuit of techy hobbyists and wealthy homeowners. Today’s widespread smartphone and tablet technology has now opened up home automation to a broader audience. Some companies are offering devices that allow users to control a single function wirelessly or automate it all together. The Nest Learning Thermostat is a smart thermostat that connects to Wi-Fi, allowing it to be controlled remotely using a mobile app. You can adjust the temperature of your home from anywhere. Additionally, Nest learns your climate preferences and creates a schedule that optimizes your energy use. Nest even knows when you’re out of the house and self-adjusts to save power. Other forward-thinking businesses are offering more comprehensive home automation services. Comcast, a national media and technology company, touts their XFINITY® Home package as “the total home security and home control solution that keeps you connected to what matters most.” For less than $50 a month, XFINITY® Home allows you to control your security system, adjust your lighting and access your thermostat from your smartphone, tablet or computer. Better still, you can program integrated automated systems to work together. For example you can tell your home to turn down the heat when you arm the alarm, giving you one less thing to worry about when you walk out the door in the morning. Automation Benefits for Tenants & Landlords Home automation isn’t just a good idea, it’s also a green idea. Automation yields multiple benefits, chief among them being the energy efficiency that comes with having a well-regulated HVAC system. Studies show that building automation can result in consistent energy savings between 5% and 15%. Boost savings by adding automated occupancy sensors to switch off appliances that have accidentally been left on to reduce unintentional energy usage. Additional benefits of home automation include convenience, peace of mind and ease. You can manage your home from anywhere, check your security feed at any time and turn on the lights from your iPad without having to bump around in the dark. There is even home automation technology that will help you take care of your pet. Home automation is more than just a passing trend. It’s the future of real estate. A recent Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate survey revealed that 41% of Millennials would be more likely to brag to a friend about a home automation system than a renovated kitchen. Residential complexes can enjoy significant energy savings and other perks from automation. Automated units are in demand and can be marketed as “smart homes” that enjoy technologically advanced features and added security. In fact, the value of the smart home market is estimated to climb to $60 billion by the year 2017. Home automation “future proofs” your properties, ensuring a steadily increasing listing value for years to come. Ready to try your hand at a little recreational home automation? Here are ten DIY projects to get you started. Editors’ note: Geneva Ives is the marketing writer for Point2, a leading provider of online marketing solutions for real estate professionals, including custom websites, syndication tools and prospecting utilities. She will be contributing technology-oriented real estate interest posts to The Balance...
Sustainable Urban
Skyscrapers lead the way
With the rapid development of ecological urbanism and sustainable urban design, cities are destined to become hubs of innovation and technological breakthroughs. Over the last decades, the green building movement has grown a great deal, evolving from a tiny niche in architectural design to a global trend impacting all aspects of human existence. Much attention has been given to creating socially inclusive habitats for city inhabitants, sensitive to the environment and capable of fostering healthy communities. Closely related to the principle of smart growth, vertical living has been a real solution to many of the urban challenges, including the consistent demographic growth. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the nation’s urban population increased by 12.1 percent from 2000 to 2010, outpacing the nation’s overall growth rate of 9.7 percent for the same period. As the economy straightens, innovative projects are beginning to take shape all across the U.S., with architects focused on delivering state-of-the-art high-rise structures heavy on sustainable elements. In an effort to promote and highlight the benefits of vertical living, eVolo magazine has created the Skyscraper Competition, a speculative design contest challenging architects and civil engineers around the world to bring out their visionary skills. Since 2006 when the initiative was officially launched, the publication received more than 5,000 projects exploring the future of building high. Not only are these ventures incorporating principles of smart living, technology, efficiency, aesthetics and eco-friendly practices into their design, but they also aim to challenge the way we understand vertical architecture and its relationship with the natural and built environments. For the 2013 competition, the journal received 625 projects from all continents and 83 different countries, all aspiring to positively change the face of our cities. Assessing contestants based on several criteria, including creativity, ingenuity, and understanding of dynamic and adaptive vertical communities, the jury selected 3 winners and 24 honorable mentions. The first place was awarded to Derek Pirozzi from the United States, for his revolutionary “Polar Umbrella,” (right) a cutting-edge super-structure whose primary objective is to rebuild the arctic layers and cool down the Earth’s surface by reducing heat gain in vulnerable arctic regions. Featuring desalinization and power facilities, this arctic skyscraper becomes a floating metropolis equipped with NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) research laboratories, renewable power stations, dormitory-style housing units, eco-tourist attractions, and ecological habitats for wildlife. Darius Maïkoff and Elodie Godo from France landed in second place with their “Phobia Skyscraper,” (below left) a modular suburban residential development in Paris, France designed to morph and progress over time, responding to the needs and desires of its residents. The project seeks to revive an abandoned industrial area in Paris that features excellent views of the city and an extensive transportation network. The third place was awarded to Ting Xu and Yiming Chen from China, for their project “Light Park,” a floating skyscraper reminding of a surreal realm where zeppelins rule the skies. The concept itself is amazing indeed, providing a sustainable platform for the future growth of the world’s mega-cities. The Light Park stays afloat thanks to a large, mushroom cap-like helium-filled balloon at its top, and solar-powered propellers directly below. Amidst the honorable mentions, Michael Charters’ “Big Wood” skyscraper (below right) stands out as a masterpiece of modern engineering, combining technological advances with sustainability features and conservation, aiming to deliver an enhanced living experience. Multi-story wooden structures are nothing new to the urban picture, yet realistic aspirations for heights of 20, 30, 40 stories certainly require considerable engineering efforts. Big Wood is a prototype on mass timber construction that offers the possibility to build more responsibly while actively sequestering pollutants from our cities. The large-scale mixed-use university complex would be located in Chicago, the third most populous urbanized area in the country (8,608,208). While the construction industry accounts for 39% of man-made carbon emissions, timber emerges as a greener alternative to steel and concrete, employing less...
Fiber for Provo
Google buys local network
In early 2000, the city of Provo, Utah decided that the city and its residents would have a lot to gain from access to high speed connectivity. In 2004, it began the construction of iProvo, the Fiber to Home service, and the project was completed within the following two years. Homes and businesses, municipal buildings and schools, power stations and traffic signals, were now connected throughout the city. Since then, the service changed owners several times due to financial reasons, until last week when the city council voted unanimously to reclaim ownership and find a buyer for the “troubled iProvo network.” About $39 million in bond debt was issued to build it, and the network has not yet been run in a financially sustainable way. Google saw an opportunity. According to Provo’s press release and Google’s blog post, Google has now purchased the fiber-optic network. Kansas City and Austin will likely have a third sister city with access to Google Fiber if the City Council votes in favor of the agreement this week. If the agreement is approved this week, the network will be upgraded to meet the current standards. When the work is complete, they will offer their “Free Internet service (5 Mbps speeds) to every home along the existing Provo network, for a $30 activation fee and no monthly charge for at least seven years.” On top of that, the giant promises to offer “Google Fiber Gigabit Internet—up to 100x faster Internet than today’s average broadband speeds—and the option for Google Fiber TV service with hundreds of your favorite channels. We’d also provide free Gigabit Internet service to 25 local public institutions like schools, hospitals and libraries”, says Kevin Lo, GM of Google Fiber. Provo’s inhabitants responded well to the previous fiber service,...
Walkability Rocks
Josh Herst to Speak at AIM
Prospects love apartments in walkable neighborhoods. And more likely than not, they are checking out what neighborhood attractions they could get to on foot before they even decide to come check out a potential new apartment community. Location-based technology has made assessing such neighborhood info as easy as can be. With a simple search on a service like Walk Score, potential residents know before they schedule a viewing appointment how far the community is from their favorite coffee shop, restaurant, or gym. And they are more likely to get excited about a new home that offers easy, convenient access to their favorite things. “One-third (of apartment renters) are willing to pay more to easily walk to their work, to entertainment and to restaurants,” said Josh Herst, CEO of Walk Score, at Inman Connects. Herst will be a featured speaker at the 2013 Apartment Internet Marketing conference, coming up from April 29 to May 1 in Huntington Beach. He’s slated to speak with 30Lines CEO Mike Whaling on “the uncharted digital marketing opportunity of maps, mapping, and location-based services.” Multifamily managers that want to harness the power of Walk Score can take advantage of the site’s walkable grading service with its built-in functionality on RentCafe marketing websites. See how it works in the image below. Clicking on the “Neighborhood” button brings up the Walk Score information for the community’s neighborhood, including what restaurants, grocery stores, parks, shopping and more can be found nearby. Prospects can drill down to get more detail on how the Walk Score is computed, search for other businesses they may be interested in having close by, and access easy lists in each location category that include distances, so they’ll know exactly how far the nearest bank, library or convenience store would be. “The score is primarily based on proximity to nearby amenities—grocery stores, restaurants, schools, parks, entertainment—the things that people want to be able to access regularly as part of their regular routine and errand running and such. As you may know, an increasing number of consumers are saying that access to these things is one of the most important criteria in deciding where to live, whether that’s buying a house or renting an apartment,” Herst told Multi-Housing News. “Location based technology like Walkscore also benefits communities that aren’t highly walkable,” says Esther Bonardi, Industry Principal of Yardi Marketing Solutions. “Apartment shoppers use these tools to understand how close goods and services are to the community, even if they don’t plan to walk there.” Indeed, incorporating neighborhood information in multifamily marketing strategy is a best practice for most communities, not just those in dense urban areas. RentCafe marketing websites also offer interactive Google maps that feature bird’s eye and street level views, providing consumers with a comprehensive overview of the neighborhood in a format they’re already accustomed to. Prospects will be impressed with the convenience and easy access to such vital neighborhood information – and they’ll be excited to rent an apartment near more than a few of their favorite...
Mobile OS Race
The race for 3rd place
The mobile ecosystem is constantly making room for innovation and new applications. Smartphone operating systems are racing for market position. At the moment, a duopoly is in place: Linux-based Android, followed closely by Apple’s iOS. The third spot is under contention between Microsoft’s Windows, Blackberry’s Blackberry 10, and Firefox’s Firefox OS. Who will occupy the bronze podium and what’s their impact on the market? Gartner tracks technology shipments and predicts that the worldwide PC market will drop 7.6 percent this year, due to user behavior. Customers are flocking to mobile, an economically favorable alternative to a laptop/PC, and application addiction is very real. Tablets will see a 69.8 percent increase in shipments from 2012 and smartphones will grow from 675 million to 1 billion units, according to Gartner’s data research. Google’s free Android is currently the most popular smartphone OS, holding two thirds of the market. Trying to ensemble the intuitive, easy and delightful experience iOS offers, combined with the power and flexibility of the traditional Windows desktop OS, Android became the “Windows” of mobile operating systems. With multiple manufacturers, each with their own price, quality level, and features, Android is much easier to customize, being extremely flexible. Today there’s a device running on Android for every pocket, purpose, and desire. Apple’s iOS, not even available for licensing, has less than one third of the market; its iOS platform is by far the most polished, prestigious and popular of them all. After all, it’s Apple that kicked off the modern post-PC era. iOS is reliable, its hardware is gorgeous and cutting–edge, and iTunes is the largest library of apps and content. It’s so easy to use an iPad, that everyone can understand how it works, even toddlers. For the average consumer with little to...
High Speed Chase
Austin fiber showdown
Austin, Texas is already famous. It is home to the major multimedia festival South by Southwest, a great music and arts scene, and fabulous queso. And now that Google and AT&T have decided to go head-to-head to deliver Austin super-duper fast Internet connectivity, it might be time to change the slogan “Keep Austin Weird” to “Keep Austin Wired.” This week, AT&T announced that Austin will be the next city to benefit from the wonders of Google Fiber, which offers online access at speeds 100 times faster than what most of us are used to. How fast is one gigabit per second? Fast enough that you could download a 2GB file in a few seconds, rather than a few hours. Kansas City was the first market to feel the magic. Fiber was rolled out there in late 2012, prompting the growth of new businesses, much media attention, and happy/lucky Internet users. Google’s statement on why Austin was chosen for Fiber: “It’s a mecca for creativity and entrepreneurialism, with thriving artistic and tech communities, as well as the University of Texas and its new medical research hospital,” said Milo Medin, VP of access services for Google Fiber, on Google’s blog. “We’re sure these folks will do amazing things with gigabit access, and we feel very privileged to have been welcomed to their community.” Google plans to be live with Fiber in Austin by summer 2014. The very same day Austin’s selection as the next Fiber city was announced; AT&T announced it would bring its Project VIP effort to Austin, too. Project VIP is a broadband expansion effort, supported by advanced fiber optic infrastructure, that also promises speeds of 1 GBPS. The nationwide effort entails AT&T spending $14 billion over the next three years to enhance its...
Responsive Design
All Platforms, All Users
It’s becoming increasingly apparent that the future of computing is moving from one type of screen – traditional computer monitors – to many types of screens with a plethora of different sizes and resolutions. Smartphone and tablet sales are outpacing PCs, and innovative web-browsing technologies, like Google Glass and the iWatch, appear to be on the horizon. What does this mean for websites everywhere? To stay ahead of the curve, you need a site that looks good and functions well on any and all devices. It’s time to take steps towards responsive design. In fact, Mashable.com – one of the Internet’s most popular news and technology blogs – has declared 2013 the “year of responsive web design.” What Is It? Responsive design is the practice of creating a website that provides an optimal viewing experience across all devices. Responsive web designs resize and reformat page content in response to screen size and resolution. More Views, Higher Quality Responsive websites reach more consumers because they tend to appear higher in search engine rankings. Why? Because they have a single URL, instead of multiple URLs for different versions of a site. This makes it easier for crawlers to discover and eventually index content. Responsive sites also load faster than mobile sites because mobile sites have to be redirected to the mobile URL. Responsive sites do not have to be redirected. Faster load times can boost your search result rankings. Additionally, responsive design may decrease your bounce rate among visitors by improving viewing and linking capabilities across the board. Having a responsive site means that mobile viewers see exactly the same screen that desktop viewers do, instead of a bland mobile site with decreased capabilities. Mobile users also enjoy improved link-sharing via responsive design. For example, if...
Digital House Hunt
HUDHomeStore goes mobile
The Internet has become an irreplaceable tool for today’s connected home shopper. The web has opened a whole new world of home buying possibilities for consumers and real estate professionals. Once upon a time, people turned first to newspapers for home sales advertisements. Nowadays, house hunters rely almost entirely on digital channels. A recent study developed by Google in partnership with the National Association of Realtors revealed that 90 percent of home buyers searched online during their home buying process. Moreover, data shows real estate related searches on Google have grown 253 percent over the past four years. Foreclosure searches on desktop are up 7% year-over-year and 180% on mobile. In an effort to keep up with today’s complex, digitally driven media environment, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has created the HUDHomeStore, an online listing platform for HUD real estate owned (REO) single-family properties. This comprehensive listings site provides the public, brokers, potential owner-occupants, state and local governments and nonprofit organizations a centralized location to search the inventory of HUD properties for sale. In addition, registered real estate brokers and other organizations can place bids on behalf of their clients to purchase a HUD property. And for those searching via mobile, applications are available for Android and iPhone, allowing prospective buyers to look on the go. Visiting a new city or neighborhood and want to learn what affordable real estate opportunities might be available? These apps are an ideal tool. The mobile app returns instant listings of available HUD homes for sale in any part of the country. The search field helps you look for homes by street, city, state, or ZIP code. Each listing features extensive information on the property, including bed/bath info, year built, square footage, pictures and maps...
Asus Fonepad & Padfone...
Tablet + phone
Is it a tablet, is it a phone? Why not two in one? Asus keeps coming up with very interesting technology and based on their latest release, one could say that they’re having a good time experimenting with the industry’s most popular mobile devices: the smartphone and the tablet. At the Mobile World Congress they revealed the pair Fonepad and Padfone Infinity. The first one is a 7-inch Android tablet with a 1280×800 display. It runs on Android 4.1.2 OS with 16GB of storage and 1GB RAM. A microSD slot for expanded file storage is available. What makes this tablet interesting is the micro SIM for voice calls. Although highly commented upon, with clear emphasis on its futility (who would want to hold a “phone” that has the microphone too far from the earpiece because of its size that resembles a book?), it’s still a nice experiment result. Still, headsets were created with a purpose, weren’t they? The 3MP rear camera is available only for Asian models; those built for Europe don’t have it. The US market most likely won’t make room for it and that’s because it lacks LTE; Asus has only 3G support. Another interesting aspect of the Fonepad is that it’s got Intel inside, more precisely PowerVR SGX 540 GPU paired with a single-core 1.2 GHz Atom. This is quite the involution as far as the strength of the device is concerned (compared to the quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor that’s in the Nexus 7), games or more elaborate applications will have it slow down fast. As availability, Asia will welcome it in March at around $249 and Europe in April at 219 Euros. The Padfone is not a new product line for Asus, but the updates made to the hardware...
The Future Is Now
According to Walter Cronkite
Editors’ note: Geneva Ives is the marketing writer for Point2, a leading provider of online marketing solutions for real estate professionals, including custom websites, syndication tools and prospecting utilities. She will be contributing technology-oriented real estate interest posts to The Balance Sheet. It’s no secret that the team at Point2 is a little home obsessed. We’ve been providing real estate marketing services for over a decade now; it’s fair to say we’ve seen a lot of properties (and housing trends) in that time. We recently encountered this house-centric blog post on Smithsonian.com that features video clips from the long-canceled CBS weekly documentary program entitled “The 21st Century.” The episode in question originally premiered on March 12, 1967. In it our host, legendary news anchor Walter Cronkite, escorts us around a vision of the single family home in the year 2001. Modern marvels abound – inflatable furniture, multicolored plastics, illuminated speakers. It’s a wonderland inspired by rapid advances in technology. That got us thinking: holy moly, the future is now! Decades past had such high aspirations for the year 2000 and beyond. Are we living up to the hype? To address this question, we decided to take a look at three specific rooms in the homes of today. How do they compare to their counterparts in homes of the 1960s? And how do they compare and contrast with the futuristic visions previewed by Mr. Cronkite? The Kitchen 1960s Trends: According to back issues of House Beautiful, contemporary eat-in kitchens celebrated saturated colors and wood cabinetry. 21st Century Predictions: The CBS writers of the day posited that we would enjoy irradiated foods, automated meal preparation and dishes that are molded on the spot in the 21st century. Clean up would be a snap. Dirty plates, complete...
Mobile Goes Global
2013 Mobile World Congress
Europe hosts the world’s premiere mobile event, a supersized tech fair that recently brought together over 72,000 participants from more than 220 countries and over 1,700 companies. Held this year in Barcelona, the Mobile World Congress is where the latest innovations in the mobile ecosystem are revealed, with emphasis on the technology behind the scenes such as networks, support systems, connected spaces, and more. This is the ultimate event for any technology fan, featuring exciting phones, tablets, back-end solutions, applications, and accessories. At this year’s event, over 50 percent of the attendees were C-level executives. Keynote speakers included Dr. Paul Jacobs, Chairman & CEO – Qualcomm, Stephen Elop, President & CEO – Nokia, Gary Kovacs, CEO – Mozilla, Mitchell Baker, Chairman – Mozilla, Dennis Crowley, Founder & CEO – Foursquare, Drew Houston, Founder & CEO – Dropbox, René Obermann, CEO – Deutsche Telekom, Axel Dauchez, CEO – Deezer, Randall Stephenson, President & CEO – AT&T, Franco Bernabè, Chairman, GSMA, Chairman & CEO – Telecom Italia Group, and Vittorio Colao, Chief Executive – Vodafone. There were many big announcements and unveilings. Highlights included: Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 600 SoC (system-on-chip) phone lacks a competitive peer. The company makes the world’s most sophisticated 4G modems, advanced radio frequency connectors, and can roll a mind-blowing applications processor to boot. It’s truly impressive how Qualcomm managed to fit 4 “Krait” cores, Adreno 320 graphics, and an on-die LTE modem into a phone; it wouldn’t come as a surprise if they will be taking on more of Samsung’s business. Nvidia and Intel have made good progress on the mobile SoC branch, but not good enough to consider themselves competitors. Neither has the capability to deliver an integrated LTE modem with apps processor sooner than the end of 2013. This year Qualcomm runs unopposed. Nokia announced to everyone’s delight that they’re making a wireless...
Samsung Unpacked
New Smarrtphone Launch
Samsung has announced that it is Ready 4 the show, inviting fans on March 14th to New York for a special event where the newest device from the South Korean company will stand in the spotlight. The event will be live streamed on YouTube, announcing the next Galaxy. The star will be the Galaxy S IV. At the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona the focus was on smartphones, but Samsung preferred to reveal the new 5.5-inch version of its Galaxy Note II tablet, leaving the descendant of GS III away from the curious audience. Chances are that this marketing strategy has been encouraged (if not triggered) by the requests received from the US carriers to hold the event in the US. This will be a premiere for Samsung, Samsung Galaxy S IV will be the first Korean device to be launched in the U.S. – GS III had its grand event in London last May, more than two months after the annual biggest trade show of the mobile industry. Some leaks landed under the curious eyes of the media; a second set of leaks made their eyes even bigger, what’s the latest challenge Samsung has prepared for Apple? The leak showcases a pretty fast smartphone: 1.9GHz Qualcom Snapdragon 600 processor 2GB RAM 4G LTE support 3100 mAh battery Bluetooth 5.0 16/32/64GB storage options Removable SD card slot (up to 64GB) 10-13MP rear-facing camera Multi-purpose/Dedicated camera button Android 4.2 Jelly Bean OS A real shame is that the much awaited device, contrary to some of the rumors, won’t be the first handset to use flexible AMOLED screen – a tough, yet flexible material that makes the display virtually crack-proof. Instead it might have a higher resolution, at 1080PPI, and maybe a bigger display (not too...
Interest in Pinterest...
Social media strategy
As a property manager, it may become prudent to ask yourself: Are you getting the most out of Pinterest? This new social media tool has skyrocketed in popularity over the last year, and owners and operators across the country are finding it is a great way to promote their communities. In a recent webinar called “Pinterest for Property Managers,” Charity Zierten, a consultant for Socially Engaged Marketing LLC, provided tips and tricks to integrate Pinterest into a winning social media strategy. The key aspects for a successful professional Pinterest account include being professional, being relevant, and focusing on great products, fun communities and inspiring ideas. According to Zierten, it’s important to integrate Pinterest with a property website, including adding a “Pin It” button so that people can pin directly from the site. She also suggested that property employees, such as leasing agents and people on the maintenance team, take pictures of the property using their smartphones, and pinning those pictures directly to community boards. And, while Zierten definitely recommends pinning original images to Pinterest boards, she also suggested repinning applicable images from other people’s boards. “It’s the polite thing to do, especially if they’re residents,” Zierten said. Additionally, Zierten suggested incorporating Pinterest accounts with Facebook accounts. “This is how you’re going to generate leads,” she said. One way to generate leads through Facebook is to announce Pinterest contests on Facebook feeds. Beyond being a way to increase a social media profile of a community, Zierten said that Pinterest is useful because it could increase a property’s presence online. “Google loves Pinterest!” Zierten said. It is crucial to optimize pins for online search and to get the most repins. One method is to have a call to action in the pin’s description, such as “lease...
Password Fast Forward
What does the future hold?
These days, traditional passwords are suspect in their ability to handle the safety of our valuable online data. This isn’t a new problem. Nearly a decade ago, in 2004, Bill Gates was predicting the demise of the alpha-numeric password, calling it a weak spot in security and identity authentication. He was one of the first to propose moving security onto smartcards and biometrics. With few exceptions, most programs, websites and protected databases are still using the standard-issue username/password combination for access. But with recent high-profile hackings like that of Wired tech writer Mat Honen last summer, the issue of changing password technology is a hot one again. So what are the current options? Behavior based gestures The government’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is on the lookout for other forms of authentication based on behaviors, like the way people type or make other hand gestures. Security researchers are investigating the way people are using their machines so that their identity can be verified at all times: “for example, how the user handles the mouse and how the user crafts written language in an e-mail or document” they say on their website. DARPA’s program manager Richard Guidorizzi explains what makes this method different from the current password format: “My house key will get you into my house, but the dog in my living room knows you’re not me. No amount of holding up my key and saying you’re me is going to convince my dog you’re who you say you are. My dog knows you don’t look like me, smell like me or act like me. What we want out of this program is to find those things that are unique to you, and not some single aspect of computer security that an adversary can use to compromise your system.” Multi-step verification This is an option Google made available a while ago, and if you haven’t activated it, now would be a good time to do it. Google offers a two-step verification – it asks for the classical password, and also sends a text message with a code to your personal cellphone. According to Honen, who has taken on the issue of online security fallacy with a vengeance since his hack, this is just the beginning. The future of passwords means a combination of different identifiers that extend far beyond the password. The more pieces required for verification, the stronger the security of a system gets. Smartcards Google researchers are experimenting with a tiny Yubico cryptographic card that works somewhat like a car key: you slid it into a USB reader and it automatically logs a web surfer into Google opening your web mail and online accounts. They have modified Google’s web browser to work with these cards, but the best part is that there is no software download and once the browser support is there, it’s quite easy to use. Biometrics Facial Recognition. This option already exists under the form of a photo-based system that needs a picture of your face as login for the computer. Basically, if your computer is stolen and someone attempts to hack it, the software takes a photo of the person who tried and failed. For websites, Silicon Republic reports that teenagers Niall Paterson and Sam Gaulfield have created Viv.ie, a facial recognition system, available through an open API that website owners can deploy to allow their users to log in without a password. The technology is quite simple, it takes a photo of your face and then analyses it against the database of registered users. There are two problems though: whoever wants to hack your computer could show a photo of your face thus opening all channels to the uninvited guest, and it hasn’t yet been finalized due to high costs and little experience in the business world for the two 17 year-olds. It is definitely a start. Voice recognition. This one...
Wearable technology
The next big thing?
Ready for a tiny wearable phone? How about augmented reality glasses that feed you information about whatever catches your eye? We’re on the cusp of an era when wearables, like glasses and watches, will replace the functions of the world’s most popular gadget – your smartphone. Apple has been experimenting with the iWatch, a device made of curved glass that would work on iOS platform. What might once have been something out of a James Bond film or Inspector Gadget cartoon could be part of our everyday existence later this year. Our iPhones are already attached to our hands most of the time, so why shouldn’t we just strap them to our wrists? Less chance of a broken screen, coming right up! And Google co-founder Sergey Brin was spotted on the NYC subway testing the company’s latest project – the Google Glasses. That sighting, along with a recent leak from Apple about a 100-person design team working on a wristwatch-style project (Forbes), hint that the advent of this exciting new era is nigh. Google is close to sending its glasses prototype to development. The augmented reality glasses are said to transmit app information and data about the surroundings on a small display, directly into the wearer’s right eye. In terms of watches, Google built the Microsoft-Timex DataLink in 1995, a device that allowed users to load Outlook information onto the watch, thus having handy the personal phone book. The SPOT watch (Smart Personal Objects Technology) is launched in 2004, taking a significant step in making personal objects more intelligent. It lasted on the market only until 2008, but it had its fans. Source: cdn.slashgear.com on Pinterest The iWatch rumor has credibility because the maker of the ultra-tough Gorilla Glass that is used in most...
Coming Attractions
Consumer tech in 2013
We’re already well into the new year, but it’s not too late – or early – to anticipate some of the consumer tech releases that will be highly anticipated this year. Last month we learned that the Blackberry 10 won’t be available to U.S. consumers until sometime next month. Here are a few other products that techies are keeping an eye on in 2013. Mobile Operating System from Firefox Apple has one, Google does too; it’s about time Mozilla Firefox joined the Mobile Operating System group. Because entering such a compact market is not easy, the Firefox OS claims it will be cheaper than Android, that it will support rich content with HTML5, and tap into the hardware differently. Another piece of information that leaked is the OS’s ability to control the phone’s camera for slow motion recording or quick, successive shots. Surface Pro tablet from Microsoft Available since Feb. 9, Surface Pro runs on Intel I5 dual-core processor featuring the full Windows 8 Pro operating system. Microsoft has high hopes from it as it is the first device to bring a full operating system to the tablet format without compromising quality. Opinions on it are diverse, although its “snappier and more ‘performant’” (Mary Jo Foley for the ZDNet tech blog), its reliance on the power cable doesn’t help it in the run for the best tablet while its immutability puts it below any laptop. Price-wise it is not a friendly device: the Surface Pro starts at $899 ($200 more than a comparable iPad) and you’ll need to invest another $120 for the keyboard. This two-ways compromised device, as a tablet and as a laptop, makes me wonder, wouldn’t it be more comfortable to get the 64GB MacBook Air laptop at $999? Amazon Kindle...
Anticipating Apple
What will 2013 bring?
After a stellar 2012, what does 2013 hold for Apple? Let’s have a look at the online speculation and buzz, and tell us your thoughts in the comments. Apple Radio One of the new products on this list is the “Apple Radio”. This will be a free service that would gain revenue through ads, as its (most likely) competitor, Pandora. Rumors about it appeared last fall and since then Pandora’s stock fell approximately 12%. No major labels are on board yet and according to speculations, the launch would take part sometime in March. Apple Television Right before the holiday season, in November, analysts say that Apple will release an actual television, not just the Apple TV. The iTV might measure between 42” and 55” and costs are estimated at around $1500-$2000. iPhone 5S Like its older brother, the iPhone 4S, the iPhone 5 will get its second-generation offspring. No technical specifications leaked yet, but bets are set for a better battery life and an improved camera. iOS 7 We all remember the chaos caused by the release of iOS 6 without the Google Maps (and YouTube), so the pressure is high for Apple to release a strong and stable operating system this year. iOS could bring an improved version of Passbook, the digital-wallet app. iPad Mini with Retina display November 2012 was another great month for Apple due to the launch of iPad Mini, and although it’s only been out a few months, more and more are turning their attention to the next generation, the iPad Mini 2. Rumors have it that it will address the disappointment of those who have been expecting the Retina display with the first model. Shenzhen Century Science & Technology (SCST), a subsidiary of Foxconn, seems to have supplied...
