[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4d3NmO4-_k[/youtube]
The international hospitality chain, Starwood, has two boutique hotels that will soon let travelers bypass the check-in counter and unlock their room by using digital keys sent to a special application available for Apple’s iPhone.
Continue reading… “iPhones to replace room keys at select Starwood hotels”
When it comes to landing a high-paying entry level position, young people have very few options without spending tons of money on college. And even then, unless they get engineering degrees from top tier schools, the odds are against them. But now young people have a faster, cheaper option.
Continue reading… “Colorado’s First Micro College for Learning Programming Skills”
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4VRFuSyzzc[/youtube]
One day, Google Glass could enable some pretty incredible augmented reality apps. Its camera might recognize a person’s face, then scour the Internet for information about him or her, beaming that back to you in real time. It’s neat stuff for sure, but as this concept demo from Israeli software developer Infinity AR shows us (completely unintentionally): automatically digging up too much information about someone else can be downright creepy.
Continue reading… “How app designers can make the future of dating less creepy”
On November 7, 2014, I attended the “Idea Jam – Innovating for the Future” session put on by the Pacific Center for Workforce Innovation in San Diego. The purpose of the session was to identify the major challenges to the San Diego workforce in the coming years and to generate audience participation in visioning exercises to explore new and innovative workforce development ideas. The event was held at Colman University, and major sponsors were SDG&E, Qualcomm, the Eastridge Group, Point Loma Nazarene College, and Cal State University, San Marcos.
To get our creative juices flowing, Master of Ceremonies Susan Taylor, San Diego’s TV news icon, introduced futurist speaker, Thomas Frey, of the DaVinci Institute as the keynote speaker. It is difficult to do justice to his very visual presentation of images of break-through technologies, but his statements alone created much food for thought about the future. He stated, “We are a backward-looking society…the future gets created in the mind. The future creates the present…Visions of the future affect the way people act today.” He rhetorically asked, “What are the big things that need to be accomplished today?
Continue reading… “Exploring the Future of Jobs and Education”
Consumers would pay for privacy.
The going rate for many of the most popular apps has been exactly $0.00 ever since the iPhone came out in 2007. Consumers pay nothing. But of course, nothing is free. Instead, consumers pay with their data, that’s sold to marketers, or with screenspace, which is forked over to make room for ads. It’s a trade consumers are happy to make.
Continue reading… “Average consumer would pay $5 for an app that respects their privacy: Study”
There are more tablets available with kid-protections and controls.
Tech is topping the Christmas lists this year as parents are prepared to indulge. A PBS Kids survey shows that 54 percent of parents plan to pick up a techie gift this year, more specifically tablets. Kids want bigger screens to play games and watch movies on. Kids want tablets more than they want game consoles, according to the survey.
The heavy investment of both time and money can be a put off when you want to build an app for your business. But, now entering the mobile market no longer necessarily requires thousands of dollars and months of work. There are many mobile platforms available to help you build an app on a budget — quickly, and with no coding knowledge required.
Continue reading… “Top 10 platforms for building mobile apps”
Xiaomi, a Chinese smartphone manufacturer, has just sold 150,000 units of its latest flagship device, the Mi-3, in under 10 minutes – using only a chat app: Tencent-owned WeChat.
Continue reading… “Xiaomi sells 150,000 smartphones on WeChat in less than 10 minutes”
Between Q1 and Q3 this year, Vine grew 403%, making it the world’s fastest growing app. Twitter relaunched Vine in January, explaining its exponential growth.
Continue reading… “Top 10 fastest growing apps in the world”
BitLock
BitLock, a keyless bike lock, is a U-lock that can be opened electronically by an iPhone or Android app. With that electronic aspect comes other features, such as a GPS tracker and a fitness tracker that can record miles biked, calories burned, and CO2 emissions avoided. Whoever has admin-like status can grant or revoke access to the lock. Making things even simpler, it all connects via Bluetooth, so you don’t even need to have your phone out to open it: proximity works just as well.
Continue reading… “BitLock – a keyless bike lock connects to your phone via Bluetooth”
OpenRemote is an open-source Internet of Things platform.
If you were to buy several Internet-connected home gadgets—say, a “smart” thermostat, “smart” door lock, and “smart” window blinds—you would likely have to control each one with a separate app, meaning it exists on its own. But, that’s not how Elier Ramirez does it. In his home, an iPad app controls his lights, ceiling fans, and TV and stereo. Pressing a single button within the app can shut off all his lights and gadgets when he leaves.
Continue reading… “OpenRemote – software that ties the Internet of Things together”
Cardless ATM lets you withdraw cash using your phone.
Three banks in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Illinois have been testing a service that allows bank customers to use an app that would allow them to retrieve ATM cash in mere seconds, no plastic necessary.
Continue reading… “App allows you to withdraw cash from cardless ATM using your phone”
By delving into the futuring techniques of Futurist Thomas Frey, you’ll embark on an enlightening journey.
Learn More about this exciting program.