Posts Tagged ‘yourtechreport’
The iPad Mini, Autonomous Driving, and Tech Musings: A Conversation with Marc Aflalo and Mitchell Whitfield
In a recent episode of YourTechReport, co-hosts Marc Aflalo and Mitchell Whitfield covered a range of topics, from Apple’s updates to the iPad Mini to their experiences with autonomous vehicles. The conversation offered practical insights on tech innovation and some caution around emerging technologies.
The New iPad Mini and Its Upgrades
Mitchell Whitfield opened by sharing that he had acquired the updated iPad Mini, which now features improved storage and speed capabilities. “The base model now comes with 128GB storage, which made all the difference for me. And it’s fast—thanks to the A17 Pro chip and 8GB of RAM, it hums!” Whitfield said, noting that the higher storage capacity addressed the limitations of previous models.
Marc Aflalo, in response, explained why he hadn’t upgraded. “I’m a casual iPad user. I don’t use it enough to justify the upgrade, but it’s interesting to see where Apple’s going with this lineup,” he stated. The hosts also speculated about why the new Mini lacks an M4 chip, with Whitfield suggesting it might be due to thermal management.
Adapting to Smaller Devices
The hosts then discussed their experiences with smaller smartphones. Whitfield emphasized his preference for a lighter, more portable device, despite some challenges with typing accuracy and battery life. “The things I’m losing on a smaller phone are not enough to offset the joy of having a lighter device in my pocket,” he said, comparing the adjustment to his past experience with hearing aids.
Aflalo expressed his thoughts on battery life issues, remarking that software optimization could be a contributing factor. “I think there are issues now with optimization,” he said, indicating that future updates might address these problems.
Autonomous Vehicles and Their Challenges
The topic of autonomous vehicles brought a new dimension to the conversation. Aflalo shared details about his family’s experience in a Waymo car during a visit to Arizona. He described how the vehicle managed to navigate city streets, handle oncoming traffic, and recognize pedestrians. “It was seamless,” he noted.
However, Whitfield voiced concerns about fully autonomous vehicles. “Anything that I can’t grab and step on a pedal to stop from going Terminator on us freaks me out,” he commented. Aflalo explained that the technology had been thoroughly tested, but Whitfield remained cautious about trusting autonomous driving systems.
Marc and Mitchell’s discussion examined both the benefits and limitations of emerging technologies, from Apple’s updates to the practicalities and safety of autonomous driving.
Exploring the Future of Audio Technology: An Insightful Discussion with Jim Garrett from Harman
In this episode of YourTechReport, Marc Aflalo interviews Jim Garrett, Senior Director of Product Strategy and Planning at Harman. They discuss the evolution of audio technology, the impact of the pandemic on consumer behavior, and the future of the audio market. Garrett highlights Harman’s science-based approach to audio design, the significance of wireless technology, and the importance of ease of use in product development. He also touches on the role of AI and the trend towards retro designs with modern features.
A Giant Wake-Up Call for Canadian Consumers, Businesses, and Telecom Giants
This past Friday, one of Canada’s major telecommunications companies, Rogers, suffered a “maintenance-update-gone-wrong” which caused a complete outage of their wireless and wireline services in the Country. This was a significant wake-up call to the millions of customers and businesses that rely on a single provider for their telecom needs, I being one of them. So we wanted to break it down and ask ourselves what could have been done better?
Joining us is Sandeep Panesar, EVP of Strategic Alliances at Turnium Technology Group. Sandeep is also a long-time contributor to YourTechReport and a member of the Marketing Advisory Council for the Linux Foundation.
Take a listen (www.yourtechreport.com) or watch (www.youtube.com/yourtechreport) as we break down the outage and ask a LOT of questions. Could this have been avoided? What lessons did we learn?