Android Phone Fans |
- LG makes L90, L70, L40 official with Android 4.4 KitKat for emerging 3G markets
- Smithsonian features Google Glass in stunning American flag exhibit
- Netflix Slow? You’ve probably got Comcast.
| LG makes L90, L70, L40 official with Android 4.4 KitKat for emerging 3G markets Posted: 15 Feb 2014 07:02 PM PST Just as we predicted, LG is bringing their L series back for Mobile World Congress 2014 with the LG L90, LG L70, and LG L40. The devices attempt to follow LG’s premium G lineup’s lead with top-notch design, packaged with solid mid-range specs for emerging markets. Customers won’t have to wait for the highest-end OS though: all three devices will launch with Android 4.4 KitKat.
We’ll get hands-on with the LG LIII Series at MWC 2014, but for now, you’ll have to settle for sauntering over the specs. L90 Key Specs:
L70 Key Specs:
L40 Key Specs:
Nothing that will blow you away, but the hardware’s attention to detail while running Android 4.4 make these an attractive offer in emerging 3G markets, assuming the price falls appropriately in line. |
| Smithsonian features Google Glass in stunning American flag exhibit Posted: 15 Feb 2014 10:54 AM PST It’s President’s Day Weekend and at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery in Washington DC, the Nation’s capital, they’re celebrating by featuring a stunning Google Glass exhibit starring the American Flag.
The exhibit, created by David Datuna and titled “Portrait of America“, overlays hundreds of eye glasses on an American Flag. Visitors are invited to “try on Glass and experience the artist’s interactive, multi-discipline work of art.” From a distance, you see a beautiful, sparkling American Flag:
Beautiful indeed. Pardon my patriotism – maybe I’m overly inspired by these 2014 Olympic Games – but I absolutely love the American flag as a work of art. And boy does this exhibit do it justice. But what if you put on Google Glass and move a little closer?
Those lenses aren’t overlaying the American flag without reason: behind them sits a collage of American icons throughout history, from the greatest of cultural influences to some of today’s pop cultural misfits:
So where does Google Glass fit in? Aside from being a lens focused exhibit that allows visitors to take a closer look at American culture and history, they can also get a closer look at Google Glass while becoming a participant and contributor to the exhibit itself. Visitors are invited to take pictures with Glass (Okay, Glass… this exhibit is awesome!) which are filtered into a “Glassfeed” on Datuna’s website. Here are some samples since the exhibit has gone live:
^ Prescription Glass not included. I was initially hoping for some augmented reality where details on each person in the collage would overlay with Google Glass, but hey, maybe next year? UPDATE: But wait, it’s so much more:
What a great way for all ages to celebrate America’s history on this President’s Day Weekend while creatively tying in an innovative product from what has become one of America’s greatest companies. If you’re interested in visiting, the exhibit is free to the public from February 15th to 17th, 11:30AM to 7:00PM. More details here. |
| Netflix Slow? You’ve probably got Comcast. Posted: 15 Feb 2014 06:56 AM PST In business, just like in real life, the biggest guys are often the slowest. If recent speculation that Comcast hopes to acquire Time Warner are true, then two 800-pound gorillas are about to become a 2-ton King Kong in cable and entertainment.
Many believe it’s a strategic move to combat the trending growth of services like Netflix and Apple TV. But keep in mind that both Comcast and TWC already stream Netflix through their bandwidth, directly to customers, practically serving as Netflix’s personal entertainment butler. So let me get this straight: the quicker Comcast delivers bandwidth to consumers, the better their Netflix experience, which in turn helps their competitor’s? Comcast shouldn’t be able to throttle (purposefully slow down) Netflix service, and I’m not suggesting they are, but this is at the heart of the net neutrality debate you’ve been hearing so much about since 2010. It affects customers. That’s why Netflix puts out a monthly speed report that rates Internet Service Providers in the USA, transparently listing AVG speed they bring to consumers in Mbps. So where do you think media powerhouse – Comcast – sits on that list?
Comcast ranks 14th out of 17 with a miserable 1.41 Mbps. Their recent flirt buddy, TWC, might actually be the one in control, boasting a #6 ranking with 2Mbps. But alas, Google Fiber is the clear #1 favorite at 3.78 Mbps. Unfortunately, Google Fiber is only available in a very select number of cities: Kansas City, Austin (TX), and Provo (UT). The bottom line? Comcast customers have speed problems with Netflix. If when chatting it up with friends, you’ve got way more “buffering” and “cannot connect” complaints than them, you’ve probably got Comcast. They’ve probably got 1 of the 13 providers that are better. And at times, way better. I’m obviously over generalizing: dynamics change from market-to-market, neighborhood-to-neighborhood, and building-to-building. As a Comcast customer myself, I find their service leaves a lot to be desired. Unfortunately, Verizon FIOS is not yet available in my area (Baltimore) and our city lost the original bid to attract Google Fiber. So I’m stuck with Comcast because they’re the only decent option. Meanwhile, the industry continues to consolidate, soon to offer even less options.. Time Warner might rank #6 on that speed list right now, but how far do you think they’ll fall once Comcast gets ahold of them? Do you have Comcast, Time Warner, or Google Fiber service? Let us know about your speeds and experiences in the comments! |
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