STUART B SIKES

Fortnite-loaded phones for sale

Fortnite-loaded phones for sale on eBay

If you wanted to play Fortnite on your phone but, for some reason, didn’t have it downloaded before Apple and Google removed it from their app stores, eBay sellers are your friend. Phones with the app loaded are listed for hundreds to $10,000 dollars by sellers. Business Insider

dis-rup-shun: You have to love a free market, where people are free to spend big bucks to buy someone else’s phone, with someone else’s account which could be suspended at any moment and shut down by Apple or Google. Or perhaps you have to love the entrepreneurial spirit of consumers who were quick to think they have something of significant value. The beauty of the free market economy is on display at eBay, and the Boston Tea Party of our time is taking place before our eyes. Will it spark a revolution against the Kings of Tech, or will the rebels remain outcast from the halls of commerce? Stay tuned.

Apple becomes most valuable tech company

Apple’s market valuation hit $2 trillion this week. The company is now valued more than all but eight countries’ economies. Despite Coronavirus, sales of iPhone and subscriptions to services have thrived. The introduction of 5G capable iPhones, that can download content at 10x current speeds, is expected to touch off a wave of new phone sales. CNET

dis-rup-shun: Many of us recall the year, 1997, when Apple was out of cash and had become a bit of a joke. What company would seek to to offer an alternative against the wave of IBM PC compatibles, and hot companies such as Compaq and Sun Microsystems? Apple is a case study on focus, focus, focus.

Airbnb tests a shaky economy

Another COVID IPO is in the works as Airbnb has filed to launch a public offering amidst a revenue decline of 67%. The company has taken on significant debt to stay afloat, and valuation has fallen off its once lofty $31 billion. NYTimes

dis-rup-shun: With Apple having announced a stock split, and the number of trades being executed by millenials who have flocked to Robinhood to play in the market, breaking records, the time may be now for Airbnb, especially before the bubbling-hot market cools down.

Verizon puts a nail in the coffin of pay TV

Verizon, owners of FIOS TV, have declared the traditional pay TV model dead and cold, as it bundles Netflix, Disney +, and ESPN + into wireless subscription plans. The new plans don’t offer a termination date, moving the core component of video bundles from cable services to wireless phone services. CNBC

dis-rup-shun: Verizon’s move is a high stakes game of devaluing TV streaming to lure and keep subscribers on their wireless plan. While they aren’t the first wireless carrier to throw streaming into the package, they are upping the ante, challenging others to follow suit, changing the economics of streaming plans and finding creative ways not to compete by lowering the price of service plans.

Consumer Electronics, IOT, Smart Home, Uncategorized

Apple reworks radio

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Apple retools linear radio

Apple has long been adjusting its radio services, seeking to keep people close to iTunes, then keep them close the brand. The company announced a rebranding of the Beats 1 station, and launch of Apple Music Country and Apple Music Hits. The Music stations will feature a number of high profile musicians and celebrities, hosting music shows. TheVerge

dis-rup-shun: The definition of radio is in disarray, or at least in the context of online radio. When we get in the car and turn on a radio station, or even a satellite radio station, we know what to expect. Online radio, however, is in flux. Podcasts are starting to push their way into streaming music services such as Spotify, which has made big, bold investments into podcast content. Amazon has free services for Prime members, but also paid streaming radio. Apple, determined as of late to boost its services business, is offering a confusing assortment of radio options, both streaming and linear. It is likely that Apple is still suffering from having disenfranchised music fans after saving the music business with iTunes. While iTunes was the greatest thing to happen to music in recent history, iTunes’ clunky digital rights technologies frustrating even loyal Apple fans and sent them running to Spotify and Pandora One. Now Apple is struggling to get them back.

Oracle enters the TikTok bidding

Competition is good for everyone, and especially for TikTok owners and investors who were at risk of forcing to sell to Microsoft, due to Trump executive orders. Oracle has now entered the process, reportedly working with venture capital firms that already have a stake in the social network, potentially assembling an offer that will best Microsoft’s interest and increase investors’ returns. CNBC

dis-rup-shun: Creating an auction for TikTok will provide TikTok stakeholders with the opportunity to get “market returns” on their investments, albeit sooner than planned. The sting of government intervention will likely be reduced as Oracle’s entry into the transaction may encourage another party or two to jump in and bid up the price further, or will convince Microsoft to fish or cut bait.

SpaceX recycles

Another space first this week will be the lift off of yet more Starlink satellites. Starlink, as as reminder, is the chain of thousands of small, low-orbit satellites that will orbit the Earth in a chain. One goal of Starlink is to deliver Internet access to all corners of the globe, where wires have not yet reached. Today’s launch is unique in that it will be sixth time the SpaceX rocket booster has launched a payload into space, proving that a rocket can, in fact, be recovered and reused. CNET

dis-rup-shun: SpaceX continues to set a new bar in space travel, having just completed its first successful launch and return of two astronauts to the International Space Station. Imagine, in a couple of years, proclaiming your frustration with AT&T or Comcast or Verizon and declaring that you are switching your Internet service to Starlink.

Best outdoor security cameras

CNET lines up top outdoor cameras. The category is hot as people embrace DIY home security. The top players are Arlo on the high end and for the doorbell, and Wyze for the best value.

dis-rup-shun: Features that Arlo offers, such as E911, that enables you to reach law enforcement from within Arlo’s app, redefines home security and blurs the lines between pro-monitored systems and DIY. With many police forces being de-funded, the chances of police responding to your pro-monitored alerts are slimmer, meaning direct contact with authorities may be more effective. Think about it — will politics, rather than technology, topple the current home security industry model?

Consumer Electronics, IOT, Smart Home

Uber and Lyft may withdraw from California

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California law may sink Uber and Lyft

A California judge has ruled that the ride share companies must classify their drivers as employees, not independent contractors. The move will require the companies to pay benefits such as health insurance and vacation to their drivers, upending the business model that enables these companies to offer their services at less-than-taxi rates. In November, California voters will have the opportunity to decide if ride share drivers can be considered contractors, potentially saving the industry. CNBC

dis-rup-shun: Is opposition to drivers as contractors coming from drivers, or from operators of taxi companies? Crushing the ride share business model will not help employment and will disappoint consumers, who have voted with their feet that traditional taxi services are sub-optimal. If these companies pull out of California until November, consumers as well as out of work drivers will have some time to decide if they are better off without ride sharing.

Zin electric boats are the Tesla of the lake

Zin has built an electric boat. Aside from the $250K price tag, the benefits are substantial: nearly no maintenance, “fill-ups” are about $5, they are fast, and battery placement in the center of the boat means the craft stays level in almost every maneuver. TechCrunch

dis-rup-shun: Zin, like Tesla, is the early model that will enable the uber wealthy to show off the latest and greatest, and will hopefully be followed by mass market models. Anyone who owns a runabout or even small fishing boat knows that it is rare to be out for more than four or five hours (the life of a battery), and a boat starts up about 50% of the times you wish to use it, making a low maintenance craft a weekend warrior’s godsend.

The Fortnite experiment

Fortnite, one of the most popular games across multiple platforms, including mobile, published by Epic, has taken on Apple and Google, deciding to bypass their app stores and the 30% fees associated for in-app purchases. Apple and Google promptly responded by taking down the apps from their respective app stores. Epic was quick to file suit, claiming the two tech giants are monopolies that restrict open competition. CNET

dis-rup-shun: The move by Epic raises a couple of questions. First, did the company time its move to directly follow the public examination of Big Tech by the U.S. Congress, adding yet another event to the legislators’ investigations? Secondly, did Epic’s economists do the math and determine that even if Apple and Google blocked their products from the apps stores, the 30% increase in margin on transactions would make the company better off? Time will tell, and perhaps Epic has decided that it will be an agent of change, despite the objections of Apple and Google.

Keeping garages smart

Garage door controllers are not something that you replace more than every 20 years or so, so unless you are buying a newly built home, technology to remotely control your garage door and see if you left it open will require retrofit technology. CNETreviews a host of Wi-Fi systems that are add-ons to existing controllers that use cameras and sensors to enable you to let the repair man into the garage when you are away. Leading brands include Chamberlain MyQ, Garadget, Alcidae Garager 2, Nexx Garage.

dis-rup-shun: The garage is a place in the home that smart technology will be enjoyed almost more than any other, given the frequency of people’s use of this home entry. Surveys performed by a number of researchers show that new homes with smart technologies, such as smart garage doors, sell faster and for a slight premium. Expect smartphone controllable and voice controllable garage doors to be the standard for most upscale new homes offered by builders.

Consumer Electronics, IOT, Smart Home

Apple bundles services: Apple Prime?

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Apple turns to bundling

Bundling, the practice of offering a number of services or products together for a discount, has built many a company including AT&T, Comcast, Amazon, and soon Apple. Apple will be bundling Music, streaming TV, gaming and iCloud storage, and perhaps other benefits including an online workout service, in an Amazon Prime-like subscription that gives the faithful so much for a flat monthly fee. CNBC

dis-rup-shun: How can you refuse it? Services that you really want (Apple TV) along with some nice-to-haves, like Apple News and Arcade, for just a few more dollars per month. The good people at Peloton probably didn’t see an Apple fitness channel coming, but the data about home workouts is too enticing to pass up. Apple, with this move, is moving more deeply into the wheelhouse of Amazon and AT&T, providing attractive service revenues as well as its blockbuster lineup of Apple devices. Seems that Big Tech’s formula for the future consists of three critical components: cloud-based services, specialized content and apps, and consumer devices.

Microsoft seeks to create a new class of computing

Microsoft’s Surface family of products have been a wild success — offering Apple like design for the Windows crowd. Now Microsoft is going out on a limb with the Surface Duo, a foldable two screen device that is not a Windows computer, but too big to be a phone. The Android-based device is thin and elegant, offering two very portable screens for those who want more screen while on the move. Microsoft has decided to pass on 5G for the first release. The device can be pre-ordered at AT&T, Microsoft.com or Best Buy. CNET

dis-rup-shun: It is rare to see Microsoft go all “Apple-like” and think it can create a new product category. The company traditionally has not been good at firsts, but excellent at second or third offerings. After the dismal failure that was the Nokia acquisition, Microsoft has decided to be an innovator. The device looks very tempting to pair some earbuds as a media player and phone, but will an Android-based computer satisfy the mobile office worker? If you want to play with $1,399, it will be a great experiment.

Waze adds contactless fueling to its app

Waze has partnered with both ExxonMobil and Shell, incorporating those companies’ rewards app into its own, enabling the user to purchase fuel at the pump without touching payment screens. CNET

dis-rup-shun: COVID-19 continues to reshape the new normal, and buying gas may never be the same. Even if you have resisted the fuel rewards programs, as you don’t think of yourself as loyal to a gas station, Waze has found a way to keep you from straying to the convenience of Google Maps or Apple Maps. Touchless payments have been popular in other parts of the world, such as Asia, for a number of years, but slow to catch on in the USA. Touchless fueling will accelerate mobile payment adoption assuming Americans start driving again.

Intel counting on next generation chip to put it back on top

Intel, the golden child of the era of computing, has been beaten up lately. Apple has bailed on Intel, AMD’s chips have bested some of Intel’s, and Qualcomm and Nvidia continue to eat away at Intel’s core customer base. Intel’s next generation, generation 11 chipsets, called Tiger Lake, should put the company back on top. Tiger Lake processors are faster, smaller, provide better graphics and use less battery power. CNET

dis-rup-shun: Competition is tough in the chip business, and China has just announced more emphasis on chip making given icy relations with the west. Intel’s corporate structure has served it well in traditional markets, but the company has been slow to be the engine inside of new connected device categories. The future of computing looks a lot less like a computer, and Intel needs to c

Consumer Electronics, IOT, Smart Home

Robinhood out trades Schwab and E-Trade combined

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Discount online trading platform Robinhood blows past rivals

Robinhood, the online trading platform that offers no charge trading, and no minimum account balances, has smoked its online rivals, facilitating more revenue trades in June than E-Trade and Charles Schwab combined. CNBC

dis-rup-shun: Free is a very attractive business model for consumers and one that is most always rapidly embraced. Robinhood shattered the brokerage industry practice of charging dollars for what cost pennies, and offers trades for nothing. The company makes money from the interest of its customers’s deposits, and evidently consumers have been doing a great deal of trading while sheltering in place. Like so many industries, the Internet has stripped the fat profits from stock brokerage. Robinhood appears not to be profitable, but is valued at $8.6 billion. Like Uber and Lyft, the company has shattered the old ways of doing business, but is it sustainable?

TCL expands Roku powered line of smart TVs

CNET says TCL smart TVs are the best value for the money and they feature the very user friendly Roku interface built in. Its new 6-series line of TVs includes mini-LED technology, making for an even better picture at a mid-level price. CNET

dis-rup-shun: During the pandemic, sales of smart TVs have increased, especially of TVs bigger than 65 inches. Right now, there is a good chance you are somewhere in the near, mid, or post cord cutting stage, and asking yourself which path to cutting cable you will take. Roku is a strong alternative to turn all of your TVs, dumb and smart, into smart streaming receivers. TCL makes it easy by adding Roku to a high quality picture.

Walmart reaches out to Instacart to battle Amazon

Walmart has reached a partnership with Instacart for same day grocery delivery in an effort to challenge Amazon Fresh and Amazon Prime Now with Whole Foods. The service will first be piloted in four markets in California and Oklahoma. CBNC

dis-rup-shun: The pandemic has been a rocket booster for Amazon’s delivery business for all products. It was in the right place, with the right services, at the right time. Walmart, always a couple of steps behind in the online business, is trying to catch up by offering a rival same-day grocery delivery service. Once again, consumers are the winners and hopefully many of the out of work restaurant workers can get in on the food delivery business as an employment alternative.

Lucid electric car trounces Tesla’s range

The Lucid Air electric luxury sedan, to begin production in September, has a range of over five hundred miles in independent tests — beating Tesla to the 500 mile benchmark. CNET

dis-rup-shun: Think about it. You may well be driving, right now, your last gasoline combustion engine vehicle. If not your last, it is likely to be your second to last. Soon you may be driving a beautiful new luxury electric car from a manufacturer you have never heard of. And that electric car will rarely need the same kinds of service that your current car does, so you can start saying goodbye to your friendly mechanic, the attendant at the corner gas and go, and your lube shop. Do it yourself lawn equipment is already well into the switch to electric, and motorcycles, boats, jet skis and ATVs will follow. Think of the fresh air and peace and quiet.

Consumer Electronics, IOT, Smart Home

Zillow cites reshuffling of real estate

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Zillow CEO cites the beginning of real estate reshuffling

In an earnings call, Zillow CEO Rich Barton stated that the uncertainty of the duration of the pandemic, combined with indefinite work from home policies by many companies, has initiated a reshuffling of real estate. Major trends include expanding room to work at home with additional privacy, valuing outdoor spaces including yards and courtyards, and fleeing large, expensive cities. CNBC

dis-rup-shun: Research by Interpret shows a significant uptick in purchases of TVs and digital entertainment devices during COVID-19. Understandably, people are investing more in their home lives and making repairs and improvements. Barton believes that these trends will last beyond the next few months, signaling a significant shift in living trends. Life in large cities has been arguably more pleasant, with roads less crowded, air less polluted, and fewer people in public places. The question is, ten years from now, will we see 2020 as the year that city planning and home plans changed, as people spent more time in home offices, kitchens, walking in the neighborhood and enjoying their patios and yards?

Packaging as a service

The pandemic has caused online shopping to surge, straining logistics providers and significantly increasing the amount of packaging waste. Enter LivingPackets and The Box, a container intended to be reused hundreds of times, and packed with intelligence that notifies the shipper and receiver of its whereabouts, its contents, and if it has been opened or tampered with. TechCrunch

dis-rup-shun: Smart packaging already makes sense for high value contents, and a number of companies have created packaging with inexpensive sensors. Cheap sensors in a box can be tossed, assisting with security but not with reuse. LivingPackets will have to convince shippers that the costs of maintaining The Box are less than the costs of disposable packaging plus loss claims. For high volume customers who can return the boxes easily when the next shipment arrives, it may make sense.

Interview with Bill Gates: this will be over in 2021

Bill Gates, in a lengthy interview with Wired, expresses optimism that COVID-19 disruption, for rich nations, will be over by the end of 2021. For poorer nations, it will take another year, and it will take several years to recover from the economic damage done by the pandemic. Gates states that the innovation of drug companies will shorten what otherwise would be a five year run before the global population builds natural immunity.

dis-rup-shun: Gates’ ability to cut through the media noise to deliver straight facts is a breath of fresh air, and knowing that Gates has invested essentially all of his wealth, time and talent into making the world a healthier place is inspiring. May his friends Mr. Bezos, Zuckerberg and Musk follow in his footsteps as they become the elder statesmen of tech.

Streaming wars hit tipping point in Q2

The streaming video providers all had a blockbuster second quarter. The pandemic has buoyed old and new services alike, and the question is what is the long term outlook for consumers and how many services will the average household keep after the shelter in place timeframe? Disney + service is several years ahead of growth projections. Netflix subscriptions surged by 10 million new additions. ViacomCBS’ new ad-supported, free to consumers service sold ample advertisements, and NBCUniversal’s new Peacock service signed up 10 million new subs. CNBC

dis-rup-shun: Speaking of reshuffling, the pandemic has resulted in consumers taking more action on adjusting their TV spending to provide what they want and when. The big question is how will the return of live sports impact the time and money spent on streaming services, as the hours of viewing time freed up by the absence of live sports has driven, to a large extent, the pursuit of original content.

Consumer Electronics, IOT, Smart Home

Teledoc becomes first health tech giant

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First true health tech giant is born

Teledoc, one of the largest remote care companies is acquiring diabetes management giant, Livongo, for $18.5 billion. The combined company is expected to reach $1.3 billion in revenues this year as remote care is surging. Livongo relies heavily on coaches and a line of glucose monitors to help employers help their employees manage diabetes. Teledoc’s 70 million customer reach expands Livongo’s care potential. Stat

dis-rup-shun: The remote care model, in place for half a dozen years or more, is surging as a result of the pandemic. Remote care is a big win for consumers, as convenience is a bonus, and a win for doctors, who are able to see more patients via telehealth. Employers are winners in that the cost of care and ability to access the right care quickly helps keep people on the job.

Disney Plus exceeds expectations and takes second place

Disney executives forecasted that the new streaming service would reach 60 million to 90 million subscribers by 2024. On Tuesday, the company announced that it had reached 60 million subscribers. CNBC

dis-rup-shun: The Mouse continues to surprise, as a dip in theme park attendance seems to be offset by a smash new streaming video service that is doing what no one expected — gaining on Netflix as a strong second place provider. Disney executives earned their stars by launching special features such as Star Wars’ Mandalorian and then the broadcast of Hamilton. Expect another surprise soon that will entice even more people to sign up for the service.

Cadillac unveils Lyric: the future of driving

Watch out Elan, Cadillac is about to leapfrog electric cars with its 300 mile range Lyric SUV. This is the future of cars and the future of GM, a company that is pulling ahead of Ford and Chrysler’s EV development. The Lyric styling is very impressive as is its environmentally responsible, fast-charging battery system, its 33 inch curved display screen, and Super Cruise self-driving mode. CNET

dis-rup-shun: While price was not revealed, this is the EV to have. Early photos of this sophisticated SUV will engage a new audience that wasn’t excited about Cadillac and will be a strong competitor to those considering a Tesla.

Uber beats expectations on bad quarter

Uber’s Q2 revenue declined 28% but beat analyst expectations. The ride sharing business was off by 73% over last year, but the food delivery business was up 113%. Food delivery has moved from luxury to necessity, and the company beat analyst expectations as a result. CNBC

dis-rup-shun: The pandemic may be exactly what Uber needed to reshape its business, reduce costs, and find the profit in the drivers for hire business. In another diversification move, the company purchased a European taxi software company. Expect Uber to be a much more efficient company post-pandemic.

Consumer Electronics, IOT, Smart Home

Black Girls Code to train a million girls

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Black Girls Code

One national study determined that black females comprise only 3.1% of computing jobs in 2019. Kimberly Bryant formed the organization Black Girls Code to teach 1 million girls to code by 2040. The organization was founded in 2011. CNET

dis-rup-shun: Among the many great promises that Bryant’s organization provides, one is to fix the problem of facial recognition. The potentially highly useful technology has been scuttled by major tech companies due to the inherent racial bias determined to be a part of the technology. In short, a technology developed by mostly white programmers has been tested by mostly white testers, resulting in code that works mostly well on white populations, but not well with other races.

Examining evidence against Big Tech

CNBC does a great deal of digging through the more than one million documents collected by the House Judiciary Subcommittee on antitrust. The excerpts provide direct evidence of BigTech execs making defensive and offensive moves to thwart smaller competitors, such as Diapers.com, WeChat and Yelp, to name a few.

dis-rup-shun: Despite the revealing documents, drawing the line between operating a competitive business and using unfair advantage may, in some cases be difficult. Amazon looks more guilty than Facebook. And Google looks more guilty than Apple. Nonetheless, it is clear that these giants need a big babysitter to remind them of the rules of commerce and when they are stepping over the lines.

EU puts Google’s acquisition of Fitbit on hold

In other antitrust news, the EU commission on competition is investigating the proposed $2.1 billion merger of Fitbit with Google, expressing concerns of data privacy. TechCrunch

dis-rup-shun: The EU has long been very aggressive in protecting the data privacy of its citizens, having created the GDPR standards for data privacy over a year ago. Google will likely make some assurances on how and where Fitbit user data is stored, and will likely satisfy the EU commission and move forward with the merger, and continuing its efforts to catch up with the Apple Watch, which is dominating the wearables market.

Sorting out the home security confusion

Our friends at CNET have done a nice job of explaining the growing confusion that is home security. There are DIY systems that are self-monitored, those that include pro-monitoring and there are professionally installed pro-monitored systems, and drawing the line between the categories is more difficult. In a pair of reviews, the CNET team lists the best DIY systems as SimpliSafe, Abode, Nest Secure, Ring Alarm. Other mentions include Honeywell Smart Home Security System, Scout Alarm and ADT/SmarThings Starter Kit. The editors also list the best pro-installed systems, and Comcast Xfinity wins that race.

dis-rup-shun: I will be discussing the differences in home security and smart home buyer segments in a presentation next week to the Security Industry Associations webinar. Anyone is welcome to attend if they register here.

Consumer Electronics, IOT, Smart Home

Tablet sales surge in pandemic

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Q2 tablet sales up to 26%

According to Canalsys, sales of tablets rose 26% in Q2. The iPad was the biggest winner, shipping 14 million units, but others including Samsung, Amazon, Lenovo and Huawei benefited as well. CNET

dis-rup-shun: In uncertain times, when working and schooling from home are critical for survival, yet the paycheck is uncertain, the tablet provides a cost-effective substitute to computers, TVs and game consoles. The pandemic is just the accelerent required by many industries to have a record quarter, just as many are barely surviving.

Microsoft’s xCloud game service is $15 per month

Microsoft seeks to become the Netflix of games with its xCloud service at $15 per month, or free to those that already subscribe to the company’s Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. The new service expands game play to Android mobile devices and will eventually be available on Windows PCs. The service provides unlimited access to over 100 games including “Destiny 2,” “Gears of War 5,” “Grounded” and “Halo 5. To accompany the service a number of third parties have built mobile game controller cradles that convert mobile phones to handheld gaming devices with easily accessible sticks and buttons. CNBC

dis-rup-shun: Cloud gaming services will seek to appeal to a larger gamer population — one that is less likely to spend the money on Xbox consoles or games. In the “as a service” economy, consumers are accustomed and seemingly willing to make long term, small payments for unlimited services as shown by the success of video streaming and music streaming, not to mention monthly shaving or clothing subscription services.

Google’s augmented reality brings insects and animals into your home

Google is quietly building a case for AR, a technology that holds much promise but few applications. Using Google’s AR technology on Android devices, one can add many dozens of insects, felines, and exotics in 3D to their home and to photos — spicing up selfies and family portraits. TheVerge

dis-rup-shun: AR will find a place in our everyday lives, likely in maps and navigation, and then for shopping for products. For now, however, creating lifelike 3D creatures in our photos is a good demonstration of the technology in an educational and entertainment setting. With people spending so much quality time with themselves, why not enjoy the animal kingdom and increase your appreciation for nature?

Google’s Pixel 4A top of class

For an Android phone that rivals $1000 plus phones, this model has a number of industry leading features at a price of $349. The product has a leading camera, a sharp OLED screen, a headphone jack, and a very slim case. Wired

dis-rup-shun: Differentiating a $1000 phone over rivals at half he price or less will become more and more difficult for Samsung and Apple. Apple has the advantage of an ecosystem of popular products and apps, that, for the Apple faithful, simply can’t be substituted for Android products. For the rest of the pack, it is a race to the bottom as big players such as Google drop prices to gain market share. The smartphone business is looking a lot like he PC business of a decade ago.

Consumer Electronics, IOT, Smart Home

TikTok survives the weekend as Microsoft chats with White House

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TikTok survives the weekend — fate still uncertain

TikTok, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, has been declared, by President Trump, banned from operating in the U.S. Watchers expected the service to be shut down over the weekend, but news of acquisition by Microsoft were confirmed on Sunday. Microsoft hopes to conclude a deal by September 15th. CNBC

dis-rup-shun: Microsoft has, with the exception of its Xbox division, been focusing on corporate and cloud-based computing. The company shut down its Mixer video game streaming service in June, encouraging users to shift to Facebook. Acquisition of TikTok would be Microsoft squarely in the social network business, in competition with Facebook. The move will be good for Facebook in the midst of anti-trust proceedings by Congress, as it will provide the company with an acceptable competitor that does not play in this space, possibly lessening pressure on Facebook. If Microsoft pays a market fee to ByteDance, then everyone may be a winner, with ByteDance’s investors making a large return, TikTok users continuing to enjoy the service, Microsoft gaining a lucrative business unit, and POTUS ensuring that exploitation of U.S. user data occurs only on U.S. soil.

Google buys stake in home security leader, ADT

ADT is the largest provider of professionally monitored home security services in the U.S. Google, with its Nest brand of smart thermostats, cameras and smart speakers/displays has been selling into homes mostly through retail and HVAC channels. Google’s investment of $450 million for 6.6% of ADT portends of Google products being sold through ADT’s team of salespeople and installers across the U.S. CNBC

dis-rup-shun: This move by Google could be the end of speculation regarding BigTech’s role in professionally installed security. For several years, the industry has been wondering when and how the giants will engage the pro-installed segment. With this partnership, Google can move directly into the professional channel, securing a share of the devices installed in each new home or small business served by the nation’s largest sales and installation team. The Google Nest Home Hub line could eventually serve as an alternative to the ADT “panel” — the heart and brain of a home security system. These components are currently supplied by Resideo (hardware) and Alarm.com (software). With its investment, Google will begin to enjoy a small share of the millions in recurring monthly revenues generated by ADT and can begin to edge out Amazon’s Alexa voice technology which is baked into ADT’s Command system. Declaring that Google will use the home security system to take over the entire home ecosystem and disrupt the current pro-install channel is premature, as there are many hurdles to doing so. What cannot be underestimated, however, is the ability to leverage Google’s advances in AI and cloud technology to offer a home automation and security system that is much smarter than anything in the field, including facial recognition, false alarm detection, smartphone integration, and “community monitoring.” The parties that will sleep less, as a result of this partnership, are Alarm.com and Resideo.

Bob and Doug splash down

The SpaceX and NASA team launch and recovery of astronauts to the International Space Station concluded on Sunday with a perfect landing. After 63 days in space, the two “Space Dads,” as they have become known, landed off the coast of Pensacola to a waiting gallery of private fishing and pleasure boats. The intact Dragon capsule was loaded onto a recovery ship where the space travelers were removed and whisked to the Pensacola Naval Air Station via helicopter. New York Times

dis-rup-shun: The flawless mission is an unmistakable and significant victory for many parties. First, for NASA and the U.S. Government, as it successfully selected, regulated and orchestrated a private third party in one of the largest private/public missions ever, demonstrating that the agency can work with a flashy and bold company such as SpaceX in a restrained, disciplined and safe manner. Secondly, this is, of course, a triumph for Elon Musk and his SpaceX team, as they have demonstrated their ability to send humans to space and return them very safely. Musk’s bold claims of frequent commercial flights to space and Mars landings seem much closer now. Finally, the mission was a great victory for technology. The Dragon craft, like a Tesla, is highly automated with elegant glowing touch screens that seem to suggest that the astronauts are simply there to watch the automation from a gaming chair. The fact that the mission performed flawlessly and to precise timings and landing points is confirmation that today’s technology, while not perfect, is astonishingly accurate.