The Straight Tech

The Straight Tech is a geek tech blog from a college students perspective. Told in a understandable and concise manner.

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This infographic by Martin Missfeldt details how the Google Glasses operate in a conviently visual manner. 

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Google unveiled their Shopping Express, a new service that’s premiering in the San Francisco Bay Area. Currently under Beta-Testing, if accepted  shoppers can order unlimited same-day delivery of goods from Target, Walgreens, Toys R Us, American Eagle, Staples, Office Depot, Blue Bottle Coffee and a local grocery store and toy store for six months, absolutely free. In basic terms as this service become available wide spread, one could buy their groceries from target.com and receive them the same day. 

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 "Handle your Digital Afterlife!" Google recently announced its upcoming “Inactive Account Manager” or "Death Settings" which handles how the information on your Google Account will be handled after your passing. According to the next web, "Users choose a timeout period of either 3 months, 6 months, 9 months or a year, after which point the account becomes inactive. Up to 10 people can be notified that the account is inactive, and the tool can also be setup so that all of the user’s Google-related data is sent to them for safekeeping. These contacts can choose to save any or all of the user’s data from the following services; +1s, Blogger, Contacts and Circles, Drive; Gmail, Google+ Profiles, Pages and Streams, Picasa Web Albums, Google Voice and YouTube"

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Lawmakers in West Virginia seek to ban Google Glass on the Road

Lawmakers are already seeking to make laws that ban the use of Google Glass while driving your car. The bill that was proposed in West Virginia was introduced by Republican Gary G. Howell. Howell stated, "when I choose to use the Google Glass and cross the center-line of the road because I'm reading a text, then my actions affect someone else." One of the spoken oppositions on the bill is the fact that with Google Glass all the information that one would normal pick-up their phone to see, will be hands-free with Google Glass. 

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New York City will begin installing interactive "On The Go" subway kiosks that will assist tourists in getting from station to station. According to the Verge, "Tapping any subway station will immediately chart out the best route of getting there, and the kiosks — designed in conjunction with Control Group — will count down to a train's arrival and list any delays or outages commuters should be aware of, The units will contain video cameras and microphones as well, tools that could be enabled in emergency situations for two-way chatter" 

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3-D Printing has been rapidly developing recently with full car being made via Printing, Building, and about anything you could think of. The most recent development is now in the Medical Field with a un-named patient having had 75% of his skull replaced by a custom made 3-D printed skull. According to news.com.au, "The company says about 500 people in the US could make use of the technology each month, with recipients ranging from injured construction workers through to wounded soldiers."  Source

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Socialmatic, the Instagram Camera, is in development with a targeted release for 2014. The socialmatic is a digital camera that takes cues from Instagram. When you take a photo you can share it to the usual social media site, but it can also print the picture right then and there in physical form. According to the Verge, "Socialmatic says its camera will arrive with WiFi and 3G connectivity along with 16GB of storage, but hasn't revealed any firm specs regarding its lens or sensor."  A promo video was released and can be found: HERE 

Sources: 1 , 2

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3-D Printing is becoming the newest trend in the future of production. Almost anything can be made via 3-D printing and now cars have become one of them. According to Tech Crunch, "The Urbee 2 is a three-wheeled hybrid assembled entirely from parts spat out of 3D printers" The development of the Urbee further solidifies the importance and relevance of 3D printing. 

Sources: 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 (<----- What is 3D Printing)

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Apple recently submitted a new patent that "describes a magnetic stand which would be able to hold the iPad firmly in place in a number of different settings, and perform various functions....mounting uses include a tripod, treadmill, music stand, and wireless communication/combination between two iPads" 

This new patent would broaden the uses of the iPad and change ones entertainment experience while in their Vehicle. 

Source: 1 , 2

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Google plans to officially release Google Glass to the public by the end of 2013 for lower than $1,500. It is also possible to obtain the product earlier by going to the official Google Glass site, here. As quoted by Geekosystem, "Tell them on Twitter or Google+ why you’d be a great Google Glass guinea pig and just $1500 later you will be the envy of your friends." Also to remember to place the hastag, #ifihadglass. 

Sources: 1 , 2 , 3 

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Google recently released a video, demonstrating not all but various different uses of the Google Glass. By showing off the camera, various data uses, and how it will look to use the Google Glass, Google has effectively begun the hype for their future product. 

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Spotify in Talks with making Free Service Available on Smartphone

Spotify is currently negotiating with major music labels to lower royalty payments. If their negotiation is successful then Spotify would be able to branch out their free service. Traditionally Spotify is only free to use on a computer, and one must pay to use it across all other devices. 

According to the Verge, "About 70 percent of Spotify’s revenues pays music-licensing fees while another 20 percent covers customer acquisition, these sources said." 

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$150 Self-Driving Car Kit in Production

According to gizmodo, "RobotCar, a tricked out Nissan Leaf, is a project currently under development by researchers at the University of Oxford." The researches at Oxford's goal is to make the tech/kit as cheap at $150. The way it would work, is as you drive to different routes the kit would learn the route and be able to drive to the destination on it's own.

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Video of Polyton's Prototype

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Transparent Smartphones Now a Possibility?!

Taiwan-based Polytron Technologies is trying to a transparent smartphone reality. While it's not something that will be happening anytime soon, the possibility of such a thing is even closer thanks to Polytron's prototype. 

According to the verge, "Polytron's prototype is its so-called Switchable Glass technology — a conductive OLED that uses liquid crystal molecules to display images. When the phone is powered off, these molecules form a white cloudy composition, but once activated with electric current (flowing through transparent wires), they realign to form text, icons, or other imagery. In its finished state, the phone would feature dual-sided multi-touch displays (front and back), raising new possibilities for OS and UI design."

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Google's latest product that they have been developing the Google Glass, has has some recent news. Supposedly the sounds produced from the pair of tech glass will be vibrations sent straight through your skull using a new technique called "bone conduction". This will allow the wearer to be aware of the sounds in their surroundings. For those unaware of their new project, there will be a link below of the prototype/concept video. 

Project Glass: One Day

Source: 1

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Paypal has announced that Paypal will be coming to a local gas and convince store near you due to a "collaboration with Gilbarco Veeder-Root, the leader in gas station check-out." With the use of your smart phone you can checkout goods and gas using your personal paypal account. This furthers the recent pushes to digitize payment options at various retail locations. 

As quoted from Paypal, "This collaboration will enable retailers to connect more effectively with customers, and will simplify the way people pay for gas or pick-up their favorite candy bar at convenience stores."

While not something that seems entirely necessary it is a step in the right direction, as physical mediums become de-materialized.  

Source: 1