Untitled

Missouri Technology News January 27 2015 #STLTech

Missouri Technology News January 27 2015

Published on Jan 26, 2015 Among the headlines in this week’s technology news: tech company to locate HQ in St. Louis.

To find out more about what’s happening in technology in Missouri visit missouritechnology.com; ded.mo.gov/infotech or ded.mo.gov/bio

Missouri Technology News January 20 2015 #STLTech

Missouri Technology News January 20, 2015

Published on Jan 19, 2015 Among the headlines in this week’s technology news: St. Louis startup accelerator raises over $1 million, St. Louis entrepreneur named to Forbes 30 under 30, and Kansas City kicks off LaunchKC.

To find out more about what’s happening in technology in Missouri visit…

Missouri Technology News January 13, 2015

Missouri Technology News January 13, 2015

Published on Jan 12, 2015 Among the headlines in this week’s technology news: St. Louis startup accelerator raises over $1 million, St. Louis entrepreneur named to Forbes 30 under 30, and Kansas City kicks off LaunchKC.

To find out more about what’s happening in technology in Missouri visit…

Missouri Technology News January 6, 2015

Published on Jan 5, 2015 Among the headlines in this week’s technology news: , St. Louis one of five U.S. cities gaining traction as key technology hub.

To find out more about what’s happening in technology in Missouri visit missouritechnology.com; ded.mo.gov/infotech or ded.mo.gov/bio

Special thanks to Amy Susan for the creation of…

http://www.podbean.com/media/player/audio/postId/5443987/url/http%253A%252F%252Fdangerouslysmart.podbean.com%252Fe%252Fepisode-41-new-year-new-tech%252F/initByJs/1/auto/1

Season 2 Episode 1 – New Year, New Tech Hey everyone!

Happy New Year and welcome back to the Dangerously Smart podcast!

Much has happened during this first week of the year. CES 2015 has us wishing we were all independently…

In light of recent hacks during Thanksgiving and now Christmas, I thought it appropriate to do a guide on how to arm your Microsoft account with a second layer of protection called “Two Step Verification”. That second layer is not bullet proof but it sure does make it a lot harder to get through to your precious account. You know, the one that holds all your information about you, your bank and…

Let us see what the Merriam Webster Dictionary gives as their answer of what the term “Nexus” means.

As you can see, the Merriam Webster Dictionary defines Nexus as a relationship or connection between people or things. As we all know, out smartphones are our way to communicate with others. Whether we see these people on a regular basis in person, or know people via the internet, we are constantly making connections with people.

What Google has attempted to do with their Nexus line of smartphones is to help people use Android to make connections with others in the most simple way possible.

Power up a Nexus device, and you will see Android as Google originally intended it to be. Gone are the large clocks & weather widgets other OEMs such as Samsung & HTC are known for putting front and center on the main homescreen.

On board are just a very default set of Google branded apps pre-installed that will get you going.

Dare I say that a Nexus device is an Android version of the iPhone?

You also can expect to be running the latest version of Android with the latest features much sooner that what you typically get from other OEMs. Motorola is the exception here since they have been working closely with Google for the last few years as Google owned Motorola Mobility.

As you see below, this is what you get on the Nexus 6 if you purchase it unlocked from either the Google Play Store or direct from Motorola.

You will find no such thing on a Nexus device as “skins” like Touchwiz or Sense from Samsung & HTC respectively, in which they load up their own devices with numerous pieces of software that the average user ends up not using or really even want on their phone.

Google knows that users of Android devices want choice to customize their phone to their hearts desire, hence why they are using an Android device over say an iPhone or Windows Phone. They also realize that there are plenty of apps available for users to install that can give them a similar visual experience as if they were to purchase the latest Samsung, HTC, LG or Sony device.

In the past, Google has partnered with pretty much every major OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) to create their yearly Nexus smartphone release as seen below:

Nexus One by HTC – released in January 2010

Nexus S by Samsung – released in December 2010

Galaxy Nexus by Samsung – released in November 2011

Nexus 4 by LG – released in November 2012

Nexus 5 by LG – released in October 2013

Nexus 6 by Motorola – released in November 2014

Each Nexus device released with the latest version of Android available at the time, and received updates as long as the hardware would support it. The Nexus One, S and Galaxy Nexus no longer receive official updates from Google, but that has not stopped many talented people from trying to get newer versions running on the older hardware.

Traditionally, Google has released their Nexus devices at a much lower off-contract price than other smartphones with similar hardware often making them the best value for the money.

The Nexus 6 marks the first time that a Nexus device was released with a price similar to the latest offerings from Samsung, HTC, LG and Motorola. But Google also has brought the Nexus 6 to each major mobile carrier for the first time as well and is available on 2 year contracts or monthly payment plans though at the moment of this writing, Verizon still is not carrying it, but you can purchase one from either the Google Play Store or direct from Motorola and use on their network.

There are also not only Nexus smartphones, but tablets as well ranging in size over the years from 7 inch displays all the way up to 10 inch displays. These have also been made by different OEMs depending on the size of it as seen below.

Nexus 7 (2012) – Asus

Nexus 7 (2013) – Asus

Nexus 9 (2014) – HTC

Nexus 10 (2012) – Samsung

You can now even purchase a Nexus branded media player simply called the Nexus Player to hook up to your TV similar to a Roku or Kindle Fire TV so you can stream Netflix & other services or play games right there in your living room or wherever else you like to watch TV.

Future of Nexus devices

Curious as to what the future may bring for the Nexus line? You are definitely not alone in wondering what that answer will be.

Will the rumors of early 2014 in which people thought Google would axe the Nexus line actually come true?

That obviously remains to be seen, but with the Nexus 6 currently still evading customers hands by often being so difficult to find, I would think that Google will not do away with it just yet. There are just too many people that would likely grab the torches & pitchforks and make their way to the Mountain View campus in California in protest.

Could the Nexus line be improved? There is always room for improvement of course, the biggest improvement would be supply issues. With the Nexus 6, you are getting some of the greatest technology available in a smartphone today. Sure there are little quirks, but there are some with pretty much every device on the market.

By working with each of the carriers now, maybe there will be more people that walk into their local mobile store, see the Nexus and wonder what it is all about and gets that conversation started with “regular users”.

It is no secret that if you were to walk around and ask 100 random people what device they think of first when they hear Android, the large majority of them will answer Galaxy. I would love to see Google put more effort into their marketing of the Nexus line to help spread the word. Some people need the bells & whistles that other OEMs put into their devices, but most do not.

I would also like to see Google release two Nexus smartphones each year to cater to people who like large screen devices like myself & those who prefer a 5 inch smartphone. I understand large devices do not work for everyone, so in keeping with the Nexus idea of choice, maybe release a large device from one manufacturer and a smaller one from a different OEM would be something Google should look into.

There have been past releases of Google Play Edition (GPE) versions of the Samsung Galaxy S4, HTC One M7 & M8 smartphones running pure Android, but unless you really know to look on the Google Play Store you would not even know they existed.

  Conclusion

Sometimes less is more, and in the case of the Nexus line of smartphones, it can ring very true for people. It is a shame that more people are not aware of the Nexus line. You put a Galaxy S5 into someone who is unfamiliar with the Android platform and you can understand why it can be overwhelming for them and they stick with something simpler like an iPhone.

But if you were to put a Nexus device with a stock Android experience on it in their hands and I like to believe that the response would be much different.

I hope I was able to inform you a bit on what makes a Nexus device a great choice for people, that is what this site and our show is all about after all.

Thank you for reading, and please leave your thoughts & comments down below or catch up with me on Twitter at @KevinHarvell.

Happy Holidays everyone and welcome to STL Tech Talk’s first ever holiday gift guide! Our very own Brad Whiteside & future bride-to-be, have rounded up a bunch of super sweet last minute gift ideas for just about anyone on your list. I’m going to break them up into different categories so it is easier to navigate and if you have any gift suggestions, please let us know!

  Techie Trinkets

First up…

Why PS4 needs to play catch up to the Xbox One

It has been one year since both consoles have launched and a lot has changed since we first knew of their existence.

From special events to E3, launch to present, a lot of games have made huge debuts.

Likewise, apps have also been a big player in both consoles. The problem is only one console is getting all the apps, and if we have learned anything from mobile computing, it is that the platform…

We had the opportunity to sit down and talk with the organizers of the Parkway Spark! student entrepreneur program in the Parkway school district in west St. Louis county.

In this audio only episode of the STLTechTalk Podcast, we bring you this compilation of interviews with the above mentioned organizers of the Parkway Spark! program, Jennifer Stanfill & Xanthe Meyer. We also have a pair of…

Sure there are some people who want to drudge up the whole Apple vs Samsung patent lawsuits and debate whom stole from whom., but we are not here to talk about that.

What we are here to do however, is discuss the latest device from Samsung, the Galaxy Note 4.

The Galaxy Note 4 that I will be reviewing here is on loan from our friends at Verizon Wireless, so go ahead and grab a drink and we will get started. It is ok, I can wait a few minutes.

Back? Alright, let’s get started with our review of the Galaxy Note 4!

  First Impressions

It is no secret that I am a fan of devices with larger displays and the Galaxy Note 4 is no different. The Note series was one of, if not the first to feature the larger displays that helped bring the “Phablet” to the mainstream.

The Galaxy Note 4 is no different.

When I first opened the packaging and took a look at the Note 4, I happily noticed that they went with the metal band around the outer edges of the phone like they used on the Samsung Galaxy Alpha we reviewed earlier this year.

    The band gives the device a much more premium feel than the plastic band used on the Galaxy S5 and last years Galaxy Note 3. Here is to hoping that they continue using it on future devices as well.

Speaking of build quality, Samsung has really done a tremendous job with the Note 4. It is a very solid device that makes you completely forget they were behind the Galaxy S 3. The removable battery cover fits so well that you really have to look closely to know for sure that it is removable. Also to be mentioned regarding the battery cover, gone is the fake stitching design from last year and thank goodness for that. It was a horrible idea.

The back still has that fake leather look & feel to it, but it is a much more nice feeling than in the past.

Display wise, the 5.7 inch QuadHD SuperAMOLED display is simply stunning. Very vibrant and colorful with plenty of brightness to spare that makes whatever you are doing on it a wonderful visual experience. I had no issues viewing the display outdoors in sunlight or any other situations and might even say it is the best display I have ever looked at on a smartphone.

    Specifications

For those of you who like the specs of devices, this section will be right up your alley. As you can see, pretty much the best of the best when it comes to hardware as Samsung has loaded the Note 4 up.

  5.7 inch QuadHD display with SuperAMOLED technology that has a 2560×1440 resolution and 515 PPI (pixels per inch)

2.7GHz Snapdragon 805 Quad-core CPU

3GB RAM

32GB internal storage

micro SD card support up to 128GB

3,220 mAh battery with Fast Charging technology

16 MP rear camera with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) and records 4K video

3.7 MP front facing camera with f/1.9 aperture

S Pen included

Finger scanner & heart rate monitor

  Experiences

Enough about the first impressions and specs, how does it perform in real world scenarios?

As mentioned before regarding the display, watching videos & playing games were a visual treat. Audio sadly is a bit of a disappointment though. Samsung has placed the external speaker on the read of the  Note 4 again, which leaves you scratching your head because they were able to place it on the bottom of the Galaxy Alpha.

So with a similar design, the Note 4 is pretty much a supersized & supercharged Alpha it appears to us outsiders that Samsung could have located the speaker at the bottom to get more sound from it. Must have been the S Pen that forced their hand here.

Speaking of the S Pen, this is what sets the Note series apart from other smartphones and makes it a favorite for business users who like to quickly jot down handwritten notes. Obviously you can use it to draw pictures, or clip selections from images for sharing, but you can also use it to navigate through the device. If you have used an S Pen before, you will be right at home with this version.

    As high powered as the Note 4 is hardware wise, I was a bit surprised to experience a bit of hesitation when swiping through the home screens. It is not that the device was unusable, that is hardly the case. It just did not move as fluid as I expected with this hardware. Could it be Touchwiz causing the issue? It would not be the first time as it typically takes Samsung at least one update to get things running smoothly on their devices.

Ran a few benchmarks to compare it to the Nexus 6, which has nearly identical internals, and was surprised to see the results which you can see below.

      As you can see above, the Note 4 came back the leader in the single core test whereas the Nexus 6 took the multi core lead. Not sure why the differences here as the hardware is nearly identical with the same CPU, GPU and amount of RAM.

Battery life is such a big factor for me and the Note 4 did not disappoint. You can really spend some time with it and have some battery left over. Not quite Droid Turbo-esque in stamina, but you will be pleased with the results.

As I mentioned in the specs for the battery, the Galaxy Note 4 supports Fast Charging which is similar to what Motorola calls Turbo Charging. This is a very useful feature because it can charge your device extremely fast. In 30 minutes, I could charge the Note 4 from 16% to approximately 60% so that can definitely help in a pinch.

I am always disappointed in devices that cannot match the battery life on the Nokia Lumia 1520, but the display makes up the majority of the difference here. A nice 1080p display would have likely turned this into a nearly 2 day phone. At the very least a day and a half for my typical use cases.

Again, Samsung has included the ability for you to unlock the Note 4 by swiping your finger at the bottom of the display. Still a nice idea, but just never seems to work very well from my attempts to use it.

You also get the ability to control your TV’s and other entertainment units with the Note 4 and its built in IR blaster. I would use this quite a bit if I owned a device with this tech. It is just another nice little perk of the technology.

    Camera

As smartphone hardware get more & more advanced, the camera technology that Samsung is using in the Note 4 is some of the best you will find in a mobile device. With a 16MP rear facing camera with Optical Imaging Stabilization (OIS), you can get some wonderful shots.

(Click to enlarge photos)

  Heck I even won a photo contest over on Android Central using this phone!

Videos turned out nice as well, even when shooting indoors in lower light situations. The audio actually sounded good in the videos I shot of a band that was playing live.

The 3.7MP front facing camera also takes some surprisingly good photos & videos, so if you are one to take a lot of selfies, you are all set with the Note 4.

  Conclusion

If you are someone whose life & career requires you to need the most powerful, complete mobile device that fits in your pocket or purse, then the Galaxy Note 4 is one you need to give some serious attention to.

Sure the iPhone 6+ is big and loaded up, and is more you may not even be one to use the S Pen too often like me, but you really should give the latest in the Note series a look.

You are getting wonderful battery life, a solid camera and plenty of bells & whistles to either use or not use, at least they are there to choose from.

I am happy to say that Samsung has really stepped up their build quality here with the Note 4. The Note 3 from last year was a fine device in its own right, but the Note 4 is on a entirely new level physically.

We would like to thank Verizon Wireless for lending us this Note 4.

Not on Verizon? You can also pick one up on AT&T, T-Mobile or Sprint as well but be prepared to pay the premium for it as it will run you $299 on 2 year contract.

http://www.podbean.com/media/player/audio/postId/5412340/url/http%253A%252F%252Fdangerouslysmart.podbean.com%252Fe%252Fepisode-39-almost-the-end-of-the-2014%252F/initByJs/1/auto/1

Hey there Dangerously Smart listeners!

We’re here once again to bring you the next great installment of the Dangerously Smart podcast. This go round we give you our views on some of the games coming up in the 2015…

Missouri Technology News December 16, 2014

Missouri Technology News December 16, 2014

Published on Dec 15, 2014 Among the headlines in this week’s technology news:Washington University’s Genome Institute receives endowment and St. Louis prosper accelerator helping women-led start ups..

To find out more about what’s happening in technology in Missouri visit…

Finding issues with OneDrive

Finding issues with OneDrive

One of the biggest issues with OneDrive is that from time to time you can not upload files. This is a killer problem. I was trying to upload some work for the site and could not because OneDrive would not recognize that I was on the internet. My first thought was that there was an error with the files that I was attempting to upload. I first changed the file format…

http://www.podbean.com/media/player/audio/postId/5403833/url/http%253A%252F%252Fdangerouslysmart.podbean.com%252Fe%252Fepisode-38-1418129232%252F/initByJs/1/auto/1

Episode 38 – The Playstation Experience

Hey everyone!

Welcome back once more to one of the most entertaining places on the net! We here at Dangerously Smart want to say thanks for coming by and listening when we upload our newest…

Published on Dec 8, 2014 Among the headlines in this week’s technology news:St. Louis is now home to a new biotech business incubator and a St. Louis genomic services firm launches a spinoff.

To find out more about what’s happening in technology in Missouri visit missouritechnology.com; ded.mo.gov/infotech or ded.mo.gov/bio

Special…

Missouri Technology News December 2, 2014m

Published on Dec 1, 2014 Among the headlines in this week’s technology news: partnership formed to support mobile health startups and a St. Louis co working space forms marketing partnership

To find out more about what’s happening in technology in Missouri visit missouritechnology.com; ded.mo.gov/infotech or ded.mo.gov/bio

Special…