New Kindle a fast performance monster
Apple iMessage
NUMEROUS clients have been complaining about a disruption to their iMessage service on iPhone iOS 7. Apple is readying an update for release next week. iOS 7.0.3 will correct a few minor issues plus the iMessage errors everyone has been experiencing for the past week and a half.
Windows 8
Microsoft has made good on its promise to bring back the Windows start button. They are also giving users the option of starting Windows in desktop view instead of being met with a plethora of programme tiles. Microsoft will release these and other features on October 17, with Windows 8.1.
Amazon Kindle refresh
Amazon continues to innovate in the tablet and e-reader space. Amazon’s new Kindle Fire HDX 7 is a performance monster that speeds through functions at a frantic pace. The screen is impressively sharp and the small light design is comfy for reading books. A new support feature called Mayday provides personal and near-instant customer service. The only downside is that digital content such as movies and music is still not officially available for local consumption. And, as if Amazon founder Jeff Bezos hasn’t been busy enough bringing the newest Kindle to market, he has just completed his acquisition of the US’s most loved newspaper, the Washington Post.
US government down
If you think protestors downing tools in South Africa is bad, imagine the poor folk in the US trying to gain access to vital information on important websites. Sites linked to organisations such as the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, NASA, USA Jobs, the National Security Agency, the National Park Service, the US Department of Education and the Library of Congress have all been offline this week due to a “government shutdown” over Congress’s failure to pass legislation to fund the government. Without official funding these bodies are all in limbo as the US government gets its house in order.
Trending
Apple may be using a flexible OLED display for its long-rumoured “iWatch”, according to numerous international sources. Samsung and others have already released their own versions of a watch that communicates with smartphones. It will be interesting to see Apple’s take on wearable technology.
Bill Gates
Bill Gates spends an amazing amount of time and money in the developing world, trying to find solutions to everyday problems such as Aids, sustainable energy and education. Famous as the founder of Microsoft, Gates may end up being better known for his work as a philanthropist. He has penned some really fascinating and inspiring articles on his site www.thegatesnotes.com I would urge everyone to pay the site a visit and get a global perspective on matters that have far-reaching consequences for us all. And in my own challenge to all of you, see if you can spend more time looking in your loved one’s eyes this weekend instead of at your cellphone screen.
Bradley Millar is a technology adviser and founder of futureTECH – offering personal support in the Port Elizabeth area. Visit www.bradleymillar.com