Weekly Recap: Google’s Pixel MIA, new logo for Moz, quasi keyless Tesla, @POTUS transfer, etc.
Google’s Pixel MIA
When launched last October, Google’s Pixel phone was enthusiastically received by both the general public and the press, who rated it best Android phone on the market. Unfortunately, it’s incredibly difficult to lay ones hands on it. Some models, like the 128GB Google Pixel XL, haven’t been spotted in stores since late November. Orders placed today through Verizon, Google’s exclusive distributor in the U.S., will be filled… in March. Unless they had their heart set on the Pixel, many consumers will no doubt go for their fall-back choice, like the iPhone or Galaxy S7. Google and its partner, HTC, are masters at making great products, but could apprentice with Apple and Samsung about production and logistics.
⇨ The Verge, “Google is doing a terrible job at shipping its Pixel smartphones.”
New logo for moz://a
Mozilla has revealed its new logo after polling the community on seven potential graphic identities. The winner was the “Protocol”, probably the least daring of the seven proposals. The result sheds some doubt on the merits of “open design”, as the consultation process was termed by the foundation. Besides, many users may not get it, since the “http://” prefix no longer appears in the url bar of most current browsers. A logo chosen by nerds for nerds.
⇨ Ars Technica, “Mozilla ditches the dinosaur, unveils new branding only a nerd could love.”
Tesla, the quasi keyless car
Even Tesla Model S drivers should carry car keys: investor and entrepreneur Ryan Negri learned this the hard way in the desert near Las Vegas. Having used the Tesla app to start the car at home, he hadn’t brought his keys. But on the road, he pulled over to readjust the dog seat for his two Golden Retrievers, Mozy and Millie, and found that he was unable to start the car again. Negri had stopped in a signal desert, where his phone was unable to communicate with the car to start it. His wife Amy had to walk 3 km down the road until she was within signal reach to call a friend, get a ride home and bring back the keys. Maybe Teslas need a facial recognition feature, like the new Faraday Future 91 FF, another keyless entry car.
⇨ Mashable, “Tesla owner gets stranded in the desert after relying on phone to start the car.”
Compute Module 3
The Raspberry Pi Compute Module has just gotten a big upgrade. Now equipped with the same processor as the Raspberry Pi 3, the Broadcom BCM2837 SoC, the module runs 10 times faster. The Compute Module is in fact a miniaturized Raspberry Pi (67.6x31mm), stripped down to essentials (i.e. without an I/O board), which fits into a standard SODIMM connector, making it particulary well-suited for embedded applications. The CM3 is already being used by NEC displays. Available to the general public through MCM, in limited quantities, for US$30.
⇨ Ars Technica, “Raspberry Pi upgrades Compute Module with 10 times the CPU performance.”
@POTUS Transfer
Immediately after Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th president of the United States, he gained another prestigious title: @POTUS. The Obama administration handed over the Twitter handles for official accounts like @POTUS, @FLOTUS, @VP, @WhiteHouse and @PressSec to the incoming Trump administration today in the first Twitter transfer of power in U.S. history. The accounts for Trump's team start fresh. All of the tweets from the previous administration were removed and archived on a set of newly created accounts, including @POTUS44. Donald Trump will inherit the 13.5 millions of @POTUS’s followers.
⇨ CNN, “Twitter transfer of power: Trump gets @POTUS.”
⇨ Recode, Laura I. Gómez and Ellen K. Pao, “Dear @Jack: It’s time to suspend Donald Trump from Twitter.”
