Showing posts with label Google. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Google. Show all posts

Monday, January 10, 2022

Recent Presentation and the Upside.

1st Things first. Whatever you buy or sell is on you. 

I know this is read by other people, but it started as a place for me to keep my notes and not lose them -- and that's largely what it still is, and I haven't been keeping as up on things as I used to.

Posts are rare now, largely because there are a lot more eyes on Microvision than there used to be and you can see a lot of discussion, references and new information on the r/mvis reddit board... 


  • The most valuable part of MicroVision is the Near Eye display. 
    • As much as the focus of the investing public is on LiDAR, don't forget this.
    •  it's big enough that I think that LiDAR could serve its primary function as a distraction.
    • Apple / Barrons -- AR device 4th Quarter 2022. (Ming-Chi Kuo rarely gets things wrong.)
      • "Apple will launch an augmented-reality headset in the fourth quarter of 2022, and could sell more than a billion of the new devices over the next 10 years, one analyst asserted in a research note Friday."
    • Replace All Screens?
  • Given 4th Quarter 2022, Near Eye Display is likely to have a breakthrough very soon.
    • Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft and other players are ALL working on Augmented Reality technology and content.
    • MicroVision has BEST near eye display solution in the world. 
    • The Near Eye Display could be sold as a whole at any time
    • Some other arrangement involving Near Eye Display could show up. (and value based on subscriptions -- would be most profitable for us. (Look at the Beats post, and the Microvision presentation to see that.)
  • Companies desperate for AR.... will be REALLY good for Microvision Stockholders       
  • The number of subscriptions that can be sold with AR devices is ENORMOUS. If we have the value proposition for near eye display changing to emulate the way the value proposition has just been modified for LiDAR as illustrated in the recent Microvision LiDAR presentation.... then.... we will do really well.


  • Microsoft has gotten HUGE increases in productivity with Hololens, and AR Games... will be gigantic.

I believe they are quiet about the near eye display on purpose and for strategic reasons.. (NDA, deal underway.... negotiating tactic.... )

As Snow tells me... the elephant in the room named Ned...

Regarding the presentation.....


The presentation was about LiDAR, and a new way to monetize it. That's a pretty good reason that they talked only about LiDAR.

  • The Microvision presentation changed no timelines...
  • The Presentation described a means of increasing revenue with LiDAR


Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Race to Replace Smart Phones

Got the heads up on this from a couple of different sources last night and this morning.

This is where we are.


Given that Microsoft is shipping... it will be happening sooner than CNBC thinks.

CNBC

Fox News


The video is from Fox news.... I've had trouble getting it to play.

****

****



Most of the biggest names in Big Tech are racing to create smart glasses that we wear everywhere and that may replace our phones.

Microsoft, Amazon, Google, Snap, Facebook Apple, Magic Leap and others are all working on some form of smart glasses or headset that will change how we view the world around us. Instead of pulling a phone out of our pockets to talk to people or interact with apps, we may do these things simply by speaking to, and looking through, a set of glasses.

There’s a race to be the first to make a set of glasses that everyone will wear, which means they have to be fashionable and sleek enough to wear all day and everywhere you go. Advocates of the technology hope that you’ll one day be able to replace every screen in your life with just one pair of smart glasses.

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Cool. 
This is done with the camera so far.

If you want to use gesture control in a room... or in a room with multiple people then you're going to need a high-resolution LiDAR to pick up the gestures accurately and distinguish between people who should be able to control the smart house and those who shouldn't be able to.




Google Gesture Control




More and more, tech companies are leaning on AI to solve the equation for AR wearables in terms of form factor and functionality. Even Microsoft is blending the AI approach of ARKit and ARcore in detecting surfaces for the new scene understanding capabilities of the HoloLens 2. The software approach could be the key in arriving at smartglasses that are slim enough to wear every day instead of just in the comfort of the user's home or office.

Monday, July 8, 2019

Pixel 4


XDA Developers

Air Gestures

Perhaps the most interesting Pixel 4 leak we’ve seen is the possible use of air gestures, operating the device without having to touch the display. Google’s Project Soli radar chip was first introduced in 2015 at Google I/O, then demonstrated in action working on prototype smartwatch and smart speakers the following year. Indications surfaced in June that this chip might finally be ready for prime time since “skip” and “silence” (mute) media playback gestures are being worked on in Android Q that would require the support of such a chip for the phone to be “aware” of when the user makes such a gesture. While mainline Android Q seems to have a rather limited implementation for exploiting the capabilities of this radar chip, I have no doubt that the development community will come up with some more interesting uses.

I'm really busy, haven't even had a chance to watch this.

Monday, May 27, 2019

A story that can now be told

I attended a presentation during the last half of 2018, which resulted in a very interesting exchange. I haven't shared the story of it with more than a few people and then over the phone or in person. 

At some point during the last half of 2018, I attended a presentation hosted by an employee of a Seattle Tier One company. 
The presentation was about creating applications for a family of devices, and given primarily to independent developers.
At the end of the presentation there was a call for questions: a number of interesting questions were asked, and several were asking for details about upcoming features. Each of the questions about new features received the same response: "I'm sorry, I can't comment on any upcoming features." 

The same answer, each time, even if the potential feature would be relatively mundane and not particularly exciting.

After the third such response, I kept my hand down, knowing that my question would NOT be answered.

When all of the official presentation was complete, I realized that I did have a question that could be answered.

I approached the presenter, listened to the other people with additional questions, and when I had my chance I said, "I had a question that I know you can't answer, so I won't ask, but I have another one." 

As I took a breath to ask the good question, I heard: "That's okay, try me." 

"Okay" I said, "So when is this device getting the interactive laser display?"

The physical response to this was significant: shock, perhaps a little fear -- a definite recognition.

"You're right, I can't confirm or deny any such thing."

It appeared I'd struck a nerve, and I gave some reassurance afterwards that I wouldn't try to lay any verbal traps or tricks, and I wouldn't push for an answer. 

I never told the story here because I thought it could possibly jeopardize this person's position and future.

Recently, I contacted this person and asked if it was okay if I told the story now. A memory refresher was required, but the event was definitely remembered. "Ah, but I never confirmed or denied anything." -- and... "as long as you don't mention my name!"

So, I interpreted a reaction, which I think often speak pretty loudly. 


This person was adamant -- nothing was confirmed or denied, and DON'T USE MY NAME.

Wednesday, May 8, 2019

Product Adoption...

Very few of even the Microvision investors I talk to have actually tried 3D computing.

If you read this and haven't tried it yet, go to your nearest Microsoft store and try something 3D.


Will it be successful? It has to be. It's just better in every way...

How successful will large screens (and large interactive screens) with a tiny form factor and extremely low power consumption be? (very popular)

How successful will a scanning LiDAR be, that can identify friendly people and unlock at your front door sometimes and lock it at others? It can help with security, and with all kinds of automation?


  • Large screens, tiny form factor
  • Large interactive screens, tiny form factor
  • Scanning LiDAR (for security, automation, mapping, self driving vehicles)
  • Near Eye displays for 3D computing.

Key components for multiple emerging technologies... How successful can that be?

Probably as successful as cameras have been... 


I'm going to hang on to my shares in this company for a long time... 

Tuesday, May 7, 2019

Nothing to Save the Smart phone market?

Thanks Joe

Then again, some of us know better than that.


Business Insider -- more at the source.




Others, like Samsung, Huawei, and Motorola, are forging ahead in the smartphone market, with bets that new technologies like high-speed 5G wireless internet and foldable screens will entice people to upgrade. Samsung alone is expected to ship this year a 5G-compatible version of the Samsung Galaxy S10, as well as the delayed Galaxy Fold foldable smartphone.

***********************
Companies including Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, Samsung, Google-backed startup Magic Leap, and even "Fortnite" developer Epic Games all consider AR to be the next great computing interface. Microsoft and Magic Leap already have AR goggles on the market, with Apple said to be working on "smart glasses" that could be unveiled as soon as this year.
It's pretty clear that all of these companies are looking to AR as the next big gold rush in tech, following the slow stagnation of the smartphone industry.
They may be right — it's hard to imagine it not happening, given the sheer scale of the investment that every company is making in the market.

Sunday, April 21, 2019

3D Personal Assistant?

This is entirely possible, and I'd be very surprised if this isn't on the radar of Amazon and Google as well.

I have experienced this in person and the effect is stunning -- 2D video of it really can't do it justice.

Their promo video might be a joke... but a 3D display in a personal assistant is completely possible -- and very likely to become a reality.

Follow the Reddit/MVIS post...



Remember -- Microvision has already been part of a working 3D projector.





NVIDIA RON (Holographic Personal Assistant)

Hololamp Videos (this blog)






Monday, April 15, 2019

Microsoft Presentation....

I must admit I've only watched part of this so far...

99%+ confidence that MVIS is providing the near eye display for this device. 


3D computing is going to be bigger than PC's.

One of the most important things about this, is the statement they've made a number of times: "anyone can build their own Hololens." -- delivered in slightly different terms here. (If I remember correctly, "the democratization of mixed reality.")

This is going to be huge -- and remember both Microvision AND Hololens are almost entirely unknowns by the general public. (and the investing public!)

Microsoft expects this to be bigger than the PC. I think they are correct. In a couple of years it's going to be a different world.


Monday, April 8, 2019

3D Computing will be a GIGANTIC leap forward

Since human beings first started recording data to share they could work only in two dimensions... that's true until now, but that's changing.

We added audio and video, which helped of course, but even video is two dimensional. We can fake it, but it's not that useful, and you still need to be anchored to a chair to use it -- sort of. (With smartphones and tablet computers,  you can abandon the chair, and get your video or other data wherever you happen to be. PicoP display only can feature here.)

The Clay Tablet with Cuniform and the iPad, are the same in that they are two-dimensional.

The clay tablet was a huge leap forward from having to speak or demonstrate information in person at all times. That concept became much more user friendly as materials improved: first to papyrus, then paper. Then duplication improved -- scribes, the printing press, huge improvements on the printing press over centuries, then we started using electronics and duplication could happen millions of times instantly.



So, what happens now?

Doing is going to get easier. Learning is going to get a lot easier. A new teaching tool will make it possible to make people much more effective -- smarter and more capable. Which will improve life significantly for most people.

Information and entertainment could be layered everywhere.

The difference between 2D doing stuff and 3D doing stuff? I've been trying to figure out how to relay that effectively for a while now. Mostly because there aren't many good examples depicting what 3D computing will actually look like.


Auto fuel and hydraulic systems... 




If you work on cars now, you have to have developed some skills at reading schematics.. and you must have the experience of finding what is referenced on the schematic and finding it in reality... it's a significant skill set.  You get pictures like the above... that's it.

What it's depicting looks like this in reality. (Now take the picture below and put it in motion -- zooming in and out -- superimposed on the actual vehicle AS you work on it.) What was very difficult before becomes an order of magnitude easier.




That's going to be the difference.

I can't wait to learn languages with Hololens. Imagine being able to walk around and have an immensely patient teacher telling you what everything is in a foreign language all day long. What used to take years will take a month or two.

Tech companies know that this is going to be huge, and all the big tech companies are getting involved..... selling shovels to gold miners.

Teaching and learning

Thursday, February 7, 2019

IOT - Price Calculator

More than one request has been made for a price target calculator that includes smart speakers. (or for specifically smart speakers.)

This would be primarily to see the market potential of MicroVision's Interactive display.

There aren't many years of data to establish any kind of trend of only smart speakers, which makes this kind of thing problematic.

It's also too limiting. 


Many of the devices in the "Internet of things" are going to be excellent places for interactive displays: Like the smart thermostat as an example. What used to be a coil of metal with a mercury switch now has the brains of a high-end 1990's PC -- and when you can crunch that much data, it begs for a display. When you have that much intelligence on a thermostat, you can connect it to your calendar, program your days off, or set up profiles for events. Some way of programming this remotely may be common, but a way to adjust it at the source would be very useful, and desirable.

How big is the internet of things going to get? It's going to get probably gigantic, and where it goes is anyone's guess. There are a lot of strange connected devices, and nearly anything that is connected might be wanting for a screen & controller. Easier to design and manufacture than adding buttons, and complex button patterns. (Short list from the linked article: Toothbrush, flip-flops, luggage, camera for dogs, salt shaker, umbrellas, trash cans, mirror, condom(yes, sorry), toaster, liquor decanter, wine bottle, fork, etc.

Ikea is going to be launching smart blinds -- I think smart blinds are going to be very popular soon, because they could help regulate the temperature in a home, save energy, and make a place more livable.


If we take Gartner's numbers and assume that we're going to add 12 Billion smart devices in the next year.... and we get 1% adoption of smart displays in those 12 billion devices -- that could be 120 million interactive laser displays in use.

If half of them are "smart speakers" and adoption is stronger than 1% of those, the number could be much higher.


Interesting new things could appear from nowhere -- remember the smart speaker, is a very new product category, and all of a sudden everyone seems to be competing in the space. 


ZDNET

Big and getting bigger -- there are already more connected things than people in the world. Analyst Gartner calculates that around 8.4 billion IoT devices were in use in 2017, up 31 percent from 2016, and this will likely reach 20.4 billion by 2020. Total spending on IoT endpoints and services will reach almost $2tn in 2017, with two-thirds of those devices found in China, North America and Western Europe, said Gartner.
Out of that 8.4 billion devices, more than half will be consumer products like smart TVs and smart speakers. The most-used enterprise IoT devices will be smart electric meters and commercial security cameras, according to Gartner.



Wednesday, February 6, 2019

Upgrade Cycle at hand

I've been watching for a couple of days the rather rare event of Apple products being discounted. They do this when an upgrade cycle is at hand. Interesting, and something to watch, but that's about all.

For all of these companies to be offering discounts simultaneously -- that's even more interesting.

It's possible that they all over-produced these devices and they need to reduce inventory, or that they're trying to increase adoption. But the market for these devices isn't shrinking, it's growing rapidly.

But it looks to me like there's a new feature coming, and they're making room.


When I've talked to the people at Amazon stores, and other places that sell them, the common response is that almost always the second speaker someone buys is a speaker with a screen.


Digital Trends

Choosing what smart home products are right for you is really about choosing the right voice assistant. With Amazon Echo, Google Home, and Apple HomePod all using separate assistants, it can be difficult to decide which one is right for you. On the one hand, Amazon Alexa offers a huge range of integration. There are tons of smart plugs, smart bulbs, TVs, cars, and microwaves that work with Alexa — making it the most widely integrated of the three. On the other hand, though Google Assistant is still a bit behind, a lot of people prefer interactions with this A.I. over Alexa.

Whether you’re in the market for an Echo or a Google Home smart speaker, the price is likely going to end up playing a big role in your purchasing decision. Amazon and Walmart are both offering generous discounts on smart home bundles, speakers, and displays right now. With discounts up to $65, now is a great time to add a little extra smart to your home.

Tuesday, January 29, 2019

A True Rival to Apple's Face ID

As I read this, it reminds me a lot of how a smart home was described in a Microvision conference call...

As predicted.... watch the developers.

Tom's Guide - Google making a true rival to Apple Face ID

There’s also an option for multiple profiles, so several users could be detected by a single device and get their own personalized searches and recommendations, once they’d set themselves up on the device, if Google’s existing Voice Match technology is anything to go by.
On a similar note, code divers examining Android Q, the successor to Android Pie that’s currently released to developers on a limited basis, found code relating to scanning faces. (XDA, via Engadget).
Much like Apple’s FaceID, this would give Android devices the ability to use face recognition for multiple security uses, like unlocking the phone, or authorizing purchases via apps.

The presence of relevant code in the Google app also means this will apply to smart home technology as well, whether you’re using a phone or a smart hub with a camera as your control method. We should know more come Google I/O 2019, which kicks off May 7.

Wednesday, December 12, 2018

TESLA & AR Claiming some turf

I'm not a legal guy, but the text of the patent reads like it's some kind of legal shotgun, hoping to land on some use of AR that someone else hasn't already claimed.

Whether that's the case or not, it appears they're planning to use AR to improve their manufacturing processes.


In the text of the patent application (it's an application, not a grant) they use the "in some embodiments" phrase a lot, which is what makes me think they're just trying to claim some turf in AR -- just in case there are any specifics some of the other players missed.

It could mean they intend to come up with their own version (hardware / software) of AR devices, and this could be an interesting addition to the space. 


MVIS will still have the best near-eye display.

Google has already been using wearable tech.
The image shows multiple black Tesla Model S vehicles in view with a screenshot from APX’s “Skylight” software in the top-right hand corner. This is a familiar view for those who have used Glass before — the device is actually capable of capturing similar shots itself called Vignettes. In the screenshot, the software shows what is purportedly a vehicle’s VIN number, and various options for a factory worker to act on.

Electrek

ZDNet

In some embodiments, the AR glasses may be in the form of safety glasses. The AR device captures a live view of an object of interest, for example, a view of one or more automotive parts. The AR device determines the location of the device as well as the location and type of the object of interest. For example, the AR device identifies that the object of interest is a right hand front shock tower of a vehicle. The AR device then overlays data corresponding to features of the object of interest, such as mechanical joints, interfaces with other parts, thickness of e-coating, etc. on top of the view of the object of interest. Examples of the joint features include spot welds, self-pierced rivets, laser welds, structural adhesive, and sealers, among others. As the user moves around the object, the view of the object from the perspective of the AR device and the overlaid data of the detected features adjust accordingly. The user can also interact with the AR device. For example, a user can display information on each of the identified features. In some embodiments, for example, the AR device displays the tolerances associated with each detected feature, such as the location of a spot weld or hole. As another example, the overlaid data on the view of the object includes details for assembly, such as the order to perform laser welds, the type of weld to perform, the tolerance associated with each feature, whether a feature is assembled correctly, etc. In various embodiments, the AR device detects features of a physical object and displays digital information interactively to the user. The data associated with the object of interest is presented to help the user more efficiently perform a manufacturing task.”

Sunday, December 9, 2018

F -you Leakers... Google

The kind of attitude that causes strict NDAs for new technology.

Business Insider


He said, according to The Times: "The narrative is that leaking is bad and that the number one priority is to prevent any leaks."
Poulson said that Google was not alone in trying to suppress employee revolts, pointing to similar movements at Microsoft and Amazon. He said the back-and-forth between workers and executives is not "going to be a short battle."

Monday, October 29, 2018

Motley Fool... pay attention to Smart Speaker Market. -- UPDATED

In the right place at the right time, finally.

Google Smart Screen Walkthrough



Motley Fool

Keep an eye on this space

These tech giants' next big market focus is the home, and we're still in the early stages of this gold rush. Right now, Amazon still has a slight advantage because it was an early mover with its Echo devices, and its smart speakers remain an easy and natural way for consumers to buy products from its website.
Google is gaining ground with its Home and its Nest devices, but Facebook's Portal could hit a roadblock, given that users may have had their fill of Facebook-related privacy fiascos.
This market will be worth $138 billion by 2026, but the bigger opportunity for each of these companies is to lock users into their ecosystems, and then sell more ads or, in Amazon's case, more products.
It's clear that all three companies are looking to connected home devices to help them increase their interactions with users -- and if they do that successfully, it'll lead to more sales across their businesses.


CE PRO   --- Historic Period of Growth for Smart Homes

New Technology Led by Displays

“I have been in CE for 30 years and there is nothing more exciting than the smart home. There has never been a category that I was so skeptical about that I am now so bullish about,” commented Baker.  “Smart home is great but when all these other products are connected, it is even more exciting.”


While some integrators have soured on selling displays due to the lack of margin, Baker noted that display technology will continue to evolve and presents a strong opportunity for integrators.“The TV is not going to sit in the family room and not be connected to a bunch of other devices. It is just not going to happen,” he said, citing health and wellness is a great example of connectivity to the displays.

He specifically believes Amazon will make a big push into display connectivity because it does not have a cell phone play.

Baker believes the changing form factors of TVs – rollables, transparent and high design – will be a big new trend led by MicroLED, OLED and 5G TVs that direct stream signals (he dubs that category as Devices as a Services (DaaS))

*********************

The growth is primarily going to be driven by online spending. He noted that 6 percent of consumers are spending 75 percent of their disposable income online, but  40 percent of consumers still spend less than 10 percent of their disposable income online

“Online has not peaked at all. There are huge dollars coming,” he noted. “We are headed into a historic period of growth. We are at cusp on awesome new products.”

Saturday, October 27, 2018

CC thoughts

I've received several requests for my thoughts about the CC....

The big picture answer is that I have little doubt about how big Microvision is going to be.
As I've made clear before, it's a bleeding-edge company transitioning to a leading edge company, and in those situations timing is always an issue... delays are always possible.

One of the key things in the conference call -- that some will interpret as a negative -- is that the NRE is not necessary. That means the company has done a good job anticipating the needs of OEMS... that's huge to the positive in my view -- and says that one significant situation that COULD cause a delay won't. (They have a destination for engines... if they needed to be adjusted, then they're re-engineer, test again... and possibly find the new thing comes up short... this hurdle has been bypassed.)

They also made clear that products will appear next year.
  • They announced a 24 million "black box" contract. That will be revealed sometime between now and mid next year. (it's still a secret)
  • They announced a display only contract.
  • They have not yet announced whatever is going to happen with the interactive display contract(s?)

So, I expect an interactive display contract announcement very soon
We were also told that once the "black box" project development is complete, that Microvision can sell the results to whomever they want. (As this is the case, it is almost certainly NOT a hardware company: Software, search, social media) prime suspects are Microsoft, Google, Amazon or Facebook.

And... once the tech is in the hands of more than one player, the desire for secrecy will be turned on it's head. When you're the only one, you want to be quiet. When you're in a field of similar players, you want to be as loud as possible..... so I expect a lot of noise about MVIS very soon.

Whether or not dilution is required or a contract or other income shows up before long remains to be seen... but I think the next announcements will come fairly rapidly.

Monday, October 15, 2018

Google Home and Fuchsia...

See the recent video about Apple... how to get developers to develop for something they don't know exists yet...prediction, it's been going on with Google already too.... ( Apple Video Post )


Looking for it in the links below, I'm not a code wizard, but I see some interesting things in there.. consulting some code guys to see if my suspicions are plausible.



Dice.com

Within the Fuchsia source code is mention of an Amlogic chipset, which was always curious because Android typically uses Qualcomm Snapdragon processors. Speaking with Ars Technica, Google’s Vice President of Product Management, Diya Jolly, confirmed the Home Hub is running an Amlogic chip. (Ars also covered some of the Hub’s grittier hardware details, such as the 1GB RAM and smaller-than-expected 7-inch display. There are no available specs for the screen, but it’s not being billed as one you’d want to watch a movie on, so we’d have to assume it’s low resolution; tech site What Hi-Fi? says the screen checks in at 1024×600.)

From there, 9to5Google poked through the Fuchsia code and found mention of two devices: “Astro” and “Estelle.” Although earlier rumors suggested that “Astro” had an Amlogic chipset and 7-inch screen, sources speaking to 9to5Google said that “Estelle” is in fact the Google Home Hub. In other words, “Astro” was likely a design spec for “Estelle,” which is the actual reference device.

But the Google Home Hub, née “Estelle,” is not running Fuchsia. Yet. Jolly told Ars Technica the Home Hub runs on the Google Cast platform, which is typically utilized for displaying mobile content on your TV via Chromecast or streaming audio to a proper home stereo.

Developers aren’t welcome to the Home Hub yet. When asked why the Google Home Hub runs Cast rather than Android, Jolly said: “There’s no particular reason. We just felt we could bring the experience to bear with Cast, and the experiences are the same. We would have easily given the third-parties Cast if they wanted it, but I think most developers are comfortable using Android Things.”

In any case, it seems Fuchsia isn’t quite ready for prime time. As 9to5Google notes, Google has curated a list of pull requests into a branch dubbed milestone-1011, which tells us it’s trying in earnest to get a barebones version of Fuchsia ready soon. Ars Technica speculates that Google used Cast in lieu of Android Things because the Google Home Hub has weaker hardware than most Android Things devices.

This also means the Home Hub is not truly native, underscored by the fact that Home Hubs at Google’s event were in ‘demo mode.’ Nobody was given a glimpse at how we’d interact with the hardware, beyond voice controls asking for recipes or the weather.

Monday, October 8, 2018

Interesting power plays in Smart Home Products

As things heat up in the space there will be some jockeying around to see which interface becomes the standard.

Eventually, if it plays out like other fields, there will become a dominant standard and then an "only standard." (Like HD DVD vs. blu ray, or Betamax vs VHS)

Something is likely to win, and some force like this from retailers may hasten the process.


StaceyOnIOT // @Gigastacey

Walmart is asking companies that want to sell smart home products to make sure those products work with Google Home. The retailer has instructed potential suppliers to ensure that their products support Google Home, and if they also support Amazon Alexa, that they make such certification visible on the side or back of their packaging.
While several people responsible for selling smart home products confirmed they had received those instructions from Walmart, two others also said that Walmart suggested that it would prefer if providers didn’t host their services on Amazon Web Services, and that the ideal smart home products shouldn’t require a hub. None of the half-dozen companies I spoke to about this topic would agree to go on the record.
From a consumer point of view, Walmart’s push toward Google Home doesn’t bother me. Amazon’s Alexa is currently the team to beat when it comes to building a better smart home, and I’d like to see companies respond to that challenge. Plus, it doesn’t sound like Walmart is penalizing companies that work with Amazon, which would be a step too far.

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

Great video about AR / Apple

MVIS has the best near-eye display.

At the end there's a fairly obnoxious embedded Audible ad, and that's when the interesting stuff is done.