Dell Announces That They Will Accept Bitcoin →
Michael Dell says his company will be the world's largest ecommerce business to accept Bitcoin.
Facebook Begins Testing a Buy Button →
Is Bitcoin integration in Facebook's future too?
Bitcoin is Here to Stay →
At least according to the Director of Markets at Ireland's Central Bank. The Irish Independent, reporting on Gareth Murphy's speech about virtual currencies:
“Central banks, financial regulators, ministries of finance, fiscal authorities and statistical authorities should be interested in virtual currencies,” he says.
They are a reality because of “the ease with which transactions can occur between counter-parties located anywhere in the world, the relatively low cost of effecting payment and transmitting funds and the fact that many large technology companies are household names that are trusted”.
In other words, bitcoin is not a fad. It, or virtual currencies like it, are a likely part of an evolving economic payments infrastructure.
“As a virtual currency starts to permeate economic activity, regulated financial service providers such as banks, insurance companies and asset managers may find themselves having to adapt to this new environment in order to maintain market share,” said Murphy.
This is quite an extraordinary thing for a senior central bank official to say. It also puts economic commentators’ weekly predictions of bitcoin’s imminent doom into a clearer perspective.
The Bitcoin train is picking up some serious steam again, but it's doing it out of the mainstream media, for now.
Apple and IBM Storm the Enterprise →
Great article from Techpinions about the new Apple and IBM partnership. Tim Bajarin:
This is not good news for the Android crowd. Google, and especially Samsung, had been on a course to try and get more Android devices into IT. However, this Apple/IBM deal will make that very, very difficult now and, if the deal works as designed, it could pretty much upstage any opportunity Android devices have in any future enterprise programs. This will also have an impact on Microsoft’s quest to make Win 8 tablets and smartphones the de facto standard in IT. That would have been a tough thing to do even if Apple and IBM had not gotten together, but it will be even more difficult for them to gain a lot of ground with Windows 8 mobile devices in IT now.
I'm far from the first person to say it, but I think this is a very big deal for Apple.
[via The Loop]
Marco Arment's Awesome New Podcast App: Overcast →
I downloaded the app immediately and started using it. After about 24 hours, here are my really quick first impressions:
I have to say, it's better than any other podcast app out there, for my needs. It's a beautiful app, with lots of customization options and a couple of new killer features that seem to be pretty amazing after a few hours of use.
Smart Speed shortens silences. Playing at faster speeds has always helped people make time to hear more podcasts, but it usually came at the expense of sound quality and intelligibility. Smart Speed is like getting another speed increment for free: it saves time without sounding weird.
Voice Boost is a combination of dynamic compression and equalization that can make many shows more listenable and normalize volume across all shows. This makes amateur-produced podcasts (including many of my favorites) more listenable in loud environments, like cars, where you’d otherwise need to crank the volume so loudly to hear the quiet parts that you’d blow your ears out when the loudest person spoke.
Smart Speed is really impressive. I notice a small, but definitely helpful difference. In the settings menu it will also tell you how much time you've saved cumulatively. I'm at about 9 minutes so far without feeling like I'm missing anything at all, because I'm not. It's pretty cool. I had a harder time noticing Voice Boost, but I think I pick it up on panel podcasts where there are multiple co-hosts/panelists all over the place. I'm going to keep trying to notice this one, but I suppose if it's working well, I won't notice it. I don't have the most discerning ear.
This Man Should Be Brazil's Next Manager →
It's not a new video, but it's awesome. Good job by Deadspin to bring it back around.
RE2PECT
I've loved to hate the Yankees for years, but if you don't respect Derek Jeter, you're just not wired right. I'll tip my hat to The Captain.
They sure brought out a pile of A-listers for this one.
There Will Be No 5.5" iPhone This Year
That's my prediction. We're only about two months away from the annual iPhone announcement date, based on the cycle in recent years, and there have been many parts leaks for the 4.7" model building over the past couple of weeks, but we haven't seen anything from the supposed 5.5" model. Apparently, one analyst is now saying that the 5.5" model is "delayed" and may not get released until November or 2015. That is such a classic analyst line about Apple. I think the Apple TV set is delayed too. This is one of the benefits of Apple's secretive ways. They didn't promise a 5.5" iPhone. It had not release date set, so you can't delay something that was never officially expected to happen. Under-promise and over-deliver seems to be one of Apple's motto's and it has served them relatively well.
I was never really convinced we would see the 5.5" model this year. I still believe we are likely to get a new 4.7" model and another year with a 4" model. Maybe the 4" model will only be this year's equivalent of the iPhone 5C (6C?), but I don't expect them to jump straight into two new sizes. But, in the next 5 minutes there could be a new part leak that totally blows away prediction, so I guess we'll see.
Street Musician Rocks "Sultans of Swing" →
In the words of Jim Dalrymple, much respect. Wow.
Facebook Ready to Enter Digital Payments Via Bitcoin? →
Galileo Russell:
David Marcus makes Facebook's payment entrance far more realistic in my opinion. His experience in both mobile and payments seems like an ideal fit for not only Facebook, but any disruptive payment product taking advantage of the platform shift to mobile.
His open support of Bitcoin is yet another intriguing fact, given how much traction the crypto-currency is receiving in digital payments right now.
It's totally speculation, but there are some interesting dots to connect on this one. Marcus was hired to lead mobile messaging. What better way to send money than through mobile messaging? And he's a big Bitcoin guy.
I can only hope there is some truth behind these rumours that have been building.
Star Wars (Guardians of the Galaxy Style!)
This is a couple of weeks old, but I just got around to watching it now. It's great. It's a Star Wars (original trilogy) trailer done in the style of the new Guardians of the Galaxy trailer. Two minutes and thirty-three seconds well spent.
[via The Verge]
Video from Apple: 'Pride'
Apple:
On June 29, thousands of Apple employees and their families marched in the San Francisco Pride Parade. They came from around the world — from cities as far as Munich, Paris, and Hong Kong — to celebrate Apple's unwavering commitment to equality and diversity. Because we believe that inclusion inspires innovation.
Marques Brownlee: 'This is the Sapphire Crystal Display From the iPhone 6' →
In the words of John Gruber:
Purported iPhone 6 component leak shows incredible scratch resistance and durability.
If this is real, it looks pretty impressive. Also notice that the front facing camera appears to have been moved off of centre to allow shrinking of the top and bottom bezels. Apple is making the screen bigger, but trying to minimize the overall increase in size of the device.
Additional Thoughts on iWatch and Android Wear →
Great piece by Ben Thompson on his site, Stratechery.
The potential problem with Android Wear I see is its focus on being a conduit for your phone – a more efficient distraction from the real world, as it were. I suspect the iWatch will go in the opposite direction: it will be a means of pulling the real world into your phone (think sensors) as well as a means of projecting your phone out (think payments, proximity, etc.).
I particularly agree with his take on Android Wear's focus. It all seems to be about notifications on your wrist, with a small nod to fitness. Basically, Google is acknowledging that it's slightly inefficient and potentially rude in some settings to check your phone notifications all the time by having to pull your phone out. The only problem they really seem to be trying to solve is that it could be possibly more convenient, efficient and maybe a little less rude to glance at your wrist rather than pull out your phone. On the rudeness point—if that is a goal of theirs—I think they are missing the mark. I wear a watch all the time and it's still rude to glance at your watch when you're with other people. In fact, it might be more rude than checking your phone. Looking at your watch in the company of others basically says "when will this conversation be over?" or sets you up for the "oh, look at the time. I've got to get going." excuse. Sure, you can look at your watch discretely, but I don't think having notifications on your wrist as the main selling point solves a real world problem.
Then Thompson goes on to speculate that Apple may be subtly ramping up its marketing efforts in advance of an iWatch-like device. It think he may very well be onto something there. He cites the recent fitness and wearable themed iPhone ad as the start of that ramp up.
As countless commentators have noted, one of the central challenges of the alleged iWatch is that it’s not super clear how big of a need there is among the general population. What, though, is advertising? In many respects the best sort of ads make you aware of a need you didn’t realize you had. This sort of effect, though, is not achieved with a one-off spot or campaign. Rather, it’s a long slog that only sees results over time.
To put it more bluntly, it’s very possible that we just saw the first iWatch commercial. Oh sure, there is no iWatch to be seen, and there are benefits depicted in the commercial that accrue to the iPhone today, but I wouldn’t be surprised if this is Apple starting to set the table amongst the broader consumer market.
You should seriously give his whole piece a read. It's very well thought out.
Watch: How Blackjack and Coin Tosses Gave Rise to the Pixel
This is a pretty neat and short video essay on Claude Shannon and how he helped bring forth the Information Age by coming up with the idea that all information boils down to heads or tails, yes or no, 1 or 0.
[via The Verge]
Facebook Messenger Comes to iPad →
If you're a Facebook user, their Messenger app is now available for the iPad too. It's been iPhone only for almost 3 years.
Get downloading, if that's your thing.
1-800-FLOWERS.COM Partners With Coinbase to Accept Bitcoin →
It's a good day for Bitcoin.
Beginning this fall, 1-800-FLOWERS will be adding bitcoin as a payment option across its extensive family of gifting sites, including 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, FannieMay.com, Cheryl’s.com, ThePopcornFactory.com, 1-800-Baskets.com, FruitBouquets.com, and Stockyards.com.
Apple's Back to School Promo Has Already Started →
iTunes gift card rewards have gone up a little from last year. Happy Canada Day!