CES 2016: Ford's in tune with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto in its 2016 vehicles with Sync 3

2016 might make the International CES seem more like the Car Electronics Show with various announcements coming from car manufacturers eager to show off their latest vehicles featuring cutting edge technologies, electric vehicles and autonomous driving features.

Ford has already made a big splash by backing both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality in its Ford Sync 3 powered vehicles coming to market this year. Aside from its own apps, 4G-LTE connectivity and new connectivity options, Sync 3 is compatible with either iOS or Android devices.

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Canadians can now buy an unlocked Lumia 550 Windows 10 smartphone for $189.00

Microsoft's cheapest handset ever is the Lumia 550 which can now be purchased unlocked for CAD $189.00. Featuring a 4.7-inch display (1280 x 720 resolution), all-plastic body, 8GB of storage (expandable to 128GB), 1GB of RAM, 4G-LTE connectivity and Windows 10 (without the 'run your PC  OS from your phone' Continuum feature). The Lumia 550 does offer the Cortana voice assistant, access to Office Mobile and OneDrive plus various Windows 10 Universal apps.

Microsoft seems to have given up on Windows Phone, which now has 1.7 per cent of the global mobile market share. A telling sing is that the company didn't even bother to properly launch or promote the higher end and pricey Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL devices and accessories in Canada.

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Uber celebrates its billionth ride

Disruptive transport service and app Uber recently completed its billionth ride in London, England. The company, which is quite remarkable for a company that was launched in 2010 and is now operating across the globe.

Uber has been met with resistance in a number of countries, including right here in Toronto, Canada where it has faced off against traditional taxi services. Despite these challenges, Uber has a valuation of US $56 billion plus a sustained momentum due to the convenience and general reliability. Uber allows subscribers to the app to instantly find various types of taxis, SUVs or limousines and payments are handled via the app which also serves as a rating system for both riders and passengers. Uber has also launched UberEats, which aims to change the way food delivery is done in certain cities.

Source: Engadget via AutoBlog

The Apple Beat: Apple’s Year in Review for 2015

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla 

If I’ve learned anything about Apple in 2015, is that it is no longer as predictable as it used to be and the old established norms no longer hold water. 

2015 was a huge one of for Apple in various areas. The company released its first new major product category with the Apple Watch, it also enjoyed an unprecedented year of product releases as well as an ever expanding focus on operating systems, ecosystems, music services and mobile payments.

What struck me most about Apple in 2015 is that it seems to have shifted from being conservative in its product announcements to being more like the multi-billion-dollar company it actually is. This means taking bigger risks with new product categories, filling-in empty spots between existing product sizes and models plus growing its various ecosystems and services.

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