Apple's iPhone 7 introduces water resistance, improved camera performance and the removal of the headphone jack

Apple unveiled the iPhone 7 today at a Special Event in San Francisco. The latest version of the iPhone ramps up performance thanks to a new Apple A10 Fusion chip is twice as fast as the iPhone 6S but also adds battery life of up to two hours. The new iPhone is dust and water resistant for up to 50 metres, features a new 12 megapixel camera (the larger iPhone 7 Plus features dual 12 MP cameras with one serving as a telephoto which translates into 2x optical zoom). 

Other notable upgrades with the iPhone 7 include a Quad-LED True Tone flash that is 50 percent brighter than iPhone 6s including an innovative sensor that detects the flickering in lights and compensates for it in videos and photos. A 7-megapixel front-facing camera, an improved display with wide colour gamut for cinema-standard colours and a solid state Touch ID home button. iPhone 7 is also the first to feature stereo speakers with 2 times the loudness of existing iPhone 6S devices.

Apple has also omitted the headphone jack in favour of using the Lightning adapter. Each iPhone 7 will come with Lightning EarPods and a dongle for using existing headphones. Tough luck if you want to listen to music and charge your device at the same time unless you use a Bluetooth headset.

With improved camera hardware and software, a refreshed design and two new colours (Jet Black and Black), the iPhone 7 now offers 32GB, 128GB and 256GB models starting at $899 (CAD), and the new jet black finish will be offered exclusively on the 128GB and 256GB models directly from the Apple Retail Store.

Dell completes $ 67 billion merger with EMC

Dell and EMC have officially completed a US $67 billion merger resulting in a new company under the Dell Technologies name. 

Dell Technolgies will have a number of subsidiaries, that includes Boomi, Pivotal, RSA, SecureWorks, Virtustream and VMware.

Michael Dell, chairman and CEO of Dell Technologies, said, "We are at the dawn of the next industrial revolution. Our world is becoming more intelligent and more connected by the minute, and ultimately will become intertwined with a vast Internet of Things, paving the way for our customers to do incredible things. This is why we created Dell Technologies. We have the products, services, talent and global scale to be a catalyst for change and guide customers, large and small, on their digital journey."

Dell Technologies will continue to design and sell Windows-based desktops, laptops and tablets under its globally recognized Dell brand, and gaming PCs with the Alienware branding.

Source: Windows Central

Samsung outlines Canadian product exchange for Note 7 devices

image from Samsung Tomorrow

Samsung Canada announced the immediate availability of a Canadian Product Exchange for Galaxy Note7 owners. This exchange was launched in response to the recent announcement regarding reported battery cell issues with the Galaxy Note7 device.

"Samsung holds safety and consumer satisfaction as a top priority," says Paul Brannen, Executive Vice President, Mobile Solutions, Samsung Electronics Canada. "While there have been no confirmed incidents in Canada, Samsung is taking a proactive approach to address customer needs around the Note7 and immediately addressing any consumer concerns."  

The Canadian Product Exchange will offer consumers the following choices:

1. Exchange current Galaxy Note7 device with a new Galaxy Note7
2. Exchange current Galaxy Note7 for a Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7edge through the carrier or retail outlet where they purchased their device

To register for a Galaxy Note7 Exchange, owners should visit:CanadaNote7exchange.expertinquiry.com to initiate the Galaxy Note7 product exchange.

Consumers experiencing any issues with their online registration can call 1-800-517-3507 to resolve any other questions or concerns. 

Volvo to co-develop and sell autonomous driving tech

It’s a more common occurrence for car manufacturers to keep their autonomous driving technology to themselves. But Volvo is breaking away from that and is looking to sell the technology it develops with Swedish automotive safety supplier Autoliv. The two companies will move all their autonomous vehicle software development and intellectual property into this new joint venture. The venture will start off with 200 employees, which is split between existing staff of both companies, and will eventually grow to over 600 people. The company is expected to begin operations at the start of 2017. And they hope to sell the first of its products by 2019 with technologies becoming available by 2021. The joint venture’s headquarters will be in Gothenburg, Sweden a.k.a. Volvo’s hometown.

Source: The Verge