Thurrott Daily: November 9 (Updated)

Good morning. What else is happening today?

11/9/2015 3:18:53 PM

“Apple CEO Tim Cook says he travels with just an iPad Pro and iPhone”

He should consider bringing clothes as well.

Watch Google’s first Android for Work event

Google had a live Android for Work (virtual) event last week. I’ve not seen it yet, but you can watch it on replay now if you’re interested.

11/9/2015 8:35:04 AM

Solu, the social computer

A story in Reuters tipped me off to a new kind of computer.

A Finnish company has come up with what it says is the world’s smallest general-purpose computer that will revolutionize the way people use computers.

Solu, based in Finland, says the small device has a revolutionary operating system, an intuitive user interface and a unique subscription model and is designed specifically for the era of cloud computing.

The pocket-sized computer can be used as a stand-alone portable device or connected to a screen and keyboard at which point the handheld device is used as a controller.

You can find out more about this device on the Solu web site. I’m not sure we need a new kind of computer, frankly.

“AMD lied over Bulldozer CPU cores, claims lawsuit”

I know. I can’t believe AMD is still in business either.

Google gets a reprieve in Russia

I enjoy watching Google get in trouble around the world for its anti competitive behavior. But it’s getting a short reprieve in Russia,Reuters says.

Russia’s anti-monopoly watchdog had granted Google’s request to extend a November 18 deadline for the company to comply with a ruling to amend its contracts with smartphone producers.

Google has been granted a one-month extension and now has until December 18 to comply, a Google spokeswoman based in Moscow said.

Google could face penalties totaling up to 15 percent of its 2014 revenue in the mobile applications part of the Russian market.

Google cannot be sued enough, in my opinion.

“Why Microsoft Needs to Resurrect MechAssault for Xbox One”

To take our minds off that OneDrive thing?

Apple’s iPad Pro available for pre-order on Wednesday

If you’re eager to spend $800 or more for an iPad with a giant screen, your wait is almost over. Apple announced today that the 12.9-inch iPad Pro will be available for preorder on Wednesday and will arrive in stores, vaguely, “later this week.”

“iPad Pro is the most powerful iPad we’ve ever made, giving users the ability to be even more creative and more productive with the epic 12.9-inch Retina display, powerful 64-bit A9X chip and groundbreaking Apple Pencil and new Smart Keyboard. We can’t wait to see what they do with iPad Pro,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing.

On that note, I suspect that Apple literally has no idea what, if anything, people will do with iPad Pro. I won’t be getting one.

And speaking of Apple…

Class action lawsuit against Apple is thrown out

Reuters reports:

A federal judge has dismissed a class action initiated by Apple retail workers over bag search practices at the company’s California stores.

The ruling on Saturday by Judge William Alsup of Federal District Court in San Francisco came in a case in which employees sued to be reimbursed for the time taken by Apple to search their bags to ensure they did not steal any merchandise.

At least two Apple retail store workers complained directly to the company’s chief executive, Tim Cook, that the technology company’s policy of checking retail employees’ bags as a security precaution was embarrassing and demeaning, according to court filings made public earlier in the case.

Hey, if you can’t trust Apple employees, who can you trust? Based on my multiple, unwanted visits to the local Apple Store recently, I’ve become convinced that the crowds you always see in these stores are due to one reason only: Repairs and other service/support needs. The waits are unbelievable.