Ity Bytes 29 May

ITy Bytes 29 May – in this edition

Google Lens gets new features;
Google Maps to get speed camera alerts;
HP goes renewable with an optional ‘real’ wood palm rest (deck) on coming Envy models;
New iPod Touch – key features and prices;
JAYCAR launches concept store at Central Park Mall in Sydney;

Google Lens gets new features

People have already asked Google Lens more than a billion questions about things they see. Lens taps into machine learning (ML), computer vision and tens of billions of facts in the Knowledge Graph to answer these questions. And it’s getting better all the time: Lens now recognises more plants, animals, and products than ever.

Google is adding new filters to Lens that let you see specific results or actions, so you can learn and get things done faster. And with the new Dining and Translate features, Lens puts the answers where your questions are, overlaying information where it’s most useful: right on top of the real world.

Dining: Lens can automatically highlight which dishes are popular—right on the physical menu. When you tap on a dish, you can see what it actually looks like and what people are saying about it, thanks to photos and reviews from Google Maps. And when you’re done with your meal, just point the camera at your receipt, and Lens can help calculate the tip and split the bill.
Translate: Point your camera at text and Lens will automatically detect the language and overlay the translation right on top of the original words, in more than 100 languages.
Text: Text is all around us. Copy and paste text from the real world—like recipes, gift card codes, or Wi-Fi passwords—to your phone.
Shopping: Point your camera at clothes, furniture, or home decor to see similar items you can choose from. Or use Lens to scan a barcode to see that exact item.
Auto: Lens will automatically provide relevant results based on what you are pointing your camera at.

Google Maps to get speed camera alerts

Google Maps will soon have speed camera alerts, including the ability of users to real-time report mobile cameras, congestion and crashes. This information helps to recalculate the fastest route.

It’s putting more effort into Maps as both a real-time navigation alternative as well as a tool to help you explore your surrounds – and spend more money with local advertisers. It has added public transport commute information, location-aware events listings, district focus, food match and group planning and for those that get bores – Snakes on a Map.

It comes at a time when dedicated in-car GPS units are suffering a steep decline in sales, although GadgetGuy categorically believes that a smartphone does not a good car navigation tool make. Especially with the police laser focusing on smartphone use in cars and the need for a fixed cradle to use them as a navigation device.

HP goes renewable with an optional ‘real’ wood palm rest (deck) on coming Envy models

First, it was leather and bondage with its Spectra Folio, then impossible thin, light and powerful Spectre x360. What is HP designer’s taking? I want some!

HP has become several sub-brands – Elite, ZBook and Spectre for business use (and Spectre is a crossover aspirational consumer purchase), Envy for premium consumers and then Pavilion and plain HP for Joe and Jane Average.

You will be able to get a dark option, Nightfall Black with Natural Walnut, or a lighter alternative, called Natural Silver with Pale Birch. Each laptop is unique due to the natural variation found in the wood.

The HP ENVY 13, HP ENVY x360 13, HP ENVY x360 15 and the HP ENVY 17 Wood Series builds on the durability and performance of the previously announced metal versions, but feature a choice of all new, next-gen Intel Core processors or 2nd Generation AMD Ryzen Mobile Processors with Radeon™ Vega Graphics].

We will see them here in a few months. Damn – woodgrain is coming back into style!

New iPod Touch – key features and prices

Website
Price: $299/32GB, $499/128GB, $599/256GB in Space Grey, Gold, Silver, Pink, Blue and Red
4-inch, 1136 x 640, 326 ppi, 500 nits, 800:1 contrast, IPS touch screen
A10 Fusion processor
8MP, f/2.4, HDR, 1K@30fps, rear camera
1.2MP, f/2.2, HDR, 720@30fps, front cameras
Wi-Fi AC, BT 4.1 and Map Location via W-Fi (no GPS)
3.5mm buds/mic, single down-firing speaker
Battery estimate 40 hours music and 8 hours video – Lightning charger/connection but no charger supplied
123.4 x 58.6 x 6.1mm x 88g

Good for: People with an Apple Music subscription, some AR experiences, Group Facetime, and works with Apple Arcade Games service.

JAYCAR launches concept store at Central Park Mall in Sydney

JAYCAR is one of those places I love, and my wife hates. I can spend hours in there buying bits and pieces. She can spend hours in Sephora!

Jaycar Electronics will open its flagship at Central Park Mal Broadway across from UTS. It is a new experiential retail concept that embraces technology and collaboration, encouraging the community to “think. possible.”

The 420sqm store stocks over 7000 products – the usual suspects including cable connectors and computing accessories. New is equipment for hire, interactive display areas and collaborative workspaces. The heart of the store is a dedicated space known as the “Maker Hub” where customers can participate in workshops, challenges, attend events and use specialised equipment such as 3D printers to work on their own projects, whether they are a tech expert or just a beginner.

Jaycar’s Chief Marketing Officer, Jarrod Carroll says,

“We are trying to push the boundaries of experiential retailing in this sphere. Our new “Maker Hub” space will allow customers to have hands-on experience with many of our products. For example, people will be able to work on benches with Arduino & Raspberry Pi® microcontrollers and experience various workshops lead by our in-store tech experts. It’s all about inspiring people through the endless possibilities of technology. “

To celebrate the flagship store opening at Central Park Mall, Jaycar will be running ‘Tech Fest’ between 14-16 June offering free tunes & chips, daily giveaways and promotions on a range of tech products in store. They will also be running four workshops and interactive demonstrations over the three days to showcase how all things tech comes together. The full schedule of workshops will be available from Wednesday 5 June at Jaycar’s: Facebook page.