TechBytes is a weekly dose of tech gathered into one post every Tuesday! I put the relevant tech news, podcasts, videos, and more that you need to know! In this edition, I talk about the iPhone’s 10th birthday and what happened during that Nintendo Switch event! I also talk about other important stuff you need to know in tech.
Headlines
Happy 10th Birthday, iPhone!
Truth be told, I started out hating the iPhone. It wasn’t even in my radar until Globe Telecom announced that they are going to sell the iPhone 3G in the Philippines. During that time, I was an avid Nokia fan! (Shoutout to all the pre-iPhone Nokia fans!) I was really into the Nokia music phone lineup. It was also a time when downloading music was all the rage. I owned phones with cameras and the quality was okay at the time. Despite the added functionality, I can’t do much with the photos besides show it to my friends.
It was only when I owned the 4th generation iPod touch when I realized why Apple’s strategy is strong. When I got it, there were lots of games and apps for various things! You can access social media and chat with friends using the iPod touch!
Months after getting the iPod touch, I got a white iPhone 4. Since then, I have come to love the iPhone. I enjoy the hardware design and build, the third-party app selection, and the best-in-class camera. The first-party software may have languished recently, but they were great when the original iPhone.
My wish for the iPhone’s 10th birthday is that Apple will try something completely new. I know that they aren’t known for being the first at a certain category, but at least prove to us that you still have the innovation. It better be worth saying, “Can’t innovate anymore, my ass!”.
That Nintendo Switch Event…
Last week, Nintendo finally revealed more information about the Switch! They had a lot to share from when it’ll come out to how much it costs to how powerful the console is! Here’s a rundown of what they announced at their event:
- Comes out on March 3rd globally for $299.99 (Around P15,000)
- Additional accessories include the traditional Pro Controller ($69.99), A Pair of Joy-Cons ($79.99), individual Joy-Con ($49.99), Joy-Con Charging Grip ($29.99), replacement Switch Docks ($89.99), and a Wii-like wheel accessory ($14.99 for a set of two)
- The main Switch tablet has a 6.2″ 720p display with up to 1080p output when placed in the Switch dock.
- The Switch is Nintendo’s first console that is NOT region-locked! This means that games you bought from Japan can be played using a Nintendo Switch bought in the US.
- You can charge the Switch using USB-C! (That’s another first.)
- Nintendo will now charge for online play with the Switch. Before that happens, users can join the free trial and see if the experience is worth it.
I’m really excited to see the Switch in person this March!
What Made the Galaxy Note 7 Set on Fire?
Samsung explained the reason why some Galaxy Note 7s set on fire earlier today (January 22, 8PM ET). They blame defective batteries and rushed manufacturing for the demise of their supposedly best phone of 2016. Samsung said that they implemented a new eight-step process (shown below) to ensure that the batteries in their phones are good to go.
Because of this debacle, Samsung will not show their next Galaxy S phone at this year’s Mobile World Congress. It’s good that Samsung would rather make sure that the batteries in phones are safe than to rush the phone again.
What’s Up on the Blog?
If you have noticed, you’ve seen a new logo in the homepage of my blog. I now have a new logo across my blog and all my social media outlets! Do you like it? Sound off in the comments!
Stuff from CES 2017.
Check out my previous TechBytes post about the stuff I was interested in during CES 2017 week.
10 Shows/Movies to Watch on iflix!
If you’re a fan of TV and movies and you need new ones to satisfy your hunger, then check out my article on shows and movies you should watch on iflix!
New Podcasts!
On the latest episode of Blogger Banters, a Made-in-the-Philippines podcast, I wasn’t present! Carlo and Ramzy, along with some guests, recalled their Sinulog experiences and what can be improved for next year.
On the latest episode of the Vergecast, they talk about the insanity of Trump being president, Qualcomm, FTC, and Apple is at it this year! Wow this is insane. Good luck.
The guys at Ctrl-Walt-Delete discuss at length about how online ads are getting more and more intrusive and annoying.
New Tech Videos!
And that’s it for this edition of TechBytes! Do you like the new logo and format? Sound off in the comments section below!
Well, I’m happy to have an iPhone after years of Android and Nokia. 🙂
I agree. I am really waiting for the time when Apple will try something completely new! Surprise us, Apple!