Apple

[Grieve]

I got this Belkin plug that lets me measure wattage and turn that plug on and off remotely, from my phone (from anywhere in the world). I have my space heater plugged into it so that whenever I go, "Shit, I forgot to turn off that heater", I can just turn it off from my phone.

I have a bluetooth lightbulb that I can control from my phone, including changing the hue to a zillion different colors. Fun for a couple of hours, haven't used it since.

But yes, "the internet of things" was the big theme at CES this year. There's going to be a million examples of this stuff coming out this year.

I have a Google Chromecast that I use for Netflix. I can control that from my phone.

I have a Chromecast too, but again I haven't used it since the first day I got it. Already have four AppleTVs, which do it all better.

Almost all smart TVs and blu-ray players can be controlled from smartphone apps these days, as well as things like Chromecast and AppleTV. The AppleTV app is a lifesaver, since the kids keep losing/hiding the regular remotes. Also I can turn off the TV in the basement from upstairs and put a message on the screen telling them to come up for dinner.

I think that's what Google sees and is headed towards. They may be beating Apple to the punch because Apple does not seem to be innovating at all anymore.

Plus if Apple did it, all their shit would have to be proprietary. I'd be plugging my 4-prong Apple Speaker into my Apple Socket to play iTunes songs with...

Yeah yeah yeah...

Google and Apple are fighting in more and more areas every day. Apple started a big "iOS in the car" push a couple of years back, and now Google just announced a bunch of partnerships for Android in the car. They both make smartphone and tablets now that Google owns Motorola, they are fighting for the living room with Chromecast/GoogleTV and AppleTV, and they are both doing wearables (iWatch and Google Glass).

I think Apple should go into search and hit Google where it really hurts. Everyone poured scorn on Apple Maps (yes I'm looking at you guys), but it's had a huge impact on Google. They lost 23m users in the US alone, as the Guardian discussed a couple of months back.

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/20...hone-users

Just imagine if 10s of millions of people moved from Google Search to a new Apple search. Earnings would be nuked, stock would go into free fall, and suddenly all the money for those "moon shots" would dry up. Losing all those wealthy, smart, big spending Apple users, and keeping only those poor, socially inferior, of substandard intelligence, and generally bad smelling Android users...that would have to hurt! :wink: