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News

Been Choice chosen by Apple as first ad blocker

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“Been Choice” has been chosen as the first ad-blocker for the iPhone that blocks ads within mobile apps. Launched this month (October) in the United States, Been Choice is a fantastic service capable of blocking any and all ads, even those within Apple’s own news platform. Ad blocking within applications is a great new addition to mobile computing as a whole, saving users time, data and frustration.

We’ll Block Your Ads and Pay You

Been Choice generates it’s revenue through a rather innovative means. Their software blocks all ads and stops all forms of tracking. Having said this, Been Choice is offering users a fixed rate of $20 if they are willing to share their usage data with Been, as well as allowing ads from this ad-blocking provider. As best stated by Mr. David Yoon, Co-founder of Been Choice, customers are provided “a clear choice” over whether or not they want to be able to view ads, or be tracked. Apple takes great pride in their establishment as a top-class security-conscious service provider and manufacturer. Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook recently shared with US radio network NPR, that he feels that users want assistance in keeping their lives private, seeing privacy as a fundamental right.

Block Ads or Earn Rewards with Been Choice
Block Ads or Earn Rewards with Been Choice

Winning the War on Advertising

Approval of technology such as that provided by Been Choice, goes a long way towards enforcing this fundamental. Apple reports that their data collection policies are, and will remain, minimal at most, with Apple never prying into your sensitive information, usage data or communications. There are many enterprises opposing the blocking of ads due to the impact that it creates on their revenue streams, but no amount of wining will win their fight for free ads! Privacy is too large of concern for industry giants such as Apple to just roll-over and allow free reign of unwanted ad placement. Say no to ads, Apple & Been Choice Do!

News

Apple artificial intelligence grows as Perceptio acquired

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Apple appears to be sparing no expense in their endeavor to improve the functionality of voice assistant Siri. Bloomberg reported that their most recent acquisition is that of Perceptio, an artificial intelligence image recognition development. Perceptio is a start-up headed by two brilliant developers from Harvard and MIT, focused on pattern-based, intelligent image recognition. Their technology assists in the recognition of images, without the need for the data to be stored on the cloud. This image processing software is the work of Nicolas Pinto and Zak Stone, PHD, and this technology standard will most likely benefit greatly from the funding, support and data available in the form of Apple.

Deep Learning A.I.

Current image recognition software is dependent upon large amounts of data, stored on cloud storage or other online locations. Perceptio needs nothing of the sort, it is capable of intelligent image recognition on-the-fly. Perceptio uses “deep learning” technology, a branch of artificial intelligent, to allow for image recognition without needing large fixed data-sets. Deep learning is a trending facet if artificial intelligence, being worked on across the globe. This form of artificial intelligence allows for accurate models to be created, using previous examples. Complex arrangements of patterns can be formed, allowing the technology to rapidly learn from data presented.

Rapid Growth of Image & Voice Recognition

The Apple acquisition of Perceptio comes but four days after Apple’s acquisition of VocalIQ. Apple now has two highly-advanced artificial intelligence startups at their disposal, the attention of which will most likely be placed on Siri. Smart computing is in desperate need of an intelligent virtual assistant, especially with Apple’s electric smart car on the horizon in 2019. Apple, forever elusive, refused to provide commentary, simply stating that they do not share their future plans and details of acquisitions with the public. The combination of voice and video-based artificial intelligence is sure to give Apple a much needed boost to their currently limited virtual assistant.

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Porsche selects Apple CarPlay due to Google data requests

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Apple won the battle against Google, sealing them a deal with automotive manufacturer, Porsche. Apple CarPlay was chosen to be featured by the Porsche Carrera 911 and Carrera 911S. Arriving in 2017, the new Porche will not support Android Auto at all, instead offering CarPlay as the default in-car “infotainment” solution. The decision to go with Apple instead was made due to tech-giant Google requiring too much information. Although not officially declared as the deciding factor, Apple staff were unhappy from the start, according to Motor Trend. Google wants too much data!

Google asks for too much

Google Android Auto required data such as traveling speed, throttle position, coolant information and more. It was reported that Android Auto is basically looking for a full on-board diagnostic report. Detailed reporting such as that requested would make Google privie to a huge amount of statistics, statistics such as fuel consumption, vehicle tracking and other sensitive data.

Apple CarPlay, on the other hand, just needs to know if you vehicle is moving or not. Thats it, no other data! It should be clear why renowned manufacturer Porsche opted for Apple instead. A magician never reveals his tricks, similarly Porsche are not just going to be giving away their data. With Google already being secretely involved in the development of their own  electric car, it would not be wise to give away trade secrets.

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Global Roll-outs for CarPlay

Apple CarPlay is certainly gaining in the popularity polls. Their no-fuss, simplistic in-dash entertainment technology is being used by more and more automotive by manufacturers across the world. Hyundai is set to be the first to rollout CarPlay, using Apple’s technology in their 2015 Sonata. Chevrolet is another industry leader that has also opted for CarPlay, will more follow suit?

Apple recently acquired VocalIQ, an intelligent voice recognition who company who had been working with General Motors since 2014. This, along with the great monopoly on Porsche’s new range, is beginning to look like Apple has expansive plans for their automotive future. The industry can only benefit through Apple’s innovation and functionality, driving us forward towards a future with truly smart cars.

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Amazon to stop Apple TV sales due to poor interaction with Amazon Prime Video

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Arriving as a shock to the industry, online retail giant Amazon.com has announced a ban on Apple TV and Google’s Chromecast. As reported by Bloomberg, Amazon.com shared the news that they will be removing all existing listings by October 29th 2015, and allowing no new listings of devices featuring media-streaming from Google Inc. and Apple Inc. It was stated that those devices do not “interact well” with Amazon’s streaming media service, Amazon Prime Video.

Less-than-satisfactory compatibility blamed

It was also explained that Prime Video is not fully functional on their competitors’ hardware. It should be expected that Amazon will protect their own interests, seeing that they have invested heavily into Prime Video, as they do with all content services. Even though only 20% of Amazon customers are also subscribed to Prime Video, Amazon has decided to remove Apple and Google devices, making a dent in their marketplace. Will this in time net them more Prime Video viewers? They appear to think so, whilst setting an example as firm players in global retail by standing up to Apple and Google.

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Sales Tactic?

Another product that Amazon is surely hoping to sell more of thanks to the hole in their market, self-made, is the Fire TV set-top-box inclusive of 4K support. Apple TV may not feature 4K but this new standard in digital content is yet to be expanded, it is simply not yet in demand. Apple TV may be making the intelligent decision by not yet adopting this bandwidth-heavy standard. Apple Inc. already has many exciting products in high demand and will most likely feel a impact from this daring move by Amazon, but not one big enough to shake them.

Amazon bans Apple TV and as a result could see more damage done to their own income, than to that of Apple. Amazon.com has employed similar tactics in the past, although the resultant effect was a drop in favorable customer opinion and loyalty. Let’s hope for their sake that this, too, do not backfire.

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Apple’s acquisition of VocalIQ: Siri improvements on the way

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Apple have quietly acquired an artificial intelligence-based, self-learning, voice recognition startup, VocalIQ. Based in Cambridge in the UK, VocalIQ has put ten years of research and development into their intelligent API. Apple most likely will use this API, that learns from your language usage and semantics, to increase the functionality of voice assistant Siri. Whilst Siri is in dire need of improvement before being accepted as a fully-functioning virtual assistant, Apple’s VocalIQ acquisition is also set to be used across a wide range of other applications.

Bright Future Ahead

Apple’s not-so-secret automotive project, code name Titan, should benefit greatly from this new speech recognition technology. According to Forbes, VocalIQ had already been working with General Motors in 2014 on the integration of voice commands with existing and future automobiles. When considering that VocalIQ learns from all interactions, all recorded voice samples, it should be safe to say that big advancements to Siri are on their way! Apple’s voice-activated assistant currently receives a billion voice requests in a week, this data is sure to be invaluable to their new API. VocalIQ have supplied Apple with an API that is set to develop rapidly, thanks to its contextual learning capabilities. The sheer volume of data that Apple is sure to feed into their new API will hopefully bring breakthrough developments in voice recognition.

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Global Advancement in Voice Recognition

Enhanced voice command functionality can benefit many of Apple’s productivity boosting-devices. Although the acquisition was confirmed by a statement in the Financial Times, no other official statements have been made from Apple, as is the case with most of their acquisitions. Despite the lack of information available regarding future plans for the VocalIQ API, one thing is for certain. Should Apple successfully engineer fully-functional voice recognition in pain-and-effort free manner, the way we use our devices will change completely on a global scale.