CES 2020: Day 2
Get ready QLD, you’re getting digital drivers licenses soon
Twitter experimenting with letting you define who can reply to your tweet
Looks like V2H bi-directional EV charging is finally getting real
Cheap GoPro Hero 8 Black, DJI Osmo Mobile 3 gimbal, Google Pixel 3 XL 64GB & Philips Fidelio L2 headphones
I hope this is the last day I have to pay attention to CES, I’m over it.
Samsung’s new T7 external SSD is the fastest one yet (USB 3.2 Gen 2, read/write speeds of up to 1050/1000 MBps) and includes a variant with a fingerprint reader built-in.
Hisense plans to release a 150” (and 100”/120”) 4K laser TV in the 2nd half of 2020. It’s basically an ultra-short throw projector. 150” is nice. I want it, but can’t afford it (pricing not out, but you know it’s gonna be expensive).
Aussie headphone company Nuraphone now has earbuds doing the same custom audio trickery. They’re called Nuraloops and cost US$199.
The Linedock is a an interesting looking MacBook Pro dock that’s really more like a pad than a dock. Hooks up over TB3 and you can install your own PCIe SSDs in it. Nifty design.
Yale has a new parcel box thing for your house that a delivery person can open using a one time code (I assume it’s written on the parcel delivery instructions) and that you can control remotely. Maybe it’ll go on sale in Australia.
Also in smart-lock land, August has a new unit that goes over existing locks that is 45% smaller than the previous one and has wi-fi in it, so there’s no need for an additional bridge.
Ivanka Trump showed up to CES talking about how the White House wants to work with tech companies to create more jobs. Women with actual qualifications and knowledge on the topic of tech jobs cracked the shits Trump’s daughter was there instead of them.
Apple was also at CES, with their senior director for global privacy showing up to a panel alongside Facebook’s similarly named exec and the FTC commissioner, who reminded us that “we have no idea where our data ends up”.
Queensland is joining NSW and SA in the digital drivers licence game. French mega company Thales (you might know them for their range of bombs and missiles) has been awarded the contract along with local businesses Code Heroes and Aliva. The app will be built using Gemalto's Digital ID platform and will be designed to meet "International ISO-Compliant Mobile Driving Licence Standards", of which I had no idea was a thing. The Department of Transport and Main Roads wants the app to also host things like car rego, marine licences and other types of government ID, not just drivers licences. Trials will start "early 2020" in the Fraser Coast.
Twitter is making changes to who can reply to your tweets with a new feature called "conversation participants". You'll soon be able to mark a tweet as "global" which allows anyone to reply, "group" only people that you follow or mention in the tweet can reply, "panel" only people mentioned in the tweet can reply and "statement", where nobody can reply. According to Twitter's director of product management Suzanne Xie, "getting ratio'd, getting dunked on, the dynamics that happen that we think aren't as healthy are definitely part of... our thinking about this". The conversation participants feature will start testing “in the first quarter” and if it doesn't end up being a disaster, will be available for everyone on Twitter later in the year.
If you're a dork like me that's interested in V2H technology for using the battery in an electric car to power a home, you'll be happy to know that Wallbox are releasing a bi-directional DC charger that you can actually buy. It's not cheap (US$4,000) but it's still cheaper than getting a separate battery with a decent capacity (Tesla Powerwall is A$11,700). Where things get interesting is taking advantage of free charging at shops or at work, then taking that power home and using it there. Can't do that with a Tesla Powerwall! Only downside is that the Wallbox Quasar only works with a CHAdeMO plug, which is only on the Nissan LEAF and Mitsubishi Outlander. Every other EV uses CCS2, which Wallbox reckon will be coming soon. Not sure if the car needs a firmware update though.
GoPro Hero 8 Black - $481.50 using the code POLKA for eBay Plus members
DJI Osmo Mobile 3 gimbal - $121.50 using the code POLKA for eBay Plus members
Google Pixel 3 XL 64GB - $648 using the code POLKA for eBay Plus members
Philips Fidelio L2 headphones - $259.80 from Amazon AU
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