Tag: technology

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Tech News: Space X, Apple AirTag, and Clubhouse on Android

In 2021, every day brings a new advancement in technology. With so much to keep up with, we’re sharing the latest tech specs so that you can keep current in the 21st century. From Apple’s newly unveiled AirTag to Dogecoin on the moon, dive into this week’s tech news below.

Apple Air Tags

Apple AirTag

We’ve all been there, whether it’s misplacing your keys, wallet, remote, or just an endless list of easily losable items. Well, Apple has joined the tracking game after unveiling their Apple AirTag during last month’s summit. The AirTag went on sale April 40 and start at $29, with the option to add Hermes accessories for a heftier price tag. While earlier this week it was reported that a security researcher was able to hack into the tags, it seems that they remain a rival competitor to Tile. This is due to the AirTag using the ‘Find My iPhone’ network and Apple’s privacy commitment. With any new product, only time will tell how well the new product fares.

Clubhouse on Android

If you have heard of Clubhouse but have not used it, you are probably an Android user or a social media minimalist. Either way, the announcement from the popular app that they will be expanding availability to the Google Play store is significant news. After almost a year of iOS exclusivity, the social media audio app Clubhouse remains in high demand. Clubhouse gained traction by giving users the chance to speak to and learn from power-players and celebrities in a forum that combines the style of Ted Talks and Q&As into joinable rooms. The app has also stated the platform will remain invite-only for now, meaning it’s still not open to just anyone, “as part of the effort to keep the growth measured.” 

Twitter Updates

While Twitter’s updates this week do not include an edit button (someday!), they do include new features that user’s have already begun to enjoy. On May 5, the social media app ditched Twitter cropping (although you can still use it if you prefer) and added TipJar and Spaces. While the latter two are currently only available to specific users, they mark a much-needed upgrade for the app. With Twitter crop gone, users on iOS and Android will be able to upload 4k images without any worry over cut off and quality. The TipJar feature provides users with a new way to send each other money via CashApp. Spaces will likely serve as a competitor to Clubhouse as a drop-in audio space, but currently, the feature is only for users with followings of 600 or more. Send Tweet ➡️

Space X

Elon Musks’ hosting duties for the May 10 episode of SNL was not the only breaking news of the day for the space company CEO. On Saturday, Space X conducted its 10th launch of a reused rocket. While the report would not necessarily be placed in the recycling category bin, it does mark a new record for the orbital booster. In the case of Space X, they serve as a shift in the space race from disposable to reusable rockets, with overall less hassle for all.

Dogecoin on the Moon

The internet meme turned cryptocurrency has shifted from taking the world by storm to launching straight to the moon. It was announced earlier in the week that Space X is now accepting Dogecoin, which will exclusively pay into launching DOGE-1, an upcoming satellite. The proposed launch will gather “lunar-spatial intelligence” using onboard cameras and sensors. Geometric Energy Corporation is footing the bill and take-off, which will be flown up on a Falcon 9 rocket in the first quarter of 2022.

Zoom Launches Immersive New Background

Do you miss sitting communally with colleagues, family, or friends? Well, Zoom, thought you did and created a new immersive experience for your next Zoom meeting. The new background places you virtually next to the rest of your party. The latest update is something to be seen in what will surely change the dynamic at Thanksgiving should you choose to attend as an avatar. According to CNET, “The feature, called Immersive View, can place up to 25 participants in one meeting space.” If anything, the new background feature will serve as a needed break from feeling like you’re on an episode of ‘Hollywood Squares.’

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Tech News: Uber Helicopter Service

Tech News: Uber Helicopter Service

Uber, the ride-hail company, launched a premium helicopter service in New York City. This service consists of 8-minute flights to John F. Kennedy Airport and Newark Airport from Downtown Manhattan. Uber intends to expand the service to more US cities. They will eventually offer this option to daily commuters who travel between different parts of the city.

This prestigious service is a reference to the premise Uber launched with a decade ago: offer a sleek and convenient transportation option to customers with too much disposable income so they can feel like “ballers” while traveling. This time, the question is whether Uber can convince the Wall Street crowd, near the helipad, to upgrade from a car to a chopper.

The cost is approximately $205 for a one-way Uber Helicopter flight from Manhattan to the JFK airport. It takes approximately 50 minutes to complete. That includes the fact that you need to take an Uber Black Car to get to the helicopter pad which could take from 10-20 minutes based on where you are being picked up in the city.

Considering above factors, it can take about the same amount of time to order an UberX and travel to the airport. 90% of the time, that will be more cost effective than the Uber Helicopter. As Uber expands its fleet of cars to scooters, bikes and now helicopters, it wants to give users more options for getting from one place to another. It envisions replacing helicopter trips with autonomous electric flying cars to make transportation faster and (in theory) safer. Under the Uber Air division, it’s working on a class of flying electric vehicles that can take off and land vertically. The company is expected to launch its first set of electric aircraft in Dallas, Los Angeles and Melbourne, Australia, in 2023.

Uber helicopters probably won’t help to reduce the traffic in big cities like LA or New York. However, they do add an interesting way of travel for people who are looking for a more sophisticated experience. The real highlight of the Uber Helicopter trip is the view of New York from above the city. There’s nothing more astounding than amazing view of your city!

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Real Estate Technology Today

New technology is churned out constantly all over the world. When owning a business, you want to be sure to stay on top of understanding all of the new technology as it releases. This helps your business remain innovative, and run efficiently. The term used to describe any technology in the real estate space is PropTech.  PropTech encompasses the application of information technology and platform economics to real estate markets. Check out our tech list below to stay up to date with all the new cutting-edge real estate technology and software.

  • Blockchain

Blockchain technology now allows transactions to be made securely and transparently. A growing list of records, called blocs, are linked using cryptography. Each block contains a cryptographic hash of the previous bloc, a timestamp and transaction date. Blockchain is resistant to modification of the data. This technology is catalyzing real estate! A large number of software is available to help you grow your real estate business, including Mata Capital, TruSet and Imbrex.

  • HomLov

Launched last summer, this site has marketed itself as “Pinterest Meets Houzz” and uses AI to help people find newly built homes around the country based on their preferred design features.  Shoppers can view videos, photos and floor plans and from there can add whatever entices them to their collection. Once shoppers choose their favorite features, HomLov creates a profile and then marches shoppers with a growing network of home builders.

  • Virtual and Augmented Reality

Through virtual reality, realtors and agents can now provide virtual tours that offer 360-degree views of the exteriors and interiors of properties. AR technology can allow you to virtually stage listings so you can make changes to the look and feel of a home on the spot by superimposing computer-generated images on a virtual simulation of the space. Apps like Magicplan, Home Design 3D, and IKEA Place are changing the way buyers interact with properties.

  • Big Data and Predictive Analytics

If you want a competitive advantage within the industry, begin incorporating data and analytics into your business. Buyers don’t always know what they want until they see it, which is why relying on client’s search criteria isn’t necessarily the most effective way to find their dream home. Realtors and agents can optimize searches, so results are based on clients’ needs instead of their assumptions, by using predictive analysis. Companies like SmartZip, RealAgile, and Revaluate obtain from a large quantity of public and private data to help you tailor your marketing campaigns to individuals who have the highest probability of selling or buying.

  • Artificial Intelligence and Chatbots

Chatbots or virtual assistants can answer queries and ask relevant questions that will help you get to know customers (and their needs) ahead of time. By using virtual assistants, you can take the stress out of qualifying and following up with leads. In turn, this leaves you time to focus on additional important tasks for growing your business!

 

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Tesla Unveils New Version of Their Solar Panel Roof

Tesla Unveils New Version of Their Solar Panel Roof

For the past three years, Elon Musk’s vision for a fully-integrated solar panel roof has been delayed repeatedly. Tesla encountered some production issues at the beginning. Then, of course, aesthetic issues came into the play. Now, Tesla is unveiling a third iteration of its solar roof tiles, and this time the company believes it has a winner.

The new Tesla Solar Roof features dark tempered glass shingles. These innovative shingles are bigger, cheaper to produce & install, have fewer parts, and can capture more energy than previous versions. “We changed some of the materials in use, changed some of the methods, and the technology we are using to something that is more scalable” Musk explained on a recent conference call, as reported by PV Magazine.

The aesthetics remain more or less similar to that of their competitors—steely gray rectangles that sit flush with the roof. The upside, Musk claims, is that the install time has been vastly reduced by the tiles’ increased simplicity. The goal is to complete a roof install in just eight hours. The tiles will come with a 25-year warranty.

For now, Tesla is exclusively offering the dark gray version of the solar roof. However, Musk announced the company is aiming to roll out new and improved versions of the other roof styles they have teased. This includes a Mediterranean Clay roof in six to nine months! The website estimates that a 10kW solar roof for a 2,000-square-foot house will cost $33,950 when factoring in federal tax credits.

“We can make roofs come alive” Musk stated on the call, as reported by PV Magazine. “There are all these roofs out there just gathering sunlight, but not doing anything with it. In the future it will be odd for roofs to be dormant, or dead, or not gathering energy.”

The company expects to start rolling these new roofs out in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!

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