Except for the Kindle Paperwhite review published yesterday, this space was blank for a week while I had covid. So that was fun. While I introduce myself back into the world, here are a few of the stories I’ve found interesting over the last couple days.
Rogers Fires CTO, Plans to Split Networks
Two stories in one! Last week Rogers committed to separating wireless traffic onto a separate network from its wireline traffic. This would mean that in the event of another catastrophic outage like the one that hit a couple weeks ago, it is nearly impossible for both cellular and wired internet services to fail at the same time. Running both networks through the same infrastructure is cost efficient, but as was demonstrated by the outage, carries risk. There is no information on whether Bell and Telus operate their networks the same way, but I’d be very interested to find out.
Rogers also this week announced that it has replaced its Chief Technology Officer. Someone had to take the blame, and it looks like that person was all the way at the top.
Google Removes App Permission List From Play Store, Then Brings It Back Immediately
As part of Google’s efforts to make apps and developers more transparent on what permissions and access their apps need on people’s devices, Google mandated developers add a new section to the Play Store where developers were to explain to users why apps need the permissions they need. When the new section in the Play Store rolled out, users noticed that the section that actually lists the specific permissions the app needs, an automatically generated list, was gone. This was apparently intentional, with Google intending to do away with the auto generated list in favor of developers explaining their app permissions. However, deverlopers aren’t required to list the permissions their apps need, only explain what the apps do, which leaves much room for ambiguity. A developer could, for example, say in this description that their app lets you message your friends. But the actual permission it needs to do so is full access to a user’s contact list, which is very different.
The feedback on removing the full permission list was so severe that Google has backtracked after less than a week, and will bring back the full auto generated permission list in the Play Store, which will be alongside the developer description. Common sense wins out.
https://www.androidpolice.com/google-backtracks-on-play-store-permissions-change/
Google Brings Photo Printing Service To Canada
Google has provided a service to users in the US since 2019 that allowed them to get photos stored in Google Photos printed via a 3rd party and shipped to their homes. This was to be a convenient and easy method of getting physical copies of photos printed. Now that service is launching in Canada and Europe. Pricing isn’t clear at this time, but in the US an 8x8 print was a staggering $25, so this service will likely be too expensive to recommend to anyone. Hopefully the prices come down over time.
https://www.androidpolice.com/google-photos-canvas-printing-canada-europe/
Google Pay Is Dead. Long Live Google Wallet
Time is a flat circle. Google’s first attempt at a mobile payment solution was called Google Wallet. Google then renamed that service to Google Pay, and that is where tap to pay services have lived. Google Pay also included other functionality like storage of loyalty program cards, event tickets, airline passes and more. But telling users to store their Air Miles card in something called Google Pay never made much sense. Now, the circle of life is complete and Google Pay has been renamed back to Google Wallet. Google Wallet includes the Google Pay functionality with tap to pay, but is much more sensibly named since it can hold other types of documents as it did before. Once again, common sense prevails.
https://www.theverge.com/2022/7/20/23270301/google-wallet-return-android-payment-cards-keys-id
Google Pixel 6a Reviews
To coincide with the launch of Google Pixel 6a pre-orders going live, reviews of the device have hit. The Pixel 6a appears to be a good midrange phone, though one with much more competition at a similar price point compared to what existed when Google first launched the Pixel “A” series with the 3a. In Canada, for example, the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G is $10 less, and offers a better experience in all aspects except the camera. The Pixel 6a looks like a good phone, but is far from a home run product.
https://www.engadget.com/google-pixel-6a-review-battery-life-camera-samples-170025138.html
Automatic Audio Switching Coming To Android
Announced at Google I/O, Google is rolling out automatic audio device switching in Android. The Google Pixel Buds Pro will be the first devices to support the feature, which works very much like how AirPods can seamlessly switch between Apple Devices. We will see how well the functionality works once devices are in people’s hands.
Google also says that headphones from other manufacturers like Sony and JBL will support the feature, those a list of supported models is not available at this time.
https://www.engadget.com/android-audio-switching-pixel-buds-pro-170024929.html
Ford To Increase EV Production Using Lithium-Phosphate Battery Technology
Ford says that it will hit 600,000 EV’s produced per year by the end of 2023 in part by using new Lithium-Phosphate battery technology for some of its vehicle production. The Lithium-Phosphate batteries are supposedly cheaper to manufacture while offering similar performance to batteries using materials like Nickel, which are more expensive and scarce. Battery production capacity remains one of the biggest obstacles to rapid expansion of EV production, and automakers are making significant investments to improve that.
https://www.engadget.com/ford-ev-manufacturing-rate-lithium-iron-phosphate-battery-131424727.html