On this great day of Halloween, few things were actually scary in the tech world.
1. Google’s Nexus 5 is all but a certainty
We’ve known it’s been coming for months now, and the leaks have turned into an absolute onslaught of leaked images.
It makes sense that Google would announce the Nexus 5 — and ideally Android Kit Kat — around a holiday so focused on candy. The rumors say it’ll be released Nov. 1, but I wouldn’t be surprised for a reveal announcement later in the day.
Considering no one actually knows the details on what changes Kit Kat brings to the table, any news on the update will be welcome.
As for the Nexus 5 itself, maybe the LG-manufactured device will actually have LTE data available, and therefore be relevant in today’s phone marketplace.
2. FAA clears electronic devices for all phases of flight
You read right, no more turning off your tablet or cell phone during takeoff and landing — most consumer electronic devices can be on during all phases of flight, the FAA announced today.
The rules still ban voice calls or other data services while on planes, so your devices will have to be in airplane mode at least. Additionally, larger devices like laptops or large tablets may have to be stowed in the seat pocket in front of you during takeoff and landing.
There’s a lot of questions, but luckily the FAA has a FAQ page on its website. They key point, it stresses, is safety, so don’t expect this to be fully implemented until airlines have run a few more tests to make sure there’s no interference with the plane’s navigation systems.
3. Motorola wants you to build your own phone
And it’s not the Moto X.
No, the Google-owned company wants you to be able to pick and choose the hardware components of your phone, much like a laptop.
Basically, everyone would buy a central unit that has a bunch of ports you can attach other components to, like the photo at the top of the page.
If you want a 16-core, 3.5GHz processor in your phone with no camera and only Wi-Fi, no Bluetooth, you can (theoretically) get that.
The program is called Project Ara, and is very similar to Phonebloks, an interchangeable component phone program started earlier this year. Motorola will be working with Phonebloks to make Project Ara a reality.
My biggest concern with this is the price — building your own computer only just recently got extremely affordable, and I don’t think many people are going to be paying $600 for a cell phone.
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That’s all the news for today! Fall Break begins next week, so look for a post from me a little earlier in the week (probably Wednesday). As always, check back here every week for the latest and greatest in tech.
