Apple Vision Pro and How VR Makes Us Less Human

VR has been adapting to our current lifestyle, increasing its identity as the future of tech. What started as a simple idea has now become the obvious next addition into each of our ever-growing tech arsenal. But what does this do? Is this just the next step, or is it a step too far?

The Apple Vision Pro came out, and it’s been the focus of the internet for a while now. I haven’t had a chance to review it, but after a little too much time watching others review it, I think I can safely say that it is a very expensive toy. Marques Brownlee, a YouTube tech reviewer, said that he is most excited to watch movies on an airplane on a high quality screen, to which he says is a nice thing to have, but not nearly worth the $3500 price tag. But even then, he has concerns about his interactions with the people on those flights while he’s in their headset. Other people, however, have worn the headset in public, not caring about other people’s thoughts about them. Ryan Trahan, a YouTuber while no specific genre, accidentally created an interesting social experiment in his challenge to wear the Apple Vision Pro for 100 hours. He got strange looks everywhere he went, and said later as he rewatched the memories he had made while in the headset that those recorded memories didn’t feel like they were his, and that being in VR felt isolating, even though he could see everything around him. So is VR making us more productive? Maybe. Is it making us less human? Definitely. Despite Apple’s attempts to show your eyes in their headset, it still feels dystopian. Humans have always needed interaction, community, and conversation to be okay. That’s why solitary confinement is such a punishment in prison. VR doesn’t promote anything but isolation and alienation. There are upsides to this constant hunt for productivity and entertainment, but the sacrifices are adding up.

Nostalgia and Tech: Balancing Past and Present

Nostalgia has been a factor of life forever. The word comes from Greek, with nostos meaning return home and algos meaning pain. It is a feeling of a lost era that we long to return to. Studies have shown that nostalgic items can cause negative emotions to occur, but mostly they create warm feelings. But isn’t it weird that this applies to tech, one of the fastest and most adaptive industries in the world? For example, Analogue, an American video game hardware company, started producing the Analogue Pocket in late 2021. The Pocket is a remake of the Nintendo Gameboy, which was a bestseller and still carries this nostalgia with it. Analogue recently came out with new colors for the Pocket, and they sold out. Why do people want to downgrade to a less capable, less functional portable console? Let’s get into it.

The golden age of technology has been acknowledged by some as the 40s to the 80s. From World War II, when technological advancement was necessary for victory, to the age of neon, the Macintosh, and the Walkman, technology kept changing faster and faster as culture changed in a flash. As most of the world heads to a place of faster processing, quantum computers, and smart homes, part of us holds onto the tech of yesteryear, when things were simpler. The Analogue Pocket ties into that longing, the same longing that has encouraged the rapid reintroduction of vinyl into pop culture. A popular tech Youtuber, Marques Brownlee, created a video series called Retro Tech about 4 years ago, and his video on the Game Boy is his most watched one, with 16 million more views on that video than any other video of his. To this day, you will still find Street Fighter and Pac-Man in any arcade because people still like those sorts of games. There is an air of simplicity about the Walkman, Game Boy, and NES that makes it to this day super fun to play. As a tech enthusiast, I’ve always wanted a PS5 or Switch, but I only have a Wii. Despite it being from 2009, my friends still enjoy it, and some with a better consul tell me that they wish they still had a Wii. The future will only get more complicated, despite how much we are trying to simplify our complications. Phones will only get more features, headphones will only get more buttons, and computers will only get more websites. That’s why it's not hard to see why people are flocking to get a nostalgic piece of tech, one that plays into their childhood and their desire for simplicity.

Nostalgia and tech will never become untwined, and it's best for both parties. The past will never stop tying into the present, and the present will not stop affecting the future. 

Do We Need a Smartpin?

Humans have a constant drive to update and refine. History shows the benefits of this. Without revision, we wouldn’t have any of the tools we take for granted today. While some things are needed for survival, others should not need to be created. One of these might be the AI Pin. Let’s get into it.

Humane, an upstart wearable device company, just announced their first product, the Humane AI Pin. The idea is to have a smartpin which attaches to a shirt just like any other pin, except that this pin is a computer. The device was announced in a Ted Talk by one of the founders, Imran Chaudhri, and was pitched as an alternative to virtual reality. The premise is one I understand and agree with: that tech should be able to become invisible when unwanted and available when needed. However, I found this conflicting with their mission, found on Humane’s website, which states: Humane was founded on the principle that we all deserve more from technology. My question is what does more mean? Does it mean more available or more beneficial? This new technology is a small step from our current technology, but the more and more we chip away at the few spaces we aren’t around tech, the more I fear we lose part of what makes us truly human, which is our incredible sociability. As a tech enthusiast, I approve of the ideals of Humane, but question the fulfillment of them. We’ll see what this leads to, but I’ll put a pin in it for now.

What Is A Photo?: How Google Is Tweaking Our Definition of a Photo

Photos have been practically the same since 1825, a snapshot of reality. The only real change was adding color. Then edits came along, but the moment stays the same, no matter what the coloring or brightness of the photo. But what about changing what the photo shows entirely?

Let’s get into it.

Google announced its new Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro phones on Wednesday. Along with these phones, new camera software was introduced. First of all, is Magic Editor. This update came out last year, where you can erase something from the background of your image, which seems reasonable. This year, they added more into Magic Editor that lets you move people and objects around the image. This is close to the line between real and fake for me. Sure, you want your subject in the middle of the photo, makes sense. You want that beachball to be higher in the air. Is that really what happened? Not really, but it doesn’t matter that much. You want to make it look like you’re dunking when you weren’t close in reality (this is a real example they used in an ad). Now you’re just lying. That’s not what happened. Editing has been around for a while, but this feels new and, frankly, disconcerting. But in addition to Magic Editor, Google added a feature called Best Take. Now, imagine you are taking a photo with friends, and you take multiple to make sure you get it just right. But you like the lighting more in this one, so you switch the face of your friend from that one photo with the time he was smiling in the other photo. That is absurd. It’s revolutionary, certainly, but are all revolutions ones we want?

Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From the Tree

Apple announced their new watches and phones yesterday. The new Apple Watches are now controllable with a hand, which is crazy. And now the iPhone is… new. Let’s dive in.

The iPhone, like the rest of the smartphone market, has hit this plateau of innovation. There is always a time where a product’s development slows, which, in the case of a phone, means fewer and fewer new features come out. The iPhones have all looked the same since the iPhone 11. For example, I bet your didn’t realize that the cover for this post is the iPhone 13, not the new iPhone 15. Minor adjustment, larger phones, better chips, but the changes made between the original iPhone and the iPhone 2 probably surpasses the number of changes between the iPhone X to this year’s iPhone 15. This is not all that surprising, because at some point you are almost at the apex of a phone, like a exponential parent function graph except the x is negative (sorry…), which reach a certain point where the changes are so small that they practically don’t matter. But what’s concerning is that the rest of the industry is still trying new things. Androids are known for their audaciousness in new features, but Apple has set the standard so long that risks aren’t necessary. They play it safe, which is the right move. Apple sits back, watches what features will work, and then polish up the feature for Apple products. Apple has become to comfortable, but nobody can do anything about it.

Electric Trucks: Not Now, but EVentually?

Sorry about the pun.

Recently, Fisker, a small fully electric car brand, announced their Fisker Alaska, which is said to be shipped in 2025. This is to rival the current Rivian R1T and Ford F150 Lightning, and by then rivaling the Tesla Cybertruck. However, will truck people really want an electric truck? Or is this just for the fakers? Let’s get started.

In 2022, the electric truck market was valued at $631 million. Seems great until you see that the standard pickup market is valued at $185.56 billion. With those numbers, the pickup market is practically 300 times the size of electric trucks. But why? They look the same right? Sure, but truck people are people who want to either get work done or be that truck guy. EV trucks don’t have either of those things. You can’t haul anything any significant distance, and you most of those “truck guys” don’t want something sleek, they want something more rugged. Eventually, once the EV trucks get more distance and can provide that same “truck guy” ruggedness, than the market will grow. They are also are 3 times the cost. Hopefully this will come soon, but it seems like we’re in it for the long haul.

Apple and the Safety of Tweaks

Some rumors have recently been spread around about the iPhone 15, which will be released in this upcoming fall. Rumors are common in the tech world, but Apple usually has it under wraps, so it’s surprising that we have this much information, whether reliable or not. But let’s get started.

Firstly, the new iPhones should be made of titanium, which is stronger and lighter than the current stainless steel backing. Of course, there should be a camera boost, but also at least the Pro Max iPhone should adopt USB-C, which will probably be marketed as a perk rather than an upcoming obligation. (If you don’t know what this obligation is, the EU is mandating USB-C ports as of 2025.) But the new “wow” factor, the factor that makes it the new iPhone is rumored to be an action button. An action button is a button that could be mapped to do lots of different things, such as turn on silent mode, or switching to Do Not Disturb. This button could also be the replacement of the toggle for silent mode. Even if all of these end up being in the new phones, are they really that different from the old ones?

Apple has built for itself a “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” culture. All companies do this; it’s a common sense rule of life: if something is working, don’t mess it up. But Apple is especially safe having built this practically inescapable fortress that is their ecosystem. To be fair, Apple has recently been more of an initiator of technological progress, for more obscure products such as AirTags and the Vision Pro. But when it comes to their phones, they are (rightfully) careful how much they change. They like the spot they’re in, and right now they’re playing the game of tweaking, changing ever so slightly to keep customers loyal, but also get them to buy the new one. But here’s the real question: will Apple ever need to take a risk?

It’s Meta Enough: Threads

By now you must’ve heard about it, but in case you haven’t, Threads is the new competitor to Twitter. But the big deal is that it is made by Meta, the largest social media platform in the world.

On July 5, Threads was launched. But this wasn’t a careless launch. Meta deliberately launched Threads after a series of horrid mistakes from Twitter, including limiting the number of posts people see and forcing users to pay for certification. Threads bet on Twitters dip to propel them forward, and they were right. As of now, there are 117 million users, 19 days after launch. That number is practically unheard of. So what makes Threads better than Twitter? Well, a lot of things. Threads has unlimited amount of posts you can see and certification through Meta (meaning if you’re certified on Instagram, you’re certified on Threads. Oh yeah, and no adds. Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, said that there wouldn’t be any form of monetization until the site reaches 1 billion users.

Maybe it’s a fad, but as of right now people are flocking to Threads. It’s been made clear that Meta’s played at least some cards right, because Twitter just became X.com, supposedly the new “everything” app, with the name (purposefully or otherwise) harkening back to Elon’s online bank he made in 1999. But if Meta can stoke the fire that is Threads, then welcome to Musk v. Zuck: Part 1.

Highlights of WWDC

WWDC, Apple’s developer conference, ended two days ago, on June 5. As the chaotic scene settles, what stands out and what is important? Let’s start with the small updates:

iPadOS: Nothing crazy. We will now get interactive widgets, which is actually pretty nice. We also get multiple timers, which is a feature that should’ve come out a long time ago, but at least it’s here now.

MacOS: Widgets. All of Apple’s computers will all now be able the have widgets, which will fade into the background when a window is open. Subtle, but smart touch. Also, there will be slight upgrades to the current presentation of slideshows on video meeting sites.

WatchOS: There will now be better features for hikers and cyclists, the biggest thing being the new waypoint for hiking. It will now show where on the path was the last place you had cell coverage and the last place SOS calls were available to you.

iOS: Firstly, contact sharing. This is the new alternative to switching phones with people to get their contact. Instead, we will soon be able to hold our phones close to each other in order to share contacts with each other. Super convenient. Call posters. These are banners that show up as the background when somebody is calling you. What’s awesome is that you get to chose what poster people see, so if you want your family to see a different banner than your boss, that is possible. Next, we have live voicemail transcription. Now, instead of listening to the voicemail after someone calls, you will be able to read what they are saying instead of picking up. Super helpful if you’re not sure if you want to answer a call from someone. Same thing goes for audio messages on text. You can just read it instead of trying to listen to it. We will also be able to download maps, instead of having to take a screenshot of the map. Lastly, Apple announced they have been working with some hotels in order to allow AirPlay on their TVs, so you can cast your shows and movies, as opposed to signing in on the built in services.

Okay, now the Vision Pro. The Vision Pro is Apple’s new AR/VR headset. It looks incredible. The resolution looks great, and people can see your eyes on the outside screen to see if you are looking at them. There is a dial to control the amount of reality you allow in your vision. Also, to unlock the headset, they have this thing called Optic ID, where it scans your eyes, which is so Sci-Fi, but I guess it works nonetheless. But here’s the thing: no controllers. You use your hands and eyes to control it. You use your eyes as your mouse on a computer, and your fingers select. Crazy. Now what am I forgetting? Hmmmm…oh yes! The price! Just a nice cheap $3499. So yeah. That’s WWDC 23.

Google is Getting Better

Google just had their Google I/O event, and their products get better and better each year. If they fixed the kinks, I would be willing to switch. Here’s why:

1. Phones

Google’s Pixels are simply amazing. What tech YouTuber calls the “smartest smartphone”, the pixel has been running away in design, cameras, and software, with a respectable battery to go along with it. Also, price. The most premium Pixel is $200 cheaper than the most premium iPhone. If you think it’s just a feature gap that makes the iPhone more expensive, you’re wrong. In Marques Brownlee’s annual Smartphone Camera Test, (I recommend checking you the video) the Pixel 7 Pro had the 2nd best camera, preceded only by its little brother, the Pixel 6A, Google’s cheaper lineup. The Pixel 6A started at $499, which is an incredible price.

2. Software

Google’s software is truly great. I love Google’s esthetic, simplicity, and generally minimalism. It looks amazing, and I like it more than Apple’s less intuitive software.

3. Ecosystem

Let’s start with the Pixel Tablet. My needs for a tablet are very slim, so this tablet fits all my desires. A large screen that looks good. Except it is trash, so that’s bad but I don’t really care. Finally, I like the Pixel Watch a lot. The circular design, the…well that’s kind of it. I’ve never appreciated Apple’s square watch design. It gives more mini-phone vibes than a smartwatch needs to. And based on my limited experience and research, the Pixel Watch’s software doesn’t seem to different than Apple’s.

So there you go. Obviously, Google is not perfect yet. But I love seeing them getting better, at the very least pushing Apple to try more.

Kia: How to Go Back to the Drawing Board Well

Kia was a run-in-the-mill type of car brand. The Korean car brand has done well, making good cars, in my eyes being like a Nissan, you’ll see some, and won’t be surprised when you do. However, back in 2021, they changed their logo. But not just their logo. They scrapped most of their previous work and went back to the drawing board… and it looks great.

Their new logo looks more like KN than it does Kia (if you haven’t seen it, I recommend searching it up). This leads to people wondering what this new car brand is, searching about what the KN car brand is, which is great for their brand. In addition, their new cars look great. They have real cleaned up their cars, making them look higher end, with their sharper edges and nice headlights. They really turned that ship around, and I’m excited for the future of Kia.

(This is my opinion. If you want to read about a more negative view on the redesign, check out inc.com’s article on it.)

The Pixel Fold: Rumors Confirmed

The Google Pixel Fold is finally announced, at a weird time at that. With only a few days left before the Google I/O event, their newest phone has been made official. Rumors have been spreading for a while now, and now we finally see that all the suspicions were correct.

The new Pixel Fold resembles the Samsung Fold 4, which folds from a thick normal phone to a small tablet. Although no specs have been announced by Google, NBC reported back in April that it would be a 5.8-inch phone that transforms into a 7.6-inch tablet when unfolded. This phone would also carry the G2 Google Tensor chip, and in addition, have “the most durable hinge on a foldable”. Now, the worst part is that it also will have a price tag above $1,700. That is at least twice the current price for the baseline iPhone 14. This was expected, with its main competitor being the Samsung Fold 4, costing $1,799 at launch. Despite the horrific price that no average user will be able to be okay with, it is nice to see the foldable market having a new player. Although the iPhone Fold is at least a long way away from happening (if ever), it is great to see this new market flourish with new faces.

Welcome to the TechTabloid!

Welcome. This is a blog, sure, but I truly hate saying that I run a tech blog. I feel so cringy saying that. But in all honesty, that’s what this is. So welcome to the TechTabloid.

I am a guy who doesn’t think he wants his name to be on the internet. I love Jesus, tech, and interesting things. In a nonchalant world, writing this blog is very chalant, so I try to be myself when writing and not come across as a try-hard, however I do like getting fancy sometimes.

This is simply a place for me to be creative about a topic I love, and I hope you care to follow along and read whatever my brain decides it wants to talk about.

God bless!