[Feature] Silicon Theories - March Edition

This was a busy week in the tech world...and I've got a few thoughts to share with you on all of it. There's something new from Google, something(s) new from Apple, and some old thoughts on what Android tablets mean to the world of mobile computing. Ready to dive in? Let's get to it!

[Podcast] Episode 21 - March Rumor Roundup

Hey everyone - just in time for the weekend, we here at Silicon Theory have an exciting new episode of the podcast to get you thru the doldrums Saturday and Sunday.  Sean P. and I go over the rumor roundup from March, and talk about a bunch of stuff, including offerings from Samsung, Apple, Xiaomi, and HTC.

Download or stream from iTunes, Google Play Music, or Soundcloud.  If you leave us a 5 star review on your favorite podcast platform, we will love you forever!  And we'll even read your review on our next podcast.  Thanks for listening!

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[Podcast] Episode 17 - January Rumor Roundup

Yes - another episode of the Silicon Theory Podcast is uploaded and this time, its all about the rumors surrounding the new phones for 2017.  We talk offerings from Samsung, Apple, and others.  There is a lot going on, and the leaks are coming fast and furious but we take a look at everything that's relevant for those of you who are looking for new devices this year.  And man...there could be a great selection to choose from.

We explore all of that and more in the latest episode.  Be sure to subscribe on Google Play, iTunes, or SoundCloud to get all the newest episodes!

[Opinion] The new and improved (and controversial) MacBook Pro

As was mentioned last week, one of the big events in tech last week was the long anticipated refresh of Apple's MacBook Pro lineup, and in much the same way as the iPhone 7 launch was met with some pushback (mostly due to the removal of the 3.5mm headphone jack) the new MacBook Pro has been met with some criticism.  Why that is encompasses a bigger topic, which I'll explore in this article.  So let's discuss; shall we?

[Special Feature] Silicon Theories - October Edition

So....you might be wondering what the "October Edition" of this special feature is doing here in November.  Well, I had some thoughts about things I wanted to write on and as is often the case, real life got in the way.  And since its only a day or 2 past the end of October, I feel like I'm well within the margin for error on these kinds of things.  But, I digress....so, without further ado, here are this month's (see what I did there?) Silicon Theories...

[News] Tech events next week

Lots going on next week in the world of tech, and here's a quick rundown on what you need to know...

Microsoft hosts an event on Wednesday, 10/26/16

What to expect...

Microsoft is expected to take the wraps off some new hardware, and coming just after Google's hardware event (and just before Apple's hardware event) their timing couldn't be better - if you're a Windows or Surface fan.  Some of the rumored devices include:

[Special Feature] Silicon Theories - September edition

While we have a little bit of a lull of late in tech, I had a few things I thought might be worth discussing, and each on their own merits wasn't necessary a whole article, but in their totality, they might be - so I am going to roll up a bunch of ideas together, and start a new special feature I'm going to call "Silicon Theories" - this will be the inagural September edition of what I hope to be a monthly thing.  I'm going to collect of bunch of thoughts and ideas and submit them for your consideration.

[Guide] Thinking about buying the new iPhone?

Today is the day!  If you were waiting to purchase the latest and greatest iPhone, it should be in stores today.  The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus are now available thru Apple retail stores and at all the various mobile wireless carriers.  If you are thinking of making the plunge, but haven't had time to catch up on all the details, we have a few resources you can read before heading out the door to buy "the best iPhone ever made."

[Podcast] Episode 9 - Apple's iPhone announcement

The next episode of the Silicon Theory podcast is now uploading, and will be available on all platforms soon. We recap the Apple iPhone 7/7 Plus launch event, and give our thoughts on whether or not we think Apple did enough to warrant you making this your next smartphone.  There's a lot of ground to cover here, so for the sake of time we didn't touch on things like the Airpods, the iOS 10, or macOS items that were discussed during the event.  Just iPhone (mostly) all the time.

Check us out on iTunes, Google Play Music, and SoundCloud...cheers and happy listening!  If you like our work, make sure you hit the subscribe button to get all our latest content.  Just search Silicon Theory on any of those platforms!

[Opinion] With the new iPhone on the horizon, why is everyone worried about a new MacBook Pro?

The rumors have it that the newest iPhone is only weeks away from being announced (most likely next month in September) and while the leaks have been coming fast and furious, there is another Apple product that has been getting a lot of attention, but not a lot of love - that's the yet to be announced refresh of Apple's MacBook Pro line of laptops.  While the new MacBook is amongst the lightest and thinnest mobile PCs, the Pro is really the top of the food chain where Apple is concerned.  Considering they started as a computer company, you would think this would be at the top of Apple's product list every year or 2.  And apparently, you'd be wrong.

[Review] Beats Studio Wireless Headphones

As some of you may or may not know, I'm a bit of a music lover.  I wouldn't say "music snob" since that implies I have massive lossless file libraries, and I wouldn't say "music aficionado" since that implies I have a huge home stereo DAC and amplifier system (and neither of these things are true)  But I do love music, of all genres, and I have owned several pairs of in-ear, on-ear, and over-ear headphones in my day.  I currently use the V-Moda M100s as my headphone of choice, and they are terrific.  Built like a tank, and with a fun sound profile for modern bass heavy music, they are a joy to listen to.  But that's a review for another day...

While the M100s are great, they are a wired set.  I was looking for something in the way of a bluetooth wireless pair, and armed with a bunch of Best Buy credit, off I went.  I was trying to decide between the Bose set, and the Beats Studio Wireless.  If you read the title of this article, you already knew which direction I went.  Read on to find out why.

[Podcast] Silicon Theory Podcast, episode 4

Welcome to the rumor round up episode of the Silicon Theory Podcast.  We dig into the specifics of the rumors surrounding the Moto Z, OnePlus 3, Note 6/7, and the iPhone 7.  Some of the rumors have been bourne out on the new Moto Z devices; the announcement of which came on Thursday.  We'll have a recap of those notes, but in the meantime, check out the pod and get our thoughts on some of the next wave of mobile devices.

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If you enjoyed the pod (or any of the podcasts), please subscribe and feel free to leave us a review on your preferred platform.  Or if you have a topic you'd like to see covered in a future podcast, feel free to email us at silicontheory@gmail.com - thanks for listening!

[Podcast] The Silicon Theory podcast, episode 2

It's here!  Just in time for the weekend, we of Silicon Theory have a new podcast for you to listen to.  We tackle the direction of Apple, discuss if Steve Jobs and Elon Musk have anything in common in the popular mentality, and float some rumors about the next iPhone.  Check it out (and tell a friend!) - if you like our work, please feel free to leave us reviews on iTunes or Google Play Music or drop us a line at silicontheory@gmail.com and let us know if you have ideas for a future podcast.

Thanks for listening!

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[Podcast] New Silicon Theory podcast coming soon!

Hey all,

Just a quick note that episode 2 of the pod has been recorded and will be available soon.  In it, we touch upon the past and present of Apple as a company, and some thoughts on what might be in store for them in the future.  It is jam packed with a bunch of great insight, so if you are an Apple fan or user of their products, be sure to check it out.  We are on iTunes, Google Play, and SoundCloud.

Thanks for listening!

[Op-Ed] What kind of market will the iPhone SE find?

Apple recently announced a refresh of their design from the iPhone 5/5s line, and are calling it the iPhone SE.  The odd thing about this refresh is that it now gives Apple not 1, not 2, but 3 different size iPhones for consumers to choose from.  After such a long time of offering a single choice in mobile smartphones, Apple has done a 180 and first moved up from a 3.5" display mode (iPhone 4), to 4.0" display (iPhone 5/5s), then finally the current generation iPhone 6s (at 4.7" display size) and the 6s+ (at a whopping 5.5" display size) - one might view this as a reversal of trend, as most smartphone OEMs these days are abiding by the motto of "bigger is better!" when it comes to display size.  But is this really what consumers want?  Are we stuck with nothing but smartphones that are so large they create an unsightly bulge in our jeans pockets?  Or has Apple found an untapped market, as they seem to so often do with their products?  Let's explore in more depth.

[Rumor] Newest iPhone to feature version with sapphire glass?

Apple may be giving an all new meaning to "high end" when they release their new devices in early September.  According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, Apple may be releasing a version of the new iPhone 6 with a sapphire glass display.  Sapphire crystal is only below diamond in its hardness rating and could be a big step forward in reducing scratches on mobile device screens and the need for screen protectors.

[News] Apple's latest iPhone probably announced on Sept 9

Not to be outdone by Samsung's Note 4 demo date, it appears that Apple has set some time aside in early September to announce the launch of (at least) one version of the next gen iPhone, dubbed "iPhone 6."  The new device (which probably doesn't look anything like the photo shown) is rumored to sport a larger 4.7" display and is likely to be only 6mm thick.  Check out the full link to the story on PhoneArena.com here.

[Op-Ed] A completely unbiased Android users opinion of iOS 7 - it sucks

Image courtesy of Apple.com

So...yeah.  I'm an Android guy.  Have been for a long time, and its still my current phone.  But as many already know, I DO own Apple products.  Yes, even me.  For all my bashing of their not really being a tech company more than a marketing company and not having had an innovation since the iPad first debuted, I do like and purchase (or ask for as gifts) some of their devices.  This puts me in a unique position: to be on the outside looking in.  No "iSheep" fanboiness here...I'm looking solely at how the device works best for me.  And I have to be honest - I wish Apple would have left my iPod touch the way it was before iOS 7.

[News] Apple no longer world's most valuable company

In what has been a reversal of fortune for one of the largest tech companies, Apple has lost the title of "World's Most Valuable Company" after falling stock prices reduced its market cap to below $414 billion - slightly under Exxon's market cap of approximately $417 billion.  Shares of Apple were trading under $450/share at the time of this writing, a huge tumble from the over $700/share price it saw around the time of the launch of the iPhone 5 last year.  This represents a drop of about 36%, just since September.

The stock plummet comes as market researchers and analysts are wondering where Apple goes from here in terms of product innovation.  So much of Apple's edge has been built on staying ahead of their competition...but now that Android handsets and tablets are seen as viable (and in some instances more cost effective) alternatives to iPhones and iPads, the profit margins for the Cupertino tech giant are not what they once were, even a few short years ago.  With new device launches possibly coming as early as March, it remains to be seen if Apple can return to its status as "top dog" anytime soon.

*Source:  USA Today

[Review] iPod touch (5th Gen)

Santa was very generous this year, and delivered down my chimney the black 64GB 5th generation iPod touch.  I have long desired the thinner, taller version of my old 3rd generation iPod touch, and this year the jolly guy in the red suit came through for me.  Well...it was actually my wife who came through for me, but I'm sure you get the idea.  As I mentioned in our Best of Tech 2012 article, the design elements of the new iPod touch are simply beautiful.  I got the very sinister black and grey colorway, and I'll delve a little deeper into some of the pros and cons of Apple's latest generation music player below.