Aruba F Shahid

This is great for Norway and an even greater initiative that may motivate the rest of the world to switch over to electric more rapidly. My only issue to fully electric car is that the recharge process is still inconveniently too long compared to stopping at a gas station. I believe our current battery technology have not advanced to the point where we are motivated enough to swap over to electronic. Until then, I think many industries could benefit from hybrid cars.

What really caught my eye in this post is the question about the “always watching” narrative. I previously covered something similar on this blog. This post had to do with Google “always listening” and a device that keeps your Google Home from constantly listening to you. My point is that everything is already listening to you, and it is probably not the FBI. It’s companies like Google that want to sell you things. These solar powered cameras could be the next step. They can see what you wear and what you do, and figure out even more things to sell you. I feel like years ago I would sound crazy saying this, but it’s becoming more and more accepted.

I was kind of surprised that TFL didn’t make more out of the Oyster Card system like Suica and Octopus in Tokyo and Hong Kong respectively… UK is strong a banking nation. Also using Apple Pay is a mess… if you don’t tap in and out on the same device you are charged a penalty fare and you’re charged twice… not sure why that didn’t create an Oyster charge card and allowed users to add that to Apple Pay so it would simplify multidevice support, this will interm allow commuters to buy yearly discounted tickets and use any money on the account to purchase items in convenience stores or vending machines.

You mention a good point of dock-less bikes and electric scooters becoming compatible with this app. When I went to Washington D.C. a couple weeks ago, I was able to see tourists riding more electronic scooters than bikes, including my own self. I do like the idea of aggregating all of my subway or transit cards into one application or card where it is centrally located. I wonder if this will extend internationally, such as airplanes or transcontinental trains?

Great insight on the AirPods! I actually didn”t know where the memes originated, but now I do. I definitely see them being more prominent right now and that has helped boost sales. I remember hearing that some of their iPhones did not have the best sales so this is a great way for investors to see Apple can still produce great products, as you mentioned. It is interesting to see them potentially adopt Apple Watch features. Do you think that even though these are 2 different products, that the AirPods could cannibalize the sales of the AppleWatch if the AirPods get features from their watch? Also a concern would be the price point – I wonder for how long consumers will be ok with spending a premium on ear buds, when there are higher quality headphones for cheaper prices. What do you think?

I own wired earbuds, over the ear headphones, and “wireless” headphones. The Apple Airpods blow all of them out of the water. And it’s not just a “flex” piece. Functionality – they perform better than all of my other earphones/headphones. Do they provide me studio room music quality? No. But the things the AirPods do well are that: truely wireless, good battery life, portable, and a really good mic. I think Apple has done it again. They’ve created a new product that is made to last. It may have took a while for AirPods to take off, but they’ve definitely silenced the critics. From all the memes made to everyone writing off the Airpods – I honestly think that AirPods are really useful. I find myself using them everyday. I don’t see them as a fashion piece but I do like the way they look so they’re aesthetically pleasing. Cardiac rhythm is cool – but do I care about that in my headphones? I just rather my AirPods be able to control volume without me having to take out my phone. I would also like them to be noise canceling. It is definitely exciting to see the future of wearable technology!

Great title! It is no surprise that when social media meets a product, potential sales may multiple by two or three-fold. in addition, the memes gaining peak popularity during Christmas season was an added cherry to the company. I believe the Apple Airpods will be around for a long time. The price differentiation compared to other brands screams ‘luxury.’ My only worry for the product is hoping that each new generations of the Airpods will be more innovative compared to its predecessor. Personally, I was not impressed by the added features of the Airpods 2 and will not be upgrading this year.