Technology
Size Matters: Phones as Big as They Can Get for Easy Use
In this March 1, 2015 file photo, the new Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge phones are displayed during a Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2015 event on the eve of the Mobile World Congress wireless show in Barcelona, Spain. There was a time you could count on phones getting larger each year. Now, phone makers worry that making them too big will make them too hard to use. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez, File)
ANICK JESDANUN, AP Technology Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — There was a time you could count on phones getting larger each year. Samsung’s runaway success with the big-screen smartphone even spurred Apple to release a supersized model last fall. But if phones get any bigger will they be too hard to use?
That’s the worry of some smartphone makers, and the reason why many of the new models this year didn’t grow. LG even shrank the G Flex 2 to a 5.5-inch screen, as measured diagonally, compared with 6 inches before.
So, how much does size matter?
___
JUST THE RIGHT SIZE
“The size of the phone really is at the sweet spot,” said Drew Bamford, corporate vice president of HTC Creative Labs, which studies how consumers use phones. Bamford said a larger phone would be too cumbersome to use with one hand.
That was also the thinking at Samsung, which has long promoted its phones as “the next big thing.”
Hong Yeo, a senior designer at Samsung, said those who really need a larger screen could turn to other models, such as the 5.7-inch Galaxy Note 4. For the S6, 5.1 inches was “the perfect size for what we want to do,” he said.
IDC analyst Ramon Llamas said the ideal display size tends to be 4.5 inches to 5.5 inches these days.
“Screens have grown faster than hands,” said Rick Osterloh, Motorola’s president.
The company’s new Moto E phone is just slightly larger — with a display measuring 4.5 inches, compared with 4.3 inches for last year’s model. Samsung’s Galaxy S6 stays at 5.1 inches, while the new HTC One remains at 5 inches.
___
CHANGING COMPETITION
It might not be a coincidence that Android phone makers are playing down phone size just as Apple has caught up by making its iPhones bigger, a move that eliminated a key advantage Android phones had long enjoyed.
Now, Android phone makers are looking at other ways to persuade consumers to upgrade. For the Flex, it’s a curved screen, along with self-repairing capabilities when the back gets scratched. Camera improvements are touted in the new Samsung and HTC phones. The new Samsung S6 phones also have better screen resolution even as the size remains the same.
___
FICKLE CONSUMERS
Consumers do like larger displays as they rely increasingly on mobile devices for entertainment and information. The larger screens also make typing easier. Preferences for larger phones can be seen in the high demand for both the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, which made Apple the world’s top smartphone maker in the final three months of 2014, according to Gartner.
But consumers want something comfortable to hold. Ramchan Woo, a vice president and head of mobile product planning at LG Electronics Inc., said the 6-inch display of the original G Flex was both a chief compliment and a chief complaint.
That said, what’s acceptable “has been in flux to some degree for the past few years,” HTC’s Bamford said. A few years ago, the “sweet spot” was closer to 4 inches. Now, it’s at about 5 inches. He said that as people see what they can do with larger screens, they are willing to put up with more.
Shoneel Kolhatkar, senior director of U.S. product marketing at Samsung, said that while the company believes the phone’s size is right for now, he will “never say it will never increase.”
There are some regional variations, too. Bamford said Asian markets tend to accept bigger phones, possibly because people there are more likely to carry bags, rather than use pockets to carry phones.
___
MORE THAN THE SCREEN SIZE
One trick to giving consumers a larger display without decreasing comfort: Shrink the phone’s frame so that the overall size isn’t bigger. But the frame is already minimal, and doing more poses an engineering challenge — and could make phones more expensive.
“The key innovation that we’re driving toward is more screen as a percentage of the surface area,” Motorola’s Osterloh said. “We just try to make it more and more screen.”
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Education
Gov. Newsom’s Latest Appointees Include Sacramento Advocate for Formerly Incarcerated Students; State’s New Tech Chief
Ayushi Roy, of San Francisco, was appointed state chief technology officer at the California Department of Technology. Roy has taught at Harvard Kennedy School since 2022 and previously held technology and policy roles with New America, the U.S. General Services Administration, and the U.S. Office of Management and Budget
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced eight appointments Aug. 19, including a new state chief technology officer and the reappointment of a Sacramento State outreach coordinator who works with formerly incarcerated students.
Ayushi Roy, of San Francisco, was appointed state chief technology officer at the California Department of Technology. Roy has taught at Harvard Kennedy School since 2022 and previously held technology and policy roles with New America, the U.S. General Services Administration, and the U.S. Office of Management and Budget
Roy’s policy work has focused on the gap between government programs and the people they are intended to serve. In a Harvard course inspired by Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter,” she teaches students to examine how administrative and implementation barriers can undermine social safety-net programs.
“I do know as a practitioner, having served in the government for over a dozen years, that the building of technology is the easy part; managing the political feasibility and the implementation is the hard part,” Roy said.
Roy’s appointment requires Senate confirmation and carries compensation of $214,692.
Newsom also reappointed Michael Love, of Sacramento, to the State Rehabilitation Council, where he has served since 2025. Love has been an outreach coordinator at California State University, Sacramento since 2024 and previously held several roles at the university, including administrative services coordinator for Project Rebound and teacher’s associate.
Project Rebound supports formerly incarcerated students as they pursue higher education, making Love’s appointment relevant to the council’s work involving vocational rehabilitation services.
Love earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in communication studies from Sacramento State. He is a Democrat.
Newsom also appointed Eric De La Cruz of Sacramento as executive director of the Racial Equity Commission. De La Cruz has served as chief of the Office of Civil Rights at the Department of Toxic Substances Control since 2022. The position pays $146,220 and does not require Senate confirmation.
The governor additionally appointed Christine Aurigemma to the State Rehabilitation Council and reappointed Lisa Weiler, Michelle Bello and Matthew Asner. The council positions are unpaid and do not require Senate confirmation.
Black History
George Cook: The Inventor Who Made Fishing Smarter
George Cook was a Black American inventor from Louisville, Kentucky. He was born in 1863, during a time when Black Americans faced unfair laws, limited opportunities, and many barriers to education, jobs, and recognition. Even with these challenges, he became known for his intell
George Cook was a Black American inventor from Louisville, Kentucky. He was born in 1863, during a time when Black Americans faced unfair laws, limited opportunities, and many barriers to education, jobs, and recognition. Even with these challenges, he became known for his intelligence, honesty, and ability to think in practical ways. Some records say he worked as a cook for Buffalo Bill Cody and later as a chef on a private dining car for the Louisville and Nashville Railroad. He was even known by the nickname “Honest Mister Cook.”
As with many Black American inventors and scientists of that era, there is little biographical information about Mr. Cook.
Cook’s most famous invention was the Automatic Fishing Device. He received U.S. Patent No. 625,829 for it on May 30, 1899. His patent shows that he was not just someone with an idea, but someone who made it happen.
So, what did the Automatic Fishing Device do? Imagine fishing with a line in the water. Usually, you have to watch carefully and pull the line at just the right moment when a fish bites. Cook wanted to make that process easier. His device was designed to react when a fish pulled on the line. The tension from the fish would trigger a lever. That lever would release a spring-loaded part of the device, causing it to move quickly and help pull in the line. The device also had an alarm gong that would ring to let the fisher know something was happening.
This invention was important because it used simple mechanical ideas in a clever way. Springs, levers, rails, and alarms were not new by themselves, but Cook combined them to solve a real problem. His device showed how inventors often take familiar parts and arrange them in a new way to make life easier.
Cook looked at fishing and asked, “How can this be improved?” Then, he created a device that could respond automatically when a fish tugged on the line. His invention let fishermen relax instead of watching the line for hours, trusting the alarm to alert them.
Cook may not be as famous as some inventors, but his Automatic Fishing Device shows that creativity and innovation can be applied anywhere. His legacy lives on as part of the larger story of Black innovation in America.
Environment
“The Power to See Threats Sooner”: Gov. Newsom, Safety Officials Showcase California’s Investments in Hi-Tech Wildfire Prevention
On July 21, Gov. Gavin Newsom held a presentation in Sacramento, alongside state emergency officials, to showcase California’s major investments in cutting-edge firefighting technology and wildfire prevention. The media event took place at McClellan Airport in Sacramento County,
On July 21, Gov. Gavin Newsom held a presentation in Sacramento, alongside state emergency officials, to showcase California’s major investments in cutting-edge firefighting technology and wildfire prevention.
The media event took place at McClellan Airport in Sacramento County, a primary hub for state aerial firefighting operations. Newsom used the presentation to highlight the state’s modern, tech-driven strategy to combat increasingly severe wildfires.
“California leads with science, innovation, and grit. We are meeting this moment with urgency and building 21st-century solutions for a 21st-century crisis,” Newsom stated. “And through it all, our extraordinary firefighters continue to step up, stand in harm’s way, and protect our communities.”
California Natural Resources Agency Secretary Wade Crowfoot, CAL FIRE Chief Joe Tyler, and California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services Director Caroline Thomas Jacobs appeared with Newsom and provided updates about their respective agencies.
Under the Newsom administration, California’s fire protection budget has nearly doubled since 2019 — from $2 billion to $3.8 billion, including more than $2.5 billion in wildfire resilience and forest health projects.
Newsom detailed the expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) programs, predictive analytics, and sophisticated software used to detect fires at their earliest stages. He also highlighted the launch of FireSat satellites, a dedicated space network designed to dramatically improve early wildfire detection and tracking.
“Every innovation we adopt supports our people on the front lines who work tirelessly to protect our communities when wildfire strikes,” Tyler stated. “Technology and innovation help us do our jobs more quickly and safely; however, we still need all Californians to stay vigilant, support our firefighters, and work together to build a safer, more resilient California.”
In addition, CAL Fire showcased a fleet of more than 100 AI-guided firefighting drones positioned strategically across California to provide real-time mapping and aerial monitoring.
The presentation stated that California operates the nation’s largest state-owned aerial firefighting fleet, including the impending addition of two more C-130 aircraft by the end of the year, alongside a workforce of over 11,000 personnel.
“Technology is transforming how California prepares for wildfire, giving us the power to see threats sooner, position resources before fires start and move mutual aid faster when every second counts,” Thomas Jacobs said. “Governor Newsom’s investments are helping us turn real-time intelligence into action, so firefighters and local communities have the people, equipment and information needed to save lives and keep fires from becoming major disasters.”
Oakland Post: Week of September 2 – 8, 2026
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BOOK REVIEW: Every Inch of a Lady
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Technology
Size Matters: Phones as Big as They Can Get for Easy Use
In this March 1, 2015 file photo, the new Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge phones are displayed during a Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2015 event on the eve of the Mobile World Congress wireless show in Barcelona, Spain. There was a time you could count on phones getting larger each year. Now, phone makers worry that making them too big will make them too hard to use. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez, File)
ANICK JESDANUN, AP Technology Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — There was a time you could count on phones getting larger each year. Samsung’s runaway success with the big-screen smartphone even spurred Apple to release a supersized model last fall. But if phones get any bigger will they be too hard to use?
That’s the worry of some smartphone makers, and the reason why many of the new models this year didn’t grow. LG even shrank the G Flex 2 to a 5.5-inch screen, as measured diagonally, compared with 6 inches before.
So, how much does size matter?
___
JUST THE RIGHT SIZE
“The size of the phone really is at the sweet spot,” said Drew Bamford, corporate vice president of HTC Creative Labs, which studies how consumers use phones. Bamford said a larger phone would be too cumbersome to use with one hand.
That was also the thinking at Samsung, which has long promoted its phones as “the next big thing.”
Hong Yeo, a senior designer at Samsung, said those who really need a larger screen could turn to other models, such as the 5.7-inch Galaxy Note 4. For the S6, 5.1 inches was “the perfect size for what we want to do,” he said.
IDC analyst Ramon Llamas said the ideal display size tends to be 4.5 inches to 5.5 inches these days.
“Screens have grown faster than hands,” said Rick Osterloh, Motorola’s president.
The company’s new Moto E phone is just slightly larger — with a display measuring 4.5 inches, compared with 4.3 inches for last year’s model. Samsung’s Galaxy S6 stays at 5.1 inches, while the new HTC One remains at 5 inches.
___
CHANGING COMPETITION
It might not be a coincidence that Android phone makers are playing down phone size just as Apple has caught up by making its iPhones bigger, a move that eliminated a key advantage Android phones had long enjoyed.
Now, Android phone makers are looking at other ways to persuade consumers to upgrade. For the Flex, it’s a curved screen, along with self-repairing capabilities when the back gets scratched. Camera improvements are touted in the new Samsung and HTC phones. The new Samsung S6 phones also have better screen resolution even as the size remains the same.
___
FICKLE CONSUMERS
Consumers do like larger displays as they rely increasingly on mobile devices for entertainment and information. The larger screens also make typing easier. Preferences for larger phones can be seen in the high demand for both the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, which made Apple the world’s top smartphone maker in the final three months of 2014, according to Gartner.
But consumers want something comfortable to hold. Ramchan Woo, a vice president and head of mobile product planning at LG Electronics Inc., said the 6-inch display of the original G Flex was both a chief compliment and a chief complaint.
That said, what’s acceptable “has been in flux to some degree for the past few years,” HTC’s Bamford said. A few years ago, the “sweet spot” was closer to 4 inches. Now, it’s at about 5 inches. He said that as people see what they can do with larger screens, they are willing to put up with more.
Shoneel Kolhatkar, senior director of U.S. product marketing at Samsung, said that while the company believes the phone’s size is right for now, he will “never say it will never increase.”
There are some regional variations, too. Bamford said Asian markets tend to accept bigger phones, possibly because people there are more likely to carry bags, rather than use pockets to carry phones.
___
MORE THAN THE SCREEN SIZE
One trick to giving consumers a larger display without decreasing comfort: Shrink the phone’s frame so that the overall size isn’t bigger. But the frame is already minimal, and doing more poses an engineering challenge — and could make phones more expensive.
“The key innovation that we’re driving toward is more screen as a percentage of the surface area,” Motorola’s Osterloh said. “We just try to make it more and more screen.”
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Education
Gov. Newsom’s Latest Appointees Include Sacramento Advocate for Formerly Incarcerated Students; State’s New Tech Chief
Ayushi Roy, of San Francisco, was appointed state chief technology officer at the California Department of Technology. Roy has taught at Harvard Kennedy School since 2022 and previously held technology and policy roles with New America, the U.S. General Services Administration, and the U.S. Office of Management and Budget
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced eight appointments Aug. 19, including a new state chief technology officer and the reappointment of a Sacramento State outreach coordinator who works with formerly incarcerated students.
Ayushi Roy, of San Francisco, was appointed state chief technology officer at the California Department of Technology. Roy has taught at Harvard Kennedy School since 2022 and previously held technology and policy roles with New America, the U.S. General Services Administration, and the U.S. Office of Management and Budget
Roy’s policy work has focused on the gap between government programs and the people they are intended to serve. In a Harvard course inspired by Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter,” she teaches students to examine how administrative and implementation barriers can undermine social safety-net programs.
“I do know as a practitioner, having served in the government for over a dozen years, that the building of technology is the easy part; managing the political feasibility and the implementation is the hard part,” Roy said.
Roy’s appointment requires Senate confirmation and carries compensation of $214,692.
Newsom also reappointed Michael Love, of Sacramento, to the State Rehabilitation Council, where he has served since 2025. Love has been an outreach coordinator at California State University, Sacramento since 2024 and previously held several roles at the university, including administrative services coordinator for Project Rebound and teacher’s associate.
Project Rebound supports formerly incarcerated students as they pursue higher education, making Love’s appointment relevant to the council’s work involving vocational rehabilitation services.
Love earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in communication studies from Sacramento State. He is a Democrat.
Newsom also appointed Eric De La Cruz of Sacramento as executive director of the Racial Equity Commission. De La Cruz has served as chief of the Office of Civil Rights at the Department of Toxic Substances Control since 2022. The position pays $146,220 and does not require Senate confirmation.
The governor additionally appointed Christine Aurigemma to the State Rehabilitation Council and reappointed Lisa Weiler, Michelle Bello and Matthew Asner. The council positions are unpaid and do not require Senate confirmation.
Black History
George Cook: The Inventor Who Made Fishing Smarter
George Cook was a Black American inventor from Louisville, Kentucky. He was born in 1863, during a time when Black Americans faced unfair laws, limited opportunities, and many barriers to education, jobs, and recognition. Even with these challenges, he became known for his intell
George Cook was a Black American inventor from Louisville, Kentucky. He was born in 1863, during a time when Black Americans faced unfair laws, limited opportunities, and many barriers to education, jobs, and recognition. Even with these challenges, he became known for his intelligence, honesty, and ability to think in practical ways. Some records say he worked as a cook for Buffalo Bill Cody and later as a chef on a private dining car for the Louisville and Nashville Railroad. He was even known by the nickname “Honest Mister Cook.”
As with many Black American inventors and scientists of that era, there is little biographical information about Mr. Cook.
Cook’s most famous invention was the Automatic Fishing Device. He received U.S. Patent No. 625,829 for it on May 30, 1899. His patent shows that he was not just someone with an idea, but someone who made it happen.
So, what did the Automatic Fishing Device do? Imagine fishing with a line in the water. Usually, you have to watch carefully and pull the line at just the right moment when a fish bites. Cook wanted to make that process easier. His device was designed to react when a fish pulled on the line. The tension from the fish would trigger a lever. That lever would release a spring-loaded part of the device, causing it to move quickly and help pull in the line. The device also had an alarm gong that would ring to let the fisher know something was happening.
This invention was important because it used simple mechanical ideas in a clever way. Springs, levers, rails, and alarms were not new by themselves, but Cook combined them to solve a real problem. His device showed how inventors often take familiar parts and arrange them in a new way to make life easier.
Cook looked at fishing and asked, “How can this be improved?” Then, he created a device that could respond automatically when a fish tugged on the line. His invention let fishermen relax instead of watching the line for hours, trusting the alarm to alert them.
Cook may not be as famous as some inventors, but his Automatic Fishing Device shows that creativity and innovation can be applied anywhere. His legacy lives on as part of the larger story of Black innovation in America.
Environment
“The Power to See Threats Sooner”: Gov. Newsom, Safety Officials Showcase California’s Investments in Hi-Tech Wildfire Prevention
On July 21, Gov. Gavin Newsom held a presentation in Sacramento, alongside state emergency officials, to showcase California’s major investments in cutting-edge firefighting technology and wildfire prevention. The media event took place at McClellan Airport in Sacramento County,
On July 21, Gov. Gavin Newsom held a presentation in Sacramento, alongside state emergency officials, to showcase California’s major investments in cutting-edge firefighting technology and wildfire prevention.
The media event took place at McClellan Airport in Sacramento County, a primary hub for state aerial firefighting operations. Newsom used the presentation to highlight the state’s modern, tech-driven strategy to combat increasingly severe wildfires.
“California leads with science, innovation, and grit. We are meeting this moment with urgency and building 21st-century solutions for a 21st-century crisis,” Newsom stated. “And through it all, our extraordinary firefighters continue to step up, stand in harm’s way, and protect our communities.”
California Natural Resources Agency Secretary Wade Crowfoot, CAL FIRE Chief Joe Tyler, and California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services Director Caroline Thomas Jacobs appeared with Newsom and provided updates about their respective agencies.
Under the Newsom administration, California’s fire protection budget has nearly doubled since 2019 — from $2 billion to $3.8 billion, including more than $2.5 billion in wildfire resilience and forest health projects.
Newsom detailed the expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) programs, predictive analytics, and sophisticated software used to detect fires at their earliest stages. He also highlighted the launch of FireSat satellites, a dedicated space network designed to dramatically improve early wildfire detection and tracking.
“Every innovation we adopt supports our people on the front lines who work tirelessly to protect our communities when wildfire strikes,” Tyler stated. “Technology and innovation help us do our jobs more quickly and safely; however, we still need all Californians to stay vigilant, support our firefighters, and work together to build a safer, more resilient California.”
In addition, CAL Fire showcased a fleet of more than 100 AI-guided firefighting drones positioned strategically across California to provide real-time mapping and aerial monitoring.
The presentation stated that California operates the nation’s largest state-owned aerial firefighting fleet, including the impending addition of two more C-130 aircraft by the end of the year, alongside a workforce of over 11,000 personnel.
“Technology is transforming how California prepares for wildfire, giving us the power to see threats sooner, position resources before fires start and move mutual aid faster when every second counts,” Thomas Jacobs said. “Governor Newsom’s investments are helping us turn real-time intelligence into action, so firefighters and local communities have the people, equipment and information needed to save lives and keep fires from becoming major disasters.”
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Less Affluent School Districts, Including Sacramento City, Face Threat of State Takeover
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ESSAY: California Can Close Its Colorectal Cancer Gap
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Community3 weeks ago
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From Blueprint to Breakthrough: Tackling Affordable Housing in Oakland
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Activism3 weeks ago
Oakland Post: Week of August 12 – 18, 2026
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