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.
Community
Attorney General Rob Bonta, Oakland Lawmakers, Introduce Legislation to Protect Youth Online
At a press conference in downtown Oakland on Jan. 29, Attorney General Rob Bonta joined Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) and Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) to announce two pieces of legislation designed to protect children online. The bills are Senate Bill (SB) 976, the Protecting Youth from Social Media Addiction Act and Assembly Bill (AB) 1949, the California Children’s Data Privacy Act.
By Magaly Muñoz
At a press conference in downtown Oakland on Jan. 29, Attorney General Rob Bonta joined Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) and Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) to announce two pieces of legislation designed to protect children online.
The bills are Senate Bill (SB) 976, the Protecting Youth from Social Media Addiction Act and Assembly Bill (AB) 1949, the California Children’s Data Privacy Act.
Skinner authored SB 976, which addresses online addiction affecting teenage users, while Wicks’s bill, AB 1949, takes on big tech by proposing data privacy and children rights protections.
“Social media companies unfortunately show us time and time again that they are all too willing to ignore the detriment to our children, the pain to our children, the mental health and physical challenges they face, in order to pursue profits,” Bonta said.
SB 976 would allow parents to control the nature and frequency of the content their under-18-year-old children see on social media. Notifications from social media platforms would also be paused from midnight to 6 am and controls would allow parents to set time limits on their children’s usage based on their discretion.
Skinner stated that the longer that kids are on their phones during the day, the higher the risk for depression, anxiety and other related issues.
The bill would also push to get rid of addictive media that is harmful for young women and girls, specifically image filters that mimic cosmetic plastic surgery.
Bonta and 33 other attorney generals had previously filed a lawsuit against Meta, owner of the popular social media applications Instagram and Facebook. The filing claims that the company purposefully uses algorithmized content that harms younger audiences.
“Social media companies have the ability to protect our kids, they could act, but they do not,” Skinner said.
The Child Data Privacy Act would strengthen existing protections for data privacy under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). The lawmakers argue that the law does not have effective protection for those under 18 years old.
Wicks stated that the bill would forbid businesses from collecting, using, sharing, or selling personal data of anyone underage unless they receive informed consent, or it becomes necessary for the purpose of the business.
Wicks added that the acts would make it so that a search on the internet like “How do I lose weight?” would not result in dieting pill advertisements targeting youth, which, some experts report, could be harmful to their mental and physical health.
“In a digital age where the vulnerabilities of young users are continually exploited, we cannot afford to let our laws lag behind, our children deserve complete assurance that their online experience will be safeguarded from invasive practices,” Wicks said.
Supporters of the two acts say they have gained bipartisan support issue, but the authors and Bonta expect them to be met with pushback from the affected companies.
#NNPA BlackPress
Unleashing the Power_ Discover the The Thrills…F-TYPE Convertible
Performance & Handling Powered by a robust 5.0 Liter Supercharged 8 Cylinder Gas Engine, the F-Type R75 doesn’t just purr; it roars with a mighty 575 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. Coupled with an 8-speed Automatic Transmission, the car offers an exhilarating drive that is both fast and smooth. The All-Wheel Drive system ensures […]
The post Unleashing the Power_ Discover the The Thrills…F-TYPE Convertible first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
Performance & Handling
Powered by a robust 5.0 Liter Supercharged 8 Cylinder Gas Engine, the F-Type R75 doesn’t just purr; it roars with a mighty 575 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. Coupled with an 8-speed Automatic Transmission, the car offers an exhilarating drive that is both fast and smooth. The All-Wheel Drive system ensures excellent traction and stability, making it a joy to handle in various driving conditions. The Electric Power Assisted Steering and JaguarDrive Control
with Selectable Driving Modes add to the car’s agility, providing a driving experience that is as intuitive as it is thrilling. Additionally, the Adaptive Dynamics and Electronic Active Differential with Torque Vectoring by Braking enhance the car’s responsiveness, making every turn a testament to its engineering prowess. Unique to AutoNetwork.com.
Like us on and share https://www.facebook.com/autonetwork
#AutoNetwork
#AutoNetworkReports
Subscribe to our channel now for more videos.
Twitter http://www.twitter.com/liveautos
LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/in/autonetwork
Coupons Offers and Deals https://www.couponsoffersanddeals.com/
The post Unleashing the Power_ Discover the The Thrills…F-TYPE Convertible first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
#NNPA BlackPress
Elevate Your Ride…
Join us for a virtual car’s best-detailed walkaround of the sleek and stylish 2024 Jaguar F-TYPE AWD convertible. Get an up-close look at the exterior design, interior features, and performance capabilities of this luxury sports car. From its powerful engine to its advanced technology, this video will give you a comprehensive overview of what makes […]
The post Elevate Your Ride… first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
Join us for a virtual car’s best-detailed walkaround of the sleek and stylish 2024 Jaguar F-TYPE AWD convertible. Get an up-close look at the exterior design, interior features, and performance capabilities of this luxury sports car. From its powerful engine to its advanced technology, this video will give you a comprehensive overview of what makes the F-TYPE AWD convertible stand out on the road. Unique to AutoNetwork.com.
Like us on and share https://www.facebook.com/autonetwork
#AutoNetwork
#AutoNetworkReports
Subscribe to our channel now for more videos.
Twitter http://www.twitter.com/liveautos
LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/in/autonetwork
Coupons Offers and Deals https://www.couponsoffersanddeals.com/
The post Elevate Your Ride… first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
WORK FROM HOME
Home-based business with potential monthly income of $10K+ per month. A proven training system and website provided to maximize business effectiveness. Perfect job to earn side and primary income. Contact Lynne for more details: Lynne4npusa@gmail.com 800-334-0540
Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024
DA Pamela Price Stands by Mom Who Lost Son to Gun Violence in Oakland
Vallejo Welcomes Interim City Manager Beverli Marshall
Vallejo Community Members Appeal Major Use Permit for ELITE Charter School Expansion
State Controller Malia Cohen Keynote Speaker at S.F. Wealth Conference
MAYOR BREED ANNOUNCES $53 MILLION FEDERAL GRANT FOR SAN FRANCISCO’S HOMELESS PROGRAMS
RPAL to Rename Technology Center for Retired Police Captain Arthur Lee Johnson
Richmond Nonprofit YES Nature to Neighborhoods Plans Major Renovation
Richmond Nonprofit Helps Ex-Felons Get Back on Their Feet
Families Flock to New Farmers Market in Marina Bay
BART to Retire Legacy Trains in Public Ceremony April 20
Mind, Body, and Spiritual Well-Being for Women Addressed in NAACP Forum in Oakland
Black Business Summit Focuses on Equity, Access and Data
Asm. Tina McKinnor Elected Chair of L.A. Delegation to Legislature
Anti-Theft Bill with Jail-Time Requirement Gets Wide Ranging Support
Oakland Post: Week of March 13 – 19, 2024
Oakland Post: Week of March 20 – 26, 2024
Oakland Post: Week of March 27 – April 2, 2024
2025 Ram 1500 Crew Cab Tungsten 4X4 Quick Look
COMMENTARY: D.C. Crime Bill Fails to Address Root Causes of Violence and Incarceration
From Raids to Revelations: The Dark Turn in Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ Saga
COMMENTARY: Lady Day and The Lights!
Mayor, City Council President React to May 31 Closing of Birmingham-Southern College
Baltimore Key Bridge Catastrophe: A City’s Heartbreak and a Nation’s Alarm
Baltimore’s Key Bridge Struck by Ship, Collapses into Water
Beloved Actor and Activist Louis Cameron Gossett Jr. Dies at 87
Grassroots Advocates Invited to Step into the World of Child Tax Policymaking
Introducing the Hurricane Engine for Ram 1500 more power, efficiency, and durability
Financial Assistance Bill for Descendants of Enslaved Persons to Help Them Purchase, Own, or Maintain a Home
High Flowing Intake and Exhaust Ports
Season 4, Episode 38 – Bringing Dreams to Fruition
Inside an Afro-Indian Community with Sayan Dey!
[REBROADCAST] Words, Wisdom, and Cultural Insights: A Conversation with Joseph Mbele
[REBROADCAST] Dynamic Discourse: Sen. Bobby Champion, Realtor Shawna Frazier & Kenya McKnight-Ahad
[REBROADCAST] A Conversation with Dan Barry
[REBROADCAST] DOJ Visit and Independence Day. Conversation with author Juliet Mitchell
What would Dr King Say
Biden is not reaching Gen Z swing-state voters
The Great Toyota Grand Highlander…
Automotive Addicts
Not Hands Free…Power Tailgate…F-150 Lightning
ART-of-Motion…DC Auto Show…
2023 Ford F-150 Lightning Review: A Game Changer in Electric Trucks
Watch that step…
Upping the Game…2023 Ford F-150 lightning Supercrew
-
Activism4 weeks agoOakland Post: Week of March 27 – April 2, 2024
-
#NNPA BlackPress4 weeks agoBeloved Actor and Activist Louis Cameron Gossett Jr. Dies at 87
-
Community1 week agoFinancial Assistance Bill for Descendants of Enslaved Persons to Help Them Purchase, Own, or Maintain a Home
-
Activism3 weeks agoOakland Post: Week of April 3 – 6, 2024
-
Business1 week agoV.P. Kamala Harris: Americans With Criminal Records Will Soon Be Eligible for SBA Loans
-
Activism2 weeks agoOakland Post: Week of April 10 – 16, 2024
-
Community1 week agoAG Bonta Says Oakland School Leaders Should Comply with State Laws to Avoid ‘Disparate Harm’ When Closing or Merging Schools
-
Community6 days agoOakland WNBA Player to be Inducted Into Hall of Fame
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.
Community
Attorney General Rob Bonta, Oakland Lawmakers, Introduce Legislation to Protect Youth Online
At a press conference in downtown Oakland on Jan. 29, Attorney General Rob Bonta joined Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) and Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) to announce two pieces of legislation designed to protect children online. The bills are Senate Bill (SB) 976, the Protecting Youth from Social Media Addiction Act and Assembly Bill (AB) 1949, the California Children’s Data Privacy Act.
By Magaly Muñoz
At a press conference in downtown Oakland on Jan. 29, Attorney General Rob Bonta joined Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) and Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) to announce two pieces of legislation designed to protect children online.
The bills are Senate Bill (SB) 976, the Protecting Youth from Social Media Addiction Act and Assembly Bill (AB) 1949, the California Children’s Data Privacy Act.
Skinner authored SB 976, which addresses online addiction affecting teenage users, while Wicks’s bill, AB 1949, takes on big tech by proposing data privacy and children rights protections.
“Social media companies unfortunately show us time and time again that they are all too willing to ignore the detriment to our children, the pain to our children, the mental health and physical challenges they face, in order to pursue profits,” Bonta said.
SB 976 would allow parents to control the nature and frequency of the content their under-18-year-old children see on social media. Notifications from social media platforms would also be paused from midnight to 6 am and controls would allow parents to set time limits on their children’s usage based on their discretion.
Skinner stated that the longer that kids are on their phones during the day, the higher the risk for depression, anxiety and other related issues.
The bill would also push to get rid of addictive media that is harmful for young women and girls, specifically image filters that mimic cosmetic plastic surgery.
Bonta and 33 other attorney generals had previously filed a lawsuit against Meta, owner of the popular social media applications Instagram and Facebook. The filing claims that the company purposefully uses algorithmized content that harms younger audiences.
“Social media companies have the ability to protect our kids, they could act, but they do not,” Skinner said.
The Child Data Privacy Act would strengthen existing protections for data privacy under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). The lawmakers argue that the law does not have effective protection for those under 18 years old.
Wicks stated that the bill would forbid businesses from collecting, using, sharing, or selling personal data of anyone underage unless they receive informed consent, or it becomes necessary for the purpose of the business.
Wicks added that the acts would make it so that a search on the internet like “How do I lose weight?” would not result in dieting pill advertisements targeting youth, which, some experts report, could be harmful to their mental and physical health.
“In a digital age where the vulnerabilities of young users are continually exploited, we cannot afford to let our laws lag behind, our children deserve complete assurance that their online experience will be safeguarded from invasive practices,” Wicks said.
Supporters of the two acts say they have gained bipartisan support issue, but the authors and Bonta expect them to be met with pushback from the affected companies.
#NNPA BlackPress
Unleashing the Power_ Discover the The Thrills…F-TYPE Convertible
Performance & Handling Powered by a robust 5.0 Liter Supercharged 8 Cylinder Gas Engine, the F-Type R75 doesn’t just purr; it roars with a mighty 575 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. Coupled with an 8-speed Automatic Transmission, the car offers an exhilarating drive that is both fast and smooth. The All-Wheel Drive system ensures […]
The post Unleashing the Power_ Discover the The Thrills…F-TYPE Convertible first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
Performance & Handling
Powered by a robust 5.0 Liter Supercharged 8 Cylinder Gas Engine, the F-Type R75 doesn’t just purr; it roars with a mighty 575 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. Coupled with an 8-speed Automatic Transmission, the car offers an exhilarating drive that is both fast and smooth. The All-Wheel Drive system ensures excellent traction and stability, making it a joy to handle in various driving conditions. The Electric Power Assisted Steering and JaguarDrive Control with Selectable Driving Modes add to the car’s agility, providing a driving experience that is as intuitive as it is thrilling. Additionally, the Adaptive Dynamics and Electronic Active Differential with Torque Vectoring by Braking enhance the car’s responsiveness, making every turn a testament to its engineering prowess. Unique to AutoNetwork.com.
Like us on and share https://www.facebook.com/autonetwork
#AutoNetwork
#AutoNetworkReports
Subscribe to our channel now for more videos.
Twitter http://www.twitter.com/liveautos
LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/in/autonetwork
Coupons Offers and Deals https://www.couponsoffersanddeals.com/
The post Unleashing the Power_ Discover the The Thrills…F-TYPE Convertible first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
#NNPA BlackPress
Elevate Your Ride…
Join us for a virtual car’s best-detailed walkaround of the sleek and stylish 2024 Jaguar F-TYPE AWD convertible. Get an up-close look at the exterior design, interior features, and performance capabilities of this luxury sports car. From its powerful engine to its advanced technology, this video will give you a comprehensive overview of what makes […]
The post Elevate Your Ride… first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
Join us for a virtual car’s best-detailed walkaround of the sleek and stylish 2024 Jaguar F-TYPE AWD convertible. Get an up-close look at the exterior design, interior features, and performance capabilities of this luxury sports car. From its powerful engine to its advanced technology, this video will give you a comprehensive overview of what makes the F-TYPE AWD convertible stand out on the road. Unique to AutoNetwork.com.
Like us on and share https://www.facebook.com/autonetwork
#AutoNetwork
#AutoNetworkReports
Subscribe to our channel now for more videos.
Twitter http://www.twitter.com/liveautos
LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/in/autonetwork
Coupons Offers and Deals https://www.couponsoffersanddeals.com/
The post Elevate Your Ride… first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
-
Activism4 weeks ago
Oakland Post: Week of March 27 – April 2, 2024
-
#NNPA BlackPress4 weeks ago
Beloved Actor and Activist Louis Cameron Gossett Jr. Dies at 87
-
Community1 week ago
Financial Assistance Bill for Descendants of Enslaved Persons to Help Them Purchase, Own, or Maintain a Home
-
Activism3 weeks ago
Oakland Post: Week of April 3 – 6, 2024
-
Business1 week ago
V.P. Kamala Harris: Americans With Criminal Records Will Soon Be Eligible for SBA Loans
-
Activism2 weeks ago
Oakland Post: Week of April 10 – 16, 2024
-
Community1 week ago
AG Bonta Says Oakland School Leaders Should Comply with State Laws to Avoid ‘Disparate Harm’ When Closing or Merging Schools
-
Community6 days ago
Oakland WNBA Player to be Inducted Into Hall of Fame
Leave a Reply