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I like to see more household devices have APIs exposed that allow developers to build on top of existing functionality.  Of course, this could also be potentially dangerous if you’re able to change the thermostat and bad code sets your thermostat to 110 degrees.  Probably unlikely, but a possibility – or maybe hackers will be able to access your thermostat one day.  I would also be curious if you have access to the Nest’s motion detector and it basically becomes a secondary security system that can detect when someone is in your house when they’re not supposed to be.  We’re seeing more and more connected devices in homes that will eventually create a pretty powerful and detailed network/sensor array.  In any case, I think I’ll take a look at the Nest API and see what you can do with it.

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Nest, the company bought by Google for $3.2 billion, has opened its developer program to allow other apps and services to tap into its smart smoke alarms, thermostats and other home tech products it launches in the future.

“What we’re doing is making it possible for your Nest devices to securely interact with the things you already use every day. Things like lights, appliances, fitness bands and even cars. Because when we make connections between these different parts of your life, we can create personalized experiences that do even more to keep you comfortable and safe,” the company writes on its blog.

Initial ‘Works with Nest’ integration partners include Mercedes-Benz, whose cars tell Nest products to activate when they are near home; LIFX bulbs, which sync with Nest products to flash during an emergency; and Jawbone, which links its UP24 band to Nest appliances.

The Wall Street Journal reports that “some” Google apps will connect with Nest, but users will maintain full control over what information, if any, is shared.

TNW

Google announced that the controversial, pricey and still rather infant technology Glass is now available to the brits for £1,000 and if you’re over 18 (but seriously, if minors can get alcohol and drugs, I can’t imagine a kid with £1,000 sitting in their pocket not able to convince an adult to buy this for them).  This is interesting news mainly because while there is a consistent flow of articles and editorials on how Glass invades your privacy, restaurants/bars/movie theaters are banning it, it’s become a badge of the tech elite, blah blah blah – there’s still a lot of people who want to get their hands on it.  There’s the early adopters who love trying something new, there’s people who want to stand-out (good or bad) and then there’s people who see actual use of Glass in everyday life and possibly in their professional life like cops and surgeons are already doing.  I don’t think Google would be doing this if no one wanted Glass (which is what all the articles suggest) but I also don’t think Glass is going to become as mainstream as the iPhone either.  But just like segways, mini disc players, the nintendo power glove and other technologies that were ahead of their time, Glass may just be a chapter in the history of tech… or maybe not… who knows…

So I have done this more times than I care to admit… immediately after doing a commit (but before pushing) I’m like “shoot, I didn’t meant to do that” or “crap, I was supposed to commit that file” or something similar.  And then I find myself searching Google for how to undo a commit because while I do it often, it’s just infrequent enough that I usually forget how I did it last time.  So while I’m hoping this helps someone, I’m actually hoping that by writing a blog post I’ll commit (haha, get it) this to memory.  So first I’ll give credit to Stack Overflow where I found the command I typically use which is:

git reset --soft HEAD~1

This will undo the last commit you made.  And the nice thing is you can also change the “~1” to undo multiple commits if you made multiple mistakes.  And if the above is too hard to remember, I did hear about a simple script you can install called gitjk that is pretty useful and easy to remember.  I haven’t used gitjk myself, but looking through the readme, it looks straightforward.  So hopefully this has helped if you stumbled on this page after doing an accidental commit and you’re trying to figure out what to do.

When I saw the title of this article, I was really skeptical at first and wondered how it could be true.  But after reading the article and seeing how it factors in mobile browsers and also goes as far as to combine the stock Android browser and Chrome for Android, it makes more sense (not sure if I agree with their manipulation of the numbers though).  As someone who has to write code for websites and has to deal with all the issues and differences on multiple browsers, I’m happy to see the growth of Chrome – in a lot of ways, it feels very Apple-like (yeah, weird to say there are similarities between Google and Apple, but hear me out).  Apple wasn’t the first company to release a smartphone, but they are arguably the most successful.  The same can be said about Google and the Chrome browser, it definitely wasn’t the first browser, but it has proven to be extremely successful and as far as developers goes, it’s definitely a favorite.  In both cases of Apple and Google, they saw the market need for a better product and provided a superior product to what was out there.  In the case of Apple they created a mobile OS better than Windows Mobile and Blackberry (not that hard to do) – and in the case of Google, they built a faster/better browser than IE and FireFox that made it easier for developers to build against.  In both cases, they built superior products and also focused on providing not just a product, but a platform – that catered to developers to easily build apps and extensions.  Anyways, Chrome is a great product… if you’re reading this on anything but Chrome, go get Chrome.

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When it comes to browser market share, Google is now king of all it surveys.

According to a new report, the combined usage of the company’s mobile and desktop browsers has finally overtaken that of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer in the United States. Google’s browsers, which include Chrome and the default browser in Android, held nearly 32 percent share of the U.S. market in April, compared with about 31 percent for Internet Explorer, according to Adobe, whose Digital Index service tracks browser usage.

Usage of Google’s browsers topped Internet Explorer in other markets last year, according to Adobe Digital Index.

The report underscores the large and growing importance of mobile devices. Internet Explorer remains the most used browser on PCs, with 43 percent share in April, compared with 31 percent for Google’s Chrome. But Google was able to overtake Microsoft in the browser wars because of the disparity in their mobile strengths.

On mobile devices, Chrome had 14 percent of the market in April and the Android browser has 20 percent. Internet Explorer, by contrast has less than 2 percent of the market.

Conversely, Apple’s Safari, with 25 percent share in April, has now become the third most-used browser in the U.S. because it is the most popular mobile browser. Safari had 59 percent share of the mobile browsing market, but just 10 percent of the PC browsing market. Safari is the default browser on the iPhone and iPad.

The report also highlights the decline of Mozilla’s Firefox. Once the second-most popular browser behind Internet Explorer, Firefox is now the fourth most popular browser, surpassed by not just Google’s browsers, but Safari also. Like Internet Explorer, Firefox has struggled to gain usage on mobile devices. Like Internet Explorer, it’s also seen a drop in usage on PC’s.

Firefox had less than 9 percent market share overall in April, down from nearly 20 percent two years ago. Its share of the desktop market is now 12.5 percent, while its mobile usage is less than 1.8 percent.

Adobe determines market share by looking at the browsers used to visit some 10,000 consumer Web sites in the United States. Market share corresponds with the portion of visits to the average Web site made with each browser.

The new report echoes that of other reports in recent months and years that have shown the rise of Chrome and mobile Safari and the decline of Internet Explorer and Firefox.

SiliconBeat

After a busy day, I finally got a chance to catch up on the latest from WWDC and I can easily say that I’m not impressed by the new features/functionality.  This was obviously focused on the software updates coming to iOS and OS X in the fall of this year, so we still haven’t seen what hardware updates Apple will make (but I have a feeling a bigger screen is going to be the “big” surprise feature announcement).  But just looking at the software features that were announced, most were less than innovative or original, for example:

Customizable keyboard – um, yeah, this is a pretty basic customization that lets people find a keyboard that gives them maximum productivity.  And companies have been releasing customized keyboards for a long time, so not to impressed with this.

Widgets – and we’re only talking about widgets in the notification area, so you still can’t have a widget on your home screen showing you pertinent information (basically anything you want) so this isn’t even feature parity, it’s simply an improvement.

Lockscreen actions – again, something fairly trivial when you look at all the customization options you can do with your lock screen on an Android phone.  It does give third-party app developers to implement/add additional functionality, but definitely nothing new.

iCloud – um, yeah, so iCloud has been out for a while, but now they’re finally implementing what every other cloud storage provider has offered… wait for it… cloud storage… super innovative, right?

But don’t get me wrong, I think everything listed above improves the iOS experience.  I just don’t think it’s innovative to bake in features that other systems/apps have had and say that you’re changing the mobile landscape.  At best, you are simply keeping up with the cool kids (yes, I’m calling Android users the cool kids and Apple users the nerds).  So with all that being said, all the features included in iOS 8 look great and will definitely make iOS a feature-rich OS.  But there’s nothing super impressive that makes me want a iPhone yet.  I’m hoping the hardware announcement of the iPhone 6 is more impressive (and not just a bigger screen).

Okay, before I wrap up, I will point out some of the cooler features I saw… Continuity (useful features, but stupid name) features like Handoff, SMS and incoming/outgoing calls from your desktop are all pretty cool features (and things that I already do thanks to Android and Motorola).  So again, nothing making me jump at a new iPhone.  Guess we’ll have to wait and see the iPhone 6.

And while this news isn’t surprising, it’s pretty disappointing that Motorola is closing their factory in Texas.  I was actually pretty optimistic when I saw the Moto E and thought that Lenovo’s purchase of Motorola was going in the right direction.  Unfortunately, this is a sign that Lenovo is looking at their bottom line and trying to maximize their profits.  This could mean that the Moto E is simply a hold-over from the previous regime and that things will slowly go down hill.  I’m glad that I have my Moto X, but I’m not sure what my next phone will be… maybe a Samsung… a Motorola… a HTC… a LG… or even a iPhone 6… I’m pretty open at this point (well, maybe not a Windows Phone or Blackberry).  Any suggestions?

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Motorola is closing a factory in Texas that employs 700 people to assemble its Moto X smartphones, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reports.

The plant will be shuttered before the end of the year, throwing the future of the customizable handset – and the direction of Motorola’s future flagship smartphones – into doubt. The decision was confirmed to TNW and comes four months after its $2.9 billion acquisition by Chinese manufacturer Lenovo.

According to the WSJ, Motorola will continue to produce the Moto X in China and Brazil, among other locations, but didn’t disclose whether this would include the Moto Maker devices currently handled in Texas.

When Motorola first hinted at the Moto X last summer, it said the Android smartphone would the first “designed, engineered and assembled in the USA.” It was a key part of the company’s marketing push and created a welcome narrative about bringing jobs and manufacturing back to the US.

While the device received high praise from the press, market research has suggested it wasn’t a massive success with the public. The smartphone touted unexceptional mid-to high-end components, but differentiated through Moto Maker – a website where customers could personalize the handset with different colours, materials, engravings and cases.

It was certainly novel, although the location of the Texas factory meant Moto Maker was confined to the US. Although the Moto X has subsequently been launched in other markets, Motorola has so far been unable to offer customers the same level of hardware customization.

Since Google sold Motorola, the company has launched the low-cost Moto E and a 4G-enabled version of its mid-range Moto G smartphone. It’s too early to judge how they’ve performed for Motorola, but the build quality, components and software experience represent excellent value for money.

Neither are supported by Moto Maker though, which would make it simpler for Motorola to abandon the service completely once it launches a successor to the Moto X later this year. If so, it will be an unfortunate end to an experiment that many hoped would prove the financial viability of US-based assembly.

For now though, it seems the Moto Maker service will continue as usual. Motorola didn’t disclose exactly when the factory will be shuttered – we’ll be sure to let you know when its doors finally close.

TNW

This is pretty cool – I don’t think I’ll be giving up my Moto X anytime soon for a Flame, but I’m intrigued by a phone with a OS that is basically a browser.  As a web dev, I’m all about tech inside the browser, so the idea of all apps running out of a browser means job security for me… just kidding, well, sort of, but it does mean that building apps becomes simplified in some ways.  And as someone who has done native iOS and Android development, being able to build apps in the browser that feel native would be great.  And I would normally jump at the chance to get new tech, but I definitely have too many toys laying around that need some love before I can add to the already neglected family.  Anyone else thinking about getting one?

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Mozilla today opened pre-orders for the Flame, its first official developer handset for Firefox OS. The mid-range handset can be pre-ordered right now for $170 through everbuying.com and should take roughly four weeks to ship.

The non-profit says the Flame reflects the middle-of-the-road hardware that it’ll be targeting with its partners over the next 12 months. Firefox OS is tailored towards customers in emerging markets, so it’s unsurprising to see the company avoid high-end parts for its new Flame handset.

The device features a dual-core 1.2 GHz Qualcomm MSM8210 Snapdragon processor, 8GB of internal storage and between 256 MB and 1GB of RAM (Mozilla says this is “adjustable by developer.”) There’s a 4.5-inch FWVGA display to feast your eyes on, as well as a 1800 mAh battery to keep everything ticking over.

Finally, photographers will have access to a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera with flash, alongside a 2-megapixel snapper on the front. From a design perspective, the Flame isn’t particularly memorable. Some Firefox-inspired orange accents liven it up a bit, but this is a reference design after all – it’s understated look was to be expected.

Spanish startup Geeksphone offered some of the first Firefox OS handsets over a year ago. Aimed at developers, they’ve since been superseded by commercial devices from the likes of Alcatel and ZTE. It’s rare for Mozilla to get into the hardware business, but the Flame handset is a welcome indicator of the direction it wants to take Firefox OS in.

Now, it’ll be interesting to see whether the device can grow the developer community actively working around the platform.

TNW

So I’ve been looking at the Surface Pro for someone who is a WIndows user and doesn’t really want to switch over to a Mac (which would be my recommendation) or even a Chromebook.  I liked the specs on the Surface Pro 2, but they were a little pricey.  And basically, I forgot to get one, which might actually be a good thing now that the Surface Pro 3 is out.  I’ve read that the Surface Pro 2 was supposed to be a laptop replacement by combining all the functionality of a laptop and tablet.  Unfortunately, it didn’t look like consumers were really buying the marketing hype.  Now enter the Surface Pro 3 which is continuing the march towards replacing the aging PC laptop.  And more importantly to Microsoft, the Surface Pro 3 is supposed to be as attractive and sexy as a Macbook Air.  Until I see a Surface Pro 3 in-person, I can’t really say if it can topple or even be considered a true competitor to the Macbook Air in terms of looks and feel.  The real question right now is if the Surface Pro 3 is a better buy than the Surface Pro 2.  Let’s look at the differences:

Screen Size and Weight – Winner: Surface Pro 2

In terms of screen size and weight, I’m going to say the Pro 2 wins at 10.6 inches and 1.49 lbs compared to 12 inches and 1.76 lbs for the Pro 3.  I think the 10.6 inches is reasonable and the lighter form-factor is more attractive than the extra 2 inches.

Process – Winner: Surface Pro 3

The Surface Pro 2 comes with a NVIDIA Tegra 4 while the Surface Pro 3 comes with the choice of an Intel i3, i5 or i7 processor.  The Surface Pro 3 wins because consumers can select from a budget-friendly i3, a mid-range i5 or a performance-powerhouse i7.  Choices are always good, especially when you can pick the features/prices that are right for you.

Battery – Winner: Surface Pro 2

This was quite surprising – the older Surface Pro 2 has a reported battery life of 10 hours while the newer Surface Pro 3 has a reported battery life of 9 hours.  I can only imagine this is due to the change in processor, from a mobile-friendly NVIDIA Tegra to a more power-hungry Intel chip.  Also, the increased screen-size I’m sure also sucks up more power attributing to a shorter battery life.  So the Surface Pro 2 wins this round with its extra battery stamina.

Price – Winner: Surface Pro 2

It’s a pretty easy decision to pick the Surface Pro 2 with a starting price of $449 compared to a starting price of $799 for the Surface Pro 3.  I didn’t really see any major improvement that warrant such a price increase.  The better processor, bigger screen and even Apple-esque form-factor doesn’t seem compelling enough to shell out that much cash.

Conclusion – Winner: Surface Pro 2

It shouldn’t be no surprise that the winner is the Surface Pro 2 with it’s lighter form-factor, better battery life and much more reasonable price tag.  I’m really hoping there will be some good deals on the Surface Pro 2 now that the Surface Pro 3 has been announced.  I’ll update this post or report my finding on any good deals in case you’re also looking for a Windows tablet/laptop.

I have to say I’m getting pretty excited seeing the details around the new Android handsets like the Moto X+1 and LG G3.  I’ve only had my phone for like 6 months, but I’m already thinking about what to get next, especially since my Moto X is off-contract.  I’m definitely a fan of the Moto line of phones thanks to the Moto X and the mostly stock Android experience.  In fact, the added Moto apps were actually a nice addition with the low-energy notifications while the screen is off and the passive voice controls.  So Moto has a good reputation with me right now and I also like the G3 thanks to the Nexus 5.  I probably would have gotten a Nexus 5 if it actually worked on Verizon.  Well, on to the new phones… first we have the G3 which has:

• 5.5″ QHD IPS screen
• Snapdragon 801 chipset
• 3GB of RAM
• Android 4.4 KitKat
• 13MP back facing camera
• 2.1MP front-facing camera
• 32GB internal storage
• 3,000 mAh battery

Pretty nice specs right?  I definitely like the 5.5″ screen.  And with a release date of May 27, that’s just around the corner so I can’t wait to see one of these in-person and I really hope there will be support for Verizon and hopefully a stock Android experience.  Moving over to the X+1, we have:

• 5.2-inch 1080p display
• Quad-core 2.3 GHz Snapdragon 800 processor
• 12-megapixel camera
• 2GB of RAM
• 32GB of internal storage

So the obvious differences are the smaller screen, less RAM and slower processor.  But there is something to be said about a smaller screen that will actually fit in my pocket.  And if the price off-contract is more reasonable than the G3, this definitely could be a great phone.  Of course, we won’t know how Lenovo’s purchase of Motorola will affect the X+1, so we’ll have to wait and see.  I know they’re speculating the Moto 360 will be launched at Google I/O in June, so I’m hoping they’ll also release the X+1 at the same time.  It would be a nice package to get the X+1 and 360.  And of course, there’s also the HTC One M8 but that’s obviously going to be saddled with HTC Sense UI and I really just want a stock Android experience.  I’m hoping the Android Silver program will help standardize phones amongst the manufacturers and get a nice stock experience.  Who knows, I might even be able to recommend Android Silver phones to family members instead of telling them to get an iPhone.  I am definitely happy that I switched back to Android from an iPhone and I hope others will to.