New technology | Boldly Curated Media

By Jannah Bolds

Google has always been one of the big dogs in the tech market. So, there’s no surprise to see the company make changes to keep things “fresh”. On September 29th this year, Google announced the “name change” of its current Google Apps tool. It will still be the same all-in-one tool that users access every day, just with a slightly different twist.

Google prides itself in teamwork, so it was only right to make this new suite as user-friendly and interactive as ever.

“In the spirit of teamwork, we partnered with some of our favorite illustrators from around the world to bring our ideas to life with their iconic creativity,” said Kelly Campbell, Senior Director of G Suite Marketing, Google Cloud.

Google G Suite Logo

So, what will you get with G Suite?

A) Smarter Storage

A new feature called “Quick Access” in Google Drive for Android will allow users to make frequently accessed material, well, easier to access. These documents will pop right up when you open Google Drive. They base your frequently accessed docs on interactions with colleagues and recurring activity with machine intelligence that helps Google understand the rhythm of your work life and can show you things before you even have the chance to ask. Quite cool, in a weird, creepy, stalker-kinda way.

B) Smarter Team Meetings

Not saying that your team isn’t already smart, but you get the idea. Google understands that teamwork goes beyond the boundaries of your conference room. On-the-go meetings are now easier than ever by using an improved Google Hangout feature. Users are given total freedom by being able to join with any device and invite anyone, even without an account or data connection. This new interface can hold up to 50 participants via video with, of course, Google Calendar integration and an instant screen-share option. Video chat with 50 people? Hmm, sounds like a party to me!

C) Smarter Spreadsheets

If you’re someone who cringes at the thought of equations and uncooperative cells, like me, chances are you’ll be more comfortable with Google’s new rendition of Sheets. Not all of us are math wizards and sleep with multiplication flashcards under the pillow, so folks at Google understand that. Now, machine intelligence allows users to actually type in the questions or problems they want solved. Yes, that means typing words will get the job done just as effectively! It’s like the computer equates keywords to quantitative actions! Aha, genius I say!

If you like what you heard in points A, B, and C, chances are that you just might need the G Suite. It comes with a lot more features than what I just explained and for a more in depth analysis, visit Google’s G Suite Blog >> HERE! <<

Image source: gsuite.google.com

by Jannah Bolds

Sounds quite contradictory right?

Well, in a world where we are all consumed with our smart devices, ideas like this one can present itself as a sense of relief. Don’t get me wrong, I can totally understand where technology is taking the world…Like leading us by hand down a dark alley way (metaphorically speaking).

Maybe that was the wrong metaphor to use, but you get the point that technology is becoming a blinder; blocking us from seeing what goes on around us. We have the option of restricting that blinder, simply by restricting the “smartness”. Thus giving birth to the Runcible.

The Runcible was created by Aubry Anderson, founder and CEO of Monohm Inc., with the intent to create something totally opposite of what smart devices are today.

“Runcible is a new category of mobile device, its palm sized, modeled on the pocket watch, and eccos iconic forms that humans have carried with them and had strong emotional relationships with for ages,” said Anderson in an interview for the Runcible campaign.

“People ask me if Runcible is a phone. It’s more like a highly connected, tablet-computer. It’s phone-like, but you don’t hold it up to your head. You can pair with a bluetooth device, and make phone calls if you really want to,” he said.

If your really into products “Made in America”, then the runcible will get brownie points for you since it’s designed AND made in California.

Did I mention that this device is completely hackable? Well, “hackable” seems a bit negative, so I’ll just say “customizable”. Yes, add what you want, and take off what you want at the software and hardware levels. This devices uses the Open Source initiative.

“Open source is freely available and lives independently with this company or any other where you can always comprehend what the device is doing; and you can change it if you don’t like it…even if we are no longer in the picture. This is a device that you can keep for a long time, fix and upgrade,” said Anderson.

The first Runcible will feature a Snapdragon 410 quad-core processor, bluetooth connectivity, WiFi, 1GB RAM, 8GB flash storage, a rear-facing camera, and exposed GPIO and USB host for further expansion capabilities. 4G LTE will not be used in this version of the Runcible, but the company definitely has plans for it in the future. Remember, it will be a simple upgrade, no replacement device needed.

Now, what about price? Runcible starts at $399 USD with an organic-feeling back made from reclaimed ocean plastic ‘fished out from the Great Pacific Plastic Island’. OR, you can pay an extra $100 and get a hand crafted solid wood back made from local harvested madrone wood from Mendocino County, California.

Wow! So, for those of you who had to re-read that last paragraph a couple times to understand the differences; One is made from plastic, and the other from wood. The plastic is the least expensive lol.

“Runcible is specifically made to avoid pulling you out of the real world, especially if your out there to enjoy it,” said Anderson.

Estimated to release to the public in September 2016.

Interested? For more information on this revolutionary device, click here to check out their website.