Tech Trends- Nov 21-22
Hong Kong takes on Tesla, the mobile Genius Bar, and Facebook becomes your therapist, and more in this week’s Weekend in Tech Trends.
Tech Trends 1) Tesla’s autopilot no longer available in Hong Kong
Tesla owners in Hong Kong(and trust me, there’s a lot), received some not so good news about their autopilot features. Effective immediately, Hong Kong Transportation Department officials demanded that Tesla’s autopilot features, Autosteer and Auto Lane Change be shut off. The officials deemed the features too distracting for drivers.
Tesla sent a letter(featured below) to its Hong Kong owners notifying them that the features would be shut off via an over the air update. The letter also noted that Tesla is “optimistic” that they will receive final approval for the features soon. Check out the letter below.
Source: Mashable
Tech Trends 2) Apple brings the Genius Bar to your iPhone
Apple may be giving you the ability to have the Genius Bar with you at all times. Sonny Dickson, who has been responsible for past Apple leaks, shared pictures of what looks like an official Apple support app. It appears that the app will mimic the Apple support website by offering the ability to troubleshoot common problems, chat with support specialists, arrange to send in your device for a repair, and schedule Genius Bar appointments. If the app is truly authentic, it will be a much easier way to get information from Apple.
Source: TheVerge
Tech Trends 3) Zuckerberg to take two months leave
Mark Zuckerberg took to Facebook to let everyone know that he will be taking two months paternity leave once his daughter is born. Here’s his message.
Priscilla and I are starting to get ready for our daughter’s arrival. We’ve been picking out our favorite childhood books and toys.
We’ve also been thinking about how we’re going to take time off during the first months of her life. This is a very personal decision, and I’ve decided to take 2 months of paternity leave when our daughter arrives.
Studies show that when working parents take time to be with their newborns, outcomes are better for the children and families. At Facebook we offer our US employees up to 4 months of paid maternity or paternity leave which they can take throughout the year.
Every day things are getting a little more real for us, and we’re excited to start this next stage in our lives.
Here’s a photo of Beast with our baby seat. I think he knows something’s up.
Source: TechCrunch
Tech Trends 4) Facebook helps you forget about your ex
In a post titled “Improving the Experience When Relationships End,” Facebook has promised to “help people manage how people interact with their former partners on Facebook.” The feature allows you to see less of your ex. They won’t show up on your Newsfeed and Facebook won’t ask you to message them or tag them in a photo. They also allow you to hide your posts from your ex. This way they won’t be reminded of you and start messaging you again. This feature is only being tested in the US and on mobile at the moment but I’m sure we will see this feature become fully available in the near future.
Source: Engadget
Tech Trends 5) Guided Tour: Apple Pay
Apple has released a Guided Tour of Apple Pay. It shows it’s features and benefits regarding security, easiness of set up, and paying within apps. Apple has not done a lot of promotion regarding the use of Apple Pay but we can expect the promotion to increase as Apple Pay rolls out in more stores and more countries. Check out the video below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ez-2M3C_4wU
