One of the best parts of writing about transportation tech is that I get to reiterate my desire to go to space – again, for the record, if you’ll have me..
One of the best parts of writing about transportation tech is that I get to reiterate my desire to go to space – again, for the record, if you’ll have me Blue Origin I would like to go to space. Especially now that I’ve seen the luxuriously appointed interiors of your New Glenn rocket, which are generous with the leather and where every seat is a window seat AND an aisle seat.
These are mock-ups, of course, but they likely are representative of what you can expect in exchange for your $100,000 plus ticket for a 10-minute space ride, as Ars Technica reports. That center unit depicted in the capsule isn’t a cooler, by the way – it’s the escape motor, which Blue Origin tested on its rocket last year, as a means to separate the capsule from its rocket quickly and with a maximum of force in case of emergency.
I’d have hoped for a panoramic cockpit, but maybe that much transparent surface would have a hard time withstanding the forces the New Glenn will be up against. Or maybe that’s just a very expensive upgrade option, like it is on luxury cars, too.

© Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/UrBJmMzt_Yg/
All rights are reserved and belongs to a source media.

Today’s the main event for Samsung. It’s been well over a year since the company unveiled its last flagship and, well, a lot has happened to the company..
Today’s the main event for Samsung. It’s been well over a year since the company unveiled its last flagship and, well, a lot has happened to the company in the interim. After several months of recalls and some bizarre executive scandals , this is the moment where the company needs to dust itself off and show the world what helped make is such a smartphone powerhouse in the first place.
From the looks of the leaks over the past few months, there’s not likely to be much in the way of surprises – at least so far as the Galaxy S8 (and its rumored bigger sibling, the Galaxy S8+) are concerned. Since Mobile World Congress in February , we’ve seen leaked shots of the handset from all angles, spec sheets and some quick videos.
The handset looks to take the company a step closer to its dream of edge to edge displays, even going so far as ditching the physical home button in the process. And the company has already offered up a fair bit of information on its forthcoming Bixby smart assistant , which enters a crowded market with a few cool tricks.
But Samsung’s never been one to focus on a single product. The company likely has plenty more up its sleeve at today’s event, particularly given how much good will it’s looking to engender among a wary public that’s gotten used to hearing its name over pre-boarding announcements.
We’ll be following along live right here, starting at 8AM on the West Coast and 11AM out east. Stay tuned.

© Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/OhZzBzPnThw/
All rights are reserved and belongs to a source media.

Apple will lose its lead over Android in terms of revenue generated by mobile apps this year, according to a new report from App Annie, out today. However,..
Apple will lose its lead over Android in terms of revenue generated by mobile apps this year, according to a new report from App Annie, out today. However, the firm’s estimate is based on including third-party Android app stores in its forecast, not just Google Play. When the Apple App Store is pitted against Google Play alone, Apple is expected to maintain its lead through 2021, the report says.
App Annie is predicting worldwide mobile app downloads to surpass 352 billion in 2021, with gross consumer spend across all the app stores to surpass $139 billion.
The iOS App Store will account for a large chunk of that spend, as it’s expected to generate over $60 billion in 2021. Google Play will generate $42 billion, and third-party stores, $36 billion.
Those third-party stores – which include the Android app marketplaces offers by Tencent, Baidu, Xiaomi, Huawei, and others – accounted for $10 billion in revenue last year, and will grow to $20 billion in 2017, the report estimates.
The market for Android apps is growing thanks in large part to mobile adoption in China as well as other emerging markets, particularly Mexico, Brazil, and Indonesia.
This will impact app downloads, too. Android downloads from both Google Play and elsewhere will at an annualized rate of 23 percent to 299.9 billion by 2012.
App downloads are more evenly distributed across countries around the world, but revenue is another matter, App Annie also found.
According to its data, the top five countries by downloads – China, India, U. S., Brazil, and Indonesia – accounted for 54 percent of the downloads last year, and this won’t change much through 2021.
However, the top countries by revenue – China, U. S., Japan, South Korea, and U. K. – accounted for 75 percent of app store revenue in 2016. This is expected to grow to 85 percent by 2021.
The firm chalked up this shift to increased spending on games and subscriptions from existing smartphone users in mature markets like the U. S., Japan, and South Korea, but especially the maturing market that is China.
China, because of its vast population and growing middle class, still plays a key role when it comes to app store revenues, but its market is maturing, the report notes. The majority of Chinese app users are expected to settle into patterns of habitual use by 2021, which will allow revenue growth to be sustained even though downloads may slow.
Downloads in China will grow at an annualized rate of 19 percent from 2016 to 2021, while consumer spend will grow 24 percent to $56.5 billion. In larger cities, much of the smartphone market in China is already saturated, meaning a lot of growth will come from other regions across the country.
India, on the other hand, is still in the early stages of the app market maturity cycle, and will see significant download and revenue growth through 2021. Downloads will grow 28 percent to nearly 23 billion by 2021, and app store spend will grow an annualized rate of 75 percent to $2.1 billion.
Despite India’s growth, consumer spend will be lower in the region because of a variety of factors, including more limited purchasing power and a culture that focuses more on saving versus spending on games and entertainment, App Annie says. It suggests that app developers targeting India consider other revenue models, like advertising.

© Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/LO5cIhjMZoc/
All rights are reserved and belongs to a source media.