With technology constantly changing, it is important to know what has changed and how it affects one’s daily life. This past year, both Google and Apple released new devices that have made a large impact in the electronics industry.

The Google Pixel and Google Pixel XL were released in October of 2016. With their AMOLED screens and 12.3 megapixel cameras, they have held their own among many other popular flagship phones, like the Samsung Galaxy S7 and the iPhone 7 and 7+. This device was created to replace their less popular line of phones called Nexus. According to Jay McGregor of Forbes.com, the new Pixels are “A genuine all-rounder of a smartphone.” Another unique feature of these phones is the unlimited storage in Google Drive. Instead of constantly worrying about space, the Pixel automatically backs up all of your photos and documents. Imagine having enough storage to record long videos without worrying it will stop mid-capture because you ran out of memory. UAIS Junior Nate Bratkowski said when he is looking for a new phone he looks at “functionality, app development capabilities, and the ability to fit it my pocket.” With it’s Android operating system, and two sizes, the Google Pixel has a wide market of people it appeals to.

In the same month, Apple released a well overdue update to their current MacBook Pro line.  Their new computers are thinner, lighter, and feature an all-new touch bar and fingerprint reader that replaces the function row keys as well as a new style of port: USB-C. Dan Ackerman of CNET.com stated the new touch bar and Touch-ID feature is similar to that of the iPhone because it is “impressive, and nearly instantaneous.” Another feature of these laptops is their single type of port—the new USB-C— which has caused quite the controversy. This port is rare now, but is predicted to become the new USB-A replacement port. In previous MacBook Pro models, the computers have come with a plethora of ports ranging from USB-A to and SD-card slot to HDMI. With the new models, to get any of the ports requires purchasing and carrying around adapters. Despite the critiques, Bratkowski said, “I think its awesome to take what is on [the MacBook Pros] and make it universal for the future.”

Below is an interview with Marques Brownlee, a YouTube tech reviewer, and Craig Federighi, the Senior Vice-President of Software Engineering at Apple, discussing the reasoning behind the new features on MacBooks.

The Google Pixels and the new MacBook Pro are just some of the new technologies released in 2016. The year of 2017 holds much promise for improvement with rumors of the iPhone 8 and new updates to Google’s technology lineup.

Sources:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jaymcgregor/2016/10/19/google-pixel-xl-best-and-worst-features/#6dd2c48e200c

https://www.cnet.com/products/apple-macbook-pro-with-touch-bar-13-inch-2016/review/

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