Apple rolls out the 'wow' factor with iOS 7 for iPhone, iPads, iTouch

Well now, just when it seemed that Apple's innovation has slowed down, as the Android camp was full-steam ahead, the guys from Cupertino dealt what could be a winning hand at the start of the Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco.

Apple unveiled the mysterious and tightly-held-to-their-chest iOS 7 software update, stamped with the work of the possibly soon-to-be-famous Jony Ive, Apple's senior vice president of design. Already, it is being called "the most significant iOS update since the original iPhone that took the stage in 2007. After watching the video, I believe them, or they did a good job of snookering me and probably a lot of other Apple fans.

I can't keep this to myself any longer; this update that is due this fall is going to be one fine upgrade, as every nook and cranny of the current iPhone software has been redesigned. The appearance is clean, minimalist, simplistic and very appealing. The icons for apps look fresh and not overdone, with crisp colors and simple lines. It's almost like the designers wiped the slate clean and started over, which is exactly what I think they did.

The list of new stuff could go on and on, with a new palette of colors, and bits of translucency, a new lock sceen, the introduction of a control center and multitasking. Let's let that soak in. Then we have new photo features with automatic time and date stamp, "popular near me" apps and full-screen browsing in Safari. Let's take another break.

As we gather again to explore the new iOS 7 update, Siri will accept commands to control the iPhone, such as turn on Bluetooth. Another new feature is AirDrop, which will allow easy sharing of content with people nearby using peer-to-peer transfer. We'll break again in a minute, but Safari has enhancements that need to be told, with features like simplified searching, a new bookmarks view and new Safari tabs. While we're talking about online, iCloud Keychain is coming for your passwords and credit information that will be available on all your devices. Now let's pause for a few seconds before the music starts.

Apple was really excited about the new music app and especially the new iTunes Radio, which will be a free Internet radio service. The keyword is "free." I like it already. It'll have over 200 stations, which will be enough music to get you through any waiting room stretch of boredom. There's more.

Some additional features of the new iOS 7 update will include – do I have to say it – a "new" Find My Phone activation lock feature that'll require your Apple ID and password. For night owls, Apple says the Night Mode in Maps feature will respond to ambient light when your use if after dark. And finally, something that caught both of my eyes is a proposed enhanced in-car integration, which will bring the Apple experience to a drivers seat near you. This could be the start of the iCar and iTruck. Sorry, the domain name for iCar and iTruck is already taken; I checked.

Apple seems to have put their best foot forward with this update and if the real thing is anything like the prototypes in the promotional video, it's going to be a humdinger of a software upgrade for the iPhone 4 and later, the iPad 2 and later, iPad mini and fifth-generation iPod touch.

Now we're going be in the highly-anticipated mode for iOS 7 during the next several months of hot and steamy weather in my zip code.

I can cope with the heat, but I can hardly wait for the new iOS 7.

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Vaporstream technology makes sent email messages disappear

If you ever worry about the security of sensitive email message, a new technology called Vaporstream might be what you need.

For those confidential conversations, company officials say Vaporstream communications cannot be copied, forwarded, printed, saved or intercepted. This James Bond senario is created with a Secure Recordless Messaging Service, or SRMS, which transmits messages without leaving behind any Electronic Stored Information, which is also known as the ESI factor.

Once you hit send on a Visper message, it vaporizes to leave no trace in the inbox, server or archive. In addition to messages, recordless photos also disappear from the sending device, as well as the recipient's device.

According to the company behind Vaporstream, this technology "is the messaging tool of choice for critical discussions about mergers & acquisitions, research & development, litigation, and other confidential matters."

If you are a busy executive or professional with a need to keep sensitive information private from hackers without a face-to-face meeting or phone call, Vaporstream might be what you're looking for.

Vaporstream, a Chicago firm founded in 2006 is available as a free app for the iPhone, iPad and Android devices. But an account is required to use the free app.

With this technology, it can be a comforting thought to know that you're not leaving behind any "electronic DNA" or "digital footprint" that could fall into the wrong hands.

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Samsung London event offers a hint to new Galaxy and ATIV devices

Samsung chose Memorial Day, when our minds are not on hot tech news, to roll out a teaser for an event on Thursday, June 20, in London.

The hints in their poster point to maybe new Galaxy and ATIV devices, which means Android and Windows 8 flavored announcements. Then we have images of some pretty thin devices that might could be a tablet, laptop and something that resembles a camera lens.

Samsung announced Windows 8 devices just under a year ago at a conference in Berlin, Germany, which included a two notebooks and a smartphone, called the ATIV S. Since the launch of these devices, the ATIV S has suffered several delays and has not gained much traction among carriers in the United States.

The Samsung ATIV smart PC is currently available from AT&T, while the Samsung ATIV Odyssey smartphone is available from Verizon Wireless.

Maybe the London event will bring new features to these devices. So circle June 20 on your calendar for the latest tech news from the Samsung camp.

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Samsung Galaxy S4: C Spire is offering 'the next big thing'

The highly-anticipated Samsung Galaxy S4 is inching closer into the hands of Android fans, as C Spire Wireless becomes one of the U.S. carriers accepting pre-orders for Samsung's newest touchscreen smartphone.

The Galaxy S4 is packing more power than its predecessor, the Galaxy S3, in several areas. It has a 13-megapixel rear camera, compared with a 8 megapixel camera on the S3, and a slightly better front camera at 2 megapixels. Additional camera features include "LED flash, autofocus and 1080p HD video recording in dual-shot mode ... which allows the use of both cameras simultaneously so users can include themselves in pictures and videos."

The Galaxy S4 is lighter in weight and with a 1920 by 1080 Super AMOLED five-inch display, colors should really pop. The increase in display size from the S3's 4.8 display is significant, as smartphones trend toward larger displays.

Another significant feature boost is the Galaxy S4's 1.9 gigahertz Quad Core processor, compared with a 1.5 GHz in the Galaxy S3. To make sure there is enough juice for all the enhancements in the Galaxy S4, the removable battery size has increased from 2100 to 2600 mAh, with a standard 16 gigabytes of on-board memory.

The Galaxy S4 is shaping up to be a desirable upgrade to the S3 and worth the $199 cost under a new two-year contract.

After choosing between Black Mist and White Frost colors when the Galaxy S4 arrives this summer, C Spire customers will be ahead of the game when it comes to carrying a state-of-the-art smartphone. Fans of other U.S. carriers are not left out, as AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless also have the Galaxy S4 available for purchase.

So it looks like everyone will have a chance to carry Samsung's latest technological creation this summer. It's being called "the next big thing."

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Wireless pill bottle will remind you to take medication, get a refill

The technology in the medical industry is moving fast, as indicated by one of the latest innovations for remembering to take prescription medications.

The wireless pill bottle, developed by AdhereTech, a New York technology firm, will wirelessly transmit data to the patient as a reminder to take medications via a phone call or text message. The hi-tech bottle will also measure the exact number of pills or liquid left in the bottle.

By using built-in sensors and technology similar to a cell phone, the goals of the wireless pill bottle is to use a cellular network for secure data transfer to help patients adhere a schedule for taking their medication on time.

The wireless pill bottle technology recently won the grand prize at the Healthcare Innovation World Cup, funded by Boehringer Ingelheim, a group of the world's 20 leading pharmaceutical companies, and organized by HITLAB, a cross-disciplinary public health teaching and research organization.

The developers are in the funding stage and have plans for a trial at Walter Reed Army Medical Center this summer to test its technology with type 2 diabetes patients. Adhere hopes to have the wireless pill bottles in use at pharmacies for certain drugs and conditions in the near future.

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Google developers' conference will bring new product announcements

As some of us contemplate whether to unfold our arms and embrace Google Glass, Google engineers and developers are once again at the annual developers' conference in San Francisco.

The Moscone West Convention Center will be abuzz with more than 6,000 developers to I/O 2013 that starts today. Google is touting that anyone looking for inspiration and more insight about future products can tune into live-streamed keynote speeches, announcements, along with recorded technology sessions. Anyone can follow along at the Google I/O homepage.

The Google product teams will be hard at work and I wouldn't at all surprised if hints of the "next big thing" are heard around the water coolers.

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Google Glass will usher in amazing technology, wearable computers

The Google Glass technology appears to be truly amazing. We have been hearing bits and pieces about this hi-tech device that you wear like glasses, but more information is starting to filter out about the capabilities and how this technology might fit into our daily routines.

This is what happens when a bunch of engineers and software developers get together to design something that we don't know we need. But as we learn more about the Google Glass device, I'm sure you'll want one. I know I do.

A room full of these guys gathered in Austin recently to listen to a Google guru explain the Google Glass concept and how to approach writing applications for the upcoming technological wonder.

If the final product actually works like the demonstration, it'll be revolutionary and Google will be an innovation leader in the mobile display of information. I hope they will be affordable, because I imagine they won't be cheap. But I like what I see coming down the pike.

The Google Glass device is designed to not be in the way of your normal vision. The apparatus that presents the information is in a heads-up-like display will be just above your right eye. You'll have to look up slightly and to the right to view a mini display.

Most of the controls will be along the right handle, which is significantly thicker than the left handle. That's where you'll tap and swipe back and forth like we do on smartphones and tablets. I assume there will be an option with the control handle on the left side for southpaws. Now the fun begins.

You will be able to give voice commands, such as "record a video" or "take a picture." This means that since you're already wearing the device, you can capture just about all your activities hands-free, such as recreational sports and other events.

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Related: Google Glass invitation to join Explorer Program quite a honor

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Another voice command will bring back a Google search for information to be displayed as images or a text summary. This feature will be invaluable for doing research while on the go or if you're involved in something and not near a computer. So I assume the Google Glass device will have built-in Internet access with a data plan or Wi-Fi capability.

Receiving text messages and email will be a given and you'll reply by voice command, as will getting news headlines throughout the day, which can be read to you if you so desire. Yes, audio will be another feature that will be available, so maybe you'll be able to let the music play.

Google also says photos taken with Glass can be shared, with the popular online note-management site Evernote taking center stage. The idea is to use Skitch to interface with Evernote.

The Google Glass technology is still in the early stages of development, but the marketing has started and developers are hard at work building the future through managing technology and exploring how information is displayed.

This concept could be so cool that I can't imagine all the other technology heavyweights like Apple, Samsung and Microsoft staying on the sidelines very long, along with all the others that I didn't mention. I'm sure Apple will come out with something like iGlass to compete with the "Big G." While Galaxy S Glass from Samsung would have a nice ring to it, a name like Windows 8 Glass also could be a good fit if Microsoft jumped into this arena. With the smart watches arriving soon, and smart glasses on our eyes at some point, we will truly be wearing our computers.

As cyborg as it sounds, I can barely wait.

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