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Weekend of April 20, 2018 – Hour 1

Smart Home

Tech News and Commentary

Dave and the team discuss Amazon topping the list of consumer electronics retailers, Wall Street’s reaction to Zuckerberg’s testimony, the Washington Post’s less positive take on his testimony, “withervanes” in Florida alerting passersby of news headlines, smart-home devices in new homes, Facebook and new European and US rules, and more.



Al in Shreveport, Louisiana listens on 710 KEEL and asked: “Just heard you and you’re mentioning why hasn’t anybody come up with competition for Facebook. I would like to get on another platform. But I know it’s very expensive. Is anyone in the process of making a competitor for Facebook?”

 

Al, if what you’re looking for is basically a Facebook clone, as in something that looks like Facebook and does what Facebook does, the only popular ones we know of are RenRen in China and VKontakte in Russia.

If you have a minute, look them up, they are shameless copies of Facebook with the only real difference being the alphabet you see on the screen and the logo.

If your concern is the privacy of your data, you probably don’t want to go with Chinese or Russian versions of the same thing, not to mention that you’d have a hard time finding a lot of your friends in either platform.

If your concern is the privacy of your data, you probably don’t want to go with Chinese or Russian versions of the same thing

Just last week, when Mark Zuckerberg was testifying before Congress, Senator Lindsey Graham and he had the following exchange:

Senator Graham asked: “Who’s your biggest competitor?”

Zuckerberg answered: “Senator, we have a lot of competitors.”

But after that he couldn’t really name a single one, instead, he kept talking about how different parts of Facebook have their own competitors, each in their own way.

When asked: “You don’t think you have a monopoly?” Zuckerberg laughed and after a long pause said “Ah, it certainly doesn’t feel like that to me!”. But he still couldn’t name any direct competitor that does exactly what Facebook does, and he even had to give an evasive answer as to why they bought Instagram if not to eliminate a growing competitor.

Instagram was a threat because it’s one of a few other social networks that don’t look or act like Facebook but are very popular. And even with how different they are, they are a threat to them. Their own Instagram attracts more young users than Facebook does these days, and Snap’s Snapchat does too.

Both of those are photo-centric, both rely more on sharing moments for a short time rather than on writing a type of diary on a timeline, so they’re not exact Facebook replacements, but they’re the social media of choice of a new generation.


We also addressed questions about updating the graphics on a laptop, and video out adapters for Android!


intotomorrow_logoWhen you participate on the show – anytime 24/7 – and we HEAR you with any consumer tech question, comment, help for another listener, tech rage or just share your favorite App these days … you could win prizes.

 

Killer Concepts: Piggy Pro Phone Stands Razor thin stand that sticks to the back of any phone

eBags: Quick Charge Battery “Call it what you like: a battery, a power bank, a quick charge. We like to think of it as a lifeboat.”

udoq: udoq 550 Docking Station – charge multiple mobile devices in one place

Macally: Aluminium Laptop Stand

HyperX: Cloud Pro Gaming Headset – compatible with Mac, PC, PS4 and Mobile

MyPhonePouch: Soft, stretchy pouches to carry your cell phone, hands-free

All CALLERS — using the AUDIO option on our Free App or 1-800-899-INTO(4686)  – automatically qualify to win prizes.

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Written by Dave Graveline

Dave Graveline is the founder, Host & Executive Producer of "Into Tomorrow" in addition to being President of the Advanced Media Network".

Dave is also a trusted and familiar voice on many national commercials & narrations in addition to being an authority in consumer tech since 1994. He is also a former Police Officer and an FBI Certified Instructor.

Dave thrives on audience participation!

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