US Republicans Now Favor Conference Calling Instead of Usual Town Hall Meetings

A growing number of Republican legislators are ditching conventional town hall meetings for conference calls, and this is largely because of the manner in which protesters disrupt such face-to-face meetings.

Since President Donald Trump assumed office, protesters everywhere have seen town hall meetings as events that must be hijacked, and this is giving legislators security concerns. The Christian Science Monitor reports that Republican legislators now choose conference calling over in-person town hall conferences when meeting with their constituents.

Using conference calls in place of town hall meetings is now referred to as “tele-town halls,” and it provides a medium where legislators can safely interact with their constituencies from the safety of their own homes or offices. According to several lawmakers, this security measure is becoming necessary since angry demonstrators easily disrupt town hall meetings. Meanwhile, a number of critics say this mode of communicating with people is not ideal for a health democracy.

Since people are getting angrier and distressed with the government, town hall meetings have become a forum where participants shout at one another, throw things at each other, bend out of shape and destroy public property. This leaves many legislators with no choice than to adopt conference calls or even web video conferencing in certain other instances. Public officers desire to meet with their constituencies, but it is obvious they are not ready to do that where their personal security is at stake.

Conferencing call services and why lawmakers now prefer using them

Republican lawmakers and business executives choose to use conference calls because of the ease of use and added security where they must speak with many people at the same time. Conference calling services are changing the face of mass communication and public interactions. Politicians and businessmen say it is cheap and affordable, and it secure with little chances of being hacked or compromised.

Secure audio conference calling uses specialized communication apps or software that connects you to people almost instantly. You can invite people to join you for a conversation or meeting with the press of a button, and you can use dial-up numbers to speak to people within your vicinity or people from around the world simultaneously. And what’s more, you are in complete control of the conference calls and fully able to see call participants, mute callers, exit participants and also lock on call participants among other conferencing options.

President Donald Trump mentioned by name in conference calls of 148 companies

The CNBC just reported that President Donald Trump was mentioned by name 20% of the time when 148 companies used conference calling to report their quarterly earnings. This actually means that 32 S&P 500 companies mentioned the name of President Trump when using conferencing calls to report their quarterly earnings in a manner that was not even seen when former President Obama was in power.

This fact goes a long way to reveal that the use of conferencing calls spans all aspects of public and private lives. To this extent, people prefer using it where face-to-face communication is not possible with a large number of people. Meanwhile, the use of conference calls is best where you have to speak with a large number of people simultaneously on the same issue.

Anyone can spend as long a time as possible talking on conference calls as can be done with physical communications. You can talk to up to 50 people simultaneously and chat on various issues for as long as 10 hours if you care to, and both politicians and businessmen and civilians are well aware of this positive aspect of using conference calling.

Harman Could Bring Wireless CarPlay to Audi, VW, Mercedes-Benz, Chrysler, and Other Automakers

Harman today announced that it has achieved the first-ever implementation of wireless CarPlay in vehicles. It said its infotainment system is currently being deployed for a luxury German automaker, which more than likely refers to BMW, the only automaker that currently supports wireless CarPlay as a built-in feature.

A number of BMW models have supported wireless CarPlay since late last year, and Harman’s announcement comes just as the 2017 BMW 5 Series with wireless CarPlay hits the streets in the United States.

Harman did not disclose plans to roll out wireless CarPlay to other automakers, but it has business relationships with several vehicle manufacturers, including Volkswagen Group, Daimler, and FCA, so it is plausible that wireless CarPlay could expand to brands such as Audi, VW, Mercedes-Benz, Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep in the future.

Harman provided the following statement to MacRumors:

HARMAN is the renowned Tier 1 supplier of infotainment systems to global automakers. Our customers include Audi/VW, Daimler, BMW, Chrysler/FCA, and many others. HARMAN has pioneered the introduction of many Apple features in the past into car – iPod out, CarPlay, etc – as well as other “smart apps” such as Android Auto and Baidu CarLife, for automakers across the world.

Volkswagen actually wanted to demonstrate wireless CarPlay at CES 2016, but it said Apple blocked them from doing so for undisclosed reasons.

Due to confidentiality agreements, it is likely we will have to wait for each of these automakers to announce wireless CarPlay individually, but Harman and BMW have proven that it can be accomplished.

Apple introduced wireless CarPlay support in iOS 9, but the majority of current systems require connecting an iPhone to the vehicle with a Lightning to USB cable. Harman’s system is the first to enable wireless implementation, with the iPhone connecting via Bluetooth and data transferring via Wi-Fi.

Last month, Alpine introduced the first aftermarket system with wireless CarPlay for do-it-yourself installations. The iLX-107 features a 7-inch capacitive touchscreen with LED backlighting, and it begins shipping this month for a suggested price of $900. Some resellers may offer it for cheaper as seen with other Alpine receivers.

CarPlay is available in over 200 vehicle models around the world, enabling drivers to make and receive calls, access text messages, play music, get directions, check traffic conditions, and more with Siri voice commands and on-screen controls. CarPlay requires an iPhone 5 or newer.

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Apple to Open First Argentinian Apple Store in Buenos Aires in 2018

Apple is planning to open an Apple Store in Buenos Aires in 2018, according to Gizmodo en Español. The store will be Apple’s first official retail location in Argentina, but it is not yet clear where it will be located in the city.

As Apple plans to open its first store in Argentina, several third-party retailers will also start selling Apple products. Starting in 2017, electronics chain Frávega will open 15 store-within-a-store locations that offer a range of Apple products. It is not known, however, if the Frávega locations will be offering the iPhone.

Apple Morumbi in São Paulo Brazil
At the current point in time, Apple products are exorbitantly expensive in Argentina due to taxes, tariffs, and inflation. Products sell for up to three times as much in Argentina as they do in the United States. The entry-level iPad Pro, for example, sells for $1,418 (22,149 pesos) compared to $599 in the U.S.

Argentina just announced plans to remove a 35 percent import tariff on computers, laptops, and tablets, which, along with a local Apple Store, could lower prices for Argentinian Apple customers.

Apple retail stores have been slow to roll out in Latin America. Apple has two stores in Brazil and just recently opened its first Apple Store in Mexico City. Apple is rumored to be planning to open additional stores in Mexico in Guadalajara and Monterrey, along with locations in Chile and Peru.

Related Roundup: Apple Stores
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