Amazon sold millions of Kindles this holiday season, led by the company's first-ever tablet, the Kindle Fire, leaving some analysts wondering if other Android tablets might soon be flavored with Amazon's secret sauce.
After a full year of dozens of Android tablets from numerous manufacturers, none--excepting the discontinued and momentarily deeply discounted HP TouchPad--made more than the slightest dent in the iPad's dominance in the slate market. None, that is, until Amazon introduced its clunky but inexpensive loss leader--available for just $199 and pre-registered to your Amazon account so you can begin consuming the company's universe of content right away.
Despite the massive gulf between the iPad and Kindle Fire when it comes to price and specs, the two successful tablets do have one important characteristic in common--easy, built-in access to all kinds of content to consume on the device via the iTunes and Amazon stores, respectively.
"Devices need to lead with content services or they're dead in the water," Forrester analyst Sarah Rotman Epps told me. "By next summer we'll have had several months of Amazon demonstrating that a successful consumer electronics product strategy has to lead with content services."
Richard Windsor, global technology specialist for Nomura Securities, went one step further. He sees some of the current Android tablet makers looking to Amazon to help float some of their future offerings, or perhaps going as far as taking over production of the follow-up to the Kindle Fire.
"I'm not convinced Amazon's going to stay in the hardware business very long. Look at their business model--they are selling this thing at cost in order to make money on content. So if you can get someone else to make the tablet for you and sell it with your user experience on it, what do you care?"
Windsor suspects Amazon's first $199 tablet could be a way to "seed the market." He sees makers of competing Android tablets--which consumers seem to view as overpriced and lacking access to compelling content--in a position to start courting Amazon for possible partnerships.
"What you could get is a range of form factors and sizes to suit different pockets without Amazon having to make them all. You might see an "HTC Dream Kindle" or the "Kindle Fire HTC" or "Kindle Fire 2 10-inch by HTC."
Amazon is famously mum on its future plans. Despite months of speculation, the company refused to acknowledge that it was working on a tablet until it was unveiled by CEO Jeff Bezos this fall.
For its part, Google has been working feverishly of late to make more content available via the Android Market. In the past year books, movies and most recently music have all been introduced for purchase and consumption on mobile devices running the OS, an increasing number of which will soon be getting the much improved Ice Cream Sandwich version of Android.
Despite Google's best efforts, however, no tablet with native access to the Android Market has taken off with consumers. Hot sellers like the Kindle Fire and the Barnes and Noble Nook do their best to push users in the direction of their own content. We'll soon see if other tablet makers opt to follow their lead as well.
(cnet.com)
Sabtu, 31 Desember 2011
Apple TV 4.4.4 firmware gets untethered jailbreak, devs close to porting iOS apps
Ever wanted to run third-party software on your 2nd generation Apple TV? You can, but the current tethered jailbreak process means you have to rehack the device if it's rebooted or powered off. Thankfully, jailbreak tool Seas0npass has been updated (credits to @pod2g and @NitoTV) to perform an untethered jailbreak on Apple's recently released 4.4.4 firmware. If you have an Apple TV and want to install things like a weather widget, RSS feed and a Last.FM plugin, you can download the Seas0npass jailbreak and view the how-to instructions at the source links below.
On a related note, developers are working to bring a much more intriguing category of software to your Apple TV — iOS apps. As you'll see in the video below, fully-fledged iOS applications are running on the second generation set-top box thanks to the efforts of iOS devs @stroughtonsmith, @chpwn and @TheMudkip. Granted, this feat is in its preliminary stages and there's a handful of tweaks to be made, but the iOS hacking community has always done its best to keep users satisfied, so stay tuned.
(theverge.com)
On a related note, developers are working to bring a much more intriguing category of software to your Apple TV — iOS apps. As you'll see in the video below, fully-fledged iOS applications are running on the second generation set-top box thanks to the efforts of iOS devs @stroughtonsmith, @chpwn and @TheMudkip. Granted, this feat is in its preliminary stages and there's a handful of tweaks to be made, but the iOS hacking community has always done its best to keep users satisfied, so stay tuned.
(theverge.com)
Apple TV 4.4.4 firmware gets untethered jailbreak, devs close to porting iOS apps
Ever wanted to run third-party software on your 2nd generation Apple TV? You can, but the current tethered jailbreak process means you have to rehack the device if it's rebooted or powered off. Thankfully, jailbreak tool Seas0npass has been updated (credits to @pod2g and @NitoTV) to perform an untethered jailbreak on Apple's recently released 4.4.4 firmware. If you have an Apple TV and want to install things like a weather widget, RSS feed and a Last.FM plugin, you can download the Seas0npass jailbreak and view the how-to instructions at the source links below.
On a related note, developers are working to bring a much more intriguing category of software to your Apple TV — iOS apps. As you'll see in the video below, fully-fledged iOS applications are running on the second generation set-top box thanks to the efforts of iOS devs @stroughtonsmith, @chpwn and @TheMudkip. Granted, this feat is in its preliminary stages and there's a handful of tweaks to be made, but the iOS hacking community has always done its best to keep users satisfied, so stay tuned.
(theverge.com)
On a related note, developers are working to bring a much more intriguing category of software to your Apple TV — iOS apps. As you'll see in the video below, fully-fledged iOS applications are running on the second generation set-top box thanks to the efforts of iOS devs @stroughtonsmith, @chpwn and @TheMudkip. Granted, this feat is in its preliminary stages and there's a handful of tweaks to be made, but the iOS hacking community has always done its best to keep users satisfied, so stay tuned.
(theverge.com)
Inside Apple's 2011: iOS, Apps & iCloud
This year, Apple hit a new milestone of 250 million iOS devices while shipping its fifth reference release of its mobile platform that now offers a library of half of a million apps that have seen 18 billion downloads, now automated via iCloud.
iOS distribution
Like other mobile platforms (including Google's Android, Microsoft's Windows Phone 7, RIM's BlackBerry OS, Nokia's Symbian or HP's webOS), Apple doesn't earn any revenues from charging its users for system software updates.
Unlike its competitors, however, Apple actually delivers its regular, free iOS updates to the majority of the installed base frequently and on a timely basis. Within 2011, Apple shipped a dozen free updates for its mobile iOS platform before releasing iOS 5 in October and a followup 5.0.1 update. Those releases were made available to all iOS users the same day (apart from one release specific to the Verizon CDMA iPhone).
In comparison, Google released three updates to its summer 2010 Android 2.2 Froyo; five updates to last year's winter Android 2.3 Gingerbread; five releases exclusive to Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablets, and three updates of the new Android 4.0 (which currently only works on its own Galaxy Nexus model, and won't be rolled out to other 2011 model year devices for months--and is very unlikely to ever become available for phones over a year old).
Android device manufacturers and their mobile carriers were hesitant to actually make Google's updates available to their users however, as few of the updates were substantial enough to warrant the complex texting and specialized work needed to make the generic Android code work on the scores of different Android models, leaving the Android platform fractionalized with (at the start of December) 47 percent of active Android Market smartphone users still on an early-2010 version of Android (equivalent to iOS 3).
Google is not just failing to make as many updates available, but its "open" Android ecosystem is actually preventing updates that are released from making their way to users. Further, vendors and carriers are adding their own software on top of Android that has been found to open up security flaws and allow malware to bypass the permissions controls Google invented to let users protect themselves from the inherently dangerous nature of the unmanaged library of apps it makes available in its Android Market.
Microsoft, RIM, Nokia and HP combined released fewer updates for their users than Apple, and of those, only Microsoft bothered to make its updates broadly available to the entire installed base. Of course, Microsoft also erased backward support for all Windows Mobile 6.x devices at the end of last year when it introduced its Windows Phone 7 successor, leaving it with a very limited number of users to address.
iOS' pace of progress in 2011
Apple's 2011 releases of iOS kicked off to support the new CDMA iPhone 4 for Verizon in February, followed by the iOS 4.3 release in March that was introduced alongside iPad 2. Rather than just adding support for the new model, however, that update introduced significant new features ranging from AirPlay video support for third party apps, a much faster Nitro JavaScript engine for Safari, enhanced video playback "scrubber" controls, support for streaming content from a local PC via iTunes Home Sharing, "Personal Hotspot" WiFi tethering on the iPhone, and new FaceTime support for the iPod touch and iPad 2.
In addition to releasing system software, Apple also introduced new iOS apps, including the free PhotoBooth for iPad 2 and the iLife apps GarageBand and iMovie, initially released with iPad 2 and later made available for iPhone and iPod touch users in the fall. Apple similarly made its iWork suite of Pages, Keynote and Numbers iOS apps, initially released alongside the original iPad in 2010, available for iPhone and iPod touch users in May.
Apple also introduced some controversy-arousing new policies for its App Store this year, including rules that prevent apps from linking to external purchase options (such as for in app content or subscriptions) without providing an alternative way for users to also buy the same thing through the App Store.
Apple also rankled some publishers with new subscription policies that allowed the user to decide whether wanted to share his or her personal information with the publisher when subscribing through the App Store. Despite initial fears that subscribers would mostly opt out, it was later reported that "fear that Apple’s policies would deny them the consumer data they need to do business was unfounded."
A third tempest in a teapot for iOS in 2011 was the Locationgate crisis, kicked off by two researchers who discovered a database of location information on the iPhone that appeared to map a path of where users had taken their device. The matter ended up being the subject of a federal investigation. Steve Jobs addressed the issue personally, explaining the issues involved to users in a public statement that mirrored the "Antenangate" brouhaha of 2010.
Jobs outlined how iOS had pioneered the safeguarding of location data from third party apps, requiring user permissions and offering users control over how their location data is used in a way unmatched by other vendors. He also promised updates in iOS and iTunes to better handle how location data was cached.
(appleinsider.com)
iOS distribution
Like other mobile platforms (including Google's Android, Microsoft's Windows Phone 7, RIM's BlackBerry OS, Nokia's Symbian or HP's webOS), Apple doesn't earn any revenues from charging its users for system software updates.
Unlike its competitors, however, Apple actually delivers its regular, free iOS updates to the majority of the installed base frequently and on a timely basis. Within 2011, Apple shipped a dozen free updates for its mobile iOS platform before releasing iOS 5 in October and a followup 5.0.1 update. Those releases were made available to all iOS users the same day (apart from one release specific to the Verizon CDMA iPhone).
In comparison, Google released three updates to its summer 2010 Android 2.2 Froyo; five updates to last year's winter Android 2.3 Gingerbread; five releases exclusive to Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablets, and three updates of the new Android 4.0 (which currently only works on its own Galaxy Nexus model, and won't be rolled out to other 2011 model year devices for months--and is very unlikely to ever become available for phones over a year old).
Android device manufacturers and their mobile carriers were hesitant to actually make Google's updates available to their users however, as few of the updates were substantial enough to warrant the complex texting and specialized work needed to make the generic Android code work on the scores of different Android models, leaving the Android platform fractionalized with (at the start of December) 47 percent of active Android Market smartphone users still on an early-2010 version of Android (equivalent to iOS 3).
Google is not just failing to make as many updates available, but its "open" Android ecosystem is actually preventing updates that are released from making their way to users. Further, vendors and carriers are adding their own software on top of Android that has been found to open up security flaws and allow malware to bypass the permissions controls Google invented to let users protect themselves from the inherently dangerous nature of the unmanaged library of apps it makes available in its Android Market.
Microsoft, RIM, Nokia and HP combined released fewer updates for their users than Apple, and of those, only Microsoft bothered to make its updates broadly available to the entire installed base. Of course, Microsoft also erased backward support for all Windows Mobile 6.x devices at the end of last year when it introduced its Windows Phone 7 successor, leaving it with a very limited number of users to address.
iOS' pace of progress in 2011
Apple's 2011 releases of iOS kicked off to support the new CDMA iPhone 4 for Verizon in February, followed by the iOS 4.3 release in March that was introduced alongside iPad 2. Rather than just adding support for the new model, however, that update introduced significant new features ranging from AirPlay video support for third party apps, a much faster Nitro JavaScript engine for Safari, enhanced video playback "scrubber" controls, support for streaming content from a local PC via iTunes Home Sharing, "Personal Hotspot" WiFi tethering on the iPhone, and new FaceTime support for the iPod touch and iPad 2.
In addition to releasing system software, Apple also introduced new iOS apps, including the free PhotoBooth for iPad 2 and the iLife apps GarageBand and iMovie, initially released with iPad 2 and later made available for iPhone and iPod touch users in the fall. Apple similarly made its iWork suite of Pages, Keynote and Numbers iOS apps, initially released alongside the original iPad in 2010, available for iPhone and iPod touch users in May.
Apple also introduced some controversy-arousing new policies for its App Store this year, including rules that prevent apps from linking to external purchase options (such as for in app content or subscriptions) without providing an alternative way for users to also buy the same thing through the App Store.
Apple also rankled some publishers with new subscription policies that allowed the user to decide whether wanted to share his or her personal information with the publisher when subscribing through the App Store. Despite initial fears that subscribers would mostly opt out, it was later reported that "fear that Apple’s policies would deny them the consumer data they need to do business was unfounded."
A third tempest in a teapot for iOS in 2011 was the Locationgate crisis, kicked off by two researchers who discovered a database of location information on the iPhone that appeared to map a path of where users had taken their device. The matter ended up being the subject of a federal investigation. Steve Jobs addressed the issue personally, explaining the issues involved to users in a public statement that mirrored the "Antenangate" brouhaha of 2010.
Jobs outlined how iOS had pioneered the safeguarding of location data from third party apps, requiring user permissions and offering users control over how their location data is used in a way unmatched by other vendors. He also promised updates in iOS and iTunes to better handle how location data was cached.
(appleinsider.com)
Jumat, 30 Desember 2011
Verizon explains 4G LTE network issues as "growing pains"
After a month that saw 3 separate 4G LTE network outages, Verizon Wireless has issued a press release detailing some points as to why its network has been unstable and what the carrier is doing to shore it up for the future.
December has been a rough month for Verizon's LTE network, with no fewer than 3 outages affecting users across the country. Earlier this year, the network went down for multiple days, leaving many customers without any access to the 4G services. Adding to the issue, even when 4G device owners tried to use Verizon's 3G network, which was still operational, many found that they could not connect to that, either.
Verizon explains that each network outage was caused by a different technical issue, and engineers have addressed the problems as they have been discovered. A single problem has not caused the network to go down more than once, but each incident was caused by something new and unexpected. The carrier attributes this to the growing pains of being the first major carrier to deploy a nationwide LTE network, and notes that it has learned from each situation. Verizon points out that the 4G LTE network has seen 99 percent uptime since it was launched in late 2010.
Verizon says that one of the steps that it is taking to prevent future nationwide outages is to segment the network into geographic areas, limiting problems to a certain locale to prevent them from taking the whole network down. It is a bit surprising that this method wasn't already in use, considering the scale of Verizon's network. The carrier says that it has deployed numerous software fixes that will improve the reliability of the network, and that it is using techniques learned from its 3G and 1xRTT networks to maintain uptime.
So, there you have it. Verizon's network is new and runs into issues from time to time, but the carrier insists that it is constantly working to improve the network and limit downtime. It's just unfortunate that so many of the outages happened to rear their heads in the span of one month, leaving a tarnished mark on Verizon's stellar reputation. Hopefully 2012 will be a better year for 4G LTE reliability. As to whether or not other carriers will face the same problems with their new LTE networks, it is hard to say, but to be fair to Verizon, the switch to LTE from CDMA is a much bigger technical leap than the jump from HSPA+ to LTE, as is the case with AT&T's LTE network.
(mobileburn.com)
December has been a rough month for Verizon's LTE network, with no fewer than 3 outages affecting users across the country. Earlier this year, the network went down for multiple days, leaving many customers without any access to the 4G services. Adding to the issue, even when 4G device owners tried to use Verizon's 3G network, which was still operational, many found that they could not connect to that, either.
Verizon explains that each network outage was caused by a different technical issue, and engineers have addressed the problems as they have been discovered. A single problem has not caused the network to go down more than once, but each incident was caused by something new and unexpected. The carrier attributes this to the growing pains of being the first major carrier to deploy a nationwide LTE network, and notes that it has learned from each situation. Verizon points out that the 4G LTE network has seen 99 percent uptime since it was launched in late 2010.
Verizon says that one of the steps that it is taking to prevent future nationwide outages is to segment the network into geographic areas, limiting problems to a certain locale to prevent them from taking the whole network down. It is a bit surprising that this method wasn't already in use, considering the scale of Verizon's network. The carrier says that it has deployed numerous software fixes that will improve the reliability of the network, and that it is using techniques learned from its 3G and 1xRTT networks to maintain uptime.
So, there you have it. Verizon's network is new and runs into issues from time to time, but the carrier insists that it is constantly working to improve the network and limit downtime. It's just unfortunate that so many of the outages happened to rear their heads in the span of one month, leaving a tarnished mark on Verizon's stellar reputation. Hopefully 2012 will be a better year for 4G LTE reliability. As to whether or not other carriers will face the same problems with their new LTE networks, it is hard to say, but to be fair to Verizon, the switch to LTE from CDMA is a much bigger technical leap than the jump from HSPA+ to LTE, as is the case with AT&T's LTE network.
(mobileburn.com)
Microsoft vs. Apple: 2012 and Beyond
He was responsible for major advances in six — count ‘em — industries: personal computers, animated movies, music, phones, tablet computing, and digital publishing.
That’s not to say he was fun to be around. I’ve met over a dozen of the Forbes Richest People in America, but as much as I admired Steve Jobs, I never wanted to meet him. He was notorious for his “bad boy” behavior and insulting strangers. His personal life was a mess. He frequently used LSD, seldom bathed, and was, according to his friends and associates, “an obsessive, narcissistic, frequently sociopathic nutcase” who tried to find happiness through Buddhist philosophy and strange eating habits. Not surprisingly, he died young. Sometimes it’s best not to get to know your favorite author, philosopher, or business leader.
But he has a lot to teach us when it comes to business and investing.
The Keynesian Myth
First, he proved that consumers don’t drive the economy; entrepreneurs, business innovators, and visionaries do. Jobs made a point of demanding products that customers didn’t know they wanted–the Mac, the iPhone, the iPad. When asked about doing market research, he replied, “No, because consumers don’t know what they want until we’ve shown them.”
In an age when the media constantly promotes the Keynesian myth that “consumer spending is the largest single driver of the U. S. economy” (to quote the Wall Street Journal), Steve Jobs set the record straight.
“That’s not my approach,” he said. “Henry Ford once said, ‘If I’d asked customers what they wanted, they would have told me, “A faster horse!’” It’s entrepreneurship, productive investment, and creative innovation that create a higher standard of living. Consumption is the effect – not the cause – of prosperity. (This is known as Say’s law)
Product First, Profits Follow
Second, the best companies and their leaders are driven ultimately by their desire to make great products or services, not profits. As Steve Jobs says, “the products, not the profits, are the motivation. Everything else is secondary.” He criticized his rival Bill Gates of Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT): “Winning business was more important [to him] than making great products.”
If you compare the stock performance of Apple with Microsoft, it’s a split decision. From 1986 until 2000, Microsoft rose 60 fold, from $1 to $60 a share, while Apple had a 20-fold increase from $2 to $40 a share, with far more volatility.
Since 2000, the race goes to Apple. While Microsoft is about breakeven for the past 12 years, Apple has increased another 10 fold, from $40 to $403 today.
The Future of Microsoft vs. Apple…
Now that Steve Jobs has died and Bill Gates has retired and devoted most of his time to charitable causes, are either stocks worth holding?
Apple is definitely the growth company, with revenues rising 39 percent in the past year, a P/E ratio of 14.5, and a P/E growth rate of 0.62.
Revenues and earnings are likely to rise substantially, given the popularity of iPhones, iPads, iTunes, etc. (This year, my wife got an iPad and I got an iPhone for Christmas.) It pays no dividend, although there is pressure to return some of its $26 billion cash to shareholders.
Microsoft is more a value play, selling for 9.4 times earnings, and PEG ratio of 0.97, and revenues growing 7.3 percent a year. But interestingly profit margins are higher for Microsoft (33 percent versus Apple’s 27 percent). Since 2003, Microsoft has been paying out a growing dividend, now at 20 cents a share (3.1 percent).
Microsoft is definitely a safer bet for conservative investors. If you buy Apple, you are betting that Steve Jobs’s vision of superior and creative new products will continue.
(investmentu.com)
That’s not to say he was fun to be around. I’ve met over a dozen of the Forbes Richest People in America, but as much as I admired Steve Jobs, I never wanted to meet him. He was notorious for his “bad boy” behavior and insulting strangers. His personal life was a mess. He frequently used LSD, seldom bathed, and was, according to his friends and associates, “an obsessive, narcissistic, frequently sociopathic nutcase” who tried to find happiness through Buddhist philosophy and strange eating habits. Not surprisingly, he died young. Sometimes it’s best not to get to know your favorite author, philosopher, or business leader.
But he has a lot to teach us when it comes to business and investing.
The Keynesian Myth
First, he proved that consumers don’t drive the economy; entrepreneurs, business innovators, and visionaries do. Jobs made a point of demanding products that customers didn’t know they wanted–the Mac, the iPhone, the iPad. When asked about doing market research, he replied, “No, because consumers don’t know what they want until we’ve shown them.”
In an age when the media constantly promotes the Keynesian myth that “consumer spending is the largest single driver of the U. S. economy” (to quote the Wall Street Journal), Steve Jobs set the record straight.
“That’s not my approach,” he said. “Henry Ford once said, ‘If I’d asked customers what they wanted, they would have told me, “A faster horse!’” It’s entrepreneurship, productive investment, and creative innovation that create a higher standard of living. Consumption is the effect – not the cause – of prosperity. (This is known as Say’s law)
Product First, Profits Follow
Second, the best companies and their leaders are driven ultimately by their desire to make great products or services, not profits. As Steve Jobs says, “the products, not the profits, are the motivation. Everything else is secondary.” He criticized his rival Bill Gates of Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT): “Winning business was more important [to him] than making great products.”
If you compare the stock performance of Apple with Microsoft, it’s a split decision. From 1986 until 2000, Microsoft rose 60 fold, from $1 to $60 a share, while Apple had a 20-fold increase from $2 to $40 a share, with far more volatility.
Since 2000, the race goes to Apple. While Microsoft is about breakeven for the past 12 years, Apple has increased another 10 fold, from $40 to $403 today.
The Future of Microsoft vs. Apple…
Now that Steve Jobs has died and Bill Gates has retired and devoted most of his time to charitable causes, are either stocks worth holding?
Apple is definitely the growth company, with revenues rising 39 percent in the past year, a P/E ratio of 14.5, and a P/E growth rate of 0.62.
Revenues and earnings are likely to rise substantially, given the popularity of iPhones, iPads, iTunes, etc. (This year, my wife got an iPad and I got an iPhone for Christmas.) It pays no dividend, although there is pressure to return some of its $26 billion cash to shareholders.
Microsoft is more a value play, selling for 9.4 times earnings, and PEG ratio of 0.97, and revenues growing 7.3 percent a year. But interestingly profit margins are higher for Microsoft (33 percent versus Apple’s 27 percent). Since 2003, Microsoft has been paying out a growing dividend, now at 20 cents a share (3.1 percent).
Microsoft is definitely a safer bet for conservative investors. If you buy Apple, you are betting that Steve Jobs’s vision of superior and creative new products will continue.
(investmentu.com)
Apple applies for patent concerning face recognition on iOS devices
Perhaps an upcoming feature on the next version of the iPhone or iPad, Apple filed a patent over a year ago with the United States Patent and Trademark Office that outlines a method of face recognition for taking an iOS device out of sleep mode. Likely built into a future version of iOS, an iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad would recognize that a user is in the vicinity after the user picks up the device and utilize the camera to scan the user’s face to turn on the device automatically. While security would be a concern to anyone that currently uses a password to lock their iOS device, Apple mentions that the software would isolate unique facial features in addition to specific skin tones to recognize a face. The software would memorize the attributes to the face, but the user may potentially have to reset the scan after any form of facial plastic surgery or something as simple as a sunburn.
Apple is already utilizing face detection in the iPhone 4S for photography. The camera automatically detects up to 10 faces within the picture and sets the focus on the most prominent face. It’s likely that the current face detection software will be customized to work with facial recognition elements. Apple calls the new technology “low threshold face recognition” and is designed to work in many situations where lighting can be an issue. Facial recognition technology already exists on Google Android phones with the recent release of the Galaxy Nexus smartphone. While the feature is definitely interesting, users were quickly able to fool the software into unlocking the phone after scanning a picture of the user’s face. Google warns users that facial recognition offers lower security that using a pin or other password to lock the Android device.
Apple filed this patent 18 months ago and hasn’t issued any official comment on how this technology will be utilized in future devices. Any announcement concerning the use of facial recognition on iOS devices will likely come at the next Apple press conference.
(digitaltrends.com)
Apple is already utilizing face detection in the iPhone 4S for photography. The camera automatically detects up to 10 faces within the picture and sets the focus on the most prominent face. It’s likely that the current face detection software will be customized to work with facial recognition elements. Apple calls the new technology “low threshold face recognition” and is designed to work in many situations where lighting can be an issue. Facial recognition technology already exists on Google Android phones with the recent release of the Galaxy Nexus smartphone. While the feature is definitely interesting, users were quickly able to fool the software into unlocking the phone after scanning a picture of the user’s face. Google warns users that facial recognition offers lower security that using a pin or other password to lock the Android device.
Apple filed this patent 18 months ago and hasn’t issued any official comment on how this technology will be utilized in future devices. Any announcement concerning the use of facial recognition on iOS devices will likely come at the next Apple press conference.
(digitaltrends.com)
Selasa, 27 Desember 2011
Windows Phone Marketplace Reaches 50,000 Apps
According to All About Windows Phone (AAWP), the Windows Phone Marketplace now has more than 50,000 apps.
Though 50,000 is less than one-tenth of what Apple’s iOS App Store has and also a fraction of the more than 400,000 apps in Android Market, Microsoft’s ascent to 50,000 apps is a solid milestone given the time it took to get there. AAWP reports that Windows Phone took 14 months to reach 50,000 apps. Android took 19 months to reach 50,000 apps and iOS took 12 months, AAWP said.
Moreover, AAWP reports that content is being added to Windows Phone marketplace at the rate of 265 items per day. At the time of the AAWP report there were 50,126 items published in the marketplace from 13,002 different publishers. The report added:
“The 50,000 mark, which has been reached sooner than we estimated, is a key milestone, but more important is the accelerating growth of the Marketplace. It took just over a year to get to 40,000 apps, but just 40 days to add the next 10,000 apps. That bodes well for Windows Phone in 2012.”
There has been an uptick in submissions to Windows Phone Marketplace over the last several weeks. The report attributes this to the expansion of the geographic area available to the marketplace as well as to the release of Nokia’s first Windows Phone devices.
AAWP, which gets its numbers from its own tracking system, said 58 percent of items in the Windows Phone Marketplace are free, 14 percent are paid with a free trial and 29 percent are paid. Additionally, as with other app stores the majority of apps in the Windows Phone Marketplace are entertainment apps, followed by tools and productivity apps, games and books and reference apps.
(eweek.com)
Though 50,000 is less than one-tenth of what Apple’s iOS App Store has and also a fraction of the more than 400,000 apps in Android Market, Microsoft’s ascent to 50,000 apps is a solid milestone given the time it took to get there. AAWP reports that Windows Phone took 14 months to reach 50,000 apps. Android took 19 months to reach 50,000 apps and iOS took 12 months, AAWP said.
Moreover, AAWP reports that content is being added to Windows Phone marketplace at the rate of 265 items per day. At the time of the AAWP report there were 50,126 items published in the marketplace from 13,002 different publishers. The report added:
“The 50,000 mark, which has been reached sooner than we estimated, is a key milestone, but more important is the accelerating growth of the Marketplace. It took just over a year to get to 40,000 apps, but just 40 days to add the next 10,000 apps. That bodes well for Windows Phone in 2012.”
There has been an uptick in submissions to Windows Phone Marketplace over the last several weeks. The report attributes this to the expansion of the geographic area available to the marketplace as well as to the release of Nokia’s first Windows Phone devices.
AAWP, which gets its numbers from its own tracking system, said 58 percent of items in the Windows Phone Marketplace are free, 14 percent are paid with a free trial and 29 percent are paid. Additionally, as with other app stores the majority of apps in the Windows Phone Marketplace are entertainment apps, followed by tools and productivity apps, games and books and reference apps.
(eweek.com)
Google+ passes 62 million users, adding 625,000 new users daily
Each week my team from elance runs hundreds of queries on various surnames which we have been tracking since July. We revised our model based on the actual user announcements made by Google on July 13th and Oct 13th.
Here is what the tracking shows so far:
July 13 – 10 million
August 1 – 20.5 million
September 1 – 24.7 million
October 1 – 38 million (Larry Page announced “more than 40m users” on Oct 13th)
November 1 – 43 million
December 1 – 50 million
December 27 – 62 million
January 1 – 65.8 million (forecast)
February 1 – 85.2 million (forecast)
If his statistics are accurate, then nearly a fourth of all current Google+ users will have joined the social network during the month of December alone. Allen predicts that if this user join rate continues, Google+ will be on track to reach 100 million users on February 25th and 200 million on August 3rd. By the end of 2012, it could reach a whopping 400 million users, not too far from Facebook’s current population at the moment.
Allen says that “based on the accelerated growth I’m seeing and all the dials and levers Google can still utilize, and the developer ecosystem that will be developed, I predict that 2012 is going to be a breakout year for Google+ and that it will end next year with more than 400 million users.” If that’s the case, then Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook better be prepared for a worthy rising competitor. SlashGear readers, what do you think?
(slashgear.com)
Here is what the tracking shows so far:
July 13 – 10 million
August 1 – 20.5 million
September 1 – 24.7 million
October 1 – 38 million (Larry Page announced “more than 40m users” on Oct 13th)
November 1 – 43 million
December 1 – 50 million
December 27 – 62 million
January 1 – 65.8 million (forecast)
February 1 – 85.2 million (forecast)
If his statistics are accurate, then nearly a fourth of all current Google+ users will have joined the social network during the month of December alone. Allen predicts that if this user join rate continues, Google+ will be on track to reach 100 million users on February 25th and 200 million on August 3rd. By the end of 2012, it could reach a whopping 400 million users, not too far from Facebook’s current population at the moment.
Allen says that “based on the accelerated growth I’m seeing and all the dials and levers Google can still utilize, and the developer ecosystem that will be developed, I predict that 2012 is going to be a breakout year for Google+ and that it will end next year with more than 400 million users.” If that’s the case, then Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook better be prepared for a worthy rising competitor. SlashGear readers, what do you think?
(slashgear.com)
Minggu, 25 Desember 2011
RIM hits back in BBM trademark spat
RIM has responded to claims another company owns the BBM trademark
by stating that it believes it is not in competition with the firm.
BBM Canada had previously said that it was 'amazed' RIM had tried to use the acronym, but RIM has launched a defence of itself, according to Engadget.
"Since its launch in July 2005, BlackBerry Messenger has become a tremendously popular social networking service.
"In 2010, RIM started to formally adopt the BBM acronym, which had, at that point, already been organically coined and widely used by BlackBerry Messenger customers as a natural abbreviation of the BlackBerry Messenger name.
"The services associated with RIM's BBM offering clearly do not overlap with BBM Canada's services and the two marks are therefore eligible to co-exist under Canadian trademark law. The two companies are in different industries and have never been competitors in any area."
Not been denied
RIM has also launched a staunch defence of its attempts to trademark the BBM acronym for its own purposes and wants costs for the efforts in the law suit.
"We believe that BBM Canada is attempting to obtain trademark protection for the BBM acronym that is well beyond the narrow range of the services it provides and well beyond the scope of rights afforded by Canadian trademark law.
"RIM has therefore asked the Court to dismiss the application and award costs to RIM. Further, for clarity, RIM's application to register BBM as a trademark with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) is pending and we are confident that a registration will eventually issue.
"The inference by BBM Canada that CIPO has refused RIM's BBM trademark application is quite frankly very misleading."
(techradar.com)
by stating that it believes it is not in competition with the firm.
BBM Canada had previously said that it was 'amazed' RIM had tried to use the acronym, but RIM has launched a defence of itself, according to Engadget.
"Since its launch in July 2005, BlackBerry Messenger has become a tremendously popular social networking service.
"In 2010, RIM started to formally adopt the BBM acronym, which had, at that point, already been organically coined and widely used by BlackBerry Messenger customers as a natural abbreviation of the BlackBerry Messenger name.
"The services associated with RIM's BBM offering clearly do not overlap with BBM Canada's services and the two marks are therefore eligible to co-exist under Canadian trademark law. The two companies are in different industries and have never been competitors in any area."
Not been denied
RIM has also launched a staunch defence of its attempts to trademark the BBM acronym for its own purposes and wants costs for the efforts in the law suit.
"We believe that BBM Canada is attempting to obtain trademark protection for the BBM acronym that is well beyond the narrow range of the services it provides and well beyond the scope of rights afforded by Canadian trademark law.
"RIM has therefore asked the Court to dismiss the application and award costs to RIM. Further, for clarity, RIM's application to register BBM as a trademark with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) is pending and we are confident that a registration will eventually issue.
"The inference by BBM Canada that CIPO has refused RIM's BBM trademark application is quite frankly very misleading."
(techradar.com)
Hackers target U.S. security think tank
LONDON (AP) – Hackers on Sunday claimed to have stolen 200 GB of e-mails and credit card data from United States security think tank Stratfor, promising a weeklong Christmas-inspired assault on a long list of targets.
Members of the loose hacking movement known as "Anonymous" posted a link on Twitter to what it said was Stratfor's secret client list — including the U.S. Army, the U.S. Air Force, Goldman Sachs and MF Global.
"Not so private and secret anymore?," the group taunted in a message on the microblogging site.
Anonymous said it was able to get credit details, in part, because Stratfor didn't bother encrypting them — an easy-to-avoid blunder which — if true — would be a major embarrassment for any security company.
Stratfor said in an e-mail to members that it had suspended its servers and e-mail after learning that its website had been hacked.
"We have reason to believe that the names of our corporate subscribers have been posted on other web sites," said the e-mail, passed on to The Associated Press. "We are diligently investigating the extent to which subscriber information may have been obtained."
The e-mail, signed by Stratfor Chief Executive George Friedman, said the company is "working closely with law enforcement to identify who is behind the breach."
"Stratfor's relationship with its members and, in particular, the confidentiality of their subscriber information, are very important to Stratfor and me," Friedman wrote.
Stratfor's website was down midday Sunday, with a banner saying "site is currently undergoing maintenance."
Wishing everyone a "Merry LulzXMas" — a reference to spinoff and fellow troublemakers Lulz Security — Anonymous also posted a link on Twitter to a site containing the e-mail, phone number and credit number of a U.S. Homeland Security employee.
The employee, Cody Sultenfuss, said he had no warning before his details were posted.
"They took money I did not have," he told The Associated Press in an e-mail. "I think why me? I am not rich."
Anonymous warned it has "enough targets lined up to extend the fun fun fun of LulzXmas through the entire next week."
The group has previously claimed responsibility for attacks on companies such as Visa, MasterCard and PayPal, as well as others in the music industry and the Church of Scientology.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Members of the loose hacking movement known as "Anonymous" posted a link on Twitter to what it said was Stratfor's secret client list — including the U.S. Army, the U.S. Air Force, Goldman Sachs and MF Global.
"Not so private and secret anymore?," the group taunted in a message on the microblogging site.
Anonymous said it was able to get credit details, in part, because Stratfor didn't bother encrypting them — an easy-to-avoid blunder which — if true — would be a major embarrassment for any security company.
Stratfor said in an e-mail to members that it had suspended its servers and e-mail after learning that its website had been hacked.
"We have reason to believe that the names of our corporate subscribers have been posted on other web sites," said the e-mail, passed on to The Associated Press. "We are diligently investigating the extent to which subscriber information may have been obtained."
The e-mail, signed by Stratfor Chief Executive George Friedman, said the company is "working closely with law enforcement to identify who is behind the breach."
"Stratfor's relationship with its members and, in particular, the confidentiality of their subscriber information, are very important to Stratfor and me," Friedman wrote.
Stratfor's website was down midday Sunday, with a banner saying "site is currently undergoing maintenance."
Wishing everyone a "Merry LulzXMas" — a reference to spinoff and fellow troublemakers Lulz Security — Anonymous also posted a link on Twitter to a site containing the e-mail, phone number and credit number of a U.S. Homeland Security employee.
The employee, Cody Sultenfuss, said he had no warning before his details were posted.
"They took money I did not have," he told The Associated Press in an e-mail. "I think why me? I am not rich."
Anonymous warned it has "enough targets lined up to extend the fun fun fun of LulzXmas through the entire next week."
The group has previously claimed responsibility for attacks on companies such as Visa, MasterCard and PayPal, as well as others in the music industry and the Church of Scientology.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Procrastinator's Gift Guide to iOS Apps
Struggling to track down one last stocking-stuffer for anyone on your holiday shopping list? If they happen to own an iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch, the App Store offers more than a half-a-million last-minute gift options. And gifting features in iTunes make giving the gift of apps as easy as a few clicks.
In case you're unfamiliar with iOS gift-giving, here's a quick rundown of how the process works. We'll look at gifting specific apps first, followed by giving an iTunes gift certificate--which your lucky recipient can use to buy music, movies, TV shows, apps, and more. (See "How to give gifts from the iTunes Store" for additional general giving information.)
Giving Specific Apps
Each paid app in the App Store offers a gift-giving option. Just click on the triangle next to the download bar that lists the app's price. You'll see a pop-up menu with the following options: Gift This App, Tell A Friend, Copy Link, Share On Facebook, and Share On Twitter. It's that first option you'll want to click.
Before you do, though, make sure to check the app's requirements to see if it will run on the device of your recipient. You don't want to inadvertently gift someone an iPad-only app if they only own an iPhone, say. Similarly, some apps won't run on older iOS devices. Most App Store listings are pretty clear when it comes to the devices the app supports.
Once you've selected the Gift This App option, you'll be taken to the Give A Gift screen, in which you'll be asked whether you want to send the gift via e-mail or print the gift certificate yourself. This is not an insignificant question: If you select e-mail, the redemption coupon is immediately sent--there's no way to time the e-mail to arrive on a specific day. If you're of the "Do Not Open Until Christmas" school of gift-giving, you may want to go with the printed option. (You could, I suppose, wait until Christmas to gift any apps, but that sort of behavior is frowned upon under the Christmas tree in my household.)
Let's say you're giving an e-mail gift. The Sender's Name field is already filled in for you, with your first name listed. You then enter the recipient's name followed by an e-mail address; another field asks you to verify the e-mail address by entering it again.
Note that if you're giving gifts via e-mail, you can send an app to multiple recipients in one go. Just enter their e-mail addresses all at once, separating each one with a comma--but keep in mind that you'll be charged for each person you're sending the gift app to. (This multi-recipient option isn't available if you print up the gift certificate yourself.)
Finally, iTunes gives you a space to leave a personal message to your recipient. Try to capture your sentiments in less than 500 characters because that's the maximum number you're allowed.
Tap continue and--if you haven't purchased anything recently--you'll be asked to supply your iTunes password. (In the unlikely event you don't have an iTunes account, you'll have the option of setting up one in that dialog box.) After signing in, you'll see one last screen for reviewing your purchase; click Buy, and your gift will wing its way electronically to your loved one's inbox.
Should you take the print-it-yourself route, the process is similar, though with fewer fields. Those superfluous e-mail address fields disappear, leaving you just to enter your name, your recipient's name, and the message. After reviewing the purchase, you then get a screen for printing up the gift certificate. Try and use a color printer if at all possible--the certificate comes with a stylish green border and a lovely recreation of the app's icon.
Now when I was testing this feature, I started to type notes in what I thought was my open text editor; turns out I was still in iTunes, and my ham-fisted typing made the printing page disappear before I could print it out. Not to worry--all you have to do is log in to manage your iTunes account by clicking on your account name in iTunes's upper-right corner. You'll be asked to enter your password again. From there, scroll down to Purchase History and click on See All. Search for the specific purchase, click on that, and you'll see the gift certificate with a print option. Try not to make a hash of it this time.
While I prefer to do my app gift-giving on my MacBook Pro with its physical keyboard for easy data entry, more mobile-inclined shoppers can give apps as gifts through the App Store app on their iOS device. Go to a specific app page and scroll downward--the Gift This App button appears just below the sample screenshots and user ratings, just to the right of the Tell A Friend button. You'll need to sign in once you tap Gift This App, but from there, the process is identical to the one described above.
Giving iTunes Gift Certificates
If you don't have a specific app in mind--or if you think your recipient would prefer to pick out their own gift--you can always opt for an iTunes Gift Certificate. You'll find physical cards at any Apple Store near you, not to mention in the gift-card section of most grocery stores and retailers. If that's not an option, though, you can still turn to electronic gift giving.
Go to the home screen in the iTunes Store, and find the Buy iTunes Gifts option--it lives in the Quick Links area on the right side of the screen.
Click Buy iTunes Gifts, and the next screen will give you the option of ordering a gift certificate, with e-mail or print options. Select the e-mail option, and you supply the recipient's name, e-mail address (entered twice for verification purposes), and a personal message. You can also set an amount, ranging from $10 to $50 in $10 increments. Once you confirm the purchase, the gift certificate is sent on its merry way to your recipient to redeem (for use in the iTunes Store, App Store, and iBookstore) at their leisure.
If you prefer to control when and where your recipient gets their gift, you'll want to take the printable certificate option. The process works as it does for e-mailed gift certificates, but without the e-mail address fields. Confirming the purchase takes you to a print screen where you can output a paper gift certificate festooned with a silhouetted dancer from the iPod ads of old.
Helping out Macworld readers is gift enough for Macworld.com editor Philip Michaels.
(pcworld.com)
In case you're unfamiliar with iOS gift-giving, here's a quick rundown of how the process works. We'll look at gifting specific apps first, followed by giving an iTunes gift certificate--which your lucky recipient can use to buy music, movies, TV shows, apps, and more. (See "How to give gifts from the iTunes Store" for additional general giving information.)
Giving Specific Apps
Each paid app in the App Store offers a gift-giving option. Just click on the triangle next to the download bar that lists the app's price. You'll see a pop-up menu with the following options: Gift This App, Tell A Friend, Copy Link, Share On Facebook, and Share On Twitter. It's that first option you'll want to click.
Before you do, though, make sure to check the app's requirements to see if it will run on the device of your recipient. You don't want to inadvertently gift someone an iPad-only app if they only own an iPhone, say. Similarly, some apps won't run on older iOS devices. Most App Store listings are pretty clear when it comes to the devices the app supports.
Once you've selected the Gift This App option, you'll be taken to the Give A Gift screen, in which you'll be asked whether you want to send the gift via e-mail or print the gift certificate yourself. This is not an insignificant question: If you select e-mail, the redemption coupon is immediately sent--there's no way to time the e-mail to arrive on a specific day. If you're of the "Do Not Open Until Christmas" school of gift-giving, you may want to go with the printed option. (You could, I suppose, wait until Christmas to gift any apps, but that sort of behavior is frowned upon under the Christmas tree in my household.)
Let's say you're giving an e-mail gift. The Sender's Name field is already filled in for you, with your first name listed. You then enter the recipient's name followed by an e-mail address; another field asks you to verify the e-mail address by entering it again.
Note that if you're giving gifts via e-mail, you can send an app to multiple recipients in one go. Just enter their e-mail addresses all at once, separating each one with a comma--but keep in mind that you'll be charged for each person you're sending the gift app to. (This multi-recipient option isn't available if you print up the gift certificate yourself.)
Finally, iTunes gives you a space to leave a personal message to your recipient. Try to capture your sentiments in less than 500 characters because that's the maximum number you're allowed.
Tap continue and--if you haven't purchased anything recently--you'll be asked to supply your iTunes password. (In the unlikely event you don't have an iTunes account, you'll have the option of setting up one in that dialog box.) After signing in, you'll see one last screen for reviewing your purchase; click Buy, and your gift will wing its way electronically to your loved one's inbox.
Should you take the print-it-yourself route, the process is similar, though with fewer fields. Those superfluous e-mail address fields disappear, leaving you just to enter your name, your recipient's name, and the message. After reviewing the purchase, you then get a screen for printing up the gift certificate. Try and use a color printer if at all possible--the certificate comes with a stylish green border and a lovely recreation of the app's icon.
Now when I was testing this feature, I started to type notes in what I thought was my open text editor; turns out I was still in iTunes, and my ham-fisted typing made the printing page disappear before I could print it out. Not to worry--all you have to do is log in to manage your iTunes account by clicking on your account name in iTunes's upper-right corner. You'll be asked to enter your password again. From there, scroll down to Purchase History and click on See All. Search for the specific purchase, click on that, and you'll see the gift certificate with a print option. Try not to make a hash of it this time.
While I prefer to do my app gift-giving on my MacBook Pro with its physical keyboard for easy data entry, more mobile-inclined shoppers can give apps as gifts through the App Store app on their iOS device. Go to a specific app page and scroll downward--the Gift This App button appears just below the sample screenshots and user ratings, just to the right of the Tell A Friend button. You'll need to sign in once you tap Gift This App, but from there, the process is identical to the one described above.
Giving iTunes Gift Certificates
If you don't have a specific app in mind--or if you think your recipient would prefer to pick out their own gift--you can always opt for an iTunes Gift Certificate. You'll find physical cards at any Apple Store near you, not to mention in the gift-card section of most grocery stores and retailers. If that's not an option, though, you can still turn to electronic gift giving.
Go to the home screen in the iTunes Store, and find the Buy iTunes Gifts option--it lives in the Quick Links area on the right side of the screen.
Click Buy iTunes Gifts, and the next screen will give you the option of ordering a gift certificate, with e-mail or print options. Select the e-mail option, and you supply the recipient's name, e-mail address (entered twice for verification purposes), and a personal message. You can also set an amount, ranging from $10 to $50 in $10 increments. Once you confirm the purchase, the gift certificate is sent on its merry way to your recipient to redeem (for use in the iTunes Store, App Store, and iBookstore) at their leisure.
If you prefer to control when and where your recipient gets their gift, you'll want to take the printable certificate option. The process works as it does for e-mailed gift certificates, but without the e-mail address fields. Confirming the purchase takes you to a print screen where you can output a paper gift certificate festooned with a silhouetted dancer from the iPod ads of old.
Helping out Macworld readers is gift enough for Macworld.com editor Philip Michaels.
(pcworld.com)
Rabu, 21 Desember 2011
Microsoft pulling out of Consumer Electronics Show after 2012
Microsoft Corp., a 20-year stalwart of the annual Consumer Electronics Show, has decided to pull out of the largest trade show of its kind.
The company's chief executive often gave the keynote address, highlighting its own products and broader tech trends. But the company said it would stop doing so after the 2012 CES. It also will no longer have an exhibit.
CES is one of the world's largest trade shows and annually attracts more than 100,000 visitors to Las Vegas from all over the globe. This year the show will have close to 2,700 exhibitors and more than 1.8 million square feet of floor space.
But the show, once a marquee launchpad for some of the biggest new technologies, has struggled to stay in the headlines as big companies increasingly announce new products on their own timeline. In 2011, some observers questioned the show's relevance when no blockbuster new products were announced. Instead, most companies chose to introduce marginally improved televisions, tablets and smartphones that largely resembled existing products.
Apple Inc., arguably the industry's most popular and innovative company, does not participate in the show.
"Our industry moves fast and changes faster," Microsoft said in a statement. "And so the way we communicate with our customers must change in equally speedy ways."
The company said its decision came after it asked itself, "Are we doing something because it's the right thing to do, or because 'it's the way we've always done it'?"
Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer will give the final keynote Jan. 9.
david.sarno@latimes.com
Copyright © 2011, Los Angeles Times
The company's chief executive often gave the keynote address, highlighting its own products and broader tech trends. But the company said it would stop doing so after the 2012 CES. It also will no longer have an exhibit.
CES is one of the world's largest trade shows and annually attracts more than 100,000 visitors to Las Vegas from all over the globe. This year the show will have close to 2,700 exhibitors and more than 1.8 million square feet of floor space.
But the show, once a marquee launchpad for some of the biggest new technologies, has struggled to stay in the headlines as big companies increasingly announce new products on their own timeline. In 2011, some observers questioned the show's relevance when no blockbuster new products were announced. Instead, most companies chose to introduce marginally improved televisions, tablets and smartphones that largely resembled existing products.
Apple Inc., arguably the industry's most popular and innovative company, does not participate in the show.
"Our industry moves fast and changes faster," Microsoft said in a statement. "And so the way we communicate with our customers must change in equally speedy ways."
The company said its decision came after it asked itself, "Are we doing something because it's the right thing to do, or because 'it's the way we've always done it'?"
Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer will give the final keynote Jan. 9.
david.sarno@latimes.com
Copyright © 2011, Los Angeles Times
Verizon says it fixed network problem
Uh oh! It seems that it's not a good day to be a Verizon Wireless user. Based on an overwhelming number of reports in support forums, the cellular provider's customers are experiencing 3G and 4G data outages across the U.S. right now.
We've reached out to Verizon for more information about the issue and will update this story once we hear back, but in the meantime we're checking on the complaints in Verizon's own support forums.
Users are reporting trouble maintaining a steady data connection as well as misleading connectivity statuses (some devices are displaying icons which suggest connectivity, but no actual connection occurs). According to the folks at The Verge — who have been keeping track of the origins of the posts — the reports are coming in from "pretty much everywhere" including California, Rhode Island, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Nevada, New Jersey, and New York.
Are you a Verizon customer and experiencing issues with your data connection? Please let us know in the comments below.
Update: Verizon Wireless responded to us with a brief note stating that things should be getting back to normal:
Verizon Wireless 4G LTE service is returning to normal this morning after company engineers worked to resolve an issue with the 4G network during the early morning hours today. Throughout this time, 4G LTE customers were able to make voice calls and send and receive text messages. The 3G data network operated normally.
Wireless analyst Jeff Kagan chimed in to point out that it's not particularly surprising that an outage like this occurred in the first place. "As the wireless world becomes more about wireless data we can experience more of these outages," he says. He also offers some words of warning:
Expect wireless data traffic to explode during the holidays starting this week with Chanukah, then Christmas and the weeks following. We should brace for impact of all those users gobbling all that wireless data. Sounds like the right atmosphere for outages and slowdowns.
Updated at 6:45 p.m. ET: Verizon Wireless said it has fixed the data service problem, the second high-profile service problem this month for the company. The carrier said the problem with its 4G network was resolved by 2 p.m. ET, with data service restored for all customers of the 4G network late in the day. Verizon did not explain the cause of the problem. While some customers had complained online of problems with the older 3G service on Wednesday, company spokesman Tom Pica said 3G devices had not been affected. Verizon Wireless said that voice and text services had not stopped working — Reuters
We've reached out to Verizon for more information about the issue and will update this story once we hear back, but in the meantime we're checking on the complaints in Verizon's own support forums.
Users are reporting trouble maintaining a steady data connection as well as misleading connectivity statuses (some devices are displaying icons which suggest connectivity, but no actual connection occurs). According to the folks at The Verge — who have been keeping track of the origins of the posts — the reports are coming in from "pretty much everywhere" including California, Rhode Island, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Nevada, New Jersey, and New York.
Are you a Verizon customer and experiencing issues with your data connection? Please let us know in the comments below.
Update: Verizon Wireless responded to us with a brief note stating that things should be getting back to normal:
Verizon Wireless 4G LTE service is returning to normal this morning after company engineers worked to resolve an issue with the 4G network during the early morning hours today. Throughout this time, 4G LTE customers were able to make voice calls and send and receive text messages. The 3G data network operated normally.
Wireless analyst Jeff Kagan chimed in to point out that it's not particularly surprising that an outage like this occurred in the first place. "As the wireless world becomes more about wireless data we can experience more of these outages," he says. He also offers some words of warning:
Expect wireless data traffic to explode during the holidays starting this week with Chanukah, then Christmas and the weeks following. We should brace for impact of all those users gobbling all that wireless data. Sounds like the right atmosphere for outages and slowdowns.
Updated at 6:45 p.m. ET: Verizon Wireless said it has fixed the data service problem, the second high-profile service problem this month for the company. The carrier said the problem with its 4G network was resolved by 2 p.m. ET, with data service restored for all customers of the 4G network late in the day. Verizon did not explain the cause of the problem. While some customers had complained online of problems with the older 3G service on Wednesday, company spokesman Tom Pica said 3G devices had not been affected. Verizon Wireless said that voice and text services had not stopped working — Reuters
Research In Motion Gains on Report Saying Amazon Mulled Takeover
(Bloomberg) -- Research In Motion Ltd., maker of the BlackBerry smartphone, advanced in extended trading after a report said Amazon.com Inc. considered buying it.
Shares of Waterloo, Ontario-based RIM climbed as much as 7.3 percent on a Reuters report that said the company "turned down takeover overtures" from Amazon because RIM wants to fix its problems independently, citing unidentified people with knowledge of the matter.
RIM rose to as high as $13.44 after closing at $12.52 in New York.
Mary Osako, a spokeswoman for Seattle-based Amazon, declined to comment. Tenille Kennedy, a spokeswoman for RIM, didn't immediately return a message seeking comment.
To contact the reporter on this story: Tom Giles in San Francisco at tgiles5@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Tom Giles at tgiles5@bloomberg.net
Copyright Bloomberg. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Shares of Waterloo, Ontario-based RIM climbed as much as 7.3 percent on a Reuters report that said the company "turned down takeover overtures" from Amazon because RIM wants to fix its problems independently, citing unidentified people with knowledge of the matter.
RIM rose to as high as $13.44 after closing at $12.52 in New York.
Mary Osako, a spokeswoman for Seattle-based Amazon, declined to comment. Tenille Kennedy, a spokeswoman for RIM, didn't immediately return a message seeking comment.
To contact the reporter on this story: Tom Giles in San Francisco at tgiles5@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Tom Giles at tgiles5@bloomberg.net
Copyright Bloomberg. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Google boasts of 700,000 Android activations a day
INTERNET SEARCH OUTFIT Google has boasted that it now activates 700,000 Android devices per day.
The numbers were revealed by Andy Rubin in a Google Plus post as a brief note. "There are now over 700,000 Android devices activated every day
," wrote the Android operating system chief.
Later he clarified the statement and explained that each activation is a new one, as opposed to an old handset making its way into new hands.
"...and for those wondering, we count each device only once (ie, we don't count re-sold devices)," he said, adding, "and 'activations' means you go into a store, buy a device, put it on the network by subscribing to a wireless service".
This means that there might be uncounted handsets out there, but it's perhaps unlikely that there are many that have not connected to wireless services. Some might be lurking in Christmas stockings though, so perhaps the new year will see an updated post from Rubin.
In July the company said that it was seeing 550,000 activations each day, and earlier, 400,000.
(theinquirer.net)
The numbers were revealed by Andy Rubin in a Google Plus post as a brief note. "There are now over 700,000 Android devices activated every day
," wrote the Android operating system chief.
Later he clarified the statement and explained that each activation is a new one, as opposed to an old handset making its way into new hands.
"...and for those wondering, we count each device only once (ie, we don't count re-sold devices)," he said, adding, "and 'activations' means you go into a store, buy a device, put it on the network by subscribing to a wireless service".
This means that there might be uncounted handsets out there, but it's perhaps unlikely that there are many that have not connected to wireless services. Some might be lurking in Christmas stockings though, so perhaps the new year will see an updated post from Rubin.
In July the company said that it was seeing 550,000 activations each day, and earlier, 400,000.
(theinquirer.net)
Galaxy Nexus: First Android 4 smartphone triumphs -- almost
At long last, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus is here, the first smartphone to run Google's Android 4 "Ice Cream Sandwich" release. There's no question: When you first get your hands on the Galaxy Nexus, available in a 4G LTE version in the United States on the Verizon Wireless network and in 3G GSM models in Canada and the United Kingdom, you'll likely drool over the huge, bright screen. It makes the 3.5-inch screen of the iPhone feel tiny and cramped, and argues that it's time for Apple to make an iPhone with at least a 4-inch screen.
But spend a bit of time with the Galaxy Nexus, and you start to discover some of the cracks in both the hardware and the Android 4 OS that keep the Galaxy Nexus from topping the iPhone 4S as the best smartphone for business users. It's really too bad that Google and its hardware partners continue to skimp on quality assurance and holistic design, focusing on gloss instead.
The Galaxy Nexus surpasses in many respects our previous picks among Android smartphones, the previous generation's Motorola Mobility "business-ready" series, such as the Photon 4G and Droid Razr. If you don't want an iPhone 4S, the Galaxy Nexus may be the smartphone for you. But you might want to wait until a few more Android 4 smartphones come on the market before taking the plunge.
Hardware
Before looking at the changes brought by Android 4, let's look at the Galaxy Nexus hardware itself. As I mentioned, the screen is huge and vivid, thanks to its 4.65-inch Super AMOLED display, yet it still fits in a shirt pocket. Well, mostly -- it sticks out the top a bit, so be careful when bending forward. It has a typical processor for current-generation devices: a 1.2GHz dual-core ARM chip.
A big reason to wait for more Android 4 competitors to emerge is the Galaxy Nexus's poor battery life. It eats up power quickly, giving you four to six hours of life when using a lot of network access, such as for downloading apps, surfing the Web, and loading information through apps, whether they be social networking or multiuser games. Even when the Galaxy Nexus sits unused (but connected to Wi-Fi), the battery runs down within 36 hours. Except for that small minority of iPhone 4S users who've had battery-life issues, iPhone owners can get a good workday out of their smartphones and several days in standby mode. Complaints about poor Galaxy Nexus battery life are all over the Web, both in formal reviews and user complaints, so the issue appears to be widespread. You can stretch an Android device's battery life by using a third-party utility, but a smartphone should be able to go at least one full workday on its own.
The Galaxy Nexus comes with a 5-megapixel rear camera capable of still and video photography, as well as a flash, with autofocus, panoramic stitching, 1080p video resolution, and low-light image-capture sensors -- par for the course with current smartphones in the $200-and-up contract price range. But it's not as capable as the 8-megapixel, high-precision-optics camera in the iPhone 4S. The front camera is also typical, with 1.3-megapixel resolution.
The fact that the rear camera is centered horizontally does make snapping photos -- especially tight close-ups and bar-code scans -- easier compared to using the iPhone's offset camera. Note that if you use a PIN- or password-protected lock screen -- required by many businesses' Exchange ActiveSync (EAS) security policies, there's no way to take pictures on the Galaxy Nexus without logging in, as the iPhone's iOS 5 allows. You also don't get music playback controls from the lock screen, as on an iPhone. Your notification tray is unavailable as well, which can be annoying but is very secure.
The Verizon version of the Galaxy Nexus comes with 32GB of internal storage, the same as the same-price iPhone 4S ($649 without contract, $299 with two-year contract). And like the iPhone 4S (and unlike some other Android models), the Galaxy Nexus has no SD slot for storage expansion. For most users, 32GB is fine. Do note that the Canadian and British GSM models have just 16GB of internal RAM, which is too skimpy.
(infoworld.com)
But spend a bit of time with the Galaxy Nexus, and you start to discover some of the cracks in both the hardware and the Android 4 OS that keep the Galaxy Nexus from topping the iPhone 4S as the best smartphone for business users. It's really too bad that Google and its hardware partners continue to skimp on quality assurance and holistic design, focusing on gloss instead.
The Galaxy Nexus surpasses in many respects our previous picks among Android smartphones, the previous generation's Motorola Mobility "business-ready" series, such as the Photon 4G and Droid Razr. If you don't want an iPhone 4S, the Galaxy Nexus may be the smartphone for you. But you might want to wait until a few more Android 4 smartphones come on the market before taking the plunge.
Hardware
Before looking at the changes brought by Android 4, let's look at the Galaxy Nexus hardware itself. As I mentioned, the screen is huge and vivid, thanks to its 4.65-inch Super AMOLED display, yet it still fits in a shirt pocket. Well, mostly -- it sticks out the top a bit, so be careful when bending forward. It has a typical processor for current-generation devices: a 1.2GHz dual-core ARM chip.
A big reason to wait for more Android 4 competitors to emerge is the Galaxy Nexus's poor battery life. It eats up power quickly, giving you four to six hours of life when using a lot of network access, such as for downloading apps, surfing the Web, and loading information through apps, whether they be social networking or multiuser games. Even when the Galaxy Nexus sits unused (but connected to Wi-Fi), the battery runs down within 36 hours. Except for that small minority of iPhone 4S users who've had battery-life issues, iPhone owners can get a good workday out of their smartphones and several days in standby mode. Complaints about poor Galaxy Nexus battery life are all over the Web, both in formal reviews and user complaints, so the issue appears to be widespread. You can stretch an Android device's battery life by using a third-party utility, but a smartphone should be able to go at least one full workday on its own.
The Galaxy Nexus comes with a 5-megapixel rear camera capable of still and video photography, as well as a flash, with autofocus, panoramic stitching, 1080p video resolution, and low-light image-capture sensors -- par for the course with current smartphones in the $200-and-up contract price range. But it's not as capable as the 8-megapixel, high-precision-optics camera in the iPhone 4S. The front camera is also typical, with 1.3-megapixel resolution.
The fact that the rear camera is centered horizontally does make snapping photos -- especially tight close-ups and bar-code scans -- easier compared to using the iPhone's offset camera. Note that if you use a PIN- or password-protected lock screen -- required by many businesses' Exchange ActiveSync (EAS) security policies, there's no way to take pictures on the Galaxy Nexus without logging in, as the iPhone's iOS 5 allows. You also don't get music playback controls from the lock screen, as on an iPhone. Your notification tray is unavailable as well, which can be annoying but is very secure.
The Verizon version of the Galaxy Nexus comes with 32GB of internal storage, the same as the same-price iPhone 4S ($649 without contract, $299 with two-year contract). And like the iPhone 4S (and unlike some other Android models), the Galaxy Nexus has no SD slot for storage expansion. For most users, 32GB is fine. Do note that the Canadian and British GSM models have just 16GB of internal RAM, which is too skimpy.
(infoworld.com)
Motorola violated Microsoft patent, rules judge
The International Trade Commission has ruled that Motorola Mobility has violated six of Microsoft's smartphone patents, in a decision claimed as a victory by both companies.
The patent concerned is one of seven Windows Phone and Windows Mobile patents which Microsoft claimed was being infringed. US Patent No. 6,370,566 covers 'generating meeting requests and group scheduling from a mobile device'. Offending handsets include the Droid 2, Droid X, Cliq XT, Devour and Backflip.
In the event, the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) ruled that the other six patents weren't being violated.
"We are very pleased that the majority of the rulings were favorable to Motorola Mobility," says Scott Offer, senior vice president and general counsel of Motorola Mobility.
"The ALJ’s initial determination may provide clarity on the definition of the Microsoft 566 patent for which a violation was found and will help us avoid infringement of this patent in the US market."
However, the patent that was upheld appears to cover the ability to schedule meeting requests from mobile devices - a pretty basic feature for business users in particular.
"If they're on travel or even just at lunch or in a meeting room, they want to be able to schedule meetings without having to go back to their office. Scheduling meetings is also increasingly popular on some social networks, so it's probably a feature for both enterprise users and consumers," says patent expert Florian Mueller.
"It remains to be seen how Motorola will address this issue as well as any other Android patent issues that will present themselves along the way, with many other cases and dozens of other patents still waiting for a decision."
With Motorola Mobility already in Google's shopping cart, the search giant must be worried. it's buying Motorola Mobility specifically to protect Android vendors from patent lawsuits such as this.
The patent concerned is one of seven Windows Phone and Windows Mobile patents which Microsoft claimed was being infringed. US Patent No. 6,370,566 covers 'generating meeting requests and group scheduling from a mobile device'. Offending handsets include the Droid 2, Droid X, Cliq XT, Devour and Backflip.
In the event, the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) ruled that the other six patents weren't being violated.
"We are very pleased that the majority of the rulings were favorable to Motorola Mobility," says Scott Offer, senior vice president and general counsel of Motorola Mobility.
"The ALJ’s initial determination may provide clarity on the definition of the Microsoft 566 patent for which a violation was found and will help us avoid infringement of this patent in the US market."
However, the patent that was upheld appears to cover the ability to schedule meeting requests from mobile devices - a pretty basic feature for business users in particular.
"If they're on travel or even just at lunch or in a meeting room, they want to be able to schedule meetings without having to go back to their office. Scheduling meetings is also increasingly popular on some social networks, so it's probably a feature for both enterprise users and consumers," says patent expert Florian Mueller.
"It remains to be seen how Motorola will address this issue as well as any other Android patent issues that will present themselves along the way, with many other cases and dozens of other patents still waiting for a decision."
With Motorola Mobility already in Google's shopping cart, the search giant must be worried. it's buying Motorola Mobility specifically to protect Android vendors from patent lawsuits such as this.
Selasa, 20 Desember 2011
Samsung Galaxy S II and Galaxy Note to Receive Android 4 in Q1 2012
Samsung’s Galaxy line of smartphones and tablets will receive an upgrade to Android 4 or Ice Cream Sandwich in early 2012, the company has announced.
The first two devices (as previously announced) to receive the upgrade will be Samsung Galaxy S II and Samsung Galaxy Note, and this should occur sometime in the first quarter of 2012.
Other devices will “soon follow,” says Samsung. The full lineup of ICS-upgradeable devices at this point includes the Galaxy S II, Galaxy S II LTE, Galaxy Note, Galaxy R, Galaxy Tab 10.1, Galaxy Tab 8.9, Galaxy Tab 7.7, and Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus.
Samsung will give out separate announcements for each device, detailing OS update schedule for individual markets.
Other manufacturers have announced ICS upgrades for their flagship smartphones as well. HTC recently announced that Ice Cream Sandwich is coming to several of its smartphones in early 2012. Motorola’s Droid Razr will get to the latest version of Android in early 2012.
(mashable.com)
The first two devices (as previously announced) to receive the upgrade will be Samsung Galaxy S II and Samsung Galaxy Note, and this should occur sometime in the first quarter of 2012.
Other devices will “soon follow,” says Samsung. The full lineup of ICS-upgradeable devices at this point includes the Galaxy S II, Galaxy S II LTE, Galaxy Note, Galaxy R, Galaxy Tab 10.1, Galaxy Tab 8.9, Galaxy Tab 7.7, and Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus.
Samsung will give out separate announcements for each device, detailing OS update schedule for individual markets.
Other manufacturers have announced ICS upgrades for their flagship smartphones as well. HTC recently announced that Ice Cream Sandwich is coming to several of its smartphones in early 2012. Motorola’s Droid Razr will get to the latest version of Android in early 2012.
(mashable.com)
HTC faces US smartphone ban
HTC has been ordered to withdraw Android phones from the US market, following a ruling from the International Trade Commission that the company's violating a patent held by Apple.
Still, it could have been much worse for HTC: the initial complaint covered 10 patents, of which only one has been upheld. This relates to a feature known as data tapping, which allows users to grab embedded information such as a phone number and use it, say by making a call.
HTC will now attempt to remove the feature from its phones by the 19 April 2012 deadline, or face having the phones pulled from the shelves.
Rather sweetly, HTC's claiming the decision was actually a victory, on the grounds that only one patent infringement claim was upheld - and it may have a point.
"This ruling falls far short of anything would force HTC out of the US market in the near term. Also, out of ten patents originally asserted, Apple finally prevailed on only one," says patent expert Florian Mueller.
"Apple will need a higher 'hit rate' in the future, and it will have to enforce patents that are greatly more impactful than this one. Out of ten patents originally asserted, Apple finally managed to enforce one, and it's one of medium value."
Some of the other patent infringements originally asserted, says Mueller, would have had a far greater impact on HTC if upheld - one covering real-time signal processing, for example.
"Apple needs to find several more patents of the 'data tapping' kind - or, alternatively, one or two fundamental patents for which there's no viable workaround - in order to really have competitive impact with its many litigations targeting Android."
(tgdaily.com)
Still, it could have been much worse for HTC: the initial complaint covered 10 patents, of which only one has been upheld. This relates to a feature known as data tapping, which allows users to grab embedded information such as a phone number and use it, say by making a call.
HTC will now attempt to remove the feature from its phones by the 19 April 2012 deadline, or face having the phones pulled from the shelves.
Rather sweetly, HTC's claiming the decision was actually a victory, on the grounds that only one patent infringement claim was upheld - and it may have a point.
"This ruling falls far short of anything would force HTC out of the US market in the near term. Also, out of ten patents originally asserted, Apple finally prevailed on only one," says patent expert Florian Mueller.
"Apple will need a higher 'hit rate' in the future, and it will have to enforce patents that are greatly more impactful than this one. Out of ten patents originally asserted, Apple finally managed to enforce one, and it's one of medium value."
Some of the other patent infringements originally asserted, says Mueller, would have had a far greater impact on HTC if upheld - one covering real-time signal processing, for example.
"Apple needs to find several more patents of the 'data tapping' kind - or, alternatively, one or two fundamental patents for which there's no viable workaround - in order to really have competitive impact with its many litigations targeting Android."
(tgdaily.com)
Sony PS Vita sales fall shy of 3DS launch volume
Mobile-mad Japanese gamers bought 321,400 PS Vita handheld consoles this past weekend, local market watcher Enterbrain has revealed.
A lot of units, to be sure, but behind Nintendo's 3DS launch, which saw 371,000 units snapped up in a similar two-day period.
The original PSP clocked up two-day launch sales of 166,000 units back in 2004.
Nintendo shouldn't get cocky. The 3DS has arguably a broader appeal than the Vita. Yet 3DS sales plunged quickly once eager fans had acquired the device. It has largely failed to build a more mainstream audience.
Sony hopes the Vita will reach beyond its core fanbase. But it faces an uphill struggle persuading folk who already game on smartphones to buy a second device.
Hardcore gamers won't mind carrying two gadgets, knowing that the Vita delivers a better gaming experience than a phone, but more casual gamers may favour single-device convenience.
The PS Vita goes on sale over here at the end of February 2012. You can read Reg Hardware's preview of the PS Vita, based on a play with some of the launch titles, here.
(reghardware.com)
A lot of units, to be sure, but behind Nintendo's 3DS launch, which saw 371,000 units snapped up in a similar two-day period.
The original PSP clocked up two-day launch sales of 166,000 units back in 2004.
Nintendo shouldn't get cocky. The 3DS has arguably a broader appeal than the Vita. Yet 3DS sales plunged quickly once eager fans had acquired the device. It has largely failed to build a more mainstream audience.
Sony hopes the Vita will reach beyond its core fanbase. But it faces an uphill struggle persuading folk who already game on smartphones to buy a second device.
Hardcore gamers won't mind carrying two gadgets, knowing that the Vita delivers a better gaming experience than a phone, but more casual gamers may favour single-device convenience.
The PS Vita goes on sale over here at the end of February 2012. You can read Reg Hardware's preview of the PS Vita, based on a play with some of the launch titles, here.
(reghardware.com)
HTC: ITC Apple decision “is a win for HTC”
HTC may have been banned from importing some of its smartphones into the US, but the company is still describing the outcome of its patent suit with Apple as a success. The US ITC “declared an actual victory for HTC” the company told the FT, because out of the ten infringements Apple alleged, only one was found to be valid. Meanwhile half of the claims on a previous ruling have also been rejected.
HTC has until April 19 to comply with the decision of the ITC, which either means modifying offending products or ceasing import of them by that point. It seems from the company’s reaction to the ruling that it will be opting to tweak Android to bring it in line, something HTC claims will demand little effort.
“Since the infringing elements identified by the ITC involve and impact only a very minimal part of the user interface” HTC said in a statement to the Taiwanese stock exchange, “we will remove it as soon as possible and sell non-infringing products.”
Although we’ve seen bizarrely upbeat reactions to apparently negative rulings from companies in the past, IP opinion seems to be leaning on the side of HTC with this particular judgement. “If I’m HTC – and particularly if I’m Google – I’m feeling a lot better today than if I’m Apple” former ITC vice-chairman Ron Cass has said, the elements the Cupertino company failed to persuade the court on being arguably more important than what, exactly, it did convince about.
Still, HTC faces more challenges than simply legal complaints. The company’s recent revenues took a nose-dive as its late 2011 line-up failed to hold up to the competition, with HTC saying it will “focus on the product” next year to turn its fortunes around. That could include a pair of flagship devices, one Windows Phone and the other Android, details of which leaked yesterday.
(slashgear.com)
HTC has until April 19 to comply with the decision of the ITC, which either means modifying offending products or ceasing import of them by that point. It seems from the company’s reaction to the ruling that it will be opting to tweak Android to bring it in line, something HTC claims will demand little effort.
“Since the infringing elements identified by the ITC involve and impact only a very minimal part of the user interface” HTC said in a statement to the Taiwanese stock exchange, “we will remove it as soon as possible and sell non-infringing products.”
Although we’ve seen bizarrely upbeat reactions to apparently negative rulings from companies in the past, IP opinion seems to be leaning on the side of HTC with this particular judgement. “If I’m HTC – and particularly if I’m Google – I’m feeling a lot better today than if I’m Apple” former ITC vice-chairman Ron Cass has said, the elements the Cupertino company failed to persuade the court on being arguably more important than what, exactly, it did convince about.
Still, HTC faces more challenges than simply legal complaints. The company’s recent revenues took a nose-dive as its late 2011 line-up failed to hold up to the competition, with HTC saying it will “focus on the product” next year to turn its fortunes around. That could include a pair of flagship devices, one Windows Phone and the other Android, details of which leaked yesterday.
(slashgear.com)
HTC: ITC Apple decision “is a win for HTC”
HTC may have been banned from importing some of its smartphones into the US, but the company is still describing the outcome of its patent suit with Apple as a success. The US ITC “declared an actual victory for HTC” the company told the FT, because out of the ten infringements Apple alleged, only one was found to be valid. Meanwhile half of the claims on a previous ruling have also been rejected.
HTC has until April 19 to comply with the decision of the ITC, which either means modifying offending products or ceasing import of them by that point. It seems from the company’s reaction to the ruling that it will be opting to tweak Android to bring it in line, something HTC claims will demand little effort.
“Since the infringing elements identified by the ITC involve and impact only a very minimal part of the user interface” HTC said in a statement to the Taiwanese stock exchange, “we will remove it as soon as possible and sell non-infringing products.”
Although we’ve seen bizarrely upbeat reactions to apparently negative rulings from companies in the past, IP opinion seems to be leaning on the side of HTC with this particular judgement. “If I’m HTC – and particularly if I’m Google – I’m feeling a lot better today than if I’m Apple” former ITC vice-chairman Ron Cass has said, the elements the Cupertino company failed to persuade the court on being arguably more important than what, exactly, it did convince about.
Still, HTC faces more challenges than simply legal complaints. The company’s recent revenues took a nose-dive as its late 2011 line-up failed to hold up to the competition, with HTC saying it will “focus on the product” next year to turn its fortunes around. That could include a pair of flagship devices, one Windows Phone and the other Android, details of which leaked yesterday.
(slashgear.com)
HTC has until April 19 to comply with the decision of the ITC, which either means modifying offending products or ceasing import of them by that point. It seems from the company’s reaction to the ruling that it will be opting to tweak Android to bring it in line, something HTC claims will demand little effort.
“Since the infringing elements identified by the ITC involve and impact only a very minimal part of the user interface” HTC said in a statement to the Taiwanese stock exchange, “we will remove it as soon as possible and sell non-infringing products.”
Although we’ve seen bizarrely upbeat reactions to apparently negative rulings from companies in the past, IP opinion seems to be leaning on the side of HTC with this particular judgement. “If I’m HTC – and particularly if I’m Google – I’m feeling a lot better today than if I’m Apple” former ITC vice-chairman Ron Cass has said, the elements the Cupertino company failed to persuade the court on being arguably more important than what, exactly, it did convince about.
Still, HTC faces more challenges than simply legal complaints. The company’s recent revenues took a nose-dive as its late 2011 line-up failed to hold up to the competition, with HTC saying it will “focus on the product” next year to turn its fortunes around. That could include a pair of flagship devices, one Windows Phone and the other Android, details of which leaked yesterday.
(slashgear.com)
Senin, 19 Desember 2011
Google hands out custom Galaxy Nexus to workers
Apparently, all the folks that work for Google in the London and Zurich offices are getting a really nice Christmas gift from the search giant. The workers in the locations are being given a customized version of the Galaxy Nexus smartphone. The customization isn’t just software on the phone. The custom Google phones have a special back plate that has Android and G+ icons all over it.
All the workers had to get in a line to get hands on their new smartphones. I wonder if Google is covering the mobile service as well. It’s not clear at this point if all Google employees everywhere are getting the Galaxy Nexus, but that is the assumption.
The backplate is extra geeky. I wonder how many of these smartphones will turn up on eBay in a few months. These are cool Christmas gifts, yet another reason working at Google would be really cool.
(slashgear.com)
All the workers had to get in a line to get hands on their new smartphones. I wonder if Google is covering the mobile service as well. It’s not clear at this point if all Google employees everywhere are getting the Galaxy Nexus, but that is the assumption.
The backplate is extra geeky. I wonder how many of these smartphones will turn up on eBay in a few months. These are cool Christmas gifts, yet another reason working at Google would be really cool.
(slashgear.com)
Platform Nation’s Games Of The Year: PlayStation 3
That’s right my fellow PlayStation 3 fans, another year of triple A title releases and gaming is coming to a close, and it is time for us here at P*N to tell you what we thought of it all. It can be a difficult task to determine a game of the year, especially when you have so many great titles being released all throughout; earlier titles can easily slip away and be forgotten in the animal soup of time. After reviewing the long list of possible contenders, our writing and editing staff have cast their votes and come up with a top three list for each major console or peripheral, along with a overall top ten list that we will be revealing at the end. Today, I have taken a break from studying for finals (and a little bit of Skyrim) to bring you our top three picks for the Sony PlayStation 3. So without further adieu, lets get started.
1. Portal 2
After the huge success of the original, the geniuses over at Valve (the brilliant minds behind 2004′s Half Life 2) brought us the second installment to their unique first person puzzle game back in April. Aside from attracting one of the largest cult followings in gaming today, Portal 2 featured a lengthy campaign mode that was full of Aperture Science history and engaging environments, along with a memorable co-op multiplayer experience. I have seen more chicks dressed up as Chell at gaming conventions than any other character this year (and some of them weren’t bad looking either).
Valve had Ellen McLain return as the comical and beloved voice of GLaDOS, but the studio also managed to keep the game fresh with new puzzle types and game mechanics, such as the different colored gels/goo. As an added bonus, the PlayStation 3 version came with a free PC and Mac version of the game for you to link up with your Steam account; which is part of the reason we picked Portal 2 for this category. If you haven’t played through Portal 2 yet, then you have been living under a rock. Or you just don’t like video games… which begs to question why you would be reading this.
2. Little Big Planet 2
Speaking of games that came out earlier in the year, we haven’t forgotten the sequel to Media Molecule’s platforming sandbox, Little Big Planet 2, which came out back in January. This second installment brought some great additions to the world of LBP, such as 2-D side scrolling options, vehicles, grappling hooks, move support, plus options which allowed players to create their own complete games, rather than stand alone levels. Little Big Planet 2 also brought along the three million plus player designed levels from the original game for fans to enjoy and expand on. While personally, I have never been interested in spending countless hours creating content for others to play through, this option is what not only makes the Little Big Planet games unique, it also adds to its lasting value. Most gamers today (including myself) fail to be captivated by titles that involve little more than moving across the screen and pressing one button to jump over gaps, dodge obstacles, or land on top of an enemy’s head, but the constant flow of levels being added every day to Little Big Planet 2 by the community makes it one of those games you can keep around forever. You would be amazed by what some people have been able to create in that game.
Aside from the level design and lasting value, the game was also a lot of fun, the graphics were just as impressive as before, and the campaign mode even seemed to have at least a mild sense of continuity to it. If you own a PlayStation 3, the Little Big Planet games are a must have that I would only place below God of War III and the Uncharted series. Plus, it can be a great game to sit and play with your significant other. There aren’t many couch games these days, but this can still be counted amongst the few.
3. Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception
Naughty Dog, the creators of Crash Bandicoot and Jak, have been one of the top in the industry ever since their first release of the original Uncharted. People love to hate on the generic, always fearless, unrealistic, B-movie style character of Nathan Drake, but there is simply no denying that these games are a blast to play. For those of you that read my review back in early November, you know fully well that this game blew me away. Each new installment in the Uncharted series has brought us incredible visuals that create a cinematic experience rarely seen in video games, an addictive style of gameplay, powered by cutting edge game design and mechanics. Everything from the game’s trademark physics, to the new 3-D visuals are all standing firmly on the bleeding edge of your PS3′s capability.
Uncharted 3 brought together everything from the previous games and refined it into one of the most engaging and jaw dropping single player and multiplayer experiences of the year. Infamous 2 made a decent splash in the PlayStation community, but Uncharted 3 went for the fat boy cannon ball that would have made Patrick Renna proud. There is a lot of fun to be had with this game, and the visuals are something that every gamer should see first-hand.
That is it for the P*N PlayStation 3 picks; if you have anything you would like to add, please feel free to add it in the comments. What would have been your first pick? We love to hear from everyone out there in our community, so don’t be shy. It has been a great year, and we at P*N would like to thank you for being a part of it with us. United we game.
(platformnation.com)
1. Portal 2
After the huge success of the original, the geniuses over at Valve (the brilliant minds behind 2004′s Half Life 2) brought us the second installment to their unique first person puzzle game back in April. Aside from attracting one of the largest cult followings in gaming today, Portal 2 featured a lengthy campaign mode that was full of Aperture Science history and engaging environments, along with a memorable co-op multiplayer experience. I have seen more chicks dressed up as Chell at gaming conventions than any other character this year (and some of them weren’t bad looking either).
Valve had Ellen McLain return as the comical and beloved voice of GLaDOS, but the studio also managed to keep the game fresh with new puzzle types and game mechanics, such as the different colored gels/goo. As an added bonus, the PlayStation 3 version came with a free PC and Mac version of the game for you to link up with your Steam account; which is part of the reason we picked Portal 2 for this category. If you haven’t played through Portal 2 yet, then you have been living under a rock. Or you just don’t like video games… which begs to question why you would be reading this.
2. Little Big Planet 2
Speaking of games that came out earlier in the year, we haven’t forgotten the sequel to Media Molecule’s platforming sandbox, Little Big Planet 2, which came out back in January. This second installment brought some great additions to the world of LBP, such as 2-D side scrolling options, vehicles, grappling hooks, move support, plus options which allowed players to create their own complete games, rather than stand alone levels. Little Big Planet 2 also brought along the three million plus player designed levels from the original game for fans to enjoy and expand on. While personally, I have never been interested in spending countless hours creating content for others to play through, this option is what not only makes the Little Big Planet games unique, it also adds to its lasting value. Most gamers today (including myself) fail to be captivated by titles that involve little more than moving across the screen and pressing one button to jump over gaps, dodge obstacles, or land on top of an enemy’s head, but the constant flow of levels being added every day to Little Big Planet 2 by the community makes it one of those games you can keep around forever. You would be amazed by what some people have been able to create in that game.
Aside from the level design and lasting value, the game was also a lot of fun, the graphics were just as impressive as before, and the campaign mode even seemed to have at least a mild sense of continuity to it. If you own a PlayStation 3, the Little Big Planet games are a must have that I would only place below God of War III and the Uncharted series. Plus, it can be a great game to sit and play with your significant other. There aren’t many couch games these days, but this can still be counted amongst the few.
3. Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception
Naughty Dog, the creators of Crash Bandicoot and Jak, have been one of the top in the industry ever since their first release of the original Uncharted. People love to hate on the generic, always fearless, unrealistic, B-movie style character of Nathan Drake, but there is simply no denying that these games are a blast to play. For those of you that read my review back in early November, you know fully well that this game blew me away. Each new installment in the Uncharted series has brought us incredible visuals that create a cinematic experience rarely seen in video games, an addictive style of gameplay, powered by cutting edge game design and mechanics. Everything from the game’s trademark physics, to the new 3-D visuals are all standing firmly on the bleeding edge of your PS3′s capability.
Uncharted 3 brought together everything from the previous games and refined it into one of the most engaging and jaw dropping single player and multiplayer experiences of the year. Infamous 2 made a decent splash in the PlayStation community, but Uncharted 3 went for the fat boy cannon ball that would have made Patrick Renna proud. There is a lot of fun to be had with this game, and the visuals are something that every gamer should see first-hand.
That is it for the P*N PlayStation 3 picks; if you have anything you would like to add, please feel free to add it in the comments. What would have been your first pick? We love to hear from everyone out there in our community, so don’t be shy. It has been a great year, and we at P*N would like to thank you for being a part of it with us. United we game.
(platformnation.com)
Windows 8 to feature image sign-on system
Using Windows 8 devices could involve signing on by tapping, circling or touching images.
Microsoft has revealed details of a login system for the next version of Windows based around pictures a user stores on a touchscreen device.
Only when parts of an image are tapped or touched in the right order will a user be able to access a device.
Experts said it might stop people using weak passwords but could lead to other loopholes that are harder to solve.
Press here
Microsoft aired the idea of using images to sign on to a device via a blog written by engineers working on Windows 8 - the next version of the Windows operating system expected to be released in late 2012.
Windows 8 is designed for touchscreen devices such as tablets and the novel sign-on systems makes use of the sensitive displays they are likely to sport.
The familiar process of getting to use a desktop PC or laptop by typing in a password made of up lower and upper case letters as well as numbers was felt to be too "cumbersome" for tablets, wrote Microsoft engineer Zach Pace on the blog.
The replacement system proposed by Microsoft employs a picture chosen by a user from their collection of images on a device.
On this image, users are encouraged to tap on, underline or circle the parts that are important to them. The sequence of gestures, including start and end positions and orientation act as a key to unlock the device.
'Interesting and cute'
User-testing suggests that the image-based system can grant access to a portable gadget far faster than was possible through text-based passwords, wrote Mr Pace.
He stressed that the system would work alongside text-based passwords rather than replace them. If a user failed to properly reproduce the correct gestures fives times in a row they would be prompted for the password they set up when they first used the device.
Graham Cluley, senior security researcher at Sophos, said the research was "interesting and cute" but may introduce more security problems than it solves.
It could, he said, make people vulnerable to "shoulder surfing" - a practice better known from cash machines where crooks try to spot a victim's Pin number as they tap it into a number pad.
"With normal password entry, what you're doing is asterisked on the screen," said Mr Cluley. "With this gesture input, folks may find it easier to see the movements you are making."
There might be more value in operating systems encouraging people to use stronger passwords by refusing to let them use dictionary words or ones that are easy to crack, he added.
(bbc.co.uk)
Microsoft has revealed details of a login system for the next version of Windows based around pictures a user stores on a touchscreen device.
Only when parts of an image are tapped or touched in the right order will a user be able to access a device.
Experts said it might stop people using weak passwords but could lead to other loopholes that are harder to solve.
Press here
Microsoft aired the idea of using images to sign on to a device via a blog written by engineers working on Windows 8 - the next version of the Windows operating system expected to be released in late 2012.
Windows 8 is designed for touchscreen devices such as tablets and the novel sign-on systems makes use of the sensitive displays they are likely to sport.
The familiar process of getting to use a desktop PC or laptop by typing in a password made of up lower and upper case letters as well as numbers was felt to be too "cumbersome" for tablets, wrote Microsoft engineer Zach Pace on the blog.
The replacement system proposed by Microsoft employs a picture chosen by a user from their collection of images on a device.
On this image, users are encouraged to tap on, underline or circle the parts that are important to them. The sequence of gestures, including start and end positions and orientation act as a key to unlock the device.
'Interesting and cute'
User-testing suggests that the image-based system can grant access to a portable gadget far faster than was possible through text-based passwords, wrote Mr Pace.
He stressed that the system would work alongside text-based passwords rather than replace them. If a user failed to properly reproduce the correct gestures fives times in a row they would be prompted for the password they set up when they first used the device.
Graham Cluley, senior security researcher at Sophos, said the research was "interesting and cute" but may introduce more security problems than it solves.
It could, he said, make people vulnerable to "shoulder surfing" - a practice better known from cash machines where crooks try to spot a victim's Pin number as they tap it into a number pad.
"With normal password entry, what you're doing is asterisked on the screen," said Mr Cluley. "With this gesture input, folks may find it easier to see the movements you are making."
There might be more value in operating systems encouraging people to use stronger passwords by refusing to let them use dictionary words or ones that are easy to crack, he added.
(bbc.co.uk)
Apple Continues to Plot Assault on TV
CUPERTINO, Calif. – Apple is moving forward with its assault on television, following up on the ambitions of its late co-founder, Steve Jobs.
In recent weeks, Apple executives have discussed their vision for the future of TV with media executives at several large companies, according to people familiar with the matter.
Apple is also working on its own television that relies on wireless streaming technology to access shows, movies and other content, according to people briefed on the project.
In the recent meetings with media companies, the Apple executives, including Senior Vice President Eddy Cue, have outlined new ways Apple's technology could recognize users across phones, tablets and TVs, people familiar with the talks said.
In at least one meeting, Apple described future television technology that would respond to users' voices and movements, one of the people said. Such technology, which Apple indicated may take longer than some of its other ideas, might allow users to use their voices to search for a show or change channels.
Apple is still saying little about what specific software and devices it is working on. The people familiar with the meetings said the Cupertino, Calif., company was "vague" and that Apple hasn't made proposals to license shows for any new product offering.
Still, the talks -- some of which were made at the request of media companies seeking an update on Apple's plans -- suggest that Apple's TV strategy is advancing. The technology company often keeps its products and ideas, close to the vest until as late as possible.
Apple executives have given some specifics in its talks with media companies. The company, for example, has discussed new ways they could stream media companies' content, allowing a user to watch a video on a TV set, then pick up another device, such as a smartphone, and keep watching the video on the move, one of the people familiar said.
Another person familiar with the talks said the types of new services Apple and the media companies are discussing could be done with Apple's existing technologies, which include its Apple TV set-top box.
Around three months after it started selling a new, $99 version of the set-top box last year, Apple said it had sold more than a million but hasn't provided sales figures since.
Apple's uptick in talks with its media partners is part of the company's strategy to change the way consumers watch TV, just as the company transformed the music and cell phone industries. Jobs envisioned building a TV that would be controlled by Apple's mobile devices in order to be easier to use and more personalized, according to people familiar with the matter.
The company has worked on prototypes for years. Before his death in October, Jobs told biographer Walter Isaacson that he had "finally cracked it," according to Isaacson's book.
The TV device Apple is working on would use a version of Apple's wireless-streaming technology AirPlay to allow users to control it from iPhones and iPads, according to people briefed on the matter. When the company plans to start selling such a device and whether it would receive traditional broadcast or cable signals remains unclear, said these people, who say Apple may change its plans.
The technology could allow users to stream video from mobile devices to their televisions, without a set-top box. That process is already possible through its Apple TV set-top box, but it is cumbersome and some media companies, such as Time Warner Inc.'s cable channel HBO, prevent their apps from using the technology because they want closer control of how and where their content appears. An HBO spokesman says it hopes to use AirPlay once it is comfortable with the anti-piracy protection.
(foxnews.com)
In recent weeks, Apple executives have discussed their vision for the future of TV with media executives at several large companies, according to people familiar with the matter.
Apple is also working on its own television that relies on wireless streaming technology to access shows, movies and other content, according to people briefed on the project.
In the recent meetings with media companies, the Apple executives, including Senior Vice President Eddy Cue, have outlined new ways Apple's technology could recognize users across phones, tablets and TVs, people familiar with the talks said.
In at least one meeting, Apple described future television technology that would respond to users' voices and movements, one of the people said. Such technology, which Apple indicated may take longer than some of its other ideas, might allow users to use their voices to search for a show or change channels.
Apple is still saying little about what specific software and devices it is working on. The people familiar with the meetings said the Cupertino, Calif., company was "vague" and that Apple hasn't made proposals to license shows for any new product offering.
Still, the talks -- some of which were made at the request of media companies seeking an update on Apple's plans -- suggest that Apple's TV strategy is advancing. The technology company often keeps its products and ideas, close to the vest until as late as possible.
Apple executives have given some specifics in its talks with media companies. The company, for example, has discussed new ways they could stream media companies' content, allowing a user to watch a video on a TV set, then pick up another device, such as a smartphone, and keep watching the video on the move, one of the people familiar said.
Another person familiar with the talks said the types of new services Apple and the media companies are discussing could be done with Apple's existing technologies, which include its Apple TV set-top box.
Around three months after it started selling a new, $99 version of the set-top box last year, Apple said it had sold more than a million but hasn't provided sales figures since.
Apple's uptick in talks with its media partners is part of the company's strategy to change the way consumers watch TV, just as the company transformed the music and cell phone industries. Jobs envisioned building a TV that would be controlled by Apple's mobile devices in order to be easier to use and more personalized, according to people familiar with the matter.
The company has worked on prototypes for years. Before his death in October, Jobs told biographer Walter Isaacson that he had "finally cracked it," according to Isaacson's book.
The TV device Apple is working on would use a version of Apple's wireless-streaming technology AirPlay to allow users to control it from iPhones and iPads, according to people briefed on the matter. When the company plans to start selling such a device and whether it would receive traditional broadcast or cable signals remains unclear, said these people, who say Apple may change its plans.
The technology could allow users to stream video from mobile devices to their televisions, without a set-top box. That process is already possible through its Apple TV set-top box, but it is cumbersome and some media companies, such as Time Warner Inc.'s cable channel HBO, prevent their apps from using the technology because they want closer control of how and where their content appears. An HBO spokesman says it hopes to use AirPlay once it is comfortable with the anti-piracy protection.
(foxnews.com)
When it comes to Facebook apps, Android wins
The Facebook for Android app has just leapfrogged ahead of Facebook for iPhone in the number of daily active users.
The latest report from Appdata.com shows that the Android app is the more popular mobile Facebook option, making it the first time that has been the case.
To be specific, as of December 2011, Facebook for iPhone has 57.6 million daily active users while Facebook for Android has 58.8 million.
This metric is just the latest in a growing set of statistics that show Android is a more widely used platform than the iPhone.
When it comes to monthly active users, Facebook for iPhone is still the leader, but Android will assumedly catch up on that statistic over time as well.
Comparing numbers like this between the iPhone and Android has always come with a footnote, since Android is available throughout all carriers and on a wide range of devices, while the iPhone is carrier-restricted and only counts a handful of different models.
So it has become pretty black-and-white that Android is the more popular platform, but any one of the iPhones is a much more popular phone.
(tgdaily.com)
The latest report from Appdata.com shows that the Android app is the more popular mobile Facebook option, making it the first time that has been the case.
To be specific, as of December 2011, Facebook for iPhone has 57.6 million daily active users while Facebook for Android has 58.8 million.
This metric is just the latest in a growing set of statistics that show Android is a more widely used platform than the iPhone.
When it comes to monthly active users, Facebook for iPhone is still the leader, but Android will assumedly catch up on that statistic over time as well.
Comparing numbers like this between the iPhone and Android has always come with a footnote, since Android is available throughout all carriers and on a wide range of devices, while the iPhone is carrier-restricted and only counts a handful of different models.
So it has become pretty black-and-white that Android is the more popular platform, but any one of the iPhones is a much more popular phone.
(tgdaily.com)
Minggu, 18 Desember 2011
BT Files Patent Suit Against Google
British Telecommunications has filed a civil suit in a Delaware court alleging that some Google products and services including Android, and its search, music, map, and location-based advertising infringe on one or more of six of its patents.
The British company entered a prayer on Thursday before the United States District Court for the District of Delaware for an injunction against Google, as well as unspecified damages, which could be tripled if proven that Google's alleged infringement of the patents was willful and deliberate. BT has also asked for a trial by jury.
The BT patents said to have been infringed include service provision system for communication networks, navigation information system, storage and retrieval of location based information in a distributed network of data storage devices, telecommunications apparatus and method, and communications node for providing network based information services.
Google Music and Android were cited by BT as examples of Google's violation of U.S. Patent No. 6,151,309 for service provision system for communication networks, also referred to in the suit as the Busuioc patent. This patent is "directed to systems and methods for accessing content in a mobile environment where network constraints vary across networks".
Intellectual property analyst Florian Mueller wrote in his blog that with so many major patent holders asserting their rights, obligations to pay royalties may force Google to change its Android licensing model and pass royalties on to device makers. Android is at the center of a number of patent disputes involving large companies including Oracle and Apple.
Google was not immediately available for comment on the suit.
(pcworld.com)
The British company entered a prayer on Thursday before the United States District Court for the District of Delaware for an injunction against Google, as well as unspecified damages, which could be tripled if proven that Google's alleged infringement of the patents was willful and deliberate. BT has also asked for a trial by jury.
The BT patents said to have been infringed include service provision system for communication networks, navigation information system, storage and retrieval of location based information in a distributed network of data storage devices, telecommunications apparatus and method, and communications node for providing network based information services.
Google Music and Android were cited by BT as examples of Google's violation of U.S. Patent No. 6,151,309 for service provision system for communication networks, also referred to in the suit as the Busuioc patent. This patent is "directed to systems and methods for accessing content in a mobile environment where network constraints vary across networks".
Intellectual property analyst Florian Mueller wrote in his blog that with so many major patent holders asserting their rights, obligations to pay royalties may force Google to change its Android licensing model and pass royalties on to device makers. Android is at the center of a number of patent disputes involving large companies including Oracle and Apple.
Google was not immediately available for comment on the suit.
(pcworld.com)
App makers rushing to beat Apple's holiday deadline
If you're an iOS app developer and you're hoping to get your new project in Apple's App Store in time for Christmas, you might want to stock up on Red Bull.
According to The New York Times, Apple's review team is quickly approaching its annual holiday shutdown. And that means that after Thursday, no one will be on hand to vet new iPhone or iPad apps until well after the holiday.
Christmas, writes Jenna Wortham in The Times,
is the biggest day of the year for app sales, which can mean big money for developers.
That is, if they manage to get their apps through Apple's review process and into the App Store before everyone at Apple goes on vacation.
Each year around Christmas, Apple stops accepting app submissions and updating its store for a while. This year the shutdown starts on Thursday and runs for eight days.
Anyone wanting to get a new app approved by Apple before Christmas has to finish by Thursday, when its reviewers go on an eight-day holiday. Christmas is the biggest day for app sales of the year, according to The New York Times
Unlike Android developers who can make apps available to the public any time--though those that appear in the official Android Marketplace have to be approved--anyone working on software for iOS devices must get Apple's approval. And that's what makes the Thursday deadline so crucial for those wanting to reap the potential rewards of a Christmas hit.
So if you have an unfinished app you just know is going to be the next Angry Birds, you'd better get cracking if you want to take advantage of the almost certain bonanza that could come by getting in the App Store before Santa arrives.
(cnet.com)
According to The New York Times, Apple's review team is quickly approaching its annual holiday shutdown. And that means that after Thursday, no one will be on hand to vet new iPhone or iPad apps until well after the holiday.
Christmas, writes Jenna Wortham in The Times,
is the biggest day of the year for app sales, which can mean big money for developers.
That is, if they manage to get their apps through Apple's review process and into the App Store before everyone at Apple goes on vacation.
Each year around Christmas, Apple stops accepting app submissions and updating its store for a while. This year the shutdown starts on Thursday and runs for eight days.
Anyone wanting to get a new app approved by Apple before Christmas has to finish by Thursday, when its reviewers go on an eight-day holiday. Christmas is the biggest day for app sales of the year, according to The New York Times
Unlike Android developers who can make apps available to the public any time--though those that appear in the official Android Marketplace have to be approved--anyone working on software for iOS devices must get Apple's approval. And that's what makes the Thursday deadline so crucial for those wanting to reap the potential rewards of a Christmas hit.
So if you have an unfinished app you just know is going to be the next Angry Birds, you'd better get cracking if you want to take advantage of the almost certain bonanza that could come by getting in the App Store before Santa arrives.
(cnet.com)
Top selling phones
APPLE'S long-awaited iPhone 4S and Samsung Electronic's fresh, broad offering are likely to stand out in this holiday season's smartphone sales which will otherwise be clouded by global economic uncertainty.
Apple, which lost its position as the world's largest smartphone maker to Samsung last quarter, could regain top spot as consumers rush to buy the latest iPhone after waiting 16 months since the previous model went on sale.
Like millions elsewhere , 36-year-old Vanessa Pigeon last week took up an offer from her telecom operator and replaced her aging Blackberry with the latest iPhone.
"I liked the design and I wanted to change for a long time," said Pigeon, a recruitment official in Paris.
In neighbouring Britain, which is often seen as the indicator for the rest of the European market, the iPhone took a whopping 43% market share in October, overtaking phones using Google Inc's Android platform, according to research firm Kantar WorldpanelComTech.
"It's really only the iPhone family and the (Samsung) Galaxy family flying off the shelves. Everyone else is just picking up the leftovers," said Neil Mawston, analyst at research firm Strategy Analytics in Milton Keynes, Britain.
HTC and Research In Motion - No.4 and No.5 smartphone vendors - have already warned of weak holiday sales. The year end is a key sales season for smartphone vendors as consumers often replace their models for the holidays. Vendors are expected to sell a total of 142 million smartphones in October- December, up 42% from a year ago, according to a poll of analysts.
"At this moment we're still doubtful on whether we'll see any seasonality this Christmas because the demand we see so far is very bad," said Bonnie Chang, analyst at Yuanta Securities in Taipei.
Overall phone sales have been shrinking in western Europe this year as consumers delay purchases in a tighter economy. Analysts expect sales of non-smartphones to stay on a par with year-ago numbers.
Smartphone sales growth, which is driven by swapping for more advanced models, has slowed over the year.
"For Europe, Q4 will not be the usual bonanza. The economy is pushing consumers to be pickier," said Gartner analyst Carolina Milanesi, adding this played to the advantage of Samsung and Apple.
Sales of Apple's iPhone have surged since early October when the iPhone 4S model became available, and the company is expected to sell around 28 million iPhones in the quarter, a 70% surge from a year ago.
Samsung's handset sales this year broke a new annual record by the end of November, boosted by good demand for its flagship Galaxy S II model, whose sales reached 10 million units, the company said a week ago.
T he poll does not break out Samsung smartphone sales as the firm does not report the number, but five analysts forecast those sales should be similar to that of Apple.
Sales of Nokia products will also be closely watched in the quarter for first reactions to its Windows Phone models, although most Nokia smartphones are still powered by its own ageing Symbian software.
"I don't think Nokia joining the force can make a difference," said Yuanta Securitie's Chang, noting that HTC and Samsung models using latest Windows Phone software have not fared well.
Analysts expect Nokia's smartphones sales in the fourth quarter to fall 31% from a year ago to 19 million phones as the new Windows Phones will not yet compensate for diving Symbian sales. Still, that would be well ahead of HTC's 11 million and RIM's 14 million.
With the proliferation of touchscreens and half of all smartphones sold using Google's Android operating system, consumers are struggling to see the difference among the models.
"Everybody is just buying black plates with big screens," said Strategy Analytic's Mawston. Most top models also have 8 megapixel cameras among other similar features.
"If you look at the phones there is nothing particular really there," said Canalyst analyst Pete Cunningham. "It's a really tough market and it is going to get tougher." Chinese vendors ZTE and Huawei have started to win market share with their cheap smartphones using Android, and cut-price competition is set to continue with chipset supplier Spreadtrum unveiling last week a platform for $40 Android phones.
And the market seems to only be getting more crowded.
(moneyweb.com)
Apple, which lost its position as the world's largest smartphone maker to Samsung last quarter, could regain top spot as consumers rush to buy the latest iPhone after waiting 16 months since the previous model went on sale.
Like millions elsewhere , 36-year-old Vanessa Pigeon last week took up an offer from her telecom operator and replaced her aging Blackberry with the latest iPhone.
"I liked the design and I wanted to change for a long time," said Pigeon, a recruitment official in Paris.
In neighbouring Britain, which is often seen as the indicator for the rest of the European market, the iPhone took a whopping 43% market share in October, overtaking phones using Google Inc's Android platform, according to research firm Kantar WorldpanelComTech.
"It's really only the iPhone family and the (Samsung) Galaxy family flying off the shelves. Everyone else is just picking up the leftovers," said Neil Mawston, analyst at research firm Strategy Analytics in Milton Keynes, Britain.
HTC and Research In Motion - No.4 and No.5 smartphone vendors - have already warned of weak holiday sales. The year end is a key sales season for smartphone vendors as consumers often replace their models for the holidays. Vendors are expected to sell a total of 142 million smartphones in October- December, up 42% from a year ago, according to a poll of analysts.
"At this moment we're still doubtful on whether we'll see any seasonality this Christmas because the demand we see so far is very bad," said Bonnie Chang, analyst at Yuanta Securities in Taipei.
Overall phone sales have been shrinking in western Europe this year as consumers delay purchases in a tighter economy. Analysts expect sales of non-smartphones to stay on a par with year-ago numbers.
Smartphone sales growth, which is driven by swapping for more advanced models, has slowed over the year.
"For Europe, Q4 will not be the usual bonanza. The economy is pushing consumers to be pickier," said Gartner analyst Carolina Milanesi, adding this played to the advantage of Samsung and Apple.
Sales of Apple's iPhone have surged since early October when the iPhone 4S model became available, and the company is expected to sell around 28 million iPhones in the quarter, a 70% surge from a year ago.
Samsung's handset sales this year broke a new annual record by the end of November, boosted by good demand for its flagship Galaxy S II model, whose sales reached 10 million units, the company said a week ago.
T he poll does not break out Samsung smartphone sales as the firm does not report the number, but five analysts forecast those sales should be similar to that of Apple.
Sales of Nokia products will also be closely watched in the quarter for first reactions to its Windows Phone models, although most Nokia smartphones are still powered by its own ageing Symbian software.
"I don't think Nokia joining the force can make a difference," said Yuanta Securitie's Chang, noting that HTC and Samsung models using latest Windows Phone software have not fared well.
Analysts expect Nokia's smartphones sales in the fourth quarter to fall 31% from a year ago to 19 million phones as the new Windows Phones will not yet compensate for diving Symbian sales. Still, that would be well ahead of HTC's 11 million and RIM's 14 million.
With the proliferation of touchscreens and half of all smartphones sold using Google's Android operating system, consumers are struggling to see the difference among the models.
"Everybody is just buying black plates with big screens," said Strategy Analytic's Mawston. Most top models also have 8 megapixel cameras among other similar features.
"If you look at the phones there is nothing particular really there," said Canalyst analyst Pete Cunningham. "It's a really tough market and it is going to get tougher." Chinese vendors ZTE and Huawei have started to win market share with their cheap smartphones using Android, and cut-price competition is set to continue with chipset supplier Spreadtrum unveiling last week a platform for $40 Android phones.
And the market seems to only be getting more crowded.
(moneyweb.com)
PlayStation Games for Xperia
Sony Ericsson mobile communications are “Xperia acro IS11S” of December 8, “Xperia arc SO-01C” of DoCoMo and “Xperia acro SO-02C”, and KDDI, the contents distribution service of PlayStation Store showed that use became possible from the same day. By accessing PlayStation Store from a correspondence terminal, the game of first PlayStation is downloadable (download requires Wi-Fi connection). In addition, by Xperia arc/acro, “GOLF 2 of everybody” is downloadable for free from December 8 to February 8, 2012.
In order to use PlayStation Store, the renewal of software provided with Xperia arc SO-01C and Xperia acro SO-02C from November 7, Xperia acro IS11S needs to download PlayStation pocket and a PlayStation Store application after carrying out renewal of software offered from November 10. For downloading an application the tap of “beginning PS Store” is carried out, and after downloading PlayStation pocket first, it is necessary to download PlayStation Store [ which is added to the tray ]Since the shortcut of “beginning PS Store” will disappear from a home screen if PlayStation Store is downloaded previously, it is necessary to re-download shortcut from http://www.playstation.com/pss/store/ja.html
In order to use PlayStation Store, the renewal of software provided with Xperia arc SO-01C and Xperia acro SO-02C from November 7, Xperia acro IS11S needs to download PlayStation pocket and a PlayStation Store application after carrying out renewal of software offered from November 10. For downloading an application the tap of “beginning PS Store” is carried out, and after downloading PlayStation pocket first, it is necessary to download PlayStation Store [ which is added to the tray ]Since the shortcut of “beginning PS Store” will disappear from a home screen if PlayStation Store is downloaded previously, it is necessary to re-download shortcut from http://www.playstation.com/pss/store/ja.html
Sony’s Vita Debuts Squeezed Between Nintendo Price, Smartphones
More than 100 game fans queued before 7 a.m. this morning outside a store in Tokyo’s Shibuya shopping district, awaiting the release of Sony Corp.’s PlayStation Vita.
“I can’t wait to open the box and play,” said Fumito Ito, 23, who was among the first to purchase the new game device. “I look forward to playing against others.”
Sony aims to revitalize its game business and lure consumers increasingly turning to Apple Inc.’s iPhones for entertainment. Success with Vita is critical for Sony in a gaming landscape reshaped by price cuts from larger Nintendo Co. and the growing popularity of Rovio Mobile Oy’s “Angry Birds” on smartphones, analysts said.
“Serious gamers may bolster Vita demand in the beginning, but what Sony needs is casual gamers to sustain sales,” said Satoru Kikuchi, a Tokyo-based analyst at Deutsche Bank AG. “Sony may need to cut the price as early as next year to keep attracting buyers. It’s a difficult time for console makers.”
Profit from the new portable console also is key to Chief Executive Officer Howard Stringer’s efforts to offset a slumping TV business that’s put the world’s No. 2 video-game maker on course for a fourth straight annual loss.
“The ultimate portable entertainment device is now available,” Executive Deputy President Kazuo Hirai said today at a press conference. “We would like to introduce a new way of gaming.”
A Wi-Fi version of the Vita, the first major overhaul of the handheld since the PlayStation Portable went on sale in 2004, costs 24,900 yen ($319 in Japan), while the 3G model costs 29,980 yen.
Sold Out
The device, with a 5-inch display using OLED, or organic light-emitting diode, technology and touch pads, already sold out in pre-ordering in Japan, said Andrew House, chief executive officer of Sony Computer Entertainment.
“There were lines to make reservations for the machine at retailers,” House told reporters in Tokyo on Dec. 15. He declined to provide sales figures.
House’s comments came the same day Sony, Japan’s biggest consumer-electronics exporter, had its rating cut to one level above junk by Fitch Ratings, which cited difficulties reviving the TV business and deals that won’t improve profit.
Loss
Tadayoshi Sugaya, who cooks pasta dishes at an Italian restaurant in Tokyo, wasn’t among the Vita’s customers.
“I’m happy playing games on my smartphone,” said the 39- year-old chef, who uses Samsung Electronics Co.’s Galaxy model to play mahjong and other games. “I don’t see much need to buy a game player.”
The Consumer Products and Services Group -- Sony’s biggest by revenue and maker of TVs, games and cameras -- had a loss of 34.6 billion yen in the quarter ended Sept. 30, compared with a loss of 35.5 billion yen a year earlier.
Sony rose 1.1 percent to 1,360 yen at the close in Tokyo trading. The stock has declined 54 percent this year, while the benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average has lost 18 percent.
Reviving demand is important to help Tokyo-based Sony recover from its worst hacker attacks in April, when intruders compromised more than 100 million customer accounts in the second-largest online data breach in U.S. history. Sony suspended those services until July and budgeted 14 billion yen in costs this year.
The device will miss this year’s shopping season in the U.S., where it will debut in February and is priced at $249.99 for the Wi-Fi version and $299.99 for the 3G model.
Nintendo 3DS
That’s more expensive than Nintendo’s competing 3DS after the world’s biggest maker of video-game machines slashed prices of the new 3-D handheld player to as low as $170 because of poor sales. Nintendo sold more than 795,000 of the 3DS portable units last month, the Kyoto, Japan-based company said Dec. 10, citing figures from researcher NPD Group Inc.
Sony has a “very good product” at a “very affordable price” and, therefore, won’t cut prices of the Vita in response to other companies, Hirai said in August.
Sony expects to sell 15 million of the PlayStation 3 consoles this fiscal year, up 4.9 percent from last fiscal year, after the company lowered prices in August.
Sony Strategy
The Vita is part of Sony’s strategy to link its TVs, Blu- ray players, game consoles and digital cameras via the Internet to movies, music and video games. Sony also is increasing online services, including the PlayStation Suite that allows users to download games on devices running on Google Inc.’s Android software.
There will be 24 titles available when the Vita goes on sale, Sony has said. They include the “Unchartered” adventure game, which costs 4,900 yen to download, and “Everybody’s Golf 6,” priced at 3,900 yen.
By comparison, Nintendo had eight titles when it began selling the 3DS in February. The 3DS allows users to see 3-D images without wearing special glasses.
“The number of titles is truly impressive, so there is no risk that people will wait to buy,” said Michael Pachter, a Los Angeles-based analyst at Wedbush Securities Inc. “The price point is the biggest obstacle.”
Apple Devices
The iPod Touch media player, the cheapest Apple device that can download and play games, costs $199 in the U.S. while the iPhone 3GS is free with a wireless contract. Apple sold 17.07 million iPhones and 11.12 million iPad tablet computers, which can also be used to play games, in its fiscal fourth quarter.
In a similar strategy, Sony is consolidating its multimedia devices. In October, the company agreed to buy Ericsson AB’s 50 percent stake in their mobile-phone venture to integrate the smartphone business with its gaming and tablets.
That still won’t entice Ai Takenaka, 28, to buy the Vita because she can get free titles from Apple’s AppStore and Google’s Android Market.
“I like to play simple games with my smartphone because they are all free,” the Tokyo restaurant worker said.
(businessweek.com)
“I can’t wait to open the box and play,” said Fumito Ito, 23, who was among the first to purchase the new game device. “I look forward to playing against others.”
Sony aims to revitalize its game business and lure consumers increasingly turning to Apple Inc.’s iPhones for entertainment. Success with Vita is critical for Sony in a gaming landscape reshaped by price cuts from larger Nintendo Co. and the growing popularity of Rovio Mobile Oy’s “Angry Birds” on smartphones, analysts said.
“Serious gamers may bolster Vita demand in the beginning, but what Sony needs is casual gamers to sustain sales,” said Satoru Kikuchi, a Tokyo-based analyst at Deutsche Bank AG. “Sony may need to cut the price as early as next year to keep attracting buyers. It’s a difficult time for console makers.”
Profit from the new portable console also is key to Chief Executive Officer Howard Stringer’s efforts to offset a slumping TV business that’s put the world’s No. 2 video-game maker on course for a fourth straight annual loss.
“The ultimate portable entertainment device is now available,” Executive Deputy President Kazuo Hirai said today at a press conference. “We would like to introduce a new way of gaming.”
A Wi-Fi version of the Vita, the first major overhaul of the handheld since the PlayStation Portable went on sale in 2004, costs 24,900 yen ($319 in Japan), while the 3G model costs 29,980 yen.
Sold Out
The device, with a 5-inch display using OLED, or organic light-emitting diode, technology and touch pads, already sold out in pre-ordering in Japan, said Andrew House, chief executive officer of Sony Computer Entertainment.
“There were lines to make reservations for the machine at retailers,” House told reporters in Tokyo on Dec. 15. He declined to provide sales figures.
House’s comments came the same day Sony, Japan’s biggest consumer-electronics exporter, had its rating cut to one level above junk by Fitch Ratings, which cited difficulties reviving the TV business and deals that won’t improve profit.
Loss
Tadayoshi Sugaya, who cooks pasta dishes at an Italian restaurant in Tokyo, wasn’t among the Vita’s customers.
“I’m happy playing games on my smartphone,” said the 39- year-old chef, who uses Samsung Electronics Co.’s Galaxy model to play mahjong and other games. “I don’t see much need to buy a game player.”
The Consumer Products and Services Group -- Sony’s biggest by revenue and maker of TVs, games and cameras -- had a loss of 34.6 billion yen in the quarter ended Sept. 30, compared with a loss of 35.5 billion yen a year earlier.
Sony rose 1.1 percent to 1,360 yen at the close in Tokyo trading. The stock has declined 54 percent this year, while the benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average has lost 18 percent.
Reviving demand is important to help Tokyo-based Sony recover from its worst hacker attacks in April, when intruders compromised more than 100 million customer accounts in the second-largest online data breach in U.S. history. Sony suspended those services until July and budgeted 14 billion yen in costs this year.
The device will miss this year’s shopping season in the U.S., where it will debut in February and is priced at $249.99 for the Wi-Fi version and $299.99 for the 3G model.
Nintendo 3DS
That’s more expensive than Nintendo’s competing 3DS after the world’s biggest maker of video-game machines slashed prices of the new 3-D handheld player to as low as $170 because of poor sales. Nintendo sold more than 795,000 of the 3DS portable units last month, the Kyoto, Japan-based company said Dec. 10, citing figures from researcher NPD Group Inc.
Sony has a “very good product” at a “very affordable price” and, therefore, won’t cut prices of the Vita in response to other companies, Hirai said in August.
Sony expects to sell 15 million of the PlayStation 3 consoles this fiscal year, up 4.9 percent from last fiscal year, after the company lowered prices in August.
Sony Strategy
The Vita is part of Sony’s strategy to link its TVs, Blu- ray players, game consoles and digital cameras via the Internet to movies, music and video games. Sony also is increasing online services, including the PlayStation Suite that allows users to download games on devices running on Google Inc.’s Android software.
There will be 24 titles available when the Vita goes on sale, Sony has said. They include the “Unchartered” adventure game, which costs 4,900 yen to download, and “Everybody’s Golf 6,” priced at 3,900 yen.
By comparison, Nintendo had eight titles when it began selling the 3DS in February. The 3DS allows users to see 3-D images without wearing special glasses.
“The number of titles is truly impressive, so there is no risk that people will wait to buy,” said Michael Pachter, a Los Angeles-based analyst at Wedbush Securities Inc. “The price point is the biggest obstacle.”
Apple Devices
The iPod Touch media player, the cheapest Apple device that can download and play games, costs $199 in the U.S. while the iPhone 3GS is free with a wireless contract. Apple sold 17.07 million iPhones and 11.12 million iPad tablet computers, which can also be used to play games, in its fiscal fourth quarter.
In a similar strategy, Sony is consolidating its multimedia devices. In October, the company agreed to buy Ericsson AB’s 50 percent stake in their mobile-phone venture to integrate the smartphone business with its gaming and tablets.
That still won’t entice Ai Takenaka, 28, to buy the Vita because she can get free titles from Apple’s AppStore and Google’s Android Market.
“I like to play simple games with my smartphone because they are all free,” the Tokyo restaurant worker said.
(businessweek.com)
Sabtu, 17 Desember 2011
HTC Rezound (Verizon Wireless) Review
HTC puts audio quality front and center with the Rezound, the company's first smartphone for the U.S. with integrated Beats Audio. When paired with the bundled earphones, the technology makes music sound like it was originally intended instead of a compressed mess. This $299 Verizon 4G Android phone is also the first for the carrier to feature a sharp 720p HD display. Does the Rezound do enough to make you forget about the Droid RAZR and the Galaxy Nexus?
Android and HTC Sense fans alike will certainly appreciate the Rezound's software. The phone runs the company's latest iteration of Sense UI, version 3.5, on top of Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread. Sense 3.5 adds the ability to delete home screens plus an updated browser with a cleaner look.
Like on the HTC Rhyme and HTC Sensation, a new lock screen displays a digital clock with time and date plus icons for Camera, Mail, Messages, and Phone. Pulling a virtual ring from the bottom to the center of the screen wakes up the handset. Dragging any of the icons directly into the ring launches that specific app.
There are seven customizable home screens to choose from, and swiping left or right flips through them. A finger pinch opens an aerial view of all seven screens for fast navigation. The notification drawer includes a couple of features you won't find on standard Android handsets. There's a list of recent apps up top for switching between programs, and a tab for Quick Settings down below for engaging airplane mode and toggling other settings.
The App menu on this and other HTC Sense phones looks dated to us, with unnecessary Downloaded, Frequent, and Verizon Wireless tabs at the bottom of the screen. It's time for HTC to modernize this menu.
Apps
Besides the typical bundle of Verizon software such as VZ Navigator, VCAST Music, and VCAST videos, the HTC Rezound includes Kindle for Blockbuster movie rentals and Kindle for purchasing and reading eBooks. Polaris Office lets users open and edit common file formats, such as Word documents and Excel spreadsheets, and an app called Scan reads QR codes using the Rezound's camera.
As per usual, HTC adds its own software to the mix. For instance, the FriendStream widget combines all your social media updates into one feed. And the HTC Watch app provides access to video titles including movies and TV shows. For example, Transformers: Dark Side of The Moon costs $3.99 to rent and $14.99 to buy.
Spesification
Carrier Verizon Wireless
Form Factor : Candybar Touchscreen
Operating System : Android 2.3.4
Networks : LTE 700MHz (band 13); CDMA 800/1900MHz
Data : LTE
CPU : 1.5-GHz Qualcomm MDM9600
RAM : 1GB
ROM
Internal Memory : 16GB
Memory Expansion Type : microSD Card
Display (main) : 4.3-inch 720p, 1280 x 720
Display (secondary)
GPS : Yes
Bluetooth Type : Bluetooth 3.0
Wi-Fi : 802.11 a/b/g/n
Front Camera Resolution : 2MP
Camera Resolution : 8 MP
Audio formats supported : AAC; AAC+; AMR-NB; MIDI; MP3; OGG; WAV; WMA
Photo formats supported : GIF; JPEG; PNG
Talk / Standby Time : 404 minutes usage/261 hours standby
Ports : 3.5mm headphone; microUSB
Size : 5 x 2.6 x 0.54 inches
Weight : 6 ounces
SAR Rating (Head)
SAR Rating (Body)
(laptopmag.com)
Android and HTC Sense fans alike will certainly appreciate the Rezound's software. The phone runs the company's latest iteration of Sense UI, version 3.5, on top of Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread. Sense 3.5 adds the ability to delete home screens plus an updated browser with a cleaner look.
Like on the HTC Rhyme and HTC Sensation, a new lock screen displays a digital clock with time and date plus icons for Camera, Mail, Messages, and Phone. Pulling a virtual ring from the bottom to the center of the screen wakes up the handset. Dragging any of the icons directly into the ring launches that specific app.
There are seven customizable home screens to choose from, and swiping left or right flips through them. A finger pinch opens an aerial view of all seven screens for fast navigation. The notification drawer includes a couple of features you won't find on standard Android handsets. There's a list of recent apps up top for switching between programs, and a tab for Quick Settings down below for engaging airplane mode and toggling other settings.
The App menu on this and other HTC Sense phones looks dated to us, with unnecessary Downloaded, Frequent, and Verizon Wireless tabs at the bottom of the screen. It's time for HTC to modernize this menu.
Apps
Besides the typical bundle of Verizon software such as VZ Navigator, VCAST Music, and VCAST videos, the HTC Rezound includes Kindle for Blockbuster movie rentals and Kindle for purchasing and reading eBooks. Polaris Office lets users open and edit common file formats, such as Word documents and Excel spreadsheets, and an app called Scan reads QR codes using the Rezound's camera.
As per usual, HTC adds its own software to the mix. For instance, the FriendStream widget combines all your social media updates into one feed. And the HTC Watch app provides access to video titles including movies and TV shows. For example, Transformers: Dark Side of The Moon costs $3.99 to rent and $14.99 to buy.
Spesification
Carrier Verizon Wireless
Form Factor : Candybar Touchscreen
Operating System : Android 2.3.4
Networks : LTE 700MHz (band 13); CDMA 800/1900MHz
Data : LTE
CPU : 1.5-GHz Qualcomm MDM9600
RAM : 1GB
ROM
Internal Memory : 16GB
Memory Expansion Type : microSD Card
Display (main) : 4.3-inch 720p, 1280 x 720
Display (secondary)
GPS : Yes
Bluetooth Type : Bluetooth 3.0
Wi-Fi : 802.11 a/b/g/n
Front Camera Resolution : 2MP
Camera Resolution : 8 MP
Audio formats supported : AAC; AAC+; AMR-NB; MIDI; MP3; OGG; WAV; WMA
Photo formats supported : GIF; JPEG; PNG
Talk / Standby Time : 404 minutes usage/261 hours standby
Ports : 3.5mm headphone; microUSB
Size : 5 x 2.6 x 0.54 inches
Weight : 6 ounces
SAR Rating (Head)
SAR Rating (Body)
(laptopmag.com)
Samsung Galaxy Nexus (Verizon Wireless) Review
It should come as no surprise that Google's latest flagship phone, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, has the best of everything: a huge 4.65-inch 720p screen, one of the fastest cameras around, and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, the most complete version of the company's mobile OS to date. And now it's riding on Verizon Wireless' scorching 4G LTE network. With elegant sweeping curves, it's one stylish-looking phone, too. But does that mean you should drop $299 to pick one up? Read on to find out.
Click to EnlargeSamsung deserves serious credit for making a mammoth 4.7-inch screen not feel like overkill. That's because the Galaxy Nexus' high-def display is housed inside a body that weighs a fairly light 5.2 ounces and measures 0.4 inches thick. However, the GSM version weighs just 4.9 ounces and is a hair thinner; the difference may seem minimal on paper, but it's noticeable when holding both phones at the same time.
By comparison, the Droid RAZR is lighter (4.5 ounces) and thinner (0.3 inches), but you're getting more real estate than the Motorola's 4.3-inch display. By contrast, the 4.3-inch HTC Rezound weighs a hefty 6 ounces and is 0.5 inches thick.
The Galaxy Nexus has an all-plastic gray body with a subtle swooping curve. The design felt solid for the most part, but the textured back cover felt flimsy when we took it off. In addition, snapping it back into place was a bit of a challenge. The Droid RAZR's Kevlar-infused design feels more durable. The Galaxy Nexus just doesn't scream flagship as much as we'd like because it doesn't use premium materials.
Spesification
Verizon Wireless
Form Factor : Candybar Touchscreen
Operating System : Android 4.0
Networks : CDMA/PCS/1xEVDO Rev. A (800/1900 MHz)
Data : LTE
CPU : 1.2-GHz dual-core TI OMAP4460
RAM : 1GB
ROM : 32GB
Internal Memory : 32GB
Memory Expansion Type : none
Display (main) : 4.65 inches/1280 x 720 Super AMOLED
Display (secondary)
GPS : Yes
Bluetooth Type : Bluetooth 3.0
Wi-Fi : 802.11 a/b/g/n
Front Camera Resolution : 1.3MP
Camera Resolution : 5 MP
Audio formats supported : AAC; AAC+; AMR; AMR-NB; eAAC+; MP3; MP4; WAV
Video formats supported : H.263; H.264; MPEG-4
Talk / Standby Time : 12 hours/150 hours
Ports : 3.5mm headphone; microUSB
Size : 5.3 x 2.7 x 0.37 inches
Weight : 5.2 ounces
SAR Rating (Head) : 0.63
SAR Rating (Body) : 0.88
(msn.com)
Click to EnlargeSamsung deserves serious credit for making a mammoth 4.7-inch screen not feel like overkill. That's because the Galaxy Nexus' high-def display is housed inside a body that weighs a fairly light 5.2 ounces and measures 0.4 inches thick. However, the GSM version weighs just 4.9 ounces and is a hair thinner; the difference may seem minimal on paper, but it's noticeable when holding both phones at the same time.
By comparison, the Droid RAZR is lighter (4.5 ounces) and thinner (0.3 inches), but you're getting more real estate than the Motorola's 4.3-inch display. By contrast, the 4.3-inch HTC Rezound weighs a hefty 6 ounces and is 0.5 inches thick.
The Galaxy Nexus has an all-plastic gray body with a subtle swooping curve. The design felt solid for the most part, but the textured back cover felt flimsy when we took it off. In addition, snapping it back into place was a bit of a challenge. The Droid RAZR's Kevlar-infused design feels more durable. The Galaxy Nexus just doesn't scream flagship as much as we'd like because it doesn't use premium materials.
Spesification
Verizon Wireless
Form Factor : Candybar Touchscreen
Operating System : Android 4.0
Networks : CDMA/PCS/1xEVDO Rev. A (800/1900 MHz)
Data : LTE
CPU : 1.2-GHz dual-core TI OMAP4460
RAM : 1GB
ROM : 32GB
Internal Memory : 32GB
Memory Expansion Type : none
Display (main) : 4.65 inches/1280 x 720 Super AMOLED
Display (secondary)
GPS : Yes
Bluetooth Type : Bluetooth 3.0
Wi-Fi : 802.11 a/b/g/n
Front Camera Resolution : 1.3MP
Camera Resolution : 5 MP
Audio formats supported : AAC; AAC+; AMR; AMR-NB; eAAC+; MP3; MP4; WAV
Video formats supported : H.263; H.264; MPEG-4
Talk / Standby Time : 12 hours/150 hours
Ports : 3.5mm headphone; microUSB
Size : 5.3 x 2.7 x 0.37 inches
Weight : 5.2 ounces
SAR Rating (Head) : 0.63
SAR Rating (Body) : 0.88
(msn.com)
Battery life is price you pay for Verizon Galaxy Nexus
We just put the wraps on our review of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, the first phone to run Android Ice Cream Sandwich, and came away impressed with its sleek new software, large 720p display, fast camera, and blazing 4G LTE speeds over Verizon Wireless’ network. However, as we discovered with the Galaxy Nexus, as well as other phones that use Verizon’s LTE network, there’s a price to be paid for all that speed: Battery life.
As you can see from the above results, the Verizon Galaxy Nexus lasted only 3 hours and 40 minutes on our Laptop Battery Test. This test involves continuous web surfing over 4G with the screen brightness at 40 percent. GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and Auto Sync are all turned off. When we ran our battery test on the unlocked Galaxy Nexus on T-Mobile’s network, the device saw 5 hours of runtime. That’s a difference of nearly 1.5 hours.
The Galaxy Nexus for Verizon delivered even less endurance than the HTC Thunderbolt, the first 4G LTE phone from the carrier that established a reputation for short battery life. Because 4G LTE radios use more power, the phones that use them tend to last significantly shorter than the smartphone average. But as you can see some Verizon phones at least last longer than the 5-hour mark.
We really like the Verizon Galaxy Nexus, but its below-average battery life kept it from earning an Editors’ Choice Award in our review. If you do pick up this phone, make sure you keep the brightness down and follow our other tips for making your Android phone last longer.
(msn.com)
As you can see from the above results, the Verizon Galaxy Nexus lasted only 3 hours and 40 minutes on our Laptop Battery Test. This test involves continuous web surfing over 4G with the screen brightness at 40 percent. GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and Auto Sync are all turned off. When we ran our battery test on the unlocked Galaxy Nexus on T-Mobile’s network, the device saw 5 hours of runtime. That’s a difference of nearly 1.5 hours.
The Galaxy Nexus for Verizon delivered even less endurance than the HTC Thunderbolt, the first 4G LTE phone from the carrier that established a reputation for short battery life. Because 4G LTE radios use more power, the phones that use them tend to last significantly shorter than the smartphone average. But as you can see some Verizon phones at least last longer than the 5-hour mark.
We really like the Verizon Galaxy Nexus, but its below-average battery life kept it from earning an Editors’ Choice Award in our review. If you do pick up this phone, make sure you keep the brightness down and follow our other tips for making your Android phone last longer.
(msn.com)
iPad who? Tablets try again at CES
2011 was the year when Android tablets broke loose and ran rampant over the annual Consumer Electronics show in Las Vegas. It was here that Motorola showed off the world's first Android 3.0 tablet and lookalike Android 2.x devices seemed to pop out of every booth.
The year that followed has been a tumultuous one for tablets. Big players like Hewlett-Packard and RIM released major products that quickly found their way to the bargain bin. Apple sent everyone back to the drawing board after the release of the ultrathin iPad 2. And Amazon reset everyone's expectations of what a tablet should cost, and what features consumers could live without.
What will 2012 have in store for tablets? There's no way of knowing for sure, but here are some trends I expect to see at CES 2012.
Thinner designs
With the iPad 3 release still months away, the competition still has some time to show off designs that are thinner and lighter than the current iPad. It's a particularly tough engineering challenge for Android tablet manufacturers, as Android fans have come to expect features such as microSD expansion and HDMI output, which bulk up the design. You also have to account for the thickness of LCD panel technology and the rechargeable battery pack.
Android 4.0
What Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) was to CES 2011, Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) will be to CES 2012. The first question that will be asked of any tablet unveiled at CES will be whether or not the device is capable of running Google's latest operating system.
But unlike last year, no one company will be able to claim Android 4.0 exclusively. Google has already released the code into the wild and manufacturers should be able to demonstrate some basic functionality on the tablets.
Windows 8 tablets
Considering that Microsoft introduced Windows 8 at CES 2011, we're bound to hear about its progress at CES 2012. Much has been made of the software's suitability for use on tablets, but we haven't been able to get hands-on with yet. Perhaps we'll hear some official product announcements about Windows 8 compatible tablets.
Higher resolutions
One of the most expected features of the iPad 3 is a higher-resolution display that can rival the Retina Display used on Apple's iPhone 4 and iPod Touch.
Rumor has it that manufacturers are now capable of making tablet-size QXGA resolution (2,048x1,536 pixels) touch-screen panels with a pixel density of 264ppi, which is twice that of the iPad 2.
Flexible displays
Nokia's future phone concepts
We've seen companies like Sony and Samsung show off flexible OLED screen technologies in years past, but never yet on a product they had any intention of making available. Perhaps 2012 will be the year we see this technology become viable.
Recently, Nokia has been showing off its Kinetic concept device, which allows users to navigate through menus and zoom in and out of images by twisting and bending the screen. If a manufacturer at CES could demonstrate a similar concept on a larger, tablet-worthy screen, it would make quite a story.
Different sizes
The success of the Kindle Fire and Nook Tablet have show that the 7-inch tablet isn't the dud form-factor we thought it was. Samsung has clearly shown a willingness to try different screen sizes, such as its Galaxy Player 5 and Galaxy Tab 8.9. Maybe we'll finally see a tablet that dares to venture into larger 12-inch or even 15-inch sizes.
As noted in CNET's laptop predictions for CES, the worlds of tablets and laptops are showing signs of collision.
One of the hottest tablets on CNET currently, the Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime employs a detachable keyboard dock that makes it practically indistinguishable from a modern laptop. The release of Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system, and its suitability for both laptops and tablets, will surely blur the line further.
The Asus Eee Pad Slider is a tablet with a full slide-out keyboard that blurs the line between tablet and laptop.
(Credit: Josh Miller)
4G
Because compatibility with high-speed 4G cellular networks is one of those features that the iPad doesn't have, we expect that it will continue to be used as a selling point for an increasing number of tablets. Whether or not tablet shoppers really want the contracts and fees that come along with 4G service, remains to be seen.
E-ink gets colorful
The color e-ink display is another one of those technologies that has popped up at CES year after year, but has yet to make it to a mainstream device. Perhaps this year we will see a more mature version of color e-ink that will help bridge the gap between black and white e-readers and tablets.
(cnet.com)
The year that followed has been a tumultuous one for tablets. Big players like Hewlett-Packard and RIM released major products that quickly found their way to the bargain bin. Apple sent everyone back to the drawing board after the release of the ultrathin iPad 2. And Amazon reset everyone's expectations of what a tablet should cost, and what features consumers could live without.
What will 2012 have in store for tablets? There's no way of knowing for sure, but here are some trends I expect to see at CES 2012.
Thinner designs
With the iPad 3 release still months away, the competition still has some time to show off designs that are thinner and lighter than the current iPad. It's a particularly tough engineering challenge for Android tablet manufacturers, as Android fans have come to expect features such as microSD expansion and HDMI output, which bulk up the design. You also have to account for the thickness of LCD panel technology and the rechargeable battery pack.
Android 4.0
What Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) was to CES 2011, Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) will be to CES 2012. The first question that will be asked of any tablet unveiled at CES will be whether or not the device is capable of running Google's latest operating system.
But unlike last year, no one company will be able to claim Android 4.0 exclusively. Google has already released the code into the wild and manufacturers should be able to demonstrate some basic functionality on the tablets.
Windows 8 tablets
Considering that Microsoft introduced Windows 8 at CES 2011, we're bound to hear about its progress at CES 2012. Much has been made of the software's suitability for use on tablets, but we haven't been able to get hands-on with yet. Perhaps we'll hear some official product announcements about Windows 8 compatible tablets.
Higher resolutions
One of the most expected features of the iPad 3 is a higher-resolution display that can rival the Retina Display used on Apple's iPhone 4 and iPod Touch.
Rumor has it that manufacturers are now capable of making tablet-size QXGA resolution (2,048x1,536 pixels) touch-screen panels with a pixel density of 264ppi, which is twice that of the iPad 2.
Flexible displays
Nokia's future phone concepts
We've seen companies like Sony and Samsung show off flexible OLED screen technologies in years past, but never yet on a product they had any intention of making available. Perhaps 2012 will be the year we see this technology become viable.
Recently, Nokia has been showing off its Kinetic concept device, which allows users to navigate through menus and zoom in and out of images by twisting and bending the screen. If a manufacturer at CES could demonstrate a similar concept on a larger, tablet-worthy screen, it would make quite a story.
Different sizes
The success of the Kindle Fire and Nook Tablet have show that the 7-inch tablet isn't the dud form-factor we thought it was. Samsung has clearly shown a willingness to try different screen sizes, such as its Galaxy Player 5 and Galaxy Tab 8.9. Maybe we'll finally see a tablet that dares to venture into larger 12-inch or even 15-inch sizes.
As noted in CNET's laptop predictions for CES, the worlds of tablets and laptops are showing signs of collision.
One of the hottest tablets on CNET currently, the Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime employs a detachable keyboard dock that makes it practically indistinguishable from a modern laptop. The release of Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system, and its suitability for both laptops and tablets, will surely blur the line further.
The Asus Eee Pad Slider is a tablet with a full slide-out keyboard that blurs the line between tablet and laptop.
(Credit: Josh Miller)
4G
Because compatibility with high-speed 4G cellular networks is one of those features that the iPad doesn't have, we expect that it will continue to be used as a selling point for an increasing number of tablets. Whether or not tablet shoppers really want the contracts and fees that come along with 4G service, remains to be seen.
E-ink gets colorful
The color e-ink display is another one of those technologies that has popped up at CES year after year, but has yet to make it to a mainstream device. Perhaps this year we will see a more mature version of color e-ink that will help bridge the gap between black and white e-readers and tablets.
(cnet.com)
Will BlackBerry survive 2012?
Troubled BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion has announced further delays to its new phones - now analysts and commentators are making their complaints ever more loudly.
It seems that every month BlackBerry-maker Research in Motion has more bad news to announce. In November it paid a $365million charge for unsold PlayBook tablets; yesterday it announced that crucial new phones would now be delayed to the latter half of 2012, rather than being out by March.
Co-CEOs Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis charitably cut their pay to just a $1 each, but analysts and critics argued they’re still overpaid. One writer on the respected blog PaidContent blog said the pair should have been “fired months, if not years ago”.
At the heart of BlackBerry’s problems lie its troubled transition to a new operating system: in order to compete with the iPhone and with Google’s Android phones, the Canadian company has had to rebuild its software from the ground up. So far, the only product using a new version is the underwhelming PlayBook.
Yesterday, announcing RIM’s results, Lazridis delivered the bad news almost casually. The new OS will power a new generation of phone, but in order to compete RIM had earlier changed its mind on which chips to use. Now he said RIM could not get enough of them and that delays were unavoidable.
Lazaridis compounded the disappointment for investors by cutting the firm’s prediction of sales to between 11 and 12 million smartphones in the current Christmas quarter, down from 14.8 million over the same time last year. Others companies’ sales are rising at his expense.
Last month, analyst Ian Fogg said that “if you look at RIM’s track record they have a history of missing launch dates; that doesn’t bode well.” He warned ominously that “If they fail to ship quality products we’ll see a slow decline,” and it would appear that Fogg’s predictions are already coming true.
With rather dry understatement, however, Lazaridis said in a statement that "It may take some time to realise the benefits of the platform transition that we are undertaking, but we continue to believe that RIM has the right set of strengths and capabilities to maintain a leading role in the mobile communications industry”. When he claimed that people tell him “every day” that BlackBerry is the best communications device around, commentators immediately said he was listening to the wrong people.
RIM's share of the smartphone market in the US fell to 9.2 per cent in the third quarter from 24 per cent in the same period last year, according to research group Canalys. Increasing numbers of analysts across the board now find one conclusion inescapable: RIM doesn’t just need customers – it needs a buyer.
(telegraph.co.uk)
It seems that every month BlackBerry-maker Research in Motion has more bad news to announce. In November it paid a $365million charge for unsold PlayBook tablets; yesterday it announced that crucial new phones would now be delayed to the latter half of 2012, rather than being out by March.
Co-CEOs Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis charitably cut their pay to just a $1 each, but analysts and critics argued they’re still overpaid. One writer on the respected blog PaidContent blog said the pair should have been “fired months, if not years ago”.
At the heart of BlackBerry’s problems lie its troubled transition to a new operating system: in order to compete with the iPhone and with Google’s Android phones, the Canadian company has had to rebuild its software from the ground up. So far, the only product using a new version is the underwhelming PlayBook.
Yesterday, announcing RIM’s results, Lazridis delivered the bad news almost casually. The new OS will power a new generation of phone, but in order to compete RIM had earlier changed its mind on which chips to use. Now he said RIM could not get enough of them and that delays were unavoidable.
Lazaridis compounded the disappointment for investors by cutting the firm’s prediction of sales to between 11 and 12 million smartphones in the current Christmas quarter, down from 14.8 million over the same time last year. Others companies’ sales are rising at his expense.
Last month, analyst Ian Fogg said that “if you look at RIM’s track record they have a history of missing launch dates; that doesn’t bode well.” He warned ominously that “If they fail to ship quality products we’ll see a slow decline,” and it would appear that Fogg’s predictions are already coming true.
With rather dry understatement, however, Lazaridis said in a statement that "It may take some time to realise the benefits of the platform transition that we are undertaking, but we continue to believe that RIM has the right set of strengths and capabilities to maintain a leading role in the mobile communications industry”. When he claimed that people tell him “every day” that BlackBerry is the best communications device around, commentators immediately said he was listening to the wrong people.
RIM's share of the smartphone market in the US fell to 9.2 per cent in the third quarter from 24 per cent in the same period last year, according to research group Canalys. Increasing numbers of analysts across the board now find one conclusion inescapable: RIM doesn’t just need customers – it needs a buyer.
(telegraph.co.uk)
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