By: Fahmida Y. Rashid
While spam declined dramatically in 2010, social networking threats, identity-theft scams and phishing campaigns increased in sophistication and complexity, according to Cisco’s Annual Review.
Spam volumes decreased dramatically even as users fell for increasingly sophisticated social-engineering scams in 2010, according to Cisco’s Annual Security Report, released Jan. 20.
Last year will be known as the “year the tide turned” for spam, Henry Stern, Cisco senior security researcher, told eWEEK. Despite increases in several developed countries, such as the United Kingdom, Spain, Germany and France, global spam volume actually dropped in 2010.
Spam volume in the United States was almost unchanged, but the United Kingdom saw almost a 115 percent increase, according to the report. In contrast, Brazil, China and Turkey, countries with some of the highest spam volumes in 2009, saw significant declines. Turkey dramatically slashed spam volume by almost 95 percent, and Brazilian ISPs reduced their spam by nearly half by restricting access to Port 25, according to the report.
“It was the first year ever in the history of spam that global volumes declined,” and there were a number of factors that contributed to the drop, said Stern. The increasing success of law enforcement in shutting down cyber-crime gangs, such as the joint effort between the U.S. and U.K. authorities to arrest a criminal operation using the Zeus Trojan, meant there were fewer botnets operating, Stern said.
The closure of spam network Spamit in October also reduced the amount of fake pharmaceutical spam, said Stern. Security vendors are also becoming more proactive and aggressive about auto-updating their products with the latest spam filters so spam was being blocked more effectively, Stern said. Users may not notice the global decline because the security products have been so effective in keeping spam out of the inbox, he said.
However, there were still plenty of areas of concern in 2010, Stern said. Cyber-criminals increasingly turned to new types of malware that exploited people’s trust, tricking users into handing over login and password information. Users also clicked on infected links in e-mail messages with hacked e-mail addresses that make them look like they are safe because it’s from a friend. Criminals are also hacking trusted sites to trick users into downloading malware, according to the report.
“Miscreants are continuing to find new and creative ways to exploit network, system and even human vulnerabilities to steal information or do damage,” said John N. Stewart, vice president and chief security officer at Cisco.
Criminals also spent more time figuring out how to steal identities in 2010, according to the report. Some tactics included hacking into e-mail accounts to send out “trusted” messages, hijacking Facebook and Twitter accounts to send out malicious links and convincing users to download applications on social networks like Facebook to see something exciting or interesting. This tactic is likely to increase in 2011, the report concluded.
“Road-tested” techniques, such as scareware, click fraud and spyware remained “cash cows” for cyber-criminals in 2010 and would continue to be so in 2011, according to the report. Cyber-criminals will continue to invest in phishing scams as well as malware kits, like the Zeus Trojan, the researchers found.
In addition it appears that in 2011, cyber-criminals will expand their money-laundering operations using so-called “mules” to transport money from one country to another, said Stern. While many money mules are part of the criminal enterprise, a growing number of them are scammed by clicking on spam or responding to work-from-home job advertisements, the report found. While money mules often are asked to just move funds from various bank accounts, there are a growing number of re-shipping scams, where criminals used stolen credit card numbers to legally purchase merchandise, which they resold to others, said the researchers.
In what may be good news for Microsoft, if not for anyone else, cyber-criminals may be turning to other platforms to exploit and make money because the improved security in Windows 7 makes it “tougher” to “infiltrate” networks and applications and files, according to the report. “Having reached the Windows vulnerability ‘tipping point,’ they have moved on,” to other operating systems, services and mobile devices, the security team wrote in the report. Scams in 2010 targeted select groups of mobile users, such as customers of a specific bank or specific smartphone applications, the report found.
With the increasing trend of enterprises using mobile devices, there are “even more opportunities for intrusions and theft,” Cisco wrote.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Did Google Just Make the Demand Media IPO Less in Demand?
By Shira Ovide
Google said today in a blog post that it will continue to tweak its technology to weed out what the company says is too much unreliable or otherwise junky information that’s churned up by its online searches.
One of Google’s targets, it said, is so-called “content farms,” or websites that produce up to thousands of stories or online videos each day, optimized to draw traffic from Google and other search engines.
“We hear the feedback from the web loud and clear: people are asking for even stronger action on content farms and sites that consist primarily of spammy or low-quality content,” wrote Google engineer Matt Cutts.
One content farm, Demand Media, is slated to go public as early as next week, and its business -– heavily dependent on Google — could be dinged by any changes the Internet giant makes in the quest for improved search results.
“Google completely understands the issue and how Demand Media and Associated Content and these content aggregators are polluting the Web,” said Vivek Wadhwa, a visiting scholar at the University of California at Berkeley, who recently wrote on TechCrunch about his difficulties with Google’s search results. Wadhwa said his meetings in recent weeks with Google executives left him believing the company is determined to tweak their search results to “beat Demand Media at their own game.”
Google makes changes all the time to its secret search sauce, and as usual, it wasn’t specific this time about what tweaks it has or will make in the future in response to the perceived problem of low-quality search results. And Demand Media isn’t singled out as the worst actor in a burgeoning field of content companies or just plain spammers that tailor their online articles to rank high in Google.
Still, Demand Media is so dependent on Google traffic and advertising, and so large –- 2 million articles and videos last year — that even if a small percentage of its content is considered improper and effectively cast aside by the Google search bots, it could hurt Demand Media’s business.
Demand Media acknowledges this risk in their IPO documents. “Internet search engines could decide that content on our owned and operated websites and on our customers’ websites, including content that is created by our freelance content creators, is unacceptable or violates their corporate policies,” Demand Media said. “Any reduction in the number of users directed to our owned and operated websites and to our customers’ websites would negatively affect our ability to earn revenue.”
So far, whatever changes Google has made to weed out low-quality content hasn’t slowed Demand Media’s soaring popularity. In November, Demand Media websites drew 64.8 million unique visitors, according to comScore, making it the 17th-most-popular Web property in the country.
Demand Media declined to comment, citing the quiet period rules for companies prepping an IPO. In its initial public offering, Demand Media is offering to sell 4.5 million shares at $14 to $16 each. The Journal has reported the IPO could value Demand Media at $1.5 billion.
Here’s how Demand Media works: Its computers scour the Web for what people are reading and searching for online. It then taps its stable of about 13,000 vetted freelancers and its copy editors to assemble how-to articles or online videos about a specific topic that its data and staff indicate will prove popular with Web users and advertisers, and can be produced cost effectively.
Searching Google for “how to make money clipping coupons,” for example, pulls up as the first result an article from eHow.com, one of the Demand Media sites. Demand Media’s content also is carried on third-party websites, such as those owned by USA Today and the National Football League.
Other companies, including Yahoo’s Associated Content, Answers.com and AOL’s Seed have similar business models. Critics say that while many of the stories and videos these sites churn out is helpful and well done, some of the content is cobbled together and unhelpful junk larded with keywords and other tricks to game a high placement in Google search. A prominent spot on Google effectively guarantees more Web traffic and more revenue.
“I can only hope that Google and other search engines find betters ways to surface quality content, for its own sake as well as ours,” wrote Richard MacManus, in a ReadWriteWeb piece to which Google’s Cutts linked in his corporate blog post. “Because right now Google is being infiltrated on a vast scale by content farms.”
A Google spokesman said the company’s “algorithms are not designed to target particular sites.” Rather the search giant is trying to home in on characteristics of low-quality content, including signs that an online story is a pastiche of work from others.
Any Google actions have high stakes for Demand Media. For the nine months ended Sept. 30, according to its IPO filing, Demand Media generated 28% of its revenue from “various advertising arrangements” with Google. Demand Media also disclosed that about 41% of its websites’ page views in the third quarter of 2010 came directly from referrals from search engines, the majority of which were Google.
Wadhwa, asked if he would buy stock in Demand Media’s IPO, said he would not. “In the long term, they’re fighting a losing battle,” he said. “For how much longer can they keep outsmarting Google?”
Google said today in a blog post that it will continue to tweak its technology to weed out what the company says is too much unreliable or otherwise junky information that’s churned up by its online searches.
One of Google’s targets, it said, is so-called “content farms,” or websites that produce up to thousands of stories or online videos each day, optimized to draw traffic from Google and other search engines.
“We hear the feedback from the web loud and clear: people are asking for even stronger action on content farms and sites that consist primarily of spammy or low-quality content,” wrote Google engineer Matt Cutts.
One content farm, Demand Media, is slated to go public as early as next week, and its business -– heavily dependent on Google — could be dinged by any changes the Internet giant makes in the quest for improved search results.
“Google completely understands the issue and how Demand Media and Associated Content and these content aggregators are polluting the Web,” said Vivek Wadhwa, a visiting scholar at the University of California at Berkeley, who recently wrote on TechCrunch about his difficulties with Google’s search results. Wadhwa said his meetings in recent weeks with Google executives left him believing the company is determined to tweak their search results to “beat Demand Media at their own game.”
Google makes changes all the time to its secret search sauce, and as usual, it wasn’t specific this time about what tweaks it has or will make in the future in response to the perceived problem of low-quality search results. And Demand Media isn’t singled out as the worst actor in a burgeoning field of content companies or just plain spammers that tailor their online articles to rank high in Google.
Still, Demand Media is so dependent on Google traffic and advertising, and so large –- 2 million articles and videos last year — that even if a small percentage of its content is considered improper and effectively cast aside by the Google search bots, it could hurt Demand Media’s business.
Demand Media acknowledges this risk in their IPO documents. “Internet search engines could decide that content on our owned and operated websites and on our customers’ websites, including content that is created by our freelance content creators, is unacceptable or violates their corporate policies,” Demand Media said. “Any reduction in the number of users directed to our owned and operated websites and to our customers’ websites would negatively affect our ability to earn revenue.”
So far, whatever changes Google has made to weed out low-quality content hasn’t slowed Demand Media’s soaring popularity. In November, Demand Media websites drew 64.8 million unique visitors, according to comScore, making it the 17th-most-popular Web property in the country.
Demand Media declined to comment, citing the quiet period rules for companies prepping an IPO. In its initial public offering, Demand Media is offering to sell 4.5 million shares at $14 to $16 each. The Journal has reported the IPO could value Demand Media at $1.5 billion.
Here’s how Demand Media works: Its computers scour the Web for what people are reading and searching for online. It then taps its stable of about 13,000 vetted freelancers and its copy editors to assemble how-to articles or online videos about a specific topic that its data and staff indicate will prove popular with Web users and advertisers, and can be produced cost effectively.
Searching Google for “how to make money clipping coupons,” for example, pulls up as the first result an article from eHow.com, one of the Demand Media sites. Demand Media’s content also is carried on third-party websites, such as those owned by USA Today and the National Football League.
Other companies, including Yahoo’s Associated Content, Answers.com and AOL’s Seed have similar business models. Critics say that while many of the stories and videos these sites churn out is helpful and well done, some of the content is cobbled together and unhelpful junk larded with keywords and other tricks to game a high placement in Google search. A prominent spot on Google effectively guarantees more Web traffic and more revenue.
“I can only hope that Google and other search engines find betters ways to surface quality content, for its own sake as well as ours,” wrote Richard MacManus, in a ReadWriteWeb piece to which Google’s Cutts linked in his corporate blog post. “Because right now Google is being infiltrated on a vast scale by content farms.”
A Google spokesman said the company’s “algorithms are not designed to target particular sites.” Rather the search giant is trying to home in on characteristics of low-quality content, including signs that an online story is a pastiche of work from others.
Any Google actions have high stakes for Demand Media. For the nine months ended Sept. 30, according to its IPO filing, Demand Media generated 28% of its revenue from “various advertising arrangements” with Google. Demand Media also disclosed that about 41% of its websites’ page views in the third quarter of 2010 came directly from referrals from search engines, the majority of which were Google.
Wadhwa, asked if he would buy stock in Demand Media’s IPO, said he would not. “In the long term, they’re fighting a losing battle,” he said. “For how much longer can they keep outsmarting Google?”
Android BlackBerry faux alliance
Android fever is sweeping the entire tech world and wouldn’t it be great if BlackBerry could jump on the Android bandwagon? I wonder if this nuptial is possible, if not for real then within the Shanzhai sphere? The H300 has made this possible. The 3.5-inch Shanzhai wonder is a neat copy of a BlackBerry touchscreen smartphone, but it sports Android 2.2.
The candy bar style phone also has a polished black back made up of a matte material and featuring the endearing Android logo. It also has dual cameras – a 2MP rear camera with flash and a front one. The other notable features are Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, and a gravity sensor.
What’s extra-impressive are the multimedia features of a CMMB TV antenna, 3.5 mm headphone jack, and volume adjustment keys on left, plus USB data support and trackpad.
This faux alliance of BlackBerry style features and Android also sports the dual SIM dual standby feature, courtesy of the MediaTek chip.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Virus Goo.gl attacks Twitter!!! Beware!!
Twitter hit with Goo.gl faked antivirus worm
By Ed Oswald
A new virus is spreading around Twitter using the Google 'goo.gl' URL shortening service, posing as anti-virus software. Affected users may see tweets with links in their timelines ending with "m28sx.html," says Graham Cruley of security firm Sophos.
Clicking on the link will take the user a page that claims the computer is infected, and attempts to trick him or her into installing the malware-infected software as well as to pay for disinfection. Once downloaded, the virus then posts a tweet under the users account with the link in an attempt to infect his or her followers.
It is not immediately clear how the malware is gaining access to Twitter's API to make these posts. Typically a user must authorize any external applications to gain access to post tweets. Cruley said he isn't sure either.
"The natural suspicion would be that their usernames and passwords have been stolen," he wrote in a blog post. "It certainly would be a sensible precaution for users who have found their Twitter accounts unexpectedly posting goo.gl links to change their passwords immediately."
Twitter has acknowledged the issue. "We're working to remove the malware links and reset passwords on compromised accounts," Twitter's security chief Del Harvey said in a tweet on Thursday night.
Sophos is calling the virus 'Troj/FakeAV-CMG.' The company's software has been protecting its customers since January 12, Cruley said. Kaspersky is also offering protection in its own software as well.
This isn't the first time Google's URL shortener Goo.gl was the source of malicious activity. Last month, a worm made its way across Twitter posting links to a fake French furniture site. Clicking on the link would take the user to a site that would then execute code and help to propagate the worm.
By Ed Oswald
A new virus is spreading around Twitter using the Google 'goo.gl' URL shortening service, posing as anti-virus software. Affected users may see tweets with links in their timelines ending with "m28sx.html," says Graham Cruley of security firm Sophos.
Clicking on the link will take the user a page that claims the computer is infected, and attempts to trick him or her into installing the malware-infected software as well as to pay for disinfection. Once downloaded, the virus then posts a tweet under the users account with the link in an attempt to infect his or her followers.
It is not immediately clear how the malware is gaining access to Twitter's API to make these posts. Typically a user must authorize any external applications to gain access to post tweets. Cruley said he isn't sure either.
"The natural suspicion would be that their usernames and passwords have been stolen," he wrote in a blog post. "It certainly would be a sensible precaution for users who have found their Twitter accounts unexpectedly posting goo.gl links to change their passwords immediately."
Twitter has acknowledged the issue. "We're working to remove the malware links and reset passwords on compromised accounts," Twitter's security chief Del Harvey said in a tweet on Thursday night.
Sophos is calling the virus 'Troj/FakeAV-CMG.' The company's software has been protecting its customers since January 12, Cruley said. Kaspersky is also offering protection in its own software as well.
This isn't the first time Google's URL shortener Goo.gl was the source of malicious activity. Last month, a worm made its way across Twitter posting links to a fake French furniture site. Clicking on the link would take the user to a site that would then execute code and help to propagate the worm.
Huge Delta rocket flies from Vandenberg, California
By Jonathan Amos Science correspondent, BBC News
1 January 2011 Last updated at 10:10 GMT
Delta-4 Heavy (Pat Corkery/United Launch Alliance) Three years' work has gone into preparing the pad and support facilities to accommodate the Delta
The biggest rocket ever to launch from the US West Coast has lifted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base.
The 72m-high Delta IV Heavy was carrying a classified satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO).
It has previously only operated from Florida, and the launch pad at the Californian base had to be upgraded to handle the giant vehicle.
Flying the Delta from the West Coast allows the largest reconnaissance satellites to be put into polar orbits.
The vehicle is reserved for military and intelligence use, although there has long been discussion about modifying it for a role in human spaceflight.
The Delta IV Heavy features three core boosters strapped side by side. Each has a Pratt and Whitney Rocketdyne-built RS-68 engine.
These motors burn a tonne of propellant every second and produce 2,900 kiloNewtons (650,000lbs) of thrust at lift-off.
This was the fifth flight in the vehicle's history, and the second in just two months.
No details were released about the payload. The NRO operates satellites that return information to the Central Intelligence Agency and US Department of Defense. Large imaging satellites of the type the Delta IV could launch would have remarkable resolution.
The rocket is reserved for government use.
Vandenberg's position on the coast means the Delta can fly south over the Pacific and avoid crossing land as it climbs skyward.
The last heavy-lift rocket to launch from Vandenberg was the Titan IV-B in 2005.
The extra performance of the Delta enables it to put a further tonne of payload into low-earth orbit compared with the Titan.
Thursday's launch took place at 1310 Pacific Standard Time (1610 EST; 2110 GMT). Some $100m had been spent upgrading the SLC-6 launch pad.
1 January 2011 Last updated at 10:10 GMT
Delta-4 Heavy (Pat Corkery/United Launch Alliance) Three years' work has gone into preparing the pad and support facilities to accommodate the Delta
The biggest rocket ever to launch from the US West Coast has lifted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base.
The 72m-high Delta IV Heavy was carrying a classified satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO).
It has previously only operated from Florida, and the launch pad at the Californian base had to be upgraded to handle the giant vehicle.
Flying the Delta from the West Coast allows the largest reconnaissance satellites to be put into polar orbits.
The vehicle is reserved for military and intelligence use, although there has long been discussion about modifying it for a role in human spaceflight.
The Delta IV Heavy features three core boosters strapped side by side. Each has a Pratt and Whitney Rocketdyne-built RS-68 engine.
These motors burn a tonne of propellant every second and produce 2,900 kiloNewtons (650,000lbs) of thrust at lift-off.
This was the fifth flight in the vehicle's history, and the second in just two months.
No details were released about the payload. The NRO operates satellites that return information to the Central Intelligence Agency and US Department of Defense. Large imaging satellites of the type the Delta IV could launch would have remarkable resolution.
The rocket is reserved for government use.
Vandenberg's position on the coast means the Delta can fly south over the Pacific and avoid crossing land as it climbs skyward.
The last heavy-lift rocket to launch from Vandenberg was the Titan IV-B in 2005.
The extra performance of the Delta enables it to put a further tonne of payload into low-earth orbit compared with the Titan.
Thursday's launch took place at 1310 Pacific Standard Time (1610 EST; 2110 GMT). Some $100m had been spent upgrading the SLC-6 launch pad.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Apple sues Nokia over iPhone scrolling patent
Apple on Tuesday sued Nokia in the U.K. claiming that one of the company's patents is invalid, according to Bloomberg. The patent in question describes a scrolling technology on touch-screen handsets and is one of the patents Nokia previously sued Apple for violating.
Nokia responded to the suit saying it is confident its patents are valid and it "will take whatever actions are needed to protect our rights."
Apple representatives were not immediately available for comment.
The legal tangle between the two companies has been going on since 2009 when Nokia first sued Apple for violating 10 of its patents. Two months later, Apple filed a countersuit listing 10 patents it believed Nokia was violating.
Bruce Sewell, Apple's general counsel, said at the time that "companies must compete with us by inventing their own technologies, not just by stealing ours."
The lawsuits and countersuits now span multiple countries including the U.S., U.K., Germany, and the Netherlands.
Nokia responded to the suit saying it is confident its patents are valid and it "will take whatever actions are needed to protect our rights."
Apple representatives were not immediately available for comment.
The legal tangle between the two companies has been going on since 2009 when Nokia first sued Apple for violating 10 of its patents. Two months later, Apple filed a countersuit listing 10 patents it believed Nokia was violating.
Bruce Sewell, Apple's general counsel, said at the time that "companies must compete with us by inventing their own technologies, not just by stealing ours."
The lawsuits and countersuits now span multiple countries including the U.S., U.K., Germany, and the Netherlands.
Does your iPhone make you happy? Text analysis says NO!
The company looked at which words appeared most often together with the word “happiness” in articles in the Swedish press in 2010. Saplo’s technology can read and understand any block of text. It’s a sort of “Pandora for text” whose ultimate aim is to filter articles, tweets, ads or any other types of text based on your preferences.
The study is based on 1.5 million words from articles published in the Swedish daily newspapers in 2010. Saplo’s technology examined which words were most common in articles containing the word happiness, compared with articles that did not contain this word.
Technology company names like Google and Windows and the names of bestselling gadgets such as iPad and iPhone were not linked to the word happiness. Words related to money such as millions, billions and percent were are also not associated with happiness.
What does make Swedes happy, according to the study, is soccer (FIFA World Cup was high in the happiness rankings) and other people. Almost all personal pronouns were linked to happiness. “You” and “me” were the top words associated with happiness. The rather more possessive “my” and “your” were also high in the list. After that, pronouns referring to other people, such as “she,” “he,” “us” and “them” were popular.
Saplo is based in Sweden, has 10 employees and has received $500,000 in funding from private and angel investors.
Indonesia, Porn & Blackberry
BlackBerry in a jam
The love affair with BlackBerry hits a sticking point
by Hedirman Supian
05:55 AM Jan 21, 2011
EARLIER this week, I chanced upon a BlackBerry advertisement on YouTube featuring Indonesian families, students, creative types and businessmen fawning over the device's instant messaging service.
It illustrates how Indonesians view the device as a status symbol and how integral it is in their day-to-day communication.
And the advertisement isn't far from reality. According to technology research firm IDC, Research In Motion (RIM), the makers of BlackBerry devices, captured 30 per cent of Indonesia's smartphone shipment share in the first nine months of 2010. Its market share there is now second only to Nokia.
Yet, despite its rapidly-growing popularity in the country, RIM is facing a major stumbling block. Today marks the deadline for RIM to comply with the Indonesian government's demands for it to filter out pornography on its devices.
As a mobile handset manufacturer, RIM is in a technically unique situation due to how its devices access the Internet. For BlackBerry users, email and Internet data traffic is encrypted and routed through RIM's servers.
But it's not the first time RIM has found itself in such a thorny situation because of how its devices access data. Countries such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia and India have raised similar concerns and have threatened to shut its services down in their respective countries.
In each instance, RIM has shown itself repeatedly to be willing to work with the authorities. In October, RIM squeaked through an agreement with the UAE which allowed it to continue operating in the country, though no details were publicly given on the details of what the agreement between the two entities entailed.
Just last week, RIM acceded to India's requests - the company said it had implemented a solution that would allow the Indian government to lawfully access all messages sent over its secure BlackBerry Messenger and email in the country, to be implemented by Jan 31.
"This lawful access capability now available to RIM's carrier partners meets the standard required by the government of India for all consumer messaging services offered in the Indian marketplace," the company said in a statement.
So why the uncompromising stand from Indonesia?
According to the Jakarta Post, Communications Minister Tifatul Sembiring, commenting on Indonesia's stance regarding the pressure being exerted on RIM, had tweeted: "This is for bigger interests - getting a slice of the pie. RIM doesn't pay any tax to Indonesia, it doesn't build any network infrastructure."
According to Reuters, the Minister had also tweeted that Indonesia's 3 million Blackberry users meant 2.27 trillion rupiah ($320 million) a year in revenue for RIM - but nothing for the country.
But AFP last week reported that the Canadian maker of the popular BlackBerry smartphone had hit back at Indonesian officials' claims it did not pay taxes or contribute to Indonesia's booming economy, with its South-east Asia managing director Gregory Wade saying that "RIM dutifully pays all applicable taxes" and generated "significant profits" for its local partners in the archipelago.
There's also the possibility that all content that goes onto a BlackBerry handset in Indonesia has to pass through a local service provider, too - another possible point at which content could be filtered. Yet the telcos have not been issued the threat of having the plug pulled on them over the matter.
In a statement to Today, RIM said it is "in the process of implementing an Internet content filtering solution". It added that the technical solution "is designed to utilise the same standard filter lists provided by the government to the industry in Indonesia".
If the issue was just about fears of pornography flooding the country, the Indonesian authorities should start in their own backyard - especially given that many of the telcos are at least partially owned by the government.
Whatever the reason, RIM has found itself arm-twisted into compliance - as it was in the Middle East and India - and it looks like a wave that is just starting to pick up momentum.
The love affair with BlackBerry hits a sticking point
by Hedirman Supian
05:55 AM Jan 21, 2011
EARLIER this week, I chanced upon a BlackBerry advertisement on YouTube featuring Indonesian families, students, creative types and businessmen fawning over the device's instant messaging service.
It illustrates how Indonesians view the device as a status symbol and how integral it is in their day-to-day communication.
And the advertisement isn't far from reality. According to technology research firm IDC, Research In Motion (RIM), the makers of BlackBerry devices, captured 30 per cent of Indonesia's smartphone shipment share in the first nine months of 2010. Its market share there is now second only to Nokia.
Yet, despite its rapidly-growing popularity in the country, RIM is facing a major stumbling block. Today marks the deadline for RIM to comply with the Indonesian government's demands for it to filter out pornography on its devices.
As a mobile handset manufacturer, RIM is in a technically unique situation due to how its devices access the Internet. For BlackBerry users, email and Internet data traffic is encrypted and routed through RIM's servers.
But it's not the first time RIM has found itself in such a thorny situation because of how its devices access data. Countries such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia and India have raised similar concerns and have threatened to shut its services down in their respective countries.
In each instance, RIM has shown itself repeatedly to be willing to work with the authorities. In October, RIM squeaked through an agreement with the UAE which allowed it to continue operating in the country, though no details were publicly given on the details of what the agreement between the two entities entailed.
Just last week, RIM acceded to India's requests - the company said it had implemented a solution that would allow the Indian government to lawfully access all messages sent over its secure BlackBerry Messenger and email in the country, to be implemented by Jan 31.
"This lawful access capability now available to RIM's carrier partners meets the standard required by the government of India for all consumer messaging services offered in the Indian marketplace," the company said in a statement.
So why the uncompromising stand from Indonesia?
According to the Jakarta Post, Communications Minister Tifatul Sembiring, commenting on Indonesia's stance regarding the pressure being exerted on RIM, had tweeted: "This is for bigger interests - getting a slice of the pie. RIM doesn't pay any tax to Indonesia, it doesn't build any network infrastructure."
According to Reuters, the Minister had also tweeted that Indonesia's 3 million Blackberry users meant 2.27 trillion rupiah ($320 million) a year in revenue for RIM - but nothing for the country.
But AFP last week reported that the Canadian maker of the popular BlackBerry smartphone had hit back at Indonesian officials' claims it did not pay taxes or contribute to Indonesia's booming economy, with its South-east Asia managing director Gregory Wade saying that "RIM dutifully pays all applicable taxes" and generated "significant profits" for its local partners in the archipelago.
There's also the possibility that all content that goes onto a BlackBerry handset in Indonesia has to pass through a local service provider, too - another possible point at which content could be filtered. Yet the telcos have not been issued the threat of having the plug pulled on them over the matter.
In a statement to Today, RIM said it is "in the process of implementing an Internet content filtering solution". It added that the technical solution "is designed to utilise the same standard filter lists provided by the government to the industry in Indonesia".
If the issue was just about fears of pornography flooding the country, the Indonesian authorities should start in their own backyard - especially given that many of the telcos are at least partially owned by the government.
Whatever the reason, RIM has found itself arm-twisted into compliance - as it was in the Middle East and India - and it looks like a wave that is just starting to pick up momentum.
IPhone Catching Up To BlackBerry In Popularity Among Small Businesses
Written by Resources for Entrepreneurs Staff
Published: 1/20/2011
Small business owners still choose BlackBerry as their No. 1 smartphone.
One of the biggest developments in small business technology news over the past year has been the emergence of the smartphone, allowing owners to stay connected to their businesses no matter where they are.
In fact, a recent survey by Staples found that 56 percent of owners are now spending less time in the office, thanks to the technology. Yet deciding which brand is best can still be difficult.
According to AMI Research, BlackBerry is still No. 1 among small business owners, especially those with in-house IT departments, but Apple's iPhone is beginning to catch up.
"The wealth of applications available for the iPhone makes it an attractive option for SBs," notes Karen Nielsen, senior telecom analyst with AMI. "Small businesses are less apt to have in-house IT support, making the application rich iPhone an attractive multi-use option."
The study additionally found that those businesses supporting multiple operating systems were more optimistic about the coming year and more likely to hire in 2011. These small businesses also had the highest average number of employees and revenue growth.
Published: 1/20/2011
Small business owners still choose BlackBerry as their No. 1 smartphone.
One of the biggest developments in small business technology news over the past year has been the emergence of the smartphone, allowing owners to stay connected to their businesses no matter where they are.
In fact, a recent survey by Staples found that 56 percent of owners are now spending less time in the office, thanks to the technology. Yet deciding which brand is best can still be difficult.
According to AMI Research, BlackBerry is still No. 1 among small business owners, especially those with in-house IT departments, but Apple's iPhone is beginning to catch up.
"The wealth of applications available for the iPhone makes it an attractive option for SBs," notes Karen Nielsen, senior telecom analyst with AMI. "Small businesses are less apt to have in-house IT support, making the application rich iPhone an attractive multi-use option."
The study additionally found that those businesses supporting multiple operating systems were more optimistic about the coming year and more likely to hire in 2011. These small businesses also had the highest average number of employees and revenue growth.
HTC to Launch Three Tablets in First-Half of 2011
Flyer looks more like a large size HTC Desire smartphone, and receive an update for Android 3.0 Honeycomb when the OS version becomes available, the sources said. The tablet will become available only in the second-half of 2011
Malaysia : offering Blackberry as low as RM3
U Mobile offering Blackberry smartphones as low as RM3 this Friday
The RM3 promotion for Blackberry Bold 9780 is only restricted to the first 10 devices, RM33 for the Blackberry Curve 9300 for the next 50 units, and finally RM333 for the same Blackberry Curve 9300 for the subsequent 50 units.
This promotion is applicable to both new and existing customers of U Mobile. Subscribers is required to have a minimum commitment period of 12 months with any voice plan and BlackBerry service (BIS) (which cost RM40 per month), plus RM 250 of advance payment and the device price. Internet tethering and streaming service is not included in the BIS plan and data usage will be charged at 5 sen per MB. All Blackberry devices come with 18 months warranty from Brightstar. One customer may only entitle to purchase one Blackberry smartphone.
The Blackberry launch promotion will be held at Berjaya Times Square, this coming Friday, 21 January 2011, from 10am onwards.
The RM3 promotion for Blackberry Bold 9780 is only restricted to the first 10 devices, RM33 for the Blackberry Curve 9300 for the next 50 units, and finally RM333 for the same Blackberry Curve 9300 for the subsequent 50 units.
This promotion is applicable to both new and existing customers of U Mobile. Subscribers is required to have a minimum commitment period of 12 months with any voice plan and BlackBerry service (BIS) (which cost RM40 per month), plus RM 250 of advance payment and the device price. Internet tethering and streaming service is not included in the BIS plan and data usage will be charged at 5 sen per MB. All Blackberry devices come with 18 months warranty from Brightstar. One customer may only entitle to purchase one Blackberry smartphone.
The Blackberry launch promotion will be held at Berjaya Times Square, this coming Friday, 21 January 2011, from 10am onwards.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Facebook launches app for non-"smart" phones
Mark Raby
Everyone's accessing Facebook on their phones these days. Well, that is, as long as they have a Droid, Blackberry, or iPhone. What about everyone else? Well, now there's an app for that too.
The new "feature phone" app, which is designed for phones that can access the Web but only have limited connectivity, looks almost like a smartphone app. But it runs with barely any online data transfer and gives users as much info on one screen as possible.
The app was created with other areas of the world in mind, where smartphones are not nearly as prevalent as in the US but Facebook is.
"The Facebook for Feature Phones app works on more than 2,500 devices from Nokia, Sony Ericsson, LG and other manufacturers, and it was built in close cooperation with Snaptu," wrote Facebook mobile guru Mark Heynen in a company blog.
Among all cell phone users in the world, feature phones make up about 79% of the market. Smartphones have a significantly smaller share but a high concentration in the richest parts of the world like the US, Japan, and Europe.
Nevertheless, Facebook's only way to grow further is to increase its presence in all parts of the globe so this latest app is a step in that direction
Everyone's accessing Facebook on their phones these days. Well, that is, as long as they have a Droid, Blackberry, or iPhone. What about everyone else? Well, now there's an app for that too.
The new "feature phone" app, which is designed for phones that can access the Web but only have limited connectivity, looks almost like a smartphone app. But it runs with barely any online data transfer and gives users as much info on one screen as possible.
The app was created with other areas of the world in mind, where smartphones are not nearly as prevalent as in the US but Facebook is.
"The Facebook for Feature Phones app works on more than 2,500 devices from Nokia, Sony Ericsson, LG and other manufacturers, and it was built in close cooperation with Snaptu," wrote Facebook mobile guru Mark Heynen in a company blog.
Among all cell phone users in the world, feature phones make up about 79% of the market. Smartphones have a significantly smaller share but a high concentration in the richest parts of the world like the US, Japan, and Europe.
Nevertheless, Facebook's only way to grow further is to increase its presence in all parts of the globe so this latest app is a step in that direction
17000 Apps For Blackberry!!!
BlackBerry App World up to 17,000 apps, enjoys 2 million downloads a day. That's 5,000 apps in the last couple of months!
by Keith Andrew
According to RIM's VP of global alliances and developer relations Tyler Lessard, the number of apps available for a platform isn't necessarily the best indicator of its health.
Speaking in an interview with FierceWireless, Lessard said apps are just one of many factors that help paint a picture of where the platform is at for onlooker - the fact BlackBerry App World trails Android Market when it comes to content doesn't mean RIM is playing catch up.
Of course, indicator or not, Lessard had time enough to reveal that there are now 17,000 apps on BlackBerry App World, with users downloading 2 million titles each and every day.
Apps away
"It's great to see developers pumping out applications, and it's an indicator of some things, but by no means do we view that as the true sort of barometer of what's going on out there," said Lessard.
"We have a very large and productive developer community doing apps through App World as well as distributing applications directly into enterprises. I think that's one reason why you see the number of apps in the store as sometimes a poor estimation of the amount of activity going on."
Nevertheless, Lessard said the number of apps had grown by 5,000 in the last couple of months alone.
Sticking it to 6
Despite such reassurances, however, the general view is that the launch of BlackBerry OS 6 hasn't reignited the platform's flame in the way many had hoped.
RIM managed to ship a record 14.2 million units to retail in the last quarter, yet BlackBerry has failed to claw back market share from both iOS and Android according to most surveys.
As such, just a few months after BlackBerry OS 6 made its debut, RIM has had to talk up the possibility of rolling out its new PlayBook OS – designed by QNX, which RIM purchased in April – to its smartphone line up in the coming years.
Unlike BlackBerry OS 6, PlayBook's OS has impressed most commentators, but Lessard said RIM refuses to launch it on its smartphones until they are equipped with dual-core processors.
"What we've been fairly clear on in our focus with the tablet OS has been to bring it as a no compromise, high performance platform as the future of mobile computing. So today, it will be running on dual-core Gigahertz processor with a GPU product - the PlayBook," he said.
"What we've been able to accomplish with Flash and Air and so on with the PlayBook is best in class, and it's going to be a great experience for consumers, and we really want to make sure we don't back-step from that and offer a degraded experience because hardware is not ready or the performance isn't there. So we'll see how things evolve."
[source: FierceWireless]
by Keith Andrew
According to RIM's VP of global alliances and developer relations Tyler Lessard, the number of apps available for a platform isn't necessarily the best indicator of its health.
Speaking in an interview with FierceWireless, Lessard said apps are just one of many factors that help paint a picture of where the platform is at for onlooker - the fact BlackBerry App World trails Android Market when it comes to content doesn't mean RIM is playing catch up.
Of course, indicator or not, Lessard had time enough to reveal that there are now 17,000 apps on BlackBerry App World, with users downloading 2 million titles each and every day.
Apps away
"It's great to see developers pumping out applications, and it's an indicator of some things, but by no means do we view that as the true sort of barometer of what's going on out there," said Lessard.
"We have a very large and productive developer community doing apps through App World as well as distributing applications directly into enterprises. I think that's one reason why you see the number of apps in the store as sometimes a poor estimation of the amount of activity going on."
Nevertheless, Lessard said the number of apps had grown by 5,000 in the last couple of months alone.
Sticking it to 6
Despite such reassurances, however, the general view is that the launch of BlackBerry OS 6 hasn't reignited the platform's flame in the way many had hoped.
RIM managed to ship a record 14.2 million units to retail in the last quarter, yet BlackBerry has failed to claw back market share from both iOS and Android according to most surveys.
As such, just a few months after BlackBerry OS 6 made its debut, RIM has had to talk up the possibility of rolling out its new PlayBook OS – designed by QNX, which RIM purchased in April – to its smartphone line up in the coming years.
Unlike BlackBerry OS 6, PlayBook's OS has impressed most commentators, but Lessard said RIM refuses to launch it on its smartphones until they are equipped with dual-core processors.
"What we've been fairly clear on in our focus with the tablet OS has been to bring it as a no compromise, high performance platform as the future of mobile computing. So today, it will be running on dual-core Gigahertz processor with a GPU product - the PlayBook," he said.
"What we've been able to accomplish with Flash and Air and so on with the PlayBook is best in class, and it's going to be a great experience for consumers, and we really want to make sure we don't back-step from that and offer a degraded experience because hardware is not ready or the performance isn't there. So we'll see how things evolve."
[source: FierceWireless]
iPad2/iPhone5′s rumored SD slot — is it really necessary?
By Adriana Lee January 19th, 2011
Did you know that we are giving away up-to 100 iPads, Samsung Galaxy S tablets, and Blackberry Playbooks? The next two drawings are being held on January 20th and 24th. Enter on Facebook to receive your ticket numbers today!
One thing the iPhone and iPad have never had is an SD card slot, to expand the onboard storage. Apple tends to like minimalism, and though this has been present on other smartphones for quite some time, we’ve never ever seen one “marring the looks” of an iDevice. Yet.
Recently, Engadget started a rumor from a source who claims that the next-gen iPhone and iPad (as well as Apple TV) will have this never-before-included bit of hardware. The site also says that earlier iPad leaks show a tablet in a very early stage of development — like a “proto” iPad2, if you will. The final version could come out looking really, really different when it does land.
Well, if it actually does sport an SD card slot, that really will be different. In the past, our mobile iProducts have had a set amount of storage space, from 8GB up to 62GB, with users unable to expand that. And in general, this seems to rub a lot of people the wrong way. But is this a vocal minority? Or do you think they represent the majority of iUsers?
Anecdotally, I can say that many people I talk to hate that they can’t just pop in an SD card. But when pressed, they also say that they haven’t actually hit their available limit yet. They tend to remove unused apps simply becausethey don’t like the clutter — a habit formed prior to when iOS 4′s app folders came along, and gave us a better way to organize our homescreens. Interestingly, the behavior still lingers for a lot of people, and it has sort of naturally helped them stay within their storage limits.
So now I’m wondering how big an issue this really is. No matter how you slice it, extra storage is never a bad thing. But really, with the wide variety of potential features our next iPhones and iPads could have, is this particular one as crucial as some online commenters would have us believe?
Tell us what you think. And let us know — have you reached your storage limits on your iDevice or come so close that it’s taking a performance hit? Or are you still nowhere near your max? Hit the comments below to share your stories/opinions.
As for that Engadget post, it also offered other iPad2 claims, like a thinner form factor, much higher screen resolution (not quite Retina Display, but close) as well as dual GSM/CDMA chips (by Qualcomm), which would be usable on both AT&T and Verizon networks. And, of course, the requisite dual camera rumor. It also offers up some bits about the iPhone 5 being totally redesigned on the outside and the inside, including a new A5 proprietary processor chip and GSM/CDMA radios built-in as well. No word on LTE, though. Then again, that isn’t really expected. Yet.
Via: Engadget
Did you know that we are giving away up-to 100 iPads, Samsung Galaxy S tablets, and Blackberry Playbooks? The next two drawings are being held on January 20th and 24th. Enter on Facebook to receive your ticket numbers today!
One thing the iPhone and iPad have never had is an SD card slot, to expand the onboard storage. Apple tends to like minimalism, and though this has been present on other smartphones for quite some time, we’ve never ever seen one “marring the looks” of an iDevice. Yet.
Recently, Engadget started a rumor from a source who claims that the next-gen iPhone and iPad (as well as Apple TV) will have this never-before-included bit of hardware. The site also says that earlier iPad leaks show a tablet in a very early stage of development — like a “proto” iPad2, if you will. The final version could come out looking really, really different when it does land.
Well, if it actually does sport an SD card slot, that really will be different. In the past, our mobile iProducts have had a set amount of storage space, from 8GB up to 62GB, with users unable to expand that. And in general, this seems to rub a lot of people the wrong way. But is this a vocal minority? Or do you think they represent the majority of iUsers?
Anecdotally, I can say that many people I talk to hate that they can’t just pop in an SD card. But when pressed, they also say that they haven’t actually hit their available limit yet. They tend to remove unused apps simply becausethey don’t like the clutter — a habit formed prior to when iOS 4′s app folders came along, and gave us a better way to organize our homescreens. Interestingly, the behavior still lingers for a lot of people, and it has sort of naturally helped them stay within their storage limits.
So now I’m wondering how big an issue this really is. No matter how you slice it, extra storage is never a bad thing. But really, with the wide variety of potential features our next iPhones and iPads could have, is this particular one as crucial as some online commenters would have us believe?
Tell us what you think. And let us know — have you reached your storage limits on your iDevice or come so close that it’s taking a performance hit? Or are you still nowhere near your max? Hit the comments below to share your stories/opinions.
As for that Engadget post, it also offered other iPad2 claims, like a thinner form factor, much higher screen resolution (not quite Retina Display, but close) as well as dual GSM/CDMA chips (by Qualcomm), which would be usable on both AT&T and Verizon networks. And, of course, the requisite dual camera rumor. It also offers up some bits about the iPhone 5 being totally redesigned on the outside and the inside, including a new A5 proprietary processor chip and GSM/CDMA radios built-in as well. No word on LTE, though. Then again, that isn’t really expected. Yet.
Via: Engadget
Indonesia happy so far with BlackBerry porn filter
By IRWAN FIRDAUS - Jan 20, 2011
By The Associated Press
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — BlackBerry started blocking access to pornographic content on smartphones in the world's most populous Muslim nation Thursday after the government threatened to revoke its operating license.
Playboy was among several websites that could not be accessed.
"Thank God," Tifatul Sembiring, a conservative Muslim minister who has spearheaded filtering demands, wrote on his Twitter site. "Pornography has started to be blocked."
"Please go ahead doing business, as long as laws are abided with."
Last week, Indonesia threatened to revoke BlackBerry's license to operate in the nation of 237 million unless it filtered out porn, jeopardizing a growing market that is already bringing the company more than $250 million per year.
The phone's maker, Canadian-based Research in Motion Ltd., responded to the threat by saying it was "fully committed to working with Indonesia's carriers to put in place a prompt, compliant filtering solution."
It agreed to remove all pornographic content by Friday.
When users tried to access www.playboy.com on Thursday they got a message that said "this site cannot be accessed through this network because it contains pornographic material."
By The Associated Press
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — BlackBerry started blocking access to pornographic content on smartphones in the world's most populous Muslim nation Thursday after the government threatened to revoke its operating license.
Playboy was among several websites that could not be accessed.
"Thank God," Tifatul Sembiring, a conservative Muslim minister who has spearheaded filtering demands, wrote on his Twitter site. "Pornography has started to be blocked."
"Please go ahead doing business, as long as laws are abided with."
Last week, Indonesia threatened to revoke BlackBerry's license to operate in the nation of 237 million unless it filtered out porn, jeopardizing a growing market that is already bringing the company more than $250 million per year.
The phone's maker, Canadian-based Research in Motion Ltd., responded to the threat by saying it was "fully committed to working with Indonesia's carriers to put in place a prompt, compliant filtering solution."
It agreed to remove all pornographic content by Friday.
When users tried to access www.playboy.com on Thursday they got a message that said "this site cannot be accessed through this network because it contains pornographic material."
Latest rumor: iPad 2 won't feature Retina Display?
One of the most persistent rumors about Apple's next-generation iPad is that it will sport a super high-resolution display, or what Apple calls a Retina Display.
However, Apple watcher John Gruber is refuting such claims and asserting that the iPad 2 will not have the Retina Display.
A number of sites have reported finding higher resolution graphics in recent builds of Apple's iOS, available on the company's site for developers. The graphics would seem to indicate that Apple is doubling its current iPad display resolution of 1,024x768 pixels to 2,048x1,536 pixels.
However, the well-sourced Gruber says that is not happening. "I asked around, and according to my sources, it is too good to be true: the iPad 2 does not have a Retina Display. I believe the iPad 2's display will remain at 1024x768."
Engadget recently reported that the iPad 2 "will sport a new screen technology that is akin to (though not the same as) the iPhone 4's Retina Display and will be super high resolution."
Although Engadget doesn't claim that the iPad will double the display resolution and does claim that Apple may use some other means to achieve a "super high resolution," Gruber remains unconvinced.
"Maybe it uses the new manufacturing technique Apple introduced with the iPhone 4 display, which brings the LCD closer to the surface of the touchscreen glass--making it look more like pixels on glass rather than pixels under glass," Gruber said. "But my sources are pretty sure that it's not 2048?1536 or any other 'super high resolution.'"
The fact that Apple would try to improve the display of the iPad 2 seems like a given. That is what Apple does when it releases new products, and the company made a big deal about the Retina Display in the iPhone 4, so that is clearly a focus.
But whether the next iPad will feature any sort of super high-resolution display remains to be seen, so to speak.
Iphone With Playboy Apps
By Katie Marsal
Adult magazine Playboy has announced that its entire catalog is headed to the iPad in March, suggesting Apple plans to change its stance on banning mature content from the iOS App Store.
"Big news! Playboy -- both old & new -- will be available on iPad beginning in March," was posted on the official Twitter account of publisher Hugh Hefner this week. Subsequent posts reaffirmed that the entire catalog will be available uncensored.
Of course, it's also possible that the Playboy issues could come to iPad with Web-based access through the device's Safari browser. Hefner's posts made no mention of the App Store, or potential approval from Apple.
An application with nudity would violate the existing guidelines for App Store software, published by Apple last fall. The "Content" section of the official App Store Review Guidelines specifically prohibits pornography.
"Apps containing pornographic material, defined by Webster's Dictionary as 'explicit descriptions or displays of sexual organs or activities intended to stimulate erotic rather than aesthetic or emotional feelings,' will be rejected," the section reads.
Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs has cited pornography as one of the major reasons all software on the App Store must be approved. Last year he noted that there is a "porn store" for the Google Android mobile operating system, Apple's chief competitor in the mobile space.
"You can download it, your kids can download it," Jobs said. "That's a place we don't want to go, so we're not going to."
If issues from Playboy are indeed coming to the App Store, it would be a 180-degree change for Apple, which has not allowed adult content in native iOS software for the iPhone and iPad.
Playboy already has an official application available on the App Store for 99 cents, though it does not include any nudity. The official description for the application notes "This app does NOT contain any nude content."
Adult magazine Playboy has announced that its entire catalog is headed to the iPad in March, suggesting Apple plans to change its stance on banning mature content from the iOS App Store.
"Big news! Playboy -- both old & new -- will be available on iPad beginning in March," was posted on the official Twitter account of publisher Hugh Hefner this week. Subsequent posts reaffirmed that the entire catalog will be available uncensored.
Of course, it's also possible that the Playboy issues could come to iPad with Web-based access through the device's Safari browser. Hefner's posts made no mention of the App Store, or potential approval from Apple.
An application with nudity would violate the existing guidelines for App Store software, published by Apple last fall. The "Content" section of the official App Store Review Guidelines specifically prohibits pornography.
"Apps containing pornographic material, defined by Webster's Dictionary as 'explicit descriptions or displays of sexual organs or activities intended to stimulate erotic rather than aesthetic or emotional feelings,' will be rejected," the section reads.
Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs has cited pornography as one of the major reasons all software on the App Store must be approved. Last year he noted that there is a "porn store" for the Google Android mobile operating system, Apple's chief competitor in the mobile space.
"You can download it, your kids can download it," Jobs said. "That's a place we don't want to go, so we're not going to."
If issues from Playboy are indeed coming to the App Store, it would be a 180-degree change for Apple, which has not allowed adult content in native iOS software for the iPhone and iPad.
Playboy already has an official application available on the App Store for 99 cents, though it does not include any nudity. The official description for the application notes "This app does NOT contain any nude content."
Starbucks starts accepting mobile payments nationwide
By Jennifer Van Grove
(Mashable) -- Nearly 6,800 company-operated Starbucks stores in the U.S. will begin accepting mobile payments Wednesday.
Customers using the Starbucks Card Mobile app on their iPhone, iPod touch or BlackBerry will now be able to use those devices as tender.
The nationwide rollout marks the official launch of the Starbucks Card Mobile payment program, which has been piloted at Target stores and select San Francisco, Seattle and New York Starbucks locations.
Starbucks Card Mobile lets users add their Starbucks Cards, track rewards and reload cards as needed via PayPal or credit card. To pay with their phone, app users simply select "touch to pay" and hold up the barcode on their mobile device screen to the 2-D scanner at the register.
An Android application is also said to be in the works, but the company has yet to disclose a release date.
Starbucks is using its own custom-built technology to enable the 2-D mobile barcode scans. The coffee retailer opted for barcode scanning over near field communication technology -- which Google is exploring -- because of its limited availability.
The coffee retailer was reluctant to wait for a NFC ecosystem to develop when its customers have expressed interest in mobile payments now, according to Chuck Davidson, the category manager of innovation on the Starbucks Card team.
"Once there are more users, we will adapt," he says.
In testing, Starbucks assessed the mobile payment option by measuring application speed, transaction speed and total customer wait time, says Brady Brewer, vice president of Starbucks Card and brand loyalty. In all instances, Starbucks Card Mobile was the fastest way for customers to pay.
Starbucks is investing in mobile payments, an investment Davidson describes as modest in relation to expectations, because customers have requested the option and have shown a propensity to not only pay with Starbucks Cards -- one in five transactions are made using a Starbucks Card -- but frequently use their smartphones while waiting in line.
The company also believes that its customers carry their mobile phones more often than a wallet or purse, and sees Starbucks Card Mobile and the mobile payment program as an opportunity to reach these consumers and build stronger relationships.
Starbucks seems confident that its customers will appreciate the new, faster way to pay. Both Davidson and Brewer believe that adoption will spread as customers tell their friends about the new mobile payment option.
(Mashable) -- Nearly 6,800 company-operated Starbucks stores in the U.S. will begin accepting mobile payments Wednesday.
Customers using the Starbucks Card Mobile app on their iPhone, iPod touch or BlackBerry will now be able to use those devices as tender.
The nationwide rollout marks the official launch of the Starbucks Card Mobile payment program, which has been piloted at Target stores and select San Francisco, Seattle and New York Starbucks locations.
Starbucks Card Mobile lets users add their Starbucks Cards, track rewards and reload cards as needed via PayPal or credit card. To pay with their phone, app users simply select "touch to pay" and hold up the barcode on their mobile device screen to the 2-D scanner at the register.
An Android application is also said to be in the works, but the company has yet to disclose a release date.
Starbucks is using its own custom-built technology to enable the 2-D mobile barcode scans. The coffee retailer opted for barcode scanning over near field communication technology -- which Google is exploring -- because of its limited availability.
The coffee retailer was reluctant to wait for a NFC ecosystem to develop when its customers have expressed interest in mobile payments now, according to Chuck Davidson, the category manager of innovation on the Starbucks Card team.
"Once there are more users, we will adapt," he says.
In testing, Starbucks assessed the mobile payment option by measuring application speed, transaction speed and total customer wait time, says Brady Brewer, vice president of Starbucks Card and brand loyalty. In all instances, Starbucks Card Mobile was the fastest way for customers to pay.
Starbucks is investing in mobile payments, an investment Davidson describes as modest in relation to expectations, because customers have requested the option and have shown a propensity to not only pay with Starbucks Cards -- one in five transactions are made using a Starbucks Card -- but frequently use their smartphones while waiting in line.
The company also believes that its customers carry their mobile phones more often than a wallet or purse, and sees Starbucks Card Mobile and the mobile payment program as an opportunity to reach these consumers and build stronger relationships.
Starbucks seems confident that its customers will appreciate the new, faster way to pay. Both Davidson and Brewer believe that adoption will spread as customers tell their friends about the new mobile payment option.
Apple iPad 2 Case Shows SD Card & Mini DisplayPort Options
There are the usual power button and dock connector slot but also what looks like space for a bigger internal speaker, a hole for a rear facing camera plus enough space for a SD card reader.
Apple Insider also posits that there may well be a cut out at the top where a mini DisplayPort might fit in, one which would allow the iPad to be connected to a HD-ready device.
Conveniently, there have been rumours about the iPad 2 sporting a QXGA screen resolution, one that would allow 3.1 megapixels to be displayed on the 9.7-inch screen of the tablet and would be more than sufficient for all but the largest monitors on the market.
More importantly, the use of a mini DisplayPort would allow the iPad to be connected to the iMac (and other Apple monitors) without any other adaptor.
One could argue though whether it is a classic example of which comes first, the chicken or the egg as Chinese manufacturers may have inspired their creations from leaks in the press which themselves might have been initiated by the likes of Alibaba-based iPad accessory vendors.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
BlackBerry PlayBook vs. Android Tablets
By Anton Wahlman
NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Among the numerous thousands of new products and announcements at CES (Consumer Electronics Show) Las Vegas 2011, there were only two that really mattered, in terms of moving the ball forward for the tablet category. These were the first display of Google's Android 3.0 Honeycomb software, showed for the Motorola Xoom tablet, as well as the first hands-on with the BlackBerry PlayBook.
The Android 3.0 Honeycomb software will become available on more devices than I could possibly list, probably no later than some time in the third quarter of 2011. That said, Google's "hero device" is the Motorola Xoom, which is said to become available by March 2011, with additional versions (LTE, etc.) in the second quarter. So what was Motorola able to show at CES, on the Xoom?
At CES, people were not allowed to touch or play with the Motorola Xoom, and it did not carry even an early version of the 3.0 Honeycomb interface. The tablets shown by Motorola and Verizon Wireless simply ran a handful of videos showing what the interface is intended to look like, which is like showing a drawing of a fantasy car.
In other words, from a software perspective, these "demos" were pretty useless. Actually, as I watched the Verizon Wireless representative try to run the video demos in front of me in the Verizon booth, the Motorola Xoom crashed almost every minute. Clearly, the new Google tablet software isn't ready yet.
From a hardware perspective, though, we did find out one thing: The Motorola Xoom tablet requires you to carry an additional power cable, beyond the MicroUSB that powers almost every smartphone in the market today -- Motorola, BlackBerry, Samsung, HTC and others. This seems to be a major drawback of all Android tablets I have seen so far: A new power cable that's different from every smartphone's power cable.
In contrast, RIM showed the PlayBook the way it's supposed to be shown: RIM allowed everyone to -- pardon the pun -- play with it. The PlayBook with numerous simultaneous windows, with applications running Quake, high-definition video, and Adobe Flash-intensive web sites. The performance was amazing, with all apps multitasking in separate, visible windows -- just like you're used to on your Windows or Mac PC/laptop. And at no point did any of the multiple devices I tested crash.
The stability of BlackBerry's new ONX operating system is legendary, as it operates nuclear power plants and unmanned military vehicles alike, and this unprecedented stability appears to have translated into the PlayBook.
The PlayBook hardware is also filled with interesting advantages. I immediately noticed that it was the only tablet I have seen to date that uses MicroUSB for charging. This means you need to only carry one charger to feed both your PlayBook and your smartphone of any brand (as long as it's not Apple). In addition, the front-facing camera has a very high resolution that could enable biometric user identification, increasing the security of the device, without requiring a separate fingerprint reader.
How does the PlayBook connect to the Internet and to other devices? Just as with the iPad's launch on April 3, 2010, the PlayBook launches with WiFi. As such, you use the device in a manner similar to most iPad owners. You can tether the device to a mobile WiFi hotspot such as the Novatel MiFi, a Motorola Droid or even the new iPhone 4 for Verizon Wireless.
Later in the year, sometime in the second or third quarter, expect versions of the PlayBook to become available on all major cellular networks such as HSPA, LTE and WiMax. Sprint already announced its WiMax version last week, available no later than the third quarter of 2011. Expect Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile USA, AT&T and other operators to announce upcoming availability of their versions in the second quarter.
In addition to WiFi and 3G/4G cellular versions, the PlayBook offers one additional method of connectivity that will set it apart from most other tablets: The PlayBook will connect over Bluetooth to an existing BlackBerry. This comes in handy for organizations with strict security needs that need to strictly protect information residing behind the corporate firewall. Employees may be prohibited from using WiFi as a result of the security concerns regarding WiFi.
The PlayBook uses a form of Bluetooth that RIM says has been approved by the NSA (National Security Agency). In addition, this allows you to share the data plan for which you are already paying on your existing BlackBerry, and it does so using very little power, saving battery life on both devices. These are all major selling points for the PlayBook compared with Android tablets.
RIM showed how the PlayBook runs Android programs that it claims were converted very easily and quickly. I was told that it could be as easy as one programmer spending only a few hours to do the conversion. If this is true, one would think almost every Android program will quickly become available for the PlayBook. The implications of this appear not to have been understood by the market, or else RIM stock would probably be trading well above $100 a share.
Who will buy the PlayBook? Clearly the enterprise/government market is almost a captive one for RIM given that it will have superior security on numerous fronts. Any CSO (chief security officer) of a company in possession of secrets must be scared stiff over what may come next in the WikiLeaks sagas of the future. Given the choice of deploying the same tablet platform that will be used by the CIA and the largest banks, compared with other platforms focusing on playing Angry Birds (that's a popular game, for those of us who have never played a computer game), what do you think most enterprises will choose? The PlayBook, of course.
In summary, the BlackBerry PlayBook was by far the major upside surprise at CES. It performs flawlessly with no crashes or freezes. It has a fantastic browser that will render many apps unnecessary: Who needs a Facebook app when you have a flawless browser, just like your laptop? And if you still need apps, Android apps are easily converted, so the PlayBook could launch in March with more than 200,000 apps available very quickly.
RIM showed that the PlayBook is the real deal. Expect handsets using the same powerful QNX operating system before the end of this year. In comparison, Motorola's Xoom demo of Android 3.0 Honeycomb doesn't really even qualify as a demo, given that all it showed was a video and people weren't allowed to touch it.
RIM stock is trading at a huge discount to peers. Once the PlayBook rolls out in different versions (3-inch, 4-inch, 7-inch, 10-inch, Sprint, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and other versions), the earnings multiple should expand dramatically. Now that the most secure mobile platform is also the most powerful and most flexible, this stock deserves to trade at a premium to peers, not a discount.
Finally, I expect Apple continue to dominate the tablet market for consumers through the end of the year, thanks to the iPad 2, which should become available in the second quarter of 2011. Thanks to numerous hardware vendors, Android will likely take the #2 spot in the consumer market, and RIM should be the #3 consumer player with the PlayBook, while becoming the #1 player in the security-conscious government/enterprise markets.
The biggest question mark is HP, which is unveiling its new smartphone, tablet and TV products in San Francisco on Feb. 9. If HP's new products were to fail, HP may be faced with no other reasonable option other than to acquire RIM, if it wants to pursue its own platform rather than relying on Google, Microsoft or MeeGo (Nokia and Intel joint project).
NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Among the numerous thousands of new products and announcements at CES (Consumer Electronics Show) Las Vegas 2011, there were only two that really mattered, in terms of moving the ball forward for the tablet category. These were the first display of Google's Android 3.0 Honeycomb software, showed for the Motorola Xoom tablet, as well as the first hands-on with the BlackBerry PlayBook.
The Android 3.0 Honeycomb software will become available on more devices than I could possibly list, probably no later than some time in the third quarter of 2011. That said, Google's "hero device" is the Motorola Xoom, which is said to become available by March 2011, with additional versions (LTE, etc.) in the second quarter. So what was Motorola able to show at CES, on the Xoom?
At CES, people were not allowed to touch or play with the Motorola Xoom, and it did not carry even an early version of the 3.0 Honeycomb interface. The tablets shown by Motorola and Verizon Wireless simply ran a handful of videos showing what the interface is intended to look like, which is like showing a drawing of a fantasy car.
In other words, from a software perspective, these "demos" were pretty useless. Actually, as I watched the Verizon Wireless representative try to run the video demos in front of me in the Verizon booth, the Motorola Xoom crashed almost every minute. Clearly, the new Google tablet software isn't ready yet.
From a hardware perspective, though, we did find out one thing: The Motorola Xoom tablet requires you to carry an additional power cable, beyond the MicroUSB that powers almost every smartphone in the market today -- Motorola, BlackBerry, Samsung, HTC and others. This seems to be a major drawback of all Android tablets I have seen so far: A new power cable that's different from every smartphone's power cable.
In contrast, RIM showed the PlayBook the way it's supposed to be shown: RIM allowed everyone to -- pardon the pun -- play with it. The PlayBook with numerous simultaneous windows, with applications running Quake, high-definition video, and Adobe Flash-intensive web sites. The performance was amazing, with all apps multitasking in separate, visible windows -- just like you're used to on your Windows or Mac PC/laptop. And at no point did any of the multiple devices I tested crash.
The stability of BlackBerry's new ONX operating system is legendary, as it operates nuclear power plants and unmanned military vehicles alike, and this unprecedented stability appears to have translated into the PlayBook.
The PlayBook hardware is also filled with interesting advantages. I immediately noticed that it was the only tablet I have seen to date that uses MicroUSB for charging. This means you need to only carry one charger to feed both your PlayBook and your smartphone of any brand (as long as it's not Apple). In addition, the front-facing camera has a very high resolution that could enable biometric user identification, increasing the security of the device, without requiring a separate fingerprint reader.
How does the PlayBook connect to the Internet and to other devices? Just as with the iPad's launch on April 3, 2010, the PlayBook launches with WiFi. As such, you use the device in a manner similar to most iPad owners. You can tether the device to a mobile WiFi hotspot such as the Novatel MiFi, a Motorola Droid or even the new iPhone 4 for Verizon Wireless.
Later in the year, sometime in the second or third quarter, expect versions of the PlayBook to become available on all major cellular networks such as HSPA, LTE and WiMax. Sprint already announced its WiMax version last week, available no later than the third quarter of 2011. Expect Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile USA, AT&T and other operators to announce upcoming availability of their versions in the second quarter.
In addition to WiFi and 3G/4G cellular versions, the PlayBook offers one additional method of connectivity that will set it apart from most other tablets: The PlayBook will connect over Bluetooth to an existing BlackBerry. This comes in handy for organizations with strict security needs that need to strictly protect information residing behind the corporate firewall. Employees may be prohibited from using WiFi as a result of the security concerns regarding WiFi.
The PlayBook uses a form of Bluetooth that RIM says has been approved by the NSA (National Security Agency). In addition, this allows you to share the data plan for which you are already paying on your existing BlackBerry, and it does so using very little power, saving battery life on both devices. These are all major selling points for the PlayBook compared with Android tablets.
RIM showed how the PlayBook runs Android programs that it claims were converted very easily and quickly. I was told that it could be as easy as one programmer spending only a few hours to do the conversion. If this is true, one would think almost every Android program will quickly become available for the PlayBook. The implications of this appear not to have been understood by the market, or else RIM stock would probably be trading well above $100 a share.
Who will buy the PlayBook? Clearly the enterprise/government market is almost a captive one for RIM given that it will have superior security on numerous fronts. Any CSO (chief security officer) of a company in possession of secrets must be scared stiff over what may come next in the WikiLeaks sagas of the future. Given the choice of deploying the same tablet platform that will be used by the CIA and the largest banks, compared with other platforms focusing on playing Angry Birds (that's a popular game, for those of us who have never played a computer game), what do you think most enterprises will choose? The PlayBook, of course.
In summary, the BlackBerry PlayBook was by far the major upside surprise at CES. It performs flawlessly with no crashes or freezes. It has a fantastic browser that will render many apps unnecessary: Who needs a Facebook app when you have a flawless browser, just like your laptop? And if you still need apps, Android apps are easily converted, so the PlayBook could launch in March with more than 200,000 apps available very quickly.
RIM showed that the PlayBook is the real deal. Expect handsets using the same powerful QNX operating system before the end of this year. In comparison, Motorola's Xoom demo of Android 3.0 Honeycomb doesn't really even qualify as a demo, given that all it showed was a video and people weren't allowed to touch it.
RIM stock is trading at a huge discount to peers. Once the PlayBook rolls out in different versions (3-inch, 4-inch, 7-inch, 10-inch, Sprint, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and other versions), the earnings multiple should expand dramatically. Now that the most secure mobile platform is also the most powerful and most flexible, this stock deserves to trade at a premium to peers, not a discount.
Finally, I expect Apple continue to dominate the tablet market for consumers through the end of the year, thanks to the iPad 2, which should become available in the second quarter of 2011. Thanks to numerous hardware vendors, Android will likely take the #2 spot in the consumer market, and RIM should be the #3 consumer player with the PlayBook, while becoming the #1 player in the security-conscious government/enterprise markets.
The biggest question mark is HP, which is unveiling its new smartphone, tablet and TV products in San Francisco on Feb. 9. If HP's new products were to fail, HP may be faced with no other reasonable option other than to acquire RIM, if it wants to pursue its own platform rather than relying on Google, Microsoft or MeeGo (Nokia and Intel joint project).
The Male Brain and Technology: Sexual Implications
Is technology rewiring male sex and sexuality?
Last year's postings considered the changing ideal of masculine beauty in a multicultural world. This year we contemplate another force that is shaping male sex and sexuality: Technology.
There are abundant claims that technology is rewiring the human brain, particularly social media, video games, and the Internet (especially pornography). Ominous prognostications regarding technology's impact on the brains of children and adolescents are common media occurrences. For example, The New York Times ran a front-page article "Growing Up Digital, Wired for Distraction" (November 21, 2010) examining the correlation between technology and short attention spans. A week later Philadelphia Magazine published "Is It Just Us, Or Are Kids Really Stupid?" It claimed that technology is causing today's youth to become, well, stupid. Several recent books promulgate the same thesis.
Since the brain is intimately involved in sexual desire, arousal, performance, and even satisfaction (and to a far grater extent than the external anatomy commonly associated with sex), neurological rewiring due to technology could very well impact all of these attributes. This would occur in two not mutually exclusive ways.
• Technology may lead to problems that mediate sexual behavior, including an inability to delay gratification and contemplate consequences, distractibility, and impulsivity. Obviously if technology is causing any of these characteristics to increase in the population, particularly amongst young people, sexual repercussions are not difficult to formulate. For example, an impulsive male who cannot consider the consequences of his actions is at higher risk for engaging in unsafe sexual activity.
• Technology may also directly affect sexual behaviors regardless of (or in addition to) the aforementioned mediating factors. Patrick Carnes, for example, popularized the concept of compulsive online sexual behavior in which individuals become enslaved to Internet porn and/or other online sexual activities.
Of course technological advances do not necessarily promote only untoward effects on sex and sexuality. More and more youth receive high-quality sex education through respectable Internet sources, and sex educators use similar resources as an adjunct to their standard curriculum. Also, as I described in last year's postings, Internet porn is advancing an acceptance of the varieties of masculine beauty in our multicultural world.
At present, there seems to be no consensus regarding the impact of technology on the brain, and as for its impact on sex, demagoguery supersedes science. The next several blogs will begin to extract fact from hyperbole.
There are abundant claims that technology is rewiring the human brain, particularly social media, video games, and the Internet (especially pornography). Ominous prognostications regarding technology's impact on the brains of children and adolescents are common media occurrences. For example, The New York Times ran a front-page article "Growing Up Digital, Wired for Distraction" (November 21, 2010) examining the correlation between technology and short attention spans. A week later Philadelphia Magazine published "Is It Just Us, Or Are Kids Really Stupid?" It claimed that technology is causing today's youth to become, well, stupid. Several recent books promulgate the same thesis.
Since the brain is intimately involved in sexual desire, arousal, performance, and even satisfaction (and to a far grater extent than the external anatomy commonly associated with sex), neurological rewiring due to technology could very well impact all of these attributes. This would occur in two not mutually exclusive ways.
• Technology may lead to problems that mediate sexual behavior, including an inability to delay gratification and contemplate consequences, distractibility, and impulsivity. Obviously if technology is causing any of these characteristics to increase in the population, particularly amongst young people, sexual repercussions are not difficult to formulate. For example, an impulsive male who cannot consider the consequences of his actions is at higher risk for engaging in unsafe sexual activity.
• Technology may also directly affect sexual behaviors regardless of (or in addition to) the aforementioned mediating factors. Patrick Carnes, for example, popularized the concept of compulsive online sexual behavior in which individuals become enslaved to Internet porn and/or other online sexual activities.
Of course technological advances do not necessarily promote only untoward effects on sex and sexuality. More and more youth receive high-quality sex education through respectable Internet sources, and sex educators use similar resources as an adjunct to their standard curriculum. Also, as I described in last year's postings, Internet porn is advancing an acceptance of the varieties of masculine beauty in our multicultural world.
At present, there seems to be no consensus regarding the impact of technology on the brain, and as for its impact on sex, demagoguery supersedes science. The next several blogs will begin to extract fact from hyperbole.
How Technology is Using Us??
How does it happen that millions of people will give up their privacy to download and play a cheap video game on their cell phones? What kind of brain changes are occurring as a result of online absorption? How are family relationships being affected when Mom or Dad can't stop texting long enough to play with their children? How does instant communications social media change the questions we ask and the way we choose to think about problems? These are some of the questions addressed in a new book that I am looking forward to reading. An interview with the author at FastCompany.com:
Sherry Turkle, has been an ethnographer of our technological world for three decades, hosted all the while at one of its epicenters: MIT. A professor of the social studies of science and technology there, she also heads up its Initiative on Technology and Self. Her new book, Alone Together, completes a trilogy of investigations into the ways humans interact with technology. It can be, at times, a grim read. Fast Company spoke recently with Turkle about connecting, solitude, and how that compulsion to always have your BlackBerry on might actually be hurting your company's bottom line.
I didn't realize MIT hired Luddites.
Well, I'm no Luddite. I think this book is not the book of a Luddite. This is the book of someone deeply appreciative of technology, who took her time to see how our use of this technology unfolded, and who thinks like with any technology, it's had some effects, good and bad. Every technology becomes our partner, because we make it, and then it makes and shapes us in return, and it takes a little time for us to see how that process of mutual unfolding goes. Every technology gives us the opportunity to say, Is this technology serving our human values? And if not, the opportunity to make corrections. This book is meant to be part a conversation to make corrections. I think there are ways in which we're constantly communicating and yet not making enough good connections, in a way that's to our detriment, to the detriment of our families and to our business organizations.
You conducted a lot of fieldwork and clinical interviews to write this book. Who did you talk to?
I interviewed lawyers, architects, management consultants, and businessmen. They talk about the volume and the velocity [of communications]. They're never off; the communication is constant; and they talk in terms of 500, 1,000, 1,500 [emails per day]. It's more life than they can even read, and they say things like, "I can't even keep up with my life." When you have that kind of volume and velocity, you start to notice that people ask you questions expecting a quick answer, and you start to ask questions that you can give a quick answer to. The questions can get dumbed down so that the answers will be quick. We're not necessarily putting our investment in the ties that bind; we're putting our investment in the ties that preoccupy.
What advice do you have for businesses who increasingly use this technology--smart phones, social networks, and the like?
What businesses need to do is remember that these technologies are precious. My book doesn't put these technologies down. It puts these technologies in their place. You need to put a fast deal in Abu Dhabi? There's nothing better, and nothing in my book suggests this technology should not be used widely and deeply to solve such problems. What I'm against is a kind of technological promiscuity, where that technology, so perfect in that [Abu Dhabi] circumstance, is the technology you think is perfect for people to bring into a board meeting, when they need to be working on a problem together. In that case it's not the technology of choice. They're not physically present with the people they need to bond with and deeply connect with, and need to make very consequential decisions with. I hate the metaphor of addiction: it implies we have to get it away, give it away, wean off. This is great stuff. It's not heroin. It's just something we need to learn to use when most appropriate, powerful, and in our best interest.
So I don't need to throw away my iPhone?
Absolutely not! It's a precious technology, when used in accordance with your social, professional, and personal values.
The title of your book, Alone Together, is chilling.
If you get into these email, Facebook thumbs-up/thumbs-down settings, a paradoxical thing happens: even though you're alone, you get into this situation where you're continually looking for your next message, and to have a sense of approval and validation. You're alone but looking for approval as though you were together--the little red light going off on the BlackBerry to see if you have somebody's validation. I make a statement in the book, that if you don't learn how to be alone, you'll always be lonely, that loneliness is failed solitude. We're raising a generation that has grown up with constant connection, and only knows how to be lonely when not connected. This capacity for generative solitude is very important for the creative process, but if you grow up thinking it's your right and due to be tweeted and retweeted, to have thumbs up on Facebook...we're losing a capacity for autonomy both intellectual and emotional.
You only mention Twitter a few times in the book. What are your thoughts on Twitter?
I think it's an interesting notion that sharing becomes part of actually having the thought. It's not "I think therefore I am," it's, "I share therefore I am." Sharing as you're thinking opens you up to whether the group likes what you're thinking as becoming a very big factor in whether or not you think you're thinking well. Is Twitter fun, is it interesting to hear the aperçus of people? Of course! I certainly don't have an anti-Twitter position. It's just not everything.
You write in your book that we today seem to view authenticity with the same skittishness that the Victorians viewed sex.
For some purpose, simulation is just as good as a real. Kids call it being "alive enough." Making an airline reservation? Simulation is as good as the real. Playing chess? Maybe, maybe not. It can beat you, but do you care? Many people are building robot companions; David Levy argues that robots will be intimate companions. Where we are now, I call it the "robotic moment," not because we have robots, but because we're being philosophically prepared to have them. I'm very haunted by these children who talk about simulation as "alive enough." We're encouraged to live more and more of our lives in simulation.
You mention how when people see the little red light on their BlackBerry, indicating a message has arrived, they feel utterly compelled to grab it. Do you personally experience that compulsion?
I recognize it with my email. Somebody said of email, "It's the place for hope in life." It reminds me of how in Jane Austen, carriages are always coming, you're waiting, it could be Mr. Bingley's invitation to a ball. There's some sense that the post is always arriving in Jane Austen. There's something about email that carries the sense that that's where the good news will come. I did a hysterical interview with an accountant about why he felt so strongly about his texts. He said he might get a Genius award! I said, "I don't think they give those to accountants." And he said, "But you know what I mean." He was trying to express that anything could happen on email. Anything could happen! I try to figure out what it is that this little red light means to people. I think it's that place for hope and change and the new, and what can be different, and how things can be what they're not now. And I think we all want that.
Samsung Star II Launching Next Month
The successor to the hugely popular Samsung Star will launch in February in Germany and will be followed by other European countries shortly after. The Korea Times translated a Samsung press release which can be read here.
The original Samsung Star sold over 30 million units worldwide and Samsung will be hoping the Star II does just as well.
The Samsung Star II is touch-screen mobile that aims to deliver an excellent social networking experience to its users. It features a personalized user-interface, which provides an easy-to-use intuitive experience.
The Star II supports Samsung's Socialhub which integrates your social network contracts with your mobile contacts enabling you to interact across various social platforms using your mobile. When you choose to contact a name from your address book you will be able to choose which method of communication you want to use.
The mobile also comes pre-loaded with applications for Facebook and Twitter, as well as support for Instant messenger which works with Facebook, Gmail and AIM. chat clients Samsung's TouchWiz 3.0 user interface is also present which enables you to personalise your home-screen and widget-bar.
The screen on the Samsung Star II is a 3 inch touch-screen and the mobile also features a 3.2 mega-pixel camera for taking and uploading photos to your favourite social network.
Once we hear more about the Samsung Star II we'll let you know.
Source : Korea Times
Nokia E7- A new mobile in the market!
Nokia’ E Series handsets have proved quite popular and the manufacturer is leaning more towards the business user with the E7 (now in black).
The Nokia E7 delivers outstanding performance with the latest technology and a high quality chassis. The 4-inch touchscreen display features ClearBlack technology designed for optimal use in direct sunlight and it also offers lower power consumption for better battery performance. The innovative display slides and tilts to give access to the 4-row QWERTY keypad, a must for emails and messages.
Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync delivers your Outlook email to your phone and allows you to view and edit Windows files. ActiveSync authentication will keep your files secure and F-Sync protection is included for remote locking, wiping and locating the handset should you lose it. The handset is powered by Symbian^3 that allows you to personalise three home screens and delivers multitasking without sacrificing battery life.
The Nokia Ovi store can be accessed via the 3G/HSDPA web browser allowing new apps to be downloaded keeping the E7 up to date. GPS navigation, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are included as well as an 8-megapixel camera for capturing detailed photos and video clips. There is also a HDMI port so you can share your videos and photos on your TV at home.
The Nokia E7 is high-end all the way with an anodised aluminium body and scratch resistant surface to ensure it retains its good looks.
3 New Model for Blackberry!!!
Three new devices purportedly from BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (RIM)'s forthcoming lineup of smartphones have appeared on the internet.
Technology blog Boy Genius Report (BGR) showed off pictures of the three handsets coupled with their rumoured specifications.
Dakota, a touchscreen smartphone with full QWERTY keyboard is said to be RIM's next flagship device.
According to BGR, the BlackBerry Dakota is designed with "the famous original Bold styling" and will measure around 10.5 mm thin.
It has a 5 MP camera with HD video recording, Near Field Communication (NFC), 3G Mobile hotspot, magnetometer, accelerometer, proximity sensor, 4GB of storage and 768MB of RAM, a 2.8-inch VGA 640 x 480 capacitive screen and will run the next version of the BlackBerry OS, 6.1.
"The BlackBerry Dakota is shaping up to be the firms best yet" said technology blog MobileCrunch but others are suggesting that may not be quite enough to impress the hard-to-please technologists and increasingly technology-savvy consumers.
"Now, these specs are definitely head and shoulders above all other BlackBerry specs," says Gizmodo, "but compared to the current crop of Androids, Windows Phone 7s, iPhones-heck, even Nokia's N-Series, the specs just aren't getting me excited."
Two other BlackBerry devices have also been pictured on the BGR website: an updated version of the company's low-price handset, the BlackBerry Curve (codenamed "Apollo") and a next generation QWERTY horizontal-slider, the BlackBerry Torch 2.
The "BlackBerry Curve finally brings up the lower-mid end of the BlackBerry lineup with very reasonable (and decent) specs for what will be an aggressively priced handset line" reports BGR. The device will get a 480 x 360 HVGA display, 5 MP camera, NFC, WiFi and GPS.
The BlackBerry Torch 2 retains its original horizontal-slider form factor whilst its insides get a power boost thanks to a new 1.2GHz processor (an increase from device's existing 600MHz processor) and various other tweaks.
BGR says the Torch 2 is set for a late Q3 release but couldn't provide further details regarding pricing and release dates for the other two handsets.
Technology blog Boy Genius Report (BGR) showed off pictures of the three handsets coupled with their rumoured specifications.
Dakota, a touchscreen smartphone with full QWERTY keyboard is said to be RIM's next flagship device.
According to BGR, the BlackBerry Dakota is designed with "the famous original Bold styling" and will measure around 10.5 mm thin.
It has a 5 MP camera with HD video recording, Near Field Communication (NFC), 3G Mobile hotspot, magnetometer, accelerometer, proximity sensor, 4GB of storage and 768MB of RAM, a 2.8-inch VGA 640 x 480 capacitive screen and will run the next version of the BlackBerry OS, 6.1.
"The BlackBerry Dakota is shaping up to be the firms best yet" said technology blog MobileCrunch but others are suggesting that may not be quite enough to impress the hard-to-please technologists and increasingly technology-savvy consumers.
"Now, these specs are definitely head and shoulders above all other BlackBerry specs," says Gizmodo, "but compared to the current crop of Androids, Windows Phone 7s, iPhones-heck, even Nokia's N-Series, the specs just aren't getting me excited."
Two other BlackBerry devices have also been pictured on the BGR website: an updated version of the company's low-price handset, the BlackBerry Curve (codenamed "Apollo") and a next generation QWERTY horizontal-slider, the BlackBerry Torch 2.
The "BlackBerry Curve finally brings up the lower-mid end of the BlackBerry lineup with very reasonable (and decent) specs for what will be an aggressively priced handset line" reports BGR. The device will get a 480 x 360 HVGA display, 5 MP camera, NFC, WiFi and GPS.
The BlackBerry Torch 2 retains its original horizontal-slider form factor whilst its insides get a power boost thanks to a new 1.2GHz processor (an increase from device's existing 600MHz processor) and various other tweaks.
BGR says the Torch 2 is set for a late Q3 release but couldn't provide further details regarding pricing and release dates for the other two handsets.
http://www.bgr.com/2011/01/13/exclusive-blackberry-dakota-gets-pictured-the-touch-and-type-blackberry-youve-been-waiting-for/
http://www.bgr.com/2011/01/13/exclusive-next-generation-blackberry-curve-appears-brings-specs-with-it/
http://www.bgr.com/2011/01/13/exclusive-blackberry-torch-2-gets-detailed/
http://www.bgr.com/2011/01/13/exclusive-next-generation-blackberry-curve-appears-brings-specs-with-it/
http://www.bgr.com/2011/01/13/exclusive-blackberry-torch-2-gets-detailed/
Apple Will Sell Their 100 Millionth iPhone This Year
Being phone geeks, we at MobileCrunch HQ like to keep pretty close tabs on how many iPhones are floating around out there, if only because the idea of selling millions and millions of anything blows our collective mind. As of September of last year, the iPhone grand total was right around 73.5 million.
Apple has just announced the numbers for their 1st fiscal quarter of 2011 (which, confusing terms aside, ran from September 25th to December 25th, 2010) — and all in all, the company managed to churn out roughly 16.24 million iPhones. That brings the total up to just shy of 90 million (as in around 89.75 million).
With three quarters left to go in the fiscal year, the chances of Apple selling their 100 millionth iPhone this year are hovering around 100%. In 2010′s non-Holiday quarters, Apple sold an average of 8.6 million iPhones. Given that, look for Apple to start heralding number 100,000,000 at the tail end of this quarter, or the beginning of the next (though with the launch of the Verizon iPhone next month, we can probably expect it sooner than later.) - mobilecrunch.com
Apple has just announced the numbers for their 1st fiscal quarter of 2011 (which, confusing terms aside, ran from September 25th to December 25th, 2010) — and all in all, the company managed to churn out roughly 16.24 million iPhones. That brings the total up to just shy of 90 million (as in around 89.75 million).
With three quarters left to go in the fiscal year, the chances of Apple selling their 100 millionth iPhone this year are hovering around 100%. In 2010′s non-Holiday quarters, Apple sold an average of 8.6 million iPhones. Given that, look for Apple to start heralding number 100,000,000 at the tail end of this quarter, or the beginning of the next (though with the launch of the Verizon iPhone next month, we can probably expect it sooner than later.) - mobilecrunch.com
Windows Phone 7, Collateral Damage Edition
Verizon getting the iPhone is cruelly timed torture for Microsoft and Windows Phone 7, already facing an uphill battle against Android and other smartphones.
There's no doubt that Verizon will sell a lot of iPhones out of the gate. What we don't yet know is whether those sales will come from existing Verizon customers or from disgruntled AT&T customers who have been yearning for another network to satisfy their iPhone desires. Right now, only AT&T is The Official iPhone Carrier. That has given other carriers the opportunity to fill an anti-AT&T niche, using BlackBerry, Android, and yes, Windows Phone 7. A Verizon iPhone changes all that, especially since Verizon is the country's largest carrier.
As for who is hurt by a Verizon iPhone, most people are focusing on Google's Android. Together, the two iPhone carriers hold more than 60% of subscriber share, more than doubling the iPhone's potential reach from when it was at AT&T alone. Since Verizon was not selling the iPhone before, it's a near-certainty that some of the iPhone's success on Verizon will come at the expense of other smartphone makers. But at least BlackBerry and Android are already well-established in the overall market and offered by all the carriers, not just Verizon and AT&T. Microsoft doesn't have that luxury.
Analysts are haggling over how much Verizon's iPhone sales will be due to a larger smartphone pie over time, how much results from AT&T defections, and how much comes at the expense of competitors who currently have Verizon customers comfortably to themselves. If above graph of Android ad impressions is credible, it seems like the iPhone has basically sucked the oxygen out of the room for any other smartphone on AT&T. That should have Microsoft very concerned, because they're in an even weaker position than Android. But let's not forget that iPhone had a multi-year start on AT&T's network; it basically defined the modern smartphone category when it was released in 2007. At Newsweek.com, Dan Lyons argues that the Verizon iPhone is too late, and perhaps it is -- if Apple's goal was to prevent Android from gaining a competitive foothold. But Android has established itself whether Apple likes it or not; millions of users have Android phones and multi-year contracts that ensure they'll be staying with Android for a while. When it comes time to choose a new phone, their familiarity with Android and its Google-centric services may be a strong factor in their choice. But again, there's no silver lining here for Microsoft, since they have almost no market share to provide momentum against the iPhone's braking force.
When Microsoft announced the carriers that would have Windows Phone 7 at launch, there were only two: AT&T and T-Mobile. Verizon was notably absent. Now it makes sense why Verizon decided to skip the coming-out party. Sure, it's possible that the taste of Kin hadn't yet left their mouth, but that seems like a petty reason. Most likely they didn't want to overshadow their iPhone launch in any way.
Since many average consumers don't even know Windows Phone 7 exists, Microsoft has been trying to build buzz by setting up kiosks in shopping malls. I had a first-hand experience at my local mall in Maryland, and it provides some insight into how difficult a job Microsoft has. Our family stopped by the Windows Phone 7 kiosk one night and looked at the phones. The staff there was very knowledgeable about the phones they had available for demo. Microsoft is definitely trying hard to make the public aware of their products.
Microsoft's booth had a promotion where you could win a phone instantly by scanning a ticket. In a stroke of apparent luck, my son won that day's prize phone. It was the AT&T version of the LG Quantum, a handsome horizontal-slider phone with a very usable keyboard that retails for $400. That's a mighty nice thing to win, right? Well, not so fast. The phone only costs $100 with a two-year contract, and of course you'll need to activate an AT&T account and pay at least $55 a month for service. That price assumes you can live with a measly 200-MB per month data plan. AT&T doesn't offer a penny of discount for customers who bring their own equipment (T-Mobile does, for example), so a "free phone" doesn't sweeten the deal very much.
Then there is the software side of the equation. Windows Phone 7 is pretty and seems quite functional, although I think the folding tile animations are annoying and make the phones seem slower than they really are. But for many users, the cost of switching from their current phone's ecosystem to a Microsoft ecosystem will be more than they can bear. iPhone, Android, and BlackBerry users already know how to use the apps on their phones. The Windows Phone integration only works smoothly if you buy into all the Microsoft cloud services that underpin it: Hotmail, Bing, SkyDrive, etc. Users who've already put their heads in an Apple or Google cloud won't want to face the anguish of moving their data.
The undisputed financial winner in the Phone Wars, at least in the near term, is Apple. AT&T users can't just switch to Verizon and keep their old iPhone; they have to buy a new iPhone that works on Verizon's CDMA network. That's money in Apple's pocket. Perhaps we'll see a glut of used GSM-based AT&T iPhones being sold on secondary markets like eBay, but Apple is no doubt working on an iPhone 5 to make those old phones look unattractive to Apple fans.
I don't think there is any sort of intentional ploy by Apple, Google, or any of the carriers and device makers to pull a "cut off their air supply" on Windows Phone 7, because frankly it's not a big enough concern for the other players to worry about right now. Instead, Microsoft just got caught in an unfortunate crossfire. Between the fall of iPhone exclusivity and the rise of Android, they just can't get the kind of traction they need to make a dent in this market. I don't see that changing in 2011, no matter how much money Microsoft plows into it.
Although we don't know the exact sales figures for Windows Phone 7, some of the phone makers have said they were disappointed with Microsoft's inaugural push into the market. Verizon's announcement of an iPhone and the already-robust Android market will prevent an effective second push in 2011.
As for who is hurt by a Verizon iPhone, most people are focusing on Google's Android. Together, the two iPhone carriers hold more than 60% of subscriber share, more than doubling the iPhone's potential reach from when it was at AT&T alone. Since Verizon was not selling the iPhone before, it's a near-certainty that some of the iPhone's success on Verizon will come at the expense of other smartphone makers. But at least BlackBerry and Android are already well-established in the overall market and offered by all the carriers, not just Verizon and AT&T. Microsoft doesn't have that luxury.
Analysts are haggling over how much Verizon's iPhone sales will be due to a larger smartphone pie over time, how much results from AT&T defections, and how much comes at the expense of competitors who currently have Verizon customers comfortably to themselves. If above graph of Android ad impressions is credible, it seems like the iPhone has basically sucked the oxygen out of the room for any other smartphone on AT&T. That should have Microsoft very concerned, because they're in an even weaker position than Android.
When Microsoft announced the carriers that would have Windows Phone 7 at launch, there were only two: AT&T and T-Mobile. Verizon was notably absent. Now it makes sense why Verizon decided to skip the coming-out party. Sure, it's possible that the taste of Kin hadn't yet left their mouth, but that seems like a petty reason. Most likely they didn't want to overshadow their iPhone launch in any way.
Microsoft says that Verizon (and Sprint) will have Windows Phone 7 devices by June 30 this year, but that is a long way off. It's an eternity when Windows Phone 7 will be dead to more than one-third of mobile subscribers in the United States, while the next six months bring continued growth for competitors.
Microsoft's booth had a promotion where you could win a phone instantly by scanning a ticket. In a stroke of apparent luck, my son won that day's prize phone. It was the AT&T version of the LG Quantum, a handsome horizontal-slider phone with a very usable keyboard that retails for $400. That's a mighty nice thing to win, right? Well, not so fast. The phone only costs $100 with a two-year contract, and of course you'll need to activate an AT&T account and pay at least $55 a month for service. That price assumes you can live with a measly 200-MB per month data plan. AT&T doesn't offer a penny of discount for customers who bring their own equipment (T-Mobile does, for example), so a "free phone" doesn't sweeten the deal very much.
Then there is the software side of the equation. Windows Phone 7 is pretty and seems quite functional, although I think the folding tile animations are annoying and make the phones seem slower than they really are. But for many users, the cost of switching from their current phone's ecosystem to a Microsoft ecosystem will be more than they can bear. iPhone, Android, and BlackBerry users already know how to use the apps on their phones. The Windows Phone integration only works smoothly if you buy into all the Microsoft cloud services that underpin it: Hotmail, Bing, SkyDrive, etc. Users who've already put their heads in an Apple or Google cloud won't want to face the anguish of moving their data.
The undisputed financial winner in the Phone Wars, at least in the near term, is Apple. AT&T users can't just switch to Verizon and keep their old iPhone; they have to buy a new iPhone that works on Verizon's CDMA network. That's money in Apple's pocket. Perhaps we'll see a glut of used GSM-based AT&T iPhones being sold on secondary markets like eBay, but Apple is no doubt working on an iPhone 5 to make those old phones look unattractive to Apple fans.
I don't think there is any sort of intentional ploy by Apple, Google, or any of the carriers and device makers to pull a "cut off their air supply" on Windows Phone 7, because frankly it's not a big enough concern for the other players to worry about right now. Instead, Microsoft just got caught in an unfortunate crossfire. Between the fall of iPhone exclusivity and the rise of Android, they just can't get the kind of traction they need to make a dent in this market. I don't see that changing in 2011, no matter how much money Microsoft plows into it.
Samsung Galaxy : Better than the iPad & iPhone?
By Sree Sreenivasan
Among my friends and colleagues, I am known as a devoted Apple user.
The last five computers I've bought have been MacBooks and my next purchase will be the MacBook Air (in fact, I am waiting for one of four-year-old MacBooks to die, but it's not cooperating). I recommend Apple products to everyone I know. I was disheartened to learn that Steve Jobs is again on medical leave because I think he's one of the greatest business leaders in history.
So it surprises people when they discover I don't own an iPhone or an iPad. Both are terrific products that I have tested, used and recommended extensively. But they haven't been right for me.
About the iPhone: I am a long-time Sprint customer who loves the $99 "all you can eat" data plan for my BlackBerry, so switching to the higher-priced AT&T plans wasn't appealing. Also, I like the BlackBerry's keyboard, so I wasn't ready for iPhone's virtual keyboard.
About the iPad: As I said the first day it came out (on CNN and to anyone who'd listen), I want it to have a camera so my kids can easily talk to grandma. I found it too heavy to carry around comfortably or hold without resting it on a table or against my knee. And the price of the 3G model starts at $629 and heads fast to $829.
That doesn't mean I didn't covet the iPhone or iPad. Surrounded as I am by folks with one or both, I've had plenty of iEnvy.
But over the last two months, that's changed completely. I've been testing two Samsung products that I think not only hold their own against their Apple rivals, but might also be better in some respects. One is an iPad competitor called the Galaxy Tab; the other is an iPhone substitute called the Epic.
Samsung has sold 1.5 million Galaxy Tabs, and more than 10 million Epics.
Here are six things I learned using these products:
• I PREFER 'EM TO THE iPAD & iPHONE: The Galaxy Tab is smaller and lighter than the iPad. It fits in my suit jacket's breast pocket. It has two cameras so you can take photos and video and also do live video chats. The cameras on the Tab take outstanding photos and videos and you can upload them instantly to YouTube or share them via e-mail. It has a built-in panorama setting in the camera which takes striking, unusual images, instantly stitching together up to eight photos. And, yes, it plays Flash.
The Tab is cheaper than the iPad and has been recently reduced by Sprint by $100 to $299.99 with a two-year contract and $499.99 if you want it without a contract. T-Mobile offers its $599.99 Tab (with a $200 instant discount and a $50 web-only discount) for $349.99.
The Epic is a fully functional smartphone, has a virtual and full keyboard and takes excellent photos. And it has offered 4G since November. Samsung cut the price of the Epic from $249.99 to $199.99 with a new line or upgrade, two-year service agreement and $100 mail-in rebate. That matches the $199 price of the new Verizon iPhone (coming Feb. 1).
One innovative feature on both products is Swype, which allows you to use the virtual keyboard by sliding your fingers across the letters to form the word you want. It takes getting used to, but works well - so well, in fact, that I almost never use the Epic's physical keyboard (there isn't a physical keyboard on the Tab).
• THERE'S ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: Netflix doesn't work on the Galaxy Tab yet. And neither does the amazing Flipboard app that makes iPad a newslover's dream. It doesn't have the battery life of an iPad. The Epic, in particular, needs a lot of work on its battery life. The Android marketplace - not as big as the Apple market - needs help: it's cluttered and needs reorganization.
• AN APPLE FAN CAN LIKE OTHER PRODUCTS: I am such an Apple snob that I felt pity for Windows users. Their tech lives aren't as good as mine, I'd say to myself. They are not as efficient, they are missing great Apple features and they are wide open to viruses. I couldn't see myself ever liking a non-Apple product as much as I liked the MacBook, the iPod, etc. But here I am, extremely pleased about these items not made by Steve Jobs and Tim Cook, who is once again running things in Jobs's absence.
Note to all the fellow Apple fans who are about to attack me on Twitter, Facebook and email: My preferring something else is not an indictment of your purchases. Those are terrific products and will get better with each iteration. I have full confidence that the next version of the iPad is going to be a game-changer. Again.
• THERE ARE MANY TABLETS & PHONES COMING: This month's Consumer Electronics Show featured many new tablets that are coming out later this year. In addition to those based on the Android operating system, there are tablets coming from companies including BlackBerry, Motorola, etc. We are going to see a wave of innovation on both the tablet and smartphone platform in ways we couldn't have imagined. Not all of these will survive in the marketplace, but the shakeout will be exciting.
• COMPETITION IS A GOOD THING FOR APPLE — AND FOR US: You might recall that there used to be many rivals in the MP3-player space, but all lost out to the iPod. That's not going to happen here. There are going to be many worthy rivals for Apple's products. That will force Apple to experiment on features and prices in ways they might not have had to before.
• THERE ARE SOME EXCELLENT ANDROID APPS: Here are some Android apps you might want to try (search for them all in the Market section of Android). For games, Angry Birds (the game looks gorgeous in that big size) and Janix Millionaire; the Hootsuite application for Twitter; the Kindle application (I read a full novel on it); and the US Newspapers app. The range of Google apps: Google Sky Map, Google Shopper and Google Earth. That's just a start, of course. I am collecting suggestions at this link: http://www.facebook.com/SreeTips/posts/118624608210009
iPhone users more loyal than Android, Symbian likely to jump
iPhone users are still the most loyal to the platform by a wide margin, Zokem found in a study on Tuesday. Apple's platform was unique in commanding not only high loyalty from existing users, 85 percent of which planned to buy again, but being the most frequently sought after by those jumping over from competitors. Android had a higher loyalty, at 89 percent of existing owners likely to buy again, but there was higher overall turnover and fewer using another mobile OS likely to choose it as their next platform.
RIM's BlackBerry and Samsung's Bada were middling in terms of commitment to the platform. HP/Palm's webOS and Symbian were the least loyal of all among those asked, with the vast majority of both likely to switch to another platform.
Nokia's Maemo, used only on phones with the N900, was the only one to have a negative overall loyalty score as everyone was leaving the mostly abandoned platform.
The results covered about 1,500 subjects and wasn't a complete reflection of the market. It still corroborated earlier studies that suggested that iPhone loyalty was highest. Android has been unique among multi-device phone platforms in keeping a high degree of loyalty but has also shown signs that it may not necessarily command the same consistent buying habits.
RIM's BlackBerry and Samsung's Bada were middling in terms of commitment to the platform. HP/Palm's webOS and Symbian were the least loyal of all among those asked, with the vast majority of both likely to switch to another platform.
Nokia's Maemo, used only on phones with the N900, was the only one to have a negative overall loyalty score as everyone was leaving the mostly abandoned platform.
The results covered about 1,500 subjects and wasn't a complete reflection of the market. It still corroborated earlier studies that suggested that iPhone loyalty was highest. Android has been unique among multi-device phone platforms in keeping a high degree of loyalty but has also shown signs that it may not necessarily command the same consistent buying habits.
4 Big Rumors We've Heard About the iPhone 5
We've all been spending a good deal of time chasing iPad 2 information, much of which can be found here and here. Anything that can be discovered at this point, short of going to a factory or reading Steve Jobs' and Jon Ive's minds is out on the internet. We are sure plenty more information will leak in the coming weeks, but you can rest assured knowing that we will work hard to keep you updated on anything iPad 2 related. That doesn't mean the fun's over. The iPhone 5 is also sitting high in rumor mill circulation.
We aren't even sure it will be called the iPhone 5, but we go with that name to use it as a reference point.
That said, let's all take a look at what we have heard about the iPhone 5 so far:
1) Will Use Qualcomm Chips
This rumor has been circulating for a while, and it's definitely not going away. The word is that Apple is using Qualcomm chipsets. This is now likely because of the Verizon iPhone, which uses CDMA technology rather than GSM, as AT&T uses. Qualcomm manufactures chipsets that are GSM/CDMA, which would fit both networks. This sounds likely for Apple, who would rather minimize SKUs than split their product line into GSM and CDMA.
2) Equipped with A5 Processor
It's said that the iPhone 5 will run on Apple's A5 processor, which is said to be a Cortex A9-based multi-core chip. The iPhone 5 is also rumored to be loaded with a Qualcomm chip with a CDMA, GSM and UMTS baseband processor. This will no doubt make the device much faster and better at rendering video content. On a small screen like what we expect to see on the iPhone 5, high-def video content may not be a big deal. However, on the gaming end, that means rendering more polygons. If you think that iPhone games like Infinity Blade look great, wait until they start making use of multicore processors.
3) Slimmer, and Completely Redesigned?
4) Like the iPad 2, May Lose the Home Button
While the iPad is definitely getting multitouch gestures, and so far most of them replace functions of the Home Button. However, we don't see anything of the sort coming to the iPhone...yet. Still, that's not to say we won't see those come to the iPhone. After all, iOS 4.3 is still in its first stages of beta, there is a long way for it to go before it comes anywhere near being a finished product. One of the rumors we've read mentions that Jobs didn't want any physical buttons on the iPhone from the start. This may finally be when we will see the functionality Jobs wanted when the iPhone was being conceptualized.
More on the iPhone 5
Right now, rumors on the iPhone 5 are harder to come across than rumors for the iPad 2. That's to be expected as the iPad is expected to launch within the next few months. The iPhone 5 release date will be announced in June, based on Apple's history of announcements for the device.
What features do you expect to see from the next iPhone? Let us know in the comments.
We aren't even sure it will be called the iPhone 5, but we go with that name to use it as a reference point.
That said, let's all take a look at what we have heard about the iPhone 5 so far:
1) Will Use Qualcomm Chips
2) Equipped with A5 Processor
3) Slimmer, and Completely Redesigned?
Okay, maybe not that thin.
There is also speculation that the iPhone 5 is a fair amount thinner than current models. This is because of smaller conductive nodes for the touchscreen. This comes from a patent application that popped up recently for a method of creating a thinner capacitive touchscreen. It would be interesting to see where this goes if used.4) Like the iPad 2, May Lose the Home Button
More on the iPhone 5
Right now, rumors on the iPhone 5 are harder to come across than rumors for the iPad 2. That's to be expected as the iPad is expected to launch within the next few months. The iPhone 5 release date will be announced in June, based on Apple's history of announcements for the device.
What features do you expect to see from the next iPhone? Let us know in the comments.
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