Archive for: Mobile device
Make sure you read the title slowly and clearly…apps…as in more than one. If you were holding out for the official Google Voice app, keep waiting because that’s not what was officially approved by Apple. After a long dispute over Google releasing their Google Voice app in the iTunes store, it appears that perhaps Apple is loosening its tight grip. After having released then taken down from the iTunes store due to the app providing a service that already existed on the iPhone, many thought that there would never be a day that Google Voice would make its comeback.
AppleInsider reported that the two apps passing approval were GV Mobile + and GV Connect, both of which serve as a Google Voice app. According to the article, earlier in the month, the creator of GV Mobile + stated that he had gotten confirmation that Apple would be approving his app. Furthermore the article states that “the change in policy came after Apple published its App Store Review Guidelines for all to see.” If true, this is indeed a victory…for now.
With the release of apps that function as Google Voice apps, there is no doubt that Google will more than likely resubmit their official Google Voice app. In doing so, there does not seem to be a reason why this app would be rejected seeing how these other two have made it by. No word yet on when Google plans on resubmitting.
Does this change the way you would use your iPhone? With Skype already available and now Google Voice, could this effect the service plans we choose for our iPhones?
It seems like the iPhone 4 would have been released worldwide by now, with as much of an impact as its made culturally. Still, there are indeed areas of the world where the iPhone 4 has not been released and China is one of those countries. The release of the iPhone 4 on September 25th will come a week after the iPad was released to long lines of fans awaiting Apple’s first and successful attempt at a tablet device.
The phone will be retail for approximately $743, for the 16GB model, if purchased at one of Apple’s retail stores and will not require a contract. The second way to secure an iPhone is to purchase it through China Unicom for $874 which includes the device and the deposit for a two year contract. Sound pricey? That won’t deter buyers from rushing to the stores to pick one up if sales of the iPad are any indication.
To coincide with this release Apple is also opening two brand new stores, the Hong Kong Plaza Apple Store in Shanghai and the Xidan Joy City Apple Store in Beijing. These two new additions add to an already aggressive move into the Asian market place. Numbers for sales will come shortly after the release date and should be interesting to see compared to US and other country launch numbers.
Do any of us visit websites anymore? Seems like subscribing to iTunes and subscribing to RSS feeds pretty much brings all the information to us instantly, except for when we need to do actual searches for information. I personally use Google Reader on my desktop/laptop systems and MobileRSS on my Apple device. It’s from there that I’m able to capture a day’s worth of information in less time than it would take for me to surf all these sites.
In a way, RSS has been a way of consuming internet stories, postings, and news a la carte. Still, the interfaces have always been simple text formatted, easy to click, easy to follow, nothing extraordinarily exciting about it. But FLUD turns the way you see RSS feeds on the iPad into an sexy experience you’ll want to interface with over and over again.
Sorry iPhone and iPod touch users, I’ve not found something comparable to FLUD on those devices, but iPad owners should rejoice in how cool surfing your RSS feeds has become. An app that costs $4, FLUD offers a “highly-graphical interface, slick in-app browser, Google Reader integration, and Facebook/Twitter/e-mail sharing features to help spread the word on stories, videos, and pictures of interest,” according to site reviews.
Having used the application, I love how it turns what is typically a dry text interface into an amazingly eye popping way to receive your news. For those that are not into aesthetics, there’s still nothing wrong with the ease of use that standard RSS readers offer, but for those that like a little something extra with their news and postings, this might be the interface that can make RSS fun again.
So if you’re using FLUD, let me know what you think. I think it’s a nice app, but honestly, when I’m in a hurry, the graphic interface takes a back seat to time saving, and a standard RSS is just fine for me.
The question asked since the announcement that iPhone was going to be on the AT&T network is “When are they leaving AT&T?” It’s an honest question based on real and honest situations of dropped calls, overworked networks, and bad customer service. It’s probably unfair to lay all the blame on the service provider, as I’m sure the iPhone is not without faults of its own, but unfortunately AT&T is definitely getting the heat. So while iPhones have outsold most other handsets around the world, there are still a large majority holding out for the day when the iPhone is available on another network.
Are you one of those people? Rumors have circulated across various sites that Apple has been courting Verizon as the next network to gain access to the iPhone as early as Quarter 1, 2011. While all signs point to yes, the evidence is not conclusive and thus speculation persists. Considering the dominance that the iPhone has on the cell phone market, it’s safe to assume that the majority not using the iPhone are either Blackberry or Android users, with others following into the minority of other OS platforms.
In market research conducted by Morpace, subscribers on Verizon alone are awaiting the transition of the iPhone onto the Verizon network. Of 1000 people surveyed, 23% said they’d most likely buy it, while a whopping 51% of Verizon subscribers said they were waiting to buy it. This segment of Verizon subscribers could bolster Apple’s numbers heavily when/if the transition takes place as rumored. AppleInsider even predicts that it could put Apple in the lead, far ahead of it’s competitors. The platforms mostly threatened by the iPhone being offered on Verizon would be Blackberry and Android, so it will be interesting to see how this will effect the numbers.
If it happens, Apple could see quite a profitable 1st Quarter. So where do you stand? Are you waiting for the iPhone to be offered on another network or are you happy with your Blackberry, Android, or other phone platform?
Loving the new retina display of the iPhone 4? It seems to be all the rage with owners of the newly released device and alongside some of the other upgraded features, including the cameras, has gone on to once again dominate the market. The ability to have an all-in-one device that can be used as a phone, an internet tool, a content pusher, a video camera, AND a digital camera almost seems too good to be true. In most cases it is, but as a fall back tool when nothing else is available, it suffices for many.
If you were looking for unique photo capabilities with your iPhone you had to rely on another digital camera or your DSLR, but any longer. Despite how great the iPhone camera, the limitations keep you locked down to what the hardware can offer. To up the ante on your iPhone photos attach the new Camera Phone Lenses to provide some versatility to your camera phone photos.
Ranging from $20-$40, Camera Phone Lenses break the barriers set forth by the iPhone hardware and built in lens and offer unique capabilities that will make you reconsider taking your DSLR with you on the next trip. Attaching to the iPhone with a uniquely designed magnetic ring, the lenses offer you wide angle/macro or fisheye capabilities. Never thought that could happen with an iPhone now did you?
Laptops are becoming so 10 years ago, netbooks are becoming so 3 years ago, tablets are now becoming a dime a dozen. Not to say that any of the aforementioned devices have reached their peak or are going away anytime soon, but it seems in the race for innovation and style, the resurgence of tablet love has grown thanks to Apple’s iPad. The world seems to be on an iPad craze, but there are still many, even amongst the supporters, that wish it did more.
Perhaps Toshiba has created that “more” device in the recently announced Toshiba libretto W100. What looks like the bizzarre love child between a Nintendo DS and a netbook, the Toshiba libretto offers a dual touchscreen interface to create an experience unlike any other. The libretto sports two 7-inch touchscreens inside a 1.5lb laptop-like form. There is no traditional keyboard, rather, the device makes use of a virtual keyboard instead, Bluetooth 2.1, and a built in webcam.
The libretto also offers viewing in both the traditional landscape mode (think traditional netbook) and portrait mode providing a variety of unique viewing experiences depending on the type of content the user is viewing. The portability factor is a huge plus considering the iPad does not fold or close, this device becomes even more appealing once it’s closed as seen in the image below.
A variety of mobile services have started to infiltrate the mobile space in the past few years, disrupting the traditional model of how we used to interact with television. With advents of tools like TiVO, Hulu, Netflix, and even Redbox, the audience is no longer locked down to timed/scheduled television, rather focusing on offset viewing, enjoying the level of control they have over when and where THEY choose to watch the content.
Recently, Flo TV was released to keep viewers connected to channels like ESPN, ABC, CBS, and Comedy Central so that while you’re on the go, you never miss a show. The service claims the push can go to your mobile device, personal TV, car TV and more. It appears that Flo TV is a truly integrated service.
Flo TV recently announced the release of their personal TV which allows viewers to take a 3.5 inch touchscreen anywhere they go. The device, estimated to cost $200, comes with a built in stand for surface top watching and built in speakers. The device comes with program reminders so you never miss your favorite programming along with parental controls if you choose to use it as a household viewing device. Currently the viewing time stands at 5 hours of straight watching on a single full charge.
Currently the big draw is that Flo TV service has built a World Cup channel where fans can watch all their favorite games either live or in archive to relive the passion and excitement.
Apple seems to continue it’s ongoing trend with the midas touch. It’s not that touch tablets are anything new.
Companies in the past have created Windows based touch pads that have been adopted by companies like UPS and FedEx. Personal Windows tablets have never really hit the level of critical mass that Apple seems to have hit with the release of the iPad on April 3rd.
Whether it’s the trendy fad, fancy marketing, or just millions of “fanboy” users, the iPad has definitely come out strong with 2 million units sold in 60 days. It took 28 days to sell the first million and it appears that in the same amount of time, it sold another million. With this ongoing trend, it will be interesting to see how things go further into the year. Just last week the iPad was released internationally in several markets. The numbers in those markets are too early to count, but it can only boost the already successful launch of this product.
To further strengthen the the use of the iPad, it’s been noted that the iPad has another 5,000 apps added to its already robust library. According to CNN, there is a total of 200,000 apps that are compatible with the iPhone, iTouch, and iPad. With lots of options, users will find ways to get their work done despite the functionality of a full laptop. Are you one of the 2 million units sold and if so, how are you functioning with it?
I’ve been a fan of iLounge, featuring the best in iPod, iPhone, and now iPad accessories and news, since the beginning. I remember when they launched and thinking that this site really had the pulse of the apple consumer market community. Their extensive coverage of all things mobile in the world of Apple has always been spot on and their reviews have been extremely useful in the purchase of several of the products I’ve picked up over the years. I’ve seen the site go through a number of changes in design as well as the addition of new items as they’ve been released, but they’ve never missed a beat in terms of news coverage.
Currently on their site, I highly recommend the “iPod Bible” which is released every year much to my wallet’s dismay. Don’t let the name fool you. It started out as just covering the world of iPods and accessories, but it extended to include iPhones when they were released, and now more recently includes the iPad. The “Bible” as it were called is more then just a catalog of accessories, it has reviews, news, updates, hints, tips, and tricks, full of information for just about any generation of device you might have.
Their forums are highly active, they are extremely active online via Twitter and Facebook, and I highly recommend you sign up for their RSS, because the new is everything you wanted to know about your devices and more.
The Kobo ebook reader is just one of many mobile ebook readers on the market. What makes this ebook stand out from the many out there is the cross platform capability. We are familiar with ebook apps on our iPhone/iTouch, or maybe even our mobile phones, but the Kobo allows you read your selections from the mobile device, a smart phone, desktop, or laptop.
The ebook reader is globally known and backed by the likes of Indigo Books & Music, Borders, REDgroup Retail, Cheung Kong Holdings, and other leaders in technology and retail. They firmly state that they believe anyone should have access to their content and be able to read anywhere, anytime, no matter what. Their support of open standards goes directly against some of the bigger competitors who firmly believe in close systems. According to Kobo’s site, closed systems stifle innovation and growth, thus their support of allowing their product to go across multiple platforms.
They are currently boasting approximately 2 million books and over 200,000 PDF’s to browse through. With top hits from the New York Time’s best seller list to the most popular ebooks, readers should find something of interest and enjoy the fact that the open system allows for them to move from device to device without fearing any sort of lock down.
I find it interesting that they state that even if they have not heard of a device or if it’s not out yet, they can find a way to be on there. A true testament to the fact that the Kobo ebook reader is really part of an open system.
