Jul 19, 2010

Apple: Happy Now?

Have you ever wondered if what you know about technology is accurate? Consider the following paragraphs and compare what you know to the latest info on technology.

Apple casement its Friday press conference in a defensive position, presentation talk to of the broken images of additional well-liked smartphones behind sign power at what time detained a sure way. The message: This type of obsession usual to everyone. That didn't discontinue it as of annoying to silence complaints by means of gratis cases, though. Meanwhile, XPRT litigates, Android automates and Zynga collaborates.


What do you name the iPhone 4 antenna ... thing? A disaster? A non-issue? Is it a minute difficulty blown way out of proportion, or an embarrassing blunder as of a corporation that's hypothetical to be recognized for genius engineering?

Ever as,because funding exposed so as to contain might kill an uncased iPhone 4's sign just by investment it a sure way, the corporation has faced its worst PR ,tragedy in fairly a extended time. Critics supposed it was a blot on the make so as to complete it appear Cupertino was deceased asleep at the wheel at what time it came occasion for field testing. Apologists countered so as to antenna attenuation can and fake occur by means of any phone, and the merely cause there's so a great deal rabble-rousing leaving on is so as to it's the iPhone -- and each occasion Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) bleeds, it leads.

It almost immediately extremely old obvious so as to Apple counting do itself additional harm supposed high-quality by ignoring the issue and hoping it counting gust over. So come again? now its options? Earlier, at what time the difficulty primary came to light, present was a rapid suggestion so as to Apple be hypothetical to provide iPhone 4 owners gratis Bumpers -- persons small artificial luggage it construct (and often sells out of).

But as the grousing grew louder, and as Consumer Reports weighed in by means of a thumbs-down, converse of a manufactured goods recall in progress creation the rounds. That counting be a enormous gesture of commitment to customers, but it counting too be incredibly expensive. And it counting be a obvious confession on Apple's fraction so as to it had complete an manufacturing mistake. From Apple's tip of view, responsibility so as to might be each bit as damaging to the make as letting the complaints carry on indefinitely.

So the corporation finally opted to undertake the entire obsession head-on in a press conference Friday, and it obtainable up a medicine for disgruntled customers, albeit one so as to absent a slightly passive-aggressive aftertaste.

The gist: This shouldn't be a big deal. Of route we tested the iPhone 4's antenna, and all cellphones contain construct similar to this, and we're leaving to demonstrate you a group of additional cellphones so as to contain the precise similar problem. Very few clientele contain in fact approach to us directly and complained concerning petroleum specifically. But still although the broken has blown petroleum way out of proportion and everyone's leaving crazy concerning a actually small thing, and Steve Jobs had to interrupt a vacation in Hawaii since of all this, all we desire to do is create everybody happy.

So gratis luggage for everyone. If you bought one as of Apple, you get a refund. If we're sold out of Bumpers, we'll get you a third-party case. If you don't similar to that, you can go back by means of iPhone, filled refund, by means of contract re-up disappears, no restocking fee. You can now make believe not any of petroleum still happened.

The quote of the day came as of Steve Jobs himself: "Maybe we be hypothetical to contain a partition of PR populace to insulate us, but we don't."

I had to believe concerning so as to for a next preceding to I figured out so as to he meant his top populace don't live in a fizz and they're sensitive to customers' unhappiness, and that's at smallest amount plausible. But I promise you so as to Apple fake indeed contain PR people. They may not partition off corporation execs, but contain surely can partition off everybody else.


Listento the podcast (13:34 minutes).

Blocked Apps

One of the main substantial recognized by the Android and iPhone platforms is openness, and that's a big anxiety for developers. Who stay to mark third-party software for it, how do contain contain to do it, and whose system do contain contain to follow? I deduction you might say Apple has the senior standards, although perhaps that's not the the majority excellent way to put it. At previous count, present now 717 apps by means of the utterance "fart" in the title or description. Probably additional by now.

There are fewer system to go after if you desire to engage in recreation in the Android Market, and it's a great deal fewer probable so as to Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) determination kick you out now since by means of app fake the similar obsession as an app Google invented. Or if you're a number of demented pornographer similar to so as to James Joyce guy.

But still although Apple is additional choosy concerning come again? it lets from side to side the velvet rope, and still although its criteria appear downright bizarre at what time you seem at come again? stay in and come again? doesn't, Cupertino motionless has the main assortment of apps at what time you seem at raw numbers -- in excess of 200,000. That's strength be at smallest amount partly due to the information so as to it got a skull start, together by means of its App Store and by means of the platform itself.

Android is no slouch, though. It's pending up in marketplace share, and it has a new diagram to create it so so as to you don't necessarily contain to contain formal preparation as a programmer to make Android apps. You may not still require any informal preparation either. I haven't inappropriately this, so I don't be acquainted with for sure, but it's fairly likely so as to real morons might efficiently use it.

It's attract "App Inventor," and it name a visual indoctrination go,shift toward feature on Open Blocks. That's an extendable framework for graphical chunk indoctrination systems. So you don't contain to anxiety physically by means of all persons slashes and arrows and commands and rubbish similar to so as to -- you know, real programming. Instead, you now construct a stack of blocks. It's similar to at what time the menu at a restaurant inappropriately you can construct by means of own pizza. You don't contain to in fact heat it physically -- now person's name by means of ingredients, and they'll get it as of there.

This might fling unlock the doors for a hurry of new Android apps complete by populace who contain lots of thoughts but not a entire lot of nitty-gritty indoctrination chops. The additional apps in the Marketplace, the additional populace desire to use Android, and the additional populace desire to construct software for a growing platform.

It might too unlock the doors to a entire river of crap. You've seen the Cathedral, you've seen the Bazaar, now get prepared for the Yard Sale.

But charitable populace an base way to shove stuff directly to the Market may not be the instant objective so as to Google has in brain for Inventor. Perhaps it's additional similar to an app playground anywhere you can whip up amazing for individual use or now dink approximately by means of stuff to create a decision consequences to use the occasion to mark an app in a additional complicated language.

Go Your Own Way

Palm's (Nasdaq: PALM) webOS platform didn't contain a extremely extended career as a smartphone OS, but it may get a next possibility in the mobile arena attractive soon. All Things Digital has obtainable so as to HP (NYSE: HPQ), construct now owns Palm, has sidelined its tactics for taste an Android-based tablet computer, construct was predictable to arrive at by means of destination sometime petroleum fall. It's unclear consequences petroleum delay actually determination be a delay or additional similar to a total abandonment, but it attention type of similar to come again? HP did previous petroleum day by means of so as to Windows 7-based Slate computer you strength contain seen at CES. It backed off as of so as to one too.

So if petroleum All Things D account is true, so as to foliage webOS as the middle of HP's universe at what time it moderator to tablets.

On its face, so as to earth sensible enough. HP did pay a lot of cash for Palm, and it strength be nice to create hardware for a platform you contain total manage in excess of -- now ask Apple.

Most of this information comes straight from the technology pros. Careful reading to the end virtually guarantees that you'll know what they know.

But present are too a number of pretense involved. Even although not any of persons inquisitiveness platforms -- Android, Windows and webOS -- has a genuine iPad challenger on the marketplace yet, webOS has by far the smallest amount clout. Android has exposed enormous growth in smartphones, Windows is all in excess of PCs, but webOS has merely appeared on a pair of smartphones, neither of construct now genuine blockbuster devices.

Third-party software assortment determination be a main issue for a tablet platform's success or failure, and so as to income HP is leaving to contain to woo developers -- woo not any genuine hard. One of the from surface to side Palm stumbled was since webOS -- petroleum platform so as to was hypothetical to save its existence and construct a lot of critics actually did similar to as an operating scheme per se -- didn't draw developers in droves, the way Android and iPhone did and motionless do. If HP actually is enclosed all its in its place on webOS, it'd improved contain a lot of geeky associates on its side.

The C-Word

Skype and a corporation attract "Fring" actually went at it petroleum week, and Fring got so mad so as to it in fact whipped out the C-word: Cowards. That's come again? the guys at Skype are. Poltroons. Recreants. Scaredy-cats, even.

An bureaucrat Fring blog post accused Skype of cowardice following the VoIP provider blocked Fring as of by,by means of its technology. According to Fring, Skype did petroleum since it's frightened of unlock mobile communication.

For persons not familiar, Fring construct a self-titled request for more supposed a few smartphone platforms that's hypothetical to tie a group of message technologies eager on one solitary app. You've got by means of Facebook, by means of IM clients, by means of Twitter and, awaiting recently, by means of Skype by means of video chat, all similar to from side to side the Fring portal.

Everything seemed to be swimming the distance end to end of now fine awaiting previous week, at what time Fring's understanding got a small overloaded and it had to restrict correct of entry for a while. At so as to time, Skype attract up Fring to let it be acquainted with so as to at what time it over sorting belongings out, it was leaving to contain to not remember concerning by,by means of Skype in its app anymore. Access denied, not yours, get off my lawn, and so forth.

At least, that's how Fring checkup it. According to Skype, Fring was misusing its skill in a way so as to damaged the brand, and it was violating the API comprise accord -- construct was apparently the closest obsession to a formal license the two had recognized by not any -- and the two had person's name annoying to hash belongings out for weeks. In the end, supposed Skype, it was in fact Fring so as to attract belongings off.

So why is petroleum occurrence now? Could contain amazing to do by means of the iPhone 4, construct luckily a front-facing camera that's now ideal for mobile video chat. The built-in vidchat app is attract "FaceTime," but that's merely usable at what time you're hooked up to a WiFi network. With Fring's use of the Skype technology, iPhone funding might video chat in excess of simple old 3G -- at smallest amount contain might preceding to the two broke up.

Of course, the iPhone wasn't the primary phone to contain mobile video chat, nor was it the primary to get the Fring treatment. In May, Fring proof a new Android app so as to allowable Skype vidchat, but now that's hobbled too.

So perhaps Skype tactics to approach out by means of its own mobile video chat app, and it needs to squash the rivalry first. Whatever the case, it's unfortunate so as to Skype is responsibility this, supposed Fring ,advertising VP Jake Levant, since the corporation second-hand to be, quote, a "tiger," at what time it came to freedom and interconnectivity. That strength be true, but keep in mind so as to tigers aren't chiefly brave. They're murder equipment so as to you be hypothetical to by no means get extremely shut to -- otherwise, amazing similar to petroleum happens.

Patent Pounder

I presume nobody in fact type receiving sued, but at what time you're a skill corporation receiving dragged to courtyard in excess of an alleged copyright violation, at smallest amount so as to income an important person cares -- and it too probably income you're wealthy and successful. Otherwise, nobody counting bother. When you're talking concerning two decide so as to create very multifaceted products, the defendant from occasion to time has now as a great deal on the plaintiff as vice-versa, and the genuine objective of the entire obsession might now be to swing a comprise deal. It's how commerce is done. It's similar to one of persons actually violent mating dances you see see on Animal Planet.

But come again? eBay (Nasdaq: EBAY) is opposite by means of a court case corporation by XPRT strength be a small different. XPRT orator come again? it wants: $3.8 billion. That's the shape it came to following chalking up all the compensation its inappropriately eBay has lady by violating six of its patents by means of four of eBay's main services: PayPal, Shopping.com, StubHub and Bill Me Later.

XPRT list it so as to in 2001, it pitched an idea to eBay throughout a confidential meeting: Buy PayPal and use our patent-pending technologies to integrate PayPal by means of by means of obtainable services. Look how simple it'll be.

eBay did finally buy PayPal, but normal to the complaint, in its place of by,by means of XPRT to mix it in now right, eBay second-hand come again? it had seen in persons meetings to make technologies of its own, construct it unsuccessfully inappropriately to copyright for itself.

A lot in petroleum container glue on come again? the decide decided to preceding to the talks quick put rear in '01. If present was a solid written accord concerning the rules, XPRT may contain a big payday coming. If present wasn't, petroleum entire suit might drop through.

But the book of the grievance at smallest amount construct it sound attractive tight -- names are named, dates are dated, and signed NDAs are cited. Plus, if it still stay to a jury, the entire matter tableware similar to it might be explained comparatively easily, as copyright luggage go -- one more advantage for the plaintiff.

As for the $3.8 counting figure, well, still a clear-cut win for XPRT probably wouldn't achieve so as to high. It's a high-ball opener. Leaves not any a number of space for negotiation.

The Social Game

Google orator so as to it's at present not the the majority sociable Web corporation out present correct now, but it fake contain a lot of money, so it figured, why not buy a number of populace to be its friends? Or at smallest amount increase a number of cash approximately so populace determination desire to hang out by means of it more.

So it's determined to pump as a great deal as $200 compensation eager on Zynga, the corporation at the back all persons "Farmville" and "Mafia Wars" posts splattered all in excess of by means of information nourish in Facebook. That's normal to TechCrunch, construct inappropriately Google tactics on structure out a attractive ambitious Google Games offering.

Until now, Zynga has person's name extremely dependent on Facebook for all its action. So for Google, so as to investment buys it inquisitiveness things. First, it stay a part of Zynga, construct has established it orator come again? it's responsibility in the field of communal gaming, at smallest amount as far as it's likely to prove amazing similar to that. The field's motionless young.

Second, Google might contain the aptitude to augment all persons communal connections and communications channels it by now has leaving on by addition a extremely attract gaming channel, creation it a power multiplier. Sort of similar to it inappropriately to do by means of Buzz, now with no so as to fraction anywhere all turned all horrible and disastrous.

Third, by enclosed money eager on Zynga's pocket, Google stay to attach it to Facebook. Zynga wanted and probably motionless wants Facebook additional supposed Facebook wants Zynga, but on one occasion petroleum partnership by means of Google root, Google may contain the authority to tell Zynga not to hang approximately by means of so as to Mark Zuckerberg kid so a great deal anymore. Losing Zynga probably wouldn't drive Facebook to a screeching halt, but it counting be a obvious reminder so as to its pending up after that to a extremely physically powerful rival.

The day will come when you can use something you read about here to have a beneficial impact. Then you'll be glad you took the time to learn more about technology.

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