Adobe Abandons Flash For Android

Logo via: GadgetUniversity

I remember how Apple haters laughed at the iPhone because it didn't, or wouldn't support Adobe's Flash Player.

They immediately cited and bragged that Flash was one of the main reasons on why, for example, that Android phones where so much better than the iPhone, and they mocked non-stop how the iSheep where being blindly led astray by their lord and god, Steve Jobs.

Of course, what they didn't bother to brag about, of course, was how Flash made their phones oh so much slower, buggier and, more importantly, on how much more insecure than the iPhone. And, you know what? ... I bet you the old proverbial arm-and-a-leg that they won't be bragging about this little announcement  by Adobe themselves that they are totally discontinuing future Flash updates, and yes, that means that Android's latest and greatest, Jelly Bean, won't be getting it..... EVER!

If you want to install older, buggier versions of Flash on older version of Android, well your welcome to it, but just don't expect to get any help from Adobe. After fighting and losing a long battle with Apple, Adobe has now seen the light and has now fully embraced the newer and better technology of HMTL 5.

In conclusion, Adobe's decision to abandon its antiquated technology for the newer, faster, more open, and much more secure HMTL 5 standard is a good thing, and as far as this old cookie is concerned, Flash was nothing but a piece of trash and like all trash it's finally time to get rid of it once and for all. Good riddance I say.








And that's my 2 cents 4 this cloudy, but otherwise nice Friday, June 29, 2012

App Player: Android On OS X!

Via: BlueStacks.com

BlueStacks has now made its App Player, a program that allows Android apps to run full-screen on PC desktops and laptops, compatible with Mac OS X devices. Previously, App Player only worked on Windows PCs.

Below you can see App Player running the Android racing game, Drag Raciing full-screen on a PC, and a video demo of App Player running on Windows:

You can find BlueStacks official OS X press release below:

"BlueStacks Opens Up Apple Ecosystem to Android Developers

 Mac version of company's "App Player" brings 400,000 Android Apps to Macs for the first time. Product goes live at Android & Mac "Wedding" launch event outside Google I/O.

San Francisco, Calif. - June 27, 2012 – BlueStacks today announced the release of the Mac version of an Android App Player in public alpha. The downloadable software, currently free of charge, was made available on the company's homepage, BlueStacks.com. The software is powered by BlueStacks' patent-‐pending LayercakeTM technology. The initial release features several apps from the company's developer partners, such as HandyGames, Creative Mobile and Pulse, with the next release scheduled to expand things even more.

 The company launched a PC version in March of this year that reached one million downloads in just nine days. "Our PC version took off a lot faster than we had planned for. People are spending a lot of time on their smartphones and want the same experience on all devices." said BlueStacks CEO Rosen Sharma," By bringing Android Apps to Mac we are breaking open the Apple ecosystem, which has traditionally been closed. Also, Android is struggling because of a lack of tablet applications. Developers now have an incentive to build hi-‐res apps to work on the resolutions like retina displays on the new mac for example."

 "We love any new distribution channels that open up to us and this is a big one." Said Andrew Zhang, CEO of popular app developer Droidhen, maker of the "Defender" series. "Mac users also spend more money – we're excited to have our apps involved."

 "HandyGames has a history of trying new things and seeing what sticks," said Markus Kassulke, CEO of HandyGames. "Working with BlueStacks on the PC version has gotten us a boatload of new discovery for Clouds & Sheep and our other apps. We're looking forward to this next frontier."

 The launch event took place in a large wedding tent across from Moscone West, where the Google I/O conference is currently underway. The ceremony and demo was attended by Android developers from around the world. Developer partners of BlueStacks include HalfBrick, Evernote, Droidhen, COM2US and many others. The company posted a signup on their website for more developers who would like a Mac version of their app."

In conclusion, having BlueStacks App Player running on the Mac is a good thing, more-or-less, as it now gives Mac owners another huge source for apps, but considering that most Android apps where designed specifically for smartphone displays, rather than tablets or PCs, I'm not all that sure how impressive they'll look, full-screen, on either a PC or a Mac device, and this especially goes for one of those sexy, spanking-new MacBook Pro Retina display dream machines.





And that's my 2 cents for this otherwise dreary Thursday, June 28, 2012

Source: Engadget

BANNED : Samsung Galaxy 10.1 By U.S. Court!

Image via: TechLease.com 

Sweet and sour news today from the emmerging world of tablets. Sweet if your Apple that is, but bitterly sour if you happen to be Samsung. That's because U.S. District Court Judge Lucy Koh has granted Apple a preliminary injunction against the Galaxy 10.1, effectively banning  the Korean tablet from the U.S. market.

In record breaking time, however, a mere five hours after receiving the ban, Samsung quickly filed for an appeal after the judge ruled:

"Although Samsung has a right to compete, it does not have a right to compete unfairly, by flooding the market with infringing products,"

Samsung, of course, had no choice but to appeal, as a strategic  win here helps paves the way for Apple to win even more injunctions based on its design features down-the-road. Personally, I've mistaken Samsung phones and tablets for iPhones and iPads on several, and, quite frankly, numerous occasions, so I can easily understand the judge's position on this one.  


As German patent expert, Florian Mueller, wrote, this is important because:

"The decision strengthens Apple's "copycat" allegations against Samsung. The ruling notes that Judge Koh's court "previously found the Galaxy Tab 10.1 to be substantially similar 'in the eyes of the ordinary observer' to the D'889" and that "the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is 'virtually indistinguishable' from Apple's iPad and iPad 2". In fact, Samsung's counsel couldn't distinguish those products when Judge Koh showed them in the courtroom at a limited distance.

If Apple also prevails on this infringement issue at the upcoming trial (which is scheduled to begin on July 30), Samsung may be liable for a substantial amount of damages. Design patent infringement can be very costly."

As AppleInsider also noted, the importance of this ruling by writing:

"Tuesday's injunction represents a significant win for Apple at home. The iPad maker had previously successfully argued for temporary injunctions in Australia and Germany. Samsung dodged the German injunction by releasing a slightly-redesigned Galaxy Tab 10.1N. Meanwhile, the Australian ban was overturned last November."

In conclusion, I don't know where this is all going to end, but considering just how much money is involved, this thing is definitely going to be fiercely fought over and neither party is going to back down so easily. In other words:  this thing could get a lot uglier than it is now, so let the fire-works begin!

And that's my 2 cents 4 this icky Wednesday, June 27, 2012  

The iPad Gets A Mammoth Shot In-The-Arm After San Diego School District Orders 26,000 Units

Photo Via: 9-to-5 iPad.com

In a forward looking policy that ensures that its educational system is up to date with the latest and greatest enhancements in technology, the San Diego school district, in a voter-approved funding program known as "Proposition S," has agreed to the acquisition of  a whopping 26,000 brand spanking-new iPads, at a cost of some $15-million.

As noted by AppleInsider:

"the district has not indicated exactly what software students will use, though a likely candidate would be Apple's own iBooks software, which was enhanced for digital textbooks with the release of iBooks 2 early this year." 

All of the iPad 2 units will be used by the districts 5th- and 8th-grade students, and will also be used by some of, but not all of its school students. Sand Diego's previous iPad investment was even noted by Apple's chief financial officer during its last April quarterly earnings call, which then saw the district purchased a total of some 10,000 iPads with the intention of purchasing more in the future, as it has now just done.

Regarding Apple's U.S. K-12 customers, Peter Oppenheimer, Apple's financial officer, stated previously that educational customers have already purchased twice as many iPads as they did Macs during the March quarter, which is something that I'm sure that both Google and Microsoft have taken  note of, and no doubt, would love to duplicate at Apple's expense, of course.

San Diego's purchase has certainly got to be good news to Apple and it should help encourage many of its other K-12 customers to follow suit. Imagine if San Diego's adoption of the iPad is repeated by hundreds, if not thousands of U.S. and other foreign education buyers, then, surely the impact on Apple's financial statement the next time around is going to be very, very impressive indeed and very encouraging, except of course, to Apple's competitors.

In conclusion, the iPad makes perfect sense an educational setting, and even though iPads are not exactly cheap,  they're certainly a lot cheaper than many laptops and desktops. Also, its overall form factor and its rapidly growing selection of exceptional and first-rate educational software makes it a must have for many cash-strapped school districts the world over. I can see good things ahead for tablets in an educational setting, and that particularly goes for the iPad specifically.





And that's my 2 cents 4 this extremely rainy Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Microsoft's Surface Tablet: A Smart Move Or Desperate Move?

Photograph by Rene Macura/AP Images via: Bloomsberg-BusinessWee

Some are saying that "Microsoft's Surface Tablet Could Hurt iPad, iPhone 'or ' Even Apple TV Sales", but others noted that when it comes to the Surface's greatest 'whiz-bang' feature, it's magnetically attaching keyboard, it's also interesting to note that  "Microsoft Wouldn't Let Anyone Test The Touch Keyboard For Its Tablet" which makes one tend to wonder if its number one feature is really all that great.

If its magnetically inspired keyboard case was all that great, well you would kind of think that Microsoft would not only be eager but would absolutely insist that everyone try it out to see just how great it was, because, as BusinessInsider reported above:

"This better be Microsoft just being overly cautious. If this thing doesn't work it's going to be a major screw up."

Of course, for those hoping that the Surface will finally be the first real iPad killer out there, it's also interesting to note that it is based largely on Microsoft's so far failed Windows Mobile platform which hasn't been quite exactly setting the world on fire. Even though its recently announced Windows 8 upgrade seems to be much better and featured packed, BusinessInsider also stated that, for the most part, "No One Cares About Microsoft Phones And Windows Phone 8 Won't Change That," so I guess, if that's true, Microsoft's belated tablet effort may not cut the mustard, as they say.

Besides not letting anyone try out and see for themselves just how great the Surface's new magnetic keyboard was, Microsoft also was completely and utterly silent about its battery performance, and some have already crunched the numbers to report that it may be significantly less than that of the iPad, thus being another strike against the yet to be released tablet.

In the end, if the Surface is a success, it would be a success that was built largely, once again, on the backs of Apple's innovation as some are now reporting, like C/Net, that the Surface is nothing more than a desperate move to catch up to Apple. For example, C/Net writes:

"Was Microsoft's Surface tablet an act of desperation? Yes, says a report in the New York Times.

Microsoft and the PC hardware industry were failing miserably at taking on Apple's iPad, forcing Redmond's hand, according to the report." 

Apple's control of key materials, C/Net points out, as well as the shortcomings of the Microsoft-Intel business model, the lack of trust between Microsoft and its PC makers, and Hewlett-Packard's failed tablets attempts, including its WebOS based offerings, all helped to lead to Microsoft's desperation, and thus the creation of its Surface tablet, and all of which is believed will significantly effect Microsoft's overall relations with its traditional OEMs. In fact, one of Microsoft's biggest OEM's, Acer, is now predicting that Microsoft's Surface will fail!

So, in the end, was Microsoft's decision to create the Surface tablet a smart move, or a desperate move on its part?

Personally I think that its both, because no matter how desperate Microsoft was in creating the Surface tablet in the first place, I also think that it's a very smart move when compare to some of the dumb moves that I've seen coming thus far from the Android camp.

In conclusion, if the Surface can't exactly knock off the iPad from its first place spot, than surely it will knock off Android tablets from its current second place spot, and it should make Android eat its dust, all while leaving it in a very distant third place in the tablet race.




And that's my 2 cents 4 this cloudy Monday, June 25, 2012

Is Larry Page Following In The Foot Steps Of Steve Jobs When It Comes To His Health?

Photo via: SuccessStories

Is Google's beloved CEO, Larry Page, following in the footsteps of Apple's iconic CEO, Steve Jobs, who tried to hide personal and serious health issues from investors?

That seems to be the thrust of an article by BussinesInsider entitled: "Wall Street Is Worried About The Health Of Google CEO Larry Page", and who quoted J.P. Morgan analyst, Doug Anmuth, as saying:

"Co-founder and CEO Larry Page was not present at the shareholder meeting. Google indicated that he had lost his voice and was unable to speak at the meeting, and also that he would not be speaking at next week’s Google I/O developer conference or the company’s 2Q earnings call. We have no specific reason to think there is anything more to Larry’s condition, but we find it odd that the company would already rule him out of the 2Q call which is likely still a few weeks away. We think this could raise some questions among investors. We note that Larry does not appear to have posted on Google+ since May 25."

Well, of course, anything is possible I guess, but hopefully since Mr. Page is still a relatively young 39-year old, he is also still a very healthy one too, but then again, Mr. Jobs was still relatively young when he passed away, from pancreatic cancer, last year at the age of only 56.

In conclusion, I can only hope and wish that Larry Page is healthy and doing well and that he will soon be back running the great company that he helped to co-founded with Sergy Bin. Certainly, Google wouldn't be the great company that it is today without him, nor can I imagine it being quite the same without him, so where ever you are Larry, get well soon.





And that's my 2 cents 4 this cloudy Friday, June 22, 2012

Hot New iPhone 5 To Put Galaxy S 3 To Shame?

Terry Gou Photo Via: SkyNews

If you think Samsung's Galaxy S III is hot, well according to someone who is in a position to know, something much hotter is coming. 

That someone is none other than Terry Gou, the chairman of Hon Hai Precision Industry Co, or much better known as Foxconn, who has been reported to be urging "consumers to wait for the launch of the iPhone 5," because he says that "the new model will put Samsung's Galaxy III to Shame."

Of course, as the head of the company most responsible for building the iPhone in the first place, as well as iPod's, Mac's, iPad's and, as well, Xbox's, and what have you?, he should know what is coming. Then again, he might just be bluffing as he is known to be a fierce critic of Samsung, a company he accuses of being a "snitch", with one source stating:

"Gou said he has made it a lifetime goal to defeat Samsung — “a company with a track record of snitching on its competitors.”… He was referring to Samsung’s action in 2010 of snitching on four Taiwanese companies in an investigation by the European Commission on price-fixing in the flat panel industry…Samsung was exempted from the investigation by serving as a “tainted witness.” … Gou also urged consumers to wait for the launch of Apple’s iPhone 5, saying that the new model will put Samsung’s Galaxy III to shame."

So, is Mr. Gou's assessment that the next iPhone "will put the Galaxy S3 to shame" based on fact or just jealous blustering?

In conclusion, I honestly can't really say, but with a reported 9-million Samsung S III's on pre-order, then I sure hope that Mr. Gou's words are not bluff. Personally, I'm betting that Apple will indeed come out with an iPhone 5, or what ever they end up calling it, that will indeed 'knock our bloody socks off', and for no other reason that, with Android on a rip-tear, Apple honestly can not afford not to!

And that's my 2 cents 4 this gloriously sunny, but cool Thursday, June 21, 2012

Android 2012 Malware Threat: 129,000 And Counting?

Via:TrendMicro 

According to this site, Android now has some 465,837 apps currently available in its library. That's not quite as much as iOS's more than 650,000, but it's pretty dang impressive if you ask me.

Nonetheless, what I find disturbing is the chart above which contends that as many as 129,000 of those apps are infected with malware!

Ouch! That's approximately 27 percent or more, or almost one bloody third of Android's entire app library!

According to TrendMicro the main factors driving Android's explosive malware growth is:

- The increasing popularity of Android, as highlighted both by the number of total downloaded apps (more than 10 billion via the official Android Market) and the number of users and activations, as stated by Gartner and Google Senior Vice President of Mobile Andy Rubin.

- The openness of the Android app distribution model. Unlike other mobile OSes, users are free to install applications without passing through any filtering process. This lowers the barriers to installing malicious apps considerably.
- The cybercriminal mindset: Bad guys attack where the money is.

However, I must somewhat disagree with the last statement, quite frankly, because when it comes to where the money is, well that would be iOS, not Android! For every dollar that developers earn with iOS, for example, they only earn a measly 24 cents with Android, so this probably helps to explain why most Android apps are just ports of iOS apps, though, of course, Android does have some unique apps of its own.

In conclusion, even though there is a lot to like about Android, its fragmentation and security issues are more than enough for me to avoid it like the plague. I much prefer to live in Apple's well kept and cultivated garden, rather then Android's non-cultivated garden which is over grown with weeds and creepy infected virus's and what not?



And that's my 2 cents for this overcast Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Tablets: Microsoft's Surface (Video)

Yesterday, Microsoft did what it has been doing for years.... copied Apple! Its new Surface tablet takes many cues from the iPad, including Microsoft copying Apple's marketing methodology.

Microsoft even copied Apple's marketing tactics when it first teased that it would announce something on Monday, but saying little or anything of what it might be, even though a lot of people did correctly predict that it would launch its own tablet which is bound to irritate many of its OEM partners.

Some are even saying that Microsoft may have copied Apple's MagSafe connector, as well as its Smart Cover's use of magnets. Unlike the Smart Cover, Microsoft's will feature a unique built-in keyboard and trackpad which is kind of cool.

Via: Engadget

I don't know if Microsoft's new tablet is capable of dethroning the iPad anytime soon, but according to Fortune's Adam Harting, it's not exactly a 'Game Changer', but it certainly could end up negatively impacting the sale of future Android tablets, with Gizmodo saying:

"It's a super solid device and if Microsoft can deliver what it demoed, the iPad finally has a real competitor and Android has a big goddamn problem."

Personally, I have to admit that the Surface tablet looks to be a lot more interesting than anything that I've seen thus far from the Android camp. There are still a lot of questions remaining, of course, such as these five, but for Microsoft's sake let's hope that it does a lot better with the Surface than it has been doing with its Windows phone, because, so far, Metro's shiny new interface hasn't been enough to stop the world's former greatest cell manufacturer, Nokia, from imploding.

Whether or not Microsoft's Surface can successfully take on Apple's iPad remains to be seen, but with a lot of unanswered questions remaining, and skepticism and criticism of Windows 8 now growing, some are now questioning whether or not the new Surface tablet is a big mistake, CNBC reported that:

""I think there is a place for Microsoft in the enterprise. I don't think consumers will necessarily flock to a Microsoft tablet. But I think in the enterprise it could be interesting," said Brian White of Topeka capital Markets on CNBC's Closing Bell.

Apple is the major player in the tablet space, holding about 60 percent of market share, and consumers will continue to choose Apple's iPad over a Windows tablet, said White. But there may be potential for the tablet in the enterprise market, he said."

Via: Tablet-News

In conclusion, Microsoft's copying of Apple is nothing new, but if you ask me it is also rather irritating. Even though it's clear that Microsoft is copying Apple yet once again, at least, unlike some others, such as Google's Android, it's not doing it in a blank cart style, but rather Microsoft is adding some general new and real twists such as its Metro Interface, and built-in cover keyboard case.




And that's my 2 cents 4 this cloudy Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Blast-From-The-Past: Russian Apple II Clone, The Agat 4

Via Wikipedia

The Apple II was one of the most successful personal computers of all time, and it was a computer that was, and still is, considered to be the very first real personal computer that ever was, and the very computer that launched the personal computer industry as we know it today.

Not surprisingly, many would try and emulate it, and it launched a whole list of Apple II clones. Some of them I've have known about for years, while others not so much, including the one above, the 1983: AGAT 4.

The Agat was Commissioned by the USSR Ministry of Radio, and initially built by the Soviet car manufacturer LEMZ, and it was sold for around $600 - $1,000, which was a lot at the time and especially for the citizenry of the former communist empire. Despite its cost, the Agat was still considerably cheaper than most other Soviet made computers and thus the Agat became widely adopted in schools and other educational institutions across both the Soviet Union, and, as well, other communist Eastern Bloc countries. Mind you, the Agat was still way out of the reach for most of the citizenry and it was available for only the most privileged of private individuals. No wonder, the Agat 4 cost as much as twenty times the monthly salary of the average worker.

At the time,  most of the Agat 4's software was limited to an educational nature and it included a BASIC interpreter, as well as basic text editing programs, and was designed primarily to assist teachers in the classroom, and Wikipedia states that  it features included:

Media Cassette tapes, 5¼-inch floppy disks
Power Internal Power Supply (220V, 60W)
CPU UMC UM6502 [1]
Memory 64KB, 128KB or 256KB RAM, 32KB ROM
Display 64x64 (16 colors), 128x128 (8 colors), 256x256 (black & white)
Input Keyboard
Dimensions 460 x 350 x 160 cm
Weight 9kg 

Via: www.leningrad.su

The Agate 4 was followed by other models such as the Agate 9, shown above and below, and was a part of Russian computing history that included others interesting Russian computers to be found here.

Via: www.leningrad.su

In conclusion, the Russian Agat 4 might have been an Apple II clone, but interestingly, and for various reasons, it was only partially compatible with the Apple II, but it is nonetheless was a very interesting piece of history, though little of it was known about here in the west.




And that's my 2 cents on old Soviet computers 4 this glorious Monday day, June 18, 2012

Can This Be Real: RIM's PlayBook Running iOS Apps? (Video)

The news for RIM has been pretty grim lately, but recently one enterprising fellow has demonstrated that RIM's PlayBook can be made, with some hacking, to run iOS apps, such as Monkey Ball below:

AppleInsider reported that the hacker known as:

"User "businesscat2000" took credit on the CrackBerry.com forums for a video uploaded to YouTube showcasing the concept, as noted by MacNN.

When questioned about the authenticity of the video, the developer claimed to have written a loader to perform the task. According to the poster, the ABI in iOS is "pretty darn close" to QNX's ABI.

"I don't load any frameworks - all imports are built into the loader statically. Makes it much easier to debug and deploy," said "businesscat2000." 

Of course, as they also point out, there are limitations to this method, such as it being able to only run apps in the lower resolution of 480x320!  Still, it's quite an achievement nonetheless, and Engadget noted:

"Sometimes, it's much more rewarding simply to appreciate a technical achievement rather than worry about its legal or practical implications." 

In conclusion, well I think that I would much prefer to play or run iOS apps on a real iOS device, but still it's rather cool to see something designed for one platform actually running on another one. I'm not sure if RIM is going to do anything to actually make the PlayBook officially as accommodating for iOS apps as they have done officially with Android apps, but I guess that if they ever tried the resulting legal fireworks would be pretty spectacular indeed.




And that's my 2 cents 4 this absolutely glorious Friday, June 15, 2012

Cool Teenager's Hot iPhone 5 Concept (Video)

When I was a teenager, some others of my age where no doubt a little smarter than I.

Ok, to be honest, I'll admit that most teenagers where probably a lot smarter than me and my little old self, and that would definitely include Oklahoman teenager, Dakota Adney, who just happen to make this cool concept video of a very hot iPhone 5, which you must admit looks absolutely amazing and is definitely one iPhone that I would love to see Apple make, so are you paying attention Cupertino?

As CNet pointed out, this 17-year-old  has "some serious video production chops (and he) sets a pretty high bar for the much-anticipated next-generation smartphone."

Dakota Adney's short video visualizes a new iPhone complete with iOS 6 on board, as well as having a quad-core A5 chip, a see-through Retina Display, and a virtual projected keyboard to help give us fat-thumbed folks some much need relief, and that would definitely include me!

In conclusion, the only thing that I can think of that would make Dakota's cool iPhone 5 even cooler would be if it included a Tactus screen in the mix, but over all it's apparently clear that this kid is a budding genius and if his future is anything like his iPhone 5 concept, well watch out, this kid could be, who knows, the next Jonathan Ive.

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Thursday, June 14, 2012 

Opening iPhone 5 concept via: Today's iPhone

Drool Worthy Retina Display MacBook Pro Teaser

Take a look at the ad above for the new Retina display MacBook Pro and tell me if it doesn't positively make you want to drool over it. Yes, the ad might be simple, but, at the same time, it's simply beautiful. No wonder Gizmo warned its readers:

Caution: This Tease of a Commercial May Cause You to Drool Over the Retina MacBook Pro Even More.The ad might only a tease, but what a tease it is. AppleInsider noted, via Macstories, that it was played this Tuesday on an NBA final game, and they also pointed out that shipping estimates for new device have risen to 3-4 weeks, which after watching the teaser ad would seem to be unbearably long. Unfortunately, I'm too poor to buy one of these sexy, sleek, fast and powerful beasts, which, of course, is fortunate for me since it means that I won't have to endure waiting to get one, now won't I?

In conclusion, the teaser ad above makes an already drool-worthy machine all the more so. Now please excuse me while I run out to buy a winning lotto ticket so that maybe, just maybe, if I'm really lucky enough I might actually be able to buy one. Oh well, we can always dream, can't we?



And that's my 2 cents 4 this sunny Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Android Fragmentation: This Graph Says It All!

The above photo, via Gizmodo, rather says it all, doesn't it? Yuppers, when it comes to Android's fragmentation, that is, to me it most certainly does.

As you can see, Android, as great as some say it is, and as much as it seemed to try in the past to copy every little nuance from Apple's ground-breaking mobile OS, iOS, it has utterly failed to copy it when it comes to the adoption of its latest and greatest iteration.

Boy, oh boy, after all most a bloody year of being on the market, most Android phones, including many of its newest models, let alone the older ones, have yet to include the latest-and-greatest version of the OS known as Ice Cream Sandwich! This is quite remarkable, and especially when you consider that its next version, Jelly Bean, is expected to be released on the next Android Nexus tablet to be built by Asus in the near future!

In conclusion, I don't know how the next version of Android, Jelly Bean, will stack up against Apple's recently revealed version of iOS 6, but if history is our guide then by the time it becomes mainstream, Android, if not already sued out of existences by then, will already be about to be replaced by its next version as well. No wonder why Google is trying its best to reign in Android fragmentation, which, by the way, many Android users are still in denial that it even exists.



And that's my 2 cents 4 this nice, but rather cloudy Tuesday, June 12, 2013

Rumor: The New MacBook Pro To Look Like The Old MacBook Pro?

As usual I won't be around to watch or listen to any of the many live streams coming out of this year's WWDC 2012, and one that is expected to be among the biggest yet.

However, if reports are to believed, this year's MacBook Pro models won't appear all that much different, in appearance or features, than that of the older models.

These rumors are based on the so-called leaked photos below, shown via Gizmodo, of some of the internals for the newer models. The originator of all of this comes from the Chinese forum WeiPhone which, in the past, has had a fairly good batting average. As Gizmodo also noted, "....... these photos seem real. They show different components in a similarly shaped motherboard that has the exact same holes as the current one has. This may indicate that the exterior aluminum unibody design would remain exactly the same."

Also, according to the WeiPhone poster, the  new 15-inch MacBook Pro will come with either a 2.3GHz, 2.5GHz or 2.7GHz Ivy Bridge processor, and if true, these images also confirm that the next MacBook Pro will be using a Nvidia's GeForce GT 650M discreet graphics card with at least 1GB or more of GDDR5 graphics memory.

However, the poster made no mention of the highly anticipated Retina Display, or of a MacBook Air like enclosure, which, if you ask me, is going to be a big let down and disappointment if confirmed to be true.

In conclusion, and as others have already pointed out, even if the new MacBook models described above end up looking much like that of the older ones, that doesn't necessarily mean that Apple couldn't also introduce a brand spanking new model, and one complete with one of thsoe dream-like Retina Displays and all in a small, compact and sexy MacBook Air like enclosure. At least that's what I'm hoping for anyway, and no doubt too, as are many others out there as well.





And that's my 2 cents 4 this sunny, warm WWDC 2012 Monday, June 11, 2012

WWDC logo via: MobileMarketingWatch

Apple Patent Could Make It A Lot Tuffer For MacBook Air Copy Cats

The photo above and the video below might look like a MacBook Air, albeit without the Apple logo, but it's actually an Android knock-off, the N2-A, running Ice Cream Sandwich!

According to the folks over at Engadget, who also feature their own video of the thing in action here:

"The N2-A, as it's known in the OEM underground, is one of the most impressive MacBook Air lookalikes we've seen -- and one of the cheapest. $74,500 will net you 500 of these lovely 13.3-inch bundles of almost-Mac goodness, which comes out to just $149 apiece."

I must say that the thing does look quite impressive indeed, and it comes with a LED-backlit 1366 x 768 LCD screen, a full-sized keyboard, as well its own 1.2 GHz ARM Cortex A8 processor, plus a gig of DDR3 RAM and 8 gigs of SSD storage, and not stopping there, it also features built-in 802.11b/g/n WiFi! On top of all of that, well it even comes with the option to add a 3G dongle or Ethernet adapter thanks to its pair of USB 2.0 ports.

Also, according to Engadget, this thing has a MacBook like trackpad, but they say it's "incredibly mediocre". However, its 2-cell 4200 mAh battery is rated to 8 hours. It also has its own SD card slot, a 110-240-volt AC adapter, a headphone out, mic in and an HDMI port, and weighs a very MacBook like 3.4 pounds.

Even though Engadget doesn't think its quality is anywhere near as good as the MacBook Air itself, you can't argue with the price.... it's only a fraction of the Air, or a measly $149 - $200!

Something tells me, however, that if you want to buy one that you better get your hands on one quickly, but not so much because of it selling out, but rather because this KIRF (keeping it real fake) product is bound to eventually get noticed by Apple legal.

Talking about MacBook Air look-a-likes, well you will be soon able to turn either your iPhone, iPad or other Android device into a MacBook Air like device with the new Clambook dock. This nifty dock, at least according to its developers, as can seen on the right, will help you to .... "Unlock your Smartphone's true potential", and if you ask me, the thing looks damn-right cool and potentially very useful to boot!

The Clambook, as touted by its developers, ClamCase, "Gives your smartphone laptop like functionality, and that its "slim and sleek aluminum design features a widescreen display, full-sized keyboard and multi-touch trackpad. Add style and functionality while transforming your Smartphone into the ultimate connected device."

The ClamBook comes with dedicated Android keys, and even though it looks cool and all, I'm not sure if Apple is going to be all that pleased with something that looks like a MacBook Air, but comes with dedicated Android keys. After all, Apple has recently been granted a patent for the Air's sexy design, and one that could pose a lot of problems for not only both the N2-A and ClamBook, but for many ultrabooks down the road, as well, if Apple so chooses.

In conclusion, the N2-A is interesting because of its low, low price, but even more so because of how it thumbs its nose at Apple and its IP. I can't see how this is going to end up well for its developers once Apple's lawyers get wind of this. As far as the Clambook goes, well I think it looks to be a little more legit, but still I'm not too sure Apple is going to be pleased that it has dedicated Android keys and none for iOS, but we'll see how this one goes too.

iPhone Mystery Video: Could This Be The Next iPhone Back Panel?

Well looky here, what do we see in the video above..... could it actually be the back panel for the next iPhone?   Hmmm, even the producer of the almost 5-minute long video isn't quite sure of that, but boy, oh boy, does it ever look to be, and it more-or-less seems to support another recent shot for the so-called new aluminum back panel. It also seems to point, if true, that Apple will be adopting its new "nano-SIM" card slot that was recently approved by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute.

This video comes barely a week after another leaked video of the so-called next iPhone's front panel and, if these are all true, they might help explain why Tim Cook promised that Apple was going to "double down" on its famous pendent for product secrecy.

So, in conclusion, could this video really be the back plate for the next iteration of Apple's iconic device? Hell if I know, but it sure seems to look that way, but again, we're just going to have to wait a wee bit longer to find out. Apple's annual developer conference, or WWDC 2012, starts this very next Monday and who knows, even though I doubt it, Apple could always announce the next iPhone there, but as I've said, I sincerely doubt it. Apple, however, is widely expected to reveal more details on iOS 6.0, and, as well, a completely revamped line for most of its Mac computers, including its long neglected Mac Pro.





And that's my 2 cents 4 this rather cloudy Thursday, June 07, 2012

Collusion About To Revolutionize The Revolutionary iPad

The iPad has a lot of great features going for it. Not only has it revolutionized tablets, of course, but the entire world of computing in general, and with its new Retina display things have never looked better. However, despite all of its great features, one thing has gone sorely missing.... a really good pen input system.

Yes, I know that there is already a growing list of companies that are willing to sell you some type of pen or stylus for the iPad, but none of them seam particularly all that great or as natural as using a traditional pen on paper. Fortunately, that may be all about to change as you can see in the video below from a new KickStarter developer and their new pen input device known as Collusion.

I don't know about you, my dear two-or-three readers, but this thing looks amazing, absolutely amazing. Combining both software and hardware, Collusion gives you the ability to not only sign your name to documents, or annotate things, but also allows high-precision free-hand style drawing and this is just what this old fart has been looking for. Some of the benefits of Collusion's system, in the words of its Australian developers are:

High Precision Writing and Drawing.

Yep – dedicated hardware to do the job right - because capacitive styli on finger focused multi-touch is like driving a crayon. A solution for adults is a better way to go. The result: the best available experience for writing and drawing on the iPad. Period.

Real Palm Rejection… Really!

Being able to rest your hand on an iPad to draw and write – is a fundamental problem to solve for any serious writing and drawing solution. We’ve not seen a solution we like, or one than makes any sense in terms of remotely elegant usability (ie blocking touch input from 2/3rds of the screen, or being forced to switch between drawing mode and touch control mode – these approaches are just plain hacky). It’s also a tricky problem, we like tricky problems. We can do better – and we have.

Real-time Collaboration.

A major innovation for the iPad – think of it as google docs for pens – free-form, cloud-based, real-time collaboration… very cool, and incredibly useful.

With rumors suggesting that Siri for the iPad is coming soon in iOS 6, and that Microsoft is readying a version of its  Office for the iPad, and the fact that the iPad may even be a better and cheaper deal for most business's, as well as the iPad being consistently the most satisfying and most sought after tablet for personal use ever, Collusion is only going to make it, the iPad, an even more compelling choice whether it be for business or personal use.

When it comes to pen input, Collusion looks to be the most compelling system offered for the iPad yet, and one that the Sydney Morning Herald described as being: "The pen that revolutionises your iPad". As this great newspaper also pointed out: "Collusion ......  turns the iPad into a useful productivity device for business and education, rather than for just entertainment. It includes a high precision pen and storage of files in the cloud, similar to Google Docs, allowing for real-time collaboration."

All I will add to that, in conclusion is: Amen brother!




And that's my 2 cents 4 this rather dreary, wet and miserable Wednesday, June 06, 2012

Source: smh.com.au

WWDC 2012: A Total Revamp Of The Mac Line Coming??

Oh boy, oh boy, I'm I ever hoping that 9to5Mac is correct on this one and that:"Apple (is) to update most of its Mac lineup and multiple accessories at WWDC".

Originally, at first, I thought that they said that ALL Macs, including the Mac Pro, where to be updated, but unfortunately, we just don't know that yet. Hopefully, it will be, but regardless 9to5Mac is speculating that this year's, "WWDC 2012 might be the biggest simultaneous launch of new Macs in Apple’s history… "

Ooh baby, do I ever hope that is the case. I already have dreams of Macs having some of those sweet and eye-popping Retina Displays. However, a reported leaked photo (possibly fake) of the box of a new MacBook Pro 13 incher shows no Retina Display what-so-ever. It does show, however, and for the first time, a Mac sporting two USB 3.0 input/output ports. That's certainly interesting, but hardly what you would call revolutionary.

Currently Macs come in five flavors: the MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, Mac mini, and Mac Pro and according to some sources at least four of them should be updated. It's not sure whether the odd man out will be the Mac Pro or the Mac mini, but personally I'm hoping that it is the Mac Pro that makes the cut. The Mac Pro has been virtually ignored for so long that it has sparked rumors that it will be discontinued and these rumors have even sparked a FaceBook petition to help ensure it won't be.

Personally, what I really want to see is a 27 inch, or larger, iMac that features not only one of those sleek new third-generation Intel Ivy Bridge cpu's, but one with a beefier graphic card and a mind-blowing Retina Display, and, yes, for crying-out-loud, maybe even a descent touch screen for once! Oh, and since we're only dreaming here, for the moment, how bout throwing in a really, really fast and really super large capacity SSD while we at it. Ok, I admit that I'm a little greedy, so better throw in some USB 3.0 ports for good measure and for goodness sake, if at all possible, make the bloody thing even slimmer than it is now and even if that means abandoning the optical drive in the process. Of course, if you do throw in an optical drive, for Pete's sake, make sure it's a Blue-Ray version.

Also, maybe, just maybe this time around Apple will finally see fit to finally put Siri on the Mac where she belongs. According to Tim Cook, in fact, we can soon look forward to Siri getting much better and more useful in the near future, and since Tim Cook stated: "..... We Are Going To Blow You Away In Two Weeks,"  ...... who knows, maybe we'll even see an iMac along the lines to the one on the right which Apple has taken patents out for long, long ago.

When it comes to this year's WWDC 9to5Mac reports:

"Apple updating most of their Mac line in one sitting is uncustomary for the company, and this may mark a transition to yearly Mac updates; similarly to the yearly iPad and iPhone update cycles. On the other hand, it appears that Apple is moving towards higher-resolution displays on Macs in a big way this summer, so perhaps Apple wants to push out their new Retina Macs simultaneously."

In conclusion, there have been some really great WWDC's in the past, but now it's beginning to look like this year's WWDC 2012 could end up becoming the biggest, baddest and most exciting of them all!

I can hardly wait




And that's my 2 cents 4 this miserable Tuesday, June 04, 2012

WWDC logo via: TechBlock
iMac concept photo via: MacLife

Asus Takes On The iMac And MacBook Air With Its Transformer AIO And Taichi Ultrabook

TheVerge's video above of the new Asus Transformer AIO is unique for several reasons. One: it boots both Windows 8 or Android, and secondly: it just may be the world's largest tablet with a whopping 18.4 inches or more of screen real estate!

The multitouch display can also handle 10-finger input and the bloody thing even has its own discreet graphic card with an Intel Ivy Bridge cpu to boot. The transformer part, of course, refers to the fact that the screen can be lifted completely out from the base of the machine, thus giving you one enormous sized tablet that is probably a tad bit too big for most normal sized hands, but something that, nonetheless, I find to be rather intriguing to say the least.

TheVerge noted that they would be ".... curious to know what sort of battery life.." that one could  expect to get with the screen in tablet mode. Apparently, you can switch between Windows 8 or Android at the mere touch of a button, and that while in tablet mode, the Transformer AiO will use a remote desktop interface to communicate with the dock, and thus function as a 100% Windows 8 PC. TheVerge also noted that "... details are scarce: there's no word on the specs, the display size, or a price."

They also noted that the Transformer AIO wasn't the only unique 'dual' product coming from Asus either, as they recently also demoed a new dual-screen MacBook Air like ultrabook, the Asus Taichi. This little bugger comes with a touch screen both on the inside and outside, as demoed below in two video's below:





Asus calls the Taichi as being an "incredible fusion of notebook and tablet" while featuring another Apple innovation... a backlit keyboard and will come in screen sizes of 11.6 and 13.3 inch's respectfully.

In conclusion, the new Asus Transformer AIO and its Taichi line of ultrabooks look rather interesting and original to say the least, however, I can still see Apple's influence in both. How Apple responds to all of the cool stuff now coming out of Computex, like Ausus's latests gizmos, still remains to be seen, however, AppleInsider is reporting that  "Apple is gearing up for what is expected to be an "exciting" September.....", which could see its competition inspired to copy and bring out even more cool products.




And that's my 2 cents 4 this cloudy Monday, June 04, 2012

Fastest Inventory Turnover: Apple Ranks First, At Five Days!

What do Apple, Amazon, McDonald's, Dell, P&G, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Samsung, HP and Nike, among others, all have in common?

Simple: They are all among the top 25 companies in the world when it comes to overturning their inventories - or how fast they sell everything that they make! As AppleInsider reports:

" ..... Apple has an inventory turn metric of 74, which means that the iPad maker turns over its entire inventory once every five days, a staggering number for a consumer electronics company."

Dang-tooting that's a staggering number, if not an absolute mind-blowing one. Mind you, MacDonald's has a higher inventory turn metric of 142.4, but you have to remember that there is a big difference between a hamburger, milk shake, fries, etc., than a smartphone, tablet, desktop, mpg player, etc., and especially when you compare the cost of each.

The only tech companies, out of the top 25, plus their overall inventory ranks, are listed as follows:

  1 - Apple
  4 - Dell
  7 - Intel
  8 - Cisco
13 - Samsung
19 - RIM
24 - HP

Wow, in conclusion, I find it rather hard to believe that Apple, with its high-priced gizmos, would or could actually beat the likes of McDonald's, Coca-Cola, Pepsi or mighty Walmart when it comes to completely overturning their inventory! People need to eat, drink and buy clothes and what have you, but Apple's gear, as nice as they are, are not exactly what I would call essential to life-and-limb such as food, shelter, etc. are, and especially considering the economic turmoil the world is going through these days just makes Apple's high inventory turnover all the more impressive indeed.




And that's my 2 cents 4 this rather pleasant Friday, May 31, 2012

Chart via Appleinsider; source: Gartner