AI, Mobile, and Eveything Around the Cloud

Verizon Wireless has said time and time again that the ball is in Apple court as to whether the iPhone will make it onto VW's network.  Well, if the Droid campaign is of any indication, the answer is that the VW customers will not see a CDMA or LTE iPhone for a long long time. Well, Internet News has a very good down-the-middle post about why the iPhone will stay with ATT for a while and it's a must read.  Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg recently said that despite the Droid campaign (only some parts of it were good-natured fun against the iPhone), VW is ready to embrace Apple as a partner.  One thing everyone can agree on:  whether the Verizon gets the iPhone is entirely Apple's decision. And IN mapped out clearly why that's not going to happen in the near future.  here are a few reasons why: Not until LTE network is completed or near completion.  That won't happen until 2013. Details on the deal between ATT and Apple remain obscured.  Some folks say 5 years.  Don...

There you have it.  Apple will approve Google's new navigation app and everyone in the mobile world will be better for it. Today, Google sank the hearts and minds of the GPS navigation industry with its own free navigation software for its Android device and said it will have the same offering for iPhone users if Apple approves. Initially, I was going to tease this post with a title about Apple maybe striking out Google.  First with the Latitude app and then the Google Voice app.  But I couldn't go there because Apple will approve Google's navigation app. As you probably know by now, Apple and Google have started taking shots at each other publicly but since Android's debut, Chrome OS, and Apple's app rejections (though some would take Apple's line that it continue to study Google Voice), things does not appear to be rosy between the two.  Now, there are no e-mails or anything definite to say that even a cold war between Apple and Google has started.  But ...

We'll get into it each day or week, however it makes sense, on what everyone's guess about the iTablet is and what it will be able to do.  But once we start smelling rumors, we'll leave it out. The reason I want to get into it now is because I ordered myself a Nook, Barnes and Noble's first reader, and I'm trying to convince myself that I ought to wait for the iTablet.  The Nook is certainly an interest concept and I wouldn't mind trying it out before the iTablet is available for sale.  However,  a dry run would cost me close to $400.  That could at least be half the cost of an iTablet. Quite expensive for a test run.  And canceling and waiting to see if I'll like it when the Nooks are in the stores will likely put me at the back of the line.  I remember I did that with Playstation 2 and I had to wait until February the following year to get my hands on one.  And then there was Wii that out of stock for like...ever. So, back to iTablet. ...

During the last financial call, Apple execs hinted at a new product that was the culprit of a higher than usual air freight cost as they try to bring enough of it into the US to satisfy demands.   So what can be this product be?  Well, the iMac is already out as is the new Mac Minis and I don't see either of these products lighting it up this December.  They already indicated it's not the iPhone so there's that.  iPods?  Nah. Perhaps I'm just trying to avoid the disappointment should the iTablet not be the product so I'll say again.  It's not the iTablet.  The window of opportunity for just this is closing.  Apple would have to make the intro in the next week or two to make sure they get this out in time for the Holiday shopping season. I'm guessing this would be the Macbook Pros.  Making rounds today are reports of codes embedded in to the Mac OS that made references to the new MBPs.  According to MacDailyNews' reference to another post, the placehold...

Great news for Apple fans.  The Mac has crawled back to 4th place in the US with 9.4% in sales over the summer.  It helped that Apple continues to innovate their Macbook lineup and Snow Leopard's release.  And given how Apple intends to innovate its way out of the recession, we should continue to see better products and features. One of products we're anticipating, as well as everyone else, is the fabled tablet.  I believe it coming in the first half of 2010.  However much we'll love it, whether it'll do ebooks, sport a 10 inch screen, or spectacular battery life, I have to ask this question.   Where do the future tablet sales figure in market?  As Macs?  iPhones?  iPods?  Or a whole new category?  Macs?  Well, that's easy.  If the tablet runs Snow Leopard, it'll be easier for analysts to lump the tablet sales in with the Macs.   But what if it runs a variant of the iPhone OS?  Then what?  It's not an iPhone certainly.  It'll probably be closer to th...

Word on Mac Blog Street is that Apple has released into the wild iPhones immune to the unlocking and jail-breaking tools of intrepid and brilliant individuals that have unleashed the power of the iPhone in ways, well, Apple currently doesn't not permit officially. Untapped potentials of the iPhone is what is at stake here. We want more and Apple doesn't appear to be ready or willing to provide that to us. Talk about night and time when compared to the Android platform. But iPhone users want it and developers who provide unlocking/jailbreaking tools are giving it to us. But it appears that Apple is changing the rules a bit with an updated bootROM for the iPhone 3GS. More at Appleinsider . With the new scheme, currently tools will have no effects on these new iPhones. I'm not a betting man but at times when something appears to be favorable, I dabble a bit. And my bet is on the development community over Apple any day on this issue. And another bet: this is going to ...

Alright, remember when Apple launched MobileMe services to replace .Mac but there were issues with?  Well, that was growing pain and things continued to get better with each passing day (actually, we had some issues with MobileMe for about 30 minutes or so this morning). Over the weekend, T-Mobile's Sidekick users were cut off from their data in the cloud when their connections were severed.  By all accounts, data have been lost and some might never see them again. Forget the blame for now.  Forget that Microsoft bought Danger and is now responsible for providing services to thousands of Sidekick users.  Now, it's about us MobileMe users and just about anyone who relies on the cloud for computing and data access. MobileMe works very differently from Sidekick services.  We've got copies of our information in Macs or PCs as well as on our iPhones and iPod Touches.  Apple has servers with our data but unless something weird or deliberate happens, MobileM...

First, I just want to say that I don't get a penny of this bring this Mac bundle promotion (just check the link).  It's just my daily Web surfing and I came across it.  In fact, I intend on buying this tonight and installing the ones that I need. Macpromo has a Mac Security Bundle for $49.99 for us right now.  Twice or thrice a year, Macpromo has bundles that Mac users can get for dirt cheap.  And to be honest, for most bundles, half of them are pretty good while the other half, not so much. However, this one looks very good.  Look, Mac folks, the Mac isn't immune from Internet attacks.  And if you're a regular user like myself, we have no idea how the inner workings of the OS X work and why we seem to not be suffering from the constant barrage of security holes, viruses, and other darker elements of the Internet.  Perhaps it's because the Mac install base is still small and not worth the efforts of the hackers and virus writers. But the day will come when the Ma...

Okay, as strange as it sounds, Starbucks, superbook stores, and malls aren't the only place that offers Wi-Fi access to patrons. Car dealerships and oil change places like EZ-Lubes also provide Wi-Fi.  You're asking why anyone would want to go there just to access the Internet.  Ordinarily, you wouldn't.  I'm not a big car guy.  But once in a while you have to take it down to the dealership for some maintenance work.  Sometimes, it's 30 minutes.  Other times, it could take a few hours especially if you don't have an appointment. Still, there are times when you're there with your spouse, family, or friend looking to buy a new car.  The dealing and haggling can take a few hours.  I was once there for more than half a day.  Could I have used Internet access then?  You betcha! Plus, some dealerships also have fast food joints and coffee houses for patrons that had to spend hours there at a time.  It's actually quite brilliant for ...

To our British readers, you are so frakking lucky!  You not only get one choice.  You not only get two choices.  You're going to be getting three choices of iPhone carriers! The mobile world, specifically the Apple mobile fans, will be watching to see what this means for them. You're going to get competition for your hard-earned money.  Perhaps more features.  Perhaps just lower monthly rates. But I reckon you'll get more features and lower rates.  For us on this side of the Pond, folks, it feels like we're looking into the window of a rich family whose kids are playing with new toys.  It's a bit of a downer. A while back, there was news that some Canadian carriers are looking to bring the iPhone to their networks so Rogers don't get all the fun and continue to charge users the crazy rates. Again, what about the mobile warriors in the States?  Conventional wisdom is that We're stuck with ATT until the LTE network from Verizon is built. ...

Appleinsider is report both Mac Minis from Apple now have a 2-3 weeks waiting period while iMacs are also experience longer than usual shipping period.  Why am I mentioning this and how does this relate to Apple mobile? Events.  See, there's a lot of moving parts with Apple's mobile strategy.  Not just app stores and iPhones.  There's music, movies and televisions.  Also with Apple TV.  See, Apple is very good at making money by creating a viable self-sustaining ecosystem.   Almost all of Apple news these days are about the iPhone.  For instance, take the news yesterday about Apple buying a mapping service company .  Immediately we think iPhone but it could be that they also want to provide additional geo-tagging or overlay services for the Mac. So, events.  If there is an event this October or November, chances are it'll be more than just refreshing the Mac hardwares.  It may involve Apple TV which has been stagnant and just recently received a price cut. An Apple ...

We didn't get Google Voice for our iPhone and iPod Touch.  See, things aren't too good between Apple and Google at the moment. Regardless, that's not our problem, right?  So long as Apple, Google, and others continue to innovate, we're really the folks in the driver's seat. So, Apple acquired a map service company called PlaceBase.  It is to replace Google Maps on the iPhone or to provide better services and features for the Mac? Remember, there's a tablet on the way.  Maybe Apple is doing something special for it.  Regardless, so long as we get whatever Apple has up its sleeves sooner rather than later, that's all good to me. More about Apple's strategic map buy and possibility of Apple unveiling its own search engine at Onxo .