AI, Mobile, and Eveything Around the Cloud

It's no secret that the next iPhone is coming in months.  Since we did not get a new iPhone back at the WWDC in June, we did get a preview of iOS 5.  And where is there a new iOS version, there has always been a new iPhone. That much is certain.  What is not certain at this time is what features will be included in the new iPhone and whether they are enough to compel upgrades and cause defections from other mobile camps.  What would feature or features will you need to compel you to trade in your old trusted mobile friend that has been a constant company for the last year or more. NFC - this is probably a very good feature to have - and it should future proof the next iPhone.  However, future is the future and Apple has not said if they will be offering a broad plan to make mobile payment available to iPhone users.  NFC obviously isn't just for mobile payment.  A Mac with NFC can allow users to use their iPhones as logins or to exchange files. ...

According to Computerworld , Apple was denied injunction against Amazon using the term "app store". Rather, Amazon's version, "Appstore" without the space. It was to be expected given a series of questions from the judge that questioned Apple's position that "app store" was unique to its own iTunes ecosystem. So what now? It's like that Apple will not be able to get the court to come down on its side. It's curious why that won't be the case since it was Apple that first come up with the terminology two years ago. On top of that, with Microsoft's "Windows", it don't really get any more generic than that. When Apple eventually loses, I can totally see Apple abandon the use of "app store" all together and reinvent the whole category with something that it can trademark. So, in a year's time or so, get ready to be re-educated by Steve Jobs and company. And you can get the media, especially those o...

Hurry! Google Plus invitation is back again.  Let me know if you're interested.  It was on briefly yesterday before going away again. My e-mail is paul.public.acct@gmail.com.  You can e-mail me there.  I don't want you putting your e-mail in the public comment section. Also, someone told me only those with Google mails will work.

You know you're a media and social icon when people use your likeness in other formats. A Chinese tea company in Taiwan is trying to duplicate Steve Jobs and his reality distortion field with a look-alike to sell tea in this witty commercial. Well, given the shortage of iPad 2 in the region, there are worse ways to getting an iPad than to drink potentially tainted tea .

I really like Google Plus because of its ease of use in general.  More specifically, I like the better control (as far as my perception goes) than what we get on Facebook.  And on top of that, many government agencies on three or four continents are watching Google's use of user information or have sued and won judgments against the search giant. Courtesy of Macworld, here are their top five privacy settings that you'll want to know about.  Information like hiding your e-mail or even quitting the new social network are very important.  In general, most people will not care.  But I disagree.  They will care when things go wrong - identities stolen or they've been phished. So, the Plus privacy post is a recommended read . For those of you on the outside looking in (I'm working on getting invitations for those who have e-mailed me), bookmark this handy little post.  You'll need it.  I recommend the first thing you do is to obfuscate your e-mail and t...

I am not sure I'm ready to go out on a limb here yet but Samsung's warning due to poor LCD and TV sales could be a sign that consumers are changing their ways. During the last holiday shopping seasons, many retailers warned of possibly not being able to meet TV forecasts.  And it was largely due to the iPad.  And with sales of the iPad continuing to be hot and other tablets from Android, Web OS, and RIM already on sale all hitting the market around the same time, there really is only so much dollars to go around. And Android tablets are about to go 2.0 with new releases just in time for the coming shopping season.   I'm fairly certain this will put a lot of pressure on segment of consumer tech products - namely TV and PCs.   In this BBC post , analysts expect Samsung to recover the rest of the year based on sales of their mobile devices - the Galaxy lines of phones and tablets.   See what I mean?

According to Macdailynews, Steve Jobs is set to join a retreat with executives from other companies.  I don't' know about that but I think this is a good sign, eh? The only problem is that the Bloomberg post they sourced from was from a year ago.  They had me all excited.  Really really excited.  That was what I was gonna share with you. But so what? I fully expect Steve to be at the official unveiling of the next iPhone in August or whenever Apple deems it the right time to do so.   Here's another thing. My experience so far is that thorn at people's sides are hard to get rid of.  And Steve Jobs has been a thorn at the side of a good many companies across vast disciplines.  And I'm pretty sure he'll be a pain-in-the-ass for these guys for a long time to come. Source:  MacDailyNews ,  Bloomberg  

Just as much as I like to talk about the iPhone, I am also very passionate about trying to be as carbon neutral as possible. Living in LA, it's very hard. With my busy schedule, it's mostly one small step at a time for me. Buying locally grown food. Taking public transportion despite a fifty-fifty chance that I may throw up each time I step onto a bus or train. Then I came across this list of five iPhone apps for staying or trying to stay green as it is in my case. I particularly like Carbon Tracker, which tracks your carbon footprint, and Green Genie, a social network for green, recycling, and conservation efforts. I think I'll go ahead and download the other three. The Green Gas Saver isn't for me but I think I'll give it a chance anyway. How about Android, Blackberry, and Windows Phones users? Any good apps you can suggest for other users Source: Cleantechnica .

Update: Looks like I spoke too soon. I managed to get about 10 people in before the icon disappeared. I've managed to get most people who requested a Plus invitation in but there a few left still. Again, if you want one and have a bit of patience, let me know and I'll do what I can to put you through. Looks like Google is allow Plus members to invite people. There is no loop hole required this time. I don't know how long this will last but if you want one, e-mail me at at paul.public.acct@gmai.com sooner rather than later. Or if you know someone who has Plus, beg for an invitation from your friend. Exodus from Facebook continues.

Hello, everyone!  It's a new day! Spotify is now accepting sign-ups for services.  Here is the link to their sign-in page.  And yes, I've already put my name forth.   I started using this a while back, courtesy of Dave the Mobile Warrior who helped me set it up.   No pricing has been announced but expect it to be free for a few hours of streaming and if you can't get enough of it, you can sign up for a subscription.  According to Macrumors ,  €5 to €10 per month for European users.  I think we'll see about $10.  But to do well, I think they would need to go as low as $5 a month.  After all, you already get Netflix streaming for $8 a month.  It would not make sense for a music service to cost more than video streaming. So, what are you waiting for.  Sign up now! Note:  Remember those unlimited data plans I mentioned yesterday that are going away.  They're pretty handy when I needed to catch up on some TV shows.  N...

In a first, President Barack Obama will be hosting a virtual town hall meeting via twitter.  According to GigaOM , the meeting will take place at 11 am PST.  If you want to ask the President question, simply type in your question with the tashtag #AskObama. More than just a publicity stunt, political leaders are increasing aware of the power of social media and mobile tech.  On top of that, it will allow President to gain a accurate feel for what youths today are thinking and feeling.  After all, the President's successful 2008 Presidential bid owe in large part to the youth vote.  Today, the youth segment of the population are increasingly anxious about their jobs, debts, and future. And these are very well educated electorate who can determine the President''s 2012 reelection bid.  Furthermore, the White House and the campaign will be pouring over the Twitter data from the virtual town hall to see what's being asked, where they're asking from, and the num...

According to TechFlash , Microsoft, fresh of some victories against Android makers including HTC who will be paying Microsoft $5 for every HTC phone it makes, is going after Samsung for $15 of every Galaxy phone it sells.  Considering the pricing pressure it sometimes has to go through, Samsung's Galaxy success could also cost it big.   And there's where all these companies with huge arsenals of wireless and mobile patents play such a big role in the ever evolving and interesting war.  Why?  Considering many sources already saying that Microsoft makes more money going after Android licensees than selling its own Windows Phone software, this is saying a lot. And on top of Google's losing bid for Nortel's wireless, specifically LTE, patents to a consortium lead by Apple, Google really has nothing else to help fend its partners from Microsoft, Nokia, or even Apple from asking for future royalty payments on the patents they won. Do you see a pattern here?  Of course...

I recently tried to redeemed a coupon that I bought off LivingSocial.  It's for a restaurant called Cafe 322 in Southern California.  I had hope to write about my wonderful experience there but it was not the case.  In fact, we did not mange to get in. The reason was that there was a coverage charge to get into the place, something that LS forget to mention.  And on top of that, while the email described it as a Finnish restaurant, it was selling pizza and pasta.  Even a sign on the cafe said "Italian". On top of that, it was a very loud place and we had children with us.  We thought about sitting outside but there were people there.  And there is no smoking allowed in restaurants in California.   While I hope to go back before my coupon expires (which I think is probably not legal to  have an expiration date), you really have to be careful with what appears to be good deals on LivingSocial, Groupon, or other up-and-coming companies that offe...

Never thought I would be able to blog about this so here it goes. From the first post I've read, Phandroid is reporting an official Pokemon game is making it's way to Android and the iPhone. So far few details are available. It will be available this summer and It'll be free ( Touch Arcade ). It will be a tapping game based on Pokemon music. What? You expected something more? With Nintendo just announcing the Wii successor and the 3DS coming a long nicely, it is unlikely we will see a full featured title. Obviously, such titles would be very popular with mobile gamers on the iPhone and Android devices. Short of hell freezing over, simple tapping Pokemon games are all we can expect for now.

Strategy Analytics, a research firm that I've referenced on a few occasions, is saying that location-based services, like Foursquare, will likely reach $10 billion by 2016 - with half of that coming from advertising.  In addition to that, GigaOM mentioned that privacy issues regarding location tracking will remain a big concern.  I think it's a valid point but I also think $10 billion is a small pond given the number of players that are involved. I've already mentioned Foursquare, but others like Facebook and Google are also angling for a piece of this market.  And there are probably half a dozen other services that I can think of right of the top of my head that will vie for some of the mobile consumers' attention.   My concern is the privacy of consumers like myself.  As a Foursquare user, I have yet to see any returns and yet, I've been offering Foursquare information regarding some of my habits.  I am sure with other users, they likely have more to gai...

Microsoft just released a new Bing app that requires no typing for search. And it can probably expand this features for other purposes like copy and pasting or just opening up a contextual menu. It just goes to show that Microsoft can still innovate.  So, for all us haughty Android and iPhone fans, don't get too cocky.  Maybe, just maybe Windows Phone's future is brighter than anyone expects if Redmond can truly bring more innovate energy to the market. So, what is Lasso?  The feature is only on the Bing app for the iPad for the moment.  By using your finger to draw a circle around the word or phrase you want to be selected, you can begin a search.  Also, users can save up to nine Lasso'd items.   No word on this working with Honeycomb tablets but this feature is a part of Microsoft's own tablet tools.  I'm looking forward to trying this out on my iPad when I get home. Source:   Cnet .

For readers out of the US, I don't know what kind of data plans you get.  From what I'm reading, not many of you have unlimited data plans For the US market, AT&T first moved away from that a little more than a year ago.  This week, Verizon Wireless will officially join the growing number of carriers around the world in killing of the unlimited wireless data plan. According to iSmathphone , a VZW spokesman made the official declaration.  I had latched on to this a while back and took the plunge last week by signing up for a Verizon plan, forgoing my 8-year relationship with T-Mobile.  I was very interested in the LTE phones but the battery lives just don't cut it for me.   So I went for the iPhone 4 even though I know the next update is probably just around the corner.  No loss there as I'lll probably give this one to a family member.  Still, sucks that VZW is doing this. And as far as I know, VZW does offer truly unlimited data access.  While...

Apple files a lot of patents that never come to the market.  But this interesting patent has Apple equipping Macs with near field communication (NFC) capabilities. Pair this with an iPhone or iPod touch, and you've got something really special. Macs can be turned into cash registers for mobile payment and other potential mobile uses.   Supposed if you're buying grocery.  You can pick all the things you need, go into the market, link your iPhone to the NFC-Mac and tell them what you've ordered and the people in the supermarket can put your order together for you.  This is just my simple application of how I think it could work.  I am certain smarter folks than I am are already salivating over the possibilities. The current iPhone 4 has no NFC capability and it is possible that Apple might offer NFC features in the next iPhone update.  There are rumors about it but no one knows for sure.  There is also a chance that Apple will forgo offering NFC until 20...

Jon Rubinstein, formerly of Palm but now with HP, compared the dismal reviews for Touchpad to the first version of Mac OS X  (Wikipedia) when it debuted back in 2001.  This came from an e-mail to his troops in the midst of the Touchpad launch. Obviously, it is a clear association on its face value.  Rubinstein was a former Steve Jobs understudy with deep involvement in the iPod development and Apple's resurgence in the last decade.  So, you have to kind of listen to him when he talks. However, there is one different I would like to point out:  Apple had legions of loyal Mac supporters numbering in the tens of millions across a wide spectrum - home users to educators to professionals in law, medical, media, and art. And that was during Apple's darkest days when it was just weeks from declaring bankruptcy.   Web OS, however, lack this number as far as the number of loyal followers who are willing to flock to the platform at this time.  What Jon Rubi...

Here is yet another research that finds no link between cancer in the head and radiation emitted from cell phones.  It's worth a read if you've got the time. Coming from a science background in the labs, I realized that experiments and researches can be skewed one way or another.  It's not that hard if you're determined.  So with another study out on whether cell phones causes cancer or not, we have to take it in with all the other researches that are available on public. There are those are determined to make sure there is zero link between the radiation coming from our mobile devices and possible ailments while there are others who are determined to make that link. I'm sure this debate is far from over.  There is going to be a lot of back and forth but the main point to keep in mind is this:  does increase use of cell phones actually cause brain tumors.  Studies that link cell phone use and possible risks with offering links are entirely another matter. P...

It's official.  According to The iPhone Blog , the official and native Google Plus app has been released to Apple a few days ago for approval to be released for the general public. This was from a tweet of a known Googler. What is not surprising that is that those Android users, like my lucky self,  with early access to Plus already have Plus on our devices.  And yeah, it's that awesome.  And I'm sure it'll only get better. In the heated war between Apple and Google, Mountainview is increasingly giving Android app releases a priority whereas in the early days of the iPhone and Android tussle, Google had on a few occasions released the iOS version before the Android version.  Even now, the Google took a dig at Apple in her tweet.  You'll have to click through to TiPB to get the full scoop. I can't wait to see just how similar the two apps are.  That Google can release both apps so close to each other is remarkable.  I am still of the opinion that m...

We took my 4-year old nephew to watch Cars 2.  After all, it was a movie made for these little guys on our lives.  And he's seen Cars many times over at home.  And he was especially impressed with what Mator could do in the movie.  LigHTING McQeen is pretty cool but a flying Mator is even better. But during the movie in the theater, he had to go to the bathroom many times because of the Icee and soda we bought him.  He missed like a third of the movie.  And he would ask what he missed.   Suppose the studios were to release the movie for movie goers simultaneously.  You go to watch the picture and you can buy a copy of the movie as well on DVD or Blu-Ray.  Obviously, you would jack up the price a bit for the potential lost proceeds that the studios and theaters are may lose.   The question is how much and how the proceeds would be split.  I reckon I would pay for about $30-$50 for a Blu-Ray copy of the movie we just watched if it's g...

We know that a bunch of mobile gadgets are being manufactured in China. Your laptops, netbooks, and PC certainly are. So are many smartphones. And we certainly know that Apple's iPhones and iPad are made in China (but designed in California). And then we hear a lot about some tech jobs outsourced to India. I recently had a conversation with a friend who made a trip to India to do some work with his counterparts there. Now it has me wondering just where the manufacturing is in India and how much outsourcing of some development jobs are sent to China? I reckon because India has a large English speaking population, it could be easier for US companies to set up offices in India. And could we soon have devices "Made in India"? And does it matter? Certainly. Take for instance the iPhone. It's only recently that the iPhone 4 was made available in India, nearly a year after it was released in general use in the US. And China has had the iPhone 4 for months....

For those of you that have access to Google Plus (through your own means or through me), you may be accessing your profile through your Android app or the browser on your PC. Here are a few screen shots that I've captured on my iPhone to show you. It works exactly the same on Android devices. I have to say that Google has done a great job with their mobile dev. This is way beyond what Facebook has been able to do. This is the homepage of sort. Nothing ground-breaking here. This is the stream page where you can write updates and share them with which ever circle you wish. This is the circles page. This manipulation for sharing your stream updates with specific people is very easy. You can't do this easily on Facebook so expect Facebook to copy this. Hey it is how the industry works sometimes. This is the profile page. It's like the stream page except this page allows you to focus one specific individual in your circle. Again, Google has come a long long way since their mobil...

Hi, this is a quick update on the Google Plus situation.  On Friday (7/1), I put out a notice on my blog that how those of us with access to Google Plus can invite family and friends into Plus.  It was not a direct invitation but a way to e-mail stream update to people.  From there, they can click on the "Learn more about Google Plus" icon and gain access that way.   As far as I know, I was able to add those of you interested in getting a Google Plus account as of early morning the next day.  Luckily, I was able to invite a few dozen and was pretty happy about that. But those that received the email after that or read their e-mails too late were shut out.  And I tested it against this morning and the situation remains the same.  And Google has not opened up on our pages official invitations to invite friends from within our stream page. I will continue to reply to those of you who e-mailed me for access.  When things change, I will e-mail you dir...

The iPad is the tablet right now. There just is not way of going around it. However I believe it's only time until we see Android tablets in greater numbers in homes, schools, and workplaces. Meanwhile here is a prime example of how tablets are currently being used and and where can go from here. Many attorneys are already using iPads in the offices and courtrooms. However, a couple of lawyers in Phoenix, Arizona had gone a step further. They equipped some of their biggest clients with iPads that will allow the clients to stay in touch with their cases and attorneys. Think about this. This is a field that has required updated informations at all time. But there are other fields that require up-to-date information for easy consumption. According to Arizona Central , Fennemore Craig is a personal injury firm but it looks like other types of law practiced could benefit greatly as well. iPads and other tablets used to help with disseminating information or provide informative informa...

Here is a good post from MacObserver summing on up on all things mobile for Apple, the iPhone, and Android competition. See, if you are new to the Apple blog scene, there are tons of sites dedicated to Apple news, rumors, and like this site that focuses on entertaining speculations and analysis. While I love reading rumors, I don't report on them though occasionally I skirt around this self-imposed ban by speculating about their validity and pointing readers to them. The MacObserver is a good jumping off point if you like to know more Apple and the latest speculations on when the next iPhone will be released and what features could be added. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Starting on July 17th, AT&T will begin offering insurance to iPhone users.  For new owners who sign up within 30 days of activation, they can sign up for iPhone coverage for $5 a month.  More information at Macnn . What I do find interesting is the timing of the issue.  In the past, typical changes mobile plans and policies take place weeks or just a couple of months before new iPhone are introduced  AT&T did just before the iPhone 4 went on sale by ending unlimited data plans.  So with this insurance policy change, I reckon it's one of recent signals that the next iPhone is coming sooner rather than later.  What other signs are there? Verizon Wireless, which started selling the iPhone in February, will pointed end their unlimited data plans on July 17th.   More than rumors, the timing of moves by mobile wireless providers can provide us with more valuable information about Apple's iOS releases.  How would you like to see the next iPhone 5...

iCloud is the next foundation upon which mobile computing and just about every one of Apple's technical strategy is going forward. However, even Apple is not invulnerable to hacks. In a tweet, Anonymous or its associate hacker group, Lulz Security, managed to hack into an Apple server. Though not a whole lot of information was stolen, the message was received loud and clear. Luckily for Apple, they're not the main target at this time. According to the hackers, they're busy. In a tweet, they stated that "Apple could be target, too. But don’t worry, we are busy elsewhere". This is particularly worrisome as Apple will make iCloud a large piece of the iOS 5 and OS X ecosystem. Apple has yet to say a word about this. This is typical Apple behavior. They almost never say anything for days or weeks when requested for information. Just last week, Apple was forced to patch a security hole in its developer website after a hacker group threatened to expose ...

Android adoption has grown at a rate head-and-shoulders above everyone else.  The latest figure provided by Google showed that Android adoption is coming in at 500,000 units a day.  This information come across as a tweet from Andy Rubin, Google's Android-in-chief ( Venture Beat ).  And while no one else can lay claim to anything close, it could be Apple's iOS devices that are leading the charge in actual mobile use and future habits. These Android figures do not accurate definite what is actually being sold, updates, or anything along that line.  What we do know is that Android tablets are gaining as wide an acceptance as its smartphone counterparts.  More than that, Apple's tablet, the iPad, is controlling more than a lion's share of use.  Internationally, the iPad controls nearly 90% of tablet browsing while it controls 97% of US share on the Web for tablets ( Macrumors ).  Now, comes word that iOS browsing controls 60% of all US mobile browsing ( F...

Here it is:  with social networks and your mobile device, you can be more effective than your usual run-of-the-mill government official, elected representative, or your typical organizer.  Everything you want to do about things you support, dislike, or simply want to lend a voice to an issue is already within your reach.  I'm talking about the smartphone in your pocket, Twitter or Google Plus (yeah, yeah, and Facebook too), a Wordpress blog, and couple of mobile apps.   In the old days, people had to get together for meetings.  Someone had to coordinate and try to rally people to join in a cause.  Today, a couple of countries in the Middle East have new governments because Facebook and Twitter.  Iran's Green Revolution did not succeed in changing the government but it scared the crap out of Tehran.  And then there's the on going struggle in Syria that has yet to be resolved.  All started with a simple tweet or Facebook update.   Most of ...