AI, Mobile, and Eveything Around the Cloud

Just like many folks are locked into Apple's walled garden, I reckon many people, especially Kindle users will actively become a part of the Amazon prison. And the term "Amazon prison" is not my own but hose of  Shelley Palmer, blogger .  And he makes a great case for it.  And while the term "walled garden" being applied to Apple's ecosystem sounds better, we have to wonder if they are both the same. Amazon's contents are no necessarily exclusive to Kindle hardware.  However, Apple's contents, music and video, can only be used with iOS and OS X hardware, basically Apple gears.  What's interesting is that you can go arguments for and against going with Apple or Amazon. Palmer did a good job arguing for Amazon.  It's a good read.  At the same time, he's talking with respects to content, not hardware.  And when you bring in the hardware equation, Apple and other hardware makers also have a great argument to make. So, what matters t...

Here’s a quick thought from all the information we’ve gathered since the launch of the iPad 2 to this week’s unveiling of the Kindle Fire.  People are finally getting it.  What? You cannot just manufacturer and sell a tablet and think that people will fall in line.  One might have thought that the success of the iPad 2 and failure of the Xoom to be apparently.  One might have thought HP killing off Touchpad a little over a month after its release would be lesson enough.  One might have thought RIM’s drumming in the market and the shipping (not sales) figure of the Playbook would be enough to teach us about the tablet market and mobile computing. It has taken Amazon’s Kindle Fire with its low low $199 price and all the contents its bring to bear for people to start realizing where the future of mobile computing and entertainment is headed. People are just starting to realize specs alone are not enough.  Dazzling demos are good for the blogs but doesn’...

This morning, I read a post how Sprint could have issues streaming users from its other three major US carriers.  Stealing from T-Mobile users will be like taking candy away from a baby.  But it will be tougher to do the same to AT&T and Verizon but not impossible. First, there is no LTE iPhone yet and so no one can claim that advantage.  And everyone is has a 4G network, supposedly.  But it's not true.  AT&T and T-Mobile's 4G are nothing but pure marketing.   Second, Sprint is the last major carriers to offer true unlimited wireless data plan.  I think that alone could be a major selling point.  It's one with me when I decided to go with Verizon for my iPhone upgrade.  More AT&T users would have made that jump had they not already been locked away by two-year sentences.   GottaBeMobile conducted a survey that showed a majority of users who wants an iPhone already has a Sprint contract.  Does it means that those who don'...

Let me be clear, these pics from giga.de that Macrumors linked to are only mock-ups.  I want to be very clear. Still, they look nice and could give us an indication of where the next iPhone's design may be headed.  You might say to youself, "I've seen this before".  Probably.  It looks a lot like the iPod touch except thicker. Notice it's only the same size as the other iPhones.  Perhaps they don't believe that a bigger screen is in the works. It's something to look at.  I hae to say that I rather like the box.  Smaller and saves more space than the current box the iPhone 4 comes in.

Android fans, no fear here - HTML 5 works just as well on the iOS devices as they do on Android phones.  However, Techcrunch is reporting that Apple and Facebook may be presenting the new mobile HTML 5 platform that Facebook has been working on.   What's interesting is that Apple and Facebook, one consumer tech giant and one privacy violating giant, are teaming up after a rumored fallout over Apple's failed Ping social network.  And they're working together because they feel they have to:  to go up against Google.   Even if Facebook does eventually release an app for the iPad, I reckon we'll see one for Android as well soon after.  And this HTML 5 platform should be pretty viable on most mobile platforms, especially iOS 5 and Android since they both use Webkit as the basis for their browsers. Source:   Techcrunch .

I'm gonna call this one out now.  Brazil will not be making one single iPad this year.   High taxes, lack of skilled workers, and stagnation is to blame.  Too bad. Source:   Reuters .

Is there any reason why the rumored voice chat feature in iOS 5 will only work with up the updated hardware, iPhone 5?  What about the iPad 2?  This is purely speculation on my part so take it as some pleasurable reading with your morning coffee and muffin before you dive into the day's work. A couple of days ago, the Apple blog world flared up with word of a new feature called "Assistant" in iOS 5, a feature previously rumored about but never confirmed.  Assistant, is possibly an integration of Siri, an app that Apple bought more than a year ago, into the OS.  Siri is a voice command app that allows the users to search for results simply by speaking into it.

At times, I feel like it's time to appreciate just what we have already. I am not talking about life in general. While that applies, specifically, I mean tech. Coming from someone who is focused on tech, it sounds strange. Not at all. I like that the arms race among mobile companies, hardware, software, and services, to continue at its current pace unabated, I merely meant that as individual users, we are allowed to slow down and focus on the more pressing mobile needs at hand without thinking the next Android or iPhone will so it better. Sometimes, an app is an app no matter if it's running off a Blackberry that has a physical keyboard or via touch only. Sometimes, an older app works better without needing to be tinkered with. And speaking of newer hardware, most of us would probably upgrade on an annual basis if not for for the financial consideration of being locked into multi-year contracts. Chances are, most mobile fans are not utilize the mobile devices to their fullest ...

Meet James.  He works at Apple's Caffe Macs. Or did.  If not, he'll soon be unemployed.  Why?  Because he blogged about his work there. I'm not so sure Apple chiefs are going to like this.  He talked about serving Steve Jobs soup and ice cream.   Kidding aside, I hope he's not fired over this.  I don't think "James" is his real name but Apple security probably is on to him (or her).  One interesting note:  The date is September 12th. Five weeks ago today, Steve Jobs resigned as CEO of Apple and turned over the keys to Tim Cook.  As of three weeks ago, Steve Jobs is still on Apple's campus working to bring us the next and greatest Apple products. So, maybe Steve just wants to focus on the big pic thing and let others handle the day-to-day stuff.  We all know that Tim Cook has done a great job  And it's good to know that Steve is strong enough to be working on campus every day. Source:   Huffington Post .

Earlier, I had an e-mail conversation with Dave the Mobile Sage regarding today's Amazon entry into the tablet market with the Kindle Fire.  He mentioned that Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, is trying to be the next Steve Jobs. I don't really see it but I do have to say that Amazon with its growing cloud empire is something that they got into before most others.  And most others, including Apple, are still trying to figure that part out.   So, I ask this.  Does it really take someone like Steve Jobs to revolutionize an industry or change how we see or do things?  The one thing that sticks out for me is that Steve Jobs has failed before and learn from it.  Jeff Bezos started Amazon as a bookstore and grew from that.   Many captains of industries have similar beginnings like Bezos but hardly any have had the experience that Steve Jobs did, revolutionizing an industry twice.   And here's an interesting post I read.  Jerry Yang could be trying to reas...

Google public statements on patent war sound those of 1980s Central American juntas used to say.  First, I'm a Google fan but I also recognize the need to protect and respect intellectual properties as the laws now prescribe, whether I agree with them or not.

If even half the survey of this report from InMobi is true, those of us looking for an iPhone update this fall and winter could be facing long lines and shortages.

Wow...Apple's iPad is about to get serious competition when the 10" version of this comes out.  The 7" Amazon Silk will not be a threat since it is a 7" tablet. Having said that, the pages do look kinda cramp.  While not as good as the iPad interface probably because of the 10" display over this 7" Kindle display, the Kindle store is better looking than the 3.5" rendition on the iBookstore and iTunes store. I know it's not comparing tablet to tablet screen size but it is something to work off of.  I've always maintained that Apple could well release a bigger screened iPod touch.  A $300 6" touch with 8 GB of storage would go a long way in putting the heat back on Amazon, Apple. Think about it.

The new Kindle tablet will go on sale on November 15th for $199.  This is going to be an awesome device for consumers. Quick thoughts:  This is going to hurt a lot of tablet makers.  Now, no one thought this was going to cost $200. $250 To $300 but not $200.  It's going to kill off a lot of tablet makers. Second, the final battle between Amazon and Apple won't happen until Amazon unveils its 10" tablet.  I wonder if Amazon will price that down to $250. Here's a video Amazon released for the Kindle Silk.

Apple! I want this software/feature in my next iMovie or Photobooth update! Source:   Popular Science .

This gdgt post really gave it to the Fire, Amazon's first tablet that will be introduced less than 24 hours from now.  You can read the unsubstantiated details about just how Amazon has to make some compromises and how it's not quite ready. Even if this first Amazon tablet is "poor" and Playbook-like, I can't see how that's a bad thing?  Playbook largely failed because, well, it's Playbook.   I think Amazon's Android 2.1 rendition should be better than anything that Samsung and others who aren't using Honeycomb have come up with.  I think Amazon along with Barnes and Noble will both outsell the rest of the traditional Android guys. Furthermore, everyone know that the Fire will be Amazon's first foray into tablet market.  So, we're not exactly expecting Amazon to  hit it out of the market.   For Amazon, it's about getting on base. And for mobile warriors, regardless of which camp you're with, competition is good.  Personally, if Ama...

Apple should just call the next iPhone the "iPhone".   After all, Apple isn't calling this year's Macbook Air the "Macbook Air 3", are they?  The iPod touch is still the "iPod touch".   Even if Apple does decide to give the iPhone a progressive numbering scheme with each passing year, they have to realize that at some point, it would sounds kinda lame.  Apple isn't about lame. I'm not going out on a limb here.  Apple has indicated that it wants to focus on what the experience, not how many cores or how fast the iPhone is.  And calling the next iPhone simply the "iPHone" would do that.  

Apple has confirmed it will hold an October 4th press event.  Nothing more to say beyond that. Source:   CNN .

According to Mashable , Facebook will finally unveil its iPad app.  Honestly, I don't see the point.   Meh...however, we have to wonder if there will be more from Facebook as there have been chatter about Facebook trying to develop their own HTML 5 platform based on the browser experience.  And the thing is that while Apple and Facebook may have had some strained relationship, their animosity towards Google might make the two work out their differences and direct their attention towards Mountainview. So, the rumor goes that Apple helped Facebook with this HTML 5 platform, that has been code-named Spartan.   Whether we'll see something come ouf that is more important than a Facebook iPad app.

Turns out that the Kindle tablet from Amazon that will be introduced this fall is called the "Fire".  Not sure why they settled on that name.  And it could be the iPad competitor that folks outside of Steve Jobs' reality distortion field are hoping for However, even for most folks outside of this RDF, most people are still to pick up the iPad 2 as their default tablet. What's interesting about Amazon's in an unique position to challenge Apple:  it has its own music, video, and ebook store, something that Google and its Android allies do not have.  It's something that HP and RIM do not have. Also, from Techcrunch, the price is figured to be $300, which is very decent considering the specs that they've listed.   Source: Techcrunch .

I doubt Android fans in general pay much attention to the daily in-and-outs about what's going on with Apple.  And today's talk about Apple finally giving iOS 5 the ability to take voice input for writing e-mails, setting up events, etc have long been a staple of the Android platform.  So, what's the big deal? First and foremost, I'm a mobile fan.  I love that competition is giving mobile warriors what they want, more often, and better.  However, it just seems like today's voice-command feature, being called Assistant, is just a catch-up by Apple. Or is it?   I'm sure Apple knows that Android users have been able to use their mobile devices to speak into them and perform mobile tasks.  Unforunately, not many folks use it as much as they should.  Now, regardless of which camp you fall under, Apple has have a history of making it seems like they created something brand new when, in fact, nothing is further from the truth. However, Apple has a way of maki...

Today, there is a lot of chatter about Apple's Siri-integrated voice assisted feature, rightfully called "Assistant"  One of the most mind boggling thing about this feature is that is may require that users upgrade to the iPhone that should be out in a couple of weeks. The reason for the upgrade is that the new iPhone will have an updated CPU as well as additional memory.  I find that part of the report making very sense.  Here's why The iPod touch traditionally follow the iPhone update a few months later.  And the main difference between the iPhone and the touch is that the touch has a lower resolution camera and less memory, half that of the iPhone.  However, the two devices share the same CPU. If this pattern follows, that means the next iPod touch will have the same A5 CPU, currently powering the iPad 2, but the iPhone will have 1 GB of RAM as reported but the touch will have 512 MB.  Having said that, does that mean the freshly upgraded iPod touch will...

Dave the Mobile Sage informed me that Amazon, probably next week at their Kindle tablet event (9/28), may unveil a new service for Prime members, an ebook loaning program like what Netflix offers for video. There is the link from eBook Reader blog . Here's my initial thought on this in my email to the Sage: I like it better if they offer similar services like audible.com. Music and books I like to buy and keep, not borrow. However, media like video (movies) I don't mind renting. But I keep an open mind for now. I'd like Prime services includes videos, books, and music. Then it would be a bad deal. To succeed, they need to offer this to all Prime users, not just those who buy Kindle hardware. I suppose they'll offer it only to Kindle hardware users first and expanded them to others later. -- That much said, how will Apple, Google, and Microsoft respond. This is an interesting study and ripe for speculation. Any ideas? - Posted using BlogPress