Apple's Tim Cook In China: Expect More Of These Visits By Execs

Tim Cook was spotted in China via a Weibo account (TechNode via Appleinsider).  Weibo is China's version of Twitter.  As I said before, China's growing mobile use will have influence on mobile development and directions app developers take in the future.  And the influence won't just be isolated to Apple.  Others like Google and Microsoft will be impacted as well.


While the linked posts focused on the iPhone, you have to know that there is more to it than that.  Apple recently added to its Mac OS a few social and video sharing features native to China, like Weibo



In the past, there were talks that a major hangup between Apple and China Mobile was largely due to CM's request to add apps and revenue sharing for apps which Steve Jobs has explicitly ruled out.  So, the direction of iOS development could be influenced further as Apple has staked its future in the Middle Kingdom.


How about other mobile players like Google and Microsoft.  Microsoft realized its large following could be key to getting back into the mobile game while forked versions of Android are pretty popular right now.  Google and Beijing has had a chilly relationship but Google has maintained a sizable research and development outpost in China.


For Apple, it finds its iOS following somewhat behind.  With the potential addition of China Mobile as a carrier in a year or so from now, Tim Cook and his team could be in a for a real challenge trying to meet demand with the next iPhone.

Motorola May Be Onto Something With Atrix And LapDock

Would you be interested if iOS can one day (it probably will) be powerful enough (it probably already is) to become a full-sized Mac. Well, I think I just kinda of answered that question for myself. And I got this idea after spend some time with the Atrix at the ATT store when I was pre-ordering the 3G iPad 2 a week ago and I saw it at a Starbucks over the weekend.

And I'm not the first one to come up with this idea for the Mac or the iOS devices. But I'm writing this post on my brand new Macbook Air. Boy it is light. And if Apple were to morph future iPads into a sort of a laptop with a dock.

A while back, some blog, I forgot which one, even thought it might be a neat idea if Apple was to get rid of the trackpad and in its place, allow the user to dock their iPhone or iPod touch. From there, the user can synch data and use the touchscreen as the trackpad.

Obviously, that is not likely to happen given the complexity of this setup. Steve Jobs would never allow it. The design team would rather quit than let this happen.

And doing it the way Motorola designed the Atrix sit behind the screen on the Lapdock is just as clumsy to say the least. But it can work.

The Jonathan Ives and his team has to be working on this concept right about now. Apple's iOS and Mac team are already trying to figure out how, if they haven't already, such an integration works.

Will it happen with iOS 5 on iPad 3 or iPhone 5? Probably not. But it will happen.

This will likely happen once the mobile chips that power the iOS devices are powerful enough that it can duplicate much of what a regular Macbook can do today. Already, OS X is integrating a lots of what Apple picked up from creating the iOS experience.

Perhaps, we'll see iOS and OS X merge into one unifying OS. And when that happens, we might have ourselves a MacPad that can work as a standalone tablet or when hooked up to a dock or monitor, it becomes a Mac.

Macs At About 15% In The US, A Stepping Stone For Apple's Mobile Strategy

By now, you know that Apple is doing quite well in some countries, more than the 3-4% of global sales that some firms like to publish. In fact, if you include iPad into the mix, as these same firms equate netbooks as regular laptops, Apple would be the largest PC maker in the world.

In fact, Apple has 15% of the OS market in the US.

But this charge here is a clear demonstration of just how far Apple has come in general and specifically, the Mac. That's right, this is about the Mac. And the Mac isn't going anywhere as many bloggers and tech pundits fear.

Now, not to rehash what you probably know through your day's browsing, but I want to focus just on how Apple can further make inroads into the psyche of the other mobile users. And let's face it, from now on, it's about laptops, tablets, and smartphones.

Actually, in Apple's case, it's Macbooks, iPads, and iPhones. (Oh, and let's not forget the iPod touches. However, the touches do not get the respect that they deserve but Apple owes a large part of its mobile success to the touches. I'll follow up on a post another time.)

And what's important to note is that Apple is well positioned in these three segments of the mobile market.

And further more, Apple has managed to achieve something that will give it an advantage that no other companies, including Google, Microsoft, RIM, or HP has been able to achieve. I'll give you one guess.

Nope. It's not the ecosystem or the iTunes although we know it is also something that no others have managed to duplicate. It is as if Apple has secret magical dust that it used to make all these pieces work.

That I am talking about is the general familiarity of the iOS that millions of users have with it. And With the release of Lion (the next Mac OS upgrade), Apple brought what it learn from the iOS and incorporate some features into Lion.

It's launchpad that works like the screen swiping n the iOs devices. It's also the four finger swipes to the left and right. It's also about the new Mac App store that iOS users will be familiar with.

Another example will be the directional scrolling on the Macs now conforms with the way it works on the iOS. Swipe up, and you move down the screen.

And over time, Apple will prove both the iOS and the OS X that includes additional features shared between the two.

You cannot say that about the Android, Blackberry OS, or Windows Phone 7. And if you're an iOS user who happens to have a Windows machine and the next time you upgrade, you probably would take a look or two at the Macbooks because you're already familiar with its operations. You've seen it before and you have experiences with it.

Furthermore, Apple will increasingly follow Google into the cloud. Admittedly, Apple has been late to the game. But I think it recognizes that as people take up more iPhones, iPads, and Macbooks, it has to offer a solution that allows users seamless access to files and media.

We can already guess where Apple is going with mobile computing. In the next couple of months, we will learn more about Apple's mobile plans further, maybe as soon as April when it traditionally shows the world what it has planned for the next iOS. And later this summer, we'll finally get Lion.

And for iOS or Mac fans, or if you're just a general Apple fan, 2011 is going to be about iPad 2 as Steve Jobs said. It's going to be a huge year for Apple's mobile vision.

More on Apple's OS marketshare at TUAW, Macdailynews.

Why I’ll Be Buying An iPad 2 But Not For Myself

I will be buying an iPad 2 as a retirement present for my mom. However, I’ll be pass on this version for myself, not because I think there will be something better in six months but it’s simply that I don’t need it right this moment. And I am happy with the original iPad.

But more than that, I’ve got an iPod touch that has pretty much the only major complaint I have with the original iPad: cameras.

And with the iPod touch with my iSpot, I can Skype on the go. Because the iSpot, while, access mobile Internet through cell signals, it is essentially a mobile hotspot. It’s even a better arrangement than the iPhone 4 with either of the two US carriers.

The only thing that would have enticed me to upgrade would have been a Retina Display. And if you use even just a bit of brain, you would know that while having an HD or Retina display is in the works, we’re not going to see it in this upgrade or even the next. It’s simply just too expensive right now to manufacture. Plus, I don’t think the yield would have been all that great.

Having said all this, I encourage everyone else to take a look at the iPad 2 if having a camera for video chat is something you’ve been waiting for even if you don’t have an iPad. Again, the reason I’m not upgrading is because I have the latest iPod touch that does have a frontal camera for video chitchat.

If you’ve read my previous posts, you’ll see that I’m good with the iPad’s ability to serve my mobile needs. And with two iOS devices, I can literally multitasking between two devices.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPod touch

Pre-Game Analysis of Apple's March 2nd iPad Event

First, I know nothing about what Apple is going to say in advance for March 2nd unveiling of the "iPad 2".  Zero.  Nada.  I'm not even going to get into what others say Apple will unveil.  Frankly, they're just delicious rumors for blog readers.  I'm gonna get ahead and make my own predictions and analyze each point and how iPad 2 is going to specifically influence the tablet market and the mobile market in general.

March 2nd Event:  I'll have my venti mocha from Starbucks, wait for 10am PST.  I would have gotten the day's work done earlier in the morning just so I can spend the rest of the day pouring over the analyses, blogs, and, of course, even offering an opinion or two of my own on Apple's latest and greatest.  

What is different this year is that Steve Jobs won't be there.  It'll likely be Tim Cook, Apple's headmaster until Steve returns.  He'll run through the numbers on Apple's successes over the Holiday quarter, the reception Apple products and services are receiving, and the new Macbooks that were just released last week.  

Then he'll hand over the rein to the iOS teams - the people who build the software and updated the iPad hardware.  We'll learn about the new features that will be available on the next iPad.  It's possible that Apple will unveil the hardware first - new case and specs.  

After that we'll see demos.  Some people don't care for it.  But I totally get that Apple needs to fill an hour or so of the presentation.  After all, people will fly from all over the country just for this.  It's a shame to have them come for a thirty minute or so press event.  But with all due respect to people who rather not sit through that, those of us who will go home later that night to watch the event after the fact can put a face or picture to what we see at home or work.  Most of us are working and are likely following live blogs instead of the stream.

Oh, and if you're fortunately enough not to be working or have to pretend to be working on the 2nd, Apple might stream the event.  They did that last time.

Then after the demos, Apple will move onto the last but very important part.  How much the next iPad will cost, who the carriers are, and when the iPad will be available.

Hardware:  I don't expect a revolutionary change to the iPad.  When the change from the iPhone 3GS to the iPhone 4 was made, it was a big deal.  Don't expect something like that this time around.  We will not see a glass back for the iPad until Apple has provided touch-input on the back of the iPhone first.

But there is a short list on what I expect to see from Apple:

•  The case will change slightly.  We might see a thinner iPad.  Perhaps, the bezel might thinner as well giving us a smaller feel to the iPad.  There has been talk for years that area around the screen on the iPhone might disappear giving way to the 3.5" screen or a bigger screen.  Because of this, the iPad might be lighter still.  But I don't expect that to be the case.  
• CPU:  Faster and more efficient brain for the iPad.  There is talk that we might see a dual-core chip and Apple will move from the designation of the chip to A5 from the current A5.  I'm not sold on the dual-core part just yet.  Apple's iOS implementation is very efficient and rely heavily on the graphics component of the chip.  I don't see a need for dual-core just yet.  However, if that doesn't happen, I fully expect a higher clock speed.  An increase from 1Ghz to 1.2Ghz is kind of "meh" but increasing from to 1.5Ghz by the CPU when needed would be enough to satisify upgraders and enough to keep the new iPad ahead in the tablet market.
• More memory and storage.  It's possible we might see a 128GB model.  Apple will likely keep the 16GB model around on the low-end to keep prices low and maintain pressure on Google and its Android 3.0 (Honeycomb).  Heck, Apple doesn't even need to go all the up to 128GB on the high end from the current maximum 64GB.  Even 96GB will do just fine by my book.  And that might not even be necessary because I don't see any iPad competitor come out with a 64GB model.
• Memory will increase to 512MB from the current 256GB.  A lot of people will complain that Xoom, Playbook, and even the Touchpad will have 1GB of RAM.  Well, just like the fact that I don't see Apple having to go dual-core just yet, Apple has no need to go up to 512GB for the iPad 2 because of how resource efficient the iOS is.  Even Apple doesn't do multi-tasking in the same manner as everyone else.
• Cameras.  The iPad will have a frontal camera.  Apple is pushing Facetime.  Expect a big cheer for this when Apple brings it up.  It was an obvious omission on the current iPad.  I'm not sure about the iPad with a rear camera.  I don't see a lot of need for it but Apple will include it just because.  Even a low end 1MP will be more than enough.  1MP or 5MP, don't expect me to be holding up my new iPad taking family photos.  
• Additional accessory support.  The memory and camera module for the iPad was kind of lame.  I fully expect Apple to do more on this front.  I don't know about an SD card slot but if there one, don't be surprised if Apple cripple it enough for users to upload pics and movies only and nothing more.  No doc sharing.  No offloading apps into a memory card.  But wait for jail-breakers to bring that feature to us.  And because of jail-breaking and security concerns, there won't be an SD card slot.  I like to see Thunderbolt support but that's probably not going to happen.  Any added accessory support will have to go through the usual channel:  Apple dock connector.
• Home button:  there will be a home button.  I don't see Apple doing away with that just yet.  If it does happen, I expect Apple to move the home button rather than doing away with it entirely.  Hey, I'm all for Apple getting rid of it because it means Apple will implement some kind of a new touch scheme.  
• It'll use the same chip in the current CDMA iPhone to access the cell networks.  It makes sense to do this regardless if there is one universal model for the iPad to support multiple networks or two, one with CDMA support and GSM support.
• I think there will be only one model that will support both CDMA and GSM networks.
• What it will not have is near field communication, NFC, support for mobile payment.  
• Don't expect Retina support either.  Maybe in iPad 3 or iPad 4.  Some day but not on March 2nd.
• Extended battery life.  The current models have anywhere between 10-12 hours (real world uses) for the WiFi-only model and 9-10 hours for the 3G model.  I like to see 12-15 hours but given the lack of competition, I don't see Apple too worried about this.  Any increase in efficiency from the screen or CPU is likely offset by the thinner and lighter profile.

iOS Features:  We'll see the Facetime app for the iPad 2.  Honestly, that's all I got.  At this point, I'm expect to be shown a feature that I didn't know that I need or want, you know, typical Apple innovation.  There are some features I like to have but it looks like Apple will have iOS 4.3 installed that will bring subscriptions.  That was the main feature of the next iOS update and that has been well documented.  

Will there be added iPad 2 support with new features that we are not aware of?  I hope so but I don't expect to see that until iOS 5 in June that will come out with the next iPhone.

Carrier Support:  This is going to be a big deal. And it'll reveal a lot about the next iPhone.  As I said above, I think Apple will release only one model to support both CDMA and GSM networks.  Users who buy the 3G+WiFi iPad 2 will get to chose which network they want to subscribe mobile data too.  To keep down design and manufacturing cost, it makes sense to go this route.  

If this does happen, I eagerly look forward to see if Apple adds additional carrier support.  Personally, I will be pulling for T-Mobile but Sprint, which uses CDMA like Verizon, is more of a front runner.  

And additional carriers for the iPad now will offer clue to who else might be in the running to carry the next iPhone when it is released this summer.  Again, I am pulling for T-Mobile.

Impact:  The impact of iPad 2 will be huge.  And this is where I've saved what I think the pricing for the iPad 2 is going to be.  First, expect Apple to follow through with offering a low end model based on the previous generation iPad.  

Apple offer users the iPhone 3GS as well as the iPhone 4 and last year's 2nd generation iPhone as well as this year's 3rd generation touch.  So I think Apple will offer this year's WiFi-only 16GB iPad as the base model along side the iPad 2 models.  

Apple will keep the same pricing structure for the new iPad 2 models and offer the base model below the $499 price.  I think going as low as $399 is possible but that could be wishful thinking on my part.  At $399, it is going to ereader territory.  Look for this to pressure the low-end tablets and ereaders big time.  

For the $499 price, the WiFi-only iPad 2 will occupy this spot.  Apple might shave a bit off the $130 premium for the 3G model and offer the lowest 3G+WiFi iPad for $599 (without the need for a data contract), the same price as the Xoom only if the user were to sign up for two-year data access.  It's possible these two models will have 32GB of storage.  

If true, this will really put the hurt on Android tablet makers, Playbook with its smaller 7" screen, and possibly knock HP's Web OS based Touchpad out of the market.  And even if Apple ends up keeping the $499 and $599 iPad 2 with only 16GB, this will still offer more affordable alternatives to competing products.  

And at $399, Apple is forcing users to pick between high-end iPod touch with 64GB and the low-end iPad.  Mobile will have to make a hard choice but Apple could hardly care so long as the user buys an Apple product. As for the rest of the iPad line-up, we'll continue to see an incremental increase of $100 for models with greater memory.  I'm still not sure if Apple will offer a 128GB iPad 2 because it will have zero competitors in that space.  However, one only hopes that happen.

Apple sees the tablet market in the same terms as they see the MP3 market.  Just as the iPod dominate the music player market, Apple is going to damn sure that it can own the tablet market.  iOS tablets have an advantage in that it is essentially the first major player in the market and has the support of a very successfully curated iTunes ecosystem.  And Apple has sucked up a large manufacturing capacity for screens and other parts essential to making enough devices to satisfy demand, not to mention the billions in investments and procurement that Apple has already made (this was unveiled in the last financial call).

So I think I've just covered everything.  All of this based on my own conjectures, movement in the marketplaces, mobile news, and past Apple behaviors.  Will this pan out?  Well, there are parts that I hope to be wrong and hope that Apple will wow us beyond evolutionary upgrades.  So on the 2nd, get to work early, finish what you need to do, and clear a hour or two of your time to watching tablet history unfold.

Steve Jobs Was Confirmed To Be At meeting With The President; Meeting About The Future (2012 To Be Precise)

Reuters has confirmed that Steve Jobs was indeed present at the dinner with the President of the United States in San Francisco tonight.

That is fantastic news. And I hope President Obama was able to have a serious conversation about America's technological lead and innovative energy. Earlier, I write that I hope some sort of discussion about green technology took place.

And it is interesting that Reuters dedicated a whole piece on Steve Jobs and nothing on the actual content of the night's discussion.

But as I read the post, I came to realized that this maybe nothing more than to provide the President political cover with those who believe he has lost the support of America's businesses. That this meeting is more about the President's future and 2012 than America's future.

I cannot understand what meaningful contribution the CEOs of Twitter and Netflix has to offer on maintaining America's technological edge and learning.

Nor can I fathom what Facebook's Zuckerberg can possibly offer the president on any number of issues that ail our economy, energy policies, or K-12 education. Seriously, what does violating privacy time after time have to do with innovation at all?

More likely, the presence of the heads of these social and media companies was merely to serve as a reminder to a segment of the electorate that the President Obama had dinner with the guys who designed a way to efficiently mail them their DVDs and offer a way for them to share their lives with anyone who will read about it.

But who knows. Maybe Zuckerberg was there for the political gravy and President Obama did get some serious advices from the likes of Jobs, Schmidt (Google), Chambers (Cisco), Ellison (Oracle), and Levinson (Genentech) that will help him to get America back to innovating and working over the next couple of years and beyond.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPod touch

Apple Event: Will iOS Apps meet OS X?

My needs are simple as far as what I want from Apple on Wednesday. I don't mind being blown away but I sort want to see Apple move in the direction I think Steve Jobs and friends has been planning for years.

The full integration of iOS and OS X. For a few years since Apple made available the iOS SDK, there is something that has been working very well that no one has given it much notice unless you're an app developer and something that I was exposed to as I give programming a try.

The iPhone simulator. It works great and with the advanced multitouch pad and OS X gaining a lot of iOS features, it only makes sense for Apple to allow iPhone and iPad apps to run on Macs. This is a natural evolution

But it would be a revolutionary concept. And imagine the sales pitch with this one. Get a Mac and you can run iOS apps. Or got a Mac? You can download apps from iTunes and if you get an iOS device, you can take those apps on the go!

Is this going to happen? Frankly, this has just as much chance of happening as the Apple TV running apps, which a pretty much a lock.

I don't know if this will be a feature that Apple will unleash on Wednesday but the sooner the better. It would allow Apple to do battle on the mobile front and provide an additional arsenal in its assault on PC market.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPod touch

Steve Jobs To Japanese Airport Security: Those Ninja Thingies Are for Larry

You may have heard by of the great journalism exhibited by Bloomberg in quoted a Japanese equivalent of the supermarket tabloids which had reported that Steve Jobs was caught trying to sneak ninja stars onto his private plane. Apparently, he was unable to convince the Japanese customs and airport security that it doesn't make sense for him to hijack his own plane.

Anyway, Apple responded by saying that Steve Jobs is not a ninja. Sure, Steve. The black turtle neck. Total dead giveaway, dude.

Anyway, it's what happened after Steve's plane lands in the US that we learned what really happened.

Upon landing, Steve calls Larry and said, "I'm never doing you any more favors. 'Hey, 'bring back me some ninja stars, Steve. It's totally gonna be okay...everyone in Japan carries one in their wallet...just like everyone's got an iPod in their pocket'. Frak you!"

Don't ask me where I got that recording...okay, you got me. I'm a ninja too.

Apple Music Event: Day After, Apple TV And Ping Should Be Headliners

I don't know what to make of what we saw yesterday. Fantastic update to the old work horse lineup? Definitely. A hobby inches towards being another pillar of the Apple digital strategy. You bet. My order of the iPod Touch? Yup. Well, no. Yes, sorta. We'll see.

That's where I am right now. After work, I called the Pasadena Apple store to find out when the new gears will be in store. Next week I'm told. Fine, I think I will go in and check things out before I jump headlong into this.

I had ordered a 32GB iPod Touch almost right after Steve Jobs finished up yesterday music event. Then later in the afternoon, I cancelled it. Not because I had a change of heart but I really do want to go into the store to see for myself the quality of the video capture and use of the Facetime feature. Yeah, I have used the Facetime feature in the iPhone but this is the iPod Touch. And as with any new Apple product, you'll want to make sure Apple has gotten the kinks out first.

I think it was a prudent move on my part. Apple TV was fine except I think I didn't get everything I wanted. Steve wanted a subscription plan but the studios wouldn't go with it. I wanted to be able to use my apps on the Apple TV and control it with my iPhone. I didn't get that. I'm sure that'll happen eventually. And I'm sure Apple will get its subscription plan in due time (years from now).

One thing I'm a bit disappointed in is that we lost the ability to play video on the iPod nano. It's not perfect as many people have said in the past but it was an option there and I like having it. I think I might go and pick up an older model just because.

Anyway, the big thing is going to be Apple TV. It might seem like it now but we will in time. Just wait and see.

And now iTunes. Ping. Yeah, it's not much now but like Apple TV, just wait and see. It'll be huge.

iPhone K - K for Keyboard

I got a chance to play with the Blackberry Torch today. Not a bad device. Okay, I'm sure the e-mail part is as good as before but that's about all there is to say about it.

The new Blackberry OS is a welcoming upgrade but still hard to navigate. So the reviews have been more kind than they really are even though on the whole, reviews haven't been great. I think people didn't forget how long it took to get here and how far still it has to go.

Having said that, wouldn't it be something if Apple came out with an iPhone K, K for "keyboard" that has a similar form. Know this, this would blow the lid off the market. Millions upon millions of users will immediately quite Blackberry and switch over to the new iOS device.

Okay, okay, I know. Steve Jobs isn't too keen on this and we will never see an iPhone with physical keyboards. This is all about the vast investments in multi-touch that has actually worked out very well for Apple. Nevertheless, you cannot dismiss the millions of users who will never migrate over to the iPhone because their old-school bias against the lack of a physical keyboard.

Frankly, I can type very fast on the iPhone and I think in the long run, not having to exert any kind of physical force on those tiny keys will stave off any kind of joint problems I might develop.

But I just want to put out there about iPhone K. There is a market for it. But we'll never see an iPhone with a slide-out keyboard.

iPhone: Who's Next? T-Mobile or Verizon

I'm on the camp that T-Mobile is likely to get the iPhone next before Verizon.

Two reasons why. T-Mobile uses GSM like ATT and that really says it all. Plus, T-Mobile is the smallest of the major national networks in the US and they're usually pretty open to "experimentation" if you will. And another point. T-Mobile's HSPA+ network is live now for 80 million users and will expand to 180 by the end of 2010. Going this route is easier than the CDMA route.

The other reason is that Steve Jobs probably doesn't like the way VW spurn Apple in the past and the Droid campaign last year didn't help much. Having said that, Apple will have VW iPhones because as much as Apple like to hold grudges, it knows it is in a major mobile with multiple competitors with one or two with as much innovative energy as it does. Still, moving T-Mobile ahead of VW for a quarter of two just to sting Verizon a bit is fine by me.

So, I'm still betting on T-Mobile because of its parent's international relationship with Apple and it's a pretty good one given the lack of problems. For Verizon, well, first quarter of 2011 is likely the earliest when it might get the iPhone. I also think Apple might wait until there is sufficiently large LTE footprint from VW's 4G network.

Furthermore, ATT has generously given anyone whose contract expires before December 31, 2010 an upgrade now so that does say volumes about what will happen in the iPhone landscape and when iPhones might be coming to another network.

And if I'm wrong about T-Mobile, I apologize.

Analysis: Apple Should Allow iPhone Apps on Mac, But Need To Own iPhone To Use

In reading a CNet article about how iOS features can make it on to the Macs, I thought of how Apple can use the iPhone to sell more Macs than the halo-effect the iDevices have already generated for the rest of Apple's business.

Allow anyone who owns an iDevice, including the iPhone, iPad, or the iPod Touch, to use their apps on the Mac and only the Mac. For the hundreds of thousands if not millions of Macbook owners, wouldn't it be great to use our apps with our Macbooks with the multitouch trackpads?

This would sell tons of Macbooks.

But hey,I don't to leave out iMac, Mac mini, and the Mac pro either. There was talking last week of some sort of a multitouch pad for the desk-bound Macs. This pad will enable every Mac to use iOS4 apps.

Once more, Apple will be smart to make this a Mac specific feature.

The question is how likely is this to happen? Not likely. But as the saying goes, improbable but not impossible. At D8 and during his WWDC keynote, Steve Jobs seems to imply that the era of PCs (including the Macs as many bloggers and tech watchers seems to believe Apple's focus is no longer on traditional computing) is over.

Having said that, the Macs remain a viable business and growing at a faster rate than at any other time in the past. With Apple, never-say-never isn't something you want to associate with Steve Jobs. And the perfect time for this special feature would be with the next Mac OS update - ability for owners of both an iDevice and a Mac to share and use iOS apps.

More at CNet.

President Obama Needs an iPad And iPhone

I don't get it. The President while running to be the Democratic nominee for the office of POTUS didn't hear a lapel pin with the US flag until the media made a big deal about it. Maybe we need to make a big deal of the fact that he's got a Blackberry instead of an iPhone.

What do you say? Blackberry is made by RIM, a Canadian firm. So why isn't the President using an iPhone made by an American company.

Plus, it's night and day when it comes to the mobile experience using the iPhone versus the Blackberry. Case in point. After ATT announced the new mobile data plan, I heard more than a couple of posts saying that Blackberries might have something to gain because it doesn't use as much data as the iPhone.

Duh! It's because the Blackberry isn't even in the same class as the iPhone. The iPhone is a true mobile computing device that happens to be able to make calls. The Blackberry is a smartphone that is struggling to do more than make calls and receive/send e-mails.

If you're a Presidential IT advisor, it makes sense that you recommend to him the iPhone. After all, President Obama wanted a Blackberry because he didn't want to live in the White House bubble. I'm glad he's so forward looking and wanting to remain connected to reality. But a Blackberry that doesn't even come with a real modern mobile browser?  You're joking right?

Seriously. I think the whole White House staff out to be oufited with an iPhone as well as an iPad. And if the White House needs customized versions of Apple's mobile devices, trust me, Steve Jobs will personally head the project to make it happen.  And Apple will show you what getting things done mean.

The Prime Minister of Norway uses it. Dmitry Medvedev, president of Russia, even suggested that both he and the President get iPhones to chat and text and dispense with aides. Executives who aren't Microsoft at the D8 are singing the iPad's praises. Don't you think the leader of the free world ought to have one too?

The answer is yes. President Medvedev even has an iPad. Furthermore, the minister of Presidential Affairs is considering ordering iPads for staff in the presidential palace.

In the recent Icelandic eruptions that sent ashes through the atmosphere, grounding flights across the Atlantic and Europe, Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg of Norway was seen in hotel working from his iPad.  The freaking iPad can run a whole country!

So, I would like to see the executive branch of the United States government with iPads and iPhones. Okay, if Rahm doesn't want one, no one force it on him.  Don't want to cross him.  But the President needs one now.

Note:  I don't think the VP should have one.  God knows what he's gonna way about it or with it.

Another Note:  The President recently called technology troubling in some ways.  I happen to agree.  But use it right is key.

More Videos of Steve Jobs from D8: Android, Microsoft, Etc

It's not all juicy information. We find out that the iPad was a tablet before it gave way to the iPhone.

Enjoy.

Orgin of the iPad:



Getting Back Stolen iPhone and Gunning For Gizmodo:



On Google, Android, iPhone:



Everyone Can Blame Flurry For iAd Restriction:

With Virtual Personal Assistant, Apple Will Surpass Google And Bing

At D8, Steve Jobs was asked about competition with Google. Steve Jobs said Google went to mobile to compete with Apple. And that Apple will not go into the search business to go after Google.

While that is technically correct with search as we know it, I believe Apple's recent purchase of Siri represents a direction which no search engines will be able to follow. Apple will be going one step (many steps as a matter of fact) beyond search and into virtual personal assistant (VPA).

With a VPA, it will reside on your mobile device and basically do things for you that no calendar or search engine along can do. I never had a chance to play with the Siri app but with a sophisticated AI system, it will help the user provide a richer mobile experience and, over time, it gets better with use as it learns the user's habits and needs.

And should you ask your VPA to do a few searches, well then, it'll just have to search. Maybe it'll involve Apple creating its own search engine or pass that off to Bing or Google. However it's done, the VPA can do more than just search.

Here is a video demo of the app in action before it was bought by Apple:


KEYNOTE: The Game Changer: Siri, a Virtual Personal Assistant from Semantic Universe on Vimeo.

I am sure we'll hear more about this from Apple pretty soon. Yes, I am very very excited about the prospect of an AI keep my live in order. Too bad, it doesn't vaccum...

More at Macrumors.

David Letterman On The iPad

That's right.  The iPad made it to the Late Show.  Is that a big deal?  Well, at a chance of being ridiculed?  Sure.  You'll never see Steve Jobs there but you will see the iPad.

Here's a clip:



Sorry, as you can see, the video got cut off. You can watch the video directly on Youtube here.

Source: MacDailyNews (Must bookmark them if you haven't already)

Steve Jobs Is Not Down, Here's Why

No one knows if Steve will be back as CEO of the company. I don't know either and I frankly don't are so long as he's still around to make the big decisions.

And here's why I think Steve will be around for a long time to come. According to Information Week, a source familiar with Apple's government sales plan said Jobs and certain Apple executives were granted security clearance by the federal government.

Why provide Steve Jobs clearance if he isn't coming back to Apple? You don't just grant security clearance like it's some kind of knighthood.

And let's assuming for a sec that Apple is treating the NSA and the military like they treat the rest of us, basically, telling them Steve's health is a personal matter. I have to assume that for the folks fighting and trying to keep America safe, they would have some intel on the status of Steve's welfare before giving him security clearance.

Finding out about Jobs' medical situation isn't like trying to find Bin Laden or WMD. The CIA or whoever else can easily get Jobs' health record. I seriously doubt the intel community would grant Steve Jobs security clearance if they did not believe he'll be back at Apple in some capacity.

Note: Steve was recently voted back onto the Disney board. Unless there is evidence to the contrary, we can only conclude that we'll be hearing more "one more thing..." from Steve for a long time to come.

Source: Information Week

Leave of Absence for Apple's Steve Jobs

This just in.  

Steve Jobs of Apple Inc will take a leave of absence citing distraction his health situation has created.  In the letter, Jobs indicated his health situation was more "complex" than initially thought.  

Tim Cook will take over day-to-day duties.

Source:  Yahoo News (AP)

Note:  After Jobs initial explanation a couple of weeks ago, many doctors were quoted in the media wondering if Jobs' cancer had returned.  Then, a hormonal issue as stated by Jobs was easily remedied. 

Wish you the best, Steve.  See you in June!