AI, Mobile, and Eveything Around the Cloud

More and more, I believe Apple's dealings with apps that enable iPhone users to use Google Voice has some things to do with ATT but also something to do with some bad blood created by the threat Android is increasingly becoming to the iPhone and Chome OS' challenge to the status quo in the OS market. Caught in the middle are developers. Macworld posted an article about just this matter.  Kevin Duerr in his blog vented his anger over how Apple had treated his app first by pulling it from the app store, then refusing to offer him an explanation for the action, and creating a refund nightmare for him. And he's right.  The refund was not due to a flaw in the app but Apple's unexplainable reason for pulling it from the app store.  And some users do want their money back since Duerr will no longer be able to provide support and updates. The app, VoiceCentral had gone on sale in April and it was only when apps for the Blackberries and Android phones became available di...

So, we don't know with certainty that the iTablet will be forthcoming but by all indications, it is.  If not for the sake of satisfying the mobile market, it is an evolutionary step in mobile computing. But Macinstein doesn't think the iTablet would be a great mobile device at all.  It even goes as far as to say it's ruse created by Apple to make its competitors like Dell waste millions in research and development on something that will not work. Well, if this tablet was coming from Dell, Acer, or Asus, I would agree.  But hey, this is Steve Jobs we're talking about.  Let's not forget that.  The iTablet will be coming from the folks who brought us OS X, Macbooks, iPods, and the iPhones. For all the shortcoming mentioned in the post, it makes sense that Apple's brilliant designers and engineers would have thought everything through and patent the heck out of it to make sure it works. If it doesn't, trust me on this, Apple will not come out with a tablet...

You might know by now that Apple, with the gun to its head, was forced by ATT to pull two 3rd party Google Voice apps and to reject the official app from Google. I don't want to get into that.  I don't agree with it and Apple had to comply.  Fine.  Perhaps this was why Google developed Android a couple of years ago.  It's why we have G1, myTouch, and HTC Hero today, all running Android OS.   And this exactly why Google is now pushing Chrome OS and, in doing so, pushing Webapps.   Honestly, the wireless providers' days are numbered in terms of how they can have so much dominion over us.  One day, Safari, Chrome, mobile Firefox, and mobile IE will all be able to allow webapps to work like traditional apps. When that day comes, good luck trying to block specific websites.  Verizon Wireless or ATT would be stupid trying to tell Apple, Android developers, or Microsoft to block some sites because they don't like the competition those sites o...

As if we didn't already know given the evolutionary changes and growth of Apple's mobile gear.  But if what Financial Times is report is in fact correct in the way presented in their exciting article, mobile folks, especially Apple fans, will be extremely happy. I have indicated in the past that Apple is likely to introduce new products in early 2010 rather than late 2009 as there is virtually no need to do so given the strength of its already robust mobile lineup.  However, I have also indicated that I love being wrong and that we'll see this new mobile device, dubbed iTablet by many in the blogworld, as a larger iPod Touch. There have been a lot of rumors generated late last week about something from Apple but I don't want to get into that.  However, given the strength in reporting financial news, I'll give FT the benefit of the doubt (though WSJ has just a strong reputation but they have been known to be wrong in the past).   So, what is the Financial Ti...

There has been some talk about the next generation iPod Touch and if some 3GS features will eventually migrate over to the Touch.  Most obvious would be the camera.  In fact, don't be surprise if the Touch has more features like HD recording.   But the most surprising of all is the talk about a microphone included with the Touch, thus, providing a true VOIP solution.   So the issue isn't whether the next iPod Touch will incorporate a microphone like the iPhone or users will be forced to use the headset but rather whether it is Apple's intention to position the Touch as a VOIP device as well as a music, video, and game player.   If that is what Apple is attempting to do, regardless of its reasons (like trying to wrestle some control away from the wireless providers), there is something that Apple must enable that it has not done yet:  allow fully or partial background processing. At the very least, there has to be parity between someone making a call using an iPhone versu...

For my fellow iPhone and iPod Touch mobile warriors who have been waiting patiently for an official Google Voice app, I can tell you that I love using Android's GV app as it allows me to record important calls (of course, only with permission - even with family members), send free SMS, and access everything from the app or Web.   Would it be great if the IM apps in iTunes also support Voice?   If you're aged, like me, during the era of IM craze, you've got an account from ICQ, gTalk, AIM, Yahoo, MSN, and, now, Facebook or Myspace.  You want to stay in touch with everybody across the various chats so you likely use Adium or Trillian.  If not, you're truly missing out.   So this morning, just as I was considering beejive with push  ($9.99) because it now supports push and there's no point in waiting for Trillian's iPhone app.  And while beejive does support SMS, it doesn't provide the voice and text center that GV support.  And it doesn't even try.  Tha...

I am immensely jealous that my Macbook doesn't sport one of those newer enclosed batteries.  So, while I've got decent battery life with my 8-month old unibody Macbook, I don't have insanely great battery life in the neighborhood of 7 hours (or 8 as some have claimed). And if you're in the same boat as I am, here's a quick mobile tip I heard while I was running and listening to one of my favorite podcasts,  Powerpage . It's so obvious.  You can turn off your browser plug-ins when you're running your laptop or netbook off the battery. I only heard it tonight so I'll give it a go tomorrow and let you know if it makes any difference.  And whether you're running Firefox or Safari makes a difference in how you manage plug-ins as well. On top of that, make sure you use this great application to monitor your battery use.   Coconut Battery . As you can see, it provides you with information about your MB or MBP battery.  Charges, capacity, and cycles....