iPHone Takes Pole Position

The buzz this morning is the NDP data point to a dramatic change in leadership in the smartphone sector.  Who are the top sellers?

1. iPhone
2. Blackberry Curve
3. Blackberry Pearl
4. Palm Centro

Here are some statistics to chew on:

• 30% of people who bought iPhones were new customers to ATT versus industry numbers 23% customers switchers
• 47% - nearly half of new iPhone owners came from Verizon
• 24% - nearly a quarter of new iPhone owners came from T-Mobile (I'll be staying with T-Mobile for the G1 experience)
• 19% of new iPhone customers came from Sprint
• 11% of smartphones sales were iPhone before iPhone 3G intro.  17% after iPhone 3G was made available.  About a 55% increase.
• NDP surveyed 150K customers for this report

Related links:

• Virtual Press Office
• Gizmodo
• Macsimum News:
  
• Cult of Mac:  
• Cult of Mac:  Numbers suggest big sales for iPhone.  A little analysis.
• BullCross:  Use of IMEI numbers to track iPhone sales (via MacDaily News)
• Macnn:  17% of smartphones now iPhone.

Analysis:  I'm glad.  For two reasons.  The new comer comes in and shake things up.  This time it's Apple.  Next time, it may be Android.  who knows.  For all these wireless giants who think otherwise, it's good to see them take it on the chins.

The second reason is that the humbleness is also being shared by Verizon and other wireless carriers.  Open your network, guys.  It's not about letting phone makers take control but let the consumers choose. Verizon can't wait for Storm to be in their stores.  Or can they?  Pricing is so secretly guarded it's making Apple look bad with all their recent product leaks.

Here's the bottomline.  The mobile and wireless market has changed dramatically.  All I've seen about "G1 openness" from T-Mobile, Sprint's fine prints, and Verizon trying to redefine their open network initiative are mere Orwellian double-talks.

Winners: All mobile warriors.

Can Apple Make America Read Again?

It's been widely known that when approached about ebooks, Jobs said Americans just don't read anymore. I initially took offense to that until I realized there might be some truth to that.

I don't know if reading is now an elitist thing to do but I was at Borders last night and I did see a good crowd there.  I was at a different book store last week and I saw quite a line at the checkout counter.  So I think it isn't that folks aren't ready anymore.

The truth is, people aren't reading ebooks.  Ebooks have been around for quite some years now.  And digital growth for books are not growing as fast as other media like music.

Can Apple Make America Read Again?  Maybe.  According to Forbes, Apple may have overtaken Kindle with respect to the number of folks using iPhones to read ebooks.  I encourage heading over to look at it a bit.

I don't like the flippant use of download numbers to suggest that more folks are using iPhone to read books than Kindle, the fact that folks have downloaded about 400,000 copies of Stanza is pretty significant.  I can tell you I've downloaded Stanza myself but I use mainly eReader because I have been able to buy books on it when I used my Palm Zire 72 as my reader.

I look forward to see Stanza's sales figure once they have lined up publishers for sales.  Right now, books from Stanza are free.  In fact, I also look forward to eReader download figures and sales figures from iPhone owners.

So, how is iPhone, with a smaller screen and not meant as an ereader gaining such a big follow?  The iPhone is a mobile device.  Not an ereader.  That is why.  With the iPhone, there is no need for people to carry a separate device just to read books.  Not to mention that with the iPhone or future devices like it, downloading an app is far cheaper than buying a dedicated reader.

The Kindle costs $360.  With a medium cost of $9.99 for top sellers, you would have to buy 36 books before breaking even.

Source:  Forbes

Mobile Tip: Use Fring On the iPhone to Make Free Calls

You might know from Onxo or else where that Fring, an IM/VOIP, app was made available yesterday for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

Now, it looks very straight-forward.  I'm asking my friend if he can give a try.  I'll get back to you with our own results.

Here is the Youtube link.  If we have an opportunity to post our own instructions, we'll let you know.

Via Macrumors

You can download from iTunes link here.

Macbook Versus Viao SR Versus HP DV3500t

I'm in the market for a new Macbook.  Possibly a Macbook Pro.  I make it a point to check out the competition to see how the specs fair and like most mobile warriors, I check out the prices as well.

I've been taking a hard look at  the newly introduced HP DV3500t 13" LED with a dedicated GPU for $1100 (I added $100 because I would want the LED option) and Sony's Vaio SR series ($1200).  But are competing with the Macbooks and whatever upgrades Apple will be offering.

But these three looks to offer serious competition going forward.  All things being equal, it's a no brainer for me to pick the machine that runs OS X and, if needed, Windows.

However, HP has upped the game with a GPU that allows serious gaming.  Hope we'll see the Macbook follow up or come up with a major price drop.

Look-wise, the dv2500t, well, it's a standard PC laptop.  The Macbook we're familiar with.  Sleek.  Well designed.  Looks great to work on.  The SR is one of the best looking laptops out there.  It has a click keyboard as the Macbook and the color is just amazing.  You can tell that Sony is going hard after the Mac crowd.  It's aimed at folks like me.

My only problem is if I were to get the dt3500i or the SR, I'll be spending the life of the machine gettig rid of the crapwares that inevitably come with Windows laptops.

I'll make my decision on about a month but HP and Sony sure are making a great push into Apple's Macbook comfort zone.  Sony's SR has only the X4500 IGP from Intel.  I'm hoping Apple will offer a dedicated graphics solution though.

Note:  I'll put up a comparison chart after Apple updates its Macbook so we can compare features more accurately with updated laptops.

So, if by some chance I decide against the Macbook and go with the SR or the dv3500t, I don't think I'll be disappointed.

MacWind (Or Macbook Mini if you prefer)

Like a lot of folks, we're waiting Apple to release the next generation of Macbooks.  Word on the steets (Internet Drive) is middle of October.  Well, apparently someoneis not willing to wait that long.

Meet MacWind.

Wired has been writing a series on hacking and installing OS X on MSI's Wind.  You can check it out below.  In fact, there are now fixes and drivers to make this baby easier to use.  In fact, with some Wi-Fi issues, there will be new genuine OS X drivers from Realtek as well.

Also check out our post  on the best non-Mac Macbooks.

Impact:  This is becoming more than jus tone guy's obsession.  Wired has legitmized OS X hacking with these posts.  I can't help but wonder if Apple is secret monitoring the situation.  It may well create a deeper and more obsessive cult than the general mainstream Apple fanboys.

Also, we may see more OS-hack-friendly netbooks in the future from the likes of Asus and other Asian brands.

Source: Wired

Podcaster - Review

Oh, you didn't know Podcaster was still available, did you?

Well, not officially since Apple killed off any sanctioned avenue for Podcaster's developer to get it on the iPhone.  Fortunately, iPhone owners' got a lot of smart developers who brought us tools for jailbreaking and unlocking.  And that's how I found Podcaster.  I clicked on Cydia on my iPhone and "wow, podcaster!"

Well, here's the catch.  It'll cost $5.  Not a bad price for an app that let's you directly access, download, and listen to podcasts.  Traditionally, Apple wants you to hook up the iPhone or iPod Touch to iTunes to access any podcast you may subscribe to.  (Control?  Yes.)

Here's the thing.  You don't have to do that.  In some instances, you can access the podcast directly from the podcast website.  So along came Podcaster and it made much easier to access your podcast.

Podcaster was seen as an attempt to cut the umbilical cord between iTunes and Apple's mobile devices. Apple will not allow it to be substituted or cut.

Now, Podcaster works just like another other authorized or unauthorized app.  Before paying for it, there is a two-week trial period.  You can add podcasts.  It'll take you to a search page where you can see if your favorite podcast is part of its directory.  I did a few searches and did not find only a couple of podcasts I subscribed to on iTunes.

Once you find your podcast, click on it and Podcast will start to import a listing for the podcast.  Then simply click on your podcast and you'll find yourself looking an available list of episodes.  Tap what you want to listen to and you're set.

It's easy.  If you had told me this was an app created by Apple, I would have believed it.  Give it a try if you've got a jail-broken iPhone.  Support Podcaster if you find it very useful.  Apple will be hard-pressed to create something just as simple and enjoyable to use.

Note:  Short history on Podcaster.  It was rejected by Apple because it duplicated a function that they may have now or may have in the future.  Finally after some cat-and-mouse games, Podcaster showed up on Cydia.

Another Note:  Apple lifted the NDA on the developers today.  It is working to create a new agreement.  I also hope they create a guideline for developers on what constitutes an acceptable app.

Mac-iPhone Update for October 1, 2008

You probably already know unless On Apple is your sole Mac and iPhone information but Apple withdrew their NDA.


And just as we wonder why they continued to implement the NDA, we now switch to why withdraw it now?  Their claim:  competition.  


But it does make sense since all their main competitors, including Android, is out on the market or soon will be.  There won't be any need for Apple to hold developers hush-hush.  Although, I just have to wonder though.  


Since anyone can download the iPhone SDK and have a peek around, what why would the NDA be an issue?  We had speculated on why the NDA was so important to Apple but we were right when we said it wouldn't go on forever.


iPhone-iPod Update:

• Yesterday, the biggest news was Adobe making a boneheaded announcement about Flash for the iPhone pending Apple's approval.  With the NDA lifted, Adobe should be able to say more about it.  No word.  Wouldn't bet in it happen unless Adobe makes a lot of concessions to Apple.
• Cult of Mac does not think Apple will close the iTunes store if the copyright review board decides to increase royalty to publishers.  Now Apple shutting down iTunes in Norway, that's another story.  
• CNet's take on the copyrights fee.
• RCR Wireless reports on CBS's iphone app and finds that news is in the eye of the beholder.
• iPhone Atlas on take your iPhone overseas.
  
• Phone Arena reports no LTE network on ATT for another 5 years.  Maybe we'll have the iPhone on WiMax or another network by then.  Don't think Verizon. They're sharing their next gen network with ATT.  And Sprint has been evil  with plans to be stingy with WiMax .
• Onxo feels iPhone games should contain more depth.
  
• 9To5Mac believes unlocked iPhone 3G is a way to get into China with accepting China Mobile's terms.
• Macworld  reports owners very satisfied with their iPhone despite problems.
  
• Mobility Today says Pay and Go iPhone available in the UK - will cost you.  But no contracts is very attrative.

Mac issues:

• Onxo on the best non-Apple Macbooks.
• Onxo on our "Mac Hybrid".
  
• Ars Technica on impending Snow Leopard releases.
• Applelinks provides an overview of Adobe's new suite of creative programs.
• MacObserver  on new GIMP, open-source Photoshop-like program.
• Macworld  reports Netflix will allow Mac users to view video by the end of the year.
• Appleinsider reports one in five laptops were Macbooks.
• Net Applications on Safari growth - 6.65% for Safari, IE drops big time.  Include Chrome, Webkit share rises to 7.4% - striking distance of Firefox.  
• Net Applications on OS Share - scary thing, OS X within striking distance of Vista.  It will depend on Apple's plans but can happen.  Snow Leopard to gain Exchange support and we will certainly see Windows 7 delays.  Let's meet in 18 months.