How Microsoft, Nintendo, And Sony Will Bring Portable Gaming to Mobile Computing Market

Some quick thoughts about mobile gaming in the age of app stores, casual gaming, and diminished support for portable gaming consoles, is it time to give thought to how Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo will go on. I see a merger of platforms, birth of new ones, and a salad of old tech mixed with the new.

Which is better?

More at Onxo.

iPad Serves Gull Spill Victims - What Other Ways Apple Gears Can Help Society

There are a lot of folks in public services, conservatives, liberals, and NGOs, that use Macs in a variety of ways to help the public, the poor, and the voiceless.

Just recently, the iPad was used to aid in providing health information and coordination. Remote access is a common use to help away teams access data on computers back at offices or headquarters. Also, mobile Internet access gives users important information on demand. Databases can also be stored on the generous onboard memory if needed.

Of course, the iPad has an advantage over the iPhone or iPod Touch in that it has a bigger screen. Nevertheless, thousands if not tens of thousands of users had started using iOS devices long before the iPad went in sale four months ago.

Moreover, Macs also play an integral part in film/movie making and editing. About wars, the poor, and global warming. Macs are also used in simulations.

I believe iOS will be sophisticated enough that, even if iDevices do not have the processing power, will enable users to guide Macs in the cloud to perform more traditional computing. Considering filming using an iPhone and sending the footages to a Mac and then guiding it to editing them into a movie.

What other ways can Apple's devices be used do good social work?

New iPad Commercials

I've already got an iPad but this new iPad commercial would have convinced me to get one had I not already have one.

And a couple of those apps on it, I want!

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.

With PC Sales Down, What Does iPad Need To Spur Its Downfall

A couple of independent reports out says that the PC market isn't benefiting from the back-to-school rush. On the other hand, Apple's products are still selling well and the recent refresh of its Mac line should continue to spur the hto streak of double digit growth.

What's amazing is that there are indication the iPad is hurting netbook sales and even hurting some low-end laptops. So, what does Apple need to do to make the iPad even more appealing and further cannibalize PC sales?

What Might Be More Rare Than An iPhone or iPad?

What might be more rare to find than an iPhone or iPad? How about an Apple store. There's only about 300 of them worldwide with most of them residing in the States. So when one opens up in your neighborhood, it's a cause for celebration.

At the newly opened Covent Gardon store in England, folks are still waiting in line. No. Not waiting in line for an iPhone or iPad. They're still waiting in line to GET IN!

Personally, I'm blessed to have FIVE Apple stores in area that I go to, depending on which of town I'm in.

More at Electric Pig

Stig Lasson, Macbook, And "what's an umlaut"?

I've read the first two books of the Salander-Blomvist trilogy and I'm taking a short break from the third, the the final in the series for a while.

One of the cool thing about the book the choice of mobile devices in the book. Palm devices and Apple Powerbooks used by the main character. And as Hollywood work to remake the series from the original novels, separately from the Swedish movies, I can only hope that the writer and director retain some sort of authenticity by using Apple's latest and greatest mobile gears - the iPhone and the Macbook Pro.

And yeah, I would like to see them slip in the iPad. It only make sense to do that. As for the Millennium office, I want to see iMacs on every desktop of the reporters.

Is it going to happen? It would be a missed opportunity for Apple not to "contribute" in some way to the movies. For now, as we wait for word on any future work and what shape the movie will take, here's a funny and well-written take on the Millennium series.

Mikael Blomkvist, the male protagonist, has a bit of problem with his iBook (this was waaaay back in the PowerPC days) and needed Lisbeth Salander, the female protagonist, to help him with it. Anyway, I know now what an "umlaut" is. It's titled "THE GIRL WHO FIXED THE UMLAUT".

More at the New Yorker.