More Companies Use HTML 5 To Bypass App Stores – Amazon And Vudu

Just yesterday, I wrote about Facebook’s HTML 5 push that they were developing and why webapps offer some pretty compelling advantages to mobile users.  And it’s significant to today’s two major webapp news.  First let’s go back to 2007 when Apple introduced the iPhone for a moment.

On the original iPhone, there were very few apps outside of Apple’s own and certainly no app store.  It was only when the jail-break community that got in on the action did we have dedicated apps.  Then a year later, the app store took the mobile world by storm.

To make the story short, Apple to this day has tight control of the app store.  And certainly, started enforcing a policy that require apps that sell services or content to remove the “buy” button or face giving Apple a 30% of the cut.  So, companies what came naturally to protect their profits – innovate.  Sometimes it works, sometimes, it doesn’t.

What does some companies do when restricted by Apple?

More at Clouding Around.

Apple Clears Out UK Stores Amidst Riots

Apple has cleared out their stores of inventory to avoid being targeted by rioters.  It's an indictment on the handling of the rioting so far in London.

This started when a suspect was shot and killed three days ago.  

Also, resellers are doing the same thing as well.  Just hope everyone's safe.

More at 9to5Mac.

Apple Granted Preliminary Injunction In Europe To Keep Galaxy Tab 10.1 From Sale

It looks like things have been to this point faster in Europe. A German court granted Apple's request to keep Samsung from selling its Android tablet in Europe.  

Samsung will obviously appeal the ruling.  However, that could take up to 4 weeks.  I'm of the opinion that Apple isn't in this for the money.  It's in this to protect its patents and what it perceives as the uniqueness of its devices like the iPhone and iPad.

Meanwhile, the patent wars will continue in Europe and else where.  If you recall, Samsung has delayed the Tab debut in Australia last week.

Also interesting note: the same judge who issue the ruling will also be hearing Samsung's appeal.  

I've included a few links from neutral to pro-Android to pro-Apple for you to check out and see just how each side sees this issue.  

More at Gizmodo, Android Community, Appleinsider, MacDailyNews - Telegraph.

Mobile: Apple's iPhone Leads A Fellowship of iOS Devices and Macbooks

There is this one scene in the Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Arwin, the elf princess, with Frodo Baggins near death, raced through the lands as the Dark Lord's minions, the Black Riders raced to catch them and retrieve the one Ring.  In some respects, this is a parallel that seems to be going on in the mobile market

While Android does have the bulk of the marketshare, it seems like Apple is still leading the charge in some respects.  You can point out specific features of one platform that is better than another.  However, it is undeniable that the iPhone is one the most sought after single device on the mobile market.

In fact, the iPhone 4 alone has Apple in first place:  the biggest smartphone maker in the world.  Meanwhile, the rest of the market is trying to catch it. 

Apple ID Limited To 10 Devices In Use From Now On - Makes Sense

One of the great things about Apple's Mac and iOS ecosystem is that you're can buy once and install on many devices - depending on your assortments of Macs and iOS devices.  I've got three Macs, iPhone, iPod touch, and a three iPads.  That's eight devices right there.  And if things go according it as Apple planned, I'll have only two more devices to authorize my account on.

According to The Unofficial Apple Weblog, the new policy is already two months old.  And not only is the limitation now to ten devices (Macs included), there will be a 90-day wait period before the device can reassign a new ID.  That is what I'm a bit perplexed about. 

Personally, I thought this was all about making users pay media than anything else. If I give or sell a device, it would make more sense for Apple want to release the device for a new ID and use.

At the end of the day, ten devices is very generous.  Still, I can't help but wonder I will need to create a new ID for some family members as well.  And I hope Apple does change the 90-day lock-in policy.

Facebook's HTML App Store - Future Or Folly

For some, the utopian app environment for mobile is one in which the progenitors of mobile platforms do no exercise any control over what apps are allowed or disallowed.  And while there are some directories already available in the Web, we are quite a long time from that day. 

Meanwhile, the push towards that day continues.  The most powerful push in this direction is Facebook's HTML 5 based apps for the mobile browsers.  And there are a few reasons why this is important.  

First, freedom.  No more walled gardens.  For better or worse, we are looking at just such a future.  I don't know about you but I fully expect a web-based apps to come close to what regular apps can do.  Webapps may even rival standalone apps years from now.  

Second, accessibility. I like to see a scheme in which webapps can be downloaded and used like a regular app is something just in its infancy.

Third, always updated.  With webapps, we're always updated.  Today, a developer publishes a standalone app, we pay for it, and then later on, we get an update or two and maybe a new feature will come with that.  Then with the next version, we go through that all over again.  With webapps, I honestly cannot see the scheme of payment and updates.  But rest assured, you'll always be updated in one manner or another.

I try to use web apps as much as possible.   Standalone apps are the way to go for now.  Obviously.  But if Facebook and Google, both making pushes with HTML 5, the future of webapps looks pretty bright.

The Future Is Here: From Strek Trek To Mad Men To Today

I've been watching Star Trek the Next Generation for the last three weeks on Netflix. I finally finished "All Good Things…" early Saturday morning. It was an experience in and of itself going back to "Encounter At Farpoint". All hight tech and suddenly, I'm back in the 1960s with "Mad Men". I went from a show where anything is possible technologically to typewriters.

I don't want to give away any spoils but during one point in season one of Mad Men, the main character, Don Draper, surprised his family by saying that he was going to join them for Thanksgiving. His wife was surprised because of his high-stressed job and workload.

What would those characters have done differently had they live today with our technology or those on the Enterprise?

More at Clouding Around.