Mobile: Tablets Require Touching, Which as Babies Show, Is Something Very Innate And Simple

Before tablets, the closest things had have to gestures and touching on a computer are trackpads that have become ubiquitous on laptops.  Especially Macbooks.  My first laptop was the Powerbook 500, the first laptop that I know with a trackpad.  It was awesome to see folks marvel at it and lamented how their trackballs would lose traction or require cleaning.

Since then, Apple and other PC makers have improved on the trackpad, but especially Apple. And then came the multitouch features of the iPhone. And today, we now have the iPad.  Of course, there are dozens if not hundreds of other devices out there that have similar features.  

Interestingly, by watching babies, they seem to be more at ease with screens that respond to their touching.  An author gave a Blackberry to 20 different babies and they instinctively went to touch the screen.  Obviously, nothing happened.  This The Unofficial Apple Weblog suggests that perhaps Apple simply has tapped into the innate response we already possess when we see something new.  

We want to touch it.  And with the iPad and other tablets, perhaps we are only at the very tip of what we can make our tablets do.  And I've seen it with my nephews.  I recall the older one ways trying to touch the screen of my Macbook to make things move.  And now, he's more apt with his hand-me-down iPad than my mom is with hers.

And his brother, who is going to be two soon, already knows his way around the iPad as well.  All by touching.  

Amazing.  And perhaps this is the key to success that Apple has found where others have floundered.  It's not about adding more features which add to the complexity of the device but rather to keep it simple so that the device can do what it was mean to do.

There's a running joke among Apple fans that Steve Jobs and Apple consistently create new products and features that we did not know we needed until they showed it to us.  Maybe that's not the case at all.  Maybe Apple is just better at showing us "hey, look, this works.  And its easy to use".  

Source:  TUAW.

Multiple Sources Points To Next IPhone Going On Sale On October 7th; Pre-Order On September 30th

This is it. A bunch of sites are independently reporting the next iPhone, call it iPhone 5 or iPhone 4S if you like, will go on sale October 7th and should be available for pre-order starting on September 7th.

What's interesting is that earlier, most speculation has the iPhone going on sale by the middle of September to late September but then a couple of news sources moved that to October.  But this October 7th date seems more genuine than what we've been reading earlier in the summer.

So far, we have 9to5Mac pointing us in this direction.  Part of the reason is that ramp up has been going along nicely (thank you, poor poor factory workers).  (Also, TIPB has some information on the iPad 3 - don't read if you're waiting for one this fall, you're going to be disappointed.)

Here is what we don't know.  Will the next iPhone pre-order be like the last iPad situation?  I certainly hope not.  While I did get my iPad 2 on a timely basis, there was this "waiting" that I did not like.  Unlike the previous iPad launch, we could pre-order and pick it up in the store.  Same for the iPhone launches as well.

If these dates stick, we can expect a media event from Apple in early September.  Late August, early September, or middle of September, who cares.  I'll be ready.  Here is a post of just how I prepare for these Apple events even while holding down a full-time job.  

Mobile: Laptops With Security Tracking? Time for PC Makers To Include This Feature In All Laptops

An Apple Macbook Pro that was stolen during the London unrest created by criminal opportunists was recovered and the thief is headed to an extended vacation at the taxpayers' expense.

Right now, there is only one way to get security for your laptop that allows you a chance to recover it.  You buy a software and install it yourself.  A future version of iCloud should have a feature that will allow users to locate Macs as well.

In this case, the man in London used an open-sourced software that he later upgraded to a paid service to get more frequent reports and to track down the perp  He was able to eventually obtain very detailed information on the thief and gave that information to the police.

It's a great story and not the first we've heard of this.  Nor will it be the last.  

Perhaps, it's time that PC makers (not wait for Microsoft) do more to protect their customers' investments.  Again, Apple will have its Find My Mac feature working once iCloud comes out of beta.  It'll be interest to see just how well that works.  But at the same time, with the economy the way it is and more people desperate, it's just good to be prudent.

Plus, these days, most cars come with an alarm system.  It is Lo-Jack but better than nothing.  And it probably won't cost PC makers to include this in their laptops, especially those sold to business users.

This is an incredible must read story (Macworld). And it also serves as a reminder.  If you use your laptop or Macbook to work on sensitive information, best you consider one of these security options.  Tens of thousands of laptops are lost or stolen each year.  You do the math.

Anway, glad the good guys won.

Best Links To Google And Motorola Mobility Hook-Up

Here are some of the better links analyzing today's deal between Google and Motorola Mobility.  I was tempted to use the term "blockbuster" but honestly, given what we know and what we don't know, this deal could go either way.  I don't think there's going to be a middle road here  Google will successfully integrate Motorola into its mobile plan or watch Android crash and burn in a couple of years.

We know one thing.  Google bought MM not from a position of strength but one of fear.  I think the great paten war has a lot to do with this but it also is looking at a way to make sure Android can survive beyond Google's search on other platforms.  

I've broken down the links into three sections, general news, analysis for the deal, and analysis against the deal.

On Android: Google partners "endorse buyout"

Wired - Move could alienate other Android device makers

Engadget - $2.5 billion break-up free, and Microsoft likely prompted Google's decision to buy MM

Technology Reivew - Why Google pulled the trigger?  To remain relevant for years to come.

Business Insider - What Google Got From the deal

Android Community - Motorola to remain independent.  haha, not likely.

Yahoo News - Purchase could be what's needed to push Android further ahead in the smartphone market.

Appleinsider - Motorola's set-top box biz could help Google TV

Techcrunch - Google is free to do as it pleases.  Pledge or not, companies will need to fall into line or they can go else where.  Android coming back under one roof.

Market Watch - Was this a good use of Google's cash?

On Android: Google partners "endorse buyout"

Macdailynews (via WSJ) - It's not obvious why Google bought MM

Moconews - Fear of uncertain Android future forced Google to act.

Macworld - I agree with this.  This will help Microsoft a lot.  After that, it's up to Microsoft.

ReadWrite - Android development less open now.

MocoNews - Android's second act...must read.

Physorg - Blow to Android partners

Insider - Bought a dysfunctional company?

Okay, so I've left it into three sections.  As I got to work on this, I really cannot pinpoint which post is just analysis, which one supports the deal and which are against the deal.  It really depends on your specific mobile take on all this. 

Interesting to see how this all works out and what Google's intentions really are.

Mobile: Braille Case for the iPad Allow Blind Mobile Warriors To Experience Mobile

This is one of those things that I wish Apple had developed but it doesn't matter since someone else is now working on it:  a case for the iPad that adds a Braille so that blind users can use the tablet as well.

It's still in the concept stage but if I had money, I would provide funds to help with its development.  

Known as the Omnifer case, gas pockets would raise braille points depending on what's displayed on the screen of the iPad.  An special app would read what pixels are being lit on the screen.  At least that the gist I'm getting.  I wonder though, if there is an easier way.  Simply (perhaps, not so), an app would "read" what's being displayed and the braille would layout the points accordingly.

Regardless of how this is implemented, I do wish that Apple would put some effort into this.  I know that the next iOS should have better voice control.  Maybe even the ability to read out what is being displayed.  Personally, I would love that feature myself.  

Source:  TUAW, Yanko Design.

Glut of Tablet Inventory Suggests Hardware Makers Are Clueless About What Tablets Are For

What is causing the glut of tablet inventories as Channel Register reported.  And these are not iPads sitting on the shelves but Android tablets and the recently lower-priced Touchpad?

And it’s hard to discuss this issue without bring up the iPad but let’s try.

More at Clouding Around.

LTE iPhone Being Tested - But When?

Boy Genius Report is saying that Apple is now testing a version of the iPhone with LTE network support.  BGR apparently obtained a special iOS build from a carrier.  

That's fantastic and all but what does this mean about release dates?

Personally, I am gamed for an LTE version of the iPhone on Verizon's network.  But I'm not hopeful that we'll see it happen this year.  If Apple becomes more flexible about iPhone release schedules instead of the annual releases it's been adhered to, then we might see the LTE version early in 2012 rather than late 2012.  

I know that many of you are hoping against reality:  that Apple will not have a LTE iPhone in a matter of weeks.  I like to say that I hope to be wrong but that simply will not be the case.  LTE chips are still power hungry and Apple doesn't want to release a product that is crippled by the battery life.  

The Thunderbolt from HTC, the first LTE device on Verizon's 4G network, simply could not handle the power requirement and battery issues as a constant problem for mobile warriors.  

It's good to know that Apple is expanding testing on more than one carrier.  But let's not get too excited about this just yet.  We're still a long way off, me thinks.  It conceivable flooding the market with the next iPhone after a few months, Apple will unleash a similar iPhone but this time with LTE support to act as a one-two punch against competitors.