Do-No Evil Side of Google Offers Troops Free Call Home

Google is offering service men and women free calls home when they use the calling function in Gmail.

You have to provide your military e-mail address to your Google account.  Install the plug-in and you're done.  Call home any time.  For free.

I think this is a great service that Google is offer.  Provide it does something extra more special for the troops.  Don't sell their info to the highest bidder.  Seriously, you gotta protect their privacy.  By linking their military e-mail to their gmail account, Google basically know who has served the country.

And should their accounts be hacked ,well, you have to protect them.  I know Google is doing a great service to the country by providing this free calling.  I want to believe this is the good, do-no-evil side of Google.  But sometimes, the "anything goes, no privacy, get a second-identity" Google will pop up and mess things up.

Source:  Google.

Note:  A close family member was a part of the military and was deployed overseas for war.  We used Skype then.  it was sketchy but it was nice that they had this.  He and his friends would love what Google is doing now.  However, I would worry about the privacy part.  Still, I'm glad it's Google offering this and not Facebook.

Let's Start Over: iTunes Match Does Stream Music

Alright, let's start this all over again.  

iTunes Match does streaming your music library to your iOS device.  Earlier posts of mine suggested otherwise.  A good samaritan on Twitter pointed me to this MacTrast link.  I'm gonna make you go over and check it out.  They've got a youtube video showing it working.

This information is also confirmed on Macrumors.  

It all comes down to semantics I guess as far as how Apple wants to definite "streaming".  It's like wireless carrier's definition of "unlimited" or Google's definition of "open"

Apple Has License For Music Streaming But Due to Weak Wireless Networks, Apple Doesn’t Care To

According to Appleinsider, Apple has acquired the license to stream music but chose not to because it fears that the wireless networks would not be able to handle the load.  And given Apple's experience with AT&T, who would blame Apple.

This is how Apple works and why it'll always have its core fanboys – and by most reckoning, it is a bigger number than ever before.  While other companies don't have this problem about preserving quality for its customers, Apple would rather forgo the revenues if a service doesn't provide a certain level of quality.  Personally, I'm pretty easy to satisfy.  I've tried Rdio and it seems fine to me.  

And I rather own my music than "rent".  I think a lot of people share this opinion  Now, when it comes to video, that's a different story.  I have both Netflix and Hulu Plus.  So, Apple, if you want to offer a video streaming service with a big library, I'm ready to sign up.

Source:  Appleinsider.

iTunes Match Lets Users Download the Music Locally, No Streaming, But We Already Knew That

Suddenly, there are a lot of posts about iTunes Match.  It's Apple's service that matches the music you have on your local drive and provides you with those from its own library.  And the music that Apple doesn't have, well, it'll up load them so you can download them to your other devices when you want.

However, iTunes Match doesn't provide streaming.  However, we already knew that.  So I don't get why suddenly, people became confused all of a sudden.  I know, I know...it's how folks try to generate traffic for blogs.  I've been guilty of this. I admit but not with stuff we already know.

So, let me clear things up once and for all:  Apple doesn't do streaming.  Period.  

Someday?  Maybe.  Maybe video too.  Someday.  But not today.

iPad Sales Gain More Because Competitors Fail To Show

If you want an iPad, get them when they're in stock.  Apple still run out of certain models from time to time.  The demand has just been crazy.  

And now, it looks like iPad sales will accelerate simply because there isn't no alternative at the moment with the strength of the hardware, software, and the whole ecosystem.  

Honeycomb tablets like Samsung's Tab is very good but it lacks the backing and mind share of the average consumer.  HP's Touchpad is selling out because of a $400 price drop down to $99.  

A lot is counting on Amazon to stop Apple or at least slow down the iPad.  

The bottom line is this:  the iPad works.  It simply does.  And its has a lot of apps to go along with it.  And unless someone can some around and provide the same experience, Apple's iPad will continue to flourish, whether there is competition or not.

Furthermore, don't hold your breath for an iPad.  I've said this before.  Apple is just keeping up with demand now.  There is no need to push out iPad 3.  They'll likely save all that excitement for 2012 when Apple's competitors renew their assault on the tablet market.  Joining Android will be Windows 8 tablets.

However, I still am holding out hope that we'll see a 5-7" iPod touch.  

Source:  AllThingsD.  

HP Rethink Plan To Kill Off Web OS And Tablet

Okay, something isn't quite right at HP.  In spinning off the PC division 12 to 18 months from now, they now believe Web OS will also be a part of those plans, which includes Web OS hardware like the Touchpads.  However, I get the feeling they're not talking about the same Touchpads we are.

See, the Touchpad went on sale about two months ago and performed poorly.  So bad in fact, that HP lowered the price for the 16 GB model from $500 to $400 and eventually gave up and started a fire sale at $100. And at $100, even I wanted one.

But I get the feeling the delusional HP guys are thinking "wow, they're popular all of a sudden".  Ah, guys.  they're popular because they are at $99.  Granted, they're also good first tablets.  But raise the price back up to $500 and you'll see interests in them go away.

I want Web OS to be a viable mobile platform.  But in HP's inept hands, it'll never have a chance.  And given their plans not to sell off Web OS separately but fold it into the PC part of a sell-off or spin-off, it'll never have a chance.

Source:  Cult of Mac.

Mobile Weekend

I spent the weekend basically out of the house because of the heat in Los Angeles.  I know it’s nothing like what my mobile warrior readers on the east coast went through with Irene.  I’m glad it’s mostly over but you guys still need to be careful about the flooding.

Anyway, I left earning morning on Saturday because I had an appt with City of Hope so they can milk my platelets.  I took my iPad.  It was the beginning of my mobile weekend.

How did the devices hold up?