Friday, September 9, 2011

Sprint To Keep Unlimited Wireless Plan Despite Certain Phone (clue: iPhone) From To Its Network

There's chatter this morning, and the good kind that you want to wake up to that Sprint will be be getting rid of the unlimited data plan just because it'll be getting the iPhone as a part of its arsenal against its bigger rivals.  This is very good news.  It shows that for those carriers who have gotten rid of their unlimited data plan, this was about a land grab to for users to pay extra over any data usage and to avoid making sure it has capacity to support its users.

I think Sprint's brilliant move to do nothing will help it generate good will and I'll do everything I can to help push folks towards in them in fall - whether they are getting iPhone, Androids, or Windows Phone devices.  

After all, what more important to a mobile warrior than unfettered data use.  Over all, this is fantastic news for Android, Blackberry, and Windows Phone users as well.  This fall, we'll see new devices like the Galaxy S II and Mango-based Windows Phones coming out.

Note: I know T-Mobile, my current carrier, likes to say it has unlimited data access.  Technically, it's true.  However, depending on your data plan, you are throttled after certain amount of use.  It's not AT&T evil but it's still bad in my book.

Source:  Phandroid.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

First Post From Google's Official Blogger App

This is my first post from Google's first iOS Blogger app.

It is basic. Does pretty much what most bloggers can ask for.

I quickly noticed that certain rich text functions are not included nor the ability to include links. Those omissions are very disappointing.

Also note in the title that there are some extraneous text. No. I didn't put that there. The blogger app did it all on its own.

Regardless, I am glad it is finally here and Google should improve on it in short order. Would be nice if it included social integrations to Twitter, Facebook, and, especially, Google+.

Full Text of President Barack Obama's Speech On the American Jobs Act To A Special Joint Session of Congress


Here is the text of President Barack Obama's speech to a joint session of Congress on the American Jobs Act of 2011.

This is lifted from NYT's page - the text was provided by the White House prior to the speech.  As usually, the President was eloquent and clear in what he wants to convey.  Now, it's up to Congress to do the right thing. and I'm talking about both parties.

Now, the question is whether this will be enough to get us back on the right path. There's even a bit in there for mobile folks about pending patent reform.


More at Clouding Around.

Bigger Screened iPhones Probably Won't Mean More Information Displayed; Just Everything Becomes Bigger

I was looking at this Appleinsider post about supposedly cases that point to prove that the iPhone 5 will have a redesigned body.

From the looks of things, it appears that the new iPhone will have a bigger screen.  How much bigger?  Not by much, I'm afraid.  Furthermore, the don't expect that a bigger screen, no matter the size, will mean more icons displayed per row or column.  If anything, the icons become bigger and more detailed.

What I really like to know is if Apple maintains the Retina Display claim.  And if so, will it happen through the reality distortion field or actually increase the resolution accordingly.  The current iPhone 4 and iPod touch has 326 dpi (dots per inch).

Let me tell you.  It makes a big difference.  You'll need to compare a regular iPhone screen, anything before the iPhone 4, and with the Retina Display.  You don't want anything less after that.

These questions will be answered in due time, obviously.  Still, until then, it gives us something to speculate and write about.

Tim Cook's New Apple Confirmed to Blog That It's Charitable Program Is Real - Glasnost In Cupertino?

Interesting post about today's move by Apple to match charitable donations given by employees.  We already talked about that today.

What's interest as 9to5Mac pointed out is that Apple's PR confirmed the legitimacy of the information to a blog site.  

If this is Tim Cook's new Apple, I like it.  Stil, Tim, don't make it too easy for us either.

We Know Apple Will Sell Lotsa iPhone 5; Stop Quoting DigiTimes

DigiTimes is a tech tabloid in Asia that many bloggers love to link to because they get clicks.  But here's where we're somewhat different  We never source directly from DT.  Nor will we link to other blogs unless what they get from DT makes a whole lot of sense ot ourselves

There's a post going around about just how much iPhone 5s is making for Apple.  We already know that they're ramping up as quickly as they can.  And despite that, we are going to run into shortages upon launch.

My guess is that Foxconn and whoever else Apple might have contracted to make the new iPhones have been doing just this for quite a while now.  And Apple, with Tim Cook as CEO, will probably be pretty bold in make sure that there is ample supply of iPhones since they are selling them so late in the year.  

I'm not going to link to any of those blogs with specific number of iPhones that are being produced every day.  They never jive with Apple's on sell-through number anyway.  

My own take is this.  Apple will have about 4-5 million upon launch and with about 1.5 million shipping out every week after that to reach about 2 million.  Apple might eventually reach 3 million a week by December if it wants to sell about 25 million iPhones in the Holiday quarter.  

That seems like like a lot but I getting the feeling that Apple will be pushing up China's launch earlier than previous years.  Whether Apple seems all those iPhones here in the US or not, they will be saving up a lot of them for Asia.  


Wednesday, September 7, 2011

iPod touch with 3G Coming!

We always knew this was going to happen but it looks like Apple thinks now is the right time for this.  An iPod touch 3G is probably going to make its way into our hands.  At least, that's the indication from another source.

Apple 'N' Apps is reporting that not only will Apple refresh the iPod touch this fall along side the new iPhone, Apple will be updating the touch with a 3G modem inside.  I figure this would work just like what we now see with the iPad.  3G data only plan without having to sign away our next two-years of mobile need to a carrier.  It'll be a month-to-month deal if you want 3G wireless Internet with the new touch.

The big reason for this is because of iCloud and Apple figure by releasing a touch with 3G, iCloud will play an even bigger role than ever.  Most folks who have bought iPod touches in the past, like myself, have tried to avoid the high rates that Verizon and AT&T charges.  It remains to be seen just who Apple will be targeting.

As with anything Apple, they probably discovered a specific need for a 3G enabled iPod touch that we mobile warriors did not previously know we needed.

What's interesting is that ANA called it "mini-Pad".  I hardly called a 3.5" touch a mini anything compared to the iPad.  I know, I know.  I'm going to go there anyway.  Could be also be looking at a fuller sized iPod touch with a bigger screen, say, 5-6" inches equipped with 
3G wireless capability?  

I've been chatting this up for the last couple of months.  And I have some supporting evidence in this regard based on what Apple has shown us. Furthermore, the iPod touch may also come in white.

So, would an iPod touch with 3G be just what you need instead of a pricy iPhone voice and data plan?

Source: Apple 'N' Apps (from Appleinsider).

If the 2025 iPhones Get 12 GB of RAM, Why Not the iPads?

I'm going to go ahead and make a prediction: the upcoming iPad Pro with the M5 chip will be upgraded to 12 to 16 GB of RAM. This is base...