If Apple's HDTV Isn't Spectacular, It Will Be Zuned; Also Why Google TV Isn't Thriving

This is short.  Google TV is pretty good but it isn't spectacular because there are other platforms out there that does much of what Google TV offers.  And if Apple's supposed HDTV isn't awesome, it will fail.  In essence, Google TV has been Zuned and Apple's TV will be zuned if it is merely a "me, too" HDTV.

It was foreseen with Microsoft's failed Zune experiment.  And this was as much as admitted by the man Microsoft tasked to make Zune go after the iPod.  Robbie Bach essentially said it was chasing the iPod with a product that wasn't offering anything new in ways that could get people to abandon Apple's music player.

This is the same thing that is happening to Google TV.  I don't have to buy a $300 Logitech device when a $50 Roku will do.  Nor will "Google TV" HDTV, with a premium in the hundreds, entice me to buy it when, again, a $50 Roku will do.

That said, I am still not sure that Apple's rumored HDTV will be just another TV.  Because Bach, after the Zune failure, now realized there is no point in making and releasing a new product that isn't better than what's on the market.  (This is why Apple is unlikely to release an HDTV even if it's iOS-powered).

For Google, it's time they stop the nonsense with anything other than Android.  That is where their future is going to be and Google has to go after the television with its core services that are popular and easy to use.  For instance, Google+ has a future role that is vastly different from what other competing services offer.  A more social entertainment service with pics and videos, both instantly available from users, amateurs, and professionals.  Would it be interesting to be able to participate in Hangouts on your TV?

So, if Apple releases just an HDTV with a built in Apple TV and Google  sticks with what it has, both products will be zuned in no time.

Tablets As Camcorders Could Increase

Is the tablet going to be the new camcorder, for older folks?  I was at my hospital yesterday where I go to donate blood and platelets.  Speaking with one of the nurses, she told me how she felt relaxed after her vacation to Hawaii and that she'd bring pics to show us.

When I asked her what camera she used, they said, "I used the iPad, you silly..."

Wow, I was thinking to myself.  But you know what?  I can see this pick up over time.  In fact, we haven't seen more of this because I think the iPad 2 camera just was not quite there.  And Android devices didn't really have any good camera and video apps.

I think we'll see more tablet users, especially ones more portable, take them on vacations and use them as their digital camcorders and cameras.

My nurse has an iPad 2 so I don't think the pics will turn out great.  Even she said something about that.  But she did say the videos came out awesome.

Friday Movie: This is Why Our 16th President Is The Most Badass POTUS

Some say that President George Washington is the best POTUS we ever had.  Probably.  But others say that it's our sixteenth president, Abraham Lincoln.  Let's just say that it's a tie.  How about that?

However, as far as I know (according to Hollywood), President Lincoln is the only vampire hunter that ever sat in the White House.  And in this day, that makes him the awesomest, most badass POTUS.

I'll be honest.  When I first heard about this movie, I thought it was the dumbest idea ever.  It's like "Hollywood, you've ran out of sequels and remakes to do already?!"  But after watch the trailers, I was like "wow, this works."

Here's this Friday's movie clip, a trailer for Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter!!!

Have a great weekend!

An Impossible Cheap 7" iPad For $200 in October: Nah

Source:  iMore.

Sometimes, you can end up talking a bit too much about Apple and iPads or iPhones in one day.  Unfortunately, looks like we’re not done.  Oh, and other, I don’t like to write about rumors or report on them but this one is worth commenting on with just a tad of analysis.

iMore reporting Apple will release a 7” iPad this October, probably along side the new iPhones and iPods, for, get this, $200-$250.  As a mobile fan, I’m saying “BRING IT!”.  We think there is definitely a great chance that we'll see a sub-9.7" iPad in Apple's future.  Mostly, because kids have small hands, hence, tiny fingers, that can navigate smaller displays easier.

There a couple of things worth noting about the iMore report.  First, they punctuated by the source of this information has been very good.  Good but certainly not infallible.  Second, they report that the display will have the same resolution as the new iPad.

Had they ended the report without the 7” iPad having the same resolution has the 9.7” iPad, which essentially makes the 7” iPad DPI the same iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, and the iPod touch, the report would be more believable.  Now, don’t get me wrong.  I want this to be accurate and I want a 7” Retina Display iPad.  Still, let’s take a look at this and assume that’s right.

It means if it costs $200, it’ll be cheaper than the cheapest iPod touch.  So, I reckon the iPod touch could get a slight shave and drop below $200 and maybe come in around $150.  Makes zero sense to have a 3.5” tablet cost the same as a 7” tablet, right?

Also, I don’t have a good feeling about a Retina Display iPad costing only $200.  Apple could make the $200 model with diminutive storage (8-16GB) with a standard 1024x768 display, same as the iPad 2, and $300 model coming at $300 with Retina Display.

Anyway, we’ll see if iMore is as confident about this report as we hope they are.  Come October, me am getting a new 7” iPad.  And if they’re wrong, “iMore!!! (shaking my fists – all four of them!).

Leave The Man's Hoodie Alone!

Source:  MSNBC.

I don't care for Mark Z of Facebook.  I think Facebook's privacy policy as this.  It doesn't have one.  However, between the Zucker and Wall Street analysts, I'm gonna stand with the Hoodie Man.

So, Wall Street dudes who think him wearing a hoodie to investor meetings, you can go do you-know-what with yourselves.  He's gonna make you guys richer by virtue of violating people's privacies but he's gonna need to be himself to continue to do that.

So, if you think he's disrespecting ya'll...well, then, don't invest with him.  Oh, wait.  You can't help yourself because you're all about making money.  So, take his disrespect and shove it up where it don't shine and sit down.

On MSNBC's informal poll, 3 of 4 of us don't think he should capitulate to Wall Street attire.  Maybe it's you investors who should show respect and show up in hoodies.

BTW, Facebook ain't worth $100 billion, you Wall Street idiots.

Apple TV Will Be Dead, But Long Live Apple TV On your iOS Devices

I'm gonna call it now.  Apple TV will be dead or practically irrelevant for those of us who have an iOS device or two.  And once it does, there will be an app on your iPhone or iPad called Apple TV.  It'll likely just be called "TV" for simplicity's sake.  And via Airplay, you'll be able to drive content to future Apple high resolution displays.

If you think about it now, the Apple TV really is a hobby.  It's there because Apple needs us as beta testers to see how we use television of tomorrow and how we interact with content via our phones and tablets.  It's really all that is about at this time.

Once Apple has figured out how to go forward, and according to Steve Jobs, they have, I'm pretty sure it doesn't involve the Apple TV hardware as we know it.  And that is precisely why the Apple TV will go away.

In the near future, Apple displays will not only support Retina Display or higher resolution than today's HDTV but it'll support Airplay can connect directly to iOS devices and Macs without going through the routers.  Essentially, isn't that all we really need the Apple TV for today?  It's Airplay function?

For non-Apple displays, Apple will probably release an Airplay hardware with HDMI connector and nothing more.  In fact, Apple may license Airplay to other display and HDTV makers so that they can work with Apple's iOS devices.

And to drive media and games to your big Apple, your iOS devices are all that you need.

Stop Nonsense about Apple HDTV, It's All About Retina Displays

Maybe there isn’t going to be any Apple HDTV at all.  Maybe Steve Jobs said one thing about cracking television just as Siri came out and people put two and two together and came up with crap rumors.  Maybe all along, these talk about and HDTV in Jony Ive’s labs are just Retina Displays with built in iOS functions that will be running off Macs and iOS devices.

I got thinking about this because of more and more reports about HiDPI icons hidden within OS X.  The thing about this is that my theory would go against anything that is out there about HDTV which maxes out at 1080p.  Obviously, Apple displays and even the new iPad Retina display is much much higher.

You know that and I know that but Apple probably doesn’t care.  They’re looking to the future and they’re getting working on scaling displays so that as we move beyond 1080p, Apple could well be in an excellent position to provide the displays and, yes, eventually their own TV sets to drive contents beyond 1080p at an affordable price.

Right now, I see no reason for Apple to release their own HDTV that is saturated and likely a low margin market.  But I do see a good reason to release a variety of Apple displays with different screen sizes that can drive Macs and iOS.  Apple’s displays currently max out at

The march will be to 4K displays and if Apple can start now and slowly scale and drive the market in that direction now, Apple can get there in the manner they did with the iPod, iPhone, and, now, the iPad.  The first iPod cost $500 and now, you can you one for less than half that.  And let’s look at the Macbook Air.  $1800 when it first came out but you can buy one for $1000 today.

This is going to be the same with Apple’s Retina Displays that could be headed to 4K displays.  The Apple Display with Thunderbolt now is at 2560x1440 coming in at 27”.  And this definitely is nowhere near Retina Display of the iPhone 4 or the new iPad screen.

Once Apple is able to achieve resolution parity between its future displays and Macs, iOS devices, and Apple TV can drive those, that’s when we’ll get our Apple HDTV, iTV, iPanel, or whatever you want to call it.