Mobile: Some Colleges Unable To Meet Wireless Demands Despite Increasing Tuition

Source:  Mashable.

Interesting post on colleges having trouble meeting the wireless demands on their networks.  The thing with this is that those colleges without adequate wireless Internet services should be pointed out because our students need them - it's practically as important as having oxygen.

US News And World Report does an annual ranking of the best schools.  Maybe they ought to include a section for schools best able to meet the mobile and technological demands of their students.

More than 3/4 of US higher education institutions have problems meeting their students' wireless needs.  This is absolutely horrible.  And the thing is that it'll get worse quarter after quarter, sememster after semester, not just by year.

And not just with students armed with smartphones and laptops but tablets will increasing become an integral part of their learning process.  Here are some disturbing information:

• Only 68% of schools offer unlimited connectivity.  I don't know what the other 32% are thinking by keeping its student population from downloading notes or its researchers from...well, researching.
• Little more than 1/2 of schools can claim go have 80% of residential area covered.  
• Only 1/3 of schools offer 500Mbps speed.  
• 64% Of students consider moving because their Internet is slow or nonexistent.  I would.  

Here is another fact that highlights just how schools are slow in adapting to the needs of their students.  9 Of 10 schools think it'll get worse as tablets flood the campus in the coming years.  Dude, they're coming this fall, in like a few weeks.

Higher education remains one of the crown jewels in the country and students here learn to prepare and compete in an increasingly sophisticated and wired global economic system.  It's the best opportunity our future gen has to continue to do well.  And wireless tech is now a part of the process regardless of whether archaic school administrators want to face it or not.

What Does Apple Hope To Gain With Its Own Maps App?

Interesting Appleinsider post here about how Apple will use its own maps to replace Google Maps and deny Google valuable information about iOS users.

I have to wonder if all this matters much in the long run.  It isn’t as if Google, with only location information data from Android users, arguably with a larger installed base than iPhone users, won't be able to create awesome new features and services.  In fact, Android users has had better mapping services from Google for years.  And it’s not as if Google Maps will suddenly disappear from the App Store either.

It's only with iOS 6 that iPhone users will gain some parity with Android map apps from Google.

Whether it is Apple, Google, or even Microsoft, their services has to provide value in ways that is unique it its installed base.  Maybe that’s what Apple is hoping to do.  However, last I check, there are quite a few Google developed apps and they’ve enjoyed a lot of downloads.

Anyway, competition is good for all mobile warriors so I’d say bring it on.

Mobile: Dumbass Texting While Driving Off Clip (He Lived)

Another example of (stupidity) why texting and driving don't mix.  It should be in the came category as drunk driving as far as I'm concerned.

The idiot in the case lived but I hope they billed him for all the clean-up.  I might sound harsh but what if he had drove head-on into a family of four with young kids and killing them all - one of the kids could one day become a great doctor who find a cure to a disease or solve our energy problem?

It's a must watch video.

Mobile: "Metro" Is Dead, Now Called "Windows 8-Style UI" (Yikes...)

Source:  Arstechnica

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Microsoft will be abandoning the "Metro" name and in its place, the UI will be called "Windows 8-style UI". Talk about a mouthful.  Why the change?

According to Ars, it's because a German company threatened to sue.  With Windows 8 launch happening soon, Redmond figured it would be easier to just work around it.  Unfortunately, while Microsoft put on a brave face about how "Metro" was only a code-name, a look around its website shows that Microsoft had long term plans for "Metro".  I mean, it's all over the place.

Hope this doesn't trip things up for Surface and subsequent tablet and phone launches.  We general mobile fans and consumers need a strong Microsoft to compete in the market place.

Scary Trailers (Paranormal Activity 4, The Possession): I get Scared Easily But...

Source:  blastr.

I get scared easily but I love it.  Having said that, after watching Paranormal Activity 3 in a theater with a friend, and there were just the two of us in there for the matinee, we went back home and rented Paranormal Activity 1 and 2 to catch up.

Needless to say, I did not sleep with the lights off for nearly a month.  It was only a powerful windstorm that knocked out power for three days that I had the lights off at night.  And my house is freaking filled with mirrors and very reflective windows.

Well, Paranormal Activity 4 will soon be upon us.  And here is the trailer.  The only reason I was brave enough to watch it is because I'll have a house guest with me for a couple of weeks.

See the end of it?  Puts a whole new perspective on using Facetime, Hangout, or Skype.

Also, here is another movie, The Possession, that...sigh, I don't know why I do this to myself.  Yes, I look forward to scaring myself when it's released too.  It's from Sam Raimi.

Oh, it's based on a true story...

  

Next iPhone: What Kind of Camera?

While there has been a lot of speculations about the screen of the iPhone, whether it'll have NFC (near field communication) chip to go along with Passbook, and how thin it'll be, I have wondered about what kind of camera it'll have.

It's conceivable that Apple could go with the same camera as the iPhone 4S because of all the above features I've mentioned.  It could be that there will be enough new features and a form factor for the next iPhone that Apple doesn't see any need to upgrade the camera this time around.

On top of that, let's not forget the CPU upgrade that the iPhone is likely to get.  

Another factor that I think Apple might keep the camera at 8MP with marginal improvement at that is because of storage.  Let's say Apple goes ahead with a 10MP or 12MP camera upgrade.  The storage could be an issue for the 16 GB version of the new iPhone.  Then again, it could be because of the added storage requirement for photos that will drive users to go with the 32 GB iPhone instead.

This is just something that came to mind as I ponder about the camera upgrades for the iPod touch and the unicorn iPad mini.  Oh, and let's not forget that Steve Jobs had met with Lytro's CEO in the past.  Believe me when I tell you that Jobs doesn't meet with just anyone and certainly not for idle chitchats.

Obviously, it's highly unlikely that Apple's engineers will be able to fit that inside the iPhone but the discussion could result in sparking some new innovative juice for the camera.  

Anyway, I just thought it odd there's been no word on the camera.  It's been pretty quiet on this rumor front.

AT&T Might Not Be Asking Reps To Stieer Customers Away From iPhone But Competitors Might

Source:  BGR.

AT&T is disputing a post on BGR that its managers are telling store reps to steet customers looking for iPhones towards competing devices on Android and Windows Phone.  I don't know if AT&T is necessarily the ones doing it but I reckon Apple's competitors might provide incentives for them to do that while AT&T turns a blind eye.

No one would put it past AT&T and its Apple's competitors to employ such tactics.  There's nothing wrong with that by the way.  However, you can just feel the intense feelings and regrets coming from AT&T for giving Apple so much power over its customers back in 2007 when the iPhone first came out.

Seriously, otherwise, why would AT&T put so much money in trying to help sell the Lumia devices from Microsoft and Nokia?

Anyway, AT&T disputed the assertion but it doesn't say that its competitors are not behind it.  In the long run, it is hurting only itself and its customers.