Friday, February 15, 2013
Privacy: Google Sharing More Play Information About Users Than Developers Need To Know
Source: News.au, Mashable, ZDNet
If you buy apps from Play, you might want to reconsider though you don’t have a whole lot of choices. Google has been passing along app buyer information to app developers?
To what end?
So far, Google has been pretty quiet about this which isn’t a good thing. I like to think that this is a flaw but the stories about when this started happening and the fact that it could be a deliberate move by Google has me worried.
However, I do question why it's taken so long for someone to speak up. Now, if you're a malicious developer looking to steal user information or perpetuate some sort of criminal activity like identity theft, you probably thanks Google silently and go about your biz and not say a word about this.
Google has said that they could potentially share user information with magazine publishers but this is going beyond that.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Never Count Out Microsoft
Windows 1.0 didn't work so Microsoft went back and worked on it some more. Then after a couple more tries, Windows 95 took the world by storm and has not relinquish control of the PC market since. And it never will.
Xbox was okay but Microsoft learned quickly, put together some exclusives like Halo, and Xbox 360 pushed out Sega, relegated Nintendo as a second class console maker, and really turn up on heat on Sony.
Those are example of Microsoft, even when down and seemingly out, always has a way of getting back into the game. It clawed, scratched, and fought really dirty to make it happen.
Here is another example. The browser war. Netscape who? It's Internet Explorer all the way and despite competition from Firebox, Chrome, and Apple's weak Safari challenge, IE still dominates the browser market.
And right now, Windows 8 devices, smartphones and tablets, does not appear to be doing so hot. And as we transition away from the PC market to the mobile market, Microsoft's game face is on. Windows Phone 7 was okay but Windows 8 devices appear to be gaining traction. And Microsoft will come at the competition again and again until...well, we've never seen Microsoft really fail just yet.
It's the same for the Surface tablets. I honestly did not believe for a second that the current crop of Windows RT tablets was going to do any major damage in the tablet market this past holidays. Maybe not even Surface Pro. But it's still early and there's plenty of time left. Microsoft will come at Apple and Google as hard as ever.
If there is anything that will hurt Microsoft's chances to get back into the mobile game, it's likely its CEO, Steve Balmer. Guys is smart. And he has made a lot of money for its shareholders since he's been on control. But he has also made many missteps that allow Apple and Google to dominate the mobile market.
Frankly right now, Microsoft's main threat could be itself. However, it's competitors cannot count on each other or Microsoft to falter in order to stay ahead.
I look forward to increase competitive pressure from Microsoft and its partners in 2013 with a better game plan and lessons learned from 2012.
Xbox was okay but Microsoft learned quickly, put together some exclusives like Halo, and Xbox 360 pushed out Sega, relegated Nintendo as a second class console maker, and really turn up on heat on Sony.
Those are example of Microsoft, even when down and seemingly out, always has a way of getting back into the game. It clawed, scratched, and fought really dirty to make it happen.
Here is another example. The browser war. Netscape who? It's Internet Explorer all the way and despite competition from Firebox, Chrome, and Apple's weak Safari challenge, IE still dominates the browser market.
And right now, Windows 8 devices, smartphones and tablets, does not appear to be doing so hot. And as we transition away from the PC market to the mobile market, Microsoft's game face is on. Windows Phone 7 was okay but Windows 8 devices appear to be gaining traction. And Microsoft will come at the competition again and again until...well, we've never seen Microsoft really fail just yet.
It's the same for the Surface tablets. I honestly did not believe for a second that the current crop of Windows RT tablets was going to do any major damage in the tablet market this past holidays. Maybe not even Surface Pro. But it's still early and there's plenty of time left. Microsoft will come at Apple and Google as hard as ever.
If there is anything that will hurt Microsoft's chances to get back into the mobile game, it's likely its CEO, Steve Balmer. Guys is smart. And he has made a lot of money for its shareholders since he's been on control. But he has also made many missteps that allow Apple and Google to dominate the mobile market.
Frankly right now, Microsoft's main threat could be itself. However, it's competitors cannot count on each other or Microsoft to falter in order to stay ahead.
I look forward to increase competitive pressure from Microsoft and its partners in 2013 with a better game plan and lessons learned from 2012.
Apple Will Continue To Innovate But Microsoft (And Others) Won't Be Going Away
Source: Macdailynews.
Steve Jobs and Tim Cook has an unique of explaining about Apple's unmatched position in the PC and mobile market when it comes to trying to innovate and create magic. And Apple truly believe its devices and services are magical. It's what they strive for.
And I agree that when it comes to Apple's services, apps, and products, its easy to use, gets you excited about using it, and waiting for the next generation of innovation.
No Magic – But Not Inferior
Having said that, Apple's rivals don't have this kind of magical formula. However, they don't need it. This is evident by Microsoft's dominance and Google's Android market share of the mobile devices even though Apple's products and customer satisfaction are so much better.
Yes, yes. Market share means nothing and I agree with you. But those less willing to look past that only cares about that as do many who cares more about cost. And iOS devices do cost than their competitors.
For Samsung's Galaxy Tabs or phones or Microsoft's Surface tablets, they don't have Apple's iOS magic in terms of design and ease of use but they're also good enough that many in the market will discount the difference.
Then There’s The Price
Then there's the price. Apple's designs is unlike anything on the market and Apple doesn't cut corners when it comes to parts and components and attention to the details. Again, Apple's competitors don't have that issue: good enough is the mantra. This allows others to price their devices cheaper. And for many, "good enough" devices with a lower price point is very attractive.
Consumers probably know this when they pick up an Android device but they can live with it. Again, it is not saying non-Apple devices are inferior. Far from it. Have you seen the iPhone's competitors on the market now and what new devices are waiting in the wings?
At the same time, Samsung and others are going on different directions. For instance, they're going with bigger screens. It may not offer better mobile experiences but "bigger" always sounds better because it makes one think he is getting more value. Also, there are gimmicky features that looks great from a marketing perspective but adds little value to the mobile experience (some might argue that Siri falls into this category. For now, I can’t argue against that). Honestly, what good is wireless charging if you still have to leave your phone by the charging station. But being able mention this for marketing purposes sound good.
Furthermore, Apple's competitors do recognize the magical characteristics of Apple's products and some are even trying to duplicate that. There are some OS features that Android, Blackberry OS and Windows 8 are ahead of iOS. And Woz was right when he mentioned the iPhone has fallen behind some of its competitors in some respects.
Need Something Magically New
With all that said, there really is only one thing Apple can do. Continue to innovate and create magical products that allow its fans to use them to create their own magic. And I think that’s key here. Many of us are not only on our iPhones and iPads to consume information and communicate but to also create. It’s an added element to the whole mobile experience and a shift away from the PC dominated production.
I’m definitely not demanding that Apple produce a revolutionary device every other year or distrupt a brand new industry every five years or so. However, I’m used to see Apple far, far ahead of its competition like when Steve Jobs unveiled the iPod. Or like when Steve released the original iPhone back in 2007 all the way through iPhone 3GS.
I began to see the gap close around the time of the iPhone 4 release.
So, I don’t know what the right call is as an Apple or even a mobile fan. I like the competition that the mobile giants offer each other and the market pressure exerted by changes in mobile behaviors and tech advances.
How ever Apple wows us with the next iOS update or hardware changes, Apple fans will continue to appreciate the magic coming out of Apple and that the “good enough” crowd will always be around.
Steve Jobs and Tim Cook has an unique of explaining about Apple's unmatched position in the PC and mobile market when it comes to trying to innovate and create magic. And Apple truly believe its devices and services are magical. It's what they strive for.
And I agree that when it comes to Apple's services, apps, and products, its easy to use, gets you excited about using it, and waiting for the next generation of innovation.
No Magic – But Not Inferior
Having said that, Apple's rivals don't have this kind of magical formula. However, they don't need it. This is evident by Microsoft's dominance and Google's Android market share of the mobile devices even though Apple's products and customer satisfaction are so much better.
Yes, yes. Market share means nothing and I agree with you. But those less willing to look past that only cares about that as do many who cares more about cost. And iOS devices do cost than their competitors.
For Samsung's Galaxy Tabs or phones or Microsoft's Surface tablets, they don't have Apple's iOS magic in terms of design and ease of use but they're also good enough that many in the market will discount the difference.
Then There’s The Price
Then there's the price. Apple's designs is unlike anything on the market and Apple doesn't cut corners when it comes to parts and components and attention to the details. Again, Apple's competitors don't have that issue: good enough is the mantra. This allows others to price their devices cheaper. And for many, "good enough" devices with a lower price point is very attractive.
Consumers probably know this when they pick up an Android device but they can live with it. Again, it is not saying non-Apple devices are inferior. Far from it. Have you seen the iPhone's competitors on the market now and what new devices are waiting in the wings?
At the same time, Samsung and others are going on different directions. For instance, they're going with bigger screens. It may not offer better mobile experiences but "bigger" always sounds better because it makes one think he is getting more value. Also, there are gimmicky features that looks great from a marketing perspective but adds little value to the mobile experience (some might argue that Siri falls into this category. For now, I can’t argue against that). Honestly, what good is wireless charging if you still have to leave your phone by the charging station. But being able mention this for marketing purposes sound good.
Furthermore, Apple's competitors do recognize the magical characteristics of Apple's products and some are even trying to duplicate that. There are some OS features that Android, Blackberry OS and Windows 8 are ahead of iOS. And Woz was right when he mentioned the iPhone has fallen behind some of its competitors in some respects.
Need Something Magically New
With all that said, there really is only one thing Apple can do. Continue to innovate and create magical products that allow its fans to use them to create their own magic. And I think that’s key here. Many of us are not only on our iPhones and iPads to consume information and communicate but to also create. It’s an added element to the whole mobile experience and a shift away from the PC dominated production.
I’m definitely not demanding that Apple produce a revolutionary device every other year or distrupt a brand new industry every five years or so. However, I’m used to see Apple far, far ahead of its competition like when Steve Jobs unveiled the iPod. Or like when Steve released the original iPhone back in 2007 all the way through iPhone 3GS.
I began to see the gap close around the time of the iPhone 4 release.
So, I don’t know what the right call is as an Apple or even a mobile fan. I like the competition that the mobile giants offer each other and the market pressure exerted by changes in mobile behaviors and tech advances.
How ever Apple wows us with the next iOS update or hardware changes, Apple fans will continue to appreciate the magic coming out of Apple and that the “good enough” crowd will always be around.
Samsung's Tizen Devices May Split Android Alliance
Source: Appleinsider, Tizen.
Google or Samsung could be in for a rude awakening. See, Samsung could be in the process of unfriending Android as Google become more and more of a competitor than a partner as Google is looking to dethrone not on the iPhone but the premier Galaxy devices as well.
First a little history of how these tech giants used to be friends but changes and advances in technology has forced their hands and shifted alliances.
So we know that Apple and Google don't get along these days. It wasn't always like this. Back during the PC days, it was Apple versus IBM and then Microsoft. As Apple floundered and came back to life again with Steve Jobs' second coming, newcomer Google and Apple buddied up to take on Microsoft.
The Apple-Google alliance was one to be reckoned with. It would take on mighty Redmond and relegate Microsoft to the fringes as computing, both desktop and emerging mobile, shifted to browsers and apps on mobile devices.
Of course, Microsoft fought back as best as it could against the iPhone. RIM gave no heed to Apple. Nor did Palm. Things were good until Google's Android began to take hold of the market. Well, it's more complicated than that but the gist is that Apple and Google began a multi-year process of splitting up.
Then there's also the Apple-Samsung alliance where Samsung made much of the little components that goes into the iOS devices. It was a relationship for both until Samsung decided to copy Apple's designs and look of the iPhone. At least that is Apple's side of the story. It's a lot of "it said, it said" from both sides.
Google's relationship with most Android device makers like Samsung were good in the early days. But after Google purchased Motorola, you can fee the change in the air. The news was met with chilled responses at best from Google's partners.
And we come to today. A new alliance was formed last year between Samsung and Intel and the result is a new mobile OS called Tizen (wiki and website). It's another Linux-based open source operating system. It's one that Samsung is looking towards as Google becomes more of a competitive threat by the day. And Samsung will be unveiling and selling Tizen-based devices this year.
Of course, as mobile fans, we want to embrace this. More OS on the market means more competition. It's a good thing. A great thing. We've got Android, Blackberry 10, iOS, Windows 8, and Tizen along with a few other smaller ones (Firefox OS, Ubuntu) looking to break out one day.
No one knows for sure what Samsung is hoping to do with Tizen here. Is Tizen just shot at Google to warn them over Android competition? Or will Samsung really begin the shift from Android to Tizen? No one really knows right now. It really depends on the market.
For the foreseeable future, Android and Samsung smartphones are joined at the hip with Samsung making a few token Windows 8 phones. We'll have to watch carefully just how hard Samsung pushes Tizen as an alternative.
What will happen if Tizen does take off? Again, it's great for us because competition is good for the market. It'll drive Apple, Google, and anyone else to continue innovating as hard as ever. It'll prove that the mobile landscape can change overnight.
However, for Android, there could be come big changes. Perhaps there will always be a Samsung device running Android but should Tizen take off, Samsung will start making more devices, especially high-end ones like the Galaxy S and tablets. And what's also interesting is that Android apps can run on Tizen devices.
That is key. Apps. And you bet Samsung has already considered this issue.
In the future, Android users will have to choose if they had been following the brand or the OS. If they wanted high-end devices, they'll likely have to see what Google, LG, and Motorola has to offer. For Galaxy S devices, obviously, it could be just Samsung's Tizen.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Social: LinkedIn Gave Every Employee an iPad mini - Hey, Zucker, How About Facebook Employees?
Source: Business Insider.
Via Twitter, LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner gave each of his 3,500 employees an iPad mini. That's about $1.2 million which I am sure Apple gave him some sort of a discount. At least, I hope so.
And why not? LinkedIn is on a tear and there really is no end in sight as the social network has found a way to monetize is service and actually provide value for its users and partners. Whereas Zucker is still trying to figure things out and Facebook continues to deploy shady schemes to sell out its users to the highest bidders.
Yeah, I just don't see Facebook ever doing something like this.

Via Twitter, LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner gave each of his 3,500 employees an iPad mini. That's about $1.2 million which I am sure Apple gave him some sort of a discount. At least, I hope so.
And why not? LinkedIn is on a tear and there really is no end in sight as the social network has found a way to monetize is service and actually provide value for its users and partners. Whereas Zucker is still trying to figure things out and Facebook continues to deploy shady schemes to sell out its users to the highest bidders.
Yeah, I just don't see Facebook ever doing something like this.
That awesome moment when your CEO dishes out iPad minis to EVERY employee @linkedin @jeffweiner
— Darain Faraz (@darainfaraz) February 13, 2013
Cult of Mac Destroys Analyst - Love To See More Of This Kind of Article
People don't like lawyers and where Apple is concerned, no one likes Wall Street or tech analysts. And there are many reasons we hate them. And this Cult of Mac post documenting all the wrong predictions of one analyst, Peter Misek, is just so juicy. Dude has been more wrong than most Apple blogs. And for the blogs, they have a reason to traffic in rumors (which we don't do unless it is for a specific reason other than to spread them). Blogs rely on readership to generate revenues.
Analysts are to do what? You like to think they know what they are talking about but it's just been the opposite. Analysts often ask wrong questions if they were not stupid questions to begin with. They often bring attention to one data point and make absurd assumptions. What's worse is when they blame Apple for making them look stupid.
Also, they are like spoiled children - wanting things both ways as in the case of iPhones. Analysts had assumed that iPhone sales were weak, which they're not and Apple has trouble making enough to satisfy demands, so they believe Apple needs to make cheap iPhones. Then they go on to lament about falling profit margin.
So, if rumor-trafficking sites like the Cult of Mac thinks these guys are nuts, we want to take notice. I do enjoy reading CoM posts because they offer insightful analysis and speculations and juicy rumors (but not when the source is DigiTimes).
But this post shredding Misek's credibility is just awesome. The douche said Apple will be holding a media event to introduce an Apple TV SDK which The Loop already debunked.
Cult of Mac has more than five other Misek blunders worth reading.
Note: With these Wall Street guys, you have to wonder if they're really this stupid or if they're really pretty smart by looking stupid for the day when (or if ever) the SEC comes after them for stock manipulation.
Another Note: Sometimes, these Wall Street and tech analysts show frustration when the most successful tech company, or any company for that matter, doesn't take their suggestions. We should see that as a positive sign that folks at Apple know what they are doing.
Analysts are to do what? You like to think they know what they are talking about but it's just been the opposite. Analysts often ask wrong questions if they were not stupid questions to begin with. They often bring attention to one data point and make absurd assumptions. What's worse is when they blame Apple for making them look stupid.
Also, they are like spoiled children - wanting things both ways as in the case of iPhones. Analysts had assumed that iPhone sales were weak, which they're not and Apple has trouble making enough to satisfy demands, so they believe Apple needs to make cheap iPhones. Then they go on to lament about falling profit margin.
So, if rumor-trafficking sites like the Cult of Mac thinks these guys are nuts, we want to take notice. I do enjoy reading CoM posts because they offer insightful analysis and speculations and juicy rumors (but not when the source is DigiTimes).
But this post shredding Misek's credibility is just awesome. The douche said Apple will be holding a media event to introduce an Apple TV SDK which The Loop already debunked.
Cult of Mac has more than five other Misek blunders worth reading.
Note: With these Wall Street guys, you have to wonder if they're really this stupid or if they're really pretty smart by looking stupid for the day when (or if ever) the SEC comes after them for stock manipulation.
Another Note: Sometimes, these Wall Street and tech analysts show frustration when the most successful tech company, or any company for that matter, doesn't take their suggestions. We should see that as a positive sign that folks at Apple know what they are doing.
Who Will Make the iCar?
Today, all the media seems to focused on Silicon Valley and advances in moble technology but it’s the greening of the auto industry that may be more exciting. Furthermore, they represent the early days of a revolution in how we view cars and the energy it takes to power them.
I consider the Priuses, Volts, and Leafs just the early stages of this new auto revolution we are witnessing. Cars before the hybrids were like regular cell phones. Single purpose.
Hybrids came along. The mobile parallel would be like the old 3COM’s personal digital assistant, the Palm Pilot. You can do a bit more.
As we go down this road, it’s tempting to call the Telsa all-electric cars the iPhone of the auto industry but I don’t think we’re there yet. Maybe the Telsas are more like Blackberries. Because the Telsa cars are expensive, only a few can afford them. Just like the early days when Blackberries existed mostly in the corporate world.
The true “iPhone” vehicle, iCar is still sitting in someone’s lab or possible garage waiting to roar onto the road. And who will make this “iPhone” car?
For the record, I doubt it’ll be Apple in case you’re wondering. I don’t think it will involve any of the tech giants except for perhaps Google. The auto industry is a vastly different market after all. I do believe that this iCar will encompass all the characteristics that has made consumer products so desired.
Sleek design, revolutionize the one or two things that makes a car a car and how we operate it, and provides features that we did not previously know we wanted. It would revolutionize personal transportation not seen since the saddled horse.
Maybe we’ll have to look to George Jetson for inspiration in this area. Oh wait, doesn’t Google already have a self-driving car? Or does Apple have what it takes to disrupt another market? Also magine Google Now- or Siri-controlled vehicle that can plot out an efficient course for you based on your workday and dinner plans?
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