Mobile: Sure, Why Not? There's An App To Learn Kung Fu

Source:  PRmac.

I use mobile apps for my workout.  For running, doing specific exercises in the gym, and keeping track of activities and diet.  And so why not kung fu?

After all there are yoga and other types of physical activities with dedicated apps.  I just had never considered kung fu.

App is currently free and downloadable for both iPhone and iOS.

Nokia CEO Throws Interviewer’s iPhone Across the Room To Draw Attention

Source:  9to5Mac.

You probably have never met Stephen Elop of Nokia.  He’s Microsoft’s viceroy over at Nokia to ensure that they push Windows Phone devices out instead of any running on other platforms, like, oh say, Android.

Well, in this video below, he’s the phone throwing the interviewer’s iPhone across the room.

Now, you know what he looks like.

I reckon this isn’t how a CEO should act or this is going to get mobile warriors excited about Nokia devices.

Watch Watch: Guess Who Else Is Making A Watch

Apparently, Google and LG are working on their watches to compete with nonexistent watches from Apple and Samsung.  Well, I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that Microsoft, Nokia, HTC, Acer, Lenovo, etc. are all working on watches.

I don't know how the rumors that Apple is making a watch got started.  I supposed it started when the iPod nano was so small that it could be fitted on a wrist band and be worn as a watch.  It didn't do much except tell time.

Then you've got the Pebble watch that got a lot of media attention via its success Kickstarter campaign.  Of course, when I dug deeper, there are plenty of watches out there that has similar capabilities.  

I suppose that's how it all got started.  So everyone is making a watch.  Heck, Amazon, too!  I think some of Nike's sports watches that monitor activities can be considered more of a real smart-watch than anyone currently in development at these various tech giants.  

So, there you have it. Watches for everyone coming to a Holiday season near you.

Security: Two-Step Security Verification Now Available For iCloud

Here's here. According to 9to2Mac, Apple has finally enabled a two-step verification for iCloud.  I've been using this for Google accounts and it's seemless.  I know I'll feel mucho better about iCloud now.

Right now, Apple's website for Apple ID is up but there's all these weird strings.  My advice is to wait a few hours until the dust settles before sign up for it.  But do sign up for it.

The way it works is that you type in your ID and password as you normally do.  You already do this.

Then Apple will send to your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad a second code that you'll have to enter to gain access to your account.  Enter that access code and you're in. If someone else tries to log in with your credentials, even if they have the password, without the access code, they're still locked out.

BBC Pulls a CCTV (China State Station) Runs Hit Piece or Sponsored Post Against Apple By Sourcing Samsung's Own Ad Agency

Update:  BBC, how much is your integrity worth?  Hope AV or Samsung pay you enough to stoop this low. Because you'll never get it back.

BBC is another media company that has been hit hard by the changing media landscape.  I'm not leaking to the BBC post but I'll link to MacDailyNews that discovered it.  In its post, it said that apple's brand is less inspring these days.

When the post went online, it cited a report made by a consultant company called Added Value.  Well, what the post failed to mention was that Samsung is AV's client.  Apparently, folks have pointed that out and BBC has noted it.  However, the post remains and continues the biased reporting.

That somehow a survey from AV, again whose client is Samsung, that blasted Apple while lifting its client escaped BBC's editorial process.

This process sounds familiar.  Where have I heard this recently.

Oh, right.  It reminds me of China's CCTV hit piece against Apple that failed miserably when a coordinated Weibo attack was exposed by one of its paid poster.

That's right.  This is going to sound harsh.  BBC's tactics is on the same level of China's state-controlled media.  I guess Apple isn't advertising with BBC enough.

iCloud Tops Others In Cloud Use - Needs More Services And Openness To Stay Ahead

Source:  Appleinsider.

According to a newly published report from Strategy Analytics, more of a survey than anything else, iCloud accounts for 27% of cloud use with Dropbox and Amazon trailing.  However, I don't know if Apple should declare any sort of victory here.

The fact that Amazon is third over all with 15%, ahead of Google at 10%, suggests that a closed system like Apple and Amazon are more able to get their users to sign up for their own services.

If you want something amazing about this report, it's that Dropbox is in second place with 17%, ahead of both Amazon and Google.  Dropbox has no support in terms of native OS.  What it does have is an open strategy to allows its services to be used on any PC or mobile device with plenty of app support.

For iCloud, its use will be limited to Apple's ecosystem.  That is its advantage as well as potential pitfall.  Apple has to continue to innovate and expand its cloud offerings, an area where many consider to be its Achilles' heel.

Right now, music storage is the main function of these cloud services.  However, all this can change once video streaming becomes more mainstream.  Also, it depends on how fast video streaming is adopted by cloud services.

Another issue will be about the limited storage now provided by iCloud, Dropbox, and Amazon.  5 GB seems to be standard but looking for that to be increased as users become more comfortable with entrusting  their files to giant server farms.

Sponsored Posts Should Say So Right At The Top (In Titles)

Lately, I've fallen prey to posts from a number of blogs, even major ones you probably frequent, that have interesting posts.  Catchy titles that drew me and others in.  It's only after reading it and clicking through that we realized those aren't real posts.

They're sponsored posts.  I've been approached a number of times to do this.  No way.  Not here.

However, it's a practice I fear will only increase as competition does.  So, I think these blogs should do their readers a service and say right at the very top of the post and mentioned what they're reading are ad posts.

Better yet, add the word "sponsored post" in the title of the post.  Believe me, I might still click through if I really find it interesting and the blog is honest about it upfront and I'm sure others will too.

What we don't like is being duped.