Mobile: AT&T Shamefully Used 9/11 To Sell Blackberry Z10

Source:  Arstechnica.

Talk about despicable.  AT&T is using 9/11 to sell the Blackberry Z10.  Now, if I'm Blackberry, I'm be calling AT&T to get that ad off Twitter and anywhere else AT&T has posted it.  Of course, in today's social media, it's all over Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr.

Man, what a bone-headed move.  I wonder who the brilliant guy who approved this is.  Arstechnica has a post and pic.  I'm not going to dignify AT&T's actions.

Dyson Sues Samsung For Stealing Its Vacuum Design - Might Get Worse

Source:  The Verge.

Okay, Apple accusing and suing Samsung over design patents and UI implementations could be construed as anti-competitive and abuse of the patent system by some.  Personally, I think companies should steer clear of each other and do their own innovations, no matter what, and there won't be all this court action where lawyers get fat and rich.

So, while the mobile war could be counted as an isolated incident in and of itself if not for this.  Dyson, famed vacuum maker, has now sued Samsung for the same thing that Apple has sued Samsung for.  Dyson is now suing Samsung for a vacuum-steering system patent that the Korean giant just lifted and put into its own system.

This won't be Dyson's first dance with Samsung either.  It won a case against Sammie.

While this may not be mobile related, it may speak to an inherent behavior of Samsung.  And with wearable gears just beginning to permeate in the minds of mobile warriors, I don't see patent entanglement between mobile giants and other tech companies coming to an end.

At the same time, you can believe some companies in other industries are looking at their patents and maybe see if Samsung or someone else could be violating their innovations.

iPhone Event Tomorrow: Speculations on What Apple Will Likley (or Not) Unveil

It's been a quiet day considering that Apple's iPhone event tomorrow in Cupertino is slated to be the start of the mother of all Apple unleashing of products for the rest of 2013 through 2014.  After all, that is what Tim Cook promised us.  Having said that, while rumors have been delicious, again, it has been a quiet day.

Perhaps, many leaks and rumors I'm reading have either been confirmed or deemed plausible.  And that leaves very little and little possibility of last minute surprises for today or even for the event itself.

Having said that, while combing through blog posts of recaps, summary of rumors, and speculations, I've compiled a list of surprises ranging in their likelihood of happening from "just way freaking way" to "yeah, I can see that happening.

• Prices of the iPhone 5C - dubbed the less expensive iPhone.  Can Apple surprise us with the lower $500 advertised price?  Perhaps.  At $400?  Very plausible.  $350?  I can see that happening.  it's like slapping on a cell antenna on top of an iPod touch and charge a premium for it.  Apple already does that with the iPad - accounting for the $130 premium between the Wi-Fi only iPad model and the Wi-Fi+LTE version.  $300?  No likely but t can happen.  Remember when the iPad was rumored to cost $1000 upon release but ended up being only $499?  Tim Cook made that happen and he may well have the dark arts to make a $300 iPhone.
• Leaked images of the colors of the iPhone 5C are fake.  The real colors are much better.  I've complained about those colors a couple of times already.  However, those colors of the iPhone 5C look more and more real by the day.  Sadly, it's unlikely Apple managed to hide the colors of the iPhone 5C and try to fake out the public with other ones.
• 128 GB version of the iPhone?  Pretty likely.
• Fingerprint feature?  Pretty likely.  
• iOS 7 will probably be released tomorrow or just days bofore the new iPhones are set to go on sale.  A killer feature or two?  Very plausible.  It depends on what you consider to be a killer feature.  One surprise killer feature is likely.  Two?  Unlikely.
• iWallet.  Passbook is only useful to me because of my Starbucks habit.  I can just as easily use the Starbucks app instead.  Yeah, you should know by now that Apple is rumored to include a fingerprint feature.  If the fingerprint security feature is to figure prominently in an Apple wallet, call it 'iWallet', we will have to see just how many of these iPhone 5S, iPhone 6 or whatever Apple calls the next iPhone is going to be sold.  And if iWallet is something that Apple wants to be quickly adopted, would it make sense that the 2013 iPhones, high-end or the lower end iPhone 5C, all have a fingerprint feature to get more of these fingerprint featured iPhones out there?  Therefore, I think Passbook is slated for an upgrade but nothing earth shattering.  iWallet is unlikely.
• True day long battery life?  I think there's a part of me that is doing a lot of wishful thinking on this one.  We might see an incremental increase of some stand-by time but nothing on actual use despite talk that the new inner workings of the new iPhone will be more efficient.  So, not plausible that we'll get a surprise here.  Much of my enthusiasm and hope stemmed from the long battery life advantage the 2013 Macbook Air has over the previous year model.
• A new iTunes feature - it's been a while since Apple has done any significant deal on this.  We know iTunes Radio is coming.  It'll be big.  I've been using it and love it.  The rest of the market will as well.  So, this is no surprise.  How about iTunes Streaming video like Netflix.  A subscription feature or just allow us to stream content we rent or have purchased instead of download them?  Haven't heard a bit of info on this.  So, we very unlikely to hear about a new iTunes feature.  iTunes Radio will have to do.
• Controller for iOS devices.  Perhaps an augmented Airplay.  Yes, this is likely only because we know Apple has shown interest in this and there have been chatter that a few accessory makers have been working with Apple.  Gaming is going to be big tomorrow.
• Tied into the iOS gaming accessories will be how games will be displayed on television.  Apple TV could get an update to support these accessories.  What's not clearly is whether it's be software only or both software and hardware.  I have to say that it's likely iOS for the Apple TV will get an update with new apps and features but the hardware will remain the same.  There's no need for Apple to upgrade Apple TV just yet.  
• We know Apple will continue to make iPods.  The regular iPod, aka Classic.  Shuffle.  Nano.  And the Touch.  While the iPod touch could get  a mention if there is an update worth mention.  In fact, Apple probably will keep the line-up the same without mentioning it.  What everyone is going to be thinking about it what Apple will do to address wearable computing devices.  It's unlikely Apple will unveil the iWatch or iGear tomorrow.  
• OS X Mavericks, Macbook and Mac Pro.  Unlikely.  No iPads either.  Not yet.
• New iOS device?  A 5" iPhone or a bigger screen iPad?  Right, not going to happen.
• iOS in cars - look for a bit more information on this but don't expect the iCar.  It's be about more manufacturers getting on board for real with specific models coming.  But this is an incremental iOS penetration and a completely new front for Apple so they're going to take it very slow.  Don't expect to be able to tell Siri to lock doors, open/close windows, or turn on the A/C.  More information on iOS in cars is very plausible.  
• App Store for Apple isn't likely.  It does get more and more plausible through the years.  If anything, it's we're likely to see an enhanced app store for iOS devices with Apple TV support.  It means no separate store just for the Apple TV.  Separate store for the Apple TV?  Not likely.  Apps build to support Apple TV through Airplay and accessories?  I can see this happening.

I think this is enough speculation on what likely will or will not be unveiled or announced by Apple tomorrow.  Maybe some of the leaked information are out of Apple's hands but for the most part, much of the rumors and leaks has Apple PR's fingerprints all over them.  Some are real and others are to mislead competitors.  In fact, I'm willing to bet a majority of Apple, inlcuding its PR wing, has no idea what'll be unveiled tomorrow.  Only a small handful truly knows.

But until 10am PST tomorrow, all we can do is speculate.  And we are with glee.

Scully On Steve Jobs Firing - Interesting Details But Perhaps Also Revisionistic?

Did I just make up a word worth of being put in a dictionary?  Revisionistic.

That is what I think could be going on with John Scully, the for Pepsi seller of sugared water, who was lured away by Steve Jobs over to Apple and subsequently resulted in Jobs leaving Apple.

Here is more details from Scully himself.

If would be nice of someone could confirm or deny his version of events.  However, Scully's admission of his own lack of understanding of the visionary leadership that Steve Jobs brought is very revealing.  And perhaps up to that point, hardly anyone has ever encountered the kind of leadership that Jobs brought to a company.

Mobile Ordering: Letting Patrons Order With Their Phones

We're at a Japanese restaurant in Pasadena, CA on a busy Friday night (I should be able to make it home in time for the NASA moon launch tonight - if not, I'll watch it on my phone).

Even at this time, there is a long line of people waiting for their turn to be seated.




I like the people here. The servers work very hard, running around. I got to thinking. While it is good to have some interaction with the servers who are always smiling, it would sure help with efficiency if I could order via a dedicated app, leaving the servers to waste as little time running around.




It's my understanding many establishments already equip their servers with Android devices or iPads to enter orders. How cool is that right?

Even so, those places are in the minority. What I want, a dedicate app would go beyond ordering food. If I need a refill, more napkins, or need to order something else, I can use the app instead of trying to get the attention of our servers.

And one more thing, specials. Sometimes the servers are in such a rush that they go over the day's specials so quickly, it requires repeating. Instead, the specials would populate the app and the patrons and see what they are for themselves.

Of course, if you've for questions, well, that what the servers are for. For everything else, there's your phone.


- Posted using Mobile.

JAVRIS coming to iOS: Siri Should Be Worried

JAVRIS, if you're not aware, is Tony Stark's version of Siri but vastly better. It's what Siri should be and more. Well, we are a long way off from that.



However, Marvel Comic, owned by Disney, will be releasing a JAVRIS app for the iOS platform. Now, don't get excited. It's an app that will simulate some of the Iron Man look and feel at best. It will not work like that in the movie.

However, as an inspiration, Apple should look to JAVRIS in the Iron Man movies and strive to make Siri like the digital assistant.

Right iOS version does some stuff that Siri already does with ease - messages, weather, etc. But it sounds like real purpose of JAVRIS is for Marvel to sell ringtones and the movie to users.

It is unlike enough for me to download and keep using it. However, I do hope that the head of the Siri team watched the Iron Man movies and will get his team working on a JAVRIS-like Siri.

Source: iMore.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

View On Mobile: W're Going Back To the Moon! (Live Stream of NASA Launch)

This is posted from Clouding Around on NASA's moon launch of the LADEE to study its thin atmosphere.  You can download the Ustream app (iTunes) to view it on your mobile.  Whatever you're doing on a Friday night, it's probably worth dropping for a few minutes to watch this live launch.  How often can you say you witness a mission to the moon?

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NASA is due to launch the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer around 2330 (11:30 PM EST).  According to NASA's page,

"LADEE, managed by NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif., is scheduled for launch at 11:27 p.m. EDT on Sept. 6 from Pad 0B at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, Va. NASA's Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE, pronounced like "laddie") is a robotic mission that will orbit the moon to gather detailed information about the lunar atmosphere, conditions near the surface and environmental influences on lunar dust. A thorough understanding of these characteristics will address long-standing unknowns, and help scientists understand other planetary bodies as well."

So, yes, I'll be looking to watching this live wherever I am.  Dinner, coffee, or gym.  The thing is that we want to study the moon's atmosphere (yeah, it has one) before the Chinese, Russian, and us Americans get there.  There is more info about LADEE at the Wiki page.

It'll launch aboard a Minotaur V rocket (more info at Wiki), a 5-stage booster system.

So, look for a live coverage to start soon (now!!!  They're late) and the launch about three hours from now.  This is very exciting.  How often can you say you witness a mission to the moon even if unmanned.

Live streaming video by Ustream