AI, Mobile, and Eveything Around the Cloud

I am a big battery guy. The more battery life the better. But my iPhone 2G going on two years, the battery while still pretty good, isn't what it used to be. Well, I have no way of telling for sure and I've done a pretty good job taking are of it. On the other hand, my mom used and abused her iPhone and now her battery life, by my estimate, is half what it was and started complaining about it. So, I went ahead and ordered a couple of battery cases. It was not an easy decision since I've heard both good and bad things on just about every model out there. To make the story short, I decided on two models. Mili Battery Pack from Phone Suit . Fastmac iV from Fastmac . My thinking at the time was that with two iPhones, it is more prudent to order two different battery cases in case one of them does not live up to my expectations. So, what do I think? Only the Mili Battery Pack arrived. Today. I'm on my first charge and here are preliminary thoughts: Good design. Nice...

I can never get enough battery life.  I can never get enough resolution in my 15" Powerbook or 13" unibody Macbook.  and for my fellow mobile Apple readers, I'm sure you're in the same boat.  But these quests for the two Holy Grails of mobile computing marches on. There are two applications that I think you'll consider using that can help you squeeze more out of your Macbooks in terms of battery life and screen resolution.  Both of these applications are free and come from Cynosurex . The first one is Spotlight Manager  .  I find Spotlight very useful but I almost use it exclusively to launch applications.  Nevertheless, it does run in the background and so it takes up resources.  Spotlight Manager allows the user to turn Spotlight on or off during one's day through mobile work. I don't know what the resource savings from having Spotlight off will translate into extra minutes from the battery but every minute helps. Also, you'll want to ch...

On On Apple, I think I'll start spending more time talking about apps that I find useful.  There are any number of sites that already do that but I have to wonder if they spend a few hours on each app, write up a quick review, and move on to the next one. I'm gonna start talking about actual experiences.  Free apps we can use and delete and move on if we don't like it.  With apps we buy, it's a bit more involved since it require us to make a purchase.   For instance, I bought some comic books from Panelfly and Comics from the in app stores since I'm a big Marvel fan.  Two separate stores but I want to see how the experience is like.  I've read ebooks on my iPhone but never comic books in depth. So, when I find time this weekend to read the comic books, I'll get into some more. Stay tuned!

If there is an app that ought to have been rejected, it is this one.  Six-year research project by a Spanish team translate into an app called Cry Translator.  It is suppose to do what the title says.  It'll tell you what your precious little one means when he or she cries. As you well know, babies can't talk.  So, they make noises.  Mostly, they cry when they're not sleeping.  It's what I noticed with my brother's new baby.  Essentially, the research time claims there are 5 universal cries.  They're either hungry, bored, stressed, sleepy, or in discomfort. Will this work?  Well, it costs $40 but will be available for an introductory price of $10.  Boy, I am attempted to see if this works as claimed if Apple's refund procedure isn't so, well, you know. Then again, there are a number of fart apps and this is at least trying to claim to be useful.  Anyway, drop me a note if you end up finding this app useful. More at Baby Chum...

Verizon Wireless has said time and time again that the ball is in Apple court as to whether the iPhone will make it onto VW's network.  Well, if the Droid campaign is of any indication, the answer is that the VW customers will not see a CDMA or LTE iPhone for a long long time. Well, Internet News has a very good down-the-middle post about why the iPhone will stay with ATT for a while and it's a must read.  Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg recently said that despite the Droid campaign (only some parts of it were good-natured fun against the iPhone), VW is ready to embrace Apple as a partner.  One thing everyone can agree on:  whether the Verizon gets the iPhone is entirely Apple's decision. And IN mapped out clearly why that's not going to happen in the near future.  here are a few reasons why: Not until LTE network is completed or near completion.  That won't happen until 2013. Details on the deal between ATT and Apple remain obscured.  Some folks say 5 years.  Don...

There you have it.  Apple will approve Google's new navigation app and everyone in the mobile world will be better for it. Today, Google sank the hearts and minds of the GPS navigation industry with its own free navigation software for its Android device and said it will have the same offering for iPhone users if Apple approves. Initially, I was going to tease this post with a title about Apple maybe striking out Google.  First with the Latitude app and then the Google Voice app.  But I couldn't go there because Apple will approve Google's navigation app. As you probably know by now, Apple and Google have started taking shots at each other publicly but since Android's debut, Chrome OS, and Apple's app rejections (though some would take Apple's line that it continue to study Google Voice), things does not appear to be rosy between the two.  Now, there are no e-mails or anything definite to say that even a cold war between Apple and Google has started.  But ...

We'll get into it each day or week, however it makes sense, on what everyone's guess about the iTablet is and what it will be able to do.  But once we start smelling rumors, we'll leave it out. The reason I want to get into it now is because I ordered myself a Nook, Barnes and Noble's first reader, and I'm trying to convince myself that I ought to wait for the iTablet.  The Nook is certainly an interest concept and I wouldn't mind trying it out before the iTablet is available for sale.  However,  a dry run would cost me close to $400.  That could at least be half the cost of an iTablet. Quite expensive for a test run.  And canceling and waiting to see if I'll like it when the Nooks are in the stores will likely put me at the back of the line.  I remember I did that with Playstation 2 and I had to wait until February the following year to get my hands on one.  And then there was Wii that out of stock for like...ever. So, back to iTablet. ...