Apple Should Tackle Privacy

The iPhone 4S just went on sale in China. I am sure it's selling like hot cakes, regardless of what possible shortcomings Apple might have put into place to keep Beijing happy.

For instance, I about my friends in China are able to sign into Twitter since the microblog site is essentially blocked. (I just sent out an inquiry on Weibo about Twitter what what possible replacement Apple might have or have not offered Chinese customers.)

And while Facebook or twitter being blocked in China, Iran, and the likes, this is more of a censorship issue. Dealing with foreign censorship is something that Washington or the State Department should deal with But I like to see Apple tackle the privacy issue.

I started using a new search engine called Duckduckgo. It's an alternative to Google, Bing, Yahoo, and others that make it their mission to track our travels across the Internet and sell that information essentially to their advertisers.

Now, Apple has already put the stop to the newspaper and magazine publishers from wholesale access to its iOS users, I like to see Apple go a step further.

It's already been suggested that with Siri, Apple has positioned itself between its users and those services that are collecting information through conventional Internet means.

One of the things that Apple lack is a social network. Apple took a stab at it with Ping and we know how well that turned out. Even Apple's Game Center isn't quite where I like it to be. There is no direct interaction between users.

In iOS 5 with the inclusion of Twitter and iMessage, Apple may be taking its first baby step toward building a social network in the sense that its native apps like iMessage could act as the top layer overseeing other social networks like Twitter and maybe even others like Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, and others even Microsoft's Xbox Live.

This could potentially give iOS users greater control over which network they like to share with and how.

See, part of the failure of Ping was that Facebook wanted greater access to iTunes information that Apple was unwilling to share.

It was a bad move on Apple part in trying to deal with Facebook at that point. But I reckon that Apple has learned from that. And today, things are much more different.

Apple has sold over sixty million iOS devices in the last Christmas quarter and shows no sign of slowing down. Apple may enter the living room war with an assault on the traditional television in one form or another.

Social networks would be foolish not to deal with Apple if Tim Cook comes calling even if Apple has restrictive terms that social networks and even search engines must comply with to protect iOS user privacy.

We won't know for sure until Apple shows its hands with future product and OS updates so there is a lot of uncertainty in just how Apple will mother over its users and the information it has collected.

Personally, I like to see more of what Siri is capable of once it's out of beta and whether iMessage expands beyond being a SMS killer.

And it is entirely possible that Apple guarding the privacy of iOS users are accidental. Nevertheless, it's definitely better than how Facebook, Google, and other companies that profit off information they collected from their users.


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iPad Selling On The Road, Will Other Tablets Join?

Here is a very pro-iPad GigaOM post but if you step back you can appreciate just how tablets in

general has already changed how mobile warriors, particular mobile sales forces are able to accomplish more.

The instant-on feature, long battery life, wireless connection, and essentially a laptop replacement are features that have the iPad going for it.

On top of that the light-weight of the iPad is definitely a plus. Furthermore, all of what is the iPad allows the worker to accomplish its tasks more efficiently and spend more time away from the office.

Obviously, tablets running on Android, Blackberry OS, or the forthcoming Windows 8 should be able to do the same. The question would be just how efficient they will be compared to the iPad.

Another matter I like to bring up which the post didn't not address is the size of the iPad or other 10" tablets relative to productivity of the sales force.

That is definitely something worth analyzing when smaller tablets go on the road in this capacity.

It'll be interesting to see if Apple is right on its conviction that the 10 in-ish screen is truly optimal for tablet use.


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Apple Will Put Its $100 Billion To Innovate and Disrupt; So Shut Up About Dividends And Stock Buybacks

More than 46 billion in revenue, 13 billion in profit, and, now, we learn that Apple has close to $100 billion in the bank in various cash and short-term investment vehicles, there has not been a shortage of what Apple ought to do with all that money "in the bank".  I know this much:  there will be no dividends or stock buybacks.

It's not Apple's style.Tim Cook and Peter Oppenheimer told analysts during its financial call that the Apple board was in active discussion about what "constructive" ways Apple can use its cash, it gave folks hope that Apple is headed towards rewarding shareholders in one way or another.  Despite that, it's not happening.

If Apple wanted to distribute money or buyback shares, it would have done it a long time ago.  A year ago even.  

This is why I think Apple will put that money to work in ways that will solidify its future in mobile and ecommerce.  This will happen in such a way that even some of its cash rich competitors will not be able to do.  After all, its closest competitor has about $30 billion in the bank but that is still quite different from having $100 billion in the bank that Apple has.

I think all of this is related to how Apple will take iOS and the iPhone into a new direction.  And it could happen with iOS 5.  

One quick example I can come up with is this.  Suppose Apple comes out with such an innovative HDTV that will cost in the range of $4000-$5000.  Not many folks can pay that kind of money right off the top.  So perhaps, Apple could use its money and create sort of a credit line for anyone who wants to own such a TV.

Apple can also give users financial deals on Macs and iOS products.  The same can be done for schools where Apple can set up funds to help students finance iPad purchases.  

Certainly, Apple will continue to invest in supply lines and innovate in new manufacturing processes.  

All of what I mentioned are likely on the table for Apple regarding what it wants to do with its cash.  The point is $100 billion is an opportunity, not a burden as some on Wall Street would like us to believe.  Apple is a company that is in an unique position to make the most of this opportunity.

During President Obama's state of the union address on Tuesday, a term that is likely going to be a corner stone of his reelection campaign is "build to last".  Most would agree that Steve Jobs' legacy isn't the Mac, iPod, or the iPhone but Apple itself.  

Giving $100 billion back to the shareholders just isn't something helps an enduring Apple.  But using it to further innovate and implement new technologies and disrupt new markets will continue to buiid on Steve's legacy.

Note:  It's possible the Apple board of directors might offer some token stock buyback to satisfy some Wall Street critics but I doubt it'll be anything meaningful.

Apple's Cash: Forget Dividends/Buybacks Or TV - Tim, Put A Few Billions Into Artificial Intellgence

Siri is where the future's at. So this Su where I suggest where Apple should put its nearly $100 billion in cash and short-term investments: AI.

As in artificial intelligence. And I'm not just talking about giving Siri an even more dazzling personality. I'm talking about robots. Androids. Sorry, I don't mean Google's mobile OS.

See, this is where the future OS is at. Not OS XI or iOS 7 or 8 but a totally revolutionary OS that is intelligent all around.

Something like Siri 5.0. One that can carry along a more natural conversation and truly act as a personal assistant.

Eventually, it could be Apple's AI that power our homes and lives.

That's where I would put a few billions.

Twenty Percent of Kindles Unloved By Their Owners?

According to Telegraph, 1/5 of Kindles are left unused after their collective unveiling at in Christmas morning.  I think this is an example of shady reporting, regardless of which reader or tablet you use.

First, the post says nothing about the type of Kindle it is referring to.  It made it sound like they include in large part, the Kindle Fire. Now, you might suspect that this was a hit piece from an Apple or iOS fan. In the past, I would have thought that to be the case. However, with the forking of th Android platform, the writer could be a fan of just about any platform.  

This includes Apple, even Mincrosoft, and, also very likely, a pure Android fan.  

But 1/5, or 20% of all Kindles sold not bring touched ain't bad. Not good ad definitely not great but not bad either. Amazon has to do more to entice users and even educate Kindle owners what their devices can do. 

I reckon that more of these abandoned Kindled are of the e-ink flavor and not the Fire.  

It's still early in the game for Amazon and even the number of millions it sold, I think Amazon is rather content with the response it has bottom from the market.  

Source: Amazon Kindles 'go unused' after Christmas - Telegraph

Siri Coming To Other iOS Devices? How About Macs?

Siri could be coming to other iOS devices.  Now, I'm not talking about iPad 2S or 3.  Nor am I talking about the future iPod touch update.  Rather, I'm referring to the current gen iPod touch, which happens to be the same as last year's version and the iPad 2.

Here is an image capture via Cult of Mac with references to both the iPod touch and the iPad.  Now, it's a given that one day, Siri will propagate throughout Apple realm, even Macs.  That isn't the issue.  It's whether current hardwares on the market now, outside of the iPhone 4S, will also be Siri-capable.

There is more at CofM on this.  The above pic is for the iPod as you can see on the top left corner.  

It makes sense and also it's important that Apple begin to get Siri out of beta and to support more languages. This is most certainly a daunting task.  And it's just as urgent for Apple to get Siri into as many users of its growing hardware profile as soon as possible.

This is a race to control the future of mobile computing and change the face of UI.  Siri, as I've declared in the past, is a brand new plattform that has given Apple another opportunity to disrupt the markets.  That's right.  Markets.  Plural.  That is because we are in an increasingly connected world where our gadgets, appliances, and devices will one day be connected to clouds or private networks.  

It's up to Apple when Siri, or even just simple dictation, becomes available to non-4S users.  I cannot argue the technical merits of whether there is a hardware reason why only the iPhone 4S has Siri.  However, I figure this is more of an artificial reason, like the fact that Siri is in beta, than anything else.

We should know by the next iOS update or two about Siri's status.  

Source:  Cult of Mac.

Note:  I can't wait for Siri or even just dictation to come to the Macs.  I'm hoping the dictation portion for the Macs will not require a network connection as Siri needs now but I'll settle for anything.   I imagine the day when I can dictate posts like this.

Apple Tie-Up With Target Means Mobile Payment?

Apple fans, especially if you’ve got an iOS device or mobile phone, rejoice. Looks like Apple could be coming to a Target store near you. And I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say this. Apple could slow and surly be putting into place the means for users to not only buy Apple gears more easily but could also more easily allow iOS users to buy things with their iTunes accounts.


You’re thinking “dude, what are you smoking” right about now. Here me out. Store within a store for Apple isn’t something new. In fact, it goes all the way back to ancient history: CompUSA. Yeah, like in the 90s. And then we have the Apple stores but Apple kept their little corner in Best Buys as well. But Target is uniquely different. It’s a general consumer retailers – food, consumer goods like clothes and furniture. Yup, Target does sell electronics and to my knowledge, I’ve never seen a Target selling computers before. And this could be an opportunity for Apple. More than that, a while back, it was Starbucks that partnered with Target to test out its mobile payment plan that has now grown to most Starbucks and Target stores. It’s Target’s willingness to strike this kind of deals that has me thinking that maybe Apple could be thinking beyond just places its Macs and iOS devices in general consumer stores. And it could mean that Apple is looking at expanding – oh, say…TV? Furthermore, when you buy Apple gears, apps, or other accessories for pickup in Apple stores, you’re pretty much signing in with your iTunes account for the most part. There is a credit card but it’s about the ease in which it’s done and really blurs the line between what an Apple or iTunes account is. Imagine being able to buy something from Target’s app on your mobile device and picking it up at the store. Awesome, no? Source: Gigaom - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone