AI, Mobile, and Eveything Around the Cloud

Source:   Blastr . Sometimes, you wonder if Hollywood (or anyone else) is running out of ideas.  There's a lot of "been there, done that" movies and TV shows.  I think it's why superhero movies are so popular because they're one element of the media (comics) that has not been properly explored and only recently has technology enabled such awesome special effects and 3D.  And if you want original stuff, well, sometimes, you cringe a bit at the idea. Check out this Dinosaurs versus Aliens project that could result in both a comic and a movie.  I don't know...what do you think? The idea behind this project is that what if dinosaurs had more brains than we expected and could stand up against an alien invasion.  So, yeah, they somehow fought off aliens but forgot that big rock in the sky that ultimately wiped them out sixty-five million years or so ago. So, if you're a comic book writer and artist and has come 3D or video kung fu, you could b...

We talk about American exceptionalism all the time.  I happen to think America is pretty special but not in an arrogant way.  Well, in mobile and computing, I think Apple is also very exceptional.  The iOS devices like the iPhone and Macbooks – not just the design.  Not just the software.  And not just the corporate culture.  You have to take in all of that and look at it as a whole. And it is very special. Yes, there is a “however”.  While Apple remains impressive compared to its peers and competitors, I don’t know if Apple done much in the last year to make itself much more distinguished.  Don’t get me wrong.  Apple is still number one when it comes to getting a smartphone that is greatly designed, easy to use, and provides an over all awesome user experience. However, in the smartphone market, I see a lot of companies do things that I wish the iPhone could do.  While iOS has been ridiculously easy to use, it has gotten a ...

Source:   Macworld . This is the first time where a Trojan Horse has slipped into Apple’s walled-garden iOS app store.  Apparently, this app uploads your contact list, with your permission of course, and then processes to text your friends with a malicious link. According the Macworld, the app is still up but I wasn’t able to find it so I think it’s probably not there anymore in Apple’s iTunes store.  Nor is it in Google Play. However, I am not sure how many folks are really affected. It’s seems to be a Russian developer and I don’t know how many folks out there really download that many apps from an unknown Russian developer. This is why app discovery is cool and all but I generally recommend that folks stick with better known developers rather than obscure ones.  That isn’t to say that you should go looking around for cool apps that fit your needs.  Just do a bit of research before you download, install, and use it. BTW, Find And Call had only...

I think it's safe to say that a sub-9.7" iPad is on the way. Those who take Steve Jobs' words as mobile gospel will be in utter disbelief but they'll just have to life with this. This is now Tim Cook's Apple and Steve Jobs did say that the execs should not try to ask themselves "what would Steve do" when making a call. Apparently, with or without Steve's blessings, Apple has decided to release 7" to 8" iPad with a target day for fall of 2012 – just in time for the Holiday seasons. The reason is obviously as I believed Bloomberg was leaked information about it. My culprit is Apple. I started on this post Tuesday morning but the fact that WSJ came out with their own piece suggests not only is a sub-9.7" iPad or bigger screen iPod touch coming, Apple could be worried about an improved Kindle Fire and the Nexus 7 but it also wants to avoid giving anyone else momentum like Amazon got with the Fire. Just as Google mean to stamp o...

Source:   Blastr . We missed Friday's movie clip so we're making it up today with this week's July 4th movie clip.  If you don't already know, we used to go watch a movie on a Friday afternoon during work.  It was okay with my professor and it became a tradition. Well, we can't do that no more so we'll do it on the Web.  And this week's July 4th video clip is an excellent and well-made fan video of Superman!   Enjoy: Bizzaro Classic.  There is the video in the beginning and some behind the scene looks. If you thought that was good, check out Superman Classic also from  Blastr . Have a safe and wonderful July 4th!  And Happy Birthday, America!!!

The next iPhone, the “new” iPhone or iPhone 5, will be one of the most high-anticipated launch of Apple’s mobile history (but isn’t that always the case with each passing year?), and bloggers, analysts, and tech pundits will be spewing out rumors, innuendos, and speculations about what we can expect.  Well, I’m going to chime in at this time:  no NFC. So, if you’re going to expect your next iPhone to be your digital wallet so that you can leave the wallet at home, like I have been wishing for since I found out commuters in Japan can use their phones to pay for fares, then we are heck out of luck. Here’s my reasoning. If the next iPhone’s supposedly bigger screen and new form factor augmented by iOS 6 and a more robust Siri (hoping there could be more than Apple let on during the WWDC keynote) isn’t going to sell the next iPhone, I doubt having NFC will make much of a hay at the launch event.  At most, Passbook will get a mention and a demo but that’ll be about ...

Source:   LA Times . This is it.  As viewing patterns change and new technologies to distribute media comes online an become more popular, media companies and traditional distributors grapple with this reality.  And they know that if they don't adapt, they're going the way of, well, you can pick the analogy yourself.  LA Times is reporting that Dish Network has dropped AMC channels just as a couple new shows were about to be broadcast. Regardless of the politics, greed, or whatever makes media execs tick, this is an opportunity for someone to come in and disrupt things and change just how we viewers can get our favorite channels or shows without having to subscribe to a package of channels and shows we're never going to watch. I put the onus on Apple, Amazon, and Google but I'm not sure they're going to go about this as we would like it. Honestly, I think the shows and movies on iTunes and Amazon are still too expensive for me to buy in bulk except for a ...