AI, Mobile, and Eveything Around the Cloud

Okay, maybe like Steve Jobs, Rupert Murdoch was a disruptive force and that's why Steve seems to be okay with him.  But that did not stop Jobs from tell to Rupert face that he's blowing it with Fox News and pointedly asked if that's how he wanted to be remembered. On top of that, Jobs did something about it.  He pulled all Apple ads from Fox News.  It's an interesting dynamics between the two giants of our era.  Right now, the Murdoch empire has no problems ripping into Apple as WSJ has consistently done in the last year with lame click-bait posts. I'm sure Tim Cook and the Murdoch clan does not have the close relationship between Jobs and Murdoch. Source:   Cult of Mac .

Surface RT/Pro  (Microsoft) may yet take a sizable pie of the tablet market and create a halo effect for Windows Phone in the mobile market.  This is not to say that it will happen.  Apple, Google, and anyone else will have to keep innovating and make sure it doesn't happen.   You're thinking what is this guy talking about?  Surface sales barely register.  True but Microsoft isn't in this for a year or two.  Not like HP, Palm, Blackberry, or Cisco who all gave up easily. I'm trying to remember a product in which Microsoft just hit it out the park.  Can you remember one?   No One Microsoft Product Was An Instant Success Out Right Windows?  No.  Internet Explorer?  No.  It's dominant position is due to some illegal and shady tactics in which Microsoft was fined a lot of money.  Both products are still going strong.  Xbox? Right now, the Xbox 360 is probably the most popular console in the...

Source: Arstechnica. Adobe is going cloud-based and subscription for its Creative Suite. Microsoft has already done that with Office and more companies have gone down similar paths or are considering it. Take Apple. It's AppleCare warranty products, currently are sold in an individual basis per device, could become subscription based soon. For Apple, it could be a changing landscape of how business is conducted. Recently, Apple was targeted by the self-serving Chinese central government over warranty issues. What's to keep Apple from launching subscription services for other Apple products like OS updates and even iTunes services. iTunes Match is already something that Apple has offered since November of 2011. It's generally considered to be a precursor for a full on music streaming service. Furthermore, Apple is looking to strike a deal for video subscriptions as well. For Apple, they will likely take their time with this and see where the market is headed. Netflix's ...

I have one wish for the next OS X upgrade.  I know that with some apps, we can use the iPad's screen as an extension for the Mac if you need a secondary screen.  It's not a setup I've done but it's something I'm looking into. What I'm interested in is being able to Airplay from an iOS device to the Macbook's screens.  This would be an awesome setup that would entice upgrades of Macs and iOS devices that may create a very sophisticated and beneficial halo effect for all of Apple's products and ecosystem in in general. Such augmented Airplay features would also work with the iMac's screen or even a Cinema Display.  And I'm not just talking about mirroring. Mirroring would be a great first step. But I like to see it go further.  When the Mac with the display is being used as the Airplay display, it should automatically know and allow added features to be implemented. For instance, the user would be able to use the Mac's keyboard to co...

Source:   Media Post . Facebook Home has only been downloaded one million times since it came out.  You might that that's a lot but consider that Facebook Home isn't just any other app but, rather, it attempts to give Android users the feel of getting a new device. Put it another way, it's Facebook phone versus Android in a way.  And given how many more millions other devices sell than Facebook Home is downloaded, it's an utter failure on so many levels. I’ve got one word for that.  Pathetic.  Facebook is on its way to getting marginalized in ways that should shock its shareholders.  It’s being myspaced by a plethora of social apps that does not need to have any kind of centralized network like Facebook to anchor them. And more apps are coming.  Facebook can try to spend another billion to buy up the next hottest app like it did with Instagram but it can’t keep doing that for ever.  It’s looking to buy location/map app Waze ( Wired ) but ...

The Macbook Airs are great.  Just great.  My only complaint about them right now is that their battery lives could be longer.  I know, I know.  With me, it's always about the battery life.  However, I don't think Apple is looking to prolong the battery life of the Macbook line any time soon. In fact, if there is a redesign as some suggests, and it's likely to happen given how little the Macbooks and Macbook Airs have changed except for the Retina Display Macbooks.  Just how would Apple change the Air? It just happened that I was walking down the street today with my 11" Air.  It was light.  Not iPad light but it was not difficult to carry in my arms for about a third of a mile.  Now, I've got little girl arms and muscles so you can understand. I took a look at the shell, the whole form factor.  I really don't think Apple can make the Air any thinner.  Lighter?  Sure.  See, the bezel of the keyboard?  That's abou...

Source:   FOSS Patents . I haven't been following any of the mobile lawsuits for a couple of months and suddenly, I'm reading a string of losses for Google's Motorola (and Samsung to some extent).  Now, it looks like another Wisconsin loss could put Motorola versus Apple case back on grounds that is more favorable to Apple. So far, Google's use of Motorola's mobile and essential patents in lawsuits against Apple has not worked out well.  Most of the patents used by Google in countersuing Apple (Apple did start most of the patent lawsuits) are deemed  FRAND patents (wiki) . Essentially, FRAND patents are patents pooled by companies that are deemed essential for standards and companies have pledged to license them on reasonable terms.  And many courts have deemed their use in lawsuits unfavorable while some government bodies have begun looking to Google and Samsung for using FRAND patents in suits. And if most of Motorola's patents are either FRAND patent...