10 cool Demo products you can use right now
As Footfeed demoed on stage, it's able to determine which business you're on on all of these various networks down to just a few feet. If it's not sure, it gives you the option to drill down into each network to verify that it's checking you into the right place. And after checking in, you get a rundown of how many points you scored, badges you unlocked, and friends who are nearby in each network. To some degree the need for Footfeed could diminish. During Facebook's introduction of Places, for instance, it was announced that a handful of these existing location networks would be sending that user location information both ways. But not everyone uses Facebook, and not all of these networks are going to be doing that two way sharing, so Footfeed manages to fill that gap well. For now.3. Hiplogic's Spark. A homescreen of widgets is exactly the kind of thing you cannot currently do on the iPhone, but Android and Symbian are happy to let you switch that up with something else. Spark plays off this idea and gives you a rundown of information from social networks to news stories. The app also lets you update to Twitter and Facebook at once.Your phone may already have such a feature, but if you're looking for something a little different, this is a well-designed effort. Here's a demo of what it does:4. Foound is a very smart idea that takes some of the best features of an events service and scales it down into something that can be used for arranging smaller, less-scheduled events with friends. The service was designed by a group of friends who got tired of sending one another text messages and having to look up directions. Foound solves this by offering up push notifications when a user adds anything to the event page, as well as providing a map that can be used to see how close you are to the venue. Foound can be found only on the iPhone, though its creators plan to bring it to other platforms.IQ Engines' Any-Image Recognition Engine can see what's in your photos.IQ Engines5. IQ Engines Any-Image Recognition Engine. OK, to be fair this is a back-end technology and not an app itself, though to get a taste of what it can do try downloading oMoby, which uses the company's image recognition tool.What sets this image recognition tool apart from the competition is that it can learn. If you scan something and it doesn't know what it is, it pings a network of people who can look at it, and fill in the information (assuming it's something like a product). Then, the next time you, or someone else scans it, it'll get picked up in the system automatically. Beyond product scanning, the technology's creators say it's being used to help the vision impaired identify objects, as well as figure out what's in hosted Web photos and serve up contextual advertising. 6. Needly is a place to buy and sell things--be it the junk in your garage or a service like fixing a leaky faucet. What sets the site apart from something like Craigslist is that it's got a built-in escrow service. So say you're buying something locally and you've never met the seller, you can give Needly the money, then get the item, and if you get burned on the transaction you can get your money back. Better yet, as a seller you can sell a high-value item without worrying about dealing with a bouncy check or a wad of cash. It's got a few other neat features including video listings and not charging you to put things up for sale. A sample listing on Needly.Josh Lowensohn/CNET7. Semantifi is a new semantic search engine, whose killer app is that it can scour databases, then pull data from those databases to answer search queries. The end result is built-in charts that are well-sourced and explained.Currently its focus is finance and government, but the company is also working on shopping and travel search indexes that would be able to answer questions like "what was the battery capacity of the first iPod?" 8. VoiceBase, which won a DemoGod award for its pitch, is a voice transcription service. But the end result is not just a static block of text. Instead, it's something that you can search within, and jump to specific parts of with voice tags--exactly like what Google Voice does with your voicemails. Here's another trick though: VoiceBase doesn't just use machines to do the transcription, for a price you can send it along to humans.To get your recordings there in the first place, the company has mobile apps and a way to upload raw recordings. Once transcribed, these voice notes can be shared with others, who can create timed tags or cut out specific pieces. The company envisions this as being a good way to gather and archive things like meeting notes for people who cannot attend. VoiceBase transcribes your audio files using machines or real people.Screenshot by Josh Lowensohn/CNET9. Bitbop. Hulu Plus has not yet come to the Android, but if you're an Android user looking to get your TV fix, there's now Bitbop. The streaming TV service, which has been available to BlackBerry users for the past three months, unveiled its Android version at Demo. For $10 a month, you get commercial-free TV programming that can be streamed and shows can be downloaded to your phone for viewing when you're away from a data connection.Not too many things have changed in the move from BlackBerry to Android, though HTC Evo users get to partake in 4G streaming, which brings with it a higher quality mobile feed. The company says that all platforms make use of variable bit rate streaming, so that shows can keep playing when jumping between Wi-Fi and cellular networks, or when your connection slows down. 10. Bump. Not to be confused with the tool that transfers data from one iOS device to another, this Bump is a communications network that lets you claim your car's license plate as a message in-box. All people need to know is your license plate number, and they can plug it into the site just like they would an e-mail address. You then get whatever they wrote down sent to your normal e-mail in-box. Bump's creators envision it as a digital way of leaving that message on the dashboard, or getting in touch with someone who you may not have been safely able to catch up to while driving on the road.The service is completely free, though the company is planning to launch a paid service that will go beyond e-mail and even let people get connected to whatever phone number you specify. Here's how it works:BUMP.com: You Drove off with the Gas Pump Handle! from BUMP on Vimeo.
How to downgrade iPhone apps
How to downgrade iPhone apps
Facebook 3.0 was heralded as a long-awaited, must-have upgrade on the iPhone, but the initial 3.0 release left many of our readers with a bad feeling. CNET users sent in numerous complaints about the app frequently crashing and wanted to know how to downgrade to the previous version.Facebook quickly released updates and the app has since stabilized, but you should know that regardless of how big or popular an app is, you can usually roll it back following this tutorial.Difficulty level:MediumWhat you need:>Mac OS X 10.5 or later; Windows XP or Vista>iTunes 8.02 or higher>Access to a backup of your Mobile Applications folder>Any iPhone or iPod TouchIf you want to downgrade an iPhone app, you must have a copy of the older version of the app, or this how-to won't work.We recommend that you make frequent backups of your ~/Music/iTunes/Mobile Applications/ folder, which is located in your home directory (represented by the ~) on the Mac. PC users will find the same folder located at C:\Documents and Settings\username\My Documents\My Music\iTunes/Mobile Applications. These are the folders that iTunes uses to store all app files in your iTunes Library. The app files themselves are represented by file names ending in .ipa. If you keep frequent daily backups, you should always have older versions of your apps available. How to downgrade an appTake the following steps to easily downgrade to an older version of any iPhone or iPod Touch app:Delete the app from your iPhone or iPod Touch1. Locate the icon of the app you want to delete on the home screen. Tap and press down on its icon until the icons on the home screen start to jiggle. Next tap the X icon in the upper left corner of the app icon. Finally, tap Delete when the prompt pops up.Deleting iPhone appsDavid MartinDelete the app from your Mac or PC2. On a Mac, go to the ~/Music/iTunes/Mobile Applications folder of your Home directory, locate the .ipa file for the app you just deleted from your iPhone or iPod Touch and drag it to the Trash. On a PC, go to the C:\Documents and Settings\username\My Documents\My Music\iTunes/Mobile Applications folder and drag the .ipa file for the app to the Recycle Bin.Mobile Applications folder on the MacDavid MartinEmpty the Trash or Recycle Bin3. Now empty the Trash or Recycle Bin to delete the .ipa file. Note that if you ever need to get the deleted file back, it can always be downloaded again from the App Store for free, even if it's a paid app.Restore the previous app version4. Launch iTunes. Switch the view in iTunes to view your apps library. Drag the .ipa file for the older version of the app you are trying to reinstall from your backup and drop it into the iTunes window. iTunes will automatically add the app back to the App Library.iTunes App LibraryDavid MartinSync app to your iPhone or iPod Touch5. Connect your iPhone or iPod Touch to your computer. iTunes should automatically sync the app back to your device. If it doesn't, check your iTunes settings to make sure you have not chosen to sync only "Selected applications." If you have, make sure you've checked off the app in question to enable syncing. Finally, if it still does not sync automatically, you may have to click the Apply or Sync buttons.ConclusionAt this point, the older version of the app should now be installed on your iPhone or iPod Touch. If you change your mind, just reinstall the latest version by using the Check for Updates feature in iTunes or by going to the App Store and repurchasing the app, which will be downloaded again for free.
Facebook 3.0 was heralded as a long-awaited, must-have upgrade on the iPhone, but the initial 3.0 release left many of our readers with a bad feeling. CNET users sent in numerous complaints about the app frequently crashing and wanted to know how to downgrade to the previous version.Facebook quickly released updates and the app has since stabilized, but you should know that regardless of how big or popular an app is, you can usually roll it back following this tutorial.Difficulty level:MediumWhat you need:>Mac OS X 10.5 or later; Windows XP or Vista>iTunes 8.02 or higher>Access to a backup of your Mobile Applications folder>Any iPhone or iPod TouchIf you want to downgrade an iPhone app, you must have a copy of the older version of the app, or this how-to won't work.We recommend that you make frequent backups of your ~/Music/iTunes/Mobile Applications/ folder, which is located in your home directory (represented by the ~) on the Mac. PC users will find the same folder located at C:\Documents and Settings\username\My Documents\My Music\iTunes/Mobile Applications. These are the folders that iTunes uses to store all app files in your iTunes Library. The app files themselves are represented by file names ending in .ipa. If you keep frequent daily backups, you should always have older versions of your apps available. How to downgrade an appTake the following steps to easily downgrade to an older version of any iPhone or iPod Touch app:Delete the app from your iPhone or iPod Touch1. Locate the icon of the app you want to delete on the home screen. Tap and press down on its icon until the icons on the home screen start to jiggle. Next tap the X icon in the upper left corner of the app icon. Finally, tap Delete when the prompt pops up.Deleting iPhone appsDavid MartinDelete the app from your Mac or PC2. On a Mac, go to the ~/Music/iTunes/Mobile Applications folder of your Home directory, locate the .ipa file for the app you just deleted from your iPhone or iPod Touch and drag it to the Trash. On a PC, go to the C:\Documents and Settings\username\My Documents\My Music\iTunes/Mobile Applications folder and drag the .ipa file for the app to the Recycle Bin.Mobile Applications folder on the MacDavid MartinEmpty the Trash or Recycle Bin3. Now empty the Trash or Recycle Bin to delete the .ipa file. Note that if you ever need to get the deleted file back, it can always be downloaded again from the App Store for free, even if it's a paid app.Restore the previous app version4. Launch iTunes. Switch the view in iTunes to view your apps library. Drag the .ipa file for the older version of the app you are trying to reinstall from your backup and drop it into the iTunes window. iTunes will automatically add the app back to the App Library.iTunes App LibraryDavid MartinSync app to your iPhone or iPod Touch5. Connect your iPhone or iPod Touch to your computer. iTunes should automatically sync the app back to your device. If it doesn't, check your iTunes settings to make sure you have not chosen to sync only "Selected applications." If you have, make sure you've checked off the app in question to enable syncing. Finally, if it still does not sync automatically, you may have to click the Apply or Sync buttons.ConclusionAt this point, the older version of the app should now be installed on your iPhone or iPod Touch. If you change your mind, just reinstall the latest version by using the Check for Updates feature in iTunes or by going to the App Store and repurchasing the app, which will be downloaded again for free.
A few songs a day keep the doctor away
A few songs a day keep the doctor away
According to research out of the University of Belgrade at Serbia, listening to music every day might also be good for the heart. Predrag Mitrovic just presented his study of 740 patients to the European Society of Cardiology 2009 Congress, demonstrating that 12 minutes of music a day reduces blood pressure, heart rate, patient anxiety, as well as the likelihood of reinfarction and sudden death in acute coronary syndrome patients.Starting in April 1990, Mitrovic and colleagues had 370 patients listen to music twice a day for 12 minutes, and 370 patients listen to no music at all. During a seven-year follow-up period, those who had listened to music had less anxiety, although apparently by a level that is statistically insignificant. They did, however, reveal statistically significant reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressures and heart rates. They also had significantly less angina and heart failure.Melissa Walton-Shirley caught wind of this study as well and shares this story in her blog, Heartfelt:I encountered my first interface of music and medicine in 1985. I was assigned the pediatric oncology rotation and on my first day, a young pre-teen came for yet another bone marrow aspiration and biopsy. Though I don't recall her diagnosis, I do recall her headphones. I can see her now as she assumed the prone position, headphones in place, with music escaping around the earpieces. I remember how her body arched just slightly at the exact moment the thick red marrow appeared in the syringe. After it was done, she waited the appropriate amount of "down time" then removed her headphones, placed them neatly in her backpack and headed out the door smiling with a return appointment for another procedure. Regardless of her young age, there was no weeping or gnashing of teeth. I don't even recall her parents being in the room with her. I was amazed.Mitrovic's isn't the first study to show that music therapy can be good for the heart, typically by decreasing sympathetic nervous activity. Other reports even show that positive emotions aroused by "happy" music can have favorable effects on the endothelium.Mitrovic tells Heartwire that the type of music may matter--classical being the most common among his patients--but he cannot commit to any conclusions because his patients were not always up front. Some, for instance, admitted after some prodding that they were listening to "national" music instead of classical. "But if we give them the wrong type of music, it might have a negative effect," Mitrovic adds rather mysteriously.I tend to write to minimalist electronica by Royksopp, Aphex Twin, and the like specifically because there are so few lyrics to distract me from my train of thought; I imagine that music that is less stressful might be the best pick for heart health, whereas genres such as death metal might fit Mitrovic's "negative effect" category.Or maybe it's simply that people's hearts benefit from the music that is soothing to them, which is likely a very individual preference. I suppose we'll have to wait for a study of the effects of death metal music on death metal fans before we can put that one to rest.
According to research out of the University of Belgrade at Serbia, listening to music every day might also be good for the heart. Predrag Mitrovic just presented his study of 740 patients to the European Society of Cardiology 2009 Congress, demonstrating that 12 minutes of music a day reduces blood pressure, heart rate, patient anxiety, as well as the likelihood of reinfarction and sudden death in acute coronary syndrome patients.Starting in April 1990, Mitrovic and colleagues had 370 patients listen to music twice a day for 12 minutes, and 370 patients listen to no music at all. During a seven-year follow-up period, those who had listened to music had less anxiety, although apparently by a level that is statistically insignificant. They did, however, reveal statistically significant reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressures and heart rates. They also had significantly less angina and heart failure.Melissa Walton-Shirley caught wind of this study as well and shares this story in her blog, Heartfelt:I encountered my first interface of music and medicine in 1985. I was assigned the pediatric oncology rotation and on my first day, a young pre-teen came for yet another bone marrow aspiration and biopsy. Though I don't recall her diagnosis, I do recall her headphones. I can see her now as she assumed the prone position, headphones in place, with music escaping around the earpieces. I remember how her body arched just slightly at the exact moment the thick red marrow appeared in the syringe. After it was done, she waited the appropriate amount of "down time" then removed her headphones, placed them neatly in her backpack and headed out the door smiling with a return appointment for another procedure. Regardless of her young age, there was no weeping or gnashing of teeth. I don't even recall her parents being in the room with her. I was amazed.Mitrovic's isn't the first study to show that music therapy can be good for the heart, typically by decreasing sympathetic nervous activity. Other reports even show that positive emotions aroused by "happy" music can have favorable effects on the endothelium.Mitrovic tells Heartwire that the type of music may matter--classical being the most common among his patients--but he cannot commit to any conclusions because his patients were not always up front. Some, for instance, admitted after some prodding that they were listening to "national" music instead of classical. "But if we give them the wrong type of music, it might have a negative effect," Mitrovic adds rather mysteriously.I tend to write to minimalist electronica by Royksopp, Aphex Twin, and the like specifically because there are so few lyrics to distract me from my train of thought; I imagine that music that is less stressful might be the best pick for heart health, whereas genres such as death metal might fit Mitrovic's "negative effect" category.Or maybe it's simply that people's hearts benefit from the music that is soothing to them, which is likely a very individual preference. I suppose we'll have to wait for a study of the effects of death metal music on death metal fans before we can put that one to rest.
Remastered Beatles albums, did they get it right this time-
Remastered Beatles albums, did they get it right this time?
I read the news today, oh boy: The entire Beatles catalog has been remastered for CD and is coming September 9 of this year. Sounds like deja vu all over again; these rumors pop up all the time, but this time it's for real. Maybe.That said, I'm happy no one's saying the phrase "Remastered for MP3." That's too scary a concept. MP3 sounds so awful, remastering hardly seems necessary. Each CD will be packaged with replicated original UK album art, including expanded booklets containing original and newly written liner notes and rare photos. For a limited period, each CD will be embedded with a brief documentary film about the album. Two new Beatles boxed CD collections will also be released, one box features the mono mixes favored by some die-hard Beatles fans. Why, I have no idea.The original (British) versions of the twelve albums were first released on CD in 1987; they sounded thin and bright, without a hint of the LPs' analog warmth. It was hardly an auspicious beginning for the digital Beatles music. The "Let It Be... Naked" CD, released in 2003, was remixed and reedited, there was no attempt to be faithful to the original album. It sounded a bit better than the 1987 version, but just barely. So all we can do is hope the newly tweaked versions are worth waiting 22 years for. I bought the two Capitol four-disc sets, "The Beatles: The Capitol Years Volumes 1 & 2," when they were released a few years ago. They sounded fine, though hardly revelatory. My original American, British, and Japanese mastered LPs sounded better. Actually, the best sounding Beatles CDs so far are "The Beatles Anthology" releases from 1995. Those were cleaner, more dynamic, with more extended bass, and clearer treble than the earlier CDs. Whatever, here's hoping the new CDs sound more like the Anthologies. No matter what, I'll buy 'em and see for myself.Will you? Or are you more interested in the MP3 versions?If both are the same price, would you be tempted to buy the CDs? Would the booklet and rumored video extras tempt you?Or will you stick with whatever Beatles albums you already own?Then again, isn't it a little late to redo the CDs?The Beatles: Rock Band video game is also due on 9/9/09.
I read the news today, oh boy: The entire Beatles catalog has been remastered for CD and is coming September 9 of this year. Sounds like deja vu all over again; these rumors pop up all the time, but this time it's for real. Maybe.That said, I'm happy no one's saying the phrase "Remastered for MP3." That's too scary a concept. MP3 sounds so awful, remastering hardly seems necessary. Each CD will be packaged with replicated original UK album art, including expanded booklets containing original and newly written liner notes and rare photos. For a limited period, each CD will be embedded with a brief documentary film about the album. Two new Beatles boxed CD collections will also be released, one box features the mono mixes favored by some die-hard Beatles fans. Why, I have no idea.The original (British) versions of the twelve albums were first released on CD in 1987; they sounded thin and bright, without a hint of the LPs' analog warmth. It was hardly an auspicious beginning for the digital Beatles music. The "Let It Be... Naked" CD, released in 2003, was remixed and reedited, there was no attempt to be faithful to the original album. It sounded a bit better than the 1987 version, but just barely. So all we can do is hope the newly tweaked versions are worth waiting 22 years for. I bought the two Capitol four-disc sets, "The Beatles: The Capitol Years Volumes 1 & 2," when they were released a few years ago. They sounded fine, though hardly revelatory. My original American, British, and Japanese mastered LPs sounded better. Actually, the best sounding Beatles CDs so far are "The Beatles Anthology" releases from 1995. Those were cleaner, more dynamic, with more extended bass, and clearer treble than the earlier CDs. Whatever, here's hoping the new CDs sound more like the Anthologies. No matter what, I'll buy 'em and see for myself.Will you? Or are you more interested in the MP3 versions?If both are the same price, would you be tempted to buy the CDs? Would the booklet and rumored video extras tempt you?Or will you stick with whatever Beatles albums you already own?Then again, isn't it a little late to redo the CDs?The Beatles: Rock Band video game is also due on 9/9/09.
Google's Chrome for mobile targeted in patent suit
Google's Chrome for mobile targeted in patent suit
The mobile version of Google's Chrome browser is the latest target of EMG Technology, a patent firm that says the tech giant is infringing on its navigation technology.The suit (PDF), which was filed earlier this week in District Court for the Eastern District of Texas in the Tyler Division, seeks damages as well as an injunction to keep Google from offering Chrome for mobile devices in the U.S. In a statement, Elliot Gottfurcht, EMG's managing member and lead inventor restated claims made in the suit, alleging that Google's browser steps on one of its patents :Google's Chrome Mobile Browser directly infringes the '196 patent by displaying mobile webpages on smart phones and tablets using EMG's patented simplified navigation system, which permits users to navigate a touch screen with unique inputs and to manipulate the screen for zooming and scrolling. Mobile devices, such as smart phones and tablets, made by Motorola (which is owned by Google) and Samsung, use Google's Chrome Mobile Browser to navigate mobile web sites using EMG's patented simplified navigation system. CNET has reached out to Google for more information, and will update this post when we know more.This is not EMG's first suit to target Web browsers on mobile devices. The company took aim at Apple in 2008 for infringing the same patent, saying it applied specifically to Apple's iOS devices, since it's a part of navigating Web pages, and applications. That suit originally targeted Apple's iTunes Store, iPhone, iPod Touch and Apple TV, with EMG later adding Apple's iPad once it was released. The two parties settled in March of last year. Google's had a mobile version of its chrome browser available for some Android devices since February of this year. It now ships as the default browser as of Android 4.1. The company also released a version for Apple's iOS last month, though it's not mentioned in the complaint.
The mobile version of Google's Chrome browser is the latest target of EMG Technology, a patent firm that says the tech giant is infringing on its navigation technology.The suit (PDF), which was filed earlier this week in District Court for the Eastern District of Texas in the Tyler Division, seeks damages as well as an injunction to keep Google from offering Chrome for mobile devices in the U.S. In a statement, Elliot Gottfurcht, EMG's managing member and lead inventor restated claims made in the suit, alleging that Google's browser steps on one of its patents :Google's Chrome Mobile Browser directly infringes the '196 patent by displaying mobile webpages on smart phones and tablets using EMG's patented simplified navigation system, which permits users to navigate a touch screen with unique inputs and to manipulate the screen for zooming and scrolling. Mobile devices, such as smart phones and tablets, made by Motorola (which is owned by Google) and Samsung, use Google's Chrome Mobile Browser to navigate mobile web sites using EMG's patented simplified navigation system. CNET has reached out to Google for more information, and will update this post when we know more.This is not EMG's first suit to target Web browsers on mobile devices. The company took aim at Apple in 2008 for infringing the same patent, saying it applied specifically to Apple's iOS devices, since it's a part of navigating Web pages, and applications. That suit originally targeted Apple's iTunes Store, iPhone, iPod Touch and Apple TV, with EMG later adding Apple's iPad once it was released. The two parties settled in March of last year. Google's had a mobile version of its chrome browser available for some Android devices since February of this year. It now ships as the default browser as of Android 4.1. The company also released a version for Apple's iOS last month, though it's not mentioned in the complaint.
Report- China to get iPhone 4 next month
Report: China to get iPhone 4 next month
China is getting the iPhone 4 next month, according to reports from state-controlled media there.China Unicom, the country's second-largest mobile carrier, will start offering Apple's iPhone 4 in September, China's Caixin media group reported. Apple has also inked a deal with China Unicom to bring in its iPad tablet, the media group said.The assertions made in the Chinese publication fall in line with a report last week from The Wall Street Journal, claiming Apple would start selling an iPhone with Wi-Fi capabilities in China soon.Apple started selling the iPhone 3GS in China in October. At the time, the company only offered 3G capability, rather than Wi-Fi, due to China's requirement that all products use the country's Wired Authentication and Privacy Infrastructure (WAPI) standard. Caixin's sources did not confirm that the iPhone 4 will have its Wi-Fi capabilities turned on, though the Journal's report claimed that the next iPhone to be sold in China would have Wi-Fi capabilities.Apple has yet to confirm the release of the iPhone 4 in China. But considering state-run media has confirmed that it will be offered by China Unicom, the chances of the device coming to the country seem greater than ever.Apple did not immediately respond to request for comment. (Via AFP)
China is getting the iPhone 4 next month, according to reports from state-controlled media there.China Unicom, the country's second-largest mobile carrier, will start offering Apple's iPhone 4 in September, China's Caixin media group reported. Apple has also inked a deal with China Unicom to bring in its iPad tablet, the media group said.The assertions made in the Chinese publication fall in line with a report last week from The Wall Street Journal, claiming Apple would start selling an iPhone with Wi-Fi capabilities in China soon.Apple started selling the iPhone 3GS in China in October. At the time, the company only offered 3G capability, rather than Wi-Fi, due to China's requirement that all products use the country's Wired Authentication and Privacy Infrastructure (WAPI) standard. Caixin's sources did not confirm that the iPhone 4 will have its Wi-Fi capabilities turned on, though the Journal's report claimed that the next iPhone to be sold in China would have Wi-Fi capabilities.Apple has yet to confirm the release of the iPhone 4 in China. But considering state-run media has confirmed that it will be offered by China Unicom, the chances of the device coming to the country seem greater than ever.Apple did not immediately respond to request for comment. (Via AFP)
Report- AT&T blocks workers from June vacation
Report: AT&T blocks workers from June vacation
You don't have to be a genius to guess that Apple is readying a new model of iPhone for late spring or early summer.That's because Apple has done just that for the last three years, kicking off sales of the iPhone, iPhone 3G, and iPhone 3GS in late June or early July. And because at last week's iPhone OS 4 preview event, CEO Steve Jobs said the updated mobile OS would be ready this summer. And where there's new iPhone software, there's usually new iPhone hardware.Adding more fuel to the fire now is a report that suggests AT&T is also prepping for a June iPhone launch. The blog Boy Genius Report says it has "confirmed with multiple AT&T sources that the carrier has now put a block on employees taking vacations in June."The vacation ban for the carrier's employees leading up to an iPhone launch haspreviously come up in 2007 and 2008.AT&T had no comment on the report.
You don't have to be a genius to guess that Apple is readying a new model of iPhone for late spring or early summer.That's because Apple has done just that for the last three years, kicking off sales of the iPhone, iPhone 3G, and iPhone 3GS in late June or early July. And because at last week's iPhone OS 4 preview event, CEO Steve Jobs said the updated mobile OS would be ready this summer. And where there's new iPhone software, there's usually new iPhone hardware.Adding more fuel to the fire now is a report that suggests AT&T is also prepping for a June iPhone launch. The blog Boy Genius Report says it has "confirmed with multiple AT&T sources that the carrier has now put a block on employees taking vacations in June."The vacation ban for the carrier's employees leading up to an iPhone launch haspreviously come up in 2007 and 2008.AT&T had no comment on the report.
An interview with Siri (podcast)
An interview with Siri (podcast)
After spending the weekend with Siri, the personal assistant who lives inside the new iPhone 4S, it occurred to me that she would be a good interview subject for my CBS News & CNET podcast.So, I invited her into my studio, plugged her into my mixing board and started asking questions.In our four-minute conversation, she explained the meaning of life, told me that the Macintosh is her favorite computer, and got a bit indignant when I asked her about her favorite cell phone.It took her awhile to answer my question about the "meaning of life." First she said it was "a movie," but then added, "Try and be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book every now and then, get some walking in and try to live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations." I can't argue with that. Siri also has a bit of a dirty mind. I told her "I want a happy ending," and she told me that she found "a number of massage services fairly close to you."That wasn't what I had in mind.Security consciousSiri answered most of my questions, but she wasn't 100 percent cooperative. She corrected me a couple of times, refused to answer some of my questions, and there were a few times she didn't quite understand me, but that's happened with others I've interviewed.It does appear that Apple security got to her because, when I asked about her favorite music, she said "I'm not allowed to divulge that information." She was probably told not to play favoritism among the many labels and artists that Apple does business with.As is often the case with interviews, I did a little editing. I deleted some questions and answers and took out some pauses. But I didn't change any of the questions and answers. Each of her responses is to the question you hear me pose.But, just as some interview subjects say "um" a lot, Siri has a habit of making a beeping sound that I often deleted.So, take a listen to Siri speaking in her own words. Listen nowYour browser does not support the audio element.Subscribe now:iTunes (audio) |RSS (audio)
After spending the weekend with Siri, the personal assistant who lives inside the new iPhone 4S, it occurred to me that she would be a good interview subject for my CBS News & CNET podcast.So, I invited her into my studio, plugged her into my mixing board and started asking questions.In our four-minute conversation, she explained the meaning of life, told me that the Macintosh is her favorite computer, and got a bit indignant when I asked her about her favorite cell phone.It took her awhile to answer my question about the "meaning of life." First she said it was "a movie," but then added, "Try and be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book every now and then, get some walking in and try to live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations." I can't argue with that. Siri also has a bit of a dirty mind. I told her "I want a happy ending," and she told me that she found "a number of massage services fairly close to you."That wasn't what I had in mind.Security consciousSiri answered most of my questions, but she wasn't 100 percent cooperative. She corrected me a couple of times, refused to answer some of my questions, and there were a few times she didn't quite understand me, but that's happened with others I've interviewed.It does appear that Apple security got to her because, when I asked about her favorite music, she said "I'm not allowed to divulge that information." She was probably told not to play favoritism among the many labels and artists that Apple does business with.As is often the case with interviews, I did a little editing. I deleted some questions and answers and took out some pauses. But I didn't change any of the questions and answers. Each of her responses is to the question you hear me pose.But, just as some interview subjects say "um" a lot, Siri has a habit of making a beeping sound that I often deleted.So, take a listen to Siri speaking in her own words. Listen nowYour browser does not support the audio element.Subscribe now:iTunes (audio) |RSS (audio)
Amazon's music cloud is licensed by all top labels
Amazon's music cloud is licensed by all top labels
Amazon's cloud music service is fully licensed by the top-four record labels, numerous sources have told CNET. The labels and Amazon aren't talking, but my sources say Amazon is expected to roll out new features for the company's cloud-music offering in the United States sometime in July.We reported on Tuesday that Amazon had wrapped up cloud deals with Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and EMI, and was in negotiations with Warner Music Group. Information is coming in now that Warner Music Group was actually among the first to sign.The ways in which the licenses will change Amazon's Cloud Drive or Cloud Player are still unclear, but sources said one feature Amazon will likely offer is Scan and Match. When Amazon launched its cloud music service last year, the retailer required users to upload each of their individual song files to the company's servers. For people with a lot of music, this was a hassle. Amazon now has the rights to scan each user's hard drive to see what songs they possess. Then the merchant can just give users to access to copies of the songs stored on Amazon's library. They're listening to the same song but not their own song files. To distribute a song this way required a license because to do otherwise is a copyright violation, the labels have argued. Related storiesAmazon getting cloud-music rights, may match iCloud (scoop)Amazon's cloud risks war with labels, studiosCloud music is still the future for Apple, Amazon -- reallyApple was first among the big music stores to roll out a licensed match feature. Storing songs purchased from iTunes is free, but to store music obtained elsewhere costs $25 annually. Amazon is expected to offer a free as well as paid version of its cloud, which will work on Android as well as iOS devices, industry insiders said. A year ago, the licensing issue threatened to create a rift between some of the big music stores and top record companies. When Amazon launched without licenses, label executives were saying that they didn't concede that Amazon's store was legal. They said much the same last November, when Google's cloud was launched without licenses. Now, Google is the only service among the big three without a licensed service. The company remains in negotiations, but there's no telling when a settlement will be reached.
Amazon's cloud music service is fully licensed by the top-four record labels, numerous sources have told CNET. The labels and Amazon aren't talking, but my sources say Amazon is expected to roll out new features for the company's cloud-music offering in the United States sometime in July.We reported on Tuesday that Amazon had wrapped up cloud deals with Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and EMI, and was in negotiations with Warner Music Group. Information is coming in now that Warner Music Group was actually among the first to sign.The ways in which the licenses will change Amazon's Cloud Drive or Cloud Player are still unclear, but sources said one feature Amazon will likely offer is Scan and Match. When Amazon launched its cloud music service last year, the retailer required users to upload each of their individual song files to the company's servers. For people with a lot of music, this was a hassle. Amazon now has the rights to scan each user's hard drive to see what songs they possess. Then the merchant can just give users to access to copies of the songs stored on Amazon's library. They're listening to the same song but not their own song files. To distribute a song this way required a license because to do otherwise is a copyright violation, the labels have argued. Related storiesAmazon getting cloud-music rights, may match iCloud (scoop)Amazon's cloud risks war with labels, studiosCloud music is still the future for Apple, Amazon -- reallyApple was first among the big music stores to roll out a licensed match feature. Storing songs purchased from iTunes is free, but to store music obtained elsewhere costs $25 annually. Amazon is expected to offer a free as well as paid version of its cloud, which will work on Android as well as iOS devices, industry insiders said. A year ago, the licensing issue threatened to create a rift between some of the big music stores and top record companies. When Amazon launched without licenses, label executives were saying that they didn't concede that Amazon's store was legal. They said much the same last November, when Google's cloud was launched without licenses. Now, Google is the only service among the big three without a licensed service. The company remains in negotiations, but there's no telling when a settlement will be reached.
Android catches up with Apple on ad network
Android catches up with Apple on ad network
Ad requests (the number of times a mobile ad is clicked on) rose for both operating systems last month but gave Android, a later arrival on the scene, the more impressive gain. Requests on Android devices jumped 65 percent over September and have grown 2,182 percent since January. Requests on Apple's iOS devices rose 12 percent over the prior month and are up 32 percent since the start of the year.Though Millennial Media is only one ad network, it covers more than 80 percent of the mobile Internet, according to the company, citing data from Nielsen. That means its ads reach around 73.5 million mobile customers.Looking at device makers rather than OS vendors, Apple is still in the lead, commanding a 25 percent share of all ad impressions on the network. The iPhone kept its top spot with a 16 percent slice of all impressions, while the iPod Touch was in third place with 7.5 percent. The iPad also has shown solid growth, with ad requests on the tablet jumping 112 percent over September.For October, Millennial Media expanded the coverage in its report to include all connected devices on its network, not just phones, allowing it to look at the iPod Touch, the iPad, and other gadgets, such as the Sony PSP portable game console. Samsung's share of ad impressions grew 3 percentage points to capture 17 percent, putting it in second place behind Apple. Samsung's rise was due largely to demand for three phones: the Android-based Vibrant Galaxy S, the lower-end Samsung Smooth, and the Samsung SCH-R451.Motorola took third place among device makers with a 15 percent impression share and two of its new Android phones--the Droid 2 and Droid X--in the ranks of the top 30 devices. Research In Motion also showed some nice gains with six of its BlackBerry devices in the top 30 list and the BlackBerry Curve in second place with a 7.9 percent share of all ad impressions.
Ad requests (the number of times a mobile ad is clicked on) rose for both operating systems last month but gave Android, a later arrival on the scene, the more impressive gain. Requests on Android devices jumped 65 percent over September and have grown 2,182 percent since January. Requests on Apple's iOS devices rose 12 percent over the prior month and are up 32 percent since the start of the year.Though Millennial Media is only one ad network, it covers more than 80 percent of the mobile Internet, according to the company, citing data from Nielsen. That means its ads reach around 73.5 million mobile customers.Looking at device makers rather than OS vendors, Apple is still in the lead, commanding a 25 percent share of all ad impressions on the network. The iPhone kept its top spot with a 16 percent slice of all impressions, while the iPod Touch was in third place with 7.5 percent. The iPad also has shown solid growth, with ad requests on the tablet jumping 112 percent over September.For October, Millennial Media expanded the coverage in its report to include all connected devices on its network, not just phones, allowing it to look at the iPod Touch, the iPad, and other gadgets, such as the Sony PSP portable game console. Samsung's share of ad impressions grew 3 percentage points to capture 17 percent, putting it in second place behind Apple. Samsung's rise was due largely to demand for three phones: the Android-based Vibrant Galaxy S, the lower-end Samsung Smooth, and the Samsung SCH-R451.Motorola took third place among device makers with a 15 percent impression share and two of its new Android phones--the Droid 2 and Droid X--in the ranks of the top 30 devices. Research In Motion also showed some nice gains with six of its BlackBerry devices in the top 30 list and the BlackBerry Curve in second place with a 7.9 percent share of all ad impressions.
Android bumps up smartphone lead over Apple's iOS
Android bumps up smartphone lead over Apple's iOS
Android continues to woo more customers, increasing its lead over Apple's iOS in the U.S. smartphone arena, according to new stats from ComScore today.For the three months ended October, Android's share of U.S. smartphone users grew 4.4 points over the prior three months, helping it scoop up 46.3 percent of the market. Apple stayed firmly in second place, gaining an extra percentage point to win a 28.1 percent share.In third place was BlackBerry maker RIM with 17.2 percent of the market, a loss of 4.5 points from the prior three months. That left Microsoft's Windows Phone with 5.4 percent and Nokia's Symbian with 1.6 percent, both losing a small fraction of a percentage point.Overall, 90 million people in the U.S. owned smartphones during the three-month period ending in October, a 10 percent gain from the prior period.Among all mobile handset makers, Samsung remained the top dog with 25 percent of the market. LG and Motorola followed in second and third place, respectively, both losing a small slice of the market. That put Apple in fourth place with a 10.8 percent share and RIM in the fifth spot with 6.6 percent.Using its MobiLens service, ComScore surveyed more than 30,000 mobile customers in the U.S to compile its numbers.ComScore's findings echoed a similar report from Nielsen pointing to Android's widening lead over iOS. A recent study from Zscaler also showed Android outpacing BlackBerry and IOS in the enterprise market.
Android continues to woo more customers, increasing its lead over Apple's iOS in the U.S. smartphone arena, according to new stats from ComScore today.For the three months ended October, Android's share of U.S. smartphone users grew 4.4 points over the prior three months, helping it scoop up 46.3 percent of the market. Apple stayed firmly in second place, gaining an extra percentage point to win a 28.1 percent share.In third place was BlackBerry maker RIM with 17.2 percent of the market, a loss of 4.5 points from the prior three months. That left Microsoft's Windows Phone with 5.4 percent and Nokia's Symbian with 1.6 percent, both losing a small fraction of a percentage point.Overall, 90 million people in the U.S. owned smartphones during the three-month period ending in October, a 10 percent gain from the prior period.Among all mobile handset makers, Samsung remained the top dog with 25 percent of the market. LG and Motorola followed in second and third place, respectively, both losing a small slice of the market. That put Apple in fourth place with a 10.8 percent share and RIM in the fifth spot with 6.6 percent.Using its MobiLens service, ComScore surveyed more than 30,000 mobile customers in the U.S to compile its numbers.ComScore's findings echoed a similar report from Nielsen pointing to Android's widening lead over iOS. A recent study from Zscaler also showed Android outpacing BlackBerry and IOS in the enterprise market.
Android bumps lead over Apple's iOS on ad network
Android bumps lead over Apple's iOS on ad network
Android continues to up its lead over Apple's iOS, according to the latest Mobile Mix report from ad network Millennial Media.Google's OS captured 61 percent of all ad impressions on the mobile ad network in July, a healthy gain from 54 percent the prior month. On the flip side, Apple's iOS lost some share last month, dropping to 21 percent of all impressions from 26 percent in June. Android has held onto its leading spot for the past eight months since overtaking iOS this past January.That left Research in Motion's BlackBerry with 14 percent of all impressions, followed by Nokia's Symbian and Microsoft's Windows Mobile, each with 2 percent.Related stories:• Android outshines Apple iOS on mobile ad network• Android stays atop mobile ad heap• Android keeps lead over Apple on mobile networkLooking strictly at the device makers, Apple retained its solid lead with a 26 percent share of all ad impressions (iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch combined). As usual, the iPhone itself was No. 1 among the top 20 mobile phones tracked by Millennial Media with a 13.6 percent share.For the sixth month in a row, Samsung took second place, grabbing more than 19 percent of all impressions, up from 17 percent in June. The company's Nexus S phone trailed the iPhone on the top 20 list with a 5.7 percent share.Among other device makers, RIM was in third place with 11.5 percent of impressions, while its BlackBerry Curve also took the third-highest spot among the top 20 phones with a 5 percent share.Motorola, which last week received a $12.5 billion buyout offer from Google, was the fifth leading device maker, taking 10 percent of all ad impressions. The company accounted for 3 of the top 11 mobile phones, namely the Droid, the Droid X, and the Droid 2.Among all devices tracked by Millennial Media in July, 68 percent were smartphones, 16 percent were feature phones, and 16 percent were connected devices, such as the iPod Touch, the iPad and other tablets, and portable gaming consoles.
Android continues to up its lead over Apple's iOS, according to the latest Mobile Mix report from ad network Millennial Media.Google's OS captured 61 percent of all ad impressions on the mobile ad network in July, a healthy gain from 54 percent the prior month. On the flip side, Apple's iOS lost some share last month, dropping to 21 percent of all impressions from 26 percent in June. Android has held onto its leading spot for the past eight months since overtaking iOS this past January.That left Research in Motion's BlackBerry with 14 percent of all impressions, followed by Nokia's Symbian and Microsoft's Windows Mobile, each with 2 percent.Related stories:• Android outshines Apple iOS on mobile ad network• Android stays atop mobile ad heap• Android keeps lead over Apple on mobile networkLooking strictly at the device makers, Apple retained its solid lead with a 26 percent share of all ad impressions (iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch combined). As usual, the iPhone itself was No. 1 among the top 20 mobile phones tracked by Millennial Media with a 13.6 percent share.For the sixth month in a row, Samsung took second place, grabbing more than 19 percent of all impressions, up from 17 percent in June. The company's Nexus S phone trailed the iPhone on the top 20 list with a 5.7 percent share.Among other device makers, RIM was in third place with 11.5 percent of impressions, while its BlackBerry Curve also took the third-highest spot among the top 20 phones with a 5 percent share.Motorola, which last week received a $12.5 billion buyout offer from Google, was the fifth leading device maker, taking 10 percent of all ad impressions. The company accounted for 3 of the top 11 mobile phones, namely the Droid, the Droid X, and the Droid 2.Among all devices tracked by Millennial Media in July, 68 percent were smartphones, 16 percent were feature phones, and 16 percent were connected devices, such as the iPod Touch, the iPad and other tablets, and portable gaming consoles.
Android beats iOS with 52 percent of ad impressions
Android beats iOS with 52 percent of ad impressions
Android scooped up more than half of all ad impressions seen by Millennial Media last quarter, according to the ad network's new MobileMix report.For the first quarter, Android won 52 percent of all impressions (the number of times a mobile ad is displayed), up from 49 percent in the year-ago quarter.In second place, iOS accounted for 39 percent of all impressions, up from 33 percent. That left the third spot to the BlackBerry OS, which saw its slice of ad impressions cut in half to 7 percent from 14 percent. Microsoft's Windows Phone also witnessed a drop to 1 percent from 3 percent in the prior year's first quarter, while Nokia's Symbian remained flat at 1 percent.Apple remained the dominant device maker by capturing 36.8 percent of all impressions, followed by Samsung with 27 percent.Android tablets accounted for 45 percent of all ad impressions among tablets, a gain of 96 percent from the year-ago quarter. Samsung's Galaxy Tab was the top Android tablet, followed by Amazon's Kindle Fire. Amazon reached seventh place among the top ten device makers thanks to sharp growth in its Kindle tablets and e-readers.However, Apple was still tops in the tablet world, with the traditional iPad and the iPad Mini grabbing 54 percent of all impressions among tablets.Millennial Media generated the report based on its mobile advertising platform, which collects data from "tens of billions of monthly ad requests," according to the company.
Android scooped up more than half of all ad impressions seen by Millennial Media last quarter, according to the ad network's new MobileMix report.For the first quarter, Android won 52 percent of all impressions (the number of times a mobile ad is displayed), up from 49 percent in the year-ago quarter.In second place, iOS accounted for 39 percent of all impressions, up from 33 percent. That left the third spot to the BlackBerry OS, which saw its slice of ad impressions cut in half to 7 percent from 14 percent. Microsoft's Windows Phone also witnessed a drop to 1 percent from 3 percent in the prior year's first quarter, while Nokia's Symbian remained flat at 1 percent.Apple remained the dominant device maker by capturing 36.8 percent of all impressions, followed by Samsung with 27 percent.Android tablets accounted for 45 percent of all ad impressions among tablets, a gain of 96 percent from the year-ago quarter. Samsung's Galaxy Tab was the top Android tablet, followed by Amazon's Kindle Fire. Amazon reached seventh place among the top ten device makers thanks to sharp growth in its Kindle tablets and e-readers.However, Apple was still tops in the tablet world, with the traditional iPad and the iPad Mini grabbing 54 percent of all impressions among tablets.Millennial Media generated the report based on its mobile advertising platform, which collects data from "tens of billions of monthly ad requests," according to the company.
Android beat Apple in tablet sales last year -- Gartner
Android beat Apple in tablet sales last year -- Gartner
Fueled by a 127 percent surged in worldwide sales, Android tablets collectively overtook the iPad last year, research firm Gartner said Monday.Android tablet sales jumped to 120.9 million in 2013 to snag a global market share of 61.9 percent, up from sales of 53.3 million and a 45.8 percent share in 2012. Over the same time, iPad sales grew to 70.4 million from 61.4 million. But Apple's share of the tablet market dropped to 36 percent from 52.8 percent.Apple's slice of the market fell amid increased demand for smaller, low-cost, name-brand tablets and cheap "white-box" products from off-brand manufacturers in emerging regions, Gartner said. Tablet sales for the whole industry grew by 145 percent across emerging markets compared with 31 percent in mature markets."In 2013, tablets became a mainstream phenomenon, with a vast choice of Android-based tablets being within the budget of mainstream consumers while still offering adequate specifications," Gartner research director Roberta Cozza said in a statement.Apple hung onto its spot as the top tablet maker, leaving Samsung in second place with 37.4 million in sales and a market share of 19.1 percent. But Samsung was on fire last year compared with 2012 when it sold just 8.5 million tablets and eked out a 7.4 percent share.Overall tablet sales hit 195.4 million in 2013, a 68 percent increase from 2012.See also: CNET's list of best Android tabletsGartner
Fueled by a 127 percent surged in worldwide sales, Android tablets collectively overtook the iPad last year, research firm Gartner said Monday.Android tablet sales jumped to 120.9 million in 2013 to snag a global market share of 61.9 percent, up from sales of 53.3 million and a 45.8 percent share in 2012. Over the same time, iPad sales grew to 70.4 million from 61.4 million. But Apple's share of the tablet market dropped to 36 percent from 52.8 percent.Apple's slice of the market fell amid increased demand for smaller, low-cost, name-brand tablets and cheap "white-box" products from off-brand manufacturers in emerging regions, Gartner said. Tablet sales for the whole industry grew by 145 percent across emerging markets compared with 31 percent in mature markets."In 2013, tablets became a mainstream phenomenon, with a vast choice of Android-based tablets being within the budget of mainstream consumers while still offering adequate specifications," Gartner research director Roberta Cozza said in a statement.Apple hung onto its spot as the top tablet maker, leaving Samsung in second place with 37.4 million in sales and a market share of 19.1 percent. But Samsung was on fire last year compared with 2012 when it sold just 8.5 million tablets and eked out a 7.4 percent share.Overall tablet sales hit 195.4 million in 2013, a 68 percent increase from 2012.See also: CNET's list of best Android tabletsGartner
Analyst- Expect Apple's Lightning to strike for up to a decade
Analyst: Expect Apple's Lightning to strike for up to a decade
Apple's Lightning isn't going anywhere anytime soon, one analyst says.KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo wrote to investors that Apple's Lightning is expected to follow in the footsteps of the 30-pin connector it replaced and come built into the company's products for up to the next 10 years, according to AppleInsider, which obtained a copy of a research note. The technology could be replaced as soon as five years from now, the analyst reportedly told investors.Apple introduced Lightning with its iPhone 5. The technology is an all-digital, eight-signal design. The 30-pin connector was the standard Apple used since 2003, starting with its iPod.With that change has come a host of possible headaches for consumers. The iPhone 5, because of its smaller connector port, will not work with the myriad docks, players, and other products that support the old 30-pin option. Over time, that will change as product makers deliver support for Lightning. In the meantime, iPhone 5 owners can purchase an adapter that costs $29.Apple might also be feeling the hit of Lightning a bit, according to Kuo. He reportedly told investors in the research note that the company is paying $3.50 to bundle Lightning in the iPhone 5, representing a 775 percent increase on the 40 cents it pays for the 30-pin connector. The Lightning cable costs $6, jumping 233 percent from the 30-pin connector's $1.80 cord.This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Play
Apple's Lightning isn't going anywhere anytime soon, one analyst says.KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo wrote to investors that Apple's Lightning is expected to follow in the footsteps of the 30-pin connector it replaced and come built into the company's products for up to the next 10 years, according to AppleInsider, which obtained a copy of a research note. The technology could be replaced as soon as five years from now, the analyst reportedly told investors.Apple introduced Lightning with its iPhone 5. The technology is an all-digital, eight-signal design. The 30-pin connector was the standard Apple used since 2003, starting with its iPod.With that change has come a host of possible headaches for consumers. The iPhone 5, because of its smaller connector port, will not work with the myriad docks, players, and other products that support the old 30-pin option. Over time, that will change as product makers deliver support for Lightning. In the meantime, iPhone 5 owners can purchase an adapter that costs $29.Apple might also be feeling the hit of Lightning a bit, according to Kuo. He reportedly told investors in the research note that the company is paying $3.50 to bundle Lightning in the iPhone 5, representing a 775 percent increase on the 40 cents it pays for the 30-pin connector. The Lightning cable costs $6, jumping 233 percent from the 30-pin connector's $1.80 cord.This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Play
Acer- Touch-screen laptops will be everywhere soon
Acer: Touch-screen laptops will be everywhere soon
Acer president Jim Wong said touch-screen laptops will eventually dominate the PC market, although he also warned that Windows 8 may take a while to win over computer users.Touch-screen laptops -- now just trickling into the market -- will eventually become the dominant laptop design, Wong said in an interview with Taipei-based Digitimes. For instance, he noted internal Acer research showing that after using a product with a touch-screen for more than 20 minutes, users naturally gravitate to touch."This indicates that touchscreen control is an irreversible trend," he said.Related storiesAcer Aspire S7: Windows 8 in premium touch-screen designWong also had some wry comments for Apple.He noted that while Apple is good at coming up with new technologies like the Retina display, "surprisingly Apple did not adopt touch-screen" for its MacBooks. In October of 2010, Steve Jobs said that Apple had done "tons of user testing on this, and it turns out it doesn't work. Touch surfaces don't want to be vertical," referring to touch on laptops. And so far that philosophy appears to be intact at Apple, none of whose computer products -- as opposed to its iPhones, iPads and iPods -- feature touch screens.Wong also had a lot to say about Windows 8, starting with the fact that it isn't likely to be an immediate hit. Windows 8 is a "new system that consumers must learn and the learning process will prevent the operating system from taking off quickly," he said. Wong, however, argued that criticism of the touch interface has been unfair. While the new Windows 8 interface could "dramatically delay adoption by consumers," Wong acknowledged that "companies must take risks when introducing innovations."
Acer president Jim Wong said touch-screen laptops will eventually dominate the PC market, although he also warned that Windows 8 may take a while to win over computer users.Touch-screen laptops -- now just trickling into the market -- will eventually become the dominant laptop design, Wong said in an interview with Taipei-based Digitimes. For instance, he noted internal Acer research showing that after using a product with a touch-screen for more than 20 minutes, users naturally gravitate to touch."This indicates that touchscreen control is an irreversible trend," he said.Related storiesAcer Aspire S7: Windows 8 in premium touch-screen designWong also had some wry comments for Apple.He noted that while Apple is good at coming up with new technologies like the Retina display, "surprisingly Apple did not adopt touch-screen" for its MacBooks. In October of 2010, Steve Jobs said that Apple had done "tons of user testing on this, and it turns out it doesn't work. Touch surfaces don't want to be vertical," referring to touch on laptops. And so far that philosophy appears to be intact at Apple, none of whose computer products -- as opposed to its iPhones, iPads and iPods -- feature touch screens.Wong also had a lot to say about Windows 8, starting with the fact that it isn't likely to be an immediate hit. Windows 8 is a "new system that consumers must learn and the learning process will prevent the operating system from taking off quickly," he said. Wong, however, argued that criticism of the touch interface has been unfair. While the new Windows 8 interface could "dramatically delay adoption by consumers," Wong acknowledged that "companies must take risks when introducing innovations."
Mixes a Haunted-House Formula with Slasher Mystery to Create a Pretty Great Horror Movie
These days American haunted-house movies tend to follow a pretty simple formula: People move into a house, start to notice something creepy, and then they spend about an hour wandering around dimly lit hallways to inspect creaky floorboards. Thankfully, Housebound is not an American haunted-house movie. It hails from New Zealand, where apparently they haven;t gotten the full memo that haunted-house movies should not deviate from this formula. Sure, it;s got a familiar setup, but it;s where first-time feature filmmaker Gerard Johnstone takes things next that really turns this into a horror movie that should be on every genre fan;s radar. It;s about Kylie (Morgana O;Reilly), an angsty, angry young woman who is sentenced to house arrest after she hilariously fails to rob an ATM. She and her mother, Miriam (Rima Te Wiata), haven;t gotten along for years, and things get even more awkward when Kylie overhears her mother calling into a local radio station to talk about the ghost that haunts their house. She of course uses this as yet another reason to demean her mother, until one night Kylie has an encounter with a stuffed bear that changes everything. The security guy who monitors her ankle bracelet is brought back out to the house, and as it just so happens, he;s a big believer in the supernatural. He immediately begins prepping for a paranormal investigation, and then things get bigger and weirder until it all culminates in a truly memorable showdown between Kylie, Miriam and the spectre that has unknowingly been a part of their lives for over20 years. There are two things that immediately separate Housebound from its contemporary haunted-house brethren.First, its sense of humor. This is a funny movie with a deft handle on character and situational comedy. And it;s not used for just a bit of levity here and there, rather this is a consistently humorous look at how a handful of oddballs would react when they find themselves in a typical horror-movie scenario. The interplay between all of the characters is sharp and witty, and every moment of disbelief is punctuated by really dynamite performances by everyone on-screen. In particular, Morgana O;Reillyand Rima Te Wiatahave a cracking report together, and they;re capped off perfectly by the presence of security man Glen-Paul Waru, who ends up being one of the great horror sidekicks in recent memory. And what;s most satisfying about the film;s sense of humor is that it never, ever boarders on spoof or satire territory. It;s not a funny movie because it thinks horror movies are dumb and easy to make fun of; it;s funny because it knows what real people - both in the audience and on the screen - would think in the face of an inherently absurd scenario, and it gets playful with those expectations. Exhibit A: Kylie;s stubbornness to acknowledge that her mom may be right about the house being haunted: The second thing that defines Housebound is its surprisingly elaborate story. We won;t get into spoiler territory about what;s going in the house, but what;s cool about Johnstone;s script is that he approaches a typical ghost story almost like it;s an old-school slasher movie. There;s an adventurous, who-done-it, investigative spirit to it that;s missing from most movies that are more concerned with giving you a jump scare every 10 minutes on the dot than making you care about why everyone is in this situation in the first place. If anything, it;s this last bit that;s the most problematic element of the film. Its story isn;t convoluted - it;s actually all quite easy to follow - but because there is such a lengthy investigative process of learning the truth behind this house;s creaking floorboards, the pacing does feel a bit off as the film progresses. When other movies would be entering their big climax, Housebound is still exploring its fun mystery, but even though the search for the truth may be lengthy, it;s always lively. And whether it;s a comedic scene or one played for shocks and awes, there;s something to appreciate on-screen the entire time. The production design here is particularly noteworthy, and kind of shames other movies that have no sense of geography and just turn a generic, boring suburban house into a spooky Ikea commercial. The house in question here feels like it has decades of weird history to it and feels like it could be next door to the house in Peter Jackson;s Dead Alive. In fact, there;s a lot about Housebound that feels like it lives next door to Jackson;s early horror movies. That;s not to say it ever directly rips them off, but it has that same gleeful let;s just go for it and see what happens spirit to everything, and that separates itself from the sea of other movies that are too afraid to walk their own path.Housebound is a breath of fresh air for the often stale haunted-house genre; a smart, finely acted, appropriately silly and yet totally sincere horror movie made for people who have seen it all and want something a little different. Following its premiere at the 2014 SXSW Film Festival, Housebound has not announced a release date yet. Check out more of our coverage of this year;sSXSW Film Festival here.
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