tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66099278928353305592024-03-28T05:09:48.810-04:00Jack's OpinionI have worked on computers since 1982 almost every day. I had my first internet connection in the early ’90s. Since 1994 I am more or less in online marketing. I tweet, I bing, I facebook, I wrote books. But I never ever wrote my own blog. I never thought I needed to, but too many people are telling me I should share my thoughts with others. By the way, you might think my English is weird. You are right; I am originally from Germany. Please excuse any uncommon grammar or unorthodox spelling.Markushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718767660929049178noreply@blogger.comBlogger475125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609927892835330559.post-91557620549826355772011-09-28T21:43:00.001-04:002011-09-28T21:43:15.363-04:00Amazon Kindle Fire - an iPad Killer?Finally the new kindle fire is announced and ready for preorder. The 7 inch full color touch screen costs only $199 and is available November 15th.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/09/28/3860.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/09/28/s_3860.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='144' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />This is $300 less than the cheapest iPad. The kindle has almost similar battery power, dual core fast processor, 8GB memory and supports flash. <br /><br />I am not sure if it will be yet an iPad contender. The Kindle screen is much smaller and the Kindle has no camera like the first iPad. The design looks cheaper than the iPad and the kindle is more an entertainment toy than the iPad. However the kindle will eventual replace the original kindle (which has ink paper) and many other low end tablets. The big plus of the Kindle is the Amazon cloud. The user can store "unlimited" data in the amazon cloud, even if the kindle has only 8GB memory. Therefore there is not much memory needed, but it is still enough memory for an 8 hour flight to watch downloaded movies. Amazon cloud can compete very well with Apple and is even much cheaper. Amazon has over 10.000 movies and 17 million songs to choose from. The Kindle Store offers over 1 million books, including 800,000 titles at $9.99 or less. In addition, over 2 million free, out-of-copyright, pre-1923 books are also available.<br /><br />No other company than Apple, Amazon and Google can yet offer such big amount of music, books etc.<br /><br />The complete package around the kindle is compelling. They even want to give the user the fastest browsing experience with cloud cached websites, which Amazon calls Silk. Amazon Silk is a revolutionary, cloud-accelerated browser that uses a "split browser" architecture to leverage the computing speed and power of the Amazon Web Services cloud. <br /><br /><br />The whole product page at amazon is a comparison the the iPad. The iPad is even named when Amazon tries to explain the display. Another hint to Apple is the note that you don't need a computer, everything syncs over the air.<br /><br />Please go to the product page, it actually makes fun to read. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0051VVOB2/ref=famstripe_kf">http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0051VVOB2/ref=famstripe_kf</a><br /><br />I of course did preorder the Kindle, but I need to wait 8 weeks before I know how good it is. <br /><br />I think the Kindle Fire will take 3 to 5 million from the iPad market and will be for a while the second strongest tablet, because of the price and service Amazon offers. But it will not replace the iPad in higher income customer class. For sure it will take a lot of market share from the existing Apple competitions. <br /><br />The Kindle runs on an Android version modified by Amazon. It is not clear if other apps than the ones offered from Amazon can be installed on the Kindle Fire.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/09/28/3861.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/09/28/s_3861.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />So far what I saw, I have to say I like it. Not that this is best tablet ever, but the price is very very nice.<br /><br />But the kindle is two step further away from a computer than the iPad. The kindle is the real in between device between phone and iPad (:))<br /><br />Buying the Kindle is not a mistake and no waste of money, something we can have in addition to our iPad.<br /><br />It is interesting that Amazon sells their hardware to sell their Service, and Apple sells their service to sell their hardware.<br /><br />So similar they both are and so different they are.<br /><br /><br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad. Please follow me @schlotz69<br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Spinning%20Wheel%20Ln,Brooksville,United%20States%4028.487507%2C-82.471257&z=10'>Spinning Wheel Ln,Brooksville,United States</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Please don't forget to visit my blog http://new-kid-on-the-blog.com or follow me on twitter schlotz69</div>Markushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718767660929049178noreply@blogger.com435tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609927892835330559.post-29420841475131740932011-09-28T21:07:00.001-04:002011-09-28T21:07:27.025-04:00Let's talk iPhone - October 4thApple did send this week invitations for the upcoming event on October 4th out. Like many other invitations, it is cryptic and does not tell us a lot. Or does it? The invitation is very clear "let's talk iPhone"<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/09/28/3776.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/09/28/s_3776.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='250' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />We know it will be about the new iPhone and we do not know much more. However with Apple it seems never anything randomly. <br /><br />At the past they had always something "new" at the event. Like the first smart phone without a keyboard, the first phone with a retina display or the first computer which is not a phone nor a notebook. <br /><br />"let's <b>talk</b> iPhone" why this headline? I think Apple will introduce their way for voice recognition. <br /><br />Voice recognition on phone is not new. Google has already some voice recognition on Androids and the google app allows you to browse using your voice.<br />But now Apple's taking up the torch, and if rumors prove true it's not just adding speech tech to the iPhone... it's transforming the device into something new again, starting a whole new paradigm. If it works for Apple, expect others to follow.<br /><br />We all wondered for a while about how Apple was going to mix Nuance speech recognition tech with its iOS devices, and how the technology it acquired when it bought Siri (the firm behind an artificially inteligent assistant) would emerge. <br /><br />9to5Mac claims that Apple's "Assistant" is going to combine all of this technology into one powerful system, that runs throughout the upcoming iOS5 and the new iPhone.<br /><br />I tested dragon, google voice and a few others but it never appealed to me to use voice instead of my fingers. However, I am missing forever the ability to listen to music and when I get a call to listen who the caller is. I still need to take the phone out of the pocket to see who is calling. Maybe with the new iPhone it will change. <br /><br />Maybe the iPhone can talk to us and we can talk back. After-all it would make sense to go to the next level. The phone was originally invented to hear and talk, why not taking the hands out of the play once again. <br /><br />We use our fingers for many things we do with the phone, not because we want, but because it is easier. Voice dial is horrible, works almost never (for people like me with strong accent). <br /><br />Siri was actually a good app. You could ask for a dinner on Friday and you got a list of restaurants back, but only in text and images and not as voice.<br /><br />It is only a few days left till Apple hosts the event, and I am eager to see how much weight the talk in "let's talk iPhone" has.<br /><br />I think, if Apple does build their event around new iPhone and voice recognition, then it will be different than we saw before, and there will be a two way communication. Not only will the iPhone understand us, but as well respond with voice. <br />Apple voice Assistant interfaces with WolframAlpha--Stephen Wolfram's "fact computer" that can intelligently understand data-specific questions and return meaningful suggestions. <br />This means I could, ask my iPhone how many shopping days remain until Halloween, where the the nearest mall is and how often Germany lost in a world cup against England in one second and it will fed back to you from WA's computational systems all answers almost instantly. <br /><br /><br />As we know, Apple seldom does invent something really new. They are reinventing existing technologies or methods to make them mainstream. This is the real strengths of Apple. <br /><br />Do you think I am totally off and over interpreting the event headline?<br /> <br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad. Please follow me @schlotz69<br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Spinning%20Wheel%20Ln,Brooksville,United%20States%4028.487486%2C-82.471266&z=10'>Spinning Wheel Ln,Brooksville,United States</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Please don't forget to visit my blog http://new-kid-on-the-blog.com or follow me on twitter schlotz69</div>Markushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718767660929049178noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609927892835330559.post-16295093970762451602011-09-24T21:47:00.001-04:002011-09-24T21:47:30.132-04:00Facebook is changing, will this change the world?Mark Zuckerberg introduced only 17 months ago the like button. It seems it was around forever, because almost every website has the little blue like button. In the next coming weeks FB will go beyond the the like button with opening their Open Graph. Developers are now able to send more info than "like" back to a Facebook user profile. It will open the world to new verbs like eating, drinking, watching, listening etc. With Open Graph FB users will see when their friends watching a movie or listen to a song and can then at the same time listen to the same song. This is the idea behind. Timeline will be another big change. Facebook new layout will allow users to go easily back in time. Different content types are now placed into blocks.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/09/24/4629.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/09/24/s_4629.jpg' border='0' width='222' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br />My wife and i might go to a motorcycle shop and buy a new bike. We might use our smart phone to scan a QR code for more info to a bike. On our Facebook book page would be instantly a message that we are buying right now a bike in XYZ at dealer ABC.<br /><br />Or you might play a game on your iPhone and in FB will be a post that you recommend the game and just played 16 hours straight. Such new Open Graph features will give developers and companies a new, never seen before way to brand their products and to get more attention.<br /><br />Especially for app developers on iOS or Android. Both system have together more than a million apps. It is almost not possible as a developer to get users to buy or download their app, and at the same time, it is for users not easy to find the app they are looking for. I searched in the Apple app store for golf and got countless results. The only way to know if an app is good, is to download it or to look at the ratings. <br />With Open Graph, Facebook will open a new way to find mobile apps. And if a friend is recommending an app, then I might more likely buy or download the app, regardless of other ratings. <br /><br />Facebook let us build a digital copy of our life. And wants to be the start page when we open a web browser, and be the last page we look on it, before we go to bed.<br /><br />Which sounds great but is very dangerous. I hear and read a lot of discussions around FB and how it is different than Apple and how open FB is. This is true, they are totally different but Apple might charge developers for their apps a lot or have a walled garden but they don't try to be our digital copy.<br /><br />Facebook does not charge anything to end users or developers. We all can use FB for free. There are some games with in games purchases but most parts are free. An easy out if the box personal free web page and email address. This is very kind from Facebook. But this has a price. Facebook is collecting all and everything written on their website, they are collecting all clicks and views. From where is the user coming, what he is doing and where did he go. All for the greater good to earn money by very targeted ads.<br /><br />One company does know more than FBI or any government about 800.000.000 people. And actually Facebook does know even things about people who are not yet in Facebook. My son has of course no FB account, but FB could already know who my wife is, the name of my mother in law and that I have a son an his age. All this is just a matter of data mining, which FB does day in and day out to sell to higher priced and more targeted ads.<br /><br />Adding timeline and Open Graph, does exactly what Mark Zuckerberg wants:<br />"Facebook's mission is to make the world more open and connected. We do this by mapping out all of the things you are connected to. … As a first step toward this we made it so you could connect to things by Liking them. … This year we are taking the next step, so that you can connect to anything you want in any way you want. Now you don't have to Like a book, you can just Read a book. You don't have to Like a movie, you can just Watch a movie. You can Eat a meal, Hike a trail, Listen to a song, and connect to anything in any way you want. This will let you make an order of magnitude more connections than before. We are helping to define a new language for people to connect."<br /><br />Is this not scary? We are all open and connected like in the real life and more. But the biggest difference is, that one will always know everything what happens in the FB country - Mark Zuckerberg.<br /><br />Maybe Facebook acronym will be soon FBI (Facebook interconnected).<br /><br />Does anybody remember the Stasi (The Ministry for State Security (German: Ministerium für Staatssicherheit, MfS)?<br />Stasi in East Germany did try to know everything about their citizen. They had official Stasi employees, but as well many East Germans reporting to the Stasi information about their neighbors. All to keep the country safe.<br /><br />Facebook is not trying to know everything. Facebook DOES know everything in their world. <br />As a good citizen, I would argue, that I have nothing to hide and therefore I don't care, if somebody is watching me all the time. <br /><br />But unfortunately it is not so easy. There are a lot of things we don't know we should better hide. Remember, Palin's email account got hacked, because the hacker found the security phrase on her Facebook page.<br /><br />Even if Facebook is not taking advantage of their knowledge, somebody will try.<br /><br />Imagine you do post, that you went to a football game on Wednesday. But for some reason you thought it is better to delete the post. Do you really thing it is deleted because you did hit the delete button? Think twice. Of course it is not deleted. It is still in the DB but just flagged as "by user deleted".<br /><br />East Germans did not like the Stasi, the wall and the controls and decided to change this and to revolute. It helped, the Stasi is gone and the wall is down. When do we start a revolution against Facebook?<br /><br />Suddenly we are talking about 20 times more people controlled by one company, not state but company. Who is controlling this company? Who does make sure our data is not exposed or used for wrong doing?<br /><br />How do I know, when I deleted something, that it is really deleted?<br /><br />I understand that the situation is a little different. We decided to use Facebook and we decide to put as much or as less information on. We are responsible what we do with our life. However does this give one company the rights to be able to know everything? And remember it goes beyond what we put on Facebook. It is what other people put on Facebook. I could today invent a fake person and upload images to Facebook. Then I tag this image with me and the faked person. Maybe I as well write how great the day with XYZ was. Suddenly FB has info about a person who has no Facebook account or even does not exist.<br />I can see that FBI will create fake identities in the future by using Facebook.<br /><br />Somebody could post a picture from a party showing me totally drunk hitting on a woman. I did never upload this image but it is now in Facebook and Facebook never forgets. A friend of this person might see the image, download it and send it to his friend which might be my boss. My boss would fire me, because the woman on this picture is his wife. Now you could say that this is my fault. I should not have been drunk and hitting on a woman.<br />This is correct, but what is, if this image was taken years before I even worked for my boss, before he met the woman and before I knew there will be something like Facebook?<br /><br />Before timeline, not many people did upload anything old, so we might not care. But now people will upload and post things from the past. Within a short time FB will know more than anybody else about us even before FB did exist.<br /><br />Or look at the kids who are using FB today. Do you think the know the impact of their posts and images they do today in 20 years? No they don't and they don't care. But it will be a problem for them in a few years, when they try to find a job and are wondering why nobody wants to hire them.<br /><br />Somebody would argue that we use the Internet since 20 years and did post always a lot of things. This is true but the difference is that before we did distribute our info or not everybody was on the same website. It was much harder to collect info about people and their behavior because the data was stored on different servers which were owned by different companies.<br /><br />Maybe it is time that our laws are changing to protect us with this new situation, maybe Facebook needs to be broken down into multiple companies. <br />What do you think? Am I too negative and FB is the best thing ever happened to us? Is Google better or worse? What about Apple, do they control us?<br /><br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad. Please follow me @schlotz69<br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Spinning%20Wheel%20Ln,Brooksville,United%20States%4028.487491%2C-82.471250&z=10'>Spinning Wheel Ln,Brooksville,United States</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Please don't forget to visit my blog http://new-kid-on-the-blog.com or follow me on twitter schlotz69</div>Markushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718767660929049178noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609927892835330559.post-89627564527185526972011-09-22T21:03:00.001-04:002011-09-22T21:03:18.346-04:00Facebook's new face. A complete redesignI saw today a screenshot of a new feature in Facebook called timeline.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/09/22/3991.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/09/22/s_3991.jpg' border='0' width='252' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />If this will be the new Facebook, then I might come back. It looks clean, organized and easy to use. I really like the boxes for news, songs and activities.<br /><br />The integration of people picture and album picture is great too. <br /><br />On top right is a timeline where the user can go back in time to see what happened instead of scrolling down and down and down.<br /><br />It is a complete new design with a lot of thoughts in there. This can separate FB from Google again. However, I believe there will be many complains from hardcore FB users, it will throw them off, they never like changes.<br />Look at the difference it is like day and night. I think it is the first time i can say something nice about Facebook.<br /><br />The only problem of the new design is, that it is not optimized for the iPad, but this is not dramatically because FB will bring with new design as well an iPad app out.<br /><br />Please compare yourself. Below screenshot of FB today. Below of it, is the new Facebook.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/09/22/3992.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/09/22/s_3992.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/09/22/3993.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/09/22/s_3993.jpg' border='0' width='252' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />Do you think it is real? Do you think the new layout is better?<br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad. Please follow me @schlotz69<br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Spinning%20Wheel%20Ln,Brooksville,United%20States%4028.487482%2C-82.471264&z=10'>Spinning Wheel Ln,Brooksville,United States</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Please don't forget to visit my blog http://new-kid-on-the-blog.com or follow me on twitter schlotz69</div>Markushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718767660929049178noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609927892835330559.post-75844210598417749462011-09-19T21:55:00.001-04:002011-09-19T21:55:04.977-04:00Apple delays iPhone 5 - manufacturing problems or problems with iOS?According to reports there may be a delay to the iPhone 5 launch, and lack of supply thereafter.<br /><br />The New York Times reports Friday Apple will launch a new, sleeker, fancier iPhone 5 before the end of the year. However, the publication notes the device is seeing continued "design and production delays," at least on one assembly line.<br /><br />When I read through Apple forums, then I get the feeling that the iPhone 5 delay has more to do with the iOS 5 problems.<br /><br /><a target="_blank" href="http://www.beatweek.com/news/9359-ios-5-beta-7-plagued-by-issues-ahead-of-release-date-say-developers/">Found on beat week:</a><br /><br /><i>“The crux of it is that iOS 5 still has plenty of problems,” says an iOS developer who only identifies himself as factsahoy. The good news for end-users is that those problems don’t matter yet, at least not to them, as iOS 5 is still in developer beta testing, hence the “iOS 5 beta 7″ terminology. Apple’s stance is that the new iPad and iPhone operating system isn’t yet finished, but it’s far enough along that it’s opened it up to a round of testing on the part of third party app developers. Seven rounds now, in fact. So how’s that testing going ahead of the iOS 5 release date?<br /><br />“The sheer number of bugs and issues that have been evolving,” says a developer who identifies himself as PlutoPrime. “Getting fixed is too numerous to list here. In fact, in beta 7 alone there are yet so many bugs and outstanding issues that I would be shocked if it didn’t get pushed to a beta 8 or even beta 9 before we talk about a Golden Master copy.” He points to the new iCloud feature as being the chief culprit in the long testing cycle, adding that “For all the applications to work to Apples standards this particular release cycle is perfectly normal.”<br /></i><br /><br />In matter of fact the beta 8 version (not golden master) is ready to be released this Friday setting a new record for the number of iOS test builds ever issued by Apple.<br /><br />This week iOS 5 build is an attempt to iron out all potential bugs ahead of the Golden Master release “around September 23rd.” if Apple misses the date the launch of the iPhone will be moved.<br /><br />Therefore it makes sense for Apple to claim production issues to prepare the consumers not to get the latest iPhone beginning of October.<br /><br />Apple must release the iPhone with icloud, to keep on pace with Google, Amazon and even Microsoft who are since years in the cloud active.<br /><br />I think the iPhone 5 will be the last iPhone which can produce a big hype. All later models can't bring the user as much new (if iPhone 5 has already NFC). Every other iPhone will be faster and more memory but not much more exciting new features. Even the iPhone 5 would not make it to the best phone ever without the new OS. Of course I don't know what cool features the new iPhone will have, but, if it has a better camera (8 mega pixels are expected), a slightly bigger screen, slightly thinner, 4G and NFC, then only 3D (who needs this?) is missing.<br /><br />What much more could a smartphone have? A build-in projector? <br />Or maybe Apple might reinvent the smart phone again. You never know with Apple. <br /><br />I admit I am a big fan of Apple products, but I get tired of all these hypes and questions what will be next. Apple is almost playing the mystery tape too long. It gets old. Even small updates are in press as the coolest and biggest things. At the end, the iPhone is just a phone and there are many on the market which are looking good and are good quality. I chose Apple, because I did want to make a statement. But today a lot of people are choosing Apple, only because the marketing is so good, not because they tested different devices and came to the conclusion that the iPhone or Apple is better in price, quality and features than other phones.<br /><br /><br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad. Please follow me @schlotz69<br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Spinning%20Wheel%20Ln,Brooksville,United%20States%4028.487476%2C-82.471242&z=10'>Spinning Wheel Ln,Brooksville,United States</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Please don't forget to visit my blog http://new-kid-on-the-blog.com or follow me on twitter schlotz69</div>Markushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718767660929049178noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609927892835330559.post-71011612079296773322011-09-17T21:08:00.001-04:002011-09-17T21:08:17.366-04:00$10 any Mac owner should investI don't know how long I am kind of hybrid in terms of computers. I feel like, that I used Apple products forever, but I had always as well a windows computer. I don't have any Windows computer at home, but every company I worked for made me to use Windows OS. <br /><br />You can imagine that it is sometimes a problem, when switching your brain from one to the other OS. They are not always the same. Some key combinations are different (like copy and paste) and some functionality is not the same neither. It happened twice, that I deleted half of my songs and videos, because I assumed that Mac OS works the same like Windows when copying folders. I learned the hard way, it is not. When you copy in Windows a folder to another, the OS will ask you if yo want to replace or keep original for each file within the folder. Apple Mac OS does only ask once and then all content is either as it was before or overwritten. Means when your source folder had 3 files and target folder 5 files then after the process the target folder contain only 3 files from source nothing more. I did not know this and I honestly don't understand why the Mac OS is not smarter. I am pretty sure I am not the only one, who messed it up.<br /><br />However, in the app store is a nice little app which works like wonder.<br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/09/17/4067.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/09/17/s_4067.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='103' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />It is folder sync and costs $8.99. It is a great investment. The UI is easy to understand and has a lot of nice settings like scheduled sync. There are a few people who are moved from time machine to folder sync for their backups. I did not go so far, but I synced my three different iTunes folder I got through my earlier copying chaos. I have over 55GB music and 500GB movies. It took for folder sync only a few minutes to see the difference. <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/09/17/4068.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/09/17/s_4068.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='235' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />The screen is split in two. Left is source and right is target. You can easily see which file is missing, which file is the same or which one has different date or size etc. You can sync the whole folder or only a few items.<br /><br />In my case folder sync had to move over 5,000 files over wifi and it seemed to be slowly. But I did start it at night and the next morning the files were copied. I can't tell how long it took but it was short enough not to interrupt my work during day.<br /><br />This app is a must, if you have multiple HDs and copies of same folders everywhere. The best app i found so far to clean up my HDs.<br /><br /><br />iclean Memory<br />iclean Memory is a $0.99 app and does wonder.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/09/17/4069.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/09/17/s_4069.jpg' border='0' width='234' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />For some reason my memory seems to get full by doing nothing, since i moved to Lion. I literally do nothing just have firefox open, mail and iTunes and my free memory goes down hour by hour. <br /><br />iclean memory is a great helper. Just run the app, and you have suddenly 50% more memory available. It seems Apple does not a good job in garbage collection and clean up, but iclean does it for Apple.<br /><br />However there are some drawbacks. When you start iclean memory, the computer will slow down. I would not recommend to run iclean memory when parallels and time machine backup are running. My iMac, which is certainly not a slow computer, did stop for 2 minutes during the iclean memory process.<br /><br />But the side effect is pretty small and less a problem than iclean memory helps to speed up your computer.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/09/17/4070.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/09/17/s_4070.jpg' border='0' width='270' height='254' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad. Please follow me @schlotz69<br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Spinning%20Wheel%20Ln,Brooksville,United%20States%4028.487471%2C-82.471239&z=10'>Spinning Wheel Ln,Brooksville,United States</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Please don't forget to visit my blog http://new-kid-on-the-blog.com or follow me on twitter schlotz69</div>Markushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718767660929049178noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609927892835330559.post-36438057546826101432011-09-14T22:59:00.001-04:002011-09-14T22:59:29.301-04:00Apple, Roger Federer and Tiger WoodsTiger Woods and Roger Federer did dominate for years their sport in a way not often seen before. Of course they have been outstanding athletes but they had two other advantages. They performed their sport different than anybody before and had the mindset that they only can win. Tiger, as an example, was not only a very good player, but as well much more athletic than many players before him or during his strongest time. He could hit the ball further and faster. He could move his body more than anybody else. The other players, on the other hand, did almost fear to play against him, just because he was so strong, that he even dominated much more.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5652415587949177618'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjDizhaMxZ5QhqjfnmUeR8VHXntBjIHbFSKg4V2TSDz8JyXSSJDC4lWwRrTpOJmirh3JkXD5JYTPfBuvLS91XcJmrlSHxEPvCcYxzSuLnIfYAR99Vi1ht4WxCK20Ytldt1WF0qe88F8tQg/s288/0.jpg' border='0' width='207' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /> <br />Woods held the number one position in the world rankings for the most consecutive weeks and for the greatest total number of weeks. He has been awarded PGA Player of the Year a record ten times, the Byron Nelson Award for lowest adjusted scoring average a record eight times, and has the record of leading the money list in nine different seasons.<br />With 2: Set Masters 72-hole record with a total of 270 (70-66-65-69) and set Masters record with 12-stroke victory margin.<br />Tiger went in the last few years to a lot of private problems and did not make it into the FedEx Cup in 2011. But the biggest difference to 1997 or 2002 is that there are now many players hitting as long as him or even longer. Tigers average distance is even not much shorter than 10 years ago, but now there are at 40 other top player hitting as good as him and are as fit like him.<br />These are the new young players who watched him and learned from him. His advantage is not existing anymore and therefore he is not winning and we don't have just one dominant player. <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5652415596381863010'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjntapjvwoSkQcCC3XEIfM0DybICWSvoN_2Zv9TirQdcwa9hgUIQ4ZjfQ3trBcHlwAixVR5HjqL_fXeL6zSCFdNwKRqOMqmsCqM2B5dTBwc_OJ0a3cz29s9gkU7yRSQCYdRZhUC4M1a4BKK/s288/1.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='207' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />We can find a similar evolution in Tennis with Roger Federer. He did dominate over 5 years the tennis court. He won everything he wanted and other players could just not win against him, because they might have been almost frozen when they had to play against him. His style was outstanding as well his mental strength. Today we have DJOKOVIC, Nadal, Murray and a few others; all as good as Federer or even better. Same happens here, the young player watched Federer over years and learned from him. <br /><br />We can compare Apple and their products with them. Apple reinvented the phone. The first time when i heart the definition of a smart phone was in combination of the iPhone. Apple did dominate the smart phone business over a year. Unique hardware design and new type of OS. Google did copy (yes I think it is a copy) the iOS and some hardware vendors did copy the iPhone design. Not that they really copied it 100%, but before Apple, most phones were cheap plastic and not pretty, similar like PCs. They saw the phone as a tool we use which does not need to be esthetic. Apple changed this, and today almost every smart phone looks like an iPhone or even better. And Android from Google is now the number one smartphone OS.<br />Last year Apple did release the iPad. Nobody believed we needed an iPad but over 100,000 iPad apps and over 30 million sold iPads tell us a different story. Apple has today a market share of 78% of touch pads with just one product. And there are over 40 other touch pads on the market which are sharing 22%.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5652415617925448274'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJaYf0dwNKafRVYkslbjUm3gRnTbE5nRLaa2QuBCfE9WKdZTo0N0P1Cn2ohydpecmVZGhc87RssSlHNB9fwhw43Z_zrhfnat24ZW0QE6qQmbgItwBySUNxiQBd5xjcqN7yHCXio4s6w9yj/s288/2.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />If Apple does not come out with a totally new product which we never thought we needed, or with a redesign of existing product (maybe a new approach for toasters or microwaves), then Apple will not be as dominant in 24 months as they are today. The world got transparent. And everybody is catching up. We went last week to <br />BestBuy and I looked at the Galaxy, Playbook and a Asus pad. All of them look more or less like the iPad and even the OS works the same. Regardless if it is WebOs or Android. All have the same basics like the iPad. Proof: My 3 years old son could open apps and zoom images as they are iPads.<br /><br />If we compare Apple with sports, then I would say there are many players who watched Apple and are trying to copy it. But there is one player who not only watched Apple and tries to copy but does something totally different. This player will eventually take in 24 months for a few years the dominance till somebody else comes. The player (I am talking about) is Microsoft.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5652415624308888770'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwf7LfRMoTGJuBEQKyBwF9H9_itmBxYwtg999Cpr22Jh-dwAKXAg_kBSiKl0_HXEke51siyiZjGuYGzeLUP1S1qd6o3DGNWQwfoNuE8qlB6eDoMgILqB69oOwdgBcKhbxbZXNhjCwgUezD/s288/3.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='158' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Microsoft's Windows 8 could really kill Android and Apple again. Windows 8 is not only totally different than all other mobile OSs but is as well the step which Apple is trying to do. Windows 8 will be one OS for all devices regardless of smart phone, mobile device or PC.<br /><br />Microsoft has a lot of advantages to Google. They have already established customer support and a better relationship to hardware companies. And they have a much better enterprise integration than Apple and Google combined.<br /><br />Apple is eventual too much concentrating on young users in the hope these consumers will keep buying Apple products when they are older. This concept is good, when your product is so much different than anything else.<br /><br />As an example if you produce a car which has the shifting as tiptronic on the steering wheel and you would market young drivers. The parents might eventual buy for them a tiptronic car and when the kids are older, they would buy one too, because they would not know how to drive a different shifting system. If you are the only company with tiptronic then you will be set.<br /><br />But Apple does not has this advantage anymore. Design is cool but for iPhone or iPad not much different than others and the OS is almost the same like Android. This helps the kids to switch much easier. Nothing new to learn. Apple does fear this, and this is one reason, why they try to fight against Samsung and other pad producers.<br /><br />Apple has a lot of services like iTunes, but there is really no need to keep iPhone. Users can have iTunes and other devices or use Windows media center. Plus music future is in the cloud and Microsoft and even Google have much more cloud experience than Apple.<br /><br />If we believe in 7 to 12 years cycles (which works in real estate, politics and everywhere we want) then Apples dominance will come to an end. And Microsoft can rise from ash like the Phoenix. MS lost so far the race in mobile but did build an even stronger enterprise empire with Sharepoint, Exchange, Lync and Dynamics products that they can close the gap between mobile and enterprise much easier than anybody else. And as soon the gap is closed, I foresee a lot of people buying for private use once again a Microsoft device.<br /><br />Especially in a time where mobile, smart phone and PC is almost the same just different form factor. Whatever will come, the winner of the race will be the company which can provide for all devices same OS, a lot of software (not only apps) and can serve to end users and enterprises. For some reason I don't see Google to be in the mix neither. <br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad. Please follow me @schlotz69<br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Spinning%20Wheel%20Ln,Brooksville,United%20States%4028.487468%2C-82.471253&z=10'>Spinning Wheel Ln,Brooksville,United States</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Please don't forget to visit my blog http://new-kid-on-the-blog.com or follow me on twitter schlotz69</div>Markushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718767660929049178noreply@blogger.com172tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609927892835330559.post-65878729276210231792011-09-14T21:29:00.001-04:002011-09-14T21:29:21.741-04:00iPhone 5 on September 19th?There are lot of dates floating in the internet about the next iPhone release. All we know is that iPhone will be released with iOS 5.0 which is still in beta testing.<br /><br />Some are saying the iPhone will be announced end of September 2011 and available in store October 7th.<br /><br />However a few people told me that their apple stores are closed (since yesterday) and covered in black that nobody can look into the stores. On the black curtain is printed that the store will reopen September 19th.<br />The photo below is from Salt Lake City.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5652392395436496034'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-1nflGT-bup8HHndCbzmow1UeeuhuV_ptsXN6xGsGpeH_AKn1tPdy8kigYwst7lT2BlMsxqtgCyakxnUvbfES6JwOXeaE-LlJIihYIu3XbQeIuXiMsb4pKEXz5htXzVu0vWqrCIe0FgQh/s288/0.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />I had no chance to go to our store in Tampa and did not find anything in the Internet regarding closed stores. However I got an email from Germany that the Apple store in Munich is closed too with same message. I could not very this neither.<br /><br />But there is another Apple Store closed (on St. James Place in Suburban Square), scheduled to re-open Monday (Sept. 19).<br />“They are doing renovations—some work to the entryway,” said Mark Bachus, the shopping center’s general manager.<br />(Source <a target="_blank" href="http://ardmore.patch.com/articles/apple-store-closed-for-the-week-pierre-deux-to-close">Thomas J. Walsh</a>)<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5652392400594889042'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZK-2ypy7aawFe-xOtIhHZHIMRgQ3t4MrfpI_imXFNd7AbZ1ERQ3R_G0VvHzcfOBYxDxuquPeb4Ik0Is7RwBrZF5nWi-RC-bn-iyN3kNvJ70cm6V8DQxKtoswiJKXOuGrBkf1yZUejBq03/s288/1.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Maybe Apple is changing the concept of their smaller stores or all stores will do some renovations or redecorating but the big ones only in the night of the 18th.<br /><br />Closing all store for a week would cost too much money and image.<br /><br />We will see what the real reason is for having some stores closed and reopen at the 19th. I would not wonder if one store is closed for renovation. But multiple stores at the same time and same day for reopen is suspicious.<br /><br />There are only two explanations, either Apple will release something new on September 19th or Apple does renovate all stores for a new look and feel and does it very coordinated with 10 stores at the same time. As we know it can't be coincidence, because nothing at Apple is random.<br /><br />For all Apple lovers. Let us believe the 19th will bring us a new iPhone or another amazing, unbelievable, never seen before Apple product (60 inch Apple TV with Retina display and replaceable computer module to easier upgrade?)<br /> <br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad. Please follow me @schlotz69<br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Spinning%20Wheel%20Ln,Brooksville,United%20States%4028.487470%2C-82.471237&z=10'>Spinning Wheel Ln,Brooksville,United States</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Please don't forget to visit my blog http://new-kid-on-the-blog.com or follow me on twitter schlotz69</div>Markushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718767660929049178noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609927892835330559.post-20976805821715801832011-09-12T22:00:00.001-04:002011-09-12T22:00:23.970-04:00Apple is pushing sales in GermanyMy sister was last week visiting us from Germany and told me an interesting story. Her son's grammar school received last yer from Apple 30 iPads just 6 weeks before Christmas.<br />Each class was allowed to have them for a week for testing. During this time the kids were allowed to take them home. Of course, parents had to pay an insurance on the iPad in case they would break. Each iPad had some learning software on it, as well some software to about our nature. She told me, the nature app had all kind of flowers and trees and the kids could use the app to identify vegetation in their backyard or in the nearby forest. Teachers even gave the kids some homework which involved the iPad.<br /><br />Almost all kids asked their parent to get an iPad for Christmas. Some parents even bought iPads as a Christmas present. This is of course a critical situation, because many parents could not afford to buy an iPad (some of my nephews schoolmates parents are unemployed) or did not want to buy one, because they needed the money for other things, like a trip to the US. <br /><br />The idea might be great to bring kids really early to such devices, but the execution was bad. The school might have gotten the iPads free, but there was no concept to avoid jealousy or even fights. I did hear that two kids did fight over an iPad which broke during the fight.<br /><br />I remember, when I was young, that my father bought me at Walmart a pair of cheap jeans, everybody else had Wrangler. I was so embarrassed and started a fight with my father. The next time he bought for me unknown sneakers instead of Adidas. And again we got into a fight. As a child I could not understand how he could do it to me. I did not understand that having 5 children is very expensive. But the fights were only for things round $50 more or less. Eventually he gave up and bought me the more expensive clothes because he loved me, he loved me so much, that he rather bought me what I want and probably did not get new shoes for him, which he needed as a sales man.<br /><br />Today we are talking about $500 and more for one iPad which is in many household half of the monthly income.<br /><br />What did the school think? If they offer iPads (which is cool an surely a good learning device) why did they not buy them for the kids or offered them extremely discounted?<br /><br />When I went to school, we had to have schoolbooks. We could either lent them from the school (if we were low on money) or we could buy them. My parents preferred to buy them, that I could write notes in the books. Otherwise I would needed to use a pencil and erase all the notes out, at the end of the school year, before returning the books. My parents paid every year $300 on books for me.<br /><br />Maybe the school should offer iPads to lent with all necessary schoolbooks on it, or parents could decide to buy the iPad, if they prefer, but with a discount.<br /><br />I am really disappointed from Apple and the local school that they did not think this through. Should the school not be better in this? Don't teacher go to university to learn how to do the right things?<br /><br />And Apple, don't they make already enough money? Should they not know better? Or do they don't care about social problems, only to sell a few more iPads?<br /><br />But Apple is pushing much more. Usually private TV channels have in their shows a lot of product placements, and if there are computers or phones then these are mostly Apple products. <br /><br />Bow it goes even further. The public broadcasters have Apple products everywhere, even in the news. And this is very critical. The news should be neutral as possible and ZDF and ARD (the two big non private channels) have been the last 20 years the place where you wanted to watch really good news. They are so well established that we trust them and their opinions. A lot of people would buy an iPad only because the news anchor has one.<br /><br />I watched the last few days ZDF and could not believe what i saw. The anchor of a 9/11 special was standing close to ground zero with an iPad on his table. An iPad which was powered off and not in use at all. Especially ridiculous was, that he had his notes written down on paper which was under the iPad on the table. I don't think there can be more obvious product placement like this. It could have been any other touch pad (slate) but he had attached the patented threefold iPad 2 cover, which does not exists for any other pad on the market.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5651658204484095330'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4zILI-LQ-C0oRTAue21xJw0mTCUlhv9EkFl_JLtClzLgnPP-MaObC6tp_wGqofJu4Mf4W62tgQ1NziwGjqgYqSG2nx0gju1ZsU6g-M_eYmyAMYVA-kCjOdjeU_VslW2XeFxvFTihbmVBs/s288/0.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /> <br /><br />And then I watched the news (heute) and the anchor there had a MacBook Pro, but at least they retouched the backside of the cover and took the Apple logo out. However it is still clear to see that this is an Apple (all major connections at the side like power cable etc). The notebook had no cables attached, that I doubt that it was even on. If the notebook is in use then the risk would be too high of empty battery during live broadcasting. And if it has been in use, why did the woman still read from paper?<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5651658209974423106'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgRQ63KIQ24xU8kjUnQgoEcJYY_YIhLM0DE8M27Cm1L8T-RMPMSkRoozom1yOeZ_0RFakyIOq41LGhkesEl65NyiCFuH0ZbjhIyTPcXF8Y9dzc9ExDFosiiFHfzPu7BOSxSbFFG344nbS7/s288/1.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='187' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /> <br />Below is an image from the apple store (it must have been an Apple in her news show). The right picture is almost identical to the one in the how above.<br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5651658213082915282'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2-5flehDaHCBwpaPn0ONT1wir50-LOfnQ7TiLu48jRix_LQzK4UFPIvRJl28CF4ZQzsoqwXVnRTqexxWj4T691SM-DNaflo57rDSv6nkget5Gz8FAxk2AkGJCXDzENSiRo0YeB4JRsOHQ/s288/2.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='88' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Apple frequently pays for product placement. This occurs because Apple "barters" the exchange for placement. Payment for placement is not in cash, but exchanged for product and services. (Notably, recognizable Apple products have appeared in newspaper comic strips, including Opus, Baby Blues, Non Sequitur, and FoxTrot, even though paid placement in comics is all but unknown.). I guess the whole ZDF studio is now under Apple branding.<br /><br />Germany is more concerned than USA about their consumers that product placements was official not allowed till 2009.<br />Sine 2009, German commercial television broadcasters will be permitted to include paid product placements during TV films, series, sports programmes and light entertainment formats. With the move, the states are turning the EU audiovisual media services directive from 2007 into national law. For public broadcasters, however, product placement will remain prohibited. <br /><br />This is the reason we don't see the Apple Logo on the notebook, or the iPad Apple logo. I believe ZDF is walking on a very thin line with their approach. Apple products are so distinctive that there is no logo required to recognize the products.<br /><br /><i>Apple product placements appeared 30 percent of the top films of 2010, more than any other brand, including Nike, Chevrolet and Ford, which all tied for second place with placement in 24 percent of the top movies. <br /><br />Placement of Apple's Macs, iPhones and iPods and other products in films resulted in the company being cited for the "2010 Award for Overall Product Placement" by Brandcameo.<br /><br />Arranging to put its products in conspicuous sight in films is nothing new for the company, which has maintained the top spot among brands over the past decade, with cameos in 112 of the top 334 most popular movies in America since 2001. </i>(source: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/11/02/22/apple_products_appeared_in_30_of_all_top_movies_in_2010.html">Appleinsider</a>)<br /><br />I don't mind product placements but I am not a fan if a company does everything possible to get new customers, regardless if it could hurt feelings or even could cause social problems.<br /><br />And i don't like, if institutions do show an Apple product, even if they are not allowed. Just taking the logo of is not enough. It is like driving a Mercedes and taking the star from the car, we would still know it is a Mercedes.<br /><br />We will see how it will work out for Apple. Germans are known to buy the underdog and to avoid the big monopolist. The iPad has a big market share.<br /><br />Apple already fall from 88% to 73% and in China even to 68%. And such pushing might get a negative effect for Apple.<br /><br />Microsoft Internet Explorer had more trouble in Germany than everywhere else. Germans don't like monopoly and will choose the smaller company just because.<br />Internet Explorer has therefore a much smaller share in Germany than in the USA.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5651658222488802082'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-yQl13DTPWC4i-KSlPuoT3vIZeXoS_S-E2k3KCpQW31Iyk_x6pN1YjIZSYoxk6hVsh8czDMFkrrY5f1ma1To2RtHF7hj_KyFHBNlitG1haSDlbcB0CSY7oXvS60eYUpbgSrjOqoBq6U87/s288/3.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='175' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5651658225717933490'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKs_YDFZ9lOclDXmC8KdnxkVRwNpCMcZoPGGWD2MhMOvZTrQbUIDPHXgP1oZwGnY0rjjtEPxTIXGbozVOe4DoHKX5YZEIMuW5j6QMDbP6nTeKfDlp2sxqJJGc90FZUMT8B1H6SZXHb1AZY/s288/4.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='176' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Statistics from <a target="_blank" href="http://gs.statcounter.com/#browser-na-monthly-201008-201108">statcounter.com</a><br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad. Please follow me @schlotz69<br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Spinning%20Wheel%20Ln,Brooksville,United%20States%4028.487468%2C-82.471237&z=10'>Spinning Wheel Ln,Brooksville,United States</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Please don't forget to visit my blog http://new-kid-on-the-blog.com or follow me on twitter schlotz69</div>Markushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718767660929049178noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609927892835330559.post-90554505940687385382011-09-09T22:56:00.001-04:002011-09-09T22:56:55.414-04:00Apple iOS, Google Android or Microsoft Windows?At some point most of us would like to be a Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs or Larry Page - Famous and rich and a part of our history. So do I.<br /><br />Therefore I decided, it is time to do something which makes me rich and unforgettable. I decided to build an app. <br /><br />The question is what the desired platform should be. <br /><br />Let us start with a mobile app for Android OS. The SDK is free to download. There is a one-time $25 fee for registering to distribute apps on the Market:<br /><a target="_blank" href="http://market.android.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=113468&topic=15866">http://market.android.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=113468&topic=15866</a><br />This seems to be right I can (with almost no costs) get an app into the android market. But I can't sell an app over $200 at Android market place.<br /><br />Min and max prices of android apps:<br />AUD: 0.99 AUD - 200 AUD<br />CAD: 0.99 CAD - 210 CAD<br />CHF: 0.99 CHF - 200 CHF<br />DKK: 6 DKK - 1200 DKK<br />EUR: 0.50 EUR - 100 EUR<br />GBP: 0.50 GBP - 100 GBP<br />HKD: 7 HKD - 1500 HKD<br />JPY: 99 JPY - 20000 JPY<br />KRW: 999 KRW - 220000 KRW<br />NOK: 6 NOK - 1200 NOK<br />NZD: 0.99 NZD - 280 NZD<br />SEK: 7 SEK - 1500 SEK<br />SGD: 0.99 SGD - 270 SGD<br />USD: $0.99 - $200<br /><br />If I want to use google cloud to develop my app, because I don't want to buy hardware for testing and developing, then the costs go up.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5650559414937004210'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgggnWnVcehvgp_q6-ymfSnPQnXehibDrKlsu6t3kizLwnSEYogrXAfcV2s5ELgp-jLBfIotyqDLVikSi7VV9oEzGBpa4IOIOtM7yXe27vvdEZpedq9Omtf10UR61P7O5eC81Jf3KTp11U6/s288/0.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />But of course I would save a lot of money for hardware and resources. But using the full service costs $500 and more a month.<br /><i>Developing apps on Google App Engine takes one-fourth to one-tenth of the resources and one-fourth of the time compared to building something ourselves.”<br />Gary Koelling, Director of Emerging Platforms, Best Buy</i><br /><br />Pricing seems alright but the big issue is the big chaos of different OS versions and devices available on the market. Google is not regulating very strong their OS distribution and is not telling the vendors what hardware to use. To develop an android app which should reach 90% of Android users must be tested on over 200 android devices. Ouch. There is no chance to build a professional enterprise app because the max sell price is too low and the testing to expensive.<br /><br /><a target="_blank" href="http://www.androidpolice.com/2011/05/10/io-2011-latest-android-stats-100000000-devices-400000-activations-per-day/">May 2011:<br />Android activations swelling to over 100 million worldwide (112 countries) on 215 carriers and 36 manufacturers with 310 different Android devices<br /></a><br /><br />Developing an Android app might not cost a lot for licenses nor does Google take a lot for having an app in their store, but I am not willing to hire 20 testers to to test my app nor do I want to develop years to get my app running on all android devices.<br /><br /><i><a target="_blank" href="http://blog.netflix.com/2011/05/normal-0-false-false-false-en-us-x-none.html">Quote Netflix:<br />Because the platform has evolved so rapidly, there are some significant challenges associated with developing a streaming video application for this ecosystem. One of these challenges is the lack of standard streaming playback features that the Netflix application can use to gain broad penetration across all available Android phones. In the absence of standardization, we have to test each individual handset and launch only on those that can support playback. We are aggressively qualifying phones and look forward to expanding the list of phones on which the Netflix app will be supported.</a></i><br /><br />Maybe I should try Apple. <br />As we know there are only a handful devices we need to support and would still reach 100 million users. The iOS is running only on the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. Each of them have only a few versions in hardware and not many iOS in the market. 84% of iOS users are already on iOS 4.<br />The iPod touch has same screen size as the iPhone. These all sounds reasonable for me for developing an app. I can easily afford to by from each one device and would not spend more than $1,000 (phone contract not included). Apple allows to sell apps over $200. I have seen a few for $999 (there are <a target="_blank" href="http://148apps.biz/app-store-metrics/?mpage=appcount">20</a>). However the store is so full that it is almost not possible to create an app which not somebody else already did.<br /><a target="_blank" href="http://148apps.biz/app-store-metrics/?mpage=appcount">Total Apps Approved for US App Store: 589,391<br />Total Active Apps (currently available for download): 471,319 <br />Total Inactive Apps (no longer available for download): 118,072<br />Number of Active Publishers in the US App Store: 106,423<br /></a><br /><br />Getting access to developer tools is inexpensive as well between <a target="_blank" href="http://developer.apple.com/ipad/sdk/index.html">$99 and $299</a> a year.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5650559422218659234'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ibN5zM_c6ju-FI0RHFV8LufVdsCInoRvEgwT5PtYVcC8iDJmOpfqZn0B8WvWPN8VT7HHgac2ZDpbVgcMl02XcLpgFiYMKNOomdED8dskm_DJqFqXrZGAmvZvA6nhH_h0u9fNav973G43/s288/1.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />But there are some issues. <br />Apple has very strict guidelines how to develop an app. An app can be denied because the developer does not follow the guidelines. <br />An other issue is, that Apple will take 30% of each sale of an app. This can be very cost intensive. I was thinking about an enterprise app, which I want to sell 40,000 times for $23.99. This is $287,780 for Apple just because I use their app store. Yes I get maybe free promotion and the user does know where to go to find my app, but this a lot of money. I could build an app outside of the app store and publish it only for my enterprise clients, which Apple allows, but I might still pay 30% when Apple find out that I sold the app outside of the store. Apple allows corporations to develop apps which are not the app store, but only for internal use and not for sale of the app.<br />And then Apple is heavily promoting the iPad and iPhone as a game computer and not as business computer.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5650559514309711250'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs5FXAU6aofVkjIBk2wSFxFQWtdJDD0lzkGTA8PYDB5s3tDQ8-Ountu34m9TAwNVlyW9lLq1FHBHAmHvB9FIfhoD5m5IgvIfEMDMD4jH35Og-v_d9kmSFF_rIRGuPnOjuFyACaTBWX6xxK/s288/6.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />I don't want to get rich and make Steve Jobs richer.<br /><br /><br />As alternative I could develop software for Windows. There are of course many different hardwares to consider, but if I build a web based app with .Net then I could concentrate on 4 browsers (IE, Chrome, Google and Safari) to get most of the users a working app. <br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5650559519598540482'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0SEt44LBnqNT-nfU5EvV3HcaU1tqPFkFTFhKI0hg4FCHpSIpPsnYQb-b-u7PtBsJIVOxpHeAcc3ecqo0KE5u1ARCGDp0dPLvKAspPX8Zm8jObGFqqdrcJ0melcTnB1kyu42TdNDEmZZ2F/s288/2.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='163' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />The investment would be $11.899 for Visual Studio ultimate with MSDN which gives a lot of developing tools 78 Microsoft products like office etc and $3,500 worth of Microsoft Azure cloud.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5650559528359857234'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-jzZnigT-F0vnMQwG_MdeblUNZJOO_AXX8C4AQHrctCMVFcDEPvGKYcX09Xrp-FF2lxjDoYb43OajQ5BoB6OKDs-cMTYjylnHkfwNdhv4tp47Q05Qz-PiASVXI9DfWRlUhXaf5FYjbW_p/s288/3.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /> <br /><br />This is a lot of money for a startup, but cheaper than Apple in the long run, if I sell more than $35k a year in software.<br /><br />Interesting is that the same package cost in Germany almost the double $20,900)<br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5650559528952865922'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMMY1l9ohQHgYg-ZG6-SU-IzclZo6MyDX3cBWysi1aI9har0zpGRxeJKiDoxn9CZJ8BFJYktAcHvrbpe9ubDQRPNJEsLQ-du5sNprOMFc-v9sjBbtDqbcX42FCMAVgd8PV_pzXe-QnNEEt/s288/4.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='156' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />This is as much as two Fiat Panda cars.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5650559538182762850'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-vhDfeIRf2E-TtDstv3On7b2qIusaxsgOcW43JCXFDjwn7Yn_jAJuPJhxBWglrlTnFVRDWEQ9GnSkAYpWJXq-49UqNXmRu-Txqnnbt-5T6R9ik4KJoxW1nhYInBsugpoAga1omuOL-1wu/s288/5.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='85' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />The last alternative would be the amazon app store. <br />The Amazon marketplace has considerably less competition than Android store or the Apple app store, I actually might have better results there. <br />Just make sure that if you agree to be the Free App of the Day, you completely understand what you’re getting yourself into.<br /><br />Anyway, Amazon has gone ahead and sweetened the deal just a bit: beginning September 2011, anyone who submits an app to the Amazon App Store store will get a free chunk of change to check out the Amazon Web Services suite (amazon cloud).<br /><br />But apparently Apple isn’t the only company running an App Store with a penchant for secrecy.<br /><br />In a blog post in August, mobile developer Shifty Jelly has publicly called out Amazon for covertly offering the company featured placement on its unofficial Android Appstore as the ‘free app of the day’. This is a well-known promotion that Amazon has openly talked about, but there’s a twist: instead of paying developers 20% of the app’s List Price, which is what it had previously promised, Amazon is asking them to take a 0% rev share. <br />People were very clearly told that even if Amazon decided to make an app free, developers would still be making 20% of their list price. In other words, they’d still make money. But not anymore as seen above. This means my $23.99 app which might have downloaded on the free day 20,000 times would cost me not 80% of my potential revenue but all.<br /><br />I learned that developing an app is more than just being a developer. It is important to choose the right platform. <br /><br />During my research I learned something really interesting. For PCs, everybody is talking about software. But for mobile devices and OS any kind, we only talk about app. I wonder what is the different between software and application.<br /><br />After all I decided not to build an app to be as famous as Steve Jobs and that I am going to brew my beer and to sell it to restaurants by delivering it with one of my two new Fiat Panda.<br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad. Please follow me @schlotz69<br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Spinning%20Wheel%20Ln,Brooksville,United%20States%4028.487458%2C-82.471241&z=10'>Spinning Wheel Ln,Brooksville,United States</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Please don't forget to visit my blog http://new-kid-on-the-blog.com or follow me on twitter schlotz69</div>Markushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718767660929049178noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609927892835330559.post-43175044983343703182011-09-02T22:44:00.001-04:002011-09-02T22:44:51.429-04:00Who needs a cell phone carrier?According to a study by the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhis/earlyrelease/wireless201005.htm#wireless">National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)</a>, one out of every four American families does not own a landline phone. Instead, 25 percent of American households are only using mobile phones. Further reinforcing the primacy of mobile devices, the study found that 15 percent of families that do own landlines receive all or almost all calls through cell phones.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5647958812558644610'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqH83Eu2eKEbFzkHDHyear2paKdAX_mBrV7BIVrr3iDDU66iQuz3rU9aMa4BM-xXJE9_AN2Q-UOX37Vt_EFumLCwoJfTyc2LpTeyJs2CNdVLQIQegqUxYns3xdg4UAHcPftgwZUuOK84Yz/s288/0.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='205' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />The study was carried out between July and December of 2009 and included information from more than 21,000 American families.<br /><br />We are now in 2011 and the percentage of households without landline might be already close to 40%.<br /><br />We still have a landline (VoIP) but only for my mother in law. We seldom use it. Most of our calls are done via our cellphones.<br /><br />But my sister is a proof that we don't need anymore even a cellphone carrier.<br /><br />My sister and her family are right now visiting us from Germany. They stayed 5 days at our house and then went on a sightseeing tour through Florida. We were trying to buy a prepaid SIM card for her iphone 3, before they went south to Key West. But we had no luck, nobody had just a prepaid card (it was Sunday and ATT not open). They had either offers to charge prepaid cards or to buy a phone with minutes but not just a SIM card with no contract.<br />Eventually we gave up and they went on their trip, with the hope to find a card in a store on the way. This was the goal.<br /><br />After three days she called me on my cellphone to tell me she does not need a card. Every hotel, they went to, had free wifi and she uses her Skype account to make calls either to other Skype members or to landlines. She called a couple of times Germany over Skype for just 1.9 euro cent (2.3 us cent) a minute.<br /><br />She is not a geek, she is far over 40 and everything but computer savvy. However she is very good in saving money (she is an accountant) and she used to Skype for many years. Therefore (after she figured out that free wifi is almost everywhere) she looked in the iPhone app store and found Skype. Bingo.<br /><br />She told me she downloaded as well an app which finds for her free wifi. Guess what, the app is called "free wifi finder". And it seems pretty good. It is an already 2 years in the app store but works great.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5647958822207767154'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO9zJPG_PuVLE-pDN9lWHiSFntKh8HQZ7TsJQLwnrzLtQAVhHuSeFgwD6cZUdRFuH_tYcTX1n_0zvrXnsRzWVt8-TBcJaCh7IED1ZR4H9fRTyWmyWFrQlHQi2Z2ZvKq-wX3HWGBYvh_CW6/s288/1.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />You even don't need to have wifi to find free wifi spots. You just need to download their DB to your iPhone or iPad.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5647958828928273746'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi41yw4Zt8LE3skhi4AUHIGLhMwP1GZbZlrmm_jgpIcAb5q7v-oPyoScVAqG1X4hgJjq7Py6k6Dp453hc0aaZxcI5IDd59GhZsyhKT1up0-v1o9aQzN23Ra8kIJr1kSxnrLGb5mXtOzkLP-/s288/2.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br />My sister told me that they now scheduled their route around wifi hotspots like Panera Bread or McDonalds.<br /><br />I was totally impressed, not that she does not really need a carrier to be still able to make phone calls, but how easy it was for her to do so.<br /><br />Sure she is not all the time reachable, but do we really need to be? Landlines did not allow us to be reachable, when we have been not in our home.<br /><br />She is absolute happy, because she is saving a lot of money. She made one call to Germany using roaming (before she had Skype on her phone). She paid $12 for three minutes. Can you imagine this?<br /><br />Traveling with Skype can go even better. She could have her cell phone routed to her Skype account to receive free landline calls which are placed to her cellphone. Or she gets a Skype number that people could call her. And when she is in a wifi dead zone, which means Skype won't work, the calls would go to her voice mail. There is a price for this, but less than $10 a month.<br /><br />She can do almost everything with Skype but no emergency calls. However the iPhone would let her make free emergency calls anyway.<br /><br />My wife and I are paying $150 a month for two iPhones. This is for data, voice and SMS. We could save so much money, if we would have just 2 iPod touch. <br /><br />Why do I need an expensive voice contract and data plan? When I am at home I have perfect fast wifi. I have wifi when I am in the office. I don't have wifi when I am driving my car to work and back. I don't have wifi when I meet friends to play golf. I don't have wifi when I am doing outside activities. But do I need to have a phone connection all the time? No.<br /><br />Less than 10 years ago, we all were used calling somebody and this person might not answer the phone. When we have been lucky we got an answering machine.<br /><br />Why do we need to be today 24/7 reachable? I don't think we need. But even if we don't need, we will in a few years again 24/7 available, because wifi will be everywhere.<br /><br />Landlines lost the race against cell phones and I believe carriers will lose the race against wifi.<br /><br />Maybe cell phones never go away (which I doubt), but at least we will see a dramatic drop in the costs in the next 24 months. Same as what happened with landlines.<br /><br />In 2001 an average annual landline costs was around $700 in 2007 it was around $500, a drop of over 22%. On the other hand the annual cellular phone service did dribble from 2001 to 2007 to $600. In 2009 the average cell-phone user spent about $600 a year on mobile service, while families that talked, texted, or used other phone features more than average spent upward of $1,800. And the bigger the bill, the more get tapped for service taxes and surcharges, which tack on an average of 14.5 percent. Some people are saying that the current average cell phone bill is $81 per month ($972 a year).<br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5647958833391804322'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_fToF1iWDeOUy2iqpu7bTBfA4pnflQBJNGDiaIlZ7hWijSLnTxoe3VsnjCzwaCehDzWqc6ofrWMqAHi784TpmMTLPTi1n4ebRwP8Bpe6EWYlEODYXElYEpBYwyvUfuDp7_-FQlD0Y0VSp/s288/3.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='152' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br />And the cellular costs will even go more up. Maybe the voice part will go down but data 3G or 4G will get even more expensive. The average costs for data are Today $360 annually which I believe will go up around 40% Carriers are understanding that the consumer will use more data than voice minutes in the near future. But they understand as well that free wifi hotspots are a problem for them. Therefore they will try in the next year to get as much money as possible from their consumers before they (consumer) switch data off. <br />ATT and Verizon are so smart that they sell only certain smart phones with data plan. You are not able to get a voice only iPhone. I am not sure if this is even allowed. May e we should try to sue them.<br /><br />My sister showed me that the non cell phone future is already presence.<br />And with the new iOS 5 is even SMS possible over wifi using iMessage.<br /><br />I might try the test and will use for 4 weeks only an iPod touch as my phone.<br /><br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad. Please follow me @schlotz69<br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Spinning%20Wheel%20Ln,Brooksville,United%20States%4028.487453%2C-82.471253&z=10'>Spinning Wheel Ln,Brooksville,United States</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Please don't forget to visit my blog http://new-kid-on-the-blog.com or follow me on twitter schlotz69</div>Markushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718767660929049178noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609927892835330559.post-48819335860867655112011-09-01T22:35:00.001-04:002011-09-01T22:35:02.072-04:00If I could build the iPad 3One of Apple's best selling product is the iPad. And I see myself as a power user and at the same time as normal consumer (but of course early adapter). Many rumors are on the web that a new iPad is coming end of this year or beginning of next year. Almost certain before April which is not typical for an Apple hardware release which is normally every 12 months. An iPad release before April would be similar to the iPhone 3GS a in between iPhone better as 3G but just not a full new iPhone generation.<br /><br />Bottom line the next iPad is already on the way and might have many new things or just a few.<br /><br />But if Apple is not yet done with the iPad design and specs, then I want to tell Apple how the next iPad should be.<br /><br />We know Apple is never conducting a consumer research, but if they would read The Spiegel (a German magazine) then the iPad should have at least:<br /><br />- Retina Display (twice resolution in both direction)<br />- Monitor connector not only HDMI as well Thunderbolt and DVI<br />- multiple accessories connection at the same time like keyboard, mouse and trackpad over Bluetooth <br />- iPad display should be usable as keyboard or trackpad when connected to an external screen.<br />- And of course full integrated cloud computing over icloud.<br /><br />These are the requests Spiegel readers have and which I hear from many people who have a touchpad from Samsung or HP.<br /><br />I agree with higher resolution and multiple accessories connected at the same time. I agree as well the ability to use the iPad as a keyboard only.<br /><br />But I don't agree with all the connectors. My dream iPad is a litter thinner, lighter and has no connectors or open parts at all. The universal apple connector and headset hole have to go. The + and - switches are not needed.<br /><br />The iPad 4 will have iOS 5 and therefore no need to connect to a computer. The sync with iTunes and OS update will go over the air. We should be able to lay the iPad on a pad or put it on a stand for charging (induction charging like some others are offering). the sound switches shall be build in touch screen on top left. The iPad has enough space to get them as touch and invisible on the front. Similar like Samsung TVs have.<br />The headset connector will be replaced with the existing Bluetooth. Every iPad will come with a Bluetooth headset (which can be charged same as the iPad) and a stand which works as a charger. The price of the iPad might be $40 more but I would pay for.<br /><br />With iOS 5 the iPad is able to mirror it's display to a TV over wifi, if the user has an Apple TV. <br /><br />The same would work with a monitor. We just connect an Apple TV to the monitor and we could get the IPad display on the monitor. No cable needed. Belkin could offer for users who have no Apple TV a $30 wifi mini box which connects via HDMI, thunderbolt or SVGA to the monitor.<br /><br />When the iPad is connected with an external display, the user should be able to decide to mirror the display or to use the iPad as a keyboard, mouse or trackpad.<br /><br />Therefore my developed iPad would have two A6 processors.<br /><br />This would be my next iPad. It might sound futuristic but something like this will come. The iPad is lobile device. A real lobile (mobile but local) device, something notebooks would like to be, but never really were, because they are too heavy and it takes too long to boot up. Then the net books came, which were much smaller and faster in booting, but just not fast enough to be more than a toy.<br /><br />The iPad is different and will (maybe not the iPad but a pad) eventually replace the notebook. <br /><br />Let us have a look to commercial use of computers. Most companies are offering for their office people a desktop computer and for their sales or management a laptop. The desktops are there either because they are cheaper and therefore a good mass computer or much faster which is needed for the power users like developers or designers.<br />The laptops are distributed either because a person travels and needs to have their office with them or are bought as an incentive, because it is much cooler to have a laptop than a boring PC. <br />When I look in our company, we could easily replace 50% of the computers with iPads. There is basically nothing a sales person can do with a notebook but not with an iPad. They are mostly using, outlook, word, PDF, Excel, PowerPoint and CRM. In the iPad world it would be numbers, pages, keynote, PDF and salesforce or any other webpage based CRM. Most of the big CRM vendors have even iPad versions of their CRM or at least a 3rd party which is offering a CRM version for their iPad.<br /><br />I travel a lot and the most annoying part is the TSA control at the airport. It is always a big act to carry a ten pound laptop bag with all accessories and then to take the laptop out of the bag for the screening. We would only carry 3 pounds with an iPad and accessories and it is not needed to take the iPad out of the bag. How much time would this save us?<br /><br />My notebook is on the half way empty when I fly from Tampa, FL to Bentonville, AR. The iPad battery, on the other hand, survives the flight easily which can take up to 10 hours with layovers.<br /><br />I have in the office a laptop and I barely take it home, because it is too heavy. But I bring everyday my iPad and take it home. It is just like holding a small book in your hand. If the iPad would be my laptop replacement, I would eventually work more, because I would have my office computer with me, at home or on travel. How much more money could a company make if each person could work 1 hour more a day?<br /><br />A lot of people are arguing that a notebook has more memory. This is true, but we should not need more. We have an intranet and most of the documents should anyway be saved there for others to access. We really only need memory for apps, mail and some PDF or powerpoints we need on the road. But even this it is not necessary if we have an iPad with 3G. We could always have access to the cloud.<br /><br />Maybe Apple is reading my blog and will build the iPad 4 as I imagine. No connectors, two processors, retina display, multiple bluetooth input devices at the same time and the ability to stream to two external monitors. I guess I ave to wait and see.<br /><br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad. Please follow me @schlotz69<br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=N%20Westshore%20Blvd,Tampa,United%20States%4027.954137%2C-82.522925&z=10'>N Westshore Blvd,Tampa,United States</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Please don't forget to visit my blog http://new-kid-on-the-blog.com or follow me on twitter schlotz69</div>Markushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718767660929049178noreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609927892835330559.post-22421391498277038742011-08-31T07:47:00.001-04:002011-08-31T07:47:23.388-04:00Target relaunched website - what a disaster<a target="_blank" href="http://www.target.com">Target</a> did relaunch last week their website. Target did everything than a good job and will eventually lose a lot of money and customers. Target is one of the biggest competitor to Walmart, but with the new website they did lose the race.<br />Target worked two years to build the new website, mostly to move away from Amazon who did Target's online operation. Target was trying to make it simpler and easier fro their customers, but this did not work out.<br /><br />Then<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5646985373060810690'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPgJs0s3M8NoGYO4S47266fRW-j6QTHmhaOpGznj0QyCaeMp2osGbf4ERlLliJ7JMrvy4id-FjTLNLiPd71us0iAiBmYd1rabmE401UZgaAt_KoBsP3599aUTltt1N-V88WW1tb1UQmV5O/s288/0.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Now:<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5646985383205108098'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHmrsR7y5Cm_zGacl9VrMa3Ik1E476epNt9mto0laJWSdEEmMm-J-7R2MwjURnUoI1mZvL0iIJ5p4eSHXCTgEuSOHfnbau_-aYLM0DaPuF5KYub18BWuBLI6AyintUpwFuKC1zh66jz4gU/s288/1.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />This week when they launched the new website Target.com, I was lucky enough to have an order lost on along with 10,000 other people. Here are some of the comments on their page… no one likes the new site. Their problems are effecting returns, purchases, quantity of available merchandise, account history, registries and coupons. Pretty lame - if you haven’t checked it out, hurt your eyes and go to www.target.com .<br />Amanda Johnson<br />Your website changes are terrible. I can't access my registry at all >.< Major FAIL.<br /><br />Mel White<br />Wondering when you intend to have the website working properly so I can actually do my baby registry? Dosn't work at the store either...<br /><br />Katie Bean<br />your new website is terrible! it looks bad and is NOT user friendly!<br />Ayumi Tomioka<br />totally, completely, extremely dissatisfied and upset with target new website<br />Valerie Manke<br />Your new website is horrible, it doesn't add discounts and it is harder to shop it on a tablet device! What is up with it?<br />Abbie Rae Menning<br />So I, as well as many others posting on here, am SO frustrated with the new website and the fact that my wedding shower is a week away and the registry stuff is crap now. And I find it really disappointing to see that Target has stopped responding to peoples posts, or when they do, they tell you to call some number, even though they know you will be on hold for hours. Customer satisfaction is being sucked down to almost non existent, all because a website was launched prematurely.<br />Nicky Dove<br />your new webite is the most horrible thing ever!!!!<br />Shandra Adkison Dean<br />What is going on with the coupons??? It says the link is no longer available when trying to print them... I'm trying to head out to the store to get some stuff & our Target doesn't have it to where you can print the coupons there! Please get this fixed FAST!!!<br />Lauren Bell<br />Please fix the new web structure. It's hard to navigate and it is not working. I can't log into my baby registry and when it says to go to Target Help page, it says that's down.<br />Alicia VanSloten Barnard<br />Are you having problems with the coupons on your web page. They aren't printing. =(<br />Mark Webster<br />you website suck balls, too much going on keeps freezing, i go to anyother web sit and it is just fine...fix the crap<br />Xiomy Juarez<br />why is your new website super slow!?<br />Candace Knight Milliron<br />Is there a problem with your couponing page on the website? I keep trying to print two coupons, and I get error messages that the page is no longer available. Thanks!<br /><br />Talley Spain Williford<br />Trying so hard to be patient with your new website, but considering I placed an order and it shipped 8 days ago and I cannot search for the order on your website, through the phone system, nor can it by found by your customer service reps I am losing confidence. I never received a tracking number, so I can't track it through the shipper website. I still cannot access any previous orders in addition to this most recent one. Your "contact us" section of the website will not allow any messages to be sent b/c I need to enter "valid questions or comments." My baby registry is inaccessible and this has been going on for like a week now? When will you guys have this straight?<br /><br />From <a target="_blank" href="http://www.wsj.com">WSJ.com</a>:<br />Two years in the making, Target.com's new platform is easier to shop, has faster checkout and more closely resembles the store shopping experience, Target Chief Executive Gregg Steinhafel said in an interview.<br />Target built the site and will handle all related operations. For the past decade, Target outsourced nearly all of its online operations to Amazon.com Inc. The Seattle online retailing giant provided software to run the Target.com website and hosted the sale of Target goods directly through Amazon.com. In addition, Amazon ran the call center and most of the warehouse operations for Target, shipped the products to customers and handled customer service.<br />When the new website launches, Target will no longer sell its wares on Amazon, a Target spokeswoman said.<br /><br />Target has room to grow. It is only the 22nd largest Internet retailer in the U.S., with $1.33 billion in sales last year, according to trade publication Internet Retailer. In contrast, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. ranks as the sixth largest Internet retailer with an estimated $4.4 billion in sales. Amazon is No.1, notching $12.95 billion in sales last year.<br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad. Please follow me @schlotz69<br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=N%20Westshore%20Blvd,Tampa,United%20States%4027.954137%2C-82.522925&z=10'>N Westshore Blvd,Tampa,United States</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Please don't forget to visit my blog http://new-kid-on-the-blog.com or follow me on twitter schlotz69</div>Markushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718767660929049178noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609927892835330559.post-56654617283754296172011-08-29T22:26:00.001-04:002011-08-29T22:26:40.477-04:00Lion OS the Vista from AppleDo you guys remember 2006 when Microsoft released the new amazing Vista?<br />Windows Vista contained many changes and new features, including an updated graphical user interface and visual style dubbed Aero, a redesigned search function, multimedia tools including Windows DVD Maker, and redesigned networking, audio, print, and display sub-systems. Vista aimed to increase the level of communication between machines on a home network, using peer-to-peer technology to simplify sharing files and media between computers and devices. <br />And then there was under Vista an app store for windows app.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5646469785354423218'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLheFyaYqEJAocqtuESkI5DkI6ByD5bO6UZy8xhe0986ahP7x3Nz0KytJoQnj96hvMsVCrZx9hpIO48o3QrSc1SfmMnNiAyLpgjowC9-gzGA9esZ6-rHhfA_e2toBcRFvAegJ7sXmGzdrX/s288/0.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='224' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />Vista promised to be the closest to Mac OSX as even possible, even better.<br /><br />I installed Vista on at least 10 computers and non of them worked well with Vista. Vista had from the beginning a lot of issues, the most famous was the high usage of memory and graphic power. Maybe Vista was just ahead of it's time. The computers in 2006 not fast enough and memory to expensive.<br /><br />Vista was everything but successful and in less than 3 years it got replaced with Windows 7.<br />5 times more people are still on XP than on Vista, and three times more are using Windows 7 instead of Vista. <br /><br />Apple released Mac OS X v10.7 "Lion" on July 20, 2011. Which includes native support for the Mac App Store, and brings many other developments made in Apple's iOS, such as an easily-navigable display of installed applications, to the Mac. <br /><br />Lion is the biggest released since 2001 when cheetah was released (cheetah was the first Unix based Apple OS for the consumer. In 1999, Apple released the first Mac OS X server). Since 2001 every OS update did support PowerPCs. But Lion does only support intel processors and is 64bit instead of 32bit with removed Rosetta, making it incapable of running PowerPC applications.<br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5646469793338757106'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTs_TM2pS2DMEB4awkNsANyBAsekSyG_nLfmUUxkbGiMyu5X_S2eqK3d4jekBr6QCo6whKu-jQZ3r6Wpb3JvuzveO-XXLg-bGAzyAIVtQHnctuMr_bUV89tdtezJA8os-2gWWWB6qolcLF/s288/1.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='175' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Lion has many cool changes like improved mail and document auto-save. Within only a few days Lion got multiple million times downloaded which made it the fastest ever sold PC operating software.<br /><br />As cool the new OS seems, as horrible it is for many people. Many people (I am talking to) are considering to switch back to Snow Leopard. <br /><br />The first hurdle is, that there is no DVD to install from, you have to download the OS from the app store. Which can take a while. It is a 4 GB download. I would have preferred a similar download like Linux, where you can download the minimum required components and then decide which components you wish to download.<br /><br />A lot of people complained about the slow download, that Apple now offers to their customers to come to an apple store to either download there or to get a download version on the MAC from the friendly apple employees.<br /><br />You are even now able to buy a USB stick with the OS installed for $69 at Apple. Which is more than twice as much the download ($29.99 from the app store). I guess USB sticks are expensive.<br /><br />After the install are the common issues I wrote in an older blog. Flash does not work anymore because Apple decided not to send it with the OS (you have to install flash manually as a download from adobe) many Adobe products having issues and non of the PowerPc apps are working anymore and got even deleted from hard drive.<br /><br />But besides from these issues, there are many more. Many have reported that their computer is here and there freezing that they have to do hard resets. Network issues and printer issues are not rare neither. And then the new OS is eating memory faster than Joe Chestnut hot dogs.<br /><br />Almost everybody is complaining about the slower speed of Lion. Overall there seem more problems than positive messages.<br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5646469808657444018'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn7ZSA3U4Z3lYgLVtKclKhqtLqmL9VEA-dhvs4gd_mXs97JMH3ckC-iG8wqSkjlEgHyu_3D9C9bJZskBBgWM-IFQX0ApbI1xWj4-XO1Y25qINivqN29ZU13XnTTOgaiB5T_-Pr4SWphNQs/s288/2.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><a target="_blank" href="http://www.zdnet.com/blog/hardware/users-complain-of-mac-os-x-lion-bugs/14088">The most common problems are (found at ZDnet.com)</a><br /><b>Random crashing that results in a totally black screen</b><br />Once the system crashes, it’s a hard reset time.<br />There’s no solution from Apple yet but it seems that the problem here is down to NVIDIA drivers and forcing the system to use integrated graphics only using a third-party tool (gfxCardStatus) helps alleviate the problem.<br />[A tipster has emailed in a possible solution - Navigate to ~/Library/Preferences/ByHost/ (hidden by default, go to it by opening the Go menu in Finder, hold down the Option key and paste the full path above in Go To Folder) and delete all files that containing "windowserver" and then reboot the Mac. This process will need to be repeated if you hook your Mac to an external monitor.]<br /><b>WiFi dropping</b><br />This is annoying (I’m seeing this happen, although not often). Basically the WiFi connection drops and the only way to get it back working is to switch the WiFi adapter off and then back on again.<br />A temporary solution to this is to create a script that pings periodically.<br /><b>Poor MacBook Pro battery life</b><br />Installing Lion causes a significant drop in battery life.<br />This might be related to the fact that Lion doesn’t terminate application processes immediately when applications are closed or it could be a graphics driver issue not allowing the system to switch to integrated graphics from discrete graphics (again, gfxCardStatus might be useful).<br /><b>Viewing videos crash causes freezing on new iMacs</b><br />All video types appear to cause the freeze - Flash, H.264, QuickTime, AVIs, MKVs, YouTube …<br />This is another issue that could be related to graphics card drivers … but perhaps not.<br /><br />I can support all of them. I installed Lion on a new iMac 27 inch i7 with 16GB RAM and an old MacBookPro with 2GB RAM and should not have done any of this.<br /><br />I run on my iMac Parallels and it crashes all the time the computer or at least iTunes and parallels. When my time machine is running then Parallels is warning me of performance issues. I guess 16 GB RAM are not enough.<br /><br />All these new cool features are worthless if the OS is not good. Lion is a great idea but maybe just one or two years to early as Vista was. It is to buggy, Apple should have wait, but I assume, Steve Jobs did push for an earlier release that he can be part of it, as long he is still CEO.<br /><br />Apple released (since tiger in 2004) every two years a new OS X version. I am 100% it will be this time only 12 months. Apple should have even called Lion MacOS XI because it is almost completely new, but of course for marketing purposes it does sound better if they are still on X version. Who else can say that their OS is still the same like ten years ago.<br /><br />Lion had more updates in the last 4 weeks than Leopard in 6 months, this should tell us a lot.<br /><br />There are many tricks to make Lion better, like there were many for Vista, but a good OS would not need such tricks or extra small software for making the OS better.<br /><br />If I would need to give Lion review stars, I would not give more than 3.5 out of 5. <br /><br />But maybe it is a smart chess move from Apple. Apparently all new computers which have Lion preinstalled are working like a swiss clockwork, this means we all should sell our existing Macs and buy a new MacBook Air or iMac.<br /><br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad. Please follow me @schlotz69<br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Florida%20A1A,Miami%20Beach,United%20States%4025.848214%2C-80.120123&z=10'>Florida A1A,Miami Beach,United States</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Please don't forget to visit my blog http://new-kid-on-the-blog.com or follow me on twitter schlotz69</div>Markushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718767660929049178noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609927892835330559.post-396071979861913492011-08-25T06:44:00.001-04:002011-08-25T06:44:49.310-04:00Steve Jobs is stepping down, good or bad?<br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5644742743537742514'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXRKgXHxEHsKdV8nowSp1Dy9DpSDltlQhpWQgM74yZriY4xUub4w94RVG4AkhuvXIua4uEvvQkyRf6xyUwZjh6X_QdsROBwyXxFg27nersci9OHqrLj997pW4u-5L5hGXEP9YEfJ8WxilZ/s288/0.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />The CEO of Apple (Steve Jobs) is stepping down and Timmy Cook will be promoted to CEO. Many companies are switching the CEO but non of them had a CEO like Steve. Steve had to left Apple in 1985 and came back in 1996 to help Apple to change. At this time (before Jobs returned) Apple was almost bankrupt and no important hardware player at all.<br /><br />But with Steve return everything changed. He was able to make Apple to one of the biggest companies in less than 15 years. He is known not as manager but as a leader. He seldom did market research he just decided what people want and was mostly right. There was no research when Apple created the iPad, and if there would have been a research, we still would not have an iPad. But instead sold within 16 months over 26 million iPads and many other manufactures followed with their version of a tablet, but Apple still has 80% of the tablet market.<br /><br />Wall street reacted on Wednesday, after the announcement, with a drop of 5% in Apple stocks.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5644742747744608402'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJZ7W7E6d-hFXxMbDlVFoF_PFJO-qZJwsTRW7cNJCKMyPJveu08AMryTE_nFkfYC5HUlk-GOqGgFbUSwYgEbrYkzTHdZMjluFHevWzbNRAuEkMKEZcVvVErrzND_V6hjYimDwtT0uOjGkx/s288/1.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='170' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />Is this a good time for Steve to step down?<br /><br />There is never a good time when you have success, but it is definitely a better time than 3 years ago.<br /><br />Apple is not anymore just a company for Apple lovers many iPad, iPhone or iPod owners don't know much about Apple they just know they have an Apple product.<br />3 or 4 years ago, Apple was still an insider tip with cool products. Mostly bought by people who don't like Windows or did like to have cool looking devices. There were as we'll designers and people who decided Apple is a better fit, but at the end it were people who did put thoughts into buying an Apple product and knew exactly what they are going to buy, who the CEO of the company is and most likely even knew the story behind Apple.<br /><br />But with the iPhone it started to change (the iPod was just a music player, which could be connected to a windows computer and iTunes. Nothing really changed for a windows user having an iPod) The biggest change came with the iPhone, even if the iPhone can be connected to Windows and iTunes it is different than the iPod, it has it's own (for the user visible) OS. And people liked it, not only the design of the phone (which is revolutionary) but the smooth new way to interact with a phone through a screen as user interface.<br /><br />I will bet, that if you ask today 10 Apple product owners about Steve Jobs, 8 of them will know Steve and maybe 4 of them know even a little more about him. If you asked 4 years ago 10 people, 9 of them would know almost the whole Apple story.<br /><br />This said, it is now a better time to step down, because Jobs is not so important for the average Apple user.<br /><br />However I believe the Apple marathon will come slowly to a stop and it might come another one, but it will be for sure different.<br /><br />Apple has their roadmap already defined for the next three years but a roadmap of new products does not mean these will be hits. Steve was famous to make very detailed decisions on each product. The white iPhone did got delayed, because he did not like the prototype. Or even for the first iPhone he rejected 3 prototypes before the iPhone finally hit the market. At NEXT it took him 6 months to find the right black for the Next cube.<br /><br />Apple is much bigger than NEXT but the principal is still the same. Steve Jobs had the last saying for major products.<br /><br />Without having him with his vision, the path will change. Please don't misunderstand, there a a lot of brilliant people at Apple and many might think they have better taste than Jobs, they know more about design etc. And this is for sure true and sure is, that one person at Apple came up with the iPhone 4 design, but at the end Steve gave his thumbs up. Steve is known as a risk taker who had many times good feelings or luck, and it worked very well out. <br /><br />We already saw during his medical leave a big difference not having him driving the car. The few keynotes he did not oversee had gone pretty bad for Apple terms. Presentations did not work, wifi went down etc. Nothing big, but just not so perfect, as when Steve is controlling everything.<br /><br />Every company which has a leader of such long time has the DNA of the leader, if this person steps down the DNA will change, there is no doubt.<br /><br />His vision will die, because most of his vision is not yet known by the company or himself. Maybe it helps that is biography is coming out earlier as planed that all Apple executives can read it and maybe absorb some of his DNA.<br /><br />I believe Steve did build a great team around him which does not need to be orchestra by him, but I believe as well Apple will change.<br /><br />What will happen?<br /><br />Who knows, but I could imagine that Tim Cook will give Apple a different DNA. When Bill Gates stepped down and Steve Ballmer took over, Microsoft changed too, but not to the worse. One known as the company with the number one OS on computers is now more an Enterprise company with solutions for big and mid size companies with products like Dynamics, SharePoint etc. Microsoft is still a big or even bigger company than10 years ago but a total different focus than under Bill Gates.<br /><br />Microsoft changed and so will Apple. Maybe Apple finally will start to concentrate on businesses and maybe in 5 years the consumer part of Apple is only half of the business and not anymore 99% of the business.<br /><br />Maybe Apple will go more into services and less hardware hence Tim Cook is more known for automation than product design.<br /><br />Either way, I believe Apple will change and we will see this as soon as in the next 12 months it might be for better or for worse.<br /><br />A high risk is the stock market, it might that now everybody is selling their stock in fear stock price will go down, this could be a cascading effect and could hurt Apple a lot. If the stock is down, Apple would react, either replacing Tim Cook or other executives, or trying to come up very fast with other products, which then might not as good in quality as we are used to. The biggest mistake Apple could do, is to look at their stock price and to react if the price falls too much. They need now to hang into it for the next 6 months till price got stable again.<br /><br />We all will miss Steve and wish him all the best. He might have been for employees a pain in the butt or vendors might not have liked him, but he was one of the greatest entrepreneurs in the 21st century without having a famous university degree.<br /><br />I always had the dream to work for Apple, but not only because of the products but because of his genius. I think in some ways he formed how I today make decisions as a manager and I am pretty sure I am not the only manager inspired by Steve.<br /><br /><br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad. Please follow me @schlotz69<br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Spinning%20Wheel%20Ln,Brooksville,United%20States%4028.487471%2C-82.471251&z=10'>Spinning Wheel Ln,Brooksville,United States</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Please don't forget to visit my blog http://new-kid-on-the-blog.com or follow me on twitter schlotz69</div>Markushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718767660929049178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609927892835330559.post-78259076400656965422011-08-23T22:45:00.002-04:002011-08-23T22:46:38.731-04:00Finally there is a market for tablets other than iPadsThe iPad is on the market since April 2010 and already in it's second version and soon the 3rd generation will come out. Multiple other tablets from HB, RIM, Motorola and other manufactures came on the market in last year but still all other tablets together are just make 20% of the tablet market. The Apple iPad has still 80% market share. This is amazing. It seems there is no market for anything different than the iPad. But why is this? For me a tablet is a tablet, like a PC is a PC, what is the difference? <br />
The difference is big. Non of the other tablets can yet compete with the iPad in design, weight or battery power. Some have faster processors (like Motorola Xoom) or have maybe a better OS like the HP touchpad (webOS) or higher security and business relevance (like the RIM playbook) than the iPad. Or some have cable less charging or Android OS which is on more phones than iOS. Some dan even play flash (which the iPad can't)<br />
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But non of them can offer the same package. Apple's iPad is light, has a long battery life, has a very stable OS and offers over 50,000 iPad native applications through the app store. The price starts at $499 and goes up to $829.<br />
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If would look at a matrix you would see that only the iPad offers right now all these features by being not much more expensive than the competition. <br />
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But since a few days we found the secret to get Apple from the throne. HP decided to discontinue their touchpad, after very poor sales. HP produced million of touchpad in the hope they will sell really well. And we have to admit it was not a bad tablet, there were many reviews that the webOS is actually pretty slick and working well on the touchpad. However there are not many apps yet available (btw the Facebook app is actually pretty good). The touchpad is heavier than the iPad and the battery needs to be recharged much faster than the iPad battery.<br />
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HP reduced the price for touchpad to $99 and up to $149 (bigger model). And suddenly we all went crazy to get one. I even drove instantly to BestBuy to get one. However I had no luck ,they were sold out like everybody within hours after the low price went public. <br />
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<center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5644248140892161538'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5fFNWCO11ey7vKDPNbZlBuVzXn4GyMwK5ppmZBPyk8akjEYmNn5PtMimG_AvFrG4OV5KQRCnN45PL8837f7bf9qeic8fWxBbf0GhCBYLaL5R2z242mAcDP44dmOa41OIeZPQRbgJ6O51_/s288/0.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />
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The only company which did not go as low in the price was Amazon. They sold it still for $289 which is still a discount of $200.<br />
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<center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5644248154342865378'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8LHUbSeAtFM3bthkuO1V1oKjUx3TajmkIC0585WvQw3j6I7uRHknKzM4VT-zHXxR_EVsOa95oRJtAc13J2rmGsbXs_3f7jJ6SjufF7k69j16ZzuyqrSfP4j43Ijr-ruueCOZLFvTYVCTh/s288/1.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />
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Many people bought the touchpad to sell it over eBay.<br />
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<center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5644248162358452402'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOsNayFiBF82o_PjhxJlSvNyKPljwWDewJmjk30zVhXq8PmRNS5ONOiGF4HNqJnqJfONEaoEbYvfQtwHVk9Ns9nM7UeI6LzaGrWxYFXuaFUXPElaVg2viiHfhfJ88XJ6yQauUZFLX2Zvpl/s288/2.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />
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The 32GB versions goes in eBay right now in average for $300 which $150 more than the price would have been at Bestbuy.<br />
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Why is now everybody going crazy to get one? It is the price. <br />
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People don't buy the iPad because it is so much better than the others. They buy the iPad because of the package. Always a little better than the others in one or the point but not much more expensive. It is the same if you would need to choose between a Mercedes and Lexus and both would be similar models but the Mercedes would be only a few hundred $ higher. Most of the people would buy the Mercedes (if the Mercedes is overall a little better and nicer looking) and not the Lexus especially if all other choices would not be cheaper.<br />
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Many people do buy right now a tablet because they think they need one but don't really know why. At this point they prefer to buy something they know won't be wrong instead of a tablet which might be good but is not given. <br />
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Hopefully all manufactures did learn from the HP craziness. If they are smart, they are going to reduce the tablet price to around $300 for a 32 GB model and I bet the market would change very fast. The price of course would bring the margin down to 0% and unfortunately these manufactures are not in the same situation like Apple and have services they can sell through the iPad.<br />
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The only company right now who could do this is amazon, when they come out with their tablet, because they have enough services like ebooks, movies and Music service to make enough money on this to allow to have no margin on their tablet. Amazon will not succeed if they are too close with their tablet price to the Apple iPad. <br />
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Another new player in this game could be googlerola (google just recently bought Motorola). They would have the hardware competence, OS and services which would allow them to sell the tablets to 0% margin and still make money on the services offered around the tablet.<br />
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However google might only be interested in the patents from Motorola and not the hardware. And even if they are going to keep the hardware business, it would take at least 12 months till we would see an improved Googlerola tablet for the half of the price than today.<br />
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As an example netbooks only sold so well because of the low price. They were so much cheaper than an full notebook that it was a no-brainer to buy a netbook if you want to have something mobile and cheap. But then they died with the iPad because the iPad is just a little more expensive but so much more mobile and user friendly.<br />
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At the end we can see there is a market for tablets in the low price range. All this HP hypes on Facebook and twitter are showing us that tablet is the new notebook an there is a market in the lower segment and this market is big, very big. The company which will be able to get the lower income people to buy their tablets will be later the market leader. <br />
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Usually I would say the manufacture who is able to be number one seller to businesses will be the winner, but corporate world is slow in terms of tablets and it will still take 2 years till we see more tablets than notebooks in offices.<br />
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- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad. Please follow me @schlotz69<br />
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Please don't forget to visit my blog http://new-kid-on-the-blog.com or follow me on twitter schlotz69</div><br />
<p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Spinning%20Wheel%20Ln,Brooksville,United%20States%4028.487481%2C-82.471257&z=10'>Spinning Wheel Ln,Brooksville,United States</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Please don't forget to visit my blog http://new-kid-on-the-blog.com or follow me on twitter schlotz69</div>Markushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718767660929049178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609927892835330559.post-10731526897043169192011-08-23T21:46:00.002-04:002011-08-23T21:48:32.467-04:00Why google+ is so important for googleGoogle started with their latest social network a couple of months ago and it is already reaching 40 million users. Right now over 80% are male. Facebook on the other side has a slightly higher female user base than males.<br />
Google+ is still beta but every beta user can invite over 150 other people to join google+ as long these people have a gmail account.<br />
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<center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5644232919132900370'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4-JrRMcHdonhbobPEiFUIJIyzwyt9ThY7D9OEIzf6Xrb01aaNxqJ2wp2DVkhj31Z4H36Yiu6snpSLCNJKq7qyXlqxIILAozmg5t1x_aH-ERZb7AqDv-YUCXFkO8HXHQbhsSHwYauyPDQD/s288/0.jpg' border='0' width='166' height='247' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />
Google+ is of course important for google to be a competition to Facebook and to be in the social market. However one of the most important parts is the social integration into search.<br />
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Google is still number one search engine, but it needs to have new features and if possible social features to stay in the first place. <br />
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Many search results are for us not always relevant, even if they are maybe based on our location or our surfing behavior. However we users tend to read articles from people we know. Google+ plus gives us this ability.<br />
When you are logged into google plus and you use google to search you will find search results with the content written from google+ users you know.<br />
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<center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5644232926558653698'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrmu75-BSXD36Mxwm_aPRsDTOWGgNrf-8rfvVNtVD6DS5zHXvYXZXyHfxLYLCBo2kMoJqIZ1mwlJ2pFQjA9sQtRzRmI_eSlR7Er6FpD4An_KJ4zJzLrYTUX04Qa4ANI2__nKkf1LUPasQ_/s288/1.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />
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I searched for "touchpad" and got in the first result page two articles written from google+ members in my circles.<br />
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This gives google a big advantage to bing which belongs to Microsoft (Microsoft has investment in Facebook). Same search with bing does not have anything similar as results even if they would be able to show in results FB friends if they are authors to relevant articles. <br />
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<center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5644232956037083970'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzAwiOOse6k2Dzki9IoEFgPGaonIMNH6I4QlUkZeJFxQHs-rms66K7MODVcK2utO-VH5RCv_RB3L61GGqB3Ff2CbdyMsnA6For2as9eqbOx2_PgoVwM6_9WP4SfhBHgygbQPAly0_edDJV/s288/2.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />
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Both people shown in google are not displayed in bing, even if I am friend with them in FB.<br />
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I always said in the past that google has more results than bing, but if I need to find people or social information than bing is better. I think this is changing now with the growth of google+.<br />
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Google+ will grow and hopefully get more female users in the mix and not just geeks. But when google+ will reach 100 million in will get again a big growth because suddenly many search results will show the authors names and pictures.<br />
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This is for me one of the biggest advantages to Facebook. Facebook is trying to push their search within FB however results are only within Facebook content and will be never a replacement for a real search engine. We want to get results from all websites and not only from FB content.<br />
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- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad. Please follow me @schlotz69<br />
<p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Spinning%20Wheel%20Ln,Brooksville,United%20States%4028.487482%2C-82.471254&z=10'>Spinning Wheel Ln,Brooksville,United States</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Please don't forget to visit my blog http://new-kid-on-the-blog.com or follow me on twitter schlotz69</div>Markushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718767660929049178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609927892835330559.post-42008258636947439362011-08-18T07:19:00.001-04:002011-08-18T07:19:20.030-04:00Apple goes beyond OS and hardwareIt is now 4 years since Apple introduced their first iOS device, the iPhone. Not only that it was revolutionary to offer a phone with being almost the full front as screen but it did as well have no physical keyboard, not many buttons and no pen as an input device.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5642154048822024562'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_JmUqxKG_HGdXSgFQi433b3y4KHfwUWweeX5TXV1kUNpaP1gDmIgoPix7BMUb443aaJWzzIAQNV1FN5SnyISyBTpFHoeC73Vt_ShwIyYEnCXEUG85iPl8M5w_Zc5YkH7EMf30X9pUpULB/s288/0.jpg' border='0' width='270' height='202' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />There were many critics why the iPhone will not succeed. <a target="_blank" href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-9677208-1.html">Cnet</a> did write up 15 reasons why the iPhone will not be a hype. Among the high price was. As well critics on the touchscreen.<br />11. Just how useful is the touch screen? The iPhone user interface looks elegant, innovative, and easy-to-use, but is it the best interface for a device like this?<br />Whenever you do anything, the iPhone will command your full visual attention. "No buttons" may be sexy, but it also means you can't do anything without looking at the phone.<br />The iPhone's iPod usability may suffer even worse from the touch screen. Have you ever tried to operate an iPod while it's in your pocket? You can do it, but it's hard. The iPhone will make blind iPod-surfing downright impossible.<br />That said, it looks like the iPhone will eliminate accidental pocket-dialing once and for all.<br /><br />Every critic was wrong, the iPhone is now the most popular phone ever, it got even sold more than the RAZR from Motorola.<br /><br />But much more astonishing is that the iPhone iOS multiple gesture input got copied by Android, RIM, Windows 7 mobile and all other touchscreen OS.<br />Pinch, wipe and zoom are just a few functions which now every touch screen device has.<br /><br />It might look today obviously to wipe or to use two fingers to zoom, but before Apple nobody did seem to have this idea.<br /><br />It is today such a standard that I see people trying to do this on normal monitors just to figure out they are not touch screens.<br /><br />I use with my iMac the touch pad and mighty mouse and find myself many times to try to replicate the gesture movements on my Windows mouse with of course no luck.<br /><br />The new way to navigate through websites or applications is so normal after just 4 years that even commercials or replicating this without anybody asking what the people in the commercial are doing.<br /><br /><iframe width="290" height="190" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Gf_i4fgYWlQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br /><br />Apple clearly does more than just computers and software, they change our thinking and behavior. The notebook might be in few years in the same situation like the typewriter and we will find notebooks only in museums. <br /><br />Do you remember when Apple stopped to have 3.5 inch disks drives in their computer? At least 2 years ahead than other manufactures. Apple is a trendsetter and as long they can keep up with, as long Apple will dominate.<br /><br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad. Please follow me @schlotz69<br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Spinning%20Wheel%20Ln,Brooksville,United%20States%4028.487476%2C-82.471257&z=10'>Spinning Wheel Ln,Brooksville,United States</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Please don't forget to visit my blog http://new-kid-on-the-blog.com or follow me on twitter schlotz69</div>Markushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718767660929049178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609927892835330559.post-28532830591423164572011-08-17T21:33:00.001-04:002011-08-17T21:33:54.629-04:00No iPad 3 this year and new iPhone in OctoberIf the rumors are right then we will not get a new iPad this year but a new iPhone in October which can be preordered in late September.<br /><br />Of the news is disappointing and the other is very good.<br /><br />The iPad 3<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5642003174168030402'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCLk2tL3ll0Mp_JfhIX8nIZda2ceudGEGkcT70PMKsIb09qDtIuA9qgJC1HCGqBpmgiCXxIQgHeB0RNqTbo-zbLQrQ_qYViWqVBATTQ3F3CAt54XMBzvhjjVFrHOtLaXd5wLieJPTBnCX8/s288/0.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='157' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />I think it is really good news not to bring an iPad 3 this year. Rumors were out that the iPad 3 will be available in September, but honestly two iPads in one year would be too much. The price is much higher than a smart phone and buying two iPads in one year is not cheap. And as we know, always when a new version comes out, Apple is reducing the previous version in price. I would not find it cool to see after 6 months that my iPad is now 20% cheaper. One thing I always liked at Apple was the long product life time and price stability. A new iPad would have not been good. If Apple keeps a 12 months cycle then it is much more likely that the new product will be much better than the previous with more new features. The next iPad should be at least 2 mm thinner, should have retina display and maybe cable less charging. Apple does good not to offer a new iPad this year which has maybe just a faster processor. The time is not right yet. Maybe in a few years where not many new features can easily build in, or when it is not anymore possible to make the iPad lighter or thinner and we are all moved from notebook to iPads, then Apple can start to offer every 3 months an iPad with faster processor and bigger hard drive. And to be clear, that Apple can keep up such high demand is only possible if they can get a lot of media hype when a new version comes out. Reducing the cycle to 6 or less months will not guaranty media hypes. Compare it with DELL or all other computer manufactures, they bring every three month a new version of their products on the market, but really no press cares. We might find info in special review websites, but there is no prime time press coverage. When was it the last time that CBS reported a new DELL computer in the evening news? You can't answer? Me neither, but I know since 2007 every new iPhone or iPad was in the big news.<br />If the rumors are right, then I am happy to save money. However if an iPad 3 is coming out this year, then it has better a faster processor, better cameras and retina display or I would be disappointed by Apple.<br /><br />I believe in two years you can order the iPad online with not only the ability to choose provider and memory but as well to choose the processor and color of the iPad (not only white and black). I can see that we can choose between four processors and up to 256GB with eight frame colors. This would be awesome. The smallest iPad for $499 and up to $1299 for the really fast quad core processor and 256 GB memory.<br /><br />The iPhone 5<br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5642003177395128898'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXOuQG5CiYBSeZvlpIV0GGC5kZOPuNWNWZ2jdb8gJDHD2H96BjV2aBfRdklx6HpL3swIuCeeGqSrpHbvUcO9hmhhsNJQr_KzuQLmK6OyYm4aaBWD5B3yHBUFKO0rgnQywdf-Y_YBpZNRW_/s288/1.jpg' border='0' width='222' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Rumors are out that the iPhone 5 release date will be later than previously expected, due to software that otherwise won’t be ready.<br /><br />The news comes from AllThingsD, and is at odds with earlier reports that indicated that the device would actually be available earlier, during September. Next generation iPhone rumors are pouring in these days, as we’re getting closer to the launch of the device. That conflicts with a report from tech blog Gizmodo, which has passed along a supposed email from an AT&T employee claiming that employee vacation requests for late September have been denied. “Historically the only time they’ve done this was for an iPhone release,” reads that email. “So we’re looking at the last two weeks of September.” “I don’t know why AT&T’s calling for all hands on deck those weeks, but it’s not for an iPhone launch,” one source said.<br /><br />I tend to believe AllthingsD. But at the end is disappointing. Not only that we had to wait 18 months for a new iPhone but as well that the new iPhone will not have 4G.<br /><br />Either way, Apple seems to be ready for a new iPhone. At least it looks like they are working on the redesign of the iPhone page. And accidentally showed a lot of text layered on each other.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5642003186694716514'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ1TGfpYoHwHzrH2nz_jVaMe1MvK5V0_AxouQ78vRUHZqxDFz9Q5rsnM59Rr02BZEYIPveW6RXDh2IVJhSIE3g_g3lSmm_jH_gvPC5mGDqHT6s2_9Y1BTmb5U_rQzQyJD0y4XjgWdk-tSm/s288/2.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='172' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />The only selectable layer reads: “Only iPhone gives you one-tap access to the world’s largest collection of mobile apps.” Underneath the text layer, other fragments can be seen, such as “retina,” ostensibly from the usual slide that rotates on the iPhone page. Found by the <a target="_blank" href="http://iphone5newsblog.com/">iphone5newsblog.com</a><br /><br />The question is, what will be different with the iPhone 5 than iPhone 4?. First of all it will hopefully have the A5 or A6 processor and a slightly bigger screen (4inch). The screen might not be wider but longer. The home button might be now integrated into the screen instead of being a button. Steve Jobs never liked buttons. Maybe it has (what I doubt) conducting charging like other phone built in. It might have an NFC chip and Stereo speakers. It is expected that the new iPhone can handle GSM and CDMA, to allow Apple to build only one iPhone. Most likely (as you can see on the image above) it might be thinner and not flat anymore. However I hope it does not change it's form factor, I am tired of buying all the time new accessories. Maybe (to be fancy) the iPhone has no buttons at all anymore and everything as the front, sides and back are touch screens. But this is very unlikely.<br />it seems that iPhone will not have yet 4G. Apple is testing LTE right now (rumors are saying) but if so, then there is no way it will have 4G in October. Apple would be done with testing in August when the first iPhone went onto the assembly line.<br />Not having 4G is the biggest disappointment for me. Because all other enhancement are ok but not really the hammer for selling. The only other reason besides 4G for me to switch to a new iPhone would be the processor. My iPhone 4 has already issues with simple games like Angry Birds. Many times the game slows down, of course one reason is the poor coding execution. <br />I have friends at ATT and Verizon and none of them does know what features the new iPhone will have and if screen or case will be different. And these guys are usually informed enough to know 2 months earlier what features their new phones in stock will have.<br /><br />Regardless of features or form factor, the release day of the iPhone 5 will be exactly the same day iOS 5 comes out, there is no way that Apple would release one or the other first. Because iOS is perfectly build around the iPhone 5, this is for sure.<br /><br />Regardless what the next iPhone 5 will be it is already a bit in China.<br />At least one online coupon website and more than 100 online shop owners on Taobao.com, China's biggest online auction website, have provided pre-order links online for the next generation of the iPhone (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.china.org.cn/business/2011-08/17/content_23230133.htm">source china.org.cn</a>)<br /><br />Many Taobao sellers said they would start shipping the iPhone 5 between September 5 and September 7, which is around the time most industry insiders expect the smartphone to debut.<br />Most iPhone 5 for pre-order are being sold on Taobao from 4,000 yuan (US$625) to 7,000 yuan each.<br />Apple Inc, whose iPhone 4 and iPad tablets have wowed consumers around the world, declined to comment on the issue or the iPhone 5 release date.<br />Meituan, a Beijing-based Groupon-like website, announced that it will hold a lucky draw with the top prize being an iPhone 5. Users registering on the website or following the website on Sina Weibo will have the opportunity to win the iPhone 5, according to Meituan.<br /><br />In July, Apple reported its China revenue grew six times in its fiscal third quarter ended on June 30 due to booming sales of iPhones and iPads.<br /><br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad. Please follow me @schlotz69<br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Spinning%20Wheel%20Ln,Brooksville,United%20States%4028.487466%2C-82.471261&z=10'>Spinning Wheel Ln,Brooksville,United States</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Please don't forget to visit my blog http://new-kid-on-the-blog.com or follow me on twitter schlotz69</div>Markushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718767660929049178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609927892835330559.post-88182571686248900232011-08-15T21:31:00.003-04:002011-08-16T05:35:59.475-04:00Google to buy Motorola Mobility Holdings, but why?To strengthen its mobile business, Google announced on Monday that it would acquire Motorola Mobility Holdings, the cellphone business that was split from Motorola, for $40 a share in cash, or $12.5 billion.<br />
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Motorola is second biggest cell phone manufacture in the world.<br />
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And according to <a target="_blank" href="http://reviews.cnet.com/best-smartphones/">cnet.com</a> the Motorola phantom 4G is even the second best smart phone on the market.<br />
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<center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5641260276380249410'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyP5dKBvjIr972y80cCBjWoTpl8xEGZC1KFOxeaUV8AUBQ158OherUQLi06uq2shLRaBSm8V3nFQ81fdhrS4MIJ6hQSl5s7PDf2a6G70tL7wvXHDwl9IfCPG3sy7iKKtK6peNz__0SscME/s288/1.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />
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But in June 2011 data from Nielsen for the US shows that Motorola is only number 5 smart phone manufacture:<br />
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<center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5641260282882429298'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ9r8ikveXm8TxXsKbJAkTf5SWTxjgBaoEnGeR7bwK9Pd2Wdv8I22mS2airZ3PPlqIZ3LYeNEjbIVoddoKFqsXUnkWcNPYkotYlrkpsq5HajU4Bq0wZMdgihE-FhBY759JxDibd9MkId45/s288/2.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='203' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />
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Motorola did fail to have same success with smart phones as they had it with the RAZR. Over the RAZR's four-year run, Motorola sold more than 130 million units, becoming the best-selling clamshell phone in the world (and is still today).<br />
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However Motorola is still a big name under cell phones and had the first real competition to Apple iPhone with the DROID. <br />
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The offer, Google’s largest ever for an acquisition is 63 percent above the closing price of Motorola Mobility shares on Friday. Many Motorola manufactures phones run on Google’s Android software and is therefore a good fit. The acquisition will bring Google very close to Apple in terms of phone manufacturing.<br />
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But Motorola would bring much more to the table. Google would gain 17,000 patents and a lot of service.<br />
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When Google first started to sell their own HTC phone called Nexus One, it was a disaster. The phone was only sold on Google website and Google was not able to give the needed customer support. Buying Motorola would Google give expertise in service and a sales force which knows already to get phones into retail stores.<br />
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This buy could catapult Google very far on top and shows where Google want to go next. If the deal goes through, it will take at least 12 months till we the merger comes to success, however the Motorola unit could help Android OS a lot. The biggest issue for Android is the variety of different phones and form factors. Therefore many Android OS versions are on the market and the user seldom knows which one is available for the phone. And it makes harder for developer to build and test an app against all Android phones and Android OS versions.<br />
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Apple success is, that there is only one phone with max 3 generations (iPhone 2 is not anymore with latest OS supported). This makes it so easy for Apple to build a perfect OS and easier for developer to build apps. As a result most iPhone apps are better in quality and iPhone users are more willing to pay for an app. The iOS is much smoother and iPhone users tend (maybe for these two reasons) to download more apps and listen to more music than Android users.<br />
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<center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5641260291669759090'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheyRB6zbtkii_6jKRLnurvVO_Ev5cNWid7Fo-bPUL7FxCtZFKnYrf90FBnhrA_0VbOCYBuKtPLt_kDBaAuEOCWvFjhyphenhyphencyWfHzCBWcZOFH5P7pGLds6kVxKNIWhbhcoA2h7zEY7Dui9K886/s288/3.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='271' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />
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An Android user (as shown in Nielsen info graph) has a higher average Data usage than iPhone but overall less app downloads or online gaming. The higher data usage could result of less app quality and therefore more unnecessary package transfers.<br />
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If Google is smart, which I believe, then they will first dump all Motorola devices which are not using Android or which are not smart phones. Then they should take the top two models, like the phantom 4 and build their OS perfect for these models hardware.<br />
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Google would not do good, if they would keep all current Motorola models which are currently 32. <br />
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<center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5641260301153961698'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4cgJZpWoKZHqIOMVjevPEv8R_kbz_o6OLhpYfr2sOiYf3Y6SVpZ5iETd2pzqDeSc_m-gRAm13GlIxsFGFvKt1gdvC3Hkzsi26Q7-Hn1P8VnWg5EeIb0RY4zURn_tTWpMu8j6CRuPnKTDj/s288/4.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />
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Having their own Android phone and the right sales and service behind is all Google needs to strengthen their OS. Even if Android is an open OS it is sometimes better not to have too much diversity.<br />
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Smartphones are much more than hardware. Smart phones are service hubs. Search, music, social every thinkable Internet service is combined in a smart phone and the better the OS is calibrated to the hardware the better these services are working. <br />
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And the future and money is in services and not hardware or OS. Apple already understands this concept and therefore they are building an infrastructure which will give the user no other chance then using their services. I am still cursing the day I bought my first iMac computer, from this day on I was married to Apple and even if I would like to get divorced today, I could not easily because of iTunes, and how well all my devices are connected to each other.<br />
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I am wondering if the Motorola Xoom is a part of the mobility holding (according to the website, yes) then Google does get much more, not only the smart phones but as well tablets, software, baby phones, two way radios, navigation devices and 17.000 patents.<br />
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<center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5641260306843922898'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8flt7klmyqxQa-gfmPoq7Emw4FqujURozUnqj-d8MQ9FsFZygFJrlFntQvWgbGx4Sq119vr4mrKfRivE3Vdt6j6rnep_bXeMCy7W1G6BLPbtbfVHAJrrwD2ns0xvp6h6CdavTerFIX-Ui/s288/5.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />
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Google could be from one day to another a second Apple, selling phones, tablets and other Android devices and would have finally an online store. <br />
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<center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5641260317870391810'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk89XjL13-DXUOr57KgLTP1x0GqMCJ_tcXLNL6447NhCv7XC6wXNvG_o2yudthQZBFAcc7Y1VnSE7fNG53cSGG6nR-UxUa2SQg21ahd4EflAB8Mmgsxmo2d_novIlg11YeLJFsePJG_Nsw/s288/6.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />
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The $12.5 billion is a good investment to move out of "search" and "advertising" and to go from virtual to products which people can touch and Ro bind them to Google only devices.<br />
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Google has over $39 billion in cash and the $12.5 billion would not hurt but could bring a lot.<br />
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Maybe we see soon Google stores next to Apple stores.<br />
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- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad. Please follow me on twitter @schlotz69<br />
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Please don't forget to visit my blog http://new-kid-on-the-blog.com or follow me on twitter schlotz69</div><br />
<p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Spinning%20Wheel%20Ln,Brooksville,United%20States%4028.487473%2C-82.471257&z=10'>Spinning Wheel Ln,Brooksville,United States</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Please don't forget to visit my blog http://new-kid-on-the-blog.com or follow me on twitter schlotz69</div>Markushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718767660929049178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609927892835330559.post-80848989689694105212011-08-14T20:12:00.001-04:002011-08-14T20:12:08.973-04:00How I missed to get 250.000 downloads and 3 million in fundingAlmost two years ago I pitched to my company and some friends an idea I had and even did blog about the idea last year. The idea was kind of simple but maybe good after all. We are many times somewhere shopping for something and don't really know if we should buy it or not. We could read reviews but they are mostly written from people we don't know. Usually we get influenced by friends, we ask them and if they say it is a great pants, tool or toy we will buy. I don't know how many people I converted to iPads. But mostly they bought it not because everybody says it is a cool device, but because their friends (mostly me) told them it is cool.<br /><br />Therefore I came up with the idea of "Help me Choose". An app which allows you to make a picture and then send to your friends. They can then put thumbs up or down.<br /><br />Since last year there are a few apps with a similar idea. One app is called <a target="_blank" href="http://www.gotryiton.com/">Got try it on</a> but right now limited to clothes. The founders just secured 3 Million in funding.<br />Users upload a photo or use a Webcam to show an outfit and solicit advice from other users. The service, which is one of several trying to make online shopping more social, started last year, and so far 250,000 people have downloaded the app and commented on outfits 10 million times. Most of the users are young women, and 30 percent live abroad.<br /><br /> It is a free app and still limited. The app has yet no revenue stream but the founders are talking about similar approach as I wrote. Like letting brands pay for allowing to give better info about the product. I want to see if they as well will come up with the point system I had in mind to engage users to use the app and to vote.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5640868863851209714'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh4qZJqe-6CWm_5pPhJ0IOLfvnn2c84-YkYrWx-JcruvZKW1H8dVR-4GcghEKvwcdrdpHnKLDrDG9FuO_LEoN1bmPw9CjOHPDLyup0ht4vY62iu_jS2_0Nvj5YZmnj3MmMjg_mak-_Nhjr/s288/0.jpg' border='0' width='190' height='273' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br />I think this is the future of social and I am mad with myself that I did not brought my idea to life.<br /><br />I don't see a FB anymore necessary as a social platform it is more like tons of little social apps working independent of each other but maybe connected to FB, Google+ and twitter. Got try it on is limited to people who are member to to website and have the app. I would recommend to this company to extend it to FB, google+ and twitter. To allow to get from more "real friends" feedback. And the app should open it's niche to electronics and other retail products. Having a good revenue idea can make this app big and eventual replace reviews, which I never trusted. <br /><br /><br />Here is my blog from September last year http://www.new-kid-on-the-blog.com/2010/09/friends-are-more-important-than.html. Got Try it on started April 2010 a few months before I wrote my blog, however i has the concept already written in 2009. But clearly my fault. I did not execute and must see now how much funding i could have gotten and how many people would use the service.<br /><br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad. Please follow me @schlotz69<br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Spinning%20Wheel%20Ln,Brooksville,United%20States%4028.487469%2C-82.471266&z=10'>Spinning Wheel Ln,Brooksville,United States</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Please don't forget to visit my blog http://new-kid-on-the-blog.com or follow me on twitter schlotz69</div>Markushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718767660929049178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609927892835330559.post-12011784704327998372011-08-14T19:35:00.001-04:002011-08-14T19:35:33.056-04:00Google+ games are now availableGoogle+ offers now games like Facebook. However there are not many games yet which will change soon. Unfortunately google seems to make a mistake like FB. Granted the idea is good that games messages are not showing in your normal stream as prominent as in FB, but google seem not to understand that many users are using iPads or Android slates for their daily google+ usage. <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5640859429364754306'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheaTd6XlQfzBFgP6xUXaV2yYQO6BzSyIWLd9ughoNJrVeQezYAfA3Z2rHoysYBaJ-J8Q8_QOsi8Qs7TfLBDrHw1WrdUiJYck-qIzfHuLNyus3bHOZkDhrnHJaoNOc1HniKK-zPnXFeb8Ck/s288/0.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />But first to new games feature. Google+ added on top one more icon for games, where the user get a list of available games. At least it is much easier to find games with google+ but only now because there are not many games. I am missing a games search. You can use the find people search to find games but a special game search would be great. Finding games at FB is not possible if you don't know for what game you are looking for, I hope google does not do same mistake.<br />Install is easy. Click on the game and allow the game access to your info.<br /><br />But here comes the problem. If you use your iPad, you have to switch to desktop version to see the games and to be able to play the games. Here comes the next problem, some of the games are developed in flash and require flash 10 player which even Android tablets mostly don't have.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5640859433974139234'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3aoTNZtLgIwKdtDBmuOxMtiZRqX4FXZ0mDmWjGEjZsZnsCvGR95OQXtQeJ8lVLQq_yHrI9gly7-MB40hwKmKn89zg_5G-hxK3LkKmqqAx2Gyp1crymBiStFekMpLb5qJqmgBVUYcSePIE/s288/1.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Some games are done in html5 which allows to be played on the iPad. However the iPad will always switch to mobile version when you navigate to another page. I guess google does not want you to use desktop version on your iPad.<br /><br />Other games like Angry Bird are recognizing that your are using the iPad and ask you if you want to download instead the Angry Bird version for the iPad. Which is odd because I have already Angry Birds installed. Why does it not open my Angry Birds instead going to the app store? On the other hand I might want to play in google+ Angry Birds to get better ranking because there are less players playing, but I did not get the chance. And Angry Birds has no google+ connect yet to post scores etc to google plus. The games are either to play in google+ plus or are not connected at all to google+.<br /><br />After all it is important to have games on google+ because most people do play games on social networks, but I was hoping that google does a better job with integration and does not allow old technologies like flash, especially that many mobile devices don't have flash or only limited flash. After all social works best on globile (smart phone) and lobile (iPads etc.). Desktops and notebook are more and more only for business use and we better don't do too much on social networks through company network and on company devices.<br /><br />Google+ gets from me right now only a C+.<br /><br />What do you think about google+ games, do they do it right, or should google have wait a little?<br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad. Please follow me @schlotz69<br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Spinning%20Wheel%20Ln,Brooksville,United%20States%4028.487463%2C-82.471260&z=10'>Spinning Wheel Ln,Brooksville,United States</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Please don't forget to visit my blog http://new-kid-on-the-blog.com or follow me on twitter schlotz69</div>Markushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718767660929049178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609927892835330559.post-91394541567707036222011-08-11T22:02:00.001-04:002011-08-11T22:02:17.397-04:00No Samsung Galaxy 10 inch in Europe (only in Netherlads)<a target="_blank" href="http://www.tagesschau.de/wirtschaft/applesamsung100.html">Apple did win for now against Samsung and therefore</a> Samsung is not allowed to sell their Galaxy tablet in Europe Union besides Netherlands. <br /><br />The main reason why Apple did not want to have the Galaxy sold, is the too similar design to the iPad.<br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5639783972952490882'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZKWpWgrXBGFXCNas8nu7ERHTqVn19JsLiSi1AT5XNh9V_hQXo8a5j_rbf_BWiYT5UYGIppMpe7PHL33ShN3Edq6y8C8TYuAQhMyRQ6u-b6W8q2B-7cg3-s7gE5hgKubHmAjqhyphenhyphen-HzK4nQ/s288/34.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='191' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5639783975255930098'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgReg3zusmGzIi3vP8pl57XEHXQ-Rw61tWFHFmR4YBW4KBgRcWDvzuxpwEpp7Xm9VnXxIlhmxtINTrCiSHLSKrfzuGPEbW-bPKMEjWWxzfz_sZlz1i85nXIQLzBsPzIfu6zH50mLPiVXWaA/s288/37.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />I think there is more behind than cloning the iPad. The Galaxy does look little similar but is it not normal when creating a tablet? Should have Samsung put handles on the Galaxy or external antennas or maybe made it round that it does not look like the iPad?<br /><br />There is not much vendors can do when the goal is to have a 10 inch tablet, very light and sophisticated looking. Look at desktop computers. They all look similar, even notebooks are now closer to Apple notebooks. <br /><br />Honestly I don't like neither that many japanese cars look like Mercedes or BMW, but it is as it is. If the price is lower or quality better then we buy it.<br /><br />I understand that Apple has patents (not that I agree on our patent system in the US) and did spend a lot of money and research to make the iPhone as a 9.7 inch device. But Steve, you honestly do not think we believe you that it is about the design.<br /><br />Europeans have usually a less brand affiliation than Americans and sometimes they even tend not to buy a leading brand, because the brand has too much market share and control.<br /><br />But more important is the picing strategy from Apple, that usually a device in Europe costs the same as in the US but in Euro which makes the poducts 30% more expensive. Apple is in the most part following this price philosophy and therefore the other vendors can score very easily by reduced prices.<br /><br />And then, Apple does have in Europe much less stores than in the US.<br />The iPad maker has 52 stores in the region, compared to 238 in the United States.<br />Acerbic, Asus, HP, Motorola, Samsung and the other tablet companies have a much better and deeper experience dealing with local distributors. If Samsung would be able to sell the Galaxy they could have the device in thousands of stores over night.<br /><br />Right now there is no competition on the horizon and Apple might be holding major of the tablet market till 2015. The biggest mistakes the other vendors did, was to build and sell 7 inch tablets. Surveys did show that the consumer does prefer 10 inch because 7 inch is too small as a tablet. As a result all other vendors starting to build 10 inch versions of their tablets.<br /><br />There is a big chance that Apple will in 12 months not anymore dominate the European market like they do it in the US. Already now, Apple iPad has in Europe only 70% market share but in the US 80%.<br /><br />I remember when I went in 2005 to Germany to visit my family, that only one of 4 mpg players were iPods. But in the US almost everybody had iPods. so I asked some people why they don't have iPods? Two standard answers. Either because iPods are just too expensive and don't do more than other mpg players, or because they did not want to support a big arrogant company.<br /><br />Apple had with the iPhone in 2010 in Europe only 18% market share, but in the US 28%.<br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5639783986303358098'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBy4G_oMSQE8vrORqHULoNLWmWtv3I4_64XwxM9nqX98yxb_c_yi_MiOKfzXcye2_vFXhtAl_P6O7BFv2uE4ELLHkspSh-T5UIRAYxV_LCJtHYMFWMuoqrqDtuf7iak2SNvvJvtTQL1nuc/s288/40.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='231' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5639783990231533314'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOpZLDJF7U0VF1HFFYUmBlaU5O248rVzcR_U0itfE2ZIYDmQri3_xPVBIPXoCgJeTjnCgJC9qThLaTyb1SS57X2_qBvYp6wbRoQgNwonid7eNgfN5uhz-uONq_NgjVEm7fNYJUapxJH19q/s288/41.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='234' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />The same could happen with the iPad.<br /><br />Now we know why Samsung is so eager to get into Europe market with their Galaxy and why Apple does not want this to happen.<br /> <br />I am disappointed that Apple is playing the patent card instead of doing what they are the best. Keep building new toys which have best usability, best battery live and do look just perfect. Even if the Galaxy looks not much different, the battery life is shorter, the usability is not as good as the iPad and it is still heavier. If Apple does fear this, then I don't know what will come next.<br /><br />I am actually right now pretty annoyed about all these patents fights going on. Apple against Samsung, Google against Microsoft, Microsoft against Motorola and so on. <br /><br />It is time that our patent rules a getting changed.<br /><br />(info and statistics from Forrester, The firm surveyed nearly 14,000 online consumers throughout Europe to find that between 2 and 7 percent of consumers surveyed own a tablet and 10 to 14 percent are interested in buying one. Tablet ownership was highest in Spain and lowest in France. Interest in tablets was highest in Germany.).<br /><br />Samsung is not allowed to sell the Galaxy in Europe, but i am wondering if I could sell them from the US through my online store to Europe? Could be the big deal. I should start to count my winnings.<br /><br />Let me know what your thoughts are about the whole patents fights?<br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress, please follow me on twitter @schlotz69<br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Spinning%20Wheel%20Ln,Brooksville,United%20States%4028.487466%2C-82.471258&z=10'>Spinning Wheel Ln,Brooksville,United States</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Please don't forget to visit my blog http://new-kid-on-the-blog.com or follow me on twitter schlotz69</div>Markushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718767660929049178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609927892835330559.post-59797499053903895992011-08-09T21:45:00.001-04:002011-08-09T21:45:58.885-04:00NYTimes goes crowd sourcing4 years ago I did work at one of the pioneers of professional crowd sourcing for software development. Topcoder.com utilizes a crowd of over 200,000 developers to build enterprise applications, websites or Mashups for companies like AOL, Fidelity etc.<br /><br />Jack Hughes founded TopCoder in 2001 and brought the company to Inc 500. The biggest difference to other crowd sourcing is that everything is done in competition and only the bests will win which helps to deliver better software.<br /><br />TopCoder has competitions in these areas:<br /><b>Algorithms</b> (competition length about 2 hours): Competitors are given a set (usually three) of algorithmic problems and have 75 minutes to correctly solve as many as they can.<br /><b>Design</b> (competition length 1 week): Competitors are given a set of user requirements and attempt to convert them into a usable software design specification. Their efforts are judged on a variety of "real-world" criteria on how correct and practical their design is.<br /><b>Development</b> (competition length 1 week): Competitors are given a set of design specification and attempt to write software components that match those specification. These components are judged on their functionality and coding style.<br /><b>Marathon Matches</b> (competition length 1 or 2 weeks): Contestants are given a particularly difficult algorithmic problem. The scoring is done by computer based on criteria specifically suited to the problem.<br /><b>Studio</b> (competition length varies): Contestants are asked to show off their creative skills in a competitive environment.<br /><b>Architecture</b><br /><b>Assembly</b> TopCoder has created Assembly Competitions as an extension of Component Design and Development Competitions. Through these competitions, competitors create high quality applications using completed components and TopCoder's established competitive method.<br /><b>Testing</b><br /><b>Bug Races</b> Project teams, clients and members are able to log bugs they find in software developed and supported by TopCoder. TopCoder will communicate these bugs to the member community. Bugs that are open to the community will be posted on the Active Bug Races page.<br />(source Wikipedia.com)<br /><br />Many companies did follow this principle without doing a competition, but with understanding that it is easier and cheaper to let the crowd develop software instead hiring thousand of developers. Take as an example salesforce.com, the true secret behind their success is not only their very innovative CRM but their appExchange platform. Companies or single developers can offer and build new plugins or extensions for salesforce.com. Appexchange allowed SFDC to offer constantly new products around their CRM to make it more attractive without doing the development. There thousands of add ons like project management or outlook integration. <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5639037556928441282'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz6tduNnxHM0_wPGq1FSgFfLMu98jIJzOixX4q5LFzqbRY8h8YWDs85N2-4Ym4_cAVBRdk69rPEe5EwcJj5tbFHicKt2UHZ2BzRsqv4SPmAD2vCcIzBbZWOP9HIhWsN7J_OqibJ4Jkfo8D/s288/34.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />Or take Facebook as an example. Facebook would have been not half as successful without their application platform. There are uncountable FB apps the user can choose from and people on Facebook install 20 million applications every day. <br /><br />The iPhone or android phones would have been never so successful if there were only a few apps available. We can see right now the success of the iPad and the poor performance of Android tablets. Android tablets might have already overtaken the iPad, if their application pool would have been bigger.<br /><br />Before the experts will complain, I am aware that these examples are not really crowd sourcing. Crowd sourcing origin is the act of outsourcing tasks, traditionally performed by an employee or contractor, to an undefined, large group of people or community (a "crowd"), through an open call.<br /><br />For example, the public may be invited to develop a new technology, carry out a design task, refine or carry out the steps of an algorithm, or help capture, systematize or analyze large amounts of data.<br /><br />However the salesforce, Facebook or Apple App store is for me a derive of crowd sourcing. They all had the task that they need to have a lot of extra features or functions to support their platform or device to attract the consumer. Therefore they did build an open API to allow others to develop new functions or apps. But to take advantage of it they did build a marketplace or one location where the consumer can find all offers around the main product. It is like accessories. We never tend to buy a computer if there are not enough accessories available. <br /><br />Facebook, SalesForce.com, Google and Apple are following the long tail strategy. Long Tail is describing the retailing strategy of selling a large number of unique items in relatively small quantities – usually in addition to selling fewer popular items in large quantities. <br /><br />(Finally I coming to the point) The NYTimes is now doing the same. They created <a target="_blank" href="http://beta620.nytimes.com/">beta620</a>.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5639037563102437794'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSINvj3fiqMYcEE0MEZ_HBHJ8Z0twrBQTdr89KhODF01sbSUboxqq2F4P31YLHRZOjYv0cTvMS6pjKJS5r1ENAhbyeDAPesiKqJMERuxim9DLC-4-32GTxsjPotRrLtiUQASjCMILAiRhg/s288/37.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Beta620 is the NYTimes version to get the best and latest features for their website or iPad application without hiring product managers.<br /><br /><blockquote>Beta620 welcome text:<br /> At The New York Times, our software engineers, journalists, product managers and designers are constantly striving to create new and innovative ways to present news and information and interact with our readers. Yet it’s often difficult to try out new inventions on the world’s largest newspaper Web site. That’s why we created beta620, a new home for experimental projects from Times developers — and a place for anyone to suggest and collaborate on new ideas and products.<br /><br />Many of these projects will live only on beta620. But a few, like the innovative Times Skimmer, which started out as an entry in one of our internal technology contests, will “graduate” to become full-fledged products on our main site or our mobile apps.<br /><br />beta620 will also be a place where Times developers interact with readers to discuss projects, and incorporate community suggestions into their work. So, please, take a look around, and play with our new toys. We’re eager to hear what you think.</blockquote><br /><br />At the end it is a mix out of idea tank open to public and test platform for new products. <br /><br />The whole beta620 is supported through The NYTimes developer network. Right now there are only projects on beta620 which are developed from NYT developers, however the <a target="_blank" href="http://developer.nytimes.com/">developer network beta</a> might merge in some point with beta620 together.<br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/107617716556006360360/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5639037616601602098'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL85vOmkSv9cFsTThLG_w2iUMMaiIAd6S4c94t1PNlzQ55P59b2zpGF_0nxaFXbltSzeeC1Kyf0f2wnevN_0u4N9S7hxCTKnnLqjn478Q-qKdh9Pjt4l05EdcyrPT1IbSNynFYDjFYN7LB/s288/40.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />I have to say this makes sense for me. NYTimes is a very big newspaper but need to find new ways to generate revenue and to keep or gain their readers. If NYTimes will start to have their own app marketplace and people can modify their NYT experience as they wish with any function they want, then why should we need Google or Facebook?<br /><br />Maybe NYT is on something, maybe they figured out that Facebook is great for keeping up with family, friends, wonna be friends and people we would like to remember why we friend them. But it is not the place to get news and celebrity info or any info we can rely on it's really important and relevant.<br /><br />NYT could offer both, or be just a social network for news. But to get there, they need the long tail with their blue ocean strategy (Blue Ocean Strategy is a business strategy by creating new demand in an uncontested market space, or a "Blue Ocean", than by competing head-to-head with other suppliers for known customers in an existing industry.)<br /><br />We all should keep an eye on NYTimes to see what their real strategy is.<br /><br />Note:<br />The NYTimes app for the iPad is now 4 weeks in a row stable with no crash. The worst app OS for me now editions by AOL.<br /><br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress, please follow me on twitter @schlotz69<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Please don't forget to visit my blog http://new-kid-on-the-blog.com or follow me on twitter schlotz69</div>Markushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718767660929049178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609927892835330559.post-75653816757783255002011-08-08T21:57:00.001-04:002011-08-08T21:57:02.202-04:00Touch on the iPad is just the beginningApple did something revolutionary and did take the keyboard away from the netbooks, gave it a touch screen a fast mobile OS and called it iPad. Notebook and especially netbook sales slowed growing down and even declined since the iPad came on sale.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/mrlacher/JackSOpinion?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXomZLBmcj-vwE#5638669383450331954'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiumYfgWtWg7BsG2NwQkFHGYp3ivDK6nWKm65uRm7y_bdej7Ymw10Bf8t8GKS3hwl34SsHLO_xmNZduRXROjLha5Sl7wJLNymgGVrwHPXKEueOyf7AP3ADhpMps73Ohblm9rqtM9WG_6d46/s288/34.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='193' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />The statistic is one year old and the overall PC market slowed down, however Apple did take a big piece from the netbook market. last year Apple sold almost 15 million iPads and is expected to sell this year 44 million. All netbooks from all vendors did sell in 2010 together 33 million. And is expected to sell 30 million this year. I give netbooks not more than two years.<br /><br />As great the iPad as, it is not yet a notebook replacement as I wrote in many blogs, but it will come. For now the iPad is mostly in use to read, surf the internet, to watch movies and to play.<br /><br />But the iPad could be so much more, if we would go beyond touch. The iPad has a camera which could read gestures and has a microphone for voice control. However developers are not yet utilizing these features and Apple is not yet pushing for it.<br /><br />The latest iOS 5 beta 5 version has a little microphone symbol on the virtual keyboard, which could indicate that voice control is coming soon. Knowledge should have Apple enough. They bought in April 2010 Siri which had their little butler app. Siri was specialized in voice search. By tying together various APIs from across the Web, from such services as OpenTable, Twitter, and Rotten Tomatoes, among many others, Siri has concocted a voice search that relies more on natural speech. With so many services to search, Siri also specializes in directing its software to find the right service for the best answer.<br /><br />And then there is the collaboration with Nuance which makes Dragon an awesome speak to text app for the car. You speak your SMS that you don't need to touch your phone during driving.<br /><br />The iPad is not as mobile as the iPhone. I think we can call the iPhone globile (global mobile, we take it everywhere and use it everywhere, even on the Mount Everest). And from now one I will call the iPad lobile. Lobile is a combination out of local and mobile. The fact is, we don't use the iPad everywhere we can to any time. We usually take the iPad to a place and then we use it there within a radius of 60 feet. We start to read on the coach, then we take the iPad to the kitchen to drink a coffee and to keep reading and so on.<br /><br />But a lobile device needs more than touch. I have two hobbies and I am always frustrated that there is no app for what I am looking for. Even if Steve Jobs like to say there is an app for everything.<br /><br />Did you ever cook? I do a lot, and before the iPad was even in the news as the new fancy device, I had build a 15 inch touchscreen with RDP to my computer in the office. The touch screen was mounted in the kitchen as recipe book. My wife and I like to cook and have tons of recipes. I was sick to print recipes out and did build a small recipe app and saved all recipes in there.<br /><br />I sold my little 15 inch device on eBay, as soon the iPad came out and we use since then the iPad as recipe book. The dream of each amateur chef. Stop!!! Not so fast. Yes i use the iPad to look up recipes and guess what I still print them. Any idea why? Guess what happens when you cook? All get wet? Not necessary. But your hands are getting dirty, and you can't touch your screen without making the screen dirty.<br /><br />The second little hobby, i have, is to work on my motorbike and my RC car in the garage. Actually it is even more. I like a lot of projects where I can use my hands to build something. As an example I did build last year a 4foot * 4foot * 8foot wood box for a magic trick.<br /><br />It does not matter what I do in the garage, I like to have my iPad with me. When I am working on my bike I have a technical manual open to see where each part goes etc.<br /><br />When building wood things, like the box, I look at my drawings on my iPad to know how I need to cut the wood.<br /><br />But all the time I have something in both hands or they are pretty dirty.<br /><br />Or imagine you have breakfast and you read the NYTimes. In one hand your coffee and in the other hand a bagel.<br /><br />Did you ever ask yourself why we can't just wave our hand in front of the iPad? Or just could say next or play etc?<br /><br />This is the next step for lobile devices. We need to be able to communicate with our device without touching it. It would be simpler as many think. Voice control could be limited to 8 words and gestures to 4. This is all we need. Start, stop, next, back, play, pause, continue, close. Or wave your hand from left to right from top to bottom from right to left and from bottom to top.<br /><br />I hope the little tiny microphone will not just an icon but an indicator that voice control will be standard in the API and then we will see many cool apps.<br /><br />Google, meanwhile, has voice-enabled every text field within Android, which lets users dictate text into anyplace it is possible to type. Google even has voice search in the official Google Search app for iOS. Further, Android users can perform actions such as "Call Bob's Cell" and have their phone automatically perform that action. iPhone has as well some voice control to call your contacts and it works more or less ok and is yet not so sophisticated like the Android voice control. But again even Android does not go far enough. I would prefer touch to fill out a form because of my accent, but for recipes app, manual and news, why not using voice or gesture?<br /><br /><br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress, please follow me on twitter @schlotz69<br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Spinning%20Wheel%20Ln,Brooksville,United%20States%4028.487469%2C-82.471255&z=10'>Spinning Wheel Ln,Brooksville,United States</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Please don't forget to visit my blog http://new-kid-on-the-blog.com or follow me on twitter schlotz69</div>Markushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15718767660929049178noreply@blogger.com0