• android,  apple,  google,  microsoft,  motorola

    Google Android: Now With Motorola Inside

    August 16, 2011 /

    Early this morning, Google announced their plans to acquire Motorola Mobility – the Android smartphone OEM.

    Writing for AllThingsD.com, John Paczkowsi states:

    “With its $12.5 billion deal to acquire Motorola Mobility, Google is gaining not only a major Android handset manufacturer, but a vast trove of intellectual property with which to defend it.”

    The punch line here folks is that Google was feeling a little light in the Intellectual Property (IP) department, so they when out and acquired a company that already had a lot of IP build up.  Google intents to use their new found IP and patents to protect not only themselves, but their Android licensees from patent trolls like Microsoft and Apple.

    [Via AllThingsD.com…]

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  • apple,  case,  ipad

    KHOMO Waterproof Cover for Apple iPad, iPad2

    August 7, 2011 /

    I still have a few weeks to go before I get to take my summer vacation, during which time, I will be forced to sit on a beach in direct sunlight.

    While looking for accessories to protect my gear, I came across the KHOMO Waterproof Case Cover for iPad 2.  As far as I can tell, this kit is compatible with the original iPad also.  The kit comes with what looks like a giant zip bag with a velcro secured flap.  The bag also features a plastic loop that connects to a carry strap.  The bundle I found over on Amazon also includes a 6-foot black sync cable and sells for $12.99 plus tax and shipping.

    There are other waterproof options available, all of which cost more than this bundle.  If your iPad spend a lot of time near water, you might want to spring for a more expensive solution. Since I only go to the beach, if I’m lucky, twice a year, I might consider other options.  Since I’m most worried about keeping sand and drink spills away from my iPad while I”m traveling, this looks like the perfect balance between protection and cost.

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  • apple,  att,  google,  iphone,  jailbreak,  verizon

    End of the Road for Jailbreakers Stealing Cellular Tethering Service

    August 6, 2011 /

    If you have a jailbroken/rooted Apple iPhone of one of the many Google Android and have been using apps to essentially “steal” wireless tethering services between your phone and your notebook or tablet computer, your days of “free” service are almost over.

    AT&T and now Verizon are putting technology in place on their networks that allows them to sniff out people who are tethering devices like laptops, typically over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, to their smartphone’s data plan as a sort of wireless modem to get on the Internet.

    Both AT&T and Verizon required you to subscribe to an additional service before you can tether another device to your phone.

    I may not be a fan of the prices that are charged to tether or setup your smartphone as a mobile Wi-Fi hot spot, but I like the idea of people stealing bandwidth and driving up the cost of my smartphone data plans even less.

    [Via EngadgetMobile.com, Electronista.com…]

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  • apple,  ios,  iphone,  rumors

    Rumor: iPhone 5 to Launch in October

    August 2, 2011 /

    Ugh!  This was not the news I was hoping for today if John Paczkowski over at AllThingsD.com has reliable information on Apple’s new iPhone.

    “So those rumors claiming the iPhone 5 will debut in late September? They’re wrong.

    Instead, it’s going to be an October surprise — the month in which Apple plans to launch its next-gen iPhone.”

    I guess it’s a good thing that I was able to my Sprint Palm Pre screen repaired by Sprint and then upgraded my Pre to HP webOS 2.1.  Looks like we’re in for a few extra weeks of waiting.

    [Via AllThingsD.com…]

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  • apple,  ios,  ipad,  iphone,  ipod touch

    iCloud.com Beta Goes Online

    August 1, 2011 /

    I saw that iCloud.com has gone live today and I was able to log in using my existing Apple ID.  Aside from being able to look around, I’m not sure that there is much more we can do until we get iOS 5 installed on our iDevices or a update to Mac OS X that replaces the MobileMe control panel with the iCloud control panel (I’m assuming that there will be a new control panel or other software integration with the Mac OS X or Windows PC).

    If you are registered as a paying Apple software developer, you will be able to download some additional API tools for building into your applications.

    I was able to login to iCloud.com from my MacBook only.  When I hit iCloud.com from my iPad, I was greeted by a beta page.

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  • apple,  hp,  iphone,  pre,  sprint

    Sprint Loses 101,000 Post-Paid Customers

    July 29, 2011 /

    Sprint reported their quarterly earning and dropped a “small” detail that they lost 101,000 post-paid customers.  They expected to lose “just” 15,000.

    In an article posted by AppleInsider today, they write:

    “In its latest quarter, Sprint posted a net loss of 101,000 subscribers, far higher than the 15,000 loss analysts had expected it to suffer. In contrast, AT&T added 331,000 subscribers and Verizon added 1.3 million, aided by news sales of 2.3 million iPhones.”

    It seems that I really love underdogs; first Palm, and now Sprint.  If only they had the HP Pre3 or the Apple iPhone.

    [Via AppleInsider.com…]

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  • apple,  att,  ipad,  iphone,  touch,  verizon

    Apple Releases iOS 4.3.5 Software Update

    July 27, 2011 /

    Yesterday afternoon, Apple released the iOS 4.3.5 software update for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

    The software update addresses an issue with how security certificates are validated and does not add any new features.

    The software update is for the GSM iPhone 4, the GSM iPhone 3GS, both editions of the iPad, and the 3rd and 4th generation iPod touch.

    The CDMA iPhone 4 for Verizon updates to iOS 4.2.10, addressing the same problem.

    The latest software updates are available now via iTunes when you connect your iDevice to sync it.

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  • apple,  lion,  mac os x

    Lion Upgrade Journal: Day 1

    July 22, 2011 /

    Ok, Lion was installed yesterday and I was, apparently, in good company because 1 million other Mac owners upgraded along with me.

    Scrolling with a Track Pad or Scroll Wheel

    Ok, using the scroll wheel on my wireless Mighty Mouse is taking a little bit of getting used to.  In Lion, scrolling like like scrolling in iOS; you flick up to move the page down.  Basically, we’re talking about an inverted y-axis here.  Fortunately, if you can’t make the adjustment, of you’re like me and I have to use a PC at the office, you can revert the scroll wheel functionality back to the way it was in Mac OS X Leopard and Snow Leopard in the Mouse control panel.

    iChat Group Windows

    Another application that I use all the time is iChat.  I use iChat as my client for Jabber chats like Google Talk or Facebook.  In Snow Leopard, I would have a chat window for each service.  Now, in Lion, all my friends and buddies show up in a single unified window.  When a new chat is started, a separate chat windows appears.  If I have multiple chats going on at the same time, I can use iChat’s preferences to define if all of the chats should be combined into a single chats window with tabs along the left of the window for each chat thread, or to appear in separate chat windows, as was the case in Snow Leopard.

    I had the chance to test both modes out while chatting with two of my friends this evening.  I like the consolidated buddies list, but I still prefer to keep the chat windows separate.  I very fine tweak to iChat if I do say so myself.

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  • apple,  mac,  mac os x,  macbook pro

    Apple Releases OS X Lion

    July 21, 2011 /

    Mac OS X Lion is “go for throttle up” today in the Mac App Store.  It’s a 3.7GB download once you purchase the $29.99 upgrade.  My installer just finished downloading and I’ll be upgrading some of my software over the next few days.  Check back here for updates as the week progresses.

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