• blackber,  blackberry,  rim

    Blackberry Lives to Fight Another Day, Gets New Leadership, Cash

    November 5, 2013 /

    BlackBerry, the Canadian smartphone maker and services company, received an 11th hour save yesterday.

    In a sweeping move, the company announced that Mr. Thorsten Heins has stepped down as CEO and has given up his seat on the board.  At the same time, Blackberry announced that the company was no longer for sale, and that it had entered into an agreement with Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited, one of the companies looking to take BlackBerry private, would invest $1 billion dollars into the company.
    In what is sure to set Crackberry users into a tailspin was the announcement that BlackBerry will continue to build BlackBerry 10 smartphones and not sell off that part of the business.

    BlackBerry also announced that Mr. Prem Watsa, Chairman and CEO of Fairfax, would become a new board member and that Mr. John Chen would be brought on as the new chairmen of the board and interim CEO.

    “[…]John S. Chen will be appointed Executive Chair of BlackBerry’s Board of Directors and, in that role, will be responsible for the strategic direction, strategic relationships and organizational goals of BlackBerry.  Prem Watsa, Chairman and CEO of Fairfax, will be appointed Lead Director and Chair of the Compensation, Nomination and Governance Committee and Thorsten Heins and David Kerr intend to resign from the Board at closing.”

    In addition, Mr. Heins will step down as Chief Executive Officer at closing and Mr. Chen will serve as Interim Chief Executive Officer pending completion of a search for a new Chief Executive Officer.”
    With all the churn with the BlackBerry leadership, board member Barbara Stymiest was tapped to announced the shake up.

    “Today’s announcement represents a significant vote of confidence in BlackBerry and its future by this group of preeminent, long-term investors,” said Barbara Stymiest, Chair of BlackBerry’s Board.  “The BlackBerry Board conducted a thorough review of strategic alternatives and pursued the course of action that it concluded is in the best interests of BlackBerry and its constituents, including its shareholders.  This financing provides an immediate cash injection on terms favorable to BlackBerry, enhancing our substantial cash position.   Some of the most important customers in the world rely on BlackBerry and we are implementing the changes necessary to strengthen the company and ensure we remain a strong and innovative partner for their needs.”

    “I am pleased to join a company with as much potential as BlackBerry,” said Mr. Chen. “BlackBerry is an iconic brand with enormous potential – but it’s going to take time, discipline and tough decisions to reclaim our success.  I look forward to leading BlackBerry in its turnaround and business model transformation for the benefit of all of its constituencies, including its customers, shareholders and employees.”

    Mr. Chen is no stranger to corporate turn arounds.  The last time we saw him, he was CEO of Sybase, Inc, a database and corporate software company.  When Sybase was purchased by SAP AG, in 2010, the company sold for $5.25 billion.

    In the interest of full disclosure, I earned my Sybase ASE and Rep Server merit badges as a DBA in the early 2000’s and I though that Mr. Chen, hearing him speak at two of the Sybase’s annual user conferences, did a good job of turning Sybase around leading up to it’s sale to SAP.  I’m interested in seeing what he can accomplish with BlackBerry.

    You can read the full press release on the BlackBerry website.

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  • airport,  apple,  apple tv,  apps,  ios 7

    Briefly Noted: Apple Updates Remote, AirPort Apps

    November 5, 2013 /

    Yesterday afternoon, Apple released updates to their Remote and AirPort Utility apps.

    Evident from the app descriptions, the AirPort Utility did not receive an iOS 7-like remake.  It still looks like it’s older iOS 6 version of the add.  The jump to 64-bit native code should make the app run smoothly on the new iPhone 5S, iPad Air, and the soon to be released, iPad mini with Retina Display.

    The Remote app, received a complete iOS 7 design make over.  While the functionality of the software does not appear to have changed, the UI has.  Remote now has the Help screen overlay that flies in when you tap the help question mark icon located at the top right of the screen.  The Menu button now appears a circle icon with a text label “Menu” at the bottom center of the screen, with additional playback controls on either side.  The large “track pad” area still dominates the majority of the screen, however, now appears as a frosted pane allowing you to “see” your wallpaper in typical iOS 7 blurred effect fashion.

    Both applications are available in the iTunes App Store for free.

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  • apple,  mac,  mac os x,  review

    Briefly Noted: John Siracusa’s OS X 10.9 Mavericks Review

    November 4, 2013 /

    If you like in-depth product reviews, and you just happen to be a Mac user, you’ll want to read John’s OS X 10.9 Mavericks review.

    John is well respected in Apple circles and his latest OS X review is smart, accurate and a great read.

    You can read it on the Ars Technica website, but I chose to purchase the iBooks version so I can not only get the iBooks features while reading the review, but to also throw some cash his way.

    If you haven’t read his review already, you should check it out.

    You can follow John on Twitter @siracusa, on the Accidental Tech Podcast, and on the Ars Technica website.

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  • apple,  ipad

    iPad Air Unboxing Photos

    November 3, 2013 /

    Here are some photos from my iPad Air unboxing and comparison with my iPad third-generation.

    My iPad Air arrives home from the Apple Store
    iPad Air and the beige Smart Case
    iPad Air in it’s box
    Boom! It’s and i
    Behind the iPad Air are the accessories
    iPad Air’s accessories
    The inside of the iPad Air Smart Cover
    iPad Air with Smart Case vs iPad 3 with Smart Cover
    iPad Air on top of the iPad 3 (face up)
    iPad Air on top of the iPad 3 (face down)
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  • backblaze,  ios,  iphone,  mac,  mac os x,  pc,  software,  windows

    Backblaze – Effortless Backups for Mac OS X and Windows PC

    November 3, 2013 /

    I’ve been listening to the Accidental Tech Podcast and The Talk Show for sometime now and one recurring sponsor, Backblaze, caught my attention.

    Backups are boring and nobody likes doing them.  But, when disaster strikes, everyone wishes they had one.  And that is where Backblaze comes in.  Backblaze, with it’s great team of people, including some ex-Apple employees, is an elegant backup solution that takes minutes to setup and gives you the piece of mind that lets you sleep at night.

    Installation and Setup

    Blackblaze works with Mac OS X 10.5 and later, Windows XP (32-bit), Windows Vista (32 & 64-bit), Windows 7 (32 & 64-bit), and Windows 8.  You download and install a small client application on your computer.  After the easy installation processes, it’s time to configure your backup.  You simply select which hard drive(s) you want to back up, select any folders that you want to exclude from the backup, and set your backup schedule.

    For me, I’m backing up my MacBook’s main hard drive.  I’ve excluded my iTunes movies folder because I can redownload most content from Apple.  I want to make sure that I always have the most current version of my documents backed up all of the time, so I selected the default back up schedule of “Continuously (Recommended)”.  If your installation is anything like mine, you’ve spent about 10-15 minutes setting up the software.

    What I really liked about the client installation is that is a real native application for Mac OS X.  It’s not a warmed over Java application that runs equally poorly on all of the support platforms.  I also appreciate that the developers have made this a “real” Mac application – one with the same look and feel that makes you believe that the application belongs on your computer.

    Be Productive, We Got This

    But you might be thinking, “Ya, but I have a lot of data.  This is gonna cost an arm and a leg.”  Here’s another thing that sets Backblaze apart from other online backup solutions: They will back up all of your data.  All of it.  Got 500MB? No problem.  Got 2TB?  No problem.  You just pay your monthly flat rate fee and Backblaze will back up all of your data.  The software throttles the data streaming back to their data center so get to you keep working the same way you always have.  Continuous backups run in the background keeping your data safe.  Based on my ISP upstream connection and the amount of data I have, my initial backup has been estimated to run about 42 days.  (I don’t keep my Mac on 24×7.  Your milage will vary.  When I last checked, the initial backup is projected to be completed in 22 days.)

    With Backblaze, backups really are a “no brainer” and once the software is setup and running, you can forget about it and just do what you do best.

    Hassle Free Recovery

    When disaster does strike, you won’t have to worry about getting your data back because Backblaze makes recovery super easy.  If you accidentally deleted a folder, overwrote that important document or photo, or had a hard drive crash? Getting your data back is easy.  Login to the Backblaze website and select the computer that had the file.  Backblaze gives you four options for recovering your data: Single file download, multi-document .zip file download, restored data on a USB flash drive, or restored data on a USB hard drive.  The first two options are free, the flash drive option is $99 with a 53GB file maximum, and the hard drive option costs $189 for up to 3TB of data.

    To help with your data recovery, the web UI data restore console allows you to navigate the folder structure on your hard drive or search for files/folders.  Have an iPhone?  Don’t forget to download the Backblaze iOS app.  With it, you can download individual files right to your iOS device.  That’s really handy if you need to look up some information that is back at home or the office when you’re out or at a customer site.

    It’s aways a drag when a hard drive or computer dies.  But there is nothing more infuriating when the data loss is due to a stolen computer.  If you enable the feature, Backblaze has a Locate My Computer feature that can be used to locate your computer based on it’s network connection.  It’s a nice little bonus at no additional charge.

    Plan Pricing

    The personal plan that I selected is $5/month, but you can get down as low as $3.96/month if you pre-pay for two years of service up front. You can change your subscription plan at any time.  Business plans are $50/year per computer.

    Conclusion

    No body likes to run backups on their computer.  With Backblaze, backups are super simple and easy to setup.  When you need to, Backblaze makes it easy to get your data back a hassle free process.  If there is only one software service you buy this year, make it Backblaze.  You’ll be glad you did.

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  • apple,  apple store,  ipad,  retail

    Purchasing My iPad Air

    November 3, 2013 /

    Another Apple launch weekend is upon us and, after a long mental debate with myself about whether or not to get a new Apple iPad Air, I did make the decision to buy one, upgrading from my iPad with Retina Display (third generation).

    I chose to get my new iPad Air at the New Haven Apple Store.  I wasn’t disappointed.

    The Apple Store had ample stock of the 32GB Space Grey Wi-Fi iPad Air.  Stacey, sales associate who helped me, what polite, asked if I had any questions or if I needed help using iCloud to move my data from my iPad 3 to my new iPad.

    A major factor in my decision to purchase the new iPad Air was the weight of the unit as compared to my iPad 3 without its plastic back shell and Smart Cover on.  Being able to walk in and play with the new iPad Air without all of the security brackets and thick security cables was a major plus for me.

    Another major benefit of shopping at the Apple Store rather than a big box store like Best Buy, which I did visit on Friday afternoon, was not only being virtually guaranteed to get the device I wanted, but also having my pick of new Apple accessories too.

    In addition to buying the iPad Air, I also picked up a beige Apple Smart Case.

    I’ve become a bit of a frequent visitor to this Apple Store over the last few weeks, and the store was busy, but not mobbed.  Over all, it was a great shopping experience and I was in and out in 20 minutes.

    If you are on the fence about getting a new iPad Air this weekend, there is still plenty of stock available at your local Apple Store and online.  Third-party box stores inventory will vary.  (The Best Buy store I went to on Friday only received 22 Wi-Fi only 32GB Space Grey iPad Airs for example.)

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  • microsoft,  tablet,  windows 8

    Nokia Set To Introduce New Devices Tomorrow

    October 21, 2013 /

    According to an article in today’s Wall Street Journal, Nokia is set to unveil not one, not two, but up to six new devices tomorrow during an event to be held in Abu Dhabi.

    This will be the first devices unveiling from the Nokia devices unit after having been acquired by Microsoft.  Stephen Elop, the former Nokia CEO, is now in change of running the devices unit as it gets absorbed by Microsoft.  Elop, a former Microsoft executive, will return to the company once the acquisition is fully completed early next year.

    The article mostly goes on about the moves between Microsoft and their new Nokia devices business with just a few lines discussing tomorrow’s product unveilings of phones, “phablets,” and a new LTE-enabled tablet.  (We can only assume that the tablet offering(s) will run Windows 8.1 rather than the market flop, Windows RT 8.1.)

    The interesting thing for me is the timing of this event.  It’s to be held on Oct. 22.  The same day Apple is set to hold their second fall event.  It always amazes me when tech companies hold media events on the same day.  I can kind of rationalize it during a trade show/conference, sort of, but outside of that environment it just blows my mind.

    The Nokia folks have no doubt been working hard on their new products and are probably excited to show them off.  But with Apple coming in with what is rumored to be at least two new iPad announcements, the Nokia stuff is going to get drowned out in the mainstream and tech media.

    Not so fast, you might be thinking. It takes months to stage and line up these kinds of events so it will be difficult to plan around Apple’s secretive schedule.  True, but if Holywood studios can move tentpole movies around the calendar to avoid colliding with another tentpole movie opening on the same day from a rival studio, then, surely, Nokia can do the same thing.  If nothing else, it would help ensure that their message gets across clearly to investors, IT technology buyers, and customers.

    [Via WSJ.com…]

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  • apple,  itunes

    Reflections on the Apple In Store iPhone Upgrade Experience

    October 20, 2013 /

    This is a blog post that I’ve been meaning to write for a while now.  The following are my thoughts and experiences with the upgrade process from my iPhone 4S to the new flagship iPhone 5S smartphone at a local Apple Store.  Overall, I was pleased with the upgrade process, but in my option, there is still room for improvements with iCloud and the restore process.

    The Upgrade Experience
    Like many nerds, I upgraded my iPhone on launch day, September 20.  I don’t upgrade off contract every year, nor do I think I need to.  Surprisingly, this is my first iPhone upgrade.  When I became an iPhone owner, with the iPhone 4S, I was upgrading from the ill-fated Palm Pre.  I had to work on launch day so there was no waiting around for me in massive lines that are typical of an iPhone launch.  By the time I arrived at the store, the hoopla had died down to the normal flow of things and the overall shopping experience was a good one.  Luckily, the Apple Store I went to still had the iPhone I was looking for, a 32GB Space Grey iPhone 5S for Sprint.
    The upgrade experience went smoother than I expected and much quicker than the last upgrade experience from my BlackBerry Curve to Palm Pre at a Sprint retail store.  After a few short minutes of waiting for my iPhone to be called up from the back, the Apple Store employee verified my Sprint account status and the wireless contract portion of the upgrade was complete.
    While the backend “cellular” upgrade was happening with Sprint, I used iCloud to back up my iPhone 4S and when it was done, I powered it down.  The Apple employee seemed to be on autopilot and started to jump into the process of setting up my phone.  This is likely because the process was well rehearsed throughout the day, but again, being a nerd, I wanted to take over the upgrade.
    I powered on the iPhone 5S and ran through the welcome program and I was quickly setup and running.  The restoration of settings and data from my iPhone 4S came over easily enough and all of my installed applications began downloading and installing on my new phone without intervention.
    The restoration of my music and photos was a bit of a hassle, more so than I expected from Apple.  You see, hours later, after all of my apps reinstalled, the Settings app was still showing that the iCloud restore was underway.  I knew that a few photos were missing, but I couldn’t tell if any of my music was too.  Knowing that my photos were in Photo Stream and on my Mac in my iPhoto library, I killed the restore.  I really would like to see Apple clean up this process of iCloud backup/restore as this is not the first time I’ve seen this problem, and it was not unique to my phone.  I’ve seen the same issue on family and friends iPhone’s.  I never really liked killing there restore because I was never really sure, nor where they, that they had their photos backed up anywhere.
    To improve the process, I would like to see Apple add some kind of progress or status to the restore.  Additionally, if there where problems restoring data, what data it was, and then moving on to the next bit of data and then finally completing the restore.  I think there is more problems created when the restores are left open ended since you can’t start a new iCloud backup until the seemingly stalled iCloud backup completes.  In my experience, the restore never completes and the user is never notified.
    As a workaround to this issue, I recommend that if possible; backup your current iPhone to your Mac or Windows PC running iTunes and a sync cable.  I know that seems like crazy talk in some tech circles but it was save you the hassle at restore time.  Then, pick up your new iPhone, skipping the restore step and then sycing it with iTunes to reload your data.  An iTunes cabled back up/restore has never failed me upgrading my iPod touches or iPads.
    All-in-all, the retail shopping experience at the Apple Store, as compared to a wireless carrier or big box store, was far superior.  The actual transfer of service from old phone to new phone was pretty painless also.  I just wish that the iCloud backup and restore went smoother than it has been my experience in the past.  Results will vary and I hope you enjoy your new iPhone.
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  • apple,  ipad,  mac os x,  mac pro

    Rumor: Apple’s Second Media Event Scheduled for Oct 22

    October 9, 2013 /

    AllThingsD.com says to get ready for new iPads.

    “People familiar with Apple’s plans tell AllThingsD that the company will hold its next invitation-only event on Tuesday, October 22. The focal point of the gathering will be the latest updates to the company’s iPad line, but the new Mac Pro and OS X Mavericks will likely get some stage time as well, I’m told.”

    I am so ready for Mac OS X 10.9 Mavericks and iPad 5.  Whether or not we’ll get an iPad mini with a Retain display this year is still the subject of debate, and frankly, would be disappointing, considering that Google is pushing the 2013 Nexus 7 with a hi-res screen.

    Check out the full article on AllThingsD.com…

    [Via AllThingsD.com…]

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  • apple,  ios 7,  iphone 5s

    Apple Releases iOS 7.0.2 for iPhone 5S, iPhone 5C

    September 27, 2013 /

    Earlier today, Apple released the second iOS 7 update, iOS 7.0.2.

    This minor update for the newly released iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C is intended to address a vulnerability that was detected last week that could allow an attacker to bypass the security lock screen. If you happen to have the Greek version of iOS installed on your device, you can once again use the Greek language keyboard for passcode entry.
    The latest iOS upgrade can be downloaded via the Software Update control panel located at: Settings > General > Software Update.
    The iOS 7.0.2 upgrade weighs in at 17.4MB, which is practically nothing when compared to the over 700MB iOS 7 upgrade package pushed out on Wednesday, September 18.  Previously, Apple released iOS 7.0.1 for the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C last Friday, September 20 as a minor tweak for the new hardware.
    Apple is also working on an iOS 7.1 update that many people believe will be released on or around October 15 as part of what is rumored to be the iPad refresh event held ahead of the all important holiday shopping season.
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