Friday, April 23, 2010
Monday, June 8, 2009
Will Apple Release a new iPhone? New iPhone or Not, Palm Pre Made its Debut
The whole world is waiting. Apple consumers are waiting for what is to come. Every year, Apple's Steve Jobs showcased the company's new products. What will happen this time? Jobs still has to get back to the podium. He has been out for medical leave. No matter what, hardcore Apple consumers are waiting for the next great product.
In the meantime, Palm seemed to have found a way to come closer to consumers with the release of Palm Pre. What is great about this new smartphone?
AppIphone3Gandmore: Palm Pre, Apple iPhone and G1
-------------------------
What will make you want to buy an Apple iPhone vs. a Palm Pre or G1? Is it the wireless company that sells them or the phone itself or the service. In a lot of ways, the package had to do a lot with my decision. Over the weekend, that is what I had to decide. It was time for me to go from a low end phone which I carried for a few years and upgrade to a smartphone. I had to decide between the iPhone which I could buy online or at an AT&T retail store, the new Palm Pre which is injecting new blood into the Palm brand, and the Google phone, G1 which has made its spectacular entrance a few months ago.
For me, it was a matter of convenience. I wanted to go with something that has been around for a while. Besides, many of my colleagues have the phone. Yes, I was torn between the good package offered by Sprint which carries the new Palm Pre. I knew all three phones would be good for multimedia and multitasking. Among them, there were some similarities and differences.
Let's talk about Palm Pre. It is a great, elegant multitouch smartphone. It seems that Palm Pre is going to be the star of this Summer season. Already, there are a lot of buzz in the blogosphere and among techies about the new phone. It is the blockbuster square off between iphone and palm pre. In many ways, Palm Pre has come to mean a lot to a dying company. Palm relied heavily on this phone being accepted by the public.
To many industry insiders, the Pre is like the iPhone remix. It is a great phone that many customers are going to select. I saw a great demonstration at the local Sprint store this past weekend. People are wowed by it.
What are its main features, specs?
the Pre has the ordinary checklist: Wi-Fi, GPS, 3G (high speed Internet), Bluetooth (including wireless audio), very good camera with flash, ambient light sensor, proximity sensor, tilt sensor, standard headphone jack, 3.1-inch touchscreen etc. Many other companies have been trying to copy the iphone, but they have always failed in putting everthing together and making it all work. In the case of the Pre, Palm has done a good job.
Hardware: Coming in a black plastic, flattened capsule, coated with a glossy, scratch-resistant finish, the Pre is an elegant phone. When it is turned off, the screen disappears. It is smaller than the iPhone, about a half-inch shorter and quarter-inch thicker. It is very easy to carry.
Price: The Pre costs $200 after rebate, with a two-year contract. It is much less than the standard iphone with more than 8Gigs. Sprint wants to get the customers. With a $70-a-month plan (450 talk-time minutes) that includes unlimited Internet and text messages, the Pre comes on top. The AT&T plan includes no text messages at all.
What does it look like typing? Unlike the iPhone, the Pre has a real keyboard. the screeen slides up, revelaing four rows of Thumbelina-size keys.
Camera: The Pre has an LED Flash for its 3MP camera, something both the iPhone and G1 lack. Flash cellphone photos are ugly, but for a lot of people, they're good enough.
Browser: All three use a browser based on WebKit, which has become the standard for the mobile web.
Phone: Just pop open the keyboard and stard dialing to make a call on the Pre. You can set up speed-dial keys.
Battery: While the iPhone does not allow you to remove the batteries, the Pre allows you to do so. Battery life the hiccup with the Pre. Depending on how often you use it, the battery will be dead in no time.
Music: Which other gadget can beat the iPod which the iPhone is? The Pre does a good job of coming close. When you connect it to your Mac or PC, the Pre appears in Apple's iTunes software. You can sync your music, photo and video collections.
App store: The iPhone surpasess the Pre which is building its inventory too.
No matter what, the Pre is a great effort in the right direction for Palm. It is quite an achievement.
In the meantime, Palm seemed to have found a way to come closer to consumers with the release of Palm Pre. What is great about this new smartphone?
AppIphone3Gandmore: Palm Pre, Apple iPhone and G1
-------------------------
What will make you want to buy an Apple iPhone vs. a Palm Pre or G1? Is it the wireless company that sells them or the phone itself or the service. In a lot of ways, the package had to do a lot with my decision. Over the weekend, that is what I had to decide. It was time for me to go from a low end phone which I carried for a few years and upgrade to a smartphone. I had to decide between the iPhone which I could buy online or at an AT&T retail store, the new Palm Pre which is injecting new blood into the Palm brand, and the Google phone, G1 which has made its spectacular entrance a few months ago.
For me, it was a matter of convenience. I wanted to go with something that has been around for a while. Besides, many of my colleagues have the phone. Yes, I was torn between the good package offered by Sprint which carries the new Palm Pre. I knew all three phones would be good for multimedia and multitasking. Among them, there were some similarities and differences.
Let's talk about Palm Pre. It is a great, elegant multitouch smartphone. It seems that Palm Pre is going to be the star of this Summer season. Already, there are a lot of buzz in the blogosphere and among techies about the new phone. It is the blockbuster square off between iphone and palm pre. In many ways, Palm Pre has come to mean a lot to a dying company. Palm relied heavily on this phone being accepted by the public.
To many industry insiders, the Pre is like the iPhone remix. It is a great phone that many customers are going to select. I saw a great demonstration at the local Sprint store this past weekend. People are wowed by it.
What are its main features, specs?
the Pre has the ordinary checklist: Wi-Fi, GPS, 3G (high speed Internet), Bluetooth (including wireless audio), very good camera with flash, ambient light sensor, proximity sensor, tilt sensor, standard headphone jack, 3.1-inch touchscreen etc. Many other companies have been trying to copy the iphone, but they have always failed in putting everthing together and making it all work. In the case of the Pre, Palm has done a good job.
Hardware: Coming in a black plastic, flattened capsule, coated with a glossy, scratch-resistant finish, the Pre is an elegant phone. When it is turned off, the screen disappears. It is smaller than the iPhone, about a half-inch shorter and quarter-inch thicker. It is very easy to carry.
Price: The Pre costs $200 after rebate, with a two-year contract. It is much less than the standard iphone with more than 8Gigs. Sprint wants to get the customers. With a $70-a-month plan (450 talk-time minutes) that includes unlimited Internet and text messages, the Pre comes on top. The AT&T plan includes no text messages at all.
What does it look like typing? Unlike the iPhone, the Pre has a real keyboard. the screeen slides up, revelaing four rows of Thumbelina-size keys.
Camera: The Pre has an LED Flash for its 3MP camera, something both the iPhone and G1 lack. Flash cellphone photos are ugly, but for a lot of people, they're good enough.
Browser: All three use a browser based on WebKit, which has become the standard for the mobile web.
Phone: Just pop open the keyboard and stard dialing to make a call on the Pre. You can set up speed-dial keys.
Battery: While the iPhone does not allow you to remove the batteries, the Pre allows you to do so. Battery life the hiccup with the Pre. Depending on how often you use it, the battery will be dead in no time.
Music: Which other gadget can beat the iPod which the iPhone is? The Pre does a good job of coming close. When you connect it to your Mac or PC, the Pre appears in Apple's iTunes software. You can sync your music, photo and video collections.
App store: The iPhone surpasess the Pre which is building its inventory too.
No matter what, the Pre is a great effort in the right direction for Palm. It is quite an achievement.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Palm's Return and New Entrance Into the Smart Phone Market with the slick Treo Pro
Palm's Return and New Entrance Into the Smart Phone Market with the slick Treo Pro
Palm wants to push Apple iPhones and Blackberrys over. It has come ready to unleash the power of its slick Treo. Palm wants to get back in the smart phone world which it pioneered a few years ago. The Treo Pro is a stylish smart phone for business users. It has the thinnest profile: 13.5 milimeters, or 0.53 inches. If you take a look at is predecessors, you will see there is no resemblance there at all. With this introduction, Palm is serious about getting back into the game which has been lately dominated by RIM or Research in Motion and Apple, with its iPhones 3G.
As a consumer, I truly appreciate the new competition that the products of Apple and Rim are going to get. I just hope that the prices will go down on each of these models. What I like about the Palm Treo is that it is cool and has a great hardware design. Its packaging and accessories are elegant and easy to use. The Treo is the last release of a series of new products brought on by Palm. Last October, Palm released Palm Centro which cost $99. It has been a consumer-oriented smart phone designed for women and younger users. With the sales of more than 2 million units worldwide, Palm has been on its way to regain part of its market lost to the blackberrys and iphones.
Palm did not rest on its laurels. It continues to dedicate more attention to its research labs. Soon it developed the 800w which was a Sprint exclusive. Like the Treo, it offers a Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional operating system.
What's all the hoopla about the Treo? It is a GSM phone with 3G highspeed data access, Wi-Fi and GPS. This great phone should meet the needs of most business people including IT managers and other end users. Its features are superb: Windows Mobile 6.1 professiona Os, 3G high speed data, 256 MB of memory, 400 MHz processor, Wi-Fi, GPS, 2 megapixel camera, 320 x 320 display; Talke time goes as long as 5 hours or 250 hours of standby. It weighs 4.69 oz.
How Much Does The Treo Pro Cost?
The Pro will sell in the United States for $549 unlocked. With this kind of price, how many users will buy it? Can the Treo truly push iphones and blackberrys over? With the sales of more than 7 million iPhones in just a year and with people clamoring and waiting long time to put their hands on the iPhone 3Gs, one may wonder whether there will be a strong market for the Treo with this kind of price. Keep in mind that there will soon be a new smart phone that carries Google's Android operating system. Right now, Palm should try to line up some independent application developers. RIM, Apple and Windows Mobile are far ahead in the game. We must say that Palm is making the right steps right now with the release of the Treo Pro. We will see what the near future will bring.
Palm wants to push Apple iPhones and Blackberrys over. It has come ready to unleash the power of its slick Treo. Palm wants to get back in the smart phone world which it pioneered a few years ago. The Treo Pro is a stylish smart phone for business users. It has the thinnest profile: 13.5 milimeters, or 0.53 inches. If you take a look at is predecessors, you will see there is no resemblance there at all. With this introduction, Palm is serious about getting back into the game which has been lately dominated by RIM or Research in Motion and Apple, with its iPhones 3G.
As a consumer, I truly appreciate the new competition that the products of Apple and Rim are going to get. I just hope that the prices will go down on each of these models. What I like about the Palm Treo is that it is cool and has a great hardware design. Its packaging and accessories are elegant and easy to use. The Treo is the last release of a series of new products brought on by Palm. Last October, Palm released Palm Centro which cost $99. It has been a consumer-oriented smart phone designed for women and younger users. With the sales of more than 2 million units worldwide, Palm has been on its way to regain part of its market lost to the blackberrys and iphones.
Palm did not rest on its laurels. It continues to dedicate more attention to its research labs. Soon it developed the 800w which was a Sprint exclusive. Like the Treo, it offers a Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional operating system.
What's all the hoopla about the Treo? It is a GSM phone with 3G highspeed data access, Wi-Fi and GPS. This great phone should meet the needs of most business people including IT managers and other end users. Its features are superb: Windows Mobile 6.1 professiona Os, 3G high speed data, 256 MB of memory, 400 MHz processor, Wi-Fi, GPS, 2 megapixel camera, 320 x 320 display; Talke time goes as long as 5 hours or 250 hours of standby. It weighs 4.69 oz.
How Much Does The Treo Pro Cost?
The Pro will sell in the United States for $549 unlocked. With this kind of price, how many users will buy it? Can the Treo truly push iphones and blackberrys over? With the sales of more than 7 million iPhones in just a year and with people clamoring and waiting long time to put their hands on the iPhone 3Gs, one may wonder whether there will be a strong market for the Treo with this kind of price. Keep in mind that there will soon be a new smart phone that carries Google's Android operating system. Right now, Palm should try to line up some independent application developers. RIM, Apple and Windows Mobile are far ahead in the game. We must say that Palm is making the right steps right now with the release of the Treo Pro. We will see what the near future will bring.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Apple iPhone Hiccups: Dropped Calls but Fun to Have
People are complaining about the dropped calls and other issues pertaining to the iPhone. Others are saying that this product was supposed to carry the good name of the company.
"Andre Charland just bought an iPhone 3G, the phone from Apple (AAPL) that hit the market on July 11. But the Canadian software executive isn't giving up his BlackBerry Pearl. He says that the BlackBerry is a "workhorse" for e-mail and phone calls, while the iPhone isn't as reliable. "I’ve just had dropped calls and issues like that," says Charland. "I have the iPhone mostly for fun," like watching video or browsing the Web.
The iPhone has been a huge financial success for Apple, with sales outstripping most expectations. But some users, such as Charland, have found that the iPhone 3G, for all its benefits, isn't that great a phone. In recent days people have filled blogs about Apple, as well as the company's own site, with complaints of dropped calls and failed attempts to get connections for their new iPhones. On Aug. 12, Nomura Securities analyst Richard Windsor flagged the issue in a research note, calling it a "worrying sign." He said the development would give breathing room to rivals such Nokia (NOK) and BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (RIMM) .
Back to a BlackBerry
The reason for the iPhone's reception problems is in dispute. Two sources, including one close to Apple, say the issue is a chip from Infineon that manages wireless communication. But a spokesman for Infineon (IFX), Guenther Gaugler, says the chip performs smoothly with some Samsung phones. The two sources, who estimate the glitch affects less than 3% of iPhone 3G calls or Web sessions, say Apple expects to fix the problem by sending a software upgrade to each iPhone.
It's too late for Ryan Shaw. The salesman bought the new iPhone shortly after it came out. But he says he couldn't get service in his house near Cleveland and that 40% of his calls were dropped. His wife is expecting a baby, so he couldn't afford to miss a call. He ultimately switched back to a BlackBerry and Verizon Wireless. "[The iPhone] was a cool toy," says Shaw. "But it's a phone, and that's what I needed it to be first."
Plenty of people are taking Charland's approach. They buy the iPhone as a portable computer for Web surfing, video, and music. But they carry a second phone to make calls. "People use the iPhone as a PC in their pocket," says analyst Trip Chowdhry of Global Equities Research. "[Apple] should change the name to iTablet. It's slightly mispositioned."
"Andre Charland just bought an iPhone 3G, the phone from Apple (AAPL) that hit the market on July 11. But the Canadian software executive isn't giving up his BlackBerry Pearl. He says that the BlackBerry is a "workhorse" for e-mail and phone calls, while the iPhone isn't as reliable. "I’ve just had dropped calls and issues like that," says Charland. "I have the iPhone mostly for fun," like watching video or browsing the Web.
The iPhone has been a huge financial success for Apple, with sales outstripping most expectations. But some users, such as Charland, have found that the iPhone 3G, for all its benefits, isn't that great a phone. In recent days people have filled blogs about Apple, as well as the company's own site, with complaints of dropped calls and failed attempts to get connections for their new iPhones. On Aug. 12, Nomura Securities analyst Richard Windsor flagged the issue in a research note, calling it a "worrying sign." He said the development would give breathing room to rivals such Nokia (NOK) and BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (RIMM) .
Back to a BlackBerry
The reason for the iPhone's reception problems is in dispute. Two sources, including one close to Apple, say the issue is a chip from Infineon that manages wireless communication. But a spokesman for Infineon (IFX), Guenther Gaugler, says the chip performs smoothly with some Samsung phones. The two sources, who estimate the glitch affects less than 3% of iPhone 3G calls or Web sessions, say Apple expects to fix the problem by sending a software upgrade to each iPhone.
It's too late for Ryan Shaw. The salesman bought the new iPhone shortly after it came out. But he says he couldn't get service in his house near Cleveland and that 40% of his calls were dropped. His wife is expecting a baby, so he couldn't afford to miss a call. He ultimately switched back to a BlackBerry and Verizon Wireless. "[The iPhone] was a cool toy," says Shaw. "But it's a phone, and that's what I needed it to be first."
Plenty of people are taking Charland's approach. They buy the iPhone as a portable computer for Web surfing, video, and music. But they carry a second phone to make calls. "People use the iPhone as a PC in their pocket," says analyst Trip Chowdhry of Global Equities Research. "[Apple] should change the name to iTablet. It's slightly mispositioned."
Friday, August 1, 2008
$100 Million From Perkins for iFund Developers to Create Apps for iPhone 3G
Steve Jobs must be happy to learn that Perkins is setting aside $100 million for anybody, any developer who wants to develop apps for the iphone 3g. So the race is on. If there is money, there will be lots of people to come grab it. The only catch is that they have to work for it. So more apps for all of us!
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Apple Iphone 3G App Store AppCessories: What to (not to ) Like About The Second Generation iPhone and all the Available Programs That Catch Users' At
Apple Iphone 3G App Store AppCessories: What to (not to ) Like About The Second Generation iPhone and all the Available Programs That Catch Users' Attention
What do you want on your original iPhone that you can not get out there now? For sure the iPhone 3G has increased speed, GPS location-finding feature and many other bells and whistles. Thus far, It is all about the Apple-approved third-party programs that can run on the iPhone and iPod Touch. There are hundreds of them, with more coming down the pipeline in the near future. All of these programs, applications or apps make developers as well as users happy customers. The good thing is that over 90% cost less than $10 or are free. So if you have an original iPhone, iPod touch and the new iPhone 3G, you will be soon faced with the selection of multiple programs to download to spiffy your must-have phone. And despite all the lack of supply and time-consuming contracts that users have to sign before they can walk out of the store, there can not be enough of them at the San Francisco store or any local Apple store which I visited since the release of the program. Yes, the lines continue to be long. The new iPhone 3G may present some hiccups to users, nonetheless they enjoy its features.
Downloading apps for your iPhone 3G is an easy and quick process. The programs are entertaining and useful at the same time. Developers made sure to integrate simple user interfaces and great graphics to go along with the reputation of slick Apple goods. There is no doubt that the iPhone economy will be built by these freelance developers. The iPhone has come to be a true computing platform like a pocket-sized Windows or Macintosh PC. It may be a novel way for Apple to try to revamp its Mac computer lines that have been languished over the years. The only thing is that everyone is praying that the health scare or rumors about Steve Jobs do not stop the growth of this great Silicon Valley company. By the way, the rumors were just rumors. Steve is fine, but needs to eat better foods after his surgery. Steve, do not forget about your nutrition!
Apple AppCessories: Is Everything going well with the iPhone 3G Thus Far?
(AppCessories: third-party developments, applications, apps, programs and software for Apple iPhone 3G)
Despite the few complaints of early adopters of the new iPhone in regards to the bug found in the its operating system, many new consumers just want to put their hands on one. The lines for those who had a valid complaint were smaller than the lines of those who want to buy. App Store employees are baffled by the presence of this nasty bug which causes apps to crash and can even force the iPhone or Touch to reboot. That usually happens when a large number of apps is used in quick succession.
According to various reviewers, there are thousands of third-party apps for Nokia phones, BlackBerrys, and phone running the Palm and Windows Mobile operating systems. "Thousands of third-party programs already exist for Nokia (NOK) phones, BlackBerrys, and phones running the Palm (PALM) and Windows Mobile operating systems. But, compared with the graphically rich, snappy iPhone apps — many of which fetch data from the Internet at high speed — the typical program on these older platforms looks positively primitive."
Playing with the Bells and Whistles
Users are still learning all the things they can do with the new programs they are downloading from App Store.
"Some programs fill in obvious holes in Apple’s original complement of iPhone software, things the iPhone has lacked that other phones have. These include AOL (TWX) Instant Messenger, a variety of task and to-do lists, sophisticated note takers and a voice dialer. There are numerous versions of popular board, card and word games, like solitaire, mahjong, Scrabble and Sudoku. There are also eye-popping iPhone versions of popular video games, some controlled by the phone’s motion detectors, which allow you to move cars and characters by just tilting the phone. Numerous programs let you perform Internet functions without using the Web browser on the iPhone or iPod Touch. These include news readers, Internet radio players, sports-information apps, and programs that let you blog or use Google (GOOG) or Facebook or MySpace."
Here is a list of some of the Apps that I have enjoyed in the new iPhone 3G: (Many reviewers have also liked them). I will take any free stuff any time. How about you?
Evernote: free
This is an elegant note-taker that has been on computers for a while. You can jot down text notes, store photos or dictate audio memos. And it synchronizes with your Evernote account on Windows or Mac PCs or the Web.
Instapaper: free
A handy way to store Web pages on your iPhone or Touch for reading when you’re offline. While on your computer, an Instapaper button added to the Web browser can snag Web pages for your personal Instapaper database. Then, when your iPhone or iPod Touch is online, it synchronizes with the Web-based Instapaper database. Later, when you’re offline, the pages are still there on the device, ready to read.
Travelocity TravelTools: free
You can use this to check flight schedules, gate assignments and security waiting times. While you can’t book flights through this app, there’s a button that automatically calls Travelocity’s toll-free booking line.
More Cowbell!: free
This is inspired by the Christopher Walken/Will Ferrell Saturday Night Live skit, which made the lowly cowbell a cult musical instrument. Whenever you tap the on-screen cowbell, it makes the recognizable, hollow sound heard in songs like “Down on the Corner,” by Creedence Clearwater Revival. You can play along with any song you choose on the iPod Touch or iPhone.
Touch Tarot: $0.99
Touch Tarot is a digital tarot-card reading that takes place on your iPod Touch or iPhone, instead of at a table inside an incense-scented tent at the county fair. Phrasing above each card tells its general category, and below each card is a brief explanation of its meaning. For example, we turned over the Wheel of Fortune card in one card reading, and it said, “Advancement for good or ill. The unexpected may occur. Good fortune.”
AIM: free
This version of AOL’s popular instant-messaging program does a competent job with text chat, though it can’t yet do video or audio chats, or transfer files. Because Apple isn’t allowing third-party programs to run constantly in the background, you can’t receive new messages in AIM while doing other things. This will supposedly be fixed by new Apple technology due later this year.
AOL Radio: free
While the iPhone and Touch contain full, terrific iPod capabilities, they don’t come with Internet radio players like this one. It can stream music and talk from a wide variety of online sources, including the Internet versions of broadcast radio stations.
Urbanspoon: free
Urbanspoon resembles a slot machine: From left to right, columns show the location, cuisine and cost of nearby restaurants. Instead of pulling a lever to start the slot machine, you simply shake your iPhone or iPod Touch whenever you want to find a restaurant. When it stops, you see the name of a restaurant near you and its classification in each category. (You can also specify what location, cuisine or cost you’re looking for.)
Air Hockey: $0.99
Air hockey works like the game you used to play in your best friend’s basement. You play against the computer, using a fingertip to push red or blue mallets that move a puck around the screen-turned-table and trying to sneak the puck past your computer opponent to score a goal.
MotionX Poker: $4.99
This is an addictive poker game, played with realistic, beautifully rendered dice instead of cards. The cool thing is that you roll the dice by simply shaking the iPhone or iPod Touch; convincing sound effects accompany each roll of the dice.
MLB.com At Bat: $4.99
There are lots of cellphone apps and services that can give you live updates on baseball games. What’s special about this one is that it adds video clips of key plays that you can view while the games are still in progress, using the full power of the gorgeous screen and video player on the iPhone and the Touch.
Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D: $9.99
This is a rollicking, fun iPhone and iPod Touch rendition of the classic video racing game, where you control your car by tilting the phone. The graphics are good, and the game-play is responsive.
Truphone: free
This is the first app for the iPhone that allows you to make cheap phone calls over the Internet instead of using the built-in cellphone capability, which can be much costlier, especially for international calls. In our tests, we had some trouble at first, but after we removed and re-installed the program, it worked fine. Calls to 40 countries are six cents a minute to landlines and 30 cents a minute to cellphones.
What do you want on your original iPhone that you can not get out there now? For sure the iPhone 3G has increased speed, GPS location-finding feature and many other bells and whistles. Thus far, It is all about the Apple-approved third-party programs that can run on the iPhone and iPod Touch. There are hundreds of them, with more coming down the pipeline in the near future. All of these programs, applications or apps make developers as well as users happy customers. The good thing is that over 90% cost less than $10 or are free. So if you have an original iPhone, iPod touch and the new iPhone 3G, you will be soon faced with the selection of multiple programs to download to spiffy your must-have phone. And despite all the lack of supply and time-consuming contracts that users have to sign before they can walk out of the store, there can not be enough of them at the San Francisco store or any local Apple store which I visited since the release of the program. Yes, the lines continue to be long. The new iPhone 3G may present some hiccups to users, nonetheless they enjoy its features.
Downloading apps for your iPhone 3G is an easy and quick process. The programs are entertaining and useful at the same time. Developers made sure to integrate simple user interfaces and great graphics to go along with the reputation of slick Apple goods. There is no doubt that the iPhone economy will be built by these freelance developers. The iPhone has come to be a true computing platform like a pocket-sized Windows or Macintosh PC. It may be a novel way for Apple to try to revamp its Mac computer lines that have been languished over the years. The only thing is that everyone is praying that the health scare or rumors about Steve Jobs do not stop the growth of this great Silicon Valley company. By the way, the rumors were just rumors. Steve is fine, but needs to eat better foods after his surgery. Steve, do not forget about your nutrition!
Apple AppCessories: Is Everything going well with the iPhone 3G Thus Far?
(AppCessories: third-party developments, applications, apps, programs and software for Apple iPhone 3G)
Despite the few complaints of early adopters of the new iPhone in regards to the bug found in the its operating system, many new consumers just want to put their hands on one. The lines for those who had a valid complaint were smaller than the lines of those who want to buy. App Store employees are baffled by the presence of this nasty bug which causes apps to crash and can even force the iPhone or Touch to reboot. That usually happens when a large number of apps is used in quick succession.
According to various reviewers, there are thousands of third-party apps for Nokia phones, BlackBerrys, and phone running the Palm and Windows Mobile operating systems. "Thousands of third-party programs already exist for Nokia (NOK) phones, BlackBerrys, and phones running the Palm (PALM) and Windows Mobile operating systems. But, compared with the graphically rich, snappy iPhone apps — many of which fetch data from the Internet at high speed — the typical program on these older platforms looks positively primitive."
Playing with the Bells and Whistles
Users are still learning all the things they can do with the new programs they are downloading from App Store.
"Some programs fill in obvious holes in Apple’s original complement of iPhone software, things the iPhone has lacked that other phones have. These include AOL (TWX) Instant Messenger, a variety of task and to-do lists, sophisticated note takers and a voice dialer. There are numerous versions of popular board, card and word games, like solitaire, mahjong, Scrabble and Sudoku. There are also eye-popping iPhone versions of popular video games, some controlled by the phone’s motion detectors, which allow you to move cars and characters by just tilting the phone. Numerous programs let you perform Internet functions without using the Web browser on the iPhone or iPod Touch. These include news readers, Internet radio players, sports-information apps, and programs that let you blog or use Google (GOOG) or Facebook or MySpace."
Here is a list of some of the Apps that I have enjoyed in the new iPhone 3G: (Many reviewers have also liked them). I will take any free stuff any time. How about you?
Evernote: free
This is an elegant note-taker that has been on computers for a while. You can jot down text notes, store photos or dictate audio memos. And it synchronizes with your Evernote account on Windows or Mac PCs or the Web.
Instapaper: free
A handy way to store Web pages on your iPhone or Touch for reading when you’re offline. While on your computer, an Instapaper button added to the Web browser can snag Web pages for your personal Instapaper database. Then, when your iPhone or iPod Touch is online, it synchronizes with the Web-based Instapaper database. Later, when you’re offline, the pages are still there on the device, ready to read.
Travelocity TravelTools: free
You can use this to check flight schedules, gate assignments and security waiting times. While you can’t book flights through this app, there’s a button that automatically calls Travelocity’s toll-free booking line.
More Cowbell!: free
This is inspired by the Christopher Walken/Will Ferrell Saturday Night Live skit, which made the lowly cowbell a cult musical instrument. Whenever you tap the on-screen cowbell, it makes the recognizable, hollow sound heard in songs like “Down on the Corner,” by Creedence Clearwater Revival. You can play along with any song you choose on the iPod Touch or iPhone.
Touch Tarot: $0.99
Touch Tarot is a digital tarot-card reading that takes place on your iPod Touch or iPhone, instead of at a table inside an incense-scented tent at the county fair. Phrasing above each card tells its general category, and below each card is a brief explanation of its meaning. For example, we turned over the Wheel of Fortune card in one card reading, and it said, “Advancement for good or ill. The unexpected may occur. Good fortune.”
AIM: free
This version of AOL’s popular instant-messaging program does a competent job with text chat, though it can’t yet do video or audio chats, or transfer files. Because Apple isn’t allowing third-party programs to run constantly in the background, you can’t receive new messages in AIM while doing other things. This will supposedly be fixed by new Apple technology due later this year.
AOL Radio: free
While the iPhone and Touch contain full, terrific iPod capabilities, they don’t come with Internet radio players like this one. It can stream music and talk from a wide variety of online sources, including the Internet versions of broadcast radio stations.
Urbanspoon: free
Urbanspoon resembles a slot machine: From left to right, columns show the location, cuisine and cost of nearby restaurants. Instead of pulling a lever to start the slot machine, you simply shake your iPhone or iPod Touch whenever you want to find a restaurant. When it stops, you see the name of a restaurant near you and its classification in each category. (You can also specify what location, cuisine or cost you’re looking for.)
Air Hockey: $0.99
Air hockey works like the game you used to play in your best friend’s basement. You play against the computer, using a fingertip to push red or blue mallets that move a puck around the screen-turned-table and trying to sneak the puck past your computer opponent to score a goal.
MotionX Poker: $4.99
This is an addictive poker game, played with realistic, beautifully rendered dice instead of cards. The cool thing is that you roll the dice by simply shaking the iPhone or iPod Touch; convincing sound effects accompany each roll of the dice.
MLB.com At Bat: $4.99
There are lots of cellphone apps and services that can give you live updates on baseball games. What’s special about this one is that it adds video clips of key plays that you can view while the games are still in progress, using the full power of the gorgeous screen and video player on the iPhone and the Touch.
Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D: $9.99
This is a rollicking, fun iPhone and iPod Touch rendition of the classic video racing game, where you control your car by tilting the phone. The graphics are good, and the game-play is responsive.
Truphone: free
This is the first app for the iPhone that allows you to make cheap phone calls over the Internet instead of using the built-in cellphone capability, which can be much costlier, especially for international calls. In our tests, we had some trouble at first, but after we removed and re-installed the program, it worked fine. Calls to 40 countries are six cents a minute to landlines and 30 cents a minute to cellphones.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Natural Gas and Oil Drilling in Louisiana Allow More People to Buy Apple iPhone 3G and Other Tech Goodies
According to various reports, gas exploration is huge business. It is making lots of people rich all over the country. Louisiana is the place to be right now. Louisianians are walking on money. Their parcels of land are worth huge money.
"A no-holds-barred, all-American gold rush for natural gas is under way in this forgotten corner of the South, and De Soto Parish, with its fat check from a large energy company this month, is only the latest and largest beneficiary. The county leaders and everyone around them, for mile after mile, over to Texas and up to Arkansas, in the down-at-the-heels city of Shreveport and in its struggling neighbors, suddenly find themselves sitting on what could prove to be the largest natural gas deposit in the continental United States.
Already, several dozen people who own parcels of land over the field are becoming instant millionaires as energy companies pay big money for the mineral rights to the gas, which like other energy sources is worth far more than it was last year. Jalopies are being traded in for Cadillacs, plans for swimming pools are being hatched in rusty trailers, and the old courthouse here is packed to the rafters day after day with oil company “landmen” (and women), whose job it is to frantically search the record books for the owners of the mineral rights to land that has become like gold."
BP PLC Tuesday posted a 28% rise in second-quarter net profit, as the U.K. company captured more gains from skyrocketing oil prices through stable oil production and increased refining capacity amid a turnaround effort it began last year.
BP, which is embroiled in a bitter dispute over the control of its Russian oil and gas joint venture TNK-BP Holding, posted net profit of $9.47 billion, or 49.8 cents a share, for the three months ended June 30, up from $7.38 billion, or 38.2 cents a share, a year earlier. Revenue increased 52% ...
"A no-holds-barred, all-American gold rush for natural gas is under way in this forgotten corner of the South, and De Soto Parish, with its fat check from a large energy company this month, is only the latest and largest beneficiary. The county leaders and everyone around them, for mile after mile, over to Texas and up to Arkansas, in the down-at-the-heels city of Shreveport and in its struggling neighbors, suddenly find themselves sitting on what could prove to be the largest natural gas deposit in the continental United States.
Already, several dozen people who own parcels of land over the field are becoming instant millionaires as energy companies pay big money for the mineral rights to the gas, which like other energy sources is worth far more than it was last year. Jalopies are being traded in for Cadillacs, plans for swimming pools are being hatched in rusty trailers, and the old courthouse here is packed to the rafters day after day with oil company “landmen” (and women), whose job it is to frantically search the record books for the owners of the mineral rights to land that has become like gold."
BP PLC Tuesday posted a 28% rise in second-quarter net profit, as the U.K. company captured more gains from skyrocketing oil prices through stable oil production and increased refining capacity amid a turnaround effort it began last year.
BP, which is embroiled in a bitter dispute over the control of its Russian oil and gas joint venture TNK-BP Holding, posted net profit of $9.47 billion, or 49.8 cents a share, for the three months ended June 30, up from $7.38 billion, or 38.2 cents a share, a year earlier. Revenue increased 52% ...
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