iPad

Is Apple Telegraphing A Tablet Market as Large as PCs?

April 21, 2011

I'm Predicting 500,000,000 tablets sold by 2015 (updated - an eagle-eyed reader noticed I left out 3 zeros for the various iPad estimates throughout!)

Through informal research I have seen iPad owners not giving up on their PCs – in fact they generally use both machines at different times for different purposes. For example, website surfing to sites which utilize Flash often requires a PC or laptop as they may not work on an iPad. Moreover, iPads and iPhones require PCs which they must plug into to receive software updates, etc. Many people find that they need to type large amounts at one time or another and they often choose a PC or laptop for this task – either not realizing they can purchase a keyboard for their iPad or just not caring.

Another important point I have noticed is iPads are being utilized by younger users more often than comparable laptops or PCs because they are so easy to operate and the App Store makes it a breeze to try new software. And another plus for tablets is they also act as a book replacement - as Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. reminds us.

Posted in 4G, Android, Apple, Blackberry, Cloud Computing, Consumer Electronics, Facebook, Financial, Gadget, Google, HTML5, Social Networking, Technology, Wireless, iPad

Is The Mobile Market Beyond Intel's Reach?

May 18, 2011

A few weeks back Intel made news announcing its 3D transistors being commercialized. This new Tri-Gate technology can enable increased computing power at reduced energy levels. We all know that this sort of breakthrough is crucial in mobile computing and even general electronics can benefit from increased performance at lower power draws. Think about the benefit of such technology in data centers for example.

Over the years, specialized processors have had to compete with Intel's CPUs which gave so much more computing power per dollar.

Posted in Apple, Broadband, Consumer Electronics, Speech Technologies, Technology, Unified Communications, Wireless, iPad

BlackBerry PlayBook First Thoughts

May 19, 2011

In my review of the BlackBerry PlayBook I must say I am impressed with the device - it is small - not too heavy, feels good in your hands and runs Flash like a champ. The back of the device is rubberized which holds the promise of increased durability and a large degree of scratch-resistance. TMCnet's Stefanie Mosca has more thoughts on the device and as a BlackBerry user it was certainly more functional for her. She also thinks it is an ideal device for traveling which is tough to disagree with - it likely even fits in most purses.

Posted in 4G, AT&T, Android, Apple, Blackberry, Broadband, Consumer Electronics, Gadget, IP Communications, Smart Ecosystem, TMC Video, Technology, Verizon, iPad

Flash Support May Be Apple's Only Weak Spot

May 23, 2011

I’ve got two kids and for privacy reasons we will call them X, age seven and Y, age six. For their last birthday X received a netbook and I noticed over the last eight months or so – it was rarely used while an iPod, a Nintendo DSi and my iPad were. So partly because I was sick of lending my iPad to the kids constantly and because I saw just how much use iOS devices were getting in my house – I lobbied the grandparents to not get another netbook but instead get the youngest child “Y” an iPad.

Y didn’t want an iPad – only because you couldn’t play some Flash-based game on it.

Posted in 4G, AT&T, Android, Apple, Blackberry, Consumer Electronics, Gadget, HTML5, Microsoft, Technology, Verizon, Wireless, iPad

Microsoft Taking Tablet Control

June 2, 2011

Microsoft is taking control of the companies allowed to sell its tablets and limiting the number according to the Wall Street Journal. There are two good reasons for Microsoft to change its traditional open system where everyone had a shot at becoming a hardware partner.

It is imperative Microsoft get the tablet roll out right and they need to get involved early to ensure the partners with the best products get to market quickly with limited competition to ensure success.
Microsoft is losing to Apple because in part its user interfaces and product designs are vastly inferior. I've mentioned the difference between using a clunky Dell laptop Vs. an iPad before. They need to take control of this problem and one hopes they will police more tightly the final tablet user experience with attention to detail commensurate with that of the iPad and its magnetic cover.

Posted in Apple, Microsoft, Technology, Wireless, iPad

As if Publishers Didn't Have Enough Problems

June 7, 2011

TMCnet's Scott Bouchard points out something very scary for publishers and that is the face that the new Apple Reader has the potential to really hurt page view revenue based on ads as it strips the text of articles and presents them devoid of sponsors or ads. While this could be a short-term win for users, over time it could kill the ability for media companies to make money in the way they currently do. This may be a major concern. Something worth watching for sure.

I haven't had time to check this feature out myself yet and to learn more here is Scott's article.

Posted in Apple, Marketing, iPad

HTML5 Shines on New FT App

June 10, 2011

According to Ed Silverstein on TMCnet's sister site TechZone360, The Financial Times recently released a web app at app.ft.com based on HTML5 and in doing so has shown the Splinternet may be reversing course. As you may recall, I coined the term Splinternet in 2008 to describe the splintering of app environments on the web. Programmers currently utilize so much overhead to program for various environments that they take precious resources from differentiating their apps. The scenario is reminiscent of the hundreds or thousands of printer drivers developers had to provide with their software before Windows became popular and handled this task for the development community.

Posted in Android, Apple, Cloud Computing, Communications Developer, E-Commerce, Facebook, Financial, HTML5, SaaS, Technology, Verizon, Wireless, iPad

Microsoft Embraces HTML5 and Developers Are Scared

June 14, 2011

Recently Microsoft came out with the news that new Windows 8 immersive applications will be coded with HTML5 and JavaScript and this has sent a shock-wave through the company's developer community as the various programming languages they are used to seem to have been obsoleted overnight.

ZDnet's Mary Jo Foley said she has it on good authority that Silverlight will continue to be supported as well but the forums are awash in fear, uncertainty and doubt.

There are two ways of looking at this news - Microsoft hasn't had a chance to explain in full its future path for developers and in-time coders will learn that they aren't coding dinosaurs as some bridge technologies will ensure their skill-set is still useful.

Personally I believe that Microsoft isn't going to abandon .NET, WPF and other development platforms. But this doesn't mean this news isn't huge.

What Microsoft is telling developers is HTML5 and JavaScript are the future of web programming. This isn't exactly news to many of us but coming from Microsoft at this early a stage, the news is frankly surprising.

But then again when you realize just how much catching up the company has to do in the tablet and smartphone space, the HTML5 move is the only one which makes sense.

And herein lies the opportunity - HTML5 runs everywhere and as we saw from the recent Financial Times app, it has virtually no limitations compared to native code and as a bonus requires no app store gatekeeper to approve it.

For programmers everywhere - if you aren't learning HTML5 - you may come to work one day and realize you are a triceratops (hat tip to TMC president Dave Rodriguez whose line I just stole.)

TMC is cosponsoring an HTML5 event called DevCon5 in Manhattan, July 27-28, 2011 and the show is a must-attend for developers, designers, media companies and executives who don't want to be left in the dust.

Posted in Conference, HTML5, Microsoft, iPad

Jabra Freeway Bluetooth Speakerphone Really Rocks

June 16, 2011

Somehow when Jabra sent me their new Freeway car speakerphone it came to my house instead of my office and when I opened the box I thought ho-hum – a speakerphone and unceremoniously placed it in the pile of mail which may or may not get looked at. But today I brought it to work and became thoroughly impressed with its features. Virtual surround sound, HD voice support, A2DP music streaming support, voice guidance for Caller-ID, intelligent speech recognition, motion sensing to conserve battery, 3 speakers, support for two simultaneous devices and that sound – oh that sound, you think the device must be much bigger than it is.

Posted in HD Voice, HTML5, IP Communications, Technology, Verizon, Wireless, iPad

Quad: The Death of E-mail and Cisco's Social Enterprise Ambitions

June 20, 2011

Quad moves to the cloud, has native Cius tablet support and offers better interoperability

Last week I took a train into the city from TMC’s Connecticut HQ to spend time with the Cisco Quad collaboration team – using Cisco telepresence technology and it was a fascinating look into the company’s foray into a post-email, collaborative enterprise world. First things first, I wrote about Quad and spoke with Murali Sitaram VP/GM of Cisco's Enterprise Platforms unit last September and since then Quad has not been talked about much in the media and has limited buzz in the market. Moreover, Cisco is repositioning itself – lightening up on consumer products meaning much of the company’s messaging has been in other areas of the market including launching consumer telepresence product UMI – something which should never should have gotten the green light.

Posted in 4G, AT&T, Android, Apple, Avaya, Broadband, CRM, Call Center, Cisco, Cloud Computing, Communications Developer, Conference, Conferencing, Consumer Electronics, FCC, Fax, Gadget, Google, IP Communications, Microsoft, Networking, Nortel, SIP, Social Networking, Speech Technologies, Technology, Twitter, Unified Communications, Verizon, Video, VoIP, Wireless, iPad

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