Friday, April 29, 2011

Today's Headlines

Honeycomb Tablet Has 4G and 3D But It's No iPad
The Wall Street Journal
Columnist Walt Mossberg on the G-Slate:  "I've been testing the G-Slate, and in my view, it performs pretty well overall—about as well as the first Honeycomb tablet, the Xoom. But it isn't nearly as good a choice as the iPad 2."

Weak Blackberry Sales Could Blacken RIM's Outlook
The Wall Street Journal
There's fresh evidence that RIM is struggling to compete with Apple and other smartphone makers, especially in the U.S. market.  This comes after a lackluster debut of the company's PlayBook tablet. The device went on sale earlier this month after delays and tepid reviews.

iPad News Hub
If you’re based in these countries namely, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Korea, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Turkey, and UAE you can now purchase your iPad direct from the online Apple Store in your countries.
 
Apple Insider
After having missed last month's international launch because of a devastating natural disaster, Japan on Thursday became the first Asian country to begin selling the iPad 2.  At Apple's flagship Ginza retail store in Tokyo stretched for three blocks.
 
TUAW
Most futurists are off the mark, or make forecasts for technologies that are so far off in the future, you'll never know if they are right, but the Knight-Ridder team's predictions for the "electronic tablet" were just eerie.  (Story includes video.)

MacWorld
Motorola Mobility shipped 250,000 Xoom tablets in the first month the device was available, the company said on Thursday as part of its first-quarter earnings report.  Shipping a quarter of a million in a month isn’t quite the same as initial iPad shipments, but the number appears to be better than many had expected.

"South Park" Spoofs iPad in Season Premiere
CBS News
Wednesday night's season premiere of "South Park" combined one of the world's most-coveted tech gadgets with one of the most gag-inducing movies in recent memory.  No, seriously - they literally combined the iPad and "The Human Centipede": Three humans, one digestive tract and one iPad.


Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Today's Headlines

Ad-Supported Kindle Begins Shipments Today
AllThingsD
During its Q1 conference call with investors yesterday, Amazon revealed that it will begin shipping it ad-supported -- and cheaper -- Kindle on April 27.  It's a week earlier than expected. 

Thin Is In:  Toshiba Readies Super Slim 7-Inch Tablet
RegHardware
Toshiba has taken the wraps off a seven inch 1024 x 600 touchscreen that's a mere millimeter thick.

Magazine Publisher Conde Nast Slows Production of Apps for Tablets
Ad Age
Conde Nast is tapping the brakes on its drive to deliver iPad editions of all its magazines, according to company employees, acknowledging that conditions aren't quite right yet to deliver the ideal app editions at the kind of scale that advertisers want.

Survey Reveals That App Makers Interest in Android Platform Plateauing
MacWorld
The iPad may face increased competition from tablets running Android, but that’s doing little to stoke the enthusiasm of mobile developers, according to a new survey from development software maker Appcelerator. The survey found that interest in developing for Android among Appcelerator’s developers is plateauing, particularly when it comes to creating apps for Android-based tablets

8 Notorious Apps Banned by Tech Giants
PC World
Over the past few years, the teams at Apple, Google and Research in Motion have found themselves pulling applications off their mobile app markets that are deemed either offensive or legally questionable.  Check out the "banned" apps in this fascinating slide show.

The 10 Reasons Why Sony Tablets Will Succeed
eWeek
Reason #3:  Sony is a household name.  Reason #4:  the design is perfect. 

Where Is the Facebook App for the iPad?
Techcrunch
Nearly 20 percent of the top apps being downloaded for the iPad are apps that allow you to use Facebook on the device. And not one of them is actually made by Facebook. Because they refuse to make their own iPad app for some seemingly illogical reason.  Facebook, it’s time.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Today's Headlines

It's About Time:  Sony Announces Plans for Tablet
Business Insider
The consumer electronics giant is finally entering the tablet fray and confirmed details this morning for two Android Honeycomb-powered tablets.  One will have a 9.4-inch screen and the other will sport two 5.5-inch screens.  They will hit the market in the third quarter.  Alsofollow WSJ coverage with extensive photos.

Is Xoom a Bust?  Some Say Sales as Low as 25,000
AllThingD
Global Equities analyst Trip Chowdry estimates that Motorola Mobility has manufactured between 500,000 and 800,000 Xooms, but has sold only 5 to 15 percent of them.  That means, in the worst case scenario, the company has sold just 25,000 Xoom tablets.  Gulp!

Zite Makes Right and Wants to Play Nice with Publishers with its Updated App
The New York Times
Yesterday the news aggregator released of a new version of its app, which it calls a “personalized magazine.” It said it was intended to quell the criticism from publishers.  The market for aggregators that turn Web articles and links shared on Facebook and Twitter into digital versions of a customized magazine on the iPad has grown increasingly crowded.

10 Reasons Why Color Nook Will Never Match the Kindle
eWeek
Reason #5:  Want color?  Get the iPad.

Michael Dell:  Android Tablets Will Overtake iPad
TUAW
Michael Dell believes in Android.  In yesterday's Wall Street Journal interview, the Dell CEO said that Android  tablets would one day overtake as the leading platform in the tablet market.

Monday, April 25, 2011

Today's Headlines

Barnes & Noble Reintroduces the Color Nook E-Reader with Ad Campaign
The New York Times
The first commercial in the campaign will run on Monday, and a longer 60-second spot will run during the tv show "American Idol" on Thursday. Print ads will run in The New York Times and USA Today.

RIM Pushing to Access to Hulu Content for Its Playbook Tablet
AllThingsD
BlackBerry maker RIM (Research In Motion Ltd). said Friday it’s in talks with Hulu about gaining paid access to the video website’s content for users of its new tablet device, the PlayBook.

RIM Needs More from Playbook to Reclaim Its Mobile Mojo
PaidContent.org
In the first day the Playbook was on the market, RIM was estimated to have sold around 50,000 units.   That isn’t an awful lot considering that Apple  with in the first quarter, sold 55,000 iPads a day assuming a 90-day quarter.

First Look at Lenovo's New Tablet Computer Reportedly Coming This Summer
This Is My Next
The virtually unknown blog "This Is My Next..." just got a hold of a revealing PowerPoint that reveals a new ThinkPad tablet for “on-the-go professionals.” No, this isn’t a Windows 7 convertible like you’d expect — this is a full-fledged Android 3.0 slate complete with an optional pen and an accompanying “keyboard portfolio case.”

Rating the Android Apps for the Royal Wedding
PC World
Here's a sampling of the best, worst and in-between mobile apps, for Android  tablets and smartphones, being touted as indispensable for keeping track of and connected with The Wedding, set for Friday, April 29, at Westminster Abbey in London.

Friday, April 22, 2011

Today's Headlines

News.me Joins the Growing Category of News Aggregators
iPad News Hub
The new iPad app gives the news being read by the people you follow on Twitter. The app presents the curated views of the Twitter ecosphere in a seamless interface that will entice you to read those otherwise left-forgotten news items.  It joins the likes of Flipboard and Hitpad.

iPad Supply Beginning to Catch Up with Huge Demand
CNET
Customers who want a new Apple tablet device now have to wait just one to two weeks.   The new estimate follows a roller coaster ride that started with an initial and short-lived wait time of only three to five days before hitting a high of four to five weeks not long after after the iPad 2 made its debut.
The Excellent iPad Backlog Debacle
iPad Blorge
Acting Apple CEO Tim Cook did not say how many orders were backlogged, but talked a lot about the problems that are being caused by tardy shipments. Nor is the problem going away: the wait time for a an iPad 2 ordered today is still up to 2 weeks, though that is down considerably from a few weeks ago. Oh, yes, and they are already talking about the iPad 3.

iPad 2 vs Playbook:  See the Video 
Phonereview.com
The two tablets two tablets are pitted against each other in a side-by-side battle that lasts just a tad over twelve minutes of confrontation.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Today's Headlines

Low iPad Sales Mark Apple's Second Quarter Earnings Announcement
Mobile Beat
The biggest loser in Apple's profitable second quarter  was by far the iPad, which managed to ship just 4.69 million units when analysts expected somewhere between 6 and 8 million.  But it was a case of the supply not being able to match the demand.

Edited Transcript of Apple Earnings Report
MacWorld
 Tim Cook's remarks about the iPad, iPhone, supply chain issues and Steve Jobs. 

iPad Set to Go on Sale in More Countries
iPad News Hub
Singapore, Hong Kong and South Korea.are next in line it was revealed s uring yesterday's earnings report. 

Verizon Mulls Plans to Sell RIM's Playbook
Reuters
"We're still evaluating the BlackBerry Playbook and have not made a determination as to whether we're going to distribute it," Verizon Wireless Spokeswoman Brenda Raney told Reuters.  

Six Reasons to Buy a Playbook Instead of an iPad  
Business Insider
Reason # 1:  better screen resolution.

Galaxy Tab on Sales for $299 -- in Australia
UnWired View
Today’s great deal comes from Australia, and is available from both JB Hi-Fi and Telstra. These companies will sell you a 7-inch Galaxy Tab for just $299 outright – no contract required. And no, this isn’t the Wi-Fi-only version.

Good News For Kindle Owners:  Library Books to Be Available for the Device
The New York Times
Yesterday Amazon said that it would allow Kindle users to read e-books from more than 11,000 public libraries on the devices beginning later this year, a reversal of the company’s previous policy.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Today's Headlines

No Gee Whiz About It:  Tepid Reviews for T-Mobile's G-Slate
PC World
Aggregation of reviews of the T-Mobile tablet from outlets such as LapTopMag, GigaCom and Boy Genius Report (""I don't see the G-Slate going very far with average consumers.")

G-Slate Now Available at Amazon
Phandroid
The giant e-tailer is the first company to sell the device


iPad News Aggregator Poised for Launch
AllThingsD
News.me, Bit.ly’s social news iPad app looks as if it is ready for its debut according to writer Peter Kafka.  News.me will cost $0.99 a week, or $34.99 a year. It will be available as an iPad app, using Apple’s subscription service, or as an e-mail newsletter.

An Early Look (Feb. 1) at News.me
TechCrunch
The advance review of the app says, "News.me is a social news reading app that presents the news that the people you follow on Twitter are reading, and filters it based on how many times those stories are shared and clicked on overall.s"

RIM's Playbook:  D.O.A.
PC World
Writer Daniel Ionesco:  "Perhaps it's time to call the BlackBerry dead on arrival and wait for RIM to come up with a better iPad killer. If you don't want an iPad, there are still better Android alternative out there..."

Kindergartens Get iPads and Critics Are Riled
The Christian Science Monitor
A school district in Maine will be bringing the $499 Apple tablet devices into kindergarten classrooms starting in the fall with the aim of increasing literacy rates from 62 percent to 90 percent.  Some critics have blasted the iPad plan — saying the school district should not putting tablets in the hands of kindergartners and that they shouldn't be investing a large sum of money, especially amid budget cuts that could take away teacher instruction.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Today's Headlines

Apple Accuses Samsung of Copying Design for Galaxy Tab
The Wall Street Journal
Apple sued rival Samsung Electronics Co., claiming its Galaxy cellphones and tablet "slavishly" copied Apple's iPhone and iPad, in another sign of the escalating intellectual-property tensions in the mobile market. "It's another arrow in their [Apple's] quiver to slow down their closest competitor," said Edward Snyder, an analyst for Charter Equity Research in San Francisco, referring to the suit against Samsung.

Is iPad 2 a Toy?  Device Now Sold at Toys R Us
iPad News Hub
The rumor is true.  The iPad 2 is being sold at the retail giant.


Defending RIM Playbook:  Many Reviews Unfair and Contradictory
TheStreet.com
Writer Anton Wahlman argues that RIM did not communicate its expectations clearly.  Here's what the company should have said:  "The PlayBook is initially optimized for those who already have a BlackBerry, such as the IT departments of medium-to-large organizations. Through frequent software upgrades over the next few short months, the PlayBook will gain continuously improved capabilities optimizing it for the consumer market and those who don't carry a BlackBerry smartphone."

RIM's Playbook Could Be Sleeper Hit
Marketwatch
Despite lackluster reviews for its PlayBook tablet, Research In Motion isn't going anywhere in the mobile-device market thanks to its huge base of business users.  (Video)

Laptop
If you've got a Playbook and you'd to get some music, pictures, and other goodies on it, but really hate using cords to do so, read this.
Unplugged
The scarce supplies and huge demand worldwide for the iPad 2 are creating a new market in places like New York City, where large groups of "scalpters" or investors” are camping out, often overnight, to buy the device in droves.  A scalper can make as much as $400 a day. 

Moco News
One good guess from is that Apple has started to factor in active usage into its rankings, rather than basing those rankings on downloads alone, which is similar to how Google ranks apps in the Android Market.

Friday, April 15, 2011

Today's Headlines

Interview with RIM PLaybook Product Manager Ryan Biden
The Financial Post
A podcast with the Research in Motion executive leading the PlayBook project for RIM.  He talks about the new tablet why the company opened up the device to Android applications.

As RIM Playbook Prepares for Debut, Cisco's Cius Slowly Emerges
Network World
Cisco said in a blog post last week that its direct sales representatives and channel partners began accepting orders for the Cius on March 31. Through the end of May, the company is delivering the devices to "key customer accounts we've identified with unique use cases," spokeswoman Molly Ford told Network World. 


Poor Playbook Reviews Spur Analyst to Question RIM's Future
The Business News Network
Kim Shannon, president and chief investment officer of Sionna Investment Managers, told BNN that the tepid public reaction to the PlayBook might be a harbinger of what’s to come, with the company increasingly playing a niche role in the tech sector

Has RIM Gone from Innovator to Follower in Wake of Playbook Reviews?
IT World Canada
There is a significant change in the wind for RIM, illuminated by the coming April 19 release of its Playbook  tablet computer, which will run apps built for Android devices, and the porting of its BlackBerry Messenger app to the Android and iOS platforms.  Back in the day, RIM was an innovator. Now, the company has become a follower.

RIM's Playbook Bombs with Reviewers
Reuters
The negative reviews of the tablet in outlets like The New  York Times and The Wall Street Journal seemed to hit RIM's often volatile shares, which fell 1.7 percent to $53.92 on the Nasdaq on Thursday, the lowest closing price since Oct 25

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Today's Headlines

Commentary:  Publishers Should Follow Amazon's Lead and Subsidize Tablets
Poynter.org
For publishers struggling to figure out how to make money on mobile platforms, Amazon may be on to something by selling a less expensive Kindle with ads built in. One of the challenges of selling content on smartphones and tablets is the cost of ownership. Assuming an iPhone or Android phone is a $200 purchase with a $70 – $80 monthly contract, it can be difficult to find any discretionary income left to spend on that New York Times subscription for $455 a year.

Mossberg Review of RIM's Tablet:  He Recommends Not Buying -- For Now 
The Wall Street Journal
The Journal's powerful tech columnist calls  the PlayBook a companion to a BlackBerry phone rather than a fully independent device. 

Pogue Review of RIM's Tablet:  Lack of Apps Mars Playbook
The New York Times
The Times' powerful tech columnist felt mostly positive about the device.  The pluses:  it  "looks and feels great: hard rubberized back, brilliant, super-responsive multitouch screen, (and) solid heft..."  However, only 3,000 apps have been submitted (while there are 300,000 apps now available for the iPad). 


Topolsky Review of RIM's Tablet:  One Big Outstanding Oversight
Thisismynext.com
The veteran tech reporter is annoyed by the lack of native email.  He's got other issues as well:  "The worst part, however, is that I can’t think of a single reason to recommend this tablet over the iPad 2, or for that matter… the Xoom"


PC Growth Stunted by Surging iPad Sales
Beta News
Reports from Gartner and IDC suggest that sales of PC's in the first quarter of 2011 decreased.  The likely culprint:  iPads. 

4 Android-Based Tablets to Be Shown by Elonex
eBooknewser
Elonex, an UK based gadget company, is showing off 4 new tablets at the UK-based Gadget Show this week. There will be a  seven-inch  tablet with a capacitive screen and three ten-inch tablets, also with capacitive screens.

Father of Next Issue Media Lands New Gig at Digital Bookstore
AllThingsD
Former Time Inc. executive John Squires -- who helped found digital newsstand Next Issue Media -- has landed a new job at Akademos, a comany that runs digital bookstores for small- and mid-sized colleges.  

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Today's Headlines

Ad-Supported E-Reading Set to Take Off
Fast Company
Amazon announced a $114 ad-supported Kindle e-reader--a savings of $25 on the regular price of the device. But writer Kit Eaton notes there are many questions about its strategy. 

Two Tablets Square Off with the iPad 2
BBC
The "Beeb" looks at the Motorola Xoom and RIM's Playbook.

The Shotgun Wedding Between Legacy Media and the iPad 2
Marketwatch
Writer Jon Friedman notes, "This seeming marriage made in heaven of new and old media is getting off to an uninspiring start. As The Wall Street Journal noted on Monday, while an increasing number of magazines are edging toward permitting subscriptions on the iPad, 'relations between the publishing industry and Apple remain icy.'"

Monday, April 11, 2011

Today's Headlines

RIM Tabs Tablet to Power Rebound
The New York Times
As Research in Motion (RIM)  prepares to introduce its first tablet computer, the Playbook, on April 19, doubts about its future have arguably never been greater.  The Playbook is critical to RIM's future in part because it will be running RIM's’s first all-new operating system since the introduction of the BlackBerry over a decade ago. That software will also be on new phones that the company will release in the coming months.

Survey:  Playing Games Ranks as Leading Tablet Activity
The Guardian
A survey of more than 1,400 tablet owners in the US by Google's AdMob subsidiary has found that gaming is the most popular use for these devices, considerably ahead of music, video and ebooks.  The survey found that 38% of respondents spend more than two hours a day using their tablets, while another 30% spend 1-2 hours. It appears that tablets are predominantly domestic devices, with 82% of people primarily using their tablets at home, versus 11% who say they are used primarily on the go, and 7% who said at work.

Magazine Publishers Warming Up to iPad Editions
The Wall Street Journal
While the publishing industry remains cautious in its attitude about Apple Inc., an increasing number of magazine are moving toward allowing subscriptions on the iPad. Bloomberg Businessweek will start selling subscriptions to an iPad version of its magazine for $2.99 a month on Monday, joining Elle and Maxim among a small but growing number of magazines willing to sign on despite industry-wide concerns about Apple's reluctance to share customer data.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Today's Headlines

No Surprise:  iPad 2 Tops Consumer Reports' Ranking of Tablets
Consumer Reports
After almost a year in which the Apple iPad has been virtually the only game in town in tablet computers, some serious competitors are finally hitting the market. Yet in Consumer Reports latest tests of the 10 most-promising tablet computers, the Apple iPad 2 with Wi-Fi and 3G topped the Ratings. Motorola's Xoom ranked second. 

10 Reasons Why Tablets Will Wound But Not Kill Laptops
eWeek
Reasons #2 and #4:  It's hard to type; Windows.


30 Years of Mobile Computing:  Osborne 1 vs iPad 2
Storm Driver
The Osborne 1 was the cool mobile computer in 1981, the brainchild of Adam Osborne who was bigger than Steve JObs and Bill Gates at the time.  How does it stack up with the iPad 2?

The Sub-$200 Tablet Is Now on Sale
Mobilewhack
The Archos Arnova 8 (with an 8-inch screen) is now on sale at J&R for $159.99. 


RIM's Playbook Wins Need for Speed
Bloomberg
RIM, whose BlackBerry smartphone first caught on with corporate customers, is drawing interest for its PlayBook tablet from developers of consumer applications, including games and magazines.

Dell's 10-Inch Windows Tablet May Arrive in Q3
Forbes
Back in February, Dell announced it would release a 10-inch, Windows 7-based tablet at some point in 2011. The delivery date for that device, it turns out, won’t be until the fall, according to undisclosed sources in this Forbes story.

Google Books Look Good in the iPad
BusinessInsider
Google Books just updated its iOS app with search and a good-looking landscape reading mode with page-turning for iPads.Up until now, and perhaps still, the Google Books app isn't as good as Amazon's Kindle app, Apple's iBooks, or Barnes and Noble's Nook app -- but it's gaining quickly.

The Orange County Register
After incoming students at University of California Irvine received free iPads, the school was surprise to hear about one recurring complaint:  the students said they suffered from headaches.  

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Today's Headlines

iPad 2 Supplies Showing Signs of Improvement
ITProPortal
The supply of Apple's iPad 2 is showing signs of improvement after the company's online store reported a shipping time of two to three weeks for online iPad 2 orders

BusinessWeek
Writer Kevin Tofel:  "I want to revisit my post from late January explaining why I dumped the iPad for a smaller Galaxy Tab. I bought an iPad 2 a few weeks ago, and now my house is home to both. And guess what? That's not a bad thing."

Monday, April 4, 2011

Today's Headlines

Smartphone vs iPad:  Which Impacts Your Life More?
ReadWriteWeb
Writer Richard MacManus:  "Personally, I use both the iPad and iPhone frequently - but I'd have to say that the iPad has had a bigger impact on my browsing and interaction habits over the past year. For my colleague, it's been the opposite."

Skirmish Develops Between Cable Companies and Cable Networks on the iPad Battlefield
The New York Times
The iPad is becoming the latest battleground in a long-running fight over how TV programs will be delivered in the digital age, and who will deliver them.  Time Warner Cable reaffirmed in a statement that it believed it had “every right to carry the programming on our iPad app” and said it would consider its legal options. The next day, the company it had added several dozen channels to the app, including A&E and Bravo.

iPad 2 Is an Incremental Improvement
The  Seattle Times
Critic Brier Dudley:  "The iPad 2 is a wonderful gadget. I'm still not sure I'd buy one — I've been using a loaned unit from Apple — but I can see why others will. If you're in the market for a Web tablet, it's hard to recommend anything other than the iPad. It defines the category and set expectations for silky performance, elegant design and an endless supply of applications."

How Long Will Cablevision's iPad App Offer Hundreds of Live TV Channels?
ZDNet
Seemingly undaunted by the woes befalling Time Warner Cable’s live TV iPad app — numerous cable networks demanding their channels be pulled from the app — Cablevision has announced its Optimum iPad app, which promises hundreds of channels streamed live to the iPad for subscribers to watch while in their homes.

Florida High School Students Gifted iPads for Upcoming School Year
The Miami Herald
Thanks to an anonymous $1 million donation to the Florida's Lake Wales technology program, each student and teacher will have an iPad beginning in August. 

Staples Preps for Tablet Push
TWICE
Staples is positioning itself as a tablet PC destination. The No. 1 office-supply chain has launched a pair of educational microsites for the category as it begins a steady rollout of models that started with the Dell Inspiron Duo 10.1 tablet.

Yahoo's Big Plans for Its Tablet Reading App Livestand
SFGate
With new competitors surfacing in the market for reading applications, Yahoo's still-unreleased Livestand will launch in a space much more crowded than it was when it was announced.But the technology behind the app will ensure it stands out, Yahoo's chief technical officer said this week.  "Over time, I think our ability to deliver the right content to consumers will be unparalleled," Raymie Stata said Thursday.