Last Blog

So I wanted my last blog to be important and meaning but, it isn't. I am amazed to have finally finished this class and this semester. I graduate on sunday and am very exicted to take the next step into my masters. I am going to get a masters in MSIS and am exicted to see how difficult it is.

So this weeks blog is about how apples iPhone broke their sales records this quarter. "iPhone sales were at an all-time high," said Peter Oppenheimer. They said its due to the abilities of the iPhone is why its having so much success. Competitors are having trouble competing with its possibilities.

The iPhone is a great success for Apple Inc. It really gave them the upperhand in the world of smart phone. I found this story on computerworld.com and this is the exact link to find the information you might be interested in.

Final Blog!!! / New iPhone

First, I would like to take this opportunity to scream: FINALLY, THIS IS MY LAST POST...EVER!!!!! Okay but seriously I thought this day would never come. When Professor Drake gave us this task back in January, I told myself there is no way I will be able to write something consistently every week. But I am glad that I did instead of just slacking off and then having to scramble to get in 5 posts in one week. Overall, I thought the whole blog idea was really fun. I usually spend my time anyway finding cool information on the internet and this allowed me to share my findings with others. As well as seeing other interesting information found by my classmates.

My last post is about a very, very unlucky young Apple Software Engineer. Gray Powell was given a 4th generation iPhone prototype to test in the real world. Well he had it in a special case that disguised it as a iPhone 3GS. Unfortunately, he went out with some of his friends, drank many beers and ended up leaving the prototype iPhone on his bar stool.

Well the story goes, a near by fellow bar patron found the phone, not knowing that it was a prototype, and waited for Gray to come back (he never did). Next day he discovers that it is something special and tries to call Apple to let them know that he has something that they might want back, but no one took him seriously. Before you know it, he ends up selling the phone to online tech blog giant, GIZMODO, for $5,000. Gizmodo then ends up leaking many, many pics and videos showing off the prototype of the iPhone that will be unveiled in June. There were many doubters that this could be the real deal, but then Gizmodo received a letter (shown above) from Apple's legal team asking for the phone back. This all but confirms it real.

This is really crazy to me. Imagine how you would feel knowing that you single handedly led to Apple's next great product being leaked out to the world? Hopefully Gray gets to keep his job because anyone could of made that same mistake.

Original story found on GIZMODO

Apple Inc.

The other day I had to read a case paper about Apple Inc. It was interesting to see how Apple started out and how they revolutionized a lot of the technology we know today. Apple Computer joined the world in 1976, when Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak began making computer circuit boards in their garage. A while back Steve Jobs was fired, which is one thing I never knew. Here is some examples of things that we use that might not exist without Apple and Steve Jobs.

Apple created things such as the iPod, Mac, iPhone, and millions of apps that we use everyday. Apple has created two great partnerships, one with AT&T when they created the iPhone, did you know Steve Jobs went to Verizon also, but Verizon turned down his offer. Steve Jobs wanted to own all the rights to iPhone but pair up with a strong wireless service to offer great connection. He told AT&T that they wont have any control over what he does or how it’s offered. And although reluctant they took the offer that Verizon had turned down.

Another great partnership is Apple and Nike. They have created the Nike + iPod. Nike + iPod has a chip that as you go bike or run it will track of the distance and speed from your previous workout. Also it has a feature that when you begin to slow down it will change the song in your iPod and gives you a previously selected “pump up” song to help you keep up your goal. Learn more about this at apple.com.

Windows Mobile 7 Flash

One of the largest complaints about the iPhone is the lack of Flash. With over six million download requests in December 2009 alone, it is clear the users expect flash to be present on a mobile device at this point. Many expect that Windows Mobile 7 will be compatible with Flash, given Microsoft's close relationship with Adobe. The introduction of flash on Windows Mobile will finally allow Microsoft to one-up Apple... but can they do it?

The simple answer is no. Steve Ballmer recently announced that Windows Mobile 7 will not have Flash capability at initial release. Many may say that the capability will eventually be integrated into the OS, but Microsoft has a dirty history of keeping the status-quo with many of its products. Windows Vista, for example, was supposed to come with a new file system that would speed up data access rates and allow for superior organization, but Microsoft simply never got around to it.

Flash requires processing power that is capable with current technology, but the battery life of any device using it would be the equivalent to those which are currently using GPS. The number of flash applications is begging to dwindle and HTML 5 is supposed to remove the necessity of the Flash format, which may actually make this entire post into a moot point.

App Development: iPhone vs. Android

Apple's custom application integration changed the way we use smartphones - phones integrate into our daily routine, changing how we are connected to the world. The days of simply checking your email are gone - you can remotely connect to your computer from half a world away. The development of the android operating system created an open source solution to programmers, attempting to "free up" the market and make platform development easier. The iPhone, however, still has a tedious approval process, but maintains a larger customer base. This fact alone poses one question: what do developers prefer? It's simple.

The larger the customer base the better, meaning that Apple has won by a landslide. The platform in and of itself is simple to program for, the SDK is available to nearly everyone, and only a small portion of applications fail to pass the application process. Developers have access to daily download statistics and have near complete control over their application. The Android platform, though powerful, simply does not have the subscriber base.

The iPhone has also begun to seep into business with its simple exchange integration and, with the recent upsurge of business use, many business have begun to create their own applications for use. The android platform still has the stigma of being a toy, much like the iPhone did at first, but can not quite seem to shake it. Apple set the barriers of entry very high within the app market, and only time will tell if other platforms can compete.

AT&T to invest $2B in mobile network

So I found this article on cnn.com and it made me laugh, hence the lol cat image. It's about how AT&T is going to invest an additional 2 billion dollars this year compared to last year in their mobile network. Upgrades include "...2,000 new cell sites and [an] upgrade [to] existing cell sites with three times more fiber links than it had in 2009." I think that it's about damn time, this should have been done a long time ago.

There are two concerns that I have with this though, who is going to pay for these upgrades? I'm really glad I'm not an AT&T customer, but I have friends who are and I think that the extra expenses will be passed on to them. We all know that they are not going to let these upgrades eat into their precious iPhone service income. The other thing I'm curious about, if they are going to pass on the expenses to their customers then how do they expect to remain competitive in a market that is full of companies looking to eat at their bottom line. I believe that Verizon and T-mobile are already eating away at them because of the Android platform and what seems to be, more fact than opinion, that they have a better network than AT&T.

To answer my own question it'll be with the iPad, which they mention in the article that they will be the exclusive carrier to provide 3G wireless service. I don't think they are going to see the huge sales that they saw with the iPhone because a lot of customers are already boasting that the iPad is just a larger version of the iPhone. The next couple of years will be extremely interesting in the mobile world, I think that things will get even more competitive then they already are and companies will have to maintain a good balance of being able to offer the best technology while keeping their prices lower then the competitor.

No Plug in Required

There is a new video player out for the web. HTML 5 is now available on Vimeo and YouTube. It allows you to view a video with out any plug in being installed on your computer. It is currently still in beta testing and is only compatible with a couple browsers at this point. Those browsers are Chrome, ChromeFrame on Internet Explorer and Safari at this point.

It appears that not every one on the net is happy about this development. Vimeo spokesperson Brad Daugherty said "Almost every thread on the Internet about HTML 5 devolves into some kind of flamewar. Please don't comment here extolling the virtues of open source or unencumbered codecs,". Deborah Szajngarten, director of Marketing and Communications at Vimeo points out this is only a test at this time and their goal was to provide the video community with the best tools out there.

So what are the other reasons that are railing against this change. I mean how could a User-Friendly plug in free player be a bad thing. If you are Adobe or Microsoft, you would be thinking other wise. Videos are big business. Both companies want to keep their footholds in this business via their propriety platform.


The article writer thinks that by the end of the year there will be more devices like the IPhone that doesn't support flash will be introduced to the game and the war will be on.

Nexus One vs iPhone

I'm sure that nearly everyone has heard of the new phone released by Google called Nexus One, as lately it seems to be taking up quite a bit of space in the news. Phone technology seems to be developing at the pace that computers were in the mid 1990's. Every time you buy something, within about 6 months to a year, something faster with more capacity and more capabilities is hitting the shelves. With this fast developing technology it is hard to decide whether you should buy the new technology as it comes out or wait for the next generation to emerge. I for one have learned my lesson about getting the new technology as soon as it hits the shelves. I found this out when I purchased the iPhone.

When the iPhone was released back in June of 2007 (Wikipedia) I was quick to purchase it in July of that year, and to be honest, my life has never been the same. However, with that being said, the most important lesson that I learned from that purchase is that had I waited about 2 more months, I could have saved $200 after Apple's price reduction. That is a tough lesson to learn for a Student. While Apple was kind enough to provide early adopters with a $100 store credit, I personally would have been ok with waiting the 2 extra months and saving the full $200. With all that being said, I'm curious to see what the next couple months have in store for the Nexus One.

The Nexus One is carrying a hefty price tag with it. It currently cost $529 to buy the phone unlocked and $179 to purchase it with a T Mobile 2 year contract. (Google/NexusOne) While this is very similar to Apples original price of $499 for the iPhone, Apple actually required a 2 year contract with AT&T (a terrible service provider in my opinion) in order to get that price. Time will tell if the original price of the phone will come down, but I know from experience that I will wait at least 6 months or so before I begin to evaluate whether or not I will make the switch.

With that being said I'm also curious to get some feedback on what people think about the features of the Nexus One versus the iPhone. While both phones have similar features such as GPS, camera, etc, The iPhone has a many more applications (100,000 vs 20,000). While I'm sure that more will come to the Android OS soon but for the time being that is a large difference. So in short, please let me know your thought on both jumping on new technology vs. waiting, as well as the biggest differences between the capabilities/availability of each phone.

Iphone software development class

At the University of California Davis a professor is teaching a Iphone application development class. The professor wanted to teach a class that was relevant and could also keep the interest of students. There have been several universities that offered software development classes, but the first for U of C Davis. The only prerequisite for the class is students were to have their own iphone, ipod (touch), or Mac that can run SDK( Software Development Kit).

The break down of the class consisted of the first 5 weeks learning SDK and some C language. The following 5 remaining weeks students were to split into teams of 2 and worked on their applications. The end of the semester brought some cool new apps, like how to tune a piano and maps of the university campus.

Professor Drake even talked about how big the application programing for cell phones are right now. With application being and open source we've only scratched the surface of whats yet to come with phone applications.

Iphone user are clogging up the network

This is an astonishing fact! 3 percent of smartphone users are consuming 40 percent of the network capacity. At&T wants its customers to use less wirless data because it's clogging the network. AT&T's head of wireless,said "the wireless operator is considering incentives to get consumers to reduce their data usage."

They plan to gives incentives to encourage phones users to use less data usage.

The video and the audio features on the phone are the culprits for the data usage becoming clogged. The iphone uses more data than the standard phone. It has gotten so bad at&t had a program application that allows users to report service problems. By AT&T having a 3G network , people were accessing more data and clogging up service.

At&t is looking into reducing phone plan serivices in order to free up the network. This isn't the answer to the issue. It's more like a band aid. AT&T is asking the Federal Communications Commission to find more spectrum to auction off that can be used for wireless data services. With the creation of the cell phone with applications, it will be extremely hard to find more space. Teen's are purchasing more phones thus getting more apps and clogging more space in the network. This reminds me when they were running low with IP address.

The World Of Phone Apps

Despite the weak economy and consumers’ desire to spend less frivolously, the popularity of smartphones is paving the way for a new source of revenue: phone applications.
And developers are clamoring to take a piece of the growing market that many are modeling after the success of Apple’s App Store. For example, the number of downloads through Apple’s (News - Alert) App Store has surpassed 1 billion. That combined with the fact that more than 40 million iPhones and iPod Touches have sold since 2007 are contributing to an increase in companies that are tapping the mobile industry as a source of revenue, the New York Times reports.

It’s no surprise that iPhone (News - Alert) apps command most of the attention iPhone apps. Apple has reached a milestone of offering 50,000 applications. But competition is heating up. Thanks to the popularity of Apple and the onslaught of apps, the market for apps is growing. For example, Palm, Research in Motion, Nokia and Microsoft (News - Alert) are building app stores to work with phones to use with their operating systems, the New York Times reported. And it’s only going to increase.

By 2013, researcher In-Stat (News - Alert) projects nearly 30 percent of smartphones representing over 100 million unit shipments will be based on an operating system that supports app stores, according to a TMCnet report.

The increased interest in app developers is largely being driven by companies that seek to build cellphone apps for their products or services, according to the New York Times. While many apps are free, people are willing to pay 99 cents or more for them. That willingness gives companies hope that apps may be a more reliable source of revenue over Web sites, the report said.

“Companies are asking themselves, ‘How can we get on the iPhone?’ ” Matt Murphy, a partner at venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, which maintains a $100 million fund devoted solely to investing in start-ups creating apps for the iPhone, told the New York Times. “Instead of trying to organically create their own property, they’re looking at applications with traction and cherry-picking the ones that seem like a good fit.”

Beyond smartphones, other companies have discovered ways to use phone applications. Amazon use phone apps to broaden the market for e-books it sells with its Kindle device. Under a new program announced earlier this year, iPod Touch and iPhone users can access the same content as the latest Kindle electronic book reader, TMCnet reported.

While the market appears to be booming, the proliferation of application stores prompts the question: When will developers reach the saturation point? Not anytime soon, some experts say. For example, developers who offer more applications will help drive carrier loyalty, IT world reports.

"The more the merrier because it increases demand," Steve Glagow, vice president of Orange Partner,
a European wireless carrier, told IT World. "It also builds an affinity to the handset so they keep them for a longer period of time."

Some vendors will be more successful than others, but one thing is clear. There’s lot of room for growth in the application market.
"We don't know what kinds of apps people will want because demand keeps changing," Jeet Kaul, senior vice president of Java engineering at Sun Microsystems (News - Alert), told IT World. "We're not at that [saturation] point yet."
Consumers will spend more than $4.2 billion on apps in 2013, up from $343 million this year, research firm Yankee group says, as smartphones become ubiquitous and app prices rise. The average smartphone owner "downloads about 20 apps per year," says Carl Howe, director of consumer research. "It's a bigger market than a lot of people have been thinking." Half of newspaper and magazine publishers say that smartphones will become a vital distribution channel in three years, the Audit Bureau of Circulations reports. Only 42% are as upbeat about e-book readers. Gamemakers also like sales trends for iPhones, BlackBerrys and phones based on Google's Android operating system.
Advertising on mobile phones should really take off within two to three years, driven by new applications on smartphones and the growing popularity of social networks such as Facebook.
Executives, who attended last week's Cannes Lions 2009 ad festival, told Reuters that emerging economies were also promising though the lack of a global mobile phone standard could be a brake to speedy development.
As more consumers embrace new technologies and devices such as smartphones, personified by Apple's (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPhone, mobile advertising is seen growing at an annual average of 45 percent to reach $28.8 billion within 5 years from a current $3.1 billion, according to Ineum Consulting.
"We have launched many mobile campaigns for the first time in the last three months. New people are coming in every week," said David Kenny, Managing Partner at VivaKi, the digital arm of French advertising group Publicis.
Social networks such as Facebook, which were becoming "increasingly mobile," and applications for the iPhone would be key drivers, he said.
David Jones, global chief executive of Havas Worldwide and Euro RSCG Worldwide, said that advertisers needed to be more creative to fully benefit from opportunities offered by mobiles
"If you are interrupted every two minutes by advertising, not many people want that. The industry needs to work out smart and clever ways to engage people on mobiles," he said.
Scott Howe, corporate vice president of the advertiser and publisher solutions group at Microsoft, predicted that mobile phone advertising will account for 5-10 percent of global media ad spending within five years.
Mobile advertising was likely to attract interest from a niche of advertisers, such as small "mom and pop" local retailers which did not routinely embrace the mainstream online advertising, he said.
These advertisers could shift their ad budgets away from local newspapers to mobiles for local highly-targeted campaigns.

The iPhone App and the winter!!!!

It seems that the winter came already without a prior notice. We all know how annoying it is to wait in the car in the freezing cold waiting for the heater to work. Personally, I don't own a remote starter just because my roommate does and sometimes his car would start by itself while we are watching a movie or something. He has changed his battery twice due to that and I'm not willing to go through that. I would rather wait 5 minutes than waiting half an hour for my friend to pick me up. Without further due, as usual, iPhone app developers have come up with one of the coolest apps which is Viper SmartStart from Directed Electronics.

Couple of nice things about this app is the fact that it literally start your car from almost any where as long as there is a cell phone signal. While the regular remote starters have a specified range (ie. 30 feet), the viper app solves this issue with providing a virtually unlimited range. As others, I don't like my car running in front of my parking lot because this seems like an open invitation for someone to steal it. If you think like that, don't worry! The viper app has a locking option in which you can lock or unlock your car. Unless someone breaks your glass, you wont have to worry about getting robbed.

something uncool about this app is price. When i first browsed into the article, I thought it would be free or somewhat cheap. Well, It is not! I guess convenience is never free. This app has two cost options; it could be installed for non-remote starters owners for $499 or it could updated/mated to remote starters owners for $299. There would be also an annual service fee of $29.99. This app is compatible with iPod Touch as well.

Big News in the Mobile Market

In case you missed it, there has been 2 pretty big developments in the mobile phone market in the last 24 hours.

1. Verizon has reached an agreement with Google to release two Android phones. Whats major about this is that the phones will also come with Google Voice, an application that AT&T has thus far banned from their iPhone's app store. Google Voice will allow users to transmit several traditional phone features over Wi-Fi instead of a typical cellular connection.

2. In response to Google's latest breakthrough, AT&T announced today that the iPhone will now support VoIP applications. (WOOOHOOOOO!!!!). What is WAY cool about this development is now you will be able to use applications to place regular calls over a Wi-Fi network. Talk about cost savings!

Whether the iPhone/AT&T is based on their pending FFC investigation or on Googles actions remains to be seen.

disclaimer: I know this post has nothing to do with class, therefore don't count it towards my writing submission please! I just want to share the news with the class! :-) Thanks

Cool Apps

Since the release of the iphone, there has been a plethora of application for this phone. There have been good one's that can make your life easier, bad ones that make you shake your head and say why and some just to make you say hmmm.

I ran across a cool application for the iphone called my starbucks app which allows you to purchase and create you drink. Using a your debit card, you can order and pay for your drink and create what you want in your drink. This is great for the starbuck junkies. It also uses google maps to find the closes Starbucks to you. Downside is the purchase feature is for a few test stores. Once all the kinks are worked out, more Starbucks will allow you to purchase at there location.

This has the potential to create new ideas for future apps. The good thing about this app, is it's free of charge.So if your a Starbucks junkie check it out and download the application.