Posts tagged Technology

Building and dismantling the Windows advantage

Asymco:

Considering the near future, it’s safe to expect a “parity” of iOS+OS X vs. Windows within one or two years. The install base may remain larger for some time longer but the sales rate of alternatives will swamp it in due course.

The consequences are dire for Microsoft. The wiping out of any platform advantage around Windows will render it vulnerable to direct competition. This is not something it had to worry about before. Windows will have to compete not only for users, but for developer talent, investment by enterprises and the implicit goodwill it has had for more than a decade.

This is pretty staggering. And everyone thought Windows had won.

YouView internet TV service launches in UK

Who’s gonna pay £299 for this? Way to expensive!

It looks like a smaller iPad is definitely on the way

Good piece by MG Siegler on the growing speculation about a smaller iPad.

No doubt some will say that Apple is responding to the Google Nexus, but Apple will have had this in the pipeline for a long time.

I’ve long been sceptical of Apple’s need to enter the smaller tablet market but when you look back at the iPod, Apple has history of releasing an initial device and then creating new variations to reach different audiences.

For me, the current size is just perfect. I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t want the smaller device. But there’s no doubt that there’s many who would. And Apple is unlikely to ignore them when there’s money to be made!

Is your Facebook feed full of content you don't want? This will help.

I regularly hear people complaining about the content that shows up on their Facebook feed. Either they’re annoyed with the person who posts endlessly (or those so annoying game notifications), or they’re frustrated that they missed out on an important announcement from a close friend. Well, it may take a bit of work, but you can tweak your feed to make it much more tailored to what you actually want. Have a read of this from Robert Scoble. You’ll be glad you did.

The New IFTTT

ifttt:

Over the past few months, our team has been working hard to improve your experience with IFTTT. We’re proud to announce a new look, new language, new Channels, and speedier Triggers!

Nice update. I’m using this service more and more. Worth checking out if you haven’t already.

Samsung Galaxy S III: With great flexibility comes great complexity

David Pogue, New York Times:

Of course, with great flexibility comes great complexity. The phone bombards you with warnings and disclaimers — sometimes upside-down. You really need a Learning Annex course to master this thing.

The review is largely positive, but this caveat serves to highlight a major difference in approach between Samsung/Android and Apple.

Samsung Galaxy S III reviewed: The defining Android phone

Kevin C. Tofel, GigaOm:

Not only is this the best Android phone currently available, in my opinion, but it may be for some time. Yes, competing handsets might include a better camera (this one is quite good though) or higher-resolution screen or some other hardware improvement. Few, however, will be able to quickly top Samsung’s software improvements.

Very positive take.

Readability pulling publisher payment plan

Richard Ziade:

The great majority of those publishers never registered. Out of the millions—yes, millions—of domains that flowed through Readability, just over 2,000 registered to claim their money. As a result, most of the money we collected—over 90%—has gone unclaimed.

It has been clear for a while that the idea wasn’t going to take off. Hats off to Readability for trying something different though. They’ve received more abuse than they’ve deserved for taking a risk and innovating. I for one hope that they keep experimenting.

Apple takes on Google in struggle for world domination

Dan Gillmore:

The iPhone 5, likely to be introduced in the third quarter of this year, won’t be significantly better hardware than the best Android devices, if it’s better at all, but it will be sold by a company that doesn’t abandon its customers the minute they spend their money.

Telling observation.

Apple Maps has a lot of catching up to do

Chris Cross has tweeted the below image highlighting the difference between a Google Map and Apple’s new Maps for the same location. It becomes immediately clear that Apple has a lot of catching up to do. There simply isn’t enough detail and information in the Apple maps at the moment. It feels like a Maps-lite application at the moment from the little bits of testing I’ve done with the app so more. But unless Apple rapidly improves things there’ll be a lot of people clamouring for Google to realise their own iOS app.

"Humanizing technology"

DiogeneX:

For those of you who watched the Keynote, you will no doubt have seen the “Thank You” video. I believe this is what makes Apple’s approach to the (mobile) computing space so very different from many of its peers. Where some of its competitors market arena robot death matches, Apple shows how its technology is helping to open the world to the blind, to the impoverished, or to those for whom even basic communication is a struggle. You get the impression that someone there gives a damn about the people using their products.

Humanizing technology is not the only marketing tactic. But it resonates, especially when it’s authentic and not a slogan.

Really good observation about one way Apple differentiates from its competitors that is rarely picked up on.

Compared to magical

Seth Godin:

The easiest way to sell yourself short is to compare your work to the competition. To say that you are 5% cheaper or have one or two features that stand out—this is a formula for slightly better mediocrity.

If only Android phone makers would listen to this advice!

Computer games can dramatically boost children’s exam results

Further evidence of the benefits that can result from kids playing computer games.

I wonder where Samsung got their design inspiration for this from

Do they have zero self-respect? They certainly don’t have my respect. This is a shocking level of design ripoff from Apple. I’d be embarrassed if I was the maker of this product.