Depending on your views of politics, Tuesday either brings relief from the endless assault of political ads or the most exciting day of the year. With technology quite prevalent in this election, we here at Technologizer thought we’d might compile some of our favorite spots to watch the day’s events.
See our picks below the fold… Continue Reading →
If you’ve been getting around paying higher cell phone rates for your smartphone by either skimping on the data plan or forgoing it altogether, that’s about to change if you’re a Verizon Wireless customer. Beginning later this month, all new smartphones sold will require a data plan of at least $29.99, if not more.
Verizon will do away with the 10MB data plan, as well as the pay as you go plans on new phones sold after November 14. Part of this makes sense: for pay as you go, data was charged at 1.5 cents per KB, which would come to about $15 per MB of data. The 10MB plan cost users $24.99 monthly, but overage charges would be about $5 per MB after that.
The $29.99 monthly plan would get folks unlimited data. Most people would be able to use this package for their phones, and it is the same price AT&T customers currently pay for data for their iPhone 3G’s. But it looks like the company will be taking this one step further next year, with “Mobile Web 2.0” phones also requiring the new data plans.
It’s about time, don’t you think? At this week’s Professional Developer’s Conference in Los Angeles, Microsoft business chief Chris Caposella debuted Tuesday Office Web Applications, which are versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote that are accessible through the web browser.
This should not be confused with Microsoft’s two other “Office” web products, which are Office Online, Microsoft’s clipart and template website, and Office Live Workspace, a suite of business-centric productivity applications. Instead, these are actual web-based versions of Office programs, something most technology pundits had always assumed the Redmond company was going to pursue anyway.
The new web applications would be available through the Office Live product, which makes a lot of sense (and leads one to ask why this wasn’t done in the first place). No release date has been given, although it is expected to be available as a private technology preview later this year. Final release is expected upon the launch of the “next version of Office,” according to press materials.
Mary Jo Foley suggests this launch date may be either late 2009 or early 2010 according to her post on today’s news.
Caposella had this to say about the company’s strategy:
We are deeply committed to offering our customers the technology they need to succeed. To that end, we’re investing in software plus services for the long term, something that sets us apart from our competitors.
Indeed, “software plus services” has become a major part of Microsoft strategy for dealing with Web 2.0 and beyond. The company seems to disagree with the notion that all software is moving from desktop-based to Web-based, instead arguing that customers want the option of both.
To this end Microsoft has also been especially sensitive in support of web standards. Rather than make Office Web applications based on some proprietary technology such as Sliverlight, it is expected that Ajax would be used, thus making the applications browser and operating system agnostic. That’s a good move if it pans out.
Some have labeled this as a suprise move by the company. While the timing is, the launch of web-based Office should not be. With web applications quickly gaining traction in the marketplace, and the company’s aforementioned strategy, moving one of its key software products to a web-based platform should be no big shock.
Harry’s at PDC, and he’ll have more on this story as well as other news throughout the week.
Could the popular micro-blogging website be a potential starting point for coordinating attacks on US soil? The US Army certainly thinks so. In an intelligence report prepared by the military, the services is among several technologies that the Army believes terrorists may be using.
The report also names mobile GPS and the mobile phone as other possible methods for communication among members of these groups. It also fingers technologies such as Google Earth and mobile phone number spoofing applications as other possible methods, although it isn’t covered (see PDF).
We should point out, as the Army does too, that there is not necessarily any evidence just yet that these techniques are being used. This is merely speculation of possible methods. However, some of it just edges on the border of the slightly ridiculous.
Take this quip for example:
Twitter has also become a social activism tool for socialists, human rights groups, communists, vegetarians, anarchists, religious communities, atheists, political enthusiasts, hacktivists, and others to communicate with each other and to send messages to broader audiences.
That’s about the most skewed description of Twitter as I have ever heard. The folks who did this report seem to fail to mention that this description applies to an extremely small portion of the userbase. It makes Twitter sound like some kind of haven for wackos. That’s unfair to the rest of us who just use Twitter like everybody else.
I’m sorry… but people using the service for purposes that are not sanguine are not going to last very long. Twitterers are a self policing bunch.
Yes, I understand that there is some type of risk involved here. But at the same time, I think the military is going a little overboard with some of its assumptions. I just can’t see Twitter becoming very useful to the bad guys when all they have is 140 characters to do it.
What Twitter could do in the meantime (if it has not already) is set up flags in its code to alert of suspicious tweeting. Tweets of gibberish, certain key words, etc, or even groups of people that are all only connected to one another and nobody else. There’s ways to weed these folks out.
I’m in contact with Twitter, I’m sure they’ll want to say something about this. But until then, I’ll keep twittering for the 99.9 percent of users who are normal everyday people.
If Howard Stern is the “King of all Media” (at least he tells himself that), then Oprah Winfrey should rightfully be considered the Queen. Amazon must be tickled pink that the iconic talk show host has given its Kindle a ringing endorsement, which came as part of her show on Friday.
Winfrey says the device “was life-changing” and is “the wave of the future.” With her influential book club, which have turned many an author into overnight success stories, Oprah brings a large consumer base into Amazon’s waiting open arms.
At $359 the Kindle is still expensive for most — Oprah even admitted as much during the show, which also featured Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. But with Oprah’s star power behind it, the device now has the opportunity to move out of cult favorite and into the mainstream
The appearance of the device on the show did not come without a promotion. By entering the code “OPRAHWINFREY” at checkout, a $50 discount on the device will be provided. For those on the fence, here’s your reason to jump in.
How big is this for Amazon? In my opinion, very. This essentially gives the device the kind of publicity it needs in order to survive. It also puts pressure on Sony, who now must try to match Amazon’s move. A deal with Martha Stewart, anyone?
Immersion is talking up the fact that its VibeTonz software — which allows the user to create personalized haptic effects — is shipped on one of the hottest new cellular phone in Korea right now, the Samsung Haptic 2. The device, which began shipping in late September, has already sold some 75,000 units in the first three weeks of release.
Of course, haptics is nothing new in cell phones. The simple act of the phone vibrating when a call or message is received is the most recognizable form of the technology. However, here Immersion is taking this one step further.
Instead of the simple buzz-buzz, users would be able to create personalized effects which then could be applied to various events. For example, a text message could have its own distinctive buzz, while various phone calls could have different types of rings. Think of them as ringtones you can’t hear. (Hmm, i wonder where they got the product name from.)
Other methods of use in the mobile space are for mobile gaming, giving game developers the option to build in haptics to their titles, and tactile responses to touchscreen, keypad, and button presses. Users would have control over these effects through a graphical user interface.
While VibeTonz has made it into other phones — 30 million according to Immersion — the Haptic 2 marks the first time that users have actually had personalization options. The company’s mobile chief Craig Vachon says user-defined haptics are “a step toward a completely new type of user-generated content.”
Personalization is a hot thing as of late, and this certainly seems interesting. While all our phones buzz, actually having the capability to customize them is pretty nifty. It would alleviate the need to check your phone every time it vibrates, because you will know before you even reach in your pocket if its worth it to look or not.
As I have pointed out in the past, streaming is probably the single biggest threat to Blu-ray overall. Well, it looks as if Samsung — the company thats already given the format just five years to live — is acknowledging that and trying to stay one step ahead of the curve by adding streaming capabilities to two of its players. This appears to be part of a bigger strategy by Netflix to get its software on more Blu-ray devices.
CEO Reed Hastings does acknowledge that the format’s install base is still extremely small, but expressed confidence in its earnings call earlier in the week that adoption would pick up. Either way, it is definitely a good move for either company.
Netflix gains another partner for its streaming service, which already includes Microsoft and the Xbox 360, LG, and Roku, which markets the Netflix set-top box. Blu-ray gains a partner which adds functionality to its players, making them more attractive to consumers.
Obviously, this does nothing to address the price issue of players, which is the single biggest obstacle for most. However, at the same time, it certainly adds more value to the player. This could help justify the high up-front cost for some.
Apple’s quarterly earnings are out, and there’s some reasons for its normally oversensitive investors to worry about the company’s overall health (which, in my opinion is outstanding considering the current market climate).
But Steve was on hand to make sure investors didn’t sour on Apple.
The company sold 2.6 million Macs during the quarter, up 100,000 from the quarter previous, but 100,000 below the consensus of Wall Street estimates. 11 million iPods sold, which was stronger than expected, and a stunning 6.9 million iPhones sold during the quarter, well above the 4 million predicted by the street.
Other positives and highlights: revenues of $7.9 billion and profits of $1.14 billion ($1.26 per share), the company pointed out in its release that “we have sold more phones than RIM,” $25 billion in cash in the bank and zero debt.
Gotta say that’s pretty positive. But here’s the negative: the company said the December quarters revenue would range between $9 and $10 billion, which CFO Peter Oppenheimer said “visibility is low and forecasting is challenging, and as a result we are going to be prudent in predicting the December quarter.”
Details from the conference call, updated as we get them below the fold:
Can’t say you didn’t see this coming. Merger mag The Deal reported Tuesday that Google and Yahoo will likely abandon their efforts to partner on online advertising. According to the story, regulators met with the two companies on October 17, and the tone was described as “grim.”
The DOJ is expected to challenge the partnership, although it had appeared for a time like progress was being made towards agreement on some core concessions. That now appears to not be the case.
Antitrust lawyers told the magazine that the government’s case may not be a slam dunk, however with uncertain times ahead with the economy and all, taking up a costly court case may not be in Google and (especially) Yahoo’s best interest.
Of the two, Yahoo needs this deal the most. In the wake of the Microsoft merger disaster, the company desperately is in need of good news. It’s quarterly financials — to come later today after the closing bell — are expected to be weak, and its laying off 1,500 workers, if not more.
With its own web advertising business apparently struggling, the Google deal would have given it a crutch to lean on. While the entire web advertising industry is going to take a significant hit, Google will likely be able to weather the storm easiest through its market strength.
Who wins here? Microsoft. Not only will the lack of a deal keep its hopes of becoming a serious competitor in the web advertising space alive, but it will likely make Yahoo a cheap acquisition target in the not-so-distant future.
Yahoo shareholders can’t be happy with that proposition.
After Blu-ray finally finished off HD DVD shortly after CES 2008, analysts rightfully asked whether the format could survive the wounds the format war had inflicted on it. While these concerns certainly were warranted, for awhile it had appeared Blu-ray could weather the storm.
That now may not be the case — and this time, it may be no fault of Sony. With the overall economy beginning to sour and technology going with it, Blu-ray’s moment in the sun may be over sooner than we think.
Simply put, all indications are that consumers will close their pocketbooks for the forseeable future. No one has confidence in this economy: consumer indicators are falling, which likely equals to more budget conscious shoppers who will not be as eager to drop large amounts of money for higher ticket items.
Bad news, Blu-ray fans.
