Month: July 2009 (Page 7 of 13)

      Samsung’s Omnia Update Unlocks GPS

      July 16, 2009 /

      There’s some good news for all you Samsung Omnia owners out there. Today Samsung released an update that unlocks your GPS functionality, giving third-party applications a chance to help you get where you need to go.

      As I’m sure you’re painfully aware, the only way to get from point A to point B with your phone was to use Verizon’s VZ Navigator. If limiting your options wasn’t enough, the service also runs a hefty $9.99/month, $2.99/day. Giving GPS access to other applications means you could find yourself a couple hamburgers richer each month.

      You can download the update by following this handy link (thanks, CNet!). As for the other goodies in the update, you’ll get the newest Microsoft Adaptation Kit Upgrade, AKU 1.5.1, and that Bluetooth support for VZ Access Manager you’ve been waiting for. Drop a note in the comments if you’re having any trouble.

      GPS, Mobile

      Is Nokia Dying?

      July 16, 2009 /

      Is Nokia dying?We’ve already heard predictions that Nokia bound for doom in 2013 but today there’s even worse news for the Finnish phone manufacturer, and the news comes from the top. Today Nokia has announced that its second-quarter earnings fell a whopping 66% in the face of the recession.

      Despite a poorly planned N97 and the continued explosion of the iPhone user base, the loss report is still a shock. A 66% earnings loss is more than just recession-grade economics, though the global economy certainly amplified things. Nokia also reported a sales decline of some 25% and a shipment decline of 15%. The company also recanted their goal to gain market share this year.

      Nokia’s CEO, Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, said his company “put in a solid performance in what was another tough quarter.” I’m not sure how tumbling earnings look “solid,” even in a bad market. And how long can they continue to make that same, solid performance? As mentioned above, some analysts are saying Apple, of all companies, will catch Nokia as early as 2011 with a 33% market share. By 2013 these same market research types believe Nokia’s share will have dropped to half their current, from 40% to a meager 20%.

      I doubt things are quite that bad, but they’re getting close. Make no mistake, Nokia is bleeding – slowly for now – and if they don’t revise their product strategy and start delivering decent phones for every market (yes that includes the US) it’s just a matter of time. Meanwhile, nothing can sate Apple’s hunger, and when the iPhone finally breaks from AT&T exclusivity, the stateside smartphone market is going to be a mess.

      What could help Nokia win back some much-needed market share? Do they need a touchscreen, or just a smarter-than-iPhone smartphone with a decent app catalog? Sound off in the comments.

      Apple, iPhone, Mobile

      Google ChromeOS – Should everyone be scared?

      July 16, 2009 /

      So I ran across this cartoon about how Microsoft Windows and Apple OS X should be scared of Google ChromeOS and it made me wonder. How true may this cartoon be?

      Could Google’s ChromeOS dominate cloud computing? Could ChromeOS become the operating system for all our gadgets including cell phones, desktops, laptops, tablets, netbooks, etc.? Could Google store all our apps on centralized servers thereby eliminating the need to sync up all your devices all the time? And considering all of this, could Google and ChromeOS remain free?

      Scary as it may sound, I think the short answer is yes.

      Even though I’m a self proclaimed techno-geek/gadget guy, I find it hard to predict where all of “this” is going. Considering it feels like just a few years ago when I was rocking out to my brand spanking new Guns-N-Roses Appetite for Destruction tape during breaks from nonstop marathons on NES Super Mario Brothers, I really have a hard time predicting the future. My first PC game was text-based and was played on a monochrome monitor. My college PC had a 270 Megabyte hard drive that I regularly compressed. Did I have a clue that just a few years later that my phone would fit in my pocket and could play my entire library of music as well as stream online video content and surf the web? Uh, no. So what’s my point? I try to think about the future of gadgets and no matter how hard I try, I cannot predict where all of this is going.

      That’s why this cartoon is so intriguing. Though intended to be humorous, it may have a point. In this new world of technology, don’t you think it’s silly that we are still paying for operating systems? Of course some of us don’t (you know who you are Linux users) but the majority of us still pay a premium to run our computers. It also seems silly that we have to sync up all our gadgets with cables and cords. I imagine in just a few short years we’ll laugh at how many cables we used to have to carry around and keep track of. I also think it’s silly that we don’t have all of our applications available to us no matter what device we use. Programs like Xmarks and MobileMe are just the start of things. I mean come on, it’s 2009, shouldn’t I have all my internet bookmarks available to me no matter what computer or device I’m using (thank you Xmarks for taking care of that). But bookmarks are just the start of it, next will be applications. Then what comes after that?

      If you’re like me, this sounds great, but a bit scary as well. The final part of the cartoon about “a corporation that people still trust” is part of the reason I’m scared. Don’t get me wrong, I do like Google. But for some reason, I feel like I should be wary. I don’t know why, I just do. Does anyone else feel that way? That’s probably the reason I’ve never installed Google Desktop. It just feels weird that an internet-based company will be handling the indexing of all my personal files. Now that same company wants to provide the operating system for all my devices and house all my applications? A bit scary for sure.

      So what do you think? Is there truth to the comic? Where is all “this” going? Should we be scared? Or should we just read the comic and laugh like it’s 1999?

      Apple, Apps, Computers, Digital Media, iPhone, microsoft, Mobile, Websites

      iTunes 8.2.1 Fixes/Breaks Pre Compatibility

      July 15, 2009 /

      iTunes 8.2.1 update screen.It’s all a matter of perspective, right? Depending who you are, the newest iTunes either broke or fixed the Palm Pre’s ability to sync with iTunes like an Apple device. According to update notes, the fix/break “addresses an issue with verification of Apple devices.”

      Palm warned us that this might happen, but who knew it would come so soon? Now the question remains, will Palm try to restore compatibility? Plenty of people prefer drag-and-drop functionality, but new-schoolers who can’t function without iTunes (likely the same people who will update without reading) will be sorely disappointed after the update.

      If Palm does try to reopen the iTunes gate, you can bet Apple will be quick to address the problem. Nothing like a little corporate cat and mouse to make things extra frustrating for consumers.

      Apple, Mobile, Music

      NYC to Replace Typewriters with…More Typewriters!

      July 15, 2009 /

      Is this what NYPD cops are using?Yes you read that correctly. The city has signed a nearly $1 million contract with Swintec, a New Jersey based typewriter manufacturer. The city says the majority of the contract is for the NYPD.

      Faced with the decision of upgrading existing forms and paperwork to a computer-based system or sticking with more archaic forms of data entry, the city chose the latter. Sure, the upfront cost of a major administrative overhaul would be huge, but you can’t put a price tag on an upgradeable system into the future. As years go on it’s only likely to get harder and more costly to turn to a computerized system.

      Disregarding the cost to the city, what of the cost to Lady Justice (I just had to)? Dr. Edith Linn, a retired NYPD cop and criminal justice professor at Berkeley in Manhattan, wrote a book in 2008 addressing the things that make it tough for a cop to do her job. One of the top issues raised by cops was outdated equpiment. “The system is hobbled by redundant paperwork, misused personnel, broken equipment, backward technology,” Linn wrote in Arrest Decisions In fact, of the 500-odd officers Linn interviewed, many said outdated equipment was the reason they might not make arrests for less serious crimes.

      The NYPD stands by their decision, saying they’ve made a lot of progress over the last several years. They also claim to be developing software to replace their fleet of typewriters.

      Source: NY Post

      News

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