Virtualization, Cloud Computing and Mobile: 08/24/10

2010년 8월 24일 화요일

Sprint Samsung Epic 4G TV Commercial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPktfRx2fgc&feature=player_embedded

Why iPad 2 Is Coming and What to Expect

There’s been quite a bit of buzz around the next iPad. The one we’re using now is only six months old, but some are already looking forward to the possibility of a new form factor and a new screen size. I expect Apple to release another iPad this year. Here’s why:

Competition is non-existent for iPad right now. All the other guys have tablets shipping “end of the year,” and many more of the more formidable iPad competitors will be out in 2011. Apple’s going to do what it can to get the second revision out this year only for that one liner that Steve loves, “We’re releasing the next iPad today before our competitors have even caught up with the first generation.” He’s used that line a few times, but the iPad itself will probably look very similar to the one you’re holding in your hand right now. I predict it will have the same aluminum back, the same bezel and similar weight and the battery life will be mostly unchanged. What will be new?

Verizon to Put Live TV on the iPad

Verizon unveiled a series of new video applications today, including an upcoming iPad app that will allow FiOS subscribers to watch the same linear programming that is available on their TV screens on their tablet devices. The new app is expected to be rolled out early next year and Verizon expects to have all of its content partners on board by the time the app launches.

There will be certain limitations at the launch of the app. At first, subscribers with an iPad will only be able to watch linear programming within their own home, which allows Verizon to authenticate and make certain that the users have access to whatever content they’ve paid for. Verizon CIO Shaygan Kheradpir said in a press briefing that the iPad app takes advantage of Verizon’s architecture, which he characterized as “cloud TV.” The experience is similar to what’s available today on FiOS set-top boxes, and takes advantage of the same software that Verizon uses for its set-tops. As such, Verizon says it should already have rights to stream the content, as it’s just another screen in the home.

Apple Now Allows Magazine Subscriptions on the iPad

Time Inc. is the publisher that finally convinced Apple to bypass the pay-per-issue model and allow existing subscribers to reap the benefits of their iPads. As of Thursday, People magazine allows existing subscribers to download and view current content on their iPads for free. Subscribers forced into paying twice for the same content had previously contributed to extremely negative reviews for apps like Sports Illustrated and others.

The New Yardstick: If You’re Not Apple, You Lose

For 2009 and 2010, the clear winner in consumer electronics is Apple. Its mindshare among analysts and consumers is far beyond any other company. I’d even go so far as to declare Apple the most successful tech company of this decade. That’s why I feel sorry for every other company in this space.

No matter what your company did in the past two years, Apple did it better. It reminds me of Sony in the 80s and Microsoft in the 90s. Companies were afraid of Microsoft in the 90s. All Microsoft had to do is decide to enter your space and you’d be out of business, if you weren’t lucky enough to be bought by the company. That’s not the case anymore. In this sense, Apple is the Microsoft of this decade.

iOS 4 on iPhone 3G: Fake Email Offers Real Hope

It appears that we have a new “Fake Steve Jobs” in our midst. And this time ‘Steve’ is claiming via email that the apparent performance issues witnessed on iPhone 3G devices running the latest iOS 4 software will be addressed in an upcoming update to iOS 4. Regardless of whether the email did in fact come from the Real Steve Jobs or not, there are plenty of reasons to believe that Apple is serious about getting iOS 4 working properly on iPhone 3G devices.

Next Gen Customers on Previous Gen Devices

The most likely recipients of older iPhone 3G devices will be the siblings of the owners of the devices which have replaced them with the new iPhone 4. This is a very important class of user that Apple cares a lot about. The new owners of these older iPhone 3G devices will be potential Apple customers throughout their academic life. And it appears that students are serious about Apple. Providing a less than awesome experience now could jeopardize their loyalties later.

Apple Still Boasts Lion’s Share of Smartphone Advertising

Google bought AdMob, and Android has been catching on with consumers like a brush fire on a dry midsummer day, but Apple is still holding the reins as far as serving ads to smartphone users goes. That’s according to new data released by Millenial Media, which is now the largest independent mobile ad network.

Millenial used to be number three, but that changed when Google acquired the largest, AdMob, and Apple acquired the second largest, Quattro, which i t recently shuttered in favor of its own iAd platform. That means the closest to unbiased numbers regarding mobile ads that we’re likely to get are probably from Millenial.

iPad Roundup: Religious Studies

Some of the religious apps are audio-based, while others provide brief moments (“thought of the day” style) of inspiration. There are the standard works for reading, as well as full-on study aids to really dig in deep. There are even some religious-themed comic books, if that’s more to your taste. Of course, these various options are used at the whim of individual developers, so not all features and delivery methods are available in every religion.

Inkling Says the iPad is the Textbook of the Future

University students may all carry smartphones and netbooks now, but for the most part, their textbooks continue to be stubbornly old-fashioned: huge, expensive, hard-cover books printed on dead trees. Inkling, a startup founded by former Apple staffer Matt MacInnis that launched last week, wants to change all that. The company believes the iPad — for now, at least — is the future of the textbook. Inkling’s software turns textbooks into interactive content, with video, hyperlinks between text and images, notes that can be shared between students and teachers, and even 3-D molecules that can be viewed from any angle.

Virtualizing the University Computer Lab

We are beginning to hear announcements fairly frequently about the states, school districts, and universities that are moving to the cloud for their email and productivity tools. As schools and universities adopt cloud technologies, what will become of the school computer lab?

Computer labs have been important locations on campus for students to work, study, and access computing resources. But almost all students now come to college owning their own personal computers. A recent CNN story said that 95% of college students interviewed this spring owned at least one computer (83% owned a laptop, 24% a desktop, 15% both). That's up from 23% of students who owned laptops in 2003.

Budget Pressures

So as universities battle budget issues (as well as space issues), the rooms full of rows of PCs may seem a good target for elimination. An article in the Chronicle of Higher Education last fall said that 11% of universities were phasing out or planning to phase out the computer lab.

The cost savings of eliminating the computer lab can be substantial. When North Carolina State University announced its move to a virtualized computer lab, Eric Sills, the assistant vice provost touted the $500,000 saved by closing down half its labs and by not purchasing a round of new computers. Sills did admit however that the university was likely to buy more servers which would negate some of that savings with its move to virtualized computer labs.

The world's first mobile Augmented Reality Special Magazine Edition

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRceOYbrVzc&feature=player_embedded#!

Can Augmented Reality Help Save the Print Publishing Industry?

There's a memorable scene in the movie Minority Report where a man reads a futuristic newspaper with rich embedded multimedia updating live with breaking news. While we are a long way seeing anything like this in the hands of the general public, a German newspaper has taken a small step in that direction with the release of a special augmented reality (AR) edition of its Friday magazine.

Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ), Germany's largest national newswspaper, has partnered with Munich-based AR vendor metaio to provide subscribers with an immersive reading experience that hints at the future of publishing. The experience is similar to Esquire's augmented reality edition from November of 2009, but with advancements that have been made to smartphone AR technology, a desktop webcam is not needed to view the content.

The magazine, hitting newsstands this Friday, features several AR experiences littered throughout its pages that can be activated using metaio's junaio iPhone and Android apps. The cover of the magazine features a popular German TV personality who comes to life in an interactive video unlocked by holding a smartphone up to the magazine. Other augmented features in the magazine include an illustration that becomes 3D, an interview with additional exclusive quotes and a crossword puzzle whose answers appear when viewed through the smartphone.

Mobile Serendipity: StumbleUpon Heads to iPhone & Android

Less than a month ago, we told you about how social bookmarking and discovery service StumbleUpon has quietly grown into a Web behemoth, driving nearly twice as much traffic as its closest competitor, Digg. One of the things that makes the service stand out from the others is its ability to learn your habits and tastes to feed you relevant links upon which to stumble. Today, the service is brining the serendipity of its recommendation engine to a smartphone near you with boredom-killing apps for the iPhone and Android.

"Think about all those times when you're riding the bus, sitting at the airport gate, or waiting for friends, playing with the same mobile apps again and again," writes the company today on its blog. "Now you can have the perfect boredom-buster: with StumbleUpon for the iPhone and Android, the best of the web is, literally, at your fingertips."

For those unfamiliar with the service, the concept is fairly simple. Simply select a few topics that

Pay With Your Phone: BofA, Visa Begin Testing Mobile Payments

Bank of America has started working with Visa to begin testing the use of smartphones to make in-store payments without the need for cash or credit cards. The system will make use of Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, which is a short-range communication technology for mobile phones, to make payments as simple as waving your phone at another NFC-enabled device.

According to Reuters, the two companies will begin testing next month the system of paying that "some say could become a primary means of everyday purchases."

Near Field Communication is a new standard based on RFID that we've been paying close attention to and earlier this year ReadWriteWeb founder Richard MacManus took an in-depth look at using mobile phones as a payment device.

With the technology now entering testing by the largest U.S. consumer bank and the world's largest payment processor, it seems that the idea of using mobile phones for making payments is gaining some serious traction, at least in the U.S. According to Reuters, the U.S. has been slower to adopt NFC payments as compared to countries like Japan, where mobile payment systems have been in place for years now. Just this week, PayPal indicated that mobile payment systems are a "top priority" after launching its own trial of NFC payments last month.

How to Improve IT Worker Morale

9.05 pm by the trial IT job satisfaction is at an all time low, and has been since January according to a CEB survey cited by ComputerWorld. We recently reported that about 1/3 of IT workers are ready to leave for another company. What can your organization do to boost morale and retain staff?

Cut Back the Hours

By far the biggest drag on tech workers is the number of hours worked - ComputerWorld puts the average workweek at 71 hours for IT staff. IT staff are often expected to work late into the night to fix problems, and still show up at 8:00 AM the next morning. Also, tech workers are frequently contacted at home and on vacation. At my first IT job after college, my boss told me "Forty hours a week is part-time."

ComputerWorld article asked why women leave careers in IT. The real question should be why anyone actually stays in the profession under these conditions.

Cutting hours for IT staff may sound like an impossible task, but it may actually lead to more productivity in addition to better morale. As the 37 Signals Book Rework points out: "Working more doesn't mean you care more or get
more done." According to a recent survey by Microsoft, the average worker is only productive for about 30 hours of their 46 hour work week.

Gmail for iPhone Gets the Blackberry Treatment

You've got a new email! Holy smokes am I going to get pinged a lot if I turn on the newly announced Gmail and Google Calendar push notifications on the Google Mobile iPhone app. Google just announced the new feature and it's a logical one, but it also seems like a throw-back to a simpler time when push notification for any and every email made sense.

There's no ability to set rules, to limit notifications to just emails from contacts, or anything. Just push notifications. For calendar that might make sense, but I'm already getting SMS messages ten minutes before my calendar events. A push notification is a beautiful thing, but I don't think it makes a lot of sense anymore in this context.

Push notifications are good for breaking news, they're good for regular reminders and sometimes they can be useful for social media comments and feedback. But mark my words, if the future is going to be all about tackling information overload - very few people are going to want bulk email push notifications.

See also Boxcar, probably a better choice.

News Discovery iPhone App is (Almost) the "Pandora for News"

Fans of "old media" who treasure the sensation of flipping through inky newsprint have argued against the customized curation of Internet news. As they see it, this eliminates the chance of discovering a story or topic you didn't know you were looking for. However, the Internet has been known to leverage technology in order to resolve these conflicts. Just as Pandora helps music lovers discover music according to their tastes, a new app for the iPhone - The Accidental News Explorer (ANE) - invites users to "look for something, find something else."

The app is powered by Daylife, a content curation and discovery platform, and will cost iPhone owners $1.99 to use. Simply enter a search term and the app will return (mostly) fresh news about that subject sorted by search relevance. You can quickly scan the headlines or select one to see an excerpt, the source of the story or a list of related topics.

Links to read the full story launch a fully capable built-in browser, or you can chose to open the story in Safari. The app supports iOS 4 app switching, so you won't lose your place. You can also chose to email or copy the link or save it for later to your Instapaper account.