Great News! Almost

http://www.macworld.com/article/155757/2010/11/attmobiledata.html

So apparently data usage growth is declining on AT&T. Sadly, it is still growing fast, just not quite as fast as it has been over the past three years. Perhaps this is the time when AT&T will finally start to catch up to a point where it can meet the demand (says the girl who experienced two dropped calls today thanks to AT&T, yea I'm a little bit bitter). Bottom line, data usage is just going to continue to grow as more information and technologies become available. It would be nice if we had a network to meet that growing demand.

Before I begin...

Before I begin, let me state that if I had the obscene money to spend, I would own an iPad. They are not as powerful as most laptops and small things like non-removable batteries bug me; however, I can imagine myself using the device and being slightly more productive. At the very least I want to play the racecar game…

My initial point is that the iPad is more of a trendy gadget, than a useful device. Exclusions of a physical keyboard, USB ports, and removable/replaceable batteries, will continue to divide iPad users from non-iOS tablet PC users. The Crux 360 (others as well) is making an effort to bridge this divide and allow iPad users a physical keyboard solution using bluetooth.

The Crux 360 is an iPad case with a bluetooth keyboard built into the cover. It’s slim and sleek design do well to complement the iPad, and the overall package is very professional looking. The Crux 360 costs about $150, but consider that is after the purchase of the iPad itself. After its added up, users have shelled out a minimum of $750 for the device and accessory. Certainly, netbook or tablet PC alternatives are much cheaper and fuller featured, but the Crux 360 is a good step in the right direction to bring the iPad closer to the competition.

Source: http://www.tomshardware.com/news/iPad-Keyboard-Case-Stand-Crux-360,11594.html

Google

Google employees really have it made! In a world where other companies are facing suicides from unhappy workers (http://www.tomshardware.com/news/safety-net-suicide-shenzhen-hon-hai-precision,11589.html) Google is doing their very best to make employee’s living conditions and working conditions enjoyable, safe, and productive.

What started with incredible dining facilities, and electric scooters to traverse the large office spaces, has quickly taken an even greater turn. Google recently teamed up with an online service that bids out odd-jobs to anyone willing to do them. Employees no longer need to fret over getting the laundry done, or the house cleaned; furthermore, they also will not need to despair over paying for this service. Google will be picking up the tab offering the service as perks to employees.

Now if only Google had slides or pool tables or cool offices…

http://iqclicks.com/design/the-office-we-all-would-to-love-to-work-in/16

Touchè Google, touché…

Sony has done it again! Or have they?

http://www.tomsguide.com/us/PSP-PlayStation-Portable-Qualcomm-MIPS-R4000-xbox-360,news-8536.html

Sony has done it again! Or have they? Some may remember Sony Computer Entertainment’s (SCE) rather unsuccessful handheld gaming machine the PlayStation Portable. The PSP had a rocky start trying to succeed as a mobile entertainment center, Skype terminal, MP3 player, and video game device, all at the same time. Sony threw money into a proprietary platform Universal Media Disc (UMD), which they completely removed from the latest version of the PSP. All-in-all, the PSP was not a good seller, but that could all change. Sony is a versatile manufacturer. Pioneering BluRay technology and remaining competitive in other multimedia facets is routine for them. A section of Sony is responsible for the Sony Erickson line of cellular phones. It would appear that SCE and SE have merged to create the PSP2, the PlayStation phone.

More alarming than the existence of such a device, is that the device supposedly supports Google’s Android OS. This could deal a large blow to Apple’s iOS. I stated in an earlier post that the mobile wars are raging! Could the ‘PSP2’ be the final straw?

Another amazing feat from this device is its rumored speed. Supposedly, this handheld device will be faster and more powerful than the XBOX 360. Moore’s law accounts for the speed increase, but this could potentially cause problems for SCE’s other videogame console, the PlayStation 3. All seriousness aside, while this phone may surpass the XBOX 360 in speed, I hope it does not suffer the same ‘Red-Ring’ problems as its larger-than-life rival.

20 Dying Technologies

http://images.businessweek.com/ss/10/10/1021_dying_tech/21.htm

1.) Combustion Engines

                Because of environmental factors, battery powered devices are on the rise.

2.) Consumer Video Cameras

                With smartphones, having a handheld video camera is redundant.

3.) Credit Cards

                With direct payments from bank accounts, credit cards are becoming useless.

4.) Desktop PCs

They will never be completely obsolete because of safety concerns but the increased need for portability has led to a decrease in desktop PC use.

5.) DVDs and Blu-ray

                Netflix is making the need for a physical disk a thing of the past.

6.) Digital music players

                This one is decreasing mainly because phones are now serving as media players.

7.) E-readers

For this one, the article blames the iPad… I will not concede this point. I hate you apple. The fact that you have to recharge an iPad more often than you would your Kindle is a huge downside to me.

8.) Fax machines

Yea, I agree. These things should’ve been dead years ago… There is no reason for this nonsense. Electronic signatures are the final nail in the fax machine comment.

9.) Game Consoles

With an increase in MMO games, I can see the decrease in consoles but keep in mind that PC has been “dead” for years now and I can call shenanigans on that one!

 10.) Pagers

These will continue to be used as long as cell phones are this unreliable but as soon as the whole “not working” issue is fixed, bye bye pagers!  (Note to self: Do not hold breath.)

 11.) Dash-mounted GPS systems

                Again, your cell phone does it…

 12.) Keys

Thank you! I hate searching for my darn keys. There is a reason I drive a Nissan Altima, I get to leave my keys in my purse… right up until I get home and have to unlock my door.

 13.) Landline telephones

                Whatever cell phones don’t cover, Skype and Google voice do.

 14.) 3D TV with glasses

                HOLOGRAMS!!! I AM SO FREAKIN EXCITED!!!!! </geek moment>

 15.) Metronomes and tuners

                There’s an app for that. (Sorry, I had to say it at some point)

 16.) PDAs

                Cell phone.

 17.) Point-and-shoot digital cameras

                Cell phone.

 18.) Power cords

                WiTricity. I am a little skeptical on this one.

 19.) Remote controls

                Motion sensors and voice recognition. I’m ok with this happening, I hate remote controls.

 20.) USB memory sticks

Again, for security reasons they will never be completely useless but they are certainly getting phased out. 

Facebook! Yes, I know YOU know but I still think it is funny.

http://www.csoonline.com/article/619221/6-facebook-twitter-mistakes-that-can-get-you-fired?page=2

6 Facebook mistakes that can get you fired! These seem pretty obvious to me (and most of you too I’m sure) but let’s go through one by one. 1.) Bad-mouthing the company or complaining about your job. DUH! Ok, I'll skip that one. 2.) Defending your employer in an online dispute. Ok. This one I can kind of get. Obviously it is better left to the PR professionals but I can see why it is not immediately obvious to everyone. 3.) Discussing private and/or security-related company matters. Umm yea, no kidding. This one seems to fit right in with the first one. Your boss probably checks your facebook regularly. If your boss and/or your mother would disapprove; don’t post it. You lost NOTHING by keeping your mouth shut. 4.) Disguising your identity and pretending to be someone else. I can understand this one too; I can see the reasonable jump to thinking that if you hide who you are it won’t matter. Obviously I don’t agree, but I can see the connection. 5.) Offering up too much information about your personal life and recreational activities. Less is more people! No one cares if you don’t ever update Facebook. Play it safe and keep your mouth shut. 6.) Posting questionable pictures. Umm yea… photographic evidence that you did something stupid; Let’s show it to the world!  Obviously this is a bad idea.

I know we have been over this stuff before but there were a few examples in the article that just amazed me. This is the one that made reading the whole article worthwhile. It may just be a hoax but I thought it was funny anyway.

http://cybersmokeblog.blogspot.com/2009/08/facebook-firing-after-friend-boss.html

If you can’t beat them, bribe them.

This honestly made me laugh. Microsoft has started a rewards program to entice search users to use Bing. 3215 credits gets you a $25 Sephora gift card, 1100 credits gets you a 1GB Bing USB drive, the list goes on. Users also have the option to use their points to donate money to a charity of their choice; 100 credits are equal to $1. According to the article that I read, “Bill Gates seemed particularly interested in” offering users tangible incentives to use a particular engine.

While usage of Bing has been slowly and steadily growing, Google still enjoys about an 85% global market share. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that Microsoft is looking for some kind of edge. Personally, I would like to see Bing compete less with gimmicks and more with actual value. I know Bing is trying a lot of newer algorithms to attempt to offer better search results but the emphasis on shiny new objects is somewhat offensive to me. Quit trying to get users with toys, try some substance Microsoft!

YOU SHALL LISTEN!

http://www.macworld.com/article/154034/2010/09/hereyouhave_worm.html

Ok, so this is an interesting way to spread your message. An anti-war advocate spreads their message via an email worm. The worm apparently gave the author an enormous amount of access to the victim’s machine. The difference was that apparently, this hacker was “nice.” This hacker just wanted to discuss their opinion on the war in Iraq.

It’s a bit odd that someone would go through all of the trouble of making a worm that grants you untold access to your victims and then not use that functionality. I suppose when you want to be heard and no one wants to listen, you have to take drastic measures.

The iPad as a netbook replacement.

So, the Apple iPad! Sporting a minimum price tag of $499.99 with the top of the line model going for $829.99, the iPad is a pricey plaything. So the question is, Is the iPad useful as a work device? Personally, I think that anyone considering an iPad should consider what functionality the iPad will offer that is not already covered by another device that you probably already own. For example; anyone who owns an iPod touch or an iPhone will basically just get a larger screen. (iPhone users will actually lose functionality). Anyone who owns a netbook will just be getting a shiny new toy that is designed for a more general audience. My biggest complaint with the iPad itself (ignoring the ridiculous price tag) is the lack of a physical keyboard. Yes, I have used the on-screen keyboard before and yes, Apple has done a pretty good job of handling the predictive text... HOWEVER! The lack of physical feedback from striking a key is, to me at least, a major drawback. I cannot type without looking at the keyboard if I cannot feel the actual key press down. Perhaps I am just lazy or inept but there you go.

Full disclosure; I am not an Apple fan. Apple has a bit of a superiority complex that annoys the dickens out of me but I am trying to be unbiased here (keyword: trying). I do own a couple of apple products but both of them were gifts so please don't hold that against me. 

Bottom line: The iPad is an awesome toy and most likely has many uses for work and school but I don't think it will ever replace the netbook. As the article says; the iPad had created its own category and won't really infringe on the overall netbook market.

http://www.cio.com/article/610715/Netbooks_Vs._IPads_Can_They_Coexist_?source=rss_news

Mobile Wars

     The fact that Microsoft, Apple and Google are all fighting each other so hard over the mobile market is great news for the consumer. When you remove competition, innovation will also disappear. Each company is forced to make a product that we like better than what we already have; otherwise we won’t buy it. For us, this means that every company is going to make a device that either does more than the previous market leader or they will make a device that does at least that much but does it better.

    I had resisted the temptation to have my email forward to my cell phone ever since the technology became available. Two weeks ago, I gave up the fight. Our mobile devices are becoming so advanced and widespread that if you don’t have one, you will be at a disadvantage. Granted, I like the convenience of having my email in my pocket whenever I need it but it does force you to take work home with you. I know several businessmen that refused to use company-supplied Blackberrys (they blamed it on the difficulty of using one) but the real reason was that they didn’t want to be tethered to their work at every moment of every day. There is an advantage to being able to work from home and make your own hours but the freedom is quickly overshadowed by the fact that you are now on call. The typical workplace is quickly vanishing and giving way to virtual workplaces but this also means that the typical work hours are vanishing as well. So all I can say is that you better enjoy what you do because it is becoming more and more difficult to hit “pause.”

    On the subject of Google Talk; Personally I don’t think the argument that Google will not compete with Skype holds much water. Google is slowly but surely creeping into every facet of technological innovation. Google didn’t start the VoIP revolution but I will not be surprised if and when they start to overtake Skype. However, regardless of the outcome, it is clear that typical telephone providers are in trouble.