Apple's Steve Jobs, visionary leader, dead at 56

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Steve Jobs, who transformed the worlds of personal computing, music and mobile phones, died on Wednesday at the age of 56 after a years-long battle with pancreatic cancer.

The co-founder of Apple Inc, one of the world's great entrepreneurs, was surrounded by his wife and immediate family when he died in Palo Alto, California. Other details were not immediately available.

His death was announced by Apple and sparked an immediate outpouring of sadness and sympathy from world leaders, competitors and other businessmen including Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

The Silicon Valley icon who gave the world the iPod, iPhone and iPad had stepped down as chief executive of the world's largest technology company in August, handing the reins to long-time lieutenant Tim Cook.

He was deemed the heart and soul of a company that rivals Exxon Mobil as the most valuable in America.

"Steve's brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Steve," Apple said in a statement.

"His greatest love was for his wife, Laurene, and his family. Our hearts go out to them and to all who were touched by his extraordinary gifts."

Apple paid homage to their visionary leader by changing their website to a big black-and-white photograph of him with the caption "Steve Jobs: 1955-2011." The flags outside the company's headquarters at 1 Infinite Loop flew at half mast.

Jobs' health had been a controversial topic for years and his battle with a rare form of pancreatic cancer a deep concern to Apple fans and investors.

In past years, even board members have confided to friends their concern that Jobs, in his quest for privacy, was not being forthcoming enough with directors about the true condition of his health.

Now, despite much investor confidence in Cook, who has stood in for his boss during three leaves of absence, there remain concerns about whether Apple would stay a creative force to be reckoned with in the longer term without its visionary.

Jobs died one day after the consumer electronics powerhouse unveiled its latest iPhone, the gadget that transformed mobile communications and catapulted Apple to the highest echelons of the tech world.

His death triggered an immediate outpouring of sympathy.

"The world rarely sees someone who has had the profound impact Steve has had, the effects of which will be felt for many generations to come," Gates said. "For those of us lucky enough to get to work with him, it's been an insanely great honor. I will miss Steve immensely."

Outside an Apple store in New York, mourners laid candles, bouquets of flowers, an apple and an iPod Touch in a makeshift memorial.

"I think half the world found out about his death on an Apple device," said Robbie Sokolowsky, 32, an employee for an online marketing company, who lit a candle outside the store.

Cook said in a statement that Apple planned to hold a celebration of Jobs' life for employees "soon".

APPLE, NEXT, IPHONE

A college dropout, Buddhist and son of adoptive parents, Jobs started Apple Computer with friend Steve Wozniak in 1976. The company soon introduced the Apple 1 computer.

But it was the Apple II that became a huge success and gave Apple its position as a critical player in the then-nascent PC industry, culminating in a 1980 initial public offering that made Jobs a multimillionaire.

Despite the subsequent success of the Macintosh computer, Jobs' relationship with top management and the board soured. The company removed most of his powers and then in 1985 he was fired.

Apple's fortunes waned after that. However, its purchase of NeXT -- the computer company Jobs founded after leaving Apple -- in 1997 brought him back into the fold. Later that year, he became interim CEO and in 2000, the company dropped "interim" from his title.

Along the way Jobs also had managed to revolutionize computer animation with his other company, Pixar, but it was the iPhone in 2007 that secured his legacy in the annals of modern technology history.

Forbes estimates Jobs' net worth at $6.1 billion in 2010, placing him in 42nd place on the list of America's richest. It was not immediately known how his estate would be handled.

Six years ago, Jobs had talked about how a sense of his mortality was a major driver behind that vision.

"Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life," Jobs said during a Stanford commencement ceremony in 2005.

"Because almost everything -- all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure -- these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important."

"Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart."

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Why Steve Jobs Would Be a Better President Than Obama

Just as congress and the president are bickering over raising the federal debt ceiling, news comes from the BBC that Apple has a larger cash reserve than the United States of America (Apple has $76.4 billion, the U.S. has $73.7 billion).

So we are going to do what any sensible person looking at these two stories would do. We are going to suggest that Steve Jobs run for president. We predict not only that will he be better at the job than Barack Obama, but that he will be the greatest U.S. president we have ever seen.

Why on Earth would we suggest such an outrageous change of command? After all, Steve Jobs has never run for public office. But when you look at the positives he would bring to the country, it’s impossible to deny that he would make mincemeat of what our current commander-in-chief has done.

He’s an A**hole

For most politicians, no matter what they claim to stand for or what they promise in campaigns, their loyalties lie first and foremost with their own power. When push comes to shove, they will do what will get them in power, and then they will do what will keep them in power.

Yet they are always pretending. They have to put on a face that they’re these nice guys whose loyalties are, first and foremost, with the American people (as if any two Americans can completely agree on anything, much less the direction of the country). All presidents are a**holes, but they’re usually closet a**holes.

Not Steve Jobs.

Steve Jobs makes no apologies about being an a**hole. Sure, he smiles when he’s pitching a new product, but even then it’s more of a smarmy smirk than a warm ray of sunshine. Nobody makes the mistake of thinking he’s Mr. Rogers. He cuts through the B.S. and saves his energy for what really matters.

While this could be off-putting to some, it’s the perfect quality for the president to have. The thing about a**holes is that they know how to get stuff done. Steve Jobs doesn’t waste energy on niceties.

Consider this story from Those Guys Have All the Fun: Inside the World of ESPN (pointed out by John Gruber at Daring Fireball):

The story goes that ESPN president George Bodenheimer [...] spotted Apple CEO Steve Jobs in a hallway. It seemed like a good time to introduce himself. “I am George Bodenheimer,” he said to Jobs. “I run ESPN.”

Jobs just looked at him and said nothing other than “Your phone is the dumbest f***ing idea I have ever heard,” then turned and walked away.

You know what you’re getting from Steve Jobs. He’ll be the first politician in history who isn’t two-faced. He can’t possibly be two-faced because he wears his a**hole-ness on his sleeve.

Contrast this with Obama, who makes grandiose, rousing speeches that stir the emotions of his supporters – and then proceeds to deal most of those promises away before negotiations have even begun.

Jobs’ speeches will stir emotions, but he won’t make empty promises. In fact, as head of the most secretive government in history, the only promises he makes will be ones he has already been working on for the better part of a year. Major government overhauls and new initiatives will typically be announced two weeks before they’re set to take effect.

Half of the country won’t like Jobs, but they’ll know what they’re getting from him. This will build trust and respect.  His approval rating will be through the roof, and America will be united.

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Efficient Congress

As president, Jobs will require that all congressional bills that cross his desk be simplified. And when we say ‘simplified,’ we really mean it. There will be no more 200-page manifestos, filled with pork, earmarks, and fine print that nobody can possibly follow.

Jobs will declare on Day One that he isn’t signing anything that can’t be summed up in two sentences. The two sentences will have to be displayed in a black Myriad font with a white background. Corresponding images and promotional videos will be expected as well. Paper will not be used – all bills will be presented as stand-alone iPad apps:

An example of a health care bill in the Jobs era.

The biggest strength Jobs will have when it comes to congress, however, will be the leverage he will have on all of them. Every member of Congress will have been lobbied by some company or organization. Every one of those companies will be violating some patent which is owned by Apple.

The choice for congressmen will be very simple:

Do you want to support Jobs’ latest initiative, or do you want the organizations that are funding your political career to go bankrupt defending patent infringements?

It will be win after win for Jobs’ administration.

iHouse

As iconic a look as the White House has, Steve Jobs will decide that it’s time for an update. He will task Apple Senior VP of Design Jonathan Ive with redesigning the White House.

As White House 2.0, it will be known by most as iHouse. It will feature a familiar look, borrowed from Apple’s successful retail stores.

Tourists will be free to enter the open front, where they’ll be greeted by iHouse staffers (known as ‘Creatives’). If the citizens simply want to take a look around, they’re free to do that.

If, however, a person has a problem with something that is going on in the country, he will be ushered to the Genius Bar in the back of the iHouse. A Genius will be waiting to hear out his complaints, to which he will listen patiently. If the American’s complaint can’t be immediately resolved, he will be granted Apple Store credit and will walk home happy.

In addition, the iHouse will no longer be limited to Washington D.C. iHouses will pop up all over the country, in which citizens can have their voices heard and their needs satisfied.

The large number of iHouses will also serve to greatly increase the president’s security, as nobody will ever really know which iHouse Jobs is living in at any given time.

Vice President Steve Wozniak

In a gesture of unity and making amends, Jobs will select his Apple co-founder, Steve Wozniak, as vice president.

If you think Joe Biden is a gaffe waiting to happen, wait until you see Woz. He’ll regularly be caught on a live mic speaking of A.I. robots taking over the world. But it won’t matter, because people will just love him.

The mood at press conferences will be lightened, as he will frequently interrupt them with impromptu magic shows. Media cycles will be dominated by the quesiton of which Android phone he is toting this week

 

CNN's cameras will be frequently hijacked by Vice President Woz showing us something really cool

Woz’s fuzzy teddy bear presence will become a symbol for easing up, smiling and enjoying the ride. Americans will be happier than ever.

Press Secretary Walt Mossberg

With Jobs putting his own spin on the way that the country is run, who better to be the administration’s spokesperson than someone who has been reviewing his products for years? Walt Mossberg will fill the role of iHouse Press Secretary like no other.

In a bold move, Jobs will bring on Mossberg as press secretary without officially making him part of the administration. In fact, Walt won’t directly associate with anyone in the iHouse. This seemingly illogical move will pay huge dividends, as Mossberg’s distance from the administration will build a trust with the media and the public that no spokesperson has ever had.

Who better to speak for the iHouse than the nation's most trusted tech journalist?

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Walt will begin every press conference with an in-depth, unbiased review of Jobs’ latest moves as president. He won’t mince words and will be the first to criticize the president when his actions merit it.

This balanced view will give an immense power to his words, and when he does ultimately come to the conclusion that Jobs is doing his job better than any other President in history, we will all agree. The press – and the entire country – will come to a silent agreement with the administration. It will be an unprecedented moment in history.

Kick-ass State of the Union Addresses

But the real highlight of the Jobs administration will be his State of the Union addresses. They will kick ass.

Hotly anticipated for months, blogs will spend the better part of the year speculating about rumors and leaks of what he will announce. When the day finally comes, they won’t disappoint. For the first time, congress’ applause will be completely sincere. 95% of Americans will tune in to watch.

After about 50 minutes of exciting announcements and news of breakthroughs, the words everyone in the country has been waiting for will be uttered:

“One more thing…”

President Jobs’ “one more thing” will always be something absolutely amazing. It will be Christmas in January every time.

During his first State of the Union, everyone in the country will be given a free MacBook Air. In his second year in office, everyone will receive shares of Apple stock. For the year after that, everyone’s home will get a built-in Apple Store.

It will be like “Oprah’s Favorite Things,” only you don’t need to be in the studio audience to get in on it. It will be the most wonderful time of the year.

For a Brighter Tomorrow

So, fellow Americans, we implore you to look within. Don’t just settle for what we’ve come to expect from a president. Look at what we could have in a president.

We need a president who is an a**hole and isn’t ashamed of it. We need a more efficient congress. We definitely need free MacBooks.

We need Steve Jobs.

Apple iPad: Five Things I Like Most About the iPad

In keeping with the precedent established in previous "30 Days With..." series, I devoted yesterday's post to detailing my complaints and criticisms. Today is dedicated to the counter point of view--a list of my favorite things about the iPad from my 30 Days With the iPad journey.

There were, of course, some bumps along the way, but there are also a few things that I truly appreciated about using the iPad instead of my notebook. Without further ado, here is my list of the five things I like most about the iPad:

1. Size. Size does matter. And when you're talking about lugging a device around all over town, the smaller the better...to a point. Carting a 15-inch notebook, or maybe one of those laptops with dual 17-inch displays, may provide more of a portable computing workhorse, but then we get into a semantic debate about defining "portable".

On the other end of the spectrum, you could argue that the iPhone (or an Android or Windows Phone 7 smartphone) are even more compact and portable, or make a case for smaller tablets like the7-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab.

The iPad--especially the iPad 2--fits nicely in between those two extremes. It is big enough to make it practical, and small enough to make it portable. It has enough power and flexibility to do what you need it to in most cases, yet it is thin and light enough to be carried like a magazine. The same could be said of other similar tablets as well, like the Motorola Xoom, or the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1.

2. Stamina. It lasts, and lasts, and lasts. As if the size issue of the device itself isn't enough, working with a notebook on the go for more than a few hours involves carrying the power adapter and/or a backup battery as well. I can leave my home office with a fully-charged iPad 2, and use it freely for any purpose all day with virtually zero chance of running out of juice. It has the added benefit that if I did choose to carry the power adapter for insurance, the outlet plug and USB cable add little in the way of either size or weight.

3. AirPlay.AirPlay is simply awesome. For now, it is primarily an entertainment feature enabling me to stream audio and video content from the iPad to my TV or stereo. It works with some apps, and not with others.

4. App Store. You might recall that I have had some complaints about the Apple App Store. I'd like to see it cleaned up and better organized to make searching through 400,000 apps a little easier, and I wish the App Store would implement a test drive or return policy that would enable me to check out an app and scrap it if it doesn't meet my needs without getting charged for it.

5. Front Camera. The rear camera on the iPad 2 is essentially useless. If Apple doesn't plan to make significant jump in the quality and capabilities of that camera in the next iPad model, it should just eliminate it. The front-facing camera, on the other hand, is quite nice.

The ability to conduct FaceTime video calls, or participate in video conferencing sessions using Fuze Meeting, or WebEx make the iPad 2 much more valuable as a mobile productivity platform than its predecessor.

There is really a lot more that I like about the iPad. I was already an iPad fan and proponent before embarking on the 30 Days With the iPad series. However, just because I like the iPad in and of itself, or as a tablet, does not necessarily mean that I like the iPad as a PC replacement. I tried to keep this list of things I liked focused more or less on the ways I like the iPad 2 as a PC replacement.

Check back tomorrow for my summary and closing thoughts on how this experiment went, and the lesson I have learned along the way in the final 30 Days With the iPad post.

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Apple Bests Nokia and Samsung for Q2 Worldwide Smartphone Sales for Q2 Worldwide Smartphone sales

The official results are in: Apple has taken the crown as the world's largest smartphone maker for raw shipments, surpassing both Nokia and Samsung to capture 20.3 percent of all smartphone shipments worldwide. But, as CEO Steve Jobs might note, there's one more thing: Apple's also taken the crown for worldwide smartphone market share, clocking in at 18.5 percent for the second quarter of 2011.

Just how bad are the losses for Nokia? The company recorded a market share of 38.1 percent during the same time period last year. That's since shrunk to 15.2 percent, putting the handset producer in a solid third place behind Samsung's 17.5 percent smartphone market share. The loss ends Nokia's 15-year reign as the world's top smartphone vendor, according to research firm Strategy Analytics. And it's also done a number on Nokia's stock price– down 47 percent this year alone as the company struggles to compete against both iOS and Android.

Although Samsung took second in total smartphone shipments for the second quarter of 2011, at 19.2 percent, the company actually recorded a higher year-to-year growth in smartphone shipments than even mighty Apple. Year-to-year shipment growth for Apple jumped from 8.4 percent to 11.9 percent between Q2 2010 and Q2 2011. Samsung, however, rocketed from 3.1 percent of all worldwide smartphone shipments to 16.1 percent – thanks, in part, to healthy sales of the company's Galaxy S2 smartphone.

The same growth spike can be seen on Samsung's global market share as well. First-place Apple may have jumped from 13.5 percent to 18.5 percent to capture the lead, but Samsung rose from a scant five percent to 17.5 percent over a single year's worth of time.

"Samsung is breathing down Nokia's neck," said Neil Mawston, an analyst at Strategy Analytics. "An unexciting touch-phone portfolio, inventory correction, wavering demand for the Symbian platform and limited presence in the huge U.S. market continued to weigh on Nokia's near-term performance."

In total, year-to-year smartphone shipments worldwide grew 76 percent to a total of 110 million units: Apple shipped 20.3 million, Samsung shipped 19.2 million, and Nokia shipped 16.7 million.

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Apple Final Cut Pro X

Final Cut Pro X is truly a dramatic rewrite of Apple's mature and well-developed video-editing software. It borrows some interface elements from iMovie that may disappoint seasoned professionals, and also it loses many key features that are simply an absolute necessity in the professional world, like XML export. On the other hand, those looking to upgrade from iMovie will find a lot more features in Final Cut Pro X, but there are some caveats.

Installing and downloading

Final Cut Pro X is only available via the Mac App Store. The previous Final Cut Studio came with heavy instruction manuals, which are now just help files in FCPX. We appreciate reducing paper waste, but be warned that the digital help files won't offer any images unless you are connected to the internet.

Getting started

When you first launch Final Cut Pro X, the old Final Cut loading screen is replaced by a new semitransparent load screen that let's you know this is the 10.0 iteration of the professional software. But what comes after that is nothing like the 10 previous versions of Final Cut.

You'll first notice a prominent option to Import iMovie Events right above the Import Files and Import From Camera options. If you're wondering if we skipped a step, you're wrong. According to Final Cut Pro X's help file, you don't create a project first. Instead, you import media and manage your media first. You can, however, create a project first and import later. But it just goes to show you how much Apple believes that data-based video workflows are the future of post-production.

New interface

FCPX's new interface borrows some style elements from iMovie, which will really have many editors scratching their head. But first, multiple windows have largely disappeared.

Instead of windows, like in previous versions, we now get panels. The panels have default positions, but they can fortunately be resized.

For the most part, the panel locations are generally where you want them to be, but we would have preferred more customisation options. Users can specify the Viewer or the Events panels to live on secondary monitors, but it's still no match for arranging windows to whatever your project or personal preferences are.

The Viewer

The biggest change is the new Viewer. Previous users of Final Cut Pro will wonder what happened to the Viewer and Canvas windows.

They have been combined into a single panel called the Viewer. In previous versions of Final Cut Pro, the Viewer loaded clips to edit or it let users manipulate the properties of a clip. The Canvas traditionally showed the current frame of the playhead in the Timeline. Final Cut Pro X now combines both the viewer and canvas into one panel simply called the Viewer.

Simpler is better though, right? Actually, we're not so sure.

Final Cut Pro 7 used the decades-old convention of Source and Record editing (which Apple, of course, had to refer differently as the Viewer and Canvas). It traces back to the day of linear editing, when a producer or editor would load up one clip from a video deck, mark the start and stop and then record on to a second tape.

Old as it might be, the source/record convention is blazingly fast. Watching a professional editor is like watching a pianist. Loading clips, scrubbing through to find the perfect clip, marking an in point and an out point, then laying on the timeline could be accomplished without touching the mouse at all. For Apple, it's a difference of philosophy.

Creating a new project

Starting a new project feels a bit strange because the program does little to explain new concepts like Events. Events are Apple's new way of describing media libraries. An event contains the actual media files of your project, as well as metadata information.

When you create a new project, there are no options like resolution or codec until you select custom. By default, the app will pick a resolution and frame rate based on the first clip you use.

You can select custom options, which will support most of the standard resolutions: 1080i, 1080p, 720p, NTSC, PAL, 2K and 4K. The Other options curiously do not let you set custom resolutions. Instead, you're limited to 640x480 pixels and 960x540 pixels. Apple says that you can use Compressor to scale and resize your videos.

Frame rates are also limited to standard NTSC, PAL and film rates of 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 50, 59.94 and 60 frames per second. Again, if you have to work in a non-standard frame rate, you're out of luck. As a sign from the future of where Apple wants to take video editing, FCPX supports 4K resolutions at 60 progressive frames per second.

Importing media

Final Cut Pro X has support for natively importing AVC-Intra, AVCHD (including AVCCAM, AVCHD Lite and NXCAM), all standard versions of DV (including DVCAM, DVCPRO, DVCPRO50 and DVCPRO HD), H.264, HDV, iFrame, Motion JPEG, MPEG IMX (D-10) and standard XDCAM HD/EX/HD422. Additionally, the program can import codecs supported by QuickTime.  AVI to FCP

Gone are the Log & Capture and Log & Transfer options. Instead, we just get options for importing media files and importing files from a camera. The new Final Cut Pro X really embraces a file-based workflow.

The closest option might be the Import From Camera. This is not the same as Log & Transfer. It's sort of an attempt at combing capture from tape and capture from memory card sources. The new import interface does support FireWire and can read mounted memory cards, as well as control playback options using the classic JKL (rewind-pause-play) keys.

It doesn't support importing certain types of files. For XDCAM users, Apple recommends installing Sony's own transfer and transcoding utility. HDV is still supported, but oddly only over tape on FireWire. You'll have to wait for HDV import from MXF files. Nor does FCPX support the ultra-high-quality Red RAW natively. For now, you can either set up your RED camera to record QuickTime movie files, which FCPX can import natively, or you can use Red's own free conversion program to convert into Apple's native ProRes format. Apple says it is working with companies like Sony and Red to create plug-ins that will allow FCPX to be a one-stop-shop for importing video.

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Why Microsoft May Be Apple's Greatest Ally in the Mobile Wars

Most investors have written off Microsoft (MSFT) as a creaky old has-been that can't move fast enough to go toe to toe with today's titans of technology such as Apple (AAPL) and Google (GOOG). But its stock has been showing signs of life recently, rallying more than 12% off its low in the middle of June versus 4% for the broader index. One reason for this change in sentiment is the early stage success of Microsoft's Mango operating system, which has received a number of favorable reviews from critics and raised investors' hopes that Microsoft may have what it takes to compete on the mobile front after all.

As someone who's long Apple, one may surmise that this news is disappointing to me, but it had the exact opposite effect - as an Apple investor, I actually hope Microsoft does well and achieves success in its attempt to remain relevant in the post-PC era, counterintuitive though it may seem.

To explain why, we've got to rewind to the 80s, back when Microsoft was Apple's worst nemesis and the two fought a long and bloody battle for dominance over the emerging PC market. We all know how that fight turned out for Apple. There are those who say that Apple vs. Google today is eerily reminiscent of Apple vs. Microsoft two decades ago, and they wonder if history is going to repeat itself. The statistics validate this concern: Research firm Gartner reported that smartphones running Google's Android operating system accounted for 36% of industry sales during first quarter 2011, versus just 16.8% for Apple's iOS. According to data released by Nielsen, 50% of Americans who recently purchased a smartphone chose an Android phone, which is double iOS's 25% market share of new converts.

These numbers are disconcerting for an Apple investor. The network effect inherent in the adoption of any new platform gives the current market leader a self-propagating advantage that, if left unchecked for too long, becomes impossible to defeat. The longevity of any new platform is directly tied to how effectively it can attract third party developers, and developers always consolidate around the most popular platform. The more successful your platform becomes, the more developers you attract, and the more developers you have adding value to your platform with their applications, the more successful your platform becomes.

It's this powerful virtuous cycle that allowed Microsoft to crush Apple in the PC wars, and it's this phenomenon that's the biggest threat to Apple today. Right now, Apple is benefitting from its head start in mobile and still commands the largest number of developers - according to Appsfire, its App Store at over 400,000 apps is still double the size of Google's Android Market at 200,000. However, its lead is rapidly shrinking - German firm research2guidance reported that for the month of April, the Android Market added 28,000 new apps, more than double the App Store's 11,000. The race is on, and most analysts believe that it's not a question of whether or not Android will overtake iOS, but when.

Apple vs. Everyone Else

So is Apple doomed to fall to Google as it did to Microsoft twenty years ago? Not quite, and there are many reasons why things are different this time around. Not the least of which is that Apple is a much stronger company today than when it took on Microsoft. A second reason is Microsoft itself. There were only two real players going head to head in the PC wars, and as expected, the stronger one took out the weaker one. The mobile wars are going to be different, because this time, there are three players: Apple, Google, and Microsoft. Three changes the dynamics of the game entirely.

The old adage "the enemy of the enemy is my friend" fits the situation perfectly here, because this fight is not really about Apple vs. Google. It's about Apple vs. Everyone Else. Apple is notorious for not playing well with others, preferring to create the entire product from top to bottom itself instead of contracting out to other companies. This strategy allows Apple to create best in class products, the most expensive ones with the highest margins, but it also puts a hard cap on how much market share Apple can control, because the whole point of a premium gadget is that most people aren't rich enough to own one.

Apple doesn't care, it just wants to make the best widget in town - it's a bold strategy, but it can also be a dangerous one depending on how the rest of the market, the non-premium, value-oriented part, is staked out. To illustrate, let's use a baseline of 20% for the premium market, and 80% for the value market. Assuming Apple has the premium market for smartphones all to itself, if the rest of the industry consolidates around Android, there will be four times the number of Android phones in circulation compared to the number of iPhones. As a developer, would you want to develop apps for 20% of the user base, or 80%?

In reality, there's no way Google will have the entire value market to itself, and there'll always be smaller players like Research in Motion (RIMM who'll get the bright idea to create their own operating systems and chip away at Android's market share. Assuming all of the little guys collectively gobble up 10% of the market, that still leaves Android with 70% versus Apple's 20%. Let's cut off a piece of Google's slice and give Apple another 10%, since some value consumers will be able to get an extremely cheap iPhone by signing an extra long-term contract with a carrier. At 30-60, that still gives developers a huge incentive to flock to Android instead of iOS, where they have access to a consumer base twice as large.

Enter Microsoft. Microsoft is a company that markets its products to the masses instead of the elite, which makes it a much deadlier threat to Google than to Apple. Its partnership with Nokia (NOK), which is still the largest handset manufacturer in the world, is a match that has enormous potential. And if the company can execute well and create a product worth buying, Microsoft can easily become a force to be reckoned with in the mobile business. Assuming it is successful enough to steal a third of the market away from Google and half that percentage from Apple, the mobile landscape will be end up breaking down like this: Apple with 25%, Google with 40%, Microsoft with 25%, and everyone else with 10%.

Google is still top dog, but the choice between Google and Apple is no longer as obvious with these revised numbers. Yeah, you get access to more raw users with Android, but the iPhone's premium-oriented customers are more willing to pay for quality apps, which means there's potentially more money to be made developing for iOS despite the smaller userbase. Back this up with Apple's superior brand image and its loyal cult following who'll stick with Apple no matter what, and you have yourself a sustainable community of developers large enough to keep Apple's products relevant for years to come. And it's all thanks to Microsoft.

A win for Microsoft will hurt Apple, no doubt, but it'll hurt Google a whole lot more. The mobile wars will be brutal, and as an Apple investor, I'm willing to take a cut on the arm if it means my biggest rival will get stabbed in the heart. The big picture is all about Apple vs Everyone Else. The more fragmented Everyone Else is, the better it is for Apple, and this is an edge worth surrendering some market share for. What this means is that I'll be watching Microsoft's progress with great interest and cheer for it on the sidelines.

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Don't give up, Mister Softee. Keep on swinging, keep on going. As an Apple investor, I hope you succeed and do well for yourself. Not too well, of course, but just enough be a huge thorn in Google's side and slow it down some so we can leave it in the dust. Good luck.

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Here Are All The iPad 3 Rumors We Know About So Far

The iPad 2 has only been out for three and a half months, but that's not keeping analysts from speculating about the iPad 3.

We've heard everything about the iPad 3 from a fall release date to a high-res Retina Display like the iPhone 4.

At this early point, it's almost all speculation so far, but there are some juicy nuggets of iPad goodness floating around.

We gathered all the best rumors for you right here.

The iPad 3 will launch this fall along with the iPhone 5 (Unlikely)

It's tough for us to swallow this one. A new DigiTimes report says Taiwanese suppliers are shipping materials for the iPhone 5 and iPad 3. While we're all but certain the iPhone 5 will launch this September, we highly doubt there will be an iPad refresh just six months after the iPad 2.

What about an iPad 3 in time for the Holidays? (Unlikely)

Other analysts have speculated Apple will push out the iPad 3 in time for the Holidays this year. Again, we doubt Apple would release a refresh before 2012.

The most likely release date: Spring 2012

We're pretty confident that Apple will stick to its yearly Spring launch of the iPad. Expect an announcement in March or April.

A faster A6 processor (Likely)

It's safe to say that the iPad 3 will have a new, faster processor. Right now the iPad 2 rocks a dual-core A5 processor, but there are already Android tablets in the works with quad-core processors. Will Apple's next A6 be able to match? We think so.

What about a 4G iPad? (Maybe)

Apple has been slow to adopt 4G into its mobile devices, likely due to battery life concerns. Still, the iPad already has incredible battery life, so there's always a chance the third version will be able to run on Verizon and AT&T's 4G LTE networks. (AT&T's LTE network should be up and running by then.)

Will there be a 7-inch iPad 3? (Unlikely)

Steve Jobs himself has said he doesn't believe 7-inch tablets can be successful. But some analysts seem to disagree, pointing to all those 7-inch Android tablets.

We highly doubt this rumor will ever come true since the iPad is so far ahead that it doesn't even need to worry about 7-inch Android tablets.

Will there finally be a Retina display (Unlikely)

While the iPad 3's display is likely to get a boost in resolution, we doubt it will be the same as the iPhone 4's Retina Display. Those are pretty expensive to make for such a large device, and will make it difficult to keep the iPad affordable.

A glasses-free 3D display (Not a chance)

Glasses-free 3D is pretty cool on devices like Nintendo's 3DS, but it's far from perfect. It destroys battery life, and you still have to hold the device at the perfect angle to get the 3D effect. There's no way Apple would consider implementing 3D until the technology ready.

More storage options (Unlikely)

With everything moving to the iCloud, we doubt Apple will offer anything higher than a 64 GB model of the iPad 3.

Thinner and lighter design (Definitely)

This is the most common rumor, and the one we can pretty much guarantee will happen. Apple will continue to shave the iPad down to be thinner and lighter.

What about overall design? We know Apple likes to keep its iDevices in sync, so we'll have to wait and see what the iPhone 5 looks like before we judge.

Same pricing structure as the iPad 2 (Very likely)

Part of the iPad's success has been due to its affordability. Apple would be silly to raise the entry-level iPad price above $499.

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Apple iPhone 5, iPad 3 Will See Fall Release

Apple will launch the iPad 3 and iPhone 5 in the fall, according to a new report. Many news sources have pegged the iPhone 5 for a fall release.

Apple could be prepping for a fall release of a new iPad on top of the iPhone 5, according to a new report by Taiwanese publication DigiTimes.

“Sources pointed out that Apple only plans to launch one model of the new iPhone, while iPad 3 has just recently been added to the production schedule,” read the July 1 report, “with both set to be produced in small volumes in August and volume will start picking up in September and October.”

While a fall release of the iPhone 5 has been the focus of many a recent Apple-related rumor, a release of the iPad 3 in the same timeframe has generally been dismissed by pundits and media. Certainly an iPad 3 launch would represent a radical speeding-up of Apple’s tablet schedule, which so far has timed iPad releases roughly a year apart.

Morgan,Stanley analyst Katy Huberty recently stated in a note to investors that the next iPhone “will begin production in mid to late August and ramp aggressively.” Her information apparently came from talks with unnamed sources in Taiwan.

Bloomberg also reported June 21 that the next iPhone will debut in September and include the company’s faster A5 processor, along with an 8-megapixel camera and the recently introduced iOS 5 mobile operating system. In addition, that report claimed Apple is developing a smaller, cheaper iPhone that utilizes “chips and displays of similar quality to today’s iPhone 4.” That device will apparently embrace the iPhone 4’s design aesthetic.

The blog Boy Genius Report had previously cited August as a possible start date for the iPhone 5’s launch. “According to our source, Apple may hold an event in the beginning or middle of August to announce the new iPhone, with availability to follow in the last week of August,” read a June 21 posting, which predicted that Apple will utilize a “radical new case design” for the smartphone.

During a June 6 presentation at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference, company executives claimed that more than 200 million iOS devices had been sold. Despite that sizable number, Apple is certainly feeling pressure to keep iOS evolving in order to keep ahead of the growing family of increasingly sophisticated Android devices; and that’s on top of the competition it faces from the likes of Research In Motion’s PlayBook tablet and Hewlett-Packard’s just-released TouchPad, which runs webOS.

With this latest iPad 3 rumor, DigiTimes is running counter to its own April report, which suggested it was unlikely that Apple would release an iPad 3 in 2011. That report cited unnamed “upstream component makers.”

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Apple Releases OS X Lion Gold Master

Hold onto your hats, Apple enthusiasts: The latest iteration of your OS X operating system could be beating down your digital door within days.

According to various news reports, Apple has released the gold master of OS X Lion to developers, suggesting that we're but a few days away from the official release of OS X 10.7. Apple hasn't provided an official release date for the operating system update, except to say that it was scheduled to arrive sometime during July.

Don't plan on camping out on local Apple stores in an attempt to be one of the first to get your hands on the new software: There's no need. Lion marks the first operating system that Apple will be releasing as a digital download via the Mac App Store—which also means that the company should be able to significantly shorten its typical two week waiting period between releasing an OS gold master and seeing a tangible product on store shelves.

Users will only have to pony up $29.99 to upgrade from Snow Leopard–OS X 10.6–to Lion via digital download. However, you'll want to make sure that you've installed all of the Apple-specific updates released over the past month before Lion hits the Mac App Store. Version 10.6.8 of the operating system contains tweaks that enable the digital download and upgrade process, a must-have in order for the upgrade to function correctly.

We've covered the various features of OS X Lion pretty extensively, so here's the short list of what users can expect to see come Lion Launch Day: an automatic restoration feature that allows users to resume their apps exactly as they left them after quitting or shutting down the system, a brand-new "reboot into Safari" mode that turns one's system into a simple Web-browser-only kiosk of-sorts, and a comprehensive autosave feature that keeps your data safe (and version-tracked) analogous to a Google Docs file.

It remains to be seen just how Apple's hardware is going to shift around once the Lion is let loose into the wild. Rumors have suggested that Apple's been waiting for its operating system's official release before unveiling souped-up hardware, including a new Thunderbolt- and Sandy Bridge-enhanced refresh of the company's MacBook Air, that would come with the new operating system preinstalled.

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Apple iPhone 5: 10 Rival Products That Could Harm Sales

If the recent rumors have any credence, Apple will release the iPhone 5 in September. Most reports suggest that Apple will ship the device either that month or at some point shortly thereafter. Exactly what the iPhone 5 will feature is unknown at this point. However, rumors are swirling that the device will come with a bigger, edge-to-edge display, 4G capability and near-field communication, allowing users to pay for purchases with their smartphone. With all those features in tow, most analysts believe the iPhone 5 will perform exceedingly well at retail. But those analysts must also consider that Apple's smartphone will be facing off with a crowd of smartphones and tablets, and that could stymie its growth. The iPhone 5 will undoubtedly sell well, but the following products could hold the device back from fulfilling its full sales potential in both the consumer and enterprise markets. 

Apple iPad 2

Although Apple has said the iPad 2 and its iPhone don't necessarily compete with each other, that's not really the case. Both devices are running the same software, and they both offer multitouch functionality. Considering the economy isn't turning around and many people are on a budget, some folks might opt for the iPad 2, which they might perceive to offer more value for their money, rather than go with the iPhone 5.

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LG Revolution

The LG Revolution is arguably one of the more capable smartphone competitors on the market right now. The device comes with a 1GHz Snapdragon processor and runs Android 2.2 "Froyo." Most importantly, it allows for support with Verizon's 4G network, making it a top choice for those who want to surf the Web over LTE. Combine that with its large 4.3-inch display, and the iPhone 5 might have a difficult competitor in the smartphone space.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Play

So far, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play hasn't caught on as well as the handset maker had hoped. However, that doesn't mean it can be counted out. The Android 2.3 device is heavily involved in the gaming business as the world's first PlayStation-certified smartphone. It even includes slide-out controls for folks to play advanced games on the device. Considering the importance of gaming in Apple's App Store and how integral solid gaming experiences will be on the iPhone 5, there's no reason to suggest the Xperia Play won't have at least a small impact on sales of Apple's next smartphone.

Upcoming Windows Phone-Based Nokia Smartphones

Since the iPhone 5 will likely be on store shelves toward the end of this year and into 2012, the device will need to square off against Windows Phone-based Nokia smartphones. Though some scoff at those devices, Nokia is a major brand internationally, and with its "Mango" update, Windows Phone 7 will be more compelling than ever. If Nokia can deliver the right hardware, the iPhone 5 might feel some pressure from the handset maker's Windows Phone 7 devices.

Samsung Droid Charge

The Samsung Droid Charge is arguably one of the most compelling iPhone alternatives on the market right now. The device features a slick design and a big 4.3-inch display. It runs Android 2.2 and can connect to Verizon's 4G LTE network. When the iPhone 5 launches, the Droid Charge might just be the device's best competition. After all, Samsung devices are popular and the company has earned the trust of consumers. Look for a Samsung-iPhone 5 battle in the coming months.

RIM BlackBerry Torch

When it comes to the consumer market, Apple won't need to worry about Research In Motion's BlackBerry Torch. However, Apple will need to be concerned with the Torch in the enterprise market. RIM is still a huge player in the corporate world, and many companies will be attracted to the Torch, which is priced at just $50 with a two-year commitment. The iPhone 5 will have trouble competing in the corporate world as long as BlackBerry smartphones, including the Torch, still appeal to IT decision-makers.

HTC Evo 3D

Although HTC has had some difficulty competing with Apple in the past, the company's Evo 3D is one of the most interesting releases from the firm yet. In addition to its 4.3-inch display and Android operating system, the Evo 3D comes with 3D functionality. That feature, while still in its early stages on mobile devices, is starting to catch on with consumers. If the iPhone 5 lacks 3D when it launches, some customers might opt for HTC's unique functionality rather than stick with the 2D world. Will the Evo 3D obliterate iPhone 5 sales? Of course not. But for some customers, it might have the features that could make them opt for HTC's handset over the iPhone 5.

Google Nexus S 4G

There's quite a bit to like about the Google Nexus S 4G. The device allows for 4G connectivity, it runs Android, and it has a nice, 4-inch display. Most importantly, it has the Google name affixed to it, which automatically puts it on the same playing field as the iPhone 5. If the Nexus S 4G were running on Verizon's or AT&T's network, it would be a bigger threat to the iPhone 5. But even without support from those carriers, the device could cut into some of the iPhone 5's sales.

RIM BlackBerry PlayBook

In the corporate world, there are finite budgets dedicated to buying mobile devices. And as recent history has shown, some companies are warming to the idea of bringing the iPhone to their operations. However, with the launch of the BlackBerry PlayBook, some of those companies might have a change of heart. The BlackBerry PlayBook delivers touch-screen functionality—something companies are starting to like—and offers the business features, such as BlackBerry Enterprise Server, that the corporate world is after. In the consumer space, the BlackBerry PlayBook won't hurt iPhone 5 sales, but in the enterprise, it just might.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1

If the iPad 2 could cut into sales of Apple's iPhone 5, there's no reason to suggest the top Android tablet on the market, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, won't do the same. The tablet is an ideal choice for consumers who don't want to invest in a new smartphone but are looking for an iPhone- or iPad-like experience. As mentioned, the economy isn't turning around quickly enough, and there are still many consumers who are on a budget. Considering the Galaxy Tab 10.1 with WiFi costs just $499.99 to start and is available now, some consumers might be willing to spend cash on the tablet immediately rather than wait for the iPhone 5 that might or might not come out later this year.

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Samsung Sues Apple Over IPhone, IPad, IPod

Samsung Electronics Co., the world’s largest computer-memory chip maker, filed another lawsuit against Apple Inc. (AAPL), claiming the U.S. company infringed patents for technology used in its iPhone and iPad devices.

“Apple has copied many of Samsung’s innovations in its Apple iPhone, iPod and iPad products,” lawyers for the Suwon, South Korea-based company said in a lawsuit filed yesterday in federal court in Delaware.

Samsung also filed a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission in Washington on June 28 seeking to block imports of the devices containing the allegedly infringing technology.

The suit follows litigation in at least four countries as Samsung and Apple, the world’s largest technology company by market value, compete in the mobile-device market. In April, Cupertino, California-based Apple sued Samsung in federal court in Oakland, California, alleging the Korean company’s Galaxy phone and table computers “slavishly” copy the iPhone and iPad.

“They seem to have a lot to talk about,” Seo Won Seok, a Seoul-based analyst at NH Investment & Securities Co., said. “With these steps they are taking now, they seem to be trying to take a favorable position as part of the process to reach an agreement on cross-licensing in the end.”

Prior to the latest lawsuit, Samsung, which also supplies memory chips for Apple, had sued Apple in Seoul,Tokyo, San Francisco and Mannheim, Germany. Apple also has a case pending against Samsung in South Korea.

Trudy Muller, an Apple spokeswoman, didn’t immediately return a call seeking comment on the suit.

Samsung’s Delaware suit will be delayed if federal regulators agree to investigate the company’s complaints against Apple. The trade commission typically completes its reviews in 15 to 18 months.

Apple’s April 15 complaint claims Samsung is infringing seven patents related to the way Galaxy devices’ touch screens understand user gestures, including selecting, scrolling, pinching and zooming. Samsung is also copying three patents on the design, including the flat black face of the iPhone and iPad, according to Apple.

Apple also said on April 18 that Samsung “blatantly” copied its technologies and designs.

Samsung had asked a federal judge in the U.S. to order Apple to turn over samples of Apple’s forthcoming iPads and iPhones. It lost that bid on June 22.

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YouTube Commercial Kings Rhett and Link Talk New TV Show

Rhett & Link: Commercial Kings, a new television show premiering tonight on IFC, plots two best friends as they journey across the United States to understand the country—via advertising.

Rhett & Link won’t be a hyper-intellectual attempt to analyze our highest aspirations and deepest desires as a nation, as most media depictions of glamorous advertising do—from the Hucksters and What Women Want to Mad Men. Quite the opposite. We talk to the men behind the show below.

Rhett McLaughlin (left) and Link Neal (right) have one of the most subscribed-to channels on YouTube, where they show their clever commercials, each a viral hit in its own right. Although every ad boasts a different look, the pair deploy the same questionable production values, haphazardly written jingles, and guest appearances to make a hilarious final product. The IFC show documents the creation and production for each of these entertaining, more-rough-than-diamond, gems.

TOH: When did you develop a love for local advertisements?
Link: From the moment I started watching TV, I was developing a love for local commercials. When you see a guy trying to sell you used cars wearing a chicken suit, even if you’re not in the market to buy a car, even if you’re seven years old, you remember that. 

Rhett: One of things always grabbed our attention is the ‘unintentional funny.’  I don’t think every producer or business owner thinks it’s going to be really funny…

TOH: You started building your fan base on YouTube years ago.  Was expanding your channel into a television show part of the plan?
Rhett: Not really, but it’s something that you’re going to see more and more.  Anybody who wants to be in entertainment is going to be uploading stuff and if they’re good they’re going to build a following.

TOH: How will you use your YouTube fame to command a TV audience?
Rhett:  These crazy local commercials went viral. They make great stand-alone video. But then people start asking questions, like—is that real?  They want to see us interact with Rudy [the Cuban gynecologist-turned-American used-car salesman]. The commercial is candy; the TV show is a full course meal. You see the final product on the Internet, you can see the process on the show.

TOH: What has been your favorite commercial so far?
Link: Presidential carwash, with this great couple from India. They are committed to being the best carwash in town. This meant dressing them up as Presidents and having them rap. 

Rhett: My favorite is for Fountain of Health in Florida, which offers colatics. This stuff doesn’t sell itself. Often for local commercials, there will be a celebrity endorsement and we have a Grammy-award-winning musician famous for his 80s love songs, who will be making a cameo and [helped us] write the jingle.

TOH: How do you go about turning local business owners into Internet celebrities?
Link: With the owners of Presidential carwash, the owner said ‘why don’t you hire some actors or rappers.’  I said, ‘First of all – we don’t have a budget, but more importantly, we want people to see you and your wife starring in your own commercial.’  They are winsome. We want people to say, ‘I want to meet these people.’

Rhett: And what happens time after time a commercial goes up here, everyone who is local says, ‘I have to go to this carwash.’ Person after person in YouTube comments says, ‘I’m getting my car washed there,’ or ‘if I lived in America I would go here,’ or ‘I will drive across the country to go there.’

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Steve Jobs First Conceived “Statement HQ” for Apple in 1983

Apple CEO Steve Jobs made quite the impression last week with his presentation to the Cupertino city council for a giant circular headquarters for his company, but his dreams for a “Statement HQ” for Apple began in 1983, according to former San Jose mayor Tom McEnery. Mr. McEnery, who was mayor of San Jose from 1983 to 1991, told The San Jose Mercury News about Mr. Jobs’s plans for an iconic Apple campus to be located in San Jose’s Coyote Valley.

Then, as now, Mr. Jobs had lined up a world-class architect to head the project. In 1983 it was I.M. Pei, who designed such buildings as the John F. Kennedy Library (see photo below), the Herbert F. Johnson Museum at Cornell, the Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong, and several other iconic buildings. Mr. Pei is 94 years old, today.





According to Mr. McEnery, he and Mr. Jobs met at Carry Nation’s, a bar in Los Gatos. Though he was mayor of San Jose, he said they had to go to Los Gatos to find a nice place to eat (London Oyster House) and then to talk over drinks (Carry Nation’s) because the nicest restaurant in San Jose at the time was a Sizzler.

He also said that Mr. Jobs was pitching the idea of moving Apple from Cupertino to San Jose, specifically to the undeveloped area called Coyote Valley. He told the Mercury News that Mr. Jobs said at the time, “I want to help you make San Jose a great city.” Mr. McEnery went on to preside over major growth, including bringing many tech companies to his city, during his two terms as mayor.

The former mayor added, “What sticks in my mind is he clearly saw the potential in San Jose. We could have a great set of campuses, a la Stanford Industrial Park.”

The article also sources Bob Feld, a real estate developer who said he took Mr. Jobs on a helicopter tour of the Coyote Valley property, and then walked the land with the Apple founder.

“In my mind, he was very unequivocal about the vision he saw there. He did not come across as ‘Let me think about it,’” Mr. Feld said. “When we landed there, he was seeing things, he was seeing it right there that minute. There was no hesitancy.”


Mr. Feld said that they drafted a deal the next day for Apple to purchase the property in an all-cash transaction, and that the deal was in done shortly thereafter. Apple went on to sell the land sometime after Steve Jobs left Apple after a power struggle with then-CEO John Sculley in 1985, and clearly the project never advanced.

In last week’s presentation to the Cupertino city council, Mr. Jobs made the case that Cupertino had been good for Apple, and he seemed passionate about wanting to keep the company in that city, rather than moving somewhere else. Had things have been different, he might have been pitching Apple Statement HQ 2.0 to San Jose’s city council, instead.

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A Review on The iPad 2

North Georgia Chief Information Officer Dr. Bryson Payne was among the lucky few to have received an iPad 2 early.

In an interview with The Saint he provided a review of the device. Some of the comments have been shortened for space considerations.

Q: What were your first impressions of the iPad 2?

A: I didn't think I would be as impressed as I am with the new iPad 2. With the addition of the cameras (front- and rear-facing), plus the increased speed, built-in screen-sharing and the ability to show your iPad's screen on a TV or projector) have won me over pretty quickly. The potential for innovation in both academic and administrative settings is astounding.

Q: Is it really that much better than a first-generation iPad?

A: The front-facing camera really takes the new iPad 2 to a new level. The first time I saw a screen shot of the Cisco WebEx video conferencing app on the iPad 2 I thought it was as close to a "killer app" as I'd ever seen. You can conference with up to 25 people and you can share files and documents... As I saw it, I thought meetings at North Georgia would never be the same.

Q: You mentioned the Cisco WebEx app - what are your other favorite apps on the iPad 2?

A: I love the Citrix Reciever. This Citrix app allows you to access a virtual Windows desktop from your iPad, and it's surprisingly usable. You can edit documents, print, save files, and more right on a virtual desktop. I like the features in iBooks, the Kindle app, USA Today and other news apps for keeping well-read and up-to-date. . . The one app I'm waiting for is a great notes app. There's still no outstanding iPad 2 stylus-type note-taking app. I still carry paper and pens alongside my iPad 2 to jot down quick notes, and that just feels wrong.

Q: Apple has to be holding something back for the iPad 3 - what features are missing, or is there anything that could be better?

A: I have only three complaints about the iPad 2, and none of them are deal-breakers for me. If future iPad versions allow you to set up everything on the device itself without an old-fashioned desktop or laptop in the way, it could truly stand apart as a replacement for those devices.

Second, the speaker is located on the lower back of the iPad 2. You have to cup your hand somewhat awkwardly around the back when listening to video or audio to get the full volume.

Third, while the new magnetic cover definitely has a cool factor, it doesn't feel as sturdy as the "old" iPad case for standing the iPad up on its own, and you have to be careful not to pick the iPad up by the magnetic cover.


Q: Is there anything else you'd like to share about this innovative device?

A: I think it's going to be a great launching pad for innovation in the classroom and on the administrative side of the university alike. It's certainly got the right tools for collaboration, and I can't wait to see how North Georgia takes advantage of technologies like the iPad 2 over the coming year.

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Garage Band for iPad: Using the app to show off the device

Garage Band for iPad is, I'm pleased to say, another one of those apps. Software that melds so perfectly with the iPad hardware that when you show it off to someone, their natural inclination is to say "Oh, so that's why I should buy one of these devices."

I love finding those apps.

Follow the jump to find out why Garage Band qualifies.

I'm a little late to the Garage Band party because I didn't think to buy a copy until several of my TUAW colleagues pointed out its utter simplicity for creating rimshots. "It's like having a portable backup band," one blogger swore. Just hop into the app, select Drums, and use the Classic Studio Kit. A couple of taps on the lower-left snare followed by a top-left cymbal? Brilliant.

But there is so much more you can do with Garage Band than to create an imaginary "Tonight Show" experience. The best way to use it is to noodle around; and the best way to noodle around is to put the application into automatic section length mode, select the smart guitar and have at it.

Start by creating a new song. Choose "Smart Guitar" as your instrument. Then tap the jigsaw puzzle piece at the top left of the screen, tap on Section A, and enable Automatic. This allows you to mess with a random creation without having to be limited to 8 bars at a time.

Next, select a key. I played with C minor (Song Settings/Wrench > Key > C, minor) because, well, it's just fun. Choose a major key if you want to be able to perform all the best songs of Peter, Paul, and Mary with just 3 chords. (or add in a 4th chord for the true Axis of Awesome experience.)

You're now ready to create your own masterpiece. Tap record and have at it. When using Smart Guitar, the iPad basically acts like a smart Autoharp. A single tap brings you an entire chord. Tap the top pentagons to play each chord or stroke individual strings to add notes.

What follows is me recording a "song" by tapping the screen pretty much at random. This is how good the app is. My random taps -- and this. Use the record button at the top center of the screen to capture your session as you mess around. As you can tell from this example, it's almost impossible to use Garage Band badly. And yes, I really was touching things without any plan whatsoever.

To share your creation, tap My Songs to return to the library/organizer screen. Tap the share button (bottom-left, looks like a rectangle with an arrow leaving it to the right), choose Email Song, and let Garage Band do the rest. If you'd rather add your song to your onboard iTunes library, there's an option for that as well.

I am in love with Garage Band. For $5 it offers a toy that a two year old can probably use to make things that sound, well, that sound like they weren't made by a two year old.

Start playing with it around friends and you'll discover that your iPad will leave your hands in moments -- and that your friends will be leaving your company with a resolve that this is one device that they need to buy for themselves and for their kids.

Garage Band is awesome. Highly recommended.

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------------------For Mac Users--------------

iPad to Mac Transfer enables users to fluently transfer iPad files like music, movies, photos, playlist, podcast, ePub, PDF, Audiobook, Camera Roll, TV shows to Mac for backup, and copy iPad content to iTunes Library easily with iOS 4.3.

What to Expect From Apple’s iPad 2.0 Event

Apple has been unusually indiscreet about what it plans to unveil this week: the next iPad.

In invitations e-mailed to press last week, Apple attached an image of a calendar page peeled back to reveal the corner of an iPad. We get the picture.

But what about the next iPad, and what else can we realistically expect from the March 2 event? Here’s a quick rundown of what Apple is likely to introduce Wednesday.

iPad 2
The iPad 2 is probably going to be a modest upgrade from the current tablet. Credible reports suggest that major changes include a faster processor, more RAM, a front-facing camera for video chat, and a thinner and lighter overall design.

There’s been a bit of debate surrounding the iPad 2’s display. Some have bet on the iPad 2 gaining a high-resolution display that Apple could call the “retina” display, similar to the iPhone 4’s screen.

However, well-sourced Apple blogger John Gruber insists the next iPad will have the same resolution as the current one, or 1,024×768 pixels. A super high-res display would probably be cost-prohibitive today, Gruber argues, due not only to the cost of the display, but also because of the amount of RAM required for such high-res graphics.

That’s a reasonable analysis, because it’s probably a high priority for Apple to retain the iPad’s $500 starting price, which competitors are failing to match. A higher-res display would more realistically come in a later-generation iPad when costs for both screen technology and memory come down.

Like the current iPad, we can expect the iPad 2 to be bundled with 3G options for both Verizon and AT&T subscribers. We don’t expect a 4G iPad until the faster 4G networks are more ubiquitous.


iOS 4.3
The latest version of iOS for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch has been in beta for a few months, and Apple on Wednesday will likely announce an official release date for the upgrade.

New features seen so far in iOS 4.3 include improvements to interface elements, wireless hotspot support for AT&T iPhones and new multitouch gestures for controlling the iPad.

The new multitouch gestures for iPad are by far the most interesting new feature, but Apple has already told developers that it was only providing gestures as a preview to collect feedback on how they should work; the feature will not go live in iOS 4.3.

App Demos
Every iOS hardware event has been packed with app and game demos to show off new hardware and software features, so expect lots of these on Wednesday.

MobileMe Reboots?
There continues to be speculation about Apple rebooting its paid MobileMe service to have more seamless online integration. The Wall Street Journal suggests the service this year will become a free “locker” for photos, music and videos to reduce the need for devices to carry a lot of memory. Furthering this speculation, MacRumors points out that Apple has discontinued sales of MobileMe both online and in retail stores.

However, we have doubts a new MobileMe will go live Wednesday, as Apple said in a recent investor meeting that its new data center for managing cloud services will not be open until spring to support MobileMe and iTunes.

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Apple May Finally Be Cleaning Up The iOS Notification System

I’ve ranted and raved about how much the iOS notification system annoys me in the past, so rumours that Apple is buying a small company and having it revamp that whole mess are making me drool.

Could it be that I’ll finally get a proper, logical, and neat notification system on my iPhone?

According to Cult of Mac, yes:

Apple is working on a new notification system for iOS and will be buying a small company to build its technology into the operating system, according to one of our sources.

Our source, who asked to remain anonymous, didn’t know the identity of the company, except it already has an iPhone app in the App Store.

One candidate is Boxcar, a free app from App Remix that enables push notifications for Twitter, Facebook, and email. Boxcar’s system has been highly praised, especially the new iPad version.

App Remix’s CEO didn’t wish to comment on whether his company is the one supposedly being bought by Apple—and naturally the big A remains silent—so the rumour mill continues to churn out whispers out like crazy.

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Apple makes your life more colorful.

BOKU In Talks With Google & Apple For Possible Acquisition Read: BOKU In Talks With Google & Apple For Possible Acquisition

Mobile might soon overtake traditional means of accessing goods and services on the Internet (i.e., computers). In some markets, like Korea and Japan, mobiles are the preferred means of accessing information and buying things online (and even offline). Google and Apple are aware of this, and are likely looking into acquiring a mobile payments company.



BOKU, a San Francisco-based startup is reportedly in talks with both Apple and Google for a possible merger, acquisition or partnership
. Discussions are currently in early stages, but BOKU execs are said to be in high-level discussions with officials from both companies, which signals a possible bidding war between Apple and Google that might run into the hundreds of millions of dollars.

The company is seen as an attractive target because of its partnerships with carriers in the US and around the world. BOKU claims a market of about 1.6 billion mobile users. BOKU recently partnered with AT&T for a system that lets users buy apps and media just by entering their mobile number instead of bank or PayPal details.

Both Apple and Google are in intense competition for dominance in the mobile market, with the iOS and Android, respectively. iOS has gained a sizable market share, but the newer Android is quickly catching up.

Let’s see how this pans out. Hopefully, Steve Jobs will not have another fit if Apple doesn’t get to buy a company it wants, like with the botched Bungie offer.

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