Category: iPhone

Amazon Going Cheap and Readable with Android Tablet?

In the tablet market, there’s the Apple iPad…and everyone else. Nobody can touch the iPad at the moment. Tablets running Google Android Honeycomb aren’t as good as the iPad. The BlackBerry PlayBook isn’t as good as the iPad. With its recent webOS, the HP TouchPad is the second-best tablet on the market, but it’s still not as good as the iPad. The sales of all the aforementioned tablets reflect this; the iPad is a waterfall that keeps getting bigger, while its competitors are drops in a bucket.

Amazon has huge plans for the tablet market, but with so many competitors floundering, how can it hope to succeed? How can it hope to compete with Apple? Perhaps the answer is by being cheaper and offering a better reading experience than other tablets. PC Magazine’s Tim Bajarin recently wrote:

Multiple sources tell me that it will have the best reading experience of any tablet on the market. But, I am also hearing that Amazon is using pretty low-cost parts and not using any of the major manufacturers that are producing most of the tablets for mainstream competitors. Apparently, the company’s key goal is to make the tablet very inexpensive and then use a new business model to own the Android tablet market.

This might be the best strategy for Amazon. HP, Google’s partners, and RIM are trying to compete with Apple on a feature-by-feature basis. Those companies are trying to outdo the iPad in every way. If Bajarin’s sources are correct, Amazon hopes to take its slice of the pie by emphasizing price and its Kindle connectivity.

Amazon already has several pieces in place for its Android tablets. While some developers find it controversial, the company has had good success with the Amazon Android Appstore. Its Cloud Player offers a convenient way to listen to music on multiple devices and encourages Amazon MP3 purchases. Using screen tech that offers a superior reading experience and encourages Kindle book purchases is a potentially excellent differentiator. Not only would it round out the Amazon tablet’s cloud offerings, but it would make customers more likely to buy apps, music, books, and anything else they can find through Amazon.

I’d be totally down with a cheap Android tablet with great readability from Amazon. I’m a Kindle user, but I find that my eyes get tired way more easily on the iPad than on a Kindle Reader. I already use the Amazon Android Appstore and Cloud Player frequently. One of my few issues with the iPad 2 is that there isn’t a good way to handle multiple Gmail accounts while retaining all the native Gmail features. While the iPad 2 has had a huge impact on my digital life, I’d be willing to make room for the Amazon tablet that Bajarin describes.

How about you? Any of you curious about a cheap Amazon Android tablet with great readability?

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What Are You Playing This Weekend?

My gaming weekend will be disc free. There are three downloadable games that I intend play the hell out of. First up is Groove Coaster on my iPad. This stylish and cool music game is currently on sale and it’s completely awesome. Rez fans should definitely check it out, as well as gamers that are curious to see what tripping out is like without having to take drugs.

Bastion should get a big chunk of my time this weekend too. If you dig action-RPGs and originality then I recommend giving it a whirl.

Last, but not least, is Final Fantasy Tactics for iOS. This version is optimized for the iPhone and iPod Touch, but that probably won’t stop me from playing it on my iPad. And yes, I’ll definitely be picking up the iPad version when that comes out. This is my favorite game of all time, after all.

How about you? What’s on your weekend playlist?

AT&T Revoking Unlimited Plans From “Illegal” Tether Users

Are you currently enjoying unlimited data on your AT&T mobile device? Do you also jailbreak or use a third-party program to tether? If so then expect to have your “unlimited” data plan revoked. In addition to throttling customers that use unlimited data the “right way”, AT&T will take away unlimited plans from users not abiding by its terms. According to Boy Genius Report:

AT&T on Thursday confirmed that it will remove grandfathered unlimited data plans from accounts belonging to users who tether or use unsanctioned mobile hotspot apps without a tethering plan, which is expressly prohibited by AT&T according to its terms and conditions.

If you jailbreak your iPhone and tether through unofficial means then your plan will be revoked. If you use a program like EasyTether on your Android phone then your plan will be revoked. On one hand, it’s clearly stated that this is against AT&T’s terms and conditions. On the other hand, AT&T’s definition of unlimited data is getting murkier and murkier.

How do you guys and dolls feel about this issue? Is AT&T just protecting its network (that it doesn’t spend enough money on, despite record-break profits)? Or is this data discrimination?

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Apple iCloud Premium Pricing Revealed

When Apple first announced its iCloud serivce, it revealed that users will get 5GB of cloud storage for free. Boy Genius Report has discovered the cost for “premium” iCloud tiers as revealed in the developer beta program. In the immortal words of Tone Loc, it goes a little something like this:

Users can sign up for an additional 10GB of storage (15GB total) for $20 per year, 20GB of additional storage for $40 per year, or 50GB of added storage for $100 per year.

What do you think of Apple’s iCloud pricing tiers? Are you going to up your storage? Or are you going to stick with the free 5GB plan?

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Final Fantasy Tactics Hits iOS on Thursday!!!

Square Enix Europe has announced that Final Fantasy Tactics will be available for iPhone and iPod Touch on August 4, 2011. This strategy-RPG is one of the most anticipated “hardcore” games for Apple iOS. The original PlayStation version is my favorite game of all time, so I’m more than a little excited for this release.

That said, I’m probably going to wait for the iPad optimized version, which will be out later this month. Ah hell, I’m probably going to buy them both because I’m such a big FFT mark. As some of you know, I’ve sunk hundreds of hours into the iPhone and iPad versions of Civilization Revolution, but I’m pretty sure Final Fantasy Tactics will become my primary airplane game. I can’t wait!!!

Any of you planning to pick up FFT for your iPhone or iPod Touch?

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AT&T to Start Throttling “Unlimited” Customers on October 1

Are you on an AT&T “unlimited” plan? If you’re a heavy data user then prepare to get limited! AT&T has announced that it will start throttling customers with unlimited data plans starting October 1, 2011. The company claims that only “the top 5 percent of heaviest data users” will be affected. Here’s a clip from the press release:

Starting October 1, smartphone customers with unlimited data plans may experience reduced speeds once their usage in a billing cycle reaches the level that puts them among the top 5 percent of heaviest data users. These customers can still use unlimited data and their speeds will be restored with the start of the next billing cycle. Before you are affected, we will provide multiple notices, including a grace period.

The hilarious part is that AT&T threw in a line about how only an approved merger with T-Mobile can save the company from a “spectrum shortage”. That’s just dishonest.

I know that RPadholic slickyfats uses a ton of data on AT&T. If you’re an AT&T customer like him, are you considering switching to a different carrier in light of the company’s new policy? As mobile Internet services become more advance and require more data, are you concerned about things like bandwidth caps and data throttling? Or are you not going to worry about things until it becomes an issue for you?

Apple’s Q3 2011 Results Are Ridiculous

Ridiculous. Simply ridiculous. What else can you say about Apple’s Q3 2011 numbers? The company sold more than 20-million iPhones and nine-million iPads. The company posted $28.57-billion in revenue and $7.31-billion in profit. More than ever it’s hilarious to think that Apple once needed cash from Microsoft to stay in business.

Apple is making crazy money across a wide variety of products. From smartphones to tablets to notebook computers to desktop computers to software to music, Apple is kicking ass.

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Epic’s Mark Rein Talks Android, iOS, and PlayStation Vita

Epic Games’ vice president Mark Rein recently spoke with Game Network about a wide variety of topics. The section on mobile gaming was particularly interesting. As I noted in December 2009, Unreal Engine 3 on iOS was a huge step for smartphone gaming. Since then, Epic and Chair Entertainment have had one of the biggest iOS hits ever with Infinity Blade. It was interesting to hear what he had to say about iOS, Android, and PlayStation Vita gaming. Check it out:

iOS is certainly part of Epic’s future. Our recent iOS game, Infinity Blade, has already earned us over $10 million in its first six months and hammers home the notion that iOS users are ready for the kind of high-production value games that Unreal Engine 3 is uniquely qualified to produce on iOS. Our engine is also available on Android and one of our licensees — Trendy Entertainment — holds the distinction of having the first-ever game certified for Android’s Honeycomb tablet release with Dungeon Defenders. They were also demoed on Sony Ericsson’s Xperia Play (aka the “PlayStation phone”) and we showed them onstage at the Tokyo reveal event for Sony’s next-gen portable, the PSVita. Epic and Unreal Engine 3 are already big players in the mobile and handheld space.

Epic’s Unreal Engine is already dominant in the console gaming world. It looks like the company is on its way to having similar success on numerous mobile platforms. While that’s nice for Epic, it also mean better looking games for you and me. I have no doubt that Unreal Engine will succeed on iOS and PS Vita. Android developers have a bunch of other problems to worry about, but I’m sure Unreal Engine will help a few of them make great games too. While Gears of War is still the company’s prime franchise, it’s clear that Epic sees how important the mobile market will be in the near future.

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EA Mobile iOS Fourth of July Sale

EA Mobile is having an outstanding sale on games for your iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. There’s lots of great stuff available for 99 cents. Here’s the full list…

EA Mobile is having an outstanding sale on games for your iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. There’s lots of great stuff available for 99 cents. Here’s the full list:

iPhone / iPod Touch
Battlefield: Bad Company™ 2
Dead Space™
Dragon’s Lair II
FIFA 11 by EA SPORTS™
Fight Night Champion by EA SPORTS™
Madden NFL 11 by EA SPORTS™
NBA JAM by EA SPORTS™
NCAA® Football by EA SPORTS™
Need for Speed™ Hot Pursuit
Need for Speed™ Shift
Need for Speed™ Undercover
RISK
SCRABBLE
TETRIS®
Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® 12
The Sims™ 3
The Sims™ 3 Ambitions
The Sims™ 3 World Adventures
TRANSFORMERS:™ DARK OF THE MOON

iPad
Battlefield: Bad Company ™ 2
BATTLESHIP
Command & Conquer™ Red Alert™
CLUE: Secrets & Spies
Coconut Dodge
Dead Space™
Draw Jump
The GAME OF LIFE™
Madden NFL 11 by EA SPORTS™
Max and the Magic Marker
Mirror’s Edge™
MONOPOLY™
NBA JAM by EA SPORTS™
Need for Speed™ Hot Pursuit
Need for Speed™ Shift
PICTUREKA!
Reckless Racing
RISK
SCRABBLE
SimCity™ Deluxe
SNOOD
TETRIS®
Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® 12
TRANSFORMERS:™ DARK OF THE MOON
Ultimate Mortal Kombat™ 3
YAHTZEE™ Adventures

Any of you buying?!? I see about five games I want. This will be brilliant for the airplane ride to Hawaii!

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Coffee Talk #369: The End of the Apple iPod?

One of my reviewer friends believes that Apple selling unlocked iPhones in America spells doom for the iPod. He’s certain that the iPod will be discontinued and that Apple will position last year’s iPhone as the…

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, Klatch’s Sumatra Aceh Gold, Joe Torre wearing Yankee pinstripes again, or the surprising success of Cameron Diaz’s Hot Teacher, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Remember my reviewer friends that were arguing with me about viewing angles on mobile phones? One of them had an interesting theory that extended our brunch meeting for an hour (at least). He’s sure that Apple selling unlocked iPhones in America spells doom for the iPod. His argument is that the iPod is becoming less and less important to Apple as sales of the iPhone and iPad flourish. He’s certain that the iPod Classic and Touch will be discontinued this year and Apple will instead sell the previous year’s iPhone to snag budget sales.

Although his theory is intriguing, the rest of us doubt it will pan out that way…at least in the near future. It’s true that the iPod is no longer as important to Apple as it once was, but the company still sells million of them. Perhaps the iPod Classic will go away, but it seems too soon to kill off the iPod Touch. Furthermore, slashing the price of an unlocked iPhone 4 will surely piss off carriers. Apple has a lot of stroke, but it’s probably not a good idea for the company to alienate its carrier partners.

Still, I can see it happening eventually. Just not this year or next. What do you think? Will Apple kill off the iPod and just sell old iPhones for cheap? How do you think carriers would react to such a play? Do people still buy iPod Classics?