Motorola has posted a teaser for its upcoming Super Bowl commercial for the upcoming Xoom tablet (Google Android). Once you get past the fact that it’s more than a little ridiculous to post a teaser for a commercial, the spot is actually pretty clever. Remember that classic “1984” Apple commercial? The Motorola Xoom commercial uses it for…inspiration.
Give it a look and let me know what you think (please)!
As we discussed earlier in the month, one of the key differentiators between AT&T’s and Verizon’s iPhone offerings is unlimited data. AT&T has moved onto a tiered pricing structure, while Verizon still offers unlimited data…for now. The Wall Street Journal has reported what many of us knew would happen — unlimited data on the Verizon iPhone 4 is a limited time offer. This was confirmed by Verizon COO Lowell McAdam:
Mr. McAdam said the iPhone unlimited plan will be a temporary offer and that the carrier will follow AT&T’s move to tiered pricing in the not too distant future.
It’s a smart business move. A lot of tech savvy customers know that the next iPhone will almost definitely be released in June 2011. These same customers also know that unlimited data plans are going bye bye. This is a way to snag those customers that want Verizon reliability but were on the fence about getting iPhone 4 or waiting for the iPhone 5. For some customers, being grandfathered into an unlimited data plan is worth buying a phone now and paying for another one in June.
For those of you that were considering jumping ship, does McAdam’s confirmation of Verizon moving away from unlimited data change anything for you?
What do you think of the new commercial for the Verizon iPhone? I’m digging it! Verizon has always had strong marketing. The company ran a series of fantastic commercials that criticized AT&T’s network. The commercials seemed even cooler when AT&T countered with Luke Wilson. Hell, there are hundreds of thousands of people that think Google’s mobile operating system is called Droid, which is a testament to how effectively Verizon has marketed that brand.
Anyway, check out the spot and let me know what you think (please)!
During yesterday’s earnings call, Apple revealed that is has sold 14.79-million iPads since the tablet computer launched in April 2010. That’s a frickin’ ridiculous amount of hardware! It’s crazy that in less than a year, the iPad has become so successful that it has eclipsed Apple’s MacBook division in terms of revenue.
I was confident that the Apple iPad would be a massive success, but I didn’t think it would be this nuts. Just for kicks, let’s take a look back at some of the comments you left in the iPad-infused Coffee Talk #115:
Personally I won’t consider this device until the 2nd generation. I don’t know what I would use it for necessarily. — smartguy
I don’t think that the first generation is anything to really write home about. Maybe the second or third generation will change my mind on this, but as I see it now it really doesn’t seem revolutionary. A giant iphone is nothing different so far other than it’s bigger. — bsukenyan
It will be a fad for some and that’s about it. — N8R
I predict it will go the way of the Apple III. — Iceman
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not trying to be all, “I told you so!” Lord knows I’ve had my share of bad predictions (hello PSP!). I’m just trying to contrast your expectations with the iPad’s crazy sales.
Obviously many of you “think differently” (*snicker*) about the iPad. Now that it has been out for nearly a year, how do you feel about Apple’s tablet? Did it turn out to be much different than you originally thought? Are you surprised by its massive success? Are you considering getting one or an iPad 2?
AppleInsider’s repot on the rumored iPad 2 chip specs have me drooling for Apple’s next “magical” tablet computer. While a CPU and GPU bump are expected from generation to generation, the iPad 2 appears to be getting a pretty massive kick in both departments. Here are some details:
Apple’s next custom System on a Chip is expected to jump from the SGX535 (which has been used since the iPhone 3GS) to the new SGX543 graphics and video core, which is said to offer around twice the processing power at the same clock speed. The new graphics core also supports OpenCL, used to offload general purpose computing tasks on the GPU for fast execution.
A source familiar with Apple’s graphics strategy says the company will not only be upgrading its video core, but also going to multiple cores, a feature that is designed into the SGX543 design. The most likely configuration of Apple’s next custom chip is reportedly the SGX543MP2, which pairs two SGX543 cores to work as one, offering around four times the capability of the previous A4 in graphics and video tasks.
Outside of graphics, Apple will reportedly be using the multiple core ARM Cortex-A9 for general purpose processing.
There have been all kinds of rumors floating around that the iPad 2 will boast a 2048 x 1536 resolution. Those that doubt the reports cite the fact that the iPad 2 would require a serious GPU update in order to support a resolution that high. Well, if the reports pan out, here it is.
The tablet computing market will explode in 2011. While Apple has a nice head start over the upcoming Google Android, HP Palm WebOS, Windows 7, and RIM BlackBerry Playbook tablets, it still needs to work in order to maintain its dominance. The (rumored) increased power of the iPad 2 and the superior offerings of the iOS ecosystem should help it do so.
What do you think of these rumored iPad specs? Do they have you drooling too?
Remember that $10 data surcharge for Sprint customers that use the Evo 4G and Epic 4G? Now all Sprint unlimited data customers can enjoy that $10 solution! Here’s a clip from Sprint’s new terms and conditions:
Effective 1/30/11, all current and future 3G and 3G/4G smartphone activations will require the $10/month Premium Data Add-on charge. This allows Sprint to continue to offer simple and affordable unlimited data plans for our smartphone customers, while maintaining a wireless network able to meet the growing appetite for mobile data.
On the plus side, Sprint still offers truly unlimited data. Perhaps this surcharge will help the company maintain that (increasingly rare) service. The funny part is that some Internet writers have already pointed to a Sprint iPhone 4 as the cause of this “$10 surcharge for all!” party. I’m not buying that…but it does make a certain amount of sense…and Sprint is having David Blaine at its February event…. Nah, still not buying it.
What do you think of Sprint’s $10 solution? Do you think it’s iPhone related? Or is that just an Internet knee-jerk reaction?
Verizon’s huge iPhone 4 announcement has the tech world buzzing. One of the debates that has come up — again — is whether Apple’s “curated” approach to the Apple App Store is a strength or weakness.
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, Cafecito Organico’s Nicaragua Wiwili, the NY Yankees excellent Soriano signing, or Selma Blair becoming a MILF, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.
Verizon’s huge iPhone 4 announcement has the tech world buzzing. One of the debates that has come up — again — is whether Apple’s “curated” approach to the Apple App Store is a strength or weakness. To me, it’s a completely ridiculous debate. It’s absolutely a strength.
Apple has always been about offering great products that offer a superior experience. The company was never about having the most programs or getting the biggest installed base. Apple’s experiences with its past products can be seen in the “controlled” and excellent App Store. Even though I believe that the Android Market will eventually eclipse the App Store in terms of the sheer amount of apps, I also believe that the App Store will always be a better experience and lack the amount of crapware found in the Android Market. Google’s open approach will give it the numbers, but Apple’s curated approach will give it a superior user experience (it also doesn’t hurt that Google has never been great with UI). At the end of the day, would you rather have more choices or better choices?
Even though I’m an avid Android user, I can admit that the App Store will always have an edge over the Android Market (as well as the Windows Phone 7 and WebOS equivalents). I’m perfectly content with my Android apps for productivity and news, but iOS will always have better entertainment choices. This is especially true for games. I don’t want to get into the technical details of the matter, but Apple’s controlled approach actually works to its advantage in terms of games, while Google’s choices with Android have made things more difficult.
Like I said, I don’t really understand the debate from a consumer perspective. However, I’m willing to listen to other perspectives. That’s where you come in! Do you think Apple’s curated approach is a strength or weakness?
Here’s an excellent (and surprisingly long) clip of The Daily Show’s coverage of the Verizon iPhone 4 press conference. In addition to poking fun at AT&T, the sketch is funny because…well, it’s always funny when the mainstream media pokes fun at AT&T’s coverage.
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Verizon iPhone Announcement | ||||
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Here’s an excellent (and surprisingly long) clip of The Daily Show’s coverage of the Verizon iPhone 4 press conference. In addition to poking fun at AT&T, the sketch is funny because…well, it’s always funny when the mainstream media pokes fun at AT&T’s coverage. Enjoy the clip and share your feelings like a Care Bear!
The CDMA iPhone 4 on Verizon is just around the corner! The phone is mostly the same as the one AT&T has offered for the last six months, but for a lot of people, Verizon’s network will make it much more usable. Any of you interested in taking the plunge? Or are you content with your current phone and/or current carrier? Vote and discuss (please)!
[poll id=”95″]
Here’s some space for us to discuss today’s 1/11/11 11AM Verizon press conference on the CDMA Apple iPhone 4. I will update the body of this story with tidbits from the Interwebz. I’m counting on you to bring your A-game to the comments section so we can discuss this pivotal moment in American mobile phone history. Let’s get to it!
7:55AM — A bunch of bloggers have noted that the backdrop is white. Think it means that Verizon will get the white iPhone?
7:58AM — My analyst friend says there are no signs of uber Apple execs. That doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re not there. They could be hiding. He’s convinced that one of them will make an appearance via FaceTime.
8:05AM A surprising amount of LTE talk so far. Do you think???
8:06AM Verizon CEO Lowell MacAdam mentions Apple as a partner (Engadget). Somewhere in America, a kitten dies. More importantly, the iPhone 4 will hit Verizon in early February.
8:09AM Apple COO Tim Cook appears. He’s not Steve Jobs, but he’s a pretty big deal.
8:11AM The iPhone 4 is on the Verizon site already.
8:14AM Verizon Dan Dee is touting Verizon’s network reliability. While I agree that Verizon is a better and more stable network that AT&T, it’s also slower. I wonder how customers that switch over will react to the lower speeds.
8:17AM The company is reassuring everyone that it’s prepared for the iPhone 4 and the network won’t crash with the influx of heavy data users. (Ars Technica)
8:18 Current customers can pre-order on February 3, 2011. Others can order on February 10, 2011. $199 for the 16Gb and $299 for the 32GB, both with a two-year contract.
8:19AM WiFi hotspot for up to five users is feature, similar to what Verizon offers for Android phones. Pricing information on this option wasn’t revealed.
