There were so many excellent things I didn’t get to write about while I was in Asia. The two biggest — at least, that I can recall — were Apple refreshing its MacBook Pro line and Nintendo announcing Pokemon Black/White.
As for the new MacBook Pros, the 15- and 17-inch models get some excellent Intel i5 and i7 processors, while all models get new Nvidia graphics chips. Sadly, the 13-inch model doesn’t get any i5 love. I suppose that just makes my decision easier though. Ha!
The new Pokemon games promise to be the biggest leap the series has taken in a long, long time. From what I’ve seen and read, the differences should be plentiful, but the core gameplay will remain. Considering that this is one of my favorite series of all time, I’m super excited for this.
Out of curiosity, I wanted to see what you thought the biggest news was while I was hopping around Asia.
As many of you know, Apple announced details on iPhone OS 4, which will be available in Summer 2010. There are several new features included in this release. The bigger ones have been dubbed “tent poles” (which makes me laugh…even though it shouldn’t). Here are the major features and my take on them.
Multitasking — This is way overdue. As wonderful as the iPhone UI is, the lack of multitasking is a deal breaker for some users. Apple promises that its implementation of multitasking will be intuitive and natural. Considering how easy-to-use the iPhone OS already is, I’m sure that will be the case.
Folders — This isn’t a big deal for me, since I usually only keep three pages of apps on my phone. However, I know a lot of people with ridiculously cluttered iPhones. For users like them, this is a godsend.
Enhanced Mail — This feature is also overdue and most welcomed. I’m currently juggling three email accounts that I use frequently. There are two other ones that I use every week or so. For business users, being able to sync to multiple exchange accounts is extremely powerful. Come to think of it, I use the Exchange method for syncing my Gmail contacts. Should I get a job at a company that uses Exchange (i.e. most places), it would be excellent to have both.
iBooks — Some people are thrilled with this feature, but not me. I will not read books on my iPhone. If I had an iPad, I probably wouldn’t read them on it either. I love the E-Ink display on my Amazon Kindle. It’s so easy on the eyes and comfortable to view for hours. I don’t understand people that prefer a backlit LCD/LED screen over E-Ink for reading.
Game Center — Achievements for iPhone games? Sure, why not?!? I know a few of you are Xbox 360 Achievement whores. Having those type of rewards implemented in the iPhone games ecosystem would make things more addictive and keep people playing. At the very least, I’m sure it will be a much smoother and more interesting implementation than what Nokia tried to do with the N-Gage platform.
Enterprise Features — RIM is the undisputed king of business smartphones with its BlackBerry line. Along with multiple Exchange account support, these features should have RIM more than a little scared. In the short term, BlackBerry will still dominate enterprise use, but its OS is falling way behind iPhone, Android, and others.
Some of you already started talking about iPhone OS 4 in Coffee Talk, but I’d love to continue the conversation here. What do you think of iPhone OS 4’s features? What tent poles excite you the most (*snicker*)? Are any of the minor features (spell check, enhanced wallpapers, etc.) interesting to you? Do you think not being able to multitask on devices before the iPhone 3GS is the real deal or a cheap way to get people to buy new iPhones/iPods? Chat it up at your earliest convenience (please)!
Apple will be revealing details on iPhone OS 4 on Thursday, April 8. Millions of iPhone users around the world will be psyched to learn about all the new features coming to their beloved handsets. Until then, I want to hear your predictions! What do you think Apple is unveil on Thursday? Multitasking? The ability to blend and run Crysis at the same time? Let me know (please)!
Are you interested in the Android-meets-WiMax hotness of the HTC Evo 4G for Sprint? If you are, then this video will make you want it even more. If you’re not, then perhaps this video will change your mind. Check it out and let me know what you think (please)!
One of my sources at an Apple Store told me that the shop’s supply of iPads is being guarded by armed security. Don’t even think about trying to lift one early from an Apple Store! You don’t want to incur the wrath of Darth Jobs. Or is he Emperor Jobs?!?
It looks like iPad users will have to pay for major OS updates, similar to how iPod Touch users have to pay for them. Daily Tech took a look at the documentation that accompanied the iPhone OS 3.2 SDK and came to the following conclusion:
With the iPad, Apple is following a rather unique approach. It will be giving users one freebie — a single major OS upgrade. After that users will be on their own and will be forced to pay to upgrade the OS. Upgrades will likely be priced similar to those on the iPod Touch, at about $10.
Some potential iPad owners are outraged by this development, wondering why they should pay for OS updates. Others look at the precedent set by the iPod Touch and don’t care.
How do you feel about the matter? Should “major” OS updates be free? Or is $10 a pop acceptable?
One of the biggest issues with Google’s Android mobile operating system is fragmentation. There are certain apps and features that can only be used by people running the latest version of Android (Eclair), which leaves early adopters in the dust. Engadget Mobile postulates that Google will be addressing the fragmentation issue in the next two Android builds — Froyo (frozen yogurt) and Gingerbread — by relying on the Android Marketplace.
We’ve been given reason to believe that the company will start by decoupling many of Android’s standard applications and components from the platform’s core and making them downloadable and updatable through the Market, much the same as they’ve already done with Maps. In all likelihood, this process will take place over two major Android versions, starting with Froyo and continuing through Gingerbread. Notice that we said apps and components, meaning that some core elements of Android — input methods, for instance — should get this treatment. This way, just because Google rolls out an awesome new browser doesn’t mean you need to wait for HTC, Samsung, or whomever made your phone to roll it into a firmware update, and for your carrier to approve it — almost all of the juicy user-facing stuff will happen through the Market.
It’s a great move that’s overdue. One advantage Apple and Palm have, with iPhone OS and WebOS respectively, is that both companies offer a unified experience. Android can look and feel drastically different depending on the phone, manufacturer, and carrier. Using a unified source like the Android Marketplace should help tidy things up…unless you go with a carrier like AT&T, which offers a crippled version of Android on the Motorola Backflip (*sigh*).
I know a few of you are interested in getting a new phone in the near future. Does this rumor give you more faith in what Google is trying to accomplish with Android?
The Apple iPad is set to launch in a little over a week. The device is supposedly the most important thing Steve Jobs has launched in his illustrious career, as well as better than a notebook for some things and better than a smartphone for other things. Some industry pundits and tech enthusiasts feel that it will be one of the most world-changing consumer-electronics devices ever released. Others feel that it will be another cool and overpriced gadget. What do you think?
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, what kind of punishment Gilbert Arenas will get today, why the hell Erik Morales is still boxing, or the sheer awesomeness of Scrabble, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.
As far as bridging the gap between laptops and smartphones, I can totally see the appeal. The iPad’s form factor is perfect for browsing the web on your couch or checking email (without straining your eyes) at a coffeehouse. I do a ton of web browsing on my iPhone and often wish I had something a little bit bigger — but still handheld — to surf the web on. While the iPad would be extremely convenient for people like me, I don’t know that the majority of consumers want the same things I want.
The iPad is also being heralded as the savior of magazines and newspapers. From what I’ve seen so far, the potential is tremendous. When Apple showed the demo of The New York Times at its iPad unveiling, I thought it was nice, but I wasn’t sure that it was something I’d pay for. When I saw Wired’s iPad mock-up, I was blown away! It looked like a ridiculously cool and fun way to absorb information. That said, it also looked expensive to produce and I’m not sure how many magazine publishers are willing to invest in a highly interactive and video-heavy version of a magazine. I also question whether advertisers will pay a premium for iPad magazine ads.
Today I want you to look at the iPad as a whole. Look at the apps. Look at the functionality that bridges laptops and smartphones. Look at potentially cool forms of media that will be available for it in the next year. When you add it up, do you see a device that will change the world similar to how the iPod and iPhone did? Or is it a cool and overpriced product that will only serve a niche audience?
At CTIA 2010, AT&T announced that its 3G Microcell signal booster will be available nationally starting mid-April 2010. The device was tested in select markets in 2009. 3G Microcell uses your broadband connection to handle calls and data instead of traditional wireless signal. Devices like it are a godsend for people that live in areas with poor coverage or want to be able to use their mobile phone in basements. AT&T customers in New York and San Francisco — two areas where the company’s coverage is poor — can have a stopgap solution with 3G Microcell.
The 3G Microcell costs $149.99, but there are a few rebates available to bring the cost down. A $100 rebate is available to customers that select a Microcell plan, while an additional $50 is available to customers that also get AT&T DSL or U-verse Internet service. A $19.99 plan add-on allows users to make unlimited Microcell calls.
One of the reasons I switched to T-Mobile was because of its similar (but way more flexible) UMA service. Being able to use WiFi to make and receive calls has been incredibly useful to me, especially when travelling internationally. While Microcell is more limited, it should help the millions of AT&T customers that love their iPhone but hate AT&T’s service.
Are any of you interested in this product? Would you use it at home or bring it to the office?
At its CTIA 2010 press conference, Sprint announced that it will be aggressively expanding its WiMax coverage this year and offering its customers the HTC Evo 4G. The company claims that it’s the world’s first 3G/4G phone. Here are some specs on the Evo 4G:
Google Android 2.1 with HTC Sense UI
1GHz Snapdragon processor
4.3-inch screen capable of 720p playback
1GB of internal storage
512MB of RAM
8 megapixel outer camera and 1.3 megapixel inner camera (for video conferencing)
WiFi, WiMax, and CDMA radios
The HTC Evo 4G will be out this summer.
I left Sprint last summer because I thought it was the biggest loser out of the four major American carriers. Although its network and coverage are great (partially due to a roaming agreement with Verizon), I was disappointed in the company’s phone selection and (especially) customer service. Also, I wasn’t confident in Sprint’s future; it spent a ton of money on WiMax, while the rest of the world seems to be going with LTE for 4G technology.
All that aside, the phone looks pretty damn sweet. I’m not going to do it, but a small part of me is tempted to return to Sprint for two years and rock the HTC Evo 4G. By the time my contact is up, LTE should be mature (enough) and widely deployed. Nah, that’s a bad idea. It would take more than that for me to go back to Sprint. Besides, there will be numerous “awesome” phones announced before the Evo 4G comes out.
What do you ladies and gents think of the HTC Evo 4G?
