Archive | May, 2010
In 1989, this computer cost $8499
The year was 1989. Ronald Regan was President, Isiah Thomas and the Detroit Pistons were embarking on the first of their two-year NBA Championship run, and a young Keanu Reeves taught us all how to laugh in Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure. But computing back in the late 80’s was anything but universally accessible. To […]
Continue reading...Google compares Apple to Big Brother at I/O Conference
21. May 2010
At Google I/O Conference in Boston yesterday, Google’s VP of Engineering Vic Gundotra took a number of potshots at Apple and Steve Jobs’ expense, but stopped short of actually calling them out by name. Still, there was no doubt who Gundotra was referring to when he quipped about the motivation behind Android – “”If Google […]
Continue reading...Effective June 1, AT&T to up early termination fees for smartphone users to $325
21. May 2010
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The Wall Street Journal reports that effective June 1, AT&T will be raising its early termination fees for smartphone users from $175 to $325. The Journal notes that the upcoming change may very well be in anticipation of AT&T losing iPhone exclusivity, though it remains unclear when the iPhone will become available on other US […]
Continue reading...Citing Apple’s iAd initiative, FTC okays Google’s acquisition of AdMob
21. May 2010
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Well, all’s well that ends well. Despite a string of reports stating that the FTC was planning to block Google’s $750 million acquisition of AdMob, it turns out that the deal will, in fact, go through as originally mapped out. The FTC announced today that it closed up its investigation into the matter, concluding in a […]
Continue reading...Did Apple just axe the “Get a Mac” ad campaign?
21. May 2010
Did Apple just kill the “Get a Mac” ad campaign? A perusal of their website seems to indicate that they have. Users trying to visit Apple’s long standing “Get a Mac” page are now redirected to Apple’s new “Why You’ll Love a Mac” page. And though there have been rumors over the past few months that Apple […]
Continue reading...Steve Jobs not impressed with Google’s open source video format
21. May 2010
Google is hitching its wagon to an open source and royalty free video format known as “WebM” which utilizes the Google owned VP8 codec which they acquired when they purchased On2 Technologies back in February. Google is hoping that this 1-2 punch will rival the Apple backed H.264 standard. And despite reports that Google’s move […]
Continue reading...Apple threatens Nokia’s dominance in Australia
21. May 2010
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Nokia just can’t catch a break. Though Nokia still reigns supreme when it comes to overall mobile marketshare, it’s inability to deliver a competitive smartphone to the masses has turned the Finnish- based handset maker into an afterthought in a market dominated by iPhones, BlackBerrys, and Android devices. With no high-margin and successful smartphone to […]
Continue reading...The myth that Google released Android to fend off draconian control from Apple
20. May 2010
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We reported earlier today, and it’s since been heavily discussed all over the web, that Google took a number of shots at Apple at today’s Google I/O conference. One quote in particular that’s generated a lot of buzz is this gem where Google explains why it decided to come out with Android. “If we did […]
Continue reading...Latest iPhone OS 4 Beta adds user customizable dictionary
20. May 2010
Lost amidst the hoopla of what looks to be the impending arrival of iPhone tethering for AT&T customers is this nugget unearthed by Gizmodo. It appears that the next-gen iPhone OS will at last include support for a user customizable dictionary. Users can now go into the Keyboard settings pane and, with just one tap, […]
Continue reading...Brits rank iPhone as 8th greatest invention, ahead of flush toilet, toilet paper, and cars
20. May 2010
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In a recent survey of 4,000 British adults, aged 18 to 85, respondents were asked to list the 100 greatest inventions of all-time. Naturally, grandiose inventions like the wheel and the light bulb rank high on the list, but the iPhone isn’t slacking at all, coming in at #8. Now this might seem like an […]
Continue reading...iTunes maintains spot as top music retailer in US, increases lead over WalMart
20. May 2010
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Billboard notes that iTunes in 2009 further cemented its lead as the top retailer of Music in the US with a 26.65% marketshare, up from 21.42% last year. Walmart, the number two music retailer in the US, saw its marketshare drop from 14.99% in 2008 to 12.54% in 2009. The figures were compiled by Billboard’s […]
Continue reading...Google turns eye to music with new “iTunes competitor”
20. May 2010
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Google made a number of giant leaps today at the Google I/O conference. In addition to announcing their Google TV initiative, they also introduced Android 2.2, codenamed Froyo, which will enable Android users to download the public beta release of Flash Player 10.1. But also in the mix is Google’s foray into online music in […]
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22. May 2010
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