Apple To Stream For The First Time 9/1

Will the iPod Classic survive to fight another year?

According to Tuaw, Apple will stream tomorrow's annual iPod press event starting at 10am PST. This is the first time Apple will share a live feed of one their events. Usually in order to follow an event live, Apple fans have to follow weblogs or watch a low quality stream from attendees on handheld devices. Most Apple followers just wait until the replay of the event is available on Apple's website.

Rumors are flying all over the Internet about what Steve and company will announce tomorrow including new 60 second song previews in iTunes, a 7" iPad, and the sunset of iPod Classic. From an updated Apple TV, named iTV, to a micro sized redesigned iPod Nano with a touch screen, there's sure to be a surprise or two in store for all those who love Apple.

If you'd like to check out the live event, of course there are minimum requirements.  I mean c'mon, it is Apple we're talking about.  According to Apple.com, "Apple® will broadcast its September 1 event online using Apple’s industry-leading HTTP Live Streaming, which is based on open standards. Viewing requires either a Mac® running Safari® on Mac OS® X version 10.6 Snow Leopard®, an iPhone® or iPod touch® running iOS 3.0 or higher, or an iPad™. The live broadcast will begin at 10:00 a.m. PDT on September 1, 2010 at www.apple.com."

It should be an interesting day.  As usual, I'm interested in what Apple is bringing to market.  They are clear leaders in the mobile device space and are truly stealing market share in computing.  Their success pushes the competition to develop competing products that use cutting edge technology.  For us, the consumers, it's a win-win situation.  Let's hope Apple continues the positive trend they started with the iPad!

I Gave Up HBO For Netflix...Uh Oh

iPad Streaming....get it? 

My cable company and HBO are working hard to reacquire my business. I gave up premium movie channels earlier this year to save a little cash. Netflix and the ABC Player Apps were the answer because I could stream content to my laptop and iPad wherever I had Wi-fi access, and more importantly, at my convenience.

HBO and Time Warner Cable (TWC) are scrambling to get into the Internet streaming game. HBO is planning to bring their HBO Go service to iPad while TWC is working to make content available to their subscribers in real time. Who knows....they may win me back. My poor pocketbook!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

iPhones, Sex, and Choosing the Right Smart Phone

Earlier this week, AppleInsider reported that the online dating site OK Cupid published the results of an interesting online poll.  The poll concluded that of OK Cupid site members in their 30's, who own Smart Phones, iPhone owners have more notches on their bedposts than Android or Blackberry users.  Of course, this is the kind of information that sends me into 'deep thoughts'.  (No, not about iPhone owners having more sex partners.  I'm a tech guy.  Get rid of your naughty thoughts!)  What I started thinking about was the observation I've made several times over the last few months, 'that not all Smart Phones are a fit for all people'.  I firmly believe our mobile devices have to fit our needs, our circle of technology, then fit our personal preferences.
Bend your mind around the fact that we have so much technology in our lives today.  Think about what you have at home: DVR, TiVo, HDTV, Desktop, personal laptop, netbooks, iPads, mp3 players, GPS, work computer,  home security systems, webcams, websites, webhosting...the list goes on.  We're more connected than ever before. Smart Phones allow us to take this list of items on the road with us.  iPhone, Android, Windows Mobile, Blackberry.....which one should you choose?

If you are only using your device for business, with very little personal use, BlackBerry (BB) or Windows Mobile (WM) phones are a good choice.  These phones are built to support small business and the Enterprise.  With a large selection of hardware and a plethora of business Apps available, these phones are designed to sync seamlessly with work networks.  When a WM device connects to a Microsoft Exchange (e-mail) network, because the software managing everything is made by Microsoft, the transfer and access of information is generally easy to set up and use.  They are made to work together.   On the BB side, the handheld devices are fast and have great battery life due to the proprietary technology that Research In Motion (RIM) employs to push your mail securely and quickly to you while on the go. 

Now, if you're heavy into Social Networking and use your phone mostly as a personal device, then Android or iPhone are the way to go.  In my opionion, you can't go wrong with either type of mobile phone.  If you want to watch your home DVR, both Android and iPhone support SlingPlayer Mobile, a tasty little App that accesses your home entertainment equipment over both Wi-Fi and 3G.  (For the record, BB can also access SlingPlayer Mobile.)  Also, there are numerous Apps in the iTunes App Store and Android Market that offer supporting Apps for all your social networking needs, such as Apps that allow you to access and integrate your Facebook contacts into your phone contacts. 

Must you have a physical keyboard?   For the person that just needs to feel the keys, BB is the device for you, hands down. Apple and Google have gone a long way in improving touch screen keyboards, but some users simply need the hard key feedback. WM physical keyboards, in my experience, tend to be sluggish.  We'll see if keyboard response improves with the release of Windows Phone 7 this Autumn.  BB is king of mobile device keyboard responsiveness and noone else fits as many functions on a mobile keyboard as the maker of BlackBerry, Research in Motion.

If you're the type of person who will use their Smart Phone for both personal and business purposes, (Do you see my hand raised?  I knew you could...) then you should choose either the iPhone or an Android device.  If you create a lot of content, Android, with its seamless integration with Google Apps and Google Docs along with removable storage (SD Cards), makes managinging data quick and easy.  On the iPhone side, the App Store is filled with useful Apps to make your life easier and have your tech with you on the go.  Though a few more steps are needed if you quickly want to get information on or off your device, no other mobile device has come up with a better media experience than is found on the iPhone and the integrated iPod.  And speaking of Apps, Google and Apple have little competition on the sheer number and selection of Apps available.  I mean, I Am T-Pain is one of the greatest Apps ever made!  And did you know you don't have to have an iPhone 4 to have a great live video experience.  Before there was FaceTime, there was Knocking Live, which currently is only available on iPhone and Android.  Choosing a Smart Phone is a very personal experience.  Ask your friends.  Check out all the types of phones.  What technology do you already own and which Apps can access that technology?  Is customization your thing, or do you want it to 'just work?  Is any of this important to you?  Which Apps do your friends use the most?  Check the weight.  Kick the tires.  Do your research and you will find a Smart Phone that fits into your circle of technology and makes your life more efficient on the go.  And most importantly, don't forget.....iPhone owners get more sex partners.....

A Little Gift for your iPhone -- Genius Scan (App Review)

Winny App Review: Genius Scan for iPhone

To my iPhone people:
I ran across this little gem of an app last night. It's basically like having a Mobile Scanner in your pocket. If you've ever needed to scan a document on the go this is the app for you.

For example, let's say you're out with a group and there's only one receipt and multiple people want a copy of the receipt. No problem. Pull out your trusty iPhone, open Genius Scan, take a pic of the receipt. The App detects the edges of the document. You approve the 'crop area', then choose if you want a color or black and white scan. From this point, locally on your iPhone, a file is saved. You can email immediately, a .jpg file of your scanned document.

Now, you might be saying to yourself, how is this different than just taking a picture of a receipt. Well, first, the crop function repositions the document and corrects the angle so your entire document feels like it went through a desktop scanner. No frivolous items in the background, just the document. Second, what makes this app a keeper is you can navigate to the file list, select the document you scanned, and choose to email the file as a .pdf. Which means no alteration. That document is frozen in time for whatever use you need. This is one of those Apps that you may or may not use everyday, but is an easy and efficient way to expand the utility of your iPhone.



This app is: Winny Recommended