Inverselogic Inc Tech Blog

Give me back my BlackBerry!

2012-01-24T13:29:00.000-08:00

By Ara Aslanian

BlackBerry 850 - introduced 1999

After experiencing some device problems with my new Verizon BlackBerry Bold 9930, and due to continued media and financial setbacks by RIM, I decided to switch to the iPhone 4s. The timing was perfect... the holiday season would give me enough off-time to get acclimated with the iPhone. Having used a BlackBerry device since the first BlackBerry 850 was introduced in 1999, I knew this was going to be a drastic change for me. Although the first BlackBerry was hardly a smart phone, the e-mail only device which had very limited HTML browsing capabilities, was undoubtedly a revolutionary transition from the beeper.

The transition of moving contacts and e-mails from my Bold to the iPhone was painless and easy, with the exception of my notes. I knew there would be a learning curve for the use of a touch screen only device; luckily, being an iPad and iPod Touch user, I am very familiar with the iOS operating system and know most of the phone's functions.

The iPhone 4s provides lots of eye candy and fun with its amazing camera, all the cool apps and games you can ask for, gorgeous screen resolution and of course Siri, the talking assistant. After a few days of playing with my iPhone and being told how great it was by everyone, I began to really get into it and use it as I would my Blackberry: constant e-mails, notes to myself, to-do lists consisting of client needs, calendar entries and e-mails to my staff and partner for client related matters.

I soon began to realize the great effort it took for me to fulfill these necessary functions. Doing what I did with the BlackBerry on the iPhone required extra time, taps and slides. However, I wrote these off as a part of the learning curve I was overcoming and was sure my efficiency would increase over time and with familiarity. All the same, my experience never improved.

Although the iPhone had many great functions, it fell short of those that really counted for me. The lack of intuitive e-mail, calendar and contact management were my biggest issues with the phone.

Siri was helpful but could only recognize certain names such as Jeff, Mike &John. It had difficulty with Armenian names and required me to repeat the name with different pronunciations before it could bring up the correct persons contact information. For me the most important use if Siri was to help me make calls on the go, but if you have ever used a BlackBerry device with a keyboard, you know that each key can be programmed as a short cut to dial a name from your phone book. I use "I" for Inverselogic to call the office, "J" for Jeff, etc. This to me is much more efficient than clicking and holding the home button on the iPhone, waiting for Siri to wake up, then asking it to dial my office; in most instances it would ask me to repeat again or would tell me it couldn’t help me at the moment.

I also missed the thumb click on the BlackBerry; it is not until you no longer have the feature that you realize what an amazing tool it is. One click and you have everything at your finger tips: reply, forward, attach, delete, etc. With the iPhone, you have to move and slide your finger all over the screen if you are reading an e-mail, and if you wish to call that person, you must scroll all the way up to the top and hit the call button.

Simple things like attaching a photo to your e-mail become a time-consuming task; you must save your e-mail as a draft by hitting cancel, or by exiting the mail application by clicking the home button, go to your photo album, copy the photo, come back into the mail app, and finally paste it! This becomes frustrating when you are trying to get an e-mail out before a meeting or are on the go.

Last Friday, I boarded a Southwest flight to Las Vegas for the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show with a fully charged iPhone. The plan was to walk the show, visit few vendors and board a flight back to Burbank at 7:00PM. I had made a few calls to the office during the morning hours after my arrival into Las Vegas and sent out several e-mails and text messages. I did however also use the amazing camera to take some shots of new OLED and 3D TVs on display at the Samsung and LG booths. Looking down at my iPhone, I realized my battery was down to 45% by noon and 35% by 1PM. I was forced to shut off my WiFi and my phone so it would last me the rest of the day. It was at this point that I made the decision of switching back to my BlackBerry as soon as I got back to the office. With my upcoming trip to New York on the horizon, I realized the iPhone would not last me the day in the big city and would provide aggravation to my life.

As I switched phones once again, I was happy. It was like having my old best friend back! I was reunited with one click access to everything that I needed to do with my phone; there’s no need for apps or games since that’s what the iPad is for. All I could ever ask for is a phone that handles calls, e-mails, contacts and calendars extremely efficiently. It may not have the great screen and browsing capabilities of the iPhone or its amazing digital camera, but it sure beats it in what I think matters most to a business professional who is constantly using their phone for messaging and communications.

To all my long time friends and client who think I'm not an Apple fan, I think you'd be happy know that this entire article was written using my iPad and revised on my iPad at JFK waiting for my flight back to Burbank. I must boast that my BlackBerry’s battery is still at 70% at 5:22 pm EST. I was here to attend a technology leadership conference and noticed most of us were still using the BlackBerry, a few were on the iPhone, some were on the Android and a handful were even carrying both an iPhone and a Blackberry (BlackBerry for their email and phone communicates and the iPhone for their social media apps and other needs). If New York is any indication of what business professionals still use as their main smart phone, there is no doubt that BlackBerry runs this city.

As I was getting ready to post this article news came that RIM co-CEO’s stepped down handing over the control to a new up and coming executive, a move I believe the board should have forced a long time ago. Hopefully the new CEO will be able to restore RIM and BlackBerry to what it was before and is able to keep the company around, as many business professionals such as myself depend heavily on our BlackBerries.

Ara Aslanian is the president and CEO of Inverselogic Inc., a technology solutions company based in Glendale, California.

Nokia - One Last Chance?

2012-01-23T21:23:00.000-08:00

Each time I hear about the Nokia Lumia, for some reason it reminds me of the Chevy Lumina. Of course, one's a phone, the other a car...but would Nokia's Lumia share a similar death fate as the Lumina? Probably not...well at least from our observations at CES 2012.

Earlier in 2011, Nokia abandoned its operating system for smartphones - the Symbian. With a continued assault led by Apple's iOS and Google's Android operating systems, the market share of Symbian almost disappeared. Fearing a complete disappearance from the smartphone market, Nokia quickly entered into a strategic partnership with Microsoft, clearing the path for the tech giant to implement its Windows Mobile OS on all Nokia smartphones. Of course Microsoft itself has a very tiny, if not insignificant presence in the smartphone world...but at least this gave Nokia yet another chance to reemerge in the market and focus on hardware and less on developing the core operating system, including the apps, something that has catastrophically bogged down RIM's Blackberry.

Nokia plans on introducing the Lumia 900 within the $100-$200 price range, which would make it by far the least expensive, yet highly functional smartphone on the block. The phone features Microsoft's tile based operating system also known as Mango. Most importantly, the phone is Nokia's first 4G enabled device - making it very suitable for data hungry apps.

The phone comes loaded with Microsoft Office, making it a snap for opening and editing Word, Excel, and Powerpoint files. If you're a diehard gamer, the integration with Xbox LIVET comes ready...couple that with the 4G and you're ready to take off.As with any Microsoft product, dont expect open source coding like the Android and the number of available apps still remains far below Industry giants - Apple and Google.

CES 2012: Ultrabooks

2012-01-18T17:16:00.000-08:00

We’re sure you have been following the headlines from thepast week regarding the wonders of the tech world. The 2012 ConsumerElectronics Show wrapped up the four day convention last week in Las Vegas.

Last year the show was abuzz with tablets and mobilecomputing. Inverselogic was in attendance at the show again this year, whichattracted more than 150,000 people from all over the globe. We will cover thekey highlights of the show, including our thoughts and ideas within the nextfew blog posts, so please stay tuned for updates.

As stated, last year there was a hysterical hype overtablets in the mobile computer realm….so much that the netbook marketexperienced a significant drop in computing market share. Taking front stagewere Google Android powered tablets offered by Samsung and Motorola.

This year, one of many attention grabbing featured productswere Ultrabooks – the successful marriage of tablets, netbooks, and laptops ifwe have to word it that way. PC manufacturers quickly realized the success ofthe MacBook Air and decided to adopt a similar product line by offering power,with the latest Intel chips, and superior mobility, notably in weight anddesign.

Samsung and Toshiba both presented an impressive lineup ofUltrabooks.

Samsung Series 9 Ultrabook

Samsung’s Series 9 model houses a quad core Intel Core i7processor and a 13.3 SuperBright display. The Series 9 model is a directcompetitor of the MacBook Air in terms of hardware – it weight 2.6 pounds andits thickest point is 0.4 inches (yes, 0.4!). Samsung brings performance,design, and mobility under one roof. For die hard Windows users who wantsuperior mobility, this is a computer you must definitely consider.


Toshiba Portege Z835

The Toshiba Portege Z835 is another major competitor in theultrabook sector. Toshiba by far goes out of its way to make the computer asaffordable as possible – pricing its entry models in the range of $699-$949(the sub $1000 market). The drawback however is that Toshiba packs the IntelCore i3 processor, which lags in performance comparisons with the much fasterprocessors (Core i5 and i7), however for business multitasking users, the IntelCore i3, along with a generous RAM and solid state drive should be just fine.

Stay tuned for more posts along the way…

What is Your Retail Loss Prevention Strategy?

2012-01-10T12:11:00.000-08:00

What is Your Loss Prevention Strategy?

By Scott Kreisberg, CEO One Step Retail Solutions

When it comes to security and protecting your assets, you need a good strategy. You will know how good that strategy is when you try to balance the cash register at the end of the day; when you do your physical count; when you are faced with a computer crash; or when too many of your customers start having identity theft on their cards. Do you want to wait until then to find out that your protection was inadequate?

The most effective method to achieve security has always been a layered approach. In other words, instead of just relying on a single solution, you set up a number of protective layers and thus greatly reduce the chances of being a victim.

Airports are an example of a layered approach: there are visual inspection of ID's and tickets before you are allowed beyond a certain point, there are TSA agents observing via cameras, there are metal detection imaging devices that you must go through, and there are personnel at the ramp to the plane who check tickets and ID's again.

We at One Step Retail take a similar approach to protecting you and your business from both external and internal threats. After all, we have been around helping retailers for 25 years and we hear about disasters from unprotected retailers. Consequently, we want to ensure you do not experience the same thing.

What would happen if all the information stored in your computer were suddenly lost? Or you had a hacker or virus or Trojan attack? Could you recreate this information? If so, how much time would it take? How much would it cost? What about dishonest employees? Most importantly, would your business survive?

In today's economic climate, it is vital to protect your assets and one of the most important assets you have is your data. If you lost it, it could possibly close your store. That may be hard to believe, but look at these statistics from Comdisco Vulnerability Index Research Report:

82% of companies are not prepared to handle a computer system disaster
83% of corporate data recoveries from tape backup FAIL
Only 6% of companies that suffer from a catastrophic data loss survive

In our own backyard, we've seen it happen. Two different clients thought they were backing up and protected, but then their computers crashed and they discovered otherwise. After a year of manually inputting all the missing data, one retailer still occasionally scans an item that should be in the system but isn't. Another client lost years of data and had to pay for expensive data recovery but not all of it was recoverable.

In the category of dishonest employees, one client after six months of periodic cycle counts being off, finally traced down the problem to an employee taking fictitious “returns” and giving refunds-to herself. Another client had an employee who, as their Systems Administrator, embezzled money from them for five years. Months of sales information in their computer records was missing and she said they had been lost. Where was the backup? This company went out of business two years later.

One Step has researched resources and partnered with experienced, honest vendors to bring you layers of security specific to your needs as a retailer.

With RetailSafe, you have a professional backup service that knows retail and their data backup needs, plus you as our client get a discount for their services.

With sonicWall you get not only an intelligent state-of-the art firewall protecting you from malware, you get PCI compliance integrated into the system protecting your business from another type of disaster. You can buy firewalls including sonicWall at Amazon but none of them will be PCI Compliant out of the box. You must be trained on how to properly configure the firewall in order to meet PCI compliancy. So, buying them from anywhere else would be an utter waste of money.

With Quadrox you have a Network Video Recording system that can, among other things, integrate with your POS. The POS is a primary location for employee theft or mistakes. For example, you could quickly access the time when an employee issued a return and refund (as noted on the POS) and see actually what happened on the video—no cycle counts for six months to discover the dishonest employee.

So, start getting these layers firmly in place. If you have some or all of them already, make sure:

they are working
you are verifying on a regular basis that they are working
they are adequate for your specific needs as a retailer
you understand them and can use all of their features
you not only can use their features, you are using them

1.8 Gigapixel Camera on U.S. Army's Drone-Copter

2011-12-28T16:44:00.000-08:00

The U.S. Army is set to deploy 3 Boeing A160 Hummingbird drones to Afghanistan beginning in July of 2012.

Contrary to it's predecessor the Predator drone, which is already in combat, the A160 Hummingbird is capable of vertical take-offs and landings.

What's more impressive is the 1.8 gigapixel camera that can track objects from above 20,000 feet.

Furthermore, it can track up to 65 enemies of the state at one time and does not require refueling for 12 hour periods.

Note: 1.8 gigapixels is equivalent to 1,800 megapixels.

310 mph Train Developed by Chinese

2011-12-28T15:58:00.000-08:00

The Chinese have done it again with the development of a train that will reach speeds of 310 mph.

The train, which is being developed by CSR Corp Ltd., is designed to look like an ancient sword.

There are several similar projects in the works, one of which is 269 mph maglev train which will run from Anaheim to Las Vegas.

The Chinese have increased their efforts to expand their high speed rail network by investing a trillion dollars into it.

Use of Phones for Pictures Increase

2011-12-22T14:07:00.000-08:00

With an increase in phones that come with some pretty decent cameras, it's no surprise that people are using their point-and-shoot's less frequently.

In 2011, about 27% of photos were taken with phone cameras, compared to 17% in 2010.

Consequently, 44% of photos were taken with "single purpose" cameras, compared to 52% in 2010.

There are several iPhone lenses, like the one we included in our annual gift guide, which increase the capabilities of cell phone cameras. This gives consumers more incentive to invest in such an accessory instead of a point and shoot camera, which only serves a single purpose.

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iOS Printing Solutions Arrive!

2011-12-13T14:52:00.001-08:00

As more and more companies and executives implement the iPad for their mobile computing needs, it is beginning to become critical to be able to print from iOS devices.

Alas, a solution!

The Lantronix xPrintserver allows for users to print from any iOS devices. The device is approximately the size of an iPhone and is compatible with over 4,000 printers; furthermore, it is fairly affordable at $150 a unit.

As we witness more and more of our clients switching to the iPhone for their company's preferred mobile device, we can't help but predict an increased necessity for such a device.

The xPrintserver will become available in January 2012.

Record Breaking Cyber Monday!

2011-11-29T13:09:00.000-08:00

Cyber Monday, as we all know by now, is the Monday following Black Friday.

This year, last year's record was broken by 22%, with sales totaling $1.25 billion!

The significant increase in sales over just one year shows that consumers are gravitating more and more towards making their purchases from the comfort of their home or office.

Here are some statistics:

IBM's sales were 33% more than in 2010
Purchases made through PayPal increased 552% compared to last year
Although the total does not include purchases made through mobile devices, sales made using iPhones (4.1%), iPad (3.3%) & Androids (3.2%) increased from last year's 3.9% to 10.8%

It looks like it's going to be a jolly holiday for retailers! Happy shopping!

Could Your Next Cell Phone Be Bendable?

2011-11-07T14:55:00.000-08:00

What can we expect from the next generation of mobile devices? Bending screens perhaps!

Two weeks ago, Nokia demonstrated it's prototype of a flexible phone which they call a "kinetic device."

Samsung has also discussed the debut of a similar technology which is expected in 2012.

With the adaption of such technologies, the possibilities could be endless. Phones could become extremely thin and virtually unbreakable; they could be rolled up or folded.

We look forward to seeing what new technologies will become available in 2012.

Below is a demo of Nokia's bendable phone:

iOS 5 Bugs Cause Battery to Drain

2011-11-02T15:28:00.001-07:00

Apple has confirmed that several bugs associated with the iOS 5 update are causing for the battery to drain quickly. They are currently working on the bug fixes and will have an update "in a few weeks."

Are you experiencing this problem? I feel that the battery on my iPhone drains quickly but because I am a first time iPhone user, I have nothing to compare it to.

iPhone 4S Review

2011-10-21T14:35:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, I made the big switch from my BlackBerry to the new iPhone 4S. Since I'm the only one in the office with an iPhone, we spent most of the day messing around with the phone and pushing its boundaries. Mostly, we tested Siri and I must say everyone was impressed.

Although hardly anyone can differentiate the 4 and the 4S from their exterior, there are many exciting advancements on the inside.

Engadget has done an extensive review of the phone, so we wont bother. Instead, lets highlight some of the features we love:

Siri is nothing short of spectacular.
The 8MP camera takes amazing photos!
Functionality: The device takes some getting used to but it is very easy to navigate.

Our recommendation to those that have the iPhone 4 would be to probably hold on tight and wait for the release of the iPhone 5 (expected date: Summer of 2012).

CLICK HERE to read Engadget's review of the iPhone 4S.

ecoATM Phone Recycling

2011-10-13T12:31:00.000-07:00

While cell phone recycling programs are nothing new, the ecoATM puts a fresh spin on it all.

Instead of having to fill out paperwork, send in your device and wait a few weeks for a check to arrive in the mail, you can simply go to an ecoATM and receive cash for your phone or MP3 player within minutes.

ecoATM's are conveniently located in malls, grocery stores and other public places.

Watch Engadget's demo of the product below:

To find an ecoATM near you CLICK HERE.

iPhone 4S

2011-10-04T14:12:00.000-07:00

As you may have heard by now, Apple will not be releasing the iPhone 5; instead they will release a much improved version of the 4, the iPhone 4S.

Although many enthusiasts are disappointed, there is no denying the significant changes that have been made, the most exciting of which is probably Siri.

CLICK HERE to watch the keynote.

CLICK HERE to watch the iPhone 4S video.

CLICK HERE to see how Siri works.

iPhone 5 Release

2011-10-04T09:55:00.000-07:00

Today, Apple will be hosting the keynote for their latest version of the iPhone. It has been over a year since the iPhone 4 was released and many improvements are anticipated!

This will be the first keynote which will be presented by Apple's co-founder and new CEO, Tim Cook.

We will post a video of the keynote once it is released later today.

Meg Whitman New President & CEO of HP

2011-09-22T15:25:00.000-07:00

HP announced today that it's board has appointed Meg Whitman as their new President and CEO.

Just a few months ago, HP announced their plans of selling their PC business; we definitely sense some restructuring.

CLICK HERE to read the full press release.

Tim Cook to unveil iPhone 5 on October 4th, 2011

2011-09-21T08:45:00.000-07:00

Reports say that Apple will unveil its much-anticipated iPhone 5 handset, Marking a significant event in Apples recent history, because it will be the first time new CEO Tim Cook will do a big product introduction, after Steve Job's resignation as the CEO of Apple.

Sources say that the plan is now to make the new device available for purchase within a few weeks after the announcement.

Meet Dr. Watson!

2011-09-14T09:44:00.000-07:00

IBM's Watson is making headlines again, but this time he's not competing on Jeopardy.

One of the largest health insurance company's in the U.S., WellPoint Inc., is looking to implement Watson's capabilities to prescribe medication and provide various treatment options for patients.

This will be done by combining a patient's medical record chart, the health insurance company's history on the patient and the medical knowledge that Watson possesses.

Beginning next year, several cancer facilities, academic medical centers and oncology practices will put a pilot program to the test.

Big Advancements in Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communications

2011-09-12T12:24:00.000-07:00

The U.S. has finally begun testing vehicle to vehicle technologies. The testing will be conducted by the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute, as they were awarded $14.9 million by the Department of Transportation.

3,000 short range radio equipped cars will be put to the test in Ann Arbor, Michigan over the course of the next few years. After collecting data for a year, the DOT's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will decide whether to approve or disapprove the technology.

The DOT believes that 80 percent of serious collisions can be prevented if this technology is successfully implemented in vehicles.

Essay: Jobs’s Departure as CEO of Apple Is the End of an Extraordinary Era

2011-08-25T16:24:00.000-07:00

Essay: Jobs’s Departure as CEO of Apple Is the End of an Extraordinary Era

Apple Macintosh Demo in 1984

2011-08-25T10:01:00.000-07:00

Here's a video of Steve Jobs doing a demo of the Apple Macintosh in 1984!

Looking back at how far PC's have come, the crowd's enthusiasm is almost comedic.

Steve Jobs Resigns as CEO of Apple

2011-08-24T15:58:00.001-07:00

Minutes ago, Steve Jobs stepped down from his post as Apple's CEO and has taken the position of Chairman of the Board.

Tim Cook, former COO, has taken his place.

In his resignation letter he wrote:

"I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come."

The resignation probably stems from Jobs' battle with cancer.

Have PC's Reached Their Lifespan?

2011-08-15T12:14:00.000-07:00

30 Years ago, the IBM personal computer was first launched. Today, PC's are becoming useless very quickly.

Dr. Mark Dean, an IBM engineer who worked on one of the first personal computers, has said, "When I helped design the PC, I didn't think I'd live long enough to witness its decline."

He, like many others, has turned to a tablet for his primary computing needs.

In a world where everyone's on the go, PC's keep us stationary and tie us down.

Although the PC has not been replaced with anything, more and more people are finding substitutes for it, which gives them less reason to invest in one.

Where is the Battery?

2011-07-28T17:16:00.000-07:00

Could invisible electronics be in the near future?

Researchers at Stanford University have designed a thin, flexible and transparent battery that bring the idea a step closer to feasibility. These batteries are about the size of a small post-it note and resemble saran wrap. How it's possible-the batteries' electrodes are arranged in a micro mesh-like frame work, resulting in lines so thin they are invisible to the naked eye. Currently these lithium-ion batteries provide up to enough energy to operate a digital camera, but with more development, researchers hope to incorporate them into cell phones, laptops, and other larger electronics. While finding ways to make other electronic components transparent is a challenge yet to be solved, these new batteries provide a nifty solution to help to slim all battery powered devices.

Ready for the new BlackBerry Bold 9930?

2011-07-13T15:55:00.000-07:00

BlackBerry may soon be releasing a new version of the Bold which should feature a touch screen as well as a portrait QWERTY keyboard.

So far, the only image of the phone is a sketch of the inside of the phone. From the sketch of the label placement and the radios the phone will be equipped with, it seems as if the phone will feature the BlackBerry 7 OS.

Here is the only image of the phone there is so far:

My run in with Google's street view car.

2011-06-30T14:51:00.000-07:00

Google Street View Car

For the past few weeks I have been seeing the Google street view car driving around the neighborhood. Today as I pulled into the local Starbucks it was parked right out front and I thought what a great opportunity to take a few photos and give everyone a chance to learn about the technology behind it. I am sure by now most, if not all of you have used Google Maps' Street View feature. Some may think this is satellite imagery but the technology behind it is simple at the surface.

The current Google Street View car has 15 lenses taking 360 degrees of photos. It uses motion sensors to track its position via GPS and a hard drive to store the data. There is a small computer running the entire system, and lasers are used to capture 3D data to determine distances and depth of field within the Street View. In addition to the car, Google also has a trike, snowmobile and a trolley to capture images in places cars can't access.

Google uses the car to access public roads and also uses face and license plate blurring technology for privacy. Once the images are captured, it takes Google a few months to process the images at their lab and make the
images available online for your viewing pleasure. It's a very useful tool, especially when going to a meeting or a place you have not visited before; you can easily identify landmarks near your destination.

15 Cameras take 360 degree view photos

To learn more about the Google car:
CLICK HERE!

Wireless: The New Wired LAN

2011-06-30T12:15:00.000-07:00

The technology behind the wireless LAN is evolving so quickly that even before the new round of drastically faster speeds become available, there is already talk of even faster wireless speeds.

Last year, wireless providers bragged about their next-generation products that would increase data rates from 802.11a/g's 54 Mbps to 802.11a/g's 600 Mbps. But there is already discussion of wireless connectivity reaching speeds of 1 Gbps, and to top that, speeds are expected to reach 7 Gbps in the foreseeable future.

For the time being, companies need to keep these advancements in mind when making changes or upgrades to their networks so that they will be able to support these technologies when the time comes.

Stuxnet: War of the Future?

2011-06-24T11:48:00.000-07:00

Last year, the Stuxnet virus infiltrated five Iranian organizations including nuclear facilities. The virus has the capability to shut down centrifuges that spin nuclear material at Iran's enrichment facilities.

Stuxnet is said to be the first weapon to be made of code. Furthermore, the code for Stuxnet is accessible to anyone; it can be downloaded and redesigned.

Consequently, Iran has openly formed the second largest online army by asking hackers to join their revolutionary guard.

We encourage you to watch this informative video about Stuxnet and how it works:

Stuxnet: Anatomy of a Computer Virus from Patrick Clair on Vimeo.

Steve Jobs Presents New Apple Headquarters to Cupertino City Council

2011-06-09T11:17:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, Steve Jobs stood before Cupertino's City Council to propose ideas for Apple's new campus. We must say the concepts behind it are amazing!

The building will have the capacity to hold 13,000 people and will resemble a spaceship; the revolutionary architecture and design will break construction barriers with its100% curved glass look and underground parking. The new building will also add to the environment as Jobs has proposed to double the number of trees on the property.

"We do have a shot at building the best office building in the world," Jobs said modestly, adding that there won't be a straight piece of glass in it. "Architecture students will come here to see this.”

Check out presentation to the City Council by Steve Jobs:

iSteve: The Book of Jobs Already a Best Seller

2011-06-06T15:27:00.000-07:00

Although the biography on Steve Jobs will not hit the shelves until March 2012, it comes as no surprise that the book has already topped several #1 lists. Currently, it's #1 on the Biographies & Memoirs list and is climbing its way up the overall best seller list.

It is no coincidence that the book became available for pre-order today, prior to Steve Jobs' keynote, where he announced the Apple's iCloud. The iCloud is said to sync all the content on your Apple devices for free.

CLICK HERE to pre-order your copy of iSteve: The Book of Jobs.

Timelapse Footage with a Telescope

2011-05-26T16:12:00.000-07:00

To Organize, Or Not To Organize?

2011-05-25T16:43:00.000-07:00

A study conducted by IBM Research has found that people who organize their emails into folders have a more difficult time finding what they are looking for than those who do no organization at all.

Users who did no filing were able to find what they were looking for faster by using search tools. Not only did the non-organizers save time when searching, they also eliminate the time spent on organizing.

The study suggests keeping conversations in existing threads instead of beginning new ones to keep your inbox neat.

The formula for success is simple: remain unorganized! Don't make folders and keep conversations in the same thread.

To view the PDF version of the study, CLICK HERE.

Amazon's Kindle Books Outsell Print Books

2011-05-23T16:02:00.000-07:00

Since April 1st, Amazon's Kindle book sales are now surpassing their print book sales. For every 100 print books that they sell, they now sell 105 Kindle books.

Amazon has been doing great with book sales throughout the years and has seen significant growth in 2011 alone. They have revolutionized the format in which people read books by offering the largest selection of popular books and reasonably priced devices.

Although the Kindle is practically monopolizing the market, Apple's iPad is still a threat. Most Amazon e-books are priced at $9.99, whereas Apple has picked a price point of $14.99 in hopes of attracting major publishing houses.

It seems as if Amazon has the upper hand at the moment, but could Apple take over?

Google's Prediction API to be Used in Ford Cars

2011-05-11T15:27:00.000-07:00

Don't you wish your car was smart enough to recognize your driving patterns and get you the maximum MPG?

Ford is working on integrating a powertrain optimization solution into its vehicles using the Google Prediction API. If you're wondering what exactly Google's Prediction API is, here is the company's description of the technology:

"The Prediction API enables you to make your smart apps even smarter. The API accesses Google's machine learning algorithms to analyze your historic data and predict likely future outcomes."

The main point of focus for Ford is to develop a secure system which will protect their customer's information.

To read more, CLICK HERE.

We will definitely be following this revolutionary technology and will keep you posted on future updates.

Ara's BlackBerry PlayBook Review

2011-05-09T16:05:00.000-07:00

Finally after much anticipation, and having purchased an iPad 2, the Blackberry Playbook is here. The packaging design was great. The Playbook comes in an appealing, silky looking box, but will it have substance inside?

As I begin writing this, it's important to say that I have read and am fully aware of all the negative reviews that came out weeks prior to its release. Also, it took me two weeks to write this review-I wanted to be sure I had a chance to play around with it for a good amount of time before I wrote about it.

The Blackberry Playbook is designed more as a companion to your Blackberry than a standalone tablet. It connects to your Blackberry via Bluetooth and software called Blackberry Bridge. Authenticating the phone to the Playbook takes seconds as it uses your Blackberry BBM barcode (QR Code) to authorize
the phone to the Playbook. After the phone has been authorized, your Blackberry e-mail, contacts and calendar is synced real-time with your Blackberry. I use the Blackberry Torch 9800 from AT&T, but the Bridge software is not available for download through AT&T. However, a quick Google search got me what I needed to get it connected.

I found that the 7" Playbook is much more portable for day-to-day use than the iPad 2. I like its clean crisp screen resolution and it feels much better in your hand as a business tool.

The Playbook features a 5 megapixel rear camera and a 3 megapixel front camera. Both of these can shoot HD quality video, a nice plus against the iPad 2, which leaves the camera quality as something to be desired.

The Playbook's easy to use interface makes web browsing, sending e-mails and setting appointments much easier. I also love that it has a native Flash-compatible web browser which I feel is still an important necessity.

Just recently, Blackberry added the ability to use Blackberry Messenger and Video Chat with the Playbook, which should be another big bonus for avid Blackberry users.

Where are the Apps?

This is one area where the iPad blows away the Blackberry Playbook. Not only are there much fewer apps available for the Blackberry, there are even less available for the Playbook. Some of my favorite apps on my Torch do not exist for the Playbook... Google Maps? Not found. There is BING maps but it's really not the same. ESPN? Not found. Facebook? Yes. Tetris? Yes. Angry Birds???? NO WAY! (Although this might be a good thing in my case!) I have noticed in these last two weeks that there are more and more apps available as each day passes, but still, there is a big void for useful applications.

Apple created an entire new generation of Apple users by introducing the iPad. I was never a MAC or Apple user but I now own two iPad's and use them daily at home. Blackberry created a companion device for its existing customer base. If you do not own a Blackberry, the Playbook, in my opinion, is a useless device; I can't see any benefit to it. However if you are a corporate Blackberry user this could be a useful travel tool or a companion for your existing Blackberry.

BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930

2011-05-02T16:22:00.000-07:00

BlackBerry has announced the Bold 9900 and 9300, known as the Bold Touch. Although there is no confirmed release date, it is expected to be available sometime this summer.

The device is the thinnest BlackBerry yet and features a full QWERTY keyboard as well as a touch screen. The sleek new Bold also features 4G speeds and the new BlackBerry 7 OS which will provide faster and easier browsing capabilities.

Here are some more specs:

10.5mm Thickness
1.2GHz Processor
5MP Camera with HD Recording
768 MB RAM
8GB Internal Storage; up to 32GB with microSD expansion
2.8" - 640 x 480 -

Here's Engadget's exclusive demo of the device:

Watson's Cousin Artemis Could be Saving Lives in the ICU

2011-04-28T09:24:00.000-07:00

Artemis, an IBM software similar to Watson, could help prevent hospital-born infections in babies in the ICU.

In a nutshell, the software takes in important information from the vitals of babies and looks for patterns that could help prevent infection.

The implementation of this form of Artificial Intelligence could be beneficial on countless levels and save so many lives.

By the end of the year, two neonatal ICUs in China will implement Artemis.

To read more on Artemis and it's capabilities, CLICK HERE.

Ara's iPad 2 Review

2011-04-12T16:41:00.000-07:00

After impatiently waiting for BlackBerry to release its much awaited PlayBook (being released April 19^th), I decided to get the new iPad2. I was fortunate enough to get it the first day it was released; since then, the Japan Earthquake has caused manufacturing lag times and shortages.

As I stated in our first iPad review, it has replaced about 98% of our home computing needs; I figured the new one, with its new dual cameras and lighter profile would make a great tool for meetings. Although most of the features are the same there are a few key differences between the two.

The dimensions have changed slightly, keeping its overall footprint the same. The thickness has gone down from 13.4mm to 8.8mm and it has dropped about 80g. However, it is still noticeably heavy when you have it in your hand for extended period of time.

The screen size and resolutions have remained the same as the original iPad (9.7-inch LED-backlit IPS 1024 x 768), but the graphics processor chip has been upgraded to handle games and fast action graphics better.

The 1GHz single-core A4 chip has been replaced by a dual-core 1GHz A5 chip. The original iPad featured 256MB of RAM while the iPad 2 has been given a 512MB or RAM; also, the battery has been updated to 3.8V, 25 watt-hour unit, slightly better than the 24.8 watt-hour on the original iPad.

The storage capacity has remained the same; the iPad 2 is also available in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models. The 3G has been updated with a better radio but 4G is not yet available; perhaps iPad 3 will come with the 4G option.

iPad 2 has been outfitted with two digital cameras, front and rear facing, and FaceTime is now available. FaceTime is Apple's version of Skype and allows iOS users to video chat with each other using the WiFi network.

The devices ability to take photos was the feature I was most excited about since it adds versatility for people working on the field. It gives users the ability to take photos and notes for different projects. Apples camera inside its new iPhone4 is amazing, but somehow they decided to go with a lower grade camera in the new iPad2 and I am very disappointed in its quality. Photos are grainy and no flash is available. The iPad 2 camera is a 720p 1280x720 camera which translates to 0.92 megapixels. The first digital camera I purchased in 1996 had better photo quality. (see photo below taken by my iPad 2)

Photo taken with iPad 2

I suppose it will get the job done on basic tasks, but when consumers spend $500+ and stand in line for 6 hours to get their hands on one, one would think Apple would do a better job with the camera quality.

I do love the new creative magnetic cover; my original iPad cover added noticeable weight to the device and it was hard to keep clean. The new cover is a genius design and goes hand in hand with the sleek look of the product. You can see the iPad 2 cover demo here.

Would I recommend it? NO!

I don't think the differences between the 1^st and 2^nd generation justify the upgrade. Even if you’re looking to buy your first iPad, I would try and look for a slightly used original iPad for half the price than pay the premium for the iPad2; I most definitely would not stand in line for one. I bet iPad 3 will have a much better camera since Apple is going to get a lot of heat for this one.

I think with the market starting to become saturated with tablets, Apple rushed this one. I am hoping that RIM has taken its time with the BlackBerry PlayBook and once it comes out, it will be something worth having.

Stay tuned for my review of the BlackBerry PlayBook in May 2011.

iPhone 4 Glitch: Taking Secret Pictures?

2011-04-07T13:15:00.000-07:00

Some iPhone 4 users have been complaining about a creepy glitch. Apparently, their iPhones are capturing images on their own and then displaying them during FaceTime calls.

Here's one users complaint:

"I have a dashboard mount for my phone. I had left the phone in the car when I ran in to get my sandwich. This was at a strip mall that I had never visited before and never connected to any WiFi. I parked in the middle of the lot, about 75ft from the doors to Subway. Ran it, got my food, hopped back in the car. I hit the button to see if anyone called me (no one did) and drove off. After I got in to where I was working and ate my sandwich, I tried to use FaceTime and saw a frozen image of me in the car from 20-30 minutes prior!"

This glitch could become a disaster for Apple and leaves me wondering how secure the phone really is.

If you are experiencing this issue, CLICK HERE to report it on the Apple discussion board.

Georgian Woman Cuts off Internet in Armenia

2011-04-06T16:21:00.000-07:00

A 75 year old Georgian woman who was looking for scraps of copper to collect was arrested for mistakenly cutting a fiber optic cable which provided internet connectivity to the majority of Armenia's population.

She could face up to 3 years of jail time but has been released until further investigation is conducted.

We wonder how this lady managed to dig up the cable!

Google Bids Big for 6,000 Telecom Patents

2011-04-04T11:56:00.000-07:00

In an attempt to diversify their patent portfolio, Google is trying to acquire 6,000 of Nortel Networks' telecommunications patents for $900 million.

Throughout the past decade, Nortel went from being one of the leading telecommunications companies to filing for bankruptcy in 2009.

Although Google is highly likely to get the final bid, other bidders have the legal right to place their offers on the table before Google can make its big purchase.

The company feels this purchase is essential since they are playing catch up with their competitors who have been in the game for much longer than they have. Acquiring these patents will give them the liberty to develop new products without having to worry as much about patent infringement.

Boeing's New 747-8 To Take Flight...

2011-03-24T15:24:00.000-07:00

Boeing has developed its largest and most efficient aircraft, which should result in the cheaper airfare.

The aircraft is longer and wider than the 787 Dreamliner but has better fuel efficiency. It will carry up to 467 passengers in a 3-class arrangement.

Also, the U.S. Air Force is looking to upgrade Air Force One with a variant of the 787.

Click here to read more.

Breakdown of Japan's Nuclear Problem

2011-03-17T15:26:00.000-07:00

The following video is a great step-by-step of what occurred at the Fukushima nuclear power plant after the devastating earthquake and tsunami struck Japan.

Block Charlie Sheen From Your Browser!

2011-03-08T17:03:00.000-08:00

Are you amongst the minority of people sick of all the Charlie Sheen buzz splattered on the internet? You can block it out!

"Tinted Sheen" is a plugin that can be installed on Firefox or Chrome browsers. Once the app is installed, it will block any mentions of his name as well as any pictures.

J. Scott Campbell Illustrates Charlie Sheen

Apple iPad Re-Invented

2011-03-03T10:23:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, Apple CEO Steve Jobs came back to the Apple Keynote stage from his medical leave to make the big announcement of Apples new iPad 2. The new iPad will be thinner, lighter and faster than the ground breaking original iPad, It will feature a faster dual core A5 processor, 9x faster graphics card and front and rear facing cameras for HD Video and FaceTime video chat. The new iPad 2 will also feature a magnetic stylish cover which will auto align with the iPad 2, protecting its screen.

While Blackberry has been talking about it's Playbook tablet for what seams like a year now, with no product to show, Apple's iPad 2 will be shipping out on March 11th.

I have become a big fan of the iPad. I must say it has almost completely eliminated the use of our home computer. While I think it still lacks some true multitasking features to make it a viable everyday business tool for the professional on-the-go, it is getting very close. It is definitely a great tool for the home user who is looking to browse the web, check e-mail, use it for entertainment or to play Angry Birds. The great apps make it even more popular for education and medical and financial professionals.

I look forward to receiving mine on the 11th, and will keep you posted on the differences between the first generation and the iPad 2.

For more information, the keynote and iPad 2 videos, visit www.apple.com.

iPad 2 Event on March 2

2011-02-23T09:19:00.000-08:00

Apple has sent out invitations to an event in San Francisco which will be held on March 2nd.

It's more than likely they will be discussing the iPad 2.

Check out what the invitation looks like:

As always, we'll keep you posted with updates.

Watson to Compete on Jeopardy!

2011-02-15T15:13:00.000-08:00

Over the past several months, we have been tracking the progress of IBM's super computer, Watson. Last night, it was finally put to the test on Jeopardy!

Watson is competing against Jeopardy's biggest champions over a 3 day period which began yesterday.

Be sure to catch it on ABC.

Starbucks Interactive Storefront Ad Campaign

2011-02-08T16:35:00.000-08:00

As a part of their Tazo Tea campaign, Starbucks has implemented interactive window displays at two of their busiest locations.

The touch screens attracted tons of people and have sparked a big buzz! Hopefully we'll see something of the sort in Los Angeles soon.

Check out this video which demonstrates the concept:

Starbucks Interactive Storefront from The Media Merchants on Vimeo.

Review of Samsung Galaxy

2011-01-26T15:58:00.000-08:00

By Greg Boyrazian

Widely available on the market and considered a serious challenge to the existing Apple iPad, the Samsung Galaxy Tab was making noticeable noise at CES 2011, probably because it had been only a few months since it was released to the public and also thanks to Samsung's dominating corporate presence at CES.

Samsung Galaxy

The tablet PC feature a 7 inch screen, runs Google's Android 2.2, and competitively weighed in at 0.84 lbs – making it a great mobile tablet device. The tablet will support Android 2.3, but will not support the 3.0 version. In case you're on the road, the tablet brings great dual functionality as a GPS navigation device – providing detailed route information on its super crystal display.

The Galaxy Tab provides WiFi internet connection for up to 5 devices. Combine that with an unlimited data plan from a carrier and you're set to surf the net from your laptop. Corporate users working as teams and deployed in the field would find this feature quite useful. Like other new tablets waiting to be released on the market, the Galaxy Tab already features two sided cameras. The memory on the device can be easily expanded through microSD memory chips – adding better ease of transferring files between various devices, including cameras. And yes, for the record, the device supports Flash – making the access of Flash based websites a piece of cake.

CES 2011

At CES 2011, Samsung and Verizon Wireless jointly announced that a 4G supported device will be released in 2011. Samsung added that the cameras on the device will be upgraded to 5 MP (currently, 3.2MP rear and 1.3MP front). Let's sit back and watch the sales reports – so far solid, but not nearing the record breaking levels of Apple's highly popular iPads.

Blackberry's Playbook

2011-01-19T13:06:00.000-08:00

By: Greg Boyrazian

The Playbook is...well, very playful.

Research in Motion prominently showcased its upcoming tablet PC, dubbed the Blackberry Playbook at CES 2011. The device is scheduled to hit the market sometime during the first quarter of 2011 – just about the same time as other tablets. The tablet's 7” wide screen is gorgeous to say the least and features 2 HD cameras (front and back), opening the way for Skyping amongst video chat junkies. No Windows or Android here... the tablet runs on Blackberry's proprietary operating system.

RIM @ CES 2011

The tablet does support WiFi and can connect to the internet via your Blackberry device. Basically, the tablet “piggybacks” off our existing Blackberry's data connection, which also means you pay for one data plan. Your existing Blackberry device would serve as a gateway for the Playbook to connect to the internet. Secondly, through a software feature called Blackberry Bridge, you would access all your emails, calendar, and BBM on the tablet. Thanks to the seamless synchronization between the two devices, e-mails would automatically appear on your Playbook.

Now for BBM maniacs, sending messages or pinging for that matter just got easier. Users would be able to chat and send images through BBM on the Playbook. Rumors are floating that BBM would have some video component to it thanks to the front and rear cameras.

So who needs Skype???

Blackberry Playbook at CES 2011

Corporate clients would find the Playbook very useful and cost effective thanks to the marriage between an existing Blackberry and the Playbook. For those concerned about security, the connection between the Playbook and your Blackberry is through the National Security Agency's approved Bluetooth functionality – putting Britain's MI6 and 007 to shame.

RIM is a little tight lipped about the storage capabilities of the Playbook; however, we expect for something around the range of 32-64GB, if not more, depending on market demand of course. This is a bit unclear now, since corporate users tend to centralize their data storage. The Playbook's web browsing capabilities are by far the greatest – it supports HTML5 and unlike Apple’s iOS devices such as the iPad and the iPhone, it seamlessly runs Flash. The device is just less than one pound and can neatly fit in a suit pocket – a definite plus for mobility. The limited number of available applications (either for Blackberry devices or the Playbook) puts the device at a bit of a disadvantage.

The device will be available before the end of March 2011 – creating a showdown between the Apple iPad 2.0 and Google powered tablets. Stay tuned for our next review of the Samsung Galaxy.

For more photos click here:

Introducing the Motorola Atrix

2011-01-14T09:59:00.000-08:00

Ever wonder where the future of PC's were headed? Motorola unveiled the Atrix at CES last week and has astonished us all. Although most of the tech world predicted that we would eventually be able to carry around our "PC's" in our pockets, few expected the evolution to arrive so soon.

The Motorola Atrix can be docked in 3 different ways and used like a PC with "WebTop" software. Watch the following demo courtesy of The Guardian:

Although it's expected to arrive soon, there is no set release date. Of course, we'll keep you guys posted on updates.

CES 2011 or Tablet-Fest?

2011-01-13T10:28:00.000-08:00

By: Greg Boyrazian

Where do I begin? Good question. The Consumer Electronics Show 2011 held in Las Vegas over the past weekend attracted a record number of attendees; most astonishingly, of course, were the record number of new tablet PCs unveiled by tech giants. Clearly the industry obsession appears to be tablet PCs, adding more fuel to an already hot market, dominated by ultra-secretive
Apple (not present at CES, by the way).

Just like buying a computer, one asks about the OS, hardware, and pre-loaded applications, though the later is something of the past with desktops these days. Ultimately, the tablet market will be shaped by Apple and Google.

Inverselogic Co-Founder/President Ara Aslanian, who was present at CES, reiterated the importance of applications. "It all boils down to apps and functionality. So far Apple has been solidly leading this aspect of the tablet market, making it a bit difficult for new entrants in the playing field," stated Ara.

Visitors at CES looking at a sea of Tablets

Unlike its fierce competitor in this market, Google is behind in the development of the operating system side only - no hardware just yet. Google's OS - Android - is widely available on smart-phones (in fact, it recently
surpassed total market share compared with Apple's iPhones) as well as almost all new tablets being released by major tech giants. The wide availability of Android on the latest tablets makes it easier for cross
sharing between Android run smartphones. Corporate clients interested in integrating their technology with the growing world of smartphones and tablets would find to be an advantage.

The hottest tablet making the most noise at CES was the Motorola Xoom - yes the company that brought us brick sized analog cell phones back in the days. What's unique about the yet to be released Xoom tablet that it will be running the all new Android 3.0, unlike other new tablets, which will be running the 2.0+ OS for now. The 10" widescreen tablet features two cameras - back and front, stunning HD video support, and most amazingly, an HDMI port that can easily connect with large screens and flat panels - allowing for corporate users to video conference with others with great ease. Yes, all this from a small tablet computer that can fit in your jacket's side pocket. Unlike Apple's iPad, as is with any other Android run system, users would be able to play Flash video or view Flash based websites. The Xoom is expected to hit the market during the first quarter of 2011 with Verizon Wireless being the U.S. based launch carrier.

Last but not least, staying ahead of the curve, the Xoom will support 4G LTE (on Verizon's network), being the only tablet so far supporting this high speed wireless data platform.

Stay tuned for our next post, featuring the much hyped Blackberry Playbook tablet from RIM.

'The 7 Most Innovative iPad Apps of 2010'

2011-01-11T10:48:00.000-08:00

Fast Company put together a list of the 7 most innovative iPad apps of 2010. Here they are:

Best eBook: Alice in Wonderland
Best News Reader: Flipboard
Best Utility: Air Display
Best in Art: Auryn Ink
Best for Students: Sound Note
Best Word Processor: iA Writer
Best Game: Infinity Blade

Check them out here.

Verizon to get iPhone?

2011-01-07T16:29:00.000-08:00

THIS JUST IN: The Wall Street Journal has confirmed that Verizon will announce the release of the iPhone at a mysterious event they're having on Tuesday in New York.

Steve Jobs may be present.

Lenovo IdeaPad

2011-01-07T14:50:00.000-08:00

The 2011 Consumer Electronics Show is in session in Las Vegas through the 11th of January. One of the many cool gadgets we're hearing more about is the Lenovo IdeaPad.

Check out this demo of the iPad's newest competitor:

Specs:
$499.00
2GB RAM
320GB Hard Drive
4 Hour Battery Life with Standard Removable Battery

AT&T's "Don't Text While Driving" Campaign

2010-12-28T16:54:00.000-08:00

Please take a few moments out of your day to watch this video. Let's make it a point not to make the same mistakes.

USPS's Potential Comeback

2010-12-22T15:41:00.000-08:00

The US Postal Service could make a big comeback from the financial hardships they have encountered throughout the past few years if they decide to implement the idea of Chief Counsel to the Chairman of the Postal Regulatory Commission, Michael Ravnitzky.

Mr. Ravntzky has proposed that sensor arrays be installed on mail trucks to track and "deliver real time information on weather, pollutants, traffic, road conditions, and even locate gaps in cell phone coverage and television signals."

The post office could then sell this information to researchers and businesses.

Furthermore, the information could even contribute towards improvements in homeland security.

To read more on the concept and what other benefits could derive from it, CLICK HERE.

BlackBerry not too far behind...

2010-12-15T16:11:00.000-08:00

A recent report from Reuters shows that RIM sales have caught up to iPhone sales. This is most likely due to the high volumes of BlackBerry Torches being sold.

In it's last quarter, RIM sold 14.1 million BlackBerry's, the same amount of iPhone's sold in Apples third quarter. We will have to wait until the end of December to compare RIM's totals to Apple's.

"20 Things I Learned"

2010-11-24T12:56:00.000-08:00

Uncertain about how browsers and the web work? You're probably not the only one.

Last year, Google conducted a simple survey by asking people on the streets what a browser was. After realizing that only 8% of the people were able to give a correct answer, they decided to write a simple book on the topic with hopes to educate the average person.

Click here to check out "20 Things I Learned" and make sure you have the latest version of your browser to view the interactive version.

BMW Plug-In Hybrid Sportscar

2010-11-17T12:21:00.000-08:00

BMW has announced that it will begin production of it's plug-in hybrid concept car in 2013.

With 323 hp, the four-seater goes from 0 to 62 mph in 4.8 seconds. It has a CO2 emissions rating of 159 grams per mile and a fuel economy of about 62 mpg.

The pricing has yet to be announced.

BlackBerry PlayBook Demo

2010-10-26T16:15:00.000-07:00

Check out the latest demo of BlackBerry's much anticipated PlayBook:

Cars Navigated by Google!

2010-10-12T16:47:00.000-07:00

Recently, Google announced that it has been working on creating a technology that allows for cars to drive themselves. For those of us living in Los Angeles, there is a probability that we have been driving alongside vehicles that are being used to test the technology.

The car uses sensors, position estimators, video cameras and radar to operate.

Sebastian Thrun, the Google mastermind behind it all, said, "Our automated cars, manned by trained operators, just drove from our Mountain View campus to our Santa Monica office and on to Hollywood Boulevard. They’ve driven down Lombard Street, crossed the Golden Gate bridge, navigated the Pacific Coast Highway, and even made it all the way around Lake Tahoe. All in all, our self-driving cars have logged over 140,000 miles. We think this is a first in robotics research.”

To read more about the technology used to make this possible, CLICK HERE.

iPhone for Verizon

2010-10-11T11:17:00.000-07:00

According to The Wall Street Journal, Apple is working on creating an iPhone for the Verizon network. The iPhone is expected to be released within the first quarter of 2011.

AT&T's chief technology officer, John Donovan, doesn't seem too worried though. According to The Wall Street Journal it has said, "more than four-fifths of its contract subscribers are on family or business plans, which make switching to a new carrier more burdensome."

Also, AT&T believes that because their iPhone allows for users to browse while making phone calls and Verizon's will not, iPhone buyers will stick with them.

CLICK HERE to read the article published by The Wall Street Journal.

BlackBerry PlayBook Announced

2010-09-28T10:49:00.000-07:00

Photo from Blackberry

Yesterday RIM announced the much anticipated BlackBerrry PlayBook, and we're impressed! Unlike Apple's iPad, the PlayBook features Adobe Flash (one of the iPad's biggest disappointments), both front and rear facing cameras, a 1GHz dual-core Cortex processor, microHDMI and microUSB connections.

Furthermore, the PlayBook can be paired with a BlackBerry, allowing you to view everything on the phone including BBM without having to sync them together.

The PlayBook is expected to release in early 2011; it is believed that the iPad 2 will be released in January of 2011.

CLICK HERE to see more specs and side-by-side comparisons.

CLICK HERE to watch a sneak peek video.

Google Turns 12

2010-09-27T16:16:00.000-07:00

Today marks the 12th birthday of Google. It's safe to say that Larry Page and Sergey Brin succeeded in revolutionizing the way we find information on the internet.

On a sidenote, they have disabled the 'I'm feeling lucky' feature, which makes sense considering that was costing over $110 million a year to operate.

Big Brother Recycle Bins!

2010-08-26T12:00:00.000-07:00

The city of Cleavland is spending $2.5 million on recycle bins with embedded chips which will keep track of how often residents are recycling.

In the event that residents are not putting out their recycle bins frequently, city workers will go though their trash. If they discover that more than 10% of the trash consists of recyclable materials, residents will be fined.

CLICK HERE to see the full story.

Ara's Review of the Blackberry Torch 9800

2010-08-17T12:34:00.000-07:00

BlackBerry Torch 9800

I have been reading many reviews and first look articles about the all new and much anticipated Blackberry Torch on the AT&T network. I picked mine up on August 11^th, the day it was released.

Everyone knows I have been a big fan of BlackBerry throughout the years as it has been the only smart phone I have used. With e-mail constituting a big portion of my daily use, I have always prioritized it as the number one factor when selecting a smart phone.

That being said, throughout the past few years, the Apple iPhone and the new Android phones have taken the market by storm. These devices offer great applications, games, sharp HDTV-like displays and quality cameras. I see most of these as a distraction from the tools I really need. While I use the Apple iPad and iPod Touch at home for controlling lighting and all audio video features, I prefer a phone with great contact management, fast e-mail, a proven calendaring application to keep track of my schedule and a powerful web browser to navigate to desired websites on the go, which the BlackBerry lacked until now.

The Torch is a well designed and very sharp looking phone; it is the first BlackBerry to include a touch screen and a full keyboard. It feels great in your hand and pocket and is almost same size as the Bold 9700. The slide keyboard extends below the screen and is very easy to access and type. The keyboard is slightly smaller than the Bold 9700’s and I wonder if I will eventually stop using the keyboard as I become more accustomed the touch screen.

I was happy to discover that they did away with the Storm’s clickable touch screen which did not feel good at all. The new touch screen is clean and simple and with some practice you get used to the typing.

New BlackBerry OS6 Screen

I like some of the refinements in OS-6, the best one being the new Webkit browser BlackBerry finally included it this version. The browser is now comparable to that of other smart phones, giving you full browsing capabilities and the ability to expand and magnify the screen with a multi touch screen.

All BlackBerry shortcuts are still usable in this new version and some are even enhanced by the ability to use the touch screen.

In my opinion, this is the best BlackBerry yet as it combines new touch screen technologies and keeps alive what BlackBerry fans have learned to love. It is important to remember that the Torch is not an iPhone or an Android phone; they all have their share of problems and benefits. If you are looking to use your Smartphone as a tool to help you get through your work day in an organized manner, then the Blackberry is still hard to beat. It does not have many applications but it has perfected the important ones you will need for business. Furthermore, the new Torch combines great BlackBerry calendaring, e-mail, and contact management with new tools such as connections to social media sites, a new 5-Megapixl camera that takes quality photos (some examples of pictures I took this past weekend with my new Torch below), and easy to use menus and features.

Yacht called "A" in Malibu CA

Great Picture Quality even at the Ocean

I am interested to see how the new OS6 will perform on my Bold 9700. For many hardcore BlackBerry users, the full keyboard version is still the best BlackBerry and switching to a touch screen will take some getting used to. I know a few instances where users including my brother have upgraded to the new Torch but have returned it and gone back to their BOLD 9700 because the full keyboard offers much faster access to e-mail and other features. This is defiantly a change of culture for the avid BlackBerry user, but looking ahead to be competitive with other touch screen smart-phones such as the iPhone and the Android, I can't see BlackBerry not forcing itself to start producing touch screen phones only. Just like the death of 6-Speed sports cars, the death of keyboard phones is quickly approaching.

In the coming months BlackBerry is due to release many new models using the new OS-6 operating system and will offer it on some older models that can handle the new OS, such as the BOLD and CURVE.

I am interested in hearing back from you on your comments and impressions of the new BlackBerry or the smart-phone you are using.

Rubik v. God

2010-08-12T10:59:00.000-07:00

How many moves does it take to solve a Rubik's cube? 20!

After 30 years, "God's Number," has been confirmed by a team of.

How we spend our time on the internet

2010-08-11T09:34:00.000-07:00

A recent study done by Nielsen shows how Americans spend their time online. The most amount of time is spent on social networking sites and blogs, while playing online games came in second and checking e-mails was third.

While time spent on social networks/blogs and playing games has increased since last year, people are spending significantly less time checking e-mail year after year.

This chart will help put things into perspective:

CLICK HERE to read the specifics.

AT&T Accidentally Unveils Newest BlackBerry

2010-08-03T11:43:00.000-07:00

At around 8am today, AT&T prematurely posted the Torch, which isn't scheduled for release until August 12th, on their website.

The phone will be priced at $199.99 and has a 3.2 inch touchscreen, 5MP camera, 1GB RAM and 4GB memory.

For more specifications, follow these links:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/202443/BlackBerry_9800_Torch_Makes_Early_Debut.html?tk=rss_news

http://money.cnn.com/2010/08/03/technology/new_blackberry/index.htm?source=cnn_bin&hpt=Sbin

Penny Auctions Gain Popularity!

2010-07-27T11:50:00.000-07:00

One penny auction, QuiBids, is gaining rapid popularity! Consumers bid on items listed for a fraction of what they cost.

After observing the site for over half an hour today, I noticed the catches. It costs $.60 to place each bid. Also, you have to pre-purchase bids. 45 cost $27, 75 cost $45 and 300 cost $180. Furthermore, as people place bids on an item, the auction time increases.

Although there are some great deals, it seems pretty impossible to swoop in and win items like iPads or Mac Books.

BlackBerry OS 6 Browser Beats Competitors

2010-07-20T12:35:00.000-07:00

After conducting The HTML 5 test on BlackBerry's OS 6.0, the iPhone 4 and the HTC Incredible, the results are in! Out of 300 points, BlackBerry came out on top with a score of 208 points. The iPhone 4 got 185 while the HTC Incredible had 151.

CLICK HERE to read more on Endgadget.

Remove Your Phone Number from Facebook!

2010-07-19T16:22:00.001-07:00

The following post has been circulating on Facebook over the past few days:

YOUR PHONE NUMBER IS NOW ON FACEBOOK!! Go to the top right of your screen, click Account then Edit Friends. Go to the left side of your screen and click Phonebook. Everyone's phone#'s are now being published. Please repost to let your friends know this is happening so they can remove their phone #'s by changing their privacy

This is not a hoax! To control who can see your phone number, go to the top right of your screen and click Account then Privacy Settings. Click Customize Settings then scroll down to Contact Information. Your current settings are displayed here and can be edited.

Please feel free to contact us if you need assistance.

Apple iPhone 4, July 16 Press Conference Video

2010-07-16T12:58:00.000-07:00

Here is the link to the Apple's Press conference by Steve Jobs regarding the issues with the new iPhone4 on July 16, 2010.

In summery you can get a free case, or return it within 30 days to get a full refund.

Apple Video

Apple to hold press conference on iPhone4 -Friday July 16 @10:00AM

2010-07-16T08:50:00.000-07:00

Apple will hold a press conference to go over its iPhone4 antenna issues Today at 10:00AM. Speculation and rumors are heating up over what Apple plans to say today regarding the issues its been having with the new antenna design dropping calls and signal.

Chevy Volt's Impressive Battery

2010-07-14T14:44:00.000-07:00

They Chevy Volt's 8-year/100,000 mile battery warranty is turning some heads!

The battery has been tried and tested and puts it up to par with the Prius..

This image may help put things into perspective:

Consumer Reports Says NO to iPhone

2010-07-13T11:56:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Consumer Reports said it won't be giving the iPhone 4 it's seal of approval. After conducting several tests, it was determined that the loss of coverage is due to a software issue.

Today, users are complaining that their posts on Apple's tech support forum are being deleted. Consumers are simply asking that Apple speak out about the problem instead of ignoring it.

BlackBerrry's Bold Move

2010-07-12T14:09:00.000-07:00

BlackBerry released a sneak peak of its much anticipated OS 6 today. Here, the new software is being demonstrated on the soon to be released Bold:

The Future of PARKING!

2010-07-07T10:39:00.000-07:00

German parking systems specialists, Wöhr, has designed yet another spectacular carpark in Budapest!

This company has completely revolutionized the future of parking garages and it's phenomenal.

CLICK HERE to watch the video for yourself!

Watson to Face Ultimate Man v. Machine Challenge!

2010-06-17T10:42:00.000-07:00

As you may recall from our October 2009 newsletter, IBM has been developing a question answering system which will soon be a contestant on Jeopardy.

It's been well over a year since IBM first unveiled Watson and they have made great progress since then.

See for yourself:

We'll keep you posted on any new developments!

Cops & iPhones

2010-06-15T16:21:00.000-07:00

The law enforcement in Brockton, Mass. is taking iPhone apps to a new level. They have used grant money to develop a facial recognition app which help identify criminals within moments.

We wonder how well this app will be utilized and if other law enforcement agencies will adopt this form of facial recognition.

CLICK HERE to read more.

Watch the video here:

Apple iPhone 4

2010-06-09T13:59:00.001-07:00

The iPhone 4 is set to release on June 24th and can be pre-ordered as early as June 15th.

Once again, Apple doesn't fail to set the new standard on what your mobile phone should be capable of doing.

Check out the features.

Watch Steve Jobs' keynote:

Google TV

2010-06-09T13:18:00.000-07:00

Everyone's wondering what the future of television will look like. Here's a sneak peak:

Facebook Security

2010-05-13T17:14:00.000-07:00

As the use of social media sites grow, so do the security concerns that go with it. Many of us of have a Facebook or Linked in account, but how secure are we? People tend to share information on social sites that they would not normally share with friends or acquaintances. Most of these sites are adding new features daily and some of the features give applications and search engines direct access to personal information.

The biggest mistake I see people make is entering their date of birth, including the year. This provides someone who is potentially looking to do identity theft a lot of useful information. Many people list their high school or mention pet names, both of which are common security questions for accounts.

Facebook has many security options that allow members to select who can have access to what kind of information or pictures. I would suggest that you visit this section under 'Account Settings' and customize it to your preference.

Below are some basic tip's to help you stay safe and secure on the web.

Remove your date or birth from your profiles.

Use different passwords for your various online accounts.

Don't click on links or open attachments in suspicious emails.

Make sure you have an up-to-date web browser equipped with an anti-phishing blacklist. Some examples are Internet Explorer 8.0 and Firefox 3.0.10.

Make sure you've listed a security question and answer for your online accounts. This will come in handy if your account is compromised and need to prove who you are. You can do this on Facebook in the 'Account Settings' page.

Remember that you choose what you share and with whom you share it.