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Mozilla, at a recent presentation unveiled what it believes is the browser of the future, Firefox Junior, which it built for the iPad.
Firefox Junior is a full screen browser with no toolbar, search bar or omnibox. Instead, the app navigates with two transparent buttons on either side of the screen, located near one’s thumbs that let you go back or open a new page.
The right button, which has a plus sign, opens a page that lets you search for a new page or URL, contains thumbnails of your favorite sites or lets you see other sites you recently visited.
If you swipe to the left, you get another page that looks like the browser’s home page, with thumbnails for separate user accounts and the main Firefox logo.
Mozilla has said this project is still in prototype mode. This means it could quite a while before you and I get to use the app.
READ MORE
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-mozilla-firefox-junior-ipad-20120618,0,4367754.story
Have you ever been sitting on a “pile of cash”? How long did it take you to decide what to do with it? Psh. It doesn’t matter. You never had 97 Billion dollars in reserves, like technology conglomerate and design masters Apple. Yep, you heard it right. building for cheap, and selling for what a lot consider high has made Apple this unbelievable amount of cash reserve. You really need to think Scrooge McDuck’s money bin.
This is quite a bog deal in the technology, and sales/retail industry in general. Tomorrow morning, bright and early there’s a press conference at 8:00 AM central time that you can listen in on, where Apple CEO Tim Cook, and their CFO Peter Oppenheimer will discuss what they’re gonna do with this big fat bag of cash. Acquiring companies or technology? Passing it out among stockholders? Donating to worthy causes? It has all been speculated, but nothing will be sure until the phone conference. Are you interested in hearing from the mouth of the men themselves where the greenbacks are going? Here’s the info you need to listen in:
The live phone press conference starts at 8am central time/6am pacific.9am eastern. Call (877) 616-0063 toll-free or (719) 219-0041 local. Conference code is #592016. What? You’re too lazy for that? There will be a phone conference “replay” at 10am central time/12pm eastern time, and 8am pacific time at (877) 616-0063 toll-free and (719) 219-0041 local. Punch in 6274937 to listen in on the rebroadcast of the call. Stay tuned for the innovating, and probably surprising decisions!
March 7th, 2012, San Francisco, California Held this year’s Apple press conference, and the rumors that were swirling for weeks prior again turned out to carry a lot of truth. The new iPad was introduced by CEO Tim Cook to the world today, with some expected changes/updates. The tride-and-true glass and aluminum housing with the 9.5 by 7.31 inch screen is still here, but now only 0.37 inches thick. To give you an idea of the thickness, it’s thinner than a compact disc case. All the buttons are where they have been, and still has the 30-pin connector on the bottom.
What really gives you an eye-gasm is the 2048 x 1536 Apple Retina display, which blasts away other tablet and laptop resolution to dust. (You may even be disappointed by your computer screen after a few minutes on the new iPad.) Bluetooth 4.0 with claims of one-touch pair and what’s been said to be battery improvements. The front-faced camera stays the same, and the rear camera steps up to 1080p video recording, and illumination.
A5X Processor now drives the iPad, bringing the faster dual-core to the wafer-thin tablet, and because of the crazy resolution of the Retina display, a quad-core graphics processor. What we’re looking at as the biggest update for the new Pad, is the 4G capability now for those specific models, which will be able to operate on the networks of Verizon Wireless, and/or AT&T. Yes, you heard me. That 21 MB per second HSDPA+ or LTE with Apple power.
Still no card storage, universal connection ports, and the still refusing decision to exclude Adobe Flash support are the dings against this new iPad, but it seems that Apple always tries to take attention away from the constants flubs with these things that every other company provides on their hardware. We understand Apple, that you want to set yourselves apart from the rest, but c’monnn. Here’s the price breakdown:
WI-FI only tablets
16GB/$499.00
32GB/$599.00
64GB/$699.00
WI-FI and 4G provided by Verizon or AT&T
16GB/$629.00
32GB/$729.00
64GB/$829.00
The new iPad come out on March 16th, 2012. Set up your tents.
What is Pinterest.com? It’s a place where women can go and fantasize about being thin, build weddings they don’t have a man for, and pick out shoes that they can’t afford. Yet…there is something quite appealing about being able to lose yourself in the fantasy of what Pinterest has to offer. If you need that extra kick of motivation, just click on the Fitness section and there will be motivational sayings to offer you a boost, pictures of ripped chicks that maybe you will hang up on your wall and even light cooking recipes to help you get on track. Or you can do what many Pinterestites do and just look at Pinterest and imagine you are thin, have motivation, and can cook anything that crosses your mind.
I think one of the many appeals of Pinterest is that it’s a place where you can lose yourself for hours just thinking about the “what if’s” in life. What if I had enough money to buy that million dollar mansion and put that amazing water feature that I don’t need? Well good thing that Pinterest has a picture for that.
It’s Facebook without words. It’s the digital egotistical storybook you have always wanted to flaunt to your friends. It’s the over the top change from saying, “I just had dinner,” on Facebook to I am going to make this four layer cake with snickers frosting in the shape of Cookie Monster and it’s going to be amazing. It’s the perfect website for all of the slackers in life who need something else to eat up their time at work and stave off the boredom of living alone.
I was a Pinterest junkie for about two weeks. Then I realized I had a life that included school, work, friends, family, and my TV. So my new plan of action is to go in with a plan of attack. Similar to what you should do on Black Friday for if you don’t, you end up standing in line for four hours with a cupcake, a broom, two packages of socks, and a DVD player that you don’t need. I now will look for specific recipes or maybe I will try to find an idea for photos to hang on my wall. I won’t go looking at wedding dresses that I don’t need right now, pictures of piercings and tattoos that will never be cool or water features for a mansion I may never own.
On the flip side, the good thing about Pinterest is that it hasn’t been sold to all of the advertisers of the world so you don’t have to worry about the barrage of ads that come along with social media. No pop ups. No click through ads that seem to know exactly what you did and what you have said. I shouldn’t rag on Pinterest too much because they do have really good pictures on there that may inspire you in multiple facets of your life. It did for me. I found these awesome lockets that I would never have found without Pinterest. Did I need them? No. Did they appeal to me? Yes. So maybe there is subconscious advertising on there and I am one of the suckers that are born every minute. And for those suckers, there are apps for the Android market and iphone so you can always get your Pinterest on.
Everything is good in moderation. With the vast expanse of social media like Facebook and Pinterest, you can end up losing your life and waking up like Rip Van Winkle. Don’t know who he is? Pinterest will have a picture of him and someone is updating their status right now on Facebook asking a friend who Rip Van Winkle is.
Digital comics have been as lucrative as the paper issue business model the last few years, with the convenience of staying home, and taking 60 seconds out of your day to buy, and download the books that you love straight to your computer, Android phone, iPad, or iPhone. Saving space for those that have a 200 square foot Manhattan apartment, or a “green” conscious personality, digital comic downloads, just like digital novels or newspapers have been a smack in the face to print media as a whole. Comics however, are going strong on both ends. Diamond Distribution, the “go to” company for national distribution to comic stores, showed numbers last year that people were buying paper books from the brick-and-mortar stores will continue to do so, with some in the mix that will buy both.
Part of the focus of the DC’s “New 52”, also known as re-launch for their continuity, had a large focus on same day digital with their new series, with great success. Marvel’s “Ultimate” line, which is set apart from the Marvel universe continuity is a more contemporary universe, featuring real places, and people, and more of a connection to today’s reader, have been same day digital since early 2011, and their first experiment with the same day digital was with Invincible Iron Man Annual #1 in June of 2010.
Archie Comics was the initial leader in the digital comics market, going same day digital for their entire line in January of 2011, making a real mark by offering them for a dollar less than their print counterparts. If Marvel wants to really take a step forward, that’s the first thing they need to do once their full line goes to the web.
Keep a watch out toward mid-March to start seeing download options for your favorite Marvel characters, or series.
Comicbookjockey is a guy with too many opinions, and too little time. He’s crass and articulate, always has on headphones, talks about nerdy stuff, and cleaning up after himself. Too see and hear more:
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Mobile gaming has become its own defined genre within the last year, with iOS and Android updating constantly, and their respective app stores becoming one of the most popular features for both. A nice stand out mobile game is Zombie Wonderland 2: Outta Time. You control the protagonist, a janitor who moon lights as a zombie slayer that holds his ground against waves of the undead in various places, such as barns, castles, and stores. Keeping the brain-eaters from clawing their way into the building you’re in, there’s also another dynamic to the game play where you have to constantly mop up the gibs and goo that the zombies leave behind (you ARE a janitor, after all).
Developer Xoobis has done an excellent job utilizing the iPhone’s multi-touch capabilities but not without issue, that the developer can’t be faulted for. The touch screen can barely handle all of the interactions of a player tapping a window to board it up, a zombie to shoot it, or a turret to repair it. With so many ways and means of zombie dismemberment and clean up the fun and replay value doesn’t burn out anytime soon. Tell your friends it has style and qualities reminiscent of Call of Duty’s zombie survival maps with a sprinkle of Plants vs. Zombies. You’ll enjoy the madness of keeping the rooms clean where you’re blowing the walking dead to oblivion and curse the limitations of the iPhone’s multi-touch ability, making what feels like a soon to be strong demand for it on the iPad, or portable gaming consoles such as the Nintendo DS, or the Sony PSP or Vita.
Zombie Wonderland 2: Outta Time is available in the App Store on sale for .99 cents for its launch (regular price will be $2.99)
This legal brawl has turned into quite the debacle. I think of Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” video, but the knives are replaced with stacks of paperwork that can give you a pretty nasty cut as well. Samsung and Apple have been locked in a battle full of processors, haptic feedback, and Wi-Fi since April.
The first shot was fired when Apple filed an injunction and suit in federal district court in San Jose, California, stating that Samsung was violating their patents with their Galaxy line of products, including mobile phones, and tablet devices, by blatantly copying the iPad, and iPhone, stating the protection of their design patents, which Apple claims Samsung violated, in a “look and feel” aspect, with the claims that Samsung’s icons, menu, and overall design was too similar to the iPad and iPhone to be considered merely competition, along with claims of violating Apple’s patents that cover engineering of their devices.
This legal challenge was only the beginning of the “whose is bigger” fight that is still going on. The larger picture of this tech war is that more than 20 different cases are open in 10 or more different countries, making this more drawn out and over the top than you can imagine. These lawyers must feel like it’s time to put on armor, and grab swords, and charge at the enemy.
Check the clock, its irony time: Samsung supplies a massive amount of parts for Apple’s devices. The millions, upon millions of Apple devices that are out there, are full of Samsung. See? I told you this was a hell of a battle. Recent rulings in Australia’s high court and in U.S. federal court came out in favor of….Samsung. Australia has given Samsung the go-ahead to sell their challenged devices within their borders. Apple’s lawyers say their appeal is coming, but it may not come soon enough to stop Samsung from capitalizing on their name plastered in the media over the dance of lawsuits, to draw the attention of potential customers, excited to hear that they can either buy the device they’ve been waiting to hear they can, or maybe anti-Apple people that are looking for an alternative.
The U.S. court ruling was likely not influenced by the Australian decision, as judges in this country do not for the most part see rulings from other countries as precedent for our own to be interpreted. Hold it! There’s more!
Samsung has filed its own injunctions, and lawsuits against Apple, specifically in Italy, and France (the home of organ grinders with monkeys, and wine for breakfast). Their paperwork states “Apple has continued to violate our patent rights and free ride on our technology”. Curious, aren’t you? Allow me to alleviate:
Samsung has taken Apple to the dance for the following 3 reasons, that they claim violate their tech patents:
1) Technology that tells a handset what format to send data as
2) The technology that is used to resolve errors when sending text messages
3) The manner in which the device bundles low amounts of data in order to improve efficiency.
Samsung chose to begin their barrage in these two countries for their established rulings, and procedures for telecommunications technology lawsuits and injunctions.
This technology that Samsung is suing over is inherent in ALL mobile devices. They’re kicking rocks at each other, waiting to see either whose shins will hurt more, or the teacher will break it up. Either way, everyone else has gathered around to watch.
Q101.com honors a man who thought outside of the proverbial box, who broke rules, and ignored critics. We find it oddly ironic that the sheer lightening speed with which the world is learning of his passing is due, in large measure, to the devices he helped pioneer, to technologies he helped transform. Steve Jobs and people like him are in no small part responsible for the fact that Q101 is able to live on without a radio transmitter. Think Different Indeed.
Here’s what Cnet is reporting, following by some thoughts from our very own tech/gadget Blogga.
Apple co-founder and Chairman Steve Jobs died today. He was 56.
Jobs had been suffering from various health issues following the seven-year anniversary of his surgery for a rare form of pancreatic cancer in August 2004. Apple announced in January that he would be taking an indeterminate medical leave of absence. Jobs then stepped down as chief executive in late August, citing his inability to “meet my duties and expectations” stemming from his illness.
In a statement, Apple said paid tribute to its one-time leader as ” a visionary and creative genius” adding that the world had “lost an amazing human being.”
“Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple,” the company statement said.
Jobs “died peacefully today surrounded by his family,” the family said in a statement, which went on to thank the “many people who have shared their wishes and prayers during the last year of Steve’s illness” and promise a website for those who wish to offer tributes and memories.
But tributes and memories were already flowing in from political leaders, titans of Silicon Valley industry, and from ordinary Americans.
READ MORE HERE
Source: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/10/05/scitech/main20116338.shtml
Q101 Tech Blogga Comicbookjockey weighs in on the passing of a titan:
I remember being in 5th grade, and sitting in front of a computer with sharp, flat angles-very simple-with the picture of a multi-colored apple on it, playing Oregon Trail, frustrated that my wagon busted a wheel, or my unhelpful family died from Dysentery. Those were my first experiences with an Apple computer. They continued to grow after that. Being a rather “special” child, according to my father, I enjoyed art, games, and especially design. Through high school, and college, I immersed myself into the slowly emerging artistic programs, and capabilities of Apple’s computers, as did a lot of people around the country.
Steve Jobs was born Feb. 24th, 1955. He was raised by his adoptive parents in the city of Cupertino, California, the locale where he decades later started his company.; Of course, it flourished into the powerhouse of simplistic, functional technology it is today. Always one that had to have his hands and mind in everything Apple was doing, his business sense, and work ethic were responsible for things like iTunes, iPods, iPhones, iPads, and the line of desktop and laptop computers that are sold today. Yes, it is true: Apple’s products are more expensive than others, but as an artist, I consider the technology I use an extension of myself, and in itself to reflect my creativity.
The design of Apple’s products is simple: Silver, white, black. As few external pieces as possible. Its software code gives us a simple interface, but complicated enough to make it neigh impossible to contract a virus (I’ve tried).
Jobs carried around a rep of being a workaholic, and settled for nothing less than complete perfection. His was a great example of the “never-give-up” attitude that drives people and business to new heights.
In 2004, he let his employees, and the world know about a battle with pancreatic cancer, even going as far as to undergo a “secret” liver transplant in 2009 during a medical leave of absence. He stepped down from the position of Apple’s CEO in August of this year, but going out on what many see as beyond the top. This last summer, the company that he helped build into what it is, had more cash on hand than the United States Treasury, and was more valuable than Exxon Mobil, and lived, for a brief moment, as the world’s most valuable business.
I learned of Steve Jobs’ passing a matter of minutes before I began writing this, and I won’t lie: I was overcome with emotion for someone that I had never met, but have the utmost respect for. I admire him both for the words I have heard come out of his mouth, as well as for the things he helped create that I use on a daily basis. I did not think, or plan, or make an outline for this at all, I felt that what I feel right now after hearing this saddening news would give me enough focus to put some paragraphs together about a class act in a turtleneck, with a grasp of technology, and design that I can only hope for in time.
RESPECT.
By Q101 Tech Blogga Comicbookjockey, a guy with too many opinions, and too little time. He’s crass and articulate, and enjoys hot sauce, talking about nerdy stuff, and cleaning up after himself. Too see and hear more: The Twitters, The Website, The Blog, The Email
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The iPad has dominated the tablet market for the better part of 2 years now, with its ever-popular trademark Apple style, and operating system, and ease of use and operation. Now, Microsoft is looking to bring Seattle rain on the Cupertino, California labs of Apple with an upcoming piece of what’s labeled as competition, The Samsung Series 7 tablet. With a release date of October 2nd, it is guaranteed to cause more than one spit-take. I’ve got a breakdown of the specs for this iPad challenger, and it’s nothing to sneeze at. Unless you are allergic to reading this article, in which case, you may want to think about getting a tissue.
First off, this smooth operator has a glossy, capacitive 1366 x 768 resolution screen. It’s great for playing back your favorite You Tube videos of kittens. The screen comes in at 11.6 inches, complimented by a front facing 2 megapixel camera with light sensor. And that’s not the only camera on it, with a 3 megapixel rear camera. Also, with a whopping 1.6 GHZ Core i5 processor, given a helping hand by 4 GB of ram, and a 64 GB solid state drive, which is a type of hard drive that does not have any moving parts. They are faster than your average disc-storage hard drives, but lack the technology currently to have massive storage space, and are not recommended for powerful applications or programs, but are perfect for tablet computing. It also has your typical on-screen keyboard, and a very interesting handwriting application. Finished off by Wi-Fi, a USB 2.0 port, and a micro HDMI port, this tablet is a shockingly powerful piece of hardware.
What’s Making It Work?
Out of the box on the scheduled October 2nd release date, the Series 7 will be running Windows 7. But, that’s not what this was built for.
At the recentMicrosoft Build conference the big thing that had the 5,000 attending developers ready to crap their pants with excitement, was that each and every one of them got a Samsung Series 7 slate, with Windows 8 on it. For free to all the attendees. Now, Windows 8 does not have an official release date yet, rumors are late this year, early next year.
As you can see from the video, Microsoft is making a huge push for multi-touch interfacing, and “touch tiles”, and those 2 things are perfect for tablet computing.
Are you antsy for Windows 8? Can’t wait to get your mitts on it? Well, search no further! What appears to be some of the developers from the Build conference have decided to cash in on tech nerds, and compulsive 1st to own people, by putting a few of the tablets they were given at the conference on E-Bay. A few with bids in the $2,000 dollar range, and then there are a few with a reserve of $3,500 dollars.
Of course, I would not suggest for you to sell your car, your stamp collection, or your wife to buy one of these tablets on E-Bay. Sure, it would be great to be the only person you know, or look at on the street to have it, but wait! I have a simpler, cheaper solution for you, sitting there, reading this, sweating with anticipation…….
Go buy the Samsung Series 7 Slate when it’s released to the public for $1099.99, and then go home, giggle yourself dizzy opening the box and setting it up for the first time. Once you’re done flailing around like a Christmas morning child, go to Microsoft directly and download the free developer’s version of Windows 8. Heed the warnings, however. It IS A BETA. That means it might not be stable, and you’re using it at your own risk, and with risk to your current hardware, and operating system. Please don’t take this warning as something to be feared, just cautious. It CAN happen, not WILL. That’s why it’s a beta.
This looks like direct competition for Apple’s hold on the tablet market, as Android goes head-to-head with the iPhone. Will the bright and colorful touch interface of Windows 8, combined with the massive mobile power of the Series 7 slate, knock the iPad down a peg? We’ll see. I’m ready to see the tale of the sales a few months from now. Are you?
By Q101.com Tech & Gadget Blogga Comicbookjockey
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