Fresh Apple: GigaOM (16 сообщений)

rss2email.ru

Блог об IT, технике и путешествиях

Вокруг ТВ. Светская хроника

Блог о здоровье и долголетии

Глум над рекламой и брендами

GigaOM

http://gigaom.com
рекомендовать друзьям >>

NaNoWriMo Writing Tools for the iPad
National Novel Writing Month, or, National Stop Procrastinating and Write Month, is soon upon us. This year marks the first time the iPad is available during the prose-fest. Writing tools are near and dear to my heart, because the time spent researching and writing about said tools is a fantastic way to avoid actually writing my fiction. With that in mind, I'm going to take a look at writing tools I’ve found that are suited for NaNo.

I’ve laid down a few criteria. To be considered, an app must easily sync or transfer natively with a cloud service (I'm assuming you're going to be doing the bulk of your writing at home, and the iPad is the "writing at lunch" option). Since the goal for NaNo is to churn out 50,000 words, the app should have a word count feature, although there are two notable exceptions to this rule that made the cut. Finally, the app needs to be able to work both on- and offline.

I’m going to make a few observations on my time with each program, and you’ll see which I prefer. If word counts aren't all that important to you, check out our roundup of office suite apps here.

Pages ($9.99): Pages is the best option if you're also using iWork and have a MobileMe subscription. Pages for the iPad can natively save and download via MobileMe iDisk, but not Dropbox. Pages on the iPad is my choice when what I'm writing needs to look professional. It gets my nod as a NaNo candidate because it has a word count feature, is stable, and easily transfers documents via MobileMe.

Documents to Go ($9.99): Documents to Go connects to darn near anything: iDisk, Dropbox, Google Docs, and Box.net. One thing I've never liked about Docs to Go is the lack of margins on each side of the screen. I'm just so used to them that it messes up my mojo when they’re not there.

Elements ($4.99): Elements is a pretty neat program that automatically syncs with your Dropbox\elements folder on launch and exit. It's just a plain text editor, but for NaNo that's all you need; in fact, almost all my writing is done in plain text these days. The app is also universal, so you can write on your iPhone, too.

PlainText (Free): PlainText is the one of two exceptions to the word count requirement. The reason for this is when PlainText syncs to Dropbox, it's the only current one I've seen that allows for subfolders in its Dropbox directory. This is important because the NaNo version of Scrivener for OS X that was just released (currently a preview copy; goes on sale Nov. 1) allows you to sync Scrivener projects to a Dropbox folder. Because each project in synced into its own folder, PlainText can then access the file for editing. When you load Scrivener, it imports the changes. Scrivener is my daily driver for writing. Almost everything I write goes through Scrivener, so the ability to write on the road with PlainText and easily get the edits back into Scrivener is a bonus.

Simplenote (Free): This is the second exception to the word count rule. While at its core, Simplenote is a note taking app, it's also a handy way to throw gobs of text around different applications. Now, I'm not going to suggest you crank out all 50k words in Simplenote. However, since it syncs between all your iDevices and a web portal, it's a fantastic way to bang out copy on your commute, sync it to the web portal and cut and paste it into your active document.

iPad Writing Tips and Tricks

I had a day recently where not much writing was done. In the Good Intentions category, I planned on writing while watching the first game of the World Series using my iPad on the couch. Yeah, right.

Writing on the iPad I've found requires more attention to ergonomics than a laptop. A laptop I can sit in my recliner and type with, but I've had poor success with that using my iPad. I have the best success with propping the iPad up, either with a pillow in a comfy chair or in bed. On a hard surface, I have much better results, even just using the virtual keyboard. I've banged out a few thousand words using the virtual keyboard when I've had to.

While it may seem redundant, I also keep my Apple Bluetooth keyboard in my bag. I'm considering getting either a Scosche folio case, or the Compass iPad stand. I've found the Apple case is okay for typing in landscape mode, but it's useless if I want to prop it up to use an external keyboard — it's just way too tippy. The Apple keyboard is great for when I really need to bang out some prose but don't want to lug my MacBook with me.

Now you’re armed for NaNoWriMo, but that doesn’t make the task any less intimidating. The only way to do it is to dive in and give it your best shot.

Related content from GigaOM Pro (sub req'd):
Переслать
iPad 2: A Clearer Picture of What to Expect
New rumors are circulating that the next iPad will have front- and back-facing cameras, and FaceTime. We looked at what you might expect from the iPad 2 back in August, but in the intervening months, much has come to light that paints a different picture.

With more competitors entering the fray, Apple will have to really impress to maintain its commanding lead when it does introduce a new model. The next iPad will deliver more of what users want, and it’ll pick up a few tricks from its nearest Mac relative, the MacBook Air.

All-in on FaceTime

Apple will bring front and back cameras to the iPad. Even if the reports about OmniVision’s contract for image sensors for both a 5-megapixel rear and VGA front-facing camera hadn’t surfaced, I’d be sure of this. The cameras are a definite upgrade incentive for first-gen iPad owners, but they also expand the reach of FaceTime and bolster Apple’s mobile video standing.

Many will object that the rear-facing camera isn’t as much of a certainty, especially if Apple just wants people to use video calling, but I think we’ll see it. It’ll draw in users who don’t already have an iPhone or iPod touch for mobile video, and besides, the ability to switch between views is something Apple really pushed in its FaceTime-based iPhone marketing campaigns. It’s a key differentiator, and Apple wants users to have it on all mobile platforms.

More Ports

If there’s one thing Apple hates, it’s slots, knobs and buttons marring the edges of its machines. Still, some are predicting more of those for the next iPad. Goldman Sachs analysts say the iPad 2 will get mini-USB, and Mission:Repair says the iPad will have two dock connectors so it can be docked in either portrait or landscape mode.

The mini-USB thing just isn’t going to happen. Apple has too much invested in the dock connector for now, and I think if they ever do replace it, it’ll be with a micro-dock connector or some other proprietary tech. I do think two 30-pin ports makes sense. From a UX perspective, the lack of a second dock connector is probably the thing I find most frustrating about the iPad. It’s a minor annoyance, but it annoys so frequently that I can see Apple addressing it.

New Case

The case will get an update, though it probably won’t be a dramatic one, like what we saw with the iPhone 4. Instead, look to the example of the iPod touch and the MacBook Air, arguably the iPad’s spiritual “parents,” for what’s coming next for the physical design of the iPad.

We’ll see a slimmer and lighter iPad, made possible by new tech introduced in the MacBook Air, including a low-profile camera unit and better battery tech. The aluminum back will stay, unless Apple’s patent for nitride coatings for stainless steel has already borne fruit, since that would allow better communication from the iPad’s various antennas.

More Power

The A4 powering will remain, but it’ll get a speed bump. We’ll probably see a 1.5GHz version, and we’ll definitely get at least 512MB of RAM to bring the iPad up to par with the iPhone 4. I’m thinking speed and performance will be what Apple focuses on to distance itself from BlackBerry and other competitors, since it has a head start in this arena with its own low-power mobile processor design.

The Best Mobile Screen Available

Another focus, and one that Apple will sell much more heavily to consumers, will be the quality of the display. Apple showed with the iPod touch that it was committed to bringing Retina Display technology to devices beyond the iPhone, and it won’t stop there.

Analysts are predicting a Retina Display in the iPad 2, and I agree. By the time the next version is ready for production, costs on the tech should’ve come down considerably thanks to lessons learned with the iPhone 4 and iPod touch, and I bet even with the size increase, there won’t be a problem with margins. Apple’s introduction of higher res screens in the MacBook Air is a good indication of where its priorities lie.

More Storage

Another inheritance the MacBook Air will pass on to the iPad 2 is greater storage capacity. As Apple boosts mobile storage to further its efforts with Apple TV and AirPlay, and as flash prices continue to drop, 128GB will be an option with the next lineup. More storage will also be important as more and more people opt to take their video files with them on the go.

Related content from GigaOM Pro (sub req'd):
Переслать
Have Some Halloween Photo Fun with Your iPhone
Want to add some social mobile fun to this Halloween? How about taking some of the snapshots you’re taking with your iPhone or iPod touch, and turning them into cartoon avatars for Facebook and Twitter? The process is easy, and all you need are a few apps.

Take and Enhance the Photo

Once you have your photo, perform all of the necessary cropping and color adjustments in one of the many image editors available. For this step in the process I’ve always used Photogene (iTunes link, $1.99). Photoshop Express is a good free alternative. In Photogene, I auto adjust the colors and utilize a filter to sharpen the image. This sharpening helps out when the photo is converted into a drawing.

I then crop the image, depending on what I want to use it for. If I’m creating an avatar for IM apps, I will typically use a 1:1 ration when cropping. If you just want this for a photo to post on someone’s wall, I find a 2:3 ratio works best. Be sure to save the image back to the photo library before continuing.

Make a Black and White Drawing of the Photo

The second step in the process is to create a black and white pencil drawing of the image. To do this, I use ToonPAINT (iTunes link, $1.99). This app has the ability to fine ‘toon’ the results by adjusting what it refers to as the Edges, Gray and Black of the image. I’ve found that after making these adjustments, a final tap of the Soften button produces the best result. From here, just save the image back to the photo library. Don’t bother testing out your finger painting skills, color will be added next.

Add Color with Layers

The best way to add the color back to the black and white pencil drawing created by ToonPAINT is with your favorite layer-based painting app. For this step, I recommend the New Yorker approved classic, Brushes (iTunes link, $4.99). In Brushes, create a new drawing and immediately edit the layers of the drawing. For the background layer, choose the original photo. On top of that place the black and white drawing of the photo. In Brushes, you can set the alpha of the backgrounds which will allow the layers to blend with one another. By adjusting the alpha of the top layer to 70 percent, just enough of the colors from the bottom layer will bleed through.

Share Postcards Online

Sharing your masterpiece is the final step. There’s a special Halloween version of Rogue Sheep’s Postage app (iTunes link) available for $.99. This app will allow you to frame the resulting image in a variety of available postcard styles. Select the postcard, insert the image, type a message and select email, Facebook or Twitter as the means to share the final artwork.

There are certainly several variations on this theme, as different combinations of apps can be strung together to make a different workflow. Adding Color Splash (iTunes link) just before applying the color with brushes will make certain elements in the cartoon version of the photo really pop. You could even tie together several completed images using an app like Diptic (iTunes link). Whichever workflow and whatever series of apps you choose to string together, it’s a fun way to shake up your online routine.

Related content from GigaOM Pro (sub req'd):
Переслать
Apple Moves Into Fourth in Global Mobile Phone Sales
Jumping past Research in Motion, Apple has entered the top five in global mobile phone sales, trailing only Nokia, Samsung, and LG. Number four may not count for much in the realm of professional sports, but it means a lot in the technology business.

Last week, TheAppleBlog discussed Apple's climb to number two in the global smartphone battle. In a report released yesterday by research firm IDC, we learned Apple is moving up the ladder in the broader cellphone category worldwide, too.

Kevin Restivo, senior research analyst with IDC, says “The entrance of Apple to the top 5 vendor ranking underscores the increased importance of smartphones to the overall market. Moreover, the mobile phone makers that are delivering popular smartphone models are among the fastest growing firms…Vendors that aren’t developing a strong portfolio of smartphones will be challenged to maintain and grow market share in the future.”

Don't forget that Apple has only been manufacturing phones since 2007 and, in that time, has achieved market dominance with only one or two models on sale at once. With the iPhone's release in 17 different countries in the past quarter alone, it’s set to push that progress even further. Nokia still has a huge lead, but it is eroding.

According to IDC, Nokia dropped over 4 percentage points to 32.4 percent market-share, and LG electronics missed its shipment goal by double digits. Samsung is the only company ahead of Apple that experienced growth during the quarter.

Reception issues that spurred a product-wide free case program not only weren't enough to slow down iPhone 4 sales, but seem to be a minor blip looked at from the vantage point of today. Apple continues to be the leader of the pack in design and product growth, despite occasional flaws and constant challenges from other strong contenders.

Related content from GigaOM Pro (sub req'd):
Переслать
Fortune Confirms Verizon iPhone
Fortune magazine today has joined the cavalcade of mainstream media outlets which have confirmed that a Verizon iPhone is in fact a certainty. It’s coming in 2011, according to Fortune, which joins the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal with its confirmation and news of the early 2011 release date.

Fortune confirmed the rumor today in an article focused on Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg, but used the yet-to-be-released phone, and the impact it could have on Verizon as a company as a lead-in. Apple fans hungry for iPhone network options will want to direct their attention to the end of the first paragraph, where the magazine offers: “Fortune has confirmed that a Verizon iPhone will be released in early 2011.” It doesn’t mention a source or sources.

If there’s someone whispering in the ear of major players like the WSJ, the NYT and now Fortune, which is part of CNNMoney, then you can bet it’s not a rogue source crossing Jobs and risking firing or worse to do so. It’s a calculated leak designed to whet the appetite of American consumers, though when it comes to a Verizon iPhone, people are already famished enough.

Related content from GigaOM Pro (sub req'd):
Переслать
Mac 101: Window Management in OS X
Moving from Windows to the Mac is a big change, and can be a little disconcerting at first. A friend of mine described the feeling akin to being "underwater." One of the biggest differences between the platforms is in how windows are managed.

On Microsoft Windows, the application is the window, and you can use either alt-tab, win-tab, or the task bar to switch between windows. On the Mac, there are three main ways to manage windows, here's a rundown of each, and how to use them to play up the strengths of OS X.

The Dock

The first way most new users to the Mac try to manage windows is the Dock. Clicking on a running applications icon in the Dock will bring that application's windows to the front, which works great for apps that are only using a single window.

If, however, you have multiple windows open at once, like several TextEdit windows for example, clicking on the TextEdit icon will bring all of the windows to the front, which may not be exactly what you want.

The trick to using the Dock to manage windows is by clicking and holding on an icon. This will trigger Exposé in "Application Windows" mode, hiding all other applications and thumbnailing all of the open windows for that application. Then you can just click on the window you want to come to the front.

Exposé

Now that you've seen one part of Exposé in action, it's time to see how the rest of it works. Open up System Preferences and click on "Exposé and Spaces". You can think of this part of the preferences as the command center for managing windows.

At the top is "Active Screen Corners", followed by keyboard shortcuts. Make note of the function key set for "All windows;" on mine it's F3 to match my Apple Bluetooth keyboard. Open up a few different applications (it helps if one is a movie), and press F3. In one smooth animation, all of the open windows will shrink into thumbnails, with open windows at the top, and minimized windows at the bottom. From here you can click on any window you like to bring it to the front. If there are still too many windows open, you can press the tab key to cycle between the windows of running applications.

Having a function key is great, but too often I find that I need to look down at my keyboard to find the right key. That's where the Active Screen Corners come in. Each corner of the screen can activate a function of window management. I always assign the bottom left corner of my screen to activating Exposé for All Windows, and the bottom right to Desktop. Then I put my Dashboard in the top right corner, and leave the top left blank. This gives me super quick access to all of my windows, widgets, and files I'm working with on my desktop.

You can also drag files into Exposé. For example, here's a common workflow I run into all the time. To get a file from my desktop into a window open in the background, I'll flick my mouse pointer to the bottom right corner to show the desktop. Then, I'll drag the file to the bottom right hand corner to activate Exposé. Finally, while still dragging the file, I'll select the window I want to bring it to the front, and then drop the file onto the window. Super easy, and super useful, once you get used to it.

Spaces

If, however, you still find yourself drowning in windows, or you just like to keep things clean and organized, you can enable Spaces. Spaces gives you extra desktops to work with. The default number of spaces is four, but you can assign up to sixteen. Personally, I'm normally happy with just two. I'm a developer, so I work in Xcode all the time. Some development tools, like Interface Builder, open up several windows, and can clutter up the screen quickly. So it's nice to keep Xcode and Interface Builder in separate spaces. I always assign the CMD+Arrow Keys to switch between the spaces, and F8 to activate the spaces overview.

Once in the spaces overview, you can activate Exposé to see all of your windows, in all of your spaces.

Exposé, Spaces, and the Dock are the three main elements for window management. You can also use CMD-tab to switch between applications, or optionally, check out a third-party application like Witch that can give your keyboard even more control. If you’re new to the Mac, I hope this article helped, if you are experienced and think I missed something, feel free to mention it in the comments.

Related content from GigaOM Pro (sub req'd):
Переслать
Apple Beats Microsoft's Third Quarter Revenue
Apple keeps taking things away from Microsoft. First, it was smartphone market share, knocking down poor Windows Mobile. Then, it was size as measured by market capitalization, with Apple moving into second in May. Now, it’s quarterly revenue.

Apple made more than Microsoft during the last calendar quarter with a $20.34 billion quarter, as it announced last week, while Microsoft announced its total of only $16.20 billion just today. It’s still a record quarter for Microsoft, up 25 percent from last year, and Microsoft has higher profit margins because it remains a software-focused company, but the achievement is noteworthy nonetheless.

It’s the first time since Steve Jobs’ return to the company that Apple has beaten Microsoft in revenue, so I’m sure Ballmer and Co. are taking note. The margin by which Apple won is a big one, too, and though many predicted Cupertino would make more than Redmond at some point this year, few anticipated such a large gap so early.

Will new products like Windows Phone 7 and Xbox Kinect help Microsoft regain some of that ground? Time will tell, but Apple’s lead may already be insurmountable.

UPDATE: This article originally stated that it was the first time Apple beat Microsoft in its history. In fact, Apple’s revenue exceeded that of Microsoft until around the mid-90s.

Related content from GigaOM Pro (sub req'd):
Переслать
Review: Kensington KeyFolio Keyboard Case for iPad
I love the iPad, but I don’t always love not having a hardware keyboard at hand. You could carry around Apple’s Bluetooth keyboard, or another alternative, but adding additional devices and giving yourself more to carry around and keep track of sort of defeats the purpose.

That’s why I find the concept of the keyboard case so appealing. Build a Bluetooth keyboard into an iPad case and you have a single-package solution that keeps everything nicely organized on the go. At least, that’s how it works in theory. I was recently able to see if that theory would pan out with the new Kensington KeyFolio for iPad. I’ve been using the KeyFolio with my iPad for a little over a week now. During that time, I haven’t removed the iPad from the case once, so I feel confident I gave it a fair shake.

Build and Design

The Kensington KeyFolio presents a nice face. It looks good, and the fake leather is both animal-friendly and easy on the hands. Some padding means your iPad feels more secure, and the fit and a clever foldback tab ensures the iPad isn’t sliding out anytime soon.

My only problem with the case aspect of the KeyFolio is that my iPad doesn’t screen doesn’t sit in the window quite where it’s supposed to. The top of the screen is right to the edge of the window, while there’s extra room at the bottom, and the home button is almost right at the edge of the groove provided for it. It’s close enough that it works, but for the absolute perfectionist, it might be annoying.

The keyboard is the one we saw from an FCC filing towards the end of summer. In fact, the KeyFolio is the KeyCase rebadged by Kensington for the U.S. market. At least one other manufacturer is using the same keyboard part for sure, and Sena was supposed to, but has since removed the case from its list of offerings.

It’s around 90 percent the size of a full keyboard, like you’ll find on most netbooks. It has rubberized keys to prevent damage from spillage, and to prevent the keyboard itself from harming the iPad screen in any way. It’s a weird feeling, but it makes for quiet typing. I did find that once in a while I’d get double-presses because of how sensitive the keys were, though.

Function

Connecting the iPad to the keyboard is a breeze; just flick the hardware switch on the case to “on” and press the connect button. Go into your Bluetooth preferences in your iPad’s Settings, and pair the device there. You’ll have to type a code on the keyboard followed by “Enter,” but that’s it.

Once you’re paired, the keyboard should simply work. I say “should” because I encountered some hiccups. Sometimes, the keyboard would drop and regain the connection without warning, which would pop up the on-screen keyboard briefly. A manual on/off reset using the switch usually fixed this, though, and it may have been because I was testing iOS 4.2 on the iPad I was using. Either way, it wasn’t a big enough problem that it would cause me not to use the case.

You don’t have to manually turn off the keyboard unless you want it to not connect, since it sleeps after a period of disuse. Battery life is said to be around 100 days in standby mode, or 90 hours of actual usage. It takes around four or five hours to charge. I haven’t managed to burn through a charge yet, so I think the claims are pretty accurate.

The way the case folds for typing is perfect, in my opinion. It takes up very little space, and even provides a stable enough base that you can use it on your lap without an additional support surface. It only provides one viewing angle, but in my usage I felt no desire to adjust, no matter where I was using it.

Highs

I grew to love using the KeyFolio. I often use my iPad primarily as a chat client, and that became a lot more pleasant with a hardware keyboard. So did managing my email from the couch, and working with the device on the train and subway to get some serious work done.

Combined with Pages and even blogging sites in Safari, the KeyFolio is a road warrior’s best friend. It isn’t a new MacBook Air (and in fact, it might weigh more than one combined with the iPad), but it’s a lot cheaper even at $100.

Lows

There were the rare connection issues I mentioned, but there’s also the keyboard itself, which requires some getting used to. There’s no shift key on the right, and if you happen to use the apostrophe key a lot, which I apparently do, you have to train your fingers to look down below the period key. I actually picked up the trick pretty quickly, but it’s still a bit of a pain.

Finally, keeping your iPad in the case does take away a bit from its own design benefits. It’s heavier, and harder to use as a tablet. I found turning off the keyboard and folding it behind worked fine, but it still didn’t feel as good as using the iPad on its own. Also, you’re stuck with landscape mode when you’re using the keyboard, something which didn’t trouble me as much as I would’ve thought.

Verdict

The Kensington KeyFolio may seem a tad expensive at $99.99, but consider that most iPad folio cases cost around $50 on their own. That means you’re really only paying an extra $50 for the Bluetooth keyboard. Even Apple’s own will cost you $70. I recommend it, especially if you’re someone who likes to work with their iPad while travelling, or you just want your tablet to be even more of a laptop replacement. The KeyFolio isn’t yet available, but you can pre-order yours from Kensington’s site.

Disclosure: The Kensington KeyFolio tested was provided by the manufacturer for testing and review purposes.
Loading
NextPrevious
Picture 1 of 5
keyfolio-large

Related content from GigaOM Pro (sub req'd):
Переслать
The Next Big Wave in iPhone Accessories
Generally speaking, I buy accessories for my mobile devices either to protect them, or to improve their usability. For the iPhone, that’s led to a number of different case purchases (same with the iPad, incidentally). Now I find myself searching for a new kind of supplementary hardware, and I’m not alone.

I’m talking about accessories that extend my iPhone’s video capabilities. The iPhone 4 shoots HD video, as does the latest generation iPod touch. But that’s only half the story. The other half is FaceTime, which just got a major user boost thanks to the introduction of an app for Macs.

The Demand is Here

The success of startup efforts like the Kickstarter-backed Glif, which is a universal tripod mounting bracket for the iPhone 4, shows that people desperately want good solutions when it comes to taking advantage of the iPhone’s improved photographic and video capabilities.
Thomas Gerhardt and Dan Provost, the creators of the Glif, exceeded their Kickstarter goal of $10,000 early on in the funding, and now have more than 12 times that amount pledged. If you pledge $20 before Nov. 2, you get a Glif when it goes into active production, so if you’re looking for a tripod mount for your device, it’s an affordable solution.

Major Players are Missing the Boat

Joby is a good example of a company missing the boat by not providing an updated solution specifically for Apple’s latest devices. The Gorillamobile for iPhone 3G/3GS was great, and anticipated the curve, but now when it stands to gain the most, the accessory maker is behind. Even experienced players are slow to react with this latest opportunity to capitalize on Apple’s success.

What Will Succeed

Users will want a flexible mounting solution that lets them use FaceTime on the move, at home, wherever they happen to be. This could mean cases with integrated stands and clips, something which will be popular with the crowd that prefers an all-in-one solution. I’ve just received the Marware SportShell Convertible for iPhone 4, which is a worthy successor to the version for the 3GS, the only case I ever used for any length of time. Right on the package it touts the clip/stand as the perfect FaceTime solution.

FaceTime Is a Long-Term Play

Once the iPad joins the list of devices with FaceTime support, the service will gain even more traction. Video calling will have a slow adoption curve among consumers because it’s so different from what we’re used to. Text messaging adoption in the U.S. was the same way (check out the very bottom of this Mashable infographic). Most new communication technologies are initially greeted with skepticism.

Video is the future of mobile, and that means recording, watching and communicating in that medium. Accessories that anticipate that future will have the most lasting power in the mobile economy. Let’s see iPhone cases that clip to monitors, tabletop tripods and flexible stands, and some accessories that take advantage of the dock port to provide external mics for video recording or live previews to external monitors. Demand is there; it just hasn’t found its voice yet.

Related content from GigaOM Pro (sub req'd):
Переслать
CDMA iPhone Order Suggests Imminent Verizon Launch
For those waiting for the Apple/Verizon wedding, today’s release of the iPad on that network could be seen as the engagement. But, how long until these companies finally join forces to deliver what we’ve all been waiting for: iPhone carrier choice in the U.S.?

As usual, we’ve been hearing more and more rumors, such as the Wall Street Journal’s report earlier this month that the iPhone 4 would begin production before year’s end. But, as the Apple faithful know, when the rumors increase to a tidal wave, we’re getting close.

Now, we’re hearing that the long-awaited CDMA versions of the iPhone have already been ordered. A recent report from the Taiwan Economic News indicates that Hon Hai (Foxconn) and Pegatron are sharing the production burden evenly for a projected 15 million units each.

Those of you who’ve been holding out, whether from distrust of AT&T or desire to stay with Verizon, may get your wish before Apple’s annual iPhone hardware refresh. With Apple’s move away from AT&T (and GSM) exclusivity, you have to wonder how long it’ll be until the iPhone is sold simply as a standalone device, allowing the user to choose any provider.

UPDATE: As commenters have rightly pointed out, while the iPad is available for use with Verizon’s network, it requires a Verizon MiFi device and must connect using Wi-Fi. It can’t natively support Verizon 3G with its internal antenna, since that network is CDMA, not GSM.

Related content from GigaOM Pro (sub req'd):
Переслать
Apple's 10-K Filing Reveals Exciting Product Potential in 2011
The details of Apple’s 10-K filing for 2011 include an increased employee headcount, higher capital expenditure targets, and a decrease in its gross margin, for the second year in a row. Is this a mix that promises another year as innovative as was 2010?

Apple made its annual regulatory filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission Wednesday. It said gross margins will fall again in 2011, just as they did in 2010, “due to a higher mix of new and innovative products,” and predictions of higher prices for components and other production-related costs.

It said much the same thing last year; 2010 brought the introduction of the iPad, possibly Apple’s biggest gamble of the past decade when viewed from the vantage point of Dec. 2009. No wonder they expected gross margins to fall.

This time around, what might account for the same worry? The iPad is a winner, as will be its successor, and one would assume that the next iteration will be evolutionary, not revolutionary, so margins should go down. Same with the iPhone and its next iteration, though Apple might shake things up in that arena to get rid of the stigma of the antenna problems that plagued its latest smartphone release.

The redesigned MacBook Air, which will affect Apple’s 2011 financial year, could account for some of those narrower margins, but I think Apple has even more up its sleeve if it sees the gross margin percentage dropping below levels of a year when it launched a brand new product category. Maybe we’ll see changes as dramatic as the MacBook Air’s new internals come to the rest of the notebook line, or another new device category to extend the reach of iOS further still.

One other noteworthy element of the filing is Apple’s prediction regarding capital expenditure. The company plans to spend $4 billion in 2011, with $600 million of that earmarked for new brick-and-mortar retail. Plans for new stores include between 40 and 50 new locations, more than half of which will be located outside the U.S.

While 2010 is a tough act to follow, the next year should be another big one for Apple, especially as the Android-iOS battle heats up. What do you see it planning for 2011?

Related content from GigaOM Pro (sub req'd):
Переслать
Excel 2011: You Do the Math
Microsoft has released Office 2011 for the Mac, and we’ve already looked at the new versions of PowerPoint and Word in the suite. Now it’s Excel’s turn. How does the updated spreadsheet program compare to the dismal reputation of its predecessor?

In the interest of full disclosure, I'm not what you'd call an Excel power user. I use it for general invoicing, some light data analysis and general spreadsheet stuff. I recently had to perform an extensive document review, and Excel was the easiest way to track what the current state of each document was, and sort it based on criteria. I've never dealt much with pivot tables, and only occasionally missed VB macros. Disclaimer aside, here’s what I thought of the new version:

Look and Feel

Excel 2011 brings in the ribbon interface. As I mentioned in my look at Word 2011, I actually like it. The Windows version of the ribbon I found to be much more panic-inducing because it pretty much gets rid of all the menu bars. Not so on OS X; you get to have your cake and eat it, too.

The ribbon actually takes up less overall room than its equivalent in Excel 2008. The screenshot below shows the Excel 2008 on the left, and Excel 2011 on the right. You can also minimize the ribbon by single-clicking on a tab header. If you don’t like it, you never even have to see the thing. It’s definitely nice to have the option, either way.

Show Me The Money: Getting Your Work Done

Overall, Excel 2011 feels much more responsive than 2008. For starters, I can now launch the app without being able to microwave popcorn before it fully loads. I did notice some sluggishness when it loaded the template chooser, but you can easily skip that screen. Speaking of templates, while I found the supplied Word templates weren’t that special, I was impressed with those supplied in Excel. There are a few (invoices and general finance) I can actually use, a first for Office.

One interesting new feature is Sparklines. Basically, Sparklines is a handy way to trend data. In the screenshot below, we're tracking quarterly sales by region. The in-cell chart is a Sparkline showing the trending data. We can tell at a glance that the Boston region is doing quite well, while the manager of the Los Angeles region might want to shop his resume. You can set a Sparkline to be a line, bar, or win-loss chart. I can see using it to trend my freelance business.

Conditional formatting is much improved in 2011. Put simply, conditional formatting allows you to set rules to highlight cells that meet a given criteria. Keeping with the sales data, I can set up a condition to highlight any cell with a number less than 100.

There's a couple of weird gotchas, though. When I opened the document review spreadsheet I mentioned earlier, I wanted it to show me documents that had been modified during a specific date range. While you can choose "dates occurring" from a pull-down, it's a fairly narrow range. Instead, I had to set the cell data range in a separate pulldown. It'd be nice if there was an option to set that range right in the "dates occurring" section. Still, the older version of Excel was much more limited, so these improvements are welcome.

One cause for complaint in the new version of Excel is the lack of support for Snow Leopard services. In my Word article, I mentioned how happy I was that Word handled these well, but sadly, the same can’t be said for Excel 201. Highlighting a section of text and choosing Services just gives you a grayed-out "No services apply." I believe this is due to the Carbon underpinnings of Excel, as it seems Services require the app to be programmed in Cocoa. Whatever the reason, it's a shame it's not in there.

Back to the Macro

Thankfully, Visual Basic macros are back. As I said, I've never been a big VB user, but the lack of them really messed up Windows compatibility. While I never created them, I'd get enough spreadsheets containing them to shake my fist in Redmond's direction whenever I tried to open sheets in Excel 2008. It’s nice to see things are back to normal.

Closing the Books

I'm pretty happy with Excel 2011. The interface is cleaner, and I didn't notice some of the slowdowns other reviewers have mentioned, but the largest sheet I opened was about 1000 lines. Sparklines, corny name aside, seems like a good, albeit situational feature. I'm happier with the improvements to conditional formatting. The big reason to upgrade, though, is the return of Visual Basic macros. It’s hard to praise that return too much, though, since it really feels like we’re paying a premium just to get an old feature back.

Related content from GigaOM Pro (sub req'd):
Переслать
Word 2011: The Word I've Been Waiting For
Word 2008 quickly fell out of favor with me. It consistently crashed on exit. It was horribly slow, and struggled to keep up with itself. If Word 2011 did nothing more than feel faster and crash less often, I'd consider it money well spent. But Microsoft went beyond that with the new version, just as it did with PowerPoint.

New Features

The Office suite has been criticized for being bloated, but I'm reminded of the old adage "You can only please some of the people some of time." Or, in software terms, "One person's bloat is another person's critical feature."

Take the return of Visual Basic macros. Reviewers are praising its return from the mountaintops, but I've never used the feature and didn't miss it. However, the addition of an equation editor while I'm the midst of my first algebra class in 20 years has me positively giddy.

An academic annoyance that's not Microsoft's fault is that EndNote, a popular citation management program, isn't yet compatible with Word 2011. While Word does have its own citation manager, I’d rather see EndNote support, as it can connect to my university's library and grab all the relevant information.

The Ribbon

The ribbon interface from the Windows version also makes its appearance in Word 2011, although there was a sort-of-proto-version in Word 2008. Much wailing and gnashing of teeth has occurred since the announcement, but after finally getting my hands on, I find it helpful. You can easily make it go away with one click, but I don't recommend it; spending some time figuring it out will pay dividends in increased productivity later.

My biggest complaint with the ribbon is, oddly, that not everything is on it. Word 2011 has a nice full screen view — similar to Scrivener's — but it can only be accessed via the View menu. While ribbon-haters may cheer this, it can slow learning down as you stop to check whether something is on the ribbon or not.

Word 2011 ribbon.

Toolbox and Services Integration

Also not fully migrated to the ribbon is the old Toolbox. In Word 2008, the Toolbox was where you'd do a lot of heavy lifting. It’s still there, and it’s where you edit styles and insert citations. While you can right-click on a style in the ribbon to modify it, I found the Windows way of doing things a little more user-friendly.

Snow Leopard's improved Services seemed to catch Word 2008 by surprise. Selected text, for instance, didn't a trigger a text-related Service. Fortunately, that is much improved, as Word 2011 sees text as, well, text. Native support for accessing your iPhoto library is also included. Previously, this required a custom Service to work.

Word 2011 services.

General Usage

Ok, now that we've gotten what's new, different, and the same out of the way, how is Word 2011 in actual usage? Pretty darn good. Word 2008 was so bad an experience for me, I’d switched to Pages. It was faster and more stable, and I don't collaborate enough with Office users for issues to really arise.

However, Pages is also a consumer-level product. My day gig is a technical writer for a large corporation, and there's no way I can do that work in Pages. It's just not equipped for heavy lifting. Another big benefit for work is that Word 2011 can now "paste and match formatting" right from the menu bar. Gone is the need for several mouse clicks to do a simple task.

The only crash I've encountered in my admittedly light testing was a hang up with sharing a document. By now, Word 2008 would’ve thrown several fits. I tend to agree with Gartner Analyst Mike Gartenberg, who tweeted "Totally love the new Office for Mac. Possibly best version of Office. Ever." Given speed advantages alone, Word 2011 is going to be one of my go-to text wranglers. My general plain-text and creative writing will still be done in Scrivener, but all my school and business work will happily go to Word 2011.

A More Versatile Word

I've been very, very impressed with this version. I threw a couple of worst-case documents at it — custom templates with imported Visio documents created on the PC, and a user guide I created with a boatload of graphics — and it didn't hiccup. If, like me, you thought Word 2008 was a blight upon the land, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with Word 2011. If you’re an academic user, with the built-in citation and equation management, Word is clearly the leader here. If you’re using Word for work, then the time saved thanks to speed boosts and fewer crashes will go even further toward justifying the cost.

Related content from GigaOM Pro (sub req'd):
Переслать
Secret iOS Dev Conference to be Held Next Week

The Business Insider is reporting that Apple will host a select group of iOS developers in California next week, beginning Tuesday and running for three days for a special developer summit. The source wasn’t very forthcoming with details, but the central thrust of the conference appears to be improving iOS app quality to better compete with Android.

Apple is supposed to release version 4.2 of iOS in November, so a summit prior to that update makes a lot of sense. For the first time, the iPad, the iPhone and the iPod touch will all share the same version of iOS. A huddle session with Apple’s biggest and brightest will help make sure the transition goes smoothly, and could help inject some fresh energy into the App Store, too.

So far, there’s no list of who’ll be in attendance, but I’m willing to place bets on some likely candidates. EA will almost certainly be present, as will ngmoco or its new parent company, DeNA. Apple will probably give preference to its biggest sellers, and to those smaller companies that have remained committed to developing only for the iOS platform.

What else might be on the agenda? Since Apple’s Mac App Store launch isn’t that far out, I suspect Cupertino might try to get some iOS devs interested in making the leap. That will likely mean demos of the new marketplace, and maybe even attempts to arrange greater cohesion behind company offerings across both iOS devices and the Mac.

Whatever the topics of discussion, it’s clear Apple wants to capitalize on the rapid growth of iOS and extend the capabilities of its devices further still. Hopefully, consumers will soon reap the benefits of this increased level of attention. We’ll keep you updated as more details come to light.

Related content from GigaOM Pro (sub req'd):
Переслать
Report: iPad Is an Enterprise IT Triple-Threat
The enterprise is all over the iPad. RIM can’t put the genie back in the bottle, no matter how hard it tries. But what is it about the iPad that appeals to IT departments and employees alike? Why the sudden shocking proliferation?

Forrester’s Ted Schadler looked at how tablets are making their way into the enterprise in a new report, asking more than 200 companies about their experiences with the iPad (primarily) since January 2010. What they found was both surprising and, in some ways, to be expected.

IT Leads the Charge

First, and most unusual, it looks like the drive to bring the iPad to enterprise isn’t being pushed from the bottom up, as is often the case with new technology adoption at larger companies. Instead, IT departments are stepping up and initiating iPad pilot programs of their own accord. According to Forrester, this time IT doesn’t want to be stuck in the reactionary position of playing catchup, as happened when the iPhone first starting infiltrating the enterprise in a major way.

The numbers reflect this strategy. 30 percent of firms are actively working on tablet apps, while another 43 percent are interested in the devices in some way or another. Considering the newness of tablet tech, those are very high percentages.

How the iPad Is Useful

In the report, Forrester identified three major ways the iPad is working its way into enterprise IT:
- Displacing Laptops. The iPad is a worthy notebook replacement for many, especially for people who use their portables mainly for email and other forms of web-based communication. But for now, the device is mostly appearing in scenarios where it’s more appropriate, so people aren’t ditching their notebooks entirely at the office just yet.
- Replacing Paper. We see this happening in the medical and pharmaceutical industries especially. Anywhere people once had to carry around a stack of paper, basically, is a good place for the iPad to step in. In many cases it’s more portable, and it’s definitely much more flexible .
- New Uses. Where companies may have lacked an efficient way doing something, or at least of doing it in a way that provided instant connection to additional resources and data, the iPad has stepped in to fill the gap. Forrester cites the example of sales floor personnel being able to instantly customize an order with a customer.
The advantages and disadvantages of tablets in enterprise, according to Forrester.

Effect on Business

It’s too early yet to provide solid numbers on the kind of business impact the iPad is having in enterprise, but a few use cases described in the report do point to some pretty significant advantages. One pharmaceutical company, for example, is using iPads to avoid the costs associated with the destruction and reprinting of new marketing materials when changes need to be made, something it’s required to do by the FDA. Sales staff can carry iPads instead of printed materials, so that updates can be issued on the fly, keeping everything current.

The introduction of the tablet isn’t without challenges. Forrester notes that IT will soon be faced with a glut of choice, and recommends prioritizing iOS, Android, and HTML5 first. There’s also the problem of when you can and can’t use an iPad. Office still has only limited support on the device, with no official solution from Microsoft on the horizon.

Problems aside, the iPad is already guaranteed to be a permanent fixture in business. It should provide a way for Apple to heighten the enterprise presence of all of its offerings, since iPad users will want greater cross-platform integration once tablets prove their worth.

Related content from GigaOM Pro (sub req'd):
Переслать
Apple Has Already Won the Flash-HTML5 War
A majority of web video is now HTML5-ready, showing that Apple is winning the day when it comes to how video is delivered online. The amount of video viewable in an HTML player now accounts for 54 percent of all video content on the web.

Переслать