Apple Apologizes for Misstep on Maps - NYTimes.com

Excerpt from an Apple reality check

"Apple has a reputation for obsessive attention to detail in its hardware and software products, down to the beveled edges of the iPhone 5 and the shade of the icons on its screen. But it has stubbed its toe again and again when it comes to releasing reliable, well-designed Internet services. Its less proud moments include Ping, a social network for music that never took off; MobileMe, an error-plagued service for synchronizing data between devices; and, more recently, Siri, the voice-activated virtual assistant that is often hard of hearing."

Apple Apologizes for Misstep on Maps - NYTimes.com

It’s official: News consumption is all about social and mobile — Tech News and Analysis [GigaOM]

All the news that’s fit to read on the run

Anyone who watches the way those around them consume the news, or thinks about their own news consumption habits, is probably well aware of how large a role social networks like Twitter and Facebook now play in the way we get news, and also of how much that consumption is coming through mobile devices. A new report released Thursday by the Pew Center for the People & the Press confirms that both of those trends are large and growing — the study says that the influence of mobile in news consumption has almost doubled since 2010 and the impact of social networks has almost tripled in the same period. Those numbers are even higher for younger users.

http://gigaom.com/2012/09/27/its-official-news-consumption-is-all-about-social-and-mobile/

Windows Phone 8 Windows RT [Supersite for Windows]

Excerpt from a Paul Thurrott snapshot of Windows Phone 8 and Windows RT

"Windows RT is a different animal entirely. Although Microsoft has been careful to keep the wraps on its ARM-based variant of Windows 8, I was able to spend a few days with a Qualcomm Liquid reference design tablet with dock, and I think it’s fair to say I know what’s going on here now. It’s simple: Windows RT is nothing less than a complete rethinking of what Windows can and will be in the future. It’s the future, in the same way that Windows NT was the future in the mid-1990s.
Put another way, Windows RT is the devices-based version of Windows 8. (Or, Windows 8 is the PC-based version of Windows RT.) There are differences, few of which are subtle. Windows RT lacks some Windows 8 desktop features—Windows Media Player and Storage Spaces—and can’t run any non-bundled Windows desktop applications, such as Adobe Photoshop and Visual Studio. But in return, you get a clean new version of Windows that lacks legacy deadwood and the attendant security and reliability issues, has killer battery life, and ships on devices that are silent, thin, and light."

Windows Phone 8 Windows RT

Google Well Poised To Privatize The Web | Inside Google

A controversial strategy

"The watchdog addressed the open letter to ICANN’s board and CEO and other relevant parties. John M Simpson, privacy project director at Consumer Watchdog, said that there are plans by Google and Amazon to buy up enormous amounts of new TLDs. Simpson argues that it is one matter for a company to buy associated domains such as .Google, .YouTube, .Android, .Amazon, or .Kindle, but says that is not what they are looking to do.
Simpson pointed out that Google is using a subsidiary, Charlestone Road Registry, to spend $18.7 million on domain names such as .eat, .buy, .book, .free, .web, and .family, while Amazon has applied for .free, .like, .game, and .shop. They are looking to buy 101 and 76 domain strings respectively."

Google Well Poised To Privatize The Web | Inside Google

BlackBerry Maker Posts a Loss, but Stock Jumps in After-Hours Trading - NYTimes.com

Still a grim RIM outlook

"“It’s about survival now, it’s not about BlackBerry 10,” said Mr. Wu, who is based in San Francisco. “That’s almost secondary. The battle now is staying alive and looking after your current customers. It’s not really clear that their core customers are looking for BlackBerry 10.”
Unless BlackBerry 10 is an exceptional hit, which is far from certain, Mr. Wu said that RIM might be able to continue for only one or two more years. Some analysts had expected that the company would report that subscriber growth had stalled. At a developers’ conference earlier this week, Mr. Heins  said that the number of BlackBerry users had instead grown to 80 million, up from 78 million."

BlackBerry Maker Posts a Loss, but Stock Jumps in After-Hours Trading - NYTimes.com

A New Google App Gives You Local Information -- Before You Ask for It - NYTimes.com

Another "preemptive" Google app/service

"The Field Trip app is a small step in that direction, and an example of what Google is capable of doing. Another is Google Glass, the Internet-connected eyeglass frames with a small screen. With Field Trip, Google is trying to move beyond the first generation of mobile apps, which were not much more than desktop transplants, Mr. Hanke said.
Google wants to “move the device out of your way and put the information front and center,” he said, so people can “scan the environment and know what the Web knows about the places around you.”"

A New Google App Gives You Local Information -- Before You Ask for It - NYTimes.com

Google's Answer to Siri Thinks Ahead - Technology Review

From a Google Now overview

"Google Now also introduces a new trick. It combines the constant stream of data a smartphone collects on its owner with clues about the person's life that Google can sift from Web searches and e-mails to guess what he or she would ask it for next. This enables Google Now not only to meet a user's needs but also, in some cases, to preëmpt them. Virtual index cards appear offering information it thinks you need to know at a particular time."

Google's Answer to Siri Thinks Ahead - Technology Review

iPhone 5 itunes match tracks download via LTE even if set NOT to use cellular data: Apple Support Communities

Kind of a nasty bug in iOS 6, if you have a new iPhone, a lot of music, and use iTunes Match; check the link below for work-arounds until the bug is fixed

"I had exactly the same issue, iTunes was downloading tonnes of tunes from iTunes Match via the Verizon LTE network, even though I had set the settings to not download anything from iTunes over the mobile network. I spoke to a senior tech supervisor (Michael) who said he would elevate this to the engineers - he's going to call me back to let me know the outcome. I will post an update here once I've spoken to him again."

iPhone 5 itunes match tracks download...: Apple Support Communities

Sorry, Google: Why Yahoo Remains Stuck With Microsoft's Bing [ReadWriteWeb]

A Yahoo/Google search scenario reality check

"Allen P. Grunes, a shareholder at Washington D.C. law firm of Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, who worked in the DOJ’s Antitrust Division from 1995 until 2007, said that the same antitrust triggers that attracted the DOJ’s attention four years ago would fire again. He also confirmed the Post’s report.
“I meant that if it [Yahoo] tried to resurrect the agreement, it would be investigated again,” Grunes said in an email. “And since the market conditions haven't changed much if at all, the outcome would likely be the same. In other words, if Yahoo went over to Google, it would be an invitation for a lawsuit.”"

Sorry, Google: Why Yahoo Remains Stuck With Microsoft's Bing

Barnes & Noble Now Hiring Windows 8 Engineers For New Nook Devices - The Digital Reader

Apparently not in a rush to deliver a Windows 8/RT Nook

"There’s little to indicate what the hardware will be, or what it will do, but it is clear that B&N is just beginning to build the team. B&N is looking for a “Director, Engineering Windows 8“, and that’s the only 1 of the 2 listings which mention Windows 8 as well as the Nook. The other new job listing looks to be aimed at someone to manage the app developers for Windows 8. Put the 2 together and they suggest that B&N is going to have the new guys build the teams."

Barnes & Noble Now Hiring Windows 8 Engineers For New Nook Devices - The Digital Reader

Amazon Starts a Shopping Site for the Environmental Crowd - NYTimes.com

Sign of the times

"Amazon.com is going after the environmental crowd with a new site called Vine.com for buying green products.
Vine is part of Quidsi, the company that Amazon bought in 2010 that also runs sites like Diapers.com (baby stuff), Wag.com (pets) and YoYo.com (toys). Vine will sell everything from cleaning supplies to baby accessories, beauty supplies and clothes — as long as they are green."

Amazon Starts a Shopping Site for the Environmental Crowd - NYTimes.com

Intel Counters Report of CEO Comments on Windows 8 Bugs - Arik Hesseldahl - News - AllThingsD

Intel in relationship damage control mode

"So when Bloomberg News reported yesterday that Intel CEO Paul Otellini had told Intel employees at a meeting in Taiwan that Microsoft’s Windows 8 is being released before it is ready, it quickly made waves and prompted questions about precisely what he meant.
Today, Intel, which would normally ignore such a kerfuffle, took the unusual step of slapping back at what it called “unsubstantiated news reports” and reiterating an earlier comment that Otellini had made in public that, “Windows 8 is one of the best things that ever happened to Intel.”"

Intel Counters Report of CEO Comments on Windows 8 Bugs - Arik Hesseldahl - News - AllThingsD

iPhone 5 new operating system has hangups - Business - The Boston Globe

Hiawatha Bray shares some iOS 6 perspectives

"Looks like Apple Inc. wasn’t quite prepared for the demand for the new iPhone 5, as the company sold out of its available units in just a few days.
And it turns out Apple wasn’t quite ready in the software department, either. Its new iOS 6 operating system for iPhones and iPads has a couple of major new features that fall far short of Apple’s usually exquisite standards. Still, there’s plenty to like in iOS 6, especially for those with older iPhones who want a dose of the latest-and-greatest."

iPhone 5 new operating system has hangups - Business - The Boston Globe

Here’s the song that the RIM BlackBerry band should have covered - Real Dan Lyons

Check the link for a succinct Dan Lyons snapshot

"To hell with the weird remake of REO Speedwagon’s “Keep On Lovin You.” Here’s the song that captures the essence of RIM."

Here’s the song that the RIM BlackBerry band should have covered - Real Dan Lyons

Eric Schmidt Says Google Would Love to Replace Microsoft as Yahoo!'s Search Partner - Forbes

Big decisions ahead for Yahoo

"Several people who cover Yahoo have stated in very strong language that, although the search partnership with Microsoft has been a failure, there is no way that Yahoo could do an alternative deal with Google due to regulatory issues.
I disagree with that view completely.  A lot has changed since 2009.  Yahoo!’s search share has dropped markedly.  It also had to outsource all its back-end search technology (and talent, basically) to Microsoft.  It simply isn’t the same situation now as it was then."

Eric Schmidt Says Google Would Love to Replace Microsoft as Yahoo!'s Search Partner - Forbes

Windows 8 Bugs Hurt Microsoft, Intel CEO Said to Tell Staff - Bloomberg

Hmm...

"Intel Corp. (INTC) Chief Executive Officer Paul Otellini told employees in Taiwan that Microsoft Corp.’s Windows 8 operating system is being released before it’s fully ready, a person who attended the company event said.
Improvements still need to be made to the software, Otellini told employees at a company meeting in Taipei yesterday, said the person, who asked not to be identified because the meeting was private."

Windows 8 Bugs Hurt Microsoft, Intel CEO Said to Tell Staff - Bloomberg

Google Working on Maps for iPhone, iPad - NYTimes.com

Still a chance Apple won't approve it

"Google is developing a maps application for iPhone and iPad that it is seeking to finish by the end of the year, according to people involved with the effort who declined to be named because of the nature of their work. There has been widespread speculation about whether and when Google would release a maps application for Apple devices since Apple released a new version of its iOS operating system with an Apple-made maps service."

Google Working on Maps for iPhone, iPad - NYTimes.com

Barnes & Noble Takes Aim at Amazon with New HD Nooks - Lauren Goode - Product News - AllThingsD

Apparently the timing didn't work out for a Windows 8/RT Nook, this time around

"The Nook HD is a seven-inch tablet, while the Nook HD+ is a larger, nine-inch device. Both are lightweight, have high-resolution displays and are running on “forked,” or modified, versions of Google Android’s 4.0 operating system.
The tablets are available for pre-order today, and are expected to hit stores in early November. They’ll range in price from $199 to $299, depending on size and storage."

Barnes & Noble Takes Aim at Amazon with New HD Nooks - Lauren Goode - Product News - AllThingsD

High Scalability - High Scalability - Google Spanner's Most Surprising Revelation: NoSQL is Out and NewSQL is In

tbd if the industry needs the "NewSQL" meme (i.e., simply "SQL" probably suffices...), but it's looking like "NoSQL" has peaked

"The Wise have yet to weigh in on Spanner en masse. I look forward to more insightful commentary. There’s a lot to make sense of. What struck me most in the paper was a deeply buried section essentially describing Google’s motivation for shifting away from NoSQL and to NewSQL. The money quote:
'We believe it is better to have application programmers deal with performance problems due to overuse of transactions as bottlenecks arise, rather than always coding around the lack of transactions.'
This reads as ironic given Bigtable helped kickstart the NoSQL/eventual consistency/key-value revolution."

High Scalability - High Scalability - Google Spanner's Most Surprising Revelation: NoSQL is Out and NewSQL is In

Google says Maps not waiting in wings for iPhone 5 | Reuters

An unsubtle negotiation tactic?

""We think it would have been better if they had kept ours. But what do I know?" Schmidt told a small group of reporters in Tokyo. "What were we going to do, force them not to change their mind? It's their call."
Schmidt said Google and Apple were in constant communication "at all kinds of levels." But he said any decision on whether Google Maps would be accepted as an application in the Apple App Store would have to be made by Apple."

Google says Maps not waiting in wings for iPhone 5 | Reuters

$748.90 Is Google's New All-Time High-Water Mark - Liz Gannes - News - AllThingsD

Not directly related to Apple's dismal iOS6 map app...

"Shares of Google are up more than 30 percent in the past three months alone. The company’s current market cap is $244 billion.
Google’s previous all-time high was $747.24, though it had never closed higher than $741.79. Both of those marks are from November 2007.
Its next quarterly earnings report is due on Oct. 10."

$748.90 Is Google's New All-Time High-Water Mark - Liz Gannes - News - AllThingsD

IdeaPad S2110: A Solid Convertible, but It Won't Blow Your Hair Back - Lauren Goode - Product Reviews - AllThingsD

Lenovo's ThinkPad Tablet 2 Windows 8 Pro tablet (expected to be $799 with keyboard) is likely to be much more impressive

"As more tablets and touchscreens come to market, more solutions are emerging for consumers who like the feel and satisfying click of physical keyboards. I happen to be one of those consumers, which is why I had high hopes for Lenovo’s IdeaPad S2110.
This $399, 10-inch tablet, which came to market last month, is built to work with an optional, attachable $100 keyboard. This keyboard goes beyond just keys: It also provides several extra hours of battery life and two USB ports, marrying the consumption-friendly features of a lightweight tablet with the productivity features of a laptop."

IdeaPad S2110: A Solid Convertible, but It Won't Blow Your Hair Back - Lauren Goode - Product Reviews - AllThingsD

iPhone 5 Benchmarked: The Fastest Smartphone in the Land | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

Final paragraph of a benchmark survey

"A phone's hardware performance can't be taken in isolation, but it's definitely a piece of the puzzle. Based on these benchmarks, the iPhone 5 lives up to the promise of being twice as fast as the iPhone 4S. It's also, for now, the fastest handheld computer sold in the US."

iPhone 5 Benchmarked: The Fastest Smartphone in the Land | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

Data Centers Waste Vast Amounts of Energy, Belying Industry Image - NYTimes.com

A stark cloud energy efficiency reality check

"A yearlong examination by The New York Times has revealed that this foundation of the information industry is sharply at odds with its image of sleek efficiency and environmental friendliness.
Most data centers, by design, consume vast amounts of energy in an incongruously wasteful manner, interviews and documents show. Online companies typically run their facilities at maximum capacity around the clock, whatever the demand. As a result, data centers can waste 90 percent or more of the electricity they pull off the grid, The Times found."

Data Centers Waste Vast Amounts of Energy, Belying Industry Image - NYTimes.com

Oracle gears up for infrastructure cloud and 12c database launches • The Register

It will be intriguing to see Larry Ellison (at Oracle OpenWorld in a couple weeks) explain how Oracle has somehow made DBMS multi-tenancy secure/reliable/etc. in ways that its competitors lack

"Larry Ellison has let the cat out of the bag about some announcements that Oracle is making at OpenWorld in San Francisco. The much-awaited Oracle 12c database is coming next week, as is an infrastructure cloud service for the Oracle Cloud, he announced on Thursday.
Oracle 12c will sport features for secure multi-tenancy within a single database instance – something that Ellison has bashed as an idea in the past. It will be "cloud-enabled" - just as Oracle 9i was "Internet ready" and Oracle 10g and 11g were "grid-enabled,". In other words 12c could be clustered."

Oracle gears up for infrastructure cloud and 12c database launches • The Register

Google has an iOS 6 Maps app awaiting approval. It is solely up to Apple to approve. | 9to5Mac

Apple may have ultimately done Google a big favor in this context, considering the negative press/blogosphere response to the new iOS 6 Apple maps app; however, note that other channels are asserting that the Google Maps app submission rumor is false

"Separately, we’ve heard Google has been building separate versions of a iOS GoogleMaps.app for quite a while that goes back years. Additionally, we’ve learned an updated iOS 6 version of the Google Maps.app has been submitted to Apple. It is awaiting approval, however, and that could take some time. It took a year for Apple to approve Google Voice, for instance, and Apple could technically likewise claim Google Maps “duplicates a native service” even though there are quite a few mapping apps already in the App Store (like Google Earth). Last month, it looked as if Apple were putting an update to Google Voice that featured Siri-like functionality through purgatory."

Google has an iOS 6 Maps app awaiting approval. It is solely up to Apple to approve. | 9to5Mac

Wireless Stadiums: The Next Best Thing to Not Being There - Businessweek

Sign of the times

"For NFL teams, wiring stadiums is part of a larger strategy to keep fans from deciding that the benefits of watching a game at home outweigh those of attending in person. Besides enjoying climate-controlled rooms with large high-definition TVs, fans tuning in at home can keep their smartphones and tablets at the ready to: a) check scores of other games and their fantasy football stats and b) launch online flame wars with opposing fans. For teams like the Patriots, which have sold out every home game since 1994, fans will keep coming to games with or without Wi-Fi. Still, the team has been fielding complaints about poor cell reception for years. “I think fans have come to expect connectivity wherever they are,” says Fred Kirsch, vice president for content for the Patriots. “There have been calls over the years, people saying, ‘I can’t make a phone call, I can’t check my e-mail, I can’t upload a photo.’ ”"

Wireless Stadiums: The Next Best Thing to Not Being There - Businessweek

Wal-Mart Says It Will Stop Selling Amazon’s Kindle - NYTimes.com

Perhaps Wal-Mart will next install wide-area wireless jamming devices in their stores...

"Wal-Mart did not specify why it was discontinuing its Kindle sales, but analysts said it was not hard to decipher, given that the retailer will still sell similar devices from companies like Apple, Google, Barnes & Noble and Samsung.
Physical retailers have been worried about customers who browse in stores and then buy from online competitors instead. Displaying the new Kindles encourages that behavior, analysts said."

Wal-Mart Says It Will Stop Selling Amazon’s Kindle - NYTimes.com

The Fine Print on Twitter's Latest Developer Dustup With IFTTT - Mike Isaac - Social - AllThingsD

tbd if IFTTT (If This Then That) has an else clause for this scenario

"The problem is, that’s not a new rule for Twitter. In fact, according to the archive of Twitter’s developer rules of the road, this has been the case since at least April of 2011, if not longer (that’s as far back as the archive displays “recent changes”). So, essentially, IFTTT is pointing the finger at supposed changes in the Twitter ecosystem that really occurred more than a year ago.
Granted, Twitter did little to enforce many of the guidelines for quite some time. Only in the past few months has Twitter shown more willingness to bring the hammer down on those it sees breaking the rules."

The Fine Print on Twitter's Latest Developer Dustup With IFTTT - Mike Isaac - Social - AllThingsD

Oracle Earnings Meet he Street, As Profits Rise, Sales Drop - Arik Hesseldahl - News - AllThingsD

Excerpt from an Oracle earnings snapshot

"Oracle has been arguing that as it works on transitioning on the hardware business it absorbed when it acquired Sun Microsystems in 2010, sales will fall and profits will rise as it moves toward selling fewer products that command higher profit margins. As CEO Larry Ellison put in an interview at D: All Things Digital in May: “Sales are going down in hardware, but the unprofitable part is going away. Our margins are the highest of anyone in the server business. The sales are down 20 percent, but the profits are up.”"

Oracle Earnings Meet he Street, As Profits Rise, Sales Drop - Arik Hesseldahl - News - AllThingsD

Betaworks’ Findings shifts to web clipping, as Amazon bans Kindle clips — Tech News and Analysis

A clipping business model clipped by Amazon

"Amazon itself lets readers share their highlights and clippings through a feature called “Public Notes,” and it’s possible the company is cracking down on competing services like Findings in an effort to promote its own service. Considering that “Public Notes” is relatively under the radar, that seems somewhat unlikely. But the new Sony Reader lets users share passages through Evernote, and Amazon may be planning to make its own sharing features more robust.
Finally, Amazon simply may not want third-party apps accessing Kindle highlights. If so, we should expect to see services like Evernote cutting off that functionality soon."

Betaworks’ Findings shifts to web clipping, as Amazon bans Kindle clips — Tech News and Analysis

With Mozilla, ZTE Plans a New Threat to Android - Businessweek

Interesting times; also see ZTE to Launch Smartphones Using Mozilla OS (WSJ)

"A week after the 11th-hour cancelation of an Acer smartphone powered by an operating system developed by Alibaba, another Chinese company has unveiled plans to create an alternative to Google’s (GOOG) Android.
ZTE, the country’s biggest maker of mobile phones, today announced that in December it will begin selling a smartphone using an operating system co-developed with Mozilla, the company behind the Firefox browser."

With Mozilla, ZTE Plans a New Threat to Android - Businessweek

Apple Brings Facebook to Mountain Lion - John Paczkowski - News - AllThingsD

The iOS-ification of OS X continues; see the full post for more details

"OS X 10.8.2 is a major update to Mountain Lion, with some important new features — one in particular: Facebook integration. Also on board: Support for Passbook, Apple’s location-aware mobile wallet app, and some tweaks to iMessage and FaceTime that route messages and video chats to the Mac."

p.s. the Mac OS X update is ~365 MB, and the iPhoto update is ~373 MB

Apple Brings Facebook to Mountain Lion - John Paczkowski - News - AllThingsD

Apps put a radio in your pocket - Business - The Boston Globe

Back to the future

"With Internet audio apps such as Pandora and Spotify, any smartphone can pull in ­music, news, and sports from around the world. But sometimes you want something close to home — your favorite hometown sports talk show, or local news and weather updates. Luckily, there are plenty of audio apps that tune into traditional radio­ broadcasts, offering features you won’t find on that bedside clock radio.
Three of the best, Stitcher, iHeartRadio , and TuneIn Radio Pro, deliver an appealing mix of traditional radio and Internet podcasts.
A fourth, DAR.fm, is a curious but clever service that serves as a kind of DVR for your favorite radio programs."

Apps put a radio in your pocket - Business - The Boston Globe

Failure is a feature: how Google stays sharp gobbling up startups | The Verge

From a detailed overview of Google’s acquisitive ways

“From 2001 to present day, Google has purchased and integrated over 110 companies. When founder Larry Page took over as CEO in April, 2011, he killed off a number of small initiatives and refocused the company around 7 core product divisions. All the companies in this graphic have been organized into by those groups, but don't necessarily reflect their placement upon initial acquisition. Mouseover the infographic to magnify the acquisition details, and refer to the key for additional information.”

Failure is a feature: how Google stays sharp gobbling up startups | The Verge

iPhone matches BlackBerry security features: MDM helps fill gaps

More bad news for RIM

"This is probably not what RIM (RIMM) executives wanted to read with their coffee this morning, but TechRepublic reports that both analysts and CIOs say that Apple’s (AAPL) iPhone has now matched RIM’s BlackBerry devices when it comes to enterprise security. As evidence, TechRepublic cites the latest research from Trend Micro showing the iPhone just behind BlackBerry in terms of total enterprise security protection. What’s more, Trend Micro security research director Rik Ferguson says that Apple has steadily added new security features to the iPhone over the past several years and is now ready to start “taking on BBOS and RIM on their home turf.”"

iPhone matches BlackBerry security features: MDM helps fill gaps

What's New in Altova Software Version 2013: Revolutionary Smart Fix validation, support for SQL stored procedures in data mapping projects, and much more

Check this page for highlights of the new product family release from Altova (where I work as a Product Marketing Manager & Evangelist)

"Altova MissionKit is a software development suite of industrial-strength XML, SQL, and UML tools for information architects and application developers. MissionKit includes Altova XMLSpy, MapForce, StyleVision, and other market-leading products for building today’s real-world software solutions. Altova MissionKit is available in Enterprise and Professional Editions designed to offer the functionality you need – at an attractive price.
Version 2013 of Altova MissionKit includes powerful new support for SQL stored procedures in data mapping projects, seamless integration of MissionKit functionality in Java applications, updated standards support, and more – as well as revolutionary new Smart Fix validation that can only be described as magical. You simply won’t find this functionality in other tools, much less in an integrated toolkit for cutting-edge application development and information architecture.
This new functionality is detailed below along with the numerous other new features and updates that have been added to Altova MissionKit 2013."

What's New in Altova Software Version 2013

iPhone 5 Review - CNET Reviews

Summary from another detailed iPhone 5 review

"The bottom line: The iPhone 5 completely rebuilds the iPhone on a framework of new features and design, addressing its major previous shortcomings. It's absolutely the best iPhone to date, and it easily secures its place in the top tier of the smartphone universe."

iPhone 5 Review - CNET Reviews

Not Ready for iPhone 5? Upgrade Offers Some New Tricks - Katherine Boehret - The Digital Solution - AllThingsD

An overview of iOS 6 highlights

"The good news for plenty of current iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users pondering buying the new iPhone 5 is that they’ll get many of the 200 new features in Apple’s free update for mobile software, iOS 6, available on Wednesday."

Not Ready for iPhone 5? Upgrade Offers Some New Tricks - Katherine Boehret - The Digital Solution - AllThingsD

iPhone 5 Review - Walt Mossberg - Personal Technology - AllThingsD

Walt Mossberg's iPhone 5 review; spoiler alert: he likes it...

"The world’s most popular smartphone becomes significantly faster, thinner and lighter this week, while gaining a larger, 4-inch screen—all without giving up battery life, comfort in the hand and high-quality construction."

iPhone 5 Review - Walt Mossberg - Personal Technology - AllThingsD

With iPhone 5, Apple Has Chiseled The Smartphone To Near Perfection | TechCrunch

Lead paragraph of a hands-on iPhone 5 review

"You pick it up and it almost feels fake. That’s not to say it feels cheap; because it doesn’t — quite the opposite, actually. It just doesn’t seem real. Certainly not to someone who has been holding the iPhone 4/4S for the past two years. It feels like someone took one of those devices and hollowed it out."

With iPhone 5, Apple Has Chiseled The Smartphone To Near Perfection | TechCrunch

Big changes coming to the way consumers buy Office | Microsoft Pri0 | The Seattle Times

Including 20 GB SkyDrive space and an hour of international Skype calls per month

"But this is the first time Microsoft is offering a consumer version, called Office 365 Home Premium. The cost per subscription is $8.33 a month (or $99.99 per year), which allows for it to be used on up to 5 PCs or Macs. (The Small Business Premium version $149.99 per user per year and can be used on up to 5 PCs or Macs.)
Users' documents will be stored on Microsoft's SkyDrive personal cloud storage offering by default but people can choose to store their documents, instead, on their local hard drive."

Big changes coming to the way consumers buy Office | Microsoft Pri0 | The Seattle Times

Google Buys Nik to Lure Photographers to Google Plus - NYTimes.com

Part of a Google+ ++ strategy?  Also see Google Says Google+ Has More Than 100 Million Users (WSJ)

"With Nik and other services, Google is trying to differentiate itself from Facebook and other photo-sharing sites with more advanced photo editing. Google, which owns Picasa and Picnik, the online photo editor, has incorporated their high-end tools into Google Plus, including adjusting light and pixel size, sharpening or softening colors and applying filters.
Google seems most interested in Nik’s mobile and online tools and how they can improve Google Plus. Google declined to say whether or when it would discontinue any of Nik’s other products, like desktop software for professional photographers."

Google Buys Nik to Lure Photographers to Google Plus - NYTimes.com

Apple's Lightning Connector Heralds the End of Docks - Businessweek

Final paragraph of a wireless device/dock reality check

"So if you don’t have to plug in to sync, backup, play music, or watch video, what do you really need to plug in for? Apple gave its new connector a jazzy name by calling it Lightning, but its purpose is far more ordinary than that. With almost all connections becoming wireless ones, Lightning is little more than a very well-designed power cord."

Apple's Lightning Connector Heralds the End of Docks - Businessweek

This Robot Could Transform Manufacturing - Technology Review

To assist rather than assimilate?  Also see A Robot With a Reassuring Touch (NYT)

"Baxter is the first of a new generation of smarter, more adaptive industrial robots. Conventional industrial robots are expensive to program, incapable of handling even small deviations in their environment, and so dangerous that they have to be physically separated from human workers by cages. So even as robotics have become commonplace in the automotive and pharmaceutical industries, they remain impractical in many other types of manufacturing. Baxter, however, can be programmed more easily than a Tivo and can deftly respond to a toppled-over part or shifted table. And it is so safe that Baxter's developer, Rethink Robotics, which loaned Baxter to Vanguard Plastics, believes it can work seamlessly alongside its human coworkers."

This Robot Could Transform Manufacturing - Technology Review

App Shrinks Your Data, then Your Bill - Technology Review

It'll be interesting to see if the wide-area wireless service providers support this approach

"As anyone who uses a smartphone knows, the cost of performing data-heavy activities like streaming music or videos over a carrier's wireless network can add up, especially if you don't have a big data plan. And if you aren't careful, you can quickly go over your monthly allowance.
A new free iPhone app called Snappli compresses data to reduce network usage and help users avoid costly surprises from watching too many episodes of Arrested Development on Netflix. It does this by directing Web traffic through the company's servers. And while it would seem that intercepting and compressing data could slow down your Web surfing, cocreator Eldar Tuvey claims Snappli can actually speed up your Internet access."

App Shrinks Your Data, then Your Bill - Technology Review

Internet Archive Amasses All TV News Since 2009 - NYTimes.com

Check this Internet Archive post for more details

"The latest ambitious effort by the archive, which has already digitized millions of books and tried to collect everything published on every Web page for the last 15 years (that adds up to more than 150 billion Web pages), is intended not only for researchers, Mr. Kahle said, but also for average citizens who make up some of the site’s estimated two million visitors each day.  “The focus is to help the American voter to better be able to examine candidates and issues,” Mr. Kahle said. “If you want to know exactly what Mitt Romney said about health care in 2009, you’ll be able to find it.”
 Of course, if you want to discredit or satirize a politician based on a clip showing some reversal of a position, that will be made easier as well. Or, as Mr. Kahle put it, “Let a thousand Jon Stewarts bloom.”"

Internet Archive Amasses All TV News Since 2009 - NYTimes.com

The Silly Web vs. Native Apps Debate | Monday Note

On a related note, see 4 Reasons Facebook Dumped HTML5 And Went Native (High Scalability)

"HTML5 solves these problems. In theory.
In practice, two even more vexing dilemmas emerge: Performance and The Lowest Common Denominator.
Mobile users react poorly to sluggish performance. Native apps have more direct access to optimized OS modules and hardware features…which means better performance, faster, more immediate interaction. That’s why games, always looking for speed, are almost universally native apps, and it’s why all smartphone vendors promote native apps, their app stores sport hundreds of thousands of titles.
For the Lowest Common Denominator, consider a player piano that can read a scroll of eight parallel punched hole tracks, a maximum of eight simultaneous notes. You want to create richer music, perhaps on an organ that has multiple ranks, pedals, and stops? Sorry, we need your music to play everywhere, so we’ll need to enforce the eight note standard."

The Silly Web vs. Native Apps Debate | Monday Note

Device keeps the family off the phone when driving - Tech Lab Plus - Business - The Boston Globe

Sign of the times

"Anyway, you register your cellCONTROL at the Scosche website and then plug the device into the car’s OBD-II port; cellCONTROL uses a Bluetooth wireless radio signal to block your phone so you can’t place calls or send texts if it detects that the car is in motion. The device lets you block one phone, or if you pay $5 a month, you can block up to six, just by registering the number of each phone. So you can ensure that nobody in your family can use the phone while driving.
Obviously, one of your kids could just unplug the ­cellCONTROL. But you’ll get an e-mail if that happens."

Tech Lab Plus - Business - The Boston Globe

Windows Phone 8 has officially gone gold (RTM) | wpcentral | Windows Phone News, Forums, and Reviews

In other smartphone news...

"What all this means for finalized hardware for carriers is exactly what we’ve been expecting: a November release for many carriers, following the “big unveiling” of Windows Phone 8 possibly at BUILD ’12 in Redmond. Whether those dates are November 2nd or later remain to be seen, as carriers still need to approve the devices for general sale. "

Windows Phone 8 has officially gone gold (RTM) | wpcentral | Windows Phone News, Forums, and Reviews

Ears-On: Apple's New EarPods Are Worth Listening To | Gadget Lab | Wired.com

Check the link for review details

"The EarPods, Apple’s new headphones announced alongside the iPhone 5 on Wednesday, rectify nearly every complaint I’ve had with Apple’s white earbuds over the last decade. And while they won’t convert those spending hundreds of dollars on luxurious over-the-ear models, these new in-ear headphones do raise the bar for entry-level audio."

Ears-On: Apple's New EarPods Are Worth Listening To | Gadget Lab | Wired.com

Daring Fireball: Thoughts and Observations Regarding Yesterday's iPhone 5 and Music Event

Some projections on the next little thing from Apple

"My best guess for October: an education theme. A smaller (and less expensive) iPad seems like an obvious fit for schools and as a holiday gift for kids. We know from last January’s iBooks event in New York that Apple considers education a high priority, and the iPad is at the center of it. Plus, it would nicely fit with new Macintosh hardware — say, a 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display and a refreshed lineup of iMacs (but not yet retina, I’m almost certain — affordable 27-inch retina displays remain beyond even Apple’s ken today). Roll in some news from textbook publishers, education-focused app developers, and of course, some iPad games, and Apple would have a solid event."

Daring Fireball: Thoughts and Observations Regarding Yesterday's iPhone 5 and Music Event

Microsoft employees getting free Surface tablets, new work PCs, Windows Phone 8 - GeekWire

Microsoft full-time employees will have new (non-Surface) Windows 8 PCs at work, new Windows Phone 8 phones, and Surface RT devices -- a nice perk for Microsoft's ~94,000 FTEs

"Microsoft employees are just getting out of their big company meeting at KeyArena in Seattle, and if you hear any of them comparing Steve Ballmer to Oprah, there’s a reason: The company announced a surprise package of tech products and upgrades for employees — including new Surface tablets for everyone."

Microsoft employees getting free Surface tablets, new work PCs, Windows Phone 8 - GeekWire

iPhone 5 sales exhaust initial supply, trip up servers | Apple - CNET News

Apparently off to a strong start

"The iPhone 5 hiccuped onto the market today, taking down several online stores and quickly selling out the first supply of Apple's new smartphone.
Initial stock from Apple for release day delivery sold out in less than an hour. Those looking to purchase the phone just after 1 a.m. PT discovered new orders from Apple's online site had estimated shipping times of "2 weeks" instead of the original "delivers by" September 21 message."

iPhone 5 sales exhaust initial supply, trip up servers | Apple - CNET News

Google Blocks Inflammatory Video in Egypt and Libya - NYTimes.com

A deep dilemma

"“Google is the world’s gatekeeper for information so if Google wants to define the First Amendment to exclude this sort of material then there’s not a lot the rest of the world can do about it,” said Peter Spiro, a constitutional and international law professor at Temple University in Philadelphia. “It makes this episode an even more significant one if Google broadens the block.”
He added, though, that “provisionally,” he thought Google made the right call. “Anything that helps calm the situation, I think is for the better.”"

Google Blocks Inflammatory Video in Egypt and Libya - NYTimes.com

Google Glass and the Future of Technology - NYTimes.com

David Pogue previews Google Glass

"But already, a few things are clear. The speed and power, the tiny size and weight, the clarity and effectiveness of the audio and video, are beyond anything I could have imagined. The company is expending a lot of effort on design — hardware and software — which is absolutely the right approach for something as personal as a wearable gadget. And even in this early prototype, you already sense that Google is sweating over the clarity and simplicity of the experience — also a smart approach."

Google Glass and the Future of Technology - NYTimes.com

Book Lovers: If You're Not Already On Goodreads, Here's Why You Should Be [ReadWriteWeb]

From the start of a social reading snapshot series

"My next series of posts is entitled Social Books. Over five posts, I'm going to explore how book readers and writers use social networking tools. Three of the posts will be from the point of view of readers, starting with this one today about the leading social network for bookworms: Goodreads. In the remaining posts, I'll be checking out a brand new social network for writers and investigating how book publishers are using social media. So let's get started with far and away the most popular social network for book lovers in the world, Goodreads. Its user base has almost doubled in 2012, which made me wonder whether Goodreads has any real competition now..."

Book Lovers: If You're Not Already On Goodreads, Here's Why You Should Be

Computer History Museum | Exhibits | This Day in History: September 13 [1983: Osborne Computer declares bankruptcy]

The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 screen is larger (5.55”), in a rather more convenient carrying case

Osborne I

“September 13, 1983

Osborne Computer declares bankruptcy

Osborne Computer declares bankruptcy, two years after producing the first portable computer, the 24-pound Osborne I. Designed by company founder Adam Osborne, the $1,795 machine included software worth about $1,500. The machine featured a 5-inch display, 64 kilobytes of memory, a modem, and two 5 1/4-inch floppy disk drives”

Computer History Museum | Exhibits | This Day in History: September 13

Apple Gets Serious About Social, Facebook Sharing Across iOS, iTunes - Mike Isaac - Social - AllThingsD

Facebook and Twitter have prominent positioning in iOS 6 and iPhone 5

"Apple announced a slew of social updates to its products at the iPhone 5 event in San Francisco on Wednesday, incorporating Facebook sharing features into multiple parts of the Apple ecosystem.
For one, Apple’s Siri digital assistant will be integrated with Facebook in iOS 6. That means that users can post status updates to their Facebook pages by merely speaking to their iPhone."

Apple Gets Serious About Social, Facebook Sharing Across iOS, iTunes - Mike Isaac - Social - AllThingsD

84 Million iPads, 400 Million iOS Devices, Big Numbers From Apple - John Paczkowski - News - AllThingsD

Check the full article for more Apple stats

• "Apple sold 17 million iPads between April and June. That’s more iPads than any PC manufacturer sold of their entire PC line.
• And it sold 84 million iPads through June.
• The iPad had a 62 percent share of the tablet market a year ago.
• Today it has a 68 percent share.
• The iPad is responsible for 91 percent of the Web traffic from tablets."

84 Million iPads, 400 Million iOS Devices, Big Numbers From Apple - John Paczkowski - News - AllThingsD

New Kindle Fire a delight — with limits - Business - The Boston Globe

Concluding paragraphs of an otherwise net-positive Hiawatha Bray review

"Then again, Google sells its Nexus 7 for the same price as the Fire, without cluttering the screen with ads. The Nexus 7 gives you full access to the apps in the Google Play online store. The Kindle Fire offers only a smaller selection of Amazon-approved apps. The Kindle Fire doesn’t even come with an AC adapter for recharging. You can either plug it into your computer or buy an adapter for an extra $10.
No doubt about it; the Kindle Fire HD is a major step up from its predecessor and a fine mini-tablet. But because of Amazon’s constant nickel-and-diming, you’d be better off spending your nickels and dimes on a Nexus 7."

New Kindle Fire a delight — with limits - Business - The Boston Globe

Getting America’s businesses online | Official Google Blog

Free SMB sites from Google and partners such as Intuit (which, at least in Massachusetts, provides the hosting)

"Yet, more than half of all small businesses in the U.S. don’t have a website. Many of those businesses are completely invisible in the one place people are looking for them. The impact of being online is real: Businesses that make use of the web are expected to grow 40 percent faster and are nearly twice as likely to create jobs. Since small businesses make up half of the U.S. GDP and contribute two-thirds of all new jobs, the potential impact of getting these businesses (more than 15 million of them) online is enormous. We wanted to help spur a new wave of SMBs on the web, and change the perception that getting online is hard, expensive and time-consuming.
[...]
This is just the beginning of our commitment to get businesses on the web and succeeding online. Today, small businesses throughout the U.S. can get online for free at www.AmericaGetOnline.com. Businesses get a free, easy-to-build website as well as a free, customized domain name and web hosting for one year. It’s fast, it’s easy and it’s free."

Getting America’s businesses online | Official Google Blog

Introducing Office Web Apps Server - | Office IT Pro Blog - Site Home - TechNet Blogs

Microsoft more loosely-couples Office Web Apps and SharePoint; see the full post for before-and-after details

"We wanted to simplify setup and capacity planning, and enable federation across multiple farms. We also wanted to accommodate requests for integration from new partners such as Lync. Finally, we heard from many customers, both on Office 365 and on-premises, that they wanted the same improvements that our SkyDrive users enjoyed on a regular basis.
To achieve these goals, we went back to the beginning and rethought how the Office Web Apps would integrate with other products now and in the future. We created a new model that separated Office Web Apps from any specific partner technology. Ultimately our model placed a relatively light coding burden on file hosts such as SharePoint while allowing us to run Office Web Apps on entirely separate servers.
This new standalone server product is Office Web Apps Server."

Introducing Office Web Apps Server - | Office IT Pro Blog - Site Home - TechNet Blogs

Amazon Kindle Fire HD review (7-inch) | The Verge

Excerpt from a detailed and balanced Kindle HD Fire review

"There are two devices in this review. The first is something like an appliance — a window through which you casually view content, a way to listen to music, an e-reader for the train ride home. On that device, things like a big app selection or elaborate user experience take a back seat to content selection, price point, and simplicity. On that device, it's not about going toe-to-toe with the competition in every way (as Amazon seems to want to do), it's about offering a lot of fun stuff to consumers, and getting them to consume more. As that device, the Fire HD is a complete success. A marvel of bottom-line engineering and incredibly clever subsidies. It's a really, really good tablet for doing some very specific things. "

Amazon Kindle Fire HD review (7-inch) | The Verge

Mark Zuckerberg promises a native Android app, says betting on HTML5 for mobile was a 'mistake' | The Verge

HTML5: not yet a panacea...

"Speaking with Michael Arrington at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg admitted that "we've had a bunch of missteps on [mobile]," specifically referring to its mobile app strategy. "The biggest mistake we made as a company was betting too much on HTML5 instead of native... We burnt two years." He said that the company would also drop HTML5 in its Android app as well, and that a native version would be coming "soon.""

Mark Zuckerberg promises a native Android app, says betting on HTML5 for mobile was a 'mistake' | The Verge

A Class to Teach You How to Use Google - NYTimes.com

A very good return on time/attention investment, in my experience; on a related note, see Google Launches Free Tool To Let You Run Your Own Online Courses (Edudemic)

"One of the search engine’s biggest strengths is its simplicity — type anything into the search box and you’re off. But people could get a lot more out of Google, the company says, if they learned a few expert techniques, like searching by color, time or image. So Google is offering a free online course to teach search skills."

A Class to Teach You How to Use Google - NYTimes.com

More Soot Than Sparks From Amazon’s Kindle Fire HD - Review - NYTimes.com

David Pogue: also not a Kindle Fire HD fan, although his full review highlights some positive dimensions

"Well, let’s see now. The Fire HD has no camera on the back, no GPS navigation, no speech recognition, no to-do list or notes app. It trails the iPad in thickness, screen size, screen sharpness, Web speed, software polish and app availability. It can only dream of the iPad’s universe of accessories, cases and docks."

More Soot Than Sparks From Amazon’s Kindle Fire HD - Review - NYTimes.com

Salesforce To Compete Against Box With New, Cloud-Based File Sharing Product | TechCrunch

It would have been more surprising if Salesforce had opted to indefinitely defer to Box and Dropbox for an increasingly important cloud platform feature

"At TechCrunch Disrupt today, Salesforce CEO and founder Marc Benioff revealed the SaaS company’s next product—file storage. We don’t know much more, but the new product will be announced next week at Salesforce’s conference, Dreamforce."

Salesforce To Compete Against Box With New, Cloud-Based File Sharing Product | TechCrunch

Zuckerberg Acknowledges 'Disappointing' Wall Street - NYTimes.com

Aiming high, except perhaps for the stock price

"Mr. Zuckerberg said he thought the company should be judged on its lasting impact, not just its stock price.
“Ten, 20 years from now, the legacy of this company should be, we have connected everyone in the world,” he said. “That’s a lot.”"

Zuckerberg Acknowledges 'Disappointing' Wall Street - NYTimes.com

Kindle Fire HD Is Better but It Isn’t the Best Color Tablet - Walt Mossberg - Personal Technology - AllThingsD

Walt Mossberg finds a lot to dislike in the new 7" Kindle Fire; see the full review for competitive pros and cons

"The Fire HD isn’t as polished, fluid or versatile as the iPad. It offers only a fraction of the third-party apps available on either the iPad or the Nexus 7 (and other standard Android tablets). I found that after prolonged use, the Fire HD showed signs of latency—apps and content displayed delays in launching. This latency disappeared after a reboot.
The Fire HD also assaults users with ads occupying the entire screen every time they start or resume using it. You have to pay Amazon another $15, using an obscure setting on a Web page, to escape these ads. And there are pitches to buy more content on many other screens, even those displaying your already-purchased content."

Kindle Fire HD Is Better but It Isn’t the Best Color Tablet - Walt Mossberg - Personal Technology - AllThingsD

Nielsen: 58% of American teens 13-17 now own smartphones - Apple 2.0 - Fortune Tech

See the full article for more Nielsen survey stats

"The highlights of the survey, conducted in July among 20,000-plus mobile phone owners age 13 and older:
58% of teenagers now own a smartphone, up from 36% last year
74% of 25-34 year olds own one, up from 59% in July 2011
Overall, 55.5% of mobile phone subscribers in the U.S. own smartphones, up from 41%"

Nielsen: 58% of American teens 13-17 now own smartphones - Apple 2.0 - Fortune Tech

New YouTube app for iPhone and iPod touch now available, hands-on photos and video | The Verge

Stimulus-response (although not yet available for iPad)

"Google has released an all-new YouTube app for the iPhone and iPod touch, which it said it was working on last month when Apple revealed it was removing it from iOS 6. The new app is completely native, and in our brief time with it we found it to be fast and responsive. It uses the same design language as the Google+ app on iOS, and like that app it's quite good at loading up reams of new content quickly."

New YouTube app for iPhone and iPod touch now available, hands-on photos and video | The Verge

IPhone 5 Sales Could Offer Big Boost to GDP - Real Time Economics - WSJ

Sign of the times

"The iPhone 5, which Apple Inc. plans to release this week, could get credit for something Congress, the White House and Federal Reserve have struggled to do: boost the U.S. economy in a measurable way.
Sales of the new iPhone could add between a quarter and half a percentage point to annualized economic growth in the fourth quarterJ.P. Morgan JPM -1.37%’s chief U.S. economist Michael Feroli estimates. That could help to cushion the U.S. economy from other risks in the final months of the year."

IPhone 5 Sales Could Offer Big Boost to GDP - Real Time Economics - WSJ

Will Apple's Focus on Profits Let Its Rivals Jump Ahead? - Technology Review

From a Dan Lyons Apple reality check

"Last quarter, Android's smartphone share surged to 68 percent, up from 47 percent a year before, while Apple slid to 17 percent, down from 19 percent a year before, according to IDC. Worse yet, in the June quarter, Apple's smartphone unit sales grew 27.5 percent, while the overall market grew 42.2 percent and Android grew 106.5 percent.
That's right. Apple, the "market leader," is growing slower than the market, and has one-fourth the market share of its biggest rival.
So how do you lose ground in a market but still turn in barnburner financial results?"

Will Apple's Focus on Profits Let Its Rivals Jump Ahead? - Technology Review

Visio Blog - VSDX: the new Visio file format

tbd if this will ever fully find its way into Open XML -- it does use the Open Packaging Conventions (ISO/IEC 29500-2:2008) standard -- but it's great news for developers who want to use XML and work with Visio files

"Visio 2003, 2007 and 2010 all had the same primary Visio Drawing (VSD) file format. For most users, this was great: files could be shared easily between these three versions of Visio.
There were, however, some drawbacks. Most notably, the primary format was binary, which limited both the information stored in the file and how easily IT professionals and developers could work with it. For example, it was difficult for third parties to access and extract data from the binary format for use outside of Visio.
For the new Visio, we introduced an XML-based file format to provide new capabilities in Visio and improve interoperability with other applications."

Visio Blog - VSDX: the new Visio file format

iPhone design: Documents from the Samsung trial reveal more than ever about Apple’s secretive design process. - Slate Magazine

Inspirational iPhone invention insights

"Put it all together and you get remarkable story about a device that, under the normal rules of business, should not have been invented. Given the popularity of the iPod and its centrality to Apple’s bottom line, Apple should have been the last company on the planet to try to build something whose explicit purpose was to kill music players. Yet Apple’s inner circle knew that one day, a phone maker would solve the interface problem, creating a universal device that could make calls, play music and videos, and do everything else, too—a device that would eat the iPod’s lunch. Apple’s only chance at staving off that future was to invent the iPod killer itself. More than this simple business calculation, though, Apple’s brass saw the phone as an opportunity for real innovation. “We wanted to build a phone for ourselves,” Scott Forstall, who heads the team that built the phone’s operating system, said at the trial. “We wanted to build a phone that we loved.”"

iPhone design: Documents from the Samsung trial reveal more than ever about Apple’s secretive design process. - Slate Magazine

Google Charges Retailers to Appear on Shopping Site - NYTimes.com

Excerpt from a timely competitive reality check

"Google is a search engine, not a store, but it is increasingly inching into e-commerce with products like its comparison-shopping service, Google Shopping. At the same time, more people are using Amazon, a retailer, as a search engine to look for what they want to buy.
Trying to stave off the competition from Amazon, Google has recently changed Google Shopping to require e-commerce companies to pay to be included in shopping results, so product listings are now ads. Inclusion used to be free."

Google Charges Retailers to Appear on Shopping Site - NYTimes.com

The Catch in Kindle’s Data Plan - Digits - WSJ

I suspect this analysis ignores the Amazon Silk technology, which may be increasingly strategic, now that Amazon is going to offer a wide-area-wireless Kindle Fire device

"The plan buys 250 megabytes of data a month. But if you want to view 30 or more Web pages, or stream more than four minutes of video, or listen to more than 20 minutes of streaming music per day, that isn’t going to be enough.
Watching a single two-hour HD movie would use up 614 megabytes, according to AT&T’s data calculator. A 1.5 hour HD movie would use up 461 megabytes. What happens if you go over? AT&T turns off the service until the next month – which means a long intermission."

The Catch in Kindle’s Data Plan - Digits - WSJ

With boost from Amazon, E Ink eyes comeback - Business - The Boston Globe

e-monopoly, with 3,000 LCD technology patents

"Worldwide sales of e-paper screens from E Ink and its rivals fell from 5 million in the second quarter of 2011 to 1.2 million in the same period this year, according­ to DisplaySearch. And E Ink’s Taiwanese parent company, E Ink Holdings Inc., reported a $26 million loss in the first quarter of 2012, compared with a $43 million profit in the previous quarter.
However, the market for those screens is now dominated by E Ink, Semenza said. Last month, the company agreed to buy SiPix Technology Inc., its main competitor, leaving E Ink as “the last man standing” in a diminished but still profitable e-paper market."

With boost from Amazon, E Ink eyes comeback - Business - The Boston Globe

Kindle Fire Owners Can Opt Out of Ads for $15 - John Paczkowski - Mobile - AllThingsD

From what I've read about experiences with "special offers" on the earlier Kindle models, they're surprisingly useful and unobtrusive

"A day after confirming that all its new Kindle Fire tablets would feature unavoidable “Special Offer” advertisements on their lock screens, Amazon has reversed course and said there will be a way to avoid them after all. For a one-time payment of $15, Kindle owners can opt out of the ads for the lifetime of the device."

Kindle Fire Owners Can Opt Out of Ads for $15 - John Paczkowski - Mobile - AllThingsD

Wikipedia told Philip Roth he’s not “credible source” on book he wrote | Ars Technica

Sign of the times

“Roth's complaint was detailed by Roth himself today in "An open letter to Wikipedia" published by The New Yorker (a sister publication of Ars). Roth tried to fix the error that his novel was "allegedly inspired by the life of the writer Anatole Broyard.” In reality, Roth explains, the book's story was inspired by an event in the life of Roth's friend, Princeton professor Melvin Tumin. Tumin was trying to track down a couple of students who had never attended class, and asked if they were "spooks." The two students were black, leading to accusations of racism against Tumin.

When Roth tried to give Wikipedia the true origins of the novel, he says he was told by a Wikipedia administrator on Aug. 26 "that I, Roth, was not a credible source."

“I understand your point that the author is the greatest authority on their own work, but we require secondary sources," were the exact words of the Wikipedia administrator, according to Roth.”

Wikipedia told Philip Roth he’s not “credible source” on book he wrote | Ars Technica

BIG WIN FOR MICROSOFT: Bing Is The Default Search Engine On The Kindle Fire HD - Business Insider

Perhaps Microsoft is using some of its Android license revenues to subsidize the new family of Kindle Fire devices...

"Previously, Google powered web searches on the Kindle Fire.
We've reached out to Microsoft and it told us, "Bing will be the default search provider on the new Kindle Fire HD. No other details are available at this time.""

More details from Slashgear:

"That’s a change that’s likely to make some waves, considering that Google used to be the default search engine for the Kindle Fire. Ubergizmo said that they didn’t know if users could change the default search engine, but in the time since their hands-on went live, Ars Technica has confirmed with Amazon that changing the default is possible. Bing comes as the default for Silk, Amazon says, but users will have the option of switching to Google or Yahoo if they wish." 

BIG WIN FOR MICROSOFT: Bing Is The Default Search Engine On The Kindle Fire HD - Business Insider

Big Data in Your Blood - NYTimes.com

The future will be precisely instrumented

"Later this year, a Boston-based company called MC10 will offer the first of several “stretchable electronics” products that can be put on things like shirts and shoes, worn as temporary tattoos or installed in the body. These will be capable of measuring not just heart rate, the company says, but brain activity, body temperature and hydration levels. Another company, called Proteus, will begin a pilot program in Britain for a “Digital Health Feedback System” that combines both wearable technologies and microchips the size of a sand grain that ride a pill right through you. Powered by your stomach fluids, it emits a signal picked up by an external sensor, capturing vital data. Another firm, Sano Intelligence, is looking at micro needle sensors on skin patches as a way of deriving continuous information about the bloodstream."

Big Data in Your Blood - NYTimes.com

Pandora Shares Plummet on Reports of Apple Radio Service - John Paczkowski - News - AllThingsD

Product or cloud platform feature?...

"Shares of Pandora plummeted more than 19 percent in early morning trading Friday, falling to $10.15. And that precipitous decline more than erased the 15 percent gain the company’s stock had managed to win over the past three months. Clearly, investors are terrified at Pandora’s prospects in the face of a formidable competitor like Apple — a company whose mobile devices are responsible for a lot of Pandora usage."

Pandora Shares Plummet on Reports of Apple Radio Service - John Paczkowski - News - AllThingsD

Google Shares Above $700. Again. - John Paczkowski - News - AllThingsD

GOOG mkt cap > IBM mkt cap (currently ~$231B versus ~$228B); still ~$30B to go before GOOG > MSFT

"After spiking to a 52-week high of $712.25 Friday, Google’s stock ended the day at $706.15, a price it hasn’t hit since 2007. That’s still a ways off from the record high of $747.24 it hit in November 2007, but it’s clearly headed into the same territory.
Google’s shares have gained about 19 percent since the company last reported earnings, when it turned in solid financials thanks to its thriving core advertising business."

Google Shares Above $700. Again. - John Paczkowski - News - AllThingsD

Google Drops Its Veil At Times, Reveals Ecommerce Ambitions (Search Engine Land)

Perhaps the next round of Nexus devices will come with "special offers" by default (unless Amazon patented the technique...)

"Google has been dropping lots of hints lately about their desire to become not just a leader in advertising, but a leader in  ecommerce as well. A recent Forrester report claims that 30% of all online shoppers start their product research at Amazon.com is just fuel to the fire.
Google is trying to combat that growing percentage with more sustainable consumer-focused ecommerce initiatives, centered around local availability, the Google Wallet, Google Shopping, and Google Trusted Stores.
The following is an analysis of Google’s recent ecommerce developments."

Google Drops Its Veil At Times, Reveals Ecommerce Ambitions

Microsoft launches "Bing It On" campaign to challenge Google | Microsoft Pri0 | The Seattle Times

A handy way to compare Web search state-of-the-art

"The "Bing It On" challenge lets users compare Google and Bing search results side by side. On the BingItOn.com website, you can type in five search queries, with the results from each search engine displayed -- unidentified by which search engine -- in two columns. For each query, you choose a winner (or a draw). At the end of the five queries, you'll find out which search engine you preferred."

Microsoft launches "Bing It On" campaign to challenge Google | Microsoft Pri0 | The Seattle Times

iPhone 5 design copied, patented: Goophone i5 Chinese iPhone clone [BGR]

Sign of the times

"GizChina reports that a Chinese manufacturer has used leaked photos of Apple’s next-generation iPhone to slap together a quick knockoff of the device called the Goophone I5 and release it before Apple has a chance to launch the genuine article later this month. What’s more, the company has actually patented the knockoff design in China and is poised to sue Apple if it launches the next-generation iPhone in China later this year."

iPhone 5 design copied, patented: Goophone i5 Chinese iPhone clone

Kindle Fire HD vs. Nexus 7: Which one is right for you? | Android Atlas - CNET Reviews

Excerpt from a detailed comparison

"This is definitely a close race. The answer may have less to do with which model has the "best specs," and more with which one offers the better app ecosystem. In other words, if you're already invested in the Amazon mediascape -- with ebooks, music, and Prime video -- the Fire HD will likely have the edge. (The Kindle ebook and Amazon music apps are available on the Nexus 7, but Amazon video is not; nor is the Amazon Lending Library.) And if Google Play has some must-have apps you can't get on Amazon, that might be the tipping point."

Kindle Fire HD vs. Nexus 7: Which one is right for you? | Android Atlas - CNET Reviews

Apple Seeks to Create Pandora Rival - WSJ.com

I'm guessing a Windows client is not a foregone conclusion; see Apple Wants to Build Its Own Pandora. Why? (AllThingsD) for analysis

"Apple's service would work on its sprawling hardware family, including the iPhone, iPads and Mac computers, and possibly on PCs running Microsoft Corp.'s Windows operating system, according to one of these people. It would not work on smartphones and tablets running Google Inc.'s Android operating system, this person added, highlighting the mounting battle for mobile dominance between the two technology giants."

Apple Seeks to Create Pandora Rival - WSJ.com

Amazon's Bezos Explains How It Makes Money While Keeping Prices Low - Tricia Duryee - Commerce - AllThingsD

"Special offers" included by default -- also see All new Kindle Fire models are ad-supported (The Verge)

"Is the price of the Kindle Fire HD with LTE ($499) subsidizing the data plan?
Bezos: I’m not going to break out the economics of any particular piece with you, but you’re right, it’s an astonishing price point.
How does special offers, or the advertising, play a role in the price point?
We had it on our E-Ink devices, but haven’t had it on the Kindle Fire. For those, it’s very good, no one really buys the non-special-offers version. Everyone buys the special-offers version. There aren’t two versions of this (pointing to the new 7-inch Kindle Fire HD). That was a decision we made because no one is willing to buy the non-special-offers version."

Amazon's Bezos Explains How It Makes Money While Keeping Prices Low - Tricia Duryee - Commerce - AllThingsD

Amazon reveals new Kindle - Business - The Boston Globe

Described later in the article as "collateral damage"...

"Kay also said the new Fire tablets and the Kindle Paperwhite mean big trouble for bookseller Barnes & Noble Inc., which has had some success with its Nook line of e-books and tablets.
“There’s not much room in the market for also-ran competitors,” Kay said. Between the iPad­ and the Kindle, he predicted that Barnes & Noble will fall far behind its two giant rivals."

Amazon reveals new Kindle - Business - The Boston Globe

Amazon debuts $299 8.9-inch Kindle Fire HD, 4G LTE for $499 | The Verge

A tablet game-changer -- see the link below for more details and slides from today's announcement event (there's also a new 7" Kindle Fire HD for $199, available next week; the 8.9" version, available in November, is $299 for 16 GB or $499 with 32 GB and AT&T 4G LTE; latter requires a $50/year LTE subscription for 250 MB/month and 20 GB Amazon cloud storage)

"After making an informal debut in a televised ad late last night, Amazon's larger Kindle Fire has finally been unveiled. Introduced today at a press event in Los Angeles, the new Kindle Fire HD features an 8.9-inch 1920x1200, 254ppi display. It includes an HD front-facing camera and a laminated touch sensor for better visuals and 25-percent less glare. Under the hood, Amazon has dropped in a Texas Instruments OMAP 4470 processor, which it says outperforms the Tegra 3. The Kindle Fire HD also includes stereo speakers, an upgrade over the Kindle Fire's mono driver. While the company is also offering a 4G LTE variation, Amazon has also improved Wi-Fi networking by adding a dual-band 2.4GHz/5GHz receiver, two antennas, and its new MIMO radio technology. It'll ship with 16GB of local storage, with additional storage available in the cloud."

p.s. I updated this post -- I originally had the price wrong for the 7" Kindle Fire HD; apparently the original Kindle Fire is also still available, and it's $159

Amazon debuts $299 8.9-inch Kindle Fire HD, 4G LTE for $499 | The Verge

Java Is No Longer Needed. Pull The Plug-In [ReadWriteWeb]

A stark client-side Java reality check (with a lively discussion thread)

"For nearly everyone, it’s time to dump Java. Once promising, it has outlived its usefulness in the browser, and has become a nightmare that delights cyber-criminals at the expense of computer users. 

[...]

Security experts are hard pressed to say what Java does for most people. While some online games and business applications need a Java plug-in to run, nearly all modern sites, including Facebook and Twitter, use JavaScript, XML and HTML 5, which run natively in the browser. Therefore, people could happily surf the Web for years without ever running Java."

Java Is No Longer Needed. Pull The Plug-In

Lumia 920’s demo builds credibility for Nokia, Windows - Chicago Sun-Times

Excerpt from a net-positive Andy Ihnatko review

"But Nokia has violated the First Law of the Carny: you take the customer’s money right after you’ve gotten them excited about what you’ve just shown them. You don’t let everybody go home with their wallets still secure in their pockets, and just hope that they all remember to come back to your tent two or three months later."

Lumia 920’s demo builds credibility for Nokia, Windows - Chicago Sun-Times

Android Breaks 80% Smartphone Share in China [TNW]

Interesting times for Android

"Google’s Android is continuing its impressive run in the Chinese smartphone market, soaring to 83 percent market share in the second quarter of 2012, according to a new report from Analysys. Nokia’s Symbian and Apple’s iOS have each been left with 6 percent share."

In other Android news, from Engadget

"Kicking off the Motorola event in NYC, Google's Eric Schmidt has revealed some new Android figures for its captive audience of journalists and bloggers. It's now notching up some 1.3 million activations a day, which includes around 70,000 tablets ("We were late to them", notes Schmidt) every 24 hours. In total, that makes for just shy of 500 million Google-powered mobile devices around the globe -- 80 million in just over two months." 

Android Breaks 80% Smartphone Share in China

TV Makers Join Forces Against Smartphone Giants - NYTimes.com

In other TV-related news, see No New Apple Television Products Coming in 2012 as Content Negotiations Stall Once Again (MacRumors) and Does Amazon Have Its Own Apple TV Plan? (AllThingsD)

"The rise of Apple and Google in the smartphone market has pushed Nokia and Research In Motion to the brink of irrelevance. Now, television makers are scrambling to make sure the same does not happen to them.
At the IFA consumer electronics fair in Berlin, Toshiba, LG Electronics and Philips Electronics said they were banding together to develop a common system that would let people listen to music, watch videos and play games via the Internet on television sets."

TV Makers Join Forces Against Smartphone Giants - NYTimes.com

Amazon shows new Kindle Fire and backlit 'Paperwhite' Kindle readers in TV ad | The Verge

Big expectations for Amazon's announcement event today; check the link below for the teaser commercial

"We're expecting quite a few things out of tomorrow's Amazon event, and the company just helped heighten expectations a little bit more with a new commercial. The brief spot aired during tonight's Giants and Cowboys game, and it clearly features a backlit E Ink Kindle reader — matching the "Paperwhite" leaks we've seen — and ends on a shot of a woman watching video on what appears to be a large-screen tablet. That would match up with the Kindle Fire leaks we've seen, which seem to indicate two updated tablets in both 7- and 10-inch sizes."

Amazon shows new Kindle Fire and backlit 'Paperwhite' Kindle readers in TV ad | The Verge

Nokia Lumia Will Follow New Apple iPhone to Market - John Paczkowski - Mobile - AllThingsD

A multifaceted bad day for Nokia

"In other words, it’s launching with a disadvantage. Certainly, that’s the view of the market. Nokia shares fell more than 11 percent, to $2.51, following this morning’s event, as investors came to grips with the idea that the Lumia will ship after the new iPhone.
“In terms of timing and pricing, Nokia only indicated that the phones are expected in select markets later this year,” Wells Fargo analyst Jennifer Fritzsche said following the event. “Given the lack of carrier partner announcements, indefinite timing, and no unexpected product announcements, we view today’s event as a disappointment.”"

Nokia Lumia Will Follow New Apple iPhone to Market - John Paczkowski - Mobile - AllThingsD

Now may not be time to buy next gadget - Business - The Boston Globe

From a Hiawatha Bray market snapshot

"Why buy a new PC now, with Microsoft Corp. rolling out its new Windows 8 operating system on October 26? Why buy a new smartphone when Apple Inc. is about to introduce a new iPhone and Microsoft will soon pop the cork on Windows Phone 8? And as for tablet computers, that iPad may look good, but Amazon.com Inc. is upgrading its Kindle Fire, and Microsoft will soon release its radical new Surface tablet.
So do you buy or wait? It depends. If you’re looking for a new PC, I say grab it now. But when it comes to phones and tablets, I’m inclined to hold off for a while longer."

Now may not be time to buy next gadget - Business - The Boston Globe

Ads on a tablet? How Amazon could upend the market - GeekWire

Tomorrow's rekindling event promises to be interesting

"But it might be even more interesting if Amazon were to use the ad-supported model on a larger Kindle Fire, offering a true alternative to the iPad at a considerably lower price, at least for people willing to put up with a few advertisements.
I have one of the ad-supported Kindles, and in my view, at least, the advertisements don’t do anything to diminish the experience of using the device. At the risk of warming Jeff Bezos’ heart, at times the ads have actually alerted me to deals or products that I was happy to learn about."

Ads on a tablet? How Amazon could upend the market - GeekWire

Is Microsoft Blocking Antivirus Apps from Windows RT? [ReadWriteWeb]

Looking increasingly like RT => restart time, as in the entire Windows + Office ecosystem

"If you’re looking to buy a Windows RT tablet, security vendors said, don’t expect to be able to protect it with third- party antivirus or other security software. In fact, it seems that Microsoft may block third-party antivirus vendors from developing security solutions for Windows RT.
Microsoft won’t allow such software to be sold on its online store, which is the only way to load applications onto Windows RT devices, security vendors say. It’s not known whether Microsoft will develop its own security solution for Windows RT, although most security observers assume Microsoft will do so."

Is Microsoft Blocking Antivirus Apps from Windows RT?

Intel to Slash Energy Use by Chips - WSJ.com

tbd if/when the RT in Windows RT => redundant technology

"Intel says the fourth generation of its widely used Core line, code-named Haswell, will have greater performance, more sophisticated graphics and stronger security capabilities. But the biggest change is in power consumption, with the new chips drawing 10 watts versus 17 watts for comparable existing chips.
"Basically it means we can make devices even thinner, even lighter and with an even higher battery life while still giving a full PC experience," said Kirk Skaugen, general manager of Intel's PC client group, in an interview. "Once and for all, you will feel comfortable walking out of your house and not carrying your power brick.""

Intel to Slash Energy Use by Chips - WSJ.com

Macs Continue to Claim More Office Space - John Paczkowski - News - AllThingsD

Also see In a Parallels World, Mac and Windows Coexist App-ily

"But growth is growth, and given the overall decline in the business PC market, the Mac is clearly gaining traction there. There are a few obvious reasons for this. First, Apple’s OS X operating system has become increasingly more business-friendly over the years, and now plays well with Windows applications, thanks to software like Boot Camp, Parallels and VMware’s Fusion. Second, the so-called “consumerization of IT,” which sees the rank and file acclimatizing enterprise to consumer devices like the iPad and iPhone, and opening the door for bigger hardware like the Mac."

Macs Continue to Claim More Office Space - John Paczkowski - News - AllThingsD

Gadget makers jockey for edge in holiday lineups - Business - Boston.com

Check the article link for an Associated Press summary of what's in the announcement pipeline for the next couple weeks from Apple, Amazon, Google/Motorola, Microsoft, and Nokia

"Think of it as the opening act at a concert: Nokia, Motorola and Amazon are expected to unveil new mobile devices this week before attention turns to a new iPhone and possibly a smaller iPad from Apple."

Gadget makers jockey for edge in holiday lineups - Business - Boston.com

Kindle Phone with Dual Screens? Double the Pleasure or Double the Trouble? « Kindle Review – Kindle Fire Review, Kindle 4 Review

More Amazon dual screen device speculation

Photo courtesy of The Digital Reader

“Dual Screens – What’s the Point?

Having an eBook reading component makes sense on an Amazon Smartphone. It’s a brilliant way for Amazon to combine two of its technologies — Amazon Smartphone and Kindle. Take in account that the battery consumption of the E-Ink display is extremely low and the displays themselves are thin, making them ideal for reading on your phone. Stuff suggested that one of the main benefits to its inclusion on a smartphone would be that important information could be left on screen indefinitely, even when your battery is very low.”

Kindle Phone with Dual Screens? Double the Pleasure or Double the Trouble? « Kindle Review – Kindle Fire Review, Kindle 4 Review

BBC News - BBC iPlayer launches mobile-download service

Handy

"Users of BBC catch-up service iPlayer can now download programmes to watch on phones, tablets and other mobile devices at a later date.
They can save any programme for up to 30 days - but once they hit play, have to finish watching it within a week."

BBC News - BBC iPlayer launches mobile-download service

Dems Release Voter Registration Apps, Including Open Source Version | Threat Level | Wired.com

GitHub out the vote

"While voting for the president via a browser may never happen, it’s now easier to register to vote online, thanks to the Obama campaign and the Democratic party, which debuted two flavors of online voter registration widgets just days before their nomination convention.
Late Friday night, the Democratic National Committee released open source software that allows any site — whether it leans Republican, Democratic, Libertarian or Occupyist — to embed an unbranded app that helps citizens register to vote. "

Dems Release Voter Registration Apps, Including Open Source Version | Threat Level | Wired.com

What the mobile payment craze is really about: Coupons! | Mobile - CNET News

New ways to trade your data for discounts

"Your smartphone is going to get more adept at handling money, but maybe not in quite the way you've been imagining it would.
There's been a lot of talk lately about mobile payments and how new apps or NFC technology will let you pay for things with your smartphone. But the truth is that this market is less about finding a new way for you to pay for things and more about offering you an easier way to carry and redeem coupons and special offers."

What the mobile payment craze is really about: Coupons! | Mobile - CNET News

Demystifying Amazon’s Cloud Player - Lauren Goode - Product Reviews - AllThingsD

Excerpt from a review of Amazon's alternative to iTunes

"For this week’s review, I tested Amazon’s Cloud Player, a Web and mobile app that automatically recognizes the music files you’ve already purchased, adds those same tracks to your Amazon cloud account, and then lets you stream those files on up to 10 devices, even if you got the music from iTunes, from a CD, or some other source.
Amazon is able to do this in part because it recently obtained the music rights from the four major record labels in the U.S. The service is now more comparable to iTunes Match, Apple’s cloud-based service, which similarly scans and matches non-iTunes music files on up to 10 devices."

Demystifying Amazon’s Cloud Player - Lauren Goode - Product Reviews - AllThingsD

Nokia Bets Survival on Windows 8 Software - NYTimes.com

Excerpt from a Nokia pivotal point profile

"Francisco Jeronimo, an analyst at International Data Corp. in London, said there were signs that Lumia devices were beginning to gain market share on Apple and the makers of Android phones, especially Samsung of South Korea, the industry leader.
In Finland, Windows’ share of the domestic operating system market rose to 32 percent in June, nearly overtaking Android, with 36 percent.
One year earlier, Windows had zero market share, according to I.D.C.
While some might attribute the gain to Nokia’s hometown advantage in Finland, Mr. Jeronimo said Finnish buyers had largely rejected the Symbian smartphones from Nokia."

Nokia Bets Survival on Windows 8 Software - NYTimes.com

From London, a Lesson in the Benefits of Free Wi-Fi - NYTimes.com

A paradoxical sign of the wireless times

"Free Wi-Fi service is becoming an important tool for operators in maintaining quality mobile service during a time of skyrocketing data traffic, congested mobile networks and, for travelers, costly roaming charges.
Public Wi-Fi networks have sprung up in many big cities. According to Informa, a research firm, the number of Wi-Fi hot spots worldwide will reach 5.8 million by the end of 2015, up from 800,000 in 2010. Eight of the world’s 10 biggest mobile operators are using Wi-Fi to offload their cellular data traffic."

From London, a Lesson in the Benefits of Free Wi-Fi - NYTimes.com

Reddit Thrives Under Hands-Off Policy of Advance Publications - NYTimes.com

Excerpt from a Reddit profile

"“Strategically, what they have done should be a model of how to create and support a virtual start-up within a larger corporation,” said Anil Dash, a writer and entrepreneur in digital realms. “Condé gave it enough rope and left the people there to their own devices. I don’t know whether it was a brilliant strategy or accidental neglect, but the founders did not leave, the community stayed intact, and the site grew beyond anybody’s expectations.”"

Reddit Thrives Under Hands-Off Policy of Advance Publications - NYTimes.com