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Apple iPad Will Magically Read E-Books Aloud

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As soon as Apple started accepting pre-orders for the iPad, the product page for one of its most important component, iBooks was also updated. It’s not really surprising that Apple will highlight the iPad’s e-book reading features especially since this is a hot market right now. And besides how good is a new Apple product if it doesn’t have a competitor to taunt? Sorry Kindle fans, but whether you like it or not, Apple is taking on the Kindle’s dominance in the e-book market.

Anyway, so what’s up with iPad and iBooks. Nothing much really, except for the fact that apparently the iPad can actually read e-books to you aloud.  Yes, I know Amazon Kindle has this. But we all know that this feature has been an issue before with the Kindle. So, it’s kind of surprising that Apple decided to have this feature in the iPad.

So, once the iPad starts rolling into the hands of those who pre-ordered it, expect some legal issues to arise once more. But I’m pretty sure Steve and his boys are more than ready for this.

In a related note, another indication that Apple is really prepping up the iPad as a fierce Kindle competitor is the fact that the device will be supporting e-books in EPUB format which will not be sold from the iBooks E-Bookstore. This simply means that you won’t be spending additional money to use your iPad as an e-book reader. You can practically load it up with free e-books that are freely available from various online sources.

This is a welcome feature and is good for both Apple and iPad users who are planning to use their iPad for e-book reading purposes. For Apple, it will be able to capture an already established market – the e-reader market. And for iPad owners, it’s one less cost.

Originally posted on March 12, 2010 @ 6:58 pm

Google Now Selling Unlocked Nexus One for AT&T, Ships to Canada Too

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Earlier today, mobile analytics company Flurry published a report about the dismal performance of the Google Nexus One in terms of its day 74 sales from the first day it was released. According to the report, Google was able to ship only 0.135 million units of the Nexus One. Flurry then compared this with the day 74 sales of both the iPhone and Motorola Droid which were 1 million and 1.05 million units respectively.

The report certainly is not a good publicity for the Nexus One especially since Google hasn’t gone all out in terms of marketing its first major fully branded handset.

A couple of hours later, Google announced that unlocked version of the Nexus One that is compatible with AT&T 3G network and Roger Wireless in Canada is now available for sale at the Google online store.  In addition, this new version of Nexus One will also run on GSM operators worldwide.

I’m not saying that Flurry’s report has anything to do with Google’s decision to announce the availability of the AT&T and Roger Wireless compatible Nexus One versions.  But we just can’t discount this fact since Google certainly wants to protect its investment from any bad publicity, whatsoever.

Google also announced that this new Nexus One can now be ordered from Google’s web store and can be shipped to Canada. As you all know,  Google only ships the Nexus One to the U.S., HongKong, Singapore and the UK.

The AT&T and Roger Wireless compatible Nexus One get the same price as the previously released unlocked Nexus One – $529.

Originally posted on March 16, 2010 @ 4:40 pm

iPad Pre-Order Limited to Two Per Customer

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In case you’re not aware,  the Apple Store has just started accepting pre-orders for the highly anticipated and perhaps even highly ridiculed product – the Apple iPad. If you’re like me who have been waiting for this day and wants Apple to ship the iPad on April 3, then If I were you visit the U.S. Apple Store and look for the iPad pre-order page. I wouldn’t waste time especially because it seems that Apple will be running short of supply in no time at all.

In fact, Apple has limited the number of iPads that every customer can pre-order to two units only. This was probably decided upon to ensure that more people will be able to get their units and not just a few who might take advantage and purchase more with the objective of selling them in the black market.

Apple is accepting pre-orders for all the announced models of the iPad – Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi +3G and their respective variants with different storace capacity ranging from 16GB to 64GB. I had to contend with ordering the 16GB Wi-Fi version since based on my experience with the iPhone I could barely consumer 8GB of storage with several dozens of apps already installed. I’m hoping that my storage need for the iPad would be covered by the 16GB model.

While pre-ordering for all the units can be placed now, only the 16GB Wi-Fi model will be shipped on April 3. The rest of the other units will start shipping around last week of April. Prices for each of the models of the iPad vary and depend on their storage capacity.

So, are you placing an order today? Do you think there will be enough interests for the iPad that Apple will closed pre-order as earliest as possible?

Originally posted on March 12, 2010 @ 10:48 am

Mix10: Microsoft Presents New Mobile Strategies, It’s All About Windows Phone 7

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While everybody else is making their own scenes and carving their niche on the ever growing smartphone market, Microsoft seem to have been lagging behind. Even Palm made some minor marks recently with their latest WebOS and smartphone kits. Fortunately for Microsoft, their time is now. And at their annual developers conference dubbed Mixx 10, Microsoft sure has some great  plans ahead in sparking up their mobile business.

A Feature-Rich Windows Phone 7 Platform

At the heart of Microsoft’s strategy to regain what was once occupied by Windows Mobile platform in the smartphone market is the new Windows Phone 7 Series Platform. This new platform combines Microsoft Silverligh features to develop rich applications and XNA Framework for games.  It aims to empower developers and designers to develop visually stunning and immersive apps and games – something at the level of most iPhone games and apps perhaps?

Anyway, the new Windows Phone 7 Platform offers the following features:

  • accelerometer and intuitive control
  • Microsoft Location Service
  • Microsoft Notification Service
  • Hardware-accelerated video with DRM
  • Internet Information Services Smooth Streaming
  • Multitouch
  • Camer and microphone support

To push this objective, Microsoft is pushing out its free tools for developers and designers including – Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Express for Windows Phone, Windows Phone 7 Series add-in, XNA Game Studio 4.0, Windows Phone 7 Series Emulator and Expression Blend for Windows Phone Community Technology Preview. [Read more…]

Originally posted on March 15, 2010 @ 5:15 pm

iPad to Hit Apple Stores on April 3, Pre-Order Starts on March 12

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Apple finally dropped the bomb that many of us have been waiting for, the past couple of weeks. The iPad will start hitting Apple Retail Stores on April 3 and you better get yourself ready as early as now because the Apple.com will start accepting pre-orders seven days from now. You read it right folks, you can pre-order your iPad starting March 12. Did that get you excited?

Anyway, whether you’re excited or not, here are some major details that you should know in relation to Apple’s announcement today. First, the start of pre-order will be for all models of the iPad – Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi+3G and each of the various models that these two have that differs in storage capacity – 16GB, 32GB and 64GB.

Now, if you order the Wi-Fi only version, regardless of its storage capacity, you can either pick up your iPad at a designated Apple Store or have it ship directly to your home on April 3 only if you order the Wi-Fi model. If you order the Wi-Fi+3G model, you can only have your iPad later in April.

And those apply only if you are in the U.S. If you’re in any of these countries – Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the UK, all models of the iPad will be available in late April as well.

As for the iPad pricing, here goes - $499 for 16GB, $599 for 32GB, $699 for 64GB for the Wi-Fi model, and $629 for 16GB, $729 for 32GB and $829 for 64GB for the Wi-Fi+3G model.

So there you go. Are pre-ordering the iPad on March 12? Which one are you going to get, Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi + 3G?

Via Apple Press

Originally posted on March 5, 2010 @ 11:40 am