Steve Jobs: Connecting the Dots, Death is Life's best Invention; Stay Hungry and Stay Foolish

In memory of Steve Jobs's passing:

"Steve Jobs, who died Wednesday at 56, was the definition of a visionary, a technological trailblazer who transformed one industry after another, including computers, smartphones, music and movies. And, of course, Apple's co-founder transformed our everyday lives with gadgets like the iPod, iPhone and iPad.

Steve Jobs: 1955-2011
Steve also battled pancreatic cancer and needed a liver transplant. Those brushes with mortality helped shape his views of life and death, a perspective he shared in a remarkable 2005 commencement speech at Stanford University.
Jobs urged the graduates to remember that the future is uncertain -- death could be just around the corner -- and there was no time to waste on an unfulfilling career.

Here are some highlights from  his speech given at a Stanford Commencement: -- "When I was 17 I read a quote that went something like, 'If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you will most certainly be right.' It made an impression on me. And since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself, 'If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?' And whenever the answer has been 'No' for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something."
-- "Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything -- all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure -- these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important."
-- "Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked, there is no reason not to follow your heart."
Jobs recalled when he was first diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2003, and when the doctor told him to "get his affairs in order." Then Jobs shared these words of wisdom.
"No one wants to die ... and yet, death is the destination we all share. Death is very likely the single best invention of life. It's life's change agent."

He added: "Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma, which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."

His parting words: "Stay hungry, stay foolish."

PCMag Reports Apple's Being Sued for Using iCloud Mark by iCloud Communications

Apple is declared a serial infringer on other people's rights in a recent lawsuit filed by iCloud Communications that listed all the instances the giant company treaded on others' rights.  iCloud Communications sued Apple in an Arizona court as soon as Apple concluded its WWDC in San Francisco.  iCloud Communications wants all the profits from Apple's iCloud thus far.  And it wants the Cupertino company to cease and decease the use of iCloud.  What iCloud did not know is that Apple was a little smarter this time by acquiring earlier the website which has U.S patents, icloud.com.  So it is not going to be easy for iCloud Communications to have a slam dunk.  Read more of the case against Apple at PCMag.

Here is a sample of the content of the case:  "The goods and services with which Apple intends to use the 'iCloud' mark are identical to or closely related to the goods and services that have been offered by iCloud Communications under the iCloud Marks since its formation in 2005," the complaint, first obtained by The Next Web, alleges. "Due to the worldwide media coverage given to and generated by Apple's announcement of its 'iCloud' services and the ensuing saturation advertising campaign pursued by Apple,the media and the general public have quickly come to associate the mark 'iCloud' with Apple, rather than iCloud Communications." 
 

"Monetary relief alone is inadequate to fully address the irreparable injurythat Apple’s illegal actions have caused and will continue to cause to iCloudCommunications if this Court does not enjoin Apple. iCloud Communications istherefore entitled to preliminary and permanent injunctive relief to stop Apple’s unfaircompetition"

Google's Guitar Makes Music That Goes to the Cloud: Google Music in the Cloud

Google allows anybody who lands on its page to make music with its guitar shaped in the form of Google doodle.  That is so sweet.  Listen to all the music you can create while you are there.  Listen to some of the instrumental music composed on the Google guitar.

I love to doodle.  I love Google.  Serious but also fun.  What is not to love about the G!

Is Windows Phone 7 for Me or You This Christmas Season?

Microsoft is trying to get into the smartphone business just like Google's popular Droid phones run on Android.  The only thing is that Windows Phone 7 has nothing to do with Windows.  It is not run on Windows.  And it is the first generation of phone released by Microsoft on the new platform.  It is by most measures release 1.0.  We must quickly say that Microsoft is tinkering with the app phone software in that this release is a new creation, a new design for the company.
If you are used to the features found on Android and iPhone, it will be hard for you to settle for those offered by Windows Phone 7.  You will be surprised to find out that WP7 does not offer the following features:  You can not add new ringtones.  You can not organize your apps in folders.  You can not copy and paste.  You can not send videos as MMS messages.  Forget about video chat. WP7's browser does not allow you to play flash videos.  As far as the HTML5, the new kid on the block, WP7 will not play it either.  It can not even play videos in its own Microsoft's Silverlight format.  Forget about Online news videos, Hulu, youtube and more.

Now what are some of the good features of WP7?
Windows Phone 7 comes equipped with Word, Excel and Powerpoint.  This way, just any Microsoft products, it allows you to be productive.  It is fast or as fast as its competitors.  By paying $15 a month, you can play your music on Zune through the phone.  Based on all of this, I would say this is a Me-too gadget.  The only good thing is the new rethinking of the app software.

Good luck with your new WP7 if you receive it in your Christmas bag!

Here is a summary of the phone's main features:  The Good vs. The Bad

What better place to start than the beginning?
Good

* Responsible for user interface
* Crisp text and graphics (almost like e-Ink)
* Seamless integration of Facebook
* Quick Start from the camera to capture fleeting moments
* Interface clear
* Attractive aesthetic design that calls for a high concept magazine
* Easy Google, Facebook, installing Windows Live
* Think about the elegant, new, eye-candy user interface

The Bad

* Not compatible with external storage
* The lack of cut-paste functionality / (coming in early 2011)
* Does not have WiFi hotspot
* The lack of integration of Twitter (coming soon)
* Finnicky Google integration
* No unified inbox and e-mail thread
Applications * not persist in the background
* Most of the operating system is optimized for vertical view (horizontal orientation is not as ubiquitous as we would like)

Samsung Epic 4 G: A Great Phone with Lots of Whistles and Bells, and Great Kicks

Here are some of the great things, specifications you want to know about this phone:  5.1 Megapixel camera, Wi-Fi connectivity, 4" display and touch screen, android 2.1 OS, bluetooth capability.

It has the new hummingbird processor which makes games and movies easier to watch. And the good thing is that you have great battery consumption.

Epic 4 G is the best deal you can get in phone out there.  The super Amoled touchscreen allows you to use the phone in sunlight with no major problems.  It is a great phone to have with you.

Google and Verizon Wireless Unite to Give You The Best App Phone, The Motorola Droid X, For Now

If you are on the market to buy a new smartphone or a superphone, consider yourself lucky because you will have many choices. The state of the art app phone changes quickly. Some say that the technology does not give you time to adapt to it. A New York Times reviewer sums it up this way, "Last November, you might have been tempted by the Motorola Droid, “the best Android phone on the market.” A month later, the HTC Hero was “the best Android phone on the market.” By January, “the best Android phone yet” was the Nexus One. In April, “the best Android device that you can purchase” was the HTC Incredible. In May, “the best Android phone on the market” was the Sprint Evo...."

What's the hoopla all about the Droid X?

The Droid X allows you to do your typing onscreen. That is a major leap from the original Droid. There is no way you will not notice the size of the Droid. It is the biggest app phone on the market these days. One of my colleagues has one. She could have bought two of them, but decided to go against the idea of giving his daughter such an advanced phone as her first phone. He thought it is too big for the little girl. At this size (5 by 2.6 by 0.4 inches), it allows its users to do a lot with ebooks, GPS and other applications.

The Droid X comes equipped with many features such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS, two mikes for noise cancellation, powerful speaker, unusually powerful vibrate mode, FM radio and Verizon’s expensive but not-call-dropping network.... Do you want more? How about this? The Droid X has an 8-megapixel camera with dual LED flashes.

Find out more info about this phone by reading this article.

iPhone 4 is the Phone for You: Here is what they are Saying about the new Apple Phone

The iPhone 4 is thin and sharp. Apple has ditched the rounded, organic look of previous models for an almost Mid-Century Modern stainless steel band around two slabs of black glass. (All iPhone 4s available right now are black; a white model is coming soon, Apple says.) The result is a phone that's slightly smaller and noticeably thinner than all of its competitors, at 4.5-by-2.31-by-.37 inches.

60
diggs
diggThe device comes in two memory sizes, 16GB and 32GB. There's no memory card slot, and Apple cut down on the size of the SIM card slot. (Apple hates slots, because they mar the phone's lines.) They're using tiny "Micro-SIMs" now, which shouldn't bother you much if you're in the US; US users have no reason to ever remove the iPhone's SIM card.

Most phones feel like gadgets, because they're all metal and plastic. The iPhone 4 feels like jewelry, because of all that glass. The front of the phone is nearly-indestructible Gorilla Glass, according to Apple, and the back is a different kind of tempered glass. That will make the phones relatively resistant to scratches, but I'd still recommend a case if you want to keep yours looking pristine.

Apple's "retina screen" is pretty great, although it doesn't live up to its bombastic marketing copy. (What could?) The IPS LCD technology used has incredibly deep blacks and noticeably richer colors than the iPhone 3GS did, the viewing angles are wider, and it looks much better outdoors. It's far more beautiful than any other screen technology I've seen except for Samsung's upcoming Super AMOLED. I look forward to testing those two technologies against each other.



The iPhone 4, like the 3GS, is a GSM/HSPA 7.2 phone that operates on AT&T's and foreign 3G bands. Also like previous iPhones, it's not the greatest phone for voice calling.

Cue the screaming nay-sayers: "If it's not the world's best voice phone, what good is it? A phone should be a PHONE!" Yes, that is a valid view. There are phones for you. The iPhone 4 is not the phone for you. Move on. There are millions of people for whom making long, heartfelt voice calls isn't their primary desire—they send scads of text messages, play games, Fingerpoke on YouFace (if they're Tina Fey) and make brief voice calls to get their points across. The iPhone is for them.

If you're looking for salvation from dropped calls, the iPhone 4 isn't it. In extremely weak signal conditions in our lab and our basement, the iPhone 3GS actually connected slightly more calls successfully than the iPhone 4 did—about one in ten additional calls went through. The iPhone 4 gave a truer picture of signal strength than the 3GS did, though; its "bar" meter is quicker to respond to changes in RF than the 3GS is.

Apple also acknowledged that the "iPhone death grip" is real, and holding the phone the wrong way reduces signal strength. I made Speedtest.net data speed tests slow down and even stall out by picking up the phone and holding it in my left hand, with one finger on each seam of the phone and the bottom-left corner against the pad of a slightly sweaty palm. Putting the phone down on the table caused the speed test to resume. The death grip only made a difference on voice calls in weak signal conditions, though; with decent or strong signal, it didn't affect the iPhone's ability to connect calls. Adding one of Apple's $29 plastic "bumpers" fixed the death-grip issue entirely.

Take a Look at iPhone4 FaceTime, HD Recording and More

At this year's WorldWide Developers Conference, Steve Jobs unveiled the iPhone4 and talked about its features as a revolutionary step in the right direction. He is a showman, a marketing strategist. He added that this new phone is the best thing that Apple can produce since the original iphone came to the market.

What are some of the features of the iPhone4?

There is no doubt that being able to use facetime video to talk to friends, family members and business partners is a great addition to the phone. How many times that we want to talk to someone and see this person in real time? Iphone4 FaceTime allows you to do just that.

In addition, with this phone, you have a front-face camera that allows you to take pictures. It also comes read with HD video recording and making capabilities which you can edit right on the phone itself.

The 5-megapixel camera built into iPhone 4 captures amazingly detailed images. A built-in LED flash illuminates low-light scenes. And the 5x digital zoom gets you closer to the action

Here is a list of some of the features you will encounter on the new iphone:

iMovie, iBooks, iTunes store, iPod, phone, photo, keyboard, safari, voice control,mail, appstore, iphone, folders, camera, messages, maps and compass, photos, search etc.


Pre-order starts June 15 and available on June 24!


Visit urbanbookspublishing.blogspot.com

Official Google Blog: Introducing Google Places

Official Google Blog: Introducing Google Places

Linux on the iPhone: Android running on iPhone!

Linux on the iPhone: Android running on iPhone!

Gizmodo Revealed The Look and Features of The New iPhone: What's New and What Has Changed?

What's new
• Front-facing video chat camera
• Improved regular back-camera (the lens is quite noticeably larger than the iPhone 3GS)
• Camera flash
• Micro-SIM instead of standard SIM (like the iPad)
• Improved display. It's unclear if it's the 960x640 display thrown around before—it certainly looks like it, with the "Connect to iTunes" screen displaying much higher resolution than on a 3GS.
• What looks to be a secondary mic for noise cancellation, at the top, next to the headphone jack
• Split buttons for volume
• Power, mute, and volume buttons are all metallic

What's changed
• The back is entirely flat, made of either glass (more likely) or ceramic or shiny plastic in order for the cell signal to poke through. Tapping on the back makes a more hollow and higher pitched sound compared to tapping on the glass on the front/screen, but that could just be the orientation of components inside making for a different sound
• An aluminum border going completely around the outside
• Slightly smaller screen than the 3GS (but seemingly higher resolution)
• Everything is more squared off
• 3 grams heavier
• 16% Larger battery
• Internals components are shrunken, miniaturized and reduced to make room for the larger battery

Welcome to iPad, the new Apple's Tablet Computer:

Apple brought to the world its tablet computer called the iPad.

What is the reaction of some of the bloggers who’ve never even tried it: “No physical keyboard!” “No removable battery!” “Way too expensive!” “Doesn’t multitask!” “No memory-card slot!”

There will be a lot of speculations until the iPad actually goes on sale in April. Once more people start using, the reviews will change. Bloggers will begin to say good things about the ipad. You can preview what the scenario will be like : positive reviews, people lining up to buy the thing, and the mysterious disappearance of the basher-bloggers.

"The iPad is, as predicted, essentially a giant iPod Touch: aluminum-backed, half-inch thin, with a 10-inch screen surrounded by a shiny black border. At the bottom, there’s the standard iPod/iPhone connector and a single Home button. It will be available in models ranging from $499 (16 gigs of memory, Wi-Fi) to $830 (64 gigs of memory, Wi-Fi and 3G cellular)."

YPN: Yahoo Publisher Network Calls It Quits by April 30, 2010: YPN Just Could Not Compete

Here is the message that is sent out to all Yahoo Publisher network publishers:
"Yahoo! Publisher Network beta program closing April 30, 2010


After conducting an extensive review of the Yahoo! Publisher Network beta program, we have decided to close the program effective April 30, 2010. We expect to deliver final publisher payments for the month ending April 30, 2010 to publishers no later than May 31, 2010.

Because our content will no longer be delivered to your ad unit spaces after April 30, 2010, we recommend removing all YPN ad code from your pages by that date.

For the opportunity to continue earning revenue, we suggest using Chitika, a leading advertising network that syndicates Yahoo! Content Match and Sponsored Search ads. Chitika has set up a special process for YPNO beta publishers to participate in its platform. Visit http://www.chitika.com/ypno/ for more information.

Thank you for your participation in the Yahoo! Publisher Network beta. If you have any questions regarding this announcement, please contact our Support Team at (866) 785-2636, Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. PDT."

With All Its Gas Pedal Problems, Will Toyota Become the Hyundai of the 1980s?

Updates: For a few days now, we do not know which Toyota vehicle is not subject to a recall. Even the Toyota Prius is not exempt. Its anti-lock breaking system has problems according to many owners. In the meantime, Ford is accelerating is sales campaign to take business from the embattled Japanese car maker.

Toyota has been announcing massive recalls and plans to repair the problems.

"Toyota Motor Sales (TMS) U.S.A., Inc., today announced it will begin fixing accelerator pedals in recalled Toyota Division vehicles this week. Toyota’s engineers have developed and rigorously tested a solution that involves reinforcing the pedal assembly in a manner that eliminates the excess friction that has caused the pedals to stick in rare instances. In addition, Toyota has developed an effective solution for vehicles in production.

Parts to reinforce the pedals are already being shipped for use by dealers, and dealer training is under way. Many Toyota dealers will work extended hours to complete the recall campaign as quickly and conveniently as possible, some even staying open 24 hours a day. The company has also taken the unprecedented action of stopping production of affected vehicles for the week of February 1.

“Nothing is more important to us than the safety and reliability of the vehicles our customers drive,” said Jim Lentz, president and Chief Operating Officer, TMS. “We deeply regret the concern that our recalls have caused for our customers and we are doing everything we can – as fast as we can – to make things right. Stopping production is never an easy decision, but we are 100% confident it was the right decision. We know what’s causing the sticking accelerator pedals, and we know what we have to do to fix it. We also know it is most important to fix this problem in the cars on the road.”

Lentz added: “We are focused on making this recall as simple and trouble-free as possible, and will work day and night with our dealers to fix recalled vehicles quickly. We want to demonstrate that our commitment to safety is as high as ever and that our commitment to our customers is unwavering.”

On January 21, Toyota announced its intention to recall approximately 2.3 million select Toyota Division vehicles equipped with a specific pedal assembly and suspended sales of the eight models involved in the recall on January 26.

Toyota vehicles affected by the recall include:
• Certain 2009-2010 RAV4
• Certain 2009-2010 Corolla
• 2009-2010 Matrix
• 2005-2010 Avalon
• Certain 2007-2010 Camry
• Certain 2010 Highlander
• 2007-2010 Tundra
• 2008-2010 Sequoia

No Lexus Division or Scion vehicles are affected by these actions. Also not affected are Toyota Prius, Tacoma, Sienna, Venza, Solara, Yaris, 4Runner, FJ Cruiser, Land Cruiser, Highlander hybrids and certain Camry models, including Camry hybrids, all of which remain for sale.

Further, Camry, RAV4, Corolla and Highlander vehicles with Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) that begin with "J" are not affected by the accelerator pedal recall."

Nexus One Released Through Twitter: Twitter Post Broke News of Nexus ONe

Is this the new Nexus One? It may be the way to go about business in these brave new world cell phone wars.

Nexus One Video, Nexus1 Photo: Google Nexus iPhone

The Google SmartPhone May Be Here: Google Releases Phone to Key Employees to Tinkle with

The release of the new phone may not be a secret any longer. It has been announced that Google released a new phone to some of its employees so they can mess around with the new technology.

Official Google Mobile Blog: An Android dogfood diet for the holidays

"Google has handed out a new mobile phone running its Android software to some employees, stirring another wave of speculation that the oft-rumored Google Phone is real" wrote a PCWorld writer. Google is moving on the main phone competitor, AT&T.

According to Google's Official mobile blog , Google may have something great on its hands. Its world-wide employees have been checking it out.

"We recently came up with the concept of a mobile lab, which is a device that combines innovative hardware from a partner with software that runs on Android to experiment with new mobile features and capabilities, and we shared this device with Google employees across the globe. This means they get to test out a new technology and help improve it."

iPhones 3G and 3GS finally can send Multimedia

It appears that AT&T has survived the rush to add or download the new software in order to be able to send MMS. It has been a long wait, but it seems that everything has been working very well thus far.

Many critics are asking why it took ATT so long to equip their bread and butter with the feature that most people, users wanted all along. Even cheap cell phones had it. Just like the rest of iPhone users, I dutifully downloaded the new software in order to be able to send pictures, videos etc.

So far, it has been working very well. NO problems!

iPhone 3 G S Places Apple on top of the Pack: The Best micro Computer Yet to be Available on the Market

I was one of the early birds who went to hang out at the front door of a local ATT corporate store. After a week of great weather, I expected to have a great time waiting in line for my new phone. It was not the case. It was hot and people were complaining. Those who had pre-ordered the iphone 3G S were able to enter the store and claim their prize from 7 am to 9 am. Those of us who wanted to buy the new phone or trade in for a higher upgrade had to wait in the sun outside.

Many of us, apple product fans, did not complain much. The employees at the store were very happy to pass cups of water to us. However, there were a few guys who started complaining about the long wait. Tensions were mounting. It was like the opening of a new movie. Just like the release of any major action movie, the upgrade to the 3 G S was received with great enthusiasm. Many of us were talking about the great features of the new phone. That was a good reason for us to have.

So far, after using the phone the whole day, I have been pretty pleased with it.

Truely, the iphone is the leader of the pack. Many fellow reviewers only have the greatest things to say about the phone.
"The iPhone 3G S (the S stands for speed) is a more subtle upgrade compared with last year's launch of the 3G. The improvements don't quite blow your hair back on the first pass, but coupled with the new iPhone OS 3.0 software upgrade, they cement the iPhone's status as the best smart phone experience available.

The iPhone OS 3.0 improvements alone might be enough to satisfy many existing iPhone and iPhone 3G users. But if your contract is expiring or even if it's not, there are a lot of reasons to make the jump to the iPhone 3G S, which sells for $199 and $299 for 16-GB and 32-GB versions."

What are the Specs of Palm Pre vs. Apple iPhone and G1?

AppIphone3Gandmore: Palm Pre, Apple iPhone and G1

-------------------------

What will make you want to buy an Apple iPhone vs. a Palm Pre or G1? Is it the wireless company that sells them or the phone itself or the service. In a lot of ways, the package had to do a lot with my decision. Over the weekend, that is what I had to decide. It was time for me to go from a low end phone which I carried for a few years and upgrade to a smartphone. I had to decide between the iPhone which I could buy online or at an AT&T retail store, the new Palm Pre which is injecting new blood into the Palm brand, and the Google phone, G1 which has made its spectacular entrance a few months ago.

For me, it was a matter of convenience. I wanted to go with something that has been around for a while. Besides, many of my colleagues have the phone. Yes, I was torn between the good package offered by Sprint which carries the new Palm Pre. I knew all three phones would be good for multimedia and multitasking. Among them, there were some similarities and differences.

Let's talk about Palm Pre. It is a great, elegant multitouch smartphone. It seems that Palm Pre is going to be the star of this Summer season. Already, there are a lot of buzz in the blogosphere and among techies about the new phone. It is the blockbuster square off between iphone and palm pre. In many ways, Palm Pre has come to mean a lot to a dying company. Palm relied heavily on this phone being accepted by the public.

To many industry insiders, the Pre is like the iPhone remix. It is a great phone that many customers are going to select. I saw a great demonstration at the local Sprint store this past weekend. People are wowed by it.

What are its main features, specs?

the Pre has the ordinary checklist: Wi-Fi, GPS, 3G (high speed Internet), Bluetooth (including wireless audio), very good camera with flash, ambient light sensor, proximity sensor, tilt sensor, standard headphone jack, 3.1-inch touchscreen etc. Many other companies have been trying to copy the iphone, but they have always failed in putting everthing together and making it all work. In the case of the Pre, Palm has done a good job.

Hardware: Coming in a black plastic, flattened capsule, coated with a glossy, scratch-resistant finish, the Pre is an elegant phone. When it is turned off, the screen disappears. It is smaller than the iPhone, about a half-inch shorter and quarter-inch thicker. It is very easy to carry.

Price: The Pre costs $200 after rebate, with a two-year contract. It is much less than the standard iphone with more than 8Gigs. Sprint wants to get the customers. With a $70-a-month plan (450 talk-time minutes) that includes unlimited Internet and text messages, the Pre comes on top. The AT&T plan includes no text messages at all.

What does it look like typing? Unlike the iPhone, the Pre has a real keyboard. the screeen slides up, revelaing four rows of Thumbelina-size keys.

Camera: The Pre has an LED Flash for its 3MP camera, something both the iPhone and G1 lack. Flash cellphone photos are ugly, but for a lot of people, they're good enough.

Browser: All three use a browser based on WebKit, which has become the standard for the mobile web.

Phone: Just pop open the keyboard and stard dialing to make a call on the Pre. You can set up speed-dial keys.

Battery: While the iPhone does not allow you to remove the batteries, the Pre allows you to do so. Battery life the hiccup with the Pre. Depending on how often you use it, the battery will be dead in no time.

Music: Which other gadget can beat the iPod which the iPhone is? The Pre does a good job of coming close. When you connect it to your Mac or PC, the Pre appears in Apple's iTunes software. You can sync your music, photo and video collections.

App store: The iPhone surpasess the Pre which is building its inventory too.

No matter what, the Pre is a great effort in the right direction for Palm. It is quite an achievement.