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Category Archives: Latest Gadgets
iPhone 5 versus Lenovo K860
The iPhone 5 is an ideal comparison point for several exceptional phones in the market today; one of which includes the often disregarded but performance driven Lenovo K860. In this feature, we will compare notable features between these two phones.
| Feature | iPhone 5 | Lenovo K860 |
| Screen size | 4” | 5” |
| Pixel | 1136 x 640 | 1280 x 720 |
| OS | iOS 6 | Android v4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich) |
| Processor | 1.2 GHz | 1.4 GHz |
| Core | 2 | 4 |
| Maximum battery life | 8 hours | 12 hours |
| Battery capacity | 1.44 Ah | 2.25 Ah |
| Standby | 225 hours | 336 hours |
| Memory card | No | Yes |
| Thickness | 7.6 mm | 9.6 mm |
| Front facing camera | 2 MP | 1.2 MP |
| Dimensions | 58.6 x 7.6 x 123.8 mm | 74.4 x 9.6 x 143.5 mm |
| Weight | 193.5 | 112 |
| Price | Up to $700+ | Up to $400+ |
The Lenovo K860, also called the ideaphone is an ideal gamer’s handy mobile device. At an inexpensive price, the phone already boasts of features every mobile gamer will enjoy. You can enjoy high definition games at a wide phone screen with reliable specifications. The specs include the following:
- Quad-core 1.4 GHz Cortex-A9 CPU
- Android OS, v4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
- 8 GB internal memory expandable up to 32 GB
- 1 GB of RAM
The iPhone 5 on the other hand lets you enjoy the same iPhone you love with new exciting features including the panorama view which lets you shoot widescreen images extending up to 360 degrees.
Recommendation
The iPhone 5 offers exciting never before seen features any iPhone or Apple lover will love. The Lenovo K860 ideaphone on the other hand is your ideal choice if you’re after exceptional performance and affordability.
The Technology Behind Blu-Ray: Are They Really Better?
Blu-ray discs came on the market in 2006. At the time, the media made a bunch of noise over what they called a ‘format war’ between Blu-ray and its competitor HD DVD. However, this so-called war quickly ended in a truce, and Blu-ray became the mainstream HD disc distributor. Despite that, DVDs still maintained market dominance. Consumers had access to what was marketed as a vastly superior product, and yet most still opted for the tried-and-true DVD.
Now, several years down the road, the dust has settled and we’re stuck with an important question: “Is Blu-ray really better than DVD?” The short answer is: without a doubt. That being said, no one would blame you for wanting to know more. To that end, let’s consider a few of the technological advantages that Blu-ray has over its passé cousin, the DVD player.
But before we get started, it’s important to bear in mind that final video quality depends greatly on equipment you use to display it. If we’re being 100 percent honest here, a Blu-ray player on a notebook with a 17-inch monitor is overkill. However, play a Blu-ray disc on an advanced home theatre, and the video quality can easily exceed that of even the cinema.
The following are some of the defining technological differences between Blu-ray and DVD:
The laser
Blu-ray gets its catchy name from the blue laser diode that it uses to read discs (DVD lasers are red). Laser beams are measured in wavelengths, which is essentially the space it takes for the beam to complete a full cycle (think sine waves). Smaller wavelengths enable a smaller spot size, and that in turn means greater storage.
Compare the wavelengths for the following disc technologies:
- CDs – 780 nanometres
- DVDs – 650 nanometres
- Blu-ray – 405 nanometres
The shorter the wavelength, the greater the storage capacity. Compare this to writing with a fine-pointed pen versus a thick-tipped marker. With the pen, you can write smaller letters and fit a lot more words on the page. Blu-ray discs operate by the same principle, because the laser beam is shorter and has a finer point.
Image quality
All of that extra storage space means that Blu-ray discs can deliver a much higher image quality. DVDs can’t deliver a pixel resolution above 720 x 480. Blu-ray discs put this to shame with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 (often abbreviated to 1080p).
Blu-ray also makes use of advanced video compression technology, which delivers richer colours and better contrast. Even more surprising, the high bit rate at which a Blu-ray player can read the disc means that videos it plays are vastly superior to HD television available via cable or satellite.
Audio quality
It’s easy to overlook audio quality, especially when faced with the visual feast that Blu-ray delivers. However, there are major differences between Blu-ray audio and that of previous formats. DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby TrueHD are two common audio formats. Played on the right speakers, either of these can deliver audio quality that’s virtually identical to the studio master. Audio literally doesn’t get any better than this – at least not yet.
Why iPhone 5 And Samsung Galaxy S3 Tied in Web Traffic Usage Share
The most prominent manufacturers of smart phones are definitely Samsung and Apple. Both companies are synonymous with quality and reliability. The features offered by them are pretty much the same and vary only to the minutest of details. Everything from the high class HD display right down to the inner components is just perfect and needs no modifications as such. All this makes it really tough to choose between the world’s most distinguished smart phones, namely iPhone 5 by Apple and Samsung Galaxy S3 for Samsung.
iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy S3 may be similar in terms of components. The OS systems are different yet offer pretty much the same features, which is why they are often compared on a side by side basis. Despite this, the iOS and the Android platforms are still caught up in a fierce battle with both parties holding strong. Experts believe that the battle will not end anytime soon because fans of both operating systems are present in millions across the globe.
Recently, a survey which analyzed the web traffic that came from both Apple and Samsung products was conducted. The research particularly focused on the number of users who surf the Internet on either the iPhone 5 or the Samsung Galaxy S3. The iPhone 5 was launched sometime after the Samsung Galaxy hit the market but a longer user trial followed it than that for the Samsung’s Galaxy S3.
According to the results, iPhone 5 is used by almost 56% people whereas Samsung Galaxy S3 is used by only 44%. If you take a look at the actual figures, approximately 149.7 million iPhone devices have been sold as indicated by another survey, which is probably why iPhone 5 is slightly more popular. Another research conducted in different regions concludes that iPhone 5 shares 51% of the web traffic and Samsung Galaxy is characterized by 49% of Internet traffic. These stats intensify the competition even further.
As you can see, iPhone 5 and Galaxy S3 have a fairly close competition. The following reasons can perhaps account for this.
Samsung Galaxy S4 Release Date
The Samsung Galaxy S4 was already launched last March 14, 2013. Everyone likes to have their hands on the latest products in the market so after the release; the sales of existing models go down considerably. On the other hand, Apple has not even announced the release date for their next model in the iPhone product line yet which is why the sales for the iPhone 5 is still going pretty strong in the market.
Display
The iPhone 5 features the all new Retina Display screen which results in an exceptional screen quality and vivid colors on the screen. Samsung Galaxy S3 HD offers Super AMOLED which is amazing but the iPhone 5 screen gives a better output.
Costs
The costs associated with any cellular operator or mobile broadband plan largely depends on the type of plan you choose. It could be that iPhone 5 users are somewhat wiser and carefully select a plan so that they incur the minimum possible costs. Since bills are low, the Internet is used more. In contrast to this, if Samsung Galaxy S3 users are not selecting the right plans, they might not be using the Internet much because of high costs. After all, choosing an incorrect plan does result in a significant upswing in monthly bills; and hence, you should consider all possible options.
The Bottom Line
You cannot really compare the iPhone 5 against the Samsung Galaxy S3, and thus figure out accurate reasons why the stats related to their web traffic are neck to neck. The iPhone 5 may be more user-friendly and robust but Samsung Galaxy S3 fans will never agree to this. Both devices offer countless apps to those who would like to spend their time away by tapping onto their smart phones. Both also offer similar media options for those who plug in their headphones the whole day.
In a nutshell, there is no clear winner because the differences are only slight between the iPhone 5 and the Samsung Galaxy S3.
How iPad Changed the Market
The first release of iPad took place on April, 3, 2010; more than three years ago. It became an immediate and huge success. And what is more, it actually created a new niche at the market which is now called tablet computers. After the iPad’s release, other manufacturers followed the example and began creating their own tablets running on other mobile operating systems including Android. But to be honest, hardly any of them managed to get close to the device created by Cupertino developers. iPad became a revolutionary device and it changed the notion of a mobile computer. So what changes has this device brought?
Apple sold 121 million iPads
Not only did iPad become a new product by Apple, it also brought considerable sums of money to the company. Apple managed to sell more than 120 million devices since its release which brought the company sales around $70 billion. These are huge figures, aren’t they? And the company isn’t going to stop. With the release of the iPad Mini (which opened doors to the 7-inch tablets market), the company may sell around 18 million devices during this quarter.
iPad is a ready sale in the sphere of consumer electronics
The chart above shows how fast the sales of the iPad grew. It sells much better than iPod and iPhone; and you won’t say that these devices are unpopular with customers. The rivals can only dream about such achievements. So iPad can now be considered the best-selling device in the consumer electronics segment.
iPad reduced netbooks’ market share
When presenting iPad, Steve Jobs asked the audience which class of devices is situated between smartphones and notebooks. At that time it was logical to say that this class is netbooks; compact computers for Internet surfing and other pretty simple tasks. But at the same time, he mentioned that netbooks are just laptops with not very good hardware and moderate display. As an alternative, Jobs offered to switch to tablets. And it worked. In 2011, the netbooks selling rates were three times as high as tablets selling rates. This year, they are equal. And I don’t think that the role of iPad can be underestimated in this situation.
iPad is more profitable than Windows
Experts have made an interesting conclusion: since the first financial quarter of 2011, the iPad sales bring more profit than Microsoft Windows which is installed on more than 90% of desktop computers.
Amazon and Google released their own tablets
Many companies followed the trend and released their own tablets; for example, Amazon and Google. Their devices created a good competition at the market which is always a positive moment for users.
Microsoft presented Surface and adapted Windows for tablets
Better late than never; Microsoft entered the battlefield with its own device called Surface. Apart from that, the company modified Windows 8 so that the interface of a new version of the operating system is fully compatible with tablets.
Sphere of use of iPad is enormous
Due to its functionality and compactness, iPad can be used in various spheres of everyday and business life. iPads are used in education, business, medicine, retail trade. And that’s not the full list.
To cut a long story short, I can say that iPad is a really revolutionary device. It set new standards for mobile devices. And I think that it’s not the maximum of its use.
Will There Be Another 41 MP Phone?
The world was caught in awe of the powerful 41 MP phone Nokia 808 Pureview. But the succeeding phones of the Pureview series was left wanting more. None of them featured the same enormous camera capability. So will there be another phone of this kind? The answer is YES!
Tech site sources are all excited to talk about an upcoming Nokia phone said to be equipped with the same 41 megapixel camera similar to what’s available in the Nokia 808 Pureview. But it will be supposedly powered by a Xenon flash. Some say the phone will be part of the Lumia family but is currently dubbed as the Windows Phone 8.
Aside from the whopping high pixel camera, the phone is said to feature a rare quad core CPU and an Amoled 1280 x 768 display.
But as always, we are yet to find out whether or not there will be another 41 MP phone.
The Technology behind Multiple SIM Card Phones
While multiple SIM card phones appear to be a new technology among popular brands of phones, it had actually been applied in the Benefon Twin phone by Benefon of Finland since 2000. Herewith, the secondary SIM card slot was only offered as an alternative when switching from one slot to another. However, both slots can only accommodate one mobile network carrier. A more updated version of this technology was introduced years later which actually allows two networks in one phone through the dual SIM feature. There are even Chinese manufactured triple SIM card phones now.
Dual SIM Types
- Pseudo-Dual. This is similar to the very first type of double SIM card wherewith both SIMs are made for the same network.
- Dual SIM Shift. Only one SIM card can be actively used and the user must manually switch from one SIM to another.
- Dual SIM Standby or DSS. Unlike the previous type, both SIMs can be actively used except during a phone call. The other SIM automatically ceases to be active when the other is on an active call.
- Dual SIM Active or DSA. Both SIM cards can be active at the same time. Meaning, you can receive calls on either without getting the other call dropped.
- Dual Talk. A user can receive calls from 2 networks at the same time.
- Dual SIM Dual Call. Other names include Dual SIM Dual Active or DSDA, Dual SIM Active, and DUOS. This is a combination of DSA and Dual Talk but with the addition of an indicator signifying that an incoming call from the other SIM is present while actively conversing on an already active call in another SIM.
- Dual SIM Dual Standby or DSDS. While DSS, DSA, and other dual SIM card types require two receivers, DSDS only needs one.
Triple SIM Card Phones
Triple SIM card phones on the other hand applies a technology similar to DSDA phones except that there are three slots for three different SIM cards belonging to similarly three varying mobile networks.
Phone Brands and Mobile Networks
Various phone manufacturers worldwide has jumped into the bandwagon of dual or triple SIM card phones including worldwide brand names such as Samsung, Nokia, Philips, and LG to name some. Local phone manufacturing companies and mobile networks have also released their own dual or triple SIM phones such as K-Touch, Karbonn Mobiles, Micromax Mobile, Spice, Lemon Mobiles, and LAVA Mobiles which are all from India, FreeYourMobile in the U.K., Verzio of Singapore, and MyPhone, Cherry Mobile, and Torque in the Philippines to name only a few.
Advantages of Multiple SIM Phones
While most users prefer to subscribe to only a single carrier, some purposely carry more than one phone in order to accommodate as many people as they know who are subscribed to varying cellular phone carriers. This is because each phone will have a SIM from a specific mobile network. But with the availability of dual or triple SIM card phones, a mobile user can conveniently use only a single phone for two or more mobile networks.
Aside from conveniently carrying only a single phone, the user will also save money as there will no need to buy extra phones just to be able to accommodate more than one network.
With multiple SIM card phones, it will be possible to get connected with everyone on any network without the need to invest money to possess more than one phone.
Meet the Samsung Youm Flexi Phone!
Meet the Samsung Youm Flexi Phone!
At one of the previous posts – Tech 2013 Events, Phones, Gadgets, Gizmos, Games, and Other Technology, I’ve mentioned about CES 2013 held last January 8-13, 2013 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A. In this post, one of the gadgets to look forward to comes to life, the Samsung Youm!
Under phone features at number 2, I’ve listed the Bendy Screen Smartphone feature with the Samsung Galaxy Skin phone, a prototype of the OLED display technology first introduced during CES 2011. Although Samsung had actually been publicly promoting this type of technology already, no actual unit may become available for the public until sometime around 2014 or 2015. But who knows, unbreakable and bendable phones may soon be released earlier via the Galaxy S4 as rumors says so? As for the Samsung Youm, no price or release date was mentioned when it was introduced last month during CES 2013.
Watch the CES 2013 presentation of the Samsung Youm in this video – http://youtu.be/N3E7fUynrZU
Features
Aside from the obvious flexible or bending screen, you will also expect advanced technology hardware and software parts in this upcoming 5 inches in screen size phone. Some of such features include a quad core Snapdragon 800 S4 processor, 2.3GHz, 4GB RAM, 64/128 GB storage, 802.11 AC, 13 MP HDR Camera, micro SD XC card slot, wireless charging running Ubuntu Phone OS, screen resolution of 300 dpi upwards, and a removable battery. The OLED technology also intensifies user experience through a higher contrast, deeper black hues, and greater power efficiency as compared to current LCD displays.
The Flexi Phone Race
But aside from Samsung, other manufacturers such as Nokia, Windows, and LG are also working on their version of this technology.
Whatever is the case, as soon as you get your hands on this phone, you can bend it, roll it, fold it and do whatever you want with it. It doesn’t break!
Tech 2013: Events, Phones, Gadgets, Gizmos, Games, and other Technology to Look Forward to
The year 2012 offered countless technological breakthroughs and products. But tech fans all over the world have more to look forward to when it comes to the world of tech 2013. Here are some of the phones, gadgets, gizmos, games, and other technology worth waiting for this year!
Tech Conferences
Starting with conferences, the annual international Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is currently ongoing (Jan. 8-11, 2013) at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A. This event features upcoming tech products from giant companies.
Another tech event for 2013 which should be on your itinerary is the E3 or the Electronic Entertainment Expo. We featured about it last year through this post – E3 the Electronic Entertainment Expo – Happy Days. This year, the E3 will be held on June 11-13, 2013 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. This venue will hold all upcoming E3 annual conferences until 2015.
Both conferences will feature some of the products or items listed below.
Phones
First on the list of smart phones is the Blackberry 10 with RIM’s own QNX based operating system. This phone features a smart keyboard enabled simply by swiping specific hand movements. HTC’s Android phone called Butterfly featuring a 5-inch full HD display screen, similarly HD-powered cameras, and 2 GB of RAM plus 32 GB internal memory storage has already been released in Japan and the U.S. Another HTC phone, the M7 is also anticipated with its full HD display, 4G data capability, quad core processor, and aluminum design.
Still on phones with 5-inch full HD screens, you can include the Sony Experia Odin (also called Z with codename C660X Yuga) on the list of smart phones to anticipate this year. It features a 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 quad core processor, 1080p resolution, 13 MP camera, and 2 GB RAM. This phone will be water resistant too.
As for Samsung, expect several phones this year including the Galaxy SIV or S4 which also features a 5-inch screen and an Android Jelly Bean OS. Another Samsung baby is a Windows 8 based ATIV device, the Samsung ATIV Odyssey. Although it appeared to be similar to the Galaxy S3, it’s actually more comparable to the Nokia Lumia 822. This phone will be equipped with the following features: 4-inch WVGA Super AMOLED screen, 1.5 GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 1080p resolution, 5 MP camera, 4G LTE data, NFC technology, and 1 GB of RAM with 8 GB internal storage.
Since Nokia is mentioned, an upcoming Lumia 940 with carbon fiber frame is currently being conceptualized. Another potential concept is as always a new iPhone. This year, predictions are up for a possible iPhone 5s or an iPhone 6.
Even Microsoft as well as popular Chinese manufacturer ZTE doesn’t want to be left behind when it comes to phones. Allegedly, Foxconn will manufacture the Surface Phone for Microsoft along with a tablet. ZTE on the other hand will soon release its Grand S smart phone. It’s a variation of the Nubia Z5 with super thin body, 720 x 1280 pixel display, 13 MP rear camera, Android Jelly Bean OS, quad core processor, 2 GB RAM, and 5-inch full HD display like most 2013 phones. ZTE will also release the P945. It will be equipped with a 1.2GHz quad core processor, 3000 mAh battery, and an 8 MP camera. Above all, it boasts of a large 5.7 inch display.
Phone Features
If you think these features are amazing, wait till you hear about separate phone features currently being developed. Some of which include the following:
1. Smart Skin Phones. Enabled by the smart device-skin functionality, this technology can take digital snapshots and have it displayed on the device’s skin.
2. Bendy Screen Smartphone. The Samsung Galaxy Skin phone not only features 800×480 high resolution AMOLED screen, 1.2GHz processor, an 8 MP camera, and 1 GB of RAM; it also comes with a slick bending screen! Yes, it bends!
3. Gorilla Glass 3. If you think your Gorilla glass designed phone or tablet is tough enough, wait till the Gorilla Glass 3 gets released.
Tablets
Speaking of tablets, the Lenovo IdeaCentre Horizon is beyond superb. It can lie flat on any surface and allows multiple users to touch the screen at the same time including during gaming moments. It’s powered by i7 processors and can actually convert itself into a 27-inch desktop PC.
Lifebook
I don’t know just where exactly to categorize the Fujitsu Lifebook 2013 so might as well create its own category. This device combines a laptop, tablet, smart phone, and a digital camera all in one! No one knows how much it costs yet but it’s coming to you this 2013.
PC Parts and Pieces
Let’s start with the Nvidia Tegra 4 processor. It comes with a 72 graphics core which is 6 times higher than the Tegra 3. Its CPU features the ARM Cortex A-15 which is more improved than the current ARM Cortex A-9 Tegra 3 quad core chipset. The LTE powered i500 modems are also due for release. These empower up to 1.2 trillion operations per second which may pave the way to the Tegra 4 being utilized for smart phones and tablets soon.
The Tobii Rex eye-tracking interface has already been showcased during last year’s CES. This year, it will come in smaller sizes and can soon fit the space between your laptop and keypad and hopefully as small as downloadable apps. This USB connected device enables the so-called Gaze interface which lets your eyes move your cursor to scroll, open folders or files, and even zoom in and out.
TV
Full HD is disadvantageous for TVs with large screens and for viewers watching closely because the pixels become noticeable. 4K resolves that problem through a screen resolution of 4096 x 2160 pixels. 4k TVs are designed with 4x the number of pixels full HDTVs have, thus, the 4K name. But TVs with this capability are of course VERY expensive. So if you’d like TVs that are more affordable, consider Google TVs GA7900 and GA6400. Combined with LG’s new Magic Remote Qwerty design, you can experience improved Voice Search and PrimeTime quick guide with these units. You will also have access to VoD or Video on Demand, YouTube, and apps.
Speaking of YouTube and still on TV, brace yourself for the mobile/TV pairing feature soon to be available for gadgets from Bang & Olufsen, LG, Panasonic and Sony. This feature will enable viewers to watch HD videos or channels, find new subscribed videos and search for them faster, and to create 1080p based playlists.
New Platform: Glasses
Still another Google project is the Google glass. You can wear them like regular eye glasses. It features 4G, GPS, Bluetooth connectivity with Android powered devices, and a camera. Vuzix M100 Smart Glass will also set foot on CES 2013 with its Android 4 OS, GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 4 GB storage, and 720p video. The company had even released the product’s SDK to encourage developers to create apps.
Gaming
The next PlayStation named PS4 is technically the 8th from Sony already. It is predicted to be smaller, lighter, faster, with a bigger storage capacity than the current PS3. Microsoft’s new Xbox on the other hand is called Kryptos, Loop, Durango, 720 and numerous other code names. Expect improved performance, an updated Kinect, new controllers including TV controls, two-way directional audio, support for virtual reality glass system, cloud storage and media capabilities, digitally downloadable games, and of course a new design. This gaming console may see the light of day on E3 2013.
Cars
Well, there’s only just one so it’s not cars but car. So last but not the least on this list is MIT’s folding car, Hiriko or the urban car. It will soon be released in Europe and selected areas in the U.S. European countries are the targeted areas because these places are known to be amongst the most crowded, especially their cities. To help ease space parking problems, Hiriko can be folded to fit only 1/3 of a parking space. This means that 3 of this car model can occupy just one parking space. It’s also environment friendly as it runs on electricity. The only problem is that its electric powered battery can only run a 75 miles distance.
There you have it! These are what all tech fans can look forward to for tech 2013! Excited? Let us know what you think by dropping a comment below. You may also click on that Facebook ‘like’ button or share this article through various site through the ‘share this’ bookmarking button.
Yearend Tech News 2012: A Roundup of the 12 Best in the Tech World this Year
With the year almost about to end, it’s but timely to list a roundup of the best tech news 2012. These are the 12 biggest tech updates in the year that was: both in a good and bad light.
No doubt about it, the iPhone 5 was the best there ever was this year. The phone was finally released last September but it has been the talk of the town since 2011. If you can recall, it was the iPhone 4S which was released last year instead of the well publicized, rumored, and long awaited for iPhone 5. But for those who actually have this unit, the question will be, “is it worth the long wait and publicity?”
Gangnam Style
Justin Bieber’s “Baby” is no longer the most viewed YouTube video of all time. South Korean K-pop star Psy and his worldwide hit “Gangnam Style” is now the official number one. The viral video, which started its reign on the YouTube waves currently has 1.59 billion hits and is still counting!
Mayan Calendar End of the World
The world didn’t end yet on 12-21-2012 despite popular prophecies from the historically mysterious Mayan civilization. The whole web world had been writing and preparing for it since the beginning of the year. Although most religious organizations interpreting Biblical scriptures believe that the Earth is in its last days, no one can pinpoint when exactly is the world going to end. Safely said, only God knows. As for the Mayan calendar ending on the aforementioned date, my personal take is that everyone who had been responsible for the tribe’s fortune telling had probably been already deceased and so the calendar ends on the said date.
Megaupload Shut Down
January this year, one of the biggest file sharing and downloading site, Megaupload has been shut down by the U.S. Dept. of Justice following countless complaints from the Motion Picture Association of America and the Recording Industry Association of America. Kim Dotcom, the company’s CEO, had been battling in courts for his case ever since. Meanwhile, the new Megaupload site is currently being developed.
McAfee Controversy
Another controversial tech news this 2012 is John McAfee’s.McAfee, the founder of the popular anti-virus software company had been on the run for weeks after being tied to the murder of his neighbor and fellow American Gregory Viant Full in Belize. Over three weeks disguising, faking a heart attack, and changing numbers, he is now awaiting trial after being captured and deported from Guatemala.
Young Yahoo! CEO
Still on controversy is Yahoo! promoting Marissa Mayer as its CEO when she actually became rich and famous with Google. At 37, she’s one of the youngest CEO of a Fortune 500 company and is number 14 on Fortune magazine’s most powerful businesswomen.
SOPA Bill
With billion dollar companies like Google, Yahoo!, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, eBay, AOL, and Mozilla objecting to the Stop Online Privacy Act including countless websites and organizations, the bill was never even been drafted since it was first proposed last January of this year.
Samsung vs. Apple
In July 2012, Samsung won a lawsuit against Apple when the latter sued the former for releasing gadgets which are somewhat similar to the iPhone and iPad. The verdict was of course in favor of Samsung, which of course is quite predictable knowing that experienced and knowledgeable tech experts are not exclusively employed by Apple alone. China has countless of them for one and Apple outsources in China.
Apple vs. Google Maps
The Apple Maps flop had finally been retired when the all new version of the Google Maps had been released this month. Apple’s version, which was supposedly designed to replace Google’s in Apple devices including the iOS6 didn’t receive as much following as that of Google’s. The new version of Google Maps recorded over 10 million downloads during the first two days of its release alone.
Microsoft had its own share of failed attempts with the new Windows 8 back in October. The new operating system held no contest against the now governing tablet market especially with the launch of 7 inch tablets including Google Nexus 7, Amazon Kindle Fire HD, and the iPad mini. Windows 8 is a major disappointment when compared with its predecessor, Windows 7.
Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
Facebook added Instagram to its roster of companies for $1 billion in April but the latter promised to remain neutral to all social networking sites. That promise was not kept because Instagram eventually removed Twitter from its integration earlier this month.
Facebook Opens to the Public
Still on Facebook, the company had finally opened doors for the public last May. You can now buy shares of the second biggest site in the world. Since this IPO, Facebook had already cashed in $16 billion.
These are the best headlines for tech news 2012. Stay tuned for an upcoming post about what to expect in the tech world this coming year. For the meantime, techbugs.net is wishing everyone happy holidays!
The 5 Worst Things That Happened in Tech 2012
While 2012 has been a decent year for the technology industry, it has not been without its share of blunders and failures. With any luck, 2013 will be a better year for the companies involved in these five worst tech snafus.
1. Maps for iOS take a wrong turn
Like any popular gadget, the release of the iPhone 5 had fans of the major smart phone platforms lining up on both sides of the fence. One of the touted features of the new phone was the iOS 6 version of Maps. In fact, Apple was so confident in the app that it removed any pre-installed mapping apps from their competitors from the device at launch.
Unfortunately, Maps was full of errors. Some of them were simply visual. However, in some cases, entire cities were missing, placed in the wrong country or improperly named. Other errors were potentially more dangerous, such as the improper address listing for Washington DC’s Dulles Airport reported by CNNMoney or the recent case of drivers in Australia ending up lost in the wilderness and having to be rescued.
2. Facebook’s IPO launch does a belly flop
From the start, Mark Zuckerberg was pumping up crowds of investors. ZDNet reported that over 1,000 Facebook employees would be millionaires after the company went public. Employees were planning to retire and even travel to space. Speculation ran rampant and insiders and industry investors were lining up for shares in the company.
Then the string of changes to valuation and risk assessment reports started flooding in. By the time of the IPO launch date, interest was waning and serious concerns surfaced. All of this was capped off with a $15 billion class action user tracking lawsuit on the day of the launch. A NASDAQ technical issue also prevented trading for nearly a half hour that day. In the end, the shares reached values that were just a fraction of the proposed price.
3. Hackers walking in a password wonderland
LinkedIn, Last.fm and eHarmony were all victims of security breaches this year. An estimated 6.4 passwords were leaked from LinkedIn alone. With the sheer amount of information transmitting over the Internet and being stored and analyzed on corporate servers, the need for proper data security is greater than ever.
Unfortunately for the companies involved, there were also concerns of improper securing of many of the password databases. In the end, all of the companies lost reputation and some users shifted to alternate platforms. Though there have been no firm numbers released on the financial impact on users who’s credentials were compromised, you can certainly bet that the incidents cost the companies a hefty sum.
4. RIM keeps the world waiting for Blackberry 10
Once a leader in business phones and an innovator in new cellular phone technologies, RIM has fallen behind both Apple and the Android competition. In the spring, as the financial state of the company condition continued to decline, they pushed out word of the new Blackberry 10.
With its new styling and similar feature set to current smartphones, it could help RIM reacquire a foothold in the mobile market. Unfortunately, it has now been delayed into the first quarter of 2013. This leaves the possibility of RIM’s disappearance, making the worst tech lists of 2013 higher than ever.
5. Windows 8 leaves many running for the door
Microsoft’s latest Windows offering is once again changing up the interface users have come to know and love. From the lack of a start menu to the touch-centric Metro UI, these changes are receiving less than stellar reviews from some users and industry professionals. Whether Windows 8 and the Surface tablet become late bloomers or simply flop remains to be seen in 2013.
