The Dark Side of Mobile Access

Here's the post that I knew I was going to have to write, and I highly recommend that you read it. It's one of the most cancerous but unspoken issues in our society today, and with the introduction of tablets and smartphones, it's only become more dangerous.

I'm talking about porn. I don't know where you stand on it, whether you think it's ok, something to be pushed under the carpet, or my position: downright evil. The point is that porn, in any sort, either hard, soft, violent, or child-associated is a thousand times more accessible than ever. Fifty years ago, you had to go to the nearest drugstore and buy it under the counter and drive home in shame with it. Today, all you need is a 4G connection and you can view adult content 24 hours a day, almost anywhere in the civilized world, from the palm of your hand. Jason Byassee says it better than I could. I recommend reading his opinion on how it's changed.

For me as a soon to be married man, this is beyond concerning for my future. I don't want my wife to have to live in fear of me comparing her to a woman on a two dimensional screen. I don't want my sons to be cycling images of naked women and sexual violence in their minds when they start junior high. And I sure as hell don't want my little girls to eventually marry a man who doesn't cherish her or think she's good enough compared to what he's seen.

Don't believe me? Looks at the stats.

What can we hope for in the iPhone 5?

Apple's iPhone has been an incredible success - no doubt about it.  First released in 2007, these smartphones have amounted to approximately half of Apple's total sales.  Apple is still looking to innovate and ride profits for this product.  Reuters stated that South Korea's Maeli Business Newspaper reports orders from Apple for parts to produce their new iPhone, which is anticipated to be released in the second quarter of 2012.  Since the iPhone 4S was just released in October of last year, what could a new iPhone possibly include?

A new design

Is the iPad 3 Costing More Than It's Worth?

We’ve heard all the hype about the iPad 3. Is it bad? Is it good? Is it worth it? Apple is constantly surprising us with what they can create and accomplish. But what are the pros and cons to owning the iPad 3? Some users are finding out the hard way that they may end up paying more than the retail price in the long run…

The new iPad 3 features the new retina display, which consumers are eating up. This new feature allows for a great HD home theater feel. The new retina display is in addition to the 8-mega-pixel camera that brings photos to life. But what is the ultimate cost of these great features when it comes to the pricy data plan?

According to Forbes magazine, the iPad 3 is sold along with an expensive data plan. But since wireless companies are in the process of phasing out the unlimited data plan, some users are finding that the iPad 3 and its retina display is eating up all their data in just a few days. Sure, this is okay if your iPad isn’t your primary source of internet connection for a specific amount of time. However, if it happens to be your primary connection, consumers are finding this to be a very negative aspect to the new iPad 3.

Are consumers going to find that the pros outweigh the cons, or will Apple experience its first failure? Apple is rumored to have a 4.6" iPhone 5 screen in the future - will consumers' reactions to the negative impact on the data plan change Apple's long term plans?

Should I share my Facebook password?

Something to be on the watch in the next year or so should be about the new trend of job applicant's having to submit their Facebook login and passwords in order to verify their professionalism and character. However, that really doesn't fly with about 99% of prospective employees. Those of us seeking to find employment after college or in general are told repeatedly that it's very prudent to clean up our party photos and the like in order that we don't get passed up.

Where does Facebook stand?
I could paraphrase where they stand, but Erin Egan, Facebook's chief privacy officer, says it pretty plainly:

"Facebook takes your privacy seriously. We’ll take action to protect the privacy and security of our users, whether by engaging policymakers or, where appropriate, by initiating legal action, including by shutting down applications that abuse their privileges."

For the full post, click here.

Overall, Facebook has condemned the practice of using such techniques to gain information as a violation of policy and inappropriate. (One note though: Wasn't Mark Zuckerberg accused of selling information like this? Is it only bad if someone else is stealing your clients information?)

Glympse - "Share Your Where"

Started in 2008 by several intelligent guys who left multinational corporations to pursue an opportunity in the changing nature of "technical and social trends," Glympse is a free mobile application that serves many purposes.  However, many people are still unaware of its benefits.  This location-based application was designed to answer all of the questions regarding where you're at, where you're going, and how long you will take to get to your destination.

Glympse application logo

How it works: 

Glympse is a service available on smartphones (all platforms) as long as they are GPS-enabled.  This program utilizes mapping and positioning technology to share device locations with others.  Users can choose who they want to share this information with, as well as set a duration for how long the information can be viewed using the patent-pending GlympseWatch™ timer.  After sharing this information, the user can "pause" or "cancel" the Glympse at their discretion.  It also has an "auto shut off" feature that comes in handy when users forget to turn off location-sharing.  Users choose to share a Glympse with anyone in their contacts (and can even post it to social media platforms).  As long as the device that it is being sent to has a web browser, the Glympse can be opened.  The receiving user gets an SMS with a unique URL and a customized message that can be opened up and tracked in a browser; and there is no need for another user to have downloaded the application.

Let The Tablet Wars Begin

Apple, Windows, and now… Samsung? Do I smell some competition?

We all think of Apple as truly having a way of taking the technology world by storm with their ever-evolving new versions of the iPhone, iPod, and the iPad. They are constantly changing and adding new and unique features that help diversify their products from everyone else. Many consumers find it hard to keep up with Apple. Some consumers even find this extremely frustrating… as illustrated in this fantastic comic done by The Oatmeal.

But what is Apple up to now? It’s rumored that Apple is going to release a 7-inch iPad after Samsung possibly accidently, but “officially” announced it would start shipping Android mini-tablets sometime early next year. But with all this competition, will Apple be able to effectively keep up? How many versions of its infamous iPad can it possibly come out with? Apparently a lot…

In an earlier post about the release of the iPad 3, we discussed how Apple is always one-upping the competition and staying ahead of the game. Before the Microsoft decided to release the Windows 8 tablet, Apple was already on number two. But what does this mean for companies like Microsoft and for example, Samsung? Apple has its followers trained. We like the iPod, the iPhone, and the MacBook… and now the iPad. We don’t want to switch. We don’t want to learn a new tech language. We enjoy the ease of use that it provides, and we’ve become so accustomed to these unique features that it is going to be a true challenge for the competition to step in and sway consumers. Unless companies can price themselves at a much lower and competitive price point, it appears that Apple has already dominated the tablet market.

For a side-by-side comparison of the Windows 8 tablet and the iPad, you can view this 10-minute video for more details.

Let us know your thoughts.

Radiation Relief

Today's article comes a from a different side of mobile devices. Instead of apps, phones, or tablets, tonight we get to look at a humanitarian view of the tech that we get to use.

While not on the news as much as our presidential election or the uprising in the Middle East, there's still a pretty prevalent event that affects our brothers and sisters in Japan - namely the earthquake and tsunami that caused the shutdown and failure of three nuclear reactors, allowing radiation to seep out into the already devastated population. A year and a week later, life still has to go on for them. Here are a couple statistics on the current situation of  Japan that you might find interesting:

Ringback Tone Advertising by Google!?

Imagine calling a company and being placed on hold, only to be trapped listening to annoying music and advertisements about special offers until the customer service representative picks up the phone.  Now, picture the same advertising being played in your ears when you place a call to your family, friend, or significant other.  Think that it's a far-fetched idea?  It's not.

A patent was awarded...

What Happened to the Android Market?!

For the past three days, everyone has been asking, "What happened to the Android market?" Well, the big G has moved in... that's what happened. Google rebranded the Android market as the Google Play Store. Not only did Google rebrand, but they also rolled in some new services and features. They incorporated books, known as Google Play Books, music, known as Google Play Music, and movies, known as Google Play Movies. But what does this mean?

There is no doubt that Google Play is here to stay! However, consumers are confused according to MSNBC. What was wrong with the old Android market? And how can you "play" a book? And, finally, Google prides itself on organization. But, Google hasn't taught the Android people anything. The now Google Play Store is just as hard to navigate as the old Android Market.

You don't think Google is trying to one-up Apple, do you? Well, they are positioning themselves in a very unique position by incorporating Netflix and Amazon Instant Video with ideas like iTunes and the Kindle all into one unique store. So, is this a success for Google or a failed attempt to effectively compete against Apple?




Read More Here.

Budget Saving Apps

These tough economic times have everyone searching for the best prices and the greatest bargains - especially when it comes to gas prices and everyday items. But what if you can still buy some of the things you want and like, while also purchasing the necessities you still need? Companies are creating mobile applications that connect users with great bargains, deals, sales, and discounted products. Other mobile applications are also being created to find the cheapest gas prices in a specific location and the best price on consumer goods from clothing to groceries.

Shopping with PayPal

So today's post is pretty cool. At least the commercial is. Ladies and Gentlemen, PayPal, that payment system you used pretty much in eBay has stepped up its game quite a bit. Trust me on this one. Remember that Google Wallet that I talked about last week? Well take that, and inject it with steroids.

In the video at the bottom of the screen, we get to see four noteworthy features of this new mobile technology that PayPal offers. There aren't any hard details from PayPal yet, but they're set to unveil this either tomorrow or Sunday according to what I've heard. 

Apple unveils new iPad with 3.1M-pixel Retina Display

Earlier today, Apple announced the release of a new iPad that has been nicknamed the "iPad 3" or "iPad HD". This product will be coming to 10 countries starting on Friday, March 16th.  With a 2,048-by-1,536-pixel resolution, the product's Retina Display crams 3.1 million pixels into a 9.7-inch display.  Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, Phil Schiller, noted that the screen on the new iPad has more pixels than a 1080p television.

So what features come with the new iPad?

Nordstrom's New Mobile Check-Out System: No More Standing in Line

Nordstrom, the well known department store chain, is a high end, luxury retailer that prides its self on incredible and friendly customer service. If you have every made a purchase at a Nordstrom store, you most likely know exactly what I am talking about. There are many factors that go into creating this indescribable customer experience. Whether it be friendly and attentive staff, a good selection, the ambiance, or whatever your personal preference is… Nordstrom seems to have this down. But according to the typical customer and MSN Money, Nordstrom ranks #4 for the best customer service.

Swipe or Tap: Your Choice

So here’s a video on the latest development in monetary transaction: using your phone. According to this video, instead of having to break out your wallet, find the debit or credit card, clumsily (if you're me) try to slide it the correct way through the machine, punch in the pin, then put it back in your wallet, and try to put it back in your pocket while looking subtle and if you know what you're doing, you'll be able to use your smartphone instead and tap a receiver. Pretty cool right?

This is pretty crucial because a good 35% of the US adults use smartphones already and having the ability to put financial transactions will only add to online banking and other electronic services such as PayPal and the Intuit Company which makes applications like TurboTax and Mint.com, a practical monetary tracker. Companies such as Wal-Mart, Google, Target and others are in the run to use this sort of transaction processing, making it easier on them.

While there are companies that try to combine credit cards and smartphones (like the GoPayment device from Intuit and the Card Reader from Square) Google, MasterCard, and Citicard are the ones leading the way with the new Google Wallet application, a service that safely and securely takes care of all your financial needs. To use it, download the Google Wallet mobile app. However, it only works with the Nexus S 4G  by Google for Sprint customers.