Apple rejects Commodore 64 emulator app
Apple rejected a fully licensed emulator of the venerable Commodore 64 (C64) based on the SDK rules that specifically prohibit interpreted or executable code. Manomio'sapplication, also called C64 (c64iphone.com), allowed users to play classic C64 games, run applications and use Commodore BASIC. "The rejection letter simply stated a violation of section 3.2.2 of the iPhone Developer's Agreement," said Manomio. According to developers we know, section 3.2.2 reads as follows. "An Application may not itself install or launch other executable code by any means, including without limitation through the use of a plug-in architecture, calling other frameworks, other APIs or otherwise. No interpreted code may be downloaded and used in an Application except for code that is interpreted and run by Apple's Published APIs and built-in interpreter(s)."The rejection is odd considering that there are some apps in the iTunes App Store that emulate programmable calculators. Also, one app called Frotz (iTunes link) is a Z-machine interpreter. The rejection makes even less sense when you consider that two games, Gold Axe (iTunes link) and Sonic (iTunes link), are apps that emulate old game console ROMs, which is exactly what the emulator is doing for old C64 games.ManomioManomio has to do the following before Apple will accept the C64 emulator .Remove access to BASIC--instead of booting up, the emulator just shows a blank screen and is not interactive until you run a game. Prior to this, you could actually interact with the BASIC interpreter.Remove the RESET button from the virtual keyboardRenamed the "C64 Shop" to "More Games"Yet, Manomio disputes the last point. "It was never officially confirmed from Apple this[C64 Shop] was an issue, but many comments thought this was our own store for selling games," the developer told us. "It now clearly shows that it will link to additional C64 titles in the App Store." It appears as if Apple is concerned that Manomio was trying to circumvent iTunes App Store sales, something that Apple usually doesn't take to kindly to. Granted, we think that it was a poor choice for Manomio to use the word Shop in the app, particularly if you consider all the other crazy reasons for app rejections. We'll never know for sure, but that word alone may sum up the reason for Apple's rejection. Indeed, we think that it's a good theory considering the aforementioned apps that already support interpreted or executable code.Hopefully, Apple will accept the C64 app with the above changes so we can enjoy some of our favorite C64 games again. We'd also like to see the return of Commodore BASIC at some point so we can try out some of our favorite POKE and PEEK commands.A YouTube video demonstrating the C64 emulator is shown below:Personally, I'd like to see some if my old BASIC and machine language C64 programs will run under the emulator on my iPhone. The C64 was the first computer that I ever wrote about (for Compute! magazine) and I developed C64 games and applications. The computer even turned a hobby into a career spanning decades which is partially chronicled in my Switcher's Manifesto.Commodore International released the Commodore 64 (WikiPedia) in 1982. Originally priced at $595, sales eventually totaled 30 million units, making it the best-selling single personal computer model of all time. The 8-bit home computer featured advanced video and audio hardware as well as a whopping 64K of RAM and a zippy (for its time) 1.02 Mhz CPU.Are you are former Commodore 64 user who is interested in reliving the past by coding in Commodore BASIC, spending long hours typing a program in from your favorite magazine or running a favorite retro game? Let us know in the comments.Follow David Martin on Twitter.
Mark Shuttleworth's evolving Ubuntu desktop war
Mark Shuttleworth's evolving Ubuntu desktop war
I've been very fortunate to get to spend some time with Mark Shuttleworth, founder of Ubuntu, during my trip to Argentina.Mark and I spent the day skiing in Las Lenas, with some soft snow by the middle of the day and a lot of great conversation throughout the day.One question we discussed at length: what is Mark's ambition for Ubuntu?In trying to get at the answer to this question, InternetNews today asks: why doesn't Canonical work with SAP and Oracle to get them to support Ubuntu?But this sort of question doesn't get anywhere near Mark's ambition for Ubuntu.It doesn't anticipate the intersection of the web and the desktop.The more I talk with Mark, the more I think he's a very, very smart person.He recognizes that Ubuntu needs to be more appealing on the desktop than the Mac to generate user adoption, but that's not really where his attention is focused, so far as I can tell.He's thinking bigger than desktop bits.He's thinking of cloud-plus-desktop bits.And this, my friends, is why Mark may end up winning the "desktop" war.Many, including I, have been quick to dismiss Microsoft as an also-ran on the web.To date it has been.Mark, however, along with Mary Jo Foley and other smart people, believes that the cloud becomes even more powerful when rendered through desktop applications.No one has the strength on the desktop that Microsoft has, making its increasing array of servers much more ominous (if you compete with them).Indeed, the more one looks at Google and other "cloud" companies the more it's clear that they're spending an increasing amount of time on the desktop (Google Gears, Google Toolbar, etc.).There's much one can do in the browser.But there's conceivably much more that one could do with a connection between the desktop and the cloud.Just look at Apple, with a market cap that has surpassed Google's and a host of network services like iTunes that extend the Apple brand beyond its beautiful desktop.Now start to think about what Ubuntu could do with a firm position on the desktop, or what Google could do if it wanted to "backfill" its desktop gap with Ubuntu (or its own homegrown version of Linux).Would you buy a Google Desktop/operating system?Of course you would.You'd be thinking of the Google applications while getting the benefit of a Google home base in the desktop bits, including the operating system.So, on one hand you have the Canonical that is determined to create a better desktop experience, while simultaneously charging hard into the enterprise server market.Marry that to the possibility of Ubuntu delivered with exceptional network services and you not only discover a way for Ubuntu to be much bigger than a Linux distribution, but you also figure out a way for it to make a heck of a lot of money.Suddenly creating a third leading Linux distribution doesn't seem so crazy.It's only crazy if Mark were content to stymie his imagination by replicating what Novell and Red Hat have already done well.He's not.He's thinking bigger.There's risk in thinking big, but there's also a potentially huge reward.
I've been very fortunate to get to spend some time with Mark Shuttleworth, founder of Ubuntu, during my trip to Argentina.Mark and I spent the day skiing in Las Lenas, with some soft snow by the middle of the day and a lot of great conversation throughout the day.One question we discussed at length: what is Mark's ambition for Ubuntu?In trying to get at the answer to this question, InternetNews today asks: why doesn't Canonical work with SAP and Oracle to get them to support Ubuntu?But this sort of question doesn't get anywhere near Mark's ambition for Ubuntu.It doesn't anticipate the intersection of the web and the desktop.The more I talk with Mark, the more I think he's a very, very smart person.He recognizes that Ubuntu needs to be more appealing on the desktop than the Mac to generate user adoption, but that's not really where his attention is focused, so far as I can tell.He's thinking bigger than desktop bits.He's thinking of cloud-plus-desktop bits.And this, my friends, is why Mark may end up winning the "desktop" war.Many, including I, have been quick to dismiss Microsoft as an also-ran on the web.To date it has been.Mark, however, along with Mary Jo Foley and other smart people, believes that the cloud becomes even more powerful when rendered through desktop applications.No one has the strength on the desktop that Microsoft has, making its increasing array of servers much more ominous (if you compete with them).Indeed, the more one looks at Google and other "cloud" companies the more it's clear that they're spending an increasing amount of time on the desktop (Google Gears, Google Toolbar, etc.).There's much one can do in the browser.But there's conceivably much more that one could do with a connection between the desktop and the cloud.Just look at Apple, with a market cap that has surpassed Google's and a host of network services like iTunes that extend the Apple brand beyond its beautiful desktop.Now start to think about what Ubuntu could do with a firm position on the desktop, or what Google could do if it wanted to "backfill" its desktop gap with Ubuntu (or its own homegrown version of Linux).Would you buy a Google Desktop/operating system?Of course you would.You'd be thinking of the Google applications while getting the benefit of a Google home base in the desktop bits, including the operating system.So, on one hand you have the Canonical that is determined to create a better desktop experience, while simultaneously charging hard into the enterprise server market.Marry that to the possibility of Ubuntu delivered with exceptional network services and you not only discover a way for Ubuntu to be much bigger than a Linux distribution, but you also figure out a way for it to make a heck of a lot of money.Suddenly creating a third leading Linux distribution doesn't seem so crazy.It's only crazy if Mark were content to stymie his imagination by replicating what Novell and Red Hat have already done well.He's not.He's thinking bigger.There's risk in thinking big, but there's also a potentially huge reward.
Apple's iPad event reportedly set for October 22
Apple's iPad event reportedly set for October 22
Apple will hold a special event later this month to unveil new iPads, along with the Mac Pro and OS X Mavericks.That's happening on Tuesday, October 22, says AllThingsD, which has a very good track record on Apple event times.The date is the same as Nokia's Nokia World event, which takes place in Abu Dhabi and is expected to bring new Lumia phones. It's also the same day Microsoft's Surface 2 tablets go on sale.It remains unclear where exactly Apple plans to hold its event. Last month's iPhone 5S and 5C unveiling took place at its headquarters in Cupertino, Calif., whereas last October's iPad Mini and Mac unveiling happened at the California Theatre in nearby San Jose (pictured above). As for what the new iPads will look like, that's unlikely to be a surprise. A series of leaks has strongly suggested the next full-sized iPads will look just like last year's Mini, with more angled edges, a portrait shaped bezel, and a thinner design. The Mini itself is expected to sport upgraded internals and come in new colors to match Apple's recently-launched iPhone 5S models. AllThingsD also suggests the minis will get a Retina Display, a feature that's said to be on the fence. An earlier leak showing off new colors and form factors of the iPad and iPad mini.iCrackUriDeviceWhat might be a surprise is whether either of the new iPads will include Apple's Touch ID sensors, which allow users to unlock the device and make iTunes purchases with their fingerprints. That sensor replaced the home button on the iPhone 5S, and it's unclear whether Apple intended to limit the technology to its phones for the time being.Related storiesiPad 5 in space gray crops up again on videoApple releases OS X Mavericks Golden Master to developersThe Mac that Thunderbolt built: The newly compact Mac ProBeyond the iPad, Apple still has yet to name a price or release date for its Mac Pro or OS X Mavericks -- the two other products that are expected at the event. The Mac Pro is an all new design that was briefly previewed during Apple's developer conference in June. Mavericks, which is a follow-up to last year's OS X Mountain Lion, also debuted at WWDC and has been in beta testing to developers since then. Apple gave developers a final version of that software last week.Other possible updates include updates to some Mac desktops like the Mac Mini, and portables like the MacBook Pro. Apple typically invites media to such events a week or so before, suggesting we'll all have more details early next week.
Apple will hold a special event later this month to unveil new iPads, along with the Mac Pro and OS X Mavericks.That's happening on Tuesday, October 22, says AllThingsD, which has a very good track record on Apple event times.The date is the same as Nokia's Nokia World event, which takes place in Abu Dhabi and is expected to bring new Lumia phones. It's also the same day Microsoft's Surface 2 tablets go on sale.It remains unclear where exactly Apple plans to hold its event. Last month's iPhone 5S and 5C unveiling took place at its headquarters in Cupertino, Calif., whereas last October's iPad Mini and Mac unveiling happened at the California Theatre in nearby San Jose (pictured above). As for what the new iPads will look like, that's unlikely to be a surprise. A series of leaks has strongly suggested the next full-sized iPads will look just like last year's Mini, with more angled edges, a portrait shaped bezel, and a thinner design. The Mini itself is expected to sport upgraded internals and come in new colors to match Apple's recently-launched iPhone 5S models. AllThingsD also suggests the minis will get a Retina Display, a feature that's said to be on the fence. An earlier leak showing off new colors and form factors of the iPad and iPad mini.iCrackUriDeviceWhat might be a surprise is whether either of the new iPads will include Apple's Touch ID sensors, which allow users to unlock the device and make iTunes purchases with their fingerprints. That sensor replaced the home button on the iPhone 5S, and it's unclear whether Apple intended to limit the technology to its phones for the time being.Related storiesiPad 5 in space gray crops up again on videoApple releases OS X Mavericks Golden Master to developersThe Mac that Thunderbolt built: The newly compact Mac ProBeyond the iPad, Apple still has yet to name a price or release date for its Mac Pro or OS X Mavericks -- the two other products that are expected at the event. The Mac Pro is an all new design that was briefly previewed during Apple's developer conference in June. Mavericks, which is a follow-up to last year's OS X Mountain Lion, also debuted at WWDC and has been in beta testing to developers since then. Apple gave developers a final version of that software last week.Other possible updates include updates to some Mac desktops like the Mac Mini, and portables like the MacBook Pro. Apple typically invites media to such events a week or so before, suggesting we'll all have more details early next week.
Teen survey makes Microsoft's Zune seem futile
Teen survey makes Microsoft's Zune seem futile
The results are in for the spring installment of Piper Jaffray's biannual Teen Survey, and not surprisingly, things look very good for Apple--particularly when it comes to the iPod.According to the survey, now in its eighth year, 92 percent of students own some sort media player--up from 87 percent a year ago--and of those who do own a media player, 86 percent own an iPod. Only 4 percent of the 600 students interviewed for the survey owned a Zune. (The average age of the students surveyed was 16.3 years old; 54 percent were male, and 46 percent female).With the iPod being so dominant, those numbers are about what you'd expect. But what should concern other MP3 makers is the number that came up when teens were asked what MP3 player they were planning on buying in the next 12 months: 100 percent said they were buying an Apple iPod. Not a single vote was cast for MP3 players from Microsoft, Creative, Sony, iRiver, Sandisk, or "other."Of course, teens don't represent the whole market, but this group does represent the leading edge, and if Apple's "hooking" kids early, this will translate into future domination in older age brackets where Apple currently enjoys a large lead in media players.While I'm highlighting that 100 percent figure on MP3 purchases, publications like Apple Insider are talking about how Apple's "near the saturation point for iPod, iTunes use by teens." And the big question is whether Apple can convert teen iPod users into iPhone users.Eight percent of the teens surveyed said they owned an iPhone and 16 percent said they were considering buying an iPhone in the next six months. The latter number actually represents a decline from Piper's last survey, where 22 percent of the teens said they were going to buy an iPhone. Also, in the fall '08 survey, 8 percent said they owned an iPhone, so that number hasn't gone up. But if AT&T and Apple were able to get out a $99 iPhone with a more affordable plan, you'd probably see that ownership number jump quite a bit in the next survey.Comments?Via Apple Insider
The results are in for the spring installment of Piper Jaffray's biannual Teen Survey, and not surprisingly, things look very good for Apple--particularly when it comes to the iPod.According to the survey, now in its eighth year, 92 percent of students own some sort media player--up from 87 percent a year ago--and of those who do own a media player, 86 percent own an iPod. Only 4 percent of the 600 students interviewed for the survey owned a Zune. (The average age of the students surveyed was 16.3 years old; 54 percent were male, and 46 percent female).With the iPod being so dominant, those numbers are about what you'd expect. But what should concern other MP3 makers is the number that came up when teens were asked what MP3 player they were planning on buying in the next 12 months: 100 percent said they were buying an Apple iPod. Not a single vote was cast for MP3 players from Microsoft, Creative, Sony, iRiver, Sandisk, or "other."Of course, teens don't represent the whole market, but this group does represent the leading edge, and if Apple's "hooking" kids early, this will translate into future domination in older age brackets where Apple currently enjoys a large lead in media players.While I'm highlighting that 100 percent figure on MP3 purchases, publications like Apple Insider are talking about how Apple's "near the saturation point for iPod, iTunes use by teens." And the big question is whether Apple can convert teen iPod users into iPhone users.Eight percent of the teens surveyed said they owned an iPhone and 16 percent said they were considering buying an iPhone in the next six months. The latter number actually represents a decline from Piper's last survey, where 22 percent of the teens said they were going to buy an iPhone. Also, in the fall '08 survey, 8 percent said they owned an iPhone, so that number hasn't gone up. But if AT&T and Apple were able to get out a $99 iPhone with a more affordable plan, you'd probably see that ownership number jump quite a bit in the next survey.Comments?Via Apple Insider
iTunes 9.1 update sets stage for iPad
iTunes 9.1 update sets stage for iPad
Version 9.1 of Apple's iTunes software is now available for download, bringing a handful of improvements and iPad compatibility.Without an iPad to connect, there aren't a whole lot of visible changes for users to notice. The Audiobook library category has been renamed "Books" and broadened to include all book-related content, including audiobooks and back-ups of e-books purchased using the iPad's iBooks app. Although the feature isn't advertised, we found that free EPUB books from Project Guttenberg or Google Books can be imported via drag and drop. Unfortunately, without the option to view e-book files within iTunes, the new feature is useless without a compatible device with which to sync.Version 9.1 also blesses users with the option of deleting, renaming, and rearranging Genius Mixes. Perhaps this is an admission on Apple's part that the company cannot, in fact, read your mind. At least, not yet.Along with a slight redesign of device view, the device sync summary page now offers a checkbox option for converting "higher bit rate songs to 128kbps AAC". The option for down-sampling music files on-the-fly was previouslyavailable only to iPod Shuffle users, who presumably cared less about audio quality than about cramming as much workout-worthy techno on their devices as possible. After hearing a handful of user reports, it seems that all iTunes-compatible devices now include this down-sampling capability.Other pieces of general housekeeping include the shortening of the Applications category to "Apps" and a few tweaks to overall performance.Users with jailbroken devices (iPhone or iPod Touch) are reporting an inability to sync after the software update.
Version 9.1 of Apple's iTunes software is now available for download, bringing a handful of improvements and iPad compatibility.Without an iPad to connect, there aren't a whole lot of visible changes for users to notice. The Audiobook library category has been renamed "Books" and broadened to include all book-related content, including audiobooks and back-ups of e-books purchased using the iPad's iBooks app. Although the feature isn't advertised, we found that free EPUB books from Project Guttenberg or Google Books can be imported via drag and drop. Unfortunately, without the option to view e-book files within iTunes, the new feature is useless without a compatible device with which to sync.Version 9.1 also blesses users with the option of deleting, renaming, and rearranging Genius Mixes. Perhaps this is an admission on Apple's part that the company cannot, in fact, read your mind. At least, not yet.Along with a slight redesign of device view, the device sync summary page now offers a checkbox option for converting "higher bit rate songs to 128kbps AAC". The option for down-sampling music files on-the-fly was previouslyavailable only to iPod Shuffle users, who presumably cared less about audio quality than about cramming as much workout-worthy techno on their devices as possible. After hearing a handful of user reports, it seems that all iTunes-compatible devices now include this down-sampling capability.Other pieces of general housekeeping include the shortening of the Applications category to "Apps" and a few tweaks to overall performance.Users with jailbroken devices (iPhone or iPod Touch) are reporting an inability to sync after the software update.
Apple, Burberry show off iPhone 5S photo, video technology
Apple, Burberry show off iPhone 5S photo, video technology
Last week Apple made big claims about the photo capabilities of its new flagship phone, the iPhone 5S, and Monday was one of the first chances to see it in action outside of the company's press event. Fashion brand Burberry used the phone -- which goes on sale this Friday -- to capture stills, videos, and celebrity snapshots at its Spring/Summer fashion show, which took place earlier today in London. Related storiesApple's iPhone 5S to be used in fashion show ahead of launchApple reportedly preps in-store demo of iPhone 5S Touch IDCNET hands-on with iPhone 5SThe results can now be seen on Burberry's site, including the video stream of the show, which we're told was shot entirely on the 5S' native video app, along with FiLMiC Pro and TurtleHead Pro.One thing that detracts from the new tech is a series of images ahead of the show that were shot on the 5S, though adjusted with gel filters. That is, perhaps, not so terrible an offense now that iOS 7 includes built-in software image filters, but something worth noting in light of how the technology was touted ahead of the show. An example:The company also showed off a new iPhone 5S camera feature that lets users slow down video. The feature was toggled at the close of the show where flower petals fell from the top of the runway: There's also a Vine of one of the creations getting sketched out, which was shot on the 5S: The hookup between the tech and fashion companies is just the latest in recent months. Earlier this year, Google Glass -- the wearable computer -- was tapped by designer Diane Von Furstenberg to document behind-the-scenes action. More recently, Samsung partnered with designer Dana Lorenz to create jewelry to go with its new Gear watch gadget. In both cases, that technology was wearable, whereas the iPhone 5S spent its time in the stands. The 5S goes on sale this Friday, and is Apple's top-of-the-line iPhone. It's joined by the 5C, which went up for preorder at the end of last week. Both replace last year's iPhone 5. You can read more about what's new (or not) in both, right here.
Last week Apple made big claims about the photo capabilities of its new flagship phone, the iPhone 5S, and Monday was one of the first chances to see it in action outside of the company's press event. Fashion brand Burberry used the phone -- which goes on sale this Friday -- to capture stills, videos, and celebrity snapshots at its Spring/Summer fashion show, which took place earlier today in London. Related storiesApple's iPhone 5S to be used in fashion show ahead of launchApple reportedly preps in-store demo of iPhone 5S Touch IDCNET hands-on with iPhone 5SThe results can now be seen on Burberry's site, including the video stream of the show, which we're told was shot entirely on the 5S' native video app, along with FiLMiC Pro and TurtleHead Pro.One thing that detracts from the new tech is a series of images ahead of the show that were shot on the 5S, though adjusted with gel filters. That is, perhaps, not so terrible an offense now that iOS 7 includes built-in software image filters, but something worth noting in light of how the technology was touted ahead of the show. An example:The company also showed off a new iPhone 5S camera feature that lets users slow down video. The feature was toggled at the close of the show where flower petals fell from the top of the runway: There's also a Vine of one of the creations getting sketched out, which was shot on the 5S: The hookup between the tech and fashion companies is just the latest in recent months. Earlier this year, Google Glass -- the wearable computer -- was tapped by designer Diane Von Furstenberg to document behind-the-scenes action. More recently, Samsung partnered with designer Dana Lorenz to create jewelry to go with its new Gear watch gadget. In both cases, that technology was wearable, whereas the iPhone 5S spent its time in the stands. The 5S goes on sale this Friday, and is Apple's top-of-the-line iPhone. It's joined by the 5C, which went up for preorder at the end of last week. Both replace last year's iPhone 5. You can read more about what's new (or not) in both, right here.
Apple, book publishers face e-book antitrust lawsuit
Apple, book publishers face e-book antitrust lawsuit
The U.S. Justice Department plans to sue Apple and five U.S. publishers for alleged price-fixing on e-books, according to The Wall Street Journal.Several of the parties expected to be named as defendants have already begun discussions with regulators to head off an expensive antitrust court battle, the newspaper reported, citing sources familiar with the matter. Such a settlement would likely have a ripple effect for the industry, however not every publisher is engaged in the settlement discussions, they cautioned.Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.The publishers expected to be named in the lawsuit are HarperCollins Publishers, Hachette Book Group, Macmillan Publishers, Penguin Group, and Simon & Schuster "colluded to increase prices" on popular books. (Simon & Schuster is owned by CBS. CNET News is published by CBS Interactive, a unit of CBS.) The action is apparently based on changes made to how publishers charge for e-books when Apple released the first iPad two years ago. Book publishers began using an "agency model" in which publishers set their own e-book prices, rather than the traditional wholesale model in which publishers set a retail price and retailers set their own sales price. The pricing model materialized in 2010 after book publishers asked Amazon to increase the price of e-books on its Web site, but Amazon stood firm in its contention that anything above $9.99 was too high. Amazon eventually relented after many popular Macmillan titles disappeared from the e-tailer's site. A lawsuit objecting to the pricing model was filed against Apple and the publishers last year. The plaintiffs alleged that they paid higher prices for their book purchases as a result of the agency model.
The U.S. Justice Department plans to sue Apple and five U.S. publishers for alleged price-fixing on e-books, according to The Wall Street Journal.Several of the parties expected to be named as defendants have already begun discussions with regulators to head off an expensive antitrust court battle, the newspaper reported, citing sources familiar with the matter. Such a settlement would likely have a ripple effect for the industry, however not every publisher is engaged in the settlement discussions, they cautioned.Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.The publishers expected to be named in the lawsuit are HarperCollins Publishers, Hachette Book Group, Macmillan Publishers, Penguin Group, and Simon & Schuster "colluded to increase prices" on popular books. (Simon & Schuster is owned by CBS. CNET News is published by CBS Interactive, a unit of CBS.) The action is apparently based on changes made to how publishers charge for e-books when Apple released the first iPad two years ago. Book publishers began using an "agency model" in which publishers set their own e-book prices, rather than the traditional wholesale model in which publishers set a retail price and retailers set their own sales price. The pricing model materialized in 2010 after book publishers asked Amazon to increase the price of e-books on its Web site, but Amazon stood firm in its contention that anything above $9.99 was too high. Amazon eventually relented after many popular Macmillan titles disappeared from the e-tailer's site. A lawsuit objecting to the pricing model was filed against Apple and the publishers last year. The plaintiffs alleged that they paid higher prices for their book purchases as a result of the agency model.
Apple, Android 'most desired' smartphone systems
Apple, Android 'most desired' smartphone systems
To define the difference: smartphones run a third-party operating system, such as Apple's iOS, Android, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, and Nokia's Symbian, and they support third-party mobile apps. Feature phones use a proprietary OS, are typically unable to run third-party apps, and usually have other limitations.Among age groups, the iPhone proved slightly more desirable than an Android phone to people 18-24, 25-34, and especially those 55 and older, according to Nielsen. Those 35-54 preferred an Android device as their next phone by a slight margin. And by gender, women favor the iPhone as their next purchase, while men are more interested in Android.Smartphone owners were more decisive than feature phone users about their next device in terms of operating system. Among those who presently use a feature phone, 25 percent said they were "not sure" what their next phone would be, compared with only 13 percent of smartphone users who were equally uncertain. People 55 and older were also less certain than younger users over which mobile OS they'd want for their next phone.Overall, 29.7 percent of all U.S. mobile subscribers use smartphones, compared with 70.3 percent who still have feature phones. The most common smartphones platforms in the U.S. are the iPhone's iOS and the BlackBerry OS, each with 27 percent of the market, while Android now holds a 22 percent share, according to Nielsen's data.Nielsen
To define the difference: smartphones run a third-party operating system, such as Apple's iOS, Android, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, and Nokia's Symbian, and they support third-party mobile apps. Feature phones use a proprietary OS, are typically unable to run third-party apps, and usually have other limitations.Among age groups, the iPhone proved slightly more desirable than an Android phone to people 18-24, 25-34, and especially those 55 and older, according to Nielsen. Those 35-54 preferred an Android device as their next phone by a slight margin. And by gender, women favor the iPhone as their next purchase, while men are more interested in Android.Smartphone owners were more decisive than feature phone users about their next device in terms of operating system. Among those who presently use a feature phone, 25 percent said they were "not sure" what their next phone would be, compared with only 13 percent of smartphone users who were equally uncertain. People 55 and older were also less certain than younger users over which mobile OS they'd want for their next phone.Overall, 29.7 percent of all U.S. mobile subscribers use smartphones, compared with 70.3 percent who still have feature phones. The most common smartphones platforms in the U.S. are the iPhone's iOS and the BlackBerry OS, each with 27 percent of the market, while Android now holds a 22 percent share, according to Nielsen's data.Nielsen
Apple, Amazon tops among those holiday-shopping via handhelds
Apple, Amazon tops among those holiday-shopping via handhelds
While Amazon has both a mobile app and a mobile site, Apple offers only a mobile app. Though its shopping site is of course accessible on mobile devices, it's not optimized for mobile users.Still, both companies have been able to keep their mobile stores lean without removing too much content, helping customers find the items they need, noted Dull. Both allow shoppers to do the same things they can do on the full Web sites--search for products, read reviews, find related products, buy items, and add to a wishlist.And although buyers will find a lot of product details, the two mobile stores aren't overwhelming and are well designed for smaller screens."In short, these organizations have earned their high customer satisfaction ratings by neatly balancing information and functionality in a small space, without venturing to the two extremes where many mobile sites or apps get trapped: total information overload or a version that is so streamlined and pared down that it's useless," Dull said in the report. "Add this balancing act to truly innovative functionality (such as the ability to search for products by taking a picture or scanning a code), and these organizations are clearly head and shoulders above the rest."Related storiesApple tops in customer satisfaction for 8th yearAmazon, eBay, Apple among top retail sites visitedAmazon, Apple, Netflix tops in customer satisfactionBoth Apple and Amazon consistently score well in customer satisfaction. Both also continually tweak their mobile experiences.Apple recently revamped its Apple Store app to let customers buy items online and then pick them up at the nearest retail shop. And Amazon just unveiled a dedicated Kindle Store site for iPad users.Beyond Apple, Amazon, and Dell, other mobile retail stores that popped up on the list included Netflix, eBay, Best Buy, and Staples.To compile its results, Foresee surveyed more than 23,000 people between November 29 and December 15 of last year.
While Amazon has both a mobile app and a mobile site, Apple offers only a mobile app. Though its shopping site is of course accessible on mobile devices, it's not optimized for mobile users.Still, both companies have been able to keep their mobile stores lean without removing too much content, helping customers find the items they need, noted Dull. Both allow shoppers to do the same things they can do on the full Web sites--search for products, read reviews, find related products, buy items, and add to a wishlist.And although buyers will find a lot of product details, the two mobile stores aren't overwhelming and are well designed for smaller screens."In short, these organizations have earned their high customer satisfaction ratings by neatly balancing information and functionality in a small space, without venturing to the two extremes where many mobile sites or apps get trapped: total information overload or a version that is so streamlined and pared down that it's useless," Dull said in the report. "Add this balancing act to truly innovative functionality (such as the ability to search for products by taking a picture or scanning a code), and these organizations are clearly head and shoulders above the rest."Related storiesApple tops in customer satisfaction for 8th yearAmazon, eBay, Apple among top retail sites visitedAmazon, Apple, Netflix tops in customer satisfactionBoth Apple and Amazon consistently score well in customer satisfaction. Both also continually tweak their mobile experiences.Apple recently revamped its Apple Store app to let customers buy items online and then pick them up at the nearest retail shop. And Amazon just unveiled a dedicated Kindle Store site for iPad users.Beyond Apple, Amazon, and Dell, other mobile retail stores that popped up on the list included Netflix, eBay, Best Buy, and Staples.To compile its results, Foresee surveyed more than 23,000 people between November 29 and December 15 of last year.
Apple zooms to No. 17 on Fortune 500 list, tops IBM
Apple zooms to No. 17 on Fortune 500 list, tops IBM
Apple's is movin' on up the Fortune 500 list, passing computer heavyweight IBM. Apple landed at No. 17, up from No. 35, in terms of 2011 revenue, which was a cool $108.2 billion. To put Apple's meteoric rise into perspective, blue-chip tech stalwart IBM dropped one spot to No. 19, with 2011 revenues of $106.9 billion.And Hewlett-Packard is also feeling the heat from Apple.Though Apple's Silicon Valley neighbor moved up one spot to No. 10, with revenue of $127.2 billion, HP is not the profit juggernaut that Apple is.Apple was No.3 on the list in terms of profits ($25.9 billion), only topped by the two oil giants, Exxon and Chevron.HP was ranked No. 24.Apple also bested IBM, which was No. 9 on the list of the most profitable companies.Related storiesApple's second-quarter earnings by the numbersMicrosoft also ranked right up there with Apple on profitability: the software company was No.4 with $23.1 billion in profits (but was only No. 37 in terms of revenue). So, what's driving Apple's success?"Under CEO Tim Cook, the company continued pumping out new products -- like a significantly upgraded version of the iPad tablet," said Fortune.Fortune continued. "Apple nearly doubled its earnings per share in 2011, compared to 2010. That helped nudge management to announce plans for the firm's first dividend since 1995, returning some of the $97.6 billion in cash it had accumulated." Apple's gross margin -- an important indicator of profitability -- rose to 47.4 percent in the most recent quarter, compared to 41.4 percent in the year-ago quarter. And Apple said that it sold 11.8 million iPads during the most recent quarter, a 151 percent unit increase over the year-ago quarter.Apple is No. 3 on the Fortune 500 list of the most profitable companies: Exxon Mobile:$41 billion Chevron: $26.9 billionApple: $25.9 billion Microsoft: $23 billionFord Motor: $20.2 billion
Apple's is movin' on up the Fortune 500 list, passing computer heavyweight IBM. Apple landed at No. 17, up from No. 35, in terms of 2011 revenue, which was a cool $108.2 billion. To put Apple's meteoric rise into perspective, blue-chip tech stalwart IBM dropped one spot to No. 19, with 2011 revenues of $106.9 billion.And Hewlett-Packard is also feeling the heat from Apple.Though Apple's Silicon Valley neighbor moved up one spot to No. 10, with revenue of $127.2 billion, HP is not the profit juggernaut that Apple is.Apple was No.3 on the list in terms of profits ($25.9 billion), only topped by the two oil giants, Exxon and Chevron.HP was ranked No. 24.Apple also bested IBM, which was No. 9 on the list of the most profitable companies.Related storiesApple's second-quarter earnings by the numbersMicrosoft also ranked right up there with Apple on profitability: the software company was No.4 with $23.1 billion in profits (but was only No. 37 in terms of revenue). So, what's driving Apple's success?"Under CEO Tim Cook, the company continued pumping out new products -- like a significantly upgraded version of the iPad tablet," said Fortune.Fortune continued. "Apple nearly doubled its earnings per share in 2011, compared to 2010. That helped nudge management to announce plans for the firm's first dividend since 1995, returning some of the $97.6 billion in cash it had accumulated." Apple's gross margin -- an important indicator of profitability -- rose to 47.4 percent in the most recent quarter, compared to 41.4 percent in the year-ago quarter. And Apple said that it sold 11.8 million iPads during the most recent quarter, a 151 percent unit increase over the year-ago quarter.Apple is No. 3 on the Fortune 500 list of the most profitable companies: Exxon Mobile:$41 billion Chevron: $26.9 billionApple: $25.9 billion Microsoft: $23 billionFord Motor: $20.2 billion
Why 'All Is Lost' Is Even Bolder Than 'Gravity' and 'Captain Phillips
Make no mistake, Gravity and Captain Phillips are very good, possibly great movies. The former broke box office records for October on its opening weekend, riding a wave of extremely positive critical reactions. (Check out all these articlesby our writers who;ve been inspired by the movie.) The latter opened the New York Film Festival less than two weeks ago and has already built up a large reservoir of well-deserved praise.But there;s a third movie that explores a similar theme -- the survival of the human spirit under extreme, adverse conditions -- and belongs right next to Gravity and Captain Philllips on the top shelf of 2013 releases: All Is Lost.You may have heard about the film when it debuted at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, or when it screened at the Telluride Film Festival last month. According to The New York Times, Robert Redford;s name is already at the top of any list of presumptive best actor nominees. Redford plays a man sailing alone in the Indian Ocean when an unexpected encounter with debris threatens the sea worthiness of his boat and, soon enough, places his life in peril.Right there, we have the first of three reasons why the film, which opens in theaters on Friday, October 18, is bold and deserves your attention.Robert Redford Is Not Sandra Bullock, George Clooney or Tom HanksRobert Redford looks terrific for a man his age: trim, fit, moves well, weathered but still handsome. Let;s be blunt, though: he;s a senior citizen, 77 years of age this year -- the movie was shot last summer -- and decades past his days of box office megastardom. He;s quite a bit older than Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock or George Clooney and, at the time of filming, had not acted in a movie (for a director other than himself) since 2005;s An Unfinished Life.Given the right roles, Hanks, Bullock and Clooney are absolutely capable of giving first-rate performances. Even if they don;t, though, their movies will draw a large, built-in audience of fans worldwide who want to see their latest projects. Redford no longer has that luxury, and he doesn;t even have any other actors to interact with! It;s all Redford, all the time, and the movie is almost entirely without dialogue -- no talking to himself -- and he delivers a subtle, nuanced, completely absorbing performance worthy of awards consideration.J.C. Chandor Is Not Alfonso Cuarón or Paul GreengrassBoth Alfonso Cuarón and Paul Greengrass have built up admirable track records as directors, Cuarón with the great science fiction epic Children of Men, and Greengrass with gritty thrillers United 93 and The Bourne Ultimatum. So, as good as Gravity and Captain Phillips are, they;re not completely unexpected.On the other hand, J.C. Chandor had made only one feature film, the financial thriller Margin Call. It was a high-quality movie that earned Chandor an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay, but it featured an all-star ensemble and was set on Wall Street. Making his next movie about an old man and the sea was definitely not something that anyone except Chandor could have anticipated.That in itself was a bold move on Chandor;s part (and an expression of confidence on the part of those who financed the movie outside the studio system), as was his decision to seek Redford to star, which evidently came about after the two met at the Sundance Film Festival, where Margin Call debuted in 2011. Clearly, Chandor;s bold script, filmmaking vision, and casting instincts won over any doubters.One Man Against the Sea. Believe It.We know that Sandra Bullock and George Clooney did not really go into outer space in Gravity, and we know that Tom Hanks was not really kidnapped at sea by pirates off the coast of Somalia in Captain Phillips. But we believe the stories because they are convincingly told, and because we are captivated by the characters.The same thing happens in All Is Lost, even though we know even less about the lone sailor portrayed by Redford than we do about the astronauts in Gravity or the ship captain played by Hanks. Those who are familiar with Redford;s body of work as an actor, which includes other films in which his character challenged the elements (Downhill Racer, Jeremiah Johnson) and still others in which he battled against implacable political or governmental authories (The Candidate, All the President;s Men, Three Days of the Condor) may fill in the blanks with memories of his performances in those roles.Others may be encountering Robert Redford as a movie star -- or at least as a leading actor -- for the very first time. It;s a quiet turn by Redford, but he makes it a very humane and humbling experience to watch the sailor think his way out of desperate situations, only to be faced with circumstances that are even more challenging, frustrating and dire. We wonder, what would we do? Would we give up, or would we go on?The movie;s answer to those questions is perhaps its boldest choice of all.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)