Apps for iPads

As of today, there are now over 20,600 apps available for download. Thats 20,600 iPad apps - doesnt include the 200,000+ iPhone / iPod apps that are compatable. Pretty amazing stuff. Where will the competition come from - Sony? Google? Microsoft?

Flipboard iPad App - Homepage with Cheerleader

Well, I hear you say, whats so cool about that?  The answer my friend is below, sometimes a picture is worth more than 1,000 words.  The Flipboard presentation of aforementioned feeds is visually stunning.  Now even your old Auntie Joan looks like she’s a writer for Conrad Black (ouch!) or a photographer for the SI Swimsuit issue…

Apple App Store - what are the best ipad apps

Take a look around, it’s a little like 1994 out there.  Back in the glory days of the internet, every man and his dog wanted, no, needed a website.  No-one knew why, but if you were anyone, or if you were a company that was looking to be cool, you needed a website.  16 years later, it’s 2010, and now every man and his dog needs an App.  Got a problem, there’s an app for that, need to find out what the waves are like on the North Shore?  There’s an app for that.

Problem is, as an iPad, iPhone and iPod (and dare I say, Zune) owner, where the heck do I go and find the apps that I need?  Has anyone tried to use the app store from Apple?  It’s a dark and mysterious place controlled by Stephen P Jobs Esquire and his merry band of control freaks at Apple.  It’s next to impossible to do a real search of the more than 200,000 apps available…  I need to be able to search for an app, or follow a taxonomy that allows me to find the correct app for me, not just because the developer paid apple a wad of cash to make them a featured app… Not saying thats how it goes down, but y’know… who knows.

Display: 9.7 inch IPS
Size and Weight: 9.56 by 7.47 by 0.5 inches, and 1.5 to 1.6 pounds
Resolution is 1024×768
Processor: 1GHz Apple A4 Chip
Storage: 16, 32, or 64GB flash
Battery life: 10 hours battery life, over 1 month standby
Connectivity: 802.11n Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
Other Features: Accelerometer, compass, speaker, mic, 30-pin connector
Starting at $499

It comes preloaded with twelve applications - essentially multi-touch versions of existing Mac software such as iPhoto. “We’re pioneering the next version of digital journalism,” said Martin Nisenholtz, a senior executive at the NY Times newspaper.   iPad also includes the firm’s iTunes software built in, allowing people to purchase songs and movies straight to the device. The cheapest iPad, which will come with 16GB of flash memory and wi-fi will cost $499. The most expensive version, with 64GB of storage and the ability to connect via a mobile 3G signal, will cost $829.

Netflix PS3 Stream

“The PlayStation 3 system has always been about more than just gaming, and it will soon be the only platform in the industry to offer consumers such a variety of convenient options for enjoying movies and TV shows,” said Jack Tretton, president and CEO, SCEA. “Whether you want to watch content on Blu-ray disc and DVD, download it from the PlayStation Network’s video delivery service, or stream videos instantly from Netflix, the PS3 system is the only solution that offers it all.”

“As instantly watching movies and TV episodes streamed from Netflix becomes an increasingly popular way to enjoy the Netflix service, our goal is to rapidly expand the devices that stream to our members,” said Netflix CEO and co-founder Reed Hastings. “As a leading game console and Blu-ray disc player, bringing Netflix to the PS3 system is a real win for both Netflix members and PS3 system owners.”

Initially, watching movies instantly streamed from Netflix via the PS3 system will be enabled by a free, instant streaming Blu-ray disc that is being made available to all Netflix members. The free instant streaming disc leverages Blu-ray’s BD-Live(TM) technology to access the Internet and activate the Netflix user interface on the PS3 system, which must be online via Wi-Fi or Ethernet.

Netflix members simply slide the disc into their PS3 systems to reveal movies and TV episodes that can be watched instantly. These titles are conveniently organized into a variety of categories based on members’ personal preferences, popular genres, new arrivals and members’ individual instant Queues. Members can use the Netflix Web site or navigate directly on their PS3 systems to add movies and TV shows to their Queues. With the PS3 system’s Wireless Controller, members can choose a movie to watch from their instant Queues or just play directly from any of the lists. They also have the ability to read synopses and rate movies. In addition, they have the option of fast-forwarding and rewinding the video stream via the Wireless Controller.

Netflix members and PS3 system owners can now reserve a free instant streaming disc for PS3 systems by going to www.netflix.com/ps3. Upon availability, the instant streaming disc will be delivered for free by first-class mail, generally one business day after members request it.

Guardian Online

“Annual revenue, all derived from digital advertising, had now risen to about £30 million.” Rusbridger did not disclose an annual online revenue figure. And online was included in GNM’s combined, cross-media 2008/09 earnings, which in July showed the unit’s losses widened from £26.4 million to £36.8 million.

Read the rest of this story at PaidContent.org

That being said, one of the docs details how Twitter expect to grow to 1,000,000,000 registered users by 2013 with revenue of $1.5bn, a staff of 5,000 and earnings of over $1bn. Not bad for a company that today generates little revenue (less than $1m) and has a staff of approx 50….

I wont post the docs here but it’s also worth noting that Twitter is taking legal advice after hundreds of documents have now been published on TechCrunch and other blogs.

Google Chrome - taking on IE, Safari and FF

Google, the search company, will soon be known as Google, the software company.  New has emerged from the valley that the Google geeks are working on a super light OS based on the Chrome web browser.  Google Chrome OS will be aimed initially at small, low-cost netbooks, but will eventually be used on PCs as well.  Google said netbooks with Chrome OS could be on sale by the middle of 2010. “Speed, simplicity and security are the key aspects of Google Chrome OS,” the firm said in its official blog.  The operating system, which will run on an open source licence, was a “natural extension” of its Chrome browser, the firm said.

“We’re designing the OS to be fast and lightweight, to start up and get you on to the web in a few seconds,” said the blog post written by Sundar Pichai, vice-president of product management, and Google’s engineering director Linus Upson.   Both men said that “the operating systems that browsers run on were designed in an era where there was no web” and that this OS was “our attempt to rethink what operating systems should be”.

Over at TechCrunch, MG Siegler said: “Let’s be clear on what this really is. This is Google dropping the mother of all bombs on its rival, Microsoft.”

Tweetdeck app for Twitterfans

With Twitter rising up the visitor charts fast than Britney spears ever rode the Pop 40, could we see Rupert Murdoch make a play? Apple have been mentioned as a suitor, along with Google, Microsoft and Facebook, but so far Evan Williams and Biz Stone (great name btw) have said no to everyone… Maybe when someone offers Obvious a billion $$$ we’ll see a new owner. As a user, I’m a fan of Twitter but as Search tool is where it’s real power comes into play. If you’ve not checked out these Twitter apps yet, get busy. Tweetdeck. TwitterVision.

Back to the main reason for this post - According to Compete.com here’s the visitor counts for the top 3 social networking sites/tools:

• Twitter: 19,728,000 Up 1000% (last 12 months)
• MySpace: 56,885,000 Down 5.61% (last 12 months)
• Facebook: 113,014,000 Up 253% (last 12 months)

20 Million Tweeters vs. 57 Million music moguls on MySpace means the Twitter guys have a way to go, but with the buzz and spotlight on Twitter at the moment - everyone from Obama to Oprah to Sarah Pallin to The_Real_Shaq are regular tweeters… Means Twitter cannot be ignored…