Insight In Tech

So it’s the end of the week and you’re probably looking for a good way to spend some of those work hours this Friday. Well, here are two apps worth checking out on iOS. The first, Flipboard, has been available for the iPad for a while now. Well, now you can flip through your news with ease on your iPhone. This amazingly designed reader handles news feeds as well as social feeds from sites like twitter and Facebook. This is one of my favorite reader apps and I’m very excited its finally on the iPhone. Oh and did I mention it’s free?
The next free app is something I never thought I would see, an Xbox app for the iPhone. My Xbox Live is a free app that is basically a social hub for your Xbox Live account. See who’s playing online, compare achievements and edit your avatar with ease. This simple app may be lacking in the ability to actually play games, but it’s free and a cool way to check out what your friends are up to on Live.
Well, there you have it. Two free apps that should eat up some time on your lunch break or commute. Also I should mention that twitter is getting a redesign soon, so the twitter app is updated to reflect this. Check it out today.

Don’t worry, I will be back soon to tech blogging as soon as classes wind down. Up next, Apple’s ace in the hole, Samsungs advertising attack and 4G worries? Stay tuned.

Let’s face it, we all kinda miss listening to the radio, right? Remember back to a time when there was no need to make a playlist, thumbs up/down a song or hope something good comes on shuffle? It was a simpler time, it was a better time. Or at least that’s what the folks at iHeartRadio want you to believe. iHeartRadio is a pretty basic concept, download it and you are free to listen to radio stations across the United States or even in your local town. Launched by Clear Channel Broadcasting (you know, the radio company that owns everything), iHeartRadio delivers a simple concept to this ever-changing digital music environment. Sure, you could listen to Spotify for free or even build your own Pandora station, but iHeartRadio is banking on the fact that you actually like listening to radio stations, DJ’s and all. Even if listening to the drive at five isn’t your cup of tea, the app is pretty solid. iHeartRadio allows users to pick multiple different stations, my favorite is to choose by genre and see what people in Seattle think passes as ‘alternative’. While the concept is not too revolutionary, iHeartRadio delivers a solid app that has brought back an old friend into my life, la radio (that’s french for the radio in case you were wondering). Download the app today and users can build their stations ‘commercial free’ until the end of the year, that is it you don’t count the millions of times Z100 plugs their own station as an ad. Sure, it may not resurrect a once solid entertainment medium, but hell, iHeartRadio is cool, easy to use and worth your time.

Over the past few years, I have been contributing my thoughts and opinions on the latest happenings in the technology world. While this has been a great way to express my views, I have decided that this tumblog is going to take a new direction. Insight In Tech will now not only focus on social commentary within the tech world, but also include reviews, tips, tricks and articles that tackle the real issues of tech. As technology changes, so must the blogs that report on it.

I’m confident that this change to focus on more user based articles will not only be more informational, but also more interactive. I hope to gain some more followers and to reach out to others on tumblr who enjoy discussing anything and everything related to the technology. Hopefully, I will also be having other contributors add content to Insight in Tech as we grow.

Until then, keep it real.

-Chris

Well we are now just a few hours away from the Apple announcement. Since the last blog post centered around rumors that were running rampant last week, I think it’s only appropriate to update them. Here is my best guess for what Apple is announcing tomorrow.

iPhone 5

Yes, I believe that the name is going to change, but not the design. Ditch the larger screen and redesign. Instead we are going to see a slimmer version of the iPhone 4 for the new body. Add in a 8 mega pixel camera to even it out. Now here’s the big part, iOS 5 will only be available for this model. Yes, the newest version of Apple’s iOS is reported to include deep voice integration via Assistant as well as video/picture editing software and Twitter integration. I believe that tomorrows announcement will focus on the new hardware of this phone ( did someone say 1 gig of RAM?) as the backbone to iOS 5.

Add in a cheaper price point for the current iPhone 4 and make the iPhone 3GS free on contract and I believe we have wrapped up the iPhone announcement tomorrow. The only hangup is that usually Apple has an announcement at the end, know as their ‘one more thing’. My best guess at this point is that Sprint will be receiving the iPhone, which isn’t that big of a secret. So if I were to make a wild guess for Apple’s ‘one more thing’, it is that T-Mobile is also getting the iPhone. 

Well folks, that’s the best Apple rumor mongering I can do for now. I swear I will stop talking about Apple soon….. right after they make their announcement official.

After taking well deserved time off of the blog, it’s time to start up the old rumor mill and socail commentary on some of the more interesting tech stories. And what better time to return to the old grind than in the peak of Apple rumor season. With the iPhone 4 being well over a year old now, a refresh is eminent. While some claimed a September launch date, it’s looking more and more like October is the new iPhone launch month. Being less than a month away, here are some of the features that are likely to appear in the next iPhone as well as the likeness percentage that we will see them this October.

1. 8MP Camera- 100%

This ‘upgrade’ is a no-brainer. Even Sony’s CEO thinks so! As he leaked the information that Apple was upgrading to 8 mega pixel lenses earlier this year. While this will come as a welcome upgrade to the new photo editing mode in iOS 5, it seems a bit behind the 8 ball (pardon the number pun).

2. Larger screen- 50%

This rumor doesn’t seem to want to die. While we have seen many large 4” touch screen Android based phones, the iPhone has remained a consistent size. Some credit this decision to app developing, having consistently helps, and others say it’s for supply chain reasons, but I want to believe this rumor. Hopefully with the next generation phone, we can get a high res screen with a little more real estate.

3. iPhone 5 and iPhone 4S models- 95%

Looks like this was just confirmed with Verizon’s inventory leak that the newest model will be launched with a toned down version of the current iPhone 4. This rumored 8GB model is said to be the replacement for the iPhone 3GS version sold now for $49.

4. LTE and NFC- 20%

I decided to lump these two rumors together because I think these are the most unlikely to be featured in the newest iPhone. LTE (4G wireless) and NFC (near field communications) are both developing technologies and I do not believe Apple will include these in devices as long as they are still in their early stages. While LTE is booming on Verizon’s infrastructure, AT&T literally just turned on their pipes which means this technology isn’t ready for prime time. Couple that with battery issues for LTE and no merchants participating in NFC and you can bet that Apple won’t be jumping on this ship.

5. Thinner redesign- 100%

This rumor, started by the guys over at thisismynext.com, has everyone expecting a “tear-drop” design coupled with the larger screen. While I rate the larger screen rumor at 50% , I think this may be more of a sure thing than a larger screen. Apple likes to have the claim to fame when it comes to being the thinnest smart phone, so expect this trend to continue.

6. Duel CDMA/GSM chip- 100%

Let’s face it, we know this chip is currently being used in the iPhone 4’s on Verizon’s network. This rumor is like shooting fish in a barrel.

7. 64GB Model- 40%

While I wish this rumor was a sure thing, I sincerely doubt that the iPhone 5 will sport a larger hard drive. Simple fact is that Apple is pushing iCloud this winter which means more emphasis will be put on the cloud. Case in point, no larger hard drive “needed”.

8. Sprint & T-Mobile- 75%

This rumor is actually one that has been around for a while. With Apple being on 2 of the 4 US carriers, it was only a matter of time before they added the red-headed step-children, Sprint and T-Mobile. While nothing has been said of adding T-Mobile as of late, the opposite can be said for Sprint. Just last week an internal Sprint memo was leaked which revealed discussing Sprints official stance on whether or not they are getting the iPhone. Add the fact that Sprint employees have the first two weeks of October blacked out for vacation days and we have ourselves a winning rumor. Let’s just hope T-Mobile feels the Apple love as well.

There you have it folks, the top 7 iPhone 5 rumors circling the web. Will they come true? Well, we will just have to wait and find out.

Picture this, you walk into your local Best Buy store with high hopes of buying a nice new iPad 2. You approach the counter to ask the friendly staff member if they have the iPad 2 in stock and you get a disappointing “no”, but little do you know, they actually do have some stock in the back. Now, how would you feel if this actually happened to you? Pissed? Yeah, I would say so. Well, reports of this scenario are popping up around the old Internets today and they seem to be getting Best Buy in trouble.

The reports allege that Best Buy has been holding back stock of their iPads 2 in store, something that is making Apple very angry. One would assume that if a Best Buy had one of the hottest products available for purchase, they would want to sell it to any customer willing to pay. Well, apparently Best Buy doesn’t think so. As a Best Buy representative explains, it is customary procedure to hold back inventory of highly desirable items so they can be used for promotional events. Doesn’t sound too kosher to me. What does Apple have to say about this customary procedure? It appears Apple is not too happy with the boys in blue, with reports surfacing that Apple is considering black listing Best Buy for future products and shipments.

So what should you do if you want to buy a brand spanking new iPad 2? My suggestion, go to your local Apple store or point your web browser to Apple.com. Even if you have to wait 2-3 weeks, at least you won’t be lied to.

With all the recent announcements coming out of the Amazon camp, the next rumor stepping up to the plate is the Amazon tablet. With every company coming after the iPad 2,it’s no surprise that Amazon would be entering into the game of tablets. So what does this mythical Amazon tablet look like? Well, rumors be damned, let’s come up with what this next generation tablet would look like.

Kindle+Android= An interesting mix.

Simply put, Amazon’s stand alone e-reader, the Kindle, is hands down the best e-reader on the market. This is largely due to the long lasting battery, thinness factor and easily readable e-ink. So, what would happen if Amazon mixed their well designed and loved Kindle with the Android operating system? Well, unfortunately the technology for color e-ink would not be affordable or even do-able with a tablet at this time, but Amazon’s other resources would lend well to an Android tablet. With the recent implementation of the Amazon App store and Cloud Drive/ Music Player, these would be key features of the rumored Amazon tablet. Also deep integration of the  Kindle app, featuring in-app purchases, would make using the Kindle app easier on the Amazon tablet compared to the rival iPad. If Amazon is able to create an experience that would integrate all of their product lines, their tablet could be the ultimate experience if you are a little iOS fatigued. 

If Amazon is in deed prepping their product line to include a tablet, would this mean the death of the Kindle? Well, have no fear Kindle fans, the Kindle would probably not die. Even with the tablet market booming, the stand alone e-reader is proving to sell well in the face of adversity. With that said, would it be called the Amazon Kindle Tab/Tablet or would they go in another direction with their name? While this remains unclear, it’s almost certain that Amazon is prepping their army to launch a full scale attack on Apple and their prized tablet market.

iTunes versus Amazon MP3? Check. Apple App Store versus Amazon App Store? Check. Movie/ TV downloads via iTunes versus Amazon Video? Check. For a while now, Amazon has gone toe to toe with Apple in just about every media market and now the fight for the cloud has begun. Yesterday, Amazon announced their brand new service Amazon Cloud Drive, 5GB of cloud based storage for free. This, paired with their new Amazon Coud Player application will allow users to store music on the cloud to be played via any device. Cloud computing, generally known for being able to store one’s files on a server allowing them to access them anywhere, has been been in Apple’s future for some time now. Ever since Apple bought a large server farm and acquired LaLa, a music streaming site, the rumors that cloud based music storage have been persistent. However, it seems Amazon has taken center stage with their cloud based storage that highlights the ability to buy music once and listen anywhere.

Now, it’s Apple’s move. With the World Wide Developers Conference being announced yesterday, Apples transition to the cloud has been clouded with rumors (please forgive the terrible pun). WWDC, scheduled for June 6-10th, usually is paired with a new iPhone release, yet this year many are reporting that it will be entirley focused on the future of iOS. Add this with a rumor that Apple will be pushing back the official release of iOS 5 means two things. One, no new iPhone for WWDC, and two, the refresh of iOS may just include their version of cloud storage for music.

Either way, Amazon’s announcement yesterday was a step forward to the dream of living in the clouds, at least digitally anyway.

No folks, that’s not a typo. Announced this past Sunday, it looks as if AT&T will be purchasing T-Mobile USA from Deutsche Telekom, making AT&T the number one wireless carrier in the United States. If that last sentence didn’t give it away, this is a major game changer in the telecommunications industry. What is so shocking about this news is that it was not seen as a coming move by AT&T. In fact, Sprint, the number three wireless carrier, was sizing up T-Mobile USA (number four) to acquire them in order to fight off both Verizon and AT&T. With Sunday’s news, it seems like Sprint may be in a different position than speculated. So what now? Will your iPhone now work on T-Mobile? Will Sprint go out of business? Well to not get too technical for non-telecom folks, here are a few highlights that you will may see in the next few years.

APPROVAL. First off, whenever a large company attempts to buy another fairly large company, expect some hoops to be jumped through. AT&T and T-Mobile will have to go through the regulatory channels including the FCC and the FTC. Also, expect that the only way that this deal will be approved will be under certain conditions that will most likely include network neutrality rules, rural expansion and pricing models.

UNIVERSAL LTE. The aquisition of T-Mobile is more or less spectrum aquition for AT&T to help with their transition to the super fast LTE 4G. With this, Sprint will have to slowly make their way to the LTE train, making for a universal wireless standard. This will make consumers happy because phones will now work on all carriers regardless of whom you purchased from.

SPRINT’S FUTURE. While it still remains to be seen, Sprint does have some options in fighting off Verizon and the new AT&T/T-Mobile. First, Verizon may look to acquire Sprint, making for a true oligopoly in the cellular market. This however seems unlikely due to the lack of competition with only two major wireless carriers. The other and more interesting approach is that Sprint could re-brand themselves. Just as T-Mobile was the ‘cheapest’ carrier, Sprint may now have the opportunity to become a low cost wireless carrier, something that could prove profitable for them.

T-MOBILE PHASE OUT. Have no fear, T-Mobile isn’t going away next week, but this does mean the eventul phase out of the company. Also AT&T/T-Mobile has annouced that their 3G connectivity for T-Mobile phones will be phased out by 2012, but they assured their customers that they have a plan to help make the switch to 4G and a new phone easier.

So there you have it, where once there stood four, three remain (well, not including the small local carriers). While this deal still needs regulatory approval, it is almost certain that T-Mobile will become a company of legends. Until then, either one can either laugh at the repetitiveness of history (Bell breakup) or cry for the loss of a friend. Only one thing is clear, if we do not learn from our past mistakes, we are doomed to repeat them.