PC makers adding Android to the Windows mix is bad news for Microsoft

January 07, 2014 by David Johnson

It is one thing for you to get your chocolate in my peanut butter. After all, they are two great tastes that taste great together. But what happens when Windows and Android dance the Watusi? Who are the people clamoring for the Frankenstein notebook? Are these actually two great tastes? Do they actually taste great together, making a whole that is better than the sum of its parts? Because more manufacturers will be putting out these products this year, we are going to be finding out real soon.

The iPad mini clone from Acer, and why I don't cover CES

January 05, 2014 by David Johnson

Is anyone else a little embarrassed by this, or is it just me? First, the stickers; oh my god, the stickers! Engadget has had some hands-on time with this device, and this is what the device actually looks like, not the sanitized press photos Acer has put out. Even the small space below the camera gets a sticker. It is like trying to see the sky in downtown New York. Forget about it. There are nothing but billboards as far as the eye can see. If there is even a small space, don't worry; they will quickly put up a small billboard to fill it. Second, they are no longer even trying to conceal the fact that what they are making is an iPad mini clone.

Default: Living within Apple's gilded cage

January 05, 2014 by David Johnson

A lot of people, perhaps most, never venture beyond the default settings and applications found on their devices at the time of purchase. Others make it a point of personalizing the settings, and loading up their favorite alternatives to the default apps, dumping the defaults in a folder, and onto the back page, out of sight and out of mind. I see no evidence that one group is happier than the other. However, it does appear that the more adventurous of the two end up having more issues with their devices. I happen to be both. In some things, I am Captain Default. In others, I am David, Lord of the Unbeaten Path. This weekend, we will be exploring the benefits of accepting the default position, and living happily within Apple's tightly controlled ecosystem.

What the $100 smartphone says about the state of iPhone competition

January 01, 2014 by David Johnson

2013 might well be known as the year that the race to the bottom really heated up. As in the sport of limbo, smartphone manufacturers see how low they can go with the price of their wares. Racing to the bottom is nothing new. It happens in every industry. I don't just want to note the fact that it happened, but also the reasons. And since it really is a race, we might even take a brief look at who is winning.

Apple News Net product of the year

December 26, 2013 by David Johnson

Apple put out a number of great products this year. The latest entrant is one that I have not seen, and will likely never be able to put through its paces. I am refering to the Mac Pro released just days ago. Though it does not win this year's award, it is an example of how great the offerings were. If the Mac Pro is the loser, what could posibly be the winner? Let's find out...

Blackberry CEO wants to bring the Blackberry experience to the iPhone. Just say no!

December 22, 2013 by David Johnson

Blackberry's quarterly conference call took place on Friday. I will try to avoid adjectives such as train wreck, or disasterous. But it is difficult to report on it without at least using the word, predictable. On paper, they lost $4.4B. That's more money than they have. Accounting is a funny business. My undestanding of it is that much of that is a non-writedown writedown of unsold inventory, literally, worth nothing. Every phone they build is a liability to the company. Now, they would like to bring that worthless experience to iOS and Android. You can here John Chen: Blackberry CEO, say it in his own words

Everything is an iPhone

December 20, 2013 by David Johnson

Do you remember when Android first came out? Does anybody? The internet has a very short memory, So let this be a reminder; Android was actually in development before the iPhone was introduced. Here is something else you may have forgotten. Android was originally a clone of the Blackberry OS. At the time, the was no iOS to copy. Once the iPhone was unveiled, Google scrapped their Blackberry clone, and started making an iPhone clone.

State of the iPhone for 2013

December 15, 2013 by David Johnson

In terms of new product categories, it has been a rather dull year. When it comes to product updates, it's been a very good year. The MacBooks have had a substantial increase in battery life. Today's MacBook Air can last as long as yesterday's iPad. Speaking of iPads, the iPad Air has taken the tablet category to the pinnacle of what it should be. But what about the iPhone: the flagship of Apple's fleet?

How did the iPhone conquer Japan? Part Two

December 14, 2013 by David Johnson

Although this is a continuation of a piece on the iPhone's success in Japan, I thought it appropriate to start with the success of the iPad. Japan has proven to be a fertile market for iDevices despite the counter-indicators. For anyone thinking that the iPhone's success in Japan was a fluke, the success of the iPad should abruptly cut off that line of thinking.

Android's "openness" means you're open to attack

December 08, 2013 by David Johnson

So, you went ahead and bought that Android phone, tablet, thing, despite my warnings. Well, you’ve stepped in it now, and you might not even realize it. There is a new, Android app masquerading as a flash light, but is secretly tracking your every movement, and sharing it with advertisers. The app in question was downloaded over 50 million times.

This picture is not a photograph, but a finger-painting done entirely on the iPad

December 03, 2013 by David Johnson

Painted by Kyle Lambert www.kylelambert.co.uk The world's most realistic finger painting. Using only a finger, an iPad Air and the app Procreate, artist Kyle Lambert has painted a photorealistic portrait of actor Morgan Freeman. Music by Richard Woolgar

When shoppers go mobile, the go iOS

November 30, 2013 by David Johnson

37% of online sales are done on mobile devices. iPhones and iPads account for almost all of those devices. That was certainly the case on Black Friday. I am for anything that takes more Black Friday sales online and off the streets. We are constantly told that there are more Android phones and tablets than iPhones and iPads, so why are mobile purchases so skewed in favor of iOS?

Motorola's latest efforts show that beyond the iPhone, it really just comes down to price

November 26, 2013 by David Johnson

Remember the Motorola Razr? It looked nice, was expensive and profitable, and people liked it. Sure, it was a piece of junk, with a failure rate that rivals the original Xbox, but people liked it. Today, Motorola is repackaging their junk. These days, motorola has the stink of bottom feeders. Their phones are dirt cheap, unprofitable, people don't like them, and they look like the junk they are. Say hello to the Moto X and the Moto G.

Candy Crushed: you're not alone

November 22, 2013 by David Johnson

I have a confession to make: I love playing Candy Crush Saga. May whatever gods there be have mercy on my Candy Crushed soul. I am a grown man of 43, with a life, and serious pursuits. I have neither sister or daughter. I neither influence, nor am influenced by small children these days. I read books and study physics for fun. I love football. Yet, somehow, Candy Crush has wormed its way into my life. I am a broken man, reduced to wondering exactly when and how things went completely sideways for me. I still don't know the answer to that, but I do know that I am not alone, and neither are you.

Activation Lock: another iOS 7 exclusive Samsung is finding difficult to copy

November 19, 2013 by David Johnson

Sometimes we iPhone and iPad users don't realize how lucky we are. Apple puts a lot of time, money, and energy into coming up with new ways to make using technology a joy. They put equal resources into making it safe and secure. Things Apple prioritizes are mere afterthoughts for competitors, until, that is, they see the competitive advance such features give Apple. Activation Lock is one of those features. Unfortunately for competitors, their attempt to copy it has hit a bit of a snag.

USB media sticks showing up as Android tablets

November 19, 2013 by David Johnson

Perhaps you have been seeing reports from reputable sources about how the iPad has fallen to the Android army of tablets. I have been warning against taking these reports too seriously. Here is yet another reason that made the news a few days ago:

The iPad age

October 24, 2013 by David Johnson

Apple has done it again! They have created an ad that makes you think about technology in a whole, new way. Don't get me wrong. we've seen the pencil trick before, but never to this effect. Hiding things behind pencils is a way of demonstrating how thin it is. While it is true that the pencil is used as a visual prank to show how thin the iPad Air is, thinness and lightness of the device was not really the point. It is that bigger, more important point that I wish to address.

iPad Joins Scalpel as Surgical Tool

August 22, 2013 by David Johnson

Seeing iPads in doctor's offices and hospitals is nothing new. The iPad is the tablet of choice among physicians. Again, not a surprise. People with the resources to choose whatever devices they desire tend to choose products from Apple. What's new is that the iPad has scrubbed, and moved into the surgical theater.

Are You an iPad User? New Survey Thinks it has You all Figured Out

August 16, 2013 by David Johnson

There is a new study from Flurry Analytics that reveals some interesting characteristics of iOS users. In particular, the study differentiated iPad and iPhone users, based on behavior and demographics. Usually, studies are looking at the differences between iOS and Android users. This time, we are getting some insight into different kinds of iOS users. More to the point, we might can gain some insight into the broader world of tablet users versus smartphone users in general.