The steps for Google Wallet setup are thus, says Google on May the 26th in New York: Attach your Wallet, Enter your Pin, Add your Credit Card, and lock. Quite simple. This service will work between Citi bank, FirstData for management, and you with your personal information. Your information will be secured and available to you instantly in your “wallet.” Once your card is in your wallet, you can choose to active or de-activate your card on demand. In addition to your credit card, you’ve got an instant Google card [GCard] which you can add funds to separately. AKA you can add funds how you want, no matter how confident you are in the security.
Security
Of course with this entire system involving your money, security is paramount. To keep your wallet secure, Google is working with the industry standard with smartcard-based payments and SecurePay, plus an NXP which is NFC + security element. This NXP chip is already installed on your Nexus S device. This chip makes your device safe via locks and save from outside elements like the example Google has given: laser pen attacks.
Does this seem like it’s going to make you confident enough to use the system? This is of course a pre-pre-release question, but what do you think thus far of Google Offers and Google Wallet?
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Thursday, May 26, 2011
Android Tablets Have Room to Grow
In talking with some some analyst colleagues both in the industry and financial sector, I’ve come across some interesting perspectives regarding Android tablets. Most of it extremely shortsighted and uninformed, yet these are credible voices with powerful opinions. My goal in this article is to add some perspective about the tablet market but also point out why Android tablets are not doomed to fail.
Tablets are a Growth Segment
Forecasting shipments of anything is not a perfect science. Nonetheless, if you tally up most of the credible forecasts we should expect somewhere between 36-50 million tablet shipments in 2011. That represents anywhere from 150% to 220% growth over last year, and triple digit growth should continue in 2012 as well.
What everyone does agree on, however, is that tablets are a growth segment and will continue to be for some time. The bottom line is this category and class of product is not going away any time soon.
Now, what will remain to be seen is how large the overall market for tablets can become. My guess is its somewhere between the PC market at just over 400 million per year worldwide and the current mobile phone total market currently at 1.4 billion per year worldwide.
Whatever the case, we will see explosive growth for tablets and Android tablets in particular over the next five years.
There isn’t a Tablet Market there is an iPad Market
This statement has been a repeated joke in conversations behind closed doors; it was certainly true last year and to a degree it will be in 2011, but it won’t be true forever. The iPad is no doubt an amazing product which is set to have another amazing year. Android tablets however won’t fare too badly either and, based on early estimates I’ve seen, will probably sell between 10-15 million devices this year.
I have a sneaking suspicion an Amazon tablet could take this number even higher and set the bar for Android tablets. Regardless, prices will come down, retail and carrier channels will spur demand, there will be a wide variety of form factor choices and, most importantly, Google will continue to make the Android experience and ecosystem better.
Consumer choice is important in all markets but especially when a market is maturing. Within Android tablets, we will continue to see a wide variety of choices over the next few years and that will contribute to Android’s tablet growth.
Nonetheless to capitalize on demand for tablets my recommendation to the hardware makers is to not try and compete with the iPad. Instead I encourage them to be creative, innovative and build experiences that showcase their company’s skill sets.
Market share will be deceiving the next few years since tablets are a growth market and companies will attract new consumers not necessarily take share from others. This means success should be measured in devices shipped not necessarily market share. Needless to say, it will be exciting to watch this market mature.
Tablets are a Growth Segment
Forecasting shipments of anything is not a perfect science. Nonetheless, if you tally up most of the credible forecasts we should expect somewhere between 36-50 million tablet shipments in 2011. That represents anywhere from 150% to 220% growth over last year, and triple digit growth should continue in 2012 as well.
What everyone does agree on, however, is that tablets are a growth segment and will continue to be for some time. The bottom line is this category and class of product is not going away any time soon.
Now, what will remain to be seen is how large the overall market for tablets can become. My guess is its somewhere between the PC market at just over 400 million per year worldwide and the current mobile phone total market currently at 1.4 billion per year worldwide.
Whatever the case, we will see explosive growth for tablets and Android tablets in particular over the next five years.
There isn’t a Tablet Market there is an iPad Market
This statement has been a repeated joke in conversations behind closed doors; it was certainly true last year and to a degree it will be in 2011, but it won’t be true forever. The iPad is no doubt an amazing product which is set to have another amazing year. Android tablets however won’t fare too badly either and, based on early estimates I’ve seen, will probably sell between 10-15 million devices this year.
I have a sneaking suspicion an Amazon tablet could take this number even higher and set the bar for Android tablets. Regardless, prices will come down, retail and carrier channels will spur demand, there will be a wide variety of form factor choices and, most importantly, Google will continue to make the Android experience and ecosystem better.
Consumer choice is important in all markets but especially when a market is maturing. Within Android tablets, we will continue to see a wide variety of choices over the next few years and that will contribute to Android’s tablet growth.
Nonetheless to capitalize on demand for tablets my recommendation to the hardware makers is to not try and compete with the iPad. Instead I encourage them to be creative, innovative and build experiences that showcase their company’s skill sets.
Market share will be deceiving the next few years since tablets are a growth market and companies will attract new consumers not necessarily take share from others. This means success should be measured in devices shipped not necessarily market share. Needless to say, it will be exciting to watch this market mature.
PlayStation 4 Is In Development
In the wake of all the chaos Sony’s endured as of late along with negative earnings reports, the company may be trying to soften the blow by hinting at a next-generation PlayStation 4 console. The company has just reported a $3.1 billion annual loss, with factors ranging from the Japan earthquake to the $170 million loss from the PlayStation Network attack.
In a conference call with shareholders today, Sony CFO Masaru Kato explained away increased costs to research and development by confirming that a next-gen console was already in the works. “For the home equipment the PS3 still has a product life, but this is a platform business, so for the future platform – when we’ll be introducing what product I cannot discuss that – but our development work is already under way, so the costs are incurred there.”
The statement does seem to contradict what Sony exec Kazuo Hirai publicly insisted just a few months ago. At the time, Hirai stated that the PS3 lifecycle has barely reached the halfway point, meaning that a PS4 would still be at least 4 to 5 years away. But with the mounting negative press, slowing of PS3 sales, and the excitement rivals are generating, such as with the Nintendo Wii 2, teasing a upcoming PS4 may be a good distraction.
In a conference call with shareholders today, Sony CFO Masaru Kato explained away increased costs to research and development by confirming that a next-gen console was already in the works. “For the home equipment the PS3 still has a product life, but this is a platform business, so for the future platform – when we’ll be introducing what product I cannot discuss that – but our development work is already under way, so the costs are incurred there.”
The statement does seem to contradict what Sony exec Kazuo Hirai publicly insisted just a few months ago. At the time, Hirai stated that the PS3 lifecycle has barely reached the halfway point, meaning that a PS4 would still be at least 4 to 5 years away. But with the mounting negative press, slowing of PS3 sales, and the excitement rivals are generating, such as with the Nintendo Wii 2, teasing a upcoming PS4 may be a good distraction.
Omnio WOWkeys Keyboard
Late last year we caught a glimpse of an interesting keyboard dock made for your iPhone and iPod touch. Made by Omnio, the dock was called WOWkeys and could be used as a keyboard for your i-device or be used as a standalone keyboard for your Mac or PC.
The WOWkeys has 15 hot-keys that can be used to control your iPhone or iPod touch while its docked. They include a home button, display power on/off, a shortcut to album photos, and multimedia control buttons such as pause, play, and skip tracks. The WOWkeys can also switch over to be a keyboard for your Mac or PC with your docked iPhone or iPod touch acting as a multi-touch pad. A dedicated button switches the keyboards functionality between the two modes of use.
The WOWkeys works with both the iPhone 3GS and the iPhone 4 and connects to your Mac or PC via USB. The keyboard dock is available and shipping now. However, it’s a bit pricey at $100. Would you get one?
The WOWkeys has 15 hot-keys that can be used to control your iPhone or iPod touch while its docked. They include a home button, display power on/off, a shortcut to album photos, and multimedia control buttons such as pause, play, and skip tracks. The WOWkeys can also switch over to be a keyboard for your Mac or PC with your docked iPhone or iPod touch acting as a multi-touch pad. A dedicated button switches the keyboards functionality between the two modes of use.
The WOWkeys works with both the iPhone 3GS and the iPhone 4 and connects to your Mac or PC via USB. The keyboard dock is available and shipping now. However, it’s a bit pricey at $100. Would you get one?
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Friday, May 13, 2011
Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1
At Google I/O earlier this week, we did a hands-on for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, as well as an epic unboxing of “limited edition” versions of the slate, not to mention an exclusive “unboxing” by Google senior VP Vic Gundotra. But now we get word that the ultra thin and lightweight tablet may be heading to Verizon as its first carrier and sport speedy 4G LTE.
The guys over at DroidLife were tipped with some Verizon inventory screen images that showed four mystery SKUs with model numbers and specs that suggested they may be the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. The tablet is listed as SCH-1905 which falls inline with Samsung’s typical model numbering and looks to be coming in both white and black as well as in two storage capacities of 16GB and 32GB.
In a second and third image we can see clearly that the SKUs in question will come running Android 3.0 Honeycomb and be a 4G LTE tablet. Currently, there are no details on when this device would be ready, but since Samsung has scheduled a big press event for May 26th, it’s highly possible that a Verizon 4G LTE Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 slate gets unveiled then.
The guys over at DroidLife were tipped with some Verizon inventory screen images that showed four mystery SKUs with model numbers and specs that suggested they may be the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. The tablet is listed as SCH-1905 which falls inline with Samsung’s typical model numbering and looks to be coming in both white and black as well as in two storage capacities of 16GB and 32GB.
In a second and third image we can see clearly that the SKUs in question will come running Android 3.0 Honeycomb and be a 4G LTE tablet. Currently, there are no details on when this device would be ready, but since Samsung has scheduled a big press event for May 26th, it’s highly possible that a Verizon 4G LTE Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 slate gets unveiled then.
Samsung Galaxy S II
Are you excited about the Samsung Galaxy S II? You should be. With its dual core processor, all day battery life, and huge screen with Super AMOLED Plus, this is the most exciting phone coming out right now. You can check out our full review of the device here. Samsung has just come out with an official live demo for the Galaxy S II, which is 12, count ‘em, 12 minutes and 34 seconds long.
The video goes into great detail about all the features the phone has to offer, showing the Super AMOLED Plus screen with its great viewing angles, showing off how thin the phone is, measuring only 8.49mm and weighing 116gm.
It also shows off the Samsung’s TouchWiz overlay for Gingerbread, which you either love or you hate, it seems. The video shows you how to customize how your apps are organized, create folders, and customize the home screen and widgets.
Then we get into browsing with Flash, and the ease of navigating through videos and resizing the viewing area. Also email, and how the screen adjusts so that you can get more text on the screen no matter how it is rotated. Copy and paste are also demonstrated, using a long press, you can copy text from a website and then paste into an email.
Gaming is demonstrated, and the fast response of the screen is pretty impressive. The video shows how you can also connect the phone to your TV with HDMI and use the phone as a controller for gaming on the big screen. For certain TVs, you can also connect wirelessly.
The readers hub demo shows easy access to the various eReader apps, and shows turning pages on an ebook.
Bascially anything you would ever want to know about the Galaxy S II, at least in terms of the UI, is detailed here. And anything else you want to know is answered in our review.
HTC Flyer Unboxing & First Impressions
Android tablets aren’t exactly in short supply these days. As well as the current big-name Honeycomb slates, like the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, Motorola XOOM and ASUS Eee Pad Transformer there’s no shortage of low-cost alternatives and no-brand upstarts. Into the fray wades the HTC Flyer, fresh to store shelves today and managing to differentiate itself by virtue of its Sense interface, 7-inch form-factor and – perhaps most importantly – digital stylus.
There have been no shortage of pundits proclaiming the stylus dead and the finger-paradigm its successor, and a quick glance at the iPad dominated market might suggest they’re right. Still, after the near-identical Honeycomb tablets we’ve seen of late, the Flyer is enough to have us intrigued. Based on the phone version of Android, Gingerbread (though a Honeycomb upgrade is in the works), it runs the risk of following in the footsteps of the premature Samsung Galaxy Tab, perhaps.
Yet the Flyer’s pen wants to prove it can be more than a relic from resistive touchscreen days, and our first impressions are that it has some promise. The digital ink flows smoothly, despite HTC opting for a 1.5GHz single-core Snapdragon processor rather than the dual-core chips we’re seeing in high-end phones and tablets of late, and the slate is full of neat touches like the twin set of fascia buttons – rotating automatically to suit portrait or landscape orientation – the Evernote integration with its handwriting recognition, and the sturdy, paperback-scale chassis.
We’ll be putting the Flyer through its paces properly for the full SlashGear review, so until then enjoy the unboxing and hands-on video!
Apple iPhone 4S, Not iPhone 5?
So all this time we’ve been clamoring about an upcoming iPhone 5, when actually what’s next is the iPhone 4S? That is indeed the case, according to Jeffries analyst Peter Misek. The update to 4S is not as drastic as what’s been originally rumored for an iPhone 5. But, his report brings good news for Sprint and T-Mobile customers with iPhone envy.
“According to our industry checks, the device should be called iPhone 4S and include minor cosmetic changes, better cameras, A5 dual-core processor, and HSPA+ support,” he writes in a research note.
This news does fall in line with earlier claims of an iPhone 4S prototype with an A5 chip being seeded to high-end game developers. While the HSPA+ isn’t quite LTE, it is still a slight improvement and will certainly be hailed as 4G at AT&T.
But the surprising part is that the iPhone 4S will likely be announced with the addition of Sprint, T-Mobile, and China Mobile as new carriers. It is still slated to arrive this September.
“According to our industry checks, the device should be called iPhone 4S and include minor cosmetic changes, better cameras, A5 dual-core processor, and HSPA+ support,” he writes in a research note.
This news does fall in line with earlier claims of an iPhone 4S prototype with an A5 chip being seeded to high-end game developers. While the HSPA+ isn’t quite LTE, it is still a slight improvement and will certainly be hailed as 4G at AT&T.
But the surprising part is that the iPhone 4S will likely be announced with the addition of Sprint, T-Mobile, and China Mobile as new carriers. It is still slated to arrive this September.
Ortus hd 4.8 inch
Samsung and LG Display may be working on packing extra pixels into tablet-scale screens, but what if you want resolution overload on your smartphone? Ortus Technologies showed us its 4.8-inch Full HD LCD last year, squeezing 1920 x 1080 458ppi into a panel that would make an iPhone 4 Retina Display weep with ill-disguised shame; now the company is back, having upgraded their display to support 3D.
The 3D system uses an Arisawa Xpol polarizer film that splits the picture into left and right eye images. What it does mean is that you give up some of the vertical resolution, taking the panel down to 1920 x 540, since Xpol angles every other line at each eye.
The 16.8m color display has a 160-degree viewing angle (both horizontal and vertical) and 72-percent NTSC color gamut coverage. As you can see in the DigInfo video below, Ortus envisage the screen showing up in 3D camcorders to allow real-time previews; however, we’d also be very excited to see it on a next-gen games console like Sony’s NGP
HTC Sensation 4G
HTC’s Sensation 4G will be its first dual-core smartphone and one of its first to feature their slick new HTC Sense 3.0 interface. We caught a quick glimpse of the interface with their “First Look” video and we even captured plenty of hands-on footage with the device. But to further satiate our appetites, HTC has unleashed an almost 6-minute long video to give you a truly intimate tour of the device.
The HTC Sensation features an aluminum unibody chassis powered by a 1.2Ghz Qualcomm dual-core processor. It sports a 4.3-inch contoured glass touchscreen qHD display, which gives you 35 percent more pixels than a typical display and provides true 16:9 widescreen dimensions. It has an 8-megapixel back camera capable of 1080p HD video recording.
All those hardware specs are impressive, but this new HTC “Closer Look” video smartly focuses more on what those specs can do for you. Emphasis is really placed on the enhanced user interface, Hi-Fi audio, and the overall multimedia experience that comes from the new HTC Sense 3.0 UI layered on top of Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread.
PlayStation Network Hack
We have had a lot of news over the past 23 days about the hack and closure of Sony’s PlayStation Network, but there are still a lot of questions over what exactly happened. Sony said in its letter to Congress that the attack was a “very carefully planned, very professional, highly sophisticated criminal cyber attack”. And it certainly has set Sony back on its heels, with the network still down, and Sony still struggling to clean up the mess the hack has caused, and losing the trust of its users. Now, a letter sent from Sony to publishers of the PlayStation Network and Qriocity yesterday has been leaked, and we have a few more details about what happened.
Evidence indicates that the letter was recieved yesterday, and it does not say when services will be resumed, but it does explain how the hack was discovered. First, Sony says that it will only restore service “when we can ensure that the network can operate safely and securely”. Then, under the heading “What Happened”, Sony reveals that on Tuesday, April 19th, four PlayStation Network servers unexpectedly rebooted themselves, and that there was “unplanned and unusual activity” on the network.
Sony had an internal team investigate the four suspect servers, and the team discovered indications that an intruder had gotten access to the PlayStation Network system. Then, six more servers were identified as being compromised. That is when Sony shut down the network to prevent additional damage. The intruders used “sophisticated and aggressive techniques to obtain unauthorized access, hide their presence from system administrators and escalate privileges inside the servers.” They deleted log files to hide the extent of what they had done within the network.
On May 1st, with the information from the forensic teams investigating the matter, engineers at Sony Online Entertainment found out that data had also been stolen from their servers, so on they also shut down operations and announced the discovery on May 2nd.
Sony then goes on to state again that they do not have evidence that credit card information has been stolen, and that major credit card providers have not seen an increase in fraudulent activity. This is despite the fact that security experts have warned that credit card data from PSN members was found for sale online. Sony again details the steps they have taken to compensate members, offering data theft protection.
They also detail the steps they are taking to repair the network and ensure its security, and state that they are working with the FBI to discover who is behind the attack. They also let their partners know that they cannot yet say when the network will be back online again.
There are still a lot of unanswered questions about this situation, and we will be following it closely. You can see our complete coverage of the PSN story here. The full text of the letter, originally posted on Industry Gamers is below.
Evidence indicates that the letter was recieved yesterday, and it does not say when services will be resumed, but it does explain how the hack was discovered. First, Sony says that it will only restore service “when we can ensure that the network can operate safely and securely”. Then, under the heading “What Happened”, Sony reveals that on Tuesday, April 19th, four PlayStation Network servers unexpectedly rebooted themselves, and that there was “unplanned and unusual activity” on the network.
Sony had an internal team investigate the four suspect servers, and the team discovered indications that an intruder had gotten access to the PlayStation Network system. Then, six more servers were identified as being compromised. That is when Sony shut down the network to prevent additional damage. The intruders used “sophisticated and aggressive techniques to obtain unauthorized access, hide their presence from system administrators and escalate privileges inside the servers.” They deleted log files to hide the extent of what they had done within the network.
On May 1st, with the information from the forensic teams investigating the matter, engineers at Sony Online Entertainment found out that data had also been stolen from their servers, so on they also shut down operations and announced the discovery on May 2nd.
Sony then goes on to state again that they do not have evidence that credit card information has been stolen, and that major credit card providers have not seen an increase in fraudulent activity. This is despite the fact that security experts have warned that credit card data from PSN members was found for sale online. Sony again details the steps they have taken to compensate members, offering data theft protection.
They also detail the steps they are taking to repair the network and ensure its security, and state that they are working with the FBI to discover who is behind the attack. They also let their partners know that they cannot yet say when the network will be back online again.
There are still a lot of unanswered questions about this situation, and we will be following it closely. You can see our complete coverage of the PSN story here. The full text of the letter, originally posted on Industry Gamers is below.
Dear Partner:
As you know, certain PlayStation Network, Qriocity and Sony Online Entertainment service user account information was compromised in criminal attacks against our networks. I want to assure you, as a PlayStation partner, that it is Sony’s top priority to restore our network operations and see that business is returned to usual as soon as possible. We are working around the clock to restore service, but will do so only when we can ensure that the network can operate safely and securely. In the meantime, we greatly appreciate your patience, understanding and goodwill.
What Happened?
• On Tuesday, April 19, 2011, Sony discovered that several PlayStation Network servers unexpectedly rebooted themselves and that unplanned and unusual activity was taking place on the network. This activity triggered an immediate response.
• Sony mobilized a larger internal team to assist the investigation of the four suspect servers. That team discovered the first credible indications that an intruder had been in the PlayStation Network system, and six more servers were identified as possibly being compromised. Sony immediately decided to shut down all of the PlayStation Network services in order to prevent any additional damage.
• The scope and complexity of the investigation grew substantially as additional evidence about the attack developed.
• The forensic teams were able to confirm that intruders had used very sophisticated and aggressive techniques to obtain unauthorized access, hide their presence from system administrators and escalate privileges inside the servers. Among other things, the intruders deleted log files in order to hide the extent of their work and activity within the network.
• On Sunday May 1, using information uncovered by the forensic teams, engineers at Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) discovered that data had also been taken from their servers. They, too, shut down operations and on Monday, May 2, announced the discovery.
What Data Are Affected?
As you may know, personal data was stolen from approximately 77 million PlayStation network and Qriocity service accounts.
As of this writing, there remains no evidence that the credit card information was stolen and the major credit card companies are still reporting that they have not seen an increase in fraudulent transactions due to this event.
What Steps Are Being Taken?
We have taken aggressive action to give consumers peace of mind, protect them against the abuse of their data, and enhance our security systems moving forward.
We have already advised our consumers in the U.S. that we will offer complimentary identity theft protection services through a leading provider, including an insurance program of up to $1 million. Similar programs are being developed in other markets around the world.
In addition, Sony is taking a series of steps to enhance security of our network infrastructure. They include but are not limited to:
• adding additional automated software monitoring and configuration management to help defend against new attacks;
• enhanced levels of data protection and encryption, as well as additional penetration and vulnerability testing;
• enhanced capabilities to detect software intrusions within the network, unauthorized access and unusual activity patterns;
• implementation of additional firewalls;
• expediting a planned move of the system to a new data center in a different location with enhanced security; and
• appointment of a new Chief Information Security Officer.
Finally, to thank our customers for their patience and loyalty, we are offering them “welcome back” packages as soon as the networks are restored, including free downloads of selected PlayStation entertainment, 30 days of free service as well as service extensions for the number of days PSN and Qriocity services were unavailable, with similar benefits for Music Unlimited subscribers.
Looking Ahead
We of course deeply regret that this incident has occurred. We are working closely with the FBI to identify and apprehend the culprits who committed this crime against our consumers, our partners and our company. I know you can appreciate how widespread the problem of cybercrime is in society today. Although no company is immune, we are confident our consumer data will be protected by some of the best security measures available today.
As a valued partner we aim to keep the lines of communication open so that you are aware of our progress. Our focus has been to confirm the security of the networks, protect customer data and get the services back on line as quickly as possible. We will do our best to respond to all of your inquiries and we will do everything we possibly can to support you.
We are doing everything we can to bring these services back online as soon as possible. We will update you with more information as soon as we can, but please call your account executive if you have further questions. We thank you for your patience and look forward to moving ahead together in the months and years to come.
Very truly yours,
Rob Dyer
SVP, Publisher Relations
Google tv's
At the I/O Conference this week, Google said that it will be bringing Android 3.1 to Google TV later this year. In addition, the company said that developers will finally have the SDK they need to start delivering Google TV-based applications.
For those who currently own Google TV-based devices, like the Logitech Revue, that’s good news. Right now, those folks are using a platform that, by and large, has done little to justify its price. Worst of all, for months, it seemed that Google had turned its back on the platform, allowing it to languish on store shelves.
But now that we know Google TV isn’t dead, what is Google actually going to do to help revive the service? Consumers aren’t so quick to forget major issues. And when Google TV launched, it was a downright loser.
I can’t help but wonder if it’s too little, too late.
Now, I’m sure there are some out there that would disagree with that sentiment. They would say that the first run of any product is expected to be a little rough around the edges. And they might also say that Google TV was better than some folks have given it credit for.
But I’m not so quick to agree. Google TV had hype and it had potential. But Google and its vendor partners quickly scuttled that by launching a service that wasn’t ready.
Overcoming the challenge of making people forget that will be difficult, to say the least. The Apple TV is selling reasonably well, a growing number of televisions are shipping with key applications, including Netflix, built-in, and game consoles are still offering the best value proposition in the set-top box market. Like it or not, Google TV seems like an extra, unnecessary option in today’s marketplace.
In order to even come close to changing that, Google will need to drastically alter its strategy for selling people on the Google TV again. In some ways, the search giant has already committed the biggest misstep it could in the set-top box market, and now its charge is to repair that damage.
But can it? I just don’t know. Google TV was supposed to be the savior for living room entertainment. It’s now considered an outright dud. And changing consumer perception months after the first Google TV product launched and Google even paid a modicum attention to it hasn’t helped matters.
Sorry, but even with these recent announcements, I just don’t know if Google TV has much of a future. Google still hasn’t proven to consumers why they should opt for its platform over all others. And until it can do that, look for the market to turn to alternatives, including the Apple TV.
For those who currently own Google TV-based devices, like the Logitech Revue, that’s good news. Right now, those folks are using a platform that, by and large, has done little to justify its price. Worst of all, for months, it seemed that Google had turned its back on the platform, allowing it to languish on store shelves.
But now that we know Google TV isn’t dead, what is Google actually going to do to help revive the service? Consumers aren’t so quick to forget major issues. And when Google TV launched, it was a downright loser.
I can’t help but wonder if it’s too little, too late.
Now, I’m sure there are some out there that would disagree with that sentiment. They would say that the first run of any product is expected to be a little rough around the edges. And they might also say that Google TV was better than some folks have given it credit for.
But I’m not so quick to agree. Google TV had hype and it had potential. But Google and its vendor partners quickly scuttled that by launching a service that wasn’t ready.
Overcoming the challenge of making people forget that will be difficult, to say the least. The Apple TV is selling reasonably well, a growing number of televisions are shipping with key applications, including Netflix, built-in, and game consoles are still offering the best value proposition in the set-top box market. Like it or not, Google TV seems like an extra, unnecessary option in today’s marketplace.
In order to even come close to changing that, Google will need to drastically alter its strategy for selling people on the Google TV again. In some ways, the search giant has already committed the biggest misstep it could in the set-top box market, and now its charge is to repair that damage.
But can it? I just don’t know. Google TV was supposed to be the savior for living room entertainment. It’s now considered an outright dud. And changing consumer perception months after the first Google TV product launched and Google even paid a modicum attention to it hasn’t helped matters.
Sorry, but even with these recent announcements, I just don’t know if Google TV has much of a future. Google still hasn’t proven to consumers why they should opt for its platform over all others. And until it can do that, look for the market to turn to alternatives, including the Apple TV.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
mass effect 3 details
BioWare’s Mass Effect 3 was one of the most anticipated games scheduled for release this fall, but unfortunately got pushed back to an early 2012 release. It’s believed that BioWare is delaying the game to make some additional improvements, and details on that have surfaced today.
Most prominent of the changes is that the game, which involves a squad led by Commander Shepard to defend the Earth of attackers, has reduced the number of team members. Mass Effect 2 had a total of 12 members on the squad, which left some of the characters without much to do. By cutting back to a smaller team, BioWare hopes to develop deeper relationships between the characters to make more interesting interplay.
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“We’re not going to have twelve again but we are going to do more with the characters on your squad including Liara, and Kaidan or Ashley. And we’re bringing everyone back – every main character is in Mass Effect 3 somewhere,” said director Casey Hudson.
The look of each character may also be updated. “The people who redesign the characters are the same people who did the original characters,” said lead artist Derek Watts. “And they know best how these things are supposed to mature. Stuff changes. Garrus’ armour is going to change. Even Shepard has changed quite a bit. His armour has changed a lot since the first Mass Effect.”
Combat-wise the game should also become more challenging. The enemy AI has been boosted for a more dangerous opposition and Commander Shepard can no longer just stay in one spot for cover during an entire fight.
“We really want to make mobility a factor that plays into combat,” says lead gameplay designer Christina Norman. “You’ll always ask yourself, ‘am I in the right position on the battlefield? Where are my enemies? How am I going to get from point A to point B?’ Players should never be walking into these safe places with great cover and stay there for the whole fight. It’s about how you’re going to move through the battlefield as the enemies move through the battlefield, and how they’re reacting to one another and to you.”
More details on Mass Effect 3 are surely to be unveiled at next month’s E3 conference. Other games certain to make a big splash are Battlefield 3 and the next Call of Duty that are both scheduled for release this fall.
for more information click here
Verizon 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot
Our lucky SlashGear and AndroidCommunity guys attending Google I/O not only got hold of free limited edition Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablets yesterday, but now they get Verizon’s 4G LTE Hotspot. The little device is incredibly compact but offers blazing speeds. With the photo below, I believe some form of dramatic unboxing may be imminent.
The Verizon 4G LTE mobile hotspot uses the award-winning Novatel MiFi 4510L next generation intelligent hotspot device. During the keynote this morning, the device was touted to achieve up to 20Mbps downstream and 10Mbps upstream speeds. However, typical speeds according to the website hover around 5-12Mbs down and 2-5Mbps up.
watch free & full movies:
http://aae416nk34a47xbc3qxcwy1r05.hop.clickbank.net/
The mobile hotspot can also connect up to 5 WiFi enabled devices at one time. The e-ink display on the device shows status information including how many devices are connected, how good the connections is, and battery levels. Our lucky guys also get three full months free service courtesy of Verizon.
for videos click this link below
http://f13dcd0d-52u3p5ikktjb7ixav.hop.clickbank.net/
The Verizon 4G LTE mobile hotspot uses the award-winning Novatel MiFi 4510L next generation intelligent hotspot device. During the keynote this morning, the device was touted to achieve up to 20Mbps downstream and 10Mbps upstream speeds. However, typical speeds according to the website hover around 5-12Mbs down and 2-5Mbps up.
watch free & full movies:
http://aae416nk34a47xbc3qxcwy1r05.hop.clickbank.net/
The mobile hotspot can also connect up to 5 WiFi enabled devices at one time. The e-ink display on the device shows status information including how many devices are connected, how good the connections is, and battery levels. Our lucky guys also get three full months free service courtesy of Verizon.
for videos click this link below
http://f13dcd0d-52u3p5ikktjb7ixav.hop.clickbank.net/
Google announces new apps on Android Market
watch free live tv on your pc:
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In other Android Market news, Google has also announced that it will be adding support for larger apps -- up to 4GB -- in June, and it will be giving developers the ability to exclude specific devices to avoid compatibility problems, or make multiple versions of an app available under a single Market listing, complete with aggregated ratings and stats. All that, plus personalized recommendations based on your apps (details on it are still a bit light), and paid app support for an additional 99 countries (coming within the next week or so).
new google Acer Chromebook
click here to check out the system optimizer
Google adding Netflix, Hulu support, offline Gmail, Calendar and Docs to Chrome OS this summer, prices hardware at $20 per month
Far more monumental, Google's also just announced the cost of these Chromebooks and there's no upfront payment to speak of. Instead, Chrome OS laptops will be distributed on the basis of a recurring monthly subscription, which will cost $28 per user for businesses and $20 per user for schools. That includes regular software and hardware upgrades. Hardware as a service, folks!
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