Ballmer admits the Surface RT flopped

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“We built a few more devices than we could sell,” admitted Ballmer when referring to the slow Surface RT sales. Microsoft recently cut the price of its Surface RT tablets by 30 percent worldwide, and Ballmer and Turner reiterated in the internal meeting that the huge writedown was a price adjustment that was necessary to sell Surface RT devices. While Ballmer didn’t provide a sneak peek at the next Surface, we’re told he confirmed new devices are currently being tested with incremental improvements.

So Microsoft took a $900 million writedown because the Surface sucks balls and in response the next version of the Surface will have “incremental improvements.” Perfect.

djay 2

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I recently spent some time with the developers of djay 2], the next-generation DJ software for iOS users. I must say, I was very impressed with the software and the commitment these guys putting into making their software great. […]

Apple wins “Brand of the Year” in three categories

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While many have questioned the post-Steve Jobs fate of Apple, the company continues to hold its spot as a top technology brand across three mainstream categories, according to findings from the 2013 Harris Poll EquiTrend (EQ) study. In its first full year under Tim Cook’s stewardship, Apple took home repeat Brand of the Year distinctions in three categories – Computer, Tablet and Mobile Phone – in the annual study, which measures the perceptions of 38,500+ American consumers on more than 1,500 lifestyle, product and service brands across over 155 categories.

Well that settles it, Apple is doomed.

Instagram ads are coming

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During his company’s quarterly earnings call today, Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg discussed how Instagram will be monetized. The answer isn’t too surprising: there is a big expectation for the app to one day be profititable, and advertising will be the name of the game.

Not a big surprise. You are the product being sold.

Ember

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Realmac has been making great apps for years; Ember is another great example of why they’re a successful company.

More layoffs at BlackBerry

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Not a big surprise, but I always feel bad for the workers. I hate seeing anyone lose their job, especially when it’s because a company is being mismanaged.

Google Chromecast: No thanks

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Dan Nosowitz for Popular Science:

The Apple TV costs $95 on Amazon–a lot more money, sure. But you get a lot more for your money (great interface, stellar hardware, support for the enormously popular Apple store, the combination of apps and a slinging feature), and it’s also important to remember that these gadgets can help you get rid of cable entirely. An Apple TV costs about as much as one month’s worth of cable. Suck it up, guys. It’s not that expensive.

This isn’t to say that I’m not excited by Chromecast; I think slinging is exceptionally cool, and I think it’s great that this hardware so cheap and small. But I don’t necessarily think that a device that does exclusively slinging, no matter how cheap it is, is a viable option for most people. It’s best as part of a larger whole.

I agree with Dan. Google basically implemented Apple’s AirPlay, but that’s all Chromecast does. People expect more from an entertainment device in their home and this doesn’t give it to them. That’s not to say Google won’t sell a lot of them—they will, but that initial interest will fade because it doesn’t solve the problem we have with cable TV using a simplistic solution that everyone can use.

Global Telecom injects JavaScript into Web sites when using 3G

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What Globe Telecom is adding is what they call iToolbar. It’s basically an opportunity for them to track what you do, and inject ads into the sites you go to.

That’s just sleazy, but the best part is their answer to whether they will push unwarranted advertising.

Nexus 7 is the worst tablet

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Dustin Earley for Android and Me in June:

I can’t find one person who has been using the Nexus 7 for an extended period of time, and hasn’t seen a massive downgrade in performance. Just what kind of downgrade are we talking here? I cannot pick up my Nexus 7 without experiencing problems like a lag of ten seconds, or more, just to rotate the display; touches refusing to acknowledged; stuttering notification panel actions; and unresponsive apps.

No wonder people don’t go online with it, they can’t even get it to work.

No

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Nathan Conyngham:

Just say No. Don’t use fluffy, doublespeak language. Just say it.

No.

Sometimes it is the right thing to do.

DOOOOMED!

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Yes, the articles saying Apple is doomed are back, but Bryan Chaffin takes one to task for clearly not paying attention.

Misleading sales

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I think we’ve all suspected this happens at some stores, but not doubling the price. At least I didn’t think they went that far.

Apple reports third quarter profit of $6.9 billion

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Apple on Tuesday reported a profit of $6.9 billion for its fiscal third quarter. Revenue for the quarter was $35.3 billion, according to Apple. These results compare to revenue of $35 billion and net profit of $8.8 billion in the year-ago quarter.