Nokia Maps coming to the App Store

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The company said on Tuesday that in the coming weeks it would release a maps app called Here in Apple’s App Store. It will be a free download for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch owners.

Good. More choice is better for consumers.

Nexus 4 Bumper

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What a great idea Google. A case for your smartphone that protects the edges, but leaves the screen free. And calling it a bumper is simply genius. Why didn’t Apple think of that a couple of years ago.

Pros and cons of minimalistic Web design

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I think that every site could do with some minimalism. You certainly don’t have to take it to the extent I did with The Loop, but even cleaning up and eliminating those elements that aren’t needed would make a big difference for the visitor.

Metal Guitar Gods EZmix Pack

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Metal Guitar Gods is an expansion pack for EZmix 2, focusing solely on amp and cab simulation presets for guitar and bass. It comes with everything from rhythm, lead and clean sounds to settings for acoustic guitar and bass.

EZmix is a great plug-in that makes it quick and easy to get a great sounding mix. Basically, you pick a preset and you’re done. You can fine tune it if you want, but they usually sound pretty good as they are.

Nothing, absolutely nothing goes right for RIM

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BlackBerry or iPhone? It’s been a battle for years, but Apple’s smartphone offering may be the healthier pick for anyone with allergies, according to new research from the U.S.Nickel used in the production of the Canadian Research In Motion product has been found on the device’s buttons and keyboards, where it could cause an allergic reaction such as dry, itchy skin, says a study presented at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI).

What happens next, you touch a BlackBerry and puppies cry out in pain?

Sinofsky’s and Ballmer’s memos to employees

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CNET got their hands on Steven Sinofsky’s memo to employees announcing his departure. They also received a copy of Steve Ballmer’s memo to employees.

Ballmer doesn’t exactly gush with emotion for the man that lead the Windows team and has been with the company since 1989. Word on the street is that Sinofsky wanted Ballmer’s job as CEO, but it doesn’t look like that was going to happen.

Ina Fried:

Sources have said the move came amid growing tension between Sinofsky and other top executives. Sinofsky, though seen as highly talented, was viewed at the top levels as not the kind of team player that the company was looking for.

Interesting times when Apple and Microsoft will let top executives like Sinofsky and Forstall walk or be forced out.

Windows chief Sinofsky steps down

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Microsoft said the head of its flagship Windows division and the driving force behind Windows 8, Steven Sinofsky, will be leaving the company with immediate effect, shortly after the software giant launched the Surface tablet.

This seems odd to me. It doesn’t have the feel of a planned departure.

iPad mini for photographers

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Jeff Carlson takes a look at the iPad mini from a photographer’s perspective. Carlson previously published a book called “iPad for Photographers” so he has some good insight on the subject.

I stand by my iPad mini review

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Dave Winer at Gizmodo:

By the way, this is why the orchestrated reviews of products are often worthless. I invite Mossberg, Pogue or Gruber to re-review their iPad Mini now, a week after their initial reviews, and let us know if they’re actually using it. And if they still think it’s a winner. I believe it’s not only not a winner, but it signals a new Apple that’s no longer beyond compare, no longer insisting on delighting its users to the point of orgasm.

Dave didn’t ask, but I stand by my review and I’m still using my iPad mini.

Special projects

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Speaking on today’s News Hub video show, Lessin reports Apple started a program earlier this year called “Blue Sky” that lets employees take two weeks to work on projects outside their normal responsibilities.

Great move by Apple. As pointed out in the article, this is what Google has done for quite a while.

iMessage causes decline in text messaging

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Though that’s a small dip, the change is noteworthy because for several years, text messaging had been steadily growing in the United States. Mr. Sharma said it was too early to tell whether the decline here would continue, but he noted that Internet-based messaging services, like Facebook messaging and Apple’s iMessage, had been chomping away at SMS usage. He said the decline would become more pronounced as more people buy smartphones.

At this point, I think there is only one person that I’ve texted in the past couple of months — everyone else has been an iMessage. I’ll admit, I’m not sad to see the carriers get screwed with lost revenue after making us pay exorbitant fees for years.

Halo 4 grabs $220 million on launch day

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Action-shooter “Halo 4,” released last Tuesday, is on its way to reaching $300 million in global sales in its first week, making it the biggest launch in the decade-old Halo franchise’s history, the company said.

I love my Xbox, but never got into Halo. Still this is one product in Microsoft’s arsenal that is hugely successful.

In-Flight Wi-Fi gets faster

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I still have not tried in-flight Wi-Fi. Every time I fly they tell me it’s not available on that flight or it’s broken.

Laws of modern Web design

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As you might expect, I’m a “less is more” kind of guy. I don’t understand how some sites think the busy design works for its readers/customers.

Typography and mobile design

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One of the emerging challenges for web designers is creating web typography that works in the mobile environment as well. But it can be difficult, and there are many things to consider. The keys are to focus on readability, contrast, space and responsiveness.

Wise words

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Matt Alexander on what’s he’s learned after his first year of writing.

Fender iOS and USB Squier Strat at the Apple Store

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The NEW Squier Strat Guitar with USB & iOS Connectivity gives you a huge range of tones and all the features you expect from Fender—plus the convenience of direct connection to your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac. The Squier … Continued

50,000 hours training Best Buy employees on Windows 8

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This week I spoke to Jason Bonfig, merchant vice president for computing at Best Buy. Bonfig told me that Best Buy has invested 50,000 hours worth of training to bring employees up to speed.

Very smart move by Microsoft and Best Buy. Microsoft must have known that people would be confused by the new interface, so to combat that they have experts on hand to make it all seem very simple.

Igloo’s Fall update, Q, is here [Sponsor]

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Q brings over 25 new features ­ installed, tested and managed ­ as a free platform update to all Igloo customers.

Igloo users can now post blogs, wiki articles, documents and status updates right from their email. Igloo has also developed a brand-new calendar that integrates with your intranet and your desktop calendar applications. Q also adds a smart search that finds relevant content and displays it instantly and inline. Igloo has also introduced the ability to find and @mention users from any content entry field.

Igloo is trying to make work a better place. A recent IDC report states “… Igloo had the best overall solution capability rating from respondents.” IDC placed Igloo in the Major Players category for enterprise social software. You can download a complimentary copy of the report from Igloo .

Get an intranet you’ll actually like. Try Igloo.

Samsung’s dick move

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“Samsung Electronics recently asked Apple for a significant price raise in (the mobile processor known as) application processor,” the person was quoted as saying in the report. “Apple first disapproved it, but finding no replacement supplier, it accepted the (increase.)”

Samsung gets caught stealing Apple’s designs, so they raise the price of the chips by 20 percent.

BlackBerry 10 devices coming January 30

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The sad part is most people don’t expect much from RIM with these new devices. I can’t imagine the reception will be positive and I think this is the company’s last stand.