Mobile app-maker Seesmic on Monday told its customers that it would stop developing its BlackBerry app as of June 30, 2011.
∞ Eight Skype execs leave after Microsoft purchase
Skype, Microsoft or the employees themselves have decided to make some changes to the management structure of Skype. While Skype has confirmed the departures, a spokesperson would not say whether they had been laid off or if they resigned. The … Continued
∞ A history of RIM infographic
With everything that’s been happening with RIM in the past little while, I thought this infographic was kind of cool. It was put together by the folks at Geekaphone and used with permission.
∞ RIM pressuring carriers to approve bug-ridden BlackBerrys
If you’ve noticed more problems with BlackBerrys than usual, there may be a very simple explanation — RIM is forcing carriers to overlook major issues with the devices.
∞ Apple, Samsung executives in talks to end patent lawsuits
Lawyers for Apple and Samsung are in talks to end lawsuits from both companies claiming patent infringement by the other.
∞ Boston Bruins celebrate Stanley Cup with 1 million fans in Boston
An estimated crowd of 1 million showed up to help the Boston Bruins celebrate their first Stanley Cup in almost 40 years.
∞ Sega has 1.3 million customer records hacked
First it was Sony, and now Sega has its online customer database hacked. I guess if there is a positive side to this breach it’s that no credit card information was stolen when the accounts were hacked. According to Sega, … Continued
∞ Dolby sues RIM for patent infringement
Dolby Laboratories filed a patent infringement lawsuit against RIM late in the week, adding to RIM’s already bad week.
∞ New York Post Web site blocks iPad users
The New York Post has gone from showing iPad users visiting its Web site an ad promoting its iPad app to blocking access altogether.
∞ Apple to bid for Nortel patents
Apple will join Intel, Ericsson and Google in bidding for the patents being sold by bankrupt Canadian company Nortel. The patent sale will be held on June 27, 2011. There are reportedly about 6,000 patents and patent applications on the … Continued
∞ Apple debuts 'Now' iPad 2 commercial
Apple’s commercials are special. They make you think, understand, and connect with their devices like no other company can do. The newest television ad is no different. Dubbed “Now,” the new ad talks about all of the things that we … Continued
∞ Analysts downgrade RIM, shareholders dissatisfied with co-CEOs
After reporting disappointing results for its fiscal first quarter, four analysts downgraded the company. One analyst said “it appears RIM has slipped into eroding mismanagement.” Large shareholders of the company’s stock are also demanding RIM split the CEO and chairman … Continued
∞ Vancouver riot kissing couple interviewed
On of the most famous pictures from the Vancouver riots is a couple lying on the ground kissing with rioters and police around them. Now, the couple tell their story.
Scott Jones and Alex Thomas said Vancouver police were beating them “with the shields, like trying to get us to move.” Eventually, the police passed them by and that’s when the now famous photo was taken.
∞ Oracle says Google owes $1.4-$6.1 billion in damages
Nobody really knew the scale of Oracle’s patent lawsuit against Google, but this week the numbers came out, and they are huge. According to Oracle, damages it suffered due to the patent infringement by Google range between $1.4 billion to … Continued
∞ FTC approves Microsoft's purchase of Skype
The Federal Trade Commission on Friday gave the thumbs-up to Microsoft’s bid to purchase Skype. The two companies announced the $8.5 billion cash sale in May. Microsoft said that Skype will support Microsoft devices including Xbox and Kinect, Windows Phone … Continued
∞ Apple patent could prevent you from filming in some venues
I use my iPhone camera and video camera quite a bit, but if a newly discovered Apple patent is any indication, you may not be doing it at some venues for long.
∞ Billings Pro update brings Marketcircle Cloud
Here’s something that I completely missed, but is certainly worth a mention — Marketcircle has updated Billings Pro and Billings Pro Touch adding support for Marketcircle Cloud.
∞ Apple adds more Samsung devices to lawsuit
Apple amended its complaint against Samsung, adding new devices it contends are infringing on its patents. Apple called Samsung’s attempt to get access to unreleased iOS devices as an “attempt to harass” and said those devices were irrelevant to this … Continued
∞ Gruber, Arment and honesty in publishing
Daring Fireball’s John Gruber and Instapaper founder Marco Arment took two prominent Web sites to task for recent articles they wrote. My interpretation of their critiques come down to one thing — honesty in publishing. Having a difference of opinion … Continued
∞ RIM co-CEOs praise themselves as the company burns around them
It’s hard to tell how executives will react after delivering poor quarterly results, but praising themselves probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind.
Unfortunately for RIM shareholders, that’s exactly what happened last night. After announcing weaker than expected shipments of BlackBerrys, weak PlayBook shipments, poor financials, and a lower outlook for next quarter, co-CEOs Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis praised their leadership of the company, according to quotes from the call posted on AllThingsD.
“Mike and I would like to address some of the concerns that have been expressed surrounding the executive management structure at RIM and, specifically, the joint nature of our leadership,” said Balsillie. “Mike and I have been partners in this business for almost 20 years, and during that time RIM has grown to $20 billion in annual revenue. We are currently approaching the tail end of a significant transition in our business, that, frankly, few companies would have survived. But we have. And I believe, and I think Mike would agree, that neither of us could have taken RIM this far alone.”
∞ RIM needs to shut up and get a new CEO
It is a sad day for many employees of RIM. During the company’s disastrous first quarter results, they learned some workers would be laid off. But it’s not the workers that are responsible for this mess.
I first came out against RIM back in February when the company was the darling of the media and the PlayBook was the device expected to kill the iPad. At that time, I wrote a story called “RIM needs to shut up and ship,” chastising the company for announcing three generations of PlayBooks before they even shipped one.
RIM co-CEO Jim Balsillie said, “I think the PlayBook redefines what a tablet should do.”
Ultimately, RIM released a device that doesn’t even have email or calendaring. This from the company that made its mark in the mobile arena based on secure email. What’s even worse is the response that RIM’s CEO had to the lack of basic features.
∞ RIM implodes: announces layoffs, 500,000 PlayBooks shipped
According to the company’s results, net income for the quarter was $695 million, or $1.33 per share diluted, compared with net income of $934 million, or $1.78 per share diluted, in the prior quarter and net income of $769 million, or $1.38 per share diluted, in the same quarter last year.
∞ Apple sued for violating iBooks trademark
Apple is being sued for violating another “i” trademark — this time its for iBooks.
The lawsuit is being brought by publisher John T. Colby, who purchased the rights to “ibooks” in 2006 and 2007, according to AppleInsider. The company is said to have published over 1,000 books using the name.
∞ Boston Bruins win the Stanley Cup
I honestly didn’t think I’d be saying this, but the Boston Bruins have won the 2011 Stanley Cup.
It’s been since 1972 that the Bruins last won the cup and there’s been a lot of ups and downs since then. As a Bruins fan since that last cup win, I’ve been with the team through all of those tough times.
∞ Negative Duke Nukem reviews bring threats from PR firm
The PR firm responsible for Duke Nukem got itself in hot water today as it made veiled threats to Web sites who delivered poor reviews of the game. (From what I’ve seen, that would be all of them). It got … Continued
∞ iOS ahead in mobile ad revenue, but there's more
A new report from Millennial Media on Tuesday shows that Apple is doing very well in mobile ad revenue — in fact, it’s leading all manufacturers.
Millennial “reports key advertising trends with a focus on mobile manufacturers, devices, operating systems, connected devices and more.” So, to be clear, we are looking only at advertising market share in this report.
∞ iPad 3 rumors in 2011 persist
Rumors of an iPad 3 release started early in 2011, even before the iPad 2 was released. Taiwan’s Economic Daily continued the speculation on Tuesday.
According to the report, the iPad 3 is scheduled to be launched in the fourth quarter of 2011. One interesting note is that the image resolution is reportedly 5-6 times higher than the iPad 2.
I have no specific knowledge of an iPad 3 release this year, but I did write about it in February and why it may make sense for Apple. Here are a few excerpts from that story that I think are still relevant.
∞ TUAW's unlocked iPhone FAQ
If you are wondering about the difference between an unlocked phone and a jailbroken phone, you should have a look at TUAW’s unlocked iPhone 4 FAQ. There’s a lot of useful information, from basic explanations to new pricing plans from … Continued
∞ More malware on the Android store
No matter how much Google does to convince consumers it is good and open, continued reports of malware will hurt its reputation. Google already had to remove apps containing malware once and a report in May said malware on the … Continued
∞ Apple retail chief leaves for JC Penney
Apple Vice President Ron Johnson will leave the company and take over as the CEO of JC Penny.
Johnson has been at the heart of Apple’s retail organization since it began a decade ago. He came to Apple from Target where he was the vice president of merchandising when he left.
Johnson will take over from current CEO Mike Ullman on November 1, 2011. Johnson will also join the PC Penny Board of Directors on August 1, 2011.