Flash Player is dead. Its time has passed. It’s buggy. It crashes a lot. It requires constant security updates. It doesn’t work on most mobile devices. It’s a fossil, left over from the era of closed standards and unilateral corporate control of web technology. Websites that rely on Flash present a completely inconsistent (and often unusable) experience for fast-growing percentage of the users who don’t use a desktop browser. It introduces some scary security and privacy issues by way of Flash cookies.Flash makes the web less accessible. At this point, it’s holding back the web.
Sales of Research In Motion’s new BlackBerry 7 smartphones have slowed in recent weeks as competition from Apple’s iPhone 4S and Android phones heats up. In a note to investors on Friday, Canaccord Genuity analyst Mike Walkley noted that RIM’s new smartphones are not faring well ahead of the holidays. “Our recent checks indicate slowing sell-through trends for the new BlackBerry 7 smartphones the past couple weeks,” the analyst wrote. “Further, with the launch of the iPhone 4S, increasingly price competitive Android smartphones, improving Windows smartphones, and the launch of the Amazon Kindle Fire tablet, we anticipate increasing competition across all tiers of RIM’s products in C2012.”
Maybe if they gave away BlackBerrys at McDonald’s drive-thru.
There are those points in every interactive designer’s career when he becomes fed up with producing the same set of graphics all over again for every website he designs. It could be the social network icons, gallery arrows or any number of his «signature» butterflies for the footer of each of his projects. Similar for interactive developers that have to slice the same GIFs and PNGs each time art-director asks them to.
Lots of goodies in the latest release of Fusion including Smart Full Screen, automatic virtual machine power on, improved animations, fast screen resizing and improved startup time, improved Mac OS X Lion guest operating system support, and improved graphics performance.
I’d like to thank Pixelmator for sponsoring this week’s RSS feed on The Loop. Pixelmator is a beautifully designed, easy-to-use, fast and powerful image editing app for Mac OS X.
JBL has taken the wraps off their OnBeat Extreme, a new portable dock for the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch with support for Bluetooth wireless connectivity. It’s priced at $599.
The OnBeat Extreme has dual bass drivers and tweeters, and features Digital Signal Processing hardware that can be tweaked using a free downloadable app which lets you control equalization settings so you can customize and shape the sound.
The OnBeat Extreme was designed for the iPad and iPad 2, but JBL touts the device’s “rotating dock connector,” which works with iPhone and iPod touch devices as well. What’s more, the OnBeat Extreme can play music from a detached device using Bluetooth wireless connectivity. The OnBeat Extreme supports A2DP and AVRCP Bluetooth profiles. A 3.5 mm input jack lets you connect other devices, and a USB port provides the ability to sync content through iTunes or do a firmware update (assuming you’re not using iOS 5’s over the air and Wi-Fi syncing abilities).
A remote control lets you adjust volume and change tracks; it uses Radio Frequency (RF) so a “line of sight” to the device is not needed.
Stem Innovation has announced the Time Command Mini, a small alarm clock designed to work with iOS devices including the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. It charges and plays audio from those devices on a pivoting dock connector, and features enhanced connectivity using a special app. It costs $79.95.
The Time Command Mini sports three buttons and a large, dimmable display all on a compact circular base. When paired with a free Stem:Connect app downloadable from the App Store, you can use your iOS device to customize multiple alarms, et repeat alarms, choose custom tones or music, set an audio “ramp up speed” to a peak level, play music from Internet radio streams, create a “sleep to audio” session, monitor weather information and more.
The Time Command Mini is the second alarm clock device in Stem Innovation’s catalog. The first, the Time Command, is larger, with bigger speakers and more buttons.
The abandoned houses project began innocently enough roughly ten years ago. I actually began photographing abandonment in Detroit in the mid 90’s as a creative outlet, and as a way of satisfying my curiosity with the state of my home town. I had always found it to be amazing, depressing, and perplexing that a once great city could find itself in such great distress, all the while surrounded by such affluence.
Big-box retailer Staples will begin a sale on Friday for RIM’s PlayBook tablet in the BlackBerry maker’s home country of Canada. The 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models of the device will sell for $199, $299 and $399, respectively. According to a photo of an advertisement sent by an AppleInsider reader, the sale will run until Dec. 1.
Apparently the sale is going to happen in the US too. Still, it seems the PlayBook is about $199, $299 and $399 overpriced.
When we first launched this site back in the summer of 2010, we had a few concept sketches and some very ambitions goals: to create an elegant HTML5-based user interface library for the jQuery community designed to work on all popular mobile platforms. We are built on the strengths of jQuery core and jQuery UI and strive to make mobile development efficient, accessible and maybe even a bit fun.
So, BBM and a native email client for the BlackBerry PlayBook would be nice, but what we have today is a step in a completely different direction. DOSBox, everyone’s favorite open-source x86 emulator, has been successfully ported to RIM’s QNX-based tablet, bringing with it MS-DOS and Windows 3.11 support.
Analyst Charlie Wolf of Needham & Co. informed investors on Wednesday that Mac shipment growth in the third quarter of calendar 2011 outpaced the PC market for the 22nd straight quarter. Apple’s 24.6 percent growth dwarfed the 5.3 percent growth in total PC shipments.
The growth in Macs is obviously great news for Apple. The computers are following the same trend as the rest of the company’s products like the iPhone and iPad in that they are selling them by the millions.
Computer buyers want the iMac, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air, just as much as consumers want the iPhone and iPad. With Apple’s tight integration, especially with the release of iCloud, it’s easier than ever to share media and personal information between devices.
Apple made it easy for consumers to use their products, and they are responding by purchasing record numbers of devices.
We’re coming into the busiest shopping season of the year and all indications are that it will be another incredible year for Apple.
According to market research firm Nielsen, Apple’s iPad topped the list of kids aged 6-12, for the second year in a row. In fact, the iPad increased its position, rising from 31 percent in 2010 to 44 percent in 2011.
Coming in second place for that age group is the iPod touch with 30 percent of the kids indicating they want the MP3 player for Christmas. At 27 percent, the iPhone takes the third spot, giving Apple a sweep of the top three positions on the list of most desired electronic devices this year.
For kids over 13 years old, the iPad grabbed the No. 1 spot with 24 percent of them clamoring for the device. A further 15 percent wanted an iPhone and 8 percent wanted an iPod touch, but they fell behind products computers and televisions.
As part of the contest, one lucky contestant will win a Fender American Vintage series ’72 Telecaster Thinline guitar swathed in a vivid Mylo Xyloto-themed custom graphic finish by noted graffiti artist Paris. Fender ’72 Tele Thinline guitars have long been one of the favorites of Coldplay guitarist Jonny Buckland.
Feral Interactive on Thursday announced plans to release Mafia II: Director’s Cut for Mac on December 1, 2011. Mafia II Director’s Cut includes the original game and all of its add-on packs and downloadable content (DLC). It will cost $39.99 and will be available for download via various sites including the Mac App Store.
Mafia II tells the story of Vito Scaletta, a Sicilian immigrant in post World War II America who becomes a member of a powerful mob family. You guide Vito on his way from lowly foot soldier to made man as you encounter shoot-outs, hand-to-hand combat, and realistic driving, all set in the backdrop of 1940s and 50s-era America, complete with an authentic period soundtrack.
The Director’s Cut version includes arcade-style missions and a separate eight-hour campaign that chronicles the story of Vito’s childhood friend Joe Barbaro, answering some questions that remain at the end of Mafia II.
The game is rated M for Mature by the ESRB. System requirements call for a 2.0 GHz Intel Mac with at least 4 GB RAM, Mac OS X 10.6.8 or later and 256 MB graphics memory. Some video card requirements also apply, so visit the Web site for details.
“I’m still learning how to use mine,” Liebovitz said, pulling her iPhone 4 out to take a picture of her host. “It’s great. It’s a pencil, it’s a pen, it’s a notebook. I can’t tell you how many times I see people show me their children. It’s the wallet with the family pictures in it. It is so accessible and easy.”
The iPhone camera is all I’ve used for years. There’s no need for a point and shoot camera anymore.
Perceptive Automation has announced the release of Indigo 5, a new update to its home automation software for Mac OS X.
Indigo 5 enables you to monitor and control lights, appliances, sprinklers, thermostats and other electrically-controlled devices in your home, using interfaces developed by a variety of manufacturers.
The centerpiece of the new release is the addition of a new Application Programming Interface (API) with Python support. Python is a powerful scripting language. The software’s developers claim that with Python support, customers won’t have to wait for Perceptive Automation to release new versions of the software to see support for new technology.
Several plug-ins have been included, with support for EasyDAQ relay devices, native support for iTunes servers, weather data integration, and control of DirecTV-based DVRs.
Third-party plug-ins are available to integrate Global Caché infrared and relay devices, some alarm systems, energy-monitoring devices, thermostats and smartphone-based location and proximity detection.
The plug-in support is accompanied by a new Python-based scripting environment, new usability features, a new condition editor, support for video cameras, improved support for Insteon devices and more.
Indigo 5 Pro costs $179.95; Indigo 5 Lite costs $89.95. Owners of previous releases are eligible for a discount. A 30-day trial version is available for download.
Navigon GmbH on Thursday announced the release of Navigon 2.0 for iPhone, a major new release of its navigation app that touts a new user interface and many new features and enhancements.
The new interface was developed to help accommodate many new features added to the software since its original release. It’s more modular, as well – users can pick which maps they need on their iPhone – users who own the USA version can pick states they need now, then download others later. Navigon says this helps iPhone owners conserve space and simplifies the process of updating the app later without having to reinstall maps. Navigon 2.0 adds quarterly map updates with new points of interest and other changes which have been field-verified.
Other changes to the interface include animated menus, new multi-touch user gestures, menu changes, a new Actions menu that lets you quickly access points of interest search and social network postings, and a new look that displays the map in the background when you’re accessing menu pages. Rotation and zoom has been improved when in 3D mode, and it’s easier to tap points of interest and add them to a route.
The 2.0 update is free for registered users. What’s more, Navigon is selling its North American apps and selected in-app purchases for up to $25 off until the end of November.
Navigon is compatible with iPhone 4S, 4, 3GS, 3G iPad 3G and iPad 2 3G.
Google Music helps you spend more time listening to your collection and less time managing it. We automatically sync your entire music library—both purchases and uploads—across all your devices so you don’t have to worry about cables, file transfers or running out of storage space. We’ll keep your playlists in tact, too, so your “Chill” playlist is always your “Chill” playlist, whether you’re on your laptop, tablet or phone. You can even select the specific artists, albums and playlists you want to listen to when you’re offline.
The developers of North Carolina have spoken, and we’ve listened. By popular demand, CocoaConf will be coming to downtown Raleigh, NC, in early December.
The complete edition of Operation Ajax, an interactive graphic novel that tells the true story of the first CIA-backed coup which toppled Iran’s democracy in 1953.The app includes a 210 page comic with full sound and animation, plus tons of bonus content including: 22 character dossiers, 9 historical newsreels, and 3 authentic declassified documents detailing the coup from within the agency.
B&N claims that all of these are “trivial” and “insignificant” in terms of Android’s use. They claim Microsoft is using these patents for minor functionality to hold Android hostage. It is not just licensing fee’s either, though they claim is Microsoft is recieving anywere from $5 dollars to $15 dollars or more per copy of Android sold (which is equal to or more thanwhat they charge for Windows Mobile licenses). Barnes & Nobles claims that along with paying the blood money Microsoft demands, Microsoft also makes license holders sign an “oppressive” agreement which gives Microsoft say over future hardware and software configurations and innovations. This according to B&N is to ensure that they keep Android from advancing too far, too fast for Microsoft to keep up. That is in many ways worse than the licensing fees. Microsoft wants to control future Android development and innovation. Positively evil.
I was thinking recently that it would be useful to have a month to focus on doing an app from start to finish. I’ve dabbled with development for ages, without knuckling down and getting something done. I’ve decided to do it in December. Take 31 days and use my spare time to do an iPhone app that I want for myself. I floated the idea on Twitter and a few people seemed interested in doing something themselves. Of course I’m doing an iPhone app, but there is no reason that any other sort of app couldn’t be done. A Macintosh app, a Windows Phone 7 app, an Android app, a web app, or an app for whatever platform you like.
Occupy Wall Street (and all the associated movements) completely defies what is amazing about today. I hate it because it’s sending young people every wrong message. Instead of inspiring the youth of today to create amazing things that add value to the world, it’s inspiring them to complain.Get out of the park and rethink the finance industry. Instead of protesting their ways, build something so great that society has to listen to what you’re doing, and take them down.
