Cowon iAudio 9 first impressions
Some people just can't stand the iPod. Maybe an iPod Mini ran over their dog or burned down the family farm, or maybe they just feel fundamentally offended by the idea of using iTunes. Whatever the rationale for rejecting the iPod, companies such as Microsoft, Samsung, Sony, Creative, and others are all jumping at the chance to be your iPod rebound.And then there's Cowon. A small company whose products are often available only through online retail channels, Cowon has maintained a niche following with customers who value sound quality and extensive format compatibility above all other concerns. Cowon's latest portable media player, the iAudio 9, is the company's spin on the Apple iPod Nano. Sharing the Nano's same basic shape, with a 2-inch screen and 8GB ($129) and 16GB ($169) capacities, the arrival of the iAudio 9 probably won't be giving Apple any heartburn, but audio connoisseurs have good reason to take notice.Cowon iAudio 9 -- photosSee full gallery1 - 4 / 13NextPrevYou can read up on my previous blog posts if you're looking for spec info. For the remainder of this piece, I'll just be giving my initial personal impressions.Right out of the box, the first thing I noticed about the iAudio 9 was how light it feels. At just 1.4 ounces, you can barely tell this thing is in your pocket. Another impression I got right away was how much more masculine the iAudio 9 looks next to the latest candy-coated, rainbow-hued line of iPod Nanos. Unfortunately, that's about where my enthusiasm ended--especially once the Nano was on the table, flaunting its video camera, pedometer, podcast support, time-shifted radio tuner, and video rentals. Holding both players in my hand, I was stuck that the Nano, despite being half as thick as the iAudio 9, feels twice as sturdy. The iAudio 9 gets points for being thin, but its all-plastic design doesn't inspire confidence--bending easily under light pressure. I'd be concerned to put this in a back pocket for fear of breaking it.Navigation is a mixed bag. As a big fan of Cowon's previous model, the iAudio 7, I was already accepting of the unique diagonal scroll bar design, which is actually pretty fun to use. Of course, on the iAudio 7 it made sense to come up with a funky navigation solution, since the device was only an inch wide. With the extra room on the iAudio 9, I really wanted a center select button or the capability to use the back key to back all the way out to the main menu. Instead, you have to use the play button to make selections and hit a slim, nondescript menu button on the side to get back to the main menu. While I'm waxing nostalgic, the iAudio 7 had a few other features I'm sad to see missing from the latest model. For instance, the line-input is gone. Granted, having a dedicated recording input is a pretty niche feature for an MP3 player, but it really helped to make the device unique (and made recording from Pandora a snap...theoretically, of course). Cowon also ditched the Mini-USB connector for the smaller, micro-USB type. I know micro-USB is the latest craze--especially for mobile phones--but I still find it much easier to locate a Mini-USB cable if I'm in a pinch.And then there's battery life. The iAudio 7 boasted 60 hours of continuous music playback. Sure, all that extra battery made the player look like a miniature soda can, but it was the gold standard for audio battery life. Now Cowon's giving us a new and improved device with 29 hours of audio and 7 hours of video. Those numbers aren't bad compared with the competition, but its still a step backward for the product.Complaints aside, there's still plenty to love about the iAudio 9. More than anything else, this thing sounds phenomenal. The iAudio 9 uses a BBE+ sound enhancement preset right out of the box, giving even poorly encoded digital files more life than you're likely to hear from an iPod. And for people who really like to tinker with EQ settings, the iAudio 9 offers four custom, five-band EQ settings that allow each band 12dB of boost or cut, as well as frequency band width adjustments and variable frequency ranges. Yes, it gets really nerdy.After you get past the audio, the rest of the player is rather humdrum. Videos look decent on the 2-inch screen, but you'll need to convert everything down to 320x240 to get things working. The text reader is somewhat pointless on a device this small, photos are straightforward, and the same goes for radio. The voice recorder is better than average, recording to WMA with a variable quality up to 256kbps that applies to FM recordings as well. I haven't thrown anything into the Flash player yet, but I'm curious to see what it can handle.So there you go, my initial thoughts on the Cowon iAudio 9. I'll try and wrap up a full review soon. If you have any specific questions, be sure to post them in the comments section.
Rhapsody's CMJ kickoff party- Indie rock and insider schmoozing
Rhapsody's CMJ kickoff party: Indie rock and insider schmoozing
NEW YORK--You've got to hand it to RealNetworks' Rhapsody. The subscription music service is pulling out all the stops to increase its market share--partnering with TiVo, entering a lofty deal with MTV Networks--and even if it hasn't been able to dent Apple's iTunes, Rhapsody hasn't been making itself look stupid in the process.In fact, if the company's "Rhapsody Rocks NYC" concert here Monday night was any indicator, music aficionados are taking the company seriously.RhapsodyMonday night was the eve of this year's CMJ Music Marathon, which runs from Tuesday through Saturday. While the Rhapsody concert wasn't actually affiliated with the festival, the timing was perfect for a company that's trying to reach out to influential music lovers--just about all of them were in New York for CMJ. The show, held at the Highline Ballroom in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood, featured the Brooklyn-based indie rock act The National--one of those bands that tends to get extolled by indie guru blogs like Pitchfork Media and Stereogum--with openers American Babies, The Little Ones and Pela.The Highline, coincidentally, is so close to the New York Googleplex that you could practically see Googlers' colorful lava lamps in the building's fourth-floor windows a block away.The venue was packed, but the people there weren't the sorts who were looking to be seen, pick up dates or start a fight with some hipsters. It also wasn't a geekfest like the Rhapsody-TiVo party earlier this month; as a tech reporter who doesn't normally cover the music industry, I saw very few familiar faces, and there was no cadre of gossiping gadget bloggers clustered by the bar.Rather, the people who showed up to Rhapsody's pre-CMJ event were the kinds of fans who would be talking about the "really decent" acoustics of the new venue, introduce you to some guy who'd been a bass player for a dozen years and was now creating a cool new digital-music start-up, or debate the merits of pay-per-song versus subscription-based download business models. (There's a lot you can say about that.)And while there were undoubtedly plenty of concertgoers who doubted Rhapsody's chances as an iTunes competitor, they would still have to admit that the company is building up some street cred. Rhapsody has an impressive roster of industry veterans on its executive team, knows how to assemble a lineup of bands that even the average "Pitchfork snob" wouldn't sneer at, and can bring in a fun crowd of people to a show in the process. Even if RealPlayer still sucks, that's saying something.The music sounded pretty good, too.
NEW YORK--You've got to hand it to RealNetworks' Rhapsody. The subscription music service is pulling out all the stops to increase its market share--partnering with TiVo, entering a lofty deal with MTV Networks--and even if it hasn't been able to dent Apple's iTunes, Rhapsody hasn't been making itself look stupid in the process.In fact, if the company's "Rhapsody Rocks NYC" concert here Monday night was any indicator, music aficionados are taking the company seriously.RhapsodyMonday night was the eve of this year's CMJ Music Marathon, which runs from Tuesday through Saturday. While the Rhapsody concert wasn't actually affiliated with the festival, the timing was perfect for a company that's trying to reach out to influential music lovers--just about all of them were in New York for CMJ. The show, held at the Highline Ballroom in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood, featured the Brooklyn-based indie rock act The National--one of those bands that tends to get extolled by indie guru blogs like Pitchfork Media and Stereogum--with openers American Babies, The Little Ones and Pela.The Highline, coincidentally, is so close to the New York Googleplex that you could practically see Googlers' colorful lava lamps in the building's fourth-floor windows a block away.The venue was packed, but the people there weren't the sorts who were looking to be seen, pick up dates or start a fight with some hipsters. It also wasn't a geekfest like the Rhapsody-TiVo party earlier this month; as a tech reporter who doesn't normally cover the music industry, I saw very few familiar faces, and there was no cadre of gossiping gadget bloggers clustered by the bar.Rather, the people who showed up to Rhapsody's pre-CMJ event were the kinds of fans who would be talking about the "really decent" acoustics of the new venue, introduce you to some guy who'd been a bass player for a dozen years and was now creating a cool new digital-music start-up, or debate the merits of pay-per-song versus subscription-based download business models. (There's a lot you can say about that.)And while there were undoubtedly plenty of concertgoers who doubted Rhapsody's chances as an iTunes competitor, they would still have to admit that the company is building up some street cred. Rhapsody has an impressive roster of industry veterans on its executive team, knows how to assemble a lineup of bands that even the average "Pitchfork snob" wouldn't sneer at, and can bring in a fun crowd of people to a show in the process. Even if RealPlayer still sucks, that's saying something.The music sounded pretty good, too.
The 404 771- Where the #dickbar is our totem (podcast)
The 404 771: Where the #dickbar is our totem (podcast)
The problem with these ads isn't that they're obtrusive or that Twitter CEO Dick Costolo initially told us they would be "organic to the platform," but that they're not specifically targeted at users, which makes sense because people use Twitter for a million different applications.During this conversation, Wilson also reveals that he actually clicks on Google ads when he's shopping for things like headphones or, say, a house. I guess Jeff and I are so astonished at this because we're always looking for the quickest, easiest way to get rid of the annoying pop-ups.The Gallup Healthways Well-Being Index shows, via statistical analysis of interviews with adults, that the happiest man in America is Alvin Wong: a tall, Asian-American, observant Jewish man who's at least 65 years old, married with children, lives in Hawaii, runs his own business, and has a combined annual household income of at least $120k.We certainly have a long way to go before we achieve pure bliss!Apple rejected the controversial iBoobs application back in 2008 for its adult content, but the developers behind the game are having more success introducing it to the Android Market, as noted by its introduction on March 6.The app adds on the original functionality with touch-screen support for the onscreen pair with statistics tracking and even an achievement system with 15 goals for players to attain. There's a regular version for $2.10 and a lite version with ads that Wilson will likely click on while furiously shaking his phone. There's also an extra-adult secret feature that lets you remove the bra from the image for a bare-all point of view.Finally, let's check out today's Kodak Deal of the Day--a Dell Inspiron 15R Core i5 Dual 2.4GHz 16-inch LED Laptop for $549.99 when you use the coupon code listed on shopper.cnet.com. Check it out!Episode 771PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element. Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) |Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video  Follow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuWilson TangAdd us on Facebook!The 404 Fan PageThe 404 GroupJustin YuJeff BakalarWilson Tang
The problem with these ads isn't that they're obtrusive or that Twitter CEO Dick Costolo initially told us they would be "organic to the platform," but that they're not specifically targeted at users, which makes sense because people use Twitter for a million different applications.During this conversation, Wilson also reveals that he actually clicks on Google ads when he's shopping for things like headphones or, say, a house. I guess Jeff and I are so astonished at this because we're always looking for the quickest, easiest way to get rid of the annoying pop-ups.The Gallup Healthways Well-Being Index shows, via statistical analysis of interviews with adults, that the happiest man in America is Alvin Wong: a tall, Asian-American, observant Jewish man who's at least 65 years old, married with children, lives in Hawaii, runs his own business, and has a combined annual household income of at least $120k.We certainly have a long way to go before we achieve pure bliss!Apple rejected the controversial iBoobs application back in 2008 for its adult content, but the developers behind the game are having more success introducing it to the Android Market, as noted by its introduction on March 6.The app adds on the original functionality with touch-screen support for the onscreen pair with statistics tracking and even an achievement system with 15 goals for players to attain. There's a regular version for $2.10 and a lite version with ads that Wilson will likely click on while furiously shaking his phone. There's also an extra-adult secret feature that lets you remove the bra from the image for a bare-all point of view.Finally, let's check out today's Kodak Deal of the Day--a Dell Inspiron 15R Core i5 Dual 2.4GHz 16-inch LED Laptop for $549.99 when you use the coupon code listed on shopper.cnet.com. Check it out!Episode 771PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element. Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) |Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video  Follow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuWilson TangAdd us on Facebook!The 404 Fan PageThe 404 GroupJustin YuJeff BakalarWilson Tang
Pharrell, Kasabian, Kylie and Blondie headline free iTunes gigs
Pharrell, Kasabian, Kylie and Blondie headline free iTunes gigs
Apple is giving away free tickets to a month of gigs featuring the latest chart-toppers and legendary acts. The iTunes Festival 2014 sees headline performances from housewives' favourite Maroon 5, hat-wearing "Happy" hit-maker Pharrell Williams and ravey Davey Guetta.Newcomers Sam Smith and 5 Seconds of Summer also get a night to themselves, with other shows toplined by legends of the calibre of Blondie, Beck, Kylie Minogue, Robert Plant and Chrissie Hynde.Kasabian will also be there.iTunes you Tunes we all TunesiTunes Extras arrives for Apple TV, iOS 8 later this yearApple considering a Spotify rival and iTunes Android appiTunes head Cue and Beats' Iovine: Apple will put Beats on steroidsApple reportedly mulling revamp of iTunes music storeClean up and organize your iTunes music libraryPaul McCartney releases five albums as extra-packed appsApple isn't doing enough about in-app purchases, watchdog saysThis year marked the first time the iTunes Festival ventured to other shores, with shows at the South by Southwest (SXSW) music showcase in Austin, Texas this March. Now in its eighth year, the festival is a month-long series of free gigs held in London, with a different act headlining each night throughout September. More than 60 acts will play in total.Support acts and headliners are announced right up to the last minute, including surprises and special shows.Shows are held at the iconic Roundhouse in Camden in North London. Opened in 1847 as a railway engine shed with a turntable for turning trains round, the building became a theatre in 1964 and has played host to such legends as Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, the Rolling Stones, and many more, with countless unforgettable moments including the Doors' only UK appearance. The capacity is over 3,000, so there's plenty of space for you and your music-lovin' mates. To find yourself in the crowd, you have to apply for tickets via iTunes or enter competitions on the radio, in newspapers and magazines, online and through apps. You can apply for as many shows as you want.If you can't make it to the shows, the gigs can be watched live or enjoyed later on iTunes and Apple TV.
Apple is giving away free tickets to a month of gigs featuring the latest chart-toppers and legendary acts. The iTunes Festival 2014 sees headline performances from housewives' favourite Maroon 5, hat-wearing "Happy" hit-maker Pharrell Williams and ravey Davey Guetta.Newcomers Sam Smith and 5 Seconds of Summer also get a night to themselves, with other shows toplined by legends of the calibre of Blondie, Beck, Kylie Minogue, Robert Plant and Chrissie Hynde.Kasabian will also be there.iTunes you Tunes we all TunesiTunes Extras arrives for Apple TV, iOS 8 later this yearApple considering a Spotify rival and iTunes Android appiTunes head Cue and Beats' Iovine: Apple will put Beats on steroidsApple reportedly mulling revamp of iTunes music storeClean up and organize your iTunes music libraryPaul McCartney releases five albums as extra-packed appsApple isn't doing enough about in-app purchases, watchdog saysThis year marked the first time the iTunes Festival ventured to other shores, with shows at the South by Southwest (SXSW) music showcase in Austin, Texas this March. Now in its eighth year, the festival is a month-long series of free gigs held in London, with a different act headlining each night throughout September. More than 60 acts will play in total.Support acts and headliners are announced right up to the last minute, including surprises and special shows.Shows are held at the iconic Roundhouse in Camden in North London. Opened in 1847 as a railway engine shed with a turntable for turning trains round, the building became a theatre in 1964 and has played host to such legends as Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, the Rolling Stones, and many more, with countless unforgettable moments including the Doors' only UK appearance. The capacity is over 3,000, so there's plenty of space for you and your music-lovin' mates. To find yourself in the crowd, you have to apply for tickets via iTunes or enter competitions on the radio, in newspapers and magazines, online and through apps. You can apply for as many shows as you want.If you can't make it to the shows, the gigs can be watched live or enjoyed later on iTunes and Apple TV.
Nokia reportedly cuts smartphone prices
Nokia reportedly cuts smartphone prices
One of the analysts pointed to Nokia's N8, C7, and E6 models as hit by the deepest cuts of around 15 percent, while price cuts on other phones were smaller, according to two analysts, Reuters said.Nokia did not immediately return CNET's request for comment.A company representative declined Reuters request to comment on specific price cuts but said the "changes were part of its normal business." Reuters noted that Nokia has in the past trimmed global prices across its product lineup each quarter but lately has instead cut prices model by model.Nokia's new cuts may end up triggering a "price war" with other mobile phone companies, including Motorola, Sony Ericsson, and LG, noted Reuters, citing comments from Strategy Analytics analyst Neil Mawston.Though still the smartphone leader across the world, Nokia has been shedding market share over the past couple of years. A May report from Gartner found that the company's first-quarter share had dropped to 25 percent from 30 percent a year earlier. All Things D cited that share as Nokia's lowest in 14 years.A report from Nomura Securities sees Apple and Samsung soon overtaking Nokia as the dominant global smartphone players. In an especially vulnerable position now as it starts the transition to Windows Phone as its core mobile OS, the Finnish phone maker has also lately been rumored as a takeover candidate.
One of the analysts pointed to Nokia's N8, C7, and E6 models as hit by the deepest cuts of around 15 percent, while price cuts on other phones were smaller, according to two analysts, Reuters said.Nokia did not immediately return CNET's request for comment.A company representative declined Reuters request to comment on specific price cuts but said the "changes were part of its normal business." Reuters noted that Nokia has in the past trimmed global prices across its product lineup each quarter but lately has instead cut prices model by model.Nokia's new cuts may end up triggering a "price war" with other mobile phone companies, including Motorola, Sony Ericsson, and LG, noted Reuters, citing comments from Strategy Analytics analyst Neil Mawston.Though still the smartphone leader across the world, Nokia has been shedding market share over the past couple of years. A May report from Gartner found that the company's first-quarter share had dropped to 25 percent from 30 percent a year earlier. All Things D cited that share as Nokia's lowest in 14 years.A report from Nomura Securities sees Apple and Samsung soon overtaking Nokia as the dominant global smartphone players. In an especially vulnerable position now as it starts the transition to Windows Phone as its core mobile OS, the Finnish phone maker has also lately been rumored as a takeover candidate.
Nokia purges Here Maps from App Store over iOS 7 issues
Nokia purges Here Maps from App Store over iOS 7 issues
iPhone and iPad users searching for Nokia's Here Maps app in the App Store will come up empty.Nokia removed its maps app from Apple's store earlier this week over issues related to iOS 7. Trying to access the app through the App Store now returns an error that it's no longer available. Nokia initially didn't reveal the specific causes for the app's ouster but did send the following statement to CNET:We have made the decision to remove our Here Maps app from the Apple App Store because recent changes to iOS 7 harm the user experience. iPhone users can continue to use the mobile web version of Here Maps under m.here.com, offering them core location needs, such as search, routing, orientation, transit information, and more, all completely free of charge.A spokeswoman for Nokia provided further details, telling CNET: "We don't want to blame Apple or iOS 7 -- the app simply was not optimized for iOS 7 so we decided to remove it."News site The Indian Express, which apparently broke the story on Christmas Day, called the iOS version of the Here Maps app "buggy." The site said the app would consistently freeze on all three of the Apple devices that it used in its testing.Updated 7:20 a.m. PT with comments from Nokia.
iPhone and iPad users searching for Nokia's Here Maps app in the App Store will come up empty.Nokia removed its maps app from Apple's store earlier this week over issues related to iOS 7. Trying to access the app through the App Store now returns an error that it's no longer available. Nokia initially didn't reveal the specific causes for the app's ouster but did send the following statement to CNET:We have made the decision to remove our Here Maps app from the Apple App Store because recent changes to iOS 7 harm the user experience. iPhone users can continue to use the mobile web version of Here Maps under m.here.com, offering them core location needs, such as search, routing, orientation, transit information, and more, all completely free of charge.A spokeswoman for Nokia provided further details, telling CNET: "We don't want to blame Apple or iOS 7 -- the app simply was not optimized for iOS 7 so we decided to remove it."News site The Indian Express, which apparently broke the story on Christmas Day, called the iOS version of the Here Maps app "buggy." The site said the app would consistently freeze on all three of the Apple devices that it used in its testing.Updated 7:20 a.m. PT with comments from Nokia.
When will Samsung go 64-bit-
When will Samsung go 64-bit?
Samsung is going 64-bit too. But when? Apple drew plenty of oohs and aahs this week when it revealed the first 64-bit chip for smartphones on Tuesday. Samsung immediately chimed in, saying it is going to do the 64-bit thing too. "Not in the shortest time. But yes, our next smartphones will have 64-bit processing functionality," Samsung's mobile business chief Shin Jong-kyun told the Korea Times on Wednesday. The operative phrase is "not in the shortest time."That echoes a discussion I had earlier this month with ARM executives when they spoke about the Cortex A53 and A57 -- ARM's 64-bit design. "The Cortex A53 and A57 are being shipped to lead [chip] partners. They are pushing the product into a combination of top-end mobile and others into server-type designs," said James Bruce, ARM's lead mobile strategist. But don't get too excited.64-bit ARM chips (from Samsung, Nvidia, Qualcomm et al) are likely a 2014 event, according to ARM.In other words, Samsung will be hard pressed to get 64-bit chips into shipping Galaxy tablets or phones before next year. That's when mobile devices will make a run at laptop, according to ARM."It will allow tablet-like devices to go from information consuming devices to information creation devices," ARM's Bruce said. You know, just like a PC -- which have been 64-bit for a while now.Samsung is already giving us a hint of a future of mobile devices packing PC-like memory capacities.The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 can use 3GB of memory.Anything beyond 4GB and 64-bit chips become pretty much a necessity, as 32-bit processors in most cases can't address more memory than that.
Samsung is going 64-bit too. But when? Apple drew plenty of oohs and aahs this week when it revealed the first 64-bit chip for smartphones on Tuesday. Samsung immediately chimed in, saying it is going to do the 64-bit thing too. "Not in the shortest time. But yes, our next smartphones will have 64-bit processing functionality," Samsung's mobile business chief Shin Jong-kyun told the Korea Times on Wednesday. The operative phrase is "not in the shortest time."That echoes a discussion I had earlier this month with ARM executives when they spoke about the Cortex A53 and A57 -- ARM's 64-bit design. "The Cortex A53 and A57 are being shipped to lead [chip] partners. They are pushing the product into a combination of top-end mobile and others into server-type designs," said James Bruce, ARM's lead mobile strategist. But don't get too excited.64-bit ARM chips (from Samsung, Nvidia, Qualcomm et al) are likely a 2014 event, according to ARM.In other words, Samsung will be hard pressed to get 64-bit chips into shipping Galaxy tablets or phones before next year. That's when mobile devices will make a run at laptop, according to ARM."It will allow tablet-like devices to go from information consuming devices to information creation devices," ARM's Bruce said. You know, just like a PC -- which have been 64-bit for a while now.Samsung is already giving us a hint of a future of mobile devices packing PC-like memory capacities.The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 can use 3GB of memory.Anything beyond 4GB and 64-bit chips become pretty much a necessity, as 32-bit processors in most cases can't address more memory than that.
What's your persona- Study dissects iPhone, iPad habits
What's your persona? Study dissects iPhone, iPad habits
That people use smartphones and tablets for different tasks at different times is not so surprising, though a new study shows some of the distinct differences in what each device is used for.Research firm Flurry Analytics on Friday released data from a study of iPhone and iPad users across 35 different usage categories, as well as how those devices are used during a normal day.One of the main findings is that the iPhone was the far more popular device for single people, new moms, and "value shoppers." That's opposed to the iPad, which skewed more toward pet owners, small-business owners, moms, and "casual simulation gamers." Flurry came up with these personas based on app usage, and an individual could fall into more than one category. Flurry says it's currently tracking activity on around 397 million iOS devices. Developers use Flurry to track activity within their applications on iOS and Android, and Flurry combs some of that data to spot trends. This research was based on a random sample of 44,295 users taken during May.FlurryOther findings note that iPad users spent 42 percent more time in apps than iPhone users during the entire month. That number was skewed by certain activities, which make more sense on mobile devices where navigation, health and fitness apps, and photo and video apps made up the top three activities on the iPhone. The study also found that the iPad got heavier use in the evenings, from 6 to 11 p.m., and actually overshadowed iPhone use during most of that time. On the flip side, more users would begin to break out the iPhone between 2 to 4 a.m., which the company attributes to "hip urban lifestylers finding their way home from a late night." You can find all the results here.
That people use smartphones and tablets for different tasks at different times is not so surprising, though a new study shows some of the distinct differences in what each device is used for.Research firm Flurry Analytics on Friday released data from a study of iPhone and iPad users across 35 different usage categories, as well as how those devices are used during a normal day.One of the main findings is that the iPhone was the far more popular device for single people, new moms, and "value shoppers." That's opposed to the iPad, which skewed more toward pet owners, small-business owners, moms, and "casual simulation gamers." Flurry came up with these personas based on app usage, and an individual could fall into more than one category. Flurry says it's currently tracking activity on around 397 million iOS devices. Developers use Flurry to track activity within their applications on iOS and Android, and Flurry combs some of that data to spot trends. This research was based on a random sample of 44,295 users taken during May.FlurryOther findings note that iPad users spent 42 percent more time in apps than iPhone users during the entire month. That number was skewed by certain activities, which make more sense on mobile devices where navigation, health and fitness apps, and photo and video apps made up the top three activities on the iPhone. The study also found that the iPad got heavier use in the evenings, from 6 to 11 p.m., and actually overshadowed iPhone use during most of that time. On the flip side, more users would begin to break out the iPhone between 2 to 4 a.m., which the company attributes to "hip urban lifestylers finding their way home from a late night." You can find all the results here.
What's the best screen size for a tablet- (poll)
What's the best screen size for a tablet? (poll)
With CES here and the iPad rumor mill kicking into high gear, tablets are about to dominate the news once again.The question is, does size matter? (Tablet size, people.) And, if so, what size works best?For the first year or so after the iPad's debut, your only choice was a 10-inch screen. Then came a smattering of 7-inch models, most notably the Samsung Galaxy Tab and Barnes & Noble Nook Color.The former was on the pricey side, while the latter was little more than a dedicated e-reader (albeit one that would evolve into something more tablet-y). Consequently, neither one set the world on fire.The tablet that did, of course, was Amazon's aptly named Kindle Fire, which proved beyond a doubt that users would indeed cotton to a 7-inch screen (especially when it was priced at $199).With CES kicking off this week, expect roughly 6 million more tablet models from a variety of vendors in a variety of sizes--including, if the rumors are to be believed, a 7-inch model from Apple and/or Google.Given a choice between, say, a 7-inch iPad and 10-inch iPad, which would you choose? Would you be more apt to buy a Kindle Fire if Amazon offered a 10-inch version? Do you think it makes sense to own two tablets, one in each size, for different occasions? Vote in our poll, then share your thoughts in the comments!My two cents: I'm finding more and more that I reach for my rooted 7-inch Nook Color over my 10-inch iPad. The latter's better for Web browsing, but I greatly prefer the Nook's smaller, lighter form factor--especially for reading. That said, I wouldn't give up either one. Put me down in the "both" category!
With CES here and the iPad rumor mill kicking into high gear, tablets are about to dominate the news once again.The question is, does size matter? (Tablet size, people.) And, if so, what size works best?For the first year or so after the iPad's debut, your only choice was a 10-inch screen. Then came a smattering of 7-inch models, most notably the Samsung Galaxy Tab and Barnes & Noble Nook Color.The former was on the pricey side, while the latter was little more than a dedicated e-reader (albeit one that would evolve into something more tablet-y). Consequently, neither one set the world on fire.The tablet that did, of course, was Amazon's aptly named Kindle Fire, which proved beyond a doubt that users would indeed cotton to a 7-inch screen (especially when it was priced at $199).With CES kicking off this week, expect roughly 6 million more tablet models from a variety of vendors in a variety of sizes--including, if the rumors are to be believed, a 7-inch model from Apple and/or Google.Given a choice between, say, a 7-inch iPad and 10-inch iPad, which would you choose? Would you be more apt to buy a Kindle Fire if Amazon offered a 10-inch version? Do you think it makes sense to own two tablets, one in each size, for different occasions? Vote in our poll, then share your thoughts in the comments!My two cents: I'm finding more and more that I reach for my rooted 7-inch Nook Color over my 10-inch iPad. The latter's better for Web browsing, but I greatly prefer the Nook's smaller, lighter form factor--especially for reading. That said, I wouldn't give up either one. Put me down in the "both" category!
What to do when Messages beta is not functioning
What to do when Messages beta is not functioning
Since installing the beta version of Messages (on day one), I have quite enjoyed its capability to sync with my iOS device messages as well as Google Chat, AIM, and other Jabber accounts. Today though, Messages did not open as expected.At first I thought it had something to do with the beta version running out. Recently, Apple took down the capability to download Messages, so perhaps disabling the beta version was part of the plan all along. But, that doesn't really make sense without a clear replacement intact.With Mountain Lion still being tested, I needed to find out what was going on. I found a thread on Apple Support Communities describing my issue. Several suggestions were presented, none of which seemed to be doing the trick. Deleting preference lists or re-installing the app had no affect. Then, one suggestion, courtesy of jmw1480 did the trick, and it's probably the easiest one to execute.To restore functionality in Messages beta, quit the app, open Activity Monitor (I use Spotlight to launch apps that are not in my Dock), and search for "imagent" in the processes list. Click on it and click Quit. Confirm that you'd like to quit the process and you're all set. Open Messages beta and you should be good to go. Keep in mind that Messages is a beta application and things like this are almost certain to occur. With the release of Mountain Lion, expect to see a much more stable, full version of Messages.
Since installing the beta version of Messages (on day one), I have quite enjoyed its capability to sync with my iOS device messages as well as Google Chat, AIM, and other Jabber accounts. Today though, Messages did not open as expected.At first I thought it had something to do with the beta version running out. Recently, Apple took down the capability to download Messages, so perhaps disabling the beta version was part of the plan all along. But, that doesn't really make sense without a clear replacement intact.With Mountain Lion still being tested, I needed to find out what was going on. I found a thread on Apple Support Communities describing my issue. Several suggestions were presented, none of which seemed to be doing the trick. Deleting preference lists or re-installing the app had no affect. Then, one suggestion, courtesy of jmw1480 did the trick, and it's probably the easiest one to execute.To restore functionality in Messages beta, quit the app, open Activity Monitor (I use Spotlight to launch apps that are not in my Dock), and search for "imagent" in the processes list. Click on it and click Quit. Confirm that you'd like to quit the process and you're all set. Open Messages beta and you should be good to go. Keep in mind that Messages is a beta application and things like this are almost certain to occur. With the release of Mountain Lion, expect to see a much more stable, full version of Messages.
Web ad network- iOS 4 on half of iPhones
Web ad network: iOS 4 on half of iPhones
On a more granular level, the initial July 21 release of iOS 4.0 was discovered on 44.4 percent of the iPhones, while the 4.0.1 update released a week ago was installed on 5 percent of the devices. Among phones still running iOS 3, the most recent 3.1.3 version was on 29.9 percent of them, while the previous 3.1.2 release was found on 14 percent of all iPhone traffic on Chitika's network.Some users ran into roadblocks trying to upgrade to iOS 4, including long backup times and error messages, forcing many to find workarounds to install it. iOS 4.0.1 was released largely in line with Apple's response to the iPhone antenna issue, promising that the update would correct how the reception bars display on the phone.Like rival AdMob, Chitika tracks the number of ads that are clicked on by mobile device users across its network. The future of third-party ad networks has generated some controversy with the debut of iOS 4 and Apple's new iAd platform. The company changed the terms in its iPhone agreement to restrict competing ad networks from grabbing certain types of data.So far, Apple has yet to enforce those policies, giving Google-owned AdMob some breathing room, at least for now. Chitika itself said it's unaffected by the restrictions in the first place. The company told CNET that its ad network is strictly Web page-based and that Apple's policies apply to ads served within mobile apps, not ads served on general Internet sites.
On a more granular level, the initial July 21 release of iOS 4.0 was discovered on 44.4 percent of the iPhones, while the 4.0.1 update released a week ago was installed on 5 percent of the devices. Among phones still running iOS 3, the most recent 3.1.3 version was on 29.9 percent of them, while the previous 3.1.2 release was found on 14 percent of all iPhone traffic on Chitika's network.Some users ran into roadblocks trying to upgrade to iOS 4, including long backup times and error messages, forcing many to find workarounds to install it. iOS 4.0.1 was released largely in line with Apple's response to the iPhone antenna issue, promising that the update would correct how the reception bars display on the phone.Like rival AdMob, Chitika tracks the number of ads that are clicked on by mobile device users across its network. The future of third-party ad networks has generated some controversy with the debut of iOS 4 and Apple's new iAd platform. The company changed the terms in its iPhone agreement to restrict competing ad networks from grabbing certain types of data.So far, Apple has yet to enforce those policies, giving Google-owned AdMob some breathing room, at least for now. Chitika itself said it's unaffected by the restrictions in the first place. The company told CNET that its ad network is strictly Web page-based and that Apple's policies apply to ads served within mobile apps, not ads served on general Internet sites.
Simon Kinberg Talks Candidly about 'Star Wars' Spin-offs, Marvel Crossovers and 'The Fantastic Four' Reboot
Simon Kinberg Talks Candidly about 'Star Wars' Spin-offs, Marvel Crossovers and 'The Fantastic Four' Reboot
Writer and producer Simon Kinberg is a busy man these days – he’s got X-Men: Days of Future Past ready to hit theaters next month, and he’s hard at work on a Star Wars spin-off and the new Fantastic Four reboot. Luckily for us, Kinberg’s more than happy to talk about all his various projects, and has dropped some interesting clues about where each of the stories are heading. Kinberg reveals he’s a lot like the fans when it comes to the fractured state of the Marvel cinematic universe. Characters are split amongst several different studios, making an X-Men appearance in an Avengers movie, and countless other awesome crossovers, all but impossible. The screenwriter hopes it won’t always be this way – and news that (potentialSPOILER in the next part of this sentence!)Sony’s Amazing Spider-Man 2 will feature a postcredits teaser for Days of Future Past (which is a Fox property) could be the first step in reuniting all these different superheroes. “Listen, I would love it. The dream to me - I almost feel like Martin Luther King or somebody. I see a world where everyone is joined together. The dream is, obviously, one day to do a Marvel movie that is with all the Marvel characters or at least a universe where they can dive in and out of one another;s films. Because that;s the way the comics were created, I think that;s the way the movies should actually be. For a series of business reasons, they aren;t. That;s not for narrative or creative reasons. The dream is that we could cross-pollinate and everyone would be building off the momentum of each other, which is what actually happens. We;re not in competition with each other. We actually can be helping the cause for all these different movies. It;s been shown that audiences have enough of a palate for them. We will have, within the span of a month and a half, Captain America 2, Spider-Man 2 and Days of Future Past. I would hazard to say -- touch wood -- they;ll be three of -- let;s not be too aggressive --10 of the biggest movies of the summer. They;ll probably be three of the top five or six most successful. It;d be cool if, yeah, one day we could do that. Maybe it starts with us and Spider-Man. Maybe it goes into sort of a TV show something at some point where the stakes are slightly lower. Then, eventually, you could build toward a shared movie.” Let’s all cross our fingers and hope this is the case. There has to be some way these studios can get together and share profits and costs to make this happen. Meanwhile, Kinberg has also revealed some of the details about the upcoming reboot of The Fantastic Four. Marvel’s First Family will apparently be a bit younger than we’re used to in Josh Trank’s relaunching of the franchise, but if you’ve followed The Ultimates, you may already have an idea of what to expect. “We’re definitely telling a younger story than the original films did. They’re older than high school, but they’re not quite grown into the world. If anything, this is a coming-of-age story. It depends on what books you look at. There are some, like the Ultimate books, that tell this story. So it is an origin story of the Fantastic Four, and it does follow them before they really know what a superhero is.” Naturally, this has already dismissive fanboys up in arms – because the Ultimate FF books weren’t quite as popular as their counterparts. Kinberg adds that “there is archetypal imagery of how they get their powers, for sure, and it does involve some sort of scientific travel.” This would seemingly mean that we’ll be seeing the team go into space and get their powers. So, they’re at least staying true to that part of the story, it seems. Finally, the scribe talks briefly about his work on the first Star Wars spin-off project. If you’re expecting Kinberg to spill the beans and tell you he’s writing a Boba Fett movie, you’re going to be disappointed. You might also be disappointed if you hoped the first spin-off title would be based on the expanded universe content found in all the books, comics and video games. Kinberg tells IGN that the expanded universe material may come into play in television shows and the like, but as far as the films are concerned, the six original films are canon. Nothing else is. So, that means Jar Jar and Midichlorians are canon, while some of the great stuff from the various books and comics are not. Good to know. Check out the interview below. [via Coming Soon, Comic Book Movie, and IGN] Follow @Horrorgeek and Follow @MoviesDotCom
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)