Amazon Announces Release of Kindle Fire Tablet

The iPad has had a large part of the Tablet market ever since it debuted a few years ago. Ever since then, many computer and software companies have been trying to play catch-up in order to capture a larger part of the tablet industry. Everyone seems to either be planning, or are already throwing their head into the ring. Amazon seems to be doing the same right now.  For years, Amazon has been providing products and services to its customers, and it hopes to become a tablet competitor with its new Kindle Fire tablet device.

It was officially announced on Wednesday by Amazon, that it was planning to release the Kindle Fire in order to get a larger portion of the e-reader market. It hopes to do what countless tech companies have failed to do. They want to bring a tablet device to the market at a reasonable price while providing features that are comparable to Apple's hugely successful iPad.

The Kindle fire comes in at 7 inches, which is three inches smaller than the iPad. It can be held in one hand and connects to the Internet via WIFI. It weighs in at just 14.6 ounces and has a color touchscreen. The device will be able to support video games, videos, movies, and internet browsing. It's hoped that through the use of Amazon's streaming cloud services, that it will be able to load pages and perform functions more quickly. It will also be able to sync with other devices wirelessly and will possibly have a shot at competing with the iPad.

The Fire also uses a dual-core processor and will be running on the latest version of the Google Android software. According to the first hands-on reviews it’s working extremely fast and the user interface is well designed. It will be very app friendly and Amazon hopes to remain focused on providing its own cloud services, software, and products to its new device. It's not sure at this time whether or not Amazon has adequate Technical Support infrastructure set in place that other tech companies do.

The tablet is likely to do well given that it's already much cheaper that most options already on the market. It's priced at $199 and it's hoped that the features and low cost will make it the go-to tablet for those wanting to buy into e-readers. This is a bold move by Amazon, but it's not unheard of. Other companies like Google are also vying for more of the market, but there's a lot of competition out there as the market is becoming more technologically driven.

If Amazon will succeed, it may split the tablets market into 2 main sections: the iPad as the high end tablet and the Kindle Fire as the cheap one. All the others will have to rethink their strategy.

Technorati Tags: Amazon,Tablets,Kindle Fire

3 comments | Read more...

The iPad has had a large part of the Tablet market ever since it debuted a few years ago. Ever since then, many computer and software companies have been trying to play catch-up in order to capture a larger part of the tablet industry. Everyone seems to either be planning, or are already throwing their head into the ring. Amazon seems to be doing the same right now.  For years, Amazon has been providing products and services to its customers, and it hopes to become a tablet competitor with its new Kindle Fire tablet device.

It was officially announced on Wednesday by Amazon, that it was planning to release the Kindle Fire in order to get a larger portion of the e-reader market. It hopes to do what countless tech companies have failed to do. They want to bring a tablet device to the market at a reasonable price while providing features that are comparable to Apple's hugely successful iPad.

The Kindle fire comes in at 7 inches, which is three inches smaller than the iPad. It can be held in one hand and connects to the Internet via WIFI. It weighs in at just 14.6 ounces and has a color touchscreen. The device will be able to support video games, videos, movies, and internet browsing. It's hoped that through the use of Amazon's streaming cloud services, that it will be able to load pages and perform functions more quickly. It will also be able to sync with other devices wirelessly and will possibly have a shot at competing with the iPad.

The Fire also uses a dual-core processor and will be running on the latest version of the Google Android software. According to the first hands-on reviews it’s working extremely fast and the user interface is well designed. It will be very app friendly and Amazon hopes to remain focused on providing its own cloud services, software, and products to its new device. It's not sure at this time whether or not Amazon has adequate Technical Support infrastructure set in place that other tech companies do.

The tablet is likely to do well given that it's already much cheaper that most options already on the market. It's priced at $199 and it's hoped that the features and low cost will make it the go-to tablet for those wanting to buy into e-readers. This is a bold move by Amazon, but it's not unheard of. Other companies like Google are also vying for more of the market, but there's a lot of competition out there as the market is becoming more technologically driven.

If Amazon will succeed, it may split the tablets market into 2 main sections: the iPad as the high end tablet and the Kindle Fire as the cheap one. All the others will have to rethink their strategy.

Technorati Tags: Amazon,Tablets,Kindle Fire

Android is flying higher than iOS (will be used for in-flight entertainment)

2 months ago I was on a 12 hours flight when the entertainment system broke down.

12 hours. You've got that right. 12 hours without entertainment… Luckily I had my beloved iPad with me (how else could I travel?). The thing is an endless source of entertainment, work, thoughts capturing, game center and more.

iPad, the undisputed king of tablets, has saved me.

The iPad might be winning the tablet battle on the ground, but Android is on its way to owning the air. Boeing has chosen the Android platform for in-flight entertainment for its new 787 Dreamliner airplane. Once integrated, passengers will be able to play games, listen to music, watch video, and more from the comfort of their seat.

I wonder if passengers will also be able to download skins, themes, tweaks and home-screens replacements like they do with their Android based smartphones… (I guess not).

The 7-17 inch displays will be manufactured by Panasonic and will support touch.

BTW, Boeing is just the latest player in the airline industry turning to Android for in-flight assistance. Skycast Solutions recently introduced TrayVu, an Android-powered entertainment system, which is said to be both lightweight and easy to install, built into seat-back trays. American Airlines began offering 6,000 Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablets as an entertainment device for first-class passengers on select 757 and 767 flights.

4 comments | Read more...

2 months ago I was on a 12 hours flight when the entertainment system broke down.

12 hours. You've got that right. 12 hours without entertainment… Luckily I had my beloved iPad with me (how else could I travel?). The thing is an endless source of entertainment, work, thoughts capturing, game center and more.

iPad, the undisputed king of tablets, has saved me.

The iPad might be winning the tablet battle on the ground, but Android is on its way to owning the air. Boeing has chosen the Android platform for in-flight entertainment for its new 787 Dreamliner airplane. Once integrated, passengers will be able to play games, listen to music, watch video, and more from the comfort of their seat.

I wonder if passengers will also be able to download skins, themes, tweaks and home-screens replacements like they do with their Android based smartphones… (I guess not).

The 7-17 inch displays will be manufactured by Panasonic and will support touch.

BTW, Boeing is just the latest player in the airline industry turning to Android for in-flight assistance. Skycast Solutions recently introduced TrayVu, an Android-powered entertainment system, which is said to be both lightweight and easy to install, built into seat-back trays. American Airlines began offering 6,000 Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablets as an entertainment device for first-class passengers on select 757 and 767 flights.

Free iPhone App Alert: Spartans Vs Vikings

Here's a nice little game that is now completely free: Spartans Vs Vikings.

It's kind of a mixture of the strategy game like RISK™ with the action of a CLASSIC HACK 'EM UP:

✓ STRATEGIC map-play
✓ ACTION-PACKED real-time battles
✓ 5 AWESOME mega-levels
✓ 5 AMAZING skills
✓ 7 on 7 mini-battles
✓ MIGHTY BOSSES
✓ 3 UNIQUE environments
✓ cute CARTOON style

Give it a try, it's currently free...

BTW, this post was written directly from my iPhone using the new Blogger app. I hope the images will look OK...

2 comments | Read more... Here's a nice little game that is now completely free: Spartans Vs Vikings.

It's kind of a mixture of the strategy game like RISK™ with the action of a CLASSIC HACK 'EM UP:

✓ STRATEGIC map-play
✓ ACTION-PACKED real-time battles
✓ 5 AWESOME mega-levels
✓ 5 AMAZING skills
✓ 7 on 7 mini-battles
✓ MIGHTY BOSSES
✓ 3 UNIQUE environments
✓ cute CARTOON style

Give it a try, it's currently free...

BTW, this post was written directly from my iPhone using the new Blogger app. I hope the images will look OK...

OpenAppMkt Is a Cross Platform AppStore For HTML5 Apps

OpenAppMkt represents an open applications market – an AppStore for HTML5 based applications. I tried it on my iPhone and I must say it's incredible. If you are looking for a proof that HTML5 is progressing in the speed of light – check out OpenAppMkt.

   

The store lets you browse through categories, filter apps, search, get a list of top selling apps etc. Many of the applications are free. It can run on any browser supporting HTML5 (certified for iPhone, iPad and Android smartphones for the moment).

BTW, mobile Web (code name for Java Script, CSS, and mostly HTML5 technologies) is the fastest growing technology among mobile developers in the last 12 months.

BTW, the head of this initiative was recently requited by Facebook, which gives a hint about Facebook HTML5 initiatives known as Project Spartan (read more in here).

Head over to OpenAppMkt from your smartphone, bookmark the page and you will get the Store working.

Technorati Tags: HTML5,Mobile Web,AppStore

7 comments | Read more...

OpenAppMkt represents an open applications market – an AppStore for HTML5 based applications. I tried it on my iPhone and I must say it's incredible. If you are looking for a proof that HTML5 is progressing in the speed of light – check out OpenAppMkt.

   

The store lets you browse through categories, filter apps, search, get a list of top selling apps etc. Many of the applications are free. It can run on any browser supporting HTML5 (certified for iPhone, iPad and Android smartphones for the moment).

BTW, mobile Web (code name for Java Script, CSS, and mostly HTML5 technologies) is the fastest growing technology among mobile developers in the last 12 months.

BTW, the head of this initiative was recently requited by Facebook, which gives a hint about Facebook HTML5 initiatives known as Project Spartan (read more in here).

Head over to OpenAppMkt from your smartphone, bookmark the page and you will get the Store working.

Technorati Tags: HTML5,Mobile Web,AppStore

Long meetings? Laptops? Smartphones? Too many alternatives? Meeting Miser App for iPad to the rescue!

(image source)

Technology turned many of the work meetings into a long, time consuming, and inefficient waste of time.

Everyone is staring at their laptops doing "something" while someone is speaking. Then the speaker turns over the speaking slot to someone else so that he (the first speaker) can return to his personal activities.

Every once in a while someone receives the speaking slot unexpectedly… this can create funny sentences (completely irrelevant, or very relevant – but to the topic discussed 20 minutes before…). Bright people can sometimes come up with a meaningful reply after quickly processing the words they heard in the background into something that makes sense.

You cannot fight this horrible culture.

Trying to shut down the laptops will just make it worse; it will bring… the smartphones(!).

The smartphones are a deadlier version of the laptops because typing is harder, thus requiring more concentration. That means less concentration in the meeting. Not to mention the option to play games during the meetings… (Seinfeld made a perfect demonstration of it a while ago)

Hey You! Enjoy reading the mobile spoon and getting all those useful tips? Follow me on twitter or subscribe to our RSS Feed

In hi-tech companies the situation is even worse; hi-tech people like talking, arguing. They do not listen for one half of the meeting, and then, waste the second half arguing.

Hi-tech people also like to raise too many… alternatives… (scary word).

Having too many alternatives is never helpful. In most cases, having more than 2-3 alternatives will not change the final decision, but it will create doubts. Too many alternatives will make you feel unsecure about your decision… (exactly like searching too long after the perfect electronic device, or the perfect girl… ).

And then there are those things I call: "garbage time".

It's like in sports games, when the winner is already set, but you need to keep on playing until the time ends… it's the same with meetings: knowing that you still have 10 minutes till the end of the meeting will make you use them, for talking, arguing, or just raising more alternatives…

There are plenty of techniques and apps to efficiently manage your meetings; setting the right time, creating an agenda, placing the agenda in the meeting invite so people can come prepared, having a tough moderator that prevents useless threads, setting timeouts for discussions, etc.

• Endless list of meetings managers for iPad
• 10 iPad Apps for Meeting Planners
• OmniOutliner – the best productivity app for iPad
• iPad App Review: Meeting Mngr Pro

Here's an app that addresses this problem a bit differently. It's called Meeting Miser:

Imagine you sit in a meeting and the "garbage time" begins.

You can then open your iPad and start Meeting Miser; the app will calculate how much money is wasted in every minute that passes by, motivating the attendees to end the meeting faster. Brilliant!

"Meeting Miser is an iPad app that lets you track how much your business meetings cost you. Enter the estimated total annual salary of everyone in the meeting and watch as the dollars tick by!
Put your iPad where everyone can see it and keep your meeting focused!"

More details about Meeting Miser for iPad in here

2 comments | Read more...

(image source)

Technology turned many of the work meetings into a long, time consuming, and inefficient waste of time.

Everyone is staring at their laptops doing "something" while someone is speaking. Then the speaker turns over the speaking slot to someone else so that he (the first speaker) can return to his personal activities.

Every once in a while someone receives the speaking slot unexpectedly… this can create funny sentences (completely irrelevant, or very relevant – but to the topic discussed 20 minutes before…). Bright people can sometimes come up with a meaningful reply after quickly processing the words they heard in the background into something that makes sense.

You cannot fight this horrible culture.

Trying to shut down the laptops will just make it worse; it will bring… the smartphones(!).

The smartphones are a deadlier version of the laptops because typing is harder, thus requiring more concentration. That means less concentration in the meeting. Not to mention the option to play games during the meetings… (Seinfeld made a perfect demonstration of it a while ago)

Hey You! Enjoy reading the mobile spoon and getting all those useful tips? Follow me on twitter or subscribe to our RSS Feed

In hi-tech companies the situation is even worse; hi-tech people like talking, arguing. They do not listen for one half of the meeting, and then, waste the second half arguing.

Hi-tech people also like to raise too many… alternatives… (scary word).

Having too many alternatives is never helpful. In most cases, having more than 2-3 alternatives will not change the final decision, but it will create doubts. Too many alternatives will make you feel unsecure about your decision… (exactly like searching too long after the perfect electronic device, or the perfect girl… ).

And then there are those things I call: "garbage time".

It's like in sports games, when the winner is already set, but you need to keep on playing until the time ends… it's the same with meetings: knowing that you still have 10 minutes till the end of the meeting will make you use them, for talking, arguing, or just raising more alternatives…

There are plenty of techniques and apps to efficiently manage your meetings; setting the right time, creating an agenda, placing the agenda in the meeting invite so people can come prepared, having a tough moderator that prevents useless threads, setting timeouts for discussions, etc.

• Endless list of meetings managers for iPad
• 10 iPad Apps for Meeting Planners
• OmniOutliner – the best productivity app for iPad
• iPad App Review: Meeting Mngr Pro

Here's an app that addresses this problem a bit differently. It's called Meeting Miser:

Imagine you sit in a meeting and the "garbage time" begins.

You can then open your iPad and start Meeting Miser; the app will calculate how much money is wasted in every minute that passes by, motivating the attendees to end the meeting faster. Brilliant!

"Meeting Miser is an iPad app that lets you track how much your business meetings cost you. Enter the estimated total annual salary of everyone in the meeting and watch as the dollars tick by!
Put your iPad where everyone can see it and keep your meeting focused!"

More details about Meeting Miser for iPad in here

iPad is king, says Gartner, mainly due to the user experience and price

Every day I read about a new mobility report presenting sales numbers, and trends in the mobile world. There are always differences, and many interpretations for each report, but summarizing them up is always a nice thing that gives a better view of the trends in mobility.

Here are some new numbers, statistics, and my personal view…

---

iPad is still the undisputed king:

Let's begin with Gartner. According to a report from 2 days ago "Media tablet sales will continue to experience strong growth through 2015 when sales are forecast to reach 326.3 million units". Interesting numbers, but the important part of the forecast concerns Apple's iPad; Gartner believes that the iPad will continue to lead the market, and will keep over 50% of the market share even beyond 2014 despite of all the competitors (Android, BlackBerry, and soon Windows 8 slates).

Few sentences that explain the reasons:

“This is because Apple delivers a superior and unified user experience across its hardware, software and services. Unless competitors can respond with a similar approach, challenges to Apple’s position will be minimal."

So far, Android’s appeal in the tablet market has been constrained by high prices, weak user interface and limited tablet applications” Ms. Milanesi said. “Google will address the fragmentation of Android across smartphone and tablet form factors within the next Android release, known as ‘Ice Cream Sandwich,’ which we expect to see in the fourth quarter of 2011. Android can count on strong support from key OEMs, has a sizeable developer community, and its smartphones application ecosystem is second only to Apple’s.”

“Most of Apple’s competitors are struggling to meet Apple’s prices without considerably sacrificing margins. Screen quality and processing power are the two hardware features that vendors cannot afford to compromise on,” said Roberta Cozza, principal analyst at Gartner. “They should consider everything else ‘nice to have,’ rather than essential, in order to keep bills-of-materials costs competitive with those of the iPad.”

(in short: iPad wins in price and user experience).

Oh well, I guess we knew all of that part already, I've been talking about the user experience factor for a long time now. It's amazing to see how companies, platforms, software applications keep failing in the most important thing (after functionality of course) in technology. People, wake up. Invest in UI first, then in multi-tasking, generic solutions, personalization, etc. UI FIRST.

(and I didn't even know MeeGo has tablets running it, did you? )

 

You can read more about the Gartner report in the following links:

Gartner: Still no true iPad challengers through 2015

Gartner Report

---

Next topic: customers loyalty to mobile devices.

Customers loyalty is low (well, if you are not using an Apple device, that is…)

According to a survey conducted by UBS Research (via GigaOM), , iPhone users are happy with the phone and 89% of them are about to continue and use the platform. Android users, as a comparison, are much less loyal, with nearly one-third (31%) of them planning to switch to an iOS device in the future.

"In general, retention rates appear to be falling for most of the OEMs. Relatively, Apple’s retention rates have held up incredibly well even as its market share has risen. Interestingly, when we look at all consumers who are considering changing handset OEM provider, Apple remains a significant net beneficiary. Alongside Apple, only Samsung and HTC also appear as net beneficiaries (more users won than users lost). Interestingly, of our respondents who are current Apple subscribers, only 6% indicated that they intended to move to a different OEM, with 4% saying they were undecided. This suggests that the retention rate for Apple could end up being as high as 93%. [UBS Research]"

Is it another symptom of the the user experience? I'm sure it is. "You give us perfect experience – we stay loyal", they all say.

You can read more about customer satisfaction and loyalty in the following links:

iPhone owners very loyal, BlackBerry not so much

---

2/3rds of Google's mobile search comes from… Apple…

I will end this one with an interesting number coming from (surprise surprise) Google…

One of the employees of the search giant, said during a testimony) that 2/3rds of mobile search comes from Apple iOS devices (iPad, iPhone, iPod). That's extremely a lot comparing to the numbers of Android phones (Source). Maybe iOS users like the Internet more than Android users? I doubt if such thing can be true.

Technorati Tags: iPad,Tablets market,Tablets,Android,iOS,smartphones Market

More market numbers and trends in the mobile spoon smartphones market section

0 comments | Read more...

Every day I read about a new mobility report presenting sales numbers, and trends in the mobile world. There are always differences, and many interpretations for each report, but summarizing them up is always a nice thing that gives a better view of the trends in mobility.

Here are some new numbers, statistics, and my personal view…

---

iPad is still the undisputed king:

Let's begin with Gartner. According to a report from 2 days ago "Media tablet sales will continue to experience strong growth through 2015 when sales are forecast to reach 326.3 million units". Interesting numbers, but the important part of the forecast concerns Apple's iPad; Gartner believes that the iPad will continue to lead the market, and will keep over 50% of the market share even beyond 2014 despite of all the competitors (Android, BlackBerry, and soon Windows 8 slates).

Few sentences that explain the reasons:

“This is because Apple delivers a superior and unified user experience across its hardware, software and services. Unless competitors can respond with a similar approach, challenges to Apple’s position will be minimal."

So far, Android’s appeal in the tablet market has been constrained by high prices, weak user interface and limited tablet applications” Ms. Milanesi said. “Google will address the fragmentation of Android across smartphone and tablet form factors within the next Android release, known as ‘Ice Cream Sandwich,’ which we expect to see in the fourth quarter of 2011. Android can count on strong support from key OEMs, has a sizeable developer community, and its smartphones application ecosystem is second only to Apple’s.”

“Most of Apple’s competitors are struggling to meet Apple’s prices without considerably sacrificing margins. Screen quality and processing power are the two hardware features that vendors cannot afford to compromise on,” said Roberta Cozza, principal analyst at Gartner. “They should consider everything else ‘nice to have,’ rather than essential, in order to keep bills-of-materials costs competitive with those of the iPad.”

(in short: iPad wins in price and user experience).

Oh well, I guess we knew all of that part already, I've been talking about the user experience factor for a long time now. It's amazing to see how companies, platforms, software applications keep failing in the most important thing (after functionality of course) in technology. People, wake up. Invest in UI first, then in multi-tasking, generic solutions, personalization, etc. UI FIRST.

(and I didn't even know MeeGo has tablets running it, did you? )

 

You can read more about the Gartner report in the following links:

Gartner: Still no true iPad challengers through 2015

Gartner Report

---

Next topic: customers loyalty to mobile devices.

Customers loyalty is low (well, if you are not using an Apple device, that is…)

According to a survey conducted by UBS Research (via GigaOM), , iPhone users are happy with the phone and 89% of them are about to continue and use the platform. Android users, as a comparison, are much less loyal, with nearly one-third (31%) of them planning to switch to an iOS device in the future.

"In general, retention rates appear to be falling for most of the OEMs. Relatively, Apple’s retention rates have held up incredibly well even as its market share has risen. Interestingly, when we look at all consumers who are considering changing handset OEM provider, Apple remains a significant net beneficiary. Alongside Apple, only Samsung and HTC also appear as net beneficiaries (more users won than users lost). Interestingly, of our respondents who are current Apple subscribers, only 6% indicated that they intended to move to a different OEM, with 4% saying they were undecided. This suggests that the retention rate for Apple could end up being as high as 93%. [UBS Research]"

Is it another symptom of the the user experience? I'm sure it is. "You give us perfect experience – we stay loyal", they all say.

You can read more about customer satisfaction and loyalty in the following links:

iPhone owners very loyal, BlackBerry not so much

---

2/3rds of Google's mobile search comes from… Apple…

I will end this one with an interesting number coming from (surprise surprise) Google…

One of the employees of the search giant, said during a testimony) that 2/3rds of mobile search comes from Apple iOS devices (iPad, iPhone, iPod). That's extremely a lot comparing to the numbers of Android phones (Source). Maybe iOS users like the Internet more than Android users? I doubt if such thing can be true.

Technorati Tags: iPad,Tablets market,Tablets,Android,iOS,smartphones Market

More market numbers and trends in the mobile spoon smartphones market section

More iPhone jokes

Here are 8 funny pictures I found in MakeUseOf – enjoy!

(BTW, have you noticed it's extremely hard to find good Android jokes?)

 

Just got a new iPhone:

 

Best iPhone theft protection:

 

Space Bar:

 

Watching Videos:

 

How couples really sleep:

Why you shouldn't buy iPhone 5 (click to enlarge):

(Speaking of iPhone 5, 5 Things I Don't Want To See In iPhone 5)

 

More iPhone (and twitter) jokes:

OK, more Apple jokes, it never gets bored

Off topic - Twitter jokes collection

Some great iPhone 4 jokes

iPad Jokes Collection (pics and videos)

More Twitter Jokes

4 comments | Read more...

Here are 8 funny pictures I found in MakeUseOf – enjoy!

(BTW, have you noticed it's extremely hard to find good Android jokes?)

 

Just got a new iPhone:

 

Best iPhone theft protection:

 

Space Bar:

 

Watching Videos:

 

How couples really sleep:

Why you shouldn't buy iPhone 5 (click to enlarge):

(Speaking of iPhone 5, 5 Things I Don't Want To See In iPhone 5)

 

More iPhone (and twitter) jokes:

OK, more Apple jokes, it never gets bored

Off topic - Twitter jokes collection

Some great iPhone 4 jokes

iPad Jokes Collection (pics and videos)

More Twitter Jokes

Windows Phone 7 working with Microsoft Kinect and Surface

If you like to see how the future will look like, here's a nice demonstration done by nsquared, a Microsoft Partner from Australia who showed off this impressive demo during the TechEd Australia 2011developer keynote this week.

The demo includes Microsoft's Surface working in synergy with Windows Phone 7, and Kinect.

Enjoy!

(Source)

0 comments | Read more...

If you like to see how the future will look like, here's a nice demonstration done by nsquared, a Microsoft Partner from Australia who showed off this impressive demo during the TechEd Australia 2011developer keynote this week.

The demo includes Microsoft's Surface working in synergy with Windows Phone 7, and Kinect.

Enjoy!

(Source)

Mobile Developers Economics 2011 – A Recommended Report By VisionMobile

VisionMobile has recently published an interesting report called: mobile developers economics in 2011.

I really recommend reading the report, but just in case you are extremely busy (or lazy), here are some interesting key insights:

• Top-3 platforms in Developer Mindshare: Android (67%), iOS (59%), mobile web (56%)
• Top-2 platforms being abandoned by their current users: Symbian (40%) and Java ME (35%)
• App stores are primary distribution channels for 45% of developers, across platforms
• Despite the bad press, Android is actually less fragmented than either Java ME or BlackBerry
• Order of platform adoption for companies developing B2C apps: 1. iOS 2. Android 3. mobile web 4. BlackBerry 5. WP7

While Android and iOS are the clear winners of the developers mindshare, however, the report writer specifically mentions the mobile web as the surprising 3rd place, making the highest jump in developers adoption:

"However, the most surprising finding is the adoption of mobile web, i.e. the platform for apps written in HTML or JavaScript, which claimed the 3rd spot in terms of developer mindshare, being used by over 55% of the developers. We do not attribute this to the ease of learning this platform (which has a deceptively steep learning curve, as you can see in the full report), but rather the influx of non-mobile developers to the industry. Also, mobile web is fast becoming the de-facto cross-platform choice for developers, especially now that Java and Flash are waning. In addition, there is a veritable host of HTML-to-native development tools that are helping HTML/JavaScript developers target smartphone native app markets."

Platform priorities. For companies going mobile, platform priorities are mixed, but
the core challenge is common – market penetration and reach across the customer
base. Organizations developing B2C apps (targeted at consumers) are extending their
offering first to Apple, and then to Android, to mobile web, to BlackBerry and finally to
Windows Phone 7. For B2B apps (applications paid for by the corporate IT manager or
CIO), HTML is already the platform of choice- not just for deployment on mobile web
browsers, but also by converting HTML is already the platform of choice – not just for
deployment on mobile web browsers, but also for conversion into native iPhone and
Android apps, using HTML5/Java script conversion tools from companies such as
PhoneGap, RhoMobile and Sencha.

Symbian and Java are the top platforms being abandoned by developers, probably after the understanding that Java can never be a real cross platform technology as long as Apple and Microsoft are running successful businesses…

Hey You! Enjoy reading the mobile spoon and getting all those useful tips? Follow me on twitter or subscribe to our RSS Feed

Useful Links:

You can download the full report (for free) in here, or visit VisionMobile blog which includes a lot of interesting articles about mobility such as the following two:

• Developer Economics 2011 – Winners and losers in the platform race
• The Mobile Platform Race – How do mobile platforms stack up?

Source: http://www.visionmobile.com/devecon.php

3 comments | Read more...

VisionMobile has recently published an interesting report called: mobile developers economics in 2011.

I really recommend reading the report, but just in case you are extremely busy (or lazy), here are some interesting key insights:

• Top-3 platforms in Developer Mindshare: Android (67%), iOS (59%), mobile web (56%)
• Top-2 platforms being abandoned by their current users: Symbian (40%) and Java ME (35%)
• App stores are primary distribution channels for 45% of developers, across platforms
• Despite the bad press, Android is actually less fragmented than either Java ME or BlackBerry
• Order of platform adoption for companies developing B2C apps: 1. iOS 2. Android 3. mobile web 4. BlackBerry 5. WP7

While Android and iOS are the clear winners of the developers mindshare, however, the report writer specifically mentions the mobile web as the surprising 3rd place, making the highest jump in developers adoption:

"However, the most surprising finding is the adoption of mobile web, i.e. the platform for apps written in HTML or JavaScript, which claimed the 3rd spot in terms of developer mindshare, being used by over 55% of the developers. We do not attribute this to the ease of learning this platform (which has a deceptively steep learning curve, as you can see in the full report), but rather the influx of non-mobile developers to the industry. Also, mobile web is fast becoming the de-facto cross-platform choice for developers, especially now that Java and Flash are waning. In addition, there is a veritable host of HTML-to-native development tools that are helping HTML/JavaScript developers target smartphone native app markets."

Platform priorities. For companies going mobile, platform priorities are mixed, but
the core challenge is common – market penetration and reach across the customer
base. Organizations developing B2C apps (targeted at consumers) are extending their
offering first to Apple, and then to Android, to mobile web, to BlackBerry and finally to
Windows Phone 7. For B2B apps (applications paid for by the corporate IT manager or
CIO), HTML is already the platform of choice- not just for deployment on mobile web
browsers, but also by converting HTML is already the platform of choice – not just for
deployment on mobile web browsers, but also for conversion into native iPhone and
Android apps, using HTML5/Java script conversion tools from companies such as
PhoneGap, RhoMobile and Sencha.

Symbian and Java are the top platforms being abandoned by developers, probably after the understanding that Java can never be a real cross platform technology as long as Apple and Microsoft are running successful businesses…

Hey You! Enjoy reading the mobile spoon and getting all those useful tips? Follow me on twitter or subscribe to our RSS Feed

Useful Links:

You can download the full report (for free) in here, or visit VisionMobile blog which includes a lot of interesting articles about mobility such as the following two:

• Developer Economics 2011 – Winners and losers in the platform race
• The Mobile Platform Race – How do mobile platforms stack up?

Source: http://www.visionmobile.com/devecon.php

Windows 8 and Enterprise Mobility – Are we all saved?

I'm a huge fan of iOS. I love it, and use it few hours a day. it's an amazing example of Apple's superior technology and quality of products. And still, when I was sitting at the Microsoft Build event, watching the demonstration of Windows 8 and how the Metro UI is about to become the new Tablet PC standard – I thought to myself: "we are saved…".

By "we" I don't mean myself, or the company I work for, and by "saved" I do not wish to imply humanity is at a risk of any kind (beyond the usual risks…). We could probably get along without Windows 8, but I think that having Microsoft finally back onboard with a decent answer to iOS and Android is a very positive thing for all parties involved in what we call: Enterprise Mobility. 

The iPad Initiative:

Right after the release of the first iPad I wrote a short article called: What will the iPad do to the enterprise?. Here are some quotes from this article:

"if the iPad will manage to do half of the impact the iPhone did to the smartphones world, we will soon see a new species of mobile devices all around us. Everywhere.

… Seems like a fantastic mobile device for many businesses out there where smartphones were too limited and laptops were too big and clumsy… but the impact it will create, may eventually change their future mobile strategy."

The iPad did start another revolution in the mobile world, resulting in what some companies like to call: "the tablet initiative" or even better: "the iPad initiative".

Those initiatives are still in progress; companies are looking for ways to deploy iPads or other tablets in order to gain business advantages and increase employees productivity. It's great. iPad is great. The business opportunities are countless. But it's not that simple.

The Tradeoff:

Modern mobile platforms such as iOS and Android do have their limitations: they are still young in terms of enterprise needs, therefore, still limited comparing to Windows, some IT aspects are still challenging for both software vendors and IT shops, and there are still things that simply do not fit the tablet form factor regardless to the software (show me one CFO who is editing his excels on an iPad…). I've seen customers of ours still debating whether to go with an iPad or an Android tablet, each with different pros and cons, and a lot of open questions. And there is, of course, always the question of how to support the employees' personal devices.

Windows 8 – No Compromises?

For the lack of any real alternative, enterprise companies are willing to compromise in order to enjoy the advantages of the tablets. What Microsoft is about to offer with Windows 8 might be a superior product, with no compromises.

Windows 8 is actually 2 platforms packed inside one package:

1. For the extra portable needs – a tablet optimized operating system, providing amazing user experience (known as the Metro UI). 
• Finger friendly
• Lightweight
• Fresh and innovative
• Ready for hours of usage
2. For the "desktop experience" – a full Windows OS, with all the power apps that comes along with it: Office (including Excel and Visio!), Outlook, powerful (real) multi-tasking, and a support for all the legacy systems IT managers are familiar and comfortable with (MDMs, MAMs, VPNs, MCMs, etc.).

It may be too soon to predict how consumers will react to Windows 8, after all, Windows Phone 7 made a similar buzz a year ago and sales are still very disappointing. There are at least 3 different scenarios that could happen once it is released.

It's hard to predict how quickly we will see Windows 8 tablets widely used, but as for the enterprise world, I think it's safe to assume many IT managers are reading these article, thinking to themselves: "we are saved…"

1 comments | Read more...

I'm a huge fan of iOS. I love it, and use it few hours a day. it's an amazing example of Apple's superior technology and quality of products. And still, when I was sitting at the Microsoft Build event, watching the demonstration of Windows 8 and how the Metro UI is about to become the new Tablet PC standard – I thought to myself: "we are saved…".

By "we" I don't mean myself, or the company I work for, and by "saved" I do not wish to imply humanity is at a risk of any kind (beyond the usual risks…). We could probably get along without Windows 8, but I think that having Microsoft finally back onboard with a decent answer to iOS and Android is a very positive thing for all parties involved in what we call: Enterprise Mobility. 

The iPad Initiative:

Right after the release of the first iPad I wrote a short article called: What will the iPad do to the enterprise?. Here are some quotes from this article:

"if the iPad will manage to do half of the impact the iPhone did to the smartphones world, we will soon see a new species of mobile devices all around us. Everywhere.

… Seems like a fantastic mobile device for many businesses out there where smartphones were too limited and laptops were too big and clumsy… but the impact it will create, may eventually change their future mobile strategy."

The iPad did start another revolution in the mobile world, resulting in what some companies like to call: "the tablet initiative" or even better: "the iPad initiative".

Those initiatives are still in progress; companies are looking for ways to deploy iPads or other tablets in order to gain business advantages and increase employees productivity. It's great. iPad is great. The business opportunities are countless. But it's not that simple.

The Tradeoff:

Modern mobile platforms such as iOS and Android do have their limitations: they are still young in terms of enterprise needs, therefore, still limited comparing to Windows, some IT aspects are still challenging for both software vendors and IT shops, and there are still things that simply do not fit the tablet form factor regardless to the software (show me one CFO who is editing his excels on an iPad…). I've seen customers of ours still debating whether to go with an iPad or an Android tablet, each with different pros and cons, and a lot of open questions. And there is, of course, always the question of how to support the employees' personal devices.

Windows 8 – No Compromises?

For the lack of any real alternative, enterprise companies are willing to compromise in order to enjoy the advantages of the tablets. What Microsoft is about to offer with Windows 8 might be a superior product, with no compromises.

Windows 8 is actually 2 platforms packed inside one package:

1. For the extra portable needs – a tablet optimized operating system, providing amazing user experience (known as the Metro UI). 
• Finger friendly
• Lightweight
• Fresh and innovative
• Ready for hours of usage
2. For the "desktop experience" – a full Windows OS, with all the power apps that comes along with it: Office (including Excel and Visio!), Outlook, powerful (real) multi-tasking, and a support for all the legacy systems IT managers are familiar and comfortable with (MDMs, MAMs, VPNs, MCMs, etc.).

It may be too soon to predict how consumers will react to Windows 8, after all, Windows Phone 7 made a similar buzz a year ago and sales are still very disappointing. There are at least 3 different scenarios that could happen once it is released.

It's hard to predict how quickly we will see Windows 8 tablets widely used, but as for the enterprise world, I think it's safe to assume many IT managers are reading these article, thinking to themselves: "we are saved…"

Free iPhone App For Body Builders: GymGoal Lite for iPhone

When I was around my twenties I worked as a gym trainer.
It took me a couple of years to understand that building other people's bodies will drive me insane pretty quickly (boring) so I sat down to build software instead.

I still visit the gym 3-4 times a week. It's a great place to arrange your thoughts, do some emails, and learn about new shoes. It's great.
Every once in a while I do some exercises too, and today I would like to recommend on a nice little free app called: GymGoal Lite for iPhone.

The app does not have the greatest UI, but it's working, and it has a lot of useful features:

• Editable list of 280 exercises, with pictures and instructions.
• Animations (animations are stored online, but they may be cached on the device), images, step by step instructions and performance tips.
• Editable list of 52 workout routines.
• Comprehensive tracking system for strength and cardio workouts.
• Body Weight, One-rep Max, BMI, BMR, Body Fat Percentage, TDEE, Target Heart Rate calculators and progress tracking.
• Progress tables and graphs are provided for everything, from workout logs to calculators.
• Ability to send workout logs to your email.
• Ability to back up your data to www.gymgoal.com (free) to prevent any data loss.

   

Not bad if you are working out and wants to improve your knowledge keep track of your progress.

And a personal tip for new trainees: don't waste all of your excitement and energy too fast – save some strength and motivation to the hard part: persistence is much more important than a few peaks when it comes to training your bodies…

GymGoal Lite for iPhone is now free at the AppStore

2 comments | Read more...

When I was around my twenties I worked as a gym trainer.
It took me a couple of years to understand that building other people's bodies will drive me insane pretty quickly (boring) so I sat down to build software instead.

I still visit the gym 3-4 times a week. It's a great place to arrange your thoughts, do some emails, and learn about new shoes. It's great.
Every once in a while I do some exercises too, and today I would like to recommend on a nice little free app called: GymGoal Lite for iPhone.

The app does not have the greatest UI, but it's working, and it has a lot of useful features:

• Editable list of 280 exercises, with pictures and instructions.
• Animations (animations are stored online, but they may be cached on the device), images, step by step instructions and performance tips.
• Editable list of 52 workout routines.
• Comprehensive tracking system for strength and cardio workouts.
• Body Weight, One-rep Max, BMI, BMR, Body Fat Percentage, TDEE, Target Heart Rate calculators and progress tracking.
• Progress tables and graphs are provided for everything, from workout logs to calculators.
• Ability to send workout logs to your email.
• Ability to back up your data to www.gymgoal.com (free) to prevent any data loss.

   

Not bad if you are working out and wants to improve your knowledge keep track of your progress.

And a personal tip for new trainees: don't waste all of your excitement and energy too fast – save some strength and motivation to the hard part: persistence is much more important than a few peaks when it comes to training your bodies…

GymGoal Lite for iPhone is now free at the AppStore

Windows 8 Metro UI: Bold Move By Microsoft Or A Doom ? 3 Possible Scenarios

After participating in the Windows 8 'Build' event few days ago, I came back home full of ideas and thoughts about the impressive stuff Microsoft showed in the opening session.

No doubt, adding the Metro Style UI to Windows is a bold move. Extremely bold, considering the fact that the latest products to use Metro style user interface (Zune HD, Windows Phone 7) did not create enough traction in terms of sales.

So the question remains: will this bold move put Microsoft back in the mainstream of the mobile world (namely tablets and even [as a non-direct result] smartphones)?

Here are 3 scenarios I can think of:

Scenario #1: Nothing Changes:

Windows 8 is released (end of 2012?), the desktop version is similar to Windows 7, the Metro Style UI gets a lot of positive reviews and praises, but similarly to Windows Phone 7, it gains little traction. Consumers either love it or hate it.

The result: Windows continues to dominant the PC market, but the PC market continues to slow down. Windows fails to penetrate the tablets realm, while iPad continues to lead the constantly growing tablets market and Android continues to gain wild momentum in all mobile fronts: smartphones, tablets, combined netbooks, webtops, etc.

Computers world is changing, but Microsoft fails to lead the revolution. Nothing changes.

 

Scenario #2: We Are Saved!

Windows 8 is released with a wide range of cutting edge tablets that can run more than 6 (hopefully even more than that) hours and give a decent fight to the iPad. We are all saved. No need to look after productivity tools that never reach perfection  - we now have full windows running on tablets.

Metro Style UI becomes the most admirable user interface ever, consumers either love it or hate it, most of them adore it.

The combination of a stylish, simple, fresh, tablet optimized UI with the power of a real Windows with all of its productivity tools creates an all-in-one beast. Something nothing can match with. Not the iPad or  even Android.

• "Let's see you run Visual Studio or Photoshop on your iToy", are laughing Windows 8 owners at Apple fanboys…
• "Still no decent Excel in your Android crap-let?" – they mock at the Google fans…

The result: Tablets are evolving from luxury toys into the next generation of portable PC's – computers that can serve both as real working stations or as entertainment tools. The revolution is led by Microsoft because both Apple and Google cannot turn their smartphone focused OS into a PC competitor.

Microsoft wins the game (for now): iPads and Android tablets are slowing down fast, while Windows 8 (and Window Phone 7 followsh) both ride on the success of the Metro Design. People are buying Windows 8 tablets with docking stations that turn them into a full-capacity desktops. Metro design becomes standard, and as a result, Windows Phone 7 becomes the second biggest mobile OS after Android (just like Gartner said it will…)

Steve Jobs returns to Apple (hopefully) and the company secretly starts building the next biggest invention ever: the iSky: an invisible gadget that lets you fly in the sky.

 

Scenario #3: Windows 8 is a disaster. It's all over:

Metro UI is full of bugs and too limited to allow actual work. Metro apps lack real multi-tasking while "old fashion" apps still drain battery so fast the tablets are completely dead after 2 hours. Overall experience is poor, users end up switching from the slate interface (Metro) to the desktop one, over and over, and over…

Consumers either love Metro or hate it. Most of them HATE it. The reviews are horrible, Vista is a sweet dream from the past comparing to this Windows 8 hell. After a short while, no one builds Windows tablets, and Windows Phone 7 suffers from it as well.

The result: Game is over. Windows 8 is the last of the Mohicans. PC world cease to exists.
Post-PC era begins; for real this time, everything is 100% pure mobile, Google Android is the indisputable king, running on just about any device out there regardless to the form factor, replacing Windows as the leading operating system for both pleasure and work. iPad is the jewel. Windows is no more.

 

I know what option I'm betting on… do you?

0 comments | Read more...

After participating in the Windows 8 'Build' event few days ago, I came back home full of ideas and thoughts about the impressive stuff Microsoft showed in the opening session.

No doubt, adding the Metro Style UI to Windows is a bold move. Extremely bold, considering the fact that the latest products to use Metro style user interface (Zune HD, Windows Phone 7) did not create enough traction in terms of sales.

So the question remains: will this bold move put Microsoft back in the mainstream of the mobile world (namely tablets and even [as a non-direct result] smartphones)?

Here are 3 scenarios I can think of:

Scenario #1: Nothing Changes:

Windows 8 is released (end of 2012?), the desktop version is similar to Windows 7, the Metro Style UI gets a lot of positive reviews and praises, but similarly to Windows Phone 7, it gains little traction. Consumers either love it or hate it.

The result: Windows continues to dominant the PC market, but the PC market continues to slow down. Windows fails to penetrate the tablets realm, while iPad continues to lead the constantly growing tablets market and Android continues to gain wild momentum in all mobile fronts: smartphones, tablets, combined netbooks, webtops, etc.

Computers world is changing, but Microsoft fails to lead the revolution. Nothing changes.

 

Scenario #2: We Are Saved!

Windows 8 is released with a wide range of cutting edge tablets that can run more than 6 (hopefully even more than that) hours and give a decent fight to the iPad. We are all saved. No need to look after productivity tools that never reach perfection  - we now have full windows running on tablets.

Metro Style UI becomes the most admirable user interface ever, consumers either love it or hate it, most of them adore it.

The combination of a stylish, simple, fresh, tablet optimized UI with the power of a real Windows with all of its productivity tools creates an all-in-one beast. Something nothing can match with. Not the iPad or  even Android.

• "Let's see you run Visual Studio or Photoshop on your iToy", are laughing Windows 8 owners at Apple fanboys…
• "Still no decent Excel in your Android crap-let?" – they mock at the Google fans…

The result: Tablets are evolving from luxury toys into the next generation of portable PC's – computers that can serve both as real working stations or as entertainment tools. The revolution is led by Microsoft because both Apple and Google cannot turn their smartphone focused OS into a PC competitor.

Microsoft wins the game (for now): iPads and Android tablets are slowing down fast, while Windows 8 (and Window Phone 7 followsh) both ride on the success of the Metro Design. People are buying Windows 8 tablets with docking stations that turn them into a full-capacity desktops. Metro design becomes standard, and as a result, Windows Phone 7 becomes the second biggest mobile OS after Android (just like Gartner said it will…)

Steve Jobs returns to Apple (hopefully) and the company secretly starts building the next biggest invention ever: the iSky: an invisible gadget that lets you fly in the sky.

 

Scenario #3: Windows 8 is a disaster. It's all over:

Metro UI is full of bugs and too limited to allow actual work. Metro apps lack real multi-tasking while "old fashion" apps still drain battery so fast the tablets are completely dead after 2 hours. Overall experience is poor, users end up switching from the slate interface (Metro) to the desktop one, over and over, and over…

Consumers either love Metro or hate it. Most of them HATE it. The reviews are horrible, Vista is a sweet dream from the past comparing to this Windows 8 hell. After a short while, no one builds Windows tablets, and Windows Phone 7 suffers from it as well.

The result: Game is over. Windows 8 is the last of the Mohicans. PC world cease to exists.
Post-PC era begins; for real this time, everything is 100% pure mobile, Google Android is the indisputable king, running on just about any device out there regardless to the form factor, replacing Windows as the leading operating system for both pleasure and work. iPad is the jewel. Windows is no more.

 

I know what option I'm betting on… do you?

Windows 8 Preview – What are the experts saying

Seems like most of the bloggers are excited about the new Windows 8 Metro Style UI.

Here are my own Takeaways From Microsoft's Windows 8 'Build' Demonstration.

Here are some quotes from the big guys:

BGR:

Sorry Apple, Windows 8 ushers in the post-post-PC era

One platform to rule them all. The technology exists to enable users to carry a single device that is as portable and usable as a tablet, but also as powerful and capable as a PC. It has a battery that can last all day, but it can also run Photoshop, Excel and Outlook. It can weigh next to nothing and slip into a slim case, but it can also power two monitors and run proprietary enterprise software.

Apple paved the way but Microsoft will get there first with Windows 8. A tablet that can be as fluid and user friendly as the iPad but as capable as a Windows laptop. A tablet that can boot in under 10 seconds and fire up a full-scale version of Adobe Dreamweaver a few moments later. A tablet that can be slipped into a dock to instantly become a fully capable touch-enabled laptop computer. This is Microsoft’s vision with Windows 8, and this is what it will deliver.

http://www.bgr.com/2011/09/13/sorry-apple-windows-8-ushers-in-the-post-post-pc-era/

TechCrunch:

Previewing The Future: Hands On With Windows 8

There is no post-PC world. Everything that runs Windows 8 is a PC. That’s right – this tablet is a PC. In one way, this nomenclature allows Microsoft to avoid the “better than iPad” argument entirely and, on the other hand, it’s an ingenious way for the company to invigorate the faltering desktop market.

Switching between Windows 8 and… Windows 8 “original flavor” feels a little weird, though it’s very snappy and will likely become second nature. I really hope that Microsoft’s developers can make it worthwhile to use both modes, otherwise people will end up spending 80% of their time in the part they like, and resent the 20% of time they have to spend in the other.

http://techcrunch.com/2011/09/13/previewing-the-future-hands-on-with-windows-8/

Wired:

Windows 8 Re-Imagines the Windows Experience

Microsoft has until recently been tentative about entering the mobile space, and not without warrant — Microsoft’s legacy is software built specifically for the PC. Whereas iOS burst on the scene in 2007, followed a short time later by Android, Windows Phone 7 arrived in late 2010. Microsoft’s last OS, Windows 7, was clearly designed for the PC experience rather than the tablet experience.

So far, it looks like Windows 8 is making a big splash, particularly with developers. Here’s a rundown of what we’ve learned Windows 8 offers

http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/09/windows-8-experience/

Gizmodo:

Windows 8 Slate Hands On: It’s Fantastic. (But Don’t Sell Your iPad.)

Let's start with what it's like to touch the thing: fantastic. It is, in fact, the most usable gesture-based interface on the market. It goes beyond what Apple has done by quite a bit. The entire operating system is navigable in a way that is both completely new, and yet familiar within a few minutes of use. Navigation includes some by now familiar touchscreen elements, but is largely novel.

You hate comparisons, but I'm going to make them: It's not on par with the iPad (even the original version, to say nothing of the iPad 2.) There are simply too many things that don't work as they should. But it's already far more usable than any Android tablet I've encountered. By the time Microsoft gets ARM straightened out and can ship this OS on optimized hardware, it's going to really sing. This is, in fact, the first tablet other than an iPad I can see myself buying and using. It's early, but Microsoft seems to have a hit.

http://gizmodo.com/5839665/windows-8-slate-hands-on-its-fantastic-but-dont-sell-your-ipad

2 comments | Read more...

Seems like most of the bloggers are excited about the new Windows 8 Metro Style UI.

Here are my own Takeaways From Microsoft's Windows 8 'Build' Demonstration.

Here are some quotes from the big guys:

BGR:

Sorry Apple, Windows 8 ushers in the post-post-PC era

One platform to rule them all. The technology exists to enable users to carry a single device that is as portable and usable as a tablet, but also as powerful and capable as a PC. It has a battery that can last all day, but it can also run Photoshop, Excel and Outlook. It can weigh next to nothing and slip into a slim case, but it can also power two monitors and run proprietary enterprise software.

Apple paved the way but Microsoft will get there first with Windows 8. A tablet that can be as fluid and user friendly as the iPad but as capable as a Windows laptop. A tablet that can boot in under 10 seconds and fire up a full-scale version of Adobe Dreamweaver a few moments later. A tablet that can be slipped into a dock to instantly become a fully capable touch-enabled laptop computer. This is Microsoft’s vision with Windows 8, and this is what it will deliver.

http://www.bgr.com/2011/09/13/sorry-apple-windows-8-ushers-in-the-post-post-pc-era/

TechCrunch:

Previewing The Future: Hands On With Windows 8

There is no post-PC world. Everything that runs Windows 8 is a PC. That’s right – this tablet is a PC. In one way, this nomenclature allows Microsoft to avoid the “better than iPad” argument entirely and, on the other hand, it’s an ingenious way for the company to invigorate the faltering desktop market.

Switching between Windows 8 and… Windows 8 “original flavor” feels a little weird, though it’s very snappy and will likely become second nature. I really hope that Microsoft’s developers can make it worthwhile to use both modes, otherwise people will end up spending 80% of their time in the part they like, and resent the 20% of time they have to spend in the other.

http://techcrunch.com/2011/09/13/previewing-the-future-hands-on-with-windows-8/

Wired:

Windows 8 Re-Imagines the Windows Experience

Microsoft has until recently been tentative about entering the mobile space, and not without warrant — Microsoft’s legacy is software built specifically for the PC. Whereas iOS burst on the scene in 2007, followed a short time later by Android, Windows Phone 7 arrived in late 2010. Microsoft’s last OS, Windows 7, was clearly designed for the PC experience rather than the tablet experience.

So far, it looks like Windows 8 is making a big splash, particularly with developers. Here’s a rundown of what we’ve learned Windows 8 offers

http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/09/windows-8-experience/

Gizmodo:

Windows 8 Slate Hands On: It’s Fantastic. (But Don’t Sell Your iPad.)

Let's start with what it's like to touch the thing: fantastic. It is, in fact, the most usable gesture-based interface on the market. It goes beyond what Apple has done by quite a bit. The entire operating system is navigable in a way that is both completely new, and yet familiar within a few minutes of use. Navigation includes some by now familiar touchscreen elements, but is largely novel.

You hate comparisons, but I'm going to make them: It's not on par with the iPad (even the original version, to say nothing of the iPad 2.) There are simply too many things that don't work as they should. But it's already far more usable than any Android tablet I've encountered. By the time Microsoft gets ARM straightened out and can ship this OS on optimized hardware, it's going to really sing. This is, in fact, the first tablet other than an iPad I can see myself buying and using. It's early, but Microsoft seems to have a hit.

http://gizmodo.com/5839665/windows-8-slate-hands-on-its-fantastic-but-dont-sell-your-ipad

My Takeaways From Microsoft's Windows 8 'Build' Demonstration

It was a great session yesterday over at the Windows 8 "Build" event.

Here are some of my takeaways in short:

PC:

The PC is not dead. It's just evolving into becoming extra portable, "touch" centric, flat, simple, synergetic, dynamic.

Microsoft kept using the term PC, ignoring the "post-PC" term that has been commonly used in the last few months. They used the word tablet here and there although it was obvious that the entire change in the Windows UI (Metro) is mainly for tablet devices.

Metro:

Microsoft is making a huge bet on the "Metro Style User Interface".

As a Windows Phone 7 user I like this direction, Metro UI is amazing, it's fresh, it's different. Unfortunately, it's also kind of shocking. Not something everyone likes. In fact, it's one of those things you can either love or hate. Therefore, a wild gamble. (One of my friends who sat next to me was not pleased with it that much and I'm sure he will not be the only one).

Let's put it this way: although Windows Phone 7 or Zune (the older products to use Metro) were not a big success in terms of sales - Microsoft is determined to continue with this direction. Bold move. Goods luck.

For the ones who are less familiar with the Metro Style UI: it’s a topography-based design language. It is heavily relying on text as the primary form of navigation. The user interface is very simplistic, flat, minimalistic, chromeless. It uses a lot of signs which we are familiar with since they can be found in metro stations, airports, cities al over the world.

After building the entire Windows Phone 7 experience using Metro, Windows 8 will now have 2 modes:

• Desktop mode - this is the old fashion style of Windows we are all familiar with
• Slate mode - this is the Metro style, and in Windows 8 it will be the main user interface for portable devices (tablets, netbooks, touch screens).

The slate interface will have live tiles, like in Windows Phone. It means you get a sneak preview of the app in the main screen. If it's an email - you see how many new emails you have, if it's a twitter app - you see a number of new messages. It's kind of like a simple, one dimensional widget which is part of the main screen.

Windows 8 lock-screen will also be similar to the Windows Phone one, here are both of them side by side:

  

With Microsoft's new development tools, developers will be able to build Metro Style apps which are lightweight and look part of the overall design. There will be a lot of new API's for those new generation of apps. Including special "sharing" capabilities where each app can expose data for sharing with other apps, expose data for the global search function of Windows, share images, or clipboard information (text, etc.). Microsoft calls it "Contracts".

Microsoft is trying to create an environment where apps can talk to each other through those "sharing" capabilities so that unlike iOS for instance, where each app is more of a standalone, Windows 8 apps will live in synergy with one another. I like that.

Old applications, BTW, will continue to supported, but they will not have all of those Metro-Style special capabilities.

Multi-Tasking:

Here is something I didn't quite figure out yet.

On one hand, Microsoft demonstrated a mode where 2 apps are working side by side on one screen. That's great for collaborating data or using 2 editors in parallel. I'm sure every iPad user knows this kind of functionality could really help when trying to do real work on an iPad.

On the other hand, Microsoft demonstrated how background Metro-style apps use zero CPU when minimized. Well, isn't that what iOS does with background apps? Yep. And it means that those apps are actually NOT RUNNING in the background. They are SLEEPING in the background. When talking about Windows - I think that may end up to be a serious issue.

Html5 vs. Silverlight:

The new development tools allow developers to build Metro apps with C/C++, C# or VB, Silverlight and also web technologies.

Yes, remember webOS? It was the first operating system to run web apps "natively" and now Windows 8 will allow it too. That's great.

What wasn't so great is that all of the apps that Microsoft demonstrated (namely: Windows Store, Emails, Calendar, Twitter) were built using Html5 and Java Script. They looked exactly like the Windows Phone 7 apps but they were not using Silverlight.

My take? Something is fishy. Why did MS choose to write all those apps with Html/JS instead of sticking with Silverlight?

My guess is that just like WPF (which is practically dead already), Silverlight is in this kind of a shaky situation currently. If I were a developer I wouldn't start building my apps using Silverlight. It will be interesting to see what will happen with Windows Phone in this respect.

Html5 continues to gain strength, and Microsoft showed some cool demoes running inside the Metro Style IE10:

Other Noticeable Keynotes:

The demo also showed some impressive hardware pieces: flat laptops, tablets, etc.

Microsoft speakers barely used the term tablets, and did not mention iPad even once. They kept using the terms: PC and slates. What a world.

Boot time seemed to be suspiciously fast (less than 8 seconds!). I think iPad takes longer to start.

In addition, Windows will now have a new mode: "Connected Standby" in which the apps are sleeping but the device is still running, push notifications and alerts can still popup. Similar to the statuses most phones are using when they are closed.

Oh, and there was some clouds too. Windows 8 is fully cloud enabled. SkyDrive is Microsoft's answer to the cloud services other giants are building, and it looks like it's pretty solid.

Summary:

I was impressed with the new stuff Microsoft demoed in the conference. It looks good, it has the "coolness" factor, I like the Metro Style, I even started collecting examples of it all over the place… I think that Microsoft is finally stepping (for real this time) into the world of Html5, and I believe that tablets that will be running Windows 8 will make a lot of sense.

Will it succeed? Wait for my next post about 3 possible scenarios that can happen with Windows 8 and the tablets world… (Coming soon)

Read more about Windows 8 at 'Build':

Microsoft Unveils 'Reimagined' Windows 8 at Build Event

Microsoft Build – Keynote Summary

Microsoft BUILD Keynote: Windows 8 Looks Surprisingly Cool

Microsoft official Build site

Technorati Tags: Windows 8,Build,Microsoft,Metro Style UI

1 comments | Read more...

It was a great session yesterday over at the Windows 8 "Build" event.

Here are some of my takeaways in short:

PC:

The PC is not dead. It's just evolving into becoming extra portable, "touch" centric, flat, simple, synergetic, dynamic.

Microsoft kept using the term PC, ignoring the "post-PC" term that has been commonly used in the last few months. They used the word tablet here and there although it was obvious that the entire change in the Windows UI (Metro) is mainly for tablet devices.

Metro:

Microsoft is making a huge bet on the "Metro Style User Interface".

As a Windows Phone 7 user I like this direction, Metro UI is amazing, it's fresh, it's different. Unfortunately, it's also kind of shocking. Not something everyone likes. In fact, it's one of those things you can either love or hate. Therefore, a wild gamble. (One of my friends who sat next to me was not pleased with it that much and I'm sure he will not be the only one).

Let's put it this way: although Windows Phone 7 or Zune (the older products to use Metro) were not a big success in terms of sales - Microsoft is determined to continue with this direction. Bold move. Goods luck.

For the ones who are less familiar with the Metro Style UI: it’s a topography-based design language. It is heavily relying on text as the primary form of navigation. The user interface is very simplistic, flat, minimalistic, chromeless. It uses a lot of signs which we are familiar with since they can be found in metro stations, airports, cities al over the world.

After building the entire Windows Phone 7 experience using Metro, Windows 8 will now have 2 modes:

• Desktop mode - this is the old fashion style of Windows we are all familiar with
• Slate mode - this is the Metro style, and in Windows 8 it will be the main user interface for portable devices (tablets, netbooks, touch screens).

The slate interface will have live tiles, like in Windows Phone. It means you get a sneak preview of the app in the main screen. If it's an email - you see how many new emails you have, if it's a twitter app - you see a number of new messages. It's kind of like a simple, one dimensional widget which is part of the main screen.

Windows 8 lock-screen will also be similar to the Windows Phone one, here are both of them side by side:

  

With Microsoft's new development tools, developers will be able to build Metro Style apps which are lightweight and look part of the overall design. There will be a lot of new API's for those new generation of apps. Including special "sharing" capabilities where each app can expose data for sharing with other apps, expose data for the global search function of Windows, share images, or clipboard information (text, etc.). Microsoft calls it "Contracts".

Microsoft is trying to create an environment where apps can talk to each other through those "sharing" capabilities so that unlike iOS for instance, where each app is more of a standalone, Windows 8 apps will live in synergy with one another. I like that.

Old applications, BTW, will continue to supported, but they will not have all of those Metro-Style special capabilities.

Multi-Tasking:

Here is something I didn't quite figure out yet.

On one hand, Microsoft demonstrated a mode where 2 apps are working side by side on one screen. That's great for collaborating data or using 2 editors in parallel. I'm sure every iPad user knows this kind of functionality could really help when trying to do real work on an iPad.

On the other hand, Microsoft demonstrated how background Metro-style apps use zero CPU when minimized. Well, isn't that what iOS does with background apps? Yep. And it means that those apps are actually NOT RUNNING in the background. They are SLEEPING in the background. When talking about Windows - I think that may end up to be a serious issue.

Html5 vs. Silverlight:

The new development tools allow developers to build Metro apps with C/C++, C# or VB, Silverlight and also web technologies.

Yes, remember webOS? It was the first operating system to run web apps "natively" and now Windows 8 will allow it too. That's great.

What wasn't so great is that all of the apps that Microsoft demonstrated (namely: Windows Store, Emails, Calendar, Twitter) were built using Html5 and Java Script. They looked exactly like the Windows Phone 7 apps but they were not using Silverlight.

My take? Something is fishy. Why did MS choose to write all those apps with Html/JS instead of sticking with Silverlight?

My guess is that just like WPF (which is practically dead already), Silverlight is in this kind of a shaky situation currently. If I were a developer I wouldn't start building my apps using Silverlight. It will be interesting to see what will happen with Windows Phone in this respect.

Html5 continues to gain strength, and Microsoft showed some cool demoes running inside the Metro Style IE10:

Other Noticeable Keynotes:

The demo also showed some impressive hardware pieces: flat laptops, tablets, etc.

Microsoft speakers barely used the term tablets, and did not mention iPad even once. They kept using the terms: PC and slates. What a world.

Boot time seemed to be suspiciously fast (less than 8 seconds!). I think iPad takes longer to start.

In addition, Windows will now have a new mode: "Connected Standby" in which the apps are sleeping but the device is still running, push notifications and alerts can still popup. Similar to the statuses most phones are using when they are closed.

Oh, and there was some clouds too. Windows 8 is fully cloud enabled. SkyDrive is Microsoft's answer to the cloud services other giants are building, and it looks like it's pretty solid.

Summary:

I was impressed with the new stuff Microsoft demoed in the conference. It looks good, it has the "coolness" factor, I like the Metro Style, I even started collecting examples of it all over the place… I think that Microsoft is finally stepping (for real this time) into the world of Html5, and I believe that tablets that will be running Windows 8 will make a lot of sense.

Will it succeed? Wait for my next post about 3 possible scenarios that can happen with Windows 8 and the tablets world… (Coming soon)

Read more about Windows 8 at 'Build':

Microsoft Unveils 'Reimagined' Windows 8 at Build Event

Microsoft Build – Keynote Summary

Microsoft BUILD Keynote: Windows 8 Looks Surprisingly Cool

Microsoft official Build site

Technorati Tags: Windows 8,Build,Microsoft,Metro Style UI

Does "fast" mean: "fast"? Or does it mean: "smart"?

Smartphones and tablets are so powerful these days, they can run a complete office, and still, when talking about mobile applications – the CPU power cannot overshadow a problematic user interface, or an inefficient data loading, or the lack of decent validations or workflows.

Users need to get things done quickly and efficiently when they are outside working.
They need to get inside (their mobile app), do their thing, invest minimal clicks, minimal typing, trust their system to protect them from making mistakes or wasting time on redundant procedures, and get out. It's as simple as that.

Smart mobile applications in the enterprise should be optimize to operate efficiently while in the field:

• Load minimal data (only what is required)
• Present subsets of the information based on the context (data type, time, location, stage, user)
• Guide the users by using wizards, workflows, validations, auto-population, filters of information, pre-defined drop down lists
• Allow frequently used actions to be done within a single click, and from practically everywhere…
• Do all this even when you are working completely offline in a disconnected environment. 

Read more about how to make your mobile app efficient for field usage in this MobileFever article.

0 comments | Read more...

Smartphones and tablets are so powerful these days, they can run a complete office, and still, when talking about mobile applications – the CPU power cannot overshadow a problematic user interface, or an inefficient data loading, or the lack of decent validations or workflows.

Users need to get things done quickly and efficiently when they are outside working.
They need to get inside (their mobile app), do their thing, invest minimal clicks, minimal typing, trust their system to protect them from making mistakes or wasting time on redundant procedures, and get out. It's as simple as that.

Smart mobile applications in the enterprise should be optimize to operate efficiently while in the field:

• Load minimal data (only what is required)
• Present subsets of the information based on the context (data type, time, location, stage, user)
• Guide the users by using wizards, workflows, validations, auto-population, filters of information, pre-defined drop down lists
• Allow frequently used actions to be done within a single click, and from practically everywhere…
• Do all this even when you are working completely offline in a disconnected environment. 

Read more about how to make your mobile app efficient for field usage in this MobileFever article.

Skype app is coming to Windows Phone in just a few months

Few days ago I wrote about things that Microsoft must do in order to save Windows Phone 7.

The included 5 areas where Windows Phone 7 can and should become the leader, area number 4 was Skype:

"Free calls, free messaging, voice-based SMS, location based walkie talkie, 3D video calls with special effects, I don't care. Just do something that will shock the world, and make all of those Skype users out there consider getting a Windows Phone 8 device.

Skype integration should kick ass, but it also should include new features and integration with the productivity tools and apps. If Microsoft can only come up with a winning combination with a unified approach – people will look differently at Windows Phone."

According to Engadget, Skype is coming to Windows Phone this fall:

"That last tidbit is courtesy of Microsoft's own Joe Belfiore, stating that "Skype will be coming to the Windows Phone 7 platform this fall" while speaking live at MIX 11. We hesitate to act surprised, but given the prior reports that it may be a pipe dream, we're most certainly breathing a bit easier hearing this. Now, if only a WP7 phone would ship with a legitimate front-facing camera..."

Great. Now it's time to surprise us Microsoft. Do something freaking amazing with the combination of Metro, Skype and Windows Phone.

Who knows, I may find other items on my list which are on Microsoft's roadmap!?

More about the planned integration in here: Skype Windows Phone app to integrate deeper than iPhone

2 comments | Read more...

Few days ago I wrote about things that Microsoft must do in order to save Windows Phone 7.

The included 5 areas where Windows Phone 7 can and should become the leader, area number 4 was Skype:

"Free calls, free messaging, voice-based SMS, location based walkie talkie, 3D video calls with special effects, I don't care. Just do something that will shock the world, and make all of those Skype users out there consider getting a Windows Phone 8 device.

Skype integration should kick ass, but it also should include new features and integration with the productivity tools and apps. If Microsoft can only come up with a winning combination with a unified approach – people will look differently at Windows Phone."

According to Engadget, Skype is coming to Windows Phone this fall:

"That last tidbit is courtesy of Microsoft's own Joe Belfiore, stating that "Skype will be coming to the Windows Phone 7 platform this fall" while speaking live at MIX 11. We hesitate to act surprised, but given the prior reports that it may be a pipe dream, we're most certainly breathing a bit easier hearing this. Now, if only a WP7 phone would ship with a legitimate front-facing camera..."

Great. Now it's time to surprise us Microsoft. Do something freaking amazing with the combination of Metro, Skype and Windows Phone.

Who knows, I may find other items on my list which are on Microsoft's roadmap!?

More about the planned integration in here: Skype Windows Phone app to integrate deeper than iPhone

What is the most popular smartphone in the world? The moron test

My latest post over at MobilityDigest (What should Microsoft do to order to save Windows Phone 7?) started a little fight between furious Windows Phone lovers, Android fans, and iPhone… well, actually I was the only one representing iPhone …, "How can you claim WP7 is a failure?", "How can you not claim it's a failure!?", "You are a failure yourself!", and so one… (see over 50 comments, most of them pretty aggressive and rude, but that's typical when it comes to comparing mobile operating systems… ).

Anyways, after reading the comments, some of them really childish and dumb, I decided to do a dumb test in order to finally find out:

• What is the most popular mobile operating system in the world?
• What is the most popular smartphone?

To make the test really foolish, I approached the one and only, the mighty one who knows everything, the one we all go to when we need help and guidance: Google.

I used a few search terms, and compared the number of results I got in each of them, replacing the name of the mobile operating system.

The test is definitive. The results are undisputable. It cannot fail!

What is the most popular smartphone in the world?

Here are the results:

*Clarification: [X] stands for the term I' planted: iPhone, Android, or 'Windows Phone 7'.

Phrase	iPhone	Android	WP7
[X]	2,590,000,000	1,920,000,000	243,000,000
[X] App	1,900,000,000	746,000,000	1,790,000,000
Looking for a [X] Phone	476,000,000	254,000,000	1,810,000,000
dropped my [X] to the toilets	1,960,000	958,000	638,000
I love my [X]	1,960,000,000	874,000,000	625,000,000
I hate my [X]	152,000,000	99,600,000	52,800,000
Left my wife for an [X]	47,200,000	18,900,000	24,800,000
Dog chewed my iPhone	2,010,000	2,720,000	744,000

My immediate conclusions?

1. iPhone is the most popular smartphone in the world
2. We all go to the toilets with our phones. We wash only our hands afterwards…
3. There are a lot of weird people thinking of leaving their wives in favor of a gadget
4. With so many people looking for Windows Phone 7, it's either going to be a hit very soon or it's really damn hard to find stores that actually sell it
5. Dogs prefer Android

Aren't you feeling lucky you finally know the answer?

Follow me on twitter to get more answers!

6 comments | Read more...

My latest post over at MobilityDigest (What should Microsoft do to order to save Windows Phone 7?) started a little fight between furious Windows Phone lovers, Android fans, and iPhone… well, actually I was the only one representing iPhone …, "How can you claim WP7 is a failure?", "How can you not claim it's a failure!?", "You are a failure yourself!", and so one… (see over 50 comments, most of them pretty aggressive and rude, but that's typical when it comes to comparing mobile operating systems… ).

Anyways, after reading the comments, some of them really childish and dumb, I decided to do a dumb test in order to finally find out:

• What is the most popular mobile operating system in the world?
• What is the most popular smartphone?

To make the test really foolish, I approached the one and only, the mighty one who knows everything, the one we all go to when we need help and guidance: Google.

I used a few search terms, and compared the number of results I got in each of them, replacing the name of the mobile operating system.

The test is definitive. The results are undisputable. It cannot fail!

What is the most popular smartphone in the world?

Here are the results:

*Clarification: [X] stands for the term I' planted: iPhone, Android, or 'Windows Phone 7'.

Phrase	iPhone	Android	WP7
[X]	2,590,000,000	1,920,000,000	243,000,000
[X] App	1,900,000,000	746,000,000	1,790,000,000
Looking for a [X] Phone	476,000,000	254,000,000	1,810,000,000
dropped my [X] to the toilets	1,960,000	958,000	638,000
I love my [X]	1,960,000,000	874,000,000	625,000,000
I hate my [X]	152,000,000	99,600,000	52,800,000
Left my wife for an [X]	47,200,000	18,900,000	24,800,000
Dog chewed my iPhone	2,010,000	2,720,000	744,000

My immediate conclusions?

1. iPhone is the most popular smartphone in the world
2. We all go to the toilets with our phones. We wash only our hands afterwards…
3. There are a lot of weird people thinking of leaving their wives in favor of a gadget
4. With so many people looking for Windows Phone 7, it's either going to be a hit very soon or it's really damn hard to find stores that actually sell it
5. Dogs prefer Android

Aren't you feeling lucky you finally know the answer?

Follow me on twitter to get more answers!

Over 90% of tablets users are interested in Apple iPad

 

Soon after blogging about the iPhone success in terms of users satisfaction (scored highest for the sixth time), I found this one, over at ipadinsight.com.

According to a report by Robert W. Baird, consumers who already own or plan to buy a new tablet are only interested in one thing: the Apple iPad (based on a a survey of 1,114 people, 98 percent of whom lived in the United States).

Although survey participants were allowed to pick multiple tablet choices, only 10 percent chose the Hewlett-Packard TouchPad as their tablet. A mere 4 percent said they would buy Research in Motion’s new BlackBerry tablet, the PlayBook. The Acer Iconia tablet, which runs Google’s Android software, barely scored 1 percent among survey participants.

 

Hey You! Enjoy reading the mobile spoon and getting all those useful tips? Follow me on twitter or subscribe to our RSS Feed

Right now, if Apple is looking back, it cannot really see anyone in the tablets market, but that doesn't convince me to change my prediction:

Mobile Spoon Predicts: By 2013, Html5 Will Rule Enterprise Mobility

BTW, the survey also found that a 83 percent of tablet owners still plan to buy a PC computer in addition to their tablet. This means that tablet cannibalization of the PC computer is taking place at a very slow pace.

1 comments | Read more...

 

Soon after blogging about the iPhone success in terms of users satisfaction (scored highest for the sixth time), I found this one, over at ipadinsight.com.

According to a report by Robert W. Baird, consumers who already own or plan to buy a new tablet are only interested in one thing: the Apple iPad (based on a a survey of 1,114 people, 98 percent of whom lived in the United States).

Although survey participants were allowed to pick multiple tablet choices, only 10 percent chose the Hewlett-Packard TouchPad as their tablet. A mere 4 percent said they would buy Research in Motion’s new BlackBerry tablet, the PlayBook. The Acer Iconia tablet, which runs Google’s Android software, barely scored 1 percent among survey participants.

 

Hey You! Enjoy reading the mobile spoon and getting all those useful tips? Follow me on twitter or subscribe to our RSS Feed

Right now, if Apple is looking back, it cannot really see anyone in the tablets market, but that doesn't convince me to change my prediction:

Mobile Spoon Predicts: By 2013, Html5 Will Rule Enterprise Mobility

BTW, the survey also found that a 83 percent of tablet owners still plan to buy a PC computer in addition to their tablet. This means that tablet cannibalization of the PC computer is taking place at a very slow pace.