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It's been ten days since Siri hit the scene and the virtual assistant is in the process of being torn apart by the hacking community. Siri, as it.

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Push Pop Press, a startup led by former Apple engineers with the goal of delivering dynamic books as iOS titles aimed at Apple's iPad, has been acquired by Facebook and will abandon its publishing platform pl…

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by The DEMO Conference

The perils of being early adopters

Product testing is a common practice for many manufacturers. In the enterprise space, vendors refer to them as beta testers – people or companies who agree to test an indevelopment product to check it for usability (or lack thereof) and help fine tune the product. The benefit of being a beta tester is you get to be at the cutting edge of the market with influence over the course or development of a product.

A more common name that has cropped up in recent years is early adopter. TechTarget defines an early adopter as a person who embraces new technology before most other people do. Early adopters tend to buy or try out new hardware items and programs, and new versions of existing programs, sooner than most of their peers. According to a theory called Diffusion of Innovations (DoI) formulated by Everett Rogers, early adopters make up 13.5 percent of the population.

While bragging rights and the envy of all are qualities that come with being an early adopter, it is well known that the risks associated with being first to own are real. Software may be buggy, as in the recently launched 15-inch and 17-inc Macbook Pros. Apple published a 256MB patch as part of its software update 1.3 (http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1600979/apple-microsoft-patch-buggy-products).

When Apple released its new toy – the iPad – I was one of those who posted an early look at the device.

Back then I was merely trying to set straight what the iPad was, and what it wasn’t. At the time of writing, the iPad was touted as a tablet PC in the vein of tablet PCs running Windows 7 and Linux. For a couple of months I resisted getting the iPad for a number of reasons:

First generation Apple consumer products usually are feature poor. In the case of the iPad, it lacked any USB ports, no memory slot card reader, does not support multi-tasking, and no camera.

But my wife decided to get one for me as a birthday present. Within one week from unboxing the iPad, I discovered one more flaw – a very severe one, in my view. The WiFi stopped working! I really mean stopped working. The iPad could not pick up any WiFi signal whatsoever. Apple tech forums offered a number of suggestions and I tried all of them but my iPad – which I dubbed iGor – remains unable to connect to anything other than the laptop.

Before Steve tells me I am stupid, yes, Apple. I restored the software (three times). I reset it several times as well. I turned off the auto brightness control. I set the brightness to maximum. I even called the vaunted Apple Tech Support and after almost 30 minutes of fiddling around with iGor, the technical on the other side of the phone suggested I bring it to the nearest Apple Store for repair.

There was one small catch! The iPad is not yet available in Hong Kong. I was given a choice: fly to the nearest country that has the Apple locally available – that would be either Japan (five hours away) or Australia (8 hours away) or wait until it becomes available in Hong Kong (no idea when that will be).

Being in the media, I thought I’d try to use my media charm and cry ‘help’ to the local Apple PR contact. I was not surprised when I didn’t get any response (not even an email bounce).

Scouring through the Internet, I came to this article about the vaunted iPad WiFi problem. (http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/ipad_hits_a_bump_wi-fi_woes_point_to_apple_bug.php) But none of the fixes were of any help for me. I am resigned to the idea that I will have to wait until when Apple decides to make the iPad available in Hong Kong.

What I am left with today is an oversized iPod Touch (minus WiFi). 

Its great for reading ebooks or playing games – installed via iTunes. The videos are not as sharp as I’d expect and this is despite my trying out several settings when ripping a couple of DVD movies. But the one feature that I have come to expect from any mobile device – WiFi connectivity – remains off the table.

I don’t really know if there is anyone to hold blame here. Maybe everyone is. But what I do believe is that Apple has an obligation to respond to its customers’ call for help regardless of whether it can do anything immediately or not. Silence is nothing more than an indication it doesn’t really care about its customers – people without whom Apple would have long passed into oblivion.

My wife probably paid close to US,000 to get this iPad for me by any means she possible, paying a 35% premium just to get it for me on my birthday.  

I am hoping to cross the border later in July or August to get my hands on the iPed – a purported iPad clone. I hope to get an Android version. I was told I can get one for US5.

Yes I am an early adopter. Being an early adopter has its perils. But when you invest US5 in a product and it works as advertised, it begs the question: why pay US,000 for a premium-branded door-stopped.

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If they reflect the early release for iPad shows glimpses of the Amazon has been a threat to Apple, then enter the market as the iPad, and publishers continue to receive support, Amazon has begun to realize that the immediate threat may …

View full post on publishers ipad – Google Blog Search

When GQ launched for the iPad last May, the magazine’s vice president of publishing Pete Hunsinger said, “This costs us nothing extra: no printing or postage… Everything is profit, and I look forward to the time when iPad issue sales …

View full post on publishers ipad – Google Blog Search

When GQ launched for the iPad last May, the magazine’s vice president of publishing Pete Hunsinger said, “This costs us nothing extra: no printing or postage… Everything is profit, and I look forward to the time when iPad issue sales …

View full post on publishers ipad – Google Blog Search

by The DEMO Conference

MI Car Dealers Ratings: An iPad for Being Honest

DETROIT, M.I. – MI car dealers may now be rated on the website MiAutoTimes.com. As an incentive to get the most participants rating dealerships, which will give the fullest picture possible of MI car dealers, MI Auto Times has announced those who visit http://www.miautotimes.com/dealerratings will automatically be entered to win Apple’s iPad.

MI Auto Times made the announcement in its newly released video featuring highlights from the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). In this NAIAS video recap, MI Auto Times announced an iPad contest. To enter the contest, people need to review one or more MI car dealers on the MI Auto Times website.

Here’s how it works:

Visit http://www.miautotimes.com/dealerratings
Choose an automaker
Find the local dealership you want to rate
Change star rating and add your comments
Choose as many MI car dealers from the list as desired; the more dealerships that get reviewed, the better the service this becomes for other customers in need of a great car dealer in MI.
MI Auto Times will select one lucky iPad winner at random on Saturday, April 30.

The Dealership Ratings section on the MI Auto Times website features only Michigan dealerships. MI Auto Times will be reviewing comments for imposters and will publish only those MI car dealers’ ratings it recognizes to be legitimate. MI Auto Times also encourages website visitors and reviewers to flag any dealership ratings they feel are fakes.

All types of dealership ratings are welcome, both positive, negative and everywhere in between. Also, all aspects of the dealership may be rated including but not limited to sales, service, price and selection.

To enter the contest to win an iPad by rating a local dealership, visit http://www.miautotimes.com/dealerratings

Apple iPad App Review – Chopper Lite. Fancy a bit of fun, flying a helicopter around and picking up stranded civilians? This new HD version of Chopper Lite is superb. Check out my review. Application publisher: majicjungle.com Hardware manufacturer website: www.apple.com Sponsor: www.eazydraw.com Check out more great reviews on my YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com Or on the website: www.geekanoids.co.uk

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by thekellyscope

Kindle 3 Very close to being the perfect ereader

I woke up to a nice surprise this morning: a new kindle as a gift. I have an iPad and a Kindle DX, but I guess someone heard my complaints of them being too heavy and difficult to do extended-reading on. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love my iPad and DX, but this new generation of Kindle is perfect for reading outside and for long periods of time. The iPad gets completely washed out in sunlight and often irritates my eyes staring at it for more than a couple of hours. The DX was my go-to device for those extended/outdoor reading periods, but now I have a new friend for reading novels. Instead of a replacement, this one seems more like a companion to the other devices and is a different class. The iPad works great for web browsing, shopping, productivity, games, etc while the Kindle falls short in those areas. The Kindle works great for reading novels, where the iPad falls short. For those that love to do extended-reading of magazines, newspapers, research articles, etc, I find that the DX is the go-to device.

Without a doubt, the size and weight of the new kindle is the biggest draw for me. It’s smaller than the last edition by a significant margin. I’ve played around with the Kindle 2 and was impressed, but now looking at the size of the new Kindle, I’m blown away. It’s the absolute perfect size. Smaller would be unmanageable and larger wouldn’t feel nearly as good. This is a device that you can hold up, read, and just forget that it’s there. Compared to other e-readers I’ve tried, it’s much smaller and much lighter.

One of my biggest complaints about the previous generation Kindles and the DX is the speed. It sometimes takes a while after you push `next page’ for it to actually change. In addition, the web browsing feature was so slow and clunky that it is really unusable in my opinion. Two additions to the new Kindle have helped attenuate these issues. First, the pages do flip quicker (albeit, still slow in my opinion), and the addition of wifi has allowed faster connection for wireless activities (much better than only relying on 3G). I still can’t see myself using the Kindle as an internet browsing tool or really doing much online aside from purchasing reading material, but the faster connection at least opens up the possibility – something that would only frustrate me on previous editions.

The new Kindle also offers a better contrast than previous editions and it looks fantastic compared to every other e-reader I have seen. I have no trouble seeing the screen in dim light or in bright sunlight – it really opens up the ability to read almost anywhere you are. Of course, you’ll still need a separate light for extremely dark areas.

Another big addition to the Kindle 3 is that it offers double the storage compared to Kindle 2. I’ve never had a problem with the amount of storage since I can’t possibly see myself filling up that much space (I don’t put mp3′s on it), but perhaps in the future, if certain applications or media files are put on the kindle, it could have been a problem. The additional space in the new model is definitely a welcome addition, but bringing back the memory card slot that was included on Kindle 1 would have been an even more welcome addition in my opinion.

Among ebook readers, I definitely recommend the Kindle 3 if not just because it has a better size/form-factor, contrast, battery life, and speed compared to every other e-reader I have tried. On top of that, you get the wonderful amazon buying experience and selection for all your literature and can keep your kindle library intact between whatever other device you want to download a Kindle application onto.

The question of whether you need a Kindle vs another type of device for reading becomes a little more tricky and really comes down to what you want to use it for.

Do you want a device to read novels on, perhaps read outside, and have something very light that you almost forget it’s there? Buy the Kindle.

Do you want something to lie in bed with for short periods of time while surfing the web? I might suggest going with the iPad, a different tablet, or a netbook.

Do you already have a Kindle 1 or 2? That’s a tough one…. I don’t think the new edition has enough `new’ to it to warrant the upgrade in my mind, but some might value the new size and wifi capabilities even more-so than I do. For me, the new Kindle was a welcome addition to my family of devices since I didn’t have anything anywhere near its form factor and convenience.

Should you get 3G + Wifi or just Wifi? I think this question can be answered simply by asking yourself if you travel a lot. Being able to buy books and access wireless content on the road is an indispensable option and well worth the extra money in my mind. Keeping the device mainly at home or near wifi hotspots really negates the need for 3G though.

Related Kindle Articles

Ventura, CA (PRWEB) August 6, 2004

The No Child Left Behind Act is supposed to ensure that all children are successful learners. So what’s the problem?

Intention of the No Child Left Behind Act: Make sure all kids learn.

Problem: All kids are being required to learn the same things at the same time in the same way. The requirements for each grade level are getting stricter and testing is being emphasized more and more.

Results: Because children learn differently and are at different developmental stages, “one-size-fits-all” education does not work. Kids feel more and more pressure from teachers and parents to learn material they are either not ready for or that is being taught in a way that is counter to their learning styles. Then they are tested on material they were not able to learn. These kids are being set up for failure—and so are their teachers!

Solution:

1. Teach reading, writing, and other skills at appropriate developmental stages. Most kids are not ready for reading or writing until they are 8 or 9 years old—forcing them before they are ready then labeling them with a learning disability label is not only counterproductive but damaging to these children.

2. Teach the way kids learn. In any classroom, 50% to 60% of all students are hands-on/movement learners; another 20% are picture learners. Textbooks and traditional testing don’t work for the majority of students!

America’s Learning-Success™ Coaches, Victoria Kindle Hodson and Mariaemma Willis want to make sure that ALL kids are successful learners. Here is what they have to say:

“There is no reason why all students can’t learn effectively. We know too much from brain research NOT to apply the strategies that help ALL kids learn, not just a handful in each classroom. The present strategies—strict grade level requirements and more and more testing—aren’t working. It’s time to start focusing on each child’s learning success, rather than school and district testing success. This is the only way to truly ensure that no child is left behind.”

For additional information contact Learning-Success™ Institute, 805-648-1739, www.learningsuccesscoach.com

Victoria Kindle Hodson & Mariaemma Willis are the co-founders of the Learning-Success™ Institute and authors of the best-selling book, Discover Your Child’s Learning Style ($ 19.95, ISBN 0-7615-2013-9—available in most bookstores and at their website—www.learningsuccesscoach.com). The authors are available for book signings, media appearances, and speaking engagements.

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by Rob Sheridan

Question by scooter_the_squirrel_agent: Isn’t the NYC Mayor being a bit premature? Can’t he wait till the World Series is over? (Details inside)?
Can he at least wait to see if the Yanks make it that far first before he starts talking? Here is the story->

Yankees 2010 World Series champs? Mayor Bloomberg already planning parade in Canyon of Heroes

When it comes to the Yankees, Mayor Bloomberg is already thinking sweep – and street sweepers.

With the Bronx Bombers up 2-0 in their first-round series with the Twins, the mayor confessed he’s plotting another World Series ticker-tape celebration in the Canyon of Heroes.

“I’m sort of trying to figure out where the parade should start,” the mayor said Friday on his weekly radio show. “We have to plan.”

The mayor, during his appearance on WOR-AM, kept looking at his iPad.

“Checking the weather,” he explained. “Yankee game tomorrow night. Sweep would be nice.”

The Yankees won the first two games of the best-of-five series on the road, and return to Yankee Stadium with a chance to advance to round two Saturday night.

Bloomberg expressed his admiration for the pinstripers’ resilience in overcoming a 3-0 deficit in the first game. The Yankees, behind a two-run Mark Teixeira homer, bounced back for a 6-4 win.

“You can’t count, you never count the Yankees out,” the mayor said.

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/10/08/2010-10-08_ny_yankees_2010_world_series_champs_mayor_bloomberg_already_planning_parade_in_c.html

Best answer:

Answer by * E r i c a *
He’s definitely counting his chickens before they hatch.
You can’t assume anything in baseball,
let’s hope he’s not jinxing them..

Give your answer to this question below!