What about an iPhone or iPad?

Apple�s mobile devices are designed to sync perfectly with your Mac

Both the iPhone and iPad have a touch screen, come with email and web-browsing applications and are capable of running third party apps that you can get from Apple�s App Store. But the iPad isn�t simply a bigger iPhone. The iPhone is first and foremost a phone, and like all mobile phones, unless you buy it on Pay as You Go (which makes the device itself much more expensive) you�re going to be tied into a phone contract.

If you want all the features of the iPhone but without the phone part, then consider getting an iPod touch instead. If you�re looking for a phone then you�ll find the iPhone is designed to cover all your data needs while you�re on the go, and fits in your pocket.

In contrast, the iPad is a device that sits somewhere between an iPhone and a Mac. It also comes with a 3G data contract option, but that doesn�t include phone calls. The only phone calls you can make with it will be digitally, using VoIP apps, such as Skype. While a lot of people find the iPhone perfectly acceptable for home use, if you just need to check your email or do a quick bit of web surfing, the iPad is positively designed to be used from your sofa. It has built-in Wi-Fi, which means you can check emails and browse the web on your wireless network at home. Here it would fulfill most functions of a laptop, but don�t fall into the trap of thinking of the iPad as a replacement for a home computer. It�s fundamentally designed to be an accessory. You�re meant to keep your data on your Mac and sync your iPad with it, not the other way around.

It does have some big advantages over a Mac laptop, though. For a start, because it uses solid-state memory it�s pretty-much instant on. There�s no waiting around for it to boot up. It�s also lightweight, extremely portable and the perfect size to be used as an eBook reader.

The iPhone currently comes in two versions, the 3GS and iPhone 4. The latest model, the iPhone 4, features a stunning new 960x640 high-resolution display, making it much easier to read on-screen text. The screen itself is now IPS (in plane switching) for great viewing angles. However you hold it, the colors won�t shift. There�s also a front-facing camera for video chat and HD video recording using the rear camera.

The iPad comes in three capacities, 16GB, 32GB and 64GB, and is available in Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi + 3G versions. The 3G version costs �100 more initially and comes with data plans from either O2, Orange or Vodafone. Prices start at �429 for the 16GB Wi-Fi version, and go up to �699 for the top-of-the range 64GB Wi-Fi + 3G iPad.

�The iPad sits between an iPhone and a Mac. If you just need to check your email or do a quick bit of web surfing, the iPad is ideal�

Source of Information : Mac Format November 2010 (UK)

Open Source Hardware Defined

Members of the open source hardware community publicly issued a list of standards that define a specific piece of hardware as open source. There are 11 tenets to the open source hardware definition:

1. Documentation � The hardware must be released with documentation including design files, and must allow modification and distribution of the design files. Where documentation is not furnished with the physical product, there must be a well-publicized means of obtaining this documentation for no more than a reasonable reproduction cost, preferably downloading via the Internet without charge. The documentation must include design files in the preferred form for which a hardware developer would modify the design. Deliberately obfuscated design files are not allowed. Intermediate forms analogous to compiled computer code are not allowed as substitutes.

2. Necessary Software � If the hardware requires software, embedded or otherwise, to operate properly and fulfill its essential functions, then the documentation requirement must also include at least one of the following: The necessary software, released under an OSI-approved open source license, or other sufficient documentation such that it could reasonably be considered straightforward to write open source software that allows the device to operate properly and fulfill its essential functions.

3. Derived Works � The license must allow modifications and derived works, and must allow them to be distributed under the same terms as the license of the original hardware. The license must allow for the manufacture, sale, distribution, and use of products created from the design files or derivatives of the design files.

4. Free Redistribution � The license shall not restrict any party from selling or giving away the project documentation as a component of an aggregate distribution containing designs from several different sources. The license shall not require a royalty or other fee for such sale. The license shall not require any royalty or fee related to the sale of derived works.

5. Attribution � The license may require derived works to provide attribution to the original designer when distributing design files, manufactured products, and/ or derivatives thereof. The license may also require derived works to carry a different name or version number from the original design.

6. No Discrimination Against Persons or Groups � The license must not discriminate against any person or group of persons.

7. No Discrimination Against Fields of Endeavor � The license must not restrict anyone from making use of the hardware in a specific field of endeavor. For example, it may not restrict the hardware from being used in a business, or from being used in nuclear research.

8. Distribution of License � The rights attached to the hardware must apply to all to whom the product or documentation is redistributed without the need for execution of an additional license by those parties.

9. License Must Not Be Specific to a Product � The rights attached to the hardware must not depend on the hardware being part of a particular larger product. If the hardware is extracted from that product and used or distributed within the terms of the hardware license, all parties to whom the hardware is redistributed should have the same rights as those that are granted in conjunction with the original distribution.

10. License Must Not Restrict Other Hardware or Software � The license must not place restrictions on other hardware or software that may be distributed or used with the licensed hardware. For example, the license must not insist that all other hardware sold at the same time be open source, nor that only open source software be used in conjunction with the hardware.

11. License Must Be Technology-Neutral� No provision of the license may be predicated on any individual technology or style of interface.

Source of Information : Linux Magazine No 120.November 2010

ios 4.1 & 4.2

As this issue was going to the printer, Apple announced the release of iOS 4.1 for the iPhone and iPod touch. The update will be available for the 3G, 3GS, and iPhone 4 as well as the second and third generation iPod touch. In addition, they announced the coming November release of iOS 4.2, which will bring iOS 4 enhancements to the iPad which currently runs version 3.2. The November update will also be available for the aforementioned versions of the iPhone and iPod touch. iOS 4.1 and 4.2 include a number of new features.


Features new to iOS 4.1

� Game Center: This social networking feature is focused on iOS games. It allows you to find friends, use an �auto match� feature to play multiplayer games, and track your achievements.

� Support for the following iTunes enhancements has been added: TV show rentals for $0.99 each; access to iTunes� �Ping� feature to keep up with your friends� music and your favorite artists; upload HD video from your iPhone 4 to YouTube and MobileMe.

� AirPlay: Let�s you stream content from your iOS device to Apple TV.

� HDR Photography: Snap the Camera�s shutter and it takes 3 quick photos and combines them for better exposure.

� Bug fixes for the proximity sensor and Bluetooth.

Source of Information : IPhone Life November-December 2010

Which iOS device is best for you?

If all you�re interested in is playing music and maybe watching video (on a very small screen), forget iOS and buy one of the less-expensive iPods. If you are interested in a more feature-rich solution that lets you do more than that, check out one of the iOS options. Below are the four major user scenarios and one other possibility.

1.) The iPhone user: Major interests for these users include staying in touch with the outside world via phone, instant messaging, and up-to-the-minute e-mail. They are also interested in personal productivity aspects of the device and third-party apps. Other interests include Web browsing, music, video, games, and other aspects of the device. He or she needs and can afford long-term cellular/data service contracts.

2.) The iPad user: This user�s major interests include Web browsing, video, eBooks, news, and e-mail. Users of the Wi-Fionly version of the iPad are willing to wait for a Wi-Fi connection to upload/download e-mail. Users of the iPad Wi-Fi + 3G want or need a live 3G data connection and are willing to pay for a service contract. The iPad user prefers a larger, easy-to-read screen and is willing to trade size for it. He or she is either satisfied with their current mobile phone or doesn�t need one.

3.) The iPod touch user: This user�s major interests include music, video, and games in a pocket-sized device. Other interests include personal productivity, Web browsing, e-mail, and YouTube. He or she is not interested in an expensive cellular/data service contract. He or she is either satisfied with their current mobile phone or doesn�t need one.

4.) The iPhone + iPad user, or the iPod touch + iPad user: Some people may want two devices: a small, pocketable device when on the go and a larger, easier-to-read device around the home or office.

5.) Multiple iOS devices as gifts: There�s probably not much call for one person to own both an iPhone and iPod touch unless he or she intends on loaning the iPod touch out to friends, associates, the kids, etc. Our enterprise editor, Nathan Clevenger, commented on this point: �I�ve ordered the new iPod touch for my parents and grandparents so they can FaceTime with my kids. I�m not sure if they will use it for anything else, but at $229, it�s an inexpensive way to stay in touch without the price of a service contract!�

Source of Information : IPhone Life November-December 2010

Patriot Xporter Rage 32GB

Xporter Rage 32GB
$74.99
Patriot
www.patriotmemory.com

If you want maximum speed from a flash drive, then you want one of the new USB 3.0 drives. These models can surpass 200MBps, while the USB 2.0 interface imposes a ceiling of about 33MBps. roughly speaking, USB 3.0 will give you five to six times better performance for only double the price; when you�re talking about moving 30GB of data, throughput can matter.

That said, if speed isn�t critical for your needs, would you consider a higher performance USB 2.0 drive for only a few bucks more? Patriot�s Xporter Rage is the first quad-channel flash drive we�ve seen, using four flash chips instead of the usual two. Patriot indicates that this results in �vastly enhanced performance, particularly write speeds.�

Patriot�s claims may be a bit overzealous. ATTO and CrystalDisk both showed slightly faster read times for the dual-channel Xporter XT Boost (roughly 34 vs. 30.5MBps). For write times, though, the Rage delivers, averaging about 25MBps over the XT�s 17MBps. For a real-world, 2GB folder copy to the flash drives, the Rage completed in 2:22 (minutes:seconds) what the XT Boost did in 2:40�not quite what we�d call vastly enhanced, but still decent. Finally, while the XT scored 1399 in PCMark Vantage�s HD test suite, the Rage hit 1616.

We like the Rage�s compact size, but its flimsy-feeling design seems only halfbaked. The �rubber coating� is closer to rubber electroplating over plastic. The almost-clever, retracting sheath moves too easily, letting keys and whatnot in your pocket pull the cover back about halfway, exposing the USB tip. Patriot�s own Magnum and XT Boost sticks are both much more solid.

Bottom line: If you need better write speeds for only a few bucks more than a standard USB 2.0 drive, the Xporter Rage does well.

Specs: Capacity: 32GB; Interface: USB 2.0; Dimensions: 20.9 x 2.1 x 0.4 inches (HxWxD); Max. performance: 27MBps read, 25MBps write.

Source of Information : CPU Computer Power User November 2010

YouTube Marketing - Brand-focused videos

Viral videos in this sense � videos that seem authentic, but aren�t � may be too time-consuming or difficult for what you need to accomplish. But this doesn�t mean you can�t still use YouTube to create and curate more brand-focused videos that have the potential to drive business for your company or brand. A good example of the potential of more straightforward, brand-focused videos is seen in Old Spice�s recent campaign featuring the Old Spice Man. The Old Spice Man is a character from a wildly popular pair of Old Spice ads. He is over-the-top manly, amazing at everything and funny. Recently, the Old Spice channel on YouTube asked viewers to submit questions to the Old Spice Man. Some of the selected questions were then answered by an in-character Old Spice Man. The campaign was an astounding success. Immediately after it ended, the channel became the most viewed channel on YouTube, and the third-most subscribed YouTube channel of all time. Here are some pointers to keep in mind when trying to replicate the success of these brand-focused videos:


1. Make it very engaging. The Old Spice Man�s responses lack any special effects but are all strongly written and well-acted by Isaiah Mustafa. And the jokes are so rapidfire they encourage viewers to rewatch the videos to catch all of them. The lesson here is to keep your videos short, dense and, if possible, funny.


2. Make sure your video has important content. If comedy is not your strong suit, or your product or service is not something that lends itself to comedy, informative how to videos can be just as effective. The Internet is seen as a give-and-take medium, and viewers demand more than just an unfiltered sales pitch from advertisers.


3. Make it interactive. Another factor in the success of the Old Spice campaign is that the Old Spice Man is responding to viewers. Even if you are not as popular as Isaiah Mustafa, the ability to engage with customers� concerns in video form shows that you care. Amazon did a good job of this when they provided a video explaining why they acquired Zappos.


4. Work across platforms. The Old Spice Man answers questions from Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, Reddit and more. By drawing attention to and encouraging viewers to use the different platforms, you encourage consumers to get more deeply involved with your brand or company. Respond to a question from Twitter on YouTube, for instance. Consumers will appreciate that you put a human face behind the response.


5. Make it professional. Don�t sink a lot of money into it, but since these videos are seen as messages from your company, make sure they look and sound good. Hire a professional videographer if you have to. You don�t want people�s first thought when they think of your company to be �shoddy.�

Source of Information :  Website Magazine October 2010

YouTube Marketing - Viral videos

Sunglasses-maker Ray Ban has created a site on YouTube called Never Hide Films, where the company posts videos including viral sensations like �Cow Gives Birth to Dude� and �Guy Has Glasses Tattooed to Face�. The most popular one so far, �Sunglass Catch�, has hit nearly 5 million views. By watching them, you will see what many viral videos have in common:

1. Viral videos show something new or never seen before. This means that directly replicating a viral video � doing the same thing that another viral video shows � is impossible. The person or people shown in the video have to be doing something so unexpected that the viewer will be caught off guard and feel compelled to pass the video along.


2. The video, however, can imitate the types of videos that go viral. For instance, the �Sunglass Catch� video is similar to other homemade videos where basketball players or skateboarders do more and more outrageous stunts as the video progresses. Look at several different viral videos and see if you can imitate the types of things that are shown, if not the exact actions.


3. A good viral video lies on the border between real and unbelievable. The more gullible will be shocked and will pass it on. But even the more discerning will pass it along because they think other people have been fooled by it, and want to correct them. The sunglasses tattoo video left many people, including news outlets, questioning its accuracy. Even though it is clearly on Ray Ban�s site, commenters on YouTube still wonder if it is real.


4. The video should also look authentically homemade. Sure, there are many high-budget, visually rich ads that get passed around as viral videos � Sony Bravia�s are a good example � but with enormous budgets like that, the benefit of going viral is minimal. A good viral video will use its low budget as an asset. The lack of visual richness will also blur the boundary between real and unreal.


5. Having a place where viewers can easily connect the video back to other parts of your marketing plan is crucial. Ray Ban�s �Never Hide� tagline helps in this regard, but the fact that Ray Ban curates these videos on a single site is also important. Ray Ban also takes down copies of their advertisement from other posters so the connection to their home site is not diluted.


6. Most viral videos fail. Of the twenty videos on the Never Hide site, only four have reached one million viewers. Prepare to throw a lot of spaghetti on the wall before any of it sticks.

Source of Information :  Website Magazine October 2010

Google Knows Local (and Mobile)

Over the past two months, Google announced two enhancements to its local product offering and together they represent a significant development in the search advertising and mobile ecosystem.
In late June, Google rolled out its �Tags� offering in Google Places. Tags are essentially just yellow markers that allow business owners to promote a certain aspect of their businesses. For example, a flower shop could use a tag to showcase a website link to specials or a restaurant could use a tag to feature a link to daily menu specials. To use Google Tags, a Google Places account needs to be created and business information completed and claimed. Once the listing is validated, tags can be activated on the dashboard. Tags are currently available in all 50 U.S. states.

Keep in mind that Tags do not affect the rank of search results. They do, however, add more information to a listing and help it stand out when it appears in natural search results. The cost of this added exposure? That�s the best part. Tags are budget friendly � for a flat fee of $25 per month.

If Google Tags is not enough motivation to take mobile and local marketing seriously, Google then announced location extensions for search ads. The extensions can be used to help advertisers connect with mobile device users through browsers and applications.

The AdWords location extensions enable advertisers to feature a business location and phone number on an expandable map advertisement that appears on mobile websites and apps in the Google Display Network. Ads appear as a banner text ad with a business icon that expands to show the business location on a Google map along with ad creative, a click-to-call phone number and an option to get directions.

Advertisers will only be charged when a user clicks to call the business or visits a website, not when users click to expand the map or request directions. To utilize location extensions, advertisers need to opt-in to the Google Display Network, set up location extensions and choose to show ads on iPhones and mobile devices with full Internet browsers.

Source of Information :  Website Magazine October 2010