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<title>Haaze.com / dermedikus / All</title>
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<pubDate>Wed, 09 Mar 2011 08:10:31 +0000</pubDate>
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<title><![CDATA[iOS 4.3 arrives ahead of schedule]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ios-4-3-arrives-ahead-of-schedule</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ios-4-3-arrives-ahead-of-schedule</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 09 Mar 2011 08:10:31 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>dermedikus</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ios-4-3-arrives-ahead-of-schedule</guid>
<description><![CDATA[(Credit:Screenshot by Josh Lowensohn/CNET)Apple today released its iOS 4.3 software ahead of schedule.The software, which was originally set to be released on Friday to coincide with the launch of theiPad 2, went out to users as an update from within Apple's iTunes software this morning.New features in iOS 4.3 (photos) Among the new features are support for Wi-Fi hot spots on GSM iPhones, video streaming through Apple's AirPlay technology, iTunes Home Sharing, and improved JavaScript performance inSafari. iPad users also get a new option within the settings menu that lets them turn the iPad's side switch into either a mute switch or a screen orientation lock--functionality the company had changed with the release of iOS 4.2.iOS 4.3 was unveiled during the iPad 2 press briefing earlier this month, though developers got their hands on the first beta of the software in January. Apple released a Gold Master copy of the software just last week. The new software is the first iOS update to leave out theiPhone 3G from the list of devices that Apple will support. Joining the 3G in devices that won't be eligible for the update include the original iPhone, as well as the first- and second-generation iPod Touch. Along with iOS 4.3 for iOS devices, the Apple TV received a software update today that adds Major League Baseball's MLB.TV streaming service, as well as the National Basketball Association's League Pass. Both subscription services work in a similar fashion to Netflix, with users entering in their existing account credentials to gain access. That update only goes out to users with the latest version of Apple TV.Stay tuned for our hands-on with how the hot-spot feature performs on the GSM iPhone. <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Verizon iPhone a blessing for AT&T customers]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=verizon-iphone-a-blessing-for-att-customers</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=verizon-iphone-a-blessing-for-att-customers</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 10 Jan 2011 08:10:25 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>dermedikus</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=verizon-iphone-a-blessing-for-att-customers</guid>
<description><![CDATA[More than a year ago, when talk of perceived problems with AT&amp;T's wireless network hit a fever pitch online, I was among those who asserted that the performance problems some were having were due to the iPhone, as AT&amp;T had become the first network to have to deal with millions of people using smartphones all the time. As an AT&amp;amp'T iPhone user, I say, welcome!(Credit:Geeky Gadgets)Sure, smartphones had been around, but not in the numbers they hit when theiPhone 3G came out, and people didn't devour data as much as they did once the App Store opened. I blamed the problems mostly on iPhone users, like myself. (And I wasn't the only one.)That said, if Verizon, as expected, announces an iPhone for its network tomorrow, and, as expected, some AT&amp;T users jump ship for the new carrier, it might actually be a good thing for AT&amp;T--and its remaining users.Analysts from the Yankee Group estimate that 2.5 million iPhone users on AT&amp;T might migrate to Verizon in the first year due to AT&amp;T's overtaxed network, and that represents about 3 percent of AT&amp;T's 93 million customers (though estimates range from 1 million to 6 million). But those are iPhone users, which use the lion's share of AT&amp;T's wireless data. (Some estimates put it at as much as 65 percent.)A migration on that scale means AT&amp;T might take a small revenue hit, but it also means that much of the data that those 2.5 million iPhone users eat will be freed up for the other several million iPhone users.Some analysts suggest that Verizon will sell 13.2 million iPhones in 2011, including subscriber turnover from AT&amp;T, which is expected to sell 8.8 million itself, even with competition from Verizon.This is all academic, though, as the expected Verizon iPhone is not yet available. There's no telling how many users will switch, though it's almost certain that some will.One more variable to consider: AT&amp;T's 3G is based on GSM's HSPA, which tends to be faster than Verizon's CDMA-based 1xEV-DO rA. It's possible AT&amp;T iPhone users who switch to Verizon will actually get slower 3G speeds than they had before, which might cause some backlash that could keep some users from switching.AT&amp;T Executive Vice President Larry Solomon noted the possible difference in speeds, saying, &quot;The iPhone is built for speed, but that's not what you get with a CDMA phone. I'm not sure iPhone users are ready for life in the slow lane.&quot;This was, of course, a way to try to talk up his own network while throwing a slight diss to the competition. But Solomon can't keep that small percentage who are frustrated with AT&amp;T's coverage issues from leaving for what they think might be greener pastures, and that might be OK. Freeing up 3G bandwidth on its network while losing little in revenue is a good thing for AT&amp;T--and its users.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[CES: Consumer tech heavies move into smart home]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ces-consumer-tech-heavies-move-into-smart-home</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ces-consumer-tech-heavies-move-into-smart-home</comments>
<pubDate>Wed, 05 Jan 2011 08:10:43 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>dermedikus</dc:creator>
<category>Eco</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=ces-consumer-tech-heavies-move-into-smart-home</guid>
<description><![CDATA[LAS VEGAS--For some consumer electronics companies, the living room is just the start. Coming next is a home filled with connected appliances and gadgets that can be remotely controlled and programmed to shave down energy bills. At the Consumer Electronics Show, LG on today touted its line of Thinq &quot;smart&quot; appliances, which use a Wi-Fi connection and a smart meter to bring features, such as programming appliances to work at off-peak times or diagnosing appliance problems through customer service online.LG takes on the smarter, green home (photos) Its booth at CES featured its array of smart appliances, including a connected washer, dryer, refrigerator, and a robot vacuum cleaner. All devices can be networked and controlled with a PC or touch-screen device, such as a smart phone or tablet.LG also showed off some features of its household appliances that make them more energy efficient, such as an alternative washer drum design. In electronics, LG is making improvements to its cell phones to reduce power consumption and improve recycling.A few steps away in the Panasonic booth, the Japanese industrial giant has a display showing all the equipment it is developing for a connected, energy-smart home.Panasonic this year is showing off a home energy management system that uses a small gateway device to connect to appliances and an electric vehicle charging station. From a TV, people can also see their energy and water consumption.Panasonic's home energy system (photos) It also has a fuel cell that produces electricity and heat for hot water from natural gas. Meanwhile, Panasonic has developed batteries for home storage and recently closed its acquisition of Sanyo, giving it a line of solar panels to sell.Elsewhere at CES, other large companies, including Toshiba and General Electric, are expected to show off digital home energy offerings. Several other companies are working on home automation from various directions, such as offering energy management with home security.Verizon today showed off a home monitoring and control service it will begin pilot testing in New Jersey this quarter. People will be able to purchase a kit which Z-Wave wireless devices, such as a Web security camera or wireless thermostat, and use Verizon's portal to manage security or program indoor climate and track energy usage.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Rare, transparent Mac SE not worth $25,000]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=rare-transparent-mac-se-not-worth-25000</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=rare-transparent-mac-se-not-worth-25000</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 06 Dec 2010 08:10:24 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>dermedikus</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=rare-transparent-mac-se-not-worth-25000</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Sometimes, the comparison just isn't apples to apples.A rare Apple-1 recently sold for $215,000. However, a rare, transparentMac SE couldn't even get $25,000 slipped into its garter.Which inevitably leads one to an examination of the word &quot;rare.&quot;There were, allegedly, around 200 Apple-1s created. There were, equally allegedly, only 10 transparent Mac SEs.And yet, in bidding that closed on Saturday, a transparent Mac SE failed to attract one bid of the $25,000 minimum on eBay.(Credit:Screenshot: Chris Matyszczyk/CNET)The seller, who says he worked in Apple R&amp;D in the 1908s, said the Mac SE was in &quot;ideal shape&quot; and that &quot;every component except for the on-board battery is original.&quot; Yes, the only way to boot it was from the 800k floppy drive. But surely this is a masterpiece of translucent joy.And yet, not one fanperson was prepared to dedicate a mere pittance for an iconic jewel that was created only for internal use. Yes, it is very possible that not one non-technophile's grubby mitts have ever been near this work of art.Many will, no doubt, have their own views about why one Apple rarity is worth hundreds of thousands and another cannot fetch the cost of a long and enjoyable weekend in Vegas.I have one theory for this discrepancy. While the Mac SE was cast into eBay's populist waters, the Apple-1 was placed into the delicate gloved hands of the hoi polloi at Christie's.Packaging is a rare art form.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Google Editions: Divide And&nbsp'Conquer]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=google-editions-divide-andnbspconquer</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=google-editions-divide-andnbspconquer</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>dermedikus</dc:creator>
<category>Latest News</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=google-editions-divide-andnbspconquer</guid>
<description><![CDATA[The e-reading battle is raging hot, and while statistics ostensibly showing an insurgent iPad should be taken with a grain of salt, the volatility of the market is plain to see. The Kindle has made the most of an early lead, and promises to be a highly popular gift item. The Nook Color is receiving encouraging reviews and has just been rooted, rendering it a thrifty choice for tablet shoppers. Color e-ink is on the horizon. It&amp;'s a glorious time to be an e-book seller.So it&amp;'s no surprise that Google is jumping into the fray with the long-awaited Google Editions service, set to launch by the end of the year in the U.S. and first quarter of 2011 internationally. But between Kindle, Barnes &amp;amp' Noble, Kobo, iBooks, and independent publishing services like Amazon&amp;'s DTP and the unfortunately-named Pubit, is there room for another player Not that that&amp;'s ever stopped anyone from trying &amp;mdash' but I think in this case it may be that Google brings something new to the table: decentralization.Google knows, I am sure, that to compete directly with Kindle-like services would be suicide for Google Editions. Amazon and the others have found success in the creation of a brick-and-mortar simulacrum. You go to the virtual Barnes &amp;amp' Noble the way you&amp;'d go to a real Barnes &amp;amp' Noble, you browse the site the way you&amp;'d browse the store, you see the book, you look inside the cover, you read a few pages. The success of the virtual store is undeniable, and it will continue to be a success. To try to shoehorn in another one, as Apple is doing with mixed success, is a project Google is just not suited for. Truth be told, they&amp;'re terrible at that kind of thing.But they are good at creating something that people will use without even knowing it, and they&amp;'re good at collecting and organizing information. Google Editions isn&amp;'t going to be the Kindle Store with a more spartan web aesthetic: it&amp;'s going to be a network of individuals, indexed, managed, and regularly milked by Google. While the terms encourage sellers to sell via Google&amp;'s existing services (Checkout, direct referrals from search, etc, I would guess), the revenue split is only slightly decreased for resellers. The meaning is clear: Google wants to create an army of booksellers making direct sales to users visiting their site, blog, or what have you.The advantages of not having to go through, for instance, Amazon, when selling your book, are hard to quantify. But the notion that an author will be able to place a widget on their own page, and have the book-buying transaction be self-contained rather than being transferred to Amazon, is significant. The attraction of being an independent node will be an attractive one for many to whom other e-book stores&amp;' terms may not be permissive or customizable enough. As Dominique Raccah of Sourcebooks Inc., an Illinois publisher, puts it, &amp;''Google is going to turn every Internet space that talks about a book into a place where you can buy that book.&amp;''As there has been a significant shift towards self-publishing, and an understandable drive for the monetization thereof, Google Editions might be getting in at the beginning of an expanding market. Centralized stores will of course remain popular, but the web is becoming quite the discovery engine, partially because of Google itself, which puts them in an undeniably advantageous starting position for this kind of thing. They don&amp;'t intend to take Amazon down, but they plan to be there if the virtual bookstore model takes itself down.The actual e-reading platform Google describes is less well-formed. Amazon has, as noted above, a huge advantage in being the market leader in e-book devices as well as sales, and hasn&amp;'t even (as Apple might have done) used that position to strong-arm consumers into buying their hardware. As commenters pointed out yesterday on the iPad/Kindle story, it is possible and even likely that many of the iPads identified as e-readers in that survey were running Kindle software. Amazon knows that either service would survive on its own, as the Kindle is probably the best e-reader device on the market, and the Kindle store is the most familiar and well-integrated e-book marketplace. They want people to buy iPads! The more people reading e-books, the more people buying e-books, and Amazon is surely hard at work getting exclusive content and sweetheart deals with publishers.The upward march of Android version numbers and the release of Chrome OS devices may give us some insight to the reading platform over time, but for the moment, it appears to be a web-bound service, perhaps best explained to wary consumers as a Gmail for your e-books. I can&amp;'t say I&amp;'m particularly attracted to such a thing, though it&amp;'s too early to trouble ourselves much about it, since not only is it unlaunched, but will likely still be raw when it goes live. We&amp;'ll assess it separately once a product is actually available. And if you&amp;'re wondering whether this affects which e-reader you should get the spouse, the answer is no, not really. No need to find a replacement gift.There is also the question of cross-compatibility with other services. You may as well ask about the availability of personal unicorns for your cloud chariot. These services are fighting tooth and nail to keep books within their ecosystems, and it&amp;'ll be a while before official drag-and-drop support between the majors will be permitted. Technical issues also abound: while I read Google Books PDFs on my iPad all the time, the images are encoded with JPEG 2000, which isn&amp;'t supported by iOS, and so huge portions of my collection of The Gentleman&amp;'s Magazine turn up blank (pro tip: resaving the PDF in Preview fixes this). Shame on Apple for not supporting this image format &amp;mdash' but I digress. The point is that technical standards will need to be addressed as well as digital rights and such.The Google Editions news comes on the heels of a major announcement by Google, the Authors Guild, and the Association of American Publishers, to the effect that they&amp;'ve worked out their long-running issues and will be cooperating on the service. The details of the announcement can be found here and here' the gist seems to be that the key players have agreed to whatever revenue sharing, donations, legal rights, and so on were desirable in exchange for Google access to their content. Now that the hurly-burly is done, Google can launch with confidence.It&amp;'s too late for Google to take advantage of the holidays, I&amp;'m afraid, though we can probably expect a soft launch later this month. Indeed, it would be fair to say it has already launched, since many of the terms, details, and policies have already been published. We&amp;'ll certainly be hearing more over the next few months, though, as Google makes its device and platform strategies more clear.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[JiWire brings location data to mobile ads with Compass]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=jiwire-brings-location-data-to-mobile-ads-with-compass</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=jiwire-brings-location-data-to-mobile-ads-with-compass</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>dermedikus</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=jiwire-brings-location-data-to-mobile-ads-with-compass</guid>
<description><![CDATA[JiWire, a company that uses Wi-Fi locations to deliver ads to consumers, today announced the launch of Compass, a service that delivers ads that pull in specific data based on the user&amp;'s location.The Compass ads can appear on iPad, smartphones or laptops and appear as normal display ads. Once the consumer clicks on an ad, it expands into a full-screen ad and, depending on the advertiser, may show where a physical store location is or where products are sold in proximity to the user.The consumer has several choices after they experience an ad,including contacting the store, getting driving instructions or learning more information, which is a custom tab feature that can support video, promotions or product demos. The company gives several examples of these choices, including booking an appointment to try on a wedding dress and making a restaurant reservation.JiWireclaims to have more than 40 million mobile users in its network, aggregated in several ways, including partnerships with major internet service providers like AT&amp;amp'T, T-Mobile andBritish Telecom. By using JiWire&amp;'s advertising services, providers can deliver users to the company&amp;'s advertisers generating revenue.The company has made some big moves recently, including the acquisition of NearbyNow, which gives the company the ability to show which stores a product is available in stores within an app or ad, as well as a partnership with Groupon, offering more targeted deals to consumers.The San Francisco-based company, founded in 2003, last secured $2.1 million in funding from existing investors Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Panorama Capital and Comcast Interactive Capital. The company has raised close to $16 million in total funding.Previous Story: Aupeo&amp;'s Internet radio comes to the Nokia Ovi storePrintEmailTwitterFacebookGoogle BuzzLinkedIn      DiggStumbleUponRedditDeliciousGoogleMore&amp;8230'          Tags: ads, Compass, location-based, location-based ads, mobile, mobile adsCompanies: Groupon, JiWire, NearbyNow          Tags: ads, Compass, location-based, location-based ads, mobile, mobile adsCompanies: Groupon, JiWire, NearbyNowCody Barbierri is a social and digital media consultant. He works for Piehead and blogs about social media at Social Tab. (None of his posts are about clients or their competitors.) Reach him at Cody@venturebeat.com. You can also follow Cody on Twitter.VentureBeat has new weekly email newsletters.  Stay on top of the news, and don't miss a beat.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Apple sued over spying mobile apps]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=apple-sued-over-spying-mobile-apps</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=apple-sued-over-spying-mobile-apps</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>dermedikus</dc:creator>
<category>Latest News</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=apple-sued-over-spying-mobile-apps</guid>
<description><![CDATA[This was bound to happen sooner or later. A Los Angeles county man has filed a lawsuit against Apple, along with several mobile app developers, for allowing apps that transmit private user information to ad networks without user consent.The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Jonathan Lalo on December 23 in a San Jose, California federal court, Bloomberg reports.The suit claims that Apple devices like the iPhone and iPad are equipped with unique ID numbers (dubbed UDIDs) that allow advertising networks to track user activity &amp;8212' like what sorts of apps are downloaded and how long they&amp;'re used. Unlike cookies, which are used on computers to track user activity, Apple&amp;'s device IDs are permanent, and users can&amp;'t block their transmission to third parties.According to the suit, a4ASome apps are also selling additional information to ad networks, including usersa4a4 location, age, gender, income, ethnicity, sexual orientation and political views.a4The news follows an investigation by the Wall Street Journal that revealed the extent to which many popular mobile apps share private user data. Named in the suit are popular apps like Pandora, Paper Toss, and the Weather Channel, which were singled out by the WSJ for the data they shared with advertisers.The suit seeks class-action status for Apple customers who have downloaded iPhone or iPad apps between December 1, 2008 and last week, claiming that transmitting personal information is a violation of federal computer fraud and privacy laws.Apple claims that it reviews apps and doesn&amp;'t allow them to transmit personal information without permission, but the WSJ&amp;'s report shows multiple instances of approved popular apps that are guilty of sharing data. Apple hasn&amp;'t yet responded to the WSJ&amp;'s investigation, but now that there&amp;'s a lawsuit in the mix, I suspect we&amp;'ll be hearing something from the Cupertino company soon.Calling all developers: We want your apps for VentureBeata4a4s Mobile App Spotlight! If you have a cool mobile app that hasna4a4t been featured on VentureBeat yet, sign up!Previous Story: Verizon iPad 2 to join the Verizon iPhone in 2011PrintEmailTwitterFacebookGoogle BuzzLinkedIn      DiggStumbleUponRedditDeliciousGoogleMore&amp;8230'          Tags: apps, iOS, iPad, iPhone, lawsuit, securityCompanies: ApplePeople: Jonathan Lalo          Tags: apps, iOS, iPad, iPhone, lawsuit, securityCompanies: ApplePeople: Jonathan LaloDevindra Hardawar is VentureBeat's lead mobile writer and East Coast correspondent. He studied philosophy at Amherst College, worked in IT support for several years, and has been writing about technology since 2004. He now lives in Brooklyn, New York. You can reach him at devindra@venturebeat.com (all story pitches should also be sent to tips@venturebeat.com), and on Twitter at @Devindra.VentureBeat has new weekly email newsletters.  Stay on top of the news, and don't miss a beat.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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