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No screen protector for you!

According to the website iLounge, Apple is planning to ban the sale of all protective screen film products in both its online and retail stores starting in May. Screen protectors are some of the most popular third-party products that Apple sells. The ban will affect both screen protectors sold alone and products that include screen protectors and applies to all Apple product lines.

The most popular iPhone and iPod cases contain anti-glare film, so this is certainly not due to lack of popularity. Analysts have speculated that Apple is banning screen protectors to promote the durability of their screens.

Screen protectors will still be available elsewhere, so Apple’s move remains puzzling. My guess is that iPhone and iPod Touch users will continue to use screen protectors (though they really are not needed) and buy them elsewhere. Apple is only hurting itself with this move because it will be losing sales.

Via CNET, image via Apple.

The Federal Communications Commission submitted its National Broadband Plan, as expected, to Congress yesterday.  Still in its preliminary stages, it outlines some of the Commission’s major goals.  There is a lot of work cut out for the FCC, and it wants to first establish a standard metric for network quality.  This will come in the forms of broadband benchmarking and pricing reports; unsurprising, as they already have shown interest in setting up speed tests and collecting data from ISPs in terms of latency.

The FCC’s policy fleshes out four major recommendations that they want to see  implemented:

1. Encourage and ensure “robust competition”
2. Use government resources and controls to update the networks
3. Deploy “broadband and voice in high-cost areas” and allow for broadband to be accessible and affordable to lower income Americans
4. Maximize government usage and benefits of broadband in public sectors

This is coupled by 6 long-term goals to guide the next decade:

1. The famed dream of 100 million US homes having access to 100 Mbps Down/50 Mbps Up
2. The US becoming the leader of “mobile innovation, with the fastest and most extensive wireless networks of any nation”
3. All Americans having “affordable access to robust broadband service”
4. All communities having access to 1 Gbps lines to provide vital services for education, healthcare, and government
5. All first responders having “access to a nationwide, wireless, interoperable broadband public safety network”
6. All Americans being able to use broadband to check on their energy consumption in real-time

The budget costs may be paid off following the successful auctioning of a 500 MHz spectrum to mobile carriers.  Any additional cost to taxpayers should be offset by the benefits coming from improved government efficiency, and using previously allocated government funding.  The full plan is a comprehensive 6-page report, but it still is officially and likely always be, like most Google products, in beta.  The FCC has the surprisingly realistic sentiment that the Internet is constantly in flux, and the plan will need to account for future changes.

Via Engadget, FCC

Even before the iPad has been released, Apple has detailed a replacement policy if the battery goes bad. It seems rather simple and straightforward: for $99 plus shipping, users can send their device to Apple to get not just a new battery, but a brand-new iPad.

Though it seems like a great policy, some analysts are speculating that this policy could be a foreshadowing of potential iPad problems. Previous products from Apple, like the iPhone and iPod Touch, have reportedly overheated, caught fire, or even exploded due to battery problems. In an attempt (arguably a very successful one) to preserve its public image, Apple has covered up such incidents by requiring customers to sign non-disclosure agreements if they received replacement products.

Apple may be anticipating problems with the iPad. Unfortunately, customers have little choice in the matter (other than not buying an iPad). Apple is the one who really benefits in this situation: it will earn money on defective products when they go bad.

Via Top Tech Reviews, image via Apple.

Microsoft's entertaining CEO Steve Ballmer

Leave it to Microsoft: their products are so bad that many of their employees use the iPhone, which is of course made by Apple, Microsoft’s mortal enemy. There are more than ten thousand iPhone users at Microsoft, judging by statistics of those who accessed the Microsoft employee email system, which is ten percent of the global Microsoft workforce. And apparently if you visit Microsoft’s headquarters in Seattle, you can see tons of Microsoft employees happily using their iPhones.

iPhone use may be a sort of open secret at Microsoft, but employees usually know better than to let Steve Ballmer, Microsoft’s CEO, know. An employee said in an interview, “Maybe once a year I’m in a meeting with Steve Ballmer. It doesn’t matter who’s calling — I’m not answering my phone.”

Those foolish enough to be seen with a phone in Ballmer’s presence encounter a dramatic but not unsurprising reaction, considering what Steve Ballmer has done in the past. At a recent company meeting, Ballmer grabbed an iPhone from an employee, put it on the ground, and pretended to stomp on it. A Microsoft spokeswoman declined to comment on the story.

Via NYDailyNews, image via NYDailyNews.

Barnes & Noble is planning to offer an iPad app, which will give customers the option of buying online books from a source other than Apple’s iBook store. Barnes & Noble already makes eReader software for Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPod Touch, and Blackberry. The app will provide access to more than one million e-books and periodicals from the eBookstore. Books purchased for the Nook, Barnes & Noble’s answer to Amazon’s Kindle, will be accessible through the iPad app.

Since Barnes & Noble plans to target the iPad, Amazon will probably do the same, though it also offers an e-reader. The strategy is sound: even if the iPad becomes the demise of e-readers, the companies will still make money through e-book sales.

Planned iPad competitors abound, as well as planned e-readers. Samsung and Dell have both said that they are planning to release e-readers, though the Samsung e-reader could potentially help Barnes & Noble because the two companies have agreed to partner with each other, with Barnes & Noble agreeing to offer its online store to users of Samsung’s e-reader.

Via InformationWeek, image via Barnes & Noble.

In the latest move in the escalating war between Apple and Google, Google’s latest hire has said that he hates Apple’s iPhone.

Tim Bray, a developer advocate for Android who has been recently hired at Google, said, “The iPhone vision of the mobile Internet’s future omits controversy, sex, and freedom, but includes strict limits on who can know what and who can say what.” This harsh characterization of Apple and its iPhone was expressed in a blog post.

Bray’s comment is the latest move in an escalating competition between Apple and Google—a competition so intense that it may be driving Apple and Microsoft to possibly collaborate against Google in the future.

To be fair, Bray does reserve some criticism for Google as well, saying that Google is “now too big to be purely good or in fact purely anything.” He also mentioned the fact that iPhones are selling at a rate of 90,000 units per day and Android devices are selling at a rate of 60,000 units per day, supporting the fact that the competition between the two companies is getting intense.

Via InformationWeek, image via Apple.

In the world of small and portable computers, there are netbooks. Then there are smartbooks.  And then there is the Ben Nanonote.  This little “handheld laptop” is a class on its own.  Looking like a cross between a Nintendo DS and an electronic dictionary, the device is supposed to be an easily hackable Linux computer.  The goal: developers will turn it into some sort of media player, offline dictionary/encyclopedia, or some other random device.  Here are the specs:

• 3″ 320×240 Resolution LCD
• 336 MHz XBurst JZ4720 CPU
• 32 MB RAM
• 2 GB Flash Memory
• Expandable MicroSD Card Slot
• No Wi-Fi
• One Massive Bevel

There really is not that much incentive for people to buy these, except for the $99 price tag. But even that can quickly be overshadowed by the fact that the Nanonote is easily outperformed by a smartphone.  Still if tinkering is your thing, it might be worth a look.

Via Engadget

MSI, creators of the oh-so-popular Wind line of netbooks, really likes announcing new laptops as well, and now there is another child joining the rapidly expanding family of their products.  Behold: the GE700 laptop, an enhancement over the recently announced GE600 laptop.  Specs are below, and they are pretty good:

• Intel Core i5
• ATI Radeon HD5730 with 1 GB VRAM
• 17.3” “HD+” LCD
• DDR 3 RAM (2 Slot)
• Up to two 500 GB HDD
• Optical Drive
• 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi
• Bluetooth 2.1
• HDMI Port
• e-Sata Port
• 4 USB 2.0 Ports
• 4-in-1 card reader
• HD (720p) Webcam
• 6 or 9 cell Battery
• 7 lb (3.2 kg)
• A Subwoofer

The GE700 also has MSI’s GPU Boost technology, to enable and disable discrete graphics, and MSI’s ECO Engine Power Saving Technology. Pricing is not out yet, but don’t be surprised if this hits the market pretty soon.  It looks as if MSI plans on giving Alienware a challenge for the gaming notebook market.

Via Engadget, MSI.

Apple’s iPad looks set to be a huge success, and this has competing companies worried. If competing companies do not improve their products that are meant to compete with the iPad, these products simply won’t sell and will be overshadowed by the iPad. Obviously they do not want this to happen, so companies such as Amazon, HP, and Microsoft are hard at work creating products that will be able to compete with the iPad.

Amazon wants to hire a software developer to improve its Kindle by adding web browsing capabilities to it. HP has been heavily promoting its Slate tablet, especially the fact that it will support Adobe Flash (Apple’s mobile devices famously do not support Flash). Even Microsoft has said it intends to make a tablet called the Courier.

This has all happened before the iPad has even been released. After April 3, once we know definitely what the iPad is really like, more companies will offer iPad competitors.

Via ZDNet, image via Apple.

Apple began taking orders for the iPad, which is to be released on April 3, this past Friday. By all accounts, the device now looks set to become a huge success. Estimates say that Apple received 120,000 pre-orders for the iPad on Friday alone.

Apple has not released any actual statistics yet, but analysts estimated the number of iPads sold by subtracting Apple’s typical online daily sales from Friday’s online sales. Of course there has been no official confirmation from Apple, but the estimate is probably reliable.

The purchasing appears to be evenly split between the 16 GB, 32 GB, and 64 GB models. Seventy percent of the orders were for the WiFi only model, which is the model being due to be released on April 3 (the 3G model comes out later in April).

Via Examiner.com, image via Apple.

Intel turned heads in the hardware world with its release of the Core i7 980x. With a stock 3.33 GHz and a ridiculous hex-core (that’s right, 6 cores) it easily is the number one consumer processor.  Even with the premium price of $999, AnandTech raved as the chip blew out benchmark after benchmark.

If for some peculiar reason you weren’t astounded by the sheer power of that, Origin PC has the solution for you.  On its Genesis desktop, it is offering the Core i7-980x overclocked to an astonishing 4.3 GHz.  Let us restate for added emphasis: 6 cores at 4.3 GHz.

And since the 980X is an Extreme Edition, it has overclocking covered in the warranty.  Have fun trying to max it out, if you can pay the price.  Just the processor option for the OC 980X is $1044.  So if you have over a thousand dollars burning a hole in your pocket, be my guest. I shall envy you.

Via Engadget.

Asus is considered to be the father of netbooks. When the company first released the Eee PC netbook, the company pioneered a new genre of processing system; and sure enough, the Eee proceeded to win multiple awards such as the Forbes Asia’s product of the year. Now, Asus has finally released the next line in the acclaimed Eee series: the Eee PC 1001P. The new netbook offers numerous specs:

• Processor: Intel Atom N450 1.66GHz
• Intel GMA 3150 graphics
• 250GB HDD
• 1GB RAM (2GB max)
• 10.1-Inch Matte 1024×600 WSVGA LCD Display
• 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
• Windows 7 Starter
• 11 hours battery life

Clearly, the Eee 1001P is a solid netbook. However, there has been some controversy regarding the recent change in policy for the physical recovery media. When problems occurred with the operating system, Asus offered the option of pressing the F9 key when the Bios screen appears to help restore the computer to a backup mode, and they also provided a CD to restore the netbook in case the user deleted the F9 method file. Asus now has decided to no longer send any restore CD.

As a result, the user is obligated to keep the F9 function, and if not, will have no alternative in terms of restoring the system to its original settings.  But with a price tag of $290 and stylish black, white, pink, or blue color options all with a nice matte finish, Asus’ new line of netbooks are nevertheless truly extraordinary products.

Via Geek and New Netbook Reviews

Products such as the iPhone, which combine the basic functions of a phone with a computer’s utility and web access, are exemplary of our desire to fuse technology into newer and better forms. Companies worldwide are trying to keep with this optimization momentum and build towards even smaller, multi-function devices. The next step appears to be incorporation of the tablet form factor.

According to GoRumors.com, Qualcomm has submitted a patent for a device that will combine aspects of a netbook, phone, and tablet. The device is intended to provide different functions based on its folding. In its most expanded state it would function as a tablet, and in its most compact state a phone. There is expected be some kind of netbook-like capability in between. If people become enthralled with the iPad, then a product such as this will most likely be able to dominate the market. As of now, there is no guarantee that such a product will be produced, but the news that such an idea is in the works is still exciting.

Via Liliputing.

The announcement of Google’s ultimatum to China regarding Internet censorship generated much fanfare across the Web, about the purity of the values that Google fought for and represented.  Now it seems Google is backing its threat, and bidding a final farewell to the world’s most populated country.

The delay so far was due to negotiations between Google and China, to see if any sort of resolution could be developed to keep the controversial Google.cn up and running.  However, the Chinese government has publicly declared it would not revoke its current internet censorship policy simply for Google’s sake. This coupled with the apparent inability of talks to lead towards results has made Google adamant about leaving.

Google now says it is “99.9 percent” certain it will close down its main Chinese operations and Google.cn.  It wishes to maintain other projects it had there, before Google.cn’s conception, but it is now unlikely that Google will have a place in China at all.  Still, much of Google’s base in the Western world will have a sense of newfound pride in its search engine overlords.

Via Financial Times

In the eyes of many, it is a move long overdue: the Federal Communication Commission will be debuting a plan to regulate and expand the internet to meet the need of its highly expanding user base.  Dubbed as FCC’s “National Broadband Plan”, it is to be proposed to Congress this Tuesday.

This is a big deal in the US, where telecommunications are one of the biggest bastions of corporatism and deregulation, and American broadband has remained stagnant for the last decade, as Europe and Asia races ahead.  The goal of it is stated on Broadband.gov, a new site dedicated towards this effort:

“The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) was signed into law on February 17, 2009. The Broadband Initiatives funded in the Act are intended to accelerate broadband deployment across the United States. The Recovery Act authorizes the FCC to create a National Broadband Plan, that ‘shall seek to ensure that all people of the United States have access to broadband capability and shall establish benchmarks for meeting that goal.’”

Broadband.gov also put up a speed test to check the current quality of people’s broadband connections.  However, whether any of this will be to much avail is up to question.  The telecommunications lobby in Washington is enormous, and it is unlikely that telecom titans like AT&T, Verizon, and Comcast will respond favorably to having their industry regulated.

Via Gizmodo

Apple COO Tim Cook

Apple’s Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook, who temporarily led Apple last year when Steve Jobs had to go on medical leave, has earned a bonus of $5 million cash, plus stock that is worth nearly $17 million. Jobs recommended the bonus and Apple’s compensation committee unanimously approved it.

Jobs recommended that Cook be given the bonus based on his “outstanding performance” while Jobs was on medical leave. Jobs received a liver transplant when he was on medical leave. Apple was rather secretive of the whole affair, which lead some observers to criticize Apple for not being more upfront about Jobs’ condition.

Under Cook’s leadership, Apple stock rose from around $80 to around $140 per share. Cook has spent a lot of his career in the technology industry. Before working for Apple, he was vice president of Corporate Materials for Compaq and has also worked for IBM. He has an MBA from Duke University.

Via BusinessWeek, image via Apple.

Steve Jobs with an iPad

Batteries are always an issue when you begin to talk about portable devices. They go bad so easily that users always want to know (and rightfully so) how to get their batteries replaced. Though Apple has not yet shipped its newest product, the iPad, it has released the details of how an iPad user would go about getting a battery replaced.

The process is apparently similar to what happens with an iPhone that needs a new battery. iPad users will have to pay $99, plus $6.95 for shipping, plus whatever local tax is, to get a new device. And apparently when you send your iPad to Apple for a new battery, you do not get the same exact one back. Instead, you receive a refurbished one, so it goes without saying to make sure to back up all data on the iPad.

This is the same process that iPhone users go through to get new batteries (luckily for me, I wouldn’t know because so far, my iPhone’s battery has behaved itself).

Via PC Magazine, image via Apple.

Intel Corporation is widely considered to be the technological giant regarding computer processors. However, AMD (Advanced Micro Devices) plans on challenging Intel’s consistent dominance in the market.

With the recently announced development of the new “Fusion” chip designed for netbooks, we are led to believe AMD plans on making its mark by targeting the “portable computer” community.

The new chip offers a relatively normal TDP of 10- 15 watts as well as decent graphics performance without requiring a separate GPU. Most importantly, this chip will fit in a netbook with a screen less than 12 inches long.

Nigel Dessau, AMD’s senior vice president, said “It will have a good processor integrated with graphics, so you won’t need the Ion graphics to give it half-decent performance… If we’d had a part, we’d have been in this space. We didn’t have a part so we went and worked on a part for the thin and light space. The plan is to come to market next year with a Fusion part that fits it nicely in a netbook type thing.”
The Fusion chip will be available sometime next year, so unfortunately, we can only speculate on its performance now.

Via Nexus404.

Lenovo has been a long time champion in the field of corporate desktops and laptops, and only recently made inroads into the personal notebook market.  It has put out a few designs for tablets, like the IdeaPad S10-3t, as well as a line of netbooks, but it has seemed to most of us that Lenovo would stay in the business of making traditional sized ThinkPads.

Talking to the AP, Lenovo CEO Yang Yuanqing stated that Lenovo is planning to shift away from traditional computing to “mobile internet products”.  He expects for mobile products to make up 70-80% of the company’s sales “within three to five years.”  This to a large degree goes against the standard image associated with Lenovo.

It is important to note that Yang didn’t go in depth about what is encapsulated by “mobile internet products”, but we can probably assume that it does not include the traditional notebook form factor.  It should be safe to say that netbooks and tablets are included, as it is unlikely for Lenovo to go MID exclusive.

Via Engadget