PANDIGITAL CRANKS OUT A SUB-$200 MULTIMEDIA E-READER

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CHECKING THE WEATHER – 2010 STYLE

This is how you check the weather forecast using an iPad. Thanks to my pal Jason Piper for demonstrating on his new iPad! Enjoy!

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PRE-ORDERS FOR ARCHOS 7 HIT AMAZON

Archos 7 Home Tablet is available for pre-order through Amazon for only $199.

This looks like a pretty cool Android tablet concept, and the price actually surprises me! This device is hard not to consider at such a low price.

I’m not sure what they are offering as far as screen resolution, but I would bet that this is a Flash-enabled device with a USB port, headphone jack, and memory card slot.

Archos plans on bigger versions of their device, which will be released soon after the 7. Looking at the video of the device on the Engadget website, I was not quite as moved as I was when testing out the iPad, but what the heck… it’s cheap, portable internet access. Someone will find use for it, I suppose!

What are your thoughts about this device?

Carlton Flowers
Gadget Geek

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GOOGLE/HTC ANDROID-BASED TABLET LURKS IN THE SHADOWS OF VAPOR-WARE LAND

It amazes me that no company has stepped up to the plate to release a true iPad competitive device. I just don’t get it. Sure, we have the useless “Joo-Joo” (doo-doo, poo-poo, whatever) device, which was supposed to be the “Crunch Pad”. But what use is this over-sized tablet device when you can’t run any software on it? None. And yes, there are a couple of ugly holdover devices from the mid-2000’s that have been on the market ever since, but they are either busted ugly, way to bulky, or simply small laptops missing the keyboards.

In my opinion, the secret Google Android-based tablet device has the potential to tap the market that Apple has primed more than any other company. Google showed us that they can seriously contend, quickly, when they jumped into the smart phone market with the Nexus One device. There were rumors floating about that Google had intentions to release a device built by HTC, running on the Android operating system, sometime during the first half of 2010. But reports came forth early in 2010 that for some strange reason, they abandoned their plans and put a “who-knows-when” release date on their product.

With all of the Android applications coming onto the scene lately, I am inclined to believe that Android application development could become the next hot thing. I don’t see them overtaking Apple, but they certainly could start to pile up a considerable number of applications for their operating system. The philosophical difference between Google and Apple is quite attractive, in my opinion. If I had to choose between “open source” and “closed proprietary system”, I would probably have to go with the open-source system.

However, I must admit, I am an avid iPhone owner/user. This smacks in the face of my programming and computer-building past. I learned BASIC programming on a TRS-80 (for those of you old enough to remember), then moved on to a Commodore-64. Next, I learned the Macintosh “GUI” system and stayed with Apple until I learned how to install Windows 3.1 onto old 286 computers in order to sell them. That led to a 10-year stint as a computer system builder, expert-level troubleshooter, software nerd, and programming novice. All of this doesn’t add up to the type of person who buys an iPhone. So why did I jump on the iPhone bandwaggon? Because it’s the best smart phone on the market bar none.

But I digress… hang with me, I will bring all of this full-circle! On the computer end of things, I want to tinker. I want to modify. I want to create. I want to break it down and build it back up again. I don’t want a system that does all the thinking for me. That is why I am attracted to the idea of an Android-based system, even more so than a Windows-7 based system. Heck, I’d even be happy trying out a Chrome-based system. And Google is in a prime position to tap into the market of people who are just like ME.

My question is, how long will it be before Google and possibly HTC come out of hiding, and share with us a projected date for a tablet based on Android? How many fence-sitters will grow impatient and purchase an iPad because they are sick of waiting for a contender? How many people will grow wary of the whole tablet craze, and opt to purchase a high-powered laptop computer before we see their flagship tablet product come to fruition from vapor-ware land?

Post your thoughts!

Carlton Flowers
Impatient Techno-Geek
(photo credit to www.gizmodo.com)

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APPLE CLOSES DOOR ON ADOBE IN RECENT SHOCKING MOVE

If you have been keeping up on tech news, you would know that we are in the midst of a very ugly battle between Apple, Inc. and Adobe, the creator of the Flash programming platform. Recently, Apple handed down a new rule that iPhone and iPad applications must be “originally written” in C/C++/Objective-C. That means that developers cannot use the Adobe Flash software platform to create iPhone or iPad applications.

This is a bold and aggressive move on the part of Apple Inc. that tells us they want to remain 100% in control of their ecosystem. It slams the door in the face of the company who is responsible for two of Apple’s most popular software products that run on the Macintosh system, Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop.

Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Inc., stated, “intermediate layers between the platform and the developer ultimately produces sub-standard apps and hinders the progress of the platform” in response to criticism of the company’s decision to not only ban Flash on its devices, but even as a tool for creating applications. Many of the developers using Flash claim to have spent thousands of hours on applications that will now be dead in the water with this ruling.

Adobe officials and many other critics of Apple claim that this move stifles creativity, and exercises unfair control over developers. But what is more important is the fact that this is a major step backwards for any type of settlement or collaboration to be reached between Adobe and Apple.

Rumors circulated in late 2009 that Apple was considering allowing Flashed-based applications for the iPhone while still preventing Flash to run in the Internet browser. But when Steve Jobs first presented the iPad to the public in March, we plainly saw during the demonstration that there was no plan to allow Flash to even run on the device. It was later stated, rather firmly, that Apple would not allow Adobe Flash to run on its new Internet device.

While HTML5 appears to be the next generation of video encoding for the web, Apple’s bold move may help to speed the process of encouraging website designers to make the transition from Flash to HTML5. But this process could take several years, and we can’t assume that Adobe will discontinue making improvements on its Flash product which could entice developers to continue using it.

What this all boils down to is the fact that the consumer will bear the brunt of this battle as two separate formats will continue to be developed for Internet content. Those in the market for smart phones and tablet devices will have to decide whether or not they want the best operating system and applications or ability to enjoy flash content on the net.

For now, consumers who desire having one standard platform to enjoy web content may not get their wish until the tech giants decide to settle their grudges. It’s either this, or wait until a new contender enters the market that knocks Apple off of it’s device dominance roost.

Carlton Flowers
Marketing Strategist

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iPad Is “iFlop” Compared To This Daydream: The “Rolltop”

The tech-world was set ablaze with excitement and high expectations surrounding the Apple iPad and its announcement in late February of 2010. But after all of the hype, the rumors, and prognosticating over the previous year, the unveiling of this ground-breaking technology as a device that would bring a “better internet experience”, i was sorely disappointed. In typical fashion and tradition, Apple brought us a new device that stands out on misfit island. So overconfident they were with the design and its potential, they felt no need to include simple standard amenities like a USB port, an SD memory card slot, a removable battery, a camera, a widescreen display, or ability to multitask. This could be thought of as a positive… perhaps Apple felt that their iPad would provide such a fantastic user experience that you wouldn’t need such ordinary extras.

That’s all well and good. But the biggest disappointment for me was the lack of flash support. Whether or not flash should be be wiped from the face of the internet and replaced with HTML5 doesn’t matter to me one iota. Flash has been called a memory hog, a Macintosh-crasher, a non standard proprietary corporate product, a money sucking machine for developers and more. But for now, it represents 75% of video content on the web (or so I have been told). That being the case, how does Steve Jobs get away with calling the iPad a “better internet experience” device? I don’t know.

I’m a HUGE fan of my iPhone, and I don’t think any smart phone on the market compares to my iPhone 3Gs. I waited to purchase an iPhone until the 3rd generation due to the lack of video capability, a compass, and MMS. But once those features were added, I decided I could live with the absence flash for my phone. But doing without flash on a so-called “full internet” device was a little bit tougher of a decision for me. All things considered, it boiled down to one thing: I’m not spending my hard-earned money on a device to experience half of the web while Apple and Adobe continue their spat.

This was a big let-down for me, but being that I am somewhat of a person you’d call an optimist mixed with day dreamer, I decided to turn my attention to the up-and-coming portable devices of the future like the Microsoft Courier and the HP Slate. But since we’re dreaming, why not push even deeper into the technological future? I say it is time for our imaginations to run wild!

This “Rolltop” tablet concept is definitely a product of someone’s wild imagination right now, but I do think we could see such a device as this in the next 3 years. This entire concept is just flat out amazing, from the rollable form factor to the power source. And yeah, you call me a pipe dreamer, but this is the type of idea that excites me and holds my interest. I’d wait a decade for this. Growing up as a techno-nerd reading Popular Mechanics in my spare time, I’ve always been excited about what breakthroughs we could be experiencing in the distant future. Dream with me for a few moments, and tell me how this concept excites (or bores) you after watching the video. Post your comments if you are motivated to chime in!

Forever geeky,

Carlton Flowers
Marketing Strategist

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