Zak in the Blog

Where to Invest, Google or Amazon?

2010-07-22T19:49:00.000-07:00

A Question has been popped on the web, what is the better investment, Google or Amazon. What makes this an intriguing question is most comparisons about who Google is competing with usually winds up being a debate about Apple or Microsoft. This question is a bit different, it asking where the safer risks lies in investing your money.

However, there is plenty to think about. Amazon is pretty much the king of online retail. In fact, it might be the only online retailer capable of transcending its own roots and redefine what it means to be an online retailer. Amazon has already made a few moves in this direction, particularly with the introduction of the Kindle and forcing other book retailers to keep up or fall behind.

Google, on the other hand, has its fingers in everything. Google checkout, for example, is probably the closest Google comes to competing with Amazon directly. Known as a payment gateway, it has also paired itself with online retailers and lists their wares as part of Google products.

Pushing pie charts measuring the past is not really much of an indicator of the future potential of both companies. Each have a strong niche representing a good investment. Google has search and advertising, and Amazon will sell its mother given the chance. But Google is doing much more than Amazon to capture bigger profits in the future. YouTube, owned by Google, is beginning to toy with income streams other than advertising. GoogleTV is on the horizon, combined with the possibility of renting and buying media directly through the search giant is all but a reality.

Currently Google is behind the hottest operating system available. Making its way onto smartphones, tablets, and even inside TV sets, cars, washer and dryers, just about anything you can name. It is all well connected to a mandatory Google account. It might be true that Android is be giving away for free to anyone who wishes to use the platform, but make no mistake it all means money.

Yes, you can rent and buy movies from Amazon too. The difference is that Google is intricately connecting itself to be needed beyond just shopping. Those nifty Gmail accounts include access to the future of cloud computing as well. Google Docs, Voice, and Maps, are all services attracting users to Google's brand. It is like paint on the wall, its expected and only its absence raises questions.

To really answer this question, ask yourself, "Which company can people live without?" I put my bets on Google being indispensible.

iPhone, Once and Future King

2010-07-22T12:56:00.000-07:00

It has been almost a week since Steve Jobs held an impromptu press conference and announced his thoughts on "Antennagate." It was a surprise for me because, up until then, the only term I had heard being used was "deathgrip," referring to ease in which it was possible to block reception on an iPhone when holding it in your hand. But Steve Jobs preaches Apple gospel, even in the midst of hard times, so the Antennagate has become the de facto label.

Jobs might have been pushing to create a little comedy, hoping to down play interest in Apple's demise, but there is more at stake than Consumer Reports recommendation to not buy. Ok, so it is not really a demise. iPhone sales have been astounding. It seems pretty obvious Apple's press conference was squarely aimed at the Consumer Reports recommendation, with plans to hand out free cases to iPhone 4 consumers. Cases are only a short term solution because there is a legal battle brewing in the background. In the long run this is the far more dangerous for Steve Jobs and Apple as a company. Calling it Antennagate aptly describes the conspiracy these lawsuits claim exists.

Ever since Apple released the original, iPhone the burden of reception has been put on AT&T's shoulders. With the iPhone 4, the problem of reception has shifted back to Apple radically. The design is flawed but in the press conference Jobs stated the issue as an industry problem, presenting no real solutions. I have an idea, turn the antenna around, this would put the sweet spot mostly out of reach of most users. Of course this would require admitting something could be done. It would also require a recall and a restructure of the manufacturing process, so it is not going to happen.

Cases are not going to be enough to satisfy the legal interest. For one, buying a case is going to require covering up the sexy design. Never mind most people encase their phones, even with a free case, the issue will be about the reception and the fact users are forced to use something to cover the problem.

Then there are bigger issues. Apple stated there was a problem, existing from the original iPhone and the iOS software, which reported the wrong amount of bars for the phone. In other words, the problem is really an optical illusion and if you just knew how many bars really weren't there in the first place, you would already know you cannot use this device as a phone in the first place. Ok. There is some tongue in cheek finger pointing going on here. Apple is definitely trying to push the issue back to AT&T.

I am sure this is will all be very fascinating as these class action lawsuits start making headlines. Even if Apple wins, and I am sure they will, the long term damage might already be done. AT&T owes its growth to the iPhone, but for other carriers the issue may already be done. When Apple's exclusive contract is up with AT&T, other networks might just pass on the product. If this happens it will leave Android, RIM, and even Windows 7 Phone, all the room it needs to eclipse the iPhone.

*Update: an excellent article on iPhone 4 and its relative nonsense can be found here

Facebook Sign In Credentials

2010-07-19T19:12:00.000-07:00

There is a lot of hype over Facebook's like button. It is a topic inspiring contemplation about the future of the web as a social mechanism. Anyone conscious realizes the web is only going to be more social as it moves forward. The web is the pinnacle of human communication and social media, and its growth, is a natural development when it is really thought about.

However, I think there is something much more important than Facebook's like button going on. While it is true the like button sort of makes other web pages a pseudo extension of Facebook, being able to use Facebook to sign into other sites is really what makes me find value in having a Facebook account.

Just today I found myself reading an article on CBS News which tickled my need to comment. In the past, the want to comment did not necessarily transcend into actually taking the time. Comments inevitably require signing in and, if a new user to a site, signing up, filling out information, and verifying the process through an email.

Of course, gathering user information is very important for a web portal, but this process of collecting information is a barrier when the time to do it is such a nuisance surfers choose to skip it and go on to something else. The attention span for casual browsing has to be shorter than the average toddler.

I am finding myself more apt to stick around when it is easy to do. Using my Facebook sign in credentials is exactly that, easy to do. It is not a new concept, Open ID grew on this concept years ago, but Facebook has been in a unique position for quite some time now as the leading social site on the web.

I would like to hear feedback from others. Is the ability to sign into other websites with Facebook making it easier to be social? And if not through Facebook, has the ease of being social online been increased through other sign in credentials like Open ID?

What do you think?

Overview on using iPhone iOS 4

2010-07-19T16:26:00.000-07:00

iOS4 continues Apple's legendary iPhone user experience. While the iPhone 4 has gained a lot of attention for its hardware, both good and bad, the operating system is pure refinement. This is good news for those hanging onto their iPhone 3GS, iOS4 is also available for these older devices. Whether taking the plunge on a new iPhone 4 or sticking it out with last year's model, there is new finger tip functionality waiting to be explored.

Here is a spotlight on some key new features

Wallpapers

In the past, users had to jailbreak an iPhone to gain the personal touch a wallpaper can provide. Wall papers are straight forward but come with choices for the desktop, lock screen, or both. What is on the desktop and what shows up when the phone is locked can be different and add to one's own style.

Multitasking

Ever since the iPhone's debut, Multitasking has been the one feature users have clamored for most. After launching several apps, double tapping the home button will bring up the fast tasking switching dock bar. Switching between apps is as simple as tapping a familiar icon. To shut an app completely down, hold its icon on the dock bar until it shakes. Then tap on the minus emblem appearing over the app. In addition, sliding to the left will bring up controls for media and an icon that allows locking screen orientation.

Folders

It is now possible to create folders. Hold an app until it shakes. Simply moving the app on top of another will automatically create a folder with both apps inside. The OS will suggest a name, like games but it can be changed if desired. Moving an app out of a folder is the same process, hold it until the app shakes and then move it back to the desktop.

Email

Email has gotten a welcomed overhaul as well. A unified inbox makes it convenient to check email on multiple accounts all on one screen. Threads condense emails with reply histories, saving space and help keep conversation in context. For those who need it, it can now handle multiple Exchange accounts making it more desirable in the work place.

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There are tons of little differences inside iOS4. Spellchecking to go along with auto complete, search inside text messages, geolocation, just to name a few. Apple has kept its slick and intuitive nature. Users will be able to jump right in and take advantage of what iOS4 has to offer.

Originally posted on Helium

When will Froyo actually be an Update?

2010-07-19T16:17:00.000-07:00

Froyo may be "released," but for a great many Android handset owners, the update is still just a theory. The latest and greatest Android phones are being released with Android 2.1 and the promise of an upgrade sometime this summer. It is a theory because postponements are being leaked and pushing back the timetable as far as next Christmas for some devices.

On a side note, this is strengthening Android's rooted community where Froyo is making its debut on custom ROMs like Cyanogen's version 6 RC1. Ironically, the only Android phone ahead of the curve is Google's now discontinued Nexus One. The Nexus One, in most cases, already has the official Froyo update because it is the only phone running a pure version of Android and a pet project of Google.

However, Android handset owners unwilling to risk rooting there devices still have to wait.

HTC Devices, excluding the Nexus One

HTC makes it clear that Android phones bought in 2010 will get an update to Froyo. This includes the Desire, EVO 4G, and Droid Incredible.

In broad terms, this update is slated for the second half of the year with some blurry details regarding the third quarter. Just in time for the holiday rush. Keep in mind, even though HTC is hinting at having updates ready by the end of July and early August, different carriers are involved and they have to be satisfied with the update before pushing it their users.

Motorola Devices

If you own a Backflip, forget about it, even in the rooted community there is no hope. Droid and Droid X phones, however, are going to get the upgrade. When is a big question, there is nothing listed on Motorola's Android Software Upgrade page past Android 2.1. However, a few backs the word for the Backflip was it would get an update to Android 2.1 and nothing appeared on Motorola's list either, but now the update is listed for quarter 3 of this year.

In fact, it is pretty reasonable to believe HTC's timetable is a good idea for when anything more than rumors can be counted on. The Droid had continual delays and postponements just to reach Android 2.1, so anything that might officially come from Motorola would most likely just be a timetable for when to expect a delay.

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What Android users are running into with their expectations is the problem of fragmentation. While the latest crop of smartphones running Android are quite capable of running Froyo, it is the custom tweaks, like HTC Sense and Motorola Blur, on top of the OS which slows the update process.

A guesstimate might be six months after the release of Android 2.1 on a new device or through an update.

Arizona Immigration Law Inspires Boycott by MLB Fans and Players Alike

2010-07-18T19:56:00.000-07:00

Presente | Move The Game - Post Delivery

There is a lot of attention on MLB and Arizona's Immigration Law. People are upset because the Arizona Law looks like an excuse for racial profiling. For no other reason than the color of one's skin, law enforcement has been given the power to stop individuals and demand proof of citizenship. The law might have been passed because, as many of those who support the law claim, the Federal Government has been inept at controlling the border, but this country has far too many legal citizens who fit the description of what now constitutes reasonable suspicion and the right for harassment.

This is not just an issue confined to Arizona with supporters inside the state taking an "us" versus the world stance. It is not even an issue spreading in popularity only among the borders of the United States. Larry Wachs, conservative Atlanta radio talk show host, spouts,"Can you hear us now, Mexico? Can you hear us, now? Because this land is not your land. This land is our land. I pay for it. We work for it."

Obviously there is a problem and Immigration Law Reform is necessary. However, Arizona's Law, and the one being proposed in Arkansas, is just irresponsible. It has effectively created an environment that can be compared to Germany during World War II which forced Jews to have their paperwork ready at all times. Every American should be thinking through their family tree and highlighting the truth, most of us have our roots in immigration. "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free," is the anthem this country was built upon. While being a minority classifies someone as part of a group smaller than the majority, minorities combined represent at least a quarter of the United States Population as a whole.

Arizona might have encouraged immigrants to keep on immigrating, but is also has given racism a legal cover. It also encourages minorities with every legal right to be here to put up with suspicion or leave. This is the crux behind why players who work for Major League Baseball and their fans both are doing everything they can to keep this issue front and center. Arizona's law has made a stereotype, immigrants are criminals, a De facto truth. The law might state it as illegal immigrants, but the power to enforce the law casts the shadow of suspicion only on the color of skin.

Taking a look at the thinking behind the law and some better ideas is necessary.

Illegal immigrants are responsible for a wave of violent crime

"The people who live within 60 to 80 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border have been terrorized by the Mexican drug cartels and human smugglers. One rancher testified that 300 to 1,200 people cross his ranch every day, vandalizing his property, stealing his vehicles, cutting down his fences and leaving trash."- Arizona State Sen. Sylvia Allen

This is the base, the reasoning Immigration Law Reform is necessary. Sadly it neglects to recognize how many of these same people coming over the border are fleeing the very things this Senator is using to illustrate the problem. Even worse, the statement makes the assumption that illegal immigration is solely the choice of career criminals.

This idea about criminal activity being tied directly to immigration ignores how Arizona's Law now strengthens the criminal enterprises of those who have the legal right to be here. It also ignores the second most popular idea generating support for Arizona's Immigration Law.

With so many Americans out of work, immigrants illegally living in Arizona are costing citizens' jobs

Sorry, Senator Sylvia Allen's point about crime had some credibility, but this one is one is hogwash. While it is true illegal immigrants do work and potentially take jobs from Americans, the reason this is possible is only the fault of those who give them jobs. For persons wishing to ignore good people leaving their country to come to the United States and label them a criminal for being here without going through the proper channels, they need to put this label on every person who makes employment possible for illegal immigrants.

This should be the target of Immigration Reform. Want a law that means something and does not resort to racial profiling, jail the employers and give them stiff penalties and long sentences.

Considering the worry over economic fears behind Arizona's law, it makes sense for MLB players and fans to oppose it through a boycott.

It (any boycott of Arizona) is going to harm the 200,000 people who work in the hospitality industry in the state. Arizona has already been hit very hard over the last two years." - Debbie Johnson, president and CEO of Arizona Hotel & Lodging Association

More boycotts are brewing, particularly inside California where individual cities have already figured out ways to stop doing business with Arizona.

Arizona needs to realize their new law is ill conceived, even if the problem of illegal immigration is real. However at this point, the law remains stubbornly in place and makes me think back to when Arizona was the only state unwilling to recognize Martin Luther King Jr with a holiday. That is until Public Enemy produced the song, "By the time I get to Arizona." Hey Chuck D, Flava Flav, can we get an encore?

Will smartphones running Google's new Android mobile software eventually replace the iPhone?

2010-05-25T18:15:00.000-07:00

In some people's minds, Android already has surpassed the iPhone. In terms of market percentage, NPD Group reported Android phones outpaced the sale of iPhones in the first quarter of 2010. This puts Google's Android in second place right behind Blackberry in terms of market share and paints an optimistic future for the platform. iPhones, however, have a rabid fan base and Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference scheduled in June carries with it the expectation for announcing the new iPhone HD. If true, iPhone sales will skyrocket. Sales and market share will be heavily contested this year but the long term trend points to Google as the big winner.

Currently Apple is tied to a single US carrier while Android is available on all the major networks. Apple has similar outlets for its product in European and Asian Markets and, while it has served Apple very well so far, this approach to the marketplace is a liability. Now that Google's Android has matched, or even surpassed, the iPhone's capabilities, consumers no longer have envy helping them make a smartphone purchase. Instead, buyers can concentrate on pricing plans and which carriers serve their needs best. It is only when someone lands at AT&T, or another exclusive iPhone carrier, that this tug of war between the two smartphones exists.

Apple' advantage is that it did lead the way, showing the world how a mobile device should be personal, intuitive, and just plain fun. It has made the term "app" synonymous with the iPhone and erected an ecosystem every competitor is trying to duplicate. Google's emergence as the only company capable of competing with Apple is a difference between strategies. Apple is singularly responsible for all facets of its handset while Google pushed for openness in its approach and can draw from a collaboration of partners who can provide brandable differences between phones. It is not that Google dismisses a proprietary place for software, it has provided things like voice search and maps while allowing third party products like Adobe's Flash onto the platform.

Recently, when Apple tightened the criteria for developing on its OS, it made the already notoriously picky App Store even less attractive for developers. With Google's Marketplace already growing by leaps and bounds , Apple's move is alienating developers and jeopardizing one of the key reasons the iPhone is still an attractive choice over Android, its number of apps.

Google has simply used openness to upstage Apple. Open means there is a larger pool of manufactures, developers, and carriers to draw from. Open also means the innovation, creativity, and speed of Android's development will outpace the iPhone. Open also means consumers will have a far greater choice and this is why Android will dominant.

Originally Posted on Helium

Using Google Voice

2010-05-24T14:27:00.000-07:00

Google Voice is Google's approach to phone calls, voice mail, and SMS. It is an invite only technology but with the rising popularity of Android phones and the integration of Google Voice in the OS, invites can be as easy as launching an app.

Setting up Google Voice on my Nexus One was extremely easy. The app connected me to the service and gave me a choice for voicemail between my carrier's service or Google Voice. What made Google's option compelling was my voice mail would also be turned into text and a copy sent to my email. On an Android phone with the different messaging widget possible, this makes it very easy to screen calls and figure out what is really important.

Another option is the ability of creating custom messages for individual callers or even groups. This way it is still possible to leave a timely message even when having to miss a call. Setting this up is easy, click a contact and select your preference.

Digging deeper, I discovered I was given another phone number from Google. Anyone calling this number would be routed back to whichever phone I used with Google Voice. In fact, I could set this number up to be routed back to multiple phones. When a caller is being routed through this number, it is this Google number that shows up on the caller ID. T-Mobile users could add this number to their favorites and hand the number out like candy and never worry about using up their minutes.

Android Phones also have several options for using Google Voice when placing calls. Considering that all calls through Google Voice to the United States and Canada are free, it can be a handy option when making calls between these two countries and a way around the rate hikes from carriers like AT&T. In addition, phone calls to other countries through this service are charged at two cents a minute. As an option, all international calls can automatically be set to be used through a Google number.

There is more in the works with Google Voice. In November 2009, Google purchased a company called Gizmo5 which provided VoIP software and services. Google Voice is not quite a VoIP service yet but it does seem indicate Google will be providing VoIP in the future. However, if you are an already existing Gizmo user you can set up VoIP, it is everyone else that has to wait.

Originally Posted on Helium

What to expect from the Motorola Backflip

2010-05-24T03:32:00.000-07:00

Motorola's Backflip with Blur is a unique smart phone with a physical keyboard running Android 1.5. What makes the Backflip stand out is that the keyboard folds open like a book instead of having the kind of slider keyboard found on the Droid or G1. Another difference is something called "backtrack" which is a small indented square behind the screen meant to be used much like a mouse and keep the screen clear of fingers when trying to access its apps or the web.

The Backflip does have a neat design and provides a physical keyboard for those who need one. Because of its unique clamshell approach for the keyboard, the Backflip can be partially opened and used like a desktop clock. This half folding feature can also be utilized as a way to present information to small group, like when wanting to show a photo album to family and friends.

Blur is Motorola's software layer over the top of Android. It combines messaging streams from SMS, Email, and social networks and pushes the information through Blur, essentially Motorola's brand of widgets for android. If Blur is not your style, you can remove it from your screen or replace it with other options found on the market.

If you are looking for a top of the line new Android phone, this is not it. Despite its cosmetically different look, the hardware is similar to the G1 released in 2008. The Backflip sports a 528 MHz Qualcomm processor, 172 MB of memory, and a 5 mega pixel camera. The screen is smaller than the iPhone's and lacks pinch to zoom.

Google is already leaking Android version 2.2 updates to more capable phones and even though Motorola promised an update to 2.1, it seems unlikely to arrive anytime soon or at all. Also, AT&T has substituted much of the Google experience which makes Android popular with Yahoo. Even if the Backflip does get an Android 2.1, features like voice search might not work due to contract negotiations which obligate the phone to use Yahoo search over Google.

Now that Android's latest update is delivering Flash, apps to SD, and performance/speed boosts, Motorola's Backflip feels like a dinosaur.

However, if you could care less about the cutting edge, the Backflip excels at providing a decent phone capable of running apps and keeping connected with social sites like Facebook and Twitter. It surfs the net and lets you check and respond to email on the go.

Originally posted on Helium

How to use Google Goggles

2010-05-24T01:39:00.000-07:00

Google Goggles is scary cool. Point a camera at something and come up with a list of relevant links. This is theory behind a brand new technology harnessing the power of visual search.

The application itself is simple enough. It takes advantage of the phone's built in camera and when opened up looks very much like the default camera application. Once a photo is taken, Goggles provides a line like scanner graphic moving through the picture, which lets you know it is working at finding the results.

The first time I used Google Goggles, I pointed my camera a container of Folgers and ended up on folgers.com. Not too shabby. When I snapped a photo of my cat the application came up empty. I took pictures of just about everything I could and the results favored incredibly popular items, like name brand consumer goods. Otherwise there was a lack of results or at best a series of related images not always accurate with the photo I took.

Google Goggles has another ability, related to taking pictures, but with text and not objects. With Goggles it is possible to have text scanned from one language and have it translated into another. This can be a bit tricky because getting the camera to focus correctly on exactly what you want is not always straight forward, but once it works there is no longer a need to struggle with remembering high school French while sitting at a cafe in Paris.

The potential for this technology is staggering. Dieters could snap pictures of food and have a calorie count at their finger tips. Movie theaters and restaurants could provide show times and menus at the click of a button. Landmarks could serve up detailed histories and provide routes to the best place to purchase the perfect souvenirs. Gamers could take screen shots and get instant cheat codes or a walk through on a particularly difficult spot in their quest for power.

Okay, so the technology is not quite there yet. For now it is more like a fascinating, but geeky, thing to show off at a party. But if Google Earth is any indication of how dedicated Google is at getting their data in order, it will not be too long before I can snap pictures of pretty girls on the beach and get information on where to buy her brand of suntan oil.

Originally posted on Helium

Google Android 2.2 release date and specs

2010-05-23T23:21:00.000-07:00

Android 2.2, codenamed "froyo" (as in frozen yogurt), is already being reported as released for the Nexus One. Google had announced at its 2010 I/O conference that the update should be expected in June and speculation for the update being available first for the Nexus One seems to be confirmed. However, the early over the air updates appear to be for the T-Mobile version and so far only to a lucky few. Other devices not tied directly to Google still have to be integrated and a June or a July release of Android 2.2 should still be expected.

A big part of the media swarm surrounding Android 2.2 has been the promise of support for Flash 10.1. Earlier this year Steve Jobs made it very clear Apple has no intentions to allow Adobe's product on the iPhone. Apple's disdain for the technology stated Flash would demand too much of a mobile device's resources, draining battery life needlessly, represent a security risk, and undermine the openness of web because it was a proprietary technology.

Froyo will address some of Apple's concerns in the form of the Dalvik JIT compiler. Google has cited a 2 to 5 times speed /performance boost for all Android 2.2 devices. Demonstrations with Adobe's Flash and Android 2.2 have shown a very good mobile flash experience. In addition, Google V8 javascript engine used in the Chrome browser will also be added to Android's default browser, further increasing speed and performance.

Another highly anticipated feature is support for tethering and the ability for Android to be used as a WiFi hotspot. This particular feature might be vetoed by mobile carriers concerned about the added increase this could mean for their data networks.

SD card application storage is the last of the big anticipated features. Currently, Android phones are tied to a limited amount of internal storage the size of which is unique to each handset. With this implemented it will possible for developers to build bigger apps, which is particularly enticing if what you want are better games.

There are also cosmetic changes. The new UI has phone and browser buttons flanking the app drawer icon, the Market has a minor change separating an apps description and comments on different tabs, and holding the Home button will show more recently used apps.

Other highlights include automatic updates for market apps and improved exchange support, particularly for the calendar.

Originally posted on Helium

What is Google Android?

2010-05-23T20:17:00.000-07:00

Google Android is most popularly known as an operating system for phones and upcoming tablet devices aimed to compete with mobile products like the iPhone and iPad. It has gained a lot of hype in an Apple and oranges comparison, with the oranges being Google.

But unlike Apple's mobile OS, Android is growing fast due to its open source nature which allows it to be used in multiple ways beyond just phones and tablet computers. Cars , televisions, washing machines... anything with a mere whisper of electricity running through it means Android is a likely being considered as an addition.

When Apple grabbed the headlines in 2007 and heralded in a new era of mobile devices just as personal as the PC, Google was already quietly laying its groundwork. Google purchased Android Inc in 2005, and in 2007 it announced the Open Handset Alliance with the goal of providing open standards for mobile devices.

Android itself is based on the Linux kernel, used most popularly as a server powering web pages and distributing data without the media sex appeal of a personal computer. Its technical strength did not attract mainstream consumers, which required a user to have above average IT skills. In addition, Linux could not challenge an operating system like Windows on the desktop with its deep roots in the industry which provided the developer framework and corporate ties to produce mainstream products like Adobe's Creative Suite or video games.

The emergences of mobile markets has opened up the industry to new platforms and the ability of these platforms are feeding consumer demand. Google and its Android partners has transformed the complex user experience of Linux into something slick and intuitive. Personal computing is no longer the domain of the desktop and Google now has a powerful outlet to provide its cloud applications and strengthen its advertising presence as it solidifies market presence.

Google's Android partners also have the advantage. Android can be customized, like Motorola's Blur on AT&T's Backflip, and create a brandable user experience still compatible inside the Android ecosystem. This customization is not just for phones. A company called Touch Revolution is already adding Android to washing machines and microwaves, complete with touch screens and the ability to play apps like Pandora while cooking a pizza. Car companies, like China's luxury Roewe, are adding the operating system and taking advantage of Google Maps, Navigation, and the ability to browse the web on the go.

Google Android has upped the stakes by supporting an open operating system attractive to manufactures at all levels of industry. For now the big headlines still surround mobile phones and tablets with an Android vs iPhone interest. However, as Google Android becomes more enmeshed and manufactures add it to their products, Android stands a good chance of becoming the most dominate operating system in this new era of personal computing.

Originally Posted on Helium

How can Google Nexus One be a threat to IPhone market?

2010-05-23T20:11:00.000-07:00

As a single device, the Nexus One does not kill the iPhone. It is just a remarkable phone in a world of also-rans, and maybe even one ran badly at the start. As a branded Google device spearheading a charge of Android phones, like Verizon's Droids, Sprint's Evo, and HTC's Desire, just to name a few, it has become a formable force of features and choice being delivered to consumers from a variety of carriers and manufacturers.

Android has given Apple its only worthy competitor.

Google has provided the support for an open source operating system capable of delivering a competitive alternative accessible to anyone who wishes to produce a mobile device. The Nexus One is simply Google's own version of a system capable of change on a massive scale. It is the bare bones version of Android and it has been handing it out like candy to both developers and corporate partners alike. Its initial web only sales model might be seen as failure, but it reached those independent, tech savvy, consumers willing to take part in this new ecosystem.

Marking the Nexus One, or any Android phone, by itself, as an iPhone killer misses the point. Google does not need any single phone to be the ultimate winner to provide innovative services, like voice search and navigation, to increase its strength in advertising. The cost of research and development is not Google's to bare alone, neither is the manufacturing of devices.

Anyone can make it better and this is what is competing with the iPhone.

Still, Google has changed tactics and is begun looking for more traditional partnerships for selling the Nexus One. The Nexus One has advantages over other Android phones. Specifically updates are tied directly to improvements made to the operating system without having to go through additional layers found in user interfaces like Motorola's Blur or HTC's Desire. It is the bare bones Android cutting edge and this does appeal to a great many consumers who want their updates without having to wait. As Google puts this device in hands of potential consumers, sales will increase.

That lack of an extra layer means the Nexus One will be one of the few Android phones ready for Adobe's Flash coming with the next update in June. It gives Google one more selling point while Apple and Adobe talk trash over a mobile devices ability to host Flash in the first place. However, Apple has some very diehard fans. June is also the likely time in which Apple releases the new iPhone HD and it would be silly to believe those fans will not generate a crazy amount of initial sales.

Device for device, I am sure Apple will have the numbers. This year anyways. As a collection, and as the strategy towards openness leads to greater consumer choice, Google is definitely winning.

Originally posted on Helium

How to put emotions aside and trust in God

2009-05-20T15:29:00.001-07:00

When God talked to Cain right before he killed his brother, he said, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?" (Gen 4:6 NIV) Cain was angry, miserably so, feeding on his jealousy. At that moment he was unwilling to even listen to what God was saying. All that was on his mind was that he done what he was suppose to do and God's blessing had only come to his brother, Able.

A lot of people have stated that the reason God respected and blessed Able was because Able gave a blood sacrifice while Cain's was simply an offering of fruit and vegetables. Genesis chapter four illustrates both brothers' sacrifices, what they brought to God, but in that description Able's sacrifice is detailed. The Bible states, "But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock (Gen 44 NIV)." Another translation put it this way, "And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof (Gen 4:4 KJV)." It is evident that Cain was simply performing a duty and Able's heart was beyond the duty, giving out of the very best that he had to give God.

But when God was standing there and talking to Cain and asking him about how he felt, he loved Cain just as much as he loved his brother. God asked Cain how he felt and then stated, "If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it (Gen 4:6 NIV)." God was concerned for both Abel and Cain.

In this we have a clue. We might only think of our emotions when they are peaked at some point when they feel uncontrollable. Whether it is in anger, our fist clenched, our jaw set, and somebody is going to pay, or whether it is with the fluffy, I can tip toe across clouds, feeling that takes place between a man and a woman. God made us with emotions but discovering a purpose in them takes looking at the motivations of our hearts. Maybe that fluffy feeling we call love is about to lead us into having an affair or compromise our values.

Before the feelings is the attitude of our heart. Yet when we are at a place where it feels like our feelings our uncontrollable, where "sin is crouching at our doors desiring to have us," God is right there saying, "If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?" We can listen; we can discover our intentions and change our course. We can believe that God not only has our best interest in mind, but also the best interest of the people in our lives. Otherwise we will have to live with the consequence, which often means that we lose a lot more then we could have ever imagined.

originally published on Helium here

Is the Body of Christ an epileptic?

2009-05-06T22:08:00.001-07:00

If I tell you that I am an Old Earth Creationalist, support Obama, believe in a Post Tribulation, and that I believe Christians today need to know the Torah, how many different controversies have I covered?

I am not writing this to negotiate a debate. I am writing this to point out that Christianity is divided in more ways than just the few things I mentioned. Denominations and non denominations are already doing quite well with the educated best guess called Theology. I have no idea of the actual number of different branches that have come into existence since Martin Luther nailed his thoughts to a door five hundred years ago. Ever since that moment, the splintering effect of his decision has been increasingly rapid.

No. I am not saying we all need to become Catholic. Believe me, the gravity of our division has deep roots in many different areas and Church history, the kind that has been traditionally detailed in our Educational Institutions, is just one more area that can spark great debate. The Protestant Catholic divide brings many legitimate questions and what exactly Church History is in the first place could be the title for thesis. In recent times there has been the rise of people looking into the Hebrew roots of our Faith, often with the hope that what is being discovered is somehow closer and more pure in its truth. It does not take a lot of looking into this movement before the sign of even more division is seen taking place there as well. And it does not take a lot of looking around to find others who are willing to point fingers and call it legalism.

I have asked why before. I have gone and asked pastors and anyone I could find why. Usually one of the first answers I have been given to this question is from I Corinthians chapter 12, that we are all one body with different parts. There are Baptist and snake wielding Pentecostals, Presbyterians and cautious Lutherans, and so the basic answer is that these are the parts of the body… But is Christ the head? How can a body decide to have the arms play basketball while the legs are diligently hooking up for bunji cord jumping?

The problem is that our human minds and our human thinking can never discover unity. Oh we say we then just practice love and go on from there, but the reality of this is that we put limits on how much tolerance we have for doctrines and dogma that strays too far from what we believe.

Where are our inter faith picnics or softball leagues? I know that many of us will fellowship with our neighbors when our specific faiths do not perfectly line up, but even without thinking about it we are doing much more to create walls then we are “having all things in common.”

And the world sees it. The world is telling us that our Bible is filled contradictions and we can argue all we want because we are living contradictions. Are we ready to set aside all we think we know yet? Can we bow our heads together no matter what is we think should believe and ask Christ to really be our head? What if ever person who calls themselves a Christian would honestly seek God together in this?

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Dear Internet Explorer 8

2009-04-29T23:10:00.001-07:00

I know you tried. You really really tried, but the truth is, you do not play well with others.

I do appreciatte the developer tools. I find them very useful when trying to figure out why you do not work the way all the other browsers do. This way it is much easier to figure out what I must do to make it appear as if you do.

Zak

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Registered a domain with Google and want to set up your own home server?

2009-02-14T22:31:00.001-08:00

At first this task seems impossible. I was ready to transfer my registration and spend a few extra bucks with another DNS provider. However, I tinkered and took to searching the web instead and finally found a solution.

This article assumes that when you registered your domain with Google that Enom was used as your register. It also assumes you have a server for hosting your pages and it is operational. By operational I mean you can use your ip address directly to access your web site hosted on your server.

The first thing to do is find a nameserver. A nameserver is DNS server that will keep track of your domain name, such www.mydomain.com, and tell it what ip address you want associated with your domain name. I chose Zone edit. www.zoneedit.com. Once you register an account with zone edit, click on Add Zone and enter your domain name and click add zone. Now click on the Edit Zone menu option, Select the domain name you added. And Click on the menu option entitled WebForward. Fill in the information for the redirects using this format: http://xx.xxx.xxx.xx. Select cloaked for your redirects if you want your domain name to appear in the browser for anyone landing on your website, otherwise they will see your ip address when browsing. Select change and select the default option regarding your redirect. Now when you click on Edit Zone you can find information on Zone Edit’s name servers, information you will need shortly.

Open up another tab in your browser and go to your Google administration account. From the dashboard, select Domain Settings, Domain Names, and finally Advanced DNS settings. This brings up your domain account name and password with Enom. You will need this information before selecting the link Sign in to DNS console. Click the link to sign into your account.

Once you are signed in you want to choose edit in the panel entitled DNS Information and select custom. This is where you enter the two Zone edit nameservers. After you have entered them select save and you are done.

Zone edit states that it can take up to 72 hours to see the changes, but I could use my domain in less than hour.

I hope this helped someone.