MY 2 Cents 4 the DAY

My Last Post: My 2 Cents 4 The Day

noreply@blogger.com (I am a lover of children's literature) — Mon, 31 Mar 2014 15:03:00 +0000

Via: MoneySense

After several years, and after approximately 1,600 posts, today I've decided it's time to retire from writing this little blog.

There are several reasons. One, and the most important one for me anyway, is that it seems that the more negative posts I do on either on Google, or Android, the less hits I seem to get. I'm not saying that Google is deliberately attempting to censor my blog or anything, but I've noticed that I have dropped from around 800 to 900 visitors per day to around a measly two or three! In other words: "What's the point?"

Another reason is that I simply do not have the time. I'm going back to writing other things, including a possible new blog on children's books, since, after all, that is what I've been trained professionally to do. I may also write for other tech sites like I have done in the past, and, who knows?, I might even do an occasional post, here-and-there, right here... all just for the fun of it, of course.

So, in conclusion, my one-or-two dear readers, many thanks for stopping by over the years, as I've really appreciated you dropping by, so take care, and so long.

And that's my 2 cents 4 the last time, Monday, March 31

Apple To Update Emoji's With More Ethnic Diversity

noreply@blogger.com (I am a lover of children's literature) — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 13:44:00 +0000

Via: AppleInsider

First introduced in Japan as an alternative to text-based emoticons, Emoj' shave become ubiquitous in messaging as they can much better convey emotions, because, as they say, "a picture is better than 10,000 words." Most emoji human characters, however, seem to be of a caucasian background so after wondering why, the publication MTV Act appealed directly to Apple's Tim Cook and yesterday they received his reply via Katie Cotton, an Apple representative which stated:

"Tim forwarded your email to me. We agree with you. Our emoji characters are based on the Unicode standard, which is necessary for them to be displayed properly across many platforms. There needs to be more diversity in the emoji character set, and we have been working closely with the Unicode Consortium in an effort to update the standard."

Apple's current emojis list consists of mostly of smiley faces, foods, plants and symbols and some are concerned at the distinct lack of ethnic diversity, even though there are some generic representations, including Chinese, Indians and Russians, but no other races.

Others have noted, however, that in Apple's last emoji it included same-sex couples and their families into the fold as part of iOS 6.

In conclusion, I've always loved emoji's as they graphically can convey emotions so much better than mere words and I'm looking forward to Apple updating them.

And that's my 2 cents 4 this snow, blizzard bound Wednesday, March 26, 2014

The Most Successful Failure Of Them All: The iPhone 5C

noreply@blogger.com (I am a lover of children's literature) — Mon, 24 Mar 2014 13:28:00 +0000

Via: 9To5Mac

I've read repetitive posts explaining what a big failure the iPhone 5C is and how it's just another reason why Apple is doomed. Of course, those with clearer thinking abilities tend to disagree.

It seems now, however, that those who think that the iPhone 5C is a failure may have failed themselves after recent new facts have emerged which says that the iPhone 5C, all by its little old lonesome, is outselling the vast majority of Android, BlackBerry and Windows phones.

Apple, according to data, has the most dominant presence in the U.S. market with its iPhone 5s taking the top spot across AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile between a three month period ending in November. Amazingly, missed by many, is the fact that Apple’s iPhone 5c is also beating out many Android flagships, as well as Windows Phones and BlackBerry 10 devices. On AT&T the iPhone 5C, in September and October, and it even beat out Samsung’s Galaxy S4.

According to recent data the iPhone 5s was number one, the Galaxy S4 was number two, and the iPhone 5c was at number three highlighting just how dominant the iPhone in the U.S is, which tells me that the iPhone 5C is anything but a failure.

It seems that most of the reports surrounding the iPhone 5c have been mainly negative, with some rumours even claiming that Apple was sitting on three million unsold units. However, it's not only in the U.S. where the iPhone is claiming success as newer studies paint a picture where in China, the world's largest mobile market, the iPhone takes a whopping 80% of the entire higher-end smartphone pie!

In conclusion, if the iPhone 5C is indeed a failure then I can only hope that I can be as successful in failing as it, because clearly the 5C is the most successful failure in mobile history.

And that's my 2 cents 4 this sunny, mild Monday, March 24, 2014

Most Profitable Tech Companies: Apple Is # ONE @ $70,446 Per Minute!

noreply@blogger.com (I am a lover of children's literature) — Fri, 21 Mar 2014 11:32:00 +0000

Via: Time

As you can see from the chart above, and the live chart here, Apple and other giant companies are making a lot of money and making it fast! Each and every second, of the day, the top tech companies are hauling in the dough. The top four are:

Apple - Profit per minute: $70,466 on Revenues of $325,121 per minute
Samsung - Profit per minute: $54,368 on Revenues of $408,997 per minute
HP - Profit per minute: $9,728 on Revenues of $213,657 per minute
Microsoft - Profit per minute: $41,596 on Revenues of $148,115 per minute

Wow, now that's what I call a lot of dough you know? President Obama recently requested that the American minimum wage be raised to $1.10 per hour, but he's going to have to increase that a wee bit more before we regular folk can ever hope to bring in the kind of money that these tech heavy weights bring in.

In conclusion, even though Samsung tops the list in revenues, the most important numbers, that of having the most profits, once again, goes to Apple! Apple is not only the top when it comes to profits, but also when it comes to brand value as you can also see here.

And that's my 2 cents 4 this sunny, spring day of Friday, March 21, 2014

LG And Motorola Android Wear Smart Watch's

noreply@blogger.com (I am a lover of children's literature) — Wed, 19 Mar 2014 12:53:00 +0000

Yesterday, reports have been highlighting Google's new Android Wear, or in this case, Google's own version of the emerging smart watch market. From what I can see is that Google's version puts, so far at least, all of the other smart watches out there, such as the Pebble, to shame.

Among the first will be LG's G Watch and Motorola's Moto 360. Of the two I prefer Motorola's extremely good-looking and much more traditional round-face watch. With a metal case enclosure, it will come in multiple styles and is a stark departure from other smart watches.

In conclusion, my biggest grip is that both the LG and Motorola watch's, despite being over all very attractive, are rather thick. A slimmer version no doubt will be coming down the pike, but for now neither of them can match some of the iWatch renderings that I've seen, but then again, that's all they are, renderings of potential watch's. We'll just have to wait, however, and see what the big Apple will unveil, if anything.

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Is A Cheaper iPhone 5C Coming?

noreply@blogger.com (I am a lover of children's literature) — Mon, 17 Mar 2014 14:48:00 +0000

Via: MacRumours

Engadget is reporting that Apple will be selling a 60 Euro cheaper 8GB iPhone 5C in Germany, and they speculate if that is true than most likely it will soon be doing the same elsewhere. The iPhone 5C as colourful as it is hasn't been known exactly to be flying off the shelves the way its to other siblings are doing so it's no surprise that Apple would want to try something to stimulate its sales.

Some have been reporting that Apple has over three-million iPhone 5C's gathering dust in warehouses and if true then obviously this is not only a rare occurrence but one that it must solve as quickly as possible.

In conclusion, as far as I'm concerned the iPhone 5C simply proves that Apple's higher end products are the ones that people want and the ones that Apple must concentrate on. Like Mercedes, BMW and other luxury brands Apple's products are perceived pretty much the same and it's one of the main reasons to buy one, to know that you have the best of the best.

And that's my 2 cents 4 this sunny Monday, March 17, 2014

Four Sexy iPhone 6 Concept Videos

noreply@blogger.com (I am a lover of children's literature) — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 14:27:00 +0000

In Sam Beckett's video above you can see his concept for the upcoming iPhone 6. It features an edge-to-edge larger screen, it's also very slim, and dare I say it, its very, very sexy ideed.

Whether it will, as some have suggested, also feature a Sapphire screen and new health apps, such as the rumoured HealthBook app, I have to admit I really love this design. Sam Bekkett isn't the only one with a great concept for the iPhone 6 either as you can see in the additional videos below:

In conclusion, we'll just have to wait and see what Apple will actually deliver, but in the meantime if it is anything as cools as the above videos we should be in for a real treat.

And that's my 2 cents 4 this gloriously sunny Friday, March 14, 2014

The Most Expensive Apps You Can Buy From Apple

noreply@blogger.com (I am a lover of children's literature) — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 13:42:00 +0000

When I go to the Mac app store I usually don't spend more than a buck or two. My most expensive app so far cost me around $20 Cdn so I was a little shocked at the prices of the ten most expensive apps that you can buy from Apple, and when I say expensive, I mean expensive as they can go as high as $999!

Well, if your interested in what they are, well you can find them listed from the good folks over at the Top-Ten Lists. I'll only list a few of them starting with number ten. Yuppers, the tenth most expensive app that you can buy from Apple is a wonderful snow globe which is actually called Water Globe. Water Globe is described, on the iTune store as:

Water Globe from iTunes

Water Globe is a set of interactive screen toys. You can use your finger to churn up the white snowflakes. The globe runs a fluid dynamics simulation as well as using gravity and shaking to produce snow motion. You can shake and tilt the screen to make the flakes go flying. You can change the globe background, gravity, snowflake size and amount of snow in the Setting screen. You can also set the globe to snow storm mode and leave it running as a "screen saver".

Now if that description describes the kind of app that you want, well your in luck, providing, of course, that you also got an extra $219.99 to buy it. Yes, that's no mistake, it'll cost you $219.99!

Number Eight on the top-ten most expensive apps that you can buy from Apple is an app called, SafeSession Voice Encryption which is described as:

SafeSession provides mobile secure VoIP calls via Internet channel. Your phone conversation is protected by voice encryption algorithms.

And the best part, it can be yours for only a measly $299.99! It may not be as cool looking as Water Globe but it can provide you with some cool protection if your one of those paranoid security types.

Thirdly, the seventh most expensive app that you can buy from Apple is a football game called, Madrid vs Barcelona, who's description reads:

The best teams in the world. The classic rivalry.

Barcelona or Madrid? It's only up to you who wins.

The most realistic graphics & simulation. Very easy to play.

Now if your a footballer, and you have to be to buy this one, because it will set you back a whopping...... $349.99! Yes, that's not a misprint, and that for only two teams, Madrid and Barcelona.

Madrid vs Barcelona Football Game

Now if your wondering why I skipped the number nine most expensive app on RichTop's Top-Ten-List it's because the app, BizjetMobile, is listed there at a whopping $249.99, but when I actually checked it out, it was listed as costing only a paltry $19.99. I'm not sure what happened there?

In conclusion, I only listed the last three most expensive apps on the list, which are all listed in Cnd currency by the way. If you wish to view the best of the rest, including the two most expensive apps which cost a mind-blowing $999.99 each, you can see them at the Top-Ten Lists so enjoy, and if you got the dough you know, you can actually go and buy em!

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Neil Young And The PonoPlayer, Is It The iPod On Steroids?

noreply@blogger.com (I am a lover of children's literature) — Mon, 10 Mar 2014 15:02:00 +0000

The iPod is one of the things that really helped to make Apple into what it is today, the world's most valuable company. However, as popular as it is, the iPhone and other smartphones have more-or-less replaced the need to have a dedicated and portable computer so it's interesting to note that the iconic, Canadian rocker, Neil Young, is about to come out with his very own portable music player.

The new player will be part of a new music service, PonoMusic and it will offer its customers high-fidelity sound play back, which is something that no one else is providing that I know of. They claim that PonoMusic will be revolutionary because its mission is to restore the very soul of music - bringing the highest-quality of sound to discerning, passionate consumers, those who hunger to hear music the way its creators intended.

PonoMusic will offer an online music store (PonoMusic.com) and a playback device itself known as The PonoPlayer and, according to PonoMusic:

"Our goal was to offer the highest quality digital music available from all the major labels and build the world’s best sounding, easy-to-use portable music player. We’ve achieved our goal and we are excited to launch our Kickstarter campaign this week to invite music lovers everywhere to join the PonoMusic community and reserve a PonoPlayer for their own enjoyment," said John Hamm, CEO of PonoMusic.

The PonoPlayer will have 128 GB of memory which should be enough to store from about 100 to 500 high-resolution digital-music albums, depending on the resolution and length of the original recording. Memory cards can be used to store and play different playlists and additional collections of music. The cost will be $399 MSRP and is available for pre-order at a discount on Kickstarter.com as of March 12th, but alas I cannot find the actual link. Sorry!

In conclusion, PonoMusic is all about high-quality music and if your interested you can be put on PonoMusic's list here for more information when it comes available

And that's my 2 cents 4 this sunny Monday, March 10, 2014

Via: Gizmodo. Source: ComputerAudiophile

Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu Pays A Visit With Mr. Cook

noreply@blogger.com (I am a lover of children's literature) — Fri, 07 Mar 2014 16:03:00 +0000

Via: YouTube

Apple is no stranger when it comes to Israel, after all it did buy several Israeli companies, such as PrimeSense, a while back and is heavily invested in the small Middle Eastern nation. With that in mind, I guess it shouldn't be all that surprising that the nation's leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, would make a stop over at Apple's sprawling Cupertino campus as briefly seen in the Youtube video below.

Personally, I've noticed that some of the coolest tech seems to come from Israel including this mind-blowing holographic device, which I would dearly love to see Apple buy.

In conclusion, it's not known exactly what the Israeli prime minister and Mr. Cook talked about but, hopefully, it means that there will be even more co-operation between the innovative Israeli tech community and that of Apple's own innovative initiatives that will strengthen both.

And that's my 2 cents 4 this sunny and warm Friday, March 07,2014

iPhone 3D Photo Apps: Seene

noreply@blogger.com (I am a lover of children's literature) — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 14:25:00 +0000

The above video is of an interesting, and iOS only, app that allows you to add depth and perspective to any iPhone photo. Yuppers, Seene is a very cool 3D app that promises to get even better in the near future, a future that will allow you to make 380 degree walk-around photos of people, pets or things.

And, best of all, it's FREE, absolutely free I tell you from the App Store. I saw the app recently featured on the BBC news site and I think this just might be the future of photos.... 3D photos that is. I also think Apple that should snap up this app like they did with Siri, because, if you ask me, it's just so damn cool.

When it comes to compatibility Seene requires iOS 6.0 or later and it's compatible with iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5s, iPad Wi-Fi (3rd generation), iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular (3rd generation), iPad Wi-Fi (4th generation), iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular (4th generation), iPad mini Wi-Fi, iPad mini Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Air, iPad Air Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad mini with Retina display, iPad mini with Retina display Wi-Fi + Cellular, and iPod touch (5th generation). This app is also optimized for the iPhone 5, as noted by the App Store, and it requires 11.2mb of memory.

I loved the Verge's take on it, but I especially love how Techcrunch described it:

Poor Lytro! The oddly-shaped camera got its fair share of buzz when it launched back in 2011, with its special sensor that allowed for all sorts of neat tricks (like being able to “shift” the perspective of a photo a bit after you’ve already snapped it.)

Alas, like the landfill’s worth of standalone pocket cameras that fell before it, the Lytro’s functionality has largely been replicated by mobile apps. One of our favorite apps in that group is Seene. Seene lets you take super trippy “3D” photos with just your iPhone. It actually takes a bunch of photos as you move your phone around an object, then intelligently stitches them together using all sorts of computer vision voodoo.

In conclusion, even though you can't save your spanking new 3D photos in your regular photo archives (they're working on it!!) this is one program that can make otherwise boring, regular old photos oh so much more interesting and fun, so go for it.

And that's my 2 cents 4 this sunny but cold Wednesday, March 05, 2014

Ellen And The Most Retweeted Tweet Ever!

noreply@blogger.com (I am a lover of children's literature) — Mon, 03 Mar 2014 14:52:00 +0000

Photo via: Gizmodo

I didn't watch the Academy Awards last night, but apparently the host, Ellen DeGeneres, made Twitter history by her series of Samsung sponsored 'Oscar selfies' that included many of the biggest names from Tinsel Town.

Not only was this reported by many news outlets, including Gizmodo, they also reported on a very interesting fact that others seemed to accidentally or deliberately ignored, namely that backstage Ellen wasn't using her Samsung phone at all but rather her favorite and trusted iPhone!

In conclusion, my dear one or two readers, obviously Ellen is a big iPhone fan and so much so that she and her producers came up with one of the most sensational iPhone apps ever, Heads Up.
Not only is Ellen a big iPhone fan, but, obviously, her great taste in tech shows just how classy this lady really is.

And that's my 2 cents 4 this sunny Monday, March 02, 2014t

The Most Admired Company In The World - Seven Times In A Row Is: Apple

noreply@blogger.com (I am a lover of children's literature) — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 14:48:00 +0000

Via: Fortune

Apple was once again awarded the title of being the most admired company in the world yesterday by Fortune. What's really amazing, to me at least, is that it's the seventh time in a row for the Cupertino firm. As you can see in the list above, the top five are:

1 - Apple
2 - Amazon
3 - Google
4 - Berkshire-Hathaway and,
5 - Starbucks

Coca-Cola, Walt Disney, FedEx, Southwest Airlines and General Electric round up the top-ten. Microsoft, by the way, comes in at a distant 24 and, Apple's patent nemesis, Samsung, takes the number 21 position.

The annual "most admired" ranking starts from a list of 1,400 companies, and then whittled down to the top 50. The list is judged and based on surveys with some 3,920 correspondents and mainly comprised of executives, directors and analysts.

In conclusion, considering that Apple, last September, took the most innovative company in the world for the ninth year in a row for 2013, I say Apple is doing not too shabby, not too shabby at all. Too bad the stock market doesn't see it that way.

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Friday, September 28, 2014.

Storage Capacity: The iPhone 5C Beats Samsung Galaxy S5

noreply@blogger.com (I am a lover of children's literature) — Wed, 26 Feb 2014 15:20:00 +0000

Chart via: DailyMail

Samsung's new Galaxy S5 has a new 'ultra power saving' mode in order to maximize its battery life. Of course, all this does is basically switch off everything that you might want to use, including using color on the screen.

However, it seems, according to Britain's Daily Mail (see their opening chart) the new Galaxy S5 is not quite so perfect after all when you consider its storage capacity. According to the Daily Mail's chart the iPhone 5C, with 12.4GB out of 15GB, is the storage champ and the Galaxy S4 coming in last with only 8.56GB out of 16GB. The iPhone 5S is third and the Nexus 5 is second.

In conclusion, actually storage capacity is only one of the major factors in purchasing a smart phone, but it is nonetheless a very important one. The only really cool feature of the new Galaxy S5 is that it water-protected by a special coating something I wish my new Canon digital camera had when I recently broke throw the ice. That camera is now toast. Bummer!

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Anti Apple Media Bias

noreply@blogger.com (I am a lover of children's literature) — Mon, 24 Feb 2014 13:53:00 +0000

I've noticed that companies like Google and Samsung seem to be untouchable when it comes to generating media negative reports. Apple, on the other hand, seems to be criticized regardless of what it does, good or bad. It can make the biggest profits in its history and the stock will still drop like a rock. Google and Samsung, on the other hand, will make only a fraction of the profits that Apple does and yet their stock will soar into the stratosphere. In fact, Amazon can actually lose money and yet its stock will rise nonetheless!

What gives?

Well, even though the reporting on Apple seems to be totally unfair I am at least not alone in this observation. Philip Elmer-DeWitt, writing for Fortune, wrote that the New York Times, once again, twisted itself into a pretzel in order to find an Apple-is-doomed angle recently.

Specifically, he noted how they portrayed FoxConn's decision to buy into television manufacturing as a need to get away from a failing Apple, when, in fact, it appears that it was actually because of Apple's expected move into TV that it was getting involved in order to help it better accommodate its chances of doing more business with Apple, not less!

AppleInsider's, Dan Eran Dilger, also wrote an insightful editorial on how the media appears to be slanting and putting a negative spin on everything Apple because it refuses to pay for favorable media coverage, something that flies in the face of Samsung's known payola practices. Despite that, however, it is Apple, not Samsung that is still making the lion share of profits.

Mr. Dilger noted on how some media reports will go on and on, paragraph after paragraph, about how dangerous a recent Apple SSL verification flaw was, and then, for a brief moment, mention that it was already fixed, before resuming to tell us how irresponsible Apple was and is all while acting like there is still a security flaw, which of course, there isn't.

Yes, I've definitely noticed the anti Apple media bias spin out there, and the way the media seems to favour some other companies, especially Google and Samsung, who assumingly can do no wrong. As Dan Eran Dilger also pointed out, they will attack Apple for its recent SSL verification flaw while totally ignoring the fact that some 73 percent of Android users are still at risk from a particular and equally dangerous security attack that is relatively easy to use, and one that has been ongoing for a whopping 14-months now!

Again, in conclusion, what gives?

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Monday, February 24, 2014

Cool iOS 8 Concept

noreply@blogger.com (I am a lover of children's literature) — Fri, 21 Feb 2014 13:02:00 +0000

Well, you have to admit that the above video of an iOS Mission Control concept is pretty cool. I just got wind of it last night via CultOfMac and it improves on one of iOS 7's best features, Mission Control, giving you the ability to merge multitasking with control center and, in the process, providing you with quicker access to your most used controls. As CultOfMac reported:

“Flicking up from the bottom of the edge allows the multitasking app views to be tied directly to the gesture, which allows for direct manipulation and avoids having to wait for a passive animation to complete before interacting with them.”

In conclusion, I love seeing new iOS concepts and this one is, to quote CultOfMac, is "gorgeous!"

And that's my 2 cents 4 this sunny, mild Friday, February 21, 2014

The World's First Supersonic Private Jet, The Spike S512

noreply@blogger.com (I am a lover of children's literature) — Wed, 19 Feb 2014 11:13:00 +0000

I don't have money, I mean big money. You know, the kind of money that the likes of Bill Gates, Warren Buffet and the others of like kind have. If I did I know what I would be buying and that's a private jet, and I don't mean just any old jet either. No sir, and that's because soon, for a measly $80-million or so, if I had the money I would be buying my very own mini Concord, and, yes, the very first supersonic jet ever!

Image via: Spike Aerospace

Yuppers, for only a measly $80-million you could be jet-setting all over the world at a whopping, heart-stopping 1,370 miles per hour, and leaving other jet owners poking along at a measly 500 or 600 mph!

Besides the speed, well the jet in question, the Spike S512, will have something that I actually dreamed of having.... no bloody windows! No, it's not as bad as it sounds because it will have something even better.... real-time, panoramic video screens that will show you what's happening outside of your luxurious high-flying limo!

The advantage of having huge panoramic video screens means is that the jet will do without the drag, weight and instability that comes from installing regular glass windows. Also, regular windows actually slows your regular old jet down, and when you're a jet setter, well, every single second counts.

As you can see below, and here, these huge panoramic screens are actually much more attractive than your regular run-of-the-mill windows too as they offer larger views and ones that almost make it seem as if you're flying in an open cabin.

Image via: Spike Aerospace

In conclusion, if you're a billionaire, or the next PowerBall winner, the Spike S512 is the one jet that will set you apart from your regular old billionaire in their regular, run-of-the-mill, Lear, Falcon or Gulfstream jet.

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Via: Gizmodo

Does A Secret Meeting Between Tesla And Apple Mean An iCar Soon?

noreply@blogger.com (I am a lover of children's literature) — Mon, 17 Feb 2014 14:58:00 +0000

Image via: CultOfMac

According to this report by the San Francisco Gate Apple may possibly be thinking of getting into the car business. Apparently, Adrian Perica, who heads acquisitions for Apple, had secret meetings with the head of Tesla, Elon Musk. Of course, this doesn't mean that Tesla wants to sell, or eve if Apple wants to buy, but certainly I can see that it would spark rumours of Apple wanting to.

Despite the reports of the secret meeting between Adrian Perica, and possibly even Time Cook, those meetings are just that secret. Since that's the case, all we can do is speculate and speculating can be wrong more times than not, but it is nonetheless fun.

Of all of the attempts to produce an electric vehicle Tesla is probably the most famous and successful and if Apple was to purchase a car manufacturer Tesla would most likely be a good fit. Like Apple and its products, Tesla is a luxury brand and it produces an excellent car, but at a price, a very high price indeed. According to TrueCars, a Tesla auto is going to set you back a lot more than any Apple product. We're talking about a car with a starting price of $50,000 to $101,000..... that's like buying a high-end Mercedes folks!

When it comes to Apple actually making cars CultOfMac thinks it's a great idea and that Tesla would be the perfect fit. And if you're wondering if the auto industry is too big for Apple to consider, well CultofMac would like to remind you that:

Apple, in fact, could buy Ford, Chrysler and GM and pay in cash — and still have more than $18 billion left in the cash hoard. No, I’m not saying Apple could buy any of them. I’m saying Apple could literally buy ALL of them with cash on hand based on the value of their existing market caps.

When you put it that way then it certainly sounds plausible, but according to some the Apple car, or iCar, already exists and goes back a long way, but it's actually made by someone else, or in this case, Volkswagen. Of course, some could add BMW, Mazda, etc., through Apple's iOS in the car initiative as seen in the video below:

In conclusion, I like the idea of an iCar. Not sure if it will ever replace my love affair with Mercedes Benz, but an iCar could be a very big deal and driving force in Apple's future as much as it was an idea that Steve Jobs thought about and wanted to do in the past.

And that's my 2 cents 4 this sunny, mild Monday, February 17, 2014

Apple Beats Microsoft In Computer Sales In December

noreply@blogger.com (I am a lover of children's literature) — Fri, 14 Feb 2014 15:44:00 +0000

Image via: bruceb News

Depending on how you look at it, it seems that Apple now sells more computers than the numbers of Microsoft PCs do, at least as far as this past December's number go.

Of course, this means that you have to consider that iPhones, iPods and iPads, and not just Macs, are real computers too, which, as far as I'm concerned, is indeed the case. Small, portable computers to be sure, but nonetheless a computer is essentially nothing more than a device that computes and the iPhone, iPod and the iPad certainly do that. If an abacus is a real computer than iPods, iPhones and iPads certainly trump an abacus.

According to one leading market analysts Benedict Evans, he noted that Apple's combined production of Mac, iPhone, iPod touch and iPads reached a peaked in the last December quarter and that it was slightly higher than all Windows PC sales put together, and combined with, of course, all Window Phone shipments.

Wow! No that is something that I never would have thought possible even a mere six months ago. Apple beat Microsoft in computer sales, nope, I never would have thunked that in a million years.

As AppleInsider also noted:

Apple flogs Android in profitability and premium sales

Apple's ability to surpass Microsoft's Windows sales volume via mobile growth can also be compared to Android. Like Windows, Google's Android platform (and the many variants of the software used by companies from Amazon to Chinese vendors unaffiliated with Google) is broadly used as an alternative to companies creating their own custom development platforms.

An an ingredient, Android lacks the platform strength of Windows, because Google is unable to exercise much control over its licensees, despite attempts to do so.

When it comes to Samsung vs Apple things look even better than I had expected and as also pointed out by AppleInsider's earning graph seen below shows, which is not surprising considering that Apple sold over 153-million iPhones compared to Samsung's approximately 100-million.

Via: AppleInsider

In conclusion, this idea that Apple and the iPhone, iPad are losing is itself a losing proposition, and one that is being fostered I'm sure by Apple's competitors and haters. The fact remains, however, is that Apple makes most of the money when it comes to mobile devices and with newer models, including ones finally with larger screens, not only could Apple stay put, it could possibly be propelled to even greater heights.

And that's my 2 cents 4 this mild and rainy Friday, February 14, 2014

Android = 79% Market Share; iOS = 87.4% Of The Profits

noreply@blogger.com (I am a lover of children's literature) — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 14:44:00 +0000

Image via: MobileUtil

When it comes to smartphone penetration Google's Android is now almost at the 80% level, with the iOS coming in second at around 16%.

However, when it comes to actually making a buck, then iOS leaves all others mobile OS's in the dust, including Google's Android.

According to this report Apple's iOS now takes in a whopping 87.4 % of all global handset profits, and that's including even the phones which are not smartphones!

Also, and according to a Raymond James analyst Tavis McCourt, "...... it remains unclear to us where any non-Chinese vendor outside of Apple and Samsung will obtain the profits necessary to re-invest in the business. The mobile device market continues to look like an Apple and Samsung market in the developed world, with Chinese-based vendors continuing to take share in emerging markets."

In conclusion, I once heard a person saying that they would rather have "the most users" than making the most money. In other words, he's a very poor business man indeed, because when it comes to commercial business interests it's not the majority of users that count, but rather the majority of the profits that count and it's those profits that are clearly going into Apple's pockets, not Google's. Outside of Apple and Samsung, everyone else is either making no money or losing money which is not good business if you ask me.

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Thursday, February 13, 2014

The Next iPhone, The iPhone 6, May Be Unbeatable!

noreply@blogger.com (I am a lover of children's literature) — Mon, 10 Feb 2014 15:24:00 +0000

Rendering via: Ciccarese Designs

The above renderings of a possible iPhone 6 comes from Ciccarese Designs and, as you can see, they are absolutely beautiful. They are slick and sexy looking are they not? I love how they are ever so slightly curved, and how the screen shows virtually no real side bezel except, of course, for the top and bottom.

These designs are for the upcoming larger-sized screen version which, as far as I'm concerned, is long, long overdue. Not only does this concept featured a larger screen, but when compared to the normal looking sexy iPhones of the past, this conceptual Ciccarese design makes them look downright ugly in comparison, and as seen in the rendering below, so be sure to check out the rest of Ciccarese's renderings here.

Rendering via: Ciccarese Designs

So, in addition to having larger screen sizes, what else can we expect to see in the upcoming iPhone 6? Well, for starters, Laptop Magazine is reporting that there may be two sizes, a 4.7-inch and a 5.7-inch model. Personally, I'm sure that Apple will continue to offer the present 4-inch iPhone 5S as well, as it is still one of the best smartphones out there, and even though larger screens are welcomed, some still prefer the current sized model as it offers most people the option of using all of its features one handed.

One of the more exciting rumors that Laptop Magazine and others have noted is that the next iPhone could be coming with Sapphire screens. Sapphire, next to diamonds, are the hardest substances known to man, meaning that any iPhone equipped with such screens won't even need any case to protect them from scratches or breakage! Cool, because I think that most cases are rather ugly looking and tend to make your phone larger and heavier to boot. According to 9-To-5Mac Apple should soon have the capacity to produce up to 200 million screens per year!

Laptop Magazine also points out that, in addition to sapphire screens, Apple could also be bringing Liquid Metal technology finally to the iPhone's case as well. Liquid Metal is to the rest of the case what sapphire is to the glass screen. It's tough baby, and pretty much scratch and breakage free as well. Apple has almost the only access to Liquid Metal technology and it has recently taken out many, many patents for its implementation which could finally becoming to fruitation.

Even though the iPhone may use the same camera sensor, according to Laptop Magazine, it will include a lot more features. Personally, I still believe that it will use a larger and higher pixel-count sensor, but I guess we'll just have to wait and see on that one.

As great as the Retina displays are in the current iPhone is, expect and even higher and better resolution for the next model if not for any other reason than to keep the pressure on Apple's competitors. I would tend to think that any larger screen would also need of necessity a corresponding increase in resolution to offset the increase in size.

In conclusion, Apple's almost universal dominance of Liquid Metal and sapphire screen technology, as well as being the only phone that comes with a 64-bit CPU and OS, the iPhone could be about to crush the competition in areas that they can never really hope to overcome for a long while. For one thing, expect that the A7 chip will also be replaced by a much faster and more powerful A8 chip, then the next iPhone might just be unbeatable indeed.

And that's my 2 cents 4 this sunny Monday, February 10, 2014

Fake Apple Employ Is Hilariously Funny

noreply@blogger.com (I am a lover of children's literature) — Fri, 07 Feb 2014 13:42:00 +0000

Did you know that the iPad has 3,000 Skype units built in? Or that it also 4,000 mega pixels of RAM, and 4,000 extra mega pixels a second per milligram! Well, that's according to Tyler a fake Apple employee who pulled the above prank in his local Apple.

Not only that, but according to Tyler Apple invented the diseases of polio and syphilis! He's also the best spokesman for Android as he advises Apple customers that it's products are totally rip offs and that they should get themselves and Android device instead. Of course, if you still want to get an Apple product he will give you a real good deal, as simply slipping a twenty dollar bill into his pant pockets he will gladly sneak into the stock room and get you your coveted Apple device, you know under the counter style.

In conclusion, Tyler may not know a damn thing about Apple, its products or services, but he certainly is funny.

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Friday, February 07, 2014

Source: Cult-Of-Mac

The Coolest iWatch Concept

noreply@blogger.com (I am a lover of children's literature) — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 13:35:00 +0000

I wish, but sincerely doubt, that any rumoured iWatch will be as cool as the one above, but it is being reported that Apple met with the FDA to discuss a 'HealthBook' app would help to give any upcoming iWatch the ability to be used as a health and fitness tracking device.

As such, the iWatch could target medical and health data, giving a person the ability to track their heart rate and blood pressure, in addition to tracking other blood-related statistics like glucose levels. If you're into health, and we all should be, this could make the iWatch an invaluable aid indeed.

A health oriented iWatch would also apparently work in conjunction with either an iPhone or iPad, which will be running iOS 8 that is heavily geared to using a host of different sensors that Tim Cook predicts, in this interview, will explode in use in the near future.

Also, it is believed that the upcoming iWatch will be solar powered and therefore will avoid one of the Samsung Galaxy Gear smart watch's biggest complaints, the lack of battery longevity.

In conclusion, zeroing in on health monitoring may be one of the most practical uses for the iWatch, and one thing that I could easily go for, but as cool as it might be, I sincerely doubt if it will be as cool as the opening video concept above. Pity.

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Wednesday, February 05, 2014

Top-Ten Quarterly Profits Of All-Time

noreply@blogger.com (I am a lover of children's literature) — Mon, 03 Feb 2014 14:21:00 +0000

Chart via: CNN-Money

The chart above shows an amazing fact: Apple is the only company outside of the big oil companies to ever be included in the top-ten quarterly profits of all time! Not only that, but possibly even more amazing is the fact, that out of the top-ten times, Apple takes five of those top-ten spots.

The biggest quarterly profits of all time goes to the Russian oil and gas giant Gazprom, who in the first-quarter of 2011 reported an amazing first-quarter profit of some $16.2 billion! Shell Oil, in the second-quarter of 2008, matched that, while mighty Exxon Oil held the third-highest quarterly-profit ever back in the third-quarter of 2008 with $15.3 billion.

Finally, just this year Apple reported it's biggest quarterly-profits of all-time, a massive $13.1 billion, putting the electronics giant in fourth-place among the top-ten of all-time quarterly profits. No other firm, be it electronic, retail, agricultural, avionics, or what have you, has ever, and I mean ever, posted quarterly-profits that was good enough to place them within the top-ten.

In conclusion, what happened to Apple's stock after its latest record-breaking results proves once again that most stock analysts don't have a clue what their doing, and, if I had my way, they would be all fired for setting a record of consistently being wrong so many times in a row!

And that's my 2 cents 4 this cloudy, but otherwise mild Canadian day, Monday February 03, 2014

Source: CNN Money

Video 4 The Week: Felix Baumgartner's Historic Parachute Fall

noreply@blogger.com (I am a lover of children's literature) — Fri, 31 Jan 2014 16:31:00 +0000

After taking a week off due to a 'near-death' experience, one that saw me fall through a cold and icy river, losing a very expensive camera in the process, and one that left me approximately four-minutes before going into Hypo-Thermal shock that would have resulted in my death, today I woke up late, very late so I'm simply going to post the incredible video above.

The video is a first-hand view of Felix Baumgartner's history making and breath-taking jump from the 128,000 foot or 24 mile high parachute drop back in 2012. If you're like me, absolutely paranoid of heights then this should scare the heebie jeebies out of you like it did me. I'm still not sure if Felix is extremely brave or extremely stupid? One thing is for sure, I wouldn't do it for all the tea in China.

In conclusion, this parachute drop was the one and only time that a person ever free-fell at the speed of sound, something that even most people ever get to do on an airplane, so thanks Felix for the thrills and chills of your amazing feat.

And that's my 2 cents 4 this cloudy, cold Friday, January 30, 2014

Source: Sploid