Facebook is introducing its own app store with web based and even phone based apps. Pinterest , Nike+ GPS, and draw something are just a few apps that will be available at the store. The store will also give you recommendations but will also show you apps your friends are using but if we all know Facebook we already know what games are being used by friends because tons of them flood your feed with accomplishments and also asking you for help. The app store will also be mobile. You will be able to access the apps from your mobile phone and can send apps from your PC to phone. Although note that apps would still need to be downloaded via your phone app store. The app store launched yesterday in the US and will launch in the next few weeks around the world.
Tim Cook CEO of Apple said during an Apple earnings call he stated that the ipad 2?s new lower price point has been unlocking demand among the price sensitive customer. Which just goes to show you if Apple could price some of their stuff lower they would get a much bigger market share. Data from the Consumer Intelligence Research Partners had a breakdown of the sales of the iPad 2 and the new iPad between the months of February and April of 2012 had been roughly the same but once the new ipad hit on the March 16th the new iPad accounted for 59% of iPad sales and the iPad 2 which is $100 less was accounting for 41%. So it seems as though the price cut is helping the iPad sales. Big time!
The Samsung Galaxy S III is coming to the US and is already pre order ready at Verizon Wireless. Well Apple is trying to stop the sale of these phones in the US citing patents owned by Apple being used on the SIII. The two patents in question are unified search and links for structure. This is a big deal if Apple can prove these infringements since this is suppose to be one of the bigger phone launches in the US. They are citing these issues based of Apple getting a hold of one in the UK launch of the phone last month. Samsung has stayed strong and believes that they can prove to the courts that they in fact did not do anything wrong and all of there innovations and creativity are legit.
Quickoffice has been acquired by Google. For those who don?t know Quick office is on the leaders in productivity solutions. With Google Apps you can currently get anything done from anywhere and with anyone on pretty much any device and with the established record of Quickoffice with its seamless interoperability and popular file formats to bring strong powerful technology to the apps in Google. This is a big deal for Google and people who already use Google apps on the go. This is a big win for Google for sure.
Microsoft is finally putting down the Zune. Like a horse with a bad leg it is time to let go of the emotional attachment and realize that this is not making you any money. Microsoft has set up a new service for music named Xbox Music, that would run on the Xbox 360, Windows phones and Windows 8 and it is launching this fall. After the event Melissa Stewart, a spokesperson for Microsoft confirmed the Zune brand was going away for the much more successful Xbox brand. Zune was introduced in 2006 and was supposed to be what put the fear into Apple?s iPod but with so much traction behind the iPod the Zune never carried the weight it needed too. So six long years later the Zune is finally gone and will be re-branded. In full disclosure I did own one.
Today Verizon Wireless became the first wireless carrier in the US to announce the launch details for Samsung’s net gen flagship smartphone, the Galazy S III. Verizon has confirmed that there will be preordering availability beginning on the 6th of June. The cost of this nice phone will be running you $199.99 for the 16GB model and there is also a $249.99 model with 32GB of space. Now these prices are also with a 2 year contract. The phone will come in either blue or white and will have a 4.8 inch Super AMOLED display with Android Ice Cream Sandwic, with AllShare Play, 4G LTE and a nice dual-core 1.5 Ghz Snapdragon processor in place of the Samsung quad-core Exynos chipset which is in the international version of the S III. Below is the press release from Verizon Wireless.
VERIZON WIRELESS ANNOUNCES SAMSUNG GALAXY S? III COMING TO AMERICA?S LARGEST 4G LTE NETWORK
The Next Generation Smartphone with the Power to Share and Intelligence to Make Everyday Life Easier
BASKING RIDGE, N.J. ? Verizon Wireless and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile) today announced the 4G LTE-powered Samsung Galaxy S? III is coming to America?s largest 4G LTE network.
Galaxy S III customers can use Share Shot to create their own temporary photo sharing network with a group of friends who are nearby at the same party or event. Photos can be taken by any member of the group and shared with the entire group. One touch sharing with S Beam allows friends to share pictures, videos, documents and more by simply touching two Galaxy S III devices? backs together. Galaxy S III customers can take advantage of 4G LTE to share live video broadcasts of life?s special moments with their Facebook? friends using the Color app. As an exclusive feature for Verizon Wireless, customers can live broadcast video with audio when using Color.
The Galaxy S III has a 4.8-inch HD Super AMOLED? display and runs Android? 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Watch a video while texting friends or surfing the Web at 4G LTE speeds with Pop Up Play. Videos can be played in a small window while customers use the rest of the display to complete other tasks such as typing emails, organizing calendars and updating their social networks. Multi-tasking is seamless with the 1.5 GHz dual-core processor and 2 GB RAM paired with the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network. Customers can also interact with the Galaxy S III in simple and fun ways thanks to Motion Gesture. With Motion Gesture, customers can initiate a phone call from a text message by simply raising the phone to their head, or they can pause a video by covering the display with their hand, and even get to the top of an email message and contact list.
The Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network is currently available in 258 markets, covering two-thirds of the of the U.S. population. Verizon Wireless 4G LTE will be in 400 markets covering 260 million people by the end of this year.
Additional features:
? Smart Stay ? So intelligent, the display only dims when the customers? eyes are closed or no longer facing the screen.
? S Voice? ? Featuring natural language recognition, you can control the apps and services used most with words instead of touch. Use S Voice to turn the volume up or down on the music player, answer or reject incoming calls, shut off or choose to snooze the alarm clock, or take a picture by saying ?smile? or ?cheese.?
? AllShare? Play ? Share HD videos and your favorite songs by streaming multimedia content from the Galaxy S III to a compatible Samsung Smart TV? or home audio system when connected to the same Wi-Fi network, and remotely access files on up to six Samsung devices.
? Evolved camera capabilities ? Burst Shot mode instantly captures 20 continuous shots and Best Photo feature selects the best shot to display.
? Enhanced camera ? 8-megapixel rear camera with zero-lag shutter speed and a 1.9-megapixel front camera so customers can capture pictures and videos of themselves or video chat with family and friends.
? Mobile Hotspot ? share a 4G LTE connection with up to 10 Wi-Fi-enabled devices.
? microSD? card slot for expandable memory.
Pricing and availability:
? Samsung Galaxy S III will be available online for pre-order starting June 6 at 7 a.m. EST at www.verizonwireless.com/galaxys3 and will be available in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online in the coming weeks.
? The Samsung Galaxy S III will be available in 16 GB and 32 GB models for $199.99 and $249.99 respectively with a new two-year customer agreement. Customers will also have the choice of the Galaxy S III in two colors, Marble White or Pebble Blue.
? Customers that purchase a Galaxy S III will need to subscribe to a 4G LTE mobile broadband data package starting at $30 monthly access for 2 GB of data.
Customers can visit http://www.verizonwireless.com/galaxys3 to sign up for more information and availability details on the Samsung Galaxy S III for Verizon Wireless. For additional information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com. Follow @VZWnews on Twitter? for the latest news on Verizon Wireless.
