Everybody Chill Out - I Got This

Disclaimer: Derek Gelinas is a guest writer for TechXaminer. He is an Android fanatic who co-founded Carbon ROM, runs OSX, Linux, and Windows environments, and is generally cranky. His rants do not necessarily reflect the opinions of TechXaminer, though it is his personal belief that they would be better off if they did.

So the iPhone has this fancy new fingerprint scanner. Everyone, predictably, has their panties all a-twist about it. "OMG THAT'S NOT REALLY SECURE WE HAVE TO CRACK IT TO PROVE iPHONE IS BAD," or something to that effect. This shit again? Really? Must be September!

To the surprise of no one, someone found a way to beat it. Of course it was beaten - anyone who knows even the slightest bit about biometrics knows that fingerprint security is pretty far down the "things you can use to secure a system" totem pole. It can be beaten. We know that. We've always known that. Big whoop, I watched "Sneakers" too. Just because you can beat it doesn't mean you don't need to put in a good bit of work. You're gonna need the print - easy enough - and you're gonna need the time to scan it, print it in high res, etc. You're going to need to want to do it.

Which brings me to my next point. It doesn't matter. Not one bit. In fact, it's still a fantastic feature, and one that I hope we see in the Android world soon. Do you know many people who bother with a screen lock? Of course you don't. It's a giant pain in the ass and even enthusiasts can't be bothered. I can't even imagine the supreme effort of will it would require to get even one of my family members to use it. They don't care and they never will.

Now, those same people who love using iPhones but can't be bothered with a lock screen have a way to lock their phone with zero effort. Is it going to stand up to a focused attack? Hell no. Will it keep their idiot friends, coworkers, or your average thief from accessing your personal data? Yup. And here's a secret - that's all it needs to do. Remember face unlock? Not exactly hard to fool, and it isn't going to really keep anyone out really wants in. I don't recall the Android community tripping over themselves to attack that, though. It wasn't even implemented well - no one uses it because the damned thing only works under basically perfect conditions. The fingerprint scanner is no different - it just works better. Unless there was an epidemic of phone thieves running around wearing other people's cut-off faces that I didn't hear about, there won't be a sudden increase in fingers being chopped off, either. Anyone with data that requires real security isn't going to be relying on a stupid thumbprint.

And let's not fool ourselves about security, my Android brethren. How many of you are running a custom ROM? I don't care if you're using a lock screen or not - your phone isn't the tiniest bit secure when anyone can boot into your bootloader and flash anything they want.

Look, I'm an Android guy. Touchwiz and Sense make me want to throw my phone out the window onto train tracks, where it will hopefully be peed upon by a luddite hobo before being atomized by a passing bullet train. As far as I'm concerned, stock Android and open source are where it's at. So I get it. I'm basically a fanboy for Android. But here's the thing, guys - we're not the underdog anymore. Android is huge. It's advanced as hell. It has better and more features than iOS in many ways. Jumping all over the latest iPhone to show how clever and superior we are only serves to make us look like assholes. It brings the whole level of the conversation down. Some people like their iPhones - pretty sure that doesn't make them iSheep. (note: Windows phone and Surface users, on the other hand, are fair game. I hate those guys.)

Maybe Apple oversold the fingerprint scanner a bit. There's a shocker - that's kind of their thing, man. It doesn't mean that from an engineering and user perspective they don't have a real winner on their hands. The iPhone just got a whole lot more secure in real-world conditions for their users, and that's awesome. Will it stand up to targeted attacks? No. I'd wager very very few devices would. What it will do is make the user experience better, and that's the whole point. That's good for all of us.

So please, shut up about it.

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OEMs are looking at the smartwatch all wrong

Smartwatches are all the rave in the tech world at the moment. Every OEM in the industry seems to be racing towards an unmarked finish line of having the first "real" smartwatch. The truth is the smartwatch is nothing new. Sony, Motorola, and Fossil have all had a previous turn in this market. So why have we still not seen a successful model?

The problem with the trend thus far is the manufacturers are looking at the watches from the perspective of the wrong market. Watches are not a piece of technological wonder. They are a fashion statement. They are the ultimate accessory with functional purpose. OEMs should be making this the first hierarchy of need when considering a smartwatch. If the thing looks like a brick on a rubber band, then no one will be interested in what smartphone-like features it has on board.

Many have argued that the smartwatch will not officially arrive until Apple produces one. I tend to believe this statement is a correct one. Apple has a knack for making their devices look like something a jeweler would be proud of holding. Say what you want, the iPhone 5 is still one of the best pieces of industrial hardware design on a smartphone. People want to own an iPhone. It is a fashion accessory just as much as it is a phone.

Smartwatch makers have two huge hurdles to be successful. One, convincing consumers that they actually need a smartwatch. And two, recognizing that their biggest competition is the likes of Citizen and Rolex. The latter may be the opposition that provides the push to overcome the necessity issue. Making a fashionable product, that people would wear regardless of the added functionality, may just be the key to make the market a legitimate one.

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SOCCKET looks to light up the world through a soccer ball

Many of the world's homes are not fortunate to have permanent options for power. Millions are forced to use rudimentary means of providing artificial light to alleviate the darkness caused by nightfall. A new foundation, by the name of Uncharted Play, has made it their mission to help alleviate this issue. Their answer is the SOCCKET ball.

SOCCKET is an impressive product with a simple purpose: To provide a clean energy power source. The unique, soccer ball uses harnessed kinetic energy, produced through play , to create electricity. Uncharted Play's testing has shown that as little as 30 minutes of play will produce approximately 3 hours of light from the included 6-watt LED light.

Uncharted Play is the brainchild of Harvard graduates, Jessica O. Matthews and Julia Silverman. The two met in college on a previous project and reunited to found the new social enterprise that would become Uncharted Play. The team then enlisted engineer, Victor Angel to design the first prototype SOCCKET.

It is genuinely refreshing to find a tech product that is truly innovative. Giving those less fortunate a chance at a clean energy source is inspiring, and I wish the Uncharted Play team the best of luck in the future of their project. You can find more info, and preorder, on the SOCCKET via their website.

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Tech products you may want in the event of a zombie apocalypse

My wife is a true warrior when it comes to constantly being aware of an impending zombie outbreak, and she has presented me with a question: "What gadgets would you want in the real event of the zombie invasion?" In true nerd fashion, I pondered and researched this inquiry over the last few weeks. I have put together a brief rundown of some of my must have technology products for when the zombie virus breaks out:

Motorola RAZR flip-phone

The original RAZR was a well built, thin phone that was highly successful, and somewhat before its time. It had limited web capabilities, as well as, stripped down app environment. With the phone's wide popularity, it could make for a good choice, and parts might be readily available if repairs need to be made. The RAZR was also released on most of the global carriers, so tower service shouldn't be an issue.

Garmin fenix GPS Watch

If you're stuck in a post-apocalyptic situation, you need to know where you're going. The fenix from Garmin has a pretty good feature list that includes: tagging of surrounding landmarks, downloadable maps, and path tracking of your previous trails. When things get scarce in your neighborhood, or the zombie population is too much to handle, you have the tool to get outside your normal boundaries.

Solar-Powered Backpack

Every good gadgeteer is going to need a fair amount of portable power. There are several solutions on the market that allow for a solar powered battery pack in the form of a knapsack. With these backpacks, you have the powerplant to charge all your portable devices while storing them on the go.

Laptop

Dude! Does this one really need explaining? Every nerd on the planet needs a good laptop, and the zombie apocalypse is no exception. Assuming Wi-Fi is still available, you will have the go to device to manage your war on the undead.

Lighters

Ok, so we conquered fire thousands of years ago, but come on! You're still going to need it in this situation. Pocket lighters are a dime a dozen, but could prove one of the most important on this list. From food preparation when power is not an option, to keeping you warm on a cold night, a lighter is an oldie but a goodie.

Crank radio

When the first zombie attacks start to hit the airwaves to the zero hour, you will want to stay informed of the bigger picture of what's happening in the outside world. A simple crank FM radio could just be your ticket. With a few cranks every half hour or so, you have the solution to possibly knowing what's in your surrounding area.

Shake Flashlight

In the same vain of the crank flashlight, this is a self-sufficient solution to not being stuck out in the dark. With less than a minute of shaking the flashlight, you will be rewarded with around 10 minutes of LED illumination. The induction technology uses a free-floating magnet to travel between metal coils to produce the voltage needed to shed some light on things.

Gun

I know this one is outside the normal realm of our usual posts, but in the given scenario, it seems like it should get an honorable mention. In dire times, such as the zombie invasion, protection is a must. I won't go into the do's or don't's surrounding firearms, but it had to be mentioned for my list.

There you have it. In the event of the zombie apocalypse, we have a nice set of items we might need to get us through this horror. Now many of these items will require certain networking pipelines to continue working in this scenario, but I enjoyed the theoretical research. Let us know if you share this fear, and what you would want to help stay among the living. Sound off in the comments for any suggestions or added items!

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Just call me the crazy one...using Outlook.com with Android

The other members of our editorial group sometimes find me hard to understand. Honestly, I don't blame them. I'm the guy on the team who is constantly trying devices. In the last two months, I have used the BlackBerry Z10, HTC 8X, and Droid DNA. Changing smartphones is one thing, but another move has really turned some of their heads. I moved my primary email from Gmail to an Outlook.com account.

This move may be weird for some of my peers, but I find Outlook a better solution for me. I had grown uneasy with some of the decisions that Google had made with Gmail. As a user of multiple mobile platforms, the decision to drop Exchange ActiveSync for the email service hurts my end experience when not using Android. I don't like feeling like a company is leveraging me with services to lean a certain way on my device decisions. I know this is their prerogative as a business, but it doesn't mean I have to like it.

I also don't care for the new changes Google has made in the UI department of Gmail. I don't want my emails separated into tabs that I didn't designate. I know this can be turned off in settings, but one has to wonder how long it will take for this to be the default interface. In contrast, Outlook offers a minimalistic, fast approach to their web interface that I find very appealing.

Now, my recent return to Android brought a new experiment for me. How would using Android be without Gmail? Surprisingly well. I could not be happier with the experience of Outlook.com via the default email app. I can easily access both my Outlook, and other accounts, under one unified email application.

Many of you are probably wondering why I don't just download the Outlook.com app from the Play Store. As funny as it sounds in this whole scenario, it just feels too foreign on Android. The Android email account feels much smoother, and the UI flows much better, than the Outlook app from Microsoft. With a few minutes of manual setup via the Outlook webpage , it also offers full ActiveSync of all my emails, contacts, and calendars.

Overall, I have found no disadvantages to using Outlook.com in replacement of Gmail on Android. The experience has been rather painless, and I am using the email service that I currently prefer. If you haven't checked out Outlook.com since the demise of Hotmail, I would urge you to at least give it a peek. The new UI is a far cry from the clunkiness that Microsoft used to claim. You may think I'm crazy...but it wouldn't be the first time someone has said that about me.

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The Moto X...what we know so far

The Moto X has been one of the most rumored devices over the last 6 months. Since Google acquired Motorola back in May of last year, many have wondered when we would see the first smartphone from the new partnership. And then we waited. It seemed as if we would never see that day, but now the Moto X is coming...soon.

Love at First Sight
The rumor mill surrounding this phone started back in March. Vietnemese blog site, Tinhte, leaked a hands on video and photos of the device. Honestly, these images still give us the biggest peek into what this phone may have in store to date. The site also gave us some insight into the internals of the Moto X. Supposedly, it will feature a 720p display, Qualcomm SnapDragon S4 processor, 2GB of RAM, and 2,000mAh internal battery. Screen size is up for debate, but looks to be between 4.3 and 4.5 inches.

Made in the US and Knows Your Moves
Next, we had some tech talk from Motorola's top brass at tech conference, AllThingsD, in May. CEO, Dennis Woodside, stated that the Moto X is real, and it will be assembled in the United States. A large manufacturing facility in Fort Worth, Texas will assemble the new smartphone, and touts the way the Moto X will have multiple sensors to help determine how to get through your day. I'm sure that means the standard array of gyroscopes, GPS, Bluetooth, etc., but Woodside hinted that the Moto X may have a dedicated chip to regulate battery usage.

A Google Company
Up until the Moto X sightings, Google had taken somewhat of a hands-off approach to the takeover of Motorola. However, with the launch of the X drawing close, Google has imprinted the OEM, right down to their new logo, and ad campaigns. It has also been made quite clear that the Moto X will be made available on all the major US carriers, and will not carry the Droid branding on Verizon. Eric Schmidt was recently photographed carrying a white unit at the annual Sun Valley Conference. Google is making no qualms that the X is a device that is very much born with the help of their brain-trust. They are also lending their pocket book with a $500M budget for marketing of the X.

Make it Your Own
Nokia has made a small impression with colorful phones on the Lumia line for awhile. I guess Google was taking notes. The Moto X will be offered in several custom-colored back covers, and will even have the option of personal engraving on the phone. Users will have the ability to design their phone to their liking and then have the Moto X dropped shipped directly to their homes. This PC-like approach could have quite of an effect, if successful, on the smartphone market.

Always Listening to Your Voice

Android has always had a very good voice control feature baked into the OS. With recent additions, like Google Now, Android's voice features have become some of the best in the business. It looks like the Moto X is going to step the game up a bit with always on voice commands. In the leaked video below, Canadian carrier, Rogers, takes you through waking the X simply by giving the command "OK Google Now," and then takes appropriate action similar to what we have seen with Google Glass.

What Does it Mean
The Moto X is a big move for Google, and the overall Android landscape. Samsung has all but taken control of the market share for Google's mobile OS. The company can't exactly be thrilled that one OEM has amassed such a stronghold over the Android mindshare. The acquisition of Motorola has given Google the opportunity to legitimately have an Android hardware division. The Moto X is going to have the "Google Vision" of what Android should be written all over it.

I also can't help but wonder what the success of the Moto X will hold for the Nexus program. If it sells a considerable amounts of units, Google could scrap the idea of having to partner with other OEMs to produce the true Google Experience they want. They could simply fire up the new assembly line in Fort Worth and pump out anything to their liking. However, in the same breath, Google has to be careful in not scaring away their struggling Android partners, such as HTC and LG.

The Moto X is a highly anticipated smartphone this year, and a bold venture for Google, Android, and Motorola. Google has hopes to inject new life into the Motorola brand, and stock Android. I can't wait to see it in person and watch this whole scenario play out.

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Memories through a lens, the connected age

This past Friday night I went to a recital for my daughter's dance school, and I saw a familiar phenomenon. There were parents in the stands of a local gym pouring over with pride to see their little princesses have all their hard work pay off. However, there was an oddity in the way they were visually taking in the event that evening. I would estimate one third of the parents viewed the entire recital through the display of their smartphone.

Now, don't get me wrong, I enjoy recording my daughter from time to time, but most of the time I never watch the recording. Instead the video ends up, not for my use, but for social networking. It made me wonder just how many of these parents were recording snippets of the recital for someone else. I'm sure there are other family members that will view the video via Facebook who couldn't be there in person. Either way, it makes for an odd paradigm surrounding the way we view live events.

People witnessing events in person may no longer have a first hand recollection of the event itself. They will, however, remember the recording of the occasion. Instead of enjoying being completely in the moment, the viewer may be thinking of what they will do with the video clip. Will it end up on Twitter, or maybe Facebook? How many likes will it get once I post it? I'm not saying we do these things consciously, but one has to wonder.

I will be the first to admit that I am a gadget addict. I have a hard time unplugging at times, and I am not afraid to say that aloud. However, I can't help but feel that many of us just don't enjoy the life in front of us more often. Instead we are seeking some sort of online social status. Sometimes you just need to create memories for you, and you alone.

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Will the AOSP Galaxy S IV impact overall S IV sales figures?

Arguably one of the most exciting announcements at IO this year was the AOSP version of the Galaxy S IV. For our unaware readers, AOSP stands for Android Open Source Project and is the stock, unmodified version of Android.  Completely open source, free to be inspected and modified. It is the core of all Android devices, but since the early days of Android, it only could be found pre-installed on Nexus devices. So what we have here for the very first time is a GSM version of the same Galaxy S IV sold in stores, but equipped with pure AOSP - 100% Touchwiz free - sold on the play store for full price. This is amazing, right?

Well... yes and no.

You could easily say I'm a fan of AOSP. My S III had Touchwiz for about ten minutes. I'm the co-founder of CarbonDev. The idea of Touchwiz, Blur, Sense, or whatever LG calls their nonsense on my phone makes me want to throw it in the trash. So yeah, I pretty much live and breathe AOSP. For me, this announcement is exciting. It means that even on Verizon, the s4 is going to have support that is just that much better than the S III had. GPS, bluetooth, video... all the components that plagued the S III will have working AOSP examples. That's exciting.

More importantly, it's evidence that Google is working that much harder to get high-end devices running AOSP into our hands. Unlike the Nexus 4, it has a removable battery, SD card, and LTE. Obviously many of us hope that this is just the first example of what will hopefully be a trend other manufacturers will follow.

But it won't affect sales of the S IV one bit. First, there's the price. Granted, many folks who purchase their phones wholesale will be tempted. Many of those people may even purchase this device. The majority of S4 devices sold, however, are sold in places like Best Buy, or Amazon, or carrier stores. People just aren't flocking to the (Google) Play store to buy their devices.  Many of those who do have had poor experiences - devices out of stock, trouble getting support, etc. The Play store experience has not yet translated very well into physical device purchases.  That said, they're strengthening their Play store device offerings, and as we all know, Google plays the long game.

The other reason is simply that most people don't care. Out of all the people I know in the real world with Android devices, only a handful care about AOSP. What is, for me, a profound difference in the way I use and enjoy my phone amounts to a shrug and a blank look for most. The vast majority are hard pressed to recognize the difference between iOS and Android, let alone why it's important that the status bar icons look different.

So it's not important to 90% of Android consumers and won't drive sales.  But it's proof that the big G knows what is important to their core group of fans and that our cries have not gone unheard. It indicates that stock Android is still a priority for Google. The stock experience, though once limited and in need of manufacturer tweaks, has improved to the point where Google is throwing some weight into getting it into the hands of users. I don't know about you, but my hands are very eager for it.  Stock Android is still true Android - and Google plays a very long game.

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What I'd like to see at Google I/O

Ever since moving from Windows Phone to Android a little over a year ago with the Galaxy Nexus, I've been all in with Android since then. Up until that point, I'd been looking for a replacement to all of the wonder that was webOS. I thought I'd found it in Windows Phone using the HTC Radar, but it was not meant to be- that's another article for another day. Then came Jelly Bean on the original Nexus, and then the beautiful Nexus 4 was released- unlocked and carrier free - I was all in on Android.

Last summer, I purchased a Samsung Chromebook 550 to backup my work-issued Lenovo Laptop with Windows 7. The Lenovo has horrible battery life, and the full-sized iPad I was using at the time just didn't cut it with the limitations it had. The Chromebook has everything I need in one package- great keyboard+touchpad, dual monitor support, great sound, and 5 to 6 hours of battery life. I was a bit skeptical about having Chrome OS replace Windows, but it's been a refreshing experience, and I can do pretty much all I need to do on the web with Chrome OS.

With a Nexus 4 and a Chromebook in tow, I have surrendered my life to all things Google.

Here's what I'm hoping will come out of Google I/O this week:

On a new Nexus phone

The Nexus 4 has been my daily driver since its release last November and consider it the best phone I've ever owned to date. If a new Nexus is announced, I'd like to see a better camera, since it's my primary shooter. Google Now has been a real treat to have around, and I hope we see it improve with a version 4.2.x update.

On Android OS

I don't hesitate to compare Jelly Bean to webOS with its implementation of a great notification system and deep integration to Google services (read Synergy). Rather than seeing a full version update of Android (Key Lime Pie), I'd like to see Google improve on Jelly Bean and services like Google Now and perhaps some sort of synergy between JB and Chrome OS.

On Google Wallet and mobile payments

Yes, I'm that nerd that enjoys paying for his stuff by waving his phone in front of cash register machines. The confused look I get when I do that is priceless. It's convenient to not have to fumble with my wallet and credit cards. I'm hoping Google will continue to develop in this area. More NFC terminals at popular shops wouldn't hurt either... just saying.

On Chome OS

Since using the Chromebook full time, I've come to believe Chrome OS is setting itself up to becoming the OS that will overtake Windows on desktops (there, I said it!). The simple fact that I can sign into my Google profile on Chrome OS and have all of my data in front of me in seconds is reason enough to keep it around. I'd like to see more offline apps make a showing. New packaged apps like Google Keep run well with or without an Internet connection. I'll be keeping my ear tuned to any news related to Chrome OS.

On Google Talk, Voice, Notifications and Google+ Hangouts

It's rumored that Google will announced its new unified chat platform named "Babel" at I/O this week. This will integrate Google Talk and Google+ Hangouts into a single service complete with notifications across the Chrome browser and Chrome OS. I currently use all of these services separately and would like to have a central point to have access to them all. Improving the notification system in the stable build of Chrome OS would be a big plus.

On the Chrome browser

I feel the Chrome browser is as good as it can get right now. The ability to access my open web pages and bookmarks across all of my devices has been a God send. I still, however, have issues with Chrome stealing CPU and memory from my desktop causing it to crash on occasion. Granted, it has gotten a lot better, but it's still an issue for me.

On Google Glass and wearable accessories

I've been intrigued with Google Glass since it was demonstrated to the world at Google I/O 2012. I don't think it's something I'd wear myself, but if its current price of $1,500 was brought down to more reasonable terms if and when a consumer version is released, I may jump on it. A smart watch, however, is something I'd seriously consider. Consumer wearables are big this year and I'd like to see Google develop in this area.

I could probably go on, and on. Considering all that Google and company have announced leading up to the event, it's going to be an exciting week!

For information on Google I/O events visit this link, or stay tuned to TechXaminer for updates!

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Phoenix's ACL Kickstarter Campaign is Exciting, But Very Late

Guest Editorial by Adam Doud of Pocketnow.com

Last week, Twitter maven and webOS community leader @Teckiegirl teased that big news was afoot. On Sunday, April 28th, that news was revealed. Phoenix International Communications was partnering up with Open Mobile Worldwide to bring their Application Compatibility Layer to the HP Touchpad. They launched a kickstarter campaign to bring in necessary funding to finish off the project and bring it to your Touchpad just a hair over two years after it became available for purchase.

ACL (the software, not the ligament) would allow Android apps to run natively in cards, just like the dozens and dozens of still-maintained webOS apps currently available in the catalog. This is very exciting news if you still happen to own a Touchpad, and you haven't permanently booted it into Jellybean, and you still want to invest money in a mobile device that is virtually in the geriatric stage of a mobile lifespan.

Better Late Than Never?

This news would have been fantastic and downright titillating a year ago, when webOS was struggling to stay afloat and webOS users by the thousands were desperately seeking some reason – any reason to continue flipping cards and stacks and Glimpsing and Angry Birding.

It's almost a shame considering that a year later when many, many users only consider webOS a pleasant chapter in their mobile tech memoirs, PIC and OM have already gained half of the $35,000 asked for as of this writing. I can only imagine the funding that would have been possible back when the Touchpad was the number 2 selling tablet just after the iPad.

The problem was that Open Mobile showed off their ACL back then and then told everyone, “You can't have it.” They tried to get HP, then owner of webOS to license ACL and distribute it on their tablets for the bargain price of whatever dollars per unit. HP, having already cancelled and firesaled their tablets, shockingly said, “No” - after they stopped laughing that is. Open Mobile continued to employ this winning strategy until PIC entered the picture.

PIC has made other grand promises to the webOS community since their inception just over a year ago (or under a year since they became officially official). PIC brought forth the call for volunteers to come together and bring a webOS smartphone back to the masses. Later on, they announced another project to bring webOS to Android as a working app. Those two projects are still going forward, but now they are bringing ACL to the Touchpad and webOS 3.0.

Intrigue Inception

All this is very intriguing news in the world of webOS, a.k.a. the operating system that just doesn't quit. It's intriguing on many different levels – so many levels, I'll probably miss one or two.

First, ACL offers the promise of instantly solving the biggest problem webOS has faced from the beginning – apps. ACL boasts the ability to bring 500,000 apps to webOS which is insanely awesome. I toyed with the whole dual-booting Android thing, but long ago, I pulled Android off and went back to full time webOS. Put simply, booting from one OS to another was a major pain in the gluteous. In the end, I opted for an OS that I liked, rather than the apps. Plus, at the time, I had (and still have) a Samsung GSIII, so that filled my Android void.

Second, ACL might cause users to brush the dust off their Touchpads and bring them back into the fold – insert evil laugh here. Don't get me wrong, I'm not expecting a webOS revival southern baptist style, but it might be nice to get some webOS folks out of the woodwork and get it back into the conversation.

The Impossible Dream

The last level is incredibly far fetched, and almost too optimistic to put into print, but let's stroll down fantasy lane for a moment.

LG currently makes Android phones, most notably the Optimus series and the Google Nexus 4. They are also rumored to be bringing the next iteration of Nexus to market. Having said that, LG is facing two major competitors in the Android space – Samsung and HTC, both with arguably far better offerings than anything LG looks to bring to the table. LG hasn't really dabbled around much in other spaces, but they find themselves as the proud papa of an operating system that was once loved by pretty much every tech writer that tapped a keyboard, and now has a solution to it's biggest downfall.

LG is also planning to bring webOS to market – in TV's, but still. They're interested in the OS enough to pop it onto their TV's, maybe they can be coaxed into giving it a look as a major league differentiator with a relatively decent following, should new hardware ever come to bear.

Again, this is not something I realistically see happening, but it's fun to think about. Is it better to be third place in a first place operating system, or first place in a third (ok, fine, fourth) place operating system? I'm not sure. It probably amounts to about the same thing overall, but If ACL can be made to work flawlessly on webOS 3.0 then it stands to reason that it could work with future iterations (if any) of webOS.

Overall, it's really a damn shame that this movement could not have been the first project of PIC out of the gate. A year ago, this news would have been extremely relevant as many webOS faithful were still wondering what to do next. This may have given the Touchpad and the operating system enough relevance to fuel a whole new level of interest in the platform. Now, sadly, I think it's just too little too late.

Final Thoughts

Which is not to say it's not exciting. It's just exciting to far, far fewer people. But heck, I'm one of them, so yeah, I'm paying attention. This kickstarter movement allows webOS faithful to quite literally put their money where their mouth is. But before I go, allow me to leave you with the words of a couple of other webOS people, far more important than I.

In the words of Rod Whitby of webOS Internals, regarding the Kickstarter campaign:

1. It requires PIC to produce an end-user installable product which extends the usable lifetime of the TouchPad by allowing Android 2.3 applications to run on it. This is a make-or-break baptism of fire for PIC. If they pull this off, then they have a track record in place to allow the community to get more interested in their wider goal of producing new webOS devices.

2. If (sic) requires OM to deliver on the promises that they have been making for many years, and to actually finish and deliver a product for end-customers. No more hiding behind OEMs - OEM's reputation (at least what is left of it) will be open and bared naked for all to see. If this project does not succeed, OM should throw in the towel and never been seen of again courting a mobile device end-user community.”

(Source: webOS Nation Forums)

And in the words of Marc Edwards (via private interview):

“We are not just Kickstarting Android apps on the TP, but a lot more webOS development as well, so we're hopeful the community as a whole will embrace the effort and really help us move things forward.”

Adam Doud is a Contributing Editor at pocketnow.com and webOS enthusiast. Follow him on Twitter @DeadTechnology

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Is Your Social Network Getting Kind of... Spammy?

Spam 2.0

No one likes email spam right? You only give your email address to family, close friends, and institutions you conduct business with. Yet no matter how great your spam filter is, the junk mail still gets through. The people sending it may call it advertising or direct marketing, but to us it’s just a nuisance we can never seem to fully cleanse ourselves of. It’s one thing to opt in or subscribe to something you might actually be interested in (otherwise known as "bacn", but pronounced bacon), and another to get the totally unsolicited, unrelated junk we affectionately call spam. Luckily we have filters to deal with a good percentage of it.

However, today spam has become more sophisticated. It’s made an evolutionary leap into the popular social networks we use daily; Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and the list keeps growing. We used to be able to opt in by liking a brand page, or following our favorite companies. While we can still do that, now we are inundated with ads for brands we didn’t like or follow. They are called “sponsored” posts, and they pollute our timelines and news feeds like garbage in a river. Unlike email though, where your internet service or email provider fights hard to keep spam out of your emails, it’s the social networks serving up the spam. 


It’s the Business Model! Duh!!

Why would they shove all this spam down our throats, while taking the risk of annoying and alienating their users? The obvious short answer is money, and not having any other options to keep the lights on. Those massive data collecting servers don’t pay for themselves. Employees don’t volunteer at the social networks. They have bills too. Stuff needs to get paid for. I get it.

But it’s old media thinking. In television, you suffer through 2-3 minutes worth of ads during your favorite shows. In publishing, sometimes the ads are bigger than the news stories, or take up more pages than actual content in the magazines. Now, while you’re catching up with your friends’ and families’ lives, there are ads in between that look so much like a genuine post, you are tempted to click. It makes you pause and double-take to be sure, but sometimes you do click. Add up a few million accidental clicks, and a light bulb stays on. It’s a business model that’s been around for a long time, and one that businesses fall back on when investors start screaming in unison: SHOW ME THE MONEY!

But is it the only way to make money in social networks?


Alternatives

There is another way the social media giants can make money, and deliver a quality product to their customers. It’s sort of an evil word on the web, especially with the unrealistic expectation that all content, and services on the web should be free. The dirty little word is: charge. 

I can hear your gasps. Nasty word huh? I also know the reaction most of you have: you would never, ever pay for Facebook or Twitter. 

It’s funny, because they know that too. The social networks not only fear you abandoning their services, but they fear actually putting a dollar value on what they offer to you. You might have to actually think about if being able to post publicly to all your friends and family, or upload your party pics is worth $1.99, $5.99, $9.99, or $19.99 per month. Remember the early days of AOL though? People paid and AOL made great money for a while. Didn’t seem odd then to pay for a service. Now people have become a bit spoiled by free stuff, and would rather pay for it with their attention and personal data in exchange for spammy ads.

A company you may not have heard of yet, App.net, is making a bold move, and positioning itself as an ad-free social network. 5 bucks per month or 36 bucks per year gets you spam free socializing. No ads. No fake followers. Just service. Believe it or not, people are signing up and paying to keep the spam out. Not only is the spam kept out, but part of the promise is that personal data is not collected and shared with third parties.

Google is many things to many people, but it’s at its core an advertiser. You would think its social network/social layer, +Google+ would be littered with ads, yet it isn't. It’s clean and elegant. That’s because Google understands that where and when you are served ads is important to the user experience. Google+ is “subsidized” by Google’s search tools from its other properties. If I am actually looking for a car, then yes, by all means, show me relevant car ads. If I am looking at precious, captured moments with my family and friends, that unwanted ad is more annoying than helpful.

I like advertising, and do a bit of it myself. Let me clarify. I like good, relevant, timely advertising that serves a purpose to me. There’s an actual time and place for it, and it’s not when I’m conversing with friends and family. I balked at the idea of paying for a social network at first, but when Tumblr, whose platform I do like, started serving up spam, I began reconsidering my position. 

Arguments have been made that some of these social networks have grown too big to fail. Adding spammy ads in timelines won’t scare enough people off to make a dent. Like with everything else, most people will just get used to it.

Are you ok with spam in your social network life? Are you concerned about your information being collected and sold? Would you ever pay for a social network like +App.net ? Would you consider switching to something of a hybrid like +Google+ to get away from ads you don't want?

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Social is taking over the news

Remember when you used to turn on your favorite news channel to grab the latest local news? Or change the channel to CNN or MSNBC to get up to date on all the breaking events in the world? Even if you just wanted something at a glimpse, you could follow the breaking news ticker at the bottom of the screen. I do, but I have noticed my needs for getting the news has evolved over the last few years. How so, you might ask? The answer is social media.

I am not alone either. There is a growing number of the population that rely on social media services to deliver the news to them. The big three of Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ offer me most of the news I could ever consume. The unique thing, is that some of what I can get from social media, is immediate firsthand accounts of breaking news.

With the recent events in Boston, I never once turned on the television. I saw the entire thing unfold in my Twitter and Google+ feeds. The tragedy played out on social media piece by piece. From the initial attacks at the marathon, to the ensuing manhunt, Twitter kept me up to date on what was going down.

This phenomenon doesn't just apply to just the national level either. My wife used to watch the local news to see what was happening in our community, but now she simply checks Facebook. Ironically, she even calls it “reading the paper.” From local football games to charity events, she gets all the updates surrounding our town.

Speaking of football, are you a sports fan? By simply following a few influential people in your favorite sport, you can get most of your news fed to you via social as well. Follow your team and you can usually get game updates and management movements concerning your squad. Peeking in on league insiders will get you in the know on what player might soon be moving to a new town. Social media, once again, has me up to date.

So, if you're wondering why you haven't been using your TV remote, or your mailbox, to appease the news junkie inside...then look no further than the internet. Social has taken over your news.

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Would You Want an HTC One Tab?

The reviews are pretty much in and fairly unanimous. The HTC One smartphone is a sexy, gorgeous, device. Some reviewers can't stop staring at or holding it. It's like the Android holy grail of beautiful design. The question is, now that HTC seems to have really fine-tuned its design mojo, should it consider releasing a companion device? An HTC One Tab?

HTC has been out of the tablet game now for some time. Admittedly it is a tough market, dominated by sleek, ubiquitous iPads. Apple crushed the category before most people could figure out what they wanted to do with a tablet. However, the market has now matured. More people are seeing "the point" of a tablet.

Tablets are designed, and are primarily used for consumption. With its latest hero smartphone device, the One, HTC seems to get how its users are using its device more and more. Between BlinkFeed, a news aggregator built into the Sense user interface, and BoomSound, stereo front speakers powered by Beats, HTC is definitely looking to really facilitate, and enhance the consumption experience. Why not bring those killer features to a 7 or even 10 inch mobile device, with some hardcore specs and killer design?

While I wouldn't want to see a phablet version of the One, I think an HTC One tablet, would complement HTC's lineup, re-establish them as a mobile force, and keep the media buzz going. Unifying its branding under One could lead to much better results for HTC this time around in the tablet market, especially if its highly anticipated smartphone is truly a success. I'd love to see cool things like BlinkFeed syncing across devices, or being able to share a Zoe via NFC to my One tab. The tablet market is much stronger now, but still has opportunities. If HTC is calling this a comeback, might as well go all in.

So what do you think? Is this HTC's moment? Can it steal some thunder from the iPad, Nexus, or even Galaxy Note tablets out there? More importantly, would you throw your money at HTC for One?

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Google has infiltrated iOS

Google is killing Apple with apps not Android. I know that’s a very strong, and over-simplified first statement, but I’m starting to think it’s true. The nature of the battle over being the pinnacle of what a great smartphone should be is often narrowed between these two corporations. Apple set a new standard with the first iPhone, and Google has countered with Android evolving into a formidable force of its own.

I would ultimately argue that Google has sneakily won the battle with a great suite of mobile apps rather than Android adoption. The turning point of every war is when an invading force is able to overtake and occupy the opposing nation’s territory. This is exactly what Google has done on iOS.

Gmail is consistently one of the top applications installed in the Apple Store. People were not happy with the default Apple email app, and Google responded by porting their great Gmail app over to iOS. Within the first few weeks, the Gmail app gave users the experience they expect from Google inside the walls of Apple’s mobile OS.

Next came the debacle that is iOS Maps. Apple made the decision with the iPhone 5 that it would cut their partnership with having Google Maps as the default offering in iOS. The result was a very premature maps solution from Cupertino. Users were disappointed, and literally lost, using iOS Maps. Google again responded by submitting their Maps app to the App Store. iOS users flocked to Google Maps and left iOS Maps in their rearview mirror.

Two of Google’s top two applications on Android are now top-tier iOS apps as well, and I don’t think Google plans to end there. The recent leak of Google Now for iOS shows that Google understands real mobile dominance is in becoming vital inside your rival’s OS, not ignoring their existence. Google Now could challenge another default Apple tool in Siri. The personal assistance of Google Now is similar to Siri in many ways and exceeds it in some areas.

Gmail and Maps are not the only current apps available by Google, Inc. either. They offer a handful of popular apps for iOS. Chrome, Currents, and Google+ are just a few, and let’s not forget about YouTube. Google's presence is very real on iOS.

Google is knocking it out of the park with monster sales numbers around Android. They have overtaken Apple in overall sales of smartphones in the last few years, but their real market strategy may indeed be applications. They have recognized the popularity of iOS as a business opportunity rather than a threat. Now, don’t get me wrong, these two giants are still bitter rivals, but Google is taking a very open-minded approach to how they counteract their biggest competitor.

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Goodbye Google Reader...Hello BlinkFeed?

As word spreads like wildfire across the tech web that one of Google's most popular, yet underrated applications, Google Reader, is getting the ax come July 1st 2013, competing RSS readers/news aggregators like Flipboard, Pulse, Feedly, and Press are popping bottles. Ironically, you may be reading this through Google Reader, and I just punched you in the stomach. Sorry.

However, it occurred to me that a certain flagship device on the horizon may have an opportunity here like none other. One of the primetime features of HTC's newly announced hero device, the One, is BlinkFeed, which is essentially a news aggregator like Flipboard built into the platform right on your home screen. Granted, it's no Google Reader by any means. It might not be as robust as Flipboard either, but HTC has hinted that more functionality will be coming down the road, including the ability to customize your feed with your own sources. HTC already has major partners lined up to provide content you can access without launching an additional application.

If HTC is smart, they will capitalize on the loss of Reader. Who knows? Maybe they saw this coming. Some people may hate the idea of BlinkFeed, and its departure from the "pure Android" experience, but HTC might have just been given an assist by Google to justify this new feature. If it can get its ducks in a row, this will just help HTC's marketing efforts.

What do you think? Can HTC use the pending death of Google Reader to its advantage, and push BlinkFeed as a selling point for its new hotness, the HTC One? What will be your new aggregator of choice?

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Google Plus...your time is now.

We have all seen the headlines of the unrest over recent API changes for Twitter. TFX has had a couple ourselves in that regard. The one thing that has surprised me is that Google has not seized this opportunity to grow their homegrown social network. Google Plus is ripe for the challenge. Google just needs to open the gate.

The thing that Twitter has seemed to forgotten, is that 3rd party developers flocked to their API when it was first released and built some very solid clients for the network. Twitter was a small company in the beginning and needed these engineers to solve the problem of getting on every platform, as well as challenging Twitter on what a good client for their service was capable of looking like.

I don’t understand why Google has not released a fully public API for Google Plus to date. They could capitalize on the missteps of Twitter and truly challenge Facebook for the top social network. I know Google has done a decent job of selling Plus as an Android experience, but Google is a data company at heart. To offer this on multiple mobile operating systems would help their bottom line.

I can see Google not wanting to be challenged on Android, but the need for good clients on Windows Phone 8 and BlackBerry are ever present. Just because users haven’t chosen Android should be no reason to not offer the service. Google could open up the API and allow 3rd parties to fill this void for them. It’s still using their backend services with a little help on the front end.

New ventures like AppDotNet have shown that people are growing concerned with Twitter and searching for an alternative. While I like where ADN is coming from, and they have already spawned some pretty great clients, they don’t have the brand recognition of Google. People are more apt to gravitate towards a name like that.

All you have to do is open the gate Google. Allow the devs in these great communities to make Google Plus what you want it to be.

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A Legit First World Problem: Americans are Being Ripped Off for Internet Access

Every day you're being taken advantage of by a flawed system that allows the big internet service providers to price gouge you in the United States. Some will argue that internet access isn't exactly a life or death issue, but there are a number of issues that affect the average American.

Here are 3:

The Wallet Issue:

Compared to other parts of the world, such as Hong Kong or Korea, Americans are paying astronomical prices for much slower speeds. In Hong Kong you can get a 500Mbps symmetric connection for $25 per month. Now, go compare your internet plan. Feels like you got kicked in the stomach, huh? Even if you don't care about how fast your internet access is, you should care about how much you are getting swindled for the access you are getting. There aren't too many people I know who wouldn't mind having an extra $25-$75 bucks or more per month to put towards groceries, gas, bills, or savings.

The Social Issue:

By putting high prices on the cost to access information, it puts those who are economically constrained at a serious disadvantage. It's not just about getting access to Facebook. In many cases, you can't even apply for a job without internet access. About 1/3, roughly 100 million Americans, are facing this digital divide, because it's not in the best interests of corporate profit.

The Global Issue:

Countries with cheaper access, and much faster speeds are leap frogging the United States in areas of technology and education. You can't lead the world in innovation if you're hamstringing your own people. While other countries are aiming for 1 gigabit symmetric connections to everyone's home, the U.S. is shooting for a paltry 4 megabits. The divide isn't just here at home, it's with the rest of the world as well.

The big ISPs have no incentive to address any of these issues. With no competition or regulation, they are free to charge as much as they wish for subpar service. Google has stepped up to tackle this with its Google Fiber project, but faces many challenges from the heavily entrenched ISP incumbents. No one is saying internet access should be free, but the growing inequality the exorbitant costs, slow speeds, and lack of access, are causing calls for serious changes to be made across the board. Our standards need to be higher.

Susan Crawford is on a crusade to right this wrong. However, she can't do it alone. Watch her interview. Then exercise your voice.


Susan Crawford on Why U.S. Internet Access is Slow, Costly, and Unfair from BillMoyers.com on Vimeo.


Source: Bloomberg
Source: The Verge

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Come on LG...surprise us.

LG and HP announced yesterday that they have partnered with LG to take over the development and production of all things webOS related, with a few caveats. HP will keep the cloud end of the deal (App Catalog, Profile information, etc.) while LG will continue on with the operating system, both in proprietary form and OpenwebOS. All the Palm patents will stay inside the HP portfolio, but have been licensed to LG for an undisclosed amount.

LG has publicly said that this bold, new move is to replace their aging smart TV platform with the nimble web-based platform we have all come to love. CEO and President, Scott Ahn, has also stated that this is just a start and that LG will explore implementing webOS on various smart devices. Now, with a corporation the size of LG, smart devices could be mean many, many things. So, my question to LG is simply this: Why would you not make a webOS smartphone and tablet?

The market is currently screaming for something to rival Android and iOS. I know BlackBerry and Windows are both making big swings at it, but neither has knocked it out of the park yet. Android is evolving into a two man race between its “creators”, Google, and its “champion”, Samsung. Everyone else is just looking for scraps inside the profit margin. Apple is Apple.

Android still kinda sucks on a tablet. There, I said it. The UI just doesn’t seem to flow on a screen meant to be in landscape or portrait. The larger the screen, the poorer the experience. You know what works amazingly well on a tablet? webOS. If you don’t believe me, grab a TouchPad from one of your new employees and enjoy the ride. Yeah, the hardware is bland, and the apps never really made it there, but the core OS is still the best I’ve personally experienced on the tablet form factor.

Phones are harder, I know, but I still think you can succeed there as well. People still want to see a webOS phone running on Nexus 4 quality hardware. Hell, we would settle for the WindsorNot we only saw after HP crapped on us. I have never seen another OS that people were absolutely dying to get there hands on that companies are afraid to take the leap. Just do it LG.

You have stated that you will not launch your first TV running webOS until CES of 2014. I know that revamping your whole TV system will take time and resources, but couldn’t you reserve a small team to make a smart phone and tablet happen in the mean time? Give the faithful a chance to prove the OS is worth the effort.

Take the leap. Build us 200,000 webOS Nexus phones and the same in a 7 inch tablet at a reasonable price. Set the phone unlocked for $299 and the tablet at $199-250. See if they don't sell out in a week and make you scurry for more manufacturing.

LG, you have apparently seen enough of webOS to want to invest in it. All I'm asking is you reward all those that championed the software while HP drove it in the ground. This community is down, but they have not left. We lost any faith in HP to deliver, but not webOS.

We still believe, and we still want it. So, surprise us.

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Would You Buy a Chromephone? I Would.

Android is the smartphone marketshare leader. Whether you like other mobile OSes or not, that's still a fact. iOS, BlackBerry, Windows Phone, and soon Ubuntu, are all battling Android for that marketshare. However, what if Google headed in another direction all together? Or at the very least, gave its users another option for the smartphone market: Chrome OS.

Google's "other" OS is still a relatively new, but growing, contender for the desktop market. While Google is on the record for saying Chrome OS will only be for desktop/laptops, and Android for smartphones/tablets, I know I'd strongly consider a Chromephone. Why?

1) Apps - The majority, if not all, of the daily driver applications I use have a web equivalent. Google+, GMail, GTalk, Google Reader, Google Maps, YouTube, Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, and Yelp just to name a few.

2) Google Now - Google is really starting to push Google Now and its capabilities. We're seeing this in their rare, but increasingly frequent, TV ads. Google keeps adding functionality to the service that can not only deliver search results, but weather, sports, travel, appointment, nearby location, translation, flight, and transit info. The Google Now service would be the heart of a Chromephone.

3) Speed - One of the many things Chrome OS has going for itself is the speed. Boot up times for Chromebooks are roughly 10 seconds. I'd want that on my smartphone. If there's a new update, then BAM, it's there when you log into your Chromebook. Imagine Google being able to do this across its smartphones and tablets? Fragmentation be gone.

4) The Cloud - Whether you are using Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, or Evernote, you've already embraced the convenience of the cloud, home of Google and all its services. My music collection is in the cloud, and while I still keep my collection offline, it's a relief knowing it's being backed up day in and day out, and I can access it from anywhere, from any internet connected device if I needed to.

5) Costs - You can buy a Chromebook for as little as $199. Imagine how inexpensive a Chromephone could be? Not that you can't find a cheap Android phone, but I'm sure Google could flood the market with even cheaper phones. They wouldn't need the same specs and processing power. Microsoft and Apple are making attempts to converge their desktop and mobile offerings. Both are high priced options. Apple doesn't do cheap. Microsoft is charging 3 arms and 5 legs for a Surface Pro to get the full Windows 8 "experience". Google could easily beat them to price sensitive consumer wallets. Google's been trying to drive down the cost of its Nexus devices as it is.

I understand it might totally confuse things for some people. All these years of Android development might seem like a total waste if Google did this. It also wouldn't be an answer for hardcore gamers.

I think Google has an opportunity here though to serve a low cost market. To me it's just another option. It's defending its territory against competition like Mozilla. It's going where webOS should have gone, but didn't have the resources. It's bringing simplicity to the mobile market. Google's known to tinker. It's been willing to innovate and take chances on products even if they eventually fail. Why not this?

Google can justify a Chromephone the same way it justifies its Chromebooks: For no more hassles; Best of Google built-in. Cloud storage built-in. Speed built-in. Upgrades built-in. Connectivity built-in.

I'll add total compatibility with a Chromebook to that reason list which would in turn drive overall Chrome OS adoption. Google also wouldn't be competing with its Android partners, and could continue to license Android to them. Perhaps the market could be split into premium Android specked out mobile computing and budget friendly Chrome mobile devices. Either way, Google I think wins.

These are all things I'd want for my use case. What about you?

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BlackBerry should drop Android support

BlackBerry 10 is now here and the formerly Research in Motion team should be proud that they have brought their Berry-lovers the next generation of mobile. Thorsten Heins did a marvelous job of bringing the QNX-based OS to the stage this past week, and brought with it a pretty surprising amount of name-brand developer support. However, one aspect of the development front has me worried. Android apps are not the answer.

For those who don’t have a PlayBook, or lucky ones with a Z10, BlackBerry has added an Android runtime environment to the QNX system that allows for Android apps to run on the devices. While this does a decent job of allowing for quick “porting” for Android developers, it doesn’t send a clear message of how developers should approach BlackBerry 10.

BlackBerry, and 3rd party devs, have proven, on both the PlayBook and Z10, that a great native app is possible. This should be BlackBerry’s focus. Android apps are a bandaid, and a poor one at that. I cannot speak on the Z10, but on the PlayBook, while they work, the experience is not very clean.

Android apps run inside a walled environment in this situation, and is very disjointed at times. You are truly inside Android when you run these apps. The buttons, navigation, and general feel are all Android.

This is not what BlackBerry needs. The gesture-based OS has a learning curve just to use it, so while it shouldn’t be a problem after five minutes of use, the additionally confusion of the Android emulation is an unnecessary hassle. BlackBerry needs to persuade devs to build a native app ecosystem, and not one that can be “functional” in five minutes.

BlackBerry 10 shows a lot of promise and has a legitimate chance to become the number 3 platform in mobile, but after waiting this long to come to the table they have to make the experience a truly great one. Bringing the big-named apps will make a splash, but quality niche apps will make the platform succeed. BlackBerry needs to make the hard choice and drop Android support and focus on the native experience.

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