The day had finally arrived: My two-year cell phone contract was up, and I could finally ditch my BlackBerry. It also happened to coincide with the release of the Samsung Galaxy S II, the first Android that reviewers said could compete with the iPhone. I gleefully took the plunge. Like those ashamed BlackBerry users profiled in yesterday's New York Times, I was sick of the "mockery and derision" directed at the last remaining holdouts, and was excited for all the possibilities of my new Android.
Two months later, I switched back to my BlackBerry.
The primary reason I went back is the physical keyboard. I always had trouble using a touchpad to type when I would borrow friends' iPhones or Androids, but foolishly believed their assurances that "It get's easier" and "You'll get used to it in a few days." It didn't.
On my BlackBerry, I could easily write entire articles (which I often had to do on the road as a Middle East correspondent). On my Samsung, I struggled to write a standard email. I found myself waiting until I got back home to my laptop to type anything that was more than a sentence or two. Downloading a SWYPE keyboard (which is weirdly lacking on iPhones) improved things significantly, but I still had to pause in between each word, which made typing on a touchpad remain an awkward and frustrating experience.
The other dealbreaker for me is the horrible battery life. On my BlackBerry, I could go two days without recharging. On my Samsung, I was lucky to get to dinner without a recharge -- and on busy days, I often needed to recharge twice. (I hear similar complaints from honest iPhone users.) And I was not a heavy user, most days averaging a few short phone calls and a few emails. I resorted to carrying both a charger and a spare battery around with me. This is not acceptable for a smartphone in 2012. I don't care how fancy a phone is -- if it can't make it through the day without a recharge, it's not worth it.
A related complaint is that, while Android does have a setting for "push email" -- meaning that emails get delivered to my phone in real time, rather than checking for new emails every few minutes -- it is a huge battery drain. One of the main reasons I have a smartphone is so that I can get emails immediately. I shouldn't have to choose between push email and battery life.
One of the vaunted advantages of Androids is that the open-source software allows develops to correct flaws or weak programming in the system. For example, I hated that my Android played a loud jingle whenever it booted up -- so thankfully I found an app that disabled the sound for that.
But there is not an app for everything. I could not find an app to turn off the sound when I shut down, or get rid of the boot up animation altogether. Yes, you can always "root" your phone (an operation that seems to crack open the entire operating system to hacking), which seems to vastly increase the number of ways you can tweak your phone. But it is pretty complicated to do for an average user like me, and also invalidates the phone's warranty.
There are other minor annoyances that, independently, would be tolerable, but do add up to considerable limitations. For example, the alarm clock does not work if the phone is off. I turn my phone off at night, so that made the alarm clock useless. (In the interim before I switched back to my BlackBerry, I actually used my BlackBerry as alarm clock for this reason.) And no, I couldn't find an app for that.
I also found the lack of external LED light to be surprisingly inconvenient. I had to turn on my screen every time I wanted to see if I had an email -- as opposed to the BlackBerry, that has a red blinking light I could see from the top of my pocket. I did find an app that simulated this feature by making colored squares appear on the screen whenever I had an email or a text message. But that was far less useful than the BlackBerry light -- and, yet again, became such a battery drain that I had to disable it.
Another key feature of the BlackBerry for me is the international data plan, which I have yet to find for any other smart phone. T-Mobile offers a $20/month add-on for unlimited emails overseas, only for BlackBerries, which is a lifesaver for someone who travels as much as I do. With my Android, I was stuck paying criminally expensive roaming charges for even minimal international email usage. For a while, I would use my Android at home and move my SIM card to my BlackBerry for when I traveled; after one such trip, I was too busy to switch back to my Android -- and after a few days, realized that I didn't even want to.
The saving grace of the Android is supposed to be the apps. That was what compelled me to stick with my Android for as long as I did. But when I looked through all my Android apps, I realized that almost all the ones I used with any frequency (such as Pandora, Our Groceries, Zipcar, Google Maps, and Twitter) all had BlackBerry versions -- and for some, the BlackBerry version were even better (such as the NextBus app).
To be sure, some BlackBerry apps are pretty weak (like Evernote, which doesn't allow you to edit notes, only view them). And some of my most used apps don't exist for BlackBerry (like Pocket, Instagram, or a Car2Go locator). But the majority of those apps I downloaded on my Android I have barely used more than once or twice.
With all that said, the decline of BlackBerry will become a self-fulfilling prophesy. As more users flock to iPhones and Androids, fewer new apps will become available on the BlackBerry. Eventually, the gap in availability will become a significant drawback for the BlackBerry. When that time comes, I will reluctantly dust off the Galaxy S II sitting on my shelf (not to mention the extra batteries and travel charger). But until then, I will remain a proudly uncool BlackBerry user.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
FB reaches for new heights. More apps or more ads?
Two months into testing a program for promoting sponsored applications in Facebook’s iOS and Android applications, the social network has opened the service to all developers.
Now officially titled “mobile app install ads,” the units allow application makers to buy prominent exposure for their apps in the mobile News Feed.
The ads appear in the stream with a subtle “sponsored” label (as pictured right), and allow Facebook members to click through to Apple’s App Store or the Google Play marketplace to purchase or download a promoted app.
“With these new ads, mobile apps and games of all sizes across any category can reach the right audience, at scale,” Facebook engineer Vijaye Raji wrote in a blog post Wednesday. “TinyCo saw 50% higher CTRs and significantly higher conversion rates compared to their current mobile channels, as well as a significant increase in player engagement.”
Raji said other beta partners such as Kabam, Fab, Big Fish, and Nanigans also experienced higher engagement rates and better reach to more relevant users.
Now that the units are openly available, they will either allow the social network to address its mobile monetization issues or alienate members who’ve not yet noticed a stream of ads cluttering their mobile News Feeds. The task at hand is especially important now that nearly 20 percent of Facebook’s mobile users skip the website altogether. Facebook has 600 million monthly active mobile users.
Facebook today also promised developers substantial improvements to the ad units in the coming months. The ability for end users to install apps without leaving Facebook’s app, the option to customize the ad based on audience type, and the choice to show ads to people who have not installed an app were all cited as examples.
Now officially titled “mobile app install ads,” the units allow application makers to buy prominent exposure for their apps in the mobile News Feed.
The ads appear in the stream with a subtle “sponsored” label (as pictured right), and allow Facebook members to click through to Apple’s App Store or the Google Play marketplace to purchase or download a promoted app.
“With these new ads, mobile apps and games of all sizes across any category can reach the right audience, at scale,” Facebook engineer Vijaye Raji wrote in a blog post Wednesday. “TinyCo saw 50% higher CTRs and significantly higher conversion rates compared to their current mobile channels, as well as a significant increase in player engagement.”
Raji said other beta partners such as Kabam, Fab, Big Fish, and Nanigans also experienced higher engagement rates and better reach to more relevant users.
Now that the units are openly available, they will either allow the social network to address its mobile monetization issues or alienate members who’ve not yet noticed a stream of ads cluttering their mobile News Feeds. The task at hand is especially important now that nearly 20 percent of Facebook’s mobile users skip the website altogether. Facebook has 600 million monthly active mobile users.
Facebook today also promised developers substantial improvements to the ad units in the coming months. The ability for end users to install apps without leaving Facebook’s app, the option to customize the ad based on audience type, and the choice to show ads to people who have not installed an app were all cited as examples.
Housing in the US rebounds.
By Jeffry Bartash, MarketWatch
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch)
U.S. home builders broke new ground in September at the fastest pace in more than four years and permits also rose sharply in the strongest sign yet that recovery in the construction trade is becoming firmly entrenched.
Construction on new homes accelerated by 15% to an annual rate of 872,000 last month from a revised 758,000 in August, the Commerce Department said. The increase easily surpassed the 770,000 estimate of economists surveyed by MarketWatch.
ECONOMY AND POLITICS
Obama regains footing
Barack Obama and Mitt Romney hold a spirited debate in their second matchup, with the president giving a more feisty showing than in their first duel.
• Home building surges
• Consumer inflation jumps
• Builder sentiment at 6-yr high
• Political Watch blog
• U.S. economic calendar
• Global economic calendar
• Columns: Nutting | Delamaide
• Follow @MKTWEconomics
Work on new single-family homes, which account for about three-quarters of the housing market, rose 11% last month.
Construction on multi-dwelling units such as condos and townhouses climbed an even faster 25%, but that’s a category that can swing sharply from month to month and is thus less an indicator of overall housing demand.
The number of permits requested, however, underscores the likelihood that the housing market’s recovery is finally for real after a nearly six-year slump.
Building permits also shot up to a four-year high, rising 11.6% to an annual rate of 894,000. August’s permits were revised down slightly, to 801,000.
Permits for single-family homes rose 6.7% to an annualized 545,000 rate last month, while multi-dwelling permits increased 20.3% to 349,000.
The version of Adobe Flash Player required to view this interactive has not been found.
To enjoy our complete interactive experience, please download a free copy of the latest version of Adobe Flash Player here.
Housing party is just getting started
PNC Financial Services Group chief economist Stuart Hoffman takes a look at the housing starts and permits gains with Alisa Parenti in MarketWatch News Break.
In September, housing starts rose in all regions except the Northeast, with construction strongest in West and South. Both regions saw about a 20% jump in new construction.
Before this year the nation’s construction industry had been stuck in its worst slump in the modern era, following the collapse of a housing bubble in 2006.
Super-low interest rates, a modestly improved economy and a receding foreclosure crisis have all contributed to the upward shift in the demand for new homes.
Yet even though the pace of construction is nearly 35% higher compared to a year ago, construction activity overall remains considerably shrunken from its pre-bubble heyday. Before the bust, housing starts surpassed 2 million a year; they would probably top 1.5 million annually if the economy were fully recovered.
Going forward, home sales and construction could still be partly depressed by a slow growing U.S. economy and a high unemployment rate that limits the number of prospective buyers. The jobless rate is 7.8%.
“How far can the rebound go with unemployment where it is?” asked Steve Blitz, chief economist of ITG Investment Research. “From our perspective, not much farther.”
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch)
U.S. home builders broke new ground in September at the fastest pace in more than four years and permits also rose sharply in the strongest sign yet that recovery in the construction trade is becoming firmly entrenched.
Construction on new homes accelerated by 15% to an annual rate of 872,000 last month from a revised 758,000 in August, the Commerce Department said. The increase easily surpassed the 770,000 estimate of economists surveyed by MarketWatch.
ECONOMY AND POLITICS
Obama regains footing
Barack Obama and Mitt Romney hold a spirited debate in their second matchup, with the president giving a more feisty showing than in their first duel.
• Home building surges
• Consumer inflation jumps
• Builder sentiment at 6-yr high
• Political Watch blog
• U.S. economic calendar
• Global economic calendar
• Columns: Nutting | Delamaide
• Follow @MKTWEconomics
Work on new single-family homes, which account for about three-quarters of the housing market, rose 11% last month.
Construction on multi-dwelling units such as condos and townhouses climbed an even faster 25%, but that’s a category that can swing sharply from month to month and is thus less an indicator of overall housing demand.
The number of permits requested, however, underscores the likelihood that the housing market’s recovery is finally for real after a nearly six-year slump.
Building permits also shot up to a four-year high, rising 11.6% to an annual rate of 894,000. August’s permits were revised down slightly, to 801,000.
Permits for single-family homes rose 6.7% to an annualized 545,000 rate last month, while multi-dwelling permits increased 20.3% to 349,000.
The version of Adobe Flash Player required to view this interactive has not been found.
To enjoy our complete interactive experience, please download a free copy of the latest version of Adobe Flash Player here.
Housing party is just getting started
PNC Financial Services Group chief economist Stuart Hoffman takes a look at the housing starts and permits gains with Alisa Parenti in MarketWatch News Break.
In September, housing starts rose in all regions except the Northeast, with construction strongest in West and South. Both regions saw about a 20% jump in new construction.
Before this year the nation’s construction industry had been stuck in its worst slump in the modern era, following the collapse of a housing bubble in 2006.
Super-low interest rates, a modestly improved economy and a receding foreclosure crisis have all contributed to the upward shift in the demand for new homes.
Yet even though the pace of construction is nearly 35% higher compared to a year ago, construction activity overall remains considerably shrunken from its pre-bubble heyday. Before the bust, housing starts surpassed 2 million a year; they would probably top 1.5 million annually if the economy were fully recovered.
Going forward, home sales and construction could still be partly depressed by a slow growing U.S. economy and a high unemployment rate that limits the number of prospective buyers. The jobless rate is 7.8%.
“How far can the rebound go with unemployment where it is?” asked Steve Blitz, chief economist of ITG Investment Research. “From our perspective, not much farther.”
Apple makes a move, removing Java applet from OSX.
Further pushing toward the idea of a plugin-free internet,
Apple has issued an update to Java for OS X that removes the Java applet plugin. Attempting to use a Java applet through any OS X web browser will now prompt users to download the latest version directly from Java maker Oracle.
This is not the first time Apple has stopped shipping a specific browser plugin with their computers. With OS X Lion, users discovered that their Macs no longer came with Adobe’s oft-derided Flash Player plugin due to its instability and security issues. Apple has long held browser plugins in contempt, especially following the success of iOS, which hasn’t supported browser plugins at all in the past six years.
Just about every Mac Trojan/vulnerability over recent months and years has been related to outdated Java code. This move should close off those attack vectors.
iOS 6. Some things to keep in mind.
Posted by David Harley
Stop me if you’ve heard this before…
Bill Ray points out for The Register that Apple has quietly reintroduced user tracking for advertisers in iOS 6, though Identification For Advertisers (IFA), which allows advertisers to improve their targeted advertising, isn’t quite the same as UDID (Unique Device IDentifier) and is easy enough to turn off if you know where to look for it. (Unlike UDID, which couldn’t be toggled by the user.) Assuming that you prefer to avoid targeted advertising, of course, which is apparently the preference of 66% of Americans. It depends, I guess, on how much you want those services that are economically dependent or semi-dependent on their advertisers. It’s hard to be sociable online these days without using those services. Maybe I’ll come back to that in a future blog.
Stop me if you’ve heard this before…
Bill Ray points out for The Register that Apple has quietly reintroduced user tracking for advertisers in iOS 6, though Identification For Advertisers (IFA), which allows advertisers to improve their targeted advertising, isn’t quite the same as UDID (Unique Device IDentifier) and is easy enough to turn off if you know where to look for it. (Unlike UDID, which couldn’t be toggled by the user.) Assuming that you prefer to avoid targeted advertising, of course, which is apparently the preference of 66% of Americans. It depends, I guess, on how much you want those services that are economically dependent or semi-dependent on their advertisers. It’s hard to be sociable online these days without using those services. Maybe I’ll come back to that in a future blog.
IE 10 is almost here.
Microsoft says it will provide a preview version of Internet Explorer 10 for Windows 7 users in mid-November. The software maker has been suspiciously quiet about its Internet Explorer plans for Windows 7, always promising that the latest version, available in Windows 8, would make its way to the operating system.
In a company blog post, Microsoft's Rob Mauceri explains that a final version will follow after the company has collected developer and customer feedback. "IE10 brings improved real-world site performance and additional standards support to Windows 7 that Web developers have been asking for," says Mauceri. "IE10 on Windows 7 has the same standards based platform for developers to target as IE10 on Windows 8."
It's not clear why the company has opted to ship a preview version instead of final code for web developers. Initial reaction from the comments on Microsoft's blog post suggest that some developers were expecting a final release soon, rather than a preview. "Why preview?" asks one. "We want to develop optimized sites now!" Another says "I thought IE10 rtm would be out on 26th oct along with windows 8. Not happy microsoft!"
In a company blog post, Microsoft's Rob Mauceri explains that a final version will follow after the company has collected developer and customer feedback. "IE10 brings improved real-world site performance and additional standards support to Windows 7 that Web developers have been asking for," says Mauceri. "IE10 on Windows 7 has the same standards based platform for developers to target as IE10 on Windows 8."
It's not clear why the company has opted to ship a preview version instead of final code for web developers. Initial reaction from the comments on Microsoft's blog post suggest that some developers were expecting a final release soon, rather than a preview. "Why preview?" asks one. "We want to develop optimized sites now!" Another says "I thought IE10 rtm would be out on 26th oct along with windows 8. Not happy microsoft!"
More EV's. More Toyota.
The question is, are other car manufacturers paying close enough attention?
Toyota to bring Scion iQ EV to U.S.
Toyota is bringing its Scion iQ EV battery- electric four-seater city commuter car to the U.S. for car-sharing programs.
The iQ EV features Toyota’s newly developed high-output lithium-ion battery which delivers an electric power consumption rate of 104 Wh/km in a compact and lightweight package. In ideal stop and go driving conditions, the 12 kWh battery provides an estimated range of up to 50 miles on a full charge. The vehicle can be fully charged in approximately three hours at 240V. Its 78-inch wheel base and 13.5 foot turning radius makes the iQ EV highly maneuverable in congested areas where streets are narrow and parking is at a premium.
“Approximately 90 iQ EVs will be available for fleet and car-sharing applications,” said Hostetter. “These programs will further expand Toyota’s comprehensive portfolio of advanced technology vehicles which includes the recently-released RAV4 EV, the Prius Family of gas-electric hybrid vehicles, including the Prius Plug-in Hybrid, and the FCHV-Adv (Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle-Advanced).”
The iQ EV is replete with energy conserving features such as regenerative braking, heat pump air conditioning with a pre-conditioning option, LED high-mounted stop light, heated front seats, and a heated windshield defroster.
The iQ EV is equipped with a timer to match charge completion time with the time the vehicle will actually be driven, to help reduce battery degradation. In addition, there are three driving modes to select from: D range controls the vehicle to use the least amount of power during city driving; S range increases acceleration performance for brisker driving; and a B range that maximizes regenerative braking efficiency. Maximum output from the drivetrain is 47 kW (63 hp) with a maximum torque of 120 lbs.-ft. In S range the iQ EV accelerates from zero to 60 mph in 13.4 seconds, and from 30 to 50 mph in seven seconds. Its top speed is 78 mph.
The iQ EV’s styling resembles something from Lego Land. The front bumper contains the charging port lid which emphasizes the EV’s iconic lack of an upper grille. Two exterior colors are available: Silver and Super Red.
The interior features a high-contrast black and white color scheme with metallic and ice-blue accents. There is a leather wrapped steering wheel and white steering pad cover, the contoured center console symbolizes the battery mounted below the floor and the plug patterned seat fabric with blueish-grey and white stitching completes the iconic theme.
Toyota to bring Scion iQ EV to U.S.
Toyota is bringing its Scion iQ EV battery- electric four-seater city commuter car to the U.S. for car-sharing programs.
The iQ EV features Toyota’s newly developed high-output lithium-ion battery which delivers an electric power consumption rate of 104 Wh/km in a compact and lightweight package. In ideal stop and go driving conditions, the 12 kWh battery provides an estimated range of up to 50 miles on a full charge. The vehicle can be fully charged in approximately three hours at 240V. Its 78-inch wheel base and 13.5 foot turning radius makes the iQ EV highly maneuverable in congested areas where streets are narrow and parking is at a premium.
“Approximately 90 iQ EVs will be available for fleet and car-sharing applications,” said Hostetter. “These programs will further expand Toyota’s comprehensive portfolio of advanced technology vehicles which includes the recently-released RAV4 EV, the Prius Family of gas-electric hybrid vehicles, including the Prius Plug-in Hybrid, and the FCHV-Adv (Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle-Advanced).”
The iQ EV is replete with energy conserving features such as regenerative braking, heat pump air conditioning with a pre-conditioning option, LED high-mounted stop light, heated front seats, and a heated windshield defroster.
The iQ EV is equipped with a timer to match charge completion time with the time the vehicle will actually be driven, to help reduce battery degradation. In addition, there are three driving modes to select from: D range controls the vehicle to use the least amount of power during city driving; S range increases acceleration performance for brisker driving; and a B range that maximizes regenerative braking efficiency. Maximum output from the drivetrain is 47 kW (63 hp) with a maximum torque of 120 lbs.-ft. In S range the iQ EV accelerates from zero to 60 mph in 13.4 seconds, and from 30 to 50 mph in seven seconds. Its top speed is 78 mph.
The iQ EV’s styling resembles something from Lego Land. The front bumper contains the charging port lid which emphasizes the EV’s iconic lack of an upper grille. Two exterior colors are available: Silver and Super Red.
The interior features a high-contrast black and white color scheme with metallic and ice-blue accents. There is a leather wrapped steering wheel and white steering pad cover, the contoured center console symbolizes the battery mounted below the floor and the plug patterned seat fabric with blueish-grey and white stitching completes the iconic theme.
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