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How Apple Has Changed the World Redux: St. Peter's Square 2005 and 2013
Phablet, Schmablet: Lets Refocus on Real Innovation Says Melissa Thompson
How Hackers Target Smartphones - Tech Expert Discusses Cell Phone Phishing Issue
How To Force Quit a Misbehaving App in iOS Tutorial Posted
TSMC To Tape Out Apple A7 Processor In March, Trial Production In May-June, Shipping In Q1 2014 - Rumors
VueScan Mobile Lets You Scan With Your iPad, iPhone iPod touch or Android Device
How Apple Has Changed the World Redux: St. Peter's Square 2005 and 2013
The Today Show posted on their Instagram account a fascinating photo comparo of St. Peter's Square in Rome at Pope Benedict XVI's election in 2005, and at Pope Francis I's election this week, illustrating another example of how how Apple has changed the world.
You can check it out at:
http://instagram.com/p/W2BuMLQLRB/
Phablet, Schmablet: Lets Refocus on Real Innovation Says Melissa Thompson
TalkSession CEO Melissa Thompson notes that Samsung staged a flash-mob style performance in Times Square ahead of its Galaxy S4 device unveiling tonight at Radio City Music Hall - literally turning the U.S. wireless communication competition into a circus.
In another limited-edition special, Apple's VP of Marketing, Paul Schiller, defended Apple's products and pointed out major flaws in Samsung's products and tactics to the Wall Street Journal.
The Paradigm Shift in Mobile Technology
Ms. Thompson observes that Samsung's Galaxy S4 phablet will have a 5-inch screen 0.2 inches larger than the 4.8-inch display in its predecessor, and that Samsung is smartly capitalizing on Apple's recent PR missteps, tanking stock price, and stagnant pile of cash.
"There is nothing extraordinarily innovative about Samsung's new device," she says, "aside from the extravagant promotion by dancers donning top hats and the number 4 on their tuxedo-clad backs. In terms of the actual product and the actual technology, the S4s incremental improvements in technology will not make substantial impact on user experience or consumer value."
"Where is the innovation?" she asks. "While the S4 pitch rings as better than the iPhone, I credit Samsung for smartly spending their marketing dollars to build awareness now, while Apple goes silent. Samsung's future pipeline of products, will indeed offer valuable innovation.
"For years, Samsung has been investing alongside Intel to create the Tizen operating system: an open-source software platform that will create a robust and adaptable development environment, providing a consistent user experience across devices," Ms. Thompson continues. "The Linux kernel and WebKit-based system integrates harmoniously with gadgets other than our phones, phablets and tablets including our cars, appliances, smart TVs. Which company has an integrated system of devices beyond the media realm? One who could integrate an open-source, flexible platform into its suite of products? Samsung. Now we are talking innovation."
Apple's Reality Check
"Innovation today means being open, transparent, integrated and creative," Ms. Thompson contends. "Apple needs to make a radical shift to maintain leadership and brand equity.
Indisputably, Apple is known for innovation. The company's mission is to bring the best personal computing experience to students, educators, creative professionals and consumers around the world through its innovative hardware, software, and Internet offerings."
"The U.S. wireless market is nearly saturated," she observes. "Competition is fierce and only getting stronger. The new, better, and faster features, have become meaningless buzzwords. Innovation itself is a buzzword, but true innovation is much more than just bells and whistles. Apple needs to rethink innovation as Steve Jobs would have, and renew its commitment to its mission bringing the best experience to the global market. Apple currently has an untapped opportunity: improving global health, education, and economies. There are rumors that Apple is creating a lower cost iPhone later this year. This move would be a step in the right direction, as Apple's high price point is prohibitively expensive for the developing world. Beyond access to the device, the larger issue is operating system capability. This presents Apple with a large market opportunity, but the company would have to consider a major strategic shift: one to open-source software."
Modern Innovation: Creation of Shared Value
Ms. Thompson observes that Apple's closed operating system has allowed the company the luxury of ultimate price and quality control. "Nevertheless," she says, "regulation often stunts innovation. As a case study, let's look at mobile health. Mobile phones promise to improve healthcare, acting as handheld portable healthcare devices, both in self-managed care, remote assistance, and more integrated solutions.
"My own healthcare technology venture aims to deliver higher quality treatment at a more affordable price point to help more consumers access mental health treatment. Open source technology was and continues to be a crucial component of our product development.
"mHealth technology has facilitated new ways to diagnose malaria, tuberculosis, and hookworm, detect allergens and pathogens. In the future, our smart phones will have the ability to detect cancer, HIV, and other serious conditions based on a droplet of blood or saliva placed on our screens. These are meaningful technological developments."
Where Can Apple Live Its Mission Of Innovation?
"The difficulty of global shared value creation lies in cost and technology delivery," says Ms. Thompson. "Apple needs to move beyond its comfort zone and innovate beyond the familiar. If Apple indeed creates a lower-cost smartphone, and most importantly, employs an open-source operating system, I believe the company will reinvent itself, regain its position as a world-class market leader, and truly live its mission of global service and excellence."
Melissa Thompson left a burgeoning Wall Street career as a trader with Goldman Sachs to become a female leader in the world of technology. She is currently the CEO and co-founder of TalkSession, Inc., an online counseling platform in beta mode, that will connect users with highly credible professionals for on-demand, mobile therapy and counseling sessions using proprietary algorithm matching and artificial intelligence. With this cutting-edge technology, TalkSession, Inc. will endeavour to not only fix inefficiencies in the healthcare system and help de-stigmatize therapy, but help people and inspire them to take risks.
Melissa Thompson was named Technology Editor of SCENE magazine, the recently announced publication of The New York Observer, and has helped numerous companies in their digital media and technology innovation campaigns including the United Nations, Chanel, Forbes Magazine, Jetsetter, Publicis, the American Chamber of Commerce in Beijing, and the New York Stock Exchange.
For more information visit:
http://www.melissathompson.com
How Hackers Target Smartphones - Tech Expert Discusses Cell Phone Phishing Issue
We're all unfortunately familiar with email phishing, in which hackers attempt to acquire personal information by targeting unsuspecting users. While the dangers still exist, most people are aware of suspicious emails and opt to ignore the request for information. However, there's a new danger lurking where scammers are targeting cell phones via SMS messaging.
Tech expert Karl Volkman of SRV Network, Inc. in Chicago explains how smishing impacts consumers and ways to protect yourself.
"Cell phone scamming is particularly dangerous right now because most individuals are not aware of the threat," says Volkman. "A text message from a retailer directing someone to click a link for more information or fill out a quick questionnaire can seem very legitimate, but in reality scammers can be gaining personal information."
According to Volkman, the best thing to do is for individuals to refrain from responding and not provide secure information unless the source is confirmed. In addition, contact the organization the purported message is from.
"Its likely the business is unaware of the scam and the fact that their personal database has been hacked," says Volkman. "Informing the necessary contacts of the breach can help tighten security efforts to avoid future instances."
Karl Volkman, is Chief Technology Officer of SRV Network, Inc. in Chicago, Illinois.
SRV Network, Inc. is a Microsoft Gold Certified partner that offers a variety of IT services, including a variety of flexible service packages that meet any client requirement, from as-needed technical help to intensive, regular on-site work. They work with all technology platforms and have a broad expertise in a wide variety of technology solutions. They specialize in Network Design and Implementation, Network Maintenance and Monitoring, Disaster Recovery and Prevention and IP Telephony.
For more information on SRV Network, Inc. visit:
http://www.srvnetwork.com
How To Force Quit a Misbehaving App in iOS Tutorial Posted
The Mac Observer's John Martellaro observes that occasionally you may encounter an app that didn't install correctly, or, if it's running, won't quit on your iOS iDevice.
John Explains that there are several, escalating steps you can take to force quit a misbehaving app in iOS. His how-to tutorial describes successively stronger measures to achieve that desired resolution.
You can check it out at:
http://goo.gl/chJlO
TSMC To Tape Out Apple A7 Processor In March, Trial Production In May-June, Shipping In Q1 2014 - Rumors
Digitimes' Josephine Lien and Steve Shen report that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is expected to tape out Apple's A7 processor on a 20nm process in March, move the chip into risk production in May-June, with commercial shipments to commence in the first quarter of 2014, according to unnamed industry insider sources.
For the full report visit here:
http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20130313PD215.html
VueScan Mobile Lets You Scan With Your iPad, iPhone iPod touch or Android Device
VueScan Mobile allows you to seamlessly scan documents and photos straight to your Android device, iPad, iPhone or iPod touch. It is now being used extensively by thousands of customers and has received excellent customer ratings. Previous to the current version, VueScan Mobile supported HP, Canon or Epson WiFi printer/scanners.
VueScan Mobile uses the Wi-Fi connection on your iOS device to find scanners connected to the same Wi-Fi network. If the scanner has a document feeder, VueScan first checks to see if there is a document in the feeder, otherwise it scans from the flatbed.
In addition to sending via e-mail and saving to the Photos App, VueScan Mobile allows you to save scanned images to your favorite iOS apps that can open PDF or JPEG files such as iBooks, Dropbox, GoodReader and Evernote.
VueScan Mobile is available in two versions; the free version which scans with all supported scanners at 300dpi and can export JPEG images, and the full version at $4.99 which supports document feeders, duplex, document management and multi-page PDF.
"The VueScan Mobile App makes scanning extremely convenient," says Ed Hamrick. "Simply press the green Scan button and, in a few seconds, the document will appear on your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch."
The VueScan Mobile Free App for Android devices is available in the Google Play App store, the Amazon Appstore and directly from:
http://www.hamrick.com.
The full version VueScan Mobile App is available for $9.99 (Ł6.99) from the App Store on iPad, iPhone and iPod touch, or at:
http://www.itunes.com/appstore
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