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Microsoft’s Newest Phone Cut After 48 Days

You probably saw a commercial or two for Microsoft’s Kin cell phone recently. Well, not too recently since Microsoft discontinued the phone after only 48 days on the market because of such low sales.

The Kin was geared toward young adults and teens who love social networking. The phone plays up easy social network access like Twitter, Facebook, even MySpace. It also featured a loop of friends that you are directly connected to, i.e. follow their tweets, status updates, etc.

I found it curious that I would see tons of commercials at home that made the Kin look decent (something appealing to social-media-crazy-teens) and yet never saw any articles or reviews on any of the big name tech sites. The phone regretfully did not catch the eye of enough teens or young adults either. All the advertising for the phone came from Microsoft’s large ad budget for the Kin. And that obviously wasn’t enough.

It probably wasn’t the best idea to release the smartphone right around the set release dates of the iPhone 4 and the Droid Incredible. While the Kin does have a unique look, it cannot compare to the iPhone craze and its huge apps store resource.

Even though discontinuing the phone may have been the best option for Microsoft, it is completely out of their character. Like the Windows Vista or Internet Explorer, Microsoft tends to hold on to projects (however awful they may seem) and improve them over time. But this time the product was cut off after only 48 days!

Maybe Microsoft was so okay with shutting down the new phone because the next Windows phone is in the works and could potentially come out by this fall. Microsoft said that all Kin employees would be reassigned under the Windows Phone 7 development.

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Will iTunes be Moving to the Cloud Any Time Soon?

Apple has had a lot on their plate lately. IPad shortages, tons of iPhone 4 problems, and now a lawsuit thanks to the iPhone 4′s awful reception. The last thing Apple should be worrying about is iTunes, and yet there is a rumor that Apple is planning to move the music marketplace to the cloud.

The Boy Genius Report cited some “reliable Apple sources” when reporting a story on iTunes’ plans to move to the cloud. The move would be very beneficial for the service and its users. Being on the cloud would provide easy streaming from Apple’s server to any computer or device. Basically, that just means listening to music or watching movies wouldn’t take up storage space on your computer.

The cloud server would also allow streaming from one home computer to another, and also to any remote devices. Any Apple product with wireless access can be connected to each other for a sort of mini network. The same connection will allow for wireless syncing between computer and device. Think about that one for a minute. Yes, automatic syncing between your iPod Touch and iTunes library on your laptop. Even new apps for your iPhone will automatically transfer to your desktop computer library. Boy Genius says, “Changes to your calendar, or notes, or contacts will automatically update on your computer as well.” Sounds pretty awesome to me.

All the changes sound beneficial to Apple and their customers, and I know I would enjoy iTunes a lot more with that wireless syncing advantage. Too bad Apple has not confirmed this rumor yet. However, some past business decisions may suggest some validity to the rumors. Remember when Apple bought music streaming service Lala back in 2009? Well that service shut down at the end of May. Its shut down made everyone suspect that iTunes would be getting a major improvement or even be moved to the cloud… OH! Sounds like that part might be coming true! We’ll keep you posted on the topic.

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New Chrome Gets Integrated Flash

I absolutely hate it when I’m looking around the Internet for something specific but when I finally find it I have to update my flash player to see it. I think we can all agree that is one of the more annoying aspects of Adobe’s Flash. Chrome browser has attempted to resolve that issue. The new update to Chrome 5.0 has flash player integrated into the browser itself. That means any updates that need to be made to your flash player are done when you update your browser.

Google mentioned a possibility of an integrated flash player over a year ago, but after fifteen months of not seeing any follow through we all forgot about it. Google announced the browser update on the Chrome blog last Thursday, June 24. The update will also solve numerous security issues seen in the last Chrome browser 5.0.

When Google’s Chrome browser passed up Safari last week, there didn’t seem to be reason behind the shift. I suspected that a new update might have helped push the browser into third place, but didn’t know any specifics so I couldn’t be too sure. The availability of an integrated flash player may confirm my theory with this new update. I will admit, the thought of not updating my flash player every time I try to watch a video or see a block of text on a website. Chrome 6.0 is still in the development stage.

It seems that Google released the stable version of this browser update only a day after releasing it in Beta version (according to their blog). Maybe Google was convinced the new version of Chrome was perfect or maybe they felt they needed to hurry it to stable status for users. Either way, it is available now and will make your Internet browsing less annoying (hopefully).

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Name One of the Greatest Tech Developments in Rece...

Yesterday I asked around the office what each Keystone employee thought was the best technology gadget to change its market in recent years. I got a few off the wall answers and a few I-don’t-know’s. One of our experts on the web development side, Jeremy Scott, suggested the iPhone. I almost rolled my eyes at this response because it seemed like such an obvious and overused answer. But then he expanded on his answer and said, “Everything before the iPhone was basically a phone with email capabilities and some crappy web browsing. Everything after the iPhone is about apps and mobile computing and app stores and so on. It completely changed the marketplace.”

He was right. Until the development of the iPhone and the app store in 2008, smartphones really weren’t that smart and app developers didn’t have any good way to get their product into the hands of consumers. Smartphones in general changed the cell phone market forever, but the iPhone had a particular impact because of its combination of music, phone, and Internet access. Smartphones before the iPhone had extra memory space, a decent camera, video capabilities, Bluetooth, limited WiFi access, and probably Windows Mobile 6 as the OS.  Let’s flashback to some examples… the Motorola Q, the HTC Advantage, (one of the better ones) the Blackberry Curve, etc. Unlike these other smartphones, the iPhone was released with a touch screen, its own operating system, and its own application store.

Apple created a closed market of applications available to all iPhone users when it created the app store. The closed market provided advantages for both Apple and the app developers. Apple got all the credit and the creativity recognition. The app developers got to avoid the cheap carriers they had to settle with before and were able to reach a huge audience directly. Even in 2008 Wired Magazine recognized the potential in the app store when it said:

“Apple’s App Store changed [everything]. It made creating and distributing mobile applications for cell phone users easy — jumpstarting the mobile-app development market and creating clones such as the Android Market. It even forced Research in Motion to offer a BlackBerry Application Storefront. For thousands of programmers, the cell phone is the new PC.”

The iPhone changed phones like the iPod changed music. The iPod and iTunes made the music industry sweat because it allowed listeners to buy individual songs as opposed to an entire album. Music artists started relying more on ticket sales at concerts than record sales for income. So how will the app store affect smartphones? Well we have seen a major growth in applications since the app store gained popularity (there is even an app for skee-ball now!). Others continue to mimic the app store (like Android) but none will ever be as large as Apple’s original.

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Woman Hit by Car Blames Google Maps

If I had a Blackberry, or any kind of smart phone, I would definitely use it for directions when I’m out and about. It would be convenient. However, Lauren Rosenberg probably should have passed on getting directions on her Blackberry in January.

Lauren Rosenberg got walking direction through Google maps on her Blackberry from 96 Daly Street to 1710 Prospector Ave. in Park City, UT. The only problem was the walking directions led her over a very busy state highway where she was struck by a car. Rosenberg is now suing Google and Mr. Patrick Harwood (the man who actually hit her) for more than $100,000.

I Google mapped the same directions and posted them above. You can see the directions look pretty normal. Deer Valley Dr. definitely doesn’t strike me as a highly trafficked highway, but that’s not Google’s fault. Then I notice the yellow-tan-ish box above the walking directions. It says, “Walking directions are in beta. Use caution- This route may be missing sidewalks or pedestrian paths.”

Looks like either Google gave fair warning from the directions I found. However, because Rosenberg looked up the directions on a Blackberry, the same warning did not show up on her screen. So the Google Maps Blackberry application is at fault now?

ABC News says it best when they say, “She should have probably realized upon arrival that it was an unsafe place to walk, though — but isn’t that how these lawsuits always go?”

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Google Campaigns against Microsoft

Google has gone back to the basics to attract businesses to their new Google Apps. Billboards used to be dismissed, almost useless to larger companies. But Google is bringing the billboard back! They have selected different billboards around the country, including New York, San Francisco, Chicago, and Boston, to display their new media campaign, “Going Google!”

Every weekday during August, Google’s billboards will display a new phrase or message promoting Google Apps. With sayings like, “Email, shared docs, and team sites? Nice. I want to go Google,” many believe this is a direct dig at Microsoft, like The Wall Street Journal. Meanwhile, Microsoft just struck a deal with Yahoo to combine the two search engines, Yahoo! Search and Bing, to have a legitimate shot at pushing Google out of the top. Google also created a “Join the Movement. Spread the Word. Go Google,” Website to try to stir up some talk about their new Google Apps, directed at business leaders and employees.

Communication, collaboration, and saving money are three advantages of Google Apps named on the Website. The Apps feature a combination of Google products within the workplace to maximize communication and collaboration ease. Email, calendar, and instant messaging apps will be better than before because of message threading and more storage. Collaboration will be made easier with a real-time application available. With all the applications running just on the server, no special software is required.

This may be a great new system for offices everywhere, or maybe just a great marketing scheme, but either way, it’s definitely a huge effort on Google’s part.