iPhone 4 Recall
Apple stock has recently been declining and the problems with the iPhone 4 is one of the major reasons for this. The author of this article says that Apple will refuse to actually recall the iPhone 4 since it would cost them about $1.5 billion, but he also explains a different way Apple could compensate for their mistakes. If Apple gave out a free case with every iPhone 4 they sold, they could potentially save their company's money and the sale rate for the iPhone 4. Since the antennae is in the silver lining around the phone, it must be covered with a case in order to hold and use it. Therefore, it would seem that the only way a customer could use their iPhone is if they bought the $30 case to protect it.  Not only is the phone made of glass and easily breakable, but it has this sensitive antennae around the outside edge of the phone. It seems fair that Apple would provide a free case with the phone in order to save their sales rates. After the Macbook Adobe virus catastrophe, customers have been more reticent to rely on Apple and now that the new iPhone 4 has been problematic, Apple will have to make a dramatic change within the sales of their products.  I wouldn't think Apple would want to lose their prestigious position as one of the top electronic and computer companies in the world.  

Could Tumblr Rise Above Facebook and Twitter?

Although Tumblr was created after Facebook and Twitter, it is actually on a steady incline towards surpassing Facebook's and Twitter's amount of viewers. Tumblr is definitely increasing in its popularity and it is easy to see why.  This new form of social media creates a happy medium between blogging and tweeting, so you can maintain your own blog while sharing it with other users on the Dashboard page. I find that I have actually begun to use Tumblr more often than Facebook and Twitter. The chart seen in this article proves how quickly Tumblr has become a favorite of social media users.  Users mostly post images and videos and many of them are so relatable that you end up laughing out loud when reading them.  Tumblr is similar to instagram, an app of iPhones where you can post pictures you have taken and share it with your followers.  The difference with Tumblr is that you can share and reblog images that other users (whom you don't know personally) have created and enhanced.  Tumblr is all about individuality and creativity while maintaing a social connection.

New Mac Trojan Horse Virus
One of the most notable benefits of an Apple computer is its ability to avoid the millions of viruses that Microsoft computers fall prey to. Many college students and professionals pick Macs for just this reason. Now, a new trojan horse virus has recently been discovered by Apple that masquerades as an Adobe Flash Player update. One word of advice is to never confirm an update from a popup window, but to always go to the website and download it there. I have a macbook pro, and have already been bombarded by this popup asking me to update to the newest version of flash player. Believe me when I tell you, it looks exactly like Adobe Flash Player. Do not be fooled! This is the sneaky exterior of a Trojan Horse virus. The virus has already infected 600,000 MacBooks worldwide and many fear that the worst is yet to come. In fact mac security may be forever changing, due to the progressiveness of virus creators.  They are slowly moving on from attacking Microsoft computers and beginning to learn how to target Apple computers. It will be interesting to see how Apple computer sales are affected by this change, unless the company is able to step it up and fight this breach in security head on.

Office 365 vs. Google Docs Showdown

This article provides the pros and cons of using Microsoft Office 365 and Google Docs. One of the main reasons why so many people are using google docs more comes down to the price. Google Docs is free, while Microsoft Word must be downloaded and has a fairly high cost.  In this article, however the author writes about Office 365, which is synonymous with Google Docs except that it costs money and boasts more quality features. Personally, I would choose the free tool over something that will cost me each month, however, the author of this article seems to think that your best bet is in Office 365. It has higher appeal in its options and features.  For example, in google docs powerpoint there are not as many options for backgrounds and themes and when viewing the slideshow, the presentation is not in absolute full screen.  Office 365 possesses all of these qualities that google docs does not have.  Office 365 also works in more web browsers than does google docs.  Microsoft Office 365 even allows users to chat real time through instant messaging or video chat as does google docs, however, it offers more quality real-time collaboration with other users.  Google Docs definitely has their work cut out for them in their competition with Office 365, however one benefit google docs can always guarantee is that it is free.

How Twitter Will Change The Way We Live

Twitter has changed so many things within the social networking world, the way we communicate, and the way we obtain news.  It is amazing how people can know instantly what their friend is doing or what their favorite celebrity is doing in that same moment.  Users have even designed a few aspects of Twitter on their own. The #hashtag and the @ symbols were created by users like you and me.  It is so interesting to see how people can take something that is so simple and transform it into something much more interactive and connected.  Instead of individual Tweets, now users can reply to someone's tweet or send someone a Tweet by using the @ symbol.  This especially makes it seem more personal when it comes to following celebrities and being able to respond to their Tweets.  Even though they probably won't have to time to look at all the responses, it makes people feel as if they can casually talk to a celebrity anytime.  Twitter is a great new tool where people can intimately keep in touch with their friends day to day lives as well as stay up to date with current news involving celebrities, politics, etc. It is a revolutionary tool for the world to keep in touch and up to date.

Zynga Unveils Stand-Alone Game Destination


Everyone knows about Zynga, whether you play their games on Facebook or as an app on your smartphone. Games like Farmville, Cityville, and words with friends have become popular interactive games created by this company. Now Zynga has created its own website called zynga.com where users can login and play games without the distractions of Facebook status updates and photos.  This will be an important step for Zynga because for the first time, customers will be able to play their games without going through Facebook,etc. Even though they have launched their own independent gaming website, Facebook will continue to collect 30% of its revenue. Zynga will still be a major part of Facebook (since last year it accounted for 12% of Facebook's annual revenue), it will just have this alternate option for gamers. Zynga is taking a smart step in the future of its company by creating zynga.com. Check out Zynga's new site by clicking on the link! 

Risk and Riches in User Data for Facebook

Facebook has recently been facing a widespread problem involving their privacy policies on user data and the way they allow advertising companies to get through to so many Facebook users. Europe has already asked Facebook to alter their privacy policies at least for them. Facebook has always faced this problem, as expected with its 845 million users worldwide, however, Europe is where Facebook faces most of its problems. In the recent contract signed by Facebook at the government data protection agency in Ireland, they promised to change the sight slightly for European users.  They also promised to better explain how user data is used to enhance advertising on the site.  Although countries like Germany disapprove of Facebook's advertising strategies, it is in effect an ingenious tactic on Facebook's part.  Without this ability that advertisers have within Facebook to get across to so many people who have simply hit their "like" button, Facebook would be severely impacted by this change. This new way of advertising and reaching so many potential customers at once, is an invaluable new way to do business and Facebook has provided for this. 

Android Expands to a Variety of Gadgets

It's healthy and refreshing to see some competition within the technology market and Google's Android has begun to show promise against Apple.  A few new gadgets that are on the market now or will be soon include Wimm One, the Cybertecture Mirror, and the Nyxio Smart Android TV.  These are just a few of the new devices that are changing the way we view technology.  Now things that we have seen in movies and on TV about the future, showcasing many gadgets and apparatuses that looked far too futuristic and complicated to ever hope to replicate, might actually be more tangible than we thought.  For example, the Wimm One is a smart watch.  With this new technology you can check your calendar, Facebook, etc. with something as small as a wristwatch. It can even connect to phones and receive text messages.  You will never lose this as long as it is strapped to your wrist, which is a major plus and it's priced at just $199.  The Cybertecture is another amazing new gadget, which consists of a large touch screen mirror that can connect to the web, as well as many other things that smart phones can do. It can also measure your body mass, weight, bone mass, etc., which can all be sent directly to your doctor.  Unfortunately this device can mainly be found in luxury hotels in Asia, since it costs a whopping $7,700. Another incredible new invention is the Nyxio Smart Android TV.  This year, 2012, we will start to see gadgets like this in the realm of the smart TV. In fact, Apple will release their version very soon along with Android.  This Android smart TV will allow owners to use about half a million Android apps.  These TV's will actually be ready for purchase around April of this year starting at $450. Many new "smart" inventions will be placed on the market in the years to come as seen here already. Our vision of the future is just around the corner.

Iphones over Blackberries in the workplace

iPhones have gained so much popularity now that Blackberries are being pushed to the side by executives and business professionals.  This is a big step for those companies who are making this leap.  After using one type of mobile device and one system for so many years, companies have found pros and cons to the switch.  For example, if personal smartphones (aka iPhones and Droids) are being used as work phones too, then companies must make sure that they have stellar locks into place on the device and that they have a way of deleting all company files after the employee has left.  If a phone is reported lost or stolen for instance, many companies have made it so that they can wipe the device clean of all sensitive work related materials.  Many companies have even started "walling of data", which means that they have set up a separate section in the employee's mobile device with a separate password that cannot be moved or downloaded into the phone itself.  It is a part of the phone that is strictly for work alone.  One major downside is having to test all programs in multiple mobile devices to make sure it files and programs will work in each type of phone an employee might have.  This takes time and money from the company, so one way for the company to get around this is by creating a mobile app that can be downloaded on a smartphone.  In fact the company Kimberly-Clark is working with AT&T to create a mobile-enterprise-application platform, which would allow for a company app that would work on all mobile devices.   Overall, the switch from iPhones to Blackberries in the workplace may be found as beneficial or as a nuisance, however, iPhones are the new future for smartphones in the business world.

iPad Apps

For anyone who has browsed the App Store on any of their apple devices from iPhones to MacBooks to iPads, it is easy to see that there really is an app for anything.  In fact there are about 500,000 apps in total!  How does one find and choose the best apps for their device? In this article, Macworld explores the eleven most favorite iPad apps from a home for all your to-do lists to a cheaper version of Photoshop, these apps are worth investigating.  Since the iPad is known for its expansive touch screen, apps have been created to make the best use of the large screen.  Out of the 500,000 apps 3,500 are to be used most favorably on the iPad.  One of the apps in this article called Things for iPad is perfect for the excessive list maker, especially because it updates your lists, calendars, and contacts on all your other devices, which keeps everything up to date.  If you want something along the lines of Photoshop but don't wish to spend an overly large amount of money then Layers is the right app for you starting at just $2! Instapaper Pro, which costs $5 is another great app, which allows you to save all articles you are in the middle of reading or have already read and store them all in one place.

Generation Robot

Within all of the technology humans have created, we are bound to see major changes in our future.  From robots in the workplace to inserted DNA, we will undoubtedly become an evermore increasingly technological society.  Everywhere you look there are people hooked into their iPhones or iPods, texting, or checking their Facebook status.  One might even say that we have trouble functioning without our technological devices.  If humans and machines were to come together, as author Jimmy Guterman says will be possible in the near future, our species will have changed drastically.  This has its positive and negative aspects of course.  Some might say that it is a necessary step in developing our future to become increasingly more technological and machine oriented.  Others might say it takes away from the very essence of our being and simplifies us into machine dependent individuals.  I believe in both of these ideas.  Humans should strive to improve and enhance themselves and the world around them while keeping up with the times, but on the other hand, it is up to each new generation to pass along the traits that make us truly human such as altruism and compassion.  The author of this article states that many professionals believe this transition, towards a connection between humans and machines is already in progress.  Though, this could be a good thing, I also believe we must be careful when making these drastic changes in our world because it is apparent that technology could outsmart us and take us over (Guterman).

Apple's Big Numbers

After reading this article and seeing for myself what people tend to buy, I would say that it is correct to say that Apple is taking over the technological world. Everywhere you look, people are texting on their iphone or updating their Facebook status on their MacBooks.  It used to be that PC's ran the computer world and now everything is changing with these sensational products apple has created.  It's no wonder the Apple's sales have increased dramatically in the past year.  Because it has become the fashion to own an iphone, Apple has become a smartphone company first, above all its other merchandises.  Apple has sold 37 million iphones, which means that most people who buy smart phones, in fact 54% of them, will buy the iphone.  Apple products are irresistible and most people view Apple as their best bet for quality, security, and functionality.  It used to be that blackberry was the leading smartphone on the market, a must have for businessmen and women.  Today, iphones are rapidly taking over the world of cellphones.  Very soon probably everyone will have an iphone.  The fact that Apple as a company is doing so well in its sales can only mean great rewards for the people involved in its stocks.