Lorla’s Blog

No mention of GPS, web camera, multi-tasking capability but the price of the new iPad device from Apple, announced today is half the rumored $1000 mark.

Pricewise the 16 GB iPad, for $499, is sure to succeed when you compare it with Kindle or Nook. But, it is to be seen weather the ‘zoomed-in iPod Touch’ will appeal the public.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiling iPad, a new Apple tablet device:

Today we will know whether Apple has created a new ground breaking device and changed the world again. Apple has scheduled a press conference for 1 p.m. Eastern time today.

I will add the details here, as they unfold.

Apple’s latest creation, "way better than a laptop, way better than a phone," as mentioned by Apple CEO Steve Jobs, is finally unveiled after a long speculation and rumors.

The 1.5 pounds touch tablet sports 9.7 inch display and includes 1 GHz Apple-built ARM A4 processor. The processor includes CPU and graphics in a single chip and the device will come in capacities of 16GB to 64GB of flash storage. The device is told to have 10 hours of battery life while watching video and one-month of standby charge.

In addition to the iPad, Apple’s e-book reading application, iBooks, was also revealed in the event.

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Apple’s ‘latest creation’ – iPad, iBooks (UPDATE)

The apple tablet is gearing towards reality with the confirmation of the rumored January 27 special event. The invitation only event will featuring Apple’s “latest creation" will start Wednesday, January 27, 2010 at 10am Pacific Time.

With recent development of events and news quoting “unnamed sources” it is an open secret that the event will release an Apple tablet. In addition to the tablet, Apple most probably will release iPhone OS4 and iLife 2010 to make them compatible with the tablet.

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Apple dream – Tablet on every home…

The Apple Tablet rumor refuses to diminish. In fact, every major newspaper (For example: The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post) are fueling the rumor. Now, when it seems ‘sure’ that Apple will release something this January. Another rumor about Apple ordering 10-inch displays fuel the likelihood of releasing it soon.

If the Tablet is to be released, it would need something special to succeed in the market flooded with smartphones like Droid, iPhone, and Palm Pre. iPod Touch, Kindle, and Amazon Nook might be a distant competitor but they can’t be ignored either. The desktop computer, laptop and netbook are also plying in the same market. With this crowed market a tablet, if any, would need certain features to succeed.

1. Easy to carry and easy to use:

We have had enough of bulky, heavy portable electronics. People need thin, light device that can be carried around easily. May be a large iPod Touch, or better than that.

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5 Features an Apple Tablet needs to succeed

The fastest commercial train in the world is now operational in China running at a maximum speed of 394 kilometers per hour (km/hr) in a trail run. The train link connects two cities, Guangzhou in South to Wuhan in central China, and will travel at an average speed of 350km/hr (217mph). The 1,068 km distance between the two cities can now be covered by the high-speed train in two hours and forty five minutes � that is, a saving of about six hours of travel time.

The high-speed train line uses technology developed in co-operation with firms such as Siemens, Bombardier and Alstom.

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Fastest train in the world

It is confirmed. The Moon has water and plenty of it.

The NASA LCROSS mission has successfully uncovered water during the Oct. 9, 2009 impacts into the permanently shadowed region of Cabeus crater near the moon�s south pole. Here is the CBS video:

Steve Jobs did a great job in the past decade to be ranked Fortune Magazine�s CEO of the decade.

It is not the first time that Fortune recognized Jobs as a business genius. On November 27, 2007 Fortune Magazine named Jobs the most powerful person in business (CNN).

I like the way Jobs is portrayed in the article titled The decade of Steve.

Youthful founder gets booted from his company in the 1980s, returns in the 1990s, and in the following decade survives two brushes with death, one securities-law scandal, an also-ran product lineup, and his own often unpleasant demeanor to become the dominant personality in four distinct industries, a billionaire many times over, and CEO of the most valuable company in Silicon Valley.

Some of the notable contributions that Jobs was instrumental in are:

• One of the first commercially successful personal computers (Apple II in 1977).
• First mouse driven graphical interface (Macintosh computer in 1984).
• �Desktop publishing�
• Laser printer
• Personal computer network
• Successful computer animated feature films (Pixar)
• Highly successful digital music player (iPod in 2001)
• Online music store (iTunes in 2003)
• Highly successful smart-phone (iPhone in 2007)

Congratulation to the magician of the digital world, Steve Jobs!

Newly announced Google Maps Navigation caused shares of satellite navigation device companies to fall substantially amidst fears of the death of standalone GPS. Is it really the death or the rumors of the death have been greatly exaggerated?

In the Navigation Application, Google uses search engine to find addresses, Google Street View for photos of locations, and live traffic data in its turn-by-turn GPS software. The application is available in the new Droid phone. Let�s see some advantages and disadvantage of Google GPS attached to mobile phone.

Advantages of Google Maps Nav.:

• It is a free service
• Comes with phone and doesn�t need an extra gadget, easy to carry and you are less likely to forget it at home.
• Real-time updating
• Linked to the HUGE Google search database

Disadvantages:

• It is device specific � only phone it supports now is Motorola Droid. More may be (are) coming but it will take time. 
• Multi-tasking � using GPS and calling somebody would be difficult. It would certainly add concern to the traffic safety.
• Dedicated data connection is required � there are many places where Google service might not be available.
• Mobile phones usually have smaller screen as compared to dedicated GPS. More the screen are better the details on the map.
• Mobile phones’ smaller form factors usually don�t allow for extra battery (like iPhone). Constant use for long period of time might not be practical in some situations.
• Google will certainly add advertisement in future. Would like smaller screen and ads in it?

GPS manufacturers knew it was coming. Sometime back, TomTom started offering its own mobile GPS application for iPhone for $100. But free application is lot more cheaper! It is to be seen if Apple will beg Google to make one for iPhone.

Official video on Google Maps Navigation:

Professionals would certainly go for standalone GPS but causal users like myself would certainly be happy with the new device and new application. Death is a harsh word; but it is sure that they wouldn�t sell like hot cakes anymore.

GPS manufacturers need to step forward in innovating their products, cutting the prices, and offer better value to the customers. It sure is not a dead end!

Google, aiming to revolutionize the way people communicate online, has recently introduced an online application named Google Wave. The online tool will store a thread of data, document the history of a conversation and keep it on a server that runs on a Wave Protocol.

The wave protocol is related to cloud computing in which the users save, retrieve and work on data and applications on remote computers rather than the local hard drives. It is widely believed that future is for cloud computing in which users don’t need to download anything and everything can be done online. The operating system Google is planning to release, Chrome OS, is also based on the similar conceptual framework.

The widely used and most popular online communication tool ‘email’ was first introduced more than 40 years ago and it has little changed in the four decades. Emails are stored in server and are transferred to the users’ computer on request. However, Google Wave allows users to collaborate in real time. Users can see how and when things change and respond as required.

Email didn’t replace snail-mail but it sure did reduce the mail-box load. Now, it might be Email’s turn to shed some weight in the inbox.

Google Australia first proposed Google Wave in 2007. It is told that 100,000 beta users are testing the service currently. The service currently is invitation only. If you want to test it, you can also request an invite by visiting wave.google.com.

When it comes to the quality of life, Norway enjoys the world’s highest ranking country according to a United Nations agency. The annual Human Development Index prepared by the UN Development Program found that the country with the worst quality of life is Niger with life expectancy of just over 50 years. The Index was prepared by taking life expectancy, literacy, school enrolment and per capita gross domestic product in 182 countries.

The second best in the list was Australia followed by Iceland. Canada ranked fourth (not bad!) and the United States was in 13th place.

Trends in the index since 1980 showed an average improvement of 15 per cent in countries’ scores. The greatest long-term improvements have been shown by China, Iran and Nepal, but progress has been concentrated in education and health rather than income, said the UN agency. (source)