The 2012 Tech Rumor Mill
If the rumors spreading through the blogosphere are true, 2012 could prove a pretty big year for technology.
Apple rumors suggest we should look for a few new products. While most of the Apple fans were underwhelmed (but still purchased) the iPhone 4S, the iPhone 5 is supposedly arriving with a new design. I typically like to jump between devices so I was on Android for a bit and came back to Apple for the 4S. The camera on the phone has been unbelievably helpful since I just became a new dad. While I have a Digital SLR, capturing photos and video with that phone simply by sliding it out of my pocket has been nothing short of awesome. While driving, I also find myself using Siri to send messages and schedule appointments. While it has some kinks, I’m a fan.
We are also awaiting the launch of Apple’s entry into the TV market. This year may bring Apple-branded televisions with possible voice control (using the Siri engine). They also have filed patents for “dynamic back lighting,” which should lead to an improvement in picture quality.
iPads may also get upgraded this year, with a possible cheaper option to compete with Amazon’s Kindle Fire. They will also get higher resolution displays that we have all come to love on iPhones.
In 2012 Google may launch its own tablet running its Android operating system. They have traditionally left this to other hardware manufacturers and they may still do so. The interesting part is the device’s rumored price point: $199. This would be a huge win for consumers.
One benefit to Google releasing the device instead of relying on other manufacturers is that consumers could quickly receive updates instead of waiting on vendors to slowly release theirs. An open-system, inexpensive tablet would benefit consumers in other ways. The iPad relies on Apple content. The Amazon Kindle Fire is a slightly watered down product designed to consume content exclusively in Amazon’s ecosystem. A Google tablet would be open and ready to go. I’m excited about this!
No matter what comes out, 2012 is certain to be a great year for technology lovers!
By Chon Nguyen
Nguyen is a tech troubleshooter and owner of Digital Aspire at www.digitalaspire.com.Photo courtesy of Apple.
Different Online Ways to Buy
The Internet has revolutionized shopping.
With the introduction of group buying sites like Groupon and flash sale sites like Gilt and Fab, it’s challenging to keep up with changing online options.
Consumers are becoming more savvy, using tools that are increasingly easier to use. For example, I’m a huge Amazon shopper and a proud Amazon Prime Member ($80 a year gives you free two-day shipping on most items). Armed with my smart phone’s Amazon Mobile application, I can scan a product’s barcode in stores, compare prices, and purchase the item. While good for Amazon and consumers, there is a downside. If people keep shopping this way, brick and mortar stores may cease to exist. And we know what happens to prices when there’s a lack of competition.
Groupon is a daily deals site that runs pretty aggressive discounts. You can purchase their deals on your mobile phone or on your computer and redeem them at the featured businesses. You can sometimes find great deals at restaurants, stores, museums and tours. These deals typically have a minimum number of people that need to purchase before the deal before it becomes active. This encourages interested people to spread the word. Groupon, however, isn’t the only game in town in the daily deals space; copycats abound on the Web. Living Social is probably the second largest site and they typically run some pretty great deals too.
Flash sale sites are also very popular and particularly focus on fashion. These usually offer a limited amount of a certain product for a limited amount of time. Gilt Group and Jack Threads highlight clothing sales. OneKingsLane.com specializes in home furnishings and décor. These sites usually offer really great deals on brands that are typically pretty expensive. A few of the sites I have used, however, have taken a bit longer to ship then I would like. They don’t typically don’t stock inventory but place their orders to manufactures after the sale. Since the sales are time sensitive, a lot of these sites also have mobile applications that alert you when sales start. That way you can jump on them quickly.
Undoubtedly, online shopping is revolutionizing the way consumers make purchases – and is putting increasing pressure on brick and mortar stores.
It pays, however, to keep up with the retail world’s ongoing technology revolution.
By Chon Nguyen
Nguyen is a tech troubleshooter and owner of Digital Aspire at www.digitalaspire.com.
Navigating the Online Music World
From unlimited plans to pay-per-song options, navigating the maze of online music offerings is daunting.
Thankfully, some services stand out above the rest.
The easiest way to get started is with the free jukebox services such as Pandora and turntable.fm. These services let you pick a genre or artist you like. They then provide a bevy of music similar to that style. Their services include paid and free options, with the latter normally including intermittent advertisements – a small price to pay for their benefits. Pandora’s system leverages the music genome project, a tool that allows them to identify song traits in a unique fashion and then offer tracks with similar styles. They also recently rolled out a new Web site and removed their 40-hour a month listening limit.
A similar service is Spotify, which allows you to pick and play individual songs rather than stations. Spotify limits their free members to around 40 hours of music and includes advertisements. Their paid versions remove the ads and include unlimited streaming, mobile phone support and offline listening. Spotify has been popular overseas and only recently launched here. They’ve already attracted a loyal U.S. following due to their wide music selection and user friendly software. Their new partnership with Facebook allows them to publish your music preferences on your Facebook page if you allow it.
Rhapsody is a combination of both services, playing individual tracks and stations. For ten dollars a month you get access to 12 million songs and the ability to access them from most mobile devices. A similar offering is BestBuy’s re-launched Napster.
Essentially digital lockers, cloud-based services are slowly becoming the dominant music service on the Web. These let you upload your existing music collection and then listen from any compatible device. They also store music purchased from them. Companies offering these services include Apple, Amazon and Google. Each has a similar pricing scheme and storage offering. Amazon’s new Kindle Fire also uniquely leverages their cloud storage to sync with the tablet device. Their cloud also includes nearly unlimited storage of books and videos.
No matter what service you choose, new players will undoubtedly enter the game. We are in the midst of an online music revolution and the possibilities are music to my ears.
By Chon Nguyen
Nguyen is a tech troubleshooter and owner of Digital Aspire at www.digitalaspire.com.
Enjoy Your Celebrity Status
With Facebook and Twitter, everyone can have their 15 minutes of fame…every day.
It’s hard to think back to a time when I wasn’t “checking in.” Or a time when I didn’t immediately upload pictures from my phone to Facebook. We live in an age when immediately sharing things with the people you care about is becoming the rule.
It, however, has nothing to do with ego. I’m not posting pictures of me front row at the Rays game because I want all my friends to know I have the best seats in the house. It’s because I want them to message me back. They can say, “Hey, let’s meet up after the game” or “Where are you?” so that we can wave to each other in the stadium. There’s no need for serendipitous meetings when Facebook can make them happen.
It’s really not about self-indulgence. It’s about keeping in touch with friends in a busy world. The original status update was the away message on AOL Instant Messenger. You’d put up your away message when you were going out to the mall to let your friends know why you weren’t answering them. Mobile changed all of that. With Twitter, you can continually answer the question: “What are you doing now?”
While some may find it silly, Twitter can be used as a tool to reduce friction between nagging parents and their child. If I had passed my teen years always answering the question “What am I doing?” to my phone, my mom wouldn’t have had to always ask me.
Just follow me on Twitter, Momsies.
Is it TMI?
My friends want to see pictures of my newborn child. They even don’t mind seeing what new clothes I’m eyeing at Nordstrom. They can comment back and say things like, “Wow, that’s fancy!”
And that makes me feel good.
The people have spoken and we want to see your pictures from the weekend.
You’re a celebrity. Live it up.
By Chon Nguyen
Nguyen is a tech troubleshooter and owner of Digital Aspire at www.digitalaspire.com.