U.S. Gov. Says ByeBye Blackberry, and Hello Apple!

Obama carries his iPad to the limo. Source whitehouse

Yes, this is Steve Job's dream come true!
The US Government has long had a strict Blackberry rule. If you used an Email enabled phone, it was a Blackberry. Why would the United States Government limit it's employee's to just one smartphone? Because of their Secure Messaging System. Blackberry promises some of the most secure mobile Email in the world. That coupled with 256 bit encryption on the phones at a hardware level, their Government model phones are extremely secure.

However, users can speak very loudly and in my experience, users want iPhones and they want Droids. In many cases employees will carry two phones. A Blackberry for work and an iPhone or a Droid for home. They like the interfaces and the apps. The availability of software to do almost anything you can imagine, is very alluring. But what about security? Well you can lock down iOS and Android devices through strict rules implemented by your administrator. Apple and Google both have been working very hard as of late on Active Directory integration with their devices, as have Microsoft.

This has been a rolling storm for a few months now, but it now is finally coming to a boil. RIM is losing it's long held grip in the U.S. Government.The Government is allowing other devices and they are predominately iPhones and iPads rolling in. The savings from this change should be immense, in the billions. A few Government offices are also planning to move their Email to "the cloud", using Google and Microsoft services. Blackberry still has the majority of the Government market, but you can expect that to change rapidly in the coming months. This will have a trickle down effect thru-out Big Business as well and you will continue to see RIMs numbers dwindle.

When Kundra, the U.S. Top Information Officer, was asked what he typically hears from workers about gov­ernment- or corporate-provided technology, Kundra replied, “It’s not a question of whether they don’t like it. They despise it.” He also said, “The line between work and home in terms of technology is beginning to blur.” So what is his answer? "Give it to them!" Let the workers use whatever device they want and apply very strict security settings.

Charlie Wolf, an analyst for Needham & Co is quoted as saying, “The best way I can describe BlackBerry is as a one-trick pony, The one trick was their secure messaging platform. Management has yet to understand that the world has changed. They didn’t understand that it was a software game going forward.” This is where Apple led the way and Google soon followed. With constantly advancing Operating Systems and ever evolving development platforms, The iOS and Android devices have dominated the market. Apple has the market majority for the time being, but I personally see the Government population of devices being close to 50/50 in 2 years. With Blackberry only having a very limited showing. This is based off what I have seen in the lower end of the spectrum.

Welcome to the "Federal Government 2.0" One with a plan to embrace new technology.

Source: Washington Post
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad 2

The End of Blackberry?

First of all, As you guys know I do not usually cut, copy and paste and article from another source into my blog. However, today's piece is an exception. It is so well written and informative that I just cannot help but paste it word for word and link for link... So I have quoted the original article from InfoWorld and Galen Gruman below.



I hate to kick someone when they're down, but since the wounds are self-inflicted, I'll get over it in this case. Yesterday at its BlackBerry World show, Research in Motion co-CEO Jim Balsillie demonstrated beyond a shadow of a doubt that the BlackBerry is dead. For the last few years, I've marveled in a horrified way as the once-top smartphone creator dug itself deeper into a pit of denial about the changes in the mobile market. It's hard for a company to adjust to a new reality, especially after a decade of success that bred complacency. But RIM isn't even trying any more.

Apple to release iPhone 4S in September.. NOT iPhone 5!

Forbes is reporting that Apple will NOT be releasing an iPhone 5 in September. Instead, it will be the iPhone 4S. And with it's roll out, Sprint, T-Mobile and China Mobile will likely be getting the iPhone 4S.

Why is there STILL no iPad 2 Jailbreak?

So like many of you, I have been patiently and anxiously awaiting the Jailbreak for the iPad 2. All the iPhones have new Jailbreaks, even the original iPad does. So why doesn't the iPad 2?

Flash is coming to iOS!!

The Apple Adobe war looks like it is finally coming to an end and Adobe is the one who caved. Since the beginning, Apple has been adamant about not allowing Flash onto the iOS devices. Why? Well because Flash Is a memory hog!

iOS 4.3.2 is Out!

Today Apple has released the latest in it's incremental updated for the 4th Generation iOS platform. According to Apple, this patch offers some minor bugs fixes and security patches. However, it looks like the majority of the reason for the patch, may very well have been to patch up the most recently released security hole that was allowing the untethered Jail Break.

No iPhone 5 until 2012?

That's right! You heard it here first! Reports are coming in that there will be no iPhone 5 until early in 2012. Why is that you ask? And where do these rumors come from? Well they are based on several pieces on information that have bed coming down the pipe the last couple of days.

iPhone 4 + iPad 2 + iMovie = Breaking News Footage

In what can only be seen as 100% proof that the iPhone 4 and the iPad 2 are nothing short of amazing... Robert Stephens, who happens to be the Co-founder of Geek Squad, saw a massive fireball on his way to work. Robert, being a quick thinker and a lover of his iDevices, whipped out his iPhone 4 and began to record the fireball as he drover closer to the site, to see if anyone had called 911.

Stephens then drove to a parking lot nearby, used the Camera connection kit, to transfer the videos from his iPhone 4, to his iPad 2. Once he had the videos on his iPad 2, he opened them up in iMovie, cut and spliced them together, added a voice over, subtitles and even a map of the location!! This is the Video below...

Apple and How They Helped Locally in the Earthquake

This most recent series of disasters in Japan has all of us reeling, wondering what will happen next. First the country of Japan is rocked by a Magnitude 9.0 Earthquake. The Earthquake was so massive that it literally moved the coastline of Japan some 8 feet! Some of the out laying islands have been moved as much as 60 feet! All of this resulted in the Earth tilting 4 more inches on her axis. As if the Earthquake was not enough, a tsunami nearly 30 feet tall, washed over several coastal towns of Japan, utterly devastating them.

iPads Pave the Way for Autism Breakthroughs

Autism affects 1 in every 110 children that are born today. With such increasingly high numbers of cases, it is more and more important that we find ways to assist those affected with Autism to be able to better communicate with the world. And that is exactly what Doctors and Teachers have done with the iPad!

In today's every increasing technological world, the iPad is standing out as a hero to some parents of Autistic children. Teachers and Doctors have found that Autistic children are naturally drawn to the iPad. They believe it is the familiarity on knowing exactly what to expect when they touch and click on the iPad. While they are generally frustrated by their lack of ability to anticipate human reactions, they know exactly what to expect when they slide a finger across the iPad's 10 inch screen. Even the act of drawing on the iPad is less frustrating, as they are able to handle the iPad a lot easier than they can a crayon or pencil.

Samsung VP Calls Their Galaxy Tablet Inadequate

According to Yonhap news agency, Lee Don-joo, Executive Vice President of Samsung's mobile division, has been quoted as saying that their Galaxy tablet is "inadequate" in the wake of the newly announced iPad 2. He wants the company to make the Galaxy thinner and better for the same price as the iPad.

Currently, a Galaxy 7 inch tablet will cost you $900 without a two year contract. Whereas Apple's most expensive iPad is $829 and 10 inches. Samsung has yet to announce pricing for their 10.1 inch Galaxy.. But it is safe to assume it will cost more than the 7 inch model. Samsung has a long way to go if they plan to be on comparable price scale with the iPads, which start out at $399 for first generation iPads and $499 for second generation models.

Best Buy to Give Employees iPads??

That's right folks! Word from Forbes is that one of the major U.S. retailers, which is presumed to be Best Buy, is planning to supply it's "Connected World" sales staff with iPads! The hopes of management, is that this move will help sell both the employees and the customers, on their "Connected World" concept.

The iPad 2 is Here!!

On Wednesday, Apple unveiled it's second generation tablet, the "iPad 2"! The new model is thinner, faster, more innovative and has two cameras just as we had suspected. And it ships on March 11th!

The iPad 2 comes packed with a dual core A5 processor running at 1 Ghz. It weighs 1.3 pounds, compared to the original iPad that weighs 1.5 pounds. The new iPad w is also thinner. It is just 8.8mm think, which is even thinner than the iPhone 4! It has front and rear cameras, both capable of taking pictures or movies.

Verizon States: LTE iPhone is coming and iPhone Launch, Biggest Ever

Verizon Wireless's Chief Executive, Daniel Mead, spoke with the Wall Street Journal recently. In this interview, Mr. Mead takes a moment to refute the claims in the media, that Verizon's iPhone 4 launch, was less that they had expected. These reports come from the observation that Verizon did not encounter incredibly long lines of people on launch day to purchase the iPhone 4.

Daniel Mead countered this by stating, the short lines were a result of an "intentional strategy aimed at spreading out the purchasing activity." Mead pointed out that unlike AT&T, their web servers did not melt down and force everyone to visit a retail store. Instead they had a 3 stage launch, which efficiently distributed the phones to the masses in stages.

March the 2nd! Mark it on your iCals!!! The iPad 2 is coming!

That's right folks! You have all heard the rumors, well today Apple confirmed them by sending out invites to the media for a March 2nd iPad 2 unveiling! The web went into a flutter yesterday with rumors of the March 2nd launch date for the iPad. Which was promptly followed by a bevy of rumors, that stated the iPad 2 and iPhone 5 would be delayed by as much as 3 months. This was confirmed today to not be the case.

The event will be taking place at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts at 10:00 am, in San Fransisco. Our friends at Loop will be there live blogging the event. I will fill you in with any info as I get it!

With my birthday right around the same time... I know what I am getting!! What a first quarter this will be for me... Got the new Verizon iPhone and now the New iPad 2!

Source and image: Loop

iPhone 4, Wins Best Mobile Device!

I received an invitation for the Mobile World Congress, in Barcelona. However, due to work, I was unable to attend. But that does not stop me from reporting the news from there to you. Especially when that news is Apple related!

The Mobile World Congress is a trade show geared towards mobile devices, much like CES

iPad2 Coming Soon.. iPad3 Right Behind?? Not Likely..

By this point, we have likely all heard the rumors. The ones that say Apple will release an iPad 2 AND an iPad 3 this year. This is obviously outside of apple's Standard Operating Procedure of An update every 12 months or so. Nor does it really make sense from a marketing point of view. I mean, would you buy a 2011 Corvette, if the 2011.5 Corvette was going to be redesigned with more Horsepower? Nope.

Georgia to Consider iPads in lieu of Text Books

Yesterday, Tommie Williams, The Senate President pro tem announced that State Educators and legislators are considering an offer made to them by Apple last week, that would put iPads in the classrooms of middle schools thru out Georgia instead of books.

Mr Williams is quoted as saying,

“Last week we met with Apple Computers, and they have a really promising program where they come in and their recommending to middle schools – for $500 per child per year, they will furnish every child with an iPad, wi-fi the system, provide all the books on the system, all the upgrades, all the teacher training – and the results they’re getting from these kids is phenomenal.”

Latest iPad2 Rumors? Thinner, More Ram, Anti-Reflective Screen?

That's right folks! The latest batch of rumors are out about the iPad2. An analyst from Concord Securities is claiming to have knowledge about the next model of the iPad. AppleInsider has reported that Ming-Chi Kuo, has stated the iPad2 will NOT have the retina display. This fits in with other reports I have been reading that the Retina display is actually slated for iPad3. He has also stated that as previously mentioned on this blog, the iPad2 WILL have the Cortex 1.2 Ghz A9 Dual Core Processor in it, as well

U-Socket is the Coolest Gadget at MacExpo!!

The coolest gadget I have seen reported from MacExpo thus far, is the U-Socket made by FastMac. This little wonder adds USB ports along side your standard 120 AC plugs, so you can plug your devices directly into the wall with no adapters.

These plugs are currently priced at $22.95 and $25.95 each, depending on which of the two current models you want. The model pictured to the right is the Ace, they also have a model called Decora Ace, Which is more squared. When prices come down to being more in line with standard wall plugs, I will be replacing nearly every plug in my house with ones like this!

Source MacWorld