Bad Timing for Blackberry Failure

The past three days have marked troubled times for Research in Motion Blackberry services. Millions of frustrated users were not getting the messages and creating a large backload of data. This backload is now being processed and delivered.
This is a bad time, especially as apple will debut their new iPhone 4S in retail stores this friday. This little slip up in the Blackberry system, could cause even more customers to make the essential switch to the iPhone. Bad timing indeed.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/BlackBerry-outages-spread-to-rb-3189041293.html;_ylt=AmVku4SrXS3.8npxNTSQTMC7YWsA;_ylu=X3oDMTE2MHJpbGs3BHBvcwMxMARzZWMDdG9wU3RvcmllcwRzbGsDYmxhY2tiZXJyeW91?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=7&asset=&ccode=

iPhone 4S, apple's brilliance? or a letdown?

I had previously blogged about how I felt that Apple launching the iPhone 4S was a let down, especially after all the speculation of the iPhone 5. But, as one article I recently read tells us, it may have been Apple's plan all along.
Yesterday on Yahoo! Finance I read a very interesting article that depicted why Apple decided to launch a product like the 4S instead of a dramatic upgrade like the predicted iPhone 5.

"The thinking is that most iPhone 4 owners are still bound by the 2-year contracts they had to enter into when they bought the iPhone 4, so they'll be less likely to now upgrade anyway (barring carriers waving those contracts, which they might have if Apple had released the "5").

So the 4S isn't aimed at these folks. It's aimed at the other three categories of iPhone 4S buyers:

• Pre-iPhone 4 iPhone users (~70 million of them)
• Non-smartphone users (1+ billion, who can now get a 3GS for free, if price is an issue)
• Non-iPhone smartphone users (Blackberry, Android, Nokia)

Interesting thought, maybe they meant to let us iPhone 4 users down after all.....

Article Link: http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-ticker/now-why-apple-launched-iphone-4s-instead-iphone-154636512.html;_ylt=Am3OZylGoMWoXelVT6bQniO7YWsA;_ylu=X3oDMTFjZWVqc2luBHBvcwMzBHNlYwNGUERhaWx5VGlja2VyQmxvZwRzbGsDd2h5YXBwbGVsYXVu

How Safe is Your Info???

In my few years investing online, I have always felt as if my bank info,  contact info, and personal info was all very safe within whatever website or companies online servers.
However, investors with one of the largest online brokerages in the world can no longer feel perfectly safe.
TD Ameritrade, an Omaha Nebraska based online brokerage allowed for the theft of over 6 million investors contact information in 2007.
According to the federal case, Anyone who held an Ameritrade account prior to september 2007 could have been affected by the data theft.
This is quite troubling, of all web based companies on the web, you'd think that a online brokerage could protect it's customers information strongly. But in this case, it seems as though they were not protecting it well enough.
People who suffered the identity theft can collect between $50 and $2,500 in settlement money, and this will cost the company about $2.5 Million- $6.5 Million.
This really makes me worried, my credit card and valuable information is stored in many different websites and servers such as iTunes, amazon, my bank's website, and my brokerage account website.
With the large company of TD Ameritrade allowing this type of theft makes me wonder.... How safe are these other sites in protection my person information???

The Future of the Smartphone?

Apple's iPhone 4S is being released next week and come equipped with Apple's latest innovation. "SIRI"
Siri takes the voice control feature of many smartphones to a whole new level. It is essentially your personal assistant in your iPhone.
Siri lets you use your voice to send messages, schedule meetings, place phone calls, and More!
To me: this seems like a great solution for texting and driving. This seems to be the nicest thing about Siri, i would love to be able to simply say "send _____ a text, saying _________. " it would give my thumbs a break. Watch the video on the page below, it may blow your mind.
http://www.apple.com/iphone/features/siri.html

Day 2 The Real Disappointment

This evening, as I emerged from the mens room in the University I call home to begin my walk down the short hallway to a class where I attempt to pay attention to the wonderful world of fixed income investments, I gazed upon one of the beautiful, almost to large, television sets at the forefront of the business school.
This TV was displaying CNN, and the headline across the bottom caught my eye, "Apple says : Steve Jobs has died" it read in huge bold letters across the bottom of the screen.
This caught my eye because I have been such a fan of jobs work, and apparently so have millions upon millions of other mac junkies.
This man has provided me with the technology that i know and love today, and for that he will be sorely missed, even by people who only knew him as the genius behind apple computers.
Steve Jobs was a trendsetter, to say the least, and he was, and still is, THE MAN!
*THINK DIFFERENT* RIP STEVE JOBS

Day 1 of Disappointment

Yesterday, the long awaited release of the iPhone 5 was a flop.
However, iPhone 4s was the forefront announcement from current apple CEO Tim Cook.
With 2x speed upgrade, but a similar style and look to the iPhone 4, the 4s is the same on the outside, different on the inside.
Being released next week, the 4s holds power that no phone has seen before "SIRI" (is depicted below)
this is a sort of assistant program that is just that, you're assistant. very interesting.
But like many other apple enthusiasts, I am going to hold off on the 4S for now, and just accept the new iOS operating system "ios5" as a good enough upgrade for me. Sorry Tim Cook, but in your first product debut, you sort of disappoint.

Tomorrow!

So tomorrow (October 4) is the big day.
Newly appointed Apple CEO Tim Cook is scheduled to make an appearance to reveal the new iPhone, or iPhones.
What do the users want to see?
I found an interesting article on cnet.com about 20 features that consumers would like to see in the next addition of the super phone from Apple.
Everything from an HDMI port, which would be amazing (but probably not to likely given apple's track record) To 4g capability, to a larger screen, which is more likely, is discussed. It also gives a "percentage chance of implementation". Check it out at:
http://reviews.cnet.com/2300-6454_7-10002721-17.html?s=0&o=10002721&tag=mncol;page

Dear Mark Zuckerberg, it's about time...

I have had an IPAD for about a year and like many people I was unbelievably surprised to when i got it to not find an application for the biggest social network in the world.
Facebook has never had an iPad app. There are many apps that attempt to create Facebook experience, like "friendly" or "friended", but never one from the brain of mr zuck himself.
Apparently this is changing... and with ios5 it is allegedly coming. I speak for many people when i say, it is about freekin' time.

Will YOU switch to the cloud?

Throughout the past few weeks I have done a significant amount of investigating different aspects of cloud computing. Cases about business cloud computing, and though about the implications of converting a business to cloud based computers.
But this fall Apple inc will allow every user to take their computing and mobile experience to new levels, levels that reach the clouds!
"iCloud stores your music, photos, apps, calendars, documents, and more. And wirelessly pushes them to all your devices - automatically. It is the easiest way to manage your content, because now you don't have to."
This does sound intriguing.
Will this make me use my iPad more? I never use it for anything productive because it is a pain to transfer things to it. will this be a revelation?
how secure will my content be?

needless to say, i have some questions.

IPAD Killer.... Riiiight.

Its so hot, they call it "Fire", and they're hoping its gonna burn the iPad right out of the lead in the tablet market. 

It's here, the Kindle Fire. 

It's pretty neat looking, 7-inch tablet looks a lot like an iPad thats been shrunken a bit. 

With 8gb of storage and 512MB of memory, it may try to compete with the iPad. 

AND at $199, it very well may have a chance....

Apple Makes it Official

Yesterday they made it official. Apple sent out invitations to the press for a october 4th iPhone event. This had already been reported by many websites, but has actually become official. 

As you can see there is a calendar logo with the date of the 4th appearing. The clock logo with 10:00 showing. The map logo with its normal Cupertino Apple location showing. This all makes sense being that the event is october 4th, 10am, in cupertino. But whats with the number 1 showing in the phone logo? this normally stands for having a new voicemail, or a missed call?

Could this be a precursor to what is to come?

There is much speculation about the possible release of 2 different models of iPhones this fall, one being the 4s and the other the iPhone 5. 

Is this "1" a notification that maybe they will only be releasing 1 new phone???

and what about the iPod?

Normally apple update the iPod around the time of the new iPhone, usually carrying similar technology in each. 

One can only wait and see.....

Normally on their invitation they give subtle clues as what may be discussed. The invitation bears this logo. 

A tablet from the AMAZON?

There is a new iPad competitor.
and its from amazon, and it ain't no kindle.
Amazon is said to be announcing a new tablet on september 28th.
"The interface is all Amazon and Kindle. It’s black, dark blue, and a bunch of orange. The main screen is a carousel that looks like Cover Flow in iTunes which displays all the content you have on the device. This includes books, apps, movies, etc."


The simplicity of the kindle is what keeps it moving, this scaled down tablet may see the light of day! that is of course.... depending on the price. 

IT's COMING!!!

The day has come, well not yet, but its coming.
A report has surfaced that Apple Inc is denying employees vacation time during the second week of october.
Now any fool would know that something is going on.
With an announcement pending on october 4, new iPhones said to be on the agenda, and now employees not getting vacation during the second week of October?

You guessed it. I'd say its safe to say the new iPhone, or iPhones will be released that week. FINALLY!

A Google Wallet?

This week google launched their version of the wallet. As you may have guessed, its not made out of leather, and it doesn't fold up and go in your pocket. Well I guess it COULD go in your pocket, but in reality it is in a phone, that is in your pocket. If that even makes sense.

Google and MasterCard teamed up to deliver the google wallet. A digital wallet that allows you to charge your master card through a chip in certain Google smartphones. This may be the first of it's kind, but surely won't be for long.
Hello, Tim Cook? Apple? Steve Jobs? Can I get a rebuttal?

Iphone 4s? Iphone 5? Both?

The tech sites are buzzing constantly lately with news, quotes, and analysts weighing in on what the new iPhone will bring. Apple, said to be holding a presentation by Tim Cook on October 4th is almost certainly going to debut some kind of iPhone. For the past two years Apple has introduced an iPhone in the late summer/early fall months just in time for the holiday season, and just in time for those apple enthusiasts to shell out a couple hundred bucks for an upgrade to a newly designed iPhone. Over 70% of apples iPhone 4 sales in the first month came from upgrades to new products.

But what does this one bring? Some say a completely redesigned iPhone 5!
Some say a redesigned "iPhone 4s"

the iPhone 4s will see little change to the look and feel of the phone, but will allegedly feature the a5 processor that is used in the iPad 2, making the phone run much faster.
the questionable iPhone 5 is said to sport a bigger screen, different look, and a5 chip.
Which one is released could have a serious effect, me personally I would not consider upgrading from the iPhone 4 unless there was a significant change. You be the judge, the 4s doesn't do it for me.

Forget Gold and T-bills, Apple May Be the New Safe Haven

As indexes and stocks slumped again today to red numbers, Apple continues to surge.
AAPL has surged on an has reached its highest stock price ever of over $410.
How has Apple done it? keeping their stock growing while the rest of the market is going up and down?
"They own the tablet market, they own the phone market, And they've got all the cash." says Pete Najarian. A Fast Money trader at CNBC.
Apple looks as a sort of safe haven as other stocks plunge and indexes record red number, apple keeps flourishing.... What might happen when apple hits the TV market? $500 per share?
I think its possible, and so does JP Morgan, who currently has a price target at $500 for the stock. 
Apple                                                                    S& P

APPLE TV? REALLY?

In response to my last post, Apple is set to enter the TV market by the holiday season in 2012. This gives its tv competitors to try and brace for the apple attack on the TV market.
The TV market is still the largest media producer in the world. Kids 18-24 watch about 3.5 hrs of tv per day, spend about 40 minutes on the web, and about 20 minutes on mobile phone. This is a great market for apple to enter in.
When thinking if the MAC geeks that you see in every coffee house across the united states, to the normal consumer that seeks a nice television, i think that it will be a good market for apple to enter.
The sheer loyalty of Apple consumers should be enough to enter in the TV market alone.
The following table provides and interesting stat:

That is brand loyalty at its finest. The iPhone 4 was apples most successful product launch, and 77% of the iPhones sold in the first month were upgrades from other iPhones.
People who like apple stuff, which is almost everyone who's tried it, will either want one, or actually buy an Apple television. Mark my words.

The REAL Apple TV.... Coming Soon?

The latest news and rumors from Apple Inc. state that there are many indications that apple is planning on entering into the Television market. Apple is rumored to be producing TV sets and may be seen as soon as 2012. Apple has a product already called "apple TV" which basically consists of iTunes in a box, that provides access to movies, tv shows, and other online content. 

This has already shaken the landscape of cable television and the thought of 100% on-demand programming. 

But what could the addition of an apple television set mean for the tv industry. In one article i read an opinion that "apple will do to the television manufacturers what it did to phone makers with the iPhone." in that sense, apple will probably take over the television industry and change it forever. 

So here is my question. With apple being the power within computers these days, would you also trust them to buy a television?

My answer: YESSS!! If a new apple television will work seamlessly with my other apple devices the way my iPhone, iPad, and Macbook work together, i wouldn't think twice about my next tv set having an apple logo. Even if it means paying a premium price. In my past experience, no matter the product, the more money is worth it for an apple product. 

Mark Zuckerberg's quest for world power.

Mark Zuckerberg was a computer programmer that invented a little thing called Facebook. Mark is viewed as an icon in the technology world. He is working on making his name in the financial world too. Earlier this year Zuckerberg accepted a small investment from this little investment company called Goldman Sachs. Goldman dumped 450 million into this little thing called Facebook.
Next year Mark Zuckerberg is going to somehow get richer than he already is.
Facebook is going public next year. Since now Facebook nemesis Google went public in 2004, investors have seen a 500% return. Pretty good if I do say so myself.
Mark Zuckerberg is a lucky guy, seems like a bit of a jerk, but I do not blame him.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/halahtouryalai/2011/09/14/mark-zuckerberg-delays-facebook-ipo/

Reasons to Switch to a mac

The latest computer craze is that of the Mac OSX. I am seeing more and more of them around. I have heard countless people say that they like their pc, because they know how to use it, and it works with everything they've needed to do. Well it's my opinion that these people are simply uninformed, and apple-less. Many of the people who I have once heard this non-sense from, now own a mac, and they have totally changed their outlook on computing.

I have preached and preached about mac computers and how they are worth the extra money, but i recently found an article that was interesting that described "8 financial reasons to use Mac OS". They are as follows:

1. Macs bring better overall value proposition.
2. Mac liscensing fees are cheaper
3. Mac desktop spawns fewer calls to the help desk. - (or none! I have had a mac computer for 6 years and haven't taken it to be repaired once!)
4. Mac users are more productive
5. Macs last longer
6. Mac OS is more secure
7. Mac is just as cost-effective as windows to administer and manage
8. Add Macs while hanging on to your investments in other OSes

Don't agree? read the article yourself for the explanations
http://www.cio.com/article/127050/Eight_Financial_Reasons_Why_You_Should_Use_Mac_OS?page=4&taxonomyId=3234