Tuesday Tech Talk #60

Hello folks and welcome to another edition of Tuesday Tech Talk. Kind of a light week this week after the Apple announcement last week, but let’s see what is happening in the news.

Intel moves into mobile chip market

Intel is moving into the mobile chip market with the acquisition of Infineon’s Wireless Solution unit which coincidently is an iPhone supplier.

Flash on Android...not so nice

Let me start off by saying this is not a knock on the Android phone, this is however a knock on Adobe and their continue to be crappy and out of date Flash application. If there was an argument to back up Steve Jobs well publicized disapproval of Flash, it is this...go ahead...give the video a look over and then come back.

iOS 4.1 under the hood

Of course Apple announced last week that the iOS 4.1 update will be released this week. Great article here on the features 4.1 will include.

Netflix comes to the iPhone and iPod touch

Great news for iPhone and iPod touch owners, Netflix has created an app for those devices as it does for the iPad. There is one key difference though, the app for the iPhone and iPod touch does not have a DVD queue manager. It is strictly a streaming application with all the content on it as instant watch. But still pretty cool none the less.

Well that is going to do it for this short version of Tuesday Tech Talk. If you haven’t done so yet, read my reaction to the Apple event here and you can also read my good friend Jeremy’s reaction as well here. See you all next week!

Tuesday Tech Talk #58

Hello folks and welcome to another edition of Tuesday Thursday Tech Talk. I apologize for the late arrival this week but I was busy the early part of this week. Well lets see what is going on this week in technology.

Facebook says Places everyone

Last week Facebook introduced a new feature that allows you to check in at places on your mobile phone that has the Facebook app. The one feature of it I find questionable is the ability to tag others at that place. That being said it will alert that user if they have been tagged and gives them the option to remove the tag. The difference between it and Foursquare is you don’t get to be mayor of a place on Places like you do on Foursquare and Foursquare doesn’t have tagging.

Intel buys McAfee

News from out of the blue last week as the big chip maker purchased the anti virus software maker for $8 Billion! Wonder if AMD will now look for a dance partner?

Couple uses iPad to marry them

Ok as someone that loves both technology and marriage, this article caught my eye. A couple used the iPad to read their vows and the bride even used the iPad to compose her vows and then the wedding official (not a priest as the linked article states) read it as well to officiate it. All that being said, to each their own but no way would I have done that at my wedding in 2001 even if an iPad existed then. Full disclosure, I used Mac Office PowerPoint to propose to my wife back in 2000 on my beige G3 desktop that ran on a 266 MHz processor.

Verizon bringing FiOS TV to mobile devices, DISH goes online

The world of mobile TV viewing continues to evolve with Verizon announcing it will soon offer an app that will allow you to view FiOS programming on your iPad, Android, Blackberry Storm, and Windows Mobile 6.5 devices but ONLY from within the home. Which kind of makes no sense. I mean really the purpose of such an app would be if you are not at home. In other content provider news, DISH Network is bringing a handful of channels to its Dish Online service.

Western Digital introduces HomePlug device

Western Digital is making a plunge into home networking by allowing you to extend your WiFi connection to electrical outlets allowing you to connect your HDTV for example to the internet. The Livewire will sell for $140.

Apple negotiating $1 TV show rentals

Ahead of the expected AppleTV revamp next month, Apple is in negotiations with FOX, ABC, and CBS to allow consumers to rent TV shows for a 48 hour window for a dollar each episode.

Jail breaking your iPhone won’t send you to jail

I have never really felt the need to jail break my iPhone. Believe it or not I am a happy AT&T customer since 3G arrived in Tupelo. Don’t get me started with Comcast though. But if one wanted to, well #1 you are on your own if you want tech support from Apple but #2 it is legal.

This Week’s iPhone/iPod touch/iPad apps

Madden NFL 11 ($12.99 iPad, $7.99 iPhone/iPod touch - I have to admit I have never really used my iPad or iPhone as a gaming device beyond using Farmville or Solitaire. But I am really enjoying playing Madden on my iPad. There is a learning curve to it especially on defense, but once you play a couple of games it gets pretty easy (hint: rush the quarterback on defense to force incomplete passes or even interceptions and the possible sack). I don’t have the iPhone version but my friend Dave does and he tends to love it. So far my Chargers are undefeated and winning by 35 or more points, I even beat the Seahawks 76-21...in Seattle.

We Rule (FREE) - I have heard Fr. Roderick, Cliff Ravenscraft and Leo Laporte all mention this app so I finally downloaded it. The best way to describe it is English village meets Farmville. You have a castle that you can expand the more levels you go up and plant crops, collect taxes from the citizens, and continue to expand your landscape as you advance in levels. My username is tupelogeek if you want to add me as a neighbor.

Well that is going to do it for this edition of Triple T. See you all next week back on our regular schedule.