AT&T and T-Mobile Merger Not Good (21 March 2011) - Although this came as no big surprise to me, it's probably not a good thing. First of all this will give AT&T the monopoly on GSM in the US. Second, it limits competition as now there are only 2 major and a few minor wireless providers in the US. Lastly, we won't see much of the T-Mobile girl anymore. Are there any benefits to the consumers? Well maybe for existing AT&T customers it gives them a greater coverage in areas no currently supported by AT&T and visa versa for T-Mobile customers. I hope the US government takes a good look at this before approving.
RSA Break-in Leaves Users of SecurID Sweating Bullets (18 March 2011) - A major security vendor of one of the most frequently used security solutions gets nailed with a break-in that could compromise security of corporations around the world. Corporations that use this technology should sharpen there security systems and monitor for attacks.
Can't Catch my Breath with Apple (26 February 2011) - It seems lately like were running a marathon with Apple Computer. First, the big Verizon iPhone announcement, then this past week a new crop of MacBook Pros, there is a new operating system on the horizon (OS X Lion) and it appear that the iPad 2 with iOS 4.3 will be released in the next week or two and the rumor of the iPhone 5 is crazy. I'm glad to see Apple pushing forward without Steve Jobs at the helm and there is certainly no lack of innovation from Apple. However, with this marathon I'm afraid to buy anything as it seems Apple products become obsolete rather quickly. The other day I was in the Apple store and folks were buying iPads and MacBooks. I wonder if they were upset when just the very next day a new crop of MacBooks is announced? I know I would.
Enough Already about the iPhone (12 February 2011) - I am really happy that Verizon finally is selling the iPhone 4 which is apparently selling very well. There was a lot of pent up demand from both Verizon customers and customers wanting to switch from AT&T. Just like those political advertisements before election day can we please move on now. Verizon and Apple really don't need to waste advertising dollars because people will want this device anyway. AT&T only needs to advertise their propaganda to get people to stay with them. If anyone has got a good advertising campaign it's T-Mobile. They were quick to attack both AT&T and Verizon. Too bad T-Mobile doesn't work well by my house because I really like them. So let's stop with the iPhone 4 for now because soon we'll be hearing about the iPhone 5 and it will start all over again.
Eric Schmidt to leave Google (21 January 2011) - Someone at Google finally woke up. It looks like the co-founder, Larry Page, will step in and take over as chief executive replacing Schmidt. It seems like Google wants to return to it's start-up, entrepreneurial roots and Schmidt is not the man to do this. Of course this is not surprising to me given what he did to Novell. Here was a leading edge company that had a great number of exciting innovations, way before Microsoft, only to be taken down several wrong paths. Schmidt abandoned that sinking ship and joined Google. Now 10 years later, hopefully, Google will take a page from Apple and has learned that companies such as these need to be run with people who have the heart and soul of the company. Hmm, maybe Bill Gates will be returning to Microsoft soon.
Steve Jobs Takes Medical Leave (17 January 2011) - It was announced today that Steve Jobs Apple Computers CEO and visionary will be taking a medical leave for an unspecified period of time. Mr. Jobs was recovering from Pancreatic cancer and a liver transplant and speculation has it that either the cancer has returned or his body is rejecting the liver transplant (see this article in the LA Times). I wish Mr. Jobs all the best and for a speedy recovery. Although I am not worried about Apple Computer, I do remember when he left last time to start NeXT, Inc. and the company went into the toilet. Let's not have a repeat performance. Apple and most possibly the world has come to rely on Mr. Jobs, not for his leadership of Apple Computer, but for his vision for the future of computing. There is no one else developing sleek consumer driven devices like Apple Computer and Mr. Jobs, so without him we might have to resort to the Windows Phone, the Windows 7 OS and Android. Get better soon Mr. Jobs.
Verizon Finally Gets the iPhone (14 January 2011) - After more than a year of patiently waiting the iPhone 4 is coming to a Verizon store near you. February 10, 2010 (sooner for pre-existing customers) will be the big day. News from other sources indicates that Verizon and Apple have been working on this for some time ironing out the technical and business details including expanding there 3G CDMA network to handle the anticipated traffic increase. Personally I am happy this finally came together. I am however disappointed that Verizon and Apple did not make any significant changes. Here are a few disappointments: 1) The phone is a 3G phone not a 4G phone. Verizon's 4G implementation called LTE is still a few years out in all markets. 2) The phone is capable of CDMA only and not dual band (CDMA and GSM) so it will not work in Europe (isn't Verizon partly owned by Vodaphone). 3) Verizon's network will only permit voice or data at one time so if you want to look something up on say OpenTable and speak to your friend at the same time you won't be able to do that. There is one feature that is intriguing and that is the HotSpot feature that will permit the Verizon iPhone to act as a hotspot. Hopefully Verizon will exploit that feature and provide it at no charge. Lastly there is Facetime the video chat feature. Hopefully Verizon will permit and performance will be acceptable for Facetime to work on the Verizon network and not be restricted to wireless like the AT&T implementation. There is a lot of pent up demand from existing Verizon customers and AT&T customers who want to defect to what they hope is a better network. I hope Verizon is prepared and doesn't muck it up.
