Pre-orders for the iPad started this morning bright and early at 5:30 AM, Pacific time. This is just for the United States — for those across seas, iPad sales won’t begin until late April. Both Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + 3G models are available now at the Apple store. Apple iPad accessories are also available for order — keyboard dock, dock, power adapter, case, headphones, etc…
After just two hours at sale, MacRumors tells us Victor Castroll from Fortune reported an estimated “51,000 orders in two hours.” Insane, but definitely not a shock. In 2007 when the iPhone first came out, Engadget says 270,000 units sold in the first 30 hours of sales. Could the iPad beat those numbers?
If you are still trying to weigh out the cons and pros of getting an iPad, I came upon two articles arguing each side. Dan Frommer at Business Insider “Just Ordered an iPad: Here’s Why.” And SmartMoney takes a hard look at whether or not you should pre-order an iPad. Note that Apple only allows a two per customer pre-order limit.
Google Labs just released a snazzed up version of Google Reader, a web-based aggregator for reading Atom and RSS feeds. Appropriately named Google Reader Play, the web-app requires no initial set-up and still “adapts to your tastes.” Keep in mind, this new application does not replace Google Reader — it’s just a fun read.
Items are presented in a full-screen format, one at a time, with easy arrow buttons to move back and forth. There’s a “like” button and the option to choose categories to personalize your feed even more. Algorithms used in Google Reader for Recommended Items are also used in Reader Play to generate a custom feed. “It takes into account your past reading behavior and global signals,” according to the Reader Help section. Although Google Reader Play does not require a Google account for access, signing in will allow you to “star” items and provide better feed customization.
Only playing with Reader Play for a few minutes, it’s definitely more visually appealing than Reader, itself. The viewer presents items via slideshow (or not, you can turn this off) in “magic” mode or in their original layout. “Magic” mode gives the items more pop by filling the screen with the most eye-catching item (graphic or video — if it’s just text, it makes the text bigger, basically). Try it out for yourself and tell us what you think.
Google announced a big addition to Google Maps today. “Today we’ve added biking directions and extensive bike trail data to Google Maps for the U.S.,” reports Shannon Guymon, Product Manager for the biking directions team. In cooperation with Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, a nonprofit dedicated to building a nationwide network of trails for healthier living, Google has marked over 12,000 miles of trails for this maps venture.
The bicycling feature even goes above and beyond by taking in numerous factors to calculate the most efficient bike route possible. Google takes a look at roads with bike lanes, busy intersections and steep hills — then computes all that data to output the best route possible. Basically, Google is looking out for bicyclists… safest, quickest path possible while trying to avoid hill-peddling exhaustion. Similar to the road maps, bicyclists may also customize their trip by dragging their path to a desired route.
This feature is currently available for 150 cities across the United States. Since it’s in beta, it’s constantly being improved upon and feedback is encouraged. Roll on over to Google Maps Biking to try it out. Hey, just in time for spring too!
I’m going to come right out and say it. The Oscars were boring last night! Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin are two hilarious talents, but last night… I was not amused. Where did Neil Patrick Harris go the rest of the night? That made no sense at all. Just because Hugh Jackman did a successful number last year doesn’t mean you should repeat it — especially if the singer is not also going to be the host the rest of the night! What happened, Academy?!
Well, all is not lost I suppose. I’ve got a blog post out of it! While sort of paying attention to the Oscars last night, my friend Alex screamed out, “What?! They have a 3D TV now?!” Yep, it’s true. According to Gizmodo, Best Buy will be rolling out a couple Samsung LED 3D HDTVs on March 21st.
Microsoft Office 2010 has been in beta for some time. It’s also been free to try out for some time. In a press release from Microsoft, senior vice president of the Microsoft Business Division, Chris Capossela said, “Office 2010 is the premiere productivity solution across PCs, mobile phones and browsers.” Office 2010 definitely gives more heed to mobile computing, social media and collaboration.
In fact, an article from Inc. announces that Office 2010 will be rolling out with free versions of Word and Excel to compete with Google Docs and Spreadsheets. These “stripped-down online programs,” says Inc., “will be accessible on computer browsers and Web-enabled mobile phones.” Continue reading at Inc.com.
Big changes have been happening over at BlackBerry and they have decided to make one of its most popular products completely free. BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express provides advanced BlackBerry smartphone features with no additional software or user license fees. It also works with any Internet-enable Blackberry data plan. Download it now at the BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express site.
Okay, so it’s nearing March. Those new year’s resolutions you made almost two months ago haven’t been sticking. Need a bit of help? Chrometa! Chrometa is “a time tracking app that respects your time.” Because, “tracking time shouldn’t take time.” So, “Chrometa takes care of the details and lets you focus on your work.” I’d say that’s a pretty smart application…
Chrometa has notoriety to claim as well. Inc.com, Law.com, TechnoLawyer and Business Journal have all featured the product. Hey, and check out even more reviews and buzz circulating for Chrometa. They include first-hand experiences noting the app is “kick ass” and “a straightforward solution to a painstaking task.” Lee Rosen, an attorney in North Carolina even claims “Chrometa pays for itself on the first day – before you go to lunch.” That’s some super high ROI, if you ask me.
So what exactly does it do? Chrometa is a program that automatically tracks your time. Find out just how long you’re spending on documents, emails, applications, calls, meetings and everything in between. Recall everything you’ve done and account for billable time and become more productive by automating many tedious tasks. This program is great for lawyers, event planners, graphic designers and other professionals who need to keep track of and account for billed time. Why not try it out for yourself? They offer a free 30-day trial. If you’re already impressed, snatch it up (for $10 less, that’s one entire $Hamilton bill) at SoftwareMedia.com.
Research in Motion (RIM) announced its free server software today, BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express. Basically, the software syncs your BlackBerry smartphone with Microsoft Exchange or Microsoft Windows Small Business Server. Mike Lazaridis, President and co-CEO of RIM, explains, ” In a marketplace where smartphones are becoming ubiquitous, BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express significantly raises the bar by providing a cost-effective solution that allows companies of all sizes to support enterprise-grade mobile connectivity for all employees without compromising security or manageability.” Although not as fancy as the pay version, BESX users will be able to:
Wirelessly sync email, calendar, contacts, notes and tasks
Manage email folders and search email remotely
Book meetings and appointments
Set up out-of-office replies
Edit Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files with Documents to Go
Access files stored on the company network
User mobile apps to access business systems behind the firewall
BESX releases in March. Visit the site to learn more about BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express features in the meantime though… While BESX has “the same robust security architecture found in BlackBerry Enterprise Server,” BESX only features 35 “IT controls and policies” whereas, the full BlackBerry Enterprise Server version has over 450 tools. But those 400+ features come at a price… If you are unsure whether or not BESX will suit your needs, check out RIM’s spiffy BlackBerry Comparison Chart.
Microsoft is finally giving Apple some competition. At the Mobile World Congress today in Barcelona, Spain, Microsoft unveiled its next generation of Windows phones, the Windows Phone 7 Series. Has Microsoft hit the jackpot with lucky number Windows 7?
The interface is stunning and the features are a brilliant combination of firsts and smart design. Steve Ballmer, chief executive officer at Microsoft, tells us, “In a crowded market filled with phones that look the same and do the same things, I challenged the team to deliver a different kind of mobile experience.” It’s a phone that’s been designed for life in motion. “Windows Phone 7 Series marks a turning point toward phones that truly reflect the speed of people’s lives and their need to connect to other people and all kinds of seamless experiences,” Ballmer continues. The Windows Phone 7 also brings Xbox LIVE games and the Zune music and video experience to mobile phones for the first time.
Unable to attend the Mobile World Congress and review the product myself, I point you in the direction of TechCrunch, Gizmodo and Business Insider.
Windows Phone 7 phones will hit stores by the holiday season this year. For those who are antsy to play with the interface, head over to the Windows Phone 7 Series site for an interactive demo. Steve Ballmer’s press conference at Barcelona can also be replayed in full at Microsoft.
Google Buzzdebuted earlier today. A friend mentioned it but I honestly didn’t pay that much attention. But while listening to Merrick, Dools and Ricki-Lee (as I usually do while slaving away on the computer at work), I heard a newscaster on Nova FM describe Google Buzz as a Facebook that uses your Gmail account. Apparently, it was big news. But it just wasn’t catching my attention.
In less than a day, Google Buzz has already taken on severalhits. And I sort of agree with Microsoft, “Busy people don’t want another social network…” Actually, sometimes I’m not even that busy… so maybe it should’ve been, “Lazy and busy people don’t want another social network”?
However, I did stumble upon something fairly awesome from Google today… Mountain Street View! To ready up before the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games, Google’s Street View team sent a souped up snowmobile into the mountains of Vancouver and Whistler.
Microsoft Office
Remember BlackBerry’s big announcement for a 
