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.
You may have already heard: Apple is cleaning out their apps store. They’ve decided “to remove any overtly sexual content from the App Store.” It’s definitely not a first for Apple… banning a particular genre of apps. According to PC World, Apple also banned GPS apps that feed the user location-aware ads and Apple-brand competing apps (such as Google Voice and “Flash of Genius” which mentions the Android).
TechCrunch uncovered this recent no-no after developed Jon Atherton, Wooble iBoobs, received a letter from iPhone App Review. Then there was the letter from Apple, that didn’t explain much. And today, a few guidelines have been uncovered through Atherton’s blog, ChilliFresh, regarding his app.
No images of women in bikinis
No images of men in bikinis
No skin
No silhouettes that indicate that Wobble can be used for wobbling boobs
What can I say? It’s a Friday… the week has finally dragged on and there isn’t much longer until the weekend officially starts. Rather than writing on one topic, I thought I’d share the best of what was going on today, in the world of tech and software at least…
Chinese Schools Spurred Online Hacking Remember the series of cyber attacks not too long after Google first threatened to pull out of China? Although it was never proven at the time, China was highly suspected of launching those attacks. It’s recently been discovered that two schools in China may have been responsibly. According to the New York Times, “a series of online attacks on Google and dozens of other American corporations have been traced to computers at two educational institutions in China, including one with close ties to the Chinese military.”
Loopt, a mobile application, announced they are donating $1 for every check-in at Chipotle, Whole Foods or Panera Bread before the end of Sunday. The proceeds will go towards the relief efforts in Haiti and there’s no charge to the Loopt user either. Minutes later, I read that Gowalla, a competing app, will be launching a campaign called “Hearts for Haiti” on Monday, February 8th.
The Hearts for Haiti campaign will take place in the SF Bay Area at three specified locations — two Peet’s coffee shops and the Barenaked Ladies concert. When someone uses Gowalla to check-in at one of those locations during the event, $50 will be donated in to the Red Cross in that person’s name. Gowalla hopes to reach $20,000. In addition to Gowalla’s charitable efforts, the two Peet’s locations will also be donating 10% of sales towards Haiti efforts. Details on when to go where can be found over at the Gowalla Blog.
Apple’s press event wrapped up not too many hours ago announcing the official release of its tablet device: the iPad! Before Business Insider, Gizmodo, Engadget or any other tech blogs got a hold of the rumors, could you believe that MadTV was the first? Check out the 2006 episode below. Be forewarned that this is not a clip for the conservative viewer…
Okay, tell me that ad won’t run through your head every time you hear “iPad” from now on?! iPad is a HORRIBLE name!! But the product itself is pretty snazzy, I admit.
It’s difficult to imagine what we would do without cell phones and Internet nowadays. I remember not too long ago when my friend didn’t have a cell phone — the frustrations of meeting up, not being able to call to find his ETA or telling him I was running late. Soon thereafter, he signed up for a cell phone plan and things have been easier ever since. Being online for over eight hours a day with my cell phone next to me, it’s hard for me to even think about not being connected — especially after becoming so accustomed to the convenience of it all.
So, what would the aftermath efforts of the Haiti earthquake be like sans cell phones and Internet? I mean, text messaging has accumulated over $24 million in donations to the Red Cross alone. This is a significant jump from just one week ago when history was made with the $4 million record. And now, a man is telling his tale of how he survived the Haiti earthquake with the help of his trusty iPhone?! How can we not live without these modern conveniences!
Yesterday morning, Apple announced an event for January 27th. “Come see our latest creation.” Held by invite only in San Francisco, news outlets are unanimous: Apple will be unveiling their anticipated tablet device. iSlate? iPad? (Please don’t call it the “iPad”; that’s a horrible name!) Whatever you want to call it, that’s what everyone is predicting and WSJ totally called it.
Fox News talked to a source at Apple who hints that the tablet may just be the icing on the cake. Fox reports “the event will likely focus on three projects: the tablet device, iPhone 4, and a new round of iLife 2010 software.” Since Google has been making so many news waves lately, I can see Apple using this press event as a way of gaining back some ground. iPhone 4, eh? I’m intrigued.
Gizmodo has an “exhaustive” guide to all things Apple tablet, if you need a refresher about what’s been said. They are also running a contest to win one!
As rumors and suspicions prove true, the Google Nexus One phone was announced today at the Android event. Already available sans service or with T-Mobile (but both seemingly unlocked), it will also soon be available for CDMA carriers (Verizon Wireless in the United States and Vodafone in Europe) in Spring 2010. AT&T users are able to use the unlocked Nexus One phone, but will not be able to use the radio feature trhough AT&T’s 3G network.
The Nexus One, closely designed in partnership with HTC, resembles an iPhone. Okay, maybe it looks a lot more like the DROID ERIS by HTC…
How are you saying good-bye to 2009 tonight? Sleeping like any other day? Dinner with friends? Clubbing with strangers? Counting down with Dick Clark (or is it Ryan Seacrest now)? Here at SoftwareNewsDaily, we wanted to say farewell by reminiscing our top 10 technology news stories of 2009. When I say “our” top 10 stories, I suppose it’s really more “my” top 10 stories. That’s okay, I don’t mind dominating the office opinion; they’ll agree with me. Counting down to the number one story, here are “our” picks.
Nuance has released another mobile application for iPhone, Dragon Search. Powered by their popular Dragon NaturallySpeaking software, the app lets you search the web just by saying the words. It’s the “fast, easy, and smart way to search online content on your iPhone using your voice,” declares Nuance. Voice your search and receive results from engines such as Google, Yahoo, Bing, YouTube, Twitter and iTunes. Their top five reasons for getting it?
Most convenient way to search on your iPhone
Amazingly accurate
Up to five times faster than typing
Easy to use
Safer and more productive while you are out and about
And the best reason that’s not mentioned? It’s a free download (at least for now). Download either Dragon Dictation or Dragon Search at the Dragon Mobile Apps site; it’s also available through iTunes.
Remember the series of cyber attacks not too long after 
Loopt, a mobile application, 
It’s difficult to imagine what we would do without cell phones and Internet nowadays. I remember not too long ago when my friend didn’t have a cell phone — the frustrations of meeting up, not being able to call to find his ETA or telling him I was running late. Soon thereafter, he signed up for a cell phone plan and things have been easier ever since. Being online for over eight hours a day with my cell phone next to me, it’s hard for me to even think about not being connected — especially after becoming so accustomed to the convenience of it all.
How are you saying good-bye to 2009 tonight? Sleeping like any other day? Dinner with friends? Clubbing with strangers? Counting down with Dick Clark (or is it Ryan Seacrest now)? Here at SoftwareNewsDaily, we wanted to say farewell by reminiscing our top 10 technology news stories of 2009. When I say “our” top 10 stories, I suppose it’s really more “my” top 10 stories. That’s okay, I don’t mind dominating the office opinion; they’ll agree with me. Counting down to the number one story, here are “our” picks.
