iPad

No mention of GPS, web camera, multi-tasking capability but the price of the new iPad device from Apple, announced today is half the rumored $1000 mark. Pricewise the 16 GB iPad, for $499, is sure to succeed when you compare it with Kindle or Nook. But, it is to be seen weather the ‘zoomed-in iPod Touch’ will appeal the public. Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiling iPad, a new Apple tablet device:

Apple's 'latest creation' – iPad, iBooks (UPDATE)

Today we will know whether Apple has created a new ground breaking device and changed the world again. Apple has scheduled a press conference for 1 p.m. Eastern time today. I will add the details here, as they unfold. Apple’s latest creation, "way better than a laptop, way better than a phone," as mentioned by Apple CEO Steve Jobs, is finally unveiled after a long speculation and rumors. The 1.5 pounds touch tablet sports 9.7 inch display and includes 1 GHz Apple-built ARM A4 processor. The processor includes CPU and graphics in a single chip and the device will come in capacities of 16GB to 64GB of flash storage. The device is told to have 10 hours of battery life while watching video and one-month of standby charge. In addition to the iPad, Apple’s e-book reading application, iBooks, was also revealed in the event. iPad Specifications 9.7 inch IPS display 0.5 inches thin 1.5 pounds Full capacitive multi-touch interface 16-64GB of Flash memory storage 1 GHz Apple-branded A4 chip (developed in-house) Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR 802.11n WiFi Built-in Speaker Built-in Microphone Accelerometer & Compass 30-pin Dock connector (same as iPod and iPhone) 10-hours of battery life (Over one month standby time) Runs all iPhone apps App Store application included Default iPad Apps Safari Mail Photos iPod Calendar Contacts Notes Maps Movies YouTube iTunes Store App Store

Apple dream - Tablet on every home…

The apple tablet is gearing towards reality with the confirmation of the rumored January 27 special event. The invitation only event will featuring Apple’s “latest creation" will start Wednesday, January 27, 2010 at 10am Pacific Time. With recent development of events and news quoting “unnamed sources” it is an open secret that the event will release an Apple tablet. In addition to the tablet, Apple most probably will release iPhone OS4 and iLife 2010 to make them compatible with the tablet.   Apple with its much hyped tablet will seek to change the way television, news and books are delivered to consumers. Amazon Kindle seems to be feeling the heat: it has adopted the 70-30 share of revenue on books it sells online - identical to the business model employed by Apple with its App Store for the iPhone and iPod touch. The iPad, iSlate, iTablet or whatever name Steve Jobs will find most suitable, will be more like an all-round device unlike Amazon Kindle. The tablet can be a book reader, a TV, video player, a computer, personal notepad, and a cell phone. The subscription based text book also sound exciting for the students who line up to sell their used book at the end of each semester for a fraction of the price they had paid. In the last, post I talked about five basic features Apple tablet needs to succeed in the market. I will go through the list again on January 27th keeping in mind that Apple has a track record of going against the tide and succeed. Most of the time it is not only the features that sell, cost also can play a great role. A recent survey found that most of the people are reluctant to pay more that $700 for the device.

5 Features an Apple Tablet needs to succeed

The Apple Tablet rumor refuses to diminish. In fact, every major newspaper (For example: The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post) are fueling the rumor. Now, when it seems ‘sure’ that Apple will release something this January. Another rumor about Apple ordering 10-inch displays fuel the likelihood of releasing it soon. If the Tablet is to be released, it would need something special to succeed in the market flooded with smartphones like Droid, iPhone, and Palm Pre. iPod Touch, Kindle, and Amazon Nook might be a distant competitor but they can’t be ignored either. The desktop computer, laptop and netbook are also plying in the same market. With this crowed market a tablet, if any, would need certain features to succeed. 1. Easy to carry and easy to use: We have had enough of bulky, heavy portable electronics. People need thin, light device that can be carried around easily. May be a large iPod Touch, or better than that. 2. Connectivity and portability You would need to share stuffs with your existing devices like phones, laptops, desktops. Bluetooth might be considered granted as it is available in iPod Touch and iPhone. A couple of USB ports, DVI output can be the basic necessity. Memory card slots should also be available by default. 3. Multitasking When Palm or Anaroid entered the iPhone’s market the soft spot they kicked was the lack of multitasking ability in iPhone. The tablet can’t live with single task ability. 4. Speed, aesthetics, battery life Speed and aesthetics need to go together to succeed in the  tablet arena. Aesthetics forces skeptics to try on the new device and when it doesn’t come with speed the sustainability will be hampered. One can take for aesthetics for granted based on the superior design record of Apple. A powerful processer however can be battery hog. Proper choice of processer, the brain, of the tablet to bring the right balance of speed and battery life would be critical in success of a tablet. A 12 hours of battery life can be considered a bare minimum. 5. Keyboard, responsive display It is sure that the tablet won’t come with a keyboard. There however should be an option of Bluetooth keyboard or stylus for note taking. Responsiveness of the display on a touch screen is critical too. With the experience with iPhone, we can count on Apple on bringing out a truly responsive display to start with. It doesn’t matter weather the Apple Tablet is called iSlate, or iGuide or something else. A cool Apple Logo on the outside would certainly boost the sales in the initial days of the release – sustainability of which would depend on the five requirement I mentioned above.

Fastest train in the world

The fastest commercial train in the world is now operational in China running at a maximum speed of 394 kilometers per hour (km/hr) in a trail run. The train link connects two cities, Guangzhou in South to Wuhan in central China, and will travel at an average speed of 350km/hr (217mph). The 1,068 km distance between the two cities can now be covered by the high-speed train in two hours and forty five minutes ? that is, a saving of about six hours of travel time. The high-speed train line uses technology developed in co-operation with firms such as Siemens, Bombardier and Alstom. The Guangzhou - Wuhan train line is a part of the government plan to build 42 high-speed train lines by 2012. In the biggest rail development program in the world, China government plans to build 34,000 km of new train tracks in addition to its existing 86,000 km railway lines. According to China's railways ministry, the average speed of the high-speed railways in other countries in the world is less than 300 km/hr; way less than the Guangzhou - Wuhan train line (in Japan it is 243 km/hr, in Germany 232 km/hr, and 277 km/hr in France). First high-speed railway network in China was unveiled at the time of Beijing Olympics in 2008 to connect the capital city Beijing with the port city of Tianjin. The train could travel at a speed of 250 km/hr.

Water on the Moon

It is confirmed. The Moon has water and plenty of it. The NASA LCROSS mission has successfully uncovered water during the Oct. 9, 2009 impacts into the permanently shadowed region of Cabeus crater near the moon?s south pole. Here is the CBS video:

CEO of the decade: Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs did a great job in the past decade to be ranked Fortune Magazine?s CEO of the decade. It is not the first time that Fortune recognized Jobs as a business genius. On November 27, 2007 Fortune Magazine named Jobs the most powerful person in business (CNN). I like the way Jobs is portrayed in the article titled The decade of Steve. Youthful founder gets booted from his company in the 1980s, returns in the 1990s, and in the following decade survives two brushes with death, one securities-law scandal, an also-ran product lineup, and his own often unpleasant demeanor to become the dominant personality in four distinct industries, a billionaire many times over, and CEO of the most valuable company in Silicon Valley. Some of the notable contributions that Jobs was instrumental in are: One of the first commercially successful personal computers (Apple II in 1977). First mouse driven graphical interface (Macintosh computer in 1984). ?Desktop publishing? Laser printer Personal computer network Successful computer animated feature films (Pixar) Highly successful digital music player (iPod in 2001) Online music store (iTunes in 2003) Highly successful smart-phone (iPhone in 2007) Congratulation to the magician of the digital world, Steve Jobs!