Wow, Twitter reaches 200 million tweets per day, and the service isn't all that popular
Today, Twitter revealed the 200 millon figure via its official blog. It's an amazing feat, up from 2 million in January 2009 and 65 million a year ago. But what if more people tweeted?
I've had my Twitter account since sometime in mid 2006. Most techies I know tweet. But we're a minority, at least in the United States. According to Pew Internet, fifty-nine percent of US Internet users, or 47 percent of all adults, have used a social networking service, like Facebook, MySpace or Twitter. Among that number only 13 percent use Twitter compared to 92 percent for Facebook.
Android is unstoppable
I'm sometimes amazed how the Apple fanclub of bloggers and journalists use so-called facts to make iPhone a much bigger success than it really is. Perhaps they're living in denial about the Android reality. I don't really care why. For a week, and even today, I've put up with their prognostications that Android is suddenly in decline before Apple's Jesus phone. That's simply, and undeniably, not reality. It's pure fantasy.
Analyst firms sometimes complicate things by what they state about data they present and how statements don't reconcile with it. Today, Nielsen claims that "Apple is now driving smartphone growth", which has the fanclub in a tizzy fit of blog posts and news stories. Small problem: Nielsen's statement isn't supported by its own data.
Amazon terminates Associates Program in California over tax law
Whoa, look what I pulled out of my Junk Mail folder -- a "notice of termination" email from Amazon. Last year I signed up to be an Amazon Associate and collected not one cent, never having participated. For active participants, this must be a troubling day -- make that Friday.
California is broke and looking to raise cash any way it can. Earlier today, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a new tax law that would compel online retailers like Amazon to collect sales tax. The new provisions go into effect Friday. Well, hell, what can I still order online during the next 40 hours?
You want to know how Nokias are better than iPhones?
The video above has me pining for an alternate universe, where the splitscreen is another path. One where Nokia conquered the iPhone tyrant and made high-tech handsets funner and more Euro in style, function and lifestyle. The video also is sign that Nokia isn't finished yet. For all the talk about how great is the iPhone 4 camera, the aging N8 has superior digital capture capabilities.
"Splitscreen: A Love Story" won the Nokia Shorts 2011 competition. JW Griffiths shot the short film using a pair of Nokia 8 smartphones. People were shooting short films and music videos on Nokias long before there ever was iPhone. Music video "Oceans" was shot with a Nokia N93 in 2006, for example.
IT demand for cloud services will generate $9.4B in new server sales
Spending on public and private clouds will generate $3.6 billion and $5.8 billion, respectively, in server spending by 2015, IDC forecasts. While there has been much written about public clouds, many IT organizations are setting up their own infrastructure to provide employees with access to their data anytime, anywhere and on anything.
No matter which cloud, many businesses today face huge security and privacy risks because of the volume of data taken outside on laptops, smartphones and other mobile devices. What's the point spending thousands, even millions of dollars, on network security, only to let crown jewels of information roam freely on mobile devices?
Is Google+ social done right?
It's the question I'm asking after watching the six videos embedded in this analysis and reading the blog post by Vic Gundotra, Google senior vice president of Engineering.
To be clear, I've read no other posts about Google+, not even the news story by colleague Tim Conneally (well, I did write the headline -- but that was all). That's typical of my writing. I prefer to have a fresh perspective, uninfluenced by others' opinions as much as possible. All observations I make here are solely my own.
How do you know a platform has made it? Angry Birds
OK, exclusive Angry Birds -- and, in this case, they're good for the old platform, too.
Earlier today, Barnes & Noble announced availability of exclusive Angry Birds unlockables, including Mighty Eagle, free for Nook Color. Consumers need three things: The tablet, game app and to be physically present in a Barnes & Noble store.
Google responds to Office 365: Help us compile 365 reasons Apps is better
Yesterday in the cleverly titled "365 reasons to consider Google Apps" blog post, Shan Sinha, Google Apps product manager, gave just four why his company's cloud suite is better than Microsoft. Motivation: Today's global launch of Office 365.
I observed that four is a long way from 365. Apparently someone at Google was listening. Last night the GoogleAtWork Twitter account tweeted: "Help us to 365! Many asked for all 365 reasons to consider GoogleApps. Add yours here http://t.co/DTjLZZu or tweet #apps365". About three hours ago, Google issued the "Final call! Many asked for 365 reasons to consider GoogleApps".
Want to pay three times more than Google Apps? Office 365 is for you
When Microsoft's Office group formed in the early 1980s, something was missing from the DNA. Simplicity. Today's Office 365 plans -- seven of them -- are anything but simple. While Microsoft offers a stunning range of hosted apps capabilities, Office 365 pricing, or its feature set, is nowhere as straightforward as Google Apps. Nor as cheap.
Little more than two months after opening the public beta, Microsoft's hosted productivity apps service debuted today in 40 countries. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer announced Office 365 during a live New York event late this morning.
Uh-oh, Google Apps, Office 365 launches in 40 countries
Today, Microsoft made official its most important push into the cloud, ever, with release of Office 365. The software giant took off the beta moniker and released final pricing ahead of a New York launch event with CEO Steve Ballmer.
Office 365 combines Microsoft Office, SharePoint Online, Exchange Online, and Lync Online into a single cloud-based package that is scalable from small businesses to large enterprises, with a per-user license cost depending upon the volume of users. The new service is available immediately in 40 countries.
When was the last time you heard about customers turning against Apple? How about today?
Last week, I reported first about buyers dissing Final Cut Pro X. Then comedian Conan O`Brien turned negative reaction into a punchline. Now there's a petition against the product -- and demands. My, God, they're making demands of their holy leader Steve Jobs. Well, they don't directly mention the CEO, just Apple. But aren't they one in the same?
When I started writing this post, there were 1,300 petitioners claiming "Final Cut Pro X is not a professional application". As I post, the number is more than 1,650.
If a college graduate, older than 30, wealthy and Hispanic, you probably own an e-reader
OK, probably is a stretch, but more likely. :)
The ebook reader market is beginning to pick up -- and why not with Amazon and Barnes & Nobile offering good devices and marketing the Holy Hell about them. You have to be vacationing on Mars not to know what Kindle and Nook e-readers are.
Why should Google wait for Microsoft to launch Office 365 tomorrow, when it can diss today?
Tomorrow morning, in New York City, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer will break out the band and play tribute to Office 365 -- the company's hosted app companion to its PC productivity suite. It's not rocket science understanding Microsoft's motivations, fending off competition from Google Apps among small businesses and enterprises and providing customers with what they really need -- anytime, anywhere access to their stuff on anything.
Google's cleverly titled "365 reasons to consider Google Apps" blog post gives anything but 365 reasons. If Google can't find 365, Microsoft should do so for its cloud suite launch. That would be great counter-marketing tactic.
Has Stephen Elop doomed Nokia?
The N9 and N950 clearly show that Nokia had good smartphones already in the development pipeline, but new CEO Stephen Elop never gave them a chance. He bet the company on Windows phone, which will be good for Microsoft but not so great for Nokia.
Analyst predictions tell the story, in the simplest way. As measured by operating system, IDC predicts that Symbian will go from 20.6 percent global market share this year essentially to zero in 2015. Meanwhile, Windows Phone -- Nokia's new primary mobile operating system -- will reach 20.3 percent in four years. That's less than a zero-sum gain, since Nokia isn't the sole Windows Phone distributor.
If you're a video junkie buy iPad 2, because Galaxy Tab 10.1 isn't for you
My overall first impression of Galaxy Tab 10.1 was quiet favorable. Except for the odd shape, presumably to get that 16:10 aspect ratio, the Samsung tablet pleased out of the box. But further usage led to simply shocking surprises, particularly consuming video. If you're a video junkie, buy iPad 2. Tab 10.1 isn't for you.
Forget Hulu and Netflix
Joe's Bio
Joe Wilcox is BetaNews executive editor. His motto: Change the rules. Joe is a former CNET News staff writer, JupiterResearch senior analyst, and Ziff Davis Enterprise Microsoft Watch editor.
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