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Apple Hates Left Handed People. Just Ask iPhone 4

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It looks like those of you who were lucky enough to pick up an iPhone 4 may have to adjust your mindset back a few centuries and embrace the superiority of us “right handed folk” now that Steve Jobs has confirmed that iPhone 4 was never designed for lefties.

Gripping any mobile phone will result in some attenuation of its antenna performance, with certain places being worse than others depending on the placement of the antennas. This is a fact of life for every wireless phone. If you ever experience this on your iPhone 4, avoid gripping it in the lower left corner in a way that covers both sides of the black strip in the metal band, or simply use one of many available cases. (via Engadget)

For those doubting or hoping that this “anti-left” anomaly will not affect their precious iDevice, you may want to check out the video below and fork up an extra $29 for Apple’s glorious solution. [Read more…]

Originally posted on June 25, 2010 @ 10:30 am

It’s Official: Microsoft Is Burger King, Apple Is McDonalds

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With hordes of fans flocking to the nearest Apple store to pick up their shiny new iPhone 4’s (provided that you didn’t pre-order yours of course), it looks like Microsoft has opened a store right next to their biggest rival.

Today is the grand opening of the Microsoft Store in Fashion Valley Mall in San Diego, California. The San Diego store marks Microsoft’s fourth foray into the retail space and opens later this morning at 10 a.m. PST.

The Microsoft Store is just yards away from the Apple Store, which means it’s competing for attention with the massively long line of people hoping to get their hands on the new iPhone 4. (Mashable)

While the tactic may seem cheesy (pun not intended), building a store next to your rival is actually a strategy perfected by Burger King, who is (in)famous for building stores next to every McDonalds within sight (at least in the US). [Read more…]

Originally posted on June 24, 2010 @ 6:38 pm

Apple Snubs iPad, Launches iPhone App For Apple Store

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It looks like the boys and girls at Cupertino have launched an official app for their app store, allowing Apple fans too lazy to fight the iFaithful in the physical world to order their gear from the palm of their hands.

Buy Apple products and accessories, read customer reviews, find an Apple Retail Store, stay up to date with in-store events, and make Personal Shopping, Genius Bar, or One to One appointments.

The Apple Store app is also the easiest way to buy or reserve your new iPhone — right from your current iPhone. You can do it in just a few taps, without entering your AT&T account information. Order your new iPhone from the Apple Online Store and it’s shipped to you free and ready to use. Or reserve your new iPhone, pick it up at an Apple Retail Store, and we’ll set it up for you in minutes. (Apple Store App)

This should make pre ordering iPhone 4 (or even the glorious iPad) much easier for iFans, as the app connects directly with your iTunes account (so make sure you have plenty of funds available before ordering).

While an official Apple App was long over due, what is puzzling is the fact that Apple didn’t make their app “iPad friendly.” [Read more…]

Originally posted on June 15, 2010 @ 11:52 am

Apple is Not Only Earning So Much from iPad Sales But from iWork Apps As Well

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Again, Apple has launched a successful product with the iPad, agree? Ok, whether you accept it or not, the fact still remains. Apple iPad is selling like hotcakes, stocks are depleted and would be owners are eagerly awaiting for Apple to deliver their iPad. Apple could very well be on its way to earning $1 Billion in revenue by this end of this quarter alone from iPad sales.

But aside from that, Apple is not only earning so much from unit sales of the iPad alone but also from the sale of its iWork apps for the iPad. In case you’re not aware, upon release of the iPad, Apple has also released the iPad version of its popular Mac Office Suite – iWork for iPad consisting of Pages (word processing), Keynotes (presentation) and Numbers (spreadsheets).

According to Business Insider, the iWork apps are on track to potentially generate more than $40 million in annual sales after earning more than $3 million in sales in April. Essentially, Apple has not only successfully launch a new product device but also made itself as the most successful iPad developer, in terms of revenue.

Wait, how did Business Insider came up with estimate $40 million iWork revenue for Apple? Here’s the explanation:

Based on discussions with top-ten iPad app developers, we estimate that the top paid iPad app does about 7,500 unit sales on a Saturday or Sunday, and about 2,500 unit sales on a weekday.

Apple’s apps have consistently been in the top ten for paid apps since the iPad was released. Pages has been no. 1 for much of the time. All three have led the top-grossing listings as well.

So, we did some back-of-the-envelope math:

  • In a typical week… 7,500 downloads per app x 2 weekend days, and 2,500 downloads per app x 5 weekdays, = about 27,500 weekly unit downloads per app.
  • We multiplied that by the number of apps — three — and the $10 per app Apple charges, and get about $825,000 per week. (We are assuming that the three apps are roughly selling the same number of units, even though surely the top-ranked app of the three is selling more units than the third-ranked app.)

I’ll leave the analysis to you as I’m not so much into this kind of stuff.

But the important thing to note here is that with the success of the iWork, Apple is proving that the iPad is not only a content consumption device like what others may previously believed. Certainly, this is not what Apple want people to perceive the iPad is. That’s why the availability of these three iWork apps from the very beginning. Apple wants the iPad to be a content creation and productivity tool as well.

It may not be very obvious, but Apple certainly carving in the niche for the iPad which could in the long run replace the netbook market.

Originally posted on May 10, 2010 @ 5:54 pm

Square Rolls Out Credit Card Payment App for iPhone, iPad and Android

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Are we now looking at the future of credit card payment solution? I mean, does the Square credit card app which is now available for iPhone, iPad and Android devices the future of mobile commerce?  It could possibly be, depending on the success of Square’s credit card payment system which just got out into the open, ready to offer an alternative payment solution not just for small entrepreneurs but big businesses as well.

How Does Square Work?

First, how does Square work really? What do you need to start accepting credit card payments using your iPhone and iPod Touches, iPad or Android devices. Of course you need any of those devices. Then you also need Square’s credit card swiper which you attach to your device’s headphone jack. The credit card swiper is free and even comes with an online dashboard to let you keep track of what you’ve sold.

Once connected to the device, you can now swipe the credit card, and the application will process the transaction.  After swiping you let the customer sign the transaction using a finger. Customers can opt to add a tip before entering their phone number or email address. Transaction receipts are delivered via SMS or email on the customer’s mobile device.

“With Square the goal is to get people in immediately, and make the transaction as smooth and simple as possible,” says Jack Dorsey, the brains behind Square and the cofounder and chairman of Twitter.

Will  It Take Off?

Right now, there are around 1,000 users who are testing the Square card swipers. Dorsey hopes to distribute it to millions more in three months. Some people are actually using the system now out of the pilot program.

The band Spoon for instance is using the Square app for selling their merchandise while on the road. Tipping Point is currently using 25 iPod Touches for taking donations at fundraising events.

Democratic congressional candidate  for New York, Reshma Saujani has been using Square to accept donations for her campaign.

Surely, Square’s credit card app is taking off. But it’s success will still depend on customer acceptance. It’s going to be a change of mindset which is pretty hard to achieve.

Originally posted on May 11, 2010 @ 5:39 pm