Tech Roundup: Sept 22, 2012
iPhone 5 has gone on sale. And as is usually the case, it was a phenomenon on its own. While reviews have been generally been positive so far, the one area Apple seems to be drawing flak is its software. No doubt, iOS is one of the most polished and intuitive operative mobile operating system. But in its sixth version (aka iOS 6), which boasts of 200 new features, the design seems to be getting a little stale and in need of a good shakeup. The new features, mostly refinements and cosmetic in nature, are barely noticeable when you upgrade from iOS 5 (except for the App Store redesign).
There is still no support for Android-like widegets and the sharing options are limited to Twitter and Facebook. Moreover, iOS 6 removes support for native YouTube and Google Maps apps and replaces the latter for its own mapping solution. The new Maps app has rather become a hotbed of controversy. Admittedly, the app is not ready for primetime and sounds rushed.
Not only does does it miss out many of the features of Google Maps, but also huge amount of POI details are absent. In addition, users have complained about the inaccurate positioning of towns and cities (for instance, the Norwegian town of Leknes is in the Norwegian sea), and the 3D rendering of some places seem to be distorted. The app's criticism has grown so huge that a new Tumblr page, The Amazing iOS 6 Maps, has been dedicated for this. Though the app may be serviceable in the US, UK and some countries, it can in no way be used in India for now. As aforementioned, there are huge swathes of the city of Bangalore with zero detailing when Google Maps shows them perfectly fine.
While the comparison is quite unfair (Google has had a seven year headstart), the problem is self-inflicted. That Apple's desperate to limit Google's intrusion into its ecosystem given the current popularity of Android is self-evident, but it doesn't make sense for Cupertino to keep working on a new map solution behind closed doors forever. Only when it is released to the public at some point can it be perfected. That's exactly what Apple has done, even if it comes at the risk of annoying the users temporarily (hopefully). "We launched this new map service knowing it is a major initiative and that we are just getting started with it," an Apple spokeswoman said, according to Mashable. "Maps is a cloud-based solution and the more people use it, the better it will get. We appreciate all of the customer feedback and are working hard to make the customer experience even better."
It's assuredly an ambitious, bold and time-consuming move and in hindsight, the maps thing wouldn't have gotten this much bad press had Apple been more upfront about its limitations during the Apple event on September 12. Amazon too faces a similar dilemma; only that instead of developing its own maps app it embraced Nokia Maps in its new Kindle Fire tablets, when Google Maps is readily available on Android. In the meantime, all iOS 6 users can do is use Google Maps on Safari or download other alternatives like MapQuest hoping things will improve (It's being reported that Google has already submitted its Maps app for App Store publication and is pending approval. The sooner, the better!).
Updating to iOS 6 on the iPad adds one new app - Clock. While it was conspicuous by its absence so far, the new app's World Clock feature has come under the radar for charges of plagiarism after Swiss railway operator SBB accused Apple of lifting its trademark clockface design for the app. The design is also licensed to the Swiss watch manufacturer Mondaine. So much for the skeuomorphism!
HTC has finally announced its Windows Phone 8 based phones at an event last week. Interestingly named as the Windows Phone 8X and Windows Phone 8S (similar to its Android siblings One X and One S), the phones will take centre-stage as part of the Windows Phone 8 marketing campaign, according to the Taiwanese maker (Nokia, are you listening?). HTC too is in a difficult state, its Android flagship One X though considered good, got crushed under the Samsung Galaxy S III juggernaut and is now hoping to revive its fortunes through Windows Phone. Both the devices are expected to go on sale early November once WP8 is officially out.
Facebook has disabled Tag Suggest feature for all new users in the European Union to comply with Irish privacy regulator DPC. It also has agreed to disable the feature for all existing users by October 15.
Now that the iPhone 5 is out, Samsung is all set to fight it out. After coming up with ads attacking the Apple fanboyism, it has slashed the prices of its flagship phones. Samsung's Galaxy S III at present costs Rs 34,990, down from the previous previous price of Rs 37,990. The Samsung Galaxy S II is available for Rs 25,990 and the 5.3 inch display bearing Galaxy Note phablet has also seen a major price drop from Rs 32,990 to Rs 29,990 in the wake of its upcoming successor launch next month.
In other news:
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| Motorola's new ad |
Not only does does it miss out many of the features of Google Maps, but also huge amount of POI details are absent. In addition, users have complained about the inaccurate positioning of towns and cities (for instance, the Norwegian town of Leknes is in the Norwegian sea), and the 3D rendering of some places seem to be distorted. The app's criticism has grown so huge that a new Tumblr page, The Amazing iOS 6 Maps, has been dedicated for this. Though the app may be serviceable in the US, UK and some countries, it can in no way be used in India for now. As aforementioned, there are huge swathes of the city of Bangalore with zero detailing when Google Maps shows them perfectly fine.
While the comparison is quite unfair (Google has had a seven year headstart), the problem is self-inflicted. That Apple's desperate to limit Google's intrusion into its ecosystem given the current popularity of Android is self-evident, but it doesn't make sense for Cupertino to keep working on a new map solution behind closed doors forever. Only when it is released to the public at some point can it be perfected. That's exactly what Apple has done, even if it comes at the risk of annoying the users temporarily (hopefully). "We launched this new map service knowing it is a major initiative and that we are just getting started with it," an Apple spokeswoman said, according to Mashable. "Maps is a cloud-based solution and the more people use it, the better it will get. We appreciate all of the customer feedback and are working hard to make the customer experience even better."
It's assuredly an ambitious, bold and time-consuming move and in hindsight, the maps thing wouldn't have gotten this much bad press had Apple been more upfront about its limitations during the Apple event on September 12. Amazon too faces a similar dilemma; only that instead of developing its own maps app it embraced Nokia Maps in its new Kindle Fire tablets, when Google Maps is readily available on Android. In the meantime, all iOS 6 users can do is use Google Maps on Safari or download other alternatives like MapQuest hoping things will improve (It's being reported that Google has already submitted its Maps app for App Store publication and is pending approval. The sooner, the better!).
Updating to iOS 6 on the iPad adds one new app - Clock. While it was conspicuous by its absence so far, the new app's World Clock feature has come under the radar for charges of plagiarism after Swiss railway operator SBB accused Apple of lifting its trademark clockface design for the app. The design is also licensed to the Swiss watch manufacturer Mondaine. So much for the skeuomorphism!
HTC has finally announced its Windows Phone 8 based phones at an event last week. Interestingly named as the Windows Phone 8X and Windows Phone 8S (similar to its Android siblings One X and One S), the phones will take centre-stage as part of the Windows Phone 8 marketing campaign, according to the Taiwanese maker (Nokia, are you listening?). HTC too is in a difficult state, its Android flagship One X though considered good, got crushed under the Samsung Galaxy S III juggernaut and is now hoping to revive its fortunes through Windows Phone. Both the devices are expected to go on sale early November once WP8 is officially out.
Facebook has disabled Tag Suggest feature for all new users in the European Union to comply with Irish privacy regulator DPC. It also has agreed to disable the feature for all existing users by October 15.
Now that the iPhone 5 is out, Samsung is all set to fight it out. After coming up with ads attacking the Apple fanboyism, it has slashed the prices of its flagship phones. Samsung's Galaxy S III at present costs Rs 34,990, down from the previous previous price of Rs 37,990. The Samsung Galaxy S II is available for Rs 25,990 and the 5.3 inch display bearing Galaxy Note phablet has also seen a major price drop from Rs 32,990 to Rs 29,990 in the wake of its upcoming successor launch next month.
In other news:
- Microsoft Windows AppFest in Bangalore sets Guinness record for the biggest coding marathon.
- Nokia prepping Lumia 510, an entry level Windows Phone running on WP 7.8.
- Microsoft wins a patent infringement case against Motorola in Germany; could get the devices banned from sale.
- German court dismisses Apple's claim that Samsung and Motorola's Android phones infringe on its multi-touch patent.
- Microsoft to launch Windows 8 at an event in New York on October 25.
- Google makes another smart acquisition; snaps up iOS photo editing app Snapseed.
- Microsoft issues patch for a new zero-day vulnerability discovered in Internet Explorer.
- Twitter gets a design overhaul for iPad; brings in new user profile pages.
- Microsoft's SkyDrive gets Recycle Bin feature.
- Sony announces a slim PlayStation 3 console; to be available later this year.
- New update for Google Maps for Android adds sync feature across devices.
- Russian geologists reveal the presence of trillions of carats of diamonds in a meteorite impact crater in Siberia; deposits enough to sustain global markets for another 3000 years.
- Mountain Lion 10.8.2 update adds Facebook integration.
- Facebook reportedly testing automatic photo uploads to user accounts, according to The Verge.
- BlackBerry email service goes down in Europe, Middle East, and Africa; subsequently restored.
- Google to shutdown its music download service in China next month.
- Samsung Galaxy Note II to be launched in India on the first week of October for Rs. 38,000.
- Google Play store now allows Indian developers to publish paid apps.
- Samsung rumored to be working on Galaxy S IV; to be unveiled next March.
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