Tech Roundup: Jan 6, 2013
War of the tech titans:
It's no secret that Google and Microsoft are at loggerheads for over a decade. After Google's recent decision to drop support for Microsoft developed Exchange ActiveSync, the latter lashed out at Google stating that it's preventing it from building a proper YouTube app for Windows Phone platform. Not to be drowned by these laments, Google issued the following statement: "Contrary to Microsoft's claims, it's easy for consumers to view YouTube videos on Windows phones," a Google spokeswoman said in an email.
"Windows phone users can access all the features of YouTube through our HTML5-based mobile website, including viewing high-quality video streams, finding favorite videos, seeing video ratings, and searching for video categories. In fact, we've worked with Microsoft for several years to help build a great YouTube experience on Windows phones." But the chasm between the companies has got wider after reports emerged that Windows Phone users are no longer able to access Google Maps via their browsers. Google Maps was never officially supported in Windows Phone for that matter but people were at least able to access the web version by typing in http://maps.google.com on their browsers. But doing so now redirects them to Google's homepage.
Later Google said in a statement to Gizmodo that Internet Explorer for Windows Phone is not a WebKit browser because of which Google Maps is inaccessible : "The mobile web version of Google Maps is optimized for WebKit browsers such as Chrome and Safari. However, since Internet Explorer is not a WebKit browser, Windows Phone devices are not able to access Google Maps for the mobile web." Microsoft, for its part, has countered Google's view: "Internet Explorer in Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8 use the same rendering engine."
Though Google has said that Maps works only on WebKit based browsers, it hasn't clarified why the web version was then previously accessible via the same non-WebKit based Internet Explorer. And as Gizmodo puts, Internet Explorer on the desktop is not a WebKit browser and it works fine with Google maps. Google's explanation doesn't seem to hold any water and it's positively clear that it has done something deliberately to block Windows Phone users from accessing its Maps.
Update: After all the ensuing uproar, Google has now confirmed that it will provide access to Google Maps for Windows Phone users. It has pinned the blame on a periodic compatibility test of Maps with mobile browsers and that a recent test on IE did not offer the best Maps experience. It has also added that "recent improvements to IE mobile and Google Maps now deliver a better experience and we are currently working to remove the redirect". Google's move to block Maps had triggered concerns of anti-competitive behaviour and it's a good thing that it chose to clear the air before it went haywire. As for Microsoft, it's getting a taste of its own bitter medicine; a precedent that it set in the late 90's.
Google let off with a minor admonition by FTC:
Search behemoth Google came out relatively unscathed following a 19-month investigation by USA's Federal Trade Commission into its anti-competitive practices and allegations that the company was tweaking its search results to favor its own products. FTC has stated that there were no facts to support the case of search bias and has, however, asked Google to stop using data from rival websites to boost its search results and tweak its practices pertaining to use of standard-essential patents and its ad platform AdWords.
The ruling has been met with predictable disappointment by its rivals (like FairSearch.org, Yelp and Expedia) and critics, who are now looking at FTC's European counterpart to deliver the needful. Yelp and Microsoft have particularly labeled it as a case of missed opportunity to protect innovation. You can read the complete press release article from FTC here.
YouTube is now a mess; thanks to Google+:
Google's YouTube has been my saviour whenever I wanted to spend my idle time. Unfortunately now stripped of its many basic features (if you don't have a Google+ profile), I am finding it very difficult and super annoying to use. Apparently, its parent Google has decided to integrate (read thrust) its social network Google+ upon its every single product and YouTube naturally hasn't been left out. Even adding a video to a playlist, say Favorites, or creating your channel requires a Google+ profile (which the new integration will freely offer). I don't get why Google is so desperate to forcefully add people to its social network when one is not interested. What kind of a company is it to make a user mandatorily upgrade to a service to get a previously available functionality back? Google, stop trying to compete with Facebook and be contended with what you are strong at!
Get ready for this year's smartphone wars between Apple and Samsung:
Samsung is reportedly readying the next generation Galaxy smartphone, the Galaxy S IV, for release in the next couple of months - most likely in May. Sammobile has even managed to get a press release photo from an anonymous tipster and going by the photo (assuming it's real), the smartphone lacks a home button and sports a very thin bezel along with a bigger display. But it's kinda hard to believe. Samsung closely guards its flagship phone and remember, last year too similar rumors were floating around prior to the release of Galaxy S III. But when it was finally announced in May, the phone was nothing like them.
Apple is meanwhile said to be testing a brand new iteration of iOS aka iOS 7 and it will puportedly power the upcoming iPhone (5S or 6) to be released this summer. Not just that, the new iPhone is also likely to come in different colors (like the current iPod Touch models) and sizes. Also, speculations are abound that Apple is planning to launch a smaller and cheaper iPhone Mini to gain lost ground from Samsung. Parallelly Apple is rumoured to have contacted TSMC for manufacturing its A6X chips in a move to replace Samsung. It's also eyeing better display technologies like Touch On Display in place of the current in-cell technology incorporated in iPhone 5, according to CNET. The battle is clearly getting more fierce!
Some annoying problems with Android:
I have been using Android phones since 2010 (except for an in-between switch to Windows Phone) and though the OS has improved by leaps and bounds, there are still a lot of inconsistencies, that are further accentuated by OEM's like Samsung, HTC, Sony and LG who put their own skin on top of stock Android for purposes of pure differentiation. For me personally, the main frustrating problems with the user experience include a lack of consistency between first-party and third-party apps, inconsistent back button behavior, and many more which have been thankfully well elucidated by Ron Amadeo for Android Police in a post here. Though it's quite old (3 months to be exact), I recommend you to read this!
In other news:
It's no secret that Google and Microsoft are at loggerheads for over a decade. After Google's recent decision to drop support for Microsoft developed Exchange ActiveSync, the latter lashed out at Google stating that it's preventing it from building a proper YouTube app for Windows Phone platform. Not to be drowned by these laments, Google issued the following statement: "Contrary to Microsoft's claims, it's easy for consumers to view YouTube videos on Windows phones," a Google spokeswoman said in an email.
"Windows phone users can access all the features of YouTube through our HTML5-based mobile website, including viewing high-quality video streams, finding favorite videos, seeing video ratings, and searching for video categories. In fact, we've worked with Microsoft for several years to help build a great YouTube experience on Windows phones." But the chasm between the companies has got wider after reports emerged that Windows Phone users are no longer able to access Google Maps via their browsers. Google Maps was never officially supported in Windows Phone for that matter but people were at least able to access the web version by typing in http://maps.google.com on their browsers. But doing so now redirects them to Google's homepage.
Later Google said in a statement to Gizmodo that Internet Explorer for Windows Phone is not a WebKit browser because of which Google Maps is inaccessible : "The mobile web version of Google Maps is optimized for WebKit browsers such as Chrome and Safari. However, since Internet Explorer is not a WebKit browser, Windows Phone devices are not able to access Google Maps for the mobile web." Microsoft, for its part, has countered Google's view: "Internet Explorer in Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8 use the same rendering engine."
Though Google has said that Maps works only on WebKit based browsers, it hasn't clarified why the web version was then previously accessible via the same non-WebKit based Internet Explorer. And as Gizmodo puts, Internet Explorer on the desktop is not a WebKit browser and it works fine with Google maps. Google's explanation doesn't seem to hold any water and it's positively clear that it has done something deliberately to block Windows Phone users from accessing its Maps.
Update: After all the ensuing uproar, Google has now confirmed that it will provide access to Google Maps for Windows Phone users. It has pinned the blame on a periodic compatibility test of Maps with mobile browsers and that a recent test on IE did not offer the best Maps experience. It has also added that "recent improvements to IE mobile and Google Maps now deliver a better experience and we are currently working to remove the redirect". Google's move to block Maps had triggered concerns of anti-competitive behaviour and it's a good thing that it chose to clear the air before it went haywire. As for Microsoft, it's getting a taste of its own bitter medicine; a precedent that it set in the late 90's.
Google let off with a minor admonition by FTC:
Search behemoth Google came out relatively unscathed following a 19-month investigation by USA's Federal Trade Commission into its anti-competitive practices and allegations that the company was tweaking its search results to favor its own products. FTC has stated that there were no facts to support the case of search bias and has, however, asked Google to stop using data from rival websites to boost its search results and tweak its practices pertaining to use of standard-essential patents and its ad platform AdWords.
The ruling has been met with predictable disappointment by its rivals (like FairSearch.org, Yelp and Expedia) and critics, who are now looking at FTC's European counterpart to deliver the needful. Yelp and Microsoft have particularly labeled it as a case of missed opportunity to protect innovation. You can read the complete press release article from FTC here.
YouTube is now a mess; thanks to Google+:
Google's YouTube has been my saviour whenever I wanted to spend my idle time. Unfortunately now stripped of its many basic features (if you don't have a Google+ profile), I am finding it very difficult and super annoying to use. Apparently, its parent Google has decided to integrate (read thrust) its social network Google+ upon its every single product and YouTube naturally hasn't been left out. Even adding a video to a playlist, say Favorites, or creating your channel requires a Google+ profile (which the new integration will freely offer). I don't get why Google is so desperate to forcefully add people to its social network when one is not interested. What kind of a company is it to make a user mandatorily upgrade to a service to get a previously available functionality back? Google, stop trying to compete with Facebook and be contended with what you are strong at!
Get ready for this year's smartphone wars between Apple and Samsung:
Samsung is reportedly readying the next generation Galaxy smartphone, the Galaxy S IV, for release in the next couple of months - most likely in May. Sammobile has even managed to get a press release photo from an anonymous tipster and going by the photo (assuming it's real), the smartphone lacks a home button and sports a very thin bezel along with a bigger display. But it's kinda hard to believe. Samsung closely guards its flagship phone and remember, last year too similar rumors were floating around prior to the release of Galaxy S III. But when it was finally announced in May, the phone was nothing like them.
Apple is meanwhile said to be testing a brand new iteration of iOS aka iOS 7 and it will puportedly power the upcoming iPhone (5S or 6) to be released this summer. Not just that, the new iPhone is also likely to come in different colors (like the current iPod Touch models) and sizes. Also, speculations are abound that Apple is planning to launch a smaller and cheaper iPhone Mini to gain lost ground from Samsung. Parallelly Apple is rumoured to have contacted TSMC for manufacturing its A6X chips in a move to replace Samsung. It's also eyeing better display technologies like Touch On Display in place of the current in-cell technology incorporated in iPhone 5, according to CNET. The battle is clearly getting more fierce!
Some annoying problems with Android:
I have been using Android phones since 2010 (except for an in-between switch to Windows Phone) and though the OS has improved by leaps and bounds, there are still a lot of inconsistencies, that are further accentuated by OEM's like Samsung, HTC, Sony and LG who put their own skin on top of stock Android for purposes of pure differentiation. For me personally, the main frustrating problems with the user experience include a lack of consistency between first-party and third-party apps, inconsistent back button behavior, and many more which have been thankfully well elucidated by Ron Amadeo for Android Police in a post here. Though it's quite old (3 months to be exact), I recommend you to read this!
In other news:
- Internet celebrates 30 years of replacing US DoD's ARPANET.
- Twitter heading for public offering (aka IPO) next year; could be valued at $11 billion.
- Google no longer displaying censorship warnings to Chinese users when searching for politically sensitive phrases; comes amid tightening internet laws in the country.
- Angry Birds from Rovio downloaded 30 million times over the last week holiday season; racks up 8 million downloads on Christmas day alone.
- Instagram reportedly agreed to an acquisition offer from Twitter for $525 million weeks prior to Facebook's $1 billion buyout, according to New York Times.
- Corning to debut Gorilla Glass 3 at CES next week; to make your smartphone screens more scratch-free.
- Samsung rolling out fix for malware security exploit on Samsung Galaxy S III (only for those based on Exynos processors); working on a fix for sudden death issue plaguing a couple of units.
- Space travel to long distances may accelerate Alzheimer's disease due to radiation exposure, a new study reveals.
- Search engine blekko launches Izik, a search app optimized for tablets.
- Android Jelly Bean (4.1 & 4.2) crosses 10% of total Android share; Gingerbread (2.3) drops below 50% for the first firsttime.
- May 11, 2011 earthquake in Lorca, Spain was man-made; caused due to excessive groundwater extraction, says a study.
- India to have 165 million mobile internet users by 2015, says a report from Internet and Mobile Association of India.
- Apple fined additional $264,000 in Italy over its AppleCare practices covering free product warranty.
- Google readying three new data centers in Asia region at Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong; results expected to be 30% faster than before for Asian users.
- Google Nexus 4 smartphone sales numbers revealed by decoding serial numbers; estimated to be around 370,000.
- Microsoft's Surface Pro tablet on track for release later this month.
- Cross-platform mobile messaging service Whatsapp records transmission of 18 billion messages on New Year's Eve.
- Canonical extends its popular Ubuntu Limux distribution to mobile platform; handsets expected next year.
- Four armed men loot an Apple store in Paris; loses products worth $1.3 million.
- Apple's iOS 6 Do Not Disturb feature not working correctly due to following UNIX date format of YYYY; to fix by itself on January 7th.
- Member of file sharing group iMAGiNE gets 5 year jail term for uploading movies
- Scientists achieve temperature below absolute zero (or negative Kelvin) for hundreds of milliseconds; opens door for an enticing array of new materials.
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