1. Apple Tunes Out YouTube
Soon iPhone users won't see the YouTube app on their handsets and will have to go to the YouTube website from the Safari browser. Apple won't be including the app in iOS 6, as its licensing deal with YouTube is now ending. The video-sharing social networking service is now owned by Google, of course, and this could be Apple's latest move to reduce the presence of its rival on the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices. "Apple is leery of offering Google any mind-share in its iOS," said Josh Crandall, principal analyst for Netpop Research.
2. Who's taking care of my Galaxy Nexus update?
At the moment, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus is the only Android smartphone that can be experienced the way Google wants. Of course, there were previous Nexus iterations like the Nexus S and Nexus One, but with the Galaxy Nexus, Google got it right. Well, right enough that I recently bought one.
Your first days with any new device are the honeymoon. There’s the initial joy of opening the package and peeling off the plastic sheets on both sides and looking inside the box for accessories. Then, the battery is in its rightful place, the back cover is on, and at a touch of the power button the SAMOLED displays "Google." Things get interesting, the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich animation pops up, I run through the initial set up and bang, I am now using my new shiny Galaxy Nexus.
Suddenly there’s an update. After downloading, I check to see the version number. It’s only 4.0.2...must be an older batch so no worries there. Playing around for a few minutes (again) another one pops up, so naturally I allow it to install and to my surprise it’s running Android 4.0.4.
"Great," I think. "Now I’m up with the Verizon boys."
Then it’s time to check for Jelly Bean, which was one of the main reasons for buying the Nexus in the first place. I press "check for updates" and it hit me: it was already up to date. You can imagine what went through my mind, especially after Jelly Bean was released more than a month ago at Google I/O and Google pushed the update to HSPA+ Galaxy Nexuses via OTA three weeks ago. So what’s up, dear Nexus?
Apparently I’m a very unlucky person, as my phone isn’t updated by Google, but instead by Samsung, according to my research on the build number I have: IMM76K.I9250XWLD2.
That "K" after IMM suggests that Google isn’t the one taking care of the build, but Samsung. The ROMs from Google do not have that "K" in the build number, and Samsung, unfortunately, hasn't clearly stated when its devices will be getting the Jelly Bean update. OTA upgrades have reportedly already been pushed out in parts of Asia. U.S. users continue to wait and speculate*.
So you know what this meant for me? Searching for a way to get Jelly Bean installed on my own. I just had to do it. I find it very ironic that despite writing the article on Google posting the Jelly Bean factory images, I was actually going to do just that: restoring using the Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean images.
But since I was forced to do it by my own "must have the latest software" compulsion, I decided to throw in the one with Google Wallet. Now my Nexus will get updates when Google decides, and I feel that’s how it’s supposed to be.
I am writing this article in the hope that it will help my fellow Samsung Galaxy Nexus owners understand why Jelly Bean doesn’t show up via an OTA update, and how they can update if they choose to.
3. What Google could do with their $43 Billion in the bankAccording to Google's recent earnings report, the Mountain View search company has $43 billion in cash reserves. I'm no business expert, but that number seems unreasonably high and I think Google should use some of that money. Some have said that Google has run out of ideas, so to alleviate the situation here are a few ideas:
Sprint Nextel Corporation, Cost: $13 Billion
Sprint isn't the smallest of the four main carriers in the U.S. but it would still be a great way for Google to get its foot in the door. Just imagine what Google could do with a carrier, Android phones could be subsidized into oblivion, phones would at last be updated, no more bloatware, full Google Voice integration, and if Google really wanted to do no evil then every phone they sold would be unlocked. There is also this to consider, Sprint carries the iPhone, so Google and Apple would be in an interesting situation, but Google could play this to their advantage, as they say “know thine enemy.”
Dell, Cost: $20.8 Billion
Dell is the cheapest big-name computer company that Google could buy, and if they did, Google could take the Chromebook mainstream like never before. With the Dell brand, and the low price of Chromebooks, Chrome OS would appear on the radar of many consumers who wouldn’t have ever considered it otherwise. Google could also use Dell to get into the server room, and affect IT in ways that could benefit Google, what those are I have no idea, but Google could find a way to use that to their advantage.
Adobe Systems, Cost: $15 Billion
One of the complaints about Chromebooks are that they have no options for heavy file editing beyond watered down third party alternatives. If Google purchased Adobe and brought the whole Creative Suite to the cloud, Chromebooks would become a viable option for many businesses. Google would also own Flash Player if they purchased Adobe. As the internet makes the move to HTML5, Flash will play less of a role, but Google would still be able to benefit from having control of Flash.
Autodesk, Cost: $7.8 Billion
Autodesk makes 3D design software for a variety of uses in various industries, their most well-known product is AutoCAD. In July 2011 Autodesk purchased Pixlr a browser based photo-editing app. Of note, AutoCAD WS and Pixlr were both launch partners of Google Drive. Autodesk may not have any offerings for video or music editing like Adobe does, but Autodesk would not burden Google with the responsibility of Flash, and Autodesk already has some web apps in the Chrome Web Store.
Facebook, Cost: $44.6 Billion
Facebook is a little bit out of Google’s price range, but Facebook recently had a less-than-stellar earnings report and Facebook stock may be on a downturn, in the next couple of months Google may be able to afford Facebook. The only concern here is Google+, Google has invested so much into the social network that it might be too wasteful to give that all up and spring for Facebook instead, but if the price is right, it may be possible. Otherwise if Facebook gets too low then Apple might be the one with the giant social network instead of Google.
Google Fiber Nationwide, Cost: $400 Billion
The cost of doing Fiber nationally is estimated to be $400 billion and while Google wouldn’t be able to do it all at once, Google could really profit if they brought Fiber to more cities, and it seems that Google is ramping up Google Fiber, collecting Fiber-related patents, and looking to hire thirty new employees to the fiber team.
There is certainly no lack of ideas for what to do with all that money, and Google already shelled out $12.7 billion for Motorola, I think Google is just trying to figure what would be the best investment at this point, and that soon, Google will have another big acquisition.
4. Google Puts Its Nexus Q Dream on Hold
Google has opted to delay the launch of its Nexus Q streaming media player. The company originally announced the orb-shaped entertainment device at its Google I/O conference in San Francisco in June. The Nexus Q runs the Android system and can only be controlled by users with Android smartphones or tablets. It connects to Google Play, the company's digital content hub, to stream content from the cloud. Google's attempt to work its way into consumer living rooms was met with initial excitement, but early reviews of the product were generally lackluster.
Soon iPhone users won't see the YouTube app on their handsets and will have to go to the YouTube website from the Safari browser. Apple won't be including the app in iOS 6, as its licensing deal with YouTube is now ending. The video-sharing social networking service is now owned by Google, of course, and this could be Apple's latest move to reduce the presence of its rival on the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices. "Apple is leery of offering Google any mind-share in its iOS," said Josh Crandall, principal analyst for Netpop Research.
2. Who's taking care of my Galaxy Nexus update?
At the moment, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus is the only Android smartphone that can be experienced the way Google wants. Of course, there were previous Nexus iterations like the Nexus S and Nexus One, but with the Galaxy Nexus, Google got it right. Well, right enough that I recently bought one.
Your first days with any new device are the honeymoon. There’s the initial joy of opening the package and peeling off the plastic sheets on both sides and looking inside the box for accessories. Then, the battery is in its rightful place, the back cover is on, and at a touch of the power button the SAMOLED displays "Google." Things get interesting, the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich animation pops up, I run through the initial set up and bang, I am now using my new shiny Galaxy Nexus.
Suddenly there’s an update. After downloading, I check to see the version number. It’s only 4.0.2...must be an older batch so no worries there. Playing around for a few minutes (again) another one pops up, so naturally I allow it to install and to my surprise it’s running Android 4.0.4.
"Great," I think. "Now I’m up with the Verizon boys."
Then it’s time to check for Jelly Bean, which was one of the main reasons for buying the Nexus in the first place. I press "check for updates" and it hit me: it was already up to date. You can imagine what went through my mind, especially after Jelly Bean was released more than a month ago at Google I/O and Google pushed the update to HSPA+ Galaxy Nexuses via OTA three weeks ago. So what’s up, dear Nexus?
Apparently I’m a very unlucky person, as my phone isn’t updated by Google, but instead by Samsung, according to my research on the build number I have: IMM76K.I9250XWLD2.
That "K" after IMM suggests that Google isn’t the one taking care of the build, but Samsung. The ROMs from Google do not have that "K" in the build number, and Samsung, unfortunately, hasn't clearly stated when its devices will be getting the Jelly Bean update. OTA upgrades have reportedly already been pushed out in parts of Asia. U.S. users continue to wait and speculate*.
So you know what this meant for me? Searching for a way to get Jelly Bean installed on my own. I just had to do it. I find it very ironic that despite writing the article on Google posting the Jelly Bean factory images, I was actually going to do just that: restoring using the Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean images.
But since I was forced to do it by my own "must have the latest software" compulsion, I decided to throw in the one with Google Wallet. Now my Nexus will get updates when Google decides, and I feel that’s how it’s supposed to be.
I am writing this article in the hope that it will help my fellow Samsung Galaxy Nexus owners understand why Jelly Bean doesn’t show up via an OTA update, and how they can update if they choose to.
3. What Google could do with their $43 Billion in the bankAccording to Google's recent earnings report, the Mountain View search company has $43 billion in cash reserves. I'm no business expert, but that number seems unreasonably high and I think Google should use some of that money. Some have said that Google has run out of ideas, so to alleviate the situation here are a few ideas:
Sprint Nextel Corporation, Cost: $13 Billion
Sprint isn't the smallest of the four main carriers in the U.S. but it would still be a great way for Google to get its foot in the door. Just imagine what Google could do with a carrier, Android phones could be subsidized into oblivion, phones would at last be updated, no more bloatware, full Google Voice integration, and if Google really wanted to do no evil then every phone they sold would be unlocked. There is also this to consider, Sprint carries the iPhone, so Google and Apple would be in an interesting situation, but Google could play this to their advantage, as they say “know thine enemy.”
Dell, Cost: $20.8 Billion
Dell is the cheapest big-name computer company that Google could buy, and if they did, Google could take the Chromebook mainstream like never before. With the Dell brand, and the low price of Chromebooks, Chrome OS would appear on the radar of many consumers who wouldn’t have ever considered it otherwise. Google could also use Dell to get into the server room, and affect IT in ways that could benefit Google, what those are I have no idea, but Google could find a way to use that to their advantage.
Adobe Systems, Cost: $15 Billion
One of the complaints about Chromebooks are that they have no options for heavy file editing beyond watered down third party alternatives. If Google purchased Adobe and brought the whole Creative Suite to the cloud, Chromebooks would become a viable option for many businesses. Google would also own Flash Player if they purchased Adobe. As the internet makes the move to HTML5, Flash will play less of a role, but Google would still be able to benefit from having control of Flash.
Autodesk, Cost: $7.8 Billion
Autodesk makes 3D design software for a variety of uses in various industries, their most well-known product is AutoCAD. In July 2011 Autodesk purchased Pixlr a browser based photo-editing app. Of note, AutoCAD WS and Pixlr were both launch partners of Google Drive. Autodesk may not have any offerings for video or music editing like Adobe does, but Autodesk would not burden Google with the responsibility of Flash, and Autodesk already has some web apps in the Chrome Web Store.
Facebook, Cost: $44.6 Billion
Facebook is a little bit out of Google’s price range, but Facebook recently had a less-than-stellar earnings report and Facebook stock may be on a downturn, in the next couple of months Google may be able to afford Facebook. The only concern here is Google+, Google has invested so much into the social network that it might be too wasteful to give that all up and spring for Facebook instead, but if the price is right, it may be possible. Otherwise if Facebook gets too low then Apple might be the one with the giant social network instead of Google.
Google Fiber Nationwide, Cost: $400 Billion
The cost of doing Fiber nationally is estimated to be $400 billion and while Google wouldn’t be able to do it all at once, Google could really profit if they brought Fiber to more cities, and it seems that Google is ramping up Google Fiber, collecting Fiber-related patents, and looking to hire thirty new employees to the fiber team.
There is certainly no lack of ideas for what to do with all that money, and Google already shelled out $12.7 billion for Motorola, I think Google is just trying to figure what would be the best investment at this point, and that soon, Google will have another big acquisition.
4. Google Puts Its Nexus Q Dream on Hold
Google has opted to delay the launch of its Nexus Q streaming media player. The company originally announced the orb-shaped entertainment device at its Google I/O conference in San Francisco in June. The Nexus Q runs the Android system and can only be controlled by users with Android smartphones or tablets. It connects to Google Play, the company's digital content hub, to stream content from the cloud. Google's attempt to work its way into consumer living rooms was met with initial excitement, but early reviews of the product were generally lackluster.
5. Microsoft Ices Hotmail, Warms Up Outlook.comMicrosoft on Tuesday released a preview of its latest webmail client, Outlook.com. Built from the ground up, Outlook.com has a strong social component, with links to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google. A link to Skype is coming soon. Office Web apps -- Word, PowerPoint, Excel and OneNote -- are included with Outlook.com, which will position it directly against Google Docs. Current users of Microsoft's Hotmail service can switch easily to Outlook.com by clicking on the upgrade option in the Hotmail option menu.
6. Microsoft Debuts Shiny New Mobile PeripheralsMicrosoft Hardware on Monday unveiled several new mobile-friendly keyboards and mice designed specifically for use with its forthcoming Windows 8 and tablets: the Wedge Touch Mouse, the Wedge Mobile Keyboard, the Sculpt Touch Mouse, and the Sculpt Mobile Keyboard. The Wedge Touch Mouse is pocket-sized, offers four-way touch scrolling and navigation, and can be used on a variety of surfaces. The Wedge Mobile Keyboard is intended for use with a tablet, but with the feel of a full-size keyboard, and its cover converts to a tablet stand.
7. Is GNOME in Free Fall?Between the arrival of both MATE 1.4 and KDE 4.9 and the emergence of SolusOS' brand-new GNOME Classic on the scene, there's no denying it's been an exciting few weeks here in the world of Linux desktops. That, in turn, has made it all the more difficult to witness the identity crisis that has apparently befallen GNOME itself. "Core developers are leaving GNOME development," wrote developer Benjamin Otte in a recent blog post entitled, "Staring into the Abyss." Not only that, but "GNOME is understaffed," "GNOME has no goals" and "GNOME is losing market- and mindshare."
6. Microsoft Debuts Shiny New Mobile PeripheralsMicrosoft Hardware on Monday unveiled several new mobile-friendly keyboards and mice designed specifically for use with its forthcoming Windows 8 and tablets: the Wedge Touch Mouse, the Wedge Mobile Keyboard, the Sculpt Touch Mouse, and the Sculpt Mobile Keyboard. The Wedge Touch Mouse is pocket-sized, offers four-way touch scrolling and navigation, and can be used on a variety of surfaces. The Wedge Mobile Keyboard is intended for use with a tablet, but with the feel of a full-size keyboard, and its cover converts to a tablet stand.
7. Is GNOME in Free Fall?Between the arrival of both MATE 1.4 and KDE 4.9 and the emergence of SolusOS' brand-new GNOME Classic on the scene, there's no denying it's been an exciting few weeks here in the world of Linux desktops. That, in turn, has made it all the more difficult to witness the identity crisis that has apparently befallen GNOME itself. "Core developers are leaving GNOME development," wrote developer Benjamin Otte in a recent blog post entitled, "Staring into the Abyss." Not only that, but "GNOME is understaffed," "GNOME has no goals" and "GNOME is losing market- and mindshare."
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