Will the kindle fire be the hot item for the holidays?

kindle fire

Movies, apps, games, music, reading and more, 

plus Amazon's revolutionary, cloud-accelerated web browser

While not even available for shipping yet, Kindle Fire is already the top-selling gadget on the list of Amazon's most popular electronic items, based on pre-orders, since being unveiled 2 days ago. The $79, non-touch Kindle Wi-Fi is second. The Kindle Fire will go one sale for $199, several hundred dollars cheaper than Apple's $500 iPad.

The new kindle fire is slated to be released on November 15, 2011, looking like it may be this years big seller for the Holidays.

Kindle Fire features a state-of-the-art dual-core processor from Texas Instruments making it fast and powerful compared to Apple's Safari.

Included is Amazon Silk for a revolutionary, cloud-accelerated browsing experience. With Amazon Cloud you get free storage for all your Amazon digital content. Your books, movies, music and apps are available instantly to stream or download for free, at a touch of your finger.

The Kindle Fire supports all the popular video formats, including Adobe's Flash—something Apple refuses to do.

The device only weighs 14.6 ounces, making it much lighter than the iPad and easier to hold it in one hand.  

There is no microphone or camera included and no 3G or 4G in new version of Kindle, only WiFi connectivity. But being able to update wirelessly without the need for a USB cable is a nice improvement.

• Full Color 7" with IPS (in-plane switching) technology and anti-reflective treatment, 1024 x 600 pixel resolution at 169 ppi, 16 million colors. 

• 8GB internal. That's enough for 80 apps, plus either 10 movies or 800 songs or 6,000 books.

• Up to 8 hours of continuous reading or 7.5 hours of video playback, with wireless off. Battery life will vary based on wireless usage, such as web browsing and downloading content. Charges in approximately 4 hours.

• Supports public and private Wi-Fi networks or hotspots that use the 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n, or 802.1X standard with support for WEP, WPA and WPA2 security using password authentication; does not support connecting to ad-hoc (or peer-to-peer) Wi-Fi networks. 

• USB 2.0 (micro-B connector)

• 3.5 mm stereo audio jack, top-mounted stereo speakers.   

Let the Tablet Wars Begin:

 

Google+, will it become the new Facebook?

 Google+, will it become the new Facebook?

 It's been almost a week now since Google+ opened it's social networking site to everyone, changing it from an invitational only site to a public one. This was strategically done just 2 days before Facebook's annual developer conference, F8 featuring the overhaul planned for Facebook. Google+ features a search bar called Sparks which allows it's users to customize their interests. This will help you receive articles and videos aimed personally at what you like. There is a hangout feature that will allow you to video conference with up to 9 people or chose the Huddle feature to chat with unlimited people in a single chat. Google+ appears to be more customizable then Facebook to each person's preferences, whether it's to share something with everyone or just a small group of individuals. Also added today to their growing gaming section, Cityville!

Currently there is not an app designed specifically for the iPad or iPod Touch, but in the meantime the iOS has been working on these devices since an update in early August 2011.

As traffic begins to pick up pace with added users it will be interesting to watch how Google+ goes up against the competing sites such as Facebook, which has almost 800 million active users, and Twitter, with 100 million users, to lure them over to their new site. Google+ has amassed 20 million users with it's invitation-only trial in just 12 weeks. The end results may depend on personal privacy issues, user interfaces between Facebook and Google+ and how accepting the total transformation of Facebook is vs. trying something new.




You may want to also check out:
Google+ gets more social with new features
Google+ May Have 43 Million Users 
Cityville has arrived at Google+
Google+ to allow business profiles soon

Facebook Changing Again?

It seems as though Facebook is changing every time you turn around. Whether you like those changes or hate having a new way of getting around the site, be prepared for a major change according to Facebook. These new changes could make Facebook almost unrecognizable. I wouldn't be surprised if a majority of you are cringing, since I've seen so many negative update posts, every time there is a change. 


Here are a few of the new changes you can expect to see in the near future on Facebook:

1. You’re going to get a Timeline — a scrapbook of your life. (Oh goody, onward with the timeline that everybody hates.)
2. You don’t have to just Like something — now you can [verb] any [noun]. (Oh Please! That's silly!)
3. Facebook apps need only ask permission once to share stories on your behalf. (Give permission once and here they come to  invade your privacy.)
4. All “lightweight” information is going to the Ticker. (A Ticker? Like as in a stock ticker?)
5. You can watch TV and movies, listen to music, and read news with your friends — all within Facebook. (Ok, you had me until you said "with my friends". Who wants to read news with their friends? But I have to admit, this has peaked my curiosity somewhat. :/)
6. Facebook has more users and more engagement than ever. (I'm sure Facebook hopes users embrace all this change and don't go running and screaming all the way to Google+!)

You may also like to check out:
Facebook Changes Again: Everything You Need To Know
Changes to like or not to like? 
Eerie goal. Why timeline changes everything 
Why get upset about Facebook changes? 

Which Cellular Carrier is Best for You?

With all the competitive cell phone carriers out there it's hard to decide which one is the right one for you. New Phones hit the market almost every week. The newest trends are smartphones. Are you an iPhone enthusiast? AT&T and Verizon both now carry the iPhone. The new iPhone 5 is slated to be released early October. Most phones are free or have a reduced price with a 2 year contract. Just be sure you check your current plan because early termination fees can be quite hefty. And some carriers are willing to offer you specials just to keep you as a current customer. 


AT&T
Pros: HSPA+ 4G network. 4GE LTE network coming by the end of the year. Phones and services hard to beat.
Cons: Dropped calls reportedly at about 5.8% vs. Verizon at 2%.


VERIZON
Pros: Offering the iPhone since February 2011. 4G LTE technology already running. CNet claims the HTC Thunderbolt is noticeably faster than other phones tested. Better coverage out of the big 3.
Cons: Early termination fees are very high at $350 for advanced devices. 


SPRINT
Pros: For the tech savvy customer who wants to link up their Sprint phone number to your Google Voice, receiving voice mail in text format through your Gmail account.
Cons: Customer service issues have been reported.


T-MOBILE
Pros: Sidekick 4G equipment introduced by Samsung. Largest 4G market claimed by T-Mobile. Adding additional data plans for a monthly $10 fee to new contracts. Known to cut deals to keep their customers.
Cons: No plans for iPhone 5 at T-Mobile this year. While faster than existing 3G options, surveys show T-Mobile’s 4G network is not as fast as Verizon’s or Sprint's.


PREPAID Phones
Pros: Decent cheaper and no contract plans available. Blackberry and Android phones to choose from. 
Cons: Less phone selections available. Spotty service depending on your area. Minutes add up quickly, not for users who use a lot of  minutes per month.


Be sure to also check out these smaller companies: US Cellular (USM), Leap (LEAP), MetroPCS (PCS), and Virgin (VMED).  Make sure you are aware of limited coverages. Don't forget to check for bargain service plans and exclusive web-only deals that stores don't offer. There may be fewer phone stores available and fewer customized services and apps but the trade offs may be worth it.