Archive for the ‘Google’ Category

Why MacBook Repair Is The Best Option

Tuesday, February 21st, 2012

 

macbook repair

macbook repair

Macbook repair services has long been in the business of retailing and repairing of all kinds of wireless gadgets. For a long period of time, the services of repairing these devices have been growing in leaps and bounds. It is crucial to look for good Macbook repair centers who deal in a great variety of devices. These should range from iphones, ipads, ipods, laptops, cell phones and even Android and Windows phones.
Good repairers should possess great and very encouraging sales in the wireless sector. You should only focus on a Macbook repair service who have won themselves quite a deal of public recognition. The repair labs ought to have strong founded reputation and a mutual relationship with customers. This should be based on the high quality services offered and at the lowest prices possible for Macbook repair.
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iPhone Location Tracking Debate Rages As Apple Assumes Damage Control

Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011

iPhone Repair – When news of the iPhone location tracking scandal reached the public in late April, the story went viral and enraged iPhone users and government agencies alike. The protests came as it was discovered that the iPhone keeps a log of everywhere it’s been and stores it on your computer when a user syncs it.

iPhone location trackingAt the core of the issue is the ever-eroding sense of privacy that our digitally linked new world affords. Frantic cries of “Big Brother” and “1984” conspiracy theories were inundating message boards across the Web and the blogosphere was set alight with all manner of speculation and hearsay.

The question everyone seems desperate to answer now that the issue has come to light is – Is this a big deal or not?

First we have to ask ourselves why would Apple program the iPhone to keep a log of its owner’s location history? Apple insists it is part the iPhone GPS feature that tracks where you go in order to make relevant suggestions for you pertaining to your interests and location.

But a lot of people aren’t buying that explanation. They say it opens people up to spam marketing, which follows the same lines as Apple’s explanation only from a differing perspective. Then there is the issue of law enforcement.

Since law enforcement is already using digital and social media to investigate suspected criminal activity, some people fear that a location log records open the public to the possibility of the US becoming more of a police state. But once people began connecting the dots they realized that the tracking was coming from not only the iPhone, but any GPS-enabled device – including smartphones (Android, Palm, iOS, etc.), GPS systems, tablet computers, etc.

But whatever the cause and effect of location tracking on our gadgets, it’s likely here to stay so smartphone operating system developers like Apple and Google are taking steps to ease public concerns of privacy violation.

The Apple iOS is getting a proposed update for the iPhone and iPad that will no longer keep the “consolidated.db” file copies in the iTunes database. If the iPhone Location Services feature is turned off, the files will be deleted. The update will also include increased battery life as well.

Is Apple going far enough to give back the public its sense of smartphone privacy? Is location tracking an issue for you? Let us know what you think. Leave a comment below.

 

Google Adopting Apple’s New iPhone, iPad App Purchasing Policy for Android Market?

Monday, February 28th, 2011

iPhone Repair – New hints are surfacing that Google is following Apple’s in-app purchasing model for their popular Android app marketplace. A story surfaced this week that visual voicemail app developer PhoneFusion was removed from the Android Market for using an outside platform to accept in-app payments.

google android apple iphone appsAfter Apple announced its plan last week to deny its app content developers from using out-of-app platforms for accepting subscription payments beginning this June, many skeptics pointed to the Google Android app marketplace as a model for a free and open market for content developers where they wouldn’t be subject to the strict rules Apple is planning to introduce. Now it seems Google is employing similar policies of its own and could be eyeing the more controversial policies that developers like Sony are currently railing against.

Section 3.3 of the Android Market Developer Distribution Agreement states that, “all fees received by developers for products distributed via the Market must be processed by the Market’s Payment Processor.” This is the section that Google cited for banning PhoneFusion’s app, which had over a million downloads. Google said PhoneFusion violated the policy when they routed users to their own payment system for upgrades instead of using Google Checkout.

Google will likely claim this is a security issue for payments and that they can only ensure secure payments through their own payment platform, but app developers have been put on notice that the app world is changing and they need to think about playing ball with Apple and Google if they plan of remaining in the game.

Apple also drew fire for the provision in its upcoming subscription policy that stipulates Apple will receive 30% of all app subscription payments received through its iOS platform. This is the biggest source of contention for content developers that say this stipulation is economically untenable for their businesses. The Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission are looking into the matter for antitrust concerns.

Google is likely waiting on the DoJ and FTC to rule in Apple’s case before making a similar move. If all goes well for Apple, will Google make a move to adopt a similar policy for its Android app makers that forces them to cut Google in on a significant percentage of app sales? What do you think? Leave a comment below.

New iPhone, iPad App Store Subscription Policy Raises Questions

Tuesday, February 15th, 2011

iPhone Repair – Apple has just rolled out a new subscription policy for businesses that provide content on the iPhone and iPad. The new policy comes soon after the first iPad only newspaper, News Corp.’s The Daily, began charging users a subscription fee through Apple’s iTunes.

Apple App Subscription PolicyThe policy states that content providers (newspapers, magazines, video providers, music channels, etc.) must pay Apple 30% of any subscription revenue earned through Apple’s App store. This does not include subscriptions made on the content providers’ own sites or through other sources.  The content provider also cannot provide links inside an app to purchase a subscription from another source.

Apple founder Steve Jobs talked about the subscription policy from his company’s point of view.

“Our philosophy is simple—when Apple brings a new subscriber to the app, Apple earns a 30 percent share; when the publisher brings an existing or new subscriber to the app, the publisher keeps 100 percent and Apple earns nothing. All we require is that, if a publisher is making a subscription offer outside of the app, the same (or better) offer be made inside the app, so that customers can easily subscribe with one-click right in the app.”

The new policy raises many questions and choices for content providers. Will they opt instead to use Google’s Android network exclusively where they can still keep all of their subscription revenue? Is utilizing the Apple iOS network worth losing 30% of its app subscription revenue? Will content providers consider raising their subscription prices across the board? How will the new expanding Verizon iPhone network impact all of these decisions?

This decision further highlights the difference between the two tech superpowers Apple and Google. Google has yet to roll out such a policy, perhaps waiting to see how Apple’s latest gamble pays off. Apple, unlike Google, wants to be the first in line to profit from the use of its network. Since perfecting and dominating search advertising, Google can afford to be more patient in its policy development while it follows its usual practice of eyeing what its competitors do first and then capitalizing on their missteps and offering a similar and more profitable product later.

The new policy will surely test the long-term viability of apps as a profit-driving mechanism. Many websites already offer their content for free and most content can already be accessed online for free, so the question becomes – Will iPhone and iPad users pay for easy-access content subscription when they can access the same content online for free by putting in a little more effort? The answer to this question will likely shape e-commerce policy for a long time.

What do you think? Leave a comment.