Post by jeffolie on May 11, 2012 19:15:31 GMT -6
majority own Smartphones, 50.4% mobiles...data plans for internet, cloud resources, business apps
A class war and generational divide separate Smartphones from other types compared to simple, inexpensive pay-as-you-go phones owned by the tech challenged and the financially challenged poor. Smartphones require faster speeds to process the data plus an extra cost to receive the data.
Amazon will attempt to reach down to the financially challenge with plans for their much less expensive Kindle type devices that shift the processing and memory requirements up to their servers 'in Amazon's cloud'. This requires a hot spot to connect to the internet...a big disadvantage for on the go users.
=========================
The week in tech: 5 must-know things
USA TODAY
1. 2012 is not the end of the world
Terrible news for people who love bad news: Recent archaeological discoveries have disproved (again) worries about the Mayan apocalypse.
Researchers in Guatemala discovered a Mayan calendar that goes well beyond 2012, putting to rest theories that the world would end this year (a long-held pop culture idea about Mayan beliefs).
Who are the Maya?
The Maya were an ancient and advanced civilization based in Central and South America. The civilization collapsed around 900 A.D.
2. Cars of the future are nothing like you've seen
Developments in car technology have been incremental for the last 100 years or so. Even the latest Ferrari is really just a very souped up Model T. But the next 30 years could bring revolutionary change.
Among the possibilities:
Cars that drive themselves. It's been no secret that Google has been working on a car that can navigate highways and city streets without human help. Even today many cars come with self-park technology that take the guess work out of parallel parking. Nevada recently issued Google an "autonomous" license for a driverless car, letting the company test its product on the open roads.
Flying cars. The Terrafugia Transition is poised to fulfill millions of childhood fantasies by freeing autos from the tyranny of the ground. The $279,000 Transition can go 70 mph on the ground and around 115 mph in air. It only takes the push of a few buttons to turn the Transition from a car into a plane and vice versa. Reserve yours now with a $10,000 down payment, and expect its delivery sometime in or after 2014.
Car-to-Car communication. Cars of the future will not only be wired to the Internet and to one another. So when a car slips on black ice it will automatically alert nearby cars to slow down and switch to the proper stability-control setting. This network will help cars drive safer, avoid hazards and help officials know hot-spots that need fixing.
I will never let a car drive me. That's not safe!
Au contraire! Most accidents are caused by human error. Self-driving cars will use sensors to prevent accidents. "Futuristic cars could deliver, with the promise of safer roads, improved fuel efficiency and a cleaner environment," according to a Ford executive.
3. Space billionaires look to conquer cosmos
Having already conquered Earth, billionaires are looking to space for their next adventure.
The biggest test yet of private enterprise in space comes next Saturday, May 19, when SpaceX launches a Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station on a resupply mission.
Previously, missions to the International Space Station have been conducted by the space shuttle and Russian Soyuz rockets.
What's the big deal?
It would be the first ever successful launch and recovery of a spacecraft by a private company — if everything goes as planned. As NASA's funding dwindles, it's important for future space exploration that private companies are able to step into the breach.
4. Worst week in Silicon Valley: Yahoo CEO Scott Thompson
Will he stay or will he go? It's never good for a company when people are taking bets on whether your CEO will or won't be fired.
Yahoo CEO Scott Thompson was tapped to lead the struggling tech giant just five months ago, but is now facing calls for ouster after a stock holder in the company discovered an inaccuracy in his company bio.
What's the big deal?
Stock holders and employees think Thompson should be fired for misleading the Yahoo board. Thompson said it was not intentional and that he didn't provide the incorrect info.
What's next?
Thompson has already apologized for the error and given a mea culpa to employees. That hasn't smoothed things over for employees still smarting from a recent round of 2,000 layoffs.
A special panel was appointed by Yahoo's board to comb through Thompson's resume and academic record.
5. Signs of the times: Smartphone owners now majority of mobile users in U.S.
Smartphone owners account for 50.4% of mobile phones in the U.S., according to a Nielsen study.
Quick facts
-48.5% of smartphone owners use an Android device, compared to 32% for Apple.
-2 out of 3 people between 25 and 34 use a smartphone.
-Only 36% of all mobile users had smartphones in February of 2011.
www.usatoday.com/tech/news/story/2012-05-11/top-tech-stories/54903314/1
A class war and generational divide separate Smartphones from other types compared to simple, inexpensive pay-as-you-go phones owned by the tech challenged and the financially challenged poor. Smartphones require faster speeds to process the data plus an extra cost to receive the data.
Amazon will attempt to reach down to the financially challenge with plans for their much less expensive Kindle type devices that shift the processing and memory requirements up to their servers 'in Amazon's cloud'. This requires a hot spot to connect to the internet...a big disadvantage for on the go users.
=========================
The week in tech: 5 must-know things
USA TODAY
1. 2012 is not the end of the world
Terrible news for people who love bad news: Recent archaeological discoveries have disproved (again) worries about the Mayan apocalypse.
Researchers in Guatemala discovered a Mayan calendar that goes well beyond 2012, putting to rest theories that the world would end this year (a long-held pop culture idea about Mayan beliefs).
Who are the Maya?
The Maya were an ancient and advanced civilization based in Central and South America. The civilization collapsed around 900 A.D.
2. Cars of the future are nothing like you've seen
Developments in car technology have been incremental for the last 100 years or so. Even the latest Ferrari is really just a very souped up Model T. But the next 30 years could bring revolutionary change.
Among the possibilities:
Cars that drive themselves. It's been no secret that Google has been working on a car that can navigate highways and city streets without human help. Even today many cars come with self-park technology that take the guess work out of parallel parking. Nevada recently issued Google an "autonomous" license for a driverless car, letting the company test its product on the open roads.
Flying cars. The Terrafugia Transition is poised to fulfill millions of childhood fantasies by freeing autos from the tyranny of the ground. The $279,000 Transition can go 70 mph on the ground and around 115 mph in air. It only takes the push of a few buttons to turn the Transition from a car into a plane and vice versa. Reserve yours now with a $10,000 down payment, and expect its delivery sometime in or after 2014.
Car-to-Car communication. Cars of the future will not only be wired to the Internet and to one another. So when a car slips on black ice it will automatically alert nearby cars to slow down and switch to the proper stability-control setting. This network will help cars drive safer, avoid hazards and help officials know hot-spots that need fixing.
I will never let a car drive me. That's not safe!
Au contraire! Most accidents are caused by human error. Self-driving cars will use sensors to prevent accidents. "Futuristic cars could deliver, with the promise of safer roads, improved fuel efficiency and a cleaner environment," according to a Ford executive.
3. Space billionaires look to conquer cosmos
Having already conquered Earth, billionaires are looking to space for their next adventure.
The biggest test yet of private enterprise in space comes next Saturday, May 19, when SpaceX launches a Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station on a resupply mission.
Previously, missions to the International Space Station have been conducted by the space shuttle and Russian Soyuz rockets.
What's the big deal?
It would be the first ever successful launch and recovery of a spacecraft by a private company — if everything goes as planned. As NASA's funding dwindles, it's important for future space exploration that private companies are able to step into the breach.
4. Worst week in Silicon Valley: Yahoo CEO Scott Thompson
Will he stay or will he go? It's never good for a company when people are taking bets on whether your CEO will or won't be fired.
Yahoo CEO Scott Thompson was tapped to lead the struggling tech giant just five months ago, but is now facing calls for ouster after a stock holder in the company discovered an inaccuracy in his company bio.
What's the big deal?
Stock holders and employees think Thompson should be fired for misleading the Yahoo board. Thompson said it was not intentional and that he didn't provide the incorrect info.
What's next?
Thompson has already apologized for the error and given a mea culpa to employees. That hasn't smoothed things over for employees still smarting from a recent round of 2,000 layoffs.
A special panel was appointed by Yahoo's board to comb through Thompson's resume and academic record.
5. Signs of the times: Smartphone owners now majority of mobile users in U.S.
Smartphone owners account for 50.4% of mobile phones in the U.S., according to a Nielsen study.
Quick facts
-48.5% of smartphone owners use an Android device, compared to 32% for Apple.
-2 out of 3 people between 25 and 34 use a smartphone.
-Only 36% of all mobile users had smartphones in February of 2011.
www.usatoday.com/tech/news/story/2012-05-11/top-tech-stories/54903314/1