Month: February 2011

How awesome would it be if your phone alerted you when you were near a store running a sale or special offer? This is exactly what AT&T has launched Monday.

The service, called ShopAlert, is launching with the backing of Hewlett-Packard, Kmart, JetBlue, SC Johnson, Kibbles ‘n Bits and others. AT&T claims this is the first time a major operator in the U.S. is introducing such a program on a large scale.

Now available in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco, the service was developed with Placecast and is implemented using what they call a “geo-fence.” This puts “a virtual-perimeter” around any geographic area. Once inside the fence, consumers receive location-specific marketing messages, which are “enhanced with information such as weather, traffic, and local shopping area details to more effectively engage consumers.”

“We are proud to take mobile marketing into the future with this unique offering that is being embraced by consumers and brands alike,” said Greg McCastle, senior vice president of AT&T Advanced Ad Solutions. “ShopAlerts by AT&T enables brands/advertisers to help link consumer engagement with activation and ultimately to the point of sale.”

Customers in participating markets can sign up for ShopAlerts online. Deals aren’t new. Location-based services aren’t new. The combination of the two, however, hasn’t really been done yet. It’s interesting to see AT&T moving into this space and I wonder effect it will have on existing players like Groupon, Foursquare, and Facebook.

via Mashable, AT&T

Someone I’ve known for quite a while now, our very own Amani Roberts, has been featured in this month’s 28 Days of Diversity series.

Amani is the Founder of Woodside Media Group, a Digital PR Firm specializing in Emerging Media and Technology. The company is most active in training people and Fortune 500 organizations on the numerous tools available on the web and within social media. Award winning authors, musicians, restaurants and hotels are a few of the clients that Woodside Media Group continues to support. Amani has also used his expertise to cover many social media topics for Black Web 2.0.

Check out the site for his take on closing the digital divide using technology. His answer might surprise you.

Even better is the donation of time and energy. Spending time with two main age groups – the youth (21 years old and younger) and the Baby Boomers are most important in my opinion.

via 28 Days of Diversity

You know that seemingly unlimited supply of storage that Gmail has provided? Years of correspondence with friends, family, and colleagues all store in one easily accessible and searchable interface. Now, what if you logged into your Gmail account and everything was gone? That’s what “less than 0.08%” of Gmail users have been experiencing over the weekend.

That amounts to about 150,000 Gmail users. Some Google Apps and Google Apps for Education users are also effected. Reports indicate that these long-time Google Mail users are being greeted as new users. All mail and custom settings are gone.

As of 8am EST, the last update on the Google Mail Status Dashboard states:

Our team is continuing to investigate this issue. We will provide an update by February 28, 2011 10:00:00 AM UTC-5 with more information about this problem. Thank you for your patience.

For many, this re-ignites concerns about using cloud storage. Many are advocating backing up your data, which could be a serious chore for the most avid Gmail users and almost defeats the purpose of cloud storage.

Did you lose your email? What’s your backup plan? I know of at least one service up for the task.

via Engadget, ZDNet, Gmail Help Forum, Google Mail Status Dashboard

Amazon Prime Subscribers Get Unlimited Streaming Videos

It’s been in the works for a while and Amazon has officially launched online streaming videos for subscribers of its Prime service. The service is currently available to paid Prime subscribers in the US only at no additional charge.

If you’ve already been taking advantage of subscription-based two-day shipping so that your impulse buys get to your door a little quicker you can now enjoy streaming of 5,000 pieces of “prime eligible” content, including some recent movies and a lot of TV shows, much of which will look awfully familiar if you’re also a Netflix subscriber.

Check out the hands-on review at Engadget. What does this mean for Netflix? Too early to tell, but Amazon has the infrastructure to be a serious challenger.

Windows Phone 7 Update Bricks Phones

One would think that a company with years of experience updating operating systems over a network would have no problem keeping their mobile devices up-to-date. One would also think that, with the battle against Android and iOS in full swing, Microsoft would take every precaution to make sure things go smoothly with Windows Phone 7. Unfortunately, one would be wrong. The first patch for Windows Phone 7 devices, which became available Monday, has been a nightmare for many. More specifically, it’s been turning phones into bricks.

Those unfortunates with apparent firmware corruption can try forcing the phone into download mode (turn off the handset, then turn it on while holding the camera button and the volume down button) or firmware reset mode (turn off the handset, then turn it on while holding the camera button and volume up button; then choose the “format” option) or perhaps even a different download mode (turn on while holding camera, volume up and volume down). If this is successful, it should allow the handset to recover its original firmware and resume operation. But not everyone can get this to work, indicating that the devices are truly bricked, with the only option being to return them to the network operator and have them replaced under warranty.

via ars technica

Google Pushes Gingerbread. Enhances NFC. Kills Facebook.

Lucky Nexus One owners are getting an update to the latest version of Google’s Android Operating system. Gingerbread is rolling out to a Nexus One handset near you. This probably means the carriers can begin dragging their feet about officially updating devices like the HTC Evo and Droid X. The Nexus S gets its own special update to the Near Field Communications feature, which now allows it to write data as well as read data with a single bump/tap. You can also use your device to write data to the NFC stickers from Google. This should make it easier for users to play with the feature since there aren’t many physical places supporting NFC yet.

On another note, Google has completely disabled phone book directory sync with Facebook on the Nexus S. Previously, you could set it up so that your Facebook contacts showed up in your Nexus S contacts list. Now, that feature is being removed. This is part of an ongoing battle between Facebook and Google over data portability. Here is Google’s statement:

“We believe it is very important that users are able to control their data. So in the over-the-air update for Nexus S, we have a small change to how Facebook contacts appear on the device. For Nexus S users who downloaded the Facebook app from Android Market, Facebook contacts will no longer appear to be integrated with the Android Contacts app. Since Facebook contacts cannot be exported from the device, the appearance of integration created a false sense of data portability. Facebook contact data will continue to appear within the Facebook app. Like all developers on Android, Facebook is free to use the Android contacts API to truly integrate contacts on the device, which would allow users to have more control over their data. We are removing the special-case handling of Facebook contacts on Nexus S and future lead devices. We continue to believe that reciprocity (the expectation that if information can be imported into a service it should be able to be exported) is an important step toward creating a world of true data liberation — and encourage other websites and app developers to allow users to export their contacts as well.”

via TechCrunch

According to someone at an Apple retail store, MobileMe and previous generation MacBook Pros will no longer be available in the stores. While Apple has updated the MacBook Pro with “next generation processors, graphics, and Thunderbolt I/O Technology,” MobileMe will only be available online. You can’t simply log on and purchase MobileMe, though. It looks like you must sign up for a 60-day free trial and then decide to pay later on.

It would probably be a bad idea to sign up for or purchase MobileMe right now as the service appears to be in transition. When iOS 4.2 was launched, iPhone/Pod/Pad owners gained the ability to sign up for a free MobileMe account using their Apple ID in order to use the Find My iPhone (or iPod, or iPad) service.

Now, with the retail packaging being removed from the stores, there is no telling what is coming. There is also speculation that MobileMe is due for a complete overhaul and this could be the beginning.

via 9 to 5 Mac

For day 22 of the 28 Days of Diversity series, we have 13 year industry veteran Denise R. Jacobs. Her expertise includes everything from software localization project management and enterprise website implementation to web design/development and technical training. She authored The CSS Detective Guide and is a contributing author to Interact with Web Standards: A holistic approach to Web Design. Her passions include being an Author, Speaker & Educator, Web Designer, and Consultant.

Read more about Denise at SocialWayne.com, including her thoughts on using technology to close the digital divide.

“Many don’t even see the need, much less the value of bridging the digital divide, be it on a local scale or a global scale. Before we can think critically about how to use technology to close the digital divide, there needs to be a process of raising awareness about the importance of and issues around the digital divide…”

Once again, Apple is using what they’ve learned from working on iOS, iPhone/iPod, and iPad to improve Mac OS X. We first heard about the fancy features that Mac OS X Lion would bring back in October at the Back to the Mac event.

We’re taking our best thinking from iPad and bringing it all to the Mac with Mac OS X Lion, available in summer 2011. Here’s a preview of some of the top features.

Some of the features to look out for include:

• The Mac App Store – the App Store for your laptop/desktop
• Launchpad – app launcher that works just like you would on an iPad and other mobile devices
• Full Screen Apps – kill the distractions and focus on one thing at a time.
• Mission Control – a bird’s eye view of everything running on your Mac
• Gestures and animations – multi-touch gestures using your touchpad and responsive on-screen animations bring a lifelike feel to your desktop
• Autosave – no need to obsessively save your work as you go. Lion does it for you
• Versions – records the evolution of a document you’ve created, giving you the ability to go back in time to previous versions.
• Resume – return right where you left off with all your apps exactly as you left them through restarts and updates.

It’s interesting to see Mac OS X basically changing the paradigm of desktop and laptop computing. See all the details at Apple.

via Apple – Mac OS X Lion.

Today, Apple sent out invitations to the media for a special event being held on March 2nd in San Francisco, CA. The Loop reports that the event follows speculation that the iPad 2 and iPhone 5 could be delayed until June. Rumors which they later confirmed as false.

According to the invitation received by The Loop, the event will be held at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts at 10:00 am. This is the same venue Apple has used to introduce a number of products in recent years.

The invite includes a corner of what appears to be an iPad in the background with the text “Come see what 2011 will be the year of.” The assumption here is that the focus will be on the iPad 2, which is rumored to be thinner, faster, and support Facetime with dual cameras.

Another event, occurring Wednesday, is the Apple shareholder’s meeting. Shareholders will finally get a chance to “grill executives about the health of CEO Steve Jobs.” Shareholders have been concerned about Jobs going out on medical leave with no timetable for his return.

While real ESA website has no control over what a particular airline or ticket agent may do, the law requires the airline to accept any valid Emotional Support Animal letter and allow your pet to travel with you at no additional cost.

It is doubtful he will actually be present, but COO Tim Cook will lead the meeting.

via CBC News

Rumors are still circulating about the upcoming refresh of the Apple Macbook Pro 2011. The shipments are allegedly in and retailers and consumers are just waiting with bated breath for Apple to make the official announcement.

One of the primary new features many are looking for is the implementation of Intel’s Light Peak high-speed interconnect technology. According to a leaked spec sheet, Apple is calling their implementation “Thunderbolt,” which is already trademarked by Verizon for their upcoming HTC handset, so the entire situation seems weird.

Some of the specs for the new Macbook:

What is Light Peak?

Light Peak is a new high-speed data transfer technology that could replace all of those random ports running up and down the sides of your laptop. AppleInsider offers a good description:

Apple and Intel have been publicly working together to deploy Light Peak for years, with Intel first demonstrating the technology on a Mac desktop system. Apple reportedly asked Intel to develop a new cabling standard with the ability to handle “massive amounts of data,” and serve as a replacement for a variety of ports now in use, including USB, Ethernet, FireWire, and DisplayPort.

Intel has aimed the technology at achieving 100Gbps throughput via light using fibre optic strands, reflected in the technology’s moniker. But Apple is rumored to be using an electrical variant using copper wire that can achieve 10Gbps, and has filed patents that describe lower powered mobile versions suitable for devices like iPad.

At any rate, there is also an image allegedly showing what this Thunderbolt port looks like. It looks just like the MiniDisplay Port with a shiny new lightning bolt symbol next to it. Very easy to fake, but is good for keeping the buzz going.

via Engadget

Many users are experiencing problems with Google calendar today. The worst thing that could happen is that your calendar, the place you keep track of all your important daily events, is randomly wiped clean. This is exactly what many users are experiencing.

According to early reports from Google, less than 0.125% of their user base is affected. This number dropped to 0.001% a few hours later. Still, it must be quite distressing when you’re trying to seize the day it #riseandgrind only to find you schedule is blank.

We’re experiencing an issue affecting less than 0.001% of the Google Calendar user base. The affected users are able to access Google Calendar, but are seeing error messages and/or other unexpected behavior. We will provide an update by February 23, 2011 6:52:00 AM UTC-5 detailing when we expect to resolve the problem. Please note that this resolution time is an estimate and may change.

Affected users may be missing entries in their calendars.

Fortunately for those having the issue, your calendar events haven’t actually been deleted, there is just a problem with how they’re being displayed. This should be easier for Google to recover from if there is actually no data loss.

via TechCrunch, Google Apps Status Dashboard

Arguable the two most anticipated products from Motorola, the Atrix 4G and the Xoom tablet will both be available very soon. Actually, you can grab the AT&T Motorola Atrix 4G right now for $149.99 at Amazon or Radioshack. Of course, Walmart has them for a mere $129. You can also buy directly from AT&T:

As expected, the privilege of buying direct from the carrier will set you back $199.99 with a two-year contract in the range of $39.99 per month for the Nation 450 on up to $69.99 for the Nation Unlimited with another $15 per month for a 200MB DataPlus plan or $45 per month for a Data Pro 4GB + tethering plan. via Engadget

Be sure to grab the laptop dock now with the $499 bundle or you will be stuck paying $499 for the dock separately. The Xoom has been seen rolling into Best Buy in anticipation for its Thursday launch. While Best Buy is pricing the Xoom at $800, Verizon is offering the Xoom for $600 along with a 2-year data plan. If you didn’t plan on opting for the $20/month for 1GB of 3G data, it may not be much of a discount, though.

Speaking of Best Buy, it looks like they have some mysterious Apple laptop SKU numbers showing up in their laptop discovery tool. As we reported yesterday, the rumor mill is on fire regarding a refresh of the Macbook pro line of laptops. Some retail stores have already received shipments that Apple says they are not allowed to talk about until the official announcement.

This seems to corroborate recent rumors of a MacBook Pro refresh coming next week, as do the $1,199, $1,499, $1,799, and $2,199 price points, all of which are presently occupied by current-gen 13- and 15-inch MBP variants. There is an additional $2,499 sticker for a laptop identified only as “New SKU I,” which presumably points to an upgrade to Apple’s 17-incher. via Engadget

Founded by Nadia Jones (aka. Justice Jonesie), Nyasha Smith (aka. Justice Ny), and Stacey Ferguson (aka. Justice Fergie), MamaLaw Media Group’s (MMG) mission is to “raise the profile of women of color online, all while networking, building relationships, and promoting inspiration and success for the multicultural blogging community.”

Read more about MMG at SocialWayne.com and see their answer for using technology to close the digital divide:

Through our yearly Blogalicious Weekend conferences, as well as our series of monthly webinars called “Blogalicious Bytes: Lessons in Social Media,” we aim to educate, inform and inspire our community about the wealth of resources that social media presents and how the multicultural community can benefit.