Does iOS 7 make the iPhone look too much like Windows 8 Phone?
Yes. The icons and text are like Windows 8 (Love it!)
Yes. The icons and text are like Windows 8 (HATE IT!)
No, it is just a coincidence.
New Mac Pro: Love it or hate it?
The new Mac Pro has a new futuristic design. Beautiful or is it too futuristic? What is your opinion? According to a CNET article, it looks like the Death Star from Star Wars. What is your take? We want to know!
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11386_3-57588835-76/apples-new-mac-pro-looks-like-darth-vader-yea-or-nay/
Youtube gains more content: B-Movie Horror Titles from Roger Corman!
The DNA of Youtube continues to change. Instead of showing movie clips that add up to full episodes or movies, more and more full content is ending up there. Clearly, Youtube is becoming more than a video sharing web site. Many users are now used to going there to watch programming or listen to music. The real question is will these users pay for content or be content just watching what is free with ads occasionally showing?
Okay with NSA surveillance?
Are you okay with surveillance of web and mobile traffic and phone records by the NSA?
Yes. If it means stopping terrorism, I am fine with it.
No. I value my privacy, and I do not want to give it up despite the possibility that means that I am less safe.
Well, supposedly more than half of you agree with the first option. Does that describe you? We would like to know.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-57588691-83/more-than-half-polled-ok-with-nsa-tracking-to-catch-terrorists/
Are you a tablet owner?
Do you own a tablet? Please let us know!
Yes. I own one.
Yes. My household has more than one.
No, I am thinking about it.
No. I do not need one.
One third of adults now own a tablet
Like with cable and the telephone, the saturation point appears to be 85-90%. So market saturation will probably be a marketplace 2x or 2.5x what it is now. Then, consumers will replace them either because they no longer are capable of doing what they need to do, break, or the consumer just wants the latest or greatest. Large number, but it is not even close to being a plateauing market.
iOS 7: Does it matter?
iOS 7 appears to be a mostly incremental upgrade. Many of the features (wallpapers, flat icons) either borrow from competitors or maintain parity with existing competition. What is lost in the debate over whether or not iOS 7 is ugly, unnecessary, beautiful simplicity, or a performance improvement is that it might not even matter. Apple has the best ecosystem to date. Developers know that Apple customers are more predisposed to purchase apps versus accept a free version full of ads. Many consumers have also invested a lot of money in media, such as music, apps, movies, and books. Neither one of these parties will outright reject the platform and ecosystem over a few icons looking too flat. Long term though, this may signal that Apple is not the innovator it was. It may also mean the end of the mystique that inspired such loyalty from the customer base. Is Apple still the gold standard for mobile? Only time will tell.
What is your opinion? Do social networks really respect privacy more than banks or retailers?
A. Yes. Many of the networks have control panels that can enable or disable access to personal information.
B. Yes. I can choose to remain mostly private or public on most social networks.
C. Yes. I can control access to my profile.
D. No. Too much information is readily accessible via search engines.
E. No. Ads are targeted using analytics. I am not sure what information 3rd parties have.
F. No. Most apps require access to information without disclosing what they do with that information.
Social Networks respect privacy and afford more consumer protection than banks and retailers?
When considering how financial institutions make money and conduct themselves, there are a number of reasons they may not be perceived as trustworthy stewards of private information.
When making decisions about credit-worthiness, some financial institutions have been rumored to hold impulse purchase decisions against their customers. For example, if you use your credit card to buy gas, snacks at a gas station, or other small miscellaneous purchases, this could be viewed as being stressed financially. Banks could then use this knowledge as reason to not approve an APR on a credit card or an interest rate on a loan that otherwise would be justified. You may be deemed unable to make the qualifying payments.
However, the murkiest factor in determining whether banks and retailers rank less than social networks is how they share information with 3rd parties. Many retailers have rewards programs written in legalese that does not clearly state that information will be shared with 3rd parties. Others may share and not even divulge this information to their customers.
It is important to keep in mind though that this does not mean that your institution is not respecting your privacy or behaving in a manner that is antagonistic to the consumer. Read documents carefully and be vigilant.
What does iRadio mean to you?
A. It will revolutionize my music listening habits! (It is Apple for crying out loud)
B. Not sure. There are a lot of music streaming services.
C. I am already a fairly loyal user of a specific service (ex. Pandora, Spotify,etc.). It would have to be that much better to get me to switch.
D. Competition is good. Power to music lovers!
