Daily Bits

General

Despite the Criticisms, Apple iPad is Selling Like Hotcakes

by

We have to give credit where credit is due. And in the case of the ongoing success being reaped by Apple at this early pre-order stage of its “magical and revolutionary” iPad, it’s just but natural to commend Apple for coming out with a great promotional. This is what Apple does best – introduce a new product, excite would-be customers, open it up for criticisms and then later on, offer the product for sale.

Once again, Apple has proven its marketing prowess. This early, the iPad is reportedly selling like hotcakes. An estimated 50,000 units were reportedly sold in the first two hours after the pre-order process started.  Stocks are dwindling down, affecting those who are still in the process of pre-ordering and choosing the pick-up option.

And while everybody else are busy, it was found out that the iPad filing has just passed through the FCC.  This heightens the excitement so more. So, it’s true – the magical product is indeed coming. I’m pretty sure when the FCC news broke out, more people started clicking on that pre-order button.

So, have you wondered why despite the criticisms that were hurled against the Apple iPad, many customers still purchased it?  Call it Apple consumerism. A disease that has inflicted me and the rest of the thousands of Apple fans who have pre-ordered the Apple iPad and who will pre-order it until supply lasts.

In case you’d want to ask, yes I’m pretty excited and couldn’t wait for April 3 to come.

Popular Science Archives Now Available Online

by

I

If you are a gadget freak, chances are you’re reading Popular Science. In fact, it might be your most favorite technology magazine. Did you know that Popular Science has been around for 137 years already?

Now, here’s the good news, Pop Sci the web wing of Popular Science has already scanned the entire issues of the magazine and has put up the archives available on the internet. By archives, I mean digital archives.  The project was in close collaboration of  PopSci with Google Books.

The Popular Science Archives is freely available on this site.  The moment the home page loads on your web browser, you’d immediately notice a simple search box.  That search box is your only way of getting into specific issues of the magazine.  A cool feature of this archive is the fact that it even has the original advertisements that appeared on when the magazine issue was released.

The online archives does not allow you to go into specific issues of the magazine except for the instance when you are brought to specific issues via the search function.  It would have been better if a browse option is available though especially if you have  not particular topic in mind and you just want to look back at what’s hip and cool in technology of bygone years.

E-Reader Owners Are Satisfied with their Device but Want More Features

by

The NPD Group has released a new report entitled “e-Reader Owners: Attitudes and Usage” and this could very well be used by Amazon in its drive to develop the Kindle into a more powerful and interesting ebook reading device.

Based on the report 93% of e-reader owners were found to be either “very satisfied” or “somewhat satisfied” with their device. A mere 2% expressed their dissatisfaction.

Additionally, 60% of the respondents said that the wireless feature of their e-Reader device was their favorite feature. The second most favorited feature was touch-capability with 23% of  the respondents saying so. Interestingly, among the many e-readers available in the market today, Amazon seems to be the one with the most stable wireless feature. So, does this mean that most of the respondents have the Kindle as their e-reader? While the 23% may not be Kindle users since only the Kindle DX has the touchscreen feature. Unfortunately, the report did not specify what are the respondents e-readers.

Another interesting finding of the report was that e-Reader owners are still looking for more features for the e-reader. Among those features that they are looking for include longer battery life, more book titles and color screens.

As we all know, Kindle doesn’t have a color screen, so Amazon is probably looking into developing a new Kindle that will support this feature.  And what great timing it is that Amazon was reportedly eyeing to buy a start up called Touchco. This company, as you may have guessed specializes in touch-screen technology. Some analysts say that Amazon is preparing its e-readers  for the entry of the Apple iPad by March.

Amazon Brings Out the Kindle DX Global Wireless

by

We knew this was coming, Amazon has just launched the latest iteration of its highly successful e-book reader – the Kindle DX Global Wireless version. Nothing ground breaking here. Just an updated version of the 9.7-inch Kindle with wireless content delivery to over 100 countries.

The Kindle International version with 7-inch display has been making the rounds in various countries for the past couple of months. But many may have hesitated to get it because of the 7-inch screen, knowing fully well that there is a 9.7-inch version. So, this is it. Amazon just made the Kindle DX also available for the International market. Now is the best time to probably get the Kindle.

As a review, the Kindle DX just like its 6-inch sibling has a auto-rotate capability and storage for up to 3,500 books. It allow you to download digital books, magazines, blogs and personal documents wirelessly from the Kindle Store. Since, the Kindle DX has 2.5 times the surface area of the 6-inch Kindle, Kindle DX enhances the display of graphic-rich content.

Kindle DX with Global Wireless is now available for pre-order. It will set you back for  $489. Shipping begins on January 19.

Study Reveals Most Active People Online are Educated

by

I don’t know if this report by Eurostat is rather comforting or not. But according to the report people who spend most time online are the most educated member of the society.

The study was conducted on European households with at least one person aged 16-74.  And the study found out that 90% of those who used the Internet on a regular basic  have high formal education. Age-wise though, the numbers are insignificant but it is also worth noting that most of these people belong to the 16-24 age range.

But of course the study was European-based and we could probably assume that Europe probably has one of the highest literacy rate among the developed countries. So, it is rather  no disturbing if majority of those who spend time online are educated because their difference with the not-so-educated Europeans may not be that huge.

But what if this study is to be carried out in the developing countries where literacy is inferior with that of the European countries. Of course, the result might be the same. But what is not so comforting is the fact that if education plays a vital role into IT literacy and usage, what happens now with the majority of uneducated people in the developing countries? Will they be given a chance to learn about technology and how it can change one’s daily life?

And how could the developing countries cope up with the technological revolution if majority of  their population remains uneducated and technologically deprived?

Five Most Anticipated Gadgets of 2010

by

With 2009 coming to a close, several manufacturers are already prepping up their latest gadgets for a 2010 launch. We’ve seen some of these gadgets as early as now and they have been generating  buzz already.

We’ve gathered up 5 of these gadgets which are starting to catch fire as early as now despite the fact that they are still being planned for release in 2010. So, here goes our top five most anticipated gadgets of 2010.

1. Apple Tablet

Not the JooJoo, not the CrunchPad or any of those tablet magazine demoed by  Time Inc. but the real Apple Tablet which has been rumored to be already in the works and which Apple remains mum about.  This makes us want the Apple Tablet even more. Will Apple finally release it in 2010? Or is there really an Apple Tablet?  We”ll soon find out about that. [Read more…] about Five Most Anticipated Gadgets of 2010