Apple has posted Thoughts on Flash signed by Steve Jobs on their website. In this concise and informational explanation he takes Adobe and Flash technology to task. I consider this a must read for anyone interested in the latest tech controversy. I am sure there will be many to attack this claiming a bias against Adobe by Apple and Mr. Jobs, but I think he lays out his reasons quite well and factually.

In his conclusion, Jobs sees Flash as the obsolete floppy drive in regard for the web video. It’s just no longer needed for viewing video on the Internet. HTML5, CSS and Javascript is based on open standards, is easy to incorporate on websites and lack all of the problems he points to in his essay. See the entire essay after the jump below.

Continue reading Steve Jobs: Thoughts on Flash – OUCH!…

Apple gets into search… sort of, as they buy Siri the personal assistant. Siri offers voice recognition and search for the iPhone. Siri is a very useful app. You ask it a question like “nearest pizza” via voice (or by typing) and returns the best results using your location. The speech recognition is quite good. It comes from Nuance, the company who’s software powers both Dragon Dictation and Dragon Search. This is available now for your iPhone free.

Apple has officially announced WWDC2010. Calling it “The center of the app universe” will take place from June 7th – 11th at Moscone West in San Francisco, California.

Gates: Microsoft lead in Tablets. On iPad: No comment!

I guess after publicly predicting the failure of everything Apple from OS X to the iPod to the iPhone, “no comment” is the better response. The iPad has been a huge seller for Apple and is certainly the most successful “tablet” like computer in history. Guess Mr. Gates forgot the Newton.

Apple now has only two companies in the US that are larger Exxon Mobile and Microsoft. Today Apple stock is up to $266.37 with a market value of about $239.66 Billion, just $33.66 Billion below Microsoft. It is only a matter of when Apple will surpass Microsoft in market value now.

Apple today released updates to the MacBook Pro line which includes 13, 15 and 17 inch displays.

The new 15 and 17-inch models now feature the Intel’s i5 and i7 processors giving them a nice performance boost permitting hyperthreading (up to 4 virtual cores). Plus new GeForce GT 330M graphics chip, and the NVIDIA-driven Optimus technology to switch from the high-end video subsystem to integrated graphics on the fly to improve power management.

With power handling give the 15 and 17-inch models now allow up to 8-9 hours on one battery charge. All models now include 4GB of RAM standard.

Continue reading Apple Updates MacBook Pro Family Processors and Graphics…

Apple has unveiled the new software development kit (SDK) for the iPhone platform which includes the iPod touch and the brand new iPad. The new SDK will bring over 1500 new APIs to create apps that are much more powerful and innovative.

The new iPhone OS 4.0 will have over 100 new user features including some of the most requested such as multitasking for third party apps, folders to organize apps and a unified inbox for Mail. iBooks app, just launched with the iPad will be coming to the iPhone and iPod touch allowing users to buy and read ebooks on their device.

Other important things to note is a VoIP API which will allow users to receive Skype calls even when the app is not running! Other features are Multiple Exchange accounts, threaded messages and open attachments in other apps. One popular feature from the Mac, QuickLook will now be making its appearance on the iPhone and iPad.

Users will be able to change and customize Homescreen Wallpaper and use Bluetooth keyboards on the iPhone and iPod touch like they can on the iPad.

The SDK for developers is available now for download and the iPhone OS 4.0 is expected to ship this summer for iPhone and iPod touch. The 4.0 update will come to the iPad in the fall.

Stunning most analysts and techies, Apple has announced a special invitation-only event on Thursday April 8, 2010. Most thought this would not happen to later in the year.

The event will take place at the Apple Town Hall in Cupertino to discuss iPhone OS 4.0. We can speculate this will mean an update will be coming to the iPad launched Saturday much ahead of what we would have guessed.

Kindle App for iPhone is now optimized for the iPad. Just received free update.

Barnes and Noble app for iPad is expected soon.

The iPad apps have launched into the iTunes App Store. These include Apple’s iWork apps for the iPad as well as several third-party apps like the free ABC’s new Player app for those LOST fans. Interesting enough Cisco’s WebEX for iPad is out before launch day. I guess Cisco feels some business people will be using an iPad.

Steve Jobs, “I don’t think of my life as a career. I do stuff. I respond to stuff. That’s not a career – it’s a life!”

Stephen Fry, the second person in Great Britain to own a Mac (Douglas Adams, author of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, was the first) interviews Apple CEO in Time as Jobs grabs the cover yet again. The above was Mr Jobs response to Fry’s question would he use the iPad’s successful release as an opportunity to step down on top; to end his career on a high.

Fry also got the opportunity to speak to Phil Schiller and Eddy Cue about the iPad. Stephen Fry is a writer, actor and comedian is truly ian Apple fan. His skills as a writer and his insight make this a fun read.

Fry, “I have met five British Prime Ministers, two American Presidents, Nelson Mandela, Michael Jackson and the Queen. My hour with Steve Jobs certainly made me more nervous than any of those encounters.”

The article gives you a good sense of Apple history and why some people respond to Apple products the way they do.

Apple has posted a website that showcases what they say are ‘iPad ready’ sites that have compatible with the iPad. Basically video sites that are non-Flash based and are using HTML5 to deliver their video content.

The sites include: CNN, Reuters, NYTimes, Vimeo, Time, Major League Baseball, The White House, Virgin, Sports Illustrated, Flickr, People Magazine and TED.

iPad features Safari, a mobile web browser that supports the latest web standards — including HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript. Here are just a few of the sites that take advantage of these web standards to deliver content that looks and functions beautifully on iPad.

You can submit your site here. Apple also has posted technical information so you can preparing your web content for iPad. I expect this list to grow pretty fast!

NBC, not to left out of the fun has freed its nbc.com to deliver videos to the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. NBC has encoded them in the H.264 format, which works with Apple’s Quicktime player!

If you have an iPhone (or iPod touch) go take a visit. So add NBC to the list of compatible sites for viewing video on the iPad. By the way cbs.com also works.

Maybe the so-called shortcoming of the iPad, not supporting Flash will turn out to be moot. Seems plenty of sites serving online video are lining up to deliver iPad compatible video (HTML-5) and native apps. YouTube and Vimeo will be serving up video for the iPad (and iPhone). But seems like some heavy hitters like Hulu, Netflix, ABC, CBS will also be on-board real soon.

The WSJ claims a leak shows that both ABC and CBS are gearing up to bring their own content to the iPad. ABC is said to be planning a native iPad app on launch day for viewing TV shows in a free, ad-supported format that would include major shows such as Lost.

Hulu may be bringing a paid subscription model to the iPad. Netflix is reported to soon have a free app for their subscribers for full functionality to the iPad including watching full screen movies and TV shows from their instant queue.

OK, now we need an optimized version of SlingPlayer and MLB.com which are both rumored to be in the works. Flash? Soon we may be saying we don’t need any stinkin’ Flash.

Smart unveiled the Smart Drive Kit last month and now, at the NY Auto Show, is giving it a proper demonstration. The iPhone app effectively takes the place of an infotainment system like Sync, including internet radio, navigation, and hands-free calling.

Cost is a bit pricey at $9.99 for the app and, maybe, the $49.99 annual fee for maps and navigation plus the cost of the cradle €240 ($326). Not sure on availability.

AppAdvice is reporting that Netflix will be releasing a free app for Apple’s iPad around April 3rd that will allow Netflix subscribers to watch instantly anything in Netflix’s online collection directly on your iPad. You can stream TV shows and movies just like you would on your computer.

I can not confirm this personally, but as a happy Netflix subscriber this possible news sure makes me more likely to purchase an iPad. Sure hope this is NOT an April Fools Joke!

UPDATE: Engadget is also reporting Netflix iPad app.

Mossberg likes it. Baig likes it. Pogue likes it. Ihnatko likes it. boingboing likes it. PC Magazine likes it. Bob “Dr. Mac” LeVitus likes it. Omar Wasow likes it. Stephen Fry likes it. How about you? Well you get to see this Saturday which is launch day.

I plan on waiting to touch and feel the iPad and wait for the 3G version due at the end of the month. Plenty more videos and summary after the jump.

Continue reading iPad Reviews In – UPDATED…