October 6th, 2008
Blackberry Storm, ‘Application Center’ info leaked
Wow, a whole lot of Blackberry-related news surfaced this weekend.
First, the user’s guide to the highly-anticipated Blackberry Storm was leaked by the ever-intrepid BoyGeniusReport, who posted exclusive images on their website.
Second, and more importantly, news of the Blackberry Application Center has emerged. Taking a page — hell, a chapter — from the iPhone App Store and T-Mobile G1 Android Market book, RIM has created a store “aimed to launch on the the BlackBerry Storm’s version 4.7 operating system” that will allow the user to find, browse and install third-party BlackBerry apps hosted by carriers, reports Crackberry.
The App Center is reported to consist of a device-side application and a server backend hosted by RIM that the application will interact with to retrieve up to date application list of applications hosted by the carriers.
The ever-popular Crackberry has the details:
- The Application Center will be available on 4.7 Storm devices and will be designed for the Storm touch screen UI.
- Carriers will be responsible for hosting the application data and sending updates to the directory to RIM.
- The main application screen will provide the user with a list of all applications that are available for install from the particular carrier for the specific device model and OS version. Incompatible applications will not be displayed.
- The main screen will provide the user the ability to quickly browse the application list, then view the available information about each application in a detailed description screen which shows the logo and full description. Installation will occur with one click (launches the web browser).
- The user will be able to access the Options > Applications screen from within the App Center (allowing the user to delete applications directly from within the App Center).
- The user will be provided with various status info: date the app list was most recently updated; notification that updates are available; option to reapplication list was completed, etc.
- Since the download and installation will be handled by the browser in this first release, the Application Center will not be capable of restarting the application / download intelligently.
- The Application Center will automatically check for updates daily.
To compare, the iPhone App Store is the sole hub for developers to sell apps and consumers to purchase them, while RIM seems to offer the App Center as a centralized forum for carriers to more easily distribute their apps.
Either way, looks like they’ve still got stiff competition: Apple iPhone sales recently surpassed Q4 analyst estimates of 4 million and rung in its 2008 goal of 10 million (and counting).
Blackberry users: love it or hate it? Tell us in TalkBack.
October 3rd, 2008
Valleywag, Consumerist sites announce layoffs
A source close to Gawker Media informed me a moment ago that popular sites Consumerist, Valleywag and (NSFW) Fleshbot will may be shuttered will lose most of their editorial talent.
“Nineteen jobs will be cut,” my source says, with a formal announcement from Gawker Media coming later this afternoon. (UPDATE: Valleywag has already posted notice. Managing Editor Owen Thomas has laid off associate editors Nicholas Carlson and Jackson West and reporter Melissa Gira Grant.)
An internal e-mail circulated through the Gawker pipeline just 30 minutes ago:
I have some bad news. Here’s the heart of it: we are cutting 19 of our 133 editorial positions and suspending bonus payments at the start of next year. With the savings, we are increasing base pay and hiring 10 new people on the most commercially successful Gawker sites. But I know that’s scant consolation for the colleagues we’re losing and for those of you who have been enjoying the bonus windfalls from breakout stories.
You can guess the reason for these brutal measures: the recession. Sure, the company is currently profitable and advertising sales are up by about 30% on their level of a year ago. Our biggest clients are consumer electronics and entertainment companies that are relatively well insulated. And, yes, this is not the first time I’ve predicted doom: in July 2006, when we “battened down the hatches” and closed down Sploid and Screenhead; and in April this year, when we spun off Idolator, Gridskipper and Wonkette.
But now the credit crisis is clearly going to affect every sector of the economy. Advertising buys typically plunge after the Christmas shopping season, and 2009 is obviously going to be exceptionally difficult. We have to prepare for the worst, now, rather than when the worst comes upon us.
We never used to talk about the business side of the operation. Traffic was the only concern; my belief was that juicy news would draw the readers and the advertising would take care of itself. We were patient; even if it took four years for a site to develop the audience that finally registered with advertisers, we had the time. No longer.
Sites such as Consumerist, whose success has been measured more in traffic and recognition than in revenue, now need to cover their costs. I can’t underline enough that this harsh commercial judgment is no reflection whatsoever on the editorial teams that are being cut.
Each of these sites performs a vital function. Consumerist provides an outlet for disgruntled consumers that exists nowhere else on the web; Valleywag has given puffed-up Silicon Valley the prick it’s long needed; and Fleshbot manages to be classy and filthy at the same time. The site leads and writers on all of our sites have done exactly what we asked them to: work harder than the competition and grow the audience. It’s my commercial judgment that’s been at fault.
One reason we’re eliminating these positions is to reinforce the teams on the sites with the most commercial appeal—Gizmodo, Kotaku, Lifehacker and Gawker—and the properties such as Jezebel, io9, Deadspin and Jalopnik which are poised to join them.
One new recruit we’re confirming today is Gabriel Snyder from W Magazine in Los Angeles who, as managing editor of Gawker.com, will continue the site’s evolution into a national news and entertainment site. We are also hiring new contributors at Jezebel, Deadspin, Kotaku and io9.
Even in the growing editorial teams we need to control costs. And that means a new look at traffic bonuses. We’ve been spending $50,000 a month on average on pageview bonuses. The scheme has made writers hustle for traffic even in teams so large that there was a risk they become lumbering. It’s helped us hit a record 274m pageviews last month, up 69% on last September.
Pageview bonuses will continue this quarter. And we are committed to pageview incentives, and to measuring performance by a writer’s individual pageviews, in the long term. But a first quarter spike in traffic — and the resulting bonus payments — could be dangerous if advertising markets are troubled next year. And we’re assuming that the economy is so volatile that most of you would like a little bit more predictability about your own income.
That’s why we’re suspending the pageview bonus for the first quarter at least, but making up for some of the loss of income by raising pay. If you haven’t recently agreed to a new rate, your monthly base amount will automatically be increased by 5% in January.
The news about the job and bonus cuts will be demoralizing. The golden age of the blog is over, people will say. Gawker Media is behaving like those big media companies that we mock so easily. I could come up with some bullshit line about how much worse it would have been to wait until we were forced to control costs; or how much more unpleasant life will be at the many internet ventures and newspapers that won’t make it through the downturn. I could give you my optimistic spin about the glorious future that awaits us on the far side of this downturn.
But there is no escaping the fact that we’re losing some excellent colleagues and the environment next year will be bleak. The one consolation is that there will be plenty of news for us to break — starting with this email, which you are free to leak.
Radar’s Choire Sicha — previously the editor of Gawker, among other things — is on the case, too. So’s CNET’s Caroline McCarthy on The Social blog.
UPDATE 2:26 PM: Word is that it’s unclear whether the sites will be shuttered or merely just scaled back to a minimum workforce.
UPDATE 2:44 PM: A different source says the sites are not getting shut down but will have considerable layoffs. (Update 3:00PM: Gawker Media managing editor Noah Robischon confirmed that no sites will be closed but there will be layoffs.)
What I’m wondering is: What’s [publisher Nick] Denton’s thinking? He’s cutting back on Valleywag but putting even more resources into the traffic-leading Gizmodo site (and Kotaku, and io9, and Jezebel). Is he simply fattening the chickens before he sends them to slaughter — in this case, to an online suitor for sale? (Just today, Gizmodo solicited help from readers to find open gallery space in NYC. Do I smell a gadgety, co-branded, moneymaking event?)
October 3rd, 2008
Weekend Gadget Guidance: Find speed traps online
User-generated Google maps of police speed traps are easy to find with Trapster, a site that offers just that: a way to alert other drivers of speed traps in your area.
The concept is simple: download the Trapster app for your mobile phone, and use it to report when you come across a speed trap. The report appears online for everyone to see.
Trapster offers apps for cell phones using Windows Mobile, the BlackBerry, the Nokia N95 and other S60 smart phones (an iPhone 3G app is forthcoming). Of course, it’s only as accurate as your fellow drivers are, so the more people play the game, the better reported the speed traps are.
Or, you know, you could just read the road signs. [via Lifehacker]
October 3rd, 2008
Videos: Nokia 5800 touchscreen phone
Well, not my hands in this hands-on, of course, but here’s actual demo footage of Nokia’s new iPhone-inspired 5800 XpressMusic touchscreen phone, which Matthew Miller also posted about:
And another video demonstrating functions:
And another:
And another:
Impressed? Bored? Tell us in TalkBack. [Slashphone via Gizmodo]
October 2nd, 2008
Gadget nostalgia: Five things I had and five things I have now
I was quite inspired by fellow ZDNet blogger Matthew Miller’s post listing every mobile device he’s had over the years (86 and counting, my friend!). Though my memory isn’t as robust as Matt’s, I thought I’d compile a list of my own ghost gadgets of the past, comparing them with what I have now.
My gadgets, THEN:
- IBM PC 5150
August 12, 1981
Yes, the original Personal Computer, I had the ‘ol green screen IBM with floppy disk drive and sexy not-quite-yellow beige trim. This is the machine that taught me all about C:\ and the magic that could be provoked from it. - Nokia 3310
2000
I finally gave in to the cell phone craze and got myself a shiny gold Nokia 3310 on VoiceStream Wireless.”Candybar” phones were all the rage then (and now? I’m looking at you, LG Chocolate), and I’ll never forget getting chastised for using the cell phone in the house (after all, it’s a luxury — that’s what the land line is for!). Oh, how times have changed. - Canon Powershot A510
March 2005
This camera marked the moment when photography became less of a documenting method (birthdays, vacations) and far more of an artistic hobby. Sure, this budget compact camera only had 3.2 megapixels, but it was a lot better than the disposables I had grown accustomed to (see, I told you I’ve come a long way). - Logitech TrackMan
Early ’90s
Still a favorite by many, Logitech’s TrackMan was the first time I ventured away from the OEM mouse. At the time, mice still used rubber balls (how quaint!), catching all sorts of unsavory gunk in them. The trackball struck me as far cleaner and accurate (good for Doom), which was a relief. - Pentium MMX 233 MHz (P55C, 80503)
1997
My first “Frankenstein” computer was built around this processor. I remember the marketing effort behind the Pentium line as so effective that average people began to consider processors during their computer shopping. I kept my old Frankenstein computer around a lot longer than I should have — I think I got it up to a Windows ME install, which is another story altogether — and was surprised at how well the P1 held up under the load of Napster, Winamp, and other programs.
My gadgets, NOW:
- Dell Inspiron 700m
2005
It was the smallest laptop on the market at the time, which was a big deal for me, since I bought it before taking up residency abroad. Besides a new battery and a memory upgrade - 512MB to 2GB — the ol’ Dell is still plugging along, running Windows XP and handling Adobe CS3 with no problem. (read about the current incarnation of this laptop, the Dell XPS M1330) - Motorola Razr V3
2005
Remember when the Razr came out? It was the top of the pops, one of the most expensive standard phones on the market. It came out, prices dropped, Motorola made a ton of money. The Razr was to phone as Band-aid is to adhesive bandages. (Read about the current incarnation of this phone, the Motorola Razr VE20) - Nikon D40X
March 6, 2007
My first “real” camera, or digital SLR. Purchased just in time to shoot photos for an enterprise story on inner-city violence, it’s become my favorite digital companion on the road. (Read about the current incarnation of this camera, the Nikon D60) - Logitech VX Nano
June 2007
Now that I’m on the laptop all the time, bringing gadgety goodness to you readers, I need something a bit more precise than the dreaded touchpad. The perks of the Nano? Try a miniscule USB receiver, a freewheeling metal scroll wheel and cosmetic touches taken from the bigger VX Revolution. Yes, sir. - Intel Core 2 Duo T9400 (2.53GHz)
2008
I don’t use a desktop anymore, but the processor housed in my Lenovo ThinkPad gets the job done, no matter how many tabs I have open. (Read about a related desktop processor, the Intel Core 2 Duo E6700)
…and there you have it, folks. What are some of your notable gadgets over the years? Tell us in TalkBack.
October 2nd, 2008
YouTube debuts post-roll ads
YouTube, which always has had far more eyeballs than ways to monetize them, is adding post-roll advertisements to its clips.
As NewTeeVee suggests, if you don’t click on an overlay ad when it shows up in a clip you’re watching, the video ad it would have played rolls automatically at the end of your video. (Previously, a post-roll video wouldn’t play without being initiated by the user.) This type of ad started rolling out over the last few weeks.
The post-roll ads, like all ads on YouTube, only play on a portion of the tiny percentage of the site’s videos uploaded by official partners with revenue-sharing agreements. Of course, they’re far less intrusive than pre-roll ads.
But the post-roll decision is significant reversal for Google-owned YouTube, which initially justified its in-video overlay ads announced last year by saying that 75 percent of its users who saw tests of pre- and post-roll ads were unhappy with them.
Like ‘em? Hate ‘em? Tell us, in TalkBack.
October 2nd, 2008
Obama releases iPhone campaign tool
CNET colleague Stephen Shankland discovered a neat way that Sen. Barack Obama’s presidential campaign is using technology: political recruiting, direct to your iPhone.
Styled much like his iPolitics-looking website, the tool has several features: one feature “organizes and prioritizes your contacts by key battleground states, making it easy to reach out and make an impact quickly,” according to the software.
Uh oh. That means my Pennsylvania area code might show up in friends’ lists.
The “get involved” feature uses the phone’s GPS-based location sensing to find the nearest Obama campaign headquarters, and “local events” pulls up a list of activities sorted by proximity.
The “media” section provides links to video and photos, but Shankland notes that YouTube showed errors following some of the links, guessing that perhaps the newer videos hadn’t been prepared for iPhone display yet.
The application also shows Obama statements to the news media and a guide to Obama’s positions on various issues.
Sounds like a fine way to inform the people (albeit the ones who have iPhones). McCain campaign – where’s yours? Really, though, comparing positions on issues seems much more useful. So how about a little crossing-the-aisle technology initiatives, boys?
Of course, it’s just another effort by politicians to capitalize on technology, as they have been doing this cycle with YouTube, Web-based fund-raising, Facebook pages and fan groups, and e-mail recruitment drives.
The Obama for America iPhone application is available for download through Apple’s iTunes store.
October 2nd, 2008
Is Apple out of ideas?
In an interesting BusinessWeek story, Arik Hesseldahl asks: “Where does Apple go from here?”
For a company who has made a reputation of surprising consumers and (re)setting the bar, it’s a good question.
Of course, this question is asked on the heels of a mention of a “new product transition” made by Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer during a July conference call with analysts. What barnstorming surprise could Apple possibly have left under its sleeve to reveal in the next 6 to 24 months? “There are only so many world-changing moments that even Apple can create,” Hesseldahl writes.
So he takes a stab at guessing:
- An Apple Netbook or tablet
“The Web is rife with rumors that Apple will next introduce a device that bridges the gap between the iPod touch and the Mac—a machine that’s one part mini-mobile PC and one part media and entertainment device. The idea seems obvious to anyone who’s used the iPod touch for e-mail and Web-browsing but wants a larger screen. While other PC companies like Dell and Asustek build mini-notebooks, Apple could best them all, or so the argument goes.” - Apple iPhone family.
“Much like the iPod now comes in four flavors—touch, nano, classic, and shuffle—it’s fair to expect that the iPhone will come in more than one model. The iPhone nano, for example, might appeal to those who think the current model is too big or too expensive.” - Nothing.
“I have trouble imagining the next obvious path that Apple might follow in 2009 and 2010. In fact, the company may very well be nearing a product plateau. And here’s the real kicker: That may not be a bad thing.”
Hesseldahl’s reasoning is this: He sees potential for hardware and software enhancements on AppleTV, “including TiVo-like DVR features” and “a DVD player slot,” but on the whole he sees Apple relying on its “three-legged stool”: the Mac, the iPod (and iTunes) and the iPhone.
“I think Apple can and will do very well to enhance and grow these three legs without the need for building a fourth,” he writes.
But, in terms of hardware, I don’t see much more than that. I suspect that Apple may get more into the software/licensing/services game, a la Google. A way to link its devices and create an interlinked, interdependent network of monetization.Yet I ask myself: On the other hand, can Apple fight a two front war?
Fact: The launch of the first iPod occurred seven years ago this month.
Another fact: Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer says Microsoft is “David” to Google’s “Goliath.”
Thoughts? Leave ‘em in TalkBack.
October 2nd, 2008
AT&T’s Samsung i907 named ‘Epix’
BoyGeniusReport is hot on the scoop that the AT&T-branded Samsung i907 smartphone will be named “Epix.”
Not much information is available right now, but BGR mentions Windows Mobile Professional 6.1, UMTS/HSDPA and GPS, as well as an “awesome” optical joystick that doubles as a select button for the 5-way D-pad. A camera (with VideoShare) and Bluetooth is also likely.
Look for the device to launch “around the same time-frame as the AT&T Fuze for probably around $199.”
Anyone interested in this? (Tell us in TalkBack).
October 2nd, 2008
AT&T layoffs, Step 1: Reorganization
AT&T’s move to reorganize itself into four business units is likely a precursor to layoffs, according to sources of GigaOM’s Stacey Higginbotham.
AT&T’s reorganization comes as the company tries to adjust to our current credit-crunching economic situation, diminishing access line and DSL business and an increased amount of employees, the result of two large mergers in the last three years.
AT&T will rearrange into consumer, business, infrastructure and diversified products units, with the intention of making consumer products work better across its portfolio of devices, as well as better aligning the company to compete against cable carriers. News of the company’s moves first appeared yesterday.
Higginbotham reports:
Managers inside AT&T expect that they’ll soon get targets for headcount reductions ranging anywhere from 5 percent all the way to 20 percent in some areas of the company (I bet DSL and wireline will be hardest hit). When asked about layoffs via email, AT&T spokesman Marc Bien said, “Regarding headcount, at this time, we have no specific plans for workforce changes related to this new organizational structure.”
Of course, it’s only a matter of time: Earlier this year the carrier announced a workforce reduction of 1.5 percent (about 4,650 workers) in its local phone business, but it still employed 307,550 people as of June 30. “I expect that number will drop again soon,” Higginbotham writes.
Any AT&T employees out there? What’s the word? (Tell us in TalkBack.)
Andrew J. Nusca is an assistant editor for ZDNet.com. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
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