Maybe Apple Is Getting the Hint…
In a World Where smartphones’ cameras are growing larger almost every time a new phone comes out, and with the current unofficial standard size of cameras being 5 megapixel, the Apple iPhone’s 3.2 megapixel camera is starting to look a bit outdated in the face of Android, it’s main competitor, as well as the Palm line of smartphones. Not only that, but iPhone users have never been allowed a nighttime photo shoot session, either. Well, no.. That’s wrong, they can, but the photo’s look grainy and very low-quality as compared to the surprisingly high-quality of the day time photos.

Rumor has it Apple may have finally gotten the hint that iPhoners who have tried to stay loyal might not anymore. Rumor also has it Apple has ordered up a whole slew of LED Flashes from Philips’ Lumileds Lighting sector, a well known electronics giant. And yet another says the iPod Touch will be sporting a brand new camera feature, complete with flash, as well.

More Improvements On The Way?
According to AppleInsider.com, the Cupertino-based company had decided to finally look at trying to focus on other enhancements to the iPhone to maintain it’s customer satisfaction quota, however the updates were limited to just an updated Image Sensor to capture 1.1 megapixel more than it already does and improvements to its software technology version 3.0, which apparently took clearer and a bit more detailed pics, according to a article by AppleInseder.com in May. The Software apparently offers better quality motion pics and dim light (cloudy day) shoots too.

Why the Switch Finally? Let’s Take a Look.
So the upcoming Next Generation iPhones and iPod Touches will be getting 5 megapixel cams, complete with LED flash.

With the rise of the people taking pictures on impulse, such as when they are out and about, who is going to want to have to lug a hefty camera around with them as a separate piece of equipment? And even though the new digital’s are getting smaller and lighter, it still amounts to an extra piece of equipment to have to carry around and not forget to take back home with them. When a person has a decent camera built into their smartphone, as most do ow, they are much happier and much more spontaneous when it comes to taking pictures. Lets face it, the customer wants a decent camera built in. And they have started going to the “next guy” to get it, meaning Android (Nexus One and Droid) and Palm’s Pre, even though the camera is not 5 megapixel, it still has a LED Flash with the rest of them.

What’s the Verdict?
How long did Apple think they were going to get away with not having to shell out the cash to give the customers what they want? iPhoners have Been shouting for a better camera with a flash for a long time, like ever since the iPhone came out. It’s almost like Apple is punishing them for something… But you would also think that for it’s price, the 3rd Generation would come with such basic features as a better camera and LED flash, as they are pretty much standard equipment these days. Now maybe if Apple actually does something about the flash thing, they might want to concentrate on their reception a little more, as I heard a rumor that it wasn’t actually AT&T’s fault but that of the iPhone…

There’s a New Tablet Player on the Horizon
And the name? HTC-With the help of Google, of course. With the new lineup of Android phones on its way this year, HTC has apparently decided they like Google products enough to use them for more gadgets-namely an HTC Tablet powered by Chrome OS. It looks as HTC & Google will be making an announcement, complete with a working prototype of the HTC competitor to the iSlate-the as of yet still non-existent Apple version of the tablet-at the upcoming 2010 CES about the device and Smartmouth reports that HTC and Google “…has several working models of a touch tablet, including one model based on the new Google Chrome Operating System…”

I’s a Real Tablet-What’s Under the Hood?
Well, some are based with the Android, and another with the Chrome OS, so from that standpoint alone, it will be fast. Combine those with a Qualcomm processor, and you’ve got yourself a lightening fast tablet. It is also said the HTC tablet will incorporate new Adobe software as well, something an Apple device would never have the pleasure of having. Poor Apple, they know what they are missing, yet don’t care what the customers want… But more on that below.

The iSlate Rumor
Over the last 10 years or so, and more so in the last 2 years, the rumors have been flying heavily about an Apple Tablet in the works. The problem is, however, the rumors have yet to see even a patent or an FCC approval. In most cases when rumors start making the rounds, one of those two things usually see he light of day within a few months. But, with the tablet supposedly in the works from Apple, neither of these things have even been heard of.

Yet most people and analysts believe an Apple tablet to be on its way for this quarter of 2010. Some news outlets, analysts and bloggers have even put a price on the non-existent tablet, stating it to be affordable-very unprofessional in my eyes. What is it, an affordable piece of air? Well, yes, that is all it is at this point.

But, what I want to know is what is the iSlate going to be good for? Lets talk about Adobe Flash and Apple… Not allowing flash is part of the iPhone TOS! Clause 3.3.2 of the iPhone SDK TOS agreement specifically states: (Directly from PDF of TOS via Wired Magazine)

“…an Application may not itself install or launch other executable code by any means, including without limitation through the use of a plug-in architecture, calling other frameworks, other APIs or otherwise. No interpreted code may be downloaded and used in an Application except for code that is interpreted and run by Apple’s Published APIs and built-in interpreter(s).”

WTF?!?! That is censorship and complete non-sense if you ask me. Apple is just being a bit old-fashioned. I mean, I really don’t understand how the iPhone does so well if there is no Flash support… Anyway, back to the supposed HTC tablet-that DOES have flash support. How does Apple expect to keep iSlate customers when they now know they will never be able to access 90% of the internet? What the Hell is an iSlate going to be good for? Just to have the Apple name around and be seen as an upper-class citizen? I don’t think so…

The Real Reason for the Tablet
Advertising and Marketing-that’s it! Until Apple even asks for approval from the FCC for the tablet, it shouldn’t be speculated so damn much. There will never be one if there isn’t by now. It’s all just a play on advertising. Every time tablet rumors fly, stocks jump and soar through the roof. And with the recession, of course there are more rumors. It’s the only thing keeping them alive! Why does no one see that?

At Least the HTC “Tablet-to-Be” is Real
I mean, at least HTC has a prototype! No one has even seen so much as a single part, or officially drawn blueprint of the tablet form Apple, have they? Nope! Not a one. HTC has a few working prototypes to boast, and they will at the up-coming conference, rightfully so. So I say forget Apple, and see the rumors for what they are. Just another way for Apple to milk more money out of its customers-without even selling them anything!

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THE Year for Great Mobile Tech
2009 was THE year of Mobile Technology in general. Between Smartphones, Netbooks, Tablets and anything else mobile tech related, 2009 was a great year for mobile tech. The way smartphones took over is a great feat in itself. The Netbook was supposed to take off and it did-at first. But it didn’t gain the ground it was supposed to. Then came the 7″ Netbook and that was where the consumer drew the line in mobile technology and its getting smaller. I mean, who in their right mind is going to want such a small computer? For something better, you might as well get the XP Phone-when it finally comes out anyway… At least it would be worth its smallness.

So 2009 being the year of mobile tech, it makes sense that smartphones took over the world. The battle between iPhone and Android-any Droid phone-took off. And it is still going strong. And now with the upcoming release of the Google Phone-The Nexus One-it remains to be seen if iPhone will finally die, or if Google is just a lot of hot air trying to masquerade as something bigger than it really is. Android as w hole, or as a separate being, so to speak could really be the iPhone killer, but not as the Nexus One. There is nothing good enough-or different enough-about it to compete where others have failed to do so.

So What Will 2010 Bring?
Well, so far as the world knows, it’s supposed to be bringing us many things. Here is my take on a few that are supposed to be out in the first quarter of 2010.

It’s hard to say , really. People are adamant the Apple Tablet will appear, finally, but I don’t think so. Think about this, how many years have people and analysts alike been saying the Apple Tablet is “On its way” or “Apple Tablet Imminent?” It’s been a promise-No a threat- by Apple for over a decade and has yet to materialize. Doesn’t anyone get it? Or am I the only one who sees the promises and failures to release-or even announce-the tablet, for what it really is? A marketing ploy a diversion of something bigger and better. Or that is what it looks like anyway. Just look at all the hype and excitement over something that does not even exist. And then take a look at how much money is being made off of the rising stocks every time someone even whispers the words Tablet or iSlate or iblah blah.. It doesn’t matter what the word is, but it doesn’t exist and probably never will. Give it a rest already!

The Google Phone will not be everything it says it’s going to be. That’s a given already. It hasn’t even been released yet and people are moving on to bigger and better things. If it was all that it was cracked up to be then they wouldn’t have given in to the subsidized plan crap that is T-Mobile and all the rest of the carriers with their contracts for a free or reduced price smartphone. If the Google Phone was really special, it would have been a straight up unlocked phone. Period. No gimmicks, no marketing ploys, just the great power that is Google and Android. But it’s not, and may never be.

Windows Mobile 6.5.3-Probably the biggest joke of the smartphone world coming. What should have been a great half point release (6.5) was an utter failure, making Vista look like an angel. So what could this new one on the horizon have to offer, unless it’s gonna fix all the past mistakes? Nothing. Enough said. They should have put their efforts into WinMo 7 instead of 6.5m then maybe the screw-ups would have only been half as bad.

The Final Word & The Verdict Is?
This year is already looking like a failure. With all the mobile tech coming out in the first quarter, it's surprising that this is all we have to look forward to. It is disappointing, really. With the greatest technological minds in the world working for these aforementioned companies, it is really sad and surprising that they can't do any better. So, I have pretty much given up hope for he first half of the year, and I hope the second half will be better, but as of now, it doesn't look like it. I mean, with all the hype going into the products mentioned above, it doesn't look like anything else is going to happen i these areas.

The only thing I can see happening that will blow people away is the iPhone making it to another carrier. Just not the one that everyone thinks it will. We all think it will be T-Mobile or Verizon, but I am not getting that vibe. I think it will be more like Sprint, maybe. I mean, the irony would be the iPhone jumping form one crappy network to another, wouldn't it? It would be just like Apple to do something like that, wouldn't it…

If anyone has anything to add, drop me a line and let me know. Is there anything you think should get some recognition?

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Why All The Noise? Is There Any Proof?
So, if Maine wants the Law makers to issue a waring saying that cell phones are harmful and may cause cancer, they must have a whole bunch of research papers and scientists breathing down their backs to make them do it, right? I mean, if they want a law for it, it must be as bad as smoking a cigarette, right? WRONG!

What is really happening is, someone got a wind of something they thought they overheard someone telling someone else and thought they had a bright idea. Does that make sense? No, you are right, it doesn’t. And that is exactly how much a law like that will make sense if it gets passed while having absolutely no medical or scientific evidence to back it up. Please, allow me to explain…

Here’s the Deal…
A Democratic Legislator form Sanford, Ms. Andrea Boland, decided she didn’t feel right and gets scared using a cell phone so close to her head to talk, so she only uses speaker phone and will not hold a cell phone to her head, at all. And then, she decided that if she doesn’t feel right, is scared and thinks something wrong, maybe there is. So here is what she did. Because she has the power to do so, and because the US is big on public fright and terror(it’s what moves people to action ’round these parts) she decided to take a few “I heard reports saying it’ and the old “But, Dad, other countries are doing it’” ploy (because other countries do it) and went to the top guns in DC and asked them to hear a proposal about adding a permanent warning to the cell phones saying they are a cancer risk. Neat, isn’t it?

But that would be fine if there were actually something to warn against. You see, as of now, there is no actual, solid, provable scientific or medical evidence making the claims that cell phones are harmful. As a matter of fact, the FCC says “that all cell phones sold in the U.S. are safe, has set a standard for the “specific absorption rate” of radio frequency energy,” but they don’t make the companies say exactly how much.

So now, there is apparently a proposal set to be heard during the next discussions in January of 2010 about it. And the thing is the warning would be a permanent fixture to the phone, therefore taking away form the all important design. And not to mention, taking away people’s rights to choose as well, but more on that in a later post. You see , the warning would “require a permanent, non-removable advisory of risk in black type, except for the word “warning,” which would be large and in red letters. It would also include a color graphic of a child’s brain next to the warning,” according to reports. Really?

Yes really and apparently, according to the Associated Press, there are the same talks in San Francisco going on about the same thing, too. But the CTIA is fighting back, and with good cause. They say:

“With respect to the matter of health effects associated with wireless base stations and the use of wireless devices, CTIA and the wireless industry have always been guided by science, and the views of impartial health organizations. The peer-reviewed scientific evidence has overwhelmingly indicated that wireless devices do not pose a public health risk,” said CTIA’s John Walls.
**Emphasis added

And while, yes, there is no way to know about long term affects of what cell phones can do, all studies thus far have proved them to be safe. So why, then , all the up-play on the subject?

The Verdict Is…
The Verdict is that someone got scared. And fear is what moves people. And I am honestly surprised that something like this would come up as a serious discussion within the Legislature at all. I mean, there are so many more things, like microwaves, lighters, and coffee even, that cause more harm than a cell phone. every food that we eat that is not organic is sprayed with a harmful toxin that can cause cancer, just to keep it fresh. The Preventative mammograms that the government promotes and women get to detect cancer-cause cancer. Even the plastic bottles of water served in hospitals and the plastic tubing equipment used for giving IVs cause more harm than a cell phone. And that is stuff that’s been proven scientifically!

So why not get on the hospitals for serving the patients bottled water? Why not make a sign to put on the front of a hospital saying “We Serve Items and Administer Tests Known to Be Cancer Causing Substances To Our Patients” that is displayed prominently? Do you want to know why? Because it’s preposterous, that’s why. And it’s silly. Just as preposterous and silly it will look to scare the people about a cell phone causing brain cancer when there is NO PROOF! Neither scientifically or medically speaking. End of Subject.

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Finally, a Useful iPhone Hack!
That’s right folks! Finally a useful iPhone Hack in the world. Wired’s Gadget Lab has reported that someone has figured out a way to hack a physical Bluetooth keyboard to the iPhone 3G, 3GS and 2nd Gen iPod Touch. Now all you iPhone users out there wishing for a physical keyboard can now have one. Merry Christmas!

How Did They Do That?
Well, according to the Gadget Lab, the iPhones or iPod Touch must first be jailbroken, meaning they must be hacked in a way that will let the iPhone and iPod Touch run software it’s not supposed to. Unofficial software, which Apple strictly fights and guards against. And for good reason. It was only the hacked phones that contracted the first iPhone worms and viruses and only hacked or jailbroken phones are susceptible to them, making it very dangerous to add the Bluetooth keyboard. But for those who really want it, it just might be worth the sacrifice.

Wired’s Gadget Lab states in their report:

“The driver will be available “soon” in the Cydia store (the jailbreak App Store) and will allow you to pair and use an external Bluetooth keyboard with the phone, making it a very viable all-day computer. As long as you’re not writing huge articles, we guess.”

The Catch… Of Course There’s a Catch!
Apparently there is one catch, other than needing a jailbroken phone to do it with. It si only usable right now within a certain application, the “iPhone Bluetooth Keyboard Driver” application by itself for now. But, apparently there is a workaround available, supposedly to allow it to direct “the key press to any application” you want it to go to by installing the “Simulated Key Events Packages.” Wired’
s Gadget Lab promises to look out for and try it when it comes out, and I really hope they do.

And the Verdict Is?
Why doesn’t Apple make a physical keyboard to begin with? Are they trying to be different, or just difficult? With so many users hoping for a physical keyboard to be built in one day, you would think that Apple wold get the hint. Make a dam optional physical keyboard for the iPhone, right? I guess they just don’get it. Maybe this hack wuill get the iPhone to th point where Apple might just start listening. ANd besides, with the exclusive contract up, it might cause some other changes, like the addition of a keyboard. Stranger things have happened, that’s for sure!

Information obtained from Wired’s Gadget Lab.

BT Stack Keyboard V 1.0-Now Available at the Cydia Store

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What’s the Deal on the Phones?
Well, apparently Verizon is getting ready to start carrying the Palm Pre. As the Sprint contract for the Pre is about to end, the contract was only for six months, Verizon is looking to scoop it up when it does. The thing is, Sprint hasn’t sold as many Pres or Pixis as they thought they would have, and the company reported a 2Q loss larger than expected. In turn lowering Sprint profits as well. Could this have anything to do with Sprint’s plans and customers becoming very upset, almost enraged, over them? They really aren’t what they are cracked up to be, as maybe a Pre on a Verizon plan might just be a bit more well received, IMHO.

As for the iPhone, its “loyal” customers are just about sick of the AT&T problems with customer service, bad connections, network areas and speeds, and are hoping for a new carrier when the iPhone contract expires. Even if AT&T continues to offer the iPhone, Apple may give up exclusivity in order to give the customers what they want, and not lose sales. The question is, however, just because Verizon wants and is preparing for the iPhone, does it mean they will get it? That decision is ultimately up to Apple. And from the looks of it, it could go either way between Verizon or T-Mobile at this point.

So Verizon will prepare, just in case, for both the Palm Pre and the iPhone. They have even gone as far as modifying their network to accommodate the iPhone, even though some analysts are almost 100% sure the iPhone will end up with T-Mobile. But hey, better be prepared with a great network, then live up to AT&T’s reputation and not be prepared, right?

And the Verdict Is?
I think if Verizon does happen to scoop up both the Palm Pre and the iPhone, they will have made the best decision in all the land. The obviously have a better, larger 3G network, and it has been proven. And although AT&T’s might just happen to be faster, faster doesn’t always mean better. People, especially travelers, like many business people who use iPhones, want, no they NEED, better coverage. And AT&T just doesn’t have it.

As for the Pre coming to Verizon, I think the Verizon plans will make a world of difference as to the sales. I predict that if the Pre comes to Verizon, the sales will pick up and maybe even almost double within 6 months of doing so.

We’ll see what happens, and I will be watching…

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Nokia’s Joint Venture with New Alliance
Nokia Corp., the Finnish Mobile Phone company announced yesterday the makings of a 50-50 joint venture with Shanghai Alliance’s investment and services provider, New Alliance. The joint venture, creating a company to be based in China, Nokia Alliance Internet Services Company Ltd, will open its doors in January and will involve about 80 people, according to The Wall Street Journal Online.

Nokia’s Executive Vice President of Services, Niklas Salvander stated the joint venture was a natural next step for the company to “…bring locally relevant mobile services to Chinese consumers.” He also added that in doing so, they would have “…right platform and expertise to offer a suite of selected Nokia Ovi services–as well as work with local content developers to help bring their applications to market.” Ovi is the platform Nokia uses to bring the internet to their customers.

The Chinese mobile market is the largest in the world and in taking these steps with the joint venture, Nokia could very well outshine all other mobile companies in the area.

RIM to Customize their BlackBerry In Direct Competition with Apple
Taking after Motorola with the customization of the MT710, a necessary evil to offer and use WiFi and 3G services in China, as all other forms are banned, RIMs now offering to customize their BlackBerry i and conform it to China Mobile’s proprietary TD-SCDMA 3G technology to step up competition between them and Apple. Apple started selling their best selling iPhone in China through China Mobile on October 30th. Granted, sales have not been what they predicted, but that is because iPhone refused to compromise and conform to china Mobile’s 3G and WiFi technology standards, leaving the iPhone WiFi and 3Gless because the use of anything but China’s native technology is barred in the country.

According to Bloomberg.com, even though in September, China’s mobile phone users in China totaled over 719.8M, including the addition of 9.3M in September alone, RIM only accounts for 1% of China’s mobile phone market. According to Sandy Shen, “…RIM is needs to appeal to the average consumer as well as the corporates” is they want to get ahead.

The Chairman of China Mobile, Wang Jianzhou, stated the newly customized Blackberry will release “very soon” although no price has been set as of yet because they need to adjust prices based on current offerings and sales. Prices and plans are “quite high” already with the current Blackberry 8700, which runs only on 2G. Sales are not what they should be and the new 3G phones are bound to be more expensive than the 2Gs so prices will need to come down on the current devices before offering the new ones in order to increase sales all around.

And the Verdict Is?
What I don’t understand, if China is such a huge market, why haven’t more companies compromised with them before to get their 3G phones on the market and sold before this? It just makes sense to do so and, as we all saw with the iPhone, not doing so can cause sales to plummet. We also can see this with Blackberry owning only 1% of the market that this holds true.

Maybe if Apple would give in and allow the iPhone to conform, their sales would pick up. Besides, who wants an iPhone that doesn’t have 3G anymore? That is what makes it better than the others in the first place! at least it was until Motorola Droid topped it… Maybe when iPhone first came out it was ok without the 3G, but now, with all the Droid mobile phones out there, an iPhone without 3G is just about as useful as a paperweight, IMHO.

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Motorola MT710 Zhilling

This is the first Motorola first ever Smartphone made for the China OPhone brand and is expected to release on December 28. So far, there is no available pricing, but as soon as we know, you will know.

As we have seen with the iPhone’s introduction into China, China has in the past barred WiFi from any phones entering China not wanting to modify to the Chinese protocols. But because the Motorola MT710 will, it will support the China Mobile promoted 3G mobile standard TD-SCDMA, along with a security protocol designed for wireless LANs.
And because the MT710 is deciding to conform to Chinese standards, it will be WiFi capable too, according to PC Mag.

What’s Under the Hood?
Because this is a cousin to the Droid, it is similar in ways, but it has noticible differences as well. For starers, this is a QWERTYless handset, using only the 3.7″ FWGVA, 480×854 res. touchscreen for it’s input. Also, the OS will be the OPhone OS 1.5, whereas the Droid is the Android 2.0. Don’t misunderstand, it is still the Android platform, it is just slightly modified to China Mobile standards so the customers can have the best 3G WiFi experience available.

It will also have Bluetooth, GPS, a Micro USB connector of the USB 2.0 HighSpeed variety, a 3.5 mm headphone jack, a 5megapixel camera with 2x zoom, auto focus and a dual LED flash, Video recording at 24fps at 320×240 (QVGA) resolution and video playback at 30fps and 320×480 (HVGA) resolution. The processor has been changed to the Marvell PXA310 that has been clocked at 624 MHz. And there ya go. Full details are available at the Motorola Developer’s Page.

Motorola MT710 Zhilling

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The Involvement of the FCC
While looking for information pertaining to the the recent FCC questions to Verizon, I stumbled upon a blog called Pogue’s Posts, which resides in the NY Times, a November 12 post in which not only the FCC info I was looking for there, but a few other things that were seemingly swept under the rug for some reason. At least that is what looks like happened. And I am wondering why-No… that’s wrong, I do know why. I just don’t know why people are letting them get away with it.

Ok so here is what is going on. Verizon recently substantially upped the Early Termination Fees (ETF) for their “advanced devices.” Now, for anyone who doesn’t know what ETF’s are for, they supposedly are there to pick up the cost for the subsidized phones-You know, the “Free with contract” phones. What happens is when one of the subsidized phones gets sold the carrier is losing a few hundred dollars on the deal. SO, in hopes of regaining that money, they penalize anyone who leaves the contract early with a $175 fee. This at one point covered the cost of regular, or clamshell phones.

But now with the high prices of certain devices such as a BlackBerry or a Smartphone, or any “advanced device,” $175 is barely enough to cover the chip that’s used in the devices. So they nearly doubled the ETF to $350. The problem is the FCC doesn’t like that price at all. They sent an open letter to Verizon(link to PDF of full letter) asking them to provide answers to their questions by December 17th. Some of the questions ask if there is an open disclosure policy on the ETF and if so, what is it. It also asks if there is any way other than the service agreement to come across the information, rules and regulations of the ETF terms posted anywhere publicly on their website or accessible in any other way.

The FCC is asking other questions as well. These pertain to the formula Verizon uses to prorate the ETF because it is turning out that in the end, even though someone stuck to the contract for the full 24 months, at the end of the 24 months, they still have to pay at least a $120 fee, which is $10 dollars off the initial ETF for every month they stick with the plan. But a fee such as this really should dwindle down to nothing. The customers are being made to pay even though they are loyal and never switched or canceled the contract. The FCC asks :

how can customers learn about the formula for prorating the ETF?
Does Verizon Wireless provide the full terms and conditions, including the
proration formula, anywhere other than in the formal Customer Agreement? If so,
where? For example, is any relevant information provided on monthly bills?
What is the format of the information provided? How can customers learn about
the amount

The Other Hidden Charges and Fees
Now, in the same blog posting I found, dated back on November 12, is the $1.99 data charge issue. To be honest with you, I scour the news and blogs many times a day looking for juicy little tidbits to write about and today is the first I am hearing of this. Granted, I really can’t know everything like I would like to, but I think I would have remembered AND wrote about this.

So here is the deal. Verizon is charging everyone $1.99/Mb for data use. I know, it’s impossible if you don’t have the data plan right? Or maybe you have it blocked so that when you inadvertently hit the button you don’t accidentally get charged, right? So very, very wrong. You see, what Verizon neglects to tell you is that blocking the data capability does nothing but cost you money. In more ways than just paying for the blocking service. I don’t understand this because the blocking service tells you, if you accidentally press the button, that you can not access the service.

“Oh, ok, so the blocking service is working. I can’t access the data so I won’t get charged by accident.”

Yes you will be charged. This is apparently because the blocking service message is run from the data itself. In other words Verizon doesn’t tell you that when you pay for the blocking service that you have to access the data anyway for it to display the message. So you are inadvertently paying monthly for a service that bills you another $1.99 anyway every time you get the message. One reader of the blog claims to work for Verizon, which is what sparked the investigation by the FCC, stated the customer service reps are being trained to do anything they can to try to get the customers who asks for a block to go an alternate route. Here is what he had to say:

“They (Verizon) have started training us reps that too many data blocks are being put on accounts now; they’re actually making us take classes called Alternatives to Data Blocks. They do not want all the blocks, because 40% of Verizon’s revenue now comes from data use. I just know there are millions of people out there that don’t even notice this $1.99 on the bill.”

So What Does Apple Have to Do with This
Honestly? Nothing. It’s what they have in common with Verizon. The same master plan to fool their customers into giving up all their meager earnings to these massive companies. You see, this is the price the customers must pay for the privileges of being loyal to their phone carriers and phone makers. The iPhone especially. Why would they do that? Well, for starters, because they know you are a loyal and paying customer who will probably do just about anything to get your hands on the newest, coolest phones around.

Point of Fact. In the same blog post I mentioned above, there was a tiny little link referenced by the author in which he is talking about the “…original cost of phone”s and then (see my analysis here). So I clicked on the link because I wanted to read more info. And that’s when I saw the title. “How Much It Costs to Upgrade to an iPhone 3G S” Wow. Before I go any further, here is what the author of the blog called a cleaned up edited version of the letter a reader wrote to him about the subject.

“Apple should be ASHAMED. With the launch of the 3G S, this loyal Apple and AT&T customer will have to pay $700 for the 32GB iPhone, while a new customer will pay $400 less for the same phone. “In no other area of commerce would this price gouging of over 100% be considered ethical, sensible, reasonable or even, I wonder, legal. “Apple persists in a shady, shoddy strategy that I find revolting. To quote Billy Madison, ‘May God have mercy on your soul.’ Apple, you used to have one.”

So basically, what is happening is that if you are an existing customer, you will have to pay the price of the new customers coming in and getting reduced price subsidized phones. Making the the loyal customers pay is their way of making back all the money for being stupid enough to give away the phones for free in the first place. Did you really think the phones only cost $200? like the author of the other blog said, they are mini computers. There is no way they aren’t losing money on the contract deals. There is, however, always the option of purchasing an iPhone (not 3GS) for $600 without contract if you like…

So that’s the jist of it. You can see the full story here.

And The Verdict Is?
When something little like an app doesn’t get approved so many people make a big thing out of it. I mean come on people! You are fighting to give the rights to something, like an application for a Smartphone, that is happily going to suck your money faster than they (The developers you are fighting for)can say (or not say) Thank you!! (Except for the one with the app for the congresspeople-he did say thank you and did not charge a fortune and take advantage of anyone)

But when Verizon and Apple are plain as day in your face robbing money from their LOYAL customers, that’s B**T, you are letting it slip by as if nothing is wrong? Really?

I think what is happening has something to do with all the warring advertisements back and forth. Any publicity, bad or good gets a company’s web site more traffic and more sales, inadvertently. Publicity is the root of all success on the web and now… Poof! The contract making AT&T the exclusive carrier for the said iPhone is just about up. And who is Apple considering giving iPhone’s freedom to? Well, Verizon of course! Coincidence? I think not. What it is, however, is a ploy for more publicity still. No one is ever going to want the two companies to team up together after all this customer service billing crap and the stealing of money on Verizon’s part.

I sincerely hope Verizon gets its *ss beat by the FCC. Or at least I hope they will overturn the ETF or put in place another such measurement that has the specific goal of customer appreciation and loyalty at heart. I know, it’s a pipe dream, but it is Christmas and a girl is allowed to dream, right?

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The Android Market went live almost a year ago and was supposed to be the big answer to Apple’s App Store. But unfortunately, things are not going the way Google had expected. Developers are increasingly not happy with the way things are. Here’s the scoop.

No Profits for Android Developers?
Well, there is profit, just not as much as the developers were expecting there to be. Apparently, according to a study done by SkyHook Wireless, the developers are becoming more and more frustrated with the functionality of the Android Market and they (the developers) are not at all satisfied with their profits and they are also having trouble generating revenue at all. SkyHook noted in their report:

This is the result of very low average download volumes, a poorly designed market, lack of an effective customer billing system, and the incapacity to serve ads. Due to these low profits, developers are becoming hesitant to invest more time and effort into apps that do not pay off.

When Verizon first released the Droid on November 6th, it was said to be the first viable competitor to the iPhone. And so far, the fact remains the same. And even though Windows came out with their Marketplace for Mobile, the Android Market was most likely to directly compete with the App Store alongside the Droid itself. But the one thing that can bring them down is the Android Market itself. According to the study by SkyHook, completed October 30, their findings concluded that:

• 57% of developers said they are not satisfied with their profits on Android
• 90% of developers reported individual app downloads of 10,000 or under on Android.
• 52% of Android developers’ apps were downloaded fewer than 5,000 times.
  Developers are concerned that Google Checkout contributes to their low download volumes
• 43% feel that they would sell more apps if Android used a carrier billing or another simpler billing system.
• 82% of those surveyed feel that the design of the Android Marketplace makes it difficult for apps to be noticed.
• 68% of those surveyed are somewhat or not likely to put further work into their apps, compared to when they first released their app.

Another Looming Problem
Not only is there the problem with the developers not being happy, but they are actually considering not keeping the apps already in the Market up to date. Check out these facts and figures from the same report:

68 percent of developers are only “somewhat likely or not likely” to continue investing time and effort into the apps already on the market and also for new ones. The developers are afraid that because of the fragmentation of the different Android versions, it will make developing the apps more difficult to do.

That fact combined with the figures of very low volume of app sales, with the best sales almost never going over 10,000 units sold collectively for any particular app and 90 percent of those sales taking place within the first 6 months of the release of the app in question. Then developers need to take into account the poor design of the Android Market, where most developers, 90 percent of them, agree that the redesign of the Market has impeded the ability of consumers to actually find the apps, let alone purchase them. The low visibility is absolutely intolerable.

This coupled with the lack of effective advertising makes for very poor sales. Not to mention the lack of an effective consumer billing system too. Put it all together, and you have got some very unhappy developers.

And the Verdict Is?
Overall, most developers are still psyched about the platform’s potential and are hoping the process will become easier in the long run. If it does, it will be the iPhone killer everyone is hoping for. But if not I fear, along with the developers, Android will become just another platform. They need to do something soon, as I am sure they don’t want their developers leaving the Android platform and going where the money flows openly…even if it IS hard to get an app accepted, at least they can make some money off them…

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