Facebook App Developer Quits Over Apple’s Review Process – An Excuse for New Horizons

A few weeks ago this circled the blogospher (too many to mention), and all manner of mobile sites focusing on news for mobile phones/apps/accessories.

To be honest I see this as An excuse for new horizons!

I see this as an excuse for the developer to explore new horizons. Was it not the same “middleman process” when he first submitted the FaceBook app?? I’m sure it was; however maybe the recent changes are slowing final development to fruition & consumption.

Still the web still has a LONG way to go to become so called “best mobile app” because not all data should be sourced in real time or pulled/pushed when needed by the user. Many places where wireless provider data is STILL not truely unlimited & thus restricted (Canadian providers ALL the incumbents STILL charge & cap a specific ceiling of 1-2GB monthly with few % on the offered/pulled 6gb of data; along with tethering restrictions/allowances and so called “fair use” policies).

There are many applications that serve just as well or better with a single burst of data for 1 time & initial requests. Only specific changes in data which wold affect users are required and incremental.

Some applications, like stock data for trading applications, world news events/reports – need and require a continuous stream of data. Issue is web based cloud “apps” (more like interfaces) change not only the data presented to the end user, but many times augmenting the GUI layout which most of the times is not needed; this lacks in efficient data streaming, and more data bucket usuage & costs to the end user.

There is a HUGE reason why WML/WAP1.1 failed, and why WAP2.0 is in a static state of developmental evolution and suits feature phones, and not smartphones.

Yes I’m aware of HTML5 and what GoogleWave presents – but it proves that the GUI layout consistently changes due to new data streams and provides great event notifications – but its NOT suited for a battery packing handheld smartphone/feature phone device. To put it simply developers that code specifically to the web think of Desktops/Laptops (and recently MIDS) First & Foremost; mobile is thought up of only after mass consumption of their work is taken noticed. THAT is the issue.

Smartphones are THE MOST PERSONAL and trusted computing platform and thus heavily guarded by the end user. As such there NEEDS to be some kind of regulation, to what extent can be argued and never resolved for the next 10yrs – but it cannot nor should NOT be left to the end user!

At one point in the future, a smartphones evolution as a mobile device to a lifestyle personal companion should be as easy, as free, and as care free to use as our voices, words and hands (in any language, context & intent) and evolve as such. The only limitations are common sense, experience, and specific laws & moral aptitude for their uses.

Wow, that is thinking different. I think I’m high!!

Why I hate social network websites – A Forum Post (Not I)

I just read this thread from one of my favorite online forums: Why I hate social network websites. . I just couldn’t help myself to pontificate briefly and reply with another 1 of my diatribes.

The original post goes like this …

I hate social networking websites because it seems that these websites have replaced good old E-Mail for communication. Something about it just bugs me how we are reliant on a website to handle essential communication., and the communication can’t be controlled by the other party, unlike an email service.

Wasn’t there a company that did technical support via Facebook?

What really gets on my nerves about this is now, people seem overly dependent on MySpace, Facebook and more. If the site goes down, so would your contacts unless you have their number, etc.

by (EDITED OUT)

Now before reading on this is NOT to call out this fellow member of another forum ~ and I probably shouldn’t directly name him/her without permission (thus the omission). Please note that I do respect this member & felt it would be polite not to contact them directly about my blog entry as to not arouse resentment or cause frustration. Without doing so may cause this as well, but I take comfort that I’m posting my reply directly here as I did in the original thread location.

read on.

Hmm. I think you’ve finally reached the point of generation separation. No offense. I say this because essentially, using Facebook or MySpace for txt communication is simply no different than SMS/MMS on your cellphone – which pre-dates effective wireless email (EVEN BlackBerry’s NOC; SMS does, maybe not MMS).

We have to be VERY careful on 2 simplistic thoughts regarding communication.
1> What is thought of as essential communication – forms or the message carried, and what medium used is appropriate.
2> Which form (medium) of communication is BEST to communicate a particular message.

Let’s think about this and relate this to time for a moment. I’ll tackle #2 first: Form or medium is BEST considered to communicate a particular message.

Body Language. This by ANY other culture pre-dates ALL forms of communication. From Animals to higher form primates to human beings – this is used EVEN today (in/out of the office, your spouse, your lover/girlfriend, your colleagues, friends, enemies/adversary’s). Depending on the message needed to be conveyed ~ this can be the most effective in specific situations. You don’t walk around a horse to its rear without your hand going along side its body do you? You don’t show you grill & flex your eyebrows or muscles when some thug has a gun pointed to your head trying to rob you do you? You don’t wink/grin/lick your lips at another woman if your wife is around do you?

Hand gestures/communication. This in its lowest form (gestures) or highest form (sign-language) also pre-dates Vocal communication. I cannot recall which dog does this to alert its master of prey, but I’ve personally seen it myself as a child and was freaked out and laughed my head off when this dog pointed in a hilly open field. Sign launguage is used by the deaf to communicate. Today, the hearing-impaired use teletype phones to use txt to the recipient or even more efficiently, video operator can quickly translate sign-language visually to you over the phone where a video call on your end cannot be used ~ let alone interpreted by most citizens in any nation. Also ie hostage situation where extraction/seperation of hostiles vs hostages – the police force and more so the military use hand-gestures.

Vocal Communication. This is also a very old form of communication and considered to be the BEST form of communication amongst us all ~ at least until 2001. We all can communicate information, emotion, and possibly intent (without actually saying it) to another party. However we also know the basics of the Tower of Babel that many various forms of language makes Vocal ineffective or inefficient if the other party cannot understand or communicate back in a common language with us. The internet age makes translation (basic if not rudimentally yet flawed to an extent) more effective. So Text (sms, email, written) is more effective. However, you also need to think about basic information/data …. 70 years ago the newspaper was the hallmark of communicating information across a nation efficiently and effectively (along with snail mail). If anyone made stock trades based on the mornings newspaper – you’d be broke! It’s yesterdays news that is printed for tomorrow (with the exception of articles). The internet (mobile or connected) is the BEST form to communicate time sensitive data.

Text. For the past few years Email has become so important, synonymous with efficiency, and over-bearing that it’s become a multi-billion dollar industry to corporations, end users are left paying the cost. I’ve worked at so many companies in the past 10yrs as a contractor in many sectors actually have courses/training on email etticut. When NOT to send an email reply and not to send the reply to all party’s if its not necessary to their jobs, responsibilities. Just 1 email sent out by an upper echelon employee can generate over 5 useless reply’s and its not only creating in-efficient workers, but also lots of frustration. Yes I’m a culprit as well . Although we can communicate data, emotion, and intent this way, its not always perceived effeciently or correctly. SMS is considered dead in North America due to its 160 character limit; however many youth have adapted incredibly efficient form of txt to deal with this. Facebook, or MySpace allows not just text but also multimedia. Many business’ can use this medium to effectively target market potential consumers right where they feel comfortable the most and communicate on their level & on their terms (for the most part). Don’t kid yourself into thinking that boards, posts, or user profiles cannot be managed any bit less on FaceBook/Twitter/MySpace than RIM’s BlackBerry’s & NOC. It all takes the right pressure to create the exact momentum/inertia to get the right form of security enabled.

Unified Communications in the office is comming to a serious convergence in the next 12mths [both MS Office 2010, Lotus Notes, and VOIP/Video Conferencing will become unified and efficiently managed]

Language or communication is ever more powerful and obvious in today’s world than it ever has been. Not being able to adjust can leave you in the dust. Over communicating can result in your words falling on “deaf ears” ~ which undoubtedly is what I’ve done here.

Cheers.

Now this fellow member does have point ~ relying on social networking sites is not a good way to use as our main source of communication, nor is it going to last forever (my personal opinion), but I feel it will evolve over time just like other forms of human communication has. FaceBook is banking on my opinion being 100% wrong and you can rest assured be able to bank on them as well. I’m sure they’ll be just about 1/2 as powerful as Google will.

PS: I posted a few weeks ago on another thread in this same forum I’m mentioning and I just may post that here as well.

Ericsson to acquire Nortel’s North American GSM business

YES, good show Ericsson!

Of all the glum news occurring lately about companies laying off employees along with uncertain economic times of employment – including mine – is awesome to see this news. Especially since Ericsson’s mobile partnership with Sony; Sony Ericsson laying off employees and closing offices in 3 United States.

Being a successful bidder in the auction of Nortel’s North American GSM/GSM-R business gives Ericsson contracts with AT&T & T-Mobile USA. This means not only will T-Mobile USA get to expidite their 3G deployment, or AT&T finally getting proper 3G/HSPA deployment and better bandwidth for a horribly congested network, but adding 350 employees!

Not too long ago many pensioners from Nortel faced off against Parlament here in Toronto, Ontario. I’m unsure of the outcome considering the following but it may shift a hand in these pensioners coming closure to a better retirement.

Nortel cries “poverty” this company has $2.6 billion in cash and up to $6 billion in cash after all its business sales

Canadian Labour Congress

Newswire

But that’s for another topic – not on this blog.

This deal means greater chances of LTE coming to North America at competitive prices for networks, meaning better monthly rates for users (I pray, but not always the case). The residual side affect of this deal – if approval from regulatory bodies allows – means possible SonyEricsson handsets being able to use decent mobile chipsets from Ericsson, not to mention many of the competition.

Ericsson Press

Along with our recent acquisition of Nortel’s CDMA and LTE assets, the transaction emphasizes Ericsson’s commitment to the North American market and strengthens our position as a leading provider of telecommunications technology and services in the United States and Canada” said Hans Vestberg, incoming President and CEO of Ericsson. “Our Ericsson family will be once again enriched by the addition of the valuable Nortel employees.”

The agreement includes the transfer of important GSM business with North American operators such as AT&T and T-Mobile. Under the agreement Ericsson will offer employment to approximately 350 employees from Nortel. Nortel’s North American GSM operations generated approximately USD 400 million in 2008.

(yeah I can’t sleep).

Come get Rihanna live

Rihanna & Nokia Preset the X6 and Live Performance

That’s right party people, the LOVELY and talented Rihanna will be performing a few tracks from her upcoming album Rated R live and online … November 16th!

Nokia is proud to preset the Nokia X6 with capacitive touch screen and 32GB of imbedded storage, 3G (Europe) bands, and quadband GSM/GPRS/EDGE along with Comes With Music.

This is Nokia’s single most strongest effort to popularize the Comes With Music service. Is it possible they’ll launch with a USA store?! Here’s to hoping great competition and price wars with iTunes.

I’d LOVE to have remixed tracks on the fly of her upcoming album; very similar to what was proposed by Will.I.Am at Nokia’s Music Event back in 2008; then again at a similar RIM even.

www.nokia.com/rihanna.

Nokia & Rihanna present the Nokia X6

Lovely Rihanna

Rihanna Rated R