Google <3 iPhone (and Chinglish)

It's IT Blogwatch: in which Google upgrades its iPhone apps. Not to mention some wonderfully translated instructions...

Jon Brodkin reports:

Google, inundated with traffic from iPhone users over the holidays, has hurriedly made improvements to its mobile Web applications that will enable faster browsing for iPhone owners ... Google says its improved user interface for iPhones makes it easier to activate, navigate and use such programs as search, e-mail, calendar and news feeds. [more]

Matt Buchanan adds:

Just a month after optimizing the entire array of Google apps for the iPhone, Google is making them even better with a quicker, slicker UI, more customization, iGoogle gadget integration and more speed across the board. If only Google's magic powers could speed up AT&T's network, we'd be golden. [more]

Seth Weintraub runs the numbers:

Just like Canalys and Net Applications before it, the New York Times is reporting that iPhone global browser marketshare - as measured by Google - is through the roof. During Christmas (when nobody was at work!) iPhone browsing numbers even surpassed Symbian ... for now, the iPhone is the king of leisurely browsing - the kind one does at Christmas. [more]

Jeff Valvano lets off steam: [You're fired -Ed.]

Based on internal data from Google, more iPhones were connecting during Christmas than any other mobile device, despite the fact that industry figures show only two percent of smartphones worldwide as belonging to Apple. A few days after Christmas, iPhone traffic dropped below that of phones using the Nokia-backed Symbian operating system, but kept a second-place ranking. Surpassing Symbian at all may be an achievement, as the platform accounts for 63 percent of the smartphone market. [more]

Paul Kedrosky is a fan:

People just don't get how good web apps on mobile can be. I get stuck in many conversations about native apps on mobile, which always strikes me as vestigial. The same way that I live in mostly browser-based apps on my desktop and laptop, I am convinced I will live in web apps on my mobile device. Pretending otherwise seems wrong-headed and self-defeating. And Google gets it. Their iPhone web apps -- which were updated again today -- continue to be game-changing. [more]

Larry Dignan draws conclusions:

The big picture: It’s clear that the iPhone is Google’s mobile application lab. Now if it can produce similar integration for other mobile phones–perhaps Android–we’ll really be rolling. [more]

But Doug Aamoth thinks the joke's on Google:

Jeez, get a room you two. Google’s all like, “Oh Apple iPhone, you’re so pretty. Sit at my table won’t you? I’ve upgraded myself to run much faster and sexier on your Safari browser.” ... Then Apple’s all, “Hey Google, sorry I haven’t called in a while. Thanks for the upgrade, you’re looking real good. Have you been working out? I’m gonna bump you up a couple notches in my speed dial. Maybe you could make me some dinner tomorrow night after the keynote. Then I’ll go hit some parties and you can wait up for me.” [more]

And finally...

• Chinese Ear Michael
  

Buffer overflow:

• GMSV: And now the Rev. Jobs will lead us in a responsive reading of the keynote
• How to Change the World: Ten Questions With Garr Reynolds
• Esther Schindler: Travel Used to be Easy
• Network Security Blog: PCI is about transfering the risk, not mitigating it
• Gadgetell: HD-DVD unaware it is dead
• Ryan Paul: TSA security flaws exposed users to risk of identity theft
• Mary Jo Foley: European regulators targeting .Net, OOXML, server product in new Microsoft probe
• Anne Zelenka: Coghead on AWS: The SaaS Ecosystem Expands

Other Computerworld bloggers:

• Eric Lai: Firefox struggling vs. IE in enterprises: the (blog) sequel
• Preston Gralla: Verizon FiOS tops triple-play services
• Mark Hall: Self-service middleware
• Shark Tank: Problems, we got problems
• SaaS Revolution: What, exactly, do we mean by "SaaS?"
• Douglas Schweitzer: MySpace profiles, targets for hackers!
• Shark Bait: "My screen just went blank"

Richi Jennings is an independent analyst/adviser/consultant, specializing in blogging, email, and spam. A 22 year, cross-functional IT veteran, he is also an analyst at Ferris Research. You too can be Richi's Facebook friend...

Previously in IT Blogwatch:

• Vista SP1 RC refreshed (and Darwin Awards)
• Leech my wi-fi? No way! (and messy rack)
• OLPC reboots into Windows (and Ginger roadtrip)