Mobile & Wireless

It's easy to see why Google built Buzz, but harder to figure out why anybody would want to use it.

Google Buzz looks like it will be an interesting application. But those who use it need to be very aware of how much information they are releasing in public.

Facebook's new redesign makes it easier to get at the service's most useful tools -- with one big exception.

Microsoft has concluded that last week's story about batteries failing due to a Windows 7 bug is bunkum. Sadly, it doesn't seem to have satisfied the users, who are complaining louder than ever. In IT Blogwatch, bloggers try to figure out why. Not to mention GNILLEY: gaming by yelling...
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Ever since the MacBook Air, a machine made for 3G wireless access, was released without built-in ability to connect to mobile wireless, I've been waiting for Apple to put 3G access in their laptops.

Will my wait be over soon?

A couple of things have happened in the last month that give me a bit of hope.

By selling the iPad at a low price, Apple risks cannibalizing its Mac business.

Is refusing Flash in the best interests of future iPhone 4G and iPad customers? The growing war of words between Apple CEO Steve Jobs and Adobe CTO Kevin Lynch is amusing to watch, but how helpful is it? In IT Blogwatch, bloggers take sides.
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Sometimes, there's more going on than will fit into one post. Here are a few more links that caught my eye over the past 24 hours. In IT Blogwatch, Facebook un-munges email addresses, Fraunhofer lets you sign contracts on the phone, Symbian goes free, and Jonathan Schwartz tweets his final goodbyes.

While technology blogs nitpick the iPad over missing features and inadequate specs, they're missing the point of the device, which is to create a tool that people love to use.

"From a techie point of view, one could say, oh, my gosh, it didn't have this feature, it didn't have that feature. And I think a lot of the blogosphere has gone along with that line of thinking. But I think [Apple] is after a different market entirely," said ArminasX Saiman, an Apple enthusiast and IT manager for a large multinational company.

I have a 16-month old who loves books.  He also loves playing games on my iPhone and typing keys on the family computer.  He knows a few letters and numbers but clearly he's nowhere near learning to read. 

But I have to wonder: In two or three years, when it is time for him to learn how to read, will he be learning on old fashioned books or will he be learning with interactive exercises on iPad-like devices?

Having a security freeze in place slowed down my approval for an "instant" 12-month interest-free loan on an iMac -- and gave me time to rethink an impulse purchase.

My favorite navigation app for the iPhone is MotionX-GPS Drive, because of its low cost, small footprint, and attractive and usable interface. The software just got upgraded to v3.0, with the new version fresh in the app store this week. I've been trying it for the past few days.

Windows 7 users are up in arms over a long-standing battery charge problem. Their batteries are dying prematurely, and they're blaming Windows 7, which is popping up the message, "Consider replacing your battery. There is a problem with your battery, so your computer might shut down suddenly." In IT Blogwatch, bloggers consider replacing their operating systems. Not to mention iPad reality distortion...
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Maybe I'm not thinking out of the box enough on this one, but one of the things I am most looking forward to on the iPad is the ability to use remote desktop to control my larger computers.

This is the final chapter of my roundup of favorite tools. I'm really shocked that I use this many tools this regularly -- and these are just my favorites, I could probably do another list or two on tools I use often but not daily, like the Audacity audio editor.

With this many tools, I'm amazed I get anything done.