Archive for April, 2010

Adobe responds to Steve Jobs Flash bashing

– April 30, 2010Posted in: Apple, Internet Trends

Yesterday Apple CEO Steve Jobs released a lengthy open letter on why Apple does not allow Flash on its mobile devices. The same day that Steve Jobs released his letter, Adobe CTO Kevin Lynch responded to it in a post on the Adobe Blog.

Much like Jobs, Lynch touched on Apple and Adobe’s relationship and what the future holds for the two companies. While Lynch’s words were much more subdued; they were equally clear. From here on Adobe will no longer pursue Apple mobile devices to support Flash.

Lynch stated “ However, as we posted last week, given the legal terms Apple has imposed on developers, we have already decided to shift our focus away from Apple’s iPhone and iPad devices for both Flash Player and AIR.”

Lynch made it clear that Adobe will be cutting ties with Apple and moving in new avenues for mobile devices. He stated “We are working to bring Flash Player and AIR to all the other major participants in the mobile ecosystem, including Google, RIM, Palm (soon to be HP), Microsoft, Nokia and others.”

The news is not surprising considering how many statements have gone back and forth between Apple and Adobe. It is very telling that Adobe will be working to bring Flash to Google mobile devices, as they are currently Apple’s major competitor on the mobile front. Adobe may now be on the offensive.

Adobe Blog

This Week’s Bargain Alert Specials Plus, FREE Offer w/ order!

jsaliba

– April 30, 2010Posted in: Deals, Exclusive Offers, Featured Offers

Need an exclusive-deal-tip? How about these:
‘PhotoStudio Expressions 3 Deluxe’ - it’s Windows 7 compatible – plus, ‘Resume Maker Professional 15′ - both are at roll-back prices – this week only.

Panda Antivirus Pro 2010

Original List Price: $49.99

Now Only: $15.99 + Free Shipping!

Resume Maker Professional 15 Deluxe

Original List Price: $29.99

Now Only: $6.99 + Free Shipping!

WiFi Signal & Hot Spot Finder

Original List Price: $24.99

Now FREE w/ Your Order. Just add item to your order’s Shopping Cart.

Find these and even more spectacular offers, only at NothingButSoftware. This special offer is only available until 5/5/2010 or while supplies last.

Tags: AntiVirus, Deals, panda antivirus, panda software, resume maker, resume maker professional, wifi finder, wifi locator

Steve Jobs and his Flash musings

acoleman

– April 29, 2010Posted in: Apple, Tech

In an open letter from Steve Jobs, the Apple CEO laid out the reasons why Apple has chosen not to support Flash on the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch. The letter is lengthy, frank, and crystal clear as to why Apple is not too keen on Adobe Flash.

Jobs does not only lay out the reasons why he feels Flash is not good for Apple devices but for mobile devices in general. He sums up his thoughts on Adobe Flash in 6 clear and concise points, which we have outlined for you below.

Its Closed:
“Adobe’s Flash products are 100% proprietary. They are only available from Adobe, and Adobe has sole authority as to their future enhancement, pricing, etc.”

The full web:
“Adobe has repeatedly said that Apple mobile devices cannot access “the full web” because 75% of video on the web is in Flash. What they don’t say is that almost all this video is also available in a more modern format, H.264, and viewable on iPhones, iPods and iPads.”

Reliability, security, and performance:
“Symantec recently highlighted Flash for having one of the worst security records in 2009. We also know first hand that Flash is the number one reason Macs crash.”

Battery life :
“Although Flash has recently added support for H.264, the video on almost all Flash websites currently requires an older generation decoder that is not implemented in mobile chips and must be run in software. The difference is striking: on an iPhone, for example, H.264 videos play for up to 10 hours, while videos decoded in software play for less than 5 hours before the battery is fully drained.”

Touch:
“Flash was designed for PCs using mice, not for touch screens using fingers.”

The most important reason:
“Flash is a cross platform development tool. It is not Adobe’s goal to help developers write the best iPhone, iPod and iPad apps. It is their goal to help developers write cross platform apps. And Adobe has been painfully slow to adopt enhancements to Apple’s platforms.”

In his conclusion, Jobs summed up his lengthy letter by simply stating that Flash is meant for PCs rather than mobile devices. It is the fact that Flash is weak on both low powered and touch based apps that he makes this conclusion.

Tags: Flash, flash and apple, flash apple jobs, jobs, steve jobs flash

Product Pick of the Week: ‘Panda Antivirus Pro 2010′

jsaliba

– April 27, 2010Posted in: Deals, Exclusive Offers, Featured Offers

Winner of the ‘Editor’s Choice’ Award from PC Mag in November 2009 and many more awards – Panda Antivirus Pro 2010 (3 User Edition) is the easiest-to-use product with the most intuitive protection for your computer. Just install it and forget about viruses, spyware, rootkits, hackers, online fraud and identity theft. Chat, share photos and videos, bank and buy online, read blogs or simply surf the Web – with complete peace of mind. Get it now for only $15.99 – compare @ $33 or more.

Panda Antivirus Pro 2010 includes:
* Anti-Virus
* Anti-Spyware
* Anti-Phishing
* Anti-Rootkit
* Firewall
* Identity Protect
Plus, USB Vaccine – protects your use of removable media

Check out NothingButSoftware.com for more unbeatable deals on software, games, gadgets and more. This special offer is only available until 5/2/2010 or while supplies last.

Tags: anti virus, AntiVirus, Deals, Panda Antivirus Pro, Pick of the Week

Spammers pay others to answer Captcha questions

acoleman

– April 26, 2010Posted in: Internet Trends

Although spammers are some of the most detested and despised members of the Internet community, one thing can be said for them. They are an industrious bunch. According to an article from the NY Times spammers are now paying individuals to solve captcha security fields.

Many of you have encountered captchas before. They are the fields that require users to type a line of semi-obscure text to prove that they are human, rather than a spam-generated robot. Some creative spammers are reportedly paying individuals in India, Bangladesh, and China to fill in the captchas for them.

The rate ranges between 80 cents to $1.20 for each 1,000 cracked captchas. Although the pay may seem pitiful to you and I, it is quite attractive to individuals in some developing countries where 50 cents an hour is considered decent.

Executives at Google have weighed in on the issue and said that they are not concerned with spammers paying individuals to bypass captchas, because it is only one of many ways a site protects itself. Macduff Hughes, an engineering director at Google stated “it can’t be helped that paid human solvers will be able to solve captchas, our goal is to make mass account creation less attractive to spammers, and the fact that spammers have to pay people to solve captchas proves that the tool is working.”

NY Times

Tags: CAPTCHA, captcha and spammers, captcha spammers, google captcha, NY times Captcha

Apple banning customers for purchasing more than 2 iPads?

acoleman

– April 23, 2010Posted in: Gadgets, Industry News, News

The iPad has arrived in the US and it seems that Apple may be a little concerned about shortages, as they have implemented a rather harsh policy at their retail stores. According to a LA native blogger, clerks at a local Apple store turned him away claiming he had reached his lifetime limit.

Here is an excerpt:

Me (nonchalantly) — “Is there an issue?”
Guy #2 carefully says, “There is a limit to the number of iPads that customers can buy.”
Me (playing dumb) — “Oh, is that right? What’s the limit?”
Guy #2 — “Only 2 per customer.”
Guy #1 — “I’m sorry sir, but you have reached your lifetime limit of iPad purchases and will not be allowed to buy any more.”
Me (anticipating that statement) — “Is the iPad limit per person? Per credit card? Per household?”
Guy #1 — “All I can say is that you have reached your lifetime limit.”

Although I am sure the demand for the iPad is high right now, I think a lifetime ban is little harsh. I understand if you will only allow 2 purchases a visit, or maybe even a month but a lifetime? The odd thing about the story is that the gentleman who was banned said that he had made multiple purchases of the iPad device before the incident and was never told of any lifetime ban. Is this a newly implemented policy, or some sort of mix up?

Protocol Snow

Tags: Apple iPad, ipad, ipad 2 purchse, ipad banning, ipad bans, ipad limit, ipad purchase limit

Clearance Prices on Software, Gadgets + More . . . Up to 75% Off

jsaliba

– April 23, 2010Posted in: Deals, Exclusive Offers, Featured Offers

There are just a couple weeks left until Mother’s Day. Still looking for the perfect gift? Want a ‘just-in-time’ deal tip? How about Print Shop 23 Deluxe. . .just in time to make Mother’s Day Greeting Cards! Think at how much you’ll save vs. buying an expensive card from a store. It lets you create your own personalized Mother’s Day card for any Mom on your list this year. Plus, blowout deals Norton Internet Security 2010 (3 User) and a WiFi Signal & Hot Spot Locator.

PrintShop 23 Deluxe

Original List Price: $49.99

Now Only: $9.99 + Free Shipping

Norton Internet Security 2010 (3 User)

Original List Price: $69.99

Now Only: $39.99 + Free Shipping

WiFi Signal & Hot Spot Locator

Original List Price: $24.99

Now Only: $3.99 + Free Shipping

Check out NothingButSoftware.com for more of this week’s Clearance Offers. This special offer is only available until 4/28/2010 11:59:00 PM Eastern Time or while supplies last.

Tags: Deals, Hot Spot Locator, Mother's Day, Norton, Norton Internet Security, PrintShop, PrintShop 23 Deluxe, WiFi, WiFi Signal Locator

Big changes at Facebook mean big changes for the web

acoleman

– April 22, 2010Posted in: Industry News, Internet Trends

At the F8 conference yesterday; Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg delivered a speech in which he laid out Facebook’s aim for the future. The massive social media site will be releasing a number of new changes that will not only transform Facebook but quite possibly the web itself.

In Zuckerberg’s keynote presentation he debuted the Open Graph, which was developed to become the social graph for the web. It will connect individuals with their favorite sites outside of Facebook itself. The Open Graph will connect people through the use of the Graph API, and new Social Plug-ins. Both of which can be used to edit your site to integrate Facebook apps for connecting visitors.

Although Open Graph will be replacing Facebook Connect, it will be a much smarter system with more options for connections. Zuckerberg stated “The power of open graph is that it helps to create a smarter, personalized web that gets better with every action taken.”

One of the many Social Plug-ins available is the “like” button, which will allow you to become a fan of a site like you would a fan page on Facebook. So far IMDb, CNN.com, Fandango, Levis.com, and ABC.com are a just a few of the sites already using it.

Facebook Blog

Tags: Facebook Connect, Facebook open Graph, Facebook Social Web, Like Button API, Open Graph, Open Graph API, Social Pluggins

Facebook releases new privacy settings that don’t seem very private

acoleman

– April 20, 2010Posted in: Industry News, Internet Trends, News

Along with some updates to their network and connections, Facebook also announced new changes to their privacy settings yesterday. The new settings now include a section known as “Friends, Tags and Connections.” This new section will allow you to edit who sees what on your profile; for instance your friend list, tagged photos, and pages you like.

“Within your Privacy Settings under the Account menu, you have a section called “Friends, Tags and Connections.” Adjusting the drop-down menus beside each field let you determine who can see those parts of your profile. These visibility settings are a direct response to your requests to be able to hide more information on your profile. Specifically, the most requested feature a few weeks ago was to enable you to hide your friend list on your profile from your friends. As part of today’s changes, you can do that.”

The interesting thing is the new settings don’t really make your information private. Facebook stated “You can control which friends are able to see connections listed on your profile, but you may still show up on Pages you’re connected to.” Essentially you are only able to hide the information under “Friends, Tags and Connections” on your own profile. The only way to keep that information from showing up on other pages is to “disconnect from them.”

Facebook has gone through a number of changes in terms of privacy, one of which in December stirred up a bit of controversy. A decision to allow user information to be indexed by search engines raised suspicion among the site’s users. The latest settings may be an attempt to get back in the good graces of those particular users.

Facebook Blog

Tags: facebook privacy, facebook privacy ugrade, FB, FB privacy, Privacy

Tuesday’s Featured Offers: TurboFloorplan Landscape & Deck + More

jsaliba

– April 20, 2010Posted in: Deals, Featured Offers

Just in time for your Spring and Summer landscaping and deck projects, ‘TurboFloorplan Landscape & Deck Version 12′ lets you create the perfect outdoor living area with beautiful landscaping that includes gardens, decks, pathways and sheds. You can select from over 7,500 plants, flowers, shrubs and trees to create the look you want. And, today – it’s at the blowout price of $7.49.

The Outdoor Design Solution -