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Notebook is Gone but NoteTaker is an Apt Replacement

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There are so many Note applications it’s a little bewildering. It’s hard though not to like Evernote, it’s cross platform capability and its flexibility. However, I used Circus Ponies Notebook extensively to elaborate or structure my documents. It had one of the best outlining facilities and if I was really stuck writing something, starting by outlining definitely helped. If I knew what I wanted to write it was an amazing product to structure your document. It came from Next with Steve Job’s and it was a quality product.

Notetaker

Just when things were looking a bit dismal on the note taking or document structuring front, a long came Notetaker. It seems to work very similarly to Notebook but has some nice refinements and polish that just simply improve on this metaphor.

Outline the structure of your document, add some text, images etc into the document to fill it out and then start writing. Notice that this process helps you break through writers block. For some, they don’t take the time to structure their documents but if you do, the results of a well thought out and rounded document can’t be missed.

An Outliner Notebook should be part of any Writer’s Fair

Writers, no matter how good they are, can benefit from an outliner style of notebook. Even if it’s just to jot down snippets of information, the information might have dependencies that will reveal themselves in the outline. A place just to put snippets of related information is very valuable. To be able to structure that information for a final written document is a definite plus.

Notetaker is definitely an editor’s choice for software.


WWDC June 13-17 2016: The Keynote usually Reveals A lot

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For those that like watching the keynote at WWDC, Macrumours is reporting the show will run from June 13-17. Macworld reports, in their section At Glance the following:

AT A GLANCE

WWDC is the annual Worldwide Developers Conference held by Apple in San Francisco, California. The 2016 conference will be held June 13–17. Tickets are priced at $1,599 and are being distributed through a lottery system.

In Past Years

This show has always proved to be as important or possibly more important than Apple’s fall show as it provides guidance to developers. Apple has always released a slew of new products during the keynote that is very important to both the developer and user. Generally, following the keynote, a lot of product announced is immediately available.

This keynote, approximately 1.5 hours in length, has always proved quite exciting to those prone to get excited about Apple’s direction and the products they release. So far, it has never been a disappointment.

This Year Watch for:

Macrumours is reporting that we should be watching for the release of:

  • IOS 10
  • OS X 10.12
  • tvOS
  • watchOS
  • and potentially….

These are quite major as they will allow developers to do much more than they are currently capable of. For us, the consumer, we are winners as we’ll get not only more and better high featured apps but they will work more to give us what we need.

This is an important conference so if you have the chance to catch the keynote on the first day of the conference, you won’t be disappointed unless Apple has nothing in the pipe which is very unlikely.

Journey, the best Android Diary, runs on the Mac

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Person on a journey

For a while now, I’ve been looking for an Android Diary application that also ran on the Mac. I have found some applications and solutions but I was looking for the best and I found it. The other day, I found the app, described as the editor’s choice in the Google Play Store, that runs natively on the Mac. I was actually quite excited. Called Journey, although slightly different than Day One, it is just as nice and supports Markdown, something I particularly like writing in.

This discovery goes farther though than just finding this one cross platform application. The trend is towards cross platform, and I’m seeing more evidence of this all the time. The significance of the move to cross platform simply cannot be underestimated (in techtodayreview.com I’ve written a fair bit covering this trend).

Major Categories Covered

My work environment is mainly Apple solutions based. However, it was time to become more experienced with Android. I can say, I am not in the least disappointed with the decision. At this stage, I definitely wouldn’t recommend it for everyone, however, with cross platform solutions throughout the key areas plus the uniqueness of the Android environment, it is a pretty safe choice.

As I wrote in this article “Narrate for Android Syncs with Day One for the Mac“ I love to diarize and it is a significant function for me. The above is but one approach and Journey is another, probably more traditional approach. Regardless, Cross Platform allows me to work with an Android handset and yet work on a Mac or an iPad without a problem. As time passes, this trend will only become more established. Thus, being given a Blackberry when you join a company or a team for consistency of applications and primarily the data is becoming something long behind us. For both the user and the company, this trend towards Bring your own Device has benefits for both the employer and the employee.

Journey is one of the Best Electronic Diaries

Enlarged view of Journey app

Using Journey has next to no downsides. It is a first rate program. It supports Markdown allowing you to nicely format your entry with little effort and ensuring that you information is fully portable. If something were to happen to Journey, which I highly doubt, you could put your data to another Markdown editor without losing losing one piece of formatted information.

Journey provides a very clean, crisp environment to comfortably write in. For those diarizer’s Journey provides one of the nicest environments I’ve seen for keeping your information. This is one cross platform solution that is not only workable but it provides a high tier program that runs in the Mac and Android environment ensuring this is not a second fiddle solution. It is a first class solution and the beauty of it is the ability it provides to support your Android and Mac environments.

It’s lack of providing an IOS solution likely could be dealt with using some workaround solution if it was felt necessary. Likely, Journey will support IOS, the Mac and Android and if that happens it would be a hard scenario to beat. That it runs on the Mac and Android fits my needs perfectly fine and I actually feel happier with this software than a few packages I’ve used of late.

The trend to cross platform seems to not only fully under way but it is taking on a nice form. Further articles, will elucidate on this and the benefits it brings to the table, one which is BYOD is arriving in a very solid fashion.

Journey app Enlarged

Omnifocus and Android

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Omnifocus
At first, this article will probably strike you as odd as the Omnigroup isn’t doing anything with Android nor specifically making their product cross platform. However, if you are an Omnifocus user who has an Android phone you can still use it thanks to a third party product that was developed called Focus GTD. Unless you want to, there is no need to go to say Todoist although there are advantages to this program over Omnifocus.

Image

Omnifocus the Product by which GTD Products are Measured

Omni screen

Omnifocus is a wildly successful product and for its detractors there are strong adherents of the program. It is a powerful yet flexible product that for many are the lifeblood of their productivity.

I have written extensively about Omnifocus and although you can get a little religious around the program there is no need to. It will simply, most certainly, help you improve your productivity.

Omnifocus is the GTD product by which a number of other manufacters measure their own product. Some are inclined to say ours is a powerful GTD product that is simpler to use that Omnifocus.

Omnifocus has been Given a Bad Rap

There is a steep learning curve to Omnifocus in the beginning but once learned it is actually a very logical, easy to use program. Depending on how detailed you want to get with the product it can either be easy to use or very time consuming. Some people carry the creation of tasks to get something done too literally and carry it far too far.

These people end up spending a fair bit of time trying to unwind the project they’ve outlined. They might not even remember the goal as they get too stuck on every minutae of the product’s operation. This is not a problem with Omnifocus but a problem with the person who is using it.

The Omnigroup is Mistakenly avoiding the Cross Platform territory Systems Development is Taking

The Omnigroup has consciously decided not to do an Android product for their group of products. The feeling more can be done in IOS/OSX/Mac than Android which would strike me as far from the truth. Systems and IT departments have pretty well embraced BYOD. They have recognized benefits to be had by both parties.

Android is growing in popularity in the developed world as evidenced by Canada. Canada was predominantly IOS and now things have turned a corner and they are 51% Android vs 39% IOS. People have decided they want to move to Android and that’s exactly what they are doing. I would suspect this trend to follow suit in the U.S. in the near future.

In other parts of the world, especially the non-developing countries, Android overwhelmingly predominates. Google has recognized that they have such a popular and effective offering, they are working on a strategy of taking more control. The fragmentation in the Android world is doing nothing to help it’s cause but this is the outcome of a Google acquiring the product, and then throwing it out there as Open Source allowing developers to do whatever. Now that they have a hit on their hands, they are looking for ways to solidify Android for the sake of the market and it certainly doesn’t hurt Google.

As Tides Turn

Tides always turn. Those who aren’t prepared for this could be at great danger. However, everyone knows that this is the case.

In the Android market, there could have been a vast hole for Omnifocus if something weren’t there to fill the Omnifocus void. Yes, there would be the competition with some very fine offerings, however, there is no need to give up Omnifocus. There are two third party players that make an Android version of Omnifocus and they are quite well done. I specifically prefer one though over the other.

FocusGTD

FocusGTD is a third party program written by Rainer Burgstaller to work with Omnifocus on an Android phone. Although it doesn’t work identically to its counterpart on the iPhone, it does a very good job on Android using Burgstaller’s implementation. There are some things I prefer, such as the ease of getting to a specific item or set of items such as the “all” list. Other things lack some functionality such as the ability to move an item under a different list.

The key to this though is the program allows you to look at the data created in other parts of Omnifocus. If this application wasn’t available a huge splash of customers would have to give up on Omnifocus and probably use something like Todoist. This item exceeds though the scope of this article but might be dealt with in a future article.

Proof of Concept

One aspect this application deals with is simply a proof of concept. It appears that an application, written by a third party, can sell very well. More importantly, there is a demand for this application on Android. People are often reluctant to buy such an application from someone other than the primary vendor. Many concerns crop up such as compatiblity from a third party vendor, performance and stability issues. Even with these issues in mind, people still buy the product and it has a good satisfaction rating.

Omni Themselves

It would be very nice to see Omni step up to the plate and recognize that we are moving in to a cross platform world. Todoist is a company I think few had heard about a couple of years ago and now the name is everywhere. What distinguishes them. They run identically, with a local client plus a web client, across all the major platforms equally. This is no small feat.

An Omni user would likely find Todoist an acceptable alternative. However, many users are wedded to their applications as they are their platforms. A die hard Mac user is unlikely to go PC unless s/he has to. The same goes with software.

The iPhone garnered a lot of its success from this very quality. However, as prices of the iPhone have increased and were high from the beginning and people’s wallets are tighter, there is a natural tendency to check out alternatives.

Apple is changing but Android had something for everyone from the very high performance but well priced premium phone to a good but inexpensive phone. The software also appeals to younger and older users as well. The customizability allows you to accentuate some functions over others and many looks of a different nature. It has always been human nature to express identity.

The trend to Android or another platform other than the iPhone has broader implications and purviews than I’ve suggested here but Omni would be wise to keep their eyes open. The trend to cross platform basically benefits all; the individual user; company or corporate user and the bosses. Open systems or integrated office systems have been long sought after. It is only now that this can be realized with the powerful platforms that are available. These platforms and especially the mobile ones have very powerful capabilities. They make it possible for the software manufacturers to run everywhere with fantastic performance and a broader market to sell into.

Workflowy, an easy to Use, Cross Platform, Hierarchical Development System

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Workflowy icon
One of the things we wanted to do as we developed articles, was highlight some pretty useful software, whether of a full blown,ff expensive app or a simple to use, inexpensive systems that aid in the development process.

There are many note taking applications available, some with similar designs and others with rather unique designs. There is simply a note taking app that will allow you to quickly capture info to ones that are structured in nature and yet others that provide for a flow of hierarchical thought intended to get at underlying aspects of the information. There’s also the wiki style of notetaker designed to link relational information.

Workflowy a very simple yet powerful Hierarchical Notetaker

Workflowy exmaple2
I’m quite partial to the hierarchical style of note taking due to both its flexibility and its ability to relate information in a flow of thought. The name of the product itself describes what its intended to capture; the flow of work. Workflowy assists with the creation of ideas and information and helps with the presentation of that information.

One problem that I’ve had with these kind of Notetaking apps as some are overkill for my needs and others just don’t work that well. This type of app is where a computer differentiates from handwriting. It helps enable you, the writer put together an interesting and well structured document.

Rather than rambling on while you write your document, an outliner can focus you in the important stuff and allow you to express it in a logical fashion. It also ensures that you don’t miss relevant information.

Cross Platform supporting both Apple and Android

Workflowy also fits perfectly into the move to cross platform. It runs equally on Android as it does the Apple ecosystem a powerful and cost effective solution. Again, this allows people to choose the device of their choice and the data along with the GUI are identical.

Workflowy is somewhat Challenging at First then it Suddenly Makes Sense

Workflowy example
Designed as one, whole document, you manage your document by zooming in and out areas. An area for this week might be the development of an article. However, the trick is the article information might be surrounded by this mass of information that makes up other completely different things.

Generally, think of the above structure as different notebooks holding our information for the task at hand, Not in Workflowy. You flow from one area to another, all separated by its design.

Through its capability to zoom in on an item, hide an item, add to the items and expand the information developed, the makings of a well though out document takes form.

From Concepts to Creation

Workflowy is a wonderful tool to develop or elaborate on concepts, mold those concepts into information and eventually allow you to create knowledge via the building out of the data. This is a very powerful function. Many notebooks simply provide the ability to capture various pieces of information but making the connections to create knowledge has always been in the realm of high end products.

Workflowy can easily be a repository of things we need to do and then provide the guidance in getting those things done. Yet, it can be so much more.

At first glance, it seems like a very simple application. When you first approach it, it seems confusing as it uses a very different model from what we’re used to. However, it is an application that can be many things far beyond a simple notes application and something akin to an application that can mind map, develop information and create knowledge. Added to this, its cross platform functionality lends itself to a far greater role than that of an Android or IOS application solely. Its a very good application as long as you’re prepared to put a little time into learning a different approach to the understanding and creation of knowledge.

Is John Chen about to shoot Blackberry in the Foot; Again

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Blackberry logo

Blackberry certainly has had its problems. Having fallen from one of the first and highest flying smartphone makers to its audible limp has been difficult to watch especially for a Canadian. The one thing though, that they seemed to have done right in recent years was BB10, the follow on OS to replace their classic environment. It is commonly held that if Blackberry had gotten this OS to market two years in advance of when they did, they probably wouldn’t find themselves in the predicament they currently do.

BB10 was Welcomed as a Mature and Fresh Release to an OS that Crumbled under the Pressure of the Touch Screen

When Blackberry released BB10 it couldn’t have been any too soon. Their first release of an all touch screen phone, the Storm, was based on the Classic OS and it was considered generally a failure. Blackberry was so taken off guard by Apple, their hardware and OS, they scrambled to get a competitive product out the door. However, they didn’t do themselves any favors as this was no competitive product. Illogical in operation and buggy by most accounts, the storm went down like a jet plane hit by lightening in a storm.

BB10 however, was viewed very differently and with great potential. It was an advanced OS capable of real multi-tasking something even the iPhone of the day had trouble with. There were many things to like about BB10 but probably one of its strongest user components was the hub, a place in which all communication traffic had to pass.

The Hub

Hub

Along with BlackBerry’s impressive security, the hub was considered a logical, simple but incredibly useful tool in the realm of communications. Instead of having to go from one spot to another to carry out communications functions, everything was centralized in the hub. This not only increased efficiency but was simply very logical.

The OS

As I have eluded to here, the BB10 was an advanced OS coming to the party just or maybe way too late. The iPhone and Android had captured developer’s thinking. Windows mobile, which had been around for a long time, was loosing in the mobile wars just as fast as BlackBerry but for some reason everyone seemed to be concentrating on BlackBerry’s problems.

The OS could multitask and handle many advanced tasks only found in higher end systems. How could BlackBerry, at this stage, have helped itself more than it did.

BB10 10.2.1 Can run Android Apps as if they were Native

One of BlackBerry’s probably earliest and greatest mistakes, once they got on board with the new OS, was not to promote one of it’s most significant strengths. BlackBerry got swamped in the refrain you have no applications. Prior to 10.2.1 this might have been true but it certainly wasn’t after. BB10 could run almost all of Android’s applications and they were offered through the Amazon store. Suddenly, the refrain about a lack of applications became history.

However, who heard about this. Very few. I’ll never understand this. One of its greatest weaknesses, the lack of apps, was met by a resounding flurry of apps all running under BB10. One has to ask the question why did BlackBerry not highlight this to the hilt. In fact, under 10.3.1 even the little nuisances that were seen were all be eliminated.

At this point, what did BlackBerry do. They announced they were going to develop an Android phone. BB10 could run all Android apps but BlackBerry announced they were going to build an Android phone. They decided they were going to play in a market they had no control over, was stumping long term Android players and yet BlackBerry decided they should play in this market of many Android players.

John Chen is so far no friend of BlackBerry or Could it be More

BlackBerry controls BB10 and this leads to a lot of steering capability. Is John Chen no friend of BlackBerry or could it be simpler than that. I’m going with the simpler thought.

Very few non-technical people have been able to make a success out of a technology company. They simply don’t have what it takes to understand the nuisances of technology and how that plays out. BlackBerry should have been making hey out of the aspect that BB10 could run Android apps. The whole app problem would have disappeared. Further, BlackBerry would remain firmly in control of its future.

Has John Chen just shot Blackberry in the Foot

Rather, they do what they already can do by building a pure Android phone at quite the steep price. BB10 is one of the most logical of the OS’s for the mobile platform and with applications through Android, it would not have had that to be a detraction or distraction. These applications were offered at the Amazon app store but the reality is, when the full functionality of Android was enabled on BB10 you could get the apps from the Google Play store.

So far, it seems that John Chen is going to drop BB10 altogether and through one last hurrah, they are rumored to be delivering two more Android phones. I would say this is foolhardy at best. To be in control of your OS takes a lot of work and it provides valuable competitive edge. Let’s not forget, that the problem all originated in that BlackBerry underestimated Apple and was caught severely off guard. That they were late to the table didn’t necessarily mean they were finished. They probably are finished if they go down this Android only route. Let’s’ remember, BB10 can run Android itself. BlackBerry has a lot to loose if they make another misstep.

Microsoft is a Good Case in Point

Microsoft is a big and powerful company. They too got themselves in not such a great position with their Windows mobile strategy. Steve Balmer, who was in charge at the time, was not a technologist but a sales guy. Not so for Steve Jobs and not so for the current fellow who heads up Microsoft. Microsoft is doing quite well under the current management headed by Sataya Nadella. Microsoft had a long run of poor moves and Nadella was fairly well given free reign to correct those.

Microsoft is turning a corner. There is one other major company not headed by a technologist and it seems more precarious than its seemed since the 1990’s. That fellow is Tim Cook.

Although he appears to be a nice man with some very valuable ideals, he is not a leader of an Apple. You simply have to look at what we hold near and dear. Of that, how often have products in the categories of stuff we like using has been churned so many times one might think of Apple as being in the business of making butter.

John Chen is not the Person for the Job Either

BlackBerry is now held together by a thread. I would suggest that the numerous missteps and product groups is coming from a management without insight or direction. The world simply doesn’t work like this. It is up to a savvy board to know when tough decisions need to be made. Firing a floor worker in Idaho simply isn’t the answer.

When is Enough, Enough!

I quit
BlackBerry has basically accomplished nothing under Chen’s tutelage. Again, a businessman, he’s out of his water on the technology front. The company seems eerily adrift. To drop BB10 for Android when BB10 can run Android is folly. It’s as close to a crap shoot as you can get.

One has to wonder who is advising Chen if anyone for no one may have the stomach for this anymore. It’s sad as there is no more guarantee of success using Android and probably much less. There is now a strong ecosystem in place selling Android solutions. What does BlackBerry have to offer when renowned companies are having quite the time of it.

Ironically, Maybe there’s a Lesson to be Learned from Microsoft

Under Ballmer, Microsoft had its series of mistakes, missteps and blunders. They seem to have a winning recipe as the company matures from the sole fortress of a PC bastion, to that of a company providing revolutionary infrastructure to power the coming information systems economy. They are doing an admirable job as they have a fellow in charge who knows what I.T. means. He’s not throwing the baby out with the bathwater but opening up the gates so that it is no longer fortress Microsoft.

When I read this I thought we’re heading for a fairly narrow world, at least at the personal level of information systems. Or are we. Revolutions are just that; messy. To steer through new and choppy waters requires people who know what their talking about not about their own personal agendas.

I, for one, am more than interested to see how this plays out. I suspect it’s going to be very messy until it shakes out one way or another. It would seem clear that the era of closed systems is falling behind us. That doesn’t mean individual platforms can’t be developed as long as there is interconnectivity and openness. This is no longer a world in which we all use IOS or Android but rather a mixture that nicely interconnects.

Cross platform or Open Systems aren’t coming. They’re here. Yet, you can still have vendor specific platforms hosting the open systems solutions or the interconnectivity. BB10 could have played a fine role in such a systems environment hosting the openness being demanded. To blame your failure on BB10 doesn’t make sense. However, adherence to the old to try to control the landscape not taking into account this move to open systems would be the real downfall. To have a scapegoat in your pocket may seem temporarily prudent but its not; not anymore that is!

THE INTERESTING SHIFT TO ANDROID AND THE IPHONE SE

BlackBerry Announces its Second Android Phone which Just Might do the Trick

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DTEK50

BlackBerry just released its second Android Smartphone, the DTEK50, an all touch screen device which is significantly cheaper than is the PRIV and which BlackBerry hopes will sell well. Based on its price and specs it should do very well.

Its Edge: High Security, Integrated Hub with Leading Edge Tech

Blackberry is, rightly so, discouraged by the handset market. They have been doing very poorly in this market for quite some time. However, they have identified two specific problems with their past endeavors that they hope will be corrected this time and will make a difference. They are:

  • The price of BlackBerry’s first Android phone, the Priv, was way too expensive and
  • the issue of the importance around security was not clearly spelled out for the market.

DTEK50‘s Price seems Spot On

BlackBerry appears to have done a good job with the feature set relative to price. In fact, the price would seem very aggressive relative to the capability of the unit. This is an affordable unit, at $299 USD, with advanced, current technology. Add to that all the security the unit comes with, the integrated hub, predict then flick the text and other things to speed up your interaction with the unit and it would appear that, from all angles, this is a winner.

BlackBerry‘s one Problem

Stigma

At one time, the BlackBerry name was synonymous with the best you could have in mobile technology. Now, it’s image is tarnished with missteps, late to door products that many analysts have felt left behind them far behind the others. The question is, can they shake this image.

To do that, they have gone all out to ensure their device is not only leading edge as an Android device, they have loaded it with the kind of advanced technology that many feel is necessary in mobile.

As an example, security of the mobile device has become one of the greatest concerns. It is fairly well accepted that the bad guys now want your money and to get it they are coming through the mobile which is known to be far less secure than desktop or laptop units. BlackBerry, to counter this, has implemented rock solid security in their unit to ensure the bad guys stay out.

If they didn’t have everything else going for them with this unit, this probably wouldn’t be enough but they’ve got a state of the art mobile device, which looks good and is loaded with security at a lesser price than their Android cousins. It‘s hard to wonder what not to like about the DTEK50. A well priced, state of the art device loaded with security maybe exactly the formula BlackBerry needs to break out of its doldrums.


Intuit Sells Quicken to H.I.G. Capital

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Quicken Premier 2016 Personal Finance  Budgeting Software

Intuit, in a bold move to shore up its profitable arm of its operation, sold Quicken, the 33 year old software to H.I.G. Capital. Quicken had become a strong weight in Intuit’s growth and they lacked the motivation to strength primarily Quicken.

Selling the nose diving software just made strategic sense to Intuit. The resources were not forthcoming from H.I.G. Capital to bring the strengthen brand bank to the dominance it once held. In this new arrangement with H.I.G. capital, it is fully expected that the investments will be made in one of the oldest financial programs on the market.

A Win Win seen for both H.I.G. capital and that of Quicken

H.I.G. capital has committed to put the money and resources into the Mac version of the product to get this rolling again. If so, this promises to be a win win for both the developer and the user. The Mac version of the product was very good till recent times when the company let it go due to products like Mint, a cloud based service that they viewed as more streamlined.

Heady Days Ahead for both the Mac and the Windows Product

As long as H.I.G. lives up to their commitments, there is little to prevent this from becoming a heavyweight once again.

After years of waiting or so it seems so, the old expression its better late than never definitely applies. To purchase the stock might be wise. If, on the other hand, you’re beat from wading through the storm you might be best to wait when a clearer picture evolves as to how things are shaking out.

Additionally, if you look around it is not necessarily a bad thing to possibly wait through the storm before making a buy decision.

Time is on our side this go around. There is work to be done on the Windows product, just not as much of it. What’s important is that the wealth we used to vest in being Windows and the Mac look as if they’re being molded in a solid bedrock. Both platforms appear as if they’ll get a solid overhaul, This can only be viewed as good news.

The Blackberry Hub Arrives on Android

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BlackBerry hub
Probably one of the most significant implementations of technology designed for BB10, the BlackBerry OS, was the BlackBerry hub. This is one of the most advanced pieces of software developed to provide true productivity gains.

The Flood of Information

Flood waters

Information is coming at us from all variety of sources. It is swamping many and making others lives uncomfortable as the try to stay on top of all this communication. One of the worst aspects of what can only be considered for many an avalanch of information is the stuff that falls through the cracks. As we try to grapple with all the emails headed our way, many of them just sheer garbage advertising, the important stuff can get lost.

Add to email social media in the form of facebook and others with messenging services that might appear to be out of control is out of control.

Enter the Hub

The hub is exactly what its name implies. It pulls together all your information that you assign to the hub and presents it to you chronologically as it arrives. It is almost impossible to forget to check a certain mailbox that resides in the hub as you will see everything that passes through the hub unless you go out of your way to avoid it.

This is probably the most favorite application that BlackBerry introduced. It is truly innovative, a time saver and also by helping you avoid missing something is an important deterrent to a potential disaster.

BlackBerry’s Pursuit of Android can only be Considered a winner For the Platform

Winding road
BlackBerry, by bring services such as the hub to Android, is moving Android rapidly into the big leagues. There is no question Android has a plethora of applications but an application of the quality and nature of the BlackBerry hub is a winner. Many felt that the only thing that would make the iPhone perfect was something like the hub.

Moving Rapidly

BlackBerry is moving rapidly with Android and the hub is only one of a number of things that will affect the environment. Yet, it is one of the most important. Without a doubt, the hub was probably the most loved application on the BlackBerry as it was a real productivity enhancer while reducing the load.

Blackberry is starting to be recognized for its moves into software as a business sans the hardware. They are still putting all feet forward with their hardware but Apple and Android have taken solid ground. Blackberry though, by leveraging technologies it created and is known for is hoping to reposition itself in the very important role of providing secure and capable applications.

Security: BlackBerry’s Forte

Although the hub itself cannot be viewed as synonymous with the security that BlackBerry is so renowned for, it demonstrates the commitment BlackBerry has to making it’s technologies cross platform and generally available. The hub represents this push of a magnificent and powerful piece of software onto another platform.

We first saw this with BBM, Blackberries renowned messaging app. Now the hub is taking centre stage while security software from BlackBerry is spawning a great deal of interest.

Once you use the hub, you will wonder how you could have done without it. This does not mean that individual applications go away. They remain very much a vibrant part of a platforms ecosystem. The hub though is yet another way of enhancing productivity.

A Delight to work With

Once having used the hub, you will wonder how you did without it. You can still work primarily with you individual apps, however, the hub is know to enhance the process of communication while at the same time relieving stress.

Security and stress reduction are and will remain two overriding drivers to tame the mobile beast. Mobility brings a lot to the table but it also induces a lot. People feel more stressed being constantly on call and followed around by their mobile platforms. Some have shirked the more comfortable portables and desktops for the mobile Smartphone but when you do this how do you tame your work and free yourself from it.

Many winning Tools but late to the Table

It is commonly accepted that BlackBerry brought to the table some very strong tools when they introduced bb10 and continued to enhance it. Unfortunately they were late to the table to catch to the iPhone and Android position and as BlackBerry‘s market share dwindled so too did the incentive to keep fighting what was appearing to be more a losing game.

However, it has always been commonly accepted that BlackBerry was a leader in security software. Further, other tools they brought on stream were seen as leading edge. BlackBerry appeared to be floundering but in reality they were finding their place in the world of software and in that part of the world that was very complex to build.

As it is becoming more commonly known that cellphones are an easy route to break through the walls and capture fraudulently information the people are looking further at BlackBerry to help solve the problem. Its not that the other players can’t do it but it’s not easy and time consuming. The faster this can be shored up the better. Bring to the table such things as the hub, BBM and then the days for BlackBerry begin to be looking more positive than they have in a while.

The Next Version of Android, version 7, Dubbed Nougat Arrives

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On August 22 Nougat officially arrived for the Android. When you’ll get it for your phone though, will depend on it’s relative newness and visibility. However, Google is getting its act dramatically together and is getting the OS out to the consumer much faster and far more efficiently. There is always the draw for the newness of an OS balanced though by not having your phone broken.

Looks very Similar to Marshmallow

Nougat looks very similar to Marshmallow but has some nifty enhancements which will make the OS more than worth getting. As an example, there is a supported split screen mode. In this article titled ‘8 Android Nougat features worth chewing over” a number of enticing features will make the OS well worth the upgrade.

Staggered Rollout

As with most Android rollouts, they are staggered in their rollout. However, for some who can’t wait there are ways to get the OS immediately. Although this might be an option for some, it is probably wise to wait for your vendor to announce their anticipated rollout time frame.

As an example, HTC will likely be ready to go about 2 months after the Aug. 22 date. In reality, that is not long at all. However, as mentioned the high visibility players will likely be ready to go sooner than later.

Security is the Catchword of the Day

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Tech is truly a liberating force in society. It is allowing us to do things ourselves that at one time was only available by getting in the car, driving to the store and buying what you wanted. It is allowing us to learn things in new ways. Should we need to know something about what we’re doing or is going on, tech is enhancing these functions. One of it’s most powerful functions is that of communication.

For all these good things that are derived from the deployment of tech, there is absolutely the illicit. It has provided whole new channel not only to rob those of their money but their identities too. To add insult to injury, it’s not easy to get your identity back.

Security is far from a Buzzword

Tech or the internet more specifically and all that goes with it has made a very clean route to the illicit. A year ago people mouth Security but they do far more than that now. Well beyond most, they are having to live and breath it. If we don’t, we put ourselves at great risk of quite the calamity.

Imagine, if you will, someone has gotten access to your credit card number and the appropriate identity questions and answers banks are happy to assume they are dealing with whom they should be. The reality is, they aren’t and large swathes of money literally disappears into the netherworld.

Couple this with Identity Theft

Identity theft is exactly what it’s name implies. The loss of your identity to someone else via documentation and the whole nine yards. The person could literally be doing with your money exactly what you would do. Combine this with property theft and as you can see the stew is really brewing.

One would think that in the case of the latter it would be simple to retrieve your identity but that is not always the case. Whose to say whose who.

The genie in our tech bottle is actually beginning to look like this tech version of “Les Miserables.“ The societal consequences of such a scenario are not pretty for anyone.

The Outcome

Naturally, if people are victim to this type of criminal activity they want restitution as does anyone who is the victim of a crime. As the problem progresses, more counter measures or security has to be enable to stop the activity.

The individual might get up knowing that the day might not be exactly as it was before. One counter measure is simply increased vigilance but not everyone can be equally as good at that. It more or less rests with our institutions to device ways to prevent this activity or should it have happened to trace how it might have happened.

The Proliferation of Password Managers

No one likes password managers. Some abhor them but to be “safer they have become a necessary evil. Paying attention to your finances and what’s going on is yet another method to identify suspicious activity. Vigilance therefore is important.

Yet, what is the toll this is taking on society. Human beings need to function based on trust to be healthy mentally and physically. If we’re all wound up trying to watch normal finances plub]ss the Tyrannous enemy of paranoia, it can only affect health in a negative way.

And if Something Goes Wrong

This is where it gets really scary. The American economy is losing thousands to millions in cyber crime. Should it happen to you, this could be the beginning of a real nightmare. The unravelling of what has happened can be very complex. But unravel it you must for so many reasons including the very core fabric of society.

The Double Edged Sword

Tech brings us a lot in terms of new freedoms and capability not previously available. Yet, this is a double edged sword. To the bad guys, this is just a another route to that which they have always been after and that’s a lot of money obtained in a rather clean fashion for the perpetrators anyway.

I hate to caution and provide the ground work to be a little paranoid due to its effects. However, if its not stopped the benefits of tech could very well be stripped bare.

Blackberry has ended Phone Development

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After a long come back attempt, BlackBerry has decided to end the internal development of phones. The market acted very positively to the move as BlackBerry has decided to concentrate on its more lucrative software business.

Not Entirely Done with Handsets

As this article points out “BlackBerry is done designing and building their own phones, but they’re not done with phones”. The article sees BlackBerry farming out its handsets. So the question remains, are they done with handsets? By and large they are but the BlackBerry logo on handsets, done by others, will likely stick around. Time will tell how this pans out for BlackBerry but it is well known they weren’t gaining traction with handsets.

An In Depth Software Portfolio

BlackBerry has a portfolio of patents on software, security and other good stuff that is incredibly substantial. Security is the big buzzword at the moment and who does one think of when it comes to security. BlackBerry. This one they will likely pull off.

The design of security software that is good and workable is no small task. Companies can either try to do it themselves at great cost, which includes a significant amount of time, or draw on BlackBerry for this. The latter scenario seems far more logical as the pressure to beef up security has grown exponentially. It is affecting everyone, including the big institutions who have to have customer trust to do business. BlackBerry could very well be the helping hand they desperately need to pull this off.

Apple: What’s it Become After Steve Job’s Untimely Departure from this World

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Apple, for us, the consumer, is not the company it used to be under Steve Jobs. Job’s had that wonderful technical, visionary acumen coupled with a profound sense of purpose to make a difference and he did. Job’s was Apple. He lived and breathed it till the point you didn’t know nor wonder if he had a personal life or what it was. Driven to produce the best, he brought genius to the company and it shows in our every day lives. His products were not only life changing, they were societal changing. They harkened in a new way of accomplishing the old yet with something almost if not fun to use.

Many wondered what would become of Apple after Job’s was no longer around. He reveled in the company he built from scratch, first with Wozniak and later, as it grew, into the healthy company it had become. Apple and the products it produced were a marvel to behold in the 21st century.

When Job’s left Apple in the 80’s, having been betrayed by John Sculley, he returned years later, in the late 90’s, to find his company was about to go under. Job’s was just not a technical visionary but he has proven to be one of the greatest businessmen of current times. He brought Apple back from the brink and those that followed him became known as fan boy’s, not a name to be ashamed of.

As History Repeats Itself

The products that we buy from Apple, that we know and love all have the markings of Steve Job’s on them. They have been churned to death but in reality, they are the same products Jobs introduced. As more pundits question Apple, their thinking, values, innovative capability and technical acumen, this is exactly what should be done. The reason; what people were worrying about with the loss of Job’s is becoming a reality.

Not the Company it once Was

Apple is in a decay that is strange. With so much laid down at it’s feet, one would think the ability to march forward on an honest ground would be more than plausible. Yet, Apple has turned to the old art of fooling the people to make sure everyone is aware of what? That Tim Cook deserves a $78 million salary for what he hasn’t produced. It’s so clear he’s produced nothing and does the company mean to him what it meant to Steve Job’s. Reality and truth are the arbiters of that answer and it is a clear no. He’s produced nothing except the disaster of the Mac Pro, iWatch which no wants and of course, lots of churn.

Distortion Reality

The attempt to get you to perceive something other than what it is becomes “reality distortion” a phrase aptly named at Apple in 1981 to describe Steve Jobs, or “distortion reality.” For the purposes of this article I prefer the term “Distortion Reality”. Theoretically there’s little difference and the effect can be quite profound in getting you to purchase something you only think is true. The damage from this is multi-faceted and goes far beyond the scope of this article. However, Distortion Reality is a defense mechanism deployed when under great scrutiny and fear.

Do You Really believe that ….

Do you really believe that the world would fall apart without Apple. Clearly, look at Tim Cook and the distortion will start to dissipate. Distortion Reality is intended to make you believe in the irrational; frighten you so that you’re ability to grasp the truth is terrifying. Yet, it is the grasping of truth that will set you free, make you feel hopeful and allow you to put a rational plan in place that won’t physically bankrupt the company.

Is Apple the same, a Variant of Itself or a Decaying Wasteland hopeful for the Fanboi’s of Past

Clearly, something is very different about Apple. The people you engage at Apple are more defensive. The company, which is awash in cash, you’d think was teetering on the verge of bankruptcy. The honoring of an agreement, although arguably there, seems one sided. And if something can’t be explained, it’s the third party developer’s fault. These are the guys that made Apple great and now seem to be the focus of derision. Rather though, it goes farther in that you are really the one at fault as you have chosen to use a third party product.

Is this Steve Job’s Apple, one that was clearly delighted in the collective wisdom of developers to write code or products to run natively on Apple products. Which is it. An Apple that distorts reality to meet their end goals. ‘

Then there’s you, the consumer or end user, once inspired to be a part of this evolution or revolution only to find yourself at fault for your product’s poor performance as it is a third party product at fault. Bewildered, frustrated, confused and yes even angry you contemplate the unthinkable; the return to the competitions products.

There’s only some semblance left that this is Steve Job’s Apple, the company you were passionate about. However, with forthrightness and the willingness to put a step in front of the other, as Rome was rebuilt so too can Apple start to lay new building blocks. In the tech industry you have to have the capacity to move fast to the vagaries of rapid change. As this article points out “Here’s how dramatic BlackBerry’s fall has actually been” A lack of willingness to embrace this kind of rapid change has led to the demise of companies and as in the case of Blackberry a state in which you’re leaning against the brink far too often.

The Tyranny of Tech

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One thing, as we have explored tech as it stands and is evolving, is its dual sidedness. On the one hand, we always have put out great hope for the evolution of tech and making our lives more comfortable. There is no question, this does happen. However, Jacques Ellul, a famous French sociologist identified the downsides of tech. His belief was that as tech evolved it allowed us to do things that were greatly against humanity.

Tech, for Ellul, enabled the two world wars and enslaved everyone during the industrial revolution. His theories, although open to question, were sustained upon further reflection. The dilemma is that tech often takes on different attributes than it was intended for and becomes enabling of both good yet extremely harmful behaviors.

The Second Wave of the Information Revolution: Enslaving or Liberating?

Technological development often occurs in what can be considered waves. Looking at the information revolution, which started slowly after World 2, it was characterized by corporate mainframes intended to store large volumes of information to assist with the streamlining of corporate processes.

Things changed in the latter part of the 70’s when the personal PC era was formed characterized by smaller desktop and then portable devices to assist the worker. These devices quickly spilled into the homes of millions creating the dawn of personal computing. As the computers evolved and were able to do more a revolution of personal computer acquisition ensued for both the corporate/business user and the user at home.

The target of such computerization was still essentially bound to work but as time passed and the computers became more powerful new uses outside of the business world developed. Specifically, the computer was part of your leisure tool activity and with all the hype around the magnificence of this phenomena, a brutal, uglier side began to appear. Characterized by all the trappings of addiction, the term computer addict appeared.

The Smartphone: the Second Nose

If one were to think about what we are seeing metaphorically, then one could easily say the Smartphone is sitting almost as the second nose on a person’s face. To some, coolness today is exactly about this second nose. Yet, what happened to people. Well, as with everything human, you have to have observers to say you are so cool. I too must be considered cool.

First mommy and daddy were being backrupt keeping their children oh so cool but it was rationalized as keeping up. Now the kids are keeping themselves bankrupt changing the devices out yearly or more as you also have to have the perfect nose. Yet what happens when the nose becomes worth more than a computer, a tried and true productivity tool. Enslavement to the new hyperbole that is keeping this alive is what.

Psychologists and Sociologists: Stand at the Ready

When a phenomenon begins to take on dysfunctional aspects, psychologists are more than happy to come in and give it a label a long with their colleagues in arms sociologists. It though needs the psychiatrist to medicalize the phenomenon as a medical illness probably requiring great pills at the ready by their friends the pharmaqeutical industry.

Yet there is a slight hypocrisoy to this trend. David Allen, touted as the master of productivity through his Getting things Done model rationalized away much of what is going on.

Added to this is you have parents that never want to grow up so maybe they can too remain eternally youthful by getting the second nose too. Yet what happens to healthy social interaction while this is all happening. No one answers the phone as it isn’t part of the coolness factor; people spend hours texting people and anyone they can think of as we wrap the ropes tight in enslavement.

Are those that have Helped us with Normative Breaches any Better

The industrial psychologist has on his agenda not nearly what is good for that which ails us but rather contrives often very useless modes that explain nothing. However, not to worry. A small cadre measures the success of all of this on a different but well known dimension. Money. Many people are making tons of money at the enslavement of those who have bought into the new model. Presented as keeping up, how could they not.

It’s odd that when a robber goes into a convenience store and enslaves those for just a short while, they seen as the criminals that they are. Freeing oneself from the criminals is difficult as you have society grappling with this and just concluding those that resist are dumb, lazy, uninspired and on it goes. Throw in a David Allen for good measure to support the insanity and we’ve got something other than a functional society. Maybe David Allen is the victim of his own propaganda. However, it is so perfect to think we can use symbols in an entirely new way.

Throw out Common Sense, the Bible and whatever else that helps us with Existential angst and We Loose

Psychologists should be asking the question (again) what creates healthy ego structure. How do we obtain meaning and identify this beyond our second nose. We did it for centuries and we progressed. Sociologists should assist in what creates these normative boundaries that can be viewed as functional or dysfunctional.

Stepping aside from our current normative boundaries, ask yourself the question if you are really happy functioning in a world that enslaves you, why? We’ve fought against this time and again. Are we functioning within the boundaries supported by current trends that says to those that rightly question how things are working if they aren’t themselves caught up in the enslavement process.

Gut Feel or the Intuitive Self

Sometimes our intuition or gut tells us something isn’t right. Listen to it as it operates from the unconscious which is able to tap into generations and thus time supersedes anything a sociologist can accomplish in reasonable time boundaries.

The one dynamic that essentially tells us something is our intuition. This is a tremendous uphill battle in which those that answer to society (through money) might say repetitiously they (meaning you) don’t understand. Who are you to go up against all those that say not only is this the new norm but that you really put yourself at a disadvantage if you don’t advance.

Salvation through Questioning the Lies

The psychological studies for this kind of work are expansive and come close to not supporting expansive work if no one is getting hurt. However, from young to old, grandparents, parents to children detriment seems to be arriving in a multi-tiered fashion.

As an example, Apple is struggling to come up with the next big stepping stone. In the meantime, by turning on our historical routes, we can continue to live in the groove so to speak without asking the all important thing, what is this life for. Life starts. you’re engaged with a computer, and you are brought into the fold. There are odd anxieties though that express a general malaise, to outright anxiety attacks that make us feel we’re loosing it and maybe even going insane.

Yet, if we think about this logically, except that it might be fun, somehow we know there is something severely wrong. Analysts have proven useless except at the end of second world war they started to ask some very important questions. Odd, how there was little support for what transpired.

If the anxiety increases and we have an inquisitive mind, there is hope. Tapping into the subconscious and unconscious may reveal that we are not liberated but enslaved by these technologies via a circuitous route. The route inevitably leads to anxiety, depression and the odd time suicide when it is not brought into check.

The problem will only increase unless we’re willing to cross into a chasm we don’t understand yet. Doing this though will allow the direction of energy towards the development of systems that truly provide benefits rather than distractions.


Android and IOS: Who do they best Serve

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In some ways, this is a simple question but in many ways it is very complex. I’m going to specifically talk about IOS and the iPhone while I’ll discuss Android and the handset.

In some ways, they are very similar yet they are very different. It is commonly accepted that the iPhone is:

  • an easier to use device, with a clean, simple and intuitive interface
  • It’s a well built phone that is fast and is high quality
  • Better software but this is changing due to porting of apps to make the systems cross platform
  • Expensive

The Android handset, on the other hand, is considered:

  • open
  • Provides a wide range of costs making it easier to get in
  • More complex
  • Very customizable
  • Broad range of applications, from the ill conceived through to the very high quality apps you’re more likely to see on IOS.

The Groups Served

Although some people are as well served using an iPhone and an Android phone, the iPhone serves those who really just want a plug and play experience. They are the more lucrative of these two groups but there are reasons this could change over time.

The Android group is a more diverse group and includes those that want a plug and play experience to the more technical adroit user. They tend to want to express themselves and differentiate who they are by the various skins or themes they apply to the phone. The Android group would also be inclined to be more adventurous in attempting to learn the ins and outs of the Operating System while the iPhone group just wants it to work. If you were to give an Android to an average iPhone user, they likely would stop functioning due to the jump in learning you have to make with Android. Once done, everything would likely be alright but for many an iPhone user it’s why would I want to make that jump.

Android can be more fun but at a Cost called Learning

In some ways, if you’re technically very inclined and like to play around. the Android phone can be a lot more fun than an iPhone. You can change your everything known as themes or just your wallpaper till your hearts content.

In the process, you can learn a lot about technology if you’re so inclined to do so but at a cost. The cost is working less on what you should be working on. Now if your work involves learning this stuff, you can likely garner much more if you have an Android.

iPhone Serves a Different Audience

If you have an iPhone, because of its general overall cost, you likely have a higher average income. You can love your phone just as much as the Android passionate but for things you like to do with it without a lot of fuss or mess.

I have seen those who would consider themselves true technophobes become technically adroit using the iPhone. However, they take to applications to do things with the phone to accomplish something. They learn the phone in a matter of course to use the apps and really have to know little about the technology that powers the device.

If the iPhone were cheaper and it has become cheaper with the intro of the iPhone SE, it’s reach in the market would widen as the phone would become accessible to a wider audience. I believe this is starting to happen while good Android’s are creeping up in price. There are many who are technically skilled who really just need their phone to work easily, intuitively and provide a high level of reliability. The iPhone does this and that is why it gets a large margin in favor of itself around reliability.

Android appeals to a Segmented Market

Android, unlike the iPhone, appeals to a broader market for different reasons. This market can be segmented clearly on price, capability and other such variables as personalization, quantity and quality of apps and even full cross platform capabilities. As an example, if you use a Mac and are very dependent on an application on that Mac that also runs on IOS, you’re likely stuck with the iPhone. However, as apps port to Android, which they are, you can easily include Android. Now, in this scenario there is nothing to keep you away from Android except you might prefer the iPhone.

However, in a cross platform world, you’ve now got options. If possibly the iPhone is too expensive for your budget, you’ll likely be able to buy an Android priced just right for you. Not only are there a variety of price points in the Android market, there are differing styles some possibly more reflective of your personal likes and how you like to express yourself.

Two Differing Smartphones

Simply because these two differing devices are Smartphones, that’s where the similarity ends. The iPhone is a phone that is more suited to those that are not technically inclined. It is a high quality, power packed phone yet the complexity is left under the hood. Those who have little success entering the Smartphone market with devices other than an iPhone often only succeed when they pick up an iPhone. It is hard to do anything dangerously wrong with the OS and it is relatively easy to get onto the device. It’s intuitive nature allows you to get up and running in short order with a slew of application options at your fingertips.

Android, on the other hand has its own benefits and advantages. For one, right from the get go, you will likely save yourself anywhere from a few dollars to a fair amount depending on the device you buy. Except for the iPhone SE, which is about $619 CDN, a price which is relatively reasonable, the other iPhones like the 4.7” 32 gig iPhone 7 starts at $899. Although 32 gigs is likely sufficient, in most cases, 64 gigs is a more reasonable amount of memory. Since memory in the iPhone line is not upgradeable, it is always better to error on the side of a bit more because if you have not purchased enough you would have to repurchase.

There is no 64 gig model, except in the SE, so you have to upgrade to 128 gig for $1029 CDN. For this small difference of $130 you might as well get yourself the 128 and put memory worries aside. However, add in the taxes and now you have over an $1100 smartphone and if you were to add in AppleCare you’re now seriously above $1300 CDN. This, for most people, is a very expensive phone.

HTC’s One a9

For a point of comparison, I’ll choose HTC’s One a9 phone which is sort of an iPhone look alike. The 32 gig model is $649 CDN a $250 difference from the iPhone 7. However, the a9 is custom configurable with memory chips and it is very cost effective to bring the phone up to the 128 level.

This phone has two things the iPhone 7 doesn’t one of which is a nice to have and the other is either essential or again a nice to have item. It comes with an AMOLED display, one of the best displays on the market. It also comes with a headphone jack and there are a lot of people that haven’t quite wrapped their mind around the Smartphone not having such a device.

…and Finally to add to the Comparison

HTC’s 10 Smartphone is considered one of the best phones on the market from a build quality point of view and the capabilities of the phone itself. This phone is a stunner with a superb build quality matching and possibly even surpassing that of the iPhone. The screen is not an Amoled but it’s pixel resolution is much higher than that of the iPhone making it incredibly crisp to look at.

The phone supports up to 2 Terabytes of memory but can easily and cheaply be upgraded to 232 gigs today. What we are seeing here with just these two Androids is one that is more cost effective and considered an excellent performer and the other about the same price as an iPhone but comes with a great deal of horsepower. It has an Octacore chipset that runs incredibly fast and is efficient and is ready to take on software yet to be developed.

The User and Choice

In this article, what we have looked at is customer needs and abilities and how they match up to different market segments in a way that allows people an entry point, a growth point and the ability to choose without running into a brick wall preventing entry. Choice is a good thing as long as it doesn’t lead to chaos. That is averted by standards and the standards are moving in a direction which supports cross platform or the ability, regardless of device, to work with each other and not loose out due to data restrictions.

This is part of the evolution of open systems and how the iPhone and its style of operation better suits some segments of the market while the Android can provide that also along with another set of options allowing broader market entry. The ability to work together is supported by systems that work together regardless of platform. We are at one stage now however, this is evolving to a point that will take us to a full open systems environment. People will be happier using what they like and with that will be more efficient and productive. For all intents and purpose this is a true win-win scenario.

Formatting a Memory Chip in Marshmallow

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Android, prior to Marshmallow, had only one way to format your memory chip and that was as an external card meant to store media, data etc. With Google’s Marshmallow an interesting option was added called adoptable memory or internal storage. This presented a bit of confusion as to how to format your card and which was the desirable option.

Fast Memory Chips

Probably the preferred method of formatting a memory chip is as internal storage but a number of people still prefer to format it as external memory in which they can use the card in any device. A chip formatted as internal memory can’t just be pulled out and used in another device as it simply won’t work.

Choosing though to format your chip as internal storage requires that you use a fast chip otherwise it will either cause the OS to generate messages the chip is too slow or if it works it could drag down the performance of the whole device.

What’s a Fast Memory Chip

Memory chips for devices such as a smartphone are all rated and this can get a touch confusing. Firstly, any chip that is 32 gigs or less is likely to be an SDHC chip whereas any chip 64 gigs and above, to be fast enough should be SDXC.

The second reading that is important and some feel this might the key indicator is its class. For internal memory I think any chip to be used as internal memory should be a class 10 UHS 1 at least with a read capability of 85 to 95 mbs and a write capability of 80 to 90 mbs.

Finally this last reading might be important or not but it is a key difference in price and speed that gets the chip right up there. The chip, in my view, should be a U3 and not a U1. Some do not believe this important yet as most Smartphones don’t adhere to the U3 spec yet. However, this chip is going to directly affect your whole systems performance. It’s not like external memory. Thus, to error on the side of caution can only be a benefit and a small cost.

So finally, your internally formatted chip should be a SDXC, class 10/UHS 1 with a U3 rating. This is a few dollars more than some other chips, but it won’t break the bank.

The Make can be Important

Even with these specs, the make of the chip can affect performance. Look for a chip that is as close 95 mbs or better as possible. Sandisk makes cards that adhere to this while PNY cards are good but this output is less. Transcend though does have cards that are similar to the Sandisk cards but I like the Sandisk name. It’s been around for a while, is well known and it has a high degradation tolerance.

Externally Formatted Memory

This memory is far less important that it meets such rigid criteria as it operates independently of your built in memory. You are storing data such as media on the card. I think a really good size card for external storage is 64 to 128 (some feel the 128 is overkill) gigs with a rating such as SDXC class 10 UHS1 U1. This will be a fine performer and chips for this application can be extremely reasonable in price.

At the End of the Day …

One thing that I think that is important to consider when looking at this component is this is your data and the performance of your Smartphone. Without good backup you could seriously loose photos that are irreplaceable. Consider the importance of your data and the effect a chip could have on performance. When looked at this way, erring on the side of caution makes perfect sense and can save you a lot of grief.

Blackberry Announces the New DTEK60, an Affordable yet Powerful Smartphone

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BlackBerry has announced, on Oct 25, 2016, the DTEK60. From all appearances, this is a powerful Smartphone priced very aggressively at $499 USD. To start with, from a design and visual perspective, this is a BlackBerry but an extremely nice looking BlackBerry. Gone are all the obscure appearances of say the Passport to be replaced with a good looking cell phone.

Specs are Very Current and then Some

To start with, the system provides you with an incredibly crisp 534 PPI pixel density LCD screen. Add to this is a 21 megapixel camera (iPhone is 12) and you already have the makings of an impressive phone. Running on Android 6 or Marshmallow, the system can take a 256 gig card, more than enough space for even the most capacious of file producing users.

The DTEK60 uses a state of the art Snap Dragon 820 CPU yet provides excellent battery life performance specs.

Could this be Their Turnaround Phone

I have watched BlackBerry for quite some time and although they have done some things quite well, they’ve had more than their fair share of missteps. Added to that, they have released phones few have been able to get excited about. This phone could easily be a real winner with its impressive specs and Blackberry’s very admired security features.

Time will of course tell the story but having lived through many BlackBerry disappointments this appears to be a winner. In reality, there is no reason this could not be BlackBerry’s turnaround phone. Here one has a Smartphone that will appeal to the individual, the small business person and a big corporation extremely well.

Blackberry Announces the New DTEK60, an Affordable yet Powerful Smartphone

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BlackBerry has announced, on Oct 25, 2016, the DTEK60. From all appearances, this is a powerful Smartphone priced very aggressively at $499 USD. To start with, from a design and visual perspective, this is a BlackBerry but an extremely nice looking BlackBerry. Gone are all the obscure appearances of say the Passport to be replaced with a good looking cell phone.

Specs are Very Current and then Some

To start with, the system provides you with an incredibly crisp 534 PPI pixel density LCD screen. Add to this is a 21 megapixel camera (iPhone is 12) and you already have the makings of an impressive phone. Running on Android 6 or Marshmallow, the system can take a 256 gig card, more than enough space for even the most capacious of file producing users.

The DTEK60 uses a state of the art Snap Dragon 820 CPU yet provides excellent battery life performance specs.

Could this be Their Turnaround Phone

I have watched BlackBerry for quite some time and although they have done some things quite well, they’ve had more than their fair share of missteps. Added to that, they have released phones few have been able to get excited about. This phone could easily be a real winner with its impressive specs and Blackberry’s very admired security features.

Time will of course tell the story but having lived through many BlackBerry disappointments this appears to be a winner. In reality, there is no reason this could not be BlackBerry’s turnaround phone. Here one has a Smartphone that will appeal to the individual, the small business person and a big corporation extremely well.

Blackberry’s Last Phone just happens to be its Best Phone

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This article spells out how the DTEK60 is a screamer; a good phone priced aggressively. Could this finally be the phone that might not win the war but certainly the day. The irony is that this is the last phone BlackBerry is producing itself but rather is farming out the BlackBerry name to let another produce phones that will carry its moniker.

Not to get to sentimental, but this oddity can’t help but to hit home. BlackBerry has been late to market; has arrived with expensive and odd phones and delivered phones that just could no longer capture the consumer psyche. Not to say they were bad phones just peculiar or expensive.

Have to first Assume this one Will be a Winner

To follow with the above train of thinking, which is this might be an odd time to leave the phone market, one has to assume this phone will go over. Logically, price relative to what you are getting can only lead one to speculate this phone will be a winner regardless of how finicky the consumer mentality is.

Assuming this phone would be a winner, as long as BlackBerry stuck to this winning formula, there is little reason think their phones would not do well.

Not to Get Ahead of ourselves but…

There have been so many disappointments on the BlackBerry front in recent years it is hard not to look at this phone and see it as nothing but a winner. Rather than speculate, time will tell the story and probably pretty fast.

Assuming the phone is a winner then, is it the best time to get out of this business. Granted the third party player will at least be delivering a phone with the BlackBerry Moniker yet the recipient of this success will only be BlackBerry in name but not dollars. It’s going to be interesting to see what happens here but it will be an odd twist of fate if this is a winner. It’s difficult, all things considered, not to see it this way but for all intents and purpose it looks like both an excellent individual buy and a corporate buy. Here’s to time keeping an eye on this but you can bet your bottom dollar the results of this endeavor will be reported fast and furious either to the positive or the negative.

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