Facebook IPO Makes History

Photograph: Paul Sakuma/AP

It’s a big day for Mark Zuckerberg and friends. Just a few minutes ago, the inventor and head of the world’s most popular social network rang the opening bell for the Nasdaq in anticipation of Facebook’s initial public offering (IPO) that will make him and a handful of people under the age of 50 millionaires or even billionaires. Shares are expected to begin trading around 11am Eastern Time at $38 per share.

This is also an exciting day for the tech industry in general as this is the largest Internet IPO ever (and the 3^rdlargest IPO in U.S. history) and it certainly legitimizes the rise of social media. Despite all the hoopla, some analysts are warning against jumping into Facebook right away. Some warn to stay away from the stock for at least 6 months and some say to wait even longer.

One thing is for sure: the IPO puts a lot of pressure on the social media giant to monetize its 900 million users worldwide and maintain its place at the head of the class. Only time will tell if Facebook outpaces predecessors like Google and Apple or if it will become another sideshow attraction like Yahoo!.

Are you planning to invest in Facebook’s IPO? We want to hear from you in the comments section.  

Woz: Ipod will die?

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak (Woz) warns that the iPod's days are numbered in an interview with UK newspaper, the Telegraph.

"The iPod has sort of lived a long life at number one. Things like, that if you look back to transistor radios and Walkmans, they kind of die out after a while", Wozniak warned.

"It's kind of like everyone has got one or two or three. You get to a point when they are on display everywhere, they get real cheap and they are not selling as much," he added.  

One way around this inevitable consequence of change may be to slow down, Wozniak advised: "It is time for the whole computer industry to maybe have a bit of a slowdown. For twenty years we have been in this replacement and upgrade market," he said.

Woz was also critical of Apple's tight control over iPhone development, warning, "Consumers aren't getting all they want when companies are very proprietary and lock their products down. I would like to write some more powerful apps than what you're allowed." 

Source:  9 to 5 mac

The New iPod Could Kill Nintendo DS & Sony PSP?

Apple's mobile gaming goals go far beyond fancy new versions of Bejeweled and Tetris—Jobs yesterday called for "a whole new class of games." It's now clear that the company is gunning for the big boys: Nintendo and Sony.


3 Reasons Nintendo and Sony Are Running Scared:

1. Buying iPhone/iPod Games Is Quick and Simple
iPhone and iPod users can buy games anytime, anywhere, they never have to worry about stock shortages—or ever getting up from their couch.

2. iPod Games Are Cheap, and Increasingly High-Profile
Very, very few iPhone/iPod games cost more than $10. Meanwhile, very few Nintendo DS or PSP games cost less than $25.

3. iPod Games Can Be Expanded and Updated
It's almost inevitable that a big game will have a few bugs or glitches that aren't discovered until after launch. There's usually little Nintendo DS and PSP players can do other than grin and deal with the glitchy gameplay. But iPod games can be tuned to check for updates and heal themselves whenever bugs are found.

3 Reasons the Gaming Companies Can Sleep Easy ... for Now:

1. iPods Are Touchscreen-Only
In some ways, the absence of a keypad is a boon to innovation when it comes to mobile gaming—it encourages developers to think up creative workarounds using simple tilts and touch gestures. But it's not perfect. Finally, buttons are still far more precise than Apple's accelerometer.

2. Parents Won't Buy iPhones For Their Kids
The Nintendo DS costs just $129. The PSP? $169. These relatively low prices make them very attractive to parents out shopping for an electronic babysitter. Not only do the iPhone and iPod Touch cost considerably more, but they simply aren't toys that can be thrown into the hands of young children.

3. Games for Dedicated Systems are Much Bigger.
No matter how pretty a game is, if the gameplay just involves tilting the screen left and right, you won't play it for long. Dedicated gaming systems typically feature more complex games with stylistically different levels and elements.

Source: Popularmechanics

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Android - The G-Phone (Google Phone)

Almost 1 year since Apple launched his iPHONE and redefined the mobile cell industry adding a very intuitive and easy to use smart phone. Now other manufacturers such LG, Nokia and Motorola are behind the iPhone success producing phones with similar features like the iPHONE. But all of them have a lack of good operating system, applications, etc.

People from Google are seeing this opportunity and they want a piece of the cake offering Android which is a software platform and operating system for mobile devices based on the Linux operating system. It allows developers to write managed code in a Java-like language that utilizes Google-developed Java libraries.

Google will not make the phone, but has helped develop the software that handset manufacturers will install in their devices. Samsung, HTC, LG Electronics, and Motorola are among the companies that have said they will produce phones that run on Android. Also Android is designed to allow independent developers to write their own programs for mobile devices, so Android based phone users will be able to download applications for their phone over the Internet. The first handset to run Android (aka "the Google Phone") has been approved by the FCC. In the documents provided, it appears that we have now a release date for this highly anticipated phone: November 10th, 2008.

So we will see a new G-phones soon

Apple sells 1 million iPhone 3G in a weekend

Despite widespread activation problems, Apple said Monday that it sold its one millionth iPhone 3G on Sunday, just three days after the new handset launched worldwide on Friday, July 11.

"iPhone 3G had a stunning opening weekend," said Apple chief executive Steve Jobs. Last year, Apple managed to sell just 270,000 iPhones during the first two days. Although the Cupertino-based electronics maker did not release a three day tally for first-generation iPhone sales, it would take the company nearly two and a half months to sell its one millionth unit. "It took 74 days to sell the first one million original iPhones, so the new iPhone 3G is clearly off to a great start around the world," Jobs added. Unlike last year when opening weekend iPhone sales took place exclusively in the United States, this year's roll-out was helped by simultaneous launch in 20 addition countries, including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK.

The new iPHONE 3G now offer a bunch of improvements like connection to the new 3G networks which is most faster than the EDGE networks, it has a GPS based on Google maps, support for Microsoft Exchange and access to the iTunes Applications store, so now you can buy or get free applications for your phone. There are cool applications for free like AIM, Facebook and AOL Radio. The applications are very limited for now but thanks the new SDK we will see a bunch of interesting new apps in the near future. This revolutionary phone is repaving the mobile industry to a next level.

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