A Carrier IQ executive downplays the significance of the company’s effort to patent a technology that it said could help wireless carriers undertake ‘advertising audience segmentation analysis and content copyright analytics.’
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Criminals carried out more but smaller data thefts last year than in previous years, indicating a shift toward simpler exploits that run lower risk of punishment, according to Verizon’s latest data breach report.
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In 2010, iOS (Apple’s mobile operating system) and iOS devices (iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad) commanded the spotlight for much of the year. And for over nine months, Mac users saw the usual computer updates from Apple, but not much else. The combination of the iOS success and the stagnant Mac led some vocal tech analysts, pundits, and even Mac users to ponder whether Apple gave a damn about the Mac anymore. Some even went so far as to declare the Mac dead.
However, Apple gave new life to the Mac in mid-October, when CEO Steve Jobs took the stage and gave Mac users a taste of what’s to come during a “Back to the Mac” presentation.
To paraphrase literary icon Mark Twain, the death of the Macintosh was an exaggeration, considering what Apple has in the works. On the last day of 2010, let’s take a look back at the previous 12 months, from a Mac perspective.
A sneak peek at Lion
In October, Apple announced a forthcoming version of Mac OS X: Version 10.7, code-named Lion, will have features that are inspired by iOS. According to Steve Jobs, you can think of Lion as, “Mac OS X meets the iPad.”
Lion will allow you to enter a full-screen mode as you work in your apps, and if you use a trackpad, you can swipe to switch between open apps. Lion will also feature the Launchpad, a full-screen display of all your apps (think of it as an iOS-like presentation of OS X’s current /Applications folder); and Mission Control, which shows a view of open full-screen apps, the Dock, and the desktop.
Apple says that Lion will be available in the summer of 2011. Pricing has not been released.
With the demonstration of Lion and how it uses finger gestures, a particular accessory could possibly become mandatory for Mac users: the Magic Trackpad. Released in July, the Magic Trackpad is basically the glass trackpad found in Apple’s laptops made into a self-standing input device. Such a device can help bridge the gap in the whole Apple user expereince between Mac OS X and iOS.
Mac App Store
Of all the Mac-related announcements made in 2010, the new Mac App Store is the most significant. The Mac App Store will work similarly to the iOS App Store, providing an easy-to-access marketplace.
Not long after being criticized for not knowing how to make money, Facebook is looking to reel in more than $2 billion in sales in 2010.
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Computer and network security is a perpetual game of cat and mouse. Attackers are often adept at both following technology and social trends, and adapting attacks to exploit weak points. As 2010 comes to a close, let’s take a look back at some of the biggest security trends from the year.
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The 2010 Global Retail Theft Barometer finds theft was down from 2009 rates. But more than a quarter of U.S. retailers were still impacted by crime.
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Home-theater enthusiasts have a lot to play with this year, as top-quality HDTVs, media streamers, headphones, and music players from Apple, Samsung, Sonos, and Western Digital, among others, make our list.
Samsung UN55C8000
LCD HDTV; $2900 Slim and sexy, this LED-backlit TV has it all–slick design, lots of features, and excellent image quality. Did we mention that this 55-inch TV is less than an inch thick? (#11 in the PCWorld 100)
Samsung UN55C8000 review | samsung.com
Samsung LN46C650
LCD HDTV; $1100 The LN46C650, an inexpensive HDTV set that lacks the LED backlighting and 240Hz refresh rates of rivals, nonetheless clobbers them in image quality. It’s a better TV, yet it costs about $2000 less than its nearest competitors. (#20)
Samsung LN46C650 review | samsung.com
Apple TV
Media streamer; $99 Want to stream your iTunes library–including your home movies and iPhoto pics–to your TV? The Apple TV does all that and streams Netflix,too, with typical Apple flair. (#21)
Western Digital WD TV Live Plus
Media streamer; $150 The WD TV Live Plus network media player edges out the better-known Roku with its mix of online streaming services and its ability to stream your content via a network or a USB drive. (#22)
Western Digital WD TV Live Plus review | wdc.com
Sonos ZonePlayer S5
Networked audio player; $399 The S5–an affordable version of the impeccable Sonos audio system–looks a bit like a high-end iPod dock but can also play music from your hard drive, as well as from online services such as Pandora and Rhapsody. The sound is fabulous. (#30)
Sonos ZonePlayer S5 review | sonos.com
SlingPlayer Mobile
Mobile app; $30 per month This app plays the live cable TV you get at home on your mobile device. In the past year Sling Media has dramatically improved the SlingPlayer app, which runs on cellular and Wi-Fi networks. (#48)
Ceatec, Japan’s largest electronics show, is over for another year. We spent a week rushing around Makuhari Messe near Tokyo checking out some of the coolest, most futuristic gadgets and developments that Japan’s electronics industry has to offer. Here’s some of the best of what we found:
Toshiba’s no-glasses 3D TV
The big star of Ceatec 2010 was a new 3D television from Toshiba. It attracted hordes of people and sometimes a queue that was 3-hours long. What’s the big deal? The TV doesn’t require glasses to see the illusion of depth. It’s the first of its kind from a major consumer electronics manufacturer, although smaller companies have shown similar technology.
In a review we found it gave a good-looking high-definition 3D picture, but like systems that require glasses, the technology is far from perfect. (A video of the TV is available on YouTube.)
Pioneer head-up display
Pioneer provided a glimpse into the future of driving: a head-up display for drivers that hooks up to a cell phone. The prototype uses a laser to display images on a screen that would be mounted between the driver and the windscreen. The images are generated from a smartphone, which also provides up-to-date traffic information. Pioneer hopes to begin selling it in 2012 as an after-market add-on and is also talking to car manufacturers. (You can see it in action in this video.)
Fujitsu dual-screen cell phone
Looking ahead to future LTE cellular service, Fujitsu was showing off a prototype cell phone with two screens. LTE will boast data speeds several times faster than current 3G so is expected to spur services that store data online. The handset uses the two screens to help clarify when the user is working locally and when they are working with online-based information. The addition of a second screen means there’s no keypad. (See Fujitsu explain the phone in this video.)
No-wires charging
If you’re constantly frustrated by the need to run a cable to charge a portable gadget then this will be of interest. NTT DoCoMo was showing some prototype cell phones and batteries based on a new wireless charging standard called Qi (it’s pronounced “chi”). The system replaces power bricks and cables and just requires a user place their cell phone on a charging pad. (A video demonstration can be seen on YouTube.)
TDK’s flexible OLED screens
Earlier this week, CrunchGear was at CEATEC 2010, Asia’s biggest technology and electronics exhibition, which takes place yearly in Chiba (one hour away from Tokyo). All major Japanese electronics makers showcased their newest products (plus numerous prototypes) at the event, and we condensed 12 highlights from CEATEC into a long list after the jump.
Click through for videos and more information on each device you’re interested in.
 Mitsubishi Diamond Vision OLED Display
• Modular OLED Display |
 Hitachi LCD Projector
• Smallest and shortest-focus projector |
 Toshiba Naked-Eye 3D TVs
• World’s first glasses-less 3D TVs |
 Fujitsu Windows 7 Tablets • 2 protoypes |
 Sharp Android Phone IS03
• 3.5-inch LCD with iPhone 4 resolution |
 Fujitsu Social Bear Robots
• Robots shaped like teddy bears |
 Toshiba Folio 100 Android Tablet
• 10.1-inch LCD touchscreen |
 Fujitsu Dual Touchscreen Phone
• Prototype phone |
 Olympus AR Walker
• Augmented reality headsets |
 Panasonic Lumix Phone
• Cell phone with Lumix camera |
 TDK Bendable And Transparent OLED Displays
• 2 passive matrix mini OLED panels |
 Sharp Galapagos Android Tablets • 5.5-inch and a 10.8-inch versions |
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Panasonic was all mysterious when it announced a “Lumix Phone” last week, teasing it with a special website (now updated, but still in Japanese) that contained neither pictures nor solid information about their newest cell phone. But the company today unveiled the handset at CEATEC 2010, Asia’s biggest technology and electronics exhibition, which takes place yearly in Chiba (one hour away from Tokyo).
Read the rest on MobileCrunch.
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