Apple Launched iCloud.com

Nowadays software development services have received another one. Starting the launch of the iOS 5 platform and the iCloud service deeply integrated into it, Apple set up a special website iCloud.com. Now users can enter the new iCloud.com and create an iCloud account using their own Apple ID, the identifier used for purchasing in the Apple App Store.
After entering the system, the user will be offered to choose a language and a time zone, then they will have to choose from five options. A user can check its mail, view his contacts, calendars, use the function «Find My iPhone» and get the access to the web version of iWork.

With starting iCloud, the documents from the Apple iWork application for iOS (page layouts, tables, presentations) will be stored online and will be constantly updated. Thanks to this, users will be able to get access to the latest versions of documents irrespective of the device they are using at the moment.

The iCloud service will replace its predecessor MobileMe. In comparison with MobileMe, the usage of iCloud will be free for all iOS 5 and Mac OS X 10.7 Lion users who will be offered 5 5GB of free ‘cloud space’ (additional space is paid).

Software developers have been testing iCloud together with the apps for iOS 5 and Lion for the last several months. At present iCloud is available for wide usage.

The debut of iCloud took place simultaneously with the release of the iOS 5, however, iCloud started functioning a few hours earlier. The new operation system iOS 5 is available for downloading for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users.

iPad: Gadget For Fun or Business

A modern tablet is something having sight, senses, feelings, able to orient itself in the environment and time and that can be controlled with just one button. iPad is widely used in many spheres of our life: for example, by travel agencies (for presenting possible routes and buying trips by one click) as well as by insurance agents and lawyers as iPad gives many possibilities for making and storing document forms and their own signatures and print-outs. The gadget is also useful for doctors for keeping and having at hand a great number of medical history sheets.

Moreover, iPad is likely to change the media industry and our opinion on educational services. Now many software development companies already create about thirds of all mobile apps for various educational purposes. Of course, experts agree that iPad won’t replace a common netbook. But it has a great potential.  iPad doesn’t support Adobe Flash and thus users can’t watch videos but if they try iPad once, they’ll never leave it.

A user is online all the time and it gives unlimited possibilities for mobile application developers, marketers and other businessmen if they manage to make a profit on this.

But there are skeptics who think that iPad is only suitable for entertaining content and is not suitable for solving business tasks. They consider other mobile devices such as based on Windows Mobile, Windows Phone 7 and Android are more perspective.

Magic from Apple

Steve Jobs, Jonathan Ive and other famous people from Apple often call their products ‘magic’ and in some respects they are right. In many cases Apple is ahead of the market for years, it manages to create really incredible devices that change the world — isn’t it magic?

Do you need examples? Here you are. Let’s remember iPad — What’s this? What for? Who needs this ‘iPod on steroids’? And it turned out we need it! Step by step this strange toy is being transformed into an extremely convenient and user friendly tool for professionals and can be a gaming console, an internet tablet, an e-book and many other things as well.  The fantasy of iPad app developers is not limited and it means that iPads opportunities also. Isn’t it magic?

Or let’s take, for example, iPhone. Look at the market of smartphones today: Android, webOS, Windows Phone, many various sensor devices, Nokia smartphones based on Microsoft OS — they are the result of releasing the first Apple phone in 2007. Without it today the market of would be completely different. Isn’t it magic?

Last year Apple presented MacBook Air of the second generation and this year Intel has introduced the concept of ultrabooks which are Windows analogues of that very ‘air’ macbook. Plagiarism? Piracy? No, that’s the natural development of the market when consumers win and the Apple magic was the impulse for this development.

Thus, every software development company tries to conquer this magic and design and develop something new, exciting and magical.

Electronic mobile wallets: from myth to reality

The idea to transform mobile devices into electronic personal wallets is being actively put into practice. Mobile app development companies take advantage of NFC capabilities to give mobile users the chance to use their gadgets as a payment means. The NFC technology has already been used in Japan, South Korea and Malaysia to carry out money transactions, while it is only on its way to be widely adopted by the USA, the UK and other European countries.
The coming upgrades of Apple’s products iPhone5 and iPad2 will support the NFC technology, while Android-powered Nexus S devices already come bundled with NFC capabilities. The ever growing popularity of iPhones, iPads and Androids provides a foundation to promote and introduce mobile wallet technology into everyday use. Though, at the moment for this technology to become ubiquitous retailers should be willing to install hardware that will scan mobile wallets and carry out money transactions.
The UK mobile carrier Orange is about to introduce a new service, allowing its customers to use their mobiles as wallets. Mobile wallets will save many people from extra headache connected with carrying cash and credit cards – people will get everything in their handhelds.
If mobile money payment system will catch on it will outline for software development companies a new trend in mobile app development services.

Apple iPad accused of violating the trademark rights in China

The American company Apple is accused of violating the copyright law in China where the local manufacturer of computer monitors claims that Apple doesn’t have rights for using the trademark iPad. The Chinese company Proview Technlogy Co claims that it registered the brand name iPad in China in January 2000 and since that time it has been using it at the Chinese market.

According to Beijing News, the Chinese company has all the required documents and the local player is planning to protect its right for the brand. Apple started selling its tablet computer iPad in China last month, although ‘grey’ iPads have been selling in China practically from the moment of iPad release in the USA.

Some reliable sources say that earlier the companies negotiated the issue of transferring the trademark but didn’t reach an agreement. Now the reasonable price for the trademark iPad is about $800,000. In the official statement Proview Technology states that the decision on launching the sales of tablets under the name iPad was illegal from Apple’s side.

Nobody knows how it will influence the device itself but mobile application developers have already liked this device and have already created hundreds of devices for iPad.

Flash is ported on iPhone 4

Now users can reproduce Flash content even on Apple iPhone 4. The port was developed by Comex which is also the author of the JailbreakMe tool, reports the Redmond Pie website.

Flash plug-in can be installed only on jailbroken iPhones. The developer of the plug-in tested its efficiency only on iPhone 4, however, it doesn’t exclude the possibility that it will work also on the devices of the previous generations and on iPod touch. The installation of the plug-in is performed in several steps with the installation of software on the computer and on the mobile device. It can be difficult for simple users.

Apple blocks the usage of unofficial applications offered by mobile application developers as well as the launch of Flash Player on their devices because, according to the company, it’s not good enough for this (high requirements to hardware, high consumption of battery charge). Earlier, Flash was ported on iPad which doesn’t have this technology officially.

If Apple allows official porting of flash player, iPhone application developers will be able to produce even more interesting applications.

Modern mobile devices

In the XXI century it’s impossible to imagine a person without a mobile phone. We have become accustomed to these devices so much that sometimes we feel awkward if left the phone at home. A mobile device is not simply a plastic case with buttons which can make calls, send SMS, take pictures, reproduce video and audio and work as a calculator. Modern mobile devices have all possible functions which we couldn’t even imagine before.

The technical development of mobile devices has led to the improved video chips, developing mobile platforms (iPhone, Android, iPad, BlackBerry and Windows Mobile), new updated mobile applications and so on. With the development of mobile technologies more and more software development companies are trying to develop modern, useful applications for mobile devices.

There are many different applications for entertainment, learning, or just for using in life. Before when mobile phones were not able to use and reproduce advanced graphics, applications were not very accurate. Now, users of mobile devices became more selective in this way because modern technologies let mobile app developers create applications at any taste.

European Commission joined the antimonopoly trial against Apple

The European Commission joined the antimonopoly trial against Apple which the US Federal Trade Commission initiated at the beginning of July. It means that the verdict can be taken in 4-6 months, announced the New York Post.

It should be noted that officially FTC hasn’t announced about the trial. According to the American press, it concerns the rules of publishing applications in the App Store which Apple introduced in April. In particular, the vendor banned the usage of tools for application porting. It deprived mobile apps developers of the possibility of the official sales of Flash applications. The company Adobe which possesses this technology declared about its intention to struggle against this decision.

Moreover, in July Apple introduced the new rules of using the statistical information which is formed by applications on iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. In particular, the new rules deprive the company AdMob of earning money on mobile advertising. In May Google announced about the close of the deal on acquiring this company at $750,000. Last month the executive director of AdMob said that the given ban hadn’t come into force. If the ban becomes effective, iphone apps developers will have problems with their applications.

44% of British people can’t imagine their lives without mobile phones

According to the research conducted by the BM Savings Company, more than half of Britain’s population (51%) never leaves their houses without mobile phones. 44% of British people can’t even imagine their lives without mobile devices.

26% of respondents admit that they feel upset after leaving their mobile phones at home and missing calls. About three quarters of the questioned people spend half an hour talking on the phone daily. And the youth (88%) don’t regret spending more than two hours daily chatting on the phone or using various mobile applications. As a result, mobile application developers work hard to create more and more useful applications for iPhones and iPads, etc.

Half of the participants consider mobile banking the most convenient financial service and 49% of them prefer dealing with real people while solving financial matters. At the same time 52% are satisfied to use mobile banking at any time at any place and 38% use this service when can’t reach the bank.

Nokia wants to launch own “App Store” for mobile apps developers

Graig Williams, Managing Director of Nokia in South-eastern Europe, has admitted in his recent interview to Die Presse (the Internet edition) that his company developed a new product, which main task is to press Apple on mobile market. So, Williams has promised that Nokia will introduce a direct competitor for iPhone this year. This device is supposed to focus on network services. According to experts’ opinions, the very App Store, connecting iPhone apps developers and users, has greatly contributed to success of iPhone on mobile market. According to Greig Williams’s words, Nokia is going to create a similar, but more open service (without total control, as in Apple’s project).

By the way, the last Nokia’s multitasking OS Meego is meant not only for smartphones but for Tablet PCs also. In addition, Nokia plans to produce some new devices, based on this OS. However, Williams refuses to tell anything about future competitors of iPad.