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.

Rising popularity of Android OS

The distribution of Android OS is going on with a frightening speed. Already at the beginning of August, according to the general director of Google Erick Schmidt, the number of daily activations in the world was about 20,000. Since that time, the popularity of Android among the users of mobile devices has increased by 50%. According to the recent data, published in Twitter by the vice-president of Google Andy Rubin, now in the world about 300,000 Android smartphones are activated. This tendency can also be followed in the Android market where mobile application developers place their apps and the number of them is really high.

In comparison with this, every day 157,000 iPhones find their owners. Apple reported that the October sales of the company’s gadgets including iPhone smartphones, iPads and iPod Touch were 230,000.

Thus, Google has overtaken Apple mobile devices all together.

If the Android based smartphones are sold with the same speed, in a month the sales will reach 9 mln smartphones. Annual sales will be equal to 108 mln gadgets.

By 2012 Google platform is likely to become the dominating platform in the world.

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.

Аpple introduced new players iPod and the social network Ping

Apple has updated practically all iPod players. The new iPod shuffle got a more compact case and a touch control system. The built-in battery provides up to 15 hours of autonomous work. iPod shuffle of the fourth generation will cost $49.

iPod nano has also reduced in size considerably. This player has become 46% smaller and 42% lighter. Moreover, iPod nano got a sensor display with multitouch technology support and the time of autonomous work of 24 hours. iPod nano of the fourth generation will cost from $149 to $179, depending on the memory size.

iPod touch has become more compact and thinner. This model got the sensor screen Retina Display and the processor А4, similar to the one in the new iPhone. The main innovation in the new iPod touch is built-in cameras. The forward-mounted one is intended for video while the rear one allows recording HD-video. The cost of iPod touch in the USA will be from $229 to $399, depending on the memory size.

The main innovation in iTunes 10 is a built-in musical social network Ping which Apple calls a sort of hybrid of Facebook/Twitter and iTunes. Ping shows the activities of the users as well as his friends. Ping has started working with the new version of iTunes which is already available at the official site of Apple.

No matter that all these devices have become smaller in size, mobile application developers will definitely increase the number of mobile applications for them.

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.