What is an app?

App is short for application.  Essentially they are software applications that can be accessed and download to your device via a common marketplace (Apple store, Android Marketplace, etc).  Software developers create the apps and submit them for review to the marketplace for the devices they were designed for.

Currently there are over 350,000 apps available in the Apple store and over 100,000 in the Android Marketplace.

Apptivities are basically lessons that incorporate the use of apps.  I had not come across the term and had a lot of fun exploring the website.

http://mashable.com/2010/10/25/android-100000-apps/
http://www.apple.com/iphone/features/app-store.html
http://www.apptivities.org/?paged=2

Cameras, Videoconferencing, Education and Corporate America

Most of us now carry a device in our pocket that allows us to not only talk to but see the people on the other end of the conversation.  What a leap forward from a mere fifteen years ago when few people had cell phones at all.  Videoconferencing allows companies to save on travel time for employees for meetings that are not essential to have in person.  It also allows for a level of cohesion in a company where you are not only familiar with a voice on the opposite coast, but the face of that person as well.  Education is also greatly affected.  Virtual classrooms and viewing lectures from the comfort of your dorm room would not be possible without this technology.

What is 4G?

4G is often described as the fourth generation of cellular systems.  4G systems provide internet speeds comparable to home cable connections and provide greater bandwidth.  4G is in the early stages of rollout, with carriers slowly expanding their device offerings and coverage areas.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2371304,00.asp

Mifi cards and wireless hotspots

Mifi is a tiny, credit card sized device which allows you to carry a wifi hotspot with you wherever you go.  Simply turn it on and you can use any wifi enabled device (iTouch, iPad, etc.) to connect to the internet. Of course you must pay a separate monthly fee to Verizon.

If I were willing to pay, I could also use my Droid 2 as a tether or wifi hotspot for my other devices.  In order to use this feature, you must pay Verizon a fee on top of the existing cell phone and data plan charges.  Tethering other devices allows you to connect your phone to devices, usually via a USB port, and allow those other devices to access the internet.  Using the Droid as a wifi hotspot provides the same functionality wirelessly.  Although this seems convenient (and can be great if no other options are available), until the full rollout of 4G the connection speeds are simply too slow to provide a comparable experience to using your computer at home.


http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/05/verizon-mifi-personal-wi-fi-coming-this-month/

iPad and iPhone VS Droid

The iPad and iPhone both run on the Apple iOS operating system, while Droid devices run on Google's Android system.  This divide means that they have different apps available via their marketplaces.  Their basic functionality remains the same but the platforms give the devices a different look and feel.  I find my iTouch much more intuitive than my Droid 2 out of the box, but features such as swype, email integration and calendar integration are superior on my Droid.  Droid also allows the use of Flash, while Apple has refused to allow Adobe access to it's proprietary platform prevent Flash on Apple devices.  The iTouch excels at ease of resizing websites and copy/paste functionality, although I hear the newer Droid devices address this problem.

Motorola XOOM vs. Droid Thunderbolt

Smartphones and tablets might seem like direct competition, but they definitely appeal to different users with different needs.  Smartphones are typically lightweight, highly portable, and fairly quick, trading off screen size to accommodate size and weight.  They are highly versatile, but mainly used as a communication device, whether it be via phone call, texting, or email.

Tablets are geared more as entertainment devices, although they do have other applications.  They promote many of the same selling points as smartphones, but it is all a matter of scale.  For example, the Thunderbolt weighs 164 grams (http://www.techoncept.com/overview-comparison-verizon-htc-thunderbolt-motorola-droid-bionic-iphone-4), while the XOOM weighs 730 grams (http://mediacenter.motorola.com/Fact-Sheets/Motorola-XOOM-Fact-Sheet-3537.aspx).  For everyday communication use, the XOOM's larger size which accommodates heavier computing capabilities and larger viewing screen size, makes it unsuited for those same everyday pocket communication needs.

Both devices can be used as media devices for viewing movies, playing games, and surfing the web.  They also make use of apps to further expand the usefulness of the devices.  Almost all new smartphones and tablets have both front and rear cameras to accommodate videoconferencing via programs such as Skype.  The devices just keep getting quicker as 4G rolls out across the country.

I just had the chance to play with the Motorola XOOM this past weekend, and wow.  Just wow.  It's quick, intuitive and practically anticipates your needs. With the Android 3.0 platform, Google addresses one of the problems that the iPad faced - apps that were not optimized for the new screen size and resolution.  Android 3.0 not only solves that problem, but it also gives the XOOM more of a highly customizable computer desktop feel, rather than that of an oversized smartphone. 

http://developer.android.com/sdk/android-3.0-highlights.html
http://cnettv.cnet.com/motorola-xoom/9742-1_53-50100722.html?tag=api
http://cnettv.cnet.com/htc-thunderbolt/9742-1_53-50098392.html?tag=api