The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do. – Think Different!

RIP Steve.

Check out more information about Siri on Apple’s website.

Typically, Safari renders these meetings the best so it is my go to browser for meetings. Unfortunately, I would get the prompt for trusting the java app and a window would load with nothing happening. Same with Chrome. Firefox actually rendered the window with a Java loading icon spinning for all its worth, but never actually loading the meeting.

So, bail and go to my VDI. Now, I use my VDI for 2 things, powerCLI and VMware access. Its pretty bare bones. I found out that it didn’t even have java to join the web meeting that way. Live Meeting actually told me my version of Internet Explorer was not compatible even after installing java. Seriously Microsoft? I ended up installing the live meeting client and was into the meeting 15 minutes after the start. Yeah for productivity.

So surely I wasn’t the first one to trek down this path of Live Meeting plus OS X right? Correct! This post outlines the issue fully AND the solution. Here it is if you want to avoid a click:

All I did was go to Java Preferences (under Utilities) and on the Advanced Tab, ensure that the last option on the list “Verify mixed security code (sandbox vs. trusted)” is set to “Enable – run with protections, no warnings”. This is probably what was causing Java to hang before opening the session.

So there it is. I figured I ran into it, others surely would as well.

You’re probably thinking to yourself right now, great, another fanboy coming to Apple’s rescue.

WRONG!

What the fuck Apple? Seriously, what the fuck? Is there a good reason for keeping track of this data? I mean seriously, what are you doing with it?

Actually, there is a good reason for it and its all about advertising. The guys at work have heard this on multiple occasions that the iPod, iPhone, iTouch, iPad are all marketing devices. Mainly for selling anything and everything from iTunes but with iAd, they can now sell you anything. It turns out with a little googling you can find that the Terms and Conditions changed with iOS 4 and there was a feature explained that Apple can track you to provide more relevant ads to your phone. And to also provide features such as Find My iPhone.

To provide location-based services on Apple products, Apple and our partners and licensees may collect, use, and share precise location data, including the real-time geographic location of your Apple computer or device. This location data is collected anonymously in a form that does not personally identify you and is used by Apple and our partners and licensees to provide and improve location-based products and services. For example, we may share geographic location with application providers when you opt in to their location services.

Some location-based services offered by Apple, such as the MobileMe “Find My iPhone” feature, require your personal information for the feature to work.

Apple and its partners use cookies and other technologies in mobile advertising services to control the number of times you see a given ad, deliver ads that relate to your interests, and measure the effectiveness of ad campaigns. If you do not want to receive ads with this level of relevance on your mobile device, you can opt out by accessing the following link on your device: http://oo.apple.com. If you opt out, you will continue to receive the same number of mobile ads, but they may be less relevant because they will not be based on your interests. You may still see ads related to the content on a web page or in an application or based on other non-personal information. This opt-out applies only to Apple advertising services and does not affect interest-based advertising from other advertising networks.

So does this make it right? No, I don’t think so. I think this sort of tracking is very very wrong. If you want to put up a service like this, it should be in the app to disclose my location. If I’m a developer, I have to allow for this pop up to appear. But apparently apple and their iAds do not. That is where we have an issue. The end user is used to the pop up appearing and only then does their location information get used. However, Apple apparently bypasses this for their iAd service which is not honoring the end user wishes in all cases.

So what can you do?

I know I only have myself to blame for this one as I should have read the terms and conditions more closely. But there is a way out of it. Just as you read above, simply go to http://oo.apple.com/ on your iOS device and you can opt out of the tracking. (Credit Geeky-Gadgets.com for this post.

What about Google

Don’t worry Android fans, you’re not left out in the cold either. Turns out the Wall Street Journal has discovered that Google is also transmitting data from the Android.

And don’t forget about the google street cars and their tomfoolery.

There is a site out there that can map the location of your wireless router via the Google Android’s Wardriving Database. I put in the mac address of my wireless router and was not surprised to find it in there with a GPS coordinate of my street. Awesome!

So now what?

Like many people out there, I was pretty pissed at Apple and Google to begin with. But at the same time, its my own damn fault, I didn’t read the Terms and Conditions like I should.

We live in a society of ever increasing intrusions into our private lives. These intrusions must be fought off in order to keep our private lives private. So my friends, opt out whenever you can and stay vigilant of new “features” that are released. Your privacy is only good if you fight to protect it.

Here is what we have in iTunes 10 which is different from all the previous versions of iTunes and all other Apple software.

Hmm, I’m not sure I like the vertical buttons. The horizontal had a lot going for them. Will this be a new trend or did someone simply try something new to see how it went.

My guess, the intern got crazy with the UI because the App Store is back to the horizontal buttons.

Its not a huge change by any means, just different and inconsistent which is a break from what we typically get from the folks at Apple.

So which do you prefer?

Verizon announced the iPhone4 for their network today.

So, will you be switching?

Personally, I’m going to be waiting a bit since I just upgraded to the iPhone4 when it was announced. When the wife and I get closer to our contracts, I have a feeling that I will be a Verizon customer. Hopefully LTE will be out by then in Des Moines.

My personal opinion, Verizon isn’t going to announce the iPhone on Tuesday. Why? Its a Verizon event. And Apple is NOT going to let Verizon announce Apple’s phone going anywhere. I just can’t see it.

I think we’ll see the iPhone announced later at MacWorld 2011. It makes more sense for Apple to announce it at their event.

What I think we’ll see is a nation wide role out of something like LTE. And then in a few weeks Steve standing up there announcing the LTE capable iPhone.

But I could be completely wrong as well. I guess we’ll wait and see.

What I like about it…

First off, it goes without saying that you have always been able to easily install software on your mac. You just had to find it. Sometimes it was through the Apple web site, but most of the time it was through word of mouth, tweets, blogs etc. It wasn’t easy.

Now, its right there in your face. Quick, simple, easy to search. And installing an app is just a few clicks and bazzinga, you’re done.

This is HUGE for mac app developers. People are already used to using iTunes and now they can search for games and apps in a centralized place built into their OS. I know, I know, others have been doing this for a while. Just look at any linux distribution. But for mac guys, this hasn’t been the case. And I don’t think Windows has this either but I would imagine that they might be toying with the idea.

Criticisms

1. Two App Stores? One in iTunes and then one in the OS itself. Its confusing as all get out. I told someone today to go to the app store and find angry birds for his Mac. He went to iTunes and was very confused as to why it stated iPhone/iPad only.
2. This annoying error:

   

   Its easily fixed by logging out of the App Store, closing it and then logging completely out of your account. Log back in and you’re good to go.

3. A “dot” release just to push the new store? Really apple? Seems like it should have been a downloadable app and not a full release to 10.6.6.

Conclusion

Over all, I think that more good will come out of this than bad. Its a rev 1 release and there are going to be a few bumps in the road. Will this lead me to discover more apps and developers out there. Absolutely. And I think that is a good thing for each and every user out there. Sure there are a few things to get cleaned up, but I think everyone is going to be very happy with this new store.

Also…you should down load the new Twitter. Its the update to tweetie that you were waiting for.

Software development isn’t about implementing every feature that a customer requests. Its about implementing what is right for the product. And a lot of times that involves cutting existing features and more time than not, simply saying no to a feature!