Tuesday, November 27, 2012

4:00 PM Alert: Order Placed

Google Wallet Logo
Google Wallet Logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The trick was to click on the proceed button non stop. Ugh! It only took me an hour. But that incessant clicking enlightenment was not achieved until the final 15 minutes or so.

But there still was a false scare. See image 2. I hope it was false. My Google Wallet page shows the order went through. Done, done and done!

But the bumper is still out of stock. Funny.

Is it really 4-5 weeks? That is past Christmas. I hope not. The wallet page says two days. Or maybe it is a two day shipping process that will start in 4-5 weeks.

I guess, Happy New Year, everyone!

3:05 PM Report: Nexus 4
3 PM Report: Nexus 4
Nexus 4 Magic Waiting To Happen
The Best Christmas Gift One Can Hope For

The 16 GB version says "Ships in 1 - 2 weeks." I should have gone for that. But I had placed a psychological barrier at the $300 mark. Google had managed to bring the price down below $300. I was not about to spoil that.

Oh, oof. A big hurdle has been crossed.





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3:05 PM Report: Nexus 4

3 PM Report: Nexus 4

Nexus 4 Magic Waiting To Happen

Nexus 4
Nexus 4 (Photo credit: sukiweb)
This feels like lining up online to get a ticket to the New York Tech MeetUp. You get there a few minutes before and hit refresh, refresh, refresh.

The Best Christmas Gift One Can Hope For

Nexus 4 selling out within minutes on November 13, I then guessed and now have determined, was a marketing gimmick. That was meant to whet the appetite. Task performed. Now gimme gimme, gimme my fone!

Nexus 4: Sold Out

I am not the kind of person who gets excited about shopping, but Nexus 4 is doing it for me.

Nexus 4: My First Smartphone

With the last Nexus phone an immediate issue was the camera was not 8 MP. With this Nexus phone the obvious issue looks like is speed. But I am not bothered. I expect to use it on Wi-Fi a lot.

Nexus 4 At $299: Really?

My next purchase is going to be the $99 Nexus 7. Make it happen, Google.

The Top Free Android Apps

What I am really, truly eager to get is the Google-Dish network: Google-Dish Wireless Service: Can't Wait.

Google’s Speedy-Seller Nexus 4 Smartphone Back In Stock In U.S. Play Store — From Noon PST Today
After A Few Days Of Use, The Google Nexus 4 Proves A Very Strong LTE Smartphone
Google’s done a great job creating an untouched Android experience in an attractive hardware package thanks to OEM partner LG .... the LTE network here is orders of magnitude faster than the standard HSPA+ 3G one. ..... The one sore spot for the Nexus 4 initially was that for some reason, being on a true 4G network disabled Google Now from refreshing. Since this is actually one of my favorite things about Android Jelly Bean, I was more than a little disappointed. Switching to 3G or Wi-Fi got it to refresh .... I’ve found that I can at least make it from morning til night with my usual usage habits, which as you might imagine can be fairly demanding. .... my experience with the Nexus 4 as an LTE device gives me plenty of hope that Google will officially support it in an update, and possible release LTE versions compatible with U.S. and international networks down the road .... a $300 smartphone this good is a triumph, but with LTE included, it’s a nearly unbeatable package.


How To Enable 4G LTE On The Google Nexus 4
the Nexus 4, Google’s latest flagship Android smartphone, supports LTE via a relatively easy software hack ..... the Nexus 4 only supports LTE on the AWS band (1700 or 2100MHz), which is currently used for LTE networks in Canada, and for some areas served by T-Mobile’s fledgling 4G network. ..... download speeds exploded, as did upload rates. ..... turns out that enabling LTE breaks Google Now’s ability to connect to the network for some reason
Google Returning Month Of December To Nexus Devices With Android 4.2.1 OTA Update


Nexus 4 Review: Not Exactly Perfect, But Close Enough For Me
the Nexus 4 feels great. ..... When you first see Android 4.2’s Gesture Keyboard in action, it’s damn near impossible not to think of the Swype keyboard. After all, the concept is identical — instead of pecking out missive with your thumbs, you sweep them across the keyboard to trace out words and phrases. I’ll admit it: it’s been a while since I’ve used anything of the sort, but I’ve been having a grand ol’ time with the gesture keyboard so far — it’s fast and fluid, not to mention a bit more accurate than I remember Swype being. I don’t know that it’ll replace my two-thumbed tapping approach, but it could (and the fact that I don’t have to jump into the settings and change keyboards is a distinct plus). ..... Multiple User Accounts .. It doesn’t exist in the phone version of Android 4.2. This needs to be addressed — I’d love to be able to hand my phone to a friend in need without secretly wondering whether or not they’ll find my stash of jaunty Cole Porter tunes. ..... the camera UI has been drastically decluttered, leaving only a big blue shutter button, a shooting mode toggle (for bounding from photos to videos to panoramas), and a shortcut for the new radial menu. ...... Low-light performance is always questionable when it comes to the sorts of small sensors seen in smartphones, but the Nexus 4 did an above-average job in keep the noise down. ..... the Nexus 4’s screen is awesome. ...... While roaming the streets of San Francisco, the Nexus 4 managed to achieve speeds that ranged between 3.8 and 14.5Mbps down, and between 1 and 2Mbps up. ...... When it came to overall day-to-day use though, the Nexus hung in there with for a full working day dashing through airports, firing off emails, and checking vainly to see if my flight had been cancelled. ..... The Nexus 4 is a device that tickles me on many levels — it’s got a class-leading spec sheet, it’s completely unlocked, and as far as devices sold without contracts go it’s pretty damned cheap. More simply put, it’s the sort of device that’s designed to kick my salivary glands into action and it certainly succeeds on that front. .... If you’re an Android enthusiast, a tinkerer, someone who hates signing multi-year contracts for high-end hardware, or just enjoy experiencing the bleeding edge, you really can’t buy this thing fast enough.
Why Android Jelly Bean 4.2′s Multiple User Account Switching Is Tablet-Only? (Hint: Nokia Patented It For Phones)
One of the coolest (and most useful) features of Google’s Android Jelly Been 4.2 update is multiple user account switching, offering up the option to have several users share access to a device, while keeping their settings and content walled off from each other. It’s something we’ve been used to on PCs forever, so it’s bound to be welcomed by Android users. ...... Everyone can have their own homescreen, background, widgets, apps and games – even individual high scores and levels! And since Android is built with multitasking at its core, it’s a snap to switch between users – no need to log in and out.
Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Has Arrived: Photo Sphere Panoramic Camera, Gesture Typing, Wireless HDTV Streaming
Android 4.2 will finally offer multiple user accounts, allowing family members to share the device while maintaining their own unique settings. And speaking of settings, Android 4.2 will have a “quick settings” section if you click the icon on the top right, allowing you to switch between user accounts, toggle Wifi and Bluetooth, adjust brightness, go into airplane mode, etc. .... the major introduction here is Photo Sphere ..... Android 4.2 will include gesture typing, a lot like Swype, letting you glide your finger over the letters instead of tap them. Google Now has also seen an update, adding cards for flight information, restaurant reservations, hotel confirmations, and shipping details.
How and why the Google Nexus 4 is so cheap
Google’s Nexus 4 is one of the cheapest flagship devices the market has ever seen. As USPs go, Google has really nailed it this time, selling a high-end flagship device at the same price-point as a mid-to-low-tier handset. ...... On paper it rates better than the Galaxy S3 – sort of. And In the hand it feels just as good. So what exactly is going on here? How can Google sell the Nexus 4, with its top of the line quad-core Qualcomm S4 Pro chipset, Android 4.2 OS, and high-res 4.8-inch display for so damn cheap? ..... the Nexus 4 is what it is: a high-end smartphone priced at a below-rock bottom price. ..... It’s simply cheaper to buy direct from Google and pick and choose which network you go with. ..... it’s not just networks that will suffer at the hands of Google’s Nexus 4. The company’s hardware partners – Samsung, HTC, Motorola, and LG – will also be affected by Google's reactive pricing. ...... Google has a sprawling business and huge levels of capital at its disposal. It also controls Android and its Play store, taking a cut of all the content that’s sold through it. ...... the advent of the Nexus 4 is likely to impact on Samsung and Amazon more than Apple. Samsung because it won’t be able to compete on price with Google and Amazon because charging so little for a phone will tempt many users over to Google and its Play store. ...... Here, the long game is the popularisation of Google’s Nexus brand – both tablets and smartphones – and its Play services – apps, movies, games, and books. ...... The mobile space is changing at an unprecedented rate with software companies venturing into hardware (Microsoft and Google) and retailers like Amazon attempting to take on Google at its own game. .... to compete with the big boys – Apple, Google, Microsoft, Amazon – you need to control everything: hardware, software, and content distribution. ...... most definitely a game-changer. It turns everything in the space on its head. No one else, including the world’s biggest phone manufacturer, Samsung, can produce a smartphone with such good specs and retail it at such a low price point. It’d be suicide. ...... Going forwards, things will never be the same again inside the Android space. It’ll be interesting to see how Google’s key partners react and how the Nexus 4 impacts on sales of handsets like Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S4 ..... The Nexus 4 could very well be the handset that turns Google’s Nexus brand mainstream. And that could spell bad news for everybody else inside the space. ..... the game has now been changed. From here on out it's going to be all about low-cost high-powered handsets and cashing in on services. Google and Amazon have wised up to this, Apple is already making a killing doing the same thing. Now the only question is where do HTC, Samsung, LG, and Motorola fit in?
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The Best Christmas Gift One Can Hope For

Nexus 4 is going to be the best selling smartphone in the history of the planet. And you will know that by January 1.


I set up an alarm for 2:55 PM New York time. Wake me up!

Monday, November 26, 2012

50 Feet Blue Ice Waves

$99 Nexus 7


What's magical about the $99 price point is that it primes it for global ubiquity.

Already Google no longer has any feature or quality disadvantages to Apple in the mobile space, either with smartphones or with tablets. Google is placed to zoom past Apple.

Google set to launch $99 Nexus tablet this quarter, report says
Asus Denies $99 Nexus 7 Tablet Rumor
Google Prepping $99 Tablet, 32GB Nexus 7
A $99 Nexus tablet could spawn a new race to the bottom, but is it possible yet?
Google rumored to debut $99 Nexus tablet in Q4 as Android tablets aim for lower price points
3 Upcoming Google Nexus Tablets Previewed, from $99 to iPad-sized
$99 Nexus tablet to enter production in December?
Google eyeing development of $99 Nexus 7 tablet
Wild Rumor: Google/Asus Prepping $99 Nexus 7 iPad Mini Killer For 2012 Release
Google's $99 Nexus Tablet Will Reportedly Launch Ahead Of The Holidays
A $99 tablet could tarnish Google's Nexus brand
A $99 Nexus 7 Rumor Is Going Around - But Don't Hold Your Breath
Is Google planning a $99 Nexus tablet?
Sales of Google's Nexus 7 tablet approach 1 million per month



The ‘Kids’ Behind IDF’s Media
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Sunday, November 25, 2012

Facebook's Sad IPO's Wide Toll

I think Facebook's sad IPO was a wakeup call to many. The mobile trend is unmistakable. But I don't think it is wise to write off the web. Mobile is hottest, true, but the best applications will be platform agnostic.





Fred Wilson: What Has Changed
VC funding of consumer web and mobile companies is down 42% in this first nine months of 2012 (vs the first nine months of 2011). ..... google, facebook/instagram, amazon, microsoft, apple, twitter, ebay, yahoo, AOL, craigslist, wordpress, linkedin together make up a huge amount of the time spent online, particularly in the english speaking world ..... tumblr and pinterest have risen a lot in the past couple years ..... the consumer is moving from desktop/web to mobile/app ..... most new consumer internet startups need to build for iOS, Android, and web at the same time ..... distribution is much harder on mobile than web and we see a lot of mobile first startups getting stuck in the transition from successful product to large user base. strong product market fit is no longer enough to get to a large user base. you need to master the "download app, use app, keep using app, put it on your home screen" flow and that is a hard one to master. ...... We are small on purpose ... We want to invest in a tiny slice of the early stage ecosystem where our thesis collides with great teams and unique and differentiated products. ...... we are seeing fundraising challenges everywhere, even in our very best portfolio companies .... it is a tougher time for early stage consumer internet companies than I have seen since the 2001-2004 time frame. And I think we are still in the early innings of this more challenging environment. ..... the wind that has been at our back for 7-8 years in consumer internet is no longer there
Wall Street Journal: VCs Still Chasing Web Companies, But With Less Cash
Overall the amount invested in consumer information services was off 42% in the first nine months as the difficulties of newly public Internet companies such as Facebook and Zynga cast doubt on the business models and valuations of social media companies.
Dave McClure: What Hasn’t Changed: The Internet Keeps Getting Bigger.
most VCs switching from consumer to enterprise are clueless about why they’re doing so ..... The number of recent internet services that have grown from nothing to hundreds of millions of users is frankly rather astonishing – Pinterest, Instagram, Groupon, Zynga – all of these took less than a few years to get to hundreds of millions of users and in some cases billions of revenue. ..... what we are seeing with the smarter funds – they’re waiting until Series A or B when companies have clear traction before they jump in, when they may require larger amounts of capital to finance growth. ...... many companies can get to break-even without raising big rounds of venture capital, and may simply choose to operate on their own cashflow, or perhaps debt-based financing. ..... monetization keeps getting better and better, and exits are getting earlier and more often. ..... as online payments and monetization improves, again we will see less need for venture capital to finance customer acquisition for successful internet businesses. ..... There will be thousands of small wins, but larger funds can’t handle the scale required to do so many small investments. Maybe we need something like the SBA small business loan equivalent, but on the the equity side
Om Malik: Who Says Startups Are Easy?
The economics of attention is much more ruthless and unforgiving than the real economic underpinning of a product. Just as it is hard for a movie to recover from a bad opening weekend, today’s “apps” lose if they don’t make a good first impression.
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