O'Reilly Media: Mac and iPhone

One hundred eighty degrees of freedom: signs of how open platforms are spreading

2010-02-05T08:27:04-08:10

Visualize open networks--and remember how far we've already come from the days before flat-rate long distance phone calls (much less app stores for cell phones).

Web developers can rule the iPad

2010-01-29T16:29:58-08:11

Arise, web developers! Our time has come to dominate! A lot of tech commentators seem disappointed that the iPad feels more like an evolutionary step than a revolutionary step. For one group of technologists, though, the iPad is an opportunity for revolution, to take center stage in creating experiences users will want, and even want to buy. The iPad is all about consuming content, but most of the conversation about that content has seen it in traditional silos...

Check Mate: Apple's iPad and Google's Next Move

2010-01-28T09:25:33-08:12

There is an axiom that the biggest game-changers often result from ideas that, at first blush, seem easy to dismiss. So it goes with yesterday's launch of the iPad, Apple's entry into what they call the 'third category' of device -- the middle ground that exists between smartphone and laptop. Why is the iPad (seemingly) so easy to dismiss? Well, for one, it is an evolutionary device when conventional wisdom suggests that it needs to be a revolutionary device to find a wedge into a new market. In this instance, conventional wisdom is just plain off base.

The iPad and publishers: A survey of early reaction

2010-01-27T15:59:58-08:13

Publishers have been salivating over Apple's tablet for months. Some have gone as far to label it the industry's salvation. The jury's out on that conclusion, but the iPad's arrival has certainly inspired discussion. We're using this post to capture early analysis and sort out the real publishing opportunities the iPad could create.

Four short links: 21 January 2010 - Wireless Hacks, Real Time Web, 3D Christmas, Mac Sync

2010-01-21T08:26:49-08:14

Brain Dump of Real Time Web and WebSocket -- long primer on the different technology for real-time web apps. Conclusion is that there's no silver bullet yet, so more development work is needed. This and more in today's Four Short Links.

Windows 7, Snow Leopard, or iPhone Questions? - How to Become a Power User of Your New Gadgets

2010-01-06T23:54:26-08:15

Getting a new gadget or computer is one thing. Learning how to unleash its full potential is another. So if you've got questions about Windows 7, Snow Leopard, iPhone, iPod, netbook, or digital camera, get them answered with an up-to-date, clearly-written book or ebook. And don't forget you can Buy 2 and Get 1 Free by using code OPC10 in our shopping cart.

A Few Thoughts on the Nexus One

2010-01-05T11:59:01-08:16

There will be many posts focusing on the look, feel, and features of the Nexus One, so I'm going to focus on what Android's latest incarnation says about the competitive landscape - what I've elsewhere called the war for the web. Android vs. iPhone is one important front in that "war." News from the front: a possible turning point for Android. I've been a huge iPhone fan, but after using the Nexus One for a few weeks, I find so much to like that I'm close to the point where Android might be my first choice. While I may yet go back to my iPhone, I'm conflicted.

The Google Android Rollout: Windows or Waterloo?

2010-01-05T08:26:43-08:17

Watching Google's rollout of Android to date, including this weeks announcements around the Google-branded, HTC built, Nexus One phone, I am left with two conflicting thoughts. Is it the beginning of their assent into Windows-like dominance or the fortnight of their 'Waterloo' moment?

Android Rising: O'Reilly Android Apps Gaining Ground on iPhone

2009-12-24T04:28:47-08:18

O'Reilly sells apps in both the iPhone App Store and the Android Market. Most apps (for now) are just app presentations of our ebooks, built using ereader apps popular on each platform (Stanza on iPhone, Aldiko on Android). That means many of our apps are essentially the same on each platform, so any difference in sales can be at somewhat...

David Pogue Revisits DRM Question about Ebooks

2009-12-18T08:55:15-08:19

In a blog post today, New York Times Columnist (and bestselling O'Reilly author) David Pogue responds to a reader question about DRM (he calls it "copy protection") in light of all the recent ereader buzz, and he's very honest and open about his (very natural) reaction to finding copies of his books out in the wild: "As an author myself, I, too, am terrified by the thought of piracy. I can't stand seeing my books, which are the primary source of my income, posted on all these piracy Web sites, available for anyone to download free." He then discusses sales for one of his books since we began offering it as a (DRM-free) ebook: "The thing was pirated to the skies. It's all over the Web now, ridiculously easy to download without paying... The crazy thing was, sales of the book did not fall."

Four short links: 17 December 2009 - Desirable Devices, iPhone Piracy Numbers, Internet Trend Numbers, Value of Privacy

2009-12-17T08:55:31-08:20

iPhone Piracy -- over 70% of submitted game scores for this game (Tap Fu) were from pirated copies. Having seen our data and the fact that not a single pirate bought Tap-Fu after playing it, these arguments all sound a bit delusional to me. It seems like an attempt at trying to be legitimate while hiding the real reason. They should just change their page to say "We pirate because we can". That seems to be a much more honest statement based on the data we've seen. (via timoreilly on Twitter) This and more in today's Four Short Links.

'Twas the Holiday Season in the Digital Age

2009-12-17T08:55:31-08:21

'Twas a night during the holidays, when all through the house Everyone was connecting and using their mouse. The screens were alight and holding their stares, While holiday music from iTunes loudly blared. The children were chatting and texting their friends, Searching for YouTube clips they just had to send; And Daddy with his iPhone and I with my RIM Were synching our calendars to meet at the gym.

Apps Per Seller Across the US iTunes Categories

2009-12-14T08:54:49-08:22

Measured in terms of number of unique apps, the Top 5 categories in the U.S. app store have been Games, Books, Entertainment, Travel and Utilities. But comparing categories in terms of number of apps doesn't capture the challenge of developing applications in different categories. As I noted in an earlier post, it's much easier to develop a Book app than an interactive game. One crude measure for the relative complexity of developing apps across categories is to compare the number of apps per seller.

Happy Birthday Internet!

2009-12-11T10:27:13-08:23

I love a celebration (who doesn't like cake) - especially for those who really deserve to be recognized. The Internet, as you probably know, turned 40 this month. Maybe it's the mother in me, but I would like to take a moment and reflect on how far it has come since its infancy. It's hit quite a few milestones!

Google Android: on Inevitability, the Dawn of Mobile, and the Missing Leg

2009-12-04T08:28:31-08:24

If for no other reason than the 'Anyone but Apple' crowd needs an alternative, there is an 'inevitability' meme associated with Google's Android initiative. But, is their success in the market really inevitable? Over a year after Android's launch, the jury is still out.