iPhone 5. Major Win vs. Huge Disappointment

To tell the truth, it isn’t a surprise now that Apple Inc. remains in the public focus all the time, and any news or rumours, regarding the company’s products, are spread in a glimpse of an eye and further widely-discussed among users and IT experts.

Logically, the announced presentation of iPhone 5 on September, 12 has been a long-expected event for analysts and numerous admirers in different parts of the world. In fact, the promising release was somewhat a potentially miraculous device for everybody, no matter if a person is already acquainted with iPhones or not. And there you go, or better to say, there you have it, but what are the impressions?

Truth be told, I hoped for more. Back in the times when we just got the 4S version, iPhone 5 was like a future unattainable treasure for the majority of people, yet what they have eventually received appears to be nothing but an updated variation, but not the treasure, after all. 

The brand-new iPhone 5 has become a bit thinner, a bit narrower and a bit prolonged. It also features upgraded camera and screen peculiarities and has a lot to offer in terms of other functional aspects. Yet, is it a really revolutionary smartphone? It’s seemingly doubtful.

For what it takes, Apple has always been one step ahead both in exceeding our expectations and the opposing products. Nonetheless, the situation has, unfortunately, altered after Tim Cook had become in charge in the company. It’s not that he is a bad manager, it’s not even about  iPhone 5 being a bad device, but having witnessed so many inconceivable devices from the brand in the past, nothing but another miracle is suitable.

Yes, we are, perhaps, too fastidious, too picky, too demanding, but that’s, probably, the only logical evolution of consumer community, which can’t but happen with time. We all crave for the high-quality services, devices and products, so it won’t be a problem to move from iOS to Android in the same way like many of us have already moved from Dropbox to a more beneficial app 4Sync, for instance. Yes, we are picky, but what is even more crucial is that we deserve to have our opinion valued and appreciated.

Stay cool)

Andyc

Hackathon Reveals Numerous Talents. Meet MemStash

Without any doubt, TechCrunch Disrupt event can be named one of the most essential tech-related events of the year. Launched in San Francisco this time, the conference has gathered numerous IT specialists, including the more experienced experts and real newbies as well.

Along with the exhibition part, comprising creative presentations of young businesses, like the cloud ice cream treats from 4Sync, a great deal of fascinating things have also happened at Hackathon. The competition has unveiled multiple startup talents, among which MemStash Project plays one of the most prominent parts. 

The essence of MemStash is as simple as one can only imagine, as the app is designed to help people memorize stuff. At the same time, the innovative part is related to the ways, in which you are supposed to learn. In particular, the core principle of the service is developed on the basis of repetitive approach, so when you bookmark a certain part of text that you need to memorize, it’ll send you this piece via sms and e-mail, until you finally learn it.

Certainly, MemStash may be considered quite bothersome or even irritating by some people, but the main reason to try the app is that it’s really effective, no matter what the skeptics might claim. Like it or not, but you can’t help memorizing the foreign words, poems, telephone numbers or people’s faces, if you see them for multiple times and on the regular basis.

As MemStash authors state, the current app mode is only the beginning, and they’re planning to further upgrade it in the nearest future. As long as they remain as persistent as they are now, the chances to succeed are very high.

Startups’ Future Gets Brighter with AngelList Docs

It’s hard to argue with the fact that the introduction of crowdfunding and seed funding has opened a brand-new page in the IT world, where it’s far easier and quicker to start and develop your young business.

In fact, it’s really due to seed and crowdfunding, which has made it possible to realize creative ideas and further develop them, as long as you’ve got a convincing business plan for potential investors.

At the same time, it hasn’t been till now, that the actual results of successful deals (read: large money transactions) could be also conducted online within a resource, having brought investors and startup authors together. Well, the situation is likely to change for better, now that one of the major players in the niche AngelList introduces its Docs.

The essence of the project is absolutely simple: as long as the startup appears to have gathered sufficient amount of investors’ money, the deal can be so to say closed in the online mode. As soon as all required details (e.g. list of investors, total sum of money, etc.) are provided, AngelList Docs will create the term sheets and other agreement documents 100% automatically.

Not only the fresh project allows to spare time and efforts with the preparation of the mentioned papers, but as AngelList representatives claim, it will also enable to curtail formerly obligatory legal fees that are sometimes way too high to handle.

In a whole, with a great deal of rivals, including KickStarter and Y Combinator, for instance, that are today rapidly upgrading both the range and the quality of their services, Docs is what can really bring AngelList to the top of popularity among investors and, surely, startup creators as well.

Therefore, if you’re just thinking of founding your own business, it’d be helpful at least to check what Docs make possible for you to do, but only after you attend TechCrunch Disrupt 2012, SF.

That’s so as such a large-scale conference will open up a great deal of opportunities for startup authors, regarding their communication with other young, yet already successful IT companies and influential investors. As for “learning about others’ success part”, I’ve read that 4Sync will even be serving their special cloud ice-cream at the event, for example, so you will also have a chance to satisfy your physical, not just intellectual hunger.

Don’t miss your chance to take a step forward!

Oh, and stay cool)

Andy

Google Drive – Expectations vs. Reality

It has finally happened; Google has officially launched its syncing service, Google Drive, which had been announced almost half a year earlier. Shortly after the release of GDrive, as it’s frequently called now, its features have been already described in details by a great deal of online tech portals.

With such a wide PR campaign in the media, GDrive should be not less, than a masterpiece, as one may think, right? At least, it should include incredible advantages in comparison with other services on the market. Yet...well, it’s doesn’t.

It would be inappropriate, or I even dare say wrong to state that Google Drive is full of drawbacks or is inferior to what the users have been offered by other IT companies before. The quality of the service is absolutely sufficient for usage, whereas the syncing speed can satisfy the preferences of an average user.

Moreover, what is also beneficial about GDrive is the total security of your data, supposedly guaranteed by the fact that Google is such a reputable corporation, that it just can’t possibly fail in keeping your files safe.

At the same time, there isn’t anything state-of-the art in the service, as many experts admit. It’s good, but it doesn’t have anything special to overcome the rivals. You only get 5GB for free, whereas the users of 4Sync still receive the whole 15GB of free space. It enables you to upgrade for a 25GB or a 100GB or even a 1TB package for a relatively small sum of money (only a $2,49 monthly fee for 15GB, for instance), but yet you have got to pay to expand your storage space.

It is surely crystal clear that you can’t but face the necessity to purchase a certain product, especially if it’s an exquisite one, but would you pay for a product, which can be got for free?

That is the question. 

Stay cool)

Andy

OwnCloud – Peculiarities and Perspectives

Of course, the present-day diversity of cloud storage opportunities and the current number of versatile syncing services have already reached truly outrageous heights.

Well, apparently, the vast range of choice hasn’t scared fresh players in the field, as we have already been introduced the new cloud storage and syncing service ownCloud, which is, similarly aimed at making our life more convenient and enables to get quicker access to our data and synchronize the most essential stuff between our devices.

Pros

The benefits of ownCloud, in particular, are crystal clear. To start with, the solution is available for all platforms in customized formats; therefore you can select the most convenient one for you. Moreover, it is really multifunctional and enables you to upload, download, sync and share any of your files in a few clicks.

In addition to that, the interface is rather plain in design, which proves the point that usability is prior. The commercial solutions acquire the brighter UI pecualities, which have been, perhaps, added to make them more attractive to buyers. 

Cons

Undoubtedly, ownCloud isn’t perfect at all, much because it possesses one essential flaw. The thing is that you won’t be able to use it, unless you’re a pro user: to start working with ownCloud you should at first download .tar.bz2 package and be aware of how to use it further. The whole range of opened possibilities can hardly be understood by people, who aren’t used to programming, working with mySQL databases, PHP, etc., for instance. Therefore, the community of devoted fans of the service won’t probably include such a vast number of people, like the famous 4Sync has got, for example.

Besides, the free ownCloud enables you to get only 7GB of storage space, so the whole free 15GB from 4Sync are yet unbeatable. I heard the news about Dropbox offering simpler ways to get more free space, but as it turns out, these likewise presuppose sending invites to others. It’s really irritating, to be honest.

In a whole, what is unique about ownCloud is that it might be one more useful option at programmers’ disposal, yet, not the best variant for common usage, of course.

Stay cool)

Andy

FB Timeline & Twistory: Everything about Log History

Do you know what Timelines Are? I bet you do, but just in case – these are the brief story outlines of a certain brand, company, business, or virtually anything else. Do you often take a look at the companies’ timelines? Well, I do. At least, as far as I’m interested in the story of a success or the paste, in which the success has become a reality.

In fact, timelines are definitely beneficial both for your general vision and knowledge and your personal experience (you might turn out to implement some of the useful moves, who knows).

At the same time, notion of the log history is pretty much the same as the timeline for the company, but it mainly concerns your usage of a certain service: what you’ve done and when you’ve done it. Here, we’re more, than acquainted with checking log history in syncing our files (I double check if I’ve synced my data with 4Sync, for instance, not to miss anything essential), and even our “Sent” box in Gmail, or any other e-mail service to make sure, that all important letters have been definitely written and, what is more, sent.

As for now, the time has, perhaps, come for the social networks to upgrade their log history options to a certain extent. At least, this is the only obvious conclusion that can be made when you’re offered to try the “Timeline” feature at FB, or check the Twistory app in guess where…. Twitter.

In this respect, whereas FB Timeline hasn’t impressed me much in terms of its functionality (the only innovation is the background pic you can upload, and the more chaotic structure of your Profile page); Twistory founders have moved forward, as the app supports Google Calendar and the user’s Twitter log history can be exported, if needed.

Moreover, creative and, at the same time, adventurous Twistory founders even offer both free and prepaid app modes, the former enabling you to save only 30-day Twitlog history.

In a whole, God knows, if social networking modified log history features are useful enough to pay so much attention to their upgrade. The only benefit I might find in them is keeping the sites’ design attractive (FB Timeline) at least and offering us ONE MORE way (Twistory) (in addition to N ways)to check and backup our social media activity.


Stay cool)
Andy

To Say Sorry, To Conratulate and To Observe ShopCade

I’ve been busy, guys; I’ve really been busy, though I know that any justification of my absense for some time isn’t suitable enough.

For now, I can only say I’m sorry and one more thing: now I’m married, officially, so looking forward to getting some congrats from your side, both live and online!))

If talking seriously, there have passed a number of serious events while I was gone, like The Europas 2011 Winner Announcement, for instance, by the way, for those who haven’t heard of it yet, the startup that has won Grand Prix is PeerIndex (the sort of analogue of GroSocial or somewhat like this), and this fact can easily be used as one more confirmation of various social services having now become insanely popular…and profitable.

Yet, I would now like to speak of another new site that has also much in common with social media networks and is aimed at your earning due to being more active and “persistent” – that is ShopCade.

To start with, let me explain the actual idea, how ShopCade platform works: you check the relative online store app on Facebook, purchase the goods, and also share/recommend what you’ve bought with your friends, of course, in case, you wish to earn some money.

That’s basically it, the more your recommended goods are purchased, the more you can earn, as in every affiliate program.

Is ShopCade useful?

Well, as with every affiliate program, like the ones, you’ve all perhaps participated in (namely, AdSense, or, mm some of them from file-sharing sites, like RapidShare or FileTram Affiliate Program, etc.), it’s not really hard to make some cash.

Is ShopCade the good source of income?

I wouldn’t be so sure, really. I mean, if you were given the rewards for clicks, it could become a good way to make money, but you need your friends to buy, and this turns out to be not as frequent, as it may seem. So, it can only serve as a bonus, not the main salary.

Is ShopCade annoying?

Oh, yes, yes, it is. I’ve already spent hours speaking of how disturbing it is to be spammed by your friends. On the one hand, you realize that they wouldn’t spam you in vain; they just don’t have another choice.

On the other hand, you simply start loathing the services, which make the good people spammers.

Such irritation would prevent me from using the services of such kind. So, even if Dropbox ovecome 4Sync or SugarSync one day (though I doubt that))), for example, I wouldn’t use it anyway. The service which shows no respect to its users, deserve no respect.


Ok, I’m heading to have lunch with my wife now. C ya soon, guys, I’ve missed you.

Stay cool)
Andy

Dropbox Updates Make You Laugh

As a prologue to this post, I’d like to say that I can’t stop laughing at the whole “11.11.11” fever and still can’t really get, why people worldwide go crazy about all this number-stuff. Are really such dates memorable? Perhaps, they are, but only if something memorable happens during the day, am I right? What if you’ve got your 1st child born on November, 10, 2011? Would you even pay attention to 11.11.11? Guess, not.

Conclusion: it’s not the date or time, which matters, it’s rather about the events or people who make you value this or that day.

Well, that was just a laughing user’s remark.

Now let’s get to more serious things, which yet can make you laugh even more. In particular, I’m talking about the recently watched interview of Dropbox CEO Mr. Houston, who was talking of completely useless things with the most serious face ever.

For the record, I’m not aiming to insult anyone, especially Mr. Houston, I’m sure that he’s a smart man and a highly-qualified specialist in his field. Though, his above-mentioned interview can evoke nothing, but laughing from my side, really.

The thing is that Mr. Houston was speaking about the upcoming Dropbox updates and dared to state that the service is not about the files in the first place anymore, as it gonna become much more in the nearest future.

I certainly agree with the fact that the upgrades are more, than necessary in every service, if the company’s interested in maintaining its reputation and revenue. Nevertheless, in the case with Dropbox updates, they should be really useful.

And saying that the backup service shouldn’t be a folder also sounds a bit confusing. I’ve always been a sort of a naiive person believing that the most important things in syncing and backing up your files (see, I still use the word “files”))) are the simplicity and security. The way you use your sync folder should be as effortless as it’s only possible. In this respect, the more side features are being added, the more the syncing process gets complicated. Consequently, the user appears to be offered too much, when only the core essence is needed.

As an example, ok, Dropbox promises adding your FB friends’ tagging in the synced photos, but do I really need them? Hell no, synchronization is all about getting access to your data whenever your need the files, no matter which computer you’re using. What does FB tagging have to do with it?

May be if I were a lazy teen, and was bored enough to check what my friends are syncing at THIS VERY MOMENT, or where some of my pals has taken a certain synced pic, I’d care about such an update, but Thanks God, being an adult you have more serious and essential things to do.

As P.S. Dear Mr. Houston, I get that you’ve probably got no idea about this blog, but if you find this post somehow, please, oh, please, take a look around. Some of your rivals, like the authors of 4Sync, for instance, have done their homework, and the updates of their new version are much more valuable. They have made their service work better, faster and in a more secure way without adding some unnecessary functions. There should come the time, when others’ experience, like the one from 4Sync, should be taken into account, don’t you think?

Many Files - Will Greplin Help?

I’m absolutely sure of the fact that the amount of information we’re grabbing daily is not just stunning, it seems really unimaginary sometimes. And how can it even be possible at least to remember, where exactly we’ve decided to save this or that file of ours?

File synchronization may become one of the ways out, on the one hand, and this niche has been already filled with numerous competitors, many of which really know what they’ve own their popularity for. Well, if you’ve been reading my blog, you probably know about my personal favorite 4Sync)))

Let’s now check another possible method to get all your data together and keep it at one place, I’m not talking about file-sharing sites, like RapidShare or 4shared, though the latter provides much storage space for free. I’m rather talking of specific services gathering your files from everywhere, every site you’re using, including your Google Docs, LinkedIn account, etc.

This market field is now pretty much empty, yet I now for sure about one decent representative – it’s Greplin. In case you’ve never heard of it (which is weird, but whatever))), the service gathers your files from different sites, so you can access them in a simpler way. Moreover, Greplin has already introduced the new convenient feature, which enables to find the needed file even without remembering its exact name just by entering any keyword, which will definitely occur in the file you’re looking for. Nice, ha?

Of course, Greplin is nice. But there’re as always the particular flaws you can find. First of all, the service hasn’t actually been modified to gather your files from your accounts at file-sharing sites and those documents or anything else, which you simply store on other computers can’t be accessed via Greplin. So, basically, you should combine using your syncing, file-sharing services with Greplin to be have all your data at hand. That’s a bit confusing, don’t you think?

Ugh, for now we can only dream of things becoming easier in usage, what if the file-sharing grandees introduced their own inside ‘gathering’ feature? At least one less site to use…

Let’s see who’s gonna be the smart one here? 4shared, MegaUpload, or…?


Stay cool)
Andy

Minus.com - What's about it?

Undoubtedly, the number of latest software news and releases are truly stunning in terms of innovations and the opening opportunities in front of both software companies and us, users.

Although there sometimes happen the unexpected encounters, which might not even be new, but rather interesting. In particular, I’m now talking about another syncing service, Minus.com, which I’ve somehow missed to write about before.

To start with, the app looks pretty consise and reserved in the design, though is claimed to be multifunctional and, what is essential, presents you with 10 GB space for files. I won’t describe the whole testing process of the app, but will just try to point out the so to say pros and cons of it.

As a very positive-thinking person (yeah, that’s who I am, lol)) I’ll start with the advantageous or at least seemingly advantageous points of Minus file synchronization software:

1. Plain interface.
2. 10 GB free space.
3. Mobile and desktop apps included.
4. Simple registration.

I’ll leave the promised multifunctionality of Minus as a separate point as it’s on the one hand really tempting, but on the other hand, it seems too sweet-good, so I kinda felt like a fool when I was testing the app.

Now further on to so-called cons of Minus:

1. The annoying part with being a spammer to get more storage space. I really don’t get it, how it may be absolutely normal to get 15GB with 4Sync and be forced to invite everyone to get somewhat 1GB more with Minus, or even less with Drobox.

It’s humiliating and irritating, guys!

2. Limitations in the number of files in 1 folder.

Minus won’t allow you to store more, than 100 files in 1 folder. How come? Is it so hard to fix this? I dunno.

3. If compared to 4Sync, for instance, Minus app is heavier, and is 5,1 MB in size.

4. This flaw may not be considered a flaw by many people. Yet, I’ll put this feature here in the list of disadvantages. It’s the users’ ability to “turn on/off the lights” to change the background and font color of the Minus site))))))))

Truth be told, of course, if I were a blond gel I’d probably be delighted to use this function for thousands of times during each session, just for fun. But I’m not one, and frankly, I don’t really get why the mentioned blond gel would ever need to use a syncing service of this size. No offence, ladies.

Basically, this is it, as far as Minus.com is concerned.

Stay cool)
Andy