Samsung Phone Service ChatOn vs. GroupMe - Who’s the Best?

I’ve already expressed my public blog-opinion, concerning the purchase of GroupMe by Microsoft, and just a little time after we’ve got the newest news (sorry for the repeatition, but how would YOU call it?)))).

Anyway, how do you like the fact that Samsung has officially claimed the company’s short-term plans to launch a cross-platfrom chat service ChatON, which is stated to support not only Bada and Android, but the likewise famous Blackberry and iOS operating systems? I was really taken aback when I read about this, cuz it means, that Samsung has giant ambitions, in terms of becoming the top-company on the smartphone market in the nearest future.

It seems rather obvious, in this respect, that the enterprize has openly declared the soon release of ChatON now, when the largest rival, Apple has just lost one of its key-players, Steve Jobs, and Microsoft hasn’t yet offered anything, regarding its innovative products, and tends to talk much more, than to act.

With the revelation of such gigantic plans, Samsung has once again maintained its reputation of the company offering stylish and useful devices to their users, after the release of its newest Samsung Galaxy II tablet with …ughm… LOADS of apps on the board, from the updated Adobe Player and 4shared Mobile Android to convenient file-managers and all Google mobile services.

Here, the only more or less predictable event is, perhaps, the upcoming news about Google brand-new cross-platform chat service, which will include all-all-all possible default apps and features in it.

If the story is going to develop in such a way, the only logical outcome will be the reduction in the number of Microsoft users on the smartphone and tablet market to a dramatic extent, as the majority of people would prefer “Samsung”and “Google Plus Motorola” Android devices to the much less convenient Windows Mobile phones, for instance.

But, you know what, these are only predictions, and how it will happen – nobody knows yet…

We’ll see)

Stay cool)
Andy

Tablets, Tablets, Tablets….

Since the latest news about Steve Jobs Apple CEO decision to retire from his job (haha, sounds a bit funny, Mr. Jobs leaving the best of his jobs), I’ve decided to go deeper in my predictions about the development of smartphone and tablet industry, and try to figure out, who’s gonna be at the top in the nearest future.

Whereas the newly-created smartphones get more and more incredible with every new version release, the notion of tablets is rather new to the majority of consumers, a) because they’re still too expensive for an average user b) people don’t find them vitally necessary for work or entertainment (though mainly because of reason a)). Nonetheless, the popularity of iPads and other tablets is gradually growing, and the perspectives are seemingly flourishing as well. Here, the essential question is: who has chances to become the best in this field?

Of course, iPads II are now the most famous and spread among the users worldwide. And you have, probably, heard some bizarre storied about the boy in China, or Korea, who have even sold his kidney to be able to buy the device, which is crazy, but somehow seems rather plausible.

Still, as I’ve already told you, I’ve got some doubts about Apple with their newly-introduced CEO Tim Cook, simply because it’s yet hard to imagine the company’s plans after Steve (sorry, Mr.Jobs for calling you like that). In this respect, some, so-to-say, iRivals on the market have a possibility to maintain and improve their positions in the times of intense, or better to say, harsh competition.

Who are they?

It’s true, that every reputable software company has already started developing their own versions of Apple tablet, which would be likewise stylish, and yet, likewise multifunctional. However, till now, Samsung has, perhaps, become the only company to create the device, which can compete with famous Apple gadgets.

In particular, they have lately released the new dual-core Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, a modified and upgraded tablet with the larger screen and great number of default programs and apps included. Among these, the most useful are, from my point of view, Google Mobile Services, the new version of Adobe Flash Player, and the default 4shared Mobile for Android app, which seems to be essentially important for people, like me, needing much space for all files, like music, photos, and docs.

Although, I haven’t tried the new, as they claim, miraclous tablet by Samsung yet, I guess, it can really be called a decent competitor for iPad II, due to its functionality and look, in the first place.

Hopefully, more and more useful apps, will be also presented to us soon, but….

…we’ll see.


Stay cool)
Andy

Steve Jobs and Apple – The End?

Have you heard the news? Well, if not, I’ll tell you now: Steve Jobs Apple CEO has officially declared his retirement from the company.

I’d say, it’s a disaster, but it’s seemingly even worse.

Why so? For those, who don’t remember how it all ended the last time Mr.Jobs left Apple for some time, I’ll remind you. Those were the times, when the company’s sales dropped to a considerable extent, and the doubts about the cloudless future of iProducts first appered among the experts.

What’s now?

Even though, Microsoft is desperately trying to get to the top of users’ popularity ratings, its chances to beat Google are vaguer, than ever, as the latter is always several steps ahead (with its Google+ and Motorola Mobility purchase).

As for the perspectives of Apple on the market, I can’t even say, what my predictions are, as there’s, certainly, a possibility that the new CEO Tim Cook will be as talended, as his forerunner, but Steve Jobs is, undoubtedly, much more, than just a talented man. His charisma has become one of the key-factors in creating Apple’s image of the most innovative company in the world. It’s much due to his efforts, that the enterprise has become the most expensive one in the industry now.

It’s almost the same as with Mark Zuckerberg being the embodiment of Facebook, or Einstein’s being the best of the best in Theory of Relativity.

Anyway, guess the retirement of Steve Jobs is the beginning of the end of the personalized companies’ era. It will, probably, become more usual in future, that the software rivals will not be associated with epic people, but rather with epicly essential services, they provide us with, like the security of our digital data, the convenience of apps’ and gadgets’ usage.

Even for now, do we know, who the head of Motorola Mobility is? - No. Do we know the owners of grandees on the free file-sharing market, like RapidShare, 4shared or MegaUpload? - No. Though, it goes without saying that their CEOs are not less talented, than Mr.Jobs, for instance.


Yes, it’s the end of the era, guys. Hopefully, the new epoche won’t be disappointing for us, the software users.


We’ll see.

Stay cool)
Andy

More Deals, More Sells, More Rumours: Skype+ GroupMe

Rumour has it…Well, not actually the rumour, but some of the popular news sources have begun speaking of another essential purchase on the softmarket.

Namely, one of the huge competitors in the modern software industry, Microsoft, or, better to say, one of its newly-bought enteprizes, Skype, has officially released the news about its purchase of GroupMe for around $80 million.

For those, who haven’t yet heard of GroupMe, the service enables you to chat with people via sms on your mobile phone or just from your PC and use the conference calling option, without a need to add others to the chat everytime, you wish to send an sms to everybody from the particularly created group.

Although, the analytics admit, that the purchase of GroupMe will definitely be helpful in the maintainance Microsoft’s position in the relative field of the market, I’ve got some doubts about that.

I haven’t been using GroupMe myself, though I’ve tried it, having heard the news about the deal, and, to be honest, the service is simple, and, all in all, fun. Yet, I really couldn’t find any super-advantageous features, if compared to Skype itself, and it seems quite vague, that GroupMe is really as useful for a person, as the data backup with versatile sync apps, like 4shared Sync, or SugarSync, for instance.

The conference calling option, as an example, is available in all modern smartphones, so you don’t, actually, need any additional app or service to talk to several people on the phone simultaneously, and Skype chat room isn’t a brand-new function either.

Of course, my opinion won’t be shared by GroupMe fans, or, perhaps, some experts, who predict the flourishing future for this services integration, but something tells me, that the purchase of Motorola Mobility is much more important and promising, than this one.

If I were asked, I’d say, that Microsoft should also develop the independent software fields within its businesses, like the development of mobile applications not for Windows Mobile only, but for other OS’s as well, provide their users with access to file-sharing sites, like RapidShare, or 4shared, for example, and create various apps to stream video and music, and other essential accessoires for people, who need to have high-quality services at hand, not just chat with their friends.

Otherwise, the giant won’t handle the comptetion with its rivals, I’m sure of that.

But, as usual, we’ll see.

Stay cool
Andy

Microsoft plus Skype, Google plus Motorola - Who's gonna be next?

This year is, undoubtedly, impressive, in terms of huge deals on the software market. So impressive, that it’s hard to imagine, what company is gonna be sold next.

After Microsoft had purchased Skype, I was ready to react normally towards any other massive deal, no matter what the future one might be about. And yet, the recent news about Google buying Motorola Mobility was more, than shocking, and I guess I wasn’t the only one taken aback, having heard it.

It’s true that current competition between the major rivals in the industry is getting gradually intense these days, and it’s hard to tell, who’s gonna reach the top of popularity among the users, especially concerning the fact, that most people are now searching not only for the best-quality services, but a sort of uniqueness in every program, application or device, they’re ready to buy.

In this respect, my shock about the purchase of Motorola Mobility by Google isn’t really justified, ‘cause the smartphone market is, probably, the most demanded and appealing one today. Here, according to Google speakers:

"the current number of Android phones is about 150 million items with more, than 500,000 of them being bought each day"

... so the perspectives of developing Android mobile devices are seemingly more, than flourishing.

What to expect?

Undoubtedly, Microsoft will continue putting huge efforts in trying to beat their competitors with the new modified versions of their Windows Mobile, whereas Apple will, perhaps, get to creating the thinnest (or even almost invisible, haha)) or the elastic iPhones. As for Android-based smartphones, the plans are much more variable. Even though Motorola has lately faced some financial problems in their business, they have managed to develop and improve Android OS to a crazy extent, and with all the Google mobile powers and tools, now available for the former Motorola Mobility, I’ve got no doubt, that the Android smartphones have all chances to become the users’ favorites in the nearest future. Not only will they have the most innovative inserted mobile Google gadgets, but, probably, the stunning designs as well to become the perfect devices for people, searching for fashionable multifunctional items.

Being an Android fan myself, I hope that the further development of the OS will lead to creating even more useful and bright applications from the grandees, offering the best Android apps 2011, like Dolphin, Andry Birds, 4shared (both Mobile and 4shared Music), Forsquare, or Evernote, for instance, and others.

Anyway, as always, we’ll see, how it will work.


Stay cool, guys)
Andy

In Search of Perfect Free File-Sharing: Win vs. Fail

As I was always saying, it’s the file-hosting and file-sharing sites turn out to solve the problem with storing your info, it’s true, and that’s, probably, the major reason, why I’m still in a constant search of what might be called the perfect service.

You, probably, wonder about the features, which the “perfect” file-sharing service should possess. Well, these are: its being free, large amount of storage space, data security and convenience in usage. Of course, the more additional features the file-sharing site will have, the better, but the mentioned core 4 aspects are ultimately important.

To be honest, I have already tried a great number of, as they call them, cloud storages, like Dropbox, SugarSync, 4shared.com, etc. and till recently I’ve been confident that no one can beat 4shared in terms of its simplicity in usage and the provided free storage space.

Yet, during one of the latest surf-sessions on the Web, I’ve encountered another file-storage service, namely Box.net, which claims to offer each free user the whole 50GB space for various files. Was I shocked? Hell yeah, that seemed to be a real treasure to find!!

I rushed to try Box.net, became a registered user and was almost ready to start uploading all my essential files there, when I found a little remark, which has, unfortunately, become a huge disappointment. The thing was that despite the advantageous 50GB, available to free users, the service doesn’t provide you with high-level security of your stored data, if you don’t buy Premium. Gee, why to save anything at your account in such a case? If I wanted to risk my files, I wouldn’t even bother to keep them at a remote file-hosting site.

It’s hard to say anything else, except for the fact, that so far 4shared is still at the top of my rating, with its 15GB free storage space, offered anti-virus protection of all files and the easy-to-use multifunctional interface.

At least there’s one option, but why not give us more, ha?


Stay aware, stay cool, guys)

Andy

A bit about My Mobile Memory and Free File-Hosting

Ugh, it’s been almost 2 weeks, since I’ve written my last post, guys, and I’m so-so-so sorry for being an ass and leave you for such a long time.

Of course, as always, I’ve got a good excuse. I’ve had the best vacation in my life, all spent at one of the most amazing seashores in the whole world. For those, who are interested in where exactly I’ve been, I can reveal this secret, Cuba, Cuba, Cuba.

Whereas my friends are now watching the craziest photos in my camera and tasting the cigars, that I’ve brought them, I have some time to share if not the review, but a sort of my attitude to one of the points in the magical digital world of software.

To be honest with you, guys, it’s been a long time, since I’ve become the owner of an Android smartphone, yet, I’ve always been worried that the amount of storage space in it will never be enough for me, and the next photo, which I’m gonna take, will definitely become the last one on my memory card, or even, that I’ll have to delete some of the photos before saving this one. Well, not this exact one, of course, as this very one, the potential photo-masterpiece is so unique, that it’s just impossible to capture something, likewise amazing.

I used to count Megabytes left in my phone memory and my memory card space for quite a while, before I realized it couldn’t last longer, or better to say, it shouldn’t last longer.

That was the day when I’ve come across the file-hosting services to keep files and hand and access them anywhere without a necessity to store them on my Android phone.

For what it takes, since the very first acquaintance, I’ve tried a great deal of various file-hosting sites, from MegaUpload and RapidShare to 4shared and Turbobit, for instance.

All of them, surely, have their own benefits (though 15GB space from 4shared is more, than good for a lame free user, like me, who’d rather kill himself, than pay for a service))).

Yet, I was pleasantly surprised, when I’ve found a featured 4shared app for my Android phone. Really, at first it seemed, like a very good joke, that I no longer had to open my browser, enter the addresses and log in again and again to use my account at a file-hosting site. But having downloaded the app, oh, btw, I forgot to tell you what it’s called, 4shared Mobile Android, I’ve found that it’s just a good way to get to your files without unnecessary efforts.

Till now, I’ve just got one more folder in my Android phone, though this folder is, probably, larger, than all my other folders, which I used to have in the past.

Anyway, again, it’s none of my business, of course, but can you imagine, how convenient it would be, if all competitors on the market followed this good example of 4shared?


Stay tuned, guys
Andy