The mobile devices of tomorrow will be shapeshifters, and experimentation in the design space will make them a reality. Morphees are prototype devices that incorporate smart materials and can morph into different shapes. Read more »
The latest GigaOM Research podcast examines the value of BYOD in enterprises and how companies can address security, privacy, and the latest technologies. Read more »
Delivering and managing the web experience isn’t just about mobile. Companies are also faced with new challenges in the desktop environment, including browser fragmentation, network evolution, and client-side technologies. They must invest in both the desktop environment as well as to create an optimized experience for mobile. Read more »
The usability of Microsoft Windows 8 on a tablet is so bad that one expert says he’s sticking with Windows 7 until Windows 9 arrives. After using the Surface RT, I understand, but the real issue is lumping together an OS for tablets and PCs. Read more »
Zoomdata has a plan for business intelligence that involves tacking the difficult problem of streaming data, and doing so with a mobile-device-first mindset. The result is pretty and compelling in theory, but it’s technologically challenging and will face tough competition from new and old vendors alike. Read more »
What this proposed new standard could do for or to the mobile industry is nothing short of monumental, says Erik Lagerway, cofounder of Hookflash. In the wake of WebRTC, the usual suspects will struggle to find a lifeboat while some faster-movers will rise to the occasion. Read more »
As the volume of connected devices increases, so too will the probability of hackers targeting these systems to exploit networks, steal data, hijack systems, and compromise workflows. Security specialists recognize the potential risks and are already developing technologies and methodologies for hardening M2M systems from attack. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Some of the largest companies in the world use Tenable Network Security’s vulnerability-management software, and now the company has a $50 million investment from Accel Partners. Between its voluminous vulnerability database and its ability to track mobile devices, Tenable thinks it’s poised to grow even more. Read more »
Hey, mobile developers, have you ever wondered where users are when they interact with your apps — like down to the level of whether they’re in a Starbucks or the McDonald’s right across the street? A startup called Placed can tell you so you can act accordingly. Read more »
The Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) movement has gained unstoppable momentum. And thanks to the burgeoning mobile app market, employees have high expectations for these tools. According to Matt McLarty of Layer 7 Technologies, companies need to invest in building apps, period. Read more »
Nine days after monologist Mike Daisey was exposed as a fabulist, a man who manufactured personal stories about Apple’s supply chain in China in hopes of selling a message and theater tickets, he finally apologized for his actions. He once again left out a key detail. Read more »
Cloud computing, mobile computing and the consumerization of IT are changing the game for IT departments. Section one of our three-part report describes and quantifies each of these trends, demonstrating that they are real now, growing rapidly and perilous to ignore. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Join us Wednesday morning as we live blog Apple’s iPad event in San Francisco starting at 10 a.m. We will kick things off here at around 9:30 a.m. PT, so be sure to bookmark this page and come back then. Read more »
In 2012, the next big thing will be what we do with iPads in the office. Here are a few interesting iPad apps that give us new ways to gather, absorb and manipulate data necessary to get our jobs done. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
The New York Post claims that Apple plans to launch a new streaming TV service this year. But take a closer look at the supporting evidence, and it doesn’t seem like Apple is actually trying to create its own bundle of video channels at all. Read more »
We know consumerization is eating away at the dominance of PCs, but Forrester Research has released fresh numbers on the phenomenon. The results are bad news for Microsoft, with Forrester finding one-third of work devices are non-Microsoft and a quarter mobile. Read more »
With its new iOS app, Clear, Realmac Software has taken the “less is more” axiom to its ultimate conclusion. Fjord’s Alfred Lui and Aynne Valencia explain why we’ll soon see more of this stripped-down approach to interface design, thanks to three big industry trends. Read more »
It’s no secret I like large-screened phones and 7-inch tablets. Although I own an iPhone, I use my 4.65-inch Galaxy Nexus far more often. The same goes for my Galaxy Tab 7.7 as compared to my iPad 2. Why? I’m a two-handed phone user. Are you? Read more »
Mobile usage is the fastest-growing part of LinkedIn’s business, but it’s not a big revenue driver — yet. That could soon change, as LinkedIn plans to test out advertising across mobile devices, now that it has gotten the product and user experience right on those platforms. Read more »
As the world goes mobile, it’s prompting a boom in mobile advertising, which is poised for a huge year in 2012. The winners include companies such as Nexage, a real-time bidding exchange provider which told me that it hit 100 billion ad requests today. Read more »
In its IPO filing Facebook mentions the word “mobile” 123 times but didn’t use the term in positive ways. In fact, Facebook’s S-1 filing is one big warning to investors: Its growth is being driven by user behavior that it has so far failed to monetize. Read more »
The most highly anticipated initial public offering in today’s tech world is officially happening. Facebook filed S-1 documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission Wednesday afternoon to raise a maximum of $5 billion. According to the filing, Facebook made $3.7 billion in revenue in 2011. Read more »
The biggest manufacturers of electronic devices spent more in total on wireless chips than on standard computer chips last year, according to a new report. Device makers spent $58.6 billion on chips for wireless devices, compared to $53.7 billion on chips for desktops and notebook PCs. Read more »
IBM is stepping up its mobile profile, buying up Israeli mobile app provider Worklight and releasing a new device management tool for enterprise customers. The moves help IBM capitalize on the push toward mobile by enterprises as they manage an exploding number of devices and apps. Read more »
If you’re like many of us, you’re already thinking over some New Year’s resolutions that will make you a better “you” in 2012. But how are the tech industries’ thought leaders approaching the new year? We asked 12 of them for their resolutions. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Today Spool is mostly being used to bookmark and sync content that you want to consume later across multiple devices. But there is an opportunity for it to go beyond managing interesting content and enable its users to share content with relevant groups. Read more »
Apple spent the most on semiconductors in 2011, beating out Samsung and HP to take the crown. HP dropped from the top spot, thanks to overall weakness in the PC market, while Apple soared upward on the rising tide of smartphones, tablets and the MacBook Air. Read more »
Toronto-based Polar Mobile, which provides a digital media distribution platform powering the apps of some of the biggest media companies in the world, including Conde Nast, Sports Illustrated and The Wall Street Journal, announced a new $6 million funding round on Monday. Read more »
Yes, it’s possible for IT departments to manage the consumerization of IT without stopping it. Huddle’s Andy McLoughlin offers a simple approach that allows corporate IT departments the flexibility to give employees choices about mobile devices and the control to ensure that networks are safe. Read more »
In just a short time, modern tablets have become potent shopping tools that generate an outsize effect on online commerce. 2011 was the year that the tablet became an online retailer’s best friend as it emerged as the preferred device for many shoppers to make purchases. Read more »
Apple has apparently re-introduced code references to Facebook integration to the most recent iOS 5.1 beta that were once present in pre-release software but later removed. It doesn’t mean we’ll necessarily see Apple include Facebook sign-in at the system level, like it’s done with Twitter, but it definitely makes it more likely than before. Read more »
Got an old netbook? For a $225 Kickstarter pledge, you can turn a netbook into a telepresence robot, remotely controlling it over from a web browser or a smartphone. Over a web connection, you could even use the Oculus robot to speak with remote workers. Read more »
Is the PC “dead”? Of course not, but if you don’t see the trend moving away from local / desktop computing and towards mobile / cloud computing, you’re missing the sales figures for each market: Nearly 50 percent of recent device sales are mobile. Read more »
There’s a trend building, and it’s not good for the PC industry. It’s not tablet and smartphone growth — although that’s part of the trend — but virtualization on mobile devices. This allows remote PC access from a tablet, for example, and could hurt already slowing PC sales. Read more »
Apple’s drive to put out greener products will cost suppliers cash in the short term but will result in big long-term environmental advantages. Volex, which makes power and USB cables for the Mac maker’s mobile devices, will switch to halogen-free designs during the coming year. Read more »
The big buzz out of CES on Thursday is that Intel has been “talking” to Apple, among other manufacturers, about using its new line of Medfield chips in upcoming mobile devices. But the discussions are clearly very preliminary, and Apple has good reason to remain aloof. Read more »
Apple delivers a highly satisfying online shopping experience not only to desktop visitors but also to mobile customers, according to a new study. In fact, Apple tops the list when it comes to mobile shopper satisfaction, edging out online shopping heavyweights like Amazon and eBay. Read more »
Just like every prior CES in the past few years, Intel is touting how its chips are ready for mobiles. The only difference in 2012 is that I’m starting to believe the company after seeing Intel’s Medfield chip power an Android tablet that runs all day. Read more »
Apple has finally confirmed its purchase of Israel-based Anobit, a company that makes digital signal processing tech to improve the performance of NAND flash used in the iPhone, iPad, and MacBook Air among other devices. It could help Apple extend its NAND flash empire further still. Read more »
Qualcomm CEO Dr. Paul Jacobs shared his mobile vision at CES Tuesday, with much of the focus on emerging markets. With half of all smartphones expected to be sold in emerging markets by 2015, it’s no wonder the chipmaker is looking to innovate beyond traditional borders. Read more »