couldn't have said it better. I will add this however.

how often do you hear people raving about their blackberry and all the awesome things it can do?

all i see is:

"work requires us to have them"
"I love BBM"
"I need a physical keyboard"

there is a reason the iPhone is nicknamed the "Jesus" phone. it does everything.

even most of the new Android phones will walk circles around the iPhone and BB.

give the newer phones a test drive. most carriers offer a 14 day satisfaction return policy

on that note. BB is gonna fade away unless they do a major revamp.

iCloud continued....

The key difference between iCloud and other cloud services is the focus. Typical cloud services are centred around documents and storage. iCloud is centred around the user status.

Think of it this way: You leave your machine at work and go home to continue working. Your machine at home is in a state that matches where your machine was at work. It would be the same as if you had a laptop, put it into suspend, took it home and then resumed exactly where you left off. Only iCloud performs this function across multiple physically different devices. Suspend on one computer, resume on another.

Unlike typical cloud services which allow access to documents from multiple devices, iCloud preserves your state. This includes everything about what you were doing - settings, options, preferences - everything is preserved. You can use multiple devices but they will behave as if you were only carrying a single device around.


Now back to Firefox. FF sync does pretty much the same thing by allowing you to start browsing on one device and change to another and continue browsing right where you left off. The first problem is that FF does this using its own system. They have their own servers set up that store information relating to how you set your browser up, your history and so on. When you switch to another machine, FF looks up this data on their server and uses it to put FF into the same state it was on your last machine.

The second problem with how FF does this is that their system only works on their application - it's proprietary. There are other developers who are also writing Apps that have some of this same functionality, but they are also proprietary. Apple has built the concept of preserving your state into the operating system, where it belongs. So does this mean that any App running on iOS or Lion will work like this? No.

Apps have to be written to take advantage of the ability to have their "state" preserved in iCloud. But it's now easier to do this. A LOT easier. Apple has introduced a complete set of iCloud API's which are designed to allow the developer to add this "preserve the state" functionality to their App. The developer no longer has to worry about all the little details and housekeeping (where to store this information, how to ensure it gets passed from device to device, security for the user...) that go along with it. It's now VERY EASY for an App developer to implement this ability.

If the App Store (and iOS user base) was the cake that drew in developers then iCloud is a big fat layer of icing on top. I predict a whole slew of killers apps will soon appear after iCloud is launched once developers see the potential.

For example, my own App is related to engine/vehicle performance tuning. One thing I'm using iCloud for is to store datalogged information from a vehicle while it's driving. Another user could then see this datalogged information from anywhere, even as it was changing/updating. To implement this on my own would have added a large amount of extra work to my project - now it's all handled for me via iCloud. It took me about two days to code this ability (anyone who programs knows this is a lot harder to do than it sounds).

Another potential use for iCloud? Widgets. Although it hasn't been talked about or the term "widget" used, iCloud has provisions built in that are ideally suited to form the foundation of a "widget" type system to present information. I don't know of Apple's plans for "widgets" but the fact iCloud has API's that can so easily implement them is very interesting.


Apple has also taken extra steps to increase security for your data stored via iCloud. Every App gets its own virtual disk (sandbox) to store its data (if you have 50 Apps then you'll have 50 virtual disks in iCloud). An App will have a unique ID that is required to access this storage. The real kicker is that only an App has permission to modify. delete or otherwise affect data stored in the sandbox. If a malware App somehow made it through Apple's checks and ended up on your phone, it will have no access to any of the data stored/used by your other Apps. If someone got your Apple ID and used the web page to log into your account they also cannot screw up your App data stored in iCloud simply because only the App that created the data (and the virtual disk) has the ability to modify the data. Imagine if someone got your Google or Dropbox ID and logged in with the intent to do as much damage as possible.

App data apparently also doesn't count against your 5GB iCloud free storage. In fact, there's so much free storage for various items I'm starting to wonder what a user would need to do to use up their limit. We'll have to wait and see exactly what counts to your storage, but it seems Apple is including a lot of things for free.

If I remember anything else, I'll post updates.

iMessage will replace BBM imo.
Posted via RS Mobile

I'm curious what kind of ideas are being talked about with this awesome new state saving feature of icloud. Like having my bookmarks and settings saved in Chrome and Tweetdeck is awesome and all, but I don't think I'd need that for, say, Word or Photoshop... Or thinking of apps I use on my phone and ipad... nothing comes to mind that would really be that amazing. But I'm not the most creative person, so I'd like to hear some ideas... Otherwise, it sounds a lot like typical apple propaganda to me... This AMAZING new feature that will change the world.. but ends up being basically another name for something that already exists.

Just giving the new Berry spec sheets a once over, it doesnt look like much has changed. Oh, but they did up their screen resolutions:fullofwin:...


...:okay:

If state saving isn't significant, then why did both Android and iOS spend a great deal of time and effort incorporating this into their smartphone OS? It's heavily integrated into the multitasking abilities of both. In fact, you can't even code for Android or iOS without taking into account the idea of state saving.

Client server computing has been around in various forms for a long time now. It's also faded in and out of popularity as technology has changed. The idea of a "persistent client" has been thrown around forever, but has never been achieved. For example, cookies are actually an attempt to create the persistent client by storing information about what you were doing when you visit a website to preserve your "state" for the next visit.

Chrome, Firefox and others have done this but on an application level only. And they have the resources to do it. The majority of developers are not able to implement this simply because of the cost and complexity to do so. Now Apple has provided the framework which lets the small developer surpass even Google and Firefox with a better implementation of a persistent client via iCloud. Developers I've talked to are ecstatic at having such a powerful feature made so easily accessible. And free to boot.

unless Rim makes a new lineup that targets the younger generations, they will keep slowly loosing market share..

Yup, exactly. :)

gonna be awhile til you can get iphone 5, prepare to line up

A couple more things to add. Isn't the hallmark of an Android device the ability to fully customize the appearance and operation of your phone/tablet? If you had a phone set up exactly how you liked, and then bought a tablet, wouldn't you want your tablet (and all the Apps on it) to simply configure itself the same as your phone? Copying from one phone and duplicating it to another phone is easy, but it's not easy duplicating from one device to a different device. iCloud will do this.

And what about people who spend the time to fully customize an application around their workflow? If I had Photoshop running exactly how I like it at work, it would be great to come home and find my Photoshop set up the exact same way. So many applications are customizable allowing you to change toolbars, windows and numerous features. And many programs allow you to export your "settings" so you can duplicate them on another machine. This ability to export settings exists simply because of the hassle involved in changing applications settings to set up a piece of software the way you like.

iCloud does all this for you.
Posted via RS Mobile

Except that state saving as it currently exists in Android and iOS only works on a single device, not across multiple devices.
Posted via RS Mobile

I'm agreeing with you that it is nice to have 'cloud' based saved states on mobile devices, and have it integrated onto the OS. What I don't agree with is how 'revolutionary' you are making it out to be. Although I am more of a 'realist' with this kind of thing, and I would love to be proven wrong (it's been done before)

Bullshit. You are never wrong. Ever. wait. Did i just prove you were wrong? No. Can't be because you are never wrong. I made a mistake. I'm sorry. :alone:

Yes, according to some, I am never wrong... But believe me, it happens from time to time! I'll PM you next time it happens.

Hush.. it's revolutionary bc Steve Jobs said so!!!

I'm still going to keep using DropBox regardless. I like how it works between ALL devices, like my iPhone, work computer, my MBA, and my home computer (Windows).

Saving states in the cloud itself isn't revolutionary. What is revolutionary is this ability being given to the average, everyday developer. For free.

I wonder what they think over at Mozilla (as an example) about this knowing that tremendous amount of effort it took them to have syncing enabled in FF and to see Apple come out with a service/API that would let any yahoo come along and make their browser perform the same function with hardly any effort at all. And not have to pay a single penny for a secured server with 100% guaranteed uptime in order to run that service on.

Yup, unfortuately.

I went to the University of Waterloo and have seen so many software/tech companies come and go over the years. It would be sad to see RIM go under as well.

Resources are limited on a mobile, so battery life was the key driver; memory is there too. With large screens sucking up power, allocating cpu cycles to (full) background apps is a bit of a waste, considering battery life > desktop style multitasking for the vast majority of users. App suspension style multitasking is a design tradeoff.

The smartphone market is huge in size and diverse in geography, price points, etc, and continuing to grow. They still have branding power, so I believe they'll carve out their slice of the pie when they update to a current-gen platform. Everybody, except the big two, are in the same boat three years behind.

Latest iPhone5 mockup based on leaked case designs..

http://cdn.macrumors.com/article-new.../iphone5-4.jpg

http://cdn.macrumors.com/article-new.../iphone5-3.jpg

http://cdn.macrumors.com/article-new.../iphone5-2.jpg

http://cdn.macrumors.com/article-new...iphone5-11.jpg


Note, they look like mini iPad 2s... larger home button may be touch sensitive and used for gestures.. like app switching (swipe left and right)

Wouldn't be surprised if they did 3 buttons for the home button. Sort of like the macbooks where there are 3 hidden buttons.

i know thats not the real one, but i like the aluminum back. front not so much.

wow its gonna be thin like the ipod touch?

^ it's just a mockup based on some rumors, supposed leaked case dimensions.

Having no bezel at all is a HORRIBLE idea

lol Apple is a horrible product... j/k

they should make the whole front side a full screen, no physical buttons.... YEA!