Tech Industry

Attempts by the world

Apple

At Mobile World Congress 2010, Adobe introduced the latest version of Flash for mobile phones, including the unveiling of Adobe AIR on mobile devices, a consistent runtime for standalone applications to come out of the Open Screen Project.

Expected to offer Android support in 2010, Adobe pushed AIR  as a solution for developers hoping to create rich applications, across operating systems – though it has also been revealed Windows 7 will not support Flash.

Adobe also announced that a beta of Flash Player 10.1 is now available to content providers and mobile developers worldwide. The final version is expected to ship in the first half of 2010.

The company touted Flash Player 10.1

On Friday, Apple posted a job listing for a ‘Data Center Chief Operating Engineer’ in Newark, CA, where the company currently has a large data center (aerial picture shown).  Now this posting wouldn’t be anything groundbreaking if it wasn’t for this defined ‘Primary Responsibility’:

“Plan and coordinate the implementation of new data center facilities projects.”

Now, this could be referring to any future projects Apple decides to implement, but given their purchase of land in North Carolina and planned investment of an estimated $1 billion on data center, we think this isn’t a coincidence.  The data center, according to at least one report, will be used to support the sales of both the iTunes Store as well as the iPhone App Store, though other possibilities have been discussed as well.

Check out the full job description below:

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:
-Manage the installation, repair, and maintenance of critical facility systems
-Responsible for scheduling and managing the regular testing of facility equipment
-Responsible for executing and tracking planned expense facilities work at the Data Center
-Plan and coordinate the implementation of new data center facilities projects
-Monitor and report on facilities system utilization, capacities, and performance
-Review existing procedures and implement needed additional maintenance procedures
-Prepare site documentation including floor layouts and engineering designs
-Develop site solutions in support of various key infrastructure and business needs
-Work directly with Corporate Facilities to manage preventive maintenance activities as well as infrastructure upgrades
-Manage shipping and receiving operations including tracking packages and staging deliveries
-Build and foster a culture of teamwork at the site.

-10+ years infrastructure experience with a focus on Data Center Facilities operations
-A very good understanding of electrical and mechanical systems in use in the Data Center environment including transformers, generators, switchgear, UPS systems, ATS & ASTS units, PDU/RPP units, chillers, cooling towers, CRAC/CRAH units
-Ability to communicate effectively and provide direction to contractors and vendors performing maintenance or upgrade work on systems installed in a data center environment
-Must understand the Data Center environment and excel in customer service especially when dealing with IT group
-Ability to learn quickly, works autonomously, and addresses any issues that arise day or night
-A willingness to provide on call support in case of emergencies or other off hours issues at the facilities
-Strong verbal and written communication skills
-Detail oriented
-Strongly prefer a degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering technology

I originally intended to write some kind of opinionated magnus opus on this topic, finally decided against it, so here

What it means is all speculation at this point but Skype and Verizon are holding a joint press conference at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona next week.  It isn’t a huge stretch to say that they’ll likely be announcing Skype access over Verizon’s 3G.  

Nobody has really picked up on this but here’s an interesting point:  Apple/AT&T’s iPhone commercials have been jabbing Verizon because they can’t do calls and data at the same time over 3G.  With Skype VoIP running in the background, Verizon gets to tell Apple and AT&T to shut up about that particular shortcoming.  UK carrier 3, already has a deal set up with Skype that encourages their customers to use Skype on their networks, but this would be the first major network to endorse the VoIP product.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yb0-_gDdlY8&w=700&h=400]

Also, Microsoft is rumored to be announcing Windows Mobile 7 based on the Zune HD OS and perhaps some Pink (Pure and Turtle) phones.  While their smartphone marketshare is plunging, it is hard to ever count Microsoft and its monster war chest out of the game.

Needham analyst Charles Wolf this morning raised his price target on Apple to $280, from $235.

Wolf says he thinks Mac and iPhone sales are significantly (

Facebook users (and really who isn’t any more?) can now add their Facebook chat to any Jabber client, including iChat according to a Facebook blog post Wednesday morning.  Jabber (XMPP) is the open source instant messaging protocol that is also used by Google Talk and other chat servers including one built into Apple’s OSX Server.

Facebook posts instructions for adding your Facebook to and Jabber chat client (including iChat pasted below).

Clearly, many will view this as a mixed blessing, as Facebook is already a pretty monumental time waster, and this will only intensify that by bringing those high school acquaintances into your everyday life.  For Adium users, this won’t be entirely new either.  You’ve been able to add your Facebook friends to Adium for over a year now.

It also is another sign of the yourname@Facebook.com email Armageddon to come. 

Apple

Google today updated its Mac and Linux Chrome web browsers to include Extensions and Bookmark Syncing.  Check out the demo below and download from Google here.  Those using Chrome already will be prompted to update within the next day.

With this new version, you’ll be able to install any of over 2,200 extensions (and counting!) currently available in Chrome’s extensions gallery. Extensions can add useful, informative,fun, or quirky functionality to the browser. You can manage your extensions by clicking on the Window menu and choosing “Extensions.”

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNAg1v3Hwpg&w=700&h=400] [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7VNjGuSK_k&w=700&h=400] 

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNAg1v3Hwpg&w=560&h=340]

Google has introduced a new version of its Chrome browser for the Mac, adding support for the 2,200 available extensions for the product.

The beta version (for Mac) has been available since late last year, but hadn

Microsoft chose Macworld 2010 to pre-announce its next version of Office, Office 2011 – set to ship at the end of the year.

Office 2011 for Mac will bring ribbon support for applications.  The ribbon will be similar to Office 2010 for Windows, but with the Mac theme support.

You can even collapse the ribbon and the Toolbar for more screen space or for the more advanced users who rely on keyboard shortcuts. Together these tools make it easy to find and discover new and frequently used commands.

It will also offer sharing for documents, and web application support. (You

Just a short note to point out that Apple

OK, it isn’t quite as exciting without you-know-who announcing new products, but there is still a load of interesting stuff here. We’ll have coverage going into the weekend.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKpJW0goqOk&w=640&h=385]

Social networking is becoming a little less social as Google moves into the space, eager to create its own small kingdom in the newly-connected social web with its own social network, Google Buzz. This has caused current 100-pound gorilla, Facebook, to strike back with AIM integration (launched today) and whispers of a Gmail competitor to come…

As explained, Google Buzz creates an instant circle of social contacts based on who you communicated with using Gmail and Google’s chat client. Once it

iSuppli has issued its pre-release estimate for the component costs of parts used in Apple

As expected, Walt Disney

Macworld starts tomorrow and we’ll be on the floor looking at all of the new/upgraded products on display.  The event has decidedly less attention this year due to Apple’s bypassing, but there is still no other gathering outside of Apple’s own events with a bigger Apple audience.

Although Apple won’t officially be here, we’ve been invited to check out Apple’s subsidiaries who have rented hotel space near Moscone to show their wares as well.  

If you are coming to the event, you might want to check out the free iMacworld app for iPhone and iPod touch to help navigate the show floor space.  If you want to get in contact with us, shoot an email to macworld2010@9to5mac.com.

This little report has got us pondering this morning, as it indicates 3G carriers may well offer iPads at generous subsidies.

We

Huge pre-launch expectation and Apple

Look at that chart up there – it shows the total cash and short term investments of tech companies and comes to us from the Silicon Valley Insider. Isn