Madden NFL 12 Goes on, Even Without an NFL Season

Madden NFL is the most widely played football videogame. Owned by EA (Electronic Arts), Madden NFL has gone through 22 versions, and Madden NFL 12, set to be released August 2011, will be the 23rd.

Currently the NFL Player's Association and the NFL are in a dispute, and if the two sides do not come to an agreement within the next few months, the 2011-2012 season will not be played.

EA says they plan on releasing Madden NFL 12, as usual in August, even if the 2011-2012 season is not played.

CNET got an interview with Rob Semsey, EA Sports' director of public relations. "Fans of Madden NFL will not have their seasons interrupted, regardless of when the labor issues are resolved. We plan to release Madden NFL 12 in August as usual." said Rob.

Two problems may come with releasing Madden NFL 12 without a real NFL season to back it up. One of the issues with this is that some players have left their teams at the end of last season, but have not been signed with another team yet. EA would probably replace the players with generic ones, or maybe keep the same rosters as last year.

Another possible problem is EA's bottom line. Although EA has not said how their bottom line would be affected if there was no season this year, Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter told The Hollywood Reporter last week that Madden sales heavily depend on the NFL season. Pachter said that if there is no season this year, it could "cost Madden around 50% of sales."

Source: CNET   

Will iPhone 5 feature NFC?

     A back and forth of reports have been going on about the iPhone 5, the expected name for the next version of the Apple iPhone and NFC. NFC stands for Near Field Communications, and is a way to transfer data wirelessly at very close distances. This would be useful for using your phone like a credit card, and making purchases just by waving the phone over the other NFC device.
     Bloomberg reported a few weeks ago that the iPhone 5 will come with a built in NFC chip. That report was then contradicted by The Independent, who said that if NFC appears at all, it will be in the iPhone 6th generation, rather than the iPhone 5. The contradictions continue as Elizabeth Woyke of Forbes claims (via SIA) that the iPhone 5 will have NFC built in after all.

Just met with an entrepreneur who says the iPhone 5 *will* have NFC...according to his friend, who works at Apple. Huh.

     With all the contradicting rumors, it's hard to tell which is true. Will the iPhone 5 contain a built-in NFC chip. We may have to wait for the iPhone 5 announcement, expected to be around June.

   

Motorola Xoom WiFi Only Official Dates

     Release dates for the Motorola Xoom WiFi, a 10 inch tablet running Honeycomb, have been leaked for quite a while, but today Motorola made it official. The WiFi only version of the Xoom will hit the shelves on March 27th, about two weeks from now, in seven major retailers. Amazon, Best Buy, Costco, RadioShack, Staples, WalMart, and a few Sam's Club locations will all be getting the WiFi only Xoom on launch date.
     The WiFi only Xoom has the same front and rear facing cameras, dual-core processor, and 10.1 inch screen as it's 3G counterpart. The Xoom is also one of the first tablets to run Honeycomb, which is the latest release of the popular mobile OS Android.
     The WiFi version of the Xoom will be going for $599, with a rumored $50 off at Sam's Club. The Apple iPad, another 10 inch tablet, is closely competing with the Xoom, and only costs $499. Customers who want a tablet would probably go for the iPad, which has a lower price, many more applications, and a few more features, but the more technically savvy might go for the Xoom, because android gives users more control over a lot more.

Apple brings iAds to the iPad

iAds on iPad

     iAds is Apple's advertising service for mobile apps on the iOS platform. iAds allows ad creators to add videos, music, and even small interactive games to their ads. The iAd platform has been available on the iPhone and iPod Touch for a while, and the first iAd appeared on the iPad today.
     The first iAds advertisement on the iPad is an advertisement for Dove Men+Care. The maker of Dive Men+Care, a company called Unilever, put out the ad, which contains a basketball jumbo-screen with videos and interactive NCAA-themed trivia questions.
     iAds on the iPad is a good thing for both Apple and ad creators because it brings the interactive advertisement to a larger screen. This would be a great place for movie trailers, and other things that just look better on a larger screen.
  
Source: CNET

Report: Zune Devices Killed by Microsoft; Brand Name Lives On (UPDATE: Zune Still Alive)

Microsoft's Zune HD

     Microsoft has been trying to compete with Apple's iPod since 2006, when they first announced the Zune devices. The Zune is basically an iPod Touch competitor. It has a large touchscreen, an FM radio, and more features that even Apple's iPad didn't have when they announced it.
     Although the Zune looks good on paper, and even in person, it never quite caught on. For some reason not many people liked the Zune, or maybe it just was more cool to own an iPod. In any case, the Zune has not been a success, and according to Bloomberg, Microsoft is finally giving up the Zune line of devices.
     According to the Bloomberg report, which cited several sources familiar with the Zune line, says that Microsoft will be stopping development of their Zune devices, but will continue the Zune brand as their current media player software and online media store on the XBOX 360 and Windows Phone 7 devices.
     The popular technology blog CNET contacted Microsoft and asked them to comment, but to no avail. On the other hand Bloomberg contacted them and got the following response:

 "We have nothing to announce about another Zune device -- but most recently have introduced Zune HD to Canada via the Zune Originals store and remain committed to supporting our devices in North America.

"We are thrilled by the consumer excitement for Zune across many new platforms, including Windows Phone 7 and Xbox 360. Our long-term strategy focuses on the strength of the entire Zune ecosystem across Microsoft platforms."

     ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley also got Microsoft to comment:

 "We're not 'killing' any of the Zune services/features in any way. Microsoft remains committed to providing a great music and video experience from Zune on platforms such as Xbox Live, Windows-based PCs, Zune devices and Windows Phone 7, as well as integration with Bing and MSN."

     If Bloomberg is correct about Microsoft stopping development of the Zune, Apple's iPod Touch get's one less competitor, and it makes them almost the only one in it's category. There are a few Android based portable media players, but none really closely match the iPod Touch. Although not many used the Zune devices, this still does seem like an advantage for Apple and it's iPod Touch.

Source: cnet.com

iPad 2 Jailbroken 2 Days after Launch

Cydia running on a white iPad 2

      The iPad 2 has only been out two days, but yet it has already been hacked. An iPhone developer and hacker called Comex has apparently been working on a jailbreak ever since he got his white iPad 2. According to his Twitter stream (@comex), the jailbreak could have been ready yesterday, but he had to search for a whole new exploit.
      This jailbreak allows the user to run Cydia, an alternative app store, which also allows many more features, on his or her iPad. Engadget says that Comex is apparently hard at work getting this jailbreak out to the public and available as an easy process as soon as possible, so, iPad 2 owners, expect to be able to hack your new device very soon.

New iPad 2 Owners Reporting Problem in the Display

     iPad 2 went on sale a few days ago in Apple stores around the United States, but people are already seeing problems. Some new iPad 2 owners are saying in the MacRumors forums that they have been seeing yellow spots beneath the screen's glass in one or two corners of the iPad's screen.

Yellow Tinge on iPad 2

     The iPhone 4 saw the same problem at it's launch. Apple said that the problem was temporary, and that it was just caused by the fact that the glue in the display didn't have time to evaporate yet. Apple rushed the iPad 2 because they wanted to get them in stores as early as possible, so the problem is temporary, and should go away shortly.

Light Leaking through the Edge

     Another problem people were seeing with the iPad 2 was that light was leaking through the outer edge of the iPad, and making a lighter spot on the LCD. The leaking light is more noticeable when the screen is dark, but still on. For example, a dark scene in a movie, or a app with a black background.
     The first problem with the yellow spots is definitely temporary. The light leaking through doesn't seem like a temporary issue, but it could possibly be linked with the first issue. It you have a light leaker, wait a few days and see if anything happens, and then, if it's still an issue, take it to the Apple store and see what they can do about it.

Google Allows Users to Block Sites from Search Results

     There has been recent controversy over whether or not Google's search results have been becoming less reliable, making sites that one would not find valuable coming up at the top. I talked a lot about this in a recent blog post. Google changed it's algorithm to try to bring higher quality sites up in the search results, and whether or not that worked has also been debated. Now Google, although they are keeping the algorithm change, is giving the user control.
     The new feature allows users to block all results from a specific website from their search results by clicking a link under the site in the results. The actual link is located directly under the website in the search result, next to the Cached and Similar buttons, and reads, "Block all [example.com] results".
     Google announced this feature yesterday on their official blog, and is rolling it out over the next few days. If you don't see it now, expect to see it soon.
     This is yet another attempt by Google to try to improve their results. It seems like a good idea, and it is definitely the first that actually allows human input. It seems like there should be an easier way to block a website, because I don't want to have to go back to Google search results to do it, but for now it should be an effective way to keep unwanted sites out of the search results.

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Google

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iOS 4.3 Brings Lower Credit Card Bills

     Along with the iPad 2, Apple announced iOS 4.3. Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO, had said that 4.3 would be available on the same day as the iPad launch, March 11, but it came unexpectedly a few days before. I immediately downloaded 4.3 for my iPod Touch, and really, I didn't see much difference. Apparently parents with kids who spend thousands of dollars on in-app purchases will.
     There was a recent request for investigation of Apple from the FTC due to the fact that kids were charging their parents credit cards hundreds of dollars buying FarmVille cash, or really any other in-app purchase.

     There is a 15 minute time period before you have to enter your password again for buying anything through Apple ID. Without that period, it would be extremely annoying to have to enter your password six times when buying six songs or TV shows, but apps with in-app purchases have been taking advantage of that by offering in-app purchases soon into the launch of the app, hoping that kids will go for it, and not have to enter their parent's password.
     With iOS 4.3, a separate period of time can be set for in-app purchases. This means that you still will be able  to buy movies or songs within that 15 minute period, but in-app purchases would need a password.
     This mostly seems like Apple trying to get out of any FTC investigations, but it should make parents happy. Until they see that their kid spent $50 on Weird Al Yankovic music videos.

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Apple

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iPad 2 Announced

     The original iPad was, like Apple said, a magical and revolutionary device. It was the first majorly successful tablet PC, and started the 2011 "Tablet Rush".
     At an event earlier today, Apple's CEO Steve Jobs announced the next generation of the iPad: the iPad 2. Steve Jobs was, or maybe still is, on medical leave. There had been reports that he had only six weeks to live, and pictures of him walking out of treatment very thin, so everybody was relieved when he walked on stage, looking just like he did a year ago.
     The iPad 2 is thinner, lighter, and has a faster processor than it's predecessor. It comes in WiFi only and 3G models, both of which are 9.50 inches high, and 7.31 inches wide. They are also both only 0.34 inches thick, making it easier to hold than the original iPad. Also, the WiFi version weighs 1.33 pounds, with a the 3G  version weighing in at 0.1 pound heavier. Both the WiFi and 3G models come in 16, 32, and 64 gigabyte versions.
     Both the WiFi and 3G versions come with Bluetooth, making it good for wireless keyboards. The 3G version is available on both the AT&T and Verizon wireless carriers.
The iPad's 9.7 inch glossy capacitive touchscreen makes playing with the iPad a beautiful experience. There was some speculating about the iPad 2 bringing a better screen resolution, but it stays at the same 1024 by 768 resolution.
     The iPad 2 comes to the market as the first shipped dual-core tablet with Apple's new A5 processor. This 1GHz custom designed chip gives high performance without draining battery life. Another improvement is in the graphics, which Steve Jobs says are now up to 9 times faster.

Steve Jobs at iPad 2 Event

     It also has the expected front and rear facing cameras. The rear facing camera is capable of taking 720p video at 30 frames per second, while the front facing, VGA camera can also do 30 frames per second video. These cameras are great for the iPad's new integrated FaceTime app. FaceTime allows you to videochat with other iPad owners. It also has compatibly for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and Macs, so you can videochat with anyone in the Apple Universe.
     Despite the added features and slightly smaller body, the iPad 2 claims the same 10 hour battery life on WiFi as the original iPad, using 3G, the battery life should be about an hour less, at 9 hours.
     The iPad 2 also brings the gyroscope of the iPhone and iPod Touch to the iPad experience, which will greatly enhance the gaming experience on the iPad.

iPad 2 with FaceTime

     Some other new features include the ability to completely mirror the iPad's screen onto an HDTV via the $39 HDMI connector, the choice now of black or white, and a new kind of case.
     Last iPad, Apple did it's own case. The case was simple but efficient. Apple wanted to do another case this time, but one that wouldn't take away from the sleek design of the iPad, and also wouldn't add too much weight. They came up with the iPad Smart Cover.

            Smart Cover Closed

     The smart cover was designed long with the iPad 2, making it work extremely well with he device. The Smart Cover is a screen cover that attaches with magnets. There are magnets inside the iPad and on the cover, so it's easy to put on, and it also auto-aligns. The cover is made out of 5 flat attached by either Polyurethane or leather. It can be lifted up and folded to use as a stand for typing, or a stand for watching movies. The iPad also automatically wakes up when the cover is raised, and locks when it is placed back on. As an added bonus, the side of the cover touching the iPad screen is made of microfiber material, so the screen is cleaned anytime you open or close the device.
     A big thing Apple focused on in then announcement was the software. iPad 2 will run iOS 4.3 which brings some new features with it. 4.3 brings new AirPlay enhancements. AirPlay allows users to stream content from their iOS devices to an Apple TV or other compatible device. The update allows AirPlay from the Photos app, and makes streaming a lot easier, as it will scan your network for an Apple TV, so you don't have to set up anything.
     4.3 also brings Apples Nitro JavaScript engine to the iPad's Safari app, making web pages load a lot faster, especially ones with a lot of interactive JavaScript.
     Another cool feature in iOS 4.3 is iTunes Home Sharing. Home Sharing allows you to stream your entire library to your device over a shared WiFi connection. This seems like a cool feature, but if you ever have to leave your house, your content won't come with you.
     Apple also introduced two new apps, both available for $4.99 in the app store. These apps are iMovie and Garage Band. iMovie allows users to do complex movie editing, and offers cool themes. Garage band allows users to create and edit music, even without any musical talent.
     The iPad 2 brings many new features to a thinner, lighter package, and keeps the $499 price tag of the original iPad. Available on March 11th, the iPad 2 seems like a good buy for anyone who wants to spend $499 on a new device.