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Apple has officially released iPhone OS 4 with more than 100 new features and applications. CEO Steve Jobs announced that Apple plans to launch it in this summer for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad operating system and developers can download the beta version form Apple’s Web site.

OS 4 contains over 100 new features. The most important thing is the multi-task function to switch between multiple applications. This is the most anticipated features of the iPhone user and it makes Apple to catch up other competitors like Palm’s WebOS, Nokia S60, Research in Motion’s BlackBerry OS, and Google’s Android OS.

iPhone users can just open multi-task columns to switch between applications or the main screen and Apple said that iPhone performance will not be affected.

iPhone developers can also access 7 other multi-task functions, each of them has different application scenarios. For example, open stream music while implementation of other applications. Other services are the Internet phone calls, and to apply to the use of applied computing base station geo-locating system which is the less power-hungry than traditional GPS.

Other enhancements included the notification of message services and local notification services, so developers can write applications, to send notification from non-Apple server.

iPhone OS 4 other new features like drag and drop the application to the data box, and browse 2,160 supported applications. In addition, Apple also strengthen the iPhone mail client software, you can use single mailbox with multiple email accounts to send letters, organize messages, and open the attached file in the third-party applications.

Apple also joined the iBook eBook Reader software, you can purchase and download from Apple iBookstore book.

For enterprise, iPhone OS 4 enhanced security features, use of cell phone security code as the message and attachment encryption key. There is also a new data protection functions and customer and commercial applications can be integrated with it. Apple also added SSL-VPN connection function.

iPhone OS 4 is executable on the iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS and 2,3-generation iPod Touch, but not all features are available for older hardware. For example, the implementation of the Multi-task function is only available for iPhone 3GS and 3rd generation iPod Touch.

Apple will also launch mobile web advertising platform called “iAd”. The platform combines “TV emotions and web interactive” ads. This is for advertisers to provide highly accurate advertising channels.

Apple relased iPhone OS 4 before his rivals Microsoft. Microsoft is expected to launch Window Phone 7 before the Christmas holiday.

Dell, Garmin-Asus, HTC, HP, Samsung, LG, Sony Ericsson, Toshiba and Qualcomm have said they would launch phone with Windows Phone 7. In addition, carriers such as AT & T, Deutsche Telekom, Sprint, T-Mobile USA, Verizon Wireless, Vodafone, Telecom Italia, Telefonica, and Telstra have also become an ally of Windows Phone 7.

Edited By Henry Lu

Experts predict that social network with geo-positioning services will be the future trend, and this market war will be participated by Google, Facebook and Apple. However, Microsoft Not to be outdone and announced the new integration of Bing search engine, maps and Foursquare social services, foursquare map applications, intended to john this battle.

Foursquare is currently supporting iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, and Plam WebOS platform to urban social services to find friends. Mobile phone users can set their own jurisdictions, and paste a variety of labels to describe this area or to provide restaurant reviews, when a user log in a particular region, the system will automatically advise whether there is a friend recommended a nearby restaurants or services.

And Microsoft Integration Bing and map services to build a Map Apps functions and lets Bing use third-party information provided by the industry to develop a foursquare map applications which will be on-line soon this year. Microsoft said that with Bing foursquare map, users can easily get more local information and to know the recommendation of the local people, and also can interact with the online users in this area.

Many people already familiar with the Google Maps functionality, and now Google is promoting Latitude plan, which based on the Google Maps platform to allow users and friends to share their current location. Google recently launched Buzz social services that allows users to display their location, and it plan to upgrade to with geo-positioning services of Google very soon.

In addition, according to foreign reports, Apple determines to become the geographical location-based services handset developers, and It already applied patent application for a social networking service called iGroups, so that iPhone and other mobile devices can be linked, and provide real-time information sharing.

How is Facebook then? Ericsson (Erricson) survey shows that 60 countries worldwide and more than 200 mobile system operators are actively promoting market of Facebook mobile products; the same time, there are more than 100 million online users are through their mobile devices to use the Facebook services.

Edited By Henry Lu

Apple’s product line between the iPhone and the MacBook less one thing, and it is not a Netbook, but a iPad which is on the hands of Steve Jobs.

iPad appearance, as predicted, like a an enlarged version of iPod Touch, supports multi-touch, storage capacity from 16G to 64G. 0.5-inch thick body, 1.5 pounds, plus 9.7-inch IPS screen; as about the power issues, it claims to have 10 hours for normal use, and stand-by to a month. Most of the hardware does not seem too much surprise us, but it is worth mentioning that Apple’s own 1GHz A4 processor, its performance should be part of the expectations.

In the software part, iPhone’s App can be used on top of the iPad the, Apple also unveiled the iBooks Store, Steve Jobs even claimed to use Amazon as a sample to develop its own online shopping mall. The game entertainment is another big highlight, Electronic Arts (EA) has sent (Travis Boatman) to express the new racing game for ipad, and the direction and motion-sensing games (such as baseball) will be the next new trend.

In addition, Apple will also unveil the iPad dedicated iWork software: Keynote, Numbers, Pages and it is only 9.99 U.S. dollars each, that is very attractive!

As we are most concerned about the price, the cheapest 16G model(supports Wi-Fi) is 499 U.S. dollars. For the model that supports both Wi-Fi and 3G costs 629 U.S. dollars. Top of the 64G models (Wi-Fi +3 G), is 829 U.S. dollars, compared to the original forecast of 1000 U.S. dollars, it is cheaper than we expected.

Edited By Henry Lu

Apple has launched the latest version of Safari 4 beta, the industry claimed that the implementation speed of JavaScript commands is 4.2 times faster than Safari 3, and its JavaScript and HTML page loading performance is far better than Microsoft’s IE 7 and Mozilla FireFox 3.

Apple said, Safari 4 contains the world’s most advanced browser technology, including new Nitro JavaScript engine, the implementation of JavaScript is 30 times faster than IE 7, 3 times faster than Firefox 3; Safari displays HTML pages 3 times faster than both IE 7 and Firefox 3.

Apple Safari 4 also joined with all the software that has Cover Flow interface, which allows users to recall browsing history like reading the album cover. According to Net Applications statistics, Safari currently has about 8% market share, still falls behind Microsoft IE and Firefox.

The new beta version of Safari is available for download in Apple’s web site. Mac users need Mac OS X Leopard 10.5.6 and the latest Apple security updates, or Intel Mac pair up with Mac OS X Tiger 10.4.11, or Mac with G3 and above. For Microsoft users, there has to be Microsoft Windows XP SP 2 or Vista.

Edited By Dan Li

According to the statistics report from January this year, the market share of Window dropped about 2%, and Linux increased 0.2%, however, the market share of Apple Mac increased by 1.3%, together with 0.2% increasing on its iPhone product.

The report form marketing searching company, Net Application, says it is the first time the market share of Window dropped below 90%. On November this year, its market share is 89.62%. The Linux is not the main cause for this, the rapid growing of Apple Mac and iPhone is the Window’s main threat. The Statistics report from Net Application is done by the website’s visiting rate of Operation system, which includes the mobile phone, game console and any device with the OS and can go online. The market share of Microsoft Windows was always above 90% before November this year, and is even above 95% during year 2004/2005. But this year Microsoft loses its share slowly.

Microsoft’s marketing manager admitted that in many countries, Apple Mac is becoming more popular and hence its market share increased rapidly. In Japan and US, Mac becomes quite accepted for many computer users, Unlike Australia, where Window is still the mainstream for people. And many Australia Mac users are the certain professional type people like graphic designer and editor which are quite small group compare with Window’s.

Edited By Henry Lu

With 10 million dollars, Microsoft hired Famous Comedy star, Jerry Seinfeld, teamed with Bill Gates to Promoted two global ads on September. Later on, against previous ads from Apple, Microsoft released its I am PC series as a strike-back.

Marketing Company Crispin Porter + Bogusky, run this advertising Campaign. In first series ads, Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates play as two people shopping for shoes and home stay with a family but never mentioned a word to Window or Vista. Later on the second series of ads, “I am PC” as the reply for Apple’s “I am Mac” campaign, focus on the PC users and try to change their negative impression toward PC and deliver the message “I use PC, and I am fun”.

Bill Gates / Jerry Seinfeld  Series 1

Series 2 — Click here

I am PC Series 1

I am PC Series 2 and 3

Can these Advertising Campaign change the Microsoft’s image?

From the view point of experts, these Campaign are not successful viral marketing, because their topics are not related to the Window products, and however, they focus too much on this Comedy Star. And most people have difficulty to understand this commercial. For the “I am PC” series, Microsoft tried to promote its already number 1 window Operation System, which made people feel funny and say: “Microsoft is afraid of Apple too much” The experts from IT industry said, Microsoft should produce adverting Campaign which focus more on their products, or try to focus current bugs of apple’s MobileMe and Iphone’, which are the apple’s weak points. This way may have better result. And Window developers should improve the Vista and design a better user-friendly Interface. A Good Advertising Campaign is not a cure for Vista.>

Apple takes a Jab at Microsoft Ads

Apple has come out with a clever retorts in response to Bill Gates / Jerry Seinfeld series.

This is one pokes fun at Microsoft for spending too much money at advertising instead of fixing window’s problems;

In the second one talk about that Microsoft not mentioning any of their product names in the adverts at all;

Edited By Henry Lu