BYTE: Consumer Technology in Business

Why IBM Turned Off Siri (and Dropbox and Lots Of Other Things)

Serdar Yegulalp — Wed, 23 May 2012 20:35 EDT

If there's one company I didn't expect to have massive growing pains with BYOD, it's IBM. Then again, maybe they're more of a poster child for the promise and peril of BYOD than we might have expected.

Jury: Android Doesn't Violate Oracle Patents

Larry Seltzer — Wed, 23 May 2012 18:37 EDT

A Federal Court jury in California has found that Google did not violate Oracle's Java patents when it created Android.

Microsoft Drops Aero From Windows 8

Chris Spera — Wed, 23 May 2012 15:47 EDT

Microsoft gave us a taste of the changes yet to come in Windows 8, as late last week it announced that its Aero interface, made popular in Windows Vista and continued in Windows 7, would not be in Windows 8.

The Google/Motorola Deal is Done. What Now?

Jerry Ryan — Wed, 23 May 2012 10:30 EDT

Now that Google has leapt over the last hurdle on closing the deal to buy Motorola Mobility (here's the press release), it seems timely to take a look at why this deal is happening in the first place and what might come next.

Battery-Charging Bags Keep Devices Going On The Road

Larry Seltzer — Wed, 23 May 2012 08:00 EDT

A Powerbag seemed like the perfect answer to my problem of keeping all my devices charged while on the go. Powerbags--backpacks, briefcases, and messenger bags made by the company of the same name--include an internal battery with short attached cables for charging devices. After using the Powerbag Business Class Pack for several months, I'd say a Powerbag comes close to solving the problem of keeping myriad devices charged, but it definitely needs some refinement.

How iCloud Helped To Identify An iPhone Thief

Boonsri Dickinson — Tue, 22 May 2012 20:12 EDT

Do you ever wonder what happens to stolen iPhones? A month after having her iPhone stolen, Katy McCaffrey's photos started appearing in her iCloud account. She then uploaded an album called Stolen iPhone Adventures to Facebook.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2: Second Look At Great 7-Inch Tablet

Rick Lehrbaum — Tue, 22 May 2012 16:30 EDT

In my tutorial on turning a Kindle Fire into a "real" tablet by rooting it and adding applications, I concluded that the resulting Kindle Fire was a pretty good general-purpose tablet. However, some aspects of the transformation were less than optimal. I suggested a 7-inch tablet that was coming soon from Samsung as a better bet.

We looked at that new tablet, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 a couple of weeks ago and found it to be an all-around terrific 7-inch Android tablet. In this second look, we go into more detail. Should you consider this $249 slate for business? Definitely. The Tab 2 7.0 offers virtually everything you'd want in a tablet: it's compact, thin, and light; it's capable of both pleasure and work; and doesn't cost much as tablets go. The Tab 7.0 is essentially a minor redesign of an older, more expensive model, the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus. Samsung toned down the features, lowered the price, and voila! It's produced a tablet that competes with Amazon's loss leader Kindle Fire in price, yet has nearly all the capabilities of Apple's "new iPad" at half the Wi-Fi-only iPad's price.

Machines Will Read The News For You, So You Don't Have To

Boonsri Dickinson — Tue, 22 May 2012 14:00 EDT

Do you ever feel inundated with crappy content when you're trying to stay on top of the news? If you do, Wavii may bring relief. Wavii is an app that pieces together news in a bite-sized way. It distills the information, so that you can see the facts up-front and can decide if you want to read the entire article.

Why I Don't Have a Facebook Page

Bob Guccione Jr. — Tue, 22 May 2012 10:34 EDT

I'm going to miss this column. It's been glorious writing it and time has, incredibly, passed in a flash. But all things must come to an end and no matter how much you prepare yourself, you're never quite prepared for the bittersweet emotions.

Charlie Miller Makes iPhones Better By Attacking Them

Boonsri Dickinson — Mon, 21 May 2012 15:58 EDT

Charlie Miller Makes iPhones Better By Attacking Them Apple products have gotten a lot more secure over the years, and Dr. Charlie Miller is one reason why. He is the leading authority on the vulnerabilities and exploits of Mac OS and iOS and is the winner of awards in the field. How did he get to this place and what matters to him?

Is iPatch Tuesday In Apple's Future?

Larry Seltzer — Mon, 21 May 2012 14:00 EDT

It's an odd thing about Apple that the iPhone and iPad have made it an important player in enterprise computing. And yet, it doesn't seem to want to talk about it. It's as if Apple is embarrassed to be dealing with big business. It certainly doesn't have a history of adapting its practices to the needs of enterprises, which is a way of life for Microsoft. How much longer can this go on?

Machines Make Cell Phone Calls To Each Other!

Larry Seltzer — Mon, 21 May 2012 08:00 EDT

Has the service person ever shown up for the coffee machine at your office, even though nobody called? The reason is that someone, or rather some thing, did call. Specifically the coffee machine called the service company and it used the cellular network to do it.

Oh, Facebook, Why Can't I Quit You?

Boonsri Dickinson — Fri, 18 May 2012 18:03 EDT

Spending time on social media is the modern day cigarette habit. But if you are addicted, you're not alone. There are one billion people with the same habit, regularly feeding Facebook with the most intimate information about themselves.

System Description: The Apple-II by Stephen Wozniak

Stephen Wozniak — Fri, 18 May 2012 08:25 EDT

This article first appeared in the May 1977 (Volume 2, Number 5) issue of BYTE.

Verizon: Pay Full Price On Phone, Keep Unlimited Data

Larry Seltzer — Fri, 18 May 2012 07:58 EDT

Responding to the controversy over the announcement that Verizon users upgrading from 3G to 4G LTE would have to drop their grandfathered unlimited data plans in order to do so, Verizon Wireless has told the Wall Street Journal that such users can keep their unlimited data plans if they pay full price for their phones when they do so.

Keep Your Business Off Of Facebook

Larry Seltzer — Fri, 18 May 2012 07:57 EDT

The logic of BYOD is that if it works for me personally and I like it, why can't I use it at work? The numerous problems with such a philosophy can be mitigated in many cases, such as smart phones and tablets. But Facebook is a good case of an irredeemable product in business. It simply doesn't belong there.

This Is Why T-Mobile Won't Officially Carry iPhones

Chris Spera — Fri, 18 May 2012 07:30 EDT

By the end of the year, T-Mobile customers will be able to run their iPhones on its networks. But not by way of any formal deal with Apple. Instead, T-Mobile plans on making its network compatible with the iPhone.

Future Of Payments Is Right On Your Phone

Boonsri Dickinson — Thu, 17 May 2012 16:00 EDT

Soon, you might be able to pay for a bag of chips with your smartphone. While at the CTIA conference in New Orleans, I spoke with Zavida Mangaru, a vice president at MasterCard, about MasterCard's new PayPass Wallet and how it works with near field communication (NFC) technology.

As Facebook Goes Public, Glassboard Wants All Your Data To Stay Private

Boonsri Dickinson — Thu, 17 May 2012 13:20 EDT

As Facebook prepares to go public this week, polls have revealed most users distrust the social network. Well now, that's no way to make friends. But Facebook has been pretty transparent about its intentions after all -- if you're getting to use the service for free, then you are the product that the social network giant will then sell to advertisers.

Verizon To Sunset Unlimited Data Plan

Larry Seltzer — Thu, 17 May 2012 11:35 EDT

Think of the good times. They were good while they lasted, but it had to end. No way was Verizon's unlimited data plan going to last, not even for the users grandfathered into it after the option was taken from new customers.

Google To Sell Android Phones Directly

Chris Spera — Thu, 17 May 2012 08:00 EDT

In order to insure that its Android mobile operating system comes out on top in the mobile device wars, Google is going to change the way it works with its partners.

Is Print Dead? No, But Mobile Is The Future

Max Cherney — Wed, 16 May 2012 15:05 EDT

Mobile is the future of publishing. That's what a debate among four industry experts concluded.

This App Can Help You Drive Better And May Save Your Life

Boonsri Dickinson — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:30 EDT

One of the coolest apps we saw at CTIA was the iOnRoad app. Using the camera on your phone, it becomes your personal driving assistant, helping you identify any risk in crashing into the car in front of you, or help you locate your car in case you forgot where you parked it. The app won first prize in the Automotive, Safe Driving & Transportation group of the CTIA 2012 E-Tech (emerging technology) Awards.

Next iPhone To Have Larger Screen

Larry Seltzer — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:05 EDT

A report in the Wall Street Journal cites "people familiar with the situation" as saying that the next iPhone, expected in the fall, will have a larger screen, at least 4 inches diagonally.

Ballmer Tops Forbes' List Of 5 Worst CEOs

Chris Spera — Tue, 15 May 2012 16:47 EDT

Forbes is a force to be reckoned with. Like in the old E.F. Hutton commercials, when Forbes speaks, people listen. So when Forbes calls Microsoft's Steve Ballmer currently the worst CEO in America today, then ouch. That one is definitely going to leave a mark.