New Google accounts now integrate Gmail and G+ accounts

Not sure what the big fuss is with Google’s new account creation.

When you create an Apple ID, you can use that for iTunes, iCloud, Apple Discussion Forums, and product registrations. When you create a Live email account with Microsoft, you get XBox live account, SkyDrive, device registration, etc.

So when you create a Google or a Gmail account, it makes sense to have all Google’s services tied into that one account. Makes it easier to remember login credentials. If you want to have separate logins for separate services, make separate accounts. Not hard and plenty of people do that anyway

Star Wars Uncut. The best fan-created movie ever.

If you have two hours to spare, watch this. Can hardly take my eyes off it.

Thoughts on Siri

Tim Bajarin for Time:

Indeed, it’s pretty clear to me that Apple has just scratched the surface of the role Siri will play for them in driving future revenue. At the moment, we are enamored with its ability to enhance the man-machine interface. But that’s just the start. Siri is actually on track to become the first point of entrance to “search” engines of all types tied to major databases throughout the world. It will become the gatekeeper to all types of searches, and in the end control which search engine it goes to for its answers.

Apple may not have to compete directly with Google and Microsoft on the search engine front to be a force in search. With Siri, Apple gets to be the gatekeeper to the hundreds of specialist search engines if it manages to pull off deals with databases such as Craigslist, OpenTable, Apartment Finder, AirBnB, Edmunds, IMDB, and the like.

The key to this is being able to pull off the deals. Right now, Siri works with Yelp and Wolfram Alpha. Many (but not all) of those database or search sites make money off display advertising, which will be completely bypassed by Siri users. To have Siri scour their databases and deliver the results directly to users would undermine the very lifeline of their existence.

Not all of those sites will agree to what Apple may propose but Apple could do two things; buy out enough range of specialist search sites to further legitimize Siri, or convince them that Siri will eventually be the preferred way for millions and millions of people around the world to look for information that they will bypass websites and search apps anyway, thereby depriving the sites of visitors. Apple could say that turning down Siri would mean turning away customers.

If Apple were any other company, it might tack on iAds on Siri but at the moment, it doesn’t seem likely. Perhaps one could think of Siri as iTunes, a unified place to seek out relevant bits of information from many different sources. Of course, the business model would be different. People wouldn’t pay for premium search options, or would they?

Ever thought of Siri operating in a similar way to a cable TV service offering a multitude of subscription packages of search databases with a free basic set? Might have crossed the minds of people in Cupertino but given how iTunes is there to disrupt that very business model, it might seem unlikely for Apple to adopt it, not to mention putting people off.

Siri might not be fully working around the world at the moment and whether Apple will earn revenue out of it remains to be seen, after all, Siri is still in public beta and it might take Apple a while before it’s ready for a proper roll out.

It’s a bit difficult to imagine Apple allowing the next iPhone to be released while still carrying a beta version of Siri.

[update] Or Apple could add ability to purchase things online from Siri.

Thoughts on Siri

iPhone 4S coming to Indonesia’s Telkomsel January 27

Today Telkomsel revealed on its website that it will be bringing iPhone 4S to Indonesia on January 27. While the release seems rather late, it’s worth noting that the 4S did not make its world debut in the US until mid October, much later than in previous years in which Apple launched its new iPhone models in the middle of the northern summer.

Indonesia’s release dates of the iPhones had been erratic with the 3G model being released in March 2008, the 3GS in February 2009, and the iPhone 4 in December 2010. There were rumors that Indonesia was supposed to have been part of the mid-December roll out along with Malaysia, Thailand, and the rest of Southeast Asia. Nevertheless, the 4S is ready to roll now for an end of January launch.

Apple supposedly scheduled for a complete iPhone 4S roll out by the end of 2011 but apparently negotiations with some carriers in parts of the world took longer than expected and we ended up with January releases for a number of countries.

At this moment, there is no word on pricing and there is no indication of pre-orders. In the past, pre-order numbers for Telkomsel had been very misleading as it involved no commitment from the consumers and the actual sales number of the launch weekend never reached pre-order levels.

The other Indonesian carrier for iPhone, XL Axiata, has yet to reveal its plans.

The timing will be very close to the Indonesian launch of Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus on January 21, which is two days from now, and ahead of the still rumored launch date of the Lumia series from Nokia, set for mid February.

PS: What about Siri? Well, it won’t be fully operational. Any location-based queries simply won’t work in Indonesia, or across Asia for that matter. Most of it would be there, but if you ask Siri anything to do with location, such as asking for the nearest sushi bar, you won’t get anything.

Khan Academy explains what SOPA/PIPA can do.

Breaking down Yahoo’s announcement of Jerry Yang’s resignation

The whole thing is just precious, hilarious reading. Go and read it.

Breaking down Yahoo’s announcement of Jerry Yang’s resignation

Was searching on Google when it spewed that first notice and upon posting the screenshot to Tumblr, this happened.

Boom. Samsung to merge Tizen with bada

Elizabeth Woyke for Forbes:

Bada/Tizen could eventually power a lot of Samsung products, but the transition will take time. Kang said Tizen will probably find its way to “at least one to two” Samsung devices this year. ”Tizen will not become Samsung’s main operating platform anytime soon,” he added.

“anytime soon” in the mobile world means within a year. In two years, who knows. Five years is an eternity, just ask Nokia and RIM.

Boom. Samsung to merge Tizen with bada

Singapore Looking to Sell Camera-less iPhone 4S

Who would want to buy them? Apparently Singapore’s national servicemen. The military has guidelines regarding electronic devices and that includes the restriction on camera-equipped gadgets. Seems that it is often the case that military personnel would use one phone for personal use and another during active duty.

Taking out the camera from the iPhone clearly is an unsanctioned modification and as it happens, will void the warranty although it is likely that the telcos who modify the phone may be required to foot the bill on service requests, depending on how Singapore’s consumer protection laws work.

Since the camera is one of the iPhone’s most significant highlight, it makes no sense why anyone would want to buy a camera-less iPhone regardless of military regulation. If anything, these servicemen who may already have an iPhone since half the country apparently does already, or those looking to buy one, could just buy another phone that has no camera.

There are plenty of camera-less phone in the market and it would be much less costly than having to buy two iPhones or even just one “blind” iPhone. With a two year contract, the 64GB model supposedly will go for S$900 (US$700). A basic phone would fetch for S$50-$70 and switching SIM cards between the phones, if you don’t want to keep two numbers, isn’t that complicated.

This reminds me of the tall tale of the NASA pen, which, although humorous, was mostly false.

Singapore Looking to Sell Camera-less iPhone 4S