The fast propagating use of CMS (content Management Systems) on-line has been a blessing and a malediction at the same time. Millions of Joomla, WordPress and Drupal downloads make them the most popular among other Content Management Systems in the world.
This did not happen by pure luck. they are very solid platforms to create entire websites in a matter of minutes. they present the users with a good number of features that will help them to start a small business website or even go as far as developing entire communities and portals on-line with e-commerce capabilities. many big and famous companies use one of these 3 solutions. as an example, the New York Times uses WordPress as the base platform for their portal.
The most attractive part of these CMS solutions is that they are FREE. yes, they belong to the fast growing Open Source software movement around the world. you can download any of them, tweak it a little bit here and there, and that’s it. you have a brand new, professional-looking website. fantastic Not quite. most of the time you have to upload the package to the server you are using -more likely- a big hosting company who attracted you by their ubiquitous advertisement. (We are not even mentioning here services you can get for what appears to be a very cheap deal. the only thing attractive about them, though, is the price. when it comes to computer technology, you get what you pay for). you will soon realize how painfully slow these companies are. But that is just the beginning.
Soon you will have to customize your Joomla, Drupal or WorPress website. the process then becomes a torture. you have to work online. Editions, changes, uploading of pictures, etc become a burden if the response of your CMS is slow. this is the case 95% of the time looking for a faster website hosting service is what comes to your mind immediately after playing with your CMS for a day or two. you will soon realize the importance.
Fast hosting companies belong to an emerging field. it could be tricky to find a really fast hosting company. there are too many factors involved in making a hosting company fast: Location of the data center, bandwidth of the network and data transmission, equipment involved -not just the processors used on the servers but overall infrastructure-, etc. many companies advertise that they are fast. anyone can say they are fast. Don’t fall into their trap. how can you really know the speed of one hosting company compared to another claiming exactly the same? it is virtually impossible.
Or it WAS virtually impossible, until an European company started a project aiming at testing and ranking the speed of web hosting companies around the world. it is unique the way they are testing and classifying them, and interesting to see how hosting companies are measuring up against the competition. Curiously, you will never see big names there. the truth is, big name hosting companies would be at the very bottom of the list. Fast hosting companies have one characteristic in common: Fast server speeds and fast support. they are usually small or medium in size.
Out of more than 3 thousand hosting companies registered, the top ten are a combination of companies from all over the world. there is an American company out of Dallas TX for months at the top of the list. they got my attention. the other 4 or five are usually European or Japanese companies with websites offering hosting in a foreign language. So I decided to try a company out of Dallas. after reviewing what they had to offer and finding them all the way to the very top of the list all the time. the difference in speed is like day and night.
My CMS website is not just fastest when downloading data and graphics to the browser, but working with it has become a delight. I find myself being more productive and literally having less headaches because before I was looking at my laptop’s screen for hours, now I spend less than half the time on it.
So if you own a CMS website and you are serious about working with it, and presenting the best to your audience, change to a faster webhosting company. they are usually fast with everyting, even when helping to transfer your account to them
BusinessInsider relays an analyst report from Avian Securities which claims that the iPhone 5 won’t start production until September and that this suggests that next generation iPhone won’t make it to the market until the end of the year or even early next.
Supporting out comments over the last month, conversations with yet another key component supplier indicates that production for iPhone-5 will begin in September. This is consistent with Avian findings in the supply chain in recent months and we believe the consensus view is moving towards this scenario.
Avian cites “key component suppliers” as the source of the information. They also revive the possibility of a cheaper/lower cost iPhone also in the works, but no new details.
While some may tire of the on-again/off-again nature of these rumors, the information from Avian is consistent with previous claims that no new iPhone hardware would be coming in June as well as claims that due to part production timelines, the iPhone 5 won’t be shipping until Fiscal 2012 (after September 2011).
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One of the major talking points long used by Google in support of its Android smartphone operating system over iOS is its “open” nature that has allowed handset manufacturers and others to tweak and customize the software for their needs. Apple CEO Steve Jobs has argued that the “open” nature would more accurately be described as “fragmented” in justifying why he believes that Apple’s “closed” or “integrated” iOS is a better platform for consumers.
Google executive Andy Rubin responded to Jobs’ comments last October by using his first ever Tweet to define “open” as the code needed to get the Android source code installed and ready for use by anyone interested in it.
But as Android’s popularity has taken off and the number of manufacturers and devices utilizing it has exploded, Google has begun tightening its control over the operating system, perhaps recognizing that a purely open system might in fact not be best for consumers and looking to exert its influence over how Android is presented to and behaves for users.
Last week, Bloomberg Businessweek reported that Google has decided to hold back from releasing the source code for its new “Honeycomb” version of Android to the public, claiming that the code is not yet ready for public tweaking given corners that needed to be cut to bring it to market to compete with the iPad.
“To make our schedule to ship the tablet, we made some design tradeoffs,” says Andy Rubin, vice-president for engineering at Google and head of its Android group. “We didn’t want to think about what it would take for the same software to run on phones. It would have required a lot of additional resources and extended our schedule beyond what we thought was reasonable. So we took a shortcut.”
Rubin says that if Google were to open-source the Honeycomb code now, as it has with other versions of Android at similar periods in their development, it couldn’t prevent developers from putting the software on phones “and creating a really bad user experience. We have no idea if it will even work on phones.”
Still, Rubin argued that Google has not changed its philosophy about Android being an open source project.
Bloomberg Businessweek continued digging into the situation, however, and yesterday published a report outlining how Google has in fact been taking new steps to crack down on how Android is being deployed, moves that have angered some hardware manufacturers.
Playtime is over in Android Land. Over the last couple of months Google (GOOG) has reached out to the major carriers and device makers backing its mobile operating system with a message: There will be no more willy-nilly tweaks to the software. No more partnerships formed outside of Google’s purview. From now on, companies hoping to receive early access to Google’s most up-to-date software will need approval of their plans. And they will seek that approval from Andy Rubin, the head of Google’s Android group.
According to the report, Google has been increasing enforcement of “non-fragmentation clauses” in recent months, requiring partners to submit their plans to Google for final say on their implementation. The policies have ruffled some feathers in the industry, including at Facebook and Verizon, where tweaked versions of Android have been under development. Google’s actions have sparked a few complaints to the U.S. Department of Justice, although it is unclear whether there is any momentum for a coordinated push back from manufacturers or regulators.
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Cult of Mac claims to have some details of how Apple will take advantage of NFC (Near Field Communications) technology in their future mobile devices. Unfortunately, their source can’t specify when Apple will introduce the technology, but their source confirms that Apple is working with several iPhone prototypes with NFC built in. But beyond the expected financial payment system, Cult of Mac’s source indicates that the NFC may also be used as a portable login system:
According to our source, who asked not to be named, when a NFC-equipped iPhone is paired with a guest machine, part of the users profile includes the apps theyve purchased through the Mac App Store. The icons for their apps appear on the remote Mac, but arent downloaded, our source said.
Users will reportedly be able to launch apps which will be downloaded on demand. Documents can then be saved and synced back to MobileMe so you can access your documents where ever you are. Once the NFC connection is broken, the apps and files are deleted from the guest computer, leaving it untouched.
The system is somewhat reminiscent of the Home on iPod feature that was originally advertised for Mac OS X Panther, but pulled at the last minute. In that incarnation, your Home directory would be saved on your iPod and “When you find yourself near a Panther-equipped Mac, just plug in the iPod, log in, and you’re “home,” no matter where you happen to be.”
Cult of Mac claims that these features will be rolled into Lion, though can’t be certain it when it will be deployed, if ever.
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Mockup design of iPhone 5 with Aluminum backing
GadgetsDNA points to a Economic Daily News report (translated by Macotakara) about the upcoming iPhone 5. According to a Chinese source, Apple will be abandoning the glass backing of the iPhone 4 and moving back to an aluminum casing. Apple’s first iPhone also shipped with an aluminum back casing. From the translation:
Decision to design similar to iPod touch instead of using glass is supposed that Apple seems to stop problems which are told widely damages from scratching, difficulties of painting white and weight of glass.
The antenna will also be redesigned which means Apple will also be abandoning the current external iPhone 4 antenna design. The iPhone 4 antenna was the source of a major controversy over signal loss and attenuation when it was held in a certain way. The iPhone 5 is also said to have the new Apple A5 processor and will likely be announced in June/July.
While Economic Daily News itself has been a bit of mixed source for early Apple rumors with previous claims that didn’t pan out, the Chinese supply chain seems to be the weakest link in Apple’s secrecy.
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Forbes reports that a major U.S. retailer presumed to be Best Buy is preparing to provide all of its retail store employees with iPads, a move that could help the electronics chain sell staff (and thus customers) on the company’s concept of a “Connected World”.
A source with knowledge of corporate mobile device deployments tells Forbes that one of the country’s top 10 largest retailers expects to distribute iPads to each of its on-floor sales associates. This retailer, the source adds, operates 1,100 stores across the U.S. As the country’s largest electronics retailer – as well as a retailer that currently operates around 1,100 stores in the U.S. – Best Buy is a natural match.
Best Buy employs approximately 180,000 full-time, part-time, and seasonal employees worldwide, and while only U.S.-based on-floor sales staff would qualify for the rumored offer, the boost would still represent distribution of many tens of thousands of iPads in a significant boost to Apple’s bottom line.
Populating every Best Buy store with iPad-toting salespeople would be a boon for Apple, which would not only sell tens of thousands of devices for the purpose, but also have its wares in constant, high profile use across the country.
The benefits are less assured for Best Buy, which has struggled financially in recent quarters. That said, the aim of the Connected Stores is to make Best Buy shops more alluring destinations and to encourage people to purchase devices by offering as interactive and informative a shopping experience as possible. If an army of iPads helps Best Buy achieve this goal, then the gamble will be worthwhile.
Also unclear is the timeline for such a rollout. Apple will presumably be looking to prioritize distribution to the general public before fulfilling such a large order for Best Buy, as the company typically restricts distribution of popular new products even for its own employees until consumer demand and supply levels begin to come into balance.
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iPad Showing Up as ‘Deleted’ in Best Buy Inventories
Tuesday March 01, 2011 11:09 AM EST
Written by Eric Slivka
Following up on yesterday’s report that Apple is cutting off supplies of all iPad models to resellers ahead of tomorrow’s media event, we’ve just heard from a Best Buy source that all iPad models have been transitioned to a “deleted” status at the source’s store.
There is no word yet on any incoming shipments or placeholders in Best Buy’s systems, but Apple is widely expected to introduce updated iPads at tomorrow’s event, with availability rumored to come very soon after.
Best Buy inventory screens can be unreliable sources of information given the company’s tendency to use placeholders based on rumors and guesses rather than concrete information, but they occasionally do offer accurate information and can be a good source of insight into supply constraints due to the company’s role as a major Apple retail partner.
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Grand Central Terminal’s Main Concourse
Last week, a pair of reports surfaced indicating that Apple is hoping to build a new retail store inside Manhattan’s busy and historic Grand Central Terminal. Located less than a mile from the company’s flagship Fifth Avenue store, the Grand Central Terminal location is reportedly being viewed as a means to ease the massive customer load on the landmark, but relatively small, Fifth Avenue store.
A new report issued today by Cult of Mac provides additional claims of an Apple retail store coming to Grand Central Terminal, but goes on to claim that the location would offer the company’s biggest-yet retail sales floor, larger than those found in the company’s Regent Street and Covent Garden stores in London.
While reports of the square footage for Apple’s various locations have always been subject to significant variations, the Covent Garden location has been said to offer over 16,000 square feet of publicly-accessible space (with 40,000 square feet of total space including corporate offices) and Regent Square location is said to offer 25,000 square feet of retail space. Consequently, Apple’s Grand Central Terminal store would appear to have to be in the range of 25,000 square feet to qualify as the company’s largest, making it a significant presence inside the terminal.
The store will open in the fall, likely early September – and it will be Apple’s largest retail space in the world.
The store already has a name: Apple Store, Grand Central, according to a source close the company. The source said Apple will be making an internal announcement within the next month or so.
“The company will certainly pull out all the stops on this one,” said the source, who asked not to be named.
An early fall opening seems rather ambitious for what seems to be a massive project with historical implications and lease issues that do not appear to have been worked out yet, but the growing number of reports do suggest that Apple is looking at making a significant splash in the terminal.
Update: A look at the Grand Central Terminal leasing plan (PDF) shows few options for an Apple retail store of the rumored size, although Apple could attempt to combine spaces, even over multiple floors where possible, to put together a retail space.
And as mentioned in the earlier report from The New York Observer, selection of tenants for Grand Central Terminal is an open public process involving requests for proposals, casting some doubt on just how far along any such plans from Apple could be, given the absence of any word from Grand Central Terminal management.
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Cult of Mac reports that it has received information from a source regarding Apple’s efforts to revamp its MobileMe service, suggesting that the company is going well beyond simple cloud-based media streaming to include social and location-based services.
Among the many services Apple is working on are:
- A live video-streaming service like Ustream
- A location-based check-in system like Gowalla or Foursquare
- A geo-tagging system codenamed “Tokens” that tags real-world locations, like Facebook Places on steroids.
According to the report, the focus of the revamped MobileMe will be on a “dynamic webpage” that is constantly updated with the user’s latest activity with their iOS device, from locations to photos and videos to music.
“The concept is that you would have you own website that’s dynamic, all based on what you are doing at that moment,” said our source. “Apple thinks of it as having a webserver in your pocket… everything will be dynamically updated to MobileMe.”
With “Tokens”, users would be able to tag GPS locations with photos, reviews, and other information that would be available to other MobileMe users visiting those locations.
While Apple is not known for being on the cutting edge of social networking and its Ping component of iTunes has struggled to catch on as a music-focused network, the company has clearly shown interest in developing social features, particularly when it comes to location-based technologies. Over a year ago, the company advertised for a software engineer who could help take the iOS Maps application “to the next level”, while more recent job postings have hinted at integrated navigation software. And more recently, builds of iOS 4.3 have hinted at a feature called “Find My Friends” that could easily be a part of the rumored MobileMe revamp.
Differing schools of thought regarding a MobileMe revamp have arisen over the past few days, with some suggesting a very strong focus on true cloud-based services beaming data from Apple’s servers to a variety of devices, while others have suggested that the user’s own home computer will be the source from which data is disseminated to portable devices.
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