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Apple's iPhone 3.0 Adds Features, Rewards Developers
The beta of Apple's next iPhone operating system supports in-app purchases, peer-to-peer connections, Bluetooth, Spotlight, turn-by-turn directions, and new app business models.
March 19, 2009
13 Min Read
Do We Care Where Technology Products Are Made? The U.S. Food and Drug Administration kicked off a new labeling program this week, requiring fresh and frozen fruits, veggies, and meats to specify country of origin. It got me thinking about the utility of similar IDs on branded tech products. The reasoning behind the program is that consumers need the information in order to make better purchase decisions. What exactly constitutes better is up for grabs, but safety was mentioned in the announcement propaganda: if there's a problem with a foodstuff coming from someplace, buyers could avoid it. Talk about a blunt tool, right? Short of acting on notification that all products of a certain type might be tainted from country so-and-so, there's not much else buyers could do with the new label info, unless consumers associated additional, positive qualities with the IDs (like only eating grapes from Chile, or, as the meat labels also include notation on where animals are born, raised, and slaughtered, chowing only hamburger from cows who started their lives in America, but spent their childhoods in Mexico). And then I thought about technology. Most widgets are born in far-away lands, and the miracle of outsourcing means that they mature sometimes at multiple points around the globe. Do chips from one place matter differently than those from another? Are complicated devices assembled in Country A better (or, say, the factories more appealing to our sensibilities) than Country B's? Could a "finished on" date and location have some significance to a would-be buyer? Maybe not. After all, any educated technology shopper knows that most of those details would be pretty much tangential to a gizmo's functional attributes. But general consumer preferences rely on much more than speeds-and-feeds, and tech products are struggling to find ways to 1) differentiate from one another, and 2) compel purchases. I wonder if brands could find ways to make said lineage into selling points for their products, and whether or not anybody would care? What do you think? Feel free to add your thoughts in the comment section. Jonathan Salem Baskin[email protected]www.informationweek.com |
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Apple's iPhone 3.0 Adds Features, Rewards DevelopersThe beta of Apple's next iPhone operating system supports in-app purchases, peer-to-peer connections, Bluetooth, Spotlight, turn-by-turn directions, and new app business models. Related Stories: The State Of The Network Management MarketWith business on the hunt for ways to reduce spending, Entuity's Klapproth discuss where SMBs are putting their scarce dollars, what investments will reap rewards, and the risks of jumping into open source too quickly. Symbian Picks Up The Pace In OS Race Symbian 2, which will be based on the foundation's Series 60 release 5.1, will have updates every six months. More U.S. Students Majoring In Computer Science The increase represents a significant turnaround from a multiyear trend of American students shying away from computer-related degrees. Motorola Unveils Public Safety, Video Server Products The hardware, which centers on the 4.9-GHz band, is aimed at providing improved secure wireless connectivity. Discovery Accuses Amazon Of Patent Infringement In Kindle The company, best known for the Discovery cable TV channel, is the latest organization unhappy with the Kindle. Binghamton Data Breach Threatens CISO's Position The discovery of documents with students' personally identifying information stored in an unlocked room has launched protests against the university's chief information security officer. Dell Tries To Outdo Apple Design Prowess With Adamo The stylish, ultraportable laptop features a chassis milled from a single piece of aluminum, a scalloped backlit keyboard, an edge-to-edge glass display, and a choice of onyx or pearl colors. AT&T Bets Heavily On iPhone Strategy The company is hoping that iPhone users will eventually generate enough revenue from data use to help avert its own financial crisis. Reader's Digest Outsources Tech Ops To Indian Firm HCL Technologies will provide a range of IT services to the publishing company under a seven-year agreement. HTC Plans At Least Three Android Phones In 2009 The company said it will offer support for Google's mobile operating system as the G1 has already sold more than 1 million units. Indian PM Candidate Promises $200 'Microsoft-Free' Laptop To secure votes, BJP leader LK Advani is pledging open source computers for 10 million students in his country. Hearst Moves Seattle PI Newspaper Online The largest daily newspaper to migrate entirely to an online version underscores the depth of a sector downturn as readers increasingly get their news online. See InformationWeek's daily breaking news on your mobile device, visit mobile.informationweek.com and sign up for daily SMS notifications. ----------It's Crunch Time, You Need InformationWeek AnalyticsInformationWeek Analytics is dedicated to providing you with comprehensive, real-world assessments of technology solutions. These in-depth research reports are written by IT professionals with real world experience, so you can make sound decisions.informationweekanalytics.com/----------Evaluating a New technology? Need Real World Answers?Get them directly from your peers and industry leaders at InformationWeek Forums. These technology specific eventswill immerse you in real life issues and solutions and provide peer to peer networking to answer your specific questions.informationweekevents.com----------Want it all - in one place? Get it at InformationWeek ReportsTechnology reports - for IT Professionals by IT Professionals. With hundreds of reports in 15 plus technology areas, you will find the research you need, when you need it. Easy to search and download - bookmark it today!informationweekreports.com----------2008 InformationWeek Strategic Security Survey This year, it's all about managing risk. That's the overall finding of our 2008 InformationWeek Strategic Security Study, which quizzed nearly 2,000 IT professionals about their plans and priorities for securing their companies' assets. strategicsecurity.techweb.com/---------- |
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