Just a few weeks ago, Apple’s released its brand new anticipated smartphone the iPhone 4. Since then, the iPhone 4 grew up to be the most successful product launch in Apple’s history with over 1.7 million units sold within just a few days. With these numbers, you would expect the guys at Cuppertino (Apple’s HQ) to be celebrating, but in fact they aren’t, as a major design error overclouds the phone’s success.

Following the gadgets launch off, many new iPhone owners reported that the signal strength and reception dropped significantly when the phone was held in a specific way- on the lower left side. Not long after that, videos showing the weird bug started popping all over the web as well as talkbacks who mocked Apple. The growing pressure finally got to Apple, who decided now to seriously address the issue.

In a statement released to the press, Apple says a fault on its new iPhone 4 is causing it to incorrectly display the phone’s signal. According to them, the problem is related to an error on how the signal bars themselves are displayed, rather than a reception issue. On the contrary, many tech experts claim the problem is deeper than a “cosmetic design flaw”.

Moreover, Apple had said that generally all phones gripped in “certain ways will reduce its reception by one or more bars”. “We have discovered the cause of this dramatic drop in bars, and it is both simple and surprising”, the statement read. “Upon investigation, we were stunned to find that the formula we use to calculate how many bars of signal strength to display is totally wrong”.

“Our formula, in many instances, mistakenly displays two more bars than it should for a given signal strength. For example, we sometimes display four bars when we should be displaying as few as two bars”, Apple explained. The company also added that the problem existed in the original iPhone as well.

Apple promises to fix the bug with a patch “within a few weeks”. In theory, once the patch has been applied, iPhone’s bars will report signal strength “far more accurately”. However, many industry experts are sceptical as the iPhone 4 integrates the antenna into the case, claiming that “changing the display may make some people feel better, but it doesn’t really fix the problem”.

The People who purchased the new iPhone may also choose to get a full refund within 30 days of purchase, the firm announced. In case you were wondering, one solution is already available: Apple sells a rubber shield that protects the sensitive area. In the meantime Apple’s CEO Steve Jobs summarized one of the more embarrassing foul-ups from a major tech company in a simple manner: “just avoid holding it in that way”.

Omer Shachnai

The CEO Game.

The Berkeley hotel

The Berkeley, a classic- yet contemporary hotel, located in the heart of Knightsbridge, which comes with recommendations by past clients such as Madonna and Mischa Barton, is bragging that as “the official UK launch of the iPad (is) still not upon us, you can be sure that our guests will be amongst the first to experience the delights of this new innovation”. The last weekend marked the introduction of Apple’s latest must-have device in all the hotel’s suites: the Berkeley, Conservatory and Chelsea suites. The iPads are offered for reading the daily newspapers as well as visiting the surrounding attractions as chosen by Berkeley’s concierge. They will also be pre-loaded with a range of games and videos. Guests will be shown how to use the iPad at check-in. The hotel says it plans its own apps by the end of the year.

To be frank, it is actually not the first hotel to have iPads, but it is the first one to offer an in- room iPad service. This comes after another hotel chain, the InterContinental, started using iPads in the hotel lobbies all over the world (London, New York, Honk Kong and more) to give directions to nearby venues.

As desperate as some Apple groupies may be to start messing around with the iPad, we do hope they realize that buying one, when they would be available worldwide, would work out cheaper than staying even for just one night at the Berkeley hotel- no matter how soft their pillows may be or its proximity to Harvey Nichols. Anyways, it was just about time somebody pulled the pad.

Omer Shachnai

The CEO Game.

iPhone 4G

The first analysis shows that the device contains new components. These new parts found, may suggest that the new IPhone is not just like the previous 3GS, only suited up with a new case, but more. So, without further ado, here are the big additions: A new front-facing camera (will probably enable video chat), an improved regular back-camera (they claim the lens is noticeably larger than the old one), camera flash- a feature many Apple groupies yearn for quite some time now.

Moreover, the device has a slot for a Micro-SIM instead of a standard SIM (just like the one the new iPad uses), the guys at Gizmodo also claim the forgotten device has improve display (it’s unclear if it’s the 960×460 display thrown around before). In addition, there seems to be a secondary mic for noise cancellation, on top of it, next to the headphones jack. The volume button has been splitted into two different buttons. The volume button as well as the mute and power buttons got a new metallic look.

What’s changed? Well for starters, the back of the phone is entirely flat, made of either glass (more likely) or ceramic or shiny plastic in order for the cell signal to poke through. An aluminum border going completely around the outside. Slightly smaller screen than the 3GS (but seemingly higher resolution). The phone has a new drastically different exterior- a more “squared off” look. Now you have a thinner body, with no wasted space and lots of hard lines. The phone is 3 grams heavier too. The phone’s batter is 16% Larger, while other internal components are shrunken, miniaturized and reduced to make room for it.

Unfortunately, they claim the phone had been remotely disabled by Apple, so no one was able to test out the new features on it. Whether it is true or not, the entire story seems too good to be true anyways, and it would come as no surprise if it was just another one of those publicity stunts, Apple is so famous for. When connecting the phone to a computer it behaves exactly like an iPhone does when it is plugged, with the proper boot sequence and “connect to iTunes” restore functionality. Maybe a sign of its authenticity. However, the Firmware cannot be loaded, since it is tied to the device model, and in this case there is no firmware yet for the 4G.

Why do they think it’s real? The people at Gizmodo said that after playing around with the phone for a week “the overall quality feels exactly like a finished final Apple phone—and after disassembling this unit, there is so much evidence stacked in its favor, that there’s very little possibility that it’s a fake. In fact, the possibility is almost none”. What the feeling like? “Freaking amazing. As a person who never really liked the round mound of a back in the 3GS, the sleeker, flatter, squarer design is super welcome. It feels sturdier than the 3GS, and much less plastic. The metal buttons give it a heftier feel—less of a toy—than all previous generations”.

Currently, It is rumored Apple will officially announce on the IPhone 4G in June, so this “gag” could be getting close to a final retail model. Up until then it is all speculation on if this is real or not. If it is real, either Apple did it intentionally, or perhaps one of Apple’s employees could be looking for a new job. And what do we say? Out with the old and in with the new.

Omer Shachnai

The CEO Game

Everybody is getting ready for the iPad. Apple is expected to start selling her tablet computer later on today, and now large service providers had announced that they will support Apple’s iPad along with other tablet PCs. The expectation is that the iPad will take the tablet PCs into the mainstream.

iPad, will it meet the expectations?

Starting from Google, the search engine giant had announced the release of special version of it’s mail service (Gmail), that is designed for tablet PCs. The new version will support the HTML 5 protocol along with other visual features.

Amazon had announced the release of its Kindle application for the iPad. The application itself will contain few unique features designed for the iPad. Amazon kindle will directly compete with Apple who had released its own book store application. Currently Amazon already offer its Kindle application for the iPhone and iPod touch.

The White House official blog had announced that the Whitehouse site will now fully support the iPad.

And who is left behind? Microsoft. According to different reports, Microsoft currently does not have any plans to release an iPad version of its Microsoft Office tools. The company still waits to see how much success the iPad will gain before investing in supporting it.

Ailon.

The CEO Game.

Apple had launched the iTunes Music Store for the first time in the US in April of 2003. By the end of that year, Apple had sold more than 25 million songs. Three years later, on February 2006, business was still a booming and sales reached one billion. Now, seven years since iTunes’ debut, another achievement was reached: 10 billion songs sold. Amazingly and even more, if you recall that it was only a while ago Apple was celebrating crossing the five billion songs sold barrier. On February 24, 2010, just a couple of days ago, Apple’s song download counter hit the mark, something it has been counting down to for the last two weeks.

iTunes

The tenth billion song was sold on February 24, as aforementioned, which happens to be Steve Jobs, Apple’s well famous CEO’s birthday. The 10 billionth song, “Guess Things Happen That Way” by Johnny Cash, was downloaded by Louie Sulcer of Woodstock, Georgia. As the winner on Apple’s 10 Billion Songs Countdown contest, Louie will receive a $10,000 iTunes Gift Card, which can buy some 7000 of the hottest songs, or 14,500-20,000 songs on sale. Simply, Plenty. The card can also be used to buy iPhone apps from the app store.

The iTunes online music store is considered one of the “saviors” of the music industry: it revolutionized the entire industry and the way we consume music. Moreover, it has been the first online store which reached such widespread sales and thus, made all label companies shift their activities to the Internet. The sales increased rapidly and constantly and on the last quarter, Apple made a hefty profit of 520$ million from songs sold.

“This has been the birth of legal downloading,” Apple CEO Steve Jobs said, when it was first launched in 2003. “We are going to fight illegal downloading by competing with it. We aren’t going to sue it. We’re not going to ignore it. We’re going to compete with it. With iTunes you are supporting artists. You’re not stealing. It’s good karma”. Clearly, it is good karma. Especially for Apple which has used the store to become America’s number one music vendor in a short time.

To celebrate the milestone, Apple published the all-time bestsellers in the store’s history. Leading in the top of the list, is the song, “I Gotta Feeling” by the Black Eyed Peas, that also take the third place with “Boom Boom Pow”. Between them, in the second place you can find “Poker Face” by the provocative Lady Gaga. In the fourth place, “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz and in the fifth place “Viva la Vida” by the British band of Coldplay.

But, It isn’t Apple’s only milestone lately. Just a month ago, the app store (Apple’s online application store) passed three billion downloads, a huge feat, particularly when you consider that the app store is younger than iTunes.

In conclusion, that’s billions in revenue that iTunes has generated for the entire music industry, but also billions that Apple has done for itself and while competitors came up, none even reached Apple’s dominance. Well “Guess Things Happen That Way” indeed.

Omer Shachnai

The CEO Game.

Apple had to put an end to the rumors and speculations when it announced its new tablet PC. During an event that took place in San Francisco, Apple’s CEO Steve Jobs had announced the release of the new product- the iPad.

iPad- Apple's new tablet PC

The new product, which is mainly focused around network services, includes a 10 inch screen and it’s based on the iPhone operation system iPhoneOS. The iPad is 1.25 cm thick and weights 700 grams. The iPad works on Apple’s CPU the A4 with approximately 1 GHz CPU power. The iPad also has a Bluetooth capability and apple had declared that it can last as long as 10 hours on its batteries. The iPad screen is of course a multi touch screen.

Job has declared that the iPad is a part of a new generation of products between the Laptops and Smartphones. What about notebooks? Jobs said that notebooks are nothing but weak and cheap laptops.

Apples had declared that the iPad will support all the iPhone and iPod applications as well as having original application of its own. One of the major goals of the iPad is to act as an electronic reader (similar to Amazon Kindle). In the event itself Jobs announce that Apple had already signed deals with 5 of the world’s largest book publishers.

Also during that event Jobs had announced that Apple had sold its 250 million iPod few weeks ago and had more than 250 million visitors, in its 284 stores, in the last quarter.

Ailon.

The CEO Game.

A lot of iPhone buyers use only a small and trivial part of its functionality, not realizing the full potential of their mobile friend.

iPhone Applications, the hottest trend of the mobile world, let everyone (with Mac and technical approach) to develop their mobile dream, from every corner of the world. The talented ones can also make money out of it.

But this article is not about just any iPhone apps. It is about those applications that may save you time and money!

Here are 5 tips for managing money with your iPhone:

• Convert Currencies
  Check the up-to-date exchange rate of any desired currency, and get a close look at your stocks.

  Applications such as Currency Converter Pro enable you to check 220 exchange rates, including silver and gold, and to convert between them.

• Manage your budget
  In order to stay on top of your budget planning and implementation, you may need a tool to help you plan and act appropriately.
  

  iPhone - Budget Application

  Budget is an application for managing your personal budget. It enables you to receive some basic information, such as graphs of your expenses, reminders relevant to your plans (such as when you need to pay your monthly rent), retrieved data and sets the time period for you budget plan.
  You may synchronize the data over several iPhones, for more than one person managing their households (husband and wife, partners etc.).

  Another budget management application is Day Bank, which allows you to synchronize the iPhone application with software on your computer.

• Save SMS and phone calls
  The fact that you’re with your mobile phone doesn’t necessarily means that you need to make your phone calls through the device.
  Fring is an application that combines all your contacts in the instant massages networks (Google Talk, ICQ, MSN messanger etc.), allowing you to chat with them and even have a voice conversation (VOIP) through Wifi.
  Fring users can speak free with one another. Skype is also enabled by the SkypeOUT rates.
• Keep updated in the stock market
  Keeping track of stocks is something you can do with the application Stocks, which comes with the iPhone. You can get information about stocks and receive relevant updates, including detailed graphs and a list of securities.

  Stock information for experts is provided with the application Bloomberg, built by the financial information agency, Bloomberg. The

  

  iPhone - Bloomberg application

  application is far more detailed than ‘Stocks’ and allows you to keep updated with the world’s markets, complete with news and estimations.

• Tip calculator
  Have you ever wondered how much money you should leave for the waiter? Tipulator, an iPhone application that easily calculates the tip everyone in the table need to pay, does it for you. You simply enter the amount to pay, the tip percentage desire and the number of people dinning.

This is only a few of the enormous pool of iPhone applications that can save you time and money.

I believe that in the future the mobile revolution will manage our wallet very, very closely. Smartphones are already helping us manage our budget and advise us for smart saving. Of course, until the CEO Game becomes an iPhone app, in order to play what will surely be the most fun and realistic business simulation ever, you’re going to have to sit down at a computer. It’ll be worth it, we promise.

Nimrod.

The CEO Game.

The Open Source Leaders

Suppose for just a moment that every Application, Operation System (Windows, Unix and etc), Computer-Game, etc’ internals were free to view, manipulate and redistribute. Can you imagine where could we have been today?

Imagine Microsoft and Apple joining forces and working together.

Google, Yahoo and Bing all doing their best to improve our search experience.

Do we really prefer the choice instead of knowing we’re using the best application out there?

Do we really believe that competition is the better way for the human race?

Why wouldn’t the big companies go on and open their source code? Well the answer for that is quite simple and obvious, the reason is Money (and allot of it). It seems inevitable as long as money is at stake and obliviously there’s no big money if any in open source. On the other hand take a look at the change our world experiences thanks to free software, and the free information sharing through the Internet.

Today’s world where more and more sophisticated applications find their way over to the cloud, it seems absurd charging money from users, take Google docs for example. Google docs became a reasonable substitute for Microsoft office and in this case money isn’t made by selling the software to the end user.

So way isn’t it code free? Sure there’s a rich API but why Google didn’t took the next required step and publish its source code?

It’s seems to me that we as society have this boundary which forbids us from thinking as a whole and viewing ourselves as a single unit trying to push our limits by joining forces, All for the same cause. Imagine where could have we been today if we started working together for a change.

Looking ahead it seems the future of open source seems bright:

Sites like http://www.codeplex.com/ and http://www.codeproject.com/ are adding new content on a daily basis and Linux base operation system seems to finds their way into more and more large organization (such as the German and Belgium governments).

We at the CEO game understand that a competitive world is inevitable but we also believe in clarity, wisdom of the crowds, fast learning and sharing. All of which are part of thinking open source.

I opened with a statement that I won’t be talking in favour or against open source but I’m sure you can guess on which side I’m.

Roi.

The CEO Game.

Ailon

The CEO Game.