If you listen to most of the technology press, including this publication, the new Kindle announced today is a dollar short and two years behind the technology curve. In the age of iPads who wants a dingy old Kindle?

Our own Chad Catacchio put it like this: “Is Amazon bringing a Kindle to a gun fight?” His point, shortly, is this:

With all of that, today’s announcement [the new Kindle] just seems like a mercurial improvement, not the kind of industry re-inventing moment that the iPad launch was less than four months ago. As such, we’re disappointed.

No matter what Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos says about building one device that does one thing extremely well, or how light and cheap the Kindle becomes, the fact remains that it is another device that people have to carry. This isn’t just the Kindle’s or even a misgiving of eReaders in general – all dedicated devices face this same issue eventually. Who carries around a calculator anymore? Heck, people are even starting to leave their digital cameras at home in favor of their phones – even when they travel. Convergence, mobility and raw power are what people want: and that is exactly what smartphones and tablets are giving them.

So a new 20% smaller and cheaper Kindle every 18 months that brings a little better reading experience isn’t going to cut it if Amazon wants to stay in the device game. They have excellent iPad/iPhone and Android apps that we’ve been applauding, a tremendous library that continues to grow at reasonable prices, but it is really hard to look at the Kindle/Nook/Kobo right now without thinking, “do I really need bring that – and my iPad?”

Is a single use device horribly myopic? Is the Kindle an outdated gadget that needs to be sent out to pasture now that the iPad (and the soon coming slew of cheap Android tablets) are here?

Absolutely not, and this is why: the more tablets, be it iPads or what have you, that are sold the better it is for Kindle. The lens that you have to view the Kindle through is just this: it is designed not for the casual reader, but the voaracious book swallower. Therefore, the idea that it will lose favor to an iPad applies nearly not at all. The most serious reader will never leave their Kindle anywhere but on their person.

What about casual readers? Let them drop the Kindle reading device and head out with their iPad. In fact, I bet that nearly no casual readers own a Kindle, so let them just bring their iPad. The iPad after all is an amazing Kindle. So is that casual reader’s phone for that matter, be it Android, iOS, or any other major platform. Heck, do they really need to bring or buy an actual Kindle? If they did, they would sometimes have three Kindles on their person!

Now, Amazon does not want the Kindle to be as niche as it is now, so they are improving it and cutting the price. Two good moves to get more people onto the device, but that is hardly Amazon’s full game. To compare Kindle sales and Kindle portability and Kindle anything to any other single product or even group of products is to miss the point. If you want a multi-use device, by all means get one, and then run Kindle on it. I agree with Chad, a multi-use tablet is what I want, but that has not stopped me from spending more money than I should on Amazon’s Kindle store on my iPad. To be blunt, I think that iPad is the best Kindle. I’m not even being ironic.

Amazon is happiest when people buy a Kindle, it locks them into their electronic store, but there are many ways for Amazon to skin this cat.

My argument only holds together if people actually use Kindle on other devices. Very well, do they? Indeed they do. Kindle is the #12 most popular free application on iPad. It’s not as popular as iBooks, but it is still performing strongly on enemy turf. When Kindle came to Android recently, my Android using friends were far more excited than I expected them to be and so forth. Think of it like this: Kindle readers are popular, so are Kindle applications on every other platform. Therefore, how can Kindle lose by making simple, cheap e-readers? They get to have their cake and eat it to, being everywhere at once and only engineering a single time.

Why is Kindle performing so well on the iPad and elsewhere? Kindle is the brand name for e-books, around the world. That brand means that when people buy any device, if they want to read they search for Kindle. On the iPad, the usual suspect in Kindle murder posts, Kindle is the best reading software (so I humbly think). iBooks is pretty but ponderous to use. Until iBooks gets better, it is not even the best app on the device it is designed for.

Finally, if Amazon built a multi-use tablet like we all keep begging for, it would be terrible. The iPad is great, the Android tablets are going to rock, so why fight it? Amazon has no intention of losing those people, see above, but doesn’t want to make crap devices that no one uses. The Kindle device is pretty darn good, so they will continue to dominate that specific market. Apple and the other boys can slug it out on tablets, Amazon sells piles of books to their users, and everyone is happy. Why would Amazon want to fight Jobs at his own game?

To sum up, and this post is running on a bit long, the more Kindles sold the better it goes for Amazon, but the company is doing damn fine on the other platforms. An iPad sold is a potential Kindle customer created, period. iPad sales are good for the Kindle platform, and Amazon should keep doing exactly what they are: building a device for their biggest fans and catering strongly to the needs of casual readers who do not want a dedicated reader.

Original title and link for this post: Is The New Kindle Kaput Before It Even Comes Out?

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TNW Quick Hit

AlwaysOnPC allows you to access your PC or Mac from your iPad, on the go.

Love It: Allows you to view your Office suite, FireFox, Flash and more right from your iPad.

Hate It: The app does not yet support Flash audio or full-motion video, and requires an active 3G or WiFi network connection to function.

Overall: 5/5

The Details

Proving that they are no flash in the pan and having one’s head in the clouds is a grand thing, Xform Computing has released the iPad version of their popular iPhone app, AlwaysOnPC, which allows you to access your home computer from your iPad, anywhere or at anytime, even when your home computer is turned off.

The app is feature-rich, giving you use of 40 applications, including the aforementioned Office suite, FireFox, and Flash on your iPad at an extremely low introductory price of $9.99.

AlwaysOnPC’s iPad app affords you the ability to “Work with your Excel or Power Point files, monitor Google Analytics (on the actual site), read email, simply click to open attachments, play Flash games on Facebook or other sites, and much more.”

Additionally, the AlwaysOnPC iPad app features:

• Free software so you can access your AlwaysOnPC from your PC or Mac
• Edit, crop and retouch photos such as GIF, JPEG, TIFF and more with the included image editing program
• Browse the web on FireFox 3.5.6 with Flash support
• Copy and paste between Office applications and the photo editor, drawing program, email and more
• Included storage: 2 GB of online disk space to store your files
• 3rd party Online Storage support: DropBox is pre-installed. Other vendors such as Box.net, Jungle Disk, Carbonite, SugarSync, Google Docs and others can be  accessed via FireFox
• Install free FireFox Addons like xMarks to import & sync your bookmarks and passwords with your PC or laptop
• Install your favorite FireFox toolbars like Google or Yahoo! Toolbars

This iPad app is not compatible with the iPhone version, which is a bit of a let down, but at $9.99, the iPad version of AlwaysOnPc is 40% less than its iPhone counterpart.  For anyone that desires to access the files on their PC or Mac from their iPad, there is no better option than the AlwaysOnPC iPad app.

Original title and link for this post: iPad owner? PC user? AlwaysOnPC lets you access your PC from your iPad.

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Those of you who follow @Scobleizer might very well have heard him rave about an upcoming app release for the iPad. Well, while not confirmed (update: now confirmed!), we believe we’ve got our hands on the app he’s betting will be a game changer – it’s called Flipboard.

Before we carry on, lets take a quick look and some of Scoble’s superlatives:

Now, let me restate this, we don’t know for certain (update: now we know for certain) this is the app that’s got Scoble bouncing off the walls. What we do know is the app he’s referring to is being released tonight, as is Flipboard, someone suggested Flipbook as the app he was referring to, Scoble retweeted it, and finally we now know Flipbook comes with all the features you’d expect someone like Scoble to get excited about.

So what is Flipboard?

Flipboard is supposedly “the world’s first social magazine”, bringing the “timeless layout of print media to social media.” Big promises.

It offers a way to “flip” through news, photos and updates from what your friends on Facebook and Twitter are sharing. Rather than scrolling through posts and links, Flipboard organises everything shared into a magazine like format, not unlike a favourite of ours, Feedly.

So is it a game changer?

In all honesty, time will tell. What it is however, is an incredibly elegant way of transforming your social stream links, media, images and updates into a beautifully put together iPad magazine. Basically, exactly what Flipboard promises on the tin.

Flipboard isn’t the first to this idea however. Others have attempted to create newspaper and magazine like UI’s from the barrage of information shared on social media sites, but none seem to have done it better than Flipboard. Where this app stands out is; in its elegant design and seemingly its ability to pinpoint what’s important/relevant to you.

Let me make one thing abundantly clear. This is, without a shadow of a doubt, the most elegant reading experience I have seen on the iPad. From the (slightly gimmicky) page flipping affect, to its ability to select images that draw in the eye encouraging you to read – it’s simply outstanding.

My first, albeit short impressions, browsing articles were equally impressive. When you launch the app you are presented with a selection of squares, each square has a topic (e.g. tech) and you are also given the opportunity to insert your Facebook and Twitter account details into other available squares. Pressing a square takes you into a world of content, beautifully presented. Time will tell exactly how well targeted the articles are to users preferences, but you’ll notice each article has a like button that presumably helps Flipboard learn more about what you enjoy reading.

Flipboard also includes its own commenting feature, creating a community within the app itself but also providing a simple way to reply to Facebook shares and tweets.

Whether this is in fact Scoble’s “revolutionary” new app or not, it’s certain one to keep an eye on. If you’re a twitter user, think of Flipboard as the tweetie of newsreaders. It’s set a new bar, a new standard, one that’s going to be tough to surpass.

For another aspect, here’s Scoble’s video, and his review of the application.

It’s not all good news for Flipboard however. A number of old media publications, including the NY Times, have attacked a similar app named Pulse, accusing it of misusing its content. Whether Flipboard will end up on the same end of the stick, time will tell. On the up side, the 20 person company, co-founded by Mike McCue (previously of TellMe) and a former Apple iPhone engineer Evan Doll, has just raised $10.5 million funding from top Silicon Valley heavyweights. On top of that, according to All Things D, the company has just sealed the acquisition of Ellerdale, a relevancy engine for the real-time Web – should come in handy.

You’ll find Flipboard in iTunes now, for free.

Original title and link for this post: The iPad just got a game changing news reader, it’s called Flipboard.

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If you have had your eye on grabbing a Nexus One via the official Google Phone site, you better get a move-on because Google has just received its last shipment of the device and once they are sold, Google’s store will close and it will sell them no more.

It isn’t quite the death knell for the Google phone, its partners (including Vodafone in Europe and KT in Korea) will still continue to sell the device in it’s stores and online.

Google posted the following on its Nexus One blog:

Earlier this year, we announced that we will be closing the Nexus One web store. This week we received our last shipment of Nexus One phones. Once we sell these devices, the Nexus One will no longer be available online from Google. Customer support will still be available for current Nexus One customers. And Nexus One will continue to be sold by partners including Vodafone in Europe, KT in Korea, and possibly others based on local market conditions.

To ensure our developers have access to a phone with the latest Android OS, Google will be offering the Nexus One through a partner for sale to registered developers. Visit the Android Market Publisher site and log into your developer account to purchase a Nexus One.

If you wanted to get an engraved and unlocked Nexus One directly from Google, now is the time.

Original title and link for this post: Want A Nexus One From Google? Hurry, The Last Shipment’s Just Come In

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In the world of iPad applications, the ones that use the device’s screen to the greatest function are the ones that ultimately stand out.  Kayak’s application does this exceptionally well, and has an added feature that might just make things more fun to boot.

While most travel sites have only the basic features of choosing your location and your flight time, Kayak has implemented a feature called Explore.  Explore will let you choose a price, and then start narrowing down where you can afford to fly within a given set of dates.

We could write a ton about this, and why it’s so revolutionary to the industry, but the fact is that it’s something that should have been done long ago.  Not to steal Kayak’s thunder, mind you.  Quite the opposite, in fact.  We’re glad to see applications that not only use the full real estate of a device such as the iPad, but also go a step further in making an often-tedious experience into something you’d actually want to do.

Kayak for iPad is a free download from the App Store.

Original title and link for this post: Kayak’s awesome iPad app updates with the Explore feature.

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This could get very messy, very quickly. Multiple reports have emerged overnight that the UK government is to consult the public over how to cut public spending via a dedicated Facebook page.

The ‘Spending Challenge Channel’ doesn’t appear to be live yet but it is expected to be officially announced today. Accompanying an official website which is already online, it will allow the public to suggest, discuss and vote on ways to cut public spending. The BBC reports that prime minister David Cameron spoke to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg via Skype recently about the plan.

The move follows a reported face-to-face meeting between the two during Zuckerberg’s recent visit to London. At the time Jeremy Hunt, the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport tweeted “Just met Mark Zuckerberg, Founder of Facebook. Really smart guy with some good ideas on improvement digital engagement in policy making.” It look like one of those ideas, unsurprisingly, was “Start a Facebook page”.

The UK economy is in a dire state and politicians of all major parties agree that spending cuts are needed. Some sections of the public will applaud the chance to have their say on what spending should be cut. However, the coalition government has its fair share of critics and we imagine that once the page launches we’ll immediately see open season on silly comments all over the page’s wall. This raises an important question; how will the page be moderated without being seen as ‘undemocratic’?

Given the meteoric rise of social media, it had to happen at some point. Crowdsourced government is here and it’s going to be very interesting.

Original title and link for this post: UK Government to Crowdsource Spending Cuts on Facebook

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As of the time of this writing, Wikipedia has been down and out for around 40 minutes.  As of yet, there is no explanation as to why, but Twitter seems to be buzzing about it as well.

It’s not the first time, and certainly not the last.  The last time, in the latter days of March, Wikipedia felt a hard knock for quite a few hours.  Again, at that time, Twitter users were the first to seem to realize what had happened.

As of yet, there is no information regarding the outage on the Wikipedia Technical Blog.  It’s unclear as to whether or not this is similar in relation to the last outage, attributed to an overheating DNS server.

We’ll, of course, keep you updated as we find out more.

For now, this is what we have:

According to Gabe Rivera’s Twitter, the reason behind this down time has to do with an outage at the Florida data center in the US.

Update: The site appears to be back now, and fully functional.

Original title and link for this post: Wikipedia was down, and now we know why [Updated]

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Foursquare has just posted their response to a security/privacy issue that a white-hat hacker had pointed out to them nine days ago, and which Wired has reported on a few times (their title today was “Foursquare puts money before privacy“, referencing their $20M round yesterday).

Foursquare says that the security hole is fixed and apologized to its users saying,

“We’re very sorry if information that users didn’t intend to share was temporarily made public on our venue pages or through our API. Please bear with us… we’re continually looking for ways to improve the sharing options that we provide to our users, and we’re intent on further improving tools and communication in this area.”

Ok, that aside, there is some other very interesting news in this blog post – Foursquare has added more sharing options when you check-in. By going to foursquare.com/settings, you can now enable/disable the following new info to share when you check-in:

• Share your phone number and email with friends
• Share your check-in with the venue owner (this could be huge as a way for Foursquare to directly convince venue owners of how may people are checking in, especially if paired with a live dashboard)
• Show your name in the “Who’s Here” list for the venue

Here’s what the Settings page looks like:

Original title and link for this post: Foursquare Adds New Check-in Sharing Features, Explains Fixed Security Hole

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TEDxOilSpill happens this Monday in Washington DC – and in smaller Meetups around the world – to “explore new ideas for our energy future, and how we can mitigate the current crisis in the Gulf”. The event in DC is already sold out.

The great lineup of speakers includes Sylvia Earle, Philippe Cousteau, representitives from the UN and Greenpeace among other experts focused on the health of our oceans. Oh, and that @BPGlobalPR guy will be speaking too.

In order to deliver first hand accounts in pictures and video of the spill, a group of two professional photographers, a videographer and a writer have spent the last eight days documenting the spill, calling it TEDxOilSpill Expedition – click through to see the stunning photographs like the one:

An important event

So those are the details – now we’d like to discuss why this is so important.

First of all of course, discussing and finding solutions for the current crisis in the Gulf (and doing whatever we can to make sure this never happens again) is the primary reason why this is so important. Secondly, discussing and learning how we can all help the health of our oceans is also extremely important.

Beyond these primary reasons though, we see this effort as another step in an evolution of people using the Internet to take action in times of crisis. First of all, this a great use of TEDx – using TEDx as the central platform to organize around a crisis was a smart move by the organizers – the still developing TEDx brand (and of course the well-established TED brand) has the infrastructure, reach and stature to bring together such a speaker lineup quickly and partnerships with Ustream and LiveStream mean that the event can be live broadcast in high quality with little hassle to the organizers.

Take the TEDx brand and this livestreaming ability and add that to a new service from Meetup called Meetup Everywhere (which we predicted could be transformative for Meetup, and this is a great use case) – and of course add in a little Twitter and Facebook – and you have an instant worldwide event that will not only raise awareness, but that has a very likely chance of coming up with real solutions.

If you are in the DC area and want to help out, TEDxOilSpill is holding a meeting tomorrow for volunteers. If you’re not in DC, you can join or start a Meetup Everywhere, or just watch the livestream on Monday and add to the conversation. Although not affiliated, you can also stop by at the Crisis Commons wiki page on the spill to see how else you might be able to help in their efforts (if you’re in the Gulf, you should install the Oil Reporter app – also, you can take a look at these apps wherever you are), or work with the numerous non-profits that are helping with the cleanup efforts.

So, what are you prepared to do?

Note: The author is involved as a volunteer for both TEDxSB and Crisis Commons.

Original title and link for this post: TEDxOilSpill – What Are You Prepared To Do?

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We spend a lot of time on this blog talking about consumer facing geolocation services such as Foursquare and Gowalla, and not as much time talking about the data and service plumbing that makes these services work.

But the location based infrastructure landscape is getting pretty interesting as well.  Yesterday, Location Labs (formerly known as Wavemarket), hinted that they might be gearing up for an IPO.  Not that long ago, SimpleGEO (see our interview) was able to raise a pretty big chunk of money to “sell shovels” to the start-ups digging for geolocation gold.  And before that, GeoAPI was snapped up by Twitter to power that company’s in house location infrastructure.

Today Yahoo! put a bit more spit and polish on its own legacy geocoding tools and relaunched them as Yahoo! Placefinder.

Here is what you need to know:

At its most basic level, Yahoo! Placefinder is a location based look up service that allows developers to query, for example, the lat long of a particular address.  The service also provides what’s known as “reverse geocoding,” which means that it will take a stab at providing you an address if you give them a lat long.

Where the service gets more interesting in my opinion is what it provides in terms of Points of Interest.  For example, you can send them a name of a park, or of a baseball stadium, or of a tourist attraction, and get back lat long information.  Why does this matter?  Because using this sort of service could help any of the thousands of travel web sites convert their travel directories to location based services.

With these big company APIs, the devil is often in the details.   Yahoo’s restrictions don’t look too bad so far – you can send up to 50K queries per day to their service, and I didn’t see any restrictions that would make these APIs for “non-commercial applications” only.  While 50K daily queries won’t be enough for some of the larger databases of places out there, it is certainly enough to service aspiring geolocation service providers a bit farther down the tail.

Keep an eye on these services: SimpleGeo, Location Labs, Skyhook, Yahoo! Placefinder, OVI Maps, Google Maps – and even some of the legacy data providers like Acxiom, InfoUSA, and Localeze.  As the geolocation tools and data gets better, so will the apps.

Original title and link for this post: Yahoo! Placefinder Joins the Geo Infrastructure Fray

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