iPad

Few would argue that Apple is a successful company. The company has given us the iPhone, iPad, iPod, iTunes and Mac computers. Apple iPads were one of the hottest gifts of 2010 and the company is on the verge of releasing the iPad 2. Verizon Wireless made headlines about two weeks ago when it announced it would carry the infamous iPhone and include the ability to use your iPhone as a mobile hotspot for computer internet access.

Now we know that Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO, is taking a permanent medical leave of absence, and he’s been a driving force of innovation for Apple, but many things have already been set in place to keep Apple moving forward without him, including the fact that Apple has been issued 563 different patents in 2010 for new products.

Of course, this doesn’t mean Apple will be producing 563 new exciting devices like the iPad, but some of them could change the way we interact with our environment, the way we “channel surf” and the way we enter our homes.

A couple of Apple’s

Few would argue that Apple is a successful company. The company has given us the iPhone, iPad, iPod, iTunes and Mac computers. Apple iPads were one of the hottest gifts of 2010 and the company is on the verge of releasing the iPad 2. Verizon Wireless made headlines about two weeks ago when it announced it would carry the infamous iPhone and include the ability to use your iPhone as a mobile hotspot for computer internet access.

Now we know that Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO, is taking a permanent medical leave of absence, and he’s been a driving force of innovation for Apple, but many things have already been set in place to keep Apple moving forward without him, including the fact that Apple has been issued 563 different patents in 2010 for new products.

Of course, this doesn’t mean Apple will be producing 563 new exciting devices like the iPad, but some of them could change the way we interact with our environment, the way we “channel surf” and the way we enter our homes.

A couple of Apple’s

Recently, Mashable.com launched a user poll asking the question, “What’s your tech-related resolution for the new year?” And the answers ranged from “Getting a new Android phone” to “Leveraging technology to get in shape”. Respondents could select as many resolutions as they wanted and the results (so far) are interesting. The poll is still live and receiving votes.

But before we recap the results, it’s interesting to note some background information about New Year’s Resolutions. Resolutions have been around for about as long as the New Year holiday has, which is really since 153 B.C., when the mythical king of early Rome, Janus, started appearing at the head of the calendar.

It wasn’t until Julius Caesar started the 365-day solar calendar in 46 B.C. that we started celebrating New Year’s Day on January 1. January is named after Janus, who was a two-faced deity who could look back on the past and into the future at the same time. With this symbolism, various cultures adopted ways to celebrate

Recently, Mashable.com launched a user poll asking the question, “What’s your tech-related resolution for the new year?” And the answers ranged from “Getting a new Android phone” to “Leveraging technology to get in shape”. Respondents could select as many resolutions as they wanted and the results (so far) are interesting. The poll is still live and receiving votes.

But before we recap the results, it’s interesting to note some background information about New Year’s Resolutions. Resolutions have been around for about as long as the New Year holiday has, which is really since 153 B.C., when the mythical king of early Rome, Janus, started appearing at the head of the calendar.

It wasn’t until Julius Caesar started the 365-day solar calendar in 46 B.C. that we started celebrating New Year’s Day on January 1. January is named after Janus, who was a two-faced deity who could look back on the past and into the future at the same time. With this symbolism, various cultures adopted ways to celebrate

Welcome to the new era of channel-surfing! Two weeks ago, Comcast released its new Xfinity TV app for the iPhone and iPad, which acts as a remote control and TV guide for most Comcast-compatible TV boxes. The free app connects to your DVR or cable set-top boxes, and after logging in, you can manage each DVR unit or cable box you own. Then, after entering your zip code and choosing your channel offerings, the app loads on your mobile device an interactive, searchable TV guide, from which you can select the show you want to watch and your TV will either change to that channel or your DVR will set to record it.

The remarkable difference between Comcast’s Xfinity TV app and a traditional remote control is that you don’t have to be in the same room as your TV to control it. Since the iPhone and iPad connect to the Internet, you can be sipping coffee at a café with your friends (or standing in line buying Christmas presents) while setting up to record the season premiere of your favorite show.

Welcome to the new era of channel-surfing! Two weeks ago, Comcast released its new Xfinity TV app for the iPhone and iPad, which acts as a remote control and TV guide for most Comcast-compatible TV boxes. The free app connects to your DVR or cable set-top boxes, and after logging in, you can manage each DVR unit or cable box you own. Then, after entering your zip code and choosing your channel offerings, the app loads on your mobile device an interactive, searchable TV guide, from which you can select the show you want to watch and your TV will either change to that channel or your DVR will set to record it.

The remarkable difference between Comcast’s Xfinity TV app and a traditional remote control is that you don’t have to be in the same room as your TV to control it. Since the iPhone and iPad connect to the Internet, you can be sipping coffee at a café with your friends (or standing in line buying Christmas presents) while setting up to record the season premiere of your favorite show.