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Archive for August 24th, 2009

Apple responds to FCC Questions: Apple vs Google

Aug 24

Posted by Admin in Apple, Google | No Comments


Apple has responded to the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau’s inquiry on information regarding Apple’s App Store and its application approval process. This was considered a response from Google after Apple rejected appgooatntapproval of Google Voice as an application for iPhone. There were contemplation that this is was an effort by AT&T to block Google’s entry into a domain that is controlled by them in North American region.

Following is the response to the questions that were asked by FCC to APPLE. The 3 primary questions and their responses which directly correspond to Apple’s & AT&T’s motive or involvement to block Google Voice are below (Source: Apple)

Question 1. Why did Apple reject the Google Voice application for iPhone and remove related third-party applications from its App Store? In addition to Google Voice, which related third-party applications were removed or have been rejected?

Contrary to published reports, Apple has not rejected the Google Voice application, and continues to study it. The application has not been approved because, as submitted for review, it appears to alter the iPhone’s distinctive user experience by replacing the iPhone’s core mobile telephone functionality and Apple user interface with its own user interface for telephone calls, text messaging and voicemail. Apple spent a lot of time and effort developing this distinct and innovative way to seamlessly deliver core functionality of the iPhone. For example, on an iPhone, the “Phone” icon that is always shown at the bottom of the Home Screen launches Apple’s mobile telephone application, providing access to Favorites, Recents, Contacts, a Keypad, and Visual Voicemail. The Google Voice application replaces Apple’s Visual Voicemail by routing calls through a separate Google Voice telephone number that stores any voicemail, preventing voicemail from being stored on the iPhone, i.e., disabling Apple’s Visual Voicemail. Similarly, SMS text messages are managed through the Google hub—replacing the iPhone’s text messaging feature. In addition, the iPhone user’s entire Contacts database is transferred to Google’s servers, and we have yet to obtain any assurances from Google that this data will only be used in appropriate ways. These factors present several new issues and questions to us that we are still pondering at this time.

Question 2. Did Apple act alone, or in consultation with AT&T, in deciding to reject the Google Voice application and related applications? If the latter, please describe the communications between Apple and AT&T in connection with the decision to reject Google Voice. Are there any contractual conditions or non-contractual understandings with AT&T that affected Apple’s decision in this matter?

Apple is acting alone and has not consulted with AT&T about whether or not to approve the Google Voice application. No contractual conditions or non-contractual understandings with AT&T have been a factor in Apple’s decision-making process in this matter.

Question 3. Does AT&T have any role in the approval of iPhone applications generally (or in certain cases)? If so, under what circumstances, and what role does it play? What roles are specified in the contractual provisions between Apple and AT&T (or any non-contractual understandings) regarding the consideration of particular iPhone applications?

Apple alone makes the final decisions to approve or not approve iPhone applications.

There is a provision in Apple’s agreement with AT&T that obligates Apple not to include functionality in any Apple phone that enables a customer to use AT&T’s cellular network service to originate or terminate a VoIP session without obtaining AT&T’s permission. Apple honors this obligation, in addition to respecting AT&T’s customer Terms of Service, which, for example, prohibit an AT&T customer from using AT&T’s cellular service to redirect a TV signal to an iPhone. From time to time, AT&T has expressed concerns regarding network efficiency and potential network congestion associated with certain applications, and Apple takes such concerns into consideration.

It seems that Apple has put all doubts to rest that they did this as a part of genuine evaluation process and this move was not intended to block Google and protect their long term partner AT&T.

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Tags: App Store, Apple, AT&T, FCC, Google, Google Voice, iPhone

Apple Mac OS X Snow Leopard: Available from August 28

Aug 24

Posted by Admin in Apple | No Comments

Apple will make its latest Operating System: Snow Leopard available a little earlier than expected. This will be available from Friday, August 28, 2009.

snowleopardApple had already confirmed that this Operating System will be more of update for their existing OS in terms of stability and performance, rather than addition of features and functionalities. Apple has stated that this Operating System is almost half the size of the previous OS and frees up about 7 GB space on the hard drive post installation. Almost 90% of the Operating System coding has been reworked to achieve this. However, This will only support Intel based Mac computers.

From a performance standpoint, it is said that its Mail application loads twice as fast, Time Machine does its first backup up to 80% faster and the new 64 Bit Safari is up to 50% faster.

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Tags: Apple, Mac, macintosh, OS X, Snow Leopard

Continue using Outlook and Outlook Express with Hotmail/Live/MSN email after September 1

Aug 24

Posted by Admin in Microsoft Outlook, Troubleshooting | No Comments

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Microsoft will change the way it’s free web based email Hotmail used to work with email clients (Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express and Entourage). This change was slated to happen sometime last year, but in absence of alternate solution in place, Microsoft had decided to delay the change implementation. This will now be implemented on September 1, 2009. On and after this date, users who have configured the email clients mentioned above will not be able to get access to their emails using these clients. However, Microsoft has released a list of solutions for users to continue using these email clients with Hotmail (Hotmail / Live / MSN).

For users of Microsoft Office Outlook 2003/2007Outlook Logo

If you are using Office Outlook version 2003 or 2007, you will have to download and install free Office Outlook Connector.

For users of Microsoft Office Outlook 2002 and previous Versions

If you are using Office Outlook version 2002 or a previous version, you will have to set up a POP3 account to configure Hotmail. To set this up, follow the steps below: (How to check version?)

  1. Click on “Tools” and on the pop-up menu, click on “Email Accounts”
  2. On the following screen, Select the radio button next to “Add a new email account” and click on “Next” button.
  3. In the “Server Type” box, select “POP3” and click on Next.
  4. On the following screen, type your name and your Hotmail email address. After populating these boxes, click on the button “More Settings” on the bottom right of the screen.
  5. In the “Incoming Mail Server (POP3)” field, type pop3.live.com
  6. In the “Outgoing Mail Server (SMTP)” field, type smtp.live.com
  7. In the “User Name” field, type your email address
  8. In the “Password” field, type your email password
  9. On the Outgoing Server tab, select the “My outgoing Server (SMTP) requires authentication” check box.
  10. On the “Advanced” tab, make the following changes:

 

            Under “Incoming Server (POP3)”

             i.      Select the option for “This server requires an encrypted connection (SSL)” by ticking the check box

             ii.      On the “Incoming Server (POP3) field, type 995. If its already there, leave it the way it is.

             Under “Outgoing Server (POP3)”

              i.      Select the option for “This server requires and encrypted connection (SSL)” by ticking the check box

             ii.      In the “Outgoing Server (SMTP)” field, type the number 25 or 587 for the port number.

            iii.      There is an option on this screen to “leave a copy of the message on server”. This option allows you to see the email through your client and also through internet browser. If you intend to use both, check this option. If you only use Outlook, uncheck this option.

11. Now click on “Test Account Settings” button to ensure that the settings are working. If this test fails, recheck the settings mentioned above. If it passes, click on “Next” and then on “Finish” to complete the setup.

For users of Microsoft Outlook Express

Microsoft recommends users to download a free Windows Live Mail Client for people who are still using Outlook Express with Hotmail accounts. However, if you want to continue using Outlook Express, you will have to follow the following steps:

  1. On the Outlook Express window, click on “Tools” and then click on “Accounts”
  2. Click on “Add” and then click “Mail”
  3. Type your name in the blank text box and then click on “Next”
  4. Type your email address and then click on “Next”
  5. On the next window, enter the following information
    1. In the “My incoming mail server is a” box, select “POP3” from the drop down menu.
    2. In the “Incoming mail (POP3, IMAP or HTTP) server” box, type “pop3.live.com”
    3. In the “Outgoing mail (SMTP) server:” box, type “smtp.live.com”
  6. On the “Internet Mail Logon” window, Type your email address and password. Please check the box “Remember password” to avoid entering password every time you launch Outlook Express. Also ensure that the box “Log on using Secure Password Authentication(SPA)” is unchecked.
  7. Click on “Next” and then click on “Finish”
  8. In the “Internet Account” window, click on the “Email” tab, select the new account and then click on “Properties”
  9. Click on the “Servers” tab and under “Outgoing Mail Services”, check the option for “My server requires authentication”
  10. Click on the Settings button to the right of the “My server requires authentication” option.  You may need to turn on the “Use same settings as my incoming server” option unless you are using a special account setup requiring a different Account name and password.  Most people will need to use the default option of “Use same settings as my incoming server“.
  11. Click on the “Advanced” tab and under “Server Port Numbers”, enter the following information:a.       Incoming mail (POP3): 995b.      Outgoing mail (SMTP): 25 or 587

    c. Under both Incoming Mail and Outgoing Mail, select the option “This server requires a secure connection (SSL)”

             d. Under “Delivery”, There is an option on this screen to “leave a copy of the message on server”. This option allows you to see the email through your client and also through internet browser. If you intend to use both, check this option. If you only use Outlook, uncheck this option.

  12. Click on “OK” to finish account setup.

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Tags: Client, Entourage, Express, Hotmail, Live, mail, Microsoft, MSN, Office, Offline, Outlook, Outlook Connector, POP3, Premium, SMTP