Nashville Technology Council

Verizon Wireless and Apple today announced that the iPhone 4 will be available on the Verizon Wireless network beginning on Thursday, February 10.  Qualified Verizon Wireless customers will be given the exclusive opportunity to pre-order iPhone 4 online on February 3, ahead of general availability. iPhone 4 is the most innovative phone in the world, featuring Apple’s stunning Retina display, the highest resolution display ever built into a phone resulting in super crisp text, images and video, and FaceTime, for  video calling.  iPhone 4 on Verizon Wireless will also include new Personal Hotspot capabilities allowing customers to use iPhone 4 to connect up to five Wi-Fi enabled devices.

“We are pleased to introduce millions of wireless users to the industry leading iPhone 4 on the nation’s most reliable network,” said Lowell McAdam, president and chief operating officer of Verizon.  “This is an important step for the industry as two great companies join forces to give wireless customers one of the most important technological additions to the mobile landscape this century.”

“Verizon Wireless customers have told us they can’t wait to get their hands on iPhone 4, and we think they are going to love it,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s chief operating officer.  “We have enormous respect for the company that the Verizon team have built and the loyalty they have earned from their customers.”

iPhone 4 features a 5 megapixel camera with LED flash, HD video recording, and more interactive elements.

Apple’s A4 chip, a 3-axis gyro and a beautiful glass and stainless steel design like no other mobile phone. iPhone 4 also comes with iOS 4 the world’s most advanced mobile operating system which includes multitasking, folders, Game Center, AirPlay and AirPrint wireless printing.  iPhone 4 customers have access to the world’s most popular App Store with more than 300,000 apps available in an incredible range of 20 categories, including games, business, news, sports, health and reference.

Pricing & AvailabilityiPhone 4 will be available on the Verizon Wireless network beginning Thursday, February 10 for a suggested retail price of $199.99 for the 16GB model and $299.99 for the 32GB model with a new two year customer agreement. iPhone 4 will be available at more than 2,000 Verizon Wireless Communications Stores nationwide, online at  www.verizonwireless.com/iphone, at select retail partners, at Apple retail stores, at the Apple Store (www.apple.com), at Apple Authorized Resellers, and by calling 1-800-2 JOIN IN.

About Verizon
WirelessVerizon Wireless operates the nation’s most reliable and largest wireless voice and 3G data network, serving more than 93 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 79,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com.

About Apple
Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork, and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple is reinventing the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced its magical iPad which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.

Today marks the kick-off of the 2011 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. CES has become the “crystal ball” that shows what we’ll see next in our pockets and on retail store shelves and is now one of the most pivotal places for a company to launch their consumer driven electronic product. Yesterday, companies like Nashville-based Griffin Technology, HP and Verizon already gave the media a sneak peak into what consumer products they will be touting at this year’s event.  Here are the trend observations and predictions popping up already:

• The iPad is getting some competition
• Being green is becoming more of a trend for manufacturers and consumers
• As consumers move more toward mobile technology, more smartphones hit the market, and Android rules
• We’re moving more and more to 3D TV with affordable devices being offered that have better technology

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, who made an appearance as our keynote speaker at last year’s Membership Breakfast, spoke yesterday at the pre-event show. Microsoft also unveiled their Surface 2.0 tablet device, which is predicted to hit the consumer market at a cost of $7,600.

We’ll see as the week unfolds if what is fresh to market fulfills what Tech Crunch recently predicted as the “Seven Technologies That Will Rock 2011″.  You can follow all the news as it unfolds via the official CES twitter , via CNET’s dedicated CES 2011 Latest News site and through CrunchGear’s live broadcast from the CES tradeshow floor .

Nashville Tech Story (3/22/10)

Twitter’s @anywhere service and Facebook’s rumored GPS-based status updates proves the mobile user’s interest in community.  Apple’s application not only allows the user to discuss tell where they are and why they are there, but allows group interaction with others at the same event, further revolutionizing location-based technology.

Group collaboration is not the only new thing coming to the smartphone. This weekend’s Tennessean Article stated, “Analysts say they believe mobile commerce will continue to grow in the future. Dawn Iacobucci, senior associate dean of Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management, said there are opportunities for businesses to take on a new type of impulse buying through the cell phone. For example, stores could use GPS technology on customers’ cell phones to recognize if the customers are near one of their stores and send mobile coupons to attract them inside, she added.”

View Apple’s full patent application here: http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1=20100070758&OS=20100070758&RS=20100070758

Nashville Tech Story (11/27/09)

Black Friday is bringing lots of great deals from Apple and Microsoft.  Load up on the latest software for large and small enterprises.  While you are there, you can pick up some good stuff for yourself like new headphones, speakers, laptop cover cases, and more.

You can also head over to the Griffin Online Store and pick up the Evolve Wireless Sound System.

Nashville Tech Story (8/10/2009)

Multiple news sources are reporting the impending release of a new product from Apple called the  iTablet.  The product will include a 10-inch touchscreen, both Wi-Fi and 3G data, and a custom ARM processor.  The iTablet is set to be released in September and will cost around $800.

The goal of the iTablet is to be the product that will sit somewhere between the iPhone and the Mac laptop, which will put us dangerously close to having a completely closed “desktop” operating system.  Right now, the iPhone is successful because it’s the first time in history that your phone makes you feel like you’re using a real computer. 

On the other hand, the Mac computer, provides a filesystem you can access, download and install program’s from anywhere you wish. The Mac also allows you to customize its uses to your preferences, such as using a Linux or Windows server.  With the iPhone, you’re only able to do things Apple says you can do. If you want to download a cool program or access files in the storage area of your phone, Apple can provide or deny that capability.

If Apple is successful and decides to implement the same kind of rules as on the iPhone, with the hope of fading out the iPhone and the Mac laptop, the iTablet could give Apple the ability to control the user in anyway they see fit.  If Apple decided they didn’t want you using Flash anymore, they could take it away. If you decided to download a new program, you might be forced to go through the Apple Store, if Apple had allowed it to exist.  If you wanted to move files from your computer to another device or just to another folder, you might need a paid MobileMe account.

Most believe the iTablet will be sold with a mobile data connection at a subsidized cost, like most netbooks are today, but this is where the rumors get scary.  Imagine our closed PC scenario with AT&T or Verizon telling you what you can and cannot do.

The Nashville Tech Story (7/27/09)

Dictionary.com defines innovation as something new or different introduced.  I have always been intrigued by innovation and it still gets me dreaming when I hear the word.  What can we do better?  That is really the key question in innovation. 

Product Innovation
Guy Kawasaki is one of my favorite thought leaders.  I watched a video this morning and thought he nailed the concept.  His innovation theory is based on four principles: 1. Deep, 2. Intelligent, 3. Complete, and 4. Elegant.  I think all four of these lead to simple.  We want and need simple product interfaces to buy.  Look at the line of products coming out of Apple today.  They are simple to use and we buy them.  Pandora is making Internet Radio easy.  HCA is making it easier for patients to pay bills online.  HealthSpring provides an online member services portal.

Individual Innovation
Innovation is not just about products.  People need to innovate themselves as well.  Professional development is critical to your success.  Where do you get started?  Nashville Start Up Weekend is slotted for October 9-11 and this is a great way for individuals to innovate themselves.  I was very impressed last year at NSW by the quality of talent in Nashville and the entrepreneurial drive in our community.  One of the innovations from the weekend was GPS Assassins.  This is an iPhone based game (additional platforms on the way) that is GPS based.  It is very cool and it came from Nashville.

Corporate Innovation
Sometimes, entire companies get stale and need to innovate.  Sometimes, it is hard to say we can do better at work, but this is when the best innovation occurs.  A lot of corporate cultures stifle innovation because risk taking is not embraced and rarely do people celebrate failures.  If you are going to innovate, some ideas will fail and that is ok.  Apple throws away about 95% of their designs.  Then they go at it again, and again, until they get it right.  Are you willing to throw 95% of product development away?

Are you ready to innovate?  The Nashville Technology Council has a program to help companies begin innovating.  Click here to learn more about Innovation Weekend.

The Nashville Tech Story (July 17, 2009)

You pay X amount of dollars for the latest gadget. Yes, this may seem like a high price, but it is new, fun, convenient, and helpful. Have you ever stopped to think how much is the company, that sold you this new device, making? Are they selling you something that may only cost them $100.00 to produce and then selling it to consumers for $450.00?

A company known as iSuppli breaks down how much devices from cell phones to gaming consoles cost to manufacture and how much we as consumers pay for them.

A new phone that was released June of 2009 was the Apple iPhone 3GS. It is retailed at $199.00. This phone costs $179.16 to produce. Another phone that was released this year was the Palm Pre retailing at $199.00 after a $100 mail-in rebate. Projected cost for the phone is $137.83.

Gaming consoles were a shock to see. The Microsoft Xbox 360 was released in Nov. of 2005. It is retailed at $399.00. However the cost to manufacture it runs closer to $470.00. The same results can be seen in regards to the Sony PlayStation 3 released in Nov of 2006. The council is retailed at $599.00 (60 GB) and $499.00 (20)GB. The cost for Sony is $840.00 (60 GB) and $805.00 (20)GB.

You may wonder, after looking at these numbers, why Microsoft and Sony would essentially lose money by producing these consoles. They hope to gain sales in other areas such as gaming equipment, games, and so on.

We as consumers are not being “cheated” when it comes to technology. The companies we buy from are working hard to create gadgets to make life simple and easy. At the same time they are working to make the new devices affordable.

Want to read more into this subject?  Click Here

Nashville Tech Story (6/22/2009)

In one of last week’s entries, we reviewed the anticipated release of Sprint’s Palm Pre.  Techies were lining up to see what new technology would be released that would give the iPhone a run for its money.  While the Palm Pre definitely made a successful entrance into the mobile world, Apple released its upgraded version of the iPhone, the 3GS.  While the PR on this release was not as highly recognized as the Palm, the new version of the iPhone certainly did not disappoint. 

Searching for a new mobile phone this past week and after speaking with multiple representatives from different retail stores, only one stood by the Palm over the iPhone.  The differences between the iPhone and Palm, include the price.  You can purchase a 16GB iPhone for the same price as an 8GB Palm, and the 3G 8GB iPhone has just dropped its price to $99 making it an even better value.

While both phones have the 3-megapixel cameras the Palm has an LED flash, but does not include autofocus, video recording or editing capabilities. Whereas the iPhone allows you to control focus, white balance and exposure.  In addition, iPhone includes video recording capability giving users the freedom to edit and share videos with the tap of a finger via e-mail, MMS, MobileMe gallery, or YouTube.

The only downside of the iPhone is the ability to send a video or picture via text message.  While this can be a major issue with some users, don’t worry, AT&T is promising the technology will be available to users before the end of the summer. 

The Nashville Tech Story (6/8/09)

Our final event for the 08’-09’ fiscal year was a review of the various mobile platforms.  Heading up the panel was Mrs. Lora Stevenson from The Horizons Group.  Experts on the panel have built and distributed applications on most of the major platforms including restaurant finders, games, and enterprise solutions.

Jackson Miller broke the news to the Roundtable that GPS Assassins has been released to the APP Store on Apple.  This venture was an idea conceived and built at Startup Weekend.

While cell phone users continue to evolve and demand for new applications continues to rise, providers such as Microsoft, Apple and Blackberry are scrambling to keep up with the demand.   “We are getting to the point where an AT&T phone can work with a Verizon network,” said panel member Ben Henderson, Firefly Logic.

The mobile device is practically ubiquitous in the U.S. and the decision of what device, carrier, and applications to purchase is often based upon perceived features.  The cost of applications has declined and a majority of the panel claimed the most popular applications include Facebook, Twitter, Social Networking, Google Maps and LiveSearch.  Jackson Miller would really like to have weather added to Google Maps and Latitude.