Linked List: July 28, 2011

Thursday, 28 July 2011

Gmail Man 

No other company than Microsoft would produce a video like this. So utterly Microsoftian in its awkwardness. But it’s a fascinating competitive angle to take against Gmail.

The Verizon Small Bang 

The iPhone is selling well at Verizon, but what’s driving overall iPhone sales growth are sales outside the U.S. (It’ll be interesting to see what happens with Verizon iPhone sales when the new iPhone hits in September, though. Might be a lot of people waiting for that.)

‘He’s Not My Character to Write Anymore’ 

Nicest piece of writing you’ll read today. (Via Sippey.)

iPhones and iPads Drive Softbank’s Explosive Q1 Profits 

Darrell Etherington:

In case anyone doubts the power of Apple’s devices to lift the fortunes of its cellular network operator partners, Softbank’s newly reported fiscal first-quarter results (PDF) should prove convincing. The Japanese carrier reported a nearly 500 percent increase in net income for the quarter ending June 30 versus the same quarter last year. The company ascribed much of its success to strong demand for Apple mobile devices, including the iPhone and iPad.

The evidence continues to mount that the Japanese hate the iPhone.

Nielsen U.S. Smartphone Market Share Numbers 

Android has 39 percent OS market share, but Apple is the number one handset maker. Ben Bajarin’s take:

What’s amazing to me is that Apple has accomplished 28 percent iOS smart phone market share with only one single new product each year. They haven’t needed a dozen or more devices on the market at any given time to garner such a large footprint in the market place. They have only needed one called the iPhone.

And this year they stretched the iPhone 4 to 15 months.

It Just Doesn’t Work 

Harry McCracken:

But there’s never been a time when so much of the new stuff I look at is so very far from being ready for mass consumption. Sometimes it’s a tad quirky; sometimes I can’t get it to work at all. And when I call the manufacturers for help, they’re often well aware of the problems I encountered.

Speaking of Google TV.

More Logitech Google TV Boxes Were Returned Than Sold in Q1 

Nilay Patel:

The Google TV-based Logitech Revue may go down in history as the product that forever changed the company. After a dismal Q1 in which the company lost $29.6m and “very modest sales” of the Revue were exceeded by returns of the product, CEO Gerald P. Quindlen is leaving and the Revue itself is being slashed below cost to just $99 — a move that’s costing Logitech some $34m in one-time charges.

Not so good.

Fall iOS Device Rumors 

Arnold Kim at MacRumors:

The China Times pinpoints the iPhone 5 release to the second week of September with an initial order of 4 million units. Suppliers are said to be currently preparing 400,000 trial run units. The news report also reports that the next iPad may be delayed until Thanksgiving due to component shortages.

New iPhones in September? Duh. Of course.

New iPad at Thanksgiving? Just one month before Christmas? Makes no sense. None. Anything new gets announced in September.