Author: Rocco Penn

One of the primary goals of software (at least in theory) is to make things easier. It’s a simple, almost too-obvious concept, but one that users seem to find elusive with the constant need to upgrade, update, and search for the latest and greatest. It’s turning into a part of daily business to keep our computers and mobile devices up to date with the products that are supposed to improve efficiency and productivity. As the survey below shows, they’re not pleased. At what point do these updates get in the way rather than enhance our productivity? When does technology start to outsmart itself? From:…

The iPhone world has been getting more crowded over the last year and Sprint has been on the tail end of exposure with the original AT&T and Verizon dominating the iPhone market. Sprint hopes to make a splash with the next variation by continuing to offer unlimited data plans, even if the next iPhone is 4G LTE as expected. “Frankly, it’s a marriage made in heaven,” said CEO Dan Hesse. “We’re clearly attracting customers from our competitors.” It could be the difference between success and failure for the 3rd largest provider of both iPhone service and US mobile service in general. They just released…

It’s hard to tell the difference sometimes. At other times, it’s comically easy. Apple and other companies have fallen victim to many counterfeit technology stores and products in China for years, but it seems as if there has been an influx of activity in recent months that’s been making the news. In a land that is growing into its own in pseudo-capitalism but that’s still shrouded by government-induced mystery, it can be extremely lucrative to sell fake merchandise for a little while, knowing that someday it will likely get busted. Until it does, there’s a yuan to make. This graphic from Charlotte…

There are certain financial events that seem to happen online instantaneously. When we buy something with a credit or debit card, it comes out of our balance immediately. When we purchase something with PayPal, it comes out of our balance within minutes. When we wire cash from one account to another, it takes no time at all. The question in this week’s Joy of Tech asks a good question. The only thing better than the question is the answer. RIP. …

The best mobile spokesperson for the worst mobile carrier is dropping the pink dress that helped to make her so popular in favor of black leather and a Ducati motorcycle as T-Mobile tries to do something (anything) to rebrand themselves as a player in the mobile industry. 23-year-old mobel Carly Foulkes has been one of the few bright spots in T-Mobiles marketing over the last couple of years, drawing in fans to her personally while attempting to expand the brand’s image. It hasn’t helped sales as much as they’d hoped, mostly because of issues not associated with marketing. Fans of the model will…

Aircraft landing fields on top of buildings. Zeppelins taking people too and fro. Self-reliant building communities with schools and businesses intermixed with housing. Multiple levels of transportation streets. The vision that Popular Science Monthly posted in their August 1925 issue offered an exceptionally organized view of the future. If only it ended up that way back then. If only it had made it that far by now. Click to enlarge. (Via: Clarksville Chevrolet)…

Most businesses are getting involved in social media in some way. Whether for marketing, customer outreach, collaboration, or any of the many ways that businesses can utilize social media, the need to have a proper strategy and plan is growing. The biggest question many ask is whether to train their current employees, hire new ones, or outsource. It’s the expert versus the advocate question. Hiring an outside firm to handle a company’s social media is an option that allows for proven, repeatable strategies and experience to run the campaigns. It means that internal people have less control…

There has been a conspicuous lack of news about Google Apps, their cloud-based business software division, over the past few months that was highlighted by recent departures and reorganization moves as well as a nearly-complete omission during last week’s investor call. CEO Larry Page’s focus on social, search, and advertising in both are making the goals of taking on Microsoft head-to-head in their own territory less emphasized. In short, the last three months, Google has blinked. All of this comes despite positive feedback and strong moves over the last year. Four million businesses use…

When you mention “classic games” to anyone over the age of 30, there’s a good chance that the first thing that pops in their mind is Pac-Man. The icon of gaming has been spun on its head from the original Namco days to become a nano-polymer-based weapon of the US government hidden for testing under the deserts of Nevada. The Polymorphous Autonomous Compound Manipulator can consumer hazardous targets like oil spills and reactor leaks, but prefers cherries. …

When Mark Zuckerberg created Facebook, he wanted to make a closed network for the elite at Harvard. Over time, he realized that by opening it up, he would be able to build something that cataloged the college experience for everyone. Eventually, it expanded outside of college but the roots were embedded in the entire college experience. A case could be made that today, as the vast majority of college students are on social networks when they enter or join them shortly after getting to college, social media is as big of a part of the college experience as parties have always been. Is this a good thing?…