Top 10 Play Store Apps

In nearly no time, the Google Play Store has grown to 700,000 apps. What are some must have apps if you're on an android; here's my list.

1. Facebook - this is really a no-brainer. Usually pre-installed, the Facebook app for Android devices makes it easy to update and keep in touch with your account, share photos and edit your timeline.

2. Angry Birds - because I feel this game deserves a spot above all other utilities. Who doesn't play Angry Birds today? It would be unfair to limit the Angry Birds market to the casual gamer; even serious gamers will put Angry Birds up with games like Call of Duty, or Grand Theft Auto.

3. Instagram

4. Chrome - if you're using chrome on your pc or mac, then Chrome for Android is a must have. Tip - synchronize your Google Account to get all your bookmarks, history and other browsing data on your device.

5. Quick Profiles - with the limited profile capabilities that the Android OS comes equipped with, a previous Nokia or IOS user will feel unsettled to know they can't really do much with their profiles. This app helps make your own profiles from scratch. Particularly useful if you want to have a separate one for separate times of the day.

6. BBC News - a great user interface, a must have if you read BBC publications daily.

7. Flashlight - there does come a point where we all need this must-have utility.

8. Google Maps - comes preinstalled; but is one of the most widely used apps worldwide. +1 for great user interface and ease of usability.

9. Dropbox - synchronize your files wirelessly through your dropbox app (assuming you have an account). Great to have if you don't like copying stuff via usb (like me).

10. Google Calendar - +1 for the homescreen widget, and it's extremely convenient to have your calendar with you on the go. To be honest, the interface could be better, but seeing as to how Calendar has helped my university schedule work out, I'm not complaining.

The iPad 4 may have to launch sooner than we think.

With the release of the iPad mini, Apple made another addition to the iDevices family, and dared to compete with existing 7-inch tablets on the market. With the emergence of the Microsoft Surface tablet, Apple does risk losing out on iPad 3 revenue though.

This act of cannibalizing the iPad 3 may be a consequence of released the mini, however, I'm sure Apple will not be very pleased to allow it to happen. I personally see Apple extending the period between each new iPad generation launch from one year, to possibly much longer. I personally do not see many consumers updating a $600 device on a annual basis for long. Falling sales of the iPad generations are further proof of my claim (although there may be exceptions).

And to add fuel to the fire, Apple may very well lose out on overall market share should the Surface (hopefully) be successful.

So I would not be surprised if Apple rolled out the iPad 4 before Spring 2013. 

Microsoft presents the 'Surface'

So with Microsoft's latest entrant into the tablet market, the 'Surface' (available for preorder) as it is called, consumers looking for a powerful tablet have an alternative to the iPad and android tablets. But the question is, will the Surface be able to compete, or even be a viable iPad/android killer?

Photo Credits: mashable.com

I think the answer to that question is how embracing people are of Windows 8 in general. From what I've used so far, it seems to be a refreshing change from Windows 7, although many people have been put off by the introduction of the Metro interface.

With prices starting from $520 (without back cover) in Canada, and $620 with back cover (otherwise sold separately for $130), we can safely say that the Surface isn't cheap. It's almost at par with what we can assume to be it's main rival, the iPad. So since price competition is off the table, Microsoft needs to ensure that their new app market can compete with the Apple App Store soon enough.

As for appearance, one has to say that it's a good looking gadget. It's sleek, and the while the black border isn't particularly exclusive in any way (many android tablets look the same), the coloured keyboards do allow for a bit of customization with the general look.

I still think it's important to mention here that despite the growth for the market for tablets, I honestly do not see the growth lasting for very long given the current price ranges. For $600, you can buy a decent Dell laptop which will provide you with better performance than any tablet on the market. And with cheaper ultrabooks around the corner (preloaded with Windows 8, might I add), is a tablet worth the investment at this point?

So it's pretty tough to make an estimate about the Surface's success at the moment. However, the fact that the $520 dollar version is sold out on the Canadian Microsoft Store does tell you a lot about the initial public reception.

Apple and the 'Maps' Fiasco

The 'innovation' that saw the Apple's iPhone's popularity soar ever since its' introduction has seemed to be lost in the latest generation of the smartphone. Whether it was the 'if-not-broken-don't-fix; strategy that kept the iPhone 5 extremely similar to the 4S, one thing can't be argued - the new maps application is not even close to being up to par.

Sure, the flyover feature is nifty. But is it useful? Not really. 

Credits: Canadian Business.com

What's more interesting is the fact that Apple's CEO, Tim Cook, has acknowledged his company's failure to come up with a competitive maps application. In fact, he's gone on to suggest alternatives, such as the more widely used Google Maps and Nokia mapping applications.

At Apple, we strive to make world-class products that deliver the best experience possible to our customers. With the launch of our new Maps last week, we fell short on this commitment. We are extremely sorry for the frustration this has caused our customers and we are doing everything we can to make Maps better.

 Is it surprising that despite their intense rivalries at present, he'd directly recommend a competitor's product over his own? Well, it probably isn't. With the Samsung Galaxy S3 and other such android devices presenting stiff competition to Apple, a poor Maps experience will only make Apple suffer more.

iPhone users can take consolation out of the fact that Google is reportedly in the process of creating their own maps application for Apple's iPhone and other ios devices. I personally suggest MapQuest, available in the App Store as another free and reliable alternative.

It will be interesting to see whether the Apple's maps can catch up to the competition in the near future. But for right now, it's safe to say the Apple didn't think this one out.