Microsoft Office for iPad: over 27 million downloads on the App Store

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Upon its release in late March, Microsoft Office applications for iPad already accumulated more than 27 million downloads, and that only in the top 10 markets. This has been assured Julia White, director general of the Office division, during its keynote at the TechEd conference in Houston.

J. White has not offered any data on the percentage of conversion of these free downloads from current users with a subscription of Office 365, which may help us to see things with a little more perspective on the success of an initiative that Microsoft was reluctant to launch.

On the one hand this mark reached in 46 days, on the other hand reflects an understandable slowdown downloads when compared to the first 12 million downloads achieved just one week after its release in the App Store when permeating the top of the ranking free downloads. 

Since then, word has remained in the United States a remarkable fourth place while Excel and PowerPoint have fallen up to the number 18 and 23 respectively.

Is Apple starting to fill iOS with bloatware?

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One of the first computers I remember used was a Performa 460, which saw the first with color screen, I was like 7 or 8 years. It was very small and did not remember why we switched to Windows, but what I know that they were not "dark years" as some have called the period of dominance by Microsoft. 

During those years in Windows and as an adult, passed through my hands several laptops before returning to Mac, Toshiba, Asus, HP and Compaq, excluding the company that was also a HP and Dell. 

The truth is I've had enough complaints of all laptops, and some quite large. Format Each year, computers which lasted 3-4 years, countless hang up, famous blue screen, Ctrl + Alt + Sup worn ... not to mention disastrous designs dissipated heat directing the charger cable, melting it literally. 

Besides this, there was something that always bothered me about them: the bloatware. It was impossible to dodge, I'd purchased a new laptop or restaurabas and you were there those "useless" programs.

Some were useful as antivirus or Office (yes, test) but then there were others who were rubbish, like Dell multimedia software and application bar at the top of the screen. Instead start using the computer immediately, you spent half an hour or more uninstalling the trash that came pre-installed by the manufacturer. That software "useless" without thinking about if brought or not value to the end user.

When I have a Mac, this situation changed. Computer and operating system were designed and created by a single company that shared the same interests and that did not differentiate their computers with empty programs. It was a change for the better I appreciated greatly.

The bloatware in the era of the smartphone and tablet

In this Post-PC era where tablets and smartphones dispute attention to PC, we are experiencing a similar situation regarding the bloatware. Android smartphones in my environment are usually Samsung. I was surprised by the amount of duplicate apps I've found: two mail clients, two apps store...

So much win manufacturers with their bloatware software?

Apps that insurance may uninstall either official or "unofficial" but that involves additional work for anyone who is not a means-advanced user. This situation was accentuated by the Samsung Galaxy S4, which users criticized.

Again and focusing on iOS, Apple delineated this situation on its platform thanks to its control of the hardware and software. Many users stored apps in a folder. It can berate Samsung, a new terminal with 16 GB of storage is saturated by all the duplicate software, but at least you can expand memory.

The evolution of the standard apps on iPhone

I have been in iOS since my first iPhone 3G and have never had the feeling of having to delete apps around first start. However, it may reflect the increase in native Apple app with a new version of its mobile operating system. If we look, we have gone from: 

• iOS 1: 17 native apps on the original iPhone. 
• iOS 7: 25 native apps on the iPhone 5s.

All this to you without obligation to install nearly as iBooks and Find My iPhone, now would be 27 apps. Tallying, we have to every iOS review brings us one to two native apps that can not be removed, with the obvious waste of space.

According to rumors iOS 8 would present "Healthbook" and even the dubious "Preview" and "TextEdit", then we would have 28 or 30 native apps if we have "compulsory". We can also add free iWork, reaching 33 apps.

Will Apple offer some kind of solution so that its terminals are no longer filled with apps or continue "adding value" like it or not the user?

What happens when the money is your only goal?

Steve Ballmer (Microsoft) has always told us what was the goal of Microsoft and the Bill Gates hired him, according to a story in The Loop:

"When the then founder and CEO Bill Gates hired Ballmer Procter & Gamble in 1980, was supposed to be the "man of business, whatever that means," Ballmer said. Since that day, his battle cry has always been, "How do we make money? How do we make money? How do we make money? "

In other interview, Ballmer said:  

In the technology business, it seems that there are four ways to make money: sell devices to consumers, sell phone services to consumers, sell to corporate IT departments and sell to corporate marketing departments.

This focus on selling and making more money is what Microsoft got under the leadership of Ballmer. I think if you have a good business, it is relatively easy to optimize to get the most benefit in the short term, but after just missing the point. When you've earned money, what is your goal? More money? Just wondering what you're doing. 

Much of the problems facing Microsoft are due to this excessive focus on maximizing profits. They have put aside everything else, everything important, everything that made ​​Microsoft a great company. The motto of "a PC on every desk" changed to "Windows and Office on every PC."

iTunes Radio. Apple empieza a hacer pruebas en Latinoamérica

iTunes Radio, Apple Inc.

Como ya hablábamos en un post anterior -WWDC2014- iTunes Radio se está preparando para la ampliación a otros países.

De manera oficial, iTunes Radio sólo está disponible en EEUU y Australia. Para poder saltarse las restricciones de localización es posible, ubicar nuestra AppleID en EEUU, pero al parecer en Ecuador el servicio ha aparecido de improvisto. Eso significa que desde Cupertino están probando para seguir ampliando su mercado de música por streaming.

Desde Ecuador se ha comprobado el acceso a iTunes Radio a través de iTunes de escritorio para Mac, pero sin resultados con los dispositivos iOS o el AppleTV. Se trata de un acceso intermitente, originado por las pruebas, como ha pasado ya en Reino Unido, donde se espera para este año el lanzamiento, junto con Canadá.

Por el momento, el uso de iTunes Radio ha aumentado hasta alcanzar una cuota de mercado del 8% en EEUU. Se sitúa ya como tercer servicio de música por streaming relegando al cuarto puesto a Spotify con una cuota del 6% -hablando exclusivamente del mercado Estadounidense_. Por delante quedan Pandora 31% y iHeartRadio 9%.

Quizás veamos un movimiento en las filas alcanzando a iHeartRadio en la próxima Keynote. Reino Unido, es el punto de entrada a Europa, y Ecuador, puede ser un punto de inflexión para la Radio de habla hispana.

También se ha rumoreado la expansión de iTunes Radio a otras plataformas como ya lo hizo iTunes con Windows. ¿Android y Windows serán los próximos objetivos de expansión?

Esperemos poder disfrutar de este servicio en España, a finales de 2014 o principios de 2015. 

¿Vosotros de qué servicio streaming sois?

Bienvenida

Bienvenidos a uno de tantos millones de posts sobre Apple. Durante mucho tiempo llevo leyendo varios posts dedicados al mundo de Apple, y ha llegado el día en el que he decidido convertirme en autor, desde la humildad y la sencilla experiencia aportaré mis ideas.


Me gustaría pedir que la gente fuese respetuosa en los comentarios, y que participara opinando de las distintas noticias que van surgiendo. Incluso animo a los lectores a proponer mejoras.

Por ahora empezaré a escribir yo solo, así que espero poder estar atento al flujo del blog.

Un saludo a todos.

Mi primer post

Quisiera abrir un hilo de conversación con mis lectores acerca de las inquietudes de los tecnautas. Se podría decir, que como ya ocurriera en los años 80-90, los amantes de la tecnología se dividieron en dos bandos. Los amantes de Apple y su sencillez, y lo amantes de Microsoft y su poderosa y rápida expansión.

A día de hoy, las tornas han cambiado, y así como Apple tubo que luchar para ganarse un hueco en el mercado que ella misma creó (el PC del hogar), hoy le toca defender el liderazgo (como empresa) de los nuevos dispositivos más portables, los Smartphones y las Tablets.

Como imaginareis por el nombre de mi blog, soy amante de Apple por muchas razones. Cada cual tiene le suya. De esta manera os animo a seguir el hilo de mis artículos, y a comentar y debatir desde el respeto, que se deben los defensores de cada plataforma, marca, sistema operativo o ecosistema.

Como diseñador industrial que soy, experimento la dedicación minuciosa al detalle que los productos de la manzana nos ofrecen, la coherencia de sus diseños integra el un mismo lenguaje, impregnado en su ADN, fruto del encuentro de la tecnología con las artes liberales (humanidades) y que pretenden emocionar al consumidor. 

Se podría considerar que son capaces de crear fieles seguidores de un espíritu común. Espíritu que son capaces de mantener en cada nueva actualización de sus productos. Por que no nos engañemos, por muy fan que sea uno tampoco se deja timar. 

Por ahora solo disfruto del uso de un iMac que va a cumplir su tercer año, y mi experiencia está siendo perfecta. Ningún cuelgue en 3 años, y eso que utilizo programas como photoshop, illustrator, zbrush, C4D, Final Cut Pro... herramientas potentes que necesitan de recursos. Tampoco he tenido que formatear...un placer que no puedo disfrutar con Windows, del que también soy un usuario.

Un placer queridos lectores, espero pongan su guinda aportando comentarios y sugerencias.