Computers

Smartwatch: still in its infancy

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Qualcomm Toq

Pebble Steel:  The First Smartwatch Worth Wearing
Wired. January 28, 2014
http://www.wired.com/reviews/2014/01/pebble-steel-smartwatch

Rating: 7/10
Very good, but not quite great
$250

the watch face was more reasonably sized than recent competitors like the Qualcomm Toq and Samsung Galaxy Gear.

I was able to use apps like Yelp, Foursquare, and ESPN on the Pebble.
Each of these is specifically designed to push only the most important and timely information to your wrist, in an interface designed specifically for the Pebble’s limited display.

Pebble wisely limits you to only eight apps on the Steel at a time.

The smartwatch as a concept is still in its infancy, finding its footing in the burgeoning wearables landscape.

Wired__How_we_rate

IBM/Linux Deals the Latest Blow to Redmond Empire

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Microsoft Kill Shots: How IBM/Linux Deals the Latest Blow to Redmond Empire
Forbes. 9/20/2013
http://www.forbes.com/sites/rajsabhlok/2013/09/20/microsoft-kill-shots-how-ibmlinux-deals-the-latest-blow-to-redmond-empire

Not long ago, Microsoft ruled the computing empire with near-monopolies in PC operating systems, web browsers and productivity applications. The company’s reign, however, was dominated by discord.
Competitors complained about Microsoft’s predatory business practices.
Users bemoaned the company’s software as a necessary evil.

Fast forward to 2013.
Once revered and feared, Microsoft is a shell of its former self.
Far from the software and technology leader it used to be, the company now makes repeated missteps in emerging markets such as cloud computing, mobile, search and social.

Still, Microsoft remains one of the most profitable companies in the world thanks to the cash generated by the huge install base for Windows, Microsoft Office and Windows Server technologies.
However, even those moat businesses may be under siege.

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see also:
IBM hopes to Power cloud, analytics with $1 billion Linux investment
IDG News Service. Sep 17, 2013
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2048893/ibm-hopes-to-power-cloud-analytics-with-1-billion-linux-investment.html