Foursquare for iPhone Updates: Gets Newsfeed

Foursquare for iPhone got an update and now comes with a newsfeed. It also comes with a new system for notifications. This 'notification tray' was available for the Android app, earlier this month and tracks comments on check-ins, new comments on posts you've commented on (like Facebook), completion of tips by friends and mayor status. The app now also lets you know when your Facebook friends join Foursquare. For the iPhone app, notifications will also show up in a bubble on the right of the Foursquare logo just like it would on the Facebook app. In addition to the notification tray, the new version of Foursquare has a new venue page with better access to tips, photos and your to-do list.

Foursquare feeds up on iPhone

Ever since Facebook launched Places, Foursquare, of course has had to step up its game. However, will adopting some of Facebook's features themselves really help the location networking app? WIll you use Foursquare with these features more than you otherwise would? Let us know in the comments section below.

Apple to Own Two Stylus Patents

Apple’s at it again. According to two patent requests to the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), the iPad manufacturer would soon be the patentee of the stylus. Apple had applied for the patent requests in January; however, it was not until late this week that the news of the same leaked out. Reports suggest that the first stylus patent request pertained to a possibly-heated conductive tip, using which the stylus can be powered.

Patented...

The second one, on the other hand mentions a stylus in the context of a tool to write on any surface, the impressions of which could be seen on another device, an example being a Livescribe pen. These patents are among scores of others, some of which have been taken up by popular brands like RIM (hybrid capacitive-resistive screen), and HTC being the patentee of magnet-on-a stick stylus.

JailbreakMe 3.0 Available for the iPad 2 and iPhone 4

Good news for all you iPad 2 users. You can now jailbreak your beloved tablet and customize it the way you want. JailbreakMe’s latest version, brings the goodness of bringing a lot of unapproved-by-Apple applications and tweaks to your iPad 2.

Free the prisoner!

According to sources, all iPad 2 tablets that are running on iOS 4.3.3 can easily be jailbroken and the software is working fine on these devices. All you have to do is log on to their website through your Apple device and follow the instructions. It obviously means that JailbreakMe 3.0 is untethered, so you won’t have to sync it with your PC through iTunes and go through a lengthy procedure.

The goodness has not been restricted to the iPad 2 only, though. iPhone 4, 3GS, iPod touch 3G and 4G that are running on iOS 4.3.3 can be jailbroken. Check out the video below to see how jailbreaking takes place.



If you have jailbroken and found freedom on your iPad 2 (or any other iOS 4.3.3 device for that matter) please share your joy in our comments section.

LOLcats Now Purrs on the iPhone

Cheezburger's "LOLcats" site has enough furry goodness to keep you entertained for hours (if that is your kind of thing). The site already has fans make apps for it and this is the offical Cheezburger Network's effort to build an app for the site. The cats will now be available on iPhones, iPod Touches and iPads. The app itself is free and is a simpler version of the I Can Has Cheezburger's website. It carries content from ICanHasCheezburger.com, IHasAHotDog.com, RoflRazzi.com, and more. The Cheezburger Network says that with this app, users can check out content from LOLcats, LOLdogs, Daily Dose of Cute, LOLcelebs and more. The app presents the same memes with the ability to share them over Facebook and Twitter. It's already on version 2.0.

Cats do the darndest things... on iPhone!

The Cheezburger Network is looking to expand its app repertoire by building apps for its other sites like FAILblog and Memebase. The network was able to get $30 million in funding in January, so it does actually have the ability to build apps. They may even expand to other mobile systems like Android and maybe Symbian. Does LOLcats make you chuckle and would you download the app? Let us know in the comments section below.

Mobile Grudge Match - Samsung Galaxy S II vs Apple iPhone 4

The mobile phone segment is bursting at the seams with sophisticated, smarter and faster handsets, at this very moment. Choices are getting harder and harder to make as the competition is heating up. But, even with all of the Android goodies making their way out from the likes of LG, Samsung and HTC, Apple’s good old iPhone is still somewhere at the top of the list. With that in mind, we recently reviewed Samsung’s latest and possibly greatest offering, i.e. the Galaxy S II and while it definitely impressed us, the “big” Apple still manages to loom over the little Green robot to quite an extent and queries have been flowing in with regards to making choices. So those of you with deep pockets looking for the ultimate powerhouse smartphone and tossing between the iPhone 4 and the Galaxy S II, we pitted them against each other and here are our findings. Samsung Galaxy S II – Rs. 30,500 (16GB) Let’s forget about the fact that, as of now, the Galaxy S II is the slimmest Android phone in the market with a large display sporting the all new Super AMOLED Plus visual enhancement. Let’s also leave aside the fact that the S II is super light weight at just 116 grams. The Galaxy S II is designed and built for ease of use with high end components packed into this sleek body and that includes a Dual-core 1.2GHz ARM Cortex-A9 processor with a GPU to boot. Super slim and sleek Samsung’s TouchWiz UI version 4.0 has also undergone a few UI changes adding kinetic scrolling, tilt zoom etc. With support for full HD i.e. 1080 video playback with files sporting DivX and Xvid codecs there’s never the need to convert and then transfer data between your PC and handset. The S II even sports 1080p video capture via the 8 Megapixel camera and TV Out in HD via MHL (Media Hi-Def Linking). Speaking of the camera, the S II also offers face and smile detection, as well as an auto-stitch panorama mode amongst its array of features. There’s also support for Wi-Fi Direct and DLNA compliance for hooking the S II up to HDTVs that support the same tech, for media streaming. Another important feature to take into account is USB-on-the-go that was previously limited to just a few Nokia N-series devices. So all of this in a very decently priced, sleek and comfortable looking device makes the Samsung Galaxy S II, a rather difficult device to avoid when choosing a high-end smartphone. It’s loaded with features and packs in 16 Gigs of internal storage plus support for 32GB more via micro SD cards. Apple iPhone 4 – Rs. – 34,500 (16GB) When one looks at the Apple iPhone 4 for the first time, one is easily impressed by its looks alone. The iPhone 4 sports a 3.5-inch Retina Display, the highest resolution in mobiledom today and is housed inside an elegant shell with brushed stainless steel bands at the sides. The phone is basically made up of two glossy panels of aluminosilicate glass. This glass is the same type used in helicopter and train windshields, so we’re talking about serious durability. However, Apple shows that the iPhone 4’s looks are not just skin deep with it packing a 1 GHz ARM Cortex-A8 processor and an Apple A4 chipset which simply translates into performance and speed that few handsets can equal. The iPhone operates on iOS 4.3 and like all previous versions the operating system is really simple to use. One can get easily immersed in the wide range of apps available in the App Store from games to handy mobile tools. While there may be almost an app for all conceiveable mobile purposes, it's the sheer elegance of the UI that leaves you salivating. Though the iPhone has just a 5 MP camera, it is capable of capturing stunning high quality images and also has 720p HD video recording capabilities with touch focus extending into video capture, as well. Elegant, refined and what a User Experience While the cost of the iPhone 4 is somewhat on the pricier side, Apple has seemingly always targeted their phones at a selective audience. With all Apple products, it is more of a way of life than a handset and provides one hell of a mobile phone experience even if it does tend to empty your pockets. Click to enlarge Verdict So based on the simple scores and our own in-house testing, we’ve come to the conclusion that the Galaxy S II is definitely the handset you should be investing in. Of course, it also depends largely on personal preference as both these handsets are very capable, but the differences in their user experiences are also big factors and we’ve taken that into account, as well. As far as smartphones go, the S II offers the best possible mobile phone experience for the price tag it’s attached to. From functionality to ease of use and a plethora of features that are both built-in or downloadable off of the Android Market Place, rest assured, buyers remorse is not a feeling you’ll have to worry about. Sure the iPhone did provide us with the better overall user experience and with apps also looking and feeling more refined the fact is, as it is, the iPhone is still lacking in features. It’s undoubtedly a worthy contender but when it comes to absolute value for money the S II is the handset that wins hands down. We’d also like to invite all you readers out there to send in your comments and user experiences for either of these handsets. It’ll help those looking to buy either one to make an even more calculated decision. Feel free to leave your thoughts below in our comments section or your can follow the same thread in our discussion board. Next week we put the HTC Sensation and Galaxy S II through the ringer so stay tuned to this space for another tech2 Mobile Grudge Match.

WWDC 2011: Apple and Universal Sign Deal for iCloud Music Service

Apple announced that they're going to launch a service called "iCloud" at WWDC this year and speculations have been going around that it's a music based cloud service. Apple hasn't confirmed anything yet but to add to speculations, it's been revealed that Apple's signed a deal with Universal Music Group for iCloud. Apple's already reportedly signed deals with Sony, EMI and Warner Music Group and has agreements with many publishers. Device convergence for music? A few details on the service have emerged, as well. For instance, the percentage break up of revenue from the service will most likely be: Labels 58%, publishers 12% and Apple 30%. Amazon's Cloud Player and Google Music are similar services, but the difference is that Amazon and Google's services basically act as cloud lockers where users upload their music to access it on their other devices like phones and tablets. Apple would let users store their purchased content on Apple's servers and no uploading would be required. The service is reported to cost users $25 per year.

JBL Launches New Dock, the OnBeat

Harman International Industries Incorporated today, announced the release of its new JBL OnBeat loudspeaker docking station. This is the first JBL dock that works with any iPad, iPhone or iPod device. The OnBeat features dual Phoenix full-range transducers with computer-optimized DSP equalization. It has a universal connector that docks an iPad, iPod or iPhone and lets you rotate iPod and iPhone screens to portrait or landscape orientation according to how you would like to view your content. The OnBeat also has an infrared remote (IR) that gives you full control over system functions and music navigation.

A multi faceted dock

The OnBeat has a USB connection to sync and charge devices when connected to iTunes as well as a 3.5mm stereo auxiliary input which can connect to your other PMP or audio device. This dock features JBL Weave design styling and looks pretty nice as well. It also charges your iPod, iPhone or iPad while you use it. The JBL OnBeat loudspeaker dock is available in April in jus one colour, black for $149.95 (Rs. 6,698). There's no saying when this dock will hit our shelves here in India though.

Airtel, Aircel Launch iPhone 4 Starting at Rs. 34,500, Unlocked!

Update: The versions that are available for retail via the service providers are factory unlocked i.e. you're free to use it with any service provider you choose. The iPhone 4 will also be avilable through Apple's local APR's and some of their key retail partners like Chroma et al.

It’s no surprise that Airtel has brought the iPhone 4 to India, seeing as they've brought us the last two. The company is also offering some exciting plans and offers for the device that could help boost thier sales considerably. Not to be left behind, Aircel too has announced plans of their own. Both carriers are pricing the 16 GB iPhone 4 at Rs. 34,500 and the 32 GB version at Rs. 40,900. Airtel’s plans are pretty much fixed for both the 16 GB and 32 GB versions which start from Rs. 600 for both, a postpaid and a prepaid connection.

Click here to know more about the Airtel plans.

Finally, it's here

On the other hand, Aircel’s plans look to be a little more flexible with plans starting from Rs. 1,119 for the 16 GB and Rs. 1,359 for the 32 GB version. Their prepaid plans start from Rs. 299 and Rs. 399 for the 16 GB and 32 GB versions respectively. Here’s the link for Aircel’s plans. The one thing that we don’t know is whether or not the handset is unlocked or if it will have to be used only with their available carriers. Only yesterday we saw the iPhone 4 being offered on Flipkart, but as of this morning, Flipkart seems to have discontinued the iPhone 4. This only makes the situation even more ambiguous about an unlocked device. 

Here's another quick look at the iPhone 4's specs:

• 3.5-inch LED backlit IPS Capacitive Touchscreen with a 640 x 960 pixel resolution
• 3G, EDGE/GPRS, Wi-Fi with a hotspot option
• GPS with A-GPS support
• Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP, USB 2.0
• 5 Megapixel camera with autofocus, touch-focus, LED flash, 720p video recording
• Secondary front facing camera for Face-Time chatting via Wi-Fi
• 16 GB or 8 GB internal memory
• 3.5 mm handsfree socket
• 

iPhone 4 Comes to India on May 27, 2011

The coveted iPhone 4 finally has an India launch date. Popular telecom operators in India, Airtel and Aircel will bring down the iPhone 4 on Indian sands on the 27th May, 2011. 

The operators will roll out the immensely popular iPhone 4 will be made available in both the post-paid and prepaid subscription plans. The 16GB version of the iPhone will cost the user INR 34, 500, whereas the 32GB version will cost the user INR 40, 900. The iPhone 4 has every technology enthusiast on the globe eyeing it. With a specification list which seems so impressive - Retina Display (with 960×640 pixel resolution at 326 pixel per inch), a fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating on the front and the back, a 3.5 inch widescreen with multi-touch display, among others; this doesn’t come as a surprise. 

A simple registration process is what possibly keeps you away from the iPhone 4. Do let us know about your plans.

MacBook Air Refresh 2011 Processors: New 1.7 & 1.8 GHz

After the refresh of the Macbook Pro back in February and then more recently the newlineup of iMacs, we turned our attention to the MacBook Air 2011 refresh. We noted recently that the new models could be coming in June or July, though nothing is yet confirmed, but we do have some news about the three new processors that are possible additions.

Other recent posts have included asking what price you would be willing to pay for improved MacBook Airs, and also what new features you’d like to see. We also told in an earlier article that likely features that most are expecting to see on the new Air’s are the Thunderbolt port, as on the new Pro and iMac’s, and also the latest Sandy Bridgeprocessors. Now it seems that Intel is working on three new ULV (ultra low voltage) Sandy Bridge processors, which would be suitable for the MacBook Air.

Current MacBook Airs still use the Core 2 Duo Processors and the three new Sandy Bridge dual-core processors rumored for the next MacBook Air are said to be due “later this year” according to Arnold Kim over on MacRumors, sourced from CPU World. However Apple is known to sometimes receive new Intel components before other companies can get their hands on them so it’s possible they might appear in the next refresh due soon. The three new processors under discussion would be a significant improvement on the current processors and they are the Core i5-2557M, the Core i7-2637M and the Core i7-2677M and you can see more details below.

As you can see the Core i5 processor with a 1.7GHz frequency can be turbo boosted to a speed of 2.7GHz and the superior Core i7 can be turbo boosted to speeds of 2.9GHz. A lot of people would be very pleased to see these processors in the MacBook Air 2011 refresh soon. The new processors also have graphics cores ranging from 350MHz to 1.2GHz. An article over on Cult of Mac also reports on these new processors, describing them as a “perfect fit” for the MacBook Air, so let’s hope that they do indeed make it to the next refresh.

The 9 iPhone apps that can make your life easier

CINCINNATI, OH (FOX19) -

There are more than 300,000 apps that you can download to your iPhone, all designed to make your phone do more. We decided to take a look at 9 of them which could make your life easier.

9. Red Laser – This helpful app that helps you find the best prices when you're shopping. It scans the barcode of the item you're looking to buy and searches for the lowest prices online and in stores. It will even tell you the closest store.

8. The Daily Burn – This app allows you to record the amount of calories that you're taking in each day. It can even scan the barcodes of the food that you are eating and add the nutritional information that item to the log.

7. Heart fitness – This app uses the camera on the iPhone to measure your pulse rate. You put your finger on the flash and the camera can measure the rate of your pulse.

6. iAlcohol Lite – This app allows you to track your blood alcohol level. You type in your height, weight and how much you've had to drink and it will give you a guess about how long it will be before it's safe for you to drive.

5. E-reader – With this app, you can download thousands of free books, or sync up your kindle so you can read all the books that you bought with that on your phone

4. Find iPhone – This app is for you if you lose your phone a lot. It will find your phone if it is lost or stolen, and it can also be used if you really wanted to find out where your child is.

3. Trapster – This app could help you get a speeding ticket by letting you know when you are approaching speed traps, dangerous intersections, checkpoints or known locations of officers.

2. Aim – If you leave your tape measure at home, this app can help you measure things with your iPhone. All you do is select the top point and the bottom point and it will tell you what the height or width of an object is.

1. Air Cam – this app connects your web cam directly to your iPhone. For example, if you set up a web cam in your baby's bedroom you can view it on your iPhone, and you can check in from another room. If you don't have any kids, it can also be used as a surveillance system when you are away from home.

If you don't have an iPhone but have a Droid, don't worry. The same apps are available, but maybe under slightly different names.

Apple to start selling iPad 2 in India from April 29

NEW DELHI: Apple's iPad 2 will be available in Indian stores from Friday, just over a month after the company started selling the updated version of its popular tablet device in the United States . 

The iPad 2, a thinner and faster version that features two cameras for video chat, is priced between 29,500 rupees and 46,900 rupees, depending on the model. 

The device will be available through authorized resellers from 9 a.m. local time on Friday, a company statement said. 

The model with 16 GB of memory that works only on Wi-Fi is priced at 29,500 rupees, while the one that can operate on both Wi-Fi as well as third-generation (3G) mobile networks costs 36,900 rupees. 

Customers have the option to buy an iPad 2 with 16, 32 or 64 GB of memory and can choose a model that works only on Wi-Fi or on both Wi-Fi and 3G. 

Research firm IHS iSuppli estimates Apple will ship 39.7 million units for all models of the iPad this year. 

The first iPad - which went on sale a year ago - sold 300,000 units on the first day, 500,000 in the first week, and crossed the 1 million unit mark in 28 days.

Apple: White iPhone 4 is Real (and Late)

Ten months after the iPhone 4 was announced, Apple is still reassuring us that the white model is on its way-possibly. After Bloomberg reported the white iPhone 4 should be on sale by the end of the month, Apple apparently reassured The Wall Street Journal that it's coming this spring. But after ten months on sale, the iPhone 4 is reaching the end of the product cycle -- so is there any point in having a white one now?

Photo: MacworldWe still don't know what's holding up the white iPhone 4. Rumor has it the delay is due to Apple having trouble manufacturing white iPhone that don't leak light from the edges of their glass cases. Others say it's because the white paint causes transparency on the back panel, resulting in washed-out photos when using the flash. Nevertheless, Apple is mum on what's causing the delay.

So where is the white iPhone 4 Steve Jobs held in his hand when introducing the new model last June? Well, Apple didn't tackle the delay graciously, either: initially the phone was expected in July 2010; then, in the second half of July, news broke that the white iPhone 4 was delayed again, with a release slated for later in the year; only to get delayed again until spring 2011. Apple even went through lengths to remove all traces and imagery of the white iPhone 4 from its website. Not classy.

If Apple keeps to the historical iPhone release schedule, a new iPhone 5 should be arriving in June (some say it's not happening until September, or even next year). So if the white iPhone 4 arrives at the end of this month, there will be just over a month between the release of the white, older model and the introduction of a brand-new iPhone. If this proves to be true, it makes more sense for Apple to release a new iPhone 5 in both black and white from launch day (like with the iPad 2) and send this whole white iPhone 4 fiasco to the annals of tech history.

Bharti, Aircel set to launch iPhone 4

New Delhi, April 11: Indians will at last get their hands on the iPhone 4 — the not so new version of Apple’s smartphone, which has revolutionised the cellullar market with its dazzling array of features and gorgeous looks.

Bharti Airtel and Aircel today announced that they would launch the iPhone 4 in the coming months, though they were tightlipped on the launch date as well as the price.

“iPhone 4 is the most innovative phone in the world, featuring Apple’s stunning Retina display, the highest resolution display ever built into a phone, and FaceTime, which makes video calling a reality,” similar statements by Bharti and Aircel said.

Analysts said the $65-billion California-based technology giant had again stayed true to its approach of sending its gadgets to India at the tail end of their product cycles. The iPhone 4 was first released in the US and four other countries in June last year with a starting price of $199.

Tech circles are already abuzz with rumours of the new generation iPhone 5, which is likely to be released in June or July this year in the US.

Analysts said Apple was working on a “completely redesigned” iPhone for debut in summer 2011 with a four-inch display to take on the larger screens found on some of the phones running Google’s Android operating system.

Earlier, Airtel and Vodafone had said that they would launch the iPhone 4 during Diwali.

At 9.3 mm, the iPhone 4 is 24 per cent thinner than its predecessor which is nearly half-an-inch thick. It comes with multitasking features, meaning the phone will be able to run more than one program at a time.

The phone comes with 16GB and 32GB memory capacity and has a 5 megapixel camera.

Sales of smartphones such as the iPhone, which are popular for its high-speed Internet and mobile software capabilities, are expected to get a boost in India as telecom companies are rolling out 3G services that offer high-speed data transfer capabilities.

Airtel and Aircel have already rolled out 3G in select parts of the country, and the market expects some special 3G data plans for the iPhone 4.

Bharti, which already sells earlier models of the iPhone, has added 2 million users to its 3G network, which was launched in January.

The company, India’s largest mobile phone operator by subscribers, has bandwidth to offer 3G in 13 of the country’s 22 telecom service areas.

Aircel, which has more than 50 million subscribers on its second-generation network, started providing 3G in February. It has the bandwidth to offer 3G in 13 areas.

Airtel and Aircel will launch the iPhone 4 in India in the coming months

Both Airtel and Aircel are set to launch the iPhone 4 in India at some point “in the coming months”, it has surfaced today. There are no other details at the moment, no actual release dates to speak of, just that very vague time frame. It does however seem reasonably clear that the launch will happen this year. Other than that, anything’s possible.

Consider that Airtel isn’t announcing that it will release the iPhone 4 for the first time. It has also done so in July of last year, and back then, its CEO claimed that Airtel will have the iPhone 4 in stores in September or October. Of 2010. Yeah, that never happened. Which may be among the reasons for the vague time frame given this time. Still, why announce this at all right now? Who knows.

So. At some point, probably this year, you’ll be able to buy an iPhone 4 from Airtel and Aircel in India. Yes, it’s entirely possible that by then Apple has already released the iPhone 5, but… it’s always been like this in India. For some reason, Apple likes to simply ignore one of the biggest mobile markets in the world. Make of that what you wish.

On a slightly related note, how funny is it to have two carriers called Aircel and Airtel in the same country? Just imagine having Vodafone and Vodaphone (in a nod to those who still don’t know how to spell this brand name even today, clearly), or, perhaps in The Netherlands, Oranje and Orange? Just plain odd, but arguably in a very funny way.

APPLE Thunderbolt Really a Thunderbolt?

A big hat tip to Farhad Manjoo of Slate, who first raised doubts about the value of Thunderbolt in this post. My two cents are below.

Apple’s new MacBook Pros have faster processors, a better camera and improved graphics performance.

But no one’s talking about that, really. What they’re talking about is the new Thunderboltport.

You see, in addition to the usual USB ports you use to connect things to your computer, Apple has a new connection standard, one developed in collaboration with Intel. The idea behind Thunderbolt is that current connection speeds between computers and peripherals are too slow. External hard drives, for example, can hold an obscene amount of data, but are constrained by the comparatively sluggish pipe they rely on to connect to a computer.

Thunderbolt’s going to change all that, Apple and Intel say, and how: The new standard is up to 20 times faster than USB 2.0, which is the most popular connection format.

But we’re dealing in abstractions so far. Let’s see if Apple’s Web site can explain the payoff.

You can connect external devices like RAID arrays and video capture solutions directly to MacBook Pro — and get PCI Express performance. That’s a first for notebooks. Thunderbolt also provides 10 watts of power to peripherals, so you can tackle workstation-class projects on the go. With PCI Express technology, you can use existing USB and FireWire peripherals — even connect to Gigabit Ethernet and Fibre Channel networks — using simple adapters.

Let me get this straight: RAID arrays, video capture solutions, PCI Express performance, workstation-class projects (on the go, no less), Gigabit Ethernet and Fibre Channel networks.

I know it’s called MacBook Pro, but, really? Not a lot here sounds like it has any relevance to your average consumer.

That’s not to say Thunderbolt is not without value to some. Hardcore users of laptops and people who work in video (the kind of people the MacBook Pro is designed for) will love what Thunderbolt can do, but what about the rest of us? What’s in it for regular folks?

One practical benefit would be Thunderbolt’s ability to reduce cable clutter. You can daisy chain Thunderbolt devices, so one cord goes to an external drive, then another cable goes from the drive to a display, then another cable can go from a display to a, say, digital audio receiver.

That’s nice. But not entirely groundbreaking. HDMI has already done wonders behind my TV, with its single-cable capabilities for both audio and video. But I will grant you that Thunderbolt adds data to the mix, eliminates the need for hubs and radically improves the transferring capabilities with its fat pipes (10 Gbps, both ways, at the same time).

Still, this is incremental stuff. Intel likes to put Thunderbolt’s advantages in more practical terms, saying that, using Thunderbolt, you could transfer a full-length HD movie from, say, drive to PC in less than 30 seconds.

Impressive, but how often am I doing that? Some have suggested that a future iPhones and iPads could be equipped with Thunderbolt ports, allowing syncs to take only seconds, as opposed to minutes. But really, isn’t syncing itself out of date? With the growth of cloud-based platforms, data should be shared and updated on the fly. And other wireless technologies are also available, from Bluetooth to near-field communication, that will expand devices’ abilities to share data without a physical connection.

If Apple and Intel get their way, much of this doubting won’t much matter: Thunderbolt will become the dominant connection standard, allowing a single cable to do all the heavy lifting between devices. We will have a versatile, robust way to move data around at speeds that will make such transfers almost instantaneous.

Just don’t expect me to get all excited about it.