Apple has announced just a short while back that it has sold only two million iPads till now despite of the international launch in nine countries. If they have sold 1 million iPads in 28 days in U.S alone then there is nothing surprising about selling 2 million iPads in 59 days with few hundred thousands sold outside US. This hasn’t come like a bolt from the blue. They have also announced that the iPad will be also coming to nine more countries by July and they haven’t yet spilled the names of those countries (may be India is included in it). Apple has said typically in their style about this feat.

Customers around the world are experiencing the magic of iPad, and seem to be loving it as much as we do,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “We appreciate their patience, and are working hard to build enough iPads for everyone

There are many ways people are framing the figure of 2 million iPads in 59 days. I will list down a few from across the web to make it more astonishing than it looks like.

On Average Apple is selling 35k iPad’s a day; 250k a week and 1 million a month.

I took 2 years for Apple to sell 2 two-millionth iPod and four months to sell the two-millionth iPhone.

Apple is selling its tablet computer (iPad) at the blistering rate of one every 2.5 seconds.

Apple has generated more than 1 billion in revenue from iPads till now.

The apps for iPad are not increasing as fast as they should be but in fact they remain intact at 5000. One month back, Apple announced that there are 5000 apps for iPad and one month later there are still over 5000 apps in App store.

Just wait for the time when iPad will touch the one billion mark, then may be I will get surprised!

Facebook has received all the backlash from media and tech pundits/bloggers about the latest privacy changes and security loopholes in the recent days. People are also scared that Facebook is becoming too big thing to control in near future. This is just another hype created by media, which will die out in the course of time, and people will get used to the new privacy changes like they have done it in the past. If Facebook would have rolled out new features by asking for permission from users, it wouldn’t have been what it is today. With more than 400 million users and 500 million visits in a month, Facebook is not going anywhere, this is just the transition state for them and they will surely get over it.

Just take a look on the below Infographic which will help you to analyze how big is Facebook. (Thank you Mashable for this lovely Infographic).

[Source: Online PhD Programs for MashableMashable.com]

Snippets of few of the media hype around Facebook that is interesting in their own way

1.  Mark Zuckerbarg is known to be aggressive that is also the reason why he has builds the Facebook empire within five years. On the wake of the privacy issues, his private instant message with his friend, which was made six-seven years ago, has been reveled on the web. Here it goes

Zuck: Yeah so if you ever need info about anyone at Harvard

Zuck: Just ask.

Zuck: I have over 4,000 emails, pictures, addresses, SNS

[Redacted Friend's Name]: What? How’d you manage that one?

Zuck: People just submitted it.

Zuck: I don’t know why.

Zuck: They “trust me”

Zuck: Dumb fucks.

Arrington gives a good reasoning for these IM messages. He writes

Who here hasn’t said something stupid when they were 19? Who here hasn’t done something dumb when they were 19? None of you. If you’re getting all self righteous, you’re lying to yourself.

Check out the complete post out here.

2. If you are sick of recent privacy updates, people are there to help you deleting your account. I know it’s very tough to delete your account, as Facebook has become a part of your life. Few big guys have done it already. There is a site QuitFacebookDay.com that are celebrating May 31st the day to quit Facebook. Only 1502 (till now) out of 400 million + have committed to quit on that day (I know most of them are not going to quit, they have entered their name for the sake of it).

3. Have you ever tried deactivating your account on Facebook? Facebook will make you double think your intensions and beg you not to quit. I have tried it; I got a list of people who will miss me when I will not be around. Just see the snapshot below. These are friends whom i stay in touch only through Facebook. So, message to my 363 friends, just stay chill, I am not going any time soon.

Trying to see who will miss me the most when I will not be around!

P.S. My friends in picture are heavy Facebook users. May be that’s why they are here!

These are just the few snippets from the web and the whole Internet is flooding with it. Is this going to harm Facebook in a big way? I don’t think so, people will continue to share what they wish to and hide their private things, which they don’t want it to come into public domain. As simple as that. Privacy is the thing that begins with you and ends with you. So, it is all up to you, not with some company who is just facilitating you to stay in touch with your friends. I know the line between public and private is getting blurred because of Facebook and that is also the big reason why people are flocking in to Facebook.

Do you ever think about the privacy thing for a second before sharing anything in Facebook or you just do it as you want to?

Don’t forget to like this post, if you are not too concerned about the new privacy changes

It doesn’t support Flash, there is no multitasking in it, there is no web cam for video chat, no keyboard and many more features – This is the rundown of reviews received by a device, as soon as it was announced. I am talking about the most revolutionary and the fastest sold gadget of all times, the so-called magical device  “iPad”. Apple has officially announced that the iPad has sold over 1 million units in just 28 days, which means that it is even more successful product than iPhone. What the man behind iPad, Steve Jobs has to say about his just another feat.

One million iPads in 28 days—that’s less than half of the 74 days it took to achieve this milestone with iPhone. Demand continues to exceed supply and we’re working hard to get this magical product into the hands of even more customers.”

Apple had recently released the 3G+Wi-Fi version of iPad and that has helped it to cross the magical number of one million.  Apple has also delayed their international launch, as they are not able to fulfill the demands in the US itself. Some other facts about the iPad

• 12 million apps downloaded for iPad

• 5,000 new apps available in App Store build especially for iPad apart from 200,000 apps that can run in iPad.

• 1.5 million ebooks downloaded so far, which means 1.5 books per iPad user. I can foresee Kindle’s end.

This is just the beginning for the iPad and and looks like it is destined to cross many more milestones.

In a rare move, Microsoft has announced a patent licensing deal with HTC which will allow HTC to use Microsoft patents for Android mobile platform handsets. In return, Microsoft will get undisclosed amount of money for every phone HTC will sell. Just two months back, Apple filed a patent infringing case against HTC that was targeted indirectly at Google.  This deal can help HTC to make their patent case against Apple even and also they can use Microsoft’s pool of patents without fear of getting sued.

This may sound straight to you but there is more to it than what meets the eye. It’s not about HTC and Microsoft coming together but it’s just another chapter in the battle between three big giants Apple, Google and Microsoft. Microsoft and Apple a long time rival, Google and Apple rivalry getting uglier day by day. Microsoft is actually helping Google out here but off-course they are going to earn money from every Nexus One that Google sells as a royalty. Who have ever thought that Microsoft earning money from Google products? Strange

Microsoft also wants to revive their mobile OS presence with Windows Phone 7 and wants to take on iPhone and Android. In one of the posts published on CNET, which says that Microsoft is claiming that the Android is infringing on its patents. Ina Fried from CNET writes

Microsoft has taken the position, according to those close to the company, that Android infringes on the company’s patented technology and that the infringement applies broadly in areas ranging from the user interface to the underlying operating system.

Mobile phone war is getting interesting!

Image Credits: OnlyGizmos

Ning is getting crazy! Ning the build-your-own social network will be a paid service as confirmed by a mail send by the new CEO of Ning to his employees. What does this mean to the existing network users? Simple, pay for your existing network or else your network will be no more. This is not all; about 40% of employees to be precise 70 employees will be axed from the company. Ning’s new CEO Jason Rosenthal just sent a mail to his employees mentioning these two big announcements. Just a month ago, co-founder of Ning Gina Bianchini stepped down from the post of CEO.

Ning has been co-founded by Marc Andreessen, the founder of Netscape who sits on the boards of Facebook and HP but still facing a tough time reviving Ning. The move to make Ning a paid service will not going to help them but it will screw them big time. This is not a fair move as far the existing users are concerned who have build their network considering the fact that this is a free system and making it paid will piss them off. Freemium model always works in web and if its not working for Ning then they have to seriously consider reviving their ecosystem and definitely not by making out-and-out paid service.

Hostgator

Welcome to iPhone OS 4.0 Event Coverage. Steve Jobs is expected to come to unveil the OS 4.0. A lot of new features is are expected to be unveiled in the OS 4.0 including the much awaited multi-tasking. Letz wait and watch..

Twitter has just launched a whole new homepage with major UI changes having more visual appeal (you can only see it if you are not logged into Twitter). It has included many features in a way to attract new users coming into Twitter.

Twitter's New Homepage

The important changes includes

1. Scrolling Trending Topics

2. Top Tweets (I don’t know how they are deciding which tweets can be classified as top tweet.) Also there is a twitter account for Top Tweets.

3. See who’s here – Some of the celebrities and brands using Twitter that can help new users to find them easily.

Twitter has also given the motive behind these changes in their official blog. And I quote

All of our recent changes embrace the notion that Twitter is not just for status updates anymore. It’s a network where information is exchanged and consumed at a rapid clip every second of the day. With so much being shared, we know that there’s something of value for everyone. But it hasn’t been easy to make that value transparent or obvious for curious folks coming to Twitter for the first time.

Twitter has not explained the way in which the top tweets will come up in the homepage. What it says about the top tweets

The homepage now features a set of algorithmically-selected top tweets that automatically appear every few seconds.

The new homepage will be go a long way in attracting new users but there is nothing for the old ones like me. Let me know what you think about the new homepage in comments.

Swype Used In Verizon Samsung Omnia II

How much time you usually take for typing a meaningful message of 160 characters using a touch screen? Franklin Page, a intern in a startup called Swype has created a Guinness World Record for texting 160 characters using a touch screen in just 35.54 seconds beating the previous record of 40.91 seconds. This was not a ordinary touch screen, he was using a Samsung Omnia II mobile phone using a new type of text-input technology Swype. We have talked about Swype and how it is faster than iPhone’s touch screen in texting. And I quote from our previous posts.

What is Swype & how does it work? Putting it simply Swype allow users to trace their way between different letter on a touch screen (by actually dragging their hands on the screen) instead of tapping each letter one by one. Essentially the aim of Swype is to increase the typing speed by making touch typing more intuitive.

You can have a look at the video below and see how swiftly this guy has attain this feat.

The actual phrase of 160 characters which he got from Guinness was

“The razor-toothed piranhas of the genera Serrasalmus and Pygocentrus are the most ferocious freshwater fish in the world. In reality they seldom attack a human,”

Geeks just pick up your touch phones and start typing these characters and do tell us in comment that how much time you are taking to type these 160 characters (Take as much attempt you wish to).

Google has announced a moment ago in their blogpost that they are closing down all of their search operations in China. From now onwards Google.cn will redirect to Google.com.hk. This is a black day for the open web and China. Google has stopped censoring their search services Google Search, News and Images on Google.cn and it will redirected to Google.com.hk where all the uncensored results will come in Chinese language. In simple words Google is just shifting their servers from China to Hong Kong. Google’s map and music search will remain live in China domain as of now. Google will continue to have their R&D center in China and also a sales team if and only if China doesn’t start blocking Google.com.hk.

Google has taken this decision just because of the continuous phishing and cyber attacks originating from China in December. Google has also opened a new website to inform users about access issues in some of its applications in China which will actually monitor uptime of Google apps. In plain words this new website will show what China is allowing and what it is not allowing. Below is the image, showing status of Google apps as of yesterday.

China is totally against the pen web and you never know when they will start blocking Google.com.hk. I am just waiting for China’s next move. The ball is in their court now.

Google has started this year with the launch of the much hyped Android phone Nexus One which puts Google in straight competition with Apple. But in its early days Nexus One seems like a flop show. According to the estimates from a mobile analytics firm Flurry, reveals that the after the first 74 days of Nexus One Launch, Google has just been able to sell only 135k units. During the same duration the iPhone (1st generation) has sold 1 million units and surprisingly Motorola Droid sold 1.05 million which is more than iPhone. Nexus Phone which was seen as the iPhone killer has fallen flat in its attempt. Nexus One is a great phone comparable or even better than Droid and has same Android OS which the Droid has. So why Droid has gone past iPhone numbers in its early days and Nexus One is being left way behind in the race of smart-phones. You can’t just point one reasons for that. But I am just mentioning a few.

1. Verizon has advertised about Droid aggressively with iDont ads which takes on its competitor i.e. iPhone directly. But Google hasn’t done any sort of this tactics (Do no evil mantra). Google take some lessons from Apple and Verizon as far as ad campaign is concerned.

2. It has chosen a wrong carrier- T-Mobile which has smaller user base while Droid comes with Verizon which has much larger subscribe base.

3. Nexus One can’t be brought from stores and only from Google’s online store. People surely want to have a look and feel of the phone (especially a expensive one) before making the big decision.

But don’t just write off Nexus One, wait for some more time. Nexus One can recover as it is now compatible with AT&T and rumors are also floating that it may come with Verizon.