That's What She Said, Apple Monopoly, Sequel Season

That’s What She Said, Apple Monopoly, Sequel Season

7 June 2011 No Comments

Apple CEO Steve Jobs introduces iCloud during a keynote address to the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco, Monday, June 6, 2011. PAUL SAKUMA/AP

By Darling Nicky

An Apple a Day Keeps the Competition at Bay

“Wow! Apple is no joke. Talk about world take-over.” via @darlingnicky999 on Twitter

So, I was browsing the latest headlines and (of course) my eye caught several postings about the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) that took place June 6 in San Francisco. There, Steve Jobs, co-founder and CEO of Apple Inc. announced a number of changes to existing services that essentially take the best applications from other companies and package them in an iFriendly format. (Can I even say “iFriendly” or is that already some Apple commissioned software for teaching good manners?)

The rumours about whether Apple would finally jump on the Blackberry Messenger bandwagon were put to rest with the revelation of a new feature for iOS5 called iMessage that will allow iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users to send encrypted messages to one another either in bulk or individually. The current MobileMe which was used to sync and store Apple contacts, photos and other content has been replaced with iCloud, which in addition will sync documents and apps to other devices.

iCloud will also come with 5 GB of storage that work similarly to Dropbox, but will also enable updating across all devices when a file is updated on any device linked to the account. Among many other improvements (or theft of ideas depending on how you look at it), the change that I think will resonate with Apple enthusiasts around the world will be the “cutting” of the proverbial cord. Apple users will no longer have to connect their Apple device to a computer to use iTunes for device activation and operating system downloads. Apple is making the user experience a truly wireless one.

Whether you are an Apple, RIM or other Smartphone user, there is no question that we have become uber-dependent on these little pocket computers. While no matter how much laptops have made our lives a little easier enabling us to work out of virtual offices (beach, subway, boyfriend’s house), we typically leave them behind when we go to the grocery store (or even the bathroom). With all the innovations in mobile applications – there is no excuse for not finishing that spreadsheet – while spending some time on the porcelain throne.

“Sorry Boss. There is NO reason I couldn’t adjust that expense sheet from the club bathroom. Afterall, that’s what iCloud is for!” via @darlingnicky999 on Twitter

#thatswhatshesaid

Sequel City

“Imagine if Hollywood had made a Gone with the Wind Part. 2?” via @darlingnicky999 on Twitter

Skimming the Top 20 movies of this past weekend, and realized that the Top 3 grossing movies at the box office for the weekend of June 4 to June 6, 2011 were ALL sequels. In #1 was the 4^th instalment in the X-Men series called X-Men: First Class, in #2 was the return of Bradley Cooper and the hilarious ensemble of The Hangover 2, and in the #3 position was the animated Part 2 of Kung Fu Panda.

I have such mixed feelings about sequels. In some cases where a literary work, like the Harry Potter series or Twilight, required several books to tell the tale, multiple movie instalments make a lot of sense. However, in some cases, it feels like the movie studios are just capitalizing on what was a very lucky break the first go round.

Of interest, 2011 has the most sequels planned than any other year, so if you are a sequel junkie, here they are: Cars, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, The Hangover, Happy Feet, Hoodwinked, Johnny English, Kung Fu Panda, Piranha, Sherlock Holmes, Mission Impossible, Pirates of the Caribbean, Spy kids, Twilight, Fast Five, Final Destination, Puss ‘n Boots (from Shrek), X-Men, Winnie the Pooh, The Muppets, Planet of the Apes, Valentine’s Day, The Thing and Harry Potter!

Not everybody waits with anticipation for the sequel to a good movie to come out…

“RT @DarlingNicky999: Imagine if Hollywood had made a Gone With The Wind Part. 2?<<”Quite honestly my darling, I just don’t give a damn!” ~ Rhett Buttler.” via @davidfmewa in response to @darlingnicky999 on Twitter

#ThatsWhatHESaid

Darling Nicky is an entertainment writer, blogger and publicist. Check out her out at www.darlingnicky.ca