“Earlier this month Apple announced that downloads of "apps" had hit 25 billion.  It is proof of the massive reach of these small pieces of software for mobile devices.  The 25 billionth app downloaded was a game called "Where's my water" by Disney, featuring Swampy the Alligator” -- BBC Business

25 BILLION?!!  That’s an awful lot of apps.  And according to the BBC, this is the first time Disney have released a new character on an app rather than via film...kind of incredible how the tables have turned and that Disney are certain that ‘Swampy the Alligator’ will still reach their target audience of kids.  “Bart Decrem, general manager of Disney Mobile, said gaming - once traditionally the realm of "teenage boys" - is now reaching a much wider audience.” (BBC Business)

I recently saw this quote on one of my friends Facebook profiles:

“Kids these days have mobiles, laptops and tablets.  In my day, we had paper, crayons and an imagination”

Ok so whilst this is potentially true (also, in my opinion down to parents allowing too much emphasis on material possessions, but that’s a whole other story!) I also think that imagination can stem from technology.  I’m still inspired and enthused by articles I read on various blogs, as well as by reading books; and by a cool app I’ve been recommended as well as having a chat with a friend.  There is definitely a place for both - and I say ‘both’ in the hopes that people will understand that there is still very much a place for the written word (or the handwritten word!) and conversations with old friends.  Not to get all nostalgic or anything :)

“Apple reported revenue of $46.33 billion and profits of $13.06 billion, or $13.87 per share, for the quarter ended December 31, 2011. That was up from the $26.74 billion, or $6.43 per share, the company saw at the same time last year.

"We're thrilled with our outstanding results and record-breaking sales of iPhones, iPads, and Macs," Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, said in a statement. "Apple's momentum is incredibly strong, and we have some amazing new products in the pipeline."” -- cnet

Congratulations to Apple to seem to be storming the Market with their products!  Having recently had this discussion with our latest senior-level IT professional to take part in “The Interview” - Lorraine Campbell at LateRooms.com; it’s interesting to find people’s take on the iPhone vs. Blackberry vs. Android debate.

I’ve done a quick ‘phone survey’ in our offices, and the percentages are as follows; Android seems the least popular with 15% of Testing Circle employees owning one, Blackberry is a respectable second with 31%, but coming in solid first place with a whopping 54%, is Apple’s iPhone.

It would appear more that Blackberry’s are targeted towards business users as their security links are incredibly well developed - which is why I suppose all ‘critical’ organizations such as the Government, have standard issue Blackberry’s for all their employees.  Having said that, the vastly popular ‘BB Messenger’ for Blackberry has also made it more of a ‘social phone’ too.  It’s no secret that the iPhone dominates the market; from its GUI to its general functionality and added extras such as the App Store, it’s definitely a force to be reckoned with.

Working alongside a lot of Testers (who were not included in the poll) based in our Richmond Mobile Lab; we are around a lot of technology and a lot of mobile devices - and I can definitely say that the ‘Testers phone of choice’ is mostly definitely the Android.  Asking them what it is about the Android, they all said that the ease of use is outstanding, the screen resolution is amazing and the graphics are insane!

Well I guess that the figures speak for themselves, and as Apple profits are skyrocketing it certainly tells a story synonymous with our poll here at Testing Circle!

“The world's biggest educational publishing company Pearson has given its backing to Apple's new range of iBooks textbooks.  The London-based firm's initial releases include its maths and biology titles which are already available in paper and other digital forms in US classrooms” -- BBC News

This is great news for schools and students alike; I believe that books are still part of the backbone of learning, but having 3D images, videos and tutorials available in iBooks will give the education system a great ‘shake up’ and may even start to inspire teachers to teach in a different way.

I’m sure they are aware that not every student will be lucky enough to have access to a desktop, laptop or iPad, but hopefully there will be access in most schools so all students will be able to have the full experience.

“These books are designed to take learners of all ages on their own, brand new adventures of discovery.  We've taken some of our most respected school textbooks and other popular titles and added video, 3D animation, thousands of interactive tools and test questions.  They cover topics from trigonometry to T-Rex and equations to elephants. We think that they will inspire and engage students, who will be able to see for themselves the wonders of how a heart beats, how a plant turns light into food, or how dinosaurs once prowled the earth” -- Genevieve Shore, CIO at Pearson

Big congratulations to Pearson and Apple for bringing this innovative and brilliant idea to life!