Ni Hao Apple

Apple Inc. announced the debut of its new Chinese online and app store on Tuesday. After years of ignoring the market, Apple Inc. has begun an extreme global expansion.

Chinese customers can now order any Apple Inc. product online and have it delivered to their home. Before the online store debut customers were only allowed to pick up product orders at one of four Apple stores in Beijing and Shanghai.

“We are thrilled to open our newest online store in China,” said Apple COO Tim Cook. “With personalized engraving, configure-to-order options and free shipping on everything, the Apple Store is a great destination for our customers in China.”

Apple Inc. hopes to compete in China’s growing smartphone market, which has gained traction in the past four years. The American technological front runner plans to open 25 Apple stores in China by 2011.

An image of an iPhone, iPad, and iPod nano dressed up as traditional Chinese lanterns promoted the new website release.

Apple's New 'Anti-sexting' Technology

With the growing popularity of Apple Inc., it's easy to notice when new products are released by the technological front-runner. From the iPad, to the mobile giant known as the iPhone, Apple always adapts to the changing technological world. Not only does Apple create innovative products, the company is also interested in doing something good for mankind. 

Over the past four years, mobile devices have taken the technology market by storm. With the increase of users, there is an increase in abusers. 'Sexting' has become a serious issue among adolescents and teenagers. The activity of sending or receiving sexually explicit text messages/images has affected many children in recent years. 

According to a CNN article released on October 13, Apple's new patented technology can be used by parents to prevent their children from sending or receiving sexually explicit text messages. 

Apple's new feature would let an iPhones administrator block an iPhone from sending or receiving text messages with sexually explicit words. What makes Apple's 'sexting'-block unique is that if filters content based on a child's grade level. Apple's feature also searches for abbreviated words and sexual slang that are usually missed by other programs.

Apple says that other programs only block certain words instead of identifying the big picture of a sexually explicit text message. This strategic type of identification can then be applied to a child's age and reading level. 

Other blogs such as TechCrunch have posted questions about Apple's new feature. A subscriber asked if Apple's technology would put an end to 'sexting'. "Yes and no," said Alexia Tsotsis, blogger with TechCrunch. "Those interested in 'sexting' will probably find some clever workaround to express how much they want to bang, screw, hit it or a myriad of other words that don't immediately set off the censorship sensors."

Do you think this new type of technology will help end 'sexting'?



For more information about Apple's new 'Anti-sexting' feature visit:

http://articles.cnn.com/2010-10-13/tech/apple.sexting.patent_1_text-messages-sexting-apple?_s=PM:TECH
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/13/apple-anti-sexting-patent_n_760731.html
http://www.pcworld.com/article/207650/apples_antisexting_patent_approved.html

My take on AppleTV

Despite the criticism against Apple's newly released product, I believe AppleTV will revolutionize the media technology industry. AppleTV allows consumers to wirelessly rent and purchase movies, music, and tv shows with the push of a remote. In this day in age, many Americans will do whatever it takes to have the newest type of media technology in their hands. Whether it's an iPhone 4 or Xbox Kinect, emerging technology drives the American economy. At a price of $99, AppleTV eliminates the need for a Netflix subscription or that trip to the nearest Redbox. AppleTV is the best, cost-saving product on the market today. Why do I want to pay $20 for a round, plastic disc that will take up space? A disc that will probably be broken by my three-year-old cousin. This new product will save tons of space and money. Plus, all of your media files can be saved on a small external hard drive. I won't need to wait a week to receive a rental from Netflix nor will I have to drive to that failure known as Blockbuster. With it's wireless network connection, AppleTV streams all user content from a MacBook Pro, or an iTunes account. Every consumer who purchases AppleTV has the power of the entertainment industry in the palm of their hands. AppleTV even taps in to the ever popular social network Facebook. After a consumer watches a movie or tv show they have the power to rate and post what they just viewed on Facebook. Steve Jobs seems to be traveling on a yellow-brick road getting closer and closer to the emerald city. 

For more information on AppleTv visit: http://www.apple.com/appletv/.

Adios!