I’ve done extensive research on the company revealing its ‘Quantum Strategy’ in a paper for Organizational Dynamics, and though Apple’s results saw $50 billion wiped off its market value I don’t feel it is the first sign of strategic weakness as some analysts are suggesting.

Apple reported no rise in profits for the final quarter of 2012 and slightly missed revenue estimates, prompting speculation that its period of hyper-growth is coming to an end.

The company sold 47.8m iPhones over the Christmas quarter, missing a forecast average of around 50m and revenue growth of 18 per cent year on year to $54.5bn was below the $54.9bn forecast, while profits were flat on the previous year at $13.1bn.

But before we write Apple off with premature assessments, we need to appreciate that its so-called disappointing performance is still extraordinary by many measures, and that it has the capabilities to keep winning in its markets, which it may yet redefine with more blockbuster products.

Apple is thought by many to have posted poor results, but this would be a rushed assessment. Apple’s revenues continued growing at a fast pace, with an 18 per cent rise over the previous year and 25 per cent more when adjusting for the fact that this quarter was for a 13-week period while the previous year was for 14 weeks.

Profits were $13.1 billion, same as the previous year, but actually seven per cent higher if the 13 week vs 14 week issue is taken into consideration. Gross margin fell to 38.6 per cent compared to 44.7 per cent year-on-year, but Apple had prepared the market about the lower margin and actually delivered above its own guidance.

Lower margins would be expected given Apple’s rising sales in emerging economies, introduction of iPad mini and appearance of more competing products that are much cheaper. The 38.6 per cent margins in the markets where Apple operates are still extraordinary.

Speaking of emerging markets, Apple’s higher transparency in reporting sales by geography shows that its revenues in China went up 67 per cent in this quarter compared to last year, with a huge potential upside. Further, its products are on different stages of the product life cycle, a pretty robust risk management strategy.

Even if in the long term Apple has lost some of its innovative edge, its substantial liquid assets still give it an advantage in the technology market.

The main issue for the medium and long term is whether Apple has sustained its innovative capabilities, which seems likely given that it’s part of the company’s DNA. But the proof will be in the pudding, and we’ll know over the next 12 to 18 months.

What many forget though is Apple’s safety net of $137 billion in cash and liquid assets. Apple could easily buy any new technologies that appear to pose a threat to it, that offer synergies to its own offerings, or that can open up new markets for it.

Stock markets react, and sometimes overreact, immediately, but what matters is the big picture and Apple seems to be on a solid footing by that measure. Even though its shares fell based on the earnings announcement, this could be a useful correction.

Loizos Heracleous has authored six books and over 50 articles published in leading journals including the Harvard Business Review and MIT Sloan Management Review. His research has been honored by three noted Best Paper awards from the Academy of Management and received an Emerald Literati Award for 2007 for his research on the role of biometric technologies in service excellence, a second Emerald Award in 2009 for the Paper with the Best Practical Implications for his work on human resource strategy at Singapore Airlines, and a third award for the Paper with Best Practical Implications in 2010 for his article entitled “Can business learn from the public sector?” Loizos has trained or advised executives from several leading corporations including IBM, Total, Rolls-Royce, KPMG, Standard Chartered, O2, and Bank of China. He has been listed in the Marquis Who’s Who in the World since 2003. Before joining Warwick Business School, Loizos was Reader in Strategy at the Said Business School and Official Fellow of Templeton College at Oxford University, and Associate Professor of Business Policy at the National University of Singapore.

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Early Bird Tickets on Sale

Last week was rough for Apple stock.

As of Wednesday night the stock was down about 3 percent, after having been down as much as 5 percent. And over the past three months, it’s down 22 percent, equivalent to $130 billion in market cap.

This is a big number.

The  fall was prompted by a story in the financial press Monday morning that Apple was cutting orders to its supply chain “by half.” That lead to a waterfall of bad news and scary headlines. As a stock analyst, I always get suspicious when there is a sudden wave of bad news, especially from vague or unnamed sources. There are very few coincidences in this world. As usual, John Gruber was quick to call all this out, and he linked to several other posts from Forbes and Seeking Alpha, both of which make good points as to why things may not be so bad after all.

And for what it’s worth, I had lunch with a component supplier to Apple on Monday. They get half their revenue from Apple. At least, I think they do. They would never admit to me that Apple was even a customer, much less if they’d just taken a big hit to orders. But they certainly didn’t act like someone who had just seen a quarter of their revenue disappear over the weekend.

Nonetheless, the tech community is once again worried about the long term viability of Apple’s success. I have heard a lot of the old arguments dragged out again: Android is growing faster, markets are saturating, consumers are losing interest. Etc., etc., etc.

I think all of this  is overblown.

First, does anyone really question that Apple probably just had an incredible Christmas season? Up until January, it was hard to find an iPhone 5 or iPad Mini in most Apple stores. So despite what we analysts say, consumers somewhere still love Apple products.

Second, Android may be growing faster, but largely through heavy discounting. It is always easy to gain share by cutting prices. But Apple still has immense brand loyalty, and that has to count for something.

Finally, even if we assume Apple someday makes a misstep, they have $121 billion in cash on the balance sheet. This is not a guarantee of future success, but it is a comfortable insurance policy, and so far they have been disciplined in how they spend it (or not spend it). By contrast, both RIM and Nokia are facing serious financial constraints hobbling their ability to release new phones.

No one has ever managed to stay on top for ever in mobile, and maybe someday the iPhone will just be remembered as this decade’s RAZR. But there is no reason to jump to that conclusion today.

[Note: Do you think the pendulum has swung? Has Apple's vertically integrated approach to mobile played itself out? Is it getting undercut by more open platforms like Google's Android? We'll be discussing these different mobile camps at our upcoming VentureBeat Mobile Summit in April, where we're inviting the top 180 executives for a debate on how the industry can cooperate better to push the mobile economy forward. See more here.]

Jonathan Goldberg is a research analyst who focused on mobile markets.

photo credit: ★ spunkinator via photopin cc

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Early Bird Tickets on Sale

After people activated a record-breaking 17.4 million iOS and Android devices on Christmas Day, the following week saw record-smashing activity as well: over 50 million iOS and Android-powered smartphones and tablets activated, and a staggering 1.76 billion apps downloaded.

“The last week of 2012 was the largest week for both new device activations and app downloads in iOS and Android history,” Peter Farago of the mobile analytics firm Flurry wrote on the company’s blog today.

The weekly average leading up to the holidays was just slightly over a billion apps downloaded each day, which almost doubled in the last week of the year. The same week in 2011 had previously held the record for number of downloads, but saw much fewer device activations, including only 6.8 million activations on Christmas day.

Most of the downloads were, predictably, in countries that actually celebrate Christmas, with the U.S taking the top spot with 604 million apps downloads in the last week of 2012, the U.K. with 132 million, and Germany, France, and Canada following up in the 50 million range. China, by virtue of its massive population, still held second place in app downloads with 183 million despite the lack of a traditional gift-giving time around Christmas.

Flurry says that billion-download weeks will likely become the norm in 2013, and that a two billion-download week will likely come near the end of the year.

The analytics firm can estimate total device activations and app downloads since its stats solution powers usage data for over 260,000 apps running, it says, on the “vast majority” of iOS and Android phones and tablets. A quarter of all apps downloaded on a daily basis include Flurry analytics, Farago wrote, which allows the company to detect over 90 percent of all new devices activated.

photo credit: valanzola.t via photopin cc

Tons of Netflix subscribers are apparently unable to escape the boredom of hanging out with their family members by streaming movies during Christmas Eve.

The disruption hasn’t been confirmed by Netflix on any of their proper channels, but several people have mentioned that they are unable to access the streaming video site via social media. Also, the site DownRightNow is reporting that Netflix is experiencing some kind of disruption, which is probably confined to the higher-trafficked regions of the country. (I’m currently in Nashville, Tenn., visiting family, and I’ve had no trouble drowning out my dad’s hilarious dad jokes with season one of The Super Hero Squad.)

The disruption has been going on for about four hours now (at the time this article published.) Hopefully, that will change later into the night when peak viewing times have passed.

The obvious downside to this situation is that tons of people are unable to watch movies tonight, which is extra unfortunate if you were all planning on watching a holiday-themed video. On the upside, you’re now free to spend quality time with your relatives.

Today Codeacademy launched a very simple way to create personalized virtual Christmas cards … and share them with the world. And into the bargain, you learn a little bit about some of the technologies that power the web: HTML, CSS, and perhaps even Javascript.

“Code cards are a really cool hands-on way to apply the HTML and CSS that people are learning with codecademy,” Codeacademy CEO Zack Sims told VentureBeat. “They can add elements with our interface (or drag and drop), see the HTML/CSS, tweak it, and send it to friends and family, who can play with the cards and make their own.”

I tried it myself, and it was easy and fun:

You simply select the elements that you want, copy the HTML and CSS, and then tweak settings as you wish. My simple three-minute creation adorns the top of this post.

(Disclosure: I’m not a newbie at HTML, CSS, and coding — I have done this before. However, I do think it’s simple enough that most people would be able to create something they’d be proud of.)

Why did Codeacademy build this?

“This is part of Codecademy’s continued emphasis on learning by doing,” Sims told VentureBeat. “We think it’s much easier to learn when you have a project in mind as opposed to learning a language (like, say, Python) just for the sake of learning it. Most of our tracks on the site focus on real-life projects as part of the learning process. We also recently launched a projects track that includes other cool apps and sites for people to build.”

Well merry Christmas (eve) from VentureBeat. And happy coding!

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With all the potential sources of anxiety, spending too much for flights shouldn’t be one of them.

This holiday season, VentureBeat worked with Kayak and Visual.ly to create an infographic of the best and worst times to travel. Kayak analyzed more than a billion search queries and unwrapped a few key findings, and well as some interesting comparisons between holiday travel general year-round travel and between international and domestic journeys.

The most important takeaways? The earlier you book, the better, and traveling on Christmas Day or New Year’s Eve can save you significant amounts of money. Kayak also discovered that Florida is a hot spot for holiday travel as well as for weather.

The three top trending Christmas destinations (based on a year-over-year comparison) are all in Florida, and Orlando is the number one holiday destination this season. But spending your Christmas in the sun has its drawbacks. Miami, Phoenix, and Orlando have the highest increase in airfare this Christmas. While New York remains the most popular place for New Year’s, Las Vegas and Orlando are also high on the list.

No matter where you are going, flying around the holidays is going to be expensive. The average airfare is $528, and this number is on the rise. To keep costs in check, Kayak offered two main pieces of advice: Be flexible with your travel days, and book well in advance.

As for dealing with your family once you arrive at your destination, the team at Kayak has no advice. Although maybe this explains why so many people head to the beach.

The holiday season is a time to take step back, relax, and spend time with loved ones. Entrepreneurs, however, are notorious workaholics with serious detachment issues when it comes to their businesses.

In my experience, entrepreneurs are prone to using the soft glow from a Menorah to compose email, taking elevator pitches door-to-door instead of singing carols, or writing code beneath the Christmas tree. As many of you with close friends, family members, or significant others building a startup know, it can take serious plotting to attract their attention.

With that in mind, here is our list of 10 gifts sure to please even the most dedicated entrepreneur. But act quickly — you have less than a week until Christmas.

‘Hackers & Painters: Big Ideas from the Computer Age’

Paul Graham is a entrepreneurial guru. His words ricochet across the startup community and are eagerly adopted as dogma by legions of eager followers. In his book Hackers & Painters: Big Ideas from the Computer Age, Graham offers a glimpse into the “intellectual Wild West” of the tech industry and the forces that make it hum. He also discusses practical ideas about the importance of good design, how to strike it rich, and the benefits of breaking rules. It is a must-read for any aspiring entrepreneur. The book is available digitally or in paperback or hardcover. $5-$30.

Coffee maker

Coffee is a vital part of the startup ecosystem. Entrepreneurs commonly spend extended periods of time in coffee shops before they are able to afford an office and meetings commonly happen over espresso. You will be French-pressed (ha) to find an entrepreneur who isn’t fueled by copious amounts of caffeine. As much as I would love to furnish the entrepreneur in my life with a state-of-the-art, revolutionary, four-tap coffee brewer complete with a self-cleaning milk foamer that delivers an exquisite cup of coffee in 15 seconds (did I mention it connects to iPhones?), it is just not feasible. Unfortunately, the Scanomat TopBrewer is not yet available for sale in the US and outrageously expensive.

Perhaps the Chemex Classic Glass Coffeemaker is a slightly more reasonable gift. These coffeemakers are simple, elegant, and effective — the way all good software should be. They make it easy to brew delicious, high-quality coffee and look good in an office to boot. Plus, maybe the hourglass shape will remind the receiving party that there is more to life than the square of a computer screen. $35-$43.

Portable Ping-Pong table

Ping-Pong tables are a staple of startup offices. A rousing game of table tennis is a good way to stimulate blood flow through the body, bond with coworkers, and most importantly, provide mental space for brilliant “Eureka” moments. Plus you can convert it into a beer pong table for Friday happy hours. This Stiga mini-pong table is lightweight and foldable. It fits deftly into tiny, bootstrapped work spaces, and can you can easily transport it to different offices as the team grows (or dwindles). Along with the table, the set includes the net and post, paddles, and two balls. Because to be a successful entrepreneur, you gotta have balls. $108.

Wardrobe staples

It may be acceptable in Startup Land to pair socks with sandals and sport an endless collection of swag, but keep in mind that “acceptable” and “attractive” are two entirely separate and distinct concepts. Every young CEO should have at least one presentable outfit that is well-made and fits well. Chances are good that at some point there will be investor dinners, swanky events with influencers and potential high-profile clients, or maybe even a nonbusiness occasion to dress nicely for. Like a date, for example.

Blank Label offers customized hand-cut, hand-stitched, hand-pressed tailored shirts. Customers can either browse the site’s collection of stylish shirts or choose every detail. They then answer 10 quick questions to help with tailoring because “you’re better than the pro fitting shirts in your wardrobe” and the shirt will be delivered. The result: instant style. Gift-givers can either design the shirt for their entrepreneur, or purchase a gift card. Shirts range in cost from $75 to $150.

For female founders, Bow and Drape is a fashion startup where women can custom design classic dresses and have them made-to-order. $200 to $400.

Powerbag

Running out of power is a major anxiety point for entrepreneurs who rely on their phones, tablets, and computers for, well, everything. With meetings all around town, long rides to the South Bay, and crowded coffee shops with limited electrical outlets, staying charged up can be quite the challenge. Enter Powerbag, which sells a line of backpacks, messenger bags and briefcases that come equipped with a complete charging system. Each bag has a battery, Apple connector, USB connectors and ports, and power adapters. It can charge up to four devices at a time. $140 to $250.  

Subscription services 

Manpacks is a subscription service that provides “manly basics” like socks, underwear, razors, toiletries, and condoms every three months. Each guy picks the specific items he needs on a regular basis so he doesn’t have to waste precious hours visiting the drug store. As it says on the site that this allows more time to “slay dragons.” In honor of the season, Manpacks is selling one-time delivery gift packs. For this particular scenario, I advise the CEO Giftpack. It includes boxer briefs, Windsor socks, V-neck undershirts, and shoe-shine wipes. $75.

A bevy of subscription services are out there for women, but we (for the most part) prefer to buy underwear ourselves, and something about a tampon subscription service seems inappropriate for the holidays. Beauty subscription service Birchbox has some excellent holiday offerings for the lady-on-the-go, including travel-sized scents, dry shampoo, and eye cream to mask those dark circles.

Noise-cancelling headphones 

When starting a company, buzz is usually a good thing. Unless it is a distraction. Whether it is to block out chatty coworkers or hunker down to work with some serious electronic music, noise-cancelling headphones are a godsend for anyone trying to focus. The Bose QuietComfort model can be controlled from iPhones or iPods, include a mic for hands-free calling, and have a long battery life, which is great for long-distance flights. Or for three-day work-athons when your entrepreneur doesn’t leave the office for fresh air or supplies. $300.

iPhone 5 case and card holder

They may forget to shower, and they may forget their keys, but few entrepreneurs will go anywhere without their iPhones. These devices are like an extension of their body, so you may as well give them something attractive to keep it in. Hard Graft offers a range of drool-worthy wool and leather tech accessories. This phone case not only sheaths the latest Apple product, but also has a pocket in the back to carry along credit cards, cash, and of course, business cards. Hard Graft also makes products for iPads and iPad Minis, every size of the Macbook, and the 11-inch Air. $90.

Nike+ FuelBand

Paul Graham advises the founders going through Y Combinator to focus on three things: talking to customers, building product, and exercise. This does not leave much room for family, friends, or significant others, but it does provide a valuable gift suggestion. Sitting at a desk all day is detrimental for physical health, and working out is a great way to relieve stress. Buy the entrepreneur in your life a Nike+ Fuelband to help them get the physical activity they need to stay on their A-game. Plus, the quantified self movement is gaining ground within the tech community and any entrepreneur is sure to get excited about the latest gadget fad. Nike is even targeting entrepreneurs with its Nike+ Accelerator to drive innovation in fitness technology, powered by TechStars. It’s both a functional accessory and a business opportunity. $149.

Whiskey

Whiskey is an entrepreneur’s best friend. It is a drink to help unwind at the end of a long day and a drink to calm nerves. It is a drink to celebrate with and a drink for drowning sorrows. Furnish your entrepreneur with a Whiskey Disks Tasting Set, which includes two crystal tumblers and four soapstone disks. After putting these disks in the freezer, they will chill the beverage without diluting the taste. (Preventing dilution is a good thing for whiskey and founders alike.) Also consider pairing it with a bottle of Kings Country Whiskey. This distillery is “hacking” whiskey-making through its unorthodox approach to production. $55 for the tasting set; $28 for a 200 ml bottle of the booze.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has made his largest charitable donation to date.

A week before Christmas, the young technology executive announced he will be giving almost $500 million in Facebook stock to a Bay Area nonprofit that focuses on improving access to education and health. The beneficiary is the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, which rewards grant money to local projects and causes.

The gift of 18 million Facebook shares is valued at $498.8 million, based on the company’s closing stock price today, when Zuckerberg made the donation.

Tech entrepreneurs are increasingly popping up in lists of the top philanthropists in the nation. The Chronicle of Philanthropy publishes a definitive list each year; in 2010, Zuckerberg made the top 10 tied with Salesforce.com’s Marc Benioff. Last year, Oracle’s Larry Ellison and eBay founder Pierre Omidyar featured in the top 30.

Zuck’s willingness to donate funds to local causes is a departure from the late Apple CEO Steve Jobs, who kept a low profile in this regard. While Jobs was reluctant to join, Zuckerberg is a keen supporter of Giving Pledge, the effort spearheaded by Microsoft founder Bill Gates and investor Warren Buffett, to get the country’s richest people to donate most of their wealth.

This sponsored post is produced by StackSocial.

If you’re a designer, you’re always looking for more assets to have at your disposal. Here’s a great chance for you to stack up on some high quality design resources so you can tackle any design wishes you may have!

The Mega Design Bundle contains more than 2.5 GB of smooth icons, flashy vector elements, intuitive Photoshop templates, and other essential designer assets for literally pennies on the dollar. That’s right – you can get it at the VentureBeat Store for just $49!

Here’s what’s in The Mega Design Bundle:

• The Ultimate Vector Collection 1: Just some of the included items are: Skulls, Splatters, Tech Shapes, Crests, Wings, Architecture, Hooladanders, Paint Splatters, Trees, Spray Paint, Grimey Brush Strokes, Statues, Banners, Halftone Patterns, and more.
• 25 Christmas Backgrounds Set 01: This set includes various Christmas and winter-themed holiday backgrounds and elements.
• HTML5 Photo Gallery Collection: This collection includes seven newly released HTML5 photo gallery templates optimized for both web and mobile devices.
• Pix Glyphs 500 Icons: This package includes 500 monochromatic vector icons available in 8 different sizes with tons of supportive file types.
• Ultrashock Backgrounds Collection: This set includes abstract, studio shot imagery, winter scenery, fire and water, canyons, HDR images, various nature backgrounds, and more.
• Ember Stock Label Collection: This label set includes the latest collections as well as a few classics, including Beach Lifestyle, Crossfit and Athletics, Outdoor Adventure, Native American and Vintage.
• Vector Holiday Images:This set features seasonal backgrounds, Christmas and holiday elements, and infographics all with a clean modern style.
• Vector Special Effects Series: This set contains stunning visual light effects perfect for adding extra flare to any project. Each set is grouped and layered, and the items in this set also include transparencies.
• Glyph Ocean Icons: This package includes 4,500 monochromatic vector icons including user interface, brands and social media, sports, communication, food, weather, medical, transport, furniture, human interface, commerce, and more.
• 25 Christmas Backgrounds Set 02: Items included in this set are in hi-resolution JPEG format and fully editable EPS files, and ready for your customization.
• iPhone And iPad Mockup Templates: This set includes 4 high-quality templates, including 2 iPhone views and 2 iPad views.
• Assorted Icons Pack: A nice assortment of icons including social media, fuel, web and computer, green and environment, and more.
• Book And Magazine Templates:This set includes 5 high-quality templates, including 2 Book views and 3 Magazine views, and clipping masks for your art on the Book and Magazine pages and covers.
• Solarseven Label Collection: This collection contains various labels and banners, QR and bar codes, sketchy hand drawn arrows, stickers and text bubbles.
• Plants And Nature Vector Series: This series includes popular plant flourishes, exotic birds, frogs and fish, butterflies and insects, bonsai trees, and more.
• Vintage Paper & Stamp Set: This set features assorted vintage and antique paper set including old postcards, blank paper and cards, envelopes, and more.
• Tiled Backgrounds: This seamless HD image set includes cracked paint and mud, metal, rock, wood, concrete, and more.

There are a several other items in The Mega Design Bundle, so for more details on that and to get a first-hand look at what some of the assets look like, check out the VB Store page.

A package of this magnitude is a huge opportunity for a designer to add to their arsenal. Don’t let it slip you by. Go and pick up The Mega Design Bundle today!

According to a new poll by Nielsen, kids just want iDevices … and a Wii U. Half want an iPad, and roughly a third of all kids also want an iPod Touch, iPad Mini, or an iPhone under the tree. Almost 40 percent also want a new Nintendo Wii U, and 31 percent want a Kinect for the Xbox 360 they got last year.

Source: Nielsen

Toys kids 6-12 want most

Of course, some kids still absolutely need an Xbox 360 or a Sony PlayStation 3: almost a quarter of all kids want one of the major console games this winter. And another 29 percent want a non-Apple tablet to waste Christmas break on.

Older kids, however, have somewhat different tastes. Or they’ve learned to control their burning desire for new techie toys to a degree.

Electronics still top the list, but for kids aged 13 and older, only 21 percent want an iPad, with a computer coming in at second place with 19 percent of the vote. A non-Apple tablet is proportionately much more in demand with teens: 18 percent want an Android or other type of tablet – just three percent fewer those who want an iPad.

Microsoft Surface, alas, languishes in the hearts and minds of  just 3 percent of teens — although six percent of kids age 6-12 want Microsoft’s new tablet.

Source: Nielsen

What teens want most …

The question now is whether what kids want will translate into the products parents buy.

Somehow — speaking as a parent — it usually does.

photo credit: ze_bear via photopin cc

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GamesBeat 2013 is our fifth annual conference on disruption in the video game market. You'll get 360-degree perspectives from top gaming executives, developers, and analysts on what’s to come in the industry. Our theme this year is “The Battle Royal.” Check out full event details here, and grab your early-bird tickets here!

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With record-high Cyber Monday and Black Friday sales, online retailers came out as winners this year. The music industry, especially because of the sales of holiday music, had a strong season as well. Given that many people flock to the movies for Christmas, its no surprise that box office sales were up more than 60 percent for the Christmas weekend. And smartphones had a fabulous holiday season too because of a 140 percent increase in iPhone and Android activations.

But not every company benefited from the holiday season. According to Reuters, Sears’ and Kmart’s sales are down 5 percent from this time last year. Sears Corporation owns both retailers and announced Wednesday that it will be closing many Kmart and Sears stores next year. Kmart was hit hardest in its electronics department, which faces stiff competition from Walmart and Target. Sears is suffering from empty stores and lower quality shopping experiences.

For most businesses, this year’s sales figures for the holidays were strong. But for stores that entered the fourth quarter struggling to stay strong in the marketplace, this shopping season didn’t offer much help. For more stats on the holiday winners and losers, check out the infographic below.

[Infographic via FastUpFront]

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Early Bird Tickets on Sale

Android devices more than doubled their typical activation rate over the Christmas weekend, with 3.7 million devices activated, according to Google’s Andy Rubin.

The holiday bump, while not surprising, is yet another reminder of Android’s unstoppable growth. Last week, Rubin revealed that Android had reached a new milestone of 700,000 daily activations. At this rate, it seems certain that Android will hit the magical 1 million daily activation milestone at some point this year.

We reported yesterday that both Android and iOS saw record-high activations during Christmas, reaching a massive 6.8 million activations between the two platforms. While many of those activations derived from smartphones, the Apple’s iPad and Amazon’s Kindle Fire likely accounted for much of the tablet activations.

Beginning tomorrow, you can start stalking the jolly old elf on your computer or even on your phone. And if you need to get Santa on the horn, you can leave messages or schedule a call from him to a loved one or friend using Google tools.

Googlers teamed up with NORAD, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, which has been “tracking Santa” since 1955. Each year on Christmas Eve, the “NORAD Tracks Santa” program follows Papa Noël as he departs from the North Pole and delivers presents to children around the world.

NORAD’s site now incorporates data from Google Maps and Google Earth so we can “see Santa’s sleigh flying over the Amazon Rain Forest, the Great Wall of China, the skyscrapers of New York, the Golden Gate Bridge,” as a spokesperson wrote in an email to VentureBeat. The tracking begins on Christmas Eve at 2 a.m. Eastern Time, about 13 hours after this publication, and the site offers some kids’ games (along with some truly horrifying MIDI tracks) between now and then.

In addition to the NORAD site, you can now also see Santa’s path on Google Maps for mobile devices.

If you’d also like to send a personalized phone message to wish someone a happy holiday, check out Send a Call From Santa. You can customize the message with favorite gifts, names, places and more. While it will cause anyone under the age of eight to loose their daggone minds, it’s a hilariously corny call to set up for your older friends, too.

And of course, Santa uses Google Voice. If you’d like to leave him a message, just call 1-855-34-SANTA.

Go set yourself a reminder to show the Santa Tracker to the young ones on Christmas Eve, schedule a “call from Santa” to strike some shock and awe into the hearts of those leaning toward the “naughty” list, then get offline and go spend some time with your family, you Internet-obsessed nerds.

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Early Bird Tickets on Sale

Apple has debuted a clever new ad for the iPhone 4S, showing Santa Claus using the Siri voice-enabled personal assistant to help him with his important Christmas duties.

Some analysts believe Siri could help Apple sell 30 million iPhone 4S units by the end of Q4 2012. Naturally, Siri has been become a focus point for Apple’s iPhone 4S advertising. Siri only officially works on the iPhone 4S, but many iPhone 4 owners have been looking for ways to port the application over to their phones. Just a few days ago, a new easier (and legal!) hack was discovered that lets iPhone 4 users get in on the Siri action.

The new Christmas-themed ad for Siri and the iPhone 4S plays to the voice assistant’s strengths. Santa asks how to get to someone’s house, how cold it is in certain U.S. cities and how busy his day looks. To the last query, Siri responds that Santa has “3.7 billion appointments.”

The smart holiday TV spot can be viewed below:

That said, it’s time to start looking into what to get for the gamer in your family. Whether they own an Xbox, a Wii or a PlayStation 3 (or all three) there is something great for them. These are some of the holiday season’s coolest gamer gifts. We’ve also added some links to Black Friday deals where applicable. Just in case you plan to do a bit of shopping the day after Thanksgiving.

1) Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception (PlayStation 3, $59.99) At the top of our list it’s the third installment in Naughty Dog’s award-winning Uncharted series, Drake’s Deception is the game to get for the PlayStation 3 owner in your family this holiday season. The series is known for its action-packed cinematic sequences that rival those of Hollywood movies, great dialogue, amazing graphics and most importantly, excellent gameplay. It’s probably my favorite current-gen gaming franchise and should definitely be at the top of any gamer’s wishlist. If you haven’t played the series, do yourself a favor and check out Uncharted and Uncharted 2 as well. All three games are worth owning, and I recommend you play through each at least once. Here’s our review of the game.

Even though the Uncharted games are relatively short when compared to titles like Zelda and Elder Scrolls, the amount of fun you will get from this game is worth the value. Or, if you are like me, you rarely have the chance to finish some of those longer games these days.

2) Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii, $59.99) This is the game Wii owners were waiting for. The Legend of Zelda is one of gaming’s most beloved franchises. Skyward Sword follows somewhat traditionally in the formula that made the series so popular, but adds new elements such as flying and Wii Motion Plus controls. Even before being announced, a Zelda built from the ground up for the Wii was one of the most highly-anticipated games for Nintendo’s  motion-controlled console. The thought of swinging your Wii Remote like a sword while holding up the Nunchuk as a shield has been a dream to Zelda fans since the first Wii (then codenamed Revolution) teaser trailer. Now it’s finally become a reality. By the way, it’s worth knowing that Wal-Mart is having a sweet Black Friday deal on the Wii. It’s not backwards compatible with GameCube games, but at $99, who can refuse?

I am a major Zelda fan, and I still enjoy the formula. It took a while for the graphics to grow on me, but I’m used to it. Is it the best Wii game ever? I dunno, there are a few gems out there. Enjoyable? Of course it is. For me, at least, as well as many others. Of course, you have to be aware that not everyone, including our reviewer Sebastian Haley, is a fan of the new game.

3) The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC, $59.99) Bethesda Softworks’ Elder Scrolls series returns with Skyrim. The gameplay is similar to the studio’s previous games in the series as well as Fallout 3 and New Vegas. Players wander through a vast, open world encountering non-playable characters (NPC) who send them on missions. It’s loaded with side quests to accompany the game’s main story and give the player more to do in the game’s world.  There is so much to do in this game that players will find themselves immersed for hours when they explore the world of Skyrim. Definitely the game for RPG and fantasy lovers. Check out our review of the game and our tips and tricks for Skyrim.

This game ranks high on our list because we love Bethesda’s work, and we love the hours of playtime we get from the series. Just be warned that much like Fallout, it can be very glitchy. Another problem that some players may have with the game is that there is definitely filler. While it’s possible to complete the main story in a matter of hours, it’s easy to get side-tracked and lost in hours upon hours of side quests and random exploration.

4) Kinect (Xbox 360, $149) Microsoft’s Kinect for the Xbox 360 is already a year old, but it’s a definite must for any Xbox-owning family. It’s Microsoft’s solution to motion control, and works by capturing your body’s movement and translating it into motions for your in-game character. It’s also a great way to get the whole family involved in gaming. I bought mine just after Christmas of last year and I can still have a great time with Dance Central. I don’t play it daily, but it’s a fun way to spend time with the entire family (which you may be doing a lot of this holiday season) or goof off with friends. Some games families may want to try are Dance Central, Dance Central 2 and Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2012.

If you’re looking to entertain a younger member of the family, you may want to check out Kinect Disneyland Adventures, which our very own Joe Sinicki reviewed. He wasn’t entirely fond of it, but it has its charm and your mileage may vary. It’s also worth knowing that the ideal Kinect setup requires a good deal of living room space, and that players will have to be about six feet from the TV screen and still have a decent amount of space for moving about the room. Wal-Mart will be selling this baby for $99 on Black Friday.

5) Sony’s PlayStation 3 24-inch 3D LED TV ( $499) I’d definitely like to have this in my bedroom. It doesn’t sound like a huge TV, but it actually looks a bit bigger in person than you’d expect. What’s cool is that aside from being able to display a 3D image, it has an awesome alternative to traditional split-screen viewing. This display actually allows two users to view two separate images on the same screen while wearing active shutter 3D glasses, it’s what Sony calls their SimulView Technology. Definitely ideal for siblings who enjoy two player experiences, or the college gamer who needs a TV for his new apartment or dorm room. While $500 may seem a bit steep, keep in mind it’s a 3D HDTV with a set of glasses, an HDMI cable and a PlayStation 3 game (Motorstorm Apocalypse). It may not be a living room TV, but it’s perfect for a small space, bedroom or bachelor pad.

Who knows, if you’re really good this year, you may manage to score one of these.

6) Modern Warfare 3 (Multiplatform, $49.99 – $59.99) While I personally only care moderately about the series, there is know way a holiday gift guide for gamers would ever be complete without a mention of Modern Warfare 3. Say what you will about the series, but there is very good reason that it sells like it does. It does what it does and it does it very well, and that’s okay. Then there’s the multiplayer, which is arguably the series’ biggest draw. Players may spend a few hours on the game’s campaign, but for many, a majority of their time with Modern Warfare 3 will be spent in multiplayer. In fact, some of fans will be hitting up MW3 multiplayer for years to come (or at least until the next CoD game hits).

7) Batman: Arkham City (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC, $59.99) Rocksteady Studios brings us the sequel to the 2009 hit Batman: Arkham Asylum. It’s an excellent series, and I have to say that despite the many Batman games we’ve seen over the years, this is truly one of the first games that makes the player feel like they are in the boots of the Dark Knight.

I’ve never personally been a fan of comics or comic-based games and movies, but the Arkham series definitely doesn’t limit itself to any crowd. Arkham City has a more open world feeling to it and Catwoman is a great addition as a new playable character. Here’s our review.

8) Xbox Live Gold Subscription Card (Xbox 360, $24.99 – $59.99) If you want to win the heart of any Xbox 360 owner this holiday season, get them a subscription to Xbox Live. The Xbox Live Gold subscription cards comes three ($24.99) and 12-month ($59.99) options. No matter which card you get, the Xbox owner in your household will love the extra online gaming they will get with a subscription card. Trust me, as much as many of us love our Xbox Live Gold memberships, we absolutely dread having to pay when the time comes around. Sure it’s not that much when you break it down to what it actually costs per month, but it’s still a pain to pony over the money. When in doubt, this is the safest bet for an Xbox 360 owner, because it’s not limited to any one game or genre, and it’s something they will definitely use (so long as they have an internet connection).

Of course, someone may end up with a bunch of these after the holidays are over. The good news? They stack. So if you get a three month and a 12-month, you can enter both codes for a full 15 months of Gold.

9) Nintendo 3DS ($169.99) Nintendo’s 3DS got off to a rocky start, which led to a major price drop within months of release. Content was another problem. Perhaps Nintendo placed too much emphasis on third-parties. However, with the release of games like Super Mario 3D Land and the upcoming Mario Kart 7, as well as the current $169 price point, the 3DS is starting to sound like a better deal each day. As more folks begin picking up this little handheld, we’re sure developer and publisher support for the platform will increase just as it did with the orignal DS. Serious bonus points if you get them Super Mario 3D Land (see our review) or The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, both of which are excellent games. Target is selling a bundle for $179 for Black Friday, and it comes with Super Mario 3D Land. Best Buy has the Ocarina bundle for the same price.

10) iPod touch ($199 – $399) Say what you will about mobile gaming on iOS devices, but developers are flocking to the App Store for a reason. Sure, we haven’t encountered a full-on console-type experience (yet) on our iPhone, but there is plenty of content available to keep gamers entertained. Best of all, it’s an all-in-one media device, bring along movies, TV shows, music and just about anything else on a device that truly fits in your pocket. The simple, compact design makes it great for gaming on the go while the relatively inexpensive price of most iOS apps makes the iPod touch a great way to discover games you may have otherwise ignored.

The only downside to gaming with an iPod touch is the fact that it has no physical buttons, meaning it’s not ideal for every kind of game. Still, as an overall cool piece of hardware, the iPod touch is tough to match. Target is offering a Black Friday deal for this one. Buy it for $195 and get a $40 gift card. Apple has announced their own Black Friday sale, but no prices yet. We’d expect it to be iTunes and App Store cards with purchases. See our list of the top iOS games of 2011.

Finding That Perfect Gift

Sometimes, figuring out that perfect gift for someone can be tough. It’s great to ask the gamer in your family for some ideas. This is only a tiny portion of what’s out there right now. All we suggest is look around and see what you can find. Those who dare to brave the Black Friday shopping are sure to find even more deals this week. Please leave comments with your own suggestions for gamer holiday gifts.

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More than two-thirds (68 percent) of employed adults in the U.S. check their work email on traditional holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas, and 27 percent of those who check email do so several times a day, according to data compiled by email and social intelligence startup Xobni. The online survey, conducted by Harris Interactive, polled 2,810 adults in November 2011 on their holiday email behaviors.

Okay, so we check our email. Guilty as a charged. Plus, more and more of us are always toting around email-capable smartphones so that makes sense. But perhaps more telling of our always-on, work-related holiday email patterns is this little nugget: 79 percent of those folks who check email on their holiday vacays said they received a work-related email from a coworker or client. That’s right, your coworkers are sending you action items when they should be sitting down for Thanksgiving dinner.

Of course, you may not mind the work diversion — and you wouldn’t be alone. Nineteen percent of those who received work emails on holidays said they were “thankful for the distraction” or “relieved.”

If this all sounds familiar that’s because Xobni conducted the same study in 2010 with similar results. The same percentage of people (79 percent) expect to receive work-related emails on holidays this year, but the number of people who expect to check their work emails has dropped from 59 percent in 2010 to 55 percent in 2011. But Xobni also found fewer folks will loathe the never-ending stream of messages in their inbox, as just 37 percent (as opposed to 41 percent in 2010) of workers said they felt “annoyed, frustrated or resentful” about holiday emails.

It even turns out that our holiday work preferences and patterns vary by our age and gender. Men, for instance, are still more likely than women to check their work email, but the percentage gap is closing.

You can have a look at the infographic below (click to enlarge) for some of Xobni’s other demographic findings.

[Image via Flickr/geishaboy500]