AOL iBlog - AOL iPhone Blog http://iblog.aol.com AOL iBlog - AOL iPhone Blog http://iblog.aol.com/media/feedlogo.gif AOL iBlog - AOL iPhone Blog http://iblog.aol.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/aolibloghttp://feedburner.google.comTell me about your iPhone 4 experienceshttp://iblog.aol.com/2010/06/26/tell-me-about-your-iphone-4-experiences/http://iblog.aol.com/2010/06/26/tell-me-about-your-iphone-4-experiences/http://iblog.aol.com/2010/06/26/tell-me-about-your-iphone-4-experiences/#commentsFiled under:

I was one of the early pre-order folks in line at the Montgomery Mall (Maryland) Apple Store. I met some very passionate Apple fans - a 10th grader who competes in robot competitions and would like to be a iOS developer one day and a developer who picked up Objective-C and has 2 apps in the App Store.

I have to thank the staff at the Apple Store, very cordial and Apple's training is evident - everyone's a professional. The whole purchase process (once inside the store) only took 10 mins. I purchased 16GB and 32GB iPhone 4s for my wife and myself. Transfer of our old phone numbers and accounts took about a minute.

On my ride to the office, I noticed that there was a slight yellow spot on the bottom of my iPhone 4 display. I showed the dot to some of my colleagues at the office and no one could see it. But today, I want to let everyone know that the glue is dried and now the display is even more amazing.

I love the noise cancellation and can't wait until the next generation of gyroscopic apps are out on the App Store.

Since it's the weekend, download Vector Tanks Extreme and see what it looks like on your new iPhone 4! (Vector Tanks developed by one of AOL's own iOS team members, Peter Hirschberg).



Enjoy,
Lee Givens
Apple iOS Product Lead

 

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]]>Lee Givens2010-06-26T15:10:00+00:00Apple Store in Georgetown Opening Today!http://iblog.aol.com/2010/06/18/apple-store-in-georgetown-opening-today/http://iblog.aol.com/2010/06/18/apple-store-in-georgetown-opening-today/http://iblog.aol.com/2010/06/18/apple-store-in-georgetown-opening-today/#comments Old Georgetown board, Apple is ready to show off it's newest DC-area Apple Store. The grand opening is from 5pm to 9pm today, June 18th.


I'll be in line chatting with Apple fans about the 34+ iOS apps AOL has on the App Store and what kind of apps users would like to see in the future.

Georgetown Apple Store info:

Address:

 

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]]>Lee Givens2010-06-18T13:20:00+00:00Apple now the world's most valuable tech companyhttp://iblog.aol.com/2010/05/26/apple-now-the-worlds-most-valuable-tech-company/http://iblog.aol.com/2010/05/26/apple-now-the-worlds-most-valuable-tech-company/http://iblog.aol.com/2010/05/26/apple-now-the-worlds-most-valuable-tech-company/#commentsFiled under:

Interesting little tidbit in the stock market today. Apple surpassed Microsoft, in total market capitalization (take the stock price and multiply by the total shares outstanding). I remember back in the mid-1990s, Apple was worth $3.4B, now they're nearly 67 times larger. And if you look at the bigger picture, Apple is now the second most valuable company in the U.S., right behind Exxon/Mobil.

Pick up a copy of DailyFinance for iPhone and track your portfolio!

Thanks...
Lee Givens
AOL iPhone OS Devices Product Lead


 

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]]>Lee Givens2010-05-26T15:28:00+00:00Happy Birthday Apple Store!http://iblog.aol.com/2010/05/19/happy-birthday-apple-store/http://iblog.aol.com/2010/05/19/happy-birthday-apple-store/http://iblog.aol.com/2010/05/19/happy-birthday-apple-store/#commentsFiled under:

I'm sure everyone's busy and going about your daily activities, but on this day, 9 years ago, Apple opened the first Apple retail store in Tyson's Corner, VA (In AOL's neighborhood).

Photo Credit: Blake Patterson, Wikimedia Commons license
I have to look through my photo collection, but I was at the Tyson's store opening (Steve Jobs himself was on hand on May 15, 2001 to give the press a preview of the store), standing in line for over 4 hours. The reason the Tyson's Apple store was considered the first was based on time zones. The Glendale, CA store also opened on 5/19/01, albeit 3 hours later.


Remember, this was months before the iPod was released and many people still had Mac OS 9 running on their multi-colored iMacs. Today, over 85 million iPhone OS devices, over 250 million iPods and tens of millions of new Macs, the Apple stores are both a local resource and tourist location for millions of people.

Thanks!
Lee Givens
AOL Mobile iPhone OS Product Lead




 

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]]>Photo Credit: Blake PattersonPhotoCredit:BlakePattersonLee Givens2010-05-19T15:30:00+00:00Surprised? We've got Apps!http://iblog.aol.com/2010/05/05/surprised-weve-got-apps/http://iblog.aol.com/2010/05/05/surprised-weve-got-apps/http://iblog.aol.com/2010/05/05/surprised-weve-got-apps/#comments
Take a look at our list of iPhone apps (not shown, MapQuest Navigator and AIM for iPad):


Surprised, eh? We've been busy and I can't wait to tell you about new apps and updates to our popular apps that we're working on. Our plan at the new AOL is to build great apps and hopefully surprise our users along the way.

thanks!
Lee Givens
AOL Mobile (iPhone OS Devices)

 

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]]>Lee Givens2010-05-05T17:16:00+00:00AIM for iPad - Continual Improvementhttp://iblog.aol.com/2010/05/04/aim-for-ipad-continual-improvement/http://iblog.aol.com/2010/05/04/aim-for-ipad-continual-improvement/http://iblog.aol.com/2010/05/04/aim-for-ipad-continual-improvement/#commentsFiled under: ,

First, I want to thank the tens of thousands of iPad owners who downloaded AIM for iPad (even before the iPad was released on April 3rd!). I download and read reviews on a daily basis (I really try to read as many as I can), and I've collected a few feature requests from our users:

  • Make it faster! Seems a bit laggy
  • Fix the push notifications/early log out
  • Can I change my Buddy Icon on AIM for iPad?
  • I would like to select backgrounds from my iPad's photo library


AIM for iPad
(Note: comments above have been paraphrased/combined)

Please take a moment and drop the team a comment (below) and let us know what you would like to see in AIM for iPad. Also, stay tuned to an update that will fix the first two bullets!

If you picked up your new iPad and haven't installed AIM, get AIM for iPad today!



Thanks!
Lee Givens
AOL Mobile (iPhone OS Devices)

 

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]]>Lee Givens2010-05-04T22:53:00+00:00iPad Day is Coming!http://iblog.aol.com/2010/03/30/ipad-day-is-coming/http://iblog.aol.com/2010/03/30/ipad-day-is-coming/http://iblog.aol.com/2010/03/30/ipad-day-is-coming/#commentsFiled under:

April 3rd will be another day that will live in Apple history. It's iPad day. The AOL iPhone team is interested in what our users think of the iPad and leave me a comment if you're looking to pick one up.

I will be hanging out in line at the Bethesda, MD Apple Store, so if you're up early, pick up a coffee and join me in line. I'll be wearing my AOL Running Man hat!

Apple Store, Bethesda Row

Thanks!
Lee Givens
AOL Mobile

 

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]]>ipadLee Givens2010-03-30T16:00:00+00:00AOL Lifestream for iPhonehttp://iblog.aol.com/2010/03/29/aol-lifestream-for-iphone/http://iblog.aol.com/2010/03/29/aol-lifestream-for-iphone/http://iblog.aol.com/2010/03/29/aol-lifestream-for-iphone/#commentsFiled under: , ,

What's a Lifestream? From my point of view, it's your life online - your status updates, your rants and raves, your photos and videos. I have to admit it took a few months to understand the true impact of Facebook when I first signed up a few years ago. I asked my students (I teach Information Systems Management classes at Univ. of Maryland-UC at night) why it seems they are always updating something in Facebook. They told me this is one of the top ways they communicated with their friends. My "a-ha" moment (not to be confused with a Norwegen band) was after I added my 100th friend. I started noticing that the traffic was high enough to keep me motivated to update my status. In business school, we call this the "network effect."

Today, I have hundreds friends from work, high school and almost all my immediate and extended family members. It's the best place to keep in touch with my relatives from around the world and keep up with their families.

Keeping up on all your social networks have almost become a part-time job. I would be updating Twitter for a week, then switching to Facebook. It was tough keeping up with all my "online lives." That's when we felt a single Lifestream may make things easier.


The AIM and AOL Mobile teams got together late last year and created AOL Lifestream for AIM. Since September 2009, we've added a lot of new features and extended our Lifestream network. In addition to top social networks - AIM, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Digg, Flickr, and Delicious, we've added Foursquare and MySpace. Lifestream is now a standalone product and we've even made AOL Lifestream more mobile. You can now add your location to your status message or photo(s) to give additional context to your digital life. Another feature I want to focus on is Trends. Every hour, we sample the words being posted to AIM status messages on our network and lets users join in the conversation. Follow someone who cares about the same subjects you read about or follow a location (local hangout or even your own house) to view or post status messages.


Check out AOL Lifestream today and post your comments below on what you like or suggest a feature.

thanks!
Lee Givens
AOL Mobile

 

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]]>Lee Givens2010-03-29T17:26:00+00:00Moviefone - Movies, Theaters, Showtimes and News from Hollywoodhttp://iblog.aol.com/2010/03/19/moviefone-movies-theaters-showtimes-and-news-from-hollywood/http://iblog.aol.com/2010/03/19/moviefone-movies-theaters-showtimes-and-news-from-hollywood/http://iblog.aol.com/2010/03/19/moviefone-movies-theaters-showtimes-and-news-from-hollywood/#commentsFiled under: ,

Moviefone, one of the great movie brands has received a major update. Version 2.0 of Moviefone was launched at the end of 2009 and we've already updated it two more times, bringing in more features and tweaks our users have been asking for. As with AOL Autos, we've introduced Smart Caching in Moviefone 2.0.2.

I'm sure this has happened to everyone...you're looking forward to that new movie everyone wants to see. You get to the theater and it's sold out. But wait...your connectivity is sold out too. With Moviefone 2.0.2, you can review showtimes of theaters you reviewed while you were at home and the app will present the cached data with ease.

On my focus on features, I'll point out features that may not have been widely publicized, such as Inside Movies (from Moviefone.com) is now available on your iPhone. Moviefone will keep you up-to-date on what's going on in Hollywood.



Keep up with your favorite director, actor or movie. Did you know that Moviefone for iPhone also has a very deep database of movies, actors and directors? Tap search and find a movie that you remembered from the 1990's. Now you can click the director or actor and dive even deeper.





What's New in Version 2.0.2 of Moviefone for iPhone?

  • Improved Movie listings (now with movie poster view)
  • Inside Movies - news from Hollywood, updated daily
  • Smart Caching while browsing - We'll store showtimes and movie data so you can get access even when you're out of cellular range.
  • Improved speed throughout the app so you can get movie info quickly
  • Find out what's coming to a multiplex near you - Toggle between Now Playing and Coming Soon on the Movies tab

  • We've also fixed some bugs and tweaked user interface for a better mobile experience.

Thanks!
Lee Givens
AOL Mobile - iPhone

 

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]]>Lee Givens2010-03-19T16:00:00+00:00AOL Autos - New Car Shopping App for iPhonehttp://iblog.aol.com/2010/03/18/aol-autos-new-car-shopping-app-for-iphone/http://iblog.aol.com/2010/03/18/aol-autos-new-car-shopping-app-for-iphone/http://iblog.aol.com/2010/03/18/aol-autos-new-car-shopping-app-for-iphone/#commentsFiled under: ,

Shopping for a new car should be fun, not stressful. Take the AOL Autos New Car Shopping Application with you to the dealer to configure, price, and research all makes, models and trim levels. You can view interior and exterior photos, owner and expert opinions and then save vehicles to your favorites or share with your friends and family. With our handy app, you can make sure you're prepared before you step into the showroom!
AOL Autos Splash Screen
With my focus on features, I want to highlight one neat feature of AOL Autos for iPhone - Smart Caching. What is smart caching? As you use the AOL Autos app, we store images, reviews, feedback or any data we display on your iPhone temporarily. By storing browsed car data, the app will be snappy when you're reviewing the car you configured earlier. The best part of Smart Caching is when you're in the dealership and the negotiations are proceeding and you need to check the market price for the optional technology package - wait, no connectivity! Well, with AOL Autos will pull up data from when you browsed earlier and you're ready to deal! No waiting or going out in the lot to get a signal.

Download AOL Autos today to review and configure your car today. Please share your comments and suggestions her on the iBlog!

Enjoy,
Lee Givens
AOL Mobile - iPhone

 

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]]>Lee Givens2010-03-18T16:00:00+00:00What's New from AOL in 2010?http://iblog.aol.com/2010/03/17/whats-new-from-aol-in-2010/http://iblog.aol.com/2010/03/17/whats-new-from-aol-in-2010/http://iblog.aol.com/2010/03/17/whats-new-from-aol-in-2010/#commentsFiled under:

For the next two weeks, I'll be showcasing new apps from AOL - AOL Autos, AOL Lifestream, AOL Seed, FanHouse, Politics Daily, Engadget and Moviefone (and a few more!). The focus will be on features that may or may not have bubbled up in blog reviews or in the product description in iTunes. The new AOL is on a mission and you have a front row seat, right here on the iBlog!

Also, I'm working closely with the AOL dev teams who work very hard to build the best apps in the iPhone App Store on what we're working on next. Please take a moment and leave me a comment. I will be reviewing select comments and suggestions in my Feedback Friday post.


 

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]]>Lee Givens2010-03-17T15:16:00+00:00Season of Thanks - Day 10: Save the Tiger Fundhttp://iblog.aol.com/2009/12/31/season-of-thanks-day-10-save-the-tiger-fund/http://iblog.aol.com/2009/12/31/season-of-thanks-day-10-save-the-tiger-fund/http://iblog.aol.com/2009/12/31/season-of-thanks-day-10-save-the-tiger-fund/#commentsFiled under: ,

It's New Year's Eve, and all that's left to do is to count down to 2010. The iBlog countdown for the Season of Thanks, too, draws to a close with our final charity: the Save the Tiger Fund.

As I've said before, wild tigers everywhere are critically endangered. The most populous subspecies, the Bengal tiger, numbers fewer than 5,000 individuals; the least populous, the South Chinese tiger, is thought to number fewer than 25 members. Tigers in the wild face pressures from climate change, habitat loss, and poaching. The tiger's beautiful coat and the use of its parts in ancient Chinese medicine have made poaching an especially challenging problem, and there is a very real chance that tigers in the wild could disappear in our lifetime. Groups the like the Save the Tiger Fund, a program of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation focuses on scientific research, education and outreach, habitat management, and securing genetic diversity. They've awarded grants totaling over $17 million since its inception in 1995. 2010 is the Year of the Tiger, and so it seems especially relevant to have them be our final charity for our Season of Thanks. Find out more about the work of the Save the Tiger Fund at its website.

The Season of Thanks is a way to help our teams get some feedback on our iPhone apps while providing support for a variety of causes around the world, and here's how this works. Any comment on this blog post with feedback about our iPhone apps through the end of the year is worth my making a $1 donation to the Save the Tiger Fund, up to $201 for the day. You can also make comments on any of the previous nine days' posts to have your donation count for the organizations named on that day. Your comment can be a compliment or a suggestion for improvement, and you can leave multiple (different) comments if you like each day; just keep them polite and constructive, please.

So, just let us know what you think of our iPhone products, I'll make a donation to the Save the Tiger Fund. Any comments you submit may be used to improve our products without further consideration, but the registration information you submit to this blog will not be used to contact you or for marketing purposes. As a reminder, AOL does not endorse the Save the Tiger Fund, and neither they nor AOL are sponsors of the Season of Thanks (other than AOL's willingness to let me spout off on this blog from time to time).

I hope you'll help make a difference for our apps and for wildlife by leaving your comments here, and thanks for your support of our apps and of the Season of Thanks.

Happy New Year!

 

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]]>charitycharity of the dayCharityOfTheDaysave the tiger fundSaveTheTigerFundseason of thanksSeasonOfThankstigerEdwin Aoki2009-12-31T03:00:00+00:00Season of Thanks - Day 9: Amnesty Internationalhttp://iblog.aol.com/2009/12/30/season-of-thanks-day-9-amnesty-international/http://iblog.aol.com/2009/12/30/season-of-thanks-day-9-amnesty-international/http://iblog.aol.com/2009/12/30/season-of-thanks-day-9-amnesty-international/#commentsFiled under: ,

The iPhone gives us the freedom to communicate, the freedom to explore, the freedom to live our life on our own terms. But there are many people around the world who don't even enjoy basic freedoms. They live oppressed by their government, persecuted for their beliefs, or without simple human liberties. Amnesty International advocates for them, drawing attention to human rights abuses and mobilizing for compliance with international laws and standards. Throughout its 48 year history, Amnesty International has lobbied on behalf of peoples around the world as an agency independent of any government and irrespective of ideology. Amnesty International was recognized with a Nobel Peace Prize in 1977 and with a United Nations Prize in Human Rights in 1978, and they are today's Season of Thanks charity. You can learn more about Amnesty International at their website.

The Season of Thanks is a way to help our teams get some feedback on our iPhone apps while providing support for a variety of causes around the world, and here's how this works. From midnight today, December 30, through the end of the year, every comment to this blog post with feedback about any of our iPhone apps is worth my making a $1 donation to Amnesty International, up to $201 for the day. You can also make comments on any of the previous eight days' posts to have your donation count for the organizations named on that day. Your comment can be a compliment or a suggestion for improvement, and you can leave multiple (different) comments if you like each day; just keep them polite and constructive, please.

So, just let us know what you think of our iPhone products, I'll make a donation to Amnesty International. Any comments you submit may be used to improve our products without further consideration, but the registration information you submit to this blog will not be used to contact you or for marketing purposes. As a reminder, AOL does not endorse Amnesty International, and neither they nor AOL are sponsors of the Season of Thanks (other than AOL's willingness to let me spout off on this blog from time to time).

I hope you'll help make a difference for our apps and for women everywhere by leaving your comments here, and come back tomorrow for our final charity in the Season of Thanks, the Save the Tigers Fund.

 

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]]>amnesty internationalAmnestyInternationalcharitycharity of the dayCharityOfTheDayseason of thanksSeasonOfThanksEdwin Aoki2009-12-30T03:00:00+00:00Season of Thanks - Day 8: Susan G. Komen For the Curehttp://iblog.aol.com/2009/12/29/season-of-thanks-day-8-susan-g-komen-for-the-cure/http://iblog.aol.com/2009/12/29/season-of-thanks-day-8-susan-g-komen-for-the-cure/http://iblog.aol.com/2009/12/29/season-of-thanks-day-8-susan-g-komen-for-the-cure/#commentsFiled under: ,

If there is a woman in your life - perhaps a mother, sister, girlfriend, or spouse - she will certainly be familiar with the Susan G. Komen for the Cure (formerly the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation). Since 1982, Susan G. Komen for the Cure has raised over a billion dollars for research, education, and health services, making it the world's largest breast cancer charity. Breast cancer affects millions of women and is the leading cause of cancer deaths among women worldwide, but through early diagnosis and improved treatment, the survival rate has been rising since 1990. Komen provides grants for breast cancer research and for innovative projects in breast health education and breast cancer screening and treatment. You may know them for their Race of the Cure, the Breast Cancer 3 Day, or the numerous projects they fund in conjunction with their worldwide affiliates and corporate partners. Komen also funds fellowships and community-based breast health education and screening and treatment projects. Thousands of women literally owe their lives to the work of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and it's for them that I've selected Komen as today's Season of Thanks charity. Find out more about Komen's important mission and find out how you can help at their website.

The Season of Thanks is a way to help our teams get some feedback on our iPhone apps while providing support for a variety of causes around the world, and here's how this works. From midnight to 11:59pm (Pacific time) today, December 29, through the end of the year, every comment to this blog post with feedback about any of our iPhone apps is worth my making a $1 donation to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, up to $201 for the day. You can also make comments on any of the previous six days' posts to have your donation count for the organizations named on that day. Your comment can be a compliment or a suggestion for improvement, and you can leave multiple (different) comments if you like each day; just keep them polite and constructive, please.

So, just let us know what you think of our iPhone products, I'll make a donation to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Any comments you submit may be used to improve our products without further consideration, but the registration information you submit to this blog will not be used to contact you or for marketing purposes. As a reminder, AOL does not endorse Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and neither they nor AOL are sponsors of the Season of Thanks (other than AOL's willingness to let me spout off on this blog from time to time).

I hope you'll help make a difference for our apps and for women everywhere by leaving your comments here, and come back tomorrow for our penultimate charity in the Season of Thanks, Amnesty International.

 

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]]>charitycharity of the dayCharityOfTheDayseason of thanksSeasonOfThankssusan g komenSusanGKomenEdwin Aoki2009-12-29T03:00:00+00:00Season of Thanks - Day 7: Child Abuse Prevention Centerhttp://iblog.aol.com/2009/12/28/season-of-thanks-day-7-child-abuse-prevention-center/http://iblog.aol.com/2009/12/28/season-of-thanks-day-7-child-abuse-prevention-center/http://iblog.aol.com/2009/12/28/season-of-thanks-day-7-child-abuse-prevention-center/#commentsFiled under: ,

When I was much younger, I volunteered - or, to be more accurate, was volunteered - at the Child Advocacy Council of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. They put me to work setting up a database for them to keep track of their donors and partners. At the time, I had no real concept of child abuse or the extent of its impact, not only on children, of course, but on their children and on society as a whole. National estimates suggest that 3 million children suffer from abuse each year, and in that time, two to three thousand will die of abuse. A short time spent at the agency made me realize that even a small gesture can make a difference, and I know that the tireless efforts of the people at the Child Advocacy Council have made a huge difference in the lives of thousands of children. That's why I've selected the Child Abuse Prevention Center (formerly the Child Advocacy Council) as today's Season of Thanks charity. Since 1979, the Child Abuse Prevention Center has been dedicated to preventing child abuse and ensuring the emotional and physical safety of children. They work with a variety of local and regional organizations to prevent child abuse through a wide range of community education and prevention programs, providing in service training programs, early childhood intervention and prevention programs, and community education and support for children affected by or at risk of abuse.

The Season of Thanks is a way to help our teams get some feedback on our iPhone apps while providing support for a variety of causes around the world, and here's how this works. From midnight to 11:59pm (Pacific time) today, December 28, through the end of the year, every comment to this blog post with feedback about any of our iPhone apps is worth my making a $1 donation to the Child Abuse Prevention Center, up to $201 for the day. You can also make comments on any of the previous six days' posts to have your donation count for the organizations named on that day. Your comment can be a compliment or a suggestion for improvement, and you can leave multiple (different) comments if you like; just keep them polite and constructive, please.

So just for letting us know what you think of our iPhone products, I'll make a donation to the Child Abuse Prevention Center. Any comments you submit may be used to improve our products without further consideration, but the registration information you submit to this blog will not be used to contact you or for marketing purposes. As a reminder, AOL does not endorse the Child Abuse Prevention Center, and neither AOL nor the organization is a sponsor of the Season of Thanks (other than AOL's willingness to let me spout off on this blog from time to time).

I hope you'll help make a difference for our apps and for children by leaving your comments here. And come back tomorrow for our next charity in the Season of Thanks, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

 

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]]>charitycharity of the dayCharityOfTheDayChild Abuse Prevention CenterChildAbusePreventionCenterseason of thanksSeasonOfThanksEdwin Aoki2009-12-28T03:00:00+00:00Season of Thanks - Day 6: Living with Lions/Lion Guardianshttp://iblog.aol.com/2009/12/27/season-of-thanks-day-6-living-with-lions-lion-guardians/http://iblog.aol.com/2009/12/27/season-of-thanks-day-6-living-with-lions-lion-guardians/http://iblog.aol.com/2009/12/27/season-of-thanks-day-6-living-with-lions-lion-guardians/#commentsFiled under: ,

I've spoken before about my love for big cats and the many factors that threaten their survival. Tigers in particular have been a passion of mine, and I'll have more on them on New Year's Eve. But today I want to talk about lions.

We know them as the King of the Beasts, and they are truly a sight to behold with their regal manes and golden coats. They are, in many respects, a symbol of the wild and an emblem of the African continent. But even the mighty lion isn't immune to the pressures of climate change, of a growing human population, widespread poisoning from pesticide use in agriculture, and poaching. Some scientists estimate that there are fewer than 25,000 wild lions in Africa today, a far cry from the 100,000-200,000 there were thought to be just a few years ago. The Kenyan Wildlife Service has stated that if current trends continue, lions will disappear from Kenya in 20 years or less. But there's still time to reverse these trends, and two vital components of doing so are expanding our knowledge of lions in the wild and educating the native populations on how to coexist with lions and other large predators. That's exactly what Living with Lions and the related Lion Guardians aim to do, and why these are our Season of Thanks charities for today. You can find out more about the people, projects, and solutions behind Living with Lions and the Lion Guardians at their website, including fascinating data on radio collaring and alarming news about the mass poisoning of wild lions in Africa.

The Season of Thanks is a way to help our teams get some feedback on our iPhone apps while providing support for a variety of causes around the world, and here's how this works. From midnight to 11:59pm (Pacific time) today, December 27, through the end of the year, every comment to this blog post with feedback about any of our iPhone apps is worth my making a $1 donation to Living with Lions and the Lion Guardians, up to $201 for the day. You can also make comments on any of the previous five days' posts to have your donation count for the organizations named on that day. Your comment can be a compliment or a suggestion for improvement, and you can leave multiple (different) comments if you like; just keep them polite and constructive, please.

So in exchange for letting us know what you think of our iPhone products, I'll make a donation to Living with Lions and the Lion Guardians. Any comments you submit may be used to improve our products without further consideration, but the registration information you submit to this blog will not be used to contact you or for marketing purposes. As a reminder, AOL does not endorse Living with Lions or the Lion Guardians, and neither AOL nor these organizations are sponsors of the Season of Thanks (other than AOL's willingness to let me spout off on this blog from time to time).

I hope you'll help make a difference for our apps and for the African lion by leaving your comments here, and come back tomorrow for our next charity in the Season of Thanks, the Child Abuse Prevention Center of San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties.

 

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]]>charitycharity of the dayCharityOfTheDayfeedbackLion GuardiansLionGuardiansLiving with LionsLivingWithLionsseason of thanksSeasonOfThanksEdwin Aoki2009-12-27T03:00:00+00:00Season of Thanks - Day 5: Computer History Museumhttp://iblog.aol.com/2009/12/26/season-of-thanks-day-5-computer-history-museum/http://iblog.aol.com/2009/12/26/season-of-thanks-day-5-computer-history-museum/http://iblog.aol.com/2009/12/26/season-of-thanks-day-5-computer-history-museum/#commentsSeason of Thanks.

25 years ago, The Computer Museum opened to the public in Boston, where it shared some of the artifacts of early computing and educated the public on the history of these new machines that had only recently begun to be pervasive in homes and businesses. As the pace of technology quickened, the museum moved to California, where it currently houses one of the largest international collections of computing artifacts in the world, encompassing physical objects, ephemera, photographs, moving images, documents and software. Through exhibits, lectures, and workshops, the museum's vision is to explore the computing revolution and its impact on the human experience. You can find out more about the museum, including information on visiting (admission is free) and making your own contributions, at the Museum's website.

If you're new to this, here's how this works. From midnight to 11:59pm (Pacific time) today, December 26, through the end of the year, every comment to this blog post with feedback about any of our iPhone apps is worth my making a $1 donation to the Computer History Museum, up to $201 for the day, and/or you can make comments on either of the previous four days' posts to have your donation count for those organizations. Your comment can be a compliment or a suggestion for improvement, and you can leave multiple (different) comments if you like; just keep them polite and constructive, please.

Just let us know what we can do to make our products even better, and in exchange, I'll make a donation to the Computer History Museum.

And once again, the disclaimer: AOL does not endorse the Computer History Museum, and neither AOL nor the Computer History Museum are sponsors of the Season of Thanks (other than AOL's willingness to let me spout off on this blog from time to time). Any comments you submit may be used to improve our products without further consideration. The registration information you submit to this blog will not be used to contact you or for marketing.

Please keep those comments coming, and stay tuned for tomorrow's charity: the Living with Lion and the Lion Guardians.

 

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]]>charitycharity of the dayCharityOfTheDaycomputer history museumComputerHistoryMuseumfeedbackiphoneseason of thanksSeasonOfThanksEdwin Aoki2009-12-26T03:00:00+00:00Season of Thanks - Day 4: Save the Childrenhttp://iblog.aol.com/2009/12/25/season-of-thanks-day-4-save-the-children/http://iblog.aol.com/2009/12/25/season-of-thanks-day-4-save-the-children/http://iblog.aol.com/2009/12/25/season-of-thanks-day-4-save-the-children/#commentsFiled under: ,

For those of you that celebrate Christmas today, Merry Christmas to you! But regardless of your faith, the holidays are always special times for children, which is why I've selected the Save the Children Foundation for today's Season of Thanks charity. Save the Children's mission is to create lasting, positive change in the lives of children in need. Save the Children works to ensure that children in need grow up safe, educated, healthy and better able to attain their rights. What better gift this holiday season than to help a child. In their 75 year history, Save the Children (through its international affiliates) has helped over 37 million children and 24 million adults through its multiple programs. Find out more about Save the Children or make a contribution of your own at their website.

If you're new to this, here's how this works. From midnight to 11:59pm (Pacific time) today, December 24, through the end of the year, every comment to this blog post with feedback about any of our iPhone apps is worth my making a $1 donation to the Save the Children Foundation, up to $201 for the day, and/or you can make comments on either of the previous three days' posts to have your donation count for those organizations. Your comment can be a compliment or a suggestion for improvement, and you can leave multiple (different) comments if you like; just keep them polite and constructive, please.

So, let us know what we can do to make our products even better, and in exchange, I'll make a donation to Save the Children.

And once again, the disclaimer: AOL does not endorse the Save the Children Foundation, and neither AOL nor Save the Children are sponsors of the Season of Thanks (other than AOL's willingness to let me spout off on this blog from time to time). Any comments you submit may be used to improve our products without further consideration. The registration information you submit to this blog will not be used to contact you or for marketing.

Please keep those comments coming, and stay tuned for tomorrow's charity: the Computer History Museum.

 

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]]>charitycharity of the dayCharityOfTheDayiPhonesave the childrenSaveTheChildrenseason of thanksSeasonOfThanksEdwin Aoki2009-12-25T03:00:00+00:00Season of Thanks - Day 3: Make a Wish Foundationhttp://iblog.aol.com/2009/12/24/season-of-thanks-day-3-make-a-wish-foundation/http://iblog.aol.com/2009/12/24/season-of-thanks-day-3-make-a-wish-foundation/http://iblog.aol.com/2009/12/24/season-of-thanks-day-3-make-a-wish-foundation/#commentsFiled under: ,

I must admit a certain disappointment with the response to the Season of Thanks so far, but I've very much appreciated those that have taken the time to give a comment, no matter how small, both to assist our iPhone developers and to help out charity. Perhaps you've already left your computers behind to go travel and be with friends and family, but you've got your iPhones with you, right? And that's a perfect time to tell us what you think and to do some good in the meantime.

Today's Season of Thanks charity is the Make a Wish Foundation. No doubt you've already heard of Make a Wish - they've been granting wishes to children with life-threatening conditions for nearly 30 years. To date, they've granted nearly 187,000 wishes, about one every 40 minutes and have made a huge impact on the lives not only of children but their families and communities. As the holidays are a time when young and old alike make their wishes, it seems only appropriate to sponsor the Make a Wish Foundation's mission on this third day of the Season of Thanks. You can find out more about the Make a Wish Foundation or make a contribution of your own at their website.

I've made a small change to the way that this works in that the comments for all of our charities will remain open through the end of the year. So from midnight to 11:59pm (Pacific time) today, December 24, every comment to this blog post with feedback about any of our iPhone apps is worth my making a $1 donation to the Make a Wish Foundation, up to $201 for the day, and/or you can make comments on either of the previous two days' posts to have your donation count for those organizations. Your comment can be a compliment or a suggestion for improvement, and you can leave multiple (different) comments if you like; just keep them polite and constructive, please.

So, let us know what we can do to make our products even better, and in exchange, I'll make a donation to Make a Wish.

And once again, the disclaimer: AOL does not endorse the Make a Wish Foundation, and neither AOL nor Make a Wish are sponsors of the Season of Thanks (other than AOL's willingness to let me spout off on this blog from time to time). Any comments you submit may be used to improve our products without further consideration. The registration information you submit to this blog will not be used to contact you or for marketing.

Please keep those comments coming, and stay tuned for tomorrow's charity: Save the Children Foundation.

 

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]]>charitycharity of the dayCharityOfTheDayiphonemake a wishmake a wish foundationMakeAWishMakeAWishFoundationseason of thanksSeasonOfThanksEdwin Aoki2009-12-24T03:00:00+00:00Season of Thanks - Day 2: Big Cat Rescuehttp://iblog.aol.com/2009/12/23/season-of-thanks-day-2/http://iblog.aol.com/2009/12/23/season-of-thanks-day-2/http://iblog.aol.com/2009/12/23/season-of-thanks-day-2/#commentsFiled under: ,

Those of you who know me at all know of my love for Big Cats. It's a passion that goes back many years and one I've been lucky enough to pursue, getting close to and helping to look after a few of these magnificent animals.

But big cats everywhere are under threat. One subspecies of tiger numbers fewer than two dozen individuals in the wild; all are highly endangered. Snow leopards populations are shrinking as habitat loss and climate change take their toll. Even the mighty lion is threatened by poaching; some estimate that Kenya will lose its last wild lion in our lifetime.

There are a number of organizations dedicated to helping big cats, and you'll hear about a couple more of them in the days ahead. Today's charity us Big Cat Rescue, based in Florida. As their name implies, Big Cat Rescue is an advocate and caretaker for Big Cats, many of whom grow up in harsh or abused conditions in the name of entertainment, profit, or as a misguided idea of a pet. I personally believe there's a role for animals as educators, and that for some children, an animal park or circus is be the only way they can be exposed to the wonders of wildlife. But everyone, including our feline friends, deserves to be cared for and live dignified lives, and that's why I've selected BCR as today's charity. You can find out more about Big Cat Rescue, subscribe to their feed which aggregates news stories from around the world, or make a contribution of your own at their website.

Here's a quick reminder of how this works: From midnight to 11:59pm (Pacific time) today, December 23, every comment to this blog post with feedback about any of our iPhone apps is worth my making a $1 donation to the Big Cat Rescue, up to $201 for the day. Your comment can be a compliment or a suggestion for improvement, and you can leave multiple (different) comments if you like; just keep them polite and constructive, please.

That's about it. Let us know what we can do to make our products even better, and in exchange, I'll make a donation to BCR.

And once again, the disclaimer: AOL does not endorse Big Cat Rescue, and neither AOL nor BCR are sponsors of the Season of Thanks (other than AOL's willingness to let me spout off on this blog from time to time). Any comments you submit may be used to improve our products without further consideration.

Yesterday's results were a little disappointing, but hopefully we'll make it up today. Please keep the feedback coming, and stay tuned for tomorrow's charity: Make A Wish Foundation.

 

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]]>big catsBigCatscharityfeedbackiphoneseason of thanksSeasonOfThanksEdwin Aoki2009-12-23T03:00:00+00:00