Apple Drops YouTube App: Google’s Search Engine Next?

by Holly Shoemaker

Earlier this week, Apple announced that when it releases iOS 6, its latest operating system, the company will no longer offer Google’s YouTube app as a pre-installed one on iPhones and iPads. At is developer’s conference earlier this year, Apple announced that it would also drop Google Maps from the new iPhone.

Licensing Issue?

Apple said that its license with YouTube ended, but that consumers may still use YouTube via the Safari browser. At this time, Apple has not said if it will replace YouTube with another app.

Concluding Thoughts

It is no surprise that Apple continues to drop apps associated with Google. As the race to win the smartphone market continues to heat up, so will the app war. Analysts expect that Google needs to worry about a larger matter – that Apple will drop Google as the default search engine on the iPhone. While that is unknown until the contract expires, Apple should think of how that move could affect its customers. Google is still the largest, and in my opinion, most effective search engine. Sorry Bing – I do not think Google’s potential loss will become Microsoft’s gain.

iUnplug: The Application Designed to Help You Re-Engage with Life

by Holly Shoemaker

While this may sound counterintuitive, we sometimes need technology to realize we spend too much time plugged in. When we tune out our own needs to spend more time online, we increase our chances of developing unhealthy online habits. Now, there really is an application, iUnplug, that allows us to use the technology we need, but at healthy times, so we achieve a better life balance.

What is iUnplug?

iUnplug is affordable software that allows users to track and monitor the amount of time spent on websites and popular social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. You have the ability to monitor yourself, children and other users.

Not Ordinary Parental Control Software

• Unlike other parental control software, you decide when and how you block access to certain content and sites. For example, if you set aside time for family dinners, you block access during those times. You use iUnplug as an added measure to ensure you keep your online usage at healthy levels, while keeping family commitments.

• The product has a Facebook app that allows parents to monitor activities via customized keywords used in Facebook status updates. If your child uses one of the identified keywords, you receive an email.

Additional Uses

Besides using iUnplug to promote the importance of family time and to keep your children safe, iUnplug has many other uses. Those include:

• Businesses – Companies may use iUnplug to limit access to sites during specific work hours to ensure staff members remain focused. This is a good solution for companies who do not want to completely block Internet access.
• Classrooms – iUnplug allows teachers to block distracting sites while allowing access to educational ones during appropriate times.
• Individuals – If you need help to curb some of your online habits, iUnplug allows you to restrict your own usage. This helps us see it is OK to walk away from our computers or put our smartphones down.

Concluding Thoughts

Many of us know we spend too much time online. We also know Internet addiction exists and anything in excess may become destructive. Despite knowing these factors, changing our habits is not an easy task. iUnplug takes a unique approach and helps people achieve the balance they need. The product does not dismiss the importance of technology or social media sites. iUnplug helps people use sites appropriately and provides a way to ensure we keep our offline commitments. To learn more about iUnplug, please visit: https://www.iunplug.com/index.html.