Google has recently come out with a new version of its mapping software, Google Maps. This version brings its strong capabilities to more than just the iPhone but also to the iPad, Android phones and Android tablets. Androidians can rejoice as the smooth and elegant new design is being offered to not just the iPhone crowd. So let’s get into exactly what the Google engineers added to make this great app become even greater. Features that have been added include: Speed- How can a new version of Google Maps become slower to get better? The new Google maps is faster on every platform it exists on. Information Placement- Google Maps serves not only as a GPS but the worlds best Yellow Pages. The app allows the user to easily find restaurants, movie theaters, or any landmark you are looking for. When a user starts to type in a destination, the app quickly fills in the rest, giving it an almost mind reading affect. Traffic incidents and Auto-rerouting- If your expecting just the bland colored line that shows slow or normal moving traffic than guess again. Google Maps shows details of traffic accidents including lane closures and construction updates. Not only will it show you traffic on your route, it prompts a dialogue box to appear that offers a reroute option with less traffic, on its own. Offline Maps- Traveling in a foreign country can be rough on your wallet if you are using data roaming; Google Maps has fixed this […]

Atari, the company responsible for the widely popular video game “Pong” released in 1972, has officially filed for Chapter 11 Protection. Atari management has stated that they expect to “sell or restructure all [its] assets in the next 120 days.” The company has changed leadership several times since its inception, which, no doubt, meant multiple shifts in its business model. What started as an arcade and console focused gaming company has just recently jumped on the digital platform bandwagon. In December 2012, Atari launched a successful “Atari’s Greatest Hits” application in the AppStore and the Android Marketplace. This bold move suggests that the firm is ready to join its competitors in the digital revolution to attract a financer for the $5.25 million needed to continue operations. Could this late transition spell disaster for the legendary Atari? The Atari story is ominously similar to the once great photographic equipment company—Kodak. In January 2012, Kodak’s average closing price on the NYSE had been below $1.00 for 30 consecutive days after the NYSE had already warned the firm about raising stock prices lest it be removed. From being a strong member of the photography industry at $90 a stock in 1997, Kodak failed to innovate and fell from grace, closing at 76 cents on January 3rd 2012. Could Atari share the same fate as Kodak? Or has Atari saved itself by the skin of its teeth? We will find out over the next 120 days!