California's gasoline prices were headed for an all time record high average of $4.671 a gallon when this motorist fueled up in Alhambra. The state's average gasoline price averaged $4.028 a gallon in 2012. (Frederic J. Brown / AFP / Getty Images / October 10, 2012)
By Ronald D. White
December 31, 2012, 10:56 a.m.
Californians had the worst year imaginable for gasoline prices in 2012, averaging a record $4.028 for a gallon of regular, according to the AAA Fuel Gauge Report.
That shattered the old record, set last year, by a whopping 21.3 cents a gallon. The jump was so big that it even surprised people who review fuel prices on a daily basis.
"I can remember when the California average for the year in 2008 was $3.525 and we thought we would never see it go that high again," said Marie Montgomery, spokeswoman for the Automobile Club of Southern California.
Montgomery added that $4.028 "over a full year is a lot of money out of our pockets that we can't spend on other things."
California's prices in 2012 were also so high that they helped kick the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline up to a new record of $3.603, which broke the old record set last year of $3.510, the AAA said.
The progression of California's fuel prices in recent years is alarming as well. In 2008, the year that oil prices spiked above $147 a barrel, California gasoline prices averaged a then-record $3.525 for a gallon of regular, according to the AAA.
The California average fell to $2.687 a gallon in 2009, and then climbed back above the three-dollar threshold to $3.100 in 2010. In 2011, the state's average for the year jumped all the way to $3.815 a gallon.
Since 2009, the average price that Californians pay for a gallon of regular gasoline has jumped 49.9%.
California has some problems that are unique in terms of its fuel situation. It's an isolated market that does not have access to cheap crude flowing from the oil boom in states like North Dakota, Texas and Oklahoma.
California's only source of domestic crude from outside of the state is Alaska's dwindling North Slope oil fields. That means that California has to import more and more foreign oil, which is substantially more expensive than U.S. crude.
Analysts have cited many reasons for the 2012 prices, including one of the worst years ever for refinery outages in California.
A fire in August, for example, knocked out part of one of the state's biggest refineries. The blaze occurred at Chevron's Richmond facility.
In October, a power failure at an Exxon-Mobil refinery helped send California's average price up to a record $4.671 a gallon.
But a lot of people just aren't buying those explanations. Consumer groups and Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer have called on the state Attorney General and the Justice Department to investigate California's volatile fuel prices.
California refineries were also exporting fuel in 2012, and an analysis by Oregon-based McCullough Research indicated that some of California's refineries may have misled the public about the amount of fuel they were producing.
Executing the cost-reduction plan CEO Mark Pincus announced in November, Zynga has shut down, pulled from the app stores, or stopped accepting new players to 11 games, with some turning off today. The gaming giant will reallocate resources to more successful titles as well as creating new ones. Along with layoffs, the shutdowns are part of the hard road to recovery for Zynga.
The San Francisco-based company had overextended itself. During its heyday on Facebook it built dozens of games, then aggressively launched mobile games as smartphones gained popularity. It didn’t seem like a problem when the company was preparing for a big IPO.
But Zynga’s share price got decimated over the past year. Investors feared it had become bloated, free virality on Facebook had been curtailed, competitors were proliferating, and the shift of Facebook users to mobile from Zynga’s stronghold on the desktop canvas would break the company. Zynga’s share price is down 3.52 percent to $2.33 from its $10 IPO price a year ago.
To get the company back on track, Zynga announced a deep set of cost-cutting measures, including laying off over 100 employees, closing offices, ceasing to renew deals with contractors, shutting down 13 titles, and significantly reducing investment in The Sims-style game The Ville.
Now the hammer has dropped on eleven of these games. Keeping them alive spread engineers, designers, and product teams too thin and cost money Zynga can’t afford anymore. Those that weren’t shut down or pulled from the app store already no longer accept new sign ups and will stop altogether next month. Here’s the full list:
These shutdowns might not seem like a big deal to everyone, but they were near cataclysmic for some players who pumped countless hours and dollars into these games. If you’d spent years tending your virtual aquarium only to have it disappear, you can imagine how disappointed or angry you’d be. Comments from gamers on the shutdown notices included things like “my daughter is heartbroken†and “Please don’t remove petville. I been playing for 4 yrs. and I’M going to miss my pet Jaime….why do you want cause depression for me and others. Why do you want to kill my pet?â€
To numb the pain and try to get gamers hooked on titles that will keep running, Zynga offered people who played FishVille, Adventure World, and some other titles a free bonus package of virtual goods in one of its flagship games CastleVille, ChefVille, FarmVille 2, Mafia Wars, or YoVille.
Though it may seem like a mass culling, Zynga will still have over 30 titles available across Facebook, Zynga.com, iOS, Android, Myspace, and other social sites.
The fact is that if Zynga wants to save these games, keep the rest of its workforce employed, and get its share price growing, it had to cut deadweight. While dead pooling 11 games was surely tough, it’s better than Pincus freezing up as the ship sinks. The teams from these games could help Zynga produce and publish more titles like Horn, a mobile adventure Zynga co-released with Phosphor that Appolicious named the best mobile game of 2012.
Sometimes you have to put old dogs to sleep.
â€"
For more on Zynga’s decline and attempt at recovery, read:
Gasoline prices took a bigger bite out of drivers' budgets in 2012, as the year's average price for regular unleaded rose to record levels nationally, in Texas and San Antonio, research by the Oil Price Information Service shows.
The nation's average price of $3.60 in 2012 rose from $3.51 for 2011, while Texas' yearly average jumped to $3.44 from $3.37 the year before.
In San Antonio, motorists paid a record $3.40 a gallon on average, up a nickel a gallon from 2011.
Prices have climbed significantly from 2000, when the national average was $1.50 a gallon and $1.36 a gallon in San Antonio.
“It's a dramatic change,†said Tom Kloza, chief oil analyst at the Oil Price Information Service, which in conjunction with Wright Express surveys prices for AAA.
While some drivers in San Antonio weren't aware of the cringe-inducing records, David Padilla, who commutes from Loop 1604 to his downtown business, said he's “definitely paid more attention to gas prices in general.
“Gas affects all our spending habits,†Padilla said. He and his wife aren't eating out as much, he added, and he's ditched his pickup for a more economical Volkswagen Jetta.
“I think about gas prices daily,†Padilla said.
Christina Hernandez, who was filling up at a downtown Valero station, said higher gas prices have meant she doesn't drive around as much, and when she does she tries to get all errands done in one trip.
And she's glad she's driving an economical Kia Forte. “I went to Corpus and it just took a half tank,†she said.
Gasoline prices rose in 2012 partly because of distribution problems â€" a result of a refinery fire in Torrance, Calif., and a pipeline rupture in Wisconsin, said Doug Shupe, AAA spokesman for Texas and New Mexico.
Unrest in the Middle East also pushed up crude oil prices during 2012, experts said.
Texas drivers were spared a bit of the pain, however. As recently as two weeks ago, Texas ranked in the Top 5 among states with the lowest average prices, Shupe said. But AAA's annual survey showed that South Carolina, Missouri and Mississippi ended up with the cheapest gas for 2012.
Proximity to the Gulf helped Texas.
“A lot of the states with the lowest prices are along the coast because it's less costly to get the fuel to those states,†Shupe said. “We also didn't see any major disruptions along the Gulf Coast this year, which is one reason we saw the lower prices here in Texas.â€
OPIS' Kloza estimates that Americans spent about $479 billion on gasoline in 2012, a record high, and $8 billion more than the $471 billion spent on gas in 2011.
That occurred even as Americans drove less.
Demand is down to about 8.65 million barrels a day in 2012, OPIS estimates, from 8.75 million barrels a day that the U.S. Energy Information Administration said filled tanks in 2011.
“Demand is definitely lower,†Kloza said. “There are some behavioral changes going on. Part of it has to do with high unemployment, part of it from more people working from home. It's just the change in the nature of the workplace.â€
Some relief from record gasoline prices may be on the way in 2013, analysts said, in part because Americans are driving less and because the nation's crude oil production is rising. Production is booming in domestic shale plays, including South Texas' Eagle Ford Shale.
As he gassed up his SUV Monday, Thomas Gonzalez said he hasn't been happy that gas prices have fluctuated this year, because “people's budgets get affected.â€
But for now, he's pleased that San Antonio is getting a bit of a break. “Now, holiday prices are pretty good.â€
Angry Birds Star Wars was one of my favs for the year.
(Credit: Screenshot by Lance Whitney/CNET)
2012 was another year that kept me glued to my iPhone and iPad, checking out the latest batch of iOS games and other apps. So which ones proved to be among my favorites? In alphabetical order...
Angry Birds Star Wars My wife and I love to play Angry Birds, and the Star Wars edition is a great take on the familiar franchise. This app could've easily taken a turn to the dark side. But Rovio knew just how to pair its birds and piggies with the classic Star Wars characters and settings that fans know and love. The challenging game play, the clever scenarios, and the evocative music all make this app a force to be reckoned with.
Google Maps Following the debacle of its own maps app, Apple wisely allowed Google Maps back into its App Store. And iOS users are all the better for it.
When I'm in the car without my GPS, this is the app I rely on to get me where I'm going. The on-screen and spoken directions are clear and easy to follow. When I'm traveling by foot and don't quite know where I am, Google Maps points me to the right spot, sometimes with a little Street View thrown in. And when I want directions, reviews, and other details for a local restaurant or business, I know I can get all of those and more from this one app.
MTA Subway Time Trying to figure out subway arrivals in New York City was always a challenge, at least until this app arrived. Other subways apps and maps are available, but this new one provides up-to-the-minute info on just how close the next train is to your destination. It covers only a smattering of subway lines right now, but it's still a handy app for helping you travel uptown, downtown, or crosstown in Manhattan.
OnLive Desktop Want to run Windows on your iPad? This app offers a way.
OnLive Desktop provides a virtual Windows 7 environment complete with Microsoft Office 2010, Internet Explorer, and the usual Windows accessories. Some of the features, such as Internet Explorer, require a subscription. But you can freely take advantage of Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint to create and store your documents in the cloud.
Other apps, such as CloudOn, offer a virtual version of Office. Released in 2011, CloudOn is another one of my favorite apps. And Microsoft may unveil its own Office suite for the iPad next year. But for now, OnLive Desktop is a simple and quick way to create and access documents in the cloud.
Python Bytes And now for something completely different.
Python Bytes is a fun app for all Monty Python fans. A selection of some of the troupe's funniest sketches are displayed in a TV screen on your iPhone where you can watch them randomly or choose a particular one. Some of the sketches include a commentary by John Cleese, Michael Palin, and other Python members. And in typical Python fashion, navigating beyond the sketches takes you to an area that makes little sense but fits in perfectly with the overall theme.
The app is pricey. Python Bytes actually comes as three separate series, each one costing you $2.99 a piece. Since you can access most of these sketches on YouTube, coughing up the cash may not make sense. But nudge, nudge, wink, wink, it's still a series of apps that any Python fan will love.
Royal Envoy 2 This proved to be a worthy sequel to one of my all-time favorite iPad games. The original Royal Envoy sent you on a journey to cultivate mythical foreign lands by building different types of homes and buildings. A large part of the fun was just watching the tiny characters scurry around the screen to chop wood, trade at the market, and negotiate with pirates, all in an attempt to build a village before the time ran out.
The sequel carries on that tradition with the same spirit of fun and adventure and even more challenging levels to complete. The attention to detail built into the game is amazing to watch. Both versions of Royal Envoy are also welcome changes from the usual shoot-em-up and combat games. I'm definitely addicted here.
SkyDrive I use Microsoft's SkyDrive to back up and sync my local documents and other files. This app gives me the ability to view and manage all of those files from my iPhone or iPad. I can access my Word documents and Excel spreadsheets, view pictures, and play videos. I can also delete, rename, or move files and share them with other people via e-mail. This app is the ideal way to access all of my documents anywhere and anytime I'm away from my PC.
Amidst the backlash over its new Maps app within iOS 6, Apple today defended the effort as a work in progress.
"We launched this new map service knowing that it is a major initiative and we are just getting started with it," Apple's Trudy Muller said in a statement. "We are continuously improving it, and as Maps is a cloud-based solution, the more people use it, the better it will get."
Muller said Apple is "working with developers to integrate some of the amazing transit apps in the App Store into iOS Maps. We appreciate all of the customer feedback and are working hard to make the customer experience even better."
That feedback has primarily criticized the accuracy of Apple's new Maps app. As PCMag's Jamie Lendino noted, the app had "trouble finding points of interests as well as even basic street addresses." It produced results for Brooklyn before Manhattan, even while he was in Manhattan, for example.
Not surprisingly, those puzzling returns - and some of the strange image renderings - have spawned a Tumblr blog, dubbed The Amazing iOS 6 Maps, which pokes fun at the errors. There's also a Twitter account, @fake_iOS6maps, which is having a laugh at Apple's expense.
"OK, to be clear: The maps are *inaccurate*, so you have to *use* them, so they will improve. Make sense? The more you get lost, the better," the account tweeted last night.
Apple encountered similar complaints last year when its Siri voice assistant launched on the iPhone 4S. Initially, Siri had some rather interesting responses to certain queries, but Apple said she would improve over time as more and more people used the app. For more on that, see Siri is Dumb. There, We Said It.
Siri, however, was an innovative new smartphone technology that was helpful but not really integral to the smartphone experience at the time. Maps, on the other hand, appear to be a feature about which users are very passionate, and they are irked that the more polished Google Maps is no longer an option.
Until iOS 6, Google Maps (and YouTube) were pre-loaded on all iOS devices, but the iOS upgrade replaced Google Maps with Apple Maps. You can access Google Maps on the browser of your iOS device, but the experience is not as rich as the old iOS Maps app.
When asked whether it will develop a Google Maps app for iOS, a Google spokesman said only that "we believe Google Maps are the most comprehensive, accurate and easy-to-use maps in the world. Our goal is to make Google Maps available to everyone who wants to use it, regardless of device, browser, or operating system."
Intel is readying a set-top box mixing on-demand streaming media, free cable content, and a virtual DVR, sources in the video industry claim, with the first-gen hardware tipped for preview as soon as CES 2013 next week. The new push for a slice of the living room follows Intel’s apparent frustration with the failure of first-gen Google TV boxes powered by its chips; according to TechCrunch’s tipster, the company has grown tired of “everyone doing a half-assed Google TV so it’s going to do it themselves and do it right.â€
According to another source inside of Intel itself, an early version of the STB will be brought to CES next week, with a preview of the system tipped for its January 7 press event. However, it may be some time before the hardware actually arrives under your TV, with Intel supposedly eyeing a progressive roll-out rather than attempting to sweep across the US in a simultaneous launch.
That’s an apparent workaround to traditional content owner reluctance to “unbundle†the packages of cable channels usually offered, something which has scuppered Apple plans, among others, to help cord cutters get solely the channels they’re most interested in. Packaging channels together is a good way for content owners to keep licensing fees buoyant, especially given many of those tempted to abandon paid cable service are reluctant to miss out on certain sports, media, or other shows.
Intel’s approach will supposedly be on a city-by-city basis, initially focusing on areas where content providers have less lucrative deals with cable companies, and hoping to demonstrate that a more flexible licensing approach might also make sense financially. Such a rollout will begin “soon†according to the tipster, though there’s nothing more specific.
As for functionality, in addition to free cable content and select pay-TV content depending on what Intel can pry out of licensees, there’ll be internet-streamed shows such as from Redbox and other services. Intel also aims to offer a DVR system which would allow recall of any show aired within the past month, across any channel the individual user has subscribed to: rather than having to pre-emptively record a show, it would simply be served up on-demand.
Chatter of an Intel set-top box and accompanying service began back in March, with reports that the chip company aimed to have the system up and running before 2012 was through. Subsequent leaks tipped a complex viewer-monitoring cable box that could give more precise demographic data as to who was watching which services, to show more accurate and relevant adverts, and generally make up for any losses incurred through channel unbundling by increasing overall advertising revenue. “They’ve told us the technology is going to be so much more interactive with ads that you can make more money†one anonymous TV industry executive said at the time.
Google TV had promised to do something along those lines, but Intel’s partnership with Google faltered after early hardware from Logitech and Sony met with mediocre response in the market. Earlier this year, Google announced it would support low-cost, low-power ARM processors with Google TV, though despite more affordable hardware as a result, the platform is yet to take significant market share from more traditional TV entertainment sources.
On Thursday, we starting hearing claims that Google had strong-armed Acer out of launching its A800 CloudMobile in China with the Aliyun operating system. We reached out to the search giant for its response, but they declined to comment. Over the last 24 hours, though, Google has attempted to explain its stance, but at the same time has potentially created some confusion about how open Android really is. Below is the initial statement received by Marketing Land:
"Compatibility is at the heart of the Android ecosystem and ensures a consistent experience for developers, manufacturers and consumers. Non-compatible versions of Android, like Aliyun, weaken the ecosystem. All members of the Open Handset Alliance have committed to building one Android platform and to not ship non-compatible Android devices. This does not however, keep OHA members from participating in competing ecosystems."
This is clearly outlining Google's intention to prevent forked Android spin-offs from diluting the platform and the user experience. Fair enough. The trouble seems to be, however, defining when something is Android compatible, rather than its own separate (albeit Android-based) operating system. Amazon's Kindle Fire will instantly spring to mind. The new tablets run on Ice Cream Sandwich, but are fenced-off from the official Play store and other Google offerings.
According to Alibaba -- the company behind the offending operating system -- this is a similar situation with Aliyun, albeit a change from earlier reports, who responded to the compatibility charge as follows:
"Aliyun OS is not part of the Android ecosystem so of course Aliyun OS is not and does not have to be compatible with Android. It is ironic that a company that talks freely about openness is espousing a closed ecosystem."
So, what about that Google? Well, it seems that the main complication is the Open Handset Alliance, a sort of club that agrees to help maintain the integrity of Android for the benefit of users, handset makers and developers alike. Membership to this club doesn't prevent you from working with other operating systems (Windows Phone, for example,) but does ask that you commit to the "one Android platform" mentioned above. So, Alibaba says it's not Android, Google claims it is. Which, some might argue, has justifiably led the Chinese software firm's VP of international corporate affairs, John Spelich, to ask "Will someone please ask Google to define Android." We're also left to wonder why Haier (also a member of the OHA) isn't receiving the same pressure, though it's also worth remembering Amazon isn't in the alliance. This leaves Acer, and potentially other members of the OHA, stuck in the middle, as well as raising further questions about Google's plans for China (where Alibaba is very powerful), and Android as a whole. Unfortunately, back in the immediate, it looks like Acer will have to rethink its strategy for the CloudMobile A800, in one of the world's largest markets. Though if we see a Jelly Bean version popping up soon, don't color us surprised.
We jest. Popular mobile check-in service Foursquare just sent out an email to its users, informing them that the company will be making changes to its privacy policy effective Jan. 28, 2013. Of the major alterations, Foursquare will now always show users' full names across the service instead of its current mix of full names and "first name, last initial" names that, according to the company, users found confusing.
Additionally, Foursquare will now permit businesses to see an expanded list of the users who have checked in to their establishments. The service currently allows businesses to see the previous three hours' worth of check-ins.
"This is great for helping store owners identify their customers and give them more personal service or offers. But a lot of businesses only have time to log in at the end of the day to look at it. So, with this change, we're going to be showing them more of those recent check-ins, instead of just three hours worth," according to Foursquare's email.
Just in case these changes generate a firestorm of controversy, the company was quick to note the different ways by which users can customize the name-sharing and the business check-in updates.
Foursquare said users can select the name they'd like to appear as a "full name" within the service's normal settings window. Users can also elect to opt out of businesses being able to see their check-ins within the "Location Information" section of their "Privacy Settings" section.
Foursquare has also generated an easier-to-read version of its privacy policy for those who don't want to (or can't) peruse the more legalese-drenched version. Dubbed "Privacy 101," the document calls out – in plain language – exactly the kind of data that Foursquare uses for its service and what it does with that data once users have submitted it. Or, in other words, what Foursquare does with one's check-ins.
For more tech tidbits from David Murphy, follow him on Facebook or Twitter (@thedavidmurphy).
The world didn't end, unless it did and we all have been so distracted by our mobile devices to notice. The mobile world has definitely kept spinning as the year winds down. Research in Motion, Rovio, and ZeptoLab all have reasons to be excited for 2013, Instagram has trouble making friends, and more in the year-end mobile news recap.
‘Twas the week of Christmas and all across the world, mobile devices were being delivered to good boys and girls. Sure it would be difficult and elves would work to no end, and gifts would be brought by a non-denominational holiday giver so as not to offend. December 21st passed and our world kept on turning, so for mobile news our audience is yearning. And since even in during the holidays, the industry keeps going, I have to write this recap of news worth knowing. The biggest name in games promise to bring more cheer and will have new games on your portable device in the new year. 4G is expanding and Google Maps makes iOS better, but Istagram’s TOS is uglier than a Christmas sweater. Research in Motion may be in need of a creditor, and I have to stop rhyming before I annoy the editor. Before this limerick style gets shelved, here’s the news in mobile for the last weeks of 2012.
BlackBerry
The big wigs at Research in Motion are just really ready for 2012 to end. The company might not even have been that upset if the whole Mayan apocalypse thing turned out to be true. Instead they have to deal with the sales figures from the third quarter of 2012 that prove to be a mixed bag at best. Still optimistic that the company’s outlook looks good for 2013, the company continues to gear up for the launch of BlackBerry 10. The first handset, the Z10, has been announced along with a UK launch that will include 4G access. Research in Motion even finally solved its patent dispute with Nokia with a simple solution: Throwing money at it and forgetting about it. A fresh start will be welcomed RIM headquarters.
Big Game News
The mobile app industry proved to be profitable in 2012, with revenue up across both the Apple App Store and the Android’s Google Play Store. Much of that can be attributed to the success of the mobile gaming industry, a place of regular profit for game makers. Two of the finest studios in the business, ZeptoLab and Rovio, are planning on taking on 2013 with all new IPs. ZeptoLab released it’s offering, Pudding Monsters, this week and will likely expand it over the course of next year. Rovio plans on exploring some new ideas to expand upon the success of Angry Birds. We’re sure both companies will also be releasing tons of plush toys and other merch that we’ll make fun of but secretly crave and decorate our rooms with.
Google Maps
Apple and Google might technically have a rivalry, but Apple can’t be too mad at the search giant. After the failure of Apple Maps kept people from updating to iOS 6, the release of Google Maps for iOS converted a considerable amount of holdouts. Of course, Google can thank Apple dumping it’s navigation tool and giving the company the motivation to come back better than ever. It’s like getting dumped and making sure you look better for the next time you run into your former lover. A total of 10 million people downloaded Google Maps, doing their best to guarantee they won’t end up lost during their holiday travels.
4G
America usually looks to Europe as an example of a more progressive society, but that’s not quite the case when it comes to wireless networks. The United Kingdom just got it’s first 4G network just a few months ago. Now an auction of a 4G LTE spectrum will take place between seven companies vying for position at the top of the UK class. Meanwhile in America, Verizon continues to make its 4G LTE presence felt everywhere it can. It’s latest expansion brings it to 29 new markets, including Green Bay, Wisconsin. If the playoffs go poorly for the Packers, expect the drunkenly typed out tweets of rage to come faster than ever.
Instagram Fallout
Instagram just can’t make friends with anyone. After cutting ties with Twitter, the photo-filter app started cutting ties with…its users. Probably not the best idea. It likely wasn’t intentional, but some people that actually take the time to read terms of service agreements noticed some wording that was less than agreeable. Upon the news spreading, users were sent into a fit of rage, swearing to never use the free service againâ€"until everyone wants to take pictures of their holiday parties and add a nice sepia tone. Since Facebook bought up Instagram, the social network has been looking for ways to make the service profitable. Instagram has since backpedaled on the policy and promised not to sell people’s pictures, meaning they’ll have to find a different way to make money off what is essentially the world’s largest database of food pictures.
The first changes were small, more style than substance. Citizens long accustomed to heavily scripted official pomp were startled by televised scenes of a surprisingly relaxed top leadership meeting. China’s new Communist Party boss, Xi Jinping, and six other members of the Politburo Standing Committee were dressed informally. Xi spoke off the cuff, in contrast with his uptight predecessor Hu Jintao, whom many Chinese dubbed “robotic.†On other occasions, two senior leaders called on authorities to cut the jargon and grandstanding.
Guang Xia, the husband, and Qianqian Li, the wife, work in the same factory and were married May 2010. (Jia DaiTengFei)
Then, China’s new top graft buster, Wang Qishan, met with a number of anti-corruption experts and interrupted one who addressed him as “dear respected secretary.†“Drop the formalities,†Wang reportedly told the group. The new message from the top: just get to the point. After less than a month into his job, Xi ushered in a new leadership style that’s taken China by surprise. He has exhorted citizens to pursue “national rejuvenation†and a “Great Chinese Dream,†while cracking down on graft, trimming official perks, and streamlining bureaucracy. At least in some key areas, Xi seems poised to break with the past decade of stagnation, during which time China’s economy slowed and political reforms regressed. If the changes take hold, they could have far-reaching implications both at home and abroad. Many Chinese seem heartened, even inspired, by Xi’s down-to-earth style. But many of China’s jittery neighbors worry that Beijing’s dream could become their nightmare, leading to an increasingly nationalistic and aggressive foreign policy.
Since Xi and his new team were promoted to the top of the party in mid-November, their to-do list has focused on repairing the regime’s tarnished image.
This past year has been the leadership’s annus horribilis; the party has been rocked by high-level political purges, corruption scandals, and revelations that authorities and their relatives abused power to amass enormous wealth. Xi himself warned that unless China’s crooked cadres are reined in, the country could experience growing unrestâ€"even collapse . Now, 2013 is shaping up to be the year of the party makeover. After the new Politburo met in early December, state media reported on a sweeping campaign to trim official spending and roll up the red carpet. New dos and don’ts for party functionaries include eliminating lavish airport welcoming ceremonies, infl ated official entourages, and jargon-filled “empty and unnecessary documents.†Official expenditures, foreign travel, the size and number of government meetings, extravagant banquets, traffic-snarling motorcades, and the mindless but self-aggrandizing public appearances in which many leaders specializeâ€"like pompous ribbon-cutting and ground-breaking ceremoniesâ€"must be trimmed back.
The campaign to cut bloat has pleasantly surprised many Chinese. And party watchdogs have also moved quickly in recent weeks to show they’re serious about targeting graft. A local party secretary in Chongqing was purged after a sex video went viral online, showing him in bed with a young woman reportedly hired to blackmail him into giving out lucrative contracts. An alternative member of the party’s powerful Central Committee, promoted just last month, is now being investigated for corruption. And Chinese authorities asked officials in the gambling enclave of Macaoâ€"where much of the casino winnings are believed to be embezzled mainland wealthâ€"to tighten up their scrutiny of financial transfers.
Beijing is preparing more substantial changes, too. Xi and premier-to-be Li Keqiang are expected to unveil an ambitious government restructuringâ€"possibly next spring â€"that will streamline 44 ministeriallevel government bodies into as few as 24. (The country’s central bank is slated to become an independent body, free from supervision by the Chinese cabinet.) Xi also pledged to uphold the rule of law, which has often languished under the weight of official privilege and lack of accountability. “We need to treat people’s needs fairly and endeavor to make them feel justice has been done in every single case,†he said.
To be sure, previous administrations have assumed office promising to boost law and orderâ€"only to get bogged down due to vested interests. (Former premier Zhu Rongji launched a “Strike Hard†campaign against crime and corruption in the ’90s; it fizzled after less than a year.) Nor is Xi embracing change to the point of introducing Western-style democracy.
Party leaders seem united in eschewing “Western paths†for their political and economic development. Chinese goals, Chinese values, and Chinese iconography are the foundation of what has come to be known as Xi’s watershed “Chinese Dream †speech.
The occasion was a Nov. 29 visit by Xi and the rest of the new Politburo Standing Committee to an exhibition titled “The Road to National Revival†at the recently renovated National Museum in Tiananmen Square. The display pounded home themes of China’s victimization at the hands of imperialist foreign bullies, with archival material related to the Opium Wars and Western occupation of extraterritorial “concessions†on Chinese turf. In the second major public speech of his tenure, Xi praised the display of “the great national spirit with patriotism as the core.†But the bit that really captured public attention was his rousing call to pursue the Chinese Dream and national rejuvenation. Prof. Zhou Xiaozheng of Renmin University interpreted this as a championing of “reforms, dropping the [ideological] theories of the Cultural Revolution, working hard and reviving China’s glorious history. It’s really good, and I’m cautiously optimistic.â€
In the eyes of the outside world, however, the big question remains: what exactly is this Chinese Dream? The symbolism is potent but vague on details. The phrase evokes China’s past glories, but not any precise period. Rather, says Hu Xingdou, of the Beijing Institute of Technology, China’s renaissance refers to achievements related to innovation and creativityâ€"such as the compass, papermaking, movable type, and gunpowder, which are collectively known as the “four great inventions.â€
“The Chinese Dream is different from the American Dream , which focuses on individual success,†says Hu . “We mainly stress national power and dignity.†But he also cautioned, “If a nation cares only about the dignity of the state and not of the individual… it could turn into a horrible country. The Chinese Dream should mean more power to the citizenry.â€
Yet even the Chinese Dream iconography is fraught with ambiguity. When the new National Museum reopened in Tiananmen Square after a protracted renovation, a gigantic statue of the late Great Sage Confucius was erected prominently in front of the building. One night, the statue quietly disappeared; it is now hidden in an internal courtyard. Confucius had promoted an ethos based on strictly hierarchical relationshipsâ€"between ruler and citizen, elders and children, husband and wifeâ€"that has often been seen as an excuse for perpetuating autocracy. (During the anarchical Cultural Revolution, Red Guards prosecuted a bloody “criticize Confucius†campaign.) The removal of the sage’s statue “shows differing opinions inside the party on what theory to follow for China’s revival,†says Professor Zhou. He also mentioned ancient China’s “four great inventions†but added a fifthâ€"China’s current civilization and law.
Implementing the rule of law is perhaps Xi’s most urgent and yet most daunting challenge. Even some party loyalists bemoan the erosion of judicial independence, legal procedures, and protections for lawyers over the past decade. At a symposium in late November, prominent Tsinghua University professor Sun Lipingâ€"Xi’s doctoral thesis adviser, known as the “imperial tutorâ€â€"astonished the audience by declaring that “evil use of power†had resulted in the state’s “incompatibility with the rule of law.†His comments circulated widely via social networking.
Sun said that China’s problem today is not whether its laws are sound but rather a more basic question: “Whether the government can actually operate within the law.†He concluded that the obsession with “stability maintenance†had undermined the law and the public’s trust in government. “The people have become ungovernable,†he said, calling on authorities to implement reforms quicklyâ€"within five or 10 yearsâ€"before the window for such peaceful changes will have closed. “There has been a quiet revolution,†he warned.
Even if Xi and his team manage to win back public confidence, that won’t stamp out jitters about what a Chinese Dream means for the outside world. Many Chinese analysts insist his call for national rejuvenation is not a threat. “It’s also a wake-up call for Chinese to make contributions to mankind,†says Prof. Xu Xianglin , vice dean of the School of Government at Peking University. “It’s not an imperialist dream, but a dream in the interest of ordinary people.†The symbolism of Xi’s speech, Xu says, is that “China used to be very infl uential [in the world] and its reputation was guided by civilization, not armed force.â€
But not all governments are convinced. Indeed, a stronger mandate for China’s new mandarins could make its neighbors even more nervous, not less. Mushrooming grassroots nationalism has prodded Beijing to become more assertive in territorial disputes with Japan and a number of Southeast Asian countries over islands in the South and East China Seas.
These frictions are unfolding against the backdrop of Washington’s “pivot†back to the Asian region after years of entanglement in the Afghan and Iraq wars. Over the past year, Washington has unleashed based military personnel in Australia, and shored up ties to Japan and the Philippines while wooing governments that have significant trade ties with China. Recently President Barack Obama was the first U.S. president to visit Burma and Cambodia. “The presence of the U.S. in the region has provoked nationalism in China, especially in civil society,†says Prof. Zhao Kejin , of Tsinghua University’s Institute of International Studies. “China doesn’t think there’ll be a new cold war [but] the U.S. should say clearly why it wants to develop relations with Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, and so on. Otherwise people who don’t understand might think the U.S. wants to contain China.â€
While China’s military muscle and ability to project power in the Pacific lags behind the U.S., Beijing is making strides in these areas. Chinese nationalists celebrated and ignited firecrackers when Beijing recently announced the successful test fl ight of a J-15 fighter jet off the deck of the country’s first aircraft carrier. Though its military capabilities remain to be seen, the carrier “encourages the national psyche and social confidence,†says Prof. Sun Zhe of Tsinghua University. “The aim of having an aircraft carrier is mainly for preventative purpose. There’s a lot of pressure on China, with the U.S. deploying 60 percent of its nuclear submarines in Asia and the Pacific.â€
In its maritime claims, China seems to be pushing the envelope on just about every front. On Dec. 3, Vietnamese authorities protested that a Chinese fishing boat had cut the seismic cable attached to a Vietnamese vessel exploring for oil and gas near the Gulf of Tonkin. (The South China Sea is Beijing’s main offshore natural-gas exploration site; one reason for the intensity of the regional disputes there is the race to lock down energy resources.) The incident even raised hackles in India, which operates several joint ventures with Petro Vietnam in the area. When asked if the Indian Navy was poised to send vessels to protect its interests, Navy head Adm. D.K. Joshi told Indian reporters, “Are we preparing for it?… The short answer is ‘yes.’â€
Then there’s the recent passport furor. More than five months ago, Beijing began issuing new 10-year passports that showed disputed maritime areas as Chinese territory. The delineationâ€"a line comprised of nine long dashesâ€"presents Southeast Asian governments that dispute Chinese claims with a dilemma. Should they stamp visas into the passportsâ€"tacitly accepting China’s claim of sovereign territoryâ€"or not? Rival claimants are the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Indonesia. Previously they’d assumed the so-called ninedash line was China’s opening gambit as all sides jockeyed to negotiate a resolution. Now Beijing seems to be treating the line as a fait accompli. (Vietnam protested the move officially and is stamping visas and immigration chops on separate pieces of paper, not in the Chinese passports.)
The proliferating disputes feed talk of a new cold war emerging in Asia, pitting the U.S. and its closest regional allies against China and its friends. “The U.S. will not choose war but will make good use of regional confl icts to weaken China and find ways to create problems for China,†said Shen Shishun at the Chinese Institute for International Studies. “Even though China doesn’t have the comprehensive strength to challenge the U.S., the U.S.… is acting to prevent China’s rise and influence in the world.â€
International tensions are likely to escalate further. In early December, authorities in South China’s Hainan Island, adjacent to the South China Sea, announced new regulations allowing their law-enforcement officials to board, search, or repel foreign vessels found engaging in “illegal†activities within the 12-nautical-mile zone surrounding islands claimed by China. (The precise scope of such activities was not defined, but Beijing claims more than 80 percent of the South China Sea, through which a third of interna tional trade goods are transported.) While Xi’s involvement in management of the disputes is unclear, he now heads the party’s foreign-policy “leading small groupâ€â€"the top policymaking bodyâ€"and has overseen experts studying maritime disputes. Hainan’s new regulations are slated to go into effect on Jan. 1. One way or another, the coming year may provide answers to whether Xi’s Chinese renaissance is a peace-loving dreamâ€"or a nightmare for China’s nervous neighbors.
A woman I haven't spoken to in six years is pregnant with her second son. Another college acquaintance reads the Bible a lot. A high school classmate likes to rant about politics. A college dormmate thinks he works too much.
On Facebook, I'm connected to a lot of people who are not my friends. Over the years, as my Facebook friend list grows, it's made me increasingly uncomfortable that I seem to know so much about people that I don't actually know.
So as the new year approached, I decided to review my Facebook life. I took a four-week break - a "Facebook Fast" - from the world's biggest online social network. The break this fall spanned the presidential campaign and election, superstorm Sandy, fighting in the Middle East and my college's homecoming weekend - all events I cared about. These were all reasons for me to crave Facebook as a way to check the zeitgeist.
What did I learn? Sure, there are sleazy and annoying aspects to Facebook. It connects us to each other like tabloids connect readers to celebrities, and it compels us to gossip. It often makes us voyeurs accidentally immersed in the intimate lives of people we barely know.
But after eight years on the network, I rely on it for pictures and news of faraway friends and relatives. I can't quit. Like it or not, Facebook is an important part of my life.
Facebook Inc. is in the midst of trying to make its privacy policies more intuitive for users. It has added a little padlock icon at the top right of the website. When you click on it, Facebook walks you through how to change who sees what you post, who can contact you and how to review what others are writing about you.
But if you're trying to curate your Facebook life, there are more steps you need to take. Here are some tips for remaking the network so it's less a tabloid feed of unwanted updates and more a warmer, personal space that better reflects your real-life social circle.
CUT BACK ON TOTAL TIME SPENT
I used to keep Facebook open on my work computer, checking in periodically throughout the day. I relied on the Facebook app on my phone to entertain me whenever I was waiting in line or riding in a taxi. I would also log in at home.
It was overkill. I check Facebook less often now. The goal: Read less and write more.
First, I disabled the app on my phone.
I also enabled email notifications for whenever someone sends me a message, tags me in a photo, or posts on my profile or in one of my groups. If someone's trying to get in touch with me, I still want to know and be able to respond. Because I get the notifications, I don't need to keep Facebook open at work or check on it constantly at home.
Here's how to get those notifications: Click on the wheel icon at the top right corner of Facebook and choose "privacy settings" on the menu that pops up. Then click on "notifications" on the left. Then, you can edit what Facebook sends you over email - as well as via texts and phone alerts.
RESTRICT ACCESS
I hate it when people send me personal messages by broadcasting it on my profile page, or timeline, for everyone to see. I'd rather that person send me an email or a private Facebook message that I alone could see. But many people still insist on posting such messages on my timeline anyway.
To address that, I effectively turned off my timeline. Someone can still post on it, but I've adjusted the settings so that person and I are the only ones who can see that note. I can still publicly share things that I want seen broadly, like a post I wrote promoting my sister's new yoga business. To make these adjustments, choose "privacy settings" under the wheel again. Then click on "timeline and tagging" on the left.
Facebook alerts me when somebody else has attached my name to a post or picture, and I need to approve it before others can see it. The settings for this are found under the same "timeline and tagging" page. Turn on reviews for posts you've been tagged in.
FRIENDS OR "FRIENDS"?
My news feed - the stream of friends' links, photos and life comments - was too cluttered with information about people I didn't know anymore. Defriending people seems rude and aggressive to me (although it may be a good idea down the road as decades of friends pile up).
Without severely paring down your friend list, here's how to get Facebook to show you only what you want to see:
• Determine who shows up more on your news feed. When you're on your timeline page, click on "friends" at the top, near your profile picture, to see a list of all of your friends. Each person has a "friends" button next to his or her picture. To see more of that person's posts, choose "close friends." To see less, click "acquaintances." Friends won't know that you've sorted them this way. You can also do this by hovering over the name of the person posting on your timeline. A box will pop up with the person's profile picture and the same "friends" button.
• To tweak what kind of updates you get from each friend, click "settings" under the same "friends" button. You can choose to see only updates on major life events and pictures, for example, while ignoring updates about their comments and likes on other people's posts.
• If specific posts in your news feed annoy you, you can hide them. Hover over the top right corner of the post, click on the box that pops up, and choose "hide. ..." That will remove the post from your news feed, although you will still get future updates from that person.
• You can also cut off all updates from a friend. After hiding a specific post in your timeline by that person, click "change what updates you get from. …" Under the drop-down menu that comes up, click "unsubscribe." You can also ignore a person's Facebook activity by unchecking "show in news feed," under the same menu that lets you sort friends into "close friends" and "acquaintances."
Curating your news feed in this manner is burdensome if you have hundreds of connections. But the result is less tabloid magazine, more personal messages and cute pictures from people who are actually your friends.
SMALLER CIRCLES
One of the great benefits of Facebook is that it helps you keep in touch with a handful of people who have a shared interest. Hundreds of Facebook friends don't need to see the intimate interactions I have with a few closer friends. So I created private spheres for smaller circles - smaller than the lists Facebook automatically generates based on your school information, hometown and employer.
I created such a group with three friends - one from England, one from France and one from Los Angeles - I had spent several days with in a small town in Colombia while on vacation. The four of us use that to post silly photos of ourselves from the trip and write each other personal updates. That spares everyone else from having to hear about the next time we're going to see one another.
To set up a group, go to your news feed by clicking on "home" up top. Then click "create group," which is on the left of the page, in the "groups" section. I typed in the three friends to add and chose to make the group "secret," which means only members of the group can see that it even exists. I also get notifications from Facebook whenever anyone posts to the group. You can turn those on from the "notifications" page under the wheel icon.
You know the scenario: a friend or family member got an iPad or iPad mini as a gift this week. Now they want to know what to do with the pretty slab of aluminum and glass. The App Store can be an overwhelming place, with programs that can transform the iPad into a word processor, a MIDI instrument, or a 3D gaming machine. That variety can be daunting if you are sampling the App Store for the very first time, but here's a place to start for those new to tablets.
We chose a few popular categories that cover some of the most common usage scenarios, then listed the top app in each that we would recommend to a friend. In some categories, we also mention alternatives that might appeal to those with more specialized tastes. (If you got a Nexus 7 or other Android tablet this holiday season, we have recommendations for you, too.)
Image editor
The iPad's screen is great for editing images, and photo buffs have no dearth of options for editing images while on the go. However, Google's Snapseed (free) is our top recommendation for editing images. It includes the standard editing controls like brightness, contrast, saturation, and color balance, along with tools that are common on mobile devices, like vintage-style filters and grungy borders.
Enlarge / Snapseed can quickly transform even mundane mobile snaps into works of art.
Snapseed also has a nice touch-centric interface, with most effects adjusted by sliding left or right. Localized editing is also available for some adjustments, and some effects and filters can be adjusted using a "random" shuffle button for infinite variations. Sharing options include Google+, Facebook, and Twitter, but you can also send a photo to other apps registered to accept image input, such as Instagram or Photoshop Touch.
Another good option is Apple's own iPhoto ($4.99), which has a unique editing interface that also plays well with the iPad's touch input. In addition to editing, iPhoto also includes additional organizing features, the ability to create special online galleries replete with themes and other design elements, and integration with iPhoto on the desktop.
Users that already live and die by Photoshop might also consider Adobe's Photoshop Touch ($9.99), which can integrate with the desktop version via the company's Creative Cloud subscription service.
Text editor
Text editors are also a hot category for the iPad. Whether you feel at home with the on-screen touch keyboard or carry around an external keyboard, plenty of writers appreciate the iPad's small size and portability for writing whenever and wherever inspiration strikes.
Though Senior Apple Editor Jacqui Cheng prefersWriting Kit ($4.99), I would recommend iA Writer ($0.99) instead. The program has a simple and clean interface, supports Markdown for simple formatting that easily converts to HTML, and can sync files via iCloud and Dropbox.
Enlarge / iA Writer's interface focuses on simplicity to get out of the way of the writing process.
If you need full-featured word processor, Apple's Pages ($9.99) is an excellent option, with support for lots of text formatting and styles, images, and other advanced layout options. It can also import or export Word-compatible files, a must for those working in most office environments.
Cloud storage
Apple already gives every iOS device user a free iCloud account, which can be used to sync certain data between iOS devices. It also syncs data between apps if you use a Mac. However, for any type of file syncing outside of Apple's somewhat limited iCloud APIs, Dropbox (free) should fit the bill for most users. The iOS app was recently updated with improved syncing controls and photo viewing. Dropbox also offers integrated storage syncing for OS X, Windows, and Linux, and many apps (like the aforementioned iA Writer) use Dropbox as a cloud syncing option in addition toâ€"or instead ofâ€"iCloud.
Enlarge / Just so everyone knows, my sister's wedding is in May.
News
You can of course use Safari to browse your favorite news sources online or download specialized reading apps from The Economist (free) or The New York Times (free). But sometimes it's better to have the news aggregated and presented in a more digestible form.
If you prefer to get a curated list of the most interesting news about your favorite topics, then Flipboard (free) is the app for you. The highly visual, magazine-like presentation looks great on the iPad, you can check out stories recommended by Flipboard staff, and it's easy to share great finds via Facebook and Twitter integration.
Enlarge / Flipboard combs the Web for top stories on your favorite subjects.
If you'd rather quickly browse headlines from all your favorite sites, an RSS feed reader might be a better choice. Reeder ($4.99) integrates with Google's Reader service, easily syncing with a desktop version. It also offers a number of sharing options, including sending articles to services like Evernote and Readability.
Enlarge / Reeder is great for a more traditional approach to reading RSS feeds.
Messaging
The iPad comes equipped with the Messages app, which can communicate with other iPads, iPhones, and Macs using Apple's iMessages protocol. And FaceTime handles video chats with your friends that are in the Apple fold. But if you use other common chat protocols, such as AIM or Gtalk, you'll need a separate app.
Some chat services have their own dedicated apps (such as AIM, Yahoo, and Facebook), but why not use a single app that can use all popular services at once? For that, Verbs IM ($0.99) is a good value. It handles AIM/iChat, Facebook, and GTalk, and it has a clean, easy-to-use interface.
Enlarge / Verbs IM covers the most common chat platforms, including AIM/iChat, Facebook, and GoogleTalk.
(Users that need wider service supportâ€"especially international services like Sina Weibo, VKontakte, or Mamba.ruâ€"might instead check out IM+ Pro [$0.99].)
While Verbs IM will take care of text chats, Skype for iPad (free) is your go-to service for voice or video chats outside of FaceTime. The mobile app works just as well with Skype users on the desktop as it does with other mobile users.
Music
There are lots of options for listening to music outside of your own iTunes library. Streaming services are a great fit for mobile devices since you can access a large library of music without having to buy tracks or albums and sync them via iTunes. Spotify (free) is among our favorite services, and US users can listen to streaming "radio" for free. You can also easily share your listening habits with Facebook friends or log data with Last.fm. An additional premium subscription gives you access to playlist syncing and offline listening.
Enlarge / Spotify's iPad interface is slick, and makes discovering new music easy.
But the iPad is also a great device for making music. Even if you aren't an experienced musician, Apple's GarageBand ($4.99) includes a virtual orchestra and a library of pre-made loops for building a song that's your very own. Those with even a rudimentary understanding of music theory can record original compositions using a combination of real or virtual instruments, mixing down an almost limitless number of tracks into the next hit song.
Enlarge / Even casual users can eke out hours of fun out of GarageBand's collection of virtual "smart" instruments.
Games
Games are hard to recommend, since not all types of games appeal to everyone. However, iOS is a formidable gaming platform for gamers of all ages and preferences, so we'll just pick a few of our favorites to get started.
If there were a first game we would recommend for almost anyone, it's probably Words With Friends HD (free with ads or $0.99 without). The artwork is stunning on a Retina display, the rules are similar to Scrabble, and tons of people play it; you should be able to find a friend to play with easily enough. Words With Friends can also optionally match you up with friends or strangers alike with similar skill levelsâ€"it's no fun regularly getting schooled by your friend's mom who happens to have a PhD in English, trust me.
Enlarge / The basic Scrabble-like gameplay is there, and so are all your Facebook friends.
A few other casual favorites are worth mentioning. If you really like word games, definitely check out Letterpress (free); it's a novel take on word games that sort of mashes up Scrabble and Boggle in a one-on-one match to test your vocabulary mettle. If retro 8-bit arcade games appeal to you, consider The Incident ($0.99)â€"its infectious NES-style soundtrack alone is worth the purchase price. Plants vs Zombies HD ($0.99) is a great tower defense style game that blends a bit of action and strategy with great artwork and tongue-in-cheek humor. And Ticket to Ride ($6.99), a game centered on building a railroad in turn-of-the-century America, has to be the best board game adaptation ever to grace an iOS device.
If you consider yourself a serious gamer attracted to action and awesome 3D graphics, Infinity Blade II ($2.99) is a great place to start. The touch-based fighting controls are pretty easy to use, if hard to master. The half-fantasy, half-sci-fi backstory is interesting, the weaponry options are vast, and the game has enough puzzles and mysteries to keep you going for hours on end.
Enlarge / Slash and hack your way through this second installment of the Infinity Blade series.
Weather
Unlike the iPhone, the iPad doesn't include a native weather app. You can see basic weather information in Notification Center, but that's it. Fortunately, the lack of an official Apple app has encouraged several developers to try and fill the void. Our recommendation is AccuWeather for iPad (free), which includes a full complement of current weather data from AccuWeather.com, along with hourly and 15-day forecasts, satellite maps, and iCloud syncing of preferences between iOS devices.
Enlarge / Aside from the adsâ€"hey, it's freeâ€"AccuWeather's interface is quite slick.
Some may find the ads a little bothersome, but don't fret: there are dozens of other options in the App Store, both paid and free.
E-reading
One popular use for a tablet is reading e-books, and Apple knows it. The integrated Newsstand automatically collects apps for subscribing to and reading your favorite magazines and newspapers, for instance. And iBooks (free) is an absolute must-download. Not only does it allow you to browse and buy standard e-books as well as enhanced e-texts from the iBookstore, it also handles standard, DRM-free ePub and PDF files as well.
Enlarge / iBooks can handle standard ePub and PDF files in addition to books purchased from the iBookstore.
(If you've gotten an iPad after using a Nook or Kindle e-ink device, you can get dedicated apps for accessing your existing content from Barnes & Noble or Amazon, respectively.)
If you like your nonfiction filled with tons of useful rich media, though, definitely give Inkling (free) a try. Inkling books are geared towards learning, so they include tons of interactive content like images, interactive graphs, videos, and more; some programming books also include an integrated interpreter to try code samples live as you read. Books can be purchased from Inkling's website, and since the format is built around standards like HTML5 and JavaScript, you can also read Inkling books on the desktop via any modern browser.
Just a start
Of course, the App Store has far more available than the handful of apps we recommend here, but the list should help tablet newcomers get up to speed with finding, installing, and launching quality apps. Once they're comfortable doing so, it's time to truly start exploring.
Ars readers, what other apps would you recommend to new users?
