Apple's iPad: Not A Smartphone, Not a Netbook
When Steve Jobs introduced the iPad at a frenzied event in California this past January, he said something interesting. It's something that got many in the tech industry thinking, and now that we have played with the company's first tablet for a couple of weeks, we think it's time to really take a look at how reasonable Jobs' statement was. If you missed it, Jobs stated that he saw the Apple iPad as a type of third device; something that could fit in between your smartphone and your full-sized notebook... Apple's
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SuperTalent USB 3.0 Express Drive Spotted at SuperBiiz
SuperBiiz, the online vendor of computer parts and components previously known as eWiz, announced today that they will being carrying SuperTalent's USB 3.0 Express line. If you're not familiar with these drives, these are essentially USB thumb drives that work on the SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface for much faster transfer speeds than what you'll find on a traditional flash drive. "The SuperTalent USB 3.0 Express Drive is the answer for anyone looking for an affordable USB 3.0 drive and we are proud to announce
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Upcoming Kindle Update Integrates Facebook, Twitter
So Apple has already sold over 600,000 iPads in less than a month, and a spate of other tablets will soon begin flooding the marketplace. All of these threaten to shake things up in the ebook reader market, but don't go counting Amazon's Kindle out of the game. Further blurring the line between standalone ebook readers and multifunctional Internet devices, Amazon's upcoming 2.5 software update will introduce a handful of new features, including Facebook and Twitter integration. Kindle owners will be able to
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Polaroid Brings Instant Photography Back
Talk about a blast from the past. Polaroid is bringing back instant photography, and this time, we're not talking about a portable printer. At the end of last year, Polaroid announced plans to offer a One Step Camera sometime in 2010. Now, the company is celebrating the return of instant film photography by officially launching the Polaroid 300 camera. The Polaroid 300 camera is the first of many new products the company intends to deliver. The Polaroid 300 features classic Polaroid instant film, an automatic
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Apple's Steve Jobs Rails On Flash, Adobe's CEO Hits Right Back
Sound the alarm. Wake the neighbors. Grab your guns. It's Adobe versus Apple, and the war is officially underway. As if Apple didn't enough have fighting going on in their backyard already, the company has seemingly picked another one this week with Adobe. The company responsible for Flash, Photoshop and Premiere has apparently got on Steve Jobs' (Apple CEO) bad side, causing him to lash out in a public note posted today on Apple.com's homepage. For starters, this move is very unlike Apple. In fact, this may
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Time Warner Cable Business Class Launches 4G Wireless Data Service
Time Warner Cable Business Class announced a new service called Business Class Mobile. This 4G wireless high-speed data service will initially be available in Texas with additional markets to be added throughout the year. The Business Class Mobile service is designed to give mobile professionals high-speed Internet access when they are outside of the office. As Time Warner puts it, "Business Class Mobile allows employees who are out of the office to download large files, as well as access intranet sites, customer
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Microsoft Dashes Dreams Of "Courier" Tablet PC
What a wild week in technology it has been. Sony has been sued, HTC now has to pay Microsoft each time they sell an Android phone, Adobe and Apple are publicly humiliating one another, Palm was purchased by HP, and now Microsoft has decided against following the herd and producing a tablet of their own. Wait, what? For those who don't closely follow Microsoft's every move, the death of a product you've never heard of probably comes as somewhat of a shock. You weren't hidden under a rock or anything, it's just
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Apple's 3G + Wi-Fi iPad Ships; AT&T Details Data Plan Options
Thought iPad-mania was over? Not quite. The first wave may have passed, but today Apple is making available the newest iPad: iPad 3G + Wi-Fi. This model, as you well know, comes loaded with the same features as the original, but it adds a 3G module and an AT&T Micro-SIM card that allows it to hop onto AT&T's mobile data network in order to access the Web and other connected services from anywhere, even if a Wi-Fi hotspot is nowhere to be found. This model is a bit more expensive, but it's sure to sell
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Tethering Still A Long Ways Out For iPhone Users
Tethering. The mere mention of the word brings up varied responses depending on what carrier someone has, what smartphone they have, and whether or not they're technically inclined. Mention the word "tethering" to most any iPhone user in America, and you'll probably get a glare, a curse, or maybe even a shove-off. Despite Apple claiming that Tethering for iPhone was "coming soon" many moons ago, the feature still has yet to be added. It's not even offered for an additional fee! Users can obviously Jailbreak
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T-Mobile Gets Rid Of Overage Fees For 3G Modem Users
An outrageous bill is every cell phone users' worst nightmare. Whether you're talked too many minutes, sent too many text messages, or used too much data, overage fees add up way too quickly. T-Mobile knows just how painful these overage bills can be, so the company is removing per-megabyte overage charges for 3G modems. Instead of paying overage fees, T-Mobile 3G modem users will now get a gentler reminder that their usage is greater than 5GB per month; the wireless carrier will throttle the speeds of users
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NJ Principal Asks Parents to Pull the Plug on Social Networking
Former rapper Will Smith had it completely wrong when he waxed poetic about how parents just don't understand. It's the principal who has it all backwards, or at least that's what you'll hear if you talk to the students of Benjamin Franklin Middle School in Ridgewood, New Jersey. So what is it that has students in an uproar? In an email to parents earlier this week, Anthony Orsini, the school principal, pleaded with parents to turn their children away from social networking and to more closely monitor their
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Acer To Introduce New MID Line
Acer plans to launch a new line of mobile Internet devices (MIDs) by the end of May. The new line is part of the company's efforts to boost profitability and add to its array of mobile devices. The new MIDs will feature version 4.0 of Acer's Shell user interface and will include 3G wireless connectivity. Recognizing that people want to be connected and share information, the new MIDs will be able to interact with one another and share data. Mobile devices such as the new MIDs, laptops, and netbooks are Acer's
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One Button Is One Too Many: Apple Applies For Patent On Invisible Controls
Steve Jobs has been on a quest to rid the world of buttons since the original Macintosh debuted sans numeric keypad. In later years, we've seen the G4 Cube (with its touch-sensitive power-on area, as opposed to a physical button), the Apple Pro Mouse (sometimes known as the zero-button mouse), and most recently the iPhone/iPad with their single button. If you thought one button was as low as any practical device could go, you were wrong. Apple has filed a patent application, 20100103116, for a "Disappearing
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Sony Ships Dash Personal Internet Viewer
In January, Sony announced their Dash personal Internet viewer at CES. Now this new Wi-Fi device is finally shipping for just under $200. It's available at www.sonystyle.com, Sony Style retail stores, and other dealers throughout the country. The Dash features a 7-inch color touch screen and over 1,000 free apps. The Dash also lets you view TV episodes, films and other video content on the device through BRAVIA Internet Video. SONY’S DASH ON SALE NOW New Device Brings Real-Time Internet Content to You
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Nokia Launches X2 Cell Phone
In an official blog post today, Nokia unveiled the X2, a musically inclined smartphone the company says will be out before the end of June. Where exactly it will debut remains to be seen, but for what it's worth, the announcement was made in India, so we'd be surprised if this one ships in the States, at least initially. The candybar shaped cell phone comes equipped with dual speakers, dedicated music keys, FM stereo, and support for up to 16GB of storage via microSD, so there's plenty of room to store your
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After Two Years of Meteoric Growth, Netbook Market Slumping
Market analysis firm IDC is planning to release a report this week on the state of the netbook market and the explanation for the segment's slumping sales. Atom sales were the one dark spot on Intel's otherwise perfect first quarter, falling significantly compared to Q4 2009 and more than would be predicted by seasonal trends. "Atom in Netbooks is plateauing," Shane Rau, an analyst at IDC, said in a phone interview with CNET. "With the market recovery, I think end users are going to be looking for more value
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Microsoft Sells 100 Million Copies Of Windows 7--Next Up, World Domination
Same story, new week. But this time, Microsoft has some pretty big numbers to back up the boasting. And by "pretty big," we really mean "huge." There was already little doubt that Windows 7 was on track to become bigger than Vista could ever dream of becoming, and while the OS was already the company's best selling of all time, no one knew exactly how long it would take to cross the magical 100 million mark. This week, the Redmond-based software giant has proudly announced that the mark has been surpassed, with
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iPad In Between: Not Smartphone or Notebook
When Steve Jobs introduced the iPad at a frenzied event in California this past January, he said something interesting. It's something that got many in the tech industry thinking, and now that we have played with the company's first tablet for a couple of weeks, we think it's time to really take a look at how reasonable Jobs' statement was.If you missed it, Jobs stated that he saw the Apple iPad as a type of third device; something that could fit in between your phone (the iPhone, of course!) and your full-sized
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After Two Years of Meteoric Growth, Netbook Market Slumping
Market analysis firm IDC is planning to release a report this week on the state of the netbook market and the explanation for the segment's slumping sales. Atom sales were the one dark spot on Intel's otherwise perfect first quarter, falling significantly compared to Q4 2009 and more than would be predicted by seasonal trends."Atom in Netbooks is plateauing," Shane Rau, an analyst at IDC, said in a phone interview with CNET. "With the market recovery, I think end users are going to be looking for more value than just low-cost devices. This is an opportunity for higher-end mobile PCs, for example, that have better performance, bigger screens, bigger hard drives," he said.
We agree with IDC that the economic recovery has probably reduced consumer interest in netbooks but maintain that this is only part of the reason why Atom sales are falling. Atom will celebrate its second birthday in the not-too-distant future, but the platform's performance has scarcely changed. Compare the specs of the Asus PC1005PE (reviewed late last year) and the Asus EEE1002HE (released in February, 2009).
- CPU Speed: 1.66GHz / 1.6GHz
- RAM: 1GB / 1GB
- Operating System: Windows 7 / Windows XP
- Screen Size: 10.1" / 10.2"
- Resolution: 1024x600 / 1024x600
- Storage: Up to 160GB / Up to 160GB
- Price: $379 / $429
Intel's Pinetrail SoC improved battery life and reduced power consumption, but system performance hasn't budged. The uptick in holiday sales after the N450's launch suggests that the chip's features did resonate with shoppers; the unexpected downturn in Q1 may be evidence that potential customers who purchased a netbook in the past two years are looking for something more. Windows 7 is leaner than Vista, but its system requirements are still higher than XP's. HD video has become much more common online but the vast majority of Atom netbooks can't handle it smoothly, and future versions of Internet Explorer will utilize 2D hardware acceleration, which the GMA 950 doesn't support.We predict that Atom sales will increase again once Intel introduces its upcoming dual-core netbook model and could surge after the introduction of AMD's Bobcat in 2011, provided that processor can match or approximate Atom's power consumption. Unlike Intel, AMD doesn't need to worry about cannibalizing higher-end sales with netbook products; AMD's share of the mobile market is low enough that any gain—even in the low-profit netbook segment—will boost the company's bottom line.
The other pertinent factor is that netbooks, for all their popularity, are just one type of device. Intel has stated that its seen no corporate market for the diminutive systems as of yet, but there are a number of professional fields that could benefit from low-cost, light, multi-touch capable tablets, particularly tablets with a bit more horsepower than what Atom currently offers. Intel's "Atom Everywhere" strategy is all about fitting Atom into devices at every price and form factor—netbooks, even if they have reached saturation point, were never more than the first step in Atom's development.
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Polaroid Brings Instant Photography Back
Talk about a blast from the past. Polaroid is bringing back instant photography, and this time, we're not talking about a portable printer. At the end of last year, Polaroid announced plans to offer a One Step Camera sometime in 2010. Now, the company is celebrating the return of instant film photography by officially launching the Polaroid 300 camera.
The Polaroid 300 camera is the first of many new products the company intends to deliver. The Polaroid 300 features classic Polaroid instant film, an automatic flash, and four scene setting modes.
"We are thrilled that today marks the return of instant.  It's bigger – and better – than ever. The Polaroid Movement is one that we heartfully embrace and intend to build upon by reaching the creative community and global Polaroid fans alike," said Giovanni Tomaselli, Managing Director of the Summit Global Group, the exclusive worldwide licensee for Polaroid branded imaging products. Â
The camera is available for a suggested price of $89.99. You'll need film as well; ten-packs of Polaroid 300 instant film will sell for $9.99.The camera and film is available at Bloomingdales, J&R, and Polaroid.com.
In addition to the new Polaroid 300 camera, Summit Global Group has also partnered with ZINK Imaging and plans to offer a range of instant digital products that use ZINK Zero Ink Printing Technology. The Polaroid PoGo Instant Mobile Printer and Instant Digital Camera use this ink-free printing technology to print photos instantly. Â New ZINK-enabled products will be unveiled later this year.Â
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SuperTalent USB 3.0 Express Drive Spotted at SuperBiiz
SuperBiiz, the online vendor of computer parts and components previously known as eWiz, announced today that they will being carrying SuperTalent's USB 3.0 Express line. If you're not familiar with these drives, these are essentially USB thumb drives that work on the SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface for much faster transfer speeds than what you'll find on a traditional flash drive."The SuperTalent USB 3.0 Express Drive is the answer for anyone looking for an affordable USB 3.0 drive and we are proud to announce that they are available at SuperBiiz first," SuperBiiz Director of Marketing, James Yu, said in a statement.
Yu might be overstating the affordability angle just a tad. At $69 for the 16GB model and $119 for the 32GB drive, these aren't likely to affect your nest egg that you've been building up, but you're also paying a premium for the faster interface. What you get in return are transfer rates of over 125MB/s when connected to a USB 3.0 port. These are also backwards compatible with USB 2.0 and will transfer data at 43MB/s on these ports.
You can order one or both of these new drives here.
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Apple's iPad: Not A Smartphone, Not a Netbook
When Steve Jobs introduced the iPad at a frenzied event in California this past January, he said something interesting. It's something that got many in the tech industry thinking, and now that we have played with the company's first tablet for a couple of weeks, we think it's time to really take a look at how reasonable Jobs' statement was.
If you missed it, Jobs stated that he saw the Apple iPad as a type of third device; something that could fit in between your smartphone and your full-sized notebook...
Apple's iPad: Not A Smartphone, Not a Netbook
Â
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Tethering Still A Long Ways Out For iPhone Users
Tethering. The mere mention of the word brings up varied responsesdepending on what carrier someone has, what smartphone they have, andwhether or not they're technically inclined. Mention the word"tethering" to most any iPhone user in America, and you'll probably geta glare, a curse, or maybe even a shove-off.Despite Apple claiming that Tethering for iPhone was "coming soon" manymoons ago, the feature still has yet to be added. It's not even offeredfor an additional fee! Users can obviously Jailbreak their devices inorder to tether, but given that it voids the warranty, many are stillwaiting for an AT&T-approved solution. In other nations, the iPhonehas been tethering for awhile now via official means, but AT&T hasbeen opposed to enabling this in the States due to one main reason:their network and a fear that iPhone users would tether like there's notomorrow. The company recently released a statement on the status ofTethering for iPhone, and it's not looking too good for those who werehoping for something to change in the near-term:
"We understand that there is great interest in tethering but cannotprovide any details at this time. We know that iPhone users love theirdevices and mobile broadband, and that they're likely to embracetethering just as they have other features and apps – by using it alot. iPhone tethering has the potential to exponentially increasetraffic, and we need to ensure that we're able to deliver excellentperformance for the feature – over and above the increases in datatraffic we're already seeing – before we will offer the feature."
Basically, they're saying that they don't want to weigh their networkdown any more with tethering, and we get it. What good is havingtethering if the network is too saturated to make use of it? But manyconsumers won't buy the excuse, despite the fact that it costs millionsand millions to expand something like a cellular telephony network. Inthe end, we doubt much will change soon. AT&T will still strugglejust to keep up with demand (which is a good problem to have!), andusers will still continue to long for more bandwidth at their command.Hopefully the two sides can meet somewhere in the middle, and soon.
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T-Mobile Gets Rid Of Overage Fees For 3G Modem Users
An outrageous bill is every cell phone users' worst nightmare. Whether you're talked too many minutes, sent too many text messages, or used too much data, overage fees add up way too quickly. T-Mobile knows just how painful these overage bills can be, so the company is removing per-megabyte overage charges for 3G modems.
Instead of paying overage fees, T-Mobile 3G modem users will now get a gentler reminder that their usage is greater than 5GB per month; the wireless carrier will throttle the speeds of users who have surpassed the 5GB mark. For users who are on the cheaper 200MB/month plan, you'll still pay overage fees, but at a rate that has been reduced by half from 20 cents per MB to a mere 10 cents per MB.
Other big-players in the wireless market including Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T still charge per megabyte if you exceed 5GB of 3G data in a month. Cricket also has an overage-free plan and Sprint provides for unlimited WiMAX use.
For a limited time, T-Mobile has also dropped its monthly data rates to $40 per month for the 5GB plan and $25 per month for the 200MB plan. Currently, T-Mobile's 3G network footprint is smaller than AT&T or Verizon Wireless' but it's growing quickly. Behind the scenes, T-Mobile uses a technology called HSPA+ (High Speed Packet Access Plus) which delivers speeds faster than other types of 3G networks.
T-Mobile plans to cover more than 100 metro areas and 185 million people with HSPA+ by the end of this year. The wireless carrier currently has HSPA+ service in Philadelphia, parts of New York City, New Jersey, Long Island, and Washington, D.C. It plans to launch the faster service in Los Angeles soon.
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Sony Ships Dash Personal Internet Viewer
In January, Sony announced their Dash personal Internet viewer at CES. Now this new Wi-Fi device is finally shipping for just under $200. It's available at www.sonystyle.com, Sony Style retail stores, and other dealers throughout the country. The Dash features a 7-inch color touch screen and over 1,000 free apps. The Dash also lets you view TV episodes, films and other video content on the device through BRAVIA Internet Video.
SONY’S DASH ON SALE NOW
New Device Brings Real-Time Internet Content to You as a Dashboard For Your Online Life
SAN DIEGO, April 29, 2010 – Sony today announced that its new Dash™, a Wi-Fi touch screen device that pushes real-time, personalized Internet content to users in their homes or offices, is now available for about $199 at www.sonystyle.com, Sony Style retail stores and other authorized dealers nationwide.
Featuring a 7-inch color touch screen, Dash uses your existing wireless internet connection to provide a continuous display of your selections from over 1,000 free apps, many provided by chumby industries, inc., including news, calendars, weather, sports, and social networking. In addition, through BRAVIA® Internet Video, Dash can bring you TV episodes, films and additional video content and music from providers such as CBS™, Netflix, YouTube™, Pandora™, Slacker® and more.
“Sony’s Dash is always on and always fresh. No PC or smart phone needed,†said Brennan Mullin, senior vice president of Sony Electronics’ personal imaging and audio business. “With a wide library of free apps automatically pushed to you as well as access to a diverse network of more than 30 video channels, Dash is a great example of how Sony delivers the latest and most exciting content into consumers’ homes.â€
With Dash, a playlist of your own personalized internet world is constantly refreshed and pushed to you, reducing the need to search for your favorite content or to log onto your favorite sites. Dash also allows you to “wake up a whole new way†with music videos, internet radio, or any video content available on the Dash instead of a traditional alarm clock buzzer.
Further, Dash can multitask. For example, if used on a kitchen countertop, internet radio can be playing in the background while you use your Dash to follow a recipe step-by-step.
Adding to Dash’s impressive content offerings, CNBC™ and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia will each be offering apps for the Dash, displaying business news and market information as well as enabling you to access the highest quality simple recipes. In addition, Dr. Oz will provide a series of video health tips for Dash users.
Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia’s app for the Sony Dash, titled “Dinner Tonight™ Recipe of the Day,†will come pre-loaded on the device and will provide a daily recipe from Martha Stewart’s vast library of Everyday Food magazine recipes consisting of eight ingredients or less, as well as allow you the ability to utilize any of the daily “Dinner Tonight†recipes from the past month.
CNBC’s app will also be pre-loaded in the Sony Dash and will feature real-time financial and business news, market information, stocks to watch, and more.Â
The video health tips provided by Dr. Oz are especially well suited for your wake-up experience. Each video is approximately one minute in length and provides specific steps you can take to live a healthier life.
In the coming weeks, Dash will be highlighted on several national broadcasts including Dr. Oz, Martha Stewart, CNBC, as well as in music videos from several high-profile Sony Musicâ„¢ artists. Further information and details can be found on the Sony website at www.sony.com/dash and at the Dash Facebook homepage at www.facebook.com/sonydash.
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Upcoming Kindle Update Integrates Facebook, Twitter
So Apple has already sold over 600,000 iPads in less than a month, and a spate of other tablets will soon begin flooding the marketplace. All of these threaten to shake things up in the ebook reader market, but don't go counting Amazon's Kindle out of the game. Further blurring the line between standalone ebook readers and multifunctional Internet devices, Amazon's upcoming 2.5 software update will introduce a handful of new features, including Facebook and Twitter integration.Kindle owners will be able to post book passages with friends on Facebook directly from their ebook reader, which will come in handy when you run across a witty quote or inspirational tidbit you feel compelled to share with your friends and followers. But the emphasis isn't only on social networking. Version 2.5 will also introduce the following:
- Collections: Organize your books and documents into one or more collections.
- PDF Pan and Zoom: Zoom into PDFs and pan around to easily view small print and detailed tables or graphics.
- Password Protection: Password protect your Kindle when you're not using it.
- More Fonts and Improved Clarity: Enjoy two new larger font sizes and sharper fonts for an even more comfortable reading experience.
- Popular Highlights: See what the Kindle community thinks are the most interesting passages in the books you're reading.
Do you own a Nook? Which one of these updates are you most excited about? Could you see yourself using the social networking features?
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Apple's Steve Jobs Rails On Flash, Adobe's CEO Hits Right Back
Sound the alarm. Wake the neighbors. Grab your guns. It's Adobe versusApple, and the war is officially underway. As if Apple didn't enoughhave fighting going on in their backyard already, the company hasseemingly picked another one this week with Adobe. The companyresponsible for Flash, Photoshop and Premiere has apparently got onSteve Jobs' (Apple CEO) bad side, causing him to lash out in a public note posted today on Apple.com's homepage.For starters, this move is very unlike Apple. In fact, this may be thefirst time in the company's history that Steve Jobs has replied openlyto a company about an issue that has mostly be created and fueled byconsumers and the media. The issue, of course, is the inability of theiPhone, iPod touch and iPad to play Flash videos or open Flashwebsites. It's a huge issue, there's no two ways around it. And whileAdobe has been mostly quiet about it, consumers and the media have not.Many media outlets have panned the iPad for not being able to viewFlash websites or Flash video; it's the sole reason that Hulu won't runon a Tablet that was reportedly designed for multi-media playback. Howcan Apple tout the iPad's multi-media capabilities when it can't evenhandle Hulu, right? Well, Steve Jobs has an answer--six answers, infact.
The head of Apple has been steadfast in his determination to overlookFlash, come hell or high water. He knows that consumers hate not havingFlash. He knows that vast amounts of websites and multi-media onlinerelies on Flash. For as great as Mobile Safari is, it's still not theperfect mobile Web browser because it can't handle Flash. Basically,any Web site creator has to create a second site that loads withoutFlash elements in order to be viewed on the iPod touch, iPad or iPhone,and that's a serious shortcoming.
But Steve Jobs thinks that there's a better way than creating twosites; it's to create one site based around HTML5, CSS and JavaScript.Using open standards, he says, to bypass Flash altogether and create asingle site that opens on any web browser for desktop or mobile. It'sjust one of the points he makes in a long rant on Adobe, where he alsopoints out that many major media outlets have re-worked their websitesspecifically to work on the iLine of products. He also notes that Flashis the #1 reasons that Macs crash, and he doesn't want that kind ofjunk to go on with the iPad, iPod touch or iPhone. Basically, he justdoesn't trust Flash to run well on mobile devices. He also thinks thatFlash kills mobile battery life, and he mentions that Flash was neverdesigned for use with touch-screen interfaces.
Later in the day, Shantanu Narayen (Adobe CEO) was interviewed by TheWall Street Journal, where they asked him to respond to some of Jobs'claims. He laughed off the notion that Flash was closed, and he franklynoted that both companies "have different views of the world," withAdobe's view being "multi-platform." He states that he has a Nexus Onerather than an iPhone, and points out that Adobe has been working witha number of companies to implement Flash on future Tablets (a knock onthe iPad, we guess). He also points out that Apple's view on Flash isforcing Web site owners and app developers to create two of everything:a normal version, and an Apple version. Developers, he thinks, arehaving to bend and create special versions for Apple, whereas SteveJobs thinks these devs are having to make special versions for everyoneelse. You can see how the viewpoints would conflict, right?
We tend to agree and disagree with both gentlemen. Apple sees Flash asa last-generation standard that the world needs to kiss goodbye; Adobesees Flash as the present and future, and that Apple needs to cave andadopt. We tend to think that Flash is on the way out, but it's far fromgone. Until then, we'd like to see Apple support Flash, but we get theimpression that Flash would never be relieved of its post if Apple wereto do so. If the iPad and iPhone supported Flash, why would anyonedevelop around Flash? There'd be no good reason to waste resourcesdoing so. Regardless of whether or not Steve Jobs thinks that Flash isgood for mobile, the fact of the matter is that a lot of online contentuses Flash today, and that's not changing tomorrow. It's reallyannoying to think that even an iPad, with a 1GHz CPU, can't play Huluvideos. All because Steve Jobs thinks that performance will belackluster.
Have these guys considered working together to make things better? Whatif Apple could help Adobe create a new Flash that didn't drain thebattery as bad, and that didn't require so many resources? There simplyhas to be a better way than pointing fingers and yelling about who isright in this situation, but considering the egos we're dealing withhere, we doubt either of these men will cave and compromise. And in theend, the consumer loses because of it.
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Post filtering, Moderation queue
I'm not sure how customized you want to get with your code base, but here's an idea similar to some stuff that I've suggested before:
How about having posts, when they match certain regular expressions, get accepted but automatically sent to a moderation queue where one of us mods must approve it before it is added?
The idea is that since bots are constantly posting the same spams, we can set up an expression that blocks it once and the bots will be none the wiser that it never hit the site.
I already know what I would be putting in there: .*www.pizzshop.com.*
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Microsoft Sells 100 Million Copies Of Windows 7--Next Up, World Domination
Same story, new week. But this time, Microsoft has some pretty bignumbers to back up the boasting. And by "pretty big," we really mean"huge." There was already little doubt that Windows 7 was on track tobecome bigger than Vista could ever dream of becoming, and while the OSwas already the company's best selling of all time, no one knew exactlyhow long it would take to cross the magical 100 million mark.This week, the Redmond-based software giant has proudly announced thatthe mark has been surpassed, with Windows 7 now installed in one ofevery 10 PCs in the entire world. Just take a step back and let thatsink in. For every 10 PCs in the world, Windows 7 is on one. Not even afull year after launching during a recession. That's pretty monumental.
Microsoft already announced crushing Q3 financial figures, noting thatWin7 was a huge driver. Now we know exactly how huge. So, who'sadopting so early? Mostly business users, but loads of consumers arealso jumping on-board. Some say that Vista's shortcomings have actuallyhelped Windows 7 sell, but either way, we're sure Microsoft isn'tcomplaining about the motives behind it. Onward and upward, as they say.
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NEW: HotHardware iBUYPOWER System Pics!
Here are the pics that I promised!
I already have it dual-booting Linux, and it's FAST:
-
Windows7 boot time: ~10 seconds
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Kubuntu 10.04 boot time: ~6 seconds!!!
But more on that later...
| | ` | First off, this is what it looks like when you see it for real. Shiny. :)
|
A package from iBuyPower and HotHardware, and the mail service only let three or four things jab holes in the (very sturdy) box. Yay!After making my 8yr old move it inside and tell me if he could hear any ticking, I decided to open it.
| | |
| | What!?!?! This box seems to only contain a power cable, restore CD, extra rails, (plenty of) extra thumbscrews, and some manuals! I've been had! I will kill you Dave and Marco!!!! | |
Wait a second... there appears to be a false bottom to the box! And there's a PC in there! I love you Dave and Marco!!! | | |
| | Shipped with extra protective plastic on the front to keep the sweet paint job from getting all knicked up!Hmmm.... Maybe I should leave that on, like those people from the 70's and their plastic couches... | |
If your computer looks like this,
and someone asks you "Is it fast?", I think you're not only legally allowed, but morally obligated, to punch them in the back of the head. | | |
| | Wait a second, someone shoved a diaper in there.
Oh... no, it's just incredibly sturdy packing material. There's no way any contents shifted in there.Where I work, we once received a server from one of our other locations where the yahoos who packed it didn't do this. That server sounded like a box of cereal when shaken. | |
It also possesses inner beauty!(and you didn't even have to set your Google Image safe-search from 'moderate' to 'off'). | | |
| | Here, I was trying to get close enough to determine which parts were manufactured by Stark Industries. | |
OH NOZE!!!! No PS2 port!!! Well... let's start boxing this piece of crap back up.... | | |
| | or not.Nice and simple behind the face plate, and that Blu-Ray drive is speedy.I'll be posting some additional info soon! |
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Why Desktop Linux (Still) Sucks
No, my account hasn't been hacked:
Bryan from The Linux Action Show gave a great talk at LinuxFest Northwest 2010 this past week, entitled "Why Desktop Linux (Still) Sucks. And what we can do about it."
The presentation has a lot of good info about the specific areas where Linux is still in need of work, and might be informational to any Windows users who are wondering whether or not it's good enough for them (yet). No matter whether you love or hate Linux, it's a very interesting presentation highlighting the areas where Linux still needs standardization and/or improvement.
(Please visit the site to view this media)
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NJ Principal Asks Parents to Pull the Plug on Social Networking
Former rapper Will Smith had it completely wrong when he waxed poetic about how parents just don't understand. It's the principal who has it all backwards, or at least that's what you'll hear if you talk to the students of Benjamin Franklin Middle School in Ridgewood, New Jersey.So what is it that has students in an uproar? In an email to parents earlier this week, Anthony Orsini, the school principal, pleaded with parents to turn their children away from social networking and to more closely monitor their text messaging. Here's part of what he wrote:
Please do the following: sit down with your child (and they are just children still) and tell them that they are not allowed to be a member of any social networking site. Today!
Let them know that you will at some point every week be checking their text messages online! You have the ability to do this through your cell phone provider.
Let them know that you will be installing Parental Control Software so you can tell every place they have visited online, and everything they have instant messaged or written to a friend. Don't install it behind their back, but install it!
It is time for every single member of the BF Community to take a stand! There is absolutely no reason for any middle school student to be a part of a social networking site!
Let me repeat that - there is absolutely, positively no reason for any middle school student to be a part of a social networking site! None.
Parents, of course, are under no obligation to take Orsini's advice and cut their children off from Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking portals, but what's so surprising is the tone in which he adamantly lashes out against such sites.
Part of what has Orsini's feathers so ruffled is the often anonymous practice of cyber bullying. More than just a buzzword, the school's guidance counselor, Meredith Wearly, claims she spends about 75 percent of her day diffusing social networking issues that arise among students.
The problem extends beyond Benjamin Franklin Middle School. Recent research found that out of about 4,000 students between the ages of 12 and 18 representing 41 different schools, 20 percent of them admitted to cyber bullying others in their lifetime. In this case, "cyber bullying is when someone repeatedly harasses, mistreats, or makes fun of another person online or while using cell phones or other electronics devices." And it would appear that adolescent girls are more susceptible to this behavior than other demographics, with 25.8 percent claiming to have been the victim of cyber bullying at least once in their lifetime, versus 16 percent of adolescent males.
And what of the email Orsini sent out? According to the principal, the reaction so far has been mostly positive, though some students have obviously taken issue with his suggestion.
"I'm not going to do anything bad, so why should I get rid of it?," argues Ali Feniberg, and eighth grade student.
Read the email in its entirely here (scroll down), and then be sure to became a fan of HotHardware's Facebook page and follow us on Twitter. Parents, students, and even principals are welcome.
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One Button Is One Too Many: Apple Applies For Patent On Invisible Controls
Steve Jobs has been on a quest to rid the world of buttons since the original Macintosh debuted sans numeric keypad. In later years, we've seen the G4 Cube (with its touch-sensitive power-on area, as opposed to a physical button), the Apple Pro Mouse (sometimes known as the zero-button mouse), and most recently the iPhone/iPad with their single button.If you thought one button was as low as any practical device could go, you were wrong. Apple has filed a patent application, 20100103116, for a "Disappearing Button or slider." The abstract reads:
An input device is disclosed. The input is a deflection based capacitive sensing input. Deflection of a metal fame of the input device causes a change in capacitance that is used to control a function of an electrical device. The input appears invisible because it is made of the same material as the housing it is contained in. Invisible backlit holes may make the input selectively visible or invisible to the user.Apple's illustration of the implementation clears everything up.
Ok, maybe not. Let's parse that a bit with help from the patent app. In the diagram above, the buttons that control the function of 5010, 5012, 5014, and 5016 are all invisible. Controlling the laptop's music playback would simply require that the end-user tap the areas of the wrist rest associated with play, stop, rewind, fast forward, etc. The specific areas to touch could be lit or etched—Apple's patent app covers the implementation of a button-free control system, not the literal removal of any indicator that a control exists.
It's an artistic vision that lends itself well to the conceptualization of some really sexy, futuristic gadgets, but fine-tuning the practical function of such an interface could be a nightmare. Consider the iPhone's single button (we'll ignore the top and side pads for now). Reach into a pocket for your phone, and the location of that button tells you which direction the phone is oriented. If you know where the button is, you can run your thumb across the virtual slider used for answering a call without ever actually looking at the handset. Remove that shallow depression, and it's more difficult to control the iPhone by touch.
We'll be curious to see if Apple is granted the patent and how the company puts it to use. The idea of a built-in, seamless iPod control panel, as part of a laptop is pretty sexy and a mouse with capacitive buttons might make Steve a happy man for the first time since the original Mac hit market.
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Apple's 3G + Wi-Fi iPad Ships; AT&T Details Data Plan Options
Thought iPad-mania was over? Not quite. The first wave may have passed,but today Apple is making available the newest iPad: iPad 3G + Wi-Fi.This model, as you well know, comes loaded with the same features asthe original, but it adds a 3G module and an AT&T Micro-SIM cardthat allows it to hop onto AT&T's mobile data network in order toaccess the Web and other connected services from anywhere, even if aWi-Fi hotspot is nowhere to be found.This model is a bit more expensive, but it's sure to sell well withthis who are constantly on the go and who need access whenever,wherever. Today, AT&T has issued a "Fact Sheet" detailing the dataplans that will be available for the new iPad. These are unique, as theiPad is one of the few devices that AT&T will sell data for on amonth-by-month basis. With iPhones, you have to lock into a 2-year dataplan agreement to get service. There's no contract associated with theiPad, so things are certainly different here.
The iPad data plans will all be pre-paid, and each one (regardless ofcost) comes with free access to AT&T's 20000+ Wi-Fi Hot Spotsnationwide. Domestic data plan options include a $14.99/month one thatprovides 250MB of data, while a $29.99/month one includes unlimiteddata. Both of these can be canceled at any time and re-engaged at anytime without penalty. The full text is the plans are below, so be sureand scope it all out before pulling the trigger.
Â
AT&T is offering simple and straightforward 3G pre-paid data plans for iPad – complete with
easy, on-device activation and management. Data plans for iPad include access to more than
20,000 AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spots nationwide at no additional cost. Check out 3G plans for iPad,
and some helpful Q&A, below.
Â
Domestic Data Plans for iPadÂ
Recurring monthly charge with no long term contract
• $14.99 per month for 250 MBÂ
• $29.99 per month for unlimited dataÂ
• Unlimited access – no added cost – to AT&T’s 20,000+ Wi-Fi
Hot SpotsÂ
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How do I manage my 3G plan for iPad? Can I turn service off
or change my plan?
Once you sign up for iPad 3G data service, you can add to or
cancel your domestic plan at any time – no penalty. For domestic
plans, if you do not cancel, your service will automatically renew
every 30 days to provide a more seamless data experience on an ongoing basis. For example, if you activate service
on May 9, your service will automatically renew 30 days later with the same plan. If you do make a change, a new
30-day window begins.
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What happens if I exceed the amount of data in my selected plan before the end of one month?
With the on-device management system, you can check your data usage in Settings>Cellular Data on your iPad at
anytime. Also, for the $14.99 plan, iPad will even let you know when you’re about to reach your 250 MB data limit.
You’ll get three alerts — at 20 percent, 10 percent, and zero. With each alert, you can choose to add more data or
wait and do it later.Â
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If you do exceed the amount of data in your plan, your plan will expire, but it’s easy to add another one. Also, with
domestic plans, you can wait until the 30th day from your purchase when your plan will automatically renew going
forward. Â
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For additional support, visit www.apple.com/ipad/3gÂ
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More Shuttle Photos
These are from and earlier flight (2007) by the Shuttle Orbiter Discovery that Landed at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
Two are of the landing.
Then there is one with the propellant cleansing equipment hooked up to it. (the fuels kept aboard are Hypergolic and extremely dangerous) Typical Desert Sunset in the background too.
The last is of the 'lifting mechanism' that picks the shuttle up high enough to roll the 747 Shuttle transport underneath of it, so that they can be connected together for the flight back to the launch facility at Cape Kennedy in Florida.
Here goes,........enjoy.
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Time Warner Cable Business Class Launches 4G Wireless Data Service
Time Warner Cable Business Class announced a new service called Business Class Mobile. This 4G wireless high-speed data service will initially be available in Texas with additional markets to be added throughout the year. The Business Class Mobile service is designed to give mobile professionals high-speed Internet access when they are outside of the office.
As Time Warner puts it, "Business Class Mobile allows employees who are out of the office to download large files, as well as access intranet sites, customer relationship management tools, and other company-related information. Â The service also eliminates the added expense and service limitations of pay-for-use, limited range Wi-Fi access in airports, hotels and other locations."
When inside of the Time Warner Cable 4G service area, Business Class Mobile provides high-speed wireless download speeds up to 6 Mbps. When traveling outside a 4G market, 3G speeds are available. Currently, Time Warner Cable has 4G service in Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, Corpus Christi and Wichita Falls TX; Charlotte, Raleigh and Greensboro, NC; and Honolulu and Maui, HI. Business Class Mobile customers will also have access to the 4G network in additional markets outside the Time Warner Cable footprint such as Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Houston, Las Vegas, Philadelphia and Seattle. Â Time Warner plans to expand 4G coverage to additional cities including New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., San Francisco Bay Area, Kansas City, Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Los Angeles sometime this year.
About Business Class Mobile
Time Warner Cable Business Class (TWCBC) offers the following devices and equipment for its Business Class Mobile customers, including:
- Business Class Data Cards enable mobile data services to laptops over 3G and 4G networks (via a dual-mode data card).
- Business Class Hot Spots use mobile data services to connect up to 16 Wi-Fi access devices over one single shared connection to access the internet at 4G speeds.
- Business Class Embedded Devices include mobile Internet devices (MIDs) and laptops provisioned with embedded WiMAX radio chipsets.
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Microsoft Dashes Dreams Of "Courier" Tablet PC
What a wild week in technology it has been. Sony has been sued, HTC nowhas to pay Microsoft each time they sell an Android phone, Adobe andApple are publicly humiliating one another, Palm was purchased by HP,and now Microsoft has decided against following the herd and producinga tablet of their own. Wait, what?For those who don't closely follow Microsoft's every move, the death ofa product you've never heard of probably comes as somewhat of a shock.You weren't hidden under a rock or anything, it's just that Microsoftnever actually came forward and confirmed that a so-called "Courier"was a real product before. Well, until they did so today by announcingthat the very product that had been rumored for years was in fact nolonger moving forward towards production.
The tale is a long and winding one, but the story sadly ends today.Well, at least for now. Or so they say. It's a confusing story that hasan even more confusing conclusion, particularly when you consider thatjust about everyone is either already planning to enter the Tablet PCarena or is shipping a tablet as we speak. Microsoft has never been oneto back down; they introduced the Zune even in the face ofunsurmountable competition from the iPod, and Windows Mobile waseffectively put on the back burner as they created Windows Phone 7 tocompete with iPhone OS, WebOS and Android. So, why pull out of theTablet sector?
For those who don't know the backstory, whispers had told thatMicrosoft was secretly planning to release their own tablet PC, the"Courier." Renders even emerged, and many were hoping this would be the"iPad killer" we're all still waiting for. When Microsoft CEO SteveBallmer arrived at CES with a tablet on hand, many just knew it was theCourier's turn to shine; instead, the HP Slate was revealed. A finemachine, but certainly not one with the hype of the Courier. Therenders looked amazing, and the user interface honestly looked likenothing the world had ever seen. Now, we may never see it in reality.Frank Shaw, the lead of Microsoft's PR department, came forward todaywith this statement:
"At any given time, across any of our business groups, there are new ideas being investigated, tested and incubated. The 'Courier' project is an example of this typeof effort and its technologies will be evaluated for use in futureMicrosoft offerings."
Of course, Microsoft may restart the project at any time, but it's notlikely in our estimation. Tablet PCs have never been hotter, andthere's no better time to jump on the bandwagon than now. Waiting fiveyears probably isn't the smartest move to make, so if you were hopingfor a Microsoft-branded tablet, you should probably try to put it allbehind you and move forward. Tough news to hear, we're sure.
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