Showing posts with label Apple. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Apple. Show all posts

11 February 2011

iPad THREE already? Comparisons on tablets, and future development.

OK.  I have blogged enough about Apple products of late.  But I can see the value of tablets in education.  At least, I can see why they really can add to textbooks, although I am not sure if they can replace textbooks.

Already there is a lot of talk about "iPhone 5" and  "iPad 2"  - however there is already SOME speculation about iPad THREE!  More to the point, the tablet market didn't exist 12 months ago and is likely to become full if Apple doesn't move quickly.  Therefore it makes sense that  a "low hanging fruit" iPad 2 would come out, closely followed by something that fixed a lot of the stupidities of the earlier model.  Think of the iPhone 3G and the iPhone 3GS.  The 3GS had double the RAM, faster processor, better camera, etc etc etc... the fact that Apple put it in the same shell meant that consumers (especially Apples' consumers) really didn't understand or care about the difference.  Sales of both would remain strong.

Yes, Apple Is Lining Up For A “Surprise” This Fall. And Yes, It’s Likely An “iPad 3″: "
the new iPad we may see in the fall will be more of a “iPad 2.5″, whereas my guess was the other way around. He thinks the launch date could have more to do with Apple attempting to move the yearly release schedule of the iPad to be closer to the holiday season. Again, that’s just his guess, but it also makes quite a bit of sense.




However if you are still interested in the tablet revolution but hold onto a old-man style of hatred for a company like Apple (like I do), then perhaps you want to see what are the alternatives. Engaget have a face off between 4 of the biggest competitors out there and lay them end to end in an easy to compare table.

The only problem is that this table misses the point.  The ONLY reason I, and many others will put up with Apple is because of the app market.  I hate the idea of being mind controlled by one company.  Why can't I have a Playboy app if I want to?  It's not the point that I (probably) wouldn't download it anyway, the point is that I don't think that is your call to make, Mr Apple Jobes.

But I do actually want lots of apps. I do actually "want an app for that".  It's frustrating because with ubiquity we get interoperability of sorts. "Interoperability" in this company's view means the program can run on different versions of the iOS.  Frustrating as hell, but for now the trend isn't reversing.

In fact, rather than computers coming to phones, think rather that the touch basis of phone interface  is more likely to be coming to computers.  Although Windows 7 has drivers for multi touch screens, I haven't seen LG, Benq or other LCD manufactures jump on the bandwagon.  Why not?  It's not hard.  Get a bloody big LCD and lay a touch sensor over it.  It's as old technology and as about as difficult as Apple's facetime revolution.  Yet it will take Apple to play the "revolutionizer" and bring the iPad interface design to the MacBook Air to get this "revolution" happening.

At the moment the whole concept of "window focus" is tied up in the hardware of a mouse.  I'm sure that the Microsoft Windows 7 team actually know this. But in the same way that Windows 95 beat the market with IPTV bloatware, so too has Windows 7 built-it-and-no-one-came-to-the-party.

That's actually very sad.  I DO actually want a touch based glass desktop.  For the sake of going to cinemas, it should look like something out of Minority Report. Or Tron's computer desk.  Or the thing the old Adam Sandler was working on in the movie Click.  These are fairly reasonable suggestions as to what can be done. And the iPad is the kick starter for long over due tablet craze, then surely these lessons will be brought to Apple's computer interface.  You may find the next version of the MacBook Air has NO track pad at all, but looks more like a iPad with built-in (or even detachable) tactile keyboard.

Enough guessing.



01 February 2011

What will the soon coming iPad2 have in it?

The iPad 2's new features: Which rumors are realistic? | Mobilize - InfoWorld

A quick and interesting piece on what the iPad might have in it.  A forward facing camera (or how about any bloody camera at all) seem somewhat obvious.  The so called retina display is here for good too.  If you really want a regular SIM card, proper antenna receiver, or a SD card dock then you would be looking for the Samsung Galaxy.

But Apple tragics don't need none of that standard stuff now do they?

After recently moving to the iPhone 4, I have to say that I am totally underwhelmed by the iOS interface.  A friend of mine described the iPhone as "MY FIRST SMART FONE", in the same way that Fisher Price and Hasbro's Playskool has a My First Cooking Oven toys for kids. That's pretty much right. I feel like I have been dupped by my own stupidity in actually dogfooding myself such a disappointing device.

I still respect Apple - but just like when I watch the Titanic film, "My heart fully of hate, will go on".


30 January 2011

Apple Obtains Patent For Solar-Powered Devices

Apple Obtains Patent For Solar-Powered Devices

This is something that should be out of the question.  Solar powered hand held devices are not new, and the technology seems so obvious that is hard to see how this doesn't constitute a prior art breach.

 It seems now that all your base load power now belong to Jobs. You know, for someone that doesn't really love Apple, I sure do seem to blog alot about them.

28 January 2011

Blackberry's long slide and wasted opportunities.

BlackBerry are running out of time: What can they do?


Obamba's ride to power promised change for America.  It was also the high point for the Canadian firm Research In Motion (AKA "RIM") as Obama was well known for his love of his Blackberry. The secret service tried hard to take it from him, but Obama fought hard to keep it.  He eventually won, but modifications had to be made. This generated a lot of publicity for the already dominant company and made the "dad's old business tool" something cool to have, even cooler than iPhones.


I never understand fashion very well.


For those who know me personally, you will have heard me bitching about the iPhone 4 I got recently, replacing the Blackberry Bold 9000.  The Bold was an older, slower device but has so many interface issues that are just obviously right. For one, it has a full tactile QWERTY keyboard.  Buttons are something that Steve Jobs notoriously hates.  So sure, they got the touch screen right, but it's still not and never will be a full keyboard. Menes - clear "right click" or "drop down" style menus.  No no, Apple doesn't like that idea. Gah - its what you think I should want, and not what I tell you what I actually want.


I recently lamented on Facebook that:
Moving from blackberry to iPhone is like dumping a great girlfriend for a hot fling. Sexy but useless. Jealous and controlling. Not helpful and does everything the way they want to do it no matter how backwards and idiotic that might be. 


It is such a shame to see a good company loose its way.  It gave in to some pretty totalitarian governments and let them search their databases. It's getting thumped by Apple, which is in so many ways an inferior product. The truth is that companies can rise and fall quickly. MS goes from dominant to Office only.  Palm the market maker to spare parts rubbish heap out the back of HP offices. I'd like the Blackberry NOT to slide into this category, although i'm sure there are already 75% on their way there.


There is a lot I didn't like about the Blackberry, but there is a lot more to hate about the iPhone as a user.  Reception being one of these things.


17 December 2010

iPad 2 may start shipping by end of February 2011

If you were seriously interested in getting an iPad, try resist the temptation to buy one before Christmas.  The iPad two is just around the corner, and you can expect a vast improvement on the old one.

It might even be sooner then you expected.

Foxconn Electronics' (Hon Hai Precision Industry's) plants in Shenzhen, China have recently been notified they will ship Apple's iPad 2 within the next 100 days with initial shipments to reach 400,000-600,000 units, according to sources from Taiwan-based component makers. However, Foxconn declined to comment on its products or clients.

iPad 2 may start shipping by end of February 2011
http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20101206PD224.html

UPDATE:
There are already talks about further scope. Think: "iPad 3 and beyond".
  But we are now half way through Feb so I'm not hopeful about the "ANY DAY NOW" waiting game. 
http://tetracarbon.blogspot.com/2011/02/ipad-three-already-comparisons-on.html

14 December 2010

10 Reasons why I hate powerpoint

Chalk and talk is an art. It's a dying art. You should have something to say and Powerpoint makes it easy to show people things while you say them. The problem is we have gotten so wrapped up in the children's game of show and tell that have actually forgotten to tell anyone the important part.  The only thing that matters is our final MESSAGE


I don't use PowerPoint in class anymore.  I actually have slides, but I don't use them. Why? Because Powerpoint is BORING. I teach the yuck/wow generation, but the same applies to all humans irrespective.  


So here goes:


1. Overuse of effects
Powerpoint Rangers. *God. Eye. Stab. Now.*  You know the people that try to use a different effect on every bloody slide. Gross. Just find the subtle ones. Fade and wipe is almost all I ever use. And I actually use quite a lot of effects. But these people use things that fly in, circle around and then settle.  Maybe THEN they can start to narrate. It just draws away from your message. The canned applause sound effects at the end of a presentation? Give me a break.  Microsoft should have included a vomit sound effect, maybe a snoring sound effect, or better yet "are there any questions? *crickets chirping*".  That would be FAR more accurate. 

02 December 2010

iPad “Pad” Joke Finally Taken Too Far [Video]

The standard joke was: "what if the iPad2 gets larger? Does that make it a maxiPad?"

This is not exactly orginal, but have a look at this joke about the iPad “Pad”, where the joke may be  taken too far.