Just a scant few hours away, and the pre orders for Apple's iPad mini and the official launch of Windows 8 and Windows Surface, and I think it's about time that I came back to posting.
If I'm honest, no one really cared about the iPad mini despite it having overshadowed almost all of the new showings at the recent Apple event. Sure, everyone has seen/heard about the new Mac mini, the new iMac being thinner than most textbooks in the world, and the new retina display 13" Macbook Pro. However, the fourth generation iPad is overshadowed, by it's tinier, market catch-up of a brother.
Why IS the iPad mini among Apple's lineup? It's difficult to really understand from an outsider's point of view, but it's easy to see that Apple is playing catch up. Everyone else has one, and lots of people have been bugging Apple for a tablet that's smaller than the existing iPad. The long line of success could potentially boost it's already large market share in the tablet world. Why not give it a try?
Here's why : the iPad worked because of what it is. It was about the size of a piece of paper, yet it did more than any piece of paper could ever do. It was interactive, it felt right, it made sense, and it was comparable to the size of an average magazine, which was one of the many primary functions the iPad had and was highlighted by Apple, two and a half years ago, in the spring of 2010. So has Tim Cook proven to the entire world that the death of Steve Jobs really brought about a less innovative era for Apple? Is the tech giant that always starts new trends now doing the opposite and playing catch up?
No and possibly yes, respectively. Steve Jobs was backed by a team of hardworking engineers who come up with innovative designs. The entire OS X team is still running strong, and Jony Ive is still pushing out designs that make people drool at it's simplistic, yet beautiful designs. As I've mentioned in my obituary to Steve Jobs, I believed that he had done what many people hadn't been able to do, and bring Apple into something magical, and worthy of cult status, but he needed people working with him. What Tim Cook can do, is exactly what Steve Jobs can do. After all, both only want whats best for Apple.
So is the new iPad mini Apple's demise? I won't say so. Apple still maintains its quirky design and style with a smaller tablet, but they've done it in ways that makes all other 7"-range tablets seem like plastic toys. You get what you pay for, so for all Apple haters out there, there's a reason why your tablet cost less than half the iPad mini : it's dirt cheap, cause it was made with dirt cheap materials.
However, this is not to say the iPad mini is free of flaws. It is still utilizing iPad 2 guts, which makes it as powerful as a mobile phone at best, and hardly worthy of any praise especially when it comes to screen resolution. Personally, I don't see why this is worth getting unless it's to be used for corporate purposes. If you really want an iPad, and you don't already have one, then go for the third generation iPad. It's cheaper, and because the connector is going to be phased out, many people are willing to sell you spare cables/accessories for cheap.
Now, to diverge away from Apple and to actually make a proper comment on the launch of Windows 8 and Windows Surface. Windows Vista had left a lot of people with a terrible after taste of what Windows OS upgrades can be, that Windows 7 had it's work cut out since day 1. Amazingly, it didn't disappoint. However, with the launch of Windows 8, it's hard to see what they can do, without destroying the faith of people who finally decided to trust Windows again after the whole Vista fiasco.
It's a very interesting approach because Windows 8 attempts to catch the hearts of people who have put down their computers and laptops in favour of the tablet computer. Touch screen interfaces, small light and portable devices that are less bulky to carry around, and do not entirely rely on keyboards, big batteries and insane power cables. just to keep itself running is a hard thing to turn down. Windows 8 seems to have hit the right spot by making all of this a reality in basing an OS that isn't as computer-based as Windows 7. Sure, new hardware including touchscreen monitors has been developed (yours truly has one already), touchscreen laptops/ultrabooks have been developed, and even the new Microsoft Surface has been announced to make all of this work together.
Different design tweaks have been added, complete with many different usability habits have been analyzed. All of this culminates in a really new and awesome looking "Metro UI" that's garnered praise from all sorts of reporters. However, the average consumer might not be too happy with these changes as they really disrupt the status quo. Users tend to mold into the computer and systems they're used to, which made the transition from Windows XP and Windows Vista so difficult, as it was a huge leap from what most users are used to. The entire interface no longer made sense to some people, still hopped up on the joy and wonder of Windows XP. It was a fantastic operating system, and it's hard to really try to replace a classic. It's also the same reason why Sinatra can never be replaced, or why Louis Armstrong could never be reproduced.
So is the announcement of Windows 8 will instantly dominate the world this Saturday, and more amazingly, Windows Surface will also debut. Sure, it's Microsoft's late answer to the tablet market dominated by the iPad, and the still undeniably ridiculous excuse of copies from numerous manufacturers running the Android operating system, but it can't be totally ignored. The surface did what the Android tablets couldn't do, and it was instilling fear through beautiful designs and ingenious design. Windows Surface has been a huge hit with a lot of people since it was announced, because it wasn't just a tablet. It leaked great amounts of passion and a significant amount of pressure to the competition because it wasn't just trying to take a stab at the iPad market, and make a sizable dent in it. It wanted to change the way people used tablets. Back in late 2010, when Blackberry decided it was time for them to fight into the tablet market by introducing the terrible failure known as the Playbook, it seemed to have been filled with pomp and circumstance. Unfortunately, it was anything but, and it's demise as of Day 1 was also the advent for all other iPad copies to eventually meet their doom by even trying to exist on the market.
What made Apple's iPad successful was because it was built on an infrastructure that worked. It was simple to use and also had a great app store, which really propelled it to new heights. The iPad has such a great ability to instill upon so much imagination into many developers, it's virtually turned the iPad into (as Jony Ive puts it) "something magical".
Microsoft actually has a chance to replicate the success of the iPad because the Windows operating system was successful because it is the most popular in the whole world. Regardless of the high number of Macbook owners, Windows still has a large foothold. This loyal fanbase, complete with legacy that it cannot fight, including their large number of existing apps can easily make Windows 8 and Windows Surface a success. If Microsoft plays their cards right, they don't have to end up as cheap plastic touchscreen toys that are competitively slightly cheaper than the iPad, but hugely more unattractive. Windows Surface can be a major hit. Of course, time will tell, and it won't be too long before the results come out.
Showing posts with label Apple. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Apple. Show all posts
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Post 023
The next generation iPhone, better known as the iPhone 5, is the sixth iPhone to be released by Apple computer since they've started making iPhones, will be released tomorrow. Now, I can't help but say that I'm utterly bored by it.
Don't get me wrong, I love the iPhone much more than any Android device. It wasn't always like that. Prior to the boom of mobile computing and smartphone technology, I had found smartphones to be ridiculous. I believed that a touchscreen really lacked a lot of necessary tactile response and feel. With that, the innovations grew. The number of applications ballooned. Not only that, the phone got better.
However, this latest iPhone seems like Apple is playing catch up yet again. The iPhone 4S seemed like a patch to cover up the flaws of the iPhone 4. It felt like that Apple tried to do everything that Android is succeeding for, and the introduction of Siri was still much to be desired for.
This latest generation finally has some of the things that an average smartphone has, like LTE, but it also marks the dawn of a very tough age for the iPhone 5 and iOS6. iOS 6 marks Apple's official departure from using Google maps as the default map application. This is a rather bold move, as Google maps is a nearly ubiquitous application that is known to be one of the best mapping applications in the world. Not only does it provide accurate and fast maps and directions, but it was simple to use, and helpful in many ways that people never realized.
However, to make a map application is not simple. It requires loads of data, complete with complex algorithms and different behaviours and parsers that recognize what the user is referring to. None of this can be done overnight, and surely, none of it can be fixed overnight either. Therefore, to take that jump from Google maps, while risky, can be dangerous.
To this date, people have done many side-by-side comparisons, and while far from promising, the new iOS6 maps application is a rather interesting take on maps, as it is very aesthetically pleasing, but unfortunately, is rather slow. Apple does deserve props for how good it is, considering I was expecting total failure.
Next there's Passbook, an absolutely ridiculous app that really doesn't help much to non-Americans. Go figure, because everyone can access these American establishments to use their coupons and cards. Everyone was hoping for NFC to exist on the iPhone5, but once again Apple has backed out.
It's probably a good that a new iPhone can still show up without the leadership of Steve Jobs. However, at the rate Apple is going, they fear being beaten by their competitors due to this constant need to play catch up, rather than being the pioneer in technology.
Don't get me wrong, I love the iPhone much more than any Android device. It wasn't always like that. Prior to the boom of mobile computing and smartphone technology, I had found smartphones to be ridiculous. I believed that a touchscreen really lacked a lot of necessary tactile response and feel. With that, the innovations grew. The number of applications ballooned. Not only that, the phone got better.
However, this latest iPhone seems like Apple is playing catch up yet again. The iPhone 4S seemed like a patch to cover up the flaws of the iPhone 4. It felt like that Apple tried to do everything that Android is succeeding for, and the introduction of Siri was still much to be desired for.
This latest generation finally has some of the things that an average smartphone has, like LTE, but it also marks the dawn of a very tough age for the iPhone 5 and iOS6. iOS 6 marks Apple's official departure from using Google maps as the default map application. This is a rather bold move, as Google maps is a nearly ubiquitous application that is known to be one of the best mapping applications in the world. Not only does it provide accurate and fast maps and directions, but it was simple to use, and helpful in many ways that people never realized.
However, to make a map application is not simple. It requires loads of data, complete with complex algorithms and different behaviours and parsers that recognize what the user is referring to. None of this can be done overnight, and surely, none of it can be fixed overnight either. Therefore, to take that jump from Google maps, while risky, can be dangerous.
To this date, people have done many side-by-side comparisons, and while far from promising, the new iOS6 maps application is a rather interesting take on maps, as it is very aesthetically pleasing, but unfortunately, is rather slow. Apple does deserve props for how good it is, considering I was expecting total failure.
Next there's Passbook, an absolutely ridiculous app that really doesn't help much to non-Americans. Go figure, because everyone can access these American establishments to use their coupons and cards. Everyone was hoping for NFC to exist on the iPhone5, but once again Apple has backed out.
It's probably a good that a new iPhone can still show up without the leadership of Steve Jobs. However, at the rate Apple is going, they fear being beaten by their competitors due to this constant need to play catch up, rather than being the pioneer in technology.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Post 01F
Writing in a blog is often considered to be just another crazy person writing about anything that tickles their fancy online. I'm sure a lot of people have tried to move away from that, and have tried to make it seem more like an informative piece. Informative writing is actually both important and an art form in itself. Some people take this for granted, and have done some pretty ludicrous things when it came to informative writing. While the people of the net can write whatever the hell they want, being an actual reporter doing a piece is not entirely the same.
Though I'm a bit late in writing about this issue, but Mike Daisey, a presenter of "This American Life" had published a piece that describes his visit to Foxconn.
It's interesting to point out, but Foxconn is the centre of scrutiny whenever we discuss consumer electronics being made today. Many people go on and on about how the labour forces are being treated in an unfair manner in those factories. Foxconn has been so negatively portrayed by so many different media outlies that the mere mention of Foxconn will bring about various different negative attitudes and dirty rumours, ranging from suicides, living conditions, chemicals used, work schedules, etc.
Therefore, when media coverage is being made about a man who has the chance to visit the Foxconn factories, there are a few things to keep in mind. Number 1 : this guy will make claims that they are hiding the real conditions. Number 2 : there will be a remark about how the whole tour seemed orchestrated. Number 3 : they will discuss something about working conditions being too tough.
However, that is the standard outlook behind these things. What people never seem to remember, is that Foxconn has it's doors flooded with people at 3 am in the morning whenever there is a job fair. They fail to recognize that if these people need to be employed to give some welfare to their families. People also never remember that reporteres need to spark controversy. That is an implicit line within their job description, because their work needs to bring in more audience members.
Mike Daisey's report on Foxconn was an interesting one. Not only has he made a laughing stalk of the show, Ira Glass and all that they represent, but he goes on to defend himself when he was in the wrong. Mike Daisey's controversial report started when he decided to lie about what he has seen, how much he has seen, and even who his translator was. Why did he go to such lengths to make a falsified report about a company that already is gaining so much negative reviews? Did the fact that his piling on will make matters better? If anything, Mike Daisey is actually abusing his position as a journalist to bully a company that is already under negative review all the time.
Then there was the issue of him lying to his producers. Was there some kind of reasoning to lie to your own boss about your work? Last time I checked, lying to your boss is a huge issue. What I think is most interesting, is how Mike Daisey went on to say he apologizes not because he mislead everyone with his lying report, or how he lied to his producers, but he apologizes because he didn't release this as drama. I'm sorry, is that supposed to constitute as an apology? What I find very disturbing is that when people make mistakes, they don't do what is necessary by standing up and admtting to be at fault. It seems that, while Mike Daisey has the audacity to go on public radio, denounce a company that is working hard to make consumer electronics for an American company that is boosting the American economy in this American life he's living (pun intended) during this economic downturn, he hasn't got the slightest bit of gut (in spite of his immense physical gut) to own up to a mistake he's made.
I remembered how much more trouble I got into whenever I made excuses as a child. Growing up, I learned that excuses never really got you anywhere. I always had an image where excuses only wound up putting you in more trouble in the real world. I don't know why someone like Mike Daisey is still given any more right to publish anything ever again, but I think that a man who lacks any self respect as a reporter, and a fellow human being lacks the right to try to report to the American public.
Though I'm a bit late in writing about this issue, but Mike Daisey, a presenter of "This American Life" had published a piece that describes his visit to Foxconn.
It's interesting to point out, but Foxconn is the centre of scrutiny whenever we discuss consumer electronics being made today. Many people go on and on about how the labour forces are being treated in an unfair manner in those factories. Foxconn has been so negatively portrayed by so many different media outlies that the mere mention of Foxconn will bring about various different negative attitudes and dirty rumours, ranging from suicides, living conditions, chemicals used, work schedules, etc.
Therefore, when media coverage is being made about a man who has the chance to visit the Foxconn factories, there are a few things to keep in mind. Number 1 : this guy will make claims that they are hiding the real conditions. Number 2 : there will be a remark about how the whole tour seemed orchestrated. Number 3 : they will discuss something about working conditions being too tough.
However, that is the standard outlook behind these things. What people never seem to remember, is that Foxconn has it's doors flooded with people at 3 am in the morning whenever there is a job fair. They fail to recognize that if these people need to be employed to give some welfare to their families. People also never remember that reporteres need to spark controversy. That is an implicit line within their job description, because their work needs to bring in more audience members.
Mike Daisey's report on Foxconn was an interesting one. Not only has he made a laughing stalk of the show, Ira Glass and all that they represent, but he goes on to defend himself when he was in the wrong. Mike Daisey's controversial report started when he decided to lie about what he has seen, how much he has seen, and even who his translator was. Why did he go to such lengths to make a falsified report about a company that already is gaining so much negative reviews? Did the fact that his piling on will make matters better? If anything, Mike Daisey is actually abusing his position as a journalist to bully a company that is already under negative review all the time.
Then there was the issue of him lying to his producers. Was there some kind of reasoning to lie to your own boss about your work? Last time I checked, lying to your boss is a huge issue. What I think is most interesting, is how Mike Daisey went on to say he apologizes not because he mislead everyone with his lying report, or how he lied to his producers, but he apologizes because he didn't release this as drama. I'm sorry, is that supposed to constitute as an apology? What I find very disturbing is that when people make mistakes, they don't do what is necessary by standing up and admtting to be at fault. It seems that, while Mike Daisey has the audacity to go on public radio, denounce a company that is working hard to make consumer electronics for an American company that is boosting the American economy in this American life he's living (pun intended) during this economic downturn, he hasn't got the slightest bit of gut (in spite of his immense physical gut) to own up to a mistake he's made.
I remembered how much more trouble I got into whenever I made excuses as a child. Growing up, I learned that excuses never really got you anywhere. I always had an image where excuses only wound up putting you in more trouble in the real world. I don't know why someone like Mike Daisey is still given any more right to publish anything ever again, but I think that a man who lacks any self respect as a reporter, and a fellow human being lacks the right to try to report to the American public.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Post 019
Apple computer may be the most valuable IT company to date, but most of what it is today, actually narrows down to one man, Steve Jobs.
Steve Jobs was more than just a CEO. He was an innovative man, who never really stopped moving forward. Yes, ideas for a touchscreen phone wasn't new, an mp3 player whose real specialty was its large hard drive and the clickwheel can hardly be passed as amazing, but there was a thin layer of icing on these products that make the average consumer so amazed.
There always is this unspoken exclusivity whenever it came to an Apple product. It's like an invisible ward whenever passing the Apple store in the mall, or walking by those black tables at your local big box electronic store. Much like Steve Jobs, these were the vessels that carried these minimalistic, yet very mysterious devices. The one thing that made Apple so outstanding was not because their products were usually more expensive than their competitors or because it was so much prettier, but because how well they worked.
In the last few years, Apple has been rolling out with updates, refreshes and even newer generations of each product within a 12-16 month product cycle. It was a move to declare war against the conformists. Conformists have now done everything they can, to stand still in time, as they continue to purchase machines that never got any better ever since 2002. Apple aimed to win these conforming consumers over, by wowing them and showing them, that machines cannot stand still. This moved in accordance to Moore's Law, and actually explains very well, how society defied it, and tried to stay still after the advent of Windows XP. Everyone was finally able to get their hands on a computer without freaking out at the cryptic bits and pieces of Bill Gates' software because Windows XP worked. Windows XP sat around for at least 4 years before Vista came about and was widely rejected. People still clung on to Windows XP. It was madness. It was wrong.
Steve Jobs' greatest achievement was to really show these people that there was a better alternative. The dawn of the Information Age has caused the speed at which things should be done to take a rapid increase. So, with that, Apple started to get an upper hand on the war.
Steve Jobs, being just as charismatic and just as innovative as the products he oversees, have finally won the people over. Apple is no longer just an exclusive club waiting to die. It was a growing party. To drive the point home, Steve Jobs even presented himself, in a minimalistic form with the turtleneck and jeans, just to embody the spirit in which Apple will work. Every machine ever since the iPod nano has been absolutely nothing short of phenomenal. Did they have faults? Of course. The release of the iPhone in 2007 was often ignored because no one was ready for it. The MacBook Air was too impractical. That list can grow.
However, Apple did not stop. They only made better and better machines, with improved battery life, better form factor, yearly OS tweaks. It was amazing. Apple is no longer that beige box in the corner of every late 90's elementary school classroom. Apple is now, in everyone's pockets, purses, jackets, backpacks, labs...you name it. For this, we salute you, Steve Jobs.
Steve Jobs was more than just a CEO. He was an innovative man, who never really stopped moving forward. Yes, ideas for a touchscreen phone wasn't new, an mp3 player whose real specialty was its large hard drive and the clickwheel can hardly be passed as amazing, but there was a thin layer of icing on these products that make the average consumer so amazed.
There always is this unspoken exclusivity whenever it came to an Apple product. It's like an invisible ward whenever passing the Apple store in the mall, or walking by those black tables at your local big box electronic store. Much like Steve Jobs, these were the vessels that carried these minimalistic, yet very mysterious devices. The one thing that made Apple so outstanding was not because their products were usually more expensive than their competitors or because it was so much prettier, but because how well they worked.
In the last few years, Apple has been rolling out with updates, refreshes and even newer generations of each product within a 12-16 month product cycle. It was a move to declare war against the conformists. Conformists have now done everything they can, to stand still in time, as they continue to purchase machines that never got any better ever since 2002. Apple aimed to win these conforming consumers over, by wowing them and showing them, that machines cannot stand still. This moved in accordance to Moore's Law, and actually explains very well, how society defied it, and tried to stay still after the advent of Windows XP. Everyone was finally able to get their hands on a computer without freaking out at the cryptic bits and pieces of Bill Gates' software because Windows XP worked. Windows XP sat around for at least 4 years before Vista came about and was widely rejected. People still clung on to Windows XP. It was madness. It was wrong.
Steve Jobs' greatest achievement was to really show these people that there was a better alternative. The dawn of the Information Age has caused the speed at which things should be done to take a rapid increase. So, with that, Apple started to get an upper hand on the war.
Steve Jobs, being just as charismatic and just as innovative as the products he oversees, have finally won the people over. Apple is no longer just an exclusive club waiting to die. It was a growing party. To drive the point home, Steve Jobs even presented himself, in a minimalistic form with the turtleneck and jeans, just to embody the spirit in which Apple will work. Every machine ever since the iPod nano has been absolutely nothing short of phenomenal. Did they have faults? Of course. The release of the iPhone in 2007 was often ignored because no one was ready for it. The MacBook Air was too impractical. That list can grow.
However, Apple did not stop. They only made better and better machines, with improved battery life, better form factor, yearly OS tweaks. It was amazing. Apple is no longer that beige box in the corner of every late 90's elementary school classroom. Apple is now, in everyone's pockets, purses, jackets, backpacks, labs...you name it. For this, we salute you, Steve Jobs.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Post 018
October 4th is a day that was perhaps slightly over-hyped in my world. Part of me had wished for a change starting in the early morning. I had gone to bed, thinking that I could make a difference. I would step up and really let loose a volley of well-constructed phrases that not only explained to the prof of my web components course that despite my respecting him for that PhD title that he holds, I do not agree with his teaching methods.
I wanted to tell him that he was difficult to follow. The fact that he runs to his laptop, to the whiteboard, scribbles some random note, and decides to pass it off as teaching irks me. I want to point all these flaws out to him, but I find myself sitting back and just giving up. While leaning back in my seat, I raise my feet so that my legs are parallel to the ground. Using my arms I push onto the underside of the table behind me, and start stretching my shoulder muscles. I started to stare blankly at the screen and realize, why this was a useless idea. He hadn't listened two minutes ago when my fellow peers tried to explain that there are nonexistent classmates on their team list.
This is what perhaps causes the biggest pain for me, as I find that I do not seem to get the motivation to make something of my education when the educator doesn't seem to give me the support I'm looking for. Strike 1. I'm feeling that this is becoming a write-off day.
The high point of the day must be Chevy's demonstration at Yonge Dundas Square. Having the chance to parallel park the Chevy Orlando, and test drive the much hyped Chevy Volt, I feel that I can only shake my head at the thought of new cars. Most new cars have New Car Syndrome. The steering racks are all now electric-assisted power steering. There is no feel to the front wheels. It's like turning a very loose circle, with no feel of how much force is fighting back from the road. That's before I get to the windows. New cars have large windows up front and ever shrinking windows till you reach the back, where you're lucky if the designer didn't decide to put a spoiler in the middle of your rear window, cutting down the already small window to something even smaller. I should get used to looking out of a porthole, because that's what rear windows will look like in the future.
Then came the news from Cupertino. For months, I had been preaching of the arrival of the iPhone 5. I spoke of a larger screen, an 8MP camera, the A5 processor, faster speeds, a replacement touch button instead of the home button, and a slimmer design. The A5 processor, 8MP camera and higher speed came into fruition by means of Moore's Law, but the rest was all gone. Not only was there no iPhone 5, but there was an iPhone 4S. It was lackluster. It was boring, it was stupid, and it seemed recycled. Apple had spent extra time to push this out, totally trumped our expectations of a summer launch just so they can have a presentation for a machine that clearly was sub-par by Apple's standards.
Perhaps graphics will be a change. Maybe I can ask a question that can solve my problems. I could finally solve my headache from last night. Perhaps I was wrong. Not only was it difficult to present my problem when there was nothing to explain my situation, I also couldn't get any pointers to solving the problem. This was too much to handle.
I'm dubbing this disappointment day. It's not so bad that it'd be considered a bad day. However, it's so difficult to comprehend how so many things can just fall short of expectation on the same day. October 4th : Disappointment Day.....*sigh*
I wanted to tell him that he was difficult to follow. The fact that he runs to his laptop, to the whiteboard, scribbles some random note, and decides to pass it off as teaching irks me. I want to point all these flaws out to him, but I find myself sitting back and just giving up. While leaning back in my seat, I raise my feet so that my legs are parallel to the ground. Using my arms I push onto the underside of the table behind me, and start stretching my shoulder muscles. I started to stare blankly at the screen and realize, why this was a useless idea. He hadn't listened two minutes ago when my fellow peers tried to explain that there are nonexistent classmates on their team list.
This is what perhaps causes the biggest pain for me, as I find that I do not seem to get the motivation to make something of my education when the educator doesn't seem to give me the support I'm looking for. Strike 1. I'm feeling that this is becoming a write-off day.
The high point of the day must be Chevy's demonstration at Yonge Dundas Square. Having the chance to parallel park the Chevy Orlando, and test drive the much hyped Chevy Volt, I feel that I can only shake my head at the thought of new cars. Most new cars have New Car Syndrome. The steering racks are all now electric-assisted power steering. There is no feel to the front wheels. It's like turning a very loose circle, with no feel of how much force is fighting back from the road. That's before I get to the windows. New cars have large windows up front and ever shrinking windows till you reach the back, where you're lucky if the designer didn't decide to put a spoiler in the middle of your rear window, cutting down the already small window to something even smaller. I should get used to looking out of a porthole, because that's what rear windows will look like in the future.
Then came the news from Cupertino. For months, I had been preaching of the arrival of the iPhone 5. I spoke of a larger screen, an 8MP camera, the A5 processor, faster speeds, a replacement touch button instead of the home button, and a slimmer design. The A5 processor, 8MP camera and higher speed came into fruition by means of Moore's Law, but the rest was all gone. Not only was there no iPhone 5, but there was an iPhone 4S. It was lackluster. It was boring, it was stupid, and it seemed recycled. Apple had spent extra time to push this out, totally trumped our expectations of a summer launch just so they can have a presentation for a machine that clearly was sub-par by Apple's standards.
Perhaps graphics will be a change. Maybe I can ask a question that can solve my problems. I could finally solve my headache from last night. Perhaps I was wrong. Not only was it difficult to present my problem when there was nothing to explain my situation, I also couldn't get any pointers to solving the problem. This was too much to handle.
I'm dubbing this disappointment day. It's not so bad that it'd be considered a bad day. However, it's so difficult to comprehend how so many things can just fall short of expectation on the same day. October 4th : Disappointment Day.....*sigh*
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Post 015
The 21st post is dedicated to the newest and hottest in the electronics industry : E3 and WWDC. Sad I don't have anything to update in ages...
Let's start with Apple. Every single year, at approximately this time, we wait intently for the new iPhone. No....they can't do that this year, they just released the white iPhone 4. Gotta say...black iPhone 4 is still prettier.
Apple has made a big fuss of making your experience with your iOS device unbelievable. They have been amazing in terms of the little things. It's with time, that you realize how much an Apple product had made a perfect choice in design (unless you own an Apple product and love it already, then any subsequent release will have you saying : wow...nice move). Apple's latest updates are actually nothing short of spectacular. The details, are not worth going over...why have me talk about it when the entire world has coverage on it already. So....start here, then search it up on google if you're still interested.
It's very strange though..Apple has this obsession with saying "10 key features" throughout the entire keynote. Maybe it's a time thing...but I guess it makes sense to talk about 5% of all your new features to keep people on the hook.
E3, has some nice new releases, with Microsoft announcing new Kinect games, especially Forza 4, the new Tom Clancy game and their new Kinect Fun Lab...but what I must say is, Kinect was never really Project Natale. Project Natale debuted at E3 about 2 years ago, and without a doubt, it was amazing back then. Today, it is amazing for what it is, but unfortunately, it never really lived up to it's hype. Perhaps, it was a financial decision that changed the way Kinect is, but without a doubt, fans were slightly disappointed. Let's hope this changes things.
Sony debuted their latest PSP successor, called the Vita. *shrugs*
Now, here's the really amazing part about this time of year, is because we're all really anxious because we're dying for some excitement throughout these summer months. However, that's the sad part. We are so hyped and anxious right now, that by the time these products do come out, we'll be on edge and itching to buy one. We've been talking about it all summer, that by the time these products come out, we'll be so high strung. The worse part is, we're not alone, so by the time you are in the store trying to get your hands on one, you'll end up having to have to fight about 30 other hardcore fans, only to realize, it was sold out about 2 hrs ago, because the first batch sold out that quickly. Of course, unless you're one of those people who line up at midnight, in which case, well....I don't even know what to say considering I've never done that, so I'll have no words of comfort to offer.
Happy waiting!
Let's start with Apple. Every single year, at approximately this time, we wait intently for the new iPhone. No....they can't do that this year, they just released the white iPhone 4. Gotta say...black iPhone 4 is still prettier.
Apple has made a big fuss of making your experience with your iOS device unbelievable. They have been amazing in terms of the little things. It's with time, that you realize how much an Apple product had made a perfect choice in design (unless you own an Apple product and love it already, then any subsequent release will have you saying : wow...nice move). Apple's latest updates are actually nothing short of spectacular. The details, are not worth going over...why have me talk about it when the entire world has coverage on it already. So....start here, then search it up on google if you're still interested.
It's very strange though..Apple has this obsession with saying "10 key features" throughout the entire keynote. Maybe it's a time thing...but I guess it makes sense to talk about 5% of all your new features to keep people on the hook.
E3, has some nice new releases, with Microsoft announcing new Kinect games, especially Forza 4, the new Tom Clancy game and their new Kinect Fun Lab...but what I must say is, Kinect was never really Project Natale. Project Natale debuted at E3 about 2 years ago, and without a doubt, it was amazing back then. Today, it is amazing for what it is, but unfortunately, it never really lived up to it's hype. Perhaps, it was a financial decision that changed the way Kinect is, but without a doubt, fans were slightly disappointed. Let's hope this changes things.
Sony debuted their latest PSP successor, called the Vita. *shrugs*
Now, here's the really amazing part about this time of year, is because we're all really anxious because we're dying for some excitement throughout these summer months. However, that's the sad part. We are so hyped and anxious right now, that by the time these products do come out, we'll be on edge and itching to buy one. We've been talking about it all summer, that by the time these products come out, we'll be so high strung. The worse part is, we're not alone, so by the time you are in the store trying to get your hands on one, you'll end up having to have to fight about 30 other hardcore fans, only to realize, it was sold out about 2 hrs ago, because the first batch sold out that quickly. Of course, unless you're one of those people who line up at midnight, in which case, well....I don't even know what to say considering I've never done that, so I'll have no words of comfort to offer.
Happy waiting!
Friday, March 4, 2011
Post 012
So, after Mac OSX Lion, what better to talk about than the recent release of the iPad 2? iPad 2 is basically Apple's latest answer to threats from it's competitors including the Samsung Galaxy Tab, the Blackberry Playbook, the HP Xoom and the LG....um....I remember the name of that thing.....I'll remember eventually.
The sad reality behind all of these "competitors" to the iPad is that they are all copies. Cute copies, but nevertheless, futile. It was very similar to the iPhone. After the iPhone was released, there were competitors, and there were competitors. There were competitors that were merely copies, like the various HTC devices that came out prior to the release of the Dream/Magic and they actually did pretty well. It is without a doubt that the only TRUE competitor for the iPhone is none other than the Android-powered devices of the Samsung Galaxy S phones. These phones are available for every known carrier on the planet, and backed by a pretty good Android OS which gets better and better with every software update. These were fine and good phones. They started off as copies, but nevertheless, they have grown in their own respective manner and have really gave Apple a run for their money while trying hard to stave off this growing threat.
However, there were the other competitors. The ones that never really stacked up. The various touchscreen LGs, the Nokia N5800 and its variants...the list goes on. I was once presented with the Nokia N5800 with a very ambitious commentary, saying it was "an iPhone fighter". The only thing that phone can ever take in a real fight, is probably itself, because of how slow the Symbian OS was, often besting itself in how slow and how unintuitive the controls on a phone can actually be. On a side note : Nokia's CEO was angry that Nokia is losing the smartphone battle a while back. Hint hint : run your devices with Android, and you'll be fine.
So, the reality of the situation is : Apple comes out with a great product, people love it, some people try hard to create a "competitor", and they make utterly ridiculous copies. Let's start off with the Galaxy Tab. Yes, it's fast. Yes, it's running on Android, but the truth is, it really never was as amazing as the iPad. The iPad is supposedly a major leap forward in that it really turned mobile computing from the dinky netbooks into something amazing to use. The iPad is like, a clipboard, it's like a book, it's like a video player, it's basically, the bare bits and pieces of today's computing habits, all rolled into one thin, beautiful slate, that really attracts people to buy one.
So that brings me on to the release of the new iPad 2. I've said before that the first iPad was mind blowing. It made sense after you've played with it. It seems to work out just right. So, what is it then that Apple could do to make improvement on such great success? Simple, a thinner device, lighter, greater video performance, and the cameras that its competitors have, and most of all, a better processor. That's not all. The folks at Apple have also revealed something very very revolutionary in the form of a magnetic cover. The cover is a magnet stuck to a cover, which basically covers the machine and protects the precious touch screen. However, that's not all. There is more. Upon lifting the cover, the screen turns on, while placing the cover turns off the screen. It then serves as a stand for the iPad 2, working in all orientations. It also sits in the right spot all the time because it is magnetic.
Now, the best part out of all this is the iPad's price. Apple still manages to make the cheapest tablet computer on the market. The largest screen, the best hardware, and a very friendly interface. It just about makes the world perfect. Now, if only I had the money to actually buy one.
The sad reality behind all of these "competitors" to the iPad is that they are all copies. Cute copies, but nevertheless, futile. It was very similar to the iPhone. After the iPhone was released, there were competitors, and there were competitors. There were competitors that were merely copies, like the various HTC devices that came out prior to the release of the Dream/Magic and they actually did pretty well. It is without a doubt that the only TRUE competitor for the iPhone is none other than the Android-powered devices of the Samsung Galaxy S phones. These phones are available for every known carrier on the planet, and backed by a pretty good Android OS which gets better and better with every software update. These were fine and good phones. They started off as copies, but nevertheless, they have grown in their own respective manner and have really gave Apple a run for their money while trying hard to stave off this growing threat.
However, there were the other competitors. The ones that never really stacked up. The various touchscreen LGs, the Nokia N5800 and its variants...the list goes on. I was once presented with the Nokia N5800 with a very ambitious commentary, saying it was "an iPhone fighter". The only thing that phone can ever take in a real fight, is probably itself, because of how slow the Symbian OS was, often besting itself in how slow and how unintuitive the controls on a phone can actually be. On a side note : Nokia's CEO was angry that Nokia is losing the smartphone battle a while back. Hint hint : run your devices with Android, and you'll be fine.
So, the reality of the situation is : Apple comes out with a great product, people love it, some people try hard to create a "competitor", and they make utterly ridiculous copies. Let's start off with the Galaxy Tab. Yes, it's fast. Yes, it's running on Android, but the truth is, it really never was as amazing as the iPad. The iPad is supposedly a major leap forward in that it really turned mobile computing from the dinky netbooks into something amazing to use. The iPad is like, a clipboard, it's like a book, it's like a video player, it's basically, the bare bits and pieces of today's computing habits, all rolled into one thin, beautiful slate, that really attracts people to buy one.
So that brings me on to the release of the new iPad 2. I've said before that the first iPad was mind blowing. It made sense after you've played with it. It seems to work out just right. So, what is it then that Apple could do to make improvement on such great success? Simple, a thinner device, lighter, greater video performance, and the cameras that its competitors have, and most of all, a better processor. That's not all. The folks at Apple have also revealed something very very revolutionary in the form of a magnetic cover. The cover is a magnet stuck to a cover, which basically covers the machine and protects the precious touch screen. However, that's not all. There is more. Upon lifting the cover, the screen turns on, while placing the cover turns off the screen. It then serves as a stand for the iPad 2, working in all orientations. It also sits in the right spot all the time because it is magnetic.
Now, the best part out of all this is the iPad's price. Apple still manages to make the cheapest tablet computer on the market. The largest screen, the best hardware, and a very friendly interface. It just about makes the world perfect. Now, if only I had the money to actually buy one.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Post 011
Apple has recently released news regarding the new OSX Lion. Now, the only thing really missing is next week's iPad release, and until June, we won't be hearing from them anymore. So, let's talk first about the OSX Lion. Apple has always been really amazing with the way they designed user interfaces. Aside from a mac, my first interaction with an Apple product is none other than an iPod. In fact, it was an iPod Nano Gen 2. At the time, I was amazed at how easy it was to navigate. It's very hard to get a good feel of it at first, with the whole scrollwheel and all. However, with time, it made sense. It was intuitive, and in fact, very good.
Apple had announced the iPhone in early 2007, and it wasn't too long before yours truly had a chance to see what it was like. It was absolutely hard to make sense of it at first. Other than being a touchscreen phone that supported multi-touch gestures (something very useful and innovative of course), it was hard to understand why one would buy into this. You needed a data plan, which cost another $30-$40 on top of what you pay already, making the average phone bill for an iPhone to be in the ball park of about $60-70. This was also before the App Store supported third party apps.
It wasn't until shortly afterward, when the iPhone was given upgrades, the camera is now better, with touch to zoom, third party apps through the App Store, cheaper data plans, and for one, the onscreen keyboard that is now easier to use. It made the entire iPhone experience much much better. In fact, the more you play with an iPhone, the more amazed you are by it. It started to make sense; all the tiny details, the location of buttons, the gestures, and the interface...everything about it seemed right, and strangely..everything seemed very intuitive.
So, when the iPad came out, I did the inevitable: I jumped on the bandwagon along with all other skeptics and completely made fun of it. It was a super-sized iPod Touch, a tablet without a proper widescreen, it was a scam from Apple to force you to buy more attachments because it didn't support a lot of stuff, it was the precursor for me to purchase an iPad Nano (reference to iPhone), how it was the precursor to Apple making bigger products, like an iBoard or iMat etc..etc. It didn't take long before the iPad finally reached Canadian shores, and it was one fateful Friday morning, when I tried it out at my local Best Buy, and realized how much the iPad made sense. It wasn't cluttered like other attempts to make tablet PCs. It supported a "mobileness" in its attempt to be a computer that can be carried around, with a big huge touchscreen, while not having any keyboard at all. It was amazing because being bigger than an iPod Touch, you can actually type properly on it. It wasn't hard to type on an iPod Touch/iPhone, but it was easier on the iPad. The viewing area is amazing, the feel of it was just perfect. So once again, an Apple product had grown on me.
So, with the release of Lion, is it going to be the same? I personally always found that Apple products are very strange. It was hard to like at first. It is difficult to play around with a Mac when you first get to it, but after a bit of work, despite the odd quirk here and there, it's not hard to play with. In fact, that's why I'm confident with OSX Lion. I want to say, that once I get to use it, I'll find that it's really wonderful, that integrating it with the Apple's trackpad can make it all worth the while.
OSX Lion is released with a bunch of new tweaks from iOS. It will have the same sort of scroll gestures, and similar app layout. As far as I'm concerned, it sounds great. However, will it be something that makes sense? Will it be desirable, and grow on me? Only time will tell. Hope reading week was good for everyone!
Apple had announced the iPhone in early 2007, and it wasn't too long before yours truly had a chance to see what it was like. It was absolutely hard to make sense of it at first. Other than being a touchscreen phone that supported multi-touch gestures (something very useful and innovative of course), it was hard to understand why one would buy into this. You needed a data plan, which cost another $30-$40 on top of what you pay already, making the average phone bill for an iPhone to be in the ball park of about $60-70. This was also before the App Store supported third party apps.
It wasn't until shortly afterward, when the iPhone was given upgrades, the camera is now better, with touch to zoom, third party apps through the App Store, cheaper data plans, and for one, the onscreen keyboard that is now easier to use. It made the entire iPhone experience much much better. In fact, the more you play with an iPhone, the more amazed you are by it. It started to make sense; all the tiny details, the location of buttons, the gestures, and the interface...everything about it seemed right, and strangely..everything seemed very intuitive.
So, when the iPad came out, I did the inevitable: I jumped on the bandwagon along with all other skeptics and completely made fun of it. It was a super-sized iPod Touch, a tablet without a proper widescreen, it was a scam from Apple to force you to buy more attachments because it didn't support a lot of stuff, it was the precursor for me to purchase an iPad Nano (reference to iPhone), how it was the precursor to Apple making bigger products, like an iBoard or iMat etc..etc. It didn't take long before the iPad finally reached Canadian shores, and it was one fateful Friday morning, when I tried it out at my local Best Buy, and realized how much the iPad made sense. It wasn't cluttered like other attempts to make tablet PCs. It supported a "mobileness" in its attempt to be a computer that can be carried around, with a big huge touchscreen, while not having any keyboard at all. It was amazing because being bigger than an iPod Touch, you can actually type properly on it. It wasn't hard to type on an iPod Touch/iPhone, but it was easier on the iPad. The viewing area is amazing, the feel of it was just perfect. So once again, an Apple product had grown on me.
So, with the release of Lion, is it going to be the same? I personally always found that Apple products are very strange. It was hard to like at first. It is difficult to play around with a Mac when you first get to it, but after a bit of work, despite the odd quirk here and there, it's not hard to play with. In fact, that's why I'm confident with OSX Lion. I want to say, that once I get to use it, I'll find that it's really wonderful, that integrating it with the Apple's trackpad can make it all worth the while.
OSX Lion is released with a bunch of new tweaks from iOS. It will have the same sort of scroll gestures, and similar app layout. As far as I'm concerned, it sounds great. However, will it be something that makes sense? Will it be desirable, and grow on me? Only time will tell. Hope reading week was good for everyone!
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