Hardware 2.0

November 25th, 2009

Does Amazon know where it's going with the Kindle?

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 2:23 am

Categories: Admin

Tags: Amazon.com Inc., Amazon Kindle, Kindle, Kindle 2, E-books, Personal Technology, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Yesterday Amazon released an update to its Kindle ebook, adding PDF support and dramatically improving battery life. But does Amazon know where it’s going with the Kindle, or is the technology already on borrowed time?

See, in theory the Kindle sounds like a great idea. First, it’s got that cool vibe to it, almost to the point that you expect it to have an Apple logo on it. It also does what it says it does on the tin (that is, act as an ebook reader) very well. Also, it’s got the clout of Amazon behind it, and that’s got to count for something.

But to be honest I don’t hold much hope for the Kindle (an Amazon Kindle at any rate) being around in the long term. In fact, given what we’re seeing right now, I wouldn’t bet on it being around in three years time.

Why?

Well, a lot of Read the rest of this entry »

November 24th, 2009

Apple ads dodge the network coverage issues

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 9:36 am

Categories: Apple

Tags: Apple iPhone, Advertisement, Network, Verizon Communications Inc., AT&T Corp., Apple Inc., 3G, Smart Phones, Cellular Phones, Consumer Electronics

According to the folks at Engadget, Apple will tonight roll out two new ads that counter Verizon’s attack on the iPhone and the AT&T network it is bound to.

What I think is interesting about these ads is how they attempt to dodge the point that Verizon is making that, basically the AT&T network, and because it’s tied to it, the iPhone, sucks. Instead, the ads point out how you can use voice and data simultaneously on the iPhone.

Yes … but …

In a way these ads play into the hands of Verizon because while it’s true that you can make voice calls and use 3G on the iPhone, if you happen to be in a area that’s devoid of 3G coverage and have to resort to EDGE, you can’t do voice and data together.

Apple iPhone Ad - Did You See My Email? from Arik Hesseldahl on Vimeo.

Apple iPhone Ad - What Time’s The Movie? from Arik Hesseldahl on Vimeo.

The feedback that I and others are getting from AT&T users paints a pretty poor picture of the network, and if Apple wants to start defending a position that seems indefensible, it’s only going to annoy those users suffering from poor performance even more.

November 24th, 2009

"Turkey Day" tech support survival kit

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 9:13 am

Categories: How to ...

Tags: PC, USB Flash Drive, Survival Kit, Ultimate Boot CD, Chances, Microsoft Windows 7, Desktops, Microsoft Windows, Flash Memory, Operating Systems

Accept it, if you read this blog then your “Tech IQ” will be way ahead of your average PC users (and I mean wayyyy ahead!). And I bet that you’re surrounded by friends and family who just about know how to switch their PC on, and who have only got beyond the fear of the demons that make the “TV bit” work.

Thanksgiving is a time of year which sees the techies and the non-techies come together, and chances are that you being the techie, the non-techies will spot you and hunt you down (a bit like duplicates seek out the normal folks in “Invasion of the Body Snatchers”), looking for free advice and “help” troubleshooting a problem. And why not. Don’t doctors all get shows boils and sores at get-togethers, and lawyers help family members with their latest lawsuits? No …

With this in mind, I’ve put together what I call a “Turkey Day” tech support survival kit. I’ve called it a “Turkey Day” kit but I’m sure it will work just as well at other times of year, but this seems to be the time of year when the techie’s superhero skills are in greatest demand.

So, without any more preamble, here are my recommendations for a “Turkey Day” tech support survival kit: Read the rest of this entry »

November 24th, 2009

Law firm interested in hearing from banned Xbox Live gamers

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 9:12 am

Categories: Legal, Microsoft

Tags: Console, Microsoft Xbox Live, Microsoft Corp., Microsoft Xbox, Abington IP, Game Players, Consumer Electronics, Personal Technology, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

A US law firm is keen to hear from Xbox gamers recently banned from Microsoft Xbox Live.

Abington IP has posted the following notice on its website:

An investigation is currently being conducted regarding business practices of Microsoft with respect to its recent cancellation of certain modified Xbox consoles for use with Xbox Live.

As has been reported widely in the media, tens of thousands of Xbox owners have had their modified Xbox consoles banned from Microsoft’s online gaming service Xbox Live. Although modification of Xbox consoles is *arguably* against the terms of use for Xbox/Xbox Live, Microsoft “conveniently” timed the Xbox console ban to coincide with the release of the new Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 game and less than two months after the release of the very popular Halo 3: ODST game. This “convenient” timing may have resulted in more Xbox Live subscription revenues for Microsoft than it would have generated had these Xbox console bans taken place at some time before the release of Halo 3: ODST and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Additionally, sales of both Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (published by Activision) and Halo 3: ODST (published by Microsoft Game Studios) would likely have been greatly diminished had the Xbox console ban occurred prior to the release of these games.

It’s not just bans that the law firm want to hear about either:

Additional *reported* problems resulting from the bans include, but are not necessarily limited to:
* Disabling/altering Xbox functionality *NOT* associated with Xbox Live or piracy (HDD functionality for example);
* Disabling/altering Xbox functionality *NOT* associated with piracy (Netflix, game add-ons, music, and arcade games for example);
* Obtaining information from Xbox consoles without permission of the owner;
* Other problems/consequences associated with these bans have been reported here and elsewhere.

The law form does acknowledge that piracy is a problem for Microsoft but feels the software giant was too heavy-handed:

As an aside, PIRACY IS A LEGITIMATE CONCERN for Microsoft and other content producers. HOWEVER, (to use a poor analogy) Microsoft has chosen to use one of the most indiscriminate “weapons” in its arsenal in an effort to combat piracy — as a result, use of this “weapon” has resulted in a great deal of collateral damage — many people were affected who had nothing to do with piracy. Furthermore, Xbox console functions that have nothing to do with piracy were also affected or disabled. Details aside, Microsoft’s bans could (and should) have been more measured.

Also, if you were banned, did you get a refund for time paid up foor Xbox Live?

If you are an Xbox Live subscriber, had your modified Xbox console banned from Xbox Live, were not refunded a prorated sum for the time left on your subscription or have experienced other problems as a result of being banned, and would like to participate in a class action against Microsoft, please submit your information below.

I’ve heard from a lot of people who claim they were banned for no reason and can’t get any help from Microsoft technical staff. Well, now there’s someone who will listen to your problems.

November 23rd, 2009

Is Apple being too precious about the App Store?

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 6:54 am

Categories: Apple

Tags: Developer, Apple Inc., App, Tools & Techniques, Management, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president for worldwide product marketing, talks about the App Store approval process. But is the process too cumbersome, tedious and does Apple take too much responsibility for the content of apps?

Speaking to BusinessWeek, here’s what Schiller had to say about the App Store approval process:

Most are approved and some are sent back to the developer. In about 90% of those cases, Apple requests technical fixes–usually for bugs in the software or because something doesn’t work as expected, Schiller says. Developers are generally glad to have this safety net because usually Apple’s review process finds problems they actually want to fix, he says.

In some 10% of cases where an app is sent back, that’s because it’s inappropriate. “There have been applications submitted for approval that will steal personal data, or which are intended to help the user break the law, or which contain inappropriate content,” Schiller says.

About 1% or fewer of returned apps fall into some gray area that Apple hasn’t anticipated–for instance, applications intended to help the user cheat at gambling in casinos. “We had to go study state and international laws about what’s legal and what isn’t, and what legal exposure that creates for Apple or the customer,” Schiller says. The verdict: Apps that help a user learn how to play are O.K.; those designed to help a person cheat don’t make the cut.

Apple is also vigilant about potentially illegal use of trademarks, particularly its own. “If you don’t defend your trademarks, in the end you end up not owning them,” Schiller says. “And sometimes other companies come to us saying they’ve seen their trademarks used in apps without permission. We see that a lot.” Still, the trademark rules can be applied inflexibly, he concedes.

So let’s get this straight. Apple tests the software and reports bugs back to developers. It also trawls the law books trying to figure out the legality of other apps. Oh, and it also polices trademarks.

Why?

After all, Apple’s App Store is just an outlet for apps. Why is the company taking it upon itself to work its way through the 10,000 or so apps submitted to the App Store each week?

The answer: Apple likes to have an iron-fist grip on its platform.

Problem is, not everyone likes to be subject to such tyrannical policies. Take Facebook developer Read the rest of this entry »

November 20th, 2009

Chrome OS - The good, the bad and the ugly, and how it fits in with Windows, Mac and Linux

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 5:34 am

Categories: Hardware, Software

Tags: Google Inc., Apple Macintosh, Operating System, Operating Systems, Microsoft Windows, Linux, Software, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

After yesterday’s Google Chrome OS announcement I’ve had a little time to think about Google’s vision for the OS and how it fits in with Windows, Mac and Linux.

The Good

There’s a lot I like about Chrome OS because it sound different enough and radical enough to maybe get people thinking a little differently about what an OS is and how it relates, how to secure it, how it interacts with the hardware and how the user interacts with the it. Certainly the way that Google plans to make Chrome OS speedier and more secure shows that there’s been a lot of out of the box thinking going on.

Note: What was interesting at yesterday’s announcement was that during the Q&A session at the end how many of the tech press questions and comments seemed to want to drag the project back from being radical and make it into what we already have,

For example, take changes to the boot sequence …

… verified boot …

… and how easy it is to re-image the OS following malware or corruption …

There’s also tight integration with Google’s massive array of online apps. Now, depending on how you view Google this can either be a good thing or a very bad thing. However, it’s hard to deny that a machine where all your data and settings are synced to the cloud for both storage and security is a very interesting way to mitigate data and system loss disasters. The idea that your data isn’t tied to a particular system is interesting, and the idea that all local data is encrypted is also very interesting.

I also like the fact that Google has made the project truly open source and is allowing outside developer involvement. Actually, I think it’s been done at exactly the right time too - some of the framework has been put in place, but now the project can evolve. It’ll be interesting to see where it goes.

The Bad, the ugly –>

November 19th, 2009

Google Chrome OS announcement

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 10:09 am

Categories: Software

Tags: Google Inc., Operating System, Google Chrome, Operating Systems, Software, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Highlights from the Google Chrome OS announcement today.

• No launch, beta or devices today (contrary to what was being reported on some outlets)
• Chrome OS a year away
• Project goes fully open-sourced today
• Just over a year since Chrome browser launch - 40 million regular users
• 39x faster JavaScript compared to IE8
• Over past year, Chrome browser updated 19 times
• Chrome browser for Mac and Linux coming, as are extensions
• Google want Chrome OS to access GPU, have better access to system resources
• Perfect storm of converging trends - Netbook growth, cloud, laptop and netbook becoming more like phones, phones becoming smarter, overall increase in mobility
• Google Chrome OS focuses on three things - Speed (”fast like a TV”), Simplicity, Security
• On Chrome OS, every app is a web app, simple to use, easy to maintain
• All data on Chrome OS is in the cloud
• “If I lose my Chrome OS machine, I should be able to go out and buy another and be up and running in minutes …” No local data
• Cold reboot demo - to logon screen in 7 sec, full OS in another 3 sec
• Chrome OS looks like Chrome browser
• Applications can be pinned as favorite applications “tabs”
  
• All data stored in the cloud in Google Docs
• Streaming music from YouTube
  
• Google OS make good entertainment platform
• Reading ebooks
  
• Microsoft has been working on a killer app for Chrome OS … Office Web App ;)
  
• “Want computers to be delightful and work”
• Looking through USB flash drive:
  
• All Chrome OS storage based on solid state drives
• Speed improvements based on following changed:
  
• Verified boot to improve security:
  
• Reboot to recover - reimaging on the fly:
  
• Security for an Internet age
  
  
• User data on machine is always encrypted and always synced to the cloud - local data is just a cache
• “Not another OS, but choice for users”
• Google working with OEMs to come up with reference hardware (SSDs, WiFi cards … etc …)
• Target time frame - end of 2010, for Holiday market
• Google want larger netbooks with larger keyboards, touchpads etc
• Chrome OS not downloadable - will have to buy a Chrome OS device … hmmm
• Developers can get Chrome OS running on a netbook today - ”You need a screwdriver”
• Flash works, YouTube works …
• Here’s a video for you:
  
• Expect to have prices in the price range people are used to today …
• Google Chrome OS device will be a web-based “companion” device
• There will be some things the device will not do
• Everything that works in Chrome browser, works in Chrome OS (codecs etc)
• “A lot of what you see in Chrome OS will make its way into Chrome”
• Initially focused on netbook form-factor devices, in future could run on laptops and desktops
• Will Chrome OS run on non-Intel (x86) platforms such as ARM? - Yes
• Printers - “We’re taking an innovative approach, more next year. Yes, Chrome OS will print”

The announcement is now winding down (Q&A) so a few personal thoughts:

• Chrome OS sounds interesting but the device reference platform means that unless hardware vendors unify netbook platforms, it’s not a real competitor for Microsoft/Apple
• Chrome OS is definitly aimed at people who are deeply rooted in Google web apps …
• I like the security model, and the cloud-based data and settings system is a nice idea, especially for people who lose/break devices regularly
• Biggest hurdle I see - connectivity, and how the device will work when not hooked to the web

Thoughts?

November 19th, 2009

GIMP dropped from default Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx installation

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 7:25 am

Categories: Linux

Tags: Ubuntu, GIMP, Iso standards, Process Improvement, Quality, Business Operations, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Image editing tool GIMP is to be dropped from the default installation of Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx.

There are a number of reasons cited for this change:

• the general user doesn’t use it
• its user-interface is too complex
• it’s an application for professionals
• desktop users just want to edit photos and they can do that in F-Spot
• it’s a photoshop replacement and photoshop isn’t included by default in Windows…
• it takes up room on the disc

I’m guessing that Ubuntu’s ISO footprint was a big reason for the drop, because the more you add to the OS, the more megabytes are eaten up, and when you need that ISO to fit onto a CD, something might have to give.

I don’t see this being much of a problem though, as it’s a pretty straightforward task to download and install applications. And for those folks that don’t need GIMP, there’s always F-Spot there to pick up the slack.

Do people use GIMP, or is it too complex?

November 19th, 2009

Apple Tablet - Unofficial, unannounced ... but still delayed

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 6:27 am

Categories: Apple, Hardware, In the news

Tags: Apple Inc., DigiTimes, Tablets, Notebooks, Hardware, Notebooks & Tablets, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

It hasn’t been announced it yet, heck, there’s not even any official confirmation of its existence yet, but that doesn’t stop rampant speculation that the Apple’s tablet PC has been delayed until the second half of 2010.

DigiTimes has the info:

“Apple reportedly plans to postpone the launch of its tablet PC from an original March launch schedule to the second half of 2010, as the vendor has decided to switch some components and plans to launch a model using a 9.7-inch OLED panel from LG Display, according to sources from component makers.”

Bottom line, parts will be cheaper come H2 ‘10, which makes sense but then again I don’t see why Apple would “delay” a tablet because of this, given that it’s pretty apparent (especially to a big OEM like Apple) that components get cheaper over time. That’s just common sense.

Should we take reports that a rumored product has been delayed seriously?

November 19th, 2009

Radeon HD 5970 - ATI's killer graphics card

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 5:39 am

Categories: AMD/ATI, Gaming, Graphics, Hardware

Tags: Card, Video Card, ATI Technologies Inc., Graphics, Radeon, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Thought that ATI’s Radeon HD 5870 is a killer graphics card? Well you ain’t seen nothing yet - until you’ve seen the Radeon HD 5970.

So, what’s the big deal about the Radeon HD 5970? Well, it’s basically a Radeon HD 5870 part but with two “Cypress” GPUs on a single printed circuit board (PCB). You can think of the HD 5970 as the X2 version of the HD 5870 in much the same way that we saw X2 versions of the HD 3870 and HD 4870.

The spec of the HD 5970 is very impressive indeed:

The HD 5970 forms part of ATI’s “sweet spot” strategy:

What makes the HD 5970 so special - the dual Read the rest of this entry »