Apple
Really interesting short video from Wired, showing off some user interface designs for iPad-centric content. While the demos appear to be running on Adobe Air (as in, not capable of running on the iPad), the concept is powerful and compelling. The sound bite of the video:
"We also think it's an opportunity to reset the economics. For the first time people may value this experience so much that they'll pay for it."
Wow, isn't that what creating a product is all about? Hope the music, movie, and even traditional print industries are taking note, because Wired has figured it out.
People are quick to throw stones at something they have never experienced. With the iPad I'm going to leave the rocks on the ground and take what I've seen at face value. Many have mocked its lack of certain features and 'simplicity'. It's not so much about simplicity, as it is another aspect of that. Maybe it's because I write software for a living, but I like to pay attention to the user experience of what other people write.
As many of you know, people don't like to think. It's not because they're...
Now that the hype has died down a bit over the new Apple iPad, there are quite a few questions that linger over the yet to be released device. The forefront on my mind (and the question no one is asking) is this: Who can publish on the new iBookstore? Apple's Chief Operating Officer, Tim Cook, commented about the new device's revenue generator, hinting that it would 'inspire a whole new gold rush' for publishers. While certainly comforting for those already established, what for those who may now want to get into the market of ePublishing?
Like the much maligned recording...
Yesterday I ventured to get Windows 7 running on my Mac Mini and naturally ran into quite a few problems (quite unlike installing XP). Unfortunately, I could not get the x64 version of Boot Camp 3.1 installed; it would try to install the nVidia driver and then silently fail thereafter. I also ran into the road block of not being able to install the x64 version of Boot Camp 3.0 from the Snow Leopard installation media, but found a work around. You will need the following items:
Snow Leopard installation disc
Boot Camp 3.1...
I am a big fan of Windows 7. I have been pretty critical of Windows Vista, considering it a stop gap to an already tardy update to XP. Simply put, Windows 7 is what Vista should have been. So when Microsoft announced its pricing this morning for the October's release, I was very disappointed.
Pricing for retail upgrade:
Windows 7 Home Premium: $119.99
Windows 7 Professional: $199.99
Windows 7 Ultimate: $219.99
Pricing for retail full:
Windows 7 Home Premium: $199.99
Windows 7...
Despite the modest turn out at Apple and AT&T stores for its release, looks like the iPhone 3GS is just as hot as last year's model, selling over one million units over the weekend.
I too picked one up and it didn't fail to impress. Speed has definitely been on tap as I instantly noticed that it loaded apps in seconds that typically took several seconds to load. The speed here seems a bit clichéd (especially if you've been reading other reviews saying the same) but is well worth the $100 difference between last year's 8GB model currently...
Today was pretty exciting as far as Apple news goes with the announcement of the release of Mac OS X 10.6 'Snow Leopard', new MacBooks, MacBook Air price reductions, iPhone OS 3.0, and yes, the iPhone 3GS. Most rumors actually turned out to be correct, such as MMS, a 3 megapixel auto-focus camera, tethering, magnometer, and video recording. Some that didn't pan out were the new matte finish (instead of a glossy back), but the most happed for, but more far-fetched non-event was the forward facing video lens. Others that I didn't find anywhere on the rumor sites included the...
It's always interesting to pit Microsoft and Apple together for comparisons, even more so, though, since they share a rivalry that spans decades. Ars has some cool analysis from a TechEd 2009 video. The more interesting part involves a mea culpa on the Windows Mobile 6.5 hack job:
The reason why we couldn't complete the interface on Windows Mobile 6.5 is because of time. We only spend what, eight months, nine months, to build 6.5 from ground up and it's actually an amazing engineering feat. But, in order to do that, we had to do some prioritization and we had to...
Windows 7's release is on the horizon with the debut of its first release candidate this week, but even more troubling than the repeat of the myriad versions that we'll have to sort through, most people won't be able to take advantage of the new 'XP Mode'. XP Mode allows a user to run a concurrent virtual instance on Windows XP while using Windows 7. The idea is to ease the transition of users who still need to run certain applications that are not compatible with Windows Vista or 7. That's all fine and dandy, of course, except a few...
As I had mentioned in my previous posts, the biggest barrier to purchasing a Mac had been price. For the hardware that you get it seems awfully expensive when you match that up to a comparably equipped PC. One of the benefits of a Mini, however, are its ultra-compact size, energy efficiencies, and more importantly how quiet it is. I have a 9800GTX+ in my PC and the box sounds like a wind tunnel with all the fans that are in it to keep it cool.
But does it have any guts? I got the lower end model at $599, and...
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