Apple… Honestly… Why?
The iPhone is No Longer myPhone.
Questionable decision making at Apple.
If I could find a picture of an Apple shooting itself in the foot I would post it here. Why, you ask? Because that’s exactly what Apple is doing to themselves: shooting themselves in the foot. The iPhone, an excellent example of style and substance coming together to form something truly great, is quickly losing its media support and customer appeal. The phone, which is absolutely beautiful, has been crippled by Apple when they launched the new firmware upgrade.
You can read a bit more about it here on Gizmodo. Back with me? Good- I want to talk about how Apple is effectively blowing their metaphorical heads off with this.
- Consumers will lose trust - Come on, when the iPhone was released it was hugely sought after world wide. Why limit international customers (who are legitimately buying their iPhones) from owning/using one? It likely thought process is that allowing international customers to have an iPhone would strengthen Apple’s position in the market for future releases. I’m sorry, but I am beyond confused here.
- The brand image will suffer - Why was the Razr so successful when it launched? Because people everywhere could get their hands on it! What the heck is the point of alienating an entire (global) market? All this will do is negatively impact Apple as a brand and as a company- look at Sony and the PS3. Apple, don’t make that mistake!
- Consumers will move on - All of this negative press (both online and offline) is going to cause customers to move on to other products that are being released. I’d rather spend my cash on a new HTC Touch simply because I know that my hard earned cash earns me a capable phone and the right to use it. Sorry Apple, but you just went too far with this one.
- Third-party support defines a product - I can understand removing locked phones (well, I can’t, but whatever), but why get rid of the third-party applications that were made for the iPhone? Having a dedicated fanbase and group of developers is akin to rapidly expanding your market and brand presence, and the best part is that it’s free.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: if anyone at Apple sees this and wants to hire on someone with a bit of sense, you know where to reach me. For god sakes, you won’t be able to live off of the iPod forever!
Don’t Do It Apple!
The Death of the 17″ iMac
Bad Idea.
Wow. A few days ago I posted about how Apple really needs to expand their market position and get their products (or at least their personal computers) out in the public eye. After reading this article I can honestly say that I really wonder who is running the marketing department over at Apple. You can get the full story here, but the cliffs notes are as follows:
- Apple is killing off the 17″ iMac
- The smallest iMac will be the 20″ version
- The Mac Mini has yet to be revamped
It might not seem like a big deal. After all, most people enjoy the benefits of a larger screen (higher resolution, more desktop space, larger picture, etc.), and 17″ used to be big (like six or seven years ago). Today, 19″ is the most common monitor size, and it’s only increasing. With that in mind, killing the 17″ iMac is a good idea, right?
No. Hell no. Apple is doing the one business mistake that will literally suck the life out of their sales: looking at the market myopically. The main failure of the Mac is that it hasn’t been able to penetrate the institution/corporate market yet. With a bit of time and persistence it seems as if the iMac would almost certainly find it’s way into corporate offices- which company wouldn’t want a more stable operating system and strong office capabilities? The problem is that Apple hasn’t presented their product to these markets effectively.
Killing off the 17″ iMac is basically shooting themselves in the foot. A lot of the time institutions (such as libraries or schools) or large corporations don’t want 20″ or 24″ screens simply because they are too big. The 17″ iMac, being the right size (and price), would be the perfect product to offer assuming a slight refresh to the internals. But no, instead they’re going to kill it off completely.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that a large corporation won’t want to spend $2,400 for each computer that it buys when they get the same functionality for $700 a computer. Apple is effectively removing the lower price point, and hence removing their entrant into that market.
Shame on you Apple. There’s a lot more to the world than ultra-cool snowboarders and fashionable trendsetters- didn’t you know that the B2B market is bigger than B2C market?
Star Wars Meets Reality
Holographic Projectors Aren’t Far Off
Now this is cool.
Imagine the implications of holographic technology:
- Visual aids taken to a whole new level - Never get confused or misinformed about size or dimension. You’ll see something completely in 3D, from every possible angle, just as if it were real and tangible. I can’t even begin to comprehend how the medical field and scientific community will benefit from this.
- Movies, television, and gaming taken to the extreme - Imagine seeing an action flick where the characters are running around you. This kind of technology will really set the bar when it makes its way mainstream. I can’t wait to be playing a racing game surrounded by the environment and interacting with the game.
- Share information - Nothing will be missed. Nothing.
There’s so much that a technology like this can provide the global community. The fact that we’ve got something developed and functioning is a great start- it’s less than a decade away from mainstream use (at least, I’m hoping). Cell phones, home phones, televisions, messaging, computing… the entire method by which we exchange visual information would change.
Where two dimensional images are great for projecting or displaying information, three dimensional objects could be use to completely convey and immerse you in that information.
Wow. I’m excited. How about you?
I Love Volcano’s
And soon you will too.
I’m the kind of guy that likes to have things going on in his workspace. I was one of the first to have an electronic LCD picture frame, I was the first guy to have the pendulum LED clock, and now I’m going to be adding a Volcano to the mass of junk that I’ve collected on my desk. For a junk collector (like me) there has never been a better time to be alive.
The Volcano is cool for a variety of reasons:
- Duh… it’s a freakin’ Volcano! Who doesn’t think that molten lava being thrown from a peak to incinerate targets hundreds of meters away is cool? C’mon- that’s my bread and butter.
- It’s animated - There’s nothing more annoying that looking at the same thing all the time. This Volcano erupts and gets busy just like the real thing.
- Umm… hellow? It’s a VOLCANO! I just wanted to make sure that we covered this.
This puppy can be snagged from the Discovery Channels Online Store for $29.99 (plus shipping).
Technical Specifications
- Made in China.
- 1 Year warranty.
- Motion beads and multi-colored LED lights.
- Totally sealed- look ma’, no leaks!
Opinion: Why the Mac Will Ultimately Prevail
Have faith in the Mac.
They’ll get there eventually.
I have just finished reading this article on the Mac, and a few things have popped into my mind. Now, don’t get me wrong: I’ve never owned a Mac. In fact, I’ve owned a PC ever since I was 16 (I hand built my first P2-266 with 64MB of PC-100 RAM and a 4MB S3-ViRGE video card). I used both PC’s and Mac’s, and I’ve chosen to stay with PC’s for one good reason: games. Yes, as you can probably guess by the other posts here, I am a very geeky guy.
I love being able to load up games, play ‘em, and have a great time. Up until recently, that was in no way even remotely feasible with a Mac. Then Apple goes and does this crazy thing: they switch to Intel chipsets and begin offering Mac’s with the Core2Duo processor. Somewhere inside me, in a little remote cavern that rarely sees light, something switched. Suddenly Macs were very appealing, especially considering how nothing on my PC ever seems to work right- all the formatting and rebooting in the world doesn’t change that.
Yet, Mac is still only 3% of the global PC market. I don’t want to be harsh, but that’s pathetic. While Apple seems to focus on the iPod and iTunes, the product that they are internationally known by, the Mac, flounders in the market. Limited retail space, poor partnerships with congruent companies, and a lack of a corporate presence have made the Mac a relatively unsuccessful success.
The thing there is that every single person that I’ve talked to who uses both PC’s and Mac’s prefers the usability and simplicity of the Mac. No frustrating command lines, very few random reboots and crashes, and a very slick and feature rich interface. Oh, there’s never been a better time to own a Mac, and that’s why I’m so puzzled about Apple’s decision not to properly market their computer.
In the end, however, I believe that a Darwinian-esque kind of elimination will take place, and Mac will quickly find themselves riding a wave of conversions. With Microsoft Window’s Vista almost completely loathed by those that use it, the time is ripe for Apple to come in and begin conversions.
So c’mon Apple, I’ve got money in the bank. Get your rears off of your chairs and sell me a bloody Mac!
You Can’t Copy Me!
Now THIS is a Must Buy
No, really- it is.
Here’s a piece of technology that every international company needs: a photocopier that can translate between Korean, Japanese, and English. Scan the document, select “copy, and then choose what language you want it translated too. Interestingly enough, it is also quite good at maintaining the original layout as well.
What do we call this miracle photocopier? The Xerox wonder machine… no seriously, it doesn’t have an “official” name yet. In fact, there aren’t even plans for mass production. However, don’t be surprised when it makes appearances in a few years (commanding a pretty hefty price tag too).
Features:
- Photocopier
- Scanner
- Translator (choose between English, Japanese, and Korean at the press of a button)
- Bragging rights (duh)
Source: Uberreview
Sony is back… finally.
It’s about time.
Shake, shake, shake.
So Sony has finally got their act together and decided that it’s time to offer a rumble feature with their less than stellar Sixaxis controller. I’m not one that usually rags on about technological mishaps or outright mistakes, but how the heck do you remove the rumble feature from your controller? Regardless of whether or not a copyright claim was filed, that feature should be been included. That’d be like making the next generation Playstation (the PS4?) lack wireless controllers.
But, now it’s back and all of the future games are going to support it. Gamers everywhere are going to pony up the $30 or $40 that it’s going to cost when it’s released, and the nerves (and minds) of all of those who were angry with Sony in the first place will be relieved. I, for one, am just glad that the darn thing is back, nevermind the fact that it shouldn’t have left in the first place.
What does this mean for gamers and PS3 enthusiasts? Expect the familiar rumbling of the PS2 controller- that faint vibration that you feel when you miss a turn in racing games, get smacked around in fighting games, or when something important happens in RPG’s. You’d be surprised just how much that really does add to the game.
I Can See You
Combining Two of my Favorite Things
R/C’s and Night Vision. Sweet.
You are not safe anymore. Armed with a night vision camera that can see almost 150 feet and a transmitter that can send a signal 75 feet, I can spy on anyone who happens to be in my path. Day or night, I will know what’s going on. The best part is that with a bit of practice I’ll be able to get in and out without anyone noticing.
If you’ve ever wanted to combine the greatness of R/C cars with the coolness of cameras (and who hasn’t), this toy will scream at you. If you’re thinking about this toy for members of the younger generation, however, you should watch out the following:
- This thing takes nearly 15 batteries - Six in the car and six in the receiver. You would save a bundle by using rechargeable batteries.
- It’s fast - This thing can really move, so be careful where you use it.
- It actively projects a signal - Special goggles (included) receive the video stream that the car is broadcasting, giving the wearer a viewing experience that is similar to watching a 20 inch TV from 5 feet away.
If you’ve ever wanted to have that neat “spy gadget”, this is it. The R/C car is capable enough to be driven all but the most rough terrain, is fast enough to make it a pain in the rear to catch, and will provide hours of entertainment (assuming you’ve got the batteries on hand).
It is available for $140 from Hammacher Schlemmer.
SMASH!
Remote Controlled Mayhem.
Cool.
As a kid I was always enthralled with army toys- tanks, airplanes, helicopters, boats, etc. I can’t even begin to recall how much time I spent with my friends playing “army”, leading waves upon waves of those little green army soldiers to their eventual death on our shag-carpet battlefields. I also remember many glorious victories and a few utter defeats. It was what made my life complete.
And now, 15 years beyond my childish army days we have the ultimate in home entertainment: Remote Controlled Laser Combat Cars, available for purchase from Hammacher Schlemmer. These cars represent everything that is bright and beautiful in the world- motorized, remote controlled, last-shooting cars that roll along the floor annihilating each other. How beyond cool is that?
What’s best is that if you can’t find someone to control the opponent car you can switch it to its AI, which is surprisingly intelligent, and more than capable of wasting your car if you aren’t quick enough. The AI will best even the most experienced RC pilots, so watch out! If you can find someone to duke it out with, make sure that you give them a few minutes to get the hang of the controls as they are a bit different from the usual RC setup.
The lasers can be fired as many times as the player wants (though firing the laser causes a few seconds of recoil), and the game itself lasts until one player has hit the other player 10 times. For a few seconds you can shield yourself with an invisible field that will prevent the enemy laser from doing any damage. It’s about skills, quickness, and strategy- I only wish that these were around when I was a kid.
They are available as over October 1, 2007, and are $100 from Hammacher Schlemmer.
What Happens When You Combine Alcohol And An IPod?
iBar
I want to drink there.
You get the iBar, an example of exemplary processing capabilities and advanced imaging hardware. The iBar is an interactive table top, similar to Microsoft Table, in that it can detect what’s been placed on top of it and can track movements that occur on it. Place your drink on the iBar and it will tell you what you’re drinking based on the shape of the glass; place multiple drinks on the iBar and it will “link” them together with a beam of light across the table top.
The iBar is unique in that it can remember how many drinks you’ve had, offer suggestions about what you might enjoy, and it has the capability to do a whole lot more if you’ll let it. In the future, the iBar may be able to upload photo’s via bluetooth from your mobile phone, displaying them for other bar patrons to enjoy. Or, it may process payments by you simply placing your credit card or debit card down on the bar. Perhaps you’re fancying another drink and don’t know what you’d like? The iBar can display a menu for you to pick and choose from.
The iBar is quite revolutionary, and although it is quite expensive to implement, it represents a massive leap forward in interactivity and the “coolness” factor of a bar. In fact, one bar in London already has one. “24″, as it’s called, is the latest bar in London and is red-hot, largely due to its iBar.
With any luck we’ll be seeing these across the pond sometime soon.
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