It really irritates me when people write like this… There is no expense cost for the software written, or the CPU development. There is no expense cost for marketing, software support like the ebook shop, or SDK. No costing for distribution or research costs.
Yet, the actual source of information has this important line that seems to have been missed by the writer.
“Please note these cost estimates account only for hardware and manufacturing costs and do not include other expenses such as software, royalties and licensing fees.”
While, not being able to play with it yet, it looks very much like what most people guessed it might be.
Now, I must tell you that I was not excited when I saw it. In fact, when Steve Jobs introduced it, the iPad did not get cheers and excitement. I think it is because we are so used to Apple launching innovative products, and while innovative, there is next to nothing that is ‘new’.
I have to say that iPad, the name makes total sense. iPod, iPad… it is just that the word ‘pad’ only invokes… well… I will just link this… from MadTV.
I am strangely disappointed about not being as excited as I was when most of Apple’s other products were launched. However, the iPad does represent a new product line for the industry. This is not a tablet in the sense that tablet laptops are. This is more and less. It is not a laptop (although it can sit on the top of your lap…) as it cannot do many things a lap top can do. This is not an iPod or iphone, but it can do most of the things they can do (I don’t think you can make calls from the 3G model). Also, BLAH BLAH BLAH about the tech that goes into it… All I want to know is that “it just works”.
So, what is it exactly? I hear you ask. The iPad is an oversized iPod Touch. That, in itself is not all that exciting and I think that is why people were not excited during Steve Jobs’ keynote speech (initially anyway). So then, what is it that will make the iPad successful?
The same reason that the iPod became a success. The iPod, while cool, with cool adverts was not any different from any other MP3 player. In fact, some of the tech was a lot more restrictive compared to other players. What the iPod had was iTunes and the iTunes store that easily paired up with the iPod. As time went by, we notice further enhancements to the player as well as its support. The latest offering is the iPhone, which is an iPod touch with phone functions (let’s not pretend it was a phone first!). The iPhone is a very cool phone. Why? because it borrows off of the iPod’s success. It IS for all intents and purposes, an iPod touch. The question that comes to mind now, is could the iPod Touch have been successful on its own without the iPhone? But I digress. The iPhone, already having the success of the iPod/iTunes/iTunes store built into it, launches the App store. What is so good about that? Well, it can be accessed through iTunes and the iTunes store as well as on the device.
Getting back to the iPad, it has the functionality of an iPod Touch and “more”. That means that you can listen to your music, look at photos (via a new software from Apple), watch movies, use applications from Apple’s App Store, buy music, buy or rent movies, and surf the web via a special version of Safari.
Let’s get to the “more” side of things. More means, App store applications that might be built specifically for the iPad, an ‘eReader’ as well as a NEW electronic book store, as well as make people say in a cafe… “ooh” and “ahh”.
A lot of Apple products represent a pivotal moment in time because of its tech, or the direction the company is moving in an industry sense. However, the iPad does this not only in an industry sense (as it is quite a unique product that may have created its own market (I cannot think of anything else that is similar)), it might just represent one from a social sense. We might see a large reduction in actual news print as it is more convenient to carry this light weight item that potentially weighs less that the Saturday or Sunday paper. Also, while pundits have spoken about the paperless office for decades, we might see a reduction in paper usage because of this convenient gadget used around the office! We might even see a significant reduction in printed books over the next decade or two due to the iPad and Apple’s newly opened bookstore.
So there you have it! The iPad. The story behind it before it’s official release. Will it have over-heating problems? Will it end up a little bit pointless? Or will it revolutionise the way we read and use the Internet?
One thing that I am sure of is that if you are reading the paper, you cannot share the iPad over a morning coffee
It was a sad day. I found it crying out for help one day. It’s fan was screaming in pain. I knew something was wrong. After frantic plugging and replugging, several rebooting attempts as well as holding its power switch for what seemed like an eternity, it was now obvious to me. My Mac Mini was dead.
Remembering back…
It feels like just over a year ago, I bought this Mac Mini for my father to use. It was such a cool little machine! In comparison to getting a PC, the cost is a bit higher, but it is a “SWITCH” machine. This was my father’s first Mac. It comes with no monitor, no mouse and no keyboard. So, if your PC is long in the tooth (like my father’s was), you can pop the Mac Mini in the PC’s place (but the Mac Mini is soooo much more than that! I will post more about the mac mini later).When we bought it, we were offered the extended warranty. Now, extended warranty on anything is such a pain. The extra cost of the thing is just really difficult to put up with at the cash register. When buying anything, to have extended warranty added is quite a costly affair. We are talking about a 25% increase in the cost of the system. Of course, we said “No, thanks!”. Then they say “You can always pick up an extended warranty within your standard warranty time.” Hehe. Like that would happen… I can imagine perusing the Apple store thinking… OH COOL! An Extended Warranty for my Mac Mini! Hmmm… I would much prefer to get that over the Ipod Touch!
So, moving on, the Mac Mini died… about 80 days out of warranty…
My father was really sad. He said. “This is the third time I am losing my emails etc…”
Fighting back tears, I kindly said “I think it is likely that we will be able to do a transplant of its hard drive.”
A few days later, I was in the Apple store in Westfield Doncaster, just window shopping and dreaming of if I had too much cash when I was approached by one of the staff. I asked if the store had a service center and that I had a mac that was dead. He told me all about… THE GENIUS BAR (echo, echo, echo).
What the heck is a Genius bar? Well, even if you are an avid mac user, you don’t know everything about Apple. They have their faults, like any other company. They have their nay sayers, but they also have… wait for it…
THE GENIUS BAR
The Genius bar is a special area within an Apple shop, dedicated to helping Apple product owners. It is like a service center, where you can book some time with a “GENIUS” (echo, echo, echo) and they can help you troubleshoot or diagnose issues with your Apple products. Pretty neat since they don’t charge you for the time.
So, I brought in the remains of my mac mini and one quick diagnosis later, I was told by my GENIUS (echo, echo, echo) that I needed a logic board… HOLY CARP! (That is a fish that has been blessed). That is like the… motherboard in PC language! Even worse, I was out of warranty! Am I regretting not getting the extended warranty now! I was 84 days out of warranty and I must have looked distraught… The GENIUS (echo, echo, echo – is this getting boring?) said, that he could replace it at no cost… HOLY CARP! I thought. This is making me feel the love again!
Ahhh Apple, why do you produce such delicious products? Do you employ more industrial designers than any company? or just the best ones? Now you have given me such great service!
Okay, it MIGHT have to do with the fact that I own lots of Apple stuff that is registered and they can see that I FEEL THE LOVE. It would be bad for someone like me to fall out of love with Apple???
BUT, my advice is… if your mac has issues of any sort, it is worth it to book in to see someone at the Genius bar (no echo this time ^_^). You just might “feel the love” like I did.
In the past few years, a European supermarket chain has opened up in Australia. It is quite an amazing place. I don’t shop there much but I do sometimes see people leaving with mountain bikes, petrol/electric generators, bar fridges etc…
Today I saw something that absolutely takes the cake!
The Aldi near my house has gotten a shipment of unicycles!
Let’s just say that I am a fan of Star Trek. Some might consider me a ‘trekkie’ or ‘trekker’. I am not 100% sure of the difference… suffice to say, that I like watching Next Gen onwards… I always found the older Shattner/Nemoy stuff a bit hard going… Oh! And I don’t dress up as any character(s) from Star Trek or own a uniform.
One last thing before I actually start talking about the movie… This will be my first movie review and I will attempt not to spoil the movie.
In my opinion, the movie should be classified as an action movie. So, putting on my action movie hat…
Story (non spoiler)
The movie is set around the original series crew and we see them as cadets. They are thrown into action as a bad guy comes to town from the future. The storyline takes you on a fast paced roller coaster of laughs, thrills and spills! We even get a cameo of the old Spock (Leonard Nimoy)!
Special Effects
The special effects were also fantastic! Done by the famous Industrial Light and Magic, the elements such as the scene where a random crew member is screaming while being sucked into space then we get silence as we follow her out, added realism to the movie. I assume that you know that… “In space no one can hear you scream” (sorry but had to put that Alien reference in…). Even the scenes with space debris and junk added realism but were also awesome. The space ships were really cool and the explosions were also! It was a veritable special effects feast for the eyes.
Actors
Anyone would have trouble getting over casting Zachary Quinto as Spock. Zachary, having made Sylar famous in Heroes as the serial killer, was so convincing as Sylar that my buddy kept on saying to me in the movie… ‘Noooo he is Sylar! He is going to do something evil!’. But honestly, he is really believable as the half human, half vulcan and by the end of it, he owns the role. Chris Pine plays the role of James T Kirk. To be honest, watching the trailers, I thought he was going to be rubbish. Again, by the end of the movie, you don’t even think about it. All the other actors were either great or gave me no cause for complaints… Although, one actress looked out of place… Winona Ryder played the role of Spock’s mother and well, it seems weird that she would be cast in Star Trek and in such a small role, never to appear again. Yes she is featured in one of the Alien movies, but that doesn’t give her Sci Fi credibility (IMAO).
I think I need to make special mention of Karl Urban. Karl plays ‘Bones’ and he adds a sincerely serious, yet comedic element to the movie. While built like a brick out-house (especially in comparison to the original ‘Bones’), he makes the role his own and plays up to the script.
General
The movie is action packed and has smatterings of comedy to take the sting out of the seriousness that was always previously associated with Star Trek movies (Yes, previous movies had some light moments, but I would not call it full blown comedy that can make you laugh out loud…). There are no plot holes that I could see, since the movie makes it clear that although we have gone back in time, that the time travel elements have clearly created an alternate reality. This makes it easy to make some very big changes from the “original Star Trek history”.
The movie is one big ride and you come out of the cinema feeling good and looking forward to the next one. I am sure there will be a next one, as the first weekend in the US, it took about 76 million bucks. That has got to be pretty decent. I wonder if that includes the hat sales at the pop corn stand? I have two…
Genre:Action Movie
Ratings (out of 10)
Storyline 7.5
Entertainment 9
Special Effects 9.5
Acting 7
Overall Satisfaction 9.5
As a Star Trek fan, this movie does leave you wanting more.
So, I am innocently watching some cable TV while under my doona (duvet for those who are not Australian), thinking about how the Duvet Suit would let me get up to get some food without freezing my thingies off, when an advert comes on… It is the Snuggie!
Basically a blanket with sleeves, the snuggie can be worn like a poncho (with sleeves)… let me think about that for a second… I guess it isn’t a poncho as such… more like a robe with long sleeves, where you can curl your hands into like a monk…
The battle lines are drawn. The Duvet Suit vs Snuggie!
You will find the link to the duvet suit in a previous post, but the snuggie site seems to be not up. The advert states two sites… www.trysnuggie.com.au and www.oursnuggie.com.au… both don’t work as of this blog post, but here is the US site.
Hmmm… I wonder who will win this titanic battle for sofa accessory.
In Australia, the Snuggie is available in blue and red. While a ’sage’ green is available overseas. I think they need brighter colours though… like purple, orange and electric blue.
Bright colours are very important… especially for those budding cultist leaders! There seems to be a market niche here…
Imagine, ready made cultist robes for your followers! But I jest, I am sure that the product (along with the duvet suit) will be widely used and sold in many stores eventually.
Especially if we have an ice age…
But seriously, one would expect this product to be bought by many groups… such as the Jedi.
I recently produced a website for a company that produces designer bath accessories such as bath mats and shower caps. Now the stuff is pretty funky and generally I don’t talk about specific sites (maybe I will from now on! ). However, I am making an exception because of the nature of one of their products (here comes the plug!). Surfing Gecko have released a very intriguing product that, although a little mundane, has a very interesting past.
It is a 100% recycled shower curtain made from water bottles; five water bottles, to be specific. Now the reason why this is intriguing is that bottled water, itself is a great waste of resources. The fact that water is sold in bottles wherever there is actually a tap is kind of silly. The bottles themselves use quite a bit of oil to produce. The manufacturing of the plastic, the transport and finally the refrigeration of the product. This all uses up resources that, quite frankly, isn’t needed due to the fact that most all modern cities are piped with clean drinking water.
But let’s look at bottled water. Why do people buy a product that costs so much more than what comes out of a tap?
Convenience. Plain and simple convenience. How many people want to be carrying around a bottle of water from home? Or maybe a mug tied to your waist, so when you are thirsty, you can hunt for a water fountain. In 2008ish… someone produced a website to show where all the drinking fountains were in the city of Melbourne. I wanted to link it here, but can’t find it on google… ah well…
It is so convenient to go to a shop, pay the couple of bucks, drink the water and be done with it.
Surfing Gecko’s list of facts claims that 13 billion plastic bottles are thrown out every year in the United Kingdom alone. And as far as I can see it, there is no current way that I can think of to replace the convenience of bottled water with another product. So the next best thing in my opinion is to make something out of the wastage. Surfing Gecko are not only making a 100% recycled shower curtain out of it, but it is a fabric one too. Kinda cool ^_^
Even better though, once you are done with your shower curtain, you can pop it into your recycle bin to be made into something else!
When my wife told me about this website that she saw on TV, (www.lazypatch.com.au) and what it is about, I could not believe it. Someone has invented a Duvet Suit. We have all thought about it, I am sure. But to actually make one? You have got to check out this site. In Australia, we call Duvets “doonas”. Now, the word doona is a trademarked word by a duvet company. What came first is hard to say. It could be like the Ugg boot trademark (let’s not get sued now!).
Anyway, while the concept is quite amusing (and I am sure that all those experiencing these cold days is secretly thinking of getting one), the manufacturers DO realise this and play along with it. Check out their TV adverts.
I am guessing that this will be one of those ’secret’ successes.
It has been an interesting time on Twitter and it is probably time I worked it all out…
Twitter is an extension of the short message service (or SMS) system. It has increased and expanded the avenues that one can send and receive short messages.
Twitter is an amazing thing though… it even had a small hand in the election of the US President. That in of itself is quite amazing!
Is Twitter actually worthy of its hype? I mean the press and media got a hold of it as a story and now even my weekend newspaper has articles on it. I said it before, Facebook has 150 million users and Twitter has 6 million. And, Facebook offers so much more than Twitter.
So what is Twitter to us common folk?
Twitter is a platform or soap box from which any Internet citizen can stand and keep other Internet citizenry appraised of their movements or up to date on events… or entertained.
However, while @moonfrye keeps her followers up to date and engaged by asking questions of them, are the main body of Twitterers (…) posting twitters that are devoid of actual detail?
“Need to pee” was one of my first posts… I soon realised that people wanted to know why. Did I drink too much? Have I been holding on for hours? Why was I posting this? Did I need to know where the closest loo was? The “Need to pee…” post was not engaging… and at most was worth a courtesy smirk…
The power of Twitter is not shown in these kind of posts. But I understand why those people are on Twitter and post anything. They want to to ensure that we know they exist… even better if they can get followers. All I can say is GOOD FOR YOU! If you can get more than freaking robots to follow your twitter… GOOD FOR YOU!
The power of Twitter is when there is purpose to it.
I don’t want to mention the US President again… so… I won’t.
Others who are famous and are doing something or sharing their thoughts on issues…
Some who are just out there to entertain people…
Important people or bodies (such as the UK government) …
It is purpose that drives a Twitter to have followers. Since my Twitter had no actual purpose, I am not surprised that by the end of these 4 days, I have only 1 robot following me…
And to sum up Twitter in a meaningless sentence…
Twitter is an avenue for people to inform others of their movements; be them bowel movements or other.
