mobile reservations
I'm one of few people I know who has dozens of gadgets but doesn't own either an Apple iPhone or a Palm Pre. Some may wonder, why is that? These are the two hottest gadgets out there, right?
Sometimes, pictures speak louder than words.
Why I Don't Own An iPhone:
Of course, there are at least a dozen more reasons that I don't have an iPhone.
Why I Don't Own A Pre:
It is conceivable that my situation will change within the next six months, since my 2-year contract with AT&T is nearly up, but I do plan on going with them again. However, I grow weary of the aging Windows Mobile and its rapidly declining developer support, and if someone can't get an exciting new phone out in time to entice me I may have to do something drastic.
zune hd
As someone with a moderate amount of interest in the Zune community, I feel obligated to comment on the Zune HD confirmation finally issued by Microsoft. While the full details of the device and its capabilities have yet to be revealed, what is known is shown below:
- 3.3" 480x272 (16:9) OLED capacitive multitouch display
- HD radio tuner
- HD video output (720p) via HDMI on optional dock
- IE-based web browser
- Accelerometer
- Wi-Fi
- Flash drive (capacity unknown)
- Processor unknown
- Release Fall 2009, price unknown
Those are pretty solid specs, but nothing game-changing. With all the rumors floating around about a "portable Xbox" this seems a bit disappointing. The beloved "Zune pad" controls are gone in the interest of directly copying Apple with a touchscreen-only design. The previous Zune controls met with nearly universal praise so I cannot see how this move is beneficial except in appealing directly to those who think that screen control is high-tech. Unless the side buttons do more than just control the volume, this device looks very difficult to navigate semi-blindly, which is something I often do with my Zune 30. The HD radio is a non-issue, because I can't stand to listen to the radio; the rare times I do, I'm in the car and using poor speakers in a noisy environment, so higher quality won't help me.
The screen does seem nice, even if the resolution is a bit low. It's quite likely that new Apple devices will have similar screens, so that benefit will be gone. What that screen is displaying, however, will be the difference maker. In my estimation, this new Zune will need to offer some compelling applications or games to really compete against the iPod Touch and its App Store. The Xbox is supposed to be getting a Zune overhaul, and it has been said that we don't know everything there is to know about the Zune HD, so some hope remains - but these things really do sound better when they're hyped and not everything has been elucidated. If there were some way to get compatibility with Xbox Live games and/or existing Windows Mobile programs, a solid library would already be available.
If this device is not using NVIDIA's Tegra platform, it will instantly lose a lot of its appeal to me. The added power of such a processor opens up many opportunities and would really set the Zune HD apart. At this point, a PMP device will need to be very enticing to earn my money because of the increasing multimedia functions of cell phones. Convergence is key; I would much rather have only one device to carry around than two, and I'll need convincing that this player will do what no phone can. I just fear that Microsoft will be dropping the ball a bit on this one, but maybe E3 will prove me wrong.
I will say it looks a lot more stylish than my original brown Zune 30.
oh brother
Today I have an exclusive review of the Brother Super Powernote PN-8700MDS word processor. This technological marvel was released in the late 1990s and features an intuitive GUI along with word processing, spreadsheet, address book, and other basic personal information management functions. Here's a quick run-down of the specs:
- Unknown processor
- 33 K memory
- Internal 1.44 MB floppy drive
- Compatible with Bookman cards
- Parallel port (for printer)
- Serial port (for optional external modem)
- 9" monochrome screen
- 11.3" wide x 9.5" deep x 1.9" thick
- ~3 lbs
- Includes Tetris game on floppy disk
I would break down the different aspects of the device bit-by-bit, but instead I'll make this review succinct by just telling everyone what they want to know: how the Super Powernote stacks up to the iPhone.
death to quicktime
Oh thank goodness...remember my complaints about Apple's QuickTime from years ago? Well, Microsoft finally heard me...
Microsoft has some good news for movie fans. If you want to watch .mov files in Windows 7, you don't need to install Apple's QuickTime. Bye, bye annoying system tray icon! Adios, Apple update!
I'm not sure if this means that Microsoft is paying Apple some licensing fee, because I don't know the details behind the file format, but I don't really care. I still don't have QuickTime on my laptop now after having reformatted months ago, and I can't view ytmnd or some movie trailers properly. But I won't give in.
Microsoft doesn't do many things right, but I'm pretty excited about Windows 7. Of course, the biggest thing it can do is make people stop unfairly bashing Microsoft's OS without any real basis. Now, all they need to do is to listen to all of the complaints about Windows Mobile and finally put out a consumer-friendly mobile OS.
the proof of the apple is in the pie
Finally, there's been a bit of research to substantiate what everyone has already known: Apple users are cocky SOBs. Well, perhaps that's putting it a bit harshly. A survey conducted by Mindset Media of 7500 people at the recent MacWorld suckfest found that Mac users were "more liberal, less modest, and more assured of their own superiority than the population at large." Apparently Mac users are also more emotional than most people, feeling both happiness and unhappiness more intensely.
I think most people suspected as much. The only reason I've ever felt compelled to buy a Mac was an innate longing for a piece of technology that has design as its sole selling point. It usually isn't difficult for me to overcome this urge though, and I quickly realize that functional devices are a better investment than pretty ones. One day, when we all drive electric cars and wear black turtlenecks, Macs will finally get the full appreciation they deserve. But until then, I'd rather they stay on the left coast.