* Posts by dave 93

325 publicly visible posts • joined 25 Jun 2009

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UK iPad 2 to cost under £400

dave 93
Thumb Up

Read it and weep

Let me see, £600 for a Xoom, £500 for a Tab, or £399 for an iPad2?

You would have to have a severe case of anti-apple-itis to even consider a different tablet.

Fukushima one week on: Situation 'stable', says IAEA

dave 93
Joke

Nice try

...but common sense, or facts, are too boring to sell ads around.

I am also somewhat disappointed that this series of disasters can't be linked to the iPad or Steve Jobs, or that Android offers a more open solution to earthquakes, tsunamis or inadvertent nuclear meltdown.

Make streaming a felony: Obama

dave 93

Singing Happy Birthday

...actually requires permission from the performing rights owner, which you must pay for.

I say bring it on, the more ridiculous the laws, the closer we get to a 'new way' to deal with the unlimited copying capability introduced by digital media.

It really isn't theft if you don't deprive the owner of anything, and streaming is even more ethereal as there is no copy left on the receiving machine

Apple handcuffs 'open' web apps on iPhone home screen

dave 93

@Eponymous Howard - Good point, but...

Apple is the one everyone, including Google, is trying to copy. And Apple are making the most money and the best devices. So it all depends what you mean by 'rules the roost'.

dave 93

... lawsuits will follow, Apple is a cash-rich, and arrogant target

It really could be a bug - especially if it is found that Nitro is part of Safari and hard to use outside, but stopping web apps from running without a connection is a new and deliberate step, IMHO

There is a world of difference between profits from good ideas and profits from restrictive practices, and Apple will get absolutely no sympathy from the courts with their dominant market position and hugely increased profits from iOS devices.

Watch this space...

iPad 2? Let's be kind and call it iPad 1.5

dave 93
FAIL

Apple is good for El Reg

Endless Apple non-stories milking the hype. The Register is shameless in it's faux Apple abuse to lure in viewers and puff up the ad revenues. 'Independent thinkers' is stretching it a bit, IMHO. It would be interesting to know how many Apples are in use at the Register offices, including iPhones...

The Financial Times report dubbed Apple as the masters of the 'Goldilocks' update - i.e. not too much, not too little, but just right. It is a fine line between enthusing users to upgrade and pissing off early adopters and Apple actually understand this. USB, SD card, and now HDMI are available with an adapter, but some people won't be happy until it comes with a bridge for them to live under!

Credit cards at the turnstile across London by 2013

dave 93
FAIL

Something completely different...

Here in Vienna you have to purchase your ticket first (single use, or weekly/monthly etc. plus you can buy via SMS), then there are no barriers or turnstiles, just the possibility of being nabbed for 70 euro by plain clothes ticket inspectors if you have no valid ticket.

Think about it - no turnstiles = no delay, and the staff get to travel around checking tickets instead of standing at the gate all day.

Add this to the ability to complete one journey using any combo of underground, bus and tram on one ticket, and you have a system that 'just works' without stupid, expensive turnstiles and bored/pissed off staff.

Far too sensible for the UK though!

Oh, parking is the same deal - you buy tickets first and then fill in arrival time/date and leave it in the window, like a universal pay-and-display, with no machines, meters or barriers to mess up the street or get vandalised.

Think of all the money saved on custom kit, and it makes even more sense. Jeez, it aint rocket science.

Apple brings multi-touch, full-disk crypto to latest OS X

dave 93
Jobs Halo

Innovation and real R&D

Are Apple the only hardware/software vendor who is actually adding genuinely new devices and interaction paradigms into the market?

Honestly, Android, MS et al. just seem to be playing catch-up nowadays while Apple literally change the IT world with products like the iPhone, iPad and MacBook Air, and now consumer grade version control, crypto, backup and proper touch driven interfaces for the laptop/desktop.

Flame away, but where are the genuinely new developments from other mainstream vendors?

Apple names iPad 2 reveal date

dave 93
Grenade

Free publicity adds to Apple's bottom line

Make no mistake, El Reg is as guilty as any of riding the Apple wave of speculation. It's a win-win situation though, as the extra eyeballs (and clicks) boost ad revenue too. Applemania is a 'good thing' for all concerned, it even provides ample troll bait for all round entertainment too ;-)

Apple are the only company with any new ideas anyway, aren't they?

Samsung intros 10in Android tablet

dave 93

meh

no price, no battery life details - and what happened to all the crowing about '7 inch good, 10 inch (iPad) bad'?

Microsoft, Nokia, and MeeGo: Are they all doomed?

dave 93
Jobs Halo

On the other hand...

With Micronokia designing the software and, crucially, the hardware too, they could actually take Apple on with a seamless UI across a range of devices that 'just work'. How long till Google picks a hardware partner (Motorola)?

Boffins squeeze a mesh onto Android handsets

dave 93

Not quite

Tikl looks like it still needs an active 3G data connection (via a cell tower) on both devices. I mean like a walky-talky app, so it functions directly between the phones - like serval.

dave 93
Thumb Up

A walkie talkie app would be nice

With all those transceivers on board there must be a way to do local two-way chat. Killer app, and adding mesh makes it even better ;-)

Deliveries for final Apple Xserves stalled to April

dave 93
Grenade

It's all about the cloud

Steve 'Visionary' Jobs has decided that you don't need server racks of your own. Just rent some data centre juice, pay as you go. He might be right.

Next smartphone tech? Predator style thermal cameras

dave 93

Fatal flaw

If thermal imaging is ubiquitous, then the 'baddies' will have it too :-(

That's Schmidt: So long to the Google chief who wasn't

dave 93
Happy

You mean schit, schurely...

Eric? :-)

Interview: Jailbroken iPhones a vector rather than a vulnerability

dave 93
Unhappy

Android devices...

...don't even need to be 'jailbroken' (there must be a better word!), and they really are linux underneath, aren't they?

Beastly Android will batter Apple's iOS beauty

dave 93
Grenade

"unless they think up something truly revolutionary"

like the iPhone, or the iPad perhaps?

Apple has the advantage of being able to add any hardware or software feature they can imagine, in secret. Just because we haven't thought of it yet, doesn't mean it doesn't exist ;-)

dave 93
Grenade

You get what you pay for

Although you only mention it once, it is the zero-cost of Android that is behind it's success. Android is riding a wave of me-too activity by device manufacturers following the success of the iPhone (remember the iPhone is pure software, as all the hardware was available prior to it's release).

Apple has always had the advantage, and the pain, of developing the hardware and the software to play nice together, and the mobile space magnifies this advantage. The unified UI and and platform compatibility makes like easy for users *and* developers too.

I expect Google to get a lot more control-freaky in their management of Android/Chrome as they try to optimise/standardise the user/developer experience, and the emerging mobile hardware reference spec has the potential to help Microsoft catch up, but Apple will always be able to Wow users with innovative ideas because they control the platform and keep R&D secret (by paying for it!). Being first is nearly always better, but usually more expensive - Apple gambles, and wins - Google make a certain bet, and can't lose.

Add in the fact that iOS apps keep their activity/data away from Google's money maker and it is definitely Game On - faster, cheaper and better gadgets for us all. Right now, Apple's are better, and Google's aren't cheap enough.

Happy New Year

iPad's biggest rival? Microsoft's dead Courier

dave 93
Stop

Spot on

Plus, I don't think this journo actually uses an iPad or iPhone, but it does make his posts 'appear' to be of interest. Jeez, just write about something interesting that you know about *without* involving an iProduct. Please.

Note to El Reg editor - Consider a £10 tax on each mention of Apple to kick your lazy hacks into thinking before linking BS articles to trendy products?

Nvidia Tegra 2 hailed as Honeycomb CPU of choice

dave 93
Go

True, but not really what I was getting at

It looks like a tablet platform may be developing; ARM + PowerVR.

Should be good for developers if Apple and Google have similar reference platforms, and they are the two main players until Microsoft get a proper tablet UI.

There is an opportunity to get Android onto Apple hardware as all those iPhones come off contract and get passed on.

Thanks for the info :-)

dave 93

Hmm, Tegra seems virtually identical to Apple A4

Although the Tegra 2 can come in dual core versions - apart from that, the ARM core and OpenGL 2.1/Direct X 10 graphics hardware is pretty much what Apple packs into an A4. Just saying.....

I have been wondering when a pointy clicky 'Unlock my iPhone/iPad and put Android on it' distribution would appear? There is a lot of legacy Apple kit out there now to target for 'upgrade' to Android.

Fanboys: updated OS X Lion MacBooks, iMacs in H1 '11

dave 93
Thumb Up

Apple is kind to customers

Predictable upgrade cycles paired with incremental upgrades means that customers can buy in confidence knowing that they won't be left holding totally obsolete kit.

Apple's track record with providing decent emulation to support old software too, is another example of customer care sadly lacking from other hardware and software vendors.

iOS 4.2 multi-tasking comes to the iPad

dave 93
Unhappy

Can't stream the display over Airplay

Only movies and music. Shame. Maybe in iOS5?

The forgotten, fat generation of Mac Portables

dave 93
Grenade

Hence the evolutionary step of switching to solid state

From what I read, cos I haven't got one,; the new Airs really benefit from the flash based storage and access times of 0.1ms.

Another first for Apple, (GUI, WYSIWYG, networking, Laser printers, SCSI, no floppy, USB only, wireless network, no CD/DVD, etc.) putting solid state storage as the only configuration option for two mainstream laptop models

I know the ACME TurboLap XYZ has done it for years, but I am talking about the mainstream volume manufacturers

Google snips Facebook's Gmail line

dave 93
Badgers

'Download ALL of my data, and delete ALL copies.' buttons...

...should be compulsory and easily accessible in all apps that store any personal data; browsers, mail and chat, or any app, even trivial details like settings and dictionary mods should be able to be reset.

It would be nice to be able to store, edit and reload these settings if you want to as well.

No jokes, move along....

App Store II: Steve Jobs sucks Mac's soul

dave 93
WTF?

Hold your horses...

Even when you admit that users will still be able to install apps from elsewhere, you then add 'But let's be realistic: most won't.' The point is that those who want to will still be able too.

When you add the web to the range of activities that users will still be allowed to use, then your article is classic FUD (Fear, Uncertainty & Doubt)

Apple has discovered that most computer users just want it all to work, and are happy to have their choice limited to hundreds of thousands of apps. Not rocket science, but a fact.

Those who wish to tread their own path will do exactly that, and if that means abandoning Macs for their tinkering, they may want to keep one around for when they need to get something done - always the Mac's main advantage, no?

Credit cards get colour screens

dave 93
Welcome

Indeed

Who needs a card? As you already carry your phone everywhere anyway, why not download the as yet non-existent VISA or MasterCard apps onto your phone, activate them over the phone, and then use that to pay for things.

I can already buy parking/public transport and ciggies with an SMS - why not join the dots guys?

Alternatively, add phone capability to the credit card - sorted ;-)

Apple bolts chastity belt on super svelte MacBook Air

dave 93
Flame

You could

Try turning your screen upside down

dave 93
Jobs Halo

'only' a core2duo?

You'd rather have an Atom? Really?

Jeez, this is a superb engineering job - credit where credit is due, Apple have the beans!

Shame the keyboard doesn't light up though; that is a nice touch for the next version...

Apple threatens Java with death on the Mac

dave 93
Thumb Up

Not so much about lock in - more, Larry Ellison out methinks

Since acquiring Sun, Oracle has started to flex it's Java IP muscles. Android is a notable target of lawsuits. Apple is just saying that Larry can take Java and stick it in his Oracle.

dave 93
WTF?

You can run Windows or Linux natively on a MacBook

So you can keep the quality and style of the hardware, but lose the quality and style of MacOS X - when you doing your Java thing, at least.

Microsoft steers OEMs away from putting Phone 7 on Tablets

dave 93
Happy

henceforth to be renamed...

The 'Ballmer Effect' ;-)

dave 93
Thumb Up

Well...

Spot on. Microsoft is already an ARM licencee, and Windows Phone 7 runs on it exclusively, afaik, but Windows on RISC? - it's been awhile since that was supported (DEC Alpha?).

Windows Phone 7 will make it onto tablets soon enough just because it makes sense (money), and that is the common platform to go head to head with Android. (jeez, I'm already sick of Windows Phone 7! - MicroOS is better ;-)

Guess what? Android/Chrome & Apple's Mac OS & iOS can run on either, apparently.

Benoit Mandelbrot, father of fractals, dies at 85

dave 93

Can't we have a black fractal as the Article picture?

The black rectangle, while respectful, doesn't pay tribute. RIP

Can Windows Phone 7 help Microsoft come from behind?

dave 93
Thumb Down

Can Windows Phone 7 help Microsoft come from behind?

No. Too little, too late - oh look, no pricing details either. meh

Google TV transplants Android on Intel

dave 93
FAIL

Er, ARM isn't Apple, so why is this move 'Anti Apple'?

I guess Google need to get Android/Chrome going on intel for the Consumer OS they plan on launching (for free, I should imagine). But I can't see the Anti Apple angle at all. Apple has to licence chip core designs from ARM, even if they do end up making the chips themselves. This is a re-run of the RISC vs CISC wars, and for 'do one thing well' boxes, RISC is probably a better bet, but remember that the heart of Mac OS X and iOS runs on both anyway.

Apple buys out $1bn data center squatters

dave 93
Grenade

Er, actually....

el reg says...

A mere decade or so ago, who would have thought that by 2010 it would be Microsoft reeling and Apple rocking?

...

Maybe the millions of people who bought Apple computers in 2000?

Spice Girls are more popular than the Clash, doesn't mean they're better

iPhone apps put user privacy at risk

dave 93
Coat

meh - phone numbers are unique too

Perhaps a better title would be - 'Users compromise user privacy'?

Apple now world's second-largest company

dave 93
Happy

Its the touch interface, and

...the 'there's an app for that' functionality in a 'safe' regulated space. The show never ends!

dave 93
Coat

400 million and counting

At what point does the iPhonePod connector become a standard? Oh wait, when it's free of course.

You get what you pay for my boy - do you really want USB? Three different plugs + 3 different speeds with no analogue out, because all your peripherals have to do their own DtoA then ;-)

Only Exxon Mobil to go, and that's just another 45 billion away (one oil spill should do it).

Microsoft adopts invisible mobile pitch

dave 93

So, no passcode lock then?

I'm guessing that you still have to wake it up, then key some passcode in before you get everything on one tiny screen (good luck with presenting all my unread mail, SMS, IM, Skype buddies, stock quotes etc. in one go).

IMHO, people fiddle with their phones all the time to avoid having to talk to people or think.

Coders tip Google Android for eclipse of the Steve

dave 93
WTF?

Custom business apps for iphone

Google it and you get this as the top result

http://www.apple.com/iphone/business/apps/in-house/

Jeez...

From Cameron to Gazza, everyone loves Angry Birds

dave 93
Coat

Its the touch interface, stupid!

free the mice ;-)

Jobs moves to the heavens with Apple TV

dave 93
WTF?

Oh please...

Repeat after me 'I don't have to buy things I don't want, I don't have to buy anything I don't want...'

OK?

dave 93

PVR - Interesting, and doable too

Since the AppleTV can work with wireless streams from computers, then in theory, it could transmit whatever it is playing to said computers for offline use and/or backup, couldn't it?

Is HDMI a two way interface, because then it could even do it with anything you happen to be viewing on screen (encrypted content excepted, natch)

dave 93
Grenade

Silver Disc - Wash your mouth out!

As mentioned by his Steveness, and signalled by the new iTunes logo - We don't do discs any more. And he has a point now that downloads outsell CDs, for music now, and movies too in the not too distant future.

Jobs offers relief for iOS 4-running iPhone 3Gs

dave 93
Go

Jailbreak and downgrade

Jeez, there's this thing called the internet - all the (very simple) instructions are there.

It took about 20 minutes, not like the 2 hour upgrade to iOS 4!

A fresh install of iPhone OS 3 and all my apps (albeit in alphabetical order?)

Sweet

dave 93
Happy

Jailbreak and downgrade

Jeez, there's this thing called the internet - all the instructions are there.

It took about 20 minutes, not like the 2 hour upgrade to iOS 4!

A fresh install of iPhone OS 3 and all my apps (albeit in alphabetical order?)

Sweet

119 iPad apps for admins, coders, and geeks

dave 93
Grenade

How does that humble pie taste then?

Not just a useless toy for 'fanbois' after all, is it?

To be fair though, you have to use one for a bit before you realise what a neat little thing it is.

Shame about the lack of Flash support in the browser though - a lot of educational sites and embedded video are missing... for now. I predict a rapprochement 'twixt Apple and Adobe, at least in the browser.

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