via tuaw.com
This is a pretty good summary of the state of the market. The iPad is at the top of the price range and way out in front in terms of features.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Amazon Kindle DX v Apple iPad 16Gb 3G
First off, let's be clear; I haven't actually played with either of these devices so all I'm doing is a comparing their specifications (as reported by Amazon and Apple) then commenting on the differences.
The Kindle DX ($489 link) definitely has some advantages; it's smaller, lighter, thinner, cheaper (if we consider the cheapest 3G-enabled iPad) and has a higher screen resolution (it's also possible that the Kindle's screen is better for reading books than the iPads's - difficult to tell). It also doesn't require a contract or, it appears, payment for use of its 3G services when downloading books - very neat.
The iPad's ($629 link) advantages are flexibility, full colour screen, increased memory and the App Store.
Neither device is currently available in the UK (although Amazon will sell you a US version of the Kindle DX with US power adapters. Book and magazine downloads are priced in US dollars) and there's little information from Apple on the pricing of their content. Amazon sell a monthly subscription to the Financial Times for $28 - not bad compared to the print version, but you won't get images, photos, graphs or stock prices, which are only available in the US. Apple's ability to offer a full-colour enhanced version of the printed paper sounds rather more appealing than Amazon's stripped down text-only version and will allow the iPad to offer a much wider range of magazines (would you buy a magazines without images?).
Which device is better? If you just want to read books, image-free magazines and text-only papers then the Kindle DX with its free 3G access (which, incidentally, can't be used for email or browsing - expect to pay extra for that), long battery life and text-tweaked screen is probably the one to go for. If you want to watch movies, browse the web, create presentations or documents, run Apps, make VOIP calls or deal with your email you'll want an iPad, no contest.
But what about your laptop? Where does that sit in the grand scheme of things? I don't want to carry two devices so the Kindle DX is out since there is no possibility of working on it. Could I live without a laptop and work from the iPad, for example when I'm out of the office? Possibly, but it'll depend on the Apps; if Pages and Numbers are good enough and can export (and read) to Office 2007 formats then there's a good chance the iPad will be good enough for most purposes. In fact, the only applications I can't easily replace (as far as I know) are Visio and SQL Server Management Studio Express; if I could connect to an SQL database over a VPN and run queries against it, then drag a few shapes into a flowchart of some sort the laptop, as a travelling companion, would be dead in the water. Here's hoping.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Laser fusion test results raise energy hopes
A major hurdle to producing fusion energy using lasers has been swept aside, results in a new report show.
via news.bbc.co.uk
Fusion power has been 50 years away for the last 50 years, or thereabouts. Whether or not this new laser technology represents a reduction in the traditional 50-year estimate for the commercialization of fusion power is unclear (at least to me - I know next to nothing about it) but at least things are still happening. One step at a time...
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Apple Just Tried To Assassinate Laptops
via i.gizmodo.com
I'm not really sure what I think about the new iPad. I can't really see it replacing my work laptop (which runs Word, Excel and so on) but at home, where I only use a laptop for browsing and email, it looks pretty convincing.
And then, having said that, I'm forced to consider all the time I spend on trains, at airports and in meetings, where text, email and browsing are my main requirements and power, flexibility and MS compatibility are secondary. Maybe, and I think it'll largely depend on the the typing, I could replace my (rather heavier) laptop with one of these things for travelling and use the laptop only in the office.
So the jury is out. I said I didn't need one or want one, but now that I've seen it I can think of several things that might make it worthwhile and, if it can sync data in the office for offline reading on the train, it's got to be worth a closer look when it finally hits our shops later this year.
iPhone Feature Request - Cache Web Pages
Ok, yes, Safari does cache all sorts of stuff, but if you flick
between pages it refreshes your newly opened site, which is especially
annoying if you no longer have a fast data connection.
between pages it refreshes your newly opened site, which is especially
annoying if you no longer have a fast data connection.
Nothing much to say
A pretty awful title for a blog post but unfortunately accurate. Apple's announcement this evening should provide some amusement; I'll be posting something about that later once the excitement is over.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Saturday, January 23, 2010
BBC News - 'Bomb detector' maker Jim McCormick arrested
The director of a company which sold a bomb-detecting device to 20 countries, including Iraq, has been arrested.
via news.bbc.co.uk
Good news. Let's hope that others tempted to make a quick profit by fraudulently selling devices that they know cannot possibly meet the claims made for them and which subsequently put people's lives at risk are deterred by this arrest.
Friday, January 22, 2010
BT Infinity – Fibre optic broadband from BT
BT Infinity is our new fibre optic broadband with our most powerful connection to the Internet. With download speeds of up to 40Mb and upload speeds of up to 10Mb, you'll be able to do so much more at the same time – and in an instant.
Domestic fibre optic broadband sounds like a good ideal, especially for only £20 a month. Unfortunately, it isn't available in my area (my maximum is 6.5Mb, apparently) and they are not saying when it might be, so I guess that means never (or at least not for several years). Pity, but it is only really of use for downloading movies, and a little planning lets me work around those problems anyway.
Tablet-mania - Has the World Gone Mad?
Apple's press coverage just keeps growing in the run up to their 'event' on Wednesday and, speculative though much of it may be, it's pretty impressive So what's the news? We have:
- The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW to its friends) with a summary of their recent tablet stories
- Cult of Mac have a story about how the tablet will have a minimal impact on existing 3G networks because of a combination of low sales and high price
- Apple Inisder has a similar story, this time explaining how huge first-year sales of the table could earn Apple a few billion dollars
- iLounge has 'details' of the tablet's physical layout, levels of subsidy and service fees
It's all a bit mad - the bloody thing hasn't even been launched - but at least we now have only a few more days to wait. On Wednesday they'll either announce a tablet and everyone can play the game of "how far from reality were our rumours" or they won't and it will all have been for nothing. Personally, I'm more interested in hearing about the next version of the iPhone OS.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
EADS Astrium plans James Bond-style space-based laser weapons
EADS Astrium says the satellite system would collect the Sun's energy and transmit it to Earth via an infrared laser, to provide electricity.
via news.bbc.co.uk
Ok, so the headline is almost entirely inaccurate, but at least the company name is right. I actually think the idea of solar power from space is quite nice and it's good to see a company developing this sort of technology.
iPhone OS 4.0 Features Multitasking, System-Wide Multitouch, New Syncing
The iPhone OS 4.0 will feature multitasking (the ability to run apps in the background), multitouch gestures system-wide, and several changes to the UI, according to Boy Genius Report, citing “one of our trusty Apple connects.
via cultofmac.com
It's all rumour, there are no details and nobody really knows what's going on, but speculation grows that Apple will launch (or at least preview) version 4.0 of the iPhone OS next week. Could be good.
iPhone Feature Request - Multiple Contact Forwarding
This is a minor request. Just occasionally it would useful to be able to select two or more contacts from the address book and forward them in a single email to a colleague. That's it.
Friday, January 15, 2010
NHS Choices: Behind the Headlines - Stress doesn't really cause cancer
Dodgy coverage of medical research is a major problem in the UK media (he asserts, without bothering to find any evidence). To counter the negative effects of ill-informed pieces written by careless journalists the NHS has been running regular articles examining the reports, reviewing the research and then explaining in simple language what's actually been discovered, what hasn't, and what's wrong with either the report or the research. I don't normally read these articles because there are simply far too many of them (several each day) but a quote from yesterday's "Does Stress Cause Cancer?" post (which concluded, incidentally, that The Telegraph got pretty much all the major details wrong) made me giggle: The research may give us clues about how human cancer cells interact, but cannot tell us anything about whether everyday emotional stress can cause cancer in humans. Minimising stress improves emotional wellbeing. One way to minimise stress is to avoid reading news stories that cause unnecessary health worries.* Worth reading, especially if you sometimes find yourself worrying about medical articles written in newspapers or asking what, if anything, doctors (or scientists) really know. Have a look at http://www.nhs.uk/News/Pages/NewsIndex.aspx. * My emphasis
Thursday, January 14, 2010
The new Chris Evans Show
I'm normally on the train by 0650 so I don't get to listen to much radio in the morning, but today, running late, I caught the start of Chris Evans' new show, and my dull dreary drive to the station suddenly didn't seem so bad. More tomorrow, please (working from home, no problems). The only downside is that the new evening presenter on Radio 2 (or, at least, the one I heard earlier this week) sounds like he's been captured from the dark days of the 1960s and forced to bleat on about harmonicas and record labels. Record labels? Who cares about record labels? Very boring, so my drive home in the evening will now be accompanied by The Archers and Front Row on Radio 4 - not bad, but an awful lot less fun than Mr E.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Still at Madrid Airport
It isn't really that bad. The flight has been delayed by 90 minutes so
far, it looks like it might be delayed another 30 and the weather
conditions at home are not even slightly welcoming. We're now sitting
on the runway awaiting a take-off slot - fun!
far, it looks like it might be delayed another 30 and the weather
conditions at home are not even slightly welcoming. We're now sitting
on the runway awaiting a take-off slot - fun!
Madrid Airport and Snow
For the second time in a month I find myself stuck in Spain because
Gatwick Airport is afflicted by snow. What are the chances?
unpopular shopping centre on a quiet Tuesday morning when everyone has
found somewhere better to be - and conspicuously lacking in amenities
for the casual business traveller. There are no power outlets, wifi is
subscription only and coffee is bad; apart from that it's great.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Apple's Ongoing Advantage in the Smartphone Market
Wandering around West Quay shopping centre today in Southampton, it's easy to stumble over Apple's two huge advantages in the ongoing battle of the smart phones. Firstly, Apple has a well-established retail chain selling everything from screen protectors to high-powered desktops; no matter what Google do they aren't going to replicate Apple's retail experience and that's a huge problem because it turns out that being able to play with the phones is an enormously powerful sales tool. Without offering that sort of hands-on experience, Google will be relying on traditional distribution channels, 3rd-party shops and other moderately dis-interested salesmen.
If that wasn't enough, you only have to visit Currys or John Lewis to see the second advantage. These stores are stuffed full of clock radios, speakers, TVs and other electrical devices with built-in iPod/iPhone connectors. iPods and their associated gizmos are everywhere but there's nothing readily identifiable as an Android accessory, which means there's no supporting family of techno gadgets to make the Android phones part of a greater whole. No related gadgets, no upsell, nothing.
So what does this mean? No idea. Possibly nothing. Phones were successful before the iPhone, doubtless they will be again when it's gone, but Google definitely have a bit of a struggle ahead of them. It is not enough that the Nexus One is technically brilliant (which, from the specs, it certainly appears to be); it has to get to the punters, entice them with its brilliance, offer them something unique and generally improve their life, and that's a big task.
Saturday, January 09, 2010
Local Roads, Sun and Ice
Just been out to B&Q to pick up extra loft insulation; by this afternoon the whole of the loft will be super-insulated and we should be warm and toasty. After that, I've just got to sort out the front door (which leaks heat like it's going out of fashion) and we're pretty much done - further improvement will be brought by professionals, of some sort.
And what's the state of the roads? The main ones are fine - largely free of ice and readily passable - but the local roads, particularly on the estate where we live, are coated in 2-3 inches of ice making them horribly unpleasant to use. We made it out and back without incident, but only by driving extremely slowly. The sun has been out this morning gently melting the top of the ice so tomorrow, after a little more snow (forecast for later this evening) things could get a bit worse. More news to follow.
Wind farms: Generating power and jobs?
Prime Minister Gordon Brown is launching a £100bn programme to build more offshore wind farms.
via news.bbc.co.uk
This project seems like a no-brainer; reduce reliance on fossil fuels, reduced emissions of carbon dioxide, low environmental impact, economic benefits.
Personal Fuel-cell Device Charger - Good Idea?
A handheld box a bit larger than an iPhone, the MiniPak handheld fuel cell charger uses Hydrostik cartridges filled with solid hydrogen particles to keep your gadgets juiced.
via engadget.com
If you're as paranoid as me about battery charge in your portable devices, a personal fuel-cell charger is probably going to be quite attractive as something to leave at the bottom of the rucksack when you're out and about. The only downside (apart from mild concern regarding storage of hydrogen) is that I can't see why you'd bother when cheap rechargeable batteries are available. Maybe I've missed something.
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Google's Nexus One - an iPhone Killer?
Well, maybe. It's hard to tell without holding one, but the technical specs (link) show that the Nexus One has a few advantages over the 3GS:
- High resolution display - the iPhone screen is great, but more detail would be nice
- 5 Megapixel camera with LED flash - not the best available but better than the 3GS and probably enough for most everyday purposes
- Battery - the claimed standby time of 250+ hours is impressive
- Power - a 1GHz processor and 512Mb RAM is a significant step up from the iPhone
And what of the weaknesses? There are three areas to consider, I think:
- User Interface - the iPhone just works, and it works well. It's got some really neat features which, from Google's demo video, don't appear to be part of the Nexus One.
- Applications - hardware stands or falls on the strength of its software. The built-in apps are really very good, but the huge number of third-party apps means that the Nexus One, even with the existing Android Market, starts a long way behind the iPhone.
- Standards - it sounds strange to list standards as a weakness, but just walk around your local electronics shop and count the third-party hardware products designed to work with iPhones and iPods and their "standard" connectors. The Nexus One has a micro USB port which is a pretty standard connector, but how many clock-radios will make use of it?
I'm pretty neutral on the Nexus One. It looks like a decent bit of kit, the app list seems to be reasonably good (although nothing I've seen rivals iTunes or the App Store for ease of use), the demo videos suggest it may have some interesting features, the specs look great, but I still can't help thinking that they're going to struggle a little, not least because, when all is said and done, Google simply isn't a sexy brand; nobody looks at their products and goes "wow, that's beautiful, I must own it".
One final point, which is related to making sexy consumer electronics. The iPhone sells really well, but the iPod outsells it by 5-10 times and, particularly with the iPod Touch, is an elegant introduction to Apple's brand and user interface. Young users trained on Apple's highly attractive MP3 players (and can you imagine Google selling an iPod rival?) are unlikely to jump ship to a less attractive, less slick or less capable brand when they start looking for smart phones. Just a thought.
Grim Weather - Brief Update
The local roads remain awful (compacted snow) but the major roads seem
ok. The wife's car has been retrieved from it's overnight resting
place inthe M27, tomorrow's trip has been postponed and everything is
back to normal. Well, almost. We've got five inches of snow outside and it's as cold
as an extremely cold thing, but otherwise all is normal.
ok. The wife's car has been retrieved from it's overnight resting
place inthe M27, tomorrow's trip has been postponed and everything is
back to normal. Well, almost. We've got five inches of snow outside and it's as cold
as an extremely cold thing, but otherwise all is normal.
Grim Weather 8 - Finale
The snow here is rather worse than I've ever seen it before. Normally we get no more than a light dusting, an inch or two at most; by the time I got home last night it was four inches deep and it's been snowing all morning. Not good.
South West Trains have cancelled their services, so I can't get to work. Even if they hadn't, the Police are advising against non-essential travel so I probably couldn't get to the station. And then, just to further complicate matters, the wife had to abandon her car on the motorway exit slip last night and walk home, so at some point we've got to go and collect it (when the weather changes, the Police have advised). Grim.
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
Grim Weather 7
Finally home after four and a half hours in the car. Updates tomorrow,
but getting into work looks like it might be difficult.
but getting into work looks like it might be difficult.
Grim Weather 4
It's quite pretty, but the snow is starting to piss me off. The wife
can't get off the motorway, I can't get anywhere, and if I don't move
fairly soon the roads are likely to become impassable.
Grim Weather 3
It's still snowing, the traffic is still bad and I'm getting very
bored; Radio 4 is great, but I'd quite like to be home. I may need to
stop and eat in a pub, if I can find one.
Grim Weather 2
The snow is ridiculous and the traffic isn't really moving. I'm not
sure how to get home - no network coverage so I can't check maps - but
I think my best strategy is to keep moving, even if I can't go in the
right direction.
Grim Weather 1
Having real problems getting home. Motorway stationary, cars abandoned
(apparently) all over the place. Phone coverage bad, weather
deteriorating, snow getting rapidly heavier.
Snow. Lots of it. Everywhere!
I can't see much of the countryside in the light from the carriage
window, but as the train heads south it looks very much as if the
whole of Hampshire is nicely blanketed. As a result, SWT have
announced a reduced service tomorrow, so getting to work could be
tricky. Getting to Leeds on Thursday is staring to look unlikely.
window, but as the train heads south it looks very much as if the
whole of Hampshire is nicely blanketed. As a result, SWT have
announced a reduced service tomorrow, so getting to work could be
tricky. Getting to Leeds on Thursday is staring to look unlikely.
Monday, January 04, 2010
iSlates, iPads, iTablets and iRumours
Speculation grows that Apple will announce a tablet computer of some sort at an event scheduled for the end of January. The Apple rumour websites (like this one) are alive with all sorts of things but, if their success predicting the iPhone features is anything to go by, about the only thing of which we can be sure is that we have no real idea of what's going on. Will Apple launch a tablet? No idea. Preview a new iPhone OS? Possibly, but only time will tell. Either would be good; bring it on!
But the Car Parking is More Expensive Now
After last year’s horrible economic deterioration, Southwest Trains aren’t able to increase the price of (at least some of) their services because increases are capped by the regulator. There are no restrictions on the price of car park tickets, however, so now, at Southampton Airport Parkway, a daily car park ticket is £11.00 (up from £6.30 in 2006 and from £10.00 last year). If it turns out, when I buy my monthly parking ticket this evening, that their cost has also gone up by 10%, I shall be somewhat aggrieved.
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