If you are like me, then usually you check the facts make sure that you only purchase when the price is where you want it and then go for it and get the additional pleasure of purchasing the right stuff at the right price. You make sure you beat the system.
But sometimes you don't wait and against all reasoning you purchase something on the spot. Definitely you'll regret it as I do most often.
But really terrible is when you purchase something that you thought all along that you should get for free, which is free for all that purchase a new piece of hardware. But you were almost always loyal and stuck with the product. Then they release Mavericks and you think you must update immediately because any improvement in the OS makes your life much easier. And since they introduced all the remodeled applications you convince yourself that this is the day you are going to upgrade.
BIG Mistake.
First of all the applications are not worth it, the improvements in some are extremely minor, such as iPhoto that has not seen a really big improvement for a long time. Next imagine that you paid dollars for programs like pages and numbers that you can even use less now than before. You already knew you cannot get rid of Microsoft Office but at least you thought there's one that could actually give you the right tools in a more colorful way than Microsoft (It's all so white, you know).
Ok I make the purchase. Big Mistake! I hold of the purchase of Aperture as I kind of consider going to Lightroom and Adobe.
The last bit was lucky. But just 2 days after I upgraded I read that Apple is giving iWorks and iLife programs for free for previous owners of the software. Actually they link your non App Store purchases with the System and you get the free update (function downgrade but more colors! That they maybe are going to fix like for movie editing software.).
I just spent $90 dollars on the apps that I would have gotten for free and I hope that some poor soul is going to do a class action suit and all the people that purchased the software get a refund automatically ;).
But I was able to get Aperture for free and I made all my colleagues aware of my mistake, so they can benefit. And I was also partially successful as I updated all the programs for free for our extended family members.
So it's not a complete failure, but definitely again one that does not taste right and I will remember for some time until I make the next Big Mistake. Did I mention that I still want to purchase Office 365 (subscription model)?
2013-10-28
Google Rant #1: Google Drive in 2013: Would you have thought that they cannot continue sync of a partial folder
I had to reinstall my iMac from scratch thanks to Mavericks.
Now i thought great just get google drive installed and let the sync update my folder. The folder has been restored.
Not possible. It forced me to delete all and then start the sync. Can you imagine that somebody in the year of 2013 asks you such a stupid thing? I would have thought that the magicians at google would be able to properly handle sync even doing some hash on files etc.
Since I was not sure if I had already added something in anticipation I had moved all files to desktop start sync and then visually compare. I should've used rsync with -c or so, but maybe Google would not like that as well.
I really hope that dropbox will rule the world, but it's kind of to quiet and in enterprises box is making more often an appearance.
Now i thought great just get google drive installed and let the sync update my folder. The folder has been restored.
Not possible. It forced me to delete all and then start the sync. Can you imagine that somebody in the year of 2013 asks you such a stupid thing? I would have thought that the magicians at google would be able to properly handle sync even doing some hash on files etc.
Since I was not sure if I had already added something in anticipation I had moved all files to desktop start sync and then visually compare. I should've used rsync with -c or so, but maybe Google would not like that as well.
I really hope that dropbox will rule the world, but it's kind of to quiet and in enterprises box is making more often an appearance.
2013-10-27
Apple Annoyances 23Beta-2: How to force iBooks bookmark sync once your online again?
The new iBooks application for Mac OS X is great.
Well, actually all the iBooks applications are great.
No actually that's not true and almost everyone will tell you many things that are wrong with it.
Did someone mention PDF annotations? How about personal document sync? What about some better controls of sorting and displaying additional information, why not include information about other books by the same author etc? Calibre does not have a really great interface nor reader but it's way more pleasant in terms of information on the books it shows and searching and filtering.
(One of the biggies is that Apple must allow at one point to give full access to all data to whatever applications I deem to be worthwhile and therefore let calibre access the same library as iBooks and modify names, categories add metadata etc. This is also true for all calendars, photos, documents etc. But especially for iBooks as no app can access the data in iBooks at all)
(One of the biggies is that Apple must allow at one point to give full access to all data to whatever applications I deem to be worthwhile and therefore let calibre access the same library as iBooks and modify names, categories add metadata etc. This is also true for all calendars, photos, documents etc. But especially for iBooks as no app can access the data in iBooks at all)
All this iCloud sync with whatever applications but not iBooks? How strange is that?
Ok, but the most annoying problem I face is that I want to be able to read a book on my iPhone, iPad and Mac OS X in parallel. Start on the way to work on the iPhone, continue during lunch on the iPad and sometimes in the evening on what device I lay my hands on.
But the iPhone I read on is not connected to the internet while I'm on my way to work and then all the other iBook applications do not get the correct position in the book or the bookmark that I set as a precaution.
I don't get it, I don't understand what's going on and I certainly don't understand how to force an iBooks synchronisation that I think must happen automatically without me doing anything as soon as I have some Internet connectivity. But even now 15 minutes later after I have been in the iBooks application on the iphone which is connected to the internet again and writing this blog entry I don't have the update on the iBooks application on Mac OS X.
This is not right, Apple fix it.
And now, I sometimes try to open the iBooks on the phone then click on library then back into the book, but still does not sync. Sometimes I close the app, then reopen but not always do I see the internet activity icon turning and no sync.
Trying to do that just now again and see if I will find a reliable way to start a sync when my device is back on the internet.
Apple let me down now a couple of times, but this only because one tends to have a habit of ever increasing lust to a more perfect world and then discovers that the reality still hasn't catched up.
But the review of Mac OS X on 512 px was great and I wish for the future that we will be able to speed up development of all things exponentially.
Apple should include an sync/out of sync information whenever I touch a book and somewhat show the interval at which data is being synced.
I found out now that even when the iPhone is fully connected it can take the Mac OS X iBooks ages to sync. For a sync to happen I only have had a chance (without waiting for some timer to expire) when going back to library (you'll see the internet activity rotating logo) and then closing iBooks on Mac OS X and staring it again. Then I usually got a strange view. The book was at page 1 again and after 10 to 15 seconds it found it's way to the latest page I was viewing on the iPhone also the notes had no page numbers etc. So there's a couple of data points being recalculated.
Apple should include an sync/out of sync information whenever I touch a book and somewhat show the interval at which data is being synced.
I found out now that even when the iPhone is fully connected it can take the Mac OS X iBooks ages to sync. For a sync to happen I only have had a chance (without waiting for some timer to expire) when going back to library (you'll see the internet activity rotating logo) and then closing iBooks on Mac OS X and staring it again. Then I usually got a strange view. The book was at page 1 again and after 10 to 15 seconds it found it's way to the latest page I was viewing on the iPhone also the notes had no page numbers etc. So there's a couple of data points being recalculated.
AirVideo HD: Go get it.
I've been using AirVideo for a very long time now. And the new AirVideo HD is a great update.
So go and support the guys and purchase the client.
Purpose: Watch movies in any kind of format from your MAC or PC on your iDevices (iPod, iPhone, iPad). No need to convert before but convert on the fly. And you can boost the audio if the source is somewhat below average.
The update to AirVideo is great but I still miss the client for MAC and PC. I would also love to have some info on movies or files as in Plex and automatic renaming etc.
So go and support the guys and purchase the client.
Purpose: Watch movies in any kind of format from your MAC or PC on your iDevices (iPod, iPhone, iPad). No need to convert before but convert on the fly. And you can boost the audio if the source is somewhat below average.
The update to AirVideo is great but I still miss the client for MAC and PC. I would also love to have some info on movies or files as in Plex and automatic renaming etc.
2013-10-25
Apple Rant #2093-2: iPhone 5c, is actually a completely overpriced piece of LEGO.
After reading all the articles and for the first time holding a blue iPhone 5C in my hand I would say that it is feels like a $150 piece of lego with some electronics but actually costs more than $600.
Compare that to the new iPhone 5S in Gold, that's a real marvel and the camera is just really amazing. The whole thing is a big improvement, but not if you already have a 5 and no play money to spend.
Compare that to the new iPhone 5S in Gold, that's a real marvel and the camera is just really amazing. The whole thing is a big improvement, but not if you already have a 5 and no play money to spend.
2013-10-23
FreeMind: 1.0.0: Must have!! Copy/Paste of images, waited for years
Just today noticed that FreeMind 1.0.0 had been release a few days back. Their webpage does not work currently. But I was able to download the software and make use. Had been using 1.0.0 RC something but with the final release I saw some slight difference and what's more I just tried to copy/paste a picture into the mind map, and it works!!!!
This is unbelievable!!! I was waiting for years for this. I refuse to use any other software than this and have been using on multiple platforms. Now the function today makes life easier, but it will store the image in the same directory as the .mm, which means you have to be careful when you want to give the mind map to someone else or continue to work on another platform.
Thanks, this is still great stuff.
This is unbelievable!!! I was waiting for years for this. I refuse to use any other software than this and have been using on multiple platforms. Now the function today makes life easier, but it will store the image in the same directory as the .mm, which means you have to be careful when you want to give the mind map to someone else or continue to work on another platform.
Thanks, this is still great stuff.
2013-09-26
OS X: Annoyances: Mail: Company name lookup does not work, copy information into lastname field!
When defining a company in the address book, always fill in last name with the same name as Company or you won't be able to type the name in the to field of Mail.
If not successful use CMD ALT A.
If not successful use CMD ALT A.
2013-08-27
iPhoto: How big can an iPhoto library become? It used to be around 25'000 to 50'000 but what about now?
I'm at 90'000 pictures and iPhoto does not really work fast.
Manual iPhoto photo deduplication? Looks like failure again.
Deleting manually duplicates from iPhoto seems to be a very time consuming process as for some reason iPhoto does a lot of IO to go through some process before actually deleting the pictures, some 10 minutes for 400.
The firewire 800 drive does really not help.
Actually the Photo deletion is quite quick, i.e. the photos appear immediately in the trash, but the library update takes a while even for 153 photos in 10 events somewhere around 5 minutes.
Actually the Photo deletion is quite quick, i.e. the photos appear immediately in the trash, but the library update takes a while even for 153 photos in 10 events somewhere around 5 minutes.
iMac 27" 2010: Faster storage? Only USB 2 or Firewire 800, Cheap? How about WD 3TB Firewire 800?
Generally the disk looks good and connects easily.
Top speed is about 70 MB/s solid transfer rate as opposed to the 33 to 39 MB/s that some USB2 drives are capable of. Don't forget that some of the 3.5" drives are 7200 RPM and the 2.5" can be 5400 RPM. The speed they provide is quite solid.
But a 4 year old IBM Thinkpad delivers 55MB/s internally. So USB 2 is still lame.
Now the 1TB internal disk in my iMac is continuously busy with some application and other, so I though it to be wisely to put the 500GB iPhoto library, the iTunes library and the movie collection on the external drive to have some benefit of having the load distributed.
But it does not really work, it's not really worth the trouble.
Well I thought that ultimately I'm going to purchase some Synology or Qnap and benefit from a Raid 10, but that's way over budget. So I bought the WD 3TB Firewire 800 for $175 and though that's not to bad since all the 3TB USB3 disks are around $129. I mean I would like to use USB 3 but my iMac has only got USB2/FW800.
Ok purchased it, did some tests and found out that it provides solid 70MB/s and it looked like an improvement.
But boy it does not help when using iPhoto, iTunes, iMovie or anything with thousands of small files. The transfer rate is absolutely not worth talking about.
I know, I know my business provided laptop has a SSD Drive and it blazingly fast, applications load in 3 to 5 seconds (or at least they did at the beginning), seek time are almost nonexistent as compared to a physical harddrive (also not true), but I cannot affort a brand new Samsung 840 (not even the TLC), way to expensive.
So here I am and pondering what to do next with a tight budget.
Did I mention that I could just outright buy the new iMac 27" for $4000 with the fusion drive or even all SSD (I believe) and the world would be ok? Well not really I think I would spend it on the new MAC Pro with some Raid 10 Lightning Array.
Top speed is about 70 MB/s solid transfer rate as opposed to the 33 to 39 MB/s that some USB2 drives are capable of. Don't forget that some of the 3.5" drives are 7200 RPM and the 2.5" can be 5400 RPM. The speed they provide is quite solid.
But a 4 year old IBM Thinkpad delivers 55MB/s internally. So USB 2 is still lame.
Now the 1TB internal disk in my iMac is continuously busy with some application and other, so I though it to be wisely to put the 500GB iPhoto library, the iTunes library and the movie collection on the external drive to have some benefit of having the load distributed.
But it does not really work, it's not really worth the trouble.
Well I thought that ultimately I'm going to purchase some Synology or Qnap and benefit from a Raid 10, but that's way over budget. So I bought the WD 3TB Firewire 800 for $175 and though that's not to bad since all the 3TB USB3 disks are around $129. I mean I would like to use USB 3 but my iMac has only got USB2/FW800.
Ok purchased it, did some tests and found out that it provides solid 70MB/s and it looked like an improvement.
But boy it does not help when using iPhoto, iTunes, iMovie or anything with thousands of small files. The transfer rate is absolutely not worth talking about.
I know, I know my business provided laptop has a SSD Drive and it blazingly fast, applications load in 3 to 5 seconds (or at least they did at the beginning), seek time are almost nonexistent as compared to a physical harddrive (also not true), but I cannot affort a brand new Samsung 840 (not even the TLC), way to expensive.
So here I am and pondering what to do next with a tight budget.
Did I mention that I could just outright buy the new iMac 27" for $4000 with the fusion drive or even all SSD (I believe) and the world would be ok? Well not really I think I would spend it on the new MAC Pro with some Raid 10 Lightning Array.
iPhoto, Aperture duplicate picture detection: Found Duplicate Annihilator, ultimately failed!
After my 500GB library with 95'000 pictures merged and Aperture failed to present me the duplicate detection (do not import duplicates section) I was looking on what I can do to avoid going through manually.
The merge took 12 hours and a restore probably would also do that and I still would not have reached my goal of merging all libraries and removing duplicates.
So out I went, tried to read upon what to do next and tried to understand what the apple script does, then took a look at duplicate cleaner for iPhoto and ultimately bought the duplicate annihilator for iPhoto and Aperture.
While running the iPhoto version against the library it told me it is going to take 4 hours but then later it told me it will take 10 hours but to my horror the family iMac where the library resides goes offline every so often. First Annihilator continued to work and the next morning it was still doing some business. That same day I came home after work and I found iPhoto to be responding but duplicate annihilator did not show any window anymore. I could not get the window back so I killed the process and started it again and it was at point blank!
Now this is very frustrating, but I could try again, this time deactivating PhotoStream as they recommend, but hey I want my PhotoStream activated and still be able to remove duplicates.
On the web I found some other people running into issues with larger libraries, but at this point I think I'm going to do it manually. The good thing is that I'm able to delete events rather than photos, so it should only take me about 10 to 12 hours work and it'll be done.
Shame on me to have purchase the software and never going to have used it properly. What a waste!
The merge took 12 hours and a restore probably would also do that and I still would not have reached my goal of merging all libraries and removing duplicates.
So out I went, tried to read upon what to do next and tried to understand what the apple script does, then took a look at duplicate cleaner for iPhoto and ultimately bought the duplicate annihilator for iPhoto and Aperture.
While running the iPhoto version against the library it told me it is going to take 4 hours but then later it told me it will take 10 hours but to my horror the family iMac where the library resides goes offline every so often. First Annihilator continued to work and the next morning it was still doing some business. That same day I came home after work and I found iPhoto to be responding but duplicate annihilator did not show any window anymore. I could not get the window back so I killed the process and started it again and it was at point blank!
Now this is very frustrating, but I could try again, this time deactivating PhotoStream as they recommend, but hey I want my PhotoStream activated and still be able to remove duplicates.
On the web I found some other people running into issues with larger libraries, but at this point I think I'm going to do it manually. The good thing is that I'm able to delete events rather than photos, so it should only take me about 10 to 12 hours work and it'll be done.
Shame on me to have purchase the software and never going to have used it properly. What a waste!
Aperture and iPhoto failure: merge library of 65'000 with 30'000 and aperture crashes without giving you a chance at duplicate detection
After some 12 hours of merging and analyzing Aperture died on me and I could on restart not select to remove the duplicates that it should not have imported.
The total library size being 500 GB I did not want to try to restore and start over. Manually going over the 95'000 pictures some 7'000 events is possible but time consuming.
At least the merge per se of multiple iPhoto libraries with Aperture is possible!!
The total library size being 500 GB I did not want to try to restore and start over. Manually going over the 95'000 pictures some 7'000 events is possible but time consuming.
At least the merge per se of multiple iPhoto libraries with Aperture is possible!!
Samsung Galaxy S4: The screen size that apple should have done, should do. iOS 7 to the rescue!
I use on a daily basis an iPhone 5 and the iPad 3, with the Mac Book Air 13" as my main computer and then the 27" iMac as the family bastion.
I'm an iDad and we were quite happy, but mobile iDevices seem to loose rapidly the stronghold in our age 12 to 15 category. They all crave for the Samsung device and I think it's mainly the screen size.
Apple with iOS6 looks old and the devices don't look like much fun. iOS 7 is a big winner, it looks and feels much fresher and cooler than all the androids and windows phones, especially since they introduced much more colorful icons in the settings and brought a lot of features.
The only real thing lacking is screen size. They might end up like Nokia and Ericsson. Small was beautiful and compact size was the crave du jour.
But I have used the S4 and everything makes a little bit more fun. The iPad mini is too big, the S4 can still fit in a pocket, even in business trousers and while cycling it does not fall out (in my experiences). The iPhone and iOS7 are quite gorgeous but a little bit more screen and it is amazing. The version on my iPad does not really work today and does not look as amazing as the iPhone version, don't really understand why but I think from the iPad's size I expect more of a Mac Book Air quality experience than a mobile OS. Something like Surface Pro and not Surface RT. To this day I cannot really make use of the iPad for productivity work, even though I use the more than great Zagg keyboard, but I much prefer the Mac Air. Nexus 7 is no real alternative as the ratio of width and height are strange to me as well as the 10" Galaxy tab. Not for me.
Screen size 5" or something alike and you see a big difference, try it for yourself. Look at some web pages and pictures and they really are different. Yes the iPad is also gorgeous but to big (both the mini and the regular size).
Apple annoyances: Being an iDad of a 6 member family with more than 10 devices, FAIL! Support won't help
As our family grows the number of devices also increases since we are lucky enough to get older Macs and iDevices from our kids grand parents.
The only real big issue is that Apple does not make exceptions for larger than usual families. We have now more than 5 computers and more than 10 iPads/iPods/iPhones combined, many different models and generations.
Now this is over the limit of 5 or 10 devices for iTunes Match and other limits and Apple just plainly tells that no, there is no exception.
Please somebody from Apple should care enough for us more than 3 person families and make an exception and increase the limit.
When I opened a case with Apple Support, the first thing I expected was that they told me how great they think that a single family has all devices from them and support them in every way possible but no. We have a limit. That's it.
Well my oldest son has already move away from the apple sphere with him being the first to use a Samsung Galaxy S4 and me and my stowed away Nexus 7 (which I really don't like using, despite the 4.3 upgrade improvements (speed mainly)).
Maybe I should write to Tim Cook and tell him to devise some scheme to allow us to use all our Apple devices to the fullest.
The only real big issue is that Apple does not make exceptions for larger than usual families. We have now more than 5 computers and more than 10 iPads/iPods/iPhones combined, many different models and generations.
Now this is over the limit of 5 or 10 devices for iTunes Match and other limits and Apple just plainly tells that no, there is no exception.
Please somebody from Apple should care enough for us more than 3 person families and make an exception and increase the limit.
When I opened a case with Apple Support, the first thing I expected was that they told me how great they think that a single family has all devices from them and support them in every way possible but no. We have a limit. That's it.
Well my oldest son has already move away from the apple sphere with him being the first to use a Samsung Galaxy S4 and me and my stowed away Nexus 7 (which I really don't like using, despite the 4.3 upgrade improvements (speed mainly)).
Maybe I should write to Tim Cook and tell him to devise some scheme to allow us to use all our Apple devices to the fullest.
2013-08-25
Mac osX: disable spotlight indexing
While merging 2 iphoto libraries with aperture, indexing slowed down the already 6 hour process and I had to find a way to disable the 3TB external disk indexing. So I quickly disabled it and the merge process seems to be going forward faster.
http://www.mikesel.info/disable-spotlight/
http://www.mikesel.info/disable-spotlight/
2013-08-17
iOS: How to delete all photos on iPhone at once from Mac or PC
http://www.mactrast.com/2012/12/how-to-remove-all-photos-from-an-iphone-at-once/
2013-08-16
TEchREad: A look into dropbox from usenix woot
Very nice, contains some interesting facts and techniques.
Would love to see them taking a look at wuala.
2013-08-14
Word 2010: Number alignment wrong at 10
Default number alignment has incorrect spacing after you reach 10.
The solution is to right click a paragraph and select Adjust List Incidents, then increase the text indent until you're satisfied.
But be aware that when reaching 100 or 1000 the list could be in peril again.
Solution found on:
2013-08-12
Linux: Force traceroute to use ICMP and not udp>33000
traceroute -I 1.1.1.1
as usual I recommend -n as well to not have to wait for name resolution of all the intermittent responders in a first step as it slows down a first recognition to detect some ICMP block.
Usually most of the IP addresses have no PTR record in a reverse lookup zone, so you have to use some whois search to locate the owner of the IP.
FWSM: TCP timeout
FWSM Code 2.x: only global
FWSM Code 3.x and higher: per port basis possible
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/security/fwsm/fwsm31/configuration/guide/mpf_f.html
only one global policy-map, must be edited or replaced.
Firewall TCP timeout: usually 1 hour (3600 seconds)
When it comes to firewall issues, one of the most common is the TCP timeout, where most firewalls will remove a connection from their tables if there was no incoming or outgoing traffic using that connection.
Usually the default is 1 hour (3600 seconds), but it can be tuned.
2013-08-09
Word 2010: How to create a style where spell checking is disabled for CLI or code?
Don't you hate it if Word always underlines all the code or console commands you paste into it?
I did, but there's an easy way out.
I prefer to use 2 styles for my copy paste from the console. One style is for the commands usually bold and the output of the commands.
Now the only thing to make sure the output is not underlined because of the spell checker, just do the following:
Update: not really, for some reason not all underlines disappear immediately, and even if you click your style from the gallery again. But they do if I save and close and reopen the document. There must be a better way.
http://office.microsoft.com/en-001/word-help/spelling-or-grammar-checker-flags-text-i-don-t-want-or-expect-it-to-flag-HA010354285.aspx
I did, but there's an easy way out.
I prefer to use 2 styles for my copy paste from the console. One style is for the commands usually bold and the output of the commands.
Now the only thing to make sure the output is not underlined because of the spell checker, just do the following:
- Select one paragraph that is already using style "command" (my custom style based on "plain text" style)
- Click Review tab, select Language, set Proofing Language and then check the box "do not check spelling or grammar"
- Right click your style in the quick style gallery (I always add the ones I frequently use) and select update "command" to match selection.
Yep, that's it.
Update: not really, for some reason not all underlines disappear immediately, and even if you click your style from the gallery again. But they do if I save and close and reopen the document. There must be a better way.
http://office.microsoft.com/en-001/word-help/spelling-or-grammar-checker-flags-text-i-don-t-want-or-expect-it-to-flag-HA010354285.aspx
Word
- Select the text that you want the spelling and grammar checker to ignore.
- On the Review tab, in the Language group, click Language, and then click Set Proofing Language.
- Select the Do not check spelling or grammar check box.
- Right-click the selection, and then click Save Selection as a New Quick Style.
- Give the style a name—for example, code—and then click OK.
2013-08-07
Word 2010: How to enable Ink to use with mouse; no tablet
The follwing steps will allow you to ink in Word 2010 with the mouse:
- Open Word
- Click File
- Select Options
- Select Customize Ribbon
- Choose some Ribbon group on the right side and create a new Group
- Choose "All Commands" on the left side
- Select the command Start inking and all Pen ... and click add, i.e. should add all of these to the new custom group
- Click ok
Happy inking.
2013-08-05
Ubuntu: password reset
- During boot hit ESC to get into the boot menu
- select from the boot menu recovery mode
- select drop to root shell
- // the next step is necessary because the root partition was mounted read-only and any passwd execution will fail with
- // Authentication token manipulation error
- mount -rw -o remount /
- passwd
- sync
- reboot
2013-07-22
Unsolved iOS annoyances: Still no contact address as location for calendar events!
Still in iOS 7 I have found no way to actually specify a contact address as location for an event. Why do the programs that most people on the planet use on a daily basis miss basic functionality?
It would be so easy as to say to siri: I have a meeting at Jack's place from 9 am to 6 pm. Remind me 2 hours before the meeting starts.
Rant on the side:
Google now is gaining and has some nice features but it lacks really a lot. The info it gives is definitely not what I expect but Apple is even further behind.
With the search query I came up with I only found the following article from 2009 (Really!)
http://www.macworld.com/article/1144195/hint_calendar_maps.html
Another rant:
Outlook 2013 still lacks so many features.
When is somebody going to the job right, i.e. all information is stored in one place and can be used where ever one pleases. The programs are just here to present the information in different ways.
It would be so easy as to say to siri: I have a meeting at Jack's place from 9 am to 6 pm. Remind me 2 hours before the meeting starts.
Rant on the side:
Google now is gaining and has some nice features but it lacks really a lot. The info it gives is definitely not what I expect but Apple is even further behind.
With the search query I came up with I only found the following article from 2009 (Really!)
http://www.macworld.com/article/1144195/hint_calendar_maps.html
Another rant:
Outlook 2013 still lacks so many features.
When is somebody going to the job right, i.e. all information is stored in one place and can be used where ever one pleases. The programs are just here to present the information in different ways.
- all data should be visible by date, location, sorted and grouping by automatic tagging
- combination of pictures, text, video, semantic fields
- displayed in notes or in calendar or in the reminder app. Even contacts should show all data pertaining to groups and individuals, such as all the chat messages you ever had or the pictures and notes as well as finished tasks.
Today all of this is walled of and only small fragments of data seep into the other programs.
One such scenario is when using iOS calendar and calendar + app. It's kind of cool to be able to view the same data in different programs and actually get different visual representations. Now if only the other data would be accessible as well and not a program that dictates that your perfectly worded note cannot be linked directly with a contact and a calendar entry. Why not have in that note a couple of reminders directly linked to the specific location in the note as to know where the reminder originated or where something has to be completed later.
2013-06-25
Lifeproof fre 5 fake, be careful, I was not enough suspicious
Summer vacation comes so fast and I never thought that I would actually take my iPhone 5 to the beach. But I love taking pictures with the phone and since I'm on iOS 7 I love it more than ever. The camera app is just great and fast. (It crashes some times but the phone is back working very quickly, so I don't really get annoyed.)
Now I'm in a real hurry and I need that lifeproof case I bought for my friends and everyone just loves them, not the whole time, but when going to do some real activity. And I really wanted to take some pictures of my family at the sea.
Usually I use a google and a price comparison site to check the level of prices. The comparison site lists all local retailers and also has a customer rating. It's not bad.
So when I was going through the list I saw that a couple of them had the fre 5 for $40 and I thought, that cannot really be since the list price is $79 and the retail price here is usually $99.
1) I should have known then.
So I see more than one local online retailer going for that price and all list this case a special deal offer, the more traditional retailers did not go much lower just at $90 - $99. But hey there are sometimes special deals, right?
2) I should have known better
Ok, I go and call the shops and ask if they have still available, as I don't trust the online availability status. All ok. Are they going to ship the same day, yes. Perfect. So I purchase the thing get it delivered today and since I'm careful, I read the manual (even though I did it for the other iphone 4 cases already). And part of it is that you actually do a water test before putting the phone in the case. So I proceed and do the test and surprise surprise .... it FAILS!!!!!
3) I really should know better than this
I go through the whole process in my head and don't detect any mistakes or else and I decide on the spot to call Lifeproof support and ask what the hell.
The very nice lady walks me through and finds my account and everything, ask what issue I have and then I have to give the serial number of the front and the back. BOOM.
Sorry to say but you bought a counterfeit product, say WHAT??? I will not be able to go on vacation with my iPhone, the deals just sounded to good, promotions like this don't really exist. I know, I know but you've been had before, right?
I'm angry at myself and also to our venerable local retailers, I'm naive you know.
So the report of the fake on the lifeproof website has been done, the email to the retailer with the lifeproof answer attached and waiting for tomorrow morning to really go after that retailer.
Now, I have found a local retailer (not online) locally that has it in store and I will pay a visit tomorrow as well, purchase it at $99 and then call support to check if that one is not a fake one.
Hopefully I can shoot my underwater pictures on the weekend. All will be well.
Now I'm in a real hurry and I need that lifeproof case I bought for my friends and everyone just loves them, not the whole time, but when going to do some real activity. And I really wanted to take some pictures of my family at the sea.
Usually I use a google and a price comparison site to check the level of prices. The comparison site lists all local retailers and also has a customer rating. It's not bad.
So when I was going through the list I saw that a couple of them had the fre 5 for $40 and I thought, that cannot really be since the list price is $79 and the retail price here is usually $99.
1) I should have known then.
So I see more than one local online retailer going for that price and all list this case a special deal offer, the more traditional retailers did not go much lower just at $90 - $99. But hey there are sometimes special deals, right?
2) I should have known better
Ok, I go and call the shops and ask if they have still available, as I don't trust the online availability status. All ok. Are they going to ship the same day, yes. Perfect. So I purchase the thing get it delivered today and since I'm careful, I read the manual (even though I did it for the other iphone 4 cases already). And part of it is that you actually do a water test before putting the phone in the case. So I proceed and do the test and surprise surprise .... it FAILS!!!!!
3) I really should know better than this
I go through the whole process in my head and don't detect any mistakes or else and I decide on the spot to call Lifeproof support and ask what the hell.
The very nice lady walks me through and finds my account and everything, ask what issue I have and then I have to give the serial number of the front and the back. BOOM.
Sorry to say but you bought a counterfeit product, say WHAT??? I will not be able to go on vacation with my iPhone, the deals just sounded to good, promotions like this don't really exist. I know, I know but you've been had before, right?
I'm angry at myself and also to our venerable local retailers, I'm naive you know.
So the report of the fake on the lifeproof website has been done, the email to the retailer with the lifeproof answer attached and waiting for tomorrow morning to really go after that retailer.
Now, I have found a local retailer (not online) locally that has it in store and I will pay a visit tomorrow as well, purchase it at $99 and then call support to check if that one is not a fake one.
Hopefully I can shoot my underwater pictures on the weekend. All will be well.
2013-06-12
iPhone 5 on iOS 7: I get sick, really! (Motion sickness to be correct) UPDATE: Not any more, cannot live without it
Update:
Here is an update, I tell you. The first few hours were horrible and I felt like I had a little kids toy in my hand, but after a full day working with it, I could not stand the iOS 6.1.4 anymore. It just looked outdated. I love the panorama photo background in lockscreen and also the new unlock pin screen is just gorgeous. Some of the icons still look to plain but I enjoy working with it (I hope the icons get refined a bit). Beta experience was excellent, many crashes but the telephone just kept working after a couple of seconds I was back on the pin entry screen and could continue to work. Beta 2 has improved but it still fails many times. Now since yesterday I got rid of the iOS 6 on the iPad3 and to be honest I really enjoy working with iOS 7.
Oh my god. Just finished to install iOS 7 on my iphone 5 and from the start I can say that I really really despise the icons and colors, it just looks silly to me. Like a 2 year old child's playtoy.
But worst of all I really get motion sickness from all the zooming in and out. I don't know if I get used to it.
When you watch the keynote and see the icons you think they might be ok, but really looking at the things, ... it takes time. Maybe one day I'll understand and will be ready to accept and encompass the change, maybe some Yoga class helps me relieve some of my pain.
The video of the design philosophy reminds me of microsoft's approach, the windows logo, the white office 2013, outlook.com. Something is definitely wrong, we have now all the quality resolution and colors available and we go back to maybe 5 colors? Somehow I feel also kind of samsunged, as the default background and coloring reminds me more of a galaxy S4 than of an iOS device.
Here is an update, I tell you. The first few hours were horrible and I felt like I had a little kids toy in my hand, but after a full day working with it, I could not stand the iOS 6.1.4 anymore. It just looked outdated. I love the panorama photo background in lockscreen and also the new unlock pin screen is just gorgeous. Some of the icons still look to plain but I enjoy working with it (I hope the icons get refined a bit). Beta experience was excellent, many crashes but the telephone just kept working after a couple of seconds I was back on the pin entry screen and could continue to work. Beta 2 has improved but it still fails many times. Now since yesterday I got rid of the iOS 6 on the iPad3 and to be honest I really enjoy working with iOS 7.
Oh my god. Just finished to install iOS 7 on my iphone 5 and from the start I can say that I really really despise the icons and colors, it just looks silly to me. Like a 2 year old child's playtoy.
But worst of all I really get motion sickness from all the zooming in and out. I don't know if I get used to it.
When you watch the keynote and see the icons you think they might be ok, but really looking at the things, ... it takes time. Maybe one day I'll understand and will be ready to accept and encompass the change, maybe some Yoga class helps me relieve some of my pain.
The video of the design philosophy reminds me of microsoft's approach, the windows logo, the white office 2013, outlook.com. Something is definitely wrong, we have now all the quality resolution and colors available and we go back to maybe 5 colors? Somehow I feel also kind of samsunged, as the default background and coloring reminds me more of a galaxy S4 than of an iOS device.
2013-06-05
Plex for Apple TV 3rd generation: And it just works, marvelous!!!
http://elan.plexapp.com/2013/06/04/introducing-plexconnect-an-appletv-client-which-thinks-different/
The prices of the Apple TV 2nd Generations are going to drop like crazy.
https://github.com/iBaa/PlexConnect
Definitely worth trying. Do I sound excited? I am, something that works on the first try. Not bad, right?
The prices of the Apple TV 2nd Generations are going to drop like crazy.
https://github.com/iBaa/PlexConnect
Definitely worth trying. Do I sound excited? I am, something that works on the first try. Not bad, right?
2013-04-21
Google Nexus 7: Dead Pixel on arrival, support experience, OMG! - Update2
Update 2:
After 2 weeks I could go to the reseller and pick up my device. The LCD was exchanged and since then it's working great. Still I would have loved a much simpler exchange.
Main:
So after receiving my Nexus 7 and playing with it for some time,
including setting it up to be used fully productional and starting to compose a real comparison and rant about it and my iLegacy, I noticed while testing the ebook reading functionality that I had a dead pixel right in the top section above the text.
Dead Pixel
So instead of being able to read my eyes always focused on that black dead pixel all the time. I could not help myself but stare, glare, at that pixel, no way around it.
Something similar happened to me and my iPhone 5, where there were 2 bright spots, areas and it was also in the top third but actually on the left side. So while using my favorite app reeder, I couldn't get my eyes of those spots, and it was really bad while scrolling the content, since the 2 bright areas, would stay while the rest of the paged moved. It was a terrible experience as well. But that was solved long time ago the Apple way.
Back to Nexus.
Day 4
So I thought, I only got it for 4 days and the dead pixel for me is not acceptable. (BTW I learned the hard way that some vendors still consider a 3 to 5 dead pixel issue a non warranty replacement thing, which I cannot believe.)
First thing you do is you google for Nexus support, since this is an official Google Nexus 7, right?
Day 2
I receive the replacement device and also turn in my old iPhone 5 on the spot.
Support done. All is working!
The same was true with the premium reseller, I went there and explained my problem with the iPad 2, he booked a return, the next day I went there again and got my replacement device.
And believe me when I say I have had many Apple issues in the past and support experience is good.
After 2 weeks I could go to the reseller and pick up my device. The LCD was exchanged and since then it's working great. Still I would have loved a much simpler exchange.
Main:
So after receiving my Nexus 7 and playing with it for some time,
including setting it up to be used fully productional and starting to compose a real comparison and rant about it and my iLegacy, I noticed while testing the ebook reading functionality that I had a dead pixel right in the top section above the text.
Dead Pixel
So instead of being able to read my eyes always focused on that black dead pixel all the time. I could not help myself but stare, glare, at that pixel, no way around it.
Something similar happened to me and my iPhone 5, where there were 2 bright spots, areas and it was also in the top third but actually on the left side. So while using my favorite app reeder, I couldn't get my eyes of those spots, and it was really bad while scrolling the content, since the 2 bright areas, would stay while the rest of the paged moved. It was a terrible experience as well. But that was solved long time ago the Apple way.
Back to Nexus.
Day 4
So I thought, I only got it for 4 days and the dead pixel for me is not acceptable. (BTW I learned the hard way that some vendors still consider a 3 to 5 dead pixel issue a non warranty replacement thing, which I cannot believe.)
First thing you do is you google for Nexus support, since this is an official Google Nexus 7, right?
Definitely off to a good start, looks promising, even has something about nexus 7 reset.
But if you go to that page it has a US only number and the only device that you can click for support is Other Nexus devices?
There is a search bar on the top right side and using the keyword nexus 7 you'll get some results that lead to some nexus 7 help topics, where you can then click the Nexus 7 word on the top left and get to some help topics about Nexus 7. Especially the contact us is nice, where again, there is nothing to contact!
After playing around for some time I think, that maybe Asus provides some support, since they are so proud of their achievement. To tell you the short story, no no support online available. If go down that road and try to fill out the support form, you don't even find the Nexus 7 under any category available and that's that.
Day 5
So I go to the vendor, which is Digitec (in Switzerland) and it'd the 5th day after I bought it. I get a ticket and wait in line to actually be able to tell them about my problem. After a few minutes it's my turn and I present my case, to which the clerk tells me I have to wait a sec because he's getting online instructions from his service department (something like IM for support, I suppose). The answer is he cannot do locally anything, it needs to be sent back to the central service office. But here in Switzerland I'm used to go to any store within 7 days of the purchase and tell them that I'm unsatisfied with the product and I will get the money back, but he tells me I cannot do this and it would cost me 10% of the purchase price even if it was unpacked. It's in their contract's small print which are called AGBs. Ok so I opt for the central service office and there it goes. Upon leaving the store I read the small print on the printout again, and it says that the service could cost money! Hey I was not told that, so I call the central service office to ask and if necessary to cancel anything that would cost me money to fix an RMA issue. But on the telephone I'm half way assured that it won't cost me anything. I smell doom.
Day 7
I get an email that they cannot do anything and that it has to go back to the manufacturer which could be from 2 to 4 weeks and if the parts are rare there could be some delay. OMG! I just had a brand new device and asked for an RMA and maybe I get to see my dead pixel device again after 6 weeks or longer, all the while not knowing if somebody is finally able to do anything or not.
So prepare for the worst, It's now Day 10 and we'll see what happens.
My expectations have been:
- Be able to talk online to somebody and verify if they consider a dead pixel worthy of a mighty RMA process
- Since it was within the 7 days that we normally are told to be able to bring something back to the store and get the money back, in this case I just wanted a working, i.e. a Nexus 7 without the dead pixel.
So far it's not the worst that I've experienced and maybe it won't be as long as my fears make me think it will take.
Now a quick excursion to apple:
Day 1
I live in a region in the world where there is no Apple store close by, so I have the option to call Apple or go to an Apple premium reseller (which I had to do both in the past 6 months). So I call and make my case about the iPhone 5 that always says no signal when my wife's iPhone 5 still has 4 bars. I'm told I will receive a shipment containing a replacement device.
I receive the replacement device and also turn in my old iPhone 5 on the spot.
Support done. All is working!
The same was true with the premium reseller, I went there and explained my problem with the iPad 2, he booked a return, the next day I went there again and got my replacement device.
And believe me when I say I have had many Apple issues in the past and support experience is good.
2013-04-15
BarryApp: Barry for iOS; finally somebody took matters into his own hands and provides a wonderful thing to have
BarryApp is a good idea for people like me that want a one to one representation of web pages, that all browsers and print drivers usually fail to accomplish.
I spent countless hours trying to come up with some scheme that finally would give me a one to one representation, not onenote, not chrome, not safari, no IE, not really fstone capture.
Still need to check if it's going to prove it's value. Especially i would need it also on different platforms, and the dropbox integration could mean some easier exchange.
And thank god that he or she is charging a $1 for it, as this is what people spend without thought and could mean that he/she stays interested in bringing good concepts to live!
Maybe I'm wrong but I think we all would benefit if:
But I still hope that somebody will come up with a clever way to actually have all my daily news and other pages in a one to one view and then add some diff engine to view the different updates and all ads etc. Hopefully I have never to use Reeder and Flipboard, Currents and others in the future and still experience the full blown pages with all details, preloaded and updated frequently for me to read as some kind of magazine.
Now let's find out how to use this thing most effectively:
http://barryapp.com
http://www.macstories.net/reviews/barry-for-ios-takes-full-size-screenshots-of-webpages/
http://www.cultofmac.com/223412/barry-for-ios-save-screenshots-of-entire-web-pages/
I spent countless hours trying to come up with some scheme that finally would give me a one to one representation, not onenote, not chrome, not safari, no IE, not really fstone capture.
Still need to check if it's going to prove it's value. Especially i would need it also on different platforms, and the dropbox integration could mean some easier exchange.
And thank god that he or she is charging a $1 for it, as this is what people spend without thought and could mean that he/she stays interested in bringing good concepts to live!
Maybe I'm wrong but I think we all would benefit if:
But I still hope that somebody will come up with a clever way to actually have all my daily news and other pages in a one to one view and then add some diff engine to view the different updates and all ads etc. Hopefully I have never to use Reeder and Flipboard, Currents and others in the future and still experience the full blown pages with all details, preloaded and updated frequently for me to read as some kind of magazine.
Now let's find out how to use this thing most effectively:
http://barryapp.com
http://www.macstories.net/reviews/barry-for-ios-takes-full-size-screenshots-of-webpages/
http://www.cultofmac.com/223412/barry-for-ios-save-screenshots-of-entire-web-pages/
Google Nexus 7: Connecting to MAC OS X requires AFT
Android File Transfer
This is needed in order to access data on the Nexus 7.
The program does not really integrate into Finder, but allows drag and drop, looks antiquated. They should really have this fixed.
Transfer speed for a few hundred MB was average about 2 MBps. Super Slow.
Some blog about it:
2013-04-13
Google Nexus 7: Review #9301839471940394707712734, John Doe
Being an iDad is quite easy and gives pleasure to many of the family members.
So for the last few years while being converted into an Appleboy (the linux and windows days are only vage memories, but I'm still proud of them), the inner nerd was continually kept happy with a steady succession of cool, wow, some laughable items, fancy adpaters, remotes, mice, touch pads and money was put aside for special projects and arguments were prepared to be given when the time was right. But that was the past. Over are the simple days and many dangers surface, the most prominent being Android.
Android awareness beware.
You are continuously fed information about the android world as beating the hell out of Apple's kingdom, lengthy articles comparing, glaring, hershey chocolate flavored reports.
But all of this has no impact, that has always been the case.
So happy you are and some family member buys the new headphones, buys an iPod touch with the slim new look, buys the white Apple not TV box, iphone 5 we don't even mention, because that's basic survival, for most this is now more important than the TV.
An iPad mini is bought. All looks well everything is shining bright and all are happy as ever.
No, some things have changed.
Samsung Galaxy S3, Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10", Google Nexus 7 (for some the Kindle Fire HD, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7") were introduced along with the plenty. The tables of non apple devices are crowded, dozens of other vendors boxes lie around, some devices have power most of them don't, some they have in stock some others they don't, nobody really cares, the models are not really nicely put on the tables, the different security things glued to whatever part they deem worthwhile, nobody really cares. It's more like a cattle stand, almost daily they have new items appear and some old disappear and nobody really cares. It's a cow today, it's going to be a cow tomorrow. Some are more black than others, some have some spots, some are really special but in a way that you don't really remember them anyway. Out with the old, in with the new and still nobody cares.
interlude: Business users flee Blackberry, albeit it is still the best business communicator, iDevices are all the big hit, Android devices are on the list and are getting somewhere but not really. Nitro Desk to the rescue. (one of the reasons I wanted to look at android devices, meaning "needing one, owning one to actually do something with it")
But still there is a noticeable change, there are plenty of people actually leaving and going home with one or the other cow and many of them are not the ones you would actually really want and saved all the money for cause they all look like a cow. Feel like a cow, work like a cow. They still glance over to the bright and shiny, but that part feels more like the shrine of a church now usually staffed with the high priest in his black t-shirt with a white logo on. Maybe it looks to them like the slaughterhouse, clean white walls, clean white floor, all nicely stacked up and filled, arranged to the spot. They are getting nervous, it's not as inviting as it used to be. Many flock there, most that are there stay longer than those at the cow market tables, you actually see how it makes them happy, but many don't take them home anymore.
So what is it that made all this change possible.
All of the devices look almost the same, work almost the same, come with the same functions; a bike is a bike, a car is a car, a book is a book, a pc is a pc.
We have reached a point where people don't really see the big difference between the products, they just came out of the last period of time where they needed help to go from telephone to smartphone, most people really did not care. Basic requirements of life were a PC and a mobile phone, texting was the communication, and for the kids it was a game console and a handheld. People need things the easy way and accessible it must be.
So the last 5 years we were all being trained what it really means, comparable to learning what a bike is, how to drive one, to learn how we could make use of it; the car is the same and now we are into Touch and Ultimate connectivity, albeit missing the future implants that are being developed.
We don't really see the difference of a Mazda, Ford, Lexus, Infinity, Ferrari and all the others, it's a car. Even my favorite car the Tesla Model S. You can do the same, it works the same, it behaves the same. The flying cars being developed look like evolutionary mishaps. Certainly going to die sooner than later.
For me we are almost there where the Smartphone and the Tablet are anchored into our all being but at a breakneck pace.
So what's the deciding factor for most, what is it that actually leads to many people go the Android way, spend money on something they would have saved to buy from the promised land:
Price.
That's all what is now necessary to actually break in, come through the established walls of i-ism. Since most of the functionality can be considered to be on par.
It didn't take me completely unprepared but the first Android device that broke down our barriers was the google nexus 7. It's actually a research project into what can android really deliver, what are the Androiders talking about, what are they so excited about even fight for, what is the impact on the business side, will it really really really become the business enabler device?
Again, price, price, price.
Will the 4 billion people buy a bike at $1'000 dollar or at $199. Most of them will want to buy the $1'000 but are eying the $199 one with maybe a multiple classes higher but below the $1'000 one. There are people buying it at $10'000 or even higher, the same goes for a car.
So for me it was like I really am interested in the iPad mini, they solved a couple of issues and made a hell of a product at $329, but hey I just spent money on the iPhone and my iPad 3 is also considered to be in the right category, since the iPad 4 is just nothing and the iPad 2 is still sold and supported for $399. The times are also changing since more and more people are considered almost out of a job, job security for most people gone (it has been gone for a long time but people change very very slowly), world economic outlook not really going strong.
So we have the crave, the need, the want but hey I have heard, seen and touched those Android devices and they seem to actually work now, they weigh also not really a ton and have some proclaimed x hours of battery life. And hey I have now about 65 different models from different brands with some slight variation almost in 3rd generation and some of them start to sell at $89 or $75.
Say what!!!!!!
For $89 you get a good 7" tablet.
The $75 is quite crappy but actually also works.
Say again!!!
For $89 you get a good, decent 7" tablet running some version of Android above version 4!
Ok, sure, the battery is dead within one hour, the screen is almost non readable, no connectivity right!, still to heavy, feeling like a rip off, must be fake.
What, no. I has all that actually make it to be a tablet, that actually deserves the name table, is part of the class tablet. It has one or some other version of Android 4 and that's also not going to change through it's whole life span, well actually I don't care it works out of the box it's a tablet. It has only got 4Gb of flash, but aha, you can use micro SD card to increase, well done. Most will be streamed in the future anyway, who doesn't listen in on spotify or uses some kind of netflix, maybe some TB Disk with some form of DNLA and you have some form of MiFi router, or, or, or. The list of things it provides is far longer than the list of special needs, or nice to haves or whatever to not consider buying one of these.
The question is $329 or $89. Which one shall I spend now and be happy about it.
So for the last few years while being converted into an Appleboy (the linux and windows days are only vage memories, but I'm still proud of them), the inner nerd was continually kept happy with a steady succession of cool, wow, some laughable items, fancy adpaters, remotes, mice, touch pads and money was put aside for special projects and arguments were prepared to be given when the time was right. But that was the past. Over are the simple days and many dangers surface, the most prominent being Android.
Android awareness beware.
You are continuously fed information about the android world as beating the hell out of Apple's kingdom, lengthy articles comparing, glaring, hershey chocolate flavored reports.
But all of this has no impact, that has always been the case.
So happy you are and some family member buys the new headphones, buys an iPod touch with the slim new look, buys the white Apple not TV box, iphone 5 we don't even mention, because that's basic survival, for most this is now more important than the TV.
An iPad mini is bought. All looks well everything is shining bright and all are happy as ever.
No, some things have changed.
Samsung Galaxy S3, Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10", Google Nexus 7 (for some the Kindle Fire HD, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7") were introduced along with the plenty. The tables of non apple devices are crowded, dozens of other vendors boxes lie around, some devices have power most of them don't, some they have in stock some others they don't, nobody really cares, the models are not really nicely put on the tables, the different security things glued to whatever part they deem worthwhile, nobody really cares. It's more like a cattle stand, almost daily they have new items appear and some old disappear and nobody really cares. It's a cow today, it's going to be a cow tomorrow. Some are more black than others, some have some spots, some are really special but in a way that you don't really remember them anyway. Out with the old, in with the new and still nobody cares.
interlude: Business users flee Blackberry, albeit it is still the best business communicator, iDevices are all the big hit, Android devices are on the list and are getting somewhere but not really. Nitro Desk to the rescue. (one of the reasons I wanted to look at android devices, meaning "needing one, owning one to actually do something with it")
But still there is a noticeable change, there are plenty of people actually leaving and going home with one or the other cow and many of them are not the ones you would actually really want and saved all the money for cause they all look like a cow. Feel like a cow, work like a cow. They still glance over to the bright and shiny, but that part feels more like the shrine of a church now usually staffed with the high priest in his black t-shirt with a white logo on. Maybe it looks to them like the slaughterhouse, clean white walls, clean white floor, all nicely stacked up and filled, arranged to the spot. They are getting nervous, it's not as inviting as it used to be. Many flock there, most that are there stay longer than those at the cow market tables, you actually see how it makes them happy, but many don't take them home anymore.
So what is it that made all this change possible.
All of the devices look almost the same, work almost the same, come with the same functions; a bike is a bike, a car is a car, a book is a book, a pc is a pc.
We have reached a point where people don't really see the big difference between the products, they just came out of the last period of time where they needed help to go from telephone to smartphone, most people really did not care. Basic requirements of life were a PC and a mobile phone, texting was the communication, and for the kids it was a game console and a handheld. People need things the easy way and accessible it must be.
So the last 5 years we were all being trained what it really means, comparable to learning what a bike is, how to drive one, to learn how we could make use of it; the car is the same and now we are into Touch and Ultimate connectivity, albeit missing the future implants that are being developed.
We don't really see the difference of a Mazda, Ford, Lexus, Infinity, Ferrari and all the others, it's a car. Even my favorite car the Tesla Model S. You can do the same, it works the same, it behaves the same. The flying cars being developed look like evolutionary mishaps. Certainly going to die sooner than later.
For me we are almost there where the Smartphone and the Tablet are anchored into our all being but at a breakneck pace.
So what's the deciding factor for most, what is it that actually leads to many people go the Android way, spend money on something they would have saved to buy from the promised land:
Price.
That's all what is now necessary to actually break in, come through the established walls of i-ism. Since most of the functionality can be considered to be on par.
It didn't take me completely unprepared but the first Android device that broke down our barriers was the google nexus 7. It's actually a research project into what can android really deliver, what are the Androiders talking about, what are they so excited about even fight for, what is the impact on the business side, will it really really really become the business enabler device?
Again, price, price, price.
Will the 4 billion people buy a bike at $1'000 dollar or at $199. Most of them will want to buy the $1'000 but are eying the $199 one with maybe a multiple classes higher but below the $1'000 one. There are people buying it at $10'000 or even higher, the same goes for a car.
So for me it was like I really am interested in the iPad mini, they solved a couple of issues and made a hell of a product at $329, but hey I just spent money on the iPhone and my iPad 3 is also considered to be in the right category, since the iPad 4 is just nothing and the iPad 2 is still sold and supported for $399. The times are also changing since more and more people are considered almost out of a job, job security for most people gone (it has been gone for a long time but people change very very slowly), world economic outlook not really going strong.
So we have the crave, the need, the want but hey I have heard, seen and touched those Android devices and they seem to actually work now, they weigh also not really a ton and have some proclaimed x hours of battery life. And hey I have now about 65 different models from different brands with some slight variation almost in 3rd generation and some of them start to sell at $89 or $75.
Say what!!!!!!
For $89 you get a good 7" tablet.
The $75 is quite crappy but actually also works.
Say again!!!
For $89 you get a good, decent 7" tablet running some version of Android above version 4!
Ok, sure, the battery is dead within one hour, the screen is almost non readable, no connectivity right!, still to heavy, feeling like a rip off, must be fake.
What, no. I has all that actually make it to be a tablet, that actually deserves the name table, is part of the class tablet. It has one or some other version of Android 4 and that's also not going to change through it's whole life span, well actually I don't care it works out of the box it's a tablet. It has only got 4Gb of flash, but aha, you can use micro SD card to increase, well done. Most will be streamed in the future anyway, who doesn't listen in on spotify or uses some kind of netflix, maybe some TB Disk with some form of DNLA and you have some form of MiFi router, or, or, or. The list of things it provides is far longer than the list of special needs, or nice to haves or whatever to not consider buying one of these.
The question is $329 or $89. Which one shall I spend now and be happy about it.
Most don't see a difference anymore. Even the color white does not really change the reflection in ones mind. A white cow and a black cow. Great.
But this is the actuall thing many people really consider:
$329
vs
$89
It's numbers but for many people they feel different, send different alert signals to their brains, your protection mechanism reacts differently. It's getting hard to actually list everything to come up to the $329. For $329 you also have not reached heaven, you'd need at least 32GB flash and nowadays a 4G connectivity and that plays in a very different league. Please consider that the iPad mini for most a shrunken iPad2 and not something of MagiK (retina display to the rescue?).
The 7" segment is really something that apple came late and people buy in droves, but what about the old 10" segment.
This is really bad, since the iPad2 is still sold at an unbelievable high price of $399 and it smells already old for such a long time. Somehow they cannot kill the product.
To my horror I found out that the 10" segment is actually the same. The prices for the galaxy tab2 and other models are to be found around $100 to $150 less than the iPad 2. But you'll find a decent enough 10" model for $149. Yes, that's $149 in total.
Ok, there are other models available at about the same price but these mpman do the trick of actually making you feel like you own a cow.
Since this has settled in the brain a couple of weeks ago in my mind as well as in others, the challenge became for me to judge what to deem worthy of a flirt with Android.
It was quite interesting because some process kicked in and not only with me to handle this as some kind of spontaneous purchase, which will have bad smell afterwards anyway, but just go and do it. Just remember it's only $89 and you can do it.
Some research into Android helped me out of this and relieved me of the ultimate pressure to must have, must buy now.
These devices will actually never run anything newer than what they actually have as an OS. Yes applications will get updated etc. But I want to be able to run the new without hacking my way in, which is currently not possible and would require a development or customization effort, that I could not think of doing anyway. And worst of all you would have to hack your way in from the start as these mpman devices do not run the google play store.
Ok, but these 2 shortcommings on a $89 purchase, what the heck go for it. Or shall we invest a little more to be closer to the real thing? Let's see.
Ok, here they just started selling the newer version of a tablet at $149, it's from Jan 2013 and seems to be even faster as some of the mighty, comes with the features you deemed standard anyway, which were not there on the $89, but heck, most of the days and people don't need those anyway. Android is free and open and everything is always possible, no?
From research and from experiences other circles it was clear that the ultimate Android device needs to be a Google Nexus device. You'll get software updates as you would with our beloved precious. And the SD card? No you'll find ways around that issue in time. But back to the prices
So $89 or $149 or $199
What $199, was that not the price you would have jumped anyway to buy the iPad mini, maybe even at $250 you would have swum through the amazon and taken a big beating by your family. That way the whole Android experiment would have stayed a developing story and you'd be in safe havens for some time, but no.
Google Nexus 7 at $199 is a must, so I say?
Call home, say that it's now the time that the purchase needs to be done, otherwise you'll loose your edge and won't be able to actually talk cowish to the all the others. You'll loose and advantage which is utmost important to secure the future for all of our family. The argument has been prepared months in advance, now everything comes into play and the purchase is a done deal.
Here you go. Leave the iDevice world behind and open up the box of Android spend countless hours doing basic experiments and broaden your wisdom of whatever you say knowledge you need to have to survive the age of tablets.
Or should I have gone for the $89 or waited a little longer .......
Gadget Watch: Hottest gadgets of the day (in my view of iDad a.k.a. Appleboy)
It appears that many folks that belong into the early adopter phase category start to buy more gear from someone else but Apple. Not the Apple nerds, not the Droidlers but regular people usually with some form of gadgetaddiction's disease.
For some time now Apple has not introduced something and not leaked good enough information to keep them from spending on categories that used to be a little farther out of their main stay.
Traditional January and March events passed up, April's almost lost, June's now the hope.
The List:
1) First or Second android device, especially the Nexus 7
2) Raspberry Pi, Model B, since AirPlay is possible
3rd is most probably the e-ink watch, but it is still unclear if it belongs 3rd place because spending money on other accessories also increased. But honest enough I have to say that Nokia Lumia, Microsoft Surface and even Samsung Ativ have had only a short time window and were not really infecting more than the usual crowd.
People buy more spontaneous gadgets that are around $30 to $99 than before.
Apple has not introduced anything for a very long time.
We still have not the avant garde wireless top device were waiting for. The white Apple not TV box some refer to is for most just an Apple TV without TV but wireless access point, that they were happy to purchase and get rid of some of the old Expresses lying around and producing a lot of heat.
Long past are times that we used to ridicule the mice and not ending are the spontaneous zoomings of pages which is annoying the hell out of all of us with the not so magiK mouse.
The Air with touch, we love touch but Apple refuses to give us this and has not introduced the answer to all of the people that don't want to buy accessories from Logitech, Zagg, Belkin or even other companies. Which all try to help you convert the iPad into the Air with touch, including the magnetically detachable keyboard and Magic Stand they should have provided us with. This is overdue. Many people still need a mouse, some crave to use actually a pen and replace the notes and drawings that they still do. (Albeit some only do it out of sight of potential onlookers. Otherwise they loose the digital edge aura. Coolness factor loss.)
There were so many more hard- and software possibilities to list which people would spend their money on to be experiencing the future through their own hands.
For some time now Apple has not introduced something and not leaked good enough information to keep them from spending on categories that used to be a little farther out of their main stay.
Traditional January and March events passed up, April's almost lost, June's now the hope.
The List:
1) First or Second android device, especially the Nexus 7
2) Raspberry Pi, Model B, since AirPlay is possible
3rd is most probably the e-ink watch, but it is still unclear if it belongs 3rd place because spending money on other accessories also increased. But honest enough I have to say that Nokia Lumia, Microsoft Surface and even Samsung Ativ have had only a short time window and were not really infecting more than the usual crowd.
People buy more spontaneous gadgets that are around $30 to $99 than before.
Apple has not introduced anything for a very long time.
We still have not the avant garde wireless top device were waiting for. The white Apple not TV box some refer to is for most just an Apple TV without TV but wireless access point, that they were happy to purchase and get rid of some of the old Expresses lying around and producing a lot of heat.
Long past are times that we used to ridicule the mice and not ending are the spontaneous zoomings of pages which is annoying the hell out of all of us with the not so magiK mouse.
The Air with touch, we love touch but Apple refuses to give us this and has not introduced the answer to all of the people that don't want to buy accessories from Logitech, Zagg, Belkin or even other companies. Which all try to help you convert the iPad into the Air with touch, including the magnetically detachable keyboard and Magic Stand they should have provided us with. This is overdue. Many people still need a mouse, some crave to use actually a pen and replace the notes and drawings that they still do. (Albeit some only do it out of sight of potential onlookers. Otherwise they loose the digital edge aura. Coolness factor loss.)
There were so many more hard- and software possibilities to list which people would spend their money on to be experiencing the future through their own hands.
2013-04-05
Calibre: Using multiple Calibre Web servers on a single machine (still hoping it will get a big makeover and really have some great UI)
Run multiple instances of calibre web server using:
/Applications/calibre.app/Contents/MacOS/calibre-server --port 9900 --with-library "..."
/Applications/calibre.app/Contents/MacOS/calibre-server --port 9901 --with-library "..."
There are a lot more options and some are really cool, like restrictions
Rant:
I could use iTunes, as I did the last couple of years, but organizing books with iBooks and iTunes 11 is really not enjoyable anymore.
One of the big issues is that the Collections created on the iOS devices is not visible in iTunes and somehow I cannot view the books like I could in iTunes < 11.
So I started to use Calibre again, and was hoping that the interface has improved, but no. Still looking 90s but some of the features are nice.
And I have to run 2 instances of calibre web server to serve content for my wife and for me, later on I probably will have to run one for each family member, but hope that Apple comes to the rescue, which it most probably won't.
/Applications/calibre.app/Contents/MacOS/calibre-server --port 9900 --with-library "..."
/Applications/calibre.app/Contents/MacOS/calibre-server --port 9901 --with-library "..."
There are a lot more options and some are really cool, like restrictions
Rant:
I could use iTunes, as I did the last couple of years, but organizing books with iBooks and iTunes 11 is really not enjoyable anymore.
One of the big issues is that the Collections created on the iOS devices is not visible in iTunes and somehow I cannot view the books like I could in iTunes < 11.
So I started to use Calibre again, and was hoping that the interface has improved, but no. Still looking 90s but some of the features are nice.
And I have to run 2 instances of calibre web server to serve content for my wife and for me, later on I probably will have to run one for each family member, but hope that Apple comes to the rescue, which it most probably won't.
Mac OS X: plist man
A nice forum entry about plist files and editors.
I still don't think I should install all of xcode to have the settings file easily accessible.
TextWrangler is a nice looking tool, have not used it before, but if it can open binary plist files without converting and then actually saving it back as binary, that's definitely worth something.
http://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/5278/how-do-i-open-a-plist-file
some more details on plist:
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-20093292-263/lockfiles-and-other-plist-file-subtypes-in-os-x-lion/
***
not read as of yet:
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-10344627-263.html?tag=mfiredir
I still don't think I should install all of xcode to have the settings file easily accessible.
TextWrangler is a nice looking tool, have not used it before, but if it can open binary plist files without converting and then actually saving it back as binary, that's definitely worth something.
some more details on plist:
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-20093292-263/lockfiles-and-other-plist-file-subtypes-in-os-x-lion/
***
not read as of yet:
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-10344627-263.html?tag=mfiredir
Mac OS X: How to get F4 to open Lauchpad on old wireless keyboards, apple makes it very hard for us
I really don't like to install another software to do what the OS is supposed to be doing. So instead of using the 2 links at the bottom which indicate I have to install functionflip and then define what key to use, I prefer the method suggested here by Kentzo.
This is how I had to accomplish it, still to complicated to be of any use:
Here are 2 links that refer to FunctionFlip etc.:
http://www.tuaw.com/2011/07/22/make-your-pre-lion-keyboard-work-with-launchpad/
http://josh-asch.net/2011/07/22/remap-the-dashboard-key-to-launchpad/
This is how I had to accomplish it, still to complicated to be of any use:
- Use the plist editor of choice, which was for me PlistEditPro and choose to open a file.
- In Finder choose GoTo and enter Library (this should take you to your users Library, otherwise use tilde/Library), then select Preferences
file://localhost/Users/patrick/Library/Preferences/com.apple.symbolichotkeys.plist
- Drag the file com.apple.symbolichotkeys.plist onto the the open dialog of PlistEditPro, wouldn't let me go to my Library folder.
- Then look for 160, open it,
- change enabled to YES,
- change parameter 2 to 130
- Save the file
- Log out and in again, and voila!!!
Next step is to really get rid of the plist editor, I mean it should be part of the OS no? (a GUI tool, not command line etc).
Here are 2 links that refer to FunctionFlip etc.:
http://www.tuaw.com/2011/07/22/make-your-pre-lion-keyboard-work-with-launchpad/
http://josh-asch.net/2011/07/22/remap-the-dashboard-key-to-launchpad/
2013-03-31
Mac OS X: Change file association (for all not just single document) of a specific type
http://www.macworld.com/article/1154861/changedefaultapp.html
2013-03-18
FWSM: Deny inbound (No xlate) -> check that the security level is not equal on both interfaces
On the FWSM per default all communications between 2 interfaces with the same security level are denied.
And you will see the message, which is quite misleading:
106011
Error Message %FWSM-3-106011: Deny inbound (No xlate) string
Explanation The message will appear under normal traffic conditions if there are internal users that are accessing the Internet through a web browser. This message will appear any time a connection is reset, when the host at the end of the connection sends a packet after the security appliance receives the reset. It can typically be ignored.
Recommended Action Prevent this syslog message from getting logged to the syslog server by entering the no logging message 106011 command.
You could just allow communication using the same-security level under or as I prefer, set a different security-level per interface.
And you will see the message, which is quite misleading:
106011
Error Message %FWSM-3-106011: Deny inbound (No xlate) string
Explanation The message will appear under normal traffic conditions if there are internal users that are accessing the Internet through a web browser. This message will appear any time a connection is reset, when the host at the end of the connection sends a packet after the security appliance receives the reset. It can typically be ignored.
Recommended Action Prevent this syslog message from getting logged to the syslog server by entering the no logging message 106011 command.
You could just allow communication using the same-security level under or as I prefer, set a different security-level per interface.
2013-03-15
Google Reader R.I.P and why they should get rid of the rest of the pack
Is there really a reason, why we should keep any of the other services google offers besides search?
I think they got it all wrong.
No, that's not it.
Now this is what I'm talking about.
(The only thing you shall ever see and start with, nothing else matters. I really believe that removing also the last 2 pieces is an option that should be configurable for the human user. Most probably it has to go since we will not be bound to a single interface or display of whatever sorts, but just being here and react in the way I that I could actually make the best use of. E.g. I have about 12 devices surrounding me that could be the receiving end to my wishes (TV, iMac, MacBook, some Notebook, a few mobile phones, fixed-line phone, digital camera, logitech bluetooth speaker, logitech sound system, AppleTv, iPod(s) ...)
(Did I mention that I want to open the first google office in my neighborhood and really do groundbreaking work in knowledge management and give part of the people what they want, even though most of them don't and won't realize this. It would be the most revolutionary work environment with all things going crazy, I would even use the local 10'000 people as the testbed and then expand to cover the next 1.5 million and then the world (kind a like of Pinky and the Brain
, no really!, I think with the right mentor it could work and the google team could have an impact on the world! ;))
As always I want everything now and don't want to wait another 20 years before they think they got it right.
Or why do I still feel the same way as I felt when I was working with my first palm pilot?
I'm trapped, for almost 20 years and more we use the same technology and were still in the early precambrian, might be the at the beginning of hadean. My clock is ticking and boy do I want to see the next era. Not just a couple of hundred million evolution cycles. Come on, an e-Ink eReader or a iPhone is nothing else that just a couple cycles in the evolution of the same.
But it is clear that none of the Google products really have a future.
Why?
This is so simple and beautiful; does not distract; feels at home; you're welcome; go ahead and do whatever you need to do. I'm there for you.
Because the simple search that delivered THE results was the key to success. Everything else has to go. All attempts to steer away from this will ultimately fail.
Slowly they are learning, sometimes the hard way. But they are trying to fix things and get rid of the unnecessary baggage which you really have to thank them for. They make our lives easier with this and remove the clutter.
You'll see that they start to incorporate our other senses into their want to serve us. We can talk now, throw pictures at them.
There is no need for an icon to tell me that I can speak now.
Soon you'll be thinking of things, hovering over items with your eyes, coughing to it, showing it your eye and it'll determine that you have a grey star, measuring the body temperature from pictures the cam takes, sizing you up. Finally using deep neural networks and their future compatriots to really do the trick and not just keeping a stick straight up on an old typewriter ;))
I understand that they need the labs (where I would like to get old) and buy other peoples projects and ultimately erase everything and gobble something up that really belonged to search in the first place. That's evolution. We have to see and understand to be able to improve and evolve. Or not and just let nature take care.
But that's not all: The Internet is 99,99% full of crap, even search is today not capable to provide the quality information to the desired level of information one needs. Pick any subject of which you have never ever heard anything before and try to learn something in less than a minute and be confident that the info provided is above average quality. There are gazillions of examples that I could come up with, where search fails today but will not tomorrow. I would like to see an automatic rating system, with some additional personal preference list, based on texts that I read before and would like to consult or count in on the next time. So for example Steven Levy, which I tend to read.
search is the ultimate answer (approximately 41.9999, maybe 42 we'll see), there's no need for anything else, but constant improvements to such things as Now, Real-time, my own information returned in searches etc. and a dynamic system in which one can freely roam around and always come back.
So every time google decides to kill a product we shall rejoice because we might be one or multiple steps going into the future direction of search. Hopefully at an increasing rate.
So here's to Google Reader:
My daily companion for many years, almost always there for me to provide me with the great insight to all and beyond, consumed over all imaginable devices and programs almost 24 by seven. It's time to say goodbye and may your DNA be the basis of the future search, that will finally bring all together.
Why? The flood of content on the internet is unbearable, there is no automatic aggregator, even considering foreign language sources, no rating system, no visualization over time, but it's desperately needed, since we have now billions of information sources all reporting about the same. Most should not even report since they don't add anything of value and should be considered spam. Search shall provide me the means to live a healthier live, only reading the condensed news and articles that really contain or add value.
Most of the products have no future, like
blogger.com
, on which I write this entry. It's prehistoric, it should've gone a long time ago, it is so out of fashion, still cannot drag and drop pictures into the composing area, having to type in some nondescript serif font that I hate, looking at a screen that is not really optimized, having a lot of icons I never clicked, all distracting the pureness of writing this blog entry.
Why can I not just start typing at search and it'll be an entry to my online being, that I then can use in whatever way pleases me. The only thing you cannot take away from me is the Google logo and the new search field. Where if it pleases me I can ask to have a word in bold, change the font temporarily, switch off the screen, look up a phrasal verb definition, grab some image that if selected will be directly integrated into my entry (not calling it blog anymore). I can then command a million blogs and target the audience without having to have circles from somewhere else.
Visualization is crucial to most of us that have visual sight, so why not let me choose to view everything in the different models there are. Show me all in a linked map, display everything in an endless calendar, whatever format the calendar be, allow me to limit or expand in any direction, let me be the creator of my own world based on some initial models. There are endless things that can be achieved and all starts at search.
Lately Google has added some to search but many things still are feeling very unnatural to start with and won't let you expand from where you come but direct you to the ultimate doom which is having a hundred or more tabs/windows open and never actually allowing us to retrace back to where we started.
To Google, stay focused, deliver the ultimate, get rid of everything but search.
The products that have to go and soon:
(don't have the time for all, so please fill in some details for each product of Google, i.e. help me finish this list):
Gmail.com
Has been doomed from the beginning, there is no real sense to try to keep the old technology alive, why should I care if I reach somebody over email, or IRC, chat, messenger, even over snail mail.
Wouldn't it be cool to write a message, from search, to my grandmother and it will let me choose to send it at a cost of $1, which will get printed and delivered to her mailbox.
Google+
Doomed, some features seem to creep into search and once they recognize that all of it must go it'll end quickly.
google docs
Doomed.
Picasa
Already gone, no?
Chrome
Doomed.
Chrome OS
Doomed, but could be the start of search (will not call it search OS).
Android
Doomed from the beginning, together with Chrome will be assimilated into search.
Please continue and update this list a somewhat ok start is here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Google_products
This is version 0.1 of this blog entry. It's late, too late and I could still continue on forever. But my younger son will appreciate it if I bring him to bed, instead of letting hime sleep on the couch.
I think they got it all wrong.
No, that's not it.
Now this is what I'm talking about.
(The only thing you shall ever see and start with, nothing else matters. I really believe that removing also the last 2 pieces is an option that should be configurable for the human user. Most probably it has to go since we will not be bound to a single interface or display of whatever sorts, but just being here and react in the way I that I could actually make the best use of. E.g. I have about 12 devices surrounding me that could be the receiving end to my wishes (TV, iMac, MacBook, some Notebook, a few mobile phones, fixed-line phone, digital camera, logitech bluetooth speaker, logitech sound system, AppleTv, iPod(s) ...)
(Did I mention that I want to open the first google office in my neighborhood and really do groundbreaking work in knowledge management and give part of the people what they want, even though most of them don't and won't realize this. It would be the most revolutionary work environment with all things going crazy, I would even use the local 10'000 people as the testbed and then expand to cover the next 1.5 million and then the world (kind a like of Pinky and the Brain
, no really!, I think with the right mentor it could work and the google team could have an impact on the world! ;))
As always I want everything now and don't want to wait another 20 years before they think they got it right.
Or why do I still feel the same way as I felt when I was working with my first palm pilot?
I'm trapped, for almost 20 years and more we use the same technology and were still in the early precambrian, might be the at the beginning of hadean. My clock is ticking and boy do I want to see the next era. Not just a couple of hundred million evolution cycles. Come on, an e-Ink eReader or a iPhone is nothing else that just a couple cycles in the evolution of the same.
But it is clear that none of the Google products really have a future.
Why?
Because the simple search that delivered THE results was the key to success. Everything else has to go. All attempts to steer away from this will ultimately fail.
Slowly they are learning, sometimes the hard way. But they are trying to fix things and get rid of the unnecessary baggage which you really have to thank them for. They make our lives easier with this and remove the clutter.
You'll see that they start to incorporate our other senses into their want to serve us. We can talk now, throw pictures at them.
There is no need for an icon to tell me that I can speak now.
Soon you'll be thinking of things, hovering over items with your eyes, coughing to it, showing it your eye and it'll determine that you have a grey star, measuring the body temperature from pictures the cam takes, sizing you up. Finally using deep neural networks and their future compatriots to really do the trick and not just keeping a stick straight up on an old typewriter ;))
I understand that they need the labs (where I would like to get old) and buy other peoples projects and ultimately erase everything and gobble something up that really belonged to search in the first place. That's evolution. We have to see and understand to be able to improve and evolve. Or not and just let nature take care.
But that's not all: The Internet is 99,99% full of crap, even search is today not capable to provide the quality information to the desired level of information one needs. Pick any subject of which you have never ever heard anything before and try to learn something in less than a minute and be confident that the info provided is above average quality. There are gazillions of examples that I could come up with, where search fails today but will not tomorrow. I would like to see an automatic rating system, with some additional personal preference list, based on texts that I read before and would like to consult or count in on the next time. So for example Steven Levy, which I tend to read.
search is the ultimate answer (approximately 41.9999, maybe 42 we'll see), there's no need for anything else, but constant improvements to such things as Now, Real-time, my own information returned in searches etc. and a dynamic system in which one can freely roam around and always come back.
So every time google decides to kill a product we shall rejoice because we might be one or multiple steps going into the future direction of search. Hopefully at an increasing rate.
My daily companion for many years, almost always there for me to provide me with the great insight to all and beyond, consumed over all imaginable devices and programs almost 24 by seven. It's time to say goodbye and may your DNA be the basis of the future search, that will finally bring all together.
Why? The flood of content on the internet is unbearable, there is no automatic aggregator, even considering foreign language sources, no rating system, no visualization over time, but it's desperately needed, since we have now billions of information sources all reporting about the same. Most should not even report since they don't add anything of value and should be considered spam. Search shall provide me the means to live a healthier live, only reading the condensed news and articles that really contain or add value.
Most of the products have no future, like
blogger.com, on which I write this entry. It's prehistoric, it should've gone a long time ago, it is so out of fashion, still cannot drag and drop pictures into the composing area, having to type in some nondescript serif font that I hate, looking at a screen that is not really optimized, having a lot of icons I never clicked, all distracting the pureness of writing this blog entry.
Why can I not just start typing at search and it'll be an entry to my online being, that I then can use in whatever way pleases me. The only thing you cannot take away from me is the Google logo and the new search field. Where if it pleases me I can ask to have a word in bold, change the font temporarily, switch off the screen, look up a phrasal verb definition, grab some image that if selected will be directly integrated into my entry (not calling it blog anymore). I can then command a million blogs and target the audience without having to have circles from somewhere else.
Visualization is crucial to most of us that have visual sight, so why not let me choose to view everything in the different models there are. Show me all in a linked map, display everything in an endless calendar, whatever format the calendar be, allow me to limit or expand in any direction, let me be the creator of my own world based on some initial models. There are endless things that can be achieved and all starts at search.
Lately Google has added some to search but many things still are feeling very unnatural to start with and won't let you expand from where you come but direct you to the ultimate doom which is having a hundred or more tabs/windows open and never actually allowing us to retrace back to where we started.
To Google, stay focused, deliver the ultimate, get rid of everything but search.
The products that have to go and soon:
(don't have the time for all, so please fill in some details for each product of Google, i.e. help me finish this list):
Has been doomed from the beginning, there is no real sense to try to keep the old technology alive, why should I care if I reach somebody over email, or IRC, chat, messenger, even over snail mail.
Wouldn't it be cool to write a message, from search, to my grandmother and it will let me choose to send it at a cost of $1, which will get printed and delivered to her mailbox.
Doomed, some features seem to creep into search and once they recognize that all of it must go it'll end quickly.
Doomed.
Already gone, no?
Doomed.
Doomed, but could be the start of search (will not call it search OS).
Doomed from the beginning, together with Chrome will be assimilated into search.
Please continue and update this list a somewhat ok start is here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Google_products
This is version 0.1 of this blog entry. It's late, too late and I could still continue on forever. But my younger son will appreciate it if I bring him to bed, instead of letting hime sleep on the couch.
2013-03-14
Tolino Shine: Hoffnung auf Verbesserungen, April?, Fonts (DIY)
Es gibt anscheinend sehr interessante Blogs, welche uns mit genügend Infos versorgen:
http://www.lesen.net
http://allesebook.de
Danke für die Mühe.
Jetzt wünsche ich mir nur, dass es endlich jemand mal Ernst meint und einiges an Arbeit in die Verbesserungen steckt. Es gibt viel zu tun, packt es an und es gibt definitiv eine Alternative zu Amazon Kindle.
Cool wäre eine Art public top priorities list, wo man verfolgen kann, welche Funktionen gerade implementiert werden. Monatliche updates!
Fonts (DIY): http://allesebook.de/reviews-tests-previews/howto/anleitung-eigene-schriftarten-am-tolino-shine/
gefunden auf: http://www.lesen.net/ereader/5-tipps-fur-den-tolino-shine-6096/
http://www.lesen.net
http://allesebook.de
Danke für die Mühe.
Cool wäre eine Art public top priorities list, wo man verfolgen kann, welche Funktionen gerade implementiert werden. Monatliche updates!
Fonts (DIY): http://allesebook.de/reviews-tests-previews/howto/anleitung-eigene-schriftarten-am-tolino-shine/
gefunden auf: http://www.lesen.net/ereader/5-tipps-fur-den-tolino-shine-6096/
2013-03-09
Tolino Shine: Leider ziemlich schlechter als Sony PRS-1
Sorry to say, but....
Der Sony ist in Punkto Textlayout Klassen besser, leider auch bei der Textqualität, d.h. er hat zwar ein höher auflösendes Display, dies kommt aber überhaupt nicht zur Geltung. Man hat einfach mehr das Gefühl eines Buches anstatt eines Computerdisplays.
Der Sony ist in Punkto Textlayout Klassen besser, leider auch bei der Textqualität, d.h. er hat zwar ein höher auflösendes Display, dies kommt aber überhaupt nicht zur Geltung. Man hat einfach mehr das Gefühl eines Buches anstatt eines Computerdisplays.
Speziell beim letzten Bild ist der Abstand der Zeilen viel zu Gross und man kann diesen auch nicht verringern, eine kleinere Schrift bringt leider nicht wirklich was.
Tolino Shine: Hoffen auf ein schnelles Update ;)
- Wörterbuch, mehrere Sprachen
- Viele eBook Funktionen, es gibt so vieles nachzuholen, wie auch Notizen
- PDFs stürzen mehrheitlich ab
2013-03-07
Tolino Shine: Also mir gefällt das Ding sehr gut
Empfehlung: Kaufen; wie immer aber nicht ohne sich vorher zu informieren.
Nun gibt es ja zum Glück Amazon mit den Kindle Readers, doch so wirklich haben diese mich noch nie angesprochen, doch der Preis von $69 ist schon sehr nah am Spontankauf.
Das grösste Problem wie immer ist, dass ich meine mehrere hundert Bücher umfassende Sammlung nicht einfach so auf den Reader bekomme; zum Teil gibt es keine Ebooks, dann sind viele ungeheuer Teuer, so dass sich der Neukauf nicht wirklich lohnt. Bin immer noch am überlegen, ob ich mit iPone scanne und mit OCR in ePub umwandle, speziell mit dem Kartonscanaufbau zum selbermachen. Auch kann ich von Kindle nicht einfach auf Sony TRS umsteigen etc. Meine Bücher kaufe ich meistens auf iBooks und die bekomme ich nirgends mehr drauf. Zum Guten Glück habe ich eine ziemlich grosse ePub Sammlung von früher mit einigen wichtigen Titeln, doch leider ist es nicht einfach zu wissen wo jetzt welche Bücher sind.
Seit einigen Wochen fragen mich unheimlich viele über die Tablets und Ebook reader und was ich denn so denke. Für viele ist es das iPad (speziell mit Retina Display)/iPad mini, dann klar der Kindle Paperwhite $119 und es war immer der Sony PRS-T1, doch nun kommt der Tolino und für die meisten hier ist dies das Gerät, welches jetzt kaufen muss. Der Bookeen HD Frontlight und Kobo Glo haben es einfach nicht so richtig geschafft; ich meine auf meine Liste.
Die Gründe für iPad:
- Farbe, multifunktionalität, Batterie ok
Die Gründe für Kindle Paperwhite:
- Bester Shop für englische Bücher, bestes und preiswertestes Gerät, Software top
Die Gründe für PRS-T1:
- ePub (grosse Vielfalt in verschiedenen Sprachen), leicht
Nun also der tolino shine:
- Preis, ePub, software ok, licht, Shop für mehr Länder, zentraler Knopf
Der Tolino erfüllt nach meinem eingehenden Test alle Bedürfnisse mit Gut für jeden Durchschnittsbürger. Es funktioniert sofort alles, die Software und Bedienung gehen gut von der Hand, zum Teil rudimentär; es fehlen einige Funktionen, doch für die allermeisten Bücherleser ist es genau richtig.
Der Preis in Deutschland ist gut, in der Schweiz sollte man ihn noch nach unten korrigieren, generell Top.
Ich habe nicht alle Angaben die ich gerne hätte jedoch hier meine Vermutungen, auf Grund von Open source Lizenzen und angaben vom Gerät:
- Android 2.3.3
- Linux 2.6.35.3
- Garantiegeber: Longshine Technologie GmbH, Augsburg
- Wie lange hält der Akku, wenn das Licht immer eingeschalten ist.
- Garantie für Firmware updates?, stetige Verbesserung der Software?
Interessant ist auch, ob der Tolino mit anderer Software zum Laufen kommt ;), egal
Hier die Bilder:
So nun kommen wir zum Kapitel, was gefällt mir den nicht:
- Hintergrundlicht im unteren Bereich nicht zufriedenstellend, siehe auch letztes Foto. In einem anderen Blog http://blog.the-ebook-reader.com/2013/03/04/tolino-shine-ereader-with-hd-screen-android-and-frontlight-hits-germany/, auch im Video dort sieht die Hintergrundbeleuchtung viel besser aus. Vielleicht ein Grund mein Gerät auszutauschen. (Notiz: habe weder den Eintrag gelesen, noch das Video wirklich angeschaut, d.h. ich weiss noch nicht was da Berichtet wurde, für mich war es nur ein Vergleich für das Licht)
- Leider ist auch beim Paperwhite das Licht nicht wirklich toll
- Schärfe, d.h. zum Teil stellt der Tolino gewisse Textpassagen etwas unscharf an, was ich mir eigentlich nicht so bewusst war. Die Fotos auf der offiziellen Seite und auch auf diversen News Seiten sind deutlich zu kontrastreich und scharf. Doch das Display gefällt.
- Software
- Die Software gefällt mir gut, jedoch hat es einige Sachen die Dringend angegangen werden sollten.
- Startseite ist nicht ok, ich möchte direkt mit meiner Bibliothek beginnen.
- Koordination zwischen Hauptknopf, Wischen oder Navigationselementen ist nicht sauber durchdacht. Extrem mühsam, dass man nicht durch die Bibliothek wischen kann, so auch nicht durch das Inhaltsverzeichnis
- Zugriff auf mehr Einstellungen von überall her, auch um den Webbrowser zu starten.
- Springen im Buch, mit Möglichkeit wieder zurückzukehren
- Anzeige der verbleibenden Seiten im Kapitel, Zeitschätzung
- Zeichensätze
- Geschwindigkeit, Internet, Shop und z.T. navigieren im Buch etwas zu langsam
- Mehr soziale Dienste und auch news reader, z.B. Google Reader mit Cache
- Suchen in PDFs
- Abstürze in PDFs und auch sonst wo.
- vom PC/MAC/Pad: Reader für andere Geräte, Management der in der Cloud gespeicherten Dokumente, so auch die Möglichkeit etwas zur Verfügung zu stellen.
- Gewicht, es ist zwar genial, jedoch sollte man noch optimieren
- Gewicht: 184 Gramm, schon fast genial, dennoch möchte man es leichter
- mit Licht war nur der Kobo Glo leichter, d.h. 183 Gramm
- Grösse, eigentlich ganz ok, wahrscheinlich bringt dünner mehr als weniger Breit, doch die Höhe war und ist ok.
- Grösse: Leichte Nachteile gegenüber Kobo Glo und Kindle, für mich jedoch ok. Eher die Dicke.
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