DON’T RUSH THROUGH EXTREME WEB LAWS

I posted this to Onotate. ONotate is a way of ‘annotating’ web mockups for designers. You can see more at http://onotate.com If you’re as unhappy about the Digital Economy Bill as I am, it doesn’t hurt (and only takes about two minutes) to email your local MP/MLA. “Peter Mandelson is rushing to force the Digital … Continue reading “DON’T RUSH THROUGH EXTREME WEB LAWS”

I posted this to Onotate. ONotate is a way of ‘annotating’ web mockups for designers. You can see more at http://onotate.com

icx

If you’re as unhappy about the Digital Economy Bill as I am, it doesn’t hurt (and only takes about two minutes) to email your local MP/MLA.

“Peter Mandelson is rushing to force the Digital Economy Bill into law before the General Election.

The draconian law is opposed by industry experts, internet service providers (like TalkTalk and BT), web giants including Google, Yahoo and Ebay and even the British Library. Despite all this opposition, the Government is trying to rush it through quietly just before the election without proper debate – without a chance for us to voice our opposition. Email your MP now and urge them to stop the government rushing this law through.

There’s plenty to oppose in the Digital Economy Bill, it gives the government the ability to disconnect millions. Schools, libraries and businesses could see their connection cut if their pupils, readers of customers infringe any copyright. But one group likes it, the music industry. In a leaked memo a few days ago they admitted the only way to get the bill through would be to rush it through without a real parliamentary debate. Let’s stop that happening. “

All you need is your postcode.

Splat

I got splatted/slashdotted/fireballed yesterday because Mike Cane posted the “Amazing” link into YCombinator News. Thanks Mike. Now I’m running WP-Super-Cache and have donated to @donncha as well. It’s very unlikely I’ll need it ever again, but it’s ready… Related posts: YCombinator receives additional funding One thing at a time is at an end. KILL TELEVISION … Continue reading “Splat”

I got splatted/slashdotted/fireballed yesterday because Mike Cane posted the “Amazing” link into YCombinator News. Thanks Mike.

Screen shot 2010-03-10 at 09.37.23

Now I’m running WP-Super-Cache and have donated to @donncha as well. It’s very unlikely I’ll need it ever again, but it’s ready…

eWeek needs to fill some column space so puts something resembling an article together and calls it “iPad”

Don Reisinger states that Apple needs to fix 10 things with the iPad before release. The iPad is now less than a month away from hitting store shelves, but there are still significant issues with it that Apple hasn’t addressed. Here are some of the issues Apple needs to think about before the iPad hits … Continue reading “eWeek needs to fill some column space so puts something resembling an article together and calls it “iPad””

Don Reisinger states that Apple needs to fix 10 things with the iPad before release.

The iPad is now less than a month away from hitting store shelves, but there are still significant issues with it that Apple hasn’t addressed. Here are some of the issues Apple needs to think about before the iPad hits store shelves in April.

  1. Where’s the 3G iPad?
  2. The 3G-pricing conundrum
  3. We need Flash
  4. Displaying iPhone apps
  5. Accessory pricing
  6. iPhone OS 4.0
  7. The Kindle competition
  8. Connectivity
  9. AT&T’s network
  10. No camera? Really?

Where’s the 3G iPad?

Journalists are having a field day. Apple claimed they’d ship the WiFi iPad in 60 days. It’s about a week overdue and everyone is crowing about it being late. Honestly. And this fuss about the 3G? More whining. There’s no news here.

The 3G-pricing conundrum

A conundrum is defined as
1. “a riddle, esp one whose answer makes a play on words”
2. “another word for a question used by journalists wanting to sound clever”
There’s no puzzle here. The pricing is one of the cheapest plans on the market in the US. How is this a tricky question?

We need Flash

No, we don’t need Flash. We have done fine over the last three years with the iPhone. Performance is bad on desktop processors, what will it be like on Mobile? (Trick question: it sucks. I have Flash on my N800. Flash sucks).

Displaying iPhone apps

Was this guy even listening – iPhone apps resize to fill the screen at the touch of a virtual button. So there’s 150 000 apps out there that ‘just work’ and there’s people scrabbling to make custom apps for the iPad.

Accessory pricing

Again, do some research. It works fine with a Bluetooth keyboard. It doesn’t need much in the way of accessories. To be honest, people have inflated ideas of what they need. My USB port on my Air got used for two things. The very occasional printer and USB memory sticks. What else would you really use? And it uses the iPod dock port so there’s a shitload of stuff that will, you guessed it, just work.

iPhone OS 4.0

iPhone and iPod touch OS updates will be available for free now that Apple has ditched that stupid accounting method. That’ll also count for the iPad. And this is a journalist not doing any research and commenting on an operating system release that isn’t scheduled or announced.

The Kindle competition

The Kindle is not competition. If people want to read novels. then yes, an eInk screen will likely be a better option. But this is a fraction of what the iPad does whereas working as a eReader is pretty much 100% of what the Kindle does. So, yes, in some micro-percentage, they’re competing but it’s the Kindle percentage which will take the loss. iPad will do well enough even without the Kindle.

Connectivity

If Don had his way, we’d all be using floppy disks to transfer shit everywhere. You’ll use your iPad cable to transfer files (there’s a shared folder) and if you don’t have it, you’ll use this thing called the ‘network’. Duh.

AT&T’s network

So, who’s network would you suggest Don? I’d suggest Apple use the company which recently won the performance study reported by PC World at the end of February. Do your research, Don. It was only reported everywhere in the world.

No camera? Really?

Think about the use case for this. You’re seriously going to use iPad to take snaps. It’s immense. How are you going to hold it with any sensible utility and push the button? I can understand the desire for a front facing camera for videoconferencing and that should have been the point Don was making. But taking pictures of flowers or of funny things at random is just the wrong use case. That’s why we have cameras in our phones.

And there we have it. The big bag of stupid.

Mike says: Get a trade, build iPad stands.

Mike Cane is perfectly lucid when he says: If you’re sitting around applying for jobs and waiting for Something To Happen, you’ll be on the street before long. If you have some manual skills, start thinking about making stands for the iPad. Especially if you have a woodworking shop. You can sell them on etsy … Continue reading “Mike says: Get a trade, build iPad stands.”

Mike Cane is perfectly lucid when he says:

If you’re sitting around applying for jobs and waiting for Something To Happen, you’ll be on the street before long.

If you have some manual skills, start thinking about making stands for the iPad. Especially if you have a woodworking shop.

You can sell them on etsy and even auction them off on eBay.

I think there’s a real opportunity for people who are good with their ‘hands’.

I’m bollocks with things like that. Well. I never studied ‘craft’ in school and I’ve more or less avoided being ‘handy’. It comes as no surprise that Arlene is delighted when I have a screwdriver or a drill in my hand – it’s infrequent enough to be a novelty.

But I’m interested in drawing something and it’s related to Mike’s recent lucidity (which has been a habit of late). I’m interested in drawing my ideal iPad case. And then maybe finding someone who can make it. It’s a new experience for me.

This would be quite clever

Would sort out the main concerns. Front facing video camera, doc to hold it still and supply power. Maybe.. Related posts: Raspberry Pi: some useful links for doing more than playing around. iPhone. 4. VEE Raspberry Pi + Camera Module + Clever = Awesome

ipad dock av

Would sort out the main concerns. Front facing video camera, doc to hold it still and supply power.

Maybe..

Skype on iPhone: a complete arse

Can’t use over 3G. This is a complete arse. I get an excellent 3G connection most places I go to, I never use over my minutes and therefore I’m hardly going to abuse it. So, Apple, O2, what the fuck? Lack of Push Notification. It would be lovely if Skype would implement this so that … Continue reading “Skype on iPhone: a complete arse”

  • Can’t use over 3G. This is a complete arse. I get an excellent 3G connection most places I go to, I never use over my minutes and therefore I’m hardly going to abuse it. So, Apple, O2, what the fuck?
    IMG_0788
  • Lack of Push Notification. It would be lovely if Skype would implement this so that when someone contacts me on Skype, it tells me and gives me the option of answering. As an outgoing-only solution, it’s a complete arse.
  • Lack of multitasking. Why is this a problem? Two words: Incoming call. When someone calls my mobile number, the frontmost application quits. This is okay if it’s music or a game I’m playing but it’s a complete arse when I’m mid-Skype. Also means you can’t do anything else when in a call.

A workaround for some of this?

  1. First of all, get a MiFi (a 3G router). I have one from Three (3) and it means we have WiFi everywhere. Three don’t give a damn about you using Skype over their network.
  2. Consider an iPod touch (or put on Airplane mode and then switch WiFi on). This will remove the annoyance of an incoming call.
  3. Leave Skype running. Constantly. This may mean getting a second iPhone. Or alternatively just use your bloody computer.

Holiday plans in June: Roaming Data

In June, the family are going on a cruise around the Mediterranean. The ship is the Royal Carribean “Independence of the Seas” which can hold nearly 6000 people. (3/4 of it are passengers). We depart from Southampton on 19/6/2010 which means driving down from Belfast the day before. Ports of Call: Gibraltar (22/6/2010) Villefranche, France … Continue reading “Holiday plans in June: Roaming Data”

In June, the family are going on a cruise around the Mediterranean. The ship is the Royal Carribean “Independence of the Seas” which can hold nearly 6000 people. (3/4 of it are passengers).

RC Independence of the Seas

We depart from Southampton on 19/6/2010 which means driving down from Belfast the day before.

Ports of Call:
Gibraltar (22/6/2010)
Villefranche, France (24/6/2010)
Florence, Italy (25/6/2010)
Rome, Italy (26/6/2010)
Sardinia, Italy (27/6/2010)
Cadiz, Spain (29/6/2010)
Lisbon, Portugal (30/6/2010)
Vigo, Spain (1/7/2010)

Arrive back in Southampton: 3/7/2010

So excited 😀

Of course, my concerns are going to be the ability to get adequate data connections while abroad. Last time we went on a cruise for the Honeymoon, I managed to send a lot of data (most of it at £4 a MB but some of it at £6 a MB) but this year I intend to be a little smarter about it. Maxroam is still around €3.40 a megabyte which is cheaper than O2 but still not the sort of price that I want to pay for mobile data.

In June 2008, T-Mobile decreased their data roaming costs to £1.50 a MB but as they’re merging with Orange, who knows what will happen.

The Register reported in February 2008 that:

Five operators across Europe have banded together and agreed to cut wholesale data rates to €.25 per megabyte. The agreement should reduce customer prices over the next 12 months

but I’ve yet to see a single reasonable decrease as a result.

So, I went and had a look;

Carrier Web Page Costs
Three EU Roaming £1.25 per MB
Vodafone Roaming Around 20p a MB
(£4.99 for the first 25MB per day)
O2 International Roaming £3 per MB
Orange Phone Abroad £2.55 per MB

and at first look it would seem that Vodafone have it down. I’m going to have to go and talk to Vodafone now that my O2 contract is at an end.

Does anyone have anything to add here? Are you getting a great deal from your carrier for data roaming?

Curtis Peugeot of Newtownabbey: idiots and time-wasters

I got one of those “The sender didn’t pay enough postage” leaflets through the door on Wednesday from Royal Mail and so I dutifully tripped down to collect it. The bill for the trip was seventeen pence for the unpaid postage, forty pence paid for parking and a pound to the Royal Mail for handling … Continue reading “Curtis Peugeot of Newtownabbey: idiots and time-wasters”

I got one of those “The sender didn’t pay enough postage” leaflets through the door on Wednesday from Royal Mail and so I dutifully tripped down to collect it. The bill for the trip was seventeen pence for the unpaid postage, forty pence paid for parking and a pound to the Royal Mail for handling it. This obviously doesn’t count the cost of my time: which is pretty much the most valuable thing I have.

The end result – fucking junking mail from Curtis Cars (Peugeot) of Newtownabbey.

Curtis Cars are idiots
Curtis Cars are idiots

So, for 17 pence, Curtis Cars (Peugeot) just bought themselves a page on my blog describing how annoyed I am.

The lesson here – either just email your junk mail (and get filed like the Viagra and 411 scams) or do the right research and put the right amount of damn postage on the envelope.

So, I’ve called them and asked them to take me off the mailing list. They have offered to re-imburse me which I’ve declined. Apparently it was a mixup with the postage blah blah blah I don’t care.

Coverage, Coverage, wherefore art thou…

I wish someone could explain how I can get full bars of coverage but no data connection. That just annoys the heck out of me. Related posts: Holidays in England Stepmom HSDPA coverage in NI Meggan Art

I wish someone could explain how I can get full bars of coverage but no data connection. That just annoys the heck out of me.

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