The 'new', or rather 'updated' iPhone "4S" was announced yesterday. It boasts increased processor speed (equal to the iPad 2), an upgraded camera (8MP) with 1080p HD video with stabilization to parallel most rivals (eg HTC) as well as some basic photo/video editing options, enhanced voice recognition 'Siri', and better battery life...oh and something about better reception and a new operating system.
Personally I have never had an iPhone. Sure I know plenty of people that do, the number of people I know that own them seems to increase more and more every month - With a special mention of my brother who I'd never have picked as ever having one.
With a swag of Twitter tweets about the disappointment in how un-revolutionary (my way of putting it) this new device is...I must say I believe this might get more people than me and the usual Apple cynics questioning in what direction the device is going, what additional features can be crammed into the device and how many features users truly want and need and how easily/readily people will integrate them into their life.
Already technology writers are focusing on the iPod range. When Apple appears to be trying to get everyone to use an iPhone by making it more affordable and having all the features social network users could want and more...it makes one wonder if people are carrying a phone that has the function of an iPod built into, why would they buy an standalone portable music/video player? It's just another thing to carry around, keep an eye on, make sure its battery is charged, etc.
I never understood why someone would want a 160gig iPod classic anyhow, how many people have that much music (or want to watch videos on its screen) as well as needing it in their pocket?
One other thing I got thinking was about Tim Cook selling this product. Steve Jobs could arguably sell anything to Apple loyalists...with the new guy pitching them, has the flair disappeared? Are people seeing past the hype of "OMG Steve Jobs like's it so much he is promoting it personally!" and seeing these things as what they really are?
One speculated change to the then rumored 'iPhone 5' was the removal of the "Home" button, a button that many people questioned the use/need of. Curiously double clicking (I thought that was a Windows thing?) the home button now on the iPhone 4S activates the camera.
I do give Apple credit, even if their 'revolutionary' products may not be exactly that per se, I think that it's undeniable that they have driven changes in technology and how people interact with those changes, all I am wondering now is whether technology has run out of steam. Besides 3D, increasing specs of components that already exist (processors, memory, storage, camera capabilities), and software that takes advantage of and finds new uses for the hardware...I just don't see what other avenues exist for expansion in the consumer handheld technology sector.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Monday, October 3, 2011
Time spent on Facebook
Hi all, I was looking at a few old text files I authored just now and came across 'Facebook Timewaster.txt' - In the past I used to write about things and post them on forums online, or on Facebook as notes...sometimes I used to just write them out and send them to people I knew because I thought they might be interested to read what I had created.
This file was created on April 29th 2011 and gives a source...which is now out of date, as it no longer gives the figure - But I assure you at the time of creation it was given, and I recorded it accurately.
Anyhow the information is about how much time is spent on Facebook in a month, I did some calculations (if you notice an error I'm happy to have it pointed out).
Enjoy.
"People spend over 700 billion minutes per month on Facebook"
Source: http://www.facebook.com/press/info.php?statistics
**********************
60 minutes * 24 hours of a day
= 1,440 minutes
1,440 minutes (one day)
**********************
700,000,000,000 minutes (Spent on Facebook) / 31 days (longest month used)
= 22,580,645,161 minutes (spent every day on Facebook)
/
1,440 minutes of a day
= 15,681,003 days spent a day on Facebook
/
36,600 days (100 Earth leap years)
= 428 (100 year lifespans where every year was a 366 day leap year)
**********************
I still think that although that much time is spent logged into Facebook, it doesn't represent the reality, as their is no indication of things like how much of that time users are logged in represents idle time...or any suggestion as to how many 'real' accounts exist (i.e. One could be logged into multiple accounts at the same time).
TODAY, October 4, 2011 Facebook's statistics page boasts that there are "More than 800 million active users" and that "More than 50% of our active users log into Facebook in any given day".
I want to crunch some more numbers (I have a problem :P)
Using a figure of 50% of the active users logging in for say, today...and using a flat figure of 800 million users we could assume 400 million users will log in. There ARE 31 days in this month so we'll use the (dated) figure of daily minutes spent calculated above of 22,580,645,161 minutes and we'll average it out across those 400 million users; giving us the result of each of the 400mil users spending ~56.5 minutes on Facebook.
I don't know about you but the thought of 400 million people (big assumption) spending just under 1/24 (4.16%) of their day on Facebook boggles my mind...
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Names on Coke Bottles
Hi everyone,
I'm unsure whether this is just an Australian thing or if it's happening in other places but a new marketing campaign of Coca Cola is to put peoples names (150 different boys and girls names) on the bottles (just 600ml I think) and suggesting that you share a coke with them.
Now I've got a bit of research behind me in regards to Coca Cola and how it promotes the brand, especially their signature cola product. This one seems fairly straightforward...put popular names on the label of the bottles - people with those names will want one; people will wonder why names are on the bottles and look it up on the internet - BOOM the company peddling the stuff get their attention.
One other thing they may or may not have predicted (I'd imagine they'd have expected it) is people are taking photos of the bottles, and tagging Friends on Facebook in the photo because it has their name on it. Coca Cola really are, even if in a very small way, integrating themselves into another element of modern culture.
Personally I just wish Coca Cola would reduce their prices, I mean last time I checked a 2L bottle from the Coca Cola soft drink range (Colas, Lift, Fanta, Sprite) they were $3.45 a unit...more than the price of fuel for the car. Sure most of the year there are multi-buy deals they aren't really good if you only really want one bottle and don't want to hoard a bunch of bottles around your place until a time you might want them. Though reducing the price wouldn't be a gimmick I suppose, and wouldn't make the company as much money...so why would they?
Below is a picture of these new bottles that I am describing in this post. One final thing I'll say is my name is never on the trinket ranges you see in gift and souvenir places. I always used to check, often I still will...but these days I'm glad that my name doesn't appear on things. It's like I fall outside the marketing campaign, that I am free and liberated from being a target audience...the joy of not being sold anything!
My brother did visit Hawaii last year and my name must be more common over there as I finally have a key-ring that bears my name on it :P Also, before I show you the picture, have you ever known anyone with the name Aarav? I sure have haven't. No disrespect to the name or anyone named Aarav but I put this in the same classification as 'BORT' license plates on The Simpsons. Perhaps those that were informing Coca Cola the 150 most popular names decided to troll them a bit and threw that little gem in?
I'm unsure whether this is just an Australian thing or if it's happening in other places but a new marketing campaign of Coca Cola is to put peoples names (150 different boys and girls names) on the bottles (just 600ml I think) and suggesting that you share a coke with them.
Now I've got a bit of research behind me in regards to Coca Cola and how it promotes the brand, especially their signature cola product. This one seems fairly straightforward...put popular names on the label of the bottles - people with those names will want one; people will wonder why names are on the bottles and look it up on the internet - BOOM the company peddling the stuff get their attention.
One other thing they may or may not have predicted (I'd imagine they'd have expected it) is people are taking photos of the bottles, and tagging Friends on Facebook in the photo because it has their name on it. Coca Cola really are, even if in a very small way, integrating themselves into another element of modern culture.
Personally I just wish Coca Cola would reduce their prices, I mean last time I checked a 2L bottle from the Coca Cola soft drink range (Colas, Lift, Fanta, Sprite) they were $3.45 a unit...more than the price of fuel for the car. Sure most of the year there are multi-buy deals they aren't really good if you only really want one bottle and don't want to hoard a bunch of bottles around your place until a time you might want them. Though reducing the price wouldn't be a gimmick I suppose, and wouldn't make the company as much money...so why would they?
Below is a picture of these new bottles that I am describing in this post. One final thing I'll say is my name is never on the trinket ranges you see in gift and souvenir places. I always used to check, often I still will...but these days I'm glad that my name doesn't appear on things. It's like I fall outside the marketing campaign, that I am free and liberated from being a target audience...the joy of not being sold anything!
My brother did visit Hawaii last year and my name must be more common over there as I finally have a key-ring that bears my name on it :P Also, before I show you the picture, have you ever known anyone with the name Aarav? I sure have haven't. No disrespect to the name or anyone named Aarav but I put this in the same classification as 'BORT' license plates on The Simpsons. Perhaps those that were informing Coca Cola the 150 most popular names decided to troll them a bit and threw that little gem in?
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