Screw Android - DELL

Technology giant DELL have revealed that they will be withdrawing from the smartphone market and Android at least for the short term future, with website 'techbuffalo' reporting the news.

Instead DELL look to gear themselves up with their range of MICROSOFT O/S tablets. Is that a big middle finger to Google from DELL?!? Sounds very much like it to this observer :)

Source: 

http://www.technobuffalo.com/2012/12/12/dell-says-its-retiring-from-smartphones-not-going-to-invest-in-android/

Additionally, "Google says that it is not developing apps for Windows Mobile or Windows 8". It's not even the end of 2012 and Google decide to give modern Windows products the cold shoulder with DELL doing likewise to the Android OS. This should make for interesting times. Again, in this observers opinion, this sounds like a severe case of Google being a whiny little runt of an organisation. So much self involved and proud are they that they won't develop for what could be a key market for everyone. 

And to think, if Windows had combed out their undesirable app developers andf Google were on it, a stink would surely have been created over it.

With a strongly fought battle between Apple and Samsung over the mobile O/S device market already and with these announcements all us tech-enthusiasts can do is sit back and watch the fireworks and place bets on who will get buried first.

Windows versus Mac - PC changes in ~10 years

The picture below was originally (at least when I first saw it like 10 years ago) the windows guy frustrated because "M$" was complicated and Apple was 'idiot proof'.

These days, as you can see, some people aren't satisfied with Apple devices (among others *cough cough SONY *cough*) because they are so closed down.

With Windows 8 and the whole Microsoft Surface/Tablet device raising concerns about a 'locked down' Microsoft hardware perhaps Android will be the cream that rises to the top.

I've known Apple Fanboys who agree with articles that say that Apple haven't brought anything much new to the table lately...I have had a Windows Mobile 7 phone (now 7.5) for years and see no reason to upgrade. Perhaps  I've had my technology fill? I'm not big into 'App's, 3D still seems a novelty to me and most new state of the art games have become too complex and involving to be fun for me anymore - though they are very impressive.

As you can see this image is from another site...

Note: When you close the bonnet of the Apple car it would flick the switch off :P

Internet as "the cloud"

Hi all, sorry again...it's been awhile. I've been seeking inner peace :P

Anyhow I got looking at my old files from when my house first got the internet in the year 2000 (what I asked for for my birthday present that year). A lot of files originated in the years 2000 and 2001 then pretty much stop. Why was that? I got a job in 2001 and did 2 "Information Technology" type subjects in my final 2 years of university which I found I just had "the knack" for and used most of my time looking up old text files, playing games, and playing videos and music...so I didn't really need to use the now aging home PC. That and with my brother and father now using the internet themselves they were infecting the machine with all sorts of malware, including some nasty viruses that gave me nightmares considering I had become the house PC technician.

I got thinking today how things are different now on the internet. Apple Inc and Microsoft (among others?) have really been pushing "cloud computing". So I asked a friend online "Isn't the whole internet pretty much one big open public 'cloud' from a single users perspective? It's someone elses content (or your own) served/provided by someone else" - To which they told me yes as the internet has always been illustrated in network diagram as a cloud...saying this about them"it's out there somewhere, but we're not exactly sure where"...and all websites are 'clouds'.

I quipped saying I thought it was because it's a 'fluffy term' :P He agreed with amusement.

Being a fan of Free Alternatives I am a fan of Google figured that YouTube could be considered a cloud owned by Google that offers legitimate content such as VEVO music video services that is supported via ads and a storefront to purchase?

Whereas other companies using different business models offer the same thing...only more restricted, they don't always offer the ad supported content, and are probably provided at a cost (perhaps hidden).

In any case something else that got me reminiscing was thinking how all my 2000/2001files came from an old Windows 98 computer shared with my dad and my brother using 56.6k dial up using 32MB RAM and a HDD of 4.3GB...which is less than a typical modern-day personal 'cloud' storage space of 5GB providers are offering.

I got back into computers in late 2004 after saving some money from a new full time job and buying a laptop of my own...complete with DVD BURNER! OMG!

Now I'm thinking a phone/portable internet device capable of running Google Apps like Docs, YouTube, Gmail, News, and the Search Engines...as well as other websites such as Facebook which provide free messaging/community BBS's (essentially) these cheap and available and ultra portable, energy efficient-you name it devices are outperforming  pioneer equipment of the information age.

Now that single devices can provide pretty much everything you could ever want of it, and then some...the question really is what do YOU want to use it for? And when is a full shift to these systems going to occur within the wider population?

Advertising - Banks, Charities, Booze and Insurance

Today I logged into Facebook, had a quick look to see if anyone said anything original, shared anything entertaining or enlightening, or if anyone had posted on my wall or anyone had requested friendship - You know, the usual...I spent about 5 minutes there :P

One thing jumped out at me, a 'sponsor' ad for my financial institute. They have turned 100 years old (or are going to shortly) and are offering $100 to those that sign up two different account types with them by the end of the month AND use their card 5 times by December 14. It turns out you have to apply in-branch and it applies for the first 10,000 customers only - Meaning if they all take up the offer, the bank is giving away 1 million dollars...Brilliant.

This really irritates me. I mean it's my bank paying money to run an ad, trying to capture more clients and doing this by giving away funds. I've been a member of the bank since I was like 3, that's just over 20 years. I'd rather they look after loyal clients like me than run with these gimmicks.

I understand some believe that you have to spend money to make money and that this will be a good investment in the long run but I have different thoughts on the matter. If customer satisfaction were to be increased and clients of the bank seemed to be well of financially, these people would be more inclined to recommend the bank to their friends, family, peers, work colleagues, etc and anyone else that might ask.

I got thinking about other advertising that I can remember off the top of my head.

Red Cross Blood Donations - I saw this on Windows Live Messenger. The first thing I did was open a chat window with a friend that is Anti-Microsoft and asked him if he figured the Red Cross paid for the ads or if Microsoft gave it to them for free, or gave it to them and claimed it on tax somehow. He figured the latter, I still wonder...

Everything else I notice tends to be for Alcohol and Insurance...oh and Fast Food too I suppose.And I tend not to notice ads on websites...

Apple iPhone 4S

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.