I've been looking at various first impressions like this one at DPReview.
Each time Leica introduce some new piece of equipment, everyone who can't afford it and those who can but won't buy it comment about what a piece of crap it is. Does it matter?
I'm impressed that they've done what Apple (and HTC) have done with a solid block of alumi(num/nium) and carved out a product. I'm even more impressed that they could make their little block even more expensive than the big blocks that Apple produce through their third party manufacturing partner. I'm typing this blog entry using one of those 15.x inch MacBook Pro machines.
The feel of my MacBook Pro is interesting, so I can imagine how the new Leica Typ701 feels. Since I replaced my hard disk drive with a solid state drive, it feels as though I could toss the whole thing to someone else and, being caught, there would be no problems. That wouldn't be the case with the older machines, even with an SSD in each, I'm sure. Actually, the MacBook Pro still has fans and an optical drive, so there are moving, motorized parts remaining.
I can't speak for the image quality of Leica's latest machine, nor would I dare to buy one. It's not something I would feel comfortable using, similar to how I'd feel driving a Jaguar car. I'm sure they will work on the firmware and it will work so smoothly, people will not think to want something else. To me, the only Leica equipment I would want is the S medium format SLR and it seems to be wrapped around adapters to be able to use lenses from other medium format systems. When you get into the hallowed ground of medium format, does the name Leica shout "expensive" when you can easily spend US$80,000 on a camera body and digital back and maybe, get a lens?
In any case, I think those who regularly buy Leica equipment will buy the Typ 701 in due time, and enjoy it as they do their others. Hopefully, they'll get something really satisfying. There is more to a camera than just a sensor and pixels.
Update 2014.05.04: I saw something about embedded lens profiles with raw files--a forced correction. I can't blame them, if their customers want a very quick, very smooth way to a finished photo. I doubt people buying this certain model will care as much for photographic precision or extremely high image quality. The whole thing about forced correction sounds so Panasonic to me, but it's particularly sad that the Leica name is associated with lower quality lenses.
Showing posts with label HTC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label HTC. Show all posts
Friday, April 25, 2014
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Microsoft is advertising for Google, by accident: Chromebooks
I was watching a Microsoft advertisement a bit ago, belittling Google Chromebooks for not having Windows or Microsoft Office. I think it was a huge mistake.
Why would it be a mistake since Microsoft makes their money from Windows and Office? The general public didn't know anything about Chromebooks previously.
If Google has bought TV advertising time, I haven't seen any results of it. So, here we are with ridiculous advertising berating Chromebooks (You're not going to get to Hollywood with that!) simply because they don't have Microsoft products on them.
It might start people thinking. (I know it's a long shot but it could happen.) I tried to give away a computer with Ubuntu on it. The person I was asking said that people "needed" Windows. When I asked further, they didn't play games. I'm just not sure what's so necessary about Windows, if you're doing e-mail, writing a document of some sort, or browsing the web. A five year old machine running a Linux-based distribution should be able to do that just fine--without Windows.
Microsoft has been diminished in so many ways. While Windows 7 signalled an upswing in software quality, finally, they haven't had much success since then. Windows 8.1 should be the operating system all current Windows users (with capable machines) should be using, but I don't see that happening so quickly. Their tablets' prices had to be cut drastically, and the company initiated some acerbic advertising against Apple to help them. It's not necessarily witless but I can't see that it's helping. Having Nokia in their pocket has stemmed their losses in Windows Phone operating system, as Samsung and HTC recoil.
If schools would accept Linux-based operating systems, instead of Windows, Microsoft might lose its grip forever. Competition is always a good thing, though Monopoly should only be a game. Now that Microsoft has informed us about Google Chromebooks, they might have people asking "Why, Windows?"
Apparently, quite a few Chromebooks are making their ways into stores, even if they aren't making it into people's hands. When I saw the article on MacRumors, i had to take a look at the comments because the fanatics can often be so ridiculous, and so they were: http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1689854
One person actually made sense about recommending a computer for the person who mostly does web browsing and e-mail. It is difficult to recommend a US$1000 computer for that when a US$300 Chromebook will work nearly as well for those things, and you don't have to worry about Windows malware, either. Is the US$999 MacBook Air a well-designed computer, similarly priced to computers based on Intel's Ultrabook classification? Absolutely. It even has a slight graphics hardware boost over them. Could a high school or university student simply wanting to do work do well with a Chromebook? Absolutely.
Update 2014.02.07: I saw another Microsoft advertisement targeting Chromebooks, though they didn't show one this time, which is smarter for them. They discussed how you couldn't load MS Office. Seriously, though, that's a plus to me. By now, we should have intermediate (non-proprietary) file formats that don't require Microsoft at all. There was an Open Document Format, as I recall, but can it be forced to be the standard output, so that it can used in schools and offices without having to jump through hoops?
A lot of the reason people are using Microsoft products in schools is because Microsoft gave the schools so many free licenses to "freeze out" any other software supplier. It's a good deal, but isn't it underhanded, and shouldn't it be against the law? If it's a gift, should there be strings attached?
Why would it be a mistake since Microsoft makes their money from Windows and Office? The general public didn't know anything about Chromebooks previously.
If Google has bought TV advertising time, I haven't seen any results of it. So, here we are with ridiculous advertising berating Chromebooks (You're not going to get to Hollywood with that!) simply because they don't have Microsoft products on them.
It might start people thinking. (I know it's a long shot but it could happen.) I tried to give away a computer with Ubuntu on it. The person I was asking said that people "needed" Windows. When I asked further, they didn't play games. I'm just not sure what's so necessary about Windows, if you're doing e-mail, writing a document of some sort, or browsing the web. A five year old machine running a Linux-based distribution should be able to do that just fine--without Windows.
Microsoft has been diminished in so many ways. While Windows 7 signalled an upswing in software quality, finally, they haven't had much success since then. Windows 8.1 should be the operating system all current Windows users (with capable machines) should be using, but I don't see that happening so quickly. Their tablets' prices had to be cut drastically, and the company initiated some acerbic advertising against Apple to help them. It's not necessarily witless but I can't see that it's helping. Having Nokia in their pocket has stemmed their losses in Windows Phone operating system, as Samsung and HTC recoil.
If schools would accept Linux-based operating systems, instead of Windows, Microsoft might lose its grip forever. Competition is always a good thing, though Monopoly should only be a game. Now that Microsoft has informed us about Google Chromebooks, they might have people asking "Why, Windows?"
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| Sales to Stores |
Apparently, quite a few Chromebooks are making their ways into stores, even if they aren't making it into people's hands. When I saw the article on MacRumors, i had to take a look at the comments because the fanatics can often be so ridiculous, and so they were: http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1689854
One person actually made sense about recommending a computer for the person who mostly does web browsing and e-mail. It is difficult to recommend a US$1000 computer for that when a US$300 Chromebook will work nearly as well for those things, and you don't have to worry about Windows malware, either. Is the US$999 MacBook Air a well-designed computer, similarly priced to computers based on Intel's Ultrabook classification? Absolutely. It even has a slight graphics hardware boost over them. Could a high school or university student simply wanting to do work do well with a Chromebook? Absolutely.
Update 2014.02.07: I saw another Microsoft advertisement targeting Chromebooks, though they didn't show one this time, which is smarter for them. They discussed how you couldn't load MS Office. Seriously, though, that's a plus to me. By now, we should have intermediate (non-proprietary) file formats that don't require Microsoft at all. There was an Open Document Format, as I recall, but can it be forced to be the standard output, so that it can used in schools and offices without having to jump through hoops?
A lot of the reason people are using Microsoft products in schools is because Microsoft gave the schools so many free licenses to "freeze out" any other software supplier. It's a good deal, but isn't it underhanded, and shouldn't it be against the law? If it's a gift, should there be strings attached?
Friday, October 11, 2013
Thinking: iPhone 5(s|c) or LG G2 or HTC One or LG Optimus G
I'm still thinking about a new phone. Next month, will be the end of my two year contract. I've been eligible to trade up since July. One thing that keeps me thinking is service, billing, and support.
When I was looking for a mobile hotspot I tried AT&T, Verizon, and finally, decided on Sprint. Why?
AT&T billing--they charged me for data when the device was being shipped
Verizon service--they had the worst service where I live now
Sprint--it wasn't as bad as Verizon, and I'd been a customer since 2000
Given that Softbank put a lot of money into Sprint, the LTE rollout should be accelerating, if that's even possible. Also, decommissioning Nextel's network frees up the lower 800 MHz band, plus the 2.5 GHz band will be freed from WiMAX as they replace WiMAX in areas where it's already running. WiMAX has worked fine for me, and LTE shows promise.
Sprint has started pre-orders for the LG G2, the successor to the LG Optimus G, a phone I really liked. At a resolution of 1280x768, it was quite capable of showing video clearly. Since the G2 has a resolution of 1920x1200 (or is it 1080?), it can show media in full HD resolution, which is awesome in a handheld device. They've also added the Google Nexus 5 to their pre-orders. It's based on the G2 but with various differences. I like that it will have priority and a straight path to system updates. I just wish that Sprint were selling a 32 GB version. The 32 GB G2 is US$50 more at US$199.99 with 2 year contract and the 16 GB Nexus 5 is US$149.99. They're US$100.00 cheaper for new customers.
LG has tried to fix Android to work better for their customers, as has HTC and Samsung and even Motorola made some laughter with their attempt. Having tried the original Nexus 7 tablet, I'm not sure that Android can be fixed, and that's why I'm hesitant to return, having had 3 Android-based products that really didn't work well for me.
Apple is not without their problems. They want you to like what they like, as with Mercedes-Benz years ago, but guess what? Mercedes-Benz changed. Apple won't. They know better than we do about what we want.
The best thing about Apple is that I know that an app will work for me. If I'm on a newer operating system on a device with reasonable RAM, an app will work. My iPhone 4S, and previously my second generation iPod touch, proves that to me every day.
I've been watching developers struggle with 64-bit apps on the iPhone 5s. I'd probably avoid it, unless there is a point where the mess is resolved. However, the supplies are constrained and I probably couldn't find one until the new year.
The iPhone 5c felt great, worked quickly, and was better and faster than my current phone, plus it has LTE capabilities. Since it's almost completely an iPhone 5, the technology has been worked out. It would be good to have LTE data speeds (where available, disclaimers apply) although I suspect that LTE will be bogged down by all the people switching at once.
I'm still not sure about the HTC One. I really like the style and the fact that there are two speakers on the front, but I really dislike the fact that the company might not survive. Who will provide me with software updates, if the company is gone? Unfortunately, no matter how many colors they have available, I think people know about a sinking boat and are ready to look somewhere else.
Service, software, and more keep me thinking. I'll probably let my contract run out, something I've not done since 2002. I used my Star Tac for a total of 4 years, 2 of which were without contract. Two years after I replaced it, it still was able to power on. If I went a couple of days without charging a current phone, I bet it would be completely dead. Of course, software-wise, my iPhone 4S would be completely dead by 2015.
Update 2013.10.30: I've really been giving the iPhone 5c more thought. It's priced nicely for what's basically year old hardware with extra LTE bands thrown into it. Besides that, I don't need to learn all new quirks and foibles, as I would with LG or HTC Android-based phones, which work differently. That's not to say that I've decided, but it does push me in a certain direction. The HTC One has a lot going for it and so does the LG G2.
One thing may delay my decision: cases. I checked four different stores for a Ballistic or Otterbox case for the iPhone 5c and found none. You can order them through the manufacturers' web sites, and Otterbox has a pick your combination selection, but I need to coordinate that carefully. No case, no phone.
Update 2014.11.14: One year later or so, the iPhone 5c has been good. The HTC One M7 has been replaced with the M8, both of which are brilliant. I've also had a 2013 Nexus 7 tablet from about the same time and I don't regret not having an Android-based phone. The operating system needs work, even at version 4.4.4, though I find iOS 7 and 8 to be rough also. It feels as though it will be 30 years before things will be really good. Of course, if Google and Apple actually tested their operating systems with real people, they'd be surprised at how much they'd find to improve.
LG has changed a lot with the G2 being the basic platform for the Nexus 5. Overall, they feel like a company that you can trust. The G3 is quite amazing, but as with Samsung, promoting a device through a power-hungry display seems a problem.
When I was looking for a mobile hotspot I tried AT&T, Verizon, and finally, decided on Sprint. Why?
AT&T billing--they charged me for data when the device was being shipped
Verizon service--they had the worst service where I live now
Sprint--it wasn't as bad as Verizon, and I'd been a customer since 2000
Given that Softbank put a lot of money into Sprint, the LTE rollout should be accelerating, if that's even possible. Also, decommissioning Nextel's network frees up the lower 800 MHz band, plus the 2.5 GHz band will be freed from WiMAX as they replace WiMAX in areas where it's already running. WiMAX has worked fine for me, and LTE shows promise.
Sprint has started pre-orders for the LG G2, the successor to the LG Optimus G, a phone I really liked. At a resolution of 1280x768, it was quite capable of showing video clearly. Since the G2 has a resolution of 1920x1200 (or is it 1080?), it can show media in full HD resolution, which is awesome in a handheld device. They've also added the Google Nexus 5 to their pre-orders. It's based on the G2 but with various differences. I like that it will have priority and a straight path to system updates. I just wish that Sprint were selling a 32 GB version. The 32 GB G2 is US$50 more at US$199.99 with 2 year contract and the 16 GB Nexus 5 is US$149.99. They're US$100.00 cheaper for new customers.
LG has tried to fix Android to work better for their customers, as has HTC and Samsung and even Motorola made some laughter with their attempt. Having tried the original Nexus 7 tablet, I'm not sure that Android can be fixed, and that's why I'm hesitant to return, having had 3 Android-based products that really didn't work well for me.
Apple is not without their problems. They want you to like what they like, as with Mercedes-Benz years ago, but guess what? Mercedes-Benz changed. Apple won't. They know better than we do about what we want.
The best thing about Apple is that I know that an app will work for me. If I'm on a newer operating system on a device with reasonable RAM, an app will work. My iPhone 4S, and previously my second generation iPod touch, proves that to me every day.
I've been watching developers struggle with 64-bit apps on the iPhone 5s. I'd probably avoid it, unless there is a point where the mess is resolved. However, the supplies are constrained and I probably couldn't find one until the new year.
The iPhone 5c felt great, worked quickly, and was better and faster than my current phone, plus it has LTE capabilities. Since it's almost completely an iPhone 5, the technology has been worked out. It would be good to have LTE data speeds (where available, disclaimers apply) although I suspect that LTE will be bogged down by all the people switching at once.
I'm still not sure about the HTC One. I really like the style and the fact that there are two speakers on the front, but I really dislike the fact that the company might not survive. Who will provide me with software updates, if the company is gone? Unfortunately, no matter how many colors they have available, I think people know about a sinking boat and are ready to look somewhere else.
Service, software, and more keep me thinking. I'll probably let my contract run out, something I've not done since 2002. I used my Star Tac for a total of 4 years, 2 of which were without contract. Two years after I replaced it, it still was able to power on. If I went a couple of days without charging a current phone, I bet it would be completely dead. Of course, software-wise, my iPhone 4S would be completely dead by 2015.
Update 2013.10.30: I've really been giving the iPhone 5c more thought. It's priced nicely for what's basically year old hardware with extra LTE bands thrown into it. Besides that, I don't need to learn all new quirks and foibles, as I would with LG or HTC Android-based phones, which work differently. That's not to say that I've decided, but it does push me in a certain direction. The HTC One has a lot going for it and so does the LG G2.
One thing may delay my decision: cases. I checked four different stores for a Ballistic or Otterbox case for the iPhone 5c and found none. You can order them through the manufacturers' web sites, and Otterbox has a pick your combination selection, but I need to coordinate that carefully. No case, no phone.
Update 2014.11.14: One year later or so, the iPhone 5c has been good. The HTC One M7 has been replaced with the M8, both of which are brilliant. I've also had a 2013 Nexus 7 tablet from about the same time and I don't regret not having an Android-based phone. The operating system needs work, even at version 4.4.4, though I find iOS 7 and 8 to be rough also. It feels as though it will be 30 years before things will be really good. Of course, if Google and Apple actually tested their operating systems with real people, they'd be surprised at how much they'd find to improve.
LG has changed a lot with the G2 being the basic platform for the Nexus 5. Overall, they feel like a company that you can trust. The G3 is quite amazing, but as with Samsung, promoting a device through a power-hungry display seems a problem.
Friday, July 5, 2013
Still considering another phone
July 1st has come and gone. Its only real significance is that it opened up my new phone upgrade window. It's a long time until my contract ends in November, so Sprint has made things available much earlier than their previous 22 month period. My two previous phone switches happened around 12 months from the prior change, as I was part of their Premier programme.
Apparently, they weren't making enough money but they made a lot of customers happy. Of course, smart phones have an ETF of $350 and feature phones are at $200, I believe, but they weren't getting enough of that within 1 year, so the price of happiness was too high, indeed.
I currently have an iPhone 4S with 32 GB of storage.
I'm thinking about:
In any case, I want something fairly current but I'm not sure how far I would want to go. The displays of all three will be high density displays. I'd like a tablet but it's too much extra to carry, especially with the laptop computer. A high density display on a phone will allow me to read and write Japanese, Chinese, and Korean more easily.
Update 2013.07.08: About 1 month from now, there is an announcement from LG, which is expected to be the Optimus G2. I noticed that Sprint has reduced the price of the Optimus G from US$199.99 to US$99.99, according to my contract upgrade. It's still a quad core phone and it sucks battery life as with all the rest--will the new one need a humongous battery and still suck the life out of it?
One thing that concerns me is that Android always has a problem where some app doesn't work with some phone. These two phones are well known but will all apps work with them? They have a good chance, but is that enough?
Of course, it has taken time for various apps on iOS to support the iPhone 5 and newer iPad displays. It matters but there may not be a problem by the time October/November arrives.
Speaking of app compatibility, the HTC One lacks the menu button. This seems a major flaw, even though some developers have gone out of their way to provide a solution in their applications.
I have a fourth option: do nothing and let the contract expire. I'm not 100% enamoured of Sprint's service in this area, and my mobile hotspot (Tri-Fi!) regularly has trouble, probably because it doesn't support the lower frequencies and neither WiMAX nor LTE are available at home. I doubt they'd appreciate losing a 13 year customer, although it would just be the loss of my phone at the moment, as the mobile hotspot has until July of 2014.
It seems to me that they could put better technology into a place that suffers from more trouble, rather than putting poorer, cheaper technology into place. The signal used to be quite good, but their current technology leaves the mobile hotspot hanging by a 1 or 2 bar thread, where the phone will have double that. The lower frequency counts, apparently. Of course, how many times have you seen the number of bars change when you actually started to use the device? Then again, one the phone, the number of bars represents the voice signal, which could always be fine, while the data signal would be in the toilet.
It's sad to return home from a trip where I was getting around 10 Mbps on WiMAX or LTE to see the connection struggle with e-mail.
I seriously doubt the deal with SoftBank will help in that department. They'll still consider a small town unworthy of investment, even though the Sprint executives probably live far enough out of Overland Park, Kansas/Kansas City to be consider rural. I doubt that they have a problem anywhere they go.
Update: 2013.09.10: iPhones 5s and 5c have been announced for September 20th availability. Could I do with the 5c, which is mostly a warmed-over iPhone 5? I suppose so but the extra power of the 5s sounds better. I still haven't seen the LG Optimus G2 available, but Motorola's Moto X is.
Apparently, they weren't making enough money but they made a lot of customers happy. Of course, smart phones have an ETF of $350 and feature phones are at $200, I believe, but they weren't getting enough of that within 1 year, so the price of happiness was too high, indeed.
I currently have an iPhone 4S with 32 GB of storage.
I'm thinking about:
- LG Optimus G(2)
- HTC One
- Apple iPhone 5S
In any case, I want something fairly current but I'm not sure how far I would want to go. The displays of all three will be high density displays. I'd like a tablet but it's too much extra to carry, especially with the laptop computer. A high density display on a phone will allow me to read and write Japanese, Chinese, and Korean more easily.
Update 2013.07.08: About 1 month from now, there is an announcement from LG, which is expected to be the Optimus G2. I noticed that Sprint has reduced the price of the Optimus G from US$199.99 to US$99.99, according to my contract upgrade. It's still a quad core phone and it sucks battery life as with all the rest--will the new one need a humongous battery and still suck the life out of it?
One thing that concerns me is that Android always has a problem where some app doesn't work with some phone. These two phones are well known but will all apps work with them? They have a good chance, but is that enough?
Of course, it has taken time for various apps on iOS to support the iPhone 5 and newer iPad displays. It matters but there may not be a problem by the time October/November arrives.
Speaking of app compatibility, the HTC One lacks the menu button. This seems a major flaw, even though some developers have gone out of their way to provide a solution in their applications.
I have a fourth option: do nothing and let the contract expire. I'm not 100% enamoured of Sprint's service in this area, and my mobile hotspot (Tri-Fi!) regularly has trouble, probably because it doesn't support the lower frequencies and neither WiMAX nor LTE are available at home. I doubt they'd appreciate losing a 13 year customer, although it would just be the loss of my phone at the moment, as the mobile hotspot has until July of 2014.
It seems to me that they could put better technology into a place that suffers from more trouble, rather than putting poorer, cheaper technology into place. The signal used to be quite good, but their current technology leaves the mobile hotspot hanging by a 1 or 2 bar thread, where the phone will have double that. The lower frequency counts, apparently. Of course, how many times have you seen the number of bars change when you actually started to use the device? Then again, one the phone, the number of bars represents the voice signal, which could always be fine, while the data signal would be in the toilet.
It's sad to return home from a trip where I was getting around 10 Mbps on WiMAX or LTE to see the connection struggle with e-mail.
I seriously doubt the deal with SoftBank will help in that department. They'll still consider a small town unworthy of investment, even though the Sprint executives probably live far enough out of Overland Park, Kansas/Kansas City to be consider rural. I doubt that they have a problem anywhere they go.
Update: 2013.09.10: iPhones 5s and 5c have been announced for September 20th availability. Could I do with the 5c, which is mostly a warmed-over iPhone 5? I suppose so but the extra power of the 5s sounds better. I still haven't seen the LG Optimus G2 available, but Motorola's Moto X is.
Friday, April 26, 2013
Choosing a phone by repair cost
The first day of July this year, I can get a new phone at discount. I may not jump on that opportunity right away. I have an iPhone 4S and Applecare + doesn't expire until the 24 months are up, which should be finished around October.
In the last few months, I've been associated with a computer and phone repair shop. I help them with some odd iPhone/iPod touch and Mac problems.
The phone technician is impressive. Apple will sometime say that an iPad or iPhone can't be repaired but he repairs them. I believe what they really mean is that it's not worth their time. What I've read is that they replace the product right away and then send it to a designated repair facility. Often, those repairs end up with the product being returned in worse shape than the shape in which it was received. This also applies to Apple computer repair.
I was having a problem with the backlight of a late 2004 Apple PowerBook. I discussed the problem with the owner of the shop, who does the computer repair. We agreed that it was the backlight. When I checked it 2008, an Apple retailer gave me a guesstimate of US$400, because they would replace the whole rear panel, as Apple does, which includes the backlight.
The owner of this local shop quoted me a price of something like US$90 for labour + US$20 for the part, and he would order an extra part or two, just to have it. Being that it was late 2012, Apple didn't even have parts available, so getting the whole panel would have required a deal on eBay for a used part, even a whole computer. I believe that soldering the new backlight in place took minimal time. It was the disassembly and re-assembly that took the most time.
So it is with phones. They have a large display, one or more slabs of batteries, and a tiny circuit board. Often, they're held together with a lot of glue, which makes disassembly almost impossible. Certain generations of the iPod touch are a pain and the Samsung Galaxy S III is nearly impossible. (This just in--the Galaxy S 4 is apparently just the opposite.) If you damage the display on the Samsung GS3, and you don't have at least US$300 for the display, you're in trouble. Replacing the display could be a mess because of all the glue and the tight fit.
On the other hand, I see iPhone 4, 4S and 5 repaired regularly although the iPhone 5 isn't nearly as fragile. It's fairly simple to take those three phones apart, as long as you remember where you put the extra pieces. One of the biggest problems they see is that someone decided to help their friend avoid a major repair cost and forget to finish the job, which in turn, costs more time and energy--and diagnostic and repair costs.
I'm fairly shocked that Apple made it easy to service the phones. I needed to replace the battery in my 4th generation iPod (the original white model with the monochrome display) and I couldn't open it. That's rather different with the 4200rpm hard drive, but the case was not meant to be opened by just anyone. I've been replacing computer parts since the time of the original IBM PC in 1981, so I have a clue, but I don't mess with miniature parts.
This brings me back to the thought of a new phone. These high resolution and large displays cost a lot of money to replace. I was considering the LG Optimus G with the 1280x800 (or is it 1280x768?) display. Now, they've announced the Optimus G Pro with the 1920x1080 display that's even larger. Even if the phone is US$299 with a contract, the display replacement might be US$400 or more. Obviously, if you're paying US$10 per month insurance, it's not a bad thing at all. I suspect Asurion will charge more than US$10 per month for such a phone. It's good to know that Apple only charge US$99 for two years. My buddy replaced the display on an Optimus G a few days ago, and he said that there was so much adhesive that it took a lot of time to remove the shards of glass before he could install anything.
I think I'll hold onto my phone another year and see what happens. After all, I know someone who can repair it quickly.
In the last few months, I've been associated with a computer and phone repair shop. I help them with some odd iPhone/iPod touch and Mac problems.
The phone technician is impressive. Apple will sometime say that an iPad or iPhone can't be repaired but he repairs them. I believe what they really mean is that it's not worth their time. What I've read is that they replace the product right away and then send it to a designated repair facility. Often, those repairs end up with the product being returned in worse shape than the shape in which it was received. This also applies to Apple computer repair.
I was having a problem with the backlight of a late 2004 Apple PowerBook. I discussed the problem with the owner of the shop, who does the computer repair. We agreed that it was the backlight. When I checked it 2008, an Apple retailer gave me a guesstimate of US$400, because they would replace the whole rear panel, as Apple does, which includes the backlight.
The owner of this local shop quoted me a price of something like US$90 for labour + US$20 for the part, and he would order an extra part or two, just to have it. Being that it was late 2012, Apple didn't even have parts available, so getting the whole panel would have required a deal on eBay for a used part, even a whole computer. I believe that soldering the new backlight in place took minimal time. It was the disassembly and re-assembly that took the most time.
So it is with phones. They have a large display, one or more slabs of batteries, and a tiny circuit board. Often, they're held together with a lot of glue, which makes disassembly almost impossible. Certain generations of the iPod touch are a pain and the Samsung Galaxy S III is nearly impossible. (This just in--the Galaxy S 4 is apparently just the opposite.) If you damage the display on the Samsung GS3, and you don't have at least US$300 for the display, you're in trouble. Replacing the display could be a mess because of all the glue and the tight fit.
On the other hand, I see iPhone 4, 4S and 5 repaired regularly although the iPhone 5 isn't nearly as fragile. It's fairly simple to take those three phones apart, as long as you remember where you put the extra pieces. One of the biggest problems they see is that someone decided to help their friend avoid a major repair cost and forget to finish the job, which in turn, costs more time and energy--and diagnostic and repair costs.
I'm fairly shocked that Apple made it easy to service the phones. I needed to replace the battery in my 4th generation iPod (the original white model with the monochrome display) and I couldn't open it. That's rather different with the 4200rpm hard drive, but the case was not meant to be opened by just anyone. I've been replacing computer parts since the time of the original IBM PC in 1981, so I have a clue, but I don't mess with miniature parts.
This brings me back to the thought of a new phone. These high resolution and large displays cost a lot of money to replace. I was considering the LG Optimus G with the 1280x800 (or is it 1280x768?) display. Now, they've announced the Optimus G Pro with the 1920x1080 display that's even larger. Even if the phone is US$299 with a contract, the display replacement might be US$400 or more. Obviously, if you're paying US$10 per month insurance, it's not a bad thing at all. I suspect Asurion will charge more than US$10 per month for such a phone. It's good to know that Apple only charge US$99 for two years. My buddy replaced the display on an Optimus G a few days ago, and he said that there was so much adhesive that it took a lot of time to remove the shards of glass before he could install anything.
I think I'll hold onto my phone another year and see what happens. After all, I know someone who can repair it quickly.
Friday, September 21, 2012
iOS 6.0 or how lost am I?
It's time to poke a bit of fun at Apple, the saviours of the universe.
I've been fooled in the past to update as soon as possible. When you're running Mac OS X, it usually becomes reasonably steady at the 10.x.4 version and iOS at the x.2 version, which never happened for version 5.
I feel for all of those who were enthusiastic enough to wait for the appropriate time and started downloading the update. Of course, all of them are having some sort of problem now. When 6.0.1 arrives (3 weeks from now?), I'm sure I'll be having some sort of problem because I'll probably be tired of waiting and want to download it. (Update 2012.10.18: No 6.0.1 so far.)
Of course, if there are security updates, we on version 5 won't see them, will we? That's a !@#$ shame because our devices are just as valuable, and mine (iPhone 4S) is still being sold in a modified form. When I updated my second generation iPod touch to version 4.1, I only did it because of the security updates. It certainly wasn't because I wanted decreased performance. Version 4.2.1 more-or-less resolved things but not well.
I've seen all sorts of talk about the maps being a problem. Strange, isn't it? I didn't really have any good luck with Google maps on Android and Apple's app to access Google's maps was no prize either. Mapquest and Telenav have my interest but Telenav's app is problematic compared to the app on my last 4 feature phones. However, Google puts things on the wrong block or on the other side of the road, so what's worse? (Update 2012.10.18: I've learned that Apple are using vector graphics and only about 10 % of the data to accomplish their maps, giving us all a chance in areas with no 3G access.) Update 2012.12.04: I tried the Maps application during a trip to Florida recently and was amused to see I-75 turned into some local road. Waze was not really good, either. If I'm sitting at a red light, am I "in traffic"?
I downloaded the YouTube app a while back and it works well, so I expect the Google maps app will work equally well. (Update 2013.10.29: the Google maps app works reasonably well. I've only used it once for navigation, although it made some odd decisions. Apple's maps app has been good, though confused in more dense areas.) According to some Google big wig today (Sept. 25), they aren't planning any app. That goes against what another said weeks ago. They could have killed it but to say that it wasn't planned? Apple's stock price is being hammered on the news. It's sad that Apple are developing more and more like their competitors. I appreciated the company for its fit and finish. Throwing rubbish onto the street and hoping we like it is nonsense, and it stinks.
Were you in line today to buy an iPhone 5? I read that someone in Australia bought the first one available in a brick-and-mortar store already. I really don't see the reason to wait in line, especially hours or days. It's a phone.
I also got the e-mail from Apple, and I saw their press release about amazing pre-order sales figures the first weekend. Good for them. When the iPhone 5S arrives, I'll take a look at that, as my contract will be nearing completion. By then, the iPhone 5 features will be settled and the performance will be improved. Maybe, it will actually be shock resistant, so I don't need a case to make it 4 times as thick, just to not have it break on a fall. (My Otterbox Defender did a great job when the phone tumbled out of my hand, leaving my motel room.)
Funny how none of my flip phones ever died from a fall and the worst was the Motorola Star Tac with a crack around the antenna housing, but apparently, they all did that.
Seeing what HTC has put out recently, I might buy another Android-based phone, if I can find a display around 4" maximum. I really don't want to buy a bag of some sort to hold the thing. I want it on a holster in my pocket. Of course, if it's only half as thick as the Otterbox Defender case I have, I might be able to handle a longer phone.
Good luck to all of the phone makers, but more than that, good luck to the consumers.
Update 2014.12.05: Here I am with iOS 8.1.1 and there are still navigation issues.
I believe that the TomTom maps need a lot of improvement, even in the San Francisco Bay Area. I often use navigation from a distance to return to stores I already know, but would have it help me avoid traffic backups. By the time I'm close, I can generally quit navigation because almost certainly, it will tell me to make a U-turn, even though there is a proper entrance to a strip mall.
I can't speak to any of the other map vendors, but I remember using Telenav's app on my flip phones and it had me take a few U-turns that were unnecessary.
The one problem I still have with my iPhone (5c instead of the 4s now but the 4s did it also) is compass confusion. It will turn the map at an intersection when I'm stopped.
I've been fooled in the past to update as soon as possible. When you're running Mac OS X, it usually becomes reasonably steady at the 10.x.4 version and iOS at the x.2 version, which never happened for version 5.
I feel for all of those who were enthusiastic enough to wait for the appropriate time and started downloading the update. Of course, all of them are having some sort of problem now. When 6.0.1 arrives (3 weeks from now?), I'm sure I'll be having some sort of problem because I'll probably be tired of waiting and want to download it. (Update 2012.10.18: No 6.0.1 so far.)
Of course, if there are security updates, we on version 5 won't see them, will we? That's a !@#$ shame because our devices are just as valuable, and mine (iPhone 4S) is still being sold in a modified form. When I updated my second generation iPod touch to version 4.1, I only did it because of the security updates. It certainly wasn't because I wanted decreased performance. Version 4.2.1 more-or-less resolved things but not well.
I've seen all sorts of talk about the maps being a problem. Strange, isn't it? I didn't really have any good luck with Google maps on Android and Apple's app to access Google's maps was no prize either. Mapquest and Telenav have my interest but Telenav's app is problematic compared to the app on my last 4 feature phones. However, Google puts things on the wrong block or on the other side of the road, so what's worse? (Update 2012.10.18: I've learned that Apple are using vector graphics and only about 10 % of the data to accomplish their maps, giving us all a chance in areas with no 3G access.) Update 2012.12.04: I tried the Maps application during a trip to Florida recently and was amused to see I-75 turned into some local road. Waze was not really good, either. If I'm sitting at a red light, am I "in traffic"?
I downloaded the YouTube app a while back and it works well, so I expect the Google maps app will work equally well. (Update 2013.10.29: the Google maps app works reasonably well. I've only used it once for navigation, although it made some odd decisions. Apple's maps app has been good, though confused in more dense areas.) According to some Google big wig today (Sept. 25), they aren't planning any app. That goes against what another said weeks ago. They could have killed it but to say that it wasn't planned? Apple's stock price is being hammered on the news. It's sad that Apple are developing more and more like their competitors. I appreciated the company for its fit and finish. Throwing rubbish onto the street and hoping we like it is nonsense, and it stinks.
Were you in line today to buy an iPhone 5? I read that someone in Australia bought the first one available in a brick-and-mortar store already. I really don't see the reason to wait in line, especially hours or days. It's a phone.
I also got the e-mail from Apple, and I saw their press release about amazing pre-order sales figures the first weekend. Good for them. When the iPhone 5S arrives, I'll take a look at that, as my contract will be nearing completion. By then, the iPhone 5 features will be settled and the performance will be improved. Maybe, it will actually be shock resistant, so I don't need a case to make it 4 times as thick, just to not have it break on a fall. (My Otterbox Defender did a great job when the phone tumbled out of my hand, leaving my motel room.)
Funny how none of my flip phones ever died from a fall and the worst was the Motorola Star Tac with a crack around the antenna housing, but apparently, they all did that.
Seeing what HTC has put out recently, I might buy another Android-based phone, if I can find a display around 4" maximum. I really don't want to buy a bag of some sort to hold the thing. I want it on a holster in my pocket. Of course, if it's only half as thick as the Otterbox Defender case I have, I might be able to handle a longer phone.
Good luck to all of the phone makers, but more than that, good luck to the consumers.
Update 2014.12.05: Here I am with iOS 8.1.1 and there are still navigation issues.
I believe that the TomTom maps need a lot of improvement, even in the San Francisco Bay Area. I often use navigation from a distance to return to stores I already know, but would have it help me avoid traffic backups. By the time I'm close, I can generally quit navigation because almost certainly, it will tell me to make a U-turn, even though there is a proper entrance to a strip mall.
I can't speak to any of the other map vendors, but I remember using Telenav's app on my flip phones and it had me take a few U-turns that were unnecessary.
The one problem I still have with my iPhone (5c instead of the 4s now but the 4s did it also) is compass confusion. It will turn the map at an intersection when I'm stopped.
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Samsung, the copier
Years ago, I bought a Samsung phone, the SPH-A900 otherwise known as Blade. That name may make you think that it had something to do with the Motorola RAZR. It was in many aspects, a copy.
The phone was rather broken, software-wise. It didn't work well as a phone, but became my first 3G data modem, where the power-hungry display didn't kill the extended life battery I bought at extra cost. Where I couldn't get 3 hours in typical phone/internet use, I would get around 6 hours of modem use.
I'd always hoped that Samsung would come to their senses and provide good software updates, but what they provided made the phone worse and the people at the Sprint store, weren't able to take the phone back to an earlier level of firmware, though they charged me for it.
At that time, multiple people I knew were angry about their !@#$ Samsung phones, each one a bit more vehement, it seemed.
I'd see the phones at the store, wondering why they looked like other phones in the store made by other companies. If Samsung was a big player, why did they copy?
I thought back to Mazda's 1974 RX-3, which looked like AMC's Hornet hatchback or the 1975 Toyota Corolla SR 5 hatchback that looked like a 1970 Ford Mustang. Pontiac made a habit of driving excitement by copying BMW.
I look at Apple's Macintosh and Digital Research's GEM from the mid-1980s. They both used elements that had been presented in the Xerox Alto machine. Of course, Apple hired Bill Atkinson and Susan Kare to do some of this work. Many people from Xerox' Palo Alto Research Center went elsewhere to market their ideas when Xerox would not.
In art, taking inspiration from the greats is a given. You learn from those who did something wonderful, and you create something of your own that is also quite wonderful, hopefully. If you copy it, they call you a forger.
I'm unclear as to how Samsung has copied HandSpring/Palm, Nokia, and Motorola designs and no one noticed all this time. Had those four companies filed design patents, would Samsung be in the business now?
I'm not saying that you should patent a rectangle, a simple button, or other unremarkable details; however, there is a point where the imitation is no longer flattering.
What saved HandSpring/Palm, Nokia, and Motorola in the old days was the Samsung was so terribly bad at software. They couldn't care less about the software because they would have new phones to sell in the next 6 months. Now that Android is their main base software, they care even less, but Google help a lot to keep customers able to use their phones.
It was sadly amusing this week when Susan Kare admitted to the court that she had inadvertently picked up a Samsung product, thinking that it was an iPhone. The Samsung attorneys wanted her to describe in detail the differences, but the point was made. Most people would never notice the differences.
I look at what HTC, LG, Nokia, Motorola and others are doing and their designs are unique. Why can't Samsung do their own designs? Mind you, I don't agree with Apple filing lawsuits but Samsung should do their own work, not copy others.
The phone was rather broken, software-wise. It didn't work well as a phone, but became my first 3G data modem, where the power-hungry display didn't kill the extended life battery I bought at extra cost. Where I couldn't get 3 hours in typical phone/internet use, I would get around 6 hours of modem use.
I'd always hoped that Samsung would come to their senses and provide good software updates, but what they provided made the phone worse and the people at the Sprint store, weren't able to take the phone back to an earlier level of firmware, though they charged me for it.
At that time, multiple people I knew were angry about their !@#$ Samsung phones, each one a bit more vehement, it seemed.
I'd see the phones at the store, wondering why they looked like other phones in the store made by other companies. If Samsung was a big player, why did they copy?
I thought back to Mazda's 1974 RX-3, which looked like AMC's Hornet hatchback or the 1975 Toyota Corolla SR 5 hatchback that looked like a 1970 Ford Mustang. Pontiac made a habit of driving excitement by copying BMW.
I look at Apple's Macintosh and Digital Research's GEM from the mid-1980s. They both used elements that had been presented in the Xerox Alto machine. Of course, Apple hired Bill Atkinson and Susan Kare to do some of this work. Many people from Xerox' Palo Alto Research Center went elsewhere to market their ideas when Xerox would not.
In art, taking inspiration from the greats is a given. You learn from those who did something wonderful, and you create something of your own that is also quite wonderful, hopefully. If you copy it, they call you a forger.
I'm unclear as to how Samsung has copied HandSpring/Palm, Nokia, and Motorola designs and no one noticed all this time. Had those four companies filed design patents, would Samsung be in the business now?
I'm not saying that you should patent a rectangle, a simple button, or other unremarkable details; however, there is a point where the imitation is no longer flattering.
What saved HandSpring/Palm, Nokia, and Motorola in the old days was the Samsung was so terribly bad at software. They couldn't care less about the software because they would have new phones to sell in the next 6 months. Now that Android is their main base software, they care even less, but Google help a lot to keep customers able to use their phones.
It was sadly amusing this week when Susan Kare admitted to the court that she had inadvertently picked up a Samsung product, thinking that it was an iPhone. The Samsung attorneys wanted her to describe in detail the differences, but the point was made. Most people would never notice the differences.
I look at what HTC, LG, Nokia, Motorola and others are doing and their designs are unique. Why can't Samsung do their own designs? Mind you, I don't agree with Apple filing lawsuits but Samsung should do their own work, not copy others.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
!@#$ Patents and Copying
How many times are consumers hurt by copying?
There was an episode of All in the Family where Archie Bunker was gloating about his new watch. He was going on and on about this Omega brand watch he bought for almost nothing. Then, it's revealed "Oh, no, that's not an Omega. It's an Onega."
Are consumers always fooled so easily?
A co-worker more than 10 years ago was shocked to learn that her new Lexus E300 was a Toyota Windom. "Toyota?" As though the Lexus dealer randomly appeared by the Toyota dealership out of convenience and nothing else. Then again, people were shocked that the Cadillac Seville started as a Chevrolet Nova. Would those driving an Escalade be driving the Chevrolet version?
I was reading that the HTC One series phones due to be sold this week are held up in U.S. customs, due to the patent issues between HTC and Apple. While I understands Apple's frustration, the consumer is losing some great phones, especially those who have pre-paid for those phones. HTC really haven't done anything to Apple but because they were the vanguard of Android, starting with the T-Mobile G1, they were selected, which is a horrible strategy. They have made some admirable designs without copying Apple.
The patent war between Samsung and Apple is more realistic. Samsung copies practically everything Apple have done in the mobile space. Supposedly, they're planning queues/lines to make it appear their phones are more lust-worthy than they might be otherwise. However, they made advertising about such lines, and made fun of people standing in line for products. It looks as though Samsung is Samsung-ing itself.
I read elsewhere that the company is all but stopping production of their point-and-shoot cameras, in order to boost production of their mirror-less system cameras. I doubt that the few thousand who buy the mirror-less models are going to suddenly want new versions, or that throwing more money at them will make them popular.
Their struggle to overtake Sony may be working but it's going to take a long time. It's more likely that Panasonic will be there first. It's amazing to me that Panasonic have gone from household items like rice cookers to high end televisions, phones, and computers in the last 30+ years, and that Sony have diminished.
One last thing about patents and copying: why is it that IBM's laptop computer line never had to look like anyone else's (save my sad L40SX), and they've been such a hit, even now that they're coming from Lenovo? When most of the Ultrabooks look a lot like Apple's MacBook Air, Lenovo's products don't. They're stylish in an industrial way and get respect from just about anyone.
Update: In the U.K., a judge has decided that Samsung didn't copy iPad to create their own tablet and has ordered Apple to tell everyone this. When I was in primary school (as it feels this punishment resembles), the copier was punished, not the person being copied.
If I look at practically every mobile device that Samsung has done in the last 2 years, they look remarkably like Apple devices, so much that I noticed one and wondered what Apple had done to their hardware. Add to this the rather obvious software tweaks to Android to make it look more like iOS, I can't imagine what the judge is thinking. The only reasonable explanation I can find is that he was annoyed and decided to fix it since they were acting like school children.
Besides, if Nokia and HTC and Motorola can design devices that don't look much like Apple's, why can't Samsung?
Update 2014.01.10: Apple and Samsung have agreed to another round of arbitration, in order to agree on something, anything. I don't really understand why the FRAND patents weren't settled already since every other FRAND patent gets very little, unlike what Samsung wants.
There was an episode of All in the Family where Archie Bunker was gloating about his new watch. He was going on and on about this Omega brand watch he bought for almost nothing. Then, it's revealed "Oh, no, that's not an Omega. It's an Onega."
Are consumers always fooled so easily?
A co-worker more than 10 years ago was shocked to learn that her new Lexus E300 was a Toyota Windom. "Toyota?" As though the Lexus dealer randomly appeared by the Toyota dealership out of convenience and nothing else. Then again, people were shocked that the Cadillac Seville started as a Chevrolet Nova. Would those driving an Escalade be driving the Chevrolet version?
I was reading that the HTC One series phones due to be sold this week are held up in U.S. customs, due to the patent issues between HTC and Apple. While I understands Apple's frustration, the consumer is losing some great phones, especially those who have pre-paid for those phones. HTC really haven't done anything to Apple but because they were the vanguard of Android, starting with the T-Mobile G1, they were selected, which is a horrible strategy. They have made some admirable designs without copying Apple.
The patent war between Samsung and Apple is more realistic. Samsung copies practically everything Apple have done in the mobile space. Supposedly, they're planning queues/lines to make it appear their phones are more lust-worthy than they might be otherwise. However, they made advertising about such lines, and made fun of people standing in line for products. It looks as though Samsung is Samsung-ing itself.
I read elsewhere that the company is all but stopping production of their point-and-shoot cameras, in order to boost production of their mirror-less system cameras. I doubt that the few thousand who buy the mirror-less models are going to suddenly want new versions, or that throwing more money at them will make them popular.
Their struggle to overtake Sony may be working but it's going to take a long time. It's more likely that Panasonic will be there first. It's amazing to me that Panasonic have gone from household items like rice cookers to high end televisions, phones, and computers in the last 30+ years, and that Sony have diminished.
One last thing about patents and copying: why is it that IBM's laptop computer line never had to look like anyone else's (save my sad L40SX), and they've been such a hit, even now that they're coming from Lenovo? When most of the Ultrabooks look a lot like Apple's MacBook Air, Lenovo's products don't. They're stylish in an industrial way and get respect from just about anyone.
Update: In the U.K., a judge has decided that Samsung didn't copy iPad to create their own tablet and has ordered Apple to tell everyone this. When I was in primary school (as it feels this punishment resembles), the copier was punished, not the person being copied.
If I look at practically every mobile device that Samsung has done in the last 2 years, they look remarkably like Apple devices, so much that I noticed one and wondered what Apple had done to their hardware. Add to this the rather obvious software tweaks to Android to make it look more like iOS, I can't imagine what the judge is thinking. The only reasonable explanation I can find is that he was annoyed and decided to fix it since they were acting like school children.
Besides, if Nokia and HTC and Motorola can design devices that don't look much like Apple's, why can't Samsung?
Update 2014.01.10: Apple and Samsung have agreed to another round of arbitration, in order to agree on something, anything. I don't really understand why the FRAND patents weren't settled already since every other FRAND patent gets very little, unlike what Samsung wants.
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