Try making a handset that is not iPhone but does run iOS (legally). Given the choice, I'm sure some other manufacturers would produce iOS based phones already.
Your argument may hold up when talking about competition from Symbian or WP7.
It may also be because Android based phones give you more choice than just four hand sets (of which just one current model). An iPhone is more than just iOS, just like an "Android phone" is more than just Android.
China to New York usually goes all the way by ship (via the Panama channel). Takes longer but much cheaper than unloading in Long Beach and then by rail across the continent. New York still has a sizable port.
Some 9 years ago when I was working for an ISP telephone help desk, our strategy for not working dial-up was basically as follows:
1) reboot computer. Customer usually tried that already.
2) Delete and recreate dial-up connection. Fixed 70-80% of the cases.
3) remove and re-install related network components. Fixed again some 80% of the remaining cases.
4) tell them that the solution lies in re-installing Windows but that we're not allowed to advice that (first-line help desk) nor that we provide support for that.
I happened to have a Google account already but I don't recall I needed to enter my credentials until I tried to use Google's Market. Yet now my password is stored in the phone - it won't display but anyone can access my account from that phone without the need of an extra password.
Well about the camera no surprise. Of course it's low end, that's reflected in the price. How about motion sensors? GPS and compass? Radio? Does it have those? Not mentioned in TFA and sorry I'm too lazy to dig around Huawei's web site.
The most interesting part about this phone, as mentioned in TFA, is that it's considered a "laptop killer" in Kenya. That, plus the sheer sales numbers, indicate that they're doing something right.
I don't buy my phones from carriers any more. They're too expensive. The third-party vendors (often found across the street or so) are easily 10% cheaper.
Well you could try Hong Kong... still pretty loose immigration policy for westerners. You can get in as tourist, stay for 3 months (just have your obligatory day to Macau to get three more months), and find a job in the meantime. If you have any teaching qualifications that should be a breeze. Next step is getting residency status (after you get your visa you just have to leave HK and re-enter to change your status), and seven years later you can become permanent resident and then just stay for life. It's just a bit crowded but a pretty OK place overall.
My Android 2.2-based LG P-500 works without SIM present. Just tested. It just adds a SIM icon in the status bar at the top of the screen, and its mobile phone functions are of course limited to emergency calls.
On top of that you don't need mobile data for a smart phone. It's convenient for sure. But not a requirement. They work fine without SIM, or with just a voice plan. They just get a little dumber (and less ads due to no data available:))
I'm paying the equivalent of no more than US$15 per month for three mobile phone accounts (that's the total, the cheapest account is some US$2.6 per month), each with plenty of airtime included. One comes even with a second number for use in China (one SIM, two numbers). No data though, I don't really need that so didn't subscribe, and wifi is virtually everywhere if you really need some. I could go and get an iPhone if I wanted too (instead opted for a much cheaper, probably less capable LG smart phone instead) and just put in a SIM.
You seem to mostly miss the point. The problem is that there are very few gamers nowadays that are willing to pay US$40 for a game. Very very few. It's just too expensive. Then the convenience app stores provide versus having to go to a shop and hoping that your game is on stock. And finally of course the issue of critical mass: there are not enough gamers to have many developers write games for the platform, which in turn discourages many otherwise interested gamers.
Sure there will be a market for hand held game consoles. I totally agree that phones suck when it comes to control, compared to dedicated systems. But then a smartphone is a jack of all trades, and for most people, and many uses, it's simply good enough.
Nintendo must be able to compete with smartphones, but they will have to 1) match the convenience of downloadable games, and 2) come closer in pricing. Not necessarily match the $0,99 price point, but $40 is too much of a difference. A console must be able to provide better games (game play, graphics, etc) so a higher price for such games is reasonable.
Everyone makes mistakes when driving: forgetting to look over the shoulder, overlooking a dangerous corner, forgetting to indicate direction (if only because you decide a bit too late to make that turn). If you say you never make mistakes, I don't believe you. You're not a robot.
Luckily those mistakes usually do not cause accidents, as other drivers prevent them for you. You surely will remember some situations where you had to correct for someone else's driving.
The thing is when driving impaired (drunk, texting, whatever) makes you more prone to making mistakes (giving you more chances of causing an accident), and less likely to correct for other's mistakes (due to slower reaction by you). Now again the vast majority of drunk drivers will arrive home safely, as they do not encounter any unexpected situations. However the chance for such a driver to be involved in an accident is far higher than for sober drivers. Chances of accidents are also increased by texting, speeding, driving on worn tires, not switching on your headlights at night, etc. That's why there are all those rules preventing you from doing those things, and why you need to do driving tests before you're allowed to drive on your own.
I may be unique in it, but when looking for books in a library I tend to read the first few paragraphs AND the last few paragraphs, to decide whether I like it (and that's actually largely based on writing style - after preselecting on genre/title/etc). The books that passed that selection I've so far always liked. Now admittedly I don't read much any more these days.
And more importantly: who are Snape and Dumbledore? (Harry Potter characters, right? That's about all I know, having only watched the first movie, and that was shortly after it was released). And why does Snape want to/have to kill Dumbledore?
For decades I know already that the proper order is "first watch the movie, then read the book". As the book is often so much deeper than the movie - but then most books you don't finish in a few hours. Even in the, what is it, 8-9 hours or so for the complete LotR trilogy. Though the images presented in the movie may "spoil" your imagination when reading the books.
Quite some times I have been disappointed by watching a movie after reading the book it's based on. Even if it's years later. Indeed the images go against what you imagined from reading the book, the story is often cut short, less/no character development (in case of Hollywood often simply "no"), etc.
Interestingly, what you're basically saying is that your CPU is more powerful than you need. Actually it's so powerful you can not even use the full power, as it's not the limiting factor any more. Data transfer is the problem again - OK it's not the network or disk storage that's your main limit, it's apparently the communication between processor and memory in your case.
Unless you're trying to re-render complete images, I'm quite positive your CPU is more than adequate for the job.
The next problem may be the multi-core. I've not followed in what extend the cores can cooperate and split tasks among each other, no matter what many computing tasks are naturally serial as each calculation depends on the result of the previous one, and as such can not or hardly be done parallel. Besides, SMP programming is really tough. It may not be new but for desktop computing it's only recently become an issue with the proliferation of multi-core processors.
On a sidenote, I've been having this feeling for a while now that the CPU arms race has slowed down quite considerably.
For what it's worth I've felt that way for a while too. I recently got a new Core i7 system and *wow*.
I've been working on a 1080p video project (was on a Core2 Quad Extreem) and the wait time for render operations is waaaay lower on the core i7.
I am not surprised but of course what you're doing is not exactly what the vast majority of people are doing. Most people want to surf the net, and do some e-mail and type a letter. Some of them may want to edit some photos, or maybe even edit a video. For both applications modern gear is pretty much overkill already.
Only the handful of people that are real power-users, like you actually rendering your own video and then doing it on HD (which in itself again makes sense nowadays), and are still looking to get more powerful chips. And for some applications it may never be "fast enough". But those applications are getting more and more niche...
For me? Well I can play HD video (720p - more than my monitor can handle - 1080p won't work), albeit just. A little faster CPU may be nice there. For the rest, it's the harddisk and the network that're the real speed limiters. My system is some five years old, and was fairly low-end at the time.
This is not about phones, this is about complete shops. They copied Apple's shop design, down to the employee's uniforms. Note that the article mentions these shops appeared to be selling genuine merchandise - so that part was not faked, for a change.
It may depend on what you search for, but the few times I actually used Google to search for something commercial I used the search results for information on the product, and the advertisements to find people that actually can sell it to me.
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Try making a handset that is not iPhone but does run iOS (legally). Given the choice, I'm sure some other manufacturers would produce iOS based phones already.
Your argument may hold up when talking about competition from Symbian or WP7.
It may also be because Android based phones give you more choice than just four hand sets (of which just one current model). An iPhone is more than just iOS, just like an "Android phone" is more than just Android.
China to New York usually goes all the way by ship (via the Panama channel). Takes longer but much cheaper than unloading in Long Beach and then by rail across the continent. New York still has a sizable port.
Can't Mozilla "just" sandbox Flash?
Or have it run in a chroot jail or so?
Just thinking. To keep those pieces of thoroughly misbehaving but necessary evil in line.
Some 9 years ago when I was working for an ISP telephone help desk, our strategy for not working dial-up was basically as follows:
1) reboot computer. Customer usually tried that already.
2) Delete and recreate dial-up connection. Fixed 70-80% of the cases.
3) remove and re-install related network components. Fixed again some 80% of the remaining cases.
4) tell them that the solution lies in re-installing Windows but that we're not allowed to advice that (first-line help desk) nor that we provide support for that.
No wonder, I bet the management fees of the random picker were far lower.
I happened to have a Google account already but I don't recall I needed to enter my credentials until I tried to use Google's Market. Yet now my password is stored in the phone - it won't display but anyone can access my account from that phone without the need of an extra password.
Well about the camera no surprise. Of course it's low end, that's reflected in the price. How about motion sensors? GPS and compass? Radio? Does it have those? Not mentioned in TFA and sorry I'm too lazy to dig around Huawei's web site.
The most interesting part about this phone, as mentioned in TFA, is that it's considered a "laptop killer" in Kenya. That, plus the sheer sales numbers, indicate that they're doing something right.
I don't buy my phones from carriers any more. They're too expensive. The third-party vendors (often found across the street or so) are easily 10% cheaper.
Well you could try Hong Kong... still pretty loose immigration policy for westerners. You can get in as tourist, stay for 3 months (just have your obligatory day to Macau to get three more months), and find a job in the meantime. If you have any teaching qualifications that should be a breeze. Next step is getting residency status (after you get your visa you just have to leave HK and re-enter to change your status), and seven years later you can become permanent resident and then just stay for life. It's just a bit crowded but a pretty OK place overall.
My Android 2.2-based LG P-500 works without SIM present. Just tested. It just adds a SIM icon in the status bar at the top of the screen, and its mobile phone functions are of course limited to emergency calls.
On top of that you don't need mobile data for a smart phone. It's convenient for sure. But not a requirement. They work fine without SIM, or with just a voice plan. They just get a little dumber (and less ads due to no data available :))
I'm paying the equivalent of no more than US$15 per month for three mobile phone accounts (that's the total, the cheapest account is some US$2.6 per month), each with plenty of airtime included. One comes even with a second number for use in China (one SIM, two numbers). No data though, I don't really need that so didn't subscribe, and wifi is virtually everywhere if you really need some. I could go and get an iPhone if I wanted too (instead opted for a much cheaper, probably less capable LG smart phone instead) and just put in a SIM.
Not everyone is living in the US.
You seem to mostly miss the point. The problem is that there are very few gamers nowadays that are willing to pay US$40 for a game. Very very few. It's just too expensive. Then the convenience app stores provide versus having to go to a shop and hoping that your game is on stock. And finally of course the issue of critical mass: there are not enough gamers to have many developers write games for the platform, which in turn discourages many otherwise interested gamers.
Sure there will be a market for hand held game consoles. I totally agree that phones suck when it comes to control, compared to dedicated systems. But then a smartphone is a jack of all trades, and for most people, and many uses, it's simply good enough.
Nintendo must be able to compete with smartphones, but they will have to 1) match the convenience of downloadable games, and 2) come closer in pricing. Not necessarily match the $0,99 price point, but $40 is too much of a difference. A console must be able to provide better games (game play, graphics, etc) so a higher price for such games is reasonable.
That's statistics for you.
Everyone makes mistakes when driving: forgetting to look over the shoulder, overlooking a dangerous corner, forgetting to indicate direction (if only because you decide a bit too late to make that turn). If you say you never make mistakes, I don't believe you. You're not a robot.
Luckily those mistakes usually do not cause accidents, as other drivers prevent them for you. You surely will remember some situations where you had to correct for someone else's driving.
The thing is when driving impaired (drunk, texting, whatever) makes you more prone to making mistakes (giving you more chances of causing an accident), and less likely to correct for other's mistakes (due to slower reaction by you). Now again the vast majority of drunk drivers will arrive home safely, as they do not encounter any unexpected situations. However the chance for such a driver to be involved in an accident is far higher than for sober drivers. Chances of accidents are also increased by texting, speeding, driving on worn tires, not switching on your headlights at night, etc. That's why there are all those rules preventing you from doing those things, and why you need to do driving tests before you're allowed to drive on your own.
I may be unique in it, but when looking for books in a library I tend to read the first few paragraphs AND the last few paragraphs, to decide whether I like it (and that's actually largely based on writing style - after preselecting on genre/title/etc). The books that passed that selection I've so far always liked. Now admittedly I don't read much any more these days.
And more importantly: who are Snape and Dumbledore? (Harry Potter characters, right? That's about all I know, having only watched the first movie, and that was shortly after it was released). And why does Snape want to/have to kill Dumbledore?
For decades I know already that the proper order is "first watch the movie, then read the book". As the book is often so much deeper than the movie - but then most books you don't finish in a few hours. Even in the, what is it, 8-9 hours or so for the complete LotR trilogy. Though the images presented in the movie may "spoil" your imagination when reading the books.
Quite some times I have been disappointed by watching a movie after reading the book it's based on. Even if it's years later. Indeed the images go against what you imagined from reading the book, the story is often cut short, less/no character development (in case of Hollywood often simply "no"), etc.
Interestingly, what you're basically saying is that your CPU is more powerful than you need. Actually it's so powerful you can not even use the full power, as it's not the limiting factor any more. Data transfer is the problem again - OK it's not the network or disk storage that's your main limit, it's apparently the communication between processor and memory in your case.
Unless you're trying to re-render complete images, I'm quite positive your CPU is more than adequate for the job.
The next problem may be the multi-core. I've not followed in what extend the cores can cooperate and split tasks among each other, no matter what many computing tasks are naturally serial as each calculation depends on the result of the previous one, and as such can not or hardly be done parallel. Besides, SMP programming is really tough. It may not be new but for desktop computing it's only recently become an issue with the proliferation of multi-core processors.
Exactly those same customers can prove them wrong. By not accepting the new offer, and going to the competitor who still has the old offer.
That sounds like a problem in the design of the third-party coolers, that do not fit in the space allowed by standard motherboards.
On a sidenote, I've been having this feeling for a while now that the CPU arms race has slowed down quite considerably.
For what it's worth I've felt that way for a while too. I recently got a new Core i7 system and *wow*. I've been working on a 1080p video project (was on a Core2 Quad Extreem) and the wait time for render operations is waaaay lower on the core i7.
I am not surprised but of course what you're doing is not exactly what the vast majority of people are doing. Most people want to surf the net, and do some e-mail and type a letter. Some of them may want to edit some photos, or maybe even edit a video. For both applications modern gear is pretty much overkill already.
Only the handful of people that are real power-users, like you actually rendering your own video and then doing it on HD (which in itself again makes sense nowadays), and are still looking to get more powerful chips. And for some applications it may never be "fast enough". But those applications are getting more and more niche...
For me? Well I can play HD video (720p - more than my monitor can handle - 1080p won't work), albeit just. A little faster CPU may be nice there. For the rest, it's the harddisk and the network that're the real speed limiters. My system is some five years old, and was fairly low-end at the time.
This is not about phones, this is about complete shops. They copied Apple's shop design, down to the employee's uniforms. Note that the article mentions these shops appeared to be selling genuine merchandise - so that part was not faked, for a change.
It may depend on what you search for, but the few times I actually used Google to search for something commercial I used the search results for information on the product, and the advertisements to find people that actually can sell it to me.
I doubt the examples you give were used in this research. Indeed I use Google a lot for similar searches too, particularly for FX.