What would be nice is if you control more than just the 7 devices that you can plug into the brick without having to add another programmable brick to the system... say, by separating things like device power supply from device control, and using a separate battery box (or boxes) to supply power to as many devices as you want, and the cpu simply addresses them in a not entirely dissimilar way to how many USB devices are addressed on a single bus.
The functionality you want is already available on existing NXT bricks.
The sensor ports on NXT bricks use I2C for communication, allowing "sensors" to be daisy chained and referred to by address. Since the communication across the bus can be bi-directional (though half duplex), you can easily add I2C controlled motor controllers with external power supplies. There is also the RS485 port, for higher speed bi-directional communication.
Want to control more motors? Simply add a I2C controlled motor controller - a simple circuit to make yourself, or buy one of the commercially available options. In most cases you would use these with an external power supply (i.e. battery box).
Separating "things like device power supply from device control" is as simple as making your own cables... or use some of the commercially available motor controllers. For example this motor controller (a simple i2c based DC motor controller, with lego RCX plugs in the PCB) requires an external 9v power supply - http://www.mindsensors.com/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=58.
Using USB for these purposes rather than I2C would be far more complex. I2C is very simple to use, and is fast enough for most motor and sensor IO.
Not true for music - iTunes Match will take care of your music. Yes, it costs $25 / year, but worth it to me, and I would think anyone with multiple devices they want to play their music on.
Google has long been willing to compromise on their "do no evil" mantra and is probably under huge pressure from successful incumbent phone device manufacturers to create barriers to entry in the market. This is common with any market where goods or services start to become commoditized.
Google went "evil" years ago. Anyone that doesn't realize this simply has their head up their ass - and that seems to be an incredible portion of Slashdot users.
I always wonder when these types of questions come along... Who is really the bad coder? The "Coworker", or the person that thinks the coworker is a bad coder? Face it, most "bad coders" think they are good... and there are actually few "good coders" in most groups.
More importantly: most programmers actually want to write good code, but at the end of the day it's really about cost effectiveness. In some cases this might mean you whip up the crappiest POS code you can to get the job done, and in other cases it's all about quality and maintainability. I wish more programmers understood this.
Regardless, if you are not management - either STFU or bring it up with someone who is a manager.
BUT, unlike things like Beanie Babies or Barbies, Lego kits can usually be parted out for a reasonable return. There is a value to them beyond just speculation by collectors.
Summary: Nice things have a higher chance of being stolen than non-nice things.
Probably the stupidest slashdot submission in awhile, and clearly the submitter has a (as usual) hard on for the ghost of Steve Jobs. Seriously, anyone that sctually tries to spin this into anti Apple BS is an idiot.
.. and some relationships are simply not worth the hassle.
How much $$ can this guy be worth to Apple? Not enough to even make it worth responding to his whining.
Actually, I can even back that up with an occurrence from this week. I had an salesperson nearly quit because of abuse like this from a customer causing them a lot of stress. I told the customer to take their business elsewhere. It was not a small customer, but they were not worth the hassle anymore.
Business is best done in a mutually beneficial relationship with respect between partners. When it diminishes to the level of name calling, count me out. I'm far from that desperate. We don't need to be friends, or even like one another, but civility is necessary.
The chances of me doing business with anyone who called me or any of my employees an asshole are near zero.
0) Do you have a source for "only official Apple chargers are allowed to provide 2A"? Until you do, it's just FUD.
1) An ipad will charge off ~ 1A. Slowly but surely, and during use - at least my typical light usage (and yes, ipad 3), but I don't play games and especially not at full-on-blinding brightness. Turn the screen off, and it can charge at 500mA. (Although it will say "Not charging", it actually is - just slowly.)
2) Really this is a problem with USB, it's specifications simply don't require implementations to support > 500mA. (And some seriously shit motherboards I've seen in my day can't even pull off 500mA reliably).
Apple has no control over how much power 3rd party adaptors are capable of providing unless they are subject to Apples licensing agreements. So if someone wants to create a USB charger Apple has no say over the level of current. Is there a limit if they want to implement a dock connect? I don't know. You say there is, but provide no proof.
At the end of the day, do you really want some POS charger pumping 2A into your $900 ipad?
There is certainly more to this story than is being told so far. I'd like to see this company share their communications with Apple and let customers make up their own mind.
They had at least two options available for this specific problem: 1) Ship with 30 pin dock connector, and let users use an adaptor (which is readily available). 2) Rather than put a bunch of proprietary connectors on it, why not just have USB ports and let users charge whatever the hell they want, via whatever cable they want? If I were buying this, I'd prefer that anyway.
Finally, what kind of businessman says "I think they are being a bunch of assholes" about a company they are trying to negotiate with? Extremely unprofessional. If I were in Apples shoes, I would pretty much write them off for all future business - some relationships are simply not worth the problems they bring.
This all makes me wonder if this isn't just a scapegoat for aborting the project.
I use ThunderBolt on a daily basis, and have since the first Macbook Pro supported it. Honestly, it kicks ass. Let me know when you've got another interface as fast AND convenient as TB.
Just like Firewire it may never be as mainstream as USB, but, again, just like firewire was much faster than USB2, TB is much faster than USB3 - and there is a market for that. (And if you actually think USB2 was even close to as fast as FW400 or FW800, or that USB3 is as fast as TB, don't bother replying until you educate yourself.)
So, just because you don't use it, does not mean it has not "caught on".
Apple doesn't let you run your own OS on their hardware. They make it as hard as possible to run Windows on a Mac, they've been caught trying to prevent Linux from overtaking the boot loader.
That is a complete lie. Why are you spreading FUD?
Running Windows on a Macbook is extremely easy, and actually fully supported by Apple. Yes, they *SUPPORT* this - providing the best hardware driver install and update infrastructure I have ever seen in windows. Seriously - I only own high end laptops whether they are Apple or "PC", and running Windows on a Macbook is more pleasant than any Lenovo, HP, etc I've owned.
Regarding Linux - You do need to be aware that Macbooks use EFI, but installing Linux on a Macbook is trivial. I only ever run linux in VM's these days. Why bother running Linux when I have a fully POSIX compliant operating system already running natively? ( FWIW I am no stranger to linux. In a past life I was an *NIX server admin, with many years experience.)
I've been running both Windows and Linux on Macbooks for over 5 years, and they both work just fine. So now, will you explain your lies?
You completely failed to see my point, which was that I now must move away from their service (the last of them I still use - GMail).
Also, I am completely aware of IMAP's IDLE command. I've never found it to be as fast as ActiveSync for some reason. Why does push & speed matter? Because I use it for 2 things where speed is very important - investment price alerts, and as a secondary alarm for server monitoring alerts - both of which types have the potential to make or lose me a lot of money in an extremely short period of time. I typically receive an email through gmail & ActiveSync within 15 seconds.
Finally, I am not sure if iOS actually supports the IDLE command, because I have always used ActiveSync for iOS accounts where time matters. And I refuse to use Googles App to receive email for one account.
No doubt it's Google's choice to ditch these products - just like it is my choice to no longer be Google's product.
If you want google services without giving out any personal information, then you need to start paying someone to provide them.
Obviously, and I never complained about having to do so (and have moved most of my services over to a self-administered VPS already over the last year).
So they are essentially forcing me to use two applications for my email then, if I want push from them (since they are far from the only email provider I use).
Same shit different pile;). All said, it's a move I've been intending for awhile anyway, so this is just motivation to make the move away from their services.
I was using the new Google Maps app for iOS the other day and it seems like every page i open it wants me to sign into my Google account so they can track me. Deleted. I prefer paid offline maps anyway, since I live in Canada and often travel where cell coverage is limited.
No more push email for iOS (currently done via exchange)? That's the last reason I actually use any Google services.
I've been moving away from Google for about a year now because I feel that they have turned form only partially evil to complete evil. Eliminating push email is the final trigger to get me to completely eliminate Google services from my life.
Goodbye Google, and thanks for the years of services. Good luck with that G+ thing that you're pushing so hard. I'm sure someone likes it, since you've managed to alienate so many by forcing it upon us (and yes - I would say "forced" is adequate - the last gmail account I signed up for automatically had a G+ profile created...).
An “Assembled in USA” claim requires a product’s “last substantial transformation” happen in the United States even if the components of a product are manufactured overseas. However, this requires more than a “screwdriver” assembly of the parts at the end of the process. For Apple to be putting “Assembled in USA” labels on some new iMacs, the company is claiming that it’s doing more than slapping together components into a finished whole.
Slashdot Mirror
"Since typically (as far as I recall) mindstorm programs are loaded into the brick at runtime"
-- FYI, that is not the case. The NXT's have 256KB of flash which is used for user (and OS) storage.
What would be nice is if you control more than just the 7 devices that you can plug into the brick without having to add another programmable brick to the system... say, by separating things like device power supply from device control, and using a separate battery box (or boxes) to supply power to as many devices as you want, and the cpu simply addresses them in a not entirely dissimilar way to how many USB devices are addressed on a single bus.
The functionality you want is already available on existing NXT bricks.
The sensor ports on NXT bricks use I2C for communication, allowing "sensors" to be daisy chained and referred to by address. Since the communication across the bus can be bi-directional (though half duplex), you can easily add I2C controlled motor controllers with external power supplies. There is also the RS485 port, for higher speed bi-directional communication.
Want more sensors? Simply daisy chain them on an I2C port. (I usually custom make cables for specific purposes, but there are also multiplexers available which could potentially allow for over 128 i2c addressed devices on a single port). An example of a commercially available daisy chain splitter - http://www.mindsensors.com/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=79. Multiplexer? http://www.hitechnic.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=NSX2020.
Want to control more motors? Simply add a I2C controlled motor controller - a simple circuit to make yourself, or buy one of the commercially available options. In most cases you would use these with an external power supply (i.e. battery box).
Separating "things like device power supply from device control" is as simple as making your own cables... or use some of the commercially available motor controllers. For example this motor controller (a simple i2c based DC motor controller, with lego RCX plugs in the PCB) requires an external 9v power supply - http://www.mindsensors.com/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=58.
Using USB for these purposes rather than I2C would be far more complex. I2C is very simple to use, and is fast enough for most motor and sensor IO.
Not true for music - iTunes Match will take care of your music. Yes, it costs $25 / year, but worth it to me, and I would think anyone with multiple devices they want to play their music on.
Google has long been willing to compromise on their "do no evil" mantra and is probably under huge pressure from successful incumbent phone device manufacturers to create barriers to entry in the market. This is common with any market where goods or services start to become commoditized.
Google went "evil" years ago. Anyone that doesn't realize this simply has their head up their ass - and that seems to be an incredible portion of Slashdot users.
I always wonder when these types of questions come along... Who is really the bad coder? The "Coworker", or the person that thinks the coworker is a bad coder? Face it, most "bad coders" think they are good... and there are actually few "good coders" in most groups.
More importantly: most programmers actually want to write good code, but at the end of the day it's really about cost effectiveness. In some cases this might mean you whip up the crappiest POS code you can to get the job done, and in other cases it's all about quality and maintainability. I wish more programmers understood this.
Regardless, if you are not management - either STFU or bring it up with someone who is a manager.
Sure, and Google & Samsung are on the "peoples" side, eh? Maybe your argument would make a little more sense if it wasn't obviously biased drivel.
BUT, unlike things like Beanie Babies or Barbies, Lego kits can usually be parted out for a reasonable return. There is a value to them beyond just speculation by collectors.
Summary: Nice things have a higher chance of being stolen than non-nice things.
Probably the stupidest slashdot submission in awhile, and clearly the submitter has a (as usual) hard on for the ghost of Steve Jobs. Seriously, anyone that sctually tries to spin this into anti Apple BS is an idiot.
.. and some relationships are simply not worth the hassle.
How much $$ can this guy be worth to Apple? Not enough to even make it worth responding to his whining.
Actually, I can even back that up with an occurrence from this week. I had an salesperson nearly quit because of abuse like this from a customer causing them a lot of stress. I told the customer to take their business elsewhere. It was not a small customer, but they were not worth the hassle anymore.
Business is best done in a mutually beneficial relationship with respect between partners. When it diminishes to the level of name calling, count me out. I'm far from that desperate. We don't need to be friends, or even like one another, but civility is necessary.
The chances of me doing business with anyone who called me or any of my employees an asshole are near zero.
.. and some relationships are simply not worth the hassle.
How much $$ can this guy be worth to Apple? Not enough to even make it worth responding to his whining.
Ummmm. A few things:
0) Do you have a source for "only official Apple chargers are allowed to provide 2A"? Until you do, it's just FUD.
1) An ipad will charge off ~ 1A. Slowly but surely, and during use - at least my typical light usage (and yes, ipad 3), but I don't play games and especially not at full-on-blinding brightness. Turn the screen off, and it can charge at 500mA. (Although it will say "Not charging", it actually is - just slowly.)
2) Really this is a problem with USB, it's specifications simply don't require implementations to support > 500mA. (And some seriously shit motherboards I've seen in my day can't even pull off 500mA reliably).
Apple has no control over how much power 3rd party adaptors are capable of providing unless they are subject to Apples licensing agreements. So if someone wants to create a USB charger Apple has no say over the level of current. Is there a limit if they want to implement a dock connect? I don't know. You say there is, but provide no proof.
At the end of the day, do you really want some POS charger pumping 2A into your $900 ipad?
There is certainly more to this story than is being told so far. I'd like to see this company share their communications with Apple and let customers make up their own mind.
They had at least two options available for this specific problem:
1) Ship with 30 pin dock connector, and let users use an adaptor (which is readily available).
2) Rather than put a bunch of proprietary connectors on it, why not just have USB ports and let users charge whatever the hell they want, via whatever cable they want? If I were buying this, I'd prefer that anyway.
Finally, what kind of businessman says "I think they are being a bunch of assholes" about a company they are trying to negotiate with? Extremely unprofessional. If I were in Apples shoes, I would pretty much write them off for all future business - some relationships are simply not worth the problems they bring.
This all makes me wonder if this isn't just a scapegoat for aborting the project.
Thunderbolt never caught on?
I use ThunderBolt on a daily basis, and have since the first Macbook Pro supported it. Honestly, it kicks ass. Let me know when you've got another interface as fast AND convenient as TB.
Just like Firewire it may never be as mainstream as USB, but, again, just like firewire was much faster than USB2, TB is much faster than USB3 - and there is a market for that. (And if you actually think USB2 was even close to as fast as FW400 or FW800, or that USB3 is as fast as TB, don't bother replying until you educate yourself.)
So, just because you don't use it, does not mean it has not "caught on".
Apple doesn't let you run your own OS on their hardware. They make it as hard as possible to run Windows on a Mac, they've been caught trying to prevent Linux from overtaking the boot loader.
That is a complete lie. Why are you spreading FUD?
Running Windows on a Macbook is extremely easy, and actually fully supported by Apple. Yes, they *SUPPORT* this - providing the best hardware driver install and update infrastructure I have ever seen in windows. Seriously - I only own high end laptops whether they are Apple or "PC", and running Windows on a Macbook is more pleasant than any Lenovo, HP, etc I've owned.
See: Bootcamp: http://www.apple.com/support/bootcamp/
Regarding Linux - You do need to be aware that Macbooks use EFI, but installing Linux on a Macbook is trivial. I only ever run linux in VM's these days. Why bother running Linux when I have a fully POSIX compliant operating system already running natively? ( FWIW I am no stranger to linux. In a past life I was an *NIX server admin, with many years experience.)
I've been running both Windows and Linux on Macbooks for over 5 years, and they both work just fine. So now, will you explain your lies?
How is your comment even relevant? Oh, it's not - in fact it's completely off topic and irrelevant to the discussion.
You completely failed to see my point, which was that I now must move away from their service (the last of them I still use - GMail).
Also, I am completely aware of IMAP's IDLE command. I've never found it to be as fast as ActiveSync for some reason. Why does push & speed matter? Because I use it for 2 things where speed is very important - investment price alerts, and as a secondary alarm for server monitoring alerts - both of which types have the potential to make or lose me a lot of money in an extremely short period of time. I typically receive an email through gmail & ActiveSync within 15 seconds.
Finally, I am not sure if iOS actually supports the IDLE command, because I have always used ActiveSync for iOS accounts where time matters. And I refuse to use Googles App to receive email for one account.
No doubt it's Google's choice to ditch these products - just like it is my choice to no longer be Google's product.
If you want google services without giving out any personal information, then you need to start paying someone to provide them.
Obviously, and I never complained about having to do so (and have moved most of my services over to a self-administered VPS already over the last year).
I never said Google was evil for their decision to eliminate these services. That is their choice, whatever the reason.
It's their lack of respect for my privacy that makes them evil.
So they are essentially forcing me to use two applications for my email then, if I want push from them (since they are far from the only email provider I use).
Same shit different pile ;). All said, it's a move I've been intending for awhile anyway, so this is just motivation to make the move away from their services.
I was using the new Google Maps app for iOS the other day and it seems like every page i open it wants me to sign into my Google account so they can track me. Deleted. I prefer paid offline maps anyway, since I live in Canada and often travel where cell coverage is limited.
Yes, and losing some features along the way right? I believe push email will no longer work on gmail for iOS, but please do correct me if I am wrong.
Because loss of features that are part of peoples daily lives is usually more relevant to them than potential future features they may use.
Adding features = no change in my life unless I want to.
Removing features = forced work for me to change services.
Pretty simple really, but I can provide some analogies if you like?
No more push email for iOS (currently done via exchange)? That's the last reason I actually use any Google services.
I've been moving away from Google for about a year now because I feel that they have turned form only partially evil to complete evil. Eliminating push email is the final trigger to get me to completely eliminate Google services from my life.
Goodbye Google, and thanks for the years of services. Good luck with that G+ thing that you're pushing so hard. I'm sure someone likes it, since you've managed to alienate so many by forcing it upon us (and yes - I would say "forced" is adequate - the last gmail account I signed up for automatically had a G+ profile created...).
Where patent trolls are evil!!! ... unless they are suing Apple.
Strong convictions there, boys.
That's right. Apple is not a manufacturing company. But obviously they do have an extremely deep relationship with their manufacturers.
This lie again? Why are you misleading people?
An “Assembled in USA” claim requires a product’s “last substantial transformation” happen in the United States even if the components of a product are manufactured overseas. However, this requires more than a “screwdriver” assembly of the parts at the end of the process. For Apple to be putting “Assembled in USA” labels on some new iMacs, the company is claiming that it’s doing more than slapping together components into a finished whole.
- http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/does-assembled-in-usa-mean-anything-for-apple/