How often do you use a full-blown OS while you're waiting at the fast food line? Not very often, I'll bet. Why not simply leave the bloat at home or in the office?
Spot on. I used to carry a laptop with me on the train to/from work etc, but I ditched that a couple of years ago for a WinMo device. Eventually, popping it up to do email and the odd bit of browsing became so convenient (relative to opening the laptop and waiting for XP / Vista to boot etc) that I stopped using a PC at home. So I haven't really used anything but my mobile device for email, browsing, rss, IM, etc for over 2 years, except for the odd bit of web browsing which didn't render well on windows mobile's awful browser.
Now I have an Android device, and I can access all the sites which didn't render properly; they load fast, and render well. I use a PC all day at work, and now I can't see (m)any reasons why I'd bother to use anything but my mobile device outside of that environment - given that I can do just about everything I need to from something that spends the majority of its time in my pocket.
Re:Carrier Exclusivity Might Kill It
on
Palm Pre Reviewed
·
· Score: 1
Yes, it's the same in Europe etc. Usually it's implemented by 'SIM-locking' the firmware of the phone so that, for example, a handset bought from Vodafone will only work with a Vodafone SIM inserted in it.
Most carriers will, nowadays, unlock the device once the initial contract is completed so it can be used on other networks. Historically the devices have been SIM/carrier-locked simply to attempt to lock people into the network; when the carrier is so heavily subsidising devices, it makes sense for them to try and ensure the user remains on their network for the duration of the contract (hopefully running up large bills during that period, which is the profitable part for carriers). Even better, people tend to be lazy and not always get a brand new device when their contract exipires, and every month they remain on the original network is healthy profit for the carrier.
It's really only with the event of the iPhone that carrier exclusivity has worked the other way - i.e., the carriers like O2 getting exclusivity of the device long-term to entice people to their network who wouldn't normally consider it (e.g., O2's coverage and particularly their 3G network was/is very poor in comparison to Vodafone's in the UK when the iPhone launched, but people were prepared to compromise to get the new device). Historically, 'exclusivity' offers with device/carrier tie-ins were usually either 'special editions' (e.g., special colour devices) or short-term (i.e., one carrier has a device exclusively for 6 months before all the others get it).
My point above was merely that in order to get a big cash injection, Palm are likely to do some sort of iPhone-like deal to get a good up-front chunk of cash, rather than spreading themselves too thin across the carriers.
Re:Carrier Exclusivity Might Kill It
on
Palm Pre Reviewed
·
· Score: 1
You said it yourself. There are other people outside the US, you know.
I think you'll find that Android will crop up on other carriers far more quickly than the Pre or iPhone, as OEMs build more Android devices. The reason the iPhone is on one carrier is down to a tie-in/contract between the carrier and the handset manufacturer (Apple), and since there will only be one of those (Apple) there's little scope for other carriers to pick up new devices.
As for Pre, Palm will almost certainly have to remain a single-carrier device, as it'll be the only way they'll get enough support from the carrier to push the device.
Android is a totally different kettle of fish - once the likes of Sony, LG and Samsung (et al) release their Android devices, you can be sure they'll be scattered across the various carriers - not least because those carriers will see it as the 'next best thing' to having the iPhone.
Re:Carrier Exclusivity Might Kill It
on
Palm Pre Reviewed
·
· Score: 1
The G1/Android is effectively exclusive to T-Mobile
Erm, no. The HTC Magic's been out on Voda for a while now (had mine for a couple of weeks). And there's other devices coming on other carriers, such as the Samsung i7500 which will probably be launched on O2. Remember, Android devices (well, device - the G1) have only been available for 6-8 months, so it's not surprising they're only on one carrier. Expect that to change a lot in the next 6 months. By the time Android hits 2 years I suspect there will be devices available on all carriers. And from my experience of the Magic so far, that's when Apple will finally have a serious competitor to the iPhone platform.
It's all about the hardware, not the software. iPhone firmware updates are free too, but people will still upgrade from 2G to 3G to the 3.0 hardware to be released later this year.
For me, I upgraded when WinMo devices moved to having built-in GPS, and I will upgrade my HTC Magic when my contract runs out to get a faster, lighter device with a longer-lasting battery, better (OLED?) screen, 3D projector, built in zero-gravity travel device, etc etc etc.
People upgrade because they want new shiny toys. A new OS gives that 'new coin' buzz but isn't half as exciting as videoing a box opening and playing with a sparkling new device.
Can you include those details on your resume, so that when I'm next hiring I know to file yours straight in the round filing cabinet?
Anyone who starts coding "the second they have an idea what they're doing" clearly has no concept of design.
I had this once. My 2-weeks' notice was agreed with my manager, and I confirmed my starting date with my new employer. Then the CEO found out, and told me "I can't just have people leaving willy-nilly, you'll need to work 2 months'".
We argued the toss for a while, and eventually I pointed out that if he really insisted, I'd happily work the notice. However, I felt like I was coming down with a bit of a cold/flu, so might need to take some time off sick. And obviously I couldn't guarantee the quality of my work during that enforced period - so I might write some really awful code (yeah, same as normal;)).
Eventually he got the point and understood that there was no way he could force me to work, so re-agreed the terms.
There's a school of thought that says the pirated music encourages more people to buy through album sales based on 'previews'. And yet the RIAA claim this sort of piracy decreases sales.
Perhaps it's just that people hearing the full album realise it's shit. I wonder if albums sales would decrease even further if radio stations played the full track-listing before the CD was available to buy.
If somebody really wants to trawl through (and pay to store) the meaningless drivel that I post daily to my Facetard status, as well as the pictures of snow, my garden and all the other boring shit I put up on my gallery page, they're welcome to it.
When it's full, I move the files off onto a large data filing and storage system that came with my PC (called a 'hard disk'). That renders the SD card empty again, and I can start filling it with data, photographs, video etc., and then repeat the process.
The PC's 'hard disk' can be accessed by an 'operating system' which has lots of functionality that allows you to easily organise the data into hierarchical 'folders', making it easy to keep track of the contents.
Browsing this thread, and I'm staggered that nobody's mentioned code reviews.
Surely when you commit your code changes to the repository the easter-egg code change is flagged up in the code review process? At which point most people with any sense of professionalism would say "Hey, that's got f-all to do with the specifications for the change you're supposed to be making", so it fails the change-management process and gets rolled out.
It seriously scares me that people can get significantly functionality changes into the code of their production systems without it being spotted/removed as a potential vulnerability.
I guess most people who write easter eggs must be working on pretty trivial projects...
You say the code quality sucks, but who cares? If the app works, then that's what matters to the customer. Beautiful code is only an advantage to the company selling the product, as it makes maintenance and enhancements easier to manage and develop.
If you bring out essentially the same app, how will you market it? "Our app is just like X, but our code is gorgeous!". Yeah, that'll sell loads.
If you're really bothered about code quality, put together a whitepaper and present it to the management (and shareholders) showing why it matters, how you intend to improve it, what it'll cost to do (time and dollar-value) and what the RoI for the code-quality improvements will be.
If the management can't be convinced, then go and work for another company on another product altogether.
...make webs in space? There's nothing to catch.
Or did they take a box of flies (or maybe ants, since the spiders' prey didn't need wings to hit the webs) to feed the 8-legged beasties?
...is to not buy any toys at all? Does anyone know the carbon/commodity footprint of manufacturing a portable solar panel, versus the amount of energy you'd save over the lifetime of its use?
Power stations (coal, nuclear or renewable) are far more efficient than any portable system. You'd probably be better off (from a 'green' point of view) installing solar at home to where it can be used all day, and then charging your phone/laptop from the mains.
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Well, he's only 15. He might be working for MS, but perhaps he hasn't scored highly in his English SATS.
In other news, the Pope tweets that he's thinking of becoming a catholic, and bear posts "took a sh*t in the woods" as facebook status.
How often do you use a full-blown OS while you're waiting at the fast food line? Not very often, I'll bet. Why not simply leave the bloat at home or in the office?
Spot on. I used to carry a laptop with me on the train to/from work etc, but I ditched that a couple of years ago for a WinMo device. Eventually, popping it up to do email and the odd bit of browsing became so convenient (relative to opening the laptop and waiting for XP / Vista to boot etc) that I stopped using a PC at home. So I haven't really used anything but my mobile device for email, browsing, rss, IM, etc for over 2 years, except for the odd bit of web browsing which didn't render well on windows mobile's awful browser.
Now I have an Android device, and I can access all the sites which didn't render properly; they load fast, and render well. I use a PC all day at work, and now I can't see (m)any reasons why I'd bother to use anything but my mobile device outside of that environment - given that I can do just about everything I need to from something that spends the majority of its time in my pocket.
Yes, it's the same in Europe etc. Usually it's implemented by 'SIM-locking' the firmware of the phone so that, for example, a handset bought from Vodafone will only work with a Vodafone SIM inserted in it.
Most carriers will, nowadays, unlock the device once the initial contract is completed so it can be used on other networks. Historically the devices have been SIM/carrier-locked simply to attempt to lock people into the network; when the carrier is so heavily subsidising devices, it makes sense for them to try and ensure the user remains on their network for the duration of the contract (hopefully running up large bills during that period, which is the profitable part for carriers). Even better, people tend to be lazy and not always get a brand new device when their contract exipires, and every month they remain on the original network is healthy profit for the carrier.
It's really only with the event of the iPhone that carrier exclusivity has worked the other way - i.e., the carriers like O2 getting exclusivity of the device long-term to entice people to their network who wouldn't normally consider it (e.g., O2's coverage and particularly their 3G network was/is very poor in comparison to Vodafone's in the UK when the iPhone launched, but people were prepared to compromise to get the new device). Historically, 'exclusivity' offers with device/carrier tie-ins were usually either 'special editions' (e.g., special colour devices) or short-term (i.e., one carrier has a device exclusively for 6 months before all the others get it).
My point above was merely that in order to get a big cash injection, Palm are likely to do some sort of iPhone-like deal to get a good up-front chunk of cash, rather than spreading themselves too thin across the carriers.
I think you'll find that Android will crop up on other carriers far more quickly than the Pre or iPhone, as OEMs build more Android devices. The reason the iPhone is on one carrier is down to a tie-in/contract between the carrier and the handset manufacturer (Apple), and since there will only be one of those (Apple) there's little scope for other carriers to pick up new devices.
As for Pre, Palm will almost certainly have to remain a single-carrier device, as it'll be the only way they'll get enough support from the carrier to push the device.
Android is a totally different kettle of fish - once the likes of Sony, LG and Samsung (et al) release their Android devices, you can be sure they'll be scattered across the various carriers - not least because those carriers will see it as the 'next best thing' to having the iPhone.
The G1/Android is effectively exclusive to T-Mobile
Erm, no. The HTC Magic's been out on Voda for a while now (had mine for a couple of weeks). And there's other devices coming on other carriers, such as the Samsung i7500 which will probably be launched on O2. Remember, Android devices (well, device - the G1) have only been available for 6-8 months, so it's not surprising they're only on one carrier. Expect that to change a lot in the next 6 months. By the time Android hits 2 years I suspect there will be devices available on all carriers. And from my experience of the Magic so far, that's when Apple will finally have a serious competitor to the iPhone platform.
For me, I upgraded when WinMo devices moved to having built-in GPS, and I will upgrade my HTC Magic when my contract runs out to get a faster, lighter device with a longer-lasting battery, better (OLED?) screen, 3D projector, built in zero-gravity travel device, etc etc etc.
People upgrade because they want new shiny toys. A new OS gives that 'new coin' buzz but isn't half as exciting as videoing a box opening and playing with a sparkling new device.
Can you include those details on your resume, so that when I'm next hiring I know to file yours straight in the round filing cabinet? Anyone who starts coding "the second they have an idea what they're doing" clearly has no concept of design.
I had this once. My 2-weeks' notice was agreed with my manager, and I confirmed my starting date with my new employer. Then the CEO found out, and told me "I can't just have people leaving willy-nilly, you'll need to work 2 months'". We argued the toss for a while, and eventually I pointed out that if he really insisted, I'd happily work the notice. However, I felt like I was coming down with a bit of a cold/flu, so might need to take some time off sick. And obviously I couldn't guarantee the quality of my work during that enforced period - so I might write some really awful code (yeah, same as normal ;)).
Eventually he got the point and understood that there was no way he could force me to work, so re-agreed the terms.
It's an interesting premise.
There's a school of thought that says the pirated music encourages more people to buy through album sales based on 'previews'. And yet the RIAA claim this sort of piracy decreases sales.
Perhaps it's just that people hearing the full album realise it's shit. I wonder if albums sales would decrease even further if radio stations played the full track-listing before the CD was available to buy.
If somebody really wants to trawl through (and pay to store) the meaningless drivel that I post daily to my Facetard status, as well as the pictures of snow, my garden and all the other boring shit I put up on my gallery page, they're welcome to it.
I only have one SD card.
When it's full, I move the files off onto a large data filing and storage system that came with my PC (called a 'hard disk'). That renders the SD card empty again, and I can start filling it with data, photographs, video etc., and then repeat the process.
The PC's 'hard disk' can be accessed by an 'operating system' which has lots of functionality that allows you to easily organise the data into hierarchical 'folders', making it easy to keep track of the contents.
There. Solved that problem for you. Next?
until they find a way to make it more environmentally friendly
Surely the simplest way to make it environmentally friendly is to use solar energy to power it?
I was able to view this over my O2 ADSL link on my PDA using the google mobile renderer proxy. Nice filtering.
Erm, it's already a monopoly. Does anyone actually use Yahoo? :)
Browsing this thread, and I'm staggered that nobody's mentioned code reviews.
Surely when you commit your code changes to the repository the easter-egg code change is flagged up in the code review process? At which point most people with any sense of professionalism would say "Hey, that's got f-all to do with the specifications for the change you're supposed to be making", so it fails the change-management process and gets rolled out.
It seriously scares me that people can get significantly functionality changes into the code of their production systems without it being spotted/removed as a potential vulnerability.
I guess most people who write easter eggs must be working on pretty trivial projects...
Sounds like an urban myth to me.
Not the customers, certainly!!!
You say the code quality sucks, but who cares? If the app works, then that's what matters to the customer. Beautiful code is only an advantage to the company selling the product, as it makes maintenance and enhancements easier to manage and develop.
If you bring out essentially the same app, how will you market it? "Our app is just like X, but our code is gorgeous!". Yeah, that'll sell loads.
If you're really bothered about code quality, put together a whitepaper and present it to the management (and shareholders) showing why it matters, how you intend to improve it, what it'll cost to do (time and dollar-value) and what the RoI for the code-quality improvements will be.
If the management can't be convinced, then go and work for another company on another product altogether.
It's Ash from 'Alien'. :)
...make webs in space? There's nothing to catch. Or did they take a box of flies (or maybe ants, since the spiders' prey didn't need wings to hit the webs) to feed the 8-legged beasties?
...is to not buy any toys at all? Does anyone know the carbon/commodity footprint of manufacturing a portable solar panel, versus the amount of energy you'd save over the lifetime of its use? Power stations (coal, nuclear or renewable) are far more efficient than any portable system. You'd probably be better off (from a 'green' point of view) installing solar at home to where it can be used all day, and then charging your phone/laptop from the mains.