6.2 isn't bad on Windows 2000. Processes pages noticably faster then IE 6. When's the Irix version going to be available? That's what I'm talking about....
The iWalk - as the new mysterious device is called that is going to be announced on Tuesday 23rd of this month - has advanced considerably over the last weeks. Previous versions spotted at the Apple campus featured firewire- and network-ports (located within a port-replicator connected to the device using what is appearantly called the "gigawire"-port) in addition to Apple's own AirPort-technology. Though AirPort was dropped a while ago due to high power consumption, it appears to be back in by now. The network-port was replaced by a standard 56k modem which allows direct access to data stored on Apple's iDisk servers.
The current version of iWalk does not appear to be ready for mass-production by now and therefore will only be announced on Tuesday 23rd but won't be out in the stores until somewhen in December (approximatly two weeks before christmas).
So what is the "iWalk"? Many people have asked that question. The iWalk is a kind of PDA with a lot more features than one could have previously expected: It features a high-color TFT-screen with handwriting recognition (using former newton-technology so it's a lot better than current palm os recognition) and direct access to both data stored on local macs (using AirPort) or on iDisk-volumes (using either routing through AirPort or the built-in modem). It has audio in- and output-ports so it can act as a usual mp3-player when connected to a stereo. The amazing feature is that mp3 files don't have to be stored locally on the device but can be streamed via AirPort from any Mac that has an AirPort-card and iTunes 2 installed which is going to be released on Tuesday as well.
This is not the only feature of iWalk though: Is has all the usual PDA-applications installed and is capable of recording speach as mp3 files using a build-in microphone. (It has built-in speakers as well but those aren't of good quality as it seems)
The operating system of this device appears to be a scaled-down version of OS X. Don't get this wrong: OS X in its current form would be painfully slow on any processor slower than a G3 but it is a modular system which appearantly allowed Apple to skip many parts of the OS that require a lot of processing power and instead concentrate on the basis functionality such a device requires. Aqua has not been implemented but instead a UI similar to the QuickTime- and iTunes-interface is used that can be controlled via touch-screen and handwriting-recognition.
Features of the current version (which is likely to be the one that is going to be announced on Tuesday) include:
TFT-Display (512x256 resolution, 65k colors)
memory of 128 MB for low-end-version, 256 MB high-end
one firewire IEE 1394 FireWire-port
one 56k MoDem
OS X (scaled-down "newtonlike"-version)
LiIon-battery (20 h / approx. 9 days standby)
One of our informers has had a chance to take a few photographs of the iWalk-device that are shown below. Click on the thumbnails to see a full- scale-image.
I walked into a server with mirrored RAID 5 drive arrays. The performance was noticably slow. I don't recommend mirroring RAIDs (at least with both as hard drive arrays) from experience.
Some concepts are similar to Novell's NDS. Allow access to many servers from one central point. Login to the Directory Services Tree and you can get on any server or any printer in your organization.
I think it's interesting they actually use the word "assimilation".
I don't worry about the formats or security. I just ssh into where my mail is and use pine to read it. Can do it from home, work, friends house, anything internet connected with ssh (win, linux, unix, mac, etc, etc).
Now if you do want to talk about message storage database formats, that's a different story. And, I'm sorry, the Microsoft JET Database isn't top on my list. Probably something MySQL-based, heavily indexed... Enjoy.
...the general public/corporate world is very Mac-phobic. I think the would move to Linux or FreeBSD before moving to Mac-anything. "They" think the hardware "sucks", think the interface is wimpy, and thinks there aren't any apps for it. Also, one more real reason would be cost. If you were looking to dump all your PC's and all your software and start 100% over, you'd probably choose not to.
Personally, I think Apple hardware is outstanding, on the level of Silicon Graphics and Sun proeprietary computers. I really dislike the x86 platform, mainly due to its incompatibilities and "you never get the same thing twice" when building many systems out of the supposedly same components. I've owned name brand PC's, clone PC's, many SGI's and a few Mac's and I must say the SGI's and Mac's are the easiest to configure, replace components and look the coolest. Name-brand PC's come next, as they usually have some sort of quality control and clones coming last--just pieced together junk. Sure some combinations are better then others with clones, but I'd really rather not have the hassles (I've got enough with software on any platform).
Hopefully, in the technical/science fields, graphic arts (specifically servers/render farm and high-end workstations), as well as the home techie will get a hold of Mac OS X. There's a lot of power to be utilized with very little effort.
I think home users will resist for as long as possible. Until you cannot buy a Mac without OS X, people will hang on to OS 8 and 9. These OS's run their apps fine--you can check your e-mail just as effectively on 9 as you can on X. Even being shielded from the unix portion with the GUI, it still will be easier to run and fix problems OS 9. Problems will be more complicated and often will require getting to the command line to resolve. As I know now with Windows XX and Mac users, they just won't do it.
Personally, I hope OS X takes over the Mac desktop. The single-tasking feel and the pausing of the whole system when pressing the mouse button is really behind the times. In my experience, Win95 multitasks better then OS 9 does. I don't even try anymore to multitask programs that can't be stopped when not in focus. YMMV. All Mac users should benefit from the new GUI, multiple processors, and advanced networking services. The GUI hasn't been majorly updated in years. I realize that's a feature, but it's showing age. FAST networking services--BSD rips on OS X, another peeve of mine on older systems. As Apple is rumored to be planning more MP systems after OS X ships, you could really have a stable system on MP that's faster then just about anything else. (especially NT on MP)
All in all, I think it's a great move on Apple's part, but I don't think it will affect anything outside Apples current sphere of interest.
What do you do for backup? Is your data stored locally or on a Sony server somewhere? Maybe you can connect a USB zip drive or something. I suppose you could backup to a memory shtick... I'd like to see a USB floppy drive add-on that rw fat16 disks.
The Watchguard Firebox has some excellent logging features. One of my clients is actually getting something worked out with HR to allow certain managers to view where and when their employees are using the internet. Should be interesting to watch....!
Do they have a Palm-viewable version or is it convertable if you scan it? Might be too big to fit! I don't really like dragging all kinds of books around to different clients with me. I think this is the wave of the future, buy the book and get a CD for your PDA....
Slashdot Mirror
A reason to buy an xbox!
-m
Can you run Linux on it? It's basically a PC, right? Why not. Bill would enjoy knowing it ran Linux.
-m
6.2 isn't bad on Windows 2000. Processes pages noticably faster then IE 6. When's the Irix version going to be available? That's what I'm talking about....
-m
Are you moving items around that you shouldn't be? Sure, it adds 5-10 minutes when going to and from the building. It's a reality now.
-m
The iWalk - as the new mysterious device is called that is going to be announced on Tuesday 23rd of this month - has advanced considerably over the last weeks. Previous versions spotted at the Apple campus featured firewire- and network-ports (located within a port-replicator connected to the device using what is appearantly called the "gigawire"-port) in addition to Apple's own AirPort-technology. Though AirPort was dropped a while ago due to high power consumption, it appears to be back in by now. The network-port was replaced by a standard 56k modem which allows direct access to data stored on Apple's iDisk servers.
The current version of iWalk does not appear to be ready for mass-production by now and therefore will only be announced on Tuesday 23rd but won't be out in the stores until somewhen in December (approximatly two weeks before christmas).
So what is the "iWalk"? Many people have asked that question. The iWalk is a kind of PDA with a lot more features than one could have previously expected: It features a high-color TFT-screen with handwriting recognition (using former newton-technology so it's a lot better than current palm os recognition) and direct access to both data stored on local macs (using AirPort) or on iDisk-volumes (using either routing through AirPort or the built-in modem). It has audio in- and output-ports so it can act as a usual mp3-player when connected to a stereo. The amazing feature is that mp3 files don't have to be stored locally on the device but can be streamed via AirPort from any Mac that has an AirPort-card and iTunes 2 installed which is going to be released on Tuesday as well.
This is not the only feature of iWalk though: Is has all the usual PDA-applications installed and is capable of recording speach as mp3 files using a build-in microphone. (It has built-in speakers as well but those aren't of good quality as it seems)
The operating system of this device appears to be a scaled-down version of OS X. Don't get this wrong: OS X in its current form would be painfully slow on any processor slower than a G3 but it is a modular system which appearantly allowed Apple to skip many parts of the OS that require a lot of processing power and instead concentrate on the basis functionality such a device requires. Aqua has not been implemented but instead a UI similar to the QuickTime- and iTunes-interface is used that can be controlled via touch-screen and handwriting-recognition.
Features of the current version (which is likely to be the one that is going to be announced on Tuesday) include:
TFT-Display (512x256 resolution, 65k colors)
memory of 128 MB for low-end-version, 256 MB high-end
one firewire IEE 1394 FireWire-port
one 56k MoDem
OS X (scaled-down "newtonlike"-version)
LiIon-battery (20 h / approx. 9 days standby)
One of our informers has had a chance to take a few photographs of the iWalk-device that are shown below. Click on the thumbnails to see a full- scale-image.
I walked into a server with mirrored RAID 5 drive arrays. The performance was noticably slow. I don't recommend mirroring RAIDs (at least with both as hard drive arrays) from experience.
-m
Nice picture of Bill there. Spare me.
-m
Some concepts are similar to Novell's NDS. Allow access to many servers from one central point. Login to the Directory Services Tree and you can get on any server or any printer in your organization.
I think it's interesting they actually use the word "assimilation".
-m
Just wondering if that's a good thing to do if IE 6 isn't vulnerable. Just have everyone hit Windows Update and upgrade.... Thanks.
-m
Fortunately, running apache on irix, so it ain't no thing. :)
-m
Whoa, break out your Apple ][e ! That was a good game...
SGI has had R10000 processors for years running Irix. Is this Itanium only cool because it's Intel-Linux? I see no other great improvements... -m
Hey,
If we own the plastic CD and not the material on it, shouldn't they cost $8 for 10 of them?
-m
Now if you do want to talk about message storage database formats, that's a different story. And, I'm sorry, the Microsoft JET Database isn't top on my list. Probably something MySQL-based, heavily indexed... Enjoy.
Personally, I think Apple hardware is outstanding, on the level of Silicon Graphics and Sun proeprietary computers. I really dislike the x86 platform, mainly due to its incompatibilities and "you never get the same thing twice" when building many systems out of the supposedly same components. I've owned name brand PC's, clone PC's, many SGI's and a few Mac's and I must say the SGI's and Mac's are the easiest to configure, replace components and look the coolest. Name-brand PC's come next, as they usually have some sort of quality control and clones coming last--just pieced together junk. Sure some combinations are better then others with clones, but I'd really rather not have the hassles (I've got enough with software on any platform).
Hopefully, in the technical/science fields, graphic arts (specifically servers/render farm and high-end workstations), as well as the home techie will get a hold of Mac OS X. There's a lot of power to be utilized with very little effort.
I think home users will resist for as long as possible. Until you cannot buy a Mac without OS X, people will hang on to OS 8 and 9. These OS's run their apps fine--you can check your e-mail just as effectively on 9 as you can on X. Even being shielded from the unix portion with the GUI, it still will be easier to run and fix problems OS 9. Problems will be more complicated and often will require getting to the command line to resolve. As I know now with Windows XX and Mac users, they just won't do it.
Personally, I hope OS X takes over the Mac desktop. The single-tasking feel and the pausing of the whole system when pressing the mouse button is really behind the times. In my experience, Win95 multitasks better then OS 9 does. I don't even try anymore to multitask programs that can't be stopped when not in focus. YMMV. All Mac users should benefit from the new GUI, multiple processors, and advanced networking services. The GUI hasn't been majorly updated in years. I realize that's a feature, but it's showing age. FAST networking services--BSD rips on OS X, another peeve of mine on older systems. As Apple is rumored to be planning more MP systems after OS X ships, you could really have a stable system on MP that's faster then just about anything else. (especially NT on MP)
All in all, I think it's a great move on Apple's part, but I don't think it will affect anything outside Apples current sphere of interest.
What do you do for backup? Is your data stored locally or on a Sony server somewhere? Maybe you can connect a USB zip drive or something. I suppose you could backup to a memory shtick... I'd like to see a USB floppy drive add-on that rw fat16 disks.
What OS does it run?
they're down until tomorrow..... really wanted to look at their site! ah well... is being slashdotted a good thing?
The Watchguard Firebox has some excellent logging features. One of my clients is actually getting something worked out with HR to allow certain managers to view where and when their employees are using the internet. Should be interesting to watch....!
Are they available anywhere?
Do they have a Palm-viewable version or is it convertable if you scan it? Might be too big to fit! I don't really like dragging all kinds of books around to different clients with me. I think this is the wave of the future, buy the book and get a CD for your PDA....