First of all, you have to make a decision not just on price, but on usability. 200 minutes in a plan is just not useable, infact, anything under 500 minutes in rubbish, especially if you project your needs over the next 18 - 24 months. So, I made the decision that any plan for the iPhone HAD to have over 500 minutes as a minimum requirement. Based on that here are my findings, the results might surprise you:
(Note: All the £UK prices include 17.5% tax)
I now have my iPhone running on T-Mobile in the UK. I bought the plan last week, so was pissed when O2 announced their packages, but got a lot happier when I looked into it.
On the face of it, the O2 plan gives you one thing T-Mobile does not, Free WiFi.
Now, I am on an 18 month contract (Flext 35 + web'n'walk (18 months)), paying £37.50 a month for "Use your allowance on any mix of UK calls, voicemail, texts & picture messages. £180 allowance gets you up to 900 minutes or 1800 texts. Don't decide in advance, just use your phone and use it up." Treat that £180 allowance as 1800 credits, where 2 credits gets me 1 minute of voice time and a text message costs 1 credit (say 650 minutes 500 texts).I get unlimited (* fair use policy yada yada) data access. I also get free weekend calls.
To get the same Voice/Text/Data package on O2, you need to go for the £45 per month plan. 600 minutes and 500 texts, unlimited data. However, it DOES give you free access to TheCloud Wifi service (I'll come back to TheCloud in a moment).
The AT&T equivalent plan is $79.99 a month, approximately £40. That gets you 900 minutes, 200 texts, unlimited data, no WiFi (my T-Mobile plan by comparison would give me 800 minutes and 200 texts). The the AT&T plan is more expensive because there is a $36 activation fee, $1.75 a month "Regulatory Cost Recovery Charge" AND the prices do not include Tax.
So, in short, based upon Voice/Text and Data, AT&T in the USA and T-Mobile in the UK are no different and O2 is a bit pricey, but it does have that free WiFi, so lets look at that.
The Cloud has two types of plans, pay as you go (extortionate prices, so we won't even go there) and monthly. The two monthly plan are either £9.99 for unlimited access to all your devices (i.e. your phone, your laptop etc) or £6.99 a month for a single device.
So, if I were to really, really want TheCloud, then I could have my T-Mobile plan + TheCloud for £44.49, a whopping saving of 51 pence. I guess that 51 pence is the cost of the visual voice mail that I don't get;-)
If you want roaming Wifi access with your iPhone, then T-Mobile+TheCloud is about the same as O2, otherwise, get the iPhone, don't activate it, hack it and put your own SIM in. T-Mobile is currently the best, but that might change in the future. Also, don't fret that USA users are getting a better Voice/Text/Data deal because they are not, it is almost exactly the same:-)
The Castle in Bran *looks* the part. If Disney were to make a real castle, it would look like this. It is well located for access by train from all over the country. I'm not sure it would be a good investment as their door policy isn't exactly difficult to skip around.
Anyway, the castle at Poenari is the real deal, though it is difficult to get there. You have to climb up a very steep mountain side to actually get to the castle, sometimes you are watched by armed guards protecting a nearby Hydro plant or something. The guys had guns, I didn't ask. This castle really was the home of Vlad the Impaler and the slope you climb to reach it once had the decapetated heads of his victims strewn across it on spikes.
The castle itself is actually very small and nobody is ever going to make moey selling tours there (hence Bran is where the tours are sent). It is spooky and very, very cool. It is perched on a teeny tiny outcropping from the mountain and is a really fantastic experience , as I recounted here many years ago http://www.apj.co.uk/tales/vlad.htm#vlad.
A Quantum Leap for Cell Phones, says the article..
on
Tomorrow's Cell Phones
·
· Score: 1
..but isn't a Quantum one of the smallest measurements possible?
Therefore, the article reads; "The Smallest Leap for Cell Phones", which just about sums it up for me;-)
As an aside, this is the first time that I can recall Apple *NOT* referring Macs as PCs. For years they tried to make the argument that both Macs and Wintels were PCs. They were right then. wrong now, but perhaps they are just listening to what people tell them. PCs are forever associated as being with Windows.
That would be "Microsoft settled out of court to make allegations that it had stolen Apple's intellectual property in designing its Windows OS go away". In line with common Microsoft practice, they then agrred to cross-licence various technologies for five years and Microsoft bought (and later made a shed load of profit) $150 million of Apple stock. Microsoft also announced they were to release Office 98 for the Mac. No bailing out, just lots of covering of their Microsoft arses. Oh yes, don't forget that Microsoft also makes huge amounts of money on the selling of Mac software. They don't ever really want Apple to go away. Remember Excel was a Mac product before Windows, just like iTunes;-)
There are many tools out there for creating your own content. Sony Sell Book Creator, there is an Application call Book Designer that is free, there is something calle makelrf which is a basic.txt to eBook parser/creator, Libreate for OSX. Creating your own content is not a problem.
Okay, your mileage may vary BUT I have the Sony Librie and I read nearly all my books with it.
With the exception of native PDF and HTML (I think) support, the difference between the new eBook and the Librie is small.
The Librie looke better as it is in white AND it has a keyboard. It also has a headphone socket. Neither of these are used by anyone, but the device is Linux as so there is a large hacker community and tools are coming out all the time. Initially the effort was to translate all the Japanese software into English and now people are talking about making the device to other things.
There is third party software out there to make your own books and you can use pretty much any source you want. Sony already has book creating software on the market, there is already an RSS to eBook application and there is also a reader on you PC (Windows only) for your books.
For the new eBook, Sony hasn't used the latest in eInk technology but let me tell you this, whenever I show the Librie to people, their jaw drops at the quality of the display. The viewing angle is tremendous (just the same as a book)
The display is not paper white - don't let Sony make you beleive that it is - but it can be used in low light and bright light conditions, just like a book.
The Librie (and I assume this holds true for the new reader) is lighter than a book - excellent for travelling - and is powered by 4 AAA batteries. This means that no matter where you are, you can always get power.
The only addition to my Librie that I have added is a wrist strap from a mobile phone so that when I am on a train or subway, I donlt keep thinking someone is about to grap the Librie and run.
The size of display is grat for books, probably fine for HTML but is isn't good for comics. It is simply not big enough. The new reader apparently has a zoom and pan function, but that isn't exactly ideal.
The eBook is great for anyone who travels a lot, anyone in a tech related business where you need to have technical documentation that you refer to. If you are up to creating your own books, then it is a fantastic way to read all your books. Never have the trouble of finishing a book and then being at a loss until you can get home or to the book store to get your next installment.
Check out the yahoo Librie group for more information.
I was at the Star Wars saga marathon on Monday at the Empire Cinema, Leicester Square, London, England. we saw all the SW movies, including Sith, starting at 7am and finishing at 11.30pm.
George Lucas and others came in before Sith. The film was good, very good.
Anyway, George snuck back into the cinema and stood at the back watching our (very positive) reactions to the movie, he then also came back at the end of the film. This never happens at these kinds of showings and remember, the PREMIERE was happening not 100 meters away at the Odeon cinema in Leicester Square.
So, in answer to the chants of "we want 9", he said;"Absolutely not...but I am working on Indiana Jones", which got a pretty bid roar from the crowd.
Remember, there is to be a live action SW in the future, so the next film, if there is to be one, (my guess is that it) will be spun from that series.
I liked this film; I'm a big fan, a bit of a dork you might say. I can quote lines from the books which I read nearly 20 years ago. This isn't quite the funniest movie of the year, but it is worthwhile and enjoyable. It is, perhaps a bit too much, of a rollicking romp through the galaxy. It also has some catchy music and will put a smile on your face. I give this film a positive 8/10.
Let's get some context here...
There are three types of people who will be seeing this movie.
First, there are the Uninitiated, those who know not what the mind of Douglas Adams is capable of.
Second, there are the Fans and thirdly, there are the Fans.
Yes, I know that the Fans are in two groups, but this is for a reason. The first group, lets call them Fans (a) are really not going to like this movie. The second group, lets call them Fans (b) are going to have a ball and like the Uninitiated, will want to see the film at least once more to pick up on all the stuff they missed the first time.
Fans (a) are going to say that the story line has been changed too much, it has been "Hollywoodified", that Arthur Dent never gets it on with Trillian, that there is no such thing as a Point of View Gun. These are the fans that think they are the biggest fans of all. They are the fans that know absolutely nothing.
Fans (b) know absolutely all they need to know about "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" (from now on H2G2). Each incarnation of the story is different. Douglas was always tinkering with his creation. When George Lucas was filming The Empire Strikes Back, Douglas was already showing George how this tinkering should be done. Like George, Douglas doesn't always get it right, but in the main, the updated story is usually better than the last.
This movie is no different. There are new plot threads, there are new gags, there are some old threads untied, retired and turned into knots. Some work, some leave you a little bemused. On the whole, I think that a damn good job has been done to reduce an enormous amount of dialogue into something that allows me as a fan to quote lines before they are said and the Uninitiated to get some idea of what the plot is all about.
So, if you hear somebody say the film isn't as good as the [ ________ ] version (fill in the blank), then tell them they don't know a fetid dingoes kidneys what they are talking about and that they should grow up and enjoy the film for what it is.
So, let me tell you about the premiere Sitting in Empire 4 (otherwise known as The Imperial, a pub right next door to the side exit of the Empire Cinema in Leicester Square, London), I realised it was too late to change back into normal attire and that I would have to walk into the World Premiere of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" wearing nothing more than a dressing gown, pajamas, a towel and of course, a rubber duck.
It turned out that I was the only "normal" person wearing the obvious outfit for the premiere. The only other exhibitionist was S[____] [I had better not name him;-)] from Buena Vista International (BVI), those behind this premiere.
After being introduced to the producers and members of the cast, the audience was reminded that we might need the provided towels at a certain point in the movie....
Quality at a fair price will work. I have two eBooks of the latest Harry Potter and I read the first paragraph only.
Frankly, I'd prefere to read the book than the ebook and I am even willing to by the hardcover as opposed to waiting for the softcover to come out in several months time.
As for iTunes, I've spent about $15 so far. 15 songs I would not own otherwise from 15 albums I would never buy.
Umm, just so you know, the Orig. Newton Handwriting recognition system was not developed by Apple and it eventually evolved into the cursive handwriting recognition software that you can get for your PocketPC (it sucked on the early newtons and I don't really think there is any improvement today). Apple created their own system by the time the 2000 models came out. This is what Apple re-released recently on OSX 10.2 as Inkwell. Personally I could never be bothered with Graffiti and still use my Newton today and I have never trained it and it recognises my writing just fine.
Different perceptive speed on OSX10.2 installation
on
Is Mac OS X Slow?
·
· Score: 1
I had the misfortune of putting 10.2 on my 450mhz iMac.
10.1 was just horrible, but only over time (just like how Windows gets worse over time). Anyway, I found that installing 10.2 over a previous version of 10.1 gives a clearly slower perceptive speed than if the 10.2 installation wipes the HD and does a straight install.
On my iBook, I have found that I get the swirly wheel-gig of death much more often when we were told we wouldn't have a problem with the finder anymore:-(
....the information brokers from the 90's. The likes of Lexus Nexus, Knight Ridder, MAID, Reuters and the FT. All of them did online transations (in the early days on VTxxx terminals and then via the web from the Mid 90's) that were tailord to the users needs.
The article looks as though it was written by somebody who has never, ever, touched a MAC.
Frankly, I'd like to see a MAC formatted ZIP disk work instantly on a PC. I'd also like to see why the writer didn't compare Microsoft Office to Microsdoft Office v.X. I'll tell you why, v.X is in my opinion the best Office implementation at the moment. Also, why not compare IE 6 PC to IE on the MAC?
I'm sorry, but you are absolutely worng. The town I grew up in was one of the early adopters of CCTV. The system installed was B&W which provides better resolution (or did at the time). A BBC news report tried to spin the whole thing as Orwellean, but when asked how the cameras had affected crime, the police officer said (and I paraphrase here) "Crime has effectively ceased". To put the quote in context, he explained that the job of the cameras was very specific. To protect a large public car park (actually the towns market place) and to provide surveilance on one of the local industrial estates. Cars were being stolen and offices being broken into. After a few morons had been caught due to the camera evidence, the crime rate plummeted. How things are going now (some 10 years later) I don't know, but the whole things show one important thing. The cameras are there not to capture criminals, but to prevent crimes. In some areas this works, in other it does not, therefore care and thought need to be used when these systems are installed. I guess, this doesn't always happen however.
Firstly, I don't understand exactly WHY the person receiving the call pays. Many replies here have good reasons why, though we are still missing a few things from the argument that I'd like to through into the ring.
Basically, I have been in the USA two years and each time I think about getting a mobile phone I eventually find that there are some really hidden extras that Americans are prepared to pay and Brits are not.
For eaxmple. In the UK, I get my phone from a provider, pay a connection fee, sign a contract and get on with things. The contract I sign, even though it is for one year, can be broken giving one months notice (and when I change companies the providors are required by law to transfer my phone number).
In the USA, it is not unusual to have to sign up for two years and if you stop your service, you still have to pay the balance of the remaining months. Keep you phone number if you do this? Not a chance.
Second, in the UK, we have contractless phone services i.e. Pay as you go. In the USA, there are pay as you go services, but when you look into it, you STILL have to have a contract and pay a monthly fee which can be GREATER than if you simply bought a normal package. The difference is that you do not have a long term commitment. Oh yes, then you still have to buy your minutes and they usually expire within a month. Oh yes (again) you pay for incomming calls.
(By the way. Virgin Mobile has launched in the USA and has pay as you go packages identical to the UK with the expception that you still pay for incomming calls)
Thirdly, in the UK we have great digital coverage, so the problem of ROAMING fees do not come up. In the USA, if you go out of your digital coverage area and switch to Analogue, you get hammered.
FINALLY (back to the subject in question), my feeling is that BOTH the call maker and receiver are being charged for the same call. The person recieving the call has to pay a fee to cover the cost of the extra bit, but the call maker ALSO gets charged a fee under their calling plan. Nobody has yet convinced me that the the total cost of making the call is not higher than if it was only the person making the call was charged.
Just a note to say that I saw a DLP version of Star Wars and I hate to say this, but I think the digital projectors have a LONG way to go....Jaggies on the text - arrgghh!
Other than that, film was great, anyone else notice the dent that R2D2 got for no apparent reason?
Slashdot Mirror
First of all, you have to make a decision not just on price, but on usability. 200 minutes in a plan is just not useable, infact, anything under 500 minutes in rubbish, especially if you project your needs over the next 18 - 24 months. So, I made the decision that any plan for the iPhone HAD to have over 500 minutes as a minimum requirement. Based on that here are my findings, the results might surprise you:
;-)
:-)
(Note: All the £UK prices include 17.5% tax)
I now have my iPhone running on T-Mobile in the UK. I bought the plan last week, so was pissed when O2 announced their packages, but got a lot happier when I looked into it.
On the face of it, the O2 plan gives you one thing T-Mobile does not, Free WiFi.
Now, I am on an 18 month contract (Flext 35 + web'n'walk (18 months)), paying £37.50 a month for "Use your allowance on any mix of UK calls, voicemail, texts & picture messages. £180 allowance gets you up to 900 minutes or 1800 texts. Don't decide in advance, just use your phone and use it up." Treat that £180 allowance as 1800 credits, where 2 credits gets me 1 minute of voice time and a text message costs 1 credit (say 650 minutes 500 texts).I get unlimited (* fair use policy yada yada) data access. I also get free weekend calls.
To get the same Voice/Text/Data package on O2, you need to go for the £45 per month plan. 600 minutes and 500 texts, unlimited data. However, it DOES give you free access to TheCloud Wifi service (I'll come back to TheCloud in a moment).
The AT&T equivalent plan is $79.99 a month, approximately £40. That gets you 900 minutes, 200 texts, unlimited data, no WiFi (my T-Mobile plan by comparison would give me 800 minutes and 200 texts). The the AT&T plan is more expensive because there is a $36 activation fee, $1.75 a month "Regulatory Cost Recovery Charge" AND the prices do not include Tax.
So, in short, based upon Voice/Text and Data, AT&T in the USA and T-Mobile in the UK are no different and O2 is a bit pricey, but it does have that free WiFi, so lets look at that.
The Cloud has two types of plans, pay as you go (extortionate prices, so we won't even go there) and monthly. The two monthly plan are either £9.99 for unlimited access to all your devices (i.e. your phone, your laptop etc) or £6.99 a month for a single device.
So, if I were to really, really want TheCloud, then I could have my T-Mobile plan + TheCloud for £44.49, a whopping saving of 51 pence. I guess that 51 pence is the cost of the visual voice mail that I don't get
If you want roaming Wifi access with your iPhone, then T-Mobile+TheCloud is about the same as O2, otherwise, get the iPhone, don't activate it, hack it and put your own SIM in. T-Mobile is currently the best, but that might change in the future. Also, don't fret that USA users are getting a better Voice/Text/Data deal because they are not, it is almost exactly the same
The Castle in Bran *looks* the part. If Disney were to make a real castle, it would look like this. It is well located for access by train from all over the country. I'm not sure it would be a good investment as their door policy isn't exactly difficult to skip around.
Anyway, the castle at Poenari is the real deal, though it is difficult to get there. You have to climb up a very steep mountain side to actually get to the castle, sometimes you are watched by armed guards protecting a nearby Hydro plant or something. The guys had guns, I didn't ask. This castle really was the home of Vlad the Impaler and the slope you climb to reach it once had the decapetated heads of his victims strewn across it on spikes.
The castle itself is actually very small and nobody is ever going to make moey selling tours there (hence Bran is where the tours are sent). It is spooky and very, very cool. It is perched on a teeny tiny outcropping from the mountain and is a really fantastic experience , as I recounted here many years ago http://www.apj.co.uk/tales/vlad.htm#vlad.
..but isn't a Quantum one of the smallest measurements possible?
;-)
Therefore, the article reads; "The Smallest Leap for Cell Phones", which just about sums it up for me
As an aside, this is the first time that I can recall Apple *NOT* referring Macs as PCs. For years they tried to make the argument that both Macs and Wintels were PCs. They were right then. wrong now, but perhaps they are just listening to what people tell them. PCs are forever associated as being with Windows.
That would be "Microsoft settled out of court to make allegations that it had stolen Apple's intellectual property in designing its Windows OS go away". In line with common Microsoft practice, they then agrred to cross-licence various technologies for five years and Microsoft bought (and later made a shed load of profit) $150 million of Apple stock. Microsoft also announced they were to release Office 98 for the Mac. No bailing out, just lots of covering of their Microsoft arses. Oh yes, don't forget that Microsoft also makes huge amounts of money on the selling of Mac software. They don't ever really want Apple to go away. Remember Excel was a Mac product before Windows, just like iTunes ;-)
There are many tools out there for creating your own content. Sony Sell Book Creator, there is an Application call Book Designer that is free, there is something calle makelrf which is a basic .txt to eBook parser/creator, Libreate for OSX. Creating your own content is not a problem.
Okay, your mileage may vary BUT I have the Sony Librie and I read nearly all my books with it.
With the exception of native PDF and HTML (I think) support, the difference between the new eBook and the Librie is small.
The Librie looke better as it is in white AND it has a keyboard. It also has a headphone socket. Neither of these are used by anyone, but the device is Linux as so there is a large hacker community and tools are coming out all the time. Initially the effort was to translate all the Japanese software into English and now people are talking about making the device to other things.
There is third party software out there to make your own books and you can use pretty much any source you want. Sony already has book creating software on the market, there is already an RSS to eBook application and there is also a reader on you PC (Windows only) for your books.
For the new eBook, Sony hasn't used the latest in eInk technology but let me tell you this, whenever I show the Librie to people, their jaw drops at the quality of the display. The viewing angle is tremendous (just the same as a book)
The display is not paper white - don't let Sony make you beleive that it is - but it can be used in low light and bright light conditions, just like a book.
The Librie (and I assume this holds true for the new reader) is lighter than a book - excellent for travelling - and is powered by 4 AAA batteries. This means that no matter where you are, you can always get power.
The only addition to my Librie that I have added is a wrist strap from a mobile phone so that when I am on a train or subway, I donlt keep thinking someone is about to grap the Librie and run.
The size of display is grat for books, probably fine for HTML but is isn't good for comics. It is simply not big enough. The new reader apparently has a zoom and pan function, but that isn't exactly ideal.
The eBook is great for anyone who travels a lot, anyone in a tech related business where you need to have technical documentation that you refer to. If you are up to creating your own books, then it is a fantastic way to read all your books. Never have the trouble of finishing a book and then being at a loss until you can get home or to the book store to get your next installment.
Check out the yahoo Librie group for more information.
I was at the Star Wars saga marathon on Monday at the Empire Cinema, Leicester Square, London, England. we saw all the SW movies, including Sith, starting at 7am and finishing at 11.30pm.
;"Absolutely not...but I am working on Indiana Jones", which got a pretty bid roar from the crowd.
George Lucas and others came in before Sith. The film was good, very good.
Anyway, George snuck back into the cinema and stood at the back watching our (very positive) reactions to the movie, he then also came back at the end of the film. This never happens at these kinds of showings and remember, the PREMIERE was happening not 100 meters away at the Odeon cinema in Leicester Square.
So, in answer to the chants of "we want 9", he said
Remember, there is to be a live action SW in the future, so the next film, if there is to be one, (my guess is that it) will be spun from that series.
Okay, I know I should have posted this sooner, but I was recovering from the after film party.
;-)] from Buena Vista International (BVI), those behind this premiere.
First of all, the full review of the film and party, is http://www.apj.co.uk/reviews/review-hitchhikers-gu ide-to-the-galaxy.asphere and the scans of the film Premiere Booklet are http://www.apj.co.uk/reviews/hitchhikers-guide-to- the-galaxy-premiere-program.asphere. I have included my own photographs, one of which is a Vogon dancing!
I liked this film; I'm a big fan, a bit of a dork you might say. I can quote lines from the books which I read nearly 20 years ago. This isn't quite the funniest movie of the year, but it is worthwhile and enjoyable. It is, perhaps a bit too much, of a rollicking romp through the galaxy. It also has some catchy music and will put a smile on your face. I give this film a positive 8/10.
Let's get some context here...
There are three types of people who will be seeing this movie.
First, there are the Uninitiated, those who know not what the mind of Douglas Adams is capable of.
Second, there are the Fans and thirdly, there are the Fans.
Yes, I know that the Fans are in two groups, but this is for a reason. The first group, lets call them Fans (a) are really not going to like this movie. The second group, lets call them Fans (b) are going to have a ball and like the Uninitiated, will want to see the film at least once more to pick up on all the stuff they missed the first time.
Fans (a) are going to say that the story line has been changed too much, it has been "Hollywoodified", that Arthur Dent never gets it on with Trillian, that there is no such thing as a Point of View Gun. These are the fans that think they are the biggest fans of all. They are the fans that know absolutely nothing.
Fans (b) know absolutely all they need to know about "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" (from now on H2G2). Each incarnation of the story is different. Douglas was always tinkering with his creation. When George Lucas was filming The Empire Strikes Back, Douglas was already showing George how this tinkering should be done. Like George, Douglas doesn't always get it right, but in the main, the updated story is usually better than the last.
This movie is no different. There are new plot threads, there are new gags, there are some old threads untied, retired and turned into knots. Some work, some leave you a little bemused. On the whole, I think that a damn good job has been done to reduce an enormous amount of dialogue into something that allows me as a fan to quote lines before they are said and the Uninitiated to get some idea of what the plot is all about.
So, if you hear somebody say the film isn't as good as the [ ________ ] version (fill in the blank), then tell them they don't know a fetid dingoes kidneys what they are talking about and that they should grow up and enjoy the film for what it is.
So, let me tell you about the premiere
Sitting in Empire 4 (otherwise known as The Imperial, a pub right next door to the side exit of the Empire Cinema in Leicester Square, London), I realised it was too late to change back into normal attire and that I would have to walk into the World Premiere of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" wearing nothing more than a dressing gown, pajamas, a towel and of course, a rubber duck.
It turned out that I was the only "normal" person wearing the obvious outfit for the premiere. The only other exhibitionist was S[____] [I had better not name him
After being introduced to the producers and members of the cast, the audience was reminded that we might need the provided towels at a certain point in the movie....
It was astonishing that the
Quality at a fair price will work. I have two eBooks of the latest Harry Potter and I read the first paragraph only.
Frankly, I'd prefere to read the book than the ebook and I am even willing to by the hardcover as opposed to waiting for the softcover to come out in several months time.
As for iTunes, I've spent about $15 so far. 15 songs I would not own otherwise from 15 albums I would never buy.
Umm, just so you know, the Orig. Newton Handwriting recognition system was not developed by Apple and it eventually evolved into the cursive handwriting recognition software that you can get for your PocketPC (it sucked on the early newtons and I don't really think there is any improvement today). Apple created their own system by the time the 2000 models came out. This is what Apple re-released recently on OSX 10.2 as Inkwell. Personally I could never be bothered with Graffiti and still use my Newton today and I have never trained it and it recognises my writing just fine.
I had the misfortune of putting 10.2 on my 450mhz iMac.
:-(
10.1 was just horrible, but only over time (just like how Windows gets worse over time). Anyway, I found that installing 10.2 over a previous version of 10.1 gives a clearly slower perceptive speed than if the 10.2 installation wipes the HD and does a straight install.
On my iBook, I have found that I get the swirly wheel-gig of death much more often when we were told we wouldn't have a problem with the finder anymore
....the information brokers from the 90's. The likes of Lexus Nexus, Knight Ridder, MAID, Reuters and the FT. All of them did online transations (in the early days on VTxxx terminals and then via the web from the Mid 90's) that were tailord to the users needs.
The article looks as though it was written by somebody who has never, ever, touched a MAC.
Frankly, I'd like to see a MAC formatted ZIP disk work instantly on a PC. I'd also like to see why the writer didn't compare Microsoft Office to Microsdoft Office v.X. I'll tell you why, v.X is in my opinion the best Office implementation at the moment. Also, why not compare IE 6 PC to IE on the MAC?
The whole thing is just laughable.
I'm sorry, but you are absolutely worng. The town I grew up in was one of the early adopters of CCTV. The system installed was B&W which provides better resolution (or did at the time). A BBC news report tried to spin the whole thing as Orwellean, but when asked how the cameras had affected crime, the police officer said (and I paraphrase here) "Crime has effectively ceased". To put the quote in context, he explained that the job of the cameras was very specific. To protect a large public car park (actually the towns market place) and to provide surveilance on one of the local industrial estates. Cars were being stolen and offices being broken into. After a few morons had been caught due to the camera evidence, the crime rate plummeted. How things are going now (some 10 years later) I don't know, but the whole things show one important thing. The cameras are there not to capture criminals, but to prevent crimes. In some areas this works, in other it does not, therefore care and thought need to be used when these systems are installed. I guess, this doesn't always happen however.
Firstly, I don't understand exactly WHY the person receiving the call pays. Many replies here have good reasons why, though we are still missing a few things from the argument that I'd like to through into the ring.
Basically, I have been in the USA two years and each time I think about getting a mobile phone I eventually find that there are some really hidden extras that Americans are prepared to pay and Brits are not.
For eaxmple. In the UK, I get my phone from a provider, pay a connection fee, sign a contract and get on with things. The contract I sign, even though it is for one year, can be broken giving one months notice (and when I change companies the providors are required by law to transfer my phone number).
In the USA, it is not unusual to have to sign up for two years and if you stop your service, you still have to pay the balance of the remaining months. Keep you phone number if you do this? Not a chance.
Second, in the UK, we have contractless phone services i.e. Pay as you go. In the USA, there are pay as you go services, but when you look into it, you STILL have to have a contract and pay a monthly fee which can be GREATER than if you simply bought a normal package. The difference is that you do not have a long term commitment. Oh yes, then you still have to buy your minutes and they usually expire within a month. Oh yes (again) you pay for incomming calls.
(By the way. Virgin Mobile has launched in the USA and has pay as you go packages identical to the UK with the expception that you still pay for incomming calls)
Thirdly, in the UK we have great digital coverage, so the problem of ROAMING fees do not come up. In the USA, if you go out of your digital coverage area and switch to Analogue, you get hammered.
FINALLY (back to the subject in question), my feeling is that BOTH the call maker and receiver are being charged for the same call. The person recieving the call has to pay a fee to cover the cost of the extra bit, but the call maker ALSO gets charged a fee under their calling plan. Nobody has yet convinced me that the the total cost of making the call is not higher than if it was only the person making the call was charged.
Just a note to say that I saw a DLP version of Star Wars and I hate to say this, but I think the digital projectors have a LONG way to go....Jaggies on the text - arrgghh!
Other than that, film was great, anyone else notice the dent that R2D2 got for no apparent reason?