My main thrust was the ability to insert itself into the GSM stream because GSM 2/2.5G is so much more prevalent and thus has the potential for reaching a wider audience. While I have T-Mobile "4G" in the city where I work, they still don't have 3G coverage out in the rural area where I live. All I get is EDGE.
It has been 20+ years since I've been to Eastern Europe, and that was well before Wifi. In fact, there was this whole Iron Curtain thing at the time...:-)
I wonder what it would take to make super-cheap, voice/SMS cell phones with push button PK crypto. Some of the cheapest handsets out of China, modified with voice crypto and key exchange thru SMS.
What about gas pumps that want your ZIP code as part of their authentication scheme for a credit card? Many still do it, and won't authorize against the card if you enter the wrong code.
The wonder of Android phones is that you can download and install software on it. Much like if you wish to speak to somebody on Skype both parties must install the requisite software, this also works with other software too.
Which, if you note, I said "assuming the other person has the same software on the other end".
Whilst you were asleep, traditional voice calls have switched from analogue to digital. It's now all packet based behind the scenes.
While napping, I spent 5 years as a telecom engineer with Alcatel-Lucent. 2 of those years were as a CALEA specialist. That is, cell phone wiretapping.
In short, I know what I'm talking about and analog vs digital wasn't it.
My reference to OpenMoko was that it was the only phone that had a fully open hardware and software stack, including access to the telephony and GSM radio components. Even the Nokia N900 doesn't allow that.
The difficulty of inserting into the voice stream is in gaining access to it thru the firmware, not that it is digital packets.
Forcing me to pay for calls rather than calling for free where I have wifi? This is an advantage?
Considering GSM signals have, what, 10,000x more coverage around the globe than wifi? Yes. What factor does that rise to when looking at only OPEN wifi?
And, of course, almost every open, public wifi spot has some sort of must-submit-the-form authentication before allowing you on, so that brings wifi as the answer down to a number rapidly approaching zero.
For now. Super cheap, self configuring wifi mesh has a great deal of potential.
That was sarcasm. If people want encrypted VoIP, they'll load Skype. There are already umteen million Skype users, so there is an actual possibility there will be someone to use it with.
Wake me when they write an Android/iPhone app that can insert itself into a traditional voice call, encrypting the voice stream without using VoIP.
Activate it with a hash code (# or *) for a "push to go secure" bit.
Obviously it'll only work if the person on the other end has the same software, but not relying on a 3G data channel would be a major step forward.
Good luck with that, by the way. Short of giving everyone OpenMoko hockey-puck phones, good luck in finding a way to insert yourself into the voice stream on a traditional cell phone.
Thanks for being the first person to actually list and explain how they've made use of their tablet. It's very helpful.
No problem. Think of this as karma for all those youthful indiscretions of "first post" and anything to do with Ms. Portman.
When I went with the family to downtown D.C. to do some site seeing, I prefer the larger screen of the iPad for GPS, even though my phone has it as well. Navigating the city and monuments is a lot easier with GPS instead of a traditional paper map.
I understand about the kitchen. My wife kept losing the 3x5 cards and asking me to look the recipes up again. Some are from cooks.com, some are in e-mail from my and her mom. She doesn't lose the iPad, though I am a bit nervous about flour and gunk getting into the unit. That is my one major request -- a mil-spec, ruggedized version for the kitchen!
Movies in bed -- depends on the movie.:-) Actually, it helps if you let her pick the movie and you can cuddle with the screen right there. Still, I understand this one, too.
The convincer for my wife was I don't have cable-TV. I won't have an idiot box in the house while raising a little one. They need to be 5 or 6 before cable gets hooked up in my house. She, however, missed watching "The Doctors" and one soap opera. The iPad and Hulu takes care of that with an interface she picked up right away.
Section 3-I-g: Non-proprietary -- This one gives me some issues.
First, a data format that is an ANSI, ISO or IEEE standard technically is under the control of a single entity. The standards body is a single entity, even though the body may have members from other organizations. You might want to clarify to explicitly mention national (ANSI) or international (ISO, IEEE) published standards.
Section 3-I-h: License-free -- it says the DATA must be license-free, not the format. An example is MP3. While I may be able to play the audio without a license under FOSS software, I can't legally ENCODE data in MP3 format without obtaining a license. Ditto for MPEG video. You might want to specify the format itself be available license-free, such as PDF, JPEG, Vorbis, RTF, etc.
I have a Nook, and know of their benefits. However, it is a single function device and really can't do much more than read documents. Not that that is a bad thing, it just adds yet another gadget to my load to tote.
The iPad -- only the 2nd Apple device I've ever owned after the Newton Messagepad -- has the ability to replace my laptop for limited times. It can't replace my main computer, but that sits at my desk. Whenever I want to be mobile, the iPad is good enough for what I'm doing and can, in a pinch, handle most anything I need the laptop for. A dedicated eReader cannot.
As far as the iPad with the stand and movies, it gives you the option. I don't watch video on the train because text lends itself better to the setting. Video needs constant attention because it is a *flow*. Look up and you miss something. Look up from reading text and you can look down right back where you left off without having to stop and back things up.
I can use the iPad for video without the stand, if I want. It is much easier for lying in bed, since I don't have a dedicated TV in the bedroom. Also, it is easier for my wife to look up recipes and then take it to the kitchen and just lay it on the counter like with a normal, paper book. A laptop, with the keyboard and extra weight, is just too much of a pain for that. And getting that viewing angle just right on a laptop, especially when you're shuffling around the kitchen, is a pain.
Each has their benefits, but the original comment I replied to with "why buy a tablet when I can get a full-fledged laptop for the same price" is just plain ignorant of the differences and use cases.
Because reading an e-book while sitting on a train, riding to work, is a neck-breaking BITCH with a laptop but not an unpleasant experience with a tablet.
And with the included stand, I can watch a movie without having to hold the iPad.
Walking down the hall to a colleague's office, or to see my wife in a different room and show them something on the screen is much easier with a tablet than a bulky laptop.
Because not everything is a nail and you have more than a hammer?
There is no such thing as an "inherent" right, despite flowery language.
If you believe there is a right to life, feel free to wander thru a wild area with carnivores and debate your "right". Or drop off in the middle of the ocean and scream about your "right" to life as you drown.
If a "right" was granted by God, no mere mortal could take it away, even if they tried.
Rights are granted by society. Society is who will punish you if you try to exercise a "right" they say you don't have.
That country has been a jack-booted dictatorship for 5,000+ years now. If you think it was the fault of the U.S. that they aren't a democracy, you don't know anything about history.
Would you have considered it "meddling" when the United States forced France and Britain to give the Suez Canal back to the Egyptians after Nassar nationalized it back in 1956?
The good thing about the Arab world is this shit happens every few decades like clockwork. You don't have to compare it to anywhere outside, just wait for them to do it again.
It says I was logged into GMail (correct) and Facebook (incorrect).
Not only do I not have a Facebook account to be logged in to, the computer I'm using has never directly gone to facebook.com. Other sites may have inlined facebook stuff, but I still don't have an account there.
So what gives? No, no one else uses this computer. Yes, I am absolutely, 100% certain.
Provide the information they seek ONLY when they provide a valid warrant. ISPs should not "informally" cooperate with law enforcement. If there is reasonable suspicion of a crime, the law enforcement agency should be able to convince a judge of that and obtain a warrant. Checks and balances.
I see you've completely blocked "Indiana Jones IV". Good for you! How long did the recovery take? You can answer in ounces of alcohol or other braincell-killing drug of your choice.
Up to your old tricks, eh Morgan? Shutting down Tesla's research wasn't enough for you. You have to come back from the grave and make sure the job is done again.
Slashdot Mirror
Thanks for the intelligent replies.
My main thrust was the ability to insert itself into the GSM stream because GSM 2/2.5G is so much more prevalent and thus has the potential for reaching a wider audience. While I have T-Mobile "4G" in the city where I work, they still don't have 3G coverage out in the rural area where I live. All I get is EDGE.
It has been 20+ years since I've been to Eastern Europe, and that was well before Wifi. In fact, there was this whole Iron Curtain thing at the time... :-)
I wonder what it would take to make super-cheap, voice/SMS cell phones with push button PK crypto. Some of the cheapest handsets out of China, modified with voice crypto and key exchange thru SMS.
Hmmm...
If you want the real successor to the N900, get an iPhone and jailbreak it.
Can you point me to a HOWTO on installing Linux on the iPhone, please? A simple jailbreak does not a hackers phone make.
What about gas pumps that want your ZIP code as part of their authentication scheme for a credit card? Many still do it, and won't authorize against the card if you enter the wrong code.
Actually, even today, barbers are still legally able to perform minor surgeries in many places.
The wonder of Android phones is that you can download and install software on it. Much like if you wish to speak to somebody on Skype both parties must install the requisite software, this also works with other software too.
Which, if you note, I said "assuming the other person has the same software on the other end".
Whilst you were asleep, traditional voice calls have switched from analogue to digital. It's now all packet based behind the scenes.
While napping, I spent 5 years as a telecom engineer with Alcatel-Lucent. 2 of those years were as a CALEA specialist. That is, cell phone wiretapping.
In short, I know what I'm talking about and analog vs digital wasn't it.
My reference to OpenMoko was that it was the only phone that had a fully open hardware and software stack, including access to the telephony and GSM radio components. Even the Nokia N900 doesn't allow that.
The difficulty of inserting into the voice stream is in gaining access to it thru the firmware, not that it is digital packets.
Forcing me to pay for calls rather than calling for free where I have wifi? This is an advantage?
Considering GSM signals have, what, 10,000x more coverage around the globe than wifi? Yes. What factor does that rise to when looking at only OPEN wifi?
And, of course, almost every open, public wifi spot has some sort of must-submit-the-form authentication before allowing you on, so that brings wifi as the answer down to a number rapidly approaching zero.
For now. Super cheap, self configuring wifi mesh has a great deal of potential.
That was sarcasm. If people want encrypted VoIP, they'll load Skype. There are already umteen million Skype users, so there is an actual possibility there will be someone to use it with.
Wake me when they write an Android/iPhone app that can insert itself into a traditional voice call, encrypting the voice stream without using VoIP.
Activate it with a hash code (# or *) for a "push to go secure" bit.
Obviously it'll only work if the person on the other end has the same software, but not relying on a 3G data channel would be a major step forward.
Good luck with that, by the way. Short of giving everyone OpenMoko hockey-puck phones, good luck in finding a way to insert yourself into the voice stream on a traditional cell phone.
Thanks for being the first person to actually list and explain how they've made use of their tablet. It's very helpful.
No problem. Think of this as karma for all those youthful indiscretions of "first post" and anything to do with Ms. Portman.
When I went with the family to downtown D.C. to do some site seeing, I prefer the larger screen of the iPad for GPS, even though my phone has it as well. Navigating the city and monuments is a lot easier with GPS instead of a traditional paper map.
I understand about the kitchen. My wife kept losing the 3x5 cards and asking me to look the recipes up again. Some are from cooks.com, some are in e-mail from my and her mom. She doesn't lose the iPad, though I am a bit nervous about flour and gunk getting into the unit. That is my one major request -- a mil-spec, ruggedized version for the kitchen!
Movies in bed -- depends on the movie. :-) Actually, it helps if you let her pick the movie and you can cuddle with the screen right there. Still, I understand this one, too.
The convincer for my wife was I don't have cable-TV. I won't have an idiot box in the house while raising a little one. They need to be 5 or 6 before cable gets hooked up in my house. She, however, missed watching "The Doctors" and one soap opera. The iPad and Hulu takes care of that with an interface she picked up right away.
To each their own.
While focusing mostly on Federal Government, you might want to get in touch with Open Source for America.
On the Open Data bill:
Section 3-I-g: Non-proprietary -- This one gives me some issues.
First, a data format that is an ANSI, ISO or IEEE standard technically is under the control of a single entity. The standards body is a single entity, even though the body may have members from other organizations. You might want to clarify to explicitly mention national (ANSI) or international (ISO, IEEE) published standards.
Section 3-I-h: License-free -- it says the DATA must be license-free, not the format. An example is MP3. While I may be able to play the audio without a license under FOSS software, I can't legally ENCODE data in MP3 format without obtaining a license. Ditto for MPEG video. You might want to specify the format itself be available license-free, such as PDF, JPEG, Vorbis, RTF, etc.
I have a Nook, and know of their benefits. However, it is a single function device and really can't do much more than read documents. Not that that is a bad thing, it just adds yet another gadget to my load to tote.
The iPad -- only the 2nd Apple device I've ever owned after the Newton Messagepad -- has the ability to replace my laptop for limited times. It can't replace my main computer, but that sits at my desk. Whenever I want to be mobile, the iPad is good enough for what I'm doing and can, in a pinch, handle most anything I need the laptop for. A dedicated eReader cannot.
As far as the iPad with the stand and movies, it gives you the option. I don't watch video on the train because text lends itself better to the setting. Video needs constant attention because it is a *flow*. Look up and you miss something. Look up from reading text and you can look down right back where you left off without having to stop and back things up.
I can use the iPad for video without the stand, if I want. It is much easier for lying in bed, since I don't have a dedicated TV in the bedroom. Also, it is easier for my wife to look up recipes and then take it to the kitchen and just lay it on the counter like with a normal, paper book. A laptop, with the keyboard and extra weight, is just too much of a pain for that. And getting that viewing angle just right on a laptop, especially when you're shuffling around the kitchen, is a pain.
Each has their benefits, but the original comment I replied to with "why buy a tablet when I can get a full-fledged laptop for the same price" is just plain ignorant of the differences and use cases.
Because reading an e-book while sitting on a train, riding to work, is a neck-breaking BITCH with a laptop but not an unpleasant experience with a tablet.
And with the included stand, I can watch a movie without having to hold the iPad.
Walking down the hall to a colleague's office, or to see my wife in a different room and show them something on the screen is much easier with a tablet than a bulky laptop.
Because not everything is a nail and you have more than a hammer?
...and right to bear arms means I can have keep a cruise missile in my bedroom.
That's what I tell my wife, anyway. :-)
There is no such thing as an "inherent" right, despite flowery language.
If you believe there is a right to life, feel free to wander thru a wild area with carnivores and debate your "right". Or drop off in the middle of the ocean and scream about your "right" to life as you drown.
If a "right" was granted by God, no mere mortal could take it away, even if they tried.
Rights are granted by society. Society is who will punish you if you try to exercise a "right" they say you don't have.
That country has been a jack-booted dictatorship for 5,000+ years now. If you think it was the fault of the U.S. that they aren't a democracy, you don't know anything about history.
Would you have considered it "meddling" when the United States forced France and Britain to give the Suez Canal back to the Egyptians after Nassar nationalized it back in 1956?
c. Whole Chicken
Your generation's Suez Crisis.
The good thing about the Arab world is this shit happens every few decades like clockwork. You don't have to compare it to anywhere outside, just wait for them to do it again.
It says I was logged into GMail (correct) and Facebook (incorrect).
Not only do I not have a Facebook account to be logged in to, the computer I'm using has never directly gone to facebook.com. Other sites may have inlined facebook stuff, but I still don't have an account there.
So what gives? No, no one else uses this computer. Yes, I am absolutely, 100% certain.
Provide the information they seek ONLY when they provide a valid warrant. ISPs should not "informally" cooperate with law enforcement. If there is reasonable suspicion of a crime, the law enforcement agency should be able to convince a judge of that and obtain a warrant. Checks and balances.
It is called "rotoscope". Did you not see the original Lord of the Rings animated versions from the 80s?
And exactly what was the excuse used for Highlander: The Source? We blew all our money on hookers and coke and need another quick bit of cash?
I see you've completely blocked "Indiana Jones IV". Good for you! How long did the recovery take? You can answer in ounces of alcohol or other braincell-killing drug of your choice.
Hack the e-reader to install Linux.
Install Perl.
The rest is left as an exercise to the student.
Up to your old tricks, eh Morgan? Shutting down Tesla's research wasn't enough for you. You have to come back from the grave and make sure the job is done again.
Back to Hell with you, fiend!
The question is, can I make money selling Betelgeuse supernova insurance to the general public?
Well, I think the Notion Ink doesn't do portrait mode, so no -- you can't.
And that also doesn't work with a netbook, I've tried.
And for a tablet, that small of a horizontal resolution really isn't going to work, either.