Err, nonsense. This is a tool you use everyday right? How long did it take to learn to use a pencil? OK so there is a bit of "upfront" learning, then you can write documents everywhere you can find an editor, and seldom think about formatting. Yet your documents look fantastic (or sh!t if you've got no taste).
How many Microsoft Word users actually use Styles? (Fewer than you think) How many understand Sections? (Fewer than you think) How many actually understand tab stops and how to use them (I mean the different kinds)? (Fewer than you think)
So you either have a tool that when you don't know how to use it, you're totally aware you don't know how to use it, or a tool that most people think they know how to use even though they don't have a clue.
Objective-C is an excellent language for a beginner who is grounded in C. The syntax lets you spot the message passing from a mile off, for the beginner this is useful. Objective-C can also be mixed with ANSI C (of which it is a superset) and C++ (it then becomes Objective-C++) so you hurt yourself with it, if you really want to.
Probably the biggest weakness is needing a Mac for development (I say this because it means you need a new system - not that there is anything wrong with the Mac per se). Of course, there is GNUstep... but that won't help you do iPhone development.
Apple are many things, but they're not dumb. If you think Apple will screw the user experience to the point where users defect, well you've not been paying attention. Apple want to sell you hardware (and to a lesser extent software). The iAds are not the main event here. Just like the songs weren't the main event with iTunes; the main event then was to sell you an iPod - the songs were just a way to do that. The iAds are not about selling ads, they are about getting developers to create free apps that will allow Apple to sell you can iPhone/iPod/iPad. Apple want them to make some money, but don't think they are the main event here - they are just a sideshow, the main event here is selling you a iPhone/iPod/iPad (or several) and you coming back and buying again when the have new models. This is capitalism at work, Apple aren't holding a gun to your head, they are manipulating your neurones that like shiny things - quite different. Your wallet will hate it, those naughty little shiny loving neurones will love it.
All ads? What all the time? Really? I'm assuming you don't use Google to search then? So if there's an app (big window) and it has a strip at the bottom that shows ads you'd delete it even if it did something useful?
And you delete the App... Err so? Apple also reject apps that don't add anything to the system. Try writing a version of "iFart" (no that's a real app, you push the on screen button and a "fart" sound is played - I know, go figure) and submitting it, you'll be really lucky to get it past the Apple gatekeepers.
I do have ad supported apps, I choose to keep them, so on balance the ads are a benefit.
From what I understand this isn't a conductivity issue (the conductivity between stainless steel and flesh isn't great) it's a capacitance issue. So the answer is; it wouldn't "fix it" (through it would move it a little in the right direction). On other phones there is usually plastic between your hand and the antenna assembly, and it still happens. Apple's "bumper" is quite thick, far thicker than the plastic the covers the back of most cell phones. To be honest, this seems to have been caused by the desire to make phones ever thiner.
If this helps I know my Nokia phone (it's not a fancy one) has the same symptoms if you put your hand over the back (which is quite natural if you're holding it to your ear). I also know it's pretty easy to not do that once you know that adversely affects the wireless performance.
I also know that when I looked at a iPhone 4 in a store I couldn't make it do that - but we are talking about a place with excellent signal strength. But no, the signal didn't just die even when applying more pressure against "the line" than is reasonable (your hand would soon ache - you'd not want to make a call while applying that much force).
Given that most people think that the "bumpers" make the problem go away (I'm guessing because of the increased separation - again a case on my Nokia phone would probably mitigate the problem) and Apple are now giving them away perhaps that's all you need to know. Assuming you don't find the aesthetics completely ruined by the bumpers. Personally I don't think they do anything for the black iPhone 4, but they don't look so bad on the white one (in the pictures - I've not seen either IRL). The fact that Apple aren't shipping the white iPhone probably give you more "thinking time".
I've described it as a conjuring trick (the iPad) it's almost like the computer disappeared just leaving the content. Of course it didn't, and sure we know how it works (so the Arthur C Clarke "magic" doesn't apply). But it is deeply cool. I agree some of the effects really "sell" the experience and scrolling is high on that list.
I find the iPad very useful, and I use it like a giant PDA (weirdly I seldom listen to music on it, or watch films - I do play games on it). I tend to bounce between the email and the calendar most of the time (and Safari of course). It has been very useful (mine was a gift - it has 3G, I'm not sure it would be so useful without that). YMMV
This isn't logical. It really does matter how a product performs relative to other products of the same type. Forget Apple and the iPhone 4 this argument doesn't make any sense at all. If I created a widget that performed twice as well as it's nearest competitor then I'd have the best widget in the world. You can't claim just because it doesn't have infinite performance my widget is a failure and I'm a weasel for suggesting otherwise. Can you?
Err, no. You are forming a capacitor with the phone's antenna as one side and your squidgy mitt as the other side - direct contact isn't the problem. That's why a little bit of sticky tape over "the line" doesn't cure the problem. If you think about it you'd not be able to touch the phone's antenna at all (as one side is the WiFi antenna and the other side is the Cellular Antenna). It's the fact you're a big bag of mostly water that's the problem.
I find on my Nokia phone holding the phone with my palm in contact (or very nearly in contact) with the back of the phone makes it lose some signal strength (and in areas of low signal this can cause a dropped call). The antenna assembly isn't in direct contact with my skin, the effect is as described above.
I hold the phone with fingers outstretched so the body of the phone isn't in contact with my palm. I've have the phone so long (and I've seen the same thing on so many phones) this seems natural - but it really isn't.
This isn't what they found. More over a few of the other phones showed similar performance drops when held in a why that seems quite "normal". On the flip side, they didn't find such huge drops on all phones, and on some the grip on the phone was anything but normal.
In summary, this isn't unique to the iPhone 4 but it isn't universal to all phones either.
Reading the article (I know actually reading the article before posting - what's fsck'in wrong with me?) it says some phones were affected by a similar "death grip" - so that's the same, isn't it?
Of course, this is really easy to reproduce because Apple put a line across the area that if covered affects the signal strength - other phones you have to kind of guess. That makes it really easy to reproduce the effect on the iPhone 4, and I suppose easy to avoid (don't cover that area). Other phones it's hard to reproduce, and also hard to avoid (unless you find the "drop spot" and put a marker on it - so you know where not to touch).
It is also true that some phones have far less of an issue (in the case of the Droid where two hands were required, it would be hard to see this as an actual problem as it's actually quite difficult to reproduce and is not likely to happen in practice). So clearly when Steve said this is a problem for the whole industry that wasn't the whole truth - it's an issue, but some phone seem to have it pretty well mitigated.
From what I understand for a lot of phones it isn't covering an side of the phone that manifests this effect; if you have significant contact with the rear of the phone it can cause it. This is quite common. Again, the exact location(s) vary and may mitigate it (like the Droid).
But this doesn't seem at all unique to the iPhone 4, but it isn't quite as "universal" as perhaps Apple would like us the think. It's just something we'd never thought about before.
You're assuming pretty good conductivity aren't you? If you were soaking wet maybe... but then I guess the phone would be too - that would probably result in a "dropped call". As far as I understand it the problem is bridging the two adjacent antennas (the WiFi and Cellular antennas). I imagine jewellery (like a gold ring) could really stuff up a call if it contacted between the two antennas. I doubt in practice this is going to often be a problem. I guess one of Apple's little "rubber bands" will "fix" the problem (assuming it even exists).
I know my existing (unsmart) phone sometimes drops calls when held tightly by the base, or at least I **think** it does, it's impossible to say "ah this caused that" as the experiment is so hard to repeat without other variables creeping in.
I think that's something a court should get the chance to decide. I just don't have anything like enough information to reach a view, but I think it's really important that such a view is reached. As I said the biggest failure is letting the accident happen.
Money isn't the issue here. This is costing BP a fortune. What we're all forgetting is deep drilling is inherently risky - as the oil is under so much pressure. Sad to say what you're suggesting isn't doable with a leak of this size - it is simply too serious, with too much oil. BP's real failure happened before the accident, this is a situation you can't allow to happen. In addition to the on going environmental damage 11 men were killed - personally I think there is a case of culpable homicide to answer, and BP employees should be charged.
We also need to think about our use of all oil, it is becoming very hard to obtain the huge amount of oil we're using. This accident shows that it simply isn't sustainable and there is an urgent need to rapidly reduce the amount we ALL use. This needs to be done to protect the environment (even if you don't believe in global warming - this accident shows just how dangerous to the environment deep drilling techniques can be) and to ensure security (let's face it - most of the oil is in places that are politically "difficult").
Of course, lastly there is the huge question about what MUST be done to help the people who will lose their jobs as a result of this. If we're ever to restart deep drilling we need better safety procedures BEFORE an accident and a workable plan for AFTER. But really most of the problem here causing the accident in the first place. This goes deeper than just not wanting to spend money to clear it up - in truth they don't lack any amount of money, they just don't have a clue what to do.
Yeah but that mean that if I don't take the pi^h^hmick I can play my stuff anywhere. If I decide to defect to some other player I can get the music to play (I might need to convert it... but that's a given). Sounds in my best interest. OK I can't give my music away across the Internet, but I'm not convinced I should have that right.
Probably works better if you don't post as AC, or have a point. I did explain why I thought that all was not well with Android. So let me make it even simpler for you. HTC is so far ahead of all the other handset makers doing Android it is astonishing.
Consider the fuss being made of the Incredible, the next best phone is generally regarded as the Desire, moving down to the Nexus One, and Droid. Three of these are HTC. The HTC Desire and Incredible are far nicer than the Nexus One (because of Sense UI in the case of the Desire). The only none HTC handset is the Motorola Droid, and that lacks Motoblur, and most people who've seen Motoblur think the Droid is better for NOT having it. Say what you like, for HP this hardly makes you want to do an Android handset - it's hardly a "sure thing". If you're HTC you're making this work, everyone else... not so much.
Haven't you just answered the question? HP has been in the PDA/Smartphone space since forever. Now you'll admit that Windows 6.x is hopeless in 2010 (that ship has sailed). Looking across at Android, things aren't pretty. Vanilla Android isn't cutting it, so everyone has to brew their own "secret sauce", lets look at how that's working out?
Motoblur, is quite frankly a mess. Rachel, the Sony Ericsson UI looks great, but it wedded to a really old build. According to those in the know, they are having a hard time moving it to the latest build. Sense UI, seems to be the clear winner. HTC have had this working on several builds of Android, most users like it.
So the odds aren't exactly stacked in favour of "doing Android" - there are pitfalls.
So what's up with Palm? Well the Pre looked great on paper, so what went so wrong? Three things really. First is build quality, the device looks great, but the "feel" is somewhat lacking. The perception is the unit feels cheaper than it looks and is. Perhaps there isn't really a problem, but that isn't how it feels when you encounter a Pre. Second, the lack of apps. This is a problem only time will solve. Third is the perception that WebOS might not be around for long. Probably it being under the HP banner solves the last one.
So what's needed? New devices to run WebOS. Sounds like exactly what HP can provide.
So why are HP so keen. Think about the number one smartphone (yes, the iPhone). What's different about it? The hardware and software are built by one company, and no other company can build "clones". That's exactly what HP get from this. So me this sounds good.
Off the topic a bit, don't Palm own BeOS? HP could do something with that too... It's just a thought - if you want to be like Apple, well you need your own OS.I doubt anything will really happen with that - but it would be nice to see HP do something with BeOS (and it would be the greatest comeback since Lazarus or NeXT Computer).
Slashdot Mirror
Can't someone (everyone) sue the lawyers who make this schoolboy error?
Err, nonsense. This is a tool you use everyday right? How long did it take to learn to use a pencil? OK so there is a bit of "upfront" learning, then you can write documents everywhere you can find an editor, and seldom think about formatting. Yet your documents look fantastic (or sh!t if you've got no taste).
How many Microsoft Word users actually use Styles? (Fewer than you think) How many understand Sections? (Fewer than you think) How many actually understand tab stops and how to use them (I mean the different kinds)? (Fewer than you think)
So you either have a tool that when you don't know how to use it, you're totally aware you don't know how to use it, or a tool that most people think they know how to use even though they don't have a clue.
Now what's optimal?
Objective-C is an excellent language for a beginner who is grounded in C. The syntax lets you spot the message passing from a mile off, for the beginner this is useful. Objective-C can also be mixed with ANSI C (of which it is a superset) and C++ (it then becomes Objective-C++) so you hurt yourself with it, if you really want to.
Probably the biggest weakness is needing a Mac for development (I say this because it means you need a new system - not that there is anything wrong with the Mac per se). Of course, there is GNUstep... but that won't help you do iPhone development.
No. You know where not to touch, having to lie on the floor to make a call would suck (and you'd look a doofus).
Apple are many things, but they're not dumb. If you think Apple will screw the user experience to the point where users defect, well you've not been paying attention. Apple want to sell you hardware (and to a lesser extent software). The iAds are not the main event here. Just like the songs weren't the main event with iTunes; the main event then was to sell you an iPod - the songs were just a way to do that. The iAds are not about selling ads, they are about getting developers to create free apps that will allow Apple to sell you can iPhone/iPod/iPad. Apple want them to make some money, but don't think they are the main event here - they are just a sideshow, the main event here is selling you a iPhone/iPod/iPad (or several) and you coming back and buying again when the have new models. This is capitalism at work, Apple aren't holding a gun to your head, they are manipulating your neurones that like shiny things - quite different. Your wallet will hate it, those naughty little shiny loving neurones will love it.
All ads? What all the time? Really? I'm assuming you don't use Google to search then? So if there's an app (big window) and it has a strip at the bottom that shows ads you'd delete it even if it did something useful?
Gosh.
And you delete the App... Err so? Apple also reject apps that don't add anything to the system. Try writing a version of "iFart" (no that's a real app, you push the on screen button and a "fart" sound is played - I know, go figure) and submitting it, you'll be really lucky to get it past the Apple gatekeepers.
I do have ad supported apps, I choose to keep them, so on balance the ads are a benefit.
I'm sorry what was your point again?
From what I understand this isn't a conductivity issue (the conductivity between stainless steel and flesh isn't great) it's a capacitance issue. So the answer is; it wouldn't "fix it" (through it would move it a little in the right direction). On other phones there is usually plastic between your hand and the antenna assembly, and it still happens. Apple's "bumper" is quite thick, far thicker than the plastic the covers the back of most cell phones. To be honest, this seems to have been caused by the desire to make phones ever thiner.
If this helps I know my Nokia phone (it's not a fancy one) has the same symptoms if you put your hand over the back (which is quite natural if you're holding it to your ear). I also know it's pretty easy to not do that once you know that adversely affects the wireless performance.
I also know that when I looked at a iPhone 4 in a store I couldn't make it do that - but we are talking about a place with excellent signal strength. But no, the signal didn't just die even when applying more pressure against "the line" than is reasonable (your hand would soon ache - you'd not want to make a call while applying that much force).
Given that most people think that the "bumpers" make the problem go away (I'm guessing because of the increased separation - again a case on my Nokia phone would probably mitigate the problem) and Apple are now giving them away perhaps that's all you need to know. Assuming you don't find the aesthetics completely ruined by the bumpers. Personally I don't think they do anything for the black iPhone 4, but they don't look so bad on the white one (in the pictures - I've not seen either IRL). The fact that Apple aren't shipping the white iPhone probably give you more "thinking time".
I've described it as a conjuring trick (the iPad) it's almost like the computer disappeared just leaving the content. Of course it didn't, and sure we know how it works (so the Arthur C Clarke "magic" doesn't apply). But it is deeply cool. I agree some of the effects really "sell" the experience and scrolling is high on that list.
I find the iPad very useful, and I use it like a giant PDA (weirdly I seldom listen to music on it, or watch films - I do play games on it). I tend to bounce between the email and the calendar most of the time (and Safari of course). It has been very useful (mine was a gift - it has 3G, I'm not sure it would be so useful without that). YMMV
You but apply the "death grip" and it turns to banana mush (no idea if it dropped the call, I've got banana mush in my ear!) ;-P
This isn't logical. It really does matter how a product performs relative to other products of the same type. Forget Apple and the iPhone 4 this argument doesn't make any sense at all. If I created a widget that performed twice as well as it's nearest competitor then I'd have the best widget in the world. You can't claim just because it doesn't have infinite performance my widget is a failure and I'm a weasel for suggesting otherwise. Can you?
Err, no. You are forming a capacitor with the phone's antenna as one side and your squidgy mitt as the other side - direct contact isn't the problem. That's why a little bit of sticky tape over "the line" doesn't cure the problem. If you think about it you'd not be able to touch the phone's antenna at all (as one side is the WiFi antenna and the other side is the Cellular Antenna). It's the fact you're a big bag of mostly water that's the problem.
I find on my Nokia phone holding the phone with my palm in contact (or very nearly in contact) with the back of the phone makes it lose some signal strength (and in areas of low signal this can cause a dropped call). The antenna assembly isn't in direct contact with my skin, the effect is as described above.
I hold the phone with fingers outstretched so the body of the phone isn't in contact with my palm. I've have the phone so long (and I've seen the same thing on so many phones) this seems natural - but it really isn't.
This isn't what they found. More over a few of the other phones showed similar performance drops when held in a why that seems quite "normal". On the flip side, they didn't find such huge drops on all phones, and on some the grip on the phone was anything but normal.
In summary, this isn't unique to the iPhone 4 but it isn't universal to all phones either.
Reading the article (I know actually reading the article before posting - what's fsck'in wrong with me?) it says some phones were affected by a similar "death grip" - so that's the same, isn't it?
Of course, this is really easy to reproduce because Apple put a line across the area that if covered affects the signal strength - other phones you have to kind of guess. That makes it really easy to reproduce the effect on the iPhone 4, and I suppose easy to avoid (don't cover that area). Other phones it's hard to reproduce, and also hard to avoid (unless you find the "drop spot" and put a marker on it - so you know where not to touch).
It is also true that some phones have far less of an issue (in the case of the Droid where two hands were required, it would be hard to see this as an actual problem as it's actually quite difficult to reproduce and is not likely to happen in practice). So clearly when Steve said this is a problem for the whole industry that wasn't the whole truth - it's an issue, but some phone seem to have it pretty well mitigated.
From what I understand for a lot of phones it isn't covering an side of the phone that manifests this effect; if you have significant contact with the rear of the phone it can cause it. This is quite common. Again, the exact location(s) vary and may mitigate it (like the Droid).
But this doesn't seem at all unique to the iPhone 4, but it isn't quite as "universal" as perhaps Apple would like us the think. It's just something we'd never thought about before.
You're assuming pretty good conductivity aren't you? If you were soaking wet maybe... but then I guess the phone would be too - that would probably result in a "dropped call". As far as I understand it the problem is bridging the two adjacent antennas (the WiFi and Cellular antennas). I imagine jewellery (like a gold ring) could really stuff up a call if it contacted between the two antennas. I doubt in practice this is going to often be a problem. I guess one of Apple's little "rubber bands" will "fix" the problem (assuming it even exists).
I know my existing (unsmart) phone sometimes drops calls when held tightly by the base, or at least I **think** it does, it's impossible to say "ah this caused that" as the experiment is so hard to repeat without other variables creeping in.
I think that's something a court should get the chance to decide. I just don't have anything like enough information to reach a view, but I think it's really important that such a view is reached. As I said the biggest failure is letting the accident happen.
Excellent link. I'd not seen this - but I agree totally with everything she said.
Money isn't the issue here. This is costing BP a fortune. What we're all forgetting is deep drilling is inherently risky - as the oil is under so much pressure. Sad to say what you're suggesting isn't doable with a leak of this size - it is simply too serious, with too much oil. BP's real failure happened before the accident, this is a situation you can't allow to happen. In addition to the on going environmental damage 11 men were killed - personally I think there is a case of culpable homicide to answer, and BP employees should be charged.
We also need to think about our use of all oil, it is becoming very hard to obtain the huge amount of oil we're using. This accident shows that it simply isn't sustainable and there is an urgent need to rapidly reduce the amount we ALL use. This needs to be done to protect the environment (even if you don't believe in global warming - this accident shows just how dangerous to the environment deep drilling techniques can be) and to ensure security (let's face it - most of the oil is in places that are politically "difficult").
Of course, lastly there is the huge question about what MUST be done to help the people who will lose their jobs as a result of this. If we're ever to restart deep drilling we need better safety procedures BEFORE an accident and a workable plan for AFTER. But really most of the problem here causing the accident in the first place. This goes deeper than just not wanting to spend money to clear it up - in truth they don't lack any amount of money, they just don't have a clue what to do.
Yeah but that mean that if I don't take the pi^h^hmick I can play my stuff anywhere. If I decide to defect to some other player I can get the music to play (I might need to convert it... but that's a given). Sounds in my best interest. OK I can't give my music away across the Internet, but I'm not convinced I should have that right.
Probably works better if you don't post as AC, or have a point. I did explain why I thought that all was not well with Android. So let me make it even simpler for you. HTC is so far ahead of all the other handset makers doing Android it is astonishing.
Consider the fuss being made of the Incredible, the next best phone is generally regarded as the Desire, moving down to the Nexus One, and Droid. Three of these are HTC. The HTC Desire and Incredible are far nicer than the Nexus One (because of Sense UI in the case of the Desire). The only none HTC handset is the Motorola Droid, and that lacks Motoblur, and most people who've seen Motoblur think the Droid is better for NOT having it. Say what you like, for HP this hardly makes you want to do an Android handset - it's hardly a "sure thing". If you're HTC you're making this work, everyone else... not so much.
Hmm... I'd not thought of that. As I don't live in the US I'm not as familiar with your Networks. That makes sense.
Haven't you just answered the question? HP has been in the PDA/Smartphone space since forever. Now you'll admit that Windows 6.x is hopeless in 2010 (that ship has sailed). Looking across at Android, things aren't pretty. Vanilla Android isn't cutting it, so everyone has to brew their own "secret sauce", lets look at how that's working out?
Motoblur, is quite frankly a mess.
Rachel, the Sony Ericsson UI looks great, but it wedded to a really old build. According to those in the know, they are having a hard time moving it to the latest build.
Sense UI, seems to be the clear winner. HTC have had this working on several builds of Android, most users like it.
So the odds aren't exactly stacked in favour of "doing Android" - there are pitfalls.
So what's up with Palm? Well the Pre looked great on paper, so what went so wrong? Three things really. First is build quality, the device looks great, but the "feel" is somewhat lacking. The perception is the unit feels cheaper than it looks and is. Perhaps there isn't really a problem, but that isn't how it feels when you encounter a Pre. Second, the lack of apps. This is a problem only time will solve. Third is the perception that WebOS might not be around for long. Probably it being under the HP banner solves the last one.
So what's needed? New devices to run WebOS. Sounds like exactly what HP can provide.
So why are HP so keen. Think about the number one smartphone (yes, the iPhone). What's different about it? The hardware and software are built by one company, and no other company can build "clones". That's exactly what HP get from this. So me this sounds good.
Off the topic a bit, don't Palm own BeOS? HP could do something with that too... It's just a thought - if you want to be like Apple, well you need your own OS.I doubt anything will really happen with that - but it would be nice to see HP do something with BeOS (and it would be the greatest comeback since Lazarus or NeXT Computer).
That looks very kewl. Thanks for the tip.
I'm not going to answer that - but to give you an idea I do have a NeXT Dimension ...
But I take your point.