This applies to most of the computer industry too - you can save a lot of money just by living in the wake of the newest technology.
However, since the Wii will have support for the Gamecube controllers, I wonder if the price of those controllers will stay higher. Especially if the Wii remote ends up being a complete flop.
I see lots of stuff about power consumption, but I see nothing about scalability. Poor is a relative term, and while some places really have to worry about power, other places do not. For example, if they "ramp-down" the wifi (according to wikipedia) to fit within a certain power scheme, then they should allow you to scale it back up if you want.
The same could be said for the RAM and hard drive ( just a flash drive). This device could provide a base for a entry laptop that you could upgrade if you wanted.
If they did all this, then more power to them (no pun intended). I just haven't seen anything about it.
Where's the unDigg? It seems to me that you can only show your support for a story by "digging" it, but if you don't like a story your only recourse is to report it. I always thought reporting was meant for something that was inappropriate - like spam.
Their comment system has a thumbs up/down approach, why not use that model for the stories?
I'll start out by saying I completely agree with you, but I think there are other factors to consider. Obviously these companies want you to buy the most recent thing - that's how they make a profit. I'm sure they care on an individual level, but ask them if they want to keep their job and I'm sure the newest version of software X will only run on the fastest hardware Y.
I would like to think we (the population as a whole) could completely recycle all our computers, but I doubt there are enough people with electronics hobbies to satisfy the number of computers meeting "end of life" every day. Nor are there enough people who think of novel ideas for their old 386 other than a recipe organizer.
Maybe the best option is to come up with a better way of interchanging parts on motherboards and such. A standard size/interface for RAM, easy pop-out chipsets, etc. Companies could try selling remanufactured devices made from recycled parts.
I much prefer the "archives over X weeks old are free, but you have to pay for current content" system, where impatient people fund the system, as opposed to historians
I must admit I didn't think of this. In fact, there have been a few shows where I have gone back into the archives to hear past guests, etc. Your idea would fit much better with the current system, since it allows free access to those who simply cannot afford to pay and encourages those who can and want the most recent shows. Kind of like the library system - they don't have the most recently published book, but they will eventually.
I would like to think that NPR could survive without charging for shows at all, but with bandwidth costs and all I wonder if that is no longer possible.
I'd say it IS the cost - Audible is expensive. It's hard to justify paying so much in advance for a show that you could hear for free. At least Car Talk is available for free for the first week via their website, then by Audible from there.
Which brings up an interesting point - there is no standard model for NPR shows. Some of the local stations just publish directly in mp3 (kuow.org), other NPR shows are just on their website, and others (like previously mentioned) show up on Audible.
I would like to see them offer all shows for free in mp3 off their website for a limited time period, then as a paid download after a week or two. And go a head and throw in a small "this podcast is supported by X company and from donations from people like you..." in the beginning of each downloadable show.
You just supplied the perfect defense for echostar...
I don't agree.
From what you are saying, it sounds more like a good argument for Tivo. If lots of customers called complaining that the device did not act like a Tivo, then they must have had some sort of expectation that it would. In their mind they were getting a Tivo-like device, which Tivo could argue was a sale taken away from them.
Anything they can do to simplify the lineup is fine by me. It was getting confusing to tell the difference between the Pentium 4, 5, HT, MMX, MMX 2, etc. I might not mind doing the research for myself, but I do if every casual user asks my opinion.
However, I can't see doing this without some sort of branding. Using "Intel" (Intel D 840) seems ok until you realize they have multiple different lineups: desktop, server, laptop, mobile, etc. Maybe they can call it "Intel Desktop 840", or "Intel Server 1000".
I think webmail is the future - I've used Outlook, Thunderbird, etc. They all just end up being another resource hog running on my system. If something breaks, I end up having to copy all types of files just to keep my old emails - and I can never find the archived data files, it's just a mess.
With webmail I can access my email from ANY computer I wish to, and those features are all available to me from that machine. If a new feature is introduced, I don't have to worry about upgrading my machine using a 100MB service pack. I have my email open in a tab in my browser and it's available for me just about anywhere. If I really wanted to view off-line, I can setup some procedure to backup/copy my email locally.
I'm not saying that a solution fully exists today, but I see nothing that would stop webmail from becoming the full solution. I use yahoo webmail now with the "Plus" option - which allows me to check a few different email accounts from the same account, send email as if I was writing from those accounts, along with address book, calendar, and notebook. I'm not saying the system is perfect (I wish it would integrate more smoothly with my Palm, and allow for some shared calendaring and address books), but it is an example of a system that could handle all the features of Outlook in a web-based application.
I've worked in at a robotics company in the past. When I first came on, I they told me they were just starting to get into "this software thing". I quickly learned that most of the machines they had built in the past used mechanical means to control them. I noticed that most of the engineers that worked there didn't really grasp what I was doing on the software side and I had a hard time talking to them about the physical side.
My best example would be when I wrote a program against some specs for controlling certain digital/analog controls, only to discover that they had completely hooked up the controls differently.
My question is in a few parts: Have you had any software-controlled projects? Have you had any that you had previously done mechanically (and how did it go)? If possible, what hardware, operating system, programming language(s), etc did you use?
I read somewhere about this, they basically instruct you to burn a new CD
from the available wma files, and then rip that CD to mp3/whatever from iTunes.
That would have been awesome - then I could reinstall the OS every 6 months
using the original installation cd instead of trying to use those crapy bundled cds.
I'll probably buy the first issue, but wait on getting a subscription.
The problem with reading about these kinds of hacks online is that there are so many of them. I never know which ones are the most useful or the coolest. I don't know how many times I have paid little attention to an article on Slashdot, only to find it was a really cool topic when I see it on the Screen Savers.
I'm hoping this magazine can help provide some insight, and maybe I'll learn something.
Buy your Laser pointers now before there is a law against owning one. They'll probably go around shutting down sites that sell them, like ThinkGeek. Forcing them to provide a customer list so that they can track down potential terrorists.
You might want to keep a close eye on your Binary clock...
From the article:
"palmOne's President Ed Colligan commited back in October to releasing official palmOne WiFi drivers for the 650, but no timeframe has been announced to date. From Direct from palmOne, "'We do have a wifi card that will work in the SD slot, but we do not have the drivers yet.' Colligan continued to say that palmOne will be working on creating the necessary drivers."
Doesn't sound to me like Palm was trying to rip me off; maybe they are a little slow to introduce drivers, but then again they haven't even gotten around to releasing the 650 for anything else than Sprint.
The fact that someone is interested enough in the device as to make hacks and other tweaks to it shows it has a strong following. This is one of the reasons I decided to purchase a 650.
What? Modded down because I feel that no one will buy the device because it doesn't look good?
When you sell something like this, isn't look and feel a MAJOR consideration?
Slashdot Mirror
This applies to most of the computer industry too - you can save a lot of money just by living in the wake of the newest technology.
However, since the Wii will have support for the Gamecube controllers, I wonder if the price of those controllers will stay higher. Especially if the Wii remote ends up being a complete flop.
I see lots of stuff about power consumption, but I see nothing about scalability. Poor is a relative term, and while some places really have to worry about power, other places do not. For example, if they "ramp-down" the wifi (according to wikipedia) to fit within a certain power scheme, then they should allow you to scale it back up if you want.
The same could be said for the RAM and hard drive ( just a flash drive). This device could provide a base for a entry laptop that you could upgrade if you wanted.
If they did all this, then more power to them (no pun intended). I just haven't seen anything about it.
The PS3 will cost $599 WITH a Blu-Ray drive.
XBox 360 costs $399, how much will will you pay if you want to add on the HD-DVD drive? I would think it would cost at least $200 dollars.
$399 + $200 = $599!!
I could make the same argument that this is just a tech tale of Animal Farm.
All news sites are equal, except some are more equal than others...
Where's the unDigg? It seems to me that you can only show your support for a story by "digging" it, but if you don't like a story your only recourse is to report it. I always thought reporting was meant for something that was inappropriate - like spam.
Their comment system has a thumbs up/down approach, why not use that model for the stories?
I hope slashdot got paid to put this up. Sounds like a car commercial to me...
Slashdot didn't, but I'm sure Wired did.
...the car only fishtailed back and forth once after I jerked the steering wheel on a wet road around a 90 degree turn while driving at about 60 mph
You could also just slow down.
I'm kind of sick of seeing commercials with cars driving 60mph through 2 feet of snow as if it were a hot summer day.
I'll start out by saying I completely agree with you, but I think there are other factors to consider. Obviously these companies want you to buy the most recent thing - that's how they make a profit. I'm sure they care on an individual level, but ask them if they want to keep their job and I'm sure the newest version of software X will only run on the fastest hardware Y.
I would like to think we (the population as a whole) could completely recycle all our computers, but I doubt there are enough people with electronics hobbies to satisfy the number of computers meeting "end of life" every day. Nor are there enough people who think of novel ideas for their old 386 other than a recipe organizer.
Maybe the best option is to come up with a better way of interchanging parts on motherboards and such. A standard size/interface for RAM, easy pop-out chipsets, etc. Companies could try selling remanufactured devices made from recycled parts.
I much prefer the "archives over X weeks old are free, but you have to pay for current content" system, where impatient people fund the system, as opposed to historians
I must admit I didn't think of this. In fact, there have been a few shows where I have gone back into the archives to hear past guests, etc. Your idea would fit much better with the current system, since it allows free access to those who simply cannot afford to pay and encourages those who can and want the most recent shows. Kind of like the library system - they don't have the most recently published book, but they will eventually.
I would like to think that NPR could survive without charging for shows at all, but with bandwidth costs and all I wonder if that is no longer possible.
I'd say it IS the cost - Audible is expensive. It's hard to justify paying so much in advance for a show that you could hear for free. At least Car Talk is available for free for the first week via their website, then by Audible from there.
Which brings up an interesting point - there is no standard model for NPR shows. Some of the local stations just publish directly in mp3 (kuow.org), other NPR shows are just on their website, and others (like previously mentioned) show up on Audible.
I would like to see them offer all shows for free in mp3 off their website for a limited time period, then as a paid download after a week or two. And go a head and throw in a small "this podcast is supported by X company and from donations from people like you..." in the beginning of each downloadable show.
You just supplied the perfect defense for echostar...
I don't agree.
From what you are saying, it sounds more like a good argument for Tivo. If lots of customers called complaining that the device did not act like a Tivo, then they must have had some sort of expectation that it would. In their mind they were getting a Tivo-like device, which Tivo could argue was a sale taken away from them.
Just a thought.
"It can cruise for a maximum 62 miles on hydrogen and 549 km (341 miles) on gasoline..."
62 miles on hydrogen? I guess there isn't much room in an RX8 for hydrogen with a full tank of gas.
Anything they can do to simplify the lineup is fine by me. It was getting confusing to tell the difference between the Pentium 4, 5, HT, MMX, MMX 2, etc. I might not mind doing the research for myself, but I do if every casual user asks my opinion.
However, I can't see doing this without some sort of branding. Using "Intel" (Intel D 840) seems ok until you realize they have multiple different lineups: desktop, server, laptop, mobile, etc. Maybe they can call it "Intel Desktop 840", or "Intel Server 1000".
What if the people on this show are just actors? Who would be the idiot then?
I think webmail is the future - I've used Outlook, Thunderbird, etc. They all just end up being another resource hog running on my system. If something breaks, I end up having to copy all types of files just to keep my old emails - and I can never find the archived data files, it's just a mess.
With webmail I can access my email from ANY computer I wish to, and those features are all available to me from that machine. If a new feature is introduced, I don't have to worry about upgrading my machine using a 100MB service pack. I have my email open in a tab in my browser and it's available for me just about anywhere. If I really wanted to view off-line, I can setup some procedure to backup/copy my email locally.
I'm not saying that a solution fully exists today, but I see nothing that would stop webmail from becoming the full solution. I use yahoo webmail now with the "Plus" option - which allows me to check a few different email accounts from the same account, send email as if I was writing from those accounts, along with address book, calendar, and notebook. I'm not saying the system is perfect (I wish it would integrate more smoothly with my Palm, and allow for some shared calendaring and address books), but it is an example of a system that could handle all the features of Outlook in a web-based application.
I've worked in at a robotics company in the past. When I first came on, I they told me they were just starting to get into "this software thing". I quickly learned that most of the machines they had built in the past used mechanical means to control them. I noticed that most of the engineers that worked there didn't really grasp what I was doing on the software side and I had a hard time talking to them about the physical side.
My best example would be when I wrote a program against some specs for controlling certain digital/analog controls, only to discover that they had completely hooked up the controls differently.
My question is in a few parts:
Have you had any software-controlled projects?
Have you had any that you had previously done mechanically (and how did it go)?
If possible, what hardware, operating system, programming language(s), etc did you use?
Thanks!
I read somewhere about this, they basically instruct you to burn a new CD
from the available wma files, and then rip that CD to mp3/whatever from iTunes.
Funny how these things work...
That would have been awesome - then I could reinstall the OS every 6 months
using the original installation cd instead of trying to use those crapy bundled cds.
To Save Space...
They can use the same picture for all the Best Buys, Wal-Marts, etc...
I'll probably buy the first issue, but wait on getting a subscription.
The problem with reading about these kinds of hacks online is that there are so many of them. I never know which ones are the most useful or the coolest. I don't know how many times I have paid little attention to an article on Slashdot, only to find it was a really cool topic when I see it on the Screen Savers.
I'm hoping this magazine can help provide some insight, and maybe I'll learn something.
Anyone know the odds that any of these will become Vaporware?
Wired News Vaporware Top 10 for 2004
Buy your Laser pointers now before there is a law against owning one. They'll probably go around shutting down sites that sell them, like ThinkGeek. Forcing them to provide a customer list so that they can track down potential terrorists.
You might want to keep a close eye on your Binary clock...
I for one own a Treo 650, and I don't feel ripped off.
TreoCentral has an article about this topic on their website: http://treocentral.com/content/Stories/502-1.htm
From the article: "palmOne's President Ed Colligan commited back in October to releasing official palmOne WiFi drivers for the 650, but no timeframe has been announced to date. From Direct from palmOne, "'We do have a wifi card that will work in the SD slot, but we do not have the drivers yet.' Colligan continued to say that palmOne will be working on creating the necessary drivers."
Doesn't sound to me like Palm was trying to rip me off; maybe they are a little slow to introduce drivers, but then again they haven't even gotten around to releasing the 650 for anything else than Sprint.
The fact that someone is interested enough in the device as to make hacks and other tweaks to it shows it has a strong following. This is one of the reasons I decided to purchase a 650.
It looks ugly
What? Modded down because I feel that no one will buy the device because it doesn't look good?
When you sell something like this, isn't look and feel a MAJOR consideration?
It looks ugly