Official reports that Android 2.1 is delayed yet again and will not be released at noon Thursday March 18th. Heard the real reason for the latest delay on the Android 2.1 update for Droid phones is due to Motorola’s distribution vendor (Bitfone- now owned by HP). They are having capacity problems with a) the Bitfone application that distributes the updates and b) capacity issues with the current network infrastructure that hosts this application. Suckie.
Apple would do a lot better in my department (one of the biggest departments at one of the biggest universities in the world) if they would get serious about enterprise support.
My gripes: 1) If my Xserv fails, I need to call Apple, they will possibly send parts or repairmen but they really want me to fix it myself using my spare kit. I just don't feel that is optimal compared to IBM server support.
2) Their volume discount is a total rip-off. Again, I am at a major university and our discount is basically the same as the Apple Education Store discount. It is really hard for me to justify my purchases and commitment to Apple.
3) On a related topic, I know months in advance what machines are coming out and can thus plan accordingly. Apple, with its flair for the dramatic, wants to keep all this hidden and secret. Again it really hurts my efforts when compared to IBM, Dell, and HP.
4) The Apple support network is a total joke compared to Microsoft or even Novell. Basically I have the same support that non-enterprise Linux has. My best sources are AFP548, MacEnterprise, and sometimes the Apple Support forums.
5) For those of us that have to integrate with a Microsoft world, AD-OD integration still has a long way to go. Apple seems to break their AD support with every other service pack. I can't believe this couldn't be done better. I know Microsoft has issues with their service packs, but honestly, does it have to be this bad?
Basically I feel that Apple is such a consumer company rather than enterprise. This hurts Apple penetration, bottom-line sales, and future buy-in from potential customers who want to use the same platform at home that they use at work. Steve Jobs just can't get out of his own ego's way to let the correct thing happen. Matt Feeman, our sales rep, is a total waste yet has carried his job for many many years now. There really is no fun left in Apple and only diehard fanboys (myself?) can continue to run what is, IMHO, the Unix-like distributions.
What to do if you suddenly have a craving for bloody hair:
Symptom(s):
You wake up covered in a cool looking black spandex-like suit with the symbol of lice. You have superhuman itching powers. You have what looks to be snow drifts in your hair. You love bloody hair (both above and below the border). Cause:
You are infected with the evolved Alien Symbiote version not mentioned in the article. It is believed this form came from outer-space however no wiki article or blog has yet to confirm this. Treatment:
Climb the nearest bell tower and ring bell while you stand directly under it. Then remove weakened suit of black lice eggs and burn it. Next, take a shower and wash your nasty hair with gasoline. Finally, use some Axe body spray to hid the gas smell and to bring the ladies back.
Props to Stan Lee and Peter Parker!
What I don't get is why Steve Jobs would even want to call it an iPhone. It is more than just a phone, right? Sure most mobile phones have the features this phone has but Apple is going for a revolution. So why call it something old school? Creativity and innovation doesn't have to stop at the naming of the product.
They have a great brand in iChat as it is, so why not make a play around that? iChat mobile perhaps.
Either way, I expect Apple to be more creative than just calling the device an iPhone. I say let Cisco have their DOA iPhone name that everyone will already think they ripped off Apple for. Then call your product something that is actually as innovative as the features and hype suggest.
...Of course this statement is true because no one will be using the PS3, period. I read this article thinking Sony wants to distance themselves from the 360 so they can standalone like the Wii. Therefore people will feel the need to pick up a PS3, in addition to the 360 and Wii they already own. It's not going to work Sony, you went on record saying you were the best and you were setting your sights on Microsoft. Stealing Nintendo's position of being separate from the pack is even worse than stealing their controller ideas.
Honestly, when Game Spot reports a major magazine wrote that the PS3, "just isn't that great", you have serious issues. These are the kind of media outlets that are supposed to be supporting you, not posting your eulogy.
The brash statements made Sony executive Phil Harrison are just more hyperbole from Sony trying to salvage their once great reputation. Those of us in the Internet Generation, or "Millennials", don't care about what Sony has done in the past; we care about who is doing good now. Meaning you have to bring your A-game every single time instead of resting our your forefather's laurels. Our friends don't like the PS3, they like the 360 and the Wii. And lets face it, the PS3 and the 360 are just alike, it's just the 360's overall execution is better.
Sony's hype will always be overshadowed by the haunting statement Time Magazine made about the PS3 having been beating by "something called a Wii.". Truth hurts, pal.
Any slashdotter will agree that Micro$oft is one of the greatest marketing companies of all times. They've put paid to companies far bigger than Sony (IBM anyone) and will continue to do so until some IT focused, consumer-orientated CEO decides to up his/her game.
After reading the article it seems weird to me the plight of AT&T. They had the world at their fingertips then suffered the backlash before being written off.
Now they are trying to upgrade their network and get back in the game. The only problem is, we all want to hate them again because of the same old monopoly fears.
Well I hate to say it but that is how business has been done throughout time. If a business wants to be successful it has to keep re-inventing and evolving itself. AT&T are trying to do just that on the infrastructure side of things, but the client services side of it all needs to evolve as well.
Until recently I lived in rural Wyoming with little or no choice in broadband service. In fact I didn't even have a provider when living in western Wyoming. Don't even get me started on the prices and reliability. The overall problem is "economy of scale", so to speak but also the local commissioners desire to keep the low-tech, 20th century way of life.
Now I am living just outside a town in Ohio with some 100,000+ people within 15 mile radius and I have exactly one (1) broadband provider charging $50/mth for shoddy service. If I wanted to switch to DSL, VerizonWireless package, or satellite the letters I would have to associate myself with would be S.O.L.
So if AT&T want to come in and install a huge network to give me choice, I'm all for it. I know their ROI will be good enough without the gouging IPTV or telephone service (who still uses landlines anyways). I just want a value-choice, more reliable coverage, and better speed. I won't need their mickey-mouse customer service if it all works right and looks good.
Give the consumers a chance with more choice, and if you don't want the triple-pay deal then just tune out. You'll have choices.
First off Columbus, Ohio is the perfect place for this spaceport. Everyone knows they want to see the new crafts launch and why travel all the way to Florida. More people from the Eastern US and our friends in Canada will be able to see the fireworks display. Remember, to the Canadians, Ohio is like Florida to them so it all makes sense.
Finally, THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY not only has the best football team in the nation, their hospital system is good enough to handle the certain disaster that will befall said spaceport should it ever happen. It disaster ever strikes, hopefully it will fall far enough east that it will take out the Pittsburgh Steeler's stadium while the are playing the Ravens (while Art Model is there). So yes, please add my reasons to why Columbus, OH and our $20 Million USD should be #1 on your list.
In closing I would like to say that Ohio State Football rocks, and that School up North sucks. Go Bucks!
For a second there I thought we had an article on the Bush Whitehouse. Must be 2nd fastest black hole, but don't worry because us Americans love to be #1.
To borrow from an unknown speaker, Apple should look to the following guidelines to increase their 12% retail market share in the US:
1. Continue to earn my trust -by putting out products that I know I can rely on. If there are "heating issues" then admit to it and fix them. If all G4 iMac's get video problems, then fess up in the forums or fix it. Honesty, and without fine print, is what keeps me coming back and choosing Apple or Dell. [Aspire to be IBM or better]
2. "Make it easier" - has kind of been Apple's moto over the years but their innovation in usability must continue to outpace the competition.
3. Work on "Fair Play" - as the whole iTunes (and other applications) DRM ties one into iPod only solutions. Customer's want "fair play" and just because iPod's are #1 now doesn't customers won't backlash once they find out iTunes locked their money away for life. Remember, you're not Microsoft.
4. Keep inspiring me -by putting out products that stand above the competition and dare me to use my full potential as a technology-user.
5. Listen to me and remember me -by taking what trends work in Windows and Linux and mixing them with questions and issues real users have. Maybe that means there is a "Pro desktop" (uber-user only) and a "Beginner desktop" (standard OS X features) such as the KDE and Gnome desktops are looked at in the Linux world.
--- The last item is so important that there is no number good enough --- Overdeliver - by exceeding my expectations and remembering that the little things can mean a lot.
These are items all companies should strive to meet but especially Apple at this pivotal stage in their rebirth. 12% retail market share is nothing to laugh at and I hope they continue to climb as all consumers win when more choice and competition are available (typical American viewpoint I know...).
Pay attention product managers of the world; There is no doubt that Sony went backwards at E3 and I feel that comes down to Sony simply not managing expectations. In my opinion, it looks as if Sony's "bean counters" are in charge of launching the PS3, and therefore, their obsession with costs vs. value vs. the competition led them astray.
On the technical side of things, I can see paying $300 USD on a video game console and perhaps paying $300 for a high-def DVD player. In addition, the argument that a Blu-ray player will be $600-$800 at the time of the PS3 release is valid, again on the technical side of things. So techinically the PS3 is a huge value, but what were are talking about is the difference between "happy" and "right".
On the marketing side, Sony lost most of its momentum at E3 and it appears most consumers are not happy or feel deflated after the event. Even after Microsoft's somewhat successful Xbox 360 launch, Sony was carrying a ton of momentum behind the PS3's launch. Somewhere they fell victim similar to what Microsoft is falling victim to on the OS side of things; Over promising and under delivering.
Sony has delayed it's launch and watered down its feature list, while at the same time targeting a price range that is unrealistic to the expectations of most consumers. Sony must realize that the market has not forgotten the Beta vs VHS battles (and others) and one could argue that the PSP handheld has been an absolute bust for Sony. So both their past, and present history points to trouble and sometimes the perception is greater than the reality.
Sony missed it's target at E3 and now will have much work to do before the official launch in November. My opinion is that Sony must try to use Apple-like marketing techniques to move the Sony PS3 upscale from the Xbox 360 just as Apple has tried to do with their whole product line. If Sony couldn't hear the market before E3, I guarantee they can hear it now. The price is way too much for the perceived value of the machine vs. the competition. In the end, Sony needs to under promise and over deliver if it is to maintain any of its previous market share.
The debate over OpenOffice 2 vs MS Office 200X shouldn't even be taking place. Why? Because OO 2 isn't even out yet.
There should be an unwritten rule that you cannot review an application until it is actually released (It would be a preview otherwise). That would hopefully discourage FOOS companies from using these incredibly long beta periods. Thus have smaller yet shorter improvement cycles.
OO 2 has been in beta longer than Office XP had shelf-life and its starting to get a little stale. Are they trying to take a page from Google and have everything listed as beta forever?
What the folks at http://openoffice.org/ need to do is get a workable product out the door. Don't get me wrong, I rate the latest beta, but they need to stop swinging for the fences and just get a hit.
There used to be this Lipton ice tea add that said, "Save it for the sequel..." That is what the fine people at OO need to do. Let the battle on Office 2003 take place with v3 of OpenOffice and get a working product out right now.
I was personally hoping to deploy OO 2 to 8,000+ workstations in a K-12 environment, thus giving our stakeholders a better product and save our district $500,000 USD in MS subscriptions. However, with the delay of a "totally supported product" from OO our tech committee decided to stick with Office XP or 2003 (woo is me, right). As they say in NASCAR country, "Get er' done!"
Slashdot Mirror
Official reports that Android 2.1 is delayed yet again and will not be released at noon Thursday March 18th. Heard the real reason for the latest delay on the Android 2.1 update for Droid phones is due to Motorola’s distribution vendor (Bitfone- now owned by HP). They are having capacity problems with a) the Bitfone application that distributes the updates and b) capacity issues with the current network infrastructure that hosts this application. Suckie.
I don't know how fair TFA is but...
Apple would do a lot better in my department (one of the biggest departments at one of the biggest universities in the world) if they would get serious about enterprise support.
My gripes:
1) If my Xserv fails, I need to call Apple, they will possibly send parts or repairmen but they really want me to fix it myself using my spare kit. I just don't feel that is optimal compared to IBM server support.
2) Their volume discount is a total rip-off. Again, I am at a major university and our discount is basically the same as the Apple Education Store discount. It is really hard for me to justify my purchases and commitment to Apple.
3) On a related topic, I know months in advance what machines are coming out and can thus plan accordingly. Apple, with its flair for the dramatic, wants to keep all this hidden and secret. Again it really hurts my efforts when compared to IBM, Dell, and HP.
4) The Apple support network is a total joke compared to Microsoft or even Novell. Basically I have the same support that non-enterprise Linux has. My best sources are AFP548, MacEnterprise, and sometimes the Apple Support forums.
5) For those of us that have to integrate with a Microsoft world, AD-OD integration still has a long way to go. Apple seems to break their AD support with every other service pack. I can't believe this couldn't be done better. I know Microsoft has issues with their service packs, but honestly, does it have to be this bad?
Basically I feel that Apple is such a consumer company rather than enterprise. This hurts Apple penetration, bottom-line sales, and future buy-in from potential customers who want to use the same platform at home that they use at work.
Steve Jobs just can't get out of his own ego's way to let the correct thing happen. Matt Feeman, our sales rep, is a total waste yet has carried his job for many many years now. There really is no fun left in Apple and only diehard fanboys (myself?) can continue to run what is, IMHO, the Unix-like distributions.
Update:
If your suit happens to have a gorilla or crab logo instead of normal lice, then please burn yourself immediately. If not, it will burn you.
What to do if you suddenly have a craving for bloody hair:
Symptom(s):
You wake up covered in a cool looking black spandex-like suit with the symbol of lice. You have superhuman itching powers. You have what looks to be snow drifts in your hair. You love bloody hair (both above and below the border).
Cause:
You are infected with the evolved Alien Symbiote version not mentioned in the article. It is believed this form came from outer-space however no wiki article or blog has yet to confirm this.
Treatment:
Climb the nearest bell tower and ring bell while you stand directly under it. Then remove weakened suit of black lice eggs and burn it. Next, take a shower and wash your nasty hair with gasoline. Finally, use some Axe body spray to hid the gas smell and to bring the ladies back.
Props to Stan Lee and Peter Parker!
What I don't get is why Steve Jobs would even want to call it an iPhone. It is more than just a phone, right? Sure most mobile phones have the features this phone has but Apple is going for a revolution. So why call it something old school? Creativity and innovation doesn't have to stop at the naming of the product. They have a great brand in iChat as it is, so why not make a play around that? iChat mobile perhaps. Either way, I expect Apple to be more creative than just calling the device an iPhone. I say let Cisco have their DOA iPhone name that everyone will already think they ripped off Apple for. Then call your product something that is actually as innovative as the features and hype suggest.
Thats great Bill, but tell us something Wii didn't know.
...Of course this statement is true because no one will be using the PS3, period. I read this article thinking Sony wants to distance themselves from the 360 so they can standalone like the Wii. Therefore people will feel the need to pick up a PS3, in addition to the 360 and Wii they already own. It's not going to work Sony, you went on record saying you were the best and you were setting your sights on Microsoft. Stealing Nintendo's position of being separate from the pack is even worse than stealing their controller ideas.
Honestly, when Game Spot reports a major magazine wrote that the PS3, "just isn't that great", you have serious issues. These are the kind of media outlets that are supposed to be supporting you, not posting your eulogy.
The brash statements made Sony executive Phil Harrison are just more hyperbole from Sony trying to salvage their once great reputation. Those of us in the Internet Generation, or "Millennials", don't care about what Sony has done in the past; we care about who is doing good now. Meaning you have to bring your A-game every single time instead of resting our your forefather's laurels. Our friends don't like the PS3, they like the 360 and the Wii. And lets face it, the PS3 and the 360 are just alike, it's just the 360's overall execution is better.
Sony's hype will always be overshadowed by the haunting statement Time Magazine made about the PS3 having been beating by "something called a Wii.". Truth hurts, pal.
Any slashdotter will agree that Micro$oft is one of the greatest marketing companies of all times. They've put paid to companies far bigger than Sony (IBM anyone) and will continue to do so until some IT focused, consumer-orientated CEO decides to up his/her game.
After reading the article it seems weird to me the plight of AT&T. They had the world at their fingertips then suffered the backlash before being written off.
Now they are trying to upgrade their network and get back in the game. The only problem is, we all want to hate them again because of the same old monopoly fears.
Well I hate to say it but that is how business has been done throughout time. If a business wants to be successful it has to keep re-inventing and evolving itself. AT&T are trying to do just that on the infrastructure side of things, but the client services side of it all needs to evolve as well.
Until recently I lived in rural Wyoming with little or no choice in broadband service. In fact I didn't even have a provider when living in western Wyoming. Don't even get me started on the prices and reliability. The overall problem is "economy of scale", so to speak but also the local commissioners desire to keep the low-tech, 20th century way of life.
Now I am living just outside a town in Ohio with some 100,000+ people within 15 mile radius and I have exactly one (1) broadband provider charging $50/mth for shoddy service. If I wanted to switch to DSL, VerizonWireless package, or satellite the letters I would have to associate myself with would be S.O.L.
So if AT&T want to come in and install a huge network to give me choice, I'm all for it. I know their ROI will be good enough without the gouging IPTV or telephone service (who still uses landlines anyways). I just want a value-choice, more reliable coverage, and better speed. I won't need their mickey-mouse customer service if it all works right and looks good.
Give the consumers a chance with more choice, and if you don't want the triple-pay deal then just tune out. You'll have choices.
First off Columbus, Ohio is the perfect place for this spaceport. Everyone knows they want to see the new crafts launch and why travel all the way to Florida. More people from the Eastern US and our friends in Canada will be able to see the fireworks display. Remember, to the Canadians, Ohio is like Florida to them so it all makes sense.
Finally, THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY not only has the best football team in the nation, their hospital system is good enough to handle the certain disaster that will befall said spaceport should it ever happen. It disaster ever strikes, hopefully it will fall far enough east that it will take out the Pittsburgh Steeler's stadium while the are playing the Ravens (while Art Model is there). So yes, please add my reasons to why Columbus, OH and our $20 Million USD should be #1 on your list.
In closing I would like to say that Ohio State Football rocks, and that School up North sucks. Go Bucks!
For a second there I thought we had an article on the Bush Whitehouse. Must be 2nd fastest black hole, but don't worry because us Americans love to be #1.
"I shall call it, Project Jiffy Pop" -Dr. Evil
To borrow from an unknown speaker, Apple should look to the following guidelines to increase their 12% retail market share in the US:
1. Continue to earn my trust -by putting out products that I know I can rely on. If there are "heating issues" then admit to it and fix them. If all G4 iMac's get video problems, then fess up in the forums or fix it. Honesty, and without fine print, is what keeps me coming back and choosing Apple or Dell. [Aspire to be IBM or better]
2. "Make it easier" - has kind of been Apple's moto over the years but their innovation in usability must continue to outpace the competition.
3. Work on "Fair Play" - as the whole iTunes (and other applications) DRM ties one into iPod only solutions. Customer's want "fair play" and just because iPod's are #1 now doesn't customers won't backlash once they find out iTunes locked their money away for life. Remember, you're not Microsoft.
4. Keep inspiring me -by putting out products that stand above the competition and dare me to use my full potential as a technology-user.
5. Listen to me and remember me -by taking what trends work in Windows and Linux and mixing them with questions and issues real users have. Maybe that means there is a "Pro desktop" (uber-user only) and a "Beginner desktop" (standard OS X features) such as the KDE and Gnome desktops are looked at in the Linux world.
--- The last item is so important that there is no number good enough ---
Overdeliver - by exceeding my expectations and remembering that the little things can mean a lot.
These are items all companies should strive to meet but especially Apple at this pivotal stage in their rebirth. 12% retail market share is nothing to laugh at and I hope they continue to climb as all consumers win when more choice and competition are available (typical American viewpoint I know...).
Pay attention product managers of the world; There is no doubt that Sony went backwards at E3 and I feel that comes down to Sony simply not managing expectations. In my opinion, it looks as if Sony's "bean counters" are in charge of launching the PS3, and therefore, their obsession with costs vs. value vs. the competition led them astray.
On the technical side of things, I can see paying $300 USD on a video game console and perhaps paying $300 for a high-def DVD player. In addition, the argument that a Blu-ray player will be $600-$800 at the time of the PS3 release is valid, again on the technical side of things. So techinically the PS3 is a huge value, but what were are talking about is the difference between "happy" and "right".
On the marketing side, Sony lost most of its momentum at E3 and it appears most consumers are not happy or feel deflated after the event. Even after Microsoft's somewhat successful Xbox 360 launch, Sony was carrying a ton of momentum behind the PS3's launch. Somewhere they fell victim similar to what Microsoft is falling victim to on the OS side of things; Over promising and under delivering.
Sony has delayed it's launch and watered down its feature list, while at the same time targeting a price range that is unrealistic to the expectations of most consumers. Sony must realize that the market has not forgotten the Beta vs VHS battles (and others) and one could argue that the PSP handheld has been an absolute bust for Sony. So both their past, and present history points to trouble and sometimes the perception is greater than the reality.
Sony missed it's target at E3 and now will have much work to do before the official launch in November. My opinion is that Sony must try to use Apple-like marketing techniques to move the Sony PS3 upscale from the Xbox 360 just as Apple has tried to do with their whole product line. If Sony couldn't hear the market before E3, I guarantee they can hear it now. The price is way too much for the perceived value of the machine vs. the competition. In the end, Sony needs to under promise and over deliver if it is to maintain any of its previous market share.
The debate over OpenOffice 2 vs MS Office 200X shouldn't even be taking place. Why? Because OO 2 isn't even out yet.
There should be an unwritten rule that you cannot review an application until it is actually released (It would be a preview otherwise). That would hopefully discourage FOOS companies from using these incredibly long beta periods. Thus have smaller yet shorter improvement cycles.
OO 2 has been in beta longer than Office XP had shelf-life and its starting to get a little stale. Are they trying to take a page from Google and have everything listed as beta forever?What the folks at http://openoffice.org/ need to do is get a workable product out the door. Don't get me wrong, I rate the latest beta, but they need to stop swinging for the fences and just get a hit.
There used to be this Lipton ice tea add that said, "Save it for the sequel..." That is what the fine people at OO need to do. Let the battle on Office 2003 take place with v3 of OpenOffice and get a working product out right now.
I was personally hoping to deploy OO 2 to 8,000+ workstations in a K-12 environment, thus giving our stakeholders a better product and save our district $500,000 USD in MS subscriptions. However, with the delay of a "totally supported product" from OO our tech committee decided to stick with Office XP or 2003 (woo is me, right). As they say in NASCAR country, "Get er' done!"