I'd wager it's illegal - the "prize" is really just an open bounty on industrial espionage. Not sure, but that sounds pretty illegal to me. This isn't a scavenger hunt for "an apple, a blue dress, and page 297 from the phone book". This is the hunt for corporate secrets. Pretty clear cut to me and I'd image that high priced lawyers can make it even more clear cut than I can.
But the photorealistic CGI technology James Cameron perfected...
Whoa. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. It was damn impressive, but it most certainly wasn't perfect. It was always clear that what I was looking at was CG. It is not yet at a point where the computer is going to fool the viewer into thinking that what they are seeing is real. It's come a hell of a long way but we're not yet at "perfected." Not by a long shot.
Flamebait?? I crack a joke and get modded flamebait?? Ok, it wasn't a great joke but, wow... I didn't realize mounting sharks on lasers was such a touchy subject...
Do you honestly think that the US doesn't also have the same? Do you seriously think the US hasn't invested a substantial amount of resources into a similar effort? And several other nations as well... I think the point is this - most major nations that view intelligence and counter-intelligence as being important and worth spending resources on are probably more advanced in their cyberwarfare capabilities than most people realize.
I'm having that problem with my iPhone 3GS on the Telus network (in Canada). Unfortunately, Telus doesn't have an Edge system for my phone to fall back to so when it loses its 3G connection, it turns into an iPod... Often, switching it to airplane mode and then back is all it takes to reconnect, but it's a wee bit of a pain. I blame Telus, however - they (and Bell) rushed to get their 3G network launched so I figure it still has some issues to work out. Time, of course, will tell if my assumption is correct...
Good. Let a war wage on the DRM battlefield. Any war over DRM is good for users, eventually. In time, companies will start to realize they're dumping millions and millions into a system that might not be an industry standard and, in the end, never, ever, ever works. At some point, someone within those companies will catch a hint and realize it's an utter waste of resources. The more battles that are waged by media companies over DRM, the more likely that lightbulb moment will happen sooner rather than later.
In no particular order and making some assumptions that I think are pretty safe to make:
1) I have no problem with the virtual keyboard. I'm not going to be using the iTablet to write the next great American (well, Canadian) novel. I find the virtual keyboard on my iPod Touch and iPhone more than acceptable so I'm sure I'll find a virtual keyboard on an iTablet more than acceptable.
2) A large and portable media player? Sounds good to me.
3) A large and portable game system? Hell yeah. Given that the games for the iPhone are quite good, I'm sure games for this will be even better.
4) Imagine the possibilities. I work as a graphic designer and I can easily see the iTable serving as a wacom tablet-type device. The iPhone already has several apps that allow you to use your phone/iPod as a remote input device (some are quite sophisticated, in fact). Now, project that to a larger device and imagine the possibilities. For digital artists, that should tickle the fancy.
5) Beyond. The iPhone and iPod Touch have been pushed will beyond the boundaries that anyone imagine when they were first launched. People just saw them as iPod's with a screen and phone. Now they are being used for a ton of uses that nobody even vaguely considered (the remote mouse application is but one example). I'm certain the iTablet will similarly be pushed beyond what anyone can imagine because, well, developers are pretty creative folks and I trust that the legion of iPhone developers will also take a look at developing for the iTablet, guaranteeing some really cool stuff.
Why am I excited to see what the iTablet has to offer? Because Apple has earned my respect and admiration with their previous product offerings. Sure, they've fired some blanks in the past but, given that this product smacks of the iPod and iPhone, both of which shattered all expectations, to say the least, I think it's fair to be excited.
My friend is doing a graphic arts diploma and he doesnt even know anyone who cares about this.
Then tell your friend, from someone who's been a graphic designer for two decades, that he's an idiot. If he can't imagine an iTablet (or whatever it's called) also serving as a wacom tablet-type thing, which is a graphic designer's dream toy, then he's not going to be long for this career. If he can't imagine the possibilities that something like this provides someone who works with digital artwork, then he isn't creative enough for this business. I'm not saying this thing _will_ change the graphic design world but to not be able to imagine how it _could_ change how graphic designers work is pretty sad for someone who's working towards a degree in the field.
There's latent demand for a mobile computing device that's smaller and lighter than a laptop but has more screen real estate than a smartphone...
Nothing latent about it - this is _EXACTLY_ what I'm interested in seeing. While I would love a high end Mac laptop (among many other tech toys), I really just want an iPhone/iPod Touch on steroids and, from what I'd imagine, the "iTablet" (or whatever it will be called) will almost certainly fit that bill perfectly. The fact that it's from Apple and will surely have some additional surprises along the way is just icing on the cake.
Of course, time will tell if they deliver what I am looking for, but I suspect it'll be another damn cool piece of tech that I try to find a justification to buy.
Are they _TRYING_ to increase piracy of their movies? I actually think they are with a long-term view towards "See! Look! Piracy is on the rise! You MUST create new laws that enable us to control the populace's computers and media players!" I cannot imagine anybody not knowing this will increase piracy rates and, thus, I am forced to believe they're doing this with that goal intentionally in mind.
I'd wager it's because they've seen the writing on the wall and know that their days as the dominant force in the software market are numbered and their only hope of longterm viability is to diversify. With well-funded, experienced, intelligent, and innovative companies (Google, first and foremost among them) directly attacking Microsoft's core business, it's only a matter of time before one of them succeeds. Microsoft probably wants to make sure their house of cards doesn't completely collapse if/when that happens.
Well, surely all those consumers will see through this ruse just like they did when Microsoft released the Zune... oh, wait, that's still being shoved down our throats and people are still buying it.
Really? A vast majority of my friends have an iPod (hell, my mother has one and she's a techno-neanderthal) but I don't know a single person who has a Zune. Not one. Nobody. Now, I'm sure some people are buying them but I'd wager it's not making waves and deserves to be overlooked when talking about Microsoft managing to successfully sell a product in a market in which they are considered novices.
And I'll be kind and let the XBox one go because it has sold in considerable numbers despite the fact that it seems to have a 100%+ failure rate (over 100% because people have had multiple failures with a single XBox...).
Seriously. There were better phones, hardware-wise, when the iPhone first launched. And there's always been better phones. And I'm willing to bet there will always be better phones, hardware-wise.
It. Does. Not. Matter.
The iPhone's success is not linked to its hardware. When you figure that out - when you realize why the iPhone is actually successful - you might begin to understand what it takes to make the fabled iPhone-killer.
Maybe Apple will finally get it through their heads and open up the iPhone for real development...
Oh gawd, when are people going to get it. Just because it's important to you does not mean it's important to 99.99% of the other people out there. Hell, I'm a geek and it isn't important to me. Most people don't give a rat's ass about the iPhone not being an open platform. Hell, a vast, significant majority of people don't even know what an open platform is...
Better display and better hardware than the iphone as well. To be honest, this sounds like a winner.
Sorry, but I've heard this argument before in discussion about the iPod. 1,001 times before. Every time I hear it, it clearly tells me the commenter just doesn't get it. You clearly do not understand why the iPhone is successful. Here's a tip: the iPhone wasn't the best hardware when it came out. It's never been the best hardware. There's always been phones with superior hardware offerings. Yet it still is an enormous success. Figure out the reason for that "yet" and you might realize why your "better hardware" point is absolutely meaningless.
Or, to put it more bluntly, this phone might be a damn snazzy phone and absolutely kick ass in a lot of ways but it won't be an iPhone killer.
...it really appears that Google is going to be pushing into new spaces in the next few years.
Sorry for being a smartass (blame it on me being at work for one day during the holidays...) but, really, who didn't already know that? Especially if you're even a casual reader of slashdot. It's clear that Google is an expanding company who's focused on a wide offering of products and services that are internet- and information-related. Anyone who doesn't know that Google is planning on pushing into new market segments hasn't been paying a hint of attention.
... development is underway for the new iPhone 4...
I hate to break it to you but development for iPhone 4 was probably underway, oh, about a year or more ago. Heck, development for iPhone 5 features are probably underway right now as well. Apple is, among many things, a very forward-thinking company (like virtually all companies of their size and success) so they are developing many things that are years (plural) away from release.
In other words, this is news how? Who here didn't already know that development was underway?
As a Canadian, to all foreign powers who demand we change our laws to match yours, I say fuck you. Get your house in order before you tell us how to get ours in order.
Your complaint is that the game breaks from realism? Seriously? You want to play a fantasy game that is realistic? That would be the worst game EVAR! If you didn't die instantly from a rogue jabbing a dagger into your kidneys or an archer putting an arrow into your eye socket, you'd probably end up dead from an infected wound. This is FANTASY! Learn the concept or go play a different game.
Prediction: In response to these new privacy concerns, Facebook will change their privacy policy, tightening up security over the information people are concerned about. At the same time, they will loosen security over other information, starting a new wave of complaints.
Let's be real - this is, what, the fourth or fifth time this sort of thing has happened and every time it does, Facebook changes their policy by tightening "here" while loosening "there". This will be no different.
Slashdot Mirror
I'd wager it's illegal - the "prize" is really just an open bounty on industrial espionage. Not sure, but that sounds pretty illegal to me. This isn't a scavenger hunt for "an apple, a blue dress, and page 297 from the phone book". This is the hunt for corporate secrets. Pretty clear cut to me and I'd image that high priced lawyers can make it even more clear cut than I can.
But the photorealistic CGI technology James Cameron perfected...
Whoa. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. It was damn impressive, but it most certainly wasn't perfect. It was always clear that what I was looking at was CG. It is not yet at a point where the computer is going to fool the viewer into thinking that what they are seeing is real. It's come a hell of a long way but we're not yet at "perfected." Not by a long shot.
Did you just hear a loud "WOOSH!"?
Flamebait?? I crack a joke and get modded flamebait?? Ok, it wasn't a great joke but, wow... I didn't realize mounting sharks on lasers was such a touchy subject...
http://store.kodak.com/store/ekconsus/en_US/home
Sure looks like a patent troll to me.
Well, there is a troll involved here but it certainly isn't Kodak.
Sorry, but you have it wrong. Apple is always an innovator.
The iSlate is going to have shark-mounted lasers.
In the past year, how many times have you used the key?
Now, go ask 1,000 random people on the street how many times they've used it in the last 5 years.
I strongly suspect that you've used it more times in one year than 1,000 random people have in the last five years. What does that tell you?
Do you honestly think that the US doesn't also have the same? Do you seriously think the US hasn't invested a substantial amount of resources into a similar effort? And several other nations as well... I think the point is this - most major nations that view intelligence and counter-intelligence as being important and worth spending resources on are probably more advanced in their cyberwarfare capabilities than most people realize.
I'm having that problem with my iPhone 3GS on the Telus network (in Canada). Unfortunately, Telus doesn't have an Edge system for my phone to fall back to so when it loses its 3G connection, it turns into an iPod... Often, switching it to airplane mode and then back is all it takes to reconnect, but it's a wee bit of a pain. I blame Telus, however - they (and Bell) rushed to get their 3G network launched so I figure it still has some issues to work out. Time, of course, will tell if my assumption is correct...
Good. Let a war wage on the DRM battlefield. Any war over DRM is good for users, eventually. In time, companies will start to realize they're dumping millions and millions into a system that might not be an industry standard and, in the end, never, ever, ever works. At some point, someone within those companies will catch a hint and realize it's an utter waste of resources. The more battles that are waged by media companies over DRM, the more likely that lightbulb moment will happen sooner rather than later.
In no particular order and making some assumptions that I think are pretty safe to make:
1) I have no problem with the virtual keyboard. I'm not going to be using the iTablet to write the next great American (well, Canadian) novel. I find the virtual keyboard on my iPod Touch and iPhone more than acceptable so I'm sure I'll find a virtual keyboard on an iTablet more than acceptable.
2) A large and portable media player? Sounds good to me.
3) A large and portable game system? Hell yeah. Given that the games for the iPhone are quite good, I'm sure games for this will be even better.
4) Imagine the possibilities. I work as a graphic designer and I can easily see the iTable serving as a wacom tablet-type device. The iPhone already has several apps that allow you to use your phone/iPod as a remote input device (some are quite sophisticated, in fact). Now, project that to a larger device and imagine the possibilities. For digital artists, that should tickle the fancy.
5) Beyond. The iPhone and iPod Touch have been pushed will beyond the boundaries that anyone imagine when they were first launched. People just saw them as iPod's with a screen and phone. Now they are being used for a ton of uses that nobody even vaguely considered (the remote mouse application is but one example). I'm certain the iTablet will similarly be pushed beyond what anyone can imagine because, well, developers are pretty creative folks and I trust that the legion of iPhone developers will also take a look at developing for the iTablet, guaranteeing some really cool stuff.
Why am I excited to see what the iTablet has to offer? Because Apple has earned my respect and admiration with their previous product offerings. Sure, they've fired some blanks in the past but, given that this product smacks of the iPod and iPhone, both of which shattered all expectations, to say the least, I think it's fair to be excited.
My friend is doing a graphic arts diploma and he doesnt even know anyone who cares about this.
Then tell your friend, from someone who's been a graphic designer for two decades, that he's an idiot. If he can't imagine an iTablet (or whatever it's called) also serving as a wacom tablet-type thing, which is a graphic designer's dream toy, then he's not going to be long for this career. If he can't imagine the possibilities that something like this provides someone who works with digital artwork, then he isn't creative enough for this business. I'm not saying this thing _will_ change the graphic design world but to not be able to imagine how it _could_ change how graphic designers work is pretty sad for someone who's working towards a degree in the field.
There's latent demand for a mobile computing device that's smaller and lighter than a laptop but has more screen real estate than a smartphone...
Nothing latent about it - this is _EXACTLY_ what I'm interested in seeing. While I would love a high end Mac laptop (among many other tech toys), I really just want an iPhone/iPod Touch on steroids and, from what I'd imagine, the "iTablet" (or whatever it will be called) will almost certainly fit that bill perfectly. The fact that it's from Apple and will surely have some additional surprises along the way is just icing on the cake.
Of course, time will tell if they deliver what I am looking for, but I suspect it'll be another damn cool piece of tech that I try to find a justification to buy.
Are they _TRYING_ to increase piracy of their movies? I actually think they are with a long-term view towards "See! Look! Piracy is on the rise! You MUST create new laws that enable us to control the populace's computers and media players!" I cannot imagine anybody not knowing this will increase piracy rates and, thus, I am forced to believe they're doing this with that goal intentionally in mind.
I'd wager it's because they've seen the writing on the wall and know that their days as the dominant force in the software market are numbered and their only hope of longterm viability is to diversify. With well-funded, experienced, intelligent, and innovative companies (Google, first and foremost among them) directly attacking Microsoft's core business, it's only a matter of time before one of them succeeds. Microsoft probably wants to make sure their house of cards doesn't completely collapse if/when that happens.
Well, surely all those consumers will see through this ruse just like they did when Microsoft released the Zune ... oh, wait, that's still being shoved down our throats and people are still buying it.
Really? A vast majority of my friends have an iPod (hell, my mother has one and she's a techno-neanderthal) but I don't know a single person who has a Zune. Not one. Nobody. Now, I'm sure some people are buying them but I'd wager it's not making waves and deserves to be overlooked when talking about Microsoft managing to successfully sell a product in a market in which they are considered novices.
And I'll be kind and let the XBox one go because it has sold in considerable numbers despite the fact that it seems to have a 100%+ failure rate (over 100% because people have had multiple failures with a single XBox...).
The iPhone is no longer king! Hoorah!
Ok. Listen closely.
The iPhone wasn't king WHEN IT CAME OUT!
Seriously. There were better phones, hardware-wise, when the iPhone first launched. And there's always been better phones. And I'm willing to bet there will always be better phones, hardware-wise.
It. Does. Not. Matter.
The iPhone's success is not linked to its hardware. When you figure that out - when you realize why the iPhone is actually successful - you might begin to understand what it takes to make the fabled iPhone-killer.
Maybe Apple will finally get it through their heads and open up the iPhone for real development...
Oh gawd, when are people going to get it. Just because it's important to you does not mean it's important to 99.99% of the other people out there. Hell, I'm a geek and it isn't important to me. Most people don't give a rat's ass about the iPhone not being an open platform. Hell, a vast, significant majority of people don't even know what an open platform is...
Better display and better hardware than the iphone as well. To be honest, this sounds like a winner.
Sorry, but I've heard this argument before in discussion about the iPod. 1,001 times before. Every time I hear it, it clearly tells me the commenter just doesn't get it. You clearly do not understand why the iPhone is successful. Here's a tip: the iPhone wasn't the best hardware when it came out. It's never been the best hardware. There's always been phones with superior hardware offerings. Yet it still is an enormous success. Figure out the reason for that "yet" and you might realize why your "better hardware" point is absolutely meaningless.
Or, to put it more bluntly, this phone might be a damn snazzy phone and absolutely kick ass in a lot of ways but it won't be an iPhone killer.
...it really appears that Google is going to be pushing into new spaces in the next few years.
Sorry for being a smartass (blame it on me being at work for one day during the holidays...) but, really, who didn't already know that? Especially if you're even a casual reader of slashdot. It's clear that Google is an expanding company who's focused on a wide offering of products and services that are internet- and information-related. Anyone who doesn't know that Google is planning on pushing into new market segments hasn't been paying a hint of attention.
... development is underway for the new iPhone 4...
I hate to break it to you but development for iPhone 4 was probably underway, oh, about a year or more ago. Heck, development for iPhone 5 features are probably underway right now as well. Apple is, among many things, a very forward-thinking company (like virtually all companies of their size and success) so they are developing many things that are years (plural) away from release.
In other words, this is news how? Who here didn't already know that development was underway?
I'm not a lawyer so I don't know what a "writ of certiorari" is - is that a "we're too special to follow the law so please allow us to break it"?
(Yes, yes, I'm going to google it (not Bing! it...) to find out what it really is but I want to make a point before I go...)
As a Canadian, to all foreign powers who demand we change our laws to match yours, I say fuck you. Get your house in order before you tell us how to get ours in order.
Your complaint is that the game breaks from realism? Seriously? You want to play a fantasy game that is realistic? That would be the worst game EVAR! If you didn't die instantly from a rogue jabbing a dagger into your kidneys or an archer putting an arrow into your eye socket, you'd probably end up dead from an infected wound. This is FANTASY! Learn the concept or go play a different game.
Prediction: In response to these new privacy concerns, Facebook will change their privacy policy, tightening up security over the information people are concerned about. At the same time, they will loosen security over other information, starting a new wave of complaints.
Let's be real - this is, what, the fourth or fifth time this sort of thing has happened and every time it does, Facebook changes their policy by tightening "here" while loosening "there". This will be no different.