I did smile at the joke, but I still have a lot of admiration for NASA. I am a brit, and yes I was disappointed when the Beagle 2 probe was lost.
However, I still remember as a kid, I used to be awed with NASA, and its space shuttle launches, etc. As a child it was what I associated America with: space, advancing to new frontiers, etc, and NASA usually was the center of my aspirations. I used to dream of being on a Shuttle, and often felt jealous (in a positive way) for what our friends across the pond was up to.
In recent years, and recent news, which unfortunately put the USA in a poor light amongst some, NASA with their exploits brought back some memories about why I aspired towards America; that "can do attitude".
Sure they have messed up, at times. but space exploration is like that. Their successes usually are just as great.
These rovers were built to run for 3 months. They are running for on their fifth year now. Absolutely amazing!
The official reason of how they underestimated the abilities for the wind to clean the sensors, may be correct, but in this day and age, where items are engineered to last their intended lifespan, whoever designed these things still didnt "cheap out" on the rest of the vehicle.
These are not cheap little radio controlled dune buggy models for use on earth, but self maintaining vehicles that for nearly 5 years have operated in a hostile, largely unknown environment with no physical attention!
So hats off to NASA and JPL. And god speed on the new mission. And thanks for giving this older man a thing something to smile about in these times of drab news.
please read my answer to the person below, then re-read my original post, then understand yoru comment is pretty redundant.
i never said i use so called "audiophile" cables. as they ARE pure BS. Hence why i made such a huge dig about the gold plated crap. (i NEVER buy gold plated cables).
I use MAINS wire as speaker wire. I have huge celestion speakers, with a 15 inch driver. You CANNOT use thin speaker wire with those, it will burn out in a month. THATS hat I was taking about matching chemically/electrically and Mechanically. sure if you have micro speakers, any wire will do the job JUST FINE.
And YES, I have been on blind tests with a good source material, and can tell the difference between a good set-up and a bad setup.
I have issues with BOSE, but then i thin BOSE are overpriced crap. (diminishing returns which i mentioned).
At WHAT point did I EVER say they are "audiophile" cables. I just said MATCHED cables, IE chemically/electrically (impedance) and Mechanically (good cinch Connections). the "cables" I use are matched. NOT gold plated, and NOT mega expensive. if you really READ what I wrote, you would have seen that.
Maybe you shoudl READ before you make a huge sprout!
I actually use Mains wire for my speaker cables, as it gives VERY good impedance, and a nice clean sound, since I am driving two huge celestion speakers with 12 inch drivers. Mains cable is cheap, and is designed to carry 13 Amps at 240Volts.
my optical cables are just normal ones, I picked up, as they are only less than a meter.
My analogue cables are just some decent OFC cables, which are not in the "audiophile" blister box, but fit nicely on the socket, and give a nice clean signal (they are NOT gold plated for reasons i gave in my original post- hint corrosion).
I repeat, real audiophiles are NOT swayed by flashy gold plated monster cables. These are pureply consumer gimmicks with little or no real benefit. We make sure th impedance of the cable is right (usually the case), and the connectors are chemically and electically matched (to avoid damaging the connectors).
Those monstor cables that you described is likely to damage the connectors on my reciever, as they are not gold plated.
Downloading whilst on a call/anything else. This is something my Nokia N95 (with less memory/processor/etc) can do quite well, without making the phone run like a pig. it does it ALL THE TIME, i have a permanent persistent IMAP mail connection, which whilst on 3G can check and download mail with attachments while i am on a call. It cannot do it in 2G, but thats because 2G doesn't allow it (limited bandwidth of the 2G network). IF i was downloading via WiFi, I can still receive a call/anything. The GPS works, it multitasks VERY well thank you.
Even my K800i which i had previously did all that well (it downloaded a firmware update whilst i was on a call, then waited till I finished the call to actually update).
Windows Mobile may be slow/sluggish, but that is probably more due to the OS. I never had any problems multitaskign on either the N95 or the K800, both MUCH less powerful in terms of processor than the iPhone.
In terms of multitasking, the biggest killer of battery life on my N95 is the Nokia Maps (with GPS) and also MSN Messenger (on N95) which really kills when connected. but the IMAP Push/RSS readers/MMS autodownload and others, leaving it on has very negligible impact on battery life.
And I am a HEAVY phone user (calls and data).
Regarding your comment about BT.
on BOTH the N95, and the K800i, using BT stereo audio can have LESS impact on Battery Life than using the wired headset. This is more true when u actually use a decent set of headphones for the wired connection. I have repeatedly tested this (as well as used a current monitor).
In case you are surprised by this, bluetooth does NOT use as much current as you think. it can be LESS than trying to directly drive a decent set of headphones.
MMS may be more "expensive" than email, but its used a LOT in Europe. Maybe it hasn't caught on in USA, god knows. but sometimes, people find it just easier to take a pic, and send it via MMS direct to their friends or use bluetooth if they are close by, neither of which is supported by the iPhone.
As for signal Reception. I have again tested it. YES it has the same "pickup" quality as most phones. The problem is its BEHAVIOUR, in especially marginal areas. The iphone 3G drops calls more often (compared to the n95 and the K800 i tested which more likely than not, just seamlessly transfers to 2g, even during the call). This is in the UK. the network is NOT an issue here!
I take it you are from the UK? I can tell from the way you have written that.
It may be pointless to argue your very valid points. The reason is, over here in the UK, mobile technology has arguably been more advanced for a long time. so we are actually aware of such technology. MMS is something that is still very alien to the USA/Canada.
Remember here in Europe, we would get a phone and then have to wait for the networks to "catch up" to use some of the new features on the phone.increase the catch up phase, and you can probably see why some of the things you mentioned are still unknown in USA.
I dont know about you, but when I am on the train, the phone I see most is still the N95 (either the silver or the black one), as well as various Sony Ericssons.
I myself have written a very similar post to yours in reply.
The application called "Level" has been available on a Nokia N95 before the iPhone (2g) was released.
Also the "Shazam" capability has been built in on SonyEricsson handsets for ages (as TrackID).
Shazam is available on the N95, and other phones too, and actually allow you to purchase and download the song, if you wish.
Sorry, but when it comes to a phone, the N95 is MORE capable than the iPhone.
The iPhone DOES have a great interface, and is very sleek to look at, that part is agreed. But, take the "podcasting" app that was blocked by Apple. The N95 has it built in, as part of the phone, SIP (standard VoiceOverIP) functionality built in. It has a built in DNLA server, which streams out your media to DNLA recievers (loads, including the PS3). Works as a tethered phone.
Has a Radio.
Even in terms of sound quality, I remember reading up on a site (I cant find the URL) where the reviewer did qualitative tests on various portable devices in terms of there audio playback quality. the Sony Walkmans, and Samsung players were rated highly, and the "Best" of the mobile phones at the time was the SE K800i (very close to the Sony Walkman), followed by some other SonyEricssons and Nokias. The ipods (Except for the Shuffle which was surprisingly good) all came on the bottom 50% of the list, with the iPod Touch, and the iPhone the worst.
the N95 supports dual 3(.5)g/2.5G mode, so the phone will automatically switch to 2G if the 3g signal goes ape, even DURING a call, without dropping the call. (The iphone 3G completely fails on that, it has NEVER worked in my tests)
I am not an apple degrader. I have a iPod Touch (despite the lower sound quality) as it makes a VERY good vodcast viewer, and portable movie player, and a decent accessible sound player. My phones are a N95, and a k800i (i carry two phones).
I tested an iPhone 2G, returned it and bought a touch instead. I have also tested my friends iphone 3g.
My real worry is that it may not even be the person mentioned in the CV at fault.
Assume the following scenario.
X has a USB drive with confidential infomation, which he keeps in his desks, it may even be a backup of sorts.
Y is a trainee/intern who is doing an OEM machine image. He gets his instructions which say "get a USB drive to perform the next steps". He doesnt have a USB flash drive, so he asks X if he can borrow a USB flash drive to "install something"
X, who may be busy and mislead by the rather vague request may think that Y wants to download something from the internet. A driver or something, and says, "sure use the drive on my desk, do not delete anything"
Y follows the instructions, and the debacle above happens, but no-one knows yet, and the above exchange is forgotten. Maybe Y is an intern and has even left the company by now... some time later....
Although not a "Mac" per se, but there was a case where iPods were accidentally sold with a virus on them (plug it in, and bang you are infected - windows users only)
However, there comes a point where it becomes ABSOLUTELY ridiculous. I am very keen on my sounds, and have some high end equipment in my living room.
As you said, to get the best out of it, you NEED high end throughout, no point having a "weakest link". So the source should be good quality well recorded CD/SACD/DVD-Audio/Other LossLess format. No point using a "high end" system with low quality MP3s.
Where the source is digital, ideally keep the signal digital, and unprocessed to the receiver, via TOSlink/SPDIF/HDMI(BluRay), and use the same transmission as the source, so if the source is CD, ensure the transmission is 44.1khz, 16bit,stereo. I have seen so called "Gold Plated TOSlink Optical cables" begin sold for a huge premium. This is ridiculous, as the gold plating has absolutely no effect on an optical cable. Instead, you want to know the quality of the glass used. Again, this is somethign that makes more of a issue with distance. For a 1m Cable, the absolute top quality may be overkill, as signal degradation will be lower than the tolerances of the error correction system. Again the key here is that Digital degrades differently to analogue, and may be up to a point far more forgiving.
For analogue (and electrical based digital cabling), you need impedance matched "OxygenFree" cabling, where the connectors are electrically/chemically and mechanically matched. No point using a Cable with Gold Plated connectors, if the sockets on the source, or receiver is normal steel (this is a BAD thing, to mix gold plated and non gold plated, especially silver).
The same thing applies to speaker wires/connectors, make sure they are matched to the speakers, and the source.
Oh, and while we are going on, the room itself can make a difference, carpets vs hard floors, wall coverings, etc.
Not forgetting the listeners eardrums being fully functional!
The point being, I agree with you that to create a High End system is very involved. It may also a case at one point the increasing costs may give diminishing returns, but a true audiophile who wants the absolute best, will not hesitate creating a full system taking into account the above.
However, the grandparent poster (despite his slightly trollish nature), was trying to take a digg at the average "joe public" who has won a bonus, etc, and wants to show off his new found wealth, and buy a "gold plated" 3.5mm cable to connect his iPod filled with 128kbps MP3 to a "monster" HiFi boombox. Or worse, a gold plated TosLink from his basic DVD player to his TV.
I dont know... things have been changing a LOT in Sony Land, maybe the shellackign they got over the rootkit fiasco, and other things. But looking at the PS3, maybe there are some changes coming on that front.
[Sarcasm on] And not to forget the "Colossal Flop" of the Sony invented 3.5inch Floppy disk! [Sarcasm off]
Sony has invented some great stuff, as well as some duds. MiniDisc, and BetaMax were technically superior at the time, but the marketing lot screwed both.
MiniDisc was in fact a REALLY good idea at the time, a portable recordable medium that was at least durable, at a time when Solid State was not really there.
Yes it does contain a JAVA VM..... (so no "native code execution"). it can "technically" patch a device, but only for the runtime of the disc. the VM prevents permanent changes to the system. So yes, it may prevent a disc from playing on a hacked system, but should not change the system.
That doesnt mean that Firmware updates can be distributed via BD, but they will be a player by player package, and do ask confirmation.
actually pretty much EVERYTHING in the UK is now sold by and used in metric. the only things that are still imperial, and mainly for traditional reasons are Beer (and only when ordered in pints at a pub), and distance and speed is still in miles and miles per hour.
This Anonymous Coward may actually have a point. Sony HAVE taken an absolute shellacking over the last few years, with the rootkit disaster, overpriced hardware, and the initial PS3 firmware.
They seem to have changed their attitude a lot in recent years, especially on the PS3 side, where people are surprised at how "open" the company became. On the hardware level, the PS3 is pretty open for a closed platform (normal USB/blutooth hardware, user replaceable standard SATA harddisks, etc) and the improvements in the firmware were surprising too, for example full certified DivX (And XviD) support etc.
And they have some products that are really good value, for example the LCD bravia we bought recently, is very much in the normal price range, but had an amazing amount of features, even compared to the Samsung equivalent.
God knows, maybe Engineers are once again slowly gaining control of the company, instead of the lawyers and marketing folks who seem to have previously been dominant.
OR maybe they are taking cues from SonyEricsson - a joint venture company where Both Sony and Ericsson have an equal stake. SonyEriccson phones are far more "open" and standards based than phoens such as Nokia, and once had the distinction of being the only music players in sony's range that dont support ATRAC. SonyEricsson are still very much engineering based, with the UK Head Office only providing a thin management, and marketing of the products created.
Sony DVD players dont support DivX/Xvid? thats strange! I am sure I have seen a Sony DVD player with DivX support.
I can also confirm that that the Sony PS3 DOES support DivX, and is actually officially certified by DivX Networks.
It naturally supports XviD too, in full upscaling mode. IT looks really gorgeous lookign at some of my XviD stuff on a 1080p screen with full upscaling, via my PS3!
"10.2 You may not (and you may not permit anyone else to) copy, modify, create a derivative work of, reverse engineer, decompile or otherwise attempt to extract the source code of the Software or any part thereof, unless this is expressly permitted or required by law, or unless you have been specifically told that you may do so by Google, in writing
They are NOT trying to dislodge Microsoft (or IE), as such. They want to dislodge none standards compliant browsers, and prevent a single company having "defacto" control of the browser standards, instead of W3C.
Currently, promoting standards compliance, means reducing IE's dominance.
Slashdot Mirror
No you are correct, they have been up for over 4 and a half years, so they ARE in their fifth year :)
I did smile at the joke, but I still have a lot of admiration for NASA. I am a brit, and yes I was disappointed when the Beagle 2 probe was lost.
However, I still remember as a kid, I used to be awed with NASA, and its space shuttle launches, etc. As a child it was what I associated America with: space, advancing to new frontiers, etc, and NASA usually was the center of my aspirations. I used to dream of being on a Shuttle, and often felt jealous (in a positive way) for what our friends across the pond was up to.
In recent years, and recent news, which unfortunately put the USA in a poor light amongst some, NASA with their exploits brought back some memories about why I aspired towards America; that "can do attitude".
Sure they have messed up, at times. but space exploration is like that. Their successes usually are just as great.
These rovers were built to run for 3 months. They are running for on their fifth year now. Absolutely amazing!
The official reason of how they underestimated the abilities for the wind to clean the sensors, may be correct, but in this day and age, where items are engineered to last their intended lifespan, whoever designed these things still didnt "cheap out" on the rest of the vehicle.
These are not cheap little radio controlled dune buggy models for use on earth, but self maintaining vehicles that for nearly 5 years have operated in a hostile, largely unknown environment with no physical attention!
So hats off to NASA and JPL. And god speed on the new mission. And thanks for giving this older man a thing something to smile about in these times of drab news.
And remember, these robots are performing far beyond their original expected lifespan!
(So much for our beagle 2 project :( - I am a brit)
But, seriously, well done NASA.
No, because DVD media does NOT subsidize the the hardware :)
The T-Mbile G1.... is made by.... HTC..... in case you didnt realise!
please read my answer to the person below, then re-read my original post, then understand yoru comment is pretty redundant.
i never said i use so called "audiophile" cables. as they ARE pure BS. Hence why i made such a huge dig about the gold plated crap. (i NEVER buy gold plated cables).
I use MAINS wire as speaker wire. I have huge celestion speakers, with a 15 inch driver. You CANNOT use thin speaker wire with those, it will burn out in a month. THATS hat I was taking about matching chemically/electrically and Mechanically. sure if you have micro speakers, any wire will do the job JUST FINE.
And YES, I have been on blind tests with a good source material, and can tell the difference between a good set-up and a bad setup.
I have issues with BOSE, but then i thin BOSE are overpriced crap. (diminishing returns which i mentioned).
At WHAT point did I EVER say they are "audiophile" cables. I just said MATCHED cables, IE chemically/electrically (impedance) and Mechanically (good cinch Connections). the "cables" I use are matched. NOT gold plated, and NOT mega expensive. if you really READ what I wrote, you would have seen that.
Maybe you shoudl READ before you make a huge sprout!
I actually use Mains wire for my speaker cables, as it gives VERY good impedance, and a nice clean sound, since I am driving two huge celestion speakers with 12 inch drivers. Mains cable is cheap, and is designed to carry 13 Amps at 240Volts.
my optical cables are just normal ones, I picked up, as they are only less than a meter.
My analogue cables are just some decent OFC cables, which are not in the "audiophile" blister box, but fit nicely on the socket, and give a nice clean signal (they are NOT gold plated for reasons i gave in my original post- hint corrosion).
I repeat, real audiophiles are NOT swayed by flashy gold plated monster cables. These are pureply consumer gimmicks with little or no real benefit. We make sure th impedance of the cable is right (usually the case), and the connectors are chemically and electically matched (to avoid damaging the connectors).
Those monstor cables that you described is likely to damage the connectors on my reciever, as they are not gold plated.
I am sorry, but I have to bite.
Downloading whilst on a call/anything else. This is something my Nokia N95 (with less memory/processor/etc) can do quite well, without making the phone run like a pig. it does it ALL THE TIME, i have a permanent persistent IMAP mail connection, which whilst on 3G can check and download mail with attachments while i am on a call. It cannot do it in 2G, but thats because 2G doesn't allow it (limited bandwidth of the 2G network). IF i was downloading via WiFi, I can still receive a call/anything. The GPS works, it multitasks VERY well thank you.
Even my K800i which i had previously did all that well (it downloaded a firmware update whilst i was on a call, then waited till I finished the call to actually update).
Windows Mobile may be slow/sluggish, but that is probably more due to the OS. I never had any problems multitaskign on either the N95 or the K800, both MUCH less powerful in terms of processor than the iPhone.
In terms of multitasking, the biggest killer of battery life on my N95 is the Nokia Maps (with GPS) and also MSN Messenger (on N95) which really kills when connected. but the IMAP Push/RSS readers/MMS autodownload and others, leaving it on has very negligible impact on battery life.
And I am a HEAVY phone user (calls and data).
Regarding your comment about BT.
on BOTH the N95, and the K800i, using BT stereo audio can have LESS impact on Battery Life than using the wired headset. This is more true when u actually use a decent set of headphones for the wired connection. I have repeatedly tested this (as well as used a current monitor).
In case you are surprised by this, bluetooth does NOT use as much current as you think. it can be LESS than trying to directly drive a decent set of headphones.
MMS may be more "expensive" than email, but its used a LOT in Europe. Maybe it hasn't caught on in USA, god knows. but sometimes, people find it just easier to take a pic, and send it via MMS direct to their friends or use bluetooth if they are close by, neither of which is supported by the iPhone.
As for signal Reception. I have again tested it. YES it has the same "pickup" quality as most phones. The problem is its BEHAVIOUR, in especially marginal areas. The iphone 3G drops calls more often (compared to the n95 and the K800 i tested which more likely than not, just seamlessly transfers to 2g, even during the call). This is in the UK. the network is NOT an issue here!
I take it you are from the UK? I can tell from the way you have written that.
It may be pointless to argue your very valid points. The reason is, over here in the UK, mobile technology has arguably been more advanced for a long time. so we are actually aware of such technology. MMS is something that is still very alien to the USA/Canada.
Remember here in Europe, we would get a phone and then have to wait for the networks to "catch up" to use some of the new features on the phone.increase the catch up phase, and you can probably see why some of the things you mentioned are still unknown in USA.
I dont know about you, but when I am on the train, the phone I see most is still the N95 (either the silver or the black one), as well as various Sony Ericssons.
I myself have written a very similar post to yours in reply.
The application called "Level" has been available on a Nokia N95 before the iPhone (2g) was released.
Also the "Shazam" capability has been built in on SonyEricsson handsets for ages (as TrackID).
Shazam is available on the N95, and other phones too, and actually allow you to purchase and download the song, if you wish.
Sorry, but when it comes to a phone, the N95 is MORE capable than the iPhone.
The iPhone DOES have a great interface, and is very sleek to look at, that part is agreed. But, take the "podcasting" app that was blocked by Apple. The N95 has it built in, as part of the phone, SIP (standard VoiceOverIP) functionality built in. It has a built in DNLA server, which streams out your media to DNLA recievers (loads, including the PS3). Works as a tethered phone.
Has a Radio.
Even in terms of sound quality, I remember reading up on a site (I cant find the URL) where the reviewer did qualitative tests on various portable devices in terms of there audio playback quality. the Sony Walkmans, and Samsung players were rated highly, and the "Best" of the mobile phones at the time was the SE K800i (very close to the Sony Walkman), followed by some other SonyEricssons and Nokias. The ipods (Except for the Shuffle which was surprisingly good) all came on the bottom 50% of the list, with the iPod Touch, and the iPhone the worst.
the N95 supports dual 3(.5)g/2.5G mode, so the phone will automatically switch to 2G if the 3g signal goes ape, even DURING a call, without dropping the call. (The iphone 3G completely fails on that, it has NEVER worked in my tests)
I am not an apple degrader. I have a iPod Touch (despite the lower sound quality) as it makes a VERY good vodcast viewer, and portable movie player, and a decent accessible sound player. My phones are a N95, and a k800i (i carry two phones).
I tested an iPhone 2G, returned it and bought a touch instead. I have also tested my friends iphone 3g.
I live in the UK btw.
I won't trust MS. In their IM client they block *.sytes.net and *download.php, and they have been doing it for a year. Why will this be different?
because maybe, just maybe, those are the two most common vectors for virus/scamware/etc
My real worry is that it may not even be the person mentioned in the CV at fault.
Assume the following scenario.
X has a USB drive with confidential infomation, which he keeps in his desks, it may even be a backup of sorts.
Y is a trainee/intern who is doing an OEM machine image. He gets his instructions which say "get a USB drive to perform the next steps". He doesnt have a USB flash drive, so he asks X if he can borrow a USB flash drive to "install something"
X, who may be busy and mislead by the rather vague request may think that Y wants to download something from the internet. A driver or something, and says, "sure use the drive on my desk, do not delete anything"
Y follows the instructions, and the debacle above happens, but no-one knows yet, and the above exchange is forgotten. Maybe Y is an intern and has even left the company by now. .. some time later....
the excrement hits the fan, and X looses his job.
Although not a "Mac" per se, but there was a case where iPods were accidentally sold with a virus on them (plug it in, and bang you are infected - windows users only)
However, there comes a point where it becomes ABSOLUTELY ridiculous. I am very keen on my sounds, and have some high end equipment in my living room.
As you said, to get the best out of it, you NEED high end throughout, no point having a "weakest link". So the source should be good quality well recorded CD/SACD/DVD-Audio/Other LossLess format. No point using a "high end" system with low quality MP3s.
Where the source is digital, ideally keep the signal digital, and unprocessed to the receiver, via TOSlink/SPDIF/HDMI(BluRay), and use the same transmission as the source, so if the source is CD, ensure the transmission is 44.1khz, 16bit,stereo. I have seen so called "Gold Plated TOSlink Optical cables" begin sold for a huge premium. This is ridiculous, as the gold plating has absolutely no effect on an optical cable. Instead, you want to know the quality of the glass used. Again, this is somethign that makes more of a issue with distance. For a 1m Cable, the absolute top quality may be overkill, as signal degradation will be lower than the tolerances of the error correction system. Again the key here is that Digital degrades differently to analogue, and may be up to a point far more forgiving.
For analogue (and electrical based digital cabling), you need impedance matched "OxygenFree" cabling, where the connectors are electrically/chemically and mechanically matched. No point using a Cable with Gold Plated connectors, if the sockets on the source, or receiver is normal steel (this is a BAD thing, to mix gold plated and non gold plated, especially silver).
The same thing applies to speaker wires/connectors, make sure they are matched to the speakers, and the source.
Oh, and while we are going on, the room itself can make a difference, carpets vs hard floors, wall coverings, etc.
Not forgetting the listeners eardrums being fully functional!
The point being, I agree with you that to create a High End system is very involved. It may also a case at one point the increasing costs may give diminishing returns, but a true audiophile who wants the absolute best, will not hesitate creating a full system taking into account the above.
However, the grandparent poster (despite his slightly trollish nature), was trying to take a digg at the average "joe public" who has won a bonus, etc, and wants to show off his new found wealth, and buy a "gold plated" 3.5mm cable to connect his iPod filled with 128kbps MP3 to a "monster" HiFi boombox. Or worse, a gold plated TosLink from his basic DVD player to his TV.
speeds on tmobile uk are pretty decent and their bandwidth is prettygood.
It has HSDPA (3.5g) with speeds reaching 7.2Mbps this year (last year was 3.6mbps) next year, they hope to take it to 10mpbs, and by 2011 to 20mbps.
You dont pay extra for 3g....
I dont know... things have been changing a LOT in Sony Land, maybe the shellackign they got over the rootkit fiasco, and other things. But looking at the PS3, maybe there are some changes coming on that front.
[Sarcasm on]
And not to forget the "Colossal Flop" of the Sony invented 3.5inch Floppy disk!
[Sarcasm off]
Sony has invented some great stuff, as well as some duds. MiniDisc, and BetaMax were technically superior at the time, but the marketing lot screwed both.
MiniDisc was in fact a REALLY good idea at the time, a portable recordable medium that was at least durable, at a time when Solid State was not really there.
Yes it does contain a JAVA VM..... (so no "native code execution"). it can "technically" patch a device, but only for the runtime of the disc. the VM prevents permanent changes to the system. So yes, it may prevent a disc from playing on a hacked system, but should not change the system.
That doesnt mean that Firmware updates can be distributed via BD, but they will be a player by player package, and do ask confirmation.
actually pretty much EVERYTHING in the UK is now sold by and used in metric. the only things that are still imperial, and mainly for traditional reasons are Beer (and only when ordered in pints at a pub), and distance and speed is still in miles and miles per hour.
Milton Keynes had fibre to the home(dunno if it still is)
but those who brought these people down, are not what u would call "the man on the street"...
it was big guns, versus a bigger gun...
This Anonymous Coward may actually have a point. Sony HAVE taken an absolute shellacking over the last few years, with the rootkit disaster, overpriced hardware, and the initial PS3 firmware.
They seem to have changed their attitude a lot in recent years, especially on the PS3 side, where people are surprised at how "open" the company became. On the hardware level, the PS3 is pretty open for a closed platform (normal USB/blutooth hardware, user replaceable standard SATA harddisks, etc) and the improvements in the firmware were surprising too, for example full certified DivX (And XviD) support etc.
And they have some products that are really good value, for example the LCD bravia we bought recently, is very much in the normal price range, but had an amazing amount of features, even compared to the Samsung equivalent.
God knows, maybe Engineers are once again slowly gaining control of the company, instead of the lawyers and marketing folks who seem to have previously been dominant.
OR maybe they are taking cues from SonyEricsson - a joint venture company where Both Sony and Ericsson have an equal stake. SonyEriccson phones are far more "open" and standards based than phoens such as Nokia, and once had the distinction of being the only music players in sony's range that dont support ATRAC. SonyEricsson are still very much engineering based, with the UK Head Office only providing a thin management, and marketing of the products created.
Sony DVD players dont support DivX/Xvid? thats strange! I am sure I have seen a Sony DVD player with DivX support.
I can also confirm that that the Sony PS3 DOES support DivX, and is actually officially certified by DivX Networks.
It naturally supports XviD too, in full upscaling mode. IT looks really gorgeous lookign at some of my XviD stuff on a 1080p screen with full upscaling, via my PS3!
"10.2 You may not (and you may not permit anyone else to) copy, modify, create a derivative work of, reverse engineer, decompile or otherwise attempt to extract the source code of the Software or any part thereof, unless this is expressly permitted or required by law, or unless you have been specifically told that you may do so by Google, in writing
The permission in writing is the LGPL/MPL/GPL
They are NOT trying to dislodge Microsoft (or IE), as such. They want to dislodge none standards compliant browsers, and prevent a single company having "defacto" control of the browser standards, instead of W3C.
Currently, promoting standards compliance, means reducing IE's dominance.