Personally, I miss them using music names, ala Classic. OS X was originally code named Rhapsody, if I'm not mistaken. Not sure why the sudden switch to felines.
Historically, I'd actually agree with your assessment. My opinion about HP, however, has changed in recent months. My current company uses HP Workstations (specifically the xw series), and we have a gold support contract with them. However, we still dial the same 800 number as everyone else. Their response time is surprisingly fast, and they don't fight with you to get replacement parts. Also, unlike Dell, which changes components throughout the life of a product, HP will change the model number completely if even one component is changed, so you always know what to expect from a model. This makes it great for ghost imaging and driver maintenance. I haven't personally purchased a Hewlett-Packard for personal use since 2000, but for the first time in a long time, I'm actually really impressed with their quality of products and responsive customer service. If I were to purchase another PC (my next will probably be a MacIntel), it might very well be an HP.
Good point, but here's another perspective. To a point, I can already make/receive free VOIP calls on my PDA phone. With Skype running on Windows Mobile 5.0, I have it installed on my PDA with EVDO. The problem is - it sucks down battery life BIGTIME. Ultimately, that's the primary limiting factor for me. The bandwidth is there, but if I can't talk for more than 45 minutes - it doesn't really work out well for me. Really - until battery technology gets there, running in a constant "on call" mode (data mode is far more persistent), you don't get the battery savings advantage that really makes your phone usefull in the first place. Really - limited battery life is helping them far more than limited bandwidth.
HP is missing the bandwagon, once again. It took them *YEARS* to develop their T-Mobile PDA phone, and it was already outdated within months of release. 3G *is* more than capable of realtime video streaming. In fact, I use it already. I currently use a UTStarcom xv6700 (AKA HTC Apache) on Verizon with EVDO. With a $59 app from MyTinyTV, I can use my home cable and internet connection to steam any channel I want using my TV tuner on my home PC to my PDA. 3G might not be available in more than 3% of the world markets, but consider that at least in the US, most of the population lives in the 54 metropolitan areas that EV-DO is currently offered. The idea is to stay *ahead* of the curve, not behind it. Making crap decisions like these will ensure HP will always be second rate.
Slightly off-topic, but in reply to your comment about VTEC... VTEC is far from the "betamax" of engine technologies. Au contrair. It's such a good technology that just about every manufacturer out there has their own branded versions of it now. Toyota uses VVT-i (Variable Valve Timing with "intelligence"), Mitsubishi uses MIVEC, BMW uses VANOS, Nissan uses VVL/CVTCS, Subaru uses AVCS, etc, etc. Bottom line, VTEC is NOT a "ricer" thing - it's a Honda name for what has become an industry standard technology. A better comparrison would be Firewire is to IEEE-1394 as VTEC is to VANOS is to VVT-i, etc. So, don't knock VTEC. It's why you're modern engine is quieter, smoother, more fuel efficient, and produces more power in a smaller size than the engines of yesterday.
Realistically, this is just Microsoft putting into action something they've been trying to do since 1998... sell software as a subscription. Anyone else remember talk of selling office as a low $/mo service fee, as well as other software. It was supposed to be the way of the future. The only people who actually followed suit were the antivirus makers, at first. Updates used to be free. No longer is that the case. Now we have subscriptions for MMORPGs, Anti-Spyware, Anti-Virus, and I'm sure many others. Heck, even most commercial distros of Linux have subscription fees to receive updates and Apple charges subscriptions for.Mac. For a long time now, enterprise software has always had maintenance agreements, too. Heck, we even have subscription models for renting movies. Continued development costs money. This is just another company attempting to capitalize on a product. Nothing new to see here, folks. I'm no fan of Microsoft, and I'm definitely not liking the subscription trend (I've always been opposed to it.) But, I don't think what they're doing is exactly unique. A good thing, though, is that Microsoft's fee is undercutting the competition significantly, which encourages companies such as Symantec and McAfee to lower their fees or lose market share - and competition is pretty much always a good thing.
There was a home in my hometown of Walled Lake, MI that, for YEARS, refused to sell the to the city because they lowballed the offer by some $30,000 for market value. The family couldn't afford another home in the area, due to the loss they would have taken on the house, and the overall increases in property value, and would have had to relocate to a cheaper area of the city. I'm not sure how the situation ever resolved itself, but for several years growing up, the whole town learned of the families plight, and they protested by putting up a sign that said "Held Hostage by this City for XXX Days." The house is now a road, that makes it *slightly* more conventient for people travelling through on Maple Rd. - but every time I drive it, I get this sick sinking feeling of what these poor people had to go through.
They produce light efficiently (not THAT efficiently) but don't produce that much light compared to a very simple single-bulb HID or fluorescent tube (by the way, which tube are you basing that "3x" on? T12, T10, or T8? Because T8's are MUCH more efficient that T12's). It takes a HUGE number of LEDs to replace ONE T8 fluorescent tube- and that tube costs a few dollars tops, because it is very easy to make. Right now, a single Luxeon white LED sells in 100-1000 unit quantities for well over $10-20, and produces 1-5W. A T8 bulb will produce 30-40W, and costs RETAIL about $5.
(1)Perhaps you should take a lesson from Apple on "performance per watt" being what matters.;-) 5W of led power compared to 40W of Fluorescent compared to 55W of Halogen compared to 120W of traditional bulbs under your method would have you thinking that traditional light bulbs would produce the most light. The real unit of measure that matters is lumens. Yes, LED bulbs are expensive right now - but they're decreasing in cost RAPIDLY. A few years ago, White LEDs ran about $1/ea. These days, they're about $.16/ea. As cost continues to decrease, LEDs may eventually become cheaper than traditional bulbs.
They require new reflector designs and light spreaders, since they are a VERY small point source. A lot of work goes into making light sources produce even, smooth lighting that won't generate harsh shadows- point sources make this job a real bitch. Point source also means that despite relatively low heat output the heat is very localized, and that means PCBs must also be heat spreaders, complicating assembly/design/manufacture further. You can't just toss them on a PCB. Companies like Luxeon now sell them on little PCBs with the necessary spreader etc, but now you're not just talking about buying an LED, you're buying a whole assembly for your product...$$$.
(2)Certainly, custom housing adds to cost, but again, as demand ramps up, so will supply, costs will be offset.
Related- while they have a long life before failure, most of the high-output LEDs drop in light output very significantly, within a year or two of continuous operation 10-20 degrees above room temperature. VERY few LED manufacturers disclose this upfront- and virtually ALL the companies hawking LED products fail to mention this nice little caveat. Furthermore, just because the LED is rated to, say, 100,000 hours- doesn't mean it won't burn out because the company that made the device it is part of didn't botch the job on current+voltage regulation, heat dissipation, etc.
(3)Given that even the poorest made LED will probably outlast even some of the best made Florescents, I don't see where you're complaining. Also, you should check out the Forever LED bulb sometime. The manufacture offers a lifetime guarantee that the bulb won't burn out - ever. Sure, they bulb is $20, but that's trivial compared to the millions of traditional bulbs that'll burn out between now and forever.:-)
I know everyone thinks they are the second coming of Christ, and they do have some wonderful applications (like traffic signals and car brake lights)...but they're not the end-all be-all.
Sure, they might not be the second coming of Christ, nor are they the end-all, be-all - but, they're probably the best lighting source available in modern times...
So, if you own a macrovision decoding box that was purchased pre-DMCA, are they now considered illegal to use? There are actually many such devices readily available on the market, marketed such that you can use your DVD player through your VCR for older TVs that don't have RCA jacks.
Does this mean that selling desktop computers is illegal, since all desktop computers are capable of breaking encryption? If it's just the software involved, what if it's given away free? (like DVD Shrink) What about software products such as Slysoft's AnyDVD, which provide CSS keys so you can use any software to rip DVD content? Why haven't these products been yanked from the market yet? What about using a DVD player and video capture card to capture DVD content? Or for that matter, what about capturing content from encrypted mediums like digital cable, or HBO/Showtime/PPV, etc? IMHO, the whole DMCA seems very ill conceived in light of Fair Use. Laws should be made to target people abusing the system - not average joe/jane who feels (rightfully) entitled to view the DVD content however they see fit, be it from the DVD, or shrunked to an MP4 for playback on iPod, or anything else somewhere down the line in the future.
However unethical M$FT might have been, for once I wish they'd one. Real screwed themselves over, as far as I'm concerned. Their products have always come accross as second rate, full of ads, annoying popups, bundeled with crap I didn't want/need. $750 million to Real means it's just going to take longer for them to crumble. Maybe if they can start developing decent software, I might consider using them again - maybe. I've HATED real player since at least version 7 or so. The only thing I can say positive about the company is that they package their player on a wide range of platforms, including Linux (albeit out of date). I, for one, will be happy to see the day when Real goes out of business, once and for all.
As the owner of a SymbianOS Nokia 6620, who strongly considered the Ericsson P910a, and whom owned Windows Mobile PDA phones, as well as Palm OS phones, I can tell you it's the only one of the three that's actually usable. Windows has a better interface, with some quirks. It's by far the most capable, if you use only Microsoft products. But, if you're a Linux user, or use other enterprise software, you'll have to try every third party software from IntelliSync's crappy bugginess to the KitchenSync. And even then, you're prone to periodic lockups, mysterious mishaps, and strange buginess that just shouldn't happen. The Palm Phones hardly fair better, and the Treo 650 is so flimsy you can sneeze at it and it breaks. To make matters worse, they use a slick plastic coating that looks cool, but makes the device so slipery, many users report the device being easy to drop. (Check phonescoop.com or howardforums for details.) Then, there's my 6620. Sure, it's not quite as capable, but what it does, it does flawlessly. Bluetooth is easier to configure than Windows. I have Opera 8 for web browsing, which does about as well (or poory, depending on how you look at it) as IE for Windows Mobile. I have included apps that provide as much office functionality as palm, and even use native formats, as opposed to having to convert them, ala Windows Mobile. I can sync with Lotus Notes easily, out of the box. Exchange, no sweat. Linux? No problem. OS X, why not!? When interacting with Windows or Palm PDAs, I can exchange files via bluetooth or built in infrared. I can tether my cell phone and use it as a modem over USB or bluetooth within mere minutes of configuration. I can install hundreds of available apps from Handango. There's all kinds of free Java games out there. I always avoided Symbian, cause I figured it just didn't have all the capability I wanted. Then, after getting so frustrated with the competition, I figured I'd "downgrade." Well, 90% of what I wanted was matched by my significantly smaller 6620. And, THANK GOD - no random lockups. Before you knock Symbian OS, try using the competition first. Then get frustrated. Then swear off PDA/Smartphones forever. Then, try Symbian and be pleasantly surprised. Really - you'll praise that Symbian OS exists.
For the record - Symbian appears to have one competent competitor I haven't used - Blackberry. Unfortunately, RIM's recent legal troubles have eliminated them from the market, at least for the time being. With Palm using Windows Mobile on it's upcoming Treo, it could spell the end of Palm OS as we know it. Market share has been slipping for a while - a real shame, since it, in some ways, is superior to Windows Mobile. In the end, it doesn't leave too many options, but near as I can tell, Symbian is the only viable and USABLE option.
I echo your sentiment completely. I am also a Cingular Blue customer. I was so fed up with my phone (Audiovox PPC4100) that I decided it was high time for a new one. (PDA phone, was locking up on me 5-6 times daily.) Of course, since AT&T was no longer in existence, they forced me to "upgrade" my contract in order to purchase a new phone. I liked it (Nokia 6620), but I've never been that satisified with Cingular customer service, and really didn't want to extend my contract. So, after 28 days, I decided that I was going back to Blue from Orange. Then, my troubles *really* began. Cingular tried to charge me a $175 early termination fee... FOR STICKING WITH THE SAME COMPANY, and going back to my old contract!! I was still within the return policy period. It's also AGAINST STATE LAW in Michigan, as all contracts have a 30 day refundable period. They tried to tell me my phone had a 30 day policy, but the contract was only 14 days. BULLSHIT. Not in the documentation I signed. Finally, after 3 hours on the phone, I got the refund. Then, I get my next bill. Whoa! 238 minutes over my minutes? The most I've ever used was 300 minutes less than my 900 the original contract allowed. Turns out, they cancelled all my blue "extras" like in network calling, nights and weekends starting at 7pm. Things I signed a 2 year contract just to have. They tried sticking me to the original 2yr length, yet eliminating the features I had. BULLSHIT. Finally, I got a sympathetic blue person on the line. She added my features back, but their system was so fucked up, I had to re-call and re-"sign up" for my two year contract (aka, my original contract is more like a 3 year contract, something I'd have NEVER agreed to.) Not to mention, she would only give me credit for the calls I could verify on my billing statement were in network. 90% of my calls are in network. But, for some reason, their system "can't verify" who called me, any more than shows up on the billing statement. I'm sorry, but I REFUSE to be billed for incoming calls that should be free just because their system "can't verify" who it was from. Fix it! All told, I reduced my bill by nearly $70, but still paid more than $50 more than any normal cycle, and get screwed by an additional two years with a cell carrier I hate. I will be taking my business to a new carrier. (I've been through t-mobile's horrible service, sprint's random call dropping, and Cingular's horrible customer service and lewd ways of treating their customers.) My last option is Verizon. I only hope they're better.
It's not the violent video games that have legislatures in an uproar. All this is in reaction to GTA's sex scene that wasn't noticed by the ESRB. Legislatures somehow think video game porn is somehow going to cause the collapse of society. But, any kid with a computer is going to get access to this stuff, even with net nanny and other software. As far as I know, those software products don't scan bit torrent, kazaa, or other P2P networks, where porn flows freely. That said, I don't much have a problem with the law. It's not saying kids can't own games with porn, or porn itself - they just can't buy it. If the parent feels their kid is mature enough, they can buy it on their behalf. This is a simple case of default deny versus default allow, which is always better from a security standpoint.
But when compared to the rest of the industry, they stagnate. Certainly, they've made some valuable contributions, but when you consider their next closest competitor is less than half the size, they should be responsible for an overwhelming majority of invention and innovation in the market. But - they're not. Part of my problem with Microsoft is that it seems like since Windows 95, they've been constantly playing a game of catch up, rather than bringing unique products to the market. They certainly have a way of solving integration, and seemless interface design with other Microsoft products, which has made them successful. Microsoft might be the master of integration, but innovation leader? Most certainly not.
The ESRB is a government body, no? Or, at the very least, the government forced the industry to develop the body after games started being more graphic, and less like Nintendo's "kid's orientated" policy.
Actually, you're kids probably need more discipline. With globalization of the world's economy, education is more important than ever. It's astounding how much more focus nations like China, Japan, and India place on educating youth. If we don't keep up, we're bound to fall behind. You'll probably find this interesting:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/03/magazine/03DOMIN ANCE.html?ex=1126929600&en=b0ebb9d149965ce2&ei=507 0
I also think you're being a bit silly - this has nothing to do with seperation of church and state. This isn't a religion thing (I'm atheist), though I suppose it does concern morality, which is always open to interpretation. I'm just saying this new law isn't overstepping bounds in any new ways that existing laws haven't already done. If you want to fight the system, go after earlier precidents dating back to the 60s and 70s, and try to get the government to undo restrictions at the FCC, rather than attempting to sue the governor for signing a bill.
Porn and Nudity are not the same. Europe, in most cases, has strict laws regarding porn. However, it's commonly accepted to go to beaches nude, and show nude imagery on TV. Graphic images of people having sex seems drastically different than being comfortable with the human body.
I have mixed feelings on this case. While I agree that it's none of the governments business, the government already regulates a large number of things in the entertainment industry. For instance, you cannot see a movie that's rated R without parental guidance. Likewise, you cannot see an NC-17, regardless of parental presence. All this law would do is enforce the same standards. Certainly, an over 18 parent could purchase a M or AO video game for their child, but a 16 year old who has a part time job who stops into a video game store, purchases the game without his parents knowledge, and plays it during the few hours a day they're off school, and mom and dad aren't home yet - that's what this law is designed to stop. I'm not sure the governor is oversteping her bounds.
Re:Off topic, slightly ranty, but I have a point
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Controlling Hurricanes?
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· Score: 2, Interesting
Fool - there were national guard left in the state, and the state government let them sit around. The state government was advised to preposition everything they had before the storm hit to help keep order and control post-hurricane. They did not. They heeded no warnings.
You obviously spend too much time listening to Sean Hannity. The governor declared a state of emergency on August 26th, several days prior to the hurricane. His statement that *most* of the LA national guard being in Iraq is indeed incorrect. About 30% was, along with about 50% of the National Guard resources. Requesting national gaurd from other states requires the approval of the Federal Government. A request was made. The request was not granted until 9/2, after the hurricane had made landfall a full 24 hours prior. The president himself declared Lousiana a National Disaster on Friday, two days prior to the hurricane landing. At that point, it became the duty of the federal government's (Department of Homeland Security, specificially) responsibility. According to the President's own directive (HSPD-5):
The Secretary shall coordinate the Federal Government's resources utilized in response to or recovery from terrorist attacks, major disasters, or other emergencies if and when any one of the following four conditions applies: (1) a Federal department or agency acting under its own authority has requested the assistance of the Secretary; (2) the resources of State and local authorities are overwhelmed and Federal assistance has been requested by the appropriate State and local authorities; (3) more than one Federal department or agency has become substantially involved in responding to the incident; or (4) the Secretary has been directed to assume responsibility for managing the domestic incident by the President.
Now consider that only 1 of these 4 conditions need be met. Considering that the president declared the area a national disaster prior, the feds had already taken on (1). The call for "everything you've got" seems to pretty much state as clear as anything I can see that the local and state governments were pretty clearly overwhelmed, meeting criteria (2). The coast guard, national guard, fema, as well as non-governmental agencies like the Red Cross, feed the children, etc, etc, were all involved, meeting criteria (3). Now, I'm not sure if the president specifically directed the Secretary to become involved, but it's pretty clear at least that he knew the secretary was down there and attempting to manage the situation. If he did, that would match criteria (4), if not, the other (3) still hold up.
You can see the Presidential directive for yourself:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/02/20 030228-9.htmlSo yeah, the government screwed up bigtime... but it was the state's and city's faults entirely. It isn't the federal government's job to protect states in this situation... mereley to augment or aid them.
So yeah, the government screwed up big time... But it was the federal government's fault entirely, based upon the President's own presidential directive. It was the duty of the Department of Homeland (In)Security to coordinate and (mis)manage and request the appropriate resources immediately upon the declaration of disaster and request by the local and state governments for aid.
I think it's ironic that republicans place blame for the (mis-)handling of this disaster purely on local and state government officials, particularly when (Republican) Hailey Barbour of Mississippi would be equally accountable. So, go ahead, and keep ranting the right wing talking points, but the federal government spelled out pretty clearly who to blame here: itself.
I keep wondering why it's the federal government's job to build levies in NO, a city. Nevertheless, it would have taken a whole hell of a lot more money than what was asked for by *anybody* to get the levies category-4-hurricane-ready.
Consider that the
DC is certainly not too far north that a Hurricane reaching it is impossible. Hurricanes somewhat regularly hit the carolinas. One the massive size of Katrina would easily be large enough to cause severe damage to cities as far away as DC, should such a storm make landfall in, say, Newport News, Virginia. With only 180 miles between them, and Katrinas huricane force gales stretching out 100 miles in either direction, tropical storm force winds some 250 miles away, the effect could be profound. Keep in mind the massive impact that Katrina had. First hitting Florida, then taking out half of Louisiana, 70-80% of the entire state of Mississipi, and still massive damage to Alabama. Then, the tornado fallout hit cities as far away as Atlanta, Georgia. Certainly, the likelyhood seems small. But, it's certainly within the realm of possibility. Especially if these global warming/hurricane impact predictions are true.
The 2004 election was quite different than the 2000 election, actually. Not only was the country MUCH more divided in their opinions on Bush. This helped the democrats to some degree. They were able to mobilize a record number of voters to vote against Bush. But, Bush had several things going for him as well. (1) He brought this country to war and kept it at war. Americans are afraid to change presidents in times of war. (2) People weren't yet convinced that there was no link between 9/11 and the war in Iraq. (3) Religious "ChristiNazis" (not Christians, but the crazy cook's like Pat Robertson and Jerry Fallwell, and the folks that follow them) are very organized.. And there numbers keep growing (scary enough!) (4) People still praised him after the way he handled 9/11.
It would be interesting to see how another election would turn out after seeing how Katrina was handled this past week, and now that most people believe there was no link between Iraq and 9/11 (even though he's going to try and push that again at the 4th anniversery of 9/11 coming up next week), and we know for certain that there were no weapons of mass distruction. I suspect a good deal more people that were giving Bush the benefit of the doubt would be changing their votes. But, he will always have a faithful following of conservatives. I'd suspect he'd lose another election (if there would be one) by about 60% dem, 40% rep.
For all those same reasons I considered using my Nokia 6620 phone as an MP3 player. With 2GB MMC cards available, it would have roughly half the size of my 4GB iPod, and be all in one. I can browse the internet on it using Opera 8, download all kinds of cool apps, play all kinds of Java games, play a TON of native 6620 games that actually have pretty awesome graphics for a phone, have a color screen, a simple UI, be stable and reliable, and I'd always have my music with me. But, the more I thought about it, I decided that a seperate device that kept it simple made more sense. Why? For a number of reasons. Apple's device is like iTunes for the road. I love the smart playlists, the ability to sync perfectly with the utterly kick ass iTunes, the ability to keep in sync with the latest podcasts now, without the use of other software and having to manage a seperate MP3 directory, the ability to quickly adjust volume, and be able to navigate long audio tracks quickly (this feature alone cannot be overlooked. I recored a lot of music from streaming music, and when you have 30 minute segments, being able to just roll around for about 5 seconds, versus holding down a button for a minute or two just to get 5-10 minutes forward), and the availibility of a lot of sports orientated holders. I generally use my iPod at the gym, or out jogging. It's not a time when I want to be interupted by phone calls anyway. I like it being mounted to my arm, so I can easily navigate the dials, skipping songs, adjusting volume. I like that it has a button lock, so that I don't accidently track forward, too. I like that I don't waste my time trying to fuss with copying MP3s, and not having them catagorized, or have smart playlists, or being able to play by genre. To me, the time and frustration I saved myself in getting an iPod was well worth the $200 investment over having to fuss with all in one devices. Perhaps if the new N91 were here, I might consider otherwise, as it looks to be a music orientated cell phone in a very compact size with the same great Symbian OS that I know and love. But, until then, there's no convincing me that any all-in-one phone out there can match the ease and simplicity and one-purpose design of the iPod. Apple has always been successful sticking to the old adage, "Keep it simple, stupid." No fuss, no muss - it just works, like you'd think it should.
Detroit metro area here.
Tix are a little cheaper ($8.75), but popcorn starts at $3.50 for about 2 handfuls, $4.50 for about 5 handfuls, and $5.50 for more popcorn than two people could possibly eat. Pop (Soda, for non-Michiganders) is the same way. One theater here has a rather nice "Dinner and a Movie" package, though, where for $30/person, you actually get reasonable food that doesn't make you have heartburn for 3 hours with nice leather seats and assigned seating. Usually the higher premium price keeps out the riff raff punk kids who seem happier playing video games and playing with cell phone ringers than watching a movie. But still, we're talkin' $60+tax for a night out that used to be a Friday night tradition... Ouch!
Aside from that, I really don't think Apple cares about the gaming market segment, i.e., teenaged-or-twenty-something males.
They should! 20-something males are probably the most likely group to be buying iPods... They're also the most likely to be just starting a family/having kids. Not caring about them now means Apple won't have much a future in 20 years when their kids grow up.
As a 25yo male, I love games.. Play 'em when I can - but I'm far too busy for games most of the time these days. The complexity of games these days, MMORPG and the like, I really can't get too terribly involved in them. I much prefer consoles, where the experience is simpler and more straight forward. Not having to wait for the OS to boot, too, is quite nice. And, the performance is always smoother, too, even if the graphics aren't up to the latest gen computer graphics card. Ultimately, I'd give up the latest greatest PC games for the time I'd save not having to deal with Spyware (though I've been pretty spyware free since switching to Firefox), Virii, and random slowdowns for no apparent reason. Vista looks promising, though, being more proactive about "health monitoring." I guess we'll have to wait and see!
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Personally, I miss them using music names, ala Classic. OS X was originally code named Rhapsody, if I'm not mistaken. Not sure why the sudden switch to felines.
Historically, I'd actually agree with your assessment. My opinion about HP, however, has changed in recent months. My current company uses HP Workstations (specifically the xw series), and we have a gold support contract with them. However, we still dial the same 800 number as everyone else. Their response time is surprisingly fast, and they don't fight with you to get replacement parts. Also, unlike Dell, which changes components throughout the life of a product, HP will change the model number completely if even one component is changed, so you always know what to expect from a model. This makes it great for ghost imaging and driver maintenance. I haven't personally purchased a Hewlett-Packard for personal use since 2000, but for the first time in a long time, I'm actually really impressed with their quality of products and responsive customer service. If I were to purchase another PC (my next will probably be a MacIntel), it might very well be an HP.
Good point, but here's another perspective. To a point, I can already make/receive free VOIP calls on my PDA phone. With Skype running on Windows Mobile 5.0, I have it installed on my PDA with EVDO. The problem is - it sucks down battery life BIGTIME. Ultimately, that's the primary limiting factor for me. The bandwidth is there, but if I can't talk for more than 45 minutes - it doesn't really work out well for me. Really - until battery technology gets there, running in a constant "on call" mode (data mode is far more persistent), you don't get the battery savings advantage that really makes your phone usefull in the first place. Really - limited battery life is helping them far more than limited bandwidth.
HP is missing the bandwagon, once again. It took them *YEARS* to develop their T-Mobile PDA phone, and it was already outdated within months of release. 3G *is* more than capable of realtime video streaming. In fact, I use it already. I currently use a UTStarcom xv6700 (AKA HTC Apache) on Verizon with EVDO. With a $59 app from MyTinyTV, I can use my home cable and internet connection to steam any channel I want using my TV tuner on my home PC to my PDA. 3G might not be available in more than 3% of the world markets, but consider that at least in the US, most of the population lives in the 54 metropolitan areas that EV-DO is currently offered. The idea is to stay *ahead* of the curve, not behind it. Making crap decisions like these will ensure HP will always be second rate.
Windows, and Microsoft products in general, are a perfect example of that. *g*
Slightly off-topic, but in reply to your comment about VTEC... VTEC is far from the "betamax" of engine technologies. Au contrair. It's such a good technology that just about every manufacturer out there has their own branded versions of it now. Toyota uses VVT-i (Variable Valve Timing with "intelligence"), Mitsubishi uses MIVEC, BMW uses VANOS, Nissan uses VVL/CVTCS, Subaru uses AVCS, etc, etc. Bottom line, VTEC is NOT a "ricer" thing - it's a Honda name for what has become an industry standard technology. A better comparrison would be Firewire is to IEEE-1394 as VTEC is to VANOS is to VVT-i, etc. So, don't knock VTEC. It's why you're modern engine is quieter, smoother, more fuel efficient, and produces more power in a smaller size than the engines of yesterday.
Realistically, this is just Microsoft putting into action something they've been trying to do since 1998... sell software as a subscription. Anyone else remember talk of selling office as a low $/mo service fee, as well as other software. It was supposed to be the way of the future. The only people who actually followed suit were the antivirus makers, at first. Updates used to be free. No longer is that the case. Now we have subscriptions for MMORPGs, Anti-Spyware, Anti-Virus, and I'm sure many others. Heck, even most commercial distros of Linux have subscription fees to receive updates and Apple charges subscriptions for .Mac. For a long time now, enterprise software has always had maintenance agreements, too. Heck, we even have subscription models for renting movies. Continued development costs money. This is just another company attempting to capitalize on a product. Nothing new to see here, folks. I'm no fan of Microsoft, and I'm definitely not liking the subscription trend (I've always been opposed to it.) But, I don't think what they're doing is exactly unique. A good thing, though, is that Microsoft's fee is undercutting the competition significantly, which encourages companies such as Symantec and McAfee to lower their fees or lose market share - and competition is pretty much always a good thing.
There was a home in my hometown of Walled Lake, MI that, for YEARS, refused to sell the to the city because they lowballed the offer by some $30,000 for market value. The family couldn't afford another home in the area, due to the loss they would have taken on the house, and the overall increases in property value, and would have had to relocate to a cheaper area of the city. I'm not sure how the situation ever resolved itself, but for several years growing up, the whole town learned of the families plight, and they protested by putting up a sign that said "Held Hostage by this City for XXX Days." The house is now a road, that makes it *slightly* more conventient for people travelling through on Maple Rd. - but every time I drive it, I get this sick sinking feeling of what these poor people had to go through.
They produce light efficiently (not THAT efficiently) but don't produce that much light compared to a very simple single-bulb HID or fluorescent tube (by the way, which tube are you basing that "3x" on? T12, T10, or T8? Because T8's are MUCH more efficient that T12's). It takes a HUGE number of LEDs to replace ONE T8 fluorescent tube- and that tube costs a few dollars tops, because it is very easy to make. Right now, a single Luxeon white LED sells in 100-1000 unit quantities for well over $10-20, and produces 1-5W. A T8 bulb will produce 30-40W, and costs RETAIL about $5.
;-) 5W of led power compared to 40W of Fluorescent compared to 55W of Halogen compared to 120W of traditional bulbs under your method would have you thinking that traditional light bulbs would produce the most light. The real unit of measure that matters is lumens. Yes, LED bulbs are expensive right now - but they're decreasing in cost RAPIDLY. A few years ago, White LEDs ran about $1/ea. These days, they're about $.16/ea. As cost continues to decrease, LEDs may eventually become cheaper than traditional bulbs.
:-)
(1)Perhaps you should take a lesson from Apple on "performance per watt" being what matters.
They require new reflector designs and light spreaders, since they are a VERY small point source. A lot of work goes into making light sources produce even, smooth lighting that won't generate harsh shadows- point sources make this job a real bitch. Point source also means that despite relatively low heat output the heat is very localized, and that means PCBs must also be heat spreaders, complicating assembly/design/manufacture further. You can't just toss them on a PCB. Companies like Luxeon now sell them on little PCBs with the necessary spreader etc, but now you're not just talking about buying an LED, you're buying a whole assembly for your product...$$$.
(2)Certainly, custom housing adds to cost, but again, as demand ramps up, so will supply, costs will be offset.
Related- while they have a long life before failure, most of the high-output LEDs drop in light output very significantly, within a year or two of continuous operation 10-20 degrees above room temperature. VERY few LED manufacturers disclose this upfront- and virtually ALL the companies hawking LED products fail to mention this nice little caveat. Furthermore, just because the LED is rated to, say, 100,000 hours- doesn't mean it won't burn out because the company that made the device it is part of didn't botch the job on current+voltage regulation, heat dissipation, etc.
(3)Given that even the poorest made LED will probably outlast even some of the best made Florescents, I don't see where you're complaining. Also, you should check out the Forever LED bulb sometime. The manufacture offers a lifetime guarantee that the bulb won't burn out - ever. Sure, they bulb is $20, but that's trivial compared to the millions of traditional bulbs that'll burn out between now and forever.
http://www.shop.com/op/aprod-p19829218?sourceid=3
I know everyone thinks they are the second coming of Christ, and they do have some wonderful applications (like traffic signals and car brake lights)...but they're not the end-all be-all.
Sure, they might not be the second coming of Christ, nor are they the end-all, be-all - but, they're probably the best lighting source available in modern times...
So, if you own a macrovision decoding box that was purchased pre-DMCA, are they now considered illegal to use? There are actually many such devices readily available on the market, marketed such that you can use your DVD player through your VCR for older TVs that don't have RCA jacks.
Does this mean that selling desktop computers is illegal, since all desktop computers are capable of breaking encryption? If it's just the software involved, what if it's given away free? (like DVD Shrink) What about software products such as Slysoft's AnyDVD, which provide CSS keys so you can use any software to rip DVD content? Why haven't these products been yanked from the market yet? What about using a DVD player and video capture card to capture DVD content? Or for that matter, what about capturing content from encrypted mediums like digital cable, or HBO/Showtime/PPV, etc? IMHO, the whole DMCA seems very ill conceived in light of Fair Use. Laws should be made to target people abusing the system - not average joe/jane who feels (rightfully) entitled to view the DVD content however they see fit, be it from the DVD, or shrunked to an MP4 for playback on iPod, or anything else somewhere down the line in the future.
However unethical M$FT might have been, for once I wish they'd one. Real screwed themselves over, as far as I'm concerned. Their products have always come accross as second rate, full of ads, annoying popups, bundeled with crap I didn't want/need. $750 million to Real means it's just going to take longer for them to crumble. Maybe if they can start developing decent software, I might consider using them again - maybe. I've HATED real player since at least version 7 or so. The only thing I can say positive about the company is that they package their player on a wide range of platforms, including Linux (albeit out of date). I, for one, will be happy to see the day when Real goes out of business, once and for all.
As the owner of a SymbianOS Nokia 6620, who strongly considered the Ericsson P910a, and whom owned Windows Mobile PDA phones, as well as Palm OS phones, I can tell you it's the only one of the three that's actually usable. Windows has a better interface, with some quirks. It's by far the most capable, if you use only Microsoft products. But, if you're a Linux user, or use other enterprise software, you'll have to try every third party software from IntelliSync's crappy bugginess to the KitchenSync. And even then, you're prone to periodic lockups, mysterious mishaps, and strange buginess that just shouldn't happen. The Palm Phones hardly fair better, and the Treo 650 is so flimsy you can sneeze at it and it breaks. To make matters worse, they use a slick plastic coating that looks cool, but makes the device so slipery, many users report the device being easy to drop. (Check phonescoop.com or howardforums for details.) Then, there's my 6620. Sure, it's not quite as capable, but what it does, it does flawlessly. Bluetooth is easier to configure than Windows. I have Opera 8 for web browsing, which does about as well (or poory, depending on how you look at it) as IE for Windows Mobile. I have included apps that provide as much office functionality as palm, and even use native formats, as opposed to having to convert them, ala Windows Mobile. I can sync with Lotus Notes easily, out of the box. Exchange, no sweat. Linux? No problem. OS X, why not!? When interacting with Windows or Palm PDAs, I can exchange files via bluetooth or built in infrared. I can tether my cell phone and use it as a modem over USB or bluetooth within mere minutes of configuration. I can install hundreds of available apps from Handango. There's all kinds of free Java games out there. I always avoided Symbian, cause I figured it just didn't have all the capability I wanted. Then, after getting so frustrated with the competition, I figured I'd "downgrade." Well, 90% of what I wanted was matched by my significantly smaller 6620. And, THANK GOD - no random lockups. Before you knock Symbian OS, try using the competition first. Then get frustrated. Then swear off PDA/Smartphones forever. Then, try Symbian and be pleasantly surprised. Really - you'll praise that Symbian OS exists.
For the record - Symbian appears to have one competent competitor I haven't used - Blackberry. Unfortunately, RIM's recent legal troubles have eliminated them from the market, at least for the time being. With Palm using Windows Mobile on it's upcoming Treo, it could spell the end of Palm OS as we know it. Market share has been slipping for a while - a real shame, since it, in some ways, is superior to Windows Mobile. In the end, it doesn't leave too many options, but near as I can tell, Symbian is the only viable and USABLE option.
I echo your sentiment completely. I am also a Cingular Blue customer. I was so fed up with my phone (Audiovox PPC4100) that I decided it was high time for a new one. (PDA phone, was locking up on me 5-6 times daily.) Of course, since AT&T was no longer in existence, they forced me to "upgrade" my contract in order to purchase a new phone. I liked it (Nokia 6620), but I've never been that satisified with Cingular customer service, and really didn't want to extend my contract. So, after 28 days, I decided that I was going back to Blue from Orange. Then, my troubles *really* began. Cingular tried to charge me a $175 early termination fee... FOR STICKING WITH THE SAME COMPANY, and going back to my old contract!! I was still within the return policy period. It's also AGAINST STATE LAW in Michigan, as all contracts have a 30 day refundable period. They tried to tell me my phone had a 30 day policy, but the contract was only 14 days. BULLSHIT. Not in the documentation I signed. Finally, after 3 hours on the phone, I got the refund. Then, I get my next bill. Whoa! 238 minutes over my minutes? The most I've ever used was 300 minutes less than my 900 the original contract allowed. Turns out, they cancelled all my blue "extras" like in network calling, nights and weekends starting at 7pm. Things I signed a 2 year contract just to have. They tried sticking me to the original 2yr length, yet eliminating the features I had. BULLSHIT. Finally, I got a sympathetic blue person on the line. She added my features back, but their system was so fucked up, I had to re-call and re-"sign up" for my two year contract (aka, my original contract is more like a 3 year contract, something I'd have NEVER agreed to.) Not to mention, she would only give me credit for the calls I could verify on my billing statement were in network. 90% of my calls are in network. But, for some reason, their system "can't verify" who called me, any more than shows up on the billing statement. I'm sorry, but I REFUSE to be billed for incoming calls that should be free just because their system "can't verify" who it was from. Fix it! All told, I reduced my bill by nearly $70, but still paid more than $50 more than any normal cycle, and get screwed by an additional two years with a cell carrier I hate. I will be taking my business to a new carrier. (I've been through t-mobile's horrible service, sprint's random call dropping, and Cingular's horrible customer service and lewd ways of treating their customers.) My last option is Verizon. I only hope they're better.
It's not the violent video games that have legislatures in an uproar. All this is in reaction to GTA's sex scene that wasn't noticed by the ESRB. Legislatures somehow think video game porn is somehow going to cause the collapse of society. But, any kid with a computer is going to get access to this stuff, even with net nanny and other software. As far as I know, those software products don't scan bit torrent, kazaa, or other P2P networks, where porn flows freely. That said, I don't much have a problem with the law. It's not saying kids can't own games with porn, or porn itself - they just can't buy it. If the parent feels their kid is mature enough, they can buy it on their behalf. This is a simple case of default deny versus default allow, which is always better from a security standpoint.
But when compared to the rest of the industry, they stagnate. Certainly, they've made some valuable contributions, but when you consider their next closest competitor is less than half the size, they should be responsible for an overwhelming majority of invention and innovation in the market. But - they're not. Part of my problem with Microsoft is that it seems like since Windows 95, they've been constantly playing a game of catch up, rather than bringing unique products to the market. They certainly have a way of solving integration, and seemless interface design with other Microsoft products, which has made them successful. Microsoft might be the master of integration, but innovation leader? Most certainly not.
The ESRB is a government body, no? Or, at the very least, the government forced the industry to develop the body after games started being more graphic, and less like Nintendo's "kid's orientated" policy.
Actually, you're kids probably need more discipline. With globalization of the world's economy, education is more important than ever. It's astounding how much more focus nations like China, Japan, and India place on educating youth. If we don't keep up, we're bound to fall behind. You'll probably find this interesting:N ANCE.html?ex=1126929600&en=b0ebb9d149965ce2&ei=507 0
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/03/magazine/03DOMI
I also think you're being a bit silly - this has nothing to do with seperation of church and state. This isn't a religion thing (I'm atheist), though I suppose it does concern morality, which is always open to interpretation. I'm just saying this new law isn't overstepping bounds in any new ways that existing laws haven't already done. If you want to fight the system, go after earlier precidents dating back to the 60s and 70s, and try to get the government to undo restrictions at the FCC, rather than attempting to sue the governor for signing a bill.
Porn and Nudity are not the same. Europe, in most cases, has strict laws regarding porn. However, it's commonly accepted to go to beaches nude, and show nude imagery on TV. Graphic images of people having sex seems drastically different than being comfortable with the human body.
I have mixed feelings on this case. While I agree that it's none of the governments business, the government already regulates a large number of things in the entertainment industry. For instance, you cannot see a movie that's rated R without parental guidance. Likewise, you cannot see an NC-17, regardless of parental presence. All this law would do is enforce the same standards. Certainly, an over 18 parent could purchase a M or AO video game for their child, but a 16 year old who has a part time job who stops into a video game store, purchases the game without his parents knowledge, and plays it during the few hours a day they're off school, and mom and dad aren't home yet - that's what this law is designed to stop. I'm not sure the governor is oversteping her bounds.
Fool - there were national guard left in the state, and the state government let them sit around. The state government was advised to preposition everything they had before the storm hit to help keep order and control post-hurricane. They did not. They heeded no warnings. You obviously spend too much time listening to Sean Hannity. The governor declared a state of emergency on August 26th, several days prior to the hurricane. His statement that *most* of the LA national guard being in Iraq is indeed incorrect. About 30% was, along with about 50% of the National Guard resources. Requesting national gaurd from other states requires the approval of the Federal Government. A request was made. The request was not granted until 9/2, after the hurricane had made landfall a full 24 hours prior. The president himself declared Lousiana a National Disaster on Friday, two days prior to the hurricane landing. At that point, it became the duty of the federal government's (Department of Homeland Security, specificially) responsibility. According to the President's own directive (HSPD-5): The Secretary shall coordinate the Federal Government's resources utilized in response to or recovery from terrorist attacks, major disasters, or other emergencies if and when any one of the following four conditions applies: (1) a Federal department or agency acting under its own authority has requested the assistance of the Secretary; (2) the resources of State and local authorities are overwhelmed and Federal assistance has been requested by the appropriate State and local authorities; (3) more than one Federal department or agency has become substantially involved in responding to the incident; or (4) the Secretary has been directed to assume responsibility for managing the domestic incident by the President. Now consider that only 1 of these 4 conditions need be met. Considering that the president declared the area a national disaster prior, the feds had already taken on (1). The call for "everything you've got" seems to pretty much state as clear as anything I can see that the local and state governments were pretty clearly overwhelmed, meeting criteria (2). The coast guard, national guard, fema, as well as non-governmental agencies like the Red Cross, feed the children, etc, etc, were all involved, meeting criteria (3). Now, I'm not sure if the president specifically directed the Secretary to become involved, but it's pretty clear at least that he knew the secretary was down there and attempting to manage the situation. If he did, that would match criteria (4), if not, the other (3) still hold up. You can see the Presidential directive for yourself: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/02/20 030228-9.html So yeah, the government screwed up bigtime... but it was the state's and city's faults entirely. It isn't the federal government's job to protect states in this situation... mereley to augment or aid them. So yeah, the government screwed up big time... But it was the federal government's fault entirely, based upon the President's own presidential directive. It was the duty of the Department of Homeland (In)Security to coordinate and (mis)manage and request the appropriate resources immediately upon the declaration of disaster and request by the local and state governments for aid. I think it's ironic that republicans place blame for the (mis-)handling of this disaster purely on local and state government officials, particularly when (Republican) Hailey Barbour of Mississippi would be equally accountable. So, go ahead, and keep ranting the right wing talking points, but the federal government spelled out pretty clearly who to blame here: itself. I keep wondering why it's the federal government's job to build levies in NO, a city. Nevertheless, it would have taken a whole hell of a lot more money than what was asked for by *anybody* to get the levies category-4-hurricane-ready. Consider that the
DC is certainly not too far north that a Hurricane reaching it is impossible. Hurricanes somewhat regularly hit the carolinas. One the massive size of Katrina would easily be large enough to cause severe damage to cities as far away as DC, should such a storm make landfall in, say, Newport News, Virginia. With only 180 miles between them, and Katrinas huricane force gales stretching out 100 miles in either direction, tropical storm force winds some 250 miles away, the effect could be profound. Keep in mind the massive impact that Katrina had. First hitting Florida, then taking out half of Louisiana, 70-80% of the entire state of Mississipi, and still massive damage to Alabama. Then, the tornado fallout hit cities as far away as Atlanta, Georgia. Certainly, the likelyhood seems small. But, it's certainly within the realm of possibility. Especially if these global warming/hurricane impact predictions are true.
The 2004 election was quite different than the 2000 election, actually. Not only was the country MUCH more divided in their opinions on Bush. This helped the democrats to some degree. They were able to mobilize a record number of voters to vote against Bush. But, Bush had several things going for him as well. (1) He brought this country to war and kept it at war. Americans are afraid to change presidents in times of war. (2) People weren't yet convinced that there was no link between 9/11 and the war in Iraq. (3) Religious "ChristiNazis" (not Christians, but the crazy cook's like Pat Robertson and Jerry Fallwell, and the folks that follow them) are very organized.. And there numbers keep growing (scary enough!) (4) People still praised him after the way he handled 9/11.
It would be interesting to see how another election would turn out after seeing how Katrina was handled this past week, and now that most people believe there was no link between Iraq and 9/11 (even though he's going to try and push that again at the 4th anniversery of 9/11 coming up next week), and we know for certain that there were no weapons of mass distruction. I suspect a good deal more people that were giving Bush the benefit of the doubt would be changing their votes. But, he will always have a faithful following of conservatives. I'd suspect he'd lose another election (if there would be one) by about 60% dem, 40% rep.
For all those same reasons I considered using my Nokia 6620 phone as an MP3 player. With 2GB MMC cards available, it would have roughly half the size of my 4GB iPod, and be all in one. I can browse the internet on it using Opera 8, download all kinds of cool apps, play all kinds of Java games, play a TON of native 6620 games that actually have pretty awesome graphics for a phone, have a color screen, a simple UI, be stable and reliable, and I'd always have my music with me. But, the more I thought about it, I decided that a seperate device that kept it simple made more sense. Why? For a number of reasons. Apple's device is like iTunes for the road. I love the smart playlists, the ability to sync perfectly with the utterly kick ass iTunes, the ability to keep in sync with the latest podcasts now, without the use of other software and having to manage a seperate MP3 directory, the ability to quickly adjust volume, and be able to navigate long audio tracks quickly (this feature alone cannot be overlooked. I recored a lot of music from streaming music, and when you have 30 minute segments, being able to just roll around for about 5 seconds, versus holding down a button for a minute or two just to get 5-10 minutes forward), and the availibility of a lot of sports orientated holders. I generally use my iPod at the gym, or out jogging. It's not a time when I want to be interupted by phone calls anyway. I like it being mounted to my arm, so I can easily navigate the dials, skipping songs, adjusting volume. I like that it has a button lock, so that I don't accidently track forward, too. I like that I don't waste my time trying to fuss with copying MP3s, and not having them catagorized, or have smart playlists, or being able to play by genre. To me, the time and frustration I saved myself in getting an iPod was well worth the $200 investment over having to fuss with all in one devices. Perhaps if the new N91 were here, I might consider otherwise, as it looks to be a music orientated cell phone in a very compact size with the same great Symbian OS that I know and love. But, until then, there's no convincing me that any all-in-one phone out there can match the ease and simplicity and one-purpose design of the iPod. Apple has always been successful sticking to the old adage, "Keep it simple, stupid." No fuss, no muss - it just works, like you'd think it should.
Detroit metro area here. Tix are a little cheaper ($8.75), but popcorn starts at $3.50 for about 2 handfuls, $4.50 for about 5 handfuls, and $5.50 for more popcorn than two people could possibly eat. Pop (Soda, for non-Michiganders) is the same way. One theater here has a rather nice "Dinner and a Movie" package, though, where for $30/person, you actually get reasonable food that doesn't make you have heartburn for 3 hours with nice leather seats and assigned seating. Usually the higher premium price keeps out the riff raff punk kids who seem happier playing video games and playing with cell phone ringers than watching a movie. But still, we're talkin' $60+tax for a night out that used to be a Friday night tradition... Ouch!
Aside from that, I really don't think Apple cares about the gaming market segment, i.e., teenaged-or-twenty-something males.
They should! 20-something males are probably the most likely group to be buying iPods... They're also the most likely to be just starting a family/having kids. Not caring about them now means Apple won't have much a future in 20 years when their kids grow up.
As a 25yo male, I love games.. Play 'em when I can - but I'm far too busy for games most of the time these days. The complexity of games these days, MMORPG and the like, I really can't get too terribly involved in them. I much prefer consoles, where the experience is simpler and more straight forward. Not having to wait for the OS to boot, too, is quite nice. And, the performance is always smoother, too, even if the graphics aren't up to the latest gen computer graphics card. Ultimately, I'd give up the latest greatest PC games for the time I'd save not having to deal with Spyware (though I've been pretty spyware free since switching to Firefox), Virii, and random slowdowns for no apparent reason. Vista looks promising, though, being more proactive about "health monitoring." I guess we'll have to wait and see!