None of the broadcast networks reach me in a viewable conditions. Looks like a blizzard. So I can't see Enterprise and missed most of the last season of DS9.
So I just don't see them until they come out in another format or go to a friends house.
Enter Morpheus and now I download them with my sat link and watch on my pc.
Would I rather watch these episodes on my big screen surround sound - of course!!!! Do I have that option???? NOOOO
Thanks to the local stations that provide poor service, don't allow me to receive dircect TV and the wonderful federal government.
so this is my solution - not great but it works.
Next I am going to integrate that PC with my Home Theatre-----;)
My first reaction was that yet another huckster is trying to misuse copyright and patent laws to make a fast buck.
Message to mr newjean - nice IDEA - what did you do with it? make anything?
If nothing else, this demonstrates yet again why reasonable and non-discriminatory patents have no place in standards. Hopefully, the W3C will implement a patent policy that reflects this rather than what IBM et al are pushing
As a physician, it's not just the insurance companies to blame - if fact not them at all. It's how our wonderful federal government responds to a few of my unscrupulous colleagues.
Specifically, Rep. Pete Stark in his three versions of Stark Acts have reduced how much a physician can do for you. Pharmacies, labs and x-ray cannot be owned or used by the doctor if he does have an interest in the facility. I don't have a problem with that given the kickbacks a few doctors got in the past.
However, as always with federal regulation of individual/local problems, it has extended into areas that no longer make sense and actually make it worse for you as a patient. This office-lab in a box being a case in point.
While on my soap box, it would be nice if the federal government limited and regulated the legal, esp. civil court system as much as the medical one. Given spiraling malpractice insurance costs and the actual closure of some rural hospitals due to legal liability and insurance costs, maybe as the federal government did with medicare/medicad in setting limits on what reimbursement would be to doctors and hospitals for a given disease, lawyers in this country should be limited in what they are paid for say a divorce, murder defense or malpractice / workman's comp. case.
the institution of public schools was premised on providing an educated voting people. It has now morphed into a baby-sitting, social engineering monopoly guarded by unionized mediocre crats and self-serving politicians.
Who is responsible for educating kids?, those of us who create them and bring them into this world, not a govenment.
What we need passed in the country (USA) is the "No More Legislation Concerning Computers, Networks, Programs or Copyrights on the Federal Level Act of 2001" and even more importantly we need to start electing individuals with something else to do besides making stupid laws.
If congress had to work for a living, like the rest of us, then maybe they wouldn't waste our time making dumb laws so they look like they are doing something.
Isn't this the same Torticelli of all the strange antics on the Senate floor - the entire Beltway seems like a haven for sexual predators and nut cases!!
We don't need a missle shield nearly as much as a politician shield!
It's not just the PDA that needs to evolve but computing in general - it's time devices conform to how humans work instead of vice versa.
I think the first thing to ditch is the attitude of one device does all things - too many trade offs ruin the whole package. In the article by Mr. Hayes the question is what does it take to get corporate types to ditch the laptop and cell phone?
-So let's set our endpoints and monetary limits. Laptop $2000 and cell phone $150 (remember corporate i85 or nokia 7200 types). The user needs voice communication, text communication, web access, intra/internet file access.
-Why does one device need to do this and do it as best in breed? It doesn't. What the user needs are these:
1. Wireless headset - all voice comm routes thru it. This is what bluetooth was made for - use it. A simple slip over the ear or full headphone + mic or even a phone style hand set to chat with - use bluetooth and make any of the three types interchangable.
2. A small data display slate - SMALL so it fits anywhere and is always with you. Now for network connectivity, this is key. Then the memory and storage capacity needs change dramatically. Remember, this is not the device I want to watch Star Wars or Gladiator on. It's basically a glorified 3x5 card. It needs bluetooth to interface with my head gear and to sync with some server somewhere that keeps my calender, contacts and tasks. Also, text messaging (SMS) is needed. So a cellular WAN aka GPRS or *DMA connection too. When i want to contact someone I do it from my contact list or an onscreen keypad. That's it. Make it the best-in-breed to do only that. Keeps the cost down and I can probably afford two of them. Now some would say why not Wi-Fi (802.11b) connection. The reason against is that Wi-Fi coverage is limited at this time. If it grows then by all means. That replaces the PDA and cellphone.
3. Tablet PC/WebPad/Pen Driven slate. This is the laptop replacement. It needs bluetooth because the other two bluetooth accessories, besides the headset, anyone needs is a keyboard and mouse. All this internet access through bluetooth is just stupid. It not made for that so don't push it that way. When you think bluetooth think wireless USB. So my slate (or two) can sit on an easel on my desk and i can type on it and mouse and surf with it. For net access, this is where Wi-Fi is needed. Actually, 802.11a is the better net protocol - 54 Mbps, not conflicting with bluetooth at 5Ghz. When i need to go i pick up the slate and leave. All my work goes with me because i have the storage in the slate for offline work.
I think these three devices replace the cell phone, PDA, laptop and desktop and they can do it for under the price of all four combined.
Slashdot Mirror
I DO or rather HAVE TO for certain channels.
;)
None of the broadcast networks reach me in a viewable conditions. Looks like a blizzard. So I can't see Enterprise and missed most of the last season of DS9.
So I just don't see them until they come out in another format or go to a friends house.
Enter Morpheus and now I download them with my sat link and watch on my pc.
Would I rather watch these episodes on my big screen surround sound - of course!!!! Do I have that option???? NOOOO
Thanks to the local stations that provide poor service, don't allow me to receive dircect TV and the wonderful federal government.
so this is my solution - not great but it works.
Next I am going to integrate that PC with my Home Theatre-----
My first reaction was that yet another huckster is trying to misuse copyright and patent laws to make a fast buck.
Message to mr newjean - nice IDEA - what did you do with it? make anything?
If nothing else, this demonstrates yet again why reasonable and non-discriminatory patents have no place in standards. Hopefully, the W3C will implement a patent policy that reflects this rather than what IBM et al are pushing
As a physician, it's not just the insurance companies to blame - if fact not them at all. It's how our wonderful federal government responds to a few of my unscrupulous colleagues.
Specifically, Rep. Pete Stark in his three versions of Stark Acts have reduced how much a physician can do for you. Pharmacies, labs and x-ray cannot be owned or used by the doctor if he does have an interest in the facility. I don't have a problem with that given the kickbacks a few doctors got in the past.
However, as always with federal regulation of individual/local problems, it has extended into areas that no longer make sense and actually make it worse for you as a patient. This office-lab in a box being a case in point.
While on my soap box, it would be nice if the federal government limited and regulated the legal, esp. civil court system as much as the medical one. Given spiraling malpractice insurance costs and the actual closure of some rural hospitals due to legal liability and insurance costs, maybe as the federal government did with medicare/medicad in setting limits on what reimbursement would be to doctors and hospitals for a given disease, lawyers in this country should be limited in what they are paid for say a divorce, murder defense or malpractice / workman's comp. case.
the institution of public schools was premised on providing an educated voting people. It has now morphed into a baby-sitting, social engineering monopoly guarded by unionized mediocre crats and self-serving politicians.
Who is responsible for educating kids?, those of us who create them and bring them into this world, not a govenment.
If congress had to work for a living, like the rest of us, then maybe they wouldn't waste our time making dumb laws so they look like they are doing something.
Isn't this the same Torticelli of all the strange antics on the Senate floor - the entire Beltway seems like a haven for sexual predators and nut cases!!
We don't need a missle shield nearly as much as a politician shield!
I think the first thing to ditch is the attitude of one device does all things - too many trade offs ruin the whole package.
In the article by Mr. Hayes the question is what does it take to get corporate types to ditch the laptop and cell phone?
-So let's set our endpoints and monetary limits. Laptop $2000 and cell phone $150 (remember corporate i85 or nokia 7200 types). The user needs voice communication, text communication, web access, intra/internet file access.
-Why does one device need to do this and do it as best in breed? It doesn't. What the user needs are these:
1. Wireless headset - all voice comm routes thru it. This is what bluetooth was made for - use it. A simple slip over the ear or full headphone + mic or even a phone style hand set to chat with - use bluetooth and make any of the three types interchangable.
2. A small data display slate - SMALL so it fits anywhere and is always with you. Now for network connectivity, this is key. Then the memory and storage capacity needs change dramatically. Remember, this is not the device I want to watch Star Wars or Gladiator on. It's basically a glorified 3x5 card. It needs bluetooth to interface with my head gear and to sync with some server somewhere that keeps my calender, contacts and tasks. Also, text messaging (SMS) is needed. So a cellular WAN aka GPRS or *DMA connection too. When i want to contact someone I do it from my contact list or an onscreen keypad. That's it. Make it the best-in-breed to do only that. Keeps the cost down and I can probably afford two of them. Now some would say why not Wi-Fi (802.11b) connection. The reason against is that Wi-Fi coverage is limited at this time. If it grows then by all means. That replaces the PDA and cellphone.
3. Tablet PC/WebPad/Pen Driven slate. This is the laptop replacement. It needs bluetooth because the other two bluetooth accessories, besides the headset, anyone needs is a keyboard and mouse. All this internet access through bluetooth is just stupid. It not made for that so don't push it that way. When you think bluetooth think wireless USB. So my slate (or two) can sit on an easel on my desk and i can type on it and mouse and surf with it. For net access, this is where Wi-Fi is needed. Actually, 802.11a is the better net protocol - 54 Mbps, not conflicting with bluetooth at 5Ghz. When i need to go i pick up the slate and leave. All my work goes with me because i have the storage in the slate for offline work.
I think these three devices replace the cell phone, PDA, laptop and desktop and they can do it for under the price of all four combined.