In my previous post, I mentioned that the iPad hardware was fine, and wondered as to what people were really expecting from the iPad. Well, in his comment responding to said post, Mr Name of “Internet” clarified exactly what he was looking for, and it made sense. A lot of people were expecting some super mega-awesome tablet of sweet, sweet computing power, which admittedly would be cool. I had to consider why I wasn’t expecting this myself, considering I love my gadgets and my puty bits.
I came to realise it probably had a lot to do with the fact I have a tablet notebook at home, and have been soured on the PC-tablet as a result. Don’t get me wrong – I love it. However, I’ve also learned that – for a fully-fledged PC – touch just doesn’t cut the mustard. A PC needs a keyboard at the very least, and it doesn’t hurt to have a good sized HDD and a DVD drive. This is why netbooks work, as they are not only useful for a spot of portable internet, but also for some mobile computing, word processing, and the like. I found myself very rarely using the notebook as a tablet, as it just wasn’t as functional.
Continue reading 'Why I think the iPad hardware aint all that bad'»
At an inauspicious event, little known start-up "Apple" announced a totally unexpected new device to add to their largely unknown set of devices. Few were there to witness. The Internets did not throb with information, and the world’s media did not report this event. The product appeared on the market several weeks later to critical acclaim, but flopped.
In the real world, however, the truth of the matter is much more interesting. Apple – being Apple – has created buzz of extreme proportions and the reactions of the good people of the Internet were… well, pretty much as expected, really.
Continue reading 'Weighing in on the iPad'»
Reports out of CES from all of my favourite tech sites are noting an influx of 3D-capable TVs and PCs. It seems that most manufacturers consider 3D to be “the next big thing”. Sure – 3D has always been a popular attraction at theme parks for both adults and children alike, but it’s always seemed to me to be a bit of a gimmick. However, with all the major vendors jumping on board, perhaps it will be the new form of home entertainment. But will it be? Will it really? Huh? Yes… this post is full of questions.
Continue reading 'Keep those glasses away from me! [UPDATED!]'»
My wife and I are both kind of tech geeks. Come evening time, and we both want to use the computer – for whatever reason. With a little baby, time on the puty is limited even more. As a result, I have little time to post here… Until now. This week, we splashed out on a new laptop.
To date, we’ve been using an 18.4” desktop replacement – an Acer 8930G. It’s an awesome system, but it’s heavy, and so not very portable. thus, we decided to get something more portable – but we also wanted something a little different. So we bought a tablet – HPs tx2-1316au, a multitouch Touchsmart unit. and it’s awesome.
Continue reading 'Tablet awesomeness'»
Social networking has boomed in recent years – indeed, it is virtually the very definition of "Web 2.0" – yet not all social networking tools are as popular as others. Some of them, such as Facebook and Twitter, are quite common topics of conversation. However, they don’t receive the same attention for the same reasons – while "everyone" has a Facebook account and has tried at achieving the Bejeweled Blitz high score, society is divided on the usefulness of Twitter.
In fact, go ask someone what they think of Twitter. Invariably, they will tell you that they "don’t see the point" or "that’s what Facebook is for". Others will brush it off as a marketing tool, and still others will complain about it as a "way for nerds to talk about what they have for lunch". As a result of my own personal investigations, I’ve received all of these responses in the past week – and more. But why is that? Is Twitter really all that crap, or is it just misunderstood?
Before I take the hard line, I will add a little disclaimer to say that it is what it is – if it’s not something that sounds like it works for you, then it’s not going to be something you enjoy – much like anything else. However – I am firm in my assertion that Twitter is misunderstood.
Continue reading 'Twitter – misunderstood, or just crap?'»
Of course, right after I take the time to write up a post about Google Reader, it gets updated with some pretty major additions, so I thought it best to update my post rather than fall behind!
Continue reading 'Google Reader – UPDATE'»
Damn, I’ve been so crazy busy with babies and comics and work and visitors and everything recently, I’ve fallen behind on my posts! So I thought I’d bump it up this weekend and get a few out there. But as an interlude (of sorts), I thought I’d do a little "what am I interested in at the moment" post. And here it is, I hope you enjoy!
Continue reading 'Stuff I like (October ‘09)'»
Microsoft recently released Microsoft Security Essentials – their all-in-one solution to your virus- and bot-destroying needs. At first, I expected it to be another half-assed attempt at something that plenty of other companies are already doing better (even though MS has recently been pretty good with their "Essentials" range – particularly Live Writer). However, it seems this may not be the case.
Continue reading 'Taking the plunge into Microsoft Security Essentials'»
Video gaming has had a stigma attached to it for as long as I can remember. From what I understand, it has never really been accepted by the mainstream community (I was a bit young in the days of Space Invaders and Pac Man arcades, so I can’t really comment on that period or earlier), and, in my experience, has been regarded as childish and geeky by the great majority…
However, things have changed somewhat in recent years. Sony’s Playstation brought gaming to the masses in the 90s, but it was still considered pretty geeky. More recently, Nintendo’s successes with the DS and Wii has lead to somewhat of a ‘revolution’ in gaming — gaming has gained a foothold among the majority by way of simple, intuitive controls and titles.
Still, some (including myself) would argue that the games are too simplistic, and as such, the popularity of the Wii is a fad that will fizzle over time… Every non-gamer I know that owns a Wii either doesn’t really play it anymore, or just keeps it for the kids. Myself? I haven’t played a really good game on the Wii for a long while, and I could count the titles I enjoy on the fingers of one hand… Still, I think the Wii is an interesting system for what it is – particularly for kids – but it goes to show that simplicity is not the only thing that people are looking for…
Continue reading 'Gaming for the masses: Social as well as casual'»
Soon enough, the balance of things will shift, and a new digital revolution will begin — namely by way of digital distribution. We’ve discussed this before, yes, but it seems that things are gaining traction. Ars Technica reported that iTunes accounts for 25% of ALL music sales in the US (not just digital sales), and it has also been suggested that iTunes will replace physical media as the number one choice for music consumers as early as next year. This comes as a bit of a surprise to me – I knew things were headed this way, but I had no idea it was already upon us!
Of course, it will still be a while before digital sales take over completely. Most people still don’t have the means nor the know-how, so it’s still likely to be about 10 years away. Even so, there’s something that hasn’t really been addressed yet, which is going to have some effect on how well this is received by consumers… and that is – the organisation and management of digital goods.
Continue reading 'Our digital future – possible calamity?'»
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