Technically Speaking

The 'naked' truth

I suppose that, since the infamous 9-11, we must take extra and intrusive surveillance as an unpleasant new reality. This seems to be the case particulary with airport security. To be honest, a lot of this added security seems to be the equivalent of 'closing the stable door after the horse has fled'. One (read that, one) lunatic had explosives in his shoes and now we all have to take our footwear off for scanning. Another (again, one) crazie had liquids to create an explosive and now even baby bottles are suspect. This latest security technique seems to be from the same mold.

Not content with just regular metal and x-ray scanning, we now have a full body scanner that would reveal our innermost secrets. Passengers in Manchester airport in the UK will soon be subject to being seen in their 'birthday suits' as these new scanners from Rapiscan will be soon in place. The technology behind these scanners is actually very clever and I can see the appeal - but, I can also see the issues as this BBC report mentions.They SAY only one person views these images and they are destroyed at once - you believe that? I sure as heck don't. I see the scene now as several people gather round the screen:
"Look at the **** on that!"'
"I THOUGHT it was a man!"
"Get me a copy of that."
The opportunities for abuse of the images are so manifold. They tell us the images cannot be stored - sure they can't. Again, many people will say that if you have nothing to hide, then you won't be concerned. Everyone has something to hide and I don't want people looking at the parts only my wife or doctor should see (for differing reasons, I hasten to add).

Fooled you!

Sometimes companies will announce or intimate that certain features would be included on new and upcoming products that serve to create a demand. The new iPod and Nano from our heroes at Apple are a prime example of this. Consumers were expecting a camera on both items and were rather taken aback when the iPod appeared camera-less and the Nano did have the anticipated camera. According to Mr. Jobs, this was because the iPod is a 'games' device - oh really? It appears that there is a space inside  the iPod case for a camera module - but it's empty. I can imagine the conversation;
"Damn, we forgot the camera. What do we tell people?"
"How about we say that it's intentional and it doesn't need one"
"What's the boss supposed to tell people?"
"It's a 'games' machine and doesn't need one."
"Yeah, they'll fall for that."
Good old Apple - always has an answer for us gullible fools.

The funny thing is that not only were we (the public) fooled, but also the accessory manufacturers. I was looking for a silicone case for my iPod and found a reasonable priced one in a local store. There were also other budget priced cases in two types. When I inquired what the difference was, I was informed that the more expensive one had a hole for the new camera on the updated iPod. The salesman (women) was rather taken aback when I told her that there WAS no camera on the new unit. We also had a good laugh  at the idea of paying more for a case with less silicone (a hole) and how silly the situation was.

Style or substance?

As usual, Apple has released details on its new, re-branded and updated products. They all look very pretty and I'm sure will look good on your desk or in your hands....but, do you buy them for their specifications or for that indefinable 'look'? My son (Mr. iPhone) and I spent an hour or so looking at all the shiny newness and came away with our own thoughts and comments. The hype would have him running out for a new MacBook Pro right then and there replacing his venerable Dell XPS from three years ago. However, upon reflection and a smart slap 'upside the head', he realized that the idea didn't really hold up well. The equivalent Dell based laptop to the new Mac was $100 cheaper with double the RAM, double the harddrive and slightly faster. The thing is, that Macs look so damn good and peer pressure has a huge say in what young and 'professional' people buy. It always amazes me that Apple is still around considering the cost of their products compared to other companies products.

I must say though, that the iPhone still amazes me with it's versatility and is a true world class product and a 'must have' accessory - I think Palm is done - even the Pre will not save them. The lure of the new iPhone 3GS is not enough for my lad to want to replace his current model. Yes, the new one is faster and will have some neat features, but the extra cost is not worth it at the moment. For new iPhone owners though, it will be quite something. For those that think I 'hate' Apple, be aware that it's just not so. I think that the design and usability of Macs allied with a clever and fairly user friendly interface is something special - but, it's those prices! So, as the title says, do you go for style or substance?

No response

The biggest electronics game convention (E3) is under way and although there have been some amazing games announced, I'll leave our friend Tyler Ohlew to deal with all that shiny goodness. What I want to look at is what all the clever new advances in control and manipulation may offer us 'normal' folks. Before I do, let me just comment of the content of the show and some of the thoughts I've come away with. Firstly, Sony just don't 'get' it do they. Releasing a new PSP with a smaller screen, no UMD and for more money than the current unit is not going to win you many fans. Sounds just like our car manufacturers - they won't wake up until it's crunch time and even then maybe not. Secondly, the new game trailers all look spectacular - as they are supposed to - but is the gameplay there? You can have the most amazing looking product in the game world, but if the game itself is rubbish - who cares. The original Wolfenstein 3D is still one of the most playable games out there even though the graphics are horrible compared to the cinematic wonders of E3. The real 'meat' of the show (other than the Beatles) was the introduction of Microsoft's Natal project and Sony's rather more Wii-like controller. The idea of controlling on-screen functions using only your body motions and facial expressions is mind blowing stuff itself and the stage demonstration was quite something. My opinion is that, until there is tactile feedback, it's just a clever gimmick. The idea of using air to create pressure feedback is already in development and may result in interesting results. Maybe the full body immersion suit is next. The sci-fi wonder of Star Trek's holodeck is certainly not that far away in science fact. It seems to me that technology is advancing quicker than society. Who amongst you has one room in their house dedicated to gaming and has the space for you to flail about waving your arms and kicking out in all directions? It will take a few years until houses can be built to fully use all of the coming wonders of game and virtual reality interation.

Much more of the same

It's been a rather strange time in the electronic world. Nothing much has jumped out and made us go 'wow' or even say 'neat'. We have seen the introduction of newer or ungraded netbooks, 'phones and cameras along with minor releases of new 'toys' for the geekkind to fawn over. Even the wider pre-release of Windows 7 hasn't caused much of a ripple. The regular announcement (or so it seems) of electric cars that will be gracing our streets has become almost commonplace and I guess by now you know my views. The plug-in electric vehicle is useless outside of a small downtown area and the real deal is to go to the fuel-cell. The DSLR's next 'big thing' is high quality video, but the issues with continuous auto-focussing and battery life is still the major hurdle. The netbook world is still one of many brands but almost all following the same tried and tested configurations - you can almost tell the specifications with your eyes closed. Would I like one? Sure, as a gift - I'm not spending my money. Could it be that we are getting jaded with all of the sameness out there. It's always been a world of competition, but no one seems to want to get out in front of the herd and be noticed. Please guys, don't let this turn into a bland, beige world. Death by boredom is a cruel way to go.

Over and over again

If you bought a product and it failed and was replaced five times (four times in two years) you would be a little miffed. That is exactly the situation with my son's XBox 360. The infamous RROD (red ring of death) stuck again the other day. Thank goodness he is still covered under the extended three year warranty and will cost him nothing to replace. Considering that the damn thing just sits on his desk and isn't abused, I cannot understand why it should fail like this AGAIN! This situation does however pose the question: what the heck does Microsoft think it's doing? It strikes me that the huge ammout of returns on this product must indicate a real and permanent issue with design, R&D and product development. Wasn't this product tested before release? If this was any other product, people would not buy it and the company would have to produce a superior product. I think that because the unit is purchased just for the games available rather that the particular 'pleasure' of having an XBox 360 in the house that purchasers are willing to put up with this nonsense. Maybe because of this there is no pressure on Microsoft to do better. Hey! If people buy a obviously flawed product and there are no law suits pending, why change? We consumers can be real idiots sometime - myself included.

Big iron

About a year ago, my son bought his first car. Now, he has replaced his old and busted Audi for the new hotness of a Mazda 3. What a nice car it is and I'm sure it will much better for him having a low mileage vehicle as opposed to a high mileage old junker. However, when I saw this website, I saw right away that this was the place to get your new transport. Just think, having your own tank would keep the neighbors quiet and really put that Hummer owner into his place. Nothing says 'I DO own the road', better that a tank. There is some real good stuff here that would make that statement nicely. I recall hearing a story about a tank owner back when I lived in England. It seems that this guy owned a tank (M5 Honey) and his son was driving it down the highway while he took a nap in the turret. As normal when traveling, the turret was facing backwards. Anyhow, they were pulled over and the policeman asked the driver to speak to the owner. The son woke his dad up and accidentally hit the turret traverse. As the turret turned and the gun began to point his way, the copper backed off saying, 'no need to be hasty, sir'. It turned out he had only stopped them as he was curious after seeing a WWII tank rumbling down a main road. Now, all we need is a street legal Halo Warthog and things would be just perfect.

It's Baaaaaak!

There are some technical developments and toys that I just don't 'get'. The book reader is one of them. Maybe I'm just getting old (shut up!) and too set in my ways, but I still prefer to read a real book that doesn't need electricity to work. Amazon just released their 'Kindle 2' reader last week amongst much hoopla. Only $359 US - I'll take two please. I'll admit, it's quite a fetching piece of kit and would be fun to play with, but is it really any good or better than sitting down with a real book? Yes, I know it's smaller than most books, incredibly thin and can store a heck of a lot and appears to be the next big thing........but I have a horrible feeling that this may be another dot com bubble in the making. Sure, it's convenient and 'cute' and so on, In a thousand years you will still be able to read books from our time, but the Kindle? I don't think so. Remember, we can still read papyrus scrolls from the time of the Pharaohs and things such as the Dead Sea scrolls without needing a power source and I'm sure that a Kindle won't last for thousands of years. Of course, they are only meant as a convenience and not designed to last for the ages. If you gave me one, I'd say 'thank you', but I'm not sure how much use it would get. That was a bit of a rant wasn't it? Sorry. On a lighter note, Steve Wozniak on Dancing with the Stars? Who'd a thunk it. When things get weird, the weird get weirder.

Mercury rising

One of the big items in the news lately has been the ongoing debate about the wonders of the CFL energy saving bulbs. Our government appears to have been sold on this idea to enhance it's 'green' commitment and save energy and reduce our carbon footprint (I hate that phrase). Unfortunately, as is typical, research into the longer term uses of these new bulbs was not completed well enough and it seems there are definite issues. The quality of the light, the time taken to turn on, the disposal of the bulbs, the mercury levels and the longer term health issues are really beginning to get some attention. As usual, Health Canada is denying any concerns and takes no notice of any third-party studies. I sometime wonder whose health they are concerned with. Anyhoo - there is hope on the horizon for those (like me) who worry about being forced to use these 'energy saving' devices. It has been known for a while that the emergence of the LED bulb promises the same energy saving with little or none of the CFL concerns. Here is a article that shows the way forward due to its' lowering of costs. Long lasting LED bulbs may be an answer for the consumer, but for the companies making them, there is an issue. If bulbs can last up to 60 years - who will be buying new ones? I urge you to read this news item as it explains things much better than I can. This is a technology that bears close watching. CFL bulbs just aren't for me. Pssst! Anyone looking for 100w clear bulbs?

Taking bets

I have no doubt that you have seen the news items regarding those poor Zune owners who rushed out and bought the first release of the 30GB players thinking that Microsoft was onto something good. According to the big M, the 'bug' that caused almost all of them to become useless pieces of plastic, silicon and metal on the last day of a leap year is easily solved by just waiting a day - what a brilliant solution! I wonder what brainbox came up with that one. Here is the thing that Microsoft should really be thinking off - how many current and possible new buyers of the Zune will be looking for a replacement player as soon as possible? Any takers of a bet that they will be switching to the iPod? No? What a surprise. Who would have thought that Y2K would bite us in the bum eight years later. I'll stick with my Creative player - still performs beautifully - even in a leap year.