April 20, 2012
As the newspaper industry falls ∞
Bryan Larrick:
The downfall of newspaper publishing is not something to shrug one’s shoulders at, like with Blockbuster falling apart. It is a genuine tragedy.
Apple’s sustainability ∞
John Gruber:
I agree with one thing: sustaining high profit margins is difficult. But where Denninger goes wrong is in assuming that competitors can easily or quickly copy what Apple is doing.
Copying the look of a piece of hardware is one thing, but copying the experience that Apple delivers is almost impossible.
April 19, 2012
Mandatory “Big Brother” black boxes in all new 2015 cars ∞
Infowars:
A bill already passed by the Senate and set to be rubber stamped by the House would make it mandatory for all new cars in the United States to be fitted with black box data recorders from 2015 onwards.Although the text of legislation states that such data would remain the property of the owner of the vehicle, the government would have the power to access it in a number of circumstances.Given the fact that the same bill also includes a controversial provision that would empower the IRS to revoke passports of citizens merely accused of owing over $50,000 in back taxes, stripping them of their mobility rights, could the mandatory black boxes or a similar technology be used for the same purpose?
The story gets a little hyperbolic with nightmare scenarios but some will still find this bill worrisome – I do.
Anticipating Space Shuttle’s arrival, old warplanes ship out ∞
New York Times:
On Wednesday morning, three vintage warplanes were trussed up and hoisted over the port side of the ship for a barge ride up the Hudson River to a museum near Schenectady, N.Y. They had to go to make way for the new star attraction: Enterprise, the prototype for the space shuttles that is due to arrive in New York City next week.
Those lucky enough to live in Washington DC saw the Shuttle Discovery fly over earlier this week. The Enterprise will do her own New York City fly over on Monday, weather permitting.
Tim Cook didn’t come here, says Valve’s Gabe Newell ∞
Jordan Golson for MacRumors:
Apple CEO Tim Cook didn’t visit Valve headquarters according to company co-founder Gabe Newell. The rumor, originally reported by AppleInsider, was squashed by Newell in a podcast interview.
Anyone else getting a “these aren’t the droids you’re looking for” vibe? Or are the drugs making me paranoid?
Alex Heath at Cult of Mac reported “exclusively” that Apple is working on a gaming console device of some kind and implicated Valve in the plan, attributing the information to “sources.” I feel dirty linking to the post; click on it at your own discretion.
That snapping sound you hear are my eyes rolling back in their sockets as I go through a full-body spasm of incredulity.
At London Olympics, NBC says, ‘If cameras are on it, we’ll stream it” ∞
New York Times:
All 32 sports at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London will be streamed live at nbcolympics.com.“The hot topic is always, ‘Why don’t you show all your sports live?’” said Rick Cordella, vice president and general manager of NBC Sports Digital Media. “We wanted to take care of that.”During the London Games, nbcolympics.com will be able to handle as many live streams as there are live events. “Whatever is on schedule that day,” Cordella said, “if cameras are on it, we’ll stream it.”
Great news for those of us who like sports that aren’t considered marque events. I’m a big fan of little or never shown Summer Olympic sports like Fencing, Judo and Velodrome Cycling.
Autism awareness, iPads and developers
April is Autism Awareness Month and while more children than ever are being diagnosed with Autism, many are finding a bit of relief by using some form of modern technology, like Apple’s iPad.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), approximately 1 in 88 children are diagnosed with Autism. That’s a 78 percent increase from just a decade ago. However, the tools to help people with Autism have also grown in the last decade.
A new study, conducted by David Niemeijer, Ph.D., CEO of AssistiveWare, and done in conjunction with Prof. Anne M. Donnellan, Ph.D. (University of San Diego) and Prof. Jodi A. Robledo, Ph.D. (California State University at San Marcos), explored Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), and the role of iPads, iPod touches and iPhones.
The survey polled 232 people: 17 AAC Users, 98 family members, caregivers and friends of AAC users, and 117 professionals working with AAC users.
The study’s findings include:
- 60% to 80% of the AAC users and families reported improvements in communication with others, in independence, in behavior, in the atmosphere at home, and in general wellbeing since starting with Proloquo2Go or another full-featured AAC App.
- About 50% of the adult AAC users and over 55% of the family members and caregivers report an improvement of verbalization and speech for the AAC user.
- 40-70% of respondents report use of an iOS AAC app to communicate in a variety of other settings beyond the home.
“One of the most exciting results from the survey is that an overwhelming majority – as many as 60% to 80% of the AAC users and families – are seeing real-life benefits of this technology,” said Niemeijer. “Improvements not just in communication, but also in independence, behavior, atmosphere at home and general wellbeing are observed since using Proloquo2Go. This is a great source of inspiration.”
As you would expect, the ubiquity and affordability of the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch have brought AAC apps to a larger segment of users than ever before.
According to the survey, some users still combine their iOS device with a dedicated device, like those from Prentke Romich and Dynavox. However, more than two-thirds of caregivers say they rely solely on iOS devices.
What’s even more encouraging is that the adoption of iOS devices for Augmentative and Alternative Communication is increasing — over one-third of respondents started using an iOS device less than six months ago.
It is uses like this that should make us all appreciate what Apple and its developers have done with the iPhone and iPad.
Fake Instagram app infects Android ∞
Tempted to try out the much talked about Instagram app? Well, be careful where you get it from – as malware authors are distributing malware disguised as the popular app.
It’s great to be open.
RIM says YouMail missed its opportunity to be relevant ∞
Alec Saunders, Vice President of Developer Relations for BlackBerry, talking to YouMail CEO, Alex Quilici:
Alex, one (former) CEO to another, one entrepreneur to another – I think it’s time to hang up the spurs cowboy. From where I sit, it looks like YouMail needed to pivot five years ago to remain relevant, and you missed the window.
Nobody at RIM can ever talk to any company about missing the opportunity to be relevant.
[Via Curious Rat]
Bullshit ∞
Nathan Brookwood:
Android and iOS tablets do a yeoman’s job when it comes to consuming content, but lack the software tools and hardware features needed to create content. Windows-based tablets, which have been around since 2002, have always included the features needed for content creation, but lacked the easy to use interfaces needed for content consumption. The Metro User Interface in Windows 8 supplies these missing elements, and thus positions Win 8-based tablets as the only ones suitable for those who want to both create and consume content on a single device.
Bullshit.
Apple’s Flashback lesson ∞
Because it’s Apple, I think a lot of security companies tried to make the most of it, but users and Apple certainly have to be more aware in the future. This day has been coming for many, many years.
Midway Arcade now compatible with iCade
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment has announced that its popular Midway Arcade iOS game collection is compatible with the iCade, a retro arcade cabinet designed for the iPad. It’s a free update for users of the app, which is available for 99 cents from the App Store.
Midway Arcade brings back classic coin-op arcade hits of the 1980s including Spy Hunter, Rampage and Defender – with some unlockable as in-app purchases, including Gauntlet and Gauntlet II.
The iCade is a miniature arcade cabinet sold by ThinkGeek. It holds the iPad in a portrait orientation and incorporates a joystick and buttons that communicate wirelessly with the iPad. It costs $99.99.
DropKey makes file encryption easy on the Mac ∞
Public-Key Cryptography, created in the 1970s, is a matched-pair encryption/decryption standard. Using this method, the sender and recipient share public encryption keys, thereby establishing a relationship of trust. After that occurs, files can be encrypted by one and decrypted by the other without using passwords. While Public-Key Cryptography can use a variety of levels of security, DropKey uses the 256-bit method, a well-established industry standard.
I talked to DropKey’s CEO Ian Schray, and what impresses me about the app is that it only takes one extra click to encrypt a file and send it in an email, than it does if you didn’t encrypt the file. I’ve tried file encryption software in the past and it was a real pain, but this looks really good.
Update: 5/8/2015 This product is no longer available.
April 18, 2012
NYC seen through Canon’s 5D Mark III ∞
Some great pics of one of the greatest cities in the world.
Dolly Drive bills itself as Time Machine in the cloud ∞
Time Machine in the cloud and so much more. Extra space, file sharing, & all-in-one backup for people who love their Mac.
This looks really cool. Syncing, backup, cloning capabilities for a few dollars a month. It’ll be interesting to see how this does.
The most ridiculous slow motion footage ever ∞
The Next Web:
This video is from the Danish TV show Dumt & Farligt. It takes a Phantom Flex, a camera that can run anywhere from $50k-$150k, and applies it to some of the silliest and most awesome 2500 Frames-per-second slow-motion footage I’ve seen.
Talk about “fun with explosives and a high speed camera”!
6-year-old raises $10k at lemonade stand to help father with cancer treatment ∞
Drew said he felt sad and wanted to help his father with medical bills.“He is so important to me. We like to play with each other. Lots of times we like to play games,” Drew told a local television station.
I don’t mind telling you that this story pulled at my heart strings.
Google: Android is important but not critical ∞
Under questioning from Oracle’s lawyer, Page said Android was very important but disputed the notion that it was critical.
That makes sense. Usually things you steal aren’t considered critical.
Apple wants a trial on e-Book pricing allegations ∞
Apple Inc wants to go to trial to defend itself against U.S. government allegations that it conspired with publishers to raise prices of electronic books, a lawyer for the Silicon Valley giant said in court on Wednesday.
Apple Stores have 17 times better performance than the average retailer ∞
Asymco:
RetailSails compiled a table of the top 20 chains by sales per square foot. Annual store sales in the range of $300 per square foot is considered respectable in the US. The US national average for regional malls is $341. The average for specialty apparel retailers is $400 per square foot. The average for jewelers is in the range of $600 per square foot. The median for the best 20 US retailers is $787/sq. ft.The data shows Apple leading by a significant margin. It’s more than twice as efficient as the second place Tiffany and Co. It’s also more than seven times the median of the top 20 and seventeen times better than the average mall retail space.
By any measure, the Apple Retail Stores are a remarkable success story.
Fotopedia offers National Parks iOS app for free ∞
TUAW:
Since it’s almost National Parks Week in the US(April 21-29), we’re seeing some iOS apps offered for free that normally have a cost to them. I’ve already mentioned the Chimani series of National Parks guides, and now I want to call your attention to Fotopedia National Parks, a universal iOS app that contains almost 3000 superb images taken by renowned photographer Quang-Tuan Luong.This app is not a detailed guide to the National Parks, but rather the equivalent of a coffee table book filled with dazzling photographs.
This app is two of my favorite things – free and about National Parks.
The lost Steve Jobs tapes ∞
Fast Company:
If Steve Jobs’s life were staged as an opera, it would be a tragedy in three acts. And the titles would go something like this: Act I–The Founding of Apple Computer and the Invention of the PC Industry; Act II–The Wilderness Years; and Act III–A Triumphant Return and Tragic Demise.Rummaging through the storage shed, I discovered some three dozen tapes holding recordings of extended interviews–some lasting as long as three hours–that I’d conducted with him periodically over the past 25 years. (Snippets are scattered throughout this story.) Many I had never replayed–a couple hadn’t even been transcribed before now.
Austrian village to vote on name change ∞
The Telegraph:
The 104 residents of the village will cast their votes later this week on whether to alter the name.“People are now willing to discuss changes to the spelling of the name,” Franz Meindl, the village’s mayor, said in a television interview. “But first all Fuckingers have to agree on whether want to change it or not.” For centuries the tiny village in northern Austria lived life in happy obscurity, but life changed when US troops, stationed in the area at the end of the Second World War, discovered it, and since then the village’s name has been a constant source of amusement for tourists and irritation for locals.At least 13 £250 road signs bearing the village’s name have been stolen, and the sight of semi-naked women posing for photographs beside signs has become a common sight.
Brings to mind the “interestingly” named Canadian town of Dildo.
Heineken sales, revenue rise ∞
You’re welcome.
‘George Harrison: Living in the Material World’ pre-order on iBookstore ∞
The fully immersive Multi-Touch edition of “George Harrison: Living in the Material World” brings the book alive with audio from Harrison himself, as well as from Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, and other personal and professional friends. This elegant book also includes image galleries and videos from both the Scorsese film and the Harrison archive, allowing fans an even richer reading experience. Photos, letters, diaries, and memorabilia are woven seamlessly into the fabric of the book, giving readers an unparalleled reading experience on iPad.
$15 million yacht controlled by an iPad ∞
The yacht has an integrated ship monitoring system, and can even be controlled with an Apple iPad within a 50-metre range.
Damn.
More malware but if you update you’re safe
There is another piece of malware targeting Mac users called SabPub, but before you panic, there’s something you should know.
If you installed Apple’s latest Java updates, you’re safe from Flashback and the new SabPub malware. The updates are available through the Apple’s built-in Software Update system in Mac OS X.
Flashback had infected 600,000 Macs, but that number has decreased to about 140,000, according to Symantec. The security company says they expected greater decreases, but you can’t force people to update their computers.
Ultimately, Apple has to rely on its users to check for updates and apply the latest software when they’re available.
Blogsy for iPad adds Tumblr, Vimeo support ∞
I’ve been using this app for a little while now and the changes in this version make it even more useful. Support for featured images and custom fields are especially nice for me.
Greenpeace protests Apple in Ireland ∞
RTÉ News:
It is understood the protest was in relation to the use by IT companies of coal to power data centres for cloud computing.
April 17, 2012
Apple vs Greenpeace ∞
Josh Ong for AppleInsider:
In the report, the organization dismissed Apple’s renewable energy efforts for its Maiden, N.C., server farm as providing just 10 percent of “their total generation.”The Cupertino, Calif., company quickly responded in a statement, according to NPR.“Our data center in North Carolina will draw about 20 megawatts at full capacity, and we are on track to supply more than 60 percent of that power on-site from renewable sources including a solar farm and fuel cell installation which will each be the largest of their kind in the country,” said spokeswoman Kristin Huguet. “We believe this industry-leading project will make Maiden the greenest data center ever built, and it will be joined next year by our new facility in Oregon running on 100 percent renewable energy.”
And then Greenpeace responded. I’d like to see Greenpeace actually do something about the companies that are making no or little effort at all.