Pointless Ramblings – Page 10

January 27, 2010January 29, 2010

iPad, No I don’t get it either

As sure as eggs are eggs, Apple release products in January (or announce). This January is no exception. So today’s epic product?

The iPad, no not an Apple designed feminine hygiene product, but a big iPod Touch/Tablet hybrid with 3G capability.

WFT?

Picture Credit:Apple

Sure it looks, luuuuurvly but I can’t see the point. It’s a big iPod Touch, but with the advantage of having a subsidised data plan on 3G (on AT&T in the us, now doubt it’ll be a crap data plan tied to 02 in the UK). Released in a few different capacity sizes, with an escalating price to match.

16gb $499

32gb $599

64gb $699

Oh, add $130 if you want 3G functionality.

So what does it do? Well pretty much everything the iPod Touch does, but bigger. I’m not being too dismissive about the iPad yet, afterall I couldn’t see the point of the iPod Touch until I tried one.

If they manage to get Magazines on board and offer subscriptions to a eMagazine then I think it could take off. But at present it seems too much for a media player (o.k. it’s got email/web etc – but that’s going to cost $130 + $15-$30 for a data plan to make it mobile).

It’s not available for a few months, so I’ll have to reserve judgement about the products. For my Photography though I think it’s a worthwhile method to showcase images, however it’s utterly pointless as a mobile LightRoom/Photoshop device (as it won’t run).

Steve Jobs is indicating it’ll change the way we Read and Surf. I’m not sure, but Steve Jobs’ company is worth oh around $50 Billion, my media corporation is currently worth around £2000 so I guess he has form on being right.

Chances are I’ll probably get one!

January 12, 2010January 27, 2010

Apple prediction…..

….well everyone is having a go so why not me.

New Tablet/slate designed to replace Newsprint

So, what’s it gonna be called?

Apple to bring back the iBook name, using iSlate as the TM name for the interface/applications.

It’ll look like a big iPhone. It’ll probably be more expensive than it should be. If it has 3G then please don’t buy it on 02.

So price.
$600 USD
£511.23 UKP

Further prediction: People will moan about it.

/edit only $100+ out for the cheap model then.

January 6, 2010

Late night snow images

It’s late, but thanks to iso3200 and playing with White Balance I bring you……….

Velux View

Not as bad as others are getting though. Probably still enough to knacker Brum’s transport infrastructure.

November 28, 2009November 28, 2009

Where am I going?

I know my current position is due to finish soon and I’ve met up with someone who is most likely to be my new boss. However nothing is confirmed, nothing has been discussed. But as usual everybody else seems to know what I’m meant to be doing, because they were told in a meeting.

Has professional courtesy deserted people? I thought it would’ve been a good idea to actually tell the person first.

Still got a fair bit to do over the next few weeks, and most likely nothing will change until the new year.

After all with management changes maybe the roles I wanted will end up coming my way. Not banking on anything yet.

This weekend would be a nice time to win the lottery though.

November 23, 2009November 23, 2009

Back to Mac(mini) aka me and failing tech

So I’m back where I started. And to be fair it wasn’t a bad solution. Afterall the MacMini is capable for use with all my Photography work, any video stuff I throw at it plus it also runs Halflife 2 on Bootcamp (well I’ve not put bootcamp back on yet – but it did).

First thing I notice, or don’t notice is the glossy screen of the iMac. My old but matte Samsung SyncMaster 215tw (which I forgot cost £368!!!!!!) is still perfect for me. I has one fairly unnoticeable dead pixel, but other than that it’s great.

As for the Mac element of the setup I do notice it’s a little slower, but mostly that’s down to the HDD. The Mini comes with a 120gb 5400rpm laptop HDD. £53 will speed this up for me – Western Digital Scorpio Black 320GB 7200RPM SATA-II 16MB Cache – OEM WD3200BEKT, so I might look at that. In fact the only reason I didn’t update the HDD was the stick on temperature sensor inside the Mini. I wasn’t brave enough to move it. Still it will be a little underpowered compared to the iMac, but I can live with it.

Can I live without the iMac – yes, it was a superb bit of kit. However it’s design had flaws and the overall QC of the product was a let down. I may buy the Magic Mouse though. The Wireless keyboard was nice, probably because it’s new and not worn like my wired flat full sized keyboard. But really wireless keyboard when you’re infront of the computer? Seems a bit more style driven than anything else.

Right there you go.

I’m getting £825 back, some I’ll use for the Velux blinds. The rest will probably go on Barclaycard.