Comment

I think Apple is successful at introducing “standards” because they introduce the technology to all their products (or nearly so).

Apple doesn’t sell budget products. They only make what they would want to use, and what they want to sell. That means they include things like Magsafe on all laptops, not just the expensive ones. Even their $1000 “budget” models benefit.

Other laptop manufacturers sell $400 laptops that include only the basic ports like USB, DVI, and maybe even an SD card slot. If Dell is selling a $400 laptop, and Magsafe was their idea, they’d market it as a “high-end feature” and only include it on certain models. Also, Dell sells a lot more products with various designs, materials, and manufacturing lines. Apple only has to update 2 MBA models, and 2 MBP models, and they’re both made from the same material and use designs that rarely change in overall shape.

about 1 hour ago on Intel picks a favorite in the wireless charging race with A4WP membership

Comment

EDIT TO ADD: Ahhh, you already bought a J1. Congratulations. ;)

I have a Fuji XPro-1 and Fuji X100. I haven’t used the Fuji X10, but surely the Nikon V1 would be better due to the AF. I’d also recommend m4/3 cameras.

It gives you everything you need for street photography. It has a quick and reliable AF, includes a viewfinder in case you want to use it, and the image quality is good.

I wouldn’t get the Canon due to the slow AF.

I would consider a Sony NEX, but would always opt for something with a viewfinder so that I can use it if I want to. I don’t think a NEX-7 (with viewfinder) is cheap.

The Samsung NX series doesn’t have great JPEG image quality. Their RAW files are probably good, but I can’t remember. Their lens selection is quite good, but they’re difficult to shop for because they’re not popular. Not sure about the AF speed or accuracy.

The rest of the Fuji range is out of your budget.

about 2 hours ago on Camera for Street Photrography

Comment

iOS 7.

In my opinion, OS X does 99.99% of everything I need to do. It’s almost a perfect non-touch OS, so any changes required/implemented are slight improvements of a great OS. The only thing I want is a complete overhault of Finder, and for Mission Control to be split into Expose and Spaces again. These are things I have lived without for awhile, and I’ve survived. ;)

No changes in OS X will be significant to an end user like me until it implements the use of touchscreen and convergence with iOS. Maybe next year?

about 5 hours ago on Are you more excited about Mavericks or iOS 7?

Comment

This is interesting, because I switched from iOS to Android (Galaxy S2 with 4.3" screen) 23 months ago and really enjoy Android.

I’m due for a new contract and phone, and am split 50:50 between getting an iPhone 5S when released, or getting the new Nexus 4 replacement. I’d love to stick with a great Android phone, but this means I must get a phone with a 4.7" or 5" screen. I’m afraid that eventually, I’d find the screens too large and inconvenient. I’d deal with it and not complain, but it’s not optimal.

I love my Galaxy S2 and its 4.3" screen size, the flexibility of using different keyboards (Swiftkey X is amazing), and ability to move any files to and from my computer using my S2. I don’t feel any significant phone lag, but it’s definitely there. My only problem is iSyncr, and syncing to my Mac.

I have no reason to change back to iOS except that iOS 7 looks really great. Also, I have learned to like iOS again because of my new-ish iPad Mini. :)

about 5 hours ago on A warning to anyone thinking of switching from iOS to Android

Comment

Sure, but I’m tired of the ppi comparisons. The PPI is so high that I don’t care.

Things I care about:
1. I care about battery life.

2. I care about apps. Actually, I care about app design.

3. I care about adequate screen size. Anywhere between 4" to 4.5" is good, and 4.5" to 4.7" is OK.

Things I don’t care about:
1. Whether my phone is 7 mm or 9 mm thick. I’d rather give my money to a company who offers me a 9 mm phone with best-in-class battery life than one who offers me a 7.5 mm phone so that I can brag about it.

2. Higher PPI. I’m 32 years old, almost perfect vision, and I think the screens already outresolve my eyes.

3. Which phone has the best speakers, low-light camera, or non-touch touchscreen ability.

about 6 hours ago on A warning to anyone thinking of switching from iOS to Android 1 recommend

Comment

Because bike helmets are designed differently, and must meet a different set of design criteria?

Of course, some of the “trendier” bike helmets are the “dome” shaped, and more like what you’d see for snowboarders….

about 6 hours ago on Why bicycle helmets are failing riders, and how to fix them 1 reply

Comment

What? I thought it was due to quick acceleration/deceleration/inertia changes. That’s what they describe in the NHL.

I don’t know when you’d get a concussion in a bike accident. I cycle almost every day, and a concussion is the least of my worries.

about 6 hours ago on Why bicycle helmets are failing riders, and how to fix them

Comment

No /s tag?

about 6 hours ago on Why bicycle helmets are failing riders, and how to fix them

Comment

Maybe.

I see the Optimus G as a very good, and underrated phone. The reviews I’ve read have pointed this out. Actually, it was released before the current crop of top-tier phones were released, so maybe the reviews don’t reflect the current market.

Not sure. The Optimus G does look good, but I’d probably choose the HTC One because I like the screen with all the media “tiles” on it.

1 day ago on Sony's flagship Xperia Z finally arrives on a US carrier, available from T-Mobile in 'coming weeks'

Comment

I was an iPhone 3GS user, then got my Galaxy S2, but will probably switch back to the iPhone when the 5S is announced.

I don’t have any issues with the apps. Both platforms give me the apps I want to use. It’s great to be an Android or iOS user. ;)

My only gripe with iPhones is the screen size. My hands are medium-sized, possible small-sized, but I still have trouble typing with 2 thumbs because the screen was too narrow. My current phone has a 4.3" screen, and it’s perfect.

Maybe a Nexus 5 will be released soon. Then I’ll have to choose between 2 great phones. ;)

1 day ago on After two years with Android, I think it's time to come back to the iPhone

Comment

Exactly. To me, it’s like commenting on Windows vs OS X marketshare.

Yes, lots of people use Windows, but a lot of the percentages include businesses who buy cheap workstations for their admin staff, IT, accounting, etc. It’s not like >90% of people personally choose a Windows computer. Many Windows PCs are chosen based on their low cost. That’s it. They have 100% of the low-end market.

I don’t really think Apple cares about “owning” the market. They didn’t have a large marketshare in computers, and they don’t need a large smartphone marketshare to make a bucketload of money, or to win developers.

1 day ago on After two years with Android, I think it's time to come back to the iPhone

Comment

I think the phone is good, but nothing really special.

My 2 year contract ends next month, and I’ve gone to the shops to play with the S4, One, Xperia Z, Optimus G, and Lumia 920 so many times (in Australia), and I was never overly impressed with the Z. It feels better built than the S4, but the screen isn’t as contrasty, and the skin is kind of boring, much like the LG Optimus G.

In fact, I don’t know why people who are waiting for the Sony don’t just go and buy an Optimus G today. It’s probably on the same level as the Xperia Z.

1 day ago on Sony's flagship Xperia Z finally arrives on a US carrier, available from T-Mobile in 'coming weeks' 3 replies

Comment

No problem. ;) Actually, I didn’t know that either and searched for 10 minutes to read up on Haswell because I was hoping what you said about the CPU wasn’t true. :P

And thanks for not overreacting on the internet.

2 days ago on MacBook Air review (13-inch, 2013) 1 reply

Comment

Haswell ULX was designed for tablets. ULT was designed for ultraportables…..the same CPUs that you’re going to see in other ultraportables.

3 days ago on MacBook Air review (13-inch, 2013) 1 reply 3 recommends

Comment

Proof?

All you need to do is go to a battery life comparison chart, pick out a few laptops with similar chipset and processor, and then look at their battery’s charge capacity. Macs have been using small batteries and getting the same competition as their competitors.

But again, not sure about Windows 8. It’s supposed to be better on battery life than Windows 7, but I haven’t read any reviews of Windows 8 products except tablets or convertible laptops that may have slower CPUs.

3 days ago on MacBook Air review (13-inch, 2013) 2 replies 2 recommends

Comment

So this 13" MBA is $200 too expensive despite being the best laptop on the market (for most users, but admittedly, not me)???

It’s an incredible laptop, and everyone else has spent years playing catch-up to Apple. Sometimes, when you pay more, you get more in return.

3 days ago on MacBook Air review (13-inch, 2013) 1 reply 24 recommends

Comment

Well, it’ll be worse because Windows isn’t nearly as good at managing power.

Actually, not sure about Windows 8.

3 days ago on MacBook Air review (13-inch, 2013) 1 reply 2 recommends

Comment

Kanye is the Steve Ballmer of rap, fashion, downtown, and developers, developers, developers.

3 days ago on Jay-Z giving away 1 million early copies of new album to Samsung owners 1 reply

Comment

Nobody should care whether the data is obtained directly or indirectly. The most important point is that they’re secretly collecting all kinds of data from you. Either way, the result is the same: you have a government that doesn’t believe that its citizens have the right for even basic levels of privacy. Personally, I don’t believe they should ask for the information from these companies, or even take it if it was offered to them by the companies themselves. It’s not about the companies, or your trust in them. Your government should believe in your right to basic privacy. Your government is supposed to watch out for your best interests. Have people asked for less privacy?

PR people are quite savvy. They knew initially that using the words “direct access” in their first media responses to PRISM would lead to media and internet chatter about what this means, and that a red flag would be raised. They never thought that people would believe it. Instead, they knew that nobody would believe it, but it would divert the conversation towards the choice of words used, and not-so-coincidentally diverted some eyes and ears away from the most important issue: your right to privacy, and their abuse of power.

Judging from the responses posted in all of these news articles, their magic worked! ;)

3 days ago on Apple claims it can't decrypt FaceTime and iMessage data, details extent of government requests 2 replies 1 recommend

Comment

Until the next day, when your mood changes.

I think this is meant to work during those moments when you want to be anti-social, not for years at a time. If you don’t want your friends to track you, then don’t sign up and use those accounts.

3 days ago on Anti-social: 'Hell is Other People' keeps you as far away from your 'friends' as possible 1 recommend

Comment

Thanks for the post!

3 days ago on First Impressions of iOS7

Comment

I wouldn’t trade the current Mini’s battery life, weight, and thinness for a Retina screen.

If the difference between the iPad Mini 1 and 2 is like going from an iPad 2 to an iPad 3/4, then no thanks. :O Sure, Retina is great, but in real-world scenarios, most people are unlikely to be disappointed by the Mini.

3 days ago on I want an iPad Mini. I get the feeling I should wait. [Updated]

Comment

I wouldn’t trade my current iPad Mini for more power. The screen looks great if you’re not pixel-peeping or comparing side-by-side. In terms of pixel density (and real life), it looks great even up close. The last thing I want is a shorter battery life, or a thicker device with larger battery.

I really, really want more RAM though…..

3 days ago on I want an iPad Mini. I get the feeling I should wait. [Updated] 1 reply

Comment

Are there developers who look at Android’s market breakdown and want to think, “I should create a new app that’s compatible with Android 2.X”?

3 days ago on So John Ive, no more awards for you

Comment

“…market share” isn’t the absolute indicator of customer satisfaction (or even desire) for the product."

Exactly. Some people choose an Android phone because within their price bracket, the only options are 5 Android phones, and they don’t like 3 of them, so they choose between 2 of them. An iPhone may not be one of those options, especially for those who have “budget” contract plans for $20-30 per month.

3 days ago on So John Ive, no more awards for you

Comment

Marketshare says nothing of a developer’s interest in creating apps for iOS, and it speaks nothing of an owner’s likelihood of paying for apps.

As long as Apple is getting the interesting apps, why should people care about marketshare? iOS still gets all the best apps, and the iOS marketplace isn’t going to become like the WP8 marketplace anytime soon because iPhone (and iPad) users buy apps and use their devices.

3 days ago on So John Ive, no more awards for you

Comment

Every company and their Chinese and Korean competitor has released a cheap Android tablet.

Last month, I saw an Android tablet being sold at a discount supermarket (Aldi). It was essentially an Aldi-branded Android tablet, and it was being sold for around $70.

I don’t know if I’d really worry about tablet marketshare. It says nothing of a developer’s interest in creating apps for iOS, and it speaks nothing of an owner’s likelihood of paying for apps.

As long as Apple is getting the interesting apps, I really don’t care what their marketshare is.

3 days ago on So John Ive, no more awards for you