Yearly Archives: 2012

Dear Rogers Wireless shit heads

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Do you want to know why people hate you Rogers? Try calling to order a data plan for your iPad or even calling tech support. That will make you so frustrated, you’ll know why most of the country hates you. […]

Texts from Dog

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My dog sends me texts. I post them here. Yeah, it’s weird.

I couldn’t help but laugh at a few of them.

Apple says DOJ accusation of collusion is not true

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“The DOJ’s accusation of collusion against Apple is simply not true. The launch of the iBookstore in 2010 fostered innovation and competition, breaking Amazon’s monopolistic grip on the publishing industry. Since then customers have benefited from eBooks that are more interactive and engaging. Just as we’ve allowed developers to set prices on the App Store, publishers set prices on the iBookstore.”

BBEdit celebrates 20th anniversary

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Jason Snell:

Thursday marks the 20th anniversary of the venerable Mac text-editing app BBEdit. I’m sure there are other apps not published by a gigantic company that have managed to last as long, but I’m not sure that any app has changed with the times and remained as relevant as BBEdit.

I’ve been using BBEdit for 18 years to build Web sites and do my daily writing. It is and indispensable tool.

Congrats to Rich and the crew at Bare Bones Software and thanks for such a great piece of software.

New Livestream Broadcaster will let you stream from almost any camera

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TechCrunch:

Livestream, the live video streaming service, is announcing an interesting new product: a $495 hardware encoder that can be connected to virtually any camera and that can stream HD video directly to the Web through a WiFi connection or most USB wireless modems.The small device is fully integrated into the new Livestream platform. The purchase price includes three months of free access to Livestream’s ad-free HD streaming service (normally $45/month). Livestream describes the device as “the industry’s first affordable unlimited ad-free HD live streaming end-to-end solution.”

This could be a very exciting piece of tech for broadcast geeks. It would allow them to quickly and easily get high quality video streamed live to the web.

Cut in eBook pricing by Amazon set to shake rivals

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The New York Times:

The government’s decision to pursue major publishers on antitrust charges has put the Internet retailer Amazon in a powerful position: the nation’s largest bookseller may now get to decide how much an e-book will cost, and the book world is quaking over the potential consequences.Amazon, which already controls about 60 percent of the e-book market, can take a loss on every book it sells to gain market share for its Kindle devices. When it has enough competitive advantage, it can dictate its own terms, something publishers say is beginning to happen.

This is a story with a lot of different angles and repercussions depending on your point of view.

Apple releases Flashback removal tool

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As promised, Apple on Thursday released a utility to remove the most common variants of the Flashback malware. According to Apple the update also configures the Java web plug-in to disable the automatic execution of Java applets. Users may re-enable … Continued

Apple begins enhancing ID security in iTunes and iOS

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The Next Web:

In the past 24 hours, Apple appears to have started prompting iOS devices owners and those with Apple IDs within iTunes to make their accounts more secure, requiring them to pick three security questions and enter their answers when they download a new app.Whilst the new prompt will undoubtedly help secure accounts, many Apple device owners are confused by the new pop-up message and believe it is a phishing attempt.

Great idea from Apple but “springing” this on users without prior knowledge has caused a lot of unnecessary confusion and consternation among users.

What is ‘Agency Pricing’?

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The Wall Street Journal:

At the heart of the U.S. government’s suit against Apple and some publishers over e-book pricing is something called “agency pricing.”It’s a term for a new way of setting e-book prices that came about as Apple prepared to introduce its iPad in 2010. Under the traditional “wholesale” pricing model, publishers had long charged booksellers around half the cover price of a book, leaving booksellers to discount the books if they wanted.When Apple entered the fray, it offered publishers the ability to set their own prices.

Good explanation of what the two different pricing models are and how the effect book prices.

The people behind your iPad: The workers

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Marketplace:

Last week, Marketplace’s Rob Schmitz actually got inside a Foxconn factory in the southern city of Shenzhen. He didn’t meet anybody who was poisoned on the job. He didn’t meet any 13-year-old workers. Nobody he talked to had been hurt in an explosion. He says the stories he heard were more about China than Apple.In the first of two reports, Rob introduces us to the people behind our iPads.

Memoirs of an Apple Genius eBook

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The Apple Store is the place where those experiences are made far better or far worse. Being on the front lines means gathering some great war stories. Stephen is here to share a few of his.

EA cheats

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Jeff Scott: The lack of an ability to download previously paid for digital goods, in the case an app, is the real problem. In the world of digital distribution, one where we are moving to a cloud-based backend and a … Continued

Quote.fm

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I signed up for this yesterday to give it a try. It’s a curated list of stories that people you follow find interesting. You can find friends through Twitter or Facebook to make things a bit easier. You can also check out the staff recommendations.

There’s so much crap around the Internet these days, I’m all for looking through some good stories. I like it so far.

The hanging monasteries of the world

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Dark Roasted Blend:

Dizzying heights, pervading mists and isolation seem to invariably fuel humankind’s spiritual quests and lofty aspirations, so it comes as no surprise that we find monasteries and other sacred architecture suspended high above deep valleys, perched on impossible rocks and looming over gorges. The air is certainly clearer there, though at these heights, it’s often much foggier.Serving partly as castles and almost always as unconquerable fortifications, these ancient sites were built on steep cliffs and daring promotories, often accessible only by secret paths – and thus provide the utmost seclusion amid serene surroundings, so valued in true spiritual devotion.

As a Canadian, all I can think of is, “It must be a bear to get beer up there.”

Anne Geddes ‘My First Five Years’ available for the Mac

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The best-selling Anne Geddes Baby Record Book, My First Five Years is now available in an incredible new way to record your baby’s precious early years. Imagine being able to record your baby’s favorite lullaby, to have proud grandparents film a keepsake message for their new grandchild, and to have the ability to store all of your captured moments in one place.

I love Anne Geddes. If this were available when my kids were young, I’d definitely buy it.

Music & Memory

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Music & Memory is a non-profit organization that brings personalized music into the lives of the elderly or infirm through digital music technology, vastly improving quality of life.

The group is also asking for donations of your old iPods. Sounds like a good cause to me.

Kicking LinkedIn to the curb

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Om Malik:

Infact I get so much unwanted email from the service and from people I don’t know and don’t want to know. Today, I got so frustrated with the whole email thing, that I shut down the account. Done! I will give them full credit for making it much easier than say Facebook to delete my account.

I must say this is similar to my experience with LinkedIn. I did use it when I left Macworld to show recommendations, but that’s about it.

DOJ likely to lose ebook antitrust case against Apple

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CNET:

The Department of Justice “has a far better case against the publishers than Apple,” says Dominick Armentano, professor emeritus of economics at the University of Hartford and author of Antitrust and Monopoly who’s now affiliated with the Independent Institute in Oakland, Calif. “If the CEOs of the various publishers got together in hotel rooms to discuss prices, they are sunk” and might as well settle, he says.

CSS sprites

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The aim of this article is to find out why people still find it difficult to use CSS sprites. Also, we’ll come up with a couple of substantial improvements to current techniques.

I like, but don’t understand how to implement sprites. I’ll do it one day.

iCloud: The center of the universe

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Here is my latest column for TechPinions where I look at iCloud:

iCloud is not just a syncing service — it’s a content delivery mechanism that will play an increasingly important roll in future products.

Axl Rose refuses induction into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

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Part of a letter Axl Rose wrote to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame:

I strongly request that I not be inducted in absentia and please know that no one is authorized nor may anyone be permitted to accept any induction for me or speak on my behalf. Neither former members, label representatives nor the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame should imply whether directly, indirectly or by omission that I am included in any purported induction of “Guns N’ Roses”.

NHL Playoffs start tonight! Grab the free GameCenter 2011-2012 app

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NHL GameCenter 2011-2012:

The National Hockey League has an updated GameCenter app that adds new features and expanded coverage of the Stanley Cup Playoffs that start this evening. This update has round-by-round coverage of the playoffs and highlights of games.You can view playoff videos with commentary, highlights and top moments and even listen to live game radio during the playoffs. Game alerts are also available for each playoff series. NHL GameCenter 2011-2012 is available from the App Store as a free download.

Go Canucks!

Nokia warns of disappointing smartphone sales

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AppleInsider:

The Finnish handset maker had previously told investors it expected to break even on device sales during the quarter, but its operating margins proved to be around negative 3 percent. Nokia now expects its second quarter of 2012 to be similar to or below the first quarter.

States follow DoJ and sue Apple over eBooks

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Jeff John Roberts:

Now, state governments are seeking their own pound of flesh. Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen has just announced that his state and 15 others have filed an antitrust lawsuit again Apple and five publishers in Texas.

The states say it’s cost consumers $100 million.