November 2, 2012
The Verge’s Google Nexus 4 review ∞
Kudos to Josh on the review, especially for calling out the lack of LTE.
Video game movies: Best triumphs and worst fails ∞
This is opening weekend for Wreck-It Ralph, the new animated feature film that takes you inside the world of video games as one character, tired of his repetitive life, goes out into the digital world in search of meaning.
I teamed up with Philip Michaels and Dan Moren on TechHive to list out some of our favorite (and most hated) movies either inspired by or featuring video games as a central plot point.
Apple sells out of iPad mini at 5th Ave. store ∞
Topeka Capital Markets analyst Brian White is also at the Fifth Avenue store and has been monitoring availability of the various models. According to White, all three models of the white Wi-Fi iPad mini sold out in a little over an hour, with the black models following suit after about two hours. No additional shipments are expected at the store today.
Not bad at all.
Frictionless Freelancing ∞
Aaron Mahnke released a new e-book that he says will help take the friction out of doing your freelancing work. Sounds like something we could all use.
Near record turn out for iPad mini in New York ∞
But shortly before 8 a.m., when the store usually opens for a new launch, I had a headcount of 550. According to the records Piper Jaffray’s Gene Munster has been keeping since 2008 (see below), that’s more customers than turned out for the iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4S.And by 9:56 a.m. — four minutes before the doors finally opened — I counted 801 men, women and children. Only the iPhone 4 (1,300) and iPad 2 (1,190) drew bigger crowds.
This could be trouble for Google ∞
Think about how this could eat away at Google’s business, especially considering newspapers in Brazil only saw a 5% drop in traffic.
Uncle Drew: Chapter 2
Hilarious.
Sheet music and the iPad ∞
I love how the iPad can instantly change the way we do things.
Dear Ed Conway: Go already ∞
I figured the least I could do is to explain my decision in full – I like to think it might help protect you from nasty break-ups like this in the future.
This is the longest, most boring Apple break-up letter in history. Please Ed, just go.
Samsung to question Schiller ∞
In an order filed on Thursday, it was revealed that Samsung will be able to question Apple Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing Phil Schiller for up to three hours, with the deposition expected to cover matters associated with Apple’s request to ban products a jury found to be in violation of its patents.
Schiller can handle himself.
November 1, 2012
Universal Audio Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor Plug-In ∞
The Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor Plug-In expertly tempers dynamics and tames transients like no other device on the market. Created by UAD Direct Development partner Brainworx and Shadow Hills Industries founder Peter Reardon, this true-to-life emulation of Shadow Hills’ hallmark Mastering Compressor features a world-class signal path, controlling music dynamics in two stages — first with an Optical section, then with a Discrete (VCA) section. Both sections can be bypassed, providing a variety of compression sounds (Optical, Discrete, and combined) from a velvet touch to an iron fist.
I want this.
Making fun of Skeuomorphic design ∞
There is a blog for everything.
Oh Comcast, really? ∞
Hurricane or not, Comcast wants its Cable Box back.
Battle of the flagships headphones ∞
DavidMahler:
One man’s quest to find the greatest headphones ever made!
Holy crap. This is without a doubt the single most exhaustive review of anything I’ve ever read in my life. Utterly insane the amount of time, money and effort this guy poured into this review. (hat tip to Dan Frakes for the link)
Squarespace and Hurricane Sandy ∞
Read about the lengths these guys went to in order to keep all of the sites online. Remarkable.
iOS 6.0.1 available
Connect your iOS device to your computer, launch iTunes and click “Check for Update.” You can also update from the device itself by going to Settings > General > Software Update.
According to Apple the update contains the following changes:
- Fixes a bug that prevents iPhone 5 from installing software updates wirelessly over the air
- Fixes a bug where horizontal lines may be displayed across the keyboard
- Fixes an issue that could cause camera flash to not go off
- Improves reliability of iPhone 5 and iPod touch (5th generation) when connected to encrypted WPA2 Wi-Fi networks
- Resolves an issue that prevents iPhone from using the cellular network in some instances
- Consolidated the Use Cellular Data switch for iTunes Match
- Fixes a Passcode Lock bug which sometimes allowed access to Passbook pass details from lock screen
- Fixes a bug affecting Exchange meetings
And this is why I don’t trust analysts ∞
“Apple’s innovation is sputtering,” [Trip] Chowdhry wrote in a research note to clients. “Why is that Apple, the company that brought touch to phones and tablets, stopped just there and did not bring touch to notebooks and iMacs? Why is it that Apple brought high-resolution screens to…some MacBooks and not to all devices? High-resolution screens are a commodity today.”
Well Trip, people tend to use computers in a different way than they use tablets and phones. It makes no sense to push out touch enabled displays on products that people expect to use a keyboard and mouse.
Apple does use high-resolution displays, but Retina displays are not a commodity. With a price conscious customer in mind, Apple has to balance its products to offer the best it can for a reasonable price.
I hope that answered your question Trip.
Android’s 290,000 high risk apps ∞
Of the 412,222 Android apps evaluated from Google Play, Bit9 says more than 290,000 of them access at least one high-risk permission, 86,000 access five or more and 8,000 apps access 10 or more permissions “flagged as potentially dangerous.”
Great news for Android… oh wait.
Ethiopian kids get tablets, hack NORAD ∞
Evan Ackerman for Dvice:
What happens if you give a thousand Motorola Zoom tablet PCs to Ethiopian kids who have never even seen a printed word? Within five months, they’ll start teaching themselves English while circumventing the security on your OS to customize settings and activate disabled hardware. Whoa.
OK, just kidding about the NORAD part. Regardless, it’s a pretty remarkable story. Just don’t read the comments, most of them totally miss the point.
UK judge not amused with Apple’s letter to Samsung ∞
I thought the letter was brilliant.
The Original Rudeboys refuse to open for Chris Brown ∞
Speaking to TV channel RTE, Sean Walsh of The Original Rudeboys said: “Even though it’s a huge opportunity to play in the O2 with a major hip-hop star and a substantial fee was offered, we are completely against Chris Brown’s assault on Rihanna… In addition, with our latest single ‘Blue Eyes’ being about domestic violence, it goes against everything we are about as a band and supporting Chris Brown would send out the wrong message to our fans.”
Much respect to The Original Rudeboys. I met these guys in Dublin, Ireland last year and even got to play a song on stage with them. Great bunch of guys that deserve your support.
Twelve South intros HiRise stand for MacBook
Twelve South’s newest Mac accessory is the HiRise for MacBook, a new stand for MacBooks from the 11-inch MacBook Air to the 15-inch MacBook Pro. It costs $69.99.
The HiRise is height-adjustable up to six inches thanks to a spring-loaded stem, and is made from brushed metal. The laptop sits on a v-shaped arm equipped with soft silicone to keep it from getting scuffed. And teflon rails on the bottom also help your desk from getting marked up in the process.
October 31, 2012
Cook is the Head, Ive is the Heart, Schiller is the Voice ∞
Some interesting thoughts on the Apple executive shakeup from Don Lehman.
Microsoft & Jessica Alba ∞
Good for Om for asking what the deal was between them (twice).
Microsoft sued over live tiles in Windows 8 ∞
Launching in the last week, Microsoft’s Windows 8 and Windows Phone platforms are already the subject of legal complaints, after a Portland-based OS development company called SurfCast sued the company for allegedly infringing on its patents with the use of Live Tiles in its desktop, tablet and mobile software.
I wonder if they were in touch with Microsoft before the release or waited until it was publicly available.
AMBER Alerts in Google Search and Maps ∞
Today we are launching AMBER Alerts coordinated by National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) in the Google Public Alerts platform. Public Alerts are designed to bring you emergency alerts when and where they’re relevant to you, and AMBER Alerts aim to help bring abducted children home safely.
Good move, thanks Google.
iPad mini fits in your back pocket
I tried this today out of necessity because I was carrying too many things. The iPad mini easily fit into my back pocket and was comfortable to walk with it in there.
Amplified: Forstall is Oot, Browett is Oot ∞
Jim and Dan talk about Jim’s review of the new iPad mini with comparisons to other 7 and 8-inch tablets, Jim’s new Retina MacBook Pro 13-inch, the recent Apple executive restructuring, and more.
Sponsored by Lynda, Shutterstock (use code “dansentme10” for 30% off), and Shopify (use code “5by5” and get 3 months free).
Borderland Legends game debuts for iOS
2K Games announced Wednesday the release of Borderland Legends for iOS, a game based on the popular first person shooter franchise for Mac, PC and console. It costs $4.99 for the iPhone version and $6.99 for an “HD” version optimized for iPad.
While the setting is the same – the harsh, hostile world of Pandora – and the setup is similar – you control “vault hunters” looking for loot as they are set upon by hordes of dangerous alien wildlife, bandits and other baddies – Borderland Legends eschews the first person perspective in the original game for an isometric overhead view designed especially for mobile devices. The game combines RPG and strategy elements for a tactical gameplay experience.
The vault hunters from the first game are back: Brick, Mordecai, Lilith and Roland, each with unique characteristics. Features include randomly-generated maps, the ability to purchase skills and randomly-generated weapons, shields and utilities.
October 30, 2012
Review: iPad mini
I was wrong. I have wondered publicly whether or not a smaller tablet would fit into my workflow and even suggested the larger iPad would be better. I was wrong.
I picked up my iPad mini and iPad 4 from Apple just after the special event ended last week in San Jose and have been using them ever since. I haven’t used the mini to the exclusion of my iPad, but I wanted to see where this new device would fit into my lifestyle without being forced.
What I found was surprising to me. I actually used the iPad mini more than my iPad.
It’s important to understand how I use my iPad. My iPad is the device I use at the end of the day when I put my computer down, but still have a few things to do. I’m winding down at that point in the day.
I answer emails, check the site and basically get things ready for the next day. Since all of my information is kept in iCloud or services like Instapaper, I have access to everything I need on all my devices. For instance, any links I save using Instapaper are also on my Mac, so I don’t need to worry about where I work or what device I use.
Of course, things are a little different when I travel — the iPad gets more use than normal in airplanes, hotels, airports and meetings.
In addition to using the iPad mini in my normal daily tasks, I also found that I would pick up the mini and use it where I normally wouldn’t use the iPad. For instance, if I’m on a phone call, I would typically use my iPhone to look things up while I walk around or type notes, look at Web sites and things like that. Now, I’m using the iPad mini because it’s compact enough to carry around, but not so large that it’s cumbersome.
The iPad mini has technologies that help you use the device too. For instance, when you hold the mini with one hand your thumb naturally touches the screen on the side of the device. There is no way to stop that from happening — it’s going to happen.
Now, when you’re reading a book and you touch the side of the screen, the book will think you want to change pages. And it would do that, if the iPad weren’t smart. But it is smart, so it recognizes that you are resting your thumb on the device and don’t actually want that touch to do anything. So it doesn’t. Smart.
If you tap your thumb on the screen, it will immediately change the page for you. Smart. Apple worked out how people were going to use and even hold the device and made sure iOS and the iPad didn’t interfere with what you want to do. Those are the types of details we expect to see from Apple.
This isn’t even something I noticed on the larger iPad because I didn’t walk around holding it with one hand. I didn’t have to worry about accidental taps on the screen. However, it’s something I do quite a bit with the mini.
Unlike my iPad 4 that I typically use in landscape mode, I find myself in portrait almost all the time with iPad mini, even when I’m not on the move. It just feels more natural to be in that orientation than holding it in landscape.
Perhaps part of that comes from typing. With the iPad mini in portrait, I can type with two thumbs, much the same way I do with my iPhone. I don’t know if everyone will be able to do this as comfortably as I can, but I suspect they will. My hands are not abnormally large, so it should work fine.
I use my iPad mini for tasks rather than watching videos or playing games, but I use it a lot. This is a Wi-Fi model, which was on all the time and I have yet to see anything cause a significant drain on the battery. The battery is lasting days for me and it is on 24/7.
If there was one thing I was surprised with, it would be that the iPad mini doesn’t have a Retina display. It surely gives Apple some room to upgrade the device if they want to next year, but that’s the only thing I would really add to the mini.
I suppose the decision makes sense if it keeps the cost down. It’s not like you are shocked looking at the existing screen, it is very nice.
About those other tablets
I’d like to get back to the very beginning for a minute. I said that I didn’t know if I would like the smaller form factor tablet and it bothered me a bit when I did. I wondered how I had missed the mark so badly.
I wanted to find out.
I went to a local big box retailer and used every tablet they had in the store, including the Asus Windows 8 tablet. The difference was immediately clear. The quality of these other tablets is so inferior to what Apple manufactures that they felt like plastic toys in your hands.
All of the tablets, all of them, bend when you hold them. They are made of cheap plastic parts and the casing felt like it would snap. Until now, these were the only mid-sized tablets I have ever used and they were awful. That’s what I was basing my opinion on.
I tapped on a link four times on the Asus before it would do anything. After it finally went to the page, I only had to tap the back arrow three times to get back.
I am a firm believer in “you get what you pay for.” The iPad mini is a perfect example of that. If you want to save $50 and buy a cheap-ass tablet, go ahead. If you want quality the iPad mini will be waiting for you when you come to your senses.
iPad 4
There’s not really much to say about the iPad 4. It’s really fast in both processor speed and graphics, but we knew that. For me, the iPad 4 gives developers more headroom to continue pushing the envelope of what they can produce. That in turn, gives us better products to buy for the iPad. It’s good anytime that happens.
Bottom Line
I was really surprised with how much I used the iPad mini in my daily routine — more than the 10-inch iPad. There are a couple of things you have to remember with the iPad mini. First, it isn’t just a smaller iPad, but rather it feels like its own device.
Anything that is simply shrunk down or scaled up feels amateurish. The iPad mini feels like an iPad, it’s something you can have fun with and accomplish tasks on.
The second thing is that what seems like a little bit of extra screen real estate on the iPad mini makes a huge difference. Everything just works on the mini — all of your old apps, iCloud, everything. It works.
The iPad mini is a well thought out device and it’s exactly what you would expect from Apple.
Update: I mistakenly said that I used the Microsoft Surface tablet. In fact, it was an Asus Windows 8 tablet. The review has been changed to reflect.