By State. Looks like South Dakota has a wicked post-election hangover and might be suffering from some "I can't believe I brought him home with me last night."
September 2005 Archives
I watched the joint press conference this morning by Palm, Microsoft, and Verizon in which they announced the forthcoming (but unnamed) Palm Treo powered by Windows Mobile 5.0. Many have thought this was one of the signs of the apocolypse, or worse.
A few bits o' info: It's coming "sometime early next year" and exclusively on Verizon for a while (my guess is about 6 months). It looks to have a 240x240 display (44% the resolution of a Treo 650), will do EV-DO, and doesn't yet have an official name (rumors have it as the Palm Treo 700w) or price point.
First, I am surprised how much control Microsoft has given up in order for Palm to bring some of its Treo UI innovations to a WM5 device. This is both a good thing and a bad thing. It's good in that it offers a way for licensees to distinguish themselves and bring new ideas to the platform. But, it's a bad thing in that it will likely make it harder for 3rd party developers to write apps that will behave nicely on all devices. A 240x240 display is not standard and so some apps will likely be broken until the developer fixes them (by updating or adding more code).
Second, I'm not terribly impressed with it overall. I expected it to have Wi-Fi on-board. It does not. I expected a higher-res screen. It is lower-res than most of the better devices in the mobile food chain. I expected some miraculous multimedia capabilities. All I saw demo'ed was someone sending a still image via MMS. They kept touting great multimedia, but the demo didn't offer any specific examples to back that up.
Third, there were a few interesting new UI innovations, like photo-based dialing (think speed dialing by picture) and context-sensitive soft buttons for things like navigating voicemail with onscreen icons (not just keypad numbers). These were nothing that couldn't be added to a Treo 650 or 600 with a software update, so I truly hope Palm sees the benefit to making sure that *all* its product lines benefit from creative thinking. Whether or not these enhancements will be shared across other WM licensees remains to be seen, but I don't think Microsoft will force Palm to do that and I'm fairly confident Palm won't offer on its own.
Fourth, and perhaps most important to many people, was that Ed Colligan repeatedly stressed that this was an addition to Palm's product line, targeted at expanding its market and not a replacement for the Palm OS-powere Treos. I think that says a lot about how much success the Palm OS-powered devices have brought Palm, and Palm is not about to abandon what has been a very solid platform for it thus far.
I think today's announcement is great for Palm, good for Microsoft, good for Verizon, not good (but not terrible) for PalmSource/Access, and neutral for the overall smartphone user community (a new device but perhaps leading to a reduction in competition in the OS space, thereby limiting choice in the long run). Time will tell as to the overall impact of this collaboration.
Update: Below, courtesy of CNET, is a comparison photo of the current CDMA Treo 650 (left) and the forthcoming CMDA WM5 Treo (right).
I was very bothered by this story on Wired, IPod Maps Draw Legal Threats, where a NYC guy is getting cease-and-desist letters from municipal transit authorities who claim their subway maps are copyrighted.
Let me get this straight...the public's tax dollars are being used to fund these transit agencies, yet the documents they release back to the public so the public can use the services their tax dollars are also funding are NOT able to be freely used by the public.
That seems very wrong.
It reminds me of the time several years ago when someone contributed several volumes of Arizona's Revised Code (the state laws) in PDA format to MemoWare, a site I used to own and operate. I got a cease-and-desist letter from the Arizona State Attorney's office asking me to remove the documents because they were copyrighted by the state and not freely disseminable.
Basically, they want a taxpayer-funded monopoly on how this "intellectual property" can be represented, distributed, and accessed. I think that's inappropriate.
So here's what I propose: All documents produced by any government agency or government-funded organization (i.e., more than 50% of operating funds coming from local, state, or federal government...i.e., taxes) intended for public use must be uncopyrighted and enter the public domain immediately upon production, with the following exceptions:
-- Scientific research (because it may lead to patentable technologies/methods that could then enable the organization to require less taxpayer funding)
-- Workpapers, notes, and other personal documentation (i.e., that which is never intended for public use)
-- Documents addressing matters of public security (e.g., "Top Secret" documents)
Does this make sense? Are there any other types of publicly available government-produced documents that shouldn't be made PD? Should I start suggesting this to my representatives in Congress?
There's an interesting political tendency quiz over at OK Cupid. It is by no means a perfect test -- I was muttering "It depends!" for many of the questions -- but it's not bad either. Check it out.
Here's how I scored today (tomorrow, who knows?):
| You are a Social Liberal (80% permissive) and an... Economic Moderate (50% permissive) You are best described as a:
Link: The Politics Test on Ok Cupid |
I wish I had a "Science" category for this, but here it is regardless: New Scientist Special Report on Evolution.
In case you're not familiar with New Scientist, it is an excellent source of science news.
This sounds like a decent deal: Sign up with one of Earthlink's 2-year voice+data plans (start at $69.90/month including unlimited monthly data) and get a Treo 650 for $199. More details here.
Caveat: I've no personal experience with Earthlink as a cellular provider, and I'm sure they're reselling minutes on somebody else's networks, but I thought I'd pass on the info about the cheap Treo 650.
I was thinking this morning about something that I imagine a lot of parents think about when their kids are small: what will my child do when he/she grows up?
I came to the conclusion that, 20+ years from now when she actually is old enough to have a career, I don't really care what she does as long as it's interesting, legal, and she loves it.
"But what," I thought to myself, "does interesting actually mean?" So I pondered this and came up with the same answer that someone at some point used to describe porn: "I can't describe interesting, but I'll know it when I see it."
But, some jobs came to mind as ones clearly not interesting. At the risk of offending those who may hold any of the following positions, here are some of the careers I believe would definitely not meet my personal definition of interesting:
- HR manager for an auto parts retailer
- Owner of a knitting supplies store
- Anything involving the preparation of food served in paper or styrofoam containers
- Copier repair
- Canadian-US border guard
- T.J. Maxx dressing room attendant*
- Professional scrap-booker
- Highway toll-booth operator
- Wal-Mart greeter
So that's my short list. What are yours? Have you ever had a job that was clearly not interesting?
*I actually had this job one summer in high school. They tried to teach me how to operate the cash register, but I ended up with more voids than completed transactions.
Want a new phone and a way to help out survivors of Hurricane Katrina at the same time? Check out PhoneScoop's Hurricane Katrina Auction for all the details on the phones, rules, etc. Hurry...all auctions end at 1 pm Eastern time on Wednesday, September 14th.
America, the land of liberty and freedom, seems to be losing its appreciation for those two ideals. Despite believing that liberty and freedom set it apart from other countries, Americans appear to be all too eager to let their government take away their rights in the face of hardship.
When the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 hit, the federal government responded with the US Patriot Act, one of the most privacy-infringing pieces of legislation this country as ever seen. Most Americans didn't seem too ruffled by the fact that police and other government agencies were now allowed to access private records without reasonable cause or notice to those being spied upon.
In acting upon an issue of apparently grave social importance, several state governments have outlawed the possibility of same-sex couples to marry. Furthermore, if another state does allow them to marry, their marriage won't be recognized by the states with these laws. To most Americans, this reduction in some of the country's citizens' personal liberty is apparently perfectly acceptable.
Now with Katrina, two new liberties are being trod upon with abandon. First, in New Orleans, police have decided that, regardless of the 2nd Amendment's statement that "the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed," no one except for police and military personnel (and a few rent-a-cops guarding wealthy individuals' homes) may carry or own any form of firearm until further notice. I am about the furthest thing from a gun advocate, but how is this acceptable? NOLA is not under martial law, at least not officially.
The other liberty atrophying in the aftermath of Katrina is freedom of the press. The Bush administration, who has so obviously bungled nearly every aspect of the federal response to this disaster so far, is apparently tired of the mountains of bad press coming out of NOLA. So, in response, reporters are being forbidden from accessing affected areas. Some reporters are even being beaten, harassed by police and/or military, and having their cameras confiscated despite these reporters doing exactly what they are supposed to be doing: covering the news of the disaster.
When the government of the world's most prominent Democracy starts so brazenly spying on its citizens, taking away their weapons, and limiting the press, something is very, very wrong. Yet, most Americans seem willing to sit idly by, content with thinking it will be better some day. Maybe they should take another look at the rears of their cars, where their bumper stickers read "Freedom Isn't Free." Nor is it ever safe from incursion, even from within.
Dear Sam,
How I envy you, just as I imagine my parents envied me at the same age.
Yours will be a world of such utter connectedness and innovation that, despite my attempts, I cannot imagine what it will be like. Whereas the Internet has changed my life, you will never know what it's like to be without it.
You will have the ability to know more than any generation before you; that creates an awesome potential, but it will also be a burden. I hope you figure out how to know what to know; that has been a constant challenge for me.
For my parents, the shift was television; they knew a time without it and lived the rest of their lives amazed by it.
For me, the Internet will always be a source of change. I remember what it was like before the web, before Google, before the time when a stand-alone, unconnected computer was utterly useless. Compared to the interactive cacophony of humanity that is the Internet, television seems, well, quaint.
For you, I wonder; what will man's next great invention be that shall so shape your life? Will it be space travel for the masses? Or will it be something more terrestrial and personal, such as greatly extended longevity due to gene therapy or some other medical miracle? Realize that the newness of every day, the novelty of every unique experience, and the opportunity for learning and wondering they offer are gifts without equal.
But, I also worry for you. I have enjoyed so far a life filled with the great outdoors, a.k.a Nature. She has been a companion and mentor, teaching me that life is both precious and cheap, to be savored and respected while understanding that it is neither guaranteed nor fair.
Yet it is quite possible that in your lifetime, Nature may become Man's most feared adversary. Decisions made before me and during my life will affect you and yours in subtle and potentially terrible ways. We do not know...at least not for sure. So, we choose not to prepare ourselves nor do we make any concerted attempt at change. For that reason, my generation, and that of my parents, may be branded the most foolish of all by the textbooks your contemporaries write. Try to be understanding of our ignorance and reticence to give up a most luxurious lifestyle in the face of uncertain consequences. At least that's the lie we tell ourselves whenever new evidence suggests we ought to do things differently (IOW, sacrifice).
Regardless of what happens, please do not hate Nature. Nature does not hold a grudge and there is no grand plan to do you ill. No woman, or man, is more than a mote in the maelstrom of the world; how could Nature's vastness concentrate to any degree on one individual? Accept Nature for what it is; embrace its richness, revel in its wonder, and respect its randomness and power.
Finally, I hope you will understand that I cannot possibly be as aware of your world as you will be. My world, that which is familiar to me now, will most likely overwhelm my ability to accept all the newness in the years to come. I hope it won't, though. Every day I try to learn about and understand something new that's happening. Sometimes, however, I can't integrate it into my brain (e.g., tongue-piercing...why???).
So, forgive me when you are older. I will try to keep up, but you will invariably leave me behind. That will make me sad, but I probably won't let you know. After all, I will still have some dignity and pride. I just hope those follies don't replace entirely the inquistiveness and sense of wonder I have so enjoyed this far.
My dear daughter, you are so very young, but your life will be amazing. Live it with the realization that each day only comes once, each hour is 1/24th of that day, and each minute is an opportunity. And remember: every one of those minutes, I will love you.
The New York Times has a decent, if not short, piece on wireless network cameras. They review the Linksys WVC54G, Panasonic BB-HCM371A, and D-Link DCS-6620G. They did not mention the Hawking Technology HNC230G I reviewed last month.
One word: Whaaa??
That's what I said when I read over at Gizmodo that this device would cost $249 with a 2-year contract at Cingular.
OK, more words. Let me get this straight. You want me to pay $249 for an otherwise generic featurephone (camera, quad-band) with the only notable feature being that it holds fewer songs than a $30 512MB SD card? For the same price ($249 with contract), you can get a real smartphone (such as the Treo 650) that will hold 2GB worth of music (~500 songs), play movies, surf the web, get email, take pictures, etc. etc. etc.
Sure, some Apple fanatics will get this just because, but IMNSHO this device is overpriced by $100, if not more.
Handsets were supposed to be the razors so that wireless carriers (and now apparently online music providers) could sell them new and fresh content and services (i.e., razor blades). So now that Apple and Cingular are making it easier to get this content you bought from themn onto the device, they want you to pay $200 more than you would for a similarly equipped piece of hardware just for that convenience. I hope most people are smart enough to say "no thanks" (but then I'm usually disappointed when I rely on the general populace's cognitive ability).
Follow-up: Apparently, I'm not the only one to pooh-pooh the ROKR
In a press conference today, Steve Jobs announced the forthcoming Rokr phone, which enables iTunes download/playback of ~100 songs a la the Shuffle. Apple jointly developed the Rokr with Motorola.
Recent findings suggest that many dinosaurs usually depicted as having scaly or rough skin actually were feathered. As The Times (UK) is reporting, this could have major significance for how dinosaurs are portrayed and visualized in the future.
I, for one, am expecting a huge uptick in feathered everything, from cute little feathered dinosaur toys to feathered cartoon mascots on cereal boxes and advertising campaigns. If it turns out to be true, remember that it was predicted here first.
I just hope that feathered hair doesn't come back.
T-Mobile has saved me some hassle by finally providing EDGE service to 90% of its coverage area. I had been considering switching to Cingular to make use of the higher-speed data connection (GPRS usually gets me 10-20 kbps on my Treo 650 while I see 80-120 kbps with EDGE), but now I don't have to.
Thanks, T-Mobile. Now about that North American HSDPA roll-out...
Decisions, decisions.
I never would have guessed that one of my posts about old TV shows put up almost two years ago would accumulate 200 comments, but it has.
Check it out: GearBits: Lost & Forgotten 70's & 80's TV Shows
EA Games figured that sales of Battlefield 2, their oddly named third installation in the Battlefield series of war-themed first-person shooters, would be good. But apparently not this good.
One of the increasingly important features of BF2 is its persistent scoring model. When players log in to EA's central account server before playing on a recognized game server, EA will track that player's stats. Everything from your shot accuracy with the grenade launcher to how many times you were shot down in a chopper is recorded, meaning that a new world of statistics and player-versus-player comparisons is possible.
Numerous websites and PC utilities have been set up to allow players to access their detailed stats outside the actual game environment. Some of the sites have concocted some really innovative stats reporting as well. One even will let you compare two players and show the higher score, color-coded for which player pwns that stat.
However, EA Games was apparently clueless about the potential interest in these stats. Their stats server (one?) is completely unable to cope with the volume of requests. So instead of rapidly scaling up their capacity, they simply block access from the most popular sites and apps. This ticks off users and makes site owners work twice as hard to circumvent/accommodate the block while also trying to explain to their visitors why players' stats aren't being updated. It's a stupid and frustrating reaction to a stupid and frustrating problem.
EA Games, take note: if you build it, sometimes they actually will come, but then you better be ready when they do.
