Showing posts with label apple. Show all posts
Showing posts with label apple. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 05, 2011
Steve Jobs – 1955-2011
As a child I never stopped dreaming about the future and what it would be like. My iPhone was the first thing to make it feel like the future had arrived. Thanks Steve. Rest in peace.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Still Can't Write Copy.
Around eight months ago I pledged to stop using iPuns in my writing as they've become stale and tiresome, and I'm proud to say I've stayed true to my word.
The writers at the mX "newspaper" apparently don't share my view, and indeed — if this train wreck of a headline is anything to go by — the real problem's that they're not being used enough:
I haven't seen them so overburden a headline with puns (or attempts at puns) since this dog's breakfast from early 2006.
"iCan cut and iCan iPaste" is not only awkward and tedious, it also doesn't make any sense. What is iPaste? And if 'paste' gets the i treatment, why not 'cut'? Why not carpet-bomb the whole headline with leading 'i's and quadruple your pun fun cleverness?! It's easy to criticise, I know, but if you absolutely had to break out the iPuns, I think something like 'Finally iCan cut and paste' would have been much more appropriate.
Oh well, to thine own self be true, and let mX do whatever they want to do. iF iDon't LiKe iT, iCan EasiLy iGnore iT, iGuess.
The writers at the mX "newspaper" apparently don't share my view, and indeed — if this train wreck of a headline is anything to go by — the real problem's that they're not being used enough:
I haven't seen them so overburden a headline with puns (or attempts at puns) since this dog's breakfast from early 2006.
"iCan cut and iCan iPaste" is not only awkward and tedious, it also doesn't make any sense. What is iPaste? And if 'paste' gets the i treatment, why not 'cut'? Why not carpet-bomb the whole headline with leading 'i's and quadruple your pun fun cleverness?! It's easy to criticise, I know, but if you absolutely had to break out the iPuns, I think something like 'Finally iCan cut and paste' would have been much more appropriate.
Oh well, to thine own self be true, and let mX do whatever they want to do. iF iDon't LiKe iT, iCan EasiLy iGnore iT, iGuess.
Monday, January 26, 2009
iPhone tough.
So, I finally got around to ordering a screen protector for my iPhone. Went with the "military-grade" Invisible Shield in the end, because once I knew military-grade was an option, I simply couldn't choose anything else. It arrived the other day and, let me tell you, it surpassed my already high expectations. I mean, look at the packaging for this thin sliver of invisible protection (seen at front)...
Bulky as a Hummer and featuring machine gun barrel-style ventilation on top of the outer sleeve, it's also emblazoned with Apache motifs! Apaches! (Actual Apache motifs unable to be seen in this photo, which I probably should have considered when composing it. Annoying. Oh well, can't be bothered retaking the photo now, so you'll just have to believe me.)
Haven't got around to applying the Invisible Shield yet, because I need to watch the instructional video first. Although, since it arrived, I've been given reason to wonder whether I actually need it at all. For you see, it seems my tough-as-nuts little iPhone is quite able to look after itself.
Allow me to illustrate.
Winter loves her bath. So much so that getting her out can be quite a challenge. Any suggestion that bath time is about to conclude is met with a resolute, "No. Stay in bath little bit longer." A little bit longer later however, and she's no more ready to get out, simply restating her intent to "Stay in bath little bit longer." Trying to problem-solve creatively, I decided to use a countdown timer in the hope that this might help her to understand something as abstract as a limited block of time.
I made the mistake, however, of using a two-buck plastic timer with an alarm like a wailing poltergeist jangling its chains in a drawer full of cutlery. So alarmed was Winter on hearing it that she burst into tears. A new approach was needed. I remembered that the iPhone had a large countdown timer and a pleasing selection of sound effects that could alert without raising the dead. I went with a novelty "boing" type alarm, which I played to Winter so she knew what to listen for, and then I set the timer counting down from five minutes.
Boiiiiing.
I held the iPhone up and as planned (as hoped), up rose Winter as well. Yes! As I stood to lift her out, however, I suddenly realised a problem: I had nowhere to put my phone. Normally during bathtimes I take off my watch and place it on the floor next to me, so as not to get it wet. But on this day, as my iPhone was not in my right pocket where it usually lives, I'd gone and put my watch in there instead. Protective as I am of my iPhone's pristine condition, I couldn't now put my phone in there as well, without risking its glass face against the metal edges of the watch. I couldn't put it in my left pocket for the same reason, as that's where I keep my keys. I couldn't put it on the floor, as the chance of Winter splashing water all over it as she got out was too high. And so, wanting to act before she sensed my hesitation and sat down again, I made a snap decision and slipped it into my shirt pocket. Then, remaining carefully upright, I lifted Winter from the bath and carried her from the room. Done.
Returning to the bathroom some time later, I noticed that the water was still in bath. "Better take care of that," I thought. As I lent over to pull out the plug, I felt a weight shift in my shirt pocket and, as realisation struck, time ground to a crawl and I watched in horror as my precious hydrophobic device plunged into the water. Faster than an Alien's inner jaw my hand shot after it and in one swift motion before it even came to rest, I gripped the iPhone and hoisted it back into the air.
Fighting a rising panic, I cleared the iPhone's airways and checked for signs of life. And the signs appeared to be... good! It went in and out of Airplane Mode (which is common after a watery dip, apparently), but otherwise it seemed to be just fine! I called Nee Hancock to test it, but he advised me to power it down at once and put it out to dry.
The Internet was, as ever, both incredibly helpful and entirely useless, as each remedial suggestion was subsequently denounced by others as likely to bring on not only massive system failure but arguably the End Times as well. I tried to find a sensible middle ground that avoided ovens, hairdryers or sacrificing a virgin goat, and ended up laying the dormant device on a bed of rice in an air-tight container. (Rice absorbs ambient moisture, you see.) I then placed the container in a warm, dry spot on a shelf, safe from curious little hands, and settled down to play the waiting game.
The waiting game sucked, but finally the day to roll away the stone arrived. I lifted the phone from its tomb and nervously powered it on.
All good!
Everything seemed to be working as it should, with no noticeable effects. Incredible! Scarcely able to believe my luck, I thanked the makers at Apple, ran through a series of diagnostic tests, and then got on getting on with life. Now, a number of months later, I've all but forgotten my iPhone's little splash with death, and as you would expect now the bugger's insured, the gravest threat it's faced has been the scourge of fingerprints! And long may it be so. "Long" here meaning however long it is until the iPhone 3G's successor is released, of course, at which time any unfortunate accidents that shuffle the old model off to silicon heaven will be welcomed with songs of thanksgiving and praise.
UPDATE
So, it seems the fears that led to all this were unfounded. Nee Hancock informs me that iPhone has highly scratch-resistant tempered glass on its face, as was demonstrated to him by an Apple Genius who went to work on the face of a faulty model with a set of keys; all to no effect! Oh well, fortune favours the cautious, or something. As an aside, I can't stand that title, Apple Genius. It's so wildly disproportionate to the service they actually provide it's laughable. It's like calling them the Apple Awesomes. Ridiculous.
UPDATE 2
Alriiiight, here's your Apache logo photo. Two instances of many. No digital life is safe without Apaches!
UPDATE 3
Well, two years down, I'm out of contract, have upgraded to iPhone 4, and my little aqua-lovin' 3G is still going strong. I've handed it down to my two girls, four and two, as their own little gaming machine, so let's see if it can survive that. :)
Bulky as a Hummer and featuring machine gun barrel-style ventilation on top of the outer sleeve, it's also emblazoned with Apache motifs! Apaches! (Actual Apache motifs unable to be seen in this photo, which I probably should have considered when composing it. Annoying. Oh well, can't be bothered retaking the photo now, so you'll just have to believe me.)
Haven't got around to applying the Invisible Shield yet, because I need to watch the instructional video first. Although, since it arrived, I've been given reason to wonder whether I actually need it at all. For you see, it seems my tough-as-nuts little iPhone is quite able to look after itself.
Allow me to illustrate.
Winter loves her bath. So much so that getting her out can be quite a challenge. Any suggestion that bath time is about to conclude is met with a resolute, "No. Stay in bath little bit longer." A little bit longer later however, and she's no more ready to get out, simply restating her intent to "Stay in bath little bit longer." Trying to problem-solve creatively, I decided to use a countdown timer in the hope that this might help her to understand something as abstract as a limited block of time.
I made the mistake, however, of using a two-buck plastic timer with an alarm like a wailing poltergeist jangling its chains in a drawer full of cutlery. So alarmed was Winter on hearing it that she burst into tears. A new approach was needed. I remembered that the iPhone had a large countdown timer and a pleasing selection of sound effects that could alert without raising the dead. I went with a novelty "boing" type alarm, which I played to Winter so she knew what to listen for, and then I set the timer counting down from five minutes.
Boiiiiing.
I held the iPhone up and as planned (as hoped), up rose Winter as well. Yes! As I stood to lift her out, however, I suddenly realised a problem: I had nowhere to put my phone. Normally during bathtimes I take off my watch and place it on the floor next to me, so as not to get it wet. But on this day, as my iPhone was not in my right pocket where it usually lives, I'd gone and put my watch in there instead. Protective as I am of my iPhone's pristine condition, I couldn't now put my phone in there as well, without risking its glass face against the metal edges of the watch. I couldn't put it in my left pocket for the same reason, as that's where I keep my keys. I couldn't put it on the floor, as the chance of Winter splashing water all over it as she got out was too high. And so, wanting to act before she sensed my hesitation and sat down again, I made a snap decision and slipped it into my shirt pocket. Then, remaining carefully upright, I lifted Winter from the bath and carried her from the room. Done.
Returning to the bathroom some time later, I noticed that the water was still in bath. "Better take care of that," I thought. As I lent over to pull out the plug, I felt a weight shift in my shirt pocket and, as realisation struck, time ground to a crawl and I watched in horror as my precious hydrophobic device plunged into the water. Faster than an Alien's inner jaw my hand shot after it and in one swift motion before it even came to rest, I gripped the iPhone and hoisted it back into the air.
Fighting a rising panic, I cleared the iPhone's airways and checked for signs of life. And the signs appeared to be... good! It went in and out of Airplane Mode (which is common after a watery dip, apparently), but otherwise it seemed to be just fine! I called Nee Hancock to test it, but he advised me to power it down at once and put it out to dry.
The Internet was, as ever, both incredibly helpful and entirely useless, as each remedial suggestion was subsequently denounced by others as likely to bring on not only massive system failure but arguably the End Times as well. I tried to find a sensible middle ground that avoided ovens, hairdryers or sacrificing a virgin goat, and ended up laying the dormant device on a bed of rice in an air-tight container. (Rice absorbs ambient moisture, you see.) I then placed the container in a warm, dry spot on a shelf, safe from curious little hands, and settled down to play the waiting game.
The waiting game sucked, but finally the day to roll away the stone arrived. I lifted the phone from its tomb and nervously powered it on.
All good!
Everything seemed to be working as it should, with no noticeable effects. Incredible! Scarcely able to believe my luck, I thanked the makers at Apple, ran through a series of diagnostic tests, and then got on getting on with life. Now, a number of months later, I've all but forgotten my iPhone's little splash with death, and as you would expect now the bugger's insured, the gravest threat it's faced has been the scourge of fingerprints! And long may it be so. "Long" here meaning however long it is until the iPhone 3G's successor is released, of course, at which time any unfortunate accidents that shuffle the old model off to silicon heaven will be welcomed with songs of thanksgiving and praise.
UPDATE
So, it seems the fears that led to all this were unfounded. Nee Hancock informs me that iPhone has highly scratch-resistant tempered glass on its face, as was demonstrated to him by an Apple Genius who went to work on the face of a faulty model with a set of keys; all to no effect! Oh well, fortune favours the cautious, or something. As an aside, I can't stand that title, Apple Genius. It's so wildly disproportionate to the service they actually provide it's laughable. It's like calling them the Apple Awesomes. Ridiculous.
UPDATE 2
Alriiiight, here's your Apache logo photo. Two instances of many. No digital life is safe without Apaches!
UPDATE 3
Well, two years down, I'm out of contract, have upgraded to iPhone 4, and my little aqua-lovin' 3G is still going strong. I've handed it down to my two girls, four and two, as their own little gaming machine, so let's see if it can survive that. :)
Monday, October 20, 2008
Tea Tree The Key.
Introducing Tea Tree Oil, the all-in-one, all natural, no holds barred, miracle multipurpose solution that achieves outstanding results you simply won't believe.
Just listen to this unpaid, non-solicited, testimonial.
Just listen to this unpaid, non-solicited, testimonial.
"When I sat down at my desk and discovered my two-year-old had taken to the keyboard of my precious iMac with a permanent marker, I thought I might go into coronary arrest. I tried all the so-called remedies I read about on the internet – toothpaste, magic erasers, motor oil – but nothing seemed to work. Then, at the point of despair, my wife suggested trying Tea Tree Oil, and let me tell you, I was amazed at the results!
With nought but a dab of solution and a light application of elbow-grease, the "permanent" marker proved to be nothing of the kind. In no time at all my keyboard was restored to its former glory, saving not only this vital peripheral, but my relationship with my firstborn as well!!So get down to your nearest retailer of miracle goods today, and see what Tea Tree Oil can do for you!
Thanks and blessings marvellous Tea Tree Oil. "Oil" be using you again soon!!!"
Relieved, Reservoir
Monday, August 04, 2008
iPromise no more iPuns.
They're really getting tedious, aren't they? Not as bad as FCUK (you're so naughty, French Connection!), which lost its appeal after one or one viewings, but they're still getting annoying. Especially when they're nothing clever; they're just a boring old headline with an 'i' bunged out the front.
So, yeah, no new puns, but I've got an iPhone!
Glory, that took some doing. I won't bore you with the details of my miraculous escape from a web of incompetence, weaselly buck-passing and half a lifetime on hold, suffice to say that I'm not planning to purchase my next phone from Telechoice. And then just when I thought I was out, it called me up and dragged me back in. The day I went to pick up the replacement unit I made doubly sure it was activated and able to make a call, but I didn't try accessing the web over the 3G network. I should have. After a day of thinking I was just unlucky enough to always be in areas of poor reception, I suddenly realised after comparing my phone to a friend's that, no, it actually wasn't working at all. (And yes, 3G was turned on, I checked. Many times).
Another half hour on the phone touring the many and varied departments of an Optus Call Centre led me to a tech who was eventually able to fix the problem by, quote, "manually installing some missing components in our rear-end," unquote! By this stage I was ready to manually install some components in someone's rear-end too, but a 3G icon blinking into life next to five bars of 3G reception soothed the savage beast within and all was good with the world. I harnessed the good energy, blocked out the bad, iPhone packed his bags, got to the airport, and now he's home.
The only negative now is that since losing my old mobile I've been off the grid for so long that people have stopped calling me. I'm back, people. Feel free to call me again.
UPDATE: Just been googlin' around for iPhone screen protectectors. How good is this one? I'll tell you: among its list of Features it's described as being "Military Grade". Awesome.
So, yeah, no new puns, but I've got an iPhone!
Glory, that took some doing. I won't bore you with the details of my miraculous escape from a web of incompetence, weaselly buck-passing and half a lifetime on hold, suffice to say that I'm not planning to purchase my next phone from Telechoice. And then just when I thought I was out, it called me up and dragged me back in. The day I went to pick up the replacement unit I made doubly sure it was activated and able to make a call, but I didn't try accessing the web over the 3G network. I should have. After a day of thinking I was just unlucky enough to always be in areas of poor reception, I suddenly realised after comparing my phone to a friend's that, no, it actually wasn't working at all. (And yes, 3G was turned on, I checked. Many times).
Another half hour on the phone touring the many and varied departments of an Optus Call Centre led me to a tech who was eventually able to fix the problem by, quote, "manually installing some missing components in our rear-end," unquote! By this stage I was ready to manually install some components in someone's rear-end too, but a 3G icon blinking into life next to five bars of 3G reception soothed the savage beast within and all was good with the world. I harnessed the good energy, blocked out the bad, iPhone packed his bags, got to the airport, and now he's home.
The only negative now is that since losing my old mobile I've been off the grid for so long that people have stopped calling me. I'm back, people. Feel free to call me again.
UPDATE: Just been googlin' around for iPhone screen protectectors. How good is this one? I'll tell you: among its list of Features it's described as being "Military Grade". Awesome.
Friday, July 18, 2008
iPhone, Therefore I Am.
Alright, so maybe that's taking it a little too far, but when it comes to iPhone, hyperbole is the order of the day. And my day is today. Which, given that I was quoted three to four weeks for iPhone Round 2, came as quite the pleasant surprise. My, you'd be hard pressed to top my last 24 hours: The Dark Knight last night, iPhone this afternoon, and then I get home to discover a book that I'd ordered had just arrived from Amazon. Icing.
Imagine my disappointment then when I plugged the damn iPhone into my iMac and got the message: "No SIM card installed. Insert an unlocked and valid SIM to activate iPhone." Padme, nooooo!! The Optus guy hadn't been able to activate it in store, but assured me it'd be activated when I plugged it in at home. Well, apparently not. Straight onto the old-style, last century, landline-type phone (at least it worked, I guess), and the best he could suggest was that I bring the iPhone and SIM back into the store tomorrow so he can test it out there. No other option really.
So, bring on tomorrow, and in the meantime I'll just enjoy this sublime packaging in which the iPhone image on the top is embossed, except for the area under the Home button which sits recessed, as it does on the iPhone itself. It's not something you notice until you run your fingers across the box's surface. Just magnificent attention to detail.
UPDATE
Gutted. Took the iPhone back into the Optus store in the city this morning, to be told I got the rotten Apple in the barrel! The guy put my SIM into his phone, and it worked, then he put his SIM into the iPhone, and it didn't. Defective handset. What are the chances? They couldn't just swap it over for me, even if they'd had the stock (see hilarious official sign below) as defective units need to go back to Apple to be replaced by them. Or something. Anyway, he estimated a turnaround of one week which, given the actual over the estimate last time, I'm hoping means two days. I guess we'll see.
In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy watching this video of the upcoming game Star Wars: The Force Unleashed running on an iPhone!
Imagine my disappointment then when I plugged the damn iPhone into my iMac and got the message: "No SIM card installed. Insert an unlocked and valid SIM to activate iPhone." Padme, nooooo!! The Optus guy hadn't been able to activate it in store, but assured me it'd be activated when I plugged it in at home. Well, apparently not. Straight onto the old-style, last century, landline-type phone (at least it worked, I guess), and the best he could suggest was that I bring the iPhone and SIM back into the store tomorrow so he can test it out there. No other option really.
So, bring on tomorrow, and in the meantime I'll just enjoy this sublime packaging in which the iPhone image on the top is embossed, except for the area under the Home button which sits recessed, as it does on the iPhone itself. It's not something you notice until you run your fingers across the box's surface. Just magnificent attention to detail.
UPDATE
Gutted. Took the iPhone back into the Optus store in the city this morning, to be told I got the rotten Apple in the barrel! The guy put my SIM into his phone, and it worked, then he put his SIM into the iPhone, and it didn't. Defective handset. What are the chances? They couldn't just swap it over for me, even if they'd had the stock (see hilarious official sign below) as defective units need to go back to Apple to be replaced by them. Or something. Anyway, he estimated a turnaround of one week which, given the actual over the estimate last time, I'm hoping means two days. I guess we'll see.
In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy watching this video of the upcoming game Star Wars: The Force Unleashed running on an iPhone!
Friday, July 11, 2008
Phone Line.
Well, sadly, the wait goes on. With a launch day short on stock and long on queues, I'll be waiting a little longer to take my iPhone home.
My initial plan was to head out early to Optus World in Epping, as I figured surely out in Epping demand would be low? Unfortunately, Optus had thought of that too and so only shipped 19 units out to the store, of which less than half were 16GB, less than half of those were black and of that tiny handful all were already accounted for by pre-order deposits. "Should I turn up tomorrow morning?" I asked the lady on the phone. "Don't bother," was the reply.
Plan B then was to catch the early train to Preston, pop over to Optus World to see what the situation was, and hope for the best. Maybe if I managed to hit the front of the queue I'd still be in with a chance? It was on the way to work anyway, so no harm done if things didn't work out. Got to Reservoir station in time for the 6:18 and, you won't believe it, it was cancelled. Thanks Connex. Next train? 6:38. And it was late. By the time I got to Preston, the line was already over 20 deep.
So I joined the end and ended up having a good chat to some fellow queuees as we waited to see how quickly the line would move. After half an hour of it moving nowhere, I conceded it wasn't going to be my lucky day and headed off to work on my regular train. On getting there I was relieved to find that of the many planning to get iPhones only two had been able to do so, and only by signing up with Vodafone whose plans are terrible. I just wasn't that desperate. Popped out at lunch and signed up for Round 2 with Optus, so now the waiting game begins. Anyone fancy some Hungry Hungry Hippos?
UPDATE
To sell its first million first-generation iPhones it took Apple 74 days. With iPhone 3G, nicely enough, it's taken them just three.
My initial plan was to head out early to Optus World in Epping, as I figured surely out in Epping demand would be low? Unfortunately, Optus had thought of that too and so only shipped 19 units out to the store, of which less than half were 16GB, less than half of those were black and of that tiny handful all were already accounted for by pre-order deposits. "Should I turn up tomorrow morning?" I asked the lady on the phone. "Don't bother," was the reply.
Plan B then was to catch the early train to Preston, pop over to Optus World to see what the situation was, and hope for the best. Maybe if I managed to hit the front of the queue I'd still be in with a chance? It was on the way to work anyway, so no harm done if things didn't work out. Got to Reservoir station in time for the 6:18 and, you won't believe it, it was cancelled. Thanks Connex. Next train? 6:38. And it was late. By the time I got to Preston, the line was already over 20 deep.
So I joined the end and ended up having a good chat to some fellow queuees as we waited to see how quickly the line would move. After half an hour of it moving nowhere, I conceded it wasn't going to be my lucky day and headed off to work on my regular train. On getting there I was relieved to find that of the many planning to get iPhones only two had been able to do so, and only by signing up with Vodafone whose plans are terrible. I just wasn't that desperate. Popped out at lunch and signed up for Round 2 with Optus, so now the waiting game begins. Anyone fancy some Hungry Hungry Hippos?
UPDATE
To sell its first million first-generation iPhones it took Apple 74 days. With iPhone 3G, nicely enough, it's taken them just three.
Monday, June 09, 2008
Here it comes...
WWDC kicks off in four hours, and with it cometh iPhone 2, baby! And I just lost my old mobile last night! Well, misplaced most likely, but a little positive thinking never hurt anyone! Lost will do as I drift off to sleep tonight...
UPDATE: I apologise for saying "baby" up there in the original post. I don't normally talk that way. But that's iPhone fever for you, baby!
UPDATE 2: Avast! Thar she blows!
iPhone 3G! A phone so cool it skipped an entire generation and went straight to 3! And it's coming to Australia! All my childhood dreams of the future have been fulfilled. Well, not all fulfilled; I'm still waiting on personal jetpacks. And flying cars. And teleporting. But it's a big step forward nonetheless. What an incredible device.
If you haven't watched the Stevenote, it's worth checking out; if only to see what the many developers have done with the Software Developers Kit. The music app at 40:11, the Google Maps-style medical app at 45:35 and the game demo at 52:13 are pretty amazing. Especially that game demo. As the guy says, it's hard to believe it's running on a mobile device. And the use of the built-in accelerometer for character control is very cool. The device/browser comparison at 1:29:20 is also pretty convincing.
And watching all this, it surprises me that Apple pushed so hard for the iPhone brand name, as phone calls are pretty much the least of what the iPhone does. It's like calling the iMac the DoorStop. Sure, it can do that — and do it well, you know — but my, it can do so much more. It's a fully featured, micro-sized personal computer! I guess iPhone rolls off the tongue easily, and sits comfortably within Apple's "i" stable, but it does seem like an unnecessarily timid name, especially when you consider the boldness of 'iPod'. MacNano seems like it'd be more appropriate, though equally unimaginative. I guess that's why Apple have been throwing around the quote "The phone that has changed phones forever".
Well, whatever its name might be, I reckon you could call it Apple HotCakes because this baby is going to move.
UPDATE 3: Oh no! I did it again.
UPDATE: I apologise for saying "baby" up there in the original post. I don't normally talk that way. But that's iPhone fever for you, baby!
UPDATE 2: Avast! Thar she blows!
iPhone 3G! A phone so cool it skipped an entire generation and went straight to 3! And it's coming to Australia! All my childhood dreams of the future have been fulfilled. Well, not all fulfilled; I'm still waiting on personal jetpacks. And flying cars. And teleporting. But it's a big step forward nonetheless. What an incredible device.
If you haven't watched the Stevenote, it's worth checking out; if only to see what the many developers have done with the Software Developers Kit. The music app at 40:11, the Google Maps-style medical app at 45:35 and the game demo at 52:13 are pretty amazing. Especially that game demo. As the guy says, it's hard to believe it's running on a mobile device. And the use of the built-in accelerometer for character control is very cool. The device/browser comparison at 1:29:20 is also pretty convincing.
And watching all this, it surprises me that Apple pushed so hard for the iPhone brand name, as phone calls are pretty much the least of what the iPhone does. It's like calling the iMac the DoorStop. Sure, it can do that — and do it well, you know — but my, it can do so much more. It's a fully featured, micro-sized personal computer! I guess iPhone rolls off the tongue easily, and sits comfortably within Apple's "i" stable, but it does seem like an unnecessarily timid name, especially when you consider the boldness of 'iPod'. MacNano seems like it'd be more appropriate, though equally unimaginative. I guess that's why Apple have been throwing around the quote "The phone that has changed phones forever".
Well, whatever its name might be, I reckon you could call it Apple HotCakes because this baby is going to move.
UPDATE 3: Oh no! I did it again.
Monday, January 14, 2008
iPhone Lynched.
David Lynch's best work in years.
So true. (And please note the supporting performance from the Aeron chair. Yes!)
So true. (And please note the supporting performance from the Aeron chair. Yes!)
Monday, October 15, 2007
iPod touch myself.
Well, I abstained for as long as I was able, but in the end my hand was forced and I succumbed to the inevitable: I've just got myself a shiny new 16GB iPod touch.
And I have to say, it's even better than I imagined. The hyperbole just wasn't hyperbolly enough. The interface is incredible, the screen is incredible, browsing the actual web over WI-FI is incredible, the little details are incredible... it's just incredible full stop.
So, yeah, I was planning to hold out for a 30GB model, but last week I had a little butterfingers incident where my beloved third-gen iPod took a tumble onto the footpath and came up not so shiny. It was still playing, mind you, but the enclosure had come apart and needed to be clicked shut, and when I turned it on the next day I discovered its entire contents had somehow been erased. No albums, no playlists, nothing. And when I plugged it into my Mac, Finder kept crashing. Not a healthy sign.
So, vale third-generation touch-wheel iPod. You were a faithful and steady companion, and your monochrome screen was second to no other monochrome screen. And if I ever complained about 20GB being too restrictive, please overlook the fact that you've been replaced by a younger, slimmer model that holds only 16. The key, you see, as I've recently learned, is smart playlist management and avoiding so called "dark matter": those quirks of your collection that found their way in but have remained unplayed ever since. Sure, a day may come where it would've been handy to have some obscure track at hand, but is that chance worth denying yourself the wonders of a touch interface in the meantime?
I didn't think so, and it was off to JB for me. And yes, I've already done like everyone else on YouTube and let Winter scroll through the photos and tap her way around the apps. She's a little heavy-handed, but she took to it right away.
Speaking of YouTube, I just came across the very first iPod promotional video from 2001. It's seven minutes long, but it's a great watch; if only to see how much things have changed in six years.
Although, it's funny how relative things are. The audio could be used all but unchanged for the iPod touch, but to hear the heads marvel at how "thin" the first-gen iPod was is quite amusing. Well, to me, anyway. And only 1000 songs in your pocket? How did we ever survive back then?
UPDATE:The iPod touch: so simple even a dog can use one.
UPDATE 2: Kate informs me the iPod promotional video is not a great watch. :)
UPDATE 3: Just noticed that ifthe iPod touch is playing and you pull out the headphones, it automatically pauses playback. Nice. It's the little things...
UPDATE 4: Today, October 23, isthe iPod's sixth birthday. And if you've not yet had your fill of old school iPod video goodness, here's another for you with His Steveness launching the iPod back in 2001. Boom.
Kate may disagree, but I reckon it's another cracker watch.
And watching it I've just noticed that Jobs doesn't call it "the iPod", just "iPod". Like it's a person. Huh. Weird.
And I have to say, it's even better than I imagined. The hyperbole just wasn't hyperbolly enough. The interface is incredible, the screen is incredible, browsing the actual web over WI-FI is incredible, the little details are incredible... it's just incredible full stop.
So, yeah, I was planning to hold out for a 30GB model, but last week I had a little butterfingers incident where my beloved third-gen iPod took a tumble onto the footpath and came up not so shiny. It was still playing, mind you, but the enclosure had come apart and needed to be clicked shut, and when I turned it on the next day I discovered its entire contents had somehow been erased. No albums, no playlists, nothing. And when I plugged it into my Mac, Finder kept crashing. Not a healthy sign.
So, vale third-generation touch-wheel iPod. You were a faithful and steady companion, and your monochrome screen was second to no other monochrome screen. And if I ever complained about 20GB being too restrictive, please overlook the fact that you've been replaced by a younger, slimmer model that holds only 16. The key, you see, as I've recently learned, is smart playlist management and avoiding so called "dark matter": those quirks of your collection that found their way in but have remained unplayed ever since. Sure, a day may come where it would've been handy to have some obscure track at hand, but is that chance worth denying yourself the wonders of a touch interface in the meantime?
I didn't think so, and it was off to JB for me. And yes, I've already done like everyone else on YouTube and let Winter scroll through the photos and tap her way around the apps. She's a little heavy-handed, but she took to it right away.
Speaking of YouTube, I just came across the very first iPod promotional video from 2001. It's seven minutes long, but it's a great watch; if only to see how much things have changed in six years.
Although, it's funny how relative things are. The audio could be used all but unchanged for the iPod touch, but to hear the heads marvel at how "thin" the first-gen iPod was is quite amusing. Well, to me, anyway. And only 1000 songs in your pocket? How did we ever survive back then?
UPDATE:
UPDATE 2: Kate informs me the iPod promotional video is not a great watch. :)
UPDATE 3: Just noticed that if
UPDATE 4: Today, October 23, is
Kate may disagree, but I reckon it's another cracker watch.
And watching it I've just noticed that Jobs doesn't call it "the iPod", just "iPod". Like it's a person. Huh. Weird.
Sunday, June 03, 2007
The Apple-a-Day Massacre.
Tragedy on the streets of Melbourne today as another iPod-using hipster was gunned down in a tram shelter on Elizabeth Street. By some freak of providential timing, I happened to be right across the street with my camera, and managed to capture the exact moment of death on film. Or on CCD, rather.
With work already underway adapting Robert Capa's famous photograph for a new iPod ad campaign, Apple contacted me hoping to honour this second young hipster's choice of digital audio player by incorporating his image into their poster as well. I felt a little uncomfortable about handing the image over, but they drove a truckload of iPods up to my house and I'm not made of stone.
I still don't get how this is meant to sell iPods, but the marketing dude I spoke to seemed pretty sure they were onto another "epoch-defining, gold-class winner." I guess we'll see.
Neither victim has so far been identified.
With work already underway adapting Robert Capa's famous photograph for a new iPod ad campaign, Apple contacted me hoping to honour this second young hipster's choice of digital audio player by incorporating his image into their poster as well. I felt a little uncomfortable about handing the image over, but they drove a truckload of iPods up to my house and I'm not made of stone.
I still don't get how this is meant to sell iPods, but the marketing dude I spoke to seemed pretty sure they were onto another "epoch-defining, gold-class winner." I guess we'll see.
Neither victim has so far been identified.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Apple a day.
When it comes to product placement, Apple are doing very well for themselves. Back in the old days they had to actually work to get their products into other people’s ads, films and TV shows, but these days they’ve pushed that little lever that lets you swing your ergonomic chair back and they’ve got their feet up on the desk. In fact, they’ve already gone home and are having a snooze by the fire in the Jason Recliner.
Because thanks largely (but not entirely) to the success of the iPod (which after all grew from a philosophy that informs all that Apple creates… except the one-button mouse, which is form giving function the finger, although thankfully Apple have seen the Might there. Oh, and the iPod’s symmetrically-shaped headphone cable sucks as well, but maybe that’s a good thing because it meant I switched back to using my old asymmetrical neck-chain Sony ones which, thanks to their being not-white, have probably saved me from being mugged every second day, and then copping a second thumping when the mugger discovers the fruit of their labour is merely a miserable third-generation iPod! How are they supposed to watch Pirates of the Caribbean on that?
But where was I? Oh yes, thanks largely to Apple being so hot right now, every man jack and his advertiser are desperate to get Apple products into their ads in the hope of picking up a little reflected glory.
Which is all well and good, but sometimes, as with this ad for New Zealand tourism, the quest for glory starts to look a little desperate and pathetic.
Note the iPod taking pride of place, but also note absolutely no reference to Apple or iPods anywhere else. Sure, they mention you can apparently organise trips to New Zealand ONLINE (Um, newsflash!), but the link from there to iPod is tenuous at best.
Less pathetic, but just as misleading, is this ad from Optus.
Optus, you’ll see, are quite happy to use Apple hardware to promote their product (once they’ve photoshopped off the Apple logo, of course), but if you’re a Mac user who signs up and calls their technical support, you’ll be told that Optus don’t support the Mac and to tell your story walkin’.
And no, it’s not an Apple Display plugged into a PC, because that’s an OS X scroll bar they’ve decided to paste in there for some unfathomable reason. And curiously, the scroll bar is showing there’s more to the page than we can see, which begs the question, “What will be revealed if you scroll back up?” Some sneaky small-print nastiness would be my guess. Possibly the bit where they let you know they don’t support Macs. :)
Just plain bizarre is this ad…
…for an Apple MacBoo… oh wait, I’m sorry, it’s not a MacBook Pro, it’s a… Twinhead or something laptop? I got confused because that’s Apple’s ‘Aqua Blue’ default desktop wallpaper you can see there on the laptop’s display. Trying to make your product look like something it isn’t is not a great way to project confidence. It’s like a Daewoo dealer sticking VW badges on his cars, hoping that no-one will notice. And I find it funny how they ask, “Why Settle For Less?” while making the brightest point of the ad a recognisable image from a competing operating system this machine can’t even run. (Unlike a MacBook which can do everything the Twinhead can do, and more.)
But where you could explain the Twinhead incongruence away as being some PC guy who liked the wallpaper and just downloaded it, I’d love to know the explanation for this double-take from The Sopranos:
Here’s an establishing shot of Janice Soprano tapping away evilly on her Apple PowerBook G3. But when we cut to her point of view, what do we see?
Windows?! What?! Even back in 2002 she could've easily used OS X and a multi-protocol IM client for her trickery, but she went instead for a Windows emulator? She really is insane!
Because thanks largely (but not entirely) to the success of the iPod (which after all grew from a philosophy that informs all that Apple creates… except the one-button mouse, which is form giving function the finger, although thankfully Apple have seen the Might there. Oh, and the iPod’s symmetrically-shaped headphone cable sucks as well, but maybe that’s a good thing because it meant I switched back to using my old asymmetrical neck-chain Sony ones which, thanks to their being not-white, have probably saved me from being mugged every second day, and then copping a second thumping when the mugger discovers the fruit of their labour is merely a miserable third-generation iPod! How are they supposed to watch Pirates of the Caribbean on that?
But where was I? Oh yes, thanks largely to Apple being so hot right now, every man jack and his advertiser are desperate to get Apple products into their ads in the hope of picking up a little reflected glory.
Which is all well and good, but sometimes, as with this ad for New Zealand tourism, the quest for glory starts to look a little desperate and pathetic.
Note the iPod taking pride of place, but also note absolutely no reference to Apple or iPods anywhere else. Sure, they mention you can apparently organise trips to New Zealand ONLINE (Um, newsflash!), but the link from there to iPod is tenuous at best.
Less pathetic, but just as misleading, is this ad from Optus.
Optus, you’ll see, are quite happy to use Apple hardware to promote their product (once they’ve photoshopped off the Apple logo, of course), but if you’re a Mac user who signs up and calls their technical support, you’ll be told that Optus don’t support the Mac and to tell your story walkin’.
And no, it’s not an Apple Display plugged into a PC, because that’s an OS X scroll bar they’ve decided to paste in there for some unfathomable reason. And curiously, the scroll bar is showing there’s more to the page than we can see, which begs the question, “What will be revealed if you scroll back up?” Some sneaky small-print nastiness would be my guess. Possibly the bit where they let you know they don’t support Macs. :)
Just plain bizarre is this ad…
…for an Apple MacBoo… oh wait, I’m sorry, it’s not a MacBook Pro, it’s a… Twinhead or something laptop? I got confused because that’s Apple’s ‘Aqua Blue’ default desktop wallpaper you can see there on the laptop’s display. Trying to make your product look like something it isn’t is not a great way to project confidence. It’s like a Daewoo dealer sticking VW badges on his cars, hoping that no-one will notice. And I find it funny how they ask, “Why Settle For Less?” while making the brightest point of the ad a recognisable image from a competing operating system this machine can’t even run. (Unlike a MacBook which can do everything the Twinhead can do, and more.)
But where you could explain the Twinhead incongruence away as being some PC guy who liked the wallpaper and just downloaded it, I’d love to know the explanation for this double-take from The Sopranos:
Here’s an establishing shot of Janice Soprano tapping away evilly on her Apple PowerBook G3. But when we cut to her point of view, what do we see?
Windows?! What?! Even back in 2002 she could've easily used OS X and a multi-protocol IM client for her trickery, but she went instead for a Windows emulator? She really is insane!
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Magic iPod.
I love my iPod. Even if it is merely a third-generation iPod whose small storage capacity and even smaller monochrome screen makes the kids of today wonder how I can even bear to be alive. “How do you handle having to watch movies in black and white? What? You can’t even watch movies on it? Wow; go to bed, old man. How old did you say that thing was?”
But after yesterday I love my iPod even more. For you see I have discovered that my iPod is not just an iPod, it is a Magic iPod!
The day began like any other: at my Mac, strong long black and a quick flick through my RSS Reader for the news of the day. I noticed Apple had just released a new ad for Apple TV, so I went and had a look. It uses a clip from Jack Black’s film, School of Rock, where he’s instructing his students on how to play the rock classic, ‘Smoke on the Water.’ Nice ad. Playtime over, I put on my headphones, set my iPod to shuffle all songs and pressed Play. Of the 4312 tracks it had to choose from, guess what it chose? Yep, Smoke on the Water. What are the odds? Like, seriously? Talk about push advertising. I nearly fell off my chair!
Then! If that wasn't enough, last night I headed to the cinema for an evening drenched in blood, glory and spittle as 300 Spartans shouted themselves hoarse while hacking an endless sea of Persians to pieces. Magnificent. Anyway, I popped into the Men's Room before the session and heard Veruca Salt's 'Volcano Girls' playing over the PA. It was quite a surprise to hear something I actually liked over a PA, something that was very much not the easy-listenin' musak you would normally expect. And they must have given Kylie the night off because then as I walked into the cinema, Radiohead's 'Sit Down, Stand Up' came on. "Wow," I commented, "two good songs in a row. It's like they've got my iPod plugged in." And then next up, also to be found on my iPod, was the stomping 'Seven Nation Army' by the White Stripes. I couldn't believe it. Three from three! The pre-show "entertainment" then started up, so my run came to an end, but only for two hours because as the movie ended and the lights came on, so too did Lamb's 'Gabriel,' which is not only one of my all-time favourite songs, but also the track Kate sauntered down the aisle to! It was Pirate Radio and my iPod (tucked away in my satchel) was at the board pushing the buttons. (Or whatever it is you do at a Pirate Radio).
I know Bill Gates' smart-house will create a personal playlist based on preferences stored in that chip in your skull and pipe your music after you as you walk from room to room, but Apple have trumped him once again by extending the feature out into public places! With an astounding, apparently unique, magic-feature like this, I think I can mollify the upgrade desire for a few more years at least...
UPDATE: The Magic Lives On, and not just in the hearts of children, but within the electronic heart of my Magical iPod as well, as it continues to broadcast its playlists out through ethereal pipes and into the world around. Huzzah!
I’ve just finished watching the third episode of the last ever absolutely the last final full stop never again nine episodes of The Sopranos. And of these three episodes, two have featured tracks taken directly from my Best. Jazz. Ever. playlist on my iPod. First up was the sublime perfection of Dave Brubeck’s, ‘Take Five,’ which was followed two episodes later by Benny Goodman’s stomping, ‘Sing, Sing, Sing (With A Swing).’ If either of the next two episodes feature Charles Mingus’ pinnacle of jazz expression, ‘II B.S.’ I’m declaring this magic-to-be-or-not-to-be speculation officially settled.
UPDATE 2: I know you’ll think I’m joking, but there’s some freakshow over here who reckons he prefers—get this—his old 2nd-gen iPod to his new 5th-gen video iPod! I know, I know! Crazy fool. Hopefully he’ll let us know when the shuttle lands.
UPDATE 3: SO CLOSE! When laying down a fleece to test the Magicalness of my iPod, I chose to use my all time favourite jazz track, 'II B.S' by Charles Mingus. Well, I didn't manage to land that stomper, but the final Soprano's episode, did feature another of my Top Five favourite jazz tracks, Duke Ellington's standard, Caravan; a track I love so much I've collected 42 different versions of it (and counting). It wasn't my favourite version, but it was still a track on my iPod! So, how amazing is that? Three of my Top Five in the final run of seven episodes. Magic!
But after yesterday I love my iPod even more. For you see I have discovered that my iPod is not just an iPod, it is a Magic iPod!
The day began like any other: at my Mac, strong long black and a quick flick through my RSS Reader for the news of the day. I noticed Apple had just released a new ad for Apple TV, so I went and had a look. It uses a clip from Jack Black’s film, School of Rock, where he’s instructing his students on how to play the rock classic, ‘Smoke on the Water.’ Nice ad. Playtime over, I put on my headphones, set my iPod to shuffle all songs and pressed Play. Of the 4312 tracks it had to choose from, guess what it chose? Yep, Smoke on the Water. What are the odds? Like, seriously? Talk about push advertising. I nearly fell off my chair!
Then! If that wasn't enough, last night I headed to the cinema for an evening drenched in blood, glory and spittle as 300 Spartans shouted themselves hoarse while hacking an endless sea of Persians to pieces. Magnificent. Anyway, I popped into the Men's Room before the session and heard Veruca Salt's 'Volcano Girls' playing over the PA. It was quite a surprise to hear something I actually liked over a PA, something that was very much not the easy-listenin' musak you would normally expect. And they must have given Kylie the night off because then as I walked into the cinema, Radiohead's 'Sit Down, Stand Up' came on. "Wow," I commented, "two good songs in a row. It's like they've got my iPod plugged in." And then next up, also to be found on my iPod, was the stomping 'Seven Nation Army' by the White Stripes. I couldn't believe it. Three from three! The pre-show "entertainment" then started up, so my run came to an end, but only for two hours because as the movie ended and the lights came on, so too did Lamb's 'Gabriel,' which is not only one of my all-time favourite songs, but also the track Kate sauntered down the aisle to! It was Pirate Radio and my iPod (tucked away in my satchel) was at the board pushing the buttons. (Or whatever it is you do at a Pirate Radio).
I know Bill Gates' smart-house will create a personal playlist based on preferences stored in that chip in your skull and pipe your music after you as you walk from room to room, but Apple have trumped him once again by extending the feature out into public places! With an astounding, apparently unique, magic-feature like this, I think I can mollify the upgrade desire for a few more years at least...
UPDATE: The Magic Lives On, and not just in the hearts of children, but within the electronic heart of my Magical iPod as well, as it continues to broadcast its playlists out through ethereal pipes and into the world around. Huzzah!
I’ve just finished watching the third episode of the last ever absolutely the last final full stop never again nine episodes of The Sopranos. And of these three episodes, two have featured tracks taken directly from my Best. Jazz. Ever. playlist on my iPod. First up was the sublime perfection of Dave Brubeck’s, ‘Take Five,’ which was followed two episodes later by Benny Goodman’s stomping, ‘Sing, Sing, Sing (With A Swing).’ If either of the next two episodes feature Charles Mingus’ pinnacle of jazz expression, ‘II B.S.’ I’m declaring this magic-to-be-or-not-to-be speculation officially settled.
UPDATE 2: I know you’ll think I’m joking, but there’s some freakshow over here who reckons he prefers—get this—his old 2nd-gen iPod to his new 5th-gen video iPod! I know, I know! Crazy fool. Hopefully he’ll let us know when the shuttle lands.
UPDATE 3: SO CLOSE! When laying down a fleece to test the Magicalness of my iPod, I chose to use my all time favourite jazz track, 'II B.S' by Charles Mingus. Well, I didn't manage to land that stomper, but the final Soprano's episode, did feature another of my Top Five favourite jazz tracks, Duke Ellington's standard, Caravan; a track I love so much I've collected 42 different versions of it (and counting). It wasn't my favourite version, but it was still a track on my iPod! So, how amazing is that? Three of my Top Five in the final run of seven episodes. Magic!
Monday, March 12, 2007
Number one with a bullet.
Seems like getting mugged isn't the only risk facing iPod users out there on the streets today. There's also a chance you'll get shot!
That's assuming I'm reading this current iPod image correctly, of course? To my eye, the young hipster above would look right at home taking a bullet on the bloody battlefields of the Spanish Civil war.
Apple have been known to appropriate iconic images to advertise their wares, so maybe this is an intentional reference to Robert Capa’s renowned image? Can't for the life of me think why though. Maybe it's a start of a new campaign? Do you think Capa would have used an iPod?
Or maybe this is just what the kids call "dancing" these days, hey? :)
UPDATE: Bomber, I think you could be on to something (see Comments)! I just stumbled across the image below and your prediction was very close. It's a whole new round of iconic image appropriation to sell stuff! More iPods! Wooo!
That's assuming I'm reading this current iPod image correctly, of course? To my eye, the young hipster above would look right at home taking a bullet on the bloody battlefields of the Spanish Civil war.
Apple have been known to appropriate iconic images to advertise their wares, so maybe this is an intentional reference to Robert Capa’s renowned image? Can't for the life of me think why though. Maybe it's a start of a new campaign? Do you think Capa would have used an iPod?
Or maybe this is just what the kids call "dancing" these days, hey? :)
UPDATE: Bomber, I think you could be on to something (see Comments)! I just stumbled across the image below and your prediction was very close. It's a whole new round of iconic image appropriation to sell stuff! More iPods! Wooo!
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
iWant.
Macworld 2007. The biggest event on the Apple calendar, and the long-rumoured iPhone has finally arrived. And it's so much more than just a phone: it’s “a revolutionary mobile phone, a widescreen iPod with touch controls, and a breakthrough Internet communications device with desktop-class email, web browsing, searching, and maps in one small and lightweight handheld device.” So good!
Jack Bauer will have to be getting himself one of these. Although ‘24’ switched most of their Macs to Dells after a couple of seasons, I don’t think it’ll be long until they’re back in the Apple camp and Jack’ll be screaming, “DOWNLOAD IT TO MY iPHONE! NOW” Although if it was a terrorist threat to Starbucks in San Francisco, he could handle it himself. Can’t believe we in Asia/Pacific will have to wait until 2008 to do the same. Though I guess that’ll be plenty of time for the US and European guinea pigs to iron out the bugs for us. Nice. :)
UPDATE: Watched the full keynote speech last night. Steve Jobs demoed the iPhone, and I've got to say it looks incredible. (Although technology writer Dan Warne raises some interesting points of concern in his article for APC magazine.) Also incredible was that Kate agreed to watch with me! No longer a thing of shame to be watched on your computer behind a closed bedroom door, the 'Stevenote' is out on the TV in the best room of the house where it belongs! Almost as amazing as the iPhone itself.
Oh, and also, please note that I titled this post 'iWant', not 'iNeed', demonstrating (I hope) that although my sense of perspective may be somewhat skewed at times, it's still mostly the right way round. Thanks. :)
UPDATE 2: Very funny ad for the iPhone from Late Night with Conan O'Brien. The same ad including Conan's intro is here.
UPDATE 3: Oh well, NBC have yoiked the Conan iPhone ad off YouTube as it was posted without permisson. Hmm, Conan the barbarian with an iPhone; now there's an image! Oh wait: the ad's back on YouTube! I wonder how long this one'll last?
UPDATE 4: Well, after a month of lawyers stamping around, locking horns and bashing heads, the winner in Apple v Cisco is... both of 'em! MacNN is reporting that an agreement has been reached, under which "...both companies are free to use the "iPhone" trademark on their products throughout the world." The terms of the agreement have been published here.
So, isn't that nice?! Apparently we can all just share the ball. :)
Jack Bauer will have to be getting himself one of these. Although ‘24’ switched most of their Macs to Dells after a couple of seasons, I don’t think it’ll be long until they’re back in the Apple camp and Jack’ll be screaming, “DOWNLOAD IT TO MY iPHONE! NOW” Although if it was a terrorist threat to Starbucks in San Francisco, he could handle it himself. Can’t believe we in Asia/Pacific will have to wait until 2008 to do the same. Though I guess that’ll be plenty of time for the US and European guinea pigs to iron out the bugs for us. Nice. :)
UPDATE: Watched the full keynote speech last night. Steve Jobs demoed the iPhone, and I've got to say it looks incredible. (Although technology writer Dan Warne raises some interesting points of concern in his article for APC magazine.) Also incredible was that Kate agreed to watch with me! No longer a thing of shame to be watched on your computer behind a closed bedroom door, the 'Stevenote' is out on the TV in the best room of the house where it belongs! Almost as amazing as the iPhone itself.
Oh, and also, please note that I titled this post 'iWant', not 'iNeed', demonstrating (I hope) that although my sense of perspective may be somewhat skewed at times, it's still mostly the right way round. Thanks. :)
UPDATE 2: Very funny ad for the iPhone from Late Night with Conan O'Brien. The same ad including Conan's intro is here.
UPDATE 3: Oh well, NBC have yoiked the Conan iPhone ad off YouTube as it was posted without permisson. Hmm, Conan the barbarian with an iPhone; now there's an image! Oh wait: the ad's back on YouTube! I wonder how long this one'll last?
UPDATE 4: Well, after a month of lawyers stamping around, locking horns and bashing heads, the winner in Apple v Cisco is... both of 'em! MacNN is reporting that an agreement has been reached, under which "...both companies are free to use the "iPhone" trademark on their products throughout the world." The terms of the agreement have been published here.
So, isn't that nice?! Apparently we can all just share the ball. :)
Sunday, July 23, 2006
A new head Bobs into town.
You know, I thought Beck’s head on that Dandy set of shoulders was as good a match as you’d be likely to find, but now I’m not so sure. Bobby Timmons has just swaggered into town, you see, looking for a place to lay his head, and I thinks those Dandy shoulders might suit him just fine.
Actually, I say ‘swaggered’ into town, but it was more of a squeeze, like toothpaste from a tube. Or a caterpillar from a cocoon. Indeed, he must’ve been stuck inside Radiohead for some time because the 'Bends' guy looks quite relieved to have him out.
So Bobby’s on the screen, but so far he’s yet to make his move. I can only guess he’s getting the lay of the land, measuring the pixels, seeing what kind of a hold Beck has on those well-known, bohemian shoulders. As you can see below, Bobby’s out in force down south, looking north with a determined gaze.
And Beck’s clearly concerned. He’s making a show of staying close, flitting around like a peacock if a peacock was to flit, but when Bobby flips in, Beck flips right the hell out as soon as iTunes’ll let him.
So this is getting pretty exciting, yeah?
Hello?
[Crickets chirp. Somewhere a wolf howls.]
Well anyway, the tension is building, but will the build-up be worth it? Will Bobby’s head prove to be a better match than Beck’s? Who can say, who can predict? Don’t worry, don’t worry; you will get to see for yourselves. I’m like a deer hunter, watching, lying in wait, ready to snap off a shot when the target springs into view. It’s only a matter of time…
UPDATE, BY REQUEST: Coming to you live from Apostrophe Garden in wintery Melbourne, Australia, it’s all the hot grass-growing action you handle, and it's all right here on The Path. So sit back and stay tuned because this could get out of controoooooool.
Actually, I say ‘swaggered’ into town, but it was more of a squeeze, like toothpaste from a tube. Or a caterpillar from a cocoon. Indeed, he must’ve been stuck inside Radiohead for some time because the 'Bends' guy looks quite relieved to have him out.
So Bobby’s on the screen, but so far he’s yet to make his move. I can only guess he’s getting the lay of the land, measuring the pixels, seeing what kind of a hold Beck has on those well-known, bohemian shoulders. As you can see below, Bobby’s out in force down south, looking north with a determined gaze.
And Beck’s clearly concerned. He’s making a show of staying close, flitting around like a peacock if a peacock was to flit, but when Bobby flips in, Beck flips right the hell out as soon as iTunes’ll let him.
So this is getting pretty exciting, yeah?
Hello?
[Crickets chirp. Somewhere a wolf howls.]
Well anyway, the tension is building, but will the build-up be worth it? Will Bobby’s head prove to be a better match than Beck’s? Who can say, who can predict? Don’t worry, don’t worry; you will get to see for yourselves. I’m like a deer hunter, watching, lying in wait, ready to snap off a shot when the target springs into view. It’s only a matter of time…
UPDATE, BY REQUEST: Coming to you live from Apostrophe Garden in wintery Melbourne, Australia, it’s all the hot grass-growing action you handle, and it's all right here on The Path. So sit back and stay tuned because this could get out of controoooooool.
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
Friday, October 21, 2005
Beck rears up his dandy head, again!
Well, lightning's struck twice, and this time the Mac mini was plugged into a monitor, so you'll be pleased to hear I was able to get a better quality image. I should point out that this twice-or-possibly-more-in-a-lifetime occurance was on Kate's Mac, which is why there's a Dido cover in there. I was tempted to Photoshop it out, but didn't want to mess with the authenticity of the image. Heaven forbid.
Friday, October 07, 2005
Dandy Warhol's head
Rejoice! Rejoice with thanksgiving and song! My time of waiting is over!
The iTunes screensaver uses album artwork from your music collection to create a 10x8 grid of ever-changing covers, one of which flips and changes every two seconds or so. It's cool. I made life difficult for myself, however, by noticing that Beck's 'Sea Change' album was a photo of just his head, and that the Dandy Warhols' 'Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia' was an image of just a torso. Wouldn't it be great, I thought, if Beck's head sat on Dandy's shoulders?! Wouldn't it?
Well, much staring at the screen ensued. And continued to ensue. Still ensuing, until finally I could take no more. Beck's head was flipping all over the screen, but never onto a deserving set of shoulders. I had a three-head stack of Beck's heads, I had a peeled banana on the Dandy's shoulders, I had seen almost every possible combination but the one I wanted. I finally gave up (as a cunning strategy to then make it happen), and surely, soon enough, Kate gargled out a scream from another room and told me to come running! The impossible had happened. Fortunately, in anticipation, I'd left my camera next to the TV so as to be able to document the moment and provide proof to those who would never believe.
I only had time to click off one shot before Beck's head rotated back into oblivion and the moment was gone. I wasn't too happy with the quality of the image - it's a bit UFO in the night sky over Maffra - but you can get the idea.
It may never happen again...
The iTunes screensaver uses album artwork from your music collection to create a 10x8 grid of ever-changing covers, one of which flips and changes every two seconds or so. It's cool. I made life difficult for myself, however, by noticing that Beck's 'Sea Change' album was a photo of just his head, and that the Dandy Warhols' 'Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia' was an image of just a torso. Wouldn't it be great, I thought, if Beck's head sat on Dandy's shoulders?! Wouldn't it?
Well, much staring at the screen ensued. And continued to ensue. Still ensuing, until finally I could take no more. Beck's head was flipping all over the screen, but never onto a deserving set of shoulders. I had a three-head stack of Beck's heads, I had a peeled banana on the Dandy's shoulders, I had seen almost every possible combination but the one I wanted. I finally gave up (as a cunning strategy to then make it happen), and surely, soon enough, Kate gargled out a scream from another room and told me to come running! The impossible had happened. Fortunately, in anticipation, I'd left my camera next to the TV so as to be able to document the moment and provide proof to those who would never believe.
I only had time to click off one shot before Beck's head rotated back into oblivion and the moment was gone. I wasn't too happy with the quality of the image - it's a bit UFO in the night sky over Maffra - but you can get the idea.
It may never happen again...
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