Re: [CGUYS] Apple's iPad: Death knell for traditional Ma cintos h computers?
Remember the itty-bitty screens on the early home computers? The small screens were a pain; fortunately, thanks to advances in computer technology, the screens got larger pretty fast. In my first temp job in the Washington area, I worked on one of the original Macs. It was better than a Commodore or my own Kaypro, largely because of the O.S. and the user interface, but the tiny screen made it decidedly awkward to use. At the present day, I just don't see itty-bitty machines with itty- bitty screens taking the place of laptops or desktops for serious work, either in the home or the office. Want to type a letter or a report on your iPad? How about several letters, a report, an RFP, an order for office supplies, an outline for a speech, etc., that you might work on in one day in an office job? How about your kid's physics homework, a book report, a history paper, a paper for English class? There aren't many jobs where you don't have to use computers in one way or another, and I just don't see the average middle school or high school student getting by without a real computer, either. The small screens and awkward keyboards on the smaller devices mean that they can't compete with regular computers for lots of important everyday functions. Sure, kids like smartphones, and those iPads are just so cute; but they're just not convenient to work on. And consider this: a lot of us don't have unlimited funds any more--in fact some of us are rather short on funds, thanks to the Great Recession. This means we have to choose carefully which computer-type devices we buy and maintain. Most of us HAVE to have a computer of some kind, unless we actually WANT to wait in line at the public library when we need to use one. But we DON'T have to have an iPad or a smart phone. They're nice, of course, but not yet required; there's nothing they can do that we MUST do, that isn't already covered by something else. Sure, it would be convenient to walk through Georgetown, looking on your iPhone for the nearest Italian restaurant (or Japanese, or Ethiopian, or whatever), and you'd look really cool doing it. But lots of us just can't afford iPhones--or Georgetown restaurants, either. --Constance Warner On Jun 30, 2010, at 12:38 AM, phartz...@gmail.com wrote: On Tue, Jun 29, 2010 at 11:04 PM, Chris Dunford wrote: The Mac as we know it-a full featured personal computer-is slowly going away, to be replaced by ever more mobile and increasingly capable devices. This might very well happen for a lot of casual uses, so I don't disagree with the notion that iPad could cannibalize some portion of Mac sales. But these various little things aren't going to replace real computers for doing real work any time soon. It's not so much the capabilities as the physical interface. I am NOT going to spend all day every day squinting at a tiny screen and typing on a tiny fake keyboard. I can't see many office workers wanting to work that way, either. I agree that a lot of computer work needs a full blown machine. However, it could well be that Macs will eventually be mostly relegated to professional level work environments and that such things as the iMac and the larger MacBook portables will slowly disappear from home and casual usage settings. Mac Pro machines, the quad and eight core computers could continue, but Apple's "consumer" computers may well be discontinued or become morphed into iOS based devices with portability in mind. Simple computers running mostly simple applications for users who just want to keep it simple. Apple could become primarily the purveyor of computing devices for the masses who mostly just want to do Facebook, e-mail, Twitter, some browsing, looking at photos and videos and making a lot of phone calls. As to tiny or small screens, that appears to me to be no barrier at all to the younger computer users of today. These folks appear to relish watching movies or viewing photos on 2 inch screens or browsing the internet with cell phones or typing on keyboards that have keys the size of a Tic-Tac. Steve ** *** ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http:// www.cguys.org/ ** ** *** * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Apple's iPad: Death knell for traditional Ma cintos h computers?
On Tue, Jun 29, 2010 at 11:04 PM, Chris Dunford wrote: >> The Mac as we know it-a full featured personal computer-is slowly >> going away, to be replaced by ever more mobile and increasingly >> capable devices. > > This might very well happen for a lot of casual uses, so I don't disagree > with the notion that iPad could cannibalize some portion of Mac sales. But > these various little things aren't going to replace > real computers for doing real work any time soon. It's not so much the > capabilities as the physical interface. I am NOT going to spend all day every > day squinting at a tiny screen and typing on a tiny > fake keyboard. I can't see many office workers wanting to work that way, > either. I agree that a lot of computer work needs a full blown machine. However, it could well be that Macs will eventually be mostly relegated to professional level work environments and that such things as the iMac and the larger MacBook portables will slowly disappear from home and casual usage settings. Mac Pro machines, the quad and eight core computers could continue, but Apple's "consumer" computers may well be discontinued or become morphed into iOS based devices with portability in mind. Simple computers running mostly simple applications for users who just want to keep it simple. Apple could become primarily the purveyor of computing devices for the masses who mostly just want to do Facebook, e-mail, Twitter, some browsing, looking at photos and videos and making a lot of phone calls. As to tiny or small screens, that appears to me to be no barrier at all to the younger computer users of today. These folks appear to relish watching movies or viewing photos on 2 inch screens or browsing the internet with cell phones or typing on keyboards that have keys the size of a Tic-Tac. Steve * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Apple's iPad: Death knell for traditional Ma cintos h computers?
> How do I know this? Experience. The trend is unmistakable. Computer > usage by the masses is going mobile. > > The Mac as we know it-a full featured personal computer-is slowly > going away, to be replaced by ever more mobile and increasingly > capable devices. This might very well happen for a lot of casual uses, so I don't disagree with the notion that iPad could cannibalize some portion of Mac sales. But these various little things aren't going to replace real computers for doing real work any time soon. It's not so much the capabilities as the physical interface. I am NOT going to spend all day every day squinting at a tiny screen and typing on a tiny fake keyboard. I can't see many office workers wanting to work that way, either. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
[CGUYS] Apple’s iPad: Death knell for traditional Macintos h computers?
Here is something on what I was getting at a short while back about how many, maybe most Macintosh computers may resort to running iOS and dumping OS X. This piece takes it further: When Steve Jobs introduced the iPad he pointed out the obvious—the iPad is targeted between an iPhone and iPod touch, and a MacBook. In other words, Apple wants us to buy an iPhone (or iPod touch), buy a Mac notebook, and buy an iPad. The reality is that iPad sales will cannibalize Macs and iPod touch sales. How do I know this? Experience. The trend is unmistakable. Computer usage by the masses is going mobile. The Mac as we know it—a full featured personal computer—is slowly going away, to be replaced by ever more mobile and increasingly capable devices. http://mac360.com/index.php/mac360/comments/how_apples_ipad_will_cannibalize_macbook_sales/ * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] iPhone 4, Engineering thoughts
On Tue, Jun 29, 2010 at 5:18 PM, mike wrote: > Saw the first of waht will probably be many iphone 4 case ads with the > tagline 'get better reception, buy an iphone 4 case!' This new iPhone will most likely be the first and last phone made by Apple that uses an antenna of which parts are on the outside of the device and located where they can easily come into direct contact with the hand of the user. I would not be at all surprised to see Apple alter this design in future production runs of this phone. They would be foolish not to do so in my opinion. Steve * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] iPhone 4, Engineering thoughts
Saw the first of waht will probably be many iphone 4 case ads with the tagline 'get better reception, buy an iphone 4 case!' On Tue, Jun 29, 2010 at 7:40 AM, tjpa wrote: > I suggest duct tape. Duct tape cures all ills. > > > On Jun 29, 2010, at 9:45 AM, phartz...@gmail.com wrote: > >> Apple could have easily eliminated that 1/8 inch of problematic area >> by applying an insulating material over it. >> > > > * > ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** > ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** > * > * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Just How Bad is Google's Mismanagement of the Android Market?
Paul Thurrott told a story a few days ago on one of the twit shows...apparently his kids had racked up 900 dollars in fake fish with an app called touch fish. Once you've ok'd the 'purchase' of the free app with your pass, the user can buy fish with real money in the game apparently without the further need for a pass. So for all it's slickness, the Apple store has it's own problems. On Tue, Jun 29, 2010 at 9:40 AM, mike wrote: > Freedom and Liberty is frightening to boot-heeled leftists. > > > On Mon, Jun 28, 2010 at 10:21 PM, t.piwowar wrote: > >> Google’s mismanagement of the Android Market >> http://nanocr.eu/2010/06/27/googles-mismanagement-of-the-android-market/ >> >> I am sure glad that the Apps Store does not look anything like this >> dystopian store that Android users are stuck with -- an anarchic place that >> only a Libertarian would love. >> >> >> * >> ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** >> ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** >> * >> > > * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Just How Bad is Google's Mismanagement of the Android Market?
Freedom and Liberty is frightening to boot-heeled leftists. On Mon, Jun 28, 2010 at 10:21 PM, t.piwowar wrote: > Google’s mismanagement of the Android Market > http://nanocr.eu/2010/06/27/googles-mismanagement-of-the-android-market/ > > I am sure glad that the Apps Store does not look anything like this > dystopian store that Android users are stuck with -- an anarchic place that > only a Libertarian would love. > > > * > ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** > ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** > * > * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] iPhone 4, Engineering thoughts
I suggest duct tape. Duct tape cures all ills. On Jun 29, 2010, at 9:45 AM, phartz...@gmail.com wrote: Apple could have easily eliminated that 1/8 inch of problematic area by applying an insulating material over it. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] iPhone 4, Engineering thoughts
On Tue, Jun 29, 2010 at 9:11 AM, tjpa wrote: > Well you have a silly notion. It is amazing how you fixate on a tiny > 1/8-inch of its surface that causes a problem when the phone is operated at > the edge of its range. Your supposition is so extreme that it strongly > suggests you have a hidden agenda. Apple could have easily eliminated that 1/8 inch of problematic area by applying an insulating material over it. Why put out even a somewhat flawed product when it could be avoided so easily through various options? Perhaps Apple was unaware of this at the time of manufacture, and I would not seriously fault them if that were the case. If so, then they should be offering those coverings, or something similar, gratis to folks who are experiencing this problem as opposed to trying to wrangle every possible dollar out of the pockets of their customers and losing good will at the same time. That is my fundamental point in all of this. Steve * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] iPhone 4, Engineering thoughts
With ATT those extreme cases seem to matter much more than with another carrier. Stewart At 01:17 AM 6/29/2010, you wrote: Because it doesn't matter in normal use. It appears that it may matter in some extreme cases. You are insisting that they must design their product for the extreme case and make the rest of us suffer the consequences. You have not explained why they must do such a silly thing. You just insist that they must. Sent from my iPad On Jun 29, 2010, at 1:41 AM, "phartz...@gmail.com" wrote: > However, you simply refuse to say that Apple could have > done better in this instance, thus I am left to puzzle over why you > take such an intransigent position on something that is so obvious. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** * Rev. Stewart A. Marshall mailto:popoz...@earthlink.net Prince of Peace www.princeofpeaceozark.org Ozark, AL SL 82 * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] iPhone 4, Engineering thoughts
On Jun 29, 2010, at 8:10 AM, phartz...@gmail.com wrote: By "extreme cases" are you perhaps referring to emergency situations where life or death or serious injury or even just a great inconvenience may be the outcome? Yep, your mommy can't be with you all the time. On Jun 29, 2010, at 8:10 AM, phartz...@gmail.com wrote: It seems to me as though every user of this new phone would be better off if for no other reason than being able to hold or handle the phone in any manner they choose or need to employ for whatever reason and under whatever circumstance might arise. Well you have a silly notion. It is amazing how you fixate on a tiny 1/8-inch of its surface that causes a problem when the phone is operated at the edge of its range. Your supposition is so extreme that it strongly suggests you have a hidden agenda. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] iPhone 4, Engineering thoughts
On Tue, Jun 29, 2010 at 2:17 AM, TJPA wrote: > Because it doesn't matter in normal use. It appears that it may matter in > some extreme cases. >You are insisting that they must design their product > for the extreme case and make the rest of >us suffer the consequences. You > have not explained why they must do such a silly thing. You >just insist that > they must. By "extreme cases" are you perhaps referring to emergency situations where life or death or serious injury or even just a great inconvenience may be the outcome? Is this not what many users of cell phones obtain them for? Being able to function as well as is possible in such a scenario would seem to be a no-brainer to me, and not something to be scoffed at simply because it is not the norm. I have not insisted anything since the inception of any aspect of this discussion. Now, that being said, and you may peruse previous posts if you want to try to prove me wrong on the above, what would cause the "rest of us" to suffer had Apple provided some shielding for that antenna, and I am not talking about a $30 add-on accessory? It seems to me as though every user of this new phone would be better off if for no other reason than being able to hold or handle the phone in any manner they choose or need to employ for whatever reason and under whatever circumstance might arise. I think that even Apple understands this, and is why they are said to be working on a fix for a problem that you say really does not exist or does not matter if it does exist. Steve * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
