Archive for the ‘itunes’ Category
|5 days with the iPad
Thursday, April 8th, 2010
Here are my thoughts after 5 days of regular usage of an iPad.
- The device has an autonomy of >10 hours which is really amazing considering it’s running on Wifi most of the time.
- iPad’s screen quickly becomes covered with finger prints obscuring the image. I’ll be waiting for a screen protector like this one.
- Wifi is flaky. Not sure if it’s a hardware problem but shutting wifi off and then back on again solves the problem on my unit. Hoping for a firmware update to solve it permanently.
- Lack of a native clock application is unacceptable. Apple has it on the iphone and ipod. It’s the #2 feature of any computing device. How did they miss it?
- No native calculator is also a big fail in my opinion. Why should I pay $4 for a basic 30ko application that should be built-in?
- Apostrophe key is not present on main keyboard. You need to go one layer down. Very annoying. Hopefully another bug easily fixable via a firmware update. For the apostrophe shortcut, just hold the coma via @madamelolo
- I didn’t know the iPad had a microphone. Nice tip from Andy Abramson. Works great when using Skype (BTW Skype app is not yet iPad friendly).
- Seamless video playback. I watched 2 movies so far with great brightness, perfect picture, almost no pixelization.
- Picture frame feature will make any hotel room look like home. Simply launch it from the lock screen (not obvious at first) and enjoy your family pictures full-screen with a bunch of possible slideshow effects.
- Unless I missed something, Safari can’t remember your passwords. Don’t feel like buying 1password application to fill the blank. Will wait for an update. Go to setting–>safari–>autofill to save login/password via @madamelolo
- Keyboard is pleasant, efficient and precise despite what some tech journos wrote. I type most of my emails on the tablet and I find it extremely accurate.
Most people I met that haven’t bought one yet are saying to be waiting for a newer version. Although a newer version is always coming 
there is supposedly somewhere between 400.000 to 700.000 units sold so far. If I was into hardware I would build a line of accessories based on this iPad case with integrated webcam, solar panel, or extra-battery. The iPad case is the perfect extension to add functionality to an already powerful device.
Last point after a few days showing off the tablet around is the sociability of the object. Andy also mentioned it to me. As soon as I pull it out my backpack, it brings immediate attention from strangers asking millions of questions. Becomes annoying after a while to be honest.
Tags: apps, cose, covers, finger prints, ipad, wifi
Posted in Apple, Geek, Technology, iPhone, itunes | 9 Comments »
iPad – the Wow Effect
Saturday, April 3rd, 2010
No need to do another unboxing of the iPad. Twitter has thousands of them. Instead I will give my take on this incredible piece of hardware. It goes far beyond being a big iPhone. The iPad is the ultimate all-in-one-killer. It kills the iPhone but more generally smartphones, ebook readers (sorry Amazon, Sony and all the others), netbooks, multimedia players, and to some extent laptops in general.
Two years after changing the face of Telecom, Apple is leading the path to a new era of computing. Forget those huge carton boxes for a laptop, 4 cd-roms, the heavy-duty wall charger, the Targus roller case and the 40 20 min set-up.
iPad is ready to use out of the box– in fact Apple has redefined what we called plug and play.
I can’t imagine the storm of desperation building up at HP, Dell, Sony and all the others. What have those guys been doing all that time? What the heck happened to their expensive R&D department?
Apple did a fantastic job creating a device that has no competition out there. They clearly invented something we didn’t have. Not just an enhanced version of the iPhone.
There are some drawbacks such as lack of Flash support, frontal camera, memory card slot, usb ports. But the device is so exceptional that none of the above should stop you from buying an iPad.
I overheard some voices stating they would rather wait for the 3G version. Well don’t! You can tether the iPad with your phone via WiFi or Bluetooth and it works.
So no need to pay another $200 and wait any longer. Plus you have the option to pick a faster network such as Verizon or Sprint 4G.
On a side note, Gmail offers a brand new layout on the iPad which leads me to think they didn’t specifically did it for Apple but for new tablets running Android OS supposed to be out later this year. Google will have to strike high to compete with Apple’s iPad. Very high.
Tags: abc app, ipad, iPhone, ipod, kayak, kindle, tablet
Posted in Apple, Geek, Gmail, Sony, Technology, Telecom, ebook, iPhone, itunes | 3 Comments »
Sony eReader vs Amazon Kindle 2.
Friday, October 16th, 2009
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Electronic books are not my cup of tea. I resisted as long as I could to move to digital content. Nothing can match the touch of a book, the smell of inked paper, the easy access to any page, sneaking preview of chapters and the legacy you leave to younger generations.
Anyway we have to live with our times and I decided to give ebook a try. My daughter has a Kindle and reads about 2 books per week. She takes it everywhere.
I personally find the Kindle ugly and lacking basic features making any attempt to try the device worthless. Choice was limited to Sony eReader or Kindle. Soon new devices will be released- obviously upcoming readers can only get better.
The #1 difference between Sony and Amazon is accessibility. Kindle is an online device with wireless capabilities (limited to US market and soon to be open to international) as the Sony eReader is an offline device where you need to connect to your desktop/laptop in order to download books.
I do not see the need to download a book wirelessly as a mandatory feature. It’s not a news or weather service. You can download hundreds of books on a Sony and be set for a long long time. The only thing you need to add a book to Sony eReader is a USB cable. You can even use memory cards. Sony supports all memory card formats adding more flexibility and more storage to the ebook.
Being wireless and connected to ONLY Amazon store is an extremely restrictive feature of the Kindle. Wireless doesn’t mean openness. You must buy your books from the 350,000 titles available. It’s a lot -I agree. But Sony eReader gives you access to Google’s library of 1million FREE books and tons of other libraries accessible online in all languages.
One of the top features Sony added is the touch-screen ability. I love flipping pages using my finger. Makes digital content user-friendlier for an old man like me.
At last my choice for the Sony eReader PRS-600 was final after someone showed me Calibre. Calibre is a magic piece of software that turns ANY digital content into a reading material on the Sony eReader. Magazines, word docs, books, tutorials…anything you can see on your computer can be readable on the Sony.
It gives also access to ebooks purchased by a friend who willingly lends you his book. One thing Kindle cannot handle. If you bought a book and your wife wants to read it on HER Kindle – she cannot transfer your purchase. Recently Amazon pulled OUT books that were purchased on the Kindle store directly from users device. This is inadmissible for me. When I buy a book – it’s mine and I can decide to lend it to my kids without violating any copyrights. There is no fear one will come to my place and take it off the shelf.
If books were not going from one hand to another – literature would have died long time ago. I do not encourage anyone to steal but I must admit it’s a killer feature.
Sony has learned from the ATRAC days that open file formats are more preferable than proprietary ones. By supporting the ePub format, Sony’s essentially guaranteeing that your digital library will always have a home. Stick with Kindle’s proprietary format, and you’re forever a slave to Amazon’s device.
Same feature that made iPod so popular. Take an mp3, drag it on iTunes and enjoy the music. No question asked.
Conclusion: my subjective review goes towards Sony eReader. Three good reasons: cheaper, better, richer. For a detailed review of Sony PRS-600 read Ilene Hoffman post on http://www.electronista.com/reviews/sony-prs-600-touch-ereader.html
Tags: amazon, ebook, epub, ereader, kindle, prs-600, Sony
Posted in Apple, Content, Geek, Sony, Technology, google, itunes | 4 Comments »
Media Player War. Can Apple lose?
Sunday, September 20th, 2009
In the 80’s you had to have a Walkman no matter what. For many of us it was our first gadget. Portable music.
30 years later things look different.
Cassettes have disappeared, music went digital not without difficulties. Although MP3 format started in the 90’s first MP3 player came out in 1997.
In 10 years Apple imposed itself as the sole purveyors of digital music. All attempts from consumer electronic giants to take over this market failed.
What is changing today?
Few factors are weakening Apple leadership on this segment.
#1 factor comes from Cupertino – the iPhone.
The smartphone device has replaced many iPods. Convergence created a competitor inside Apple. Why would you carry an iPhone 32Gb in one hand and an iPod 32Gb in the other?
Apple made it clear in their early iPhone advertising, it’s a phone and an iPod all-in one!
Second factor is the lack of innovation. Ok, now I’m hitting a nerve – let me clarify. Apple is the most innovative consumer electronic manufacturer ever BUT once a product is out they fail to integrate basic features we all want to see ie adding a memory card reader in MacBook (took them 10 years to do so) or to offer Blu-Ray players built-in, to integrate FM player in iPods, move to OLED displays, etc….
New comers are very aggressive on updated technologies and multiple add-ons that are starting to make a difference.
Finally the price of iPods is too high. I guess Apple executives are thinking they should grab the momentum while it lasts.
Who can hurt Apple?
I see 2 big competitors rising: Microsoft and Sony.
Zune was the laughing stock a couple of years ago when Microsoft released the “brick” 1st-gen Zune. A joke went around about Microsoft’s pathetic attempt to enter the “iPod market.” So a year passed, and Zune remained a joke in the consumer electronics world and had to endure the jeers and torment of the Apple crowd. When the 2nd Gen Zunes came out, the Zune brand slowly started to see redemption. The Zune 80gb was deemed the first decent competitor to the iPod, but the brand was still in recovery from its hazing.
It took some time, few billion dollars and lots of consumer reviews for MSFT to come up with new Zune HD.
Amazingly Zune HD is sold out on Amazon, BestBuy and most retailers.
The Zune concentrates on being a Portable Media Player. Not a web browser. Not a game machine. Maybe in the future it will do even better in those areas, but for now it’s a fantastic way to organize and listen to your music and videos, and is without peer in that regard.
Zune Pass subscription service is the favorite feature that will keep buyers to use a Zune until it’s pried from their desperate grasp. For $15 a month you can get 10 DRM-free MP3 songs to keep, and unlimited access to millions of songs. As long as you would have bought at least 10 songs anyways that means you’re paying only $5 for that access. It’s better than Pandora, Slacker, LastFM or other services because you can listen to full CDs, specify playlists and tracks in the exact order you want, and can either stream this music or store it on your Zune to listen to later, even if out of wifi range. Lots of people present subscription services as something you do instead of owning music, but at this cheap a price there’s no reason you can’t use this as a supplement to whatever purchases you make. It’s not either/or, it’s a wonderful “and”, especially if you’re the type who likes to explore and enjoy a broad range of music.
HD radio and HD Video (720p) are killer features. I wonder how long it will take for Apple to move there.
Sony made a bad move when they decided to partner up with Ericsson and use the Walkman brand name on a line of phones. The idea was appealing but the execution was terrible. Perfect example of brand awareness vs. brand association.
Walkman is coming back in the digital music segment with a new line of players. For first time in years Sony outsells iPods in Japan promising a tough fight in the US during the holiday seasons.
Apple has a lot to worry about. Consumers are not married to any brand. They come and go. Personally I moved to an Android powered phone – HTC Hero and ordered a Zune HD.
What will be your next media player?
Tags: Apple, digital, Microsoft, mp3, Music, Sony, walkman, x series, zune
Posted in Apple, Geek, Microsoft, Music, Sony, Technology, itunes | 7 Comments »
