Sweating and Swiping

http://www.thenortherneronline.com/2012/11/13/are-the-new-generation-apple-products-worth-the-money/

http://technoholik.com/media/content/2012/Sep/ipod-nano-new-post.jpg

With the introduction of the iPad mini, the corresponding release of the seventh generation iPod Nano is often overlooked.  To remind you:

“Now that the new 7^th generation iPod Nano has been released, it seems to have mixed both aspects of the 5^th and 6^th generation Nano bringing back the video playback but not including the camera the 5^th generation had.  Since the 5^th generation iPod Nano was released, it seems as though Apple had fit the most features into the Nano with a decent size capacity of 16 gigabytes.  But over time it seems Apple had gotten obsessed with the touch screen feature which in turn got in the way of the more appealing aspects such as the camera that the 5^th generation had.  When it comes to purchasing the new 7^th generation iPod Nano, it seems it would be a good buy with a price of $150.  But if you are thinking about trading in your 5^th generation Nano for the 7^th, that may not be a reasonable deal.  Especially if you enjoy the camera the 5^th generation has.”

Though the whole of this excerpt is informative, I wish to further its one sassy comment:  Apple is obsessed with touch screens.

What do I think of touch screens?  My entrancing analysis:

On a tablet?  Sensible.  On a phone?  Tedious.  On a music player?  Dopey.

What do you do with your music player?  If you’re like me, you bring it to the gym.  While you tire on the treadmill, you listen to those boisterous tunes that inspire your workout and aid you as you attempt another mile.

Riddle me this:  What is one act performed by all exercising individuals, regardless of their distaste for this unseemly human function?  Said succinctly and tactlessly, humankind sweats.  If you’re like me (and all of my breathing peers), you also sweat.

What’s my point?  The last thing I want to do while gasping on a treadmill is fumble with a miniscule screen to avoid smudging it with my overly moist grasp.  I’m weary, I’m irritable, and I’m not in the mood to smear my pricey gadget as I swipe to a new song.

I cannot stop wondering…  Has Apple performed market research that [wrongly] confirms our enthusiasm for touchscreens?  Am I the only one who prefers the original iPod dial?  Do users authentically enjoy touchscreens enough to justify Apple’s integration of this feature into EVERY device?

My hope:  That my current iPod lives forever so I can avoid the unpleasantly sticky practice of sweating and swiping.

Facebook Helps Kick Convention to Honor a Soccer Fan

http://www.courant.com/business/sns-rt-us-germany-grave-facebookbre8ad0t3-20121114,0,7617024.story

Facebook is an absurd, life-corroding disruption that encourages self-obsession and pettiness.  That being said, a miniscule measure of goodness resides in all evil (Yes, I know, this is unnecessarily harsh.  Just follow me for a moment.).

This week, Facebook triumphed by effectively trumpeting the wishes of a boy who no longer lived to vocalize his own passions and preferences.

“A church in western Germany has bowed to public pressure and allowed the parents of a soccer-mad nine-year old boy who died from a brain tumor to erect a gravestone with a ball logo after a Facebook campaign spawned more than 100,000 angry messages.

“The dispute between the boy's parents and their Catholic church made national headlines. Newspapers printed poignant pictures of the dying boy in hospital last Christmas with Juergen Klopp, coach of his favorite club Borussia Dortmund.

“Shortly before his death, Jens Pascal had told his mother he wanted a gravestone that reflected his passion - the club which won Germany's Bundesliga just days before he died in May.

“But the Church of Maria Heimsuchung in Dortmund refused to erect a stone engraved with the club's logo and a soccer ball on top, arguing that it did not conform to rules which ban non-Christian inscriptions and images.”

Generally, I dismiss technologies as homogenizing distractions that extract every gratifyingly unique and hushed human quality from unmindful users.

Generally, my hasty and brutal rejection of internet services and handheld devices is appropriate.

However, this tale is a welcome exception to my doom-and-gloom rule.  Indeed, this is an instance of one boy’s unspeakably touching hope to differentiate himself and his memory.  Among hundreds of standard grey headstones, Jens Pascal sought to spotlight his youthful, pure, and animated enjoyment of soccer.

Though his exact wish was not granted, the resulting compromise will hopefully appeal to the precious boy’s lingering spiritual presence:

“The church issued a statement late on Monday saying it had agreed to a compromise. The gravestone could be erected, but with the ball on the ground rather than on its top and that it would also bear a Christian symbol, probably a dove.”

As an outsider, I contend that the greatest misery of a young death is its many thieveries.  In particular, it robs an individual of the chance to thrust his own meticulously selected identity into this overfull world.  Though, before his death, the young Jens Pascal could not define himself with the painstaking precision of a man of eighty years, Facebook offered him the coveted opportunities to select the qualities and contents of his memory, and to make his cemetery presence a little more remarkable.

Apples and Berries

http://techcrunch.com/2012/11/14/heres-a-blackberry-10-device-next-to-an-iphone-5/

Remember BlackBerries?  The devices that were firmly and not-so-clandestinely clutched by self-important businessmen and college students?  Though they never confirmedly left, their obsolescence and resultant obscurity were such that it is appropriate to newly sing, “They’re back!”

“RIM is launching BlackBerry 10 in February 2013 with several devices.  Little is known about these handsets but the pic here shows the touchscreen model next to an iPhone 5.  Tantalizing, I know.

“Draw your own conclusions but what we’re looking at is a device that looks a lot like a Droid X/X2.  It appears to be a little wider than the iPhone 5, which is encased in a bumper here.  Unfortunately the screen is not turned on so a snap judgment cannot be made about the future of RIM based on the low resolution picture.”

My current quandary:  Can any device, however unexpectedly inventive or clever or pioneering, ever sparkle when placed next to a gadget stamped with the trademarked nibbled apple?  Will we recognize imaginative genius when it is offered to us, given our present iProduct mania?

When we permit a few more of the specifically technology-based droplets to evaporate from this puddle of queries, we recognize that this is simply a matter of individual pluck and point of view.  Is man confident enough to advocate a contrary concept?  To defend an unpopular option?  To embrace the obscure?  To trust his preferences and dismiss the viewpoint of the masses?

I await the release of the BlackBerry 10.  My hope is that the device boasts solid hardware that shifts the loyalties of Apple users.  Why?  Not because I wish to hasten the decline of the iPhone, but rather because I am eager to observe the potentially original but likely conforming actions of my peers.

As a reader, you’re lucky, as I’m offering you notice of my impending social experiment (hee hee hee).

Shop Until Your Fingers Drop

http://reviews.cnet.com/software/google-shopper-android/4505-3513_7-35536482.html

For thirty two posts, I have expounded upon the failings of technology.  Though these thoughts are authentic, I must confess my own shocking shortcoming to my nonexistent fan base:  As I profess my aversion to technology, I pathetically commit the odious and hypocritical act of persistent online purchasing (or, more aptly described, “online browsing”).

That being said, I was eager to learn of Google’s new shopping application:  Google Shopper.

“The newest version of Google Shopper has an attractive user interface, a new way to find deals, and other tweaks.  Whether you're looking for apparel, electronics, accessories, or pretty much anything else, the app is a great place to start, as it scours the entirety of the Web for both local and online retailers that carry the items you desire.

“As is typical with Google-made Android apps, Google Shopper's user interface is simple and starts with a search bar.  Up top, you can type in a keyword, start a voice search, or activate your camera to run an image search, which can recognize not only bar codes, but also books, CDs, DVDs, and video games by their cover art.  Hopefully, in future versions, the app will have some more of Google Goggles' powers built in so as to recognize an even wider variety of items.  But for now, the options available are more than sufficient.”

One further admission:  I am not merely an online shopper.  I am an online bargain shopper.  The difference?  The latter requires effort.  Google Shopper offers a number of features that ease the deal-searching process (which, I assure you, is tedious).

Though I still own a low-tech phone that does not connect to the internet, I do think the application is handy, especially the feature that permits users to snap photos and search for items.

Like all other recreational technologies, the application is unnecessary for mankind’s basic daily routine.  Do we need to shop online?  No.  Would we have the money to pay full price for items if we didn't spend hundreds of dollars on data plans?  Yes.

If you’ll allow me to minimize my hypocrisy, I cannot judge this app as harshly as my habit recommends that I should.  For now, let’s let Google Shopper off with a warning.

I promise we’ll ticket the sucker next time around.

Watching and Learning

http://www.courant.com/business/technology/stv-tech-rich-demuro-headline-jibjab,0,2406849.story

Two computer savvy fathers who care to improve the minds of children can accomplish much.  How do I know this?  The proof follows.

Evan and Greg Spiridellis, founders of JibJab (a company apparently known for its funny political videos), have launched Storybots, a website that adds a pinch of joy to the tiresome learning process.

“Storybots offers several videos to help your kids learn their ABC’s complete with dancing robots.  Their most popular site feature is Starring You Storybooks, a mobile app that inserts kids into the stories they're reading.

“All you have to do is snap a picture of your child’s face, upload it to the app, and their face and name is instantly inserted into the story.

“There are 19 different titles you can choose from and your first book is free.

“After that each digital storybook is about under $10 each.  “The Storybots are these infinitely curious brightly colored, little creatures who actually live in the world beneath our screen” said Greg.”

How fun!  I must admit that I have indulged in the Elf Yourself service that attaches a user’s face to the body of a holiday elf dancing to a Christmas carol.  That was a hoot; I watched the video at least two times, cackling in outrageous amusement.

As an adult of twenty two years, I somehow managed to enjoy that “juvenile” game.  My instincts assert that the Starring You Storybooks application will similarly delight young learners.  Our human curiosity naturally surges as we observe ourselves.  Why not capitalize on this behavior and transform those flashes of vain reflection into moments of valid edification?

The purpose of technology is not to amuse and distract, but to teach and guide.  Though few popular technologies achieve these aims, Storybots does.

When I have children, I will most certainly download such an application.  Though my kids will never star in Hollywood’s pictures, they will star in Storybots’ pictures.  Fun without fame does not a troubled teenage actor make.

Pope Benedict: A Modern Man?

http://www.courant.com/business/sns-rt-us-pope-twitterbre8a80xg-20121109,0,7417139.story

http://heresthethingblog.com/2011/06/29/popes-twitter-video/

One international body that universally embraces traditions and rejects the newfangled inventions of today is the Catholic Church.  However, the Vatican has recently yielded to the sleek grasp of change; eighty-five-year-old Pope Benedict, who “is known not to love computers and still writes most of his speeches by hand,” will soon board the back of the blue bird.  Yes, Pope Benedict intends to join Twitter.

“Primarily the tweets will come from the contents of his weekly general audience, Sunday blessings and homilies on major Church holidays.  They will also include reaction to major world events, such as natural disasters.

“The leader of the world's 1.2 billion or so Roman Catholics will not, of course, write the tweets himself, but he will sign off on them before they are sent in his name.

“But even divine intervention might not help squeeze the gist of a papal encyclical, which can run to more than 140 pages, into 140 characters.

“Those tweets will probably be limited to a link to a URL with the entire document.

“The papal handle has not yet been disclosed but it is widely expected to be @BenedictusPPXVI, his name and title in Latin.

“The pope has given a qualified blessing to social networking.”

While I hardly condone social networking, I propose that a papal Twitter presence will improve the world a smidge.  RELIGIOUS LEANINGS ASIDE, the concept is a good one, as mankind would benefit from the heightened accessibility of benevolent, righteous, and spiritual guides.

Imagine this.  A man suffers a horrid day of spousal drama, professional pains, and personal dissatisfaction.  As usual, he checks his phone before returning home for the evening.  Generally, he scans the tweets of his friends, all of which are either somber complaints or useless nonsense.  Today, however, he scans the uplifting and compassionate offering Pope Benedict posted to Twitter moments ago.

Such a scenario heightens that man’s likelihood of smiling, sympathizing, and succeeding.  That man will arrive home with corresponding kindheartedness and will straighten every gnarled branch of his own tree of life.

My recommendation:  Tweet on, Pope Benedict.  Tweet on.

Facebook Scrolls Down its Own Timeline

http://www.courant.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-facebook-timeline-20121101,0,2811169.story

Another Facebook redesign.  Gee, that’s surprising!  Actually, the rationale for the redesign is rather unexpected.  Indeed, the social media network sees the folly of its recent ways!

“Facebook is testing a redesign of its Timeline feature that could make reading old posts slightly easier.

“The Menlo Park-based company confirmed that it is testing an experimental version of the redesign on a small number of users.

“The experimental design was discovered by Inside Facebook.

“It is similar to older designs Facebook used when its members had “Walls,” in which status updates showed up in a linear fashion rather than zigzaging from left to right as they do now with the Timeline.”

Though I dependably express my vociferous displeasure with each confounding Facebook adjustment, I would not lament this change.  Why?  The current timeline setup is silly, as users care little about the chronological placement of their postings.  Indeed, the purpose of Facebook is not to track one’s life in an ordered line, but is instead to share the events of one’s life via a comprehensible and maneuverable public page.

I first created a Facebook profile in 2008.  At that time, Facebook features and bonuses were limited and the layout of the website was brilliantly simple.  Statuses remained at the top of a user’s page, posts appeared in the middle of the screen, and everything was gratifyingly straightforward.  No Farmville, no princess quizzes, no memes, and less (unfortunately, I cannot truthfully say “no”) stupidity.

I applaud Facebook for reevaluating past practices.  Often, we label retroactive reanalysis as a disgraceful confirmation of innovational failures.  However, to identify the merits of the past and the shortcomings of the present is to demonstrate focused concern not for appearance, but for performance and utility.

This is wisdom.  Now, let's compel our peers to embrace further practices of the past…like reading, storytelling, and engaging in harmless tomfoolery!

People love red! (And I’m not referring to Taylor Swift’s new album.)

http://www.courant.com/business/technology/chi-icahn-takes-10-of-netflix-propelling-stock-20121031,0,4104018.story

How many times have you had the following conversation?

A:  “You have to check out _insert movie or series_.”

B:  “When is it on?”

A:  “Not sure but it’s on Netflix.”

B:  “Okay, I’ll add it to my queue.”

My queue is overfull.  Clearly, I've had this conversation a number of times.  As the article indicates, I am joined by many consumers in my ravenous use of Netflix.

According to the cited article, “Shares of Netflix Inc. jumped as much as 20 percent Wednesday after activist investor Carl Icahn reported a stake of nearly 10 percent in the company, which offers subscriptions to watch movies and TV shows over the Internet and on DVDs.

“Icahn disclosed the stake in a regulatory filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.”

Confirmedly, Netflix is a handy and nearly universal mode of movie viewing.  The dual benefits of the service are that users view many movies for the price of a small stack of $20 DVDs and that those same users avoid the overabundance of movie cases that necessitates the offensive black plastic stands of the early 2000s.

However, the company enjoyed greater success over the summer.  Apparently, “Netflix stock, which was trading 14 percent higher at $79.47 per share late on Wednesday afternoon, had reached $304 in July 2011 but has slumped after it imposed an unpopular price hike, faced new competition and increased spending on new content and an international expansion.”

What users must remember is that we price products and services.  Indeed, as Shark Tank persistently reaffirms, products are worth only as much as consumers are willing to pay.  Though the movie exchange service boasts several appealing perks, we mustn’t heedlessly commit ourselves to Netflix.  As membership prices rise, we must recall the minimal incremental costs borne by the company.  Indeed, it costs little to stream a single movie to one additional user.

Currently, Netflix is both a convenient and financially logical service.  However, if we passively accept swelling prices, the perks of Netflix will steadily shrink.  Eventually, we will forget the initial appeal of the service and think only of our tedious and overlarge monthly Netflix bills.

Let’s not outprice ourselves!  What are movies really worth to you?  Though I embrace the oblivion of on-screen fantasies, I can achieve similar groundless sensations by scanning a book from the local library.

As a population, perhaps we should be a little less accepting of monthly fees for luxury services.  Think about it.  If you eliminate such indulgences as data plans, Netflix services, and premium channels, how much more would your wallet weigh?

Chromebook: One more [useless] gadget

http://www.businessinsider.com/google-chromebook-review-2012-10

You’ve seen the commercials, I’m certain.  Befuddling, no?  What is this Chromebook?  How can a laptop cost only $249?  Read on.

“The idea behind the Chromebook is to run just about everything within the Chrome browser, with Google services covering your documents, email, calendar, etc.

“But unlike normal laptops, there's no file management system. It's not a laptop. It's not a tablet. It's a shell that houses a web browser.  That's it.

“While Google added more of a “desktop-like” feel to the Chromebook's operating system with a home screen of icons that launch web apps in the browser, it's simply a facade.  There is no way to effectively manage files that aren't Internet-based.  If you don't have an Internet connection, you're extremely limited in what you can do.”

I apologize…  I must appear pathetically obtuse.  I assure you, I’m a bright girl.  Really, I am.  But…  I still don’t get.

Assuming the Chromebook performs its existing functions irreproachably, it remains a useless and superfluous device.  Netbooks and tablets offer more functions than the Chromebook at the same affordable price.

Truly, the Chromebook is a tricky device.  As in, it’s a trick.  Ostensibly, it is a fully practical laptop that boasts standard features at an accessible price.  After all, no other twelve inch folding gadgets with full-sized keypads and screens skimp on the primary computing functions expected of a laptop-looking device.  Disillusioned online shoppers who neglect their technology homework may purchase the “computer” and be surprised by its dependence on apps and an internet connection.

There you have it.  A reason to continue reading.  Witty and Wireless:  Saving readers return shipping fees with every post.

It's a White and White Issue

http://www.courant.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-apple-white-ipad-mini-20121026,0,7888407.story

Though black Apple gadgets generally enjoy greater popularity (MacBooks aside) than white products, the trend is reversing with the iPad mini.

As the Hartford Courant writes, “If you want an iPad mini, you'll have to settle for the black model.

“The white iPad mini sold out during the first day of pre-orders for the new, smaller version of the Apple tablet, according to the company's website.

“The iPad mini is supposed to ship to users by Nov. 2, but already, the expected ship time for the white models has now been changed to read “two weeks.”  That applies to the 16 GB $329 model, the 32 GB for $429 model and the 64 GB for $529 model.

“Meanwhile, the black iPad mini is still available to arrive on Nov. 2 in all three of its versions, although who knows how much longer that will last.”

Why the change in user preference?  Black devices are sleek, refined, and professional, no?

Yes.  Black devices are sleek refined, and professional.  However, the crowd that hastens to the iPad mini values character and quirkiness above sophistication.  Indeed, the crowd that hastens to the iPad mini is…young.

My proposal is that tweens and teenagers are the primary iPad mini customers.  The small size and low pricepoint delight young techies as much as the reflective apple that brands the rear of the device.

The kids who have been petitioning their parents for a tablet, yearning for an iPad but willing to accept a cheaper Kindle Fire or Nook, can now, with the advent of the iPad mini, obtain their true obsession:  An Apple product.

Goodbye Apple black, today’s kids applaud the whimsy of your white and wireless sister.

Didn't you know? I own Facebook.

http://www.courant.com/business/technology/chi-ny-businessman-arrested-in-scheme-to-defraud-facebook-20121026,0,3045643.story

On Friday, wood-pellet salesman Paul Ceglia was arrested for forging documents that support his claim of a large ownership stake in Facebook.

“The businessman sued Facebook and its CEO in 2010, claiming a 2003 contract he signed with Zuckerberg, then a Harvard University student, entitled him to a stake in the social media company.  This past March, as part of that case, Facebook released emails sent by Zuckerberg around the time of the contract to show Ceglia's claims were false.”

Forecasting the outcome of these charges, one lawyer notes, “Ceglia used the federal court system to perpetuate his fraud and will now be held accountable for his criminal scheme.”

Can you hear my guffaws?  Truly, I’m confounded by the imprudence of Ceglia.  The man alleges untruthful entitlement to one technology (Facebook) as another technology (email records) simultaneously invalidates his claim.

In and of itself, this scenario confirms Ceglia’s fraudulence.  How could this man, who naively underestimates the might of technology, have contributed to Facebook?

I can do everything better than you...except print.

http://www.courant.com/business/technology/ct-tribu-tech-questions-ipad-cant-print-20120225,0,4783878.story

As an iPad owner, I share the confusion of my befuddled peers who cannot understand why the Apple tablet, which boasts miraculous capabilities, cannot perform a function that my 1995 Compaq somehow managed.  The iPad cannot print.

Apparently, “The iPad doesn't have built-in software to talk to printers.  But it does have software that lets it talk to a Mac laptop.  So to print from an iPad, it first has to (wirelessly) ask the Mac, “Would you mind telling the printer to print this document for me?”  If the Mac has been set up properly to hear the iPad, it will print out the document, because the Mac does have built-in software to talk to printers.”

Though Apple could have equipped the iPad with this competency, “that would have taken up a lot of room on the iPad's flash drive, room that's probably better spent holding apps, music, video and other more interesting stuff.”

While I prefer that the iPad preserve its capacity to accommodate my applications, notes, and music, I do wish the sucker could print.  The device walks, talks, and squawks like a computer, so why not perform all the same functions?

However, as one article reminds me, “the iPad is not designed to replace a PC, much like a microwave oven can never replace a conventional oven.  But it's quite a neat device, although, yeah, printing is one thing it cannot do by itself.”

Last week, I posted about the brydge keypad that transforms an iPad into a laptop.  As a highly functional yet simple device, I would consider condensing my personal technologies (and freeing some space in my charger drawer) by retiring all devices other than my iPad.  However, it is these limitations that remind me of the iPad’s impracticality.  Though the compact, suave, and futuristic qualities of the tablet make it endlessly…cool…it is not a sensible everyday gadget.

Thus, I must retain my laptop and my overcrowded charger drawer.

And how will you be paying, sir? With cash or by smartphone?

http://money.cnn.com/2012/10/19/technology/innovation/isis-mobile-wallet/index.html

On 22 October, Isis, a mobile network founded by Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile, will release its mobile wallet app.  Partnerships with such major retailers as Foot Locker, 7-Eleven, McDonald’s, and Sports Authority give Isis "serious firepower.”

The network will support American Express and Capital One credit and debit cards, and will store payment cards, loyalty programs, and merchant offers.  Though the company has yet to reveal which smartphones will be compatible with Isis, we do know that its system functions with near-field communication chips and short-range wireless technology.

Unfortunately for Isis, its lengthy startup process permitted other web payment apps to capture consumers.  eBay, Paypal, Google, Venmo, and Square are a few examples of successful mobile payment applications/ services/ technologies.  However, “if Isis’ carrier partners work with handset makers to pre-install Isis’ software on new phones—a likely scenario—the upstart venture could quickly gain traction.”

A few weeks ago, I wrote of the cultural loss I associate with a coin-less and bill-less society.  Though this application isn’t harmful or silly in any way, it shatters yet another seemingly timeless tradition.  Unless you’re staggeringly wealthy, your on-hand cash and coins likely weigh very little.  That means we’re adopting these technologies to save time…so we can get home to Facebook?

Each day, we approach a Jetson civilization of sleek, colorless, personality-less metal.  Indeed, when I learn of applications like Isis, I begin the wearying process of staking my house to the lawn.

Teaching an Old Dog Technology Tricks

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/20/nyregion/in-wi-fi-intoxicated-manhattan-a-generation-of-teetotalers.html?_r=0

http://snewzbutton.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/oldpeopleonline-300x253.png

Every month, the First Presbyterian Church in New York City’s Greenwich Village hosts a technology seminar to educate the community’s older residents about the wireless innovations their youthful counterparts grotesquely cuddle each night.

As modernity wars with tradition, the attendees balance their aversion to technology with a true terror of obsoleteness.  Reactions to the seminar are chuckle-provoking:

“I think it’s going to end badly, this lack of contact in the world.”

“People say, ‘What if there’s an emergency?’  I say, ‘There’s nine people around me who have one.’  I’ve never had that emergency, and neither have they.” [Smartphones]

“I’ve seen children neglected,” she added darkly. “I’ve seen friends neglected.” [Not being connected]

“The worst is not knowing what it is, not knowing how to get there, and knowing that everyone around you is completely hooked in.”

‘“Has anybody heard of Angry Birds?”  he asked.  Murmurs followed.  Not one hand went up.’

“I’m too old to understand this, but I think it’s great.”

“They could put a bomb on your head anytime,” he said. Who could? “Your enemies,” he replied. “Your slobbering enemies.” [Smartphone tracking technologies]

“It was fascinating…but it’s not my generation, so I didn’t know what he was talking about half the time.”

What does this article tell me?  First, I am sixty years too young for my own good.  Second, the elderly generation reaffirms their wisdom often.  In particular, the sassy woman who pairs an aversion to technology with social disownment is decidedly astute.  She understands that, if you do not connect wirelessly, you cannot connect socially.

As a nation, we have discarded phone calls and snail mail, the only forms of communication familiar to our oldest generations.  What is left of tradition?  Very little.  What choices do we leave holdouts?

The obstinate few who maintain their wired ways must either suffer isolation or cultivate friendships with the local Best Buy staff.

Brydging the Gap Between Tablet and Laptop

http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/reviews/6-ways-to-turn-your-ipad-into-a-laptop/232901114

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/552506690/brydge-ipad-do-more

http://technabob.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/brydge-ipad-keyboard-4.jpg

Generally, I roll my eyes when the first thing people do after purchasing a new technology is accessorize it.  My friends and family browse Amazon for cases, car cords, keypad covers, decals, and the like whenever they grab a new gadget.  That being said, I cannot help but covet the following iPad accoutrement:

Called the Brydge, this thing is simply…cool.

As their website notes, “Brydge is an elegant solution to the lack of quality iPad keyboards and accessories currently on the market.  Brydge connects to your iPad using a patent-pending hinge which allows for close to 180 degrees of iPad positioning and holds your iPad secure.

“Brydge’s hinge combines the forces of friction and magnetism to hold strongly onto the iPad.  There is no need to enclose your iPad in any sort of case, instead, your iPad snaps in and is ready to go.  If you need your iPad free from Brydge, simple hold down on the Brydge and pull your iPad free.” 

In addition to boasting the Apple aesthetics, this device, which features speakers, offers impressive functionality.  Indeed, if you own an iPad and one of these nifty keyboards, do you really need a laptop?

As a minimalist, I maintain the conviction that, if ever my iPad (which was a gift) breaks, I will not replace it and will simply continue with my good-for-all-purposes laptop.  Now, I wonder if I should amend that strategy.  Perhaps, if my Asus breaks, I’ll instead equip my iPad with the accessories that transform it into a laptop?

Class, please take out your Nooks and swipe to page 45.

http://www.courant.com/business/technology/chi-barnes-noble-sees-fast-growth-with-nook-will-expand-to-9-new-countries-20121010,0,2997050.story

As this article states, “Barnes & Noble Inc. expects its digital Nook and college bookstore businesses to generate combined revenues of $3 billion this year, helped by strong e-books sales growth, and the bookseller said on Wednesday it plans to expand its digital bookstore into nine new international markets by June.”

While I hardly object to Barnes & Noble’s competitive position, I do fault the nation’s hearty approval of digital reading.  Here’s why:

First, consumers must understand that the trees we spare with the purchase of tablets and e-readers do not negate the other forms of waste associated with these devices.  We don’t have to plug paperbacks into outlets.  We power fewer machines when we produce a biography than when we assemble a Nook.  And let’s not forget that, recycling aside, a pamphlet or encyclopedia biodegrades swiftly and unremarkably while a plastic and metal tablet containing hazardous innards does not.

Second, e-books and e-textbooks cost as much as their paper counterparts.  When we purchase the digital versions, we encourage these contemptible pricing practices.

Third, a question:  Will it be okay with you if your eventual child grows up without ever opening, flicking through, cursing, highlighting, doggy-earring, starring, tucking notes into, stroking, and even sniffing a physical book?  At this thought, Faulkner would renounce us, Melville would sail away, and Shakespeare would pen another play simply to cast us as fools.

Somehow, this movement away from paper and toward digital mediums represents a grander disownment of history, of intense study, and of worthwhile knowledge.

We keep making things "easier."  Remind me...why do things need to be easier?

HP: Dethroned

http://www.courant.com/business/sns-rt-us-lenovo-hp-gartnerbre8991rf-20121010,0,3297414.story

In addition to detailing the general decline in worldwide shipments of personal computers, this article discusses HP’s stagnant sales and Lenovo’s leaping popularity.

“China's Lenovo Group Ltd edged out Silicon Valley icon Hewlett-Packard Co to become the world's No. 1 PC maker in the third quarter, according to data released by research house Gartner on Wednesday.  A rival to Gartner, IDC, still ranks HP in the lead - but by less than half a percentage point - in terms of PC shipments worldwide.  Both studies reinforce HP's struggles against rivals as new chief executive Meg Whitman tries to overhaul the stalled 73-year-old company.”

This summer, I initiated a fatiguing quest for a new laptop.  Though macs are the go-to products for most buyers, I prefer the PC layout and decided to select from the standard brand spectrum:  Toshiba, HP, Lenovo, Asus, and Sony.

After purchasing and returning a Toshiba with a faulty battery, I chose the Lenovo ideapad.  Why?  Because an HP with comparable specs cost $150 more.

My saga follows.  Note my selective use of past tense:

Because I care so little for technology, I’m partial to simple machines that accomplish tasks with the fewest buttons and processes possible.  Lenovo satisfied this preference.  The keyboard and features were both minimalistic.  Indeed, while watching a brief YouTube clip, I attempted to lower the PC’s volume and found that the machine only recognized six or eight sound increments, with no pleasing options between “too soft” and “too loud.”

When adjusting brightness, the unglamorous outline of a grey sun appeared on my screen.  Moreover, webcam features and bonus software were both nonexistent.  None of these failings bothered me.

However, the exterior of the machine was poorly finished.  The edges looked to be snapped together, with a few fringes of some variety of cotton or string defiantly sticking out.  My greatest grievance, however, was the touchpad.  Beyond the lousy scroll functions and the overly responsive touch sensitivity, the pad itself was poorly fastened to the computer.  Indeed, I noticed that one corner was even detached from the body of the machine.

After owning the laptop for a month, the touchpad failed.  Though I could move the mouse, I could not click by tapping or pushing on the pad.  Back to BestBuy it went.

If we dismiss my touchpad as a dud, I will admit that, overall, the laptop functioned well.  Moreover, no other computer boasted an i5 processor for such a reasonable price ($650 range).  Though the aesthetics of the machine were unexceptional, I do understand the surging popularity of Lenovo.

With this knowledge, I offer HP only two options:  Lower prices to compete with emerging price-conscious brands or somehow offer a differentiated PC experience that is so remarkable, it merits the added cost.

And for those curious few, I am typing this blog post on my new Asus notebook.

Land Ho! Or not...

http://www.imaging-resource.com/news/2012/10/10/lytro-plenoptic-camera-gets-new-features-wider-availability

http://a57.foxnews.com/global.fncstatic.com/static/managed/img/Scitech/660/371/lytro%20camera%20samples.jpg

http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim/2011/10/19/Lytro_stacked_cropped_610x493.jpg

Before you start speculating, let me offer two hints:  This device is neither a sleek kaleidoscope nor a modern spyglass…but don’t lose interest just yet.  You can still use it to spot land and morph colors.

Dubbed the “Lytro light field camera,” this gadget boasts the impressive powers of refocusing images after capture.

As the article notes, “Lytro also has a bright fixed-aperture zoom lens, and can create a depth map from the captured image which lets it provide a limited 3D effect, as demonstrated on the company's blog.  And without the need to focus, by all accounts it's pretty speedy.”

Though the low resolution and miniscule monitor yield critical grumbles, the primary function of the device—providing post-picture clarity—is impressive.

As the designated photographer of my family and friends, I sometimes resent the obtrusive digital screen that detaches me from the goings on of various outings.  From whale watches to dinner parties, I spend too much time viewing the reproduced images of friends, relatives, and earthly spectacles, and not enough time gazing at the physical beings and happenings before me.

Unlike tablets, apps, and the majority of technologies, this device heightens man’s engagement with his immediate world.  Indeed, Lytro reduces the amount of time we must stare at screens.  Without the need to focus on an image, users can simply capture a moment and edit it later, after the company departs or the ship docks.

The price point?  To deepen your acquaintance with reality, you’ll have to shell out $400.  Money well spent?

The Downloadable Days Aren't Over

http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-205_162-6588479.html

http://blastmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/nintendo-logo.jpg

http://www.examiner.com/article/nintendo-3ds-to-get-downloadable-mario-kart-7-super-mario-3d-land-and-more

A couple of years ago, Nintendo released its newest handheld gaming device.  Called the 3DS, the gadget boasts “a “parallax barrier” LCD screen, whose pixels are aligned so your left and right eyes see different portions of the image.  It's as if two sets of thin blinds were laid over the screen so each eye sees its own version. Combined in the brain, the two versions become a 3-D image.”

Essentially, gamers enjoy 3D realities without the clunky inconvenience of goggles or glasses.  The device’s clever, precedent-setting technology demands only $170.

Recently, the corporation announced a variety of popular games that will become available for download in the coming months, including Mario Kart 7, Super Mario 3D, and Zelda II.  Apparently, Nintendo is embracing the ease of downloadable content.

From Netflix to Nintendo, we seem to have abandoned the traditional means of viewing movies and games.  Goodbye discs and cartridges.  We consumers favor minimalism.  If it’s downloadable, it’s preferable.  Fewer items to force into our bulging television stands.

Downloadable content aside…

I must admit that, when I learned about the 3DS, I began to wonder if product developers are truly considering their consumers.  Are they assessing us accurately?

Think about it.  Do people who purchase handheld technologies really yearn for the 3D experience?  With such a small screen, the 3D display hardly immerses gamers in the virtual world.  So what’s the point?

Will none admit that some technologies needn’t be developed further?  Needn’t accommodate the latest and greatest?  Needn’t feature fourteen 3D screens?  Will we ever reach a plateau?

Please, can we reach a plateau?

One Giant Knee-Bend for Mankind

http://www.gizmag.com/pizzicato-knee-joint-energy-harvester/22933/

Get ready for brilliance.  Scientists at the United Kingdom’s Cranfield University, University of Liverpool, and University of Salford have developed a device that converts knee movement into electricity.

Please excuse this long and technical quotation:

“Known as the pizzicato knee-joint energy harvester, the device fits onto the outside of the knee.  It is circular, and consists of a central hub equipped with four protruding arms, surrounded by an outer ring bearing 72 plectra (a plectrum is a plucking tool, such as a guitar pick).  The ring rotates about a quarter of a turn with every bend of the knee, causing the plectra to pluck the arms.  This causes the arms to vibrate (not unlike a guitar string), and it’s those vibrations that are used to generate electrical energy.”

Presently, the device can harvest two hundred milliwatts of power.  More startlingly, researchers forecast an eventual capacity that can power a GPS tracking system.

Though the device is currently targeted at overladen soldiers who lug hefty batteries in hostile places and harsh climates, I foresee the grander implications of this technology.  If such a product were commercialized and sold to consumers, we could literally power our own lives.

The word “amazing” is overused and has therefore lost its potency.  However, if the term were only uttered in response to scenes and situations that authentically “amaze,” I assure you it would cross my lips right now.

With the excess of cell phones, tablets, laptops, e-readers, and other gadgets, we plug more items into our sockets than in years past.  Moreover, we overcharge devices and waste further electricity.  With energy harvesters like this one, we could, as a population, do a little damage control.

Though I appear to be a technology-scorner, I am, at this moment, disproving the generalization.  This is the kind of technology I appreciate.  This is the kind of technology the world needs.  The invention features no screens, no apps, and requires no bedazzled cases.  It simply and efficiently achieves its straightforward goals of function and responsibility.  No flourishes, no adornments, no campaigns.  This is prudent, society-advancing, revolutionary technology that proves the greatness of man and affirms our status as evolved beings who rightfully and purposefully inhabit this planet.

The In-Between iPad

http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2012/10/03/ipad-mini-competitors/

Though an absurd quantity of Americans possess at least one and possibly twenty Apple products, the company has elected to expand its market by introducing a 7.85 inch tablet.  Surprise, surprise.

With this smaller product, Apple will compete with similarly mini tablets including the seven inch Kindle fire, the seven and nine inch Nook tablets, the seven inch Google tablet, and the seven inch Samsung Galaxy tablet.  These devices range in price from $159 to $500.

My first reaction pertains to the usefulness of this product.  The 7.85 inch size is a compromise between the 4.87 inch iPhone and the 9.5 inch iPad.  The new tablet will be too large for pocket transportation but, arguably, too small for legitimate, daily convenience.  An appealing price point, however, will likely override any customer misgivings.

 Though I question the practicality of this device, I do not underestimate the enormous sales Apple will enjoy with its release.  My current theory is that consumers purchase such tablets as the Nook and Kindle Fire to avoid the high prices of Apple products.  If Apple releases this new iPad at a price that competes with popular small-size tablets, buyers will likely opt for the tested Apple technology.

Moreover, Apple loyalists will purchase this mini iPad within months of its release, even if they already own a normal-size iPad.  How do I know this?  Somehow, Apple lovers always manage to justify/ find a use for each new Apple product.  They simply worship Apple and employ no restraint when the company’s latest sleek creations reach markets.  Cost and utility are immaterial to the allegiance of Apple fanatics.

Overall, Apple’s new tablet will be big…even though it’s small.

A Birthday Post and Present

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/27/facebook-lets-users-buy-real-things-for-friends/?ref=technology&pagewanted=print

In an effort to diversify its revenue sources, Facebook is presenting users with an easy gifting process.  Indeed, those who partake of the social network need only select an item and recipient, type a greeting, and pay.  Offerings range from cupcakes to sunglasses and seemingly span from $35 to $95.  If this project is profitable, Facebook intends to launch a full virtual storefront.

 I have yet to decide if Facebook’s expansion to tangible, paid-for items will prosper.  Here’s the debate:

Facebook’s advantage is that it advertises the likely forgotten birthdays of friends.  Providing an immediate and convenient solution to flustered users as they ashamedly and belatedly recall their friends’ special day is a brilliant idea.

But…  Will this gesture look thoughtful or generic?  Will the gift selection ever expand enough to appeal to gift-givers?  To birthday boys and girls?  Will Facebookers who are accustomed to online deals pay retail prices for presents?

The likely outcome:  If one friend utilizes this service, others will imitate and the trend will take.  After all, the procedure offers ease and immediacy, two attributes expected by Americans.  However, that one friend must initiate this new Facebook feature or it will remain a mysterious service that lacks credibility, and that is greeted with snickers by Facebookers who refuse to overpay for unremarkable merchandise that indirectly funds the social network.