Armchair CEO: Apple
Sunday, May 30, 2004
Apple - Discussions - iBook 'Waking" problem -- summary, new thread
Time for a good ol' fashioned rant and rant about my iBook G4...
Y'see, 3 years ago I got an iBook G3. Its still kicking to this day, just a few feet away from me, and has almost never had a problem.
But my G4 was broken the FIRST TIME I USED IT! That's right, defective out of the box.
Being an optimist, I called Apple and a quick kext deletion later seemed to fix the immediate problem.
Over time issues have snowballed. I've had at least 3 kernel panics (in 6 months). The G3 has had one in 3 years.
Apple's big suggestion is always "clean install." Really? I've never had to do that with linux. I always have to do it with Windows. So Apple has finally achieved feature parity! It's just as unstable as Win98! hooray!
I put up with it because it's still a fairly reliable machine. But I can't tell you the stress I feel when I open up my Mac and have to wait nearly a minute for the trackpad to respond. Or open a folder, and wait nearly 10 secs. for the 6 items in it to appear. It's embarrassing.
What frustrates me more is that the PowerBook crowd seems to enjoy a much more reliable and effective experience. Why doesn't Apple scrap the iBook if it can't make it work? Obviously, because the market share is too large.
For all Steve's ranting about how salespeople ruined Apple in the 90's, I think if he doesn't watch out he'll find the same thing happening all over again... (iPod anyone?)
Monday, May 17, 2004
Think Secret - Source: Apple may start mail order operation
Here's my suggestion:
A full-color large-format magazine (titled "Macintosh") with tips, software "showcases" and business how-to's... (sections like Maximize Your Music and For Switchers... ).
The catalog is fine, but it will be just another in a sea of mac catalogs. When you purchase ANYTHING directly from Apple, you get Macintosh magazine for one year.
Granted, some people will just buy some headphones, or what have you (about the cheapest items on the online store run in the 20-30 range) and get a cool magazine. But overall the mag will be paid for through most customers...
Oh, and there's NO ADVERTISING! There's the mag, with a catalog in back (called the Apple Store natch)... Just a clean white mag with tips, etc.
Tuesday, May 11, 2004
Prediction: SONY sued by cross-eyed teen PSP addicts
This picture of the much-vaunted PSP machine from SONY is a little disturbing...
Doesn't anyone remember "The Jerk" with Steve Martin? His invention caused people to stare at their noses-- creating a permanent cross-eyed state!
That was a really good documentary!
Wednesday, May 05, 2004
NO links today folks, just a good old-fashioned brain dump...
Linux. I love the concept, hate the flavor. No one is going to use something with so much inherent hassle. Thus, OS X is the "perfect desktop Linux." 'Nuff said.
However, embedded Linux has me ersatzing in my pants! (yes, that makes no sense, but I love the word ersatz)
OK, one link. Here at Linux Devices there's an interesting dealie from Intel that is essentially a pocket, wireless SAN. Very nice! I've toyed with this idea: instead of a USB flashROM drive, why not a Bluetooth, Rendezvous-enabled one? You just put it in your pocket, sit in front of the computer, and BAM! it shows up on your desktop. Nifty.
Now, take that idea and integrate the useless Linux-based watches I'm seeing on the page. Why cram a CPU and storage into a wristwatch? Take out everything you can-- make it the Ultimate Thin Client-- and network it with your little pocket SAN (which now really becomes a pocket CPU)...
Which would mean you could switch up your IO options. Maybe you just want to see stuff? So, jack in (or go wireless) with a headset monitor!
Lots of potential here vis a vis the Human Interface. And I'm hoping to make this a part of my solutionSphere project...
More to come...
