Advanced interchangeable lens camera systems like the NEX from Sony are never entirely open or closed. Rather, they incorporate standards where they must and innovate everywhere else. Let’s consider the main components of interchangeable lens camera, and identify which generally are proprietary and which are standardized.
Personal
The Myths of Standardization
I certainly benefit from standardization of the world around me, and I welcome interoperability and interchangeability as well as the price and product selection advantages. But I am not blithely focused on standardization above all else. I will happily use a proprietary solution if the alternative is inelegant, ineffective, or insufficient.
In Search of the Perfect USB Cable
You wouldn’t know it from hefting my backpack, but I’m always looking to lighten my load with clever, compact, versatile cables. With so many devices now using USB for both data and power, I’m always on the lookout for nifty new cables. Here’s a quick overview of a few cables that I found useful recently.
How Software Update 2.23 Killed My Verizon MiFi 4510L (And How I Brought It Back to Life Again)
Although I love Verizon’s super-fast LTE service, I’ve had no end of trouble with my Novatel 4510L MiFi device. After installing a software update, the thing stopped working entirely. Happily, I found a solution online and I’m now back up and running.
A Nerve-Racking Revolution at the Apple Store
A guy walks to the back of the second floor, pulls a brand-new iPhone bumper off the shelf, fiddles with his iPhone, opens the package at one of the yellow wood tables, fits the bumper to his phone, and walks out of the store. This is the new retail experience preferred by Apple, but it’s pretty terrifying to a regular shopper like me!
