I'm often accused of being an Apple fanboy. While it's true that I love my vast selection of fruity products from Cupertino, I'm not blind when the company makes mistakes. In fact, I think Apple's mistakes are as enlightening as their successes: They reveal a company that is fallible, sometimes learning but often allowing the junk to rot far longer than other companies … [Read more...] about Ten Terrible Apple Products
iPod Touch
Ask Yourself: Is This Response Adding To The Conversation?
Warning: This is an uncharacteristically grumpy blog post. I write about technology and gadgets. One truism that's especially true of this world is "Nil novi sub sole" - there's nothing new under the sun. Most new electronics, from flashing trinkets to data center whales, incorporate existing technologies, often in non-novel ways. Another useful metaphor is "standing on the … [Read more...] about Ask Yourself: Is This Response Adding To The Conversation?
Conference Loot: SNW Orlando 2010 Edition
I've never been a fan of the junky, wasteful side of conference attendance. I railed about "booth babes and chotchkies" last year, and tried to make my presentations qualitatively different. But there is another class of giveaway at conferences: Solid, pricey loot. Back in the old days, vendors used to give away Harley Davidson motorcycles and Mercedes-Benz cars (no … [Read more...] about Conference Loot: SNW Orlando 2010 Edition
iPhone: The Frustratingest iPod Ever!
Apple may think that the iPhone and iPod Touch are the "funnest" ever, but I'd like to give the "touch" iPod implementation in these devices a new name: When it comes to controls, it is the frustratingest iPod ever! (Ok, maybe the Shuffle is slightly worse...) Seriously, the simplicity of control was one of the prime factors (along with iTunes, the Store, and Ive's design) … [Read more...] about iPhone: The Frustratingest iPod Ever!
iPhone App Store Forgetting Purchases
As impressed as I am with Apple's iPhone App Store, with its simple purchasing and automated installs and upgrades, it would be better if the thing actually worked reliably. Along with sometimes forgetting song purchases, there seems to be some gremlin that causes the App Store to forget that certain apps are installed and not check for updates. This left me scratching my head, … [Read more...] about iPhone App Store Forgetting Purchases