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June 28, 2010
Father of digital images wants to make them better
 NIST The first digital picture. |
Somehow, it's fitting that the first digital image ever created was that of an infant.
Specifically, the picture was of the son of Russell Kirsch, a scientist at what was then called the National Bureau of Standards (now the National Institute of Standards and Technology). According to this story at Discovery News, here's how he did it:
Kirsch made that first digital image using an apparatus that transformed his picture into the binary language of computers, a regular grid of zeros and ones. A mere 176 by 176 pixels, that first image was built from roughly one one-thousandth the information in pictures captured with today's digital cameras. Back then, the computer's memory capacity limited the image's size. But today, bits have become so cheap that a person can walk around with thousands of digital baby photos stored on a pocket-sized device that also makes phone calls, browses the Internet and even takes photos.
Crude as it is, it's amazing that a digital image was even crafted with a 1957-era computer, which filled a room and was difficult to program. In fact, according to the Discovery piece, the machine Kirsch was working on was "the only programmable computer in the United States".
Kirsch came up with a technology still around today - the square pixel - to turn an analog image into a digital one. Square pixels have hampered the quality of digital images every since, and now 53 years later, the 81-year-old Hirsch wants to do something about it.
"Squares was the logical thing to do," Kirsch says. "Of course, the logical thing was not the only possibility ... but we used squares. It was something very foolish that everyone in the world has been suffering from ever since."
Now retired and living in Portland, Ore., Kirsch recently set out to make amends. Inspired by the mosaic builders of antiquity who constructed scenes of stunning detail with bits of tile, Kirsch has written a program that turns the chunky, clunky squares of a digital image into a smoother picture made of variably shaped pixels.
[deletia]
Kirsch's method assesses a square-pixel picture with masks that are 6 by 6 pixels each and looks for the best way to divide this larger pixel cleanly into two areas of the greatest contrast. The program tries two different masks over each area -- in one, a seam divides the mask into two rough triangles, and in the other a seam creates two rough rectangles. Each mask is then rotated until the program finds the configuration that splits the 6-by-6 area into sections that contrast the most. Then, similar pixels on either side of the seam are fused.
You can read Kirsch's report about his method in the May/June issue of the Journal of the National Institute of Standards and Technology. (PDF) It includes pictures of his adult son - now 53 - that have been run through the process.
If Kirsch's solution works well, I wouldn't be surprised to find that it makes its way into the firmware of digital cameras, smartphones, scanners and other imaging devices. It could also be added to image-editing programs such as Photoshop.
In the Discovery piece, Kirsch actually apologizes for using square pixels. The way he sees it, he's made a mess of things, and now it's time to clean it up.
Posted by Dwight at 07:47 AM in Digital music, movies, media
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Updated 7:56 a.m.
• Apple: We Sold 1.7 Million iPhone 4s in 3 Days – It was the company's biggest product launch in its history.
• Google’s mismanagement of the Android Market – This blogger says Google needs to do more curation of the Android Market, citing spam ringtone apps and apps clearly designed to promote piracy.
• Death by Gadget - Blood diamonds may have faded, but get ready for "blood gadgets". Many of the minerals used in smartphones and other technology are mined in areas where people kill, maim and rape to control the land.
• Digital Image Founder Smooths Out Pixels - The creator of the first digital image has regrets that his first image - a photo of his baby, generated in 1957 - used square pixels. Now he's out to fix that.
• A Technology Innovator's Move to Mobile - The research institute that brought you the computer mouse and HDTV now wants to make mobile devices smarter and friendlier.
• There is no spoon - Fake Steve Jobs on the unreal reality created by Apple, as evidenced by the real Steve Jobs' pronouncements about the iPhone 4's reception issue.
• Ooops! The Daily Mail falls victim to spoof Steve Jobs iPhone recall Tweet - The Mail's FAIL came because a reporter thought this account was the real Jobs. It's not.
• Steve Jobs: Wi-Fi iPhone Syncing Coming 'Someday' - This is a feature that should have been in iOS 3; it's long overdue. Cue Creedence . . .
• iPhone 4 Video Sex Chat Services Already Staffing Up - Porn is always on the cutting edge of tech.
• Amazon Adds Video, Audio To Kindle Apple Apps - So far, only 13 books have audio or video built into them. Most are around $10.
• Android vs. iPhone: How Google is winning hearts of developers - Some developers are eschewing the larger market of iPhones to build apps for Android.
• Qualcomm ships first dual-CPU Snapdragon... to HTC? - The first dual-core Snapdragons run at 1.2 GHz.
• Broadband Availability to Expand - The feds want to more than double the wireless spectrum for commercial use of data in the next 10 years.
• FleeHarmony.com - The boom in online dating sites is about to go bust.
• Samsung Galaxy S models announced for Sprint, Verizon, U.S. Cellular - Android-based Galaxy S phones have already been announced for AT&T and T-Mobile.
• Motorola Charm coming to T-Mobile with 'enhanced' Android 2.1 Motoblur? Update promised for CLIQ and CLIQ XT? - The Charm is an unannounced, candy-bar style smartphone.
• Verizon already cutting Kin prices in half - Which partly fixes the criticism that the Kin devices were too expenses. Now, about those data plan prices . . .
Posted by Dwight at 06:35 AM in Linkposts
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June 27, 2010
Linkpost | 6.27.2010
• Microsoft by the numbers and Decoding Microsoft's Fantastic Passive-Agressive Numbers Post – Microsoft's top PR guy lays out some numbers to prove his company isn't going away anytime soon. TechCrunch's M.G. Siegler explains them. Read both, in order.
• Steve Jobs on iPhone 4 Signal Issue: ‘Stay Tuned.’ – Apple's CEO replies to another query on the 'Death Grip' problem by saying "There is no reception issue. Stay tuned." Does this confirm the rumor that an update that fixes it could come as early as Monday? Also iPhone 4 antenna problems were predicted on June 10 by Danish professor
• iPhone 4 upgrades to HSDPA/HSUPA can double 3G bandwidth speeds – If the network in your area has received this upgrade, the speeds could be impressive. I'm seeing similar results from my home near downtown Houston.
• Is Google About to Launch a Facebook Killer? Kevin Rose Says So. – Sigh. There won't be a "Facebook killer". Facebook is more likely to do itself in.
• White House abolishes decade-old cookies ban – Federal agencies may now use cookies, but the info they can collect is minimal.
• Hacker High: 10 Stories of Teenage Hackers Getting into the System – Including one student who, in 2001, brought down the Port of Houston's computer network.
• Turn Right, My Love – Have you fallen for the voice in your car's GPS?
• Gyroscope gunning on the iPhone 4 with Eliminate: Gun Range (video) – This is a very fun app, and that one shows the potential of a gyroscope in a smartphone.
Posted by Dwight at 09:49 AM in Linkposts
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June 26, 2010
Linkpost | 6.26.2010
• Death Grip hysteria may end Monday with iOS 4.01 - Posts on Apple's support form - now taken down - indicate a software fix for the signal-decrease issue may come as early as Monday. Also Did Disguising the iPhone 4 Mask a Temperamental Antenna?
• IPhone Gyroscope To Rev Up Location Apps - So far, there's not much being done with the feature, but the potential is huge for both games and location.
• Don't have any friends? Call 1-888-FACETIME to test Facetime on the iPhone 4 - If you don't know anyone else with an iPhone 4, you can call this number to test the feature (8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CDT).
• Sprint to Update HTC EVO 4G to Android 2.2, Samsung Moment and HTC Hero Left Behind - All future Sprint devices coming with Android 2.1 will be upgraded to 2.2, but most older Android phones will stuck with older versions of the OS.
• Palm shareholders approve HP takeover plans and Palm files 8-K with SEC on merger, VP of PR Lynn Fox leaving
• Google Isn't Just Reading Your Links, It's Now Running Your Code - Google's search bots may be able to actually execute Javascript, then add what it finds to its index.
• A New Suffix for X-Rated Web Sites - .xxx is coming to a browser near you (maybe).
• US interested in Aussie zombie code - Australia is quarantining computers infected with malware, and U.S. government officials are considering implementing that here.
• 18-button WarMouse Meta mouse shipping June 28th - Usually, I say you can't have too many buttons on a mouse. But I might be wrong.
• EXCLUSIVE: First Teaser For "The Social Network" [VIDEO]
• Blackberry Curve 9300 Prototype - Hands On
Posted by Dwight at 10:08 AM in Linkposts
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June 25, 2010
Mobile phones and the 'Death Grip'
By Jim Thompson
Great scene from Star Trek TOS episode "The Enterprise Incident": Captain Kirk, feigning madness, attacks Spock while the two are being held aboard a Romulan ship. Spock defends himself by using the Vulcan Death Grip. Later, back aboard the Enterprise, Nurse Chapel objects "But there's no such thing as a Vulcan death grip," to which Dr. McCoy responds "Yes, but the Romulans don't know that."
That phrase Death Grip is now being applied to Apple's new iPhone 4. As first reported in the Unofficial Apple Weblog, some users have reception problems when they hold the phone by the metal frame that is part of its cellular antenna. Most users note reduced signal strength and some are blaming this for dropped calls. Yesterday Dwight verified here in TechBlog that he has reproduced the signal-strength problem on his iPhone 4.
Apple's response to questions about the problem has been that users should be careful how they hold the phone. Steve Jobs has a simple solution: "Just avoid holding it that way." ("Doctor, it hurts when I do this." "Then don't do that." <rimshot>). Apple's official response is less succinct:
Gripping any mobile phone will result in some attenuation of its antenna performance, with certain places being worse than others depending on the placement of the antennas. This is a fact of life for every wireless phone. If you ever experience this on your iPhone 4, avoid gripping it in the lower left corner in a way that covers both sides of the black strip in the metal band, or simply use one of many available cases.
A phone that needs special instructions on how to hold it? Surely this is a first. That question came up on Twitter when @jbtaylor (a Sprint spokesman) asked Dwight:
As turns out, Apple is not the first cell phone maker to instruct users on how to hold its phone. The HTC Hero 100 series owner's manual states that:
To assure optimal phone performance and ensure human exposure to RF energy is within the guidelines set forth in the relevant standards, always use your device only in its normal-use position. Contact with the antenna area may impair call quality and cause your device to operate at a higher power level than needed. Avoiding contact with the antenna area when the phone is IN USE optimizes the antenna performance and the battery life. [Emphasis added.]
In this case, the statement is made in a section on safety and non-ionizing radiation emissions, and only tangentially notes that touching the antenna can affect call quality. Nevertheless, it's the same kind of statement Apple has made regarding the iPhone 4 - how you hold the phone can affect reception.
The user's guide for a later version of the HTC Hero, the 200 series - which I own through a Sprint family plan - includes an identical statement and a similar diagram. (In yesterday's comments, I mentioned that I had seen this statement on a single-page insert that came with my phone. I was unable to find that insert, but did find the similar notice in the manual.)
I should note that I have never noticed any problem with my phone's reception, although my natural grip on the phone is to hold it by the sides, away from the antenna area. That same grip might be a problem for me with an iPhone 4.
(Having mentioned the HTC Hero, let me put in a plug for it and other Android phones: Google's Android operating system makes for an excellent phone. I've never owned an iPhone, but I have owned two iPod Touches and a 3G iPad. I love Apple's iOS operating system, but in most respects Android is on par with it, and in some respects surpasses it.)
Posted by Jim Thompson at 02:58 PM in Apple, Cell phones & telephony
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Diet Coke on a MacBook Pro keyboard: The horror!
When you spill a liquid into a desktop computer keyboard, in most cases it's no big deal. At worst, you must replace the keyboard, a relatively minor expense. But spilling a liquid into the keyboard of a notebook computer is another matter.
Below the keyboard on a notebook are the guts of the computer, including its motherboard. If liquid makes its way there, your notebook can short out, effectively killing it.
So that's why, when I spilled Diet Coke onto the keyboard of my 13-inch MacBook Pro on Wednesday night, my heart nearly stopped.
 Not everything goes better with Coke. |
I was at the KPFT studios, getting ready for Technology Bytes, the weekly computer call-in show I co-host. The host of the previous show had left and I had rushed into main studio and was setting up my computer. I'd bought a Diet Coke, which I usually finish before the show starts, but this time I still had some in the can.
I set the can down to the right of the notebook – something I usually never do, but I was in a hurry. As I arranged my workspace, my arm bumped the can and it tipped over onto my MacBook Pro, Diet Coke splashing across the keyboard.
I'm still not sure how much liquid got onto the keyboard, because I swung into action almost instantly. I set the can upright, yanked the magnetic power connector off the notebook's side and flipped it upside down. In that position, I held down the power button until the computer shut down. Diet Coke dribbled onto my jeans.
One of the things I wanted to do, but could not, was remove the battery. I have one of the unibody MacBook Pros with sealed-in battery.
I have now decided this is not a good design.
My co-hosts looked on in horror. Barrett Canon rushed out and brought back some paper towels from the station's restroom. I wanted to cry.
Continue reading "Diet Coke on a MacBook Pro keyboard: The horror!"
Posted by Dwight at 08:15 AM in Hardware, Tips, tricks, tweaks
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"So, how long have you been here?"
"Oh, I got here about, what, midnight?"
"Wow, you must really want this bad!"
"Well, you know, it IS pretty cool. Did you reserve one?"
"No, I thought I'd just show up, take my chances, see how it went."
"Well, maybe you'll get lucky. Me, I show up for TechBlog's open comments every Friday."
"Really? You don't have to wait in line?"
"Nah, I just leave a comment related to personal technology, and the guy who runs this blog comes by and approves it. Well, sometimes I have to wait for that, but not too long."
"Oh, so why have I been standing here since midnight?"
"Good question."
Posted by Dwight at 07:00 AM in Open-comment Fridays
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• Apple iPhone 4 Antennas... - An excellent technical discussion of the iPhone 4's controversial antennae system, and why smartphone antennas are placed where they are. Blame designers, the FCC and telcos.
• 77% of iPhone 4 sales were upgrades - Piper Jaffray estimates only 16 percent of first-day buyers were switching to AT&T from another carrier, down 28 percent.
• Windows Phone 7 will be an 'ad-serving machine' - Ads may appear on the home screen telling you about new information or a new product offer.• Bing on your mobile browser, iPhone, and beyond - Bing updates its iPhone app and mobile browser site.
• CNET retracts article on Android app privacy threat - A story on a study on privacy issues with Android apps gets rewritten after users point out that the apps in question request permission to access the info.
• Exercising Our Remote Application Removal Feature - Google can remove malicious Android apps from users' phones remotely, and recently nuked two.
• Intel preps 'Android x86' for netbooks and slates - It's a version of Android 2.2 that will run on the company's Atom chips. Also Android 2.2 hits Nexus One -- so who's next?
• Hulu's Subscription Service Could Come Next Week - For Some of You - 10,000 people may get the chance to pay $9.95 a month for a "deeper catalog" of programs not now available on the free servcie.
• FTC Forces Twitter to Safeguard User Information - Stemming from a pair of security breaches in 2009. Also FTC Announcement
• Social Networking Affects Brains Like Falling in Love - Or like chocolate!
• Mystery surrounds 'horse-boy' on Google Street View - Who is the man spotted wearing a horse-head mask on a street in Aberdeen, Scotland?
• Senate panel approves controversial cybersecurity bill - This is the bill that, if approved, would give the president a "kill switch" for the Internet.
• RIM Sales Miss Expectations On Disappointing Shipments; Plans Buyback - More, tougher competitors are eating into RIM's sales and market share.
• Invincible Apple: 10 Lessons From the Coolest Company Anywhere - Want your company to be like Apple? Do these 10 things (and do them very, very well).
• Internet bosses set to approve .xxx for porn sites - This could be approved today. It would be voluntary.
• Nine Common Myths and Misconceptions About Viruses, Examined and Debunked - Firewalls won't protect you from viruses, malware can't damage your hardware, and you know all those porn popups? Well, we know where you've been . . .
• Why Tabs are on Top in Firefox 4 - The next version of Firefox adopts Chrome's design for tabs, placing them at the top of the window. But you can restore them to the toolbar position if you prefer. And Mozilla: Our browser will not run native code
Posted by Dwight at 06:35 AM in Linkposts
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June 24, 2010
Are you seeing these iPhone 4 issues? [Updated]
On Wednesday, some of those who received early iPhone 4 deliveries began to report problems with the devices.
It seems that, if you hold the phone a certain way, the signal to AT&T's service decreases dramatically. You can see it in this video, first posted to the Unofficial Apple Weblog.
I can confirm this happens, because I have seen it on my own iPhone 4. But it only seems to happen if you hold it a certain way - in your left hand, with your thumb covering the left side, and your fingers covering the right. You can see it in this picture of my iPhone (taken using the camera in a colleague's Palm Pre).
Other users are reporting yellow circles and stripes on the otherwise gorgeous display.
This one I haven't personally seen, even when using a flashlight app, which turns the screen a bright white.
Finally, there are also reports of the back being scratch-prone, and on unlucky iPhone 4 owner had the glass back of his new device shatter in a mere 1-foot fall.
Is anyone out there seeing these issues after receiving a pre-ordered iPhone 4 or buying one at retail?
Update: There may be some good news regarding the signal and yellow screen issues on some new iPhone 4s.
BGR reports there are indications the decreasing signal issue may be software related, as this video shows the same thing happening on an iPhone 3GS that's been updated to iOS 4.
Apparently, calls can be made and received just fine when the bars are reduced in this way. I've been able to make calls when holding the phone as shown in the photo above.
And Engadget is reporting that the yellow spots on screens may go away over time. They may be the result of an adhesive that has yet to dry:
Apple is using a bonding agent called Organofunctional Silane Z-6011 to bond the layers of glass. Apparently, Apple (or more likely Foxconn) is shipping these products so quickly that the evaporation process is not complete. However, after one or two days of use, especially with the screen on, will complete the evaporation process and the yellow "blotches" will disappear. How do I know? I was involved in pitching Z-6011 to Apple.
Update 2.0: This is a little hard to believe, but Steve Jobs has a message for those who are discovering that their new iPhone 4 loses signal when held a certain way:
YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG.
That's the essence of a response by Jobs to someone who e-mailed him about the problem, according to Engadget.
In an e-mail, the anonymous reader tell Jobs about the issue, and says it's apparently a widespread problem. Jobs' answer:
Just avoid holding it that way.
Gee, thanks, Steve.
Engadget contacted an Apple spokesperson, who essentially said this is a problem with all cell phones:
Gripping any mobile phone will result in some attenuation of its antenna performance, with certain places being worse than others depending on the placement of the antennas. This is a fact of life for every wireless phone. If you ever experience this on your iPhone 4, avoid gripping it in the lower left corner in a way that covers both sides of the black strip in the metal band, or simply use one of many available cases.
Engadget writer Joshua Topolsky mentions that there are similar reports about the Nexus One, and that using one of Apple's $29 Bumper cases - which cover the metal bands that serve as the antennae - seems to fix the problem on the iPhone 4.
So, for $29 more, you can have a phone with decent signal strength, no matter how you hold it. Or, you know, just hold it the right way . . . Steve's way!
Posted by Dwight at 01:33 PM in Apple, iPhone
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iPhone 4 sales begin in Houston
iPhone 4 retail sales begin today, and some Houstonians reportedly were already in line Wednesday night. We'll track what's happening here using Twitter and our own resources. If you're in line to get a phone, tell us what's going on using the #houphone hashtag. We'll add updates at the top of this post. See the Twitter widget at the bottom for continuous updates from the lines.
2:14 p.m. - As you'd expect, there are still plenty of lines at Apple Stores this afternoon, and even those in line with reserved iPhone 4s have a long wait ahead of them.
Cory Heikkila e-mailed a shot of the still-long lines at Memorial City Mall.
Reports on Twitter indicate that some of the walkup lines have been locked down, and newcomers trying to join them are being turned away. The reservation lines are still long, but Apple has said those who have reservations for today will get an iPhone 4.
11:13 a.m. - Judging from this Computerworld item, long lines for the iPhone 4 have formed worldwide. There are indications they're longer than for any other Apple launch. Certainly we've seen that in Houston.
So why is this phone generating this level of interest? It can't just be hype . . .
Here are my theories:
• There are millions of iPhone 3G devices, launched two years ago, in the hands of AT&T customers whose contracts have expired. That's why I bought one.
• There are also a lot of original iPhone owners, still toting a 3-year-old phone, who are ready to move up to a 3G-based device.
• AT&T's decision to offer full discounts to anyone who would become eligible for an upgrade this year also boosts the numbers, and catches quite a few 3GS owners in the process.
• Finally, there's the overall maturing of the smartphone market. These devices - largely due to Apple's innovations being adopted by other makers of smartphones, including those who use Google's Android operating system - are now at the leading edge of mobile phone growth. They've reached a tipping point.
Sure, there are people in today's lines who just want the latest shiny-shiny, and there are a few who think it will make them look cool to have one. But these launches have become a kind of community and even global event that others want to be part of. In return, they get a device that will make their lives easier, and keep them connected to friends and family in new and interesting ways.
And this is only the beginning, folks. The smartphone will have an effect on society as profound as the PC - maybe more so.
9:54 am. -- One additional note: Juston Western has some details on what's happening at The Woodlands Mall, which will give you a clue as to what will happen when walk-up iPhone supplies run out:
9:47 a.m. - Things seem to be moving along well. I'll check in later and see how the lines are later in the day. From the sound of it, these long walk-up lines at Houston-area Apple Stores will be there for a while.
9:06 a.m. - A Houston sci-fi blogger who goes by the name Fancy Fembot wrote about her experience buying a phone at the Galleria Apple Store. Despite big lines, it went smoothly . . . but then, she had reserved an iPhone 4 for pickup.
After reading about how the iPad launch day went, I wanted to be ULTRA prepared for the iPhone 4 launch day. I knew to pre-order. It was the most miserable pre-order experience ever. I hammered away at the Apple site on June 15th for 8 hours until I managed a reservation. I heard horror stories about the notoriously LONG lines on launch day so I planned out everything. I made sure I went to bed at 9 p.m. last night so that I could wake up at 3 a.m. to be in line at the Houston Galleria Apple Store by 5 a.m. I packed a big purse with a couple of snacks, water, Harry Potter book, fashion magazine and Tylenol. I ended up waking at 1:30 a.m. I was tempted to go into the mall at 4 a.m. but I read on a forum that security wasn't letting anyone in before 5 a.m. If I had gone in at 4 a.m., I would have been first in line because the first guy in line got there at 4:50 a.m.! At 5 a.m., the reservation line was at least 50 people deep and the walk-in line had at least 300 people! I met some wacky but nice folks in line. People were congratulating me on my first iPhone purchase. The people that already owned iPhones were giving tutorials. It was a chipper, social bunch for 5 a.m.
8:22 a.m. -- Chron.com videographer Jason Witmer captured some video from the lines at Memorial City Mall earlier this morning.
Continue reading "iPhone 4 sales begin in Houston"
Posted by Dwight at 06:36 AM in Apple, Cell phones & telephony, iPhone
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• YouTube wins case against Viacom - This gives YouTube protection against copyright claims under the DMCA Safe Harbor provisions . . . at least until Viacom appeals. Also TODAY'S COURT RULING is Viacom's take.
• Some iPhone 4 Displays Have Yellow Discoloration Bands and Spots and iPhone 4 Loses Reception When You Hold It By The Antenna Band? - Some users are reporting screen defects and signal problems when a hand covers the antenna bands. (I have not seen either of these on my iPhone 4.)
• Apple pushes back white iPhone 4 to second half of July - Says they've been a challenge to manufacture.
• HUGE: Twitter Lets You Automatically Follow Your Facebook Friends [UPDATED] and Well That Was Fast -- Facebook Blocks Twitter's Way To Look Up Friends - For a brief, shining moment, you automatically follow Facebook friends, until Facebook shuts it down.
• Mark Zuckerberg: Facebook 'almost guaranteed' to reach 1 billion users - A better word is "likely", Mark: nothing is "guaranteed" on the Intarwebz.
• Windows 7 hits 150 million licenses: that's seven copies a second
• Announcing the new Windows Live Essentials beta! - It should go live sometime today.
• Motorola Droid X first (official) hands-on and unboxing! Update: video! - Verizon will get this powerhouse Android phone next month. It runs Android 2.2.
• Android 2.2 Froyo source code available today and Whoa! Google Android Activations Leap 60% In A Month (GOOG) - Google says 160,000 Android devices are activated each day.
• HP drops $30 million on streaming music app developer Melodeo
• Internet Explorer 9 destroys Chrome 6 in HTML5 speed test (video) - The newest preview version was released Wednesday.
Posted by Dwight at 06:35 AM in Linkposts
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June 23, 2010
iPhone 4: Very early impressions
At about 3 p.m. today, I had a special visit from a uniformed courier!
Hmmm. What could it possibly be?
Oh, look! It's an iPhone 4!
Inside the box:
Apple's been paring down the accessories that come with its iPhones and iPods - for example, it no longer includes padded covers for the earbuds. I was worried there'd be no earbuds this time.
I've only had a little while to play with it - it's syncing my music and apps at the moment - but here are some initial impressions.
• The screen is indeed as advertised - incredibly sharp and crisp. Very small text is very readable on the screen, and there are no jagged edges, even when text is enlarged. It is indeed the best resolution I've seen on a smartphone . . . I just wish there was more of it. Having tried the Nexus One and the HTC Evo, which have much larger displays, I wish the iPhone's screen was a little bigger.
• The device feels very solid, much more so than the iPhone 3G it replaces. It feels as though it has more heft in my hand. I think I prefer the feel of the rounded back in my hand, but that may change as I use the newer phone.
• The iPhone 4 is astonishingly fast. I am coming to it from a 3G, which is very slow, and the iOS feels as though it has been set free to run. While I haven't stepped through my favorite apps yet, those I have tried are much more responsive. Only the Settings app has felt sluggish so far. I'd be curious to hear from 3GS users who've upgraded - how much faster does the iPhone 4 feel to you?
• I'm not wowed by the design. Some other reviewers have drooled over its looks, but it doesn't strike me as a work of art. Don't get me wrong, it's a typically elegant Apple product, but I don't think it's as arresting as an iMac, MacBook Pro or an iPad.
• I was excited about having an iPhone that could hold all my music, but I don't have as much room on it as I'd hoped. With my 4,200 songs, dozens of apps and a handful of photos, I've got 4.72 GB of space left. Now, I really wish Apple would include a slot for a MicroSD memory card!
I've yet to try any of the major features, including FaceTime video chat, multitasking and the improved video/still camera. I'll report back in a day or two about those. I'll be doing a full review in a special installment of my column for Saturday's print edition.
Posted by Dwight at 05:18 PM in Apple, Cell phones & telephony, iPhone
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Firefox 3.6.4 now has crash protection
If you use Firefox, you've probably had this experience:
You're enjoying a Flash or Silverlight video on the Web, such as one involving a kitten wearing a tiny hat.
But just before the thrilling climax, the video freezes, locking up not just the page but your entire browser. If the problem's bad enough, your browser may unceremoniously shut down.
Both Chrome and Internet Explorer 8 already have a feature that can prevent a wayward plug-in such as Flash from bringing down the whole browser, but Firefox has remained vulnerable to this problem . . . until now.
Mozilla has released version 3.6.4 of its Firefox browser for Windows, Mac and Linux that now has crash protection. The easiest way to get it - if your version of Firefox hasn't prompted you already - is to launch the browser and click Help > Check for Updates.
As with Chrome and IE8, when a plug-in goes bad on a Web page, only that tab will be affected. You'll get a notice that the page has crashed, along with a link that lets you reload it.
However, this feature is only available to Windows and Linux users - it doesn't work on the Mac. Here's the explanation from Mozilla's crash protection FAQ:
Why is there no support for Firefox with crash protection on Mac OS X? When will it be available?
The technology used for crash protection requires major changes to Firefox on Mac OS X, and so we are unable to provide this feature to users on that operating system at this time. Crash protection will be available for Mac OS X in Firefox 4.
Firefox 3.6.4 also fixes several stability and security issues. You can find full release notes here.
And if you're a Windows user, there's one gotcha you'll want to be aware of. When you install Firefox 3.6.4, it will prompt you to then update your Adobe Flash player to the latest version, 10.1. This is a more stable, secure and better-performing version of Flash, so doing so is a good idea.
When you do, you are taken to the Flash Player page on Adobe's site, which tries to get you to install a McAfee Security Scan product. If you don't uncheck the box in the middle of the page, you'll end up with a program you may not want on your computer.
Memo to Adobe: This borders on evil. By default, this item should be unchecked if it's not directly related to proper functioning of the primary program. The McAfee scanner is described as a "lite" offering, but if a Windows user already has a security program installed, adding another one can cause conflicts.
Posted by Dwight at 07:57 AM in Security, Software
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• An iPhone review roundup - All Things Digital's got a roundup of the iPhone 4 reviews from Walt Mossberg, David Pogue, Ed Baig, Joshua Topolsky (Engadget) and Xeni Jardin (Boing Boing). Denied a review unit because of its involvement in the "lost" iPhone 4 prototype caper, Gizmodo's outsourced its review to readers.
• iPhone 4 is Faster than 3GS and Slower than iPad in Early Benchmarks and iPhone 4 Teardown
• Apple leaves iPad vulnerable after monster iPhone patch job - More than 65 vulnerabilities are patched with the release of iOS 4, but older iPhones and older iPod Touches, along with the iPad, can't use the update.
• Apple: 3 million iPads in 80 days - In addition, there are now 11,000 iPad apps. Sales appear to be accelerating.
• How Microsoft foresaw--and still missed--the iPad - Bill Gates touted Project Origami as a simple, low-cost, tablet device, but the technology wasn't there yet.
• Google Voice for everyone - Google finally opens its Google Voice service to all comers.
• Google Maps for Android Helps You Find the Right Place, Catch a Train, and Add Latitude Friends - The update tracks places people are talking about on the Web.
• Report: A fifth of Android apps expose private data - Of the 48,000 apps in the Android market, 20 percent access sensitive or private information, similar to malware.
• Music Labels Tell Google To Remove Infringing Links - In the United Kingdom.
• Firefox 3.6.4 Released: Flash No Longer Crashes Your Browser - The latest update for Firefox now comes with Chrome-like crash protection.
• Bing Improves Search For Music, TV, Movies And Gaming and A New Entertainment Experience for Bing - Bing goes for the glitz, making it easier to search for entertainment.
• Biden to file sharers: 'Piracy is theft' - The VP says "we used to have a problem in this town saying this"? Really? As cozy as Congress has been with the RIAA?
• Packet-Sniffing Laws Murky as Open Wi-Fi Proliferates - Is it legal to grab information from unsecured Wi-Fi connections? That's unclear.
• An Apology Over Canned Unicorn Meat - ThinkGeek gets a cease-and-desist letter over a product that doesn't actually exist.
Posted by Dwight at 06:35 AM in Linkposts
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June 22, 2010
iOS 4 on an iPhone 3G: Worth it for the folders
On Monday, Apple released the latest version of the operating system that powers its iPhone and iPod Touch. It's now called iOS, and this is version 4. If you use an iPhone 3GS, or are about to the proud owner of an iPhone 4, it finally brings multitasking for third-party applications to Apple's smartphones.
However, if you have an older iPhone 3G, there's no multitasking for you. Memory and processor issues make the enabling of multitasking (as Apple has designed it) impractical, though those willing to jailbreak their phones have been multitasking for a while.
But just because this crown-jewel feature isn't available to 3G owners doesn't mean the upgrade isn't worth it. There are a few new features in iOS 4 that can change your iPhone experience dramatically.
For me, the biggest benefit is the ability to sort apps into folders. Yeah, I know, other smartphone platforms have done this for a while. But Apple's implementation of it is particularly elegant.
You'll begin by downloading and installing iOS 4 via iTunes. Connect your iPhone to your computer, launch iTunes (it may launch on its own) and click the icon for your device in the left column. Click the "Check for Update" button, and choose Download and Install when you're notified that the update is available.
Follow the prompts to begin the process. The download itself shouldn't take too long, depending on your speed - it took about 5 minutes on my 16-Mbps Comcast connection.
However, be prepared to wait a long time for iTunes do a full backup of your iPhone's apps, music, video and settings. It took about 40 minutes for me, on an 8-GB phone. iTunes warns you that it could take a while.
If you have more data, it could take longer. This appears to be a problem mainly for 3G users. Based on what I've seen via Twitter, those with the 3GS are seeing relatively faster backups.
The phone will reboot a few times in the process, and when it's complete, you'll be at your familiar lock screen. Once you go to your initial home screen, you'll notice that the Dock at the bottom now looks a lot like the Dock on Mac OS X 10.5 and 10.6 - an angled shelf with a glossy, 3D look.
All your apps should still be in place, on their respective home screens. You'll want to begin sorting them into folders. Here's how it works:
Just as you do with moving apps, tap and hold any app icon on the screen, and you'll see them all start to wiggle.
Drag one app on top of another and release. The screen will split, and you'll see the icons now in the folder, and a suggested name, which you can change.
The suggested name comes from the app category, but it can be anything you like.
I went from having 9 screens of apps roughly sorted by type, to having three screens with folder icons. Tapping on an icon shows you what's inside.
This makes it much easier to find the app I want, and it also increases the number of apps you have can on the phone. In theory, you could have more than 2,100 apps! Somehow, I don't think I'll ever come close to that number . . .
Engadget has a nice list of features that iPhone 3G users will get in iOS 4, as well as what's missing.
Of course, it could be worse: You could be the owner of an original iPhone - iOS 4 is not supported on that device.
Posted by Dwight at 12:00 PM in Apple, iPhone
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Some iPhone 4 pre-orders will arrive early [Updated]
For those who suffered through the irritations and frustrations of the first-day iPhone 4 pre-order process, here's a nice payoff: Some of the iPhones ordered that day will arrive early.
The following e-mail hit my in-box at 12:39 a.m. this morning:
Dear Apple Store Customer,
You recently received a Shipment Notification email from Apple advising you that your iPhone has shipped.
This email is to confirm that your delivery will occur on June 23. Although Apple and FedEx tracking information may currently indicate a later date, you can check the FedEx website the morning of the June 23 to track your package to your doorstep.
In the event that you will not be available to accept delivery on June 23, it may be more convenient to use our pre-sign delivery option by visiting our Order Status website at http://www.apple.com/orderstatus.
Sincerely,
The Apple Store Team
Indeed, my Fedex tracking info shows the phone is in Memphis, Tenn.
I'm not alone. Engadget reports a lot of iPhone 4 pre-order buyers have received this e-mail.
And if you ordered your iPhone from Apple site after the listed ship date changed from June 24 to July 2, you also may be in luck. A friend in this situation received his shipment notice this morning, and it is now set to arrive on Thursday. As he put it when he forwarded me his notice, "Apple loves to under-promise and over-deliver".
Update: Apparently some AT&T customers will get their iPhone 4s early as well.
A friend just told me that he contacted AT&T's customer service line and learned that his will arrive by 3 p.m. Wednesday. From his e-mail:
The AT&T site has not updated my account since June 16. I ordered about 7am on June 15.
Ostensibly, the reason I called was for another problem: the order page listed me as new service, but I had an upgrade.
So I called and asked about that. He took my info and said he'd look it up but I might have to call premier.
Then he asked if I had a shipment tracking number. I said no, the order page hasn't updated since the 16th. He says, I can give that to you. He says it's in fort worth, here's the tracking number. Then says it'll be here June 23 at 3 pm.
He never figured out the new service vs upgrade problem.
If you pre-ordered an iPhone 4 on June 15 from AT&T, you may want to call the company's customer service number if your order status has not updated yet. There may be a pleasant surprise awaiting you.
Update 2.0: TechCrunch reports some lucky iPhone 4 buyers have received their phones today.
Update 3.0: If you were planning on lining up at an AT&T store to grab an iPhone 4 without a reservation Thursday, you'll have to look elsewhere. In a news release, AT&T says it won't have any stock available for walk-ins until June 29. Everything it has is going to those pre-ordered.
And if your pre-ordered and wanted to pick your phone up in an AT&T store, you'll get a phone a call from a representative telling you when you can do that.
Here's the timeline:
• Preordered for home or business delivery: iPhone 4 will begin arriving this week for customers who preordered. We'll send an email when each order has shipped.
• Preordered for store delivery: AT&T retail representatives will begin calling customers this week to let them know their iPhone 4 is available for pick up in store.
• Retail purchase (no preorder): AT&T plans to have iPhone 4 inventory - available on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last - on June 29 in its retail locations, at www.att.com, and in business sales channels. As inventory sells out, AT&T will offer the convenient option of purchasing iPhone 4 and having it delivered to a home or business or an AT&T store. As always, customers will receive an email once their order is placed, and again when it ships.
This still doesn't explain why phones are shipping early.
Update 4.0: The Wall Street Journal's Walt Mossberg has posted his review. The executive summary: Great phone, AT&T still sucks.
I've been testing the iPhone 4 for more than a week. In both hardware and software, it is a major leap over its already-excellent predecessor, the iPhone 3GS.
It has some downsides and limitations--most important, the overwhelmed AT&T network in the U.S., which, in my tests, the new phone handled sometimes better and, unfortunately, sometimes worse than its predecessor. I'll get into that below. But, overall, Apple has delivered a big, well-designed update that, in my view, keeps it in the lead in the smartphone wars.
The New York Times' David Pogue also likes it, and he thinks it does a better job on AT&T's network than Mossberg does:
With the iPhone 4, Apple tried to relieve the wigginess. Sound is much better on both ends of the call, thanks in part to a noise-canceling microphone and an improved audio chamber (which also helps speakerphone and music sound). The stainless-steel edge band is now part of the antenna. The new phone is also better at choosing the best channel for connecting with the cell tower, even if's not technically the strongest one. (Ever had four bars, but a miserable connection? Then you get it.)
Does any of this mean no more dropped calls in New York and San Francisco? No. But there do seem to be fewer of them.
Ed Baig of USA Today said that, despite Apple's claims of better battery life, he found his review unit running low on power at the end of a day of heavy use:
Apple improved the battery life on the iPhone 4. It uses a larger battery, for one thing. Pounding it pretty hard, I still sometimes reached low-battery warnings late in the day, so having chargers where you work as well as where you live isn't a bad idea.
Take any manufacturer's battery claims with a grain of salt, but Apple says you'll get up to seven hours of talk time on the 3G network compared with five hours on the 3GS. You'll get up to six hours of Internet use on 3G or up to 10 hours on Wi-Fi, each an hour improvement over the 3GS.
Joshua Topolsky at Endadget thinks Apple has done what it needs to do - staying a step ahead of Android:
We're not going to beat around the bush -- in our approximation, the iPhone 4 is the best smartphone on the market right now. The combination of gorgeous new hardware, that amazing display, upgraded cameras, and major improvements to the operating system make this an extremely formidable package. Yes, there are still pain points that we want to see Apple fix, and yes, there are some amazing alternatives to the iPhone 4 out there. But when it comes to the total package -- fit and finish in both software and hardware, performance, app selection, and all of the little details that make a device like this what it is -- we think it's the cream of the current crop.
Note that Engadget's top competitor, Gizmodo, did not receive an early iPhone 4 review unit. Gee, I wonder why . . .
Posted by Dwight at 06:48 AM in Apple, iPhone
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• iPhone 4 arriving one day early on June 23rd, says Apple email - Suffering through the pre-order headaches may have paid off for some. I got this e-mail, as well.
• Ars reviews iOS 4: what's new, notable, and what needs work and 8 Subtle Changes You May (Or May Not) Notice in iOS 4 - If you've got an iPhone 3GS, the changes are dramatic. They're less so if you have a 3G.• Apple collecting, sharing iPhone users' precise locations - The new user agreement for iTunes has Apple gathering details about your location - without identifying data - primarily for targeting advertising. And Apple sneaks iAd opt-out into iTunes Store update
• The E-Reader Price War: What Will Consumers Do? - With Amazon and Barnes & Noble slashing prices in their e-book readers, will consumers stampede to them? (No.)
• Toshiba Libretto W100 Is a Dual-Screen Challenge to the iPad - And it looks very much like the cancelled Courier tablet from Microsoft.
• Adobe Flash gets its full launch on Android - It's available for those phones running Froyo (Android 2.2), and shipping to the makers of other types of smartphones.
• How to Rescue a Crashed PC - If your PC dies, here are some proven approaches to reviving it.
• Seven ways AT&T is failing its mobile customers - Among the items: Locking down Android, data plan changes, security breaches.
• Intel, AMD to Continue Raising Chip Core Count - Are you ready for 10 cores on a chip? More importantly, will your software be able to take advantage of it?
• Hands on the Motorola Droid 2 - Here's an early look at the Droid's successor.
• The Odds Are Increasing That Microsoft's Business Will Collapse - According to Henry Blodget. But for now, Microsoft remains quite healthy. Also Microsoft takes off the gloves with a Google Apps switchers campaign
• Dell in talks with Google over Chrome OS - As are a lot of companies, Dell is talking to Google about using the Chrome OS on tablets and netbooks, Reuters says.
• Joe Lieberman And The Myth of The Internet Kill Switch - According to the senator's staff, the president already has a kill switch for wired and wireless communications, in a law passed in 1934.
Posted by Dwight at 06:35 AM in Linkposts
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