wclyffe
Nov 21, 07:46 AM
TalonFlyer..
Here is how I grade the Car Kit (1-10):
Mounting: 8
Rotation: 7
Articulation: 3
Hands-Free: 4 (Weak, speaker is facing away from you, VOX'ing problem)
GPS: 6 (Only very slightly better that the built in GPS)
Compatibility: 3 (Can't use iPod Touch)
Bluetooth: 2 (Phone will not pair until docked, can't pair with other devices)
Overall it's a $79.00 retail mount with a questionable hands-free, only a small incremental change in GPS accuracy and a useless bluetooth implementation. I'll give it a generous 5 out of 10 for now.
*************************************************************
Nice review, and thanks. It sounds like you might have gotten a unit that is sub par. The rotation and articulation of the car kit in many of the Youtube videos seems very tight, very solid with strong mounting. Did it just loosen up over that short time or did it start out not so great? Maybe send it back?
I thought I remember reading that the Handsfree Bluetooth is duplex so I'm also not sure where your issue comes from. That said, I may get that as a separate item on the visor of my car if its below quality. I have another car with a BluAnt unit in it and its terrific.
Also, there are now several places where you can order the car kit for much less money. I have an order into BTL for $87 which sounds like a more reasonable price for the unit. I'm sure it will continue to drop.
Thanks again!
Here is how I grade the Car Kit (1-10):
Mounting: 8
Rotation: 7
Articulation: 3
Hands-Free: 4 (Weak, speaker is facing away from you, VOX'ing problem)
GPS: 6 (Only very slightly better that the built in GPS)
Compatibility: 3 (Can't use iPod Touch)
Bluetooth: 2 (Phone will not pair until docked, can't pair with other devices)
Overall it's a $79.00 retail mount with a questionable hands-free, only a small incremental change in GPS accuracy and a useless bluetooth implementation. I'll give it a generous 5 out of 10 for now.
*************************************************************
Nice review, and thanks. It sounds like you might have gotten a unit that is sub par. The rotation and articulation of the car kit in many of the Youtube videos seems very tight, very solid with strong mounting. Did it just loosen up over that short time or did it start out not so great? Maybe send it back?
I thought I remember reading that the Handsfree Bluetooth is duplex so I'm also not sure where your issue comes from. That said, I may get that as a separate item on the visor of my car if its below quality. I have another car with a BluAnt unit in it and its terrific.
Also, there are now several places where you can order the car kit for much less money. I have an order into BTL for $87 which sounds like a more reasonable price for the unit. I'm sure it will continue to drop.
Thanks again!
generik
Jul 22, 03:11 AM
Bring on the merom iMac! :cool:
Chuck.
Isn't the Conroe cheaper than the mobility line of chips? Plus they deliver a lot more performance too!
Chuck.
Isn't the Conroe cheaper than the mobility line of chips? Plus they deliver a lot more performance too!
Fast Shadow
May 6, 02:04 AM
This story reeks. I would sooner expect Apple to acquire AMD than I would for them to make yet another architecture switch.
BrianMojo
Mar 29, 05:36 PM
^ this
it is very good news that Amazon jumped into the water first. now it places the pressure on Apple. Apple will juice up their service (if it already wasn't) to top what Amazon is offering.
Fingers crossed this happens. If Apple can release a product that syncs your personal data wirelessly and painlessly (ala Android) and pair it with syncing your media wirelessly and painlessly (like this Amazon product) they'll finally have gotten to where they need to be.
it is very good news that Amazon jumped into the water first. now it places the pressure on Apple. Apple will juice up their service (if it already wasn't) to top what Amazon is offering.
Fingers crossed this happens. If Apple can release a product that syncs your personal data wirelessly and painlessly (ala Android) and pair it with syncing your media wirelessly and painlessly (like this Amazon product) they'll finally have gotten to where they need to be.
flipperfeet
Apr 26, 03:58 PM
And yet the entire Android platform generates less revenue in a year than iTunes does in a single quarter.
The iPhone and iOS have never been lost leaders used to gain market share so Apple could have more eye-balls looking at search ads. Android is a trojan horse to expand PPC revenues as rapidly as possible; the public potshots about "open" and "curated" are just a distraction while Google fosters an increasingly fragmented ecosystem that encourages users to treat Android phones like disposables to be replaced with the newest shinny bobble from HTC, Motorolla, Nokia, Samsung every 8 months. The only winners in the Android hardware/OS race are the carriers and the manufacturers who can count on the vast majority of Android users to upgrade two or three times more often than iOS users, each replacement extending their contract and extracting revenue on non upgradable, but incrementally better handsets.
The iPhone and iOS have never been lost leaders used to gain market share so Apple could have more eye-balls looking at search ads. Android is a trojan horse to expand PPC revenues as rapidly as possible; the public potshots about "open" and "curated" are just a distraction while Google fosters an increasingly fragmented ecosystem that encourages users to treat Android phones like disposables to be replaced with the newest shinny bobble from HTC, Motorolla, Nokia, Samsung every 8 months. The only winners in the Android hardware/OS race are the carriers and the manufacturers who can count on the vast majority of Android users to upgrade two or three times more often than iOS users, each replacement extending their contract and extracting revenue on non upgradable, but incrementally better handsets.
Mac'nCheese
Apr 10, 08:53 AM
I inputed it exactly like this in my calculator and I got 2. So...
Edit: I voted 2 because I thought of it as 48 over (/) 2(9+3)
But written as 48�2(9+3) I would say 288...
Strange.
You didn't enter it properly then...
Here
280594
The thing about this question is, whats the point of the parentheses..
Try using a calculator that uses the "/" instead of the divided by sign. You'll get 288. I tried it the way you did it on an old calculator and I got 2. But that's not the way it is in the OP. It's 48/2(9+3)
LOL um... ok? It's a calculator...
For the last time, a simple google search will show you guys that unless the calculator is in scientific mode, it will give you the wrong answer. Hard to believe, I guess, that a machine could be wrong, but it's true.
Edit: I voted 2 because I thought of it as 48 over (/) 2(9+3)
But written as 48�2(9+3) I would say 288...
Strange.
You didn't enter it properly then...
Here
280594
The thing about this question is, whats the point of the parentheses..
Try using a calculator that uses the "/" instead of the divided by sign. You'll get 288. I tried it the way you did it on an old calculator and I got 2. But that's not the way it is in the OP. It's 48/2(9+3)
LOL um... ok? It's a calculator...
For the last time, a simple google search will show you guys that unless the calculator is in scientific mode, it will give you the wrong answer. Hard to believe, I guess, that a machine could be wrong, but it's true.
nagromme
Apr 25, 09:12 AM
I want a Steve Jobs Magic 8 Ball.
ChazUK
Apr 23, 04:30 PM
Wish Apple did something towards resolution independence and not make images bigger and bigger. :confused:
That was what I was about to say. Assets getting bigger and bigger would be a waste of space wouldn't it?
That was what I was about to say. Assets getting bigger and bigger would be a waste of space wouldn't it?
Lord Bodak
Mar 28, 10:56 AM
Not as far as 95% of users are concerned. Most users don't utilize half of what the current device can do.
That might be true, but most people I know walk in to their cell phone stores every 2 years and buy whatever is new. Many of them will choose a new Android or WP7 phone over a year-old iPhone, simply because the guy at the store says "this just came out."
As long as Apple is in bed with carriers on the standard two-year contract, they have to stick to a 12 or 24 month product cycle. 24 months is too long, which leaves the current 12 month cycle.
Personally I think this is all FUD. iPhone 5 will be an incremental upgrade, like the 3GS was, and it will be announced at WWDC. Because it's a fairly small upgrade compared to the other big items of the year (Lion, iOS 5, and likely new Macs with more of a focus on SSD), there will be less talk about it in advance of the event.
That might be true, but most people I know walk in to their cell phone stores every 2 years and buy whatever is new. Many of them will choose a new Android or WP7 phone over a year-old iPhone, simply because the guy at the store says "this just came out."
As long as Apple is in bed with carriers on the standard two-year contract, they have to stick to a 12 or 24 month product cycle. 24 months is too long, which leaves the current 12 month cycle.
Personally I think this is all FUD. iPhone 5 will be an incremental upgrade, like the 3GS was, and it will be announced at WWDC. Because it's a fairly small upgrade compared to the other big items of the year (Lion, iOS 5, and likely new Macs with more of a focus on SSD), there will be less talk about it in advance of the event.
SheriffParker
Aug 11, 09:04 AM
It would be cool for them to keep the yonah in the low-end MacBook. That way with the price drop they could get back to a $999 entry-level notebook.
Merom definitely in the Black Macbook though, if this is true.
Great News! Still hoping for a case redesign in the MBP for mine. :)
Merom definitely in the Black Macbook though, if this is true.
Great News! Still hoping for a case redesign in the MBP for mine. :)
aldejesus
Mar 30, 11:13 PM
Is Lion available to iOS developers as well? Or is it solely for those with paid memberships to the "Mac Developer Program"?
Only for paid membership to Mac Developer Program.
Only for paid membership to Mac Developer Program.
gkarris
Apr 23, 05:18 PM
Am I the only one who loves looking at high res high quality icons? I feel a bit sad over here. :p
Yes, but they're so big.
You'd only be able to fit, like, one icon on the screen... :eek:
:D
Yes, but they're so big.
You'd only be able to fit, like, one icon on the screen... :eek:
:D
kirk26
Aug 3, 12:00 PM
It's not scientific at all. No way in hell is it scientific. I should know, I'm a scientist, got a degree and everything.
I'm keeping this for my quote. Classic!
I'm keeping this for my quote. Classic!
NAG
Apr 7, 10:47 AM
lol. Poor RIM. You'll get onto the market one of these days.
At least they're trying to get in the market. Microsoft is still running around telling people they need Windows 7 Slates because it can run Adobe Creative Suite. You'd think they would get a clue when HP abandoned ship.
At least they're trying to get in the market. Microsoft is still running around telling people they need Windows 7 Slates because it can run Adobe Creative Suite. You'd think they would get a clue when HP abandoned ship.
rmwebs
Apr 20, 03:22 AM
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_2 like Mac OS X; en-gb) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8H7 Safari/6533.18.5)
I think Apple needs to concentrate more on improving iOS rather than adding a faster processor. Tbh I'm pretty fed up of my iPhone 4 as the is just looks boringly simple. Not everybody wants the same old os on every device. I think it's the omnia 7 next for me so I can have a change.
Agreed. I moved from my good ol' 3Gs to a ZTE-Blade a few months ago and have to say that despite the general black/grey colors that android apps seem to be forced to use with the UI, the 'desktop' of the phone is much more elegant and usable than the iPhone's. I'd really like to see Apple open up the API's a little more and maybe even allow us to completely swap out their homescreen for custom app based ones. It works well on the droids.
I think Apple needs to concentrate more on improving iOS rather than adding a faster processor. Tbh I'm pretty fed up of my iPhone 4 as the is just looks boringly simple. Not everybody wants the same old os on every device. I think it's the omnia 7 next for me so I can have a change.
Agreed. I moved from my good ol' 3Gs to a ZTE-Blade a few months ago and have to say that despite the general black/grey colors that android apps seem to be forced to use with the UI, the 'desktop' of the phone is much more elegant and usable than the iPhone's. I'd really like to see Apple open up the API's a little more and maybe even allow us to completely swap out their homescreen for custom app based ones. It works well on the droids.
iris_failsafe
Nov 22, 06:52 PM
Apple learned that with their old music player, you know the one before the iPod, oh wait there wasn't one...
mcrain
Apr 15, 10:07 AM
So, the United States should start a football program?? ;)
How about a bank. There are several proposals for State owned banks, similar to N. Dakota.
See for example this discussion: Link to HuffPo (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ellen-brown/the-growing-movement-for_b_504846.html) or if you don't like that source, here is another. WebofDebt (http://www.webofdebt.com/articles/growing_movement.php)
(edit) I heard a radio discussion about this, and the guest said that California could eliminate its deficit by handling only 20% of the mortgages in California.
How about a bank. There are several proposals for State owned banks, similar to N. Dakota.
See for example this discussion: Link to HuffPo (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ellen-brown/the-growing-movement-for_b_504846.html) or if you don't like that source, here is another. WebofDebt (http://www.webofdebt.com/articles/growing_movement.php)
(edit) I heard a radio discussion about this, and the guest said that California could eliminate its deficit by handling only 20% of the mortgages in California.
TimDaddy
Apr 5, 01:45 PM
Apple is just trying to protect the user experience for their product.
Yes, it is ours to use and do with whatever we want once paid for, but.........
Every jailbroken iphone user will complain and tell somebody that their phone always freezes up or isn't working right.
They are not going to say in most cases it freezes, because I jail broke it!
That info makes it look as if it is Apples fault that things don't work.
Like when people wreck their cars and say the gas pedal stuck at the exact same moment the brakes failed?
Yes, it is ours to use and do with whatever we want once paid for, but.........
Every jailbroken iphone user will complain and tell somebody that their phone always freezes up or isn't working right.
They are not going to say in most cases it freezes, because I jail broke it!
That info makes it look as if it is Apples fault that things don't work.
Like when people wreck their cars and say the gas pedal stuck at the exact same moment the brakes failed?
DCJ001
May 6, 07:27 AM
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPod; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_3 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8J2 Safari/6533.18.5)
I was about to say, "What?! And lose the Windows compatibility they bragged on so much with the Intel transition? You're kidding me!", then I remembered that Windows 8 is also rumored (confirmed?) to run on ARM.
Yes, Windows 8 will have ARM support (http://windows8news.com/2011/01/05/windows-8-arm-press-release-microsoft/).
I don't buy this rumor, though. It's too crazy.
And Apple would never do anything crazy?
Think different.
I was about to say, "What?! And lose the Windows compatibility they bragged on so much with the Intel transition? You're kidding me!", then I remembered that Windows 8 is also rumored (confirmed?) to run on ARM.
Yes, Windows 8 will have ARM support (http://windows8news.com/2011/01/05/windows-8-arm-press-release-microsoft/).
I don't buy this rumor, though. It's too crazy.
And Apple would never do anything crazy?
Think different.
Elijahg
Apr 23, 06:45 PM
Instead of pixel based images that are just bigger, why not simply ship vector based icons/wallpapers ?
KDE supported SVG as a format for wallpapers and icons something like 10 years ago... That way, it doesn't matter what the display resolution is, the icon always looks sharp and non-pixelated.
I'd rather Apple work on making SVG the standard graphics format for graphics ressources than just bumping up the pixel count (and the file size!).
Heck, if they don't like SVG (which is just a bunch of XML), they could go with one of the other vector based image formats or come up with one of their own.
Translating a photo to a vector based format would be completely pointless and would end up massive. Take for example the Snow Leopard Prowl JPEG. It's 1.2MB, and converting to BMP or TIFF (both describe each pixel individually, i.e. lossless) makes it 12mb, 10 times the size. Converting it to the much less efficient SVG, makes it insanely massive; 225mb or 187.5 times bigger to be exact.
Computer generated imagery can be converted to a vector format more efficiently, as long as the source is available. The computer knows that for example, there is a gradient starting at X,Y and ending at X,Y with colour RGB at the start, and colour RGB at the end. Thus eliminating the need to keep detail about each pixel individually. This is great for things such as icons and certain web images, but for images with lots of detail, it quickly becomes much less efficient than even the highest quality JPEG. For real photos, it's pointless to vectorize. You'd just end up pixellating the image when scaled over it's original size anyway. So in other words, it's unlikely we'll see vector graphics for most icons and most certainly not for desktop backgrounds.
I agree with others about Apple needing to beef up the GPUs if they want retina displays in their Macs. They always seem to put last-generation cards into them... I'm sure it wouldn't keep them away from iOS development for [i]too[/] long to add the latest, even as BTO. Valve has really helped gaming on the Mac, bringing great new releases like Left 4 Dead 2 and Portal 2 at the same time as Windows. At least it seems Apple have had a kick up their ass from Valve pointing out the inefficiencies in OpenGL. Maybe that's what's made them hire a few gaming-type developers...? C'mon Apple!
KDE supported SVG as a format for wallpapers and icons something like 10 years ago... That way, it doesn't matter what the display resolution is, the icon always looks sharp and non-pixelated.
I'd rather Apple work on making SVG the standard graphics format for graphics ressources than just bumping up the pixel count (and the file size!).
Heck, if they don't like SVG (which is just a bunch of XML), they could go with one of the other vector based image formats or come up with one of their own.
Translating a photo to a vector based format would be completely pointless and would end up massive. Take for example the Snow Leopard Prowl JPEG. It's 1.2MB, and converting to BMP or TIFF (both describe each pixel individually, i.e. lossless) makes it 12mb, 10 times the size. Converting it to the much less efficient SVG, makes it insanely massive; 225mb or 187.5 times bigger to be exact.
Computer generated imagery can be converted to a vector format more efficiently, as long as the source is available. The computer knows that for example, there is a gradient starting at X,Y and ending at X,Y with colour RGB at the start, and colour RGB at the end. Thus eliminating the need to keep detail about each pixel individually. This is great for things such as icons and certain web images, but for images with lots of detail, it quickly becomes much less efficient than even the highest quality JPEG. For real photos, it's pointless to vectorize. You'd just end up pixellating the image when scaled over it's original size anyway. So in other words, it's unlikely we'll see vector graphics for most icons and most certainly not for desktop backgrounds.
I agree with others about Apple needing to beef up the GPUs if they want retina displays in their Macs. They always seem to put last-generation cards into them... I'm sure it wouldn't keep them away from iOS development for [i]too[/] long to add the latest, even as BTO. Valve has really helped gaming on the Mac, bringing great new releases like Left 4 Dead 2 and Portal 2 at the same time as Windows. At least it seems Apple have had a kick up their ass from Valve pointing out the inefficiencies in OpenGL. Maybe that's what's made them hire a few gaming-type developers...? C'mon Apple!
CalBoy
Apr 14, 03:02 PM
One thing I don't hear in the raising taxes discussion is what we should do with capital gains. That's the reason billionaires pay a paltry 15%. Almost all of their income comes from the selling of assets rather than a salary. Their money works for them, rather than the rest of us who have to work for our money. And for that, we reward them with a super low tax rate. :rolleyes:
It's time to raise the capital gains rate and make it progressively tied to income taxes.
It's time to raise the capital gains rate and make it progressively tied to income taxes.
QCassidy352
Jul 21, 02:45 PM
I 2nd this.
Why not update them too? I understand that the MBP is PRO but still. What would the MB's be getting then as far as an update at some point?
oh, the MB will get Merom, probably just not for a little while. The MBP has been shipping for 6 months, the MB for only 2. The MBP looks a little weak on price/performance compared to similar PC laptops; the MB holds up very well in price/performance comparisons. The MB is still selling so well apple can hardly keep the white models in stock, whereas demand for the MBP is much lower.
So rest assured, the MB will see Merom, but the MBP will see it first. Probably soon. :)
Why not update them too? I understand that the MBP is PRO but still. What would the MB's be getting then as far as an update at some point?
oh, the MB will get Merom, probably just not for a little while. The MBP has been shipping for 6 months, the MB for only 2. The MBP looks a little weak on price/performance compared to similar PC laptops; the MB holds up very well in price/performance comparisons. The MB is still selling so well apple can hardly keep the white models in stock, whereas demand for the MBP is much lower.
So rest assured, the MB will see Merom, but the MBP will see it first. Probably soon. :)
celticpride678
Apr 9, 07:57 PM
The answer is 2, not 288 (it can't be that)
Following PEMDAS (Parenthesis, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, Subtraction):
9+3=12
12*2=24
48/24=2
2 is the final answer.
Following PEMDAS (Parenthesis, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, Subtraction):
9+3=12
12*2=24
48/24=2
2 is the final answer.
Detlev
Aug 4, 09:55 AM
Agreed. So that means...
Leopard - seemless Windows intergration...
I'd rather see the Apple OS built as a virus and slowly take over the Windows OS partition. Windows users wouldn't even notice the difference. They would get used to the new key strokes thinking this is the way it is supposed to be.
If they really wanted to make it Windows like, Apple could accomplish the assimilation within thirty days and then kill the offending OS.
Leopard - seemless Windows intergration...
I'd rather see the Apple OS built as a virus and slowly take over the Windows OS partition. Windows users wouldn't even notice the difference. They would get used to the new key strokes thinking this is the way it is supposed to be.
If they really wanted to make it Windows like, Apple could accomplish the assimilation within thirty days and then kill the offending OS.
