This Week's Sponsor:

1Blocker

A Cleaner, Faster, and More Private Web Experience

Posts in links

Just how many people are using the iPad 2 camera? (Answer: Not many)→

Just how many people are using the iPad 2 camera? (Answer: Not many)

Two things going against the iPad are that it’s unwieldy to use as a camera, and it’s not even a good camera to start with. When we took our test pictures, we got passable (but not really great) shots with enough ample lighting, but you’re still not going to be able to take the spectacular photos that the iPhone 4 can. Compare that to what the iPhone 4 is genuinely capable of in someone like Josh Helferrich’s hands: http://campl.us/6Qb.

The iPad isn’t currently a great tool for photography, and there’s a reason why Apple was seemingly reluctant to add it. Unfortunately, when Apple finally did add the camera, it feels like it’s just there to be there. Electricpig’s infographic makes the point that nobody is using this feature on the iPad 2.

Permalink

Ballmer Confirms Skype’s Commitment to Other Platforms→

Ballmer Confirms Skype’s Commitment to Other Platforms

We will continue to invest in Skype on non-Microsoft client platforms,” said Ballmer during a news conference announcing the company’s plan to buy chat and Internet phone software maker Skype for $8.5 billion.

Following this morning’s big announcement of Microsoft buying online communication giant Skype for $8.5 billion, Mac and iOS users immediately questioned the acquisition as a way for Microsoft to turn Skype into an exclusive service for Windows Live-connected devices and other Microsoft products such as the Xbox. Steve Ballmer, however, was quick to reassure everyone that Skype will continue working on the Mac, iOS and all the other platforms it currently runs on (including RIM’s BlackBerry and Symbian), also citing how the company has a “track record” when it comes to these matters – Microsoft has a full version of Office 2011 available for Macs, and many apps for iPhones and iPads.

The question, however, is whether Skype will ever release a native iPad app as promised last year, and if the new owner will also bring some welcome interface changes to the Mac app. It would interesting to see Microsoft making a better UI for Skype, just as I’d be curious to see Ballmer heavily touting his recently bought software toy on iPhones and iPad. Time, as usual, will tell.

Permalink

The iPad 2 Could Have Been The World’s Fastest Computer in 1985→

The iPad 2 Could Have Been The World’s Fastest Computer in 1985

Jack Dongarra, researcher at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, conducted a study to determine the position of the iPad in the list of the world’s 500 fastest computers in history. Using the Linpack computing benchmark, “a linear algebra test that measures  the mathematical capabilities of computers”, he came to the conclusion that the iPad 2 would be the perfect rival for the four-processor version of the Cray 2 supercomputer, an eight-processor machine that was the world’s fastest computer in 1985.

To date, the researchers have run the test on only one of the iPad microprocessor’s two processing cores. When they finish their project, though, Dr. Dongarra estimates that the iPad 2 will have a Linpack benchmark of between 1.5 and 1.65 gigaflops (billions of floating-point, or mathematical, operations per second). That would have insured that the iPad 2 could have stayed on the list of the world’s fastest supercomputers through 1994.

The Cray 2 was an unusual computer even by the standards of its designer, Seymour Cray. About the size of a large washing machine, it was cooled by immersion in a liquid called Flourinert that had been developed by 3M, and that was occasionally used as a human blood substitute during surgery.

The obvious difference is that, whilst the Cray 2 required to be placed in a large room, the iPad 2 fits in your hands, it’s touch-based and runs thousands of different apps. To put things in context, Steve Jobs also left Apple in 1985.

Permalink

Use AppleTV video caching for faster AirPlay viewing→

Use AppleTV video caching for faster AirPlay viewing

Dan Frakes from Macworld writes on how the Apple TV caches content streamed via AirPlay:

The latest Apple TV doesn’t have a hard drive, but it does have 8GB of internal memory. Some of that memory is used to store the Apple TV’s operating system and other software, but a big chunk of it is used to cache media—video, audio, or photos—for better performance. If you’ve ever streamed a movie from your Mac or from Netflix, you’ve seen the blue progress bar “fill up” as the Apple TV stores a chunk of that content (a technique often called buffering). When you’re watching the video, the Apple TV actually reads the stored data, rather than the data streaming over the network; as stored data is used, it’s discarded and replaced by new data. This is why you (usually) don’t see stutters and freezes in streamed video, even with a choppy network connection.

But this caching doesn’t just happen with media streamed over the Internet or from your Mac—it also happens when streaming, say, video from an iPhone. And, in fact, that video stays in the Apple TV’s cache until the memory is needed for something else.

The idea is that your wireless network might not be up to snuff to instantly stream video from your iPhone or iPad. By using the aforementioned knowledge of how caching works, you can “prepare” the Apple TV for company by streaming media at least once to avoid a thirty or forty second delay when your revisit that content. Instead of re-buffering the streamed content, the Apple TV will recognize you’ve already played that content, and simply read that data locally. It’s an interesting tidbit of knowledge (the fact that the Apple TV doesn’t flush its cache every so often), for those lacking the bandwidth. But where you have the capacity, video on the local network should start streaming in three to four seconds.

Permalink

Fortune 500 2011: Top 500 American Companies→

Fortune 500 2011: Top 500 American Companies

Apple climbed 21 slots into the top 50 of the Fortune 500 this year. How’d it get there? The company not only continues to expand its reach in existing markets, it also keeps creating new ones.

This year, Apple ranks 35th in Fortune 500’s rundown, edging out Microsoft at 38 and Boeing at 36. Apple’s jump from 56 last year just shows how much impact the iPad has had on the company, along with continuing growth for Macs and iPhones. Fortune notes that stock holders have nothing to fear; Apple’s dominating the playing field by continuing to sell first class products that outpace what the rest of the industry currently offers.

Permalink

Firmware Update Enables 6Gb/s in 2011 iMacs→

Firmware Update Enables 6Gb/s in 2011 iMacs

While iMac EFI Update 1.6 is described as including “fixes that improve performance and stability for Thunderbolt,” it would also seem that an unadvertised benefit is that it also unlocks the full 6Gb/s, SATA 3.0 capabilities of two of the internal drive bays. Unfortunately, the optical bay remains at 3Gb/s.

With the 2011 iMac’s EFI Update 1.6 unlocking 6GB/s SATA capabilities, you have no excuse not to plop down the cash for OCZ’s Vertex 3, a pretty monster SSD with outstanding read & write performance (taking advantage of the unlocked bandwidth). The only problem is just how to get behind that tricky panel to make the swap.

MacBooks are more easily accessible, however, and the 2011 MacBook Pros are also receiving an EFI update that’s addressing performance and Boot Camp issues. The only issue now is deciding whether you’re a desktop or laptop guy.

Permalink

Apple Said to Have Hired the Audio Genius Behind THX→

Apple Said to Have Hired the Audio Genius Behind THX

Apple has reportedly hired Tomlinson Holman as its new audio chief, according to a tweet by Leo Laporte Wednesday morning. Laporte said he had it “on good authority” that Holman “is joining Apple to run audio.” Holman is the brain behind Lucasfilm’s THX sound, and the world’s first 10.2 surround sound system. Apple had yet to respond to a request for confirmation as of this writing.

I wouldn’t have thought that The Tech Guy would ever be giving us a heads up at what’s going on at Apple, but let’s review Holman’s status. Hiring only the best in the industry (just look at the recent Microsoft snatch), Holman is just about one of the most brilliant minds you can have on your team when it comes to sound and audio. If being the inventor of the world’s 10.2 surround system isn’t enough, his book Sound and Film for Television might be a common item you’ve come across on the shelves of your college bookstore. Music and sound are a large part of Apple’s business: Holman’s expertise in all aspects of audio from the theater to your home stereo system could be used to revamp everything from iMac speakers to Apple’s current offering of headphones. Personally? I think it’s time for a new set of white duds.

Permalink

Apple Is Now More Profitable Than Microsoft (“Bill, Thank You. The World’s a Better Place”)→

Apple Is Now More Profitable Than Microsoft (“Bill, Thank You. The World’s a Better Place”)

Another remarkable–and remarkably ironic–milestone for Apple, which surpassed Microsoft in market cap last May. It was Microsoft, after all, that breathed new life into a struggling Apple back in 1997 with a $150 million investment in the company (see video below). What was it Bill Gates said at the time? “We think Apple makes a huge contribution in the computer industry. And we think it’s going to be a lot of fun helping out.”

A lot of fun indeed. Paczkowski reports that Microsoft reported a net income of $5.23 billion on Thursday, whereas Apple’s net income was $5.99 billion for the second quarter. Bill Gates was the best thing that could have happened to Microsoft, and I don’t see where Steve Ballmer is bringing fresh blood into the company. The focus has been on “Windows,” and not refactoring to make really great products. Arguably Windows Phone 7 isn’t bad, but is the future of Microsoft to re-skin everything to look Metro? (It feels the hip Zune style is playing a big role in where Microsoft wants to go interface wise - it’s at least fresh and exciting.) Microsoft can’t survive on Microsoft Office, and they need to work hard to remove the “Windows” stigma. Heck, I think Joe Belfiore (who is an excellent image for the company) has a better vision to take Microsoft places out of any of the execs currently running the corporate giant. Just look at where the corporate culture is taking RIM.

Permalink

Epic Games’ Mike Capps: “Dollar Apps Are Killing Us”→

Epic Games’ Mike Capps: “Dollar Apps Are Killing Us”

If there’s anything that’s killing us [in the traditional games business] it’s dollar apps,” he lamented. “How do you sell someone a $60 game that’s really worth it … They’re used to 99 cents. As I said, it’s an uncertain time in the industry. But it’s an exciting time for whoever picks the right path and wins.

I think that there’s a fundamental difference between gamers who want to spend $60 on the next Mass Effect or Gear of War, and casual users who are looking forward to the next Angry Birds update. I used to play a lot of console games, but now I’m one of those addicted to the .99 cent apps. On the other hand, a friend of mine who didn’t abandon console gaming bought an iPad last year and now he plays both the latest Xbox hits and Angry Birds.

I think Capps he’s right when he says apps have changed the market, but I disagree with him as far as “killing” games goes. It’s all about value: those who care about high-profile console games will keep buying them. Let’s face it: there’s no Mass Effect or Halo on iOS devices. Those people who don’t recognize the value of console – or simply don’t have the time and resources for another device in their lives – will be just fine with Angry Birds and Cut the Rope.

I think the real problem for game developers like Capps is that the number of these users who prefer quick, mobile gaming has turned out to be larger than expected. For the same reason why I disagree with Nintendo about the culture of disposability, I believe the issue is not the association of portable games with low prices: it’s about the time users are ready to invest on a platform.

I’m one of those who think console games won’t go away anytime soon. But at the same time, I wonder: what’s going to happen when the iPad will be capable of running Metal Gear Solid 4?

Permalink