If you’ve been conscious anytime in the last month, you’re certain to have heard about the drama surrounding the iPhone 4’s antenna problems. The complaints began to surface back in June. It wasn’t until tech circles began calling it Antennagate that Apple really began to take notice. What was their response? Well, initially the solution was rumored to be a software update that would fix a flawed formula in the way the “bars of reception” was calculated and displayed. This was followed up by an official Apple press release on July 2, 2010. When that explanation didn’t quell the angry masses, Apple went a step further and, on July 16, 2010, held a press conference wherein the solution identified was to distribute free cases to those who had already purchased the iPhone 4. If that logic hurt your brain, don’t fell bad. It hurt ours, too.
So what is the solution? The logical step might be reevaluating and reengineering something. It could be software or hardware fix, or, as Steve Jobs suggested, just holding it the “correct” way might work. Let’s pause and think for a minute. Are iPhone 4 cases the answer, either? What about those who don’t like cases on gadgets. Some don’t want to bulk it up with armor. Some like to carry it in their pockets. Adding even a quarter of an inch of width, length, or depth is unacceptable for many size-conscious users. Should we complain about Apple’s solution, though? The question brings to mind the old addage, “It’s better to be part of the solution, not the problem.” We choose this route. As a result, some Geek Shui geeks (okay, one Geek Shui geek…okay, me) sat down and decided to come up with some alternative solutions to holding the phone correctly or using a case. Take your pick. Ultimately, they can’t make the situation any worse….well, probably not, anyway.
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Though four months is the equivalent of four years in tech circles, you may recall that, in April of this year, Loren Brichter, the man behind Tweetie and Tweetie 2 for iPhone, sold his small, social media pie to become part of the big, social media pie known as Twitter. While opinions were divided on the fairness, morality, etc. of the acquisition, the free Twitter for iPhone client (which was pretty much a rebranded Tweetie 2) which was released nearly a month later, in May of this year, seemed to silence the critics. Why? The previously pay-for-download app ($1.99) dropped down to $0.
Right around the time of the Tweetie 2 acquisition, Twitter also officially released its Twitter for BlackBerry client. Though not quite as functional as its iPhone counterpart, the BlackBerry version has provided a polished Twitter client in a sea of not so great BlackBerry options. So, nearly four months later, is Twitter resting on its laurels and enjoying summer vacation? If comments tweeted by Brichter are any indication, it would appear that something new is forthcoming.
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Over the past fifteen or so weeks, we’ve covered a myriad of topics on “How Science Fiction Failed Us”, but we still have so much ground to cover. As I was pondering what Brain was pondering (Pinky was way off… I think he was pondering how lederhosen makes his butt look big), I began to wonder what it would be like to be able to experience these worlds without ever leaving Earth, or maybe even the comfort of your own home. It was obvious that I needed to talk about… Virtual Reality.
The ability to separate one’s self from the drama, rigors and mundane nature of everyday life would be desirable to say the least, though if it were to happen now, it would likely be something only the extremely wealthy could afford to do regularly. Eventually, though, technology like this could replace entertainment venues as we know them today. But before we start speculating on the possibilities in the real world, let’s take a look at how Science Fiction has treated the subject.
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Apple afficionados who have annually forked over $99 for the convenience of MobileMe can breathe a sigh of relief. Finally, they’ll be getting a little more for their money’s worth. In newly released version 2.1, Apple has taken a leap in the right direction by adding some key functionality that was, previously, sorely lacking.
Of course, the update provides support for the recently released iPhone 4 and its multi-tasking goodness. The app is also universal now, meaning it will work and render properly on both the iPhone and iPad. Most importantly, though, the latest version gives paying customers what they’ve long hoped for…some real functionality.
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In an official press release dated June 28, 2010, Sprint has formally announced the official release of the Samsung Epic 4G. The device is the second Android-based offering from the company and is known as a “Galaxy S” smartphone that is designed to take advantage of the company’s 4G-enabled wireless network.
Essentially, it is a 4G-capable device that features a slide-out QWERTY keyboard and super-bright, AMOLED touch-screen, and the much sought-after front-facing camera. According to Steve Elfman, president of Network Operations and Wholesale at Samsung, the Epic 4G “joins a portfolio of powerful devices offering an unprecedented simplicity and value” to customers. The obvious question is whether or not the features and specifications of the Epic 4G are enough to pose additional composition to Apple’s latest marvel of technology, the iPhone 4?
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Yesterday, Amazon released an update to its Kindle app for iPhone and iPad that adds support for embedded media. Ironically, the app will now allow readers on the non-Amazon device to hear and see audio and video content included as part of the book.
According to Amazon, the first books to include the new feature are Rick Steves’ London by Rick Steves and Together We Cannot Fail by Terry Golway. Of course an app update wouldn’t be complete without some iPhone 4 related changes.
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As I was writing last week’s article and the one before it, I started thinking about all those future space men (and women) who would invariably end up injured in these epic battles. Most of the time, we only see the odd flying body and seemingly dead Stormtrooper or Borg Drone, but that many people don’t even die in modern combat.
In fact, even with today’s warfare, a combatant is far more likely to get injured than killed outright (although, sadly, injuries are often grave enough to cause death if not treated properly and immediately – something I know from experience). So what happens when you only get grazed, or if you get a case of the Interstellar Sniffles? We’ll explore that, and more, as we talk about – Medicine.
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In a previous post on personal branding, I wrote about the importance of managing your web presence. One of the most obvious ways to do this is to take ownership of the information that people may find when they search for your name on the Internet. However, this is easier said than done. If you have a common name, like John Smith, then you know that searching for your name will likely turn up more information for other people than it will for you. Even if you have an uncommon name, like–say–Dieter Schweiss, you can find information that may surprise you.
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Yesterday, the iPhone 4 officially hit the streets. Those who were lucky enough to get their pre-orders in on June 15, 2010 feverishly tore open boxes, activated SIMs and played happily, like 7-year olds on Christmas morning. We’ve all heard about the improved technical specifications and additional features, from tech sites around the web. For that matter, we’ve heard about them ad nauseam. There is (at least) one big question left.
The big question is whether or not the improvements are any more than words on paper. Are there any real differences that a normal user can see and use to their advantage? Here at GSL, we were lucky enough to get our hands on one and take it for a test drive. The normal user is exactly who we kept in mind while examining a few features that are part of everyday iPhone usage. What’s the verdict? Will the iPhone 4 take us in a better direction than the iPhone 3GS? We’ll lay it all out, and you can decide for yourself.
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This week developer Dice gave their recent hit Battlefield: Bad Company 2 an adrenaline shot. Onslaught mode was made available for purchase on PlayStation Network and Xbox Live. What was already an action packed game filled with intense combat action for online play, just got beefed up even more. For the price of $9.99 on PSN, or 800 points on XBL, Onslaught mode is now available for download.
Onslaught allows four friends to team up together to capture objectives while fighting against an extremely aggressive, intelligent, and constantly re-spawning AI. Some of the enemy units have been seen to behave a lot like other players behave in multiplayer, without the cognitive thinking, of course. Most of the time, enemy units are not standing still to shoot at you, making for a harder target at which to shoot. Additionally, enemy units don’t wait for you to come to them, or for you or your team to be spotted; they are actively and aggressively seeking out you and your team.
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