Ineptocracy (in-ept-o-cra-cy) - a system of government where the least capable to lead are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a diminishing number of producers.
a blog for tech junkies, gamer geeks & gadget freaks...
Friday, November 18, 2011
Thursday, September 29, 2011
AnandTech - Amazon Kindle Fire: A $199 Kindle Tablet
via anandtech.com
Looks like Amazon is entering a the tablet game at a very interesting price-point. $199 if the reports are true.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
10 Days with an iPad 2: 28 Days Later
You didn’t really think you were going to get 10 consecutive days of iPad updated did you? Nor has it been 28 days since my last iPad 2 post but the title is cool if you like zombie flicks. After almost 3 months with my iPad 2 my opinion is very similar to the one I formed in the first few days.
The iPad 2 is not a standalone computing platform but what it does it does well.
Pros:
· Thin, Lightweight & Comfortable to Use – I have become accustomed to having the iPad on hand I scoop it up off my desk as I head to a meeting as casually as I would a pad of paper.
· Good Battery Life – Battery life has dropped off slightly over the months of use but as long as I remember to throw it on the charger at least every other night it is never an issue.
· Lots of Apps – The vast number of apps available are one of the keys to the success of the iOS platform but there is a Con here too.
· Fast and Responsive to Input – This remains true, the speed and interface of the iPad 2 remains excellent. No issues beyond an occasional crash to desktop of some third party apps.
· Beautiful Screen – I’m not saying there is no room for improvement but I have no complaints.
· Intuitive Interface – My 2 yr old intuitively understands how to navigate the iOS, can’t get much better than that.
Cons:
· Web compatibility issues (not just flash) - Web issues continue to plague the iPad not so much that I don’t usually grab it first for that quick web search but more than enough to be annoying!
· Lots of Apps – I guess it was bound to happen but the vast number of available apps is starting to become a Con too. There is a LOT of pure trash on the app store.
· Reliance on iTunes (and hence a Mac or PC) – Could this be changing?
· The '90s called and want their web cam back! – Camera still sucks.
Random Thoughts:
In its current form the iPad is regulated to the role of a companion device but this could be changing. Rumors of over the air update options combined with Apples recent revelation of iOS5/iCloud features could be enough to push the iPad over the edge into the role of Personal (Primary?) Computing Device (PCD) for some users. Baring a zombie apocalypse of some sort my vision for the future is thus:
· A single household computer fulfilling the role of Home Server and possibly that of Desktop Computer for some traditionalists.
· An entertainment console in or at each “TV” though there will be a major evolution here.
· And a PCD for each household member. This may be a phone, a tablet or something in-between but it will be portable and have outstanding battery life.
For now it’s time to put the crystal tablet away and perhaps I’ll publish an update in another “28 days” when we know more about iOS5 and iCloud.
Wednesday, June 01, 2011
Co-Optimus - Age of Empires Online Arrives August 16th
via co-optimus.com
We use to play a lot of AoE back in the day and I for one have always hoped for an other addition to the series.... but I don't think this is what I was envisioning.
Then again maybe it should have been, for the cost of admission it'll be worth trying.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
More than Meets the Eye - ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Review - AnandTech
via anandtech.com
Is it a netbook or a tablet? AnandTech has a good review of the Asus Eee Pad Transformer. As expected battery is excellent with the addition of the dock but lags behind the iPad 2 in tablet mode. Performance is equivalent to other Tegra 2 platforms like the Motorola Xoom which essentially means it lags behind the iPad 2 in some areas like video playback and is better in others like WiFi performance.
Read Anand's excellent review here.
Thursday, April 07, 2011
Co-Optimus - Dungeons & Dragons: Daggerdale Trailer Focuses on The Fighter
via co-optimus.com
4 player co-op game coming "this spring" to Xbox Live, PSN & PC.
HBO: Game of Thrones: Homepage
Tell Us What You Think
Welcome to the new HBO.com. We hope that you are enjoying your experience on the redesigned site. In order to allow for continuous improvement of the site experience, we'd like you to share your thoughts and impressions by participating in a quick survey.
via hbo.com
An preview of the Game of Thrones based series premiering April 17th on HBO. I just wish Martin would finish the series!
Friday, April 01, 2011
ASUS Eee Pad Transformer shows up at Best Buy for $400 -- Engadget
via engadget.com
A sneak peak at the Asus Transformer Tablet pegs its price at $399 for the 16GB version. Other sources place the cost of the Keyboard Dock for the Transformer at an additional $149. Not bad given the extra 6 hours of battery life included with the dock.
AMD Fusion
Tablets not your thing? There are several new "UltraPortable" Notebooks sporting AMD's New Fusion APU (Acclerated Processing Units) avaliable under the $499 mark.
There are deals running on the HP DM1z that puts it as low as $429.
The Lenovo X120e, HP DM1z & Sony YB Series
Thursday, March 31, 2011
10 Days with an iPad 2: Day 3
After enduring 2 days of constant pestering from oldest rug-rat I finally let her grubby little fingers come into contact with my "Giant iPhone". She showed me how to use the photo booth app and happily played several games as I watched to make sure she applied the proper level of reverence towards my new toy . See I am too a good sharer.
Day 3 Experience:
More web performance woes.
Several travel websites have display issues. Useable but annoying. Effected sites include Southwest, Kayak & Orbitz. Symptoms include date/time popups not displaying & some sliders/buttons not working.
Functionality of Amazon's new Cloud Drive service is very limited using the iPad.
Used Noterize in several meetings. PDF markup works great.
Flipboard is a very cool app. It makes reading your RSS feeds like flipping through a magazine.
Used Noterize in several meetings. PDF markup works great.
Flipboard is a very cool app. It makes reading your RSS feeds like flipping through a magazine.
Netflix on the iPad worked great. Much more comfortable, easier to hold and change positions, than using my laptop with equivalent picture quality. Watched about 2 hours worth with very little effect on battery life.
Day 3 Impressions:
Pros:
Thin, Lightweight & Comfortable to Use
Good Battery Life
Lots of Apps!
Fast and Responsive to Input
Beautiful Screen
Intuitive Interface
Cons:
Web compatibility issues (not just flash)
Reliance on iTunes (and hence a Mac or PC)
The '90s called and want their web cam back!
Random Thoughts:
Unfortunately the cons regulate the iPad to the role of a companion device. For me this is fine, in fact this was exactly what I wanted from the iPad. If it was't for those few flaws, most notably the iTunes reliance, the iPad could be "the" computing device for a fairly large consumer category. But then the question becomes "should it be"? You can get quite a bit computing power in laptop or netbook form-factor for less than the cost a mid-range iPad. Some of those will even rival the iPad in battery life.
10 Days with an iPad 2: Day 2
And on the second day I said let there be Flash! But no one was listening...
Though I some how managed to avoid this well-know deficit of the iPad the entire first day... On day 2 I managed to stumble upon 3 different sites that used flash to display their core content (as apposed to ad content). All 3 were house plan sites for research I was doing on the subject. In all cases the sites were unusable.
Disappointing but not the end of the world.
Note Taking:
The search continues.
Noterize:
This is most of what I am looking for in a note-taking app. Off line note taking, free hand and typed notes, annotation of existing pdf, txt and images & dropbox support.
It lacks seamless dropbox syncing and .doc markup. You can import documents for markup and share them back to dropbox but this is a manual process.
Springpad:
I've used the Springpad note/to-do service for a while now. Its a well thought out service with some good features but lacks an offline mode. Their iPad app works well enough.
Other thoughts:
Still impressed with the battery life, portability and typing in widescreen mode. Tried several games; Worms 2, Zombieville USA, Plants vs Zombies... Though I enjoy iPad gaming more than playing on my old iPhone. The iOS platform is still "gaming light" to me, maybe a step above time killer games. I can't conceive of a situation where I would choose to game on an iPad if I had an Xbox or PC available.
Then again it's portability makes it likely that the iPad IS available when other options aren't.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Eee Pad Transformer begins shipping - The Tech Report
via techreport.com
iPad not your thing... Asus is offering up a full featured Android 3.0 tablet with an option for a keyboard dock. But I can get a blue-tooth keyboard for my iPad you say? Yes, Yes you can but your keyboard won't add an other 6 hours of battery life.
Friday, March 25, 2011
10 Days with an iPad 2: Day 1
Hello my name is Joe and I am a Techoholic. I first realized I had a problem as I set frozen in indecision at an Amazon purchase screen.
Now my addiction has grown to interfere with other areas of my life as I attempt to decide which device should be used to write this post. My PC, Laptop, iPhone or shiny new iPad 2.... Oh yea new gadget wins!!!
I have decided to write a series of posts about my experience with the new iPad 2 as a first time tablet user.
The Choice:
I have been watching the tablet market with interest since the release of the iPad last year. For a time I was caught up in the hype surrounding Notion Ink's Adam and it's Dual-Mode Display. I think my mouse hovered over the pre-order button for several minutes before I came to my senses. Having just purchased a new Laptop last year my will was strong and I continued to resist the urges I felt to add yet another electronic device to my retinue. I had been eying the Motorola Xoom and it Androidy goodness but then my benevolent employer offered to subsidize the purchase of a new iPad 2, to help review it's business potential they said, I caved.
The Purchase:
Driven forward by by the promise of a free gadget I went searching on March 11th, walked by the Apple store at noon, there were already a line for the 5 PM sale. I am morally opposed to lines, especially those with no guaranteed payoff at the end. I went by Best Buy and Walmart on the way home but they were sold out. By the end of the day the Apple Online Store was showing 3-4 weeks for delivery. By the end of the weekend that was up to 4-5 weeks. I put in an order online with AT&T and resigned myself to the interminable wait. For a week and a half after the release of the iPad 2 I continued to read stories about people waiting in line outside Apple Stores in the hopes of capturing the rare stock that trickled in. The fools.
In the morning on March 23rd I just "happened" to be walking by my local Apple Store and find a few, just 3 or 4 people lined up outside. I wasn't getting inline but since I was there already I wandered over, edging closer so I could hear what was being said. A very friendly and easy-going Apple employee was chatting with those in line, why yes they did have a single 32GB Wi-Fi + 3G in black that is currently unspoken-for... I took my little white ticket and got in line. A few minutes later a not-so-friendly looking Apple employee ambled out of the store, looked around for a moment as if the light hurt his eyes, took my ticket and ambled back in. I assumed I was to follow. After disappearing for a time into the back he returned bearing an unassuming little white box and mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like "will that be all". I asked about a cover and I believe he grunted and pointed towards the wall behind me. 5 minutes later I left the store with my new toy. All told it took longer to cancel my AT&T order, through phone queue hell, than it did to buy my new iPad.
Day 1:
Back in my office I found myself losing focus as my gaze kept sliding off to the side of the desk where that little white box sat, teasing me with its simplicity. I was NOT going to install iTunes on my work PC just to activate my new toy. 10 minutes later my new iPad was activated and my 3G service was up and running with AT&T.
Experience has taught me to be leery of initial impressions formed during the "Honeymoon Phase" with a new gadget. I have found that the best way to get over that initial high is to use it. Really put the screws to it and see if it falters. To this end I used it for everything I could this first day. From web "research", email and meetings at work to videos, surfing and installing apps at home. I used it on and off for 14 hours, as it couldn't drive me home or feed the kids, but in the end I wore down before it did. I placed it on the charger a little before Midnight with 24% battery life displayed.
Initial Impressions:
Extremely intuitive and easy to use.
Lightweight and portable though not "Pocket Sized".
Despite the lack of the hoped for retina-like upgrade the screen is beautiful and the resolution seems to suite the screen size.
Screen is a good size for web surfing and email, on 95% of the sites I visited I did not miss my larger screens.
System is fast and responsive to input.
Multi-Hand touch screen input works great, works better than mouse and keyboard for some tasks.
Typing for those "almost" touch-typists who never broke themselves of looking at their fingers can be very fast!
I need a better App for Note-Taking and markup in work meetings, though I may use the built in Note App for personal notes as it syncs with Yahoo.
I had to fight to keep it away from grubby little kid fingers.... NO this is Daddy's new toy!
Apps Installed (Not Including Games):
Dropbox
Flipboard
Netflix
OneNote
SpringPad
Nebulous
Noterize
Closing Day 1:
I'm impressed. The iPad 2 survived it's marathon first day with my initial high opinion intact though that may be the afterglow talking... Just to be sure I wait till later in the series to make any overall conclusions or professions of undying love.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Audible Spree
I’ve been on an audible listening spree lately adding 12 titles in the 3 months since my library post. This is partially due to breaking my normal rule and listing to several sub-ten hour contemporary fantasy novels by Patricia Briggs. I’ll have to make up for it with Tad Williams’ Shadowmarch series where each of the 4 books weighs in at over 30 hours.
A list of recent additions to my library after the break:
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Tablet Hands-On Roundup - AnandTech
via anandtech.com
AnandTech has a good roundup of Tablets from CES2011, including some hands-on time with new tablets from Dell & RIM.