Blog 23 - 2/22/10

Hiya! Thanks for logging in.

In honor of the Olympics, this week we will look at Olympic timing.

Admittedly, I'm not a big winter olympics fan. I am, however, married to a HUGE winter olympics fan. Guess what's been on at our house EVERY. SINGLE. NIGHT. for the past 10 days?

Uh huh.

Anyway, I'm starting to like it more and more. Mostly because I don't really have a choice because NBC has pre-empted every bit of their normal programming (Office, anyone?) for two weeks.

So the geek in me wants to look at the timing devices, etc. Take a look at the following sites. Give me an opinion about something in one of the articles.

http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2009/10/uk-sports-timing-200910

http://www.omegawatches.com/spirit/sports/olympic-timekeeping

http://omega.watchprosite.com/show-nblog.post/ti-436441/

http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/olympic-timing3.htm


Talk to me . . .

P.S. Upcoming discussions (per your suggestions):
Video game technology
Movie technology
Car technology (sorry Maggaly!)
Weapons technology

Blog 22 - 2/15/10

Hola Peeps!

So we've reached the time of the year where I'm brain dead. You know that time . . . the part between Christmas Break and Spring Break where you start thinking "there is no possible way I can make it through the rest of this year."

Yeah . . . that's where I'm at.

So for this week's blog I would like for YOU to log in and give ME two ideas for future technology blogs. Preferably stuff you're actually interested in. Not just an answer for the sake of answering.

In order for you to receive credit both ideas must be technology related.

Talk to me . . .

Blog 21 - 2/8/10

Hola Peeps!

So this week I'd like to explore how Apple introduces products to an unsuspecting marketplace. Have you ever noticed that we don't even KNOW we need the stuff until it starts hitting the market and then we get all jealous and . . . covetous? Is that even a word?

Look at these links. Pay particular attention to the stories about how they sold Cingular (AT&T) on letting them develop the iphone. It's interesting, really. Do not stop on page 1 of the stories, particularly the Wired story.

Log in and answer ONE of these questions. You MUST get the answer correct to receive credit. Please be aware if you copy somebodies answer and it's wrong, neither of you will be receiving credit.

1. What is Apple’s trump card?

2. Name one of the support headaches that occurred when the iphone hit the market.

3 Name one of the other companies Mr. Jobs reached out to while still in negotiations with AT&T (which was named Cingular at the time, meaning that Cingular is NOT the answer to this question).

4. Approximately how many people had seen the iPhone by the times Jobs announced it at Macworld in 2007?

5. What company did Jobs approach in order to build a phone that could bypass the carriers?

6. According to BusinessWorld, why are Apple design details impossible to get?

7. How many hours of negotiation did it take to finalize the deal between Apple and AT&T?

http://www.wired.com/gadgets/wireless/magazine/16-02/ff_iphone?currentPage=1

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_12/b3925608.htm

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/01/AR2010020101334.html

http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB117168001288511981-euxzmjNFZTZhA_2z8OBtD6GK900_20070224.html?mod=blogs

http://lowendmac.com/musings/mm07/0720.html

Talk to me . . .

Blog 20 - 2/1/10

Hola Peeps!

So last week there was much ado about the Ipad. Steve Jobs made an announcement that apparently made the world stop spinning for a minute.

To which I say . . . meh.

Don't get me wrong. I think the thing is cool. Do I need to run right out and get one when they become available in March? Not so much.

I also am not convinced that people will run out and buy one of these if they thought laptops were too expensive. I bought my last laptop for about $450 and it can do lots more than than Ipad.

I think this nifty little device plays right to the hardcore nerds and technophiles. You know the folks I'm talking about. The ones who have to go right out and purchase whatever the newest piece of technology is, without any thought to it's usefulness or longevity.

So I want to explore the Ipad a bit. On a larger level, I want to explore over the coming weeks Apple's devotion to introducing us to technology we didn't know we needed. And also I would like to explore how Apple designs products and gets them to market.

Check out ALL these links. Give me an INFORMED opinion about how we could use this device.

Talk to me . . .


http://www.apple.com/ipad/

http://www.smh.com.au/business/ipad-and-apples-world-domination-20100201-n90c.html

http://theretrospective.com/2010/02/01/ipad-a-mild-mannered-device-or-god-save-the-media/