Tech Space http://tech0x20.com Experiencing Tech as a Professional Techie Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:17:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Calendar functionality on a smartphone? http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/tech0x20/KpJL/~3/58tPdwEFkzE/ http://tech0x20.com/2010/03/10/calendar-functionality-on-a-smartphone/#comments Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:17:33 +0000 Thomas Powell http://tech0x20.com/2010/03/10/calendar-functionality-on-a-smartphone/
I don’t have another smartphone for reference, just an iPhone, but the combination of automatic time zone updating and calendar appointments should be handled more gracefully.

Now, I know there’s a time zone support option on the iPhone, but not all appointment sources are created equal.

Outlook Sync with iphone seems to not handle timezones well. I’m sitting in Las Vegas getting my 4 PM EST meeting invite reminders at 4 PM PST.

Meanwhile, I wouldn’t necessarily want my 5:30 AM EST to necessarily translate to 2:30 AM PST.

Given those two cases, I don’t think a global device setting is necessarily the ideal method to solve the timezone issue.

Maybe there should be switch on each appointment that indicates whether the time or the timezone stays fixed for a given appointment.]]> http://tech0x20.com/2010/03/10/calendar-functionality-on-a-smartphone/feed/ 0 http://tech0x20.com/2010/03/10/calendar-functionality-on-a-smartphone/ Smartphone users disappointed with handset and application performance http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/tech0x20/KpJL/~3/pTEXlOIEmEs/ http://tech0x20.com/2010/03/03/smartphone-users-disappointed-with-handset-and-application-performance/#comments Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:40:30 +0000 Thomas Powell http://tech0x20.com/?p=590 Research reveals 57% of smartphone users disappointed with handset and application performanceCloser examination reveals that only 155 members of the public responded to the survey.One interesting “key finding” that I noted was that whether a problem with the device or the network, 53% blame the device for the issue. If Apple’s true intent [...]]]> From Fanfare: Research reveals 57% of smartphone users disappointed with handset and application performance

Closer examination reveals that only 155 members of the public responded to the survey.

One interesting “key finding” that I noted was that whether a problem with the device or the network, 53% blame the device for the issue. If Apple’s true intent is to control the quality user experience by keeping the ecosystem closed, this finding supports that strategy. However, it also makes them more legitimately responsible with issues do arise.

Little mention of apps being blamed for the issues

There is no commentary on the quality of the mobile apps themselves being blamed for issues with the phones, but I suspect that a user who has run into a large number of poorly written apps is going to attribute the problems with the apps back to the phone itself. This is unfortunate, because the turnover of applications on a mobile device is much more frequent than on a desktop. When there are a large number of apps available for free or $0.99, the barrier to installation of the app is extremely low.

I, myself, used to download many applications on my PCs, but they were either open source applications from SourceForge or shareware that I had to try and make a conscious decision to pay money for. I doubt that a significant percentage of the PC owners did likewise and I’m pretty sure most of the ones I know that did had malware on their machines as a result of installing something that they really shouldn’t have. In contrast, half of iPhone users buy at least an app a month.

With such application development and installation churn comes increased instability, no matter how tightly the ecosystem is controlled.]]> http://tech0x20.com/2010/03/03/smartphone-users-disappointed-with-handset-and-application-performance/feed/ 0 http://tech0x20.com/2010/03/03/smartphone-users-disappointed-with-handset-and-application-performance/ How I want my software to be updated http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/tech0x20/KpJL/~3/InYxWAK83a0/ http://tech0x20.com/2010/01/11/how-i-want-my-software-to-be-updated/#comments Mon, 11 Jan 2010 14:18:36 +0000 Thomas Powell http://tech0x20.com/2010/01/11/how-i-want-my-software-to-be-updated/
1. Don’t tell me about the update unless it is absolutely necessary for me to stop what I’m doing for the update to proceed.

2. Automatically update, unless a core component of the system is going to be updated. For Windows, this should mean one of a handful of files. Unfortunely, DLLs do not seem to behave that well when in use.

3. Back up the files and configurations being edited.

4. Unit test the validity of the update.

5. Don’t ask me to reboot, unless core system files have been updated.]]> http://tech0x20.com/2010/01/11/how-i-want-my-software-to-be-updated/feed/ 0 http://tech0x20.com/2010/01/11/how-i-want-my-software-to-be-updated/ Signs of a dying business model. $S $VZ $T http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/tech0x20/KpJL/~3/BFIRgZBnZ40/ http://tech0x20.com/2009/10/20/signs-of-a-dying-business-model-s-vz-t/#comments Wed, 21 Oct 2009 01:27:58 +0000 Thomas Powell http://tech0x20.com/?p=572 ring tones, or backgrounds. So when I started getting recurring charges for Thumbplay, I was puzzled:

thumbplay.com Complaints – Unauthorized charge.

It seems that the carriers enable Thumbplay to latch onto a user’s account without a reasonable opt-in process. The only recourse is for the phone subscriber to request a refund of the charges and formally/explicitly request to opt-out of the service.

This is a sign that your business model is failing. If you’re depending on a 30-70% cut of 3rd party billing that your average user either won’t notice or won’t ask to have canceled, then you have lost sight of how to actually make money by providing a valuable service to the user.

Carriers’ days are numbered. Why?

  • Google Voice – blocked by Apple or AT&T or whomever. The iPhone initially blocked all VOIP applications from using the phone network, with some enabled when connected to wireless (such as Skype). Imagine if you rarely used a voice carrier for voice calls.
…ideas that can be “dangerous” with a little Sci-Fi vision applied:

  • Mesh Networking – I originally saw this described in the context of OLPC, but I think the real power is if wireless saturation becomes such that wireless carriers are no longer useful in areas where the average household is within wireless range of the next nearest household.
  • Google Tablet – What if Google’s mission was to proliferate its own ad-hoc infrastructure, and the Google Tablet was a means of doing so? Picture this:

    • Google patents technology which splits the wireless network device into two virtual devices: One for local wireless communication and one for mesh networking.
    • The phone operating system version of Google Android can tap into the mesh network.
    • The Google Android phone could then operate without a wireless carrier.
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    ]]>     http://tech0x20.com/2009/10/20/signs-of-a-dying-business-model-s-vz-t/feed/ 0 http://tech0x20.com/2009/10/20/signs-of-a-dying-business-model-s-vz-t/     More rumblings of AT&T iPhone exclusivity ending… http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/tech0x20/KpJL/~3/VDgF9hl-BwI/ http://tech0x20.com/2009/08/31/more-rumblings-of-att-iphone-exclusivity-ending/#comments Mon, 31 Aug 2009 17:00:47 +0000 Thomas Powell http://tech0x20.com/?p=568 I get a small discount on my AT&T/iPhone service w/ unlimited text messages, and I’m looking at a bill for one month [...]]]> Apple to End AT&T iPhone Exclusivity Within a Year? | John Paczkowski | Digital Daily | AllThingsD.

    I love the first comment:
    I’d pay to end my AT&T contract, and I’m only two months into it.
    I get a small discount on my AT&T/iPhone service w/ unlimited text messages, and I’m looking at a bill for one month that’s around $89. In order to get my wife on a plan:

    • 700 minutes – $69.99
    • 2 x $30 iPhone data plan – $60
    • 2 x $20 unlimited texting – $40 (I realize that 1500 messages are only $15 each, but if you run over by 100 msgs, that’s $20)
    That’s $170 per month before all the taxes and fees. If another carrier were to offer service, I’d definitely pay the early termination fee as well, and like the commenter, I’m only about 2 months into the contract.]]>     http://tech0x20.com/2009/08/31/more-rumblings-of-att-iphone-exclusivity-ending/feed/ 0 http://tech0x20.com/2009/08/31/more-rumblings-of-att-iphone-exclusivity-ending/     Yelp Easter egg gives an accessible look at augmented reality on iPhone [3G S] http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/tech0x20/KpJL/~3/JPOz5N8V2yo/ http://tech0x20.com/2009/08/27/yelp-easter-egg-gives-an-accessible-look-at-augmented-reality/#comments Thu, 27 Aug 2009 20:09:13 +0000 Thomas Powell http://tech0x20.com/2009/08/27/yelp-easter-egg-gives-an-accessible-look-at-augmented-reality/
    photo

    photo]]>     http://tech0x20.com/2009/08/27/yelp-easter-egg-gives-an-accessible-look-at-augmented-reality/feed/ 0 http://tech0x20.com/2009/08/27/yelp-easter-egg-gives-an-accessible-look-at-augmented-reality/     Does anyone know someone who uses text on a phone that has no internet browsing capability? http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/tech0x20/KpJL/~3/nQ2Mk_RPLQI/ http://tech0x20.com/2009/08/25/does-anyone-know-someone-who-uses-text-on-a-phone-that-has-no-internet-browsing-capability/#comments Tue, 25 Aug 2009 16:37:49 +0000 Thomas Powell http://tech0x20.com/?p=559
    It looks like even Go Phones are mobile internet ready now.

    Smart phones reach 28% of U.S. Mobile Sales
    Both articles draw these statistics from an NPD group report on Q2 2009 Mobile Phone Sales.
    Obviously, device capability and services being subscribed to are two different things, and at $19.99 for 100 MB of data, a Go Phone is a pricey browser.
    ]]>     http://tech0x20.com/2009/08/25/does-anyone-know-someone-who-uses-text-on-a-phone-that-has-no-internet-browsing-capability/feed/ 0 http://tech0x20.com/2009/08/25/does-anyone-know-someone-who-uses-text-on-a-phone-that-has-no-internet-browsing-capability/     Statistics (you know what they say about them) Apple iPhone Dominates… http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/tech0x20/KpJL/~3/VDd6dShSKRU/ http://tech0x20.com/2009/07/26/statistics-you-know-what-they-say-about-them-apple-iphone-dominates/#comments Mon, 27 Jul 2009 00:03:14 +0000 Thomas Powell http://tech0x20.com/2009/07/26/statistics-you-know-what-they-say-about-them-apple-iphone-dominates/ year. It seems that iPhone and iPod touch owners are heavy Internet
    users. Forrester Research even quoted AdMob’s findings in their
    “Mobile Internet: Where is Your Audience?” paper.

    One thing I’ve noticed, however, is that quite a few of my free apps
    have ads served by AdMob. Do these show up as web page ad views? If
    they do, then these numbers might be artificially skewed because of
    those apps.

    From InformationWeek: Apple iPhone Dominates Mobile Web Usage :
    Apple’s mobile platform remains popular, and its devices accounted
    for nearly 43% of all U.S. ad requests.



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    ]]>     http://tech0x20.com/2009/07/26/statistics-you-know-what-they-say-about-them-apple-iphone-dominates/feed/ 0 http://tech0x20.com/2009/07/26/statistics-you-know-what-they-say-about-them-apple-iphone-dominates/     Some thoughts on the ‘vulnerability’ of the 3G S $AAPL http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/tech0x20/KpJL/~3/VYuaajr4U2w/ http://tech0x20.com/2009/07/24/some-thoughts-on-the-vulnerability-of-the-3g-s-aapl/#comments Fri, 24 Jul 2009 16:00:13 +0000 Thomas Powell http://tech0x20.com/?p=548 The iPhone can be wiped remotely (however, MobileMe, push, and Find My iPhone must be turned on, and must be connected to the [...]]]> Hacker Says iPhone 3GS Encryption Is ‘Useless’ for Businesses | Gadget Lab | Wired.com.

    Some counterpoints:

    • The iPhone 3G S has to be in the physical possession of the hacker (instead of an over-the-air attack).
    • The iPhone can be wiped remotely (however, MobileMe, push, and Find My iPhone must be turned on, and must be connected to the internet).
    • The iPhone is more likely to be profiled as a valuable piece of hardware than for its data potential–the BlackBerry is a well-recognized business device and would be a more likely target for data thieves.
    Some additional thoughts:

    • The iPhone has thus far been a consumer device, although the trickle in enterprise adoption makes this alarm-sounding well timed.
    • Apple does not currently provide enterprise management software for either desktops or phones, which (beyond security) is probably the greatest barrier to enterprise acceptance.
    ]]>     http://tech0x20.com/2009/07/24/some-thoughts-on-the-vulnerability-of-the-3g-s-aapl/feed/ 0 http://tech0x20.com/2009/07/24/some-thoughts-on-the-vulnerability-of-the-3g-s-aapl/     $Palm doesn’t really have time to still be looking for gaming features. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/tech0x20/KpJL/~3/kPkTWx_MOro/ http://tech0x20.com/2009/07/21/palm-doesnt-really-have-time-to-still-be-looking-for-gaming-features/#comments Tue, 21 Jul 2009 16:54:48 +0000 Thomas Powell http://tech0x20.com/?p=545 targeting the iPhone, and didn’t have is gaming ability ducks in a row? I understand that the job postings mentioned in the below links could be to augment the existing capacity, but the timing still indicates a lack of strategy and bad timing.

    I, for some reason, assumed that Palm would actually have had more support for gaming than it does. I also assumed that the webOS SDK would have been open for broad consumption well in advance of the actual product launch–instead, I had to wait until the past week to download the Mojo SDK beta.

    Palm Job Listings Hint at the Future of WebOS – pre|central

    Good News: Palm’s Working on the Pre’s Gaming Problem – Palm pre – Gizmodo.

    webOS SDK bemoaned by iPhone developer as Palm seeks game API engineers – Engadget.]]>     http://tech0x20.com/2009/07/21/palm-doesnt-really-have-time-to-still-be-looking-for-gaming-features/feed/ 0 http://tech0x20.com/2009/07/21/palm-doesnt-really-have-time-to-still-be-looking-for-gaming-features/