WWDC News
Tuesday, June 10, 2008 - 07:54 AM
Okay, so I’ve got nothing to report that you haven’t already read elsewhere, or didn’t already know before the keynote for that matter.
- New iPhone with 3G and GPS? Check.
- Great new iPhone apps? Check.
- Subsidized iPhone pricing? Check.
- MobileMe replacing .Mac? Check.
- Snow Leopard announced? Check.
I do have a couple of things to say, however. First off, my purchase of an iPhone is inevitable now. All of the new features combined with MobileMe make it pretty much a no-brainer now. And even though there were no real surprises with anything announced yesterday, Apple (and Steve) still managed to make everyone say “Wow!” Think about that. Everyone already knew everything that was announced, but they still managed to exceed our expectations. We knew what was coming, yet it still was beyond what we had hoped for. That’s pretty impressive.
On MobileMe. One thing that I think kind of flew under the radar was just how impressive the web app portion of MobileMe is. Put MobileMe next to Gmail or Yahoo! Mail and they look silly and amateurish in comparison. MobileMe is a web app that feels like an application. Gmail (all of the Google Apps, really) and Yahoo! Mail are web pages that have application-like functionality. They feel like web pages. They act like web pages. MobileMe acts like an application. Not only that, it acts like an Apple application.
People thought the iPod was going to have a “halo effect” of bringing Windows users to the Mac. And that was just an MP3 player. This will blow Windows users away. I can’t imagine what it’ll be like for an iPhone owning Windows user, one who has never used a Mac, using their MobileMe account. Eventually it’ll click with them: “Why can’t my entire computer-using experience be like this?” Eventually, they’ll buy a Mac.
MobileMe was the real Trojan Horse in yesterday’s announcements. The iPhone will bring them in, but MobileMe will make them stay.
Efficient Hydrogen Technology
Thursday, May 22, 2008 - 09:49 AM
It’s amazing that the auto companies have been (supposedly) working on this for years, and claim that it’s not efficient enough to be feasible, but this guy just decides to go ahead and do it on his own. I’m glad there’s still room for innovation from individuals in this country, because the large corporations just aren’t able to anymore. (Or, more likely, are happy with the status-quo, and are unwilling to innovate.)
Unfortunately, the oil companies will put every effort imaginable into suppressing this. (I envision some laws in place by the end of Bush’s term in office that will make implementing this technology highly restrictive. Call me cynical.)
Unbelievable Patented Technology - video powered by Metacafe
I Want One
Thursday, May 15, 2008 - 08:17 AM
This is the stuff of science fiction come to life. A pilot from Switzerland, Yves Rossy, built a jet powered wing that straps to his back. This is, perhaps, the most awesome thing I’ve ever seen. He calls himself Fusion Man.
Here is an AP account of one of his demonstration flights.
Big Surprise
Thursday, May 01, 2008 - 10:10 AM
I really can’t be shocked to find out that Global Warming deniers are outright liars. I guess when you don’t have reality on your side, you just hope that people don’t question your B.S.
Bad News, Everyone
Monday, April 14, 2008 - 03:31 PM
One of my favorite places in Chicago, Goose Island (the Clybourn location) is closing at the end of the year. It seems they lost their lease.
It’s too bad. The Clybourn location is so much better than the Wrigleyville one (even if you don’t take into consideration having to deal with Wrigley Field being only a block away). I really hope they open a new location that’s on par with the current one at Clybourn. I just can’t see myself going to the Wrigleyville location all that often, particularly if it’s a “game day”.
What’s really ironic is that that whole area owes everything to Goose Island being there. I’m sure the area will thrive without Goose Island now, but G.I. used to be the only thing there. That area would not be what it is today if it wasn’t for Goose Island.
The article (more of a blurb really) doesn’t go into the details, but I hope it is something that can be resolved before the year’s end. (They’ve updated the article since I initially posted.) It looks like the issue is money. Hopefully the landlord (CRM Properties Group) will come to their senses and negotiate with Goose Island. (Or, like I said, they open up a new location. Hey, the Edgewater neighborhood is drastically lacking in brew-pubs!)