The Tethering / Hotspot Debate: No, You’re Not a Thief. But Somebody Else is a Highway Robber.
Interesting debate at ZDNet over wireless data plans: James Kendrick claims that unpaid tethering makes you a thief. Thankfully his fellow ZDNet-er Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols has the common sense to dispute this tethering thief nonsense. Yes, technically if your wireless contract includes an anti-hotspot clause and you turn this feature on, you are in violation. Of […]
No For Kno, Finally. It Was DOA Anyway.
Boomtown reports Kno, makers of the flip-open dual tablet designed for the education market is planning to sell off the hardware business, and focus on software only. Says Kara Swisher: That’s because marketing a new and complex product like the Kno takes a lot of effort and cash, especially since it is an increasingly competitive […]
No More Stinking Data Plans
Ok, I’ve stolen that title from Jason Perlow on ZDNet. And I’ll steal from myself quite liberally, in just a moment. That’s because I fully agree with Jason, who makes the point that Samsung’s new Galaxy Tab is an attractive device, but he really wants to just outright buy it, without yet another data plan […]
The Kno is Not a Tablet. It’s a Workout Device
Seriously. At 5 and a half pounds it’s not exactly a lightweight tablet you would want to hold for hours. I have a very simple test for you: if you have an average 14”-15” laptop around, flip it open, hold it vertically, just like this: … and tell me how long you could comfortably hold […]
When Innovation Backfires. MSI’s Dual-screen eSomething
I love innovation – just not innovation for the sake of innovation. It should be useful – and when I look at MSI’s dual-screen eReader – Netbook – Whatever, I seriously question the usability. Multipurpose devices do make sense, especially when it comes to the one-little-thing you carry in your pocket: it’s great not having […]
The Tablet Debate – Situational Device, Take # 764531276534
Gotta love the new debate on Tablets – it’s not about the CrunchPad, JooJoo or the Apple Tablet anymore. It’s about whether we need any. Joe Wilcox declared that The world doesn’t need an Apple tablet, or any other. Really? Well, there was this other guy who famously declared: I think there is a world […]
CrunchPad, Netbooks and Vacuum Cleaners
We covered the CrunchPad a fair bit here, so it’s only natural to report it’s inching closer to Launch. Or is it rather slipping? The Straits Times visited Fusion Garage, the Singapore-based company that’s developing the CrunchPad, and published details. It’s now expected to hit the market in November, just in time for Christmas shopping. […]
Google Chrome OS: Pre-Announcement in Classic Microsoft-style
Image via Wikipedia There’s hardly anything to add to the actual announcement– the whole world is talking about it, and I don’t just mean TechMeme entirely taken over: when Reuters, The New York Times and just about all mainstream media reports it, you know there’s something big – but is it nuclear? We’ll have to […]
Confessions of a Gen X-er – Screen Size Matters
It pains me to say it but I’m a Gen X-er – admittedly I’m towards the younger end of Gen X but I’m there nonetheless. As such I’m no doubt seen as prehistoric, decrepit and pretty much due for the scrap heap. Despite all of this I’m fairly certain I’ve got a couple of years […]
Gadget-blogs Fooled by Old CrunchPad Prototype
Forget the stolen elections (coup?) in Iran, thre’s more excitement on TechMeme: the unboxing of the CrunchPad prototype, posted on youtube by Loic Le Meur: I hate to say this.. but I think what we’re seeing here is Prototype C, the previous version, not the final, Launch prototype. Compare the photos and decide for […]
The CrunchPad is Real. A Sexy Little Situational Device.
Wow, what a difference 3 months make. Here’s the CrunchPad prototype in January: And the current version leaked today: Certainly a lot better-looking, albeit not as thin as the original sketch. That said, if this thing is really in the $300 range, I’d love to buy one. Now, I can hear people complain about all […]
How Many Computers Does The World Really Need? There Are Two Answers.
Legendary IBM Chairman & CEO Thomas Watson declared in 1943: I think there is a world market for maybe five computers. The fact the famous quote is likely incorrectly attributed to him is immaterial. 80 or years later the World may just prove him (or whoever said this) right. According to Microsoft research chief Rick […]
CrunchPad: a Netbook Sans Keyboard
I admit I was skeptical when Mike Arrington first announced he wanted to build a lightweight Web Tablet. Skeptical partly because I had just witnessed Ismael Ghalimi of the Office 2.0 fame feverishly work on the Redux Model 1. I had been doubtful about his effort, too, but his energy level was just radiating, he […]
The Cell-Phone Aware PC May Be a PC-less PC
2008 REDUX Another piece in the 2008 Redux series, originally posted in March 2008. The computing landscape has somewhat changed with the appearance of netbooks, but I am still waiting for the cellphone-aware PC-less PC. Mike Egan @ Computerworld makes the case for PC’s to be smarter, with improved awareness of cell-phones, which means of […]
Netbook or Notebook? It’s Not Only About Size.
Hardly a day goes by without another new Netbook announcement, at lower and lower prices. The first baby eee PC by ASUS was toy-like ( I returned it after a day), but the current crop are quite usable mobile computing devices. These new Netbooks are flying off the shelf, so much so that sometimes you […]
