It seems recently that Apple are becoming more and more like Microsoft.
Apple recently announced they are suing HTC for the use of multi-touch on their Android devices. Which resulted in Apple getting sued by the company that actually invented the technology.
This brings me onto this point, Apple, for years, has been the underdog to Microsoft, while they made some pretty good products, their prices were (and still are) completely ridiculous. But they were still doing there thing, and good on them for it. But now, Apple have gone very much mainstream, and for some reason, decided they wanted to play the same games as the big bully that came before.
Microsoft is famous for patent trolling, heck, they even patented the scrollbar (I'm not joking, look http://www.freepatentsonline.com/5973663.html) but it seems Apple have though "That looks like fun, lets do it too!". Here is a tip Apple, don't patent something you didn't invent, and then don't troll people because they're trying to implement technology that has been around since the late 80's.
The patent system is meant to help innovation and protect Intellectual Property, but Apple seems to have forgotten this, their IP's aren't theirs, it really annoys me that because Apple put something on their devices, they seem to think they own it.
Apple, you used to be cool, but now you're just like Microsoft.
Saturday 3 April 2010
It seems i'm becoming a Google fanboy.
But is that such a bad thing?
Recently a big divide has come about between the people who use Google's Android devices, and Apple's iWhatever products. It mainly consists of people like me, developer types, who heavily disagree with Apple's policy on openness and people who use the Apple devices who would rather a device 'just work'.
This all stems from reading an article earlier on Apple's 'locked down' system of doing business, wherein once you buy an Apple product, you're locked in. For example you buy a song on iTunes, that song is not yours, Apple still own it and can prevent you from playing that song any time they like, if they close down the iTunes store, you don't get any refunds, and you don't have any rights.
Where as it seems the opposite is true of Google, where everything is open, free, or if not free at least very cheap, even the songs bought off the built in Amazon store are DRM (I like that the blogger spellchecker doesn't even recognize DRM) free and playable on ANY device.
The same with the Android market, the only thing Google ask when you post an app is that it's not pornographic. Counter to this, Apple force developers to not only give 30% of all profits to Apple, but also 30% of any content that is sold or distributed through the app, leaving the BBC no choice but to cull its selection of apps for the iPhone app store.
This brings me neatly on to the app store EULA, which DEMANDS that developers sign an NDA (Non Disclosure Agreement) meaning that should they speak to anyone outside the developer network of any of the things they happen to be doing Apple will sue them.
Now I will say that the only reason Google has been able to do all of this so openly and free, is because they have very successfully sold Ads on their website, and embedded in others, which I don't agree with, but compared to Apple's methods, a mere drop in the ocean.
I sincerely hope that Google's methods continue, and they keep distributing high quality OSS, and now I hope they don't let me down doing something stupid...
If that happens I'll be getting one of the new Nokia linux phones next time.
Recently a big divide has come about between the people who use Google's Android devices, and Apple's iWhatever products. It mainly consists of people like me, developer types, who heavily disagree with Apple's policy on openness and people who use the Apple devices who would rather a device 'just work'.
This all stems from reading an article earlier on Apple's 'locked down' system of doing business, wherein once you buy an Apple product, you're locked in. For example you buy a song on iTunes, that song is not yours, Apple still own it and can prevent you from playing that song any time they like, if they close down the iTunes store, you don't get any refunds, and you don't have any rights.
Where as it seems the opposite is true of Google, where everything is open, free, or if not free at least very cheap, even the songs bought off the built in Amazon store are DRM (I like that the blogger spellchecker doesn't even recognize DRM) free and playable on ANY device.
The same with the Android market, the only thing Google ask when you post an app is that it's not pornographic. Counter to this, Apple force developers to not only give 30% of all profits to Apple, but also 30% of any content that is sold or distributed through the app, leaving the BBC no choice but to cull its selection of apps for the iPhone app store.
This brings me neatly on to the app store EULA, which DEMANDS that developers sign an NDA (Non Disclosure Agreement) meaning that should they speak to anyone outside the developer network of any of the things they happen to be doing Apple will sue them.
Now I will say that the only reason Google has been able to do all of this so openly and free, is because they have very successfully sold Ads on their website, and embedded in others, which I don't agree with, but compared to Apple's methods, a mere drop in the ocean.
I sincerely hope that Google's methods continue, and they keep distributing high quality OSS, and now I hope they don't let me down doing something stupid...
If that happens I'll be getting one of the new Nokia linux phones next time.
Thursday 1 April 2010
Living with the Nexus One
I recently took purchase of my new Google Nexus One, and i've been getting used to it for a while now.
The first thing I often hear about it is the battery life, and I must be honest I harboured my own fears on this as well, as I did when I got my G1, but i'm glad to say my fears were unfounded, the phone easily lasts 2 days with normal use of apps, phone calls and texts. Depending on what features are turned on/off battery life can increase dramatically.
The display is absolutely amazing, compared to the iPhone (It's oft compared rival) it's superb, 800x480 resolution, massively dwarfing the iPhones 480x320 on a 3.7 inch display means it's got awesome clarity, especially for reading etc. Couple that with the multitouch that HTC has been putting onto their new phones recently, and the usability is epic.
The browsing experience is excellent, as one would expect with Googles deep ties in the internet, the standard browser is no slouch, but with alternate browser options such as Dolphin and Opera Mini, it can be taken to a whole new level of speed, with Opera mini being the fastest by a long way, something the iPhone can only dream of keeping up with at this point in time (Until maybe they accept Opera Mini onto the app store). Couple the speed with the dolphin browsers gestures, and it's really onto a winner.
The Android market is absolutely superb, even if it's a great deal smaller than the iPhone app store, but there are still 25000 apps, compared to the app stores 110000 I think, even so, you're not wanting for applications to increase your productivity. Plus there are some really great apps, I personally endorse Zombie, Run! ;)
I love some of the really great built in stuff, such as the integrated voice commands that are everywhere, just say what you want and the phone can do an incredibly good job of figuring out what you said. It just makes life easier.
Recently I also rooted my phone, something which is practically impossible on the iPhone, which for me is a bit of a fail, either way, it was a very simple process, and I will say this, if you own any android phone, root it, it increases the potential of the phone by no small amount. Being able to run google navigation (a GPS app that costs $99 on the iPhone, ouch) outside america, is superb, and that's just the start.
Of course it has its drawbacks, for example on some apps, the phone can be a little bit sluggish, even with the snapdragon processor, but that's very rarely.
Another criticism I have is that the touch buttons on the bottom of the phone don't sometimes detect when they've been pressed.
But those are a couple of small flies in what is otherwise, some very pleasant ointment.
The first thing I often hear about it is the battery life, and I must be honest I harboured my own fears on this as well, as I did when I got my G1, but i'm glad to say my fears were unfounded, the phone easily lasts 2 days with normal use of apps, phone calls and texts. Depending on what features are turned on/off battery life can increase dramatically.
The display is absolutely amazing, compared to the iPhone (It's oft compared rival) it's superb, 800x480 resolution, massively dwarfing the iPhones 480x320 on a 3.7 inch display means it's got awesome clarity, especially for reading etc. Couple that with the multitouch that HTC has been putting onto their new phones recently, and the usability is epic.
The browsing experience is excellent, as one would expect with Googles deep ties in the internet, the standard browser is no slouch, but with alternate browser options such as Dolphin and Opera Mini, it can be taken to a whole new level of speed, with Opera mini being the fastest by a long way, something the iPhone can only dream of keeping up with at this point in time (Until maybe they accept Opera Mini onto the app store). Couple the speed with the dolphin browsers gestures, and it's really onto a winner.
The Android market is absolutely superb, even if it's a great deal smaller than the iPhone app store, but there are still 25000 apps, compared to the app stores 110000 I think, even so, you're not wanting for applications to increase your productivity. Plus there are some really great apps, I personally endorse Zombie, Run! ;)
I love some of the really great built in stuff, such as the integrated voice commands that are everywhere, just say what you want and the phone can do an incredibly good job of figuring out what you said. It just makes life easier.
Recently I also rooted my phone, something which is practically impossible on the iPhone, which for me is a bit of a fail, either way, it was a very simple process, and I will say this, if you own any android phone, root it, it increases the potential of the phone by no small amount. Being able to run google navigation (a GPS app that costs $99 on the iPhone, ouch) outside america, is superb, and that's just the start.
Of course it has its drawbacks, for example on some apps, the phone can be a little bit sluggish, even with the snapdragon processor, but that's very rarely.
Another criticism I have is that the touch buttons on the bottom of the phone don't sometimes detect when they've been pressed.
But those are a couple of small flies in what is otherwise, some very pleasant ointment.
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