mind this - by Lars Plougmann

The iPhone without the 'phone

"An iPod Touch and two MacBook Pro, please." During an errand to the Apple store to get MacBook Pros for new Headshift starters I gave in to the temptation to get an iPod Touch. When I first saw it last week, I knew I wanted one. I don't often listen to music on the go, but something that works better with podcasts than my small mp3 stick was welcome.

Something else I have been on the lookout for is wireless internet access in a small device,  so the Touch turns out to be a 2-in-1 device for me and I expect that I will be using it without headphones half of the time.

But add a photo viewer, video viewing and an address book into the incredibly beautiful and sleek device and it just gets better. It seems to do what the iPhone does, except the phone and camera bits. For that matter, GPS, Bluetooth and a Geiger counter are also missing.

Amidst the fascination, there are also irritating limitations. I can buy music directly from the iTunes store from the Touch over wifi but if I want to download a podcast/videocast (such as TEDtalks) I have to do it via a proper computer and sync it across. The elegant interface makes photo zooming a blast but I can't work out how to rotate a photo and the software does not recognise the orientation setting in jpeg files. But the biggest question is why there is no access to install applications. I am itching to use it for instant messaging but perhaps because the Touch shares so much with the iPhone that the likes of Skype is kept away from the platform to protect mobile phone companies' revenue. Some of the limitations and quirks will probably be addressed with software updates (the first one has been released and it is 150 Mb) while others remain except if you hack the device.

Does this mean that I won't get the iPhone when it becomes available in the UK on 9 November? Possibly. No doubt that there is a 3G iPhone in the future, so the iPod Touch may just be able to tide me over until such a device becomes available. Well, if I can live without the Geiger counter, that is.

Tags: Apple iPod iPod Touch iPhone

Mobile software to the rescue while we wait for the Apple iPhone

  The Apple iPhone, admired 
  Originally uploaded by stewtopia.

About 11 months left on my mobile phone contract and the Apple iPhone coming out by the end of 2007 seems a relevant coincidence. (Announced availability is June 2007 in North America, late 2007 in Europe and 2008 in Asia.)

When I bought a new phone in mid-2006, the choices were so disappointing that I went with the same model that I had used for 18 months. None of the smart phones in the market offered functionality that warranted the extra weight and volume. The Motorola V3 won because of the form factor and I have learned to endure the cumbersome menu system. (Nokia's interface seems designed for people while Motorola's menus seem designed by engineers for engineers.)

Recently, however, the V3 has become more useful to me with the addition of a few pieces of software and a data subscription:

• Gmail Mobile - great email interface for a small screen, full Gmail functionality, even allows me to read information in PDF attachments.
• Google Maps Mobile - maps and satellite photos that work surprisingly well on the small screen.
• Opera Mini - makes browsing the web on a mobile phone bearable.

The T-Mobile Web n Walk plan promises 'unlimited' internet access for £7.50 per month ($14.50) but in reality it has a maximum of 1Gb/month and you are not allowed to use it as a laptop modem or for instant messaging, Skype, music, video etc.

When the Apple iPhone becomes available, will the network operators offer relevant and affordable contracts or will the iPhone become a nice phone with a music play that you can use for semi-mobile internet access only when you are near a wifi hot spot?

Tags: Apple iPhone Apple iPhone Motorola Motorola V3 Nokia Gmail Mobile Google Google Maps Opera Mini Apple iPhone T-Mobile gadgets smartphone

In a Parallels universe

I started work for a new client this week. It is a large organisation undergoing massive changes. We are discussing how a wiki would serve as a project hub and how the power of many minds could be harnessed when documenting procedures in areas where consistency is key but geographical separation is the reality. Part of the work is more traditional and draws on my management consulting experience from years ago (does one ever stop thinking like a consultant?).

My white MacBook is my main work tool. I switch it into Windows mode using Parallels so that I work using the same formats as everybody else. Today, IT approved connecting my MacBook in Windows disguise to their network. They even installed Novell and Notes for me without a glitch (except when Novell required the Ctrl-Alt-Del keystrokes to log on - the Mac doesn't have a Delete key - and we had to find the substitute keys).

One learning point from the exercise: I have to start making use of the power of virtual machines that the Parallels software offers. Instead of just installing the client's required networking and email software on the Windows virtual machine, I should have made a copy of the virtual machine specifically for that purpose. That way I can just delete it again when the project comes to a close instead of taking the trouble to remove the Novell software (if possible). A virtual machine is just a file in the Apple operating system. I have to get my mind around that.

Tags: MacBook Apple virtual machine Parallels Windows wiki collaboration consulting

The white MacBook

It took two weeks for Apple to ship it and I was abroad when it arrived, but I am writing this on my new Apple MacBook. Beautiful machine - like an A4 size iPod - great screen and a good-looking operating system. The box it came in was good-looking. Even the styrofoam within the box was good-looking; it made me wonder if styrofoam design is a full time position.

Now all I have to do is get familiar with it; I have never used a Mac before. Starting anew means scope for changes. First actions were installing Firefox and Skype, next the Firefox extensions I have come to depend upon. No doubt there is a host of useful utilities out there that would enrich my life and boost productivity - I would love to hear from existing Mac users what they have found valuable.

Apple came out with the MacBook the day after I had ordered a MacBook Pro. The non-Pro version is better value for me so I changed my order and saved some £800. My spec has 80 Gb disk and 1 Gb memory which more than matches the black version without paying the premium for black colour.

Talking to other Mac owners (the Reboot conference gave me plenty of opportunity: some 70% of attendees seemed to use Macs) makes me want to try out Parallels for when it is necessary to use a Windows app. It would also allow me to experiment with Linux if time allows.

Tags: apple macbook parallels styrofoam

Boring, boring, backup, boring

I have lost data. Luckily, not recently. But having used computers since 1980 (running Visicalc on the HP-85 lab computer) I have suffered my share of hard disk crashes, degaussed storage media or software that obliterated data.

When you work at a large company (and many smaller ones too), you often don't need to worry about backing up your data. It is done automatically on your behalf. That is, if you behave the way the IT department expects: You store important files in the document management system and you connect to the network regularly so that your data can be backed up while you work. Many users are not aware that their data is being backed up, or they don't trust the backup system, or they don't expect the restore procedure to be quick and hassle-free. Storage is in high demand these days as users decide that their important documents are safer in triplicate: A copy on the local harddisk, one in the document management system and one sent off to trusted colleagues via email. Maybe put an extra copy on a USB memory key just to be safe. But enough about my favourite subject of procedures and systems pitted against human nature.

Setting up my own company - and computing environment - I intend to take sufficient precaution to protect against loss of client data. Having a good backup system in place becomes a question of productivity and reputation.

The set-up I am planning consists of: A shared disk connected to the network, a secure on-line backup service and backup software to automate the backup process (taking the tediousness out of backing up while ensuring it gets done). I haven't decided on the backup software yet, so things are still manual. For the on-line backup service I am considering something like Iron Mountain's Connected service although I need to ensure it works with multiple operating systems.

With respect to my on-site local backup, I may have acted too quickly when opting for network attached storage (NAS). The 400 Gb LaCie Ethernet Disk Mini that I bought seemed like a good solution at a good price, and I like the design (that is important too, I don't have a server room). But it is not the ideal solution for my purpose. First of all, it is painfully slow, file transfers and folder browsing alike. Second, While the disk can be shared, you cannot set up access rights to specific folders. Third, and probably my biggest mistake, it houses a single disk so there is no redundancy.

Backup is boring until you lose data. Then it turns to frustration. There is a growing market offering backup solutions not only for small businesses but for home users as well. Armed with digital cameras wherever we go, we are all becoming producers of data that is valuable to us at a rate of 3 Mb per click (a weekend trip quickly becomes half a Gb of data). CD and DVD writers have been marketed as a way to make copies of valuable information but expect to see in the near future systems being marketed with more advanced backup solutions requiring less work on behalf of the user. Because the only thing more boring than talking about backup is actually doing it.

Tags: backup iron mountain LaCie NAS human nature small business startup

Bookmark this phone

When my phone was stolen, I looked forward to getting a new model - taking advantage of the extra 18 months of product development cycle. Or so I thought.

While the capabilities of the smartphones on the market are attractive, they are still too much of a compromise in terms of size. The form factor of my previous phone suited me very well so I set out to see if Motorola had upgraded the Razr V3 or if Nokia had come up with a better model. The answers were 'not really' and 'no'. So I ended up buying the V3 again: Nice shape, cool metal finish but sub-optimal menu system.

At least it is still useful when reading books: The clam shell design makes for an excellent bookmark with enough weight to keep a hardback open on a table.

The enduring popularity of street crime

The article in The Economist from which the headline is borrowed was on my mind today, a few moments after I became a street crime statistic myself. A classic smash-grab-run, it was over quickly. Daylight, walking through the park, talking to my sister, other people on their way home from work. Then two tall guys, a few punches, sprinting away with my mobile phone.
    Some helpful people called the police who appeared in two cars within a few minutes and broadcast the vague description we were able to give of the muggers. Later, the mandatory call to the phone company to block the SIM card and the phone.
    But if the phone is blocked from working with any SIM card, as the phone company assured me, what is the value of the device to my assailants unless they are design students? My guess is that the ease with which you can get your phone unleashed from the tie-in used by many phone companies to prevent you signing on with a competing service also works for stolen phones.
    Is there a market for better algorithms to protect wearable devices like phones, music players and cameras? Or are those algorithms inexorably linked to service provider tie-in and DRM shunned by consumers?
    Technology should be one of the weapons we use to fight crime, especially when attractive technology is a contributing factor of crime. (This year, 100,000 people in the UK will get mugged because of their mobile phone.) Better locking, tracking or clever use of the in-built camera to transmit photos of who is handling the phone ("this phone is equipped with MugShot™"). But maybe solutions can be more creative as well: Top of the line phones that are indistinguishable from cheap ones, unattractive colours or personalisation to such a degree that the phone is a pain to use for others?
    Leave a comment if you want to share your opinion. Don't call me just yet.

At least 6 megapixels

A spate of new digital cameras are being introduced at the PMA 2006 show in Orlando. If you are planning to buy a new digital camera, don't consider anything with a resolution below 6 million pixels. That is the minimum required to enter the 2006 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. 

The 2005 exhibition is on, until 23 April 2006, at the Natural History Museum in London and the photos are amazing.

How to buy new gadgets

The world is full of stuff that we desire. If 'stuff' falls into the electronic gadgets category, buying it is fraught with some peculiar aspects:

• It costs a lot of money
• Price differentials across borders can be significant
• Soon, there will be a new and better model available
• The price keeps dropping

Together, these aspects can lead to inaction. In itself, this can be a good thing because it saves you money, both in the short and the long run. But it can also be too sad because you never get to own the digital camera / tablet PC / GPS unit / music player / sports watch that no doubt would result in boundless improvement to your life.

Here are the ten rules I typically employ when buying a new piece of kit:

1. Strike at the right time. Wait until living without it becomes unbearable. Then do your research and make your decision. This way you make the most of steadily decreasing prices.
2. Buy the latest model. Even if the most significant price reductions occur when a new model is launched it is just too depressing to buy something that is already obsolete. Don't trust shops to offer you the latest model, always check with the manufacturer's website.
3. Search for the best price. Despite the transparency brought about by online catalogues and tools like froogle or bizrate, there are still huge variations in prices.
4. Check ebay. Those times are long gone when ebay was an exchange just for used stuff. Many shops use ebay as an additional sales channel and countless individuals are ready to help you engage in a bit of geographic arbitrage - as per point 5.
5. Maintain a 'shoppers without borders' mentality. Exploit price differences between countries and tax-free shopping outlets but remember to factor in any shipping fees and import duties. Avoid products that come without a global warranty.
6. Check off-line. Some stores will offer to beat the prices of online retailers. Give them the opportunity.
7. Think commissions. Was it an in-depth review at dpreview or another website that made you decide on a particular digital camera? If so, consider following a link from the website to the cheapest online retailer when completing your purchase. This will earn sites with helpful analysis and advice a percentage of the sale. You decide who deserves it.
8. Buy the main unit and disregard accessories. It is a well-known tactic to offer accessories at grossly higher margins than the electronic gadget itself. Just say no to the additional stuff you are offered. You can always buy it later when you know what you need, and third party products may be better for your purpose.
9. Help others while your knowledge is still relevant. Once you get your shiny new toy, you have about six weeks to help friends and family with their decision process if they are looking for a similar gadget. After that time, your market analysis is likely to be rendered obsolete by new product introductions and shifts in relative prices.
10. Enjoy your new gadget. Once you have bought it, never ever give in to curiosity: Stop checking prices. Let it rest. Because you have what you wanted and you know could have gotten it cheaper if you had waited.

Tags: gadgets shopping prices transparency advice google froogle bizrate

Piecing together the surface of the planet

I have previously referred to my passions for photography and cartography/GPS and how the two come together in the discipline of geotagging.
We have yet to see if the Google Maps service, providing satellite photos of the surface of the planet, will be affected by governments worried that secret installations are exposed to a worldwide audience. (See if you can find the Yongbyon nuclear research facility in North Korea.)
Aerial photos offer better resolution than Google Maps'. Amateur aerial photos may prove to be the next step in increasing the quality and update frequency of maps with real visuals. Photographs from window seats on scheduled flights could be geotagged and stitched together to form a canvas of the Earth's surface.
Through the lens of Doc Searls' camera, more than 1,000 photos from the air are avaialable on flickr, where a group is dedicated to the purpose.
Besides being useful for navigation, education and planning, there is something inherently fascinating about images of Earth from above.