AppliedVisual
Oct 17, 04:36 PM
Few bucks!!! The cheapest HD-DVD player the Toshiba HD-A1 is now under $400. I have seen the XA1 for under $600 now. The cheapest BD player is $999 and don't even bring up the PS3!! People are not going in droves to buy a PS3 just to play their BD-ROM media. Also, it will not even be available for a while.
PS3 = November 24. But if you're not already on a waiting list (and near the front) don't count on getting yours before Christmas.
The only difference between the Toshiba A1 and XA1 is that the XA1 has a different front bezel and a serial control interface. There is no difference in audio, video or other capabilities. Don't buy the XA1 unless you're using an AMX, Crestron, Zantec or similar control system that uses a serial control.
That being said, I saw the RCA version of the A1 at my Local Sam's Club last week for $329.99.
OTOH, when considering the next generation HD-DVD players and announced prices in comparison with BluRay and the curious fact that all HD-DVD features thus far average $8 more from most retailers vs. Blu-Ray, the cost of the two formats is identical to a consumer who picks up a library of about 40 or more films. At current pricing, buying a $1K BluRay player and 100 movies (oh, wait there aren't 100 movies yet), would be cheaper than a $400 HD-DVD player and 100 movies (also not that many yet). So it's too early to tell what's going to happen....
IMO, I wouldn't buy the Samsung BP1000 player anyway. It's a complete turd and there's a lot more wrong with it than the image softening effect going on in the scaler. IMO, I doubt any firmware update is going to fix this player and Samsung is going to try and patch it as best as they can and move on as quietly as possible.
Also the PS3 will be to BluRay what the PS2 was to DVD... It will just be a capable player and nothing more. You won't get the advanced audio capabilities of the BDP-S1 player or the same color depth and image processing hardware. The PS3 uses a software-based player, which does leave some room for future upgrades though. While I have not seen a PS3 in action, I've been two several Sony demonstrations of the BDP-S1 and several of their reps have said that the PS3 will be a second-rate player and primarily a game system.. Well, duh.
Not that it really matters... Current estimages from IGN and others put PS3 pre-order numbers at a staggering 14 million (world-wide). I think that's a gross over-estimate given the PS3's intro price. But even if it's half of that, that pretty much ensures instant BluRay success overnight. Toshiba has yet to ship 200,000 HD-DVD units.
And no I don't think the format "war" will end anytime soon... I just don't see either format losing enough ground to actually be pulled from the market.
PS3 = November 24. But if you're not already on a waiting list (and near the front) don't count on getting yours before Christmas.
The only difference between the Toshiba A1 and XA1 is that the XA1 has a different front bezel and a serial control interface. There is no difference in audio, video or other capabilities. Don't buy the XA1 unless you're using an AMX, Crestron, Zantec or similar control system that uses a serial control.
That being said, I saw the RCA version of the A1 at my Local Sam's Club last week for $329.99.
OTOH, when considering the next generation HD-DVD players and announced prices in comparison with BluRay and the curious fact that all HD-DVD features thus far average $8 more from most retailers vs. Blu-Ray, the cost of the two formats is identical to a consumer who picks up a library of about 40 or more films. At current pricing, buying a $1K BluRay player and 100 movies (oh, wait there aren't 100 movies yet), would be cheaper than a $400 HD-DVD player and 100 movies (also not that many yet). So it's too early to tell what's going to happen....
IMO, I wouldn't buy the Samsung BP1000 player anyway. It's a complete turd and there's a lot more wrong with it than the image softening effect going on in the scaler. IMO, I doubt any firmware update is going to fix this player and Samsung is going to try and patch it as best as they can and move on as quietly as possible.
Also the PS3 will be to BluRay what the PS2 was to DVD... It will just be a capable player and nothing more. You won't get the advanced audio capabilities of the BDP-S1 player or the same color depth and image processing hardware. The PS3 uses a software-based player, which does leave some room for future upgrades though. While I have not seen a PS3 in action, I've been two several Sony demonstrations of the BDP-S1 and several of their reps have said that the PS3 will be a second-rate player and primarily a game system.. Well, duh.
Not that it really matters... Current estimages from IGN and others put PS3 pre-order numbers at a staggering 14 million (world-wide). I think that's a gross over-estimate given the PS3's intro price. But even if it's half of that, that pretty much ensures instant BluRay success overnight. Toshiba has yet to ship 200,000 HD-DVD units.
And no I don't think the format "war" will end anytime soon... I just don't see either format losing enough ground to actually be pulled from the market.
slffl
Oct 11, 10:23 AM
Man I think this 'true' video ipod thing is dumb. Are widescreen TV's called 'true' TVs? Until ALL video content is 16:9, you're going to have black pillars on half your content whether it's 4:3 or 16:9.
Screw a widescreen ipod. Give me the current ipod video with the screen turned sideways and made larger like the zune.
Screw a widescreen ipod. Give me the current ipod video with the screen turned sideways and made larger like the zune.
joefinan
Apr 9, 10:51 AM
It was amusing at first but when you think how much effort went into all those presentations it's not too fair.
How would gizmodo feel if their site kept randomly going offline...?
They had it coming...
What did who have coming?
How would gizmodo feel if their site kept randomly going offline...?
They had it coming...
What did who have coming?
MathiasMag
Jul 23, 12:54 AM
So with all the speak of how unacceptable this is. Who has actually decided that the iPhone 4 is so bad that they returned their phone AND bought another advanced phone? It seems to me that there are a lot of people who has never owned one that are critical, but most of those who actually has bought one are really happy with their phone.
bretm
Sep 30, 09:13 AM
Thats not apart of what a home should be. Homes are for eating, sleeping, loving, and relaxing. A screening room is for... Well, none of those.
I guess you are still in the lets all commute to work and congest the highways and burn all the electricity and gas we can boat. I've gone the route of live and work at home. Much less stress. Much more time for lovin.
I guess you are still in the lets all commute to work and congest the highways and burn all the electricity and gas we can boat. I've gone the route of live and work at home. Much less stress. Much more time for lovin.
kdarling
May 2, 06:10 PM
all I am saying is that it is far more likely that this is a bug than intentional.
+1
I am sure that if I asked anybody today if they thought that file size was too large, they would definitely use their 20/20 hindsight to say "of course it is". I would.
Exactly.
Of course, the right thing to do would've been to take some field trips and/or gather sample data over a week's commute. At least take some time to do some serious thinking about the size.
Unfortunately, Apple says they like to operate "like a startup", shuffling engineers from one project to another. That usually doesn't lead to well debugged software, because there isn't continuous daily code ownership nor time to experiment.
(We're seeing the results of this "startup" mode over and over again, from those incorrect status bar signal levels, to not testing the antenna without a case, to all the Daylight Savings bugs. It's like development code is being left in all over the place. It's not just Apple, either. Such is life these days even in big corporations. They're too cheap to hire enough people.)
So a programmer in such a crunch position probably picked a number out of thin air. Perhaps they turned to a coworker and asked, "How big should I make this cache? A megabyte? Less?" and they answered " Better too much cache than too little. Go for it, make it two megabytes just in case."
Happens all the time in real life. When there's so much code to do and worry about, a person has to pick their time focus, and this one must've seemed inconsequential. As you said, hindsight is easy.
+1
I am sure that if I asked anybody today if they thought that file size was too large, they would definitely use their 20/20 hindsight to say "of course it is". I would.
Exactly.
Of course, the right thing to do would've been to take some field trips and/or gather sample data over a week's commute. At least take some time to do some serious thinking about the size.
Unfortunately, Apple says they like to operate "like a startup", shuffling engineers from one project to another. That usually doesn't lead to well debugged software, because there isn't continuous daily code ownership nor time to experiment.
(We're seeing the results of this "startup" mode over and over again, from those incorrect status bar signal levels, to not testing the antenna without a case, to all the Daylight Savings bugs. It's like development code is being left in all over the place. It's not just Apple, either. Such is life these days even in big corporations. They're too cheap to hire enough people.)
So a programmer in such a crunch position probably picked a number out of thin air. Perhaps they turned to a coworker and asked, "How big should I make this cache? A megabyte? Less?" and they answered " Better too much cache than too little. Go for it, make it two megabytes just in case."
Happens all the time in real life. When there's so much code to do and worry about, a person has to pick their time focus, and this one must've seemed inconsequential. As you said, hindsight is easy.
Hastings101
Apr 5, 03:45 PM
Gee, this sounds exciting
MacRumors
Oct 2, 02:53 PM
http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif (http://www.macrumors.com)
Jon Lech Johansen, or "DVD Jon", is getting back into the ring with Apple's Fairplay (http://featured.gigaom.com/2006/10/02/dvd-jon-fairplays-apple/) according to GigOM's Liz Gannes. This time, however, Jon plans to replicate Fairplay so that other companies can sell songs in iPod-compatible formats (similar to what Navio (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/05/20060522152531.shtml) and Real's Harmony (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2004/07/20040725235143.shtml) have previously attempted). According to the article, at least one unnamed company is already on board.
Earlier this summer, Jon joined with Monique Farantzos to create DoubleTwist Ventures, the company face to Jon's recent endeavor. Apparently, Apple's recently announced iTV (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/09/20060912161621.shtml) has spurred Jon and Farantzos' entrepreneurial spirit:
[Jon] and Farantzos were giddy about the prospect of Apple�s iTV, hoping companies will pay up to get movies on the set-top box when it comes out, after seeing the ill effects of being shut off the iPod. Spurned by Apple? Step right up.
Jon has apparently already spoken to Steve Jobs on vague terms about his business ideas.
Jobs apparently warned that while Apple was not a litigious company, other tech firms might not take kindly to whatever DVD Jon might be up to.
DVD Jon had previously circumvented Fairplay's DRM in 2003 (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2003/11/20031122001549.shtml), and since then multiple other tools have appeared to provide similar functionality for updated versions of Quicktime/iTunes. Jon is also credited for developing an algorithm named deCSS to strip a DVD of its encryption (called Content Scrambling System, or CSS), hence his nickname.
Jon Lech Johansen, or "DVD Jon", is getting back into the ring with Apple's Fairplay (http://featured.gigaom.com/2006/10/02/dvd-jon-fairplays-apple/) according to GigOM's Liz Gannes. This time, however, Jon plans to replicate Fairplay so that other companies can sell songs in iPod-compatible formats (similar to what Navio (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/05/20060522152531.shtml) and Real's Harmony (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2004/07/20040725235143.shtml) have previously attempted). According to the article, at least one unnamed company is already on board.
Earlier this summer, Jon joined with Monique Farantzos to create DoubleTwist Ventures, the company face to Jon's recent endeavor. Apparently, Apple's recently announced iTV (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/09/20060912161621.shtml) has spurred Jon and Farantzos' entrepreneurial spirit:
[Jon] and Farantzos were giddy about the prospect of Apple�s iTV, hoping companies will pay up to get movies on the set-top box when it comes out, after seeing the ill effects of being shut off the iPod. Spurned by Apple? Step right up.
Jon has apparently already spoken to Steve Jobs on vague terms about his business ideas.
Jobs apparently warned that while Apple was not a litigious company, other tech firms might not take kindly to whatever DVD Jon might be up to.
DVD Jon had previously circumvented Fairplay's DRM in 2003 (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2003/11/20031122001549.shtml), and since then multiple other tools have appeared to provide similar functionality for updated versions of Quicktime/iTunes. Jon is also credited for developing an algorithm named deCSS to strip a DVD of its encryption (called Content Scrambling System, or CSS), hence his nickname.
jive
Sep 12, 07:30 AM
Disney own/are part of Buena Vista - who make a shedload of movies.
micahR
Nov 8, 02:10 PM
I was on multiplayer earlier, you'd be surprised at how many thousands of people are already on it, via pre-orders I assume and different timezones judging by the different accents people had.
So just change the timezone and you are golden. :)
So just change the timezone and you are golden. :)
AppleScruff1
Apr 11, 06:00 PM
I wouldn't bother arguing *LTD* about this. Many have tried and failed. He simply refuses to accept that Redmond has produced some quality products without ripping off Apple. Each versions of every Microsoft products have their +'s and -'s. Recently, with Windows 7, Office IE9, WP7; Microsoft have been churning out some quality, solid, software. Not to mention what a great success the Xbox has turned out to be. Yes, they are not always the first to have some features in their products, but neither are Apple at times. Fast user switching is one that springs to mind.
Just because they licence their software to a range of hardware companies, *LTD* automatically thinks they are trash. And, yes, some of their products have been trash. But so have Apple's at times.
No need to argue or try to change his mind. When someone is very close minded there is no reasoning.
Just because they licence their software to a range of hardware companies, *LTD* automatically thinks they are trash. And, yes, some of their products have been trash. But so have Apple's at times.
No need to argue or try to change his mind. When someone is very close minded there is no reasoning.
k8to
Nov 17, 11:44 AM
To software, AMD and Intel are compatable parts. They aren't identical, but most software won't care at all. So this wouldn't be a "switch" like IBM to x86. Nothing disruptive.
The question is, of course, where is the lower-power AMD cpu. Tulatins are not _bad_ chips for power efficiency, but they're certainly bested by core 2 duo. The lack of any strong competition makes this rumour just that.
The question is, of course, where is the lower-power AMD cpu. Tulatins are not _bad_ chips for power efficiency, but they're certainly bested by core 2 duo. The lack of any strong competition makes this rumour just that.
Liquorpuki
Oct 6, 02:31 PM
When I was on Verizon, I could drive from Silicon Valley down to LA and not get dropped once.
Now that I'm on AT&T, on my 40 mile drive home on the 101 from downtown LA to the West Valley, I regularly get dropped 2 to 3 times - usually at the Lankershim and Winnetka exits.
It is what it is
Now that I'm on AT&T, on my 40 mile drive home on the 101 from downtown LA to the West Valley, I regularly get dropped 2 to 3 times - usually at the Lankershim and Winnetka exits.
It is what it is
NebulaClash
May 3, 08:07 AM
Believe what you will. I have a MBP with gestures and I find some useful and some annoying. I can do fine artwork with a mouse and Photoshop (stylus is even more useful), but I can't do it with a piddly trackpad. I would not want to play 3D shooter games with a trackpad either. In other words, trackpads have their uses and are getting better for some tasks with gestures, but they're not the answer to life, the universe and everything either. Every task has its ideal tool. You don't throw out hand tools because air tools are available. They're unsuited for many tasks (particularly delicate ones).
You gave more details, but that's precisely my point. There will always be some uses for a mouse just as there are some uses for a chain saw. But just as most people won't need a chain saw in their daily lives, there is coming a point when most people won't have a need for a mouse in their daily lives. You want to use one for Photoshop? Keep using it. But most people do not use Photoshop, and that's my point.
We have been forced to use a mouse for *everything*, even when it was the worst option. Now we have direct hand gestures for when it makes sense. And we will have a mouse for when it makes sense for a mouse. My point is that most people will use gestures, while only certain specialized users will employ the mouse. Web surfing, email, media use, reading, many games, all of these things work *better* with gestures. That covers the majority of user's needs right there, and that's my point.
By 2020, mouse usage will be the minority.
You gave more details, but that's precisely my point. There will always be some uses for a mouse just as there are some uses for a chain saw. But just as most people won't need a chain saw in their daily lives, there is coming a point when most people won't have a need for a mouse in their daily lives. You want to use one for Photoshop? Keep using it. But most people do not use Photoshop, and that's my point.
We have been forced to use a mouse for *everything*, even when it was the worst option. Now we have direct hand gestures for when it makes sense. And we will have a mouse for when it makes sense for a mouse. My point is that most people will use gestures, while only certain specialized users will employ the mouse. Web surfing, email, media use, reading, many games, all of these things work *better* with gestures. That covers the majority of user's needs right there, and that's my point.
By 2020, mouse usage will be the minority.
Schmye Bubbula
Mar 25, 12:57 PM
I don't think I've ever seen such a consistent troll on any forum."Consistent" is an understatement.If you think that John Siracusa (or citations thereto) is a troll, then your ignorance is breathtaking. (The absence of your actually addressing the issue at hand in lieu of ad hominem attacks is conspicuous and dubious.)
AHDuke99
Apr 15, 04:07 PM
The only thing that makes me call BS is the fact that it looks to be completely metal. Apple would need it to be plastic or rubber, otherwise signal issues will be even worse than it is with the current 3G and 3GS.
bretm
Sep 30, 09:13 AM
Thats not apart of what a home should be. Homes are for eating, sleeping, loving, and relaxing. A screening room is for... Well, none of those.
I guess you are still in the lets all commute to work and congest the highways and burn all the electricity and gas we can boat. I've gone the route of live and work at home. Much less stress. Much more time for lovin.
I guess you are still in the lets all commute to work and congest the highways and burn all the electricity and gas we can boat. I've gone the route of live and work at home. Much less stress. Much more time for lovin.
baryon
Apr 5, 04:46 PM
I don't know why you people don't like this. Apple announced iAds like a year ago, and I still haven't seen a single one. I'm simply curious about seeing at least one iAd to see what all the fuss is about. This App allows you to see an iAd so you can know what it is, as no one has actually really implemented them yet. This is probably the only place that has iAds in.
Samurai
Jan 9, 04:12 PM
Are we sure that Apple didn't post the Keynote on iTunes this year ?
SilentPanda
Apr 21, 10:48 AM
Am I meant to be able to rate my own post?
If you click the down arrow on your own post, it should just delete the post IMO.
If you click the down arrow on your own post, it should just delete the post IMO.
marktwain
Nov 24, 07:15 PM
The Apple store onine and the retail stores are not offering double dicounts...you will have to choose the sale price OR your education / corporate discount. If you found a location that gives both, they aren't following the published guidelines. Good for you, but it doesn't mean the other locations will follow suite.
Kashchei
Jan 10, 08:16 PM
A lot of whining on these forums the second they reopen.
Other than that certainty:
MacBook Pro update - maybe new enclosure
Mac Mini update ( minor and silent )
Some major new product ( i.e., ultra mobile laptop )
iPhone SDK ( crippled, of course )
I'm hoping for new mouse
Hopefully not a long iPhone related presentation borefest
Beautifully put, especially that last bit.
From your mouth (keyboard) to God's (Steve Jobs') ear
Other than that certainty:
MacBook Pro update - maybe new enclosure
Mac Mini update ( minor and silent )
Some major new product ( i.e., ultra mobile laptop )
iPhone SDK ( crippled, of course )
I'm hoping for new mouse
Hopefully not a long iPhone related presentation borefest
Beautifully put, especially that last bit.
From your mouth (keyboard) to God's (Steve Jobs') ear
gregnv
May 3, 04:45 PM
Android 2.3 (and I think 2.2) support wi/fi tethering in the OS, no app needed. If you have an android phone with 2.2 or 2.3 (I do because ATT service sucked where I live), just select SETTINGS then WIRELESS & Networks, then "Tethering & portable hotspot" to set the phone up as a wi/fi hub with data access.
I haven't used the iphone in a while (since moving to T-MO), so I don't know if IOS supports something similar.
(using a Nexus One)
I haven't used the iphone in a while (since moving to T-MO), so I don't know if IOS supports something similar.
(using a Nexus One)
airforce1
May 2, 10:50 AM
Google's approach is completely different. When phones running the Google OS detect any wireless network, they beam its MAC address, signal strength and GPS coordinates to Google servers, along with the unique ID of the handset.
You can check if any androids have reported your home network to google by inputting your router's MAC here:
http://samy.pl/androidmap/
yup
Apple on the other hand decided to go above the law, after all it must feel powerful now that they have starving Chinese sweatshop workers sign suicide agreements after known they will be driven to the point of no return
You can check if any androids have reported your home network to google by inputting your router's MAC here:
http://samy.pl/androidmap/
yup
Apple on the other hand decided to go above the law, after all it must feel powerful now that they have starving Chinese sweatshop workers sign suicide agreements after known they will be driven to the point of no return
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