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- R.I.P. Computer Mouse? Not So Fast
“The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated!" quipped Mark Twain after a newspaper prematurely published his obituary. I think the same applies to CNET’s Dan Ackerman contending in R.I.P. The Computer Mouse, 1972-2010. Ackerman thinks that something being largely overlooked amidst the tsunami of iPad hype is what he deems its biggest potential “achievement” — that Apple’s touchscreen quasi-PC might have finally struck a fatal blow to the longstanding standard of computer input devices, the computer mouse.“Make no mistake about it,” Dan says, “the era of the familiar PC mouse is coming to an end. It may not be a 2012-style apocalypse (and the mouse will surely hang on in some form for many years to come), but the door is slowly shutting on the universal acceptance of this single iconic piece of hardware that we have equated with personal computing for decades….”
I beg to differ.
Dan suggests that the mouse will be replaced by an array of touch input devices and icon-focused operating systems built (not always for the better, I congratulate him for acknowledging) around expediency over flexibility, noting that touchscreen tablet PCs have been around for years but never generated more than niche-level consumer interest until Apple’s iPhone, followed by the iPod touch, changed that, finally popularizing one-to-one touch among the masses. At least to a point.
Disruptive Success
Dan predicts “disruptive success” for the iPad in building a larger touch environment that has so far received almost universal praise, noting that while it may not be as productivity-friendly as your ThinkPad or MacBook (to say the least), he thinks adding a Bluetooth keyboard and Apple’s iWork apps will give you a reasonable approximation of a laptop experience.
I disagree. One of my biggest gripes about the iPad is its lack of support for the very device Dan Ackerman seems enthusiastic about shoveling dirt on the coffin of — the mouse. Even with an external keyboard, you still have to poke around on the too-easily-smeared-with-finger-grease touchscreen for pointing, clicking, and dragging, the body-English associated with which, even when the iPad is mounted on a stand or dock, can most charitably be described as awkward and non-intuitive, involving reaching past the keyboard at a clumsy angle.
Touchpads a Touchscreen Trojan Horse?
Ackerman, suggests that multitouch touchpads have served as a Trojan Horse for touchscreens for some years now, with laptops outselling desktop PCs and the portables’ ubiquitous touchpads acclimating people to touch control, Apple again leading the way, incorporating multitouch gestures into its oversized trackpads, observing that nowadays it’s hard to find a laptop touchpad that doesn’t support some kind of swiping, zooming, or flipping with two or more fingers.
Well, yes, but…I’m a dyed-in-the-wool laptop computer aficionado, and I own an aluminum unibody MacBook that supports Apple’s latest gesture-supporting multitouch trackpad technology, but guess what? I virtually never make use of it, with my MacBook spending most of its runtime mounted on a stand hooked up to an external keyboard, and not only one conventional mouse, but also a rollerbar, a foot mouse, and from time to time trackballs, freestanding touchpads, or a graphics tablet — all input modes that appeal to me a great deal more than pawing the display screen.
Even on my other laptops that I use in mobile mode, I almost always hook up an external mouse if I’m going to be using the machine for more than a few minutes at a time, and I always carry a mouse in my laptop case or backpack.
Touch Migrating Beyond Tablets and Smartphones
Ackerman concedes that the laptop-to-iPad comparison may not be a one-to-one match, and that the tablet device is not a fully workable replacement for even a netbook for on-the-go computing, but remains adamant that icon-driven touch interfaces will continue to migrate into more-traditional laptops and netbooks, with OS desktop interfaces increasingly presented in a manner supporting different input methods, such as touch, instead of being primarily mouse-driven.
That view is, regrettably, corroborated by a recent Gartner Group report that predicts more than 50 percent of PCs purchased for users under the age of 15 will have touchscreens by 2015. “What we’re going to see is the younger generation beginning to use touchscreen computers ahead of enterprises,” comments Leslie Fiering, Gartner research vice president. “By 2015, we expect more than 50 percent of PCs purchased for users under the age of 15 will have touchscreens, up from fewer than 2 percent in 2009.”
Schism Developing Between Touch Aficionados and Professional Traditionalists
However, Gartner also perceives a developing schism between younger consumer users and serious workers in the enterprise, projecting that fewer than 10 percent of PCs sold to enterprises for mainstream knowledge workers in 2015 will have touchscreens.
Gartner predicts the overwhelming majority of slate, tablet and touch-enabled convertible devices planned for 2010 will have a consumer focus, and that resistance to touch-enabled devices’ adoption by serious workers in the enterprise can be attributed to heavy requirements for typing and text input, the “muscle memory” of mouse users, and the potential problems of moving a user’s hands from the keyboard to the touchscreen creating particular adoption barriers for knowledge workers. It will be consumers and education users who will form the preponderance of earliest adopters for touch-enabled PCs and notebooks.
“As with many recent technology advances, touch adoption will be led by consumers and only gradually get accepted by the enterprise,” says Ms. Fiering. “What will be different here is the expected widespread adoption of touch by education, so that an entire generation will graduate within the next 10 to 15 years for whom touch input is totally natural.”
Even Dan Ackerman admits computer mice are not going to disappear overnight, despite the premature obituary in his column’s title, but he still contends that like New York Times obits for aging celebrities, the computer mouse has already been written and filed away, and it may not be that long before it gets to run. I suggest and hope it will be a good long time yet before that becomes necessary.
Image courtesy of Flickr user raneko
Переслать - Alice on the iPad: Is This the Future of Books?
I don’t have an iPad, but watching this amazing video (embedded below) demonstrating the Alice in Wonderland app made me want to run out and get one — and if I had a young child, it would make me want to get one even faster. I know that many people believe reading should be a quiet and relaxing activity, and that there’s nothing quite like communing with the pages of a well-read classic, but this video makes reading “Alice in Wonderland” look like…well, it looks like a lot of fun. And I have a feeling if Charles Lutwidge Dodson (i.e., Lewis Carroll) could see his story represented like this, he would probably think it was kind of fun as well.
The app comes from Atomic Antelope, which makes iPhone apps, including one called Bauble that lets you turn your iPhone into the world’s most expensive Christmas card. The Alice app brings an interactive element to the pages of this children’s classic, with features that are based on the original illustrations and allow readers to stretch Alice’s body when she comes to the table with the “Drink Me” bottle, to throw tarts at the Queen of Hearts and watch them bounce off her, and to rock the baby that turns into a pig. The app costs $8.99, although there’s also a free “lite” version. Chris Stevens, one half of Atomic Antelope, wrote about creating the app here.
So is this the future of e-books — every book its own app? It’s certainly a great example of the kind of full-color and interactivity and motion (using the accelerometer) that isn’t possible on other e-readers. These kinds of apps could certainly help the tablet app market hit the $8 billion-mark that GigaOM Pro analyst Mike Wolf forecast it would in a recent report on the sector (sub req’d). It’s also a sign of the creativity that traditional publishers seem to lack, as they try to maintain their traditional stranglehold on book prices in the online world, as Paul Sweeting detailed in this recent GigaOM Pro analysis. Now I’m trying to imagine what a Dr. Seuss book would look like as an iPad app.
Переслать - Apple Delays International iPad Release Date by One Month
For those of us who aren’t in the U.S. (or who aren’t willing to pay the markups on Craigslist and other sources to get early access), that “late April” international release date for the iPad was getting tantalizingly close. That’s why Apple’s announcement of a delay for international release today comes as such a disappointment.That’s right, the “late April” date is off the table, and now buyers outside of the U.S. will have to wait until at least late May before they can get their hands on the much sought-after device. At least we have one firm date to look forward to, though, as Apple did announce that May 10 would be the day it would begin taking pre-orders for international sales. The delivery date is still ambiguous, mind you.
Pricing will also be announced on the May 10 pre-order date, but not before, so you won’t know exactly how many ducats you have to put aside in advance. Personally, I’m going to be quite irate if the pricing is that much different here in Canada, where our dollar is pretty much at parity. Of course, if they do charge something ridiculous, it’s nothing a quick trip to Buffalo can’t fix.
The reason Apple gives behind the delay doesn’t come as a surprise. Basically, the company is saying that with over 500,000 units sold in the first week alone, demand is simply far outpacing supply. The press release doesn’t talk about specific numbers for 3G pre-orders, but it does imply that those, too, are beyond what the company expected to have to ship at the end of this month in the U.S. market alone.
Apple is quite optimistic about the attitudes its potential international customers will take regarding the news:
We know that many international customers waiting to buy an iPad will be disappointed by this news, but we hope they will be pleased to learn the reason–the iPad is a runaway success in the US thus far.
Yes, that’s right, they just want us to be happy for them. Well, I for one am just ecstatic that I get to twiddle my thumbs and download iPad apps for a device I have yet to own for another whole month. Thanks very much for your conservative launch sales estimate, Apple.
Kidding aside, strong sales do bode well for all iPad customers, even if some have to wait a little longer to get their hands on one. It means the platform is not in any danger of losing support from the development community or Apple itself anytime soon, as might have been the case if the launch was a total flop.
Переслать - Apple Updates MacBook Pros
Nearly a year after the last MacBook Pro update, and months after Intel launched its latest mobile CPU, Apple has added Core i5 and Core i7 CPUs to the MacBook Pro…or at least most of them. The 13″ MacBook Pro will continue to use the Core 2 brand of CPU technology first introduced in 2006. Apple Senior VP Phil Schiller carefully avoided that point in an ebullient press release.
“The new MacBook Pro is as advanced on the inside as it is stunning on the outside. With faster processors, amazing graphics and up to three more hours of battery life, the new MacBook Pro delivers both performance and efficiency."
Those amazing graphics would be the NVIDIA GeForce 320M for the 13″ MacBook Pro and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M for the 15″ and 17″ MacBook Pros. Regarding battery life, Apple now claims a jaw-dropping 10 hours of battery life for the 13″ MacBook Pro, and between eight and nine hours for the 15″ and 17″ MacBook Pros.
Besides CPU speed increases, larger hard drives were added across the lineup, and the base configuration for RAM was increased from 2GB to 4GB. Pricing remained largely static, except for the 15″ MacBook Pro, which saw an increase from $1,699 to $1,799. While there aren’t really any big surprises, like USB3, there are a few small ones in the specs.
The 13″ MacBook Pro has two models: a 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo and 250GB hard drive at $1,199; a 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo and 320GB hard drive priced at $1,499.
The 15″ MacBook Pro has three models: a 2.4 GHz Intel Core i5, NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M and 320GB hard drive at $1,799; a 2.53 GHz Intel Core i5, NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M and 500GB hard drive at $1,999; and one with a 2.66 GHz Intel Core i7, NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M and 500GB hard drive at $2,199.
The new 17-inch MacBook Pro features a 2.53 GHz Intel Core i5, NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M and 500GB hard drive for $2,299.
Beyond the specs, the focus is on the 13″ MacBook Pro, which got an insignificant speed bump instead of the Intel Core i5. However, it could be argued that by staying with the Core 2 Duo for the 13″ MacBook Pro, Apple kept the price down and the battery life up…way up. In contrast, the 15″ MacBook Pro, which in certain circumstances could be as much as 50 percent faster than the previous model, costs $100 more and lags behind the 13″ MacBook Pro in battery life.
While it’s no surprise that the 15″ and 17″ MacBook Pros got advanced NVIDIA GPUs, there was reason to be concerned about the 13″ MacBook Pro. Because of the legal battle between NVIDIA and Intel over chipsets, it was a distinct possibility that the 13″ MacBook Pro would be stuck with whatever poor-performing Intel HD graphics. Instead, the 13″ MacBook Pro got the NVIDIA GeForce 320M, integrated graphics, but without the Intel suck.
Interestingly, the 15″ and 17″ MacBook Pro did get stuck with Intel HD graphics, but only when it doesn’t matter. When a real GPU is needed, the high-end MacBook Pros have the NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M, and the ability to “seamlessly” switch between integrated and discrete GPUs. Optionally the high-end MacBook Pros can be upgraded to the Core i7 for another $200, as well as higher resolution and anti-glare displays,
If there’s anything missing from these updates, besides the Core i5 in the 13″ MacBook Pro, it’s USB 3. While it might not matter now, in a year or two when many people are still using their Core i5 MacBook Pros it definitely will. A USB 3 update, along with Core i5 for the 13″ MacBook Pro will likely be seen in the fall, so perspective buyers might want to consider how long they intend on owning their next MacBook Pro before buying today.
Переслать - Opera Mini Brings Choice To The App Store
After much debate and speculation as to whether or not Apple would accept it, Opera’s mobile browser, known as Opera Mini, is now finally available for the iPhone and can be downloaded from the App Store.
The free browser application, which prides itself on its speed, was sent off to Apple for approval on March 23, nearly three weeks ago, and at the time many were unsure as to what Apple’s final decision would be. Therefore, today’s decision comes as somewhat of a welcome surprise.
But does this move display a possible turn in Apple’s strict policy on not allowing apps that compete with the pre-installed software applications, in this case Safari? It would seem not, as Opera has cleverly made its browser just different enough to not upset the guys in Cupertino. Unlike Safari, Opera Mini does not make use of the WebKit engine, instead, the new mobile browser loads websites via a proxy, which in turn means pages are not rendered directly on the device itself, bypassing any possible problems Apple may have with how code is seen.
Opera’s proxy compresses up-to 90 percent of data, resulting in a faster load time. The app also promises to reduce bandwidth consumption. In addition to packing in attractive speed features, the app also boasts a feature similar to that of Safari’s Top Sites. Known as Speed Dial, the feature offers visual access to nine of your favorite sites.
Whether this will open the app store up to more browser choice is yet to be seen, but the introduction of Opera’s browser to the store is an interesting one. You can find out more about Opera’s journey to the app store in Liam’s post.
Related GigaOM Pro Research: What Does the Future Hold For Browsers?
Переслать - Apple's Time Mystery Solved
When Apple first revealed the iPhone back in 2007, many hardcore fans with a keen eye noticed that the images of the then-new smartphone device displayed a somewhat unusual timestamp. All official images released by Apple showed the time on the iPhone as 9:42, and they still do. However, more recently the iPad’s press images have all displayed a similar trend, showing the time on the new tablet as 9:41. Following the iPhone’s original unveiling fans have been scratching their heads attempting to solve the dated mystery, until now.
A recent blog post from Secret Lab developer Jon Manning has finally shed some light on the time mystery, but try not to get to excited as the reasoning behind Apple’s mysterious love for 9:42 is a rather dull and functional one.
According to Manning’s blog post, while taking a recent visit to his local Apple store he bumped into senior VP of iPhone software, Scott Forstall. During his trip to the busy store Manning decided to ask Forstall about the time conundrum and settle the debate once and for all. Forstall replied by explaining that when a keynote is taking place the product reveal always happens around 40 minutes into the presentation.
So a simple explanation, as others did previously speculate, now clarifies the puzzle. When the product is first shown at a keynote, the time will roughly match the time the product is announced.
Mystery solved.
Переслать - The Mac for Non-Profits: A Value Proposition
If you manage a small to medium sized non-profit chances, are that you've never considered Macs for your organization, or that if you have, you've quickly been turned off when you see that the cost of entry starts at around $1000 per machine. Let's face it, operations budgets at non-profits are usually the tightest, and that's saying something, especially in today's economic environment.
That budget goes not only towards things like putting a computer in the hands of each employee, but also keeping the lights on and paying the rent. Given those constraints, many non-profits are much more likely to look at sub-$500 Windows computers instead of Macs.
Unfortunately, by making that decision you may be costing your organization in the long term. Here are three reasons why even a non-profit with a tight budget should be strongly considering Macs.
1) Support costs
There are the obvious reasons why Macs cost less to support, ranging from the fact that you don't need to worry about viruses to the stability of OS X. Less obvious is the fact that recent surveys of IT professionals have found that Mac computers are less costly to manage than Windows PCs.
For smaller non-profits who don't have an in-house IT department, you'll also want to consider the value of the Genius Bar. If you have an Apple store anywhere near your office you can simply walk in with a problematic computer and usually have your problem solved quickly and easily. Compare that to the cost of spending time on the phone with Dell or HP support, or the lost opportunity that can accrue if you have to ship your computer away for repairs.
2) Longevity
I'm not one of those people who thinks that all Windows PCs are built like junk. You can certainly find a reliable computer running Windows, but there are two key things to consider. First, your chances of getting a reliable computer at a very low price isn’t great. Second, the odds of picking the right model from the array of available Windows computers also works against you.
By contrast, almost any model of Mac is a solid bet to be a reliable computer for three or four years. Trust me, I've been in organizations that have had to replace their entire collection of computers barely a year after buying inexpensive Windows laptops. You have to ask yourself if you want to buy two cheap computers over four years or one more reliable one. If it's the latter, you're probably better off going with Mac.
3) Software
This is usually a mark against the move to Macs, the argument being that you will need to repurchase all of your expensive software for another platform. Non-profits can avoid much of this cost due to services like TechSoup, which allow them to purchase software at a steep discount. If you're a small non-profit iLife provides you with excellent tools to produce multimedia and a simple website without spending a single additional cent.
If you do need to do something more complex you have an incredible array of easy to use, attractive and relatively inexpensive applications to choose from. A few suggestions that would work well in a non-profit setting include Bento, RapidWeaver, iWork, iBank and Acorn. These range in cost from free to well under $100.
The value of any computing platform is defined by what you can do on it, and the Mac is without peer in this regard. There is value in having software that just works, and there is also value in having employees that enjoy working with their platform rather than suffering under it.
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