Journal 10, Motorola Droid vs iPhone

Motorola is taking a shot at Apple's iPhone with the Motorola Droid. The iPhone 3GS is known for its speed and the Apple sexy style which makes it an attractive purchase. Motorola has juiced up their internal performace in the Droid compared to other Motorola devices. This is the first handset that truly realizes the full potential of Android. (Android is Google's Operating system that runs on the Droid phone). The Motorola Droid uses a processor chip like the iPhone's. It is based on a new architechture called Cortex-A8. This chip provides about a 3 times performace boost over the others. It has a 550 MHz processor and a 3.7 inch screen. The biggest hit that Apple will take from this is that it will be sold on the Verizon Network. This will most likely attract people who were going to switch to AT&T for the iPhone. With a phone that does just about all of the same things people will most likely stay on their plan. Verizon has been looking for an iPhone killer because that is what has kept people with AT&T. Verizon though that the Blackberry Storm would kill the iPhone but it didn't even make a dent in their sales.

Cnet Article

I have to hand it to Apple for their iPhone. When it came out it blew people away on how smooth and sexy it was. When a person buys a phone the first thing they go for is the look of it. The iPhone has just about nailed that. I don't think that the Motorola Droid is going to do much for Verizon honestly. The Droid is ugly. I looks fragil and just like any other smart phone. When someone pulls out and iPhone everyone knows what it is. It has that special look to it that know other phone has. Apple has that all over their products though. I am not an Apple OS fan but I will admit that their laptops and desktops look very smooth and attractive. The only way Verizon is going to beat AT&T is getting phone that is very sexy and great internal performance.

Other CNET Article

Journal 9, Google Wave

Google wave has been announced. It will be a better“personal communication and collaboration tool”. It was announced May 27th, 2009 at the Google I/O conference. It has a strong collaboration and real-time focus supported by extension that can provide. An example would be a great spelling/grammar checking system or an automated translation between 40 languages. It is initially released only to developers, a “preview release” of Google Wave was extended to nearly one million users beginning September 30, 2009. Google Wave will help communication and conferencing with business and personal interests. It is written in Java using OpenJDK. The thing that is different about Wave is that when you send an object it doesn't send the whole package. Google Wave breaks up the object into many objects known as waves. This will allow many users to work on a project simultaneously. One person could be adding information into the cells of a spreadsheet while the other is writing the code for the spreadsheet operations. This will also be an Open source project meaning that anyone who wants to participate in the development of Google Wave can download the software and edit the code.

Wikipedia
Long Google wave video

This will be an intersting product to watch and use. I use Google documents for class because it does not matter where I save it. I can always get to it where ever I am. Now that companies are taking a lot of their business online, employees will not forced to come into the office if there is a conference. They could all just sign into Google Wave and have the work conference right then and there. The biggest thing is that they can work on a project via the internet and not be in the same room or same country. I think that that is a major step into internet production and conferencing.

Journal 8, WIndows 7

Windows 7 is going to be shipped this week and people are timid. If you are looking for an excuse to buy a new computer or laptop then purchasing Windows 7 would not be a bad excuse. Windows 7 is much more sleek and attractive. It is disigned to work more efficently so that projects can be completed faster and easier. The best part about using windows is that there is such a large market of compatable hardware. If you have a nice computer and are happy with Windows vista then springing for windows 7 might not be the best choice unless your are positive or just eager to use it. The taskbar has been changed a little to now you can clip most used programs instead of using an icon. Your documents and music has been changed into libraries so that it can be spread over several hard drives. The new arrangement makes it easier to make a backup. Windows 7 has marked the transition to a 64-bit operating system. This means that computer will be able to use more RAM for streaming or editing videos and pictures.

Tech News World

Being in Computer Science I got the early download of Window 7 Professional. I am going to give my opinion on Windows 7. Windows 7 should have been Windows Vista because the Vista is junk. Window 7 is much faster and uses less RAM. The best part is that it WORKS!! I have lost respect for Microsoft because I should not have to applaud a company for selling a product that was finished. Windows 7 is very good though. Vista's sleep mode would freeze when booted back up forcing me to kill the power and start from the beginning. A huge software change they have progressed on is plug'n play. I have not had to install one driver because windows 7 will go online and download the driver automatically. It takes away a lot of frustration that used to exist with earlier Operation Systems. Windows 7 has make it to where you can arrange windows very quickly. All in all, Windows 7 is a great buy. I recommend that if you are using Vista switch to 7.

Cnet

Journal 7, Microsoft Courier

It is about time for Microsoft to answer back to Apple with a new sexy product. The Microsoft Courier is a sleek new tablet computer. When it is closed it looks like a leather notebook. When it is opened up it displays two screens with a tablet pen. It is all mulitouch screens so it will act like a iPod touch. You will be able to flick, write, draw with the pen and your fingers. There is a camera on the back along with wireless internet. The Courier is in "late prototype" stage development but hopefully there will be enough demand to push it through the market and to consumers.

I don't think this is going to change the way we live our lives or anything but I think that it will open up new ideas in that direction. There is a video on it displaying the different uses. Imagine sitting in class with a notebook that can connect to the internet. Finally you can challenge the professor on topics and maybe get kicked out of class for it. The Courier will be able to record the class audio for study reference rather than reading the book. You will be able to put together different notes in different notebook files and share them with other contacts so that if you unfortuantly miss a day in class you will still get the notes. With this new sharing idea the professors will have to enforce the attendance policy. The Courier is just a prototype that is really just an answer back to Apple that Microsoft can make a sexy product also. I don't think that it will change the way we live but it could change the direction of some technologies.

Article

Journal 6, Electric Car

The problem with electric cars was that they were too slow and didn't last very long on one charge. Tesla Motors has unleashed the Tesla Roadster. Anyone who is into cars has heard of this vehicle. It is not a hybrid, the Tesla is fully run on lithium ion batteries. The batteries alone weigh almost 1000 pounds. This means that you can go about 220 miles on one charge. Another great feature and probably the most attractive is the fact that the car will do 0 to 60 in 3.9 seconds. That is really fast and anybody can to it. It is like driving a golf cart, just push the peddle to the metal. There is not shifting gears or anything. The car also redlines at 14,000 rpm. The average car redlines around 7 to 7.5 rpm. Since the car is electric there is not a sound when you stomp the gas. All you hear is the very quiet electric motor.

I love cars so this one was very interesting to me. I would love to have a car that would fly and didn't cost as much as owning a gasoline sports car. I have a sports car right now and paying for premium fuel is getting annoying. When gas was high I had to go easy on the throttle at the stop lights. I am not in love with the car just because it is electric though. I am not the "going green" person. I think that if Tesla can sell enough of these and get people exposed to them it it will show that electric cars can be fast, sexy and practical. Practical will also help sell the car. Another big reason that needs to be stressed is that the keep up will be nothing compared to a gasoline engine. You will never need and oil change, fluids or belts changed. Imagin never having to go to a car shop and worry about getting stiffed out of your cash. The Tesla is the most promising first leap into usable electric vehicles in America.

Tesla Motors

Journal 5, Microsoft Surface

There is going to be a new way you will use your coffee table in a few years. Microsoft Surface is a new and unleashed interactive computer that is none like any other. This computer does not have a mouse or keyboard. You only use the motion and touch of your hands. Microsoft Surface is a 30 inch screen built into a table that can sit anywhere. It uses cameras around the table to read the motions of your hand which is then projected on the screen. Surface will be used in restaurants to take orders or in a bar to keep up with the tab. Surface can also give you directions to your next destination and then sync the instructions to your mobile phone. You will also be able to download pictures from any wireless camera or phone and edit the photos on the spot without a cable. Surface will make ordering at a restaurant easier or changing directions more efficient. Either way Microsoft Surface is a revolutionary idea that will speed up our daily lives.

Imagine going to a resturant and not needing a waitor to take your order. Imagine going to a bar with your buddies and the table knows your drink and keeps track of the tab on the spot. Imagine going into a snowboard shop and searching through all of the snowboards and finding the one you want but you do not like the design. You will be able to take a card below the snowboard and take it to Surface for personal customization. You will be able to color the board with designs and shapes to your liking. Once you are done you can either checkout or save that board to your windows mobile smart phone for later customization. Surface will be a really neat devise that I hope will come down in price from about $10,000 so that I will be able to put one in my house.

Wikipedia Surface

Good Youtube video

Microsoft Surface Website

Journal 1, September 6

With all of this stimulus money comming through the pipes Google and General Electric have partnered up in pushing "Smart Grids" . Smart Grids is a combination of electrical hardware provided by GE and software provided by Google to reduce the amount of energy we use in our homes each day. An example of this would be like a gas pump. When you are filling up your car you get to see the amout that it costs right there. If you had a meter right beside your water fosset you would naturaly tend to use less water. Well Google and GE have put prototypes into homes to keep track of the amount of energy a family uses. With the meter sitting beside the switch people tend not reason with themselves and leave the lights off when they are not nessesary. If the free market will push this idea through it will solve alot of the energy problems. If %25 of americans installed a Smart Meter 1.6 million cars would be off of the road and 9.1 million tons of CO2 emissions would be reduced. "Google.org has commited over $100 million in grants and investments as of September 2008. In the energy area, those investments target renewable energies, like high-altitude wind extraction, solar power, and geothermal systems, but also plug-in vehicles."

I think that if this idea catches fire, it will change the way we use energy. I know for a fact that if I could see how much it costs to take a shower I would not take the long hot shower. I might keep it hot but not as long. Just seeing the bill like a gas meter is enough to get people to save energy. The only problem with this idea will be is if it costs alot of money to install. That will be the downfall. I would not want to install a piece of equipment that is going to change my routine and is expensive. This will be great for the planet and great for the wallet only if it is worth the investment or the hassle.

http://blogoscoped.com/archive/2008-11-17-n20.html