While surfing with Safari 3.02 beta I noticed the beach ball again, but, this time, after about 60 seconds, this window popped up:
Fantastic!
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Safari Thwarts "DoS" JavaScript
I hate seeing the spinning beach-ball of death (sbod) when surfing Web sites with Safari; especially when I'm forced to quit Safari to fix the problem.
While surfing with Safari 3.02 beta I noticed the beach ball again, but, this time, after about 60 seconds, this window popped up:
Fantastic!
While surfing with Safari 3.02 beta I noticed the beach ball again, but, this time, after about 60 seconds, this window popped up:
Fantastic!
Friday, July 27, 2007
iPhone Model Differences?
In addition to these physical difference's between some models of the iPhone, I came across another one today.
It seems, on the older model iPhones, when someone calls, and you have their photo in your address book, a thumbnail of the caller shows up in the upper right corner of the screen. But, on the newer model iPhones, instead of just a thumbnail, the caller's full size photo is displayed on the entire screen.
What does your iPhone do?
It seems, on the older model iPhones, when someone calls, and you have their photo in your address book, a thumbnail of the caller shows up in the upper right corner of the screen. But, on the newer model iPhones, instead of just a thumbnail, the caller's full size photo is displayed on the entire screen.
What does your iPhone do?
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Apple to Sell 19,440,000 iPhones in Q4
Today, Apple Inc announced that they sold 270K iPhones in the last 30 hours of third quarter.
It isn't hard to extrapolate from this number to figure out what Apple will sell in its Q4 '07:
90 days x 24 hrs / 30 hours x 270,000 = 19,400,000.
It's just basic math.
digg this
It isn't hard to extrapolate from this number to figure out what Apple will sell in its Q4 '07:
90 days x 24 hrs / 30 hours x 270,000 = 19,400,000.
It's just basic math.
digg this
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Different Versions of the iPhone on the Market?
What's the difference between the iPhone with the bell symbol on the silent/ringer switch and those iPhones without the bell symbol? Several things seem to indicated that the phones without the bell image are an older model despite the fact that all iPhones report the same build and version in their software.
Why was the bell symbol added?
The bell symbol was added to make it easier to see the silent/ringer button. Without the bell symbol, you can't easily tell which position the switch is in when you don't see the orange dot. In other words, at a glance, you may find yourself trying to flip the switch both ways until you get it right.
Sloppy Buttons
Clicking the buttons on the newer phones, with the bell image, feels clean and crisp. The tactile feedback on the new phones make a big difference - you can feel the solid click. On the older versions, the sleep/wake button is flushed against the phone and you really can't feel it turn on and off.
Functional difference
The most notable functional difference also relates to the silent/ringer functionality. On the models without the bell symbol, when the phone is in sleep mode and you flip the silent/ringer switch, the screen does not turn on. However, on the models with the bell symbol, the screen does turn on, briefly, to give the user visual feedback that the phone has been switched from one mode to the other.
Conclusion
All of these differences, except for the last one, are aesthetics which would indicate that there's a clear difference in the software builds as well as the industrial design. I would imagine, during a future software update for the iPhone, that all versions would be updated so that the screen on all the models turns on, briefly, when flipping the silent/ringer switch.
Update: It seems I was wrong about the functional differences - there actually appear to be none. My mistake.
digg it
Why was the bell symbol added?
The bell symbol was added to make it easier to see the silent/ringer button. Without the bell symbol, you can't easily tell which position the switch is in when you don't see the orange dot. In other words, at a glance, you may find yourself trying to flip the switch both ways until you get it right.
Sloppy Buttons
Clicking the buttons on the newer phones, with the bell image, feels clean and crisp. The tactile feedback on the new phones make a big difference - you can feel the solid click. On the older versions, the sleep/wake button is flushed against the phone and you really can't feel it turn on and off.
Functional difference
The most notable functional difference also relates to the silent/ringer functionality. On the models without the bell symbol, when the phone is in sleep mode and you flip the silent/ringer switch, the screen does not turn on. However, on the models with the bell symbol, the screen does turn on, briefly, to give the user visual feedback that the phone has been switched from one mode to the other.
Conclusion
All of these differences, except for the last one, are aesthetics which would indicate that there's a clear difference in the software builds as well as the industrial design. I would imagine, during a future software update for the iPhone, that all versions would be updated so that the screen on all the models turns on, briefly, when flipping the silent/ringer switch.
Update: It seems I was wrong about the functional differences - there actually appear to be none. My mistake.
digg it
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Pale Blue Dot
Obviously, the universe is big - but, just how insignificant is humanity and our world in the big scheme of things?
It was Carl Sagan's idea to turn Voyager's camera back toward the planet that launched the spacecraft in order to reveal to that planet's inhabitants their "true circumstance and condition." After much resistance, Dr. Sagan prevailed, and on February 14, 1990, from a distance of 6.4 billion kilometers, Voyager 1 captured this image of our Earth. Here the entire world fills only 0.12 pixel and appears as a tiny crescent of light. The apparent rays of light are not sunbeams, but scattering off the camera's optics, a result of pointing it so close to the Sun. Now one of the most famous images ever taken from space, this humbling perspective of our beloved home is a part of Dr. Sagan's invaluable legacy.
The Earth, near the middle of the top band of light, is barely visible in this scaled down image.
(Click to enlarge)
Hear Carl Sagan describe it in his own words:
digg this
It was Carl Sagan's idea to turn Voyager's camera back toward the planet that launched the spacecraft in order to reveal to that planet's inhabitants their "true circumstance and condition." After much resistance, Dr. Sagan prevailed, and on February 14, 1990, from a distance of 6.4 billion kilometers, Voyager 1 captured this image of our Earth. Here the entire world fills only 0.12 pixel and appears as a tiny crescent of light. The apparent rays of light are not sunbeams, but scattering off the camera's optics, a result of pointing it so close to the Sun. Now one of the most famous images ever taken from space, this humbling perspective of our beloved home is a part of Dr. Sagan's invaluable legacy.
The Earth, near the middle of the top band of light, is barely visible in this scaled down image.
(Click to enlarge)Hear Carl Sagan describe it in his own words:
digg this
Monday, July 16, 2007
Unlocking the iPhone Could be Impossible
Unlike mobile phones made by traditional GSM handset manufactures such as Motorola and Nokia, the iPhone could prove to be very difficult or virtually impossible to unlock from AT&T's network.
My thinking is that Apple designed the current iPhone model to work specifically (and only) with AT&T Mobility (formerly Cingular). Other handset manufactures generally design a handset to work on any GSM network - after all GSM is a global standard - then they put in a software lock which can be unlocked with a code.
What if Apple put a digitally signed hardware lock into the iPhone's ROM?
My thinking is that Apple designed the current iPhone model to work specifically (and only) with AT&T Mobility (formerly Cingular). Other handset manufactures generally design a handset to work on any GSM network - after all GSM is a global standard - then they put in a software lock which can be unlocked with a code.
What if Apple put a digitally signed hardware lock into the iPhone's ROM?
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Belkin Case Scratches iPhone
When I bought my iPhone I also purchased a Belkin acrylic case to protect the phone. The irony is that the case scratches the phone where the plastic comes in contact with the iPhone.
Has anyone else seen this problem?
It took me a couple days to figure out why the phone scratches were increasing. Now, I no longer use the case, but I'm wondering if it's possible to buff out the scratches.
Click to enlarge image
Although it doesn't come through in this photo - the scratches are very noticeable since it's on the shiny chrome part of the phone. I know, I'm whining, but, damn, you'd expect a case to protect the phone not to damage it.
Update: It seems I was a little slow to notice that this is a known problem.
Has anyone else seen this problem?
It took me a couple days to figure out why the phone scratches were increasing. Now, I no longer use the case, but I'm wondering if it's possible to buff out the scratches.
Although it doesn't come through in this photo - the scratches are very noticeable since it's on the shiny chrome part of the phone. I know, I'm whining, but, damn, you'd expect a case to protect the phone not to damage it.
Update: It seems I was a little slow to notice that this is a known problem.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Literally an iPhone Hearing
During today's House Subcommittee hearing on Telecommunications and the Internet, Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) used an iPhone, as a prop, in his remarks. His comments hit the nail on the head when he asked that the same conditions that applied to the 1968 Carterfone ruling also be applied today to the US wireless carriers (in other words, the right to attach any device to a wireless carrier's network as long as it does no harm).
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
iPhone Congressional Hearings Already?
The guy, in the video, below, isn't the best presenter, but he touches on some valid points.
Basically, he's talking about the oligopoly that the big four wireless carriers have in the US (AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, & T-Mobile). They dictate to the handset makers and service providers what content and features can be made available on their network.
It's referred to as the "iPhone hearings" because the iPhone, which uses a SIM card, is technically capable of working on any GSM network in the world, but AT&T has dictated to Apple that it must be locked to the AT&T network. This is a common practice, but, since the iPhone launch has received more attention than probably any other consumer electronic product, it's brought the issue front and center into the limelight.
Consumers - non-ATT customers - want this product but can't get it since they use T-Mobile, or some other wireless provider. This is similar to buying a Dell computer and being told that it will only work with Comcast high-speed broadband. Or, being told that a certain type and brand of TV will only work with NBC.
These issues are generally referred to as "network neutrality" and "right to attach".
Details here.
Basically, he's talking about the oligopoly that the big four wireless carriers have in the US (AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, & T-Mobile). They dictate to the handset makers and service providers what content and features can be made available on their network.
It's referred to as the "iPhone hearings" because the iPhone, which uses a SIM card, is technically capable of working on any GSM network in the world, but AT&T has dictated to Apple that it must be locked to the AT&T network. This is a common practice, but, since the iPhone launch has received more attention than probably any other consumer electronic product, it's brought the issue front and center into the limelight.
Consumers - non-ATT customers - want this product but can't get it since they use T-Mobile, or some other wireless provider. This is similar to buying a Dell computer and being told that it will only work with Comcast high-speed broadband. Or, being told that a certain type and brand of TV will only work with NBC.
These issues are generally referred to as "network neutrality" and "right to attach".
Details here.
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Steve Jobs - The Man With No License Plate?
Most employees at Apple have heard the rumor that Steve Jobs' car doesn't have a license plate on it.
But, is it really true?
Here's an actual photo of Steve Jobs' car in the Apple parking lot. The car has a barcode in place of its license plate.
Anyone know how that works?
But, is it really true?
Here's an actual photo of Steve Jobs' car in the Apple parking lot. The car has a barcode in place of its license plate.
Anyone know how that works?
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Charge iPhone Using FireWire
I put my old FireWire wall charger to good use - it's sitting on my night stand charging my iPhone while I sleep. After all, I'd hate to be more than a few feet away from it.
Sunday, July 1, 2007
iPhone IM Chat w/o Logging Into 3rd Party App
Just a quick reminder. You can instant message between iChat/AIM and the iPhone (or any SMS capable phone) by starting an iChat conversation with any US/Canada cell phone number (+1-xxx-xxx-xxxx). Response time is amazingly fast.
In iChat, click the + at the bottom left of your buddy list and then click the New Person button. Simply add their phone number (with the +1) as their Instant Messaging user name and your all set.
The phone number must appear in your buddy list with the leading "+":
In iChat, click the + at the bottom left of your buddy list and then click the New Person button. Simply add their phone number (with the +1) as their Instant Messaging user name and your all set.
The phone number must appear in your buddy list with the leading "+":
