Opinion: iPad
“A magical and revolutionary device”. Apple’s iPad has officially landed in Ireland for more than a week now. More importantly, it’s given me a terrible decisive dilemma. While I am hugely tempted by this fascinating breakthrough in hardware and software synergy, I cannot quite come to stump up the massive cash outlay required to get one. For a device that is certainly worthy of the mantle “a giant iPod Touch”, a price-tag resembling that of a mid-range notebook, the iPad is a stone’s throw away from costing a fortune when one weighs up its benefits and obvious shortcomings.
But far from being compounded by pricing issues, I believe the iPad suffers from some fairly serious wounds which will distance the product from the masses and force it into niche markets which will quickly wane in popularity and could ultimately damage the device’s appeal as it furthers in its life cycle. Right now I see the primary market for the iPad being those who can afford to spend money on something that is essentially a larger iPod touch. However, the practicality of the iPad makes it even more restricted. It’s a very large device in your hands. And, though I didn’t expect this at all, it is a very heavy device. Sure it’s made from anodized aluminum and glass but it’s still quite heavy at the centre which makes it unfriendly in your hand in terms of ergonomics. And while the iPod Touch can be held in one hand comfortably and gripped securely, it’s very hard to do the same with the iPad (because you need your other hand to interact with the device). The notion of sitting it on your lap or on some horizontal position is also impractical. The genuine Apple iPad case is also quite a flimsy and unattractive addition to the device and while its modular design affords the iPad a vertical and horizontal stand, the angles are all wrong.
The operating system used on iPad is also an issue which gives me pause. Running iOS 3.2, the iPad is now behind many iPhone and iPod Touch models (for those who’ve upgraded to iOS 4). Multi-tasking is missing, among other enhancements. The operating system appears solid, however I fear for the length of time it’s taking Apple to release iOS 4 for the iPad. There are obviously technical reasons, and also the issue that iPad should have been launched with iOS 4 with the iPhone following suit later. I don’t understand why Apple chose this path of releasing an inferior operating system on a device a few months before releasing a brand new operating system on a smaller device (which is essentially the same).
However it’s the hardware at which I’m most disappointed. Sure the form factor is new and a far cry from the plastic, bulky and torrid devices that accompanied Microsoft’s TabletPC operating systems, but the iPad has some definite shortcomings. For one, the iPhone 4 included for the first time, a front-facing camera. Given the fact that the accompanying FaceTime software allowing video calls on the iPhone requires a wireless network instead of the existing 3G network, one would have thought the technology more appropriate for the iPad instead. I don’t see any reason for a rear-facing camera on the iPad, but I do think that a device which will primarily live in the home would benefit from a front-facing camera in the presence of ubiquitous wireless networks. I know the primary reason for not allowing FaceTime over 3G is because 3G is a pretty dismal technology in terms of speed, latency and bandwidth (and the cell coverage in the continental USA doesn’t help either) but the iPad tends to seem like the more appropriate manifestation of hardware for FaceTime – even when Apple launch FaceTime on their iSight-enabled Macs and MacBooks. Another thing that’s missing, which caused consternation when my colleagues first saw an iPad, is the lack of an SD card slot. Even if a microSD slot were provided, the iPad would capture another market instantly – photographers and designers – Apple’s loyal adopters in business. Lacking an SD card slot or some interfacing mechanism (that’s built-in rather than a dock connector accessory) is leaving those who wish to use the iPad in place of a fully-loaded hard-drive wielding notebook. On-the-go photographers, architects wishing to display their wares to clients, engineers wishing to review plans on-site etc. These are the markets Apple needs to target with this device – for the iPad is far more a device to replace the Netbook than Apple touted at their unveiling. The iPad is for all intense purposes, a Netbook killer. Though it lacks the teeth to accomplish this feat. The iPad is internet-connected, powerful (a 1GHz A4 processor Vs. the 1.6GHz Atom) and stylish enough to become the device many would use in place of smaller notebooks. But software would have to adjoin this hardware. iOS 4 needs to be more open to utilitarian applications. Photo editing software for example such as the much lauded ‘Camera+’ application. Perhaps a scaled-down version of Aperture or even an iOS version of Final Cut Express. These are the methods by which Apple can eliminate the chiclet keyboards and herald the era of the Star Trek-like panels. This iPad is the tool to get us there, but I fear Apple’s hesitation in releasing iOS 4 and their omission of currently-present hardware in the iPhone leave the iPad in the corner, feeling sullen and unloved by the masses.
In conclusion, iPad is a fantastic product. I’ve had the opportunity to play with it for a while at a store and with a customer who purchased it recently. However his and my ambition was to eliminate the notebook with this device. While his business relies on older uninspiring software providers who probably have yet to realize that a ported version of their application would actually be a good investment, his delight at the tactile feel of touching his mail on a screen more suited to a man in his 50s was a promising sense of that is possible. Very often in my line of work I encounter companies using software that was created for PC and was never ever ever ported or re-designed with the future in mind. My views on this are that the financial world’s software providers are holding businesses back with their reliance on the status quo. An accounting package is the same no matter who wrote it. It’s boring and very often hasn’t changed since the people who use them started using them. Companies and businesses rely on this software and if it’s not touch-enabled and future-directed, the work that Apple does to advance the human interface with computing will be held back for many years to come. But I cannot tally why Apple advanced the iPhone 4 and held back on the iPad. The bottom line is the iPad is a large iPod Touch. The reality is it could be so much more.
diarmy
read morediarmy: 100 Things
I saw this idea on another blog. So here goes… 100 things you may or may not have known about me.
1. I was born in Tralee on Valentine’s Day in the building that now houses the Kerry County Council
2. Contrary to public opinion, I didn’t study sculpture at St. Martin’s college, I studied Business Information Systems at NUI Galway
3. I used to clean toilets for a living
4. I have brown hair which grows outward and has no real shape to it
5. My eyes are blueish-grey from years of staring at computer screens
6. My first games console was a Nintendo NES system that my mother bought us on a trip to the Ilac Center back in the early 1990s. It cost her £24.00 and she placed it on my bedside locker when I was asleep.
7. I learned how to tie my own shoes at the age of 4
8. I hated learning Irish in primary school but now love the language
9. I speak fluent Irish which has broken over the years – but I still understand every word
10. The first time I ever flew in an aircraft was in September 2004 at the age of 20.
11. My first trip outside the island of Ireland was to London by bus from Dingle in February 2000
12. I was born with blonde curls. I lost my devilish good looks at the age of 4.
13. Since graduating college 4 years ago, I’ve worked in 3 companies
14. I love medium-rear fillet of beef
15. My favourite place in the world is Yosemite National Park in California- I’ve been there only once.
16. I love photography
17. I’ve been designing websites since 2000
18. I helped design the database behind the Motor Taxation Website for the Department of Transport
19. I once spent 5 hours straight in a data-center floor at 4 degrees celsius
20. I can understand written and spoken french, but can only speak basic french
21. I’ve worked in London and Dusseldorf
22. My first car was a Renault Laguna 1.8l Sport. I paid €10,000 for it in 2006. It’s since been sold
23. I learned to drive in a 1988 Mitsubishi Galant 1.8l GLX at the age of 14
24. I only ever visited Northern Ireland once in my life and will never return
25. I have been to every county in the Republic of Ireland except Monaghan and Armagh.
26. After spending 4 years in university, I never once fulfilled an entire week of attendance
27. My favourite color is black. I know it’s not really a colour, but I like it.
28. Since 2004, I’ve owned and sold 11 Apple computers
29. I lived in Dublin for 6 months in Ranelagh
30. My favourite county in Ireland is Tipperary (south)
32. I spent two years of my life in boarding school and loved every minute of it
33. I’ve not lived in Kerry for more than 3 months in over 10 years
34. I love driving
35. I am afraid of dogs
36. I can make almost anything with my hands
37. I love to cook
38. My pet hate is people who pronounce things incorrectly
39. I have always been a supporter of Fianna Fáil
40. I like nature, but not animals
41. I’ve been to Spain, Germany, USA, France, England, Wales and Northern Ireland
42. I once drank an entire bottle of Calpol as a child and had to be brought to hospital afterward
43. My favourite way of eating potatoes is mashed
44. I cannot make fried eggs without ruining them
45. I am totally useless at Mathematics
46. I once scored 11% in an accountancy exam
47. I have never ever stayed the entire time of an exam
48. I used to suffer from chronic migraine as a child
49. My first kiss was at the age of 15. It did not go well.
50. I remained abstinent from alcohol until I was in college
51. My first alcoholic drink was Champagne followed by Tia Maria and Orange Juice. I nicknamed the drink ‘The Smarties Drink’ because it tastes like smarties.
52. I was once addicted to smarties
53. I love Ribena Blackcurrant
54. I lost all interest in playing video games about 10 years ago
55. I love swimming
56. I hate unions
57. I have never broken a bone despite countless attempts
58. I once played gaelic football and was quite good until I saw how nepotistic it is
59. I am very good at mimicking accents
60. I was once the lead tenor in a choir and can sing almost falsetto too
61. I studied music for 13 years and can play violin, piano, organ, flute and accordian
62. I passed my driving test first time at the age of 17
63. I have two siblings – I am the eldest
64. My least favourite county in Ireland is Dublin. It is also my least favourite city
65. I once wanted to become a priest
66. I do not practice any religion and think it should be banned
67. I don’t have a favourite type of music – I like classical, rock, pop, metal, acoustic and jazz
68. My favourite alcoholic tipple is cider of Guinness
69. I once drank an entire shoulder of vodka in under 5 minutes which had absolutely no affect on me.
70. I cannot drink Jaegermeister
71. My least favourite food is sweetcorn as I once puked up an entire bowl of it
72. My favourite car is an Austin Martin DBS but if I won the lotto I’d buy a Renault Laguna Coupé
73. If I ever did win the lotto, I wouldn’t tell anyone
74. My dream is to change the world
75. I hate weddings
76. I don’t like crisps
77. I have over 1000 friends on Facebook. I don’t know about 98% of them
78. I would hate to be burned alive
79. I love film music soundtracks
80. My favourite film is Notting Hill
81. I have watched every episode of Star Trek The Next Generation but have NEVER watched Star Wars
82. If I could be anything in the world, I’d love to be an astronaut
83. I once applied to be in the Navy
84. I have never fired a weapon
85. I watch on average 3 movies a week
86. My favourite male actor is George Clooney
87. I don’t have a favourite female actor but Julia Roberts, Scarlett Johannson and Rachel McAdams are my top three – followed closely by Rachel Bilson and Debra Messing
88. I don’t like cheese
89. I can get a headache within seconds of smelling a strawberry
90. I have no idea what I want to do with my life
91. I abhorr people who drive slowly or people who don’t use indicators
92. My favourite word in the English language is ‘fuck’
93. My favourite phrase in Irish is ‘grá éagmaiseach’ meaning ‘unrequited love’
94. I h8 txt spk nd dnt lyk ppl usn it
95. I would love to come back as a dolphin
96. I don’t like Piña Colada, but like getting caught in the rain
97. I used to sleep with a yellow crochet blanket until I was 7
98. My first teddy bear was a sleeping dog I mistook for a crocodile and named it ‘Croc’
99. I once had a goldfish for over 3 years
100. I love bunny rabbits
Time to Silence the Angelus
All throughout Ireland, and much of the world, when the clock strikes the hour, a church bell peels to announce the hour. Since the tradition was started in early Christian times, people have been ruled by the chimes from above and while few traditional bells remain in a digital world, I believe it’s now time to silence these tones of power.
As children congregate together at dusk, one may light a firecracker, shout aloud with laughter or even speak in a loud voice. This very often is construed by authorities as a “breach of the peace”. But what of the loud reverberating tones of an establishment who very often and very recently brutally silenced those sounds of laughter from children and who now, even today in the second decade of the 21st century, are shamelessly allowed to blast their so-called “call to prayer” throughout this country so ravaged by the failings in care and brutal régime presided over by the Catholic Church? Why do we still give pause to reflect on the works of our so-called ‘God’ but fail to notice the cruel and unforgiving hardship those around us must bear for the crimes of those who wore the cloth. Far from the war-torn middle-ages and the burning bodies of the crusades, Ireland today still displays the wounds of a society marred by the violence, hatred and bitter neglect of those who seek to espouse the virtues of a man believed to have lived over two thousand years ago.
Religion is the cause of almost all war. Organised religion seems to be the cause of all modern warfare. Afghanistan, Gaza, Turk/Cypriot wars and the Northern Ireland violences. And in Ireland a war of silence has been vigorously pursued for generations as those in the upper echelons of the catholic church sought to quell the growing questions about abuses being carried out at institutions all across the country. To reach a point where a woman in her 50s can sit in the audience of an RTE programme in 2010 and say openly that she didn’t believe the church did any wrong shows that for too long the church has had a reigning grasp over the views of the free people of the Republic of Ireland.
And for the national broadcaster to have a ‘moment of reflection’ every evening at 6pm on the primary national station with church bells in the background, with more prayers close to the end of schedule, we are constantly surrounded by biased religious symbolism. In a world with even greater divisions than those between the church and the people here in Ireland, I believe it’s now time for us to take a stand. The separation of church and state must be copper-fastened by banning the use of church bells, and by taking a firm stand against the oldest institution in the world. We cannot live in a society where bishops of the church can make openly homophobic comments about marriage when the government is pursuing a policy of equality for same-sex couples. The whole institution of marriage needs to be dissolved in its current form. All citizens wishing to enforce a sacrificial bond of togetherness which is no longer in tune with the realities of the modern world should not be allowed to do so with the mention of ‘God’ in the procedure unless both actually want it to. When I die, the last person I want present is someone who believes that death leads to ‘a life ever-lasting’ who at the same time refuses to take a stand against his leader’s unwillingness to entertain female ministers, blessing the union of two men or two women and who believe today that sex should be an act only pursued in the vein of procreation.
I believe that this world cannot continue to prosper and succeed if religion is given any place or power. It should be outlawed and the first step should be the removal of all religious overtones in society, starting with the bells that wake me up every morning in a cold sweat.
diarmy
read moreTwitter Under Pressure
Twitter, the love-it-or-hate-it social chatter service has gone down this evening. Seems to be down for quite some time also. None of the API connectors are operating and the website itself has ground to a halt. While Twitter I’m sure has the power behind it to support the vast amount of users who keep the site worked over every day, this is an example of how popular social media has become. Facebook too occasionally has its issues, but the rise of Twitter has been a spectacular success.
Hopefully it’ll be back soon!
diarmy
read moreBetter the Devil You Know
Today’s so-called “historic” vote held to find a leader to steer the supposed “largest part in Ireland” descended into what was inevitably going to be a bland and murky affair. The media speculation, adulation and hype ahead of the confidence motion in Enda Kenny today was nothing short of a blessing in disguise for Brian Cowen as he slipped away to keep the country going at meetings in Brussels. Fine Gael brought the nation’s media gaze upon them only to flip flop on such a boring and unnecessary question – who should ‘lead’ Fine Gael. The fact that no one really cares didn’t seem to bother them. Deciding whether to choose Bruton over Kenny is much like tossing a ten-cent-piece – two sides of the same coin.
In the end, it fell to party Chairman and Galway TD Pádraig McCormack to bring the news no one was in any doubt about – Enda Kenny won. And in true cloak and dagger fashion, the actual result wasn’t defined in the number of votes cast for each. So as some speculate the margin of difference was as much as six, I suspect it’s much closer to even than that. This was really a contest of who could keep the status quo. As a result, Fine Gael is very firmly divided tonight – and will be for some time to come.
Richard Bruton took the under hand of the party leader in an awkward pose on the plinth outside Leinster House in a move to show the country that the wounds were healed. But the rift is palpable. Those who lost today’s vote now face working with a leader they publicly castrated over the past few days. For Bruton himself, the next logical step now is to resign. To serve again in a Kenny cabinet would undermine his principles and show him in a faltered light. Likewise the likes of Leo Varadkar who’s ambitions are known to all will now have to consider their position carefully.
From an elective standpoint, Fine Gael are now the blunt side of a double-edged sword. An unknown quantity. A chip pan on low heat with the cover on. This is not the end of the ambitions of those who wish to oust the West of Ireland leader from the party. Haughey had the night of the long knives, Kenny now has the summer of discontent part 2. This will not go quietly into the night, nor will it vanish without a fight. Kenny will live on, but for how long?
diarmy
read moreFollow @diarmy
