Alex Luft

Having used the Motorola Atrix and Cliq 2 for a week, I finally understand the fundamental flaw with Android: the fact that device makers need (and are allowed) to differentiate between their devices in software (Motorolla, HTC, Samsung etc.). This "faux-differentiation" leads to fragmentation and -- ultimately -- the worst user experience possible. For instance, what in the world is MotoBlur and why is it on Motorola Android devices and not on those from HTC or Samsung? The answer, obviously, is because Motorola wants to have a competitive advantage over the other two... ultimately leading to a huge fragmentation of the Android ecosystem.

We're less than 20 minutes away from Steve's WWDC 2011 keynote! Here are my predictions for what Apple will announce:
1. iOS 5
- revamped notifications
- improved multitasking
- built-in navigation component (with voice navigation)
- system-wide social integration (address book/contacts)

2. Lion availability, features overview, price

3. iCloud (this is the killer app):
- replaces MobileMe as the calendar, contacts, bookmarks, mail, and file storage (and maybe even sharing ala Dropbox) hub in the cloud. Syncs PIM across all devices
- iWork moves to the cloud, allows anyone and everyone to use, share, collaborate
- iTunes becomes part of iCloud - stream your songs (initially), photos and movies (eventually). Not sure whether each user would need to upload their own copy or the songs would become available based on what is in the user's library
- subscription music service
- eventually provides an API for developers to write iCloud apps
- eliminates the need for local iTunes activation of iOS devices: simply log in using iCloud account to activate, sync, restore

4. New iOS-based AirPort and Time Capsule base stations that cache updates to Mac and iOS devices. Significantly improves iCloud streaming

That's all I've got. I don't think we'll see any iOS hardware today.

A very inspiring and thought-provoking presentation by Sir Ken Robinson. When I was in school and college, I always wondered about the sheer importance placed on mathematics and science... and art was always a "joke" class. Looks like there are some big changes to be made to the education system!

(download)

Click here to download:

optibay-macbook-with-a-lot-of-storage-GnerpjiokrDckErdjIDl.zip (751 KB)

Just finished installing the OptiBay -- a carriage for the MacBook pro that gives you the ability to replace the optical drive with another hard drive (or SSD). Since I already had a screamin-fast 80GB SSD to run OS X and all of myapps, I needed a big hard disk for all my data - photos, videos, music, and audio and video production. So I bought the Seagate Momentus 750GB drive that spins at 7200 RPM... and here are the photos of operation OptiBay.

Update: not a day after installing the Samsung drive into the OptiBay, I began experiencing beachballs of death. After running SMART utility, it turns out that the Seagate drive was beginning to fail (8 bad sectors). I believe that the OptiBay contributed to this...

You see, unlike the standard hard drive area in the MacBook Pro that has rubber bumbers and molded rubber inserts to seat the drive, the OptiBay doesn't. This means that if you have a spinning drive sitting in the OptiBay, it's metal-to-metal all the way. So after going through one hard disk, I've learned my lesson and placed the SSD (which doesn't need much cushion since it doesn't contain any physically moving parts) into the OptiBay, and gave the traditinoal shielded/cushioned (spinning) hard drive spot to the Samsung replacement. I recommend you do the same if you're in the same kind of setup. Good thing I had a backup!

I call this the accelerated curve. Anyone have any research about this?

This magical breathtaking and revolutionary device will change who you are, bring world peace & eliminate hunger. It will bring you an exuberant amount of joy! To be honest and completely pragmatic, it probably won't do any of those... but it will make meeee very happy! Time to open up the MacBook and install this sucker!

• A free and paid verison
• The free version should automatically backup contacts, calendars, bookmarks, and photos/videos
• The paid verison should add synchronization to Mac/PC (photos sync to iPhoto, etc.)
• Cloud-based music/video/photo access/streaming (maybe this is more of an iTunes thing)

Did I miss anything?

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/28/business/28borker.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2