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musings in a digital age (or some such pretentious nonsense)

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Google task list - is it SO difficult to fix?

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http://www.google.co.uk/support/forum/p/Google+Mobile/thread?tid=5a1b5b6c5bfc0b9d&hl=en

This is exactly the issue I have, synchronising Google Tasks offline in Ipod Touch
This is such an important piece of functionality that I'm surprised Google have not released the API for developers to work with...

MBP impossibly hot

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As some of you know, this is my 4th MBP (bought the original in July and have had to replace the others)...

This latest one has had a battery life of only 2.5 hours at best (add screenshots).
Additionally or perhaps causally (is that a word?!) it has been running too hot. I don't mean a bit warm or very warm or hot , I mean TOO FUCKING HOT! Some forums suggested deticking the 'check fraudulant links' on Safari which I have done and seems to have cooled it somewhat (in the last 10 mins- I have only just tried this).

Looking at the Activity Monitor (in Applications/Utilities) I note that Firefox is using almost a Gb of RAM and 68% of the CPU o I have 4Gb Ram and 2.53Ghz dual-core processor so it should still be OK but Is al this usage by FF really necessary?

Apple can't make a netbook: hasn't figured out a rip-off

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What about an Apple netbook?
Of course, one of the things we always hear rumors about is an Apple netbook. To quote Apple's COO Timothy Cook on April 22nd, "When I look at what is being sold in the notebook space today, I see cramped keyboards, terrible software, junky hardware, very small screens -- just not a consumer experience, not something we would put the Mac brand on." Cook went on to say "If we find a way where we can deliver an innovative product that really makes a contribution, then we will have some interesting ideas in this space."



Oh fuck off!

What you mean is you can't think of a way to rip people off in a netbook market.

How about a reworking of that quote to reflect reality:
"When I look at what is being sold by Apple in the MacBook Pro space today I see huge overpricing on equipment that is now made in China - which should in fact bring prices down as it does costs. I see overheating chassis, insufficient USB ports, mirror screens, easily dented scratch-magnets. Just not something one would want to put a 'netbook' label on. If Apple can see a way of innovatively ripping off its loyal bunch of suckers customers - and making standards as 'extras' in a way that really makes a contribution to its overstuffed coffers, I'm sure it will..."

iPod bluetooth doesn't work with Bluetooth

Visited Apple's Shepherds Bush Westfield Store. The iPod Touches on
display with Bluetooth also didn't sync with Macbooks there (as mine
didn't at home) So at least mine isn't alone in being faulty. Spoke to
someone who said Bluetooth didn't work for file transfer, only for
some Bluetooth stereo headsets. Seems Apple have no plans to unlock
'Mactooth' further. Their explanation is some mumbled garbage about
them being worried about viruses being spread via bluetooth. Strange
since Bluetooth requres authority, is not a hidden background
technology. Apple's Bizarro World again...

Sent from my iPod

Apple's iPod Touch policy enrages reviewer

Apple's iPod Touch policy enrages reviewer
http://www.macintouch.com/reviews/ipodtouch/
Most outrageous of all, iPod Touch doesn't transmit audio through
Apple's own original iPod Universal Dock! (At least the dock still
syncs data.) Apple's iPod Docks made it convenient to hook up any iPod
to any speaker system, so over the years we've bought a number of them
for use in home and office — but now none of them work as designed.
The whole point of the iPod's dock port, introduced in 2003, was to
create more flexibility and ensure compatibility with iPod
accessories. No longer?
(The "iPod Universal Dock" is visually distinguished from the newer
"Apple Universal Dock" only by their front infrared receiver. It's
circular on the older Dock and a flat bar on the new one. Only the
newer model is fully compatible with iPod Touch.)
We don't expect uncertified devices like the Athena speaker dock to
work with all Apple products, but we do expect products sold by Apple
in its retail stores, like the Logitech AudioStation, to keep working.
And we especially expect Apple's own products to work. The most recent
Apple Universal Dock is iTouch-compatible, but at $50 each, we won't
be rushing out to replace our older Universal docks.
Apple's pattern of abandoning its old technology is worrisome. This
isn't the first we've seen this — the iPhone is incompatible with
Apple's own iPod HiFi speaker, for example. Over the past few years,
Apple has been requiring companies making iPod accessories buy and use
"authorization chips" to use Apple's "Made for iPod" and "Works with
iPhone" logos with their products. With the iPod Touch, we may be
seeing full platform lock-down. No chip, no iPod communication.
For new customers, this isn't a problem — currently sold accessories
work fine with iPod Touch. But customers with an iPod "infrastructure"
of docks, speakers and car adapters already in place may choose not to
buy a new iPod that requires replacing their existing Apple-certified
yet obsolete accessory investment.
We're not happy that Apple is forcing this choice — not everyone has
the extra money to replace years' worth of iPod add-ons. We're
currently left with three iPod speaker systems, two cars and several
Docks that don't work with the iPod Touch — for no good reason and
all under Apple's sole control.


Sent from my iPod

Thunderbird is GO!

Organisation with iPod touch+finance

Organisation with iPod touch+finance
Had a scare today with my debit card. I travelled up north about a
month ago to visit relatives. Today while perusing my statement
online I noticed some odd spending which seemed to be coming from up
north. In the end the spending was from London but still odd...and I
couldn't remember what the money had been withdrawn for.
I need to have some 'foolproof' system whereby I can instantly note it
but also backed up somewhere so I have at least one other record. This
should be online as well so that I can easily from web.
There are a few apps for the iPod Touch which promise this but I
really need something which syncs with Goodle tasks otherwise what's
the point?


Sent from my iPod

iPhone developer slams Apple over App Store yank

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http://www.macworld.co.uk/ipod-itunes/news/index.cfm?RSS&NewsID=26766

iPod/iPhone > News

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 iPhone developer slams Apple over App Store yank
VoiceCentral, a Google Voice-related app, gets pulled; 'fanboi' developer angry
Gregg Keizer, Computerworld US


Serves him right for worshipping false gods!

le from the iPhone's App Store is hopping mad.

Kevin Duerr, the chief executive of Durham, N.C.-based Riverturn Inc., took Apple out to the woodshed over its refusal to explain why his VoiceCentral application was pulled from the App Store earlier this week. "I'm a self-admitted Apple 'fanboi', but this knocked me to the core," said Duerr in an interview today.

In a blog entry posted Tuesday, Duerr outlined his conversation with an Apple representative, identified only as "Richard," who had called to inform Riverturn that VoiceCentral, an application that let iPhone users log in to the Google Voice service, had been removed from the App Store.

During that conversation, Richard told Duerr that VoiceCentral was being dropped because it "duplicates features of the iPhone," but repeatedly refused to answer Duerr's questions, including what his developers could change to meet Apple's requirements.

"Can you tell me what portions of the app were duplicate features?" Duerr asked.

"I can't go into granular detail," Richard replied.

Duerr persisted. "Is there something we can change or alter in order to regain compliance and get back in the Store?" he asked.

"I can't say," responded Richard.

VoiceCentral was approved by Apple for the App Store in late April, and although it had not sold in large numbers, sales had been on an upswing in the last few weeks, Duerr said, after Google announced it was offering its own application for the BlackBerry and Android platforms.

On Thursday, Duerr was still obviously upset at the treatment Riverturn received. "My sincere belief [Tuesday] was that I got through to them, and that someone from Apple would actually talk to me about this," he said, referring to a repeated requests to Richard that he ask his manager to contact Riverturn. "But no, we haven't heard a thing from them."

Apple has a checkered history in its dealings with iPhone developers. Other applications, such as the NetShare tethering application, have been yanked with similar cryptic explanations.

Duerr said that he has received no replies to the many e-mails he has sent this week to Apple and its iPhone development team.

"I know that they're Apple, and they love their shroud of secrecy, but I don't understand it in this line of business," said Duerr. "What's the harm in telling developers why an app has been rejected or pulled from the App Store? Other than the volume of apps that are submitted, I don't see the problem with taking action. Why wouldn't you say: 'Here's why.'"

The lack of information has frustrated Duerr to the point where he's questioning whether the iPhone platform is worth supporting. "The way they handled it, how can I possibly authorize spending money on iPhone development?" he asked. "There's a new mobile marketplace opening up every week it seems."

To add insult to injury, Apple is giving refunds to VoiceCentral users who, understandably, are concerned about their purchase now that the application has been dropped from the App Store.

"Users are freaked out," said Duerr. "VoiceCentral will continue to work, we just can't provide updates or new features. But they're saying 'I don't want this thing,' and Apple gives them a refund. Now they're taking that money out of our pocket, and not just the 70% that we received [from the original purchase] but also the 30% that Apple received. That's the way Apple's agreement is written."

His objection was that the refunds were sparked, not by a flaw in the program, but by Apple's unilateral decision to yank the application. "I lived up to my end, we're still supporting users, but what they're doing, this is unbelievable," said Duerr. "We've lost the expense it took to develop the applications, we've lost the opportunity to have VoiceCentral on the App Store, and now we've lost the refund.

"And we didn't any say in the matter" Duerr complained.

Apple declined to comment on Duerr's claims.

IPod Touch Battery problems: discharges really quickly

IPod Touch Battery problems: discharges really quickly and even if
off! Battery might. Eg showing half on bar, I switch off at night,
when I switch back it's earning me 10% so it's draining even when off!
Not good, battery on Sony Ericsson k750i much better, lasts days even
when I make lots of calls.


Sent from my iPod
February 2012
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