Michael Dolan Dot Com

Archive for the 'Apple' Category

Monday, September 1st, 2008

Google “Chrome” browser is here. Google still treats Linux as second class?

I’m honestly surprised that we continuously see Google support Linux second. Google just announced “Chrome” on Labor Day stating a release for Windows and an “in the future” support for Linux and Mac. By all accounts, Windows is obviously the largest base, but why not wait just a little and do a simultaneous release? Heck, Google uses a ton of Linux on the desktop internally. Then I also have to remember, Linux already has a dominant penetration for non-Microsoft web browsers and already supports open standards… so maybe it’s just not needed – or is it? I think it’s too early to tell at the moment but Google is making its case with a compelling story.

You can see the “story” behind Chrome’s purpose on Google’s website at the URL below. Google put its argument for Chrome and its approach in comic format which I found quite entertaining. For engineers out there, this is a great medium (in my opinion) for communicating the benefit/value of an architecture decision. The technology and impact on the users are clearly defined.

http://www.google.com/googlebooks/chrome/

I’m actually quite excited to see Chrome in action. First, there’s been a lot of work going on with Javascript engines and I’m sure Google did some performance work that should help Google Maps, Gmail, etc. Second, there appears to be a very strong integration of Google Gears into Chrome which should lend to great offline performance and features. Finally, it also looks like Google is going to revolutionize the “behind the scenes” processing your browser does. Instead of implementing a single threaded web processing model as we’re all used to, Google is going to split each tab into its own process. This gives you a multitasking performance boost if you’re a big time power user with multiple tabs executing at the same time. More important though should be the isolation – if Google Maps crashes, it shouldn’t take out the entire browser.

Google Inc. is releasing its own Web browser in a long-anticipated move aimed at countering the dominance of Microsoft Corp.’s Internet Explorer and ensuring easy access to its market-leading search engine.

The Mountain View-based company took the unusual step of announcing its latest product on the Labor Day holiday after it prematurely sent out a comic book drawn up to herald the new browser’s arrival.

The free browser, called “Chrome,” is supposed to be available for downloading Tuesday in more than 100 countries for computers running on Microsoft’s Windows operating system. Google said it’s still working on versions compatible with Apple Inc.’s Mac computer and the Linux operating system.

Now, yet another question is why do we need another web browser for Windows, Mac and Linux? How about one that supports open standards for the iPhone? Unfortunately Apple is unlikely to budge on its Apps policies which will, I can guarantee, limit its enterprise adoption for the iPhone. I’m honestly shocked that Apple has been touting its “enterprise” potential in some circles and been so standoffish towards enterprise applications vendors who those “enterprise” clients would need. Wake up Apple. You need Symantec, Cisco, AT&T and other network/AV/etc providers. Not everyone uses Microsoft Exchange so you’ll need Lotus Notes, IMAP support, etc. Oh well, I can only hope Apple will one day “get it”.

Thursday, August 28th, 2008

Psystar, speculation, press and absolutely no legal precendent to stand on

It amazes me how much coverage Psystar gets in the press and how much people want to speculate about its future. Yes, I’d love to run OS X on any hardware I choose, but that doesn’t matter one bit here. What matters here is intellectual property, copyrights, patents, trademarks and licensing. It’s hard to think of an area of IP law Psystar is not violating doing what it does with Mac OS X. Sure, I’d love to see them win so I can run OS X on my PC tomorrow, but I fear for what impact such a nonsensical precedent would create. In fact, I would not want to see Psystar win because of the irreversibly bad precedent it could create.

Counterclaim for antitrust?? First, this case will be nothing comparable to the Microsoft tying case. Just remove that fantasy from your mental casework right now. Second, where does this go to next? Should auto makers stop tying the onboard OS and drivers for your car to function from the hardware? Should your TV come with a separate fee and license for the OS and drivers? Finally, does Psystar realize this flies in the face of the entire industry practice (e.g. try buying an HP laptop – what OS options are tied to it?). How is HP any different than Apple?

This is pure nonsense and I can’t believe Psystar is still around let alone with enough funding to hire lawyers. It was a stupid idea from the start and I hope this case (and the rampant media speculation) will catch up with reality fast.

Thursday, July 24th, 2008

iPhone SDK is Mac OS X only

I just went to download the iPhone SDK early this morning and realized they only have a Mac OS X version. No Linux or Windows version – how nice. I guess I should have expected that. Not having a Mac, I’m obviously not going to be test writing any apps.

I wonder if this has anything to do with the recent uptick in Mac sales.

Wednesday, July 16th, 2008

WordPress 2.6 is here and rumors of an iPhone interface coming?

I still need to update to v2.6, but it’s officially here. There are a host of cool new features including Gears-based acceleration.

I also noticed this link indicating an upcoming iPhone application for easier use of WordPress.

Good news on all WordPress fronts.

Wednesday, July 16th, 2008

7 +1 = 8 iPhone Disappointments

I noticed this Forbes article and have to add my 1 big disappointment. Unlike a Blackberry and many other internet-capable devices, you cannot use the iPhone as a modem or in a tethered mode to access the internet from a laptop. I am baffled that this is not a huge selling point. I can only imagine that AT&T doesn’t want the bandwidth, but I find it unacceptable.

Personally I don’t find multimedia messaging to be an issue. I also don’t care about voice dialing. But if I were to add a 9th disappointment to the list it would be iTunes. As I’ve documented in prior posts, I cannot stand iTunes. Add in that I have to pay for a song twice to add any ringtone to my phone, and I hate iTunes twice as much as before.

Monday, July 14th, 2008

IBMers: Get a substantial discount off your AT&T Wireless Plan (including iPhone plans)

IBMers can get a significant discount off their AT&T wireless plans. I just got an iPhone and switched to AT&T wireless from Verizon. It’s worth the effort to sign up.

http://wireless.att.com/discounts

Monday, July 14th, 2008

iPhone 3G Tips and Tricks

I found this website particularly helpful figuring out some of the hidden tricks to the new iPhone.

http://www.apple.com/iphone/tips/