Technology catch-all thread

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

C'mon now, advertising new headphones as some sort of amazing new phone feature is WAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYY more gimmicky than NFC...

 

[chw42]

C'mon now, advertising new headphones as some sort of amazing new phone feature is WAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYY more gimmicky than NFC...

 

lol this is very true.

[chw42]

 

The headphone jack is on the BOTTOM. *Mind blown!

[Quin]

Hands up if you've ever lost both of your hands inside a printer trying to unjam it. No one? Nothing?

 

Oh, I'm sorry. Was that too soon? Fine. Hands down, everyone.

 

The point I'm trying to make is that printers are bulls***. There is no way a just world should allow such a critical piece of technology to f*** up basically constantly. Streaks,

blotches and paper jams are an everyday occurrence with printers, filling our offices with their symphony of beeps, grinding noises and incoherent error messages. And don't get me started on the ink, OH IT'S TOO LATE, YOU GOT ME STARTED ON THE INK, WATCH THE f*** OUT.

 

HALF-FULL INK CARTRIDGES REPORTED AS EMPTY.

 

COLOR PRINTERS THAT DON'T PRINT BLACK AND WHITE BECAUSE YOU'RE OUT OF YELLOW INK.

 

YELLOW, FOR f***'S SAKE. YELLOW! WHO THE f*** WAS USING ALL THE YELLOW?

 

WHAT DO YOU MEAN I CAN'T JUST BUY YELLOW INK?!?!?!

 

 

Read more: 5 Things Technology Will Never Fix (And Why) | Cracked.com http://www.cracked.com/blog/5-things-techn.../#ixzz28Vf7iUKV

[Y2HH]

http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/06/workers...factory-strike/

 

 

 

.02 mm? Seriously? These workers are getting paid $10 a day (about 70 RMB) and now they're forced to look for .02 mm defects? A 2000 RMB per month wage is considered just about average in China, but there are people who sit on their asses and do nothing while making twice that (in China, not here).

 

Part of the problem is how China goes about where people can work, as companies like Foxxconn are simply taking advantage of younger people from rural areas without much of a choice (either stay home and do nothing or hope to get somewhere by working low-end jobs in the city). But if Apple and Foxxconn had any kind of human compassion, they'd at least give these workers living quarters that don't smell like crap and adequate time to rest (http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57510975-37/undercover-reporter-details-work-at-foxconns-iphone-plant/).

 

Before the Apple lovers in this thread point out that a lot of other companies use Foxxconn as a means to manufacturer their electronics...when was the last time you heard Toshiba or HP tell Foxxconn and its workers to look for .02 mm defects? When was the last time Foxxconn workers rioted because they couldn't take the pressure from overproducing Toshiba laptops? Yeah...those things never happened and they probably never will.

 

Give these workers better conditions. Pay them slightly better. Does Apple really need an extra $10 per device that could be used towards making these workers happier and more productive?

 

When was the last time you saw any of those companies give workers that work on their lines 25% raises, despite not being the owner of the company they work for? Oh, that's right, you haven't, because only Apple did that. Apple gave them all 25% raises if they happen to work on Apple lines, something the have absolutely no obligation to do.

 

Your anger is misplaced.

 

Get mad at Foxconn for telling Apple they could deliver .02mm precision, not Apple.

 

Get mad at China for the lack of worker rights, not Apple.

 

This is more absurd, anti-Apple bulls***.

 

...and for the record, you haven't heard of them b****ing or moaning about Toshiba laptops, because nobody cares enough to write articles or investigate the factory that makes Toshiba laptops, despite the fact it's Foxconn, the same company...meaning they're working in the same s***ty conditions, but for less money since they don't get the 25% Apple bonus.

Edited October 6, 2012 by Y2HH

[nitetrain8601]

As a internet security professional, I urge people to stay away from NFC for the next few years, it's a dangerous, infant, unsafe technology in a world where personal identity/credit card theft is skyrocketing. These manufacturers putting it to work are doing so without regard to your personal information or financial security. They don't care so long as it means you'll spend more money because you have less time to think about making a frivolous purchase 10 times a day, because all it requires is the waving of a magic wand near a receiver.

 

NFC essentially transmits, albeit a short distance, all the information necessary to make a purchase, without requiring a password/PIN or any further means of identification to complete said transaction. Is it convenient? Of course. But while a convenience, this is equivalent to having a ATM card that doesn't require a PIN, only the card isn't even necessary as someone merely needs to intercept your transmission which would allow them to retransmit it.

 

NFC can be "harvested" and logged by those that live on the wrong side of the law, and used/tossed...just remember, if it's a convenience for you, it's that much more of a convenience for them.

 

Stay away from this technology until the industry finds the holes/issues and fixes the majority of them before you decide it's worth saving yourself an extra '8 seconds' at the risk of finding a maxed out credit card or empty bank account.

 

 

...so in other words, everyone needs a Galaxy Sx? How is that any different from everyone having an iPhone (any version of it) and using shared photo stream via iCloud?

 

These are silly features that require everyone around you to have the same model or brand of phone. These features amount to nothing more than "eye candy" so you can show your friends how cool your device is, whether it be an iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, or Windows Mobile 8...these are the types of features people only use when they want to show off their device, but 99.9% of the time never use them in a real world situation.

 

Like the Samsung "bump to share a playlist"...seriously wtf is that? Thanks for your playlist. Now if I only had those f***ing songs I could actually play it. Useless. I remember the early version of the iPhone had a very similar "bump" tech that nobody ever used, either. These are all what I call "feature creep" additions that do nothing but bloat software.

 

Let me preface this by saying, I own several Apple products including the iPad 2 and 3, a few iPhone 4s' for my family and a 1st gen AppleTV that I dearly love. Apple makes a damn good product if you want something that just works. Yes, they do have issues, but their responses to those issues are what makes it maddening as a technology fan (i.e. Reception on the iPhone doesn't work; Apple tells me I'm holding it wrong.) You remind me of that type of person. Something tells me if Apple had introduced NFC, you wouldn't be making PSAs on it, nor downtalking it in a technology thread. I haven't posted much in this thread for that reason, but after reviewing your posts Y2, you are an Apple drone. I mean, seriously, re-read this thread or have a friend or family member do it with all your posts only, and you constantly put down Android or anything that's competition for Apple. I'd say maybe 5% of your posts are not that. Maybe not put down in an outright way all the time, but you'll promote Apple while taking some subtle shots at their competition. (i.e. "NFC, who needs that crap? Oh, they just put that in, because it looks cool.")

 

I bump to share playlists and I'll download or buy the song later. They can't have you bump and give the playlist with all songs to another person, because then there's legal ramifications and the recording industry would sue the pants off of Samsung or whoever uses it. I use NFC when I want to share a photo with a group of friends/family who want to check out my photos. Not all of them get MMS for free, nor want to give out their personal emails and I don't want to jot down 10 different emails and wait for the phone to send it when I'm in the same room as them. For example, I took some pictures down in LA earlier this year, one from the Griffith Observatory at night overlooking the city. A few buddies of mine wanted it. 3 of them with S3s, others with other Androids some with Windows phones and others with iPads or iPhones. I was able to instantly share them with the S3 owners with no problem. The others I had to jot down email addresses they wanted it sent to or phone numbers for those I didn't have the phone number to.

 

Is it a luxurious feature? Yes, because it's not a necessity, but almost all features that do anything more than actually make a call, are luxurious. That goes for any phone brand, company, etc. I don't need to text. I don't need to use NFC. I don't need internet on my phone. But all of it makes things a lot easier for me, so I do want it.

 

/rant

Edited October 6, 2012 by nitetrain8601

[StrangeSox]

If it's an Android tablet, there are a bunch of emulators on the Play Store. I'm not sure which one is actually good since I don't use an NES emulator (GBA FTW), but they will definitely be playable. Although you will need to find one that is compatible with tablets.

 

If it's on iPad, you need to jailbreak and get it through Cydia. I'm not sure if they have a tablet mode one though. You might have to play it at an iPhone's resolution.

that droid emu one I posted has a bunch of emulators built-in, NES, SNES, genesis, Gb, GBA etc.

[Y2HH]

Let me preface this by saying, I own several Apple products including the iPad 2 and 3, a few iPhone 4s' for my family and a 1st gen AppleTV that I dearly love. Apple makes a damn good product if you want something that just works. Yes, they do have issues, but their responses to those issues are what makes it maddening as a technology fan (i.e. Reception on the iPhone doesn't work; Apple tells me I'm holding it wrong.) You remind me of that type of person. Something tells me if Apple had introduced NFC, you wouldn't be making PSAs on it, nor downtalking it in a technology thread. I haven't posted much in this thread for that reason, but after reviewing your posts Y2, you are an Apple drone. I mean, seriously, re-read this thread or have a friend or family member do it with all your posts only, and you constantly put down Android or anything that's competition for Apple. I'd say maybe 5% of your posts are not that. Maybe not put down in an outright way all the time, but you'll promote Apple while taking some subtle shots at their competition. (i.e. "NFC, who needs that crap? Oh, they just put that in, because it looks cool.")

 

I bump to share playlists and I'll download or buy the song later. They can't have you bump and give the playlist with all songs to another person, because then there's legal ramifications and the recording industry would sue the pants off of Samsung or whoever uses it. I use NFC when I want to share a photo with a group of friends/family who want to check out my photos. Not all of them get MMS for free, nor want to give out their personal emails and I don't want to jot down 10 different emails and wait for the phone to send it when I'm in the same room as them. For example, I took some pictures down in LA earlier this year, one from the Griffith Observatory at night overlooking the city. A few buddies of mine wanted it. 3 of them with S3s, others with other Androids some with Windows phones and others with iPads or iPhones. I was able to instantly share them with the S3 owners with no problem. The others I had to jot down email addresses they wanted it sent to or phone numbers for those I didn't have the phone number to.

 

Is it a luxurious feature? Yes, because it's not a necessity, but almost all features that do anything more than actually make a call, are luxurious. That goes for any phone brand, company, etc. I don't need to text. I don't need to use NFC. I don't need internet on my phone. But all of it makes things a lot easier for me, so I do want it.

 

/rant

 

Let me preface this by saying the following: If you want to have a technology discussion with me, let's do that. I love technology. I love using it. I love talking about it. But don't dismiss me as some sort of uneducated brain washed Apple drone, which is exactly what you attempted to do.

 

First and foremost, I'm not putting down NFC because Apple doesn't support it, I put it down in a very clear/concise manner because of the inherent security flaws of what it is. Way to ignore the reasoning, though. So, your point on NFC is utterly dismissed because it's ignorant, not to mention it shows your lack of education on the matter, as told by your dismissal of my rather clear post about security concerns and NFC. As a matter of fact, I'm sure Apple wants to support it, because they're getting into feature wars with other handset makers. At this point, however, it's just too much too soon, regardless of who supports it.

 

Second, I try to call it like I see it. Am I flawless in my initial reviews of a product or technology? No. But I do try to be as honest in my opinions as possible...and my opinions do and have changed on products over time after using them extensivly. We are all prone to falling for a device/technology we bought, and prematurely defending it before we've had enough time to come to an honest conclusion, and even I'm guilty of this. But what I try not to do, however, is use a device for a day, read knee-jerk reaction articles and form my opinion based on that little amount of information. Apple has it's fair share of issues, and anyone that says otherwise is a liar. But so does Android, and Microsoft WM7/8. What I can say is that I've used a multitude of these devices for testing -- extensively -- for security, usability, troubleshooting, etc...because it's part of my job. Not just phones, but computers, operating systems, etc. They all have their strengths and weaknesses, INCLUDING every model of iMac/iPhone Apple has ever released. Admittedly, there are many models computers/devices/operating systems I've never used, because there are so many, but the ones I have used I do try to be honest in my assessment of them.

 

Third, "Antenna gate", as the media dubbed it, was blown out of proportion, however, it WAS a problem with Apples antenna design. Their specific design took an industry wide issue but made it that much worse. Holding it wrong? No, it was a design issue which they fixed in later iterations of their antenna design. As I said, I call it like I see it. Let's ignore that, too, though, because what you're attempting to do is make me into an "Apple drone", in order for any part of your nonsense rant to work. If it wasn't a design issue, they wouldn't have changed the design, now would they? However, I do reiterate...it was mostly blown out of proportion, as are most things Apple, because it generates clicks.

 

Fourth, iPhone users have something called shared photo stream -- it's practically the same thing you have on your S3 -- allowing you to share photos with other S3 owners. For anyone without an iPhone, however, those users would have to email or mms the pictures, EXACTLY like you had too do with other brand phones.

 

Fifth, I understand the legal ramifications of sharing music, but a bump to share a playlist is just feature creep nonsense. You could email it, text it, etc, universally to any handset...all much easier than "bumping" with one specific brand of phone.

 

If you want to have a discussion with me on technology, do that. But dismissing my security concerns on NFC, or my knowledge of technology as an "Apple drone", no matter what the intent, is ludicrous.

 

/retort

Edited October 6, 2012 by Y2HH

[RockRaines]

If you think thats a security concern wait until you see what is coming out with several major auto manufacturers. Your smart phone will literally be broadcasting your personal information including the crypto key to unlock and start your car.

[Y2HH]

If you think thats a security concern wait until you see what is coming out with several major auto manufacturers. Your smart phone will literally be broadcasting your personal information including the crypto key to unlock and start your car.

 

And why?

 

Because features, features, features!

 

They aren't at all concerned about the ramifications of these features yet...but they understand that features sell.

 

It just gets annoying after a while that people dismiss me as some sort of Apple spokesman without actually asking me much about why I think what I think. I mean, it's not like I use a multitude of these things on a daily basis!

 

I see them do it to you, too.

 

(Don't tell them that we're paid by Apple!)

[iamshack]

If you think thats a security concern wait until you see what is coming out with several major auto manufacturers. Your smart phone will literally be broadcasting your personal information including the crypto key to unlock and start your car.

Oh boy...I'm already a bit concerned about the technology they have for keyless startup now...I have the Audi Advanced Key function...it allows you to open the car and start the car as long as you have the key within a certain distance of the car, basically, on your person.

 

Anyways, a few times when I had the car already running, and then needed to run back in the house and use my housekey to get in, and therefore took the keys with me, I am concerned that someone could actually drive away with the car even without the keys? I've actually gotten back in the car while it is running still, and the dash shows a key with a question mark, as if it doesn't recognize the key is back inside the car, and yet it still allows me to operate the vehicle and drive away...

 

 

[Y2HH]

Oh boy...I'm already a bit concerned about the technology they have for keyless startup now...I have the Audi Advanced Key function...it allows you to open the car and start the car as long as you have the key within a certain distance of the car, basically, on your person.

 

Anyways, a few times when I had the car already running, and then needed to run back in the house and use my housekey to get in, and therefore took the keys with me, I am concerned that someone could actually drive away with the car even without the keys? I've actually gotten back in the car while it is running still, and the dash shows a key with a question mark, as if it doesn't recognize the key is back inside the car, and yet it still allows me to operate the vehicle and drive away...

 

This is a GREAT highlight of my concerns about NFC technology.

 

It shows the strength of that signal/range, which and an of itself poses an issue. Yes, it's more convenient to have more distance, however, it also makes it easier for theft to occur. If someone was the "harvest" that signal, and then retransmit it, they would have the same power/control as you do, and in your example, it shows they don't even have to be all that close to you in order to receive said signal. I'm not saying it's easy to know how to do something like this, as I'm sure it's protected with some sort of encryption, but the fact is, there is a signal being transmitted that could be read by other devices...making theft THAT much simpler for the person.

 

This also relates to credit cards, etc...anything that uses NFC. It's concerning...but what's more concerning is how quickly people/companies are jumping on this technology before it's ready for prime time.

 

But I know, the only reason I hate NFC is because Apple doesn't support it!

Edited October 6, 2012 by Y2HH

[Y2HH]

What's more annoying about printers for most home users is how expensive ink is, and the fact that it dries up if you don't use it.

[iamshack]

What's more annoying about printers for most home users is how expensive ink is, and the fact that it dries up if you don't use it.

I gave up on even owning one. If I really need a hard copy of something I just do it at work. It's just not worth the trouble for me anymore.

[nitetrain8601]

Let me preface this by saying the following: If you want to have a technology discussion with me, let's do that. I love technology. I love using it. I love talking about it. But don't dismiss me as some sort of uneducated brain washed Apple drone, which is exactly what you attempted to do.

 

First and foremost, I'm not putting down NFC because Apple doesn't support it, I put it down in a very clear/concise manner because of the inherent security flaws of what it is. Way to ignore the reasoning, though. So, your point on NFC is utterly dismissed because it's ignorant, not to mention it shows your lack of education on the matter, as told by your dismissal of my rather clear post about security concerns and NFC. As a matter of fact, I'm sure Apple wants to support it, because they're getting into feature wars with other handset makers. At this point, however, it's just too much too soon, regardless of who supports it.

 

Second, I try to call it like I see it. Am I flawless in my initial reviews of a product or technology? No. But I do try to be as honest in my opinions as possible...and my opinions do and have changed on products over time after using them extensivly. What I try not to do, however, is use a device for a day, read knee-jerk reaction articles and form my opinion based on that little amount of information. Apple has it's fair share of issues, and anyone that says otherwise is a liar. But so does Android, and Microsoft WM7/8. What I can say is that I've used a multitude of these devices for testing -- extensively -- for security, usability, troubleshooting, etc...because it's part of my job. Not just phones, but computers, operating systems, etc. They all have their strengths and weaknesses, INCLUDING every model of iMac/iPhone Apple has ever released. Admittedly, there are many models computers/devices/operating systems I've never used, because there are so many, but the ones I have used I do try to be honest in my assessment of them.

 

Third, "Antenna gate", as the media dubbed it, was blown out of proportion, however, it WAS a problem with Apples antenna design. Their specific design took an industry wide issue but made it that much worse. Holding it wrong? No, it was a design issue which they fixed in later iterations of their antenna design. As I said, I call it like I see it. Let's ignore that, too, though, because what you're attempting to do is make me into an "Apple drone", in order for any part of your nonsense rant to work. If it wasn't a design issue, they wouldn't have changed the design, now would they? However, I do reiterate...it was mostly blown out of proportion, as are most things Apple, because it generates clicks.

 

Fourth, iPhone users have something called shared photo stream -- it's practically the same thing you have on your S3 -- allowing you to share photos with other S3 owners. For anyone without an iPhone, however, those users would have to email or mms the pictures, EXACTLY like you had too do with other brand phones.

 

Fifth, I understand the legal ramifications of sharing music, but a bump to share a playlist is just feature creep nonsense. You could email it, text it, etc, universally to any handset...all much easier than "bumping" with one specific brand of phone.

 

If you want to have a discussion with me on technology, do that. But dismissing my security concerns on NFC, or my knowledge of technology as an "Apple drone", no matter what the intent, is ludicrous.

 

/retort

 

Everything has security concerns and flaws. It's up to people to actually exploit it, but every smart device does, because in the end, it's a form of computer. Google Wallet as an example, has huge security concerns. Using bump it features (BTW, there's a form on the Android market prior to what's been recently released), is a security risk, bluetooth is a security risk. Having a removable memory card is a security risk. You are stating your concerns of NFC, but do not have factual evidence that it is anymore of a concern than other security loopholes in phones such as downloading an app.

 

I'll agree with you that every product has its fair share of problems/concerns. No argument there. FoxComm's problem is Apple's problem as well. Yes, I know you're speaking of my iPhone 5 experience from a few pages back with regards to playing with a phone for a day, but I've also had a lot more time to play with it as I'm in the technology field and one of the things we do is support phones which includes handling anything Apple or Android based including troubleshooting, installing company apps, locking down phones, creating policies, etc. So I have a fair chance of playing with many phones. Not only that, I support all the phones in my family including Blackberrys, Apple, Android and even an old school Nokia phone which isn't a smart phone.

 

Antenna gate was Apple's problem. That's exactly what I said, I also stated, they didn't want to admit to it, but rather blamed the consumer first. Yes, eventually they fixed it, but not before giving us this gem:

 

 

And they did it again with the iPhone 5:

 

Read Here

 

Lastly, I rather bump my phone, then going through my playlist, taking a screenshot of it, copy and pasting it(if the music player has that capability) or even typing it in a text message or email. It's a luxury feature. Do I need it? No. Do I need an iPod dock on my car receiver? No. But I sure as hell like having both of them.

 

I'm just calling it like I see it.

Edited October 7, 2012 by nitetrain8601

[Y2HH]

Everything has security concerns and flaws. It's up to people to actually exploit it, but every smart device does, because in the end, it's a form of computer. Google Wallet as an example, has huge security concerns. Using bump it features (BTW, there's a form on the Android market prior to what's been recently released), is a security risk, bluetooth is a security risk. Having a removable memory card is a security risk. You are stating your concerns of NFC, but do not have factual evidence that it is anymore of a concern than other security loopholes in phones such as downloading an app.

 

I'll agree with you that every product has its fair share of problems/concerns. No argument there. My argument is, you consistently downplay any concerns brought up that oppose Apple and use your opinion to try and validate it. Maybe I need dig deeper, but I've never seen you post an article stating how bad Apple messed up. Only rebuttals to articles in which they're in deep trouble. No Foxcomm isn't Apple's problem, it's FoxComm's problem. No, it's Apple's problem as well. Seemingly, you do anything to point negative opinions away from the silver Apple. Yes, I know you're speaking of my iPhone 5 experience from a few pages back with regards to playing with a phone for a day, but I've also had a lot more time to play with it as I'm in the technology field and one of the things we do is support phones which includes handling anything Apple or Android based including troubleshooting, installing company apps, locking down phones, creating policies, etc. So I have a fair chance of playing with many phones. Not only that, I support all the phones in my family including Blackberrys, Apple, Android and even an old school Nokia phone which isn't a smart phone.

 

Antenna gate was Apple's problem. That's exactly what I said, I also stated, they didn't want to admit to it, but rather blamed the consumer first. Yes, eventually they fixed it, but not before giving us this gem:

 

Lastly, I rather bump my phone, then going through my playlist, taking a screenshot of it, copy and pasting it(if the music player has that capability) or even typing it in a text message or email. It's a luxury feature. Do I need it? No. Do I need an iPod dock on my car receiver? No. But I sure as hell like having both of them.

 

So as you so famously put it, I'm just calling it like I see it. Or maybe you did post the iPhone 5 camera problem. Or maybe you did earlier state Apple screwed up with FoxComm and AntennaGate was originally blamed on Apple by Apple. Maybe I missed all that, but I doubt it.

 

I'm editing this post as I did not like the tone I was using toward you, it leads to nothing productive when attempting to have a conversation with someone. So for that, I apologize.

 

First, there IS factual evidence as to the security concerns/flaws of NFC (you can read about them in the post I made below this one). People have an odd trust of technology/security, without truly understanding much about it. This isn't something to be ashamed of, either, since most people don't understand security in the computer/tech arena...but it IS something you should become more familiar with. When speaking of security, you have to understand the degree in which a hack is posible, and then, what's at stake to be hacked. You mentioned bluetooth, and software such as Google Wallet, etc. It's important to remember that these technologies do NOT contain the same security concerns that NFC does, because they were created with different purposes in mind and/or require different levels of access. When it comes to software, such as Google Wallet, it requires physical access to the device, and then access to the software on the device. NFC, however, just requires you be in the same area as the transmission. Bluetooth would be a point of concern if it was invented for the same purposes, but it wasn't, as it was created for wireless voice communication/sound transmission. Unlike the intent of NFC, Bluetooth is not used to transmit financial transactions. However, it is a concern as your phone's address book CAN BE transmitted via BT...but I don't consider that the same level of concern as say, something transmitting my bank account number.

 

Now, to be clear, I'm NOT saying NFC isn't useful, it's an amazing technology. What I am saying, however, is that NFC isn't ready for the financial/personal information sector. Yet. It needs more testing time/focus on security before it's ready for widespread use. When that time comes, I'll recommend it's use to people...but until then, it's a use at your own risk type of thing. I do feel it's important that people understand how the technology works, and it's flaws, especially when it comes to your personal financial security/personal information security. I realize that to most people, these are things that only happen to others...that is, until they happen to you.

 

Moving on, you speak of Foxconn and Apple. Apple, amongst many other technology giants, use Foxconn for the same purposes. The employees of Foxconn, under that same Foxconn banner, all work in the same conditions. It's seems as if it's only news when Apple is involved, but let's ignore the fact that Google (Motorola Mobility), Microsoft, Nokia, etc...all use the same labor force at Foxconn. So, in essence, if it's Apple's problem, it's all of their problems, too. And it's actually a fair point for you to say it is their problem...but why single out Apple simply because the media is obsessed with anything Apple? They all need to share blame for using this type of labor, and for that matter, the same goes for the US consumer. Foxconn has also issued a statement today that there is no strike going on, either (not that I believe much of what Foxconn has to say). But enough is enough with Apple/Foxconn, as if Apple is the only company that uses their cheap labor.

 

Now, speaking on features. While I find some of these features frivolous at best, I'm not saying people won't put them to use. There ARE, however, two features I find awesome on the S3 and I wish they were available on the iPhone without needing to jailbreak. 1) Flip the phone over to mute. While this can be considered frivolous, as pressing any button accomplishes the same task on most phones, I find this feature intuitive as it takes NO learning curve to use, and no secondary devices of a certain brand to activate. It's downright useful. 2) Palm touch to screenshot. This is SO much more intuitive than having to press multiple hard or soft buttons in order to accomplish the same task. Apple has a plethora of features I find equally frivolous, which is why I don't use them, for example Photo Stream/Shared Photo Stream. While I'm sure they're useful for others, including facetime, it would be a far better technology if ANYONE could use it universally. Then it wouldn't matter if the person has an S3, or OneX, or iPhone, or Windows Mobile.

 

Going back to "Bump to share playlists", it would have been far more intuitive for Samsung (or Google, or Apple) to include a feature along the lines of "export playlist" to sms, email, or facebook, etc., directly in the music software, perhaps at the top or bottom of your playlist. Instead, they create a whole new NFC based gimmick technology that is not only device specific, but mostly implemented for eye candy/advertising purposes, not to mention far more complicated to use than the alternative I just posed.

 

And once again, I apologize for my tone on the original version of this post. You did get under my skin with the constant Apple drone garbage, however. I wish I could see a technology conversation anywhere on the internet where this sort of name calling/dismissal didn't occur, be it being called a Apple drone/fanboy, a FanDROID, or Microsoftie...or the plethora of other condescending/derogatory terms people use to dismiss peoples opinions on technology.

Edited October 6, 2012 by Y2HH

[Y2HH]

If you'd like to do some actual research, so you better understand my concerns with NFC, there is this AWESOME tool out there we call Google Search.

 

http://bit.ly/R1teeC

 

Start there.

 

...and more: http://arstechnica.com/security/2012/07/an...martphone-hack/

 

These are ongoing NFC related security concerns, because the technology is simply not ready.

Edited October 6, 2012 by Y2HH

[Steve9347]

I always adore a good Google burn.

[nitetrain8601]

I'm editing this post as I did not like the tone I was using toward you, it leads to nothing productive when attempting to have a conversation with someone. So for that, I apologize.

 

First, there IS factual evidence as to the security concerns/flaws of NFC (you can read about them in the post I made below this one). People have an odd trust of technology/security, without truly understanding much about it. This isn't something to be ashamed of, either, since most people don't understand security in the computer/tech arena...but it IS something you should become more familiar with. When speaking of security, you have to understand the degree in which a hack is posible, and then, what's at stake to be hacked. You mentioned bluetooth, and software such as Google Wallet, etc. It's important to remember that these technologies do NOT contain the same security concerns that NFC does, because they were created with different purposes in mind and/or require different levels of access. When it comes to software, such as Google Wallet, it requires physical access to the device, and then access to the software on the device. NFC, however, just requires you be in the same area as the transmission. Bluetooth would be a point of concern if it was invented for the same purposes, but it wasn't, as it was created for wireless voice communication/sound transmission. Unlike the intent of NFC, Bluetooth is not used to transmit financial transactions. However, it is a concern as your phone's address book CAN BE transmitted via BT...but I don't consider that the same level of concern as say, something transmitting my bank account number.

 

Now, to be clear, I'm NOT saying NFC isn't useful, it's an amazing technology. What I am saying, however, is that NFC isn't ready for the financial/personal information sector. Yet. It needs more testing time/focus on security before it's ready for widespread use. When that time comes, I'll recommend it's use to people...but until then, it's a use at your own risk type of thing. I do feel it's important that people understand how the technology works, and it's flaws, especially when it comes to your personal financial security/personal information security. I realize that to most people, these are things that only happen to others...that is, until they happen to you.

 

Moving on, you speak of Foxconn and Apple. Apple, amongst many other technology giants, use Foxconn for the same purposes. The employees of Foxconn, under that same Foxconn banner, all work in the same conditions. It's seems as if it's only news when Apple is involved, but let's ignore the fact that Google (Motorola Mobility), Microsoft, Nokia, etc...all use the same labor force at Foxconn. So, in essence, if it's Apple's problem, it's all of their problems, too. And it's actually a fair point for you to say it is their problem...but why single out Apple simply because the media is obsessed with anything Apple? They all need to share blame for using this type of labor, and for that matter, the same goes for the US consumer. Foxconn has also issued a statement today that there is no strike going on, either (not that I believe much of what Foxconn has to say). But enough is enough with Apple/Foxconn, as if Apple is the only company that uses their cheap labor.

 

Now, speaking on features. While I find some of these features frivolous at best, I'm not saying people won't put them to use. There ARE, however, two features I find awesome on the S3 and I wish they were available on the iPhone without needing to jailbreak. 1) Flip the phone over to mute. While this can be considered frivolous, as pressing any button accomplishes the same task on most phones, I find this feature intuitive as it takes NO learning curve to use, and no secondary devices of a certain brand to activate. It's downright useful. 2) Palm touch to screenshot. This is SO much more intuitive than having to press multiple hard or soft buttons in order to accomplish the same task. Apple has a plethora of features I find equally frivolous, which is why I don't use them, for example Photo Stream/Shared Photo Stream. While I'm sure they're useful for others, including facetime, it would be a far better technology if ANYONE could use it universally. Then it wouldn't matter if the person has an S3, or OneX, or iPhone, or Windows Mobile.

 

Going back to "Bump to share playlists", it would have been far more intuitive for Samsung (or Google, or Apple) to include a feature along the lines of "export playlist" to sms, email, or facebook, etc., directly in the music software, perhaps at the top or bottom of your playlist. Instead, they create a whole new NFC based gimmick technology that is not only device specific, but mostly implemented for eye candy/advertising purposes, not to mention far more complicated to use than the alternative I just posed.

 

And once again, I apologize for my tone on the original version of this post. You did get under my skin with the constant Apple drone garbage, however. I wish I could see a technology conversation anywhere on the internet where this sort of name calling/dismissal didn't occur, be it being called a Apple drone/fanboy, a FanDROID, or Microsoftie...or the plethora of other condescending/derogatory terms people use to dismiss peoples opinions on technology.

 

I agree and I will be editing my posts as well. Google Wallet is a form of NFC. Probably the first form of it being used.

 

Security firm Zvelo has discovered that the Google Wallet PIN, which is required of users to confirm purchases made with their phones, can be cracked via an exhaustive numerical search. Being able to access the PIN would allow criminals to use a Google Wallet-enabled phone to make purchases.

 

Because they're in the security business, Zvelo disclosed the issue to Google, which has confirmed that the vulnerability exists, and has "agreed to work quickly to resolve it."

 

Google Wallet is the first publicly available Near Field Communication (NFC) payment service in the U.S., and it's only available on one phone, on one network -- the Samsung Galaxy Nexus S 4G on Sprint.

 

Google Wallet is a more concentrated effort of using a form of NFC. With the S3, they have basically opened it up further. So the concerns of NFC, while they may be valid, there's always been security concerns beforehand.

[Y2HH]

The latest in a string of media happy Apple "problems", comes in with what I've decided to call JimiHendrixGate (PurpleHaze). This highlights exactly what I mean by the media jumping on Apple stories, people reading and repeating them, without having much knowledge on the subject.

 

This is also why people perceive me as an Apple defender, when what they should be seeing me as is someone that looks deeper into problems and dismisses reality from bulls***.

 

As some of you may or may not know, my friends are professional photographers, and so I went to them asking about why the i5 appears to have purple lens flaring effects when taking pictures of direct light sources. Then, I went and die some reading/testing of my own.

 

These are the things I found out.

 

(Before I begin, I will say it appears the i5 seems especially prone to this based solely on the multitude of stories I've read, however, I've been unable to reproduce it. At this point, I will have to wait until I can find someone else with an i5 that will me test it more.)

 

Here is a picture taken with the sun in the corner of the camera, as shown in multiple media tests. While flaring and spots exist, as you would expect with the sun in the image, nothing purple of note. I was also unable to reproduce this at home with either my 5 or my wife's 4s.

 

 

1) It's called chromatic aberration, and this specific aberration is known as purple fringing in photography circles. It's something that affects all cameras to a certain degree. Usually, special filters or lens coatings are used to remove this effect, as Leica, Sony, Panasonic, and others had similar issues from time to time, only in Leica's case it was a 7000$+ model, and a filter was issued to solve this. My friend(s) best educated guess is that because of how thin the i5 camera lens system is, it's possibly easier to reproduce on the i5 than on other cameras.

 

2) They do not believe it has anything to do with the sapphire crystal lens, and after reading multiple professional photographer websites opinions, neither do they.

 

3) It seems as if it was actually worse on some previous model iPhones, only nobody noticed until now.

 

4) It's present to a degree on other phone cameras, too, but again, nobody noticed or cared until they realized this one carried an Apple logo.

 

A few links with better information on the subject:

 

http://thenextweb.com/apple/2012/09/26/the...-flaw-not-fast/

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/post/41963154

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/post/32979708

http://www.digitalversus.com/mobile-phone/...one-n26390.html

 

In this specific link, of a comparison of i5, i4s, S3 and OneS, you can see elements of purple fringing in both the One S and the S3, just not as pronounced as the i5's. I would probably have to agree with my friends at this time, that because of how thin the lens is, it's easier to bounce light through the lens surfaces in a way that reproduces this.

 

http://www.itproportal.com/2012/10/01/purp...i-vs-htc-one-s/

 

Conclusion: Seems easier to reproduce on the i5, possibly due to how thin the device/camera lens system is.

Edited October 8, 2012 by Y2HH

[BigSqwert]

The latest in a string of media happy Apple "problems", comes in with what I've decided to call JimiHendrixGate (PurpleHaze). This highlights exactly what I mean by the media jumping on Apple stories, people reading and repeating them, without having much knowledge on the subject.

 

This is also why people perceive me as an Apple defender, when what they should be seeing me as is someone that looks deeper into problems and dismisses reality from bulls***.

I also people perceive you as an Apple defender because you go out of your way to attempt to discredit all criticisms against the company and its products whereas you don't do the same for Android OS or Windows Mobile. You just accept claims against those products/operating systems.

[Y2HH]

I also people perceive you as an Apple defender because you go out of your way to attempt to discredit all criticisms against the company and its products whereas you don't do the same for Android OS or Windows Mobile. You just accept claims against those products/operating systems.

 

Absolutely untrue in every regard.

 

I'd do the same if people posted nonsense about Android or Windows Mobile, too.

 

But they don't do that. Because Apple is all anyone talks about...including here.

Edited October 8, 2012 by Y2HH

[Y2HH]

Bolded part: Because they weren't. Touchscreens with such features have existed for years, Apple was simply the first to go to mass market with them, and some of them Apple did indeed think of/create, but not all. Slide to unlock is one thing...touching a phone number on a touch screen to dial it is something else entirely.

 

To make a better example for you, that's like patenting the idea of a LINK in a web browser. Since Netscape did it first, no other web browsers should ever be able to do it again without paying them! One is an idea/specific method used to unlock a touch screen, the other is a basic fundamental use of the internet. There is a pretty huge difference between the two.

 

* Citation of Apple not being the first: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Surface Microsoft first conceptualized surface touch in 2001, years before Apple even began hatching the idea of the iPhone/touch/multitouch which didn't go to market until 2007. Just because they were the first to go mass market/consumer electronics does not mean they were the first to use, employ or even think of some of these ideas.

 

Here is me defending Apple on 12/20/2011.

 

Reading through this thread, there are plenty of times I've defended Apple, there is no doubt about that, but again I think this comes from the fact that it's all anyone talks about. Hell, there were even times I've recommend people buy Android so long as they promise to install Cyan on it. But there are also times I've called Apple to task on their BS software patents, too. And yes, I'm sure there are times where I've made some stupid claims, too.

Edited October 8, 2012 by Y2HH

[Jenksismyhero]

that droid emu one I posted has a bunch of emulators built-in, NES, SNES, genesis, Gb, GBA etc.

 

I'll have to grab that. I assume finding the game files online is a guick google search? I'm normally pretty tech savvy, but the emulator thing I just never knew about until a month ago.

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

I also people perceive you as an Apple defender because you go out of your way to attempt to discredit all criticisms against the company and its products whereas you don't do the same for Android OS or Windows Mobile. You just accept claims against those products/operating systems.

 

Yep. For as much as I hate Apple, Y2HH seems to be on the opposite side of that spectrum. It seems he defends all things Apple and takes it very personally when people speak badly about them.