Yep, as much as this gadget is loved and much anticipated by many, there is a select group of people on this earth who are not pleased with the way the new Apple iPhonelong nails. The touch screen technology> that is used with such touch interface gadgets like the iPhone relies on capacitance technology which allows the device to interpret the touch or gestures of the fingers that is tracked and interpreted as commands by the microprocessor. All this is possible with high-speed microprocessors that does the interpreting and action seemingly without delay that is made possible by today’s high-speed microprocessors and microelectronics.
The problem has drawn much discontent that women with long nails have peppered the Apple website on the problems suggesting the inclusion of a stylus with the design. Apple has relied that there are several aftermarket stylus out on the market that would work with the iPhone and that the market share of women with long nails that do need assistance is negligible in their design of the popular device. Apple is yet to release an official statement on the matter but initial signs are that they are not planning any major re-design of the product to accommodate “long-nailed” people in the near future.
The release of the 3G iPhone has been quite a delayed reaction on the part of Apple for the capability has been available for quite sometime on other carriers and cellphone manufacturers. Good luck iPhone into the realm of 3G, and for those who have long nails, do consider this before getting the latest gadgets and gizmos for manufacturers can’t accommodate all factors in their design which is usually bound by trade-offs of pro’s and con’s.
All Seeing Billboards
They have long since faded as an advertising method of choice in exchange for more technology-based ad platforms which can be changed in the blink of an eye. Billboards have been called eyesores, distractions safety hazards among some but do you know that there are now some startup firms in advertising research and marketing that have begun to utilize billboards for market research studies with the use of embedded cameras? Cameras that look at you, spots an interested individual and times the amount of time they had their eye on the ad for ad research purposes. The plans is to have tons of these traditional billboards and turn them into smart marketing tools much like the CCTV camera’s of London and Manhattan are doing for monitoring of terrorist and criminal activities. But instead of watching out for the bad guys, they focus on the amount of marketing particular ads get from passersby and which ads are getting the necessary attention.
The technology is criticized by privacy advocacy groups who see it a as another way of invading of personal privacy even with the ad firms saying they do not store facial images of their subjects (Uhuuum?). But rekindling the visions of the movie, “The Minority Report”, where advertising is personalized and based on your preferences which follows you around through retinal scans from billboard mounted scanners and camera’s. No public place would be safe from the prying eyes, for all the reasons in the world, advertising, security, terrorism and the many other reasons they try to justify the use of technology to monitor and survey the land for potential threats.
All this to earn the best possible amount of profit through the maximization of ad space for commercial use and marketing studies. These firms have only begun implementation yet there have already been so much criticism on the invasive technology. Only legislation may correct such unwarranted intrusions into our privacy which must satisfy both commercial and personal gains.
Flexible Gadgets anyone?
Ever wanted a gizmo or gadget that’s not as fragile as current devices on the market to date? Traditional gadgets, even the most technologically advanced are quite susceptible to shock and physical damage that may result from drops and other accidents. There are various gadgets and gizmos that can take abuse due to excessive padding and shock protection but they are quite bulky and ugly for them to maintain their functional appeal. In a world where looks are just as important as function, only a few devices on the market can withstand the abuse of working as if they were not there. Having gadgets that you can use anywhere (on the sea, land and air) without having to worry about damaging them in any way when you drop them or your kid gats them and uses them as teethers or worst yet drops your blackberry into the aquarium where it floats for a while and then sinks to the bottom as it flickers signifying its untimely death.
The previously featured Toughbook and Thinkpad series of laptops are some of the most robust gadgets that have been designed to take the abuse of use from the Arctic to the Amazon. They have survived fires and other catastrophes (one was even thrown around in a car crash) but it managed to survive. Just wish we could have more common gadgets that are as tough as these pricy business computers that cost thousands of dollars.
Cellular phones have come and gone with shock and water-proof capabilities yet current technology is more on the miniaturization side of things that defies the true definition of everyday use and abuse. iPod’s that people sit on as they go on daily life have cracked displays, Cellular phones that get accidentally dropped into your pool or worst the urinal as you get to relieve yourself. Those are the types of mishaps current designs fail to take into account. They go with the thinner the better which also makes them prone to mechanical damage for any uneven pressure on the gadget sends into gadget limbo. It may still work but with lacking functionality such as the display (which is the most common fatality in any gadget) or non-functional keys and buttons.
Hmm…. Makes me wonder…. can they think of something that will allow us to keep tab of all our gizmos and gadgets(keep losing them)?
The move by Microsoft’s Cambridge Laboratory to design and produce a prototype gadget that would outdo the iPhone with its nifty self-righting display has them looking into the possibility of coming out with a bendable gadget which can also be used to control some of its functions. A little twist here a little bending here to open a file. Tilt it here and tilt it there plus a twist here to browse the web. This is their answer to the host of advancements Apple has incorporated into their iPhone which has outdone most products before. True there were bugs (tons of them actually) but the iPhone is still on the top of all I Want lists for gadget and gizmo aficionados. This is as the two giants work to better the other by getting their hands on all available open alleys where they can make a big impact on.