Zunegate! OMGBBQ!
A couple days ago, Neal Santos on his blog at the Philadelphia City Paper reported a close encounter he had with President Elect Barack Obama and his security detail in the gym that morning. He included the following information in his post, slipping it into the middle of the prose quite casually.
It wouldn’t be long before I could ask the man myself, as he walked majestically across the gym floor in his track pants and sweat shirt. I did a double take, and soon after that, looked around the gym to see if anyone else knew he was here. Nobody seemed to notice.
But he hopped on the machine next to me and broke a mean sweat while reading a copy of USA Today and listening to his Zune.
Little did Mr. Santos realize that the fact that he described President-Elect Obama rocking out a Zune would become such a cause célèbre, and soon, ZUNEGATE was born. It didn;t take long before the news that Obama was using a Zune had been picked up all over the net, including that bastion of Mac cultism, Gizmodo. Apparently Santos was so overwhelmed by angry emails saying he must have been mistaken and that Obama must really have been using an iPod which just LOOKED like a Zune, he felt the need to post a follow up including the following clarification…
I vividly remember Obama pulling out an MP3 player with his left hand while exercising on the machine. It had a dark case protecting it and from what I saw, he was using a Zune.
I’ve seen a Zune in action. I know what it looks like.
Seem pretty cut and dried to me. The man was using a Zune…a Zune in a case yet, so it was obviously a treasured personal tech gadget. I must admit, Mr. Obama is growing on me.
HTC Buys Design Firm
Bonnie Cha at Crave is reporting that hot phone maker HTC has acquired the San Francisco-based design firm One & Company Design, Inc (One & Co).
One & Co is the company that worked with HTC in designing the HTC S740, HTC Touch Diamond, Touch Pro, and Touch HD. Beyond HTC their client list reads like a who’s who of big time, hip companies with strong brand identities, such as Adidas, Nike, TiVo, Apple, Sony, K2 Snowboards, Coca-Cola, Kodak, and the North Face. According to Cha, One & Co’s 17 employees will collaborate more closely now with HTC’s design teams in Taiwan and Seattle to create HTC’s 2009 portfolio. One & Co will continue to work with outside clients however, which should be a nice additional income stream for HTC once the acquisition goes through.
Regarding the purchase, One & Co partner Scott Croyle says:
One & Co is excited to bring our lifestyle, user focused approach to HTC and we look forward to creating iconic, compelling products together. Knowing about HTC’s cutting edge technology and proven track record of innovation, we are excited to collaborate with HTC as a global lifestyle brand.
The fact that HTC is actually buying the freelance company that is credited with being the vision behind their most successful recent phones like the Touch Diamond and Touch Pro shows that HTC is fully committed to going toe to toe with Apple and Nokia in terms of pure design. The days of thick, rectangular hockey pucks from HTC like the Mogul are gone forever it seems, and I think this is a very wise business move. The smartphone market is only going to become more competitive in the tough economic times ahead, so it pays for them to invest the cash now to be certain their design direction will be solid and consistent in the future. Strong design matters more and more to phone consumers, and if you look at One & Co’s body of work, it is clear they have a handle on what tech buyers and consumers alike want to see in new devices. Having them in-house will be a long term savings for HTC and make them even more agile in a rapidly changing space.
REVIEW – Sansa Clip 8G
Posted by Zealot on 12/1/08 in Mobilitysite Reviews, Music Players, SanDisk
I have been in an MP3 Player state of mind of late, that is why I jumped at the chance to play with a review model of the new supersized Sansa Clip, courtesy of SanDisk. The device practically defines “no nonsense”. It sports the same tiny size as the rest of the Clip line, but now with 8 big Gigs of flash memory goodness.
Having owned one of the 2G models for several months now, I was very curious to see if SanDisk would have the consistency to stick with a winning design or if they would fall pray to the industry wide obsession with fixing what’s not broken.
It took me all of a day of use to find the answer…read more after the jump.
Black Friday Goes Global
The following ad is a portion of one that began running on the website of Israeli tech vendor BUG middle of last week, and has been accompanied by a full range of support ads in the print media and in the store.
Big deal, right? Black Friday deal news is all over the tech blogs and store ads. People have even died in this year’s mania for fair to middling bargains following Thanksgiving but before the Christmas rush get fully in gear. Black Friday has become a tradition alongside Thanksgiving and Christmas. just like the Macy’s Parade and Bowl Games, a sure sign the holidays fever is upon America. Ho Ho Ho.
That’s just the point…neither Thanksgiving nor Christmas are celebrated by the mainstream in Israel and Hanukkah has never had the gift giving pressure that old Kris Kringle stuffs down the chimneys of the Goyim. Black Friday has leapt the Atlantic due to it’s primacy in tech blogs and American marketing culture and for no other reason. The holidays themselves are meaningless, just the sale remains.
Food for thought…and I got a great deal on DVD-RW blank media. WOOT!
Microsoft in the Pink?
Posted by Zealot on 11/25/08 in Microsoft, Smart Phones, Zune
An interesting Microsoft rumor is being discussed by Jim Goldman on his TechCheck blog at CNBC.
He says that he has from a reliable source that Microsoft is going full steam ahead on the often rumored but never verified “ZunePhone” to try to compete directly with the iPhone. This source, unnamed of course, says that the new phone is codenamed Pink and will combine Zune functionality with the smartphone knowhow Microsoft took on board with the purchase of Danger. Basically Pink would be a Sidekick style device running Zune style software.
Says Goldman…
I’m hearing that a prototype of the new Pink could be unveiled as soon as the Consumer Electronics Show in January, but that it could be pushed back into a February release. Some reports suggest the phone could be released at the 3GSM conference and that a wide shipment release could be a year away. The idea, my source says, is to develop a product that offers true competition to Apple’s iPhone which continues to enjoy huge market momentum.
Of course this is followed by the normal Anti-Zune snarking, but there have certainly been indications that something is in the works as far as a ZunePhone. Ballmer’s recent comments that MS is planning on using the Zune software and user experience in “other mobile devices” for one, not to mention the fact that MS has yet to actually make use of the purchase of Danger, at least publically. Redmond spent an awful lot of money on that acquisition if they didn’t intend to make their own phone. Also, the various problems of the 3G iPhone has shown that even if Apple isn’t really vulnerable in the space, it has certainly been brought down a peg or two. On top of that, people are still waiting for an Android phone that lives up to the potential of the OS. Perhaps this is a window of opportunity for Microsoft.
I admit I really love the Zune software and think it could be used as the core of a classy, powerful “Superphone” like the iPhone and Android powered G-1, especially backed by the hip sort of hardware vibe the Sidekick devices always had. Also, The Social framework is already in place, rapidly maturing, and almost tailor made for a phone based community right out of the box combining the best features of Twitter, Facebook and MySpace. Of course, I also have to wonder if Microsoft is willing to take on Apple in one of it’s core product lines again. While I love the Zune, it going up against the iPod has always been a point of fanboy and tech media derision. If a ZunePhone is coming soon, codenamed Pink or no, I hope Microsoft makes sure the product is ready for prime time before putting it on the market and that they design it to stand on it’s own, not to just get lost in the ever expanding sea of wannabe “iPhone Killers”.
Eees Top to Bottom
While the newest member of the Asus Eee Family (the Waltons of PC brands) may not be quite as mobile as a Netbook, it sure is interesting. What had been originally leaked as the Eee Monitor is now being released as the Eee Top.
This all in one unit features 15.9-inch touchscreen, Microsoft Windows XP and a 1.6GHz Atom along with sleep styling and some interesting surprises, such as what is apparently a Denon sound system if one can read the logos right. Two versions of the Eee top are currently being touted by Asus, the ET1603 and the ET1602.
The ET1603 is the high end unit with an ATI HD3450 graphics card and, somewhat unusually for a desktop PC, a battery. This is likely to support the fact that Asus is using the fact that the unit can easily be picked up and carried to any room of your house as a major (and possibly quite effective) marketing point. The ET1602 is the lower end version without a specialized graphics card or battery.
The specs for both models include a 160G HD, 1G byte of DRAM, Wi-Fi 802.11n and a 1.3-megapixel Web cam.
From the point the Eee Monitor was first leaked, the iMac comparisons have run rampant, but when you consider that iMacs run 3.06GHz Intel Core 2 Duos with 20-inch or 24-inch screen, this is one comparison that is only skin deep. However, as a second (or third) home desktop, with the ability to be moved around (Media Center Supercontroller, anyone?) the Eee Top could be a great choice. No word yet on price or release date.
REVIEW – iRiver SPINN 8G
Posted by Zealot on 11/18/08 in Mobilitysite Reviews, Music Players
I have been playing with iRiver’s newest PMP offering, the SPINN for two weeks now, and am finally ready to put some of my meandering thoughts down concerning this fascinating new device. It is literally unlike any MP3 player I have ever used before and has been great fun to test.
For those of you who have missed reading about this device on the blogs or seeing one in the shops, the SPINN is a small PMP with a retro twist…a small analog wheel at one end that can be used in combination with the 3.5 inch AMOLED screen to do just about anything on your unit, at least according to iRiver.
The unusually striking design and mid-sized capacity (8G or 16G) puts the SPINN directly in line to compete with the new iPod Touches and Nanos and smaller Zune 2s. In that space, iRiver will have it’s work cut out for it, facing not only Apple and MS but the multi-headed Sansa line from SanDisk and a few stray Cowon devices. How does the SPINN turn out? Read on for my full review.
Pocketables Offers Holiday Swag
Pocketables, one of the foremost websites for information on MIDs, UMPCs and PMPs (and one of my personal favorites) is running a great contest during November, just in time for the holidays. Jenn, the site’s owner and denmother prefers to focus her reviews and posts on any device that can fit in your pocket, hence the name of the site…and the nature of the contest.
Full rules can be found at Pocketables, but the prize package on offer is worth over $1000 and begins with an Aigo P8860 MD…then true to Thanksgiving, includes all the trimmings you could think of, including an 8G SD card, Aliph jawbone headset, Sennheiser earbuds and more.
As befits such a contest, to win you will need to participate in the Pocketable forums during November along with a specific task or two…but the community at Pocketables is great and the prizes certainly worth the effort.
Congrats to Jenn and her vast team of insane elves on once again coming up with a great contest to light up some lucky gadget fan’s yule log.
Acer has Big Plans for 2009
Confidence and ambition don’t seem to be things in short supply at Acer, at least as far as Netbooks are concerned.
Acer president Gianfranco Lanci stated a few days ago that Acer shipped around 2.4 million Netbooks in the third quarter of 2008 and that demand for the Aspire One continues to climb in the US market. Therefore, he expects the company to surpass its 2008 Netbook goal of 5-6 million units shipped.
Acer has been making optimistic noises like that ever since the Acer Aspire One was released so it is not big news anymore, and the critically acclaimed device is priced low enough that it has been the surprise winner of this season’s “Most Successful Netbook” sweepstakes. However, the really impressive statement Lanci prognosticated that in 2009, the global Netbook market will increase to 30-35 million units shipped from all vendors, and that Acer is in position to claim 40-50% of that market! Fifty percent of the Netbook market will be quite an impressive feat by Acer and I admit I am dubious, now that Lenovo and LG are in the space as well and #1 PC producer HP’s Mininote prices are rivaling the Aspire One.
2009 will be an exciting year for Netbooks. I am looking forward to see what tricks Acer has up their sleeve for the Aspire Two in order to meet that 50 percent of all Netbooks sold goal.
(Source – Digitimes)
iRiver SPINN Unboxing Shots
Posted by Zealot on 11/2/08 in Devices, Music Players
Well, the need for a new gadget got the better of me this weekend, and as they just arrived in stores here a few days ago, I had to take the plunge on the new iRiver SPINN. I have been a fan of iRiver for ages now, still using my old 6Gig H20 every now and again. As a brand they have fallen somewhat behind the pack lately just because they hadn’t really put out a new product to rival the new iPod Touch and Nanos or Zune 2s…until now. iRiver has always specialized in smaller capacity devices with top quality features…and usually top dollar price, and thus far the SPINN does not disappoint.
This new MP3/PMP from iRiver stands out from the crowd due to a 3.2 inch AMOLED touch screen, haptic response, FM radio and voice recording (also the ability to record straight off the radio), more music and video codec support then you can shake a standards guide at, stereo Bluetooth support and a very slick little analog wheel in place of the somewhat tired touchpad.
After the jump see some comparison shots and initial impressions.
Change – The Cloud Paradigm
A change is definitely coming, no matter what your views on the upcoming US election…only this change is in the way you work and play using PCs. I am becoming more and more convinced that the future of computing, for good or bad, resides in the cloud. Over the last several months, I have been observing a slow, subtle shift in the focus of new technology to support this new paradigm. It isn’t something that will happen all at once, or due to some game-changing new product or release…it is a gradual, incremental process. In fact, it is already well advanced and the shifts I have been observing have been more to set the stage for greater changes to come.
Cloud computing has many obvious advantages for mobile technology, but also some glaring deficiencies at the moment. However, the signs that the industry is moving further and further into cloud computing as at least a viable option for the enterprise or individuals are too numerous to ignore.
More About Moorestown
At the IDF in Taipei a few days ago, Intel bigwig Anand Chandrasekher finally demoed the Moorestown MID platform. I admit I have been highly dubious about the market for Menlow platform based devices from Intel, but it’s follow up Moorestown, show here as a mockup and in a video demo looks very very impressive…and has been tipped for a 2009 release.
I’d buy a device like this in a New York minute….wouldn’t you?
Motorola Bets on Android
Motorola has always been one of my favorite mobile phone vendors so I have felt somewhat bereft as the company has slowly fallen pray to it’s own hesitancy and miss-steps. There was a time when Moto made high status phones. I remember when the Star-Tac was the phone to own. Then the RAZR came and changed the game. It was such a monster hit that the company decided they could just keep making slight variations on the phone forever…as the industry rushed past them.
The Q line are solid phones, but there is no doubt the shift in the industry towards smartphones and away from chic feature phones left Motorola high and dry. A new direction was badly needed, but over the last year Moto has just produced more RAZR and ROKR retreads. Music and Camera phones won’t save the once proud company.
Therefore I was overjoyed to read some time ago that Motorola was moving wholeheartedly into the Googlephone camp. More information is now surfacing, like this tidbit found in Business Week…
HP Has Got a Netbook Ya Can’t Refuse….
One of the trends I have been expecting to see in the Netbook arena but haven’t much yet has been the companies with strong brand recognition or channel structures to begin throwing their weight around.
The fact that companies like MSi and Asus have been holding their own against goliaths like HP and Dell has really surprised me. As the back to school season came and went, I was more and more surprised that HP, Lenovo and Dell didn’t leverage their strong vendor relationships and deep discounting ability to completely dominate Netbook sales. Do they simply not take the market segment seriously yet, despite all the press it has gotten as a major area of growth in trying times? Where is the dirty pool and monopolistic grandstanding I have been waiting for?
Ah, here it is….and just in time for Christmas.
Two Screens – No Waiting
Digitimes is reporting that sources close to Asus say that the notebook producer may be rolling out double screen notebook PCs as early as Q1 of 2009. A prototype of the two paneled device (pictured) was displayed at Computex this year with production models expected to feature panels of less then 12 inches.
Two panel notebooks are intended to take advantage of the enhanced touch screen and multitouch support planned for Windows 7. However, the proper beta version of the new Windows OS is not due (according to the last word I heard) until December 08, with a release expected sometime mid to late 2009. In that case, this could very easily be a notebook released a year before it’s OS. It is hard to imagine people paying the likely steep price for such a device while it is running Vista, which is not only unpopular with consumers but also would not be able to fully support the hardware. I doubt a coupon for a free install of Windows 7 “when it comes out” will be viewed as a big sales advantage.
