Robomac Infidel's Profile

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/26593025
  • Nov 02, 2008
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Latest comments made by: Robomac Infidel

  • Now, If I were able to buy a FW adapter over USB2 then...oh never mind. I guess no new shiny Macbook for me this time. :( For those arguing the abandonment of the floppy drive, don't go there.That was nothing compared to this. Abandoning Firewire is like Apple saying "Screw You. Go Buy a Macbook Pro" to its very devoted yet lightly endowed artists, musicians, photographers in all of us. Steve and Apple, if you can only hear and see yourselves in the mirror, you are starting to act and sound like the beginning of a monopolist jerk. Money (and loads of it) does corrupt every sane being one or another.
    GermanyRobomac Infidel had this to say on Oct 31, 2008 Posts: 808
    Is Apple Conning Consumers?
  • Though I too speculated that the iPhone was to be a trojan for the iPod touch revolution without needing a cell carrier, I am beginning to lose that faith. The iPhone has too big of a momentum and now at a global scale. Overtaking RIM Blackberry sales revenue in mere 11 months is just awesomely fast. Where it will end up is everyone's guesses but we know in a few years time, the iPhone will command a bigger slice of the smartphone and even feature phones then since even those cheap phones will become smarter. iPhone nano will become reality at $99 not the current model offered at that price. From there is just a matter of time until RIM, Windows Mobile, and Android are just relegated as niches. Too bad, the iPhone tought of multitouche gestures and open SDK first. So, no Apple will stay the course. Let the AT&T;'s, the O2s, the Oranges, and Vodafones do the dirty work. Apple will get paid full $599 or whatever they charge the carriers. The subscription share is but a nice icing on the quarterly revenue cake.
    GermanyRobomac Infidel had this to say on Oct 28, 2008 Posts: 808
    The iPhone Without Carriers
  • A change from euphoric to realistic valuations is not at all bad for the long run. Get in while you can at these prices.
    GermanyRobomac Infidel had this to say on Oct 27, 2008 Posts: 808
    Apple's Plunging Value
  • "One extra mention for the article - if you convert to MP4 but not H264, conversions of your files run much quicker. Can’t do HD this way though." Greg MP4 (part 2) and MP4 H.264 (part 10) CAN do HD just as MP2 can. HD is defined as anything above 480p. Interestingly, TV uses 960x540p as its native HD mode. 480i/p movies are called standard definition (SD) as it is roughly equal to NTSC/PAL. Yes, MP4 can do HD just as H.264. The only difference is the video compression algorithm. Undoubtedly, H.264 uses far more advanced video compression than MP4 Part 2. And that is where the mentioned "...run much quicker" is true. H.264 requires much more CPU horsepower to decode at the receiver side (meaning the PC, TV, or your set-top box). MP4 Part 2 being simpler is easier for older hardware to decode thus the perceived quickness. So what is the benefit of the more advanced H.264 video compression algorithms? Much smaller file sizes than plain MP4 at the expense of faster hardware. Otherwise, both use the old MPEG2 transport and program stream packet architecture you know as TS and VOB formats. Cheers! Robo
    GermanyRobomac Infidel had this to say on Oct 26, 2008 Posts: 808
    Apple TV, the Do It All Machine
  • If you are seriously going to rip your DVD collection into something the ÓTV can play without the pauses (since the ÓTV can't yet play full bitrate 720p/1080p torrents mind you)...please, and I mean please help yourselves to MPEG Streamclip (Mac or PC) ( http://www.squared5.com/ ). I am a heavy user of both Handbrake and MPEG Streamclip (my day job) and I give an edge to MPEG Streamclip for being almost an appliance. A DVD ripping toaster. There is a default ÓTV settings for those folks not inclined to play around MPEG4 H.264 profiles, etc, etc. Enjoy your ÓTV like I enjoy mine. Now if someone can figure out how to use the in-built USB2 to expand the ÓTV storage with those 2TB drives. Twinkle, twinkle, little star... ;) For those a little more adventorous folks: http://www.appletvhacks.net/ http://code.google.com/p/atvusb-creator/ http://wiki.awkwardtv.org/wiki/Main_Page FYI: even if you SCREW UP your ÓTV patchstick install, the boot code will detect the flaw and will eventually ask you to "Restart Finder, Restart ÓTV, or Restore to Factory" settings. Always select the "Factory" to start over again. Enjoy ÓTV hackin' ;)
    GermanyRobomac Infidel had this to say on Oct 26, 2008 Posts: 808
    Apple TV, the Do It All Machine
  • The mini is so damn practical, many people i know install them as entertainment center controllers in the living room and bedrooms. The mini is good enough to drive the whole shebang as in DVD playing, iTunes HD movies, AC3/DTS audio, BT movie downloads (with good HD 720/180p bitrates mind you), kids' toy PC, or wherever a miniscule Mac would fit in. Now, where is the predicted "bottom line" dent from the latest Macbooks? None of them lowered the old price tiers except the old tired white MB @ $999. Pleazze! There is got to be more than the "milling cost of the aluminum block" to lower your margins, Steve. So, show us those kick-a$$ iMacs, minis, and AppleTV 3s with lower prices then I believe you. Else, you are starting to sound and look like those monopolists from Redmond. It is not about the Mac faithful - it is all about the $$B's to add to the cash hoard.
    GermanyRobomac Infidel had this to say on Oct 22, 2008 Posts: 808
    What Would You Pay for a Low-End Mac?
  • As for the death of FireWire, as we know it, is premature. The technology forum (IEEE 1394) just released the latest upshots to the fastest, most reliable (meaning isochronous) peripheral interconnect available. S1600 and S3200 implementations are now officially out (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_1394_interface#FireWire_S1600_and_S3200) and this PDF from HANA http://www.hanaalliance.org/files/static_page_files/E0E50115-1D09-3519-ADC601B0261ED64E/HANA_1394 over coax_FINAL3 _2_.pdf ) I do agree that as a PC peripheral interconnect USB2 and soon USB3 will win that completely. Niche pro dudes with 1394 pro camcorders will need 1394 cards or Apple pro gear. Until USB can give reliable and robust isochronous mode there is no replacement for FireWire. It is a very efficient protocol approaching that of its rated PHY speed. USB just can't match that. My PHY-to-application layer tests of USB2 shows a 25% efficiency (480Mbps PHY vs. 120Mbps actual application throughput). Firewire S400 actually can give you damn near 400Mbps! Take that USB. Now you thought you had it so good. ;)
    GermanyRobomac Infidel had this to say on Oct 20, 2008 Posts: 808
    Firewire, We Will Miss You
  • With the exception of OSX, sounds like you're in the market for an OLPC v.2 (and you can ship me the other - I will take care of the shipping part ;) I hear OLPC 2 will go XP/Intel so it is possible to retrofit Leopard in there, I suppose. Anyhoo, Apple's lifeblood or more than half of its revenue comes from the portable line. Do we really expect Apple to lower MacBook prices, as bloggers have assumed to death lately? Not until we stop buying them like hotcakes.
    GermanyRobomac Infidel had this to say on Oct 15, 2008 Posts: 808
    The $399 MacBook Mini
  • Exactly. Apple is perhaps a better "niche" player with a geemongous revenue and market power that are the envy of techdom. So what if Apple is a distant 2nd fiddle to MSFT in the PC world or that it is even more of a distant nobody when it comes to cellphone penetration. But I wouldn't complain when I have the Mac, iPod, and now iPhone driving my bank account to the heliosphere.
    GermanyRobomac Infidel had this to say on Sep 11, 2008 Posts: 808
    Is Apple prepared to be middle of the pack with the iPhone?
  • Not to forget mentioning, "analog CD collection" is not really accurate since ALL CD's from day 1 were PCM encoded. This is digitizing the audio analog waveform into 16-bits @ 44.1 or 48kHz sampling which is 2x enough for the highest frequency (according to Claude Shannon) which is 20,000 Hz. 16-bits represents a value from 0-65535 discreet levels for each sample. I am sure you knew all this. Just refreshing your thinking cap. Good article. So far, I have been playing with the Genius feature today. It is not as good as Pandora would but then Genius only relies on your own music library, I think, and does not take other people's music choices to create a fast-food playlist on-the-go. Whereas, Pandora takes cues from a community of listener's Thumbs Up or Down to give you a constantly changing playlist. The new default visualizer, which I will call Blackhole Warp since Apple did not give it a name, is really awesome and very configurable. Genius + Party Shuffle + Blackhole Warp = Welcome to Sweetness! ;)
    GermanyRobomac Infidel had this to say on Sep 10, 2008 Posts: 808
    An In-Depth Look At iTunes Genius
  • But as a consumer, I have the right to express my complaints as well as praise about a product. Consumers express their dismays and disapprovals by not buying the product. 8+ millions of consumers thus far has voted their $199/299 in favor of Apple technology and the iPhone. You are not entitled to whine by just browsing the feature list at the Apple website, dude. It is kind of like whining about not winning the big lotto ball when you never spent even $1 for a ticket.
    GermanyRobomac Infidel had this to say on Sep 09, 2008 Posts: 808
    The App Store Mania Is Catching
  • Chip meet our friend Beeblebrox. Botox relax Windows Mobile 7 is coming at ya so stay put that wallet before you enter the Hollywood Apple Store, ok? Let me say one thing, AM staff = superusers, Robo = superuser, Chip sounds like a superuser (he appreciates his iPhone), but Beeblebrox the proud eMachines owner and an all-Apple hater ≠ superuser. Chip, I personally welcome you to the A.M. ego forum where heated debates of all things Mac and beyond. Choose your A.M. buddies well... -Robo
    GermanyRobomac Infidel had this to say on Sep 09, 2008 Posts: 808
    The App Store Mania Is Catching
  • Um, James, my last piece was directed at some clown from the Hollywood hills. Anyways, we cannot talk about the Android App Market just yet because it ain't here to begin with. Another, Google may own the copyright to the Android middleware BUT Google does not own the carriers - unless they will become some kind of a virtual carrier or MVNO such as Virgin Mobile leasing Sprint excess capacity, etc. But I doubt that. The handset makers for Android - HTC for one - will manufacture some units with Android and any carrier who've signed on, most likely Verizon, will not allow full access to its network from these Android apps. No. Verizon likes to play god and they have no obligation to anyone, not even Google, to back down their network access policies. Apple is obligated to screen the iPhone apps until proven to be safe, not for you, but the AT&T;network, before making the app available. When one gets through (like the wireless modem app) Apple can yank it back from you - it is all in their contractual obligations to AT&T;. Google Android phones won't be any different.
    GermanyRobomac Infidel had this to say on Sep 09, 2008 Posts: 808
    The App Store Mania Is Catching
  • You did buy an i-"Phone" didn't you? It just happens to be an iPod and a PDA based on Core OSX besides being a nice phone. So, now you expect it to be some kind of an iPhone Air? And load it with untested and unguaranteed applications from who knows where? At will? My lord. You give them a nice $199 Apple phone and here comes snotty, whiny folks from the smoggy coast demanding some imagined "rights" to an open firmware. Why won't those folks stick to the Blackberries or better yet, get a Windows Mobile phone and complain to RIM or MSFT. They don't deserve the iPhone. Sheeez! Just take the iPhone as it is. You knew what it was capable of when you walked in the store so just stop friggin' WHINING! Steve did not promise you full OSX glory did he? Or did I miss something?
    GermanyRobomac Infidel had this to say on Sep 09, 2008 Posts: 808
    The App Store Mania Is Catching
  • "selling sugar water to kids" Steve, you still think the iPhone, the iTouch, OSX Leopard and soon Snow Leopard, and the surging Mac hardware are just "sugar water" to kids? Umm, if I am a kid and I feel like one when I open those miniature retail boxes, I wouldn't mind those fun things you call "sugar water" - they are really "sweet!". As to Apple losing the masses early in the Mac's history you got it all wrong. Somehow you need to read Andy Hertzfeld "Folklore" issues (just use the big G's search box for it). There, your flawed, opinionized Mac history will be straightened out by the men who really created the Mac - and that is not SJ, OK? -Robo
    GermanyRobomac Infidel had this to say on Sep 08, 2008 Posts: 808
    No Low End in Apple's Future: Thanks Google Chrome