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Steve Jobs calls family of teenager killed for iPod

Steve Jobs, chief executive of Apple, called the family of Christopher Rose, a teenager that was killed this weekend in Brooklyn, NY over an iPod.  The teenager was walking with friends to a bus terminal in order to head to Pennsylvania, where Christopher had been sent to school by his parents so he could thrive in a safer environment.  As many as 12 teenagers attacked the young man and his friends and stabbed Christoper two times in his chest.  The fight originally started after the boys demanded an iPod from the teenager.

Errol Rose, Christopher Rose's father, received a call from Steve Jobs who spoke with the father for several minutes.

"Calling him by his first name, Mr. Jobs asked how Mr. Rose was doing, he said, and conveyed his sympathies. "He told me that he understood my pain," Mr. Rose said. "He told me if there is anything - anything - anything he could do, to not be afraid to call him. It really lightened me a bit."" Source: NYTimes.com

Technorati Tags: iPod, Apple, Steve Jobs, technology, gadgets, Brooklyn, New York, news

Problems with IPTV

What is IPTV (Internet Protocol TV)? In a nutshell, it's TV over the Internet.

 

The news has been littered with reports on problems with IPTV.  Today's latest article focuses on SBC's deployment of the technology, labeled "Project Lightspeed".  Apparently, the project is not living up to its name due to various legal, technical, and programming problems.  It's unlikely that the company will meet its goal of offering IPTV to 13 states within the next three years.  Microsoft has recently run into problems as well, with Austrialian telephone company, Telstra, canceling a field test of the product.  Swisscom, another overseas telephone company, has delayed the deployment of Microsoft's IPTV technology until 2006.

 

Many companies (and of course, Microsoft) are very hesitant to blame the problems....

Final Impressions of the Treo 650 & why I'm keeping it.

I bought a Treo 650 (that great Earthlink deal) a couple of weeks ago and was using it under a trial period to see if it could replace my Dell Axim x50.  Well, after almost three weeks of using the Treo daily, I've decided that it can't replace my Axim.  I just love the Windows Mobile OS too much.  I've only been away from Palm for less than a year, but I'll probably never go back as a full-time user.  However, despite my issues with the OS, I have decided to keep the Treo.  I've made the very odd decision to carry both devices.  Why?  Now that I've experienced instant email, always on instant messaging, the Treo keyboard, integrated camera, constant access to the Internet, and hardly ever picking up the stylus, I fear I can't give it up. 

 

I've thought about just taking back the Treo 650 and waiting for a similar Windows Mobile device with a keyboard (the closest smartphone I can think of is the Samsung i730).  But there really isn't anything out there that has the same form that I absolutely love about the Treo 650.  The i730 is about the same size, but that's only with the keyboard hidden.  Some other positives besides the form:

Cyber-Island

Mauritius, a small island in the Indian Ocean is on track to becoming the first completely wireless country.  The network already covers 60% of the 40 mile "cyber-island" and should be up to 90% by the end of the year.

Read more.

Boeing expects cell phone service in 2006

Boeing unit Connexion expects to start selling cell phone services to airline passengers as soon as 2006.  Despite the fact that U.S. passengers overwhelmingly object to cell phone use on flights, Connexion feels all the issues surrounding it will be worked out by next year.  Laurette Koellner, president of Connexion, said that she expects "some kind of compromise solution that would either mandate certain quiet periods on flights or create quiet zones".

Read more.

~I am vehemently opposed to the lifting of the ban.  People don't even have enough common courtesy not to use their cell phone when in a movie theater, how could they be considerate enough to be quiet when on a plane for a couple of hours?  I predict that people will be blogging about "air rage" in a couple of years.~

Free WiFi access pulled at some cafes

In an effort to increase customers and revenues, many cafes across the country offer free WiFi access in its stores.  Hoping that customers would purchase more coffee and other items as they browse the Internet, many owners are surprised to find just the opposite.
Customers would take up tables, surf for hours, and purchase one drink or sometimes nothing at all.  When confronted, many become belligerent feeling it's their right to sit there and take up space while purchasing nothing.  As a result, many cafes are discontinuing free WiFi for its customers.

It always amazes me how people don't even have enough common sense or courtesy to realize that they shouldn't sit there for hours taking up space (which means money) without buying anything.  If cafes offer these types of services, the least you could is purchase a couple of things or leave in a reasonable amount of time so someone who actually has intention of spending money can sit down and enjoy their $12 drink.

Read more.

Tags: cafes, wifi, wireless, technology, Internet

Laptops now more popular than desktops

For the first time, laptops have outsold desktops in the United States.   This can be attributed to the drop in price and hike in quality.  During the past year, the prices of laptops has dropped 17 percent while desktop prices have only decreased 4 percent. 

ABC and NBC start news podcasting

ABC and NBC news will start releasing podcasts of their TV newscasts.
Currently, the podcasts will be free and ABC is in the process of creating shows specifically for podcasting.  Right now, you can listen to ABC's Good Morning America, Nightline, and other programs.  NBC is plans to start hourly podcasts that will update you on the news and highlights from some of their programs.

It's always nice to see mainstream media taking notice that people are becoming more and more mobile.

Tags: ABC, NBC, podcasts, media, communication, technology, news

ABC and NBC start news podcasting

ABC and NBC news will start releasing podcasts of their TV newscasts.
Currently, the podcasts will be free and ABC is in the process of creating shows specifically for podcasting.  Right now, you can listen to ABC's Good Morning America, Nightline, and other programs.  NBC is plans to start hourly podcasts that will update you on the news and highlights from some of their programs.

It's always nice to see mainstream media taking notice that people are becoming more and more mobile.

Tags: ABC, NBC, podcasts, media, communication, technology, news

Shopping online at the Mall?

Shopping online at the Mall? (NYtimes.com)

Since more and more people are shopping online rather than at malls, someone decided to come up with the concept of shopping at the mall, but then buying the items online.  Shoppers would get a handheld device called a Buypod (how original!) that contains their credit card number and shipping address.  While shopping in the mall, shoppers would scan in the item that they want to purchase, and then click to order.  The order is sent to a warehouse where it is fulfilled and then shipped to your home.

In some ways this is appealing and in others it's not.  If I actually managed to summon the strength to drag myself away from the computer to actually go to the mall, I might as well just get the items there and have them immediately.  However, seeing as how I am extremely anti-social and can barely tolerate any human being who isn't directly related to me by blood or by marriage, this cures my problem of dealing with lines and nasty salespeople.

I'm not exactly sure how successful something like this could be. Part of the reason why people like to shop online is because of the cheaper prices.  If the consumer has to go through the whole process of going to the mall, dealing with crowds, etc. AND still paying the same price, plus tax, then I can't see how it will be successful at all.

Expect to see this concept in a complex called the Epicenter in Ohio around the end of 2006.

Tags: online shopping, malls, handhelds

Shopping online at the Mall?

Shopping online at the Mall? (NYtimes.com)

Since more and more people are shopping online rather than at malls, someone decided to come up with the concept of shopping at the mall, but then buying the items online.  Shoppers would get a handheld device called a Buypod (how original!) that contains their credit card number and shipping address.  While shopping in the mall, shoppers would scan in the item that they want to purchase, and then click to order.  The order is sent to a warehouse where it is fulfilled and then shipped to your home.

In some ways this is appealing and in others it's not.  If I actually managed to summon the strength to drag myself away from the computer to actually go to the mall, I might as well just get the items there and have them immediately.  However, seeing as how I am extremely anti-social and can barely tolerate any human being who isn't directly related to me by blood or by marriage, this cures my problem of dealing with lines and nasty salespeople.

I'm not exactly sure how successful something like this could be. Part of the reason why people like to shop online is because of the cheaper prices.  If the consumer has to go through the whole process of going to the mall, dealing with crowds, etc. AND still paying the same price, plus tax, then I can't see how it will be successful at all.

Expect to see this concept in a complex called the Epicenter in Ohio around the end of 2006.

Tags: online shopping, malls, handhelds