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Submission + - The New iPhones: Everything Is Amazing and Nobody Is Happy (xconomy.com)

Submitted by waderoush
waderoush writes: Legions of reviewers, including many here on Slashdot, have expressed disappointment over what Apple didn’t announce this week. The new iPhones should be cheaper, many critics said. They should have a larger screen, or more memory, or longer battery life. The 64-bit processor in the iPhone 5S is marketing fluff. There’s no NFC, no notification LED, no always-on clock. The fingerprint scanner is either too hackable or too secure (will there now be a market in dismembered fingers?). Most absurdly: Apple should have skipped straight to the iPhone 6. At some point, clearly, consumers decided that incremental advances won’t cut it, and that we deserve to be bowled over by every Apple product refresh. But that’s unrealistic, bordering on delusional. A column in Xconomy this week offers a look at the real substance of Apple’s improvements to the iPhone, a defense of incrementalism, and a reminder that today’s smartphones already surpass the wildest visions of 20th-century sci-fi creators.

Comment Re:Smart move (Score 1) 457

by mcguirez (#44383383) Attached to: After a User Dies, Apple Warns Against Counterfeit Chargers

IThe definition of "electrocution" is "death or injury from electric shock"

Really? In English? I don't know where you getting your dictionary, but the several I referenced stated:

Definition of ELECTROCUTE

1: to execute (a criminal) by electricity
2: to kill by electric shock

Here's an example: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/electrocute

Prefer a UK reference? http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/electrocute?q=electrocute

Much as I hate to side with an AC, so far no one has recovered from an electrocution.
Electronic Frontier Foundation

DOJ Often Used Cell Tower Impersonating Devices Without Explicit Warrants 146

Posted by Unknown Lamer from the bending-the-rules dept.
Via the EFF comes news that, during a case involving the use of a Stingray device, the DOJ revealed that it was standard practice to use the devices without explicitly requesting permission in warrants. "When Rigmaiden filed a motion to suppress the Stingray evidence as a warrantless search in violation of the Fourth Amendment, the government responded that this order was a search warrant that authorized the government to use the Stingray. Together with the ACLU of Northern California and the ACLU, we filed an amicus brief in support of Rigmaiden, noting that this 'order' wasn't a search warrant because it was directed towards Verizon, made no mention of an IMSI catcher or Stingray and didn't authorize the government — rather than Verizon — to do anything. Plus to the extent it captured loads of information from other people not suspected of criminal activity it was a 'general warrant,' the precise evil the Fourth Amendment was designed to prevent. ... The emails make clear that U.S. Attorneys in the Northern California were using Stingrays but not informing magistrates of what exactly they were doing. And once the judges got wind of what was actually going on, they were none too pleased:"

Comment Re:Foxconn suicides (Score 2) 386

by mcguirez (#38907439) Attached to: In Xhengzhou, Thousands Vie For Foxconn Jobs

>>>Are you willing to pay 2-3 times as much for the same product? Are you living in some fantasy world where if Apple's production costs double or triple (actually- they would go up substantially more than that)- they will still charge the same amount of money?

Labor is a small piece of the whole.

According to this: http://modmyi.com/content/5634-how-much-does-cost-build-iphone-4s.html (their facts are debatable but in the absence of real data let's pretend it is accurate) the manufacturing cost is $8 for an iPhone 4s. Pretending that's just labor, yes I would pay MORE than triple for an iPhone that can be built with fair labor.

Comment Limited time promotion! (Score 1) 179

by mcguirez (#37782390) Attached to: Paywalled NYT Now Has 300,000 Online Subscribers

They are no doubt bolstering that number with a limited time promotion.

For years I accessed their content on the iPhone and web. Their content is first class but then they demanded $45/month for all devices (including iPad). I found other avenues - no big deal. I did miss it on the iApple devices but nothing earth shattering.

Then, a couple of weeks ago, they advertised $0.99 for full access for two months. Not bad, I think their content is good enough I would pay something for it, but as the old joke goes: we're just negotiating the price. This has the side effect (they they're counting on) of inflating their numbers to no doubt set their advertising rate.

When the special is gone, so am I.

Comment Really? (Score 2) 29

by mcguirez (#36965828) Attached to: DARPA Developing Video Parser

"If a picture is worth a thousand words, the scientists at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency would like to make that about a billion with a new software intelligent program."

I hope the software intelligent program better language parses.

Comment Price perspective (Score 2) 194

by mcguirez (#35522708) Attached to: NYTimes Unveils Online Subscription Plan

Their quality is generally good. I sometimes don't agree with their editorials - but the cost is *WAY* too high. Continuing to access it the way I do - from multiple devices - I would pay $35/month or $420/year. Nearly the cost of a new iPad each year or even a 0.99/app each and every day all year long. Nooo... I don't think so.

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