Cocoa

Dreamcast Wins

admin — Fri, 10 May 2013 13:56:35 +0000

Many of you will know that I am crazy keen on my old Dreamcast. Apparently it has been awarded best games console ever by PC Magazine. Cool!

Dramatic figures: Apple devices are RIDICULOUSLY prolific!

admin — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 21:44:53 +0000

Apple “uncrackable”

admin — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 15:23:15 +0000

CNET has obtained a ‘sensitive’ U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency document that says it is impossible for law enforcement agencies to eavesdrop on iMessage conversations, even with a court order, because of Apple’s “secure end-to-end encryption”.

The memo appears to be aimed at informing DEA agents that while they may have the appropriate subpoena to get SMS messages, they may not be getting all messages sent and received if the target is using iMessage.

Security researchers suggest that it may be possible for Apple to comply with government search warrants and subpoenas to hand over iMessage data, but the DEA note says it is currently “impossible to intercept iMessages between two Apple devices”.

Ubuntu for Tablets

admin — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 18:43:07 +0000

No longer will you be tied to iOS or gipped by Android! Canonical have released Ubuntu for tablets and it looks GORGEOUS!

Is it so hard to find?

admin — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 21:53:51 +0000

As you know, I have been comparing prices of pre-built high spec PCs with their Apple counterparts. Unfortunately I have yet to find a PC with high enough specs to match the top of the range Mac Pro, which has 12 cores powered by Intel Xeon clocked at over 3GHz a piece (24 cores if you allow for Hyper-Threading), 64GB RAM, 8TB HDD, 2 Superdrives, Two ATI Radeon HD 5770 powered by 1GB memory each and a Quad-channel 4GB Fibre Channel PCI Express card. VERY pricey, but so far, no pre-built PC equivalent. Note that this is a consumer desktop, not a server (which are also available but at a cheaper price.) Looks like custom made is the only way to go.

Blue Peter Honours Apple Designer

admin — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 19:27:59 +0000

Blue Peter have awarded Apple designer Jonathan Ive a gold Blue Peter badge for his pioneering efforts in the field of design and for inspiring a generation of designers to follow. Reciprocating, Ive awarded Blue Peter with a cut aluminium Blue Peter crest by way of a thank you!

This is not the same time Apple’s design prowess has been honoured. The fabled G4 Cube has been immortalised in The New York Museum of Modern Art along with it’s custom sound system.

Apple Gaming Console?

admin — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 11:34:42 +0000

Now, I don’t give much weight to this opinion, but given that it’s from Valve founder Gabe Newell, it is if nothing else interesting.

Apple, if it chooses to do so, will simply kill Playstation, Wii-U and xBox by introducing an open 30%-cut app/game ecosystem for Apple-TV. I already make a lot of money on iOS – I will be the first to write apps for Apple-TV when I can, and I know I’ll make money. I would for xBox if I could and I knew I would make money. Maybe a “console-capable” Apple-TV isn’t $99, maybe it’s $199, and add another $79 for a controller. The current numbers already say a lot, even with Apple-TV not already an open console: 5.3M sold units in 2012, 90% year-over-year growth — vs. xBox 360 — about 9M units in 2012, 60% YoY decline.

Here comes the future!

admin — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 11:14:10 +0000

Bloomberg is reporting that Apple has a team of about 100 product designers working on a wristwatch computer, according to “two people familiar with the company’s plans.” The New York Times previously reported that Apple had been “experimenting” with a curved glass smart watch, but Bloomberg believes that Apple’s smart watch plans have moved beyond the experimental phase.

How cool is this?!

Microsoft Surface Shortfallings

admin — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 11:09:32 +0000

Let’s face it: the Microsoft Surface is dead nice. It’s attractive and not too expensive to boot! However, there are some problems.

First, the touted disk space is largely taken up by the OS. Of 128GB – the maximum – only 90GB is left for usage.

Second, the battery life is less than half that of an iPad. It’s heavier too and reportedly unweildly. The high resolution screen counts against it too as items appear tiny, cluttered and crammed in.

Now it also appears that the device is near on impossible to break down. Microsoft had up until now – quite rightly – criticised Apple for scoring a 1/10 for the ease of take down on their laptop range, but it looks like they’ve been shut up by the Suface ALSO scoring a 1/10. It’s a real pity, because I wanted one

Controversial Comments

admin — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 20:15:43 +0000

Lib Dem MP Mr Ward was forced to apologise two weeks ago after sparking a storm of protest when he said on his website that he was “saddened that the Jews, who suffered unbelievable levels of persecution during the Holocaust, could within a few years of liberation from the death camps, be inflicting atrocities on Palestinians…and continue to do so”.

The funny thing is, a lot of people seem to agree with him. Even so, Nick Clegg et al have summoned him to appear before a disciplinary comittee for these comments.