Disqus - Latest Comments for felix

Re: Family Pack Pricing: The only Windows 7 price I care about

felix — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 08:40:06 -0000

Steve, don't you understand? Those DVDs are a limited resource, Microsoft can't just make as many as they want of them. Jeez.

Re: Chris Anderson gives interview – proves he’s a dickwad

felix — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 16:03:49 -0000

Other people's stuff isn't worth money... my stuff on the other hand, you gotta pay for that.

Re: From iPhone 3G to 3GS

felix — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 16:59:59 -0000

That's a good point - "Pro" could turn the mainstream off from buying an iPhone although I would be curious to see what impact it has on the macbook line. I hadn't thought of that and I can see how it might be a concern. Still, I think 3GS is a silly naming scheme and it seems like a very odd place for Apple to drop their typically very consumer friendly naming habits on their what is currently their most important mass market consumer product line.

Re: Breakfast Links: Biting Steel, Snake Charming School & One Million Giraffes

felix — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 10:24:07 -0000

Harsh! Come on. No one expects a dude w/out huge metal teeth to be able to bite through steel bars.

Re: On the WWDC. Apple, AT&T and iPhones oh my!

felix — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 11:56:27 -0000

Yeah - I think Apple's with AT&T because they got them to provide a massive subsidy. Dunno, I mean, it's not like T-mob's going to be much better. People hate AT&T and talk about all the other options, but really the only one that'd be an improvement would be Verizon, but that'd be not GSM. Bleeach. I wish Apple would use their leverage to get some better plans and what not, but I guess someone must have their reasons. I'd think, though, if the exclusiveness were coming up, AT&T would have gone to extra measures to make nice with their iPhone customers so they didn't all flood to another carrier.

Apple is definitely in it to win it - just read Steve Gillmore's surprisingly good post http://www.techcrunchit.com/2009/06/08/why-appl... - I don't normally love his posts but this one was a good 'un.

Re: Web 3.0? 2010 Web? How about just… the Web?

felix — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 10:26:47 -0000

Why, I've been right here. :)

Re: My take on the Pre - Palm’s salvation.

mpodrazik — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 18:41:36 -0000

@howie yeah, my mom wants one too :) I do think Palm generally has a positive association with people as well.

In thinking about this more I actually do think that Google isn't really in competition with Apple and Palm as much as Microsoft.

Google doesn't need one particular piece of hardware running Android to be a hit in the way that Apple and Palm, (and RIM to the extent that they go after the consumer market), do since they don't make the hardware or make money on the hardware or licensing.

As all phones become smartphones, Android could be positioned as the choice of OS for manufacturers who are not Apple, Palm or RIM simply because it is free and modern and there. Your HTCs, LGs, etc. might just migrate to it as an enabling technology so that they can stay in the game.

Microsoft is sort of in the same position but Windows Mobile doesn't seem to be appealing to people so much these days and comes with licensing fees attached.

Android is going to be running on netbooks which would otherwise be running Windows.

So maybe Android never has the same brand in-your-faceness but could quietly emerge to capture a large segment of the market.

I wonder about Nokia. Will they continue to push Symbian? A combined Nokia and Palm would be interesting...

Re: My take on the Pre - Palm’s salvation.

felix — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 18:18:20 -0000

Brand power is why no one is going to unseat Apple for 1st place. But the fight for 2nd place is on. :) I believe further, that it will be much easier for Palm to develop a brand around the Pre than it will be for Google to do around Android - given that it's going to be in tons of diff't handsets with diff't capabilities, diff't makers, diff't cost and diff't quality. Palm's going to concentrate its brand in a select few well designed phones. I mean, just compare the G1 physically to the Pre. Even from pictures you can see which one is sexier.

Re: My take on the Pre - Palm’s salvation.

mpodrazik — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 17:11:11 -0000

Yeah, a big reason the Mac, iPhone, etc. work so well is 'cause they are 'vertically integrated'

I'm a little surprised actually how much brand power Palm still has. I had kind of written them off a while ago yet have relatives asking about the merits of the Pre vs. iPhone weeks ago.

Contrast that to Android who I doubt many non-tech people are aware of at all...

Re: My take on the Pre - Palm’s salvation.

felix — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 16:40:10 -0000

I will believe 18-20 Android phones in the next 6 months when I see it. If there's 3 on the market, I'll be surprised. It'd be great, though. I'm super curious to see how the Android Marketplace copes with multiple handsets.

However, on "The Microsoft Way" I have to strenuously disagree. That way has worked exactly once in history. Look what happened to Apple when it tried to go licensing - it almost collapsed the company. Or look at what happened to Palm when it tried that. Heck, look at what happened to Microsoft when it tried Plays-for-sure - it's dropped that for the Apple Way and Zune (which while not a success, is a raging success when compared to plays-for-sure). Or look at the lack of success for WinMob. Successful companies like RIM, Apple, Danger (to a degree) and even Palm of old (as well as of new :) control everything.

But I agree with your point that Google is in a unique position with Android (and Chrome, too on the web side) to not really be too worried if Android doesn't rule the world. Although, they'd certainly like it to be in order to have a greater say in the evolution of the smartphone (and browser).

Nevertheless, Android's committee of enemies seems like it will be ever more burdensome the more successful the product is as each member strives to cram in that which will help it the most and block that which will help it's competitors. I think '09 and '10 will see a bunch of Android phones hit the market, but I'll be curious to see if it doesn't achieve mainstream brand awareness what will happen in '11.

Re: My take on the Pre - Palm’s salvation.

mpodrazik — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 15:56:12 -0000

Multiple OEMs. Forgetting about the netbook thing for a minute, the fact that there are supposed to be 18-20 Android phones on the market before the end of '09 is Google taking a page out of Microsoft's playbook, (except for the open source part ;)

There are advantages to having a really clear and controlled product line. This is "The Apple Way". There are also advantages to being ubiquitous, not worrying about the hardware so much and just the OS, "The Microsoft Way".

I think the iPhone/Android battle may be a regurgitation of the Apple/Microsoft battle in the early days.

Plus, I'm not sure if this is an advantage or not for Google but they are not actually trying to make any money on licensing fees since Android is open. On the one hand that sucks 'cause they won't be making money but on the other they don't care 'cause they're rich and are going at it more obliquely for mindshare or whatever...

It doesn't really matter ultimately whether it works or not since you're not going to be using Bing or Wolfram anytime soon regardless of the phone you've got. The worst case scenario for GOOG is basically neutral.

It might be naive but I almost believe it when Schmidt says he doesn't think they are in competition. The iPhone has actually been great for Google, after all. Pre will be great for Google. The rise of the smartphone in general is great for Google. If they can shape that future to whatever degree is possible with Android they will do it, but no matter what they win if the phone is an Internet device.

Re: My take on the Pre - Palm’s salvation.

felix — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 14:45:29 -0000

Yes, no one is going to unseat Apple in the foreseeable future. No one's even going to sit on the same bench. :)

Do you really think that Android has any chance to get in the way of the iPhone juggernaut in the foreseeable future? I suppose it's because I don't see the need for netbooks in general, but I even ever more so don't see the advantage of Android on netbooks. And if it does get on netbooks, what advantage does it have for Android as a platform? It will require completely different apps - given the difference in screen size, processor, input... so it will actually serve, I believe to confuse the Android Marketplace.

I've been thinking alot about this in general - what does Android gain from being an open, embedded system in relation to its fight for smartphones? Does it gain anything for getting used on digital frames? Embedded in a toaster? It certainly isn't bad, but I'm not clear that it is all that good.

I'm going to stand by my thought that the medium term battle for second will come down to Android and WebOS after RIM starts it's nosedive.

Re: Wolfram Alpha, kinda cool, kinda like a big almanac…

felix — Tue, 19 May 2009 07:42:58 -0000

It will definitely be interesting to see if they can make a paid model work. I suppose access to a wide variety of structured data is interesting, kinda like a automated FreeBase I guess. Sort of like a one stop shop for a huge variety of information. I'm definitely not convinced, though, unless they've got something up their sleeve that we haven't seen yet.

Re: Book ownership a story to tell our grandkids

felix — Sun, 17 May 2009 00:27:31 -0000

Steve, I think you're conflating DRM and electronic media... I don't think in terms of electronic DRM free music that there's any confusion over ownership. You own and do it as you please, the MPAA may not like that you lend it out, but that's not qualitatively different then the fact that they're opposed to bootlegs or sharing of tapes. It would be the same with DRM free e-books. Just that at this point, there's not a whole lot of that going around.

To me, electronic music *definitely* does sound better than buying CDs. I suspect as the catalog of available e-books grows and hopefully as the DRM trend falls away, that will also sound increasingly good. :)

Re: Movie Review: Star Trek

felix — Thu, 14 May 2009 21:12:46 -0000

I read somewhere that the choice of Sabotage was a reference to Kirk's inability to pronounce the word in the original series. Heh... But it really was so perfect.

And I am with you on Bones. He was easily my least favourite of the bunch - his acting just seemed so forced. I feel like he didn't make it his own, he just tried to act like someone acting like old Bones and that seemed pretty weak to me, a little jarring even.

Good call on the Winona/Slater connection. Pump up the volume! :)

Re: 8 Movies I’m looking forward to, Summer 2009 Edition

felix — Thu, 14 May 2009 13:37:55 -0000

Yeah, I dunno, I'm not too interested in Up. I dunno. Same with Cloudy with a chance of Meatballs - although that does have the benefit of 3D, which might lure me back in. PE and HP, are both on my list and I'm excited for them. As for Inglourious Basterds... I dunno, I hate Tarantino so much, but I like Brad and the movie looks funnyish... I'm conflicted on that one.

Re: 8 Movies I’m looking forward to, Summer 2009 Edition

felix — Thu, 14 May 2009 13:34:10 -0000

Crap! I totally forgot about District 9. Wait were you the person that emailed that around? Yeah, I definitely want to see that, too. Man, it's going to be a good summer. :)

Re: 8 Movies I’m looking forward to, Summer 2009 Edition

felix — Wed, 13 May 2009 14:11:57 -0000

re: Funny People, oh yeah! I forgot about that one, yeah I'm going to see it. The trailer makes me a little worried... I'm not sure how I feel about Apatow and Sandler together, although I kinda like that Jason Schwartzman is in it. It seems a little too, I need to win an oscar'y from the trailer. We'll see, he hasn't let me down yet. :)

As for 1, 2 and 6... we'll see what you see.... :)

Re: What’s the point of smartphone OS’s on Netbooks?

felix — Mon, 11 May 2009 10:16:13 -0000

I agree, although if that interface really expects a much larger screen it may be inappropriate. I think, to some degree that's why WinMob suffers so much, it doesn't do enough to customize the desktop experience for the smaller interface. I think that for netbooks, though, that it's closer to a laptop then a smartphone and so, as you say, the more familiar experience will win out.

Re: I like the Kindle DX, doesn’t fundamentally change the game

felix — Thu, 07 May 2009 13:46:38 -0000

I sort of agree with both you characters. But I think I agree more with Michael. :)

Amazon should not be trying to make money on selling the Kindle - the play is not the same as Apple's iTunes Store. Amazon wants to make the e-book distribution model their profit center - as such they need to get Kindles into widespread use. While everyone may not buy as many books as the current early(ish) adopters many certainly would. I think, that the iTunes store proves that most people will buy their media if it is convenient to do so.

In some ways, I think what's going on right now is that Amazon is looking at everything so far as a big beta for usage patterns - in particular as to how the 3G usage will go. Before they try and make a power play on the device they want to make sure they aren't going to take a bath on chargebacks to Sprint. Hence their newly rolled out 3G charges.

I also completely agree about your (rob's) view on additive subsidies in your comment below. It makes sense and is something the periodical world is somewhat used to in terms of offering big benefits for subscriptions.I have a blog post brewing here, need to gel some more thoughts. :)

Re: I like the Kindle DX, doesn’t fundamentally change the game

felix — Thu, 07 May 2009 12:00:58 -0000

I think you underestimate the usefulness of having electronic copies of texts. I know I am personally really excited about the notion of having all my computer texts on Kindle. Search alone is going to be awesome - no more dealing with crappy, crappy indices. Highlighting and being able to look through just those highlights, again, much more useful - possibly even searching only highlighted areas? I think there's huge potential here, for serious.

Re: On Dollhouse, Whedon’s most grownup show

howie — Mon, 04 May 2009 22:15:29 -0000

OMG, felix said "OMG." But true, Wash was pretty effing fantastic in the role. As for the best of Whedon, i wouldnt ever consider angel in the running. Buffy had the length to really grow into something special but firefly had... spaceships. SPACE! SHIPS!

Re: On Dollhouse, Whedon’s most grownup show

felix — Mon, 04 May 2009 21:43:30 -0000

OMG. Michael. I've totally been saying Walsh this whole time. I feel like a faux fanboy now! Thanks for the correction! :)

Re: The beginings of the Netbook backlash?

howie — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 10:47:56 -0000

indeed. you can get a mini 9 for $50 now with a 2 year contract from at&t right off the dell website.

Re: The beginings of the Netbook backlash?

felix — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 09:50:14 -0000

Yeah, I agree - I think it's got a niche but it's smaller than this initial burst of love for it seems to indicate. Much smaller. As the novelty wears off and the economy improves, I suspect we'll see this market trailing off.

I think I remember someone starting to look into the telco's subsidizing netbooks with 3G here, too. We'll see...