Disqus - Latest Comments for psimac

Re: Qualcomm and Apple agree to drop all litigation

psimac — Wed, 17 Apr 2019 01:53:36 -0000

And then Intel announced it was dropping out of the market, citing low profitability. Nice deal making. Not Samsung Litigation 2.0.

Re: Google officially confirms Allo shutdown for 2019, move away from ‘classic Hangouts’

psimac — Tue, 12 Mar 2019 19:44:40 -0000

Even their revised strategy is a mess. Most consumers won't be able to understand it and just stick with what they know.

Re: What do you think of Apple slowing down older iPhones to account for battery wear? [Poll]

psimac — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 01:09:26 -0000

While I think Apple could be more upfront about this sort of thing, I'm reading a lot of people discussing older Android phones. A few things about this: 1) I have never seen anyone use an Android phone more than 2-3 generations back (that would be equivalent to a 6s today), 2) What happens when a Samsung or equivalent phone starts to have a battery fail? We've only had a couple generations of these phones without replaceable batteries. What happens to those phones with sealed batteries? Do they just shut down with 3 hours of battery life?

The other question I have: how do normal people get these other brands of phones fixed when they break? My friends that have Android phones go to the carrier and wait a few days for a "refurbished replacement" that always ships with no battery or back, if it has a replaceable battery. When I broke my iPhone, I walked into the Apple Store, waited for a bit, then they replaced the screen. The whole thing took a couple hours. If I have Android, do I keep a spare phone around in case something breaks?

I honestly don't know the answer. I've been coddled so long by Apple, what happens with service if I get a different brand of phone?

Re: Sprint CEO talks openly about T-Mobile merger, says company didn’t want to ‘relinquish control’

psimac — Thu, 09 Nov 2017 18:46:31 -0000

While Sprint has a strong presence in some markets, the service here in the Seattle area is subpar. I chuckle every time I drive by T-Mobile's HQ in Factoria and see a Sprint billboard across the street (it's usually Sprint or Verizon advertising there).

That said, I couldn't see how this made sense as a merger when T-Mobile has significant momentum and Sprint is losing marketshare and brand perception. Additionally, there's no technology match, so T-Mobile may be gaining a lot of redundant cell towers with a network that is mostly CDMA.

I'm not sure what Sprint's move is here, but T-Mobile did the right thing IMHO. When I read this was happening again I was thinking, "what a distraction."

T-Mobile's management team has done such a magnificent job the German's are inviting them over to give talks to the mothership's employees. That's a pretty tremendous turnaround from a few years back where Deutsche Telekom wanted to dump T-Mobile USA to the highest bidder. Bravo!

Re: Full text: Slack offers ‘friendly advice’ to Microsoft in full-page New York Times ad

psimac — Thu, 03 Nov 2016 15:18:41 -0000

Reminds me of Apple's welcoming IBM to the personal computer market. The hubris really didn't work out so well for Apple back then.

https://c4.staticflickr.com...

Re: The iPod is now 15 years old

psimac — Mon, 24 Oct 2016 00:56:51 -0000

The iPod really transformed Apple when you think about it. I remember watching the stream of Jobs on stage announcing this and thinking ("wow, amazing that they're live-streaming this"), "I don't get why Apple would want to make a music player. It's interesting, but seems like such a deviation."

Naive me would later watch this device change the world, change design in general and change advertising. It also transformed Apple into a lifestyle company and led to the subsequent drop of "Computer" from the name. All these things led to iTunes Store, iPhone and the Apple we have today. I'd say iPod was not only a major turning point in the history of consumer electronics, but of the world's culture.

Happy Birthday, indeed.

Re: U.S. to ban all Samsung Note 7 phones on airline flights

psimac — Sun, 16 Oct 2016 15:20:29 -0000

I was just looking at booking a bus from Vegas to LA and they also warned against their ban transporting a Galaxy Note 7 on the bus!

Re: iPhone 7 might finally bring the feature everybody wants

psimac — Wed, 13 Jul 2016 23:49:27 -0000

This article is absolutely useless clickbait. All it tells us is the obvious thing that happens every generation: the battery improves. I would expect more depth from Cult of Mac, but maybe times are tough?

Re: Field Notes Reporter’s Notebook

psimac — Tue, 28 Jun 2016 00:56:29 -0000

I started using top-bound notebooks, which I find easier to use when out and about than a traditional side bound notebook. I've been using this French-made notebook that features micro perforation, made by Rhodia. The paper is really great, too. I will try these Field Notes.

Re: IPad Pro Jr. — Léoville

psimac — Fri, 01 Apr 2016 10:34:28 -0000

You bring up a great point, Leo. I hadn't thought about how this thing is really powerful enough to be a full on blogging/podcasting unit in one. Does anyone make a podcasting platform for iOS? Like a full solution?

Re: VW Plans to Recover From Its Scandal by Going Electric

psimac — Thu, 03 Dec 2015 18:39:44 -0000

www.campbellnelsonnissan.com

Re: Apple’s MacBook Air and MacBook Pro top Consumer Reports laptop reliability survey

psimac — Thu, 03 Dec 2015 18:39:17 -0000

I look forward to CU doing this sort of research with smart phones.

The other consideration is that when an Apple product breaks, you can take it somewhere and get it fixed pretty quickly. My brother used Toshiba laptops and swore by them. He had one break and it took weeks to repair. Once repaired, it would come back with something else broken and many more days would go by. It was a never-ending fiasco that destroyed his love affair with Toshiba. Now retired, he has an iPhone and iPad. He finally saw the light.

Re: VW Owners Aren’t Going to Like the Fixes for Their Diesels

psimac — Thu, 15 Oct 2015 04:00:32 -0000

FUD.

Re: VW Plans to Recover From Its Scandal by Going Electric

psimac — Thu, 15 Oct 2015 03:57:27 -0000

I appreciate that you buy American. So do I! Yet, most Buicks sold in the United States were designed in Germany. Some models are/were built in Germany. And my Volkswagen was built in Chattanooga, Tennessee. I'd guess the device your writing your comments on was made in China.

My point is, blaming all of Germany for their madman leader from WWII that built their original plant with "slave labor" is like condemning our railroad system or the Hoover Dam. Or most of our farms in the south!

Volkswagen lied, yes, but you're buying into the media hype. The level of CO2 emissions is zero. The level of NOX, even at 40x the legal limit is less than the requirements in the 1990s. American School Buses put out more NOX. The rogue team within Volkswagen will be reprimanded and they will straighten this out, but it will be expensive and take time.

GM recently lied about ignition switches in a big coverup that killed people. They got slapped with a $900-million fine and it was swept under the rug. Kia completely misrepresented the mileage of their cars--lying to the gullible public into buying their cars. More than 500,000 cars were sold with people thinking they'll get much better mileage than they did! How is this better than the VW issue?

My Passat gets 38MPG around town and 50MPG on the highway. It burns much less fuel, and thereby spews out less overall emissions than any Buick, and it has a 5-star safety rating. It is 98% recyclable, painted with eco-friendly water based paint and was built in the most environmentally friendly plant in the world, in Tennessee. It cost $29,000.

Doesn't sound like a company who believes in making low-quality, anti environmentally friendly products, does it?

Don't listen to the lies in the media. The author of this article didn't even check to see that all current Volkswagen Diesels sold in the USA, including my 2014 model, use AdBlue/Urea injection. Walter Cronkite left the building years ago and true reporting went with him.

You make it a great one!

Re: VW Plans to Recover From Its Scandal by Going Electric

psimac — Wed, 14 Oct 2015 22:39:04 -0000

But buying stuff made in China is ok with you, right? (talk about slave labor)

Re: VW Plans to Recover From Its Scandal by Going Electric

psimac — Wed, 14 Oct 2015 22:35:55 -0000

Not really, as electric cars make up less than 3% of the US car market.

Re: VW Plans to Recover From Its Scandal by Going Electric

psimac — Wed, 14 Oct 2015 22:35:24 -0000

We have them in the USA, too, but this "reporter" doesn't actually do any research--just spews opinion.

Re: VW Plans to Recover From Its Scandal by Going Electric

psimac — Wed, 14 Oct 2015 22:34:19 -0000

Funny.... my comment criticizing the lack of actual reporting on this article was not approved for posting. Lame.

I pointing out in my unapproved comment that ALL VW Diesel models in model year 2015 use AdBlue/Urea injection and all 2012 and newer Passat models also use Adblue. The Touareg SUV also uses Adblue and is still available for sale by VW dealers.

Re: VW Plans to Recover From Its Scandal by Going Electric

psimac — Wed, 14 Oct 2015 11:53:24 -0000

No one wants to "dominate" electric market, because there are no profits in electric cars. Even truer to the point, the public doesn't want electric cars! Electric cars, although there are more offerings on the market than ever before, account for less than 3% of the US car market. And before you go on and on about how great they are, do you drive one? Nissan Leafs can be bought for as little as $10,000.

Tesla has never made any money and has an overinflated stock price. As soon as a major automaker decides to move into their market, they are doomed. Ironically, it will probably be the VW Group that will kill them off. Porsche and Audi will have long-range electrics very soon and Aston Martin has also announced an electric. Tesla can't scale fast enough and I predict they will be a blip in automotive history in less than 10 years.

Re: This is why we can’t have nice things

psimac — Wed, 07 Oct 2015 02:44:32 -0000

I don't understand this move. Couldn't Amazon simply write an App supporting the new AppleTV and another supporting Google's TV devices? I think they're creating a great reason not to support Prime video on my TV. As it is, I find the video quality not as good as Netflix or Hulu.

Or, simply watch Clarkson, Hammond & May solely on my iPad.

Re: The Real Winner in the VW Diesel Scandal? Hybrid Cars

psimac — Fri, 25 Sep 2015 12:58:54 -0000

The author should do a bit of homework into sales of hybrid, electric and plug-in hybrid cars. The latest reports show steady declines in "electro-fied" cars over all of 2015, even though there are more models available in the channel than ever before. The majority of Americans do not want hybrid/battery cars, yet the government keeps forcing automakers to build them. Just about every manufacturer loses money on these cars.

Some reporter needs to look into the relative damage these cars are doing to the environment. By relative, I mean as compared to gasoline engine cars, cradle-to-grave electric cars (including coal burning power plants) and heavy-duty diesel vehicles (semi trucks, buses). I'd like to see a reporter really find some REAL DATA, rather than regurgitating 10-40x legal limit. What if the legal limit is so minor it has no real affect?

The other question no one is asking is if other car-makers have been doing this on gasoline-powered cars? I'm not one of those that thinks car companies are evil, yet no one is asking this question, either. And what about the suppliers...what's their role in all of this?

Re: Apple Watch: My most personal review ever

psimac — Wed, 17 Jun 2015 03:53:45 -0000

Great, post. Love my Watch and realize just about every review I read was bullshit. Apple's PR could've maybe done a better job setting expectations(?).

Congrats on the exercise and weight loss. Really inspiring. I'm about 30lbs over and when recently getting a check-up, the nurse classified me as "obese" on the visit documents. I was quite shocked by this and now working to intake less and exercise a bit more. Seems logical, right? Still love my hamburgers and I think I may have an addiction to French fries, but I'm trying to eat fewer. Walking seems to help; already dropped a few pounds.

I too, compliantly, stand up when I get that tap on the wrist.

Re: If It Doesn’t Die Right Away, Apple’s New Macbook Is Amazing

psimac — Tue, 10 Mar 2015 02:10:55 -0000

Something is wrong with your 5c. I would make a Genius Bar appointment and have it checked. Turning off apps does not save battery life, that's a total myth. I have lots of ports on my MacBook Pro, yet I rarely charge my iPhone with it, as I don't like wires dangling off of stuff when I'm out and about. In fact, I rarely take my power adapter for my MBP on day trips. Doesn't sound like the new MacBook is for you--and that's ok--Apple makes a few other models that suit some better than others.

Re: Well That Didn’t Work: Turns Out Americans Didn’t Want a $70K Luxury VW. Go Figure

psimac — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 16:12:24 -0000

Some Americans love this car, because it's nearly impossible to get one used for the same price as a comparable Mercedes S-Class or BMW 7-Series--Phaetons go for thousands more. I agree the car looked like a big Passat, but certainly not ugly. The photo posted here is of a 2003 model, so it's 12 years old.

I applaud VW for giving it a shot and hope they bring the new one back to these shores. Lots of people (like those in sales) can afford a luxury nameplate, but don't want to project that image. Instead of lowering themselves to an Accord, they can have a comparable car to an LS400 without the ostentation image.

Re: Mac vs. PC battle is back: Microsoft bashes Apple with new Surface ad

psimac — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 01:14:53 -0000

And they're kidding me with this, right? One bit of software used widely in business is Windows... Mac can run that, too, so what exactly can Surface run that Mac can't? Total false advertising.