Worm in the Apple iPad

Despite the iPad not yet being officially released in our little ‘pore yet, apparently Singaporeans are one of the most iPad-crazy countries in the world, judging by data from auction website eBay. (see here)

Image via CrunchBase

Apple said that it will release the iPad in July for another nine markets, including Singapore, however, after much fanfare, to tell you the truth (though I still love the iPhone) Im getting sick of the whole Apple = gawd routine.

Lets check in on the grass roots indicator on iPad:

Technometry friend who has played with the Ipad says: no expandable storage, no go.
Work colleague who has also got her hands on them says; just like a big iphone, – can play Angry Birds on bigger screen, but thats about it

Did a search on features that suck on the iphone, and all that came up were marketing articles that touted that the iphone was actually the best thing since sliced bread.

Till I play with one, I gonna be very skeptical, just like I am about the whole Apple 4g lost phone scenario.

Dell Launch Event – Adamo, Alienware and mobility…Pt II

Image via Wikipedia

Image via CrunchBase

The AsiaPac chap comes with the customary quips and starts moving between the exhibits, whilst the gaggle of bloggers, media and press follow him like a slathering cluster of techno-geese-geeks. Hes smooth though, and directs the audience to the first highlight of the night, the Adamo XPS. Designed with design in mind, the machine is a beauty, super slim (claim its the thinnest in the world at 9.99mm). Its uniqueness stems from the fact the keyboard folds into the display when closed, meaning one single dimension, instead of a sandwich form factor. Nice. Metal keycaps. Nice.  Whether its a mid-life crisis or just techno-lust, this baby is sleek, sits well and is for the fashionista/executive. Reading off the press kit, which I finally managed to get ahold of,  it also has a customer replaceable battery , – take that, Apple.

Flowing from the Adamo, which remnants of geeks are still pawing at, bossman takes us to the next exhibit, which is really just a highlight that the Inspiron Dell range can come in a range of different covers and artist created designs. Not a real attention grabber for me. Less a highlight, and more a middle-light. Show me the tech. Bossman moves on to a mock living room across the way.(Just realised, if the Bossman didnt have his doublebarrelled sirname, it would be the same sound name as the famous author of the “Wasp Factory” – silly conclusion, yes. Relevant – no.).

In the fake couch and lounge set up, the Inspiron Zino HD, is connected to a TV, with a wireless keyboard and mouse, showing off movie trailers (Prince of Persia) in high def. Its a compact mini tower PC, optimised for entertainment with HDMI connectivity, integrated ATI graphics and other features. This is a evolution hardware, just a upgrade of specs and a reduction in form.To the right of the lounge on a counter top is also the Inspiron One 19 (Touch), which, with a stand and without keyboard apparently saves up to 44% space (how do they calculate that stuff?)

Two more exhibits to follow, which includes the Alienware highlight…

Related articles by Zemanta

• A new Dell Adamo to coo about (blogs.msdn.com)
• Dell Adamo and Alienware M11 with More Accessible Prices (crenk.com)

Tabulating………tabulating

Image via CrunchBase

The Apple Tablet is coming, or is it? Can you feel the masses heave in their yearning?

Wireds write up: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/01/apple-january-event/

and Mashables evidence of some kind of device…

http://mashable.com/2010/01/24/flurry-apple-tablet/

Again, please make this the stuff of dreams….replaceable battery, not so scratchable, lightweight and …. affordable. A virtual keyboard that works like a real one. Gimme a minority report type of OS, without Tom’s disingenuity. Give me a ridley scott directors cut of a machine, not a lamentable consumer pleaser. Make it break ground and mend years of tablet yearning disappointment.

Bring on the 27th Jan… Stevie is going to come out holding the tablets ala Charlton Heston in the 10 Commandments, comin’ down from the techno-mountain…

Image by ClevelandSGS via Flickr

The Webby Awards list

The 10 most most influential Internet moments of the decade:

- Craigslist online classified site expands outside San Francisco (2000)
- the launch of Google AdWords (2000)
- the launch of online encyclopedia Wikipedia (2001)
- the shutdown of file-sharing site Napster (2001)
- Google’s initial public offering (2004)
- the online video revolution led by YouTube (2006)
- Facebook opens to non-college students and Twitter launches (2006)
- Apple’s iPhone debuts (2007)
- the use of the Internet in the US presidential campaign (2008)
- the use of Twitter during the Iranian election protests (2009)

Do with this what you will!

One interesting point – hoping technometry gets on this list sometime…!

Palm Pre; Release in Asia – STILL ZILCH.

Well, I can only speak for myself, but I’m kinda sick about how Apple and the iPhone are dominating.

Apple products are innovative, but the consumer benefits best when there are two top shelf competitors going at it. But my pleas for the Palm Pre as a suitable counter balance seem to be lagging further and further behind as the release date in Asia for our first glimpse of the Pre in Singapore are still lost in the murky midst.

Image by zoovroo via Flickr

Once again I took to hounding the USA PR reps for Palm. The email to them proceeded along the following lines, – pardon the “sucking up”…

**************************************

Hi [..........],

Thanks for your replies.

A lot of people are anxious to know when the Palm Pre is being launched in Asia/Singapore.

Any idea of a time frame? Every day delayed is another iPhone customer gained!

As mentioned previously, we use to have the old early palms with stylus when we were in our early 20’s.…would be interesting to see just how far palm has come!

Thanks again,

The reply from the Palm chap was as follows;

**************************************

Hi Clifford,

Unfortunately, I can’t even estimate at a time frame. I’m sure you understand.

-[..........]

**************************************

Well, I understand kinda.

Of course Mr PR Palm chap aint going to leak precious release details to a little nobody like me. However, his response sounded a tad smug? evasive? condescending?

Technometry readers, I promised to continue hounding him. The hounding will continue.

More recent Palm news, is the launch in the US of the next Palm Smartphone called the Pixi. Link to cNet here.

Its mentioned to be unlikely to make it over to Asia. I’m relieved….why? It doesnt have wi fi (which should be mandatory) and any phone called the Pixi doesnt sound too smart or executive or masculine. One for the ladies?