If not for graffiti on the wall, self-titled “Street Musician” could be from the 1950s rather than the 2010s. The bouzouki, hat, mustache, and narrow tie together give that by-gone days aura. Ilias Theodoropoulos captured the […]
Microsoft Surface Book is all about You
That grinding against wood and dirt you hear is the sound of Steve Jobs rolling over in his grave. Microsoft is back! And badass! Today’s Surface event in New York City outclasses Apple by every measure that matters: Aspiration, innovation, presentation, and promotional marketing. Microsoft proves that it can build end-to-end solutions—hardware, software, and services—as good as, and better than, the company cofounded by Jobs. Even more importantly: Present the new wares well. Today’s event was exceptional.
But there is a shadow looming in the brightness that will matter to some Microsoft customers and not to others: Cost. Surface Book, for all its seeming greatness, is a budget-busting laptop for the majority of potential buyers. The low-cost config, at $1,499, comes with 6th-gen Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB RAM, and 128GB storage. To get the discreet graphics demoed today, with i7 chip, 8GB memory, and 256 SSD, you will spend $2,099. Doubling RAM and storage raises the price to $2,699.
Flickr a Day 279: ‘Lama. 2 am.’
Punctuation punctuates self-titled “Lama. 2 am”. Identification and time with two periods makes a statement that causes reaction yeah, and then of course when reading accompanying description: “Paris, FR”. Somehow, the beast in the window makes sense. What […]
Where No Values Have Gone Before
For more than two weeks I have kept open in a browser tab essay “How Star Trek Explains the Decline of Liberalism” by Timothy Sandefur. Someone shared the story in one of my social feeds in mid-September—and apologies for not recalling whom. I don’t agree with the title, set against the writing, but I do largely agree with the analysis about Star Trek’s reflection of our society over the course of 50 years.
I loved the original series, which aired in 1966. Much as I liked, and even imitated Spock, Kirk’s bravado and moralism rapt my attention. He acted rather than hesitated. Meanwhile, series creator Gene Roddenberry and his producers, directors, and writers used the storytelling as metaphors and allegories commenting on American society and its values. I aspired to be like James Tiberius Kirk: Do the right thing, for the greater good of all, regardless the risk.
Flickr a Day 278: ‘Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close’
I dismissed today’s selection as being a Photoshop fake, before on second peruse looking more closely and then reading the shooter’s explanation: “Beachgoers at St. Maarten’s Maho Beach get a rush as Air France flight […]
Flickr a Day 277: ‘Obi’
Smartphones can produce surprisingly good photos in competent hands. Physical contrast caught my attention in our Day taker—the small dog set against the big cars. But after seeing that Ryan Hyde used iPhone 5, I […]
Amazon Fire TV Review
Streaming set-top boxes are no longer about media consumption. The newest entrants—from Apple, Amazon, and Google—fit into a larger lexicon of connected digital lifestyles. Think intelligent television for the information-obsessed and for visual voyeurs demanding the highest-quality video that is commercially available.
On Oct. 1, 2015, I started testing the new Amazon Fire TV, which goes on sale October 5th. I will later review the newer Google Chromecast but unlikely Apple’s device (because a review unit isn’t available and I wouldn’t buy one for personal use). There is nothing radically new about Fire TV. It’s more of the same only much better. Key benefit for some: 4K Ultra HD video support. Benefit for all: Enhanced voice-interaction capabilities that include Amazon’s Alexa digital assistant. Then there are iterative enhancements that improve overall benefits.
Flickr a Day 276: ‘My Kingdom Band Promo 1’
Music photographer Chris Romano captures emotion and vigor in his live performance shots. But his band promos are irresistibly charismatic. He shot self-titled “My Kingdom Band Promo 1” on Nov. 7, 2014, using Nikon D600 and […]
Flickr a Day 275: ‘Spacesuit Selfie’
You can believe Christopher Michel‘s claim that his photos come from “extreme locations like the South Pole, Everest, The Korean DMZ, Papua New Guinea, and at the edge of space”. Eh, yeah. He shot self-titled […]
The Android Army Rises
January 2010. Briefly, my attention turns away from rumors about an Apple tablet (true) and (then) Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer’s Consumer Electronics Show keynote. On this fifth day of the new decade, Google debuts a new smartphone. I see the launch as a watershed event—and order Nexus One for myself. Made by HTC, but codesigned by Google and carrying its brand, the self-described, so-called “superphone” is the stone that later sets off an Android avalanche sweeping across the planet.
Things that matter about the N1:
- Google sells it direct, unlocked, with no contract required
- Voice interaction is as important as, if not more than, touch
- Operating system and core features tightly tie to Google search
- Hardware is a baseline reference design for manufacturing partners
- Platform provides software developers the foundation for making Android apps
Flickr a Day 274: ‘Flying Puffin’
The photostream of Sergii Gulenok is best described as a series of outdoor adventures; this guy really gets around. I spent sometime picking a pic, because my favorite isn’t really representative of his style. But […]
Who Mourns for the Fourth Estate? (Part 2)
June 2009, the future of 21st Century journalism moves with protestors across Iran’s capital. In an area somewhat removed from the commotion, philosophy student Neda Salehi reportedly steps from a car and is soon shot by a sniper. A bystander videos her death and uploads it to YouTube. The moment becomes the rallying point for demonstrators in the country and for spectators from around the globe. It is a seminal moment of change for the news media.
The next night, June 21, I write: