The Shocking Price of eBooks

June 30, 2010 | 1 comment

So it seems that content producers still haven’t learnt the lessons from the music industry’s move from physical product to electronic equivalent. Below is a great example of how they just don’t get it.

Juliet Naked is the latest novel by Nick Hornby. I’ve read it (in paperback format) and it’s a good book and a return to form for Hornby in my opinion. However, I would rather have read it on my Sony Reader but is it really worth £11.10 to have it in an electronic format? I think not. More to the point does it cost the content … Read the rest

Hands on with the iPad

April 23, 2010 | 1 comment

So, yes, I know that the web has been full of this over the last few weeks (with only a minor diversion for the next iPhone) and I am late to the game but I only got my first opportunity to get my hands on an iPad today. To be fair there aren’t that many of them in the UK at present. So here it is – my thoughts and pictures of my next gadget.

On seeing it it really does look like an overgrown iPhone. The two are almost identical in design and anyone that has an iPhone … Read the rest

Rule 1: Don’t Call Your Product “Unbreakable” If It Is Not

January 12, 2010 | Comment

My advice is never give a live demonstration if you can possibly help it and never, never, never claim a property that the product doesn’t actually possess. Advice that Sonim would have done well to have heeded before handing over their “unbreakable” mobile phone to a reporter from the BBC.

The reporter, Dan Simmons, looked pretty embarrassed about having smashed the screen of the device and Somin’s CEO laughed about it and everyone is blogging about it but “unbreakable” it obviously isn’t.

You can see the video of destruction here.… Read the rest

Top tech of 2009

January 7, 2010 | 3 comments

For the last few years Michael Arrington has been producing a list of the top tech that he has regularly used in each year and I thought this year I would give it a go. So this is the technology that I used day-in, day-out in 2009 and could not do without.

Google Chrome

A lot of my life is spent in a browser and this year I changed over from Firefox to using Google’s Chrome. Why? Because it is fast. In fact it is the faster browser I have used and speed is important to me. I don’t … Read the rest

TweetNotebook

December 24, 2009 | Comment

In what must be one of the greatest acts of egotistical self-indulgence a couple of weeks ago I ordered a TweetNotebook.

For those that aren’t familiar with it the TweetNotebook is a notebook with a random selection of your tweets printed at the bottom of each page and with your Twitter icon printed on the front along with a customisable quote. A selection of pictures of mine are left and below.

Well mine arrived this morning and I have to say it is just fantastic and much better than I expected it to be. Why? Well for a start … Read the rest

My “other” USB Key

October 7, 2009 | Comment

Following on from yesterdays post the above is what I carried around before the “Key” key.

While it did have the advantage of being credit card sized and so would fit into my pocket and did have some sort of geeky street cred (or so I like to think), it was when I pulled it out at a business meeting that eyebrows were raised.

I can’t quite give up my Tardis USB key just like it would be difficult to give up my Tardis 4-port hub…… Read the rest

USB Key Key

October 6, 2009 | Comment

Yes it looks like an ordinary house key (well if you don’t look too closely) but in fact it is a USB memory stick cleverly disguised to look like a house key.

I don’t often have call for a memory stick these days but when you need one they are invaluable and to have one always around without having to dig into your gadget bag only to find you have left it at home would be great.

In the past I have tried to attach memory sticks to my key ring but they always broke off due to having weedy … Read the rest

FREETALK Everyman USB Headset for Skype

August 10, 2009 | 2 comments

I have found myself using Skype more and more recently, particularly since some good friends have moved to Australia.

Over the years I have used a number of ways to make Skype calls. I have used the speaker and microphone on my netbook, a VoIPVoice Cyberphone-w handset and a Polycom Communicator.

The laptop only experience is ok but the sound is very tinny. The Cyberphone and the Communicator are both excellent devices but I don’t like holding the handset on long calls, particularly when they are video too and the communicator is really better suited for conference calls and … Read the rest

Museum of Computing Re-opening

July 2, 2009 | Comment

Last night I had the privilege to attend the opening of the Museum of Computing based in Swindon. Or should I say re-opening as the museum has actually been closed for a year while looking for new premises. Swindon Council have provided a place right next to the theatre and walking distance from the town centre. On display last night was just a small selection of museums collection and it plans to change the exhibits on display every six months.

I was able to re-acquaint myself with my first ever computing experience – the good old Teletype. The school I … Read the rest

Netbook v3

June 29, 2009 | Comment

So I am in the market for a new Netbook (some would ask when am I not in the market for a new gadget). This would be my third, therefore I think that you can safely say that I am a convert to the form factor.

There have already been two iterations of Netbooks. Version 1 was the original Asus Eee PC 701 device that introduced the Netbook to the world. This had a 7" screen and ran a specially customised Linux OS. I had one of these and loved it but found Linux to be hard work.

The … Read the rest