Wolverine (Level 1)
I just watched a documentary about design called "Objectified". Dieter Rams and Jonathan Ive are interviewed in it. You should check it out.
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I've really wanted a HoneyComb tablet for a while now, but they're a bit expensive. $200 is just the right price for a college student like me. I'd be able to get my school books on it and run Android apps. I also am a huge fan of the 7" inch tablet form factor so that's a huge plus. Anyone else in my position?
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So I'm on vacation. I'm an American visiting Paris, Rome, and Alexandria and as you would assume I have a lot of time on my hands while traveling from one destination to another. Sadly, my Kindle won't work. When I try to unlock it the green light goes on but nothing happens. I've tried almost everything I can think of and I can't get it to unlock and I'm so annoyed by this. I bought the 3G Kindle so that I could download books anywhere in the world. That functionality is useless when your Kindle won't unlock. I'm sure this is just a bug and it will work once it runs out of battery but it takes a month to run out of battery!
I'm so angered by this that I think I'm going to sell my Kindle when I get home, by a tablet, and just download my eBooks through Google eBooks. I use Google services for practically everything else without any trouble. I already have a fair investment in Kindle books, but I can't help not wanting to buy my eBooks from Amazon anymore after having this terrible experience.
What separates Tested from other technology websites is it's small but active community, it's diverse coverage (coffee for example), and the incredibly detailed how-to articles. Still though, Tested is in it's infancy. We are expecting to see a wiki being added to the site later this year and I feel their are minor additions that can be made to make Tested an even better technology website.
1. Change Forum Topics
Currently there are 16 different topics on Tested, but many of them really fit under Off-Topic (Random/Funny, Books, Games, Rip and Stream). I strongly feel that we should get rid of these topics and split out the phone and tablet topics into separate topics for each different mobile platform (iOS, Android, Windows 7, WebOS) because the platforms differ so much and it would create healthy discussion.
2. Add Alignment
On Giant Bomb, your name is a certain color representing what platform you are aligned with. I think this is even more necessary on a Tech site because the platforms differ even more than the video game platforms do. I suggest that users have the option to make their alignment with Apple, Google, Microsoft, or Neutral. Maybe, there should also be an option to be aligned with Linux as well. The different options would have to be determined through discussion. I'd love to hear what the community thinks.
3. More of a Focus on How-Tos and Features, Less of a Focus on General News
There are already many tech sites that cover the news so much that it almost becomes spam. In my opinion, Tested should cover only the essential news and use their resources to focus on putting out even more great how-tos, features, and editorials. These three things are arguably the "bread and butter" for readers of Tech sites. The most memorable posts I've read are the posts that changed the way I think about tech or awoken me on how I could use technology to make my life easier.
4. Stream the Podcast Live
There has been a lot of discussion in the forums about the current state of the podcast. I personally feel that it is one of the best tech podcasts and no changes are needed but it is apparent that Will has recently become concerned about how people are reacting to the tangents. If the podcast was streamed live, the cast would get instant response to how people are responding to what they are talking about. Also, it would create a even greater sense of community around This Is Only A Test.
Tested is already an excellent site, but the wiki that in the works and some small changes can make this site even better. I'd love to hear what the community's opinions are about the additions I propose.
I know it seems crazy, I just replaced my iPhone 4 with a Samsung Focus just over a month ago. Although I love the Windows Phone 7 interface, there isn't enough of a variety of apps in the marketplace. As a former iPhone user, there are specific apps that I used to use on a daily basis that I can't find compelling alternatives on the WP7 platform. This makes me frustrated constantly when I'm trying to get work done on my phone.
What I find compelling about Android is the massive amount of apps available for the platform, Google's support for allowing users to customize their phones, and the fact that
Android is slightly based off Java. As a Computer Science student who focuses most of his time at school working with Java, being able to utilize what I learn in class to make interesting apps for my phone sounds very exciting to me.
My friend is moving to a different carrier so he asked me if I wanted to buy his Atrix, I took him up on his offer. Luckily, I made a nice amount of profit selling my iPhone so that should cover this Android endeavor. He has already rooted the phone so I plan on leaving it like that. Hopefully, I'll be able to successfully remove Moto Blur. I've been doing some research on how to do it and it doesn't seem to difficult.
What are your thoughts on my decision? Also, if you have any experience with rooting I'd love to hear about it considering I'm not to sure what the benefits of having a rooted phone are quite yet.
What I find compelling about Android is the massive amount of apps available for the platform, Google's support for allowing users to customize their phones, and the fact that
Android is slightly based off Java. As a Computer Science student who focuses most of his time at school working with Java, being able to utilize what I learn in class to make interesting apps for my phone sounds very exciting to me.
My friend is moving to a different carrier so he asked me if I wanted to buy his Atrix, I took him up on his offer. Luckily, I made a nice amount of profit selling my iPhone so that should cover this Android endeavor. He has already rooted the phone so I plan on leaving it like that. Hopefully, I'll be able to successfully remove Moto Blur. I've been doing some research on how to do it and it doesn't seem to difficult.
What are your thoughts on my decision? Also, if you have any experience with rooting I'd love to hear about it considering I'm not to sure what the benefits of having a rooted phone are quite yet.
My love for the PC can be attributed to three reasons.
1. Variety
The personal computer is the most abstract device of all time. I can do everything from playing the latest games to paying my taxes on it. It is a machine capable of doing an incredible amount of tasks.
2. Unlimited Customization
It is ever expandable. I can build my own machine and replace parts gradually to keep it current. I can even buy third part accessories to add new functionality to my PC. For example, a piano keyboard or a tablet for drawing. This makes the possibilities of what I can do with my machine endless.
3. Openness
The PC is a completely open platform. I don't need to buy all of my games through Microsoft if I'm running Windows. I can by my games from MS through Games for Windows if I want to, but I could also just download Steam and buy my games through Valve. Or, if I don't feel like giving any large company their 30 percent I can always buy the game I want directly from the developer's site if they have it available or even at a retail store if I so choose.
As tablets like the iPad start to become popular and game consoles like the Xbox 360 and the PS3 start adopting more and more of the PC gaming crowd, consumers are giving up the openness of the PC for the convenience that comes with these "Post-PC devices." These devices might be capable of a variety of tasks, but the customization that I am able to do to them is limited and majority of them are completely closed platforms.
The only "Post-PC" OS that offers the customization and openness that PC operating systems offer us is Android. When Google allowed Amazon to launch their independent App Store on Android it really proved that the OS was just as open as it's PC counterparts. There might be some concern about fragmentation, but that will all be ironed out as the OS matures.
Android is an ever expanding light in the darkness of closed platforms like iOS. Hopefully when other companies like Microsoft start to release there tablet operating systems they will take an open approach similar to Google's ongoing attempt with Android. If not, Android might be our only chance of having a free digital future where people can purchase what ever apps they so choose without getting permission by large corporations like Apple.
I don't want to live in a world run by 21st century, capitalistic tyrannies. Do you...?
1. Variety
The personal computer is the most abstract device of all time. I can do everything from playing the latest games to paying my taxes on it. It is a machine capable of doing an incredible amount of tasks.
2. Unlimited Customization
It is ever expandable. I can build my own machine and replace parts gradually to keep it current. I can even buy third part accessories to add new functionality to my PC. For example, a piano keyboard or a tablet for drawing. This makes the possibilities of what I can do with my machine endless.
3. Openness
The PC is a completely open platform. I don't need to buy all of my games through Microsoft if I'm running Windows. I can by my games from MS through Games for Windows if I want to, but I could also just download Steam and buy my games through Valve. Or, if I don't feel like giving any large company their 30 percent I can always buy the game I want directly from the developer's site if they have it available or even at a retail store if I so choose.
As tablets like the iPad start to become popular and game consoles like the Xbox 360 and the PS3 start adopting more and more of the PC gaming crowd, consumers are giving up the openness of the PC for the convenience that comes with these "Post-PC devices." These devices might be capable of a variety of tasks, but the customization that I am able to do to them is limited and majority of them are completely closed platforms.
The only "Post-PC" OS that offers the customization and openness that PC operating systems offer us is Android. When Google allowed Amazon to launch their independent App Store on Android it really proved that the OS was just as open as it's PC counterparts. There might be some concern about fragmentation, but that will all be ironed out as the OS matures.
Android is an ever expanding light in the darkness of closed platforms like iOS. Hopefully when other companies like Microsoft start to release there tablet operating systems they will take an open approach similar to Google's ongoing attempt with Android. If not, Android might be our only chance of having a free digital future where people can purchase what ever apps they so choose without getting permission by large corporations like Apple.
I don't want to live in a world run by 21st century, capitalistic tyrannies. Do you...?
