Brandon Moon

(Oh, pardon me. Only Apple can call their app store the App Store.)

I have a little bit of a beef with those out there running “application delivery mechanisms.” Don’t get me wrong, I really like the idea. I really like that Apple is bringing it to the Mac, and wish that Windows would develop a similar technology (Linux has had it for years… but that’s the nature of Linux). The issue I have is the ridiculous restrictions that the device managers put on them.

Take this article for example. Apple is making rules about how other companies can sell stuff through their apps. I think this is a little too much. Because I can see no other move for this than to get more money off other people’s work. This is a little bit like Microsoft charging developers $5 to write a program for Windows.

I guess that’s the price of being on the platform though.

So you may have noticed something going around facebook, a status says something like “FB has automatically set itself to the Non-Secure browsing setting!” Sounds pretty alarming doesn’t it? Why does facebook default you to something that is not secure? Is somebody looking at your facebook profile right now? Have they stolen your password? Just what can they actually do?

In reality, facebook is no less secure than most sites you visit. Twitter, gmail (and other google services), tumblr, yahoo, etc. all do the same thing as facebook. The real danger is not really in having your account hacked. The real danger is the information you keep on facebook, or in any online account for that matter.

If someone were to hack into your facebook account, they wouldn’t be able to steal your password. They’d pretty much only get to drive your account for a bit — much like leaving yourself signed in at a public computer. But, on facebook, that could mean they figure out your full name, your date of birth, family member’s full names, and all sorts of other info about you. The kind of information that could be useful in an identity theft. Or the kind of information help them get past those security questions your online banking account is always asking you.

Hence, it’s a much better approach to be careful about the amount of information you put online. Because (as a general rule) you should always assume that almost anything you put online will be seen by someone else’s eyes sooner or later.

Update: Here’s another article describing this exact problem.

It seems like more and more we are turning to our mobile devices to handle all our online needs. Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, etc. are all easily available through smartphones. Complex tasks like document and photo editing are easily possible. Heck, I even wrote this entire post simply using my Palm Pre. So with all this intense mobile computing, is it time to leave the traditional PC behind?

Perhaps not. At least, not according to this guy. The author of this article spent 30 days using only a Palm Pre for all his computing needs. He actually took the idea of pure mobile computing and put it to the test. His conclusion? There is a space for mobile computing, but it doesn’t work well for everything. There will always be a space for the traditional desktop computer or laptop - even with the iPad or other tablet-sized devices.

So why do we want mobile computing so much? According to the article:

The world might say that they want a mobile device that can handle all of their computing needs, but they’re really just lying to themselves. They just want something new, and it just so happens that the newest ‘things’ are coming in the form of mobile devices.

I love all the things I can do with my smartphone, but I recognize that it has it’s place. Mobile computing will definitely improve our lives - but it won’t replace all our computing needs.

Ever since I got a data plan with my Palm Pre, I have been a happy camper. I love having the answer to almost any question available right there in my pocket. It has become so useful that it’s basically replaced my laptop and desktop for home computer use. All my social networks are easily accessible, along with email, web, and a host of fun little games. It has kept me entertained for hours and hours.

With a phone that can do so much, you’d think I’d keep in touch more with my friends, right?

Not so much…

It’s not that I don’t keep in touch with them — I do — it’s just different. I’ve found I hardly ever use any of the minutes on my phone. Now, I’ve never been much of a phone person before, but I remember trying to keep myself within 300 anytime minutes on my old phone and struggling. My new plan is better (as far as minutes go), but I’m not sure I’d break my limit even without the unlimited night/weekend minutes. Why?

Because I either text or Facebook stalk or tweet at them.

Apparently it’s not just me either. We are turning more and more towards data usage over actual calls. More towards using the Internet to communicate instead of in-person communication.

There’s always two sides to this issue: It’s a good thing because we are more in touch than ever before, but bad because that type of communication can be pretty impersonal. The good can be pretty convincing though: I can keep up with all my friends that have moved away from Provo in a way I couldn’t before (+1 Internet). If I want to share something with all my friends, it’s easy to do (+1 Internet). Planning and event organizing is simplified (+1 Internet). I could mention several more.

Not being able to actually talk to my friends when I actually see them? Not cool (-10000 Internet).

What is it about being so connected and in touch with each other that inhibits us from being able to actually communicate?

It’s easy for me to forget that the Internet is a tool. Like phones, or old-fashioned letters. They are meant to help us communicate with others, but not for actually replacing them. If we let it, Facebook can quickly define a relationship, instead of supplementing it. Texting becomes the way to communicate instead of a way to communicate. And that warps our perceptions of people. Because too much is hidden by these communication methods.

The bottom line? Sometimes you need to actually visit these people you follow on Twitter or Facebook. Have a non-virtual chat. It’s pretty neat.

(Also, I write stuff like this a lot. Is it getting annoying? Does anybody still read this?)

Remember the cars from Minority Report? Yeah, the ones that drive themselves. Kinda like your own personal bus. Sounds like a good idea right?

Well, what if this became a reality within the next few years? Would you trust it?

According to the CVIS project, this could come sooner than we think. Although the CVIS project is not really an automated transportation system, it is working towards it. The basis of the project is to design mobile routers that can be placed along roadsides and provide all sorts of information for your car. Sort of an automotive internet, if you will. For example, you’re driving some where, and your car alerts you that there is traffic ahead and that you should slow down. Or perhaps you’re driving to a popular restaurant, and it is able to look up the closest available parking spot. Sounds pretty cool huh?

So how much further off are cars that drive themselves? We’ve been talking about it for years. Personally, I think the technology is more than there. But there’s so much more to making this a reality. There are big issues with deployment (no one can use it until it’s widespread), costs (both for cars and for the roadside systems), and the biggest of all — people. Will we actually trust it?

I’ve heard (and I’m sure you have as well) that for the most part, commercial airplanes fly themselves. Yet the airlines invest thousands in making sure there are qualified pilots on board. Why? The answer is not as clear as you might think. Yes, it’s good to have them there in case something goes wrong, but I bet that’s only part of the issue. I think they’re there to make us feel safe. Because the idea of a plane flying itself gives us the willies.

But maybe if it’d been proven, we’d trust something like that more. Or if there was a manual override — although what happens when people don’t actually learn to drive or fly anymore? Perhaps after extensive testing. Or maybe only in certain situations.

And so I’m curious: Would you trust the automotive internet? Would you really? And what would it take you to trust it? Do you think it’s a good idea?

Update: Thought of another good question while talking to my friend. Would you ever stick your kid in an automated car and let him go off by himself?

According to this story (and others), those awful Mac vs. PC ads are over.

Hooray!

Why am I so excited about this? They were funny commercials, right?
Alright, I admit, they were very clever commercials. I did laugh at many of them. You gotta hand it to them, Apple does have that talent with marketing. The problem that I see, though, is that most of them were extremely misleading.

Extremely misleading.

For example, there are virtually no networking differences between the two. Each has their own idiosyncrasies. Both freeze up from time to time, and both have viruses (it’s true). I can name other things.

Worst of all, and the part that makes me glad they stopped, is that they pretty much degenerated into poking fun at Windows Vista. I agree, Vista was terrible, so I guess this was just a well planned marketing move. Still, I wish Apple had more class. (Interesting to note that now that Windows 7 is out, they quit. Gotta admit, Microsoft did a pretty good job with Windows 7.) While I can’t say much for what Macs actually do, I’m surprised to find that these commercials have convinced people that Windows is terrible. It freezes, it hangs, it’s slow, it’s less powerful and less compatible… the list goes on.

Is any of this really true? Not in my experience. It’s time for Apple to stop spreading the FUD.

And so it is I celebrate that these mis-informative and misleading commercials are over with.

Lets get back to actually talking about your product. Thanks.