Another Tech Blog

Apple’s big reveal of the iPad today had the tech world on the edge their seats, ready for the “next big thing” from Mr. Jobs and the Cupertino crew.  Does the iPad live up to the hype?

Here are the basic specs:

9.5 inch x 7.5 inch multi touch capacitive display

.5 inches thick

1.5 lbs

1024 x 768 pixels at 132 ppi

1 Ghz Apple A4 processor

Available with 16, 32 or 64 GB flash drives

10 hour battery

WiFi by default, 3G models available too

Price starts at $499 for the base WiFi model, runs up to $829 for the 3G 64 MB model

I have not had one in my hands, but the device looks impressive on the surface.  It runs the iPhone OS, so all of the iPhone apps you know and love are there, plus some tweaks and additions, notably the addition of iBooks.  Sort of iTunes for books.  I like the idea of books on demand (I’m a big fan of the Kindle app for iPhone) so the addition of e-Books on the iPhone platform is welcome.  Several apps look like they have been upgraded – mail has many more options, contacts, calendar, maps all have much needed upgrades that make use of the additional real estate on the iPad.

The iPad also builds on the iTunes store in the video arena.  Movies and TV shows will look great on the device, as will You Tube and streaming web content.  There are a couple of downsides – it looks like the display is only 720p, and for Apple only knows why, they STILL won’t display flash.  That said, given the display size video will likely look great.

Is it a game changer?  I’ve been thinking about that since the demo ended and honestly I just don’t think that it is.  I do think that in its category it will be the clear leader, and its competitors will be scrambling to follow.  That is the key though – in its category.  The iPhone was a game changer because it dominated its category (cell phones) with must have added features.  Web browsing, music, video, maps and of course, the app store.  It was revolutionary because it brought all of these things together on a device that everyone already used every day, their cell phone.  I don’t see the same demand for what is essentially a really big iPhone.  Sure there are people for whom this device will be the end all be all, I can’t live without it, greatest thing since sliced bread.  Commuters, techies, travelers will benefit from this device.  Most people though just don’t need it, and there was nothing in the demo today that makes me think people are going to look at the iPad and say – OMG I NEED THAT. 

Is it cool?  Yes.  Is it great technology?  Absolutely.  Is it great design?  Sure, but really just more of the same iPhone design.  Is it going to be as big as the iPhone?  No way.  Will it “change publishing as we know it”?  I really don’t think so.  It’s hard for me to believe that a device as costly as this is will be ubiquitous, or even really popular in the average household.  People like to read papers and books, share them with friends, leave them on trains.  Yes, the content you can get from an eReader is way beyond what a magazine or newspaper can deliver, but I don’t see people paying $500 for the privilege.  Especially when you throw netbooks into the mix.

Think about the average household and what people’s computing needs are.  Email, web browsing, games, some word processing (homework, letters), spreadsheets, pictures.  I can do all of this from a netbook for $299, almost half what the iPad will cost.  Also, the netbook will likely be windows based, so will use MS Word and Excel, not iWorks (eeeww), so I can edit documents for school or work without an issue.  If iPad can run Office for Mac, that would be great, but there is no indication that this is possible.

Here’s another measure I use for the iPad.  If I am going on a trip for a week, can I get through the trip with only the iPad?  For me, the answer is probably not.  I’m going to need a device I can edit word/excel on.  I can view the docs on the iPad, and iWorks allows me to save MS Office documents, but will specific formating in Excel and Word save too?  I don’t know the answer here, and it’s important.  If I can safely edit anything that Office throws at the iPad in iWorks, then I’m all set.  If, as in the past, the formating gets messed up, that means I have to take either a netbook or a laptop with me which means I’m not likely to take the iPad with me – too many devices.  Which in turn means that I probably wouldn’t buy it if I can’t use it on trips.  Oh I wish there were open standards for documents.  Oh wait, there is.

So, what do I make of all this?  I love that the iPad exists.  It means that people are thinking about how we look at our online universe.  It didn’t WOW me, but something will.  Maybe it will be an app for the iPad, or some yet to be released feature, but it’s not there yet.  C’mon Steve, make me NEED THS!

Speaking of the internets, Cisco is going extraterrestrial.  “In a move that could revolutionize satellite communications, Cisco extends the Internet into space for testing by the U.S. government and businesses”. 

Yep, cisco has a router on Intelsat 14 launchedNovember 23.  The router has passed initial testing and is ready for use.  Cisco’s goal is to have “a router on every communications satellite”.  A lofty goal to say the least, and is part of Cisco’s IRIS (Internet Routing In Space) initiative.  The goal of the initiative is to route traffic (voice, data, video) between satellites directly rather than down to terrestrial routers and back up to space.  The implications for the communications industry (and the military) are tremendous, engendering heady comments from industry players.  Don Brown of Intelsat General says “IRIS is to the future of satellite-based communications what Internet forerunner ARPANET was to the creation of the World Wide Web in the 1960s.”   I don’t know if I’d go that far, but it is a pretty big deal.

The big advantage of direct IP between satellites is decreased delay in communication.  Signals between people on opposite sides of the world often have two or more satellite hops to get from one place to another.  If IRIS gets traction, then speeds could be greatly improved.  Think about that the next time a CNN reporter and anchor are staring at dead air while they wait for the other’s words to reach them.

Here’s the press release from CISCO – cool stuff.

“Hello Twitterverse! We r now LIVE tweeting from the International Space Station — the 1st live tweet from Space! :) More soon, send your ?s”

– T.J. Creamer

On Friday, NASA upgraded software on the ISS that allowed astronauts direct personal access to the web.  How cool is that?  Previously, any tweets had to be emailed down to earth, then posted to twitter by someone on the ground.  NASA is calling this the “ultimate wireless connection”.

Another in a series of “Questions I Get Asked Alot”.

Most people have wireless in their homes but don’t put much thought to it.  In most cases, the router works out of the box, so you really don’t need to do much more than plug it in an start working.  The problem is that once installed, if you don’t have good signal, throughout your home, you will have slow network connections which means slow internet.  What can you do? 

Here are 10 things you can do to improve your wireless network performance. 

1) Position your wirless router (or access point) in a central a location as possible.  In most cases, wireless routers and access points have a 150 foot range indoors and 300 feet outdoors.  This depends on the router and wireless card you are using, but  150 feet is a good rule of thumb.  Make sure that you position your router so that any device that needs access is within that range.

2) Make sure the router is away from objects that can interfere with the signal.  Keep the router off the floor, away from walls and other metal objects (metal file cabinets, metal bookshelves) and as clear of clutter as possible.  Routers are not always the most attractive pieces of equipment, but make best efforts to keep them clear.  The top of bookshelves or in coat closets are great places (be careful of too many wire hangers!).

3) Add a wireless repeater (or additional access point).  If you have weak signal at the extremes ends of your network you can add a repeater or an access point to extend the reach of your network.  Most wireless manufaturers make repeaters, and they are easy to install.  You can also check out powerline adapters to extend your network.  Powerline adapters are devices that extend your network over your electrical system.  the way it works is you plug a sending device into a wall socket from your router, then a receiver in the wall socket where you need signal.  Network traffic flows over your electrical wiring from the sender to the reciever an then to your target machine – easy!

4) Change your wirelss channel.  Jsut like a wireless phone, your router can broadcast over several different wireless channels.  If you are getting poor signal, try changing to a new channel using your router’s admin tools.  You don’t need to change anything on your computer, the machine will automatically adjust to the new channel.

5) Make sure that your router is the only device on it’s frequency.  You’ve all seen wireless devices labelled “2.4GHz” or “5.8GHz”, right?  These numbers refer the frequency on which the wireless signal is broadcast.  If you have other wireless devices in the house – phones, baby moitors, etc – then be sure that they are not on the same frequency as your router.  Since most routers are in the 2.4 GHz band, get devices that are 5.8Gz or 900MHz.

6) Make sure your driver software and router firmware are up to date.  To update the driver for the network adapter, just run Microsoft Updates.  For the router firmware, go to the manufacturer’s website and look for firmware updates for your model number.  Generally, you download a package from the manufacturer’s website then use the router’s administration tool to load the software to the router.

7) Upgrade older 802.11b devices to 802.11g or n.  Devices created under the 802.11b standard are 5 times slower than g, and 10 times slower than n. 

8) But both router and network card from the same manufacturer.  While this shouldn’t matter – standards are standards after all – it can make a differences.  Where possible, you should use the same brand of wireless card as your router.  The reason is that some manufacturers (Linksys, D-Link) give you speed advantages when you use router and cards from the same manufacturer.  I don’t like the practice, but there it is.

9) Replace the antenna that came with your router with a high-gain, directional antenna.  The antenna that came with your router is omni-directional meaning it sends signal in all directions.  If you have the router at the back of your house next to an outside wall, then half of your signal is going uselessly outside the house.  Replacing the antenna will make better use of the power available for signal, and direct the signal where you need it.

10) Replace your internal wireless adapter with an external adapter and antenna.  This will not only make sure you have the latest technology, but also give you and external antenna which will increase your signal strength.  You can also get an external adapter with a high gain antenna to boost your signal.

Source

Adidas has teamed up with the Star Wars folks to produce a line of sneakers and clothing based on the Star Wars movies.  I want the storm trooper shoes!!!

http://www.starwars.com/vault/collecting/news20091208/

Here’s a nice list of the top 5 data center construcion companies (repost from here).  I would like to see reviews on these people, not just a list – anyone had experience with any of them?

#1 Holder Construction.

Data & Technology

Holder Construction Company is the industry leader in Data Center construction. Holder has maintained the #1 ranking on ENR’s Top 10 Data Center Contractors list for the past three years. Holder’s reputation for delivering the highest level of service on mission critical data center facilities is second to none.

• Experience on over 100 data center projects in last 10 years
• Over 7 million square feet of space
• Over 3.5 million square feet of raised floor
• Over 50 new construction projects
• Majority of facilities have a fault tolerant, concurrently maintainable design
• Experience in data center construction in 21 states and 2 foreign countries
• Leader of LEED data center construction

#2 StructureTone

When it comes to mission critical construction, we deliver 24/7/365.

Featured Project

Retail Client

Texas

As a joint-venture partner, we managed construction of a new, 98,000sf facility data center that  More…

Having built over 21,000,000sf of mission critical facilities at all levels of density and redundancy, we are acutely aware of the quality and resilency demands that are unique to mission critical spaces. We are also attune to the specific, and differing, requirements that these demands place on operators, end-users and designers.
Not simply a mission critical builder, Structure Tone offers our mission critical customers 360◦ solutions that encompass technology, facilities, design and construction. Our dedicated mission critical construction staff is comprised of mechanical, electrical, technology, commissioning and construction professionals who have unmatched, hands-on experience developing, installing, building and commissioning complex, redundant infrastructure. In addition, many of our mission critical specialists have walked in our customers shoes as mission critical operators and/or end-users.

#3 Turner Construction

Project Management to Meet Your Specific Needs
Turner believes in collaboration and bringing value to every aspect of a project. Turner’s mission critical facility experience and service offerings include:

• LEED Accredited staff experienced in critical facilities projects, including construction managers, electrical and mechanical specialists and supply chain managers with extensive product, manufacturing and commissioning experience
• Customized software applications to increase communication for real-time updates and proactive issue resolution in preconstruction, construction, commissioning, and post turnover operations

#4 DPR Construction

Web-hosting. Colocation. Telecom. Data processing. Call Center. DPR’s proven technical expertise hyper-tracks the delivery of mission critical facilities. Every day presents new opportunities for exploring alternative techniques to improve design and construction in a 24×7 environment. DPR’s building specialists look at each project with a fresh approach to provide the right team and services for the job. Offering customers a single point of contact and up-front collaboration to shorten schedules and control costs, DPR takes the process to new heights with its program management, construction management and design/build capabilities, ensuring that facilities are ready to ramp up to full running capacity immediately upon completion and continue operating without failure.

View All Mission Critical Projects

• Equinix
  Data Center Tenant Improvement
• Digital Realty Trust
  Loudoun Exchange Data Center
• Advanced Micro Devices
  One AMD Place
• E*TRADE Securities
  Call Center and Data Center Expansion
• Kaiser Permanente
  Napa Data Center

#5 Skanska Construction

Skanska is a world leader in data center and resilient infrastructure construction. Capitalizing on our mission critical expertise, Skanska has developed the Mission Critical Center of Excellence (“COE”). Our team of experts offers an end-to-end service from initial design through commissioning and close-out.  Additionally, we also offer energy optimization services for new and existing data centers.

NICE!!

If you have not yet heard, AT&T announced today that they will be lowering the cost of unlimited voice and data plans for the iPhone  by $30/month.  You can sign up for the new plan on Monday with no penalty.  I wish this were something that AT&T come up with on their own, but no, it is in response to Verizon’s similar price move today.

Article on the changes here, AT&T’s statement here.

Google’s new phone, the Nexus One was released at CES (I really want to go one year!) and although at first blush the phone seems a rousing success, is Google really prepared to deal with supporting a phone?  Along with the initial sale of the hardware you need to be able to support the people who use the phone and have questions/problems.

Have you ever tried to contact Google?  There are no phone numbers.  No place to call, no human to yell at if your phone stops working or drops a call.  Google’s support model up until this point has been to have forums and email support for its products.  That works very well when you are dealing with software and software services, but phones are different.  User problems are immediate, and people get very mad when they are told sorry, send an email and we’ll get back to you in three days.  That model just won’t work!

According to the NY Times, Google recognizes the problem and says “we have to get better at customer service”.  This from Andy Rubin who is in charge of Android technology for Google.  That sounds great, right?  He goes on to say that instead of taking three days to respond to a customer email, they need to “close that three-day gap to a couple of hours”.  I’m sorry, what?  Are you kidding me?  NO, Mr Rubin, what you need to do is get an 800 number, staff a help desk, and answer people’s questions.   “A couple of hours” is not immediate and just will not do.

And what about enterprise support?  How would I ever think of deploying a device for which I had to wait three days (or a couple of hours) to get support?  It’s laughable.  For a company that gets enterprise computing as well as Google does, I’m really surprised at their complete flat footedness here.

I love most of what Google does – they think about things in unique ways that question the status quo and tend to make real improvements to technologies where I thought improvements were hard to come by and would largely be incremental (think Gmail).  With the Nexus One, I have high hopes that they will eventually pose a real threat to Apples dominance.  That said, Apple REALLY gets customer support and customer loyalty.  If Google has any hope of taping that market, they need to fix their customer service issues.

This has been floating around for a bit, but here it is.  This is a little hack for Widows 7 that puts a bunch of administrative functions all in one place.  Very useful for tweaking Window 7.

All you need to to is to create a folder anywhere you want, then rename it to “GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}”.  That’s it.  Bask in the glory of Power!

Folder Icon - Looks like Control Pannel

FEEL THE POWER!!!