Samsung need to learn how to take it on the chin!

Samsung are really starting to bug me with their defiant attitude and their victim complex.

Now don't get me wrong, it's no secret that I am a bit of an "Apple Fanboy". That being said though, I do like a lot of what Samsung do. In fact, I have 2 Samsung LED TVs in my home, as when it comes to TVs I don't think they can be beaten.

However, when it comes to the Apple vs Samsung patent war over smartphone and tablet technology, the jury has spoken, Samsung have been beaten. They are just sore losers and aren't prepared to accept it. It's good to win, but it's equally important to lose with good grace, but Samsung don't seem prepared to admit this.

Following their legal and moral victory, Apple are quite rightly seeking to get some Samsung patent violating devices banned from sale. Samsung have responded aggressively, saying that they will fight to keep their products on the shelves.

This to me is an utterly exasperating stance and smacks of pure arrogance on Samsungs part. Not only did they try and ignore Apples patents in the first place on the grounds that they simply found them inconvenient, but now they are acting as if the decision of a jury in a court of law is simply a minor inconvenience to them. It's almost as if they are refusing to acknowledge the decision, and indeed even trying to ignore it outright.

Undoubtedly, Samsung will appeal. Of this there can be little doubt. However, in the meantime the courts decision stands, and they should respect that instead of deflecting the real issues of the case by cunningly trying to portray themselves as advocates of competitive innovation, consumer choice, and ultimately trying to paint themselves as the actual victims of this situation.

So will Samsung change their ways?

This is Samsungs latest smartphone, announced only yesterday at an event in Berlin. They have partnered with Microsoft on this one and it will run Windows Phone 8 as opposed to Android.

I have to say that I like the look of it. I like the look of most Samsung smartphones if i'm being honest. However, as with pretty much every Samsung smartphone since the first Galaxy S, I'll give you three guesses of what this phone instantly reminded me of!

Your Honour, the defence rests!
Peter

Apple News

Although Apple never confirm or deny anything, it is widely expected that they will announce the next iPhone at a press event on Wednesday September 12th.

According to lots of people who know lots of other people who know an "Apple Insider", this is what the handset is probably going to look like;

So it's a little bit thinner, a little bit longer, the front facing camera is in a different place, the headphone jack has been moved to the bottom, and it also has that new smaller dock connector that everyone is so up in arms about. Of course, these images could be a complete hoax, but at the moment, they are all anyone has to go on.

If these do prove to be accurate, then I don't love it, but I don't hate it either. It certainly ticks all of Apples boxes of changing a little as opposed to a lot. Given that you can get a new Android handset every other week though, I am starting to think that this is a good thing.

Of course, iOS 6 will debut with this handset as well, so we can all look forward to some shiny new software features to go with our shiny new handsets. To find out for sure though, we'll just have to wait until Tim Cook takes to the stage on September 12th.

Will there be an iPad Mini too?

Those lovely "Apple Insiders" have also been telling us for a while to expect a 7 inch iPad (or iPad Mini) before this year is done. This would be in direct response to the success of the Amazon Kindle Fire and the Asus Google Nexus 7.

The original plan was apparently to introduce the smaller version of their hugely successful tablet at the same event on September 12th. However, it is now widely believed that the iPad Mini will get its own dedicated event about one month later. This is because Apple consider the new iPhone to be so important that they don't want it to share the spotlight with anything else.

Once again, we will just have to wait and see. I believe a smaller iPad will appear before the year is out though, and providing the price is right, I think it will sweep aside the competition with ease.

Stay tuned folks!
Peter

Amazon Kindle

Although I'm not a heavy reader, I've become a big fan of Amazons Kindle devices over the last year. I only ever read before going to sleep at night, and I usually only get through a couple of pages before I find myself drifting off I must admit!

My wife Louise on the other hand is a very keen reader. She is extremely knowledgeable about current literature, and she gets through a book at a very rapid pace compared to me. So, much as it was with the iPhone, Louise was the early adopter of Kindle technology in our house.

She didn't start off with an actual Kindle however. Her E-Reader experience began with the Kindle App for iPad. This had its good and bad points however. Although the Kindle App is in full colour, the iPad screen is a bit too large, and also too reflective. There was the option to change the text to white on black, which helped a little but overall it really wasn't ideal.

So, she got an actual Kindle. This was the 3rd generation of the device and it's probably the one that people picture in their minds eye when they hear the word Kindle.

We both liked this little gadget immediately. This was not a tablet that just happened to have an E-Reader App available on it. This was an E-Reader, pure and simple. It was light, and easy to use. Amazons E-Ink technology makes it look and feel like you are actually reading a book. It's a really nice reading experience.

We chose the WI-FI only version. A lot of people like to have 3G as well, but we felt that we could easily find a WI-FI connection out and about if we really needed it, and in any event - if we were planning a holiday we could simply download enough books to the device in advance.

If there was one downside, it was that this was not a touchscreen device. By this time, Louise had become so accustomed to touchscreen technology on iPhone and iPad that it was instinctive to want to do the same on the Kindle. This was the only real negative however and a very minor one at that!

New Kindles

When Amazon announced a refresh of their Kindle range last year, I decided to get Louise the latest model, and keep the original for myself. As I already mentioned, I'm not the biggest reader, so this was one of those rare occasions where I really didn't mind inheriting a hand me down device as opposed to having the latest and greatest version of the product.

Although the Kindle Touch had been announced at this time, it was not yet made available in the UK for some reason. So I got the latest standard Kindle for Louise. This was the first Kindle not to have a physical keyboard.

This Kindle was wafer thin and really much lighter than it's predecessor. Functionally it was pretty much the same device, but with a brand new look more pleasing to the eye, and nicer to hold as well.

So now we had two Kindles, and the good thing about this is that we could share books using the same Kindle Account. I take a lot of reading recommendations from Louise and she normally suggests some great books for me that I have really enjoyed. Like Louise, I instantly appreciated how much nicer this was that reading on the heavier, reflective iPad, and I very quickly became a big Kindle fan.

Kindle Touch

It took several months, but the Kindle Touch finally became available in the UK, and I decided to get one for Louise for her birthday last week.

This device really brings that last piece of the jigsaw to this technology. Once you have used a touchscreen device, it is generally hard to go back. So this was a nice addition to the Kindle family. The ability to use the touchscreen to browse titles in the Kindle Bookstore, and to turn pages is very satisfying and convenient.

There is a trade off however. Much like "The New iPad", the Kindle Touch is bigger and heavier, but this really isn't a problem and the positives far outweigh the negatives.

So there you have it. Three Kindles and counting. They have all been great devices and have served us both well. No doubt the Kindle Touch will find its way to me at some point when the next great Kindle is released.

Sadly, our first Kindle is now looking for a new home as it's no longer needed. I am sure someone will snap it up pretty quickly however and they will enjoy it just as much as we have.

Love Film, Hate Hollywood Greed?

Louise and I went to see The Dark Knight Rises at the weekend.  In short, I loved it, she hated it (apart from the last 10 minutes).  Regardless of how we felt about the film however, it was that anti piracy advert that they shove down your throat every time you see a movie that really made my blood boil!

I'm getting a bit tired of Hollywood dictating how and when I am allowed to see a movie.  Times have changed, but Hollywood it seems, doesn't want to.  They are making 21st Century films, but they are firmly and stubbornly stuck in the 20th century in terms of how they deliver these films to the public.

An important point to make first of all is that I am more than happy to pay a reasonable price to see a film.  I don't have a problem with that, and I think in general most people are the same.  It's just that in this day and age, with the technology that is available, I want to watch a film where I want, on the device I want, and in the format I want.  I don't really think that is an unreasonable expectation in the year 2012!

As parents, it's not always easy for us to get to the cinema, so why shouldn't I have been able to pay to watch The Dark Knight Rises in the comfort of my own home instead of having to get the children looked after and then heading to the cinema?  The technology is certainly there now that's for sure.  I have an Apple TV with Netflix and iTunes content available to me.  Why can't brand new films be part of what is available?

I guess it's for a couple of reasons.  First of all, I'm guessing that Hollywood takes a cut of all the sales of popcorn and hot dogs and the like, and secondly Sky Movies want to ensure that they get to show new movies on TV before anyone else does.  This really stinks and it's an illustration of pure greed being elevated above consumer convenience!

Sometimes I just want to watch a new movie in my home, and I don't want to wait six months for it to come out on DVD or appear in the iTunes store.  Even then there are annoyances.  Some movies on iTunes are only available in HD format to rent - you can only buy them in Standard Definition.  Why is that?

In addition to this, every time the format changes, I am forced to pay more money.  Why should I have to shell out to buy The Star Wars Trilogy on Blu-Ray when I already paid for it on VHS, and then DVD.  If I buy it on Blu-Ray it will probably just be released in the iTunes store (which is where I really want it).  The point is though, I feel that when I bought the Star Wars Trilogy on VHS all those years ago, I should have been buying a licence to acquire those films in whatever format they are subsequently released in. Why should I have to pay for them again and again?

Hollywood just doesn't get it.  No wonder piracy exists, no wonder people look for torrents.  There must be a better way, but until the movie studios realize that people want choice and convenience, and they actually don't mind paying for it, then the problem of piracy simply isn't going to go away!

When to upgrade your smartphone?

If you are due to upgrade your phone, you like the idea of an iPhone, and are not too fussy about having the very latest model, then now could be a really good time to look into your options. You could end up getting a very good deal on an iPhone 4S.

Apples last quarter was disappointing in terms of revenue generated by iPhone. Make no mistake, they still sold a lot of them - just not as many as they had hoped. The reason for this, is that it's not just tech geeks like me who know about Apples product refresh cycles anymore.

On the contrary, in fact the average consumer has become quite savvy on this subject and most people I talk to are fully aware that a new iPhone is expected in the next couple of months. So they are either biding their time and waiting patiently, or they are changing to one of the more recently updated Android handsets such as the Samsung Galaxy S3 instead.

Getting back to the point though, if you fancy an iPhone, and you are not someone who absolutely must have the latest and greatest handset, then it could be a good time to phone your network provider and see what they can offer you.

I am going to bet that they will be desperate to give you an iPhone 4S on an 18 month contract right now, but the ball is firmly in your court. Tell them what you want! Let them know that you have heard about the iPhone 5, and that you could be prepared to wait. You may be surprised at how much you can knock them down, and what a good deal you can actually get.

My Current 4S handset

Still doing a great job - but geeks like me can't wait for the next one!

So have a think about what would be best for you. The 4S is a great little phone with a superb camera, and you will be able to update it to iOS 6 and take advantage of all the great new features when it is released in October.

Take care!
Peter

I don't think so Daddy!

I took a holiday last week, and sincerely had good intentions to continue blogging throughout.  When I told my two Sons of my plans, this was their reaction;

We all had an absolutely brilliant week together, and the weather was really kind to us.  Highlights would be a day in Newcastle, a trip to Fountains Abbey in Ripon, and one or two visits to Gibside.  So it's safe to say that we got some of our money back from our National Trust Membership.

Here are some photos we took at Fountains Abbey. These were taken on the excellent 8 megapixel camera on the iPhone 4S.  It really is a tremendous camera, and so easy to carry around.  The pictures also look absolutely stunning when viewed on the retina display of The New iPad!

So, back in the old routine this week and hopefully normal blogging service will be resumed!

Stay tuned!
Peter

When Peter met a Retina MacBook

On Friday afternoon, we paid Louise's parents a visit. Not long after arriving, my Mother In Law stunned me by announcing that she had bought a new Retina MacBook. Looking back at this wondrous moment, I now realise that the fact I didn't even hug her makes me a very bad Son in Law indeed!

Moments like this don't come along too often in life for gadget geeks like me. This is as close as I am probably ever going to get to owning such a truly amazing device. Not only was I allowed to play with it, but I was also asked to upgrade it to OSX Mountain Lion.

To say that I was as happy as a pig rolling in some brown stuff would be an understatement. In fact, I was so happy that I may have slightly ignored everyone all night, and also seriously over indulged my passion for whiskey consumption too.

I can't begin to describe how amazing this device is. If you have the money to get one, then you should be ashamed of yourself if you don't. If you don't have the money - then I would recommend you beg, borrow, or steal to get your hands on one of these.

For now, I will simply leave you with these pictures of my time with the Retina MacBook. It's simply the best laptop I have ever ever seen!
















Take Care!

Peter

Thursday Tech Roundup

Outlook.com

Microsoft are continuing with their "reinvention" project by saying goodbye to hotmail and rebranding it as outlook.com.

The new look has a very Windows 8 feel to it and I think it's pretty nice. You can still keep your hotmail address but you have the option to separate it into a different folder. This is quite handy if like me your hotmail account gets more spam than anything these days. It lets you clean things up and start from scratch. I like it!

Surface Release Date

Sticking with Microsoft, and it's really no surprise that their new tablet device is being released the same day as Windows 8 on October 26th. No word on pricing yet however.

I am hoping it will be in line with the iPad pricing structure as I really want to get one of these. My instinct tells me these will end up being pretty expensive though!

RIM CEO in the UK

Thorsten Heins, CEO of Research in Motion has been in the UK for a few days and went to the Olympic opening ceremony with Prime Minister David Cameron.

In an exclusive interview with The Telegraph, he predictably outlined a positive outlook for Blackberry, but admitted that the fallen smartphone giant may have to reinvent itself by licensing its new BB10 platform to OEMs such as Samsung and Sony, rather than continue to manufacture smartphone hardware themselves.

A "Bold" move indeed (pun intended), and it will be interesting to see how this one plays out. BB10 is apparently quite promising, but in my opinion most Blackberry phones have been truly awful over the past couple of years.

Apple vs Samsung

This whole patent war is starting to get boring in general, but was livened up this week when Apple were forced to reveal images of several prototype models of their iPhone and iPad devices. Some of these look very raw and "concepty" as you would imagine, but there are one or two that I actually think are nicer than the real thing.

I don't see any end to this saga anytime soon however. Whoever loses this 4 week trial will undoubtedly appeal and it will go on and on for goodness knows how long.

iPhone 5 rumours

As per my last post, the next iPhone is widely expected to look like this;

As I've already said, I'm pretty unimpressed with the design but if this turns out to be the real thing then I guess it may grow on me. Seems like Apple playing it safe as opposed to taking risks though. I expect we will find out for sure in an Apple event that is expected to be announced for September.

And that's about it for another week.

Take care!

Peter