iPhone Hysteria

[FG Lurker]

I think DRM is necessary, but the implementation currently is stupid.

The DRM is only doing what DRM does -- stop legitimate users from using content they have paid for in ways they want to use it.

The reason you can't watch HD content is that the DRM is in place to stop you from grabbing the decoded HD signal from the display cable and saving it back to your hard disk.

DRM is a fundamentally flawed concept. It does little to stop people who want to copy the content and it does a lot to screw things up for the average user who just wants to use what they have paid for.

Sounds like a good idea to me.

[American Oyaji]

The DRM is only doing what DRM does -- stop legitimate users from using content they have paid for in ways they want to use it.

The reason you can't watch HD content is that the DRM is in place to stop you from grabbing the decoded HD signal from the display cable and saving it back to your hard disk.

DRM is a fundamentally flawed concept. It does little to stop people who want to copy the content and it does a lot to screw things up for the average user who just wants to use what they have paid for.

Sounds like a good idea to me.

That's what I mean, it's implementation is stupid. If they had a method that can legitemately deter piracy, but also doesn't get in the way of average Joe user, it'd be great. Otherwise, they should just stop.

[FG Lurker]

That's what I mean, it's implementation is stupid. If they had a method that can legitemately deter piracy, but also doesn't get in the way of average Joe user, it'd be great. Otherwise, they should just stop.

It's impossible to do what you describe.

You buy a DVD. You want to watch it, right? That means that at some point the content provider has to give you the key to unlock the DRM. So now you have the content, the key, and the hardware or software to unlock the protection. It just takes some ingenuity and time to use these to remove the DRM and keep the content.

It's like giving prisoners the keys to the jail and telling them, "Be good now and don't use these to escape!"

The only way that providers can stop people from stripping off the DRM is to not give out the keys to unlock the content. "Yes, you can buy this DVD but we're sorry, you can't actually watch it. Just enjoy the package and the shiny disc."

[mr. sparkle]

I have succumbed. I have a temp gig at the Mother Ship and the peer pressure finally got to me. Next is the update to the 17" MacBook Pro.

[FG Lurker]

I have succumbed. I have a temp gig at the Mother Ship and the peer pressure finally got to me. Next is the update to the 17" MacBook Pro.

Might not be the best timing considering the apparently imminent release of the next iPhone...

I'm really hoping it has the rumoured 3.5G chipset in it so I can get 7.2mbps download speeds.

[mr. sparkle]

Might not be the best timing considering the apparently imminent release of the next iPhone...

I'm really hoping it has the rumoured 3.5G chipset in it so I can get 7.2mbps download speeds.

I have no idea when it will come, but undoubtedly, a new version will probably hit the shelves around then. I can always get a new one and ebay this one when the time comes.

In this case, I simply could not wait to get one. Kind of necessary for the work I do.

[CrankyBastard]

Just downloaded and will try it out this afternoon.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/30/skype-for-iphone-goes-live-in-japan/

[CrankyBastard]

update:
It works, but the first few seconds the sound is a little broken up, then the signal gets stronger.
The ring tone is really way too quiet though, and I can't figure a way to change it.

[james]

from wired:

Very little is known about Apple's next iPhone, but screens and files hidden in the handset's latest beta software are providing some major clues.

link

[FG Lurker]

[BigInJapan]

I don't know if I'll run out and buy the new phone when it comes out or not but I'm definitely looking forward to reading about the new features and seeing what improvements Apple has come up with this time round!

I'm in a similar situation, having worked at an IT co. until recently with loads of next year's gadgets on hand 24/7.
Also glad I held off on getting the 3G last year as the specs (and other numerous shortcomings) just didn't thrill me.
The Washington Post etc. are now quoting the WSJ article as Mossberg has a pretty good track record in terms of "predicting" Apple goodies.
The gadget blogs are working themselves into a frenzy (as usual). Even though the Palm Pre is getting good reviews (not like we'll see it here in Japan), I don't know if it will be enough to save them once the newest bling from Apple hits the streets.
Anyway, the more competition the better.

[FG Lurker]

I'm in a similar situation, having worked at an IT co. until recently with loads of next year's gadgets on hand 24/7.

I didn't even work with gadgets... I just lost interest in pretty much anything tech related.

Also glad I held off on getting the 3G last year as the specs (and other numerous shortcomings) just didn't thrill me.

I have the current iPhone and it is very, very good. It's not perfect but IMO (once *cough* jailbroken *cough*) it's the best smartphone on the market.

Anyway, the more competition the better.

Definitely!

[FG Lurker]

Most likely know already but there were lots of announcements during the WWDC keynote yesterday. New 15" MB Pro, 13" Aluminum Macbook becomes a Macbook Pro. Macbook Air upgraded.

Lots of info about the new version of OS X (Snow Leopard). Information on the new Safari -- seems much faster. New Quicktime X. Exchange support tightly integrated into mail, ical, and contacts.

Snow Leopard will be $129. Upgrading from Leopard will be $29 with a $49 family pack option (up to 5 computers).

Lots of discussion about the iPhone OS 3 and the new goodies it provides. Finally of course they announced the new iPhone 3G S. It has most of the goodies that were predicted such as 7.2Mbps 3G, compass, faster CPU, more storage, better camera with AF, video support, etc. Pretty considerable upgrade. iPhone OS 3 coming on June 17th, phone on the 19th. Softbank Japan will have it on the 26th. Softbank isn't going to allow "official" tethering.

If anyone wants to watch the keynote address (it's good) Apple has posted it here.

[BigInJapan]

The "iPhone for everybody campaign" applies to the iPhone 3G S.
(This makes it cheaper than the US version - for customers that are eligible)

Phone unit cost:
----------------------Campaign price-----------Campaign price N/A
iPhone 3G S 16GB-----Y480/mo. (Y11,520)-------Y960/mo. (Y23,040)
iPhone 3G S 32GB-----Y960/mo. (Y23,040)-------Y1,440/mo. (Y34,560)
* Existing customers are eligible for the "iPhone for everybody campaign", just have to tell them you want it when applying for your model change.
Softbank official press release with pricing info here (in Japanese).

[Mike Oxlong]

[yt]MNh39h02zYI[/yt]

[GomiGirl]

Apple stuns WWDC crowd with pulsating App Store hyperwall

Source: Apple Insider Tuesday, June 9, 2009

In a rare treat for developers at this year's WWDC, Apple is showcasing 20,000 of the most popular iPhone apps on a massive hyperwall built out of Cinema Displays -- one that pulses in sync with each and every App Store download.

The array, mounted on a wall inside San Francisco's Moscone Center West, is made up of twenty edge-to-edge 30-inch Apple Cinema Displays, each of which are powered by a Mac Pro running Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard. One eyewitness says the systems are pooled together in one large, monolithic black box.

Quartz Composer is employed to render the icons rapidly and to automate their behavior. All of the icons are sorted by color and, importantly, aren't there just for show. While not quite a by-the-second recreation of what's happening at the App Store -- as the results are delayed by five minutes -- the "live" mural has each iPhone app's icon pulse light outwards in a ripple whenever someone downloads that app.

While certain apps tend to pulse more often than others due to popularity, the effect produces an animated digital landscape that draws the attention of nearly everyone in its path.

Apple's intention with the grid is not just to show the popularity among developers of the App Store -- which has swelled to over 50,000 apps in total -- but to illustrate that many of the apps they publish are frequently downloaded. The company reminds WWDC attendees that 3,000 apps are downloaded every minute, guaranteeing that the influx of developers descending on San Francisco this week are very much in demand.

[Doctor Stop]

There are similar complaints being made about Android that were being made, and still being made, about iPhone:

Despite its Google services, Makio Inui, managing director and telecom analyst at UBS Securities Japan, said the phone won't be terribly attractive to Japanese users because it lacks some necessary functions for this market.

"There are many functions that Japanese users just won't do without," Inui said.

The three vital functions are One-Seg digital TV broadcasts, electronic money and pictorial symbols, Inui said, and more than 90 percent of consumers will turn away if a phone doesn't have all three.

The HT-03A has none of them.

Kenshi Tazaki, a managing vice president at IT advisory firm Gartner Japan Ltd., sees little likelihood that Android will have a powerful impact on Japan's cell phone industry.

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20090618f2.html

[james]

just updated here about 1/2 an hour ago and played with it a bit. it's nice being able to use the keyboard in landscape mode for any application and of course it's about time we got cut & paste, which works quite nicely.

they haven't yet fixed the bug in the os however that is causing me to receive absolutely no email replies from women.

[BigInJapan]

just updated here about 1/2 an hour ago and played with it a bit.

Keep us posted as to how 3.0 works out for you.
I've held off getting an iPhone, considering the 3G S. Will wait to see reports from actual consumers (rather than a few pre-release reviews by journalists and bloggers).

they haven't yet fixed the bug in the os however that is causing me to receive absolutely no email replies from women.

Just do what I do (or did when I was in the game), make sure you tell them you're a Canuck, not a Yankee

[james]

Keep us posted as to how 3.0 works out for you.

so far, the japanese IME is seriously, seriously pissing me off. after entering kana, it pops up a new slimmer selection bar for the kanji compounds but again, like most women, it becomes completely non-responsive to my touch. it completely ignores my attempts to select the kanji i want to use.

also, at times, it forces a scroll and the selection bar simply disappears behind the onscreen keyboard and you have no choice but to abandon your input.

has anyone else been experiencing this problem (with the iphone, that is) since upgrading to os3?

Just do what I do (or did when I was in the game), make sure you tell them you're a Canuck, not a Yankee

gotta stay in the game. beginning to think i should just cut to the chase and tell them i'm god

[FG Lurker]

Yesterday I picked up a 32GB iPhone 3G S.

I didn't realize that any iPhone user could change their packet plan from the original 5900/month plan to the 4400/month plan. It's the same unlimited packet plan, just a new name and a cheaper price.

Softbank has also adjusted the rate plan discount which makes the 3G S actually cheaper than the 3G was.

Between the above two savings it actually works out to be only 500yen/month more to have the 3G S while still paying off the 3G bought last year. For 500yen/month it is MORE than worth the upgrade.

Notes from the new phone:

1) It's fast. FAST. VERY FAST. If anything Apple understated the speed improvements in the UI and browser. Things that took forever (opening the SMS/MMS messaging app for ex) now happen without delay. Changing keyboards is immediate, there is no annoying delay like before. Browsing is WAY faster.

2) No more memory shortages! Apple should have put 256MB in the original.

3) The camera is a lot better and the video feature is really, really good. No one is going to mistake it for a high end video camera but it is very good. The camera's AF and AE work well.


I'm sure there are other little things I have forgotten to mention... The big thing though is the SPEED. It makes the phone a real pleasure to use, all the frustrating lag is gone.

If you have a 3G I highly recommend the upgrade!

[IkemenTommy]

How about the cut and paste issue? Did they ever fix that?

Are the touch screen keys as finicky as usual? I remember them being very unfriendly to people with big fingers.

[FG Lurker]

How about the cut and paste issue? Did they ever fix that?

Cut & Paste works throughout the phone now. You can cut/copy just about any text and paste anywhere you can enter text. I'm not sure wtf it took so long but they have done a nice job implementing it.

Are the touch screen keys as finicky as usual? I remember them being very unfriendly to people with big fingers.

You can use the phone in landscape mode for mail and SMS now (and some other standard apps as well) which makes text entry easier if you have big fingers. My fingers are hardly small (though they aren't massive pudgy stumps either ), I adapted to portrait entry with some practice. Landscape is no problem at all.

[GomiGirl]

Self promos here. But this product, SpellChecker, has been doing very well.

Just added some cool new features suitable for cut and paste and clipboard functions. Supports emoji if you have it turned on and works around these as well as non-supported text like Japanese and doesn't bork if it sees this.

If anybody is wanted to do a review, I have some promo codes that are spare. Just PM me.

[Ol Dirty Gaijin]

Other than buy a Blackberry or a HTC, has any got an app or a fix for the Softbank 010 "+" dialling issue?

[Ketou]

Went to have a look at an iphone and was told the minimum monthly fees are 6500 yen......almost double my other 2 phones combined.

[james]

Are the touch screen keys as finicky as usual? I remember them being very unfriendly to people with big fingers.

it can be a pita to type on, even with normal sized fingers. i've often found that even repeating the same letter sometimes is problematic, such as getting "goid" instead of "good". b & n and r & t also give me problems. i'm sure those are personal idiosyncrisies.

was thinking of getting a stylus but i'm guessing i'd just end up misplacing the thing.

[Taro Toporific]

[floatl][/floatl]Apple's iPhone 3GS is No. 1 in Japan
August 17, 2009 3:56 PM
The iPhone, which has had a tough time competing in the Japanese market, finally broke through in July with the launch of the iPhone 3GS.
According to a report in Electronista, market data from Gfk Japan shows the 32 GB iPhone in the No. 1 spot for July, ahead of Japanese-made phones from Sharp, Panasonic (PC), NEC, Casio and Sony Ericsson (a Japanese/Swedish joint venture)...more...

Japanese transgendered multiendowed lolirape tentacle furry loaded iPhone

[IkemenTommy]

I know for a fact that it's the No1 bitched about phone in Japan right now. To be honest, gaishi products in Japan aren't meant to be used in Japan.. period.
(They are fuckin cheap tho!!)

[Greji]

I know for a fact that it's the No1 bitched about phone in Japan right now. To be honest, gaishi products in Japan aren't meant to be used in Japan.. period.
(They are fuckin cheap tho!!)

Don't tell the Guro that!