Microsoft are trying to buy Yahoo.
(Could be YahSoft I spose)
What do you think? good move? had to do it?
It smacks a bit of desperation to me. I wish they would just focus on what they do well - desktop.
Cheers
Simon
Anyone else have problems playing DVDs?
One of the kids DVDs wouldn’t play right (stuttering and sticking)(player a), so I tried it in my laptop. It didn’t freeze, but would only play in black and white, and no sound.
Of course I cleaned all their grubby fingerprints off it first.
As it happens we have another DVD player (player b) so I tried that and everything was fine, fair enough - player a is knackered.
Last night we were watching a different DVD in player b (a is on the verge of retirement). It got part way through and froze. hmm.
I tried the dvd in player a out of desperation, and guess what - it worked, fine, no problem.
So what the chuff is going on with dvds and dvd players?
We now have some dvds that will only play on player a, and some that will only play on b, some that will play on both, and some that won’t play on my laptop. And we don’t have some that we threw out because we thought they were knackered.
Call me naive but I thought dvd players played dvds (the clue is in the name!) wtf??
I heard a rumour that its all to do with DRM. That sounds about right, I have never met an industry that hates its customers as much as the entertainment industry.
Anyone else had any problems?
cheers
Simon
In case you hadn’t realised its the UK Excel User and Developer conference this Thur Fri and Sat.
The chances of me fitting in any blog posts are slim to zero so dont hold your breath for the next ribbon moan. Actually I think I have run out for the time being (although I’ll be doing some 2007 stuff at the conf, so I’ll no doubt be raging and ranting next week!).
I’ll probably start on the xll series next week too.
cheers
Simon
0.9 cos I’ve been using it a fair bit at home, but not been travelling yet.
It looks a bit like its on life support here. I’ve got network and USB mouse plugged in one side, and USB keyboard and external screen plugged in the other.
Effectively when at home it’s just like any other machine, except, and this is a big thing I think - it comes with Linux installed. ‘Big thing’ in a market changing kind of a way. Bear in mind the most common way to get a pc without Windows is to build it yourself. Shop around, Linux machines are hard to come by. The Dell/Ubuntu deal is a bit of a damp squib, and damn hard to order (I have tried a few times). Stop press more Linux machines appearing daily…
In truth the OS has between minor and no effect on my web world (although I guess I’ll soon meet some Linux unfriendly sites). I have the same Firefox, with the same theme and the same extensions as my Windows box. The MS Office site doesn’t work well with Linux (the intrusive spyware fails).
In terms of non web apps, I havent done much yet as I have bought it mainly as a web machine. The fact that it drives all these peripherals so well is brilliant.
Of course being Linux it doesn’t run my beloved Excel (2003 of course), and I have no current plans to try Crossover office or Wine. A fair chunk of my basic spreadsheet stuff is in OpenOffice anyway so should just work fine on this machine,
Visually I reckon the Eee is spot on, usability wise, on its own, I think the keyboard is fine, although I think I would struggle to work all day on it. The screen is the biggest compromise I would say. Quality wise its very good, but it is a bit cramped for anything too involved. (but it is better than my blackberry).
About an inch (25mm - for us metric folks) either side of the screen is taken up by speakers (which are ok sounding actually (for a laptop)) personally I would rather have had a wider screen and crappier speakers wedged in somewhere else. I estimate I’ll look at the screen ~100% of the time, and use those speakers < 5% of the time, if ever. I assume its more of a cost thing than optimising the wrong thing.
I havent done much away from mains power yet, but a 3.5 hour battery life is better than any other machine I have, but probably not enough for hardcore road warriors.
For 200 quid I think it represents stunning value, and a cheap safe and easy way to play with Linux. I’m interested to see if the Windows (XP btw) version due in the next few months will cost more, if so I’d recommend this Linux version, because those essential Windows apps you need probably won’t fly on this machine.
Rumours of an 8Gb 10″ screen version have recently been quashed, but that would be a killer spec I reckon, even for 50-100 quid more.
Oh and Asus supply the hardware and the OS like Apple - so there is no driver pain. Compare and contrast with the battles MS are having with rogue drivers on Vista, on hardware they don’t control. Maybe the Asus/Apple approach is the way forward?
cheers
Simon
This is me blogging on my new Asus eee.
neato
I’m thinking of doing some proper work soon.
cheers
Simon
0.8 because the battery is still charging so I havent had it running yet.
First impressions:
Small solid good.
here are some pics:
basic eee open shot:
Eee sitting on my Vaio, which is (/was!) a small machine (12.1″ screen)
Eee compared to Vaio closed, including power - note the Eee has a big mobile phone style plug rather than a big muckle brick.
It looks like a ‘proper’ laptop, but only cost 230 quid (the Vaio was 1,100 I think). There doesn’t seem to be much space for stickers sadly.
If I can get the unboxing vid uploaded without it killing ff (again) I’ll add a link.
I think something on this machine might be jealous of the new kid in the family - I’m on my third hard reboot this hour, something in the combination of Firefox, YouTube and ZoneAlarm (guess who I suspect) is killing my pc.
Yea - vid:
I’ll be bringing it to the conf, for anyone who hasn’t got one yet.
Big shout out to Ebuyer.
My pre-order with another supplier bounced late yesterday so I ordered at 4 pm for Ebuyer, it arrived 8am this morning. Fantastic. I’ll be buying from them again. (sadly they look to be out of stock now).
cheers
Simon
From a marketing POV nothing technical.
The UK iPhone ‘launch’ has been considered a bit of a flop. Of course they will sell plenty over time but the ‘event’ was very much a none event. (source ElReg of course)
In the other post I mentioned the people queuing in the rain last week for the iPhone. A few people are now suggesting they may have been plants. Obviously they are plants for sitting for days in the rain, but also possibly part of a PR stunt.
I’m not big on newspapers or tele, but I believe there has been quite a campaign to promote the iPhone.
Contrast with the eee. They are slowly trickling into the marketplace and being snapped up as they land. No adverts, or queuing stooges. I’ve been tracking them for about a month, and had mine on order for a week - should be here this week. There seems to be a natural, honest buzz around them, with at least one of the early unboxings making it to most popular spot on WordPress.
Its really quite refreshingly hype-free - the ideal antidote to the vacuous hubbub created by the Apple marketing machine.
One comment I have read a few places is that the Eee has the potential to be a real market changing product. Its a sub notebook for 200 quid, that alone is pretty novel. Add the fact it runs Linux, comes with a full suite of most tools most people need (and they are mainly open source) and the potential becomes obvious. For sure it’s not going to be everyones cup of tea - but I wish mine would hury up and arrive! [update: it's on the van apparently Its arrived - photos by dinner time]
Put it this way: the Asus Eee represent the best possible chance my eldest has of getting the web surfing laptop he wants from Santa.
cheers
Simon
Queuing in the rain for your i-phone? (The Apple store starts selling them at 6.02pm Friday night)(on the O2 network - I wonder how long the ‘margeting’ department spent ‘thought showering’ that one?). Thought shower is the new, approved, politically correct, term for what uncaring insensitive beasts used to call brainstorming. I think it is only used in government departments?
I’m wondering if I should expect a sharp drop off in readers as you all rush off to Regents street to book your place in history? (I’d be there myself of course, except I have to tidy my sock drawer today). I hope this post doesn’t make it even worse.
I could be wrong but I don’t remember people queuing outside anywhere for the release of Office 2007 (or OpenOffice 2.0). Did you?
I can’t be too cynical though - I’ve just pre-ordered one of these: Asus eee 701. Due in Bighty next week, more info to follow when/if it makes it to sunny Cumbria.
Anyone else got their eye on any ‘essential’ (honest!) gadgets?
cheers
Simon
Apologies to the visitors who got here from using those search terms. I doubt very much you got what you were looking for here!
“Smurf talks about spreadsheet monsters?” My kids would be more likely to yawn and walk out than dive behind the settee in fear.
Happened last night - we actually remembered this time.
There are 2 times per year when you realise how ‘free’ all those clocks, that everything seems to come with these days, really are. All the PCs sorted themselves out no bother. All the clocks we had to change manually, no surprise there, but…
Then all the vehicle clocks need changing.
All the cameras, calculator, video, DVD, CD player, cooker, bike computer, ipod, mobile phones, central heating etc etc.
What a PITA. And thats not the worst thing, everyone delighting in the one hour lie-in - they don’t have young kids do they? I was up at 6:30 old time 5:30 new time with the kids this am - nice! It’ll take them days to cope with the change.
Personally I wish they would leave the clocks the same time all year, what about you?
cheers
Simon
