by Vlad on 9/06/2011
Does this remind you of anything? It’s almost like taking out that brand new HP/Dell/Sony/Toshiba laptop from its packaging. The first thing to do was format it and get rid of all the garbage it comes with.
There are of course a suite of applications pre-installed that you’ll have whether you want them or not. Many apps are mostly unwanted, like the ubiquitous Lets Golf 2. Some apps will be wanted by some, like NFL Mobile and Best Buy, and some are actually quite useful, like Quickoffice and Verizons Backup Assistant. Thankfully its not quite the onslaught of crapware weve seen with devices like the Charge or more recently the Incredible 2, and we had no problem uninstalling most of them. That said, if youre feeling noncommittal you can use the customized applications list to create a group of the apps you actually use and set the phone to display only those, hiding the whole big mess.
via Droid X2 review — Engadget.
by Vlad on 13/05/2011
I really dislike it when all the links within Engadget’s (or Gizmodo’s) posts just point to tags within their site and when it’s difficult to find the source information. Engadget and Gizmodo publish a lot of good content, but also make unoriginal material appear a bit like their own, which isn’t fair to the original publisher.
Jason Snell points to this Engadget post, which is entirely based on this source material from Consumer Reports, but which Engadget only links to at the very end, using black text with no underline, obscuring that it’s even a link unless you hover over the text. Dirtbag move.
UPDATE:: They’ve changed the link color.
via Daring Fireball Linked List: Blogging Worst Practices: Obscuring the Source Link.
by Vlad on 12/05/2011
Not a good start.
I’ve spent the past few hours trying to navigate my way through Music Beta and ended up finding new frustrations at nearly every turn. Music Beta in its current form is far from what we’d expect from a Google product— it’s a web of confusing programs without a lot of instruction as to how to actually get to the music you want to hear.
via Google’s Music Beta first look: it’s miserable | VentureBeat and Daring Fireball.
by Vlad on 27/04/2011
Almost one year later. Embarrassing.
Apple has finally announced it will release the white iPhone 4 tomorrow around the world. Here in the US itll come in both AT&T and Verizon flavors, warming the hearts and minds of those who like a little less pigment on their handsets.
via White iPhone 4 releases tomorrow, finally — Engadget.
by Vlad on 26/04/2011
How every iOS App should work:
From the day the iPad was announced, more than a year ago, I wanted Deep Green to be a universal binary. You should’t have to manage several versions, and you certainly shouldn’t have to pay for it twice. So here it is for you, as a free upgrade.Even if you bought it more than two years ago, you’ll be able to run it on any of your current iOS devices. And at no point in time have you had a reason to regret buying Deep Green at a higher price, because it has stayed the same since after the short introductory period.
The developer releases one file, you pay for it once on your iPhone. Later on, iPad and iPhone 4 come out, it gets upgraded and it’s still all one App. I hate getting Angry Birds and then Angry Birds HQ elsewhere. Even 1Password (a GREAT app), has two versions, on for iPhone and another for iPad for $5 more.
via Deep Green 1.2 – Cocoa Stuff : Blog.
by Vlad on 21/04/2011
A brilliant quote from a brilliant man.
Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius—and a lot of courage—to move in the opposite direction.
— Albert Einstein
via Quote: Any intelligent fool can make things bigger… – (37signals).
by Vlad on 19/04/2011
Seems strange that bringing simple basics like email/live chat access and customer ratings to an industry can still be considered “groundbreaking.” So it’s nice to see companies like these challenging the status quo and picking a fight. The health care industry could use the shakeup.
What’s really nuts is that doctors have access to some of the latest in technology, yet email and online appointment scheduling is still “new”. I’ve written about this before, and I’m glad it’s coming to fruition.
via Shaking up the bizarre habits ingrained in primary health care – (37signals).
by Vlad on 19/04/2011
Google Map Maker, the crowdsourced mapping Web app launched in 2008 and available in 183 countries, is finally coming to the United States. It’s an important addition to Google’s mapping services here and could make for maps that are vastly more detailed and useful than they are currently.
This really looks like a great tool. I just used it to modify some of the map in my condominium complex to make it more accurate. It sort-of scares me that someone can modify public roadways, but I have hopes that this will be the Wikipedia of map-editing.
via Google: Map your own neighborhood | Rafe’s Radar – CNET News.
by Vlad on 13/04/2011
A great post on one of our time’s biggest heros. Full post past the break, one day late. Read the rest of this article »
by Vlad on 11/04/2011
I didn’t know tea protects your teeth or that it hydrates you instead of dehydrates you like coffee.
The Health Benefits of Coffee vs Tea Infographic | Killer Infographics by Submit Infographics.