Technobabble

[vovat]

In this entry, I offer a series of thoughts, all roughly connected to the subject of technology.

• Doesn't it seem like they'd be able to make headphones where the wires weren't so fragile? What about industrial-strength printers that don't get paper jams all the time? Well, maybe they do have these things, but they're prohibitively expensive.
  
  
• The PATCO High Speed Line stations have gates that just swing out when you've put in your card. This seems to be a somewhat new thing, since people who have the old kind of passes still have to use turnstiles, like those for the New York subway. The turnstiles seem to me like some kind of twisted action game. "Guess which turnstile goes with this card reader. And then, if you get it right, you have to make it through before time runs out!" I wonder if this is just another way to squeeze more money out of tourists.
  
  
• Automated bathrooms strike me as a new technology that people rushed into using without working out the bugs first. I mean, you have the toilets that flush as soon as you get up, so then you have to flush them again after wiping, meaning that they use twice as much water as they otherwise would. Then there are the faucets and dryers that won't turn out unless you approach them at exactly the correct angle (I remember having a hell of a time drying off my sleeve at the aquarium in Camden after getting it all wet in the "touch a shark" tank, although admittedly that was several years ago and they might have improved the mechanism by now), and the paper towel dispensers that give you maybe enough to dry one hand, provided it's not very big.
  
  
• Is society really as fast-paced as some people insist it is, or do people want everything quickly so they have more time to spend on leisure activities? Even those weirdos who work sixty-hour weeks with very little rest often seem to be doing so in order to retire in their forties. Maybe being an executive is more fast-paced in today's society, but how many executives do you know personally? Okay, maybe YOU know several, but I don't.
  
  
• I always hear about people throwing out the instructions for their video games, or the liner notes for CD's. Sure, I've lost some of these things in my time, but I prefer to hold on to them whenever possible. I mean, aren't they part of what you bought? But then, I'm someone who actually likes to read this extra material.
  
  
• Even though I listen to most of my music digitally these days, I still don't think I'm going to stop buying CD's anytime soon. Maybe that's the choice of a new generation, but so is Pepsi, and I don't drink that either. I think giving people the option of downloading songs is a good idea, as long as iTunes isn't the only way of doing this.
  
  
• Speaking of which, I know there are a lot of Apple fanatics on my friends list, so I'm sure there will be a fair amount of disagreement, but it seems like Apple is one of those radical ideas that's become an institution. I mean, I wanted an iPod back in the early days of MP3 players, but now there are a lot of other brands that are cheaper and continue to come out with new features, while Apple is content to let their product stagnate, keep the prices high, and rely on name recognition to sell units. Not to mention that I hear of a lot more cases of iPods breaking down after short periods of time than other players. Granted, that's anecdotal evidence, but it doesn't give me a high amount of confidence in the brand. The iPhone sounds like something they'd sell on a low-budget late-night infomercial ("It's an MP3 player AND a phone! Also makes Julian fries! Now how much would you pay?"). And then there are (or were, anyway; they don't seem to be making new ones) those Mac vs. PC commercials that I think were actually quite clever, but they insisted on presenting the Mac as a smug bastard. Is that really the image they want for their computers?
  
  
• I can't say I really buy the dichotomy between nature and technology. I mean, most technology is made up of natural components, right? Our society still hasn't figured out how to generate matter out of thin air. So why do people act like, say, modern medicine is going against nature, rather than an example of how humans have been able to take better advantage of what they've found by studying and utilizing nature? Mind you, I'm not arguing that more modern methods are better for everything, just that I don't think they're as unnatural and other-worldly as some people pretend. Besides, not everything you can find in nature is GOOD, is it?
  

Comments

[aliste.livejournal.com]

Apple is content to let their product stagnate

I definitely disagree with this. Since it came out, Apple has updated the iPod (new features, not just a new look) on average about every eight months, and their computers more often than that. I think the scroll wheel (introduced several years ago now) and the touchscreen are pretty big innovations in mp3 players. I mean, have you ever gone into an Apple store (or gotten to use a friend's) and played with the new iPod/iPhone? It's incredibly cool and easy and fun to use; I haven't seen another product that has such a slick interface. Apple is constantly adding new stuff to their computers too, like the magnetic power cord on laptops or the two-finger scroll/right-click on their trackpads. Little things, but once I used them I would never want to do without them.

True that Macs are more expensive, but they do inspire a rabid fanbase. Mightn't there be a reason for all that love? :)

[revme.livejournal.com]

I'm gonna have to ditto on this one. The iPhone (and, well, to be honest, most iPods -- mine was a gift) are out of my price range, but they ARE really slickly designed, and the new additions/features are fast in coming. For reals -- go to an Apple Store or whatever and play with an iPhone/iPod Touch (which is basically an iPhone without the phone) -- they're REALLY slick. A friend of mine's got the phone, he let me play with it. It's REALLY WELL DONE. For reals.

[vovat.livejournal.com]

As far as the iPhone goes, I'd be concerned about battery life. But then, I'm someone who's generally paranoid about batteries (and, well, most things that have a defined limit, for that matter).

[k1cup.livejournal.com]

I have one. *shrinks down to nothing* The battery life is good if you use it as it's meant to be used, which is, mainly as a phone. If you insist on using as a replacement for your desktop computer, the battery will drain quickly in less than a day.

[vovat.livejournal.com]

Makes sense. But then, if you're mostly using it as a phone and only putting the numerous other features to occasional use, is the fact that it costs so much more than a regular cell phone really justified? Does it have features that improve its performance as a phone?

[bethje.livejournal.com]

I predict that the gphone will be far better.

[aliste.livejournal.com]

Google isn't actually building a phone, though; they're developing software for third-party mobile devices (story). So it'll basically depend on outside manufacturers to determine what features the phone itself will have. And apparently the system will rely on ads for revenue, as the Google search engine and gmail do. Personally I'm not interested in buying an iPhone, but I can't say I find an ad-driven phone to be too attractive either. Besides, I can already use gmail and Google on my (Nokia) phone, so I'm not sure what need there would be to switch.

[vovat.livejournal.com]

I really don't find the idea of using the Web on a phone to be that attractive, but I guess I can see how it might come in handy in certain situations.

[vovat.livejournal.com]

It seems like Macs appeal primarily to artistic people, so I would imagine they have some advantages in that respect. Not being at all artistic, that's not really a concern for me, though. Still, I'm sure there are some advantages. It just kind of seems like people who like the computers are prone to buying anything else the company puts out, without really considering the alternatives. I'm not saying EVERY Mac user is like that, but there seems to be a lot more blind brand loyalty to Apple than to any other computer company.

[revme.livejournal.com]

I think the brand loyalty though has to do with good experiences with their products. I've owned a TON of computers in my life, and my first Mac (a G5 after my dad got his eMac) is the best computer I've ever owned. I STILL love it, and it's a few years old now. It's one of the most reliable and solidly designed computers I've used/owned. It's a cool feeling knowing that you CAN fix something but HAVEN'T HAD TO.

Though, I have heard of battery problems with iPods, particularly early ones, and I've heard of other problems with Macs themselves, so I'm not saying that they're perfect machines, or that no one has any problems with them (hell, my dad's refurb eMac ended up having a bit of problems near the end), but they seem to engender more good feelings about them than most windows boxes.

(and man, take a look inside a G5 - they are SO INSANELY WELL DESIGNED in there, it's just... eeeeee. Upgrading ANYTHING is a SNAP! And it's so CLEAN in there! Oh MAN.)

[aliste.livejournal.com]

Now it's my turn to ditto this. :) Absolutely; I continue to buy Apple products for the same reason I continue to buy Canon cameras and Nokia phones—I've been extremely satsified with them in the past and expect at least the same satisfaction in the future. If PC users feel the need to shop around when they buy a new computer because they want to do better than what they had in the past, well then, I just feel kind of sorry for them. :P

There's certainly something of an Apple-can-do-no-wrong mentality among the fanboys, but in my experience there's an at least equally knee-jerk reaction on the other side. I frequent several technology & Mac-centric blogs and forums, and whenever there's news about anything Apple there are always tons of comments about how Apple is the worst and not worth the money, etc. from haters who have never touched a Mac in their lives (but who, statistically, probably own an iPod :P ). I mean, I've used Windows and I've had other brands of mp3 players, and I know why I don't like them; but why should people who have never tried a Mac be so negative about them? And there are so few of us (Apple owns, what, 8% of the home computer market? if that?); I don't get why PC users are trying to stamp us out. Just let us do our minority thing in peace. :P

[bethje.livejournal.com]

Yet ipods still don't have fm radios or audio recording capabilities. Other brands have had those things for years. And at better prices with more storage to boot.

My brand loyalty goes to Creative.

[aliste.livejournal.com]

iPods actually have always had audio recording capability, but it wasn't until the 5th (I think) generation ones (circa 2005) that they have been able to record in full CD quality. As far as radios, I'm sure that's important to some people, but for me, since I can carry, what, 10,000+ songs that I personally chose and know that I like, I have no desire to listen to a radio (and the inescapable endless ads and stupid DJ "banter").

[bethje.livejournal.com]

Sometimes NPR and other news is important...

[aliste.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's true. :) I have to admit I'm one of those lame people who gets news from the TV if at all. And the NPR shows I like to listen to, I just download the podcast later. But that does remind me that if I really need a radio, I have one on my cell phone (which I carry a lot more frequently than my iPod). I've never felt the desire to use it in the 1 1/2 years I've had it though.

[vovat.livejournal.com]

I'll admit that I don't listen to the radio much at all, so that's not really too much of a concern to me, but it's still a good feature because a lot of people DO use them.

[k1cup.livejournal.com]

I do like to listen to the news a lot as well as baseball on the radio. I do sometimes wish the iPod had a tuner.

[aliste.livejournal.com]

I was pondering this—since the iPhone has internet, could you listen to stations that are streamed via the web? (Or the iTunes radio tuner?) That seems like it might be a clunky way to get to it, though.

[k1cup.livejournal.com]

they insisted on presenting the Mac as a smug bastard. Is that really the image they want for their computers?

Well, gee, smug kind of describes the McSweeney's/Sarah Vowell/NPR/TMBG crowd. Yeah, I think that's the image they want.

[vovat.livejournal.com]

Fair point, although I have to wonder if these people see themselves as smug. That seems to be a quality that's easier to recognize in others than yourself.

As far as the commercials go, I've heard of people rooting for the PC simply because he's the underdog. In fact, I even heard that was one reason why Apple didn't want to keep making the commercials.

[bec-87rb.livejournal.com]

I heard that, too, that Hodgman kind of upstaged what was supposed to be the cool guy, and they hadn't counted on that reaction.

He had a name, he had an unlikely name

[vovat.livejournal.com]

Well, hey, he IS the Deranged Millionaire. And you know how the ladies love derangement.

[k1cup.livejournal.com]

I always hear about people throwing out the instructions for their video games, or the liner notes for CD's. Sure, I've lost some of these things in my time, but I prefer to hold on to them whenever possible. I mean, aren't they part of what you bought? But then, I'm someone who actually likes to read this extra material.

Amen. I. Love. Liner. Notes. Period. Ain't no way I'd give up buying a CD. In fact, when vinyl went by the wayside, I was disgruntled that there would no longer be those cool album covers like those that came out in the '70's.

[vovat.livejournal.com]

Yeah, when people make predictions about the Future of Music (and disregarding the fact that these same people might well have thought eight-track and laserdisc would really take off {g}), what bothers me isn't the format shift so much as the fact that they predict the demise of the album. To me, a record album is somewhat of a multi-media product. You have the songs themselves, the order of the songs, pictures, and text. To reduce all of this to only one medium (albeit obviously the most important one) seems to me to be asking both bands and consumers to give up a lot.

There are also songs that are really made for the album format. To give examples that we're both familiar with, what about something like the Theme From Flood, or the title songs on The Spine? Not only would they make less sense outside the album format, but nobody is going to want to make an a la carte purchase of a song that's less than a minute long.

[rockinlibrarian.livejournal.com]

*and then you wouldn't be forced to buy more of their product all the time! THEN how could those corporate executives ever afford their third homes?

*I can't comment, since I live nowhere near decent public transit.

*automated bathrooms are getting better, but what really amuses me are when they are only partially automated. What's the point of an automated soap dispenser if you still need to use your hand to turn the water on and off?

* It's a well-known fact that nature abhors a vacuum, even a vacuum in time (unrealized companion piece to A wrinkle in time), and people who use time-saving things will just end up using up that extra time elsewhere and STILL feeling like they have no time. The only cure is prioritizing. But the people who sell high-tech timesavers don't want you to know that because, again, that means you'll stop buying their stuff.

*Liner notes so rock! That's the one thing I don't like about Netflix-- the lack of liner notes. I'm always kind of annoyed with CDs when the liner notes are chintzy. I always make at least a proper tracklist when I make my own CDs, and I'm surprised how many people don't even do that.

*It just feels SAFER to have a hard copy. Especially when, like in my case, your computer keeps crashing every two years.

* I have no opinion in the Apple vs PC thing, except PCs are more common therefore your files are more easily compatible if you do a lot of file sharing.... But I think my brother, who is going to school for computer animation, was silly to pass up getting a Mac like everyone else in his major has just because he's not used to them and was afraid to try.

* All Natural Ingredients like urine, worm guts, hemlock, and E. coli! No seriously. The trick is to use nature without abusing it, a trick that neither "side" of the argument seems to get. Either people don't care at all, or they care to the point of losing common sense. I could say more, but there's a 6 month old stuck under my chair.

[vovat.livejournal.com]

I always feel like I don't have time to do anything, but when I really get down to it, I think it's more energy and inclination that I lack.

Netflix not offering liners makes sense, because customers are inclined to lose them. It would be nice if they could offer them in some format, though.

It just feels SAFER to have a hard copy. Especially when, like in my case, your computer keeps crashing every two years.

I definitely agree. Of course, if you burn music to a CD-R in MP3 format, it takes up a lot less space than it does on a listenable CD. MP3 players can also provide a form of backup storage. For my part, I generally want copies in as many forms as possible.

I have no opinion in the Apple vs PC thing, except PCs are more common therefore your files are more easily compatible if you do a lot of file sharing.... But I think my brother, who is going to school for computer animation, was silly to pass up getting a Mac like everyone else in his major has just because he's not used to them and was afraid to try.

Yeah, I can't say I've ruled out ever getting a Mac, but I'll probably stick with PC's for the time being because: 1) they're cheaper, and 2) I already have software for them. But from the experience I've had with Macs, they're really not THAT different from PC's.