Biggs' Zone

A Geek's Cogitations, Conjectures and other Cortical Experiences

Tag: iPhone Page 1 of 3

Tech Talk: Apple’s Decision to Remove the Headphone Jack

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On September 14, 2016

In Apple, Tech Talk, Technology

Apple's Decision to Remove the Headphone JackApple has, yet again, sparked relentless controversy on the Internet with their recent announcement of the iPhone 7. The new iPhone will not have the standard headphone jack. You would swear Apple is trying to abolish Twitter. Everyone lost their minds. The ironic thing is Apple isn’t even the first company to do it! Many are going to accuse me of being a fanboy because I support Apple’s decision to remove the headphone jack. My reason is very simple: USB.

Folks are clamoring that removing the headphone jack is absurd. The 3.5 mm jack has roots that extend all the way back to 1878 when switchboard operators used 6.35 mm jacks. It is a technology that has withstood the test of time remarkably well. However, I pose this question for all those folks: do they still use the stereo jack for their headphones on your computer? I am willing to bet most people plug their headphones into their computer using a USB port instead of the 100-year-old 3.5 mm stereo jack.

USB Headphones Are OK but Lightning Headphones Are Not??

So this is what I don’t get. When the PC industry converted everyone over to USB headphones, nobody batted an eye. In fact I was rather pleased with the transition. It’s technological progress. The same can be said for using the Lightning Adapter for your headphones. What is the difference between using a USB for sound and using the Lightning Adapter for sound? Technically there isn’t. Sound waves are a form of data and both transmit data, ergo the headphone jack is superfluous.

There is one particular scenario I am curious about. What if you need to charge your phone but wish to listen music on your headphones at the same time? I find myself in this specific situation quite often, especially at work. The only solution I have seen Apple provide so far are wireless ear buds with Bluetooth. I’m not a fan of ear buds, they never stay in my ear so they aren’t a viable solution for me. So that issue remains unresolved and may just be a victim of progress.

in·no·vate(ˈinəˌvāt/) – verb – 
make changes in
something established,
especially by introducing
new methods,
ideas, or products.

“Times change and you have to adapt” – Jerry Cantrell

Apple’s decision to remove the headphone jack isn’t completely leaving 3.5 mm headphones out in the cold. Apple has promised to include an adapter with all the new iPhone 7’s. I don’t know what that means for future iPhone versions but headphone companies have a year to engineer new lightning adapter capable headphones.

I think people just like to target Apple, especially the Android community. The soliloquy on “courage” may have been overly dramatic but it has merit. You can call it crazy. You can call it “courage”. You can call it “user-hostile and stupid”. It was bound to happen eventually and I think you are going to see more companies doing the same thing. Removing the headphone jack may not have been revolutionary but it’s certainly evolutionary.

However, I don’t know about those wireless ear buds …

minion_keboard_smThe people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do
– Steve Jobs

Soapbox: USB on Mobile Devices is Frivolous

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On October 16, 2015

In Fulmination, Mobile, Soapbox, Technology

minion_daveI still see articles posted criticizing Apple because they still haven’t added a USB port to their phones or tablets. I don’t understand why there are still people clinging to this pagan belief that mobile devices need to have a USB port. Folks, we are living in a world where our data is stored in the elusive but ultra convenient Cloud. The very concept of a mobile device should be the epitome that embraces Cloud based technology.

I have been using an iPhone since the 3GS and an iPad since version 2 and I have never pined for a USB port to use a thumb drive. Once a tablet has a USB port, it’s no longer a tablet; it’s now a laptop (albeit it thin and lacking peripherals). The fact that Samsung and Microsoft still throws that in Apple’s face is both absurd and ludicrous.

What is easier?

A) insert thumb drive. open folder on thumb drive. copy file to thumb drive. eject thumb drive. plug thumb drive into other device/computer. open folder on thumb drive. Edit file.

or

B) open remote cloud folder. Edit file.

It is far easier and more convenient to use Cloud based storage so you would greatly benefit from learning that methodology. If you prefer that I say it in trite gaming vernacular “learn2Dropbox”

/cheers

minion_keboard_smI could get so much more accomplished if I only had minions!

Biggs On: iPhone 6S

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On September 30, 2015

In Apple, Biggs On, Technology

iphone-6sI thought about making this another “Tech Talk” topic but in those posts I try to be less subjective and since I’ve only had an iPhone, this is going to be more of an opinion rather than a technical analysis.

The “S-cycle” of the iPhone 6 means that it’s time to upgrade. This must be one of Apple’s most successful iPhone launches (despite the smaller lines at the stores). Usually by now there has been some kind of “-gate” controversy everyone is talking about and the Twitter trolls are feasting on. Alas no “antennae-gate”, “bendgate”, “map-gate” (was that a thing?), just everyone talking about how the iPhone 6S is actually a pretty decent phone. In fact some folks are saying that Apple’s claim the iPhone 6S is a completely new phone might just have some credence. I didn’t have an iPhone 6 so I couldn’t tell you, personally, how different the phones are, I upgraded from an iPhone 5S so my perception is skewed from my “leap-frog” practice of upgrading phones.

When I first held the phone my initial thought was “this screen is huge!” I was momentarily concerned that perhaps the phone might feel a little too big. I’ve only had my phone a few days now and I don’t think I could go back to a smaller screen. Granted I’m glad I didn’t opt for the 6S Plus; that would have been too big. Once I learned the “double-touch” on the home button (Thanks, fuzzy) method for one-handed use, the size of the phone is no longer a concern.

minion_01The only problem I’ve had with the new phone is some issue with most of my apps after I restored from a recent backup. Several of my apps appeared darkened, as if they were waiting for an update. They didn’t appear in the list of updates in the app store and tapping on the icon didn’t launch the app but changed the text to “Waiting…”. If I searched for the app in the app store I was given the option to download from the cloud (as opposed to the option to “Open” the app). I couldn’t really find anything related to this issue after doing a Google search so it must have been some strange backup/restore glitch.

Aside from that weird issue, upgrading to the 6S was completely painless. In fact I sold my 5S back to Apple which rendered enough cash to purchase Apple Care+ so I essentially didn’t have to pay for the extra insurance. The phone obviously performs much faster than its predecessor. Actually I think the Touch ID is also faster and more accurate. I haven’t tried the 3D Touch or the “live picture” features yet, although I’ve read that the “live pictures” can take up a lot of memory so I doubt I will be taking many of those.

If you picked up the latest iPhone, what are your impressions?

minion_keboard_smI could get so much more accomplished if I only had minions!

Tech Talk: Apple Event

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On September 10, 2015

In Apple, Tech Talk, Technology

minion-appleThe Apple uber-fanboys waited with bated breath for September 9th. Everyone knew that Apple would be unveiling their next model of iPhone and I think everyone pretty much knew that the Apple TV was finally getting a long overdue upgrade. I know rumors were floating around about the iPad Pro, but I don’t recall if they were ever concrete enough to know, for certain, that Apple would be unveiling it.

I pseudo-watched the live event; by that I mean I watched the CNET live broadcast. Brian Tong and his crew are very entertaining to watch during these big events, especially when Brian is in full nerdgasm mode, which he was during this event.

The Apple Event talked about the Apple Watch, Apple TV, iPad Pro (with Smart Keyboard), Apple Pencil and, of course, the iPhone 6S/6S Plus. There was quite a bit of information disseminated; some of it good, some of it kind of blah. I talk more about each of these after the break.

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Biggs On: WWDC 2015

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On June 10, 2015

In Apple, Biggs On, Technology

apple_logo-263x300This week Apple held their annual WorldWide Developers Conference where they often unveil new versions of their software or, sometimes, new versions of their hardware. This year they focused primarily on the software with changes to OS X, iOS, and Apple Watch. Honestly, there wasn’t much that aroused my inner geek, in fact I probably have more to criticize than to condone.

I might as well talk about the one thing that had me a little excited and that was Apple talking about the next iteration of their new programming language, Swift 2. As I mentioned in a previous post, I enjoyed the proverbial “getting started” tutorials from a few months ago. I’m really looking forward not only to what Swift 2 will offer but I’m especially curious about what the open source community will do with it as well.

“El Capitan” is probably the worst name for a product since “Microsoft Edge”! Sure, I get why they chose that name, because its some rock edifice in Yosemite (that’s a better origin story than Microsoft Edge … which I don’t even think has an origin story) but its a terrible name for software. It doesn’t sound like a piece of software, it sounds like a mixed drink or amateur Mexican porn. I was listening to the CNET TV crew while the keynote was going on and someone said “Big Sur” was their choice for the name; I think that would have been a great name. I’m glad I won’t have to pay for the upgrade. (Side-note: The CNET TV crew were a lot of fun to listen to; I may have to start listening to their broadcasts each week).

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Why I’m Hard On Microsoft

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On September 19, 2014

In Apple, General Cogitation, Microsoft, Technology

borgYou can ask anyone and they will tell you that I rarely cut Microsoft any slack. I have been working in Microsoft technologies for over 10 years now, and I’m pretty good at .NET development. People generally assume that if you make a career working in a technology then you should give the appropriate, unrelenting respect but that’s not how I work. I won’t swoon over every product Microsoft produces because I don’t agree that everything that comes out of Redmond is made of gold. (Also, for what its worth, I don’t swoon over Apple products either. I’m not getting online at 4 in the morning or standing in line outside the Apple store to buy the new iPhone just to have the new iPhone; that’s just not economically sane or reasonable. I swoon for no one … well, maybe except for Nathan Fillion but, come on, he’s Malcolm Reynolds!

It probably doesn’t help that from 1998 to about 2002 I was full blown anti-Microsoft. I would only use Windows if I absolutely had to. My first computer was configured for dual boot which gave me the option to use Linux or Windows and I used Linux 90% of the time I was actively using my computer. Eventually I began to cut Microsoft some slack and when Windows 7 came out, it was a turning point for me. Microsoft has been in business for nearly 40 years so I expect a lot from a company that has been around since the mid-70’s. Is it wrong for me to set the bar that high? Lately I feel as though Microsoft thinks they can throw their weight around and still get their way but this isn’t the 90’s anymore. The vendor no longer controls the market; the users are now dictating what they want and what they expect (I blame social media). If you’re not willing to listen to your users and consumers then you’ll never deliver what the people really want and you’ll get left behind by those that really do respond to criticism and feedback (hence why Apple and Google have been far more successful).

I think a lot of my harsh criticism stems from frustration. I feel like Microsoft has been extremely obtuse and out of touch with the modern world. How do you release something as wonderful as Windows 7 only to turn around and release something as odious as the Metro UI and Windows 8? I get that the industry has become more mobile where gestures and touch enabled devices are paramount for new products but Microsoft’s interpretation of a mobile UI was just awful. I also think that the Windows Phone and the Surface tablet was a terrible idea because the market was already saturated with several successful devices. It’s very disappointing because they made some very poor decisions; but I guess if anyone has the money to throw around its Microsoft. They have never really been afraid to take risks, no matter how terribly they pan out.

I’ve already seen a few rumors swirling around about Windows 9, code named “Threshold” and the early indicators are that they are going to separate the standard computer desktop user from the touch enabled user. Despite all the mud slinging I have been doing lately about Windows 8, I am excited for Windows 9 and to see if Microsoft has learned their lesson. I’m still not interested in either of their mobile devices (until they become less of an eye-sore) however futile it is to resist 😉

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