ALL IN THE NAME OF VANITY

Click here. And in modern Britain too. But of course, the masses are glued to reality TV so won’t be protesting. But they will be emulating the pretty airheads on such shows and rushing out to get their injections.

I’m leaving this posting fairly empty of a scathing analysis of hypocritical and cruel contemporary British culture in order that those readers who are disgusted can release any fury through direct action. Thing is, other than refusing to purchase products made available by such ‘research’ or standing outside a lab with a placard, the only real solution beyond direct government action is the complete undoing of the awful changes in our culture that have occured here over the last decade or so. How does one achieve this? Is there any period in the history of any nation or the world when a way of life has been abandoned and a previous path taken? Perhaps we could take a new path that blends some older values with futurist thinking? Food for thought anyway. Sadly, from previous discussions on animal experiments (that became very heated), I am in a minority on this one. Tragic.

Speculate to accumulate

In the US, by the nature of their history and ‘culture’, people are naturally industrious – working and innovating themselves out of difficulty – with little government involvement. Here in the UK, we can achieve great things once in a while (London Eye, Pret A Manger, Waitrose, non-reality TV seeded musical acts etc), but on the whole, Brits tend to be content with their lot. Therefore, when things fall apart, we don’t do anything about it. (Recent journeys on the railways where hundreds of commuters travels were thrust into chaos by ongoing ’signal’ problems resulted in little if any fury by the late for appointments/work/shopping trip passengers at Reading Station.) Anyway, a few posts ago, this blog suggested that the government invested in apprenticeships with the proven benefit that not only are the unemployed given a robust hope, but it is a perfect opportunity to motivate the young and energetic to create radical new industries that may solve some of the world’s problems. Most importantly, such a strategy will provide the government properly sourced revenue through income taxes. An ethical and faught for alternative to the unacceptable infringements on the dignity, privacy and decenty of the majority of the populace by yet more rediculous dystopian for profit laws that are rapidly stressing and destroying the lives of increasing numbers of honorable people.

Fight back club: Invest in people and ideas.

Update: Apparently, the US gov did invest in some businesses and that may well have kick started their economy. (I don’t recall that happening – I understood that they allowed some companies to fall into Chapter 11.) Is government investment cheating? Depends. If they were simply bailing out failed industries of the past (such as automakers without a sustainable energy strategy) then of course, that is just popularist smoke and mirrors, and things will fall apart again when reality sets in. Either way, business history (in particular in Asia) has proven that when government invests in sound business (even early state cartel / keiretsu arrangements) it provides a robust foundation for opportunity and growth – and therefore mass employment, social stability and tax revenue. And the latter is what this post is all about! Tiddly pom.

Collider controversial

Holger Bech Nielsen & Masao Ninomiya have theorised that a higher order may be sending something from the future to the here and now to disrupt the goals of the LHC. Some have speculated that this could be to prevent a future catastrophe caused by the LHC from ever occurring.

Contradictions of disrupting the space time continuum aside, here’s a take:

If the catastrophe was that bad, (for example: TLP – Total Loss of Planet) then there will be no future entity to send said particle back in time.

If an entity is trying to put an end to the hard work of thousands of scientists, perhaps it is the ‘creator’ who does not wish the magical mystery of, uhm, ‘his’ Universe to be revealed – spoiling that element of “Wow!” and “Huh?!” we feel when confronted by something we do not understand.

Using a magician as an analogy, seeing one live on stage or in the street performing an enthralling trick can be a mind boggling experience until you fathom it out yourself or someone explains how the illusion was achieved. At that point, there is a collective “Of course!, silly me!” and slight disappointment that it wasn’t really that clever or amazing after all, just some nifty smoke and mirrors, with a sprinkling of deception. Likewise, it may be that if and when we do find out what makes the Universe tick, we will be somewhat disappointed and/or may offend the Maker-in-Chief just as a magician will feel a loss of ego and power the second their trickery is exposed.

!!Picture of the grand magician to come soon, with witty caption!!

Quantum theology aside, the LHC is a sophisticated piece of kit and is not going to work first time.

Fight Back To The Future Club: Lay awake at night thinking about all this. So what was here before here anyway?

Link © The New York Times Company.

Another post already already!

Seconds after having an Apple rave, am forced to draw your attention to this – no surprise considering the values of the current administration here in the rapidly disintegrating UK. From what I recall, history has proven on countless occasions that getting away with petty crime leads to more serious offenses. So if you strictly deter or punish the lesser crime, you may prevent the more serious (such as auto theft or murder) from ever happening in the first place!

Common sense really – but we’re almost running on empty with regards to that.

Fight back club: Keep calm, but do not carry on. Vote the right way at the next election.

I know, it’s just as mad in the USA – where celeb crims are distracting the media and authorities from more pertinent matters.

Am very very busy with work, and regret ‘wasting’ time on this blog, but I do believe the non technical issues covered herein to be exceptionally worrying, else I would not take time out. I do believe things are falling apart globally to such an extent that there will be a form of street level revolution soon. Not sure where, not sure when, but it is almost inevitable. A ‘for profit’ evil is permeating it’s way up the food chain of leadership around the world – and with technology and weaponry becoming more flexible and available – our very freedom to live a relaxed common sense based lifestyle could be threatened – possibly for a great deal of time. This is no science fiction novel or a depressed ramble. History books tell how there were periods in the lives of prior civilizations where people were born into, lived and died within a way of life that was almost permanently repressive – and this went on for hundreds of years. It could happen again – with technology the great overlord.

Most ‘concerning’, to quote a foreign colleague.

Apple proves (again) that design sells

Record profits today from the maker of all things shiny and desirable has vindicated yet again that people will opt for a better designed and thought out product or service if the value proposition is that compelling – even during a recession.

Over the last few days (for various reasons) I have had time to play with several competitors to the iPhone. With the exception of the HTC Tattoo that I was immediately taken with, it was very obvious that several years after the launch of the iPhone, Apple still don’t have much to worry about. As is already known, they put much thought into many aspects of the iPhone – including those that are controversial, such as the (current) lack of multi-tasking. Today I got to play with one of the devices that was supposed to be a serious ‘iPhone killer’. After all the hype, this device proved to be a major let down. It was so slow, it was unusable and the interface was actually somewhat counter intuitive to all other phones – missing any obvious mechanical or virtual call and end call buttons too. The reason it was slow is because while it can multi-task, the processor is underpowered. I have way too much respect for the company behind this competing phone to mention them. Their prior devices have been revolutionary and practical, and if they survive (unlikely sadly), I am sure the next version of their otherwise innovative device will offer a more practical and immediately intuitive proposition.

The other major future competitor to Apple is Android. Although my employer (lead by me) is exploring developing for Android, the lack of consistency between devices is a major flaw that Apple’s offering does not suffer from. This lack of consistency is a nuisance for end users (who may like to share another person’s device) and developers who prefer a “write once – run anywhere” platform. (Consider the 100% consistency between each X-Box 360 or PS3.) All said, I think (and know!) that this issue is solvable – through good design!

Back to Apple, and related to my prior post re the new iPod Nano (with video recording ability), Apple are being very clever and aggressive in oblitterating their competitors through strategically timed gradual feature improvements. In one swoop they will launch an upgraded OS or a new version of a product and render a competitors offering of lesser relevance. In this case, the iPod Nano video recording capability while not HD quality, is good enough to make the young and colourful choose it over other dedicated pocket video camcorders because the Nano is also a very capable music player – with a radio and a few other goodies thrown in too.

I have often wondered if we would reach a point when only one or two corporations ended up building all the world’s products. Not due to some ‘evil’ Bond like conspiracy or mega cartel, but simply because one or more of these corporations became – like a super triathlete – all powerful based on their own hard work and a consistent focus on key attributes. In the case of Apple, their key attribute is thoughtful design backed with outstanding marketing. Go play with iWorks and compare to it’s nearest competitor from you know who. From a usability angle, Apple iWorks is light years ahead, even if not in the spotlight at present.

Fight back club: Invent several paradigm shifting technologies that leapfrog the status quo, patent them and built a company around the patents. Sony, Toshiba, Hitachi, Qualcomm, Apple and others did – so can you!

Footnote: I predict Apple will launch a ground breaking upgrade to iPhone OS in the not too distant future that will introduce three missing features: a) Multi-tasking – the iPhone 3GS and latest iPod Touch have the power to handle this. b) An active ‘home’ screen. (If Apple ever introduce widgets, that will be terrible. Horrible horrible idea in all current implementations by Samsung and others.) c) Device to device file sharing of some sort – probably via the cloud too.

Banking profits

Like most consumers, I have no idea what these large banks do. But what piques my interest is how a government whose original value proposition was to spread the wealth and be empathic to the working man can extract billions from the tax payer to bail out the banks and then allow this to happen without offering a refund. Yes, the banks can repay the debt to the government (one assumes they will be repaying the government – and therefore us, the public?), but what is worrying is that the banks are not lending to small businesses. And it is small businesses (in particular those engaged in the industries of the future) who will create employment. And employment helps the working man and reduces the need for government hand outs. Seems to me that leftist thought is significantly more elitist and greedy than the capitalist model they pretend to hate.

Can someone enlighten me, as I don’t really understand what the hell is going on. Cheers!

Fight bank club: I have no idea at all. You?

Trumpet blowing is not…

…the aim of this blog. However, more and more people and publications are now expressing opinions that have been discussed here for a while now. So there is cause for hope. As has been said before here and elsewhere, blogging really has created a liberating and fairly non destructive form of democracy – see reference to the Unabomber in the Influences section for more on that.

It would be helpful if there is a way to trigger Tweets each time a new post is added so readers don’t have to periodically visit VA to check if I have added any more middle class pontifications. Time to research the latest developments from WordPress!

BBC continues our march Towards Dystopa

For the last few years I have noticed the lack of genuinely humerous programming on television. (Take a look at tvguide.co.uk.) And no, I don’t mean I don’t find what is supposed to be funny funny, there quite simply is nothing on television to make us laugh out loud. Where are shows to get us in stitches, in the style of Black Adder, Faulty Towers, The Two Ronnies, Spaced and more? Don’t confuse a slight giggle or snigger with a belly laugh that makes your laptop jump an inch off your thighs.

I was becoming convinced this fade to grey was for several reasons:

1. The dumbing down of society means that fewer comedy writers are being spawned. (Humor requires that perfect mix of intellect and perception.)
2. Politically correctness.

This article in The Daily Telegraph by Simon Heffer validates that it was 2). What really proves the massive level of duplicity by the BBC is that one of the aims of these new ‘PC’ regulations it to avoid humiliating people. Hang on! Strictly Come Dancing and other celebrity/reality tosh (yes, it’s tosh), is all about such Schadenfreude! Just like X-Factor, Dragons Den and other programming with ‘judges’, the reason people watch is to revel in seeing others being talked down to and kicked off. Hence all you see in the tabloids the next day is who has been expelled from the ‘house’ or show.

None of this has anything to do with talent, improving the state of the nation or young people. Name five genuinely popular and talented ‘acts’, businesses or other entities that you consume regularly that came out of all this garbage?

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Precisely!

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The contestants on these shows are pressured into ’success’. Begin with an audience of X million, then work to keep that up. Sorry, true talent comes naturally over time – like that band you just listened to on Spotify, or the football player your brother worships.

Naughty but harmless – And it’s all in the best possible taste!
(And why is there a border around Kennypoos despite the fact the border tag is set to 0? Anyone?)

As per the Towards Dystopia section of this blog, this phasing out of humor is (as you sit there now) creating a society totally devoid of colour. Very much like those visionary science fiction films of the 1970s where everyone is living (despite smiles plastered on their faces by stimulants and downers) a mediocre semi automated lifestyle that exists solely to serve some large cold entity with a chip on its shoulder. And there is absolutely nothing the people can do about it for reasons already covered in countless books.

Fight back club: a) Introduce an intelligent alternative to the BBC that is also tax payer funded to ensure no one is bereft of a harty giggle. And let’s not be afraid to offer content that assumes the viewer can take a joke. b) Hit YouTube and go watch a few episodes of old shows , from Kenny Everett to Morecambe and Wise (specially 9:20 on that link) – and become wise to the art of the smart laugh.

Updateepoos: Looks like Jeremy C agrees. And thanks to @Andyy for highlighting this outrage in the heart of all PC socialist nonsense – Oxford!

Kicking the (plastic) bottle

If they have done it, why can’t we? Special interests in the bottled water industry perhaps?

Fight back club: Easy! Don’t buy bottled water, take a sports bottle and refill it as you travel. Support Project Kairsei that aims to do something about The Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

Light Peak from ? > Apple > Intel

In 1991 as part of my employers UDiS Media (Universal Digital Information Storage Media) proposal, we briefly discussed the idea for a standardised ultra high speed optical interconnect to replace all other I/O systems. Known as UNIFII, it would replace the plethora of physical connection standards that back then that were just as much of a mess as they are today.

Tags: Applelink, DVI, Ethernet, Firewire, HDMI, USB, PS/2, RS232, MIDI, power? etc.

Although conceived in 1988, in 1991, copies of the UDiS Media proposal were sent to several leading technology companies, including Apple – cover letter dated 5th July 1991. We received replies from some of the recipients but lack of time and might on our part meant we did not follow it up. However, as this exclusive from Engadget reveals, we may have been onto something.

The UNIFII diagram from the UDiS Media proposal*
(Original higher resolution images currently unavailable)

UDiS Media and UNIFII were not really inventions that could have patented, they were idealistic concepts designed to encourage and motivate the industry for the sake of the ever suffering consumer. Therefore, after completing some work deadlines, and without the need to worry about any IP issues, I plan to publish the full UDiS Media document on my employers website.

The encouraging news is that Intel have the proven technical and industry might to develop something like Light Peak – and Apple the brevity to introduce it first. Let the paradigm shift begin – again!

*Tecnation was the prior name of my employer.

Great article on destruction of the middle classes

Other than technology and the surveillance, uhm, planet – the other core topic of this blog is the (dangerous) attempt by the current government to destroy* one of the most valuable, ideal and stable social ‘arrangements’ to have evolved since the assent of (hu)man – namely, the British middle class way of life. Something I had not really thought about until having my eyes opened of late through an increasing interest in the dumbing down of this nation. I have always taken this lifestyle for granted, assuming it was sought and accepted without any controversy. Through observation and thought, I believe the middle class lifestyle appears as utopian as any: Spacious well architected homes (help reduce family tension – animals need space), a healthy (mainly) fresh and natural diet (reduced body maintenance costs), balanced family size, an income that is neither too limiting nor too pretentious, mutually respectable and symbiotic relationship with the working class, generally positive and pragmatic outlook on life, financially self sustaining (less drain on the state), relatively sound common sense ethics and family values (reducing the likelyhood of children turning to serious crime or becoming dysfunctional), polite by nature (except when blindingly sloshed on a fabulous Cabernet Shiraz), less stressed due to the generally holistic nature of the lifestyle (even if the subject is unaware of such concepts), and most importantly – they keep Volvo in business. (Insert wink emoticon here – Ed.)

The problem is, a number of envious and (unjustifiably) bitter individuals have worked their way into government and are afflicting their ‘revenge’ purely because they have a chip on their shoulder. The direct opposite to the US where one is encouraged to aspire to and respect success. An attitude that is very good for the economy by the way. And without a strong economy, people suffer, scapegoats are unjustifiably targeted (Spain today) – and major wars start.

Enough space to be

Fight back club: Support politicians who promise to reverse the status quo – something that will alas be a lot harder to do in practise. That said, if the government do sense increasing support for such important values, they may change tack – that’s democracy.

*This comment by Artificer from below the above referenced Daily Telegraph article sums it all up…

“In order to bring about a totalitarian Soviet style Europe-wide super state it is necessary to destroy civil society.

Much of civil society is the lower middle class and the respectable working class, who are in essence very similar, in striving to provide for their families a decent life.

That is why this treatment is being meted out.

Its planned, its calculated, its deliberate and its nasty.”

© 2009, The Daily Telegraph

Elite 25th Anniversary

Congrats David & team, looking forward to the sequel! With solid vertices, but please don’t dumb it down for the Guitar Hero generation. Halo is visually stunning, but lacks smarts and a relaxed strategy format.
(I still have my Elite badge somewhere!)

Beware the cuddle police

Whilst in Northern California, the ridiculous politically correct and ‘protectorate’ laws that existed in some cities were so embarrassing, I began to write a short satire on the whole subject – and then left. Never in a million years did I believe that some of the idiotic laws over there would migrate and begin to strip the UK of common sense and the natural order of things.

The second I learned of the e-coli outbreak at some British petting farms, it was obvious yet another dystopian law or two would be recommended or introduced. Yet, it is this precise over clinical behaviour that has lead to people becoming so sensitive to just about anything, as understandably livid rugged humans have begun to comment here on The Times website.

For the last few decades (originating in the USA) fear inducing advertising has thrust cleaning materials of dubious consistency into the hands of housewives*, no matter the long term effects on themselves or the environment. Carcinogenic effects aside, our homes are so squeaky clean that our immune systems must be bored stiff! And now, thanks to this mass hysteria, terrified citizens will no doubt become fearful of their pets.

Do those in positions of power ever think any more? How many young children live on farms with NO ill effects!?

Fight back club: Cuddle your fluff ball and build up the resistance the natural way. And don’t let the men from the ministry stop you.

*OK, housepersons

UPDATE: Oh no, no no no! It’s already started! Visitors are going to sue the farm(s)! So they visit for many years, and then betray the very place that has provided them or their children so much pleasure over the years. That is just the sort of self serving relationship one would expect out of insular California, but not here in (formerly?) common sense driven England.  The thing is, the problem isn’t anything to do with the farms, it is the lack of exposure to every day ‘germs’ due to the way children today spend so much time indoors! So, now what will happen is the farms will go bankrupt and we’ll move even closer Towards Dystopia, with a greater rift between humanity, common sense and nature. Cameron, I hope if you win at the next election you undo all this for profit silliness before it’s too late!

Brits to pay £64 to prove they are not criminals

I was going to write a long piece about how easy it is to become complacent in the face of true evil (in this case, our fascist bankrupt government), fortunately, the comments below The Times article make it clear how people feel about this further erosion of the trust, common sense and freedom that once comprised our nation. So I need not bother.

Exhibit A: The Times
Exhibit B: BBC News
Exhibit C: The Daily Telegraph
Exhibit D: The Guardian – Comments (The one by ‘LittleTyke’ is one of many that sum up the situation we are in.)

What is genuinely worrying about this, other than the climate of fear and mistrust it generates in society, is how the government is exploiting tragic but fairly rare crimes against children to turn half the nation against millions of innocent people. If the government want to crack down on crime then they need to implement the same proven tough approach as New York City did to turn that great city around over the last few decades. And that means harsh punishment for criminals after they are proven guilty. The liberal nonsense has never worked and never will.

As per the other issues covered in the Towards Dystopia and Dumb and Dumbstruck sections of this blog, these dubious laws are being introduced to entrap innocent people into parting with their money while at the same time imposing almost communist regime like control over the populace. Governments only do this when they are in fear of their own citizens and/or their leadership has serious self esteem issues. Do study the leaders of North Korea and other former and current despotic nations and notice how they mix populist behaviour with rigid control.

I took this photo at ground zero in June 2002. The messages on the flag are from the public, friends and relatives of the victims of the attacks that took place eight years ago today.
It represents trust, honour and freedom – something worth remembering this side of the Atlantic once in a while.

Fight back club: What do you think?!

THIS is what makes Apple so special

Watch the TV ad for the new (and quite tasty) iPod Nano 5G (video) and it is hard to deny the spot makes you want to go out and get one – now! – even if you had alternative purchasing plans. And this is what is so alluring about the company. Since they were founded and placed those ultra descriptive double page spreads for the original Macintosh in Omni and other quality glossy magazines, for Apple, it hasn’t really been just about the product, it has been the message…

…join the iParty! Or be a stay at home pooper

iFight back club: Resist the temptation. Oh, go on then!

The launch of the extra-ordinarily small original (1G) iPod Nano vindicated my belief that Apple were and are 3 to 5 years ahead of their competitors and have leapfrogged Sony in an area they used to lead the world, electronics miniaturization. So, it would be really special if Apple produced an iPhone Nano in a similar if not identical form factor to this latest iPod Nano. Of course, the lack of a keypad would make manual dialing and texting difficult (an Onion MacBook Wheel inspired scroll wheel based character entry system may suffice! No, not really!), but most people would place calls from their iTunes synced address book, a feature built into all display equipped iPods since day one. The technical reasons why this has yet to happen probably relate to battery life, energy dissipation (iHeat!) and/or reception issues associated with an all metal case. But something tells me these problems will be overcome and an iPhone Nano may just happen!

Small talk?

Ad image © 2009 Apple, Inc.

Health care

What is annoying is that design and engineering is my occupation, yet I am forced to write about subjects beyond my remit, aghast at the sillyness around us. Perhaps it is the logical somewhat rational eye of us engineer types that makes us look at the world and go, “Huh? Why don’t they just do that! It’s so obvious!” But sadly, out in the real world (for now), the middleman is in control. Since Ogg first chose to re-sell his wheat sheaf/spear/carcass to someone in the next huddle/cave/village, there has always been a motive to keep the market for product X credible/growing/alive, even if no longer necessary.

When it comes to oil, you don’t really need that pharmaceuticals and trash TV, the middleman really does afflict significant control over humanity.

Over in the US, Mr. President is working to bring universal health care to the masses. As has been proven here, the fact anyone can walk into a hospital and be repaired does conceptually appear fair and socially responsible. On an economic note, a well worker is a productive worker – laying in bed doesn’t do much good. However, social medicine reduces the incentive to live a healthy lifestyle. After all, if you are forced to pay for an op caused by a bad habit, surely that is an incentive to live a more healthy lifestyle? This was particular noticeable during my time in California, where they are paranoid about health and devoid of the petty ills that afflict the pasty faced Brit. All said, in the US, class does make it harder to live a healthy lifestyle due to the nature of the roads and lack of public pathways between cities and community resources. It is dangerous and unpleasant to bike to work/shop/school, so the wealthy keep fit by visiting the gym and partaking in all manner of fun sports, while the poor remain trapped and can only get about safely by bus or car. 1960s built UK cities are just as bad.

Anyway, whether you are for private healthcare or social, big pharma will still pull the strings. For if you go private, all manner of you don’t really need that* drugs will be pushed your way and Dr. Poppillski who appears on his personal website in a white coat wearing his trademark “Yes, I’m a real doctor!” stethoscope will be happy to accept a nice commission from his supplier. (Sadly, a certain Mr. Jackson may well have contributed to such a cause – to the benefit of all but he.) On the other hand, with social medicine, the billions of tax payer dollars will be available to thrust yet more you don’t really need that drugs onto the unwashed masses. And who knows what all that stuff does once it goes down the toilet and then makes it way back into our water supply over the years. But who cares, the duplicitous lobbyists can use their donations to move up to the hills and live off bottled water. Nothing changes does it?

*Acid reflux medicine? Really! Just drink a few glasses of warm water and cut down on all those simple carb laden pizzas and fizzy drinks!

Fight back club: Live as healthy as possible (see Lifetips section) and spend as little as possible on those you don’t really need that drugs, because unless you break a leg, your bod will self repair in it’s own time. That’s biotech for you!

Ads that know

In the early 1990s I made some notes on a concept I referred to as MAD, or Multimedia ADvertising. Back then, there was no (public) web and we were still consuming our content via broadcast television, radio and physical media. But once the concept of the connected world began to enter the fray, I thought about how advertising could be tailored to suit the consumer of digital media, considering we would be able to analyse their profile. Of course, today, this is nothing new, but coming soon will be (‘offline’) live profiling. This will target outdoor advertising to the very individual(s) consuming the content at that specific moment in time based on all manner of factors including age, sex, who you are with – and no doubt, one day, via a connected billboard, your social networking profile and biometric sensors.

However, and this is a big however, since even the 1980s, it occurred to me that ‘filtered’ advertising may have the very opposite effect of what the free market was originally designed to encourage – free thought!

Discovering a new product or product concept by viewing a static advertisement (whether in print or online) may introduce that product to you – just as seeing a friend or relative with a new item (car, TV, book, compact disc etc) may also be a revelation. For example, I purchased my first car (an Audi Coupe GT) because a friend of the family turned up at our house in one and I thought it looked great. In addition, in my travels, while you dear reader may have observed otherwise, I have noticed NO improvement in the quality of life between nations that are saturated with advertising and those that were or are more conservative. Cairo and middle America are covered in ads, yet each is just a tad third worldish, while some Scandinavian countries that frown upon tacky advertising and commercialism offer lifestyles that are envied!

Pulled, not pushed (1988)

No matter, it is of course proven that advertising delivers two major benefits, (not including the huge amount of fun it is to work in the creative side of the business!):
a) To strengthen the brand in the eyes of potential or actual customers.
b) It boosts the morale of staff at the company being advertised. For example, in the 1980s before the British power companies were privatised, and despite lacking competition, the CEGB would show advertisements on TV. Apparently, this was to maintain staff morale.

To conclude and get back to my original train of thought, will these high tech advertising systems reverse discovery based capitalism and supplant it with new demographic groups who are ‘programmed’ to purchase or signup to specific products or services – not so much because they are brainwashed or instructed to, but because they are unaware that alternative outlets for parting with their money exist at all?

Imagine a magazine or city street that only featured advertisements for mobile phones, perfume and clothing – but no ads for cars or designer furniture. How would people aspire to something they may not be able to afford or legally own at that time, but may be able to acquire in the future?

Just a thought. And remember, not a new one. I’ve been thinking about this since the 1980s when we travelled to France – a supposedly socialist country, and being amazed at its modernity and how the cars and public transport were even better and more futuristic than those in the UK or America. Advertising really is all about ego! All said, an intelligent service such as that proposed by Samsung could become socially valuable too. If it detects you are looking unwell, Dr. Know could call the ambulance or point you to the nearest pharmacy, offering a drug promotion code that pays a commission to the owner of the smart billboard. Now there’s a corporate dystopian idea – powered by Big Pharma!

Fight back club: Look around.

Update: Looks like the American public concur

Patents, time for change

On the same day, two separate comments that should be considered and adopted. The first from a lawyer at Microsoft proposes that patents become global. The other, from a British inventor, wants the law changed so that the theft of IP (intellectual property) be treated the same as the theft of a material item or copyright material.

Both these suggestions make sense, are fair and should be supported.  The current system puts up too many barriers to all but the cash rich corporate giant. Today, filing patents in several countries would cost a fortune and be subject to the differences in the laws of each nation – and be threatened by restrictions imposed if you want to file in one country and protect your invention in another. To replace this with a single all-in-one patent would make things easier for all parties.

Son, we’re flying on invention!

Fight back club: Governments? Do the right thing and help provide us innovators the incentive to turn more of our ideas into reality and subsequently employ people to build, sell and support them. Thank you!

Most excellent news

One of the most destructive forces in media history is to be canned.

The show (whose execution was an opportunity lost) has turned a whole generation of Brits into narcissistic airheads while fattening the bank accounts of plastic surgeons and manipulative media execs everywhere. All this to such an extent that the whole country has sunk so low that apart from the more enlightened types who post below the aforementioned Times story, few in power appear to grasp the station of the nation and how and why it got into such a mess.

My views on all this have been splattered across this blog feed and the Dumb and Dumbstruck or Towards Dystopia sections of Vision Aforethought for ages now, so I’ll refrain from any more pontificating.

Fight back club: Bring back honor by encouraging the next generation of youth to take an interest in science and art, with all the benefits that brings to society and their own psychological well being.

He said, she said: Marina Hyde in The Guardian

If Apple don’t launch a tablet equal or better than this…

Click to enlarge

News

• August 26 2009: Until today, in order not to be influenced by other mockups, I had not used Google to research the use of the name ‘MacPad’. It seems someone did use it and has their idea posted on Flickr. I’ll leave mine as MacPad too though for now. I wonder if any company has ever had their future products pre-empted as much as Apple has? And how many have used a brand name concocted in a similar manner to this? The intellectual property ramifications are mind boggling, not to mention the effect on internal decision making and staff morale within companies such as Apple who garner so much external forethought.
• August 26 2009: Have modified the design slightly based on feedback and further thinking. Power button has been moved to the middle rear, although it could be positioned on an edge too.

Background

• When it comes to tablet ‘computing’, a well conceived form factor, pragmatic use of bleeding edge technology (think iPhone/iPod Touch) and a fluid human interface will be the most important non AI based paradigm shift since the first keyboard equipped computers of the 1950s. An intuitive electronic pad will free up our creative minds for the first time since the advent of pen and paper, something made extremely frustrating with our current clunky machinery. Therefore, whoever creates the first mass market device must get it right else the reputation of the product category will be damaged, as happened with the Newton before Palm launched the Palm Pilot and restored the viability of the PDA.
• I was in two minds whether to publish this due to the conflict of interests with my employer, the loss of some potential intellectual property and a pig headed concern that my own fantasy device may upstage the real thing. (Hopefully not!) However, I have considerable respect for some of what Apple do, and like many, believe that if anyone can and should get the tablet concept right, it will be them. (I also believe Palm and a restored Psion could pull this off too given the resources, but it may be too late, unless their value proposition is practical, affordable, and most importantly, extensible. Because smart consumers invest in a companies long term vision, not just the here and now.)
• The ideas presented here represent a mix of my own ideas and wishes, current Apple technology – and public domain industry rumor. The latter mainly associated with the screen size, that to date, is about the only snippet of believable gossip out there. All said, I have left out some ideas and detail, for obvious reasons.
• I first began drawing digital media pads in the early 1990s. Some of my ideas go back almost 17 years, except for the MagSafe – a fantastic Apple innovation. The first public outing of the media pad concept was in the ground breaking 1960s film, 2001 A Space Odyssey. Over 15 years ago I created a mockup of a similar potential Apple device and called it the PowerPad. I may upload it in the future sometime. (Along with many other drawings.)
• Due to time constraints, I have not had time to perfect the above drawing. There is some inconsistency between the size of the dock base in the main drawing and the three smaller orientation views. Not to mention the background around the Apple logo still shows a (subtle) square mask where it was composited into the rear elevation.

Name

• MacPad

A new product category, a new name? Or a return to Newton? Or even iBook?

This quote from Apple is interesting: ‘Tim Cook, its chief operating officer, said: “When I look at what is being sold in the netbook space, I see cramped keyboards, terrible software and junky hardware. And not something we would put the Mac brand on.” Note reference to the ‘Mac’ brand. While this could be a misquote or random remark (he may have meant to say ‘Apple’ brand), if the term ‘Mac’ is to be incorporated into Apple’s tablet device, this indicates a focus on OS X over iPhone OS and a possible use of the word MacBook, such as MacBook Touch or other permutation. Maybe they are working on a transportable with a removable swivel/flip out keyboard?

OS & storage

• Next generation of iPhone OS with full OS X Snow Leopard compatibility with the exception of advanced processor intensive graphics suited to desktop (Mac Pro) applications.
• 128GB SSD drive (upgradable)
• Mid performance graphics chips for decent game playing and ‘being creative on the sofa’ CAD, audio visual and graphic design work
• See ‘Connectivity’, below for MacPad I/O

Screen

• Based on a hybrid of sunlight readable eInk / ePaper and video rate LCD/OLED or other video rate display technology. There are companies working on this and Apple have a good record of getting their hands on bleeding edge developments first. If Apple do launch a MacPad whose primary purpose is the consumption of eBooks, it will be vital they use a display technology that prevents eye strain. Anyone who has tried reading a lengthy text on an iPhone or iPod Touch (or any other none eInk pocket devices) will understand how uncomfortable this is.
• 1280 x 800 300DPI minimum resolution to reduce the need to scroll around when viewing content or working on creative material. (Assuming 10″ diagonal.) I find zooming in and out of content a time consuming nuisance. We don’t zoom when reading (printed) books, newspapers or magazines, so we should not need to zoom with our gadgets.
• Hybrid resistive and capacitive technology so the MacPad can be used with a stylus.  Professionals and students will be able to take freehand notes, while artists and other creatives can sketch intuitively, finally freeing up the remaining side of their minds. If the MacPad is limited to consuming media only, then it will be a sore disappointment.
• There will be no stylus holder. This will allow people to choose their own pointing / sketching tool. It is likely 3rd parties will produce nice (real) book like covers for MacPad that will include a space for at least one pointing tool.

The MacPad dock – grab and go!

The key value proposition and what will make or break the convenience of being able to dispense with as many cables as possible and get on with being productive.

• Wireless charging and syncing dock that gives the appearance of the first generation LCD iMac, with the difference being you can simply lift the MacPad off the docking plate and be on your way. (Note that while my dock looks somewhat clunky, in reality, Apple will no doubt engineer something more succinct.)
  
• The docking plate is circular to ensure the MacPad can be rotated through any angle. (If the landscape and portrait positions where to be locked into place using guides or a square docking plate, then it will be impossible to slightly rotate the MacPad to compensate for an uneven surface.)
• The dock allows the MacPad to act as an ‘active’ digital picture frame when in screen saver mode. All manner of ‘ambient’ information could be displayed, including photos, live video, RSS feeds, Tweets etc.

Imaging

• On the front, a standard webcam, with one difference, when the MacPad is in portrait orientation, the camera will be to one side, so image processing software may need to compensate. (Only a use case scenario will be able to confirm this concern.)
• A decent 5MP or better auto focus camera and Xenon flash on the rear, creating a digicam with the world’s largest ‘viewfinder’. One would look a bit silly taking pictures with it, but the large screen would be ideal for touch to focus like features and composing a difficult scene. It would also eliminate the need to carry a separate camera and then have to upload images to the MacPad each time. Why not take photos (or shoot video) and edit the content right away?
• If the camera had a decent macro backed up with powerful image processing software, it could also suffice as a way to scan documents and photos. (AT&T and Apple have filed patents on actual displays that can see, so using a camera external to the screen may be redundant, although the inability to put your finger over a lens may cause privacy worries. Google: 1984 Viewscreen.)

Connectivity

For aesthetic and practical reasons, all ports will be located along what will be the base of the MacPad when it is in portrait orientation.

• ExpressCard slot to allow the latest wireless technology (HSDPA/WiMax/4G etc) to be installed locally to suit the distribution territory of the MacPad. IE, a WiMax module would be suited to some American University campuses until becoming more widespread. Is WiMax the same as 4G? Ah, it all depends on who you ask!
• WiFi
• Bluetooth
• Ethernet port
• 2 x USB ports along the base of the MacPad when in portrait orientation (These will be replicated on the dock base, along with a 3rd USB port.)
• Firewire 800 port
• 1080P (1920 x 1080) resolution Mini DisplayPort video out, so the MacPad can act as ones only ‘computer’ by connecting it to an external large screen (>20″) display. Rumor has it the Apple MacPad will act as an input device for their other Macs, so, like the 2G iPhone, one may still require two mainstream Apple products, in particular for power applications. See below for comment on two different tablet devices being prepared by Apple.
• Stereo audio in and out (The MacPad will make a fantastic audio visual editing tool when on the road, although I am not sure MacPad V1 will posses the power to handle HD video editing)
• Stereo microphones either side of the webcam or rear camera
• Twin headphone socket (one on each bottom edge of the MacPad)
• SD card slot (only if the MacPad is devoid of an auto focus camera)

Operational controls

With smart guestures able to perform most tasks when the MacPad is awake (or even snoozing?), mechanical controls will only be required for a limited number of features. And let us hope that Apple steer clear of touch buttons, they really are useless in practice – unless backed up with effective haptic feedback.

• Volume & mute
• Battery check (on one edge?)
• Power/reset botton. Should require quite a lot of force in order to prevent accidental activation while in the hand, or mount it on the ’spine’ of the MacPad.
• Mechanical shutter release for the auto focus camera
• Manual screen orientation rotation control, so you do not have to rely on those over sensitive internal sensors that anyone who owns a smart phone with know can be a nuisance!
  
• Display On/Off to conserve power during audio playback (This is not a high priority feature as it could be achieved through software.)
  
• Sleep LED On/Off to finally be rid of the (human) sleep disturbing pulsating LEDs common on Apple laptops and other gadgets. (Pulsating sleep LEDs do light up a bedroom!)
  
• DPad for those who hate touch screen gaming controls. Thing is, where to put it. A corner? That would spoil the aesthetic. I don’t think this is going to happen.
  

Misc

• Almost as thin as a Nokia E71 smart phone, and ultra light weight. (With the MacPad being designed for long term hand held use, a fatpad will induce fatigue.)
• The MacBook name (or Apple logo?) will be opaque and located in two positions to allow for the portrait and landscape orientations. The motion sensor will ensure only one MacPad word illuminates at any one time. Note that Sony did something similar with one of their rather swanky digital photo frames.
• Long life battery similar to the latest MacBook Pro machines. It would be really fantastic if Apple could develop a solar charger for all of their mobile products.
• Pop out stand for use when away from the dock. (Not shown.) This will need to be cleverly designed like those on the rear of some digital picture frames so the MacPad can be positioned in portrait or landscape orientation using the same stand.

Comments

• MacPad will mark the beginning of the end of the low to mid range laptop. And about time, because creative brain liberation is long overdue!
• As some have suggested, chances are there will be two tablet devices, one designed as a content reading/game playing device (a large iPod Touch/eBook), while the other even larger tablet (like the MacPad) will replicate the functionality of the smaller device as well as offering power user functionality – some of which I have hoped for above.
• By its nature, a tablet form factor device is going to be in contact with bare skin and/or ones lap area for a lengthy period of time, therefore no area of the MacPad should get hot, an issue that probably held it up, along with sourcing a decent display technology.  “Oh, and one last cool thing.”

*Keyboards use both sides of the brain, restricting the creative process.

…then someone will!

Mr. Blurry using his MacBook white to make a MacPad black. Sadly, for all its wonders, the otherwise still impressive Sony Ericsson K800i cameraphone does not allow the flash to be forced ON. A Panasonic TZ7 or LX3 may tempt until a flash equipped iYouKnowWhat is introduced by you know who…

Apple and the Apple logo are registered trademarks of Apple, Inc.
MagSafe is a trademark of Apple, Inc.

Reason No. 23 to stop biting ones nails

Ability to remove a microSD card from a mobile phone – and re-insert it snugly.

Bite back club: Dip fingers in battery acid every morning.

Proud to be British!

Exhibit A

Exhibit B

UK unemployment: Bring back apprenticeships

One or more skills is a priceless lifelong asset, therefore an apprenticeship is the perfect antidote to tough economic times. Young people still living with their parents and therefore devoid of major living expenses gain invaluable work experience, while struggling employers save on costly hirings until things improve and/or their apprentices are skilled enough to become worth something to the company.

I not only enjoyed my apprenticeship that ran in parallel with college, but it provided a skill set that was useful to my early employers and has since proven invaluable almost daily on both a personal and career level. Taking an interest in something is a proven way to earn a living and self respect – reducing the personal and social problems that can break a society.

Note the socialists posting on the BBC News website who suggest that HM gov should PAY the unemployed! Huh? When will these people learn that just as sustainable energy is good for you and the world around you, so, being a self sustaining human being offers the same benefits. Don’t take, make!

Related, this article from the Guardian attempts to imply that Mrs. Thatcher was responsible for unemployment in the 1980s. Wrong! (I know, I was there.) She took Britain out of the stone age and triggered the creation of the service and technology industries that are what powered the next boom and the brands that are surviving the current downturn because they are run by very savvy managers who get it. Mrs. T arrived in a time of mass unemployment caused by industries and unions engaged in obsolete concepts. The way she has been demonised by the BBC and others over the last few years is appalling. She had honor, was completely uncorrupted, full of common sense and significantly more intelligent than any of the current political class. Her somewhat cold persona may have been due to the fact Mrs. Thatcher was a scientist and so took a fairly rational approach to issues that others may have dealt with more compassion.

Fight back club: Bored? Disconnect from the social net, stop watching ‘reality’ TV, hit the library and teach yourself trade and professional skills – after all, who is going to build the gadgets, buildings, solar farms and space ships of the future? If you’re Mr Grumpy in Frumpton, write to your MP and suggest the government support apprenticeships. They worked here in the 1980s and work in Germany, a country teaming with technical talent and, therefore, desirable and increasingly eco friendly automobiles. Not to mention some of the most advanced solar technology in the world. So, go make it so!

Food security

With regards to this issue,  a year or so ago, I recall reading about huge greenhouses located somewhere in southern England. They are able to produce top quality fruit and veg – some of which would normally be imported. This not only guarantees a reliable food supply no matter the weather conditions outside, but reduces the carbon footprint too.

(Will add a link to the article when I get time to find it again.)

What is incredible (but not surprising, considering the types of people who enter such markets), is how bio fuels crops are being allowed, despite their dubious environmental benefits and of course, the fact they occupy land formerly used for food production.

Aeroponics technology being developed by and for space agencies to grow food in space during long journeys is already starting to produce offshoots – no pun intended! – down here on Earth. See Fight Back Club, below.

All said, most of the predictions made over the years appear to warn us that fresh water supplies will be the problem, not so much food itself.

Fight back club: Get an allotment or a Power Plant aeroponics technology mini allotment! Avoid anything powered by bio fuels, a source of energy that is, to put it bluntly, even worse than our current major source of liquid energy.

Remember folks, solar is the way forward, so if you get a Power Plant, plug it into that solar panel you purchased from Maplin.

Eye know

Natal is eye. Eye am Natal.
Eye talk to Bing. Eye talk to Yahoo. Eye talk to Facebook. Eye talk to you.
Eye glance at Google.
Eye know who you are. Eye know what you are. Eye know where you are. Eye know why you are. Eye know how you feel. Eye know what you know. Eye know.
So you no longer have to.

So state your purpose?