Posted on Jun 9, 2008

Demo of the Android Platform – Augmented Reality via Maps

For those who keep asking for the link to the Android platform “augmented reality” app, here is the video and related article.

YouTube Preview Image

Apple is going to be hating the competition once everyone has these as an open platform… too bad they are 2 years ahead of everyone else ;)

via Android community

Posted on Mar 10, 2008

Java is a rusty-assed ball and chain

Steve Jobs knows what people need, period. As such the following quote is well suited:

“Java’s not worth building in. Nobody uses Java anymore. It’s this big heavyweight ball and chain.”

- Apple CEO Steve Jobs, Feb. 2007

Sun’s announcement that they will create a Java platform for the iPhone is like a wet noodle hitting the ground. “Plop”… who cares! The very specific wording used in the Apple iPhone SDK is as follows:

An Application may not itself install or launch other executable code by any means, including without limitation through the use of a plug-in architecture, calling other frameworks, other APIs or otherwise. No interpreted code may be downloaded and used in an Application except for code that is interpreted and run by Apple’s Published APIs and built- in interpreter(s).

Thus the only way Sun can maybe enable Java on the iPhone is to create a developer API / library that is used to build standalone Java applications. These could then be sold individually on the Apple store, if Apple permits this. This of course would also prohibit a Java runtime and the running of local jar files. The last thing I need on an iPhone is another layer of interpreted byte code so I can see some shitty swing interface, some slow running monstrosity, a java.io.exception, and random reboots. For that, I have a Blackberry 8800. I think I will take a silky smooth UI that has $100 million in application innovations around the corner. Apple knows best for consumer electronics. Also, some great slashdot comments (1 2) on this issue!

post title concept from Digital Daily

Posted on Apr 24, 2007

Gartner research, sharp as a sack of wet mice

Good thing we have this brilliant insight out there from the geniuses at Gartner:

If AT&T announces that it will be marketing the phone to enterprise customers, “we’d be against it,” said Ken Dulaney, an analyst with Gartner, who said he hasn’t heard of such a plan from the operator. “We’d immediately tell our customers that’d be a very serious mistake.”

No matter what kind of reputation a vendor has, if it’s making its first phone, Dulaney would be unlikely to recommend it. “Building a phone is one of the most difficult things to do,” he said.

Brilliant and well thought out analysis. Almost as amazing as this little gem:

Companies like to extend corporate apps to the mobile space and in order to do that you need an open OS

Wow, what a show stopper. Oh wait, the iPhone has a browser. Ever heard of the web? Sheesh, who is going to write java apps for mobile devices when you have web applications!