Steve Jobs and His Legacy

Today, the world lost a truly great man.

Steve Jobs, father of Apple Computers, passed away after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.

Although he isn't with us anymore, we can rest assured that he won't soon be forgotten. He instilled in this generation and those past a love for technology. He turned something rigid and data-oriented into something beautiful and human. He made a small bunch of circuits the iPod, and proceeded to the change the world with it. Time and time again he'd shake the foundations of the computing industry with his devotion to simplicity and undying love of innovation.

But, not only did he pioneer the world of technology, but he singlehandedly assured the creation of Pixar Animation Studios at a time when nobody else would believe in them. In a press release from just moments ago, John Lasseter and Ed Catmull say:

Steve Jobs was an extraordinary visionary, our very dear friend and the guiding light of the Pixar family. He saw the potential of what Pixar could be before the rest of us, and beyond what anyone ever imagined. Steve took a chance on us and believed in our crazy dream of making computer animated films; the one thing he always said was to simply 'make it great.' He is why Pixar turned out the way we did and his strength, integrity and love of life has made us all better people. He will forever be a part of Pixar’s DNA. Our hearts go out to his wife Laurene and their children during this incredibly difficult time.

Steve was also heavily involved with Disney in the past decade or so, after all of his Pixar stock awarded him a seat on the Board once Disney acquired Pixar. Bob Iger, CEO of Disney, had this to say:

Steve Jobs was a great friend as well as a trusted advisor. His legacy will extend far beyond the products he created or the businesses he built. It will be the millions of people he inspired, the lives he changed, and the culture he defined. Steve was such an "original," with a thoroughly creative, imaginative mind that defined an era. Despite all he accomplished, it feels like he was just getting started. With his passing the world has lost a rare original, Disney has lost a member of our family, and I have lost a great friend. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Laurene and his children during this difficult time.

The world is certainly a little bit brighter thanks to Steve. He was a truly unique individual with a love for the minimal, a passion for technology and moving forward, and a thirst for life he shared with so many during his outstanding life.

Steve, you will be missed, but never forgotten.

Image: Courtesy of Disney/Pixar

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Wooden iPad 2 Cover

Briefy: I know I don't post much about gadgets anymore, but this is just way too cool for me to pass up. Above, you'll find a video from Miniot, an awesome company based in Holland, demonstrating their brand new "smart cover"-esque cover for the iPad 2...and it is made out of wood! Very classy and cool. I stuck with my original iPad 'cause the sequel didn't entice me enough, but now I'm having second thoughts...

The case is going to be released tomorrow, March 25, in several types of wood, starting at €50, or about $70, which ain't a bad price, considering Apple's dorky, boring leather cases are the same price.

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iPhone 3.0 Details Announced [UPDATED]

Today Apple had an invitation-only event where they gave up all of their secrets regarding the next iPhone update: 3.0.

Here is a quick run-down of what to expect from the new software update coming out this summer:

• Copy/Paste: This is the most exciting. Copy/Paste should have been offered from 1.0, but, little matter, because we are getting it this summer! Apple says that it will be used by touching and dragging small "grab points" with a pop-up offering cut, copy, or paste. This functionality also includes the ability to copy and paste photos, as well as "shake to undo".
• MMS: This is another function available on the simplest of handsets that Apple has oddly been ignoring, but now they are including it in the iPhone's various functionalities. You will be able to send and receive photos, audio files, contacts, and more, although this functionality is only availabl on the iPhone 3G due to "hardware limitations" on the 1st generation.
• A2DP stereo Bluetooth: All this means is now you can connect headphones and speakers via bluetooth rather than the headphone jack. A very nice feature.
• Spotlight Search: A screen to the left of your first home screen which will allow for a universal search of your phone.
• Tethering: The ability to make your iPhone a modem has been put into the 3.0 update, although the carriers will have the final say on whether or not it will be present, as well as pricing plans regarding this.
• P2P: Peer-to-Peer meaning that you can connect to other iPhones to transfer files or play multiplayer games without the need of a Wifi network; both iPhones will be able to automtically connect with one another with no set-up required.
• Push: This is also an overdue feature which will allow instant messaging apps and other apps like them to receive messages and alert you to that fact without having to be open.
• Turn-by-Turn GPS: Apple is finally allowing developers to release apps with turn-by-turn directions; a feature that has been holding people back from calling the iPhone a true GPS device.
  

The update will be free to all iPhone owners "this summer", and will cost iPod Touch owners $9.95.

Engadget has a nice complete list of some other small things added by Apple, but these are all of the big ones. All we're missing now is the ability to record video and Flash. Anyway, I am pretty pleased with these new features; they add almost all of the features that the iPhone needs to become a truly great smartphone (although it is already, in my opinion, the best phone available).

UPDATE: Here is a nice 90-second video of the most exciting portion of the Apple event:

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Stitch Humidifier and Television

Here are two rather odd products both featuring your favorite small, blue alien that resides in Hawaii.


The first is a Stitch humidifier which is a product from a Japanese company. It belches plumes of fresh air right next to your computer. How nice. But, at around $100 a pop, this USB humidifier seems a little bit ridiculous--cute--but ridiculous.


The second is another product released from the same Japanese company. It is a 20-inch LCD TV that has a full-size stitch climbing over it, complete with movable jaw to cover or reveal controls. But this TV is also a bit pricey at around $1,015.

These are, sadly, only available in Japan, presumably due to their obsession with small, cute animals like Pooh and Stitch.

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The G1 Review for the iPhone Owner

We received our G1 today, and its awesome. Here are the unboxing shots. It is officially released this Wednesday, but most people who pre-ordered on the first day they became available are receiving their phones today. Keep in mind that over the course of the review, I'll constantly be making comparisons to the iPhone, seeing as I have one, and the two phones are now competitors. Now on to the review!


Hardware: At a glance, the G1 is big. It is significantly larger than the sleek iPhone 3G. The G1 weighs almost 1 ounce more, and is much thicker. This is a trade-off, however, for the physical keyboard that is a must have for many users. The G1 features a brilliant screen that is slightly smaller than that of the iPhone, but is still bright and very user-friendly. The keyboard feels sturdy, as the rest of the phone. Another thing worth mentioning is that the camera on the G1 is 3-megapixels, compared to the iPhone's 2-megapixels. Another major difference between the G1 and the iPhone is that the G1 has a removable battery, when the iPhone doesn't; this is a major inconvenience for iPhone users, and it doesn't really make sense to me that Apple would do this... Our reviewing unit is Black, but it also comes in White and Brown. Overall, we give hardware a 8/10, due to some nuisances while typing on the keyboard, and the bulkiness of the phone. Oh, yeah, and no headphone jack!



Software: This is the main difference between the iPhone 3G and the G1. The G1 is Open-Source, iPhone is proprietary. This is a fancy way of saying that Apple has locked up all of their units so they can regulate what is put on them, where Android doesn't regulate anything, and doesn't care. This is an awesome thing because it makes the phone extremely customizable and allows any apps to be installed. And, although it isn't fully integrated into the apps yet, the G1 features an accelerometer similar to that of the iPhone. The G1 does beat iPhone in 2 more major ways: all applications can run in the background, and MMS is included. The G1's tight integration with Google applications is another nice feature. Another place that the iPhone beats the G1 at is the iPhone's UI and multi-touch capability. No-one can compare with Apple's clean design and intuitive controls. They are flawless and are beautiful. The Android's UI is nice, but its nowhere near Apple quality. Also, one of the main features of the iPhone is its multi-touch functionality, which allows for the "pinch zoom", etc. Multi-touch is incredible to use, but is nowhere to be seen on the G1. We give the software a 9/10 because of its openness and cleanliness (but Apple's UI still kicks butt).



Final Thoughts: The G1 is a great phone. It comes packed with great apps (Go, Compass Mode!), and more apps can be added through the ever-growing Android Marketplace. Although it is chubbier than the iPhone, it makes up for this with physical keys and a removable battery. The Software is also revolutionary in the sense that it is completely open source, which is great for functionality and customization. But the software, as of right now, lacks the basics of an accelerometer, multi-touch functionalities, and an Apple-level User-Interface. Overall, we give the G1 a 7/10, and the iPhone 3G an 8/10.


The G1 does beat the iPhone in many ways, but the iPhone beats the G1 in more ways: multi-touch capabilities, sleek design, smooth UI, and the overall awesome feel of using Apple's cellular platform. So, I think I'll stick with my iPhone 3G for now, but definitely swap it out for a G3 or G4 after the basics are added, the UI is worked on, and the kinks are worked out.


Here is a comparison chart between the iPhone 3G and the T-Mobile G1 made by Fortune:


(Now that you've read the review, check out the unboxing!)

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T-Mobile G1 Unboxing

Here's our G1 that arrived via UPS today! Here are the unboxing photos, and a review should be up very soon.










Keep checking back for a comprehensive review of the G1!

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3G iPhone Launch Imminent on June 9?

According to various reliable sources, the long-anticipated 3G iPhone is to be announced on June 9 at the WWDC Keynote. It is said to be available for world-wide sale on or around June 18. Another way in which this launch will be different from the 1st-gen's, is that this phone will not be fixed at a certain price. I guess only time will tell...

(via Gizmodo)

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