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Monday, 31 July 2006
Another iPhone Update
OK, two iPhone posts in one day, sorry. This one is more of a discussion topic, though.I was talking with a friend about what might be included on an iPhone, were one actually about to be announced next week, bouncing potential features back and forth. Here's my take on the list.
What I would want:
- Phone capability -- Obviously, if it's a phone, I want to be able to call people with it.
- E-mail -- I want it to be compatible with the e-mail I get through Apple Mail.
- iChat -- Yeah, my current phone has IM capability, and I hardly ever use it. But I want something more like actual iChat on my phone, and I want VoIP to other iChat-capable phones and to computers with iChat.
- Bluetooth -- Another obvious one, but I have to say this now to lay the groundwork for the next entry:
- Mac Syncing -- With iCal and Address Book. Easy syncing. Both ways.
- Camera -- With the tiny, tiny iSights that are in Mac notebooks now, it really wouldn't make sense not to have one on the phone.
- Remote control -- Sure, why not? Let me use the phone for the same functions I currently don't use my Front Row remote for.
- Music -- Being an Apple phone, it's probably going to have some sort of iTunes functionality. But, you know what? I don't really care. If my phone were my iPod, I might use it for both, but I'd rather have a "true video iPod" and a decent phone than both together.
- Photos -- iPods sync with iPhoto, so will iPhones? In some ways, it might be nice, like if there's an easy way to add a picture to a phonebook listing or to the wallpaper of the phone. But carrying around a big collection of pictures? Eh.
- Video -- I do want video iChat capability to other iChat phones and to Macs. And I want to be able to take pictures and shoot video with my phone like I can now. But beyond that, like watching video clips or something on my phone? Again, eh.
- Web browsing -- Again, it's Apple, so why wouldn't it have a version of Safari on board? That said, I don't know how much I'd use it without the phone being larger than I would want it to be.
- Full-featured PDA -- I guess it's a possibility. If Apple enters the PDA market again, it's going to be in a way that does not in anyway evoke the Newton, and riffing off the iPod could do that. That said, despite the fact that it's like the buzzword for the the naughties (our nameless current decade), I'm not a big fan of convergence. I want my devices to do what they do well, more than I want them to do multiple things. I have a hard time imagine a device that would be convenient to use as a PDA that wouldn't be a clunky phone.
- Mini Mac OS X -- You can have the iPhone in the next few months, or you can have it with a version of OS X. But not both. I don't think there's going to be a "lite" version of OS X until Leopard, at the earliest. But, then, I would have thought the same thing about Intel and Tiger, so there you go.
- Application support -- Pretty much the same situation.
So, what do you want your iPhone to do?
And if you were handicapping the odds of what it will do -- you know, if it actually ever exists -- what do you think?
STS-125 Update
For the Hubble-huggers in the ATW audience, Space.com has a look at the safety issues involved in HSM-4.According to the article, Griffin has said no decision will be made until after the end of STS-115.
The one thing NASA could do that would give me some degree of confidence in a Hubble mission, and I realize there are reasons why this won't happen, would be to launch two station missions so that both are in space at the same time. (I realize flight rules say they can't both be docked at the same time, but even if one launched the day before the other was to land, there would be an overlap, and that would give the station crew a little bit of time to regroup.) Doing this successfully would prove that it would be possible to send a rescue crew up in the event of damage to an orbiter on the servicing mission. (Of course, truth be told, Hubble aside, I just would like to see them do this once before the shuttle's retired. Oh well.)
STS-115 Update
Per NASA:Due to weather conditions, the scheduled roll out of Space Shuttle Atlantis to Launch Pad 39B was delayed. The new target time for first motion is set for no earlier than 10:00 p.m. EDT tonight.
The launch window for this mission to resume construction of the International Space Station opens Aug. 27. During their 11 days in space, the astronauts will install the integrated P3/P4 truss segment with its two large solar arrays that will provide one-fourth of the total power generation capability of the completed station.
OK, that's an argument against me trying to go see the launch. This delay, and the fact that the new launch date is the day before the anniversary of Katrina, might make one believe there's a chance there may be some weather issues for 115 as well. Who knows, though?
Of course, with a Sept. 1 deadline for the book, I may be otherwise occupied around that time anyway. (Though, really, I should have placed the manuscript in the mail by then, and be ready to celebrate.)
Addendum: OK, so now there's talk of a Saturday launch. Which would change things again. Hrm.
Casting My Vote
OK, I just did something cool. (Well, to me, at least.)For the first time, I just cast my proxy vote as a shareholder of a public corporation in preparation for SpaceDev, Inc.'s annual shareholder meeting next week.
Nothing major on the docket, and my shares have exactly zero sway, I realize, but even so it's somewhat exciting to be actually participating, in a very very very minor way, in the future of commercial spaceflight. To be honest, I bought SpaceDev in no small part because they were cheap, though their SpaceShipOne connection (and accompanying slight Huntsville connection) was certainly a factor, also.
Now, though, I'm somewhat partial to their plans for the Dream Chaser, and would love to see it become a reality.
iPhone Update
Say, hypothetically, you were one of those people who like coming up with internet rumors. Specifically, Apple rumors. The Apple community whips itself up into such a rumor frenzy pre-Stevenote that if you can come up with a good enough one, you can see your work on fairly major Apple sites, and snicker to your friends at what you've pulled off.The trick is come up with a believable combination of what and when. You need a product, and you need an announcement time. If those two are good enough, you just make up a few details, and you're gold.
The second part, this time of year, is obvious. The when is Stevenote. For the what, there are several obvious options. The Mac Pro, in fact, is too obvious. I'd be willing to put money on that one. Better choices, for getting people excited, at least, are the "true video iPod" and the "iPhone," both of which are now firmly ingrained in the Mac afficianado consciousness but lack much in the way of firm evidence.
So that's why I'm taking the Engadget report over the weekend with a grain of salt. A friend of a friend took photos of this Apple phone that's supposed to come out in August? I mean, how hard would that be to come up with.
That said, it's looking like there actually is maybe a small amount of evidence that a phone is coming soon, in the form of references in the latest iPod firmware to phone functions.
Anyway, Stevenote is one week from today. We'll see soon enough.
Ah, George
Looking ahead to the Theatrical Version releases of the original Star Wars trilogy, DVD Active takes a look at all the ways Lucas Special Edition'd up the Prequel Trilogy for its DVD release. (Among other things, giving the shaft to poor old Warwick Davis, the hardest working short guy in Star Wars who isn't Kenny Baker.)Dude, just lay off already. Sheesh.
Superman, Cut Again
Good news! It appears that the new Donner Cut of Superman II is not going to be included in the big super-deluxe (er, so to speak) Superman box set coming out in November.That's good news because the new version is reportedly going to be sold separately. I'm really interested in seeing it, but was not to keen on the idea of having to buy a $80 Supes box set in order to see it. I mean, I like Superman and all, and would be kinda interested in the four-discs for Supes I and the two for Supes II, but really don't care much about paying that much so that I can also have III, IV and Supergirl. Paying $25 (MSRP, so it'll be less when it's released) for the Supes II re-cut is a much more prospect.
Now, if they'd put together a "trilogy" box set with I, II and Returns when it's released, that might be tempting.
Friday, 28 July 2006
Aliens Among Us
It turns out, according to Project P.R.O.V.E. at least, that a UFO was spotted during the STS-121 mission. Not only that, but a self-luminous UFO the size of a small city that wasn't noticed from the ground, despite being at cloud level.
Soaring Eagle
I don't do a lot of comic book blogging here, but, I have to say that I really enjoyed the one-shot Astro City Samaritan Special that came out this week.The current Dark Ages maxi-series is OK, but this stand-alone made me remember why I fell in love with the series.
STS-115 Update
As speculated, the STS-115 launch of Atlanis has been moved forward one day due to scheduling conflicts with the Expedition 14 crew's Soyuz launch.The launch is now scheduled for August 27, at 4:29:47 p.m. EDT.
(I've said I wouldn't even consider trying to go to this launch unless it were moved, so this complicates things for me. Oh well.)
The OG UMPC
Per TUAW:Way back in March Dave Caolo wrote a post called 'I already have an Ultra-Mobile PC: It's called a Newton' with tongue planted firmly in cheek. It would seem that Cnet UK agrees with Dave.
They pitted a Messagepad 2100 against a Samsung Q1 and unbelievably the Newton won. It won based on battery life (two double AA's power it for 30 hours) and price. I'm not expecting to see a resurgence of Newtons out there but it would be nice, wouldn't it?
It took me a little while to really find a niche for my Newton (The WiFi capability, for example, while very cool, turned out, for me, not to have much practical application), but now that I realized I could use my PDA as a PDA, it's become a permanent feature for me, having succeeded and getting my sort of halfway organized, at least in my schedule.
Thursday, 27 July 2006
Pitching In
An announcement sent out today at work: "Come out and support your fellow Marshall employees as they take on the Army in an all-star softball game."
I mean, I love NASA as much as the next guy, but I have to say, I'm really hoping the Army wins this one. If our Army can't even beat NASA personnel in a physical contest, that's just kinda scary.
Dude, I'm So Faced
This week's new Hatbag is online, along with a little bonus bit that only a few of our readers will be able to enjoy. 'Cause that's the kinda people we are. Deal with it.As always, please vote Hatbag. Thanks.
Regular Richie Feature
Yeah, it's kinda soon to be doing another Regular Richie Feature, but I got one of my favorite recent search strings. It doesn't seem to really go anywhere, so I'm really curious what inspired it:A few other recent searches:- space camp movie pics
- trek tokyopop
- STS-125 rumors and space shuttle
- mickey mouse ears
- STS-120 UFO
- CEV rumor NASA blog
- all these worlds hitt
- 0('.')0
- Enzo khayat
Aqua Interface
OK, I'm slow. I'd seen the news about all the new WB content on iTMS, and had seen that the Aquaman pilot was among it, but I don't know that I knew that the show hadn't been picked up.I have no idea if this has happened before, but the idea of a dead pilot being made available like this is rather cool, in my opinion. I don't know that I'll be watching Aquaman, since, frankly, there's a reason I didn't know it hadn't been picked up, but I certainly wouldn't mind having a decent copy of, say, the Global Frequency pilot.
Wednesday, 26 July 2006
Monopoly On Debit Cards
There's a new British version of Monopoly that replaces the game's colorful cash with VISA cards.
Space Falls
Per The Baltimore Sun:[Bill Pullman]'s in Baltimore to fine-tune Expedition 6, the play that he has written and is directing about three astronauts, two Americans and one Russian, who were stranded on the International Space Station in 2003. (The play still is being developed, but the public is invited to attend two open rehearsals this weekend.)
...
After the shuttle Columbia exploded on Feb. 1, 2003, killing all seven crew members, space missions were halted temporarily. Americans Kenneth Bowersox and Donald Pettit and Russian cosmonaut Nikolai Budarin were forced to spend an additional two months orbiting 240 miles above Earth.
When they did attempt re-entry in a tiny Russian Soyuz spacecraft in May 2003, the crew lost radio control with aeronautics officials for 90 minutes and landed nearly 290 miles off course, in the steppes of Kazakhstan.
...
Until Expedition 6, Pullman never had written a play, but he was captivated by the plight of the trio and their eventual rescue.
"This story never got the attention it deserved," he says. "On March 20, 2003, the war started, and for months afterward, everything else that happened in the world was sort of buried in the back of the paper."
...
Pullman instantly realized the potential of actors on trapezes for dramatizing a story about space exploration, and he and McCray Rincon joined forces. Expedition 6 incorporates excerpts from such sources as the Quran, newspaper interviews with the astronauts, speeches by Osama bin Laden and NASA reports, and it features recent graduates of the theater training program.
As Pullman read and wrote and thought, the rescue of the three explorers gradually formed into a metaphor. The two Americans and one Russian were alone, adrift and tremendously vulnerable. Their plight symbolized the fragility of the very notion of international brotherhood. Every time that year that Pullman picked up a newspaper, he was struck by the ease with which that ideal could be shattered.
"What we have in mind is to take Expedition 6 to 10 cities with connections with the aerospace industry," Pullman says. "We'd also like to have ancillary activities going on around it: lectures and panel discussions, a real Chautauqua kind of a thing," he says, referring to an educational movement that flourished throughout the United States in the early 20th century.
STS-115 Update
FaceTunes
So Facebook and iTunes are teaming up to distribute free music samplers. On the one hand, you don't get to pick the music, and it's not like I'm hurting for iTunes give-away tracks in my collection. On the other, hey, free music.The catch is, I'd have to register for Facebook (which apparently I can do, though it seems not everyone can). Does anyone have any experience with Facebook? Is it worth the time and effort?
Funny 'Cause It's "True"
Per The Onion:Wikipedia, the online, reader-edited encyclopedia, honored the 750th anniversary of American independence on July 25 with a special featured section on its main page Tuesday.
"It would have been a major oversight to ignore this portentous anniversary," said Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, whose site now boasts over 4,300,000 articles in multiple languages, over one-quarter of which are in English, including 11,000 concerning popular toys of the 1980s alone. "At 750 years, the U.S. is by far the world's oldest surviving democracy, and is certainly deserving of our recognition," Wales said. "According to our database, that's 212 years older than the Eiffel Tower, 347 years older than the earliest-known woolly-mammoth fossil, and a full 493 years older than the microwave oven."
Tuesday, 25 July 2006
Saving Skylab
Finally, a much-needed effort is beginning to restore the deteriorating Skylab mock-up at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center here in Huntsville.I'm very excited to see this project getting started; it's really a shame what has been allowed to happen to this relic.
(Not much to post at the moment -- though there are some of my pictures at that link -- I'm mainly just posting this as a heads-up because I'll almost certainly be following up as they get further in the project.)
Enduring Spirit
The Spirit rover on Mars has passed another milestone -- it's now operated for 10 times its nominal mission.Originally planned with a 90-sol lifespan, Spirit recently marked its 900th sol on the Red Planet.
Used tags: mars, nasa, rovers, space
Hundreds Of Worlds
Per USA Today:In real life, science fiction turns into science with little fanfare, certainly a disappointment for fans of zap guns, teleportation and mini-skirted aliens. Take the discovery of planets circling nearby stars — a minor sensation a few years ago, but now almost humdrum. With little fanfare though, planet detectives have now found an astounding 200 planets orbiting nearby stars.
A little more than a decade ago, that number was zero. Since that time, planet detections have confirmed astronomers' suspicions stretching back centuries, along with many a space opera writer's plot outline.
More iPod Rumors
The big question raised by the rumors of an all-screen-front iPod is how does it stay clean?Rumors earlier this year would have you believe that the "true video iPod" would have a screen that took up its entire front, without the traditional physical scroll wheel. Instead, a scroll wheel would appear on the touch-sensitive screen and would allow you to control the iPod. But if you control the thing by rubbing your fingers on the screen, what keeps fingerprints from obscuring what you're watching?
Of course, those rumors may have no validity to them whatsoever. But, if there is some truth there, MacRumors may have the answer -- you don't touch the screen.
The site is reporting a rumor that the new iPods will feature new technology that can detect gestures near the screen, so you could, for example, just point at the scroll wheel and operate it without touching it. If true, that would be the coolest iPod development yet.
Look, Ma, No Tail
So, yeah, a