Finally, a simple cell phone!
My Treo 600 recently died a hard death. I had to learn a new cell phone, a relatively low end one, and it was a serious undertaking.
Someone I know recently did a 90 minute drive in 3.5 hours because their car's GPS inadvertently was set in the 'avoid highways' settings and they were in unfamiliar territory, without a map, and so had no choice but to follow the long way.
I've seen this idea suggested elsewhere, but how a cell phone for people who don't read manuals? Why can't a cell phone be as easy to operate as a regular telephone? (Yes, the new home cordless sets with built in answering machines are almost as complex as cell phones!)
It seems someone has finally done it! Thank you KDDI, Kyocera and Toshiba.
Originally posted on Sep 19, 2005. Reprinted courtesy of ReRuns plug-in.
More on the Electric Car
After an interesting comment on my previous post on Electric Cars topic, "Who Killed the Electric Car" suddenly I am seeing stuff about this topic all over the place.
Here's a great article from the current Atlantic Monthly about GM's new shot at electric car fame and fortune (hopefully)
"Still, he hesitated. GM had called him because of his deep experience with battery-driven electric cars. In the 1990s, he hadworked on GM’s EV1, an all-electric technological masterpiece that had done so poorly commercially that GM wound up crushing the cars amid a hail of public condemnation. Farah had been fiercely committed to the EV1, and he was not about to relive the disappointment.“Hell, no,” he said. “I’ve been on programs like this before. They’re not real.” (from "Electro Shock Therapy, Atlantic Monthly")
Does cast another light on the whole EV-1 story. Now I want a Volt!
Who Killed the Electric Car? (And why Wikipedia is GREAT)
I just saw the movie "Who Killed the Electric Car" which makes a pretty compelling case that years ago General Motors had a working and practical electric car which they took off the market under what are portrayed as suspicious circumstances.
It's an interesting movie but part of me, while never underestimating the corruption and incompetence in government and industry, still felt like there must be another side of the story.
Here's an article in Wikipedia about the film "Who Killed The Electric Car" and evidence in support and opposition to the case made in the movie. While one might quibble similarly with the Wikipedia article, it is replete with references and links to other sites which tell other sides of the story.
Interesting.
Cuil vs. Google
By now if you probably heard about Cuil, the new search engine that claims to be the biggest (since when does size matter when it comes to search engines?) And secondly is being given a PR pass because it was created by 'ex-Google employees' - I guess that's a major element for success?
Anyway, after doing my obvious test searches, like Curacao, Arlington Mass, and BlogBridge, I thought I would try each against an actual useful search I had been doing over the weekend:
*ipod cradle wireless sync*
See the results for yourself: Google results and Cuil Results.
Anyway it's just one test, but for me the Cuil results for the ipod cradle produced no results at all!
Give everyone the benefit of the doubt though:
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Why are people making a fuss about the fact that it was down on day one?
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I will check my test search again in coming days because it easily good be a transient condition
Should he have signed the letter?
Ok this is a bit irreverent.
There's been a spat relating to the note that Barack Obama wrote and left in the stones of the Western Wall (the "wailing wall"). This tradition goes way back.
I agree that this was an awful invasion of privacy and inappropriate, which is why I resist the strong temptation of putting a copy of the letter.
But how my weird mind works: the letter was a very nice generous and humble statement. But I found myself looking to the end to see how Mr. Obama 'signed' the letter. Well it was unsigned, which struck me for some reason as funny.
I mean I guess the intended recipient of the letter would know who wrote it. I guess that's the difference between a letter and a prayer.
Credit card activation: security or reverse marketing?
So I received two new Discover cards , with supposed enhanced security features. I didn't ask for them, they just sent them to me. I got a new account number which is a pain because various merchants directly bill my credit card and they will have to be updated, by me.
You know the little stickers on the credit cards, call xxx-xxx-xxxx to activate your credit card? Do they actually do anything or add to security? Would the card not work if I didn't call the number?
Well the nice lady who got on the line to activate my card promptly switched scripts and (after thanking me for being a customer for sooo long) promptly started selling me something.
How annoying. Tricked me into calling them to get their sales pitch.
The 7 deadly sins and 10 lessons of a failed startup
Check this post The 7 deadly sins and 10 lessons of a failed startup from Don Dodge on The Next Big Thing:
"Building a startup is the most difficult, and most rewarding, thing anyone can do. Sometimes you can even make some money at the end of it all. There are so many things that can go wrong it is a miracle when a startup actually makes it. It is important to celebrate our successes, learn from our failures, and value them equally. Failure is important…because success is a terrible teacher."
Towards better memory
An interesting, quirky, though-provoking -- memorable article in Wired about Memory:
"[snip…]SuperMemo is based on the insight that there is an ideal moment to practice what you've learned. Practice too soon and you waste your time. Practice too late and you've forgotten the material and have to relearn it. The right time to practice is just at the moment you're about to forget." (from Want to Remember Everything You'll Ever Learn?)
Heresy: Wall-E just so-so
Yeah I know all the reviews have been raving - "Best movie this year" - "Will change your life" - and so on. I saw this new animated film last night. It did have really wonderful "Star Wars"-class visuals but as an overall story and movie experience, well, it was fine. Not even as good as Toy Story. Sorry.