My name is Torshin and I am video game addict. I've been playing video games ever since I was a little kid and haven't stopped since. Was first a huge console fan and was first hooked on play-station and N64 and then around nine or ten I discovered the beauty of online gaming and it all went down from there. I love the internet and I love the fact that it allows you to be who ever you want to be, but as of late I have become more and more cynical of it as we hear more stories of kids killing themselves over Facebook or eloping to Jordan because of a boy they met on Myspace. So as the newest member of BIBTTP I will be writing about all that is wrong with technology and the internet in general these days with a bit of my views on politics thrown in once and a while.
To start us off I'm going to mention BBN Technologies Inc. current pet project for which they recently received 12 million in government funding and a large amount of dedicated bandwidth to, well basically replace the internet. The name for this project is Global Environment for Network Innovations(GENI) and it is supposed to take a clean slate approach to the internet to fix serious security issues. Now looking at this very optimistically this project could drastically fix serious problems facing the internet such as transfer of copyrighted materials and things of that nature. But I look at this as government regulation of internet content, aka China. These are the kinds of things that interest me and these will be the kinds of things I will be writing about.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
So an intro Eh?
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
UAV's Controlled By iPhone
Yep, the Center for Collaborative Control of Unmanned Vehicles (wow), has found a way to give tasks to unmanned aerial vehicles. The iPhone can't control the vehicle, but as you can see in the video, it seems as though they are figuring out ways to use the iPhone for other interesting things.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
What's Missing From the New iPhone and Why
So, people are upset because several things are "missing" from the latest iPhone. People are criticizing that they did not add any "innovative" features such as a better camera, video conferencing, iChat capabilities, etc.
Well if you pay close attention, you'll realize that Apple also released something called the App Store, which most certainly will be able to fill in the gaps for all of these issues. In my opinion, Apple is being smart. After their relationship with AT&T has seemingly gone through some rough patches in the last six months (with AT&T "leaking" certain information, and trying to control the decision making for the iPhone), I'm sure Apple has decided to show them that they're the one calling the shots anyway.
First lets focus on one of the most important things of the new iPhone: the price cut.The price cut prevents Apple from getting a percentage of the revenue from the data and voice plans controlled by AT&T. Well, by introducing the App Store, Apple sneakily finds a way to get around this. The way the App Store works, people develop different applications for the phone, and designate a price to it (ranging from free to whatever they would like to charge), and sell it through Apple. Developers get 70% of revenue while Apple gets 30%. Wouldn't it be nice if someone developed something like...an application for the iPhone that ran like iChat and sold it through the App Store? By leaving it open to third party applications, Apple will certainly be receiving a share of the revenue from applications that will be using AT&T's data plan anyway. My point is that Apple would much rather allow other people to "develop" an application similar to iChat so that they could get some sort of compensation, rather than developing an integrated version for the iPhone and getting absolutely 0 compensation for it.
In terms of video conferencing, I think that Apple is just being somewhat logical. If you could video conference through your iPhone, that would mean you would need a camera in the front so you could see the other person. That would mean you would probably need a camera in the back as well for taking pictures so you could actually look at the picture you are taking. That would mean...you would have two cameras in one phone. That's a lot of cameras in one phone and it sounds very cramped. Today, video conferencing doesn't seem to be really taking off, especially when really the only people you would be able to video conference with would be other iPhone users and people with iChat. Until they develop iChat for windows, and other phones would have video conferencing capabilities, I don't think that will be something that will be showing up in the iPhone anytime soon. Plus think about it. How often would you really use it? Yeah, I like to video chat every once in a while, but it's through my computer. Phones are meant to reach you when you're unreachable through anything else. If you're online, sure you could video chat. But if you're out having dinner, driving, walking down a busy street, or even out in some crowded place, do you really want to focus on your phone during a phone call? You would most certainly be more prone to running into people or getting into a car crash if that were to happen. I think until they really really really get it right, video conferencing will be hard to put into a phone.
What it comes down to, is that Apple is really trying to focus on the affordability and availability in the 70 countries they are planning on releasing it. Regarding other applications that people expected and were disappointed when they weren't presented, just wait because that's what updates are for. Like I said, you can't expect them to release everything at once because that would just make expectations to go that much higher than before, and soon they would run out of innovation. They're playing hard to get, and you just have to be a little patient. Come Christmas time and January, they may be and probably will be releasing a 32GB iPhone. And between now and then, people shouldn't be disappointed with the types of applications that they will be releasing.
Release of iPhone3G
With the release of the new iPhone, a lot of people seemed to be more disappointed than impressed. Why? Well, many expected Jobs to launch several new features that would have been revolutionary in the mobile phone industry. Along with 3G and the GPS features that were released, many expected Jobs to announce video conferencing capabilities, better camera, picture messaging, MMS, and a 32GB model. At the end of the day, Jobs released the expectations: 3G, GPS, lower price ($199 for 8GB...compared to the original price of $599 of the first model). What people were upset about was really the fact that this may have been one of the few times Jobs failed to go above and beyond people's expectations. But to tell you the truth, at the end of the day, he released one of the most innovating pieces of technology on the latest network capabilities. He can't just blow his load right away. The main points of the release of this new phone are the affordable price, 3G capabilities, and the fact that the iPhone will be released in 70 countries by the end of the year, compared to the current 6 that support it now.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
3G iPhone Commercial
If you don't know much about the Apple Store on 59th and 5th avenue in NYC, then you should know that it is open 24/7. Except for today. As I was taking a nice stroll today, I walked by the Apple store and noticed something unusual about it. I noticed that there seemed to be a line outside of the front door, several Apple employees wearing their brightly colored shirts, a good amount of security detail surrounding the building, and more importantly very expensive equipment clearly meant for shooting some sort of production. Upon closer inspection, I noticed no customers were inside of the store, and people were being turned down from entering the store. I couldn't help but ask one of the individuals involved in the detail around the store (it doesn't matter whether they were the security detail or an apple employee for the sake of keeping their identity as ambiguous as possible) what exactly was going on. "Oh the store is closed...they're shooting the new commercial for the new iPhone". Frankly their blunt and honest answer somewhat surprised me, as Apple has remained very covert over their entire operation. People kept carrying very expensive equipment into the Apple store, and the security detail began to set up a "rope barrier" around the perimeter of the store, about 10 feet away from the building, far enough away so that no one could get a glimpse of what was inside. This was at about 5 in the afternoon. I happened to walk by a little more recently this evening at about 10 p.m. and it looked like they were starting to store and shut down some of the equipment that had been placed outside the store. However, they still had a food stand and many more lights turned on inside the store. I decided to pry a little more from a different angle and approached one of the individuals involved in the detail again. When I asked when the new phone would come out, I received a very long-winded and very practiced response concerning their shortage in supply, their periodic but ambiguous deliveries of iPhone supplies, and the common "I don't know, they don't tell us anything". Good, because I had an ace in my sleeve (if you read my previous post on the 3G iPhone you'll see that many events seem to equal a 3G iPhone launch on June 15th), as I already knew that it was a commercial for the new iPhone. "So when does this commercial for the new iPhone come out". Here, they answered a very sincere, "I don't know," as they sounded almost a little disappointed, before they quickly realized what they had divulged clearly caught off guard, and they quickly tried to cover their tracks by saying, "I mean, we're not even sure if it's even for that...ya know". Well, there you have it, in my opinion, they wouldn't be shooting a commercial now for a product they are planning to launch months from now. It seems very clear that they will be releasing this new iPhone within the next 3 weeks.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
3G iPhone
Given the nature of college life and how busy and lazy we become towards the end of a semester, we've taken a very long hiatus from writing any sort of posts on here. Granted we don't really have that big of an audience so, really, was it that big of a deal? Anyway, we're trying to get this site back up and running, mostly to entertain ourselves now that we really have nothing else to do. The last few weeks I've spent a good amount of time researching this new iPhone coming out. All you really need to know is this: Apple is planning on coming out with it's second version of the iPhone, one that is 3G capable. What does this mean you ask? Well, it means that AT&T is setting up a more powerful network for 3G devices, like the new iPhone, so that when they are using the internet, instead of browsing at speeds comparable to dial-up, they'll be using something closer to a WiFi broadband network. So now that you know what the product is, now you need to know when it'll be coming out. Well rumor had it that it was going to be released in January of 2008. That didn't happen. Rumors then proceeded on to talking about a release by the end of 2008. But, it seems as though it should be sooner than that. AT&T has reportedly aimed at completing a 3G mobile broadband network by the end of June. With the supply of iPhones coming to a screeching halt the last few weeks, it seems all but obvious that Apple is making room for its newest addition to the iPhone family. There's also been a few signs that hint to the arrival of this new phone. According to Import Genius, a website that tracks shipments of goods entering the U.S., Apple has been importing a very large amount of "electric computers" into the country the last couple of months. This is the data that the site presents, and it is actually very interesting how they've managed to deter any attention they may have attracted had they labeled the shipments under "iPhone". Additionally, on a visit to an AT&T kiosk at the local mall, I learned today that AT&T employees have been discouraged from taking any sort of vacation between the days of June 15th and July 21st. Coincidentally, Apple's Developer's Conference runs from June 9th to the 13th.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Its Like....A Really Big iPhone
Ever watched Minority Report? You know the scenes where Tom Cruise flails his arms everywhere and at the same time he's controlling some sort of holographic computer? Well, that might be happening sooner than you think. Jeff Han, a computer scientist over at NYU, and his boys at Perceptive Pixel have found a way to register your touch onto a screen. Supposedly he was inspired when he saw his own prints when holding a glass of water, a phenomenon called "frustrated internal total reflection".
.....MMMMMkkkkkkkkkk.......
But anyway, it looks like the coolest thing that's come out of NYU since the Olsen twins decided to check in for rehab. It completely changes user interactivity with computers. Frustrated at how you need to click a million times to move your picture albums around? Imagine scattering the pictures as if you were putting them on a table. The boys over at Microsoft have got the right idea. They decided the next big thing is going to be this. So of course, the best way to integrate this into everyday life...is to....turn a coffee table into a multi-touch computer. I have the video for Jeff Han on here. But if you want to check out Microsoft's, look no further than here.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Why You Should Pirate Movies (And How To Do It)
So, you want to pirate movies using the internet but you aren't sure it's right. I'm sure Mommy will tell you it's wrong, so if you're the kind of guy or girl that thrives on listening to all Mommy says, stop reading now. Yes, it's illegal and yes, it's probably not right. But who cares? I liken this to two things: satellite television and XM radio. Let me explain.
Basically, stealing movies is a way of getting for free things that cost money, like songs or access to certain channels. Yes, stealing music happens, but people also feel the need to subscribe to XM radio. The same is true for TV: a basic subscription can get you basic channels and many popular shows, but people still pay for HBO and the like. Why? Because people are willing to pay for superior quality. The place we're at now is one where movies, or at least DVDs, are at a place where certain free services, like pirating from the internet, can exceed. People are simply willing to give up a bit of resolution and sound quality so that they don't need to pay for something that is only slightly better in either category.
So, for the movie industry in the long run, two things can be done.
1 - Get into a new technology (ie Blu-Ray) that is so advanced that free alternatives lose a ton of their appeal. That's where they are going now, and I've got to say that when I go into Best Buy and see the amazing picture quality on some of the movies that are coming out, I know that, when I'm not a poor college student, I will pay top dollar to experience it. That is exactly what HBO, XM radio, and others have done to compete with a free service: severely out-perform it.
2 - Produce awesome films with awesome hype or ad campaigns. I continue to see movies in the theaters because I want to a) see it in theater quality as soon as possible or b) fund the creators of the film because they deserve it. People will continue to see movies and review them to their friends. If a movie is good, it'll be seen. Hyped movies will be seen too (Cloverfield). Basically, if you make people want to see your movie, they will.
Now, if you're convinced that pirating is for you (or not), here is how to do it (and not get caught).
Basically, we'll be looking how to use torrents to download movies from the internet. Torrents are all the rage right now, with tons of sites hosting them and more and more people coming on board every day. They pose a very efficient way to download large files from the internet at high speeds. So here go.
First, install Peer Guardian 2 from Here. Basically, this is a privacy protection application and should be running on your computer at all times, and ALWAYS when you're using P2P. What it does is blocks any malicious IP addresses from accessing your computer, meaning government, school, or other anti-P2P organizations cannot see what you're doing.
Next, download uTorrent (for Windows), which is a program (a BitTorrent client) that handles torrent files for you. It's a very simple and self-explanatory program, and it's certainly one of the best of its kind out there. Download it from here: uTorrent.
Next, use the following sites to start searching for torrent files online: IsoHunt and PizzaTorrent. I like using IsoHunt for files I know are currently popular (recent movies or TV shows or albums) and PizzaTorrent for files that are slightly more obscure. When using these sites, note that S or Seeds is the number of people that are currently sharing the torrent you want (the more the better) and L or Leeches is the number of people downloading it and sharing it (good, but not as important as S). You'll get the hang of finding and selecting good files over time, but that's a good start.
Finally, download VLC Media Player which you'll need to handle the myriad of different video file extensions that torrent downloading inevitably provides. VLC can handle almost anything. Download it here: VLC.
Now you're all set. Remember to keep PG2 up and running at all times. I would also recommend using an external hard drive for storing large video files. Otherwise, such files can severely slow your computer.
Well that does it. I hope everything I've written is straightforward and helpful. Feel free to comment if you have any questions or if something isn't clear or correct.
Rx: Steal lots and lots of movies every day as needed
Signed:
Doctor Dozer
Saturday, March 8, 2008
When Will the iPhone be myPhone?
blogsquatch touched on the AIM client that iPhone will now be utilizing, and like he said, it will make texting obsolete in the future. You cannot compete with free instant messaging by offering text messaging at a price. There's just no way it can last. In addition to this, though, the iPhone SDK offers the consumer many other things to make their peen pop.
First of all, Apple has simply overhauled the OS on the iPhone, teaming up with some other developers and enhancing the keyboard, the multitouch feature, and just the OS in general. I read about the details over at Gizmodo, and let's just say the iPhone will now run more smoothly. Next, the iPhone will now be able to sync with a Mac, giving uses the ability to debug, to drag-and-drop to and from the iPhone, to remotely access the iPhone over the internet, and to run an iPhone simulator to make sure your code and apps are all working properly. Finally, and this is the one that gets me going (and by that I mean gives me a full-out hard-on), Apple is "excited about creating a vibrant third party developer community with
potentially thousands of native applications for iPhone and iPod touch." That final piece of the SDK has vast implications.
It means that now people can add tons of new applications and features to the iPhone without relying on Apple to develop them all individually. These applications will be left to the developer to price, so now there will potentially be unlimited freeware for you to spice up your iPhone. That in and of itself is humongous, but there's one more facet to this that gets me very very excited about the iPhone.
Apple wants to have a superior product. They don't want to nickel and dime you by developing must-have software and charging you for it (like iPod games or something). Instead, Apple saw a desire to have the iPhone do more, obviously aware of "jailbreak" iPhones being hacked and enhanced. Well, instead of making this process exclusive to those with the daring and know-how, Apple decided to allow everyone to get in on it, and undertook a massive project to allow them to do so. This shows Apple's intentions, and boy are they good. They want a superior product, and they want you to buy it for that reason alone. That is a product and a company I want to invest in. The iPhone SDK has convinced me beyond a shadow of a doubt that I need an iPhone and that it is well worth getting one. Thanks, Steve.
Rx
iPhone: used topically, as needed, starting immediately
Doctor Dozer
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Forget SMS, AIM Is Making Its Own Mark
Hey,
Being my first post on the site, I thought I would make a smooth entrance without posting anything too long, big, whatever. But I will be definitely talking about something incredibly important, as it will definitely change the mobile phone market. Apple has just unveiled the new SDK for the iPhone. Basically what this means, is that people are going to notice a bunch of new applications that will come out for iPhones. This is really similar to the applications you can find for your Mac if you go to apple.com, and decide to download a widget, games, etc. But this isn't the biggest part of today's news. Apple also announced today that AIM will soon be compatible with the iPhone. This is something that is somewhat overdue. It is interesting however, the implications this has in the relationship between Apple and AT&T. Are SMS fees going to go down? As a college student I know most people live and breathe by texts and AIM. I do know plenty of people who decide that AIM is far more detrimental to their social lives than texting. With this new update coming up, it'll be interesting to see what other cell phone companies do in response to this. They can't possibly stay quiet when their competition is essentially offering free texting at no extra charge.