08:18 – I see that Apple has introduced a watch that costs up to $17,000 and runs for as little as 3 hours on a charge before it needs to be removed and connected to its charger for a 2.5 hour charging session. This battery issue seems to be a recurring problem with Apple products. I think the reason is that Apple “designs” new products and only after the design is finalized do they figure out how to cram a battery into it. They need to get engineers involved from the beginning, but I doubt Apple has many actual engineers.
There was an article in the paper yesterday and a follow-up article this morning about a 21-year-old woman who ran off the street and struck and killed a 10-year-old boy with her car. She then continued across the grass, ran into a tree and fence, abandoned her car, and fled. The article yesterday said that she’d been charged with felony hit-and-run. I said to Barbara yesterday that I thought that was a bit harsh, given that she’d left her vehicle at the scene. It sounded to me as though she’d panicked after the accident and wasn’t really trying to avoid responsibility for what she’d done.
The article this morning added more details. When he was struck, the boy was standing in front of his home, talking to his older brother and mother, who watched it happen. The driver lives on the same street as the victim, although the street changes names at the curve where the incident occurred. The street is only a few blocks long, so there’s no way she wouldn’t be identified. There’s a good chance that the victim’s family knew her or at least recognized her 2014 Toyota RAV4. Barbara speculates that she was texting when she lost control of her car and killed a child. So she’ll have that to live with for the rest of her life, and will probably be facing some serious jail time.
This battery issue seems to be a recurring problem with Apple products
Why? I go a couple of days on a charge on my iPhone 5. My iPad lasts about three days of my typical use. When I flew to Germany in December I used my iPad to watch movies. Six hours of use and my battery was only down to 50%. Seems reasonable to me.
The watch is supposed to get 18 hours of battery time. Apple did not specify how much usage impacted that time. I would not be watching movies on the watch (it can’t do that yet) or would I be using the watch constantly by looking at the screen.
You can also get a watch for $359. Which is irrelevant because I am not going to pay that kind of money for a device that requires proximity to my phone. I am perfectly happy with my $20.00 Timex. The Apple watch is a lot of money for a device that will be obsolete in two years and probably require a new battery within three years.
There are those that will buy the watch. There are even those that will pay the $17,000. For that kind of money a high end real watch, a piece of jewelry that will probably be worth the same or more in 10 years would seem a better option.
I don’t know how many Apple will sell. The fan boys will buy them, the geeks with no family and no life will buy them. Real people I am not so sure. Samsung and a couple other companies have electronic watches for sale and the sales are not real strong.
I think the reason is that Apple “designs” new products and only after the design is finalized do they figure out how to cram a battery into it. They need to get engineers involved from the beginning, but I doubt Apple has many actual engineers.
There is a story that Steve Jobs fired an engineer in the elevator when questions about iPhone battery life improvement didn’t have the answers Jobs wanted. Apple products generally are OK in the first version and much better in later versions. It will be interesting what they do with the watch. I don’t know of any great battery improvements in the near term, perhaps a few nanomaterial based ones that are in the early lab phase will come through, but that’s hard to forecast.
The 18 hours is if you more or less don’t use it for the things they’re saying you can use it for, including phone calls.
See http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/shopping-and-consumer-news/11461317/Apple-Watch-battery-lasts-as-little-as-three-hours.html
I don’t own any Apple products and never will, but frequently I hear people complaining about battery life on their iPods, iPhones, iPads, and so on. Apple has always emphasized appearance and given short shrift to performance. So what if a tablet or phone is slightly larger and heavier if they could double (or quadruple) battery capacity for that small sacrifice?
What’s a watch?
I’m sure that Apple has lots of real engineers. I think the “problem” is that at Apple form is more important than function. When I got a smart phone, I wanted one where I could replace the battery or add a MicroSD card. That ruled out the iPhone for me. I don’t really care for iTunes, so that ruled out the iPhone for me. Millions of people agree with Apple and disagree with me. That is the beauty of the market.
I was interested in the Apple Watch, but won’t get one after the price and battery reveals. I was looking at it’s heart rate monitor and health app, but am not impressed. I’ll stick with my Fitbit Charge HR for now. Apple is touting using the watch while driving to use Siri. I put my phone in a clip on the vent and all I have to do is press the home button and call and text hands free. I guess Apple forgot most cars have Blue Tooth these days. My iPhone 6 battery lasts 2-3 days with my typical use. I have no problems with that or my iPad battery duration. Now, my Mac Pro is a different story. As soon as I unplug it, it dies. How come they didn’t put a battery in it?
I tried out a MotoX last year. The memory is non-expandible and it was a perfectly fine smart phone. I just like the Apple stuff and will stick to that. I used to run Windows PC’s, Apple, and goofed with Linux. Too much now, plus the fems like Apple.
My cell phone goes months between recharges, but then I only turn it on if I want to make a call.
Millions of people agree with Apple and disagree with me
I neither agree or disagree with you. It is your choice.
When I got my first tablet the iPad was really the only viable device. The others were just not real functional in terms of apps, display and usability. The others have since caught up with Apple. But I had an iPad and I wanted the ability to sync between my iPad and my phone, thus I got an iPhone. The syncing worked great. At the time I got my iPhone the other vendors did not have such capability. That has since changed.
Given a choice today, without any underlying restraints, and not knowing what I now know, I would probably not choose Apple.
But knowing what I know now, I would chose Apple. Simply for support. The ability to replace a damaged phone for about $300 vs $800 for a Samsung device is significant. I can also purchase Applecare and the replacement charge is $79. Apple does not repair your device, you get a refurbished device with new battery, screen and case.
My iPad was damaged with a small dent in a corner from my auto accident almost a year ago. A couple of months ago I went in to the Apple store to get the device replaced under my Applecare. My cost would be $50.00. For reasons unknown to me Apple replaced the device for no charge. I don’t know of any other tablet vendors that would do such a replacement.
This becomes even more important with a phone as phones are more easily damaged. With other vendors you have to have the device repaired and that is an iffy process with many times repairs doing additional damage.
You also have support at the Apple store. Ever tried to get Android support at your local phone provider? Almost non-existent.
It goes beyond the ability to change a battery or add more storage. I have not had a need to replace a battery yet and my oldest iPad is 3.5 years old. Storage has never been an issue as I purchased 64 gig when I purchased my devices. I see no need to have the ability to add more storage.
By the time my devices truly need new batteries Apple will replace the batteries for a fee. Of course by then I will probably be looking at the current generation of a phone or tablet for outright purchase. I consider any such portable device to be obsolete and due to be replaced after about five years.
I have never been a fan of Google as they tend to maintain too much information on everything you do. Having an Android phone running Google’s OS is not something that really appeals to me.
I hear people complaining about battery life on their iPods, iPhones, iPads, and so on
As do I, especially on Apple forums. What really stresses the batteries is these people tend to turn on all the functions, have email automatically checked every 5 minutes, multiple applications that are getting push notifications, Facebook updates constantly, etc. This takes more battery power when you do not have WIFI and your cell signal is weak. These people are also on the phone constantly, texting or talking. The phone is seldom inactive. Any phone will drain a battery fast under those conditions.
I rarely use more than 250 meg a month in data. These people are exceeding 10 gig a month in data and have $300 to $400 phone bills. My bill for two phones is less than $90 per month.
I don’t know of any other tablet vendors that would do such a replacement.
Well, Apple has 25% profit margins, so they can afford to be generous.
Well, Apple has 25% profit margins, so they can afford to be generous.
And people still buy their product. There is a reason. People like the support. I do also. I can go into any Apple store with my product and if there is a problem the personnel will resolve the issue. Even if such resolution requires replacement of the device.
Try that with your local Best Buy (or worse phone store) when your Samsung tablet is messed up. Even if it is only a software problem getting a resolution is going to cost money if the clods in the store even know what they are doing.
Cheaper is not always better.
“The Survivalist (Anarchy Rising)” by Dr. Arthur T Bradley
http://www.amazon.com/Survivalist-Anarchy-Rising-Arthur-Bradley/dp/1492340626/
Second book in a series of five books about the worldwide pandemic after the mad scientist genetically engineered the Superpox-99 virus. 98% of the world’s population died in four weeks and the survivors, half who are infected brutes, are trying to live through the nightmare.
Note that this is a partially illustrated book with eleven black and white illustrations. They do not do much for me but I know that a lot of people like them.
Also, this is a POD book with a color cover that could be illustration number twelve.
My rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Amazon rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars (338 reviews)
Nonsense. They have lots and lots of design engineers, an army of user experience engineers, and the majority of the world’s supply of style engineers.
FWIW, the MacBook range is renowned for having good battery life. They’re the standard in my lab, so I’m slowly getting used to them. Not bad. I’d still prefer a Linux distro, but the hardware is solid.
Speaking of crazy Apple design decisions, did any of you see the new MacBook’s specs? *One* USB port, which is also how the thing’s charged. Insane.
Apple was always stingy as heck with the hw they sold, usually for twice what PC makers sold/sell it for and with half the features.
“I’d still prefer a Linux distro, but the hardware is solid.”
If memory serves, I believe you can run a Linux distro on a Mac; here’s one way:
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/install-linux-macbook-pro/
“Nonsense. They have lots and lots of…”
I quit taking them seriously when they: 1.) let Woz go, and 2.) I found out that the late sainted Jobs used to park his Lamborhini diagonally across two handicapped-assigned spaces in front of the HQ building. Plus being a total dick to his staff, just like his counterpart genius, little Billy Gates, the ex-con and con-artist extraordinaire.
The single USB 3.1 port does sound limiting, but it sounds like you can get around the limits with a USB hub. Also, “Apple is also selling a $79 USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter so the new MacBook can simultaneously connect to a 1080p HDMI display, USB 3.0 device and a USB-C charging cable.“
Just a quick BaoFeng report. I manually programmed the radio to GMRS/FRS Channel 3, PL Tone 1. I clearly received the transmission from my Cobra FRS radio on the BaoFeng. The other way was a little garbled. Possible because the lowest power is 1 watt and overwhelmed the Cobra. But I could hear myself from the other room and make it out.
Maybe I’ll send one of my Twins out to the corner for another quick test this weekend.
“… but it sounds like you can get around the limits with a USB hub.”
I’ve had mixed experiences with the USB hubs; the cables that connect to the PC or laptop are always way too short and they seem to work OK for a while and then conk out at one or more connectors.
HILLARY!GATE continues…
“By using her personal email address — @clintonemail.com — she kept her work documents from the government. Concealing government documents from the government when you work for it is a felony, punishable by up to three years in prison and permanent disqualification from holding public office.”
https://www.lewrockwell.com/2015/03/andrew-p-napolitano/el-commandante-and-the-killary-emails/
I used to be on an early blog run by libturd cretins, now long gone, but the hosting webzine still staggers on with even worse Stalinoid/Maoist ideology and writers. Anyway I used to opine that Lady MacBeth of Little Rock and her big lovable lug of a husband, Larry Klinton, would end up someday, and rightfully so, in bright orange jumpsuits picking up litter on the highways. The hate and vitriol and threats I got from that got me lotsa boffo laffs every week.
If I was in charge, of course, I’d stand every one of the living ex-Presidents and the Incumbent against a firing squad wall for war crimes and treason, along with their main aides, Cabinet officers, Joint Chiefs, and a few hundred other gummint bastards.
Dear Mr. OFD,
Such foul language about Her Cankles will definitely get you a visit from one of BJ’s myrmidons. You shall be Fostered, stripped naked, and dressed in a nice blue frock. With the loot the BJ Klinton Foundation for Wayward Whores takes in, they’ll hire a real pro. Silenced sub-sonic 22LR to the back of the noggin.
You’ve been warned.
Gee, I hope they use a larger caliber than a .22LR; that ain’t gon do the trick; OFD has a big hard noggin that’s been smacked pretty hard more than once with no ill effects…oh wait…