mobrec

So
For all of the 'experts' who piled on this one – as usual, you are wrong. The Mac OS X 'virus' is a flaw in Java NOT the Mac.

I love the open remarks from the linked post:

When a computer incident happens on Apple’s Mac OS X, it’s a headline-making event. When it happens on Windows, it’s just another day.

That remains the reality, even after a bunch of media reports on how a vulnerability in Java has led to the creation of a Mac botnet about 600,000 strong.

Oh, and if you found this posting because you have or think you might have the 'virus' here is an excellent write up on how to determine if you are impacted and how to fix it.

So
I have struggled with the Zinio magazine app for about a year now on several different devices. The device I use the most is my Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 as it has the best form factor for e-magazine reading. I just can't believe how wide of the mark that Zinio has fallen.

First of all, here is what Zinio thinks it is (from zinio.com):

Zinio is more than a mobile reading application. We've spent the last decade creating the digital editions of the magazines you love, delivering the exact same material you get in print‚ plus exclusive features like video, audio and live links, on your iPad, iPhone, desktop and laptop.

No, Zinio, all you are is a reading app (and not a very good one). Things that I would expect to do (and can do in other reading apps) like search, highlight, take notes, bookmark, et al are all missing from your application. When I open the application, I want to be returned to where I left off reading, not to my library or even worse, your shopping app where you waste my bandwidth displaying stuff I didn't ask for in the first place. And I have yet to see a publication with 'exclusive video and audio'.

All of the things I listed above I can do with a physical magazine but not with your supposedly enhanced electronic version. The one thing I can do with Zinio that I can't do with a physical magazine is follow links. But you manage to get that hopelessly wrong as well.

I mean, why, oh why, when I click on a link in a magazine you insist on taking me to your walled-garden browser where I can't save the URL or basically have access to any browser functions other than viewing? Why not just open the link in the browser on the tablet? Or at least give me the option of choosing? I actually reported this as a bug and got several nonsensical answers back that never addressed the issue.

Me: “Zinio app needs to allow the user to use the browser built into the tablet and not the broken walled-garden browser that zinio forces you to use. the zinio browser lacks much functionality and is a real nuisance to use (and is completely unnecessary)“

Zinio: “_Zinio does not have a browser.

Zinio has an app.

If your device browser does not support Flash, you will not be able to read your magazines through Zinio's website. You must, then, use the app._”

This seems to demonstrate a complete failure to apprehend what I was asking about. So I tried again:

Me: “You are wrong. I run the reader on an Android tablet using the Android version of the Zinio application. When I click on a link inside of a publication in Zinio it does not launch the tablet's browser, it opens a minimally functional browser window that is part of the Zinio application. This broken version of the zinio browser does not allow any of the function of the native browser. Users need to have the option to run the full featured browser. There is no reason I can see why this shouldn't be the case.“

Zinio: “_Zinio does not have a browser or an Android Reader.

Zinio has an Android app. The app does not integrate with any browser._”

In frustration, I finally responded: “You are a bit of an idiot and keep repeating yourself. Perhaps you should pass this on to someone with a better understanding of both the Zinio Android application and customer service.“

Here endith my attempt as a customer to be heard by Zinio.

So I guess it is safe to say that your dubious product is matched by your equally dubious support function as well.

Well, Zinio, do you recognize these obvious issues and have a plan to fix them? Or should I just anticipate you going out of business in a few years and seek alternatives?

So
The amount of attempted privacy over-reach in mobile apps is approaching appalling. The number of mobile applications either out of the box or via subsequent updates that require the privilege to access (and in some cases upload) your contacts from your device is growing. In most cases it seems the same reason is given for this invasive action: it is for *your* convenience. Meh. It is unnecessary, plain and simple. Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare, Yelp, Linkedin, Path, Gowalla and others all do this – with or without your permission or knowledge. I mean, why would an application that is supposed to serve as a remote control for you TV need access to you contacts?

Second to the contacts grab is the gratuitous need to have fine grained location information for no apparent reason. For example, why would an application that identifies music need your fine location to work? What does that have to do with music recognition? It seems to be just collecting data for the sake of collecting it.

It is beginning to get even more obnoxious. Some web-based services are not allowing users to create their own username and passwords. Rather they try to force you to log in using your Twitter or Facebook accounts. And with few exceptions they require access to your contacts and other inappropriate information. Some applications (typically browser) are taking this approach. This is even more heinous as now not only do they have your contact information they have a record of every site you visit and every keystroke that you type into every site that you visit. Think about that before you run something like RockMelt.

Be aware of what permissions sites and applications 'require' and don't be afraid to say no. After all, it is your data that is being given away. And once it is gone, chances are you'll never get it back or get it deleted.

So
Further proof of bogosity of the (previously discussed) idiot-punditry that claimed that Android tablets were 'failures' because of perceived security issues: Samsung has a number of Android-based tablets that have received FIPS security certification. Now there are some facts.

So
Tivo users watch less live TV than others. Really? this is news?

Isn't the whole point of having a DVR is to NOT have to watch live TV? Move along – nothing to see here.

So
Let's start with the baiting title “Why Android tablets failed: A postmortem”. And, as is typical, there is nothing in the article to substantiate such a ludicrous claim. Android tablets owning a 20-40% share of the tablet market is a 'failure'? Hmmm.

Let take a look at the four main reasons why Android tablets 'failed':

4) “the 16x9 problem” – not a problem from what I can tell and quite simply the opinion of the article's author. No credible UX studies, just the bald assertion that the screen is 'awkward' and 'odd'. Or stated differently, it is bad because it isn't an iPad. 16x9 will, of course, become an innovative breakthrough when Apple releases a tablet in that form factor.

3) “Enterprise doesn't trust Android” – yep, that is why most corporation provide their employees with Android-based phone and address the security issues. The same security models exist for the tablets. Again, an uniformed opinion, unsubstantiated by facts.

2) “Lack of Apps” – this is a popular one that has been proven false. Apple certainly has the fart machine app market cornered. I would love to hear a list of significant apps that are in the Apple space that don't have Android analogs. Otherwise, the Android market has a stable of quite good apps (and more arriving daily. The statements around HTML5 apps are laughably out of touch.

1) “the price” – one year old data point is cited (Motorola Xoom). However, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is selling quite well (at least where Apple isn't trying to prevent it from being sold). Again, not facts, just an erroneous assertion.

Conclusion: Apple fan-boys hate the alternatives because they recognize in other tablets what Apple can't deliver with the iPad.

So
Best wishes for a healthy, happy and prosperous 2012.

Oh, and hopefully we can silence the world ending this year nonsense once and for all. I am sure there are some who won't be convinced until January 2013.

So
I am a bit amazed at the manufactured frenzy that is Black Friday and Cyber Monday. It seems that each year the press does their very best to hype something that really doesn't have a need to exist any longer (and probably doesn't for the majority of people).

There really is no reason for people to be pitching tents in front of retailers the day before Thanksgiving so they can be first in line for the big 'deals'. Is this really more of a social thing than a necessary thing? Do this people not value their own time? Or do they (the sheeple) do it because the press tells them that is what they should do? Are the press trying to justify their repeated (if not specious) claim that the day after Thanksgiving is 'the busiest shopping day of the year' when actual facts (something that journalism in this country seems to have only a nodding acquaintance with of late) show that the weekend before Christmas is typically the busiest shopping day. The only thing that I bought on 'Black Friday' was a couple of pints at the pub – well away from the shopping mayhem.

The 'Cyber Monday' hype is another head scratcher. I could see how this might have been significant a decade ago when most people didn't have high speed internet connectivity at home and availed themselves of their employer's internet pipe after returning from Thanksgiving holiday. But now most people *do* have high speed connectivity at home. And not only that, they have high speed connectivity at home the other 364 days of the year as well; so there is no practical need to wait for a specific day to do their online ordering. In fact, quite a few folks I know begin shopping online as early at October to insure that they get the selection they want and have plenty of time to deal with backorders and special orders.

Figure it out folks. Don't believe the hype.

So
I have been waiting for this trend to catch on for a long, long time. After more than a decade we are only now beginning to shed the vulgarities and visual clutter of the BLINK tag, Flash, animated GIFs, ActiveX, embedded (and auto playing) sound files and Java Applets to start focusing on actually conveying information in a clean and readable way.

The Readable Future

The ability to read uncluttered web pages is going mainstream.

I made the point recently that technical people can avoid, or at least cut down on, ads, sharing buttons, and clutter when reading web pages — they have RSS readers, Instapaper, Readability, Safari’s Reader button, AdBlock, Flipboard, Zite, and so on.

Not all of these technologies were made with the goal of uncluttering web pages, but they have that effect. No app built for reading starts with the premise that the publisher has done an acceptable job.

That premise is, unfortunately, generally correct, and those apps and technologies are becoming more and more popular, particularly with the rise of iPad as a great reading device. (But this isn’t only about iPads, or even mobile.)

Publications shouldn’t ignore this trend.

This trend means that their medley-of-madness designs will increasingly be routed-around, starting with presumably their most-favored readers, the more affluent and technical, but extending to the less-affluent and less-technical until it includes just about everybody.

The future is, one way or another, readable.

So
I recently reacquainted myself with just how bad employees at the AT&T store really are.

I stopped in because my phone (a Samsung Captivate) started behaving bizarrely when it came to WiFi. The issue was that it would take 3-4 attempts at enabling wifi to get it to actually connect to the wifi network. This was reflected in a cycle of “connecting” and “failed” messages. In some cases, I would have to restart the phone. A restart is painful as it takes about 15 minutes for the media scanner to finish doing it's thing and the phone to be usable again (I am not sure if this might be a symptom of the same problem).

I explained this to the AT&T associate and asked if he had any advice. He snatched the phone out of my hand, looked at the screen and proclaimed 'that ain't right'. He then proceeded to pop open the battery door and flick the battery out of the phone. I pointed out that that was not the proper way to shutdown a phone. He looked up at me and grunted then replaced the battery. I reminded him that it was going to be about 15 minutes before the phone was usable; again he responds with a grunt and a 'that ain't right'.

After a minute or two he gets impatient and ejects the battery out of the phone WHILE it is still booting up. He squints at the battery 'to make sure it ain't a knock off – that causes lots of problems'. Satisfied that it was a 'real' battery he places it in the phone again.

While it is booting up he blurts out 'you probably need to upgrade the firmware in the phone – that'll fix the problem'. I asked what the 'issue' was; he responded with a shrug and a reassurance that the firmware will fix the phone. I then pointed out that I had already updated the firmware and still have the issue. He starts nervously tossing the phone from hand to hand and staring out the window. He then raises the phone to his face and starts poking around in the settings. 'You got a external memory card installed?' I said that I did. 'It is probably that. Yeah. The memory card is corrupt and that is causing the problem'. I asked him to clarify how a bad memory card would effect the wifi and he had nothing. I then pointed out that if the card was corrupt, I wouldn't be able to read anything from it. Again he shrugs and starts to get an agitated look on his face.

I say to him, if it is a bad memory card then removing it should make the problem go away. Fun boy grunts again, pops the back of the phone and hot ejects the card, while the phone is still powered on. I pointed out to him that if the card wasn't corrupt before doing ignorant shit like that would contribute to corrupting it. That just got me a side long glance. I asked to speak to the manager; he looks nervously around and says that the manager isn't in. I ask one of the other employees and they point to the guy on the phone behind the counter. While I wait for the manager to free up, we continue with the diagnostic farce.

Surprise, surprise. With the card out of the phone, the wifi and performance issues persist. He taps the phone on the counter then announces 'you have installed some software on here that has a virus on it, that is what is causing the problem'. Hmm, now we really are reaching. I point out that I haven't installed a lot of new apps on the phone and the ones that I have are very well known and were all installed from the android marketplace (in fact, the phone only allows marketplace installs). Nope, definitely a virus. Have to factory reset the phone.

I point out that there are some things on the phone that I would like to backup. He hands me back the phone, steps away and puts both hands up in front of him, palms out. 'Ain't nothin else I can do for you 'til you fact-tree reset that phone'. I ask what I do after I fact-tree reset it and it still has a problem. He shrugs and takes another step away. 'uh, call us…'

The manager finally frees up, so I go tell him about my experience: in the course of my visit, the issue with my phone was 1) fake battery 2)firmware 3)memory card 4)a virus . The manager looks across the room at the guy who was 'helping' me, then at the phone, then at me. Silence. Finally he comes up with 'Um, maybe you should try the reset and see what happens'. And then what? I ask. 'uh, call us…'

I got home, backed up my phone, factory reset it. Same behavior as before. I am not going to waste any more time with AT&T.