Reflections on Apple v. Samsung Trial

What with the verdict of the trial being very much in the favor of Apple, it seems that Samsung (and by connection Android) has lost a major battle last week. But the issue isn't so easily defined. As a Android fanboy, I am rather surprised with myself on how I can step back and have a looksy at what is happening and what this means.

First, it is clear to me that BOTH Apple and Samsung have actively and repeatedly infringed on patents that each holds. The validity of those patents are, in some cases, questionable. But that is really a question of whether the system is broken or not. It is VERY clear to me that the system is broken. Having participated in the application process for several patents I can tell you that it is long, drawn out, and is more about bring money into a governmental agency than protecting the rights of the inventor. In the case of Apple and Samsung I have seen ample evidence that both are more interested in "knocking out the competition" rather than protecting intellectual property rights. If anyone thinks that this conclusion in court is the end you have another thing coming. This is likely to drag out for a very long time. The fact that the jury was very much slanted towards Apple rather than doing as the South Korean Judge did and smack both upside the head just means that life for Android and iOS users is going to become rougher for US residents at least.

And that leads to my second point, this ruling can be taken one of two ways. Either this will make life worse for consumers or better. It could really go either way and since I don't have a crystal ball I really can't tell you which. Either this case will set a precedent of enforcing a monopoly through the courts, or it could result in an expansion of innovation that is greater than we have already seen. My big issue with Apple fanboys is that they claim that Samsung did no innovation and "stole" everything from Apple. That is crap. Just like its crap to say Apple hasn't "stolen" anything from Samsung or Android. The competition that Android, and by connection Samsung, brought to the table has made both operating systems better in both the long and short run. To claim that Apple (or Google) has an exclusive on the ideas and innovations that have come about is as ridiculous as claiming that Ford should have had exclusivity on making cars back in the day. Competition improves the market place. The fact of the matter is that Steve Jobs, and by connection Apple, has it in for Android simply because the creators dared to challenge the Apple ecosystem. And ecosystem that was intentionally limiting until recent years. The main reason Android has so much power is because Apple refused to deal with anyone other than one wireless carrier per country. While I am not sure of the other carriers in other nations, I can tell you that having worked for AT&T in the past, it did more harm than good for AT&T and its users to have the iPhone as an exclusive. Let's be clear here, I am not an AT&T spokes person, I just was the poor smuck who handled the customer service calls on poor coverage and crappy service etc. By Apple refusing to deal, the other carriers realized that Android was the next big thing. And Apple is still doing the same when it comes to T-mobile. If Apple really wanted to be supreme in Smart Devices, they should have been available on all carriers and services as soon as they could. In either case, my point still stands. Apple may have started down a road of innovation, but Google made it better and by doing so made Apple's product better as well.

Finally, the ruling was in many ways very fishy. The fact that evidence such as previously existing ideas and images that far proceeded the iPhone and iPad were disallowed as evidence. The fact that Steve Job's statements of wanting to go nuclear on Android. The fact that there is very much a bias in the public's eyes all make me question the validity of the ruling and the use of a jury. As an example, the other day I was having a conversation with a friend. He told me to get out my iPhone and search something. He knows I don't have an iPhone so I corrected him. His response, "Same difference..." The problem we see here is that there isn't. iPhone is a brand. If he had said, "Get out your smartphone," or to use an older term since he was older, "Get out your PDA," then there would be no need for correction. Smart devices have been around much longer that the iPhone. Apple just made them hip and trendy. Personally, I think that the case should be retried. I think if there is a jury, it should be a jury of unbiased experts. I think that in reality that both parties have intentionally wronged the other. I think this entire thing was really one big farce. In the end all I see coming out of these trials is increased cost for the consumers. I see a failure in our patent system. I see that in the end no one wins and everyone, include innovation, loses.

Confessions of a Sports Agnostic

I have a saying. I think its quite funny, but some don't agree. My saying is I'm a sports agnostic. Sports may or may not exists, but I don't care. To be fare, I need to qualify that. What I mean is spectator sports. For some reason I just can't get excited about watching or following stats for any major sport. Sure I may watch the odd game with family or friends. I may even tune into the Olympics for a spell, but I just don't feel the umph that others seem to get out of it. And it isn't because I don't understand the game. For heaven's sake, I get most of the rules of Cricket. I know some fans who don't even have that much. So what am I suppose to do?
This particular dilemma is compounded because a family member criticized me for my "anti-social" behavior when it comes to sports. So I've been thinking about what I can and should do. Sadly, it seems that spectator sports is just a huge deal in all walks of life. At school, work, and even church it always seems to be a central topic of discussion. Of course there are my geeky, nerdy, and techy friends who care less about such sports, but I have never been one to limit myself socially if I can help it. Of course, add to this the fact that my profession of choice is high school teacher and sports becomes a huge issue. I can get behind the high school team because that's what you're suppose to do, but what if my lack of interest and by connection knowledge in the area of sports handicaps my carrier advancement because I don't know much about the latest team or player?
I suppose the reason I'm writing this is partly to ask for help in this regards and partly to get things off of my chest. Where should one start when learning to care at least a little about spectator sports? I'm great at conversational BS but I can only take it so far when I have lost track of who is whom in the arena of sports. Is there a book, article, or app (for Android, I don't have any iOS devices currently) that I can get to at least start me down the road of being an undercover sports agnostic? Your feed back is wanted. Share them in the comments section.

Samsung, Barnes & Noble Drop Tablet Price. Worth It?

Last week Samsung announced the Galexy Tab 2 student edition for $250. While it is the same price as the regular Galexy Tab 2, the dual core tablet also comes with a bluetooth keyboard and adaptor to allow use of usb drives with the tablet.
Further more, Barnes & Noble announced a price drop in their Nook color and Nook Tablets. Nook Color is $149, Nook Tablet (8GB) $179, and Nook Tablet (16GB) $199. Essentially a $50 drop in price. This was done to compete with the Nexus 7 by ASUS.
This begs the question of whether it is worth it to get either one of the tablet options over the Nexus 7? With respects to the deal I can honestly recommend the Nexus 7. While the peripherals for the Galexy Tab 2 is great and while the Nook devices have expandable memory, both are running processors that are dual core (or in the case of Nook Color a 800mhz single core processor. Also both are running old software and lower screen resolution. Over all the fact that the pricing is fairly comperable to the Nexus 7 pricing there is just nomajor reason except the expandable memory not to go with the Nexus 7. Even with that the use of services such as Google Drive, Box and Dropbox (among others) solves any major storage concerns. I have a 16gb Nexus 7 and memory isn't such a big deal. If your iching to get a 7 inch tablet, the Nexus 7 is a far better deal with more flexability as well.

Why Microsoft Why?!?!

It was recently announced that Windows 8 will not allow for a computer to boot up to the classic desktop we all know and love by default. Rather it will only allow for the Metro UI silly thing that we can no longer call the Metro User Interface due to poor planning in trade mark and copy right on Microsoft's part to boot up. If you want to go to the classic desktop UI from there you have to manually switch EACH AND EVERY TIME! Seriously?!?! While Microsoft thinks their interface is hip and all, I personally hate it. Okay, so some people like it. And it may be more effective on a touch screen. But why take choice away from users with classic laptop and desktop computers. I was actually considering upgrading from Windows 7 Pro too Windows 8 Pro because of the decreased boot time and increased system preformance, but at this point I'm just going to wait until either there is a work around for this issue or until Microsoft gets their head out of their collective ass. Either way, this makes me glad I dual boot Ubuntu since it has most, if not all, of what I am looking for in my desktop OS. All of that aside, what do you guys thing of the formerly Metro UI? Likes? Dislikes?

Shut the *bleep* Up About the iPhone 5 Already!

This little rant was in my head for a while so I figured I may as well get it out. The iPhone 5 isn't even out yet and already people are working themselves up in yet another frenzy over it. The sad part to me is that as the device goes, the iPhone name has been behind on the game since the iPhone 4. Sure its a really nice UI. Sure it broke boundries and really revitialized the industry. But if we were basing the device on what it did we would all be using Palm Pilots right now. Or I would be driving a Chevy. My point is let's judge the next iPhone on what it delivers. As things go I was emensly underwhelmed with the announcement of iOS 6. It is a great improvement for sure, but when even Windows Phone 7 users have the fuction that iOS 6 brings you have to ask yourself if it really is as cutting edge as Apple Fanboys claim it is. I personally love how competition makes things better for me as a consumer, and yet it still annoys me to no end when people are foaming at the mouth over something that isn't even announced yet and also promises to be as underwhelming as the iPhone 4, 4S and iOS 6. I'm the wait and see sort.

Best Buy Founder Suggests the Company Makes Improvements

The founder of Best Buy suggested the other day that the big box store cut prices and provide "Apple like" customer services as part of a plan to turn the store's sales numbers around. Those of us who have expirenced the poor service Best Buy (dubbed Worst Buy by us) can't help but agree with the move. While our parents may be willing to drop $1000 on a sub-par laptop or desktop, those of us who know anything about this stuff look for our electronics some place else. Let's hope that "Apple like" isn't too much like Apple though. I don't even use Macs all the time and I can still run circles around the numb skulls at the so called "Genius Bar."

Google's Launch of Google Now Voice Search on iOS is One Awesome Move!

It was recently announce by Google that the amazing voice search that has been putting Siri to shame is becoming availible on iOS devices very soon. What makes this interesting is that this feature which was previously only availible on Android 4.1 and some 4.0 devices will be availible to the users of Google's top competing mobile OS. Android fanboys everywhere are scratching their heads and asking "Why dear god why? The horror!" Maybe I over exagerate. Hell, as a huge fan of Android, I asked that question for a nano second or two. But then I remember what Google is. Google is a search company. They are an ad company. The entire reason Google bought and developed Android and develops things like Chrome is not to make massive profits from them (although it helps) or to fuel fanboy wars between Android and iOS. No, the reason Google does all it does is to protect their profitable search and advertising castle. Android, Chrome, Project Glass, all of these are Google's defeances against competition. Taken in this light, Google's release of the Google Now like voice search function that makes Siri cry like the little girl she really is just reaffirms that Google has some leaders at the helm that know what they are doing. Android fanboys out there, just remember that Android would die without Google search. The one thing that pisses me off about the Google Now search function on iOS is that the majority of Android users are left out. That will change as OEMs stop using Gingerbread and start using Jelly Bean, but OEMs can be lazy at times. Case in point, I'm writing this post on a phone running Android 2.3.4. But that will be changing very, very, very soon. Just remember people, you heard it here first!