January, the first month of the new year 2010, is almost over and only just now did I decide to write an entry in this here old and neglected blog. It's too late to share my resolutions, and let's be honest, it's not really relevant.

Last Wednesday though, January 27th of the year 2010, Steve Jobs unveiled Apple's latest creation: the iPad. If I didn't know any better and somebody just told me about it instead of reading it, I would've corrected them that they would have to drop their jaw when saying iPod.

It took a major Apple event to make me get up off my ass and rant, or ramble, about it. Right.

Anyway, Apple really didn't release a new device, or didn't really highlight what they actually released. The iPad is proof-of-concept. I mean, why would you NEED a device that basically does what your iPhone or iPod Touch, or any smartphone can already do? Exactly. The practicality of it all is that you WANT one simply because it has that used fruit as a logo. It's for the fuckin' status quo.

The iPad's features aren't really groundbreaking since all of its features can be found on ANY smartphone, and then some.

Feature-wise, read on...

Surf on the web while sitting on the living room couch via WiFi? Of course, but my phone can also do that.

Play videos? Of course. But from the web? Not the iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch. But my phone can.

Display pictures? You bet it can. Take pictures? Err...

Read e-books? Well, that's really the point of the iPad. BUT, my phone can also do that. iBooks store? <del>Why pay for something when you can get things for free?</del> Okay.

Play music? Please.

Two-way video conferencing? Only incoming, I think. So it can prevent you from broadcasting...inappropriate...acts.

Multi-tasking? Are you kidding?

"It's a big iPhone, but it's not a big iPhone." - iLounge

It's more like a big iPod Touch. It still doesn't, and I think will never, support multitasking.

So basically, my phone can do what the iPad can. And on top of all this, I can make calls with it. Also, I don't have to look like an ass when making VOIP calls with my phone, which is pretty impossible to do on the iPad.

So, what can the iPad do that my phone can't? Work stuff. Typically something my computer already does. And be serious. Are you really going to do work stuff on that thing? Really?

That was rhetorical, by the way.

So essentially, the iPad does what your existing gadgets already do.

Say it with me: The iPad does what your existing gadgets already do.

In a setting like my house, it really isn't practical; especially if you have kids in the house. So you sit on your couch with the iPad in hand. You want to visit some website or read an e-book. Great. Then your kid comes along, sees you with the iPad, and then jumps on you. Would you be able to drop your iPad anywhere? Really? Put it down in some dusty old counter or tabletop, eventually scratching your "precious" little gadget?

It's for the affluent, those that have the extra cash in this recessed economic times. The USD 499 starting price point? Please. An iPod Touch is cheaper. With more storage.

And if you're really pinching your penny, a netbook is still far more practical than an iPad. You want to read e-books on your netbook but the screen size is too small? Most e-book reader software has a rotate feature. Use that. Then rotate the netbook 90 degrees. There's your e-book reader. A little too heavy? Why? Is an old, 300-page hardcover of any... Twilight book *shudder* light as a feather? I thought so.

So what did Apple launch?

It's the new Apple A4 chip that clocks in at 1GHz, a processor that can be compared to one of those processors powering some of the high-end smartphones. Smartphones? Oh yeah. That Apple A4 chip will soon power the next generation of the iPhone (and maybe the iPod Touch). The reason: this low power chip that competes directly with Intel, AMD, VIA, and other mobile processor manufacturers can last up to 10 hours while using all of its major features (Wifi, Bluetooth, watching videos, etc), or a whole month when on standby; which means it's just sitting there on that dusty old counter, accumulating dust and scratches.

The iPad isn't exactly another game-changer from Apple, not in the sense where "game" are played in the consumer market. It may have probably put the tablet device to a more mainstream perception, and that's simply just it.

The game Apple is trying to change is the way manufacturers innovate. When chip manufacturers are already complacent with what their making right now, innovation takes a hit. That's what Apple is aiming for with their new creation. And it's NOT the iPad, no matter how much the fanboys point it out.

And no, this is not news. I just can't believe I waited for Steve's "One More Thing" section and ended up getting nothing. So yeah, you can equate this entry to zero.

</rant>

Additional Reading:

Apple iPad tech specs: rumor vs. reality scorecard

(via CBR)

I dreamt of flying chickens.

No, that’s not the weird part.

Their eyes weren’t the usual small, chicken-y eyes. They were as big as a humans. Their feathers were colored, not the usual white, or brown, or whatever you call those colors, but it was bright yellow, blue, red, and orange. One by one, they landed on rooftops of two-storey houses, mostly my neighbors across the street. They landed on their four legs, two attached to each thigh. Their wings had hand-shaped flaps that they can control individually. And yes, its plural. Most of them had two hand-shaped flaps on each wing. Their leader, I presume, had three on each. I presumed it was their leader since it was the last to land. And it waved at me as I hung out at my gate, staring in awe.

Then I woke up.

It was just too much of a weird thing for me to handle. And as I write this, the dream slowly fades into oblivion. But before I got up out of bed and started writing, a few thoughts came to my mind.

First, I thought it was evolution, that this is what chickens will look like after a period of time. I wasn’t expecting it to happen in my lifetime, but there it was. But then, I remembered of J.J. Abrams and what he’s doing with his TV show, Fringe. If you haven’t seen an episode yet, please see one now. Anyway, the chickens were a failed experiment by KFC trying to breed mutant chickens that had more wings and legs. To produce cheaper chicken wings and legs. Yeah, one of those conspiracy theories. Of course, KFC will deny the claims and would try to cover it up. But the chickens were able to escape. Enter Agent Olivia Dunham, Peter Bishop, and the mad scientist, Dr. Walter Bishop, Peter’s father.

It was like I was dreaming an upcoming episode of Fringe. A shiver suddenly ran up my spine as I thought Mr. Abrams thinking exactly the same thing I was. That I dreamt what he was dreaming. And that Fringe is, actually, true and happening right now. After all, science fiction is based on fact. But later, I dismissed it with a shrug. Yeah. Right. Like J.J. Abrams would think of put flying chickens in his show. Like I’m special enough to have witnessed how his creative mind works. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I’m plain ol’ vanilla.

And then this got me thinking about the latest Heroes episode. Hiro going back in time to undo the wrongs he had committed in the past is practically a big retcon, like trying to save Charlie in season one by going back six months in the past (lets peg this timeline with Charlie-6M). This time, he goes back three years in the past (this timeline with Charlie-3Y). What I think will happen in the next episode will be Hiro trying to keep joy and dignity alive in the life of a terminal Charlie-3Y recently finding out of her illness, thereby giving the Hiro that will try to save Charlie-6M the chance to fall in love with him (again? maybe?).

Confusing, I know. My head hurt, that’s why I got up out of bed and started writing all this down here.

I should be sleeping right now (I work nights), and I’m slowly realizing how pathetic my life is. That thinking about TV shows’ upcoming episodes take up most of my waking hours. I think I need a new hobby.

Here's something that I would like to have before I die, but financial and economic status is cockblocking me from doing so.

So what's new to the table? For starter's there's a 16.1 megapixel APS-H CMOS sensor, ISO range of100 to 12,800 native, up to 102,400, 45-point area customizable autofocus with 39 high-precision cross-type focusing points, dual Digic 4 processors, 1080p HD video, and an option WFT-E2 IIA wireless file transmitter for connectivity over 802.11a/b/g and ethernet.  - from Engadget

WANT.

One of 25 Off The Wall custom kicks.

(via Holy Kaw! from Pop-ology)

(by Pocket Lint via Engadget)

   

From Sinfest by The Man Without A Past

Simply awesome.

(via comicbooks and Felipe Massafera)

Can't. Stop. Staring.

(via noisyman)

From Oddee's 10 Coolest Keychains