Microsoft formally announced Windows Phone 8 yesterday. There were some interesting technical details in the announcement: it permits running native code, will apparently support individual app distribution centres for corporate users, and has a less boring home screen. They also confirmed, as expected, that there will be no upgrades from Windows Phone 7. I'm not… Continue reading Windows Phone 8 and Nokia
Category: Non-Work
Repairable laptops
The new MacBook Pro has prompted some argument about how repairable a laptop should be. Its screen can't be detached from the protective glass, the RAM is soldered in, and the solid-state drive uses some sort of obscure (proprietary?) connector. The mainstream article prompting this is here from Kyle Wiens, the founder of iFixit. I… Continue reading Repairable laptops
Nokia: “You know, we might be in a spot of bother after all”
(All over the internet for the last couple of days, but for best subhead I must link to the Register.) Being a contrary type, I recently bought a Nokia 700. You can see it on the top of the pile in the photo on the right. It runs Nokia (Symbian) Belle, an unevenly-supported platform that… Continue reading Nokia: “You know, we might be in a spot of bother after all”
2880×1800
The Verge: Apple announces next-generation 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display (nice URL, by the way). Obligatory grump: Pity it's not a 4:3 aspect ratio... More rational grump: How come nobody else has been able to do this? I'm not the only person to have been waiting for a machine with a screen like this—and… Continue reading 2880×1800
“Various nifty functions”
Further to the code-literate judge in Oracle v Google, via Groklaw we now have his ruling that the Java APIs are not copyrightable. It's an exceptionally clear piece of work and a good introduction to the subject. I certainly couldn't have written a better technical summary, although I'm sure there are bits that a non-programmer… Continue reading “Various nifty functions”
More on Apple TV and games consoles
Further to my previous post: I'm used to thinking of iOS devices (iPhone, iPad) as undermining the PC. From that perspective, my response as a developer is partly skewed by frustration at seeing relatively open platforms replaced by more closed ones. Thinking about an iOS device as an alternative to the games console—the classic successful… Continue reading More on Apple TV and games consoles
The Breakfast Post 