Here is some exciting news for those that are anticipating the GooglePhone (GP). Believe it or not, but I am not one of them - I know little of the up-and-coming GP.

WhatsOpen.com is to be the first app for the GP. The WhatsOpen.com app - and the website which can be accessed here - allows you to search for ‘what’s open’ at a given time of day. It combines Google Maps and a directory tool to display the results. So, if you would like to know where you can get a pizza at 4am, give it a shot. Very handy for home or mobile.

In reply to Valleywag’s 25 Predictions for 2008, I shall do my own version. Well, lets make it 6 Predictions for 2008.

Telstra:-

I don’t think Sol Trujillo will be at Telstra by the end of 2008. Who replaces him: I don’t have the foggiest. I think Telstra will chip away at extending the reach of its HSDPA network and the other carriers will try their best to match all but its remotest coverage. Telstra won’t win the iPhone contract. I feel Vodafone will: the two align much better than Mac-unfriendly Telstra.

Apple:-

Hopefully Apple will release the iPhone to Asia by the end of 2008. It will be a 3G model and the battery issues will be worked out. The 13″ Macbook Pro will be announced at Macworld Jan. 08 (please let this be true).

Google:-

Google’s share-price will hit $800 (I agree with Valleywag on this). They will go on an acquisition-rampage.

The Internet:-

The whole Web 2.0 movement will charge ahead and brilliant ideas will continue to rise, survive and/or die out of Silicon Valley. Social networking will continue to be dominated by Facebook, MySpace and Linkdin (in order). There will be loads of consolidation and acquisitions in this space.

Telecommunications:-

All I have to say is one thing: ULL.

Pajago.com:-

We shall continue to tap-away at the keys - hopefully - producing content that you, the readers, enjoy to read. Again, feedback and suggestions is important for us to continue to produce quality. Contact us here: suggestions@pajago.com

Done.

P

A short while ago Amazon released its ‘revolutionary’ eBook reader, the Kindle. When I first saw it, I didn’t know what to think. I kind of agree with Zack Klein, in that it looks surprisingly like the ‘Pontiac Aztek of e-readers‘. Well get this - but watch the video first… If you want:

Amazon’s new Kindle ebook device sold out almost immediately after going on sale. And there won’t be any more available until after Christmas:

Kindle Availability
Due to heavy customer demand, Kindle is sold out. Because orders are prioritized on a first-come, first-served basis, please ORDER NOW to reserve your place in line. Your Kindle will not arrive by December 24th. Note that Kindles cannot currently be sold or shipped to customers living outside of the U.S.

The device, which sells for $400, also is unavailable outside of the U.S. So if you want one now, you have to go through eBay or another second hand retailer.

And it isn’t going to be cheap. Prices range up to $1,500 on eBay. The average final price is $830, and one person paid $1,500 (see Terapeak). So if you want one, you’re going to have to pay.

Couldn’t help myself; had to show you the hideous, hideous Aztek. Believe it or not, this is the 2005 model. Looks at least a kajillion times its age in terms of design.

Source: TechCrunch

I always thought geeks were obsessed with Windows computers but this assumption changed over time. Before too long, Linux seemed to be the geek OS (operating system) of choice.

Well, after working 5 months at my current workplace, the assumption has changed again, Apple OSX seems to be the geek OS of choice. I reckon at least 75% of our (my workplace) 300+ strong workforce are Mac users - oh that stat impresses me, so so much.

There are many arguments in circulation as to why people choose Macs. Some say it’s because Mac users are little snobs with nothing better to do than obsess. Others say it’s because they are employed in the film/music/design sector. Well, I think the following, rather lengthy and book-like explanation is spot on:

I want to share with you all a profound moment of clarity I’ve had today.

I was buying a Mac keyboard for my sister for a Christmas present. My sister has a Mac and wanted a Mac keyboard. So there I was. I got to the checkout and I found myself slightly ashamed to be actually buying a Mac product. I mean $69 for a really basic USB keyboard??? It’s worth half that.

So I started complaining to my wife on the way home that I just don’t get Mac users and their over-priced hardware. And what I was really thinking as I was driving was, ‘What a bunch of noobs.’ Anyone who is a PC enthusiast has thought it at least once. Go on, admit it! You think they must just be thick or sucked in by the slick marketing and minimalist packaging.

But we are wrong. And this is my revelation…

Their entire view of tech is fundamentally different to us…I mean on a fundamental level. It’s different. And here it is in a nutshell:

‘They don’t care about technology. They just care about what they can do with it.”

Let that sink in for a bit. Now I’m going to take you on a guided visualisation. Close your eyes…well maybe not…

Now imagine that you’re a second-gen digital native. Home computers existed well before you were born. You’ve never used a camera that requires film. You text so much your thumb is your most mobile digit, you live on Facebook, and you would rather lose your wallet than your mobile phone. You don’t even have a landline.

You want to view your photos, edit HD digital videos, play your music and generally bum around on-line. You probably use a laptop cause you want to do it all from the couch. Tech is everywhere, pervasive, omnipresent. You don’t really think about it. You just use it.

That’s a Mac user, because that’s exactly what Macs deliver. Macs (in all their forms) are friendly, welcoming, stylish (they are…admit it) and they work. You can do all the things you want to do in a tech world and it’s all pretty simple. I mean half of what they want to do is already built into the operating system.

And here’s the beautiful thing. Say someone wants to do something new with their Mac. Like setup a wireless network in their house. They go a shop. Probably a Mac shop. And there is one thing to do it. Airport Extreme. Not twenty variations with various driver issues and all sorts of dohickys and thingemebobs. Just one. I couldn’t believe it today when I was looking at the Airport Extreme (something else my sister was coveting). $259. I saw that it supported wireless N and I’m thinking there is no way my sister had wireless N. So I ask if there is a wireless G version that costs less. Of course not. I’m not thinking Mac. One thing. It’s that simple.

So they buy the Airport Extreme. They take it home. They plug it in. It probably gives them a hug the first time they turn it on. And it works. They plug in an external hard-drive. And there they go. Home network with remote storage.

It’s really a wonderful thing actually. Macs allow all the people who don’t have the inclination to pour over a myriad of hardware or software reviews (which I love to do as I’m such a geek) access to all the same cool tech tools (in a hardware and software sense) as we have. Sure they may not be the best in their class, or the cheapest, or the most efficient. But overall they work, they are hassle free, they are easy to use, and they look nice to have around home.

See you’ve just got to look at it like they do.

I like my car. I have a CRV. It’s good. It drives well, I can fit stuff in it, its relatively safe and it looks alright. While I have a general interest in how it works, I’m not really interested in modifying the suspension, or adjusting the computer controlled fuel-injection system, or whatever else it is that car heads do. My car is a Mac. Most cars are really. But to a car head….what am I? A noob.

So don’t denounce our Mac using brothers and sisters, embrace them! For they are tech lovers just like us. They have just come to the same place via a different path. And next time I buy my sister a pressie that’s white and glossy, I won’t be ashamed. I’ll feel warm in the knowledge that she has found her own way to the place where I live.

What can I say to that. Not a lot. Pretty accurate I think.

Source: Whirlpool

Bec and Lleyton Hewitt apparently have a stake in online venture, eSwap.com.au. I wonder how it goes for them.

Today marks the day of ‘posting random, statistic-driven images on the Pajago.com blog’. I think it should be marked as a public holiday! What do you think?

I made a couple of neat discoveries today; both at adsl2exchanges.com.au. First is a tool that allows you to see where the RIM’s ( Remote Integrated Multiplexer) in your area are located and how many available ports there are; the other, a heat-map of likely ADSL2+ speeds within your area. I believe both are quite reliant on user-interaction - a good way to go about things provided the information is moderated.

To view the RIM searcher, go to the left sidebar and click ’suburb’ view. Do what it asks to locate the suburb in question. You will see a Google Map littered with heat-blobs. Click on each and it tells you the RIM’s name and status. The Telstra exchanges are also marked by a little upside down tear-drop looking icon.

The speed heat-map can be found under ’states’ at the left sidebar. The more user-generated input here, the more robust the tool becomes. Very neat tool.

Go check it out.

PJG

I absolutely love Google. Anybody that knows me, knows how much I love it. I feel I get a lot out of Google and know a lot of the nifty tricks and about its sheer power. Many friends, acquaintances, colleagues (et al.) of mine, however, don’t seem to know how powerful Google actually is. What I intend to do over a few up and coming blogs is explain to my readers some of these tricks and talk about Google’s power and reach.

Before I sign-off on this blog, I’ll talk about to common mistakes I have seen people make when searching with Google:

Using Quotations when Searching Broadly:

Ok, so you’re searching for restaurants in Darlinghurst lets say. By using quotations (”restaurants in Darlinghurst”) you are narrowing your search down to pages that contain that exact arrangement of words. In fact, because I have used that arrangement as an example here, at Pajago.com, if you were to search for “restaurants in Darlinghurst”, once this post has been crawled by Google, it will come up in the search options.

To search broadly, allow Google to do what is does best. Search for relevent keywords. If you are searching for a restaurant in Darlinghurst; search as if you are asking a friend. After all, Google is your friend! So, if you were to ask your friend “do you know of any good Thai restaurants around Darlinghurst Road?” use this as the basis of your Google search. Here is an example (ignore the apostrophes by the way): thai restaurants Darlinghurst Road. Because you are not using quotations it will not narrow your search to the exact arrangement of words.

Being shy:

People are often shy with Google but I see it more with Google Maps (Earth). I displayed the power of Maps to some friends yesterday. We were looking for a business on a street in the CBD. For the purpose of this post it shall be known as 234 Smith Street, Melbourne. I typed in the address as you see it and it zoomed straight in and showed us the exact building of XYZ company.

These friends never realised that Google Maps had this power. They presumed that Maps was more of a browsing tool. The sort of thing you play around with on a Sunday afternoon.

I feel a lot of people are too shy or uncertain to just have a fiddle around with Google’s many products. Have a play; I say. Nothing will break.

PJG

Amazon on their new Kindle:

“Three years ago, we set out to design and build an entirely new class of device—a convenient, portable reading device with the ability to wirelessly download books, blogs, magazines, and newspapers. The result is Amazon Kindle.

We designed Kindle to provide an exceptional reading experience. Thanks to electronic paper, a revolutionary new display technology, reading Kindle’s screen is as sharp and natural as reading ink on paper—and nothing like the strain and glare of a computer screen. Kindle is also easy on the fingertips. It never becomes hot and is designed for ambidextrous use so both “lefties” and “righties” can read comfortably at any angle for long periods of time.

We wanted Kindle to be completely mobile and simple to use for everyone, so we made it wireless. No PC and no syncing needed. Using the same 3G network as advanced cell phones, we deliver your content using our own wireless delivery system, Amazon Whispernet. Unlike WiFi, you’ll never need to locate a hotspot. There are no confusing service plans, yearly contracts, or monthly wireless bills—we take care of the hassles so you can just read.

With Whispernet, you can be anywhere, think of a book, and get it in one minute. Similarly, your content automatically comes to you, wherever you are. Newspaper subscriptions are delivered wirelessly each morning. Most magazines arrive before they hit newsstands. Haven’t read the book for tomorrow night’s book club? Get it in a minute. Finished your book in the airport? Download the sequel while you board the plane. Whether you’re in the mood for something serious or hilarious, lighthearted or studious, Kindle delivers your spontaneous reading choices on demand.

And because we know you can’t judge a book by its cover, Kindle lets you download and read the beginning of books for free. This way, you can try it out—if you like it, simply buy and download with 1-Click, right from your Kindle, and continue reading. Want to try a newspaper as well? All newspaper subscriptions start with a risk-free two-week trial.

Kindle’s paperback size and expandable memory let you travel light with your library. With the freedom to download what you want, when you want, we hope you’ll never again find yourself stuck without a great read.

We’re very proud to introduce Amazon Kindle and we hope you like it as much as we do”.

Critics have bashed Apple for omitting Adobe Flash support from the iPhone’s “real life” Safari browser, and with good reason: a quick spin around the Web on an iPhone reveals sites that don’t work, or don’t work well without the plug-in.

Now, it’s rumored to be coming, via a quote from Mossberg himself. The question is, was the original exclusion of Flash a technical decision or a business decision?

Read the rest of this article at Gizmoda

Apple has made a great strategic move. They have made their slick web-browser, Safari available to Windows users. A move like this hasn’t been made since Apple made its iPod media player and iTunes Store compatible with Windows.

The desired outcome behind these moves is simple: to convert Windows users to Apple Mac by introducing them to the slickness and simplicity of this software.

“There are a lot of connections between our products and here’s one more,” Apple senior vice president of worldwide marketing Phil Schiller said of the Windows-version of Safari in an interview. “And the more people who like our applications, the more it might mean they’ll buy other products from us.”

Check out the source article at Australian IT.

Pajago