That’s the title of my Slaw post for today.  It reads as follows:

So after talking about how tablets are a game changing technology, I finally made the plunge. It was a toss up between an Android tablet like the upcoming Samsung models, and an iPad2. There are pros and cons to each – but in the end either would be a good choice.

I’ve had the ipad2 for about a week now, and in many ways it truly is magical. That’s not to say it doesn’t have its frustrations – the biggest of which is how Apple designs it to depend on iTunes to share content. I’m not the only one to dislike iTunes – a lot of time and effort is put into creating apps that avoid its use.

I started off with the easy stuff. Reading newspapers for example on the pressreader app. I have actually cancelled my home delivery of the dead-tree version. Wired magazine has just announced that one can get its ipad version for free if you already have a traditional subscription. Reading those on the ipad is a superior experience to paper.

Flipboard is an excellent way to view things like twitter feeds and Google reader feeds.

But I didn’t get it just for that. My plan is to use it like a laptop outside of my office, taking it to meetings, and using it for note taking.

Dragon dictate works amazingly well, and you can simply email the result to yourself.

I have the wifi only version, with a plan to tether it to an Android phone once I get far enough into my current cell plan later this summer that I can replace my phone. (Unless Rogers is reading this and offers to let me upgrade early at a reasonable price.)

Since we are a Microsoft shop, like most law firms, one needs apps that can deal with Office documents, and handle file movement to and from the desktop so they can be dealt with within typical document management procedures. Dropbox is the tool that most use to synch files, but I’d like to try Microsoft Skydrive instead. That’s in part because of the recent issues with Dropbox about their ability to decrypt, and the challenges of using ones’ own encryption in an iPad/Dropbox/PC environment.

For privacy and confidentiality reasons, I don’t think its wise to keep a lot of sensitive information on a portable device, so the easy ability to move documents in and out is important.

In a future post I’ll comment on my eventual solution.

And for those wondering, yes, I did download Angry Birds, and it is addictive.

The X-Prize Foundation has announced their latest competition to be launched in 2012.   The competion is essentially to create a Star-trek like medical tricorder.   From the press release:

The X PRIZE Foundation, the leading nonprofit organization solving the world’s Grand Challenges of our time by creating and managing large-scale, global incentivized competitions, today announced a collaboration with Qualcomm Incorporated to design the Tricorder X PRIZE, a $10 million prize to develop a mobile solution that can diagnose patients better than or equal to a panel of board certified physicians. The X PRIZE Foundation and Qualcomm seeks to achieve this by combining advancements in expert systems and medical point of care data such as wireless sensors, advancements in medical imaging and microfluidics.

The Tricorder X PRIZE aims to incentivize consumer empowerment in healthcare by extending the reach of health information and services to more people. This prize will bring understandable, easily accessible health information and metrics to consumers on their mobile devices, pointing them to earlier actions for care.

That’s the title of my Slaw post for today.  It reads as follows.

We use a lot of technology today that is – to borrow a term from Steve Jobs – magical. Consider tablet computing, cars that respond to voice commands or even drive themselves. Calling an ipad2 or an Android Tablet or a Playbook magic is not a huge exaggeration in historical terms. An iPad2 would have been on a list of supercomputers rivalling a Cray as recent as 1996.

But we don’t get to this level of technology without experimentation and failures along the way. The important thing is to use those failures to lead to new insight and better products. Failure may be a result of many factors, including: flawed design, being ahead of its time, our tendency to stick to “good enough” solutions we are comfortable with rather than the possibility of something better, solutions in search of a problem, being too expensive, poor execution of a good idea, poor marketing, being user unfriendly, and simply not as good as other solutions to name a few.

Slashdot points to a vintage gadget collection just published by a Microsoft researcher. From the site:

Over the past 30 years, designer, writer, and researcher Bill Buxton has been collecting input and interactive devices whose design struck him as interesting, useful, or important. In the process, he has assembled a good collection of the history of pen computing, pointing devices, touch technologies, as well as an illustration of the nature of how new technologies emerge.

Part of the collection was first shown publicly at the Vancouver Art Gallery as part of the Massive Change Exhibition, curated by Bruce Mau, in 2004. Since then the collection has grown significantly, largely through the generous support of Microsoft Research.

The point of the site is not to focus on failures – it includes many successful products – but the history is interesting. Try the PivotViewer version – its a great way to navigate through the images.

For the London Free Press – Jan 17, 2011

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The sheer volume of digital information that we create is fast outstripping our ability to manage it all, report warns

The sheer volume of digital information continues to rapidly increase. According to a report by IDC entitled The Digital Universe Decade – Are You Ready?, commissioned by storage vendor EMC, the projected growth of the digital universe could outpace our ability to manage it, creating new challenges and opportunities.

Every time we send an e-mail, take a digital photo, blog, upload a video or download a song, we are contributing digital content. The report uses the term “digital universe” to mean the amount of digital information created and replicated each year.

This content is growing and is expected to increase exponentially. In 2009, the digital universe grew by a staggering 62% to about 800,000 petabytes (a million gigabytes).

In 2010, the digital universe was expected to grow to 1.2 million petabytes and reach 35 trillion gigabytes by 2020. That would fill a stack of DVDs that would reach half way to Mars.

The report says that over the course of the next 20 years, the digital universe will grow by 44 times, while the personnel and investment in resources to manage it will only grow by 1.4 times. This discrepancy will have real implications for both the organizations tasked with dealing with digital content and regular users and contributors to the digital universe.

Issues that arise include the amount of physical storage needed to contain all this data. This is in part attributable to the fact that only 25% of digital content being created is unique – the other 75% consists of things such as forwarded e-mails and other copies.

And backing up all that data so it won’t be lost if something goes wrong faces challenges from the sheer volume, and managing the most effective and cost-effective ways of doing that.

Individuals will use higher-capacity hard drives in their computers, external hard drives, and the cloud to store and back up their personal material.

The report suggests an increasing amount of data will be housed in the cloud. This goes beyond keeping our files or backups stored at Internet-based locations. Examples include watching on-demand Internet-based TV, such as Netflix online, instead of using DVDs, and using cloud-based software rather than installing and running it on our PCs.

Finding what we need in all this data will require continued advances in ways to manage it. That includes ways to know when to delete data, and search tools to find what we need.

The report also says that the amount of data that needs protecting will increase at even a faster rate. This includes confidential and personal information, such as financial and health data. It claims that less than 10% of the information about an individual is created by the individual – such as taking photos, using social media, sending e-mails, and getting cash from an ABM. The rest is created by others, such as credit records, surveillance photos and web-use histories.

Managing the security and privacy of all this will continue to be a challenge.

David Fraser has a post entitled Your smartphone could be your most dangerous possession, so secure it. 

David states, in part

After a decision out of California which found that police are able to rummage through all your portable electronics incident to arrest, much attention has been focused on how much data people carry around with in their portable electronics. CNN Money is running a story with the descriptive title: Your smartphone could be your most dangerous possession.

David and I have commented before about the ability of customs agents to go though all your electronics.  The California decision was based on the notion that the police looking at the contents of someone’s phone incidental to an arrest is no different than looking in their trunk or pockets.  But with the amount of information that can be on our phones, it’s much more intrusive than that.  Its more like looking through all one’s personal files, banking records, phone records, etc.

And its not just about what police and customs agents can look it, its the risk of losing a phone with all that personal information on it.

Take a look at David’s post for a link to an article about securing your phone.

For the London Free Press – January 10, 2011

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The year 2010 was a significant one for technological innovation. We saw the continued advancement of the smart phone, the rise of the touch screen tablet in the guise of the iPad and Samsung Galaxy Tab, and the introduction of electric cars that plug into a standard household socket in the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf.

So what can we expect in 2011? Here are a few things that might be worth keeping an eye on:

Windows Phone 7: Windows Phone 7 is not a physical device like the iPhone but rather an operating system that will be offered on a variety of phones built by various manufacturers. Its features and creative take on the user interface mean Windows Phone 7 will be a strong competitor in 2011.

But with the level of competition in the smart phone marketplace, Windows Phone 7 faces an uphill battle. Its adoption may suffer from a lack of available applications, especially compared to Apple’s app store, which has a significant head start in app volume.

Windows Phone 7 sales in Canada will also probably be slowed by carrier lock issues, as most consumers have to wait out the three-year contract with their existing phone before they can upgrade. That is a serious impediment to phone sales in general, compared to the two-year term that is normal in most countries.

Kinect: Kinect is a controller for the Xbox 360 video game console. The Kinect allows users to control and interact with the Xbox 360 without using a handheld controller. Essentially players operate the console and play games by using hand gestures and body motions.

The Kinect is selling extremely well. In fact it has become so popular that it was hacked immediately following its release to enable it to be used with PCs and other devices.

Look for the Kinect to receive official support from Microsoft for use with PCs by year end. Controlling computers this way may lead to some interesting applications.

Anti Spam Law: Bill C-28, the Fighting Internet and Wireless Spam Act, has just been passed. It will come into effect sometime this year after its regulations are drafted.

The implications of this legislation for a typical business or organization are not fully clear. The language of the legislation has the possibility to affect how typical businesses communicate, as things that we may not consider to be spam might get caught by the act. Stay tuned for more detailed commentary on this as the year progresses.

Copyright Reform Bill: Bill C-32, the Copyright Modernization Act, is the latest attempt to update the Copyright Act. Controversial elements include digital lock provisions that will allow publishers to trump user rights.

It is likely this bill will become law, unlike the several failed attempts over the past several years.

One certain thing about copyright reform is that the details will make some people happy and will disappoint others, depending on whether one is a consumer or producer of content.

That’s the title of my Slaw post for today.  It reads as follows.

The annual Consumer Electronics Show is about to start in Las Vegas.   The CES officially runs from January 6 to the 9th, but there are several press conferences today for new product announcements.   The show is huge – 2700 exhibitors, and over 100,000 attendees.  Most of the major electronics brands will be there showing off their latest computers, cameras, TV’s, home theatres, and accessories.  (With the notable exception of Apple.)

One of the hot items this year will be tablets.  As I’ve mentioned before,  (and I’m certainly not the only one) tablets will forever change how we consume information and media – both as a consumer and business device.

Some predictions call for as many as 80 different tablets to be introduced at the CES.  There will be various flavours of operating systems and sizes.  But they will all be compared to the iPad.  And version 2 of the iPad is expected to be introduced within the next couple of months or so. 

It will take time for the market to decide what features, operating system, size, and price points become useful and popular.  And which of those 80 will not survive.   

My advice for anyone wanting a tablet is to hold tight for a short while and see what the choices are when the next version of the iPad arrives.  And then decide which of those choices makes the most sense for you.   

The tech press has extensive coverage of the CES.   See, for example, CNET, Engadget, Wired.

For the London Free Press – December 20, 2010

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Many people, including myself, predicted 2010 would be the year of the tablet computer. Apple has sold millions of iPads since its introduction earlier this year. But competing devices are only now coming to market.

The iPad was not the first tablet computer – but it was the first one with the right combination of features, form factor, and price, to be successful. It set the bar, and is the tablet by which all others will be measured.

In my view, the advent of tablet computers will be looked upon in the future as a game- changing event. Tablets will forever change how we consume information and media. Paper- based newspapers, magazines and books are already being supplanted by electronic versions. The portability and ease of use of tablets will accelerate this trend.

This is partly because the “lean backward” experience of tablets is more comfortable and more like reading paper than the “lean forward” experience on a computer. Tablets are as portable as a newspaper or book, and have the same instant-on experience.

Electronic formats allow a much better and more interactive experience than static paper. That experience will improve over time as publishers learn how to better use the medium.

Eventually, newspaper carriers will be mentioned in history books (electronic versions of course) alongside milkmen.

So is an iPad the perfect Christmas gift?

No doubt it will be for a lot of people. But many of us would rather impatiently wait a little while longer. The iPad is a compelling device, both for personal and work use. But it is a first generation device with a few compromises. Competing devices that were expected to be available this year are just starting to appear. The year 2011 will see more choice, and more competition.

Competitors available now include Android based devices such as the Samsung Galaxy Tab, and the Windows 7 based HP Slate 500.

Blackberry recently announced the Playbook tablet, which it shows off in a video demonstrating its superiority.

Others will be available in various sizes, running various operating systems, with different features. It is hard to predict which brands, models and sizes will ultimately be successful, or will for various reasons fail.

iPad version 2 will probably be available within a few months, which will improve on some of the current version’s shortcomings. For those of us willing to wait, that would be a good time to take stock of the iPad and its competitors to decide which is the best choice.

It seems that there are as many viewpoints on what tablets should do, what size they should be, and how they should operate as there are people writing about them. One thing that is certain is that there will be enough competition and choice to ensure continuing improvement in the devices, and the content we consume on them.

That’s the title of my Slaw post for today.  It reads as follows:

Given that lawyers are heavy users of Blackberrys, most Slaw readers will already know that RIM just announced the Playbook tablet, which is an iPad competitor.

RIM has taken an interesting approach.  It is designed for business users, and as a companion device that will tether to a Blackberry.  Indeed, its promo hits heavily on features that the iPad has been criticized for lacking – such as a forward facing camera, and usb.  It may very well be a compelling choice for Blackberry users.

While it was just announced, it is not available until early 2011.  I suspect it was announced so far in advance for a couple of reasons.  To try to convince Blackberry users to wait rather than buy an iPad now.  And to give the developer community time to create apps for its launch.  After all, the apps are as important as the device.

For the record, I think the iPad is a game changer, and want one badly – but am waiting for either the 2nd generation iPad, or a worthy competitor.

More details can be found in this engadget post about its intro (which has a copy of RIM’s press release) , engadget’s post comparing the Playbook, the iPad, the Samsung Galaxy Tab, and the Dell Streak.  Also Wired Gadget lab’s post about its intro, and it’s comparison.

For the London Free Press – September 27, 2010

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Most of us are familiar with the terms “software” and “hardware”. Over the years, many other “ware” words have been coined to describe the myriad applications available today.

There are a variety of terms for software designed to harm your computer. For example, “malware” (or “scumware”) describes software developed to harm your computer. It includes things such as viruses and worms, and often uses communication tools such as e-mail and instant messaging programs to spread from computer to computer.

“Scareware” is a type of malware. A form of fake security software, it claims that your computer is infected with viruses, and persuades the user to buy a full version of software that will “clean” the infection. It tries to scare users into buying a product. The product you buy could simply be unnecessary, but it could also be intended to damage your computer. It is even possible to become infected with scareware without buying the software, for example, if the user tries to close the notification. Some scareware messages are particularly deceptive because they are designed to look like they were generated by your computer’s operating system.

“Spyware” is another kind of malware that collects personal information about users without their knowledge. The information it collects is often used for the purposes of advertising and identity theft. Some can also slow down your computer, causing applications to freeze and systems to crash.

“Junkware” refers to unwanted, and often intrusive, software. It may be installed with the user’s consent when the user accepts an end-user licence agreement, but it typically serves no useful purpose. It can include adware, spyware, as well as “hijackware”, which can, among other things, set the user’s default Internet homepage to a site of its choice.

There are forms of “wares” that are less harmful, but equally annoying. “Annoyware” (or “nagware”) describes software that users find annoying. Such as software that frequently disrupts the normal operation of a program to remind users to register it.

“Adware” displays advertisements while the software is running. Although it can be harmless, and is typically used by application developers as a source of income, they can include spyware. Similar to “Adware” is “Beggarware”, a form of “freeware” that encourages the user to donate to the freeware’s author.

There are also terms for software with limited functionality. “Shareware” free software is sometimes limited in its functionality, availability or convenience. It may be trial or demo software. Additional features become available if the user chooses to purchase the full version. “Crippleware” refers to an even more restricted type of shareware.

Bloatware (or “fatware”) is software that uses so many resources it slows your system. A recent example of this is some pre-loaded applications found on Android smartphones.

Not all wares are evil, though. “Charityware”, for example, is a type of software whose end is to benefit a charity by encouraging its users to donate to a charity, instead of paying for the software.