29
Jan 10
the iPad
I don’t grok all the aversion in the techie/gadget press in regards to the iPad.
Do I want one (yet)? No; however, it seems like a pretty ideal device for someone like my wife or father-in-law. They both have pretty typical computing needs – a browser, email, iTunes for media consumption, the occasional word processing. The iPad nails all of these functions out of the box plus has the added bonus of the App Store ecosystem so there are plenty of niche specific apps and casual games to enjoy as well. It seems like a step closer to that task-centric “toaster” computing model which I think aligns well to the expectations of a large part of the population. Panic’s Steven Frank describes this personal computing evolution much more eloquently.
Right now I just want to finally ditch my current Moto dumbphone and get an iPhone. I’m not ready to make the leap to AT&T yet so I was disappointed that the end of their exclusivity for it in the US wasn’t announced this week. Oh well maybe in time for my birthday 
14
Jan 10
Bringing The Worm Home
I just came across this on io9:
an amazing collection on “Project Sand,” a group blog devoted entirely to recreating the world of Frank Herbert’s Dune in concept designs. If you need to transport yourself to a world of spice, heat, and massive mining equipment, you’ll want to visit Project Sand, and check out all the designers there.
[From Bringing The Worm Home]
There is a trove of Dune related art available.
08
Jan 10
Senator Demands IP Treaty Details
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) is demanding that U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk confirm leaks surrounding the unfinished Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, being negotiated largely between the European Union and United States.
[From Senator Demands IP Treaty Details | Threat Level | Wired.com]
As one of his constituents I applaud Senator Wyden’s efforts shed some light on the ACTA. The EFF has a nice overview of what the ACTA is and why you should care about it here.