I surrender...!

After much resistence I have finally given up ... Ipod touch should arrive some time this week....

The iPhone scratches me in all the right prices with the exception of it being a phone ... ironically enough. The plans far exceed my telephone usage so it's a total waste of money to pay $70+ when I only make maybe $20 worth of calls - if that - in a month.

The touch does everything I want - especially now that it has apps - is, relatively speaking, cheap and it won't yell at me!

iTunes in Australia

So Apple finally released an iTunes store in Australia!

But ... they charge $1.69 a song or about $0.30 (according to the exchange rate) per song more than what the users in the US pay.

After the 'problems' with the nano's screen I have to wonder if they really are my heroes this week.

Sigh!

Apple ... my hero! (again!)

The release today of the new Apple iPod Video and it's support network is something much more significant than at first glance.

I have become increasing frustrating at television networks when it comes to actually watching TV.

These ideas of varying advertising break lengths and intervals 'forces' you to dwell around the noxious little beast.

With some of the local low end advertising offering you 90% off a rug for 'this weekend only' ... every week and others literally screaming at you for 90 seconds (Burswood Dome sales!) it's a genuinely unpleasant experience.

What Apple has done, beyond the usual toys, is make episodes of TV series available to download one day after they've screened in the US. These downloads are completely commercial free and, relatively speaking, cheap (US$5-6 each).

Ok ... in perspective, a new release 2 hour movie on DVD costs AUD$7/night ... but ... you can't keep it and watch it when you wish and there is often the inconvenience of having to visit a video store (dreary places at the best of times).

A new release 2 hour movie in American Cinemas apparently costs upwards of US$12!

There are some factors that I'm not so sure of yet... ie. can the rest of world access these downloads?

In Australia we can't access music on the music store as it's essentially against the law to download ANY music.

The other factor is quality ... these are potentially intended for the iPod Video with it's very small screen.

Either which way, it's a step in the right direction ... video and entertainment on demand will finally decentralise a bit of the power away from the Murdoch's and co.

They've just got to keep Gatesy out of the picture!

Staring at the computer

Had a long day today ... have been typesetting my nut off and I'm a bit blurry eyed.

It has to make you wonder how long the human body can handle our 'computer' lifestyle. I really have problems with fixed focussing, sore wrists and back as well as some neck problems I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.

Admittedly, I've been working (or had something to do) with computers for almost 20 years now. I still remember the first day with our first computer - a long since (hopefully) composted Spectrum 48k. Both my brother and I sat for 14 straight hours on the floor in front of this thing in the corner of our house.

Later on came an Commodore 64 (had a fantastic smell!) which we thrashed to pieces then an Amiga 500 ... also suitably thrashed. First Apple was around 1986-87 with a few old green screeners that my Maths teacher (Terry McMahon -- always wanted to check if he was a genius or not) used to teach us a bit of BASIC. The first Macs came later at Art School and were rudimentary at best.

I would hope that the computer evolves further to be more 'me'-friendly. When you think about it, it's not so far back along the foodchain before you get to the humble mechanical typewriter.

The interface needs to fundamentally evolve. People need to think more outside the box of simple QWERTY and voice recognition. I daren't say that I have the solution.

I keep thinking that there is no way I can do this for another 30 years with even a bit more of keytapping in retirement.

I also think there'll be a pandemic of obesity, RSI and optical problems in the future ... the West will finally submit to it's own form of population control. Everyone's living longer and more 'comfortably' but will take recurring problems with them into retirement. Ultimately the health care and welfare system will collapse in on itself.

As I said ... blurry eyed.