(Vámonos!)

Save me from this prison
Lord help me get away
Cause only you can save me now
From this misery
I’ve been lost in my own place
And I’m gettin’ weary
How far is heaven
And I know that I need to change
My ways of livin’
How far is heaven,
Lord can you tell me

I’ve been locked up way too long
In this crazy world,
How far is heaven
And I just keep on prayin’ Lord
And just keep on livin’,
How far is heaven
Yeah, Lord can you tell me,
How far is heaven
I just gotta know how far is,
How far is heaven
Yeah, Lord can you tell me

Tu que estas en alto cielo,
Echame tu bendiciòn
[translated from Spanish]
[You that are in at higher heaven
throw me down your blessing]

I know there’s a better place
Than this place I’m livin’,
How far is heaven
And I just got to have some faith
And just keep on givin’,
How far is heaven
Yeah, Lord can you tell me,
How far is heaven
I just gotta know how far is,
How far is heaven,
Yeah, Lord can you tell me,
How far is heaven,
I just gotta know how far,
I just wanna know how far

Henry Garza (b. 15 May 1978) vocals, guitar
Jojo Garza (b. 4 June 1980) bass, vocals
Ringo Garza (b. 29 November 1981) drums, percussion, vocals

Apple gave developers access to 10.7 for months, and good developers big and small have been testing their software to have 10.7 optimized versions ready for release along with Apple’s OS release. Most have had information regarding compatibility, issues and time line for updates at or before launch.  Adobe who is notorious for very slow updates and buggy releases with multiple security issues is trying to blame their problems on Apple.

Adobe would like to think of themselves as tool makers and as such they SHOULD be leaders in making their tools the best there are, but rather they are monopolists in the niche creative market – built on the lack of competition for Photoshop (a great but poorly maintained product).

Adobe has been slow to port their flagship products to Coca the modern Mac development framework, and they have been paying for it in terms of usability and computability of their products. The Mac is still a very significant source of their user-base and income as OSX commands almost 50% of the creative community market (along with more than 50% of the high end home market – as in the people who spend more than $1k on their computer system and are likely to pay more than $1k for creative suite software).

Adobe only gets away with their poor OSX support as they have little or no competition, and if they keep this up it will change, just look at Hype the new HTML5 based keyframe based animation tool that is all the buzz with many creatives I know moving to it instead of Adobe Flash.

Here is a list of the things that struck me:

1. The “Open Box” experience was not as good as typical apple products but it was not bad, all the connections were obvious and it came with all the cables (except HDMI), everything felt much cheaper than Apple products but above generic Chinese products.
2. Plug it in and turn it on and it gets immediately  wonky. It asks for the disk that came with the unit, but all that came with it was packaged and labeled as a game. None of this was obvious and the initial graphics are totally lame.
3. Needs to update immediately after gaining a network connection during which it losses connetction with the TV and takes more than 15 min???
4. The controller is totally not obvious and the graphics on screen do not help much.
5. Selecting the
6. The on screen / controller keyboard is very poorly implemented, ( I have always felt the Apple TV remote / on screen keyboard was lame but after using the Xbox you realize how much effort Apple put into Apple TV).  There are no hard stops when scrolling left right or up and down, the controller moves to fast to do fine selections of options,
7. You have to have a Windows live (hotmail) account if you can sign up for one with the Xbox the install process doesn’t show you how only takes you on a loop to create an account but that actually means use an existing account???
8. Ok once I found my MS Live account (never use it) I enter my personal information and they promise not to use it – only makes you more suspicious.
9. Lots of blank screens – no waiting message and during set up
10. Go GOld? Noe real explanation but tells you you need this to use netflix???
11. Once you say not thanks then it offers you a month free membership with out explaining what it is for! No option but to accept.
12. Calibration of the Kinect fails as there seems to be no sound coming across the HDMI link? I am done it is a FAIL!
13. While looking on the internet for info about HDMI audio problems (there were many references) the controller lost connection with the xbox.  No instructions but after pushing enough buttons it re established connection???
14. Then wiht out audio (hoped to get to audio setting later) finished the Kinect calibration and picked an Avatar. THE WHOLE WAVE IN THE AIR TO CONTROL THE XBOX IS VERY COOL!
15. Automatically put me into the “game: and then a message about needing to update this game from xbox live only the Kinect controller would not accept my selection so it disconnected from Xbox live!

Having done this in the past few weeks with friends with Android phones (it is tribute that only a few months ago I could not say I had friends with Android phones) it is obvious that it take much longer to do basic tasks with Android, simply looking up contact info or using google maps to find something and get directions seemed to take 2 to 3x the number of steps that the iPhone did. But with that said there were things you could get on the Android that you could not with the iPhone like turn by turn directions.

The other obvious test is give a phone to someone who has never used it and watch how long it take to be come useful. Again having done this a few time the iPhone is way more intuitive to use than Android.

And this is all with out the issue of 3rd party applications – where Android still has much to catch up with both in terms of types and quality.

It would appear that these are not issues the developers of Android are focused on as it would not be that hard to fix these issues – and Google has said that usability will be a focus for version 3.0.

Apple on the other hand develops and test for usability first and feature depth only after interface issues are resolved.

As Android has become more mature (and competitive with iOS) this fundamental development focus is increasing the main difference between the two platforms. And as a result the difference between their fans.

It is all good as by each focussing on different areas of the OS/UI while competing with each other Apple and Google will continue to push the envelope making mobile devices more useful and powerful. It’s the Nokia’s, RIM’s and MSFT’s of the world that can not keep pace on ether front!

This is based on my thoughts after reading:

Inside the heads of Android fanboys
Reaction to InfoWorld’s iOS vs. Android face-off reveals that Android aficionados like tech that requires secret knowledge

Once you build your biz on non differentiated product sold on price you find their is always someone willing to sell it for less.

HP has gotten their supply chain costs in line while providing better service and support at the corporate level and Asus etc are more than willing to sell cheaper PC’s than Dell.

They have nothing left except for some inertia in IT purchasing departments.

Dell has always been a commodity product sold on price. Their brief life as a Data Center partner is over as it was tied to MSFT’s dominance.
Once you build your biz on non differentiated product sold on price you find their is always someone willing to sell it for less.

HP has gotten their supply chain costs in line while providing better service and support at the corporate level and Asus etc are more than willing to sell cheaper PC’s than Dell.

They have nothing left except for some inertia in IT purchasing departments.

Check out: http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2010/07/the-dell-tale-starts-to-unravel-and-its-a-bombshell.html

Products

1. Meyer Sound Products
1. PSW-6 : High-Power Cardioid Subwoofer (one of the first off the shelf product directional subwoofer I became aware of) it has two 18 inch and four 15 inch woofers – two of the 15 inch woofers face the back:
1. Meyer PSW-6 Product Page 
2. Meyer Successfully Tests Unique Cardioid Subwoofer Design
3. PSW-6 DataSheet
4. PSW-6: The First Directional Subwoofer in History
2. M3D-Sub : Directional Subwoofer – Meyer’s dual 18 inch front facing and dual 15 inch rear facing touring subwoofer:
1. Meyer M3D Product Page
2. M3D data Sheet

General Articles

http://www.doctorproaudio.com/doctor/cajondesastre/pdfs/Downloaded_from_Doctor_ProAudio_com-SettingUp_cardioid-Joan_La_Roda-DAS_Audio.pdf

Seems like all the rage but not everyone thinks so:

Check out this discussion:  (http://forum.speakerplans.com/how-tocardioid-sub-arrays_topic26007.html)

“For sub-bass control I’m not convinced there is any advantage over just pointing all the subs forward & forming a wide horizontal array, in most circumstances.  I try to induce as much diffraction directivity as possible & then the radiation pattern tends to be cardioid shaped anyway.”

“I do have and use Q-Subs and S2 cabs. The CSA method does work to some extend, but you need more gear ( cabs and amps ) to end up with less SPL than straightforward non-CSA. I tried it several times in various venues from very small to rather big and from my experience it’s a small benefit at best at the cost of more gear. The feeling creeps on me that it’s a marketting ploy to sell more gear because they ( not only D&B ) convinced you bass splill at the rear is THE BIG problem. But is rear spill really that big a problem ? I admid it can be in some cases, but an environmental problem primarly in open air gigs. Every time I used it, musicians start complaining”

The best I have seen on this topic is:
Phase Wavelengths: The End Fire Cardioid Array made visible

http://bobmccarthy.wordpress.com/2010/01/27/cardioid-subwoofers/

http://svconline.com/mag/avinstall_bass_not/

More at: http://srforums.prosoundweb.com/index.php/t/44778/7154/

and  Dave`s blog for his take on it…
http://ratsound.com/blognav.htm
Highly informative and some intriguing questions?

More! you ask check these out:

• Rear delay array : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subwoofer#Directional_bass
• EV’s – Subwoofer Arrays - A Practical Guide “great basic info” kpb – http://www.meyersound.com/news/1998/psw-6_test/
• AES PNW Section Meeting Report - A Cardioid Subwoofer Array – Theory vs. Practice - with Dan Mortensen – http://www.aes.org/sections/pnw/pnwrecaps/2009/aug09_subs/
• Tech Talk: Building Directional Subwoofer Arrays http://www.prosoundweb.com/article/tech_talk_building_directional_subwoofer_arrays/
• Cardioid Subwoofer Array 80 http://polarfocus.com/pub/Cardioid%20Subwoofer%2080.pdf
• Application Guide Spaced SB210 FSA Forward Steered Low-Bass Array- Jan/04 – Rick Kamlet -http://www.jblpro.com/catalog/support/getfile.aspx?doctype=3&docid=234
• 
  
• Meyer Successfully Tests Unique Cardioid Subwoofer Design “I credit the the work Meyer did to develop and promote Cardioid subs as critical to them becoming popular” kpb  - http://www.meyersound.com/news/1998/psw-6_test/
• d&b Audio: http://www.dbaudio.com/en/systems/qi_series/qi_csa/
• The B4-SUB realises d&b audiotechnik’s patented design of a unique cardioid technique using only one amplifier channel, following on from the introduction of CSA (cardioid subwoofer array) techniques – http://www.tpimagazine.com/News/344415/the_db_audiotechnik_b4sub_creates_the_new_cardioid_chapter.html
• The Next Cardioid Chapter, The D&B Audiotechnik B4-SUB – http://www.techietalk.co.uk/news/cardioid-chapter-db-audiotechnik-b4sub/
• Bass Here, Not There - Sep 1, 2004 12:00 PM, By Bruce Borgerson - and it covers the EAW TD stuff we did with Kenton, and Craig Jazen from Acoustic Dimensions a ways back before anyone was talking about directional subs – http://svconline.com/mag/avinstall_bass_not/
• And you must check out: http://www.acousticdimensions.com/tools/dipolecardioid.htm
• A Concise Article on Cardioid Subwoofer Arrays – by Steve Bush http://bobmccarthy.wordpress.com/2010/03/25/a-concise-article-on-cardioid-subwoofer-arrays-by-steve-bush/

Read the whole thing at:

http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/6023/10-Simple-Strategies-for-Business-Blog-Content.aspx

1. Answer Customer Questions -

2. Aggregate Industry Information

3. Think Beyond Text

4. Seek Out Guest Authors

5. Make Lists

6. Make Charts

7. Think Like an OpEd Writer

9. Review Industry Books

10. Break News

There are a few good examples of people actually trying to figure out the facts and what it all means like these:
Reading Between the iPhone OS 4.0 Lines – daringfireball.net/2010/04/reading_between_the_iphone_os_4_lines

All week long I was reading the volleys on the web about the “effects” of the new iPhone OS4 SDK developer agreement, the impact of no flash on Apple’s iPad or Adobe’s success and the whimpering cries from the Android developer fan boys, while at the same time I have been working on a major project for a new client website- using Adobe tools for the job (CS4 testing across Safari, Firefox and Chrome on both the Mac and Windows along with IE ). This project required me to  work more intensely with the Adobe CS4 than I have have in the past. I have used Adobe products since they came out – and in most instances from before they were Adobe products, but it  has been many years since I was this directly doing the work instead of overseeing a team, so I had to get my hands dirty and actually delve into the depths of CS4.

The project calls for what should be easy today a database driven site requiring:

• CSS based Web layout
• Simple Motion Graphics
• Instructional Videos

Other than Photoshop all the Adobe CS4 products I worked with did a very poor job and proved to be unreliable.

The documentation (or should I say lack there of) is something Adobe should be ashamed of.  They expect a customer to pay more than a thousand dollars for a product that has no documentation???  The online help is poorly indexed and when you search for answers you come up with mostly out of date references to older versions of Creative Suite that are not every useful. I am sure Adobe would be happy to sell me support and lessons, that is not what I am looking for. In almost every case it was easier and better to simply search for off the shelf PHP, Javascript or HTML/CSS solutions than use Adobe’ solution.

In every case it turned out simpler to use not Adobe supplied solutions where you Google what you are trying to do, quickly find a solution,  copy and quickly edit it to your needs. The Adobe solution if you could find one was spend hours searching for Dreamweaver help and end up with a proprietary solution that is clunky and harder to produce and maintain. Examples of this are:

Inserting RSS feeds into a webpage – something that is simple in iWeb, or even in WordPress is a major project in Dreamweaver!

Adobe needs to get back to their knitting and make their software work.

It amazes me that no one questions this junk!

The security industry only makes money if people are scared!

They have good reason to fear the wider adoption of OSX, it is more secure than Windows as long as Windows maintains the level of backwards compatibility – like XP mode in Win 7. They can sandbox Windows compatibility mode but there will still be problems with the old API’s that MS used to do inter app communications.

Mac OSX unlike Windows is based on Unix and was designed with multi-user security from day one – Windows still has legacy of single user operating system.

No software is bug free or totally safe, but to say in any way that OSX is less secure than Windows is simply not true.

The fact is not that there are legions of bad guys trying to steel from your computer – is a a media hyped – security industry backed – hysteria. The majority of threats on window are made my script puppy amateur hackers who do it to prove they can, it’s a right of passage. And they target windows because it is easy, it does not take deep programing insight or knowledge – all it takes a simple scripting.

The real story is simply not told, as there is no one who wants the story to be told.

Microsoft does not want to admit that they have the problem and they want to sell the updates to try and wall off their problems.

The IT industry makes too much money from the need to have the high priests protect the Corporate computer infrastructure. Many jobs would be in jeopardy if everyone was not scared about how to keep their company safe from infection.

The security industry’s whole business model is baed on the fear of viruses and malware.

I have had an OSX Server machine on the internet as a server for more than 5 years without a problem, with out a external firewall simply using regular Apple updates. My last Windows server could not stay online for more than a week without the need to deal with security problems.  Windows can not do that and never will until they completely rewrite it. I have also had Unix boxes up for years with out a problem. Since the days of NT4 I have not been able to keep a Windows machine on the net for more than a few months without a problem of some sort – it is designed to need full IT support!