CaptainBeavus's Thoughts..

Too much, too fast?

2011-11-18T09:05:00.001-08:00

We are now in the fourth quarter of this year, nearer to Christmas; and this only suggests one thing. More technology releases.

And it begs the question. Are we, as consumers, being given too much in such a short period of time? Not many months have passed since the release of the iPhone 4S, the Samsung Galaxy S2, and LG's 3D devices. And already many of us are looking forward too what is in store early 2012. But is that our own fault? Or the fault of the big names behind these devices?

We have become accustomed to this trend, and subconsciously we count down the days until we are holding a new phone or tablet in our hands. We have fallen prey to these giants, and have ourselves to blame.

In a few months, we are expected to see the introduction of the Android 4.0, and apart from an updated interface, and face recognition, we are expected to splash out another £400. That, or we have to accept an increase in our pay monthly bill. And the same goes for the iPhone, we are given Siri (which works half the time), no new interface and again, we are asked to fork out £500. It's ridiculous.

Going back to the question above, are we being given too much? Yes. But if it was of good quality, an improvement from the previous model, and with a new look and feel. It would feel worth it. Truth is, it will never come down to how we would want it too be.

At the end of the day, a healthy business model can only work this way. Kudos to the manufacturers, they have us right under their thumbs.

CaptainBeavus out.

Samsung Galaxy S2

2011-09-01T15:02:00.000-07:00

It has been just over a week since I received my Galaxy S2; and well, the results are somewhat brilliant. A captivating display, responsive touch screen and amazing speed in processing has left me mesmerised. However, deep down inside me; there remains a desire to own an iPhone.

Yes, the Samsung Galaxy S2 has a dual core processor; and its full list of specs will only be matched by the iPhone. Then why is it many of us still have that will to own a device which is restricted in many ways, and advertises outdated technology as if it were new?

Using Android on a daily basis is a daunting task, as much as it is a brilliant and well designed platform/system; I have began to sway towards IOS. I own an iPad and iPod, and when using those devices, everything is so simple, yet interesting. Navigating through the settings app on an iDevice is easy, I am aware of where to look for when I need to adjust a setting.

With Android, Google has focused its attention of widgets, personalising your home screen with anything and everything, yet it still cannot compete with the simplicity of IOS. We may not realise this, but within a few hours we have remembered which app is on which page as well as the order of the apps. Yet with Android, you find yourself scrolling through the app drawer up and down (even though its in alphabetical order) looking for apps.

I would like to see a new notification system in IOS 5, and news is that it is being implemented. There aren't many things that need improving in IOS; many people argue that is a system that it is intended to control the user and that it is only to be used if jailbroken. And I agree. Jail-breaking the IOS is like letting out an angry, hungry tiger from a cage into the wild, it is dangerous, but it is also a beautiful sight.

I have packed up my Galaxy S2, and am going to sell it as soon as I find a buyer. And no, I will not buy an iPhone. Instead I shall continue with my beloved Nokia E72.

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Mobile Technology

2011-07-15T15:07:00.000-07:00

One question has been bothering me for a very long time. In fact, as obvious as it sounds, it is the reason why I am writing this blog.

The people of this world, us; the consumers continue to purchase phone after phone, not realising we are buying a similar product over and over again. Why is it that new phones appeal to the public? And with the price tag they carry, unless bought with a contract (24 months, SAY WHAT), is it really the best thing to splash money on ?

We have moved on from antennas, big heavy phones, black and white screens and simplicity. As time has gone on, colour screens, touch screens, cameras, blue-tooth, apps and many more so-called inventions have found their way into the palm of our hands. As the evolution of the mobile phone has slowed down, how can giants such as Nokia, Samsung, RIM etc produce new and updated devices.

The people that understand this problem will feel the same way as I do, however those less able to do so are more divulged in the facts such as newer phones have faster processors, more RAM space, and are overall much better looking. But, the question remains, are all these attributes worth the extra money, are they really a part of a further evolution in phones, or are we being taken for fools? I don’t like being made a fool out of...

One of the most remembered features of the old generation, was the simplicity it embodied. Phones were easy to utilise, easy to navigate through, and even easier to manage. Yet, just a few years on and it is difficult to ignore that the phone is, ironically, no longer a ‘phone’. Every mobile phone comes equipped with a 200 page user guide, and each mobile stockist now pushes the importance of services such as mobile after care for additional monthly fees.

Mobile technology has evolved, there is no doubt about that; but has it had a positive impact on society...? No!

Physical socialising has been replaced with online networking, the educational system has seen a decline in students concentration and behaviour. We are more resigned to losing our kids to street language and immodest behaviour. At the same time however, an increase in theft has been greatly acknowledged, phones are stolen on a daily basis due to their worth, and more importantly, because the ease in stealing them is apparent.

Whatever view you take on it, this evolution has its problems too. As much as it feels good to carry a ‘mini computer’ in your pocket, sometimes, just sometimes...old is most definitely gold.

What you need to know about jailbreakme

2011-07-07T10:47:00.000-07:00

Comex has released his new jailbreak, which is available at www.jailbreakme.com. Do bare in mind, in order to jailbreak your device, you have to visit the page and download cydia from there.

So what exactly is a jailbreak I hear you ask?

Well, a jailbreak of an iDevice, or any other device, is an entry to its software that allows for complete customisation, and the ability to install 3rd party applications that are not approved of and found in the app store. These applications will give the device a more advanced usability factor, whilst also increasing its demand, which in turn aids Apple.

As when any other jailbreak is released, there is a small minority of people that jump straight into the process, these are the people that are aware of the pros and cons of a jailbreak. And then there is the group of people who are unaware of a jailbreak, and most probably have stumbled across it due to it trending on twitter, and yes it did trend on twitter!

Hackers such as comex, do not force people to jailbreak, they simply provide an available option so that people can make the jump. So, with this in mind, what is the downside to a jailbreak. Well, the jailbreak provided by comex is a userland jailbreak, which in simple terms defines a method of entrance through code in the userland (software). Hence the reason for the jailbreak being so simple, but very easily remedied by apple.

As comex most probably found the exploit, it shows that there is a security flaw within the IOS itself. That said, there is a serious vulnerability that can be taken advantage of by people who wish to cause harm. However, as always there is a fix, a simple patch can be installed from cydia which eliminates the risk.

In all cases of jailbreaks, any cons are outweighed by the pros. What can be better than having a device which is fully customisable, and have applications installed which at first would not even have been heard of?

At the end of the day, when a consumer purchases a device, in this case an iDevice, it should be used in any way the consumer wishes. Why should Apple have to tell us what we can and cannot do with our own purchased items? Do we buy a refrigerator only for the manufacturer to tell us what we can and cannot put inside? It's time for Apple to grow up.

Comex does it again

2011-07-07T06:25:00.000-07:00

Cometh the 6th of July, a new dawn had settled on the 'jailbreaking' world. Comex - as known by his public persona- had released a jailbreak for the, well, 'unjailbreakable' iPad 2.

It was this achievement that has lead me to create this blog, and hopefully further posts that will entice the readers to come back and read more.

Jailbreaking is very much a hobby for all the hackers; in a time where, we the consumers set out to apple stores to buy and enjoy their products, this small group of individuals spend their time gaining access to what is a really strict and locked operating system.

What has now become a natural development; year by year Apple releasing a new product, and version after version of IOS is counteracted by the hackers releasing jailbreaks to allow access into this system to personalise their device to their liking.

However what happened this time around was a different story, and has given the world an insight into the battle between the heavyweights of Apple Inc, and well; the jailbreakers.

Everyone who had purchased an iPad 2 until the 6th of July 2011, would have felt that impatient wait for a jailbreak to be released. The relief I felt, and that millions of others experienced (www.jailbreakme.com had 1 million hits in over a day) was purely sensational. Comex's jailbreak was well worth waiting for. The simplicity of the jailbreak, the ease of the process and the end result was a tremendous feat in the battle of JB vs Apple.

We can again enjoy our apple products just the way we would like too, and just the way they should be built in the first place. My thanks go out to the people behind the jailbreak and my interest grows in this saga, as the ball is now in apples court. Can they ever make a system that is impossible to jailbreak?