What I like about Zune HD:
1. its slick design, simplicity, light.
2. UI is graphical, intuitive and very responsive
3. HD radio cool
4. screen looks fine, battery life seems good
What's missing from Zune:
1. Bluetooth A2DP support
2. playing movies is not as smooth as iPod and Android
What I don't like
1. Zune desktop software sucks, the model is a copy of iTune, but why I need a Windows PC in order to use my media player? Think about Android, which did a great thing, OTA is great
2. (Correct, it allows you connect to unknown SSID)
3. browser sucks, no CJK font support.
2009年9月1日星期二
2009年8月13日星期四
2009年8月2日星期日
Book reading: The Innovator's Dilemma
I started reading a new (really old) book: The Innovator's Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail, by Clayton M. Christensen. I was attracted by the book because I have been wondering why big companies cannot defeat small startups.
I only finished the first chapter, the topic of the book is indeed very interesting, and findings are very inspiring. I have no doubt it is a great book to read, especially like us who are in this hi-tech industry. The main argument of the book is that, well-managed big companies can make great success on sustaining technologies: new technologies improving the performance of established products. However, big companies have trouble to catch disruptive technologies: innovations that result in worse product performance in near-term, but typically cheaper, simpler, smaller and more convenient to use. I very much agree the author's point. However, I am slightly disagree that the products made from disruptive technologies are cheaper. Usually, I saw new products radically designed have high price initially, and high margin. For instance, Apple's iPod, iPhone, Amazon's kindle, large-volume SSD hard drives, etc. Typically these products have high profit margin, but smaller market volume initially. And later when more companies invest on these products and competition kicks in, the price drops and products get better.
I only finished the first chapter, the topic of the book is indeed very interesting, and findings are very inspiring. I have no doubt it is a great book to read, especially like us who are in this hi-tech industry. The main argument of the book is that, well-managed big companies can make great success on sustaining technologies: new technologies improving the performance of established products. However, big companies have trouble to catch disruptive technologies: innovations that result in worse product performance in near-term, but typically cheaper, simpler, smaller and more convenient to use. I very much agree the author's point. However, I am slightly disagree that the products made from disruptive technologies are cheaper. Usually, I saw new products radically designed have high price initially, and high margin. For instance, Apple's iPod, iPhone, Amazon's kindle, large-volume SSD hard drives, etc. Typically these products have high profit margin, but smaller market volume initially. And later when more companies invest on these products and competition kicks in, the price drops and products get better.
2009年7月31日星期五
iPod battery grows a fat belly as it gets old
We bought a U2 special edition 20GB iPod back to 2004, it was expensive comparing to today's iPod lineups. It was used with a dock station in Benjamin's bedroom for playing Baby Einstein when he goes to bed. A few months ago, the round button in the middle stopped working, I couldn't press it. It feels like a mechanical issue. This morning I took the a knife and screw driver, and opened it. Guess what, once it was opened, the middle button started working.
So I closed the case, and the button stopped working again. After reopen it, I realized that the middle button sits on top of the battery, and the hard driver is underneath. See the picture:
Over the time, the battery changed its shape. Isn't it like most of human beings? when you get old, you get a fat belly. ;)
Fix was easy, I peeled off the sponge pad on the back of the hard drive, so it leaves some room for battery's fat belly. With a little surgery, my old iPod is back to work again.
So I closed the case, and the button stopped working again. After reopen it, I realized that the middle button sits on top of the battery, and the hard driver is underneath. See the picture:
Over the time, the battery changed its shape. Isn't it like most of human beings? when you get old, you get a fat belly. ;)
Fix was easy, I peeled off the sponge pad on the back of the hard drive, so it leaves some room for battery's fat belly. With a little surgery, my old iPod is back to work again.
2009年7月26日星期日
A Day Out With Thomas
Benjamin went to Santa Cruz to ride Thomas train today. It had so much fun. Benjamin was a bit nervous at first when train started moving. Later, he really enjoyed the riding in redwood forests. After the riding, he took a picture with Thomas.
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