Apple's influence on high-tech markets has long exceeded the company's relatively small market share, and nowhere is that more obvious than in the wireless phone market. Barely a year after it introduced the original iPhone, Apple has redefined the wireless handset.

And with the impending shipment of a new version that should put the iPhone in the mainstream of consumer and business markets worldwide, Apple is extending its sway over much larger players such as Nokia and Samsung.The most immediate impact of the iPhone has been on hardware design, encouraging a rash of imitators with big touchscreens. That includes the new Samsung Instinct. Even Research In Motion, whose executives have ridiculed the iPhone's lack of a physical keyboard, is rumored to be developing a touch-based BlackBerry. (The company declined to comment on future product plans.)

Such efforts largely miss the point. Certainly, the beautiful hardware design adds tremendously to the emotional appeal of Apple products. But it's the software that makes the iPhone, the Mac, and the iPod stand out from the pack of wannabes.

PROBLEMS MAGNIFIED

Consider how you explore the Net on an iPhone compared with on the Instinct . The iPhone's Mobile Safari browser is in a class by itself: It is the only handheld browser I have used that makes it pleasant to view Web pages designed for big computer displays. The Instinct browser benefits from a big screen, but it is otherwise typical of the lame software found on other non-Apple handhelds. It offers a choice of displaying a page at magnifications labeled 1/2x, 1x, or 2x, a dramatically inferior option compared with the iPhone's ability to smoothly enlarge and shrink the page with a gesture. As a result, full-size Web pages that the iPhone handles easily are very difficult to read or navigate around on the Instinct.

The problems go deeper. Sprint —and just about everyone else —lacks the vigorous third-party software development effort that Apple is building around the iPhone. If you develop a program and want to make it available to Instinct users, you have to persuade Sprint to offer it through its online store. That's fine for, say, game maker Electronic Arts but leaves independent developers without a chance.

When the iPhone launched a year ago, Apple did not to let outsiders build applications for it. However, Apple fixed the problem by offering software creation tools that have won near-universal praise from developers and by providing a simple way to get their products to consumers. It was a dramatic change that will make a very attractive product even more appealing. By the time the $199 iPhone hits stores on July 11, there will be dozens of applications ready for download from Apple's new App Store, some free, some to be purchased the same way you buy music or videos on iTunes. One of the most important apps will let companies give workers BlackBerry-like access to corporate mail, contacts, and calendar data from Microsoft Exchange. TomTom has announced a program that will turn an iPhone into a full-featured GPS navigation unit. And based on demos Apple has shown, there will be games with graphics quality never before seen on handsets. Some will use the iPhone's motion sensors so players can control the game just by tilting the device. There's even a music program that turns the touchscreen into a piano keyboard.

The phone hardware is good. but...

The Instinct shows that Samsung and Sprint have learned a lot, too. It's a handsome product—maybe Samsung's best ever. Its no- button face, with a display just a bit smaller than the iPhone's, makes it look like the Apple handset's brother, and it even comes packed in an iPhone-like box.

Yet despite its strong multimedia capabilities, the Instinct offers little more than the typical cell phone, and nothing near the iPhone's computerlike capabilities. Yes, good hardware design is critical. But in the end, it's the software that really makes the difference.

Labels: Tech

In Singapore, the majority of us live in Highly Dangerous Buildings (HDB), And most people have already got used to Paying and Paying (PAP).

Labels: Personal

Just came back from school. Ran 16 round the field with the track & field team. my.whole.feet.aches.

to some rest.

l288

Labels: Personal

Spent the night at Port Campbell, the villa was pretty nice.

My bed, no heater. LOL

The back of the house, pretty nice. But COLD.

The cove at Port Campbell

Seagulls!!!!

The jetty

So, after the staying the night at the Villa, we decided to double back to the 12 Apostles while we still can. After a 5 min drive, we reached,there was an underpass to get to it. It was morning, and the view was surreal. I'll let the pics tell the story. The pictures are clickable, and have been shrunk down from over 12 Megapixels (4272x2848px). Just FYI.

We then continued our journey to the Grampians National Park, stopping a whale spotting site.

As you can guess, those are NOT whales....but surfers in the 10c weather. >.< And we didn't get to see any whales.

Back to the road....this was the longest drive that we did in our trip, 6-7 hours I think.

And we reached!!! Finally!!! (Actually it was only the outskirts, there was like another 2 hour drive. Or an hr. I can't really remember :p)

It was rapidly falling dark as we reached the mudbrick cottage that we were to spent the night in. Being in the middle of the reserve, it was like "Back to the Basics" and we needed to get a fire started to keep us warm. Luckily, other then that, there was a modern kitchen, beds, electric blankets etc,

l288

Labels: Holiday

Pictures are hosted on FLICKR.

Alright, some pics from Day 1:

Terminal 3:

B4 Customs (took the private entrance in)

Shopping! (no GST!!), en route to SIA Lounge

OMG SIA HAS MACMACMACMACMACMACMACMAC....

And Sony and NEC as well.

And of course, Ben & Jerry's galore!!!!! (you gotta love SIA)

After 10 min

.

Something yellow for a special friend. ;)

OMG. $38 for 2? >.<

<

Random pics of T3

[ENTER 7 HR FLIGHT & TOUCHDOWN IN MELBOURNE]

Inside Melbourne Airport wasn't too nice, so i shan't waste space on that. Continue on to the outside! Temp was hovering about 12c.

Airport Hotel! (Staying here on last day)

Rented this car (I prefer the term junk or tractor; managed to do 145KM/H in this piece of s*** though)

Awww, give us tourist break man! How are we going to get around now?

We got on the road eventually

Burger King rip off. Had hotdogs instead.

<

Buildings from a bygone era, are still around!

KFC rip off.

And where were we heading to? Colac. 71KM.

<

Random pics of countryside,

We pulled onto the side rd, cause my dad was tired and needed a nap. So I wandered around looking for some nice shots.

The road we still needed to cover.

<

Sheep! WB is off I KNOW.

Our GPS took us through a mountain range.

Trees. Alot of trees.

And pretty yellow flowers too ;)

And then were out of the other side.

We stopped by this treetop walk place. It wasn't the best for those afraid of heights. AKA me.

Of course, we had to hike to it....

Okaaay...here goes nothing! I was very very very high up. >.<

HIGH!

The ultimate challenge: 47 stories off the ground. (I think)

I MADE IT! Almost at the point of freaking out though...the whole tower was swaying!!!

Heading down.

See ma, no support or pillars!!! It was shaking.

After scurrying back to the car in the failing light (sunsets are around 5+pm there), we headed to Port Campbell, passing the 12 Apostles. Unfortunately the time we reached there it was already dark. More in Day 2!!

Labels: Holiday