vmarks

About

Username
vmarks
Joined
Visits
77
Last Active
Roles
editor
Points
905
Badges
2
Posts
762

Reactions

343Like0Dislike92Informative

  • Review: GigSky, an eSIM service for iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR

    vmarksvmarks

    mrarfarf said:
    Google Fi covers more countries, now supports iPhones, with eSIM in the works, and is cheaper. I hope Apple follows Googles lead and offers an Apple plan that is unlimited world wide one day!
    I reviewed Google Fi for iOS. https://appleinsider.com/articles/19/01/21/google-fi-for-the-iphone-solid-for-travelers-but-still-has-same-carrier-customer-service-nonsense

    It doesn't support eSIM. It's only cheaper if you make it your primary carrier - If you want to use 5GB of data (like GigSky) then you're paying 70 bucks on Google Fi. Yes, you can use it just like the plan back home for calling and data, where GigSky is data-only, but GoogleFi is not yet coming close to the convenience that an eSIM provides for travel. 
    roundaboutnow

  • Microsoft partners on touchscreen 'Kano PC' to challenge iPad in education

    vmarksvmarks
    This should be a hit in the Philippines, where Kano stands for Amerikano, a not always flattering term used to describe western foreigners.  If you want to know how people perceive the term, just watch the expression of a European who is lumped in with all fair-skinned foreigners when he or she is referred to as a Kano.  Great move Microsoft.  
    This isn't Microsoft's move. Kano is a separate company who named themselves for Kanō Jigorō, lifelong teacher, founder of the art of judo. They launched on Kickstarter, with a custom linux build for Raspberry Pi. The idea was a computer kids could assemble themselves and learn from. Yes, it's not a solder-wires-and-pliers build, but you want it to be achievable for the youngest set, which means balancing what you ask them to do. Is the interest in the assembly, or in the learning from the software?

    The raspberry pi kit from them had a keyboard and trackpad, speaker, battery, display, raspberry pi, and display driver board, allowing you to assemble a laptop or desktop-like kit.

    The software was a little like Swift Playgrounds in how it instructed the user to work with it. It wasn't bad, but Raspberry Pi is a little underpowered and the software was a little buggy across the different versions we tried of it.

    Then they licensed Harry Potter and made a wand with an accelerometer and gyroscope, programmable using Scratch language.

    Now they're partnering with Microsoft to run the Kano educational apps on what amounts to a clunky Windows 10 tablet. Honestly, I hope it works for them. If I had to guess, they're probably using the linux-inside-Windows-10 functionality that Microsoft provides - that would seem the fastest way to bring it over.

    Chromebook is dominant in education. Chromebook hasn't got any default programming lessons, instead being Google Docs, Drive and Classroom - anything else is from some other website you happen to run on it. Teachers like it because students can turn in assignments easily. IT like it because there's no drive to have to image, desktop support is easy.

    Here's my wishlist for Apple to really compete in the 'education and programming' space that Kano are trying for here:

    Swift is open source. Great.
    Swift Playgrounds is (hopefully) written in Swift.
    SwiftUI is a declarative UI with DSL that translates it for the target client device.
    Swift Playgrounds should run on macOS, iPadOS, and the web (ChromeOS, Windows Edge based on Chromium).

    If you want people to learn Swift, you have to bring it to them where they are with the devices they have.


    gatorguy

  • Mouse support for iOS possibly, next-day MacBook Pro keyboard repairs, and more on the App...

    vmarksvmarks

    ajl said:
    Just read on Sensel website
    VIRTUAL DISPLAY KEYBOARD
    Ability to dynamically remap keyboards by application. Opens new UI design possibilities for future applications.
    Whoah!

    This is a technology Apple should implement on MacBooks, especially after the latter keyboard fails.
    The way they do their QWERTY overlay is to put small microswitches in the keys, not because they need to for switching, but for the tactile feel. This is completely something Apple could do, but would people feel comfortable typing on it? I don't know.
    MacPro

  • When to use an external microphone or recorder to make your podcasts

    vmarksvmarks
    I'm curious what you think about using an app to clean up the sound from the iPhone mic. After hearing about it on an AppleInsider podcast I tried using the Spire app and was quite impressed (for an amateur) at how it made my voice sound. I make short videos for small numbers of our customers. Till now I've used an Audio Technica AT2020 USB mic with a pop screen. I've also worked at changing the position to greatly soften the "esses" in the recording. Any ideas for apps that will clean up your voice from the existing mic? 

    Separately, I have a general question about microphones. People generally tout a nice desk top or boom mounted mic, yet if you watch TV the hosts all use lavaliere mics and they sound fine. What gives?
    The microphone in the phone itself is intended for the frequency range of a telephone line and should not even be considered. Processing may make it better, but it will still only be better crap. Don't waste your time trying to polish a turd.
    That was true years ago with 600ohm landline telephone systems and carbon mics. iPhones (and everyone else's phone for that matter) are designed for HD Voice codecs and Voice over LTE, full range recording. It's possible they aren't the best mics (size and money play a role), but they aren't limited in frequency by design.
    cgWerks

  • Review: Pioneer AVH-W4400NEX receiver proves wireless CarPlay is the way to go

    vmarksvmarks
    big kc said:
    As resistive screens go, it's actually reasonably responsive.
    Responsiveness isn't the only issue. The requirement for pressure to make it work is a durability problem, and in your car is not where you want a durability issue. Resistive screens are an inferior, cost-saving choice, that's the bottom line. I would never put one in my car.  

    But they work great in the winter. As for durability, I've had the same resistive CarPlay units in cars for four years, and they've been as good as day one. I don't forsee a problem with these units.

    escargotMplsP