thoughts
of a former idealist
Diablo 3: A Newbie’s Impressions
1 day ago
by Dave Junia
in Gaming
Never played D1 never played D2. They seemed really dark games. Too dark for my liking when I was in early Secondary school days. As you might have read before, I entered the world of Blizzard games via Warcraft and then World of Warcraft. You do put some faith in the company after the games I experienced from them were nicely polished. I bought StarCraft 2 (again never playing StarCraft before) when it went on sale in the holidays. It was a good game as well and I thoroughly enjoyed it. So when Diablo 3 was offered via Annual Pass, I thought it was a good time to try it.
The only RPG I had played before starting D3 were World of Warcraft (which is an MMORPG and is thus a very different game) and Torchlight (from the makers of the original Diablo). I liked Torchlight quite a bit and so came to D3 with similar expectations.
Here is an account of the first 4 hours of playing D3, and by extension the entire Diablo series. I did not plan to rush through it. Unlike many of my peers who took leave from work and decided to rush from the get go, I approach this game with a mind to take things slowly and enjoy the full product in its storytelling glory. This was a very different plan from WoW where you need to be on the edge of things to remain competitive so rushing is inevitable. Diablo in its multiplayer front is a lot more cooperative than competitive so I took a very different approach instead.
Taking Time: Only L23 normal. Friends are on nightmare mode.
Another Well Polished Gem from Blizzard
I started playing Diablo 5 hours after launch so I missed all the early server hiccups. Blizzard is no stranger to such hiccups, every WoW launch has had its own launch server issues and it is down to the tremendous popularity and rabid fan support for its franchises. 5 hours post launch I had 0 difficulties and only 1 hiccup. I was booted to the menu midway in my first hour of play but relogging solved it.
One word to sum up Diablo is polished. Very well polished with the familiar Blizzard shine. The user interface is clean and straightforward especially to those who have played their other games. There is a certain level of standardization which makes things easy to pick up for a new player like me.
The graphics were not flabbergastingly realistic but had sufficient realism touched with a strong art style. It must be remembered that similar to WoW and StarCraft, games from Blizzard never pushes the system requirements envelope. They do so to reach a wider audience and considering that almost all their games are dependent on mass multiplayer support for success – this is a very good move. My GTX460 struggled a little on max settings on a 2560×1600 resolution so I had to tune things down a bit. Yet again, most people do not game on 2560×1600. 1920×1080/1200 is a lot more prevalent. There is little difference between different graphical settings as well as Tom’s Hardware had covered.
The sound was immersive and voice acting top notch. You do notice a lot of Chris Metzen in this game which is a hallmark of Blizzard products. Metzen is a great voice actor but sometimes listening to 101 skews of his voice over 3 different games can be freaky.
I was drawn and immersed immediately in the setting that Diablo created. It was a seamless transition into a new game.
Gameplay: Simple yet Fun with Depth
At this stage I have only just started on Act 3. There are 4 acts in this game but beating the game on Normal difficulty is barely scratching the surface. The true measure of the game comes from its harder difficulties. There are 4 difficulty levels in Diablo. Normal, Nightmare, Hell, Inferno. Top end players (with a lot of time) have beaten Inferno. Upper end players that are not the cream are stuck in Hell. Most players with jobs are completing Nightmare. I am just barely past the halfway mark on normal. Yet again, I’ve put in less than 3-4 hours into this game because of other commitments. There are 2 modes in this game that can be played across all 4 difficulties. A default mode where you can die and ressurect and a hardcore mode where you die and the game ends. That is brutally punishing. I am sure the players who have cleared Inferno are now working on the entire game again on Hardcore mode. So basically you get 2×4=8 rounds of play on this game. Considering that the later difficulties (according to user feedback on forums) are really tough, expect to spend a lot of time to finish all 4 difficulties of the game (even without attempting Hardcore mode).
Boss Fight: Easy (normal mode) but well worked
You can still die on Normal mode if you are not careful. When attempting to rush through multiple packs of enemy mobs you must prepare to have your movement right and abilities timed right. If you are less gung ho and take packs one by one you can probably get through with just left and right clicking.
On a normal difficulty level, this game is just entertainment. Combat is straightforward. Coming from WoW this is refreshingly simple. In WoW you have over 30 skills that are all usable. You can understand why I bought a keyboard with extra macro functions and also a mouse with 9 extra buttons to get an edge in WoW. In Diablo all you ever need in combat is 4+2+1 buttons. That’s all. You couldn’t make it more complex even if you wanted to. You can only use 6 abilities at any time. 4 are bounded to your keyboard and 2 to your two mouse buttons. The last button is for your potion. And that is all. 7 easy buttons compared to the 30+ I had with WoW.
The abilities are very straightforward. You pick one for each of the 6 categories. Then you have a choice of runes that you can apply to each selected skill. Each skill can only bear 1 rune at a time. That is all. Straightforward.
Under normal, what abilities you pick don’t really matter. They can all do the job in all situations. On higher difficulties, the game does not become more complex but more punishing. Your choice of abilities in each category and its accompanying rune becomes very important. You probably have to switch them in between fights and have to optimize every ability for each situation. I like that. Same simple concept just that you need to plan a lot better with a lesser margin for error.
Diablo does an excellent job of teaching you the game. As a newbie I never had to look up the game guide or use external resources to figure out what I should do. The quest line is completely linear with a lot of assistance. Directional guiding arrows are given on the mini map. Objectives have a sonar like circle to draw your attention. You seldom have more than just one quest. Any side quests have no more than 2-3 steps and are tightly fixed in the area. So this game will not have you wandering around in frustration attempting to complete objectives that are badly strewn all over the map. This added to the ‘lie back and enjoy’ type of experience.
I also like the in-game companions. By Act 2 you unlock all 3 companions. You can only have 1 with you at any time and you can switch companions by going back to the town. This adds to the fun of the game. Your companion will complement your abilities often covering for your weakness. Again optimization in such choices become important in higher difficulties of the game.
This is a simple game, run through a linear quest line and give hell to the servants of hell. It was very enjoyable unleashing well crafted abilities (graphics and sound) while tearing through packs of enemies. A great stress reliever.
Storytelling: Immersively Excellent
Unlike WoW, I came into Diablo have no idea what the storyline was like. I took a look at this video (pre launch) to get up to speed on the happenings of Diablo 1 and 2. It was done up by IGN and is pretty good. Have a look.
Within Diablo 3 the story is presented in a well paced manner with good intervals between twists and turns. The questlines are not the only source for story telling. As you venture into the world, your companions fill you in, telling you the current situation and how it was in the past. You pick up journals from fallen enemies and you can read (it will also be read to you) the back story of the enemy you just slain or the dungeon you just entered. All these extra bits and pieces fill up the gaps in the story.
You go about understanding everything that is happening and know exactly why and what you are doing. It rewards you for fully exploring dungeons, picking up new information and also spending time speaking to NPCs.
Talking to all NPCs: Full story immersion
The change in atmosphere in each Act complements the story. From the dark lonely feel of Act 1 to the bright sandy oasis of Act 2 and the harsh wintery conditions of Act 3, the change in views complement the differences in the pacing of storytelling.
In the first act you are drawn into a mystery thus a dark setting. The story slowly accelerates as portions of the mystery unfolds. The second act is a tour. You play a hero’s role, being one of the few to venture in to save a town that has been taken over by a ‘Belial – Lord of Lies’. The foreign lands complement a wide array of voices. There was an Asian portion to this too. The third act which I have just started is a large scale battle where Azmodan has unleashed his minions and you venture to the point of conflict (and the harsh wintery mountains) to make your final stand. I have no idea what Act 4 will be like but I already like the variation in pacing of both story and setting.
Conclusion
Diablo 3 is a great game for newbies. If you have never played this game, do not be afraid to venture in. Expect hours of stress reliving fun and entertainment. At many points in the game, you’ll feel like you are part of a well told movie.
Give hell a taste of its own medicine. Diablo 3 is worth its cost.
Season Review: Improved But A Long Way Off
4 days ago
by Dave Junia
in Football
2011/2012 - Glad its Over
It has been a long season filled with ups and downs. Arsenal finished it at third place which is a good result given the sorry state the Gunners put themselves in early this year. I am just glad this season is over and done with. Glad that we’ve made the most out of a season that stabbed many fans in the heart. This is going to be a long post. I will sum up everything Arsenal in this post and leave it till the next season arrives. Till then we will have the Euros to watch and maybe some Olympic action.
Context
Arsenal wobbled to the finishing line. After taking full points for 7 games including Liverpool (away) and City (home), we stumbled when Arteta got injured. The 3-0 win at Wolves signalled the end of a purple patch. Thereafter we had 3 draws and a loss before sealing 3rd with a final win 3-2 done in completely non convincing fashion at WBA. Half the reason we got 3rd is down to the huge spark in form from the 5-2 win against Tottenham. We looked in control, convincing and ready. We made City looked weak and if not for some good defending and goalkeeping we would have easily thrashed them. Yet without Arteta, the cogs gave way. The other half of the reason is down to the poor showings by Tottenham, Newcastle and Chelsea. In fact, Chelsea faded away so early that their final league game was inconsequential. Liverpool, expected to give the top 4 a challenge, faded way earlier leaving the CL spots up for grabs by unfamiliar sides.
But we must remember where the season started from. It started from the sale of 3 first team players in Clichy, Nasri and Fabregas. Congratulations to the former duo who have won the league at City. Barring Clichy, it must be noted that Nasri and Fabregas (stars of our team of 10/11) could not nail down a starting spot at their new clubs. Both were largely left on the bench, and that signals the lack of quality on our end. If our brightest could only fill their benches, something is wrong. Arsenal started the season really poorly. Being left at 17th place was probably a shock that everyone at Arsenal could not fathom. Yet, credit must be given to the team for clawing out and reversing that to finish 3rd.
Objectives
Objectives Changed Rapidly This Season
What do we want to build for? Looking at the era post invincibles, Wenger wasn’t really building a solid team around Fabregas. He would know that the mean age and experience for championship winners could not be found in the Fabregas era. If he was serious about the title he would have brought in 3 more experienced players. It is only when Fabregas and Nasri left that we brought experience in by the buckets and it served us well. Arteta at 29 (now 30) is by far the most consistent performer in the center of the pitch. Benayoun (32) our most reliable winger. RVP (29) the only real striker we have. And Sagna (29) our most consistent defender. In a sense, losing Fabregas and Nasri was positive because experience was brought in by the bucket loads. We replaced inconsistent performers with less exciting yet more reassuring talent.
It was after the post thrashing shopping spree that this team suddenly looked stronger. Arteta, Santos, Mertesacker, Benayoun came in to right a rapidly spiraling ship and you have to give them credit. They have all done well and easily slotted into the first team. Wenger has mentioned that he enjoyed the comfort of being able to fully trust the team. Of course, these weren’t kids anymore. Kids that could not focus and deliver when it mattered. I have nothing against kids but putting your multi million dollar hopes on them is pushing things too far.
The signings above were brought in to get us back into the CL. Mission accomplished. So now what?
The Scorecard
Before breaking into the future lets take a look at our players.
Top Performers
There is Only One RVP
Robin Van Persie had the season of his life this year. He was in full goal scoring form and picked up the Golden Boot deservedly. More importantly he put in a fully committed performance as captain. Standing up for his team and putting his body on the line a couple of times. That is a proper captain. After Vieira we hardly had any good captains. Henry spent more time grumbling than captaining, Gallas was too harsh for kids and Fabregas too cheerleader like.
Mikel Arteta easily was our best center midfielder. He tidied up a lot in the midfield allowing our 4-3-3 to function well. Without him, we were found lacking. Yet, that it was not just the performance on the pitch that counted. The club has grown in respect for him. His co-midfielders look up to him and even Wenger often seeks a word of advice from the Spanish midfielder. If not for the ridiculous quality in midfield that Spain has, Arteta would easily be an international player.
Bacray Sagna was unwavering when called for. He broke his leg twice this season yet stood head and shoulders above the rest of his defenders. He was able to strike forward and pull back at the right time. The only other player capable of doing so is Santos. Gibbs and (shockingly) Vermealen over-commits to attack. Sagna gave the team balance and swing while carrying out both his roles well.
Yossi Benayoun has played little for us but in the few games he played he has done extremely well. With some flair and a huge load of hard work, Benayoun featured and played a massive role in big games especially that against Tottenham and also in the closing matches. He chipped in the goals and always gave his all. I would love to keep him but at his age it is hard to see AW paying for him or giving him more than a single year’s contract. A quiet hard worker. Exceptional job this season.
Most Improved
Kosc: Made leaps and bounds forward this season
Wojciech Szczesny has made a huge leap forward. He is now our No. 1 and even though his end was shaky (now explained by a 5 week shoulder injury) he was consistently keeping Arsenal in the game when the going got tough. For a long time this season, we were kept afloat by having the best men at the back (Szczesny) and at the front (RVP). He has a lot more to go. Arsene needs to bring in a seasoned respectable goalkeeper for Szczesny to learn from.
Laurent Koscielny has matured tremendously this season. Still prone to one or two errors, he is fully focused and has put out an assured performance on average. His ability to stick to his marking targets and shut them out of the game is key often being better than his Belgian partner in taking players out of the game.
Tomas Rosicky had a mini revival and was key to the purple patch this season. His combative yet stylish performance at the tip of the midfield trio gave Milan, City and the likes a torrid time. He faded towards the end and I can’t say for sure how he would be like the coming season but this has to go down as the best season for an often injury prone ‘little Mozart’.
Santos has settled in well in the short time given and has provided the most assuring performance as a left back. Although not as efficient as Sagna, he has tidied up the back well enough while bombing effectively forward. Adding to that he has nicked key goals in the CL and also against Chelsea and the decider at WBA the day before. He imposes himself on the game and his opponents. To top it off it is quite easily seen that he injects life into the team outside the pitch. The next season should see an even better Santos with just about one season of EPL experience under his belt.
Inconsistent
Confused: Neither steady in defense or attack
Alexander Song, having played in nearly every game as our defensive midfielder, has had his moments of pure brilliance and mind numbing errors. In some games he has tidied up well covering for the back 4. In some games he puts in an assist or two that has handed us the points. Yet, he has also made wayward passes allowing opponents to have a field day. Song is confused. He must be told what his role is. I suspect this is not what AW is good at. Everyone in this club seems to be given a free role. Song should firstly tidy up his defensive performance for the coming season. The fans do no expect him to be assisting goals, they expect him to help out the back four and churn clean sheets.
Thomas Vermealen who came back from injury to imperious form faded to the end because he started having dreams about being a striker. He pushed forwards too far in some games causing huge gaps at the back. Credit to him, he stopped doing so in the final game or we might not have clinched 3rd place. His job is to organize the defense and if he isn’t being disciplined about it, he cannot expect his colleagues to do so. It may be a little unfair to drop him into the inconsistent territory but more is expected of the club’s vice captain.
Kieran Gibbs has had a good season but nothing inspiring or assuring. He has been ok going forward and ok defending. Not particularly well on either fronts yet also not capitulating in epic fashion the way Clichy did last season. While Clichy has found success in City it must be remembered that he was the reason why City lost the community shield after a two goal lead and is the weakest link of their back four. Gibbs did ok but has given Arsenal fans too many heart attacks to be considered consistent. He needs to work from back to front. Tidy up well.
Theo Walcott may have had an improved season but a lot more is expected of him. The weight of the right wing falls on him and he has the benefit of linking up with Sagna which makes things a lot easier on his end. He has been our top provider this season yet he finds it hard to impose himself on games. Frustratingly invisible at times, inconsistency sums up his season.
Gervinho has not impressed in his first season. He has been able to get past players but not apply the finishing product. His shots are abysmal and more is desired of his passes. He remains our most effective player in getting to the byline but no end product means all that he does is for nothing. It must be remembered he had a month’s break from the EPL due to international duties and that this is his first season. If he doesn’t improve he will go down as an also ran.
Aaron Ramsey was sharp at the start of the season but faded rapidly at the end. It is unfair to pin the entire attacking thrust on a young boy like him and he needs more time. He has shown good touches and trickery but is not ready for first team football. Most fans would forget his contributions at the start of the season due to the massive drop in form. Give this guy a season or two before thrusting him forward again.
Unsure
The Ox: Exciting but early days still
Mertasacker on entering the fray provided much needed confidence and height. Yet he made two glaring errors that can be attribued to the lack of premiership experience. He was ruled out of the campaign for close to half the season due to a bad ankle injury but the verdict is not clear. Should he return stronger, we can expect a more assured defense in the next season.
Alex Oxlade Chamberlain may be one of the exciting prospects that fans turn to when things are going wrong but he is far from ready. He has already chipped in a few goals and also turned games like that against Milan and United. He also did become invisible in some games like that of Chelsea. This boy needs time and shouldn’t be relied on too heavily. He needs a season professional to learn from just like many in the club do.
Marouane Chamakh has had little chance to start due to RVP’s brilliant form and injury free season. Yet he showed us what he could give in a 4-4-2 system against Norwich. He had a brilliant performance in that match and is a growing worry that just like Adebayor, he will not shine in a 4-3-3 that Wenger stubbornly refuses to give up on. He needs quality crosses which Arsenal lacks and needs a partner that Arsene doesn’t want to give usually. It is hard to make a call on player who played so few games but if the system does not change it is hard to see how he would fit here.
Abou Diaby is injured so easily I am not sure if he should play in the EPL. Watching the way he runs easily points to why he is getting injured. This guy does not run, he bounces in leaps and bounds often placing far too much pressure on his body. It is hard to change how a man runs at this age and unless something huge changes this talent will go to waste. It is a pity though. He did change the game for us against Liverpool when he came on.
Carl Jenkinson has played ok when called on. Nothing really impressive or assuring but considering he was a championship player before, he has done fine. He needs to step it up massively and has a good partner to learn from. Too few games still so its hard to make a call. He needs to be ready in 3-4 seasons when Sagna steps down.
The Next Step
Poldi: More matured signings needed
While a 3rd place finish is laudable for a season so poor, this must not be a signal to relax but to push on. Both clubs in Manchester are a massive 19 points ahead of us. We need to be challenging for the title or else the millions spent on the 27-30 year old players are a waste. Podolski is a signing of intent and I expect him to be challenging Gervinho on the left flank at the start. We need a solid back up for Arteta and that could be possible in M’Vila of whom some fans have confirmed the signing but nothing is official.
The huge gap is that of a center attacking midfielder. Ramsey did fine for the start of the season before Rosicky took over and saw us really fly. After that we had to rely heavily on the flanks with the midfield trio nearly absent when Arteta was injured. We need a top end player aged 27-28. Aaron is 22 years of age and Wilshere 20. Both too young to bear such burdens. We did not replace Fabregas and must if AW stubbornly wants to keep 4-3-3. Diaby would have slotted here well but is always out injured. Something must be done to cover the CAM position well.
As much as the defense has shipped 49 league goals this season I would pin it down on the midfield rather than the back 4. Our midfield is woeful at winning the ball causing the back 4 to be under immediate pressure whenever opposing teams turn the heat on. It is much worse without Arteta as well. 4-3-3 relies on 3 top quality midfielders able to communicate and rotate both defensive and offensive duties. Wenger attempts to follow the Barca model but does not have players of the same class to pull it off. I have been ranting about returning to 4-4-2 because 4-4-2 is a less technical formation. In many ways it is easier to execute and is more straightforward to play. We also have the players to do so which puzzles me why we are trying so hard to play 4-3-3.
Here’s the deal: We have to challenge for the title next season and to do so we either have to get up to speed on quality to play 4-3-3 or change tactics to accommodate what we have.
Summer
This summer is very important. We cannot lose RVP or it will be rebuilding all over again and frankly, we have had enough of rebuilding. Give the man the contract he deserves and give the captain a team that inspires confidence for a title challenge. It is not difficult to do so given what we have spent this season. Yann M’Vila and a new CAM will do wonders for this team. Sell off the loanees, they may have good futures but all of that lies outside Arsenal. Let’s make this summer one about building up and not tearing down.
This table suffered multiple head slams this season thanks to inconsistency
Conclusion
This season has been more than a roller coaster ride. For the disappointments of last summer and the early season we have turned ourselves around pretty well. But while doing so is commendable we cannot stop here. We have to be fighting for the title next season and the work starts now. Get us the players we need and let’s finally go for it after 7 long seasons.
Urgent Infrastructure Review Needed
1 week ago
by Dave Junia
in News
Singapore believes in an ever expanding economy, our government bases its performance on GDP figures and the population has similarly grown to love the positive statistics about the economy. But as all economists will tell you – there are limits to growth and we are beginning to see this occur at this stage of our nation’s development.
Population figures have grown tremendously. From the 3 million 10 years ago we have nearly doubled at an alarming rate. The strain on housing, transport and just space for that matter is clear. Yet unlike the early 1970s to 1990s the focus on infrastructure has changed. Maybe because we aren’t really in the growth stage that we have shelved this important focus aside. There are two distinct areas that Singapore has to look in and develop quickly. We’re talking about 5 years here and that means planning has to clear within 1-2 years.
Transport (Rail)
Rail networks need a permanent fix, fast.
It is interesting to see the court battle between SMRT and LTA. But what is the point? It is a blame game. It is clear from the proceedings that our rail lines are in dire need of maintenance and upgrades. It is not as if December 2011 has passed and our trains are back at full speed. Nope. Trains are now slowing down to reduce stress on the tracks. I rode an MRT just a week back to realize the train was stopping every 300m and keeping a low speed. It took 1 hour and 30mins to get me from Lakeside to Tiong Bahru. Just a year ago 1.5 hours was what you need to get to Pasir Ris.
If our tracks need an upgrade, do it and do so quickly. Doing nothing is what got us here in the first place. It is amazing that the blame game has been accelerated and not work on the tracks. We gave this government a clear mandate for the sake of optimizing the political process so that we won’t be mired in slow finger pointing situations when quick decisive action is needed. This doesn’t seem to be the case here. The tracks need help and quick. Get it done LTA/SMRT. I wonder if you have a trained person doing a cost analysis on your end. Each day we are definitely losing thousands as it is now natural for train passengers to lose about 30 mins of productivity thanks to the train. The fact that I am now using the bus (which is slow but unfortunately more predictable than the bus) speaks volumes on the fall from grace of what was once a gleaming jewel of the transport system.
In multiple studies over the last 6 years, it is clear that rail is our long term hope. We are looking towards an expanded MRT system and with more minor LRT networks plying the now denser neighbourhoods. We cannot expand roads and we need the public to place their trust in the public transport system. If we can’t get it right with the little we have then stop dreaming further. You need this key network to be functioning optimally. Get it fixed and fast. If it requires turning off the train network for 2 weekends then so be it. We’re losing too much and sitting on our asses ain’t making anything better.
Communications
Don't care whose fault it is. Let's meet communication standards.
Singapore for all its number ones have landed bottom 10 in mobile speeds. To top it off we’re behind our neighbours and traditional rivals Malaysia. It is shocking especially for a small country. As much as we tend to bask in the tagline of “so small yet so mighty” being small tends to give us major advantages over big countries. It’s funny how our education system doesn’t want to talk about it, isn’t it? A smaller country means many macro policies easily translate from paper to action. It means infrastucture is easy to roll out and benefits felt on the ground can be seen in a smaller time frame. It means an easier job for those in charge. Yet, we still suck at mobile connectivity and speeds. What does this tell you?
Our telecommunications industry was deregulated but SingTel still holds a major share and say especially in the area of infrastructure and this is crucial. OpenNet has criticized the manner that SingTel performed in its partnership to roll out fibre. Ask anyone who used fibre and you can see we aren’t even close to achieving standards. There is apparently artifical limits set for international speeds. It’s hilarious actually. Singapore hosts nearly no local content. Besides news sites and some local forums most of what we access are in foreign lands. If you’ve signed up for a 100mbps etc etc plan, you are still behind a 15mbps limit for international speeds. And that is for 95% of the content you surf and view. It’s shameful. Shameful that we allow our operators to do so in our local context. I laud MyRepublic (ISP) for breaking such artificial limits. Hopefully, it will spur better competition.
Looking Forward / Bypassing Limits
The key infrastuctural points for a growing nation or one that has lofty GDP figures to hit lies in transport and communications. In order bypass our limitations of space, we have to encourage innovative working strategies such as working from home. There are multiple jobs that can be handled from home. It just requires a mindset shift and also for our communications network to be up to par. Ask yourself if what you do today in the office can be done at home. Most are so holed up in their cubicles that walking into an office is no different from walking into your room.
There are limits to growth but it takes innovation and a free mind to bend around that. The capitalist system was famously known to operate on a mechanism called ‘creative destruction’. If that is what differentiates leaders from followers, then Singapore would do well to bite the bullet early, fix infrastructural problems and defy its limits. Dream big but make sure that dream can be realized. Much of it has to be worked on right from today.
How To: Flipboard Cracked for All Android Devices
1 week ago
by Dave Junia
in Tech
Flipboard for Android is Here!
Flipboard on my HTC One X
The only peeve I had about leaving iOS was Flipboard. Google had Currents but it did not handle social media and was rather limited. Flipboard is awesome and so not having it was a bummer. Samsung probably paid the makers of Flipboard a large sum to get an exclusive on their device. As it usually does in the world of Android, a XDA user by the name of ‘Valcho‘ has extracted the APK (Android Package file) and uploaded it. Any Android device can run it. I tested it on my HTC One X, it runs perfect. It’s very simple to install. Nothing fancy needed.
How To:
1. Ensure you allow installation of non-market apps. To do so go to Settings > Security and tick ‘Unknown Sources’.
Make sure 'Unknown Sources' is ticked
2. Download the APK file and transfer it to your phone manually either via USB or WIFI or over the net. I did mine via AirDroid (which is an excellent app on its own).
3. The installation will be automatically prompted and you can finish installing it like any other app.
Notes
This is a short post and I don’t usually cover apps but this was an app I really wanted on Android. Too bad Flipboard didn’t allow this app to be on the market place for say US$0.99 or even US$1.99. It would have sold in millions. Their deal with Samsung better be financially handsome.
Loyalty: Most Players are Not Fans
1 week ago
by Dave Junia
in Football
How often do you get to see the word ‘traitor’ being thrown around in the summer in football? Too many times. Fans cannot bear to see their favourite players leave the club. Worse still, move to a club of direction competition. But what they do not understand is that football is a job to these players and clubs are just like a firm – usually not subject to affection or a high degree of loyalty.
Cole - Left for cash but is the most successful of his generation (English).
The Employee
Before we look at the job, we have to understand the player. Players are employees of a club. They are hired to do a certain job and have to perform up to certain key performance indicators. Whether this be goals, assists, pass success rates, tackles, saves, effort during matches, training, consistency, attendance, etc they meet KPIs just like you and me. So start looking at a football player the same way as you look at yourself.
Of course, there are some differences. Employment length of players are extremely short. A typical player turns professional at 20 and play to around 33 years of age. That is 13 years of employment. After which, their employability is based on past footballing experience (if staying in the trade) or other fields if they manage to garner sufficient education within the early years. Do note that because most of them get into the trade early, you are unlikely to find Master / PHD holders among players. These all point to significant diminished earnings past 13 years of employment. So they earn on average US$60,000 a week. That makes it US$37+ million in 13 years and that’s it. After that most of them will be lucky to make more than US$4,000 a week.
What do you do if I tell you that you have only 13 years left to live? You enjoy the hell out of your final 13 years. 13 years left to make money? You’ll surely want to make the most of it. (Who knows your career may be cut short by an injury?)
Income is relative to your peers. The man down the street is never going to earn as much as players do but players aren’t comparing themselves with everyday citizens. They compare themselves with their millionaire peers. If this argument sounds faulty then ask yourself if you would do the same. Money, income and satisfaction is relative to your surroundings. That’s the whole irony of it and it affects players as well.
You have a family, a new lifestyle to support. Your club offers you a new contract of US$80,000 a week, Manchester City dangles $160,000 a week in your face. What do you do? Be called a complete idiot by your family and friends? Now there are players that take a pay cut (or give up better wages) for reasons ranging from moving to better clubs (Arteta) or loyalty (if they have been at the club for a very long time). But this is not the case for players who spend barely 3 season at a club (Nasri).
Nasri - Only 3 seasons and fans expect 'loyalty'
Money aside, a player generally has 13 chances to win a particular cup or league. These 13 chances include 5 years of building up from youth, 5 years of prime age and 3 years of a down spiral. If you want to be successful, what do you do with your prime age. You join a company that can give you a good shot at success. You surround yourself with solid peers who you can trust to perform. Why stay in a sub par team where you are pulling all the weight and carrying everyone else on your shoulder? You only have 5 good years mind you. Before and after that it’s going to be hard to get into a good team.
So start thinking of players as employees. Do you stay in your company (when offered an excellent option in switching to a better job / better paying job) out of loyalty and love? I doubt it. So don’t expect players to do that. 90% of players are NOT fans. 90% of the players playing in your club are not fans of your club. So stop trying to think that players are undying shareholders the way you are.
Loyalty
There is still some level of loyalty similar to that you may have for the company you work for. The longer you work there the more you make the place your second/third home. It becomes familiar and comfortable. There is an inflection point of which once surpassed, employees would rarely leave. Players who have spent >8 years at the same club are likely to retire there or move when the club tells them their services are no longer needed. These players rarely ask to leave. They rarely ask for massive wage increases as well.
There is some level of loyalty but it is rare because of the rate in which players swap clubs. They never settle down completely and are always ready to move to maximize chances of success and their wage levels.
The Arsenal Problem
Arsenal has gone through 2 types of exits. The first were players the club told to go because they were no longer needed. These include players like Partick Vieira. They are sold near the end of their peak age to maximize both fee received and playing services gained. In fact you can put Henry in this bracket because his prime years were fully with the Gunners.
PV4 - Sold on use-by date
Then came the second type of exits that shook the club. Players who are hitting their prime and leaving. Ashley Cole, Fabregas, Nasri, etc. One left clearly for cash, the other two for fame fortune and in some ways ‘love’. Nasri was crucified but with the arguments above, can you really blame him? Does he want to spend his prime carrying a team of low quality? Would you do it if you were not a fan? The answer is no. And him leaving was completely logical.
Squad? What Squad?
The point is Arsene never built a complete squad ever since the invincibles. That was the only generation where the average age was in the prime period and the standard deviation was low. This deviation is very important. Imagine being 29 years and all the team does is buy players young enough to be your baby brother. And your success depends on these baby brothers. Would you leave? Of course, you would. Arsene never did mark a strategy where he would put all his eggs in a certain age range. He claimed to have done so with Fabregas but who did he bring in of note at a similar age range? Nasri, TV5, Kosc. That’s about it. Arshavin was out of that range. That’s not even trying Arsene. The backup for Fabregas and Nasri were players who were 4-5 years their junior and in their teens. The players ahead were easily 9-10 years older than the juniors. This is a major problem. Age affects the level of trust. And in this team game, trust and confidence is paramount.
Age Optimization
The optimal age setup of a team is for the main core to be 27-28 years of age. You are looking at least 13 members of that range. Then 4-5 players between 29-31 for experience, advice and guidance. The remaining 7-8 players should be early 20s that are of the next core. Do we have that at Arsenal? No. But since the rushed summer signings of the last window, things are looking slightly more positive. I hope Arsene understands this. He should, he’s been managing for over 900 games at Arsenal. Better be putting that $7m a year to good use.
What We have Now
This season we had Sagna, RVP, Arteta, Benny, Rosicky on the upper age range. They showed consistency on the pitch and from interviews you can tell the respect and admiration they have for each other. Not one of those ‘yea he’s an exciting kid’ type of comments.
Arteta - Quiet turned most important signing of the season
The middle age range is a yawing gap. We have Mertasacker, TV5, Kosc, Santos, Djourou, Song, Gervinho and now Podolski. None of these have been consistent. TV5′s form dropped at the end of the season when for some reason he thought he was a striker. Kosc is improving but still too panicky. Mert was good but went off injured. Song and Gervinho were erratic and not consistent. This is a massive problem because this is our core.
The young age range: Szczesny, Jekinson, Gibbs, Ramsey, Wilshere, Coquelin, Frimpong, Theo, Ox. We look pretty good here. Heck, we always look pretty good at this age range. Wonder if any of them will leave in 4 years.
What We Need
So, AW has to ship in players of ages 26-28 into the midfield. Podolski is a good move. M’Villa if signed will not be the core. We do need a solid matured backup for Arteta and Rosicky. Fabregas and Nasri were supposed to be in that slot. Podolski should be played left forward and center forward when possible. Our right wing has no matured player. All we have is Theo, Ox and Gervinho (who isn’t a natural right wing player). That is a gap. If Podolski turns out being a great CF, we could move RVP to the right. That is after all his natural position. We badly need a matured center mid at around age 27.
Let’s just say this line up will look a lot more convincing than what we’ve seen this season. Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, TV5, Santos, Song, Arteta, Rosicky, Benny/Gervinho, Podolski (if), RVP. (You know what? We only need 1 or 2 more tweaks). The youngsters can be on the bench. We don’t have the luxury of signing two first teams like Manchester City does.
Walcott - Good but cannot be entrusted a 1st team spot yet
Conclusion
‘Player loyalty’ is a unique element that will not be found in most players currently. It’s works the same way for any employee. Knowing this, a manager should optimize his team to withstand such pitfalls. Bringing in Mertesacker, Arteta, Santos and Benny were very good moves. We need to complement that. Let’s at least win something before RVP leaves / retires. RVP is the last memory of a team that made me more happy than mad. He was backup at that time mind you.
Arsene, it’s all yours to decide. Stop screwing up and talking about a team who switches off in important matches. It is your doing.
Side note: Exams are over! And I’m in my second full internship right after my final paper. I’m looking forward to Avengers and D3 as the first rewards of finishing my 6th semester in school.
Specs – No Longer Useful
3 weeks ago
by Dave Junia
in Tech
It is good to be at this stage of technology. You can now walk into a store and pick up a piece of software knowing that 80% of the time it will work on your computer without issues assuming your PC is not more than 4 years old. Things used to be very different. I remember looking anxiously at the software I bought hoping that my PC met the minimum system requirements. The tiny label at the base of the box was very important.
Remember this label? SVGA graphics. Heh.
Not Anymore
We have to a stage where the increase in performance between processor generations is not game changing. This is obviously for the desktop/laptop end. Between Core2Duo to the upcoming Ivy Bridge, changes have been massive architecturally but the end result is similar for 90% of mainstream users. You won’t necessarily get a gaming performance boost or an increase in productivity if you are only using Office styled applications. Power users will of course see a difference but that is a different case altogether.
The early part of the 2000s saw the continued focus of increasing clock cycles. This is your CPU’s speed. We tapped out at about 3GHz stock. Then Intel went towards the Pentium D series which was a pretty primitive form of Dual Core. The game changer came with the Core2Duo/Quad series. Innovations beyond that were incremental for the mainstream user.
Intel's Core2Duo. The point where the mainstream stops worrying.
The same goes with RAM. We hit 4GB mainstream for 3-4 years and it has not changed. Sure you can do 32GB on the cheap now but again mainstream users will feel no difference.
The only component that continues to thrive and improve in a major fashion are graphics cards. Generation by generation AMD and nVidia have been knocking themselves out with significant improvements.
So there you go. On the desktop end, specs are important only to a very minor degree for mainstream users. As long your PC isn’t past 3-4 years in age and you have a decent graphics card, you are good to go.
Mobile Platforms
It is even more incredible to see people slugging out a spec war on mobile platforms. I’ll begin with iOS. There is absolutely no reason to be excited about more processing power or memory on iOS devices. Your apps are already fully optimized, upgrading just for specs yield zilch end user detectable improvements. Take the ‘new iPad’ as an example. The only spec worthy to upgrade for is the higher resolution screen. The increase in CPU and GPU power means nothing to the end user. The only reason why these have been bumped is to ensure that apps can function as smoothly as they were before now that they face a 4x increase in resolution. The new specs alone will not make your apps run faster or smoother. iOS is a well optimized platform with apps that run smoothly. There is absolutely no reason to go gaga over higher clock cycles or more cores.
The same goes for Windows Phone. I find it baffling that some carriers cite the lack of a dual core processor on a Windows phone. Are you kidding me? That’s like complaining that your domestic auto car does not have a Ferrari engine. Windows Phone is yet another closed platform and a beta one in itself. It runs perfectly smooth with just a single core. Like iOS, it is very well optimized and the apps and operating system does not need more that what it has. Stop asking for more specs when there is completely no necessity for it. I am sure when Microsoft bumps Windows Phone to v.8 (Apollo) there would be a need for an increase in specs. But definitely not now. Bemoaning the lack of a good CPU shows an incredible lack of knowledge of the industry. Shameful comments from so called insiders.
Closed Platform Devices do not need to bother about specs
I can understand why specs are important for Android users. Android is open. Used and abused by many third party manufacturers. Touchwiz, Sense UI, etc are customized versions of Android modified and run by Samsung, HTC, etc phones. Yes, they need the specs to be bumped because Android is an ever expanding platform with no real hard limits set by an authoritative review team like that of iOS and Windows Phone. Some apps require a ridiculous amount of power to run, so specs are important. Android does feel like the PC days of yore as mentioned above. So if you are an Android user, specs are important. If you are comparing to iOS or WP, stop looking at their specs. They mean zilch. All their apps run buttery smooth without the need of overpowered components.
Mindsets
It is common for geeks to go crazy over specs. The legacy of the PC world (early 2000s) made many of us concerned about components. In this day and age such worries are over for mainstream consumers. Even more so for the mobile space bar Android. So the next time someone talks to you about specs, ask yourself – Is it really useful in an end user’s point of view?
The answer is probably – ‘Not’.
HTC One X – A Week Later
3 weeks ago
by Dave Junia
in Tech
I decided to give it a week’s usage before coming to conclusions about the HTC One X. Spending a week with the phone gives the reviewer a better understanding on its performance in everyday usage situations. Anyone can rave about specs and fact sheet capabilities at a glance but you learn a lot more when using it on a daily basis.
It’s A Tough Beauty
I won’t go into specs because specs mean zilch in this day and age. Sure, the One X may be quad core phone running off a Tegra 3 chip but what does this ultimately translate to? Here is a performance orientated review.
Looks exactly as advertised. Beautiful but tough.
Build Quality
I admit I was drawn to the One X due to its form factor. I had earlier eyed the Lumia 900 (white) and it is easy to see why I picked the One X in the end. The form factor and build quality is similarly superb. The white polycarbonate body encases a jet black sLCD. HTC claims that the polycarbonate body is tough and it has held up well. No hairline scratches, etc in the first few days without needing a case.
Screen
While AMOLED would have been more of a power saver, the sLCD is magnificent. In line with The Verge’s review, I found this to be the best looking screen I’ve ever handled on a mobile device. Apple’s retina line up doesn’t even come close. It might be useful to add at this point that I have 6/6 eyesight and I couldn’t spot a pixel at reading range. Colour reproduction is excellent and you can run out of superlatives describing the screen, if ‘world’s best’ isn’t good enough for you.
The screen is covered with gorilla glass which is the main reason why I haven’t bothered getting a screen protector yet. While this is the toughest glass you can get in the market right now, do note that it is not 100% scratch resistant. But still, the best the market can offer at the moment. Unlike my iPhone 4, I did not have to constantly worry about a fragile device and did not have to rush to get the entire phone protected from the get go.
Touch Sensitivity
The response of the touch screen is good. I didn’t have any problems with it coming from iOS which had a really good touch experience in itself. Typing and navigation were both easy and fast.
Connectivity
The One X peformed better than the infamous iPhone 4. Ridden with antenna issues, the iPhone 4 often dropped my calls. And I’m glad I’m no longer seeing this screen anymore.
History: Call Failure on my iPhone 4
I have never dropped calls once and both WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity have been snappy. 3G speeds are good as well.
Camera
The camera sensor is good. Not excellent or jaw dropping but good enough to exceed my iPhone 4 easily. That said, the camera falls behind other premium Android phones. I found my mom’s Galaxy SII to have a slightly better sensor than the One X. Also, HTC’s camera software has both its ups and downs. It offers fast performance and solid multishot capability. It also allows you to shoot photos and videos without needing to toggle. But the color balance and white levels are often slightly off. While this can be easily corrected in any photo editing suite, this software issue can definitely be improved on in a patch.
Nevertheless, the One X’s camera quality is good enough for normal point and shoot photos. I have taken some sample shots during a morning walk and you can have a look at picture quality here. Note that the weather at that point fluctuated between cloudy and sunny so you may see some variations in weather. I tested HDR, Auto and Panorama modes.
One X: Sample Camera HDR Shot. Gallery in link above.
Software – Sense UI 4.0
Most people do not understand how the Android OS is handled. They see Android the same way as PC users see Windows. Windows is the same on any PC or laptop you use. This is different from Android. Android is more like Linux. Each phone manufacturer takes the open source stock operating system and modifies it. The Android OS that I have is thus different from say its Samsung or LG counterparts. This is an important differentiation because Google has been blamed over and over for poorly optimized OSes which is not Google’s fault but down to the manufacturer’s poor customization. The only phone that offers the original Google experience is the Nexus line. Anything else is HTC’s/Samsung’s/LG’s/Motorola’s take on the Android OS. The OS that the One X uses is HTC’s Sense UI 4.0 (based off Android ICS).
HTC and Samsung have over the years moved from producing terrible UIs to ones that are quite well optimized. Earlier versions of Sense and Touchwiz were poor and often rendered the phone to be slow and laggy.
Sense 4.0 is pretty well done but not perfect. There is no real noticeable UI lag and navigation is a relatively smooth and swift process. What HTC has over Samsung is a better design philosophy. The interface is clean and uncluttered. The Galaxy SII put me off with its extremely cluttered look and a unrefined design.
As customization is one of the hallmarks of Android and its spin off OSes. I’ve modified my lock and home screen to be clean and simple.
Sense 4.0 Customized
I am not sure if this is a ICS feature or a Sense 4.0 feature but you can build folders similar to iOS’s style which makes my move from iOS to Android a lot smoother. This form of organizing shortcuts is neat and tidy.
Sense 4.0: Folders of Shortcuts
Battery
Battery life is good but not great. This is mainly down to Sense 4.0. As mentioned above, it is not fully optimized. There are some glaring errors made in designing the software which should be corrected in a coming patch. I get about a day’s usage between charges which makes it similar to my former phone.
It hardly consumes battery in standby mode but the drain occurs when active. The gigantic 4.7″ screen eats up a lot of battery but this can be better handled by the OS. Again coming patches should fix this.
Improving the One X
The One X has near perfect hardware, but slighly above average software. The easy way out of this is to root the phone and install a custom ROM (read: custom OS). An example of this would be the ‘Android Revolution HD’ ROM made to replicate the same functionality as the Sense UI 4.0 but keeping the codebase and operation highly efficient. This translate to even snappier performance and better battery life.
However, this requires some knowledge of rooting and tweaking and is not meant for non tech inclined users. I would probably root my phone in the near future after HTC’s 1.28 firmware update.
Final Words
Android based phones have come a long way. The HTC One X is one of the best phones in the market right now. I recommend it for people who are not tech adverse.
I got mine at S$768 from a retailer without extending my contract. My iPhone 4 16GB was valued at S$430 (which is way higher than M1′s trade in value of S$250). The $338 top up for this phone was very worth it. Adding on to the fact I can extend my contract in September and sell off whatever phone that comes with it, I am likely to make a S$100-S$200 profit while having one of the best phones available.
Again, if you are tech adverse, stick to iOS. If you aren’t – the One X is a massive upgrade from any iOS device at the moment. Apple has to step it up this summer. Both Android and Windows Phones have improved and have outstripped it / caught up to it respectively.
[Update: 1.28 Firmware Released + Improvements]
The 1.28 firmware was released for Singaporean users about 3 hours after my post went live. In a nutshell, battery has improved and Sense UI seems to be a lot snappier. I believe custom ROMs still have better performance. Here is the battery breakdown for my phone after patch 1.28.
Post 1.28 Update: 24+ hrs battery life
Normal usage. 2+ hrs phone calls on a bluetooth headset. 1+ hrs music on bluetooth as well. Some games. Dropbox and Picasa syncs. Some light browsing.
[Update: Camera Shot Comparison. Pre / Post Edit]
I’ve been asked to provide clear comparisons between actual unedited shots using the One X’s camera. I hope the following comparison will explain why I find the One X stock software only average in the review above. Unedited shot looks a little washed out. Sensor remains pretty good in well lit conditions.
(Note: The file is 11MB in size)
Photo Quality - Pre/Post Colour & Levels Adjustment
Illegal Prostitution: Contextual Supply & Demand
1 month ago
Singaporeans have busied themselves with two pieces of news this week. Our MRT has been breaking down in comical fashion coinciding with the ongoing inquiry. And 44 men got hauled up for doing the same girl who turns out to be underage. I don’t usually comment on such pieces of news but I have a word or two from an economic standpoint regarding this.
Morals Aside
The Singaporean society does not view prostitution favorably. The same goes with extra marital affairs. In fact, such acts can break one’s career path (on top of family ties) if found out. But, the Singaporean law allows prostitution. It is a legal trade. The law is not complex but not straightforward as well. Anything below 16 years of age is illegal. From 16 to 18, sex is legal but must not be paid for. From 18 onwards, you can do anything you want. It would be a lot simplier if they just stuck to 18 years of age rather then create such tiers. Distortion is bad for both market forces and the law.
Demand
It is clear, that the demand for barely legal prostitutes is sky high. The prices paid as reported by various news sources were large. It is not surprising that the group of customers were mostly well off and had a relatively high social standing. So the 44 men face charges for seeking the services of an illegal prostitute.
The catch here is that she lied about her age. She was 17 at that point, a year below the legal age. Yet she claimed to be 18 to get into the trade.
This is similar to a familiar problem. An example would be stolen goods. Would you charge a buyer who paid for stolen goods not knowing that the seller had stolen them in the first? I am not a law student but this represents a significant grey portion of judicial decisions. Buyer ignorance is a problem whatever the case. Because this trade is often held in disgust by Singaporeans, we cannot apply the usual methods of ensuring clear information flows to protect buyers (the same way we do for other goods and services).
I agree with hauling these men to court on legal grounds. I am not going to discuss morals here because everyone is a little different when it comes to such and it is easier to focus on clear logical grounds. Due to the nature and scale of this case it would be prudent to hand a deterrent sentence.
As I mentioned above, ensuring proper information flows is not possible in this murky trade. Prostitutes do not want to be clearly IDed and neither do their customers. So, passing such a sentence would place the onus on the prospective buyer to do proper checks before engaging in such a transaction. Hand these men jail sentences. A fine does nothing. Most of them are sitting on massive bank accounts. If they could pay an average of $500 for a couple of hours, they can pay over $50,000 in fines without sweating it.
Make the sentence count not because we want to make them public examples for the conservative Singaporean society but because we cannot ensure proper market controls for the prostitution trade.
Supply
It is interesting that the media has hardly covered on what would happen to the girl and the pimp. As seen in many cases, demand and supply goes hand in hand. You cannot control demand without looking into supply. If you leave it that way, you get a market disequilibrium. Using demand to indirectly control supply is often slow and inefficient. Supply of illegal prostitutes must be curbed.
Hand down heavy sentences on both the pimp and the girl relative to their ages and income standings. The former must pay for not checking the validity of his workers and the later for lying to get into the trade.
Conclusion
It must be clearly shown to the public that illegal prostitution is not tolerated and all members are liable for it. Only by doing so would a self correcting system of checks and balances be placed on a trade that cannot be well monitored.
By making it the interest of every party involved to play safe, the judicial system would be able to solve what is a relatively grey and complex case and reduce further occurrences.
Windows Phone will Lead Market in 5 Years
1 month ago
by Dave Junia
in Tech
Most articles written on the Internet on the mobile scene are loaded. I personally hate fan boys because they have clouded views that cause poor judgements. Every platform has its own fan boys. Let me start off by saying I have been an iOS user for nearly 2 years and currently am an Android user, owner of the HTC One X just purchased 2 days ago.
Personal
I bought my iPhone 4 when I believed Android would outstrip iOS. Now, I bought my HTC One X believing that Windows Phone is the future. I took a piece of advice that I should not buy what I think will be great in the future but I should buy what I think is great now. And that explains my purchases. I am not a rich person, every cent counts and I have been free to jump between camps whichever is matured and ready to go. So take this post as a clear minded non biased analysis of the current mobile phone market and its future.
What Made Each Platform Successful
iOS
iOS
A first mover advantage is undeniably important in this industry. You set the standards, you get the developers, you get almost everything done your way. Android and Windows Phone users must admit that the apps they have are similar or made in the same tune as iOS apps.
Apple has always been a first mover to be frank. They were first to produce a good GUI, first to commercialize the mouse (from Xerox) and first to enter the PC industry. Unfortunately for Apple, they never cut the same deals as Microsoft did with IBM. Microsoft was consistently better at business partnerships that created a larger market share which spells more users and developers, you can understand why nearly everyone runs Windows on their machines. Even Mac users bootcamp Windows as well. So Apple has learned from that and made their first mover advantage count this time.
Apple was not the first to create a smartphone but the first to make a smartphone usable for the masses. I owned Palm devices at least 8 years before the iPhone was launched. There were a multitude of Palm OS and Windows Mobile OS devices around. But those were for geeks, the mainstream audience could not understand the need or had the ability to operate it.
Apple captured commercially driven developers. The app store was a money making opportunity few would resist. Instagram’s success story came from a guy who hardly knew how to program but did his best for cash.
Android
Android
Android was a fast second mover. It differentated itself from Apple early on. Opening itself to many providers was a smart move. These 3rd party manufacturers were poor at software. Only Nokia and RIM at that point could create both good hardware and software. This is why Motorola, HTC, LG and later Samsung (abandoning its Bada OS) jumped on board. It like the semi conductor industry of the 1980s re-written. U.S. companies (Google) taking the lead in design (software) and Asian firms partnering them in manufacturing hardware. This was the main reason I expected Android to outstrip iOS within a few years. It already has.
Android was not just open to different manufacturers, it is open to developers as well. The amount of flexibility Google gave on its Operating System was excellent. Google made Android open source not because they were good Samaritans. They did so as a response to Apple’s market leadership. Going open source means you indirectly control how developers approach an operating system. Because your system was free, developers were most likely flock to it and then develop it in a manner you can gently nudge them in the direction you want them to take. The amount of Custom ROMs (you can read that as customized operating systems) in the market for Android is mind boggling. My own phone has amazingly well developed custom ROMs that I may try in the near future.
A vibrant developer community is firmly in the Android sector. These developers are what are called true developers. They know their stuff and even though they are not getting the same cash as iOS developers, these guys usually end up writing better programs that can do more efficiently.
Windows Phone
It is not a success yet.
Potentials
When looking at future development you have to look past current strengths and weaknesses and look at the core competencies of each company and their track records
Operating System
Apple has not made any major changes to its operating system for over 5 years. iOS5 is almost identical to iOS1. The recognizable changes are modifications to play catch up to Android. Its most major changes are the use of folders and a better notification management system. Besides that nothing much has changed.
Google has been innovative in tidying up its system. ICS is a lot more improved than Android v1.0. While iOS has focused on refinement whilst staying in its comfort zone, Google has demonstrated flexibility and dare in chopping features that are bad and making those that are poor better.
Microsoft has pulled out an operating system that hinges on a MetroUI interface. This UI is nothing close to what Android and iOS have. A UI for phones is basically a launcher. iOS has a screen of icons. Google has a ‘desktop’ with icons and widgets and a ‘start menu’ with everything inside. MetroUI is a screen of mini widgets. The point of this UI is being able to give the user access to plenty of information without needing any navigation. It is here that I see great potential for MetroUI as Apple and Google is doing only what has been done for the past 20 years.
Ecosystem
The number of apps are inconsequential. If you want to look at absolutely numbers, Android is slightly ahead or very close to catching up with iOS depending on which source you get. In terms of growth rates, both iOS and Android are plateuing with Windows Phone depicting a very fast growth rate that neither iOS and Android have been close to. Do these mean anything? Nope. Within a few years you will see generally equal number of apps and also similar growth rates for all 3 platforms. We are in the period of new growth now and the first ones out will be the first ones to stagnate. So all these current figures mean zilch.
Apple has a solid app platform but nothing else. It’s social networking push with Ping failed badly. It’s cloud service is firmly locked into iOS/Mac platforms alienating more than half of its users. It is also not a web services company. I have to say that unless Apple changes its course very soon, you are looking at saturation on its end.
Google has a lot more to offer. It already has a strong app store. It is a giant in web services. In fact, if you view the future as one that resides on the web, Google has a very strong position in its hands. However, it is unable to break into the desktop market with Chrome books poorly executed or pushed (in fact the latest iteration copies Windows/MacOS). Also, its Google Play! experience for the desktop is poor. There is too much reliance on cookies and login data currently. Google remains as a web giant with exceptional cloud capabilities. It has a lot more going for it in the future than iOS.
Microsoft is a giant at diversification. It has a solid desktop operating system that is very firmly entrenched worldwide with a monopolistic market share. It controls productivity applications that has a worldwide audience and more crucially corporate dependence. It also is the only one out of 3 mobile companies who is successful in the gaming industry with XBOX Live. On top of that, Microsoft does have a good stake in Facebook but it has not flexed that yet. However, it has subpar web services. Bing, Hotmail are poor compared to Google Search and Gmail. They are not necessarily trash but they lag very far behind.
Crystal Ball
Windows 8 - If Microsoft can pull the desktop and mobile together
If you look at software and hardware as a whole, Microsoft has the greatest potential of the three. Google is a close second and Apple is in danger of repeating its Mac history. There are many ‘ifs’ in predication. Obviously, I take rational guesses but you can never predict disruptive changes in this industry. Who knows Apple may attack the TV business? Something that Google is poor at and Microsoft isn’t even there.
Microsoft will pull it off in 5 years if it is able to pool its resources together. If you look at the ecosystem they provide, you get your productivity and entertainment together with a possibly seamless desktop and mobile solution. It is well balanced between Apple’s mostly local delivery and Google’s heavy dependence on connectivity. If Microsoft can integrate Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 (and 9, 10, etc) well. You are looking at a massive market takeover. This is especially true if current desktop app developers can be bridged into the mobile space. Would you choose to develop for iOS and Android if you could capture both desktop and mobile markets in one operating system?
Google is another possible leader but this is heavily dependent on world connectivity. It went into Android for the sole purpose of putting a mobile front for its web services. It is spending money on laying fibre optic connections in some states in the U.S. for the self same reason. I do not see worldwide connectivity in 5 years. Not at least in Asia. Google may take leadership in the longer run when the world is well connected. It has great potential but the infrastructure is not in place yet and is not likely to be for a while as you are looking at very costly physical infrastructure that require government policies and approval to push through. Google will take the lead the lead the moment this occurs and one is able to go anywhere while remaining connected to a fast and reliable web connection. Currently, we are far from it. LTE is still in its infancy in the U.S. and most countries are very far from even having a consistent 3G connection.
Apple is in danger. I await its iOS 6 and iPhone 5 launches with keen interest. Tim Cook has to expand the platform to extend iOS’s future prospects.
Unlikely Audacious Moves
It is clear in what is written above that Apple or Microsoft is lacking what Google is strong at. This makes either of them perfect partners for Google. However, Apple is less likely to do so compared to Microsoft. Microsoft is well known for its daring moves in partnering IBM and later Intel. While it has a track record in making such deals, I doubt this will occur. The future is the web and Microsoft will seek to take a stranglehold of it rather than depend Google for that.
Conclusion
I hope you find this long article unbiased and objective. I have no allegiances to any tech company. I often find it silly that people can swear their lives on Apple or Google or Microsoft. It is a little sad to do so. There’s so much more to personal identity than just the tech you use. As I have shown my ease of switching camps, I am very driven to support good products. Apple was king and now Google has the crown. However, I believe that Microsoft has the market in 5 years baring any shocking changes in this industry.
The Next Facebook
1 month ago
by Dave Junia
in Tech
Facebook is and will continue to be a massive success for a super scale virtual social network. The main reason for Facebook’s success was its ability to draw the non geek crowd onto a computerized platform.
Facebook’s Strategy
Facebook - The First Giant
Friendster, Hi5 and other networks failed to draw a mainstream audience. At that point, the success of a social network was based on quantity. The more friends you had on the network, the greater the chances of you joining and staying on. Facebook did it with just one masterstroke – Photos.
Whether you are a geek or not, you like photos, you like looking at what others are doing. Be it curiosity or nosiness, it is human nature to want to be informed of what others were doing.
Most people are not extroverts publically. What photo sharing and tagging did was to indirectly cause an individual to expose and publish what he/she has been doing without any shyness. This is what drew the millions to Facebook. ‘I want to see what my friends have been up to.’ And your friends were happily posting photos and tagging people in them. What people saw as an awesome photo-sharing site turned into the world’s largest social network.
In came the games and whatever tool that would cause you stay past the photos sharing phase. And now you are hooked. Funds started pouring in. Facebook became the next biggest platform for advertising. Everyone jumped on the bandwagon, and here we are.
This is also the reason why Pinterest without needing much advertising became a sustainable sensation for the past months. Visuals work. All the time.
There Won’t Be Another Giant
I find it laughable when people talk about the ‘next Facebook’. You won’t get another giant in this sector.
In economics, the model that large social networks operate in works only within a monopolistic structure. Because large networks aim to catch everyone you know to fall in it, having two or three competitors within the same space does not work out.
Facebook, as a market leader, has put in place protective measures. You cannot blame them for being evil with privacy and exporting options. The moment Facebook allows you to export your data or easily hide yourself; the entire network loses its value. You are the product and they need you proudly displayed on their shelves whether you like it or not.
As much as I like Google+’s model, it is attempting to do too many things at once. It’s a Google thing. They dabble in everything and master very little of what they do. After all these years, they have only 2 key strengths. Search and email. All run by advertising. Search and Email were products they had for more than 10 years.
Google+ Late and Confused
Google+ attempted to be both Twitter and Facebook. While it is possible to have a second Twitter, the market for large social networks have only space for one giant and Facebook got here first. Google+ needs Facebook to collapse in order for it to take over. Who knows the Zuckerberg might screw it up one day.
Actual Usage
While many have flocked to Facebook, the rush to add everyone has been long past. Each of us easily has 300-5000 friends on our Facebook profiles. These friends encompass everyone you know from your childhood all the way to present friends, acquaintances and that one classmate that you said ‘hi’ to once and never talked to again. Facebook is now an address book. A book of names and faces of people that you know exist but not necessarily are close to.
After the initial rush, many users including myself found the platform to be of high value but yet something that we could not completely relate to. I personally thought that Facebook was a great way to keep in contact with friends I would have otherwise not been able to. I found so many Primary school friends and it was great to speak with them again. But yet, so much has changed. The Dave of 1994 is very different from the one that is now typing away. Core characteristics remain but the peripheral portions of my personality have changed. As this blog would suggest, I am no longer the idealist I was. In fact, the very move of taking on economics is a signal of my change in ideologies. I did not take Economics because it was the best money making option available to me. I took it because I have already applied so many of its principles without even knowing the subject in the first place. Primary school friends would find this hard to believe.
So, what is Facebook now? It is an excellent address book. It is the basic level of networking available and a very good one to squarely due to its size.
Pseudo Networks
It is not surprising that Instagram took off because it incorporated the same strategy Facebook used. However, it operated under a smaller less public network which appealed to those who did not like a giant firm having access to all they have. This is also why Facebook bought them. Instagram was a threat. It held a database of users who like the same model as Facebook but did not like being in the open.
What’s Next
People will find less meaning in such a massive social network with time. Already some are deleting their ‘friends’ apologizing in advance that they needed to tighten their networks. I believe most will not want to do so because of the guilt and the fear they may never ever be able to contact them again. This will signal an era of smaller concise networks.
Path - The Value of Smaller Networks
Path has already taken life of its own on mobile platforms. Missing a web interface, path is building up which ties in nicely with its strategy of keeping networks small.
Yours truly is on Path and my network is kept really tight. Facebook remains as a measure of people whom I know. Not all are friends, some are acquaintances, some are those I’ve only met online but extensively enough to be real life friends. But I won’t want to share everything I have with everybody that I know. I am sure they do not want to see all the junk I post as well since they are not very close to me. All these I keep on Path.
The company who is able to build as well integrated a platform as Path yet with simple web access will be the next big thing.
It’s A Human Thing
At the end of the day, social networks and virtual platforms must mirror the way humans are. We want to know many people, but only want to share with a special few. There is space for a second tier of networks. The good news for consumers is that this second tier will not require a monopolistic network to gain success.
Expect small social networking platforms to appear. When the first finds success, a mass will appear. There will soon be many ways to keep in close contact with those you really love and care about.