I’ve long wondered what the U.S. Defense Department Ballistic Missile Defense System’s Sea-based X-band Radar (SBX-1) vessel was like close-up whenever it docked its massive frame in Pearl Harbor. The SBX-1 is a semi-submersible self-propelled, mobile radar station designed to operate in high winds and heavy seas. Today, I got the chance to find out thanks the efforts of Honolulu-based technologist and radio show host Burt Lum and the hospitality of the U.S. Navy and U.S. Defense Department Ballistic Missile Defense System. Eleven people were allowed to tour the ship and learn more about our occasional visitor. You can see a lot of what I saw in the 25 photos posted here. You can click on any of the photos to see it in full resolution.
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Category: Mobile Devices
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Photos from a visit to the Missile Defense Agency’s Sea-based X-band Radar Vessel
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Why it doesn’t matter that Microsoft alienated its hardware partners with the Surface tablet announcement
There was a lot of speculation about what Microsoft would announce on their June 18 mystery event. Some speculators dismissed the possibility that Microsoft would announce their own branded tablet as they ended up doing because of the belief that that Microsoft would not alienate their hardware partners. Yet, as Reuters reports, only a few big hardware partners were notified days before the event. And, some like Acer and Asus were left completely in the dark.Microsoft kept PC partners in dark about Surface
Let’s take a look at a brief history of Microsoft and its touch screen mobile device hardware partners to understand why it doesn’t matter if the Microsoft Surface tablet alienate hardware partners.
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MobileNote: Steve Ballmer’s March 2011 tablet comments reimagined…
On March 1, 2011 Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer took the stage of the conference center in Bellevue, Washington to address a bunch of Microsoft MVPs (enthusiasts). At one point he held up the tablet you see in the photo above and made some comments about it. I, quite honestly, can’t remember what he said that day. And, if I did, the information might still be covered by an NDA. So, instead, I will reimagine that day and theorize what may have been going through Mr. Ballmer’s mind as he addressed a gathering of Microsoft MVPs (enthusiasts).
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$130 Chipmunk themed tablet with Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4)? Sure, why not?
Archos is a funny company. I remember seeing a number of mobile multimedia devices from them years ago. But, I’ve never seen any of the many Android tablet models they announce year after year. Here’s another one I’ll probably never see. At $130 it may be the least expensive Ice Cream Sandwich based tablet available. And, you get an Alvin and the Chipmunks theme too.Its specs look pretty good for a $130 device. They exceed the more expensive Kindle Fire and Nook Color.
7-inch display
800×480 pixel resolution
WiFi
380 grams
1GB system memory
4GB flash memory
microSD slot
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New Microsoft PhotoSynth for Windows Phone app incompatible with 1st gen Windows Phones
The first Windows Phone devices released in the fall of 2010 had hardware limitations imposed by Microsoft. Thus, the entire first generation of devices lacked components that were common even back then. Among the hardware missing from the reference design and the devices based on it is a gyroscope. This component has become increasingly important in games and motion based activities. Microsoft’s design shortsightedness has come back to bite it less than two years after the first Windows Phone devices were released. Its own recently released PhotoSynth panoramic camera app for Windows Phone (first released for the iPhone) won’t work correctly with the entire first generation of Windows Phone devices.Gee… Thanks, Microsoft, for not future proofing your smartphones! 🙁
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In the Mobileviews review queue: Wicked WI2150 Jaw Breaker with Mic Earbud
Here’s another one in the review queue.Wicked WI2150 Jaw Breaker with Mic Earbud
These earbuds list for $29.99 but is available on Amazon for a mere $15.25. Note that it has a microphone. So, you can use it with your phone. I’m having a problem coming to a conclusion about these earbuds though my current opinion is favorable. More later…