Leaving Money on the Table
Posted: January 23, 2009 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: cluetrain, hp Leave a comment »On the one hand, HP is cutting 24,600 jobs. On the other, here’s the response I got, from their pre-sales team, to a simple question about the specs for a high-end (read expensive) laptop I’m interested in buying:
I would like to inform you that from the model number and product number I am unable to trace any specifications. Therefore, I request you to get back to us with the exact Model number of the PC. However, you can check the specification for any model PC by logging in to HP website :…
I had previously read the specification on their website and it didn’t have everyting I wanted to know. So I tried again including the link to their website for the model/options and this came back:
I would like to inform you that we, at HP Email support are dedicated to provided technical support to the HP PCs. I regret to inform you that we do not have information regarding this. At this moment, I recommend you contact the nearest HP Reseller, so that they will provide you complete details about the pricing and the features.
This stuff isn’t rocket science…
Warhol’s “Fashion”
Posted: January 12, 2009 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a comment »From Andy Warhol’s Fashion TV series, Bianca Jagger interviews Steven Spielberg talking about picking up radio stations on his teeth, TV static ghosts and swallowing the future.
Nokia E71 vs iPhone
Posted: January 10, 2009 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: apple, e71, iphone, nokia Leave a comment »After having used an iPhone for almost a year, I’m now using a Nokia E71. In many ways the Nokia is an anti-iPhone. More powerful, but more complicated. Here’s what I like about the new phone, compared to the iPhone:
- Real keyboard – typing is much faster and more accurate than the iPhone touch-screen keyboard.
- Background apps. Having software continue to run in the background transforms the mobile data experience. It’s a big deal. You don’t have to wait for an email to be sent, instant messaging continues to run, web pages don’t have to reload when you go back to them.
- Better voice quality on phone calls.
- Bluetooth DUN provides a 3G data connection for a laptop or N810
- Voice dialling and speed dial. A lot quicker to make a call.
- Can use one-handed for making calls.
- Louder speaker – better for handsfree and listening to internet radio or podcasts.
- User-interface is fast. The iPhone animations are pretty to watch, but make the phone feel a little sluggish.
- Instant messaging (gtalk) that really works.
- VOIP client – can connect to the office asterisk server.
- Skype. Interestingly Skype uses a standard local cellphone call for the “last mile”. 3G data connections aren’t really suitable for VOIP, so Skype uses your cell carrier to make the link between you and the Skype network. If you have included minutes, there might not e a lot of benefit over a cellphone call, but you also get instant messages and presence.
- I can write software for it using Python. No Objective C required.
- No nanny-Apple looking over my shoulder.
