iOS saved Apple's bum this year.

First, this amazing video:

Now...
Since the introduction of the first iPhone back in 2007... oh wait, this looks like the massive coverage the latest iPhone 5's been getting, and honestly, it's just the opposite.

Lets keep it simple, few years ago I wrote a post (in my deceased previous blog) where I questioned Apples blurry future regarding innovation, and when I said innovation I was talking bout unique stuff, 100% original home brewed and executed concepts, and the reason I talked bout that then was because of the iPod Photo (2005).

See, it seemed at that time that Apple was more concerned on packing new available technology regardless of the real practicality and usability users could give or get (let's be honest, it's not that I loved to see a 220x176 px photo set, cause it was almost impossible to enjoy a photo of that size, don't lie). Funny enough, they just launched a new iPod Nano version that fits the iPod Photo profile and logic, bigger screen... cause... well, just cause! video? really... you do think i would like to see a video that small, you've spoiled me Apple, I need an iPad for that, or at least an iPhone or iPod touch.

Another story could have been if some kind of social connectivity was put in it, now... theres a good reason I could use a "bigger screen", I could check statuses, review posted videos (that's the kind of videos I would mind to watch on that size), photos, and create some kind of "one touch" sharing motto, on the go sharing... voice posts anyone? I wouldn't care AT ALL to have a slightly bigger Nano if I could get that, and let's not talk bout carriers loving yet another device where they could sell 3-4g sims for connectivity with their respective plans, Nike+ enhancing the updating info experience in their community... oh lala, a wonderful world, and much likely an Apple world.

So back to iPhone 5, what really happened there?
Apple doesn't lie, but it does sadly in such an indirect way... risking, for the very first time its customers loyalty and confidence. I mean, yeah... they say this isn't a new iPhone, it's more like a better iPhone... (note that they did accept it til it was launched, lame but logical) but wait, wasn't that the iPhone 4S all about? I feel raped and deceived, a whole year to get just a better iPhone... it's not what I've learnt from you Apple, not iOS devices wise at least. All this trend/fashion/lifestyle bracket, wether you like it or not, was one of the main pillars for your iOS devices! it's not that you're selling an iMac where people do care bout performance every time you launch a new generation and not caring if the design gets pimped a bit or not, so now... you created a trendcookie monster and you forgot to feed it for the last year and a half. #winning? seriously?

My iPhone 4S works indeed with lower standards now than the iPhone 5, but honestly, I don't need more, and I'm a geek! Brilliant 3D graphics? well... cool indeed, gaming (that i love) will benefit tons from it, and few apps, but... thats it. Sorry... a 4.65" screen is not what I had in mind, is it cool? it is in theory, let us see what happens when you find out that what you used to do with a single thumb on your PHONE it's now replaced by a two handed action (landscape mode)... its not an iPod ffs!

Honestly the winner prize should go this year to iOS, and not iPhone.

I mean, iOS finally got the pimping it needed, if it was the most stable mobile OS out there, now with version 6 will be the most intelligent, UX wise, capable mobile OS in the world. Maps? brilliant, Passbook, fantastic! pimped Siri, Mail, Photos, wicked. But you "don't sell" iOS (thank gosh), you sell devices.

So what now? I'm sure that Apple will find soon enough that iPhone6 will have to be a much better BLAAAM! for its customers, or stop building so high expectations every year (which isn't bad, just takes time), they need to learn how to communicate progress and differences between their devices cause for the cost of each one of them, they'll start cannibalizing  pretty soon, what I can do with my iPod touch is what I can do with my iPhone pretty much but 3-4g connectivity, what I can do with my iPad is just the same as with my iPhone but without phone calls (and thats just if you don't use FaceTime, which is available in every apple device now).

Am I going to get iPhone 5? not really, several reasons appart from my lack of awe, but facts are facts, it's just a taller iPhone 4S, with better this and that, nothing really crucial, got my retina already, no need to spend some cash on adapters for the new I/O socket, and WONDERFUL THING... I'll get the same iOS 6, with all its 200+ new features working properly, so... noes, I'll wait for iPhone 6.

But as they say, lets stare at all these flocks of peeps queing to get their new iPhone 5, Apple can still take advantage from the previous innovation hard earned loyalty, but not for long, I feel.

Keynote damaged file - unknown file error.

"Nothing's perfect" said ... errr... whoever said that trillion years ago, damn right he/she was.
Whoever lives in a Mac bubble is tend to suffer, no matter what, and that goes to everyone that truly believes Mac is an errorless product of geniuses and cool people (where in reality errorless ∉ ).

Few minutes ago I was happily finishing a Keynote presentation for a client, using so many programs to enhance it, from Adobe Illustrator to Photoshop, Mindnode, Numbers, and few more, and as you know... since Keynote is natively Mac software (developed by the very same company that made my computer, my OS, my smartphone, my router, etc...) I just felt SO SAFE, doing this and what not.

Terrifying I was after I realized Keynote stopped working, 4 hours of work compromised without mentioning a big possibility that my sleep time was at risk, high annoying risk. Closed every program, tried to open the file again and "An error has occurred, Unknown keynote file" warning popped... WTF... I pooped said.

I literally thought I was going to spend the whole night redoing the whole thing, but after spending some time online, googling here and there, finally found a solution, which... made half sense, but it worked. 

1) Make a copy of your "damaged" file.
2) Press Enter (rename file shortcut),   add .zip at the end of the file name (if you have a .key extension, delete it)
3) Confirm you "want to Add" the extension.
4) Double click the modified file, it will uncompress (new folder)
5) Select that folder, and repeat step 2, but backwards (add .key instead of .zip)
6) Ready, file fixed.

So for those small posters, I salute you, saved my night.
Cheerios.
S.

Brilliant explosions!

Some of use can't complain, spending hours online doing this or that, whenever it starts as a bright morning ends up being a 2 sunrise experience, non-stop digital beings. Freak? Geek? nope, just part of the 25% of the online community (worldwide that is).

We kinda need to accept tho, online gets boooooring time to time, either you're just not in the mood or the site (which you can't avoid since it's that 'only one' containing that specific bit of info you were craving for) sucks when it comes to UX, let's be realistic, IT peeps have been getting their sweet revenge since they heard "usability comes first" after CSS3 and HTML5 arrived.

So when it comes to what to do next, you end up... googol'n, youtub'n, stumblup'n, or what not, some brave lads even consider turning off the puter. But fear not young fellas! A new vigilante's in town, Phillipe-Antoine Lehoux, and it brings what we would call "explosive pixels" to the web: Font Bomb.

Not giving more details, just don't forget to grab the bookmarklet!
Kabooom.
S.

Password of the Day - Arris

Sometimes I ask meself if engineers do know people will use their gadgets or products, cause even tho it's good to put some protection avoiding some noob configuration cataclysm, it's almost retarded to put a password field that NO ONE will know… and when I say not a single person I really mean it (appart from some kind of IT god somewhere).

Arris modems, so many TELECOM companies using, selling, branding them.

In my experience they SUCK… lack of configuration, lack of range, lack of interface, but hey! some have an emergency battery in case there's a blackout… mhm…

Anyway, following my "I want to know everything bout it" mood, I kept on googling and researching bout how access some kind of "Advanced" configuration mode, til I found that the modem itself has a designated IP for it:

192.168.100.1 

 Oh, but wait! surprise surprise, it is not actually an "advanced" UI, just an extra set of log readers… and a mystical, ethereal button with the "Advanced" word in it… what? yet another link to finally enter the so wanted Super Mario Super God mode? yeah… oh well, you click it, expecting fireworks and such til you are welcomed by a (surely designed by a major geek) plain login page.

Breath, relax… remember, this is what real geeks think UX is (if you don't forget that the few users they know are mostly Darth Vader, Moss and their boss).

Being a bit hard with them but they've earned it, I mean… REALLY? hidden steps to finally get a login page where, oh right! you need to input a password hells know where you could get… I'm still laughing...

So no more words, nor wind or thunder can avoid reality (like SOPA!) dear lads, I bring you the master key, the golden entrance to the Advanced heaven… even though sadly has half the stuff you will expect to find. /sadface

Click and use it… if you want to waste a bit of your free time: http://borfast.github.com/arrispwgen/

So I said "whats the point?" and they laughed.