DevTopics is a high-level and sometimes satirical look at software development and computer technology. DevTopics is written by Tim Toady, the founder of Browserling Inc, a cross-browser testing company. When we occasionally dive into the details, it's usually about C# and .NET programming. (More)
Steve Jobs passed away yesterday. He was a creative genius whose impact has been felt around the world. He will be missed. May Steve Jobs rest in peace.
In this video, Jobs explains what it takes to be successful. "People say you have to have a lot of passion for what you’re doing, and it’s totally true. The reason is, because it’s so hard, if you don’t [have passion], any reasonable person would give up."
Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 5 today at a major press event. A PriceGrabber survey in July showed that a whopping 35% of respondents want to buy the yet-unseen iPhone 5 when it hits the market. The iPhone 5 is arguably the most anticipated tech product of 2011. It’s also the first major product released since tech legend Steve Jobs retired as CEO of Apple.
Mr. Jobs plans to remain Chairman of the Apple board. COO Tim Cook has taken the helm as full-time CEO. Cook had already served as Apple’s temporary CEO a few times since 2004 when Jobs was on medical leave due to pancreatic cancer.
Cook has done a great job running Apple’s day-to-day operations while Jobs has been ill. Cook is widely credited with getting Apple out of the hardware manufacturing business. This helped the company reduce inventory levels, streamline its supply chain, and dramatically increase margins.
But a good businessman is not the same as a visionary technical genius.
As the resident geek, my part-time job is providing computer tech support to family, friends and neighbors. One of the most common questions they ask me is:
“What’s the difference between digital songs that cost $1.29 on iTunes and $0.99 on Amazon.com?”
And being the smartass that I am, my stock answer is:
Apple Inc. has filed a federal lawsuit against “the world” for violating its U.S. Patent 3,141,5926 “Removing a Booger by Performing Gestures with a Finger.” Apple is demanding licensing royalties from all world citizens who pick their nose, and a cease & desist order against Kleenex tissues for providing citizens with an alternate method to jailbreak boogers and avoid Apple’s patent.
This new legal action follows a similar lawsuit that Apple filed against rival phone maker HTC for allegedly violating 20 of Apple’s mobile phone patents. The Apple patents include “novel” inventions such as U.S. Patent 7,657,849 for unlocking a phone with a finger swipe.
If all publicity is good publicity, then Apple is basking in the glow of its hot new gadget, the iPad, which is not only the talk of the tech world, but has also become the favorite butt of jokesters worldwide.
Following are some of the best jokes about the Apple iPad found online and especially on Twitter. Warning: Given the subject matter, these jokes are not always tasteful.
The iPad: Protecting your data from embarrassing incidents. (kathycacace)
Uncomfortable cramping and bloating? There’s an app for that. (Attagrrrl)
The Ranter is a bit tired of the “coolest app” conversation that inevitably occurs when he talks with another iPhone user. It seems like there is a time-wasting iPhone app for just about everything except making a phone call, which is the true reason most people buy a mobile phone in the first place.
Check out this funny fake iPhone commercial that addresses this problem:
Microsoft announced plans to open its own chain of branded stores to catch up with rival Apple and its successful foray into retailing. Microsoft did not reveal how many stores it planned to open, when they would open, or which products it would sell in the stores.
A little humor on the subject by Jimmy Fallon:
“Despite the recession, Microsoft is planning to open stores to compete with Apple. The Microsoft stores will be just like the Apple stores, except the staff will freeze when you ask them any questions.”
An unsubstantiated rumor posted on a CNN website caused a sharp drop in Apple’s stock price Friday. The early morning report caused Apple shares to plummet to their lowest point in a year. Apple denied the report as soon as they heard about it, and Apple’s stock recovered by the time CNN removed the false report, but Apple stock ended down 3 percent for the day due to the broader market slide.
