I'm currently reading George Dyson's "Darwin Among the Machines" so it was interesting to see his short (20 min) presentation on computing history at TED. The engineers notes, seen in the later part of the presentation, will amuse anyone who has battled with computer hardware - old or new!
Sony are at it again! After Balls, Paint and Play-Doh Rabbits it’s Foam!
470 Million Litres of foam, shot in the streets of Miami!
From http://www.sony.co.uk/images via Sony NZ
Garmin, the GPS company, have announced they are entering the phone market!
Garmin will take on Apple & Nokia with “the nüvifone”. It promises to merge 3.5G phone/camera/browser with Garmin’s GPS/Mapping technology, slick design and a touch UI. There isn’t much tech detail yet but from their press release the feature set looks promising:
The big questions are cost, battery life (a major limitation with multi-function devices) and, if not for my USA/European readers, will it be available in Asia/Pacific? As a Garmin Etrex owner I know how useful personal GPS can be so combining that with decent phone and mobile web looks like an enticing mix. With evidence of Google photo mapping New Zealand city streets in recent months we will have the database to support it. Come on down Garmin!
Garmin Blog: Garmin's New York Surprise
“As you may have heard, last night was a big night for us in the Big Apple.““The purpose was to unveil our Super Bowl ad and to discuss "the future of Garmin and its products." Seems tame enough.
But we had a trick up our sleeve -- the nüvifone. It's safe to say we took the audience by surprise -- OK, that's an understatement. As we made the announcement, the audience collectively reached for their BlackBerries and iPhones to send the big news back to their offices…
Additional information about nüvifone is available at http://www.garmin.com/nuvifone
The Autodesk University Technology Mainstage was a chance for Autodesk and AU Partners Intel, HP and Microsoft to share their vision of how new technology, services and software will impact the design world. I regretted missing it in 2006 so made sure to be there this time.
Computing “in the cloud” with Carl Bass:
It’s obvious Carl just loves technology. His talk, casually delivered and with no supporting presentation, covered everything from immediate challenges to future technologies and work methods. He spoke about big concepts, like technology's impact on society and the planet, but also got quite specific about challenges facing Autodesk today. He’s challenged Autodesk to deliver design software that offers the sort of interaction and graphics currently seen in games:
My son’s Xbox should not look better than a $5000+ design application.*
He also expressed frustration that his multi-core PC doesn’t really exploit the power it has today.
The challenge facing application engineers is creating software to exploit how ever many processors/cores are available.*
Shared processing and storage across multiple computers and networks, so called “computing in the cloud”, means this could be hundreds, even thousands, rather than the two, four or eight cores we use today. While modelling is now the accepted design method any simulation, analysis and high end visualisation is generally done in a separate post design process. The results may refine the design model but that is generally an iterative process, often requiring several applications. Vastly increased computing power will allow simultaneous design, analysis and high quality visualisation. Carl sees all that happening while you design, almost instantly, giving the designer much more feedback to use while refining their ideas..
This vision also takes computing and data off the desktop to become available on the tools that best suit the current task and location. It might be your office workstation, a Tablet/UMPC your smart-phone or even a table or wall. Imagine that with new user interfaces like the Perceptive Pixel "multi-touch" screen, as seen in the AU Exhibit hall, and “Surface computers” and we have an exciting future. The following speakers showed this future isn’t very far away.
Also See:
Google and the Wisdom of Clouds - www.businessweek.com
Microsoft Follows Google Into Cloud Computing - Technology News World
New digital era is dawning, says Microsoft chief - Telegraph
Nano, Nano, Intel:
Intel spoke about their 45 nanometre “Penryn" technology. It gives more computing power (30% from memory) while using less power which means less heat and longer battery life. However they aren’t stopping there as mentioned 32 nanometre technology is planned for sometime in 2009.
“Intel has demonstrated its 32nm logic process with a functional SRAM packing more than 1.9 billion second generation high-k metal gate transistors”
In addition to ever faster chip/systems new modes of processing will bring more power to the user. I say “user”, rather than machine, as it’s likely you’ll be working across distributed remote PCs., virtual machines on your own PC and virtual applications. The line between desktop, servers, local network and web is becoming increasingly blurred. All of that’s happening now and it’s worth investigating how it will impact you. Both Microsoft and HP had more to say about that in their own presentations
BIM on a Blade with HP:
The HP presentation included their new “Blade Workstation Solution” (BWS). It’s enables workstation standard hardware to serve users powerful CAD/BIM applications with all the hardware, apart from monitor keyboard and mouse, located in the server room.
“Harness the power of your workstation environment and experience it anywhere”
The idea is BWS reduces operational overhead and allows more efficient use of the hardware. It’s an intriguing concept and worth investigating but I wonder how it handles with multiple profiles on a single box. We haven’t tried using roaming profiles for CAD users and I wonder if they are required in this model. The positive side is that all the grunt work, including graphics, is done on the BWS with only screen graphics and mouse/keyboard inputs being transferred. It looks to make high-end cad on a remote box much more viable.
HP also showed print isn’t dead and is getting easier with their “One Click” HP Instant Printing system. The idea is the user doesn’t need to manage print settings for various page sizes etc in a document set. Just click once to print the whole document set with the correct settings. You can try it with Autodesk Design Review 2008 today if you have compatible HP plotters (Tick “Use HP Instant Print” in the print dialog) but it may also turn up in other applications.
Microsoft’s Digital World – Life in the Cloud:
Microsoft had a very design oriented demo of how their technology, and services, can help with design collaboration. The scenario was of a company developing a new consumer product. Sharepoint was the main tool for storing, finding, monitoring and sharing info. Office live meeting was used with a cool new device for on-line meetings.
Microsoft Round Table looks a little like a table lamp without a shade but houses cameras and microphones. One camera shows a panoramic 360 degree view of the whole room so you can see everyone in the meeting. Another camera, rather eerily, follows the current speaker with automatic tracking and shows them in a bigger window. It looked like a slick simple answer for a small meeting compared to more conventional camera/mike meeting room setups.
A video showed Microsoft’s current concept of a digital lifestyle. Some used existing technology, others new, but it all depended on on-line storage and integrated networks to allow seamless transition across multiple devices. For example a call that started on a mobile phone at home transitioned to the car phone system, with integrated voice/location aware search/directions, then ended on the same persons tablet PC. Your data is not device specific and stored “in the cloud” being served to the device that best suits your current needs.
That’s not a new idea but the technology and networks are getting to the point its becoming viable. It’s also interesting to see how Microsoft, still considered “rulers of the desktop”, are responding to the mass of on-line competition. It’s a challenge facing all the “traditional” application companies, including Autodesk, as they struggle to work out the best “Software + Services” offer. While the data flowed seamlessly what I thought was missing from the “vision” was an integrated UI which works with keyboard, tablet, touch and voice on all types of devices; something like this!
I saw some of the location based search technology in action just before Autodesk University when I was in San Francisco. I met Michael Scherotter for coffee and he showed me voice driven, location aware search on his Windows Mobile phone. We were in San Rafael and asking for “Italian Restaurant” produced a list, and virtual earth map, of nearby Italian restaurants complete with reviews. Very cool!
If anything came out of AU, on the IT side, for me it’s a real need to learn more about server, machine and application virtualisation. I think these technologies along with dramatic improvements in, already impressive, hardware and graphics will radically change the way we all work in the near future. My works IT are currently "virtualisiing servers” so that part is done but there is real potential to simplify testing and deployment with virtualisation at the desktop level.
I only have one real reservation about life in the cloud. It requires reliable network connectivity and I wonder where you find that! What if “The Cloud” isn’t there?
* Most of this post was written somewhere over the Pacific on the plane heading home from AU but I’ve added relevant links from more recent times. The “pull lines” are not in “Quotes” as are from my notes/memory rather than a reference or recording.
Tablet PCs are five years old (!) but will 2008 be the year they finally take off? They currently have only a small market share but there seems to be a resurgence with new major players, like Dell, entering the market. Will that be enough to take the Tablet beyond “niche”?
People love using them!
In my experience, once people try a Tablet they are both amazed and delighted by the pen UI. It's not ideal for all types of work but great if you’re not “the worlds greatest typist” or work on graphic, rather than text/data, documents. For many tasks the pen/ink UI is far more intuitive than keyboard and mouse.
Tablet PCs also bring your “analog” scribbles into the digital world. Scratching in a notepad means you just have a note in a pad. Inking the same note in software like MindManager, or OneNote, makes it search-able, sharable and “keeps it digital” with all the benefits that provides. How do you backup that vital paper notepad or diary?
In a meeting/sales environment a convertible/slate being used with a pen doesn’t present the barrier created by sitting behind a normal laptop. However, while many champion the “pure” keyboard-less “Slate” form factor, I think a Convertible Notebook is still the best compromise for most.
So why don’t they sell?
There is a price premium but I think the real problem is potential users just don’t get the chance to try them. I just visited a large specialist computer store which sells all the major brands. All their Notebooks were prominently displayed yet no sign of a Tablet Convertible or Slate*. They were available “to order” but who is going to order one without experiencing the benefits of the Tablet UI? If a specialist PC store doesn’t bother what hope is there of seeing a Tablet in the appliance or department stores where most people buy their laptop?
Will “touch” will be the tipping point?
They are just starting to arrive on the market but pen/touch tablets seem like a real advance. Manipulating digital objects directly with your fingers may be the feature that makes the difference. Only problem is you also can’t try a “touch” machine if it’s only available “to order”!
The problem isn’t the technology!
I doubt it’s even the price as most dealers would happily sell a higher priced machine if they could.It gives them more margin on the finance or “extended warranty” where they inevitably make their real profit. The problem is both marketing and availability. If they aren’t there to buy, people won’t buy them! The last five years has proved that.
5 Years of Tablet PC: Marketing - GottaBeMobile
What if they threw a party for The Five Year Anniversary of the Tablet PC and nobody came? What if even the guest of honor stayed away?
Well, it certainly seems that Microsoft and Tablet PC manufacturers want this anniversary to pass without any real noise or attempt at celebration…Recent Releases;
HP readying new Pavilion tx1400 series convertible tablets - Engadget
Toshiba unveils the Portege M700 tablet with touch capabilities - Engadget
* There was one sad lonely UMPC but at double the price of a entry spec notebook, even though “discounted to clear”, I suspect it will be there for a while.
Stephen Fry, yes that Stephen Fry, has just started a personal blog. So why isn’t this post on my personal blog? Because he’s a gadget freak and his first post is a long, eloquent, discourse on the joys and pain of owning an Apple iPhone in England. Subscribed!
A recent visit to my CAD dealer and reading the brilliant XKCD Blog resulted in a rather remarkable coincidence.
Rich Sales (yes, that’s really his name) was showing me his new company vehicle, a Segway. Rich chose it as lives reasonably close to work, travels a route soon to be cluttered with bus/pedestrian only transit roads, it’s fun way to save gas and save the planet. I think it’s rather appropriate transport for the ultimate CAD/BIM geek. I was at Salesoft for training but had time for a little test drive around the office. For someone used to balancing on bicycles I found the “relax I’ll balance for you” Segway a strange, but cool, way to move.
That night I got home to find XKCD Blog featured a cartoon vision of the future, drawn in 1900. The caption says “In the new century no one will walk – all will have wheels” and the label on the device reads ‘footomobile’. I asked Rich for a photo of his new toy for my blog but didn’t tell him about the ‘toon. I grinned when this image arrived today with eerily similar composition.
Rich may say he commutes by Segway, but for me it will forever be:
1900 (A vision of 2000) 2007 (A Vision!)
Click the images for full-size versions
Footomobiles - xkcd » Blog Archive
I was recently reading through newspapers from around 1898 to 1901. In a collection of articles from midwestern papers predicting what life would be like in the year 2000, I found this cartoon. The label on the device reads ‘footomobile’. Words fail me
Cartoon from Brown County Democrat, December 28, 1900.
I was reading about Microsoft’s latest Natural Ergonomic keyboard on Engadget. Feature packed it may be, but there is one thing missing. Keyboards can be filthy so maybe I’ll get a Washable Keyboard next time…
Until then, some tips on how to look after your non-washable keyboard.
Inspired by some weekend radio:
TWU keyboards - Simon Morton This Way Up - National Radio Podcast - (duration: 0:15:14)
The average computer keyboard harbours more grime than a toilet seat. We send one to the lab for testing.And Engadget
Microsoft unveils the Natural Ergonomic Desktop 7000 - Engadget
Here are my requirements for a phone next time I “upgrade”:
That’s why, cool or not, I won’t be bothering with an iPhone.
* I’d even trade larger size for better battery life and reception in marginal areas.
This is a nice introduction to Nanotechnology;
via chris.pirillo
I first heard of Ponoko when their “Blog Editor” Stephen Kempton commented on one of my posts. We exchanged a few emails about Ponoko which makes design concepts real providing a new model for manufacture, sales and distribution. To quote them;
“The Ponoko website is like having your own personal workshop and factory ... and online showroom to sell your designs.”
I had planned a longer post but can “out-source that” by referring you to Franco Folini’s brilliant interview posted at NOVEDGE:
From Bits to Atoms, an Interview with David ten Have, CEO of Ponoko - NOVEDGE blog
David ten Have is co-founder and CEO of Ponoko (blog), a company from New Zealand exploring a new approach to manufacturing. Dave's goal is to provide a customized manufacturing process so easy that almost anybody can use it. Send Ponoko a 3D digital model and they will take care of transforming it into a physical object. They will even help you sell your creation on the market…
I also heard a interview with Ponoko – on Radio Live’s “Public Address Radio” – which is now available as a podcast:
PA Radio: Ponoko.com - If they come, you will build it
Russell Brown interviews David ten Have and Sally Coe of Wellington's ponoko.com, a fascinating start-up that turns ideas into objects…
It's great to see a Kiwi company developing a fascinating concept!
Ponoko – http://www.ponoko.com/
Ponoko Blog – http://www.ponoko.com/blog/
Combine this with Tablet PC interaction and I think you’re getting close! Click through for detail on the hardware & software creating this magic,
It’s Alive in the Lab: Touch Wall: Manipulating CAD data with just your hands
70,000 litres of paint
358 single bottle bombs
33 sextuple air cluster bombs
22 Triple hung cluster bombs
268 mortars
33 Triple Mortars
22 Double mortars
358 meters of weld
330 meters of steel pipe
57 km of copper wire
1 High-rise Apartment Block
1 Website
1 Blog
1 RSS Feed
Sony BRAVIA - Not “The Balls” Advert
Update 09–08–2006: Thanks to Jeff for sending this link
Interview With David Patton, Sony Europe On 'Paint' – IF! caught up with Sony Europe's Senior VP Marketing Communications, David Patton, to explain the strategy behind the campaign.
Makes those West Coast Choppers look lame!
John Levey, Rotec Engine dealer, shows off his custom-built chopper complete with the R2800 7-cylinder Rotec aircraft engine at Oshkosh.
Recently I blogged about digital design of Aircraft using the title “The end of paper flight?”.
The odd thing is that many flights, especially in light aircraft, are totally dependent on paper – thick books of charts and flight instructions. It seems rather primitive to have pilots carrying hundreds of bits of paper, searching for the right chart when they probably have more important tasks to do!
It appears that hassle is about to end as electronic ink, digital paper, takes to the air. eFlyBook is a small, electronic notebook for use in the cockpit which uses a passive, paper like, digital ink display and stylus, pen like, entry for searching.
Seems like the only paper in flight will be aircraft like the Barnaby Flyer...*
eFlyBook by ARINC
For the first time, digital FAA flight charts, en route charts, terminal procedures, and other flight documents can be downloaded, stored and viewed easily on eFlyBook, a small, electronic notebook for use in the cockpit. Charts, documents, and other digital content are provided by MyAirplane.com, which uses its award-winning viewer and compression technology to minimize storage requirements without degrading the quality of the documents.
* The Barnaby Flyer is a proper paper aircraft, NOT a dart. With a bit of care when folding it can achieve proper controlled flight, even circle and use updrafts to gain height. It was invented by Capt. Ralph S. Barnaby, USN (Ret), and it first appeared in his book "How to Make & Fly Paper Airplanes" (Scholastic Book Services 1968).
I was about 10 when I read his book as part of a science project on flight. I made many, probably hundreds, and watched one fly for an amazing, stopwatch timed, 3 minutes after launching from a high cliff near Piha. It flew several hundred metres down almost to sea level then climbed, in an updraft, almost returning to the launch point before descending again to the sea – Biodegradable of course!
This has nothing to do with CAD but it’s just so cool.
Treehugger: Take the Park With You
Click thru for the full image.
This video review is a neat introduction to the Toshiba M400. It’s the first really grunty, maybe even part-time CAD capable, Tablet/Convertible Notebook. It has the processor power (1.8 Core Duo) but uses integrated graphics (Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950) which may be a limitation.
Intel mention CAD use in the spec for this chipset but I’d love to test one, anyone listening at Toshiba NZ?
istartedsomething: Video review of Toshiba Portege M400 Tablet PC
Extra Detail: Written Review
www.tabletpcreviewspot.com - Portege M400 Tablet PC - Speedy to the Core/s
Hugo Ortega has some good news, seems like it won’t be long until we see Origami [UMPC] devices in Australia & New Zealand. He also pointed to a interesting review of the Tablet Kiosk V-700 UMPC.
Uber Tablet: a Tablet PC Talk Spot!: Origami Device in Australia - April 2006!
Linda Epstein: First Look Tablet Kiosk V-700 Ultra-Mobile PC
It looks nice, cool even, except Ultra-mobile PC (UMPC) is a clunky name – I prefer “Origami”.
Then I see Robert Scoble’s comment on the video page: “The team tells me they are getting two to three hours of battery life with the first devices”
Ultra-mobile, but not for long enough…
Video: Otto Berkes - Origami's Architect gives first look at Ultra-mobile PCs - Channel 9
Microsoft Website: Ultra-Mobile PC - Go Everywhere. Do Everything.
jkOnTheRun: Origami/UMPC- the real dirt
Origami is the art of paper folding. Generally you start with a clean sheet of paper and create something small & elegant.
So what is Microsoft Origami Project all about? Kevin Tofel seems to have found the answer: jkOnTheRun: Origami video?
Kevin 2.0 » Origami video: the real deal?
Much like everyone else, I’ve been wondering what Microsoft’s Origami Project is. The speculation runs rampant but it appears that you might not have to wait a few weeks to find outJ.K. has more stills at;
Auckland company Rakon have announced a GPS receiver module “as tiny as a baby’s fingernail”. Maybe we’ll soon see GPS being used in devices and ways just not viable with the current technology.
As an example of novel use for GPS consider the Celestron SkyScout. It combines location & orientation sensing to provide live text and audio information on your current view of the night sky. It was picked by some influential bloggers as the hit product of the recent CES show:
The word-of-mouth killer product of CES - Scoble
“It wins my award for the single coolest thing I saw at the show. By far. I’m not alone, either. Shel and Buzz were both speechless when they saw it.”
Rakon Develops World's Smallest Receiver - RAKON.
The quest for ever smaller GPS-enabled equipment, such as mobile phones, PDAs and even watches has just taken a giant step forward with the development of the world’s smallest GPS radio frequency receiver module by a New Zealand company.
Auckland electronics company Rakon has just developed a module, as tiny as a baby’s fingernail, and is already fielding calls from GPS manufacturers keen to imbed the product in their own new developments…. [more]
Via RadioLive News
jkOnTheRun gets up close with the DualCor cPC…
jkOnTheRun: Sitting down with DualCor Technologies at the CES.
I had a great opportunity to spend quite a bit of time with DualCor Technologies' President and CEO Steve Hanley to review their new ultra-portable hand-held that is generating a lot of buzz since it appeared out of nowhere a few weeks ago. Steve was very forth-coming about the cPC and DualCor's plans for the release of the combination Tablet PC and Windows Mobile 5.0 device. Steve brought two of the cPCs to our meeting and it was exciting to see them both in action close up and personal…
Early attempts with Pocket PC’s for on-site CAD mark-up struggled to cope with memory capacity and performance limitations.
DualCor Technologies, Inc have announced The DualCor cPC – a combination Tablet PC and Windows Mobile Hand-held device which promises to solve that by offering portability, connectivity and power.
It uses twin Operating Systems, XP Tablet PC & Windows Mobile, with twin processors; 1.5 GHz and 400 MHz. This allows full XP applications to run, working as a Tablet PC, but when “off” it reverts to the Mobile OS with full time connectivity, instant on and claims long battery life. Both OS are supported by a 127mm (5”) 800x400 Display, 40GB HD, 1GB RAM + 1GB Flash + full connectivity, allowing it to function as a desktop replacement, in a tiny 165 (6.5") x 83 (3.3") x 30 (1.2") mm package!
So, how would it go with Design Web Format (DWF) 2D/3D CAD data and Autodesk Composer (DWF View/Mark-up) or maybe even a full CAD application?
We can only wait and see but the spec looks good enough to justify testing. I can’t see it as a CAD Desktop replacement, the likely hitch is graphic performance, but as a device to take your CAD Model, in DWF or native format, on the road to site/client/meetings it has great appeal. Add MindManager (for presenting project information) and ActiveWords InkPad (ease of operation) and you’d have a stunning presentation tool. Perhaps it’s worth the cost (said to be us$1500 retail) just to see peoples reaction to CAD/BIM presented from your hand.
If the DualCor cPC lives up to the preview it’s going to be huge, even though it’s small.
jkOnTheRun has exclusive details about the DualCor cPC.
It’s a combination of full power Tablet PC (XP) and Windows Mobile that looks like being the answer to my need to be connected, yet have the power to do real work without lugging too much hardware…
Surely a Ferrari Monitor would speed up CAD work. Anyone recommend a graphics card to support the classic V12 configuration?
Craig Pringle has a blog devoted to Tablet PC’s and mobile computing which is also home to the NZ Tablet PC User Group. It seems he’s also a MindManager fan, demonstrating the latest MindManager 6 at a recent meeting. Pity the group is based in Wellington which is a bit far away for me (660km).
I don’t actually have a Tablet PC, yet. I need high spec (part time CAD use) and don’t have a spare $5000 but think that the convertible/tablet is the future of computing. It’s the nearest to most peoples favourite familiar information interface – pen & paper.
Blog:: Craig Pringle
A collection of my thoughts about Tablet PCs, mobility and, well other stuff...
RobiNZ Personal Blog: The FIA want your views on Formula One
The world's largest passenger plane, the Airbus A380, is on its long-awaited maiden flight.
www.Airbus.com ~ Seeing is believing has video, photos and reports from the flightdeck.
and its a successful first flight!
BBC NEWS | The European Airbus A380, the world's largest passenger plane, lands safely after its maiden flight
Google “Bose good bad” and you’ll find many passionate articles about Bose products and how good, or bad, many people think they are. Newsgroups host endless debates between those attacking and defending Bose.
I own a few Bose products – Acoustimass® 5 speakers (AM5), QuietComfort® 2 Headphones and Wave® Clock/CD/Radio. Each performs well and resolves a particular problem for me although there is often a price premium attached. The AM5’s allow decent sound in a small room where conventional speakers just wouldn't fit, the QC2’s noise reduction makes flying a pleasure and the Wave Radio is the best sounding clock radio I’ve ever heard.
Whatever you think; Chief Executive have an interesting article about Bose with some background on their history. Amar Bose discusses how remaining privately owned and free of “venture capital” has been a key component of the company’s success. Energy isn’t wasted reporting to the market or chasing short term investment returns demanded by shareholders. This has allowed it to maintain long term research efforts which might result in a breakthrough product or might not. It might be today, tomorrow, or perhaps never but the fact that Bose are still in business when many others aren’t means they must be getting something right.
Chief Executive - Bose's Sound Strategy
Via Business Pundit
Terri has just got a Sony VAIO U for Christmas. See her, and Ricks Aibo’s, first impressions!
I didn't get one for Christmas but its first on the “H'mmm Essential Toys” List!
Terri's Tales, Tech & Travel: VAIO U750P and AIBO
VAIO U750P and Aibo
One of my new Christmas gadgets from Rick was a Sony VAIO U750P...Via jkOnTheRun
Apple will be happy but can't image the folks at Sony Personal Audio are popping many champagne corks to celebrate their wins in 2004 Engadget Awards!
Sony VAIO's did ok in a few categories but not my favourite: "U Series". Perhaps they need a new category for "Handtops".
Link: The winners of the 2004 Engadget Awards! - Engadget - www.engadget.com.
I recently purchased a set of Bose QuietComfort 2 Noise Cancelling Headphones. I had read about them but got a chance to try them on a recent flight to the US as was sitting near someone who had a set. That brief encounter was enough to convince me to get some of my own for the trip home.
The "Mark 2" version has all the electronics & battery housed inside the sleek ear-cups. Much neater than earlier versions had a separate control box for these. They are light and fold to slip into the good quality hard case, supplied for travel, but are still much more bulky to carry than portable headband/ear-bud phones. Its worth the effort because of the performance. They are also expensive but this easier to justify living in New Zealand where flying anywhere means enduring at least a 4-12 hour flight.
The Bose QuietComfort 2's combat noise in several ways:
I found the noise reduction in the cabin of a Boeing 747 was significant. The sealing of the headphones alone reduces the combined engine and aerodynamic cabin roar. Switch on the circuitry and you experience a strange "decompression feeling", which passes quickly, as most of the remaining noise is cancelled out to leave a little more than a background hum. It's worth wearing them for this alone and you can run the noise cancellation without being connected to any audio source. In this mode they simply remove ambient noise with the advantage that you have no cables (the connection cable is removable). You do still hear some aircraft sounds and also enough speech to converse but it makes flying much more pleasant. I even slept, which I don't usually manage on a plane, with them on in "noise cancellation mode".
The other benefit of noise cancellation is that you can reduce the volume of in-flight entertainment. You are not battling to drown out the background noise with extra volume. Its hard to quantify this but I was running my Minidisc player at less than 1/4 volume with the QuietComfort 2's compared to the Sony ear-buds I normally use simply because the external noise is removed. That alone means a significant reduction in fatigue.
You get all the required adapters (Single 3.5mm, Dual 3.5mm for aircraft and 6.3mm) & the headphones can switch for "Hi" (aircraft/home hifi) and "Lo" (portable player) sources. I've tried with all kinds of sources and even my Minidisc player, which has a feeble headphone output, drives them easily.
Bose claim the AAA battery powering the electronics will last for 35 hours but I have not managed to run mine flat yet. The "power" LED on the ear-cup flashes when the remaining battery life drops below 5 hours left as a warning. I tend to use in short one or two hour sessions except when flying so this may be extending the life further.
As for sound quality with music I would say they are more mid-range than their upper range pricing would suggest. They have a good overall balance with powerful, sometimes a little overpowering, bass response but seem to have a slightly limited soundstage. Most of the action is "in your head" at, or between, the ear-cups rather than expanding beyond them. Not sure if this is because of the circumaural design or all the sound processing that's going on. If listening in a silent environment you do hear a slight background hiss, I presume from the noise cancellation processing, but even a low volume music signal will mask this. These are minor points and I still find them great for music even if noise cancellation isn't required.
I'm also getting lots of use from them when not flying. Ever noticed how noisy office air conditioning or even a PC fan is? You do when the noise is gone! I could mention another office noise that gets cancelled out but my boss might read this!
There are cheaper headphones out there but none I've tried can match the musical performance and ability to deal with a noisy environment that the Bose QuietComfort 2 Headphones offer. Besides, what price can I put on the ability to sleep during a long flight when, without them, I haven't done that before.
Sometimes you just can't avoid noise but the Bose QuietComfort 2 Headphones give you a choice to replace it with "quiet" or "quiet + entertainment".
Link: Bose QuietComfort 2 Noise Cancelling Headphones.
(Photo credit & Trademark Copyrights Bose Corporation)
The Register have a great review of the "Sony Vaio U". I already have the completely irrational desire; logic and commonsense on the window sill ready to fly, I'm trying to find a need for it!
Link: Sony Vaio U70P Wi-Fi micro PC | The Register.
"Absolutely everyone that I showed the Type U to wanted it, although no one had any real need for it. It's one of those devices that just elicits completely irrational desire - logic and common sense go out the window, and you're just filled with the desire to own one of these miniature marvels."
I see the "Sony VAIO U Series" is available in the US which means will have English operating system etc
Currently its not available in New Zealand but what is odd is that the Sony Style.com (US) website shows a U70 being used with the Auckland Harbour Bridge in the background (See pic by the Next Generation Mobility topic in the screen-shot attached).
I drive over this every day on the way to work so the "VAIO U" has been close!
If anyone reading this has a "VAIO U Series" (U50, 70 or 71) already I'd be interested to hear what you like/dislike and which accessories you think are useful as will be buying "blind" over the net if Sony NZ aren't going to sell it here.
Link: VAIO U at SonyStyle USA.
An airliner or ship is easily powered by turbine engines but imagine your Laptop, PDA, cell phone or house running on tiny chip sized turbine generators. Maybe fuel cells aren't the future!
Technology Review: Power on a Chip
Batteries are heavy and inconvenient. Their successors could be tiny jet engines that provide more than enough power for cell phones and PDAs....
The whole Tablet PC thing has me perplexed and an article from JKOnTheRun has pointed out why.
I like the concept of a Tablet PC and they seem to work OK (from what I’ve seen). I have times when pen & paper just frustrate the hell out of me but I think pen on paper is the best interface invented so far. The idea of taking electronic paper into meetings, MindManaging, or sketching concepts is wonderful. So why I don’t I have a Tablet?
Too slow – Ok for office app’s but CAD with 3d models, I don’t think so.
Too expensive – Compared to comparable spec laptops.
Too big – To carry around everywhere, everyday.
I don’t even have, or want, a PDA!
Too limited – A few 10’s to a few 100’s of MB memory, not enough.
Too small – Ok for contacts but serious work, even “proofing” or referencing docs from office app's? – No thanks.
Too much hassle – Cut down OS, Cut down applications, all that syncing and converting (for CAD view), and limited features in the files/applications that do work.
The only “connected” mobile device I have is a Nokia phone that I sync with Outlook. The only reason that appealed was the pain of entering name, number, email etc into a phone via its keyboard. That it can carry a few weeks’ appointments, some notes/reminders and other information was enough to eliminate the desire for a PDA. The Phone + USB Memory Drive to transfer work between desktops at home and work are as mobile as I get for now but its only because I haven't found what I want and it’s my money I’m spending.
JK has written the spec for a new class of hardware - the Mini Tablet PC. He has the distinct advantage of working with something close to a Mini Tablet PC now. Running the full XP Tablet OS on a Sony U70 has allowed him to create the specifications for a Mini Tablet PC based on real life experience. I like the idea of a tablet but have not got close to getting one. Have a look at his article about the specification for the Mini-Tablet PC and decide for yourself: Would you buy one?
I would, it’s just what I want.
More on tthe new Sony portables from www.newswireless.net
News - Sony aims at the iPod - but not with MP3 despite rumours
According to Engadet Sony the U50 and U70 have been taken off the few markets they were sold in. Is there something better coming or is this yet another blow to the tablet platform?
Sony drops the U50 and U70? - Engadget - www.engadget.com
Note added 03-09-2007: See the update at the end of this post for news about Sony dropping SonicStage for new Walkman models.
17 years ago my father gave me a Sony Walkman for my birthday. It was a WM-F202 recording Walkman. Although a little beaten up its still going strong, a great compliment to the build quality as its had a lot of use. Earlier this year he gave me a Sony NetMD MiniDisc (MZ-NF810) for my birthday. Its a great piece of hardware; nicely engineered and a worthy successor to the old Walkman. 
You can get up to 5 hours music on a MiniDisc and although it can't hold a zillion songs like an iPod I think in some ways its better:
~ It uses an easy to change rechargeable or normal AA battery...
~ ...So no need to take a charger when travelling.
~ It has long play time 40 hours + on one AA battery
~ It has an am/fm radio tuner built in.
~ It can record from a digital input or microphone, which is a real bonus.
The disc capacity limitation is eliminated in the latest MiniDisc players as the new Hi-MD Walkmans have 1gb disc storing up to 45 hours of music. That removes one limitation but there is another possible problem: SonicStage - the software Sony supply to manage music.
Sonic Stage 1.5 came with my player and it installed and worked OK. Occasionally a CD transfer would fail but usually a second attempt would work. An email arrived recommending an upgrade to SonicStage 2. I attempted this and although the install seemed to go OK (the final dialog said it was successful) the upgrade was a total failure.
It corrupted the existing track database so they couldn't be used. It failed to work with both my CD and DVD drives and I had constant fatal errors. After checking the net I've found I wasn't alone and the MiniDisc forums & newsgroups have many complaints about SonicStage.
In the end I removed SonicStage 2, manually deleted all the "Sony folders" I could find, trashed the corrupt database (all off Cd's I own anyway), and manually removed Windows Registry entries for "Sony". I then reinstalled SonicStage 1.5 but it didn't work as disc's still couldn't be read from either the CD or DVD drives in my PC.
As a last resort I upgraded the semi functioning SonicStage 1.5 to the current release: SonicStage 2.1. Thankfully this works so I'm back in business but having to hack registry entries and manually remove software folders is not something you should have to face to upgrade versions. From what I have read SonicStage had poor removal/install as a clean install seems to work fine.
As all their "net portables" (MiniDisc, Network Walkman etc) use SonicStage its vital Sony make their software as good as the hardware because that is great. It would be a pity to turn off customers with poor quality software. I like my player and the MiniDisc format but will be very nervous when the next software "upgrade" arrives.
UPDATE 03-09-2007: Sony have, finally, given up with SonicStage for new Walkman products:
"Available in six vibrant colours, the new S610F-series Walkman supports the open audio formats of MP3, non-secure AAC, security-enhanced WMA and the secure format of WMA. To help manage digital music libraries, the new Walkman model comes with Microsoft Windows Media Play
