Firefox 3.5 is out
June 30th, 2009
So, Firefox 3.5 was just released. I’ll try it out tonight probably but I just wanted to make a few comments. First, version 3.5 supports the HTML 5 <video> and <audio> tags which just re-enforces my “no flash on the iPhone, ever” theory because it means that even more of the industry is accepting the web standard. So to recap, Safari, Chrome, and now Firefox all support the standard. Where you at Microsoft?
Second, Mozilla sets the standard in my opinion for releasing software. If you check out the download page you’ll see that on day one of the release it’s available on all 3 major platforms and in over 70 languages. This has pretty much always been the case as far as I can remember. Bravo Mozilla. This is where Chrome falls short in my opinion because while it’s an excellent browser on the Windows platform, it’s buggy and absolutely unfinished on a Mac. And that’s a shame.
My current browser of choice is Safari but I always look forward to trying out a new version of Firefox because Mozilla always puts out a polished, solid browser unlike the polished, solid turd that is Internet Explorer.
~Brad
Forbes tests a Panasonic Toughbook CF-30
June 26th, 2009
They do some interesting tests but to be honest, I don’t really care about this article (although the Toughbook is without a doubt the best “tough” laptop out there) since I have no need for a Toughbook. I just couldn’t pass up linking to the article though because of this:
and tried to back over it with a Volkswagen JettaTDi. (That left a mark–on the pavement.)We poured Diet Coke on the keyboard.
Thought it was hilarious that they put a military spec, tough as nails, magnesium alloy Toughbook to the test armed with a Jetta and a Diet Coke.
Manly Forbes, manly.
~Brad
One problem with cut, copy, and paste on the iPhone
June 23rd, 2009
So Apple granted the wishes of many by adding the magical cut copy and paste functionality in OS 3.0. To be honest, I didn’t think I’d care either way but it turns out I do actually use it quite a bit. Another wish Apple granted was adding MMS. Of course, AT&T hasn’t flipped the switch to actually allow it’s users to use MMS. So the wife, forgetting that I can’t yet use MMS, sends me a picture. So I get the normal text message from AT&T with a link to a website to retrieve the picture. But wait, I notice that in the text message they also provide a login ID and password to access the site. These two are completely random and impossible to remember BUT I now have copy and paste at my disposal to help me more easily get around my short term forgetfulness. Right? So I hold my finger down on the text message to copy the login id and I get this bullshit:
That, my friends, is frustrating. I cannot copy the text of the actual text message, only the whole text message itself.
What.
The.
Fuck.
Apple, seriously! You can copy the text in every other application, but not in a text message? This is ridiculous. This silly text message we get from AT&T is the only way to get an MMS, which is not Apple’s fault, but at least I thought I’d be able to copy and paste the username and password to actually retrieve the picture of my 2 year old in his sunglasses. But no.
I love my Apple products and after a year I still can’t put my iPhone down but Jesus H. Christ this is more frustrating than not being able to copy and paste at all!
~Brad
Why you won’t ever see flash on the iPhone
June 20th, 2009
So, it just hit me why you will never see Adobe Flash supported on the iPhone. I was reading another fine John Gruber single-word-post where he simply answers “Yes” to the question “Could HTML 5 kill Flash and Silverlight“, an article by Paul Krill on Yahoo! Tech.
Combine those two sources and you’ve got your answer. The upcoming HTML 5 specification will natively support both audio and video without the need for a 3rd party plugin such as Flash or Microsoft’s Silverlight. Apple has already said that the version of Safari built into iPhone OS 3.0 will supports both the audio and video HTML 5 tags (even though the full HTML 5 spec isn’t finalized, Mozilla has said the same thing for Firefox).
Basically, Apple, (as usual) is ahead of the curve here. If the browser built into iPhone OS doesn’t rely on 3rd party plugins, and web developers switch to using the HTML 5 audio/video tags, everything from end user to server and back runs smoother. This way Apple doesn’t have to deal with the baggage that comes with relying on a 3rd party vendor (Adobe, pay attention). There’s no licensing, no waiting on Adobe to patch their crappy software, etc.
I for one look forward to NO flash support on my iPhone. Stick with web standards!
~Brad
WWDC 2009
June 8th, 2009
In case you weren’t aware, today is Apple’s World Wide Developer’s Conference where they’re expected to announce new iPhone models, the finalized iPhone OS 3.0 features and specs as well as (what I’m most excited about) the finalized OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard features and specs.
Since I’m not yet cool enough to actually attend the event (maybe one day!) I instead follow a couple live blogs for the coverage. These are the blogs I’m watching today:
Gizmodo (this one has an autorefresh page)
I’ll probably do a quick rundown of the event later today or tomorrow.
~Brad