Hasta La Gadget!

As I sat here today thinking about what I should write for my latest column here on SlashGear, I was distracted. I didn’t look at the latest news, like I usually do, and I wasn’t particularly interested in anything in particular. My mind was entirely dominated by one thought: the computer I was about to write the column on.

As I write this, I’m working on a Mac Pro that I bought several years ago. At the time, the computer was state-of-the-art and capable of handling all kinds of tasks. For me, it was a perfect solution: it offered me the flexibility to run three monitors, had the power to handle some video editing, and was running OS X – an operating system, I believe, is superior to Windows.

But now years later, I’m lamenting my purchase of the Mac Pro. Although it’s still chugging along, it’s not working as well as it once did. And despite my best attempts to squeeze every last ounce of performance out of this supposedly high-end computer, it’s falling short on several fronts.

While all this has been going on, Apple has been launching new Macs at a torrid pace. Since my Mac Pro purchase, the company has launched two new Mac designs – the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro with Retina Display – and continued to update the iMac with outstanding design ideas. But it’s the Mac Pro that, save for a slight upgrade, has been ignored by Apple.

Now, I know that I’m not alone in wondering what is happening in Cupertino. Over the last few years, we’ve all been watching with baited breath as Apple hits the stage to unveil new Macs, hoping that a Mac Pro will be one of them. But each time, we’ve been disappointed. Apple’s customers have even e-mailed CEO Tim Cook to ask what in the world is going on. His response? Be patient.

“We’re watching friends running Windows do far more than we can”

Still, it’s hard for us to be patient. We’re watching our friends running Windows doing far more than we can with the Mac Pro. And it’s making us think twice about making the leap to a custom-built Windows desktop that, while not ideal, could actually deliver the enhanced power we need.

I’ve been holding off taking that plunge because I believe Apple has something up its sleeve for the Mac Pro. The trouble is, I just don’t know how much longer I can hang on. Yes, my Mac Pro is still doing its job, but it’s getting harder and harder to complete tasks. And I’m becoming more frustrated by the computer by the day.

So, I need to ask, Apple: where in the world is my new Mac Pro? If you’re not going to launch a new one, just put us out of our misery and tell us. If you are, make it quick; we’re losing faith that you’re actually going to launch a replacement. And the sooner we lose faith, the sooner you lose us to a Windows PC.

I never thought I’d say it, but it’s possible that I might just have to ditch my Mac Pro for a custom-built PC. Don’t make me do it, Apple. Don’t. Make. Me. Do. It.

Dear Apple: Where Is My Mac Pro? is written by Don Reisinger & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

We live in a funny world, don’t we? There was a time when homes had a single phone. And when it rang, the kids in the house had to hope that mom or dad would let them talk for a while. If the phone rang too late, it meant one of two things: something was wrong, or one of the kids had a friend calling at an inappropriate time.

Soon, things changed, and homes had more telephones, providing a bit more leeway in the way communication was handled. It wasn’t until the introduction of the mobile phone that dramatically changed how we would communicate with others, and it caused a radical change in our lives.

Now, though, everywhere I turn, I find people with smartphones. From elders who grew up in a time when phone lines were shared to priests, just about everyone around us has a smartphone on their hip, in their pocket, or hiding in their purse. A smartphone isn’t just an accessory to many people, it’s an extension of their lives. And without it, there would be no way to live.

For me, such a scenario would be impossible to even fathom. Each morning, the first thing I do after saying good morning to my wife is check my smartphone to see if I’ve missed any important e-mails. I might also check the news to see what’s happening around the world. During the day, my smartphone is with me wherever I go, so I can send off a quick text, check e-mail when away from a computer, and surf the Web when I need to. Oh, and I might also place a call from time to time.

So, earlier this week as I was on my smartphone, I questioned whether I could stay away from it for just one week. What would my week be like, I thought. How would my life be different? Would things be better or worse?

“It wasn’t long before I had ‘technology withdrawals’”

I decided after thinking that that it was time I explored the possibility of living without my smartphone for a week. So, for the rest of the day and a bit into the next day, I was smartphone-free. It wasn’t long, though, that I was desiring holding my smartphone in my hand and checking things. It also wasn’t long before I had what might only be called “technology withdrawals” — a seemingly chemical response in the brain to not having something I rely on to such a huge degree.

So, before long, I gave in and got my smartphone. I’m weak, perhaps, or just not very good at controlling myself. In either case, I realized that, for me, living without a smartphone isn’t even an option.

The next question, though, is, such an addiction good or bad? I can be more productive with my smartphone, but that I actually have it in-hand at all times and can’t let it go might liken it to something much worse.

So, I pose the question to you: can you (or, perhaps, would you) want to live without a smartphone for a week? Is it easier said than done? Don’t scoff so quickly and think it’ll be an easy task; it won’t. Be ready for a challenge. And be ready for the withdrawals.

One Week Without A Smartphone? Impossible is written by Don Reisinger & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

The PlayStation 4 hasn’t even been shown off to the public yet, but already the box is on the minds of millions of people across the globe. In fact, in a recent earnings call with investors, GameStop president Tony Bartel said that his company has 900,000 people signed up for its first-to-know list on the PlayStation 4. And he expects demand to far outstrip supply of the console when it launches.

Such demand already might surprise some folks. After all, it took a long time for the PlayStation 3 to truly get off the ground and although it’ll likely end this generation with more worldwide sales than the Xbox 360, in the U.S., especially, it’s no match for Microsoft’s console.

To make matters worse, it appears that gamers aren’t all that excited about the next generation of consoles across the board. The Wii U, after all, has been watching its sales slow to crawl and even GameStop said publicly that it’s been disappointed by the Wii U. What in the world would make the PlayStation 4 different?

Well, I think there are a host of reasons. I’m a firm believer that Sony is still a household name in the U.S. and in Japan – its two key markets – and people buy products from the company solely because they trust the name. And despite the PlayStation 3’s initial troubles, the console turned out to be quite a success, allowing its predecessor to deliver solid results next time around.

“It’s unfair to compare the PS4 with the Wii U”

It’s also unfair to compare the PlayStation 4 with the Wii U. Nintendo’s console is one that’s a barely updated alternative to the predecessor. As I’ve said here before, I believe the Wii U is a catch-up device. And historically, catch-up devices don’t really perform all that well on store shelves.

The PlayStation 4, however, is a high-end product with all kinds of graphical firepower; it’s the kind of device that true gamers really want. And chances are, Sony will once again have the full support of the developer community to ensure it doesn’t fall short from a library perspective.

Most importantly, though, I think the strong demand for the PlayStation 4 tells us that, despite conventional wisdom suggesting that mobile and casual gaming is the future, console gamers are still extremely engrossed in their favored way of playing games. And that’s not going to change anytime soon.

The fact is that console gaming has a long way to go to ultimately match the promise gamers have been hoping for all this time. And companies like Sony and Microsoft are willing to push the envelope and put themselves in a position where they can capitalize on customers that want a true next-generation device, and not something that’s simply labeled as one.

So yes, I understand the excitement surrounding the PlayStation 4, and I can say without any hesitation that I’m one of those folks that’s excited to see what’s coming next from Sony. The future is now. And Sony is one of the few companies in the gaming industry that’s willing to embrace it.

Why the PlayStation 4 Is Already In High Demand is written by Don Reisinger & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Android is the dominant force in the mobile operating system landscape. And now more than ever, people are finding that the operating system is not only a strong competitor to iOS, but in some respects, might just be even better.

Now, I’m sure that Apple fans won’t want to hear such a thing. After all, for years, they’ve been supporting Apple’s iOS platform and to hear that Android could possibly come with features that surpass those of iOS is anathema to them. But perhaps it’s time that we all agree that, at the very least, Android and iOS are in a neck-and-neck battle for mobile operating system dominance.

But how did Android get here? The fact is, Android wasn’t even close to iOS in terms of featureset when it launched. But over the last several years, as more vendors brought the operating system to their devices, it gained on Apple. And now, it’s far and away the most dominant operating system in the land.

Although many reasons for Android’s dominance can be drawn, and many of those are valid, I just don’t think any of them are as important or as noteworthy as Google’s shepherding of the platform. Without Google, Android wouldn’t be what it is today.

“An industry created by startups is now dominated by major companies”

If we’ve learned anything of the technology industry over the last few years, it’s that big companies determine the fate of most products. Save for a few cool Kickstarter ideas, the vast majority of successful products today come from major companies. It’s unfortunate that an industry created by startups is now so dominated by major companies, but it’s the reality. And we must begrudgingly accept that.

If an unknown company trying to deliver a new operating system to mobile vendors had delivered Android to the marketplace, it’s unlikely that it would have succeeded. At its launch, few tech media outlets would have picked up the news because of the company’s lack of notoriety, and vendors would have been suspect of such a small firm. A perfect storm would have developed that would have scuttled Android from the outset.

“Success was practically guaranteed”

But with Google behind the operating system, everything is different. When a company of that size and importance in the industry delivers an operating system, people listen. And because of its clout, the company has the unique ability to sign deals with other major firms and get its operating system out to the wild in no time. Success was practically guaranteed when Google, not a small, unknown company, delivered Android.

Now, I’ll freely admit that there have been other major companies that have brought up mobile operating systems, including the company formerly known as Palm and Samsung. And those two companies watched their operating systems fall short. But that’s more about time and a desire to control the hardware-software complex than about winning the OS market. The same might be said for BlackBerry. But Google is different. And its success has proven that.

But, I want to pose this question to you: would Android be Android if not for Google? I’d agree that other major companies could have made it work, but do you think smaller firms would have, as well?

Let us know in the comments below.

Would Android Matter As Much Without Google? is written by Don Reisinger & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

I remember a time, not long ago, when the idea that Samsung and Apple would be in a war for technology dominance seemed laughable. The companies were partners in chip production, Samsung’s products were largely also-rans, and it was perhaps best known for its televisions and home appliances.

But now, with the Samsung Galaxy S4’s unveiling almost upon us, we’re here wondering if there will ever be a day when Samsung and Apple aren’t going for each other’s necks. The companies literally can’t stand each other. And although they’re both generating all of the profits in the mobile space, they’d like nothing more than to take each other down.

The issue is, neither company is succeeding at even putting a dent in the other’s business. And although the iPhone and Apple now have true competitors in the Galaxy S and Samsung, each year brings new devices and new opportunities for one of them to pull ahead.

Which brings us to the Galaxy S4.

Samsung’s upcoming device looks – at least according to the rumor mill – to be the kind of device that we might all want. The handset, the reports claim, will come with a 5-inch screen, a beefed-up processor, and all of the Samsung bells and whistles that we’ve come to expect. The device, in other words, could be even better than the already popular Samsung Galaxy S3.

But what does that mean for Apple? The iPhone maker has for years now been the leader in the smartphone market, but Samsung is coming on strong, and in some quarters, actually beating out Apple’s smartphones. What’s worse for Apple, an increasing number of consumers who years ago would only consider the iPhone are now saying that the Samsung Galaxy S3 (and soon, the S4) are the kinds of devices they would want to buy.

“If Samsung wasn’t a threat, Apple wouldn’t be suing its pants off”

So, is it time for Apple to fear Samsung and its upcoming smartphone? The folks out in Cupertino, always ready to prove their confidence, would scoff at such a claim. But let’s not let that go to our heads. If Samsung wasn’t such a big threat, Apple wouldn’t be suing its pants off everywhere in the world. And if Samsung’s products weren’t selling so well, Apple might not find so much trouble with the company. In other words, Samsung is a threat.

But being a threat and being enough for Apple to fear Samsung are two entirely different things. And it’s important that we point that out. Apple and Samsung are certainly at odds and there’s a chance that the companies’ battle will only get worse over time. But it’s also important to note that Apple is extremely strong. And its products, despite the challenges Samsung presents, are no slouches in their own right.

It’s hard to say what the future holds for the mobile market. On one hand, Apple could very well become the dominant force and prove that Samsung is nothing to worry about. On the other, Apple might quickly find that yes, it should fear the Galaxy S4, and there is something very, very serious to worry about.

I guess we’ll find out soon when Samsung unveils its new smartphone and Apple has a chance to respond with one of its own.

Should Apple Really Fear the Galaxy S4? is written by Don Reisinger & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.