F. J. Taylor

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    • Thu Mar 27th 12:47 PM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Palm’s New OS Plans and Apple Poaching
      Ho-hum. Another day, another iPhone killer...

      Palm is SO 90s. Apple iPhone is where it's at.

      I have only been holding back until they opened the platform (done the other day with SDK), added 3G and a few other features more memory, etc., (coming this summer), and a few other aspects were addressed. I am still hoping that either they will add on some other providers than AT&T or open it up for all comers (unlikely), but after seeing my son's unit the other day, it is going to be damned hard to wait a lot longer.
      This is the item I have been waiting for since Palm bought and then scuttled the Mac-compliant Treo.

      Lots of businesses were doing that in the 90s - snubbing Mac. I warned them then that it would bite them in the butt, and now it has.
      iPod and iTunes rule and are bringing in thousands of new Macophiles
      and since Vista stinks even more than most MS dreck, and is doing an excellent job of recruiting people to Apple (thanks, Vista!), people are finally waking up to the world of easy, fun, stable and powerful computing that is Apple.

      Palm is history - and good riddance.
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    • Sun Mar 23rd 10:35 AM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Global Precious Metals Correction: Healthy and Overdue
      Re: the recent drop in gold and commodities prices - if you have been considering buying some bullion, now is the time.

      I agree in general with the author and many of the posters - this drop is not a permanent down-turn, but a result of some "irrational exuberance" on the part of myopic investors who are reacting to the Fed's smaller than anticipated cut, and who cannot see what is clearly coming. Examples of the perspicacity of these individuals include investing in CDOs and the like which helped fuel the present debacle. I imagine their conversations ran like this;

      "Oh boy! The Fed didn't cut the rate as deeply as expected! The economy is FIXED!! There won't be any more bank and investment firm failures! Our trade deficit and national debt will go away! Employment will go up! Oil will go down to $5 a bbl.! The Fed will quit printing money!!" (etc.)

      Right. And we are winning the war in Iraq [or would be if we hadn't already won it in May 2003]. If you buy all that, the Tooth Fairy and Santa have lots of goodies for you - and I have some land in Hurricane Alley that is above water several hours a day [at low tide] for you to invest in...

      The dollar will continue to sink like New Orleans in the long term for all the reasons I have outlined elsewhere - the US has NO savings (either as a nation or as individuals), and the continuing drain on our resources at approx. 12 BILLION a month by Mr. Bush's war of choice will soon make this a multi-TRILLION dollar debt), there is almost no heavy industry / manufacturing left to speak of. As but one example, Severstal, a Russian firm just bought one of the few remaining mainland steel plants, Sparrows Point, in MD, formerly a division of Bethlehem Steel (but owned by a German firm who divested because of anti-trust laws).

      There are fewer and fewer good jobs outside of the (obviously over-paid, judging by results) upper management, as most of them were outsourced when they off-shored the industries concerned.

      Someone recently said to me; "The government won't let the banks and the investment houses go down." This is proving true, and is a good example of why govt. intervention on behalf of stupid and greedy people is a BAD idea. (See here for reasons why the present contretemps occurred :

      www.nytimes.com/2008/0...

      Even if the devious little weasels in the Fed and other central banks continue to bail out these lousy investments and scams, as well as one another), remember - this is done with "money" that is no more inherently valuable than ours - it is all still fiat currency - and as with the S&L bail-out (which American taxpayers are still paying for!), the burden will fall on the shoulders of those people who are actually paying taxes - the working poor and the dwindling middle class, for the most part.

      Speaking of which, the middle class is eroding at a fearful rate, and as they have been the ones "paying the freight" with their taxes ( along with foreign buyers of our treasuries, who are now showing a continuing and understandable reluctance to invest in a sinking ship of state), the situation as a whole does not bode well for the health or well-being of the economy or the country.

      I might add that Federal "bail-out" units like FDIC (which "insures" your bank deposit up to $100,000) are quietly gearing up for what they expect to be a record number of bank failures (the former modern record was set during the S&L crisis). The PGBC (which "guarantees" pensions - see: www.pbgc.gov ) was already showing signs of stress in 2004, and if it gets saddled with more bad pension funds (as has happened in the past five years), could well reach the breaking point.

      Don't count on the "election" (aka; "the illusion of inclusion" as a friend once called it) to change anything - you will only be getting one or another of the carefully vetted puppets the ruling class puts forward - all other "choices" - especially the few who stand for real change - are marginalized or eliminated. (If you still believe in the political process at this point, then see my advice above re: tooth fairies, Santa, and swamp land.)

      In any case, this is an excellent opportunity to buy gold and silver, particularly if you were hesitating because of the price. I am planning to get some more. I would have even if the price hadn't come down a bit, as I see a long-term rise - but I don't buy gold as an "investment" per se - as one of my financial mentors, a wise old German Jew who had survived the Holocaust once said to me; "Put 2% of what you're worth in gold - and hope you never have to use it!" I would recommend considering as high as 5% or even a bit more. The author recommends 3% to 10% - and I wouldn't argue with that.

      I favor coins. Gold Eagles and fractionals are easy to get, are "legal tender" have a known content, are widely known and accepted, and not as soft coins (such as the Maple Leaf) and therefore hold up better. Most US coins before 1964 were silver - they also make good "change." Remember - this is NOT an investment in the monetary sense - it is a hedge against disaster. (Of course, you can buy investment-grade gold and silver coins, and kill two birds with one stone).
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    • Sun Mar 23rd 06:47 AM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Handset OS Fragmentation is Here to Stay
      While Dean has a number of good points as usual, he misses several facts - here in Europe, iPhones are flying out the door - they cannot stock enough to keep up with demand. Even in countries where it hasn't been "officially" released yet, it is selling like hotcakes. I understand from friends in Asia that the same applies there - there are even iPhone knock-offs and look-alikes appearing. (Be careful of where you purchase them!)

      The iPhone already number 2 or 3 (depending on whose figures you use) among smartphones - this is only 6 months after its release, and before the release of SDK, the 3G and MS Exchange-capable, increased capacity versions, etc.

      All of this indicates by any reasonable standard that the iPhone is indeed rapidly changing the face of the entire industry.

      As to the overall theme of platform wars, etc, I imagine that they will continue for some time, although it is my hope that the Unix-based platforms (esp. those who have embraced Open Source) will prevail, as they are quite simply the smoothest, most stable, most secure, and best.

      For me personally, Apple will remain the platform of choice for all those reasons and more. I am just waiting to get my iPhone till they intro those items I mentioned above (probably later this year) and (hopefully!) drop the locked provider deal so I can deal with a provider of my choice.
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    • Sat Mar 15th 11:25 AM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Apple's 10 Million iPhone Target
      Does Vraj work for the competition? (Not that iPhone HAS any viable competition.)

      10 million units? Even in a recession year, no problem. 15 plus will be more like it.

      DOA in Europe and Asia? Vraj, what ARE you smoking, and where can I get some?

      2G aside, the biggest problem with sales here in the EU (and I have heard in Asia the same) is GETTING them! They go out of stock IMMEDIATELY when they hit the shelves. I have plenty of friends here who want me to get them one next time I am in the States.

      Re: iPhone sales prospects - everyone is currently trying to rush an iPhone "clone" to market - but they are not doing nearly as well as the real deal.

      Re: the "missing" phones so many pundits were commenting on a while back - they're not actually missing - they are being unlocked, and resold - and they too are flying off the shelves. While it is true Apple won't get the monthlies from their locked-in suppliers, they are still sold units.

      So is Apple a good buy? That depends on how you look at stocks. A company with several phenomenal products that are selling like hot-cakes, zero debt and 18 Billion in the bank, and a growing market share sounds like a good bet to me.

      The drubbing Apple and many other good companies has taken in the market is just symptomatic of the number of people out there who don't do their homework, listen to the "experts" and run around buying and selling with no idea of why. (And BTW - if these pundits are so expert, why are they publishing and sharing their "expertise"? Why aren't they Warren Buffet and running Berkshire?)

      I'm holding Apple - and if the market drops down to where it was a few years ago or below - I'll buy some more and hold it!
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    • Sat Mar 15th 10:03 AM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Under The Radar News - Friday
      Eli, you always have things of interest, are a compendium of information and (mostly!) good ideas, and I love your columns. That said, you are way off the mark on iPhone vs. Google.

      First, as Miner himself said; "That's for a device that doesn't even exist yet." He's right - it doesn't - and it may never exist. (Though I tend to think it will emerge eventually.)

      I am a big believer in the Open Source movement - it has some remarkable people doing remarkable things that need to be done.

      However, I don't see Android (if and when it emerges) as being even a match for iPhone, let alone a killer. The iPhone already has generated some self-proclaimed "iPhone killers" a la the iPod - but we see how far they went. (What's a "Zune" again...?)

      Put simply, a hodge-podge of Open Source software for a mobile device is simply no match for the smooth, slick, well-integrated iPhone. This is all the more relevant because the Apple OS and Mac is once more a growing market share, thanks to iPod, iTunes - and especially thanks to Microsoft's Vista, which is driving even die-hard MS users away in droves - and into the arms of Apple. (I just helped yet another life-long Windows tech convert the other day!)

      It's like the difference between Linux and OS X - both are Unix based, and have safer, faster, and more secure operation than Windows ever did or ever will. Both have nice GUIs (now that the interfaces on Linux have been substantially improved). But if you want to run a Unix based machine with the best GUI out there - you want a Mac!

      Likewise, if you want a great mobile device designed for web-based work, and that also has a lot of terrific native software supported by the best support team out there, and that will seamlessly interface with the growing number of Macs - you get iPhone - this a no-brainer.

      That said, I believe there will be a market for Android, and that it fills a much-needed gap. I also hope it spurs Apple into some much-needed reforms of the iPhone and their business model (such as being locked to one provider).

      However, when I buy, it will be iPhone. (BTW, my stepson [another die-hard Windows convert!] just did - and he loves it!!!)
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    • Thu Mar 6th 17:26 PM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Apple Stores vs. Sony Style: Apple By a Furlong
      Mike, next time you're in, get a Mac. The VAIO may have vaguely similar colors and lines, but the Macs are lighter, sleeker, and far cooler - and just BTW, the OS X platform blows Windows out of the water. And if for some reason you are still trapped in Windows Hell (because you need it for business or some such), Macs now run Windows faster and better than Windows-specific machines. I have seen this first first hand - I loaded XP on my wife's Macbook for a Windows-specific app she uses. It loads twice as fast, runs smoother, and hasn't crashed yet! (That said, OS X still beats Windows for ease of use and plain FUN!)

      People are converting in droves to Apple - not just for the stylish artistic lines and looks - for the fast, easy and smooth operation, flawless interface, killer native apps, increased security, and a great many other reasons.




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    • Wed Mar 5th 04:59 AM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Citigroup Bottoming - Plus Some Free Advice for Meredith Whitney
      Mr. Haskell's flippant attitude toward the cogent and absolutely on the mark comments by Buck This is uncalled for - and typical of some of the young, i.e.; the old know nothing.

      Not only are Buck's comments correct, but Citigroup (and other financial entities incl. Merrill) have been largely kept afloat by massive cash infusions from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, the UAE, and others in the Gulf, to the tune of 20 billion plus. However, even with such major players, Citigroup will require more money to maintain itself in the face of impending future write-downs, some of which could equal or exceed the current amount.

      What Mr. Haskell has obviously not yet learned is that life experience is a valuable tool in any trade. From his attitude, it appears that only that same life experience will cure him. As Franklin (the scientist and writer, not the bank, "mint", or fund) said; "Experience keeps a dear school but a fool will go to no other." Mr. Haskell would be well advised to be both less flippant and more attentive to gentlemen like Buck - otherwise, he will have to attend experience's school.

      I would advise all to be exceedingly cautious re: buying Citigroup at any price - they are a disaster in waiting.
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    • Fri Feb 29th 08:34 AM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Are Apple and Google Holding Tech Back?
      The personal attacks on the poster are uncalled for.

      That said, the gentleman is certainly not looking at the continuing growth in Apple products and market share, especially in the past five years.

      As pointed out by others here, Apple is enjoying a strong growth of market share - mainly because, as another poster pointed out, they have discovered what we Mac users knew years ago - the user experience is like the difference between a VW and a performance car. This has been driven by the iTunes / iPod phenomenon, followed by the resounding crash of the MS Vista release.

      Also, by the time you have gotten your PC running as well as the clunker ever can or will run (not very), you have spent the equivalent of several Macs in software, new hardware, etc. And Vista? Don't make me laugh any harder than I am - it is so bad, it has made many experienced (and already fed up) Windows users and techs switch (personally and professionally) to Mac, just as I did about 8 years ago.

      As for the iPhone, it looks like a runaway best seller despite the best efforts of some pundits here and elsewhere to wish it away. I am only waiting to get back to the US before I buy mine (cheaper there!), but plenty of Europeans are adopting right now - even before it goes on sale in their country. The stores in Europe and the US can't keep them in stock.

      Also, as pointed out elsewhere, the "lost revenues" from unlocked phones is a non-issue. Thy already SOLD the units at full price, and the revenue they will get from those who have chosen to use the official providers is "found money" - not part of their bottom line, which already boasts stronger sales (and higher profit margins) than most other manufacturers, and an 18 BILLION dollar cash reserve. (You should be so lucky!)

      I fear the gentleman above has confused the issue - Apple is doing better in every respect (other than stock prices) than the rest of tech, despite the overall poor economy - but that is not "holding tech back" - far from it - it is one of the few bright spots on the horizon.

      However, the gentleman is free to follow his own fancy in investing his own money. I am just happy he doesn't handle mine.





      Disclo
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    • Sun Feb 24th 16:29 PM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      How Does the Boycott Impact eBay?
      I have to agree with the comments about corporate greed and eBay. I was both a buyer and seller for some time, and eBay went from being one of the best companies on the Net to one of the worst in terms of every criterion imaginable - privacy, customer service and responsiveness, ease of use, total lack of any real policing of their sellers and buyers (even after they were informed multiple times of violators), etc. They went to being corporate greed-heads (like some of the posters here).

      I always vote with my wallet. After numerous attempts to get them to re-think their strategy, and getting no response or a contemptuous rebuff, I left. I told them why I was leaving, and why I would never be back. Since then, I have talked to everyone I know and told them not to use eBay. Quite a few more apparently are now doing the same.

      I wasn't motivated by greed- I was motivated by a lack of customer service and responsiveness. I was quite pleased to see that their own lack of corporate responsibility to their CLIENTS (i.e.; the ones who keep them in business, for you tunnel-vision "bottom-liners&qu... posting here) is now starting at long last to take its toll.

      If eBay goes the way of the dodo or dinosaur, good riddance to bad rubbish - I won't miss them a millisecond.
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    • Tue Feb 19th 19:11 PM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Three Reasons I Chose Microsoft over Apple for Home Media
      I imagine Mr. Hawk is not aware that any Intel MacBook runs Windows - and it loads faster, runs smoother, and with less crashes than Windows-specific machines. We run XP on my wife's MacBook for a Windows-specific program she needs, and it runs rings around the same program on Dell or any other PC box I have seen it on.

      (I have not tried Vista, as I have used it on Windows machines and it is even more horrible than most Windows products - to the extent that my local PC shop owner, along with many others, is abandoning Windows for his own use, and adopting Mac. The consensus seems to be; "I waited 6 years for THIS???)

      As to XBox, I cannot speak to them, since I have no interest in or use for them in their main role as game boxes, but I have my home wired via Airport, and it all works seamlessly through my MacBook Pro.

      I am unsure why Mr. Hawk is having trouble with iTunes, unless he is perhaps using the Windows version (which although on an inferior OS, has still converted many Windows users to Apple). I have had minus zero problems with iTunes even though I have over 3000 (legal!) songs.

      However, that said, there is no excuse for calling Mr. Hawks or anyone else an "idiot" for exercising his choice of hardware and software. After all, it is his money and his decision. I myself would rather suffer a slow and horrible death by any means rather than use Windows voluntarily again, but "de gustabus non disputandum est."
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    • Tue Feb 19th 18:48 PM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Apple's AT&T Deal Is Costly
      I am as big an Apple fan and user as exists on the planet - even in the years they were in Coventry, I was a Mac booster. I have sold hundreds of people on them, and watched with pleasure as sales and shares eventually grew.

      That said, I am not a Kool-Aid drinking Mac-aholic. Apple and Mr. Jobs have ALWAYS had a snooty attitude, control issues, and hubris that would make a Greek tragic hero blanch.

      They are unapproachable as a firm, their attitude is "We know best." (even though nobody has a corner on the marketplace of ideas).

      I have waited and asked for a product like the iPhone for 10 years or more, and now that they deliver it, they try to force me to join a network that I'd sooner stick pencils in my eyes than join again. (AT&T in the US, and other equally unacceptable non-choices overseas).

      I posted words to this effect on the Apple website users forum, only to have it removed by the Apple equivalent of Big Brother.

      I understand the above posters' points, but think the author had a few valid points as well - I am living proof, as I have sat on my hands to resist buying the product I have waited for so long until Apple either opens it up or signs on with a network I choose to do business with. (My choice is Verizon.)

      Until then, there will be one iPhone unsold, no matter how many others they sell, locked or unlocked. And no, I refuse to buy a crippled unit that might well become a brick!

      I also refuse to buy Leopard till they de-bug it. Even Rush Limbaugh (a long time Mac user, fan, and booster, who I have minus zero else in common with) has stated publicly his dissatisfaction with Leopard - but he will probably get more attention than I will!

      I hope the other Apple users who posted here read this and think about what I am saying - I don't think even the long arm of Jobs can reach Alpha and take this post down!
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    • Tue Feb 12th 16:12 PM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Could Modu Be the iPhone Killer?
      Yes, I do - a great product in its day, that was compatible with both Mac and PC, and started to make an impact - so Palm bought it and killed it...

      I quote from the Wikipedia article;

      While the Handspring Visor is out of production and is now considered passé by today's PDA market, the durability of solid state electronics, along with the power and verstility of the Visor series hardware, has sustained a substantial community of fans who continue to use the Visor today. This longevity was assured when the Palm people decided to make their newer operating systems (Palm 4.x and 5.x) backward-compatible with the previous OS (Palm 3.x) which drives the Visor series. Therefore, most of the software that was written for the Visor will also run on the later Palm devices including the new Treos (and vice versa).
      There is an immense landscape of software still available, a user community on Yahoo Groups, and a supply of Visor hardware to be had on Ebay. The most powerful feature on the Visor is its Springboard Expansion Slot for which a great many modules can still be purchased.
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    • Tue Feb 12th 15:31 PM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Apple: On an Innovation Treadmill
      He should study the biographies, histories, and documentaries on DOS origins and variants before sounding off.

      Basically, Gates bought the original DOS from its developers (there is debate as to who the genuine developer was, Tim Peterson or Gary Kildall) after IBM had expressed interest but failed to secure the OS.

      Teaming with the Deep Pockets of Deep Blue and its large sales force allowed his MS-DOS to become known far beyond the realms of geekdom. His remarkably astute decision to license DOS to anyone who'd pay the price, combined with his cut-throat marketing and business practices, gained him another large swath of the market, so that he eventually surpassed Apple (then the "Big Dog" of personal computing).

      However, DOS and its successor, Windows (a poorly crafted knock-off of the Mac desktop), were (and remain) inferior platforms, even before Apple came out with OS X, which blows Windows out of the water. This is not just Mac Addict hype - I actually started with and used DOS from 3.0 forward, Windows through XP, and UNIX, and worked as a systems administrator.

      As to expansion - more and more people are realizing Windows is a dead-end, and switching to Mac - now that it is possible to run both, why not? (FYI: XP loads and runs faster, better, and more smoothly on my Mac - for reasons I have yet to decipher. I haven't tried Vista, and have no intention of even getting it.)

      Likewise, many life-long DOS / Windows users - incl. IT pros - are switching as they find the benefits of the Apple OS - and yes, I have heard engineers and others saying; "I wish I had switched 20 years ago." or (re; Vista) "I waited six years for THIS?" and have switched.

      Small businesses and even larger ones are either switching or introducing Macs as Net servers - they play nicely with the Windows machines and are easy to network to both - and they serve as a much more secure, stable, and smooth device to link to the Net, among other things.

      That said, Mr. Jobs is something of an aloof control freak - however, he is also a visionary and has taken home computing to a new level.

      From a strictly market POV, it is going to be a long, rough ride for all businesses and there will definitely be some shaking out. Whether even the best companies can weather the storm remains to be seen - but Apple's large cash horde makes it a better bet - if the dollar doesn't collapse completely...
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    • Tue Feb 12th 13:28 PM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Could Modu Be the iPhone Killer?
      "iPhone killer"? I rather doubt it! I see no compelling reason to buy a device like this. With 1 GB, it is WAY underpowered and wouldn't even "carry over" a handful of my pics or music - and please help me with this - why should I trade one iPhone with most of the listed capabilities (and all I would want) in ONE slick, well-designed, and integrated device - which interfaces perfectly with my MacBook Pro - for a series of schlock-looking "jackets" which have to be plugged in and out...??? I think Mr. Moran should have quit with the flashdrive concept...
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    • Tue Sep 18th 07:21 AM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Companies Warm To the Idea of Office Macs
      Many individuals and many companies are switching to Apple for good reasons - it is "out-of-the-box&q... both in terms of ease of use and in advanced design.

      Some are integrating it into their extant PC networks (easily accomplished, unlike establishing a PC network!), either as an incoming / outgoing Net interface machine (since is more stable and secure than Windows), and / or as an end-user device for the employees.

      Sharing programs and devices is a piece of cake, and any reasonably competent IT person can set them up quickly - for that matter, anyone who can read and follow simple directions reasonably well can do it.

      As a former Windows "power user" who switched completely  to Mac about 5 years ago, I can only echo the many people I know who have switched to Mac - "I only wish I'd switched YEARS ago!"

      I started on DOS 3.0 on an IBM XT, and used Apples occasionally over the years from the II on. I always thought they were interesting, but when the Mac came out, I realized it was a superior GUI and system in most respects. I eventually switched over completely near the end of OS 9, and upgraded to OS X when it came out - and have never looked back.

      For those who are still subject to the slings and arrows of outrageous Windows due to job necessity or just lack of knowledge, and who have been waiting for a good alternative, it is here.  

      Not only does the new "Mactel"  run OS X superbly, but Windows and Windows apps run better, smoother, faster, and more stably. I put Windows on my wife's new Macbook to run a Windows-specific embroidery program - it loads and runs noticeably quicker and better than on Windows-specific machines with similar specs, and except for one problem (caused by the Windows OS!), it installed and ran quickly and easily.

      In addition, there are several terminal emulation programs available that allow you to open and run Windows applications within the Mac OS, without exiting Apple or re-starting to enter the Windows partition.

      I have had very few problems with Macs since I switched - but in every case, support (which is free for 1 year, with 2 more if you get Applecare), was SUPERB!!! They actually answer their (free) support phones in a timely fashion (which are available in a number of countries - in understandable English), and know what they are doing - or get someone who does ASAP. Then they solve your problem. Period.  They will completely replaced or rebuild any problem computers when necessary, in a timely manner, and with no bitching. Compare that with Windows and PC makers' "service" - or rather, don't - because there is no comparison. 
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