Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Touched by the hand

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  • Duncan McKenzie,

    I think you'll find the Waikaraka cycleway is in Auckland, not Manukau City.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 53 posts Report Reply

  • mattgeeknz,

    As far as the iPad goes, I agree with this article from Fast Company where they say:

    Only lemmings with no self-control and excessive disposable income buy first generation Apple products.

    I have been that lemming (without the excessive disposable income).

    I got swept up in the iPhone hysteria and imported a first gen iPhone which I unlocked and jail-broke. It was okay but the 3G and 3GS are streets ahead. I should have waited.

    I'm torn between getting my hands on this thing or just waiting it out. From early reviews, there's so many ways they could improve this product that the next generation of it has got to be that much better.

    Wellington • Since Mar 2010 • 22 posts Report Reply

  • Ds Dad,

    I heard the iPad had a design flaw - it's not absorbent

    Welly • Since Apr 2010 • 1 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    I have been that lemming (without the excessive disposable income).

    There is a word for an early adopter, and it rhymes with "cupid".

    I've always waited at least three years from realease before upgrading to a new Windows operating system (in part because what I am rhymes with "bleep mustard") except for one time where I came in right at launch.

    It was Vista. I lasted a week.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Robbie Siataga,

    Not being an apple or i-person I'm holding out for the HP Slate

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/blogs/connector/3551971/HPs-Slate-a-contender-against-iPad

    and i much preferred sunrise to the dipshit and twattery of breakfast...Very sucky indeed !

    Since Feb 2010 • 259 posts Report Reply

  • Jan Farr,

    Really? The Ad Show? Do I have to? I've tried twice - it's never got past the twitchy-finger deadline, which happens about ten minutes into the programme. It would have to be a nice surprise.

    Of course I'll watch Media 7. Great programme!

    Carterton • Since Apr 2008 • 395 posts Report Reply

  • Andrew E,

    Syncing files to your computer means going through iTunes and looks, frankly, like a bit of a pain in the ass. Roll on a better solution for that.

    John Gruber, on Daring Fireball wrote about this at greater length, but summed up:

    What it boils down to is that there is no syncing really.

    Agree with the lemmings and excessive income comment. I like Apple products, but never get 1st gen products. Fools and their money....

    174.77 x 41.28 • Since Sep 2008 • 200 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    But, yes, you bet I'll have one by the end of the year.

    Well, duh!

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • FletcherB,

    Clarification request...

    it's not necessary to ride on Tamaki Drive at all on the way into the CBD

    It's not necessary to ride on the road because the marked cycle-path is on the footpath? or... you took an entirely different route ?

    West Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 893 posts Report Reply

  • Sarah King,

    Watched it for the first time last week - thought it was going to be a lame "funniest ads" type of program and was pleasantly surprised. Will be watching again tonight (can't record it).

    Pt Chevalier • Since Apr 2010 • 4 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    It's not necessary to ride on the road because the marked cycle-path is on the footpath? or... you took an entirely different route ?

    The former. Sorry that wasn't very clear. But yeah, I find slowing down for pedestrians and family groups an acceptable trade-off for not having to share that stretch of road with so many cars. I'd never ridden that way before and I was quite wary of it.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Agree with the lemmings and excessive income comment. I like Apple products, but never get 1st gen products. Fools and their money....

    Kinda. I think the first-gen iPad is distinguished by how well it does the things it does do. It really is a pleasure to use. And by all accounts it doesn't suffer from the lousy battery life that has traditionally plagued first-gen Apple products.

    The question really is what meaningful hardware improvements are likely in the first couple of years.

    There will be third-party webcams, apps to do a lot of things the iPad doesn't do out of the box (there's already one that lets it act as a second monitor, via Bluetooth), and an imminent OS upgrade with a solution for third-party app multitasking. There will be new and better peripherals. But I don't think there'll necessarily be a performance jump like that between the iPhone and iPhone 3G. The thing is wicked fast already.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Hadyn Green,

    in part because what I am rhymes with "bleep mustard"

    Deep Custard?
    Keep Flustered?
    Sheep Mustered?
    Sleep Busted?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    Cheap bastard, I presume.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • andrew llewellyn,

    I enjoyed the Ad-show's piece on Orcon & Iggy Pop.

    The one on beer ads was quite fun too.

    Since Nov 2006 • 2075 posts Report Reply

  • horse,

    Can someone with contacts at Apple NZ give them a bollocking for the splash page that's been up at http://www.apple.com/nz/ since the iPad was announced.

    "A magic and revolutionary product at an unbelievable price."

    Oh really? What would that price be then?

    There's certainly no clue at http://www.apple.com/nz/ipad/, nor at the NZ online Apple store. So until they're willing to announce a price, I think that tag line should fark right off.

    Yours, Peeved of Palmy etc.

    Palmerston North • Since Feb 2007 • 32 posts Report Reply

  • horse,

    BTW, if the literal definition of "unbelievable" is "I can't believe they're going to charge that much for it in NZ given the current US-NZ exchange rate" then perhaps the tag line will prove to be accurate.....

    Palmerston North • Since Feb 2007 • 32 posts Report Reply

  • Grant McDougall,

    Pity about Sunrise being knocked on the head. Given the rumours earlier this year about Campbell Live, maybe the bean-counters said "we can keep one, but not both" and chose Sunrise to be sacrificial lamb ?

    Dunedin • Since Dec 2006 • 760 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    Cheap bastard, I presume.

    The man wins... nothing. I'm too cheap to come out with a prize.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Christopher Dempsey,

    And Russell, while you're on yer bike, check out the new $3m cycleway built by NZTA directly adjacent to the NorthWestern motorway. This will be opened next Thursday where I get to ride into Steve 'holiday highway or hell' Joyce and mutter, whoopsie.

    (not that I would, but ya know, sometimes Ministers deserve everything that the public is thinking, but not acting out)

    You can I think get to it if you ride down Great North and up St Lukes Rd and get on the link just past the motorway overbridge.

    This link eliminates some nasty short steep hills, providing the flat cruising experience designed for bikes. Bonus, NZTA have announced that they are extending this link all the way to the heart of the city itself, via Upper Queen St, and a bike path all the way down Grafton Gully to Wellesley St.

    As for riding on-road, I find waving one's hands around alot in random movements tends to startle the natives and they slow right down. You want to give slightly the air of some crazed fellow who may veer off into their path so they think, what the heck?

    Am at the mo sitting in the Mac's Neighbourhood Bar in Kingsland. What a view out the back!

    Parnell / Tamaki-Auckland… • Since Sep 2008 • 659 posts Report Reply

  • Jan Farr,

    OK - I'll try again with the ad show. 15 minutes this time.

    Carterton • Since Apr 2008 • 395 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    This will be opened next Thursday..

    That's a big w00t from me. Much though I loved the hills in Kingsland (at least I loved having them behind me), I didn't like the narrow roads, concealed driveways and bumpy ground.

    Bonus, NZTA have announced that they are extending this link all the way to the heart of the city itself, via Upper Queen St, and a bike path all the way down Grafton Gully to Wellesley St.

    Also Sweet! It annoyed me considerably that I'd have to slog up the side of the Newton Rd on-ramp, negotiate the foot traffic on the bridge (which seems more often than not to be totally pissed) wait at the lights, and then ride back down the other side, then cross Ian McKinnon Drive, when a bypass down below through a mostly disused park was such an obvious alternative.

    Also, blatting straight down Queen Street is a lot of fun, but it is bloody dangerous really. A more direct bypass of the city is a great idea. I'm not entirely sure how it's going to cross the Southern Motorway to get into Grafton gully, though, do you have a link to the proposal?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • tony palm,

    I am impressed with how Wired is planning to be read on the ipad. The future of magazines ?

    auckland • Since Apr 2009 • 4 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    And Russell, while you're on yer bike, check out the new $3m cycleway built by NZTA directly adjacent to the NorthWestern motorway. This will be opened next Thursday where I get to ride into Steve 'holiday highway or hell' Joyce and mutter, whoopsie.

    Fuckin' awesome.

    The opening, that is, and not your collision. That's your business.

    I've been riding past bits of that path for a while now, and it will be a big improvement for cycle commuters. There's still that nasty little ramp to Newton Road though.

    I've gotten fit enough this summer to steam up hills (being warmed up seems to help), but that little bit, and the rise in Meola Road to the Garnet Road roundabout still seem bothersome.

    Mind you, I'm not alone on the Meola one -- it's a horrible slow surface, and steeper than it looks to the eye, for some reason. I do chuckle when I see people in fancy cycling gear blowing a bit as they get to the roundabout.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Bonus, NZTA have announced that they are extending this link all the way to the heart of the city itself, via Upper Queen St, and a bike path all the way down Grafton Gully to Wellesley St.

    What Ben said. Yippee.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

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