Despite it being 'available for pre-order in Australia', I had to use a US based credit card and a redirecting address.
Mike On Thu, Jun 28, 2012 at 12:20 PM, mike smith <[email protected]> wrote: > > http://www.zdnet.com.au/google-launches-nexus-7-tablet-aussies-first-in-339340477.htm > > As previously reported, the device was built by Asus, and comes with a > 7-inch 1280x800 HD display. According to Google, it's running the Tegra 3 > processor and has a front-facing camera for video chatting. Wi-Fi > connectivity, as well as Bluetooth and near-field communication (NFC) > support are also included in the device. > > > Hmmm, Microsoft, can you say "bridesmaid" ? :) > > > On Thu, Jun 28, 2012 at 12:07 PM, Bill McCarthy < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> Ian & Chris, >> >> I hadn't responded to the second part of Chris's post yet as I wanted to >> first establish that the ACCC warning telcos to provide warranty the same >> as >> the devices contracts is not "bullhonky", but is a fact. The only one that >> doesn't still is Telstra with iPhone, at least judging from this article. >> But as they note they'd be had pressed if it was legally challenged: >> >> http://www.theage.com.au/digital-life/iphone/the-wisdom-of-warranty-20120328 >> -1vx3y.html<http://www.theage.com.au/digital-life/iphone/the-wisdom-of-warranty-20120328-1vx3y.html> >> >> Regarding the updates, the Windows Phone update process is complex across >> all regions/telcos. This applies equally to the 7.8 update that's being >> rolled out. Also note Nokia is also provided a firmware update as well. >> The new devices do not need to have secure boot, just like laptops & >> tablets >> do not require secure boot to run windows 8. The issue about losing all >> your apps and data is a real one, the same issue that applies when you >> have >> to reset your device. >> >> I wouldn't expect updates to be provided to all phones, but the most >> current >> ones, especially the ones that Microsoft and the handset makers have been >> promoting heavily. Eg HTC Titan, Lumias etc. If they find it too costly >> then perhaps they should offer a pro-rata discount off updating when they >> release their WP8 phone. Because Microsoft built a complex ecosystem with >> multiple device manufactures and multiple telcos, doesn't mean the >> consumer >> should have to pay every time MS feels they need to adjust direction. >> >> >> >> |-----Original Message----- >> |From: [email protected] [mailto:ozdotnet- >> |[email protected]] On Behalf Of Ian Thomas >> |Sent: Thursday, 28 June 2012 11:44 AM >> |To: 'ozDotNet' >> |Subject: RE: Windows Phone 8 announced >> | >> |Chris >> | >> |That is the most informative response I have seen - I (for one) >> appreciate >> it. You >> |have described what I suspected were the technical problems behind the >> |decisions on WP8's new start in the smartphone business. >> | >> |Bill McCarthy obviously (imo) has some valid arguments about the >> evolution >> of >> |WP since mid-2011 Mango timeframe, and compares Apple's / Google's >> upgrade >> |planning. What happens will happen. I'd like to WP8 succeed. >> | >> |A few weeks ago I inferred that I thought the Lumia 900 was an advance on >> the >> |800, but still underpowered and had less than optimum screen resolution >> (or, at >> |least I think I did; I haven't looked for the evidence). Bill McC who >> owns >> a Lumia >> |800 mildly chastised me, rightly pointing out that it was better than the >> desktop >> |screens (RGB, etc) that we had a few years back. But I hate these small >> screens >> |with inadequate resolution for my eyesight. >> | >> |And the trivial "apps" - lumping phone + tablet together here. If I want >> info from >> |IMDB on a movie or its participants, I don't want a summary of this >> week's >> box >> |office successes, and other superficial fast food approaches to data or >> opinion. >> |Admittedly I've seen less than a hundred iPad apps, but enough for me to >> be >> |unimpressed by the median quality of the other 250K that are available. >> | >> |Actually - and hindsight is a great convenience if not a wonderful thing >> - >> I've had >> |the lingering discomfort that all of the WP hardware used by the >> manufacturers >> |of Windows Phones has been lagging or lacking. But that depends on what >> you >> |want in a smartphone, of course. >> | >> |I don't really know what I want in one - I use my non-smart mobile phone >> for >> |voice and SMS only (and not for data), and really dislike my Sony >> Ericsson >> W508a >> |(freed from Telstra but with its highly-modified menus and links to >> useless >> stuff. >> |And it PC to phone software is the worst I have encountered. >> | >> |But when a decent Windows Phone catches my imagination, I might buy and >> use >> |it. Maybe I want a tablet/slate instead? I'm attracted to the Windows >> Surface as >> |a tablet<--> PC, add Skype, and maybe I would dump my mobile account >> entirely. >> | >> |________________________________ >> |Ian Thomas >> |Victoria Park, Western Australia >> | >> |-----Original Message----- >> |From: [email protected] [mailto:ozdotnet- >> |[email protected]] >> |On Behalf Of Chris Walsh >> |Sent: Thursday, June 28, 2012 7:22 AM >> |To: ozDotNet >> |Subject: RE: Windows Phone 8 announced >> | >> |Bill, >> | >> |"I'm pretty sure the ACCC told telcos they had to warranty devices for >> the >> length >> |of the contracts" >> | >> |Complete bullhonky there mate. Telco's can have whatever length of >> contract >> |they like, the Hardware warranty isn't anything they can control. You >> can >> pay >> |extra to the telco and NOT get a 24month play, you get the luck of the >> draw >> |getting a phone on contract. The ACCC tried to enforce it, but the ACCC >> didn't >> |have a leg to stand on. >> | >> |As for the commentary on whether 1st & 2nd gen handsets would get the >> update, >> |let's have a discussion about this. >> | >> |Take a step back and look at your Lumia 800/900 "new" device for a >> minute. >> |The silicon running that device is 2+ years old, single core, no >> expandable >> |memory, 16GB of flash, with 512MB of RAM. >> | >> |As for the reason why existing devices couldn't be upgraded, you only >> need >> to >> |look at the "Shared Core" features to realise that WP8 Core has been >> "re-written" >> |from the ground up. Basically putting existing gen 1 & gen 2 device >> |manufacturers & Microsoft in a position, where they need to create new >> |bootloaders to support "Secure Boot" & bitlocker encryption, even if they >> could >> |magically do that, they've then got to repartition the NAND which stores >> the OS, >> |RIL firmware, and even the separate update partition. Try bundling that >> up >> into >> |an update and pushing it out to existing devices. >> |Short answer is you can't. To repartition the NAND you need to supply a >> |complete device image (FFU), inside the FFU the partition maps are picked >> up by >> |"updatewp" aka Zune and your device is repartitioned ready for the >> update. >> One >> |little tidbit, you've just lost your ENTIRE OS image, data, SMS messages >> and the >> |Plants vs Zombie saved games you were hanging onto because you'd gotten >> past >> |the first level. And we all know that you can't backup anything with >> WP7+ >> devices >> |:) >> | >> |Now that you've got a device image, you have one, there are 15+ devices >> out >> |there, each device has the possibility of having a DIFFERENT image for >> each >> |Mobile Operator, with 300+ MO's out there, you are looking at creating >> 4500+ >> |complete device images. Do you have any idea how long it takes to create >> |complete device images? Even once you've created one, the MO needs to >> TEST >> |the image, they find an issue, it's sent back to the handset maker to >> fix, >> if it's >> |Microsoft issue, then it goes back up the chain to fix a core issue, then >> another >> |image is created, and you repeat the process, over & over & over again. >> | >> |Miraculously the MO's have tested and approved the update, you have to >> cross >> |your fingers, legs, toes & basically anything else when the END USERS are >> |performing a COMPLETE device re-flash. If there was one little stuff up, >> the user >> |failed to download the update correctly, user was updating his/her device >> with a >> |shitty 3rd party microUSB cable, they've now got a brick, a brick that >> can't be >> |recovered. The only possibility of a recover is if they didn't stuff up >> the >> |bootloader flash, which is generally the first thing that gets flashed, >> which if >> |something was to go wrong, is the first thing to break. Even having the >> ability to >> |JTAG a device, it won't recover it (if you are lucky to have a device >> that >> it's JTAG >> |isn't locked). >> | >> |Now, you've got a bricked device, that's out of warranty, but bricked >> because >> |Microsoft & the Handset manufacturers decided to push down an update, >> even >> |though you ticked a million boxes saying updating it was your fault, the >> end user >> |still has a whinge, complains to 10+ people about shitty company X & Y >> because >> |they bricked their phone, they'll also complain to the MO and most likely >> move to >> |another carrier. If the update was somehow successful, how many people >> was >> |that end user tell and phrase Microsoft to? >> |Your answer is 1-2. But you are still going to whinge about losing your >> Plants vs >> |Zombie game saves! >> | >> |Now you've got a commercial issue which is really a cluster f**k of a >> decision and >> |I've got no idea on how they make those. >> | >> |Make sense? >> | >> | >> |-----Original Message----- >> |From: [email protected] [mailto:ozdotnet- >> |[email protected]] >> |On Behalf Of Bill McCarthy >> |Sent: Wednesday, 27 June 2012 9:13 PM >> |To: 'ozDotNet' >> |Subject: RE: Windows Phone 8 announced >> | >> |Hi Stephen, >> | >> |Yes phones will be out of date, the question is whether it is months or >> years. In >> |Australia, typical contracts are 24 months, and I'm pretty sure the ACCC >> told >> |telcos they had to warranty devices for the length of the contracts. So >> two >> years >> |is fair to expect to be a current lifetime; obviously there will be >> hardware >> |improvements in that time, but the software and apps available you'd >> reasonably >> |expect to be current. Apple deal with that by controlling the release >> dates >> of >> |devices to a new device a year and OS support roughly of +1: hence you >> can >> be >> |sure to get two years of being current. Android has been all over the >> place, but >> |the big players such as Samsung are also moving to give that period of >> currency >> |by providing OS updates (eg Galaxy II). For Windows Phone there isn't >> that. >> | >> |Personally the thing about this I dislike the most is not the fate of my >> own phone >> |(I do like my lumia), but that I can no longer recommend to people they >> currently >> |buy a windows phone. This is the real shame. It'd be a lot better if >> people >> could >> |upgrade: would probably still be worth waiting for the newer devices for >> NFC. >> |The sooner they get the new devices out the better. >> >> >> > > > -- > Meski > > http://courteous.ly/aAOZcv > > "Going to Starbucks for coffee is like going to prison for sex. Sure, > you'll get it, but it's going to be rough" - Adam Hills > > -- Meski http://courteous.ly/aAOZcv "Going to Starbucks for coffee is like going to prison for sex. Sure, you'll get it, but it's going to be rough" - Adam Hills
