Dell Streak gets leaked Android 2.1 update in the UK, but still the same ol' 1.6 in the US -- Engadget: "Dell Streak gets leaked Android 2.1 update in the UK, but still the same ol' 1.6 in the US"
I haven't been so excited about a device in years.
But, not so excited that I don't want to hold off, either until the 2.1 update, or until I can actually try the Streak. The complaints about its lousy performance -- 3 seconds to refresh a screen :-( -- are quite offputting.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Editing Email user interfaces - Andy Glew's Wiki
= A User Interface for Just a Few Tags =
Here's what I think I need in order to process email efficiently. Rather than Gmail's single checkbox per message, instead I want multiple, a small number of checkboxes, typically associated with user configurable labels:
I would drag my usual labels or folders into the rightmost columns. I can handle a few such at a time, via checkboxes.
I would scan the full list, clicking checkboxes as I go,
and then hit "Perform".
Sure, there might still be leess frequently used labels and folders. But the most important half dozen are immediately visible.
= Sorting, not Searching =
Much as I like using the pen, it is still too annoying to click through my email in time order.
To really catch up on my email,
I gave up on Gmail, and fell back to Thunderbird's Imap client.
Nice that it allows me to handle my email, and then switch back to gmail.
The key to catching up on such an overflowing Inbox is to sort my messages.
E.g. sort by "From:". And then quickly go through all of the email from frequent flyer programs, and file it as pseudo-spam.
Similarly for certain subjects.
Basically, such sorting amounts to simple, ad-hoc, filtering.
This is rather like an extension of one of my favorite sayings:
Actually, alphabetic sorting is not really what I want. Important single item topics get sandwiched between big groups of pseudo-spam.
Instead, what I want in the user interface is
* GROUP BY something like "From:" or "subject:"
* SORT GROUPS BY number of items in the group
* sort within the group by date, etc.
Here's what I think I need in order to process email efficiently. Rather than Gmail's single checkbox per message, instead I want multiple, a small number of checkboxes, typically associated with user configurable labels:
Misc | Personal | Family | Career | Proprietary | Keep (Important) | From | Subject | Date |
I would drag my usual labels or folders into the rightmost columns. I can handle a few such at a time, via checkboxes.
I would scan the full list, clicking checkboxes as I go,
and then hit "Perform".
Sure, there might still be leess frequently used labels and folders. But the most important half dozen are immediately visible.
= Sorting, not Searching =
Much as I like using the pen, it is still too annoying to click through my email in time order.
To really catch up on my email,
I gave up on Gmail, and fell back to Thunderbird's Imap client.
Nice that it allows me to handle my email, and then switch back to gmail.
The key to catching up on such an overflowing Inbox is to sort my messages.
E.g. sort by "From:". And then quickly go through all of the email from frequent flyer programs, and file it as pseudo-spam.
Similarly for certain subjects.
Basically, such sorting amounts to simple, ad-hoc, filtering.
This is rather like an extension of one of my favorite sayings:
- The most important thing is to be able to automatically filter your email.
The next most important thing is to NOT have to write the automatic filters. :-me 2010
Actually, alphabetic sorting is not really what I want. Important single item topics get sandwiched between big groups of pseudo-spam.
Instead, what I want in the user interface is
* GROUP BY something like "From:" or "subject:"
* SORT GROUPS BY number of items in the group
* sort within the group by date, etc.
Naming and not naming
Mottoes and Sayings - Andy Glew's Wiki: "The most important thing is to be able to give things names.
The next most important thing is to not be required to give things names.
-me 2010 (actually, originally probably 1995)"
The next most important thing is to not be required to give things names.
-me 2010 (actually, originally probably 1995)"
Monday, August 09, 2010
Apple holds a conference of shame - The Inquirer
Apple holds a conference of shame - The Inquirer: "Next up Jobs lied and said that other phones had similar problems. He even put up a slide comparing the Iphone 4 with other smartphones that work, such as the Blackberry."
I was poking around The Inquirer, clicking through to this somewhat old link, when I realized:
I have a Blackberry.
I have been plagued with random errors when I hold it in my hand. My LEFT hand. Errors that don't occur when I hold it in my right hand, or leave it on a desk to use as a speaker phone. Errors that manifest as the phone going blank, as if there was a short or a loose battery connection. Errors that basically make this particular phone - hmph, I can't easily tell what model it is - useless as a handset. Errors that IT cannot easily reproduce - I wonder now if it is because they are right handed.
(I am right handed, but I do many things left handed. Including holding my cell phone.)
Most likely I really do just have a loose battery or case. Can't tell if it is a systematic design flaw without gathering much more data.
But would it not be funny if Jobs was right?
I was poking around The Inquirer, clicking through to this somewhat old link, when I realized:
I have a Blackberry.
I have been plagued with random errors when I hold it in my hand. My LEFT hand. Errors that don't occur when I hold it in my right hand, or leave it on a desk to use as a speaker phone. Errors that manifest as the phone going blank, as if there was a short or a loose battery connection. Errors that basically make this particular phone - hmph, I can't easily tell what model it is - useless as a handset. Errors that IT cannot easily reproduce - I wonder now if it is because they are right handed.
(I am right handed, but I do many things left handed. Including holding my cell phone.)
Most likely I really do just have a loose battery or case. Can't tell if it is a systematic design flaw without gathering much more data.
But would it not be funny if Jobs was right?
Sunday, August 08, 2010
Graffiti For Android Gets Updated But Has a Bug�|�Gear Diary
Graffiti For Android Gets Updated But Has a Bug�|�Gear Diary: "Graffiti for Android"
I have long talked about
* how I found my various pen based systems - W4P Compaq Concerto, Toshiba Portege 3500 nad M400, various Palm PDAs, even my old Motorola Min A1200 and/or Microsoft AT&T<>
* how I miss Palm graffiti
* how I am interested in the Dell streak
* how I am interested in Android
These things I want may be getting together: Graffito for Android is available.
I'm not sure whether "handwriting"" with a fingertip will be less pleasnt than witgh a pen/stylus. But I am looking forward to trying.
Thursday, August 05, 2010
Chrome/Adobe PDF reader errors
I love the Chrome browser, but, in combination with Adobe Reader it frequently hangs reading PDFs. "There is an error reading the document", click OK and the same error.
Probably an Adobe error, but nevertheless the fact that it works with FireFox and IE but not Chrome looks bad.
Probably an Adobe error, but nevertheless the fact that it works with FireFox and IE but not Chrome looks bad.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)