One thing you can always count on is the constant change happening in technology. Usually the changes are positive, but every now and again there is a trend that emerges that — at the very least — makes everyone scratch their heads a bit. One such trend that is now making headway is the constant application upgrade fee. Wayne touched on this last week with Tweetie 2, and Dan reemphasized the issue — and the long-term costs to the consumer — with the upgrade charging for Boxcar, Simplify Media, Twittelerator Pro, NewsStand, and Filemaker Pro’s Bento database software.
From a developer perspective, yes, the updates and charge model means that continued improvements can be implemented — but, as the consumer, do you feel nickel and dimed by the practice? Sound off in the comments — and while you do, let’s take a look at a few other highlights from last week…
Judie’s trucking through week five of the Rosetta Stone TOTALe program. Be sure to keep up with the series as Judie sees whether the software will help her truly learn the Spanish language.
The new series, The State of the eBook, covered some of the pros and cons of the digital eBook platform versus the traditional paper-bound book. Where do you fall in the debate? Have you gone — or are you planning to go — solely to eBooks? What about the students out there? Per Wayne’s post last week, there are still a few gaps before the eBook craze is fully embraced academically.
It’s no secret that the Gear Diary team are big fans of the ioSafe, the maker of the world’s first fire and water resistant hard drive. I mean, seriously, if you still haven’t seen how much this product can take you need to watch as Larry proceeds to put it through a full-fledged car fire. Well, now there’s another reason to get behind this product: ioSafe is donating their fire and water resistant hard drives to the victims of the Highway 49 Fire in Auburn, California.
Still wondering which GPS navigation app to use with your iPhone? Check out Chris’s updates for many of the most popular navigation applications to see which one best meets your needs.
Finally, it’s Monday. Everyone needs a laugh. Wayne posted this one last week, and it is certainly worth a look. It’s the 100 Greatest Hits of YouTube — In Four Minutes.
