I’ve just realised I didn’t post a link to last week’s Patch Monday podcast, How can women win in IT? There it is now.
Experiencing the Desire, part 1
I’m reviewing the HTC Desire smartphone as part of the Telstra HTC Desire Social Review program.
Telstra has given 25 people, including me, a free HTC Desire handset as well as a bunch of credit on their Next G mobile network to provide “a mix of opinions and perspectives” on this so-called “superphone”.
Before we received our phones, we were asked to explain our expectations of the Desire. “We will be interested to compare this to your thoughts after the review,” said Telstra.
Here’s what I said:
HTC Desire is a “superphone”, eh? It should therefore integrate quickly and reliably into my workflows, and have the grunt to last a long working day. I reckon it could replace my laptop for staying in touch, coordinating my business and gathering media when I’m away from my desk. Android‘s meant to be “open”, so it should let me do things the way I want. I should beat my current Nokia N96 in every way.
Us reviewers will be using the hashtag #telstradesire so you can find our tweets, and Telstra will lead our discussions through a series of posts at Ben Bevins’ blog starting on Wednesday.
I’ve only just started to use the Desire. But here’s my initial impressions, along with a bit more information about what I hope to be able to do.
Images of celebration and degeneration
To everyone who came to my birthday party yesterday, or who sent messages, thank you very much.
Apart from a series of disjointed memories and unexplained bruises, there is also photographic evidence that it was a fun time. There’s this portrait of me by Kate Carruthers, for instance [embiggen]. This crowd scene by Nick Hodge, with Ben Grubb lurking on the left. And a whole series of photos by misswired including one of The Hive Bar’s proprietor Nick hard at work on the Endless Stream of Mojitos™.
If there are any other photos, please let me know.
Special thanks to Nick Hodge for reminding us of this special moment in Australian television, and for providing the little glittery things that imprinted a purple mark on my forehead.
Extra special thanks to Streamer and Balloon Blondie who, by simply existing, ensured that I wouldn’t be the biggest embarrassment of the day.
Do not adjust your set. Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible.
50th birthday drinks today
If you’re at a loose end in Sydney today, remember that my birthday drinks are happening this afternoon at The Hive Bar in Erskineville. Click through for details.
ABC Unleashed: NBN analysts miss the point
I’ve just written an opinion piece on the National Broadband Network for ABC Unleashed.
As you read the emerging analyses of the National Broadband Network (NBN) Implementation Study ask yourself three questions.
One, does the analyst realise that the NBN isn’t an internet service provider (ISP)? Two, are they demanding that the NBN gives the government a direct financial return on investment at commercial rates? Three, are they understanding the difference between now, the year 2010, and a decade from now?
The main thrust of my argument is that the NBN is national infrastructure, something the government should be spending money on even if it doesn’t make a direct profit. There’s only a moderate amount of tangential snark.
Enjoy. And, ideally, add comments.
Visiting Microsoft HQ to talk security: what should I ask?
I’m off to America! Some tin-pot little IT start-up called Microsoft has invited me to visit their headquarters in Redmond, Washington (pictured) to find out what they’re doing about security, and in particular their Trustworthy Computing initiatives.
Now if you’re a crusty old network administrator like me, you may think that “Microsoft” and “security” in the same sentence is an oxymoron. A decade ago I was building Linux-based firewalls and, like so many people doing the same, I referred to Windows-based computers as “the targets”. And certainly the vast majority of the world’s malware is targeted at Windows.
But I’ve always though that the simplistic “Windows is bad, m’kay” was a bit, well, simplistic. Information security isn’t just about the technology, it’s also about people. Human factors are also the weakest link. And over the years I’ve found that people who throw around those tired platform-wars slogans usually aren’t up to date when it comes to the things they love to hate.
So, I’m off to Redmond later this month to spend three days with some of Microsoft’s engineers and developers, including briefing sessions with senior executives from Microsoft’s Trustworthy Computing Group.
Continue reading “Visiting Microsoft HQ to talk security: what should I ask?”