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Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Tech New Rectangular Screens for Everyone!

Posted by Paul Constant on Wed, Sep 12, 2012 at 12:58 PM

Oh, hey. New iPhone and iPods. Also, apparently last week there were some new Kindles Fire. I got some angry e-mails from Slog readers last week, when I was in Charlotte covering the DNC, that I didn't put up a Slog post about Amazon's new gadgets. Here's the thing: This shit is getting old. I'm not saying that smartphones and tablets aren't amazing things. I have an Android phone and I own a pre-used first-gen iPad that I use every morning to get my news and read comics and e-books. I love my touchscreen devices a whole lot.

But this isn't news, anymore. An incremental increase in thinness or lightness or computing power is not a breaking news event that should turn everyone's attentions away from what's happening in Libya. Those first few days of the iPhone were a big damned deal. Touchscreens had existed for decades, but their mass-market acceptance was something that changed society in a small but profound way. Our graphic design, our feelings toward our computers, and even our shared language changed very quickly to incorporate these devices into our lives. That's news. But this kind of breathless reporting on annual PowerPoint presentations from wealthy CEOs is kind of driving me crazy. It's not news.

People will learn about these new devices. That's what advertising is for. But Apple didn't change anything major today. They added to their bottom line. And good for them! I'm not resentful of successful businesses. But a thinner, faster, larger rectangle with a beautiful screen and a slightly improved battery device? It's just not news. This sure sounds more like news to me:

Apple claims that it’s ending forced illegal overtime [in Chinese Foxconn plants], but workers are simply required to meet the same quotas within a regular shift — meaning many have to work extra hours without any pay at all. Apple claims wages are rising, but deductions for room and board have risen even more, so take-home pay has actually declined. Meanwhile bosses are still abusive, unions are still overwhelmingly populated by management, students are still forced to work in factories as part of phony “internship” programs, and workers still lack any collective bargaining rights.

But what do I know? I didn't even break the exciting news about the larger screen on Amazon's new Kindles last Thursday.That sure is a bigger screen, all right.

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Comments (18) RSS

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yet 2 posts below you post about a new restaurant opening, which could be stated as not exciting, could be linked to food parts that are manufactured in terrible conditions, etc, yet you're super excited about that?

stop bitching. it's something people are excited about. Stop being a spoil sport and contradictory.

Posted by rostin79 on September 12, 2012 at 1:05 PM

This post gets 3 "Yay's" and 2 "Huzzahs!"

Posted by longball on September 12, 2012 at 1:10 PM

I strongly approve of this post!

Posted by stating the obvious on September 12, 2012 at 1:16 PM

Instead of the 1,430 mAh battery, they gave it a 1,440 mAh batter. Whatever power savings you got from the CPU, will be countered by the LTE modem and larger display. Most Android LTE phones come with a 2,000 mAh battery, which is removable for a 3,300 mAh for 50$

I was expecting a quad core CPU, but all they did was overclock their A5, shrink the die cast and call it an A6. Apple is playing catch-up to existing 6 month old phones.

The newer iPod Touch is obscenely priced at 299$

Posted by Kinison

on September 12, 2012 at 1:27 PM

But, but..."This is the biggest thing to happen to iPhone since the iPhone," said Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller. !!!!!!!!

Posted by ArtBasketSara on September 12, 2012 at 1:27 PM

This kind of breathless ranting on how annual PowerPoint presentations from wealthy CEOs is not "news" has totally turned my attention from important world events.

Posted by Wicked Virgin

on September 12, 2012 at 1:31 PM

They have websites devoted to nothing but drooling over the newest, hottest, thinnest, lightest, broadest, brightest, least energy-efficient devices. Anybody bitching about a lack of such coverage on SLOG needs to reconsider where they are getting their TECH NEWZ from.

By the way, we're overdue for a shopping cart post. THAT is worth getting worked up over. What's the latest in green lake, huh?

Posted by Zebes

on September 12, 2012 at 1:35 PM

ZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Posted by Urgutha Forka on September 12, 2012 at 1:36 PM

Everybody! Stop reading non-Libya news! Without our continual reading the State Department and White House will flounder!

Posted by gloomy gus on September 12, 2012 at 1:41 PM

In continuing my quest to eradicate needless uses of the prefix "pre-" in English usage, I must point out to Paul that "pre-used" just means "used."

Same goes for pre-washed, pre-cooked, pre-filled, etc.

Posted by Free Lunch on September 12, 2012 at 1:42 PM

If it makes you feel better Paul, chances are good that without Jobs, Apple will be stuck doing just incremental improvements per each release. Without the "Ooo this is so much more shiny" reactions of the apple fan kids, the rate of I-trolls will have to start dropping off for you.

Posted by Large Hardon Colluder on September 12, 2012 at 1:42 PM

They've made the most amazing consumer electronic device ever even better. It's twice as fast, thinner, lighter, has more screen space, and has earbuds that don't sound awful anymore.

We live in the future. This is way better than a jetpack. You should be popping champagne after noting that this happens every year.

Posted by Sam Levine