Auspundits

iPhone Remote & Stanza Desktop Connection Issues

If you have issues connecting between your iPhone apps and apps on your Mac, have fun diagnosing the problem. Because it took me forever to figure out what was giving my connection fits. Problem was that I had the Netshare application installed and consequently was connected to the Netshare wireless network (which conflicted with the actual wifi network). Disabled the Netshare wireless network on my Mac, and voila! everything works.

iPhone Future Capabilities

How about copy-and-paste functionality?

Apple Store & Australian iPhone Release

Here's a massive piece on the massive premier Australian Apple Store in Sydney. Summary?

• Will be officially opening on Thursday 19 June 2008 at 5PM for late night shopping;
• Australian release of 3G iPhone expected to be feature of store opening with Steve Jobs to announce 3G iPhone overnight in the U.S.;
• Three stories of retail space with an as yet unknown architectural feature costing approximately $A15m; and
• Expect massive queues to get into the store on Thursday night.

Interestingly I tried to find the development application for Sydney's Apple Store at the Sydney City Council website and came up with nothing. That is unusual.

3G iPhone Release In Australia

AppleInsider reports that Australian resellers "began receiving mysterious packages from Apple on Friday with a warning across the top that breaching the boxes ahead of June 10th would be a violation of their non-disclosure agreements with the company."

This report, including the photos of the boxes, have been confirmed to me by sources at a major Australian technology store. It is my understanding that these boxes contain a demo of the 3G iPhone. Shipment of the retail units of the iPhone have not been made as yet, but the iPhone has an expected release to market in the week beginning 10 June. Steve Jobs will likely announce it at the WWDC conference Tuesday morning AEST.

So far only Vodafone and Optus have publicly acknowledged that they will carry the iPhone. It is rumoured that Telstra, the largest mobile network provider, is also likely to support the iPhone. No word yet from the Australian 3G pioneer network, Three, as to whether it will carry the iPhone. Its parent company, Hutchison revealed it would sell the iPhone through its networks in Hong Kong and Macau.

Looks like the wait is nearly over.

Update 7/6/08 11:15AM AEST: Gizmodo's sources suggested delivery date of 18 June 2008 way back in May. That is almost exactly spot on with what I have been told.

Update 7/6/08 6:45PM AEST: Looks like the 3G iPhone will have video conferencing capabilities and adopt the Macbook Air tear shape. Pictures at the link. Also iChat may be going Windows side. I wouldn't be surprised if MSN / Yahoo Messenger / Skype went iPhone to get in on the iPhone IM action.

Freeman Dyson Spills Ink

This brilliant theoretical physicist writes two book reviews for the NY Review of Books. Topic? Global Warming. In particular policy prescriptions & the scientific climate. Bottom line of several pages of review?

1. Assuming AGW is true, a global carbon tax (determined by some sort of optimisation routine) increasing over time is most efficient economic mechanism. Call this the "optimal policy".
2. Policy prescription: "Avoid the ambitious proposals. Develop the science and technology for a low-cost backstop (cheap solar, "carbon-eating trees" &c - my addition). Negotiate an international treaty coming as close as possible to the optimal policy, in case the low-cost backstop fails. Avoid an international treaty making the Kyoto Protocol policy permanent."
3. Policy prescriptions proposed by Stern and Gore are "disastrously expensive".

Some context: Dyson is a proponent of AGW. And a lefty. And despite both of these deep seated convictions he remains more dispassionate and insightful than most (including myself).

Brilliant discussion and analysis. Read the whole thing.

Reports: iPhone 3G Australian release June 2008

See here. One misunderstanding in this report is in the following paragraph:

Though somewhat suspect, the report adds that the touch-screen handset will arrive unlocked for use on many of the nation's wireless carriers and that Australian Apple resellers, unlike those in the US and Europe, will be privy to market the device to their customers.

Actually, not too suspect, given that some Australian law professors determined that Apple tying the iPhone to one carrier could be a breach of the Trade Practices Act. At the time I was concerned that Australia would not see the iPhone for some time. Apparently not true given the 3G version of the iPhone is scheduled for worldwide launch as the iPhone's purported launch in Australia. Yay for consumers! And yay for me!

Some Weekend Tech Readings

A few more light-hearted readings on this sunny Sydney day (finally!):

• The 3G iPhone may be released at the end of this year in the U.S.. Which means release sometime during the first half of the 2009 calendar year in Australia.
• Has the perpetual motion machine already been built? It's purported developer has no scientific degree. Not that that has been a problem in centuries gone by. Also, he is a greenie. Which may be the more salient fact. We all know that lefties like to make stuff up.

Speed-Boats? How about No-More-Boat?

Those Iranian speedboats better watch out. The U.S. Navy is taking delivery of the world's largest rail gun. It can launch projectiles at speeds of Mach 8, but unfortunately, may not see the hull of a U.S. destroyer for another 13 years. Maybe the Iranian's can breathe a sigh of relief.

Chinese espionage

First there is that concerted cyber-espionage ring exploiting vulnerabilities in Western defense, intelligence and governmental departments. Then there was their elaborate syphoning operation harvesting raw intelligence from an NSA listening post in Hawaii which lasted "several years" (!). And now a possible attempt by the Chinese to steal Aegis missile defense system data.

Healthy scepticism of Chinese strategic objectives are wise.

Chinese cyber warfare capabilities

There has been lots in the news recently about Chinese attacks on Western government ministries.