After one year...

I can’t find one person who has been using the Nexus 7 for an extended period of time, and hasn’t seen a massive downgrade in performance. Just what kind of downgrade are we talking here? I cannot pick up my Nexus 7 without experiencing problems like a lag of ten seconds, or more, just to rotate the display; touches refusing to acknowledged; stuttering notification panel actions; and unresponsive apps.

I tried the basics at first, like a factory reset. I then moved onto drastic measures, like rooting and installing CyanogenMod 10.1 (which I thought would surely fix everything, since I’ve used faster devices with lesser hardware, and performance problems were merely a lack of software optimization). And nothing seems to work. Using CyanogenMod worked at first, but things have slowed down dramatically again. I’ve tried uninstalling most of my apps. Using replacement launchers. No widgets. Nothing works. And even if any of those things did work, it would still be terrible looking for Google... More at Android and Me.

That's a worry, but it does seemed to be backed up by many users on Twitter as well. There is also a theory that cheap memory is causing the problem-

One problem at the core of the issue seems to be related to early failure of SSD memory. Unlike the conventional mechanical hard drives, which typically either fail immediately or last for several years before nearing the end of their useful life span, solid state memory progressively wears out as it's being used.

High quality flash memory can provide a significantly longer lifespan than cheaper versions, but it also costs more. All SSDs requires intelligent, low level software to identify blocks that are no longer working and work around them.

SSD also requires routines for handling cleanup of erased data, as solid state memory must be erased to zero before being rewritten to, a step that isn't necessary for conventional magnetic hard drives. If these "garbage collection" tasks aren't performed properly, performance degrades over time. More at Apple Insider.

iCloud update

I received a response from the developer of TodoMovies regarding my iCloud problem with their app.

That situation usually happens when either the iCloud store gets corrupted on Apple servers or there is some problem with their servers.

It usually resolves itself after sometime for most of our users. We used iCloud + Core Data which seems to be problematic at times but Apple promised they fixed most of the bugs they were facing in iOS 7.

We hope after iOS 7 the iCloud experience will be much smooth and without those occasional hiccups.

Not exactly reassuring.

The Humble Bundle with Android 6

The Humble Bundle with Android 6 has been launched and this time includes the underwater fantasy action-adventure game Aquaria; the chromatic minimalist puzzler Fractal: Make Blooms Not War; the retro zombie survival game Organ Trail: Director’s Cut; and the nail-biting stealth strategy platformer Stealth Bastard Deluxe. You’ll also receive a bonus game: the rhythmic audio-visual game Pulse: Volume One. If you pay more than the average, you’ll also get the intense tactical combat sim Frozen Synapse and the classic mystery point-and-click adventure Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars - Director’s Cut!

Inside Pocket

Excellent article over at The Verge explaining how Pocket got to where it is today. Which of the various offerings do you use, if any? Still Readability for me.

The day before he turned 27, Nate Weiner drove from San Francisco to Mountain View for the most important meeting of his life. Weiner — he pronounces it "WINE-er," and yes, junior high was a rough time for him — made a mixtape for the occasion, something to boost his confidence before he sat down at his first negotiating table. As Sam Sparro's "Black and Gold" played over the car speakers, he went through the slide deck in his head once again.

What is top of the charts?

The last commonly-recognised ‘Number One’ was Ace Of Base’s All That She Wants in June 1993.

Professor Henry Brubaker of the Institute for Studies said: “Time was when not knowing what was number one was like not knowing it was raining.

“Nowadays it could be any maniac with a large, supportive family and an iTunes account. Last year 43-year-old Roy Hobbs topped the charts with a bossa nova track about igneous rock... More at The Daily Mash.

This is obviously a joke article, but the point is valid. Do you know what is currently top of the charts and if not, is it because you have gotten older or is it because of the lack of publicity via mainstream media such as TV?

EU roaming fees to be scrapped

Mobile phone roaming fees will be scrapped within the European Union next year.

This means that you will be able to use text messages, voice calls and mobile internet without incurring any additional charges (provided that your contract/tariff was taken out in a country within the EU, of course)... More at the Clove Blog.

Au sujet du temps.

“It looks childish.”

That was the first reaction I heard to iOS 7. I’m not going to lie, when I saw it for the first time myself, I freaked out a little too. Like any good simplicity-loving designer, I was eagerly waiting for Jonathan Ive to reveal a fresh, clean take on iOS.

But the icons that were unveiled feel rushed. Lots of them look like the very first sketch was thrown right into the keynote.

My developer friends had similar reactions, but they couldn’t put their finger on why they felt that way. That’s because there are tons of tiny details that go into designing app icons that the average person doesn’t ever think about. You may not recognize the details, but you will feel their effects.

Even designing just one simple, clean, good-looking icon is not an easy task. Multiply that by 25 and there was a ton of work to do in the 8 months since Forstall was booted, which led to certain things being overlooked… More at ianstormtaylor.

I am convinced that much of the iOS 7 visuals will change by the time of release. It has to surely.

What happens when iCloud goes wrong?

So I tried iOS 7 and reverted to iOS 6 until a stable beta arrives. I then restored everything through iCloud and it all worked fine, apart from TodoMovies. As it stands, my database is missing and when I try to enable iCloud in settings within the app the iCloud option just stays 'off'.

This is the disconcerting aspect of iCloud- no file, no individual settings to manage, nothing. When it goes wrong, where do I go? I have asked the developer for advice and am awaiting an answer, but the lack of anything tangible to grab is still a worry, although only a minor one in this app's case. It unnerves me that if I was storing something crucial I could be completely stuck.

Where are you?

Where are you with your smartphone / tablet ownership at the moment? Happy with what you have, wanting to change or really not sure? I think I am in a 'not sure' phase, but I'm not even sure if I am not sure. Generally confused by so many new models, so many changes and what I also need the devices for.

BlackBerry Q10 review

Excellent, as ever, review of the BlackBerry Q10 from Steve Litchfield in The Phones Show 202.

Word Notebooks

If you fancy a bit of analogue task management, Word Notebooks could be just the solution for you. Very simple, but likely very effective as well.

The unique bullet point system used in Word. Notebooks lets you organize your tasks efficiently. Simply fill in the bullet point when writing an item on that line. Trace the circle around it when it’s important and add a slash when you’ve started work on it. Once the task is complete, simply mark down an “X” and move on to the next item on your list. It’s an easy way to keep track of all your notes.

People Who Aren't Good with Technology

Those who are not good with technology are by far the majority in this world, but as time passes the numbers are dwindling a little. lifehacker has taken a look and come with some conclusions as to what the best smartphone is for people who are not particularly up on technology. The answers are obvious, but it's still worth a read.

Getting a non-tech savvy person into a smartphone isn't an easy task. While it's partially about finding a good fit for them on a usability level, it's also just about figuring out which features really matter to someone. While you have a ton of options out there, we'll stick to the big three here: Android, iPhone, and Windows Phone.

Remember CompuServe?

CompuServe got something right and predicted the future almost perfectly back in the day. Tweeted by Laura Kane.

What iOS 7 Should Look Like

When Apple recently showed how they had redesigned iOS, I was shocked like many other UI designers. Not because it was "flat" (we all expected it to lose some of its skeumorphic elements) but because it looked terrible and seemed so unpolished. I couldn't believe this interface came from Apple, the company that had been praised for so many years for its legendary ease of use. After downloading the Developer's Preview on my iPhone, I was even less enthusiastic, not only did it look bad, but it worked bad as well. The ease of use that defined iOS was gone... More at Tristan Edwards.

Indeed, much better.

HTC One: how to do a video review

Eat your heart out The Verge. This is a brilliant video review of the HTC One.

Has Microsoft missed the mobile boat? No.

It was a curious release from Microsoft. To launch Office for iOS with no fanfare, only on the iPhone and with the requirement to subscribe to the Office 365 service. Obviously the iPad is a more suitable device for such a system and the long delay has led many to feel that Microsoft has missed the boat here, but I disagree.

No matter which way you spin or what your personal views are on Excel, Word etc. it is still 'the' software used by millions (billions) of people around the globe at work and when working while travelling. IT bods love it, large companies love it and most people see it as the only solution for such tasks.

If we are to believe that iOS devices, and many people argue so, are doing very well in big enterprise then there is no reason to believe that Office will not do well also. Apple's solutions are not bad on an iPhone and iPad and Number and Pages, and particularly Keynote, work well on smaller screens, but on desktop devices they have some way to go. Keynote is excellent, but the other two are lacking in features and are mere babies in comparison to Office when it comes to real work.

The subscription charge could be a barrier, but I still believe that if Microsoft can make a mobile Office solution that includes many of the advanced features and one that works on tablets like the iPad, there is enough room to charge a big premium as a one-off purchase price (£50 upwards?) and still sell a huge number.

Stability?

When was the last time your smartphone crashed, froze or needed to be restarted? Quite a long time ago for me.

Hey you. Get off of my cloud!

I was asked to review an app called Cloud Spotter and my heart sank. It sank further when I read the first review on iTunes-

"I am a member of the cloud appreciation society and already have the cloud books. But this App is cool! I love the mini video and being able to get points etc… Very well done! I'm off to collect clouds now bye!"

Good lord. There is a Cloud Appreciation Society? Oh yes there is and they even have a manifesto which includes the following-

"We seek to remind people that clouds are expressions of the atmosphere’s moods, and can be read like those of a person’s countenance."

So, I had a quick look at the app and immediately appreciated the design and the visuals. With an emphasis on the imagery and an easy to understand navigation system it fits in with what I feel an iOS app should be like. The CloudStream shows the latest photos of clouds and even a 'Photo of the day'. The Cloud Library offers a variety of photos of each type of cloud and there is also a video, which is educational and professional made, included.

My first thoughts were that this is a nice app for learning about clouds, but then I dug a little deeper. You can photograph a cloud, choose which type you think it is and then submit your entry. I did this and thought nothing of it. And then it came back unverified because I had chosen the wrong type of my photo and this annoyed me. I submitted another one and it was unverified again. I tried one more time and I got 2 stars and a badge because I had guessed it right. Oh the joy!

No, seriously. I was genuinely happy that I had guessed a cloud right and I even appeared on the CloudSpotter Rankings (currently at position 117). I know what you are thinking "Are you mad?!?"

Well, no I am not because I can now admit to often staring into the sky and wondering what type of cloud was looking down on me. Was it a comblownumbus or whatever my Geography teacher called it years ago? What stands out in this app is the interactivity and the gentle way it encourages you to learn. Forget the ranking system- it makes you stare into the sky and think about what you are seeing. The reference points within the app are not complex or textual; they are images which anyone can understand and as you start to understand what each cloud in the sky is, you start to appreciate them more.

Some will see the whole cloud thing as nerdy, but I most certainly do not. This app is educational, genuinely interesting and at times good fun. It manages to bring the user in to the hobby very well and few apps I have seen in the past are able to do this is such a gentle and encouraging way. Right, I'm off to collect clouds now bye!