On The Tech Night Owl LIVE, best-selling author and columnist Gene Steinberg (the Owl himself) voices his thought-provoking views of the technology universe and interviews the movers and shakers of the technology industry. Thu, 23 May 2013 08:35:33 +0000 Thu, 23 May 2013 08:35:33 +0000 The Tech Night Owl LIVE Community Forums http://www.technightowl.com/forum/ THE TECH NIGHT OWL NEWSLETTER
***Issue #703***
May 20, 2013

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO DONATE TO THE NIGHT OWL

Although ads help cover a small part of our expenses, the income they produce is never enough to pay a decent wage. Also, we do not receive any revenue from the ads placed on the radio show by our network or local stations. So we hope you're able to help fill the gap, if you can, to help us cover increasing server costs and other expenses -- or perhaps provide a little extra cash for lunch and utility bills. No contribution is too small (or too large . It's easy to send a donation. We have a Donate link on our home page on the left sidebar, or on the radio show page below the logo and audio player. There's also a Donate link on our forums, at the bottom of the sidebar on the right. Or just send your PayPal donation direct to sales (at) technightowl (dot) com. And if you've had a problem getting to our Donate screen, please try again. We recently fixed a serious PayPal access problem, and it should work properly now.

THIS WEEK'S TECH NIGHT OWL RADIO UPDATE

So what did Google actually accomplish at the I/O conference? There was no new hardware to speak of, although it appears Samsung will release a "pure Android" version of the flagship Galaxy S4 that's free of bloat and junkware. The 16GB version of the standard S4 leaves you with roughly half that storage space to store your stuff because all those flashy new Samsung apps take up so much space.

As to a new version of Android, well, apparently Google is concentrating more on dealing with the problem of fragmentation these days. Millions and millions of handsets are running versions of Android that are one or two years old. The Galaxy S4's predecessor, the S3, still has 4.1.1, which shipped in July of 2012. The S4 has version 4.2.2, the latest, which actually shipped in November.

So is Google running into difficulties upgrading Android? Or is it true that they are just working harder to make sure that a larger percentage of handsets are running the latest and greatest? But this isn't an easy problem to solve, since handset makers and carriers pollute the OS with their own stuff, which means that they have to engage in an extra level of testing before the OS can be pushed to customers. Most rarely bother. They got your money already, and they'd rather just sell you a newer handset when your contract is up.

Now on this weekend's episode of The Tech Night Owl LIVE, we presented long-time Mac programmer Dan Wood, of Karelia Software, who discussed the latest version of their acclaimed Web site creation tool, Sandvox.

Author and commentator Kirk McElhearn, Macworld's "iTunes Guy," and the editor of Mac OS X Hints, was on board to explain why his data began to "bleed" when he switched to a new wireless carrier. He also commented on why Apple might be ignoring Microsoft's alleged requests to make a Windows 8 version of iTunes.

From Bryan Chaffin, co-founder and co-publisher of The Mac Observer, you heard more about Google's ho-hum I/O event, China's campaign against Apple, and about Tim Cook's expected proposal, to be delivered at a Congressional hearing, for new tax laws to allow the company to repatriate billions of dollars of cash kept overseas.

On this week's episode of our other radio show, The Paracast: Gene and Chris are joined by guest panelist Goggs Mackay as they present Robert Hastings, author of "UFOs and Nukes: Extraordinary Encounters at Nuclear Weapons Sites," who will bring you up to date on his investigation into this troubling aspect of the UFO enigma. He'll also explain why he was not a participant in the recent Citizen Hearing on Disclosure, and answer your questions.

Now Shipping! The Official Paracast T-Shirt! We're taking orders direct from our new Official Paracast Store, where you can place your order and pay with a major credit card or PayPal. The shirts come in white, 100% cotton, and feature The Paracast logo on the front. The rear emblem states: "Separating Signal From Noise." We've also added a huge selection of additional special custom-imprinted merchandise for fans of our show, along with a redesigned storefront.

SAMSUNG GALAXY S4: MORE BITS AND PIECES

According to published reports, Samsung is claiming that the Samsung Galaxy S4 flagship smartphone shipped some 10 million copies during the first 28 days on sale. As my friend Daniel Eran Dilger remarks in a recent AppleInsider article, this is considered a great accomplishment compared to the iPhone 5, which sold five million the very first weekend, which wasn't considered so great. So much for being fair and balanced.

Certainly, there are several published bake-offs comparing the Galaxy S4 with the HTC One and, of course, the iPhone 5. I won't consider whether these reviewers are necessarily accurate or misleading. Make your own conclusions.

I've only had one for a few days, but I've been able to put together some random findings about whether it represents a major upgrade, or is just a minor update to an existing model. So, aside from all the flashy (if only occasionally useful) new software, the changes are relatively minor in the scheme of things compared to the Galaxy S3.

Indeed, as I've already stated, unless you put the two side by side, you are apt to confuse one with the other. True, there are far more powerful chips inside the S4, and the larger battery does seem to extend the period before you need to rush to the charging station. However, I am avoiding actual benchmarks, except, in passing, to note that performed a couple of runs in an Android performance app, AnTuTu, which came up with a result that was almost twice what I achieved with the S3.

However, the S4 doesn't feel twice as fast, and part of that may be do to the architectural deficiencies of Android. When you scroll an item of text on an iPhone or an iPad, for example, the process is smooth, and there are usually no visual artifacts that detract from the seamless impact. With the S4, as with the S3, text thickens slightly, and the contents of the screen seem to move along in tiny fits and starts. Overall, it seems very fast, but the subtleties clearly indicate that the OS is taxing the graphics hardware severely to achieve the desired effect.

When it comes to day-to-day performance, let me tell you that I am not a gamer, so I paid only a passing glance to the frame rates, although they appear to be at the higher end of what you expect on a smartphone. But it didn't seem to me that apps launched or did their thing much faster than on the S3. While a slightly larger screen in a case a bit slimmer and lighter than the previous model is a positive for the S4, it may not be sufficient to justify an upgrade. However, the AMOLED display as noticeably brighter in sunlit surroundings. That could be the deal maker; the S3 is so dim that I almost always rushed to the shade of a tree or an interior location before checking my email.

I've already mentioned that curious little email bug, involving IMAP accounts, which infects the stock email app, plus other apps that apparently use its engine, such as InoMail (which is designed to mimic the look and feel of Apple Mail for iOS). You send a message, and check it on a Mac or PC, using the Sent mailbox, and you are apt to see the text displayed twice. It doesn't appear to happen with Gmail, which is understandable I suppose, but I've tried several other accounts and duplicated the symptom every single time. It even happens with Apple's iCloud.

I've already had one of Samsung's product managers confirm the bug, which I first discovered with the Galaxy S3. It's not serious in the scheme of things, but it clearly demonstrates a troubling lapse in fit and finish.

When it comes to the S4's special features, it's also hit or miss. Smart Scroll is supposed to do just that. When you tilt your head or the smartphone, text is supposed to scroll to the next screen. When setting up Smart Scroll, even the fastest setting produced a leisurely response. I set the feature to recognize a tilt of the handset rather than my head, but I ended up having to move it to almost a 45 degree angle for it to actually do anything, and it still doesn't work reliably. To me, it's a waste, and I gather reviewers have also had a hit or miss experience, although I expect Consumer Reports will be impressed.

I also expect some potential customers may just prefer an S4 free of Samsung's excesses, and buy the pure Android version when it comes out, possibly in June. It would be nice to recover a few GB of that wasted space, so maybe I'll ask Samsung if they are willing to exchange this device for that one.

While some might criticize the look and feel of the slippery plastic case, you can easily open the back to replace the battery or add an SD memory card. Once placed in a leather or plastic case of some sort, it really doesn't matter all that much. You're really paying attention to the display anyway.

In the scheme of things, the Samsung Galaxy S4 is the sort of minor refresh for which Apple would get criticized severely. At the same time, the S4 still represents the best that the Android platform has so far delivered. Now we have to see what Apple comes up with when they unleash the next iPhone.

STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS: A FUN-FILLED BUT DERIVATIVE SEQUEL

Well the summer movie season is upon us. Hollywood's studios have begun to unleash expensive blockbusters, one more costly than another. "Iron Man 3," again starring Oscar nominee Robert Downey, Jr., has already grossed more than a billion dollars worldwide, which means a healthy profit after the $200 million production budget and marketing costs are considered. If you think that's expensive, I gather "The Lone Ranger," with Johnny Depp as Tonto, cost over $225 million to produce.

The continuing popularity of the latest "Iron Man" flick may have somewhat overshadowed the impact of "Star Trek Into Darkness," J.J. Abrams' latest effort to reinvent an aging franchise. In its first week, exhibiting at fewer theaters than "Iron Man 3," "Trek" managed a tad over $84 million in domestic ticket sales, although it was expected to hit $100 million by some.

As a long time "Trekker," I enjoyed the first film, "Star Trek," released in 2009. The new cast, featuring Chris Pine as Captain Kirk, and Zachary Quinto as Spock, handled a difficult assignment credibly. Pine nailed Kirk as the young, impulsive future starship captain, but I thought some of the humor got a bit silly. It also seemed that Abrams tried too hard to demonstrate the size of the starship Enterprise by having too many scenes depicting people running from one end of the craft to another.

The latest film also has lots of running, including a scene where the ship's engineer, Scotty, played admirably by Simon Pegg, was running from one end of a shuttle hangar to the other. He even ran out of breath at the end of this little exercise. In passing, Pegg almost nails Scotty, but doesn't have the authority of the late James Doohan, who originated the role. Quinto's Spock is a work in progress. The continued presence of the original, Leonard Nimoy, who has a tiny cameo in the second film, clearly demonstrates he has a long way to go.

Costing a reported $190 million to produce, which includes IMAX and a 3D version, it's clear where Abrams spent most of that budget. The special effects are well done and slick, but the film offers plenty of personal moments in which the cast shines. And, by the way, I saw it in 2D on a large, but normal screen at one of the local multiplexes. I felt 3D would be wasted, and, after watching the film, I'm convinced my decision was correct.

Spoiler Alert! I suppose the cat is out of the bag now, so I will confirm that Benedict Cumberbatch, gives a typically British over-the-top portrayal of the main villain, who is first identified as John Harrison, a rogue Starfleet officer, but is soon revealed to be none other than Kirk's worst enemy, Khan. Is he better than Ricardo Montalban? I haven't decided.

Now remember that the new "Trek" takes place in an alternate time line, so what happened in the original series can be referenced, but things are apt to change drastically. That's particularly true with "Star Trek Into Darkness," where Khan is dealt with in a different fashion, but one that still reflects his evil nature.

Overall, I enjoyed the film, but felt that Abrams and his screenwriters tried a little too hard to make a familiar story seem different, so it wouldn't be directly compared with "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan." But it has to be, and thus the final act of the film comes across as somewhat derivative, and you almost feel the screenwriters made a bullet point presentation of the original plot, and proceeded to alter specific points to make it seem as different as possible. Perhaps they learned a little too much from the schemes Samsung and Microsoft employ to add features to a new product.

As with all popcorn thrillers, the proof is in the box office. Despite the shortfall in the U.S., things may be more favorable in the overseas market, where studio experts expect twice the ticket sales of the first film. Indeed, since word-of-mouth is extremely favorable, "Star Trek Into Darkness" may still do well enough at the box office to earn a third film. The only question is whether Abrams will direct again now that he's inherited the "Star Wars" franchise.

I'll probably watch most of the summer films on Blu-ray later this year, but Mrs. Steinberg and I have already planned on seeing "Man Of Steel," the reimagining of the granddaddy of all super heroes, which debuts in the U.S. on June 14.

THE FINAL WORD

The Tech Night Owl Newsletter is a weekly information service of Making The Impossible, Inc.

Publisher/Editor: Gene Steinberg
Managing Editor: Grayson Steinberg
Marketing and Public Relations: Barbara Kaplan
Worldwide Licensing: Sharon Jarvis

Copyright 1999-2013 Making The Impossible, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Privacy Policy: Your personal information is safe with us. We will positively never give out your name and/or e-mail address to anybody else, and that's a promise!]]> Sun, 19 May 2013 22:02:40 +0000 http://www.technightowl.com/forum/threads/your-tech-night-owl-newsletter-issue-703.1082/ http://www.technightowl.com/forum/threads/your-tech-night-owl-newsletter-issue-703.1082/ Gene Steinberg Gene Steinberg I want to get a Mac mini, and I wonder if I should wait a couple months more to see if they are refreshed. Apple has made no mention of this lately.
I think the Mac mini is perfect for my extra bedroom/office, because I will use it along with my Xbox 360 and the Dish Network to a 24" Samsung HDTV.
Anyone have any specific recommendations? I am going to get the iCore 7 model for $100 more. How does that compare to the 2.33gGHz Intel Core 2 Duo that was in my Macbook Pro? Is more than the 4GB RAM necessary to use Final Cut Pro? Thanks.]]> Sat, 18 May 2013 18:03:44 +0000 http://www.technightowl.com/forum/threads/mac-mini-refresh-anytime-soon.777/ http://www.technightowl.com/forum/threads/mac-mini-refresh-anytime-soon.777/ Lendroid Lendroid 4
Welcome to The Tech Night Owl LIVE Community Forums!

We welcome you aboard, and hope that you'll have a great time here with our community as well.]]> Sat, 18 May 2013 17:59:29 +0000 http://www.technightowl.com/forum/threads/welcome-loveless-to-the-tech-night-owl-live-community-forums.1081/ http://www.technightowl.com/forum/threads/welcome-loveless-to-the-tech-night-owl-live-community-forums.1081/ Gene Steinberg Gene Steinberg
Welcome to The Tech Night Owl LIVE Community Forums!

We welcome you aboard, and hope that you'll have a great time here with our community as well.]]> Sat, 18 May 2013 17:59:29 +0000 http://www.technightowl.com/forum/threads/welcome-renhuber-to-the-tech-night-owl-live-community-forums.1080/ http://www.technightowl.com/forum/threads/welcome-renhuber-to-the-tech-night-owl-live-community-forums.1080/ Gene Steinberg Gene Steinberg
Welcome to The Tech Night Owl LIVE Community Forums!

We welcome you aboard, and hope that you'll have a great time here with our community as well.]]> Sat, 18 May 2013 17:59:29 +0000 http://www.technightowl.com/forum/threads/welcome-jsdktglr83-to-the-tech-night-owl-live-community-forums.1079/ http://www.technightowl.com/forum/threads/welcome-jsdktglr83-to-the-tech-night-owl-live-community-forums.1079/ Gene Steinberg Gene Steinberg
Welcome to The Tech Night Owl LIVE Community Forums!

We welcome you aboard, and hope that you'll have a great time here with our community as well.]]> Sat, 18 May 2013 17:59:29 +0000 http://www.technightowl.com/forum/threads/welcome-asgofcoenonezed-to-the-tech-night-owl-live-community-forums.1077/ http://www.technightowl.com/forum/threads/welcome-asgofcoenonezed-to-the-tech-night-owl-live-community-forums.1077/ Gene Steinberg Gene Steinberg
Welcome to The Tech Night Owl LIVE Community Forums!

We welcome you aboard, and hope that you'll have a great time here with our community as well.]]> Sat, 18 May 2013 17:59:29 +0000 http://www.technightowl.com/forum/threads/welcome-alyssaol-to-the-tech-night-owl-live-community-forums.1076/ http://www.technightowl.com/forum/threads/welcome-alyssaol-to-the-tech-night-owl-live-community-forums.1076/ Gene Steinberg Gene Steinberg 1
Welcome to The Tech Night Owl LIVE Community Forums!

We welcome you aboard, and hope that you'll have a great time here with our community as well.]]> Sat, 18 May 2013 17:59:29 +0000 http://www.technightowl.com/forum/threads/welcome-jessglase-to-the-tech-night-owl-live-community-forums.1075/ http://www.technightowl.com/forum/threads/welcome-jessglase-to-the-tech-night-owl-live-community-forums.1075/ Gene Steinberg Gene Steinberg
Welcome to The Tech Night Owl LIVE Community Forums!

We welcome you aboard, and hope that you'll have a great time here with our community as well.]]> Sat, 18 May 2013 17:59:29 +0000 http://www.technightowl.com/forum/threads/welcome-fuehololf-to-the-tech-night-owl-live-community-forums.1073/ http://www.technightowl.com/forum/threads/welcome-fuehololf-to-the-tech-night-owl-live-community-forums.1073/ Gene Steinberg Gene Steinberg
Welcome to The Tech Night Owl LIVE Community Forums!

We welcome you aboard, and hope that you'll have a great time here with our community as well.]]> Sat, 18 May 2013 17:59:29 +0000 http://www.technightowl.com/forum/threads/welcome-equiquehiepay-to-the-tech-night-owl-live-community-forums.1072/ http://www.technightowl.com/forum/threads/welcome-equiquehiepay-to-the-tech-night-owl-live-community-forums.1072/ Gene Steinberg Gene Steinberg THE TECH NIGHT OWL NEWSLETTER
***Issue #702***
May 13, 2013

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO DONATE TO THE NIGHT OWL

Although ads help cover a small part of our expenses, the income they produce is never enough to pay a decent wage. Also, we do not receive any revenue from the ads placed on the radio show by our network or local stations. So we hope you're able to help fill the gap, if you can, to help us cover increasing server costs and other expenses -- or perhaps provide a little extra cash for lunch and utility bills. No contribution is too small (or too large . It's easy to send a donation. We have a Donate link on our home page on the left sidebar, or on the radio show page below the logo and audio player. There's also a Donate link on our forums, at the bottom of the sidebar on the right. Or just send your PayPal donation direct to sales (at) technightowl (dot) com. And if you've had a problem getting to our Donate screen, please try again. We recently fixed a serious PayPal access problem, and it should work properly now.

THIS WEEK'S TECH NIGHT OWL RADIO UPDATE

How are software publishers dealing with the problem of enticing customers to buy paid upgrades to their apps? Well, one way is to offer so many compelling new features that you can't afford to pass it by. Another is, of course, to charge for an update required for compatibility to a new OS, as Microsoft once did with the transition to OS X, but there's usually a feature or two to justify the price of admission.

One solution is just to rent rather than sell you the software. That way you pay, and pay, and pay again until you decide you don't want to use the app, or pick another product. Now Microsoft's option with Office 365 is a hybrid approach, where you can buy the app as you do now, or subscribe and get value-added features that include cloud storage.

Adobe's move is more drastic. While the last version of the Creative Suite (CS6) will continue to be sold and supported with maintenance updates, if you want to take advantage of the latest and greatest features for Photoshop, InDesign and the rest of the suite, you will have to subscribe to the Creative Cloud. Now Adobe has given users of CS3 or later a cheaper path for the first year, after which individuals will have to pay $50 per month or $600 per year for the rest of their lives.

As you might expect, Adobe's Creative Cloud scheme was front and center on this weekend's episode of The Tech Night Owl LIVE, where we presented Peter Cohen, co-host of the "Angry Mac Bastards" radio show and Executive Editor for The Loop, to discuss the question of whether we want to buy or rent software, using Adobe's decision to move development of their content creative apps to the Creative Cloud as a prime example.

You'll also learned how to preserve your digital memories with Greg Scoblete, co-author of a new eBook, "From Fleeting to Forever: A Guide to Enjoying and Preserving Your Digital Photos and Videos," who explained how to make sense of your growing library of digital photos and videos.

We'll also featured Avram Piltch, Online Editorial Director of Laptop magazine, who detailed the "7 Ways to Give Back on Twitter and Facebook," and the "10 Best Apps for Bathroom Breaks." You also heard about the results of the magazine's tests of Samsung's flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S4.

On this week's episode of our other radio show, The Paracast: Gene and Chris return to the nuts and bolts fundamentals of flying saucers by presenting Peter Davenport, director of the National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC), who discusses the key UFO cases that he outlined during his presentation before the Citizen Hearing on Disclosure, and his opinions about what the government might really know about the UFO mystery.

Now Shipping! The Official Paracast T-Shirt! We're taking orders direct from our new Official Paracast Store, where you can place your order and pay with a major credit card or PayPal. The shirts come in white, 100% cotton, and feature The Paracast logo on the front. The rear emblem states: "Separating Signal From Noise." We've also added a huge selection of additional special custom-imprinted merchandise for fans of our show, along with a redesigned storefront.

DO YOU HATE APPLE?

In fact, do you hate any company? Do you hate Microsoft if you're a Mac user, or Samsung if you prefer the iPhone and iPad? What about hating Ford if you prefer a Honda, or Mercedes-Benz if there's an Audi in your driveway?

Does it even make sense to despise the company whose products you don't buy? Well, maybe you might if you once bought something from a company and were dissatisfied. But is that any reason to despise them? What a waste of energy!

But that didn't stop a certain financial publication from publishing a blog that listed "10 reasons to hate Apple." The writer in question claims to have received all sorts of attacks from people who didn't appreciate it when he wrote anything that would be perceived as favorable to Apple, but the initial version of his list is perfectly silly.

The first is that "Apple is arrogant," largely because the company believes that its products are best. But you could say the same thing about any company that delivers a product with pride. I'm sure Microsoft believes that Windows 8 is the greatest personal computer operating system ever, and that, if we give them a break, we'll come to accept that oh-so-obvious fact. But, yes, they are already making changes for Windows "Blue."

Moving on to the second complaint, which is to some extent a myth, there's the claim that "Apple is closed." Really? Well, yes the iOS is a closed system when it comes to building apps for it. Apple must approve any submission, and they can withdraw approval at any time. Some developers claim that their stuff is being rejected for arbitrary reasons, but with 800,000 apps to chose from, it does appear that the vast majority of submissions are being accepted. It's also true that Apple has embraced a number of open standards, such as HTML5 instead of Adobe Flash; the latter is obviously a proprietary system.

But what about the Xbox gaming console? Isn't that a closed system too? But if you don't like an Xbox, go to Sony or Nintendo. If you don't like the iOS, choose Android, Windows Phone or even BlackBerry. Why does it even matter?

Door number three suggests "Apple wants total dominance," which could be true except for the fact that the Mac never had a majority share of the market, and in the twilight of the PC era, still won't. The iPhone has done remarkably well in rising up from zero, but it's also clear that Apple will never fill every little segment of the market, which means you may end up going elsewhere.

We also learn that "Apple is greedy." Hello! What about Microsoft, Samsung, or any company that exists to make a profit?

The next argument has it that "Apple's stuff is overpriced," but is the $199 you spend on a subsidized iPhone 5 more than the $199 you spend on a subsidized Samsung Galaxy S4? Apple tends to play in the midrange to high-end of a market, which is where most of the profits are made. Sure they can sell cheap stuff at cheap prices, and earn little or nothing. But aside from Amazon, how many companies live long and prosper without a decent profit?

The next argument uses the Maps fiasco to suggest that "Apple's stuff doesn't work." This flies in the face of most reports of product reliability that put Apple at or near the top of the heap. Apple software has problems from time to time, and some of their gear suffers from premature failure. But compare that to any other tech company, and you'll see they are but one of many.

Only two more of the remaining 10 reasons are worth a comment One is that, by choosing Tim Cook to succeed Steve Jobs, "Apple has lost its mojo." So "Apple is doomed" because of the death of Jobs, figuring that there's nobody left at Apple who has the guts and the ability to innovate, and turn an untapped market upside down. Nobody else.

Now it's easy to find some measure of reality behind all these reasons, even though they tend to repeat old myths. There are loads of ways you can criticize Apple, as even devoted followers of the company know full well. To me, however, it's an excise in futility. Some people just need a life.

THE ZVOX Z-BASE 580: SURROUND SOUND IN A SINGLE BOX

Here's the score: You know that the sound your TV produces isn't so good, and that pretty much applies to the vast majority of sets except for a handful of special models, such as the $5,000 Bose VideoWave II Entertainment System. An otherwise ordinary 46-inch LCD set with LED backlit display, the Bose sports a tricked out audio system that's designed to provide a faux surround sound experience without having to install a separate multiple speaker system.

But you don't have to spend such a princely sum to get good sound for your set. There are loads of options that cost well below one thousand dollars that will deliver a credible audio experience for both music and blockbuster action films.

Even though it ordinarily takes at least five speakers, plus a subwoofer, to deliver a decent approximation of the surround sound experience you receive in a movie theater, there are alternatives that promise to get you at least part of the way there, with fewer boxes. Some companies offer a 2.1 system, which means two speakers and a single subwoofer, which employ digital audio trickery to simulate surround sound.

If space in your TV room, be it a living room, bedroom or basement, is at a premium, the multiple speaker system may just be too much to handle. Sure, you can reduce cable clutter with wireless rear speakers, but that still might not suit your room decor. But there are also sound systems that promise to do it all with a single box, known as a sound bar, which contain multiple speakers spread across the unit that rely on even more sophisticated digital audio trickery to do their thing. Some of these systems are sold with a separate subwoofer, wired or otherwise, which enhances bass.

The ZVOX Z-Base 580, available for a street price of $499, serves double duty, both as a single box system, and as a convenient base for most any high definition TV weighing up to 160 pounds. Just by means of comparison, the 55-inch Vizio E551D-A0 that I'm currently reviewing weighs just shy of 54 pounds with the stand installed. So it was a comfortable fit.

The Z-Base 580 is definitely equipped to rock on. The unit contains five 3.25-inch "main" speakers with a long-throw design. The low-end of the frequency spectrum is handled by a pair of 6.5-inch subwoofers in ported enclosures. ZVOX uses bi-amping to feed the bass directly to the subwoofers. For techno geeks who care about such things, it's a Class D digital amplifier with a 120 watt rating. Frequency response is specified at 34 Hz – 20 kHz, and several reviews have confirmed the specs are very realistic.

What this means is that you get a wide frequency range, lacking only the very lowest bass fundamentals, in a 36-inch wide box that weighs a fairly hefty 33 pounds. ZVOX's proprietary PhaseCue II circuitry provides the faux surround sound effect. The company isn't claiming you get the full equivalent of a genuine 5.1system from this feature, but it "is capable of generating a wonderful and engaging virtual surround experience." There are actually three virtual surround settings, with choice number two offering the best compromise for general listening.

Setup is relatively quick. You place the Z-Base 580 on a regular TV stand, and, in turn, center the TV on the 580. No, you won't hear any cracking and straining. The medium density fiberboard cabinet is perfectly capable of handling the weight without straining. There are inputs at the rear for analog and digital audio cables, plus the power cord. A tiny remote control completes the package.

The only difficulty I encountered was programing a Logitech Harmony 900 universal remote to support the Z-Base 580's remote. Logitech's interface is not well designed, and I had to engage in a few trial and error exercises before things mated up nicely.

When it comes to actually delivering a credible theater audio experience, the Z-Base 580 acquits itself well. As I said, it's not real surround sound, but it comes fairly close. I played a few Blu-ray movies, including 2009's "Star Trek" from J.J. Abrams, and Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight Rises," and I was able to hear the appropriate ambiance to the sides and sometimes at the rear of the room in which the TV was installed. There were the appropriate thumping effects on deep bass, with just a trace of boom on some notes. Mid-range and treble were clear, crisp, and surprisingly natural. Music reproduction was quite good for what is a relatively small system.

As sound bases and soundbars go, The Z-Base 580 is priced on the high-end of medium, but it's a bargain. It's not just well-built and simple to set up, but manages to deliver a reasonable amount of the true moviegoing audio environment in your own home. You can order direct from the company, and benefit from a 30-day money-back guarantee in case you're not satisfied. But if you carefully tailor your expectations, you will definitely want to keep it.

THE FINAL WORD

The Tech Night Owl Newsletter is a weekly information service of Making The Impossible, Inc.

Publisher/Editor: Gene Steinberg
Managing Editor: Grayson Steinberg
Marketing and Public Relations: Barbara Kaplan
Worldwide Licensing: Sharon Jarvis

Copyright 1999-2013 Making The Impossible, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Privacy Policy: Your personal information is safe with us. We will positively never give out your name and/or e-mail address to anybody else, and that's a promise!]]> Sun, 19 May 2013 22:02:40 +0000 http://www.technightowl.com/forum/threads/your-tech-night-owl-newsletter-issue-702.1071/ http://www.technightowl.com/forum/threads/your-tech-night-owl-newsletter-issue-702.1071/ Gene Steinberg Gene Steinberg
Welcome to The Tech Night Owl LIVE Community Forums!

We welcome you aboard, and hope that you'll have a great time here with our community as well.]]> Sat, 18 May 2013 17:59:29 +0000 http://www.technightowl.com/forum/threads/welcome-alejandro-to-the-tech-night-owl-live-community-forums.1070/ http://www.technightowl.com/forum/threads/welcome-alejandro-to-the-tech-night-owl-live-community-forums.1070/ Gene Steinberg Gene Steinberg
Welcome to The Tech Night Owl LIVE Community Forums!

We welcome you aboard, and hope that you'll have a great time here with our community as well.]]> Sat, 18 May 2013 17:59:29 +0000 http://www.technightowl.com/forum/threads/welcome-vanbreede-to-the-tech-night-owl-live-community-forums.1069/ http://www.technightowl.com/forum/threads/welcome-vanbreede-to-the-tech-night-owl-live-community-forums.1069/ Gene Steinberg Gene Steinberg
Welcome to The Tech Night Owl LIVE Community Forums!

We welcome you aboard, and hope that you'll have a great time here with our community as well.]]> Sat, 18 May 2013 17:59:29 +0000 http://www.technightowl.com/forum/threads/welcome-connorchr-to-the-tech-night-owl-live-community-forums.1068/ http://www.technightowl.com/forum/threads/welcome-connorchr-to-the-tech-night-owl-live-community-forums.1068/ Gene Steinberg Gene Steinberg
Welcome to The Tech Night Owl LIVE Community Forums!

We welcome you aboard, and hope that you'll have a great time here with our community as well.]]> Sat, 18 May 2013 17:59:29 +0000 http://www.technightowl.com/forum/threads/welcome-carlos-leon-to-the-tech-night-owl-live-community-forums.1067/ http://www.technightowl.com/forum/threads/welcome-carlos-leon-to-the-tech-night-owl-live-community-forums.1067/ Gene Steinberg Gene Steinberg THE TECH NIGHT OWL NEWSLETTER
***Issue #701***
May 6, 2013

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO DONATE TO THE NIGHT OWL

Although ads help cover a small part of our expenses, the income they produce is never enough to pay a decent wage. Also, we do not receive any revenue from the ads placed on the radio show by our network or local stations. So we hope you're able to help fill the gap, if you can, to help us cover increasing server costs and other expenses -- or perhaps provide a little extra cash for lunch and utility bills. No contribution is too small (or too large . It's easy to send a donation. We have a Donate link on our home page on the left sidebar, or on the radio show page below the logo and audio player. There's also a Donate link on our forums, at the bottom of the sidebar on the right. Or just send your PayPal donation direct to sales (at) technightowl (dot) com. And if you've had a problem getting to our Donate screen, please try again. We recently fixed a serious PayPal access problem, and it should work properly now.

THIS WEEK'S TECH NIGHT OWL RADIO UPDATE

When the CEO of a major tech company says something dumb, you wonder if it's just a misstep, or whether that person is in over his or her head. Consider the recent comments from BlackBerry CEO Thorsten Heins that tablets aren't profitable. He certainly wasn't the first CEO to denigrate a product category in which a company failed. Since BlackBerry couldn't produce a successful tablet, nobody could.

Part of the problem is that the media isn't asking these people serious questions, such as how can he make a claim like that in light of the success of the iPad? Can he dismiss a product that is growing by leaps and bounds?

Now when it comes to starting a new company, not everyone gets a fat wad a cash from the capital markets. Sometimes it just takes persistence, luck, and getting a few breaks along the way, especially in the face of severe cross winds. On this weekend's episode of The Tech Night Owl LIVE, we presented a real rags to riches story from Tim Angel, owner of ZooGue, a company that manufactures cases for iPhones, iPads and other mobile gear. A high school drop-out, Tim was unemployed when he hatched the idea for a new iPad case, and, with lots of work and finally a little financial help along the way, began a successful peripherals company.

You also heard from tech journalist Rob Pegoraro, a weekly columnist for USA Today, who reported on Samsung's latest flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S4, why Wall Street has gone insane over Apple, the worth, or lack thereof, of Facebook Home, and the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and their "Who Has Your Back?" summary of how major sites defend your privacy from government intrusion.

Next up on this week's show, cutting-edge commentator Daniel Eran Dilger, from Roughly Drafted Magazine and AppleInsider, talked about those peculiar comments from BlackBerry's CEO that tablets will be a non-factor within five years, and have never made profits, despite the evidence of the iPad's ongoing success. Daniel also continued his evaluation of the mobile platform wars, and why tech and financial pundits continue to misunderstand Apple.

On this week's episode of our other radio show, The Paracast: Direct from the Citizen Hearing on Disclosure, held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., Gene and Chris present an extensive back and forth discussion of the proceedings, which involved dozens of mostly top-flight UFO researchers and witnesses speaking to former members of the U.S. Congress. The key issue, above all, is whether the conference will actually expand government and scientific interest in the subject.

Now Shipping! The Official Paracast T-Shirt! We're taking orders direct from our new Official Paracast Store, where you can place your order and pay with a major credit card or PayPal. The shirts come in white, 100% cotton, and feature The Paracast logo on the front. The rear emblem states: "Separating Signal From Noise." We've also added a huge selection of additional special custom-imprinted merchandise for fans of our show, along with a redesigned storefront.

THEY KNOW WHAT APPLE IS GOING TO DO

Apple is legendary for having a strong penchant for secrecy. The game plan is simple: Until they are ready to announce a new product, you won't hear anything about it. Well, at least officially, yet in the weeks before the launch date, there will be a lot of rumors and speculation about what's going to happen.

Now most of those rumors are nothing more than that. Or people are making guesses, some good, some bad, based on Apple's previous behavior. That allows them to predict when a product might be refreshed. Looking at Intel's processor roadmap, it's very possible to choose the likely chipsets for a new Mac, although delivery dates might vary.

Apple did sort of quash the timeline for new iPads last fall, upsetting the annual cycle, so there is now talk of a fall refresh for both models. That Tim Cook already announced that new products would arrive this fall would seem to set the delivery dates in stone. At least that's what it seems.

But that doesn't mean all product intros won't happen until September or later. Intel's new Haswell processors are due to ship in June, which means that updated MacBooks, iMacs and Mac minis could appear that month to fill the retail chain and boost Apple's profits for the June quarter. But they'd simply be product refreshes, new models essentially the same as the existing models with more powerful parts.

The announcement might even be made at the WWDC, but such changes normally would be heralded with a press release and a handful of media interviews with key Apple executives. Nothing significant about that.

We also know, from Apple's pre-WWDC chatter, that the next versions of iOS and OS X will be demonstrated. This appears to mean that developers will get prerelease copies, and have two or three months to get their stuff compatible before the actual release dates. Somewhere close to fall, give or take a few days, would fit with Cook's timeline.

There are also published reports that Sir Jonathan Ive has pulled engineers from OS X to finish up iOS 7. The delay was occasioned by the decision to do a major overhaul of Apple's mobile OS. This is in keeping with the appointment of Ive to manage the software interface, and his insistence on minimalist design, and perhaps a desire to make iOS more consistent and enhance key features, has made the project that much larger and more difficult to complete.

With OS X, delaying the introduction of 10.9 from the expected July timeframe to September doesn't seem to be a serious issue. It not as if Apple will sell fewer Macs as a result, whereas iOS is the glue that holds together the company's most profitable products. You expect a new iPhone to arrive this fall with iOS 7, so it makes sense for Apple to do what's necessary to meet the deadline without releasing a supremely buggy product.

To be sure, the public outcry over the faults in Maps last year have no doubt encouraged Apple to double down on proper testing. With the decision to allow the hardware and software teams to collaborate, it means that there will be less working in vacuums, which should make product development more efficient. Or more cumbersome unless Ive makes sure all those extra cooks don't slow things down. That's where good leadership comes in.

But the real question is whether all this chatter about Apple moving OS X engineers to iOS, and the new features you should expect in iOS 7 and OS 10.9, can possibly be true. After all Apple has said nothing about it, though thousands of Apple employees and perhaps a few selected third parties already have access to the prerelease software.

I suppose it's possible some loose lips are responsible for at least some of those apparent leaks. But that makes less sense with software. When it comes to hardware, Apple is dealing with a number of component makers, any one of whom might accidentally or deliberately reveal something to the press. When Apple is paying a company hundreds of millions of dollars to build custom chips, they can't just go down the street and pick another company to get the job done. Even if it was possible, it would take months to whip production lines and chip fabrication facilities into shape, so Apple has to expect some information leakage.

However, when mainstream journalists are reporting about the goings on inside Apple, it's fair to expect that you might be reading about an official leak, information key executives are presenting on deep background. Since Apple hasn't announced anything, there's plausible deniability. They don't comment on unreleased products, but the truth is out there anyway.

Obviously, we'll all know the answers in a few weeks, at least from the software side of the equation. It's also reasonable to assume WWDC will bring news about refreshed Macs, and perhaps the next version of the Map Pro, but I don't claim to have any inside sources. And if I did, I probably couldn't tell you anyway.

SO MUCH FOR APPLE'S DECLINING SMARTPHONE MARKET SHARE

The common story these days is that fewer people are buying iPhones, Samsung is virtually locking up the market, and that Google's Android OS is rapidly gaining market share against iOS. But common stories don't always add up to common sense, or even facts.

While it's true that Android remains dominant around the world due to the fact that so many cheap smartphones run Google's OS, that doesn't mean Apple is really suffering.

Even though profits were down this past quarter, Apple still makes more than other companies. More to the point, Apple remains top dog in the U.S. smartphone market, according to a ComScore survey. In sales, Apple took 39 percent of the market, compared to Samsung at 21.7 percent. The rest were also-rans. Apple also gained against Android, although Google's free OS still held 52 percent.

I suppose Samsung has the advantage this quarter with the introduction of the Galaxy S4, which I'll be reviewing shortly. HTC will probably also do well with the newest version of their One smartphone, which has also received some pretty positive coverage.

One way Apple is competing is to just make the iPhone available in more places. T-Mobile has been running a big TV ad campaign proudly announcing that they are now offering the iPhone, and Apple has also inked U.S. Cellular. This combination should add a few million iPhone sales this quarter to help counteract the expected downturn.

Android's biggest advantage is overseas, particularly in emerging markets where there are loads of cheap smartphones that really undercut the iPhone. This is fuel for demands that Apple must enter the low-cost market, something the company continues to resist with the argument that they won't build junk. But that doesn't mean less expensive gear must be junk. Certainly the iPod shuffle and the Mac mini aren't junk. They are well made and affordable.

Apple can point to the fact that you can buy an iPhone 4, a 2010 model, free with a two-year contract. But in countries where people don't buy subsidized handsets, that's a non-starter. During the most recent quarterly call with financial analysts, Cook did hint at more aggressive pricing for the older iPhones, which seems to indicate a potential for an entry-level iPhone. It all depends on how Apple would handle such a product.

Some pundits are claiming Apple will release such a device in limited quantities and focus distribution strictly in the third world. But that hardly makes sense. The cheap iPhone will only become truly profitable with high sales. I suppose one concern is whether mass distribution of a cheaper iPhone would somehow cannibalize sales of the more expensive model. But half of the iPhones sold now are not the flagship iPhone 5, so does it really matter?

If Apple makes conquests against Android with an up-to-date but more affordable iPhone, that could, I suppose, greatly expand the market. And if the price is reasonable, Apple still earns a decent profit. Indeed, some suggest that a cheap iPhone is a mid-priced smartphone to the rest of the industry. But since it has the Apple logo on it, it becomes an aspirational device that might attract customers even if they had to pay more to get one.

Indeed, it does appear that the iPhone 4 has already made the argument for an iPhone mini, or whatever Apple chooses to call it. To those who think it won't happen, consider the iPad mini. Sure, sales of the larger iPad suffered, but the potential market was also expanded.

Unfortunately, it's hard to know actual global market share. The recent IDC report had it that the iPad had gone below 40%, but since other companies report shipments into the channel rather than actual sales, as Apple does, it's hard to know how many are still sitting unsold in warehouses or on dealer shelves.

But when you look at Web metrics, Apple dominates. You almost think that people who own smartphones and tablets from other companies don't go online, or keep them in the desk drawers. Or maybe most of them are still boxed in warehouses and stockrooms, because they were never actually sold, despite what IDC reports.

THE FINAL WORD

The Tech Night Owl Newsletter is a weekly information service of Making The Impossible, Inc.

Publisher/Editor: Gene Steinberg
Managing Editor: Grayson Steinberg
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Copyright 1999-2013 Making The Impossible, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Privacy Policy: Your personal information is safe with us. We will positively never give out your name and/or e-mail address to anybody else, and that's a promise!]]> Sun, 19 May 2013 22:02:40 +0000 http://www.technightowl.com/forum/threads/your-tech-night-owl-newsletter-issue-701.1066/ http://www.technightowl.com/forum/threads/your-tech-night-owl-newsletter-issue-701.1066/ Gene Steinberg Gene Steinberg
Welcome to The Tech Night Owl LIVE Community Forums!

We welcome you aboard, and hope that you'll have a great time here with our community as well.]]> Sat, 18 May 2013 17:59:29 +0000 http://www.technightowl.com/forum/threads/welcome-mellietlucas-to-the-tech-night-owl-live-community-forums.1065/ http://www.technightowl.com/forum/threads/welcome-mellietlucas-to-the-tech-night-owl-live-community-forums.1065/ Gene Steinberg Gene Steinberg
Welcome to The Tech Night Owl LIVE Community Forums!

We welcome you aboard, and hope that you'll have a great time here with our community as well.]]> Sat, 18 May 2013 17:59:29 +0000 http://www.technightowl.com/forum/threads/welcome-mellietlucas-to-the-tech-night-owl-live-community-forums.1064/ http://www.technightowl.com/forum/threads/welcome-mellietlucas-to-the-tech-night-owl-live-community-forums.1064/ Gene Steinberg Gene Steinberg
Welcome to The Tech Night Owl LIVE Community Forums!

We welcome you aboard, and hope that you'll have a great time here with our community as well.]]> Sat, 18 May 2013 17:59:29 +0000 http://www.technightowl.com/forum/threads/welcome-ola72o-to-the-tech-night-owl-live-community-forums.1063/ http://www.technightowl.com/forum/threads/welcome-ola72o-to-the-tech-night-owl-live-community-forums.1063/ Gene Steinberg Gene Steinberg
Welcome to The Tech Night Owl LIVE Community Forums!

We welcome you aboard, and hope that you'll have a great time here with our community as well.]]> Sat, 18 May 2013 17:59:29 +0000 http://www.technightowl.com/forum/threads/welcome-nicolrstes-to-the-tech-night-owl-live-community-forums.1062/ http://www.technightowl.com/forum/threads/welcome-nicolrstes-to-the-tech-night-owl-live-community-forums.1062/ Gene Steinberg Gene Steinberg