Sunday, May 10, 2015

A computer revolution through a child's eyes

A computer revolution through a child's eyes
Within moments of his first crack at an iPhone, my son, Levi, had figured out how to flip from one photo to another by flicking his finger across the screen. He understood with no coaching how to steer the simulated steel ball around the holes in the Labyrinth game by tilting the phone. He loves to type nonsense words on the notepad application using the virtual keyboard, deleting them once they've been read. In the three months since I got the iPhone 3G, Levi has learned to take photos, browse them, change the phone's wallpaper, and, unfortunately, turn off Wi-Fi and switch on airplane mode.My proudest moment came when Levi issued his first tweet, borrowing my account: "Eesfrrgjlphdvlksxnjjktwsdvnjmmkbvvnn." Though it was largely a matter of chance, of course, he could do it because he likes the cute bluebird icon of the Twitterific application, and touching it with his finger triggers entertaining interactions.And I was intrigued when Levi tried unsuccessfully to use the phone's accelerometer to play JellyCar, trying to spur the car by tipping the iPhone so the car would "roll" downhill faster. Note to JellyCar developers: your user interface needs work.Levi's first tweetCNET NewsAs a parent, of course, it's tempting to assume that Levi's accomplishments are the result of his astounding intelligence. But of course much of the credit has to go to Apple and others who've advanced the state of the interface art."Human beings are a lot more programmed to manipulate things with our hands and fingers," said Dan Saffer, a founder of Kicker Studio and author of Designing Gestural Interfaces. "I was at a party with a Microsoft Surface table. There was an infant playing with it, not even a year old, pushing photos around and squealing. It's amazing how much it makes sophisticated computing power accessible to a hugely wide segment of the population."Keyboards and mice aren't being replaced--they offer speed and precision for typing words, entering data, navigating documents, and issuing commands. But they are becoming just one of a host of mechanisms.Touch screens, available on some Hewlett-Packard computers, are a big part of the revolution, letting people interact more directly rather than relying on a mouse, joystick, or other indirect pointing device. Multitouch sensors, which can detect multiple fingers simultaneously, add more sophistication, such as the ability to shrink a photo by making a pinching gesture on a trackpad. Newer Apple laptops offer more extensive use of multitouch, though at this stage only through the trackpad rather than a touch screen.Levi took this picture of his feet with my iPhone while he was sitting in his car seat.LeviComputing devices also are getting ears and eyes. Speech recognition is available in rough form to power phone search on various phones with services from Yahoo, Google, Microsoft, and Vlingo. FluidTunes lets you control your iTunes library by waving your hands in front of a Mac's video camera.Intuitive, physical interfaces aren't just for kids. I was stunned to see my technophobic mother-in-law gleefully bowling with a Wii last year. Sure, she couldn't have installed Nintendo's still-popular gaming device if we'd paid her, but using it was as easy as tossing a pebble in a pond."There are Wii bowling tournaments now for elders. It takes a sport they love, but there's no weight of the ball anymore. They can play it in a wheelchair. It's a huge hit at nursing homes," Saffer said.It's not just that devices are easier to use when you can touch the interface, he said. It's that it's easier to learn by watching others use them."One interesting thing about touch screens is there's this whole realm of observation you don't have with standard computer setups, where the icons are smaller, and it's hard to tell what people are doing by watching," he said. "You can learn how to use an iPhone by watching people flip through it for a second. You can get it in a way you can't with a standard phone, where you're watching people push buttons to get through menus."Of course, immersion helps, too. Levi's parents spend altogether too much time punching at keyboards and staring at screens, so he's got plenty of examples to emulate his elders. As a camera buff, I'm delighted when Levi pretends to take pictures--he made a toy camera out of Lego once.A view of Microsoft's Surface device at the Sheraton Gateway Hotel shows a list of entertainment options for hotel guests.Stefanie Olsen/CNET NewsBut I vacillate between pleasure that he's learning how to use technology and fear that he'll grow up ignorant of the non-electronic world. I'm prone to inordinate "screen time," a term heavily freighted with negative baggage in our household, and Levi's childhood will be far more digitally immersed than mine.And perhaps worse, there's the prospect of losing my status as resident guru. There are plenty of more technically proficient people in my orbit, but none of them live in my house, and Levi doesn't ask any of them to read his typed nonsense words.Most families come to some sort of reckoning when their son beats their dad in basketball. Ours will come when my wife asks Levi for technical support.


Thursday, May 7, 2015

How to replace a broken front panel on your iPad

How to replace a broken front panel on your iPad
Once you've created a small gap in one area, work your way around the edge--heating and prying as you go. You'll need to leave spaceholders (like a plastic spudger or guitar pick) in the separated sections, to prevent the panel and case from sticking back together.You'll also need to be very careful when working to the right of the home button. The Wi-Fi antenna is attached to the panel here, and you'll need to gently pry it loose without damaging it.Bill Detwiler/CNETThen disconnect the LCD connector from the main board and set the display somewhere safe.You can now disconnect the broken panel. First, carefully flip up the two locking levers on the digitizer cable connector. As you remove the ribbon cable from the connector, you'll also need to gently peel it away from the main board's metal shielding.Bill Detwiler/CNET3. Remove the home button and camera plateWith the broken panel completely detached, you can remove the home button contact using the Phillips screwdriver. Then using the hair dryer again, heat and remove the bracket and button. Likewise, heat the metal camera plate and pry it loose with a thin blade.Bill Detwiler/CNET4. Install the home button and camera plate on the new front panelUsing the pre-cut adhesive strips or double-sided tape, attach the camera plate to the new panel. Do the same for the home button and the button bracket. Then reattach the home button contact with the screwdriver.Bill Detwiler/CNETAt this point, we're just testing the panel's fit and functionality, so we've haven't applied any of the adhesive strips. Turn the iPad on and verify everything works. If it does, turn the unit off, lift open the panel and apply the adhesive strips.Before closing the panel for the last time, carefully inspect the LCD and inside of the panel for dust. If you see any, gently remove it using a microfiber cloth or puff of air. Avoid touching the inside of the panel's viewing area or the LCD with your fingers or anything else that might damage these surfaces. Once you're sure both surfaces are clean, fold the front panel back onto the metal case and press firmly, but gently along the edges. After removing the panel's protective film (if it has one), your fix is complete.Bill Detwiler/CNETThis is a tough fix. But when done successfully, it can breathe new life into a broken iPad.For more teardown photos of the iPad and other tech, check out my Cracking Open blog on TechRepublic.


Sunday, May 3, 2015

An iPhone 3.0 software wish list

An iPhone 3.0 software wish list
Update: We now know the details of iPhone 3.0. Happily, it includes many of the features listed here. Check out the iPhone 3.0 details and read the live blog of the event.As iPhone owners await Tuesday's announcement of the iPhone 3.0 software, the Web is abuzz with speculation about what new features the update will bring. Of course, we couldn't let this opportunity pass without chiming in as well.Ever since the first iPhone was born more than two years ago, and following the introduction of the iPhone 3G last summer, we've made no secret that the iPhone lacks many features we think it should have. We've blogged a few times detailing our complaints, but here you can find a full list in no particular order.We've also browsed through your blog comments and e-mails to see the features that you hope to see. And please feel free to add anything that we've missed.Multimedia messaging - A very basic feature that every other cell phone has. Yet, the good news is that it appears to be a done deal. It's about time.Tethering - From our perspective there hasn't been a huge cry from CNET readers for this feature, but it looks like we're going to get it.Cut and paste - A no-brainer, and one we get from many CNET readers.Text forwarding - Another basic feature that every other cell phone has.A landscape keyboard - It works when using the Web browser, so why not when composing a message or e-mail? There is an app that brings this functionality, but we don't think that we should have to pay extra to get it--even if it is 99 cents.Voice dialing/speed dialing - We know there are apps, but why should you have to pay for functionality that almost every other cell phones has? Sneaky Apple.Real time turn-by-turn directions - This may take a new iPhone, but we're going to throw it in here anyway.Task manager/background processing - CNET readers have been divided on this feature, but we'd like the ability to toggle between running applications.Video recording/more camera options - Yet another feature many basic phones offer. And here again, we don't think that an app cuts it. We'd also like to have more creative control within the camera though options like a digital zoom, a self-timer and a brightness meter.Full search - We'd like this for e-mails, calendar items and contacts all in one convenient place. There are a few apps that bring partial search, but Apple's SDK currently prohibits apps with calendar searching.Send appointments to contacts - While we're on the calendar, we shouldn't have to wait until we're back on our computer to send meeting invites. What more, we'd like to forward contacts as well. Weekly calendar view - This is a small point, but it's one worth mentioning.Resend option for text messaging - As reader michaels1715 said, "Sometimes I want to repeat myself, but I don't want to have to type it all over again!"File transfer/mass storage - If you don't buy an app, you can only transfer files to the iPhone using iTunes. Of course, that makes it impossible to transfer third-party files or use the handset as a mass storage device. More Bluetooth profiles - Stereo Bluetooth may not have the best sound quality, but why not offer the choice of using it. Apple could always make more cash by building a stereo Bluetooth headset. And while we're at it, a Bluetooth file transfer profile would be welcome.Flash support - Just a thought.