ANTISOCIAL NETWORKING: AMANDA TODD COULD HAVE BEEN SAVED!

ANTISOCIAL NETWORKING

I have written some blogs on this subject matter that you may have read on my blogsite or through the Synapse Circuit website. However, through the shockwaves of Amanda Todd’s suicide, which should be classified as murder, I feel compelled to write this article.


CYBERBULLYING
Cyberbullying is nothing new! Ever since we’ve been able to join chatrooms and forums there have been many a “flame war” where chatroom and forum members hurl abuse at each other for whatever reason. Usually the reason or reasons is / are so idiotic it beggars belief! If you have read my blogs on the subject matter you’ll know that I have experienced people trying their hardest to bully me within forums, owned by software companies, for no reason other than I run successful online magazines. The usual dumb thing that I get accused of is being a “spammer” when turns out that I am nothing of the sort! In fact a lot of people either do not have a clue at what “spam” is or they make it up as they go along! When people decide to make things up as they go along you can bet that jealousy is behind it. And with jealousy comes spitefulness.

I have learned that there are some genuinely retarded people out there. No, I don’t mean that in the usual insulting manner. Absolutely not! It is unfortunate fact that there are people who are not able to reason both on or offline. That’s a fact! I have painstakingly gone into great detail with those who, as it turns out, aren’t able to understand simple logic and reasoning. It is a scary and mind boggling thing to experience when individuals cannot understand simple concepts and take things way out of a context that you wouldn’t have imagined. One can quickly get into a situation whereby all of a sudden you are dealing with an equally retarded mob or clique!

The best thing one can do is to not waste one’s time with such folk.

WITH TECHNOLOGY COMES A GREAT RESPONSIBILITY
With the technological advancement of communications we are able to have a visual presence in the form of pictures and video… Most of the planet has taken out some form or forms of cyber-real estate i.e. Facebook, Twitter, etc. Whenever we present ourselves in the digital-flesh, if you will, we open ourselves to vulnerability unknown. This notion is exacerbated by the fact that almost anyone can get a hold of our personal details! Facebook’s security is a joke and any one of us could be the punchline! Facebook has made some terrible faux pas with our private information!

THIS IS A PREVIEW! YOU CAN READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE IN FULL AND FOR ABSOLUTELY NOTHING @ www.SYNAPSECIRCUIT.com

IS THAT WHAT OUR DAUGHTER'S ASPIRE TO?

EXPOSURE: SEX AND THE INTERNET
The media at large has been influenced by porn that has been greatly exploited by the Internet. We can see this with the number of female “celebrity” who has little to offer than their enhanced bodies. If you look at the transformation of the (in)famous glamour model Jordan aka Katie Price you might notice that she would not look out of place on the cover of a lewd DVD.

If you look at the music industry and the videos of these “stars” they are very much soft porn and worryingly these images are beamed out at peak-time family viewing. Our children can see performers like Beyonce gyrating in a very obvious sexual manner. What effect is it having on the children who are routinely exposed to it?

Censorship is a bit of a mockery because they – the appointed censors - deem certain material to be fit for adult viewing and by the term “adult” we take it to mean physicality and not necessarily mentality. Or some of us assume that with physical development comes mental development. We know that what the “adult” mind perceives can vary! There are adults who believe in racism and Hitler’s views on the subject. There are male adults who believe that women should not be educated and so on. Adults have sexually assaulted and raped. Porn can be a sometimes playful or childish way to view sexuality – depending on what side of the fence you are sitting. Not every mind can handle what porn is. Adults like Gary Glitter and Jimmy Savile should have known better!

Sexuality in the media has allowed children to focus on how they look. Girls want to be beautiful and may have plans for surgical enhancements as soon as they reach the legal age. Boys want to be the Adonis – charming and potentially dangerous! Children as young as eight already know about the subject of homosexuality / lesbianism. I shudder to think what they talk about in the playground. When I was a child of around six or seven I recall children within the same age bracket tell jokes of a sexual nature that I didn’t understand. Whereas today’s children of the same age probably do understand! It appears as though today’s children have a desire to be rich and famous; they have a taste for glamour.

THIS IS A PREVIEW! YOU CAN READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE IN FULL AND FOR ABSOLUTELY NOTHING @ www.SYNAPSECIRCUIT.com

FACEBOOK DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT US!

LIMITED POSSIBILITIES
Official: Facebook Does Not Care A Damn About You Other Than To View You As Money!

Facebook has always taken liberties with its users and now they have taken things too far!

I don’t know about you, but I am tired of all these ads Facebook keep placing on my profile! “Drop a dress size...” I don’t wear dresses! “The Electronic Cigarette Exposed...” I don’t even smoke! “Tips for white teeth...” I use a toothbrush and toothpaste! The constant ads are pissing me off!

Now Facebook wants me to pay to “promote” my important posts!

Here’s something you didn’t know about me...

A few years ago a Facebook friend of mine cried out for help and because the programmers (sic) of Facebook changed the nature of the status updates I didn’t see my friend’s cry for help! She took her life and I blame Facebook partially for this. I hate most of their changes – if not all of them!

Amanda Todd could have been saved!

THIS IS A PREVIEW! YOU CAN READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE IN FULL AND FOR ABSOLUTELY NOTHING @ www.SYNAPSECIRCUIT.com

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT: GALAXY NOTE II REVIEW

SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE II

Just look at the spec:

5.5” HD Super AMOLED 1280x720 display

Powerful 1.6 GHz quad-core processor
16 / 32 / 64GB User memory ＋ 2GB (RAM)

microSD up to 64GB

Android Jelly Bean Operating System

8MP camera

S-Pen stylus with optimised suite of apps

Colossal 3100mAh battery

WOW!!!!

SERENDIPITY
Yes, one of my handsets was up for renewal and I chose the Galaxy Note II! I loved the initial Note, I thought it was one of the best handsets ever! I loved the big 5” screen that made video an absolute pleasure! I so wanted to upgrade last year but I was locked into a 24 month contract! I had to wait patiently for the Note II and I am so glad that I waited!

When I opened up the box I felt like a boy at Christmas!

THE ADVANCED S PEN
Remove the S Pen from its place and it immediately launches the Note app! Very handy for taking down numbers! The S Pen now previews media such as a gallery or video just by hovering over it! Cool! What’s more you can actually write with it just as you would an ordinary pen! The suite of Note apps is excellent and come with good templates that can be customised the result can export to PDF! Great stuff!

The S Pen also acts as a mouse of sorts to interface with the handset!

THIS IS A PREVIEW! YOU CAN READ THE REVIEW IN FULL AND FOR ABSOLUTELY NOTHING @ www.SYNAPSECIRCUIT.com

THE APPLE PR MACHINE 2

THE APPLE PR MACHINE 2: FULL THROTTLE
What can I say about some of these tech “reviewers” out there? Sniff, sniff… I can smell smoke! Yes, I am on about the rave reviews for the iPad Mini! Here’s some of the garbage they’ve been saying…

“The iPad Mini is better than the competition…” where the actual build of the tablet is concerned! But in truth the aluminum case is prone to scuffing, scratches and dents!

In my opinion I think the Nexus 7 and 10 is suited to being handled; you’re not going to treat with kid gloves… “Oooh, my precious…”

“The screen is ok and there’s more space than on the Kindle Fire and Nexus 7…” Do you see how the review plays down the fact that the Nexus 7 features a real HD screen? Sure, the reason why there’s more screen space on the iPad Mini is because it’s a 7” tablet! Duh???? The mini is 7.9”! I don’t know how the reviewers can compare a 7.9” tablet with a 7” one! It would be totally understandable if the tablets were of equal proportions! But it’s not… You notice how the reviewers will say how close the competitors come to the dazzling retina display, but here the reviewers are pleased with the lackluster 1024 x 768, so that the resolution is 163ppi on the mini! Oh…

“It’s so wonderfully thin…” C’mon, the tablets are thin enough! If they get any thinner you’ll be holding an acetate sheet in your hand!

These so called reviewers will try and find anything negative to say about the competition! I think that is so, so very bad for the trusting readers!

The only thing that the iPad Mini has going for it are the apps! As I have said before, the asking price is an epic fail! Are Apple iDevices users as thick as the adverts make them out to be? Are they really falling over themselves to get a hold of the thing? $329 for the pile of junk that was the iPad 2 compared to the quad-core, HD screen Nexus 7! C’mon! Yeah, I know that iPad apps are very good, but as an Apple fan you’d be better off with the iPad 4 – but it’ll be out of date in 6 months! iPad 3, anyone? I didn’t think so!

AND GUESS WHAT????
Yes, the reports say that Apple have presold 300 Gazillion iPad Mini units! Ok, I am exaggerating but so are the reports! The only way these things will shift is when non-technical folk think that they are buying a smaller version of the flagship i.e. with the retina display! I wonder if they’ll be able to spot the difference! Will they demand their money back upon realization?

I don’t think Apple have anywhere near a million preorders! Apple is trying the same ol’ trick: tell people that the mini preorders are off the scale hoping, like sheep, you’ll follow suit!

As predicted Apple shares have dropped with the announcement of the mini! No surprise there! I think the surprise was that Apple didn’t release a 7” tablet to put the cat amongst the pigeons! Instead they released an expensive pile of crap! I gotta say that I like that the iPad Mini has a thin bezel to allow for more screen and that’s about it!

But there is trouble in paradise… Scott Forstall was asked to leave the company after he refused to sign his name to a letter apologizing for shortcomings in Apple's new mapping service. If everything was so good and Apple are selling millions of iPhone 5 and mini preorders then why bother going to all that bother of writing a public apology and firing the guy when he, quite rightly, refused to sign his name to it? That just goes to show that Cook and Schiller are liars; Tim Cook never mentioned the Apple Map failings when there was ample opportunity! “Ladies and gentlemen, I have to tell you that our Maps aren’t quite there yet but we have left Google Maps intact…” How difficult would that have been? Now who has egg all over their faces?

Just like the sales of iPhone 5 fell short of expectation so will the iPad Mini! Yes, they’ll keep up the charade until the stats are released.

Why do they bother, huh? I dunno!

Thank you so much for reading!

Please check out Synapse Circuit Magazine!

Best wishes!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ANDROID!

NOVEMBER 5^TH ANDROID’S BIRTHDAY
What can I say that you don’t already know, huh? Android has been a force to be reckoned with ever since it came out five years ago today! It has usurped Apple iOS only because Android has the amazing ability to grace so many makes of handset! Android is firmly on the map (sorry, Apple)!

But where’s the party? Where are the extra 5 or the other two Android devices, huh???? I guess it could be bad taste to celebrate after the devastation Sandy left in her wake! There again, isn’t that what Americans are about: Business as usual in great adversity?

SCANNERS
Have you ever seen the smashing hit movie of the 80s, ‘Scanners’ by David Cronenberg? The ending reminds me of the battle between iOS, iPhone and Android! “We’ve won…” You have to see the film – it’s awesome!

It is said that Android takes up over 52% of the US market share, but I am convinced that the percentage is higher! I estimate it at being somewhere around 60% and I predict that come 2013 that percentage will get higher! Why? It’s because we ain’t seen nothing yet! And Apple keeps boxing itself into a corner with their ill-conceived rhetoric and mind numbing adverts going on about the hand… The less said about that ad the better! It’s obvious that people have gone and are still going crazy about the Galaxy SIII – ok, it’s not quite the vanilla Android experience, but Android 4.1 Jelly Bean works great with the SIII and when it gets upgraded to 4.2 it will be even better! Samsung, as you know, aren’t resting on their laurels – oh no! There’s already talk of the Galaxy SIV that is expected around April or May! I wonder if Samsung will drop their TouchWiz overlay for their classy widgets and apps?

There will be more handsets from HTC, Huawei, Sony, LG, ZTE and I expect to see some phones coming from China! Oh, not to mention some tablets!

Speaking of tablets…

THE iPAD TOPPLES
The Nexus 7 has definitely had an impact on the tablet world and many Android fans have been dreaming of a 10” Nexus to challenge the iPad tablet dominance! The spec of the Nexus 10 certainly beats the iPad 3 and 4! However, Android users can’t live on great hardware alone! I am at a bit of a loss to understand why Google have not put an app development team together to get its products started in a major way! Why? I can’t say that I understand Google’s way at that point! I think from the moment they (Google) have a tablet in mind they ought to have a collection of apps ready to roll that will take advantage of the screen size, etc.

That said, I think that Jelly Bean is ready to deliver a great tablet experience! I reckon if you’re prepared to hang on for a short while the quality tablet apps will come! Apple has shot their load, so to speak, with the turgid iPhone 5, made from scraps iPad Mini and the premature iPad 4. There’s nowhere for Apple to go – unless they backpedal and release products that can appeal to technology fans and not iDevice fans!

Android appeals to technology fans and that’s why it has won and will continue to win! Another thing that Google needs to do is produce some adverts that will help potential users understand how powerful and how easy Android is to use!

IS ANDROID STILL FRAGMENTED?
Hmmmm… It’s a yes and no situation… Yes, in that with Gingerbread and Ice Cream Sandwich one does not get to have Google Now for example! Unless one is prepared to root the handset then it is possible to install elements such as the new gesture keyboard which I am using right now on my Galaxy S! I am running a Cyanogenmod version of Jelly Bean 4.1 and it is fantastic! It’s like I have a new handset!

No, in that Android does exactly what you want it to do whether it’s sharing photos with social networking sites, messaging apps, etc. You don’t really miss the new features in the latest versions! I would venture out to state that tablet users won’t notice too much of a difference between the versions other than the Jelly Bean speed! I’ve reviewed a number of Gingerbread and Ice Cream Sandwich based tablets without any problems! Therefore I think that any talk of fragmentation is a great exaggeration!

Android is still going strong!

Happy Birthday, Android!

Thank you so much for reading!

Please check out Synapse Circuit Magazine!

Best wishes!

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT: THE HEX FILES. iPAD MINI... THE TRUTH IS HERE!

Apple just can't help advertising the competition...

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT: THE HEX FILES... THE TRUTH IS RIGHT HERE!

APPLE HAS SOLD OUT OF PRE-ORDERS FOR THE WHITE iPAD MINI… YEAH, RIGHT…
Uh-oh… Apple’s hype machine has been cranked up to the max – again! Apple, Apple, Apple… C’mon, your ‘Wizard of Odd’ curtains have fallen down already… Why bother with your media hype wizardry when people are looking at the jokers in your pack?

iPhone 5 didn’t sell as anticipated. Analysts are saying that for each iPhone sold Samsung sells two Galaxy SIIIs!

Despite “record” iPad 3 sales Windows still dominate computing and web browsing followed by Android!

As a result Apple has not met profit expectations.

THE TRUTH: APPLE IS PANICKING!
Apple isn’t winning the legal battles outright! When they win they lose! Nothing they do can stem the Android tsunami! The bitter truth for Apple is that when they have a “victory” against Samsung (usually in American courts and trading standards) they (Samsung) sell more of their phones! The SIII is a fantastic phone as is the Note II, which will sell millions too!

When Apple loses they aren’t gracious – far from it! They have been ordered to apologize to Samsung, retracting their undue claims that the Galaxy Tab is a copy of the iPad by publishing the apology on the British Apple site. They couldn’t do it! They made a mockery of it! They say that German, Australian and American courts found Samsung guilty of copying when anyone with good iSight can see that the design is very different! But good on the UK courts that ruled in favor of Samsung! That makes me feel proud to be British! Apple goes on to mention the $1 billion that Samsung has been ordered to pay! Many in the industry are saying that Samsung will overturn the decision and I think so too! Oddly enough the Galaxy Tab 10.1 wasn’t found guilty of infringements and was put back on the US market!

Again, if Apple is selling as much as they say they are then why bother going trying to sue the competition if they don’t exist? Why does Apple keep thrashing Android tablets ever time they have an iPad press event if they aren’t selling? Have you noticed that they aren’t criticizing Android phones as much?

Also Microsoft and partners – including arch nemesis Samsung – are going to hit them with Microsoft 8 desktops, laptops and tablets. The Apple misinformation media (media that claim to report tech but hype Apple no matter what) are saying that Windows 8 is flawed, etc. Don’t believe most of these mediums!

Are they serious? Coming to a Computer Exchange shop near you soon...

Nexus 7, $199. iPad Mini, $329 and it doesn’t even have NFC whereas the Nexus 7 does! Ok, so the Nexus 7 doesn’t have a back-facing camera but once you have a decent handset a camera on a tablet isn’t an issue! Take a picture with your SIII and transfer it to the Nexus and use any one of the decent photo editing / manipulation apps! In fact you can buy a decent digital camera with what you save on the Nexus 7!

The Chromebook! It's a really good concept! 

Hey, why not invest in a Chromebook which starts at an amazing price of £229? Check it out! 

Check out Armando Ferreira's thoughts on the iPad Mini!

Thank you so much for reading!

Please check out Synapse Circuit Magazine!

HAPPY CREATIVE COMPUTING!