NumberWiz Sums Solution 356 and 781

Last blog post presented two NumberWiz sums, one rather difficult, the other a lot less convoluted.

1. (the difficult)
Add, subtract, multiply or divide the following six numbers 2 5 9 9 50 100 to get 356.

Solution: (50 - (9 + 2)) * 9 + 5 = 39 * 9 + 5 = 351 + 5


2.

Add, subtract, multiply or divide the following six numbers 1 6 9 25 75 100 to get 781.

Solution: 75 * 9 + 100 + 6

Another solution: (9 - 1) * 100 - (25 - 6) = 800 - 19 = 781

NumberWiz Examples 356 and 781

NumberWiz was updated recently, and that's a good enough reason to try new sums.


Here it is, and it's fairly difficult:
Add, subtract, multiply or divide the following six numbers 2 5 9 9 50 100 to get 356.


Here's a less difficult one:
Add, subtract, multiply or divide the following six numbers 1 6 9 25 75 100 to get 781.

Send an email or answer in a comment if you like.

iPhone6 speculation

One thing most pundits agree on, and would have agreed on even six months ago, is that iPhone6 will get a larger screen. It now seems there will be two screen sizes, 4.7" and 5.5".

The step from iPhone4's 3.5" to iPhone5's 4.0" I think added a lot to the user experience. The home screen offers one full row of icons and web browsing improved greatly. At the same time iPhone remained a device you can use with one hand. That's quite important to a lot of people. I often use just one hand, but when writing I most often use both hands. A thinner design also helps keeping iPhones one-hand devices.

I've seen several smashed iPhone screens although iPhones have durable and damage resistant Corning Gorilla Glass. With sapphire crystal glass, smashed or scratched screens should be driven into no-existence. Furthermore it means your iPhone can join the keys and coins in your pocket without being scratched - well the screen at least - but the backside might still be vulnerable. 

There are rumors about a protruding rear camera. I think that's unlikely, because it's not elegant enough and the device will easily wiggle on a plain surface.

iPhone6 will be presented on September 9th and probably be available to consumers on the 19th. A lot of us are looking forward to the event. I like those Apple events.


Reference: http://www.macrumors.com/roundup/iphone-6/

What's the Difference Between a Smartphone and a PC?

There's a fundamental difference between iPhones and Android phones. iPhone software and hardware is controlled solely by Apple. Android software is in Google's hands and the hardware running Android software is in multiple hands. Apple's model generates enormous profits, while the Android model is a low margin one, at least for the hardware makers.

How Samsung, LG and HTC would love to be like Apple! They'd love to have their own sleek hardware running their own fantastic software. However they've chosen to let their smartphones run Android, which they don't own and don't control. They chose this path because they don't think there's room for more than two platforms. That's the general consensus.

I think there's an even simpler reason. They know they can't come up with both hardware and software that can beat Apple's. Going it alone is much more difficult than choosing either hardware or software, but it pays handsomely - if you're successful.

So why did I choose the headline about smartphones and pc's? It's because PC history is repeating itself in the smartphone market. In the PC arena you have those trying to make attractive PC's and the sole software maker Microsoft. The hardware makers barely survive while Microsoft reaps all the profits. This is a striking similarity.

What can we expect then in the Android market? We can expect to see low prices and dull smartphones. Consumers will prioritize price over anything else when they buy Android devices. There will be some rather nice smartphones too, but not many. Those willing to pay premium price for a nice device will go for iPhones, as they already do.

I think hardware and software must always be controlled or owned by the same company, if truly great results are to be achieved. It would be interesting to know if any economists have studied the subject.

Nokia Squared

There's a new Nokia and it's called Nokia X2. Perhaps the proper name is "Nokia Squared" or "Nokia multiplied by 2". At any rate, it does have that distinguished ice-block Nokia look.
This device is for those of us who like the rectangular form. The box is rectangular and the buttons on the screen are big squares:

I think it's very good looking! To me it's a true Nokia design: uncomplicated and clean.

The most astounding about it is that it's NOT a Windows phone, but an Android phone. The first Android phone from Microsoft since Nokia became 100% Microsoft owned.

Here's some key data: 4.3" screen, 1.2 GHz dual-core CPU, dual-SIM.

I love all those beautifully designed shiny smartphones, whether it's from Apple or Nokia or Samsung. Great designs, but, they wouldn't survive long in my breast pocket, if it weren't for those anti-slip covers I always use. There are some great covers for sale, but they all defeat the phone designs! What is the point of a perfect design that is always covered up in some kind of case? I suggest Apple go for an anti-slip phone a.s.a.p. I suspect the solution may not be so much a design feature as a material feature. I wonder if it's possible to make a material that shines, but doesn't slip.



Reference: http://techcrunch.com/2014/06/24/nokia-x2/

Chromecast is Fun

Chromecast is a thumb-sized media player that you plug into an HDMI connector on the TV. 

You also need to connect power to it, either from a power outlet or from a USB-port on the TV. That's because the HDMI-port can't feed enough power to it.

Chromecast's wow-factor is that it can show the same content on the TV-screen as what you have on your iPad or iPhone. That doesn't mean you have to keep the iPad's screen on while watching. In fact you can press the home button or even turn the iPad off. I'm saying this so you get a feeling for how it works. You might say it turns your iPad/iPhone into a remote control. Needless to say I hope, Chromecast being Google's baby, you can use Android pads and phones too.

I use it to watch YouTube. With Chromecast you have exactly the same user interface as you have when watching YouTube videos on your iPad, including pause/play! That's the key feature of the device.  A TV that offers a YouTube-button comes nowhere near the user friendliness of Chromecast. 

You need a Chromecast enabled app running on the iPad/iPhone to use Chromecast. Video services and TV-companies all over the world are working hard to become Chromecast enabled. Netflix already has an app and so have these services HBO Go, Hulu Plus, Pandora, Google Play TV & Movies, Google Play Music, Avia, Plex, and many more.

The YouTube app enables you to create a play queue. All you have to do is decide whether you want to play a clip immediately or later. In the first case you press the play button, else you press the queue button.

If there's more than one iPad connected to the Chromecast you can take turns in selecting clips, but you can also enjoy fighting over who is the Chromecast master :-) We tried it here and had a great time.

Ubuntu + XBMC = Great viewing

As I said in the previous post I've been experimenting with the Linux-distribution Ubuntu on the family PC, the one with the family photos and videos. Using XBMC for viewing photos and videos is absolutely great, because it works so well and is so visually attractive.

One thing that adds quite a lot of wow is that XBMC has its own http interface. Assuming you have a wireless network at home and an iPad or iPhone say, you can use that device as a remote control when viewing pictures and videos with XBMC. All you have to do is enter the address http://192.168.1.67:8080 (and bookmark it) in the browser of your iPhone and you'll see this:

That's a remote control with arrow buttons, enter/ok, back and home button. There are volume control buttons, play/pause/stop and some more.

Ubuntu + XBMC is very attractive visually and works perfectly!