Showing 1 - 7 of 7
Imagining a world without cash
Life, James Hein, Published on 08/05/2024
» How safe are you in a purely digital economy? If you are carrying cash, someone can of course rob you, or you can lose it or give it to someone. You can also have a stash of it at home for emergencies or for buying something from a garage sale. For the most part, you retain control over any cash you manage. Electronic cash can still be stolen and your ability to spend it can be taken by someone else if your details get into the wrong hands. However, it's convenient, just tap and go, or in some cases, just wave your smartphone over a pad. While you have no idea where your money actually is, a small piece of plastic, your watch or a phone can retrieve it for you for a payment. You can even use it to get cash from a wall.
Windows 10 sales decline
Life, James Hein, Published on 23/03/2016
» Microsoft's Windows 10 was always going to be somewhat of a "Hail Mary" as far as PC sales were concerned. In recent analysis from IDC both PC and notebook sales are expected to be lower this year but only at around the -0.5% mark. If governments and organisations suddenly decide to all upgrade to Windows 10 then this could move into positive territory but we will need to see what happens this year against predictions. The free upgrades didn't help hardware sales either with the obvious result that replacements are deferred. Smartphones and tablets continue to be blamed for poor sales but the general global economy is a better source to assign cause and in reality PCs and notebooks are still the staple of business users in offices.
2015 tech scene, with Hein-sight
Life, James Hein, Published on 30/12/2015
» So how did the tech sector fare in 2015?? As far as the Chinese phone manufacturers, they made a lot of ground.
The Chinese are coming
Life, James Hein, Published on 07/01/2015
» This will be the year of the Chinese phone manufacturers.
As predicted, several predictions were wrong
Database, James Hein, Published on 29/12/2010
» It is that time of year when I look back and see how my annual predictions went. This was a bit of a strange year for the technical world because we are still in the effects of a financial crisis. Major buyers like the US have high unemployment and less disposable income to drive the buying that drives the release of new toys. This meant that things happened slower than they normally would in a growing economy.
Resistance to change is futile, but persists
Database, James Hein, Published on 17/11/2010
» Have you ever noticed how governments, MPs, public servants and large, old organisations are very slow to adopt new technologies and embrace change?
Crackdown on torrents is not the right way forward
Database, James Hein, Published on 28/04/2010
» It is that time again where the powers that be, in this case in the UK, are trying to crack down on torrents. I can understand this from the movie and music industries’ limited point of view because they believe that they are losing billions of dollars, or in this case pounds. I can also see the government’s perspective; they want protect industries. I can even understand the downloader’s and sharer’s point of view in the UK. as they get charged twice as much as the US for most media products.