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Beta doesn't always mean better
Once upon a time when you bought something new it worked
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Once upon a time when you bought something new it worked.
This was an important concept that underpinned the modern world. Imagine trade without it: "I've got a new bed here. Want to buy it? We've not tested it, so there's the slight possibility both ends may snap together in the middle of the night and break you like a twig."
"Er, no thanks, I'll stick with sleeping standing up in a cupboard."
We buy stuff that we assume works and does what it says it will do on the box. A car. A fridge. A nuclear shelter.
But when it comes to software and online services, this concept seems to have, well, broken.
Now everything we use has a "beta" label on it, meaning it's not actually officially ready. And we've gotten so used to the idea that everything is "beta" that we're excited when it does work, and unsurprised when it doesn't.
This all started a few years back, when software companies released early versions of their programs to nerds so the nerds could find the bugs and suggest improvements.
They usually got the software for free - at least the beta version - and so everyone benefited.
But the idea has changed.
First came the idea of making software and online services free. It began with the browser, and now it's possible to load your computer with software and online services without paying for any of them.
But there's a price nevertheless.
Companies, basically, needed to push things out more quickly in case someone came along with a better idea. And they figured out that if they kept the beta label on their stuff they could avoid customers yelling at them that their product was rubbish.
Now when something bad happens to a beta product we shrug our shoulders. We don't pay for the stuff - directly - and so we don't believe we have any recourse.
Google's online email service Gmail, for example, went offline for a few hours a few weeks back. Millions of users suddenly found they couldn't access their email. Google was suitably contrite and things were working again relatively quickly.
But it still woke a few of us to the fact that - despite it being five years old - Gmail still carries four little capital letters below its logo: BETA.
"What do you expect?" people say. "It's beta."
And others say: "And it's free."
True. But a lot of us pay for parts of those services.
I bought extra storage for my Gmail account, for example. Does that make me a paying user of Gmail, or just a bit of a fool for shelling out for something that is still just beta?
And don't forget that Google make their money from you in other ways: by sifting through your emails to find better matches for the ads they run alongside.
You'd be hard pressed to find an online service nowadays - email, photos, videos, file storage - that doesn't carry a beta tag.
I tried Microsoft's Office Live widget, for example, which in theory should allow me to save and share word and spreadsheet files online.
Sounds great. But I could never make it work.
Beta, the mantra goes, means broken.
But there's a growing notion that it somehow means "better". We've become addicted to having the latest version of something; we've let our standards slip.
We think that the newest version of something is the best.
Which would be true, if the beta version was kept in a locked drawer and given only to those who knew what they were handling.
(Some companies do this right: Mozilla's Thunderbird, for example, is an email program that is now into its third version. But its creators make clear that this version is beta, and that means only for those who love testing new things and know what they're letting themselves in for.)
The thing is, this idea of beta testing on the general public has extended to hardware. The iPhone. The Google Android phone. The Amazon Kindle.
All great products, but which had vital bits missing or needed improving on, and are only now, in their second or third iterations, anywhere near being ready for prime time.
(And before I get the Apple fans knocking on my door, answer me this: Why has it taken three versions, and a couple of years, for the developers to come up with a way for users to copy one bit of text and paste it somewhere else?)
I'm not suggesting that we avoid all beta products. We can't; we wouldn't be able to do anything.
But we need to think of what we're sacrificing here: Not just the customer's right to expect a certain level of quality.
But increasingly we entrust our treasured photos, email, videos and files to services that, by their own admission, aren't actually ready for the general public.
So, while I encourage experimentation with this stuff, I don't recommend using it for critical stuff.
(c) 2009 Loose Wire Pte Ltd
This story cannot be reproduced without written permission from the writer. Jeremy Wagstaff is a commentator on technology and appears regularly on the BBC World Service. He can be found online at jeremywagstaff.com or via email at jeremy@loose-wire.com
Say hello to Generation F
kidswirl.com
Eager to connect: Copying regular Facebook's layout and color scheme, Kidswirl offers a facebooking experience for children.
facebookforkids.com
Safer communication?: Facebook for kids website claims to provide an online communication platform which is safer for children.
personal technology
Jeremy Wagstaff
COMPUTER REVIEW
Cool Eee Nettops that let us work quietly
Zatni Arbi
Contributor/Jakarta
Lovers of do-it-yourself usually go to ASUS stores to buy high-quality computer parts, as ASUS full-featured notebooks are not as popular as those from Acer, Dell, HP, Lenovo, NEC or certainly Toshiba.
However, early last year, it ushered in a new model line that it called Eee PC. It was a runaway success. Today, ASUS is considered the pioneer of the Atom-based netbooks. Virtually all the other notebook makers now have their own netbook offerings, too, as they try to grab a piece of the netbook pie. By the way, in case you wonder what the triple "e" stands for, it is a marketing slogan abbreviated from "Easy to learn, easy to work and easy to play."
Last week, I was very lucky to have the opportunity to play around with two outstanding Eee's lent by ASUS Indonesia, namely, the EeeBox and EeeTop PC. The EeeBox is a very small form-factor CPU. It is what Intel would call a nettop - except that ASUS still throws into it the Intel Atom N270 processor, which is designed for netbooks. To be truly a desktop-bound nettop, the manufacturer is supposed to use Intel Atom 230 or 330, which does not have the power management feature.
My EeeBox demo unit, the EeeBox B202, came with 1 GB of memory and a 2.5-inch 80 GB hard disk. It also had four USB 2.0 ports, two at the back and two in front. For connectivity, it had 802.11n Wi-Fi. All I had to do was plug the antenna into the back of the box and it was immediately connected to my wireless LAN at home. The audio subsystem was provided by Realtek, and we can set the sound to come out from the speakers plugged into the rear or the headphones plug in front.
The front cover hides the power button. Despite its small size, the box gets only a bit warmer after being left running the whole night.
Currently, ASUS Indonesia offers the EeeBox bundled with a monitor, a mouse and a keyboard. If you choose Windows XP Home as the operating system, the price will be US$478. If you opt for XP Professional to come on it, the price will rise to $559.
The EeeTop PC was launched recently. The demo unit that I had was an ET1602, which has integrated graphics. It is a fashion nettop that comes complete with its own LCD screen, keyboard and mouse in one shipping box. The entire CPU is housed in the back of the display, much like Apple's iMac and HP IQ500.
I must applaud the attractive design of the EeeTop. But the best thing is definitely the display, which is actually a touchscreen.
The display panel is a wide, 15.6-inch LCD in the 16:9 ratio. The screen's maximum resolution is 1366x768.
There is also a 1.3 MP Webcam on top of the screen. While the mouse is just so-so, the keyboard is nice to use. It does not have a separate numeric keypad, but we can use it like a notebook computer's keyboard.
The speakers, located right under the screen, are acceptable for audio-assisted typing but not powerful enough for playing music or watching movies. At the back of the screen and CPU are three audio ports.
The EeeTop PC also runs on Intel Atom N270 processor. Its specs include 1 GB of DDR II memory, a 160 GB SATAII hard disk spinning at 5400 rpm, six USB ports, audio ports for 5:1 surround sound, a card reader, Wi-Fi and a Gigabit Ethernet port. Too bad ASUS does not throw in Bluetooth support. The CPU/monitor weighs 4.3 kg. ASUS Tranquiller Technology is effective enough to keep the unit cool after hours of usage.
You can take the cute EeeTop PC home after parting with $599. The price is very reasonable as it comes complete with a touchscreen that is sharp enough and lets us work effectively with our fingertip.
On the EeeTop PC, one push on the power button will power up the computer and the monitor. The EeeBox also has the one-push operation, but we still have to switch off the display monitor and that will be a two-push operation.
What would be the best scenarios for nettops like these two? They are good for extra PCs at home, especially the all-in-one EeeTop PC. We can place them anywhere in the house. Because they are Internet-centric, they are great for Web surfing, Facebook updating and even VoIP-based communication using tools such as Skype. If this is what you want, take a look at the EeeBox and EeeTop PC first.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Asus.com
Fresh touch: Following its runaway success in Eee PC netbooks, Asus has brought the tiny but complete Eee Box as well as the stylish Eee Top at reasonable price points.
