How much checking do we perform that our code is running as intended? I found a curious bug this weekend, which made me think about some of the assumptions that we use when programming. Imagine sorting an array using JavaScript. var arr = [10, 5, 66, 8, 1, 3]; arr.sort(); So far, so normal. Create an array of numbers, then sort that array. The result should always be [1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 66]. …
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My new commute involves a lot of driving, which means I've started listening to podcasts again. One of my favourite mobile related podcasts is The Voicemail - it's a quick half hour chat between two mobile industry experts; Stefan Constantinescu and James Whatley. Stefan has been travelling for the last few weeks, so James has been co-hosting with guests. I've never recorded a podcast before,…
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The latest version of the Chrome Browser for Android has introduced a curious rendering bug. When scrolling, I notice that the font hinting seems to break down. This makes the text very "juddery". It looks like the fonts shrink and grow and they scroll. This is very disorienting when reading. In this example I've noticed that once I've stopped scrolled the page, the fonts are hinted…
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Last week I blogged about a pretty severe flaw in some of Samsung's phones. If you use copy & paste too many times - the phone reboots or resets. So, I ranted and raved on my blog and in the press. Samsung wouldn't respond to me - either through customer support or through their PR team. Nice way to treat a paying customer, guys! There is an OTA update for the Galaxy Note II - taking it to…
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Terence Eden is on Mastodon@edentSamsung phones crash if you use copy & paste more than 20 times. developer.samsung.com/forum/board/th…Shockingly bad engineering.❤️ 18💬 13🔁 020:04 - Wed 20 February 2013 Sounds crazy, doesn't it? If you copy and paste text more than 20 times, your phone will restart! Some people have reported more severe crashes than that - but for me it is only (!) a soft resta…
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Like a prize idiot, I went to work yesterday, but left my laptop at home. Prat! So, time to put the Samsung Galaxy Note II through its paces. I've had the phone for a couple of months and been really pleased with it. But I sensed that I hadn't really used it in anger. I decided to spend the whole day trying to do my work only using the GN2. And, to make the challenge more exciting - no…
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There's been a little bit of confusion in the blogosphere recently about the true cost of smartphones. Ewan Spence points out that the iPhone actually costs $2,000. An instant response by Bill Palmer points out that Nokia's Windows 8 smartphones cost $2,500 Dead link.. The US and European markets are radically different in how they operate and advertise. The US tends to advertise phones as…
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...or do I just need new glasses? I'm not a graphic designer. I find it hard to get into the mindset of excellence through beauty. I understand user flow, interactions, happy paths, delighting the user, humane design, and so on - but when it comes to the art of making something look nice I'm all at sea. I understand that, as Aral Balkan so perfectly puts it, design is not veneer - but that…
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So, here are my mobile predictions for 2013. Although I work for Telefonica, this blog is personal and my day job doesn't involve any of the products or services listed here. I've deliberately left of the boring predictions. Yes, Android will get bigger. No, iPhone won't release a budget model, etc. BlackBerry 10 I want this to succeed. But I don't see it. I had a play with a demo device a…
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I've written before about CDI's AppsForGood initiative. They work with schools and help students develop apps. Currently, they are working with 100 schools across the UK to deliver courses to more than 5,000 students. If you work in the mobile industry, you should volunteer to be one of their experts. Spend just 30 minutes having a Skype chat with a group of excited teenagers, share your…
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I've always been a bit obsessed with space. I think all true geeks are. It was probably Star Wars that set off my star lust. For the last few years, I've been pondering getting a telescope. Like many of my plans, it sat in the back of my head waiting for me to get off my lazy arse and do something about it. I halfheartedly researched telescopes online, glanced at them occaisionally in the shops, …
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For the last few years, I've been using Y-Cam security cameras to guard my home. I've stuck a couple up around the house. I can monitor what's happening, get email alerts when movement is detected, and can stream the video to my phone. The latest versions also upload photos and videos directly to my server so - in the event that they detect anything interesting, I have a backed up copy. They …
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