Samsung S5 UI Leaks →

Looks like Samsung is putting some effort into design cleanliness. Not something they're exactly known for. The question is whether they're giving the UI a genuinely fresh overhaul, or are we seeing a friendly face with the same Samsung clutter behind it?

It is worth mentioning that the "Samsung clutter" does enable a lot of niche uses for users, but it certainly doesn't lend itself to a clean user experience.

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Knowing Samsung, this leak is accurate (probably even intentional). I would also bet that the same old pile of (many useless, some useful) features are present somewhere.

91% of Cyber Attacks Exploit Java... The Language Used to Create Android →

Java is a nice introductory language, it is pretty ubiquitous, and it is platform agnostic. Those are likely the primary reasons for schools using it so frequently in computer science departments, the University of Colorado does anyway (and interviews I've conducted lead me to believe that is normal).

When Cisco reported that 91% of attacks exploited Java vulnerabilities, it triggered some concerns.

  1. Just take a minute and think about how shocking this is.
  2. Android is largely written in Java. No surprise that Android sees 97% of malware in the mobile space.
  3. Schools are too slow to adapt to changes in the real world.

Path Launches Windows Phone App →

Path is a simply wonderful social network. I connect with my close friends and family and we use the app to share more intimate moments that aren't appropriate for the public or large following of acquaintances. The app is beautifully designed on iOS, it is acceptable on Android, and now has finally launched for Windows.

Path has enjoyed noteworthy success, though is not, and will never be, the next Facebook or Twitter. The fact that it took them this long to launch on the Windows platform goes to show how much Windows is struggling in the smartphone realm. This isn't to say the platform isn't good, but it seems too be too little too late.

Don't Make Me Load One Page Per Slide

Top 10 This... Top 25 That... or just plain slide shows of a new car... somehow we still have websites that don't use dynamic slideshows. What is dynamic? Clicking 'Next' and having the photo advance without having to load anything else on the page, let alone the whole page. That is dynamic.

AutoBlog is just a notch under unbearable. They load a whole new page for the first photo, but subsequent photos load dynamically.

This is 2014. Static pages with slide shows haven't been even remotely acceptable for 3+ years. The admins for these sites should feel immeasurable shame. Please end the madness.

Reports of Apple Testing New Screen Sizes... Yawn →

If we reported on every screen size, material, product, and mold shape that Apple has tried, it would be like drinking from a fire hose. I'm not saying new screen sizes won't appear in new devices eventually, but let's be realistic.

  • iPad "Pro" - Nope*.
  • Larger iPhone - likely in the next 2 years. I would expect an announcement related to vector-izing graphics in the OS to be part of this.
  • Smart "Watch" - I don't see what Apple has to gain here. I think Gruber's idea of a new iPod with a watch strap is more likely, but even that isn't something I'd bet on. Once battery technology improves, I think this could change. Right now the batteries needed are far too large for a device worthy of the Apple brand.

*The time frame on the "nope" projection is 2-3 years. Not happening.