Maps and Glass Houses

Many criticize Apple’s own Maps app in iOS 6 such as the melted Brooklyn Bridge. Remember that throwing rocks at glass houses is a lot easier than making a Map application. Let’s throw some rocks at those glass houses.

The melted Brooklyn Bridge in Apple Maps. Low quality satellite photo and raw elevation data do not produced a good automatically generated 3D view of the bridge.

There’s a little photo stitching problem, most likely because it is automatically done by software.

Apple is not the only one having problems making 3D maps. Google is having the same issues on different locations.

3D view of Golden Gate Bridge in Apple Maps:

3D View of Golden Gate Bridge in Google Earth:

Apparently there’s a floating road on the water next to the Golden Gate Bridge according to Google.

It is really easy to choose and pick the battle. Over time Apple will improve its Maps application just like what Google has been doing for the last 5 years. Google is not immune to some silly mistakes, that’s because the map is processed and assembled by some algorithms. There’s where human element is needed to make some adjustments and corrections.

Apple sold Five Million iPhone 5 on its first weekend.

Apple announced that it had sold over five million  of its new iPhone 5. Coincidence? Five millions of iPhone 5?

iPhone 5 First Weekend Sales Top Five Million

CUPERTINO, California—September 24, 2012—Apple® today announced it has sold over five million of its new iPhone® 5, just three days after its launch on September 21, and more than 100 million iOS devices have been updated with iOS 6, the world’s most advanced mobile operating system. iPhone 5 is available in the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and the UK, and will be available in 22 more countries on September 28 and more than 100 countries by the end of the year. Demand for iPhone 5 exceeded the initial supply and while the majority of pre-orders have been shipped to customers, many are scheduled to be shipped in October.

That means five million units of iPhone 5 in customers’ hands. Apple sold each and every unit in its inventory and yet to fulfill millions of other orders.

As usual, Apple disappoints the analysts and pundits once again since it failed to sell 50 millions of its iPhone 5 in one weekend.

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Opinion:
Analysts and pundits are making things up and they get paid for it.

 

South Park: Season 16 Episode 8 – “Sarcastaball”

South Park: Season 16 Episode 8 – “Sarcastaball” | video stream
As a concerned parent, Randy radically changes the way football is played at South Park Elementary. The new version of the game quickly becomes the nation’s most popular sport.  One gifted student emerges as a star athlete in sarcastaball.
Original Air Date: 2012-09-26 | Press Release

Watch “Sarcastaball” stream on South Park Studios starting Wednesday September 26th, 2012 at 11:00 p.m. Pacific Time until Tuesday October 2nd, 2012.

You can search for “South Park S16E08“, but you will not find any leaks before the episode aired. You can watch the preview, though.

Sarcastaball” Preview
“Help Me Sharon” – Sharon is worried about Randy’s brain. (Flash | MP4)

Notes:

Images are courtesy of South Park Studios.

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Amazon has South Park DVD’s on sale this week (for the week of September 24th, 2012)

South Park: The Complete Fifteenth Season  – $19.85