Alternative Energy and All-Electric Vehicles - Prince of Persia and the Sands of Time

Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look;

He thinks too much: such men are dangerous

Shakespeare, Julius Caesar, I, 2

I guess I have been accused of doing this a lot when I used to work at C&W back in the wonder years of 2001 to 2009, when the incumbent Digicel was making waves with its 100,000 mobile phones sold in thirty (30) days. Thinking. Odd, as I do not think. My line of reasoning, if it can any at all be called that, is based purely on statistical reasoning and the future.

To wit, there is no such thing as a lie, a position I hold that has resulted in many an acrimonious battle with my Milk River, Clarendon Smallville-esque Seventh Day Adventist peeps, whose rigid take on religion and abhorrence of technology makes them look like Mennonites [Quakers].

Curiously, and I must admit begrudgingly, Seventh Day Adventists and other Christian denominations may have a very valid point that they have long been saying about the degree to which technology is becoming enmeshed in our everyday lives that I must concede to this time around though. Specifically as it relates to technology in one regard: the lack of robust Internet Security, specifically in All-Electric Vehicles as stated in the article “Cars: The next hacking frontier?”, published August 31, 2010 11:07 AM PDT by Elinor Mills, CNET News - InSecurity Complex.

This point of lack of security in some of these new gadgets is something that the punch drunk among us may overlook especially as Telecom Provider AT&T and Verizon are expanding their super fast 4G Broadband offering called  LTE (Long Term Evolution) as stated in the article “AT&T, Verizon execs talk LTE expansion”, published September 16, 2010 11:05 PM PDT by Kent German, CNET News - Dialed In and Telecom Provider Sprint and Clearwire expansionist ideals as it relates to WiMaX 4G Mobile (IEEE 802.16d) as stated in the article “Clearwire brings limited 4G to New York and Los Angeles”, published September 13, 2010 2:15 PM PDT by Kent German, CNET News - Dialed In.

Touche moi, Seventh Day Adventist, as this explosion of the Internet may not only be an accelerant for Digital Music and Video Piracy, but may also be the beginning of the “Internet of Things”!

Why?

Because in our tech obsessed craving for someone to beat the Apple iPad, which the Media is feeding on to boost their circulations and our glad-trap head-over-heels support for FCC (Federal Commission Chairman) Julius Genachowski for his “free” gift of White Space Frequencies for use in such applications as “Super” Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11n) and the slew of consumer electronics products with “Super” Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11n) soon to be unleashed upon us.

Inclusive of All-Electric Vehicle, set to debut at CES (Consumer Electronics Show) and land in stores by the Summer of 2011 as stated in the article “FCC to open up vacant TV airwaves for broadband”, published Monday September 13, 12:35 am ET By JOELLE TESSLER, AP Technology Writer, Yahoo! News and now officially confirmed in the article “FCC officially frees TV white space spectrum”, published Thursday September 23 2010, CNET News.

All-Electric Vehicles have now developed SERIOUS Internet Security problems that are yet to be addressed as stated in the article “Cars: The next hacking frontier?”, published August 31, 2010 11:07 AM PDT by Elinor Mills, CNET News - InSecurity Complex.

That’s why.

More reasons for Seventh Day Adventists to bash technology, John Public groans, as he puts on his IT Hat – and his Lawyer’s Hat just in case – to prepare his defense of the All-Electric Vehicles and the Manifest Destiny expansion that is heralded for “Super” Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11n) by FCC (Federal Commission Chairman) Julius Genachowski announcement and the unbridled ambitions of the Telecom Providers in expanding LTE and WiMaX 4G Mobile (IEEE 802.16d).

John Public suspects many Middle School and College kids and White Americans (harsh but true!) have forgotten that 2010 is the Year of the Tablet but 2011 is the Year of the All-Electric Vehicle.

But first, Molly Wood style, the news. The much touted RIM answer to the Apple iPad, which codenamed in the somewhat offensive codename “BlackPad” as stated in the article Connecting the Dots: RIM may launch its Black Pad Monday, published September 21, 2010, 2:06pm PDT By Larry Dignan, ZDNet and confirmed in the article “RIM Readies Its Answer to iPad”, published SEPTEMBER 21, 2010 By PHRED DVORAK And TING-I TSAI, The Wall Street Journal, GADGETS & GAMES), was unveiled as expected on Monday September 27 2010 AD.

It is now called the PlayBook as stated in the following articles:

1.      “RIM unveils PlayBook Tablet to compete with the iPad”, published Tuesday September 28 2010 by Reuters, Yahoo! News

2.      “RIM Announces 'PlayBook Tablet, Target iPad”, published Tuesday September 28 2010 by PC Magazine, Yahoo! News

3.      “BlackBerry maker offers Tablet aimed at businesses”, published Tuesday September 28 2010 by Associated Press, Yahoo! News

4.      “RIM's PlayBook aims at iPad”, published Tuesday September 28 2010 by CNET News, makes its debut.

 I quote four (4) articles as up until this point, this device was perceived to be vaporware, so it’s actual confirmed existence in the wild and it know specs similar to that of the Samsung Galaxy in terms of its 7” form factor, 1080p video playback, rear and front facing cameras for video calling but no word on the battery life or the pricing. RIM ditched the rather sluggish BlackBerry 6.0 OS for a OS made by military contractor QNX Software Systems is possibly the only confirmed fact, but I have to wait on Brian Tong and the Gang (great name for a band!) to do another CNET Prizefight before I start talking tall, as the people of Texas are wont to say.

This information is critical. I should know, as John Public, yours truly, is the “dude” who originally suggested the idea of an eReader device to Apple, now called the Apple iPad, jogging CEO Steve Jobs memory with regards to his abandoned pet project as stated in the article “Apple's Jobs says iPad idea came before iPhone”, published Wednesday June 2, 2:35 am ET By RYAN NAKASHIMA, AP Business Writer, Yahoo! News, now materialized from rumour which everyone seems to be calling a Tablet.

Thus, I, John Public, would wish to advise that the main thing to look out for when purchasing a Tablet PC is not the features but the standby time for the battery, which must be at least ten (10) hours as the more features your Tablet has, the more the battery life is easily drained doing energy intensive tasks, such as using Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11n), streaming Digital Audio or Video or video or playback of video in 1080p.

If like the Samsung Galaxy, RIM Playbook has less than ten (10) hours standby time, then no amount of tethering to a BlackBerry phone acting as a Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11n) hotspot will save this device and as far as I am concerned.

The specs and their reluctance to give details on their prototype is more proof that my Apple iPad idea has no game, at least until 2012 as stated in the article “No iPad Killer Coming Until 2012, Says iSuppli”, published Thursday August 26, 1:59 pm ET, Barbara E. Hernandez , Yahoo! News, whether it is running Android OS with Froyo or Gingerbread, ironically both names for Android OS 2 and 3 respectively and names that I had suggested.

Comparisons to the Samsung Galaxy and the Apple iPad are quite unnecessary as stated in the article “BlackBerry PlayBook vs iPad vs GalaxyTab”, published Tuesday September 28 2010 by PC World, Yahoo! News.

This may sound unbelievable, but it is quite true. I got material witnesses in the form of a bunch of brain dead Shurpower Generator Engineers in 2009 who beheld my prediction powers. The proof of the pudding as they say is in the eating and now with three (3) Tablets in the ring from two (2) supposedly Tech heavyweights.

Which, from where I am sitting, are overweight, bloated management and overpaid technology companies who can’t even copy a decent simple product and get it right, both from a simple technical standpoint and from a Marketing point of view, the Apple iPad is beginning to shine on the basis of its simplicity – not to mention maintaining its ten (10) hour battery life during 720p video playback.

The days after Black Friday, however, are the ones I cannot miss, as the predicted trouncing of the Laptop  and Netbook should make many a computer user consider donating their device to the Smithsonian from now, as they will be obsolete as suggested in the article “Tablets Threaten to Make Netbooks Obsolete”, published Wednesday September 8, 2:20 pm ET by Tony Bradley, Yahoo! News. This due to their cannibalization by the same stated in the article “Apple ponders iPad cannibalization of PC's”, published July 20, 2010 8:43 PM PDT, by Brooke Crothers, CNET News Nanotech - The Circuits Blog.

In fact, it is so bad, that the over exuberant CEO of Best Buy Brian Dunn, who was quoted as gushing over the Apple iPad as a “magnificent shining light”, told The Wall Street Journal in an article that was published on Tuesday September 14^th 2010 as it related to the impending future of the Netbook and Laptop that internal statistics.

Statistics which CEO Brian Dunn quoted indicated that sales are down by as much as 50% on Laptops and Netbooks as he stocks up on the Apple iPad in his one thousand and ninety three (1093) chain of stores as stated in the article “Best Buy CEO: iPad Cannibalizing Laptop Sales by up to 50 Percent”, published Friday September 17, 6:10 am ET by Chloe Albanesius, PC Magazine, Yahoo! News.

He later had to do damage control on Friday September 17 2010 as stated in the article “Best Buy: Oops! iPad isn't ruining laptop sales after all”, published Saturday September 18, 1:43 am ET by Jeff Bertolucci, Yahoo! News, after apparently he bit the hand that fed him, namely the Big Laptop makers (deliberately in capitals!!) albeit he did NOT retract his previous statements, which would have been tantamount to being statistically incongruous [lying].

Rather he may be the Dog that has His Day, as the Apple iPad will definitely be the must have gadget for the Christmas of 2010, evident from the fact that competitor Target is also stocking up on the Apple iPad for the Christmas period as stated in the article “iPad Debut at Target? Nice at the right Price”, published Tuesday September 14, 2:23 am ET by Barbara E. Hernandez, Yahoo! News.

So how does all of this square with my Seventh Day Adventist friends? As I said earlier, the Tablet Wars are this Christmas 2010 but 2011 is reserved for “Super” Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11n) products as stated in the article “FCC to open up vacant TV airwaves for broadband”, published Monday September 13, 12:35 am ET By JOELLE TESSLER, AP Technology Writer, Yahoo! News and now officially confirmed in the article “FCC officially frees TV white space spectrum”, published Thursday September 23 2010, CNET News.

Set to debut at the CES in January of 2011, with products sporting this new version of Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11n) that uses White Space Frequencies.

All-Electric Vehicles will also be sporting the same “Super” Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11n) to allow for connectivity to the Internet while on the road or even LTE (Long Term Evolution) in light of Telecom Provider AT&T and Verizon push towards LTE as stated in the article “AT&T, Verizon execs talk LTE expansion”, published September 16, 2010 11:05 PM PDT by Kent German, CNET News - Dialed In.

 Telecom Provider Sprint and Clearwire expansionist ideals as it relates to WiMaX 4G Mobile (IEEE 802.16d) as stated in the article “Clearwire brings limited 4G to New York and Los Angeles”, published September 13, 2010 2:15 PM PDT by Kent German, CNET News - Dialed In.

Broadband Internet will be necessary to find the nearest charging station, possibly locatable using an App installed such as on the Apple iPhone, Google Android or BlackBerry smart phones as stated in the article “Network Web-Savvy EV-charging stations on tap”, published June 2, 2010 7:57 AM PDT by Martin LaMonica, CNET News - Green Tech.

Thus it is the fear of John Public as we get caught up in the hoopla over eReader and Tablet PC, we worldly people, unlike the very grounded Seventh Day Adventists and Christians in general, seem to have thrown Internet Security out the window like the proverbial baby with the bathwater!

It seems in our race to interconnect everything and everyone to the Wireless Broadband Internet, this high level of interconnectedness makes us vulnerable to criminal hackers not only in the privacy of our own homes but even in our spanking new All-Electric Vehicles as stated in the article “Cars: The next hacking frontier?”, published August 31, 2010 11:07 AM PDT by Elinor Mills, CNET News - InSecurity Complex.

Hackers can shut down your car remotely. This revives the old problems people used to have with keyless vehicle entry systems, and their poor encryption schemas, especially as some of these electric cars, such as the Nissan Leaf and the Chevy Volt come with a free app that allows the owner to not only track the cars condition in real-time location and condition of their All-Electric Vehicle but in some cases start the cars remotely.

Simple solution: use facial recognition systems to activate and turn on the car combined with Voice Recognition and Biometric Security protocols to positively identify the driver of the vehicle, as it is nearly impossible to fake all three (3) at once credit to the movie Gone in 60 Seconds.

Don’t be surprised if in the future Google decides to join the party and develop Google Android OS to run your car next year when All-Electric Vehicles are all the rage in the Summer of 2011 as Microsoft has already developed an Operating Systems for In dash Navigation and Entertainment called Microsoft Auto. Or if you hear about Apple and the Apple Cart!

Please, Apple Fanboys, that I dare not even imagine!

But as usual, I stake claim to having said it here first on my blog, as anything is possible if Nokia can be losing market share to Open Source Google Android and Apple as stated in the following articles:

1.      “Nokia begins smart phone fight back with new handsets”, published 14 September 2010 Last updated at 11:21 GMT By Jonathan Fildes Technology reporter, Nokia World 2010, London, BBC News

2.      “Nokia hits back with new phones amid turmoil at top”, published Tuesday September 14, 9:22 am ET By Tarmo Virki and Georgina Prodhan, Yahoo! News

3.      “Nokia vows to take on iOS, Android”, published September 14, 2010 6:17 AM PDT by Stephen Shankland, CNET News - Deep Tech.

Nokia and RIM, makers of the BlackBerry, will soon to be assimilated by the unstoppable juggernaut that is Android, according to analyst Piper Jaffray  “Report: Android to win half of smart phone market”, published September 7, 2010 9:55 AM PDT by Larry Dignan, CNET News - Wireless. Apparently too, so will All-Electric Vehicles. Is this the beginning of Skynet in the movie Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003)?

Let’s hope not!!

At least, here in Jamaica, the announcement of the utilization of the White Space Frequencies in the United States of America will increase pressure on the Broadcast Commission to commit to DSO (Digital Switch Over) as stated in the article “Slow road to digital switch-over  - Cable groups mum; Flow ahead but network coverage behind”, published: Saturday  August 15, 2009 by Mark Titus, Gleaner Writer, The Jamaica Gleaner.

This will act as an accelerant for “Super” Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11n) adoption and the ultimate victory of Wayne Chen and Lee’s owned Municipal Wi-Fi (IEEE 801.11n) Networks Dekal Wireless [a Droid] as stated  in the article “Wayne Chen, Lees enter Wireless Broadband Market”, published Friday July 30^th 2010 by Mark Titus, Business Reporter, The Financial Gleaner.

Not to mention the upstart Nubian-1 Tech Services Ltd [Princess Amidala’s Royal starship] as stated in the article “Another small player emerges in the wireless broadband market”, published Friday August 2 2010 by Mark Titus, Gleaner Writer, The Jamaica Gleaner over the Empire that is the Big Three (3) Telecom Providers Digicel, LIME and CLARO, for who the Sands of Time are running out………..