Gene Amdahl, Pioneer of Mainframe Computing, Dies at 92 - The New York Times

Gene Amdahl, Pioneer of Mainframe Computing, Dies at 92 - The New York Times Michael J. Flynn, a computer scientist at Stanford University and former colleague of Dr. Amdahl’s at IBM, said the 360 series “set the design philosophy for computers for the next 50 years, and to this day it’s still out there, which is incredible.”

“This same instruction set,” he added, “is still bringing in billions of dollars for IBM.”
Dr. Amdahl is remembered at IBM as an intellectual leader who could get different strong-minded groups to reach agreement on technical issues.

This is what enterprise computing looks like: the same instruction set for 50 years, backwards compatible and stable. Every hour of software development invested is captured and retained.

Apple's iPad Pro & powerful A9X CPU pose threat to Intel, Cowen says

Apple's iPad Pro & powerful A9X CPU pose threat to Intel, Cowen says A look at the GPU shows a similar story: The A9X outperformed all Apple laptops that use integrated Intel graphics, registering a three-to-four-times improvement in frame rate of the 12-inch MacBook with Retina display. The iPad Pro processor also posted an improvement of as much as 40 percent over the Intel Iris 5200 integrated graphics featured on the 15-inch MacBook Pro.

Now all we need is an installer for OSX on the iPad Pro and I'll be a happy camper. I never was a fan of Intel integrated graphics. I personally believe Steve Jobs would never have shipped a Pro MacBook without a real GPU.

iPad Pro review: Mac-like speed with all the virtues and restrictions of iOS | Ars Technica

iPad Pro review: Mac-like speed with all the virtues and restrictions of iOS | Ars TechnicaHow good is the iPad Pro and its accessories? How is iOS 9 different on a larger screen, and what does the internal hardware do to earn that “Pro” label? What lessons can Apple learn from Microsoft, which has already iterated on this same basic idea a whole bunch of times? And most importantly, when can an iPad replace a computer (if it can at all)?

Finally, a computer that you need to replace every 18 months! The ultimate wall street cure for those pesky long upgrade cycles for well-built Macintosh computers.

Tim Cook hints at new health product, touts iPad Pro as PC replacement in interview

Tim Cook hints at new health product, touts iPad Pro as PC replacement in interview "Yes, the iPad Pro is a replacement for a notebook or a desktop for many, many people," Cook said. "They will start using it and conclude they no longer need to use anything else, other than their phones."

I guess Tim is building the latest releases of iOS and Mac OS X on his iPad Pro, a platform that makes sharing files between apps as easy as gouging your eyes out with forks.

Canabalt creator wants you to strategize through an adorable wasteland | Cult of Mac

Canabalt creator wants you to strategize through an adorable wasteland | Cult of Mac Overland is an upcoming 3D survival tactics game from the creator of Canabalt, Adam Saltzman. Its beautiful, chillingly-chromatic art style has me itching to play it, as does the cool way the team has created an approachable rogue-like set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland without dumbing it down.

Less is more. Again.

Programmatic TV ad buying might take off rapidly, some experts say | VentureBeat | Marketing | by Mark Sullivan

Programmatic TV ad buying might take off rapidly, some experts say | VentureBeat | Marketing | by Mark Sullivan Programmatic advertising — in which exchanges match ads with predefined audiences — has become dominant in web advertising, and the approach is now migrating to TV.

The future is here.

Rumor claims new electric car maker Faraday Future is front for Apple

Rumor claims new electric car maker Faraday Future is front for Apple The company only began operating out of a former Nissan research facility in California last year, but already has over 400 workers, and is aiming to have 500 by the end of 2015, the New York Post said. Some of the staff include the head designer of the BMW i8, a SpaceX battery specialist, and a former interior designer for Ferrari. Others have resumes with employers like Facebook, Google, Ford, General Motors, and Volvo.

Rumours, rumors, roomers.

Why I skipped the iPad Pro and bought the iPad Mini 4 instead | Cult of Mac

Why I skipped the iPad Pro and bought the iPad Mini 4 instead | Cult of Mac The iPad Pro is the Apple tablet of my dreams.

I’ve been lusting after Apple’s crazy-big iPad since the first whispers of the device echoed around the rumor mill a few years ago. When Apple finally unveiled the device at the September keynote I was beyond stoked to fork over more than $1,000 for an iPad big enough to host Thanksgiving dinner on.

The Pro is a hefty thang.

Lytro dives into virtual reality filmmaking with debut of its Immerge video camera | VentureBeat | Business | by Ken Yeung

Lytro dives into virtual reality filmmaking with debut of its Immerge video camera | VentureBeat | Business | by Ken Yeung Since its debut in 2006, Lytro has produced devices that leverage light-field technology, which captures information about the direction and intensity of light rays. Today, the company is applying this technology to the world of virtual reality with the unveiling of the Lytro Immerge, a cinematic camera for professional videographers.

So much nonsense in the trades, can be hard to see real innovation. HINT: No mobile advertising and no use of the word "unicorn".