Firmware Upgrades For Everything 285
eggoeater writes "Forbes Magazine has an article discussing how more portable electronics are not only suggesting firmware upgrades, but requiring them in order to get all the features! Apparently the new Lyra A/V Jukebox will sometimes display a message stating that 'this feature will be available in future upgrades.' In addition, the article states that some patches are difficult and dangerous depending on the component. Some cell phone patches require a proprietary cable ($25) that will then wipe out your phone book. This raises concerns over alienating users that aren't tech-savvy and how this could affect perceptions of portable electronics as a whole."
make firmware open source (Score:2, Informative)
Re:release now, patch later... (Score:4, Informative)
I bought the game for about $50 for my brother. However, it mostly works, if you can deal with the problematic sound bug, which freezes everything at random, bad camera control using the mouse, and the inability to properly set custom keys to stick, among other things....and don't get me started with the Macally Shock II game pad I can't seem to configure to work right for me! (though I think that's Macally's fault)
I'm not very happy with feral (http://www.feral.co.uk)
Halo is another one, where if you use the 1.0 version for mac, and get the health pack, your screen goes completely black for like 10 seconds. Those could be the crucial 10 seconds in which you could just die if the Covenant is chasing after you, and you just stepped in their path because you couldnt see where you are going. I think this has been fixed now, but it was an annoying thing through the game.
Cro-Mag Rally (another mac game) had similar problems on Mac OS X. I even e-mailed the developer and didn't get a very encouraging response. Can't remember what it was or the exact tone...(kind of hard to note the tone through e-mail)
Maybe my problem is that I'm on the mac trying to play games, but from the article this seems to be the trend. I can't remember what other games I've had this problem with but I've gotten into the habit of looking for updates for games as soon as I get them. It fustrates me when it takes a long time for updates to come along.
This is specially fustrating when some games sell at a higher price for a Mac version versus the PC version...
Thank you for reading my rant
Re:You know what? (Score:4, Informative)
Mobo manufacturers say that because a failed upgrade (say, due to a power failure) will leave you with a product needing a very expensive repair -- you don't get a second chance at upgrading. Most other products, if an upgrade fails, you can try again until it succeeds.
Re:Bah .. (Score:4, Informative)
Either way though; if something is advertised on the box or in the specifications, and doesn't have that functionality the -first- time I try to go use it, I'm already alienated. If that same functionality requires a hassle to get working, I'm not just alienated, I'm pissed right off.
Could be worse... (Score:4, Informative)
RCA, makers of LYRA, has done worse though they advertised mp3Pro compatibility on their RD1080 but it did not use the psycoaudio data in playback (therefor using mp3Pro was useless). Close to a year later a firmware support the advertised fearture was released.
If it doesn't immediately benifit the end user (Score:4, Informative)
a favorite Sony technique (Score:2, Informative)
Sure enough, a few weeks later the upgrade came out--in the form of a newer model (N-760). The upgraded OS was the only appreciable difference. A firmware update for the 710 never appeared. I will never again trust a promise of forthcoming features, at least not on some functionality I really want.
Re:You know what? (Score:5, Informative)
I must say Mac users have been doing firmware updates for a long while now, and I don't hear many of them screaming about toasted computers. It is mainly the conception that is has to be hard and difficult to do. ASUS has a nice little utility to update its motherboards.
Does the power really go out that often around you that a 15 second process risks failure? If so, buy some batteries and a generator. Don't do it in a rain storm. My internet gateway shows 120 days since my last power failure. People throw $5 away on a hand of blackjack with worse odds.
Re:Further marketshare gains for Microsoft? (Score:2, Informative)
A number of new motherboards come with firmware updating software on a freedos [freedos.org] boot disk. That way, you just slam the disk into your floppy drive, boot and go.
Less for the chap who writes the firmware update to worry about because there's less there to go wrong at a critical moment during an update than requiring a full installation of Windows XP to be running while you're trying to update something.
And a gen-yoo-wine boot disk that you can actually give to your customers without having to cough up per-unit royalties!
Re:Wow (Score:3, Informative)
You don't have to register to use it. Registration gets you technical support. Activation (no user data required) gets you use of XP. Only activation is required to use WindowsUpdate.
Anyone remember MP3.com's articles ... (Score:2, Informative)
Forced firmware upgrades were precisely the idea. SDMI Phase 1 compliant devices might play unrestricted MP3s (the better to get users to buy the hardware). They would also look for special watermarks in songs. Once a SDMI Phase 1 device saw a SDMI Phase 2 flag, it would prompt the user to upgrade the firmware.
Upgrade the firmware, and you might get all sorts of DRM restrictions, including possibly the loss of the ability to play existing MP3s. Refuse to 'upgrade', and the device would refuse to play any new music with the SDMI Phase 2 watermark.
Basic Legal Theory: Are Corporations Evil? (Score:2, Informative)
Consider that a Corporation is an ARTIFICIAL CREATION. They are endowed by their Creator, (The People, via The State) with alienable priviledges. Since it is The People who allow the formation of a Corporation, any Corporation is obviously subordinate to any Natural Person.
A Corporation (despite some very sloppy legal reasoning based on pretty common false beliefs) doesn't have "Rights". Only actual "People" get "Rights". Corporations have Priviledges. Which can be, and are regulated.
Explicit requirements of being permitted to Incorporate and enjoy those privledges, are that the Corporation always act:
a) in good faith;
and
b) in the public interest.
A Corporation AGREES to "Go By All The Rules" when they they apply for incorporation to the Secretary of State's Office.
A Corporation is Evil if they ignore the duties required of them as a condition of Incorporating.
When a Corporation acts in Bad Faith, or Against the Public Interest, their Charter *should* be instantly revoked, and their assets liquidated.
(p.s.: Being Artificial, and not having the vote, Corporations don't have any voice in politics, right?)
Oh! *Maybe* THAT'S What's Wrong!
Re:Firmware Updater Service (Score:1, Informative)
horrible horrible horrible idea.. have you ever downloaded any drivers from windows update??
i pray for your soul! i didnt know it was possible to have a driver make my monitor break, requiring a new monitor to install old drivers. or that the "adaptec" 29160 scsi card drivers were actually some sort of microsoft knock off. Never got those ones working either and adaptec says i have the latest version. Its been my experience that those drivers on that windows update site are seriously flawed. I dont even mistrust micro$oft that much, but when it comes to firmware i dont want my scsi card getting devide by zero errors!
Re:Dude, where's my shares? (Score:3, Informative)
Which advertising agents? I freelance to a marketing firm who works with the salespeople for a particular gadget. Who's liable?
Marketing is a fact of life. Without it, companies have to wait for consumers to come to them. No one has that much time or money. And without that, no gadgets.
It's kind of like that line from from "The Right Stuff": What makes this spaceship go up? Funding.