Android market share

KI see articles like this http://www.zdnet.com/is-androids-market-share-really-a-joke-7000016097/  and I have to laugh.  This guy is basically insinuating that profits from the initial sale of the OS or device + OS is where all money comes from.  What is he missing here is the fact that Apple sells hardware (with the OS) and services whereas Google is and always has been an advertising company.  Google uses its OS to reach people with advertising.  They are not concerned with monetizing the OS or their apps which explains why it is all free and available on so many platforms.  It is just a means to an end.  Comparing where the profits are derived for Google and Apple is not a valid comparison since they approach profits in very different ways.  If Google want profits from the apps and OS they surely would not have made it open source and given it away for free.  That is not the point.  Their goal is exactly market share because that means they have access to more people and data to better target ads and those ads drive Googles profits.

For Google Android is an upfront investment with a long term payoff.  Here is an article that shows it is paying off http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_23055285/google-profits-trounce-expectations-mobile-advertising-business-ramps but this is only the tip of the iceberg.  As Google gets is apps into many devices including TV's, Blu-ray players, phones, appliances, etc, it will better understand what people like and don't like person by person.  Then it can use that detailed information to support its advertisers products in a very timely and specific manner.  You don't just get blasted with ads.  Instead you get useful information based on what you want at the time and place.  For instance, Google Maps is the clear winner in maps and navigation.  This means when you are navigating and decide you need fuel, Google can point you to one of its advertisers gas stations.  For the gas station this beats nearly every other kind of ad.  In this scenario you never saw an ad.  It was just timely and helpful information.  This is the ways Google has become the advertising powerhouse it is.

So it baffles me when people (like the clown in the first article) tries to compare Google to Apple in specific profit streams.  Especially when those companies have such different profit streams and business models.  The only similarity they really have is they both make an OS for mobile devices.  We as consumers see them as competitors.  To Google, Apple is not a competitor in their prime business.  To Apple, Google is eating away at market share of their prime business.  Google biggest issue with Apple would be the fact Apple has such a closed ecosystem that Google is too limited and can't get the data or provide the services they need to the depth they need to sell more advertising.  Android has pushed Apple to slowly open this up a bit.  As long as Google can get their apps on iOS and get the rich data they need as well as provide the information flow to the user they don't really care if there are more iOS or Android devices.  For Google it is the total sum that matters.

Weather Station Now Upgraded

I finally broke down and bought the Arduino based weather station wireless sensor receiver.  You can see the project here: http://www.osengr.org/WxShield/Web/WxShield.html .  This device works with the open source software Weather Station Data Logger.  The new WxShield also has a barometric pressure sensor and temperature and humidity sensors so it replaces the base station for a computer interface.  The cost of the WxShield was $135.  It works with all Oregon Scientific sensors.  I use the old base station as a handy display now.

This http://www.osengr.org/WxShield/Web/WxShieldDetails.html explains more benefits.

You can see my weather data here:  http://jimroal.com/wxdata.htm
It looks the same as before.

Reasons to upgrade to the WxShield:

1. More reliable.  The Oregon Scientific base will stop broadcasting data over USB periodically.  No pattern really but it happens about once a month.  I had it happen 3 times in a month and other times go 3 months without it happening.  Frustrating though.
2. Ability to install external antenna.  This is a big deal when your PC you use to upload the log the data is in your basement.  The external antenna really extends the range.  This device lets you run a coax to route the antenna outside.
3. Improved barometric pressure sensor.  Much higher accuracy.
4. Improved indoor temperature and humidity.  It can also be remotely located.
5. Its just nerdier.

Patents

The patent system worldwide is broken and here in the USA its about to get even worse.  A new law that goes into effect March 16 2013 will change the patent system from "first to invent" (FTI) to "first to file" (FTF).  The difference in these systems is that FTI attempts to ensure the true inventor has rights to his work.  FTF on the other hand allows whoever files first to have rights tot he invention.  With FTF it is no quite possible for people to steal and patent the inventions of others.

Even before this awful FTF policy, the patent system was seriously broken.  In reality the one with the most money to spend on patents and litigation wins.  While the patent system was intended to accelerate technology growth while properly compensating the true inventor it now does more of the exact opposite.  The patent offices worldwide are allowing just about anything to be patented.  Most of the patents granted in the last several decades are not for novel ideas at all.  Many of the ideas will never even work.  There are small companies that do nothing but patent around existing work of others for the sole purpose of suing for a living.  The system takes money out of consumers hands and gives it to rich and powerful law firms and lawyers.  The very fact that Microsoft makes more money on the initial sale of an Android device than the real creators of Android is disgusting.  Android is free and open source.  The general public pays it no attention, not realizing the price they are paying.  In my opinion, software and algorithms should never be patent-able at all.  Nor should we patent other not novel ideas.  Before something is even given a patent it should have to pass a real test to show it is really a novel idea.  Maybe something like this.  Have the problems the patent solves presented to a class of college students in the same field (say at least 30 students).  If 1 or more students comes up with a similar idea then the invention is not novel and does not get a patent.  For instance, the idea that a smartphone is a rectangular device with rounded corners is patent-able is ridiculous. 

When a person or small company actually does come up with a legitimate novel idea that is worthy of a patent, all it takes is good lawyers and rich companies to patent around it.  What I mean by that is you can make patents that essentially lock the original patent in a cocoon such that it can not be implemented without depending on the other patents around it.   The real inventor is eventually paid a small amount for his work.  Sure, there are some examples where this is not true.  However it has been getting worse over time.  

The patent systems worldwide cost consumers far more than they think and puts the money in the hands of rich and powerful companies, law firms, and lawyers.  It is stealing from the real inventors and making the rich richer.

Here are a few related articles:
Some Thoughts On Fixing Problems In The Patent System
Are Patent Problems Stifling U.S. Innovation?
America's dysfunctional patent system is stifling innovation
Is The Patent System Broken? Well, Amazon's Just Patented The Sale Of Second Hand Goods

Mayans were wrong

Its now Christmas 2012 and the world did not end.

Bionic's finally get Ice Cream Sandwich

Finally the ICS (Android 4.0) gets pushed out to the Motorola Droid Bionic.  One of the first great new features I noticed was the ability to disable bloatware.  In fact, you can even uninstall some of it now (Blockbuster for instance).  That you can't remove can at least be disabled which removes it from everything so you can't see it, it does not upgrade, and it is not offered as an app to launch for shortcuts.  Very nice.  Next best thing to just a complete uninstall.  It now acts totally different in the lapdock. It no longer uses the internal lapdock browser at all.   It just launches webtop.  The webtop is nice though and now Firefox and Chrome run on the Bionic.

Weather station up and running

I finally got the weather station up and running in my new place.  My temperature/humidity sensor was bad so I replaced it.  I also set up all the websites like I had before.  Here is the page ( http://jimroal.com/wxdata.htm ) where you will also find links to the other pages where I push data.

Career advice to kids graduating High School

We have some major shortages of people to fill high-tech positions in science and engineering these days.  Engineers here in the Midwest are in such demand right now that we struggle to fill the positions.  Estimates put unemployment in Engineering below 1%.  Normal unemployment is usually considered optimum around 4% from normal attrition, people not fitting well with the job, etc.  At the same time I hear about these crazy new degrees some schools are offering that have no chance of ever landing a decent job and many graduates with them.  Schools keep raising tuition yet they are filthy rich already.  The greed from schools is very disgusting.  Getting a 4 year Bachelors degree can now run about $50k/year for a $200k total.  Often kids pay that for a degree that will not earn them even $40k a year.  They can never pay it back for that.

I think the root cause starts early in life when we tell our kids to get a job they enjoy.  While the statement is true, it is very misinterpreted.  Yes, you should get a job you enjoy but don't confuse that with a job that actually pays and has a great future.  When finding a career you would enjoy start by looking at the best paying jobs with the lowest unemployment.  As you look down that list find one that sounds interesting to you.  In other words, first find a job with low unemployment and great pay and benefits.  Then from that list, find one that interests you.  Don't confuse your hobbies with a career.  Sure there are a few people that become football stars, race car drivers, and actors.  That vast majority trying for these things do not succeed.  It is fine to aspire to those jobs.  It is even good to try to attain it but you need a backup plan.  Go ahead and play football in college and be the best you can be.  However, at the same time work towards a degree that pays and has low unemployment.  If you get to your senior year and you are the top football player, then you might have a chance.  However, you always have the degree to fall back on in case it does not work out for you.

Should you go to college at all?   If you really have no idea what you want to do, maybe not.  Maybe it is best for you to just go out and get a job.  See what the world is all about.  Eventually you will decide a career is in order.  Once you are serious, then you can really apply yourself in school.

Where should to attend college?  Not the place with the best parties!  Actually the school you choose is less important than the effort you put into learning and getting good grades.  As long as the school is accredited, and they give real grades, all are pretty close in my book.  Ivy league schools are a rip off.  Not even worth the extra money.  While they are often very good schools, they overcharge.  Instead choose a good college where you can learn and not brake the bank doing it.  There is nothing wrong with starting at a community college and transferring to a university and this can save money.  I did that myself.  Just make sure you line up the community college and university to make sure the credits all transfer.  Also, most counselors are pretty much worthless.  Instead of following their advice, go directly to the person leading the department at the university where you plan to get your degree.  Some of the professors in your major as also good.  You want someone who is an expert in the field you plan to get the degree in to help guide you through college. 

I have interviewed many people.  Interviewees are often surprised when I am as interested in the job they had while in college as I am with their school work.  Many people will not put these jobs on a resume thinking it will detract from their resume.  Some people believe this will somehow reflect negatively on them.  When I start asking question about jobs they have had, they finally start telling me about some of their experiences.  What we are looking for as employers is a person with good work ethic and discipline.  The only place to demonstrate many of these attributes is in a job.  Interviewing a recent graduate with no work experience is hard and hiring that person is a gamble.  It really does not matter what the job was.  Working as a McDonald's cook, or a janitor, or changing oil at a Jiffy Lube is nothing to be ashamed of.  Not working at all generally is. I have heard from other people who interview say the same things.  In fact, I have heard from several that won't even look at a candidate that has no work experience.  Again, any job is better than no job.

One way to get both work experience and some experience in the field of study at the same time is through internships.  I can't stress enough how important this is and what a great opportunity it is for both employer and potential employee.  Find an internship at an employer in your field of study and interest.  This gives you an inside view to what this job really is.  You may find that it was not what you thought and you might change majors.  More likely, you will find it is not the grind you thought and in fact it can be very fun.  After working there you and the employer know each other much better and, assuming things went well, you could have more internships and finally a job by graduation. 

When you finally get to the interview, be open, energetic, and honest.  What we want to see as employers is that you are actually interested in working here to provide benefit for the company.  Engagement is the key.  We want to see your interest in what we are doing.  An ideal candidate would ask questions about the work we do and what their role will be in it.  I want to see them thinking about actually working here and building a career.  Energy and enthusiasm.  The people who move up the fastest in a good company are the ones who provide the most value and those are always the most engaged employees.  What I mean by engagement is that you understand what makes the company successful and you truly enjoy working hard to make it even more successful.  That success comes from providing real value to your customers.  Seeing your customers also succeed is itself engaging.  Real top performers is non labor careers are driven by purpose, autonomy, and mastery.  Here is a video that explains it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJr9QajdCNc