Sand

Hugh Howey just released his new book, Sand, on Amazon. I really liked the Silo Saga series and the way he does business (you can get DRM free versions directly from him), so a little promo for the new one. His site is here.

Wouxun

Ed shares some more of his thoughts and details of his experience working with Wouxun - including some e-mail exchanges. Based on what he reports, I don't blame him for wanting to move on. Forgetting for a moment the issue of a memory loss defect (no pun intended), it sounds like the business relationship steadily grew worse for multiple reasons. I'm curious if all the other sellers were required to handle warranty problems the same way. Also, I don't really understand the pricing policy strategy.

Have a read and I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

My World Has Been Turned Upside Down

Via 40 maps that will help you make sense of the world. Also from that page, it appears that some countries are too busy drinking spirits to drink coffee.

Links

Here are some Links to keep you busy over the week-end.

Via @EdwardMKE

Internet of Things and Security

I've seen several articles about the Internet of Things (IoT) being big in 2014. I am, in general a fan of the advantages of connected devices and the cloud, but I'm not unaware of the problems.

Bruce talks about the security issues of the IoT and routers:

"And the Internet of Things will only make this problem worse, as the Internet -- as well as our homes and bodies -- becomes flooded with new embedded devices that will be equally poorly maintained and unpatchable. But routers and modems pose a particular problem, because they're: (1) between users and the Internet, so turning them off is increasingly not an option; (2) more powerful and more general in function than other embedded devices; (3) the one 24/7 computing device in the house, and are a natural place for lots of new features."

Hans pointed out an example of a security issue on my post about the WRT54G router.

Part of my hope is that companies will take this issues more seriously. Security should be planned just as any other requirement for the application or tool. The market should severely punish companies like SnapChat that approach security issues with arrogance. And Nest had a painful, confusing experience when some of their smart/connected thermostat users were left without heat. I'm sure it will get worse before it gets better, but like given time I expect these devices will mature... or we will quit using them. At least the ones we have a choice in.

And maybe I don't want my toothbrush connected after all.

Hogue iPhone Case

I really like my Magpul iPhone case. It doesn't add much to the size/weight, but offers enough protection that I think it would survive a drop or two.

I see that Hogue is getting into the iPhone case game. Lots of people like the Hogue grips, so this might be a good match for a case. They've got several options... all of which are out of my price range.

Via FoxNews

TN Governor's Race

He's thrown his hat in the ring. And something will be just like the purity of that apple.



Via The Blaze

Wouxun: Main Trading Company Comments

MTC shared this message and talked about Ed's comments:

"Any Chinese products that you may see on our site are fully backed by us with a great warranty. We do not sell everything that comes down the pike. We do sell products that we have tested, beta tested with some of our great customers and put them on the market only when we feel that we can stand behind them. We have heard horror stories about folks buying some imported products with no real warranty or return policy from foreign websites pretending to be in the states or even from some popular U.S. auction sites. Some of these customers were shipped radios with foreign voltage chargers, knock offs, copies, DOA units and worse. When they found out they had to pay more than the unit cost to send it to China for warranty or deal with some crazy company here in the states working out of their extra bedroom with no real radio knowledge , the were sorely disappointed."

They focus on the warranty and service they provide, but, other than a general comment about testing and being selective, they don't really address the issue that Ed claims exists.

Icom IP100H WLAN Radio

Radio or wireless VoIP PTT phone?

The Icom IP100H:

"The simplicity of this new system is that the communication is licence free and via a Wireless Local Access Network (WLAN) point….it literally uses the same technology we use to operate our tablets, mobile phones or PC’s. 

Icom’s new IP Advanced Radio System provides organisations with a simple radio system which is only restricted its range by the coverage area of a wireless LAN network. The communication range can easily be extended by adding more access points on an IP network. 

Main Features  

• Licence free radio system using a wireless LAN.
• Users can roam among deployed access points
• Dispersed sites can be connected over an IP network (VPN)
• WPA-PSK or WPA2-PSK encryption protects your conversation security 
• No licence fee, no call charges 
• Use two way radio communications in previous areas where there was no coverage. 
• Up to 100 users can be loaded on a system and all users can communicate at the same time 
• The IP100FS remote communicator shows user position information based on access point information 
• Individual, Group conference call, All call, Area call, Priority call
• Full-duplex communication: Talk and receive simultaneously like a phone call (Optional headset required for IP100H)
• Press to talk operation like a conventional transceiver
• Unique Area call function can call any user who is accessing the specified access point
• Remote stun, kill, revive and monitor function (Transmit from IP100FS only)• Status call and short data message with vibration alert
• Auto provisioning function helps easy transceiver configuration
• IP Phone and analogue transceiver interconnection with VE-PG3 
• IPX7 waterproof construction (IP100H only)"

Wouxun Defects: The Other Side

After all the posts about Ed's divorce, Hans had a couple of Wouxun sellers comment on his site.

UK:

"We have sold THOUSANDS of their entire range and bar a very very low percentage of failures, have not encountered the problem he reports."

Netherlands:

"While he sold at least 500 dual-band Wouxun models, he only ran into the problem once."

So is Ed unlucky? Did he get bad lots? Is he wrong? I've worked with the Chinese enough to be aware of some of the cultural differences that can create problems. I've had problems with our plants in Mexico and Italy, too. It's just easier when everyone thinks (mostly) the same way. But ignoring some of the communication and ordering problems, the question remains: is there a big quality problem with Wouxun radios? The data is not very clear. I took what Ed posted at face value. We've all seen quality problems with the Chinese radios, so it was all to easy to just run with his comments.

I'm going to do some more analysis and get back to you.