| | Viewing entries in Technology | | Posted by Michael on 07/22/07. | |
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| Broadband is definitely here. Now, what kind of fun applications can we build around it?
Audio and video are being done. Tons of great services already exist in the media space. But what other kinds of applications will 1.3MB/sec bandwidth allow? Second Life is a great start, and maybe the full 3D internet will emerge soon, but those aren't what I'm thinking here.
Here's an idea from the past... NeXT (Apple) had the ability to execute applications on remote computers as if they were local. The GUI would be the only thing executing on your computer, the rest of the app lived on the other computer.
Are there some cool network OS ideas out there? Truly distributed apps maybe? I'm thinking along the lines of Amazon's Web Services and the EC2 platform. Remote storage like S3, integrated into the desktop?
What do you think? |
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| | | Posted by Michael on 07/18/07. | |
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| Since the iPhone's release, it seems that everyone has an opinion on whether or not the features are worth the money, or how it will or won't impact the world. It has this, and doesn't have that, etc. Here are a couple of my observations.
First, I know 25 people with the iPhone - personally. I have never seen such adoption of any consumer electronics device. Say what you want about the feature set, but the numbers don't lie. The interesting part of this is that nearly all of them have (err, had) and iPod too.
If you doubt the draw of the iPhone, go to a local Apple store and watch not only which device draws attention, but notice the sheer volume of traffic in the store. People of all ages are there, from the dreamer in grade school, to the mature senior adult.
Second, I've noticed that iPhone users are less likely to use their computers after business hours. I noticed on Sunday, for example, that after my morning email/news checking, that I didn't open my laptop again until Monday morning coffee. If you know me, you know that this is very, very unusual.
It took a while for that to sink in, but once it did, I pinged a few other owners. The story is the same. The experience with the phone is so delightful, that it is actually enabling people to get away from their computers.
I bet Apple didn't anticipate that one.
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| | | Posted by Michael on 07/05/07. | |
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| I'd like to test out Kevin Rose's new venture, but it is invite only. Can anyone reading this post spare an invite? |
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| | | Posted by Michael on 07/03/07. | |
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| I was second in line at the Apple store in Boulder to buy the iPhone on launch day. I've been using every aspect of it since, and I've found things I'd like to see changed with the first update.
Instant Messaging
Whether it was at the insistence of AT&T, or that Apple just ran out of time, iCaht is the main thing I'd like to see added. I know I can forward my IMs to SMS, but that isn't the point. The experience isn't the same. I've been trying for days to do it, but for some reason AOL's verification process fails every time.
Tethering
This was a feature that I used only occasionally with the Cingular 8125, but it was those times that made the feature priceless. If you're unfamiliar with the term "tethering" here, it means the ability to use (via Bluetooth or USB) a mobile phone as an internet access point. You connect the phone the EDGE network, then tell your laptop to use that connection for internet access. So in the middle of a park, you could get to the internet on your laptop using the phone's internet connection.
To-dos
This is a biggie. I use iCal's to-do lists frequently. The Cingular 8125 and The Missing Sync managed this beautifully. The iPhone has no concept of to-tos at all. None.
Video Codecs
I subscribe to several video podcasts and normally view these on my Apple TV. The iPhone can't play several of them even though it is touted as having video iPod features. One great thing about the video podcasts that do get to the iPhone is that the iPhone will play the audio track alone. It sees the podcast as a podcast and makes no distinction when playing it. Very nice.
True widgets
I would really like to be able to access the battery widget that shows when you're charging the phone. I'd like a wifi signal strength indicator, and several other widgety displays. Given that the Stocks and Weather "applications" are widgets, would it really be that hard to replace their icons with a Widgets or Dashboard icon that you would then use to get to that stuff?
The keyboard
Special note to Blackberry keyboard users. If you start using the iPhone with the "it doesn't have physical keys so I can't possibly like it" point of view, you're not going to like the keyboard. I came from the mother of all mobile keyboards and I like the iPhone's just fine. I'd really like to see a globally available horizontal keyboard though, not one that is only available from Safari.
Flash
Flash is a mainstay on the net. As much as it has annoyed me in the past, modern implementations are actually useful. CNN video, Google Video, etc. are Flash based. Since this is a new CPU architecture for Apple, I'm willing to let that one slide. As a matter of fact, I'll bet that Apple will be the porting Flash to the iPhone, not Adobe.
There you have it. My summary of some of the things I'd like to see fixed on the iPhone. Thoughts? Comments? |
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| | | Posted by Michael on 06/26/07. | |
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| The world has been abuzz about the iPhone, since even before Apple acknowledged its existence. Why? Who cares? My mom does... and so will you.
First, let's take a look at the state of mobile phones. For better or worse, mobile phones have become far more than simple phones. Text messaging, email, browsers, and custom apps have infiltrated them. A decade ago, a phone was a phone. Today, a phone is the micro computer.
As mobile carriers have rushed to add features, they have forced the desktop computer's generic UI (menuing , windows, etc.) into their tiny screens.
So what makes the iPhone any different? Apple started from scratch, ignoring everything that is commonplace in today's smart phones. Ok, so they didn't start from scratch, they started with the iPod interface, and appropriately appropriated some fantastic desktop features. Add to that the touch screen, iPod features, and Mac OS X.
What does this mean to you? It means that when you pick up an iPhone, you'll know how to use it, instead of spending days learning how to use it. How many of you have encountered people, not computer people, that are waiting for their iPhones?
This is a great start, though I feel that the impact of this phone has yet to be felt. Sure they'll sell million and millions of them. But far more important to the consumer mobile phone market is that this phone will be the one by which all that follow it are judged. Put another way, the features that make the iPhone will trickle in to other phones across all budgets.
Obviously many of the features in the iPhone are not unique. But the way they're implemented and the thought that went in to them is unmistakable.
On top of the great UI, Apple and AT&T have changed the mobile phone landscape in another way. The plans. Today I pay $40/mo for unlimited data on my Cingular 8125. That is $40/mo just for the data service. In addition to that, I pay another $60 for voice and messaging. As of Friday, the cheap plan with unlimited data is $59/mo, and that includes rollover minutes.
Two things change on Friday that are being heavily overlooked.
1. All mobile phones will become easier to use because they'll all use the iPhone as a base line.
2. All mobile phone plans will be less expensive ... they have to be to keep the world from switching to AT&T.
Photo courtesy of Apple, Inc.
Links:
iPhone Guided Tour
iPhone Data plans
What do you think? How will this phone impact the industry as a whole? |
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| | | Posted by Michael on 06/25/07. | |
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| My friend Ari Newman of tru.vu and Newman Venture Advisors has an interesting observation about Web developers in the Boulder area. It seems as thought all of the funded startups are sucking the market dry.
I know a some of these guys and they're pretty much booked as he says. If you're a good web developer and you have rails experience, give these guys a glance. They're in need of help.
Ari says you don't have to be local, but you do have to kick ass and already have remote relationships worked out. Read the post yourself here Web developer drought in Boulder?
Good luck Ari and team! |
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| | | Posted by Michael on 06/22/07. | |
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| A movie was released today about a product that has grabbed nearly everyone I know by their inner geek. This post isn't about that product however. This post is about broadband in 2007. (To see, and download the movie for yourself, visit the Apple iPhone: A Guided Tour page at Apple's site)
There is no choice here but to date myself, so I'll just get it out there. My first internet experience (INTERNET, not BBS ;-) was on a 14.4k modem. Ouch. I said it. Modem. MODEM. Moh-dem. And yes, I said 14.4k, which translates to 1.44 KB/s for those keeping track. (see Wikipedia's List of device bandwidths for details).
The reason for the post is to remind myself, and subsequently you, just how far we've come in the last 10 to 15 years. As I clicked the link to download the 175MB file, I cringed for a split second, then remembered that all is well in broadband land. I have nothing to worry about. As the file was downloading, I glanced at the downloads window ... the file was almost done.
That movie took just a couple of minutes to download. A couple of minutes for a 175MB file. With the 1.44KB modem, it would have taken about 34.56 HOURS!
Go ahead, say it. I'm a geek.
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| | | Posted by Michael on 06/22/07. | |
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| I've been testing a theory for a while now that has to do with my productivity level as it relates to the number of emails in my inbox.
Simply put, the fewer emails in my inbox, the more productive I feel. There are times that my inbox reaches 150 to 200 emails... it has been as high as 400. I can't explain why it happens, but it does, and it usually happens when I'm not at the top of my game (thus the correlation).
Today I'm happy to say that for the first time in quite a while I have zero (0) emails in my inbox. Nada, zero, zilch. I don't need to file email bankruptcy. I'm email-flow positive, and will do my best to stay that way.
What do you think? Does your inbox reflect your productivity level?
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| | | Posted by Michael on 06/20/07. | |
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| Today Apple released a software update for the AppleTV that allows you to watch YouTube content on your TV. When Apple announced this, I thought it was a non-story. Then I saw the screenshots and the impact hit me.
I have to be forthright... I don't spend much time with YouTube on my computer(s). When I'm in front of my laptop, for instance, I'm usually working. If not, I'm tuned in to my RSS feeds. When I'm in front of the TV though, I'm obviously looking to kill time.
Typically "killing time" involves video podcasts, or our Thursday evening TV night (Survivor, Smallville, Grey's, Heroes), but now I have some other short-attention content to watch.
Way to go Apple/Google, this will be interesting. Remember when the networks controlled what was on your TV? Those days are gone.
More at AppleInsider |
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| | | Posted by Michael on 06/11/07. | |
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| Can a team of people create an entire company in a weekend, from scratch? From concept to launch during a Friday night to Sunday night timeframe. Can it be done? Yes it can, and I'll be a part of it.
Chris and I were banging out grillm when I read about this event for the first time. We looked at each other and said, "Wow, what a great idea!"
Unlike our two man show, this a is a group of world class people teaming up from all areas of business. Management, funding, marketing, bizdev, application development... everything you really need to create a viable business.
I can't wait for the result, there are some phenomenal people involved. I'll be just back from the Butte, ready and refreshed. Who's catering coffee and pizza? Brad? ;-)
StartupWeekend: "July 6-8 in Boulder, Colorado. Let's create a startup." |
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