I like Marker Felt

Yes I admit it. There seems to be a certain kind of design snobbery that has reared its' head loudly against Marker Felt, a common Apple font used in Notes. To this cohort, it's ugly. Being forced to stare at it day after day is an assault on the senses.

I like it. It creates a visual separation between email and notes. And it makes things just a little bit more casual. There I said it.

Apple v. Google

The geeks are going crazy over the recent Apple sly backhand of Google by restricting manufacturers of hardware or software platforms from obtaining analytics from AdMob advertising. For those who don't know, AdMob places text ads in applications that devs use to earn advertising revenue and help pay for development. This new rule is directed at Google, of course, because they just acquired AdMob. The cries of indignation have been amusing:

Anti-trust violations! Anti-competitive practices! Evil empire! If Microsoft did this...!

If you want to hate Apple, go ahead and hate them. But hate them for valid reasons, not spin disguised as a reason.

As I have posted on several blogs, there's a simple reason why Apple did this Google. Apple blocked Google from harvesting sensitive information about Apple's customer base. Pure and simple.

What people don't realize is AdMob is able to capture quite a lot of information about iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad users through advertising, such as user ID, location, demographics, time spent in app, and other apps on the device. In fact, AdMob has been able to discern new device specifications based on the network presence of equipment in testing. It captures all of this data to serve up more effective advertising but it can also be used to provide a competitor with valuable usage and equipment data.

Why would Apple hand over sensitive behavioral information to a competitor? No smart company would do that.

Apple has no problem with AdMob. Its' presence has underwritten free/low-cost apps in the App Store. But now that AdMob is part of Google, this data treasure-trove has to be turned off. That's why Apple created iAd – to offer developers a means to continue to offer free/low-cost advertising without the risk of sensitive information falling into the wrong hands.

Of course Google/AdMob is angry; they make a lot more money off the iOS platform which has far greater market share than Android devices. I'm sure they could have made a lot more by selling integrated advertising – desktop and mobile alike. But to paint Apple as Godzilla trampling the rights of users, developers and advertisers alike is hyperbole. You don't give your enemies the keys to your castle. User data is one of those keys.

I do want to address the Microsoft angle. Whether we like it or not, Apple has proven to be a far better steward of privacy than most people give it credit. Private browsing has been part of Safari for a long time, before it was fashionable. Unlike other phones, the GPS function in iPhones is off by default and users must explicitly provide permission to turn it on. Things such as viruses and other information harvesting bugs occur far less frequently on the Apple platform. Apple hasn't sold its' customer list' to millions of spammers nor does it change its' privacy rules every few months. Microsoft has made and continues to make so many security gaffes, one would look askance at promises to 'keep information private.' Google has made a number of well-publized errors – Google Buzz, Wifi location harvesting etc. I'm glad Apple takes security seriously.

So let the moaners moan. I'm sure the FTC will find that Apple has done nothing wrong. AdMob isn't banned; they are simply restricted from harvesting sensitive data. I don't mind.

iPhone 4

Is it as revolutionary as the first one? No. Is it a vast revolution from the 3GS? No. Is it awesome? Yes.

There are three things that I'm most looking forward to with this new iPhone.

1. Sharper screen. I think this will make reading a much more enjoyable experience.
2. Improved camera. Flash is probably the most important addition here but I'm also looking forward to the improved resolution, clarity and the dual lens. HD recording doesn't hurt.
3. Three-way Gyroscope. Finally the iPhone will have the hardware that will make games like Super Monkey Ball an enjoyable experience.

There are many (many) people who will dismiss these improvements as things that have been available on other platforms. Very true. But there's no arguing with Apple's installed base. And developer base. Once devs optimize their software for the improved hardware, there's no telling what could come about.

this is what I want to do with an iPad

Read journal articles and mark them up. There are apps that get close but not to the Holy Grail just yet. I hope someone cracks it. I would love iBooks to have more robust annotate features. I appreciate that with the Kindle software but they don't go far enough.

[Note: seems as though iBlogger doesn't allow attachments, e.g. photos. I always found it an awkward piece of software.]

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Damned if they do

It's amazing that people berate Apple for working to ensure that their customers have the best experience possible on devices bearing the Apple name.

• They work with the best suppliers in the business and are ruthless in their judgement of quality. Horrible!
• They don't deliver features – both the technology and user experience – that haven't been optimized to work as best they can. Scoundrels!
• They try to shield their users from extraneous nonsense. Bastards!

Apple does not always succeed but success is highly subjective. Every company in the world would kill to have Apple's reputation and loyal customer base. That doesn't happen by 'sheepishly' spitting out garbage. It comes from respecting the people for whom you make products and working hard to avoid putting out crap.

The endless devotion to stats/benchmarks remove the user experience from the equation, which it shouldn't. If my computer/ phone/ device is difficult to use, I don't care how fast it is because there's only one speed I see – full stop.

That's something GM didn't realize until it was too late. Microsoft is learning that now. One day I'm sure Apple will misstep and allegiance will move on to another company. But for now Apple is the one to beat.

iPad thoughts

The initial euphoria has worn off and now it's down to business. Specifically – does the iPad justify the money I just spent on it? Definitely yes with a small no.

Yes because it's gorgeous, easy to use, and behaves quite differently from what I imagined. Some of that is the system itself and some of that is the nature of the applications. No because there are some limitations that need to be solved. But I know these limitations won't be around for long.

Gorgeous is not a word one typically uses for technology. But on the iPad, like so many other Apple products, the shoe fits. It's a beautiful well-made shoe. When you hold it in your hands, you feel as though you are holding the future. The iPhone was the only other time I felt like that about a piece of technology. The screen is large and bright. For those with the recent MacBookPro line, it's like Apple ripped off the screen and put it in your hand. For me that is just what the doctor ordered. The interface is smooth and responsive. Things snap to your command. It's almost overwhelming in its' efficiency.

I think the critics who labeled it 'just a large iPhone' need to sit down with the device. There is no way that the same application can and should behave the same way on the two devices. Therefore, even though there are similarities, the additional real estate and new UI conventions force a different user experience.

I bought the iPad as primarily a reading device and it is quite adept in that function. Having it on your lap in either landscape or portrait feels intuitive and comfortable. It's usable in even direct sunlight, although details do wash out. Surfing the web is like experiencing it anew. In portrait, you can see the entire page, which is really what the designer intended.

The lack of Flash is frustrating as so many sites are dependent on that technology. But as I've said before, I've never been a big fan of it and I don't play a lot of games or non-YouTube video. I imagine the web will be a different place in a few months once the impact of all three major Apple devices driving the way we interact online.

Now the not so great stuff.

Right now, there are a lot of clumsy apps on the iPad. I salute some developers for embracing the concept and developing applications that fit very well. The media applications are the best at this – New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and GQ are the ones I've interacted with so far and am very impressed.

But it's painful to use non-optimized or ill thought out applications. What makes sense on an iPhone feels awkward and restraining on an iPad. I imagine every developer will be modifying his or her app soon because one does not want to cede loyalty to the competition.

One major difference is the iPad allows for more direct file swapping and some developers haven't modified their app with that in mind. To that end, I haven't seen an elegant solution for the main reason I purchased my iPad – interacting with large PDFs in a fashion more akin to printing it out and marking it up. I'll be watching the App Store closely.

This is the perfect opportunity to raise the application price point as an issue. iPhone apps are almost throw-away in cost. Yes that adds up but you can pull in a lot of great applications for under $20, try them out and toss the ones that don't work for you. iPad applications are more expensive, making each purchase a more considered one. I think there should be a trial period associated with every application. That will raise standards and make the purchase experience as rewarding as on the iPhone. Tossing $5 for something that doesn't work for you is annoying.

For more than just a few emails, I think the on-screen keyboard is too unconventional. There aren't enough punctuation marks on the main keyboard, forcing one into a menu tree. I could excuse this on the iPhone because of the limited space. On the iPad it is stupid and slows down what could be a decent typing experience. Dear Apple – punctuation is more than just an extra button; it is part of the structure of a language. Please adjust the keyboard accordingly.

One question I have gotten a lot in the time that I've owned this device is – can it replace a laptop. Yes, eventually.

Some of what one already does on one's laptop can be done on the iPad, with a lot more fun and a lot more grace. With an external keyboard, writing is a joy. It's a lot easier to read and edit one's writing in portrait mode, which is more akin to the printed page. As I've said before, the lack of multi-tasking is not a problem for me. There are fewer distractions than on a laptop, which makes one more productive. Interacting with the web, which is what most of us do on our laptops, is so much more enjoyable, lack of Flash notwithstanding. And the application UI is easy to use or thyet very powerful. I see a lot of very powerful applications coming online in the next few months. Hopefully they will challenge how we use our laptops and desktops and eventually cede the floor to tablet computing.

All that being said, it's not there yet. We are still dependent on our laptops and desktops for content that can not be elegantly shared if it is housed solely on the iPad. The Apple iTunes bottleneck does grate in a way that it doesn't on the iPhone. I can see why there has been so much wailing on the part of critics because it seems as though this device is wrapped in a plastic bubble that you can't pop. Additionally, the iPad is a different computing paradigm and I think developers need time to experience it and adjust their applications accordingly.

Is it worth it to buy it now? Maybe. I certainly love it. It's 90% of what I've been looking for in a device. I'm a mobile professional and am the perfect target for the MacBook Air. I didn't bite because while it was gorgeous to look, its' utility was too limited for the price. In fact, I think the iPad is a better MacBook Air. It's more portable and does many of the same tasks – surfing the web, listening to music, watching video, and writing – as well if not better. I think the iPhone OS has a lot of room to grow. I'm really looking forward to OS 4.0, which is rumored to go live in the coming months.

The iPad is a magical device. Some of its' magic will take time to unfold but I don't doubt that it will happen. It will change computing in the same way that the iPhone changed phones. I for one am very very pleased.

Quote of the day re: Apple vs. Microsoft

"Apple is like a great soprano; you go and listen and even if she misses a note you criticize. Microsoft is like Susan Boyles; you're shocked when you hear something great." Gohkam @ Engadget

Consumed

It's almost here. Next week around this time, I expect to have an iPad in my hot little hands. I am so excited, I can hardly think.

With the iPad, Apple will have finally delivered the 'third leg' of my wants/needs. If they stopped now, I would be happy. Of course they won't, which is fantastic. But the iPad is something I've been waiting for for a long time.

When Microsoft came out with the Tablet PC, I thought – that's it, the laptop is dead and long live the tablet. It's a pity that Tablet PCs have never really caught on because the concept is compelling. Tablet PCs stumbled for three reasons – price, technology, implementation. Most TabletPCs cost the same as regular laptops – the high end ones. That limited the market. The technology also doomed the format. They were too heavy, too bulky, and had poor performing batteries. For a device to be used on the go, all of these were impractical compromises. The final one – implementation – falls squarely on Microsoft's shoulders. They did nothing to truly push the format and make it easy to develop customized software that took advantage of the form. They delivered the OS but it's all about the software. The only true success is OneNote, which every tablet user loves.

Apple has done what Apple does – take a complex category and make it simple. The iPad is going to be a huge success. I can't wait.

The Third Way

I read this interesting Engadget article about the gap in experience between the laptop and the phone; which did a good job of summarizing the strength of the iPad. I'd love to compare video between the iPad and other Tablets, which I'm sure will be made with abandon when the device is released.

iPad critics: If you are basing your opinion on what you have read or photographs, you are missing a key data point as to why this device is a quantum leap in how we interact with technology. You really have to watch how the device responds in different states to see why its' iPhone core is ideal. Through Apple's example, everything has been optimized for what is a very different interactive experience – e.g. the Address Book, Photos, and iBooks. The competition has ability to recreate the specs and maybe even throw in better ones. They can't replicate the overall user experience.

Let's use the NYT website as a control, which they did in the keynote. Just compare what it's like to interact with NYT website vs. iPhone app vs. iPad app [link to YouTube of NYT iPad app]. Same content, vastly different user experiences. Those who complain that it's not a laptop are too focused on a desktop experience. Let's face it. Laptops have not significantly changed how we interact with the desktop; they simply took it off the desk.

Most importantly, laptops can't be used standing up; balancing and typing does not work. If you are standing up or in a place without a table, a phone is a better fit. Powerful phones – such as the iPhone but also Droid and the Pre – are great in that they can be used with one hand. But they are too small for certain tasks.

So that's why Apple started with the iPhone OS. It's optimized for the one-finger and one hand; adjusting it for more than one hand and more than one finger is a lot easier than distilling the desktop experience and allowing non-optimized content to slip through the cracks. Improper content ruins the user experience. That's what happened to the TabletPC and PCs in general. Owning a Tablet Windows is great but it's rare to find applications optimized for the Tablet, aside from the excellent One Note. More importantly, developing for Tablet PCs is not as profitable because the user base is relatively small compared to the non-touch users. The expense and the design of the current crop also make TabletPCs less attractive.

Apple delivered the first Tablet priced for the what is really all markets. I do believe that there is a vast audience of people who do not have PCs now will opt for that one because it does what they need it to do.

But Apple has other tools at its disposal. It has the experience and reputation for creating gold-standard mobile devices, gold standard user experiences, gold standard shopping experiences, and a gold standard content delivery mechanisms. It really doesn't matter what they nah-sayers think. Think of all those iPod, iPad, MacBook/Pros and iMacs out there that need to be bought, serviced, wrapped and accessorized.

Apple has the power to sell the iPad to its' customer base one-on-one directly through its stores. And it will.

More iPad thoughts

I've become more and more excited about the iPad the more I think about it and the more I read about it. Why? I think it's an entirely new paradigm and will change the way we read and the way we collaborate.

I want to address one thing. One of the loudest criticism of the device is that it's an overgrown iPhone. You people are missing the point entirely. That similarity is part of the business strategy.

Which platform has more developers and more users – Mac OS X or the iPhone? Which platform has more similarities to the iPad? There are far more iPhone developers than OS X developers and they already know how to create software that takes advantage of a touch interface.

Now onto why I think it's a new paradigm in reading and collaborating.

Reading first. It begins with a newsflash; I read more than just books. I read articles, presentations, transcripts, and even my own writing. I spend the majority of my time on my laptop reading. I love my Kindle but it has limited utility for me, which is why I find myself taking it fewer and fewer places. It's a form factor that begs for other types of content than just books but it's hard to use it that way. I used it to load it up with interview transcripts. I stopped because when you are dealing with 25 to 30 project interviews, it becomes laborious to manage. That means it's back to the laptop.

I hear complaints that it's hard to read on an LED screen. I don't know about you but I spend most of my workday reading on my laptop. I don't see how it's going to be all that different. Even when I read a lot of books, I rarely read all day. I read for a couple of hours and then I did something else. I don't think I'm all that unique in that behavior.

I know the iPad's lack of multitasking is getting panned but I think it's a good thing. It's hard to read on one's laptop without getting a barrage of stimuli – email, IM, and that 'oh I forgot I need to.' So I'm looking forward to interacting with all of my reading material in an easy to use, easy to annotate format with fewer distractions than my laptop.

Onto collaboration. Let's face it; the personal computer is personal and individual. Someone needs to own the keyboard and mouse/trackpad regardless of the screen size.

Imagine being about to work on a presentation or view a website and being able to have two people interact with it equally. There's no more 'click there... no there.' The other person can just point at what they really want to see. No more misunderstood directions or awkward passing the computer or keyboard back and forth. Working with other people becomes a lot more natural since the iPad will be more of a shared tool than the domain of one person. In the world of work and education, it will be huge.

The iPad is not an iPhone. Its' size means it will be something entirely different, even if it appears familiar. This device will revolutionize the way we interact with information. Nah-sayers just don't realize it yet. I can't wait to get my hands on it.

iPad. Jack of all devices.

I'm not sure why that came to mind. I've only now had the chance to really catch up with the iPad announcement.

Disappointed and excited. About the same way I felt about the iPhone 2.0.

I think it was impossible for Apple to really deliver everything on everyone's wish list and you can see that on the gadget blogs. Yes I am annoyed about the lack of multitasking, no camera and the weight — a tad heavier than I would like.

But I'm writing this post on my phone and I know how I would use the iPad. Sometimes I just don't want to use my laptop, usually when it comes to reading. Case in point, I get a lot of PDF's that I have no real way to read comfortably. On the iPhone it's too small and I get annoyed. Printing it out is fine for a few pages but it's not a true solution for a book. It's cumbersome to read on a laptop due to the page orientation. I've actually turned my laptop sideways a few times but that never lasts. For books, magazines and PDF's this thing is a blessing.

LOTS of people will say there are many solutions out there that would do this. That's true. But there's always a compromise. To me, Tablet PC's are too heavy and the battery life has really been awful. And the interface was never designed to be functional without a stylus or a keyboard. Both areas are getting better but they have a long way to go.

I have more thoughts but I want to think some more. I'm excited and frustrated. But that's a good thing with Apple. They make you think.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Baba and the current manufacturing model

Samsung recently came out with – or announced – Baba, an operating system that they will use to 'smarten' their devices and reduce their dependency on the likes of Microsoft and Google.

This made me think for a moment. Is the software/hardware model that Microsoft built and perfect irrevocably broken? Sure Windows 7 has redeemed Microsoft but other parts of the Windows platform has not done well. Windows Mobile/Embedded is being replaced with Androids in areas that Microsoft thought they had the right to win. Even Google has put their own skin in the game, albeit with a well-known hardware partner.

When it comes to mindshare and influence, isn't it better to own the entire ecosystem? What is the benefit of sharing the spotlight with others?

Waiting for the other shoe to drop

jkontherun.com is one of my favorite gadget sites not because it's a spec-a-thon like Gizmodo and Engadget can be but because it's written from a user perspective. He talks about gadgets that he actually uses in his day-to-day life and I find that perspective more credible than the 'we used it for a week and here's what we think.'

He has been in Vegas for CES this year and he had an interesting quote re: the iSlate or whatever Apple will announce.

It is clear that the months of rumors about the Apple tablet have gotten a lot of companies concerned. The conversations I had off the record with reps at several companies indicated that it is expected that Apple will bring something unexpected to market with its tablet, and that has many competitors concerned. Thus the race to get slates to market before Apple does is considered important.

I do think being first-to-market is not going to help them. The iPod wasn't the first MP3 device and actually had specs that appeared underpowered when compared to the competition. It was the total package that clinched its' success. I think the iSlate is going to be the same thing. It's not the form factor that people will be talking about; it's going to be the total package.

Apps, good for what ails ya?

iPhone, myPhone
Originally uploaded by JNad

CES news is out and I've never seen so many devices begging for developer love.

From large companies to rinky-dink ones, it appears every device moving forward will have applications, and by extension, app stores. It would be great if it weren't kinda silly.

It seems as though the dominant wisdom is that it is the App Store that made the iPhone. That's wrong-headed thinking.

Apple built the App Store on top of a very large iPhone/iPod Touch user base drawn to an outstanding product. There were millions of both devices in the hands of consumers before Apple released the SDK. When it was released, developers jumped on it. Who wouldn't want to write something for an installed base in the millions? The potential market was just too large to ignore.

So for companies hoping that an App Store/Apps will save your product, I think the question that needs to be answered first is – what makes this product so exciting that consumers chomp at the bit to get their hands on it? If the answer is 'very little' or if the answer contains reams of specs that the average consumer doesn't care about, no amount of app-age will help you.

Slates without prices

Happy New Year everyone. Hope you had a fun time. I did. Mostly.

CES is on and it seems as the the 'slate' is THE form factor. What I have found to be most interesting is everyone's making the announcement – knowing that Apple's slate is likely right around the corner – but no one has any firm release dates or even price tags. I find this interesting, to say the least.

I think it's also interesting that Apple is choosing to wait out the storm. Shrewd move on their part. There's just too much noise and a lot of it is very interesting, I must add.

Why the iPhone will fail

I've had a bit of a laugh today reading some of the posts about the breathlessly awaited iSlate or whatever the Apple Tablet will be named. I've noticed the tone eerily similar to the tidal wave of nah-sayers who dismissed the iPhone as a novelty.

Some of the common criticisms were –

1. What no keyboard?
2. Geared for consumers not business
3. Limited features – yes for 1G but now that we are at 3.5G, definitely not
4. It's a toy
5. No track record in this business
6. Too expensive
7. Battery life stinks

It's funny how most if not all of these objections/snarks were either invalidated, overcome or remarkably similar to deficits faced by other smartphones – e.g. battery life.

I recommend you do a search for 'why the iphone will fail' and check out any article in 2007. I'm sure many of these guys are eating their words. Delicious, huh?

Tablet fever

OMG I have never seen anything like it. Tablet fever is consuming the technology world. Everyone is looking for any sign – real or imagined – that indicates that Apple is going to unleash the legendary tablet/slate computer that will sell like hotcakes.

At least I think it will. I will buy one for sure.

AT&T **cked in San Francisco

The network is down. To be more specific, data and SMS is down for what could be two to three days, basically my time here before heading to Phoenix.

I love my iPhone but without a solid network, the thing is useless. I can barely talk for more than a few minutes before calls drop. Sometimes I can't even make calls at all.

Right now, I think my next step will be to get a cheap-o phone on Verizon and use the iPhone as a supped up Touch.

It's tragic that AT&T has basically ruined what is an amazing product. To say I'm angry is an understatement.

App Store blues

I've been really frustrated by the number of news stories focused on iPhone developers complaining about how they aren't making money and how their applications get lost on the App Store.

Newsflash: presence on the App store does not mean you no longer need to market your products

The App Store is like Amazon. No one complains that 'their products get lost' on Amazon. It's ridiculous to assume that a presence on Amazon means the seller is set for life. Amazon simply provides an efficient standardized distribution platform, just like the App Store.

What the store provides is a potential market of millions of people around the world. So if you do hit it, you'll hit it big, as we have seen. It's up to YOU to build applications with an audience in mind and market to that audience. If you don't, your app is doomed to failure because competition is fierce.

Stop complaining and start marketing. And if you don't know how to market your products, get help.

The power of the Apple Store

Seems as though Apple's Regent Street store in London has transformed what was a relatively boring shopping corridor – I remember lots of Scottish tweed and humdrum cashmere – and turned it into one of the most sought after commercial streets in the UK. It's also the most profitable retailer in London.

Similar news came in some time ago that the NY Fifth Avenue location was it's most profitable location and is probably the highest grossing retailer, pretty astonishing considering the company it keeps – Tiffany, Gucci, Calvin Klein etc. Over 38 million people visited the store last year.

It's so funny to see these figures because when they first opened their stores, so many people crapped all over the idea. 'Waste of money,' they said. 'No tech company has ever built a successful retail presence,' they said. Ironically, I am sure it has been the Mac loyal that has helped build this franchise – reinforcing the importance of brand loyalty.

For a long time, I grew frustrated at the Apple experience. Shoddy stores, poor displays, über geek helpers who were more interested in besting your knowledge than actually helping you. Now the Apple experience is one of the best retail experiences there is. So much so that Microsoft is ripping it off, which basically says all that needs to be said about Microsoft.