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]

One button madness

So the new iPhone software is coming this summer. It has everything that most people have wanted since the beginning, starting with multi-tasking. Overall it looks like an amazing upgrade and I can't wait to install it on my phone.

I do have one issue with the way it is implemented. Double-clicking the button bring up a tray at the bottom that shows up to seven apps that one has running at the time. Problem is that double-clicking was previously used to pull up either the phone or the iPod functions. What happens to that keystroke now? Is it contextual?

In a way, this is similar to a UI change that occurred one maybe two generations of software in the past. In order to quit an app, one pressed the home button for a long time. That shortcut was changed to a more cumbersome holding of the power button etc.

I love Apples one-button/minimal button ruthlessness but sometimes I think it gets in the way of what they are trying to achieve – ease of use. Remapping keystrokes only serves to frustrate users and lengthen the learning curve. Apple gets away with it sometimes but they should know better.

App design

In the previous post I mentioned one apps that annoyed me and one app that didn't.

A common complaint that I have with the apps out today is a giddiness with the size. Case in point, the Reuters app. They want to provide as much information within the frame as possible so they have stacks of rotating panels that can be unpredictable to navigate. There's just too much sliding and flipping overall. I don't think that format would work on a piece of paper, on television or on the computer screen. When looking at the iPad, you can't approach it from a tech point of view.

I think the Cool Hunting developed with BBH is the exact opposite. Cool Hunting is in effect a magazine. They balance the content by dedicating one block to each topic and each block has a headline and a striking visual. All of the main topics of the day can be seen at a glance. Inside each story is a cool stream of pictures above. The copy block has a strong presence and is easy to read. Tags and icons of related content appear to the right, just like the blog, but it feels as natural as on a glossy page.

It's not surprising media companies got it right. Many of them had iPads under lock and key so they got to experience what it could do first hand. Only now are other developers getting on board. I imagine things will improve.

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.

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.

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.

Deposit via iPhone

A bank in West Virginia (!) is the first to offer iPhone bank deposits. Using the camera, one can take a picture of the check and voila. The bank uses one's mobile number as part of the authentication process. It's pretty amazing and I hope more will be on the way.

To be honest, remote deposits are still the stuff of dreams for most people. I figured scanner deposits would be here before the iPhone path would be taken.

Hat tip [Net Banker]

Is the social networking bar really that low?

Dunkin Donuts released an iPhone app today. It makes it easier for 'runners' – otherwise known as interns – to capture orders for Dunkin Donuts.

Their press release calls it a 'social networking application.' Really? So does that mean every order taker is social networking?

Is the bar for social networking so low that any application that impacts more than one person is considered a social networking application?? Where is the exchange of information and ideas? "OMG you like jelly donuts too??" doesn't feel like its playing in the same park as Facebook. I could be wrong.

I'm all for being topical and relevant but this is a stretch to me. But I'm sure those iPhone wielding interns – I mean Runners – will appreciate fewer tantrums over an incorrect ratio of coffee and milk.

Hat tip [PC World]

iPhone 3.0

Everyone's bonkers over what will be released next week, likely a new iPhone. Honestly I can't wait and I'm sure the new one will be in my hands within the next three months, as senseless as it sounds.

The more I use the device, the more it feels as though I'm carrying a computer everywhere. I'm astounded at the sophistication of the apps that are being released now. At first it seemed as thought it would be just 'small potatoes,' the kind of apps that were on the Palm. I found many Palm apps to be nice and useful but nothing that exciting.

To me, the proof of the iPhone's capabilities are in the pudding – how has my life changed since I purchased it. I can say without hyperbole that the iPhone was influential in my losing roughly 15 pounds in the last six months, thanks to programs such as Lose It, monitoring my caloric intake, and iFitness, which helps me track my workout routine. These tools have always been available via pen and paper or using a spreadsheet. But I've always run into problems with the manual methods. I always have my phone on me so I rarely forget to use either of those programs, which is a fantastic thing.

To me, the thing that will make it perfect is the upcoming hardware pairing – specifically a keyboard. I may never need to take my laptop anywhere again if I'm able to pair a keyboard with my phone and I'm able to use a good 'Office' document creator and viewer.

Interesting times ahead.

iPhone paintings hit critical mass

If there's any more proof needed that the iPhone has become media, the blogsphere, specifically Engadget and Gizmodo, are buzzing about the latest New Yorker cover drawn in "Brushes", the iPhone application that I've blogged about in the past.

Looks great and not unlike a 'real' work of art.

iPhone as canvas

I think I've written about Brushes, one of the amazing 'paint' applications available for the iPhone. The Flickr feed is outstanding if you haven't seen it.

The UK's Daily Mail did an article on David Hockney, one of the UK's outstanding artist. Now in his 70s, he has taken to the iPhone like a duck to water. He's given it a little easel and 'paints.'

Core to Apple's success has been the artist. It's great to see that enthusiasm channeled to the iPhone.

Hat tip [Towleroad]

Bento for iPhone

Bento is Apple's consumer database application. It's one of those applications that I purchased some time ago but just hadn't used much to date. It resides on my desktop, limiting its' utility in places I need it the most – everywhere else. I've tried other applications as semi-databases – namely Evernote. Evernote is a great app but it's PIM functionality is limited, making it difficult to process stuff that I have captured.

Then earlier this week, the pieces came together in the form of an iPhone app – Bento for iPhone. Designed to be used as both a stand-alone and in conjunction with Bento for Mac, the application is the epitome of simplicity and utility that one expects with Apple. It's loaded with pre-designed templates for a range of uses, including project management, list management, a recipe database, media database and more. Syncing is effortless. I'm really looking forward to seeing how it will improve my life in the months ahead. I do know I feel more organized already.

My only frustration – and it is a big one – is the inexcusable inability to sync iCal Tasks, one of the best parts about Bento. This feeds into a much larger irritation – the horrendous approach to task management on the iPhone. Simply put, you can sync iCal reminders but that's it. You can't manipulate those tasks on the phone. This is even more frustrating because Apple made a big deal about tasks when they released Leopard – specifically the ability to pull to-dos and notes from Mail messages quickly and easily. The iPhone OS 3.0 finally syncs notes but tasks are still MIA. WHY?! Having to use a third-party application to manage my task list is incredibly frustrating because it exists outside of my dominant workflow.

I'm off my soapbox. I'm probably going to continue grumbling about it until it appears. Hopefully soon.

Lose It!

So my quest for an insane body for summer has been given a HUGE boost by the calorie counter app called Lose It! from a company called Fit Now. While I read random things about it online, I got turned onto it through a friend who is undergoing her own transformation. Last time I saw her, she looked amazing.

I've never been much of a calorie counter, having usually lost weight through just exercise alone. But I thought doing this would be a good exercise. I remember I did a post some time ago on 'life tracking' – keeping track of the stats of one's health. So while I have a motive in mind – Speedo this summer – I also wanted to understand my eating habits in general. In addition, I worked on a diet product recently and I began thinking about how and what we ate. It's sad seeing so many people

Overall, I eat a lot better than I thought. Where I fall off the wagon is at night and on the weekends, which is common for most people. I'm also a little concerned on my sodium intake so will be making adjustments there.

Even if you don't need to lose weight, it's a well-designed intuitive program with a great database. It's also easy to add your own items. Many recipes now come with nutritional information but there are many sites – such as this one – that help you calculate that information based on the ingredients and the number of servings. Fun!

Maybe I'm getting too anal. But I'll worry about that when the summer is over.

BofA's iPhone/iTouch success

Earlier in the month, Bnk of America proclaimed that 40% of their 2 million mobile users logged into their accounts using either an iPhone or an iPod Touch. Pretty astounding when you think about how long the devices have been in the market.

Hat tip [Mobile Banking]

Another amazing iPhone app

Another app in my arsenal may be a new one called ColorSplash, which allows the user to spot color selections of an image. This kind of image processing is Photoshop material – all available from the iPhone.

I admit that I underestimated the imaging capacity of this device. I have already illustrated the QuadCam, which I love. I only wish the resolution of the camera were just a little higher so that these type of pictures could be that much sharper. 

UPDATE: I've started playing with this app. It's not the easiest to manipulate but it is great fun. I will be looking out for pics to modify. 

Hat tip [TUAW]

iPhone camera

It's quite popular to bag on the iPhone camera, particularly its' mere 2MP resolution. But I've taken a number of pictures in the last few months using the camera and very rarely are the results less than spectacular. I think one thing the iPhone camera does very well is color fidelity. And with the new applications being released that unlock different capabilities, it's becoming quite a sophisticated imaging tool. 

Messiah van

Messiah van
Originally uploaded by mitchsfo

I had one of those 'only in NY' moments yesterday. Roughly 10 vans with  scratchy loudspeakers blaring something inaudible. Signs in different languages lauded the presence of the Messiah. At least according to followers of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson on Eastern Parkway.

I took this picture with a relatively new app on the App Store called QuadCamera, written by a Japanese developer. The app allows you to take up to eight pictures consecutively, something difficult to do using the standard Camera application. 

Brian Eno's Bloom iPhone music application

I'm amazed at the applications that are coming out for the iPhone in the music category. I talked about one of the RjDj early on in my blog. Then there's the Ocarina [developer site] an application that turns the phone into a recorder. Not only can you play music but you can listen to other users play their tunes around the world. My latest obsession is Brian Eno's Bloom [iTunes link] reviewed here by Stuart Dredge. With Bloom, you generate tones based on mood. Outstanding.

'Trism' connection

In researching my article on the Palm Pre – still hate the name – I ran into someone unexpected. When I lived in San Francisco, I rowed with the guy behind an outstanding game, Trism [link to developer page] To say it's sizzling hot is an understatement. He got his app out the gate at the opening of the App Store last June and it's been a hot seller ever since. Steve's a good hearted guy and to say that I'm happy for him is an understatement. 

I was most interested in the process, because I find stuff like that fascinating. He knew the iPhone would be big and he wanted to strike right at the opening. He managed to get his hands on an SDK early. He had his core idea, which was refined with the help of a long-suffering friend with whom he talked about it constantly. All in all it took about 4 months from concept to App Store appearance. 

Timing has something to do with his success but it's also a quality game, which is why it is selling as strongly as it is. The graphics and sounds are crisp and make sense. It's addictive. A round can last as little or as long as you want, which is perfect for the busy professional with a couple of minutes to spare. Literally, a couple. That was his target. What I like most about the game is the immense amount of thought that went into the tutorial. The game coaches you through the game play, including obstacles you will face and how to deal with them. The game is well worth the money.

Watched the Apple Keynote

I'm sick at the moment – boo hiss. I've been using this downtime to catch up with my favorite company and watch the keynote address, as I always do. If I had known this one was to have been the last one, I would have made an effort to go and see it live. Ah well. End of an era.

For what it's worth, stylistically, Phil Schiller did a great job. He managed to be informed, enthusiastic and most of all natural. These are the three things that Steve Jobs brought to the Keynote. Of course rehearsing matters most. I am in the middle of watching the Palm presentation and they have ways to go in that department. 

With the exception of the iPhone announcements, I seem to go in a cycle with the Keynote. If it's software, I'm underwhelmed at the announcements, particularly as reported by the tech press. Then I watch the Keynote and get excited. Invariably I find something in the announcements that makes me feel as though Apple reads my mind. 

Case in point, there are two new 'smart' features in iPhone 09 that excite me because they mimic and streamline my own processes – Faces and Places. I have smart folders for important people in my life as well as folders for the places that I go. This is partially automated but still requires a bit of work. 

Faces uses face recognition technology to create a smart folder for a particular person. So with a little bit of help at the start, you can see all of the pictures of your Mom, girlfriend/boyfriend, best friends etc. It's truly amazing and I know the technology behind it will extend to other things. 

Places uses geo-tag information to separate pictures by location. The inclusion of GPS technology into phones and cameras means that you can capture where you took a picture. Places uses that data to automatically combine pictures taken in the same location. You can also manually designate a location.

These two technologies will streamline the organization of my pictures and make it easier to include location data in things like those cool books you can print through iPhoto etc. Even cooler, the face recognition data travels with any uploads to Flickr and Facebook. And if someone else tags people in the picture, that data travels back to iPhoto. Amazing. 

I'll be picking up a copy of the next iLife suite as soon as its available so I'll report more on this in the months to come. I also have some good things to say about the iWork suite, which is finally powerful enough to replace the Office suite in many circumstances. More on that in another post.