Standing up

I am thrilled with the iPad but one criticism is that it's not light. You can't hold it in one hand and use it for any length of time.

I don't know about you but I'm tired of sitting down when I interact with a device.

I love the idea you have seen in some commercials lately ― people pointing to air while they walk down the street, surrounded by a forcefield of digital knowledge.

I'm not saying I'm thrilled to actually do it. Seems a little odd pointing to random places on the street. But then again everyone would be doing it, if iPhone adoption in NY sets any precedence.

Standing up allows you to interact and still move about without looking down and missing what is around you. In this country, we should be standing more and sitting less.

What do you wish technology would enable you to do?

Gadgets soliloquy

I used to be a bit of a gadget freak. I'd always have something going, usually a few. I realize that behavior has changed because of the iPhone. I've spend thousands on a phone and equipment. I don't do that now. I probably buy a little more than $200 in apps and have spent that much on a new phone.

Those apps are increasingly encroaching upon devices I've purchased in the past. I have a digital voice recorder to capture face to face interviews for work. With the new Voice App, I don't need that anymore. The video camera will replace the need for a proper video camera for most of my needs – which have more to do with discreetness in an environment than anything else.

Now I know that many of these functions have been in phones in the past. Especially the more recent past. Sidekicks are everywhere. Those phones and many other phones out there can do as much if not more than the iPhone from a feature perspective. Yes this and that phone can capture higher res pictures or capture video at a higher frame rate and resolution. But the filters that the iPhone can apply pre and post image match most of what is done on a desktop and offer a level of on-the-spot creativity and flexibility previously impossible to date. I'm looking forward to the video filters that will no doubt be released in the coming months for the new 3GS video capture capability.

I've had many sophisticated phones – from Sony Ericsson and Nokia – in the past and found them annoying. Each one forced me to compromised in a way I didn't really want. I had a Nokia Series 60 3rd Edition phone last – Nokia E61. That phone drove me nuts. Sound quality excellent. Everything else was horrible, including that thumb busting joystick. The latest E71 generation is much better than the V1/E61 version I used but the iPhone still beats it in design and functionality. It was like using Windows. At least Sony Ericsson can produce things that don't feel like Windows.

The other point I wanted to make is that one of the biggest strengths of the iPhone is its' ability to shape shift. You can never do that with a physical keyboard. With a keyboard, a device will always looks like a phone or a labelmaker. When you put the iTwins into a dock, the screen can transform to become part of its' surroundings.

I'm so excited to see what will be released on the hardware front because I can't even imagine. My wildest dreams were exceeded with the 3G. The new 3.0 software and its' SDK will offer so much more.

Embedded strategy

I finally watched the Keynote and what struck me was how different Microsoft and Apple are treating the embedded market.

Microsoft's embedded strategy is basically Windows everywhere. Except that developing for the different varieties of Windows is not always a straight forward task. And Windows isn't the most nimble of OS'. Add that to the reluctance many hardware manufacturers have had for Microsoft to own their space as they do the desktop world and you see why there have been problems with the Windows everywhere strategy.

With the latest software update, Apple is taking a completely different route. Instead of having hardware manufacturers tailor an OS for their hardware, the iPhone/iTouch duo acts as the brains for essentially dummy hardware. It's a lot easier to program and update an iPhone app vs. something that is more hardwired and can't be updated as easily if a product doesn't have a network connection handy.

I am so excited to see what is being developed. Just chomping at the bit.

Mac news cont'd

I was a bit unfair in my criticisms of Mac news in my previous post. I complained that I hadn't heard very much in light of what thought would have been a very busy news period in the Mac universe. I get the sense that there is a lot of news but it is under wraps until the official launch, based on some comment made on one of the geek blogs – Engagimodo. It's all very hush hush. Calm before the storm again.

Okay Engagimodo is not a real blog but rather the names of the two tech heavyweights combined. They would probably die to see the names combined as such. But I feel they are very similar and report on many of the same things. Their individual original reporting is fantastic but the spin isn't so different to prevent them from blurring together. I'll have to pay more attention to the writing to make sure.

What is happening now I do like and that's the deep dives into the material covered in the Keynote, particularly the new MacBook Pros recently introduced – and one that will be in this household sooner than later. I'm trying to decide between the always-with-me MacBook Air vs. the equivalent power of my iMac in the 13" MBP. What will it be – features or featherweight. It will be a difficult choice, especially since the purchase of a computer will negate the ability to upgrade to the next iPhone.

Speaking of the Keynote, I finally watched it all. Some exciting things coming this way.

Mac News is MIA

It's Wednesday and I've heard almost comparatively little out of the WWDC aside from Apple's own announcements.

Usually this week would be a steady stream of app – and what should also include device – announcements for the iPhone 3.0 software. Hardly anything.

Perhaps this is the calm before the storm.

It's T-minus 10 days.

I keep repeating to myself that I won't get the iPhone 3GS immediately.

Deep down I know it's a farce.

Maybe I'll wait a week.