The Padfone is Magical

I thought about posting this last week but decided against it because most of my commentary wasn't, as they say, "appropriate". Asus unveiled their new Padfone. And when I say unveil, I mean...unveil.

You HAVE to watch to understand.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_profilepage&v=sqjoRMHyYQc]

Jobs gets laughed at for calling the iPad "magical". This takes that to a whole new level.

All in all, the Padfone is an interesting idea (although I'm not sure Asus is the only one who has thought of this, ever heard of the Motorola Atrix?) but I doubt I'd really be interested.  We shall see whether it sells or not.

-B

Inkling Textbooks

I remember hearing about these guys a few months ago. Inkling is the first company to work with all the major textbook companies to redefine what a textbook is, and how it can be used (and paid for) more efficiently on a tablet device. Take a look at the video below to get a feel for what a textbook looks like in this environment.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxthBN3Pb88&]

The head guy of Inkling presented the product at The Wall Street Journal's D9 conference last week. If you have the time and this sort of stuff interests you, it'd be worth your effort to check out his presentation and explanation. You can do so at the bottom of the page here.

They have an interesting business approach and seem to have the right strategic partners. But, it takes them 12 weeks to produce one huge textbook. They need a bigger staff.

You can count me in for being the first to forego carrying giant books to school. I wonder, though, how this might work in the public schools where the textbooks are provided by the school free of charge to the students. I can't see the public school system handing each child an iPad and allowing them to take it home with them, but when prices drop, the world may be open. I suppose someone once said that about the current textbooks, "we are going to let kids take these $300 books home?!?!"

I do, though, think it'd be great to buy my child an iPad instead of forcing them to carry these books. I swear my back still hurts some days from those days in school.

My favorite part of the guy's presentation though was his attention toward the iPad. He said something like, "We think Android and web development is very interesting, but as long as the iPad has 90% of the market, I think we are going to focus our efforts there."

A they say in NBA jam, BOOMshakalaka.

-B

I Broke My iPhone

I was clapping at a baseball game.iPhone was in one hand. Wedding ring was in the other. Here are the results: (Lighting in my apartment makes it nearly impossible to fully capture the horror in any sort of focused way)

God forgives mistakes. Apple does too, if you pay them to.

iFixit charges $149.99 for a new front screen replacement and the job is not easy. Ubreakifix charges $139.99 but you have to send in the phone. Apple charges $199.99. Screen still functions, it just looks bad.

I think I'm stuck with the ramifications of my actions. It's a tough life that I lead.

-B

The New Windows

I suppose we ought to get something straight: Microsoft is coming back. (If only we could keep them from taking 8.5 billion dollars and throwing it into the trash)

Today, they talked about their new version of Windows: Windows 8 (code name, not final product name). If you care, and you should, take a look at this video:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p92QfWOw88I&]

It is nice work through and through. Finally, they have a consistent graphic design paradigm, an interesting view of apps and how they function, and a well designed user interface for how a person might navigate all of these things. It appears that you'll be able to run the new touch enabled Windows on a laptop or tablet device and the user interface is much like the new Windows Phone interface on the new phones. Finally, they're doing something different, relatively clever, and they're innovating.

Apple will announce how they intend to take their app and OS concepts on the iPad back to Mac OSX next week. They gave a preview a few months back, but next week we should see more of a final product. As an example, they're incorporating the organization of apps like they do on iOS, on the Mac platform. I haven't used the new Mac OS (Lion) but initial reports on the betas speak highly of it.

What seems strange to me, both in Apple's offering and even in this new Windows offering is the distinction of user interaction. It is my current belief that the mouse and keyboard aren't going anywhere soon. It is also my belief that gesture interactions with an operating system are great on mobile devices, but feel odd with a mouse and a computer. I think Apple thought this too, as they have designed the Magic Trackpad which brings some of their gestures of a MacBook Pro to the iMac and Mac Pro series. But still, it's not great. You can only do so much without touching the screen.

[It is also worth noting that Apple discussed touch-enabled desktop machines (think iMacs with touch screens) and spoke about how they demo well and look cool, but extended use fatigues a user's arm, etc. No one wants to lift their hand to interact with a screen all day long, especially to do things like typing, etc.]

It seems as if Microsoft is going to use the same Windows OS on the tablets as they do on their traditional computers. The user interface will have a lot to do with the phone interface, but seems to be designed to be different. This is remarkably different than Apple's approach: they took the phone software and blew it up to tablet size. Because the Mac still requires a different input method, they're taking the traditional approach for the future of that operating system.

It'll be interesting to see how each pans out.

Whatever the case, Microsoft is back, and it is so good to see.

Now, to get rid of Ballmer...

UPDATE: When watching the Microsoft people explain it at the All Things D conference today, Walt Mossberg asked a great question. If you watch the video above, you'll see that apps like Microsoft Office (which have kept Microsoft afloat when Windows went downhill) still run in the old Windows 7 interface. You effectively leave one interface to enter the other. Mossberg asked why they didn't redesign the app to work in the new interface. The lady's response: "We don't think people should have to leave what they love just to change to a touch interface"

She's wrong. You do have to. You may not think it is perfect, but touch interfaces use different size buttons, different menu systems and other things. Having the old user interface for this new Windows is a cop out. Apple's system is better. Everything is redesigned and reworked for each screen size AND interaction method.

Perhaps they're coming back, but they need some help.

UPDATE 2: My favorite Apple commentator makes the same argument about how this isn't a great response to the iPad. You can read it here.

-B

1966 Predicts the iPhone

A video published in 1966 that not only predicts, but demonstrates what the computer world will be like in 1999. They were darn close, they just didn't think big enough. The part they missed: by ten years later(meaning 2009), people would be able to do it on a device that fit in the palm of their hand, and easily in their pocket. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EC5sbdvnvQM&]

It occurs to me that they didn't see the "computer" as something that would mold and shape and change, but rather as some sort of static device that did a few key tasks. And, if that statement is true, why would the first thing they picked to demonstrate be home shopping? Interesting choice to say the least. People were doing that on television before they were doing it on a computer.

It must have been hard to conceive of the idea of the open Internet in those days. Sure, networked computers were thought of (how else would this have worked?) but the idea of an open Internet where anyone can set up anything and display it for the world to see must have been hard to conceive of. It wasn't just a few things here and there, it was literally everything...online. The system of the Internet is obviously what made this possible, and has made so many other things possible as well.

The question is, what is the NEXT system? What it is that we can't conceive of now that will completely change how we go about our daily activities and routines? How do companies think outside of the box enough to stay ahead of competition and innovate their way to success?

My guess: artificial intelligence. The race is on.

I'll give the first company to bring it fully to markets everywhere a dollar.

Then I'll run for the hills because...our hubris will be our undoing.

-B

Apple is Evil (or, The New iMac)

It's never a boring day in Cupertino. Last week(ish?) Apple released a new model of their popular (yet waning in popularity) desktop PC, iMac.

If you aren't familiar with iMac, shame on you.  It's an all-in-one desktop PC that currently comes in two sizes: 21.5 inch widescreen or 27 inch widescreen.  You can order them online at apple.com or buy one in store and customize all kinds of things on it (though, I imagine that most people just buy the standard option).

In their latest release (which didn't even make the front page of apple.com--that was reserved for the elusive iPhone 4 in white) they upgraded the speed of the processors, the quality of the "FaceTime" camera, and a few other things here and there.  Like many of their computer products, they didn't overhaul much of it, just a gradual upgrade.  If you are considering an Apple product, the time right around when it gets upgraded is ALWAYS the best time to buy.

However, they evidently altered something else inside this iMac that wasn't advertised. Since the report first came out, the blogosphere has been on high alert.

Turns out, that the startup hard drive inside of the iMac has a bit of proprietary firmware installed on it.  This firmware communicates to the fans about how hot the hard drive is running. So, if one were to replace the startup drive with another drive (not Apple -branded) their iMac, once put back together, the computer will fail the Apple Hardware Test. In short, Apple disables your iMac. You can read a little more about it here, and while this explanation leaves ALOT out, the general effect remains the same.

Evil, right?

Not so fast.

OWC (a company that sells unauthorized replacement parts for Macs) wrote on their blog about the issue and railed against Apple's closed-door policy when it comes to things like this.  Something of less significance  happened with the iPhone 4 screws a ways back and iFixIt (a company much like OWC) filmed a YouTube video against it. You can see MJ from iFixIt's take here. (The video is called "Apple's Diabolical Plan to Screw Your iPhone")

Apple commentators like John Gruber and Marco Arment have commented about this.  Both seem to be on Apple's side.  John says that a user knows that this is an all-in-one device and that the convenience of using and buying a machine like this comes with tradeoffs. Marco basically said the same thing. (I think John read Marco's piece first)

I think the answer lies in support.

If you buy an iMac and take it home, it will work beautifully. But, if something does go wrong (they're not perfect) you can take it back to an Apple Store (or call online) and get it fixed or replaced for free. (When was the last time you got your Windows PC fixed at a Toshiba store?) As long as you've backed up your stuff (if you're not backing up, shame on you), you're good to go.

But, if you decide that you'll install your own hard drive once you get home, it's not an easy task to take apart an iMac.  The process is documented by iFixIt here and it involves removing the glass display with suction cups, unscrewing countless screws, not getting any dust in the machine, not shocking yourself or the computer, and putting it all back together. Now that my warranty has run out, I've taken my MacBook Pro apart twice and I can tell you I don't think I'd ever attempt to take that glass off without breaking it. I'd rather be trained by the people who built it first.

The problem with support is that if you do something wrong, and then try to take it back to Apple, they have to deal with it. Not only will they know that you took it apart, but they can't be sure of what you did to it.

The same thing happened with the batteries in the iPhone and new MacBooks. They built them in because they had some major advantages when it came to battery life and slim design. If they know that you haven't tampered with it, they can fix it much easier.

I think it comes down to this: Apple wants to fix your product.  They want you to be happy. And I would be willing to bet that they are willing to sacrifice the 10% of hackers in order to make a pleasing and seamless experience for the other 90%.

I think Marco and John are right, it's a tradeoff. If you don't want that experience, Apple probably doesn't need your sale.

I don't, in any way, think that makes them evil.

-B

TikTok via GarageBand on iPad

Her only mistake was buying the white iPad. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5dYLlcQhOY&]

-B

Samsung Really Steals

If you weren't convinced by the earlier photos, you should check out these. And Nilay Patel's article here. First picture, iPhone on right. Second picture, iPhone icons are on left. Most notably, the similarity of the Samsung music player icon to that of iTunes. Come on Samsung, get real. (Samsung logo for music player is in the center at the bottom of the second image)

Really. Still team Apple, but you're not surprised.

-B

Samsung Steals

Apple is suing Samsung. Say they stole form and design for their phones after they saw the iPhone. Apple says,

Rather than innovate and develop its own technology and a unique Samsung style for its smartphone products and computer tablets, Samsung chose to copy Apple's technology, user interface and innovative style in these infringing products,

The base information is a compelling argument for Apple. Samsung says they're going to strike back.

Apple is one of our key buyers of semiconductors and display panels. However, we have no choice but respond strongly this time,

We shall see. Team Apple, but you're not surprised.

-B

Goodbye Music Industry?

About a year ago, Mashable posted the Infographic below.  I'll explain what it is, then you can have a look at it. It outlines how digital music has affected the music industry's profit models. With the advent of streaming services becoming more and more prevalent in our worlds and lives, you can quickly see how many times an artist has to have their song aired on a streaming service to make minimum wage ($1160 a month).

However, it is a bit of a loaded graphic because EVERYONE knows that artists don't make their money from album sales, they make it from touring and getting other artists to sing their songs (royalties is where the money is).

Another point to throw out as well: is the invention of home recording software making it easier and easier for artists to create their own work and sell it? Are independent artists able to market themselves like record companies can market? Can streaming music services like Pandora, Spotify, Rdio, and Mog help do some of marketing for an independent artist?  You can probably answer all of these yourself. You will probably notice that these answers don't really correspond or get along with each other.

I think the bottom line is this: while record companies have been getting rich off of artists' talent for years because they were willing to risk the capital up front, they have been unable to continue on that profit path because the original Napster and other P2P networks came through and made it incredibly easy to steal (I have argued before that this might be because the record companies failed to innovate). Trying to find a way to fix this, companies that didn't care about the profitability of the record companies (like iTunes by Apple) came through and figured out a way to do this digital download stuff legally.

Record companies lost out. Because of that, artists lost out. And because those responsible for the content creation have let others innovate for them, they've lost even more.

Friends, it is time for the music industry to innovate with new models THAT THEY CONTROL of profit gain so that they can be sustainable.  If this doesn't happen soon, the whole industry might close up shop.

See graphic below.-B

Nail Clipper Air

Some parodies are really well done. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaKWHvUASgk&]

-B

Apple Employees: It Gets Better

A contribution to the It Gets Better campaign by employees of one the best, most thriving companies in the world. Masterful, masterful work.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWYqsaJk_U8&]

If being gay is still thought of by some to be some sort of conscious decision to go against "God's will," I don't know how to respond to those people.

I look into the eyes of these people as they tell stories and share feelings about how they felt like they couldn't be loved or accepted. And then, the turn of joy when they admit what they deal with and embrace it. That, my friends, is the love and joy that I think Christ was talking about.

For all out there who are struggling with who they are, just hear them well: you'll be able to discover who you are and it will get better.

-B

Charlie and The Apple Factory

Quality work done by College Humor. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSaqKalBnHE&]

The point, though, makes me think: what is it that defines a product? While the video is meant as humor, and probably nothing else, it strikes me that many in the world think like this.

They write off people like me as "fanboys" and "obsessed" and "brainwashed." I thought the clip with Bill Gates was perhaps the funniest part, but was simply untrue. They don't make the same stuff Apple does. Because if they did, the market would react to their stuff in the way the market is beginning to react to Apple's iOS devices. Microsoft didn't sell Zunes. But it wasn't because the Zunes sucked (alot of people liked the software) but they didn't buy them because the ecosystem of a music store, app store, and iTunes integration simply wasn't there. Zunes have progressed since, but not enough. Microsoft has dropped the product line. The product was more than the...product. Though Apple shows their iPods off more, that doesn't mean they are the same as Microsoft's products.

I suppose that Apple pays attention to showmanship more than other companies do, in fact I submit that THAT is what separates Apple from the rest. I view it as a consistent attempt to create a better product and display it in a way that counts. However, showmanship can be seen right through by the general public if the product itself sucks. In fact, the press would probably laugh at you. This happens to Apple from time to time with products that aren't as well put together as others, but it happens rarely.

On the other hand, many other companies are attempting to improve their showmanship and style in order to compete with a growing Apple market. Their products will have to, at some point, stand for themselves. I think it will only be at that point that it will start to challenge Apple's emotional ties and energy.

As I stood in line for iPad 2, it occurred to me: there is only ONE company in the world that can make that many people wait in lines for that long several times a year...Apple. Try to name another one.

In the end, though Wonka was eccentric and the factory was crazy, they still made the best candy in the world. If they didn't, Charlie wouldn't have wanted any part in it. In order to make it funny and make their "point", College Humor had to focus on the eccentric aspect. If they hadn't, you'd have seen right through it and realized that the metaphor was almost completely parallel. (And that's a good thing)

What showmanship.

-B

UPDATE: Can't watch it? Blame YouTube. And watch it here.

Stop Motion iPad

One can only begin to imagine the amount of hours used to put this together. The attention to detail is top notch.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AB3caO7Acc&]

Thanks to my friend Taylor for the find.

-B

Why I Like Apple

A lot of people ask me why I like Apple so much. They ask constantly. I often have trouble thinking of everything.

I like their commitment to product excellency. I like their commitment to product simplicity. I like the fact that they focus on different things than other tech companies. I like their story. I like their unique and innovative approach. I like their leadership, especially Steve Jobs. I like their understanding for people, in real situations and places. I like their commitment to the environment. I like their simplicity in general. I like their products. I like them.

This new ad for the iPad 2, titled "We Believe," kind of sums all of this up, I think.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyEpaPEbjzI&]

-B

What If There Is No New iPhone?

Since the original iPhone released in 2007, Apple has announced a new iPhone every summer at their conference for developers, World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC). Steve Jobs usually gives the keynote and then the phones ship a week or two after the conference.

Before that, usually, Apple has an event near the end of March that announces the new iOS (previously, iPhone OS) that the phones and later iPod touches will run on.  Last year, Apple held an event in January to announce the iPad and then the iPad released around this time of year. They announced iOS 4 on April 8th last year.

This allows for a few things:

• The new iPhone to be released in June with the new iOS installed on it.
• Developers can test their apps with the new iOS prior to its release (it usually spends a few months in beta).

This week, Apple announced WWDC 2011. It sold out in something like 10 hours. Each ticket cost $1,599.

They have 5,000 of them. And they sold out in 10 hours.  Last year it took 8 days.  The year before it took a month. (Anyone here seeing a trend?)

Here's the thing though, most reports are saying that there will be no new iPhone at it.

Their tag line, "Join us for a preview of the future of iOS and Mac OS X."

A preview? Could this mean that there will not be a late March/Early April event highlighting the new iOS? Very possible.  In fact, many bloggers and analysts are saying that they are hearing "Yes."  They're saying that Apple has skirted around saying that there will be no new hardware at WWDC.

Some have said that maybe these rumors are flying so that Apple can really surprise. I say, no. The new phone (almost undoubtedly) would have to be running the new iOS. In order for that to happen, all those apps on the App Store would need to be tested and approved through the process. In order for that to happen, iOS 5 (the presumed name of the new one) would have to be in beta for a few months. The only way there is going to be a new phone at WWDC this year is if it runs iOS 4.  Doubtful? Very.

This raises a question, who might buy a new iPhone this summer and how will they feel about doing so? The latter can be combined with the former to become easier to manage and be broken down into sections or categories:

• Verizon iPhone customer: You just bought your iPhone 4.  You love it. You waited forever for Verizon to carry it. You don't want it to be "the old model" come June. (Nevermind that if you buy an Android phone today, it is completely feasible and highly possible that it will be the "old model" in a few weeks. You can't predict Android releases, you can't predict how many phones and what features they might all have.)
• AT&T iPhone 4  late customer: You own an iPhone 4 on AT&T and have for a few months.  The darned Apple store employees didn't tell you that there might be a new phone (as they shouldn't) and you bought it not knowing.  If a new phone comes out, you'll feel like the Verizon iPhone customer.
• AT&T iPhone 4 early customer: You're on top of this news.  You bought your iPhone on release day and have pretty much decided that if AT&T will let you, you'll buy a new phone every year just so you can have the new one at all times (This is me). You will buy a new one if a new one releases, but you'll be a little disappointed if there is no new phone (This is not necessarily me.
• AT&T iPhone 3G or 3GS customer: Let's be honest.  You saw that the older model phone was cheaper. So, you bought it. Not a bad idea (all iPhones are great), but now you're behind and your phone doesn't have some of the features as your friend's phone.  The worst part is, you signed a contract with Satan (AT&T) and now you're stuck (especially if you're not the primary line on your contract) with an extended contract and a phone that is becoming less and less relevant because it was "old" when you bought it. You'd get an iPhone 4 if you could, but your friends said to hold out and wait for the new one.  If a new one releases this summer, you'll spend the extra money over the iPhone 4 (presumably to become the cheaper model) and get the iPhone 5. If a new one doesn't release this summer, you're going to be straight up pissed.
• Other Cellular customer: You're on T-Mobile or Sprint (Or US Cellular or that other thing that Chandler has that only covers Mississippi) and while your carrier doesn't have the iPhone, you're happy with your phone (most likely some sort of Android phone). If there is a new iPhone this summer, you'll be intrigued to see what it can do, but you probably won't switch. It costs too much money monthly and you'd have to get out of your current contract.  If you couldn't stand your current phone, you'd think about it...but as long as you don't hate it, you're wiling to wait it out to see if the iPhone might come to your carrier.

So, what if there is no new iPhone at WWDC this year? If you're one of the first 3, you'll be ok.  You might be a little disappointed, but let's be honest...your iPhone isn't anywhere near outdated. If, though, you're ready for a new phone, this might hack you off a bit. If you're from category 5, you'll be ok.

So, having covered that...let's explore one more side of things.

If Apple doesn't release a new phone in June, that means that their one and only phone will be competing against phones coming out now. The iPhone 4 will be more than a year old. In the cell phone market, that seems like ages.

But - if you compare the iPhone 4, feature by feature, to almost every other phone on the market, it still remains EXTREMELY competitive.  It, still-after being out for 10 months (remember, this is an eternity), has the highest resolution screen, biggest selection of apps, one of the best cameras, best video chat software (does Android's Skype even have video yet?  And by the way, FaceTime is easily the easiest to use software...none of the other apps even come close), one of the best battery lives, and most definitely the best music integration software available.

So, in ten months, the iPhone 4 remains competitive. Extremely. Is it the best phone on the market now? While some of the Android phones beat it out  on things like 4G, Voice Control, Bigger displays, and faster processors...the iPhone still serves as a better experience, for most customers. It's not perfect, but it's pretty dang close. I obviously have a somewhat biased opinion, but I think it is still in the top two or three best phones on the market  And it is almost a year old.

So, what if there is no new iPhone? For you category 4 folk, it might suck.  But for the industry, there is still a way to go to catch up with the iPhone.

I hope there is a new phone. Apple's creations always blow my mind.  They change the industry also.

My wallet, on the other hand, hopes they wait a little longer.

Do you want a new phone? Do you want the new iPhone?

-B

Obama's Got an iPad

"Jorge, I'm the President of the United States...you think I gotta borrow someone else's computer?" [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-WC2TgWwrE]

Ha. In fairness, there was a huge deal made of Obama's blackberry back when he was elected.

I can see the dangers of having a personal communications device when you are the President.

But, the world is changing and yes, Presidents will need to have their own iPads.

I wonder what his favorite app is.

UPDATE: YouTube's integration sucks with some videos.  You can watch it here.

-B

iPad For Seniors

David Worthington at "Technologizer" interviewed his mother, 60 years old, on what it was like to use the iPad--her first computer ever. You can read the entire article here. A fascinating read to be sure.

As John Gruber wrote, "if you don't think this kind of perspective matter, you're nuts."

I have often wondered if tablet computers will replace computers for most of the world. I have documented before how I use the iPad for 90% of my day to day activities. (This probably explains why people see me with the new iPad and think it is a waste. They see it as getting a new toy. I see it as getting this iPad so that I don't have to buy a new computer. It is, for me, a new tool.)

For senior citizens, ones that primarily email and play games all day, this is a serious proposition. You can easily play on the iPad while watching your Soap Operas. Big plus.

It is not perfect though.

When I think about my dad's mother, the one I think about using one of these the most, I'm not sure it would work perfectly for her. She has committed to a group of games that she has played for years and she would not like losing her points, money, or whatever she has inside of each of those games in order to move to App Store games. In addition, a lot of her games are online and in Flash. That really isn't available on any tablet in full from yet.

But there is another problem, a fundamental one for someone like this. To use the device, you have to hold it. You can rest it in your lap (as I am doing now to type on it), or you can sit it up on a desk, but interacting with the device still requires a decent amount of dexterity and strength, something many senior citizens simply don't have.

There are also soooooooo many good parts.

The icons are big. The install of apps is easy. Everything, for the most part, seems to make sense. FAR more sense than ANY typical computer, or computing platform. You don't have to move a mouse. It has direct input. The keyboard comes up only when you need it. The screen is clear, it is travel-able.

If you read David's post, you'll understand some of the great parts about it.

I really do believe this to be the future. I encourage you to come along for the ride.

-B

The Future of Television

Today Netflix announced that they will be delivering an exclusive television series to Netflix subscribers in 2012. And, even better, it is not some no-name TV show. It's going to be called "House of Cards" and will feature Kevin Spacey as a lead actor. Guess who is the executive producer too? David Fincher. The show will be available to any device that can stream Netflix. Presumably, at a given time every week.

So, let's get this straight: you'll be watching a first run episode that no one has ever seen (so in a sense, live) from any device anywhere. It's like HBO, without having to go through a cable provider. And available to you when you're on vacation.

My point: isn't this exactly what television in 2011 should be like? I think we are becoming one step closer to getting rid of cable providers.

I've been thinking for awhile about how far we are away from completely Internet based TV. Even as it is now, I watch shows the day after with Hulu for the iPad hooked up to the TV via HDMI. I use the Apple TV to stream podcasts and YouTube to the television. We use Netflix to watch movies if we have a free night (don't remember when the last time that was...), also via Apple TV and the Wii. I use the MLB app for the iPad and Apple TV to watch any Major League Baseball game whenever. As of late too, I've been using the March Madness app for the iPad connected to the TV to watch tournament games that we don't get via cable. The NBA also has this functionality.

Brilliant. Completely brilliant.

I might add as well that because we don't have HD programming here, the quality is better via Apple TV and the iPad than it is via our cable provider.

I rarely use our TiVo anymore.

It is, and will continue to be, easier to break off from the cable provider.

As I see it, the only real issue (other than HBO shows and shows like Mad Men...none of which I watch) with this model is ESPN. Major League Baseball is going straight to their customers. You subscribe by the month and can watch any game whenever you want, get a radio feed whenever you want, AND watch a broadcast from either team's home commentators whenever you want. In an area like we live in with no teams close by, this is an absolute must for a baseball fan.

If ESPN sold their programming through a subscription to their customers, wouldn't you buy it? Then you could use any device whenever (including those hooked up to your television) you want to watch ESPN. I have a feeling if this became competitive (rather than monopolistic companies that are the only ones who serve your area controlling your programming, etc) it would drive the prices down. It would cut out the middle man between the channel that offers the programming and the consumer.

That model is always a better model. I'd much rather subscribe to NBC, CBS, ABC (or even better...specific shows) directly than pay a cable provider a ton of money each month for a bunch of crap that I don't watch.

I only hope the channels and producers see this. Huge opportunities are ahead of us.

This happened in music with iTunes and later Amazon. The customer of the labels was not the retailer, as they often thought...it was the listener. This has happened more or less in news publications since its conception. This needs to happen in movies (although the movie theater experience inherently means this may be impossible) and I definitely think it is about to happen in TV.

Congrats Netflix, I'm going to give "House of Cards" a try.

-B

iPad 2 - The Thoughts

So, it's about time I get around to this. I've held off in posting this as I got mine on launch day and my parents have spent the last week waiting in long lines, just to be let down. Until today...when they had the luck of the Irish. So, how is the iPad 2?

I think I can break it down into a few different categories: Speed, Cameras, Software, and Thinness. And then...there's demand.

Speed. Is the iPad 2 really faster? The iPad 2 is faster than the original iPad. Apple claims it is about twice as fast, with 9x faster graphics. I'm not sure about the graphics, but they do seem to be faster. I imagine as apps continue coming out the graphics will really start to shine. When they take advantage of it, it'll be great. As far as the CPU speed...yes, yes, yes. Everything is faster on the iPad 2. Apps open and load faster, Safari is faster (thanks to iOS 4.3), and things don't hang like they used to. The original iPad is not slow, by any means, but there is a noticeable difference between it and the iPad 2.

Cameras. How are the cameras? Well, the iPad 2 has cameras. When Steve introduced it, he announced them as "video cameras" and didn't say anything else about them. When the iPhone 4 was announced, he made a huge deal about the quality of the camera. Take a hint from those facts, the cameras on the iPad are not quality. That's why he didn't talk much about them, that why he didn't display photos that had actually been taken on the device. The cameras are about the same as you seen on the current iPod Touch. Which means the rear camera is a little less than a megapixel. People will not be using it to take photos. Unless they are in a jam. I, unsurprisingly, don't think this is a negative aspect. Taking pictures with the iPad is a bit awkward. If you mix this fact with the idea that they need to keep costs down, this move makes total sense. If you want to use it for images, Apple sells a camera connection kit where you can plug in your camera and use the iPad to share the images.

Software How is iOS 4.3 and apps? iOS 4.3 is not too different from the 4.2.1 running on current original iPads. It has some nice updates to AirPlay and the good news is that if you have an original iPad, you get iOS 4.3 too. So what are you waiting for? Plug it in and update it! But...the apps...are unreal. Specifically GarageBand and iMovie. iMovie will only run on the new iPad and GarageBand will run on both, although much better on iPad 2. I own a lot of music apps for the iPad. A lot of them. GarageBand easily blows them all out of the water. It is diverse, it is well designed, and it is fast. You can record up to 8 tracks, whether midi or audio, and control and edit them with swipes of the finger. This is easily one of the best things Apple has done in awhile. iMovie is great too. It is not quite as powerful as the desktop version and doesn't hold a candle to FinalCut Pro, but for editing together vacation clips on the go, it works pretty well. It is not very customizable but works flawlessly. You can publish to all kinds of things right from the app as well. Here is an example of something I made of launch day: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ooud8Ppxto&] Anyone can edit movies now. That fact alone is VERY cool.

Thinness Does it really matter? The quick answer is no. The original iPad is pretty thin already, and still thinner than all the competition out there. But the iPad 2 is still thinner...with the same battery life. The iPad 2 is thinner than my iPhone 4. And, honestly, I don't see how it could get any thinner. It feels better in the hand than the original iPad, especially if you have a case on your original. The iPad is not really any lighter (although it is a little bit) but it feels lighter because of the thinness. It is a significant difference (although it wouldn't require someone upgrading their old iPad). I didn't consider how much this matters, but it does. On my music stand at church, this takes up a lot less room.

Demand. Do people want these? YES. I arrived to the Apple store for iPad 2 on launch day at 2pm. I knew they would start selling them at 5pm. I was a bit confused about how long the line was at first, but I was probably about 95 people back in line. I was worried if they would have enough. My parents went back to the mall in Florida every day since then. Today, they got one, or two. Apple really has 18 different versions of the iPad 2, and because of that, supply was low...especially if you were looking for a certain version. The sold 10 million original iPads last year. I suspect they sold at least 2 million iPads, maybe more in the last week. Every Apple store is out country wide and the online store now says you'll have to wait more than a month for delivery. More than a month.

It's a great device. If you're new to iPad, it is worth buying if you don't mind the short live $100 premium over last year's model. (If you want last year's model, look fast when they're gone, they're gone.)

I suspect that Apple might be ready for you to buy too.

With the exception of RIM's playbook, I don't see any competition for it anytime soon. Seriously. They are way ahead.

Do you have one? Do you want one? Please share!

-B