Proof Positive: Mac Users Are Better Multi-Taskers Than Window Users!

Today, I will be attending to a very important function and won't have the time to do my regular posting, but that's ok, because thanks to one of the better Macintosh sites out there, Macenstein, I do have the time at least to post proof positive, as you can see in the above photo, that when it comes to multi-tasking, no body, and I mean no body, be they a Windows or even a Linux user, can quite multi-task the way that we Mac users can, and, especially, as you can see with this girl, look so absolutely adorable, beautiful and as sexy while doing so!

So, there you have it, without photographic proof that a Windows or Linux users out there can actually surf the net, talk on the telephone and breast feed, while, at the same time, playing the banjo, juggling the dishes, washing the car, milking the cow, or what ever, then I think that you Window and Linux users are just going to have to admit that we Mac users, being the smug users that we are, really are superior at least when it comes to multi-tasking!

Case closed. Sorry, ain't going to top this one, all you Linux and Window losers out there! (whoops, I meant users, not losers!)

Even though I like to think that I'm also a good multi-tasker, I have to confess, that I still probably couldn't  multi-task quite in the same capacity as she can, let alone looking as good as as she! A lot of people, of course, consider Mac's to be very sexy looking machines, but apparently, as you can plainly see, some Mac users tend to be a lot sexier than others, including the machines themselves?

So, until tomorrow and my next regular post, have a great one!

Image via: Macenstein,

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Tuesday, September 30, 2008.

PS: All Linux and Window users, for the record, please note: I'm only kidding! Personally, I think that Windows and Linux users are just as smart, nice and as wonderful as anyone else, Mac users included. I just couldn't resist resist having fun with such a beautiful and obviously, very talented girl! Of course, your just as nice and smart and all, but - we Mac users are still prettier! (Ok, ok, I'm just kidding again!)

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Who's To Blame for Apple's Stock Woes?

It seems that Apple's high-flying stock days are over! Thanks, in part, to the worsening credit crisis, Apple's stock has plunged big time. From a high of over $200 and a market cap of over $172 billion, Apple's stock has slid all the way down  from the previous close of $128 dollars per share to, as of this writing,  down some $20.46 per share! 

To me, this makes absolutely no sense at all. Of all of the high tech companies out there, Apple is not only one of the best managed, but also one of the most, if not the most, profitable companies of all times! Analysts, fearful over the general economy, seem to be panicking, but strangely more so concerning Apple than other companies , companies that just happen to be no where near as healthy as Apple. I find this strange, if not down right bizarre. Even though the economy, as a whole, is suffering, Apple as a company is not, so why is it's stock being punished?

Could this be because of hedge managers? Not long ago Steve Jobs told a reported that he thought it could be. By manipulating a stock, they can drive the stock down and then pick it up at cheap prices. Then all they have to do is wait for it to rightfully resume it's price as it goes back up! It's the old, 'buy low, sell high' scenario. I am not saying that this is the case here, because I simply can't know for sure, but frankly it wouldn't surprise me one little bit if this was the case. For one thing, it really strikes me as being odd, very, very odd indeed. It certainly can't be normal, can it?  

Of course, I'm not the only one who finds it odd that the best managed and most profitable of all high tech companies could have suddenly lost 16% of it's value in a single day,  sending Apple's market cap below 100 billion. At one time, and not that very long ago, Apple's market cap was bigger than anyone in high tech, outside of Microsoft that is! It was bigger than Google's, IBM's, HPQ's and you name it. Among others who find this precipitous sell off as being rather strange is Jim Goldman, who writing for CNBC, in his Tech Check column says: 

"It's not often--like almost never--that you see a downgrade parade like the one for Apple this morning, that doesn't follow earnings or some kind of catalyst."

You can say that again! 

Maybe I'm crazy, but something smells a little fishy here. For one thing, the very fact that one or more analyst's can just say a few words that results in a healthy company losing tens of billions - that's right, tens of billions of dollars, and all that in mere minutes, says to me that something has to got change. Something is definitely wrong here. People might say that it doesn't matter because they don't own any Apple stock, but the fact remains, a lot of people do. I just don't mean people who speculate on stocks in hopes of making a quick buck, but thousands, no millions of ordinary people who's employers, on their behalf, invest their retirement plans in those same stocks. If those retirement investments lose, then likewise, so do those retirements funds, and so do those employes, and it puts their very retirement pensions directly in danger! Who knows, that may even include you? 

The fact that companies like Apple can be so adversely effected just by a few words by an analyst or that of a hedge manager, should be, if at all possible, stopped! Making huge profits at the expense of others, as far as I"m concerned is illegal and something should be done about it before any more people suffer and their pensions are threatened! The question, of course, is what and how do you do that? That I don't know, I only know that something should be done about it and quick. We're not just talking about big numbers concerning big corporations here, but people's retirement pensions - their very lives and that is a big deal! A big, big deal indeed!

Mr. Goldman goes on to ask the pertinent question:

"So why now, why all of a sudden and why so much pessimism around these shares?"

He then explains that:

"Well, first things first: fundamentals be damned. I don't think this is necessarily about what Apple itself might be doing wrong. It seems to be far more "macro" than "micro." I spoke to one analyst this morning who says the economy is such a mess right now with so much concern about the consumer, that a year from now no one wants to look back and say "how could you have possibly missed that?" Whether Apple products are still selling well or not."

Of course, this only makes sense, and as he further explains, RIM's recent poor showings didn't help Apple either. The whole economy is deeply in trouble, but why should one company, Apple in this case, be singled out more than the others when it, in actual fact, is doing far better than anyone else is? God forbid if Apple was exactly losing money instead of raking it in by the barrels full or something? Then at least I could understand the fall in Apple's stock, but as it is now, it's a complete mystery to me!

As bad as the economy is now, as bad as things are, at the moment, for Apple stock, what's is by far worse and really, really sad is the fact that it's probably going to get worse, a lot worse, over the next coming months and the next few years before it gets any better! I really don't know who, or what, is to blame for Apple's recent and uncalled market sell off, but sadly, as far as I'm concerned, if one of the best run and most profitable companies in the world can suffer such dramatic loss's based, in part, on just the assumptions of a few analysts, who often end up dead being proved dead wrong at the end of the day, then we should all be afraid - very, very afraid!

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Monday, September 29, 2008.

Image via:  Yahoo Stocks

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Could This Be the New MacBook Pro?

Could the above photo actually be a sneak shot at the new MacBook Pro, or is it just some elaborate Photo Shop fake? Gizmodo certainly sites various reasons as to why they think it is fake, but personally, I'm hoping it's not. Time will tell, but one thing is clear: it lives up to many of the rumors that we have been hearing over the past few months concerning the upcoming MacBook Pro.

Of particular note is the large multi-touch glass track pad with built-in video! This is probably the best form factor for a multi-touch device, well at least one with a large screen that is. If you ever played with a large touch screen, such as HP's cool new Touch Smart computers, you might have noticed, like me, that continuous swipes across such a large area can produce a type of Carpel Tunnel Syndrome effect, well, at least it did for my friend and I. With a multi-touch track pad, however, one only has to make small swipes to achieve larger swipes across a much larger screen, saving in the process, your wrists from potential pain or even injury! Besides, from personal experience with the semi multi-touch track pads found currently on the MacBook Pro's and the Air, I can safely say that they are not only more productive to use, but also much more fun to use as well!

Apart from the newer track pad and rounded corners, the overall look of the 'supposed' new MacBook Pro is very similar to the current ones. As Gizmodo pointed out, if it's a fake, I, like them, would buy one in a New York minute if Apple ever decides to come out with one. Photo Shop fake, or not, this is not only one cool looking laptop, but, dare I say, it is absolutely the most innovative concept for a laptop that I have ever come across.

According to NoWhereElse the new MacBook Pro will also share many of the visual aspects of the upcoming refresh of MacBooks, which themselves, will be modeled after the MacBook Air, and just like it, will also sport an all aluminum body, making them light, sturdy and sexy!

Of particular note, AppleInsider is stating that:

"New, however, are rumors that Apple has done away with some traditional I/O ports and altered others as it strives to marginally reduce the overall footprint of its next-gen notebooks. In particular, the FireWire 400 port appears to have been removed from the new MacBook Pro, leaving a backwards compatible FireWire 800 port. "

I'm not too sure that I like that particular rumor because, as far as I'm concerned, the more ports a computer has, the more useful it is. You can never really have enough ports, ram, hard disk capacity or speed in any computer. The more the merrier, as they say.

As far as the MacBook Pro goes, some are speculating that current rumors of a new Apple 'brick' is all about the MacBook Pro, while others, such as Tuaw, are contending that it may be an entirely new product altogether such as a 'wireless hybrid handheld Mac! This would certainly fit in with Apple's CFO, Tim Cook's, statements made earlier on new upcoming Apple products. Could this possibly be one of those new product introductions that none of it's competitor's could touch! Hopefully, we'll find out soon enough.

However, personally, I'm not really not that sure if that's the case or not. I'm thinking, well, hoping at least, that it could be something that I saw printed some time ago. What I remember reading was of a new Apple patent that combined a laptop with an iMac hybrid casing. Simply, by pressing a button, most of the insides of a computer would eject, just like a CD, revealing, in the process, a fully functioning laptop, complete with a bright LED screen! Now that is what I'm hoping it will be! This similar to an old Mac Power design of years ago, but only more sophisticated and practical. 

The advantages, of course, are obvious because - you literally could have your cake and it too! Imagine having a computer that automatically gave you the best of both world's, namely that of a desktop and that of a laptop as well! A lot of people I have met are torn between either purchasing a desktop, or that of a laptop. For such people this would be a no brainer! If this is exactly what Apple is cooking up, then, this for me, would be perfect, absolutely perfect! 

I, like just about everyone else apart from Jobs, Jonathan Ive's and other Apple big-wigs, can only guess as to what is coming down Apple's new product pipeline. I personally really don't know if what is coming, or if they will confirm to any of the rumors above, or if they will be something entirely and completely new? 

All I really know for sure is this:  what ever Apple brings out, sight unseen - I want one and I want it now!

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Friday, September 25, 2008.

Image via:  NoWhereElse

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Dreaming of A New Mac Net Book

Well, if your simply going by Amazon's top ten list,  then the era of the net book has finally arrived! With nine out of the ten top selling laptops now being net books, it would seem as if they were about to completely take over. Seemingly, net books have come out of nowhere and are now flooding the market with their ever so small form factors.  

Of course, what is really is amazing about this new type of laptop is that they're not only small in size and features, but more importantly - price! Net books can now be had for as little as $399 or less!  In this day and age, with an economy appearing on the very edge, they may yet become even more popular to boot.

By scanning the list, however, one very important thing catches your eye - Apple!  What is noteworthy is that Apple isn't among the growing list of manufacturers offering a net book! Not only that, but also, very, very interesting indeed, is the fact that Apple is the only manufacturer that somehow still managed to get on the top ten list with a product other than a net book! 

This is proof, if you think about it, that Apple's business model is working and is capable of surviving fads, something that many feel that the net book currently is. The mere fact that Apple can compete with a product starting at $1,278 vs the average of $300 or so for a net book is, by and of itself, a remarkable feat and a testimony of Apple's immense marketing power. 

Of course, Apple may not be yet offering any net books, but that doesn't mean it can't or won't in the future. In fact, rumors are going around that, somewhere around October 14, Apple will not only be announcing a new crop of improved and lower priced MacBooks, but also something called the 'brick'! The 'brick' could  be anything, including, what some believe will be Apple's first net book and one that would directly challenge the likes of Asus, the current leader. Of course, the 'brick' could be something entirely else, but many, myself included, are really dreaming that it will indeed be Apple's first net book.

If Apple where to indeed introduced another net book, just what could we actually be expected to see? Well, for starters, it would be running OS X,  and that's a given. But what else? Well, Apple being Apple, it probably wouldn't be one of the cheaper net books, be that in build-quality, feature set, performance or in price! Some of the higher end net books cost upwards of $700 or more, and much more akin to any price that Apple would probably deliver, if it delivers at all.  

Another thing that we could be expected to see, and this is just a personal guess  of mine, is colors, colors and even more colors! Something, maybe along the lines of the recently introduced iPod Nanos and it's dazzling chromatic colors. Maybe in all aluminum like the MacBook Air, but only with all those cool colors? Also, like the Air, most likely, we wouldn't see any enclosed DVD drive. Net books, after all, are still primarily word processing and internet surfing devices rather then super-duper gaming or entertaining devices. 

I have no idea when, what, or even if Steve Jobs is ever going to come on stage and introduce a net book, but I do know what I would like to see. 

For one, even though net books are not really that suited as being entertainment computers, I still think it would be great, even though doubtful, that any Apple Mac Net Book would double as an iPod and radio! Yes, just imagine a 10 inch iPod, only this time with the much requested built-in radio tuner! This would basically be a super sized (yet still small) iPod on steroids, that just happened to surf the net and did word processing on the side! Would it cannibalize iPod sales? To a degree, but not really, since it could  also be thought of being just as much of an iPod as much as it was a net book!

Ok, since I'm just dreaming here, I will go even further out on a limb and suggest, and this is all it is folks, just a suggestion, that it could also include G3 telephony abilities! That's right, it would be not just a net book, an iPod, or a radio, but also - an iPhone! Oh, and while were at it, let's throw in a television tuner to go along side that radio tuner! I mean, seriously, I'm not totally serious here, but rather just dreaming on the edge a bit.

Whether or not Apple comes out with a new MacBook Net book computer with all those crazy add on features of mine, or not, I still would dearly love to see Apple introduce some kind of a net book and soon. With net books making up 9 out of the ten top selling laptop computers on Amazon, I think that Apple really can't afford to not to introduce one, or it will lose considerable face as the industry passes them by. 

Net books, may be a fad according to some, but, in the meantime, they are having a very big impact on the market and if other manufacturers can do well with them, well, just imagine what Apple could do? I could be wrong, of course, but I'm convinced that Apple not only could create a new and viable net book, but, one that would be, without a doubt, the very best and coolest net book ever created, and one that could possibly take the net book by storm just like the iPhone and iPod did in their respective circles as well! 

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Thursday, September 25, 2008.

Image of Ausus Net Book:   MyCe101

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Is Apple Dooming iPhone App Development?

Apple, over all, has done a splendid job when they created the industry changing iPhone. Jonathan Ive's design prowess is unequalled and it shows in the iPhone's sleek and minimalist body and feature set. However, despite Apple's successful implementation of multi-touch and other cool features, Apple is now doing what a lot of people find extremely irritating, annoying and down right arrogant, and not to mention, extremely counter productive, namely - it's shameful handling of it's App Store developers!

There has been a growing ruckus in the press and blogs about Apple's handling, or should I say, miss-handling, of the whole process of accepting or rejecting developers and their apps, as was the case with the developer of a very desirable app called, PodCaster, among many other apps.

I must agree with GearDiary when they stated:

"I caught this during the morning site run over at iPhone Alley. In what feels (to me) as the ultimate B-slap, Apple has blocked the ad-hoc distribution of Alex Sokirynsky’s rejected application, Podcaster, just one among many.

'As if their app distribution practices weren’t unpopular enough, Podcaster developer Alex Sokirynsky wrote in a blog post that has already been removed (probably because it violated his NDA) that Apple has cut him off from distributing any more legitimate copies of Podcaster though their ad hoc distribution method.'

I’m not sure what size gun (12-gage shot gun or bazooka) Apple is using to remove their appendages, but this one just seems a bit heavy handed to me, though, honestly, not unexpected. I’ve been talking to other Gear Diary Team members about this issue, and one thing is clear - something needs to change at Apple."

How true! This bullying tactic (let's call it what it is) has got to stop because, as a dedicated Apple user, I feel that such tactics will only play into the hands of Apple's competitor's. What I feel Apple is doing not only reaches a new height in Apple's arrogance, but business wise, it could end up being a very deadly one, and one that will hurt the iPhone a lot more than it helps it.

If, like me, you just happened to catch T-Mobile's G1 Android presentation yesterday, you couldn't help but notice the importance that they paid in highlighting that Android was an open system, unlike a certain other system (the iPhone's) and that Google's App Store would be free, easy and offer unlimited apps (unlike Apple's App Store). Plainly, with-out-a-doubt, they are gunning for all iPhone developers, with wide-open arms, to jump ship from developing for the iPhone to develop instead for Android. I don't know how many will go for this, but it could be a big win for the Android community and a very big loss for the iPhone community.

Apple is out of touch and should immediately stop this madness! This is a madness that it will eventually end up paying a big price for if it losses a lot of it's current developer's support. Apple's handling of the App Store approval process has given it and the iPhone a black eye. If Apple continues with it's self-serving and arrogant ways it will lose one of the biggest advantages of the iPhone - it's base of independent app developers. This could be a fatal blow for the best smart phone ever developed, something that need not be.

As InnerDaemon points out:

"It’s under NDA but evidently Apple rejected Microsoft Office for the Mac because it competes with Apple’s iWork. Also, Firefox was rejected because it could confuse users about which to browser to use.

Other candidates on the reject list include NetNewsWire, RealPlayer, and Lightroom."

Very well said, but you could also easily add a whole other list of apps such as Photo Shop and others to the mix. Clearly this is madness on Apple's part and it would make for great satire, if only it wasn't so, but sadly it is! It's anything but funny what Apple is doing, I mean - are they suicidal or what? I can't for the life of me understand why Apple would hurt developers who are only intent on helping Apple give it's customers not only more choices, but better choices and, at the same time, give Apple and the iPhone a leg up on the competition!

If, like others, you also find Apple's miss-handling of it's App Store developers is blatantly wrong, and detrimental to the iPhone platform, you can do what I did and sign your name to a newly formed petition that hopefully will get Apple's attention and get it to wise-the-hell-up before it's too late and get it to do what is in the best interests of it's customers and the iPhone platform!

Will Apple listen? Will they wake up before it's too late? I don't know, but, for the sake of the iPhone platform, I sure hope so!



And that's my 2 cents 4 this Wednesday, September 23, 2008.

Image: Apple

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when they state:

Google's Android vs Apple's iPhone - Which is Better, Which Will Come Out On Top!

Even though some think that the upcoming new Android based phones won't be as  exciting  as the iPhone itself, none--the-less, I personally think that they will certainly appeal to a lot of people and from the live introduction, that I just witnessed,  it looks like Android phones will also become the biggest threat to the iPhone that it has faced in it's brief history  and, not to mention, also, at the same time, the biggest threat ever to WindowsMobile and Smybian based phones.

From the live introduction, it was very obvious, that they were giving Apple the bum's rap by highlighting the short comings of the iPhone's SDK. Basically, they bragged on how open Android's development was as compared to that of a closed one (iPhone), highlighting that anyone can easily download the Android developers kit without the need for a lot of paper work, or the fear of developer app's fate being decided or rejected by a third party (Apple) !

However, will the Google's Android actually make a big difference to either the iPhone, WindowsMobile and Symbian? You bet it will! Even though the first Android device is not as sexy or as polished as the iPhone, it still has many attributes that will make it a big success and it will definitely make a big difference in the world of mobile phones, including that of the iPhone. Yes, people may point out that Android is only copying the iPhone, but frankly people really don't care about that, all they care about is having a phone that works great and does so cheaply and Android certainly should give them that and a whole lot more. 

The question is:  what , if anything, can Apple do to neutralize any threat and keep such threats to a minimum? After all, if people preceive that they can get a phone that does most, all, or even more than the iPhone, all at lower cost and without all of the restrictions associated with the iPhone, then why in hell would anybody still want to buy an iPhone? Good question and it needs some pretty good answers if Apple wants to avoid disappointing future iPhone sales.

First of all, Apple will need some more time to reflect on any Android threat, but ,in the meantime, the folks in Redmond are the ones who should really be the most concerned. After all, Android based phones won't need manufacturer's to pay for any licensing fees and from what I can see, Android already offers more features and usability than either that of  WindowsMobile or Symbian. Theoretically,  Android could, in time, not only harm them, but maybe, just maybe kill them both off. I could be wrong, but after reading and seeing Android in action, I certainly think that's a very real possibility, especially when you consider that this is only Android's  first version - just think where this will end up in it's second and third generation?

Android  impact, in the short term, certainly won't help the iPhone, but in the long haul it might actually help, by forcing Apple to open up and compete much more aggressively. For example, even though Apple' App Store has been a great success, cracks have begun to appear. This is especially true regarding Apple's handling of how apps are accepted or rejected. This has been a sore spot with developers and hopefully Apple will give them some more slack or else they will potentially lose a lot of these developers to the Android developer community.  

Now that Google is directly in competition with Apple and it's hot iPhone, what will become of it's close relationship with Apple and that of Eric Schmidt's role on Apple's board of directors? Whether Google will be as successful in mobile phones, as it has been in the search field, has yet to  be determined, but I'm pretty certain that, in the end, Google's Android based phones will prove to be very popular, but whether it will be enough to seriously damage the iPhone I'm not sure? 

We all know how the iPhone has completely changed the face of the mobile world, but what we don't know yet is how Android will change the face of the iPhone? Google and Apple are both close partners, and yet, at the same time, competitor's, so it will be interesting to see how these two giants act and react to each other's mobile strategies. Will they become closer, or more distant to each other? I don't know, but I do know that whatever happens between them, it will be interesting to watch.  Very interesting indeed.

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Tuesday, September 23, 2008.

Image: Mirror.uk

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iPhone Competitor's: Can They Beat the iPhone?

The iPhone is clearly the best dang cell phone ever created and is head-and-shoulders above the competition. Of course, that is the case today, but will that be the case tomorrow - will the iPhone be able to compete against the horde of wannabee iPhone killers that are appearing seemingly now on a daily basis? 

Apple is now selling iPhones by the millions and  Philip Elmer-DeWitt , writing for Fortune, is reporting  that Piper Jaffray's Gen Munster is projecting that Apple will sell some five million plus iPhone G3's this quarter. The quarter ends this September 30 and based on NPD Group info, Mr. Munster is expecting Apple to sell a record 2.8 million Mac's, 11 million iPod's in addition to those 5 million iPhone's. 

At one point it was being reported that Apple's Asian manufacturers were busy cranking out an astonishing 800,000 iPhone's per week! As Fortune's says, at that rate some investors were speculating that Apple may easily achieve their goal of selling some 10 million iPhones for fiscal 2008 as early as the end of this month. That's a pretty impressive figure indeed, but how will those figures be impacted by the likes of Nokia, LG, Samsung and all of the others as they copy, refine and improve their iPhone copy cats by adding better or even newer features that go beyond todays iPhone? Predicting future  iPhone  sales is tricky business at the very best and that goes especially considering the state of the U.S. and world economy. 

Apple, of course, didn't create the smart phone market, but they certainly have redefined it, and now, thanks to the iPhone, everyone in the business is bending over backwards to beat it's innovative lead that made it the best smart phone ever devised. Despite all of the iPhone's initial success, can the iPhone still retain it's lead? Can it be expected to continue to compete successfully against the likes of Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, LG, Phillips, etc.? I certainly believe so, but I also believe that if Apple wish's to remain the leader in the area of smart phone innovation they will have work hard, a lot harder, in fact,  by doing several key things, including, if necessary, copying it's competitors, as they themselves are yet copying the iPhone! This means, for me at least, that Apple has to improve on it's competitors in several key areas such as the following:

. improve the measely 2 mega pixel camera. For crying out toe nails', get with it Apple - some of your competitors are already featuring cameras with five and now eight mega pixels of photographic goodness. Not only are they offering higher rated sensors, but better optics as well!

 - keyboards. Yes, as cool as a touch screen keyboard is, it's still not enough for many of us out there. That's right Apple - it's time to get off your high horse and take into consideration that not only a few, but millions of people not only want - but absolutely insist on having a physical keyboard. Apple, at least as an option, should give people that choice. This is especially true for those in business. Apple's insistence that it's knows best isn't necessarily the best strategy for it to take.

 - App Store improvements. What do I mean? First and foremost, Apple has to stop this willy-nilly censoring of certain apps just because they feel it might be in direct competition with itself. If Apple is concerned about certain developers offering better apps than that of their own, well, then the only real and fair solution would be for Apple to compete by offering better choices themselves - not by limiting the choices offered by others! And that means that this willy-nilly censoring of developers and their apps has got to stop or those apps and their developers will be looking elsewhere at the first opportunity they get.

 -  AT&T exclusivity! Apple should, as soon as it can, unbind itself from being tied so exclusively to this one carrier. Dont' get me wrong, I don't want to see AT&T dropped, just the exclusivity that they now enjoy. More people would be enabled to enjoy all that the iPhone offers if other carriers had the opportunity to also sell the iPhone along side that of AT&T. By limiting the iPhone to just one carrier, Apple, at the same time, limits the iPhone's appeal and it's reach!

 - innovation and more of it, lots more of it. The iPhone clearly has become what it has because of it, and if Apple wish's to remain the king-of-the-hill in this regard, it will have to increase it's R&D budget even more than it is now. Innovation is the child of thinking different, thinking outside of the box and so far Apple has been exemplary in this regard, but it can't rest on it's laurel's, or you can bet your last gum drop that it's competitors will certainly increase their own innovation levels, and, if Apple isn't careful, turn their copies of the iPhone into something that is better than that of the original!

With competitor's equally as sharp as itself, such as Google and it's Android platform for instance, Apple will have it's work cut out if it wish's the iPhone to remain in the technical lead and the phone to beat. So, can Apple's iPhone continue to remain on top of the smart phone heap? Yes, of course, it's still possible, but Samsung, Phillip, Motorola, RIM and Google's Android, etc. are all worthy competitors whose continuing work brings their iPhone wannabe copy cats closer to the quality of that of the iPhone itself. 

Will the iPhone remain on top? Maybe? This, however, will only be true if Apple begins to shed some of it's arrogance and it faces up to the realities of what the customer actually wants - not simply just what Apple wants. That approach has and is still being deployed by a very large Redmond outfit and the results are plain for all to see - a user base so distraught over it's products that the company felt the need to recently spend $300 million dollars to try and convince them that they should love products that they have all grown to hate over the years!

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Monday, September 22, 2008.

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The Strange, Strange World of Microsoft's Advertising!

Well, the strange, strange world of Microsoft advertising continues with the release of the first of the second wave of ads from Microsoft's massive $300 million dollar ad campaign. The whole point of this massive campaign is to improve Microsoft's image, by making it look COOL - just like Apple! However, if you ask me, from the looks of the first two 'Bill & Jerry' ads, to the now, 'I"m a PC' ads, Microsoft may end up looking more like a FOOL than a company who is COOL! The ads are a little better, showing, as they do, the wide range of different people who use Microsoft's pc software, but they are still rather strange in that they fail to point out how superior or cool Microsoft's products, especially Vista, really are in comparison with that of it's competition.

Mind you, according to Microsoft, the first two 'Bill & Jerry' ads were just teasers, mere warmer-uppers for the real ads that were officially released yesterday. And how did the new ,"I'm a PC, ad do? Well, as far as my 2 cents go on the matter - again, very strangely! That's right, as far as their intended purpose goes, that of improving Microsoft's image and that of Vista's very tarnished one, the ads missed their mark - BIG TIME! 

All-things Digital did a post titled, "New Microsoft Ads Win Most Improved Award (It Wasn't Hard Though)," but what's the point? The ads may deserve the award for 'most improved,' but they still don't do anything to really show, let alone prove, that Microsoft and it's tarnished VIsta OS, is worthy of anything that Microsoft has paid, big, big bucks for! I mean, come on, Microsoft, for your $300 million smack-a-roo's, don't you think that you can do better than that? I could buy a lot of socks and underwear for that kind of money!  However, I do agree, to a point, with All Things Digital when they say:

 "While the ads feel like they are tapping a little too much into that uneasy red-state-blue-state vibe–as if we need more of that–it’s also a nice job, thankfully, although not particularly new or innovative." 

Better yes, innovative no, and that's the point! I would have expected, no, demanded, that for the incredible sums being paid, that these ads should be a lot more than just innovative - they should also be down-right award winning, which they are certainly not! 

So far at least, these ads do nothing to convince anyone that Microsoft and it's products, especially Vista, is cool and innovative and worthy of our attention. In fact, even though the, "I'm a PC," ads may be true as to what people can do with Windows, it's also equally true for Mac users as well, something the ads should try to discourage. Microsoft, for example, may use several famous people in their ads, but guess what? Apple has legends of famous Mac users such as Robin Williams, Al Gore, former president Clinton, etc., which should make it easy for Apple to spin them around! For example, if Microsoft were to show a Windows user surfing the web, Apple could not only point out a Mac user doing the same, but doing it better, safer, and all without the need for a bunch of system sucking anti-spy programs running in the background! A good ad campaign should be able to refute it's competitor's without giving them a lot of ammo as these ads give Apple!

AppleInsider hit the nail on the head when they did a post titled, "Microsoft's $300 million ad campaign tumbles with new PC ads." As far as I'm concerned, Microsoft's new ads, thus far at least, are strange, very, very strange indeed and I can't understand for the life of me what Microsoft and it's agency, Crispine Porter & Bogusky were thinking when they thought up this lame excuse for a campaign? At first they presented nothing, absolutely nothing - no information what's-so-ever that would make me think of Microsoft or Vista being cool, let alone - desirable! The second wave gives us a little more information on the different kinds of Windows users, but it also, at the same time, gives Apple a lot of attention and ammo to fire back with later on!

In conclusion, even though some think that Apple's famous, "I'm a PC, I'm a Mac," campaign aren't as funny as they once were, but I like to point out, that the very lamest of Apple's ads are still, by far, head-and-shoulders, above anything that Microsoft's new campaign has yet produced. They very fact that Microsoft uses one of their own, 'John Hodgeman' look-a-likes, makes it seems that they are just trying desperately to keep up with the Jones's, or in this case, Apple!  In a sense, the new Microsoft ads are almost Mac ads, because they allude to it, something that they surely wouldn't have  done if the Mac was a lemon - a lemon like the new Microsoft ads!

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Friday, September 19, 2008.

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Did Microsoft Fire Jerry Senfeld?

If, like many other people, you didn't happen to think that Microsoft's, Bill and Jerry, comedy routine was very funny  - good news, because after a much controversial two weeks, the ad duo is no more. 

Despite denials from Microsoft, they have apparently fired the aging comedian from being apart of their new and massive $300,000,000 dollar 'image improvement' ad campaign! 

Does that still mean Jerry Seinfeld gets his $10,000,000 fee? Well, your guess is as good as mine on that one.

Microsoft's spin on the whole matter, is that the whole thing was planned, it was supposed to be just the teaser for the real ads yet to come, all of which were designed to help build up a positive image for the much maligned corporation. If that's the case, then it's a rather strange thing indeed, because despite their claims to the contrary, those first two ads brought in far more scorn on Microsoft than anything else. Hardly what I call  a good start for a positive image makeover!

Crispin Porter & Bogusky, the ad agency behind Microsot's new campaign to build a more positive image for the Redmond giant, has been very successful in the past in reversing public opinion, however, whether this will be the case here is yet to be seen, but it seems to have started on a rather odd footing if you ask me. As they say, "past performance is no guarantee for future performance!"

Apparently, Microsoft and it's agency now favors a more direct approach by directly addressing Apple's famous, "I"m a PC, I'm a Mac" ad campaign, something that a lot of people thought they should have done in the first place, myself included.

The New York Times has reported that Microsoft's campaign will now feature a John Hodgeman look-a-like character to help redefine Apple's ubiquitous ads! Will it work? Hell if I know? But presumably 300 million dollars can buy you a lot of high-flying advertising talent these days and, for Microsoft's sake, you would certainly hope so, now wouldn't you? However, I'm not sure if that is going to work this time around, because Apple's own ad agency has proven itself to be on of the best and it should be able to easily and effectively spin around, Microsoft's counter spin, on Apple's original spin to Apple's advantage!

So, is Microsoft just toying with us, getting us all pumped up for the next faze of their massive campaign to improve it's image? Bnet, for one, sure seems to think so. They quote another site, Creative Beef (love the name)  who they think has perhaps has the best summation of the whole kerfluffle:  who says:

"What are they trying to do? Get us to buy Windows-based computers? We already do. In droves. Oh sure, there’s the Cult of Apple. But their numbers don’t even come close to Microsoft’s. Apple’s advertising IS better. But so what? There are tons of small companies that do great advertising. But you don’t see massive corporation ns freaking out about it. If a small chain of sandwich shops puts together an award winning print campaign, you don’t see Subway changing their whole marketing plan[…"

That for me brings up an interesting point:  if people are really so crazy about Windows, if Apple is so insignificant, then why in hell is Microsoft spending 300 million clams to inform us of something that we already know? The answer is simple: people may be buying Windows in droves, but they are still not happy campers because Vista still sucks! 

The reality, of course, is that Apple and it's famous ads are really making a difference. Microsoft may be bigger than Apple is now, but with current present projections that is not only about to change - it's already in the process of changing! Apple's share of the market is growing at a far greater rate than that of Windows! Windows is slowly, but surely, losing market share and mostly to OS X, and, to a lesser extent to Linux. It's that growing trend of dissatisfied Windows users that are beginning to jump from the Windows ship, to the good ship Apple, that is behind this paranoia on Microsoft's part, and hence it's massive $300,000,000 counter ad campaign! Microsoft may not be as clever as they would like us to believe, but their not stupid either. They clearly see the writing on the wall and they are desperately trying to erase what they are seeing and stop, in the process, both the Mac and Linux camps before they become unstoppable, something that may already be too late to do.

Whether or not they actually fired Jerry Seinfeld, or whether it really was all part of their strategy all along, really doesn't matter - what matters is whether or not Microsoft's new campaign will actually convince people that Microsoft and it's products are as cool as the campaign says they are? Big name actors and lot's of spin may be enough, but somehow I sincerely doubt it, because as long as Vista still sucks, because it's too slow, incompatible with other software (often even with Microsoft's own), it's too complicated, too confusing, or as long as the hardware requirements are so steep, etc., no amount of advertising will convince people, while they are staring at yet another blue screen of death, that Microsoft and it's half-baked products, Vista included, are as great or as cool as the commercials claim!

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Thursday, September 18, 2008.

Image via: The New York Times

UPDATE:  Gizmodo has reported that the Bill & Jerry comedy ad duo has NOT been canceled after all! You can read all the dirt HERE!

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USB Device Easily Allows PC"s to Install OS X!

The demand to enable OS X to run on regular pc's as demonstrated by tiny Psystar's determination to take on one of the Goliath's of tech, Apple, is apparently quite huge and well worth the effort on their part! 

And now, even before Psystar's battle with Apple is legally resolved, another OS X on PC solution provider, EFiX has announce that they are offering to enable anyone to install OS X on their pc, providing it has the right specs, as easily as apple pie. Mind you, as simple and easy as EFiX's solution is, it won't come exactly cheap.

As you can see by clicking on this YouTube video, Gizmodo ran EFiX's solution absolutely perfectly, without a single hitch! EFiX is now selling a $195 European device that consists of a USB dongle that they describe as the ultimate device for all of those people out there (millions I suspect) that dream of running the best OS ever written on their own regular pc's.

EFiX's claims that their device now bridges the gap between the pc and Mac world and it will allow you to install, from the original Apple disks, a copy of OS X that will run as smoothly and as easily as any genuine Mac would, and that it will even allow you to update your new system, via Apple's update panel, without any of the hassle's that other Hackintosh's have had to go through!

You can check out Gizmodo's review and the American EFiX site for yourself and decide if it's your thing or not, but the big question, in all of this, isn't really how easy it is to use, or how well it works as compared to other methods of getting OS X to run on non-Apple machines, but it's rather the legal and moral aspects of doing so and what Apple intends to do about it?

Apple could always take, with EFiX, the same legal route that they are taking with Psystar, but that is a long drawn out and expensive process indeed, but at this point Apple has been completely silent regarding EFiX. How long that remain is yet to be seen.

However, what if Psystar were to actually win their case against Apple and any subsequent appeals? Well, then clearly the cat would be out of the bag and Apple, I feel, simply would have no other choice but to license their OS. This would also kill off Psystar and EFiX, because, at the same time, they would probably not have a hill-of-beans chance in competing with the likes of Dell, HP and every other manufacturer that would, most likely, also jump into the OS X business as a result.

One of the big problems of licensing OS X is the fact that Apple would not be able to guarantee the same level of performance or quality control that they are now able to do with the Mac. Apple's quality control of both the hardware and the software is one of the main advantages of OS X running on Apple hardware. This could not be guaranteed so easily by competing Mac cloners and clearly, this would lessen OS X's appeal somewhat. In this respect, it is interesting to note that even Microsoft recognizes the benefit of Apple's approach of being able to tightly control both the software and hardware side of the Mac and why it is now planning to actively work closely with the major pc vendors to try and duplicate that on the Windows side as much as possible!

The one reason that I would really like to see Apple start licensing OS X, just as all of the big vendors have begged them to do, is because with the current dissatisfaction with all things Microsoft, it would allow Apple and it's excellent OS to immediately grab huge and immediate increases in market share. Currently, one of the big disadvantages of Windows dominance of the OS space is that it has allowed Microsoft to basically get away with what ever they wanted to, like producing shoddy coding that has left millions of customers frustrated and angry. 

Of course, the other really big concerned for Apple is what licensing might end up doing to Apple's own hardware sales. Would it kill off the Mac as we know it? Would OS X become more like that of Windows, plagued as it is with scores of different hardware inconsistencies'? I, for one, think that scenario would be a tragedy, as it could discourage Apple from even building future Mac hardware altogether, and thus, one of OS X's biggest advantages, that of it's tight hardware and software integration would be lost, not to mention the inspiring hardware designs that Apple is so famous for.

Even though licensing OS X would be the best thing ever in thwarting Windows decades old dominance of the market place, If it means expanding OS X's market share by diluting the quality of the OS itself, or if it seriously threatens to hurt or kill off Apple's inspiring hardware business, then Apple should and must take all steps in stopping the likes of Psystar, EFIX and others from ever getting into the OS X ring!

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Wednesday, September 17, 2008.

Image of EFIX device: EFiX

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The HP Touch Smart is Bigger, but is it Better?

It seems like just yesterday that I did a post on HP's new Touch Smart computer and now they have come up with a newer, bigger and improved model, the Touch Smart IQ506. This time, the Touch Smart gets a larger screen with a 25 inch display as compared to the previous Touch, which boasted 22 inches, diagonally of screen real estate. 

The question is: the Touch Smart is bigger, but is it better?

Well, according to Endgadget,  the newer Touch Smart is a mixed bag. For one thing, they state that the "software isn't quite there, and therefore almost might well not be there at all," even though they, like myself, did find the hardware quite elegant, dressed, as it is, in a all black theme. 

Personally, I really like the over all look and feel of the Touch Smart, but like Engadget, I too feel that the whole thing is a "little half baked." The idea of the touch screen is great, but I also feel that it could be a bit more responsive to the touch as also felt by Engadet. I love the fanning interface. It's rather elegant and is a joy to use, but only in a limited way. As much as I love navigating with HP's fanning feature, I think it would be a real drag if I had to use it to navigated hundreds, if not thousands of items, but for navigating your top few applications or folders, etc., it's downright cool! 

According to Engadget's 'hands on' with the new Touch Smart, the music app is not quite up to snuff as well, or as they put it, "it puts manual labor back into playlist creation." I will take their word on that since I have yet to really try and test that particular app out personally. Maybe soon, however, I will get around to testing that app out, but it's obvious that HP is serious about turning the Touch Smart into a real alternative to the iMac. However, despite all of the cool bells and whistles of the Touch Smart, I feel, that the iMac is still a better machine all around. The main reason for this is, of course, is the OS. OS X totally puts Vista to shame and it's too bad HP couldn't license OS X for the Touch Smart. Again, as pretty as the Touch Smart is, I too feel that the iMac is better looking in it's professional grey, black, aluminum, but that's just a personal observation, your personal taste is as good as mine and may differ.

So, would I recommend the newer Touch Smart? Absolutely, and especially if you insist on a Vista enabled machine and one that will basically be used for email and web surfing and the occasional game. After all, the Touch Smart doesn't exactly have the most beefed up hardware specs needed when playing some of the more demanding games out there. Still, I must say that I love playing some of the simpler games that come bundled with the machine.  Again, emailing and surfing the web is great on this machine, even though using the touch feature for web browsing is definitely not quite there as well. I found it very hard trying to click on things, but maybe thats just because my fingers are just too big, or is it that the web type is too small, I really don't know? I do know that when it comes to surfing the web on the Touch Smart, well, you will probably be smarter just to do it the old fashion way, via the mouse and keyboard.

As I stated earlier, it is clear, to me anyway, that HP is positioning the Touch Smart as an iMac killer and an example of where personal computers are headed. The Touch Smart might not be quite all there yet, but it's certainly on the right path. As far as being a iMac slayer, well, HP still has to go a lot farther than the present Touch Smart models. 

Still, even though not having the hardware with the most beef, the Touch Smart is still a nice all-in-one computer, the best of the all-in-one PC offerings on the market. The trouble with the Touch Smart, the one that smarts the most, is still the Touch's OS - Vista! This is the main reason, as well, why the Touch Smart, as nice as it is, is still no iMac killer, not yet anyway. Maybe this will change if HP ever does develop a new alternative OS  to compete with Vista and OS X, but until, or unless, that happens, it is the Mac's software, more than just the hardware, that makes the Mac a much superior machine than the Touch Smart. 

You can check out more screen shots of HP's new beauty, like the one featured at the beginning of this post, and as well, HP's new HDX laptops here . In the meantime, I feel that multi-touch equipped computers are definitely the wave of the future and the Touch Smart is a great machine that is helping to pave the way, so I congratulate HP on a machine well done, but sadly, I still have to report that it's still no where near being nice enough (at least yet)  on being an iMac replacement quite yet, but it's getting there!

The new HP Touch Smart IQ506 is definitely bigger than it's predecessor, but is it better? Well, compared to it's now smaller brother and most other all-in-one PC's - yes! But compared to the top-of-the-line iMac, sorry the answer is still no. The Touch Smart is not perfect, but neither is the iMac, but it is still a nice machine and I give it three cents out of five!

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Tuesday, September 16, 2008.

Image: Gizmodo

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Will HP Challenged Vista and OS X with it's Own OS?

A lot of people of had it up to here with Vista and that's not just consumers, the ones who actually buy the computers running Vista, but also the very manufacturers themselves. From the blogo-sphere to the main street press, people are are now beginning to report on a skunk works project by computer giant HP to explore the idea of developing it's own Linux based OS, one  that would allow it to completely bypass Windows Vista altogether. HP's OS would be designed primarily for home users and would be much simpler to use than any of the other existing Linux distro's, including that of the most popular, Ubuntu.

The idea of HP developing their own OS poses more than a mere threat to Windows itself - it also poses a direct threat to Apple's OS X! The question is: could HP, if it ever decides develop their own alternative OS, actually become a credible threat to either Windows or the Mac, and, if so, is there anything that Microsoft or Apple could do to nullify the effect that any new OS might incur? 

Electronista reports that:

"HP is exploring development of its own Linux variant designed just for the home, according to insiders speaking with BusinessWeek. The software would be simpler than most Linux distributions and would be specifically designed to avoid a dependence on Microsoft's Windows operating systems on consumer systems, which have been forced to move to Vista despite a poor reaction to the platform. Details of the operating system are otherwise unknown.

The project is described as private and hasn't been officially scheduled; nonetheless, the project is said to have been deliberately formed as a "Skunk Works" project that maintains a low profile. The company's CTO for its PC group, Phil McKinney, acknowledges that staffers have discussed the possibility but officially maintains that the company prefers to customize Windows apps rather than create its own platform."

Even though HP, on one hand, thinks that it doesn't make much sense to justify the incredible expense of creating another new OS, they have, none-the-less, created a skunk works project to look into the possibility doing just that, and one that would strengthen it's hand against Apple, who's increasingly popular OS X has been making inroads against Windows for the past several years now.

The big question is, naturally, can anyone really create a new OS, at this late stage in the game, that could successfully compete against Windows and the Mac? I'm not sure, and neither is HP, which is why, at this point, they are only just considering the possibility. 

As great as any OS might be, what's most crucial to an OS success is the software base that runs on it. Without it, no OS, no matter how great it was, would still just end up becoming worthless. Lots of great technology, in the past, has been developed for other great platforms, but all, in the end, ended up dying an ignominious death because of the lack of such software. Sony's Betamax  and Toshiba's HD movies players, for instance, come to mind. It's a catch 22 situation for any new OS. To get the apps, you need significant market share - to get significant market share  - you need the apps!

Its true, of course, that HP also just happens to have the largest market share of computers sold, but is it's market share big enough to justify developers flocking to create apps for it in significant numbers? Somehow I doubt it. People buy HP computers in order to run the tons of great software available, but it's all on Windows! Without all of that software, HP's share of the market would drop like a rock in no time flat! 

I can see HP and other manufacturers such as Dell, Lenovo, etc., all working in common on such a project, but will HP, all on it's own, be willing to expend all of the necessary resources, including huge sums of money, for an OS that any of it's competitor's could easily access under the Linux open source common license? Why should HP develop a great Linux distro that it's competitors spent nothing on, and one that they could all use just as well as HP?

Of course, this doesn't mean that HP couldn't do it, but just that it's not going to be easy, no way, not by a long shot! The Linux community has been trying it's best to one-up OS X by borrowing it's animated eye candy and other such features, but they been having difficulties because they simply don't have the huge manpower, money and other resources necessary in order to create such an easy and perfectly polished OS like that of Windows or OS X. HP does, however, have all of those same resources which it could easily use to finally create what the rest of the open source community couldn't do because of the lack of those same resources. 

Again, the really big problem, that I see for HP, however, in developing an entirely new OS built on Linux, is that under it's common licenses, HP couldn't really make any money from it, so why even bother spending all of that serious cash and manpower, when under the open source model all of HP's competitor's could use everything HP developed for free without having to contribute even  a single penny? 

One advantage, on the other hand, of using Linux is that it has most of the necessary infrastructure already in place to make it easy and quick for HP to develop a new OS rather than having to develop a new OS completely on it's own. Developing a new OS from scratch would not only be more expensive from HP's point of view, but a hell of a lot more difficult and risky as well. 

HP has shown with it's Touch Smart and Voodoo laptops that it can design and build innovative computers that are equally on par with anything that Apple can deliver, except, of course, on the OS side. It is here that HP and other companies have little control and they are forced to put up with inferior software on their superior hardware, which has got to irritate the hell out of them. 

As for HP, I love their hardware. Their products are imaginative and of very high quality and just like Apple, HP incorporates a lot of nice little touch's that make their products especially desirable and I have no doubt that same quality and thoughtfulness would also be reflected in any new OS that HP might like to undertake to develop, but it would take years. 

I'm not sure about Microsoft, but as far as combating any new OS from HP,  Apple could deliver a fatal blow to such a new OS initiative by simply licensing OS X to other companies, HP included, which would not only possibly kill off any new OS, but the old OS of Windows at the same time!

The only other thing that Apple could do to thwart HP's possible new OS venture is by doing what they have been doing successfully all along now with Windows - by continuing to offer vastly more innovation and cool new features.

We don't even know yet if HP will, or will not, create a new OS to rival that of Windows or the Mac. All we do know, for sure, is that most skunk work projects never really end up leaving the lab and that regardless of whatever HP does, or doesn't do, you can bet your last roll of gum drops that neither Microsoft or Apple is going sit down without putting up a good fight to thwart HP at every step of the way. 

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Monday, September 15, 2008.

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Is the iPod Still Relevant?

Despite the latest unveiling of Apple's newest iPod's, questions are being raised. Questions like: is Apple running out of new and innovative iPod ideas, can Apple continue to maintain and hold on to it's huge stranglehold on the market, and now, people are increasingly daring to ask if the iPod is still even relevant any more in very the first place!

The main reason, of course, is that increasingly music enabled cell phones, such as the iPhone and others, have been steadily eating into the market for dedicated music players, with the iPod being no exception, so indeed, is the iPod still relevant, does it have a future?

It's true, as music enabled phones increasingly become more dominant in the market place, it is also increasingly true that dedicated music players, like the iPod, are becoming less important and less relevant. However, despite this trend, Needham & Company's, Charles Wolf, still believes that the iPod's 'halo effect' is still very much relevant and that this will continue to be the case for several more years to come, but on a slowly declining basis. He estimates that the iPod is still relevant enough to to attract a further 20 million or more new Windows users each year and that is great news for the Mac, because it should directly continue to aid and accelerate it's already impressive growth even further.

Personally, I think that is not only what I would call relevant, but significantly so!

Distorted-Loop recently quoted Mr. Wolf as saying:

"As we've previously noted, it's important to place the iPod in perspective. Through the iPod halo effect, it continues to convert Windows users to the Mac platform.

"But the product has reached the mature phase of it's life cyle with annual sales of 50 million units, slowing to a high single/low double-digit growth rate.

"The iPod continues to gain share in markets abroad, most notably in Europe, where iPods sales dramatically lagged those in the U.S., and in China and other countries in the Asia Pacific region.

We estimate that 20 million or more Windows users will joing the iPod nation Annually over the next few years and potentially fall under the sway of the iPod halo effect, which is great for Mac sales.

"But the importance of the iPod in Apple's product portfolio has definitely taken a back seat to the iPhone, which is targeting a market that is 20 times larger than the music player market."

I recently posted the same conclusions about the iPod's diminishing importance, but as I also pointed out, the iPod is still and will continue to be a viable and relevant part of Apple's product line for at least several more years yet, and since we know that the the mobile market is some 20 times greater than that of the iPod music market itself, and since we also know that it's halo effect is very real and helps convince people to actually switch from Windows to the Mac, then I'm also convinced that the iPod won't stop being relevant anytime soon!

Just as the Mac has been Apple's biggest success in the past, I'm totally convinced that it will also continue to be it's biggest success story in the future, and for that reason, the iPod will continue to be relevant. Already, as Steve Jobs acknowledged in a recent interview interview with CNBC (please note the video portion), that the Mac's growth has indeed been extremely impressive, with no end in site. What's important to note, however, is just how big of an impact that the iPod has played in that success. The iPod's halo effect has contributed as much, if not more, to the Mac's acceptance in the market than any other single factor. I have personally spoken with many, many people, who have frankly told me that it was their iPod that convinced them to check out and then actually end up buying a Mac. This reason, more than any other, is what really makes the iPod so relevant and important to Apple.

Of course, in addition to being a major driving force behind the Mac's booming sales, the iPod, in and by itself, is still very much relevant because it is still a huge business, in it's own right, and one that still manages to sell up to 50 million or more units per year and the profits to Apple that it makes is very relevant indeed. True, the iPod may no longer bring in the most bucks, that honor now goes to the hot selling Mac, but it's still huge and still contributes a very large percentage of Apple's over all sales and profits. As the iPod slowly diminishes in relevancy and importance, the iPhone should, however, continue to equally rise in importance, replacing any loss income for Apple, but for now, the iPod is more than relevant, it is absolutely crucial to Apple's bottom line.

None-the-less, even though the music portion of the iPod business will surely and slowly fade over time, the multi-talented and higher end iPod's, namely the Touch, should go in the opposite direction and rise in relevancy and importance, as they become more, much, much more than just mere music players, but rather morph into portable, multi-functioning, entertainment devices, offering high-end games, GPS location and other such features. Even if the traditional iPod were to completely disappear, the iPod itself will still live on in it's greatest form, that of the ultimate iPod - the iPhone itself!

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Friday, September 12, 2008.

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Future iPod's to Feature GPS, Wear Sensors!

In a new patent submission, AppleInsider is reporting that Apple is planning a much more accurate and far richer featured future generation of iPod/Nike+ systems that would provide much better monitoring of an athlete. This more advance system would provide real-time workout information and add features that would make the current models seem totally primitive.

One of the more exciting features would have Apple incorporating a GPS unit in future systems that would, for example, let a jogger not only know where he or she is at all times, but could be also used to flash advertisements as the jogger neared various establishments or points of interest. For example, a thirsty jogger would know that they could quench their thirst at a nearby Star Bucks that was 300 ft, to the left, from their current location! Also, I could imagine, that it could be used to monitor more accurately the distance traveled and distance remaining in planned jogs, as well as giving out better ETA's, etc.

AppleInsider also states that additional sensors could be implanted in a shoes to let the runner know that the shoe itself was running down and should be replaced for maximum efficiency and safety! According to AppleInsider:

"One of the sensors employed by the running shoes could also include location-sensing devices (such as a GPS receiver) that provide velocity and location data to a processor unit that can be coupled to a database having information such as physical characteristic data such as weight, age, and gender, according to the filing. The database can then, in turn, provide an updated readout to a display unit of the user's ongoing athletic performance statistics. Such statistics can include elevation gain, speed, heading, elevation, calories burned, anticipated calories burned (based upon a pre-selected course), and others. 

In addition, the sensor can be coupled to a distributed network of computers, such as the Internet, by way of a wireless device or in some cases as part of a peer-to-peer type arrangement of like wireless sensors or other wireless devices. In this way, the user would be able to download selected data (such as other athlete's performance data, selected courses, training programs, etc.) allowing the user to be part of a virtual community of athletes that can interact with each other in real time or virtually. In some embodiments, Apple said the sensor can optionally include one or more dead reckoning devices to provide direction information or change of location information. Such dead reckoning devices can include altimeters, accelerometers, cadence measurements sensors and the like. 

In running shoes that include a GPS receiver, built-in memory would be able to store in addition to selected data such as measured user performance metrics, local elevation data in digital elevation model database in the form of DEM data. In addition, the memory could store local points of interest (such as restaurants, rest stops, parks, shops, etc.) that can be updated by the user or downloaded from external circuitry."

Apple recently announced that the Nike's receiver and software is already being built into all new 4th. generations Nano's, but obviously, as AppleInsider points out, Apple is planning far bigger and better things for future iPod's than we have previously thought possible. AppleInsider's post, if your interested, explains a lot more of these details, so be sure to check them out, because as you can plainly see, the possibilities are endless.

As to when we exactly might expect to see this next generation iPod/Nike upgrade is not known, but I expect that it will be far sooner than later. With the continuing shrinkage of electronics it's anybodies guess, but I can easily envision the day when a parent could, with a more advance iPod such as the Touch, simply evoke an option that would let them know where their small children are at all times, for example, in a crowded mall or large outdoor event. With it's built-in GPS unit, the Touch, could track the whereabouts of their children through their Nike sneakers built-in transmitter, thus making it easier to locate them if they happen to yonder off and get lost!  Such an iPod/Nike system would be worth it's weight in gold in such a scenario!

As great as todays recently updated iPod's are, they, as always is the case, are about to seem rather primitive as compared to what's coming. The Classic, Shuffle and the Nano, as great as they are, are all being transitioned by Apple to be eventually replaced by more significantly sophisticated iPod's like the Touch (including the iPhone), who's capabilities go far beyond the simpler models, and I predict that they will probably end up becoming something much more akin to the Star Trek's communicator than what they are today, simple music players.

For that, I can hardly wait!

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Thursday, September 11, 2008.

Image via: AppleInsider

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Apple's "Let's Rock" Event Is Over: Let the Fun Begin!

Apple's "Let's Rock" presentation has come and gone and, as expected, what came out of the event were new iPod Nano's, Classic's, Shuffle's and the star of the show, a new and greatly improved iPod Touch, in addition to an updated iTune's, now at version 8.0, and two brand new sets of iPod ear buds. 

Also, yesterday's had a big surprise - NBC announced that it was returning to iTunes! This was totally unexpected, but, none-the-less, a very welcome development for iTunes which now boasts a catalog of over 8,500,000 different songs! With well over five billion songs sold, iTune's is the largest distributor of music and movies in the U.S. by far!

Regarding the iPod Nano, it now comes in nine vibrant colors and sports a thinner and a slightly curved aluminum form factor and now features an accelerometer that can easily transport you instantly, with a flip of the wrist, into the iPod's Cover Flow mode or it's the shuffle mode. Nicer still, is the fact that Nano's now come, like all iPod's, with newer and much lower prices, namely $149 for the 8 GB version and $199 for the 16 GB model.

The iPod Shuffle itself, though not directly mentioned by Mr. Jobs,  was basically unchanged except for getting some new hand-me-down colors and the lower price points of $49 and $69 for both the 1 and 2 GB versions. 

The iPod Classic is now down to one model only, a 120 GB version that is available in either white or black. Both the 160 and 80 GB versions have been retired, but it's worth noting that the 120 GB version now sells for the same price point as the previous 80 GB model, or $ 249.

As I stated earlier, the iPod Touch was the star of the show and rightfully so. It's now thinner than ever and according to many who have had the opportunity to actually handle one, it's definitely a better fit and feel all around. Though a lot thinner and smaller it feels more substantial than the original model according to many. One of my biggest wish's came true - the Touch is finally getting a new built-in speaker with volume controls on the side, just like the iPhone!  As Mr. Jobs pointed out, "It's for casual listening only," as obviously, trying to get a speaker into such a small device was no small feat. Still, for occasional use, it's a great feature to have, even though, as some have observed it was of little use in a crowded room.  For all who may be interested, Apple has posted a great video tour of the iPod Touch which can be seen here, but only in streaming mode. The iPod Touch was already, without a doubt, the finest mpg player ever created, but now with the second generation it is even more so. 

Apple's gaunt, but still rather healthy looking (to me anyway) CEO, Steve Jobs, joked about his health and reported that Apple's APP Store has now seen over 100,000,000 downloads in it's short 60 day history! This is absolutely amazing and certainly is a testament to  Apple's decision to channel all iPhone applications from one safe and convenient source. The fact that Google, Microsoft, Nokia and others are planning to copy Apple's App Store is also a testament to the brilliance of marketing phone apps this way as well. Some interesting facts to come out of the App Store, is that it now offers over 3,000 different apps in many different categories, the majority of which, some 90 percent, are all priced under $10, with some 600 of those apps being absolutely free!

iTune's latest version sports a new 'Genius' feature that helps to automatically generate new play lists based on users iTune data that can now be anonymously and voluntarily uploaded and combined with that of millions of other iTune libraries. The more people which use the feature, according to Mr. Jobs, the smarter the feature gets in generating those new Genius play lists. In addition, iTunes will now also be selling HD versions of TV shows along with HD movies, a feature that is sure to be welcome by all you boob tube lovers out there.

As I expected, finicky investors were not that impressed by Apple's music upgrades and they showed their disapproval by knocking Apple's shares down by some 3 %. As usual, they were expecting much more which all seems somewhat silly to me. After all, even though other mpg producers and their iTune imintations have been advancing in their ever ending quest to take on both iTunes and the iPod, both of Apple's offerings are still, by far, much superior to any of it's competitor's. Even though I was personally hoping to see the iPod Touch get real GPS functionality, just like that of the iPhone G3, and a decent built-in camera and an integrated FM radio tuner as well, Apple's new offerings are still the very best iPod's ever produced and thus making them, at the same time, the very best mpg players ever made and iTunes the best all around download source available!

Over all, I was pleased with Apple's "Let's Rock" presentation, but Apple could have always done more, but that's always the case with Apple and everybody else for that matter. Even without the FM radio tuner, built-in camera, etc., the best just became better and I'm sure that they will continue to advance with or without these features. As far as Apple goes, it's important to note, that since the introduction of the iPhone, the iPod is no longer quite as important as it used to be to Apple's bottom line. Yes, it's still important, very important in fact, but in time, as the iPhone's market penetration grows, so should the iPod market, likewise, decrease proportionally, but in the end it should have very lilttle impact, if any, on Apple's profitability or growth. 

In addition to the iPhone, what really matters the most for Apple is it's computer business, both on the hardware side and on the software side. Apple must concentrate more and more on developing and keeping both the Mac and OS X unique. Already Apple's traditional computer business brings in more revenue than all of it's other products and services do combined and I believe that this will continue to be the case in the future.

In conclusion, as I already stated, Apple just made the best download service and the best portable music players better than ever, but now that Apple's big show is over - let the fun begin. 

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Wednesday, September 10, 2008.

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Apple's "Let's Rock" Announcement: Will It Rock, Or Will It Sink Like a Rock?

Today, in a few hours time, Apple is expected to unveil a completely revamped line of iPods and according to AppleInsider sources have revealed to them that the popular Nano will be getting some kind of motion sensor. As to the purpose of such a sensor, I can only speculate that it will be used as some kind of pedometer that would fit in nicely with  the iPod's Nike feature. 

AppleInsider also reports that the elongated Nano will also be available in nine different colors and will be the first non-multi-touch device built by Apple that comes with some sort of motion sensor. Purple, Orange and Yellow are being added to the other colors and have me scratching my head, especially the purple color Nano. Other than maybe the artist formally known as Prince, I can't see who would want such a purple colored iPod, but who knows, it might just be a winner?

The venerable Apple rumor site is also reporting that the Nano will be available in two sizes, 8 and 16GB; the Touch will remain untouched at 8, 16 and 32GB.

Personally, I was really hoping that the Nano would get some kind of touch screen. Multi-touch, of course, on such a small screen would be over kill, but a simple touch feature that would allow you to flip through a Cover Flow list of your songs would have been nifty. 

Also, for heaven's sake Apple, give us a built in radio, for crying out loud already! Microsoft just announced yesterday, in an attempt to steal some thunder from Apple's 'Let's Rock' announcement, that the Zune's built in FM radio will now have a feature that allows people to instantly buy any song that they hear on the radio through the Zune's own music store. Apple has to not only be able to match any features, such as the Zune's, but it also has to go far beyond them, and that includes giving them a lower price. Lower iPod prices are indeed expected to be coming, and some are speculating that they may be significant. 

Apple told journalist that their 'Let's Rock' announcement will be a big affair and worth their time and effort to attend. I hope so? If not, then Apple's stock is going to be hit hard and that goes especially if Apple's iconic CEO, Steve Jobs, who is expected to highlight the event, comes on stage looking thin and tired looking. I, like some analysts, believe that Jobs will be in fine form, otherwise he wouldn't be taking the stage in the first place. 

Of course, for Apple, they are between a rock and a hard place. If Steve comes on stage looking tired and sickly, journalists will be quick to speculate that he is sick and near death's door. However, if he doesn't do the presentation and hands it over to someone like Phil Schiller or Scott Forstall, than their going to speculate that he is even sicker than first thought. 

In other words, Steve Jobs not only has to give the presentation, but he has to do so looking happy, healthy and he has to do unveil some pretty compelling iPod upgrades. Other than that, Steve will have to pull off one of his now famous, "..... Oh, just one more thing." moments if doesn't want the stock to be brutally punished.

What ever, we only have a few more hours to find out if "Let's Rock" really does indeed rock, or if the whole presentation sinks like a rock? 

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Tuesday, September 0, 2008.

Image: MacNN via AppleInsider

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Amazing Digital Paper With the Magic of Harry Potter

One of the coolest things about the Harry Potter movies is how the pictures on the walls, the books and the newspapers move and virtually come alive. The effect is truly magical and now that magic is about to become common place, all thanks to the magic of high-tech digital paper, or flexible screens complete with moving text and images!

Erica A. Taub, writing in the New York Times, recently wrote that Plastic Logic will finally be introducing a flexible digital newspaper that can wirelessly download and hold hundreds of newspaper pages. This, as of yet, unnamed device will be about the size of a sheet of copier paper and will use the same technology as found in Amazon's popular Kindle and Sony's eReader. It will feature the look, but naturally, not quite the feel of a regular paper.

Plastic Logic says that their new device will be 2.5 times larger than the Kindle, but amazingly will only weigh in at two ounces! Compare that to the weight of many big city newspapers, like that of the New York Times itself, which can easily weigh in at five pounds or more and you can just imagine the numbers of trees that could be spared.  The other big difference, as compared to Sony's or Amazon's devices, will be that this new 'magical' newspaper will use a flexible plastic rather than the rigid glass found on current book readers. This flexible screen, someday at least, will mean that you should be able to bend and roll it much like today's traditional newspapers and simply place it in your pant pockets!

Below, you can see a YouTube video of a flexible digital paper screen, in a trial run of Esquire magazine. Look at the cover and the inside and notice the amazing similarities to the Harry Potter movies, something that I find truly 'magical' indeed! It seems almost like a fairy tale and I'm sure that if someone from a hundred years ago were to suddenly come back to life and see it they truly would be convinced that it was pure magic and of the devil himself. This isn't evil, of course, it's just high-tech that it continues to advance daily to the point that it simply boggle's one's mind. 

So, when will this amazing new technology actually go on sale? According to the New York Times, it will be in the first half of next year and I can't wait. Of course, as you can read for yourself, it won't come cheap, but just like everything else in the world of high-tech, we should expect to see prices come down as the technology becomes more widespread and as competition increases.

The New York Times article points out that the technology, which was developed in Cambridge, England, does not need any backlighting what's-so-ever, and yet it's image will still remain visible even after the power source runs down, and in actual dim lighting, it manages to look better than it does in bright sun light! Naturally, without the need for any power sucking backlighting system, the device needs very little power to operate, something that is sure to please the environmentally conscience among us.

My 2 cents on the whole thing is that this is going to be big, and especially as prices for digital paper become dirt cheap. Currently, today's systems, be it from Plastic Logic, eReader or Amazon's Kindle, can now only display black-and-white images, but they are of very high contrast and are just as good, if not better, than the traditional black-and-white newspapers of today. No doubt, color will be the next big wave for the exciting and developing world of digital paper. Just how long it takes for these advances to come to market is anybody's guess, but knowing how technology moves so fast these days, I venture  that it shouldn't be that long.

So, as the technology becomes more advanced, economical and common place, what can we expect? A lot for starters! Imagine, if the next time you go into a grocery store and pick up a package of Quaker Oats, the old man on the logo takes off his hat and winks his approval at you, or just imagine if the label on a Mr. Clean bottle starts to flash across it's top a message such as, " New and Improved, now with a new Lemon scent!" The possibilities are endless and like Harry Potter can only be described as utterly magical.  

Who knows, maybe even throw-away-sensors will alert you, via digital labels, just how much product is left inside the package, or if food stuffs needs to replaced because their expired dates have come up! Again, just as many greeting cards also come with sound these days, maybe too, besides color, this new world of digital paper will someday include sound, so that the next time you have breakfast that Mr. Quaker Oat guy will say, "Good morning! Have a great day and enjoy your oats."

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Monday, September 08, 2008.

Image via:  New York Times,

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Microsoft's $300 Million Dollar Ad Campaign Ain't Worth 2 Cents!

The first of Microsoft's new $300,000,000 Vista ads have appeared and as you can see by clicking on the above YouTube video - it ain't worth a dime! It simply doesn't make much sense at all! It just rambles on and on and doesn't really say much anything. There's no mention on how great Vista is, or how good it really is in comparison to all of the bad press that it has received - I mean, isn't that the whole point of the campaign  - to fix both Vista's and Microsoft's image and make them look cool like Apple? 

In the commercial Jerry walks by and sees Bill Gates buying shoes at a shoe store oddly called the Shoe Circus. After walking in, Jerry helps Uncle Bill purchase some new shoes. Later, after they both exit the shoe store, Jerry asks Bill, something along the lines, "Are they ever going to make computers moist and delicious like cake, so we can eat them while we work? If so, give me a sign by adjusting your shorts!" Bill complies by wiggling his butt and Jerry responds by saying, "I knew it!" The idea, I guess, is that Microsoft is working on something really delicious for the next version of Windows. But I thought that the whole idea was to make the 'here and now' Vista look cool, and to help reverse all of the bad press that it has garnered over it's first one year of existence, and to help correct any damaged caused by Apple's famous, "I'm a PC, I'm a Mac" ads?

Well, if you ask me, Uncle Bill is going to have to adjust a lot more than his shorts if he thinks that Microsoft is going to get it's money worth out of this campaign! Of course, I realize that this is only the very first of a series of ads that will be blanketing the media over the next little while. Maybe these ads will achieve what they set out to do, but certainly not if they continue along the lines of the first. Considering the purpose of the ads, to help Vista's image, well, I honestly don't think it's working. 

One of the major problems, with the first ad, is that it is much, much too vague. What exactly are they trying to say? What's the point? Beats me, other than a vague promise that Windows, in the future, is going to be so delicious that you could eat it up like cake just doesn't cut it for me. The first ad, to me anyway, makes Microsoft look more like a fool than a company that is cool! Jerry, as funny as he has been in the past, comes across as a has been, a once great comedian who has seen better days - "not that there's anything wrong with that!" Bill Gates, on the other hand, as huggable as he is, comes across to me as a person who's words seemed forced, as if he wasn't comfortable in saying them. 

For such an amazing amount of money, some $300,000,000, I would have thought that the very first ad would have come out swinging, and have been an ad that would have gone straight to the chase by attacking Apple's very popular "I'm a PC, I'm a Mac" ads that have given Microsoft such a pain in the ass in the past. I would have thought that, if Vista was as great as they said it was, that they would have backed all that up with clear and demonstrable facts, not some vague reference to future products that may, or may not be what they allude to! But they didn't! Could it be because those facts don't exist? 

Maybe Vista really isn't as bad as some say it is, but then again, maybe Vista really isn't as great as Microsoft says it is either? All I know for sure is that Microsoft's big buck campaign has started out more with a whisper than a bang and that maybe instead of Bill adjusting his shorts,maybe  Microsoft should be adjusting their ad campaign and their agency, by giving us some really good reasons to actually like and use Vista.

Come on Microsoft, if Vista is so cool, so wonderful, and doesn't deserve all of the bad press that it has received, then, by all means, and for heaven's sake, please just let your ad campaign show us where and how this is all true. Otherwise, I feel that, if the rest of Microsoft's campaign is going to be anything like the the first ad, well, as far as my two cents is concerned, then Microsoft's $300,000,000 isn't going to do them two cents worth of good! 

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Friday, September 05, 2008.

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Is Apple's Multi-Touch Data Fusion About to Change the World of Input?

Apple, among many other companies, is working on advancing multi-touch input for various products such as OS"s, phones and mpg 3 players, etc. Microsoft has already demonstrated it's intent on adding multi-touch to it's next version of Window, but now, however, a very interesting patent filing from Apple has emerged that suggests that the Cupertino giant is about to add a significant twist to multi-touch - one that would bring it more inline with something straight out of Star Trek than anything that Microsoft is planning to do.

Reports are now coming in that suggests that Apple is planning to mix multi-touch with other input technologies such as voice and visual cues. This means, for example, that if you were drawing a line with your finger, you could easily change or add color by simply speaking, "green, red, blue," or what have you? You could also just as easily add or change the line thickness of an object, or by simply exhibiting a frown on your face, the visual cue would then trigger the computer to recognize that you weren't pleased and then accordingly change the situation! Similarly, a smile would let the computer know that you were please with something and correctly maintain course!

MacNN reports that the September 4 filing would allow it to, "...... gain an advantage thereby increasing the efficiency and performance of inputting operations." This certainly would give it more flexibility and advantage over other's attempts to develop their own brand of multi-touch. It would clearly set Apple as the leader in multi-touch design. The patent application, by the way, is titled "Multi-Touch Data Fusion," which MacNN describes in much further detail if you interested in learning more.

Multi-Touch Data Fusion sounds so very futuristic, so much more like Star Trex than what we are used to seeing, that I simply can't wait for Apple to bring it to market. Hopefully, and my fingers are crossed on this one, we will be seeing this come to market over the next few months. Of course, it could still be years away, but I'm speculating that it probably has something to do with Peter Oppenheimer's recent statement that Apple was about to introduce some compelling new products transitions and ones that none of it's competitor's would be able to match or compete with. Could this latest Apple patent filing be a part of what he was referring to?  Well, I would be surprised, at this point, if it wasn't. 

All-in-all, this latest patent filing suggests that Multi-Touch Fusion is clearly pointing out that some very big changes are coming to the world of high tech input. The notion that one could combine multi-touch gestures with visual and voice cues would, in my mind, totally revolutionize high tech and thus bring science fiction much closer to reality than anything that we have witnessed before. 

Apple has already changed the world by bringing the graphical interface to market, as well as changing the world with the introduction of cheap laser printers, digital cameras, multi-touch, music players and iTunes, etc., but now, with Multi-Touch Data Fusion, Apple may be on the verge of not only changing multi-touch itself, but the entire world of high tech all over again! 

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Thursday, September 04, 2008.

Image: MacNN

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Special September 9 Apple Event: New iPods?

It's been rumored for some time now, but now it's been officially confirmed: Apple will indeed hold a Special Event this coming September 9 to introduce, well, something?  Arstechnica  is one of several news sites that have been given a invitation to a special event from Apple called, "Let's Rock." 

As you can see, illustrated above, the invitation includes one of those famous iTune silhouettes of a man dancing to an iPod. This naturally suggests that Apple is about to introduce newer and lower priced iPods. Nothing, as Arstechnica points out, however, suggests that this event will also include the much rumored MacBook or iMac updates as well, but they are still rumored to also be coming in the immediate weeks following the September 9th. event.

Some are also hoping that this event will include the long rumored introduction of the Beatles to the iTune catalogue.  I, for  one, certainly hope that this is the case. The Beatles would be a really big deal, and would drive iTune sales through the roof as they say. The Beatles may have disbanded a long  time ago, but their drawing power still, despite all of these many years, is as strong as ever, as more and more younger listeners are not only discovering their music, but loving it as well.

As for me, I'm hoping, first and foremost, that any iPod announcement will be quickly followed up by those MacBook, iMac and MacPro's rumors. In the meantime, I am hoping that any iPod upgrades will also include iPod Touch's that will finally get an external speaker. For crying out pizza with anchovies, the Touch should have had those speakers from the very get go! Of course, Apple had to first consider carefully it's possible impact on the iPhone, but now that the G3 is finally here, it's time to give the Touch the added touch of external speakers, which in turn, would help make the Touch an even greater hand-held gaming rig than it already is!

Also, in the iPod department, let's hope that the Nano will include more than just a price drop and larger capacities. I'm hoping for a spectacular new form factor, one that will dazzle it's critics the way the original Nano did when it was first introduced. If it is even possible, a larger screen, especially a touch screen, would also be a welcome addition in my book.  

Now, back to those Mac's. I'm really hoping to see a MacBook Touch. A MacBook Touch with all of the goodness of the iPhone's interface that would make it the laptop to die for and the envy of every other laptop company. Apple has already demonstrated, in patent filings at least, that they are thinking along those lines. Apple can't just sit back and let Microsoft and others steal their thunder in the area of multi-touch devices! Windows 7 has already demonstrated multi-touch technology and it's pretty impressive to boot. Multi-touch is more than just eye-candy, it has already proven itself useful, as clearly demonstrated by the iPhone and iPod Touch. 

The iMac could always benefit by the use of said technology too. If you have ever seen the HP Touch Smart, then you will have to admit that it is pretty impressive stuff indeed, and the addition of such multi-touch technology would make the iMac much, much more of a compelling device and I would probably bet you my last pair of dirty socks that it is coming - but the big question is when? Hopefully, we will find out soon. The sooner multi-touch makes it's way to the iMac the better.

Now, what I really want to see is a 24-core Mac Pro. Imagine such a beast fully loaded with Snow Leopard which would finally allow a person to access up to 16 Terra Bytes of RAM  and, in addition, it also would make it the first truly 64 bit OS on the market that could allow you to make full use of all 24 of those cores. In addition, it would harness any and all of the unused power of todays' significantly powerful, but underused, graphic cards....... ooooh, the very thought has me drooling all over the place!

Well, the ninth of September cometh, but it's still six long, long days from todays post. I can't wait, but I, like most of you, have no real choice but to bite my nails and wait it out. So, until then, I guess I will just have to suffer, hope and pray that Uncle Steve will give us all that we want and more! 

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Wednesday, September 03, 2008.

Image: Arstechnica

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Google's Chrome to Battle Microsoft's Explorer 8

Steve Ballmer, Microsoft's colorful CEO, and other top executives, no doubt, where all smiles as the press seemingly gave their thumbs up in their reviews of the upcoming Explorer 8. Explorer 8 has been getting rave reviews for basically offering what other browsers already have been offering, such as Safari's "Private Browsing" feature, which Explorer 8 calls, "In Private". 

Unfortunately, despite all the praise for Explorer's stability, security and what have you, Mr. Ballmer's face is probably anything but smiling now. The reason is that Microsoft's paranoia over all things Google is about to boil over as the long held rumors of Google entering Explorer's turf turns out to be true after all. It is now being wildly reported that Google is unleashing a direct competitor and threat to both Explorer and Firefox called Chrome!

Google's Chrome browser is being made available earlier than expected after Google accidentally released a 'comic style' media release. Chrome is being described as being much faster, more secure and more stable than other browsers and was designed with the next generation of web content, such as internet banking, chat, web-based games and video in mind.

Unfortunately, Chrome is only being released initially for Windows, but not to worry, OS X and Linux users should have the chance to download Chrome in the very near future as well. All-Things-Digital has posted Chrome's comic on their site if your interested.

Until I actually try Chrome, however, I won't try and pass judgement on it. However, I must say that it certainly looks promising. It has some very interesting features, especially the tabs. Just like the way in which OS X handles applications, so does Chrome handle tabs, by insulating individual pages from each other. In other words, if something goes a little wacky in one tab, it won't bring down the whole browser, but rather only the tab in question - all other tabs are not effected! That is a very cool feature in my book. The tabs are also different because they are placed on top, rather than on the bottom as in other browsers. 

Like Safari, Chrome will be built on Webkit and like it, I'm sure, it will become an intricate piece of Android, Google's new open-standard mobile platform. Safari, on the iPhone, is one of the main things, after all, that makes the iPhone so appealing, and likewise, it should also do the same for Android based mobiles. Also, just like Safari and the upcoming Explorer 8, there is a privacy mode. 

http://www.google.com/chrome is not officially up and running, at the moment, but if you check back shortly it should, hopefully, be in operation soon. I can't wait personally to download and try it out, as it looks like it might be another good alternative to the the existing stable of browsers. Chrome will be watched very closely by Apple, FireFox, Opera and especially Microsoft, as it looks to be the biggest threat yet, and especially to Explorer. Chrome is another choice and more choice is always a good thing. Chrome shows great promise and has some very cool features and if it works as good as they claim it will, than I'm sure it will be a big winner, and all at Microsoft's Explorer's expense. Even though Explorer 8 looks like it might be the very best browser that Microsoft ever created, now, thanks to Google's Chrome, it may not be enough to stop Explorer's shrinking market share. 

In conclusion, it must be remembered that Google is the most trusted name in web search, and if Google can transfer just some of that trust to Chrome, well, in the end, Explorer 8 and all the other browsers will be no more than siting ducks, just waiting to be blown out of the water!

  

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Monday, September 01, 2008.

Image: TechSpot

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Windows Mobile 7 and Skymarket: Will They Succeed?

In a game of follow the leader, Microsoft has indicated that, like Google's Android app store, it too will follow Apple's lead by creating it's very own app store for Windows Mobile. 

Microsoft recently posted a job opening for a product manager for it's app store that is tentatively known as Skymarket. 

Microsoft, on it's part, doesn't exactly plan to introduce Skymarket until it first unveils it's new Windows Mobile 7 platform sometime later next year in 2009. As AppleInsider noted:

"The posting also indicates Microsoft hasn't made much progress so far about its conceptual goals for the store."

After all, as they also noted, it's been a half-decade since Windows Mobile was launched, but ever since reaching a high of 23%, Windows Mobile has been in steady decline. Today, Windows Mobile market share has slipped to approximately 12% - a major decline indeed. Apple, on the other hand, has already captured, in it's first six months, and seemingly out of nowhere, a very respectable 7% of the smart phone market. 

Clearly, Windows Mobile needs to take drastic and immediate action if it hopes to avoid even greater future declines due to Apple, Google and RIM's increasing market penetration. Windows Mobile 7 and Skymarket may be Microsoft's only hopes of avoiding more declines, but it has to act now, or other wise 2009 may be too late, much too late.

But will these two initiatives, Windows Mobile 7 and Skymarket actually work? 

Maybe? In all honesty, however, by the time that Skymarket, or what ever it ends up being called, hits the streets, it will have have seen both the iPhone, it's App Store, and now Google's Android efforts, further mature into much better and more significant offerings and it may find itself simply outclassed by it's rivals. 

Personally, I'm predicting that neither Windows Mobile 7 or Skymarket will be able to compete effectually with either Apple, RIM or Google. I could be wrong, of course, but I sincerely doubt it. It is also true that Microsoft is loaded with talent, money and other considerable resources, so I wouldn't exactly count them out of the game quite yet. I have certainly been wrong before. Still, the main reason that I feel Microsoft's will fail is because of it's leadership. It may be colorful, determined, boastful and ever so confident, but, in the end, it still lacks the imagination, creative and innovative spirit and leadership that exemplifies Apple and Google and without that spirit, I am convinced that Microsoft's Skymarket will only slow down Windows Mobile decline, but it certainly won't stop or save it.  

In the end, Skymarket is a move of desperation on Microsoft's part and it may just be a sign of the end of the line for Windows Mobile. Time will tell, however.

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Monday, September 01, 2008.

Image: Mobility Today

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