I've been blogging since early 2002 and am amazed that people continue to log in and check it out!
What you'll find here is my personal thoughts on family, technology, art and other things that happen to grab me.
Apple 27th Jan Predictions
So it's all going to kick off later today in San Francisco when — once again — Steve Jobs takes to the stage to launch a new product.
Like previous occasions the chaps at Apple have kept the product under wraps and there's been no official word on it — in fact, Apple haven't event announced that there is a new product. Just a press conference.
Unlike previous occasion, however, everyone has a pretty clear view that it will be a tablet of some sort. The big problem for Apple is that their phenomenal hype machine — the 100,000 blogs that have been banging on about a tablet for the last 12 months — also has a down side: There's no way any real-world product can live up to the hype.
Sure, in the long-term it probably will be a major deal, but in the short term there will be a lot of people complaining about the fact that Apple didn't meet their wildest [and somewhat impossible] expectations.
I use iPhone as an example. Neat when launched, lovely multi-touch interface and beautiful to hold, but... not really a major player until [a] price drop [b] 3G version launched and [c] AppStore.
Looking at the Tablet, it strikes me that we've [a] already seen multi-touch, so anything interface-wise will probably be evolution not revolution [b] it has some major network issues given that most early adopters already have an iPhone with a data contract and so to give the Tablet what it deserves [eg. both WiFi and 3G access] requires another mobile contract and [c] while the AppStore is lovely I think Tablet users are going to demand more.
In fact I reckon that the most interesting aspect here are the Applications. It's a given that whatever Apple launches will fit well into their existing eco-system and very likely offer expanded functionality over equivalent iPhone apps. The real issue is what we get beyond maps, stocks and a web browser.
Two key points here:
1. Having developed iPhone apps [actually our Ben10 Comic comes in 23 editions and was featured as top children's app in the AppStore over Xmas/New Year] it's safe to say that the type of apps to date [and by this I generalise about 97% of them] are 'quick-win' developments. A comic, a casual game, a utility or something with leverages other people's work such as geo-mapping or augmented reality gimmick. That's a long way from a fully-featured app - it's weeks of development rather than months or years, So I expect the number of 'rich' tablet apps to be a small percentage of what's out there.
2. For sure we'll see lovingly crafted animated, video-embedded, personalised magazine type things. Great, this will give all those tossers who user Flash another way to obfuscate great content. But to be honest I couldn't give a f*ck about The New York Times. I want Country Life. Okay — perhaps not — but the point is that there'll be a huge gap between major publications [for example, The Guardian] and niche ones [for example, British Dressage Monthly] available on the same device which is going to cause consumer confusion.
What I mean is this: The value of content within Vogue and the Hackney Gazette is similar to me. But put the two publications side-by-side and they're very different. Now put them of the same device. See what I'm getting at?
Anyway, enough of the rant and onto the predictions bit [last time I think I did okay, let's see how this goes]:
Obvious:
• It will look like a larger version of the first generation iPhone, 10" screen, one button. • It will run iPhone OS [with extensions to allow for larger screen resolutions, input methods, &c] • It will run normal Apps - several at once - and Tablet Apps, in fullscreen mode
Likely:
• A very clever eReader with lots of content partners signed up • Demos of how it brings books into the 21st century - annotations, referrals, searches, &c
Unlikely:
• Stylus • Front Camera for Video Chat
Personally I hope it has a wicked-fast screen-sharing app.
First post of the new year - hope you all had a great New Year's Eve and that 2010 brings you much joy.
Had a great start to the year as our Ben10 Comic App was headline featured in the App Store this morning!! That's a good omen, I think.
Also very glad that we're in 2010 so I can say "twenty-ten" as opposed to "two thousand and nine" which was seriously annoying the whole decade, apart from "two thousand and one" which had nice connotations.
New year's resolutions are not my style, but I am going to make an effort this year to not hand on to physical stuff just because at one point it was cool. For example, I have just trashed a lot of Amex Centurion magazines - cool to have them, useless once you've read them.
Peace. Ax
Friday, January 01, 2010
Merry Xmas - and Zombies!
Loved this roadsign in Florida which someone had hacked to display interesting messages. More here on the genius that is roadsign hackery.
Everything all done for Xmas. We're joining Bic, Amy and Esme for Xmas Lunch and then heading out to see my folks on 27th.
A big thanks to everyone who FaceBooked me birthday wishes - I was really touched. Fingers crossed the 'flu holds off for another 72 hours.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Saarbrücken Xmas Market
So we popped over to Germany to hang with Miriam's folks and check out the lovely Saarbrücken Christmas Market.
Morgan and Tuesday had a really fab time with the shopping, checking out Santa's sleigh and riding on lots of merry-go-rounds. Miriam and I ate way too much!!
Thursday, December 10, 2009
At the ATP World Tour Finals
Hanging out and pretending to be interviewed at the O2 this week!
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Live Content at the ATP Finals
So we're down here at the O2 in London doing lots of content for mobiles - delivered live to visitors at the O2 via our AmpliFi WiFi systems and BlueCasting, and also live on the Internet at the BarclaysATP website.
Check it out [best on iPhone or other mobile device] here: Mobile Site
So far we've delivered over 100,000 pages in 3.5 days, which is pretty amazing.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
the Dog Got Larger - Part One
So the lovely DD Ramone, who's just qualified for his Pet Passport, is gaining 3Kg every two weeks. To put that into perspective, he's adding the weight of a newborn baby every 14 days.
Although not through eating a newborn baby, I might add.
