Ok, I am an iPhone addict. I admit it.I have always been fascinated by how technology changes the way we look at the world.
In the last era, we spoke in terms of the next “Killer App.” It would have be something that would change the game like Lotus’ 123.
Today, though, the honor of “defining technology” has got to go to the “smart phone” simply because we haven’t come up with a better name for this amazing device.
Here are few apps, all to be found at the AppStore, that prove the point that this time around, it’s the platform that is changing the way we look at what technology can offer us:
AroundMe, gives you a view into the variety of establishments sorted by distance to your general location.
JotNotPro, provides a portable scanner! You take a picture of a document, adjust the framing, click “process” and you have the ability to email a .PDF! Great for Expense Reports, or just anything you’d need to scan.
FiosRemote, this one was a bit too tricky to set up, but once working, it has turned into the best TV Remote Control I’ve ever used. It’s still odd using my cell phone as a TV Remote.
Netfix, again, who would have thought you’d be able to watch movies on your phone! Not only does this app work very well, it also helps manage the Netflix account.
KindleReader, not only can you read books (on a good screen), but when you switch between your phone and your “reader” device, it knows that you’ve moved ahead so you don’t have to hunt for where you left off!
The thing that hit me when looking at these apps as I was thinking about my current favorites, was that I ignored the fundamental value of Texting (no other way to consistently connect with my teenagers), Maps (an amazing free navigational service) iTunes/iPod (the ubiquitous music machine) and, oh yeah – it’s also a mobile telephone.
The killer app is just not an app - it's the device. The ability to integrate technology in so many creative ways transcends a mear application. The platform is the key. Here's my favorite question....what's next?
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Monday, March 21, 2011
Waking to Thunder
This morning I woke to the sound of thunder. A real window rattler.
As I recognized what had happened, and that it was time for me to get up anyway, I thought, "Well, that will send at least one of the kids running to Mommy and Daddy."
As if on cue, the next sound was of little feet running towards our bedroom. I smiled. Our little girl, who is growing up so fast, has not quite outgrown the need for comfort.
A rapid knock on the door, and tentiative familair voice asking a familiar one word question "Mommy?"
Anne answered from the bathroom. "Yes?"
"Could you help me blow dry my hair?"
As I recognized what had happened, and that it was time for me to get up anyway, I thought, "Well, that will send at least one of the kids running to Mommy and Daddy."
As if on cue, the next sound was of little feet running towards our bedroom. I smiled. Our little girl, who is growing up so fast, has not quite outgrown the need for comfort.
A rapid knock on the door, and tentiative familair voice asking a familiar one word question "Mommy?"
Anne answered from the bathroom. "Yes?"
"Could you help me blow dry my hair?"
Friday, October 1, 2010
A fun "Mash Up"
I absolutely love my iPhone. I know it’s almost a cliché, but the phone bit is the least use function.
My newest hobby is exploring various apps. I’m fairly ruthless about it. I download them easily. If they don’t work, or provide something useful or interesting, they’re gone.
I found one on Sunday morning that was pretty neat. It is called DCTraffic. They have many like it for other areas. Basically, it’s a mash up of Google Maps with Public Cams and the iPhone itself.
It provides a map of public "traffic" cams around the DC. You select a “pin” on the top, and it “snaps” a picture from that cam and presents it in the box below.
I suppose it is useful if you want to see if an intersection, ramp or highway is blocked. But, as a practical matter, we all know at Rush Hour means traffic can clear up or become problematic in a heartbeat. So, really, what is the point? By the time you get to a given location, local conditions will be different, and the only practical guidance relates to the time of day. (for which, you shouldn’t need an app.)
So with that said, the point of this little app, to me, seems to be to have some fun, and just marvel at the technology.
My wife and I found ourselves on what we call “An Epic Walk” in DC. At one point, we were within a block of one of the cams. (Ok, maybe that was by design). Using the map and the photo, we easily found where a cam was, and then “Snapped” our picture.
This image is a screen shot of what was on my iPhone the moment I hit the Red Pin above (turning it Green) snapping the picture in the bottom. That is my wife and I standing on the sidewalk looking at the camera.
My newest hobby is exploring various apps. I’m fairly ruthless about it. I download them easily. If they don’t work, or provide something useful or interesting, they’re gone.
I found one on Sunday morning that was pretty neat. It is called DCTraffic. They have many like it for other areas. Basically, it’s a mash up of Google Maps with Public Cams and the iPhone itself.
It provides a map of public "traffic" cams around the DC. You select a “pin” on the top, and it “snaps” a picture from that cam and presents it in the box below.
I suppose it is useful if you want to see if an intersection, ramp or highway is blocked. But, as a practical matter, we all know at Rush Hour means traffic can clear up or become problematic in a heartbeat. So, really, what is the point? By the time you get to a given location, local conditions will be different, and the only practical guidance relates to the time of day. (for which, you shouldn’t need an app.)
So with that said, the point of this little app, to me, seems to be to have some fun, and just marvel at the technology.
My wife and I found ourselves on what we call “An Epic Walk” in DC. At one point, we were within a block of one of the cams. (Ok, maybe that was by design). Using the map and the photo, we easily found where a cam was, and then “Snapped” our picture.
This image is a screen shot of what was on my iPhone the moment I hit the Red Pin above (turning it Green) snapping the picture in the bottom. That is my wife and I standing on the sidewalk looking at the camera.
It is amazing to think about how much information is out there, and how it is all coming together in ways we could hardly ever imagine. It is also a lot of fun figuring out what is possible, and to wonder what is gonna happen next!
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Fender News:Metallica's Trujillo Rescues Jaco Pastorius' Bass of Doom
It's amazing that Jaco's bass was found. The rest of the story is equally amazing. Jaco bought it in a pawn shop, pulled the frets off with a butter knife, filled the gaps with wood putty, and loaded up the neck with boat epoxy.
Jaco's sound was so distinctive. It is just sad that he passed away so young.
Fender News:Metallica's Trujillo Rescues Jaco Pastorius' Bass of Doom
Jaco's sound was so distinctive. It is just sad that he passed away so young.
Fender News:Metallica's Trujillo Rescues Jaco Pastorius' Bass of Doom
Sunday, January 31, 2010
"Capital Punishment" is back on-line!
The first advantage I've gotten from this blog has been finding that my favorite Nat’s blog, “Capital Punishment” is back on-line. In exploring the features of this blog service, I found I could post links. I used the search feature to see if the writer, Chris Needham, had started it up again. As luck would have it, he brought it back just last week!
This guy is a great. He is a good writer, a solid Nats fan and extremely knowledgeable about baseball. Oh, and he is pretty sarcastic. What else could you want?
During the Nat’s early seasons, following him was like being part of a club. It was fun lobbing comment into the conversation, and seeing him pick up on suggestions for topics. I learned a lot about the Nats, blogs and baseball.
I hope he stays with it this season.
Check it out! Captial Punishment
This guy is a great. He is a good writer, a solid Nats fan and extremely knowledgeable about baseball. Oh, and he is pretty sarcastic. What else could you want?
During the Nat’s early seasons, following him was like being part of a club. It was fun lobbing comment into the conversation, and seeing him pick up on suggestions for topics. I learned a lot about the Nats, blogs and baseball.
I hope he stays with it this season.
Check it out! Captial Punishment
Launch
Ok, here I am. I’ve read many blogs over the years. There was a great one about the Washington Nationals during their first two seasons, and then Guy Kawasaki’s blog about “How to Change the World.” I still like that one. The Nationals guy just quit one day. I miss him.
A few things I liked about blogs are that they’re short. If they have a point they can be instructive, they can lead to interesting discussions and may even be funny.
My objective for this blog is simple. I am not on the cutting edge of technology, politics, or business. I tend to be a “Fast Follower” as Jeffery Moore described in his book "Crossing the Chasm." I have always enjoyed learning from the innovators, and working with clients and friends to take advantage new, game changing, ideas.
Another favorite book of mine is Michael Crichton’s "The Great Train Robbery." As with all of his books, it had several themes. The first was about the event itself, another was about the transformative effect technology. He made the point that the Victorians were the first to experience dramatic and continual change.
The Victorian era saw the birth of the Industrial Revolution. A primary driver of that change was the invention and rapid adoption of railway technology. Before then, as he said, ideas could only travel as fast as a horse could run.
Once ideas got into faster motion, things really started to change. The rate of change, from that day to this, has only increased.
What continues to amaze me is how we, the people of today, react to a world in a state of constant and accelorating change.
This blog will be a series of short presentations on the things I come across that change, or cause change. I make no promises that I will be right, the topics practical, insightful or funny, but we’ll see.
A few things I liked about blogs are that they’re short. If they have a point they can be instructive, they can lead to interesting discussions and may even be funny.
My objective for this blog is simple. I am not on the cutting edge of technology, politics, or business. I tend to be a “Fast Follower” as Jeffery Moore described in his book "Crossing the Chasm." I have always enjoyed learning from the innovators, and working with clients and friends to take advantage new, game changing, ideas.
Another favorite book of mine is Michael Crichton’s "The Great Train Robbery." As with all of his books, it had several themes. The first was about the event itself, another was about the transformative effect technology. He made the point that the Victorians were the first to experience dramatic and continual change.
The Victorian era saw the birth of the Industrial Revolution. A primary driver of that change was the invention and rapid adoption of railway technology. Before then, as he said, ideas could only travel as fast as a horse could run.
Once ideas got into faster motion, things really started to change. The rate of change, from that day to this, has only increased.
What continues to amaze me is how we, the people of today, react to a world in a state of constant and accelorating change.
This blog will be a series of short presentations on the things I come across that change, or cause change. I make no promises that I will be right, the topics practical, insightful or funny, but we’ll see.
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