Gowalla vs. Foursquare
I was very sad when Facebook bought Gowalla out and announced that it was an aq-hire (where a company buys out another for the talent). I remember choosing Gowalla for two very specific reasons 1) I could easily add locations and 2) they had a beautiful interface. I loved the icons for each location, which were specific for landmarks, events, buildings, and other such fun and cool stuff. I enjoyed scrolling through my buttons to see the states I had been in and the achievements. I also happened to like the orange color and kangaroo logo! They were fun and conveyed and international feel. I was looking forward to using it as I traveled.
I remember checking out Foursquare and not selecting it because it was blue and had generic icons for its locations. Blah! I did move to Foursquare when Gowalla announced its aq-hire. I used it for a while … the only compelling thing … friends. Oh wait, I already use Facebook.
I have decided to close my Foursquare account and try other services that connect to Facebook & Twitter. I prefer a beautiful UI over application popularity & no, I am not interested in boring, plain, generic UI.
So long Foursquare!
iron wil
3 Science Fiction Novels
I recently read On Basilisk Station, Lost Fleet: Dauntless, and The Dreaming Void. While all 3 books were interesting and long….
On Basilisk Station was slow and there was very little action until the very end of the book. Honor Harrington is a fine character and commander, the science sounds good, not outlandish or crazy. The plot was solid and direct, very little surprise and not predictable. The story is presented from Honor’s point of view and much of the book deals with human interaction of her crew and those on Basilisk Station and the adjoining planet. It was dry.
Lost Fleet: Dauntless had a good pace and the reader is dropped right into some action that sweeps the reader along with Black Jack and the fleet. This novel was a very good mix of science, human interaction, space battles, tension between commanders and crews. Black Jack is a strong character that is pushed into command of the fleet by the enemy and circumstance. He is constantly working against preconceived ideas of who he is and what he is capable of doing.
The Dreaming Void has multiple story lines that weave together a complex tale of 2 groups of people. They live on 2 different sides of the Void. There is a lot of bioengineering and uploading and downloading of people to powerful computer systems. Both tales are well done and end with smartly crafted cliff hangers. I am looking forward to reading the 2nd and 3rd books in this trilogy. The science is The Dreaming Void sounds solid, there isn’t any crazy weird things happening and I have to admit that bioengineering brings some very cool and interesting questions to bear. There is a lot of gratuitous and not detailed sex in this novel, it eventually plays a part.
So far, my favorite storyline is Lost Fleet. I am particularly interested in seeing what Black Jack is going to do next. I will also finish The Void Trilogy. I will not be moving on to the next book in the Honor Harrington series.
iron wil
Sayonara Steve
Everyone has something to say …
it is surprising that everyone doesn’t know
the impact you’ve had … will be felt for generations.
100 years from now when kids learn history
you will be listed with Edison and Einstein.
A giant of our era … a visionary …
a genius.
Luminaries & business men will honor you,
pundits will parade their interviews and experiences
journalists will run pictures and video.
your life will be analyzed and evaluated.
I wonder if anyone will be able to vocalize that deep impact and change you brought
into our lives …
Magical, revolutionary, amazing, and great
words you used for the products that
were developed under your watch.
my phone and laptop … hold even more value
… the sentimental kind.
ironwil
2011.10.11
Apple TV?!?
I was listening to MacBreak Weekly 263 this week as the gang talked about the Apple TV Rumors that have been floating around. If you haven’t heard, the most current is that Apple is developing an TV. Yes, like Samsung, Philips, Sony, Vizio, and others. While this is not impossible, I am having a hard time seeing the vision.
What I do see, is possibilities.
An Apple TV that is a “TV” would have to be more than just a media box like the 1st and 2nd versions of the Apple TV. I think this device would have to be a media center or iTunes Server. We know that Apple can make beautiful displays and fantastic hardware. My vision is that this iTunes Server would need to have a few things to make it work. It would need to contain a very large hard drive, Seagate recently announced a 4Tb hard drive, and the ability to update the software and hard drive. The rest of the hardware might stand the test of time or need to be upgradeable over time. That is the problem, it doesn’t fit Apple’s model. Not only that but FaceTime Hd camera would have to be capable of upgrades also.
I understand where people want this to go and I have seen the videos’ of Alan Kay’s visionary tablet and Apple’s knowledge navigator. I also ‘see’ how AirPlay is making some of the sharing possible with a combination of Apple devices. My first thoughts and impressions are that they will be making a 3rd generation Apple TV that will allow and manage the ‘Cord Free’ connecting and syncing between iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. My vision is 2 devices, one that has a large hard drive and one that is like the 2nd generation Apple TV. My other feeling is that they are working with TV manufacturers to get AirPlay working on TVs. This could work as a widget or as an always on service running and ready to receive streams.
I really see a new Apple TV being an iTunes Server … I know I have said it a few times already. It is the only thing that make sense to me.
ironwil
Apple will Develop Clear Aluminum
I was cruising the typical morning website today and I came across this article on Cult of Mac, Every Single Line Means Something: Check Out The Berkley 4th Street Apple Store’s Crazy Supersymmetry! This story in reflection to the several car as a battering ram break ins at Apple Stores world-wide made me realize that the next logical step for Apple is to develop and create Star Trek’s Transparent Aluminum.
I know this is totally out on a limb; however, think of the stores that have been broken into because a car or truck was used to drive through the front glass panels.
Here is Scotty giving the formula away in 1984.
iron wil
HP has No Hope!
I am quite sure that many people are now aware of HP killing their mobile devices and are looking to sell their Personal /Systems Group. I have to admit that I was shocked, no not just surprised, shocked! By now many sites have posted the story and it can be found on This is my Next… and other Tech News Sites. I have spent the weekend thinking about what has happened and trying to wrap my head around this story. I have heard that Leo Apotheker is an “Enterprise” Guy … meaning that is what he specializes in and has been doing for most of his career. Personally, I don’t think he has any vision. No ability to see outside of his little world.
Mr. Apotheker, please don’t be offended, this is merely my opinion. Seriously, how could you take the 2nd best mobile OS [this is true and just for you Ryan] and put it on ice after weakly pitching it? How could you? do you not understand what is happening in the world with mobile computing?
I loved my Palm IIIc and m515. They were great devices … they had problems, but they were the only real handheld for years! They are still being used by some people because they work well and had a simple and easy to use interface. They did lack a decent ecosystem and that was changed with webOS. Palm made beautiful changes to the operating system and several of my friends got Pre’s and Pixi’s. I was waiting on my contract to end so that I could move to an iPhone, by this point in time we had moved to Mac’s. Yet, I was interested, and I grabbed my father-in-laws or friends phone when I had the chance to site down and play with it [that means I was interested in learning about the device because of the OS]. I was not impressed with the hardware. I to be honest still am not. The innovation of the pages concept and then the rumored and proven abilities of “tap to transfer”! Wow! I thought, how awesome that would be if it could be worked across different systems and then HP bought them and then they finished what Palm had started.
But they only finished what was started.
At this point I need to change directions. What I was expecting when HP bought Palm was a rebirth of computing at HP and a move to actually compete with Apple. I saw a future with webOS running on laptops and desktops and mobiles similar to the way OS X has moved into the mobile space [now let's not argue the semantics]. I envisioned HP being able to dual boot Windows and webOS; and I was not the only person envisioning that happening. I believe, HP brought it up in the first place. I was starting to see a lightweight fast operating system that would be faster than Windows and as secure as the rest of them. I saw tablets, smartphones, touch handhelds [yes very similar to the iPod Touch]; and I saw an ecosystem being built or integrated, that would bring it to parity with Apple. I mean, the computers looked good and were well made [from my personal experience with them]. HP could have spent more time on design even though this doesn’t seem to be a strong point.
Many people know and understand that Apple claims to be a hardware company and they maintain a 30% margin on their hardware and give away the OS [remember that this is a company statement made by Apple]. So, why couldn’t HP start to move in that direction … is it because Mr. Apotheker has no vision? Yeah, and neither do those that work for him. I am so disappointed because Android as much as it is touted an competition to iOS; many technologists that I follow and read feel the same way that I do. Android was just a cheap, bad alternative. webOS was the real threat to iOS. It not only did things differently, but it also did them in a visually appealing way, similar to iOS.
So, my request, Mr. Apotheker, is to bring me on board and give me 3 years before you actually shutter this HALF A BILLION business. Let me have a chance to bring back a group that is failing. I know I have vision and I have a desire to see some really good competition.
iron wil
It’s Really Quiet Around Here
As some of you have realized I have been really silent this year as I have been working on other projects and trying to decide what direction to head in next. I have been working on this site/blog for a few years now and have come to realize that it has to much competition from great sites like TUAW, Engadget, Ars Technica, Cult of Mac, and Boy Genius Report.
I feel like it is time to move on to my other ideas. Please realize that from time to time I will be back for technology, a new poem, or something else that belongs in this section of my website. I will be taking down some pages and moving other things around. The bulk of the content will remain in place … one never knows when a link will be needed.
If you want to see what I am up to every so often you can find me on Twitter at ir0nw1l and on QuoteMyT.
iron wil
