I can see replacing my 13″ MacBook with the iPad and using my iMac to do the heavy lifting.  I can see using Dropbox and Evernote even more.  I can see converting all my current OOo [OpenOffice] documents to iWork which means that it easily justifies the expense [not that I consider iWork expensive].  In fact, I think that I could buy 1 iPad for each of my family members and then set up accounts on our iMac as the kids get older.  This would allow my boys to each have one for online games and Apps and their own music selections.

While my personal transition to eBooks has been slow, this may entice me to make that move.  I am using Stanza on my iPhone & it isn’t really a compelling experience.  I also don’t have a lot of reading time and find that Audible is a better resource for me right now.  I hope that this iBook software allows for marking and notes because that would be a big failure right out of the gate if it wasn’t included.  I hope that Amazon gets on board like Audible has with Audiobooks available via iTunes; especially if they can keep the books at the low cost they already are for Kindle owners.

I think this beats the NetBook model hands down even if it isn’t quite what I thought it would end up being. Now, a few weeks ago I published my own predictions for the iPad.

I predicted that Apple would release a multi-touch device similar to the JooJoo [aka CrunchPad] that ran Apps, eBooks, with WiFi/3G, iTunes, a built in battery, Lala, and the content aspects of the Sports Illustrated Tablet demo.  I was right on some items and we could still see Lala become part of the service package MobileMe [I was not the first to suggest this].  I will admit that I am still blown away.  I love the device and look forward to heading into town in 60 Days and testing one out.  I think I will have to get a sitter & take the wife to a movie to justify the whole thing.

I know that many people will not get it until they see others using it and that I can understand.  It was the same way with the Kindle and other devices.  I didn’t get the iPod until I owned one.  Yeah, until I owned one and then I felt dumb because I had not invested in it before then.  It was a mind blowing music experience and since then, I have bought a couple dozen albums.

New Prediction, iSlate with Inkwell for writing with a finger or 3rd party stylus.  This will be more like the Axiotron ModBook.  It will be slide between the iPad and MacBook.

iron wil

As I thought about it, I remembered that Verizon & AT&T both said they would open up their networks by the end of 2008.  Well, it is the beginning of 2010 and Verizon & AT&T, from what I know, are still clam-shelled.  They are not allowing users [us] to bring the device that we want to their service.

I am disappointed in this, very disappointed.

I believe that one day the mobile providers will have to open up because hardware manufactures & users will stick it to them and they will change.  The beginning of the end for their selecting of hardware we can use was started when Apple released the iPhone.  Since then, Google has released the Android software package and now the Nexus One phone.  Other hardware manufactures are jumping in and building handsets and devices that access mobile providers networks.

Times are changing.  The hardware manufactures are tightening the thumb screws and things will change for users and the carriers that provide our services.  I have to say that my prediction for 3 to 5 years is looking dismal; however, I am hopeful that it will happen.  That soon handsets and NetBooks will be open to provider transfer.  I know there are people that would like to take their iPhone to Verizon or T-Mobile and have the ability to move around per their need.

Time will tell, I am hopeful that it will happen soon.

iron wil

I was on Yammer the other day and the group was asking about the iSlate and what our predictions were for next month.  As I thought about the question and thought about rumor mill this is what I thought of =  JooJoo + Sports Illustrated Demo + Kindle + Lala + built in battery + Inkwell + Wi-Fi/3G.

Okay, we already know that whatever Apple and Mr. Jobs are doing is going to look great and fit into the architecture that already exists and the JooJoo is a good idea of what can be done today.  Since we don’t have to worry about design [it's not a mouse] we know that it will look great!  Some of my favorite concepts can be found here.  We also know that it will work with iTunes in some way, have built in Wi-Fi [iPhone/iPod Touches and possibly some 3G/4G if the Verizon rumors are true], and a built in battery.

The next thing it will have to cover is the usefulness and ease of use.  What if they left in Inkwell, the handwriting recognition software and allowed for capacitive writing with your finger?!?  … Or a puff ball … which would allow for quick note taking and editing, like the Windows Courier project?  Now, allow for Sports Illustrated Tablet demo functionality with books, magazines [I would love to get Wired like this!!!], and mixed media.  This would make the Kindle and other eReaders look last decade.

Now add iTunes with subscriptions or Lala, which Apple bought in December 2009, and then you don’t have to port your entire library … you can stream it through your iTunes account to the new device!

Well, I don’t know about you, but I want one!!!  I don’t know if I am even half right; Apple is making waves and the rumors are in the water.  We will see on the 27th of January.

NetBooks and eReaders beware they are about to redefine your markets and youse will lose market share.

Listening to MacBreak Weekly #174 and I realized that I forgot something very important, the App Store!!!  It has been leaked that Apple has expressed to some developers that they will want to work on full screen coverage.  They have talked about my thoughts that I wrote about here!!!

iron wil

I am also curious to see how “addicted” I am to my MacBook and the OS X Platform.  I know that I could probably make a straight forward switch to Ubuntu or a similar Linux distro.  My major concern is functionality, will it work with my computer.  That is why I didn’t stay on Ubuntu 3 years ago when I ran it for 6 months.  Odd little things kept happening and so, I went back to Windows when both of my PC’s died in a week’s time.  No, I don’t think it was the OS.  I am sure that one overheated and the other got static shocked from the outside.  I am still puzzled by that, but I had to turn around and spend a bit of cash to rebuild one machine & by that point, I was beyond figuring out what happened.

I digress.

Windows 7 looks pretty nice and it works much more like Linux and OS X than ever before.  The UI is very clean and well designed.  I like the tile effect on the bottom for open windows and I like the loose sidebar tools, it is much better than having the Sidebar and having to work around it.  I really like having the widgets on the desktop where I can find them quickly.  Dashboard in OS X, is also nice, but sometimes it is frustrating because they seem to take their time loading unless I pop it open and then close it and come back to it later [with the F5 Key].  Sigh, nothing is perfect.

iron wil

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Patrick Norton, Jason Calacanis, Brian Brushwood, Dr. Kiki, and Catherine Hall

Swine flu, Microsoft revenue drops, Apple poo-poos netbooks, The Pirate Bay, and more.

Show Notes

MacBreak Weekly 138: All Things Conditioned

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Andy Ihnatko, and Alex Lindsay

NAB, iPhone hardware add-ons, hackintoshes, Amazon/Stanza, a billion apps, and more.

Show Notes

Security Now 194: Listener Feedback 65

Hosts: Steve Gibson with Leo Laporte

This mailbag episode covers Conficker, Windows process control, NeXT, Ironkey, and more.

Show Notes

Windows Weekly 105: Paul’s Itties

Hosts: Paul Thurrott and Leo Laporte

Windows 7 Release Candidate, Windows XP Mode and Windows Virtual PC, Windows Vista and Server 2008 Service Packs, Zune Rumors, and more.

Show Notes

iron wil

Hosts: Paul Thurrott and Leo Laporte

Windows 7, Netbooks, UAC issue overkill, Microsoft Fix It, new Kindle, Google Ocean, and more.

Windows 7 product editions (or “SKUs”) announced

• There will be multiple product editions again (duh) but only two will be mainstream offers for individuals
• Regardless, a lot of false indignation from people
• Microsoft: We have over one billion users with many different needs and wants; One SKU does not make sense for all of them, sorry
• Paul actually agrees with Microsoft for the most part but the lineup could be a little simpler

Windows 7 on a netbook: Guess what? It works. Paul’s IdeaPad S10 arrived today. Good news so far.

The UAC issue that wasn’t: Bloggers uncovered Windows 7 flaw; Microsoft says, not so fast

Microsoft’s new Fix It service. Finally: Instead of telling you how to fix problems via its Knowledge Base (KB) articles, Microsoft is starting to automatically fix these problems for you with a new FixIt button.

New Kindle rumored to be coming next week

Tip of the week:

• Virtual Earth update: Check out the stunning Bird’s Eye imagery of Europe at Paul’s Winsupersite
• New version of Google Earth, lets you explore the ocean and mars

Software pick of the week:

• Foxmarks Syncs browser bookmarks/favorites between PCs/Macs, Works with IE/Firefox (Windows) and Firefox/Safari (Mac), Bonus: Includes Web site password sync (Firefox only)
• Skype 4 for windows now available

Audible picks of the week: What Would Google Do? Unabridged, By Jeff Jarvis, Narrated by Jeff Jarvis. For a free credit toward the audiobook of your choice, visit Audible.com/windows.

Check out Paul’s blog at the SuperSite for Windows for more information.

get yours here.

iron wil