IronWil Blog » Steve Jobs

Sayonara Steve

Iron Wil — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 17:31:09 +0000

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.

iron wil
2011.10.11

Apple told the Future in the Past!

Iron Wil — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 16:54:26 +0000

UPDATE!!!

I was listening to a recent netcast, probably MacBreak Weekly #214 or Windows Weekly #176, and they were discussing the USB port on the back of the Apple TV. I really started to think about that port and and the iTunes software. I also felt that my iTunes Server could be met with Apple activating that port for external hard drives. This could make the Apple TV an iTunes Server IF they add the ability to manage Accounts, Purchase Content, and allow iTunes to act as the intermediary. Personal Profiles would allow one iTunes Account to manage multiple users (or device profiles) with Bonjour running Apple could enable Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Syncing. This would solve the iTunes Server issue mentioned below.

I have noticed that a few videos and articles have surfaced over the last [thinking] 3 years and they are all pointing to the future of where Apple said it was going in the 80′s. The Newton was their first attempt at a mobile product that would fill the space of the ‘hand-held communicator’ or Dynabook that was talked about by Alan Kay. In my recent post, the video shared by TUAW, talks about being able to stream media on the fly. To have total access to your books, music, movies, and documents no matter where an individual is located … they only need access to the internet.

Today we have 2 ubiquitous internet devices from Apple, the iPad and iPhone. These two devices deliver the majority of the internet to you on the go. We know that we can buy, rent, listen, and watch content as long as we are connected to the internet. Yeah for 3G and GSM!!! We now know that Apple is working on “The Orchard” a large data center in North Carolina. Apple has now released the updated Apple TV that delivers all of your iTunes content to your TV plus NetFlix and hopefully much more as they continue to work on this platform. I have heard some discussion for the Apple TV where we can push Hulu, MLB, or even games to our living room or bedroom TVs via AirPlay (or Apps).

With Apple rolling Apple TV and AirPlay out to their 160 million registered iTunes customers they have an instant [upon purchase] test bed. To play with and work through all the bugs and legal issues. They have a willing audience of “Fan Boys” that have already ordered their new Apple TV‘s. They have users like me that will be purchasing one after they start shipping.

Now, what is missing? One huge thing I think is missing is an iTunes server. Yeah, I know that HP’s MediaSmart running Windows Home Server with the plug-in will act in this fashion. What I am looking for is … think a Mac Mini Server form factor that we can add external hard drives to for increased capacity! [The one extra cool feature would be that we could add more iTunes Servers and they would span the network. I am thinking of a Drobo + AirPort Wireless Network Extender + SAN.] We could stream right from that instead of from the family iMac. It would function as the iTunes back-up for the whole family, accounts for each user. This would then be coupled with “The Orchard” so that we have 3 copies of our media and we can then stream anything we own to anywhere! Now hold on and don’t forget that Apple purchased Lala.com and they had a really good balance of being able to push music that you already own for 10¢ each track and the ability to buy new music.

So, if I have a DVD or digital copy of a movie, then I have to pay the 30¢ licensing fee and Apple drops a copy in my Orchard account. Then if something happens to our Mac we have a copy of everything in the “Cloud”. The way I see this service really being delivered is via MobileMe. I am not sure if it would be 99$ still or if it would be free. I think that free would ‘force’ people to move their content there because there is no barrier to entry. I know that I would start right away. I know that it would cost me; but if I could have the guarantee … I would be compelled to do it right away. We have 2 Macs and 2 iPhones and it would be a no brainer for my wife and I to jump on that right away.

It is very clear to my mind what this will look like and how it will work. Unfortunately, I don’t actually know and if I did, I wouldn’t be able to write this.

iron wil

Apple Tablet Prediction

Iron Wil — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 04:06:20 +0000

Additions Below – Just Updated

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

New TWiT NetCasts – 2009.12.28

Iron Wil — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 10:00:02 +0000

TWiT 226: The Sacred Straw Man

Hosts: Leo Laporte, John C. Dvorak, Lisa Bettany, and Andrew Warner

Guests: Adam Jones and Johnny Worthington

The inside story on the Crunch Pad, mandatory ISP filtering in Australia, and the 3D tech in Avatar…

IronWil Blog » Steve Jobs

Sayonara Steve

Apple told the Future in the Past!

Apple Tablet Prediction

Additions Below – Just Updated

New TWiT NetCasts – 2009.12.28

New TWiT NetCasts – 2009.12.21

Rotten Apples? Nope, Just Complaints

New TWiT NetCasts – 2009.11.16

New TWiT NetCasts – 2009.09.12

New TWiT NetCasts – 2009.06.27

New TWiT NetCasts – 2009.04.18