As I hold on for the long wait for my iPad 3G I was inspired to pull out my Apple Newton MessagePad 120 to baseline how far Apple has come since the Newton was first released in 1993. I was amazed at how unintuitive it was to use and thought about how our perceptions and expectations of a handheld user interface have been transformed by the iPhone. Putting my thoughts into a 1993 state of mind for a moment I imagined what it was like using this thing so long ago. One thing stuck out like a sore thumb to me: The MessagePad seemed utterly and completely impractical by even 1993 standards.
I believe that its failure was guaranteed no matter how powerful its designers made it. It wasn’t because of the applications or even its form factor, no its size and note taking, calendar, contacts and other apps including eMail capabilities were all fine for their day. It all came down to the user experience. Using the stylus with the on screen keyboard or worse, the built in handwriting recognition was unbearable. This highlights something that technology companies regularly forget and it’s why Steve Jobs killed the Newton when he took back control of Apple: The user experience matters. A lot.
The Palm Pilot with its graffiti was first, then the BlackBerry with its thumb friendly keyboard and then the iPhone with its quick responding multi-touch screen. At each stage the innovation wasn’t the devices capabilities, plenty of devices have done what they did before them. The innovation was the user experience that enabled the technology and made it accessible. The iPhone’s multi-touch interface made it a usable applications platform and everyday device, the app store just greased the wheels. Had Apple released the iPhone with a thumb keyboard or stylus it would have been just as successful (and boring) as every mobile device that had come before it.
So as I wait now for my iPad to arrive and I read all the articles for and against it I think most people focusing on battery life, flash support or built in capabilities are missing the point. The real innovation that will decide the iPad’s success will come down to only one thing, the iPads user experience and how successfully it bridges the gap between humans and technology.
Posted in Apple, Innovation.
Tagged with Apple, AppleNewton, BlackBerry, iPad, iPhone, iPod, MessagePad, Newton, Steve Jobs, User Experience.
By Erik
– April 2, 2010
- Read a rumor today that the upcoming Apple tablet might be called the iPad. I predicted it would be called the MacBook Tablet but I have to admit the iPad sounds compelling. It’s too close to iPod for me to like however. Rule one in marketing: Differentiate. My guess is that Apple is registering names of possible similar named products to avoid future problems.
- I will be presenting “Your Applications from Backdoors: How to Secure Your Business Critical Applications from Time Bombs, Backdoors & Data“ at the OWASP Chicago meeting on Feb 2nd at 6:00 swing by (RSVP Req’d) for Pizza, Beer and Application Security discussions in the windy city.
Posted in Random.
Tagged with Add new tag, Apple, iPod, MacBook, Macintosh, Marketing, Tablet.
By Erik
– January 19, 2010
I generally stay away from thinking about CES until the week is up and I can look at the big picture. For all the whining that goes on about FUD in the Information Security industry nowhere is there more hype and hyperbole than the annual consumer electronics show (CES) in Las Vegas. Here is our take on the events and products highlighted at this years CES event.
The annoying marketing gone crazy technology looking for a problem award goes to 3D TV
This year it seems everyone was talking about 3D TV’s with CNet, Engadget and others all talking about 3D tv’s like they were the second coming of Christ. I’m not sure who’s good graces they were trying to get into but let me say what everyone else is secretly thinking: 3D TV’s are stupid. Despite the obviousness of this, it didn’t stop CES from announcing the Panasonic VT25 as “Best in Show“. It just doesn’t make sense to make everything we watch 3D. I don’t want to watch the evening news, Old School or any movie with Matthew McConaughey in 3D. Ever.
And then there are the glasses. If you don’t have glasses on, then you get a headache. Anyone who walks in the room while you are watching a 3D show is going to get insta-frustrated. Oh and you look like a total idiot. The only reason this works in a theater is because everyone looks like an idiot so everyone keeps their mouth shut.
No, no one is going to run out and buy a new TV for this unless they have money to burn. Here is the big secret however that no one wants you to know, every TV will soon be a 3D “capable” TV and if your TV can refresh faster than 96Hz already (ideally 120Hz), it might already be ready (the HDMI 1.4 requirement might be a hiccup). This feature is going to be thrown in for free by the end of the year and right now is just a marketing gimmick to justify the cost of higher end TV’s. I expect Vizio to be carrying 3D capable TV’s at Costco around the middle of the year for the same price you would pay today for a regular TV. Unless of course the TV manufacturers try and create some sort of 3D hardware standards monopoly which is likely because that’s just what hardware companies do. For example everyone is pushing their “Full HD 3D” solution which requires shutter glasses vs. the cheap things you wore when you saw Avatar 3D at the IMAX theater last weekend.
The real winners here will likely end up being the content providers who will try and sell you 3D versions of movies you already have.
The totally pointless but yet I want one so bad award goes to the Parrot AR.Drone
You know something is going to be a success when people are already talking about all the scary things you can do with something and the Parrot AR.Drone has all kinds of awesome scary tricks. Like hovering outside your neighbors windows recording video all controlled by your iPhone scary. The moment you can equip these things with missiles is when I suspect the fun will come to an end but until then, I want one. Unless this product ends up being somehow fatally flawed and not living up to the hype expect every kid on the planet to be begging their parents for one. Parents everywhere are going to be rushing out to get these things too because they all secretly want this thing as well.
The should have gotten more attention because it’s going to change our life award goes to the RCA Airnergy Power System
Two words: Wireless Power. The RCA Airnergy system sucks up WiFi signals and turns it into electrical current. Let me say that again. WiFi signals go in, power comes out. Despite making everyone suddenly get worried that the WiFi signals in their house are frying their brain (it doesn’t, chill out) the idea of wireless power has the potential to change our lives forever. Think about the sort of devices that become possible when you suddenly don’t have to worry about plugging them in or charging them. I suspect this product is only the beginning of a whole series of new technologies that will branch out to absorb all kinds of energy and convert it to power. Despite the utter coolness and trans-formative nature of this technology it’s getting almost no attention right now. This either means it’s too good to be true or people just can’t believe it. Kudos to Engadget for also saying what was also on everyone else’s mind: The Airnergy gives RCA a reason to exist.
And the best of CES award goes to…
The product that is going to make the entire CES event seem like a distant and pointless memory, the upcoming Apple tablet. According to John Paczkowski over at AllThingsD the announcement is planned for January 27th 2010. I still stand by my predictions that I made back in August as well as my expectations that the new tablet will be called the Apple MacBook Touch. Stay tuned!
Posted in Apple, Innovation, Technology.
Tagged with 3D TV, Air Energy, Airnergy, Apple, CES, Consumer Electronics Show, MacBook Touch, Panasonic, Parrot AR.Drone, RCA, RCA Airnergy, Tablet.
By Erik
– January 11, 2010
Earlier this week I predicted that the La La acquisition by Apple was the start of an entirely new in the cloud online strategy for the iTunes music and media store. A few days ago the Wall Street Journal (link) confirmed my predictions by reporting that according to sources familiar with the strategy, Apple was “exploring an overhaul of the way it sells and stores music” with changes coming as early as next year. AppleInsider also suggested an more online future for iTunes but was not as specific as the WSJ.
The WSJ article explains that several of the La La executives will be leading critical aspects of the iTunes service which I think is a very positive sign and one that suggests Apple is serious about injecting fresh thinking into service. It’s a short but good article that validates a few of my predictions on how I think iTunes will transform itself in 2010 and a topic you can be sure I’ll keep a close eye on.
Posted in Apple.
Tagged with Apple, iTunes.
By Erik
– December 12, 2009
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=213d6873-2ae5-43ee-8265-ea492fd85c3f)
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=fb3ce9bc-29c1-4084-8058-b57f95350e88)
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=ce965ad6-f4cd-4f44-bfac-93bc6e974c5c)
