05.09
Well, I’ve been extremely negligent in maintaining this blog. Shortly after my last post things got very busy for me, both with my consulting business and because I’ve been working on development projects (primarily Apps). I know the 5 people who read this blog are devastated.
Just some updates:
1) I was obviously wrong about how well the iPad would sell. Foot. In. Mouth. Honestly I’m shocked at how well it has done and how much small business users have lovingly adopted it. It has turned out to be great for web Apps and the “cloud” (SaaS) – ultimately the iPad is the best portable web browser out there (except for the lack of flash of course). One thing they nailed is making that small screen seem huge by careful selection of the appropriate ppi. Imagine a netbook screen that size – everything would look tiny. Apple did a great job overcoming that. Still, mine primarily collects dust except when we are using it for App testing and on road trips (when my daughter loves it for games and drawing). At the end of the day it doesn’t do much more than an iPhone or iPod touch, and it is ridiculously overpriced, so it is only a matter of time before someone else makes a better mousetrap. Kudos for Apple for re-kindling the tablet form-factor though.
2) Man did Android take off in the last year? I saw that coming to a certain degree, but when the Nexus One flopped (I must say even I was extremely disappointed with it), I was worried. I wasn’t sure Android could overcome Apple without a completely new business model, and I was hoping for an ad-supported phone (right in Google’s wheelhouse). Turns out an ad-supported OS (that is basically what Android is) was enough.
3) It is only a matter of time before Android tablets take over too. People have very short memories. The lead Apple has in tablets is nothing compared to the lead they had with phones. Much like last year with the Nexus One, the Xoom is disappointing – but history is sure to repeat itself.
4) I’m sure everyone thinks I’m an Apple hater (I’m not, I just don’t drink the punch) – but know that the Apps my team is working on will debut on Apple and Android (with preference still given to Apple if we are behind on a deadline), so I realize the power of the App Store. Android’s App Store (sorry Steve, you made App Store a generic term) still attracts a more frugal consumer, so we will continue to see Apple’s store get the marquee Apps first. Of course, the big difference from a year ago is that you will see the Android versions weeks (not months or years) after. Also, now there are Apps that are Android only (because of iOS restrictions blocking developers from access to SMS, email, etc) – putting some much-needed pressure on Apple.
5) Windows Phone 7 bombed – shocker. Microsoft’s reputation has finally caught up to them. They should be worried. Microsoft is like the “American Car” of the mobile industry.
6) I think RIM is going to make a comeback. The PlayBook is just a glimpse of things to come. RIM still does a lot of things right (phone calls, secure messaging, durable hardware, great battery life, the best keyboard, etc). Most people saw Bridge as a hack or a shortcoming so they could push the PlayBook out the door – in my opinion it is fairly elegant (I have a phone already, I don’t really want to have to worry about maintaining my PIM info on yet another device). The biggest flaw with Bridge is that it requires a Blackberry – if it were compatible with Android and iOS it would be a home run. I’m a little bummed they are quickly scrambling to develop PIM Apps for the Playbook instead of making Bridge cross-platform. Anyway, hopefully my RIM comeback prediction turns out to be more accurate than my iPad prediction last year.
7) We got Bin Laden!!
8- I still haven’t found a great way to replace AD with some kind of Google Apps integrated system. Still, the cloud is alive and well, even after recent outages (most notably Amazon’s). In my opinion JungleDisk is still the best kept secret – all of my clients use it now. Some use it for backup, some use it as their “server”, some use it for sync’ing, and some use it for a combination of one or more of the above. It is extremely versatile (and cheap). JungleDisk rocks.
9) I’ll take some time to vent here . . . Google, what is up with this change to Google Apps!!?? Now I can’t be logged into multiple Google accounts in the same browser at the same time. Fail. News flash – Google Apps customers don’t care that YouTube (et al) is integrated into their Google Apps accounts. Gimme a break. I would like to personally slap whoever thought this was a good idea. As an IT Consultant, I typically have several Google Apps accounts open in the same browser at the same time. Not anymore. Argh.
Anyway, that is all for now. I’m working on some pretty exciting projects that will change the world. Cure for cancer. That kind of stuff. Ok, maybe not.
