Category Archives: Gadgets

Advertising, Digital Entertainment, Gadgets, Stupid

Can Netbooks and Media Save Each Other?

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Here’s an interesting editorial from Ad Age.  The author, Simon Dumenco postulates that free or very cheap netbooks can save the media industry through a subscription based content model.  Hahaha!!! This is nothing new.  I remember when the first round of “Internet Appliances” tried to come out in the late 90’s early 2000’s.  There was talk that a portion of the screen would be filled with ads to pay for the cost of the hardware and the software.  That idea died quickly.  Fast forward to now … so I’m gonna get a free netbook so I can pay$xx.99/mo. for each cloud application I want to access?   Oh, and by the way, some portion of the screen will be filled with advertisements to pay for the cost of the hardware and the software.   And, wow, isn’t it great to watch Hulu on an 8-in screen — how about a 8-in portable DVD player and a Blockbuster card?

Now some words about “Netbooks.”  When I initially heard about these devices, I thought the idea was ridiculous.  Being the type of person I am, this meant I had to get one to see if I could make sense of the hype.  My parents gifted me an HP Mini 1000 for Christmas and I really like it.  It’s a great little computer for the kitchen to look up recipes, read e-mail, and do little online shopping tasks when it’s inconvenient to go up to the office and fire up my PC or “real laptop.”  I, also, use it to read manga online while in bed and it’s much easier and less worrisome to bring this little guy on trips rather than a bulky laptop, when all we want to do is e-mail and check the news while out.  I think what makes this netbook and ones like it successful is that it is not as underpowered as I expected.  My netbook has comparable technical specs to my 3-yr “real laptop” so I can watch downloaded anime in the high-def file formats and I can have a “Rich Internet Experience.”  Granted, though, it’s nothing like my gaming PC or my smokin’ media laptop.  All-in-all, I’d have to say most netbooks are nice little products suitable for people on the go, children, and people looking for a secondary PC or laptop.

And some thoughts on media:  I still go to the movies because I like to watch good movies on a big screen with a crowd.  I feel watching a good movie is a good use of $11 and 2-1/2 hours of a weekend — the key words being “good movies.”  Good or better products and good or better experiences built around these products will always attract a crowd.  I think media outlets should concentrate on the content and make delivery of the content a better experience than piracy, rather than worrying about pirates and wasting brain cells coming up with the next free-but-not-free gimmick.

Lastly, to the author’s suggestion that hardware/software companies have to become media companies — well, this is not an old idea either.  The problem is, neither hardware/software companies nor media companies want to share because each wants it all.  On top of that, there are neat anti-trusts laws protecting us consumers from something like a DellMicrosoftNBCUniversalTimeWarner catastrophe (banish the thought now!).

In conclusion, can netbooks and media save each other?  I don’t know.  However, I do know selling a product for less than it cost to make and racing to the bottom in a price war is not a viable business plan.  Neither is free content.  I think hardware/software and media companies have to do the hard work and apply business fundamentals and some good old-fashion product innovation, as well as, take away the “free candy” from consumers in order to survive and thrive.  I think Apple is a great example of this on the hardware/software side.  As for media and piracy, if you want to beat the pirates, then join them and figure out how to make a paid experience that is much more appealing than piracy.  Again, I stress, media companies should impress upon potential customers that bad people can hide malicious code in free downloads.  I think this would be a far more compelling argument against piracy than copyright violation because you are offering protection from identity theft and the like, in addition to great entertainment.  (AUGH!!! It’s so frustrating watching the media industry pointlessly twisting in the breeze …)

connection, Gadgets

PC Makers Considering Android for Netbooks

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Here’s a link to the article.  I have a netbook with Window’s XP, but I’m not beholden to XP.   I can’t install anything like Office on my netbook because it’s too much of a resource hog and required installation from a DVD drive.  However the basic version of MS Office that comes with the laptop is fine for the things I do on it.

What I do need with respect to my netbook is the ability to get on the Internet and to view whatever parts of the Internet I desire.  On my iPhone my current limitation is Flash —  but that more of a problem with Adobe than anyone else.  My feeling is as long as the browser works well, I’m golden since I will most likely used web-based software because a netbook doesn’t have much on board storage.

However, it’s important to keep in mind that netbooks will be treated as the lowest-end computer.  I did witness over the holidays, many financially pinched people considering a netbook as their first PC purchase or as a replacement for an ancient computer that was too old to allow access to the Internet.  When I think about this user, I really don’t know what’s best.  They may be used to “ancient versions” of software or they may be computer illiterate.  This tends to make me think, the simpler the better.  But when I consider which is easier to use, my PC or my iPhone, I would have to say they are about the same since the iPhone mimics a PC experience.  In other words, to successfully use most mobile devices beyond basic dialing phone numbers, there is an expectation of computer literacy.  Thinking in this vein, does the OS matter?  No, just as long as there’s a big clear “Internet” button,  links to do basic things like calendars and view images, and the presentation is professional.   This is most important because I think past attempts at Internet appliances failed because the interface design “looked down” on potential customers (the young, the elderly, and the computer illiterate).  It has to look like a real PC and it has to function like a real PC.

For the more savvy user, I think speed is the key. If Android turns out to be the speedier OS that allows similar functionality and software selection to PC and smartphones, then I think Android will be a winner.  I hope, though, that Microsoft isn’t resting on its laurels and are, instead, working dilligently on a Windows-lite for netbooks.  It’ll be a tough fight once the cell phone makers enter the fray.   However, this competition will be good for everyone because it will force innovation.  I’m looking forward to it.

Gadgets, Web Design

Still no Flash for Smartphones

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I have an iPhone and the Flash incompatibility drives me nutz.   Personally, I thought Flash would be perfect for smartphones … well …I hope Adobe gets it’s act together because the mobile devices are taking over and it would make this Flash-Monkey (that is me) very happy (Snowball Sim for everyone!!!).  Here’s a link to an article with a little blurb on the matter.

Gadgets

2009 Expected to be a Good Year for Smartphones

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At least somebody has something to look forward to this year.  Garter expects with the new smartphones coming out of various manufacturers, sales of smartphones will jump 28% this year, despite an overall contraction of the cellphone market.  I imagine given the tight economy, people who just want a basic cellphone are sticking with the ones they have (like my parents).  However, as alternatives to the iPhone come out, it’s always nice to splurge a couple hundred dollars on yourself, even during these tough times.  I imagine, also, that as people replace their cellphones, a good many of them will be upgrading to smartphones.  With the exception of the cost of the handset, the cost of service isn’t that different and with a smartphone, customers really get a noticeable boost in the capability that makes up for the increased cost.  Here’s a link to the Washington Post article with more details.

communication, Gadgets

“Tweetie” to Twitter on iPhone

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I’ve decided to use the “Tweetie” application to Twitter on the iPhone.  The application is pretty straight forward.  You can post to multiple accounts, reviews replies, get messages, save favorites, search, see global Twitter trends, and see the Tweets of folks nearby your location.  I get a lot of joy out of looking at the trends and the Tweets of the folks near me.  As for the value of Twitter in my life … it’s the same as blogging.  I’m happily expressing myself to who ever cares.  It’s a nice way to track my thoughts and activities for the day, but so far I’m not using it as a means for “useful” communication of status.  As for following and followers — so far I follow NPR and CNN and I have two followers.  I don’t personally know my followers and that’s cool.  Others have tried to follow me, but all of them have been Twitter spammers and I’ve blocked them or Twitter has banned them before I get the chance to block them.  The spam is annoying, but anywhere there’s a crack, the scamsters will squeeze their way in.

I’m not looking forward to the time when Twitter sells our Tweets to advertisers so we can be Tweet spammed every 5-secs …. sigh …