Friday, January 29, 2010

Aside from the presentation on Wednesday, I was also looking forward to seeing what new product Apple would release at their media event.  If all of the rumors were to be trusted, we could expect a tablet computer that could cure all disease, save the world from destruction, and would allow for easy integration into our digital lifestyles.  What we got was something else entirely.

I want to get this out of the way before I go any further.  Contrary to popular belief, I don’t own every Apple product ever made.  I don’t have the Apple logo tattoo.  I don’t have a shrine to Steve Jobs in my basement.  I do like the occasional shot of apple-flavored Kool-Aid, but only because I find it refreshing and delicious.  While it may seem to some that I’m an Apple fanboy, I’m not.  I’ve come to that realization over the past year, noting many areas that I’d like to see Apple improve not only their products, but some of their practices.  That being said, the idea of an Apple tablet computer didn’t interest me at all.  Until yesterday.

I have yet to watch the full video from the presentation.  Wednesday night was the earliest opportunity I had to dig into the details a bit more and talk to a few people to get their impressions of the new device.

After a spirited Twitter conversation, and reading reviews and thoughts of the iPad, I had written the device off for my own use.  Apps are limited to those found in Apple’s App Store (as opposed to being able to freely install anything I’d feel like installing on a typical computer), no Web-cam, no multitasking, no replacement value for any device I already own.  I didn’t need it.  It was too restrictive.  I didn’t have this and it doesn’t do that.

I quickly found my feelings for the device changing.  Between some more conversation in the hallway at work and listening to other thoughts on the device, my interest is turning around.  I also stopped focusing on what the iPad couldn’t do and turned to what it can do.  While it still doesn’t replace anything that I have or fit into any area of my life that isn’t already covered by an iPhone or laptop, I can think of many people who’s lives it does fit into.

 
• The Traveler - With a screen that’s larger than a smartphone as well as many GPS units on the market, this may be a perfect device to take with you in the car or on a hike.  Not only can you find your way with it, but you’ll be able to entertain yourself and others along the way.
 
• The Educator (and the Student) - There will be a time in the future when paper books will no longer exist.  I’m not going to venture a guess as to when this will happen, but we’ve already seen the beginning with the Kindle and Nook.  Take that a step further with a device like the iPad.  Teachers can have their plans and itineraries on them while their students can use them as text and workbooks.  When working in groups, the tablet style is much more inviting than that of a laptop, making conversation and technological tools great partners rather than awkward neighbors.
 
• The Businessperson - Right after my hallway chat, I found myself needing to print out a booklet for an afternoon meeting.  With a device like the iPad, that could go away.  Relying on email and the built-in PDF reading capability, countless reams of paper could be saved.  Drawing from the earlier student “group-work” example, I have a feeling a tablet device would be received better in a meeting environment than say, a smartphone or laptop.  I’ve tried using a laptop in face-to-face meetings before.  The key word there is tried.  Not only was it an awkward experience for all parties involved, I felt like I was alienating a person that I wanted to share ideas with, simply because of the monitor that was propped up in between us.  Imagine running an app like Bump on an iPad during a meeting, and quickly exchanging information in an interactive way.
 
• The Doctor - Saw this one coming a mile away, didn’t you.  Monitor patient information as well as get any other type of info you’d need on something that’s slim and relatively lightweight.
 
• Families - One minute it’s a digital photo/movie frame, the next minute you can pick it up and take it with you to read the latest news or share photos with family members.

All that being said, I’m excited to see where this device goes, and who takes it to new heights, whether it be developers or consumers.  Regardless of the vehicle, I can see many paths that the iPad can take, and most of them point upward.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

I’d wanted to write this last night, but my brain was buzzing and bouncing with leftover energy from a trip to Milwaukee’s Third Ward.  Every time I visit the city, I come back more energized and invigorated than ever.  Forget Red Bull or Monster, drink in Milwaukee.  That energy carried over into a great event.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to attend a presentation by Chris Brogan, social media guru, entertaining speaker, and co-author of Trust Agents  If you ever have the chance to hear Chris speak or meet him in person, I highly suggest making the most of that opportunity.  You won’t be disappointed.  Many of the “vibes” I’ve been feeling & seeing with regards where social media is heading were echoed, and I picked up many new ideas as well. What mattered the most to me was that he didn’t talk about Twitter and Facebook and how to maneuver through those services.  He talked about people.

Coincidentally, that’s what social networking is all about too. People and the connections that we make with one another.  Don’t focus on the number of fans or followers you have, focus on the connections that you make and the people that you meet along the way.  Take the time to listen and acknowledge others and they’ll do the same for you.  This is true whether you’re a one-man shop or a giant corporation.  It’s all about people.  Simple as that.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Looking at the landscape of social networking, it doesn’t take long to notice an increasing trend in location-aware services and communities.

Gowalla, Foursquare, and BrightKite are some of the frontrunners in this area and all of them offer the ability to share your location and post about it on Twitter and Facebook.  While this seems like a great idea, and I believe it is, it has stirred up some interesting conversation regarding the usefulness of notifying people that follow or friend you of your every move.  Some might also argue, “who cares if you’re at Applebees?”.  I have mixed feelings on the topic of location announcing, both in how I personally use these networks and how I see these networks benefiting not only individuals but businesses and organizations.

Will you be checking in?
One of the great benefits these location-based/aware services offer is the opportunity to meet new people, not only only, but face-to-face.  However bridging these two worlds often means announcing your whereabouts to the world.  This is where things can get a bit stickly among your followers and friends.  The first time you post about going to a certain location and checking in there can be fun.  I’ve had multiple instances this past week where my checkin posts have spurred further conversation from some of my Twitter and Facebook friends.  Doing it too much, however, can possilbly have a negative affect.  The constant notification can be both overwhelming to followers that don’t participate in networks such as Gowalla, Foursquare and BrightKite.  A conversation that took place at work today solidified this point in my mind.

Discovery.
That being said, there are two exciting aspects of posting my location.  The first is the possibility of meeting someone face-to-face and finally making that “real world” (I hate that term, by the way) connection.  In fact, one of my location notifications from this past weekend made me aware that someone I know on Twitter happened to be at the same restaurant that I was at around the same time.  To me, that was cool.  The only think that would have made that better would have been actually meeting the person, but we were able to talk about it afterwords and might run into one another in the future.

The second aspect is the discovery of a hidden gem.  That little shop in the Northwoods that makes ceramic and metal-sculpted basins and home decor.  If something or some place is cool, I want to let people know about it.  I also like to give people a shout if their making my life easier and more enjoyable.  The United States Post Office in Elm Grove, WI is run by some of the most helpful and friendly people I’ve ever met.  With that in mind, I’ve made a point to share my location, along with a little note about their unbelivable service, during my recent stops there.  But I realize that may not be meaningful to everyone.

Location in moderation.
I’m going to try a little experiment.  Maybe it’s not so much of an experiment, but rather a reigning in of how I share my check-in info on Twitter and Facebook.  I don’t like to put myself into a box, so I won’t say how much or how little I’ll post check-in info, but it’ll be given thought before it is/isn’t posted.  Gee, that was vague.

  I’m curious to hear your thoughts on this subject.  I know some people that have leapt into these location networks with much more zest than I have, and I applaud them for that.  Do you like seeing location posts from your followers, do you not like it, or do you not care one way or the other?  Feel free to share your comments!

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Sunday, December 13, 2009

After using AudioBoo and CinchCast for a while, I’ve decided to change things up a bit and use the 1-2 combination of standalone recording apps and Posterous.

Download now or listen on posterous