Skip to content →

Author: cgerrish

Unemployed philosopher

NBC Chooses More Strings, iTunes Needs To Become iSafe

Published September 5, 2007 by cgerrish

They’ve ditched Apple and moved to Amazon’s Unbox. Higher prices, more DRM strings on usage— so NBC got what it wanted.

What Amazon doesn’t have is a simple system for online purchase and usage. That’s why iTunes and the iPod are dominant. They make it easy to purchase and use. Amazon makes it easy to buy stuff in boxes, it’s download service has never caught on. One reason is that most people can’t figure out how to get digital files on to their MP3/Video player. Jon Udell explores this theme in his writings on unexplored software idioms. Something that seems very straightforward to long time computer users can be unfathomable to the average user.

Electronic safe

Jason Calacanis’s Mahalo tries bridge that gap to the user in Search. Apple was able to make synching painless for the average user, and that’s what made digital entertainment through the network possible. Dave Winer thinks that synching sucks, but not because it’s hard. He just doesn’t think things need to be in more than one place. So where’s that online safe where I can keep copies of all the digital media that I’ve purchased? It contains all the music, audio books, podcasts, TV shows & movies, software, online art and photos that I legally own. It’s automatically backed up and I can reach it from all kinds of devices wirelessly through a ubiquitous network. My home stereo, car stereo and iPod all access the same music. A connection is established once, and then you’re all set. iTunes could become this.

Comments closed

QWERTY-based Amphibians

Published September 5, 2007 by cgerrish

Jeff Hawkins and the Foleo 1.0

Palm killed Foleo 1.0. But the reason for the Foleo is QWERTY, and that’s the reason there’ll be a Foleo 2.0. It’s all about the keyboard. That absurd user interface that was originally designed in 1878 to slow typists down so that the mechanical keys of the early typewriters wouldn’t get stuck together. You’d think that would be as bad as it could get, but no—then we’re given 10-key interfaces to the alphabet through cell phones. The mechanical keyboard on the smart phone was considered a huge improvement and some people can actually type very quickly using only their thumbs. But, really, is that the best we can do? The Foleo was an attempt to at least get back to the full sized keyboard and the insanity that is QWERTY. (You can assume that DVORAK keyboards will never gain a foothold.) But it’s really just a terminal style computer that hooks up to the network through your phone (and probably WiFi). I guess the real question is why the phone? Why does Foleo need to be a companion? Why can’t it simply be a little laptop or a really big phone that doesn’t fit in your pocket?

Frog with 4 legs

As the Internet struggles to emerge everywhere, we’ll see the Darwinian process of various hybrid network devices attempt to adapt and survive. It’s a dog eat dog world, and many devices, like Foleo 1.0, will not survive. But if the ubiquitous Internet is going to be more than just consumption, the problem of input will need to be solved. It’s not going to just be photographs and Twittergrams, we’re going to need to input text as well. Apple is moving toward a virtual interface with QWERTY and Multi-touch created in software. I would imagine their next generation keyboard will incorporate this approach. But there’s a lot of work that needs to be done before a virtual keyboard will rival a mechanical keyboard.

Lots of people are thinking about how to get beyond the Keyboard/Video/Mouse input paradigm, and there are some beautiful prototypes out there. But there’ll always be a need for good old plain text and a way to make it flow from your thoughts out through your fingertips.

Comments closed

What’s a Wiki?

Published September 4, 2007 by cgerrish

The Wiki Way

Google bought JotSpot, and it sorta disappeared. Word is that JotSpot will re-emerge soon as Google Wiki. I’d love to see a widely accessible and usable Wiki.

With the exception of Wikipedia, most people don’t know what a Wiki is or how to use one. Ward Cunningham’s Wiki develops the ideas of Hypercard and Vannevar Bush’s As We May Think.

Wiki is a great way of working together, although it tests the strength of the social contract. Even now companies are editing their own Wikipedia entries. At any point of controversy, the process of using a Wiki is stressed. However in certain kinds of small work groups, the Wiki is a great tool.

Comments closed

Identity Anchor: Health & Office Apps

Published September 4, 2007 by cgerrish

Identity

Microsoft has tipped its hand, it wants to tie your online identity and authentication credentials to Windows Live. Google has been working the same angle for some time, although they’ve added an interesting twist. Adam Bosworth has been working on Google Health. If Google is holding on to your health history information, why not consolidate all your important secure identity stuff there, add in the ability to pay for things and your savings and investing credentials— and then you’ve suddenly got just about everything. Microsoft is also thinking about health and will make some announcements soon.

If you trust Microsoft or Google with your health care history, why not trust them with your whole online identity? From the health angle, the consumer is reclaiming their data with the ability to assert it in whatever context they choose. But this is a bootstrap to a larger goal. We should keep our eyes open with regard to this— Google and Microsoft have become similar enough that past objections to Hailstorm should still carry some weight. (Despite Google’s desire to “not be evil.”)

Comments closed