Neutron :: Bomb

by John Calian | Link to this article
Topics: Android | Apple | Google | iPhone

With the coming tide of Android devices, and the promise of Chrome OS, it appears Google will have ability to offer consumers a new choice in operating system platform allegiance. Interesting.

by John Calian | Link to this article
Topics: Android Marketplace | Apple | Application Stores

I have read one too many articles about the difficulties of App developers in terms of getting an app approved in the Apple App Store. Amongst the issues are the slow time to market (approval sandbox), discrimination and subjectiveness of the approval process, the amount of 'crappy' applications, and the weak search capabilities.

On that last point, there are a few companies trying to make it easier to find apps, certainly innovation has been applied to this problem (appstorehq.com, apptism.com). But, like the conditions in the online music marketplace, the cream will rise to the top, viral-ness will help all types of developers big and small, rich companies will sell more because they spend more on marketing, and MOST of the developers wont make a dime. Tough sh!t. Market places dont have feelings and they are chaotic.

I'm simply tired of all the doom/gloom scenarios. You let all these first time entrepreneurs into an open marketplace and they act as if they havent lived in a capitalistic society their whole lives. And these folks that are upset about the Apple store for taking too long to approve, being too subjective, etc. Well, its Apples damn store, they can sell what they want, when they want.

You think every produce company, food company, drink company, etc. thinks it deserves to be treated like royalty and get their goods into every grocery store? NO. Its a combination of good product that consumers like, and pay-for-placement products that rich companies can afford to promote. this is nothing new. stop complaining, make good apps, and suck it up when it doesnt go your way.

by John Calian | Link to this article
Topics: Android | CLIQ | Droid | Google | Motorola | T-Mobile | Verizon

Moto mania is back. Well, its not that crazy, really. In fact, no one is going to rush out and say we have an iPhone killer on our hands. But, the Cliq that is now available from T-Mobile and the pending Droid from Verizon show that Motorola AT LEAST made a strong effort to launch Android-based smartphones that pack some punch.

You can read about the CLIQ here: http://bit.ly/moto_cliq
and the Droid here: http://bit.ly/moto_droid

For me, the most interesting element of the CLIQ review come here:

Turn the CLIQ on, however, and it's quite the social butterfly. A little application "widget" on the home screen dubbed "Happenings" constantly refreshes your friends' latest updates to Facebook, Twitter and other social sites. Another widget aggregates all the messages you get from various social networks and e-mail accounts and gives a preview of the latest one. A third widget shows your most recent status update and lets you easily update one or several social networks at a time.

I love this, from the standpoint that the CLIQ is distinguishing itself in the marketplace. It screams: 'buy me if you are the type of end user that constantly stays in touch and wants it dead simple to do so and you love having a smartphone'. I have an iPhone, and there is not an app or way to do what the CLIQ offers. I want it.

Furthermore, this is EXACTLY the type of product offering a company needs to wrangle in the teens. And the teens set trends. And trends produce the type of revenues that get people to notice your products, and that furthers the purchasing and the revenues. Got it?

by John Calian | Link to this article
Topics: Apple TV | iMac | iPhone | SONOS | Squeezebox | Streaming Music

After weeks of contemplating how to rig the best system for listening to my giant library of MP3 files through the home stereo, I have come to the conclusion that all I need to buy is one cable, a mini-tosLINK to tosLINK cable. Cost: $15 + tax.

Up until recently, we had an iMac G5 plugged into an old-ass bookshelf stereo, running two 20 year old Bose speakers. And it was in our kitchen. Worked fine, but not ideal. The MP3 files are stored on a ReadyNAS NV+, which is on our home network. Both the iMac and NAS are on ethernet for throughput stability.

I had decided I wanted to run the music thru to our very nice home stereo, and started the research process. I have followed along this trail of gadgets for years, and came to the conclusion that I needed one of the following systems to make it all work:

1. SONOS - $349 for the basic device, and I could use my iPhone as the remote
2. Squeezebox - $149 for the basic device, and I could use my iPhone as the remote
3. Apple TV - $229, and I could use my iPhone as the remote

I already had:

1. ReadyNAS NV+ (1.5TB of space, holding 200gb+ of MP3s)
2. Netgear Router
3. Ethernet infrastructure
4. Airport Express
5. Nice home stereo system
6. iMac G5 (running the iTunes library)
7. iPhone

All the devices listed above would accomplish the same thing: stream my MP3 collection thru my home stereo.

Here are the few pluses/minuses of each:

1. SONOS - Do not need iTunes or other software running; great sound quality. But, expensive
2. Squeezebox - Prolly don't need server software running on a PC, b/c ReadyNAS has a streaming server bult in; cost is low, sound quality good
3. Apple TV - Need iTunes running on a machine on the network; cost is not too bad, sound quality is the worst of the three, with limited output.

Yes, that is a quick and dirty roundup. But after much thought, I realized I had all I needed to make it happen at almost no cost, explained by this diagram:


I didnt need to spend much at all to accomplish what I needed. The iPhone is a great remote control, as it can be used to control your iTunes library using an App called 'Remote' (built by Apple). It has a touchscreen, album art, and is very easy to use. And anyone in our house with an iPhone or iTouch can control the music library.

I simply needed to connect my existing AirportExpress to the stereo, using the mini-tosLink to tosLink cable I bought for $15 bucks. The AirportExpress was already right next to the stereo, wa-la. Sound is more than acceptable.

Bottom line: I didnt need another 2-300 dollar gadget in the house, and I dont care if I have the greatest sounding system, this one does the trick.

by John Calian | Link to this article
Topics: Android Marketplace | App Catalog | App World | Application Stores | iTunes | Ovi | Windows Mobile Market

When Microsoft launches its mobile application store (date TBD), there will be six (6) application stores in production, representing the six (6) major mobile device operating systems: Apple OSX, Google Android, Microsoft Windows Mobile, Blackberry, Palm WebOS and Nokia Symbian. I have also included a store (website) run by Samsung. Just because.

by John Calian | Link to this article
Topics: Application Stores | Smartphone Marketplace

The midway point of 2009 has come and gone, and its time for a bit of an assessment. At the beginning of the year, I (and many others) were saying 2009 was the year Google's Android would take off, Palm would release its savior and we all questioned who would remain relevant as Apple's market share grew (RIM, Nokia, Motorola?). Table after the fold shows which smartphone OEMs have devices at which US carriers.

Android has NOT taken off, though there are many handsets coming from various OEMs, including Motorola's attempt to save itself from obscurity. But, I still believe the best is yet to come, and 2009 still has six months left. The new HTC Android device looks like a winner (and reviewers are loving it).

Palm did release a kick ass phone and exceeded its expectations (150,000 sold in first week); though the hard part is that everyone is comparing it to the iPhone, which is not fair. Palm has simply proved that it can compete, and I do not believe we have started to see the results yet, and will not for many more months. It will take time to build out all the infrastructure needed to fully compete. The iPhone hit the scene and changed everything; the Pre hit the scene in the wake of the iPhone juggernaut, and everything pales in comparison. Note, the iPhone had one full year without the App Store...

Is Apple kicking ass? Yes, no questions asked.

by John Calian | Link to this article
Topics: iPhone | Palm Pre | Telefónica

News came online today the Palm Inc. is set to distribute it's new Pre smartphone exclusively via Telefónica SA, the EU wireless carrier that is the exclusive distributor of the Apple iPhone. (From PC World http://bit.ly/telefonica_palm_pre).

This is an interesting ploy by Palm, and begs the question of why would you line up your new iPhone-killer right next to the iPhone in Telefónica owned O2 shops in the UK? Its like lining up your new Porsche-killer right next to the Porsche Carrera GT2 in a showroom, expecting consumers who want a Porsche to buy yours.

My guess is that sales will drag in the EU for the Pre as consumers looking for an iPhone want an iPhone, not the next best thing. In the US, the Pre is sold exclusively by Sprint thru the end of 2009, at which time it is reported Verizon will be selling the Pre as well. This strategy at least presents smartphones in a segmented way. The other sane strategy would be to allow all carriers to sell a device... think RAZR.

Everyone views the Pre as the next best thing to the iPhone, and some hold out hope that the Pre will eventually go head to head with the Apple device. Palm needs to rev up its online marketplace for applications, the App Catalog, and needs to iron out some deficiencies such as battery life before it can really be seen as a true replacement of the iPhone.

by John Calian | Link to this article
Topics: ActiveSync | Android | iPhone | Smartphone Marketplace

Though a 'wave' of Android phones has not overwhelmed the US Smartphone marketplace as many have predicted, a small splash will be made next month (July 8th, to be specific) when T-Mobile releases the second HTC-built, Android powered device, the myTouch (or Magic abroad). And the key feature that makes this device, and any entering the marketplace, have great potential is ActiveSync availability.

Costing $199 (with 2-year contract) and lacking a physical keyboard, this new device will offer direct competition to the iPhone in price, features, design and more. The Android Marketplace, the Google equivalent to the Apple App Store, puts the device in almost complete parity with Apple's iPhone. One advantage the Marketplace will offer is the ability to bill the application purchases directly to your T-Mobile phone bill (coming by end of year), a feature Google is hoping to offer on all carrier billing systems in the future (rather than using Google Checkout, as you currently need to). And one significant deficiency is the fact there is no equivalant to Apple's iTunes on your computer to manage and purchase content. Google only offers the device based store as of today.

It will be interesting to see the first month numbers on this device. T-Mobile is the smallest of the big four carriers in the US, sitting behind VerizonWireless, AT&T and Sprint (and not too far ahead of US Cellular and MetroPCS), and it needs to grow a strong smartphone business to stay relevant (and it does a decent job with its WinMo and Blackberry selections). Additionally, there are a lot of Google lovers and open source devotees out there that want a better device than the original GPhone, the HTC G1. That device left a lot to be desired, especially in terms of form. This new device is sleek, cool, and keyboard-less, just like the iPhone.

The key feature of this phone: it has Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync integration (provided by HTC, this is not an Android built in feature). This is important because business users are the largest buying segment of smartphones, and if they are going to move from Treos, Blackberrys and WinMo phones (or iPhone?) to the Google devices, this is the most key element. Certainly a large group of non business users are buying smartphones (hello, iPhone), but the 'wealthiest' group of buyers for smartphones are business users. And almost all of them use Microsoft Exchange for corporate email, contacts and calendars. Not having this on a smartphone is the ultimate non-starter.

I have ActiveSync running on my iPhone now, and it is wonderful. One device for personal and business needs, and a device that does it all.

Palm Pre, Apple iPhone and Google myTouch. Three sweet smartphones that could be pacing the marketplace over the next 6-12 months. What does Blackberry have in store? Nokia? Anything powered by Windows Mobile?

by John Calian | Link to this article
Topics: 5 Star | Japanese | Restaurant Reviews

Nishino, the Madison Valley Japanese restaurant, is definitely one of our favorite places to eat, and in the running for all time favorite. We have eaten here at least a dozen times in the last year.

A short list of what we love:

1. Being greeted, and remembered, by the owners
2. Ambiance - not too loud, good separation between dining and sushi bar, fresh white linens, bright enough to feel alive, and acoustics that allow you to keep your conversations private
   
3. Courteous staff, and we always ask for the same server, who remembers the little things (Elisa)
4. Fresh fish - the albacore is to die for, as are all the tuna varietals; salmon is often perfect; most other types are 'melt in the mouth'
   
5. Sake selection - top notch and served in custom made bamboo flasks
6. Non sushi selections - really good salads and vegetable dishes, mushrooms, asparagus, greens, and the dressings are perfect
7. Consistency - its great every time we go, great