Archive for the ‘insights’ Category

The recent unveiling of the Apple iPad is portent for the evolution for Mac OS X towards the iPhone OS. Existing iPhone apps will run on the iPad, with presumably the same App Store model. Apple has also (carefully, purposely) not included Adobe Flash support for the iPhone and now the iPad. This implies that Apple is deadly serious about creating a third party developer ecosystem that is tied to its own SDK, licensing, runtime and payment mechanism.

While Webkit and Safari remain at the forefront of web, HTML5 and Javascript support, given the evolution of Apple devices and custom interface gestures (e.g. pinch, expand, hold, etc.) as well as new revenue models through App Store downloads and in-app purchases, there is an emerging Dilemma for software developers and small companies to consider.

Do you want to be in the cloud or on the device? Read the rest of this entry »

Today I got a really cool poster for the upcoming Iron Man sequel, which shows the Iron Man Mark 1, 2 and 3 models.

Iron Man Mark I, II, III and IV

As a kid, I was not a big Iron Man fan. I did like the movie, and I had always liked the way they picked that old song for the movie theme. (What’s your FlixIQ on that?)

But to me, the poster clearly showed product evolution in action. You only have so much time, limited resources, and few friends. You build what you can build to break out. As long as you survive, you can make improvements. But you have to keep testing and making refinements, before you get that super-cool and powerful product. It worked for Tony Stark, and it is a good visual for product evolution.

I know several “conversationists”. I refer not to people who can make small-talk with anyone, anywhere about anything. The conversationists think of the Internet as being a vast infrastructure for conversations.

And truly, that’s how it all began. Literate, word-savvy graduate students interfacing with each other through text. Wielding the knives of satire and sarcasm while burning the ether with flame wars.

To a large extent, today’s bloggers and twitterers carry on this tradition, albeit with better business savvy and slightly larger egos. Many of them know the power of images and deploy them to great effect.

The Medium is the Message

Clearly, there is a huge difference in impact between reading a comment on some nameless text-only forum (or worse, a rendering of a forum in one of your favorite client) vs reading it in a controlled space. Despite the atavistic tradition of feed readers, blogs reinforce weight and authority through a hundred and one subtleties around choice of domain, layout, theme, content focus as well as through stats widgets, comment areas and ancillary businesses. Read the rest of this entry »

I enjoyed exploring the Smithsonian last week while I was in Washington, D.C. The exhibits are impressive, and the curation is enlightening. Here is just one example.

1903 Wright Flyer

The National Air and Space Museum has the original Wright Flyer on display. Yes, that is the actual beech and iron frame, with controls and engine from 1903 that flew at Kitty Hawk. The fabric has been replaced, of course, but I am pretty sure that the replica fabric mimics the characteristics of the original as closely as possible. The exhibit is impressive in its regard for history and heritage.

But the care in curating and creating a narrative is what provides the larger context for the Wright Brothers’ accomplishment. It illuminates the inspiring story of two entrepreneurs who use their knowledge and skills to set off on a larger quest. Through artifacts, images, audio-visual displays and hands-on models, our attention is drawn to the process of innovation. A methodical, analytical and empirical approach with the result that:

The basic problems of mechanical flight, lift, propulsion, and control were solved in the Wright design

Even more interesting is how people react to the information and artifacts. Their urge to draw attention to certain aspects to marvel, discuss, and just share. Right then, right there with those present, or later in ruminations and retellings. Imprinting it with their own experiences and absorbing it into their perspectives.

And therein is an idea and possibly a new market.