Enter Sandman

It hadn't occurred to me until tonight, but now that it has, I am certain:

Metallica's song "Enter Sandman" is about a night spent by a child with Michael Jackson.

The lyrics.

That 777 that crashed in London...

A sad sight.

Check out how fucked up the inner wing is, near the fuselage.

Safety first

NYCT Customer Safety Train Evacuation Video

Wil Shipley on the MacBook Air

I agree with his take.

Apple is making its products more like the iPod, which more than any other consumer electronics product, has made a computer into an appliance that real people love.

So went the iPhone. So goes the MacBook Air.

This trend is going to piss off a lot of super-geek Apple fans who don't like to see the limitations inherent in this trend, but I think it's the right way to go- and since Apple's not getting rid of their other, less-iPod-like products (yet), there's almost nothing to be lost.

iPhone apps through the iTunes Store

Like many people, I suspect that when Apple introduces the iPhone SDK and unveils their plans for how the third-party iPhone application ecosystem is going to work, they are going to use the iTunes Store as the conduit for purchasing and installing third-party apps on the iPhone.

The downside to this approach is that it would create an aura of exclusivity around iPhone app distribution, limiting it only to companies that Apple chooses to deal with.

The upside would be dramatic simplification of the application installation and support process. Presumably, updates to applications you own on your iPhone will be automatically installed via iTunes as part of subsequent syncs, with little (or no) end-user involvement in the process.

Power users and small-time developers will likely complain about this approach, as it constricts power users' ability to have complete and transparent control over the software on their devices, and small-time developers won't be able to tap into the process at all.

But from the bigger picture, with the iPhone as an appliance and a new platform that is trying to solve some of the bigger challenges computing platforms have faced in the past (and installation/support for third-party apps has always been a challenge), I think this will be a big step forward.

777 crash

The Boeing 777 is my favorite commercial airplane.

This past Thursday (January 17), a Boeing 777 crashed while landing at Heathrow airport. This was the first 777 crash in the plane's 13 year history, and was a moment I've been dreading for a long time. Miraculously, no one was killed.

Based on preliminary reports, it seems like both of the engines failed to respond to the autopilot's (and then the pilot's) request for more power right as the plane was about to land. So in other words, literally right near the very last minute of the flight, the pilot asked for a boost of power as the plane was coming down and got nothing. And as a result, the plane landed hard on the grass in front of the runway. And if it had landed any sooner, it would have hit a highway.

In a sense, the "crash" was one of the most innocuous types of crashes you can have- but potentially caused by one of the most troubling events you can confront (loss of power to both engines).

It will be interesting to see how this develops and if there are any serious design issues uncovered with the 777 in the process.

The plane's flight crew deserves credit for getting the plane down safely, and the cabin crew deserves credit for getting everyone off the plane safely once it was down.

Here's some video from the BBC.

Apple TV (Redux)

Apple should give away the Apple TV, because the device is just an enabler for their digital distribution strategy; it's essentially worthless if that strategy doesn't work out; and the strategy relies upon a lot of Apple TVs being adopted to stand the best chance of working out.

Since giving away (or charging a trivial amount) for the Apple TV would be a concept that's probably impractical for Apple, they should consider offering rebates for people who spend over a certain amount of money on iTunes content purchases through the Apple TV. In other words, buy the Apple TV, but if over the course of a certain period of time you use it to buy enough stuff through Apple to make it feasible, Apple should retroactively reimburse you for the cost of the device, or do something like it.

The new iTunes with rentals and the new Apple TV are great enhancements and together represent a nice evolution in the world of digital content distribution and flexibility, but they're fighting in a crowded and complex field, and I think there needs to be a dramatic price incentive to encourage adoption of the Apple media platform.

Plus, I want an Apple TV, but I don't want to pay for one right now.

HD-DVD strategy session captured documentary-style

Link courtesy my bro.

Kudos to Jim Gianopulos

I'm watching the webcast of yesterday's Macworld keynote right now, and the most impressive part to me so far (53:32 in) is Jim Gianopulos, Chairman & CEO of 20th Century Fox. Steve Jobs brought him up on stage to talk about the new iTunes movie rentals, and he really did a great job. He came across as intelligent, reasonable, self-effacing, and dynamic- he represented the idealized version of what "the studio suit" would look like in Apple World.

To be able to pull that off in the midst of a Jobs keynote- and with no cue cards (see AT&T's Stan Sigman, Macworld 2007) deserves commendation.

Macworld 2008 reactions

<> Time Capsule: cool. I want one. I wish Apple made somethign exactly like this, but for shared wireless media storage, not just backup, which could also be accessed remotely via Back to My Mac. This would enable people to keep their massive libraries of content (movies, music, and media documents) centrally located, and would make the relatively small size of micro hard drives (see MacBook Air below) less of an issue.

<> iPhone 1.1.3 update: cool. I like all of the new features. Now bring me copy and paste, please.

<> iPhone touch paid update to get new features: sucks.

<> iTunes movie rentals: looks good on a first-pass, will have to try it to get a better feel. But I like it.

<> New Apple TV: nice. Has pretty much everything the original Apple TV lacked (specifically the ability to purchase and rent content without requiring a computer). I want one. Jordan, please buy one for yourself so I can check it out.

<> MacBook Air: feels weird. I think I like it, but there are a lot of "buts". The hard drive (80GB) is really small, and the price is a bit high. But, I think this represents the first of a new generation of computers- the first iteration of the next step forward. No more optical drive (but a clever way around that). No Ethernet port. Very minimalist- but this could work well for a connected, wireless world, as an on the go device. Apple now needs to fully integrate all of a Mac user's stuff so that you can pick up your MacBook Air, go to Starbucks, and through a combination of WiFi and .Mac, instantly and quickly have access to all of your apps and data, regardless of where it physically resides in your personal Mac universe.

Those are my thoughts for now- a relatively average Macworld, fighting against crazy expectations. Apple's stock dropped over 5% today, on what I expect are unmet expectations. I think 2008 is going to be a big year for Apple, but most of it is to be announced.

Macworld 2008 predictions

Here goes:

Steve Jobs walks onstage to his biggest and loudest standing ovation ever.

<> Begins with talk about the iPhone, how successful it's been, how expectations have been blown away, etc. "What a year it's been."
<> Segues into talking about a software update for the iPhone, which includes a variety of new features (particularly wireless iTunes syncing via WiFi or Bluetooth)- "this is part of what's cool about the iPhone, we can continue to innovate through software after it's been released."
<> "And speaking of software for the iPhone..." SDK for iPhone and announcement/demo of certain third party apps
<> "Our partnership with Starbucks has been going great..." introduction of new Starbucks retail functionality and (possibly) new retail partnerships
<> Announcement of new iPhone model, starting today, with 16GB (possibly 32GB) of memory but otherwise similar to current model (maybe one or two small changes)- same price as current model, $399 (maybe $499 for the 32GB model if it's offered in tandem to the 16GB model)
<> "So that's the new iPhone, available today. But- it looks kind of like the old iPhone, doesn't it? Well, we've got something new that we're about to show the FCC, and I wanted to give you a look at it first." Announcement of next generation iPhone, 3G network support, thinner, dramatic new features- coming in June.
<> "Pretty cool, right? Well, we want to make it really easy for all of our existing iPhone users to move up to the new models." Announcement of iPhone trade-up program (recycling program at Apple for some type of rebate- maybe $50)- AND, announcement of program that allows someone to give their old iPhone to a friend and let their friend register that phone with AT&T as a new user.
<> "Let's talk about iTunes." He talks about iTunes. "Great on Macs (which we'll get to in a bit). Great on iPhone. And pretty darn good on your widescreen TV. Well, let's make it great on your widescreen TV." Announces HD content (movies/TV) in iTunes, as well as movie rentals AND a new Apple TV with HD support and the ability to use the iPhone as a remote control.
<> "Okay. Last year we spent the whole keynote talking about the iPhone. Not this year. Next up, we've got some really great stuff to talk about for the Mac."
<> Announces MacBook Thin, 12" version of the MacBook Pro, dramatically thinner.
<> Announces some sort of ubiquitous broadband wireless for all MacBook and MacBook Pro laptops (either 3G via AT&T or some sort of WiMAX)- it's called "Air"
<> "One more thing..." MacBook Touch- a palm-top, tablet sized version of the iPhone, super media experience, runs all of the iPhone/iPod Touch apps, includes "Air", WiFi, Bluetooth, and can dial into other Macs to access their desktops via Back to My Mac.

So that would be my best-case scenario. Reality will almost certainly be about a third as exciting, with at least one element that is completely unanticipated.

Here we go!

Are you a smooth operator?

Take my operating system quiz on Facebook and we'll see.

Time out

http://discovermagazine.com/2007/jun/in-no-time

Newest iPhone ad

I love it- definitely going for the under-sell to a cynical audience.

Courtesy Jordan Barker.



;)

Recess time!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7176255.stm

The miracle of Hillary Clinton

Yup- once again, real world events prove that pollsters, pundits, the media, and political junkies really don't know what they're talking about.

When will we learn?

Regardless, I'll probably fall for the next round of conventional wisdom all the same.

The tragedy of Hillary Clinton

Caveat: all of this is far from over, and things can change on a dime.

But it doesn't seem likely.



Hillary Clinton is on the precipice of one of the most dramatic and swift reversals of fortune in modern politics. From taken-for-granted frontrunner to wide-eyed, kicked-in-the-stomach passed-over.

Kind of like the Mets' 2007 post-season, actually.

I have a tremendous amount of respect for Hillary Clinton, and until a few months ago, she was my choice. I think she's a remarkable politician; a good leader; an inspirational figure; a visionary; and she would have really been able to lead this country into a better future as president if not for Barack Obama.

Tragically for Hillary Clinton, nearly everything of substance that would have made her an inspirational president to elect in 2008 makes Barack Obama even more inspirational.

If and when her campaign is extinguished, I only hope that what follows is a respectful but rapid and united conversion of support to Obama, and an appreciation for this uniquely inspiring moment in contemporary American history.

Hillary Clinton announces HD-DVD as VP pick

Nah, but they've both got a lot in common...

Great commercial

Well played.

George Lucas on Indiana Jones

"...the idea originally for both Han Solo and Indiana Jones is he’s in over his head all the time and kind of treading water. In Solo, he’s got a lot more bravado and he’s actually better at what he does. He can actually handle it. Indiana Jones gets in over his head and he can’t handle it. It’s only by sheer, last-second skill, or luck, or whatever, that he actually gets himself out of it."

So I guess I've got something in common with Indy.

(Quote from this Vanity Fair article.)

It's name... is Facebook

First, check out this commercial from 2003:



That's one of my favorite television commercials. It makes its point elegantly, and the point it makes is one that is meaningful to me.

A few weeks ago, I began to dive into Facebook. I signed up for an account a while ago (maybe a year or so), but only because I'd received an invitation from a family member. Over the past year, I dutifully accepted all of the friend requests that came my way, but I never logged in and played around.

Facebook represented something that had no meaning to me.

But clearly, Facebook has a significant amount of meaning for a lot of people- particularly people who are younger, smarter, and more plugged in than I am.

So, I've taken the plunge, and I'm sitting Facebook down and teaching it about my friends and my interests. And the more I think about all of this, the more excited I become about a world in which the information I want to share can be shared, and connections made, and networks developed.

Let's see where we are a year from now.

2008