Everyone Has One

I like the new iPhone assistant otherwise known as Siri. Probably not for the reason that other people like it, though. I like it because it now gives us as innocent bystanders a way to get back at loud cell phone users who annoy us in public places. When they start talking to Siri we can add to the conversation with potentially interesting results.

For example,

Text to boss: you are a lazy idiot

Email message to wife: my mistress thinks you are gaining weight

Delete all calendar events in November

I am sure you get the idea.

First of all, I have no insider information and this isn’t even speculation on what I think Apple will present at WWDC next week. It is what I would do if I were product manager at Apple considering the various technologies available and what I think would make the most compelling product.

One App for All Devices

We know that Lion and IOS 5 are influencing each other so that apps will be more similar in both environments. Also with the new Mac App store, you only need to buy an app once and it is available on all your Macs. I would go further and make apps (and media, see below) available on all platforms. That is, buy an app once and run it on any apple device: Mac, iPhone, iPod, iPad, Apple TV.

App Continuity When Moving from One Device to Another

Now that you have apps available everywhere, use iCloud to move your environment when you move. So if you are playing a game on your iPhone and get home you can continue the game on your computer or tv. The Kindle does this for books when you move from the Kindle to a smart phone app or any other app that can show the book. Login to any computer with your iCloud account and get the same desktop you left on the previous computer.

App Data Available Anywhere

Of course when you switch from one device to another any documents you are working on have to be available on all the devices. iDisk does this. Dropbox does it better. iCloud should be at least as transparent.

Media is Like Any other Document

Just like you can move a spreadsheet between devices you should also be able to move music, movies, books, etc. the same way. The music locker is what people are talking about but iCloud can be a general place to store all media for use on all devices. Start watching a movie on an Apple tv then pick it up on an iPad.

The Basic Version Should be Free

To get people into the ecosystem the base level should be free. One of the big problems with MobileMe at $100/year is that many people aren’t going to sign up for it. If it is free everyone can use it. Sure, charge to buy or subscribe to music and movies or for large amounts of storage but make the basic locker and the ability for the apps to access data on all the devices a free service.

Capture All Media

I would be willing to bet that Apple won’t do this but if they build radio and tv tuners into appropriate devices then iCloud would be a lot more useful as it would then also be a DVR (plus Slingshot because you could view your media anywhere). In particular this would make Apple tv a much better product. In my opinion.

I have to give credit to Amazon for the way they handled an issue I had with my Kindle power cord.

I have a second generation Kindle that is 2 years and 3 months old. About a month ago the plastic shielding started to flake off the power cable. Here is what it looks like now:

I did some online research and saw that this was common problem and that several people had received free replacements. I sent a problem message to Amazon support and they told me to order a replacement then send them the order number and they would refund the cost. I did that but they said they couldn’t give me a refund until the replacement shipped. So the next day when the shipment message arrived I sent another message to customer support and this time they sent me a message that the refund had been done. It takes a few days to show up on my credit card (this is normal) so I can’t confirm that I do have the money but I assume it will go through (if not I will update this post).

It would have been best if Amazon had done a recall on the faulty power cord but I am satsified with the way it was handled for me. Since I do not know how widespread the problem is (so if a recall is warranted) they may be doing the right thing.

So much hype for so little. The promise: a new niche with an new, exciting user interface. To me the reality is that the iPad competes with other tablets and netbooks. There are a few new UI features (mainly multitouch) but for the most part it behaves just like a big ipod touch.

Before I start I should say that I have not held or used the iPad. Like almost everyone else this is a totally uninformed opinion. At least I waited until the announcement. Also, these comments aren’t meant to predict the success of the iPad. I am only writing about its appeal to me.

Why I prefer a netbook: it’s mainly the form factor. I’ve had a netbook for 2 years and I usually place it on a flat surface (table or lap) and then adjust the angle of the screen so I can see it. With a tablet you have to hold it in your hand (or put it in a dock; more on that later) and that is not comfortable for long.

Like a netbook the ipad is supposed to be for “light” computing: email and web browsing. The only plus for the iPad is its nice screen. Otherwise, I prefer a keyboard (for typing my email messages and filling in forms on websites) and a mouse (for precise positioning) over my fingers on the touch-sensitive screen.

If you use the external keyboard then the iPad becomes a netbook in weight but is less convenient to carry. And there is still no mouse so you have to reach up to the screen to interact.

The iPad may do well if Apple comes up with some additional media deals. The iBook store isn’t compelling to me. I have a kindle 2 and think that for me it is probably better than the iPad because it is smaller and easier to hold. For books it is fine. The iPad would be better for magazines, textbooks, etc. where the color screen and better navigation would come into play but no media deals in those areas were announced. I also use the kindle app on the iPhone and that works well when I am traveling light. I see no need for the bigger iPad.

Back to the form factor: it is 4×3 and not 16×9 so widescreen videos do not take up all of the screen. I don’t watch many movies on my netbook but think that it would be at least as good an experience, again remembering that it is easier to get a hands-free placement where you can see the screen.

Tablets have been successful in vertical markets like hospitals and factory floors. The iPad can do well there. And with new features and media deals for new content it might be well as a consumer device. But not for now.