tech ronin

I am Writing Tech Ronin posts at my new WordPress blog

Even though, I'm still a Tech Ronin and writing about it, I've migrated over to a new domain: janet.tokerud.com. The blog name is now Independent Knowledge Professional. That sounds a little more formal and maybe it is. But, it's still about the fact that a great many of us are knowledge professionals and it may behoove us all to think of ourselves as independent.

As you know if you've read much of tech ronin, the traditional idea of a permanent job has become obsolete. You may have a so-called permanent job, but most of us don't. As usual, I'm emphasizing how your use of technology can help you along your way as a tech ronin or independent knowledge professional.

Most of us do knowledge work these days. The personal computer and now smartphones and tablets are making it easy to take your working environment wherever you go whether that's the livingroom couch, a local coffee house or a client's home or office. This is a very good thing if you like being able to compete in your favorite niche.

I've used Macintosh computers for many years and don't own a PC, so you'll find my expertise slants towards the Macintosh Way. Now a days, that includes iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. I'm currently writing about the best apps for knowledge functions. I've covered information capture and brainstorming so far. Next up is gathering information and ideas.

Grading Apple's New Releases 2 Weeks in

On July 11, Apple launched 4 major initiatives: iPhone 3G, iPhone 2.0 software, the App Store and MobileMe. There's no way Apple planned that all 4 would launch on the same day. I'm sure Apple hoped to release some of these things in prior weeks but ran into unforeseen problems that delayed them.

Finally, the 22-country iPhone 3G release date came. That was a hard deadline and it required the other pieces. So damn the torpedoes! As might have been anticipated, everything seemed to go awry to one degree or another

iPhone 3G Launch. People encountered enormous and interminable lines at Apple stores trying to buy the iPhone 3G and many went away without a phone. Previous iPhone owners endured hours when they couldn't use their old phone or their new one. Nevertheless, a million iPhone 3Gs were sold over the first weekend. Shortages continued for days. C-

iPhone 3G. What about the phone itself? The price cut worked in driving sales even if AT&T will recoup the discount in monthly fees down the line. People who got good 3G in their area were pleased with the speed bump. People who didn't get good reception like me were not pleased about paying an extra $15/month with little recompense. Most people liked the GPS, but original iPhone owners noted that they also liked the new artificial GPS pretty well. Battery life doesn't go very far when you use 3G, GPS and all the new apps including games. The phone looks a little better, sounds better and has better reception. B

MobileMe didn't work or wasn't accessible. The so-called "Push" people expected didn't push both ways in a timely manner. Since then all sorts of syncing problems have ensued and in some cases data has been lost. The current status is that MobileMe is a MobileMess. D

iPhone 2.0 software. Mixed bag all the way. The apps are all over the map but in general are great fun and offer quite a lot of utility to boot. The downside is that (1) you'll use up your batteries in a hurry if you are a big gamer and (2) iPhone 2.0 OS is slower, sometimes 3x slower. B-

The App Store. The App store is a wonder. The main thing is you can buy apps in a button touch on your iPhone. They install automatically. This is a break through for software purchasing and installation. Awesome! Updating is just as good when it works right from your phone, but there have been reports that sometimes the only way to upgrade is to do it in iTunes on your computer. The applications are a huge addition to the iPhone. A-

Upgrade to the 3G iPhone? Pros and Cons

I think I will upgrade. Here's what I'm thinking:

Cons:
• $30/month data plan instead of current $20/month
• No free SMS messages, so add $5 more per mo for that
• I already have a perfectly good iPhone that still works
• I only use EDGE 10% of the time now. 3G replaces EDGE.
• I don't know how good 3G coverage will be in my area.
• 3G drains battery life at twice the speed
• What if a 32gb iPhone 2 is released in September?

Pros:
• 3G speeds may mean I use my iPhone more when away from wi-fi
• 3G speeds mean when there's no wi-fi, the experience is better
• GPS will make burgeoning location based services better
• Better reception
• You sound better to the people you are calling
• Much better audio from the speakers (according to Steve)
• Looks a little better with the new design
• The expensive data plan is about like other 3G plans
• I get the subsidized price after only 1 year on my previous plan
• 3G lets you receive calls while surfing the Net!
• Get to see what it's like to have the best 3G phone on the planet

Update: Good stuff you should read - hands on reviews out July 9:
Walt Mossberg, Wall Street Journal
Edward Baig, USA Today
David Pogue, New York Times

3G iPhone with GPS, MobileMe Analysis

More News:

0. Reception is noticeably better according to Gizmodo hands-on.

.5 "3G data on the maps and browser were only slightly slower than WiFi" - Gizmodo.

1. $30/month: for he AT&T 3G data plan. Keep in mind, 3G will cost you an extra $10/month. 1 year is $120. 2 years is $240. Also, I hear you don't get any free SMS messages (currently I get 200 free/mo.) I'll pay just because there will be times when I'm stuck away from wi-fi and want to get stuff done with relative speed.

2. $45/month for unlimited 3G data for business - assume that is for Exchange support

3. iPhone 3G is a tiny bit bigger 115.5 x 62.1 x 12.3 mm vs 115 x 61 x 11.6 mm. But it is "thinner feeling" according to Gizmodo.

4. iPhone 3G is ever so slightly lighter. 4.7 oz. or 133 grams vs 135 grams for 1st gen iPhone.

5. You have to sign a new 2 year contract to get these great prices. So that puts you at 3 more years if you bought on iPhone day 1. That means it will cost you about $175 to break a 2 year contract and then you pay another $300 if you want the cool 16 gb model.

6. Improved battery life. Sort of. You get 10 instead of 8 hours of 2G talk time and 5 hours of 3G talk time. Not sure why 3G matters when you are talking on the phone -- maybe it is operating in the background.

The Keynote finished up a couple hours ago. We now know that Apple will deliver the 3G iPhone on July 11th. It will sell for $199 for the 8 gb model and $299 for the 16 gb model. At that price, of course, I will buy one. I was prepared to spend $600 if I had to.

3G iPhone. First thing, Apple is delivering a cheap iPhone and it has 3G plus GPS. I wasn't expecting so much for so little. He is aggressively competing against smartphones: Nokia, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile and Treo. It is clear that Apple considers the success of the iPhone as the centerpiece of its business.

MobileMe. I'm very happy about the MobileMe announcement. DotMac is dead. Long live MobileMe. Same price $99 a year, but a lot more value. Now you get 20 gigs of storage instead of 10. That's pretty good certainly that will store some of my most important files plus backup my iPhone if I need it to.

"Think of MobileMe as 'Exchange for the rest of us,' Now users who are not part of an enterprise that runs Exchange can get the same push email, push calendars and push contacts that the big guys get." - Steve Jobs

More to follow. This article is a work in progress. I should have much more in the next few minutes. I'm going to watch the keynote and explore Apple's website.

MacBook + iPod touch for $995 = Awesome

Whoa! Any non-starving student in the market for a computer, would be a fool to pass up this deal. There could be a lot of new students all of a sudden. ;-)

Apple is making a bold competitive move just as the PC is at its weakest. To put it another way, Steve is going for the throat.

This bargain offer is a way for Apple to dabble in low cost computers without hurting the status of their brand. I'm checking out what it takes to qualify as a student ASAP.

The low-end MacBook has only one gig of RAM which is fine for normal casual computer use. However, if you are a heavy user especially of graphics, video or web browser with lots of apps running and tabs open, 1 gig isn't enough.

Other World Computing can fix you up with 4 gigs (a pair of 2 gb modules) for $95. You'll need to handle installation yourself or pay about $25 to your local third party Mac shop to have them install it for you.

Expect Apple to sell a boatload of MacBooks and help their installed base of iPod touches to boot.

Recession is Apple Talent-grab Opportunity

You know that $18 billion in cash Apple has lying around gathering dust? What say Apple starts staffing up for the coming era of iPhone / iPod touch platform domination? You can buy both companies and talent on the cheap in a recession. Steve is Scotch as I recall.

Combine a crappy economy, an awesome new iPhone SDK, a frictionless wireless App store and a $100 million iFund and what do you get? The best and brightest global entrepreneurial software talent are going to swarm this. Look what jailbreaking wrought and multiply by 10 for a start.

Update Mar 9: Upon further reflection, it strikes me that Apple may well scoop up the a few of the most promising iPhone SDK developer companies themselves. I'm convinced Apple needs to staff up.

I noticed that last year their R&D spending was less than 4% which is pretty low for such an innovative company as Apple. But then maybe some of their recent spending hasn't been expensed yet due to the 2-year window within which they can recognize expenses for the iPhone.

Attentive Mac fans have noticed the fairly high number of missed deadlines. Most recently Leopard was late and a bit buggy when finally released and now the SDK is just in Beta rather than done by February. Apple needs talent - the best available. I almost think they've been too busy building stuff to go out and find some more good people. But that only works so long.

I liked seeing Steve including two of his most able executives in important parts of the Roadmap presentation. They were looking good, actually. Steve casts a long shadow, but he needs plenty of help at the size Apple has grown to be.

iPhone/iPod touch: THE platform of the next decade?

Apple today introduced a glimpse of iPhone 2.0 to be shipping in late June. They showed lots of enterprise features. They are going for the enterprise which is appropriate to compete with the BlackBerry and because the US consumer market is going to be slower than molasses for a while.

Apple showed vertical market software with early non-shipping versions of SalesForce.com and Epocrates. Both looked sensational. I am counting on my md to be sporting an iPhone when I have my checkup in August.

And the fun part, of course, is iPhone games. Glimpses of Super Monkey Ball, Spore and other fun titles look fantastic. Fun but more waiting.

Steve's perfectionism was in evidence. This is an incredibly complete and well-thought-out SDK effort. Steve mentioned we might be living with it for 20 years. But that perfectionism will cost us a few more months of waiting.

It is clear that Apple is making a play for what they feel is the next computing platform of note. The mobile computer.

I was pleased hear reference to wi-fi as being a part of 2.0 because if they introduce 3G around this same time, we get wi-fi AND 3G, not 3G OR wi-fi. I'm ready to pony up for such a combo device.

Also, questions about VOIP were raised and Steve said Apple is OK with VOIP over wi-fi but not over the cellular network. I can live with that for now.

AT&T's free wi-fi at Starbucks is a Game Changer

Wow, this is huge and especially benefits Apple with its lead in the wi-fi-based mobile space. Steve got AT&T to support free wi-fi. How great. AT&T DSL customers get unlimited free wi-fi at Starbucks.

If you have a Starbucks debit card, you get 2 free hours a day. No more having to pay $20 or more a month to get free wi-fi at Starbucks. Keep in mind that Starbucks is the king of coffee. If they give out free wi-fi, doesn't that mean that all the other coffee places will need to provide free wi-fi to compete? The answer is yes.

If everyone was paying Verizon for 3G access (which is slower than wi-fi by the way), no one would need free wi-fi unless they were carrying a laptop which most people don't do.

This totally supports the iPod touch and significantly increases the value of its free wi-fi access. Remember that Apple kept mentioning the iPod touch as a wi-fi mobile device at their quarterly finance conference. Now we know why.

I've been saying all along that we need more free wi-fi. This is the best news ever on that front. The enemy of wi-fi is the cellular carrier. To get the biggest US cell carrier to give away wi-fi is huge.

This move also really helps the current iPhone which has wi-fi but not 3G. I've always wondered why people were so much in a big hurry about 3G on the iPhone because (1) I thought AT&T would charge more than $20/month for a 3G data plan - try $30 or $40 and (2) there is a good chance Apple would drop wi-fi capability once the iPhone is 3G.

Wi-fi is the populous choice. It allows the technology makers like Apple, cell phone makers like Nokia and little-guy-makers to freely create what they want and helps their strength vis-a-vis the carrier. All mobile phone makers get leverage with the carrier to the extent they can use wi-fi in place of cellular.

All along the carriers have been restricting trade in a monopolistic fashion (2-year contracts for example) and have been suppressing the expression of the mobile phone makers. Here's Steve rescuing the industry again if they could only admit it. He deserves some kudos.

Among others, Matt Hamblen at Computerworld has the full story.

iPhone Update Jan 17 '08

Firmware 1.1.3 has made the iPhone and iPod touch more useful and fun than ever and...

Wishlist:
Here are a few things I really want to see on the iPhone and iPod touch now that I'm back to the straight and narrow:

1. Notes syncing both ways. I need to be able to store information for reference on my iPhone or iPod touch without a hassle or hack. I wanted to put As We May Think by Vannevar Bush on their, for example.

2. A wireless keyboard. I want to be able to do what Palm users and I as one of those Palm users have done. Bring one of those little foldup keyboards with you with an iPhone and be able to type long communications not just little stuff - a paragraph or two on the onscreen keyboard.

3. Cut, Copy and Paste. Please.

Firmware 1.1.3:
1. Lyrics. Ooh. Had fun tonight grabbing tons of lyrics quickly with the aid or donationware: GimmeSomeTune. You can get fancy and use Automator to go through your music collection but for now I just installed this little program and it went and got album cover art and lyrics for most songs in my collection one at a time. It will keep searching if it can't find something right away and fill it in when it finds it. Very cool.

2. Webclips. Yeah that's fun. Especially since you can fill up to 9 home pages with buttons now and rearrange according to your own preferences.

3. Upgraded Google Maps. The locate me function isn't working very accurately, I can drop pins for now which is easier than typing in address info as your starting place.

Conclusion:
Apple really must be pushed to not have gotten more upgrades out for the iPhone by now. They do have a ton of plates in the air. In an interview in June, Steve said you can't just hire more people to get more done in response to questions about the delay of Leopard. I wonder if their past performance and stock price drives them. Actually I think it is the opportunity to change the world that can't be refused.

Leopard on iMac 24 2.8 - Bliss

Got an iMac 24 2.8 on Sunday. My G5 tower 2 ghz dual was 3 years old. I loved that it still does Classic. But it was starting to show its age and I believe in replacing my Macs before they become completely obsolete. And I like to get new Macs at the end of the year for tax reasons.

I didn't want to pay for a new Mac Pro plus a 23" or 30" screen. Wasn't a good deal from my perspective and a high end iMac seems good enough. I considered the lower-end 24" iMac but I want something that will still seem fast for a while. Not something that is just fast enough now and will start seeming a little slow a year from now.

You pay an extra $250 for the 2.8 ghz processor compared to the 2.4 ghz version. That's a reasonable anti-obsolescence investment. Since the processor is going to give out before the screen does, I want the faster processor so that this gorgeous hunk of metal and glass will have a long life span before hitting the dump or recycling bin.

The other $250 I paid ($2299 total) included a 500 gb instead of 320 gb hard drive and 2 gb RAM instead of just 1 gb. Again, I liked the higher end configuration because it won't be easy to upgrade the hard drive later. At some point I do expect to upgrade to 4 gigs of RAM but 2 will do for a while.

I also sprung for a wireless keyboard and mouse. Because I was buying at the Apple store, I had to pay full price for the wireless gear. I forgot about that when deciding to buy locally rather than online. Oops. That cost me an extra $120. But, I do regard the extra gear as backups should the batteries go bad one day I'm in a crunch.

The 24" screen has been something I've wanted for years ever since I saw my first 23" cinema display years ago. It is huge!

I have been using a 20" cinema display (about 4 years old) and a 17" cinema display (about 6 years old). I thought maybe I could use the 24" iMac and deploy or sell the older displays elsewhere. Not quite!

I missed having a second secondary screen to put things on that I want open but want out of the way. Spaces didn't feel like it would do quite what I need. I have a habit of having that screen there. For example, today my email wasn't working. I wanted to keep the email inbox in sight but needed it out of the way so I could use the screen for other things.

I already had an adapter that let me use one of my old Apple displays with the G5's newer DVI port. All I had to add was a mini-DVI to DVI adapter and plug that into my Apple Adapter and plug the Cinema display into the adapter. Apple sells the mini-DVI adapters for $20 and the Apple-DVI adapter for $100. Luckily, I just needed the $20 item. Went over to the Corte Madera Apple store (which was rocking hard at about 5:30 pm) and picked up the mini-DVI adapter. Plugged things in and I'm set.

Now I have my 20" monitor as the secondary screen. It is about 3" lower because it doesn't have the iMac's chin, but it works. I doubt if I'll bother trying to elevate it.

Now, about this new iMac! It is a thing of beauty! It is a great, great machine. The screen is brighter than bright, so I keep it set to the minimum brightness for normal use. I can turn it up for use with photos and video. You are going to need extra ambient light if you want to work at night with this screen without blowing your eyes out.

The wired and wireless keyboards are exquisite. The touch is to die for. The look is awesome. So far, I'm using the baby-sized wireless keyboard with complete satisfaction. I'm not a numeric keypad fan, so I delight in losing the extra weight and size of the wired keyboard. Every other keyboard seems clunky compared to this.

I was not too surprised to find that Tiger was installed on the iMac. A Leopard DVD was in the box but that's it. I had to install Leopard at home. A whole extra chunk of time when I couldn't use the new machine. Bummer!

One advantage, though, is that I got to see how much better I liked the new iMac with Leopard on it. Leopard on my MacBook was one thing, but Leopard on this screamer with giant screen is fantastic! The 3D dock looks like it was made for this screen. It looks great and their's plenty of vertical space so I don't need to begrudge losing vertical room to a dock at the bottom of my screen. On the MacBook, I had to put the dock on the left to get some room.

Leopard is gorgeous. It runs blazing fast on this machine. Everything pops. Safari is wonderful. I'm hooked on Leopard now. I'll try hard to hold out till Christmas with my MacBook Pro on Tiger just in case I run into trouble. Steve was telling the truth in June when he said Leopard would be worth waiting for.

This is my first iMac. Who knew I would love the integration and simplicity? I am beginning to see things Steve's way on this. It's so easy. So elegant. Sometimes options are more trouble than they are worth. That's the religion you get with the iPhone.... I'm being corrupted but perhaps for my own good.