The simple fact is that Apple has made is so easy to develop and distribute applications via the App Store that it leaves developers wondering how they ever did it before.
I’m not giving away an iPad.
Good luck!
Twitter is not for breakfast @rickygervais
This makes sense in the Apple product model. This is the “iPhone HD”, not that it will be named as such, but in concept it will be to the iPhone what the iPhone is to the iPod Touch. It is the “Pro” device in Apple’s mobile ecology.
The timing of a March or April ship date makes sense as well. New features are released to the Slate in April, available exclusively on the Slate for 3 months when some (not all) are integrated into the new iPhone model in June/July, and some are added to the iPod Touch in September.
Each business unit feeds the other, but the largess of desire is place on the new, most profitable iteration of Apple’s multitouch devices.
To paraphrase a teacher of mine: The Slate is the runway in Milan The iPhone is Bergdorff And the iPod Touch is JC Penney.
One sets the fashion, one commercializes it, the other sells it to everyone.
(Skip to the bottom and listen to the album while you read this.)
I’m very pleased with the new Vampire Weekend album.
I’ve been a huge fan since I first discovered their self-titled freshman effort. It’s catchy, fun and I can listen it over and over. If I had it on CD, I would probably have left it in the player for two weeks straight. Instead I can offer play count information: 56.
I’m not a music reviewer and lack the analytic capabilities to assess the album in a deep way. I do know about technology, though, so I’m looking at their digital release plan for the album.
I first came across “Horchata” via Pretty Much Amazing Blog in October (I RSS them, so I’d say I found it on the 5th or 6th). PMA offered a 96kbps download of the song (which is now a free download at vampireweekend.com).
Over the next two months, “Cousins” was released as a single and “White Sky” (my fave) showed up on their MySpace page.
They are now streaming their whole album on their website. It streams low-quality MP3s through a flash interface, simply play the whole album through or pick it by song. It’s possible to intercept the MP3s (via Download Helper or similar) but at 96K it’s not worth it. It’s a model I’m a big fan of, low quality is free, real deal is gonna cost you.
On top of that, I’m most impressed with is in the Facebook Connect and it’s really small and simple:
They just made their own little connect that calls it out. Otherwise it’s a regular status update (I’ve obscured the name and photo). It’s so minute, but it’s what made me stop to reflect on how I had come to be so exposed to an album before it even went onsale.
For your listening pleasure:
DISCLAIMER: I know nothing real about any of this, I’m just a fan and can’t wait to see what’s next.
These are my outstanding questions on the iSlate:
- What problem is this device solving? This is the fundamental issue I have with the tablet computer: it’s a solution for a problem I’m not yet aware of.
- How do you hold it? - I am most curious about how this gets solved. Is it like an iPhone? 10” is too big to hold and use with one hand. To hold it with one hand on the side seems awkward. To hold it as a painters palate is too unstable.
- Where do you use it? - Real portability? Is this an everywhere device, like the iPhone or is this like a laptop, which can be used while walking around, it’s just not recommended.
- How do you carry it? - In a bag? A pocket? Does it come with a special sleeve like the 5G Video iPods did?
And this is what I’m looking forward to seeing on January 26th:
- Steve Jobs dramatic introduction - like the MacBook Air hiding in the envelope, I’m looking for a nice visceral reveal from Steve Jobs. And maybe a joke about how skinny he and the device are (though I’d much rather see Jobs with some more meat on the bones).
- iPhone OS - I don’t think it will primarily run the iPhone OS, but I do think it will be capable of supporting the iPhone apps.
- OS X Touch - We will see an innovative UI that is a NEW OS interface, and this will be the real jewel. Anyone can make and assemble hardware, but the most copied features on the Mac are ways to get from point A to point B. I don’t know what it’ll be called, but Steve loves touting OSX whenever he can.*
- Business Model - Steve has previously described Apple as a three-legged stool: Mac, iPod, iPhone. Look right at the top of the Apple.com page - the three are listed in that order. But where does the iSlate fit in the picture? All products in the Mac line-up have the word “Mac” in them - MacBook, iMac, Mac Mini, Mac Pro, etc - same with iPod, and same with iPhone. The only orphan is the Apple TV, which is still a “hobby”. So, if the moniker “iSlate” is the real deal - where will it fall?
- iMac bezel-less design cue - I love this look and I know Jonny Ive does too, I’d be surprised if it were omitted.
- iSight built-in - I’ll be excited to see this, because it’ll be the first iteration of a real, usable videophone. No one has really adapted iChat as a communication tool. This also brings us one step closer to being The Jetsons, rocket-cars, pill-based-food and houses in the clouds.
Awesomeness I don’t expect, but would love to see:
- Cloud-based streaming media - I think it’s time that Apple start firing up those servers in North Carolina. For iWork Cloud, iTunes subscription TV service, or LaLa.com?
- Tactile Feedback - Not the worthless buzzing haptic feedback.
1999 brought OSX, 2001 was iPod, 2005 was Intel, 2007 was the iPhone. It’s been 3 years since we were shown the first glimpses of the iPhone, and people have finally wrapped their heads around it so obviously it’s time for a new revolution in computing.
*Lest ye forget, it was the NeXt acquisition that gave birth to OSX and brought Steve back to Apple.
I have no doubt that this can be automated. I also have no doubt that I won’t be the one to do it. For your edification.
Sample: Artwork from The Wire, Season 3:
Copy the link. Paste the link into your browser.
At this page, either copy the location of the image or view it.
You now just need to take the “100x100-75.” out of the image to get a crisp, clean 600x600 uncompressed jpeg of your artwork.
This is for informational use only. Please use responsibly and do not redistribute iTunes artwork without the requisite permissions, etc etc. Be cool, y’all.
But where does the audience live in this, the next iteration of documenting theater?
Isn’t this just poor film - and not theater? Hasn’t this road been explored. I can’t help but think of Dogville.
Theater is the unique artform that is rebuilt upon every viewing for a specific audience. “It’s a good audience tonight” is an unthinkable utterance from a painter, novelist, sculptor, etc. Our work is created in front of the audience now, always now. Doesn’t this remove one of the critical definitions of theater?
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