News - page 2425

Yep, we just jumped the shark. Time to move on, Apple.
YouTube – South Park Mac vs. PC
Via Digg.

Technorati Tags: get a mac, South Park

Apple owns the discourse around design and innovation these days. Everyone wants to be like Steve Jobs, and everyone wants to invent the new iPod. People also want to be Google, but being Google seems to be a lot harder, and the founders aren’t terribly charismatic, so Apple gets a lot more attention regardless.

As a result, and because of the world I live in at my day job, I get into a lot of discussions about the role of design strategy and the value of innovation. Specifically, that understanding what people really need is the best way to create new products, services and businesses that will really connect with people.

All of which is a preface to encourage you to check out a comment of mine that BusinessWeek Innovation honcho Bruce Nussbaum highlighted into a blog post over there. It was at the end of a business day, so I think I might sound a little more snarky than I meant to:

YouTube’s actual future is far from certain, and Second Life will surely be passed by another player, as it superceded The Sims, which superceded a lot of MUDDs and the like. Bill Moggridge even asked, “What is the YouTube of design?”

And I have to say, I don’t particularly care. YouTube, Second Life, Flickr, Vlogs, blogs, they’re all different solutions trying to meet some very core needs of people, whether they know it or not. And needs outlast solutions. I won’t perform a straight-up needs analysis on these sites, but they definitely come from wanting to express oneself creatively, connect with other people, feel famous or even lead a different life, as in the case of Lonely Girl 15 and some others.

By the time we start analyzing a solution, the next way to meet the needs it addresses is already underway. We’re going to miss the most important opportunities unless we see beyond the fun and exciting solution we hold in our hands.

Check it out.

Technorati Tags: nussbaum, design

I know this is late notice, but I wanted everyone to know that I would be speaking about the Nike + iPod at the Second International Conference on Persuasive Technology April 26 with my Jump colleague Conrad Wai.

Persuasive tech, if you’re scratching your head right now, is any technology that attempts to persuade its user to do something differently. This includes smoking cessation aids, political attitude adjusters, fitness motivators, with the Nike + iPod Sport Kit obviously being the latter.

Conrad and I are putting a stake in the ground: Persuasive Technologies Should Be Boring.

Anyway, I thought you might want to know. We’ll be posting our paper on the subject to the Web in the next few days, so I’ll hook you up when the time comes.

Technorati Tags: ipod, nikeplus

I’m somewhat speechless. They call it the GIPod200. I think we’re running out of product categories that aren’t directly compatible with the iPod. GEORGE FOREMAN

Via Sensory Metrics.

Technorati Tags: foreman, ipod, grill

Hey there, college seniors! Looking for a great first job in beautiful Austin, Texas? Know a lot about phones and iPods? Apple is looking for you! Yes, the signs are out that the iPhone is really almost here: Apple is hiring iPhone tech support representatives, and you could get in on the ground floor. It looks like a typical tech support job for Apple, but I found this quite funny:

Preferred Qualifications:

“¢ Experience with Microsoft applications such as Office or Outlook
“¢ Ability to navigate in the Windows environment –œ such as getting basic system information, explorer navigation
“¢ Basic understanding of hardware configurations –œ such as USB vs. Firewire
“¢ Knowledge of Device manager –œ( Knowing when something is connected/mounted)
“¢ Knowledge of program files and system files in Windows
“¢ Experience with troubleshooting external devices in Windows
“¢ Understanding specific media file types used by iTunes/iPod/iPhone –œ AAC, Mp3, Wav, mpeg4
“¢ Basic installation and removal of application in Windows.
“¢ Experience with iTunes in Windows
“¢ Must act independently and be self-motivated
“¢ Excellent interpersonal skills
“¢ Must act independently and be self-motivated
“¢ Ability to work in dynamic situations

Now, one interpretation of the bolded line items is that Apple recognizes that many, if not most of its iPhone customers will be Windows users, not Mac people. I prefer to believe that Apple understands that Windows users won’t be able to figure out how to troubleshoot their own problems. The Mac folks will be fine. Please note, by the way: It’s doubly important to act independently and be self-motivated for this job!

AfterCollege – Entry Level Jobs & Internships
Via Digg.

Technorati Tags: apple, Jobs, Steve Jobs

The international spin-offs of Apple’s Get a Mac ad campaign are quite wonderful. The newest UK spot, “Posse,” is an all-new spot created specifically for the UK market — the others have copied U.S. ads. I’m really quite partial to it, if only because I adore Mitchell and Webb. I love the real shame on the faces of the MS Office folks as they refuse to come home. It’s awkward, just like “Peep Show” was. Click through the jump to watch the YouTube version.

Technorati Tags: get a mac, mitchell, posse, webb

What do you get if you cross an iPod, a boombox and a Mac Pro?

A: the iPod PowerBox G7

Unfortunately, this is just a mockup by someone called “Greg” but I like its styling. It’s got one too many handles though.

Link.

More from our Greek friend Anthony (see below). Not only is Anthony’s house in Athens filled with Macs, his wife Christine made him some Mac knitwear to wow Athens with.

Above is his handmade waistcoat featuring the famous Apple logo. Below is Anthony’s Mac sweater with the Happy Mac on the front and Sad Mac at back.

Link to Anthony’s cult of mac Flickr set documenting more of his Apple obsession.

Oh, Apple. You and your unannounced Leopard features have gone too far this time!
Baby Trapped in Apple Mac: Optical Illusions
Via Digg.

Technorati Tags: ad, apple, baby

Ladies and gentleman, I think we’ve reached a new peak for an iPod case that hides your digital media device as something much less desirable. Meet the Gama-Go Pack-O-Smokes Mp3 case, perfect for use in rough neighborhoods where it’s more important to look like a crazy person listening to your cigarettes than like a rich kid with an iPod.

Gama-Go iPod case [BoingBoing]

Technorati Tags: game-go, ipod

It takes a lot to surprise me in the iPod accessory market these days. The new DLO Jam Jacket managed it. Amid a sea of seriously generic cases, the company came up with a good way to manage the headphone cord of standard iPod headsets. And it’s not ugly! That alone puts it ahead of 70 percent of iPod cases.
On the downside it, appears to only work with 30GB models, not the full 80. But it’s only $20, so it would be hard to go wrong at the price, anyway.
DLO | Jam Jacket with Cord Management
Via iLounge

Technorati Tags: accessories, ipod

Apple is better at presenting its product launches than anyone else. Which is why it’s so funny when things go slightly wrong. Eastern Illinois University student Laura K Fennema uploaded this quick snapshot from the National Association of Broadcasters conference, where Apple’s Final Cut Studio 2 banner began to melt and come off in strips.

Hilarious. And, wouldn’t you know it, Apple’s video rivals Avid are the ones who helped get the clip posted. I doubt it will do anything about the charge of Final Cut Server, though…

Via Digg.

Adobe’s scary new mascot for CS3.

The Joy of Tech has a very simple suggestion for improving Apple’s new “Get a Mac” ad campaign. Click the pic to see:

Spymac has brief but insightful interview with writer Tony Bove, author of Just Say No to Microsoft:

“The Mac over the last 20 years has been an innovation in what some people today call “personal media aggregation” or “digital lifestyle aggregation”. Slowly but surely, the Mac became the control center for my life — all aspects of my life, including work, hobbies, socializing, family activities, travel… There is no part of my life that is not in some way coordinated by email, posted on a calendar, described in documents, shown in photos, visualized in graphics, demonstrated by video, and accompanied by sound… on my Mac. This evolution of personal computing is still led by Apple as the company introduces media players and home systems.”

The iGoatse iPod case:

“The new iGoatse is the definitive skin for your iPod.
There are no words to describe it.
And you know why.”

(Via Gizmodo)

The old missus and I went to see Elvis Costello at San Francisco’s Davies Symphony Hall a couple of nights ago. It was an odd performance.

In the first half, the Symphony performed Costello’s first full-length orchestral work, Il Sogno, while Costello sat listening in the audience.

In the second half, Costello took the stage to sing a selection of downbeat, brainy tunes, mixing classical with jazz and not much pop. Backed by the San Francisco symphony, Costello’s loungey songs were dour, yet he was very droll between. He’s obviously a musical genius, but it’s like reading late Anthony Burgess — a lot of work and not much fun.

I’ve never been a Costello fan, and towards the end I was willing it to be over, but his last piece came so close to being one of the greatest concert moments I’ve ever experienced, it nearly salvaged what came before. But the audience ruined it.

For the last song, Costello dispensed with his microphone, and the effect of his unamplified voice in that large auditorium was astonishing and magical. Everyone craned forward to hear, and the hushed atmosphere raised the hairs on my neck. As the song reached its climax, Costello tried to get the audience to join him singing the last bars, a “hum, de hum” refrain repeated three or four times.

The first time the audience hesitated, and the second time it almost caught. It was a fantastic moment — hundreds of people so nearly raising the roof with a lovely vocal. But unfortunately it faltered, and after a third failed attempt Costello gave up, turning instead to the orchestra to raise a rumpus.

It was a great shame, and a little depressing. He came so close, but the stuffy old octogenarians wrecked it. I wonder if he had better luck at other venues?

Costello’s orchestral tour continues. See his website for details:

Honolulu, Hawaii, March 31 and April 01; Austin, Texas, April 11; Houston, Texas, April 13; Chicago, April 18; North Bethesda, April 20; Baltimore, April 21 and 22; Boston, May 10; Brooklyn, May 12; Atlanta, May 13; Tokyo, June 02; Manchester, TN, June 16; Los Angeles, June 18, 2006.

I’m in the process of updating my Cult of Mac book for a paperback edition, to be published in the fall.

Some of the graphics are looking a bit dated, epecially the mockups of future Apple products, like those submitted to Engadget’s recent WWJD competition.

Trouble is, I’m having a hard time tracking down mockup makers. So I’m putting out the call.

If anyone has high-resolution, print-ready mockups, and they’d like them included in a new edition of the book , please contact me at mockups -AT- cultofmac -DOT- com.

Photo courtesy of Engadget.

Later tonight I’ll be moving the Cult of Mac blog to WordPress, which means there’ll be less outages, less spam and less squinting at the teeny weeny type.

The blog is currently run on b2evolution, which has some nice features and has been pretty straightforward to use, but unfortunately has a serious spam problem. B2evolution is not much good managing comments and attracts a ton of spam. It’s the number one problem b2evo users complain about, and maddeningly, there’s no easy fix.

In addition, the b2evo developer community is small and there’s not many plugins and extras keeping it current. It’s also a hackers’ system. If you’re happy tinkering with code, this system’s for you. But I’m not, and it isn’t.

WordPress, on the other hand, seems to be a very slick. It’s mature and flexible and it’s going places. It’s 20-times more popular than b2evo, and already I’ve benefetted from a fantastic B2evo-to-WP import script, and a lot of easy-to-follow setup tutorials — the kind of stuff that popularity brings.

The big problem is the old RSS feed, which will no longer work.

The new RSS WordPress feed can be found here, though it may be an hour or two before it’s working:

https://cultofmac.com/?feed=rss2

The Blueye is a clever iPod/PSP accessory that turns your earbuds into a cell phone headset.

Pair the Bluetooth device with your cell phone and plug it in between your iPod and your earbuds.

When a call comes in, the Blueye mutes the music, and a built-in microphone transmits your voice. The Blueye has voice recognition — answer a call with a voice command.
When the call’s done, the music resumes.

It has standard 3.5mm audio jacks and is compatible with most music players, the company says. It’s available from the UK for about $60 ($100) — the company says it ships overseas.

Tomi from PodBrix writes:

“We are releasing a new apparel product tomorrow (1/17) at 9:00pm EST and I wanted to give you some information about it.

The product is called the Wozwear 6502 and is a custom made shirt featuring an image of our previous Woz minifig holding a 6502 processor chip. The interesting aspect is that we use an actual 6502 processor chip and attach it to the shirt with a magnetic clasp. See the attached image to get a better idea of the product. As I’m sure you will recall this is the chip used in the classic Apple II line of computers. With Apple’s recent switch to Intel processors I thought it would be interesting to offer a product capturing the nostalgia of the old Apple II processor.

The 6502 chip attached to the Wozwear is purely cosmetic, but it is in working condition and if plugged into an old Apple machine it would function properly. You can easily remove the chip from the Wozwear shirt to launder it.

As is standard for PodBrix products, the Wozwear 6502 is a signed limited edition of 300 units. The Wozwear shirt is available in five sizes (S, M, L, XL, XXL) and is individually screen printed to order to ensure everyone can receive the desired size without exceeding the 300 unit limited edition.

The Wozwear 6502 is available for $34.99 each and will go on sale tomorrow night (01/17/06) at 9:00pm EST. International orders are welcome.”

Happy Holidays one and all!

In thanks for reading this rubbish all year, I give you the gift of music.

Here’s the best holiday song ever: Walking in the Air, sung by 11-year-old Declan Galbraith, who’s blessed with an extraordinary set of pipes.

Of course, the song isn’t available anywhere on iTunes, or I’d buy it in a second (nothing I want ever is).

I did find this though: an excellent version of Carol of the Bells by MystiQuintet from the Christmas Re-Grooved album.

(Via Robotwisdom)

Underwear with an iPod pocket: the iBoxer — only $22 apiece.

The Play iBox Solid Boxer is an ideal knit boxer for trendy, gadget-savvy music lovers. Made from a cotton/spandex blend, this button fly boxer has a discrete front pocket which is perfect for holding your iPod, other mp3 players or your cell phone. This Play iBox Boxer is available in solid fashion colors and the solid waistband features a racing stripe and the Play logos. If you buy 2 pairs of the Play iBox Boxer, you’ll receive 3 free iTunes. iPod not included with purchase.

(Thanks Chris Uriarte)

What a great phrase “Money for old rope” is. And as writer/editor Giles Turnbull notes, half the new shows on the iTMS are exactly that — dreadful old crap with little but nostalgia value. And they’ll probably sell like crazy.

“The cost of licencing and converting old TV shows to a suitable digital format is a fraction of the cost of making new shows, or licencing the rights to use shows that are broadcast in peak time right now.

This is money for old rope. The iPod generation is being wooed into spending money on old content it has already seen and in many cases already paid for. Just as we bought CD copies of albums we’d already bought on tape or vinyl, and in some cases then bought the same tracks again on the iTMS. The same thing, purchased three times! That sort of brand loyalty makes record and TV company executives smile.

There’s a perceived value in nostalgia. People of my generation get a warm feeling when they hear those late 70s / early 80s new wave hits. And the same applies to some TV shows…”

This case for the iPod nano is swedish and designed by Johan von Konow.

It’s very thin – only 0.3 mm – which feels like a high priority for a case that surrounds a nano. Four colors to choose from, the three seen above and one transparent.

A smart feature is the holder for the earbud cable on the back of the case. Only available in Sweden right now, unfortunately.