Loren Heiny (http://journals.tuxreports.com/lch/archives/004366.html) suggests that Steve Ballmer could step up as the top Tablet PC advocate as Bill Gates steps down from running Microsoft. He suggests that Steve should forget a typed blog and go with a photo/ink blog because,
AT&T and eMusic (http://tinyurl.com/3xrs2a) have announced an agreement to download eMusic content directly to select phones. The iPhone (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPhone) is not part of this (obviously), due to its tie to iTunes. However, this means AT&T has deals with the top two online music stores, both of which offer DRM-free music (though only eMusic is entirely free). If these arrangements prove successful, that could lead to a big victory against DRM as more and more phones are loaded with songs from eMusic and iTunes Plus.
We drove out to the country to visit with Tanya's family this weekend -- twice. Little more than two hours each way, but at least the Prius hits 50 mpg doing it (clocked in at 50.2 and 50.1 per respective round trip). Got hit by a block of work the next day, followed by an unsatisfactory pest control visit, so I completely vegged last night. Yes, that does mean no further progress on the new Build 52 (http://www.markandtanya.us/scribbles/Build52v2.html).
I burnt a few hours the last couple of days re-working the interface of Build 52 (http://www.markandtanya.us/scribbles/Build52v2.html), my Links in Ink generator. So far, so good.
The non-functional sample is online. (http://www.markandtanya.us/scribbles/B52v2.html) The big change will be the ability to add as many Links in Ink as desired. Previously, the set maximum was nine. While I can make the interface display the boxes for adding the links, generating the code will prove tricky. Need to figure out a way to get the code generating script to recognize when links are added and deleted.
Also, Michael Penman of The Hallel Report (http://thehallelreport.blogspot.com/) has found an oversight in the version 2 beta. Just a couple of styles that need to be added to the blog template. Should work fine after that. They are now listed in the prereqs. Thanks Michael.
June 18, 2007 (http://sumocat.blogspot.com/2007/06/iphone-reinvents-product-launch-sort-of.html): "True, but I assumed the 3 million count was to prevent shortages. I don't think anyone expects Apple to sell 30% of their target at launch or even within the first month." --Sumocat
Boy, was I wrong. Turns out the analysts were predicting a lot more based on their hideously flawed estimates for the first two days of iPhone activations. Analysts predicted 500,000 iPhone activations in the first two days. If those numbers carried through, there would be 15 million iPhones activated in the first month. Of course, those numbers would drop considerably after the debut, but even an 80% drop would still result in 3 million activations.
The actual number of iPhone's activated in the first two days was 146,000, which puts it on track to NOT hit 3 million in the first month. If that figure sounds low, it's because the analysts have misled you and/or you didn't think it through (happens a lot with Apple products).
First, we know all those iPhones sold in the first two days were not activated in the first two days. Many were bought online. Others were eBay'd. A few suffered activation delays. One guy (named Matt Miller (http://blogs.zdnet.com/mobile-gadgeteer/?p=461)) bought three and only activated one. And there are those people who just didn't activate until later. So the assumption that volume sold would come close to number activated was explicitly wrong.
Second, why isn't mainstream media chastising the analysts for cooking their estimates? Gizmodo (http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/apple/att-earnings-call-apples-stock-down-due-to-wild-analyst-predictions-281761.php) smacked the analysts for their BS assumptions, but MSM seems unanimous in spinning it as a failing by Apple and AT&T. How is it their fault that the analysts are morons?
Well, regardless of how accurate I was in believing 3 million iPhones in the first month is an unrealistic expectation, the fact remains that I stated no one would be stupid enough to believe otherwise. Okay, analysts, you got me. I was wrong because you clearly were that stupid.
Due to overwhelming demand (one user and a reminder from Minimage), I have bashed my personal version of Build 52 (http://www.markandtanya.us/scribbles/Build52v2.html) into an updated public version. It is not a total rebuild, but I am calling it version 2 on the premise that a full rebuild is pending.
Please note, this version requires different code to be added to the blog template, which is listed in the prerequisites. If anyone gives it a crack, let me know.
Update: Rev. Michael Penman was in the midst of a blog redesign when I happened upon his site, The Hallel Report (http://thehallelreport.blogspot.com/). Well, he's got it cleaned up and it is packed with Links in Ink and video entries. He tried out Build 52 (http://sumocat.blogspot.com/2006/07/build-52-is-go.html) for two ink entries. They work as fine as the first version ever did, but I hope he wont mind giving the version 2 beta (http://sumocat.blogspot.com/2007/07/build-52-v2-beta-is-online.html) a try.
A big Woot! goes out to Tracy Hooten, her royal highness of TheStudentTabletPC (http://studenttabletpc.com/2007/07/laptop_magazine_when_its_time_to_consider_a_tablet.html) blog, for her big interview at LAPTOP magazine, "When it's Time to Consider a Tablet." (http://www.laptopmag.com/Features/When-Its-Time-to-Consider-a-Tablet.htm) The article hits five key advantages of the tablet over a laptop, as they relate to students, and includes a profile of Tracy herself. Good stuff!
Managed to snap some shots of the new house without any mess. Well, without much mess. Still a lot to put away, but we had the floors redone upstairs and in the basement, so that delayed the put-away schedule. But it was worth it because the new floors look ten times better than the previous carpet. Photos are up at our Picasa (http://picasaweb.google.com/sumocat666/MarkTanyaSNewHouse?authkey=XlSHOR7DxE4) web album.
Lot of folks (http://tinyurl.com/328yjp) are speculating (http://tinyurl.com/3ashma) that Apple will roll out a lower-priced version of the iPhone. I think they are correct, and about seven months behind me....
[Is it too expensive for that market? Well, it's certainly not cheap, but assuming Apple is sticking with the iPod business model, the lower-end models will come later. Make the big splash with the high-end stuff, roll out the more affordable stuff over time. Remember, most iPods are Nanos and Shuffles, not the HD models. The other phone makers should see this as the opening salvo, not the ongoing barrage.] -- January 11, 2007 - Haloscan comment (http://sumocat.blogspot.com/2007/01/apple-officially-kicks-everyones-ass.html)
Yep, I called an "iPhone Nano" back in January. I predict it's not a matter of "if" but "when" (and I'm calling at least a year on that).
Reverend Michael Penman (http://thehallelreport.blogspot.com/2007/07/showhide-text-ok-so-i-believe-my-first.html) has a blog called The Hallel Report (http://thehallelreport.blogspot.com/2007/07/showhide-text-ok-so-i-believe-my-first.html) where he's spilled some ink using Build 52 (http://sumocat.blogspot.com/2006/07/build-52-is-go.html)... sort of.
He still needs to add the requisite code to his blog template to make the Links in Ink work, but he's posted a couple of inked entries. Needs to tweak his template to fit the width of his entries too. But the interest in ink is there, so go check it out. And thanks to Warner at GottaBeMobile.com (http://www.gottabemobile.com/CongratsToSumocatOn2YearsOfInkBlogging.aspx) for pointing him to me and Build 52 (which BTW is in serious need of updating - remind me to get on that).
"If wishes were fishes, the world would be an ocean."
Belated birthday wishes to Warner Crocker (http://wickedstageact2.typepad.com/life_on_the_wicked_stage_/2007/07/gone-fishin-on-.html) who took a break from blogging yesterday. I would have mentioned it then but I was taking a break from blogging.
I missed the release last week, but it's still cool that Beatallica (http://www.beatallica.org/) managed to overcome the legal obstacles before them and release a new CD, Sgt. Hetfield's Motorbreath Pub Band (http://1800coolcds.stores.yahoo.net/891442.html).
For those who don't know Beatallica is a tribute band of sorts, performing mash-up Beatles and Metallica songs in the style of Metallica. They were halted from releasing CDs by the guys who managed the Beatles catalog, but apparently they cut a deal and the new album is on sale (http://1800coolcds.stores.yahoo.net/891442.html). (at Amazon (http://tinyurl.com/25qzfo) and iTunes (http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=259361717&s=143441) too) Good stuff for anyone who likes The Beatles as performed by Metallica.
As much as I despise Vice President Cheney (http://www.cafepress.com/burnbush/339462), I do find him quote-worthy, particularly when referring to Verizon. Since dropping their phone service, in part because they stopped sending us bills, we'd been a DSL-only customer. Speed sucked but you get what you pay for. I had every intention of keeping Verizon DSL at our new place, but after getting bounced through three reps, it was determined that they did not provide service in our neighborhood.
I should specify that our neighborhood is in Reston, Virginia, the tech company center of the second wealthiest county in the nation. I'm not living out in Hicksville (no offense to you hicks). I live five minutes from offices belonging to Oracle, Unisys, and Microsoft, But I guess the influence of nearby headquartered Sprint and AOL kept Verizon from planting DSL hubs everywhere.
Well, whatever. I don't like Verizon anyway, so if they can't sell me DSL, that's their loss... or so I thought. You see, even though I'd been a DSL customer for more than a year and they're the ones who can't provide me with service anymore, they're still sticking me with a $75 "early" termination fee.
First, don't insult me by calling this fee "early". I stuck with your slow-ass service past the first-year rate hike and the no-phone rate hike, so I'm well past paying back your modem subsidy or any of that crap. You rolled my contract over into a new year, effectively limiting my no-fee termination options to once a year, so stop calling it "early" when it's really a "most of the time" termination fee.
Second, you're charging me money because your coverage sucks? Who does that? Oh wait, you do, with your roaming fees on mobile phone customers. I guess I'm in the same boat. I "roamed" outside your grid, so now I have to pay a fee. Only difference is roaming phone users are paying for service, while I'm paying to stop using your service.
Well Verizon, as much as I hate paying money for nothing, I must admit, finally being rid of you makes the fee almost worthwhile.
