iPad – the moment we have all been waiting for?

For months, we have all been clamoring for a peek under the hood, a glimpse at how Apple’s “latest creation” would look and how it would work. The prevailing rumors were that it would be a tablet and it would roughly be 10” in size. Then the rumor mills picked up steam and spun tales that an even larger announcement was pending and that in addition to a tablet, Apple would unveil the latest incarnation of the iPhone: a more versatile, Verizon-friendly 4G version of its current 3G device. Yesterday, those mills proved themselves unreliable, as they often do, when Steve Jobs unveiled the iPad sans any mention of a new iPhone (sorry Verizon subscribers).

The device has largely been met with reviews that are tepid at best. As is the case with seemingly everything that comes out of Apple’s Cupertino labs, the iPad is visually pleasing. It has a 10” LED widescreen display that sports multi-touch capability and “fingerprint-resistant coating.” The iPad has an onscreen keyboard when it is being used in landscape mode and a USB port for a physical board when it is being used in portrait mode. The device’s 10-hour battery life allows users to essentially go the whole day on a single charge. With the iPad comes the introduction of the iBookstore; a digital book application, used for purchasing titles and displaying them in a virtual bookshelf. iPad owners who purchase books from the app can read the downloaded titles instantly.

A 3G version of the device will be available in April and will allow subscribers to surf the web, download movies, music, books and apps wherever they are but only through AT&T.

Unfortunately, for the army of us who eagerly await Apple announcements, this device leaves a lot to be desired. Though it surfs the web, runs iTunes, and providers consumers with access to the roughly 140,000 apps in the App Store it lacks a camera, microphone and Flash, making it nothing more than a larger iPod touch.

Don’t get me wrong, the iPod Touch is a great device (I actually own one) but so much was expected from this device that we are left feeling disappointed and unfulfilled. It’s like seeing Kobe Bryant score 50 points everytime they play at the Staples Center. If he only scores 30 points the next time you see him, you’d be appreciate the effort but won’t be nearly as satisfied. Such is the curse of the superstar. Maybe if this device were an Acer or Asus the world would embrace it more warmly.

That said, I’m sure Apple will be just fine. Early Adopters will still add them to their carts and line up in store for their iPads in March. In fact, if history has taught us anything it is that:

1) 1st generation Apple releases are typically followed, almost immediately, by much better upgraded devices.

2) Roughly 45% of Early Adopters upgrade to newer devices*

So is this the moment we have all been waiting for? Hardly. So I, for one, will sit back, wait and watch as the magnificent marketing machine that is Apple crank out better, more exciting features for the iPad 2.0.

* Morgan Stanley Study on the iPhone measuring Early Adopters who bought the 1G iPhone in 2007 and later upgraded to the 3G iPhone in 2008

In App Ads Tipping Point?

Retail Giant, Walmart continuing to focus on reaching new targets is running in-app banner ads on iPhones. Walmart’s ads appear in the NBC Today Shows Recipe App.

Interestingly the Walmart call to action featured in the Today Show in-App Ad is to download Walmart’s own iPhone App, which is focused on helping shoppers find great deals.

In addition to Walmart, Microsoft, Unilever and others are testing In-App Ads which means many more retailers and manufacturers will likely soon follow.

What should Google Fear in the New Year?

Turnabout is fair play - With Google jumping into the handset market in 2009 with the Andriod targeting Apple, it only seems just that the one of the first big announcements of 2010 is that Apple is shifting its startegy to jump into the digital media space.

Apple has acquired Quattro Wireless for $275MM to compete with Google and their acquisition of AdMob putting them in the mobile advertising space for the first time. Quattro Wireless is the 5th largest Mobile Ad Network with 7% share.

The acquisition leads to key, intriguing questions for the year ahead:

1. Who's next? With only a few big players left in the Mobile Advertising space left, who will Yahoo and Microsoft Gobble Up?
2. How will Apple navigate new territory?

Its only the first week of the New Year and the Mobile space is setting up for a very interesting year.

Your new iPhone 3GS as a Credit Card?

Well, that time is getting closer and closer. With the continuing evolution of the iPhone, Blackberry and other smart phones coupled with advancements in commerce technology the day where you leave your house with only your car keys and your phone - and no wallet - are just around the corner.

Whether it's your cell number, text messages or custom platform formats, there are a multitude of ways for consumers to start transacting through their mobile phones. At this point it's all about who gets enough VC money and pilot concept out there to validate the concept and start bringing it to scale. If large companies can band together (which is unlikely) to bring some scale a solution could be here before you can say "charge it to my iPhone".

Check out this article in the New York Times to learn more!!!
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/22/technology/22pay.html

Demo of the sixth sense. TED.

This is amazing, how interactive meets, retail, shopper marketing and the physical world. This demo shows how we may be gathering information, make decisions and interacting in the future, not to mention the it's the tip of the iceberg for usability design. fascinating!

Cut, Copy and Paste!

Strangely enough, I asked myself the other day, "Why can't I copy and paste a line of text on my iPhone?" The simple act of cutting, copying and pasting is nothing new, so what's the holdup, Apple? Apparently, it's proven difficult to execute in a secure and user-friendly manner.

Well, all you iPhone and iPod Touch users might be happy to know that this capability the cut/copy/paste functionality is among the several software upgrades available this summer.

Like any other technological device, there's always room for improvement. I'm hoping that, sooner rather than later, the iPhone will become equipped with video capabilities. (I honestly haven't looked into the reasoning behind that one, but always thought it would be a nice-to-have.)

As an aside, the software upgrade is free for iPhone users and around ten bucks for those with the iPod Touch.

re: iPhone Forrester Study

A recent Forrester study supports the previous post. iPhone apps ranked highest for web browsing for convenience by on the go consumers followed by other Mobile apps, with mobile web surfing ranking at the bottom.

500MM Apps downloaded and rapdily counting.

Looking forward to the Blackberry App World!

Micro blogging with PhoneZap!

If you haven't already Jailbroke your iPhone, this may be the best reason to do so. Microblogging with PhoneZap! Snap a photo, add some copy and post it to phonezap.com. It's an easy way to have fun and share cool times. What's great is that there are ways to share ringtones too, how cool. Yet another social network, but this one may stick around and take off. Check out PhoneZap.com

South Korea's iPhone "Contender"...or is It?

Presenting my technological finding from last week's trip to Seoul, SK!

The 3-inch touchscreen LG LH2300 launched late March, and became readily available in the Korean market early this month. If it makes its way stateside, will it outperform the capabilities of our beloved iPhone?

As the article states, some of its primary features are:

-800×480 pixel widescreen resolution

-direct access to main internet portals

-3MP camera (auto-focus, face recognition, anti-shake)

-digital T.V.

-bluetooth 2.0 connectivity

It's still a bit early on to determine whether this breakthrough will triumph over Apple's brainchild, but let's be on the lookout for user reviews in the months to come and keep it on the brain.