Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Entelligence: Putting a spotlight on the invisible]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/19/entelligence-putting-a-spotlight-on-the-invisible/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/19/entelligence-putting-a-spotlight-on-the-invisible/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/19/entelligence-putting-a-spotlight-on-the-invisible/#commentsEntelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.

When Apple refreshed the latest version of the iPod nano, the combination of the square form factor, touch display, clip and cool clock app made me think it would make a great watch. I was not alone. I've already seen a number of vendors scrambling to create straps and wrist cases for the nano. While Apple stopped well short of calling it a watch replacement, there's no doubt Cupertino will be looking carefully to see if there's an iWatch in your future.

From Microsoft's Smart Personal Object Technology devices to watches that ran Palm OS, vendors have tried and failed to push high-tech watches every few years. I personally think the watch space and the larger invisible space hasn't been exploited properly beyond the core feature of telling time. Here's why.

Continue reading Entelligence: Putting a spotlight on the invisible

Entelligence: Putting a spotlight on the invisible originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 19 Sep 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>applecolumnentelligenceinvisibleipodwatchwatch phoneWatchPhonewearableSun, 19 Sep 2010 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: Will carriers destroy the Android vision?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/12/entelligence-will-carriers-destroy-the-android-vision/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/12/entelligence-will-carriers-destroy-the-android-vision/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/12/entelligence-will-carriers-destroy-the-android-vision/#commentsEntelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.

It's an unfortunately familiar phenomena -- PC vendors suffering from razor thin margins load their devices with more stickers than a stock car and install gigabytes of useless applications that serve only to take up space and use system resources. Sony was perhaps the most egregious in 2008, offering to remove the offending bloatware for a $50 fee. It's as if Tony Soprano went into tech -- "Pay us and we won't mess up your computer."

It's deja vu all over again for mobile phones. More and more devices I look at are coming installed with applications I don't want, often popping up messages to try and upsell me on services I have no interest in. Even worse, unlike PCs where offensive applications can be removed or the OS reinstalled cleanly, there's often nothing that can be done to get rid of unwanted mobile software without arduous work. It's not limited to Android devices, but it seems that increasingly Android more than other platforms is shipping with the worst mobile bloatware. It's a bad trend that's going to lead to consumer backlash and it's destroying the credibility of Google's Android vision.

Continue reading Entelligence: Will carriers destroy the Android vision?

Entelligence: Will carriers destroy the Android vision? originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 12 Sep 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidattbloatbloatwarecolumncolumnscrapwareentelligencefascinategalaxy sGalaxySsamsungsprintt mobilet-mobileTMobileverizonSun, 12 Sep 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: A tale of two TVs]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/05/entelligence-a-tale-of-two-tvs/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/05/entelligence-a-tale-of-two-tvs/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/05/entelligence-a-tale-of-two-tvs/#commentsEntelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.

This week at what's become Apple's fall music event the company unveiled a revised Apple TV. The small $99 device delivers a new rental model and support for Netflix, but there are no apps, contrary to much of the speculation leading up the event. That's in stark contrast to the Google TV project announced at I/O last spring. Unlike Apple, Google is looking to provide DVR functionality, search, and an app marketplace. Some say Apple isn't being bold enough, but I think Apple might be right.

Google wants input one on your TV. Apple wants input two. The difference? Input one is where your cable box goes. Input two was where your VCR or DVD player used to live. It's a port that's up for grabs.

Continue reading Entelligence: A tale of two TVs

Entelligence: A tale of two TVs originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 05 Sep 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appleapple tvAppleTvcolumncolumnsentelligencegooglegoogle tvGoogleTvSun, 05 Sep 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: when less beats Moore]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/27/entelligence-when-less-beats-moore/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/27/entelligence-when-less-beats-moore/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/27/entelligence-when-less-beats-moore/#comments
Entelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.

We are all familiar with Moore's law. The observation made by Intel co-founder Gordon Moore that the density of semiconductors doubles roughly every eighteen months. The net result? It's always going to be better faster and cheaper. Certainly that's been true of the phone space, with large screens, fast processors and lots of storage.

In the last few weeks alone I've looked at new phones with 1Ghz processors, the latest and greatest software platforms from Google and RIM... but it's been one little gadget that's caught my attention and it totally bucks the trend. What device? It's the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini Pro -- which is a lot of name for a small phone -- and it shows some very different thinking about what a smartphone is. In theory, this isn't a phone that I should like. Instead of a large 4.3-inch screen, it's running a 2.55-inch screen at 240 x 320 resolution. Don't look for a 1Ghz processor here. It's got an ARMv6 revision 5 processor at 600Mhz. Finally, forget Froyo or even Eclair. This thing's got Android 1.6 on it and may never get updated to the latest and greatest. Despite all that, I think Sony Ericsson has a potential hit on their hands if they decide to bring this to the US later this year as they said they plan to. Why am I so enamored?

Continue reading Entelligence: when less beats Moore

Entelligence: when less beats Moore originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Aug 2010 17:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>columnentelligencegordon mooreGordonMooreminimooremoore s lawmoores lawMooresLawprosesonysony ericssonSonyEricssonx10x10 minix10 mini proX10MiniX10MiniProxperiaxperia x10 minixperia x10 mini proXperiaX10MiniXperiaX10MiniProFri, 27 Aug 2010 17:08:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: One device to rule them all -- or not]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/22/entelligence-one-device-to-rule-them-all-or-not/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/22/entelligence-one-device-to-rule-them-all-or-not/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/22/entelligence-one-device-to-rule-them-all-or-not/#commentsEntelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.

The introduction of the third generation Kindle has reignites the debate over the role of dedicated vs. converged devices. Five years ago, device segmentation was easy: phones made calls, music players played music and cameras took pictures. Even two years ago, integrated devices remained differentiated from standalone devices that provided greater features and capabilities. But some now feel the market for dedicated e-book readers like the Kindle and Nook will soon disappear, subsumed by devices like tablets and smartphones capable of delivering e-books along with other content, applications and services.

It certainly feels to some degree that converged functionality is replacing the standalone and dedicated device. Look at the state-of-the-art iPod touch today and the state-of-the-art iPod of just three years ago. Compare the camera on your phone to the point and shoot digital of just four years ago. The argument seems strong for converged rather than dedicated and standalone devices.

I think the reality is a little more complicated.

Continue reading Entelligence: One device to rule them all -- or not

Entelligence: One device to rule them all -- or not originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 22 Aug 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazoncolumnconvergenceconvergence devicesConvergenceDevicesdedicated devicesDedicatedDevicesentelligencekindlekindle dxkindle graphiteKindleDxKindleGraphiteSun, 22 Aug 2010 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: Conspiracy theory, part one]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/14/entelligence-conspiracy-theory-part-one/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/14/entelligence-conspiracy-theory-part-one/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/14/entelligence-conspiracy-theory-part-one/#commentsEntelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.

We've all heard the great conspiracy theories of our time. President Kennedy was killed by more than one gunman. The moon landing was hoax, a drama secretly recorded on a stage set somewhere in Atlanta or Texas. More recently, the attacks on the World Trade Center were really perpetrated by the US, not Islamic terrorists. There are far more, I assure you. What's funny is that in the last few years, our industry has spun off a number of conspiracy theories worthy of being made into a movie. Apple, Microsoft, RIM, HP, Palm -- you name it, and there's a story being told. Of course, with most of these stories it's never direct from the source. It's people, who know of people, who knew someone, who heard from a friend that... something happened. As with all good tales, there's always someone who will believe.

Oliver Stone, are you listening? Here are my five favorite tech conspiracies.

Continue reading Entelligence: Conspiracy theory, part one

Entelligence: Conspiracy theory, part one originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 14 Aug 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>columnconspiracyconspiracy theoriesconspiracy theoryConspiracyTheoriesConspiracyTheoryentelligenceSat, 14 Aug 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: Let's get digital]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/01/entelligence-lets-get-digital/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/01/entelligence-lets-get-digital/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/01/entelligence-lets-get-digital/#commentsEntelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.

One of the more recent trends in UI design has been the attempt to make the digital appear analog. It arguably started with the NeXT OS, which had photorealistic icons and used clever grayscale techniques to give three-dimensional depth to windows, scroll bars and other elements. Today, Apple's iPhone compass app looks like it might be more at home on an 18th-century clipper ship, and the voice recorder app looks at home in a recording studio somewhere around 1950 -- tap on the "microphone" and the VU meter will react much as it would in real life. Google's added subtle 3D effects to Android's app scrolling. I haven't thought that much about this trend until I recently spent some time using Windows Phone 7.

It's perhaps a minor issue but one of the things I like about WP7 is that it's not a digital UI pretending to be analog. The user interface is flat. There are no photorealistic depictions of real world items, no shading, and no 3D effects. Everything is conveyed through the use of fonts, shapes and color. It's digital and it's proud. Overall, I like it, and the more I use it, the more I prefer it. Returning to a more digital approach means Microsoft was able to rethink the nature of applications and services and create the concept of hubs, where like functions meet similar functions without the need for separate applications. It takes some getting used to, but the more I use it, the more natural it feels.

Continue reading Entelligence: Let's get digital

Entelligence: Let's get digital originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 01 Aug 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>analogcolumndigitalentelligenceinterfaceuiui designUiDesignuser interfaceUserInterfacewindows phone 7WindowsPhone7Sun, 01 Aug 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: 3D TV falls flat for me]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/25/entelligence-3d-tv-falls-flat-for-me/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/25/entelligence-3d-tv-falls-flat-for-me/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/25/entelligence-3d-tv-falls-flat-for-me/#commentsEntelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.

It's generally a bad idea to extrapolate larger consumer behavior from personal experience and say "if I like it, surely everyone else will as well." It's a mistake that happens all the time, but there's is one case where I will use my personal behavior to at least start the foundation for analysis -- when I don't want a new gadget or technology. Granted, sometimes I'm just not the target audience, but even then I'm usually able to remove myself from the process and say it might not be for me but others will love this. In the case of 3D TV, however, I think my lack of interest doesn't bode well for the market.

I'm surprised by figures, forecasts, predictions and prophecies all showing a rosy outlook for 3D TV beginning as early as this year, because I've seen most of the 3D offerings available and I have no plans to buy -- not now and not anytime soon. I should be a part of the core demographic for 3D: I like TV, movies and video games. I'm am early adopter. I have reasonable disposable income. I'm not afraid of betting on the wrong standard. And yet, I'm not buying. Here's why.

Continue reading Entelligence: 3D TV falls flat for me

Entelligence: 3D TV falls flat for me originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 25 Jul 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3d3d tv3dTvcolumncolumnsentelligencetvSun, 25 Jul 2010 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: Five gadgets that could have and should have done better]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/18/entelligence-five-gadgets-that-could-have-and-should-have-done/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/18/entelligence-five-gadgets-that-could-have-and-should-have-done/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/18/entelligence-five-gadgets-that-could-have-and-should-have-done/#commentsEntelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.

 For every VHS, it seems there's also a Betamax -- a gadgets or standard that just didn't live up to the expectations of the mass market at the time. Despite being loved by niche audiences, these folks just didn't have what it took to make it to the big time. Here I celebrate some of my favorite gadgets and technologies that just couldn't catch on with the populace at large.

Continue reading Entelligence: Five gadgets that could have and should have done better

Entelligence: Five gadgets that could have and should have done better originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 18 Jul 2010 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appleataricolumnentelligencekinmicrosoftnewtonturboexpressTurbografx16Sun, 18 Jul 2010 17:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: Time for Microsoft to once again embrace and extend]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/11/entelligence-time-for-microsoft-to-once-again-embrace-and-exten/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/11/entelligence-time-for-microsoft-to-once-again-embrace-and-exten/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/11/entelligence-time-for-microsoft-to-once-again-embrace-and-exten/#commentsEntelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.

A core part of Microsoft's strategy from days gone by was known as embrace and extend. With a reboot of their mobile platform due later this year, is it time for Microsoft to think about moving some of their services and applications to competitor's platforms? To some degree, it's already happening. Microsoft licenses the ActiveSync protocol which allows Android, iOS and other platforms to wirelessly sync with Exchange. It's developed Bing and Live Messenger apps for iOS and also done a deal to bring mobile Office apps to Nokia's platforms. One could argue that in some of these cases Microsoft has given competitors access to what could have been key differentiators for its own mobile efforts. I'm not sure I disagree with that analysis, but now that it's happening, I think Microsoft should think even more broadly about porting some applications and services. Here's what I'd like to see made available for other platforms.

Office Mobile: Sure, there are other solutions for viewing and editing Office documents on almost every platform, but none of them carry the Microsoft Office brand. A version of Office for mobile (including a touch-enabled version of OneNote) would be an instant best seller on every platform and a become the de facto standard for mobile office applications. A combination of free document viewers and a suite of applications at a reasonable cost would put Microsoft at the top of mobile productivity and at the same time help continue to drive Office sales for PCs and Macs.

Continue reading Entelligence: Time for Microsoft to once again embrace and extend

Entelligence: Time for Microsoft to once again embrace and extend originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 11 Jul 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>columnentelligencelivemicrosoftmicrosoft officeMicrosoftOfficeofficexboxxbox 360xbox liveXbox360XboxLivezunezune passZunePassSun, 11 Jul 2010 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: The evolution of the TV]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/07/entelligence-the-evolution-of-the-tv/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/07/entelligence-the-evolution-of-the-tv/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/07/entelligence-the-evolution-of-the-tv/#commentsEntelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.
>
In a world of connected screens, the venerable TV continues to wait in isolation while the personal computer and the cell phone have become ubiquitously connected. Sure, there have been experiments in interactive TV -- gadgets like WebTV and modern game consoles are connected devices, and set-top boxes like the Roku and TiVo add connected components -- but most TVs in the US remain blissfully ignorant of the internet. There's arguably more TV content viewed on PCs than there is web content consumed on TVs. Here's why the TV remains disconnected and how that might change.

First, the PC and TV don't get along well. It's been a match that's been tried for more than a decade. It would seem like a no brainer: take a device with great connectivity and pair it with the TV. In the 90s Gateway introduced a line of Destination PCs that were designed for living room use, Microsoft later built some of the best TV and PC integration with their Media Center efforts, and even Apple has added a ten foot user experience to Mac OS with its Front Row UI. None of these efforts ever went mainstream. Why? Simple: PCs are designed for smaller screens, mice and keyboards, and TVs aren't. No matter what shell you layer on top, you're still stuck with a PC OS underneath that's not optimized for the TV experience.

Continue reading Entelligence: The evolution of the TV

Entelligence: The evolution of the TV originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Jul 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>columncolumnsconnected televisionconnected tvConnectedTelevisionConnectedTventelligencetelevisionthree screensthree screens and a cloudThreeScreensThreeScreensAndACloudtvWed, 07 Jul 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: App stores are not enough]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/entelligence-app-stores-are-not-enough/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/entelligence-app-stores-are-not-enough/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/entelligence-app-stores-are-not-enough/#commentsEntelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.

A little over two years ago, Apple changed the face of mobile computing when it launched the App Store and broke down the barriers between app developers and end users. There was no longer a need for users to go to a third-party web site, hand over a credit card, download an app to their computer, and sync it to their device. The App Store's integration with iTunes made it easy for the consumer to purchase apps, and purchase apps they did. But while Apple now commands a major lead in the sheer number of apps for the iOS platform, it's far from game over in the mobile market, and other competitors can catch up. But it's going to take more than just an app store for other platforms to level the playing field -- that's just the table stakes now. Here's what mobile platform providers need to compete effectively.

First, the devices must stand on their own. Before Apple introduced the iPhone OS SDK, the developer program and the App Store, the company sold more than a million iPhones and iPod touches. That is, it had captured a large enough market for developers to notice before third-party apps were brought into the equation. Handset vendors and platform providers must have devices that are compelling to consumers out of the box, with features and form factors that attract buyers independently. Seeding a market with quality devices is one way to capture the attention of developers who will all want to be part of a platform with room to grow.

Continue reading Entelligence: App stores are not enough

Entelligence: App stores are not enough originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 Jun 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>app storeapp storesappleapplicationsappsAppStoreAppStorescolumnentelligencegooglemicrosoftmobile appsMobileAppsSun, 27 Jun 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: The aftermath of E3]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/19/entelligence-the-aftermath-of-e3/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/19/entelligence-the-aftermath-of-e3/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/19/entelligence-the-aftermath-of-e3/#commentsEntelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.
Last week's E3 show was pretty wild. All the major players upped their game quite a bit -- pun intended. Here's my breakdown of the show.

Microsoft: The folks in Redmond led the way with an intro launch party featuring a custom performance from Cirque de Soleil. That was just to warm things up -- when it came to actual announcements, Microsoft took a two-tiered approach. On one hand it's building on the success of long established titles like Gears of War, Fable and of course, Halo. On the other it's taking the time to re-boot the Xbox 360 with Kinect, which brings controller-free gaming to the platform, as well as adding voice and gesture controls. I think Kinect is a major leap forward in the gaming experience that will appeal to both mainstream and casual gamers. With a streamlined new Xbox 360 and an impressive set of launch titles debuting alongside, Kinect is more akin to a console launch than a peripheral. Overall, I'd say Microsoft is in the lead post-E3 and very well positioned for holiday.

Continue reading Entelligence: The aftermath of E3

Entelligence: The aftermath of E3 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 Jun 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dscolumncolumnse3e3 2010E32010entelligencekinectmicrosoftmovenintendoplaystation movePlaystationMoveps3sonywiixboxxbox 360Xbox360Sat, 19 Jun 2010 18:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: Wired or tired?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/13/entelligence-wired-or-tired/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/13/entelligence-wired-or-tired/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/13/entelligence-wired-or-tired/#commentsEntelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.
In the mid 90s, a friend of mine was involved in a project to recreate magazines like Time on CD-ROM for the multimedia PCs of the era. The results were pretty cool, but the CD-ROM versions of the publications hardly replaced their print counterparts. Content has since moved from optical disk to the web, and now the allure of tablet devices has created a market for specific newspaper and magazine apps -- the number one paid app for iPad is a digital version of Wired, which sold about 1,000 copies an hour the first day it was launched. While it's a much better effort than some of the other efforts, more than anything Wired for iPad shows the weaknesses of media apps and demonstrates how the tablet remains a still-imperfect medium to deliver this type of content.

Wired's efforts, like the CD-ROM efforts of the past, by has some cool features. A video clip of Toy Story 3 graces the cover and there are various interactive features, but more than anything else, it feels like a scanned in copy of the paper mag. Although navigation is better than most iPad magazines, it's still never clear when a screen should be scrolled down or just swiped horizontally.

Continue reading Entelligence: Wired or tired?

Entelligence: Wired or tired? originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 13 Jun 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>columncolumnsentelligenceipadipad appIpadAppmagazine appMagazineAppwiredwired appwired magazineWiredAppWiredMagazineSun, 13 Jun 2010 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: Market caps and dunce caps]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/06/entelligence-market-caps-and-dunce-caps/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/06/entelligence-market-caps-and-dunce-caps/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/06/entelligence-market-caps-and-dunce-caps/#commentsEntelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.

The buzzword of last week was "market cap." To those unfamiliar, market cap is the total value of outstanding shares of a company, and on May 26th at around 3PM Eastern, Apple's market value reached $225.1 billion, surpassing Microsoft's $222.3 billion. Apple isn't the largest technology company around, but it's become the most valuable, and it's valuation is second only to Exxon in the US. Later that same week, Microsoft announced that Robbie Bach and J Allard, the head of its Entertainment and Devices group and the division's CTO, were both leaving the company. There's been speculation that these two events were somehow intertwined, but I don't think that's the case. In addition, as good as Robbie and J are, there's more to the E & D team than two people -- as grandpa used to say, the cemeteries are full of people who couldn't be replaced.

Historically, Microsoft has always been two companies, the parts that made lots of money (Windows, Office, Server) and the parts that don't make money yet but might someday soon. E & D is the latest incarnation of the latter. Let's take a closer look.

Continue reading Entelligence: Market caps and dunce caps

Entelligence: Market caps and dunce caps originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 06 Jun 2010 19:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>applecolumncourierentelligencej allardJAllardmarket capMarketCapmicrosoftrobbie bachRobbieBachwindowswindows phone 7windows phone 7 seriesWindowsPhone7WindowsPhone7SeriesxboxSun, 06 Jun 2010 19:04:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: Hello WebTV part II]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/30/entelligence-hello-webtv-part-ii/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/30/entelligence-hello-webtv-part-ii/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/30/entelligence-hello-webtv-part-ii/#commentsEntelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.

In a world of connected screens it's sometimes hard to classify what's what. I mean, what's a PC? We call smartphones "phones," but the reality is they're tiny PCs that go in our pocket. Similarly, the TV has undergone an evolution as well, and now Google is attempting to bring the PC and TV even closer together with the introduction of Google TV. What is it? Well there are three core elements: Android 2.2, the Chrome browser and the Android app marketplace. It's ambitious, but I'm skeptical. I feel like I've heard a lot of this before -- and in fact, I have. By no small coincidence, Android is headed by Andy Rubin, the man who was in charge of a product called WebTV before it was sold to Microsoft. And just as with WebTV, there's a lot of potential in the ideas behind GoogleTV, but I'm not sure Google has nailed it.

Continue reading Entelligence: Hello WebTV part II

Entelligence: Hello WebTV part II originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 30 May 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>andy rubinAndyRubincolumncolumnsentelligencegooglegoogle tvGoogleTvset-top boxSet-topBoxtvweb tvWebTvSun, 30 May 2010 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: Is Android fragmented or is this the new rate of innovation?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/#commentsEntelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.

A few weeks ago I sat down with the father of Android, Andy Rubin. Andy's a super smart person, having done stints at Apple, General Magic, WebTV and Danger before starting the Android project. We talked about a lot of things, and we particularly spent time discussing Android fragmentation. I've written in the past about my concern that the Android platform is fragmenting much like desktop Linux has over the years, and the potential for the platform to turn into a patchwork of devices and vendor specific modifications that bear little relationship with each other. I've spent a lot of time thinking about my conversation with Andy, and I've rewritten this column more than a few times as a result.

Today, there are at least five different versions of Android on the market. Many of them are highly customized to allow for new features and device differentiation, but that same customization also makes it harder for vendors to update them to the latest versions. New releases and versions of Android are often outdated by newer versions in the span of just a few weeks. For example, the Nexus One when released was capable of running apps like Google Earth that devices such as the Droid could not, because it ran Android 2.0, not 2.1.Tablet vendors complain their Android offerings lack features such as Android Market because Google forbids them to install the marketplace app, forcing them to create proprietary alternatives. It would appear Android is indeed fragmenting -- but perhaps there are other forces at work.

When I spoke with Andy, he pointed out there are several classical symptoms of platform fragmentation. First, older APIs no longer work and break in new releases. Second, multiple application marketplaces offer different applications that lack uniformity across platforms. Both of these are true when you look at desktop Linux. Neither are true of Android.

Continue reading Entelligence: Is Android fragmented or is this the new rate of innovation?

Entelligence: Is Android fragmented or is this the new rate of innovation? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 22 May 2010 20:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid fragmentationAndroidFragmentationandy rubinAndyRubincolumnentelligencefragmentationSat, 22 May 2010 20:21:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: Thirty three screens and a cloud]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/16/entelligence-thirty-three-screens-and-a-cloud/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/16/entelligence-thirty-three-screens-and-a-cloud/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/16/entelligence-thirty-three-screens-and-a-cloud/#commentsEntelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.
There are some devices that are universally loved or reviled -- I don't know anyone who doesn't think HTC EVO 4G is awesome, or anyone who doesn't think the WikiReader was awful. Then there are some that seem to be quite polarizing, and these are the ones that I'm usually most interested in -- just listen to Joshua Topolsky and me debate Kin on the Engadget Podcast, for example. The latest of these polarizing devices is the Sony Dash. The Dash is hard to categorize. It's a connected screen, based in part on the venerable Chumby. Nilay Patel was somewhat lukewarm about it. Ross Rubin likes it and the Wall Street Journal was somewhat ambivalent about it. Here's what I've learned from a few days living with one on my nightstand.

1. The vision is fundamentally correct. There's a lot that needs to improve about the Dash, both from a marketing and implementation perspective, but the core idea is sound. Microsoft likes to talk about "three screens and a cloud" and I agree with that vision -- my phone number is 408-3-SCREEN -- but it's really a statement about consumption, creation and communication. Count the number of PCs, TVs, phones, game devices, media players and navigation devices you have around the house and interact with -- it's more like 33 screens. The idea that there's going to be multiple connected screens that consumers interact with is real.

Continue reading Entelligence: Thirty three screens and a cloud

Entelligence: Thirty three screens and a cloud originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 16 May 2010 20:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>columncolumnsdashentelligencesonysony dashSonyDashSun, 16 May 2010 20:16:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: Meet H/Pre]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/07/entelligence-meet-h-pre/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/07/entelligence-meet-h-pre/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/07/entelligence-meet-h-pre/#commentsEntelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.

Adding even more drama to an pivotal and transformative year in tech, last week HP announced it will buy Palm for the nice round sum of 1.2 billion dollars -- a move that will position it as a major player in the crowded mobile market. HP is no stranger to mobility -- the iPaq was once a defining mobile product -- but over the years the company has been unable to replicate that success with similar efforts in as the dynamic shifted from PDAs to phones. Buying Palm is a quick way of getting back in the game.

This deal underscores the velocity of mobile and how that speed is affecting long term winners and losers. Many had written off Palm's relevance in the market, which might have been a correct assessment if Palm had ended up elsewhere. But I think Palm found a good home. In addition to Todd Bradley, the former CEO of Palm who now leads HP's Personal Systems Group, there are many Palm alumni at HP. This means that there should be a relatively smooth transition and overall good cultural fit. That's important because time is of the essence -- the market won't wait around for HP to integrate Palm.

Continue reading Entelligence: Meet H/Pre

Entelligence: Meet H/Pre originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 May 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>buyoutcolumncolumnsentelligencehewlett packardhewlett-packardHewlettPackardhpmergerpalmFri, 07 May 2010 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: Technology is fashion and the new fashion is technology]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/30/entelligence-technology-is-fashion-and-the-new-fashion-is-techn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/30/entelligence-technology-is-fashion-and-the-new-fashion-is-techn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/30/entelligence-technology-is-fashion-and-the-new-fashion-is-techn/#commentsEntelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.
I've been a technology industry analyst for some time now, and I can tell you that the benchmark of a great analyst is the quality of the advice you give based on how well you're able to forecast trends. In my tenure, my team hasn't often been wrong. But let me share a secret -- here's one where we totally missed the ball.

A vendor -- who shall remain nameless -- briefed us in the late 90s with the idea of creating a line of PCs targeted at a mass market audience, with a special focus on the female demographic. The idea was to build PCs in a range of and shapes and focus the marketing efforts through places like Cosmo instead of the usual PC magazines. We were asked to evaluate the plan, and without the slightest hesitation I responded that it was the dumbest idea I'd ever listened to -- period. (This is the tact that only an analyst can bring to the table.) I recall saying something to the effect of no user will ever buy a PC because it comes in five delicious flavors. The vendor forgot all about their plans and our analysis proved accurate -- until Steve Jobs and the iMac came along. If I had to put a stake in the ground that's when technology became fashionable.

Continue reading Entelligence: Technology is fashion and the new fashion is technology

Entelligence: Technology is fashion and the new fashion is technology originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Apr 2010 11:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>applecolumncolumnsentelligencefashionimacFri, 30 Apr 2010 11:48:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: Happy 10th birthday, Pocket PC]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/25/entelligence-happy-10th-birthday-pocket-pc/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/25/entelligence-happy-10th-birthday-pocket-pc/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/25/entelligence-happy-10th-birthday-pocket-pc/#commentsEntelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.

Microsoft introduced the world to Pocket PC on April 19th, 2000 at a relatively small gathering in Grand Central Station in New York City. Pocket PC was the company's response to Palm, which at that time was leading the PDA market -- for many geeks, using a personal digital assistant was indeed a public display of affection. I was at the launch event -- in fact, I was even quoted in the press release. Microsoft introduced four devices that day with their partners: the Casio EM500, the HP Jornada 545 & 548, the Symbol Technologies PPT2700, and the Compaq iPAQ. The iPAQ was the flagship of the Pocket PC line and the hottest handheld you could buy at the time: it had a slim form factor with "sleeves" that could be attached to add functionality such as Compact Flash or PCMCIA cards, a "fast" ARM processor and a killer indoor/outdoor screen. Availability was limited and prices on eBay quickly topped $1,000 for the scarce unit.

Continue reading Entelligence: Happy 10th birthday, Pocket PC

Entelligence: Happy 10th birthday, Pocket PC originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 25 Apr 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>columncompaqentelligencehpipaqjornadamicrosoftpdapersonal digital assistantPersonalDigitalAssistantpocket pcPocketPcSun, 25 Apr 2010 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: Think Pink - First take on Microsoft's Kin]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/13/entelligence-think-pink-first-take-on-microsofts-kin/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/13/entelligence-think-pink-first-take-on-microsofts-kin/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/13/entelligence-think-pink-first-take-on-microsofts-kin/#commentsEntelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.
It has been a project shrouded in mystery and speculation that sparked imaginations about just what Microsoft was doing. Its codename was Pink, referring to the premium mobile experience group, and yesterday Microsoft finally revealed its Pink story. It's called Kin and it's pretty impressive. At its heart, Kin is centered around two devices called Kin One and Kin Two. Both the hardware and software were designed by Microsoft, and while Kin is a Microsoft brand, Microsoft is still not getting into the phone business. Built in conjunction with carrier partner Verizon, Pink is an extension of the company's mobile strategy, something that complements and co-exists with its larger ambitions with Windows Phone 7.

In many ways, Kin is the extension and spiritual descendant of the Sidekick (which was a product of Danger, founded by the father of Android, Andy Rubin, and later acquired by Microsoft). At its core, the Kin philosophy is guided by the proposition that one size device doesn't fit all, and specific demographics have different mobile needs.

Continue reading Entelligence: Think Pink - First take on Microsoft's Kin

Entelligence: Think Pink - First take on Microsoft's Kin originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Apr 2010 16:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>columneditorialentelligencekinmicrosoftpinkprojectpinkTue, 13 Apr 2010 16:36:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: What can Courier teach the market?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/11/entelligence-what-can-courier-teach-the-market/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/11/entelligence-what-can-courier-teach-the-market/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/11/entelligence-what-can-courier-teach-the-market/#commentsEntelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.

A few months ago, some videos leaked from Microsoft showed a book-like device with two touch screens and a stylus. The user is seen researching, creating and designing content in a manner that looks both intuitive and innovative. Called Courier, the product doesn't (yet) exist beyond the conceptual videos, but it shows Microsoft is thinking in some new ways. Ross Rubin discussed Courier's role for creative professionals last week but I think there's even more at stake here -- I think the concept shows computing models are evolving. Here's what Courier represents to the market:

The pen isn't dead. The pen's been searching for a place in computing for more than a decade. We've seen experiments in all different types of pen computing from the PC to the PDA and the phone. They've all pretty much failed, and today's hot commodity is capacitive touch. Microsoft's Courier video shows how the pen can play a prominent role in the evolution of computing interfaces. While fingers are great for many things, there are tasks better served by the ability to manipulate at the pixel level. Handwriting and the ability to take written notes is one of them. Content creation and painting is another. It's clear Microsoft knows all this -- in addition to Courier, there's the Deskterity project that melds pen and touch on Surface.

Continue reading Entelligence: What can Courier teach the market?

Entelligence: What can Courier teach the market? originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 11 Apr 2010 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>columncourierentelligencemicrosoftpenSun, 11 Apr 2010 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: the iPad as a productivity tool]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/03/entelligence-the-ipad-as-a-productivity-tool/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/03/entelligence-the-ipad-as-a-productivity-tool/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/03/entelligence-the-ipad-as-a-productivity-tool/#commentsEntelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.

When Apple announced the iPad, Steve Jobs positioned it in the space directly between the laptop and phone. That greatly interests me because there are moments in my life where my phone is too small and my laptop too large. While the iPad clearly won't replace my phone anytime soon, my question is: Can it replace my laptop on occasion and serve as a content creation as well as content consumption tool?

A few weeks ago, I deliberately left my laptop at home for a week of heavy business travel. Instead, I relied mostly on three phones: an iPhone, a Pre and an HD2. And now I've been using a production iPad for the four activities that were difficult and uncomfortable on my phone. Here's what I learned.

Continue reading Entelligence: the iPad as a productivity tool

Entelligence: the iPad as a productivity tool originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 03 Apr 2010 12:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>applecolumncolumnsentelligenceipadiworkkeynotenumberspagesproductivitySat, 03 Apr 2010 12:51:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: Mobile multitasking is mostly a myth]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/26/entelligence-mobile-multitasking-is-mostly-a-myth/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/26/entelligence-mobile-multitasking-is-mostly-a-myth/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/26/entelligence-mobile-multitasking-is-mostly-a-myth/#commentsEntelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.

The idea of multitasking on mobile devices has been a hot topic for years. It's been debated since the early days of smartphones, when devices such as the Treo based on Palm OS could not handle more than one task at a time, while handsets based on the Windows Mobile platform had the capability. The issue reached a crescendo with the release of the iPhone (and more recently with the iPad) and lack of multitasking capability for third party apps. This week it's come up once again, with news from MIX10 that Microsoft would not support multitasking for third party apps on Windows Phone 7 Series, at least initially.

Continue reading Entelligence: Mobile multitasking is mostly a myth

Entelligence: Mobile multitasking is mostly a myth originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 18:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>columnentelligencemulti taskmulti taskingMultiTaskMultiTaskingwindows phonewindows phone 7windows phone 7 seriesWindowsPhoneWindowsPhone7WindowsPhone7Serieswpwp7wp7sFri, 26 Mar 2010 18:04:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: Will Surface ever surface?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/18/entelligence-will-surface-ever-surface/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/18/entelligence-will-surface-ever-surface/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/18/entelligence-will-surface-ever-surface/#commentsEntelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." I'd paraphrase Arthur C. Clarke's famous quote for the CE market by saying that any sufficiently advanced new product needs to look like it just came off the Starship Enterprise. I'd say Microsoft Surface was a product that met my definition as well as Clarke's when it launched a few years back -- and it should have changed computing quite a bit. Sadly, I haven't spoken to the Surface team in a long time and it looks like it may never go anywhere in the end.

The Surface concept was great. It was a Windows PC inside a table with a 30" touchscreen on top, and cameras that could sense what's happening on screen. The result is you could use a Surface device just by touching the screen with your finger -- but unlike other large touch screens at the time, Surface was multitouch, so you could use all your fingers at the same time. More importantly, multiple users could engage with each other. It was a PC but didn't look or run like a PC, which was genius -- you'd never know it was running Windows, but there was no development learning curve. It was totally optimized for that big honking touch surface area, and applications that worked with it -- I'm sure it could run Office, but that's not something it's was ever likely to do. Surface was PC evolution happening in real time. It's really something you needed to see up close and in thirty seconds before the light bulb went on. Sadly, most people have never seen or worked with a Surface unit. Beyond a small retail rollout at AT&T stores in NY that seems to have ended, the last time I saw one was the Edelman PR offices, where it sat like a large coffee table and did pretty much nothing.

Continue reading Entelligence: Will Surface ever surface?

Entelligence: Will Surface ever surface? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Mar 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>columncolumnsentelligencemicrosoftmicrosoft surfaceMicrosoftSurfacesurfaceThu, 18 Mar 2010 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: Aiming high or another Mylo?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/09/entelligence-aiming-high-or-another-mylo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/09/entelligence-aiming-high-or-another-mylo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/09/entelligence-aiming-high-or-another-mylo/#commentsEntelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.
We heard a rumor last week that Sony was working on new handhelds to compete with devices like the iPad. It sounds like a great idea: a PSP with integrated telephony and e-book functionality could perhaps give everyone in the market a run for their money. But I'm a little skeptical -- Sony's Clié line once defined state-of-the-art PDA, but the company ceded the market to Palm long before the PDA was eventually reborn as the smartphone. If Sony's seriously thinking about getting back to the handheld space, here's some lessons it might learn from its efforts back in the PDA day.

1. Innovation is great but only when you really innovate. Sony led the market in innovation when it entered the PDA space. It offered the first Palm OS devices with removable storage, the first devices that could play back audio and video, and the first high-resolution color devices. All of these clearly drove the market forward. Then the innovations became less innovative and more "gadgetry." There were 3D interfaces for the launcher that were confusing and awkward. Some devices had Bluetooth support but not others. Devices like the NZ-90 (pictured above) added so many features into the mix that it was big, bloated, and nearly useless.* In short, the innovations became less compelling and eventually stood in the way of. I'm worried that Sony's meshing the type of functionality rumored to be its new device without any thought how it all has to work together.

Continue reading Entelligence: Aiming high or another Mylo?

Entelligence: Aiming high or another Mylo? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cliéclié nz-90clié ux-50CliéNz-90CliéUx-50clieclie nz-90clie ux-50ClieNz-90ClieUx-50columncolumnsentelligencenz-90palm osPalmOssonyux 50ux-50Ux50Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:23:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: Windows Phone 7 Series]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/26/entelligence-windows-phone-7-series/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/26/entelligence-windows-phone-7-series/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/26/entelligence-windows-phone-7-series/#commentsEntelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.
It's been a rough year for Microsoft in mobile. Despite the launch of impressive products such as the HTC HD2, the company has faced some harsh criticism: "except for gaming, it's 'game over' for Microsoft in the consumer market" was just one of the choicer comments from the past year. Personally, I'd disagree, and I'd actually argue that Windows Mobile 6.5 is underrated in the mobile arena -- almost as much as Android is overrated. But no matter. Whether last year's mobile platforms are good enough or not is irrelevant; no platform from 2009 is good enough for 2010 and beyond, and every mobile platform will need to evolve this year. Last week in Barcelona, we saw the first part of Microsoft's revamped mobile strategy, and while there are many questions that will need to be answered, there's a lot to like about what we saw.

First, it's important to look at the velocity of the mobile space. The tech industry is largely governed by Moore's Law, which predicts a doubling of semi-conductor density roughly every eighteen months, but the mobile space is moving at a rate of change that's closer to every eighteen minutes. What happened yesterday simply doesn't matter nearly as much as it once might have. Just look at two of the hottest companies in mobile, Apple and Google. Just a few years ago, neither would have been part of the conversation, much less at the center of it.

Continue reading Entelligence: Windows Phone 7 Series

Entelligence: Windows Phone 7 Series originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>columnentelligencemicrosoftwindows mobilewindows phonewindows phone 7windows phone 7 seriesWindowsMobileWindowsPhoneWindowsPhone7WindowsPhone7SeriesFri, 26 Feb 2010 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: Two DVR features I'm waiting for]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/19/entelligence-two-dvr-features-i-m-waiting-for/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/19/entelligence-two-dvr-features-i-m-waiting-for/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/19/entelligence-two-dvr-features-i-m-waiting-for/#commentsEntelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.

I love DVRs. I have been using them for over a decade, and my original model is still in use. Whether it's a PC-based solution, something that comes from your cable provider or the granddaddy of all DVRs, TiVo, a DVR totally changes the way you watch TV, especially if you don't like watching a lot of TV but care a lot about the TV that you do watch.

Last week TiVo sent out word of an event coming in March with a mysterious tagline. Even as good as my current TiVo Series 3 is, it could even be better, and while we speculate about what TiVo will announce, there's two features I'd like to see.

Continue reading Entelligence: Two DVR features I'm waiting for

Entelligence: Two DVR features I'm waiting for originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Feb 2010 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>columndvrentelligenceseason passSeasonPasssubscriptionTiVoFri, 19 Feb 2010 17:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: Another view of Microsoft's creative destruction]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/09/entelligence-another-view-on-microsoft-s-creative-destruction/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/09/entelligence-another-view-on-microsoft-s-creative-destruction/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/09/entelligence-another-view-on-microsoft-s-creative-destruction/#commentsEntelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.

Last week, the New York Times ran an op-ed piece by former Microsoft executive Dick Brass, in which he took the company to task on many issues. Brass was a VP at Microsoft who left in 2004, and prior to his departure he worked on various projects from e-books and ClearType to the Tablet PC. I've met Dick through the years and he's a super smart guy, but I'm not sure I agree with everything he wrote in his op-ed. Dick argues that internal politics and unwillingness to do "risky" hardware have led Microsoft away from innovation. Clearly, Dick has a much better view regarding Microsoft's internal politics than I do, but some of the examples that he uses to bolster his argument are a little off base, at least in my opinion.

Dick cites Clear Type, Tablet and Mobile as examples of innovative products that Microsoft managed to somehow bungle due to internal politics, and says that Xbox is at "at best an equal contender in the game console business." Let's examine those claims.

Continue reading Entelligence: Another view of Microsoft's creative destruction

Entelligence: Another view of Microsoft's creative destruction originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cleartypecolumndick brassDickBrasse-bookentelligenceinnovationmicrosoftonenotetablet pcTabletPcxboxxbox 360Xbox360Tue, 09 Feb 2010 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: Context is the killer application for mobile]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/07/entelligence-context-is-the-killer-application-for-mobile/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/07/entelligence-context-is-the-killer-application-for-mobile/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/07/entelligence-context-is-the-killer-application-for-mobile/#commentsEntelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.

We live in a world of diverse mobile devices. Laptops, smartphones and everything in between define the mobile experience of the 21st century. But what is the killer application for mobile computing? We all know the theory of killer apps -- they're the reason and the purpose people invest in new devices. The killer app in the early days of PCs was the VisiCalc spreadsheet. PageMaker and the creation of desktop publishing were the killer apps for the GUI-based PC, most notably the Macintosh. But for mobile, it's not as clear; some people think the killer app for mobile is email, while other say it's the mobile web. Personally, I don't think there's one specific killer application -- I think the killer app for mobile is simply context.

Continue reading Entelligence: Context is the killer application for mobile

Entelligence: Context is the killer application for mobile originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 07 Feb 2010 15:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>columncolumnsentelligencemobilemobile devicesMobileDevicesSun, 07 Feb 2010 15:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: Lessons from the iPad launch]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/31/entelligence-lessons-from-the-ipad-launch/http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/31/entelligence-lessons-from-the-ipad-launch/http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/31/entelligence-lessons-from-the-ipad-launch/#comments
Entelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.

It was quite the week for Apple, first with its best-ever earnings and then the launch of the iPad. While Apple didn't create this category of device, it did answer the fundamental question of why this form factor needs to exist. The meta lesson is that the story told is as important as the hardware, software and services being sold -- and while everyone may not be convinced, I do think Apple will win over the majority of a skeptical audience with high expectations. But there's also four important lessons that Apple taught the market this week, as it enters a space that's been mostly a failure.

1. Define what your product does. The first thing Apple did was answer that question immediately and then define what the product needed to do. Apple explained what capabilities need to be in the this class of device and then went on to show how each of those features not only worked but were optimized for the iPad. That's something we've seen lacking in this category to date.

2. Leverage what you've done before. I believe the iPad is likely to do well with consumers as it leverages Apple's previous successes with the iPod and the iPhone. At the base level, that's compatibility and synchronization with iTunes as well as backward compatibility with existing applications. That's important -- as a user I can use my existing content library and my application collection. It also means that iPad has 140,000-plus applications at launch. But it's more than that. Apple is not only leveraging its ecosystem of devices and software, it's leveraging the lessons it spent a decade teaching consumers. Apple taught its market about MP3 players, digital music, smartphones, capacitive multitouch screens and mobile apps. It can now go directly to selling the form factor, as well as new features such as productivity and e-books.

Continue reading Entelligence: Lessons from the iPad launch

Entelligence: Lessons from the iPad launch originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 31 Jan 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appleapple ipadapple tabletAppleIpadAppleTabletcolumncolumnsentelligenceipadtabletSun, 31 Jan 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: Here's what I want in my next phone]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/21/entelligence-heres-what-i-want-in-my-next-phone/http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/21/entelligence-heres-what-i-want-in-my-next-phone/http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/21/entelligence-heres-what-i-want-in-my-next-phone/#commentsEntelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.
By my last count, I regularly carry as many as five different devices in my bag, with lots of overlapping functions. But I seldom want to carry more than two, and one of those is always going to be a phone. As good as today's phones are, however, I'm still left wanting. I use of a lot of different phones in the course of my work and while the perfect device still doesn't exist for me, we're getting very close. Here's what I'd like to see in my next phone -- and I'd like it this year, please.

First, the table stakes. It's got have a great voice capability -- I want to make crystal clear calls and never drop them. It's also go to have perfect contact and calendar features, a modern web browser, and an email client optimized for both Exchange and Gmail. Of course, a robust set of third party applications are a must, including a good RSS reader that syncs to Google Reader and a great version of Tetris.

Continue reading Entelligence: Here's what I want in my next phone

Entelligence: Here's what I want in my next phone originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jan 2010 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>columncolumnsentelligencephonephonesThu, 21 Jan 2010 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: 'Don't be evil' isn't the basis for a relationship]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/15/entelligence-dont-be-evil-isnt-the-basis-for-a-relationship/http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/15/entelligence-dont-be-evil-isnt-the-basis-for-a-relationship/http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/15/entelligence-dont-be-evil-isnt-the-basis-for-a-relationship/#commentsEntelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.
After a weeks of speculation, leaks, confirmation and a sneak peek from my colleagues here at Engadget, Google finally told the story of the Nexus One. The Nexus One is the latest and greatest Android device, with a bit of a twist. The Nexus One is available without contract and unlocked directly from Google for $530, as well as subsidized from T-Mobile on a two-year contract for $179. Even with T-Mobile service, the device is only available from Google. Interesting, but hardly the groundbreaking business model that was expected as soon as the words "Google phone" began to make the rounds.

As nice as the Nexus One is -- and in my opinion it's the nicest Android device on the market -- it makes me wonder what Google's up to with Android and why it's even in the mobile OS business, let alone selling phones directly to consumers. I'd ask the same about Chrome and Chrome OS as well. Android is particularly puzzling, however: Google licenses it for free and it's turned up on some rather interesting devices, but none of those devices have helped build out an ecosystem. Many of them are proprietary and Android is rapidly becoming fragmented -- the Archos5 Internet Tablet, for example, can't make official use of the Android marketplace. But nothing is as strange as Google getting into the hardware business directly and selling devices, albeit unlocked and unsubsidized ones, directly to consumers.

Continue reading Entelligence: 'Don't be evil' isn't the basis for a relationship

Entelligence: 'Don't be evil' isn't the basis for a relationship originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 Jan 2010 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidchromechrome osChromeOscolumncolumnsentelligencefeaturedfeaturesgoogleFri, 15 Jan 2010 11:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: Gartenberg's best of 2009 in personal tech]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/31/entelligence-gartenbergs-best-of-2009-in-personal-tech/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/31/entelligence-gartenbergs-best-of-2009-in-personal-tech/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/31/entelligence-gartenbergs-best-of-2009-in-personal-tech/#commentsEntelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.

As the year comes to a close, it seems appropriate to cast my vote for the best (and some of the worst) gadgets I've seen. These are my personal choices for products that I felt were best of breed and really managed to differentiate themselves (or didn't at all). In no particular order, here are my picks and pans.

Best Phones: This was a tricky category, and I'm not breaking it down into different segments. This is just the best on the market in my opinion -- no matter how smart it was considered to be, or how well it did in school.
  • iPhone 3GS. It was a simple choice. Take the coolest phones on the market, bump up the memory and make it twice as fast. Add in some new features like a digital compass and toss in an ecosystem of 100,000+ apps. Sure, it's still locked to AT&T but the iPhone is still the phone that many others aspire to be.
  • Palm Pre. At this point last year many had written Palm off entirely. Instead of fading away, Palm came back on strong with webOS, a new way of integrating diverse content called Synergy and two devices launched across the globe. Along the way, the Pre garnered much mindshare from consumers, and Palm showed that you don't need to clone the iPhone to drive the state of the art forward.
  • HTC HD2. When Microsoft released Windows Mobile 6.5, there was a chorus of groans about more of the same. HTC took up the challenge and proved that there was more to Windows Mobile than slow devices and resistive screens. The HD2 takes Windows Mobile to places never seen before with a capacitive touch screen, a Snapdragon processor and HTC-created extensions that make multi-touch work the HD2's gorgeous 4.3-inch display. Wrap it all up in HTC's Sense UI and you've got the best Windows Mobile device on the market today.

Continue reading Entelligence: Gartenberg's best of 2009 in personal tech

Entelligence: Gartenberg's best of 2009 in personal tech originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 Dec 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>columncolumnsentelligencefeaturedfeaturesgartenbergs picksGartenbergsPicksThu, 31 Dec 2009 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: iSlate or just uWish?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/28/entelligence-islate-or-just-uwish/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/28/entelligence-islate-or-just-uwish/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/28/entelligence-islate-or-just-uwish/#commentsEntelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.
Harry McCracken has a great post on Technologizer reviewing the tremendous buzz around the iPhone right before it launched -- it was about three years ago at this time that rumors were swirling around Apple getting into the phone market. All sorts of predictions had been made for years, dating back to a 2002 New York Times piece in which John Markoff said "Mr. Jobs means to take Apple back to the land of the handhelds, but this time with a device that would combine elements of a cellphone and a Palm -like personal digital assistant." Of course, it took until 2007 for Apple to announce the iPhone and nearly six months longer for Apple to actually ship it.

The rumors of Apple doing a phone back then were at about the same fever pitch of the recent Apple tablet rumors. Like the iPhone, the tablet rumors aren't at all new -- in this case we can go back to 2003 for some of the earliest stories about this mythical device. Will Apple introduce a tablet in 2010, as some predict? Will there be in an introduction in January? What features might it have, and how could it be sold and positioned? I'm not going to speculate on those things for two reasons: first, if I don't know, my guess is as good as yours -- and second, if I do know, I probably couldn't tell you anything, could I? Having said that, I find it remarkable that the latest tablet buzz so closely echoes the run-up to the iPhone. Call it déjà vu all over again.

Continue reading Entelligence: iSlate or just uWish?

Entelligence: iSlate or just uWish? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 Dec 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appleapple tabletAppleTabletcolumncolumnsentelligencefeaturedfeaturesislaterumorrumorstabletMon, 28 Dec 2009 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: A Google Phone could be the death of Android]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/15/entelligence-a-google-phone-could-be-the-death-of-android/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/15/entelligence-a-google-phone-could-be-the-death-of-android/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/15/entelligence-a-google-phone-could-be-the-death-of-android/#commentsEntelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.


Without a doubt, the big buzz since the weekend has been over the "Google Phone," an HTC-built device called the Nexus One handed out to Google employees last week in what Google describes as a "mobile lab." Confirmed to be running Android 2.1, the Nexus One has once again raised the idea of Google selling unlocked devices directly to consumers. (Google has been selling unlocked HTC Android phones for some time, but only to developers.)

It would be a strange turnabout if Mountain View made this move, directly going in the face of previous assurances that Google had no plans to compete directly with Android hardware manufacturers. What's more, there are a lot of unanswered questions here.

Continue reading Entelligence: A Google Phone could be the death of Android

Entelligence: A Google Phone could be the death of Android originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Dec 2009 18:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.1Android2.1columncolumnsentelligencefeaturedfeaturesgooglegoogle phoneGooglePhonehtcnexusnexus oneNexusOneTue, 15 Dec 2009 18:04:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: Lessons from the CrunchPad]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/#commentsEntelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.
Last weekend, Nilay Patel did a great overview of the murky legal issues surrounding the mysterious CrunchPad -- now coming to market direct from developer Fusion Garage as the $499 Joojoo. While I won't get into the swirling controversy, I think there's a few important lessons to be learned from this great gadget debacle.

First, smart vendors under-promise and over-deliver. The hype and buzz around the CrunchPad were off the charts from day one. Everything from the delivery schedule to the initial price points were unrealistic, made moreso by continued promises to publicly show the prototype and targeted price points that kept rising with each announcement. Keep it low-key and simple -- then surprise and delight your customers with early ship dates and lower than expected prices. Too much promise with no delivery is the classic recipe for having a product get tagged vaporware. Always good to remember, "Whom gods destroy, they first make humble."

Continue reading Entelligence: Lessons from the CrunchPad

Entelligence: Lessons from the CrunchPad originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Dec 2009 18:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>columncolumnscrunchpadentelligencefeaturedfeaturesjoojootabletThu, 10 Dec 2009 18:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: What's the future of Nokia?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/entelligence-whats-the-future-of-nokia/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/entelligence-whats-the-future-of-nokia/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/entelligence-whats-the-future-of-nokia/#commentsEntelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.

It's the largest cell phone maker in the world, with the largest share of any smartphone vendor in the world. Yet I increasingly look at Nokia's products and listen to its strategy wondering if the company can remain relevant in a mobile world that's changed drastically over the last two years. I'm not talking about a Nokia deathwatch, or whether the company will remain in business -- that's foolish. Of course Nokia is going to stick around; it's what it's going to look like that concerns me. A future of selling low-end phones into emerging markets with some minor services might be profitable, but it's not a direction that leads to industry relevance or influence.

First, I'm confused by Nokia's platform strategy. There's been a lot of chatter about Maemo being the future, and while it might be a strategic direction, it's nowhere near ready for primetime now. Chris Ziegler suggested to me the other day that "Maemo 6 (or 7) in an X6 form factor with a more cohesive Ovi strategy could be killer." Perhaps, but right now Maemo feels very immature and unfinished. In fact, it feels like what it is: an OS designed for Nokia's Internet Tablet MIDs. On a phone like the N900 it's just too kludgey for the mainstream market. That leaves Symbian-based S60, which was totally innovative in 2002 but now looks creaky and has fragmented into multiple versions, leaving a very confused developer market. Sure, Nokia supports Flash and Silverlight with Qt somehow tying all this diversity into some unified grand theory, but it's enough complexity to make most developers look elsewhere -- and that's exactly what's happened. Without a clear platform strategy, it's going to be difficult for Nokia to get the developer mindshare required to stay relevant to the mass market.

Continue reading Entelligence: What's the future of Nokia?

Entelligence: What's the future of Nokia? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>columncolumnsentelligencefeaturedfeaturesnokiaTue, 01 Dec 2009 17:46:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: Black Friday]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/entelligence-black-friday/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/entelligence-black-friday/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/entelligence-black-friday/#commentsEntelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.
Black Friday is nearly here with a legion of new gadgets, devices and products all designed to seduce you with technology. Thousands of gadgets are released each year promising to enhance our lives, increase productivity and deliver a sound ROI. Often, however, it seems that many products are released before they're ready for the mainstream and any positives are negated by poor design, buggy code, or just being too far off the curve. This is the pitfall of the early adopter, but remembering Gartenberg's First Law of Consumer Electronics can help avoid some of this pain when you're doing your holiday shopping.

Remember Gartenberg's Three Laws? We're only interested in the First Law today: "There is a worldwide market of 50,000 for anything." Unless you are part of this group of 50,000 -- namely folks that install operating systems on a Sunday afternoon as a form of social entertainment -- you need to look beyond technology for the sake of technology and see if what you're about to purchase meets the three criteria below. If it doesn't, you might want to wait for version 3.0.

Continue reading Entelligence: Black Friday

Entelligence: Black Friday originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>black FridayBlackFridaycolumncolumnsentelligencefeaturedfeaturesWed, 25 Nov 2009 18:45:00 EST