The potential of unencumbered communication between people, real people, was mind blowing. In those days we had “long distance calls” – you had to pay per minute to reach people outside of the arbitrarily placed boundaries (they were intentional, but created as a toll by telcos). This meant you really only called people that weren’t in your city when there was some sense of urgency, or you had business reasons.

Along comes the web, which gave those that cared to learn how, the ability to publish anything we wanted to – for anyone on earth to read. The history of the web is covered well elsewhere so I’ll spare you that rollercoaster. At the time, say 1995, big news media and publishers controlled the narrative, and people were simply one-way consumers – reading magazines, newspapers, and watching TV as the sole sources of information inputs. There were exceptions of course (the BBS, Usenet, FidoNet, Compuserve, AOL, etc.) but most people didn’t know about them.

The sense of wonder and possibility that accompanied this new Information Age has materialized in my world in the form of technology startups. I use the term startup, though it’s not really the best descriptor. It’s more like tests, or more commonly MVPs: I have an idea for a thing, dissect it, build it, then let a few people use it and see what happens. If there’s enough interest, I’ll add a revenue model and test/iterate.

By the way, this is a terrible approach for most founders and will result in a lot of lost sleep and relationships. If you’re looking for the quickest path to MVP, please pick up the Startup Owners Manual and read every page. I do not recommend the “build it and they will come” approach.

I digress. I’ve been reflecting on this ability to make things quickly quite a bit lately. It feels a little like a superpower. I can take something that exists as a simple idea to the computer screen in all of its glory. It may be ugly, but it will work. There’s a term in web development called “full stack” which means front end (browser/client side using HTML/CSS/Javascript etc.) and back end (server side databases/scripting languages, etc.). Today most people are trained (or choose) to specialize in one or the other. There are technical and non-technical founders, single founders in search of co-founders to fill some gap or even help formulate the idea itself.

I’ve been working on a few ideas and will present them here for your scrutiny and feedback. With the launch of Apple’s Vision Pro, one of these ideas has been occupying more time in my brain than it has in a while. It may be the first to materialize… it’s a new take on the web in 3D with no changes required to the web itself. It works with existing websites and infrastructure. More on that soon.

How about you? What’s your superpower?

Here are the qualifications:

1) You’ve used Apple’s latest iCloud release on the web, desktop, and iOS. That is to say that you have used the latest releases of every iCloud software on web, iOS, and desktop. Note, if you use Windows on the desktop, this does not apply to you at all because the desktop version of iCloud isn’t made for Windows.

2) You’ve recently used Google’s “documents” in any of its forms on the web, and in an iOS app (iPad Pro hopefully). Mostly the latter, because it’s my pain-point. Like, command keys don’t work as expected.

3) You’ve recently used the Microsoft 365 suite, desktop, web, and mobile, all the latest releases.

I don’t store files locally on my computer, so everything must be available on the cloud. My laptop could die, and I wouldn’t miss a beat. That means the interaction with the appropriate web/desktop/iOS filesystems needs to perform, too.

If you match all three qualifications, here is my question: Is there any reason what so ever to continue to suffer through the Google products on iOS (web is fine, but not even close in features) in order to share a few files with people every now and then on the web. When I work on IOS, I dread my documents scenario (Docs/Sheets/Presentation) because the web interfaces on iOS are terrible, and the native iOS apps appear to be calling it in (they don’t feel like they have a product owner that cares).

In my opinion, both iCloud and Microsoft’s iOS products are superior to Google’s in every way imaginable. The reason I’m not 100% sold on Microsoft is that I have a split scenario right now where about 75% of my stuff is on Google’s cloud, and the other 25% is in iCloud. There is very, very little in Office 365.

Remember, there are three qualifications here before you comment. If you don’t qualify, and you comment, it’ll be like you explaining to me how easy it is to write code, having never written a line yourself.

Comments? Thank you!

For as long as we can all remember, web development has been done on a laptop or a desktop computer. It’s an obvious choice given the power and screen sizes available. The late, great Steve Jobs posited that PCs were more like trucks, used for production, and that tablets were more like cars, aimed at consumers.

While that was certainly the case early on, it’s definitely changed. And yes Windows fans, Windows 10 and Surface have made this possible for a long while. You’re right. But, remember, this isn’t about you. The post is entitled “Can the iPad Pro replace a laptop for developers?”

First things first: the 12.9-inch iPad Pro.

While the 9.7-inch iPad Pro will work, this post specifically covers the 12.9-inch version. The difference in screen size is noticeable, and while you can, I think it will be too much of a stretch to use the smaller screen for full-time work. If the apps are written to take advantage of the 12.9-inch screen, it’s a perfectly comfortable experience.

For web development, storage/size shouldn’t be an issue. There is no local server software, well, none that provides enough value to suffer through the hoops and the lock-in (where you have to use their IDE, for example). Most of your files will be stored “in the cloud” on services like Google Drive (now G-Suite), DropBox, and Github, or on remote servers like Digital Ocean.

My setup starts with the 128GB iPad Pro, 12.9-inch with AT&T LTE. Apple has since released a 256GB version that’s also faster. If you’re interested in using the iPad Pro, you’re likely using it for it’s size and portability. LTE is a fantastic feature, and in my opinion should weigh higher than storage in the decision making process. I have the original unlimited LTE plan that was available with the first iPad. It’s quite a dream to have data wherever, and whenever I need it. Sure, a MacBook Pro can tether, but while that seems simple, built-in is much, much better.

The keyboard I chose is the Logitech Create Backlit Keyboard Case with Smart Connector. I chose it because it has a hard black protective shell, a backlit keyboard, and allows me to work with a screen angle similar to that of a laptop. The 9.7-inch version has a special Apple Pencil holder, which would have been nice. This case, however, doesn’t accommodate the Pencil. While outside of the scope of development, the Pencil is an instrumental tool, too.

The feel of the keyboard is very similar to a MacBook Pro. There are some things to get used to… like there’s no ESC or FN key. Beware, the connector sometimes loses contact and causes the onscreen keyboard to appear if you’re on an uneven or unstable surface. Those nits aside, it’s a very pleasant experience and I highly recommend it.

In summary, the iPad Pro is really is a nice, light, compact and fast machine. The brightness is never a problem, and the battery life is a good 8 to 10 hours. The portability itself is freeing.

That’s it for the hardware. We’ll talk about the software in the next post.

The other day I posted a pic to Twitter. This was a snapshot pic of my son, sitting in front of our 65″ plasma screen (no, it wasn't even close to $9k) playing a computer game. My son will never know that playing computer games on that screen just isn't “normal.” We don't watch traditional “TV,” instead everything we watch is delivered through the internet, on DVD/Blu-ray, or on our AppleTV. Back to the picture… close to 1,000 people were able to see the pic, a pic I took with my phone – instantly. Remember having to download images to your computer before using them? Or, if you're old enough, dropping off film rolls to be developed? Yikes.

There are things in our lives, things we use every day that just a few short years ago didn't exist. We didn't perceive a need for them, or they just simply weren't possible. These are the same things that many people relentlessly complain about of course – forgetting how amazing the technology really is. Here's a quick example: “the iPad doesn't have a camera, or USB ports.” Really?

As you move though your day, give each piece of technology in your lives a few seconds of respect. No, technology isn't perfect, and no it's not always obvious. But the stuff we have today is amazing, and it's just going to get better.

What do you see that is just amazing?

I remembered hearing that Apple's market cap ($192.64B) was close to that of Google ($198.24B) but after some investigation I found something even more interesting. How does Apple's market cap compare to that of other leading companies – the companies that have major mindshare?

Take Dell for example, whose market cap is about $28.53B. Or Hewlett Packard at $123.72B, and Acer at US$8B. Throw in Ford (yes, that Ford) at $33.6B and General Motors at $3.06B. These are all companies that just about every American recognizes as huge companies.

But what if you add them all up? You get a combined market cap that equals (+/- $1B) Apple's current market cap.

Having an iTunes link to the podcast helps if a) you have iTunes installed, and b) if you go ahead and subscribe to the podcast, click the (I) icon, and write down (no, Apple won't let you copy the text) the URL of the original feed. There are reasons Apple wants to prevent you from having the original URL, but we'll save that for another post.

itunesFeedExtractor is written to be run from the command line on a unix like operating system. It requires a command line PHP engine and should run on PHP 4 or 5. You'll also need curl installed.

The PHP script takes am iTunes viewPodcast URL as an argument, and will output the original feed URL.

Here's an example:

php ./itunesFeedExtractor.php http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=338395203

will output:

http://feeds.feedburner.com/blipcasts

Before you ask why it won't take a simple ID as the argument, a copy and paste of the entire URL is actually faster for me. This was written for me after all.

If you run a Linux machine or other OS and don't have iTunes installed, you can still enjoy the podcasts contained “only” in the iTunes Music Store. Just run thisitunesFeedExtractor and use the URL you get back in your favorite podcatcher.

If you make changes to this code, by all means submit a DIFF back to me. I'll be happy to include your changes.

Download itunesFeedExtractor here: itunesFeedExtractor

—
About Callisto.fm

For Listeners: Callisto.fm is the best way to discover and listen to podcasts! No special software or set-up is necessary to get started! Just select a channel and click “play!”

For Podcasters: Our mission is to introduce your shows to a new audience. Sign up today and let us know where to find your content. Help us build something amazing, and we might just change the future of podcasting, together!

This is my rebuttal to each of his five parts.

1. Destroying MP3 player innovation through anti-competitive practices.

The Zune Marketplace and the Zune software will only work with Windows. Microsoft did exactly as Jason said, and created something that only Windows users can enjoy. As a Mac user, I'm locked out of the Zune and can't participate – even if I wanted to. Apple iTunes software on Windows works to allow Windows users to enjoy their iPods and iPhones as equals to the Mac platform.

Apple built the entire iTunes ecosystem from scratch, against all odds. Apple was able to convince the major labels to allow legal downloads, with copy protection, where others had failed. Without Apple, and those early days, who knows where we'd be with downloads. The fact that most music stores (including iTunes) sell DRM free songs today is directly attributable to Apple and their stronghold over DRM'd music. Without it, Amazon would never have been able to convince the majors to let them sell DRM free content in an effort to re-level the playing field with Apple.

2. Monopolistic practices in telecommunications.

Apple's iPhone is available to users of AT&T's service, exclusively, in the US. Step away from the US, and what carriers is the iPhone available with? If you want the exclusive to end with AT&T, give Apple a reason not to renew. Convince everyone you know to leave the iPhone behind and switch to something better (or worse for that matter). When people leave the network, Apple too will leave AT&T in the US.

The fact of the matter is that Apple's total control over the device is the envy of every handset maker on the planet. It has changed the game.

3. Draconian App Store policies that are, frankly, insulting.

Jason, step back for a second and put yourself in Apple's place. One day, someone inside Apple went out on a limb and suggested that Apple create an interface for buying Apps directly from the phone, and from within iTunes. Someone agreed, and so it started. They planned, pitched, planned, wrote code, and so on until it went live.

Do you think for a second that the infrastructure they planned took in to account the demand they've seen for the App store? If they'd known that there would be over 50,000 Apps, and more than a billion downloads in the first year, don't you think they would have done a few things differently? Apple created something so amazing and so well adopted that they're having a hard time. They're figuring it all out along the way. Give me one example of another company that got something this large right the first time.

Ultimately developers will deal with this as long as they can write an App over a weekend, submit it to the store, and make $100,000 in a week. There is no other App store in existence that can even come close to those numbers. And before you scream “stronghold” understand that Apple only has 10.8% of the mobile phone market. Apple controls 100% of the Apps on 10.8% of the phones in the market. That's far from a monopoly.

Give it time, it's only been a year.. That scale and growth is unprecedented in history.

4. Being a horrible hypocrite by banning other browsers on the iPhone.

Apple's entire brand is built on reliability and trust by the consumer. Think of the irony of your earlier statement as it relates to number four: “It sucked to have to buy anti-virus software and reinstall Windows every 12 months, so moving to Apple's rock-solid and virus-free OS was, in a word, delightful.” If Apple allows programs that were able to execute their own code on the iPhone, Apple would lose the ability to control said code. If that happens, the risk of malicious code exploits increases dramatically. I for one, don't want a phone that's as susceptible to malware as Windows Mobile and Symbian. Apple's control of the platform protects its users from the very things you left Windows for.

5. Blocking the Google Voice Application on the iPhone.

This one has yet to play out, and I'll admit this is the first action that has truly baffled me. I bought and paid for GV Mobile before it was pulled, and it still works perfectly. Google Voice is a revolutionary product that will eventually rule the voice world – for business users especially. What gets me about this is that Google Voice isn't even a VOIP play, it manually connects two voice lines – leaving AT&T to make money on minutes just as before.

Questions:

1. Do you think Apple would be more, or less, successful if they adopted a more open strategy (i.e. allowing other MP3 players in iTunes)?

Apple's iTunes store would certainly sell more music, but as everyone knows Apple makes money on hardware, not music. Why is it that everyone wants to sneak in to the iTunes ecosystem? Apple built it from scratch as they were the laughing stock of the computer industry. Now that they're insanely successful, everyone wants to just pretend that they somehow deserve to be included. I call BS, and strongly recommend that any hardware vendor that wants to eat in to Apple's market build something better. Use Songbird as a platform and integrate it with Amazon's music store. It's there for the taking.

2. Do you think Apple should face serious antitrust action?

No. Keep government out of business.

3. Do you think Apple's dexterity and competence forgive their bad behavior?

No, but I do believe that the market will let Apple know when their bad behavior has gone overboard. That process may now be starting, but it's way too early to tell. We'll all know when Apple stops breaking sales records across their entire business.

If you'd like to share this post with your friends and colleagues, here's a short URL: http://snurl.com/ph8w4 – thanks!

When I saw the RF-MAB2 on the shelf at Best Buy, I decided to look for reviews at Amazon (using the iPhone and Red Laser). A rep walked up and let me know that Rocketfish is BestBuy's in-house brand of products, so I probably wouldn't find reviews there. I did load the RF-MAB2 Best Buy page, and it was well reviewed (4.5 out of 5, with 10 reviews). I ended up leaving without making the purchase – because I wanted to do a little more research.

The next day I stopped back by and picked them up. I was completely geeked on the way home, like a kid on Christmas day. Yes, that's the way I roll with my technology.

The initial impression of build quality was just OK. The neckband is 100% plastic, so I was a bit put off. The RF-MAB2 is a behind the neck headset, with two triangular ear pieces, about 1.5″ on each side. While I've never been a behind the neck kind of guy, the cool kids seem to like them. They're comfortable enough, so that's become a relative non-issue for me. I'm not a runner and I don't do exercises that jar the body, so I can't say whether or not the RF-MAB2 is good for joggers. I sit in coffee shops and work on a computer.

Setup was as easy as it gets. If you have experience with Bluetooth and pairing there was nothing unusual. If not, the pairing instructions were well done, and clear.

The audio quality is pretty remarkable given how much I paid for the RF-MAB2. Apple wants $10 more for their “premium” wired ear buds, and to that I can safely say these are a much better value. There are 5 sound processor modes, some better for voice, and some better for music. The bass is deep enough, and the highs nice and crisp. Remember this however… I sit in coffee shops and work on a computer. I am NOT an audiophile, but these sound terrific to me.

Call quality seems to be fine. I did a limited test with @torreybelle in a noisy kitchen with a playing 5yr old. If I talk to you on the phone, be sure to comment on the call quality. I'll update the post with feedback.

I was able to listen to podcasts pretty much the entire day with a few hours of idle time, and the battery still had more. The iPhone needed charging before the headphones, as a matter of fact. I can't speak to the battery life under each possible use case, but overall I'm happy with what I've experienced. I'm not on the phone much at all but listen to podcasts like a mad man.

There are some downsides.

As with any Bluetooth Stereo Headset or A2DP device, you have to remember that iPhone 3.0 doesn't support AVCRP. That simply means that you can't use the controls on the device to do things like fast forward and rewind. You can still do those things from the iPhone, and iPhone 3.1 is rumored to have a full AVCRP implementation. Basic controls like answering calls, volume, etc. all work of course.

Getting the RF-MAB2 to pair with the MacBook Pro and the iPhone was no problem. However, switching between the devices was more difficult than it should have been. It works, but needs a little more hand holding than I wanted. Alas, I bought them for the iPhone so that doesn't matter. (Ok, I'll tell you. You have to turn Bluetooth off on the iPhone, then choose the headphone profile on the Mac. Reverse the process to go back to the iPhone.)

All in all, the value and quality of audio you get for $69.99 is pretty amazing. I've been using Bluetooth devices since the 1.0 spec in the 90's, and I'm just elated at how far the products have come. They're not perfect but we're getting really close.

Bottom line? Best Buy has a 30 day return policy, if you don't like them, the risk is theirs. I think you'll really like them. Pick up a pair now at BestBuy.com

In 2006 I had the Cingular 8125, a Windows Mobile based phone that had a completely customizable interface. It took pictures and video, it could do email, SMS, and had a neat slide out keyboard. Let's not forget the swanky stylus! It had Bluetooth, and WIFI too, and that was three years ago. I loaded all kinds of custom ROMs on it, and installed apps like crazy.

So why is the iPhone so great? It's just now getting features that have been in other phones for years, right? Let's take a look.

It was June 29th, 2007, I had been in line for about 15 hours, we camped out of course. I ended up being second in Boulder to get my hands on an iPhone – the line was around the corner and then some. We all had certain expectations of course – it was called the “Jesus Phone” after all. It had it's short comings, no Flash, no GPS, no 3G, the keyboard was weird, and the pricing? Yikes.

Then came July 11, 2008. We got started a little earlier in the evening this time, but I still ended up third line line. Not too bad for a line of hundreds. Again, the iPhone was the next best thing to water, though it still had it's shortcomings. The camera hadn't changed at all, and there was still no video. Turn by turn directions were nowhere to be found, voice dialing, and a decent Bluetooth implementation were missing. Don't forget Copy and Paste. And again I bought it, the white 16GB to be exact.

Then came June 18th, 2009. This time there were two lines: those that had reserved their phones ahead of time, and those that hadn't. I fell in the second line, in third place. I ended up being about 15thish into the store. Sure there are things missing from the iPhone 3Gs, like… SMS groups, Flash, and a “complete” Bluetooth A2DP profile, but you know what I've determined? It doesn't matter. It really doesn't.

I've been asked by many – what is all the hype about? Why are people so passionate about the iPhone. The Blackberry does all of this stuff, and has forever. There's the Palm Pre, and the newer Andriod phones are full of features too.

Let me tell you why I think the iPhone is a popular as it is. It's because all of it's features, the things that make the iPhone what it is, are right beneath the your fingers. Nothing makes this more clear than having my three year old (at the time) pick up my iPhone 2G and scroll through the photos, pinching and zooming away. A day later, he was taking pictures, and playing accelerometer based games. I would have never given him my 8125 (well, I did later as a toy without service).

The iPhone is so great because everything you want to do is right at your finger tips. It's not buried under levels of menus or mouse (nub) clicks away. There is no “start menu” and there's no need for a stylus. Want to take a picture? Touch the Camera. Want to send an SMS? Touch the chat bubble.

But you get far more with the iPhone than a simple phone. You get the internet to your pocket. It gives everyone the ability to keep in touch, have fun, and learn. Anywhere with a wireless signal.

Note: Apple is on the third version of the iPhone software. The software is freely available to all iPhone owners, including those of the original iPhone. This brings lots of features to a three year old phone, including copy and paste, and better performance. Think about it. Apple still releases software for it's first phone giving it new features.

AppleTV is hands down the easiest way to get internet based video to your HDTV. It has outputs for any HDTV, and makes online viewing of TV shows and movies an absolute breeze. You don't need a computer to use it, but if you have one it also acts a lot like an iPod. You can sync your music and movies from your computer to the AppleTV giving you access to tens of thousands of songs with the click of a little white remote. CD changers are so ancient in comparison.

The AppleTV gives you a couple of options for watching movies. First, you can rent movies for between $.99 on sale and $3.99 (for an HD version of a new release). Once you start watching a rented movie, you'll have 24 hours to finish it, or it simply evaporates. If you don't start watching it right away, you'll have 30 days to start, then the same rules apply. The other option is to buy the movie outright, allowing you to watch it entirely on your own schedule. Purchasing movies costs between $4.99 (on sale) and $14.99, depending on the movie. Either way, the movie will sync to your computer giving you the option of watching it there or to move it to an iPod or an iPhone.

Television shows from many major networks are available for purchase through the AppleTV. They're $1.99 per episode, and aren't available for rent. You can buy entire seasons of shows through the iTunes store, just as you can on DVD. Many shows are also available as a subscription – they'll be downloaded automatically as soon as they're available – usually the day after they air on TV.

If that wasn't enough, Apple gives you access to the entire iTunes music store as well. You can buy songs and albums right from your TV – no more trips to the CD store or even to your computer. You can literally click and buy music. Since every song in the iTunes store is now DRM free (you can play it anywhere) there's no reason not to buy from Apple.

All in all, the AppleTV is an amazing device, whether or not you have a computer. If you're going to use it to watch movies and TV shows from the iTunes store, you'll want to have reasonably fast broadband internet access. AppleTV is $224 at Amazon.

The Web

Most popular shows on television are also available through the network's website. It's been a slow transition – just a couple of years ago, very few shows were available online legally making it pretty much impossible to enjoy. A few startups have popped up that make this process ever easier: Hulu for TV shows and a small library of movies, Boxee for movies and other internet based content, and Netflix for thousands of “watch it now” online movies. Other options include Amazon Video On Demand, Crackle, and of course the iTunes store.

There are really two options for getting these kinds of sources to your TV. The first is to simply connect a computer to your TV. Many HDTVs have the most basic connector – the VGA connector – and almost all newer HDTVs have Component and HDMI. Your video card will always support VGA, but may need an adaptor to connect to the other types. Once you've made this connection, watching TV from from website is as simple as going to the site, finding the show, and clicking the “full screen” button.

Finding a PC to connect to your TV can be a challenge. I built my own, but there are many options available to you if you'd prefer to just buy one. There's the Apple Mac Mini for starters, and there are a slew of Home Theater PCs too running Windows of some kind. If you'd like me to help you build one, let me know below and we can work on details and pricing.

Another way to get these shows to your computer is to buy a set top box that was developed for just this purpose. One such box is the Roku Digital Video Player – for just $99, this box connects to your broadband internet and your TV giving you access to Amazon On Demand and Netflix instantly. I've never used a Roku Digital Video Player, but I've never heard anything bad about it by those that have.

Live TV

Every Thursday for the past 5 years, my wife Heather and I have hosted a dinner party we've come to call Survivorhetti (thanks to David Cohen for the name). A group of friends come over for dinner, wine, and dessert. As a part of the evening we watch several TV programs depending on what's in season. Survivor is the focus, but other shows enter and leave the evening. Dollhouse, Eureka, Lost!, and Smallville have all been staples – lately we're trying out Big Bang Theory, and Castle.

Survivor is now the only show where we need some form of “live” TV capability – it airs on Thursdays at 7:00 PM, so we need to be able to record and watch it that night. The DVR (Digital Video Recorder) has made this a non-issue over the past 5 years, but without a cable or satellite DVR recording, live TV takes a little more effort. The solution I implemented turns a computer in to a TV, literally, allowing you to watch broadcast TV in a window.

Set up was simple. I bought the Elgato Systems EyeTV Hybrid TV Tuner Stick from ElGato – an HD TV tuner with great Mac based software for tuning and recording shows. There's a simple hack that allows it to run on a Windows based computer, but if you're only going to run on Windows, get a Windows specific device like the Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-950Q TV Tuner Stick. I bought a really nice antenna as well, the Terk HDTVa Indoor Amplified High-Definition Antenna that lets me tune in to the local HD TV signals.

Summary

As you can see, there are lots of options for watching video on your HDTV without having cable or satellite. There are literally tens of thousands of shows and movies out there. If you can let go of the perceived need for live TV, you can also let go of the $50 to $150 per month fee you're paying for TV. Really, save the money, get Netflix, and start enjoying TV the modern on demand way.

As always, if you have questions or thoughts, comment away. Let's talk.