Michael Gartenberg2008-05-14T13:37:30Ztag:weblogs.jupiterresearch.com,2008:/analysts/gartenberg//15Movable TypeCopyright (c) 2008, Michael GartenbergThe pen is the platform - LiveScribe First Thoughts2008-05-14T13:37:30Z2008-05-14T13:35:41Ztag:weblogs.jupiterresearch.com,2008:/analysts/gartenberg//15.98282008-05-14T13:35:41ZOne of the most compelling uses of a TabletPC comes when you add in the OneNote application. In addition to taking notes, OneNote can also record meetings or lectures and link the audio text with your notes. It’s cool and works really well. The downside is you need a TabletPC...Michael Gartenberg
One of the most compelling uses of a TabletPC comes when you add in the OneNote application. In addition to taking notes, OneNote can also record meetings or lectures and link the audio text with your notes. It’s cool and works really well. The downside is you need a TabletPC and a OneNote.
A new company called LiveScribe just introduced a new digital pen offering called the Pulse that mimics this trick and more. It’s pen computing but not tied to the computer. LiveScribe’s leadership has a history of these devices, their founder designed the popular children’s offering for Leapster. I spent some time with the system last night and I can say, it works really well. The pen is well designed with a nice OLED display to let you know what’s going on. Interaction is entirely with printed materials on special paper. Click on a printed calculator, and the pen displays the results. Click on a Piano keyboard (or draw one) and the pen plays. Click record and the pen records the spoken word and links it to whatever you write. The system works and it works well.
In order to work its magic, like most devices in this category, the Pulse needs special paper printed with microscopic dots so the camera built in the pen can track what’s going on and record it. The unit ships with a large spiral notebook and I was also sent a Moleskin like notebook that was a little more professional in appearance. This is the probably the system’s greatest weakness. No special paper, no digital magic. LiveScribe plans on releasing a template so you can laser print your own paper but at the moment you need to order from them. Worse, each notebook is sequentially numbered and you need to keep using the next notebook in the series or the pen gets confused. LiveScribe promises this will get fixed in the next release.
While there’s plans longer term for more pen applications to emerge (the unit comes with a demo of a translation program, the Piano player app and the calculator) there’s still a lot of value in the core experience. The idea of adding the flexibility of digital note taking along with audio capture without the need of a PC at the time of capture is compelling. The 1 or 2gb of memory on the different models offers more than enough storage. In addition to storing notes on your PC, you can also sign up for a LiveScribe account to share your stuff on the web. LiveScribe offers 250mb of storage of each user, again, adequate enough for most users needs.
While there have been other devices with similar function, none have the small form factor and tight integration with the written and spoken word that LiveScribe has and that makes for a compelling experience. If LiveScribe can evolve the system and fix some of the glitches that plague the first release, there’s a potential mass market product here. While pen computing has failed to capture the current consumer, perhaps the answer to digital pens lies in paper and ink.
I'll be spending more time with the pen over the next few weeks and will keep posting on the experience here. For now, call me impressed.
Off to Nokia2008-05-13T12:48:02Z2008-05-13T12:46:35Ztag:weblogs.jupiterresearch.com,2008:/analysts/gartenberg//15.98212008-05-13T12:46:35ZOff to spends a few days with Nokia, posting will be light. Fortunately for me, this means spending time with them in White Plains, not getting on a plane to Helsinki (although Helsinki is lovely this time of year)...Michael Gartenberg
Off to spends a few days with Nokia, posting will be light. Fortunately for me, this means spending time with them in White Plains, not getting on a plane to Helsinki (although Helsinki is lovely this time of year)
HBO enters iTunes but with varied prices for content2008-05-13T12:46:13Z2008-05-13T12:39:57Ztag:weblogs.jupiterresearch.com,2008:/analysts/gartenberg//15.98202008-05-13T12:39:57ZToday's story in the NY Times is accurate, there is indeed variable pricing in the iTunes Store with the addition of HBO content. It's an interesting twist the iTunes story but not all that surprising. We've already seen signs of this coming. First, new release movies are priced differently from...Michael Gartenberg
Today's story in the NY Times is accurate, there is indeed variable pricing in the iTunes Store with the addition of HBO content.
It's an interesting twist the iTunes story but not all that surprising. We've already seen signs of this coming. First, new release movies are priced differently from back catalog titles and HD rentals cost more than SD ones. For a time, non DRM content also carried a premium. Audiobooks are also priced across the board.
In the end, it's more important for Apple to make sure there's first class content available for consumers who purchase devices as part of the iTunes eco system, including buyers of Apple TV, iPod and iPhone. While uniform pricing made good sense in the early days of the iTunes store to simplify the experience, the reality is some content is worth more than other content, both to the content holders and the consumers. We'll likely see more of these types of deals in the future and Apple's flexibility with HBO bodes well for a return of NBC Universal content in the not too distant future.
Eye-Fi Brings Online Ubiquity to Almost Every Digital Camera2008-05-12T18:15:07Z2008-05-12T17:45:46Ztag:weblogs.jupiterresearch.com,2008:/analysts/gartenberg//15.98192008-05-12T17:45:46ZNew versions of the Eye-Fi hitting the market today. Now available in the original model (at $100) that allows online and local file uploads, the new versions are desktop upload only ($80) and a new model that will work with paid hotspots as well as do geo-tagging as well (for...Michael Gartenberg
New versions of the Eye-Fi hitting the market today. Now available in the original model (at $100) that allows online and local file uploads, the new versions are desktop upload only ($80) and a new model that will work with paid hotspots as well as do geo-tagging as well (for $129).
The original model looks like any 2gb SD card but has an integrated WiFi chip that lets just about any camera that uses SD cards to automatically upload pictures to your PC over WiFi, upload to online photo sites (or both). There's an even an option to allow content to flow directly into iTunes on a Mac.
It's a neat tool that works well, especially for the online connection (a USB cable is going to work much faster to just transfer photos to a PC). Two issues are the fact that WiFi sucks a lot of battery life from your camera and it's an all or nothing proposition. You can't select which files to send over.
Eye is capturing on several important trends. Today’s mobile consumer expects to be connected to the Web seamlessly and ubiquitously. As a result, there's an explosion of non-PC devices that allow people to connect to the Web in unique ways (Kindle is a good example.) The disconnected digital camera has prevented that seamless connection and Eye-Fi is ahead of the curve, allowing better ways for consumers to connect their cameras to the rest of the their online personas.
What's missing? I'd like to see upload to several PCs at the same time and 2GB is a fairly small storage capacity these days (the reason I was told was to keep maximum compatibility, not to mention 16gb of images would take quite a while to upload). Despite that, I like the concept and execution here and I'd expect smart camera vendors to spend more time trying to get their cameras working closer with Eye-Fi.
NBC streaming full episodes to the iPhone2008-05-08T13:48:16Z2008-05-08T13:44:29Ztag:weblogs.jupiterresearch.com,2008:/analysts/gartenberg//15.98102008-05-08T13:44:29ZYou may not be able to see The Office or 30 Rock in the iTunes store but NBC is offering full episodes of the Office and 30 Rock streamed to the iPhone with no commercials. (using Quicktime, since the iPhone currently doesn't support Flash). Just go to NBC.com on your...Michael Gartenberg
You may not be able to see The Office or 30 Rock in the iTunes store but NBC is offering full episodes of the Office and 30 Rock streamed to the iPhone with no commercials. (using Quicktime, since the iPhone currently doesn't support Flash).
Just go to NBC.com on your iPhone and click on the video tab. Bottom line, no matter what differences there me be between Apple and NBC, the iPod/iPhone eco-system is just too important to ignore.
Why Sync?2008-05-06T20:55:12Z2008-05-06T20:54:32Ztag:weblogs.jupiterresearch.com,2008:/analysts/gartenberg//15.98012008-05-06T20:54:32ZGreat post from the Mesh team blog here....Michael Gartenberg
Great post from the Mesh team blog here.
Lenovo IdeaPad U110 - First Thoughts2008-05-06T19:44:59Z2008-05-06T19:44:22Ztag:weblogs.jupiterresearch.com,2008:/analysts/gartenberg//15.98002008-05-06T19:44:22ZFirst announced at CES, Lenovo started taking orders last week on their newest IdeaPad, the U110. I've had the fun of using one for a few days, here's some first impressions. Coming under the IdeaPad brand, not the ThinkPad brand, the U series is targeted at consumers and is the...Michael GartenbergMicrosoft Updates Zune Functionality - First Take2008-05-06T13:07:12Z2008-05-06T13:05:52Ztag:weblogs.jupiterresearch.com,2008:/analysts/gartenberg//15.97982008-05-06T13:05:52ZMicrosoft announced some new Zune features today. First up, the video store will now include downloads of television shows from CCmedy Central, FUNimation Entertainment, MTV, NBC Universal, Nickelodeon, Starz, Turner Broadcasting, Ultimate Fighting Championship and VH1. Shows are 1600 Zune points or $1.99 in the real world. They've also added...Michael Gartenberg
Microsoft announced some new Zune features today. First up, the video store will now include downloads of television shows from CCmedy Central, FUNimation Entertainment, MTV, NBC Universal, Nickelodeon, Starz, Turner Broadcasting, Ultimate Fighting Championship and VH1. Shows are 1600 Zune points or $1.99 in the real world.
They've also added some more features by integrating the Zune community into the core software experience which will make sharing playlists and the like easier (especially for those with a Zune Pass). Also good news is that auto playlists are back (at last) and there's better editing of meta data as well as the ability to sort by genre. These were all missing from the last major Zune update and it's good to see them back.
Overall, these are nice additions to the product and with the addition of NBCs library, Zune now has content differentiated from Apple's iTunes (where NBC pulled their content). Zune still lacks movie rentals as an option and there's a lack of flexibility of the eco system that has long been an Apple strength. Microsoft has yet to provide seamless content flow from screen to screen across the range of devices supported by Microsoft technology. The result is that while Microsoft's latest efforts are compelling, they ultimately fall short of what rival Apple has delivered to the market. Zune remains a fine choice for consumers not looking to embrace Apple technology for whatever reason but Microsoft still has a long way to go before Zune becomes a credible iPod alternative for mainstream consumers.
HTC Touch Diamond - First Take2008-05-06T12:51:10Z2008-05-05T20:26:39Ztag:weblogs.jupiterresearch.com,2008:/analysts/gartenberg//15.97962008-05-05T20:26:39ZHTC released their latest device today called the Touch Diamond and it's looking like a very impressive device indeed. Boasting a 2.8" VGA display (yep, that's VGA) HTC is taking Windows Mobile to new heights. In addition, HTC is pairing the unit with the next generation of its TouchFlo interface,...Michael Gartenberg
HTC released their latest device today called the Touch Diamond and it's looking like a very impressive device indeed. Boasting a 2.8" VGA display (yep, that's VGA) HTC is taking Windows Mobile to new heights. In addition, HTC is pairing the unit with the next generation of its TouchFlo interface, called TouchFLO 3D which is extremely nice. To make it competitive with that other touch screen phone out there, HTC built new browser tech, a YouTube app and added Google Maps as standard. The OS is Windows Mobile 6.1 but HTC has taken the OS to new places that Microsoft has not bothered with. Right now, the Diamond is going to European carriers in June and elsewhere in the world later in the quarter. US launch is planned for 2h of 08 , but I'd expect it to be here well before year end. I should have one here shortly, full review, coming soon.
Analysts and Twitter2008-05-05T19:57:43Z2008-05-05T19:51:47Ztag:weblogs.jupiterresearch.com,2008:/analysts/gartenberg//15.97952008-05-05T19:51:47ZAnother interesting post from Jonny Brentwood who lists the top 49 Twittering analysts. (I'm #6). There's some interesting discussions going on about the role of micro-analysis and how analysts are using these new tools. Like Jeremiah, I also use it as a place to share, a place to chat, a...Michael Gartenberg
Another interesting post from Jonny Brentwood who lists the top 49 Twittering analysts. (I'm #6). There's some interesting discussions going on about the role of micro-analysis and how analysts are using these new tools. Like Jeremiah, I also use it as a place to share, a place to chat, a place to listen and as vehicle for quick analysis as well for driving traffic.
Google Calendar Sync still doesn't2008-04-24T23:19:24Z2008-04-24T23:18:47Ztag:weblogs.jupiterresearch.com,2008:/analysts/gartenberg//15.97572008-04-24T23:18:47ZOmar Shahine says the new and improved Google Calendar Sync still doesn't work right. Anyone else having issues? In a related front I've got the Live Mesh beta installed and it seems to be working pretty well. Syncing about a half gigabyte to the cloud. Cool part, using Parallels to...Michael Gartenberg
Omar Shahine says the new and improved Google Calendar Sync still doesn't work right. Anyone else having issues? In a related front I've got the Live Mesh beta installed and it seems to be working pretty well. Syncing about a half gigabyte to the cloud. Cool part, using Parallels to install Mesh on my MacBook Air. Excellent! Of course, I want a native Mac client as well.
Live Mesh has the vision2008-04-23T14:06:50Z2008-04-23T14:06:12Ztag:weblogs.jupiterresearch.com,2008:/analysts/gartenberg//15.97482008-04-23T14:06:12ZMicrosoft finally took the wraps off Live Mesh and this one's going to be important. It's important because it takes all that information living on multiple devices and screens and allows it flow seamlessly from place to place and device to device. It's a concept we've talked about for a...Michael Gartenberg
Microsoft finally took the wraps off Live Mesh and this one's going to be important. It's important because it takes all that information living on multiple devices and screens and allows it flow seamlessly from place to place and device to device. It's a concept we've talked about for a while (latest report here). I've said before that whoever controls the sync point for content between screens and devices is going be a big winner. Live Mesh has nailed the vision, the challenge is how quickly they can implement this into something real and how many platforms beyond those that Microsoft offers directly they can embrace. I'm going to install the beta in a little bit and report back on how well it performs for the desktop aspects. Good video and demo of Ray Ozzie talking about Live Mesh here. Demo of the Live Mesh app here.
MSN takes on final shot at users from the grave2008-04-23T13:59:55Z2008-04-23T13:59:18Ztag:weblogs.jupiterresearch.com,2008:/analysts/gartenberg//15.97472008-04-23T13:59:18ZIt's been a little while since we've said RIP to MSN Music but now there's a nasty surprise from beyond the grave, where music services go to die. Seems that if you were foolish enough to have purchased songs from MSN Music, after August 30th MSFT will no longer new...Michael Gartenberg
It's been a little while since we've said RIP to MSN Music but now there's a nasty surprise from beyond the grave, where music services go to die. Seems that if you were foolish enough to have purchased songs from MSN Music, after August 30th MSFT will no longer new authorization keys for that music which means that it's now locked onto whatever computers you have it on. If you buy a new PC or need to change or update the operating system, you're simply out of luck. Bad move here... really bad move. This could have (and should have) been handled so many different ways (after all, how many people really bought songs from MSN Music) and Microsoft could have bought some good will instead of what's no doubt going to be said about them today. Hey folks over in Redmond. Give me a call if you'd like to talk about how you can avoid doing stuff like this in the future.
Ok, it does get worse... much worse2008-04-17T00:50:16Z2008-04-16T19:21:52Ztag:weblogs.jupiterresearch.com,2008:/analysts/gartenberg//15.97172008-04-16T19:21:52ZMichael Gartenberg2001 in 20082008-04-16T19:05:42Z2008-04-16T19:06:20Ztag:weblogs.jupiterresearch.com,2008:/analysts/gartenberg//15.97162008-04-16T19:06:20Z I couldn't sleep last night so while I was I decided to watch 2001: a space odyssey which is now 40 years old. I remember seeing this in the theater with my dad when I was a kid and it's held up pretty well over time (although i doubt...Michael Gartenberg
I couldn't sleep last night so while I was I decided to watch 2001: a space odyssey which is now 40 years old. I remember seeing this in the theater with my dad when I was a kid and it's held up pretty well over time (although i doubt I'll be seeing either PanAm or Howard Johnson's as brands in outer space anytime soon).
The movie reminded me of a time when we gazed at the heavens, looked to the stars and said, "Why not?"
I also realized more than one computer around here has the temperament, if not the technology of the HAL 900.