Will Apple redefine the media consumption?

With today's announcement and the launch of Apple Tablet, the most admired hi-tech company is in fact redefining the future of printed media consumption. The new device features a 10-inch display, persistent WiFi and 3G connectivity and will be able to run all applications created for iPhone and iPod Touch. This new launch of Apple may seem as nothing special, but the consumer's willingness to spend money on unlimited data plans, their eagerness to be online wherever and whenever, the pervasiveness of 3G networks and consumption of large data volumes guarantees Apple a significant revenue pipeline. This device is removing such obstacles as too little display area with clumsy, even though high-tech touch control. Here you can instantly switch on a decently sized soft keyboard, and device-specific resizing of web applications is no longer an inevitable evil of content producers.

Speaking about content producers, introduction of this device opens whole new area for big media corporations, to publish newspapers and magazines through Apple's unique channel of iTunes. Some such companies already work on their newspaper versions for the tablet - an example can be New York Times Company. Question is whether this will redefine media consumption - what about a well proven "freemium" applied on daily newspaper, a dream of all big media companies since Internet has eaten their stake? Actually, I see a huge opportunity at least for film industry, much larger than current mobile-based movie consumption. And what about Retailers - I wonder when we'll see the first tablet-optimized e-store - Would it be introduced by Apple's rival on e-reader platform, Amazon? But what would turn the consumers away from getting the same content from the internet for free? I'm a bit suspicious there's much more than just a new tablet reader - I think Apple is going to redefine not only media consumption, but also media creation. Let's see if Apple has something really big - we'll know at least later today and be sure I'll post a blog entry about it here.

For now, see the leaked confirmation of Apple's tablet launch:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxXIrdN6Wsc

Internal Social Networks

There is a nice work done by Leverage Software, the Internal Social Networks - good job, and very valid. Important message lays on slide 21.

Internal Social Network + Employee Interest + Management Support = The Ideal Workplace.

However, there could be hidden issues and traps on the way - what if there is both the management support and employee interest, but the social platform is technically troublesome:

• can't post blog entries
• can't login as there's too many login names & passwords everyone needs to know
• the tools lack major useful features or features have bugs (is really forum, RSS feed and bookmarks enough? Why the forum entries don't preserve formatting?)
  
• there are more SN and Collaboration Platforms and they don't integrate seamlessly
  

In such cases, the employee tries, and after some time automatically rejects the platform. If that's coupled with only partial support and minimal communication across the entire organization, no doubt the Corporate Social Networking is threatened. Some brave warriors still stay, try again and again, but the community is not taking off.

I wish to those brave warriors that they never see this mesage:

Unexpected Exception

Blogs has encountered and logged an unexpected exception.

And, by the way, thanks, Blogger, that your application platform works!

Předposlední jízda

Tak jsem dnes hodil děsnou držku na lyžích, pořád ale nechápu proč. Jel jsem po černý na šumavském Špičáku, je tam takovej buben za kterým se to lomí do neuvěřitelnýho spádu, a já si prostě chtěl zastavit nad ním, odpočinout a prohlédnout terén co mě čeká, když mi vypnula - fakt nevím proč - pravá lyže, a jelikož to byla ta na který jsem měl vetšinu váhy, tak to co následovalo muselo bejt docela dobrý divadlo. Moc si z toho letu nepamatuju, jen že jsem pak jel obličejem po sněhu, potom po ledové plotně a skončil za muldou, nějakých patnáct metrů od vypnuté lyže.

Takže, tohle byla moje předposlední jízda na dovolené, a asi taky předposlední se stávajícími lyžemi - aby bylo jasno, mám je 18 let a projely se mnou všechny možný i nemožný terény - neupravené sjezdovky na Čertovici, na Chopku a na Lomnickém sedle, ledový svahy ve Špindlu i v Peci, rozbředlej jarní firn v Rokytnici, perfektně upravenej manžestr v Rakousku a Itálii, i žleby a skály ve Francii. Stále to šlo, až jsem se tento týden rozhodl že je čas na změnu, i když určitá nostalgie zůstává ...

A které je nahradí? Ještě není na 100% rozhodnuto, ale horkým kandidátem jsou Atomic Nomad Blackeye TI, viz link. Ty staré ale rozhodně nevyhodím, nechám si je - a kdo ví - třeba se ještě budou hodit :-)

Preparing for a slope

These are my cute daughters. While I'm 4000 miles away, they are already eagerly preparing for our winter vacation in mountains, scheduled for February. I really look forward to spend the time with them!

Emotions Always Win !

I hate beggary, and I never give money to beggars. Because the more we give to these, the less would they strive to get a real job, they'll become role models of easy moneymaking to others and the wheel would spin off. So I was recently surprised by myself, that I gave some cash to a guy. Imagine the situation: I just bough a sandwich and was having it as my dinner in a railway station hall, while a man approaches me and starts his pitiful story: "he came to the city with his wife to get his broken leg checked by a doctor, their car was towed, he lost a wallet and now they don't have money - neither to pay the fine and get the car back, or buy a train ticket to get home".

It's quite typical, I know - I hear you saying that. Quite obvious deception which only naive would trust. But the guy was nicely dressed, nothing like that common, dirty and smelly homeless-like look, he had his leg broken and in plaster, and he was very, very polite, used very proper language and promised several times that he'll return the money by sending a check as soon as they get back home (he had obviously no clue that I'm a foreigner). He also said that whatever amount is greatly appreciated, as he'll be closer to his goal (btw, I'm completely sure of this!). I gave him two dollars.

Why? Honestly - I don't know!

Something sub-conscious must have worked, when I now think about it, I realize that it was the whole chain of circumstances which led me to this decision. I was alone in a foreign country for a while, not really in a great mood - rather abandoned, sorrowful and mushy. I was tired from walking the city the whole day, and the only thing I was thinking about was to get to the destination as soon and as quietly as possible. And in this mood, I really felt sorry for the guy - albeit the fact I knew on the spot he fabricated the entire story. There was no "what if it's true" in my mind, I just felt sorry for him, gave him the 2 bucks and sent him away with his blessings. It was pure emotions what worked - no rational thinking in place.

After all, it leads me to a thought that despite some of our principles are concrete-strong, we might sometimes succumb to break them if emotions take their control.