The insatiable consumers of Apple products got their first taste of the Tim Cook era. The hunger for new products extends to the very announcements of their arrival. In the past, we’ve followed live Tweets or blogs (since streaming video isn’t allowed) of each golden word from Steve Jobs about “one more thing”. Entire sites are dedicated to rumors about what may be coming next. I remember the anticipation for the iPad 2 like it was yesterday… or just a few months ago. This would mark the final time that Jobs would speak his passion about his company, the industry and how they’ve all been led by his products. Somehow the hype couldn’t match how amazing this new device was. Similarly, the previous launch of the new iPhone was met with inner cheers from millions of people waiting to get one of their own.

A new CEO, a new iPhone and the hope that “one more thing” was going to blow our minds helped crash some of the most widely watched blogs like CNet.com and Endgadget.com. If you missed it, it’s never too late to get the latest update on why Apple is so, so, so, so, so amazing:

• The new iPhone 4S was announced. The best news about that is we only have 7 more letters until we hit the 4Z and can finally look forward to an iPhone 5.
• Nobody was expecting this but there’s a totally new feature with the phone, Siri. This totally new concept allows you to talk to your phone.
• For those who live life on the crazy side, there’s the “Find my friends” app. Rumored alternate names include:
  • IsMyManCheating
  • MyKidsBetterBeStudying
  • NosyNeighbor
  • TrackMyHo
  • Voyeur’sDelight
  • iPeep
  • OhNoYouDidn’t
  • WhereTFAreYouGoing
• But wait, there’s more. An incredibly innovative new solution will allow you to mail someone a card. No kidding, it even comes with an envelope and postage. Amazing.
• There’s also an upgrade to iTunes, with a brand new solution called iTunes match – which has the sole purpose of charging you $24.99 a year for music you already own.
• Probably the most ground-breaking announcement, in my humble opinion, is the new Watch feature for your iPod Nano. This particular advancement allows you to tell time no matter where you are, just by looking at your iPod Nano.

So, so, so, so, so what. We may all be infatuated with Apple and all it’s new announcements but I did a little research and discovered some disturbing things about these “new” features:

• The iPhone 4S looks identical to its predecessor. By plunking down a minimum of $200 you can have a phone that nobody will be able to see the difference.
• The ability to talk to a phone is actually old technology. Alexander Graham Bell made the first phone call in 1876.
• “Find My Friends” is not a new concept by any means. In fact, Mr. Bell’s first phone call was “Mr. Watson–come here–I want to see you.”
• Mail was not invented by Apple. In fact, it’s widely believed to have been started around 550BC by the Persian King Cyrus the Great.
• Paying for things you already own is also not a new concept. In fact, George Lucas was the first to do this. By the way, you can purchase the entire Star Wars series again on Blu-Ray RIGHT NOW.
• Of course a watch is probably the oldest technology of the bunch. However, the wrist watch wasn’t popularized until the early 1900′s and was seen as mostly a woman’s accessory. So to be fair to Apple, they’ve piggy-backing on technology that really wasn’t mainstream until World War I. Similarly, these watches also had variations with Roman numerals.

We all wait with anticipation to see what Tim Cook will announce for the next iPad. I have an idea, if there’s time. What if you could use it to control your television without getting off the couch?You know, like change the channels and adjust the volume! Apple is so, so, so, so, so amazing!

Apple · iPhone · iPhone 4S · iPod · mail · nano · phone · tim cook

iTunes users with iPods, iPads and Mac’s will LOVE iCloud but the true winners will be the music labels. It’s rumored that Apple will have to spend $150 million to the major record labels to allow their libraries to join the cumulus clutter. What did the label’s have to do to earn that money? Nothing, how American.

Our recent acquisition of an iPad 2 had me worried that we were going to pass the limit of authorized devices allowed to playing the music I bought. From what I’ve read there isn’t such a limit anymore. But it got me thinking… my ancient iPod, the one I got 4 years ago, isn’t used much anymore. In fact, the computer doesn’t particularly recognize the music on it and doesn’t “sync” anymore. RIP to my $200 music playing machine. But if I could duplicate devices in my own household, without connecting to my account I wonder if the teenage world is doing that exponentially.

iCloud adds another layer of protection against anonymous music sharing. It virtually guarantees that any song purchased can only be used by the account that bought it. Score for the music labels. I’ve heard so many sympathy stories about the music industry tanking and want to ram my car into a brick wall each time. Was it that long ago that I could record music directly from the radio onto my cassette tape? I actually had a TOTALLY sophisticated boombox that had 2 decks, allowing me to quickly copy anything my heart desired. Can you imagine purchasing a CD and not being able to share it with your friends?

During a time when copying and sharing music was the norm, the labels seemed to figure out how to make record profits. Now that we’re required to purchase more copies of the same song they seem to be having a hard time. Cry me a river, you are getting paid $150mm to do absolutely nothing.

There is something you can do, actually. Sign up for Amazon.com or Google’s music services. They are free and both companies refuse to pay the music industry so much money to do nothing. I love the concept of iCloud but get grey hairs from the gluttonous music industry.

Amazon · Apple · Cassette · CD · google · iCloud · iPad · iPod · iTunes · Labels · Mac · Music

It's cool, it's Google but it's not on Verizon yet.

If there’s any question where my four year old gets his repetitive instincts from you have to look no further than my daily, sometimes hourly, checking for any news of the Nexus One availability on Verizon. The first phone from Google is listed as available in Spring of 2010 on it’s own website. What does that mean? Rumors flew that they would announce it back in March at the annual cell phone conference. Nope. Then Verizon had big news about new phone launches so of course it would be included. Nope. In fact, the HTC Incredible has been announced for April 29th without even a peep about the Nexus One.

Rumor has it (meaning any writing on the Internet at all that I could find, true or false) that Apple is suing HTC, the maker of the Nexus One, for patent infringement. That means we won’t get word of it until that’s been settled. Dude, seriously… not cool.

There’s a difference between creating demand and exhausting enthusiastic fans. Not too long ago the Wii was so popular you couldn’t get your hands on it unless checking websites dedicated to tracking their shipment and then parking out front of a store with your coffee and McMuffin. The demand was huge for a couple years. That’s impressive. In fact, nothing significantly better has come out since. The slow movement of upgrades along with an inflow, albeit slow, of products kept society salivating for more. Those are two luxuries Google doesn’t have.

Before it’s launch I’ve already been reading about several other products that are better than the Nexus One so that by the time it comes out I won’t need it. Heck, if I wasn’t so grumpy with Apple ignoring the Flash player on it’s phone I might even take a look at the iPhone (especially since it is coming out with OS4).

Ultimately I still intend to get the Nexus One but I can’t help the poor information Google has delivered for it’s arrival on Verizon. It may not be the best phone out or severely limited on how many fingers you can use to navigate but it will be a historic purchase as it’s the first phone Google’s put it’s ugly logo on. And if you didn’t know already, I am a huge Google-whore. But come ON, where’s the Nexus One already?

Apple · availability · google · htc · incredible · iPhone · mobile · nexus one · phone · verizon

As websites began to explode into popularity most people HAD to have one. They didn’t know why or what they would do with it but for heaven-sakes they needed an Internet presence. As the creation process began everyone’s first instinct was to make it cool by adding lots of pages, interesting by adding animation and important by adding links to other websites that were… well, important.

Fast forward to 2010 and all those assumptions need to be questioned. Lots of my clients still feel that this is the appropriate way to start. Unfortunately, all these things typically miss the point of their website. This tool can be so many things and it’s important to mold it to your company, not the other way around.

Even large companies often make the mistake of adding too much information. This makes it difficult to navigate, confusing and often impossible to actually find what you are looking for. Keep things simple, only add the content that is necessary to meet visitor expectations.

Animations and *gulp* Flash splash pages are yesterdays-yesterday. I specialize in Flash intro’s so it’s very difficult to see my niche get left behind. Before you scrunch your nose consider this, the very way people will interact with the Internet is evolving. The iPhone and iPad will probably be remembered as significant markers in the evolution of Web. Web 2.0 will now be Web Mobile. Apple has taken a strict stance against Flash and specifically call it out in their Terms & Conditions to prohibit it on their products. As the market share grows for these mobile surfing devices companies are being forced to remove all Flash.

That’s not the point though, the animations aren’t cool any more. Any distraction for visitors that prevents them from getting what they want should be thrown out. Of course, if those distractions generate revenue they get a different set of standards.

A common misconception about links to other sites is that it makes you look important. It’s the exact opposite actually, making the destination sites seem more important. Anyone even sort of familiar with Search Engine Optimization practices can attest that INCOMING links from popular sites is what makes you look important. Makes sense right? I can link this article to the New York Times but that doesn’t make me a hot shot. Now, if they linked to my article I’d be walking around with a strut in my step.

Last week I launched a revolutionary 1-page website for my mother. That’s right, there are no other pages. I was lucky enough to have her give me the reins and do whatever I wanted. It contains a brief summary about the kind of business she runs (elder law), directions to the office and a contact form (or telephone number) to get in touch with the firm.

Websites can be as simple as one page, like this one for Nancy Wright.

Too easy? Shouldn’t it be? The cost of development and maintenance is considerably less than complex sites and doesn’t do a whole lot for her any ways. Plus, get this, it can still grow when needed. That’s right folks, you can start off small and add. For anyone who has started a successful business from the ground up this should already be a familiar mantra.

Update your thinking to 2010 and start your company’s website with one page.

agency · Apple · best practices · clients · design · internet · iPad · iPhone · mobile · one page · Search Engine Optimization · SEO · web · web 2.0 · website