Predictions and Wishes

I have had many an idea on what Apple Inc. will do in the coming year or years that are the culmination of what is going on in the evolution of there products today. One of the reasons I believe that Apple has been having so many problems in the last couple of months has been not only just getting these systems to work now, but for them to be ready to roll out the new infrastructure for what they could roll out in the next year. I believe that Mobile Me has been the most prone to this because they have much grander plans for it than we could have conceived from the onset. 

With the introduction of Mobile Me came a back-end to the online programs called Sprout Core. They have built their online tools and have had problems with making all of it work right. I think that come next summer we might be talking about a Mobile me SDK in the same vane as a mobile platform that is the same on any computer that can successfully access the tools. So I go to my girlfriends house and use her computer to update my Pages document using the Mobile Me iWorks tools, or I could be making some task in Omnifocus in Mobile me. We have at least 20GB of storage for documents, applications and other stuff that could easily be stored on a cross platform medium as Mobile Me. Why couldn't then all of these programers that are making new apps for the iPhone learn this sprout Core and make the same apps or similar apps for this platform. This could be so much more than what Google is doing because Apple would be making the API's  available for making more that Google would be able to do in that 20% time for their personal projects. Now the whole uptime problem is a huge issue with the Mobile Me service and previously with .Mac that customers have to be cautious with trusting the service, but if for the next 10 months they stay downtime free, then they will have a little more cred and have even more value for the $100 a years service.

iPods are a much more now product prediction being that it is about that time for Apple to do a refresh on that line. I know what the rumors are, and some of them sound credible. What I am predicting has more to do with last years announcements for not only the iPod touch, but with the partnership with Starbucks, and I presume others will be coming down the pipe for something similar, say McDonalds and other AT&T hotspots. With last years announcements came iPod touch , iPhone and iTunes customers getting free wifi connectivity to the iTunes store, but what if I only had my nano or Classic with me? Why couldn't Apple just add a simple click wheel iTunes Store app on those products and have a wifi chip included. Obviously you would not have the full use of a Safari web browser in there too, but a browser page to see where to click on open hotspots that just need one click to be "online" to the outside internet would be an advantage. So you go to a store and hear a song playing that you have not heard in years, you pull out you ipod to see if you have it and don't. You see in the indicator that there is wifi available and all you have to do is click yes and agree to the terms of service button and you can find that song on the fly. No, it's not the iPhone and not even the touch in ability, but it is still a game changer. If one of the other rumors of a subscription service opens up, then you could pre-authorize your device to just download from your subscription. Buy a nano at the airport, hook it up to a kiosk, authorize it and then download albums before your flight. Go from no music to enough to get you through a long trip in minutes. Goal.

Synergy, So what if then Sprout core type apps on the web then could be used from any iPod sold. Get the text of a speech on almost any device, save the shuffle of course, almost anywhere. puts it all into a much grander perspective to me.

Half the Price + $240

The new hidden price that wasn't told at the WWDC keynote was the news that AT&T was upping the price of service. AT&T has upped its monthly charge from $60 to $39 for voice and $30 for  unlimited data. Considering that the cost of the previous iPhone at $399, that is a cost of an extra $40 over the two year contract. Is a $20/yr premium worth what this phone offers? That is up to each and every different person to figure out. It took me some time with a calculator to know the difference. I for one was thinking a lot more ripped off , but now feel not so much. For the faster data rate and better battery alone $20 a year is not all bad.

What Apple Needs to finish in July

Apple's Steve Jobs Keynote is over and we have nothing to download or buy. This has been a common occurrence in the last few years at these events.  I was so ready to se the change over in  my DotMac stuff and seeing how much money I would be spending on the iPhone App store. The biggest news is that it will all be here in July. 

Here is my prediction on the timeline. (Yes, a post WWDC Keynote prediction.)  July 1st or 8th Apple usually uses Tuesdays for bringing out products so these are what I would bet are the dates that either Mobile Me, and or the iPhone 2.0 update will launch. But you say that the 3G phone will ship on the 11th, why not launch all of that  on the same day. Just like last year Apple used the time before the 29th of June to let out some more of the info about the service and plans concerning the iPhone into the wild. It kept there name in the news and more Hype was spread via those announcements. So, using the Tuesdays before the release of the  iPhone 3G will do the same. 

I think that the first is dead on for the Mobile Me service. You don't really have to do anything if you are an existing .Mac subscriber. Apple has done this before by upping the amount of GB space and adding new tools to the service. I just wonder if all of the .Mac tools will transfer.  I don't often use the Bookmark tool, but if I am on an alien PC and I just need one bookmark that I just can't remember the URL to it has been a life saver. I know if I have my iPhone or iPod Touch it should not matter, but I would still like to have that use from time to time. I guess we shall see. 

With Mobile me being updated there are other programs that link with .Mac that will also be going through a minor update as well. Front Row, iPhoto, etc. Any Apple software that interfaces with the former service must update and be told to link here. As you can see ing the Mobile Me website that iPhoto has a Mobile Me button instead of .Mac. That will be all that may update.

Now, the 2.0 iPhone update I would imagine will be on the 8th. I expect it to be accompanied by iTunes 7.7. The update to iTunes is necessary to the iPhone 3G and I would imagine to the iPhone firmware too. I would not be surprised to see an update to Quicktime either.

June was expected to be the most important month in the iPhone year, but it looks like Apple has pulled a "Psyche". Now July is the new June. Happy Independence day.

Why I am getting the iPhone v.2

I do believe that the first version of the iPhone was and still is the best and brightest in the way mobile phones should be. This is a true re-imagining of a device that we have seen grow over the last couple of decades. They to the idea of what technology we have today and forgot all the rest. How would you build a phone from the ground up if you didn't know how mobiles phones were manufactured today.

With all the hubbub of hype that the launch garnered by the public, it is hard to say that I could not buy this first generation of next generation tech. I had a contract and could not afford to change for a few different reasons over money. Now that I am out of my contract I could not in wait to get one...but then it dawned on me. This thing has been out for almost a year, so, I should be patient and get the next big thing.

I remember the beginning of the iPod craze. And yes, my first iPod was a second gen then too. Whenever Apple released a new model it was heads and tails better then the prior one. Wether it be voice recording or a color screen they always made it worthy of spending money on an upgrade. Knowing this, I would be foolish if I spent my money now. I want the latest and greatest.

In the matter of patients, Apple has actually helped me. According to the Apple store online, and my local retail outlet, they have none in stock. Can't buy one if you can't find one. But, you say that I could go to Ebay.com and get one there. Yes I could, but that would not be as much fun as it would coming home from picking it up from my local store and not having to wait for shipping and handling.

All I know is that sometime in the next month, I am guessing I will be able to have my wish come true.

This Shuffle can Light you way.

Well, I go by Borders Books Store this week and what do my wondering eye perceive, but a iPod Shuffle knock-off, with a light. This knock-off is called the Micro Clip light and is not bad. It has a swiveling light that can be adjusted up and down. Of course the big silver button is to turn it on, but you can squeeze it lightly to just have it on for a moment or press it down harder to click it into full on position. It has a clip on the back that is very shuffle like. The Light is made by Gold Crest LLC and you can buy it online at mightybright.com

I don't know if Apple will have anything to say about this, but I made sure to snag one before they could. You can see more at Shuffle Lite.