Okay Google, now you are just trolling us

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So today Google announced their newest Chromebook called the Pixel. It’s not a $250 bare bones Arm device. Not a $500 low end Laptop competitor. Nope, they launched a 12”, 227 ppi, Core i5, aluminium bodied laptop. It’s designed and built in house by Google and it’s beautiful. It’s a device aimed directly at the newest Windows Ultrabooks and Apples Pro line.

google_troll

I want to play with one so bad! I would love to post detailed pictures of this beast. Unfortunately that is not going to happen. The reason for that is it costs $1300 for the wifi only version and $1500 for the LTE model. There is no way in hell i’m going to pay that much for a device that runs a browser based operating system.

Chromebook_Pixel

That means no Photoshop, no Steam, no Office, if you want an app for this you better hope it’s on the Chrome web store. So before you buy this pop on a Chrome browser and see if the apps you would want are on there. And then whether the apps are there or not you will realize that with any other computer you have is already a Chromebook.  All you need is a chrome browser. This might sound great for your grandma, but she is going to buy the $250 Samsung model. Okay.

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I want this so bad! And it makes me so mad that I can’t do anything with it. Google built a true Macbook competitor on the hardware side, and you can’t do anything with it.  I would love to recommend this but if you have this kind of money buy a Macbook or an Ultrabook and download the Chrome browser.

This seems to be a running trend with Google though. This device is fast, beautiful, and well engineered.  Google even nailed the track pad which Microsoft OEMs can’t seem to figure out.  There are so many reasons to want it with one very big reason not too. You can’t do anything with it!

nexus-qIt’s the same thing with the now infamous Nexus Q. Google again built a cool looking, well designed media device that looks great. It was original looking and well engineered and had great features like a built in amp and banana plug connectors.

The Nexus Q had a problem too. It didn’t do anything either. Okay it didn’t do much. It streamed audio and video through the Google Play store. That’s it.

“The Nexus Q had a problem too. It didn’t do anything either.”

The worst part is we are going to have to wait to find out. Google i/o is in June and that’s when we will most likely find out what kind of plans Google has for Chrome OS. Hopefully the Pixel is a teaser for something great. I can’t wait to find out what’s next. Come on Nexus Q 2!

“Apple would never…”

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Tim Cook, from today’s Goldman Sachs Technology and Internet conference, answering a question about how often people claim that ‘Apple would never…’

The only thing we’ll never do is make a crappy product. That’s the only religion we have…we must do something great. Something bold, something ambitious. Something great for the customers, and we sweat all of the details.

The whole piece is revealing of Apple’s culture and mindset, and is worth your time. You can read the transcript, or listen to the audio webcast

Bitwise Beer Bet: Touchscreen Mac

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One of the reasons we started this blog was to promote the sharing of different viewpoints regarding technology. We both respect each other’s thoughts, no matter how much we disagree. We both have an interest in the future, in good design, and in innovation

However.

Every now and then, an argument arises. Every now and then, we cannot reconcile. Every now and then. we have no other solution than to make a BEER BET.

  • The Bet:

    Apple will optimize OSX to support touch interaction (screen-based, not trackpad-based) in the next release (10.9 or the equivalent). Additionally, the next hardware revision cycle will implement touch controls on the screen of either Macbook Air, Macbook Pro, or iMac.

  • Timeline:

    This bet will be settled on/around the next product launch for updated Macs.

  • The Stakes:

    As usual, one delicious beer.

Chris’s Position: For

I’m writing this post right now while drinking a frosty, delicious IPA.  I can only imagine how much sweeter the beer Ben will owe me will taste.

I have no doubt Apple will be going touch screen in their next Mac OS update. Don’t get me wrong. This won’t be something they’ve rushed into. Apple is calculated and typically when they do something they get it right. The thing is they don’t have a choice. They don’t have a choice because of their own success. The iPad and iPhone are so successful that they have quickly become the new face of personal computing.  Touch is becoming the new norm of how we interact with computers. We instinctually want to touch them. Love it or hate it, its the future.

Microsoft has valiantly tried to beat them to the punch with Windows 8.  A touchscreen operating system for all devices. It was an attack on multiple fronts that may have been a little to ambitious. If there is one thing that Windows 8 showed us is that touch works on all form factors. Now they didn’t get it perfect, but they showed it could be done and done well. And if there is one thing Apple loves it’s doing something better than Microsoft. So far Microsoft’s biggest issue has been its hardware. Hardware has killed. Regardless of how much you love windows 8 it has yet to have killer hardware to go with it.  Apple doesn’t have this problem. They have the ground work laid. They have the devices there. If you tell me that you wouldn’t love a Macbook Air or Pro with a touchscreen you are flat out lying.

Here are a few points.

  • They have been developing touch interfaces for years.
  • They have been slowly merging UI elements from iOS.
  • OSX already uses a large amount of gesture controls.
  • Their displays are all moving toward laminated gapless panels which make the image appear to float on the surface of the glass. Perfect for touching.
  • Pen/touch interface is huge for artists, designers, and photographers

I’m sure there are many more reasons that I am forgetting right now but it doesn’t matter. The next time you swipe an app closed on your windows 8 hybrid, or touch the screen of your Macbook Air and realize it’s not your iPad that’s when you’ll know I’m right. Steve Jobs was quoted as saying “people don’t know what they want until we tell them.” Well Steve you told us; and now we want it.

Ben’s Position: Against

This is utterly insane. The position Apple has taken from the very beginning was that mobile devices require their own interface designs. Navigating with a finger requires different controls and organization than navigating with a cursor and keyboard. Granted, Apple are trying to ‘unify’ the design concepts in iOS and OSX by naming applications similarly, implementing iCloud, and creating the launchpad, to name a few examples. If Apple were to create a touchscreen laptop/desktop, would OSX enlarge all its controls so they could comfortably pressed by fingers? Even IF this was a direction Apple wished to take, there’s no way that this change will make its way into the next release (sometime in 2013?). Chris has no chance of winning this one. Sorry dude.

‘House of Cards’ A Strong Foundation

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I spent most of Friday/Saturday watching the first season of Netflix's Original Series, “House of Cards.” Wow. Knowing very little about the series going into it, I was very pleasantly surprised at the quality of the writing, acting, and cinematography. “House of Cards” is every bit as good (if not better) than shows I've seen produced by HBO/Showtime/Starz.

Netflix has been getting a lot of attention recently for this amazing quote

The goal is to become HBO faster than HBO can become us.

Netflix has a clear vision of what they need to attract new customers and compete in the streaming content market, as more and more businesses enter the fray.

In related news, the rumor that the HBO GO app will someday support streaming to the AppleTV is a step in the right direction. In theory, however, you would still require a subscription to HBO, and therefore a cable subscription. For those of us who have an interest in “cutting the cord”, the lack of an option to pay for HBO separately is still a non-starter.

My prediction is that Netflix will succeed in making the transition to producing quality content, and that HBO will have a harder time modifying it's business model to support subscriptions which aren't tied to cable subscriptions. The more serious threat to Netflix in this arena is Amazon, as they are also focusing more on their streaming business and growing their Prime customer base.

Ideally, competition in the video streaming space is a win-win for customers. Our job is to support those who provide great content on decices and in plans we like.

‘Others’ Company Takes Second Place in Q4 Tablet Shipments

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According to a recent IDC Press Release, a new tablet manufacturer has defeated Samsung, Amazon, ASUS, Barnes&Noble, and Microsoft by shipping more tablets than any other company* this holiday season. This up-and-coming tablet manufacturer managed to ship an estimated 11.6 million tablets, earning it a 22.1% market share for the holiday quarter.

Wow! I wonder which company has finally broken from the pack and is on the way to shipping more tablets than anyone else**? Which tablet shipped one tablet for every 2 iPads? Which tablet will everyone be talking about this year? The Nexus 7? The Kindle Fire? The Galaxy tablets? The Surface?

No, ladies and gentlemen, the medal for most tablets shipped*** goes to Others! That’s right, the good old ‘Others’ company. They managed to ship more tablets than Amazon, Asus, Barnes&Noble, and Microsoft combined! Time to sell APPLE and buy some OTHERS stock!

*besides Apple
**besides Apple
***besides Apple

Apple’s Proving Grounds

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Engadget’s discovery this week of an FCC filing for an updated AppleTV beautifully illustrates one of my favorite facets of Apple’s operations strategy. Marco Arment (of Instapaper and The Magazine fame) posits:

“My guess: the new model will be a low-volume prototype for a new, cheaper SOC (or cheaper manufacturing process on an existing one) to be used later in iOS devices, much like the iPad2,4 was a prototype for 32nm HKMG manufacturing later used in much higher volume with the A6 and A6X.”

It is no secret that Apple loves to test out new materials, suppliers, and silicon processes in small batches. By first introducing the untested components into products which are lower demand (AppleTV, iPod), Apple works out the technical hurdles and supply kinks before incorporating those new technologies into higher demand products (iPhones, iPads). It’s like sending the new intern out for coffee and bagels until they prove themselves worthy of more important tasks.

To me, this is genius! How many device manufacturers could pull this level of coordination between all levels of production and design? How many would care? This effort reveals that at it’s core, Apple has a consistent vision – making the best products in the world – and it has both the will and the resources to act this vision out, year after year.

Love them or hate them, Apple has their shit together.

R.I.P. RIM

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Our initial thoughts after today’s ‘big’ BlackBerry 10 announcement:

 

Ben

I went into this event with very low expectations. I didn’t expect BlackBerry to have a grand slam, but at least now they will go down swinging.

The phones themselves are safe design choices – an iPhone 5 clone and a “Classic BlackBerry” device. People who have never tried typing on glass will continue to believe they need a physical keyboard and buy the Q10. Those who are interested in a modern smartphone yet are still forced to carry BlackBerries for work might be excited about the Z10.

The Blackberry 10 OS does appear to be a valient effort at bringing something new(ish) to the table (new gesture uses, solid(?) virtual keyboard, and the HUB). Without having personally picked one up, it’s hard to say much more than “it doesn’t look like a complete failure!”

I tend to agree with everyone else that this is too little, too late. I can see how current Enterprise users who haven’t switched to iOS or Android might keep RIM BlackBerry afloat a little longer, but If Windows Phone can’t gain traction in this market, I don’t see BlackBerry’s Z10 succeeding where the Nokia Lumia has not. BlackBerry 10 and the Z10/Q10 were more than I expected, but at this point it’s time to pack up your blanket and seat cushion: this game’s over.

Chris

Too little too late.  The battle for third place begins.  Close but no cigar.  An A for effort.  These are all ways I can describe how I feel about the Blackberry announcement today.  My initial reaction was that Blackberry didn’t come close to doing what they needed to do, and that they are finished, out for the count.  The more I think about it, the less I believe that to be true, but it’s still going to be a rough road for them.

It’s sad too.  I don’t really know what else they could have done.  They took their time and made sure the software worked well and operated exactly how they wanted it.  Blackberry designed and built a solid, but maybe boring, piece of hardware.  Don’t get me wrong, I like the hardware; minimalist, purposeful.  The textured back reminds me of the Nexus 7, which is good.  The size is uncommon in what has become a world of giant phones.  You don’t see many high end phones under 4.5 inches.  The bezels feel like they increase the size of the phone more than they should, though.  I mean, those are some think bezels on the side.  Blackberry lined up a solid amount of app partners for the launch, hitting their goal of 70,000.  They set up partnerships for content delivery, which took Google years.  They did everything that is needed to be a successful smart phone competitor.  They built a solid product that can for the most part compete in the market.

Good job, right?

Not so fast.  They have done the bare minimum to be competitive with Android and iOS –  and that’s Android and iOS as they are now.  We are getting close to a new Galaxy S IV from Samsung, and HTC is getting ready to launch new flagships.  LG is already releasing an update to their Optimus G (which is the phone the Nexus 4 is based on) and Google will most likely be adding to their Nexus line up this summer as well.  We presumably have a iPhone 5s in the pipe.  Plus, we are seeing more and more unique and compelling Windows Phone 8 devices.  And with those new devices comes updated software.  Most notably from iOS and Android.  So now that they have finally released BB10, they have to find a way to keep up with the constant updating and improvements that Apple and Google are making.  A new iOS release is always highly anticipated.  And now with Jony Ive fully at the helm of software design, I’m sure it will reach a fever pitch as we get closer to it’s announcement.  Google is iterating on Android faster than ever and making huge improvements each time they do.

So I’m not counting Blackberry out.  I hope they can hang in there.  I would love to see them battle it out with Microsoft and maybe even take a run at Google and Apple.  I hope this launch isn’t make it or break it for them because it is going to take some time to make this work.  They are going to take some hits.  They are going to get bruised up.  It’s going to be a long, bloody, 12 round war.  My worry for Blackberry is that this isn’t the first war they’ve been in and that last war didn’t really go their way.  They really could have used a knock out punch today.  It’s just to bad it wasn’t there.

Place Your Bets!

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Will RIM's All-In Move Pay Off?

Tomorrow, RIM will unveil BlackBerry 10, its latest and greatest attempt at a mobile operating system.

Once a high roller in the mobile world, RIM has slowly fallen in the standings of popularity and relevance over the last several hands. As more and more of its users adopted iOS and Android -powered devices, RIM has bled chips, and now it barely has enough to stay in the game. Tomorrow, RIM will go 'all-in' with BlackBerry 10, and either find itself back in the action, or completely busted. Either way, this should be a good show.

The time has come to place your bets.