megamillions

Probably need billions but, if there were a silver bullet product to work on, it would be the creation of a very small electric or similar powerplant that could be swapped in for the existing engine in a car.

google bet

I made a (modest) bet this week that google does not want to be a search company.  Rather, Page and Brin have very large goals that they are using search to finance.  And, eventually, from all of the different efforts the company makes, it will come up with another disruptive leading product.  That could only have been financed from the outsized profits from search.  The efforts on self-driving cars, space elevators, and machine translation all point towards using the freedom that comes from improbable amounts of money to break rapidly through barriers to next generation technologies.

Intellectual Property and China

Perhaps it is cases like this (Huawei sues ZTE for infringement) that will lead the way to a maturing perspective on IP in China.  Not "us vs. them" but rather an evolution to creating enough value that it is worth protecting.

RIM

I need a new Blackberry.  I use an iPhone as well but, for typing, I still like the blackberry.

I keep up with what's going on with the iPhone (not that hard, 5 models in total over 4 years, I guess) but not Blackberry so I went to blackberry.com.  I think a nice symptom of RIM's problems is that their website took forever to open.  Lots of spinning circles while I waited for something to load.

iOS App Updates

It would really be nice, as an addition to app-by-app and "update all", if there was a batch update option.  Could simply be check-boxes next to each app that, upon choosing one or more, changes "update all" to "update selected".  I really hate updating one app, going back to the app store, waiting for it to reload, going back a page to the list of new updates, selecting, approving, and then doing it again.  And again.

future iPhone

iPhone 5, iPhone 6, etc.

Whenever I ask or am asked "what can Apple possibly add to the iPhone", there is usually silence.  I don't have any great ideas and haven't heard very many (kickstand! barometer!).  But, to see what sticks to the wall, here's what I've got:

1) barometer/thermometer.  why not?  they are simple and potentially useful.
2) infrared.  probably not because it feels like a fast disappearing technology but there are a bunch of potential apps that would come out in days, if not hours, if this hardware were built in.  If apps are the lifeblood and distinguishing feature of the iOS ecosystem, adding a $1 transmitter seems like a good idea.
3) back touch panel.  This is tricky because it creates a huge device fork but there are many instances, particularly for games, where touch on the front screen is a problem (impedes the view, etc.).  Cases would also be a big hassle.  But there are lots of times I feel that it would be nice to touch the back to indicate an input.  It also makes one-handed operation easier.  And it would truly make the device "touch".
4) pressure sensitivity.  Again, this really takes touch to another level.  And creates a whole set of intuitive gestures.  And a big device fork.
5) feedback.  Creating resistance, a sense of softness, etc. could be super powerful.  Cases would be a big problem again.  As would device fork.

Just noodling.

iPad 2 sellouts

iPad 2 is apparently sold out and there are only limited shipments coming in.

Although this is a high class problem, it is still a problem - there are customers who want to give Apple money but can't because there is no product available.  And so, I wonder: did Apple push the launch date of iPad 2 to defuse other tablet threats ahead of being able to produce adequate numbers?  Demand doesn't seem much higher than expected (in accordance with analyst estimates).  So it can't really have been a surprise to shift 500k-1m units.