Where are those YouTube ads?

OK so there's a special prize for anyone smart/YouTubed-up-enough to report a YouTube video running one of their supposedly dinky new ads.

Beats me!

Apple launches new versions of iLife, .Mac & Pages

Well Apple has kept busy (even given the launch of the iPhone) as they have recently announced new versions of iLife, .Mac and Pages.

iLife 08 updates all the applications that reside within and shows the power of Apple's partnership with Google thanks to integration with Google Adsense and Maps with iWeb 08.

Pages starts to take on Microsoft Office with a word processor and spreadsheet (numbers).

And .Mac gives you loads more storage - which lets face it we're all going to need if we use even half the new features in the above mentioned!

Apple sells 3 billion songs topping Amazon

Apple has just announced selling their 3 billionth song through iTunes. And while they're chucking numbers about - their library now offers 5 million songs, 550 TV shows and 500 movies. What's with all the 5's?

Oh and apparently they are no longer the 5th (again) largest music retailer in the US - they've just overtaken Amazon and Target to become the 3rd. I guess that makes them about a year away from becoming number 1!

Facebook - going, going, gone!

Who's gonna buy Facebook?

Given that today they announced hiring Youtube's CFO who joined them right before they got bought buy Google - you've gotta ask yourself who's gonna snap up Facebook?

Well its between Google, Microsoft and Yahoo.

Yahoo gets the prize for the most desperate. Microsoft the most confused and Google the most powerful. So, if its cash their after Facebook will go with Microsoft. If its partnership/merger status then Yahoo and if its sheer cool and stock WOW its gonna be Google.

My money's on Google.

Major iPhone bug!

Do not try sending a Youtube video by email in your iPhone.

It'll crash, freeze and do nothing else (including powering off or syncing) until the battery is discharged.

Bug or what?

Come on guys. I can't even make a call...

Emergency? Yeah.

Apple launching a Nano size iPhone

It looks like Apple is planning a follow up cellphone to the iPhone (which is a marvel of form and function) based on the iPod Nano. Apparently it'll cost around $300 and offer more limited functionality than the iPhone.

Will it be called the iPhone Nano?

Apple sure are serious about the mobile space. Mind you, given how well the iPhone is selling - so they should!

Day 6 with my iPhone - I'm hooked!

I realize now that after using my iPhone for 3 days I'm hooked. Early connections stresses and strains are slowly fading from my newly organized ego.

Actually this is the device I have been waiting for for 20 years. I'm not that old! I was interviewed on prime time British TV in the early 1990's (it's a long story) and I pronounced the future of the 'digital diary' (well it sounded good then).

A device that effortlessly takes care of your life, wife and strife all from the inside of your over-tight denim pocket. Organizer meets diary, Filofax, calculator and one day even phone. And since those early days a stream of digital organizers, PDA's and then Smartphones tried and failed.

And I should know for my great, great... grandpa invented the worlds first ever commercial diary. Then I ran one of the leading Smartphone software companies etc etc. (Obviously before becoming the professional photographer that I am today).

So now I feel like I have finally arrived - or at least my pocket organizer nirvana has. Welcome iPhone - good job Apple.

Why? Find out in the upcoming days... And I even have my portfolio in my pocket (photography not stocks dozo!).

4 Million iPhones sold on Friday!

Given that I broke the records for time with AT&T customer care over the weekend they handed me the following scoop this morning.

Apple shipped 6 Million iPhones to Apple and AT&T stores on Friday and 4 Million were sold.

Yep, 4 Million! On Friday alone.

Day 3 with my iPhone

After another hour on the phone bounced between AT&T and Apple I decided to stuff trying to set up a family plan and went ahead and registered my phone as an individual account and separate line.

Bingo, I'm provisioned. 3 days later and no family plan.

Now I have to talk to AT&T yet again to convert my new line to a family plan. AAAH!

Pray for me...

Day 1 with iPhone - Disaster!

So, I queued for 2 hours last night to collect the most expensive cellphone on this planet and was promised that signing on is 'a breeze'.

I get up this morning excited about Day 1 with my iPhone.

I plug her in and wait while iTunes updates itself for the iPhone. Maybe 5 minutes. That's OK.

I then wait while iTunes takes me through the set up process only to find out that if I want to set up a family plan I can't do it through iTunes and have to call AT&T. I mean its just a friggin' family plan - not a shuttle to Mars!

After an hour waiting for someone at AT&T to pick up I give up. Today is a busy day for me - I have a gallery opening. After all I spent a fortune on a (i)phone/organizer so time is money - right?

At this point I have queued 2 hours at the Apple store and a further hour waiting pointlessly for a customer service rep. Nearly 24 hours later I still can't activate my iPhone. I feel as hung up as the guy in the picture.

iPhone, iDay... iDamnedmess!!

Queuing for my iPhone

OK, so I joined the geeknorati last night at an inconspicuous mall in Long Island (to avoid rambunctiously pointless queues) and dished out a small fortune to, well, say I got one of the first iPhones.

Plus if this does prove to be iDay (or not) then I thought my kids should see it (assuming it's not the not!).

OK, so the kid part was reaching. I just couldn't resist...

We returned way late so I'll be gearing up today. Think of me.

iPhone, uPhone, eyePhone

iPhone, uPhone, eyePhone...

The queues swirl about the Apple grid like snakes surrounding prey.

Every commentator has had their say - and say. Say it big coz it's a blitz. 1 million users or 100 million - its still the coolest phone launch yet. Or is it moviePhone?

So Nokia poo-poohs and Motorola stumbles.

I just wanna know where I can get one come the weekend. Heads up?

iPhone, i-rock, YouTube?

Apple's iPhone - one week and counting - has just got hotter than ever. Not only can you rock to iTunes tunes, but now you can roll with YouTube vids. Thank God for the longer life batteries.

Yep, one of Apple's first applications for their nifty little mobile handset is a YouTube streamer. After Google Maps of course.

Up next? Blogger.com, iWeb updater, MySpace and some token gesture to ailing Yahoo! After all Steve does like Jerry. (Not the cat!).

Yang to do for Yahoo what Jobs has done at Apple

Yahoo has followed Apple's successful strategy today by announcing that their much needed turnaround will be spearheaded by co-founder Yang.

Out with Semel and in with the young CEO-in-waiting.

Yang will have Decker at his side to manage things day-to-day and will finally get to spearhead the company he successfully founded.

But can he turn this mother-ship round? If he focuses on taking on MySpace from a portal perspective while being a strong number 2 to Google in the ad space - he might even stand a chance.

He'll also need some of the visionary genius that surrounds Jobs - maybe their new found partnership might rub it off!

MusicStation takes on the iPod and iPhone

A start-up called Omnifone run a buy a UK entrepreneur called Rob Lewis (hey, I know you!) is about to launch a rival to iTunes - in Europe and Asia.

They have teamed up with most major handset makers, 30 mobile operators and the 4 big music labels to offer a service called MusicStation which allows you to download unlimited music to your mobile phone only (no CD or PC) for $15 per month.

Given the reach, the service could be available on hundreds of millions of phones and be available before the iPhone outside the US.

Steve Jobs may have finally found his match. The only potential flaw in the system I can see is not being able to copy my MusicStation music to my PC. Maybe that'll come down the road.

Apple turning into a media company

Apple's busy.

The iPhone comes out in two weeks. Apple.com has been revamped.

Safari 3 has been released (it's much closer to Mozilla Firefox and faster) for Macs and PC's. I still think Firefox is the best browser for bloggers though.

And Apple TV is fast becoming a tool to take on the cable companies. Starting this fall Apple hopes to launch a video-on-demand service which will enable us to rent Hollywood's best (they hope) for a few bucks and no doubt bounce it around our living room TV's along with family vid's from Youtube.

iTunes becoming a media company? You bet. That should fuel a few more years of mother ship growth.

Apple TV streams YouTube

As if the imminent launch of the iPhone is not enough, Apple's big living room bet, the Apple TV has embraced the Internet. And gone beyond iTunes.

You can now stream your favorite (or less than) YouTube videos straight onto your big screen (or not) TV. Expect many more such content partnerships from the Apple team.

Maybe Apple is taking a bite out of Microsoft's playlist with partnerships front and center.

Google should just buy Saleforce.com

So today Google and Salesforce.com announced their much expected partnership combining Salesforce's small business system with Google AdWords.

But why doesn't Google just buy Salesforce and combine their offerings to truly take Microsoft on in the small business arena?

Makes sense to me. I guess that's why I don't run Google!

Gates versus Jobs!

Gates versus Jobs - the latest cat fight?

Or is it Jobs with Gates. Check this out! (and watch the video...)

You figure.

Microsoft's coffee table computer - nice

Microsoft's brand new, about-to-be coffee table computer looks a mean device.

"The “surface computer” features a 30-inch horizontal monitor embedded in the table, where users can move screen objects around with their fingers. Objects placed on it will be automatically identified."

Catch: for now it'll cost $5,000 - $10,000 and solely for the corporate market.

Hit it Apple!

(Talk about a replacement for photo-books...)

Tomorrow's Ad Agencies - Google et al!

So it looks like a few weeks of Internet Ad deal making has changed the advertising game.

DoubleClick, Right Media and aQuantive have turned Google, Yahoo and Microsoft into tomorrow's global ad agencies. Tough luck Omnicom, WPP and Interpublic.

But hey, if Southwest and Ryanair can destroy the airline industry in a decade or so, the big Internet guys can turn the advertising industry on its head - and destroy its cost base too?

Google's hot trends sizzle!

Google today launched Google Hot Trends (mean branding).

Check it out. It should make search based trend spotting more scientific...??

(For those of you still baffled you can almost-real-time check out what the heck people are searching for. Na not porn dummy.... hey, it's Google).

Google Presentations - here they come!

Google Presentations are on their way intended to take aim and fire at Microsoft Powerpoint!

And Microsoft still not nervous?

Of course they are...

100 million iPods - what revolution?

Over 100 million sold!

Still denying there's a music revolution about?

Think again...

Digital music finally unleashed!

DRM free music - finally!

Thanks Apple.

Tip of the iceberg, babe. Tip of the iceberg.

Scandinavia new global tech leaders - US dethroned!

The tech pot of gold slips from the US' hands and tumbles Scandinavia's way.

Sweden and Norway take 2nd and 4th globally in tech innovation. The US collapses to 7th position in the rankings.

Is the US empire collapsing? Is Europe rising?

Just question the World Economic Forum...

One home, one screen!

How many screens do you have?

Screens, screens, screens crowding our lives and cluttering our homes.

PC's, laptops, iPods, cellphones, TV's, Gameboys and others forever cramping our sense of space.

Why can't someone invent a universal screen capable of effortlessly displaying data from any of my devices. One home, one screen. One car, one screen. One... Oh joy!

Back to basics... Surely this worm must turn.

The digital revolution unmasked!

The multi-pronged digital battle flows through global arteries like never before, battling for our living rooms, bedrooms, cars, wrists and souls.

The titans continue to slug it out and we perpetually win out. Crap!

Telecoms operators bleed us. Internet giants police us while software queens embrace and control us. Meanwhile media empires just con us.

Who will liberate us?

Skype? Joost? YouTube? Fon? MySpace?

Never... Shame. One day. Come on!

Jobs and options - his next ejector?

Ah, l'enfant terrible is at it again.

Will he depart Apple a second time round?

First at the merciless hands of Sculley, now under the scrutiny of the FCC.

It's all possible. And now a second investigation - this time into options misdemeanors at Pixar.

Mind you, should the truly unthinkable happen and Jobs is forced off his iconic computing pedestal - Bill Gates will soon hit the job market.

Apple and Gates. The next Adam and Eve? (Poor Adam!)

Vista or no vista..!

Vista or no vista...like waiting for Godot.

Finally here, almost there, not really anywhere.

Can it halt the software as services march - or OSX charge?

Probably not. Sorry Bill. Goodbye Jim. Enjoy your new Mac!

Google sell digital books - why?

So Google's about to start selling digital books. Oh God, really? How? Why? Not now... please!

I hear readers scream out.

A few short months after Sony launched the Sony Connect service and device, intended to do for books what Apple has done for music (right...), Google seems in on the game too.

Does this mean that we are finally ready for the online book revolution? Not on your iPod! The world is about as ready to devour digital novels as they would swig digital M&M's.

Lets face it, there is not one compelling reason to switch from paper books. They are portable, cheap and easy to read. Digital readers are expensive and about as easy to read as Tolstoy.

Plus, people still enjoy building libraries and showing off books on coffee tables etc.

Is there any justification for the digital book? We think not, or at least not until someone cracks low cost printing that produces good looking in-house/in-copy-store versions. A photo printer for books.

I could well see buying a digital book to archive permanently so long as I could print out a sexy looking version whenever I needed it (for less than buying it in the store). And if I could even choose my own dust cover design? Well, now I'm getting mildly excited.

Interested HP?

2007 - What will be hot in tech?

2007 looks set to deliver two hotter than hot tech trends/realities.

First up will be the battle for video over the Internet and our very own living rooms. Help!

Expect Microsoft and Apple to dominate. Microsoft using video games and the XBox as their Trojan horse while the company formally known as Apple Computers will ride the popularity of iTunes to inject Apple TV's into the back of countless TV's.

Video over the Internet will continue to be dominated by Google (YouTube), MySpace, AOL and Yahoo (who may be forced to merge or get swallowed by Microsoft). iTunes will be the only destination to make any money. DVD sales will go the way of CD sales - down the toilet!

The second most sizzling sector of 2007 will be mobile - finally!

Not because cellphone users will approach 3 billion or because more than 1 billion handsets will be sold. Neither will it be thanks to the gradual and painful roll out of 3G et al speedier networks. It will not be thanks to mobile Internet killer (Bill) applications or mobile TV.

It will be thanks to two impending and growing threats to the inflexible and stagnant mobile phone companies - Wi-Fi and Apple's iPhone. The one-two from a competing network's unending proliferation and power plus a computer company's real deal product will jolt the rest of the industry into untold innovations and partnerships.

The mobile phone operators will finally open their networks to the real Internet and stop hogging their highways. As a result consumers will no longer get ripped off or disappointed. The mobile Internet will become a reality and mobile network providers will realize that if the only let go they will make money out of this game. If not - bye, bye revenue growth.

All in all 2007 looks quite exciting. Particularly if you're Apple, Google, News Corp or Disney. The rest will scramble. Some successfully and some not. Enjoy the ride.

Apple to launch the iTV in 2008!

Apple yet again rocked the tech industry by simultaneously and synchronously shaking up both the mobile space and our living rooms. All with just two products; the iPhone (unless of course Cisco have their way) and the Apple TV. How 'du jour' is that?

Enough to ensure that Apple's shares shot up while mobile handset makers throttled down. Microsoft's remained as flat as a pancake/Zune on its back.

And I was about to go and buy a video iPod - no longer. How many others will follow suit?

Apple's decision to call their new PC/Mac to TV set top box the Apple TV as opposed to the iTV presumably means that one day they will create an all in one intelligent TV with the Apple TV embedded.

The iTV. 2008? Probably...