The evolution of our knowledge about a rumored new Apple product is an amazing thing to watch. It's akin to scientific discovery. The best observers on the Internet steadily collect and assess leaked information and photos until the community has a fairly good idea of what the product will be like and why Apple is developing it. The process is repeated again and again, sometimes over the better part of a year, and it's just too bad we're so impatient, in the early phases, each time it happens.
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Arthur C. Clarke once said that new ideas pass through three periods (in the minds of critics).
- It can't be done.
- It probably can be done, but it's not worth doing.
- I knew it was a good idea all along!
What I recollect from the early days when we first found out about a possible "low cost" iPhone was that some writers thought that it would be a bad idea. Including myself. Apple would never undercut its very successful, premium brand iPhone series just for the sake of a desperate grab for market share.
In time, as I recall, more and more information was disclosed about about Apple's plans and the product profile. Various leaks started to flesh out our body of knowledge about this product. Of course, many astute websites had it right from the beginning, but my own memory of the sequence was that, with very little to go on, many thought even a lower cost iPhone would be a bad idea.
The evolution of our understanding of the iPhone 5C has been like a scientific investigation into the laws of physics. At first, we're confused, but we accumulate data and start to form theories. Theories are tested, and eventually a consensus emerges on what's happening. Eventually, we're able to affirm the design of nature.
In an analogous way, Apple's logic becomes clearer with time, and we come to comprehend Apple's vision, needs and market savvy. There's no better example of our current state of iPhone 5C understanding than the article this week by John Kirk at Tech.pinion. In a delightful exhibition of appealing style and convincing reasoning, Mr. Kirk answers, "Who’s The Gorilla And 8 More Questions About the iPhone 5C." This is the Particle Debris must reading of the week.
The uphot of all this, as evidence by the Kirk article, is that by the time the product is officially announced, we all sit back and say to ourselves, "Of course! I knew it was a good idea all along!"
I don't know to what extent Apple is able to orchestrate all this though intentional leaks and how much of it is a byproduct of our current Internet grapevines. I do, however, find the process amusing and interesting. It's a constant reminder to take the long term evolution of our understanding of a rumored product into consideration when the very first rumors appear.
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Tech News Debris for the Week of Aug 19
Very often, when a technical author or researcher becomes very immersed and very knowledgeable about certain matters, there emerges a feeling of technical righteousness. Very deep knowledge means that the matter so thoroughly explored implies a certain correct way of doing things. Technical experts form a clique and lament that their advice isn't being heeded. This happens all the time, and it's not limited to the world of technology.
We often see that in the Apple world where we wish that Apple would be more geeky with its products, but the company steadfastly listens to customers instead. In this next example, we see the natural friction between eBook standards and what customers really care about. Anyone with an interest in the eBook industry's scuffles behind the scenes will enjoy: "Proprietary ebook formats versus DRM."
No, this next story isn't about voyeurism. Rather, it's about how Nordstrom is planning to use technology to improve the shopping experience. (Like another fruity company you may know.) "Nordstrom is thinking of putting iPads in dressing rooms." The way I see it, it's not so much the invocation of a gadget so much as a corporate attitude. While other CEOs may scoff, Nordstrom will continue to surge ahead thanks to ideas like this.
Scanning the Internet, in an hour, is like getting a physical exam from the family doctor. It can explain a lot about trends and the health of the patient. That's exactly what a team of researchers at the University of Michigan have done, and the results are fascinating. For example, when a hurricane takes computers off line, an IP map of the region can show the extent of the damage. Fascinating stuff: "Here’s what you find when you scan the entire Internet in an hour."
East coast IP outage map after a hurricane. Credit: Univ. Michigan
If you're a steady reader of The Mac Observer, you know two things. 1) The iPad was originally thought of as a content consumption device rather than a content creation device, and 2) You followed along as we predicted that clever developers would turn the iPad into a content creation tool. But what kind of content?
This next article is the first article I've seen that explores that subject in such a nuanced fashion. This article explores why, even though the PC and Mac remain supreme for traditional content creation, it isn't a total slam dunk. Moreover, the kinds of content being created on tablets are also shifting by virtue of its design and mobility: "Yes, tablets are for creating -- a new kind of content."
How do you know if you're addicted to the Internet? Easy. Just check out: "14 Signs You Spend Too Much Time on the Internet." It's hilarious -- and the animated GIFs are great. Here's another warning sign: Texting in your sleep.
Back in the late 1970s, just about every engineer and scientist turned their research reports over to the typing pool to be entered into Wang word processors. Even good-sized businesses back then used Wang word processing equipment. And then the IBM PC came along in 1981 and totally disrupted Wang. Very shortly Wang was gone, gone and gone.
Wang Word Processor. Credit David Strom's Web Informant.
It's a lesson told over and over again in business classes. Even so, the CEOs of BlackBerry (formerly RIM) must have skipped that class. The NYT's Joe Nocera tells the story, delightfully, about history, sadly, repeating itself with BackBerry. A fun read. "How Not to Stay on Top."
There are two kinds of people. Those who want a smartphone so that they can achieve a goal and those who merely want a smartphone. That's my own take on this excellent Jonny Evans exploration: "3 ways Apple's new iPhones should change your life."
Finally, today will be remembered as the day Steve Ballmer announced his retirement from Microsoft. Everyone is jumping on the bandwagon to get your attention. It is, after all, a big deal. The best analysis I've read and can recommend, one with a calm, respectful but concise analysis is by Nicholas Thompson at the New Yorker . "Why Steve Ballmer Failed."
If you want to hear it from the man himself, here is part one of Mary Jo Foley's interview. "Microsoft's Ballmer on his biggest regret, the next CEO and more."
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Particle Debris is generally a mix of John Martellaro's observations and opinions about a standout event or article of the week combined with a summary of articles that didn't make the TMO headlines, the technical news debris. The column is published most every Friday except for holidays.