Read A Paper Lately?

When was the last time you held a newspaper in your hands? I mean, held it to…read? I’m not talking about using a paper to blot us some spill in your garage, or to train the puppy, or to keep that spray paint from getting all over the place.

I’m guessing you haven’t really read a newspaper in the past two or three months. If so, you’re not alone. By most – if not all – measures – the U.S. newspaper business is dying. Except for a few major players, newspapers are bleeding money and ink all over.

The contrarian in this doomsday scenario is, most notably, The Wall Street Journal – which, by the way, has the very best newspaper app for Apple’s iPad (I wonder if the WSJ owner, media savvy Robert Murdoch, has any Apple stock?).  I’ll predict here that the WSJ will succeed, long-term, as an entity. They’ve leveraged their content all over the place, and even have the audacity to (gasp) charge customers to read their columnists and features.

Most of the print industry, though, will probably go under or just fade away slowly to irrelevance…IF it doesn’t take its cues from Mr. Murdoch and go digital.

Sample data points from a recent study the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development show the dire circumstances of the American newspaper business, especially when compared to other countries:

• Fewer than half of all adults in the United States regularly read newspapers in 2008, compared with 96 percent in Iceland.
• Advertising contributed 87 percent of newspapers’ revenues in the United States, compared with 53 percent in Germany, 50 percent in Britain and 35 percent in Japan.

In light of such stats, I wondered how much longer the industry can survive here in the U.S.

Some industry veterans are decidely pessimistic about the viability of newspapers. Here’s a site for laid off journalists to offer their “parting words” of wisdom about the biz. There’s even a website where you can donate to…

• advance the search for a support system for the kind of serious public interest reporting that our democracy requires, and that is now so threatened.

Wow.

These thoughts were prompted by some news reports, and also by my need to renew my subscription to…The Wall Street Journal. Yeah, the print edition. I am one of the few people I know of who still read a newspaper – an actual PAPER – every day.  Started this daily routine when I was about ten years-old. Not quite ready to stop reading a paper.

Are you?

Apple’s Success…or Pending Decline?

Apple is in the news a lot these days, and the new iPhone will be unveiled in just.  But what is the company’s future? Will it continue its meteoric climb as a consumer products leader? Has Apple reached its apex and now destined to slip away to competitors like Google and Amazon?

Here’s a piece in Financial Times suggesting that Apple is here to stay – citing the fact that the company is now worth more than long-time adversary Microsoft. Apple has been declared the largest tech company, and the coming days of new products and innovation might well continue that domination. Yesterday’s news that MS had re-organized its gadgets division didn’t do anything to make one think otherwise.

Still…how can Sir Steve keep it up? Over in the Wall Street Journal, an observation was made that Apple could be sealing its own fate by remaining committed to the “closed system” of tightly managing all software and hardware integration. This obsession with defining the user experience could well mean that Google’s Andriod phone OS, for instance, will one day rule the smart-pone seas. That licensed Android system means a multitude of manufacturers – resulting in a multitude of hardware options. And that is reminiscent of what happened when Steve Jobs decided to keep Apple’s OS to itself…allowing the competing MS operating system,

And I recently read a columnist who said Apple stock, in his opinion, is a “strong buy.”

I don’t own Apple stock. I DO own many Apple gadgets. And I like them all very much. But I’ll admit that the coming days seem a bit troubling to me. A friend with an Android phone showed it off, and I was impressed. With the release of MS Vista, it seems Microsoft is finally getting the hang of making their OS markedly better.

Something tells me that “the jury is still out,” that Apple will be around for quite some time, and that the coming days of technology and electronics will only bring improved products at lower prices.

Sure as the sun shines.

Er, as I type that last sentence, I notice it is raining, even though the sun is still shining.

Hmmm.

Why I Didn’t Buy An iPad

Despite the guy’s insistence, I didn’t seriously consider an iPad. I was at the Apple Store a few weeks ago, explaining that I wanted the low-end MacBook for some writing projects. I didn’t want to spend a lot of money on capabilities I didn’t need, just let met me have some music playing while I type.

“Have you considered the iPad?” Well, no, I replied. “You ought to.” And he proceeded to tell me the cost and weight advantages of the new device. Since it wasn’t out yet, though, he couldn’t be sure about some of the specs, and since I couldn’t hold it or try it out, I told him I’d pass.

A few days later, I was on the phone with a rep from the online Apple Store. I had tried to purchase a refurb’d MacBook, in my price range, and with the portability I desired. Unfortunately, the transaction didn’t go through – I suspect I had two (or three) browser tabs opened at the store, and that such a tactic prevented the site from accepting my purchase.  I explained that I liked the price on that entry-level MacBook, and the gentleman kindly offered to call me when that particular model, now sold out, is back in stock (I’m still waiting on that call). He then suggested that “maybe an iPad is what you need.” With only a couple of weeks until the launch of the iPad, perhaps it would make sense to pre-order one, it sounds like a perfect solution to my pricing concerns.

“No,” I replied, “I don’t think the small screen and the awkwardness of lugging a keyboard around and the limited capabilities of the iPad are for me. Besides, I need something now, and I’m not inclined to wait another few weeks.”

After that second exchange, I realized that the company has been – rightly, and I don’t fault Apple for this – rallying the sales team around the new device. And why not? The profit margins on the iPad are surely quite decent, and for Mr. Jobs to stay the prophet that he is, Apple has to sell a lot of iPads so the “change-the-world-I’ve-got-an-iPad” mentality is inescapable. Apple wants – needs – us to be unable to imagine life with iPad. So, press the potential buyer, pitch this as the perfect item, and appeal to their (low) price as a way to meet my needs AND save money.

Look, I like Apple products a lot, and have for years. We have a bunch of Macs and iPods in our family. In fact, a couple of months ago my dad who is 79, surprised us all by buying a new 24 inch iMac (and now he has a better computer than me!). But I know what I need – repeat, need, and it ain’t an iPad. As seductive as the hype and ads and speculation have been, I just thought it through and decided I would not be happy owning an iPad, especially in light of these specific projects. And, having been an early adopter on a couple of other Macs, I’ve learned that waiting a year will always…always….always…save me money and get me a better Apple product. That’s how it has worked on computers, iPods and iPhones.

So despite my previous post about getting an iPad, I’ve decided to wait on the thing. Maybe next year.

BTW, if you are unpersuaded by my thoughts here, read this piece over at Fast Company that outlines some good reasons to wait on that iPad purchase.

And if you already have an iPad, check this out and see if you are really irritating people with your iPad love.

Where Will Tablets (And Pads) Take Us?

I remember the Newton, Apple’s infamous first attempt at a ultra-portable, hand-held computing. It was not altogether a bad idea, although it wasn’t integrated or compelling enough to win over a large base of users. Alas, Newton is now (and frankly, has been for a long time) a relic.

What might have been Newton’s domain, the medical world, has now been populated by tablet computers running various Microsoft operating systems. My own physician uses a Fujitsu )?) tablet to track my physical data-points, and can update things easily with a few touches of the stylus. Not elegant, but good enough. If only Apple had seen this niche and gone for it with some seriousness. Oh well.

More recently, netbooks have made advances in business and personal use, although I know only a handful of folks who use their handful of netbook to…check email and look at the web as they travel. I don’t know of anyone who raves about their netbook. Nobody who likes it half as much as their laptop. In fact, netbooks seem tethered, if you will, to laptops. Min-laptops. Cute little laptops. Cheap laptops. But not a serious computer, or a replacement for laptop, or for that matter, a replacement for even a smart phone. Caught in the in-between world, that’s where netbooks seem to be in life.

And smartphones are..well, phones that do more. I love my iPhone. I have friends who love their Blackberries. And some industry pundits (here, here and here, for instance) are suggesting that Palm is going to die, if it isn’t already in its final gasps. Still, my middle-aged eyes need reading glasses to see my contacts and email. Sorry, but the screen on that thing is just a tad too small for my taste. Not that I want it any bigger. No, I like putting it into my pocket, and I like its interface, and I like its apps, and so much more about my smartphone. But that’s a phone, not a replacement for a standard computer.

Which leads us to…the possible future of computing, that new category that many want to establish, but which will likely be won (at least initially) by the Apple iPad. (BTW, I hate the name, but I love the concept). What will the iPad do that makes for something really new, and as Steve Jobs suggests, “magical?” Why, just about anything and everything! Surf, watch videos, read books, and eventually, make calls via Skype using that built-in camera (oh wait, that’s not until next year’s iPad). For a more reasoned assessment of what it’ll do, read this perspective to see where iPad – and some other bold offerings like Google’s Chrome – will take computing in the coming years. Eventually, suggests author Steven Levy, the desktop computer I’m using to type this post, and the GUI with which you are reading it, will be gone. “Dead, deceased, it has gone to meet its maker,” as John Cleese might say.

And, by the way, no offense to Microsoft, but many think they’ll remain stuck to the cash-generating Windows model of computing until the very end. Maybe, maybe not. But it is difficult to envision a future with Windows 10, don’t you think?

So, where will tablets lead us? Hard to say. But it surely seems to be a promising future. Fun, even. That is, if these things deliver even half of what Genie Steve promises.

So far, Levy’s argument for the death of GUI seems credible and yet…maybe I’m not ready to give up that laptop. I like its powerful processing and elegant and all-encompassing “all in one portable box” design.

Just in case, though, I’m thinking of getting a pad, er, tablet, sooner rather than later. I’ll admit I’m intrigued. It’ll take a bit of getting used to, and I may pay a price for being an early adopter. Perhaps I’ll find it all pretty shallow, as empty as cotton candy at the county fair. But at least I’ll have a head start on the future.

Media Business Changes: Publishing

With the iPad, Apple has signaled not only a new way we can access and consume our media, but they’ve also signaled a new way for media producers to monetize their products. Apple has done this before with music, and now they’re trying to do it with, of all things, book publishing.

Remember the day when you bought CDs? Whole “albums” with 10-12 songs on a disc? Hard to remember those days, I know. Apple revolutionized the purchase of music by offering $0.99 individual songs. No more buying a whole CD because you liked a song or two, and then being disappointed in the rest of the project. No more “concept albums” that wove a theme together through 10 different – but complimentary – songs. No, I just cherry-pick my favorites and pay $0.99 per tune.

They’re different, I know, music and books. And I’m not suggesting you’ll be able to grab the first and last chapters of a new novel at the iTunes Store for $0.99 each. No, there’s something else happening in the world of print (be that ink or e-ink).

When Apple announced the iPad, Steve Jobs indicated a new, strategic price plan for downloaded e-books. One with the publisher getting to set the price-point. One which gives great profit margins to the companies who find and produce the best-sellers. A pricing approach that affords the dying publishing world a breath of new life – if they can squeeze more margins out of their business model. Mr. Jobs negotiated with the major companies and – ta da! – found a price point that was appealing to them. And they, in turn, pushed back on Amazon (which has moved a lot of books at $9.99).You can bet that the publishers are feeling some new-found strength, and that there will be other changes coming.

So, look for other pricing deals to be made, and watch the other, existing e-book sellers to roll out a similar pricing tier for e-books. It could signal new life for the publishing world, one which gives them some new revenue potential. That bodes well for them, and for those of us who love books. It could breathe new life into an old-media giant that has been in need of some good news.

And we’ll have Apple to thank for it? Who’d have thunk it?

How Media Consumption Is Changing

With the introduction of the iPad, Apple is signaling a new phase in how the media world will work. There are certainly things about the new device that lack “wow” power, but there’s something going on here that signals where Apple is going, and why we should pay attention. Consumers, not manufacturing companies, are driving the media revolution, and this is yet another technology that will affect our media buying and consumption habits.

It is obvious that Sony’s eReader, Amazon’s Kindle, and now the B&N Nook all have their merits. They make it easy to carry a lot of books and to read multiple titles any time a person wants. They all have an ability to download various books, at various prices and in various formats.

To date, though, none of them does other media very well. You can’t listen to radio, surf the web or watch video on their E-Ink gray scale screens, nor would you want to. This is where the iPad will instantly make itself more appealing to many people. One device that does…one thing? Not gonna survive. These days, how many people have a cell phone that just makes calls? Or who has an MP3 player that just plays songs? So, by limiting their functionality to books, a dying medium (I hate typing that, but its a fact that fewer people are reading – and buying books, so let’s just live with it, okay?), the current offering of “readers” will find itself looking for an audience while mainstream culture goes with the flashy, color-screened, multi-functional iPad.

Read a book? Sure, anyone can carry around a small tablet-sized screen on which to read – all these devices can do that. That’s easy.

Carry around a business book AND a “guilty pleasure” fiction, too? Yep, the “readers” can do that.

Read the local “newspaper” while I listen to some classical music I downloaded? No, can’t do that on the “readers.” They do text really well, but not much else.

Interrupt my reading so I can check e-Bay for that item I was bidding on? No, sorry, the “readers” can’t do that. You’ll need to have a better tablet for online use – these things are for…reading.

Finish that video I started online last night before I begin studying my textbook for that upcoming quiz? Don’t think Sony can help me do that with their “reader” (despite the fact that Sony makes some gorgeous televisions these days).

Take a break from my book to in order a photo book of pictures from my trip – so it is waiting for me when I return from this trip? Um, I’ll need something more than a “reader.”

I’ll admit that these are all nice, hypothetical examples of how the “reader” will want to be replaced by something more. They don’t necessarily describe your life and how you operate – yet.

By making the iPad a multi-media device, Apple has tapped into where many of us are at – living in a fast-paced, media-saturated world. Apple is correctly seeing that if you  do one thing really well, you’ll likely be obsolete very soon (this is why the iPhone is so popular. It does many things well. Not everything perfectly, but it has enough of the capabilities that I want, and delivers them well, so that I’m finding it hard to imagine life without such a smart “phone.”).

The truth is, we want more more more from our technology, and we want to do do do things anytime, all the time. Apple may have made a big mistake here, that is possible. My guess, though, is that in a few years the iPad, and its various permutations and the inevitable competitors, will change how we do books – and every other media, too.

iTablet’s “Wow Factor”

Like many other techies, I’m really interested in the expected announcement about the Apple iTablet, or iPad, or iWhatever.

There’s great speculation about the size and capabilities of the new device, which I’d anticipate to be a game-changer for portable computing. Just as the iPod changed our music listening habits, and the iPhone changed the way we access our media, the folks at Apple must surely have an intent for how the iTablet should change…something. But what?

Here’s an intriguing look at how the iTablet could reinvigorate (resuscitate?) printed media…and forever changing how we “read” magazines and newspapers. What do you think? If the iTab – and other similar devices – can deliver something like this, would you want one?

UPDATE: Link to some specs and sales projections (10 million in the first year?!).

Bye Bye Cable?

Upfront, I’ll admit I use cable for my internet and telephone services. And I’m generally pretty happy with the service, although I wouldn’t mind trimming the cost a bit. Also of note: I don’t have cable television – just don’t want to watch TV that badly.

Now, I seem to be in the minority for a couple of reasons. First, I just don’t watch television. Alright, sometimes I do – if I am traveling, or at someone’s home. But the only TV shows we watch are Sunday kids programming (before we head to church). Secondly, as mentioned, my experience with the cable company has been positive. From what I can tell, that is unusual.

Here’s an article that caught my interest because it suggests that cable television could be a thing of the past, if Apple has any success at all with a subscription TV concept they’ve been shopping around.

Now, I don’t know if Apple will ever get any traction in this space, but being an Apple fan, I hope the company does have a win in the television space. There could be better service, cheaper prices and, oh, I don’t know, a new piece of Apple hardware?

Top iPhone Apps

After being in some all-day meetings with new users who were hungry for recommendations, I’ve begun compiling a list of favorite iPhone apps. Meantime, here’s a list of popular apps that should serve as a good starting point for any newbie – or seasoned – iPhone owner. Of note, just today I’ve used three of those listed: Facebook, Tweetdeck and Shazam.

Five Tips For New iPhone Users

I love the simplicity of the iPhone, and often tell people it “just works.” That’s a lot different than previous cell phones I’ve used. It isn’t for everyone, but as the growing sales numbers reflect, more people are paying the premium for Apple’s elegant mobile computing solution. A friend just purchased a new iPhone, and we’re getting together for lunch today for a little tutorial. Apart from the basics, here are some notes I made of tips I need to tell him:

1. Buy a charger for the car. Unfortunately, your phone will need recharging at the most inopportune time. Make sure you have it when you need it by plugging it in while you drive. Cost: Deals online for as little as $3-5.
2. Buy an external battery. There are batteries that snap into the phone’s dock/charging port and provide several hours of power. You’ll find a battery handy when you phone runs out of juice just when you need it most. I keep one in my laptop bag at all times. Cost: $15-25.
3. Buy and use a headset. Be smart, be safe, and use a headset. While the corded earbuds that come with your phone are alright, untangling the cord is a big pain – and it is impossible to do while driving. If you don’t have one, find a good Bluetooth headset. I have a Plantronics model I picked up at Amazon for half off, and I really like it. Cost: Range for good headset is $50-$75.
4. Take advantage of free apps. Developers often have special, limited-time free offerings. Also, many dvelopers offer a free “lite” version of an application, with reduced capablities, in hopes that you’ll like it so much you’ll want to pay for the full version. Either way, this is how I’ve found some gems, and it is really the only way I get games (I don’t have this phone for games, but every now and then it is nice to let the kids play something while we wait at the doctor’s office, for instance). Cost: Nothing! I check dealnews.com daily for the latest freebies.
5. Buy a few select apps. I’m not inclined to pay more than $.99 for a phone application, but I have done so for a travel app that tracks flights and keeps me up-to-date on airport weather. I also bought an audio recording app (before Apple made that functionality standard in the iPhone OS). I’ve been very selective about the apps I’ve bought, and I’d advise slow-going for new users. Cost: Varies widely, although most apps are under $10.

I’m sure “power users” could add some tips, and I’d welcome those comments.