Cannot. Wait.
Just received my pair of Google Glasses to beta test, this is weird.
David’s fingerprint from the upcoming movie Prometheus.
Welp, Instagram for Android is coming.
There goes the neighborhood.
In Santa Barbara even the homeless people have laptops. (Taken with Instagram at Cost Plus World Market)
The “Apple TV” And The “iPad 3”
I’ve been thinking a lot about these rumors about the upcoming third iteration of the iPad and also a new “Apple TV” and I thought I’d weigh in.
Here’s what I’ve heard about the “iPad 3”:
-The new iPad will have Retina Display, not that surprising.
-It will also be LTE enabled, LTE meaning “Long Term Evolution” another buzzword marketing term for data speeds which are also called “4G” most commonly employed by Verizon. Now this seems a bit odd for a number a reasons. Firstly, LTE is pretty early on still and there a few issues to the technology notably battery life and lack of coverage, Apple is usually pretty conservative when it comes to adopting new tech and buzzwords.
What I’ve heard about the the much-rumored “Apple TV”
-This will be different device than the $99 hockey puck sized device that you plug into your TV & stream/mirror videos with, which I love.
-Apple is reportedly in talks with major cable providers in North America to provide content for this new device/service.
-Will have a brand new interface.
Now here’s what I think:
-The “iPad 3” to be unveiled early March IS the much rumored Apple TV.
-The LTE feature which seemingly seems a bit unnecessary in regular iPad use would be useful for streaming live TV.
-It’s likely the Apple TV service will be hardware specific (think Siri on the 4S)
-Retina Display makes perfect sense for high definition viewing/interface.
-Look at the Apple retail stores, they’re not Best Buys. I seriously doubt they will have shelve’s of multiple sized TVs and have employees cart them off to your car or set them up at your home.
Again this is just my speculation on the topic, i will update if I get any concrete details.
Instagram updated their app today along with a new look. This new design is a departure from the faux-chrome/physicality of iOS and with its new two-dimensional, minimalist look, it would seem like it would be at home on Android.
My bet: you’re going to see Instagram for Android very soon.
“There goes the neighborhood.”
The Next Big Thing Is Chewing-Gum
The next Facebook? The next Instagram? The next Foursquare?
The next big thing will be chewing-gum.
Its the plug for the for the hole in your aquarium.
Its the makeshift glue for your birdhouse.
Its going to be the obvious solution to something that frustrates you everyday.
Its going to get you from point A to point B.
Its going to look like a toy.
And it will be here sooner than you think.
Facebook’s Much Needed Makeover
If you’ve been anywhere on the internet this last week you’ve surely heared of Facebook’s IPO. Now, there is much news and speculation surrounding the upcoming public offering, I really don’t care much about all that, I just have one simple question:
Why does Facebook still look like shit?
The two screenshots above are from the same iOS Facebbok app running the same version. The one on the top being the news feed which is the primary source of interaction for many users, while the bottom one is the profile view.
They look like two different apps.
The screen on the bottom is much cleaner/organized and makes better use of the small real estate of the iPhone’s screen, while the one on the top looks janky in comparison. This is the same app here I remind you.
Before anyone accuses me of being persnickety, I should mention that Facebook for iPhone is one of the most popular apps ever and that over 50% of its’ 845 million users visit via mobile apps. Design is going to be extremely important going forward, especially with more small, nimble start-ups like Path placing a premium emphasis on design in efforts to out-maneuver the larger incumbents in the space.
Of course most companies should focus on creating value before worrying about looking good, Facebook clearly doesn’t have a problem making money they are a profit machine and their incumbency in the space is gargantuan. Meanwhile, the underdog, Twitter, with its zen-like focus from creator and Executive Chairman Jack Dorsey, has dealt with growth by making it’s product simpler with a unified experience on the website and mobile apps, no easy task indeed.
Now what’s especially interesting is that in the last year Facebook has spent over $68 million in stock and cash on acquiring start up companies, some of these solely for their design teams, such as in the case of Push Pop Press, Sofa , and most recently, Gowalla. Mark Zuckerberg has left behind a graveyard of beautiful startups with currently nothing to show for it; either he loves spending money or Big Blue is cooking up something completely new.
If Facebook is going to be taken seriously as a publicly traded company and retain its crown as the de facto social network it will have to look better going forward than something cobbled together in a college dorm room.
I’ve reached out to some of Facebook’s designers but received no comment, will update if I do.
