And you wonder why...

Mike Woodward, President of HTC North America, speaking about the Samsung Galaxy S4:

We're pleased to see no innovation in the design itself

This would explain why HTC has been losing money and market share hand over fist the last few years.  Innovation is not changing the way a device looks.  It's changing the way people use it.  

iPhones have looked basically the same since 2007, but every year Apple changes the way people can use them.  Samsung is doing the same with the Galaxy line, and I think it's a good move.

Linkbait Bullshit from TUAW

TUAW's headline:

Microsoft's going to make it pricier to bring your iOS device to work

but, later in the article:

It should be noted that the higher price also pertains to Windows phones and laptops and Surface tablets.

I'm not going to link to the story, because I don't link to baited headlines.  

The fact is, Microsoft is hurting in the enterprise because of the tremendous number of iPhones, Android phones, and iPads being used in BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) business environments, so they have to raise the licensing fees for Microsoft Sharepoint and Exchange servers on every device to compensate.  To imply they're raising prices on iOS in your headline and write they're raising prices on everything in the fourth paragraph is just praying for clicks.

Assholes.

The Fixer

Eddy Cue, the new sheriff in Apple Town.

Apple Inc. (AAPL) has fired the manager responsible for its troubled mapping software, seeking to win back the trust of users disappointed after the program debuted in September, according to people familiar with the move.

iPad (3?) Event Today!

Everyone knows I'm a giant nerd.  Today is no exception.  Apple is expected to announce the next-generation iPad today.  Last week, Apple sent out invitations to the press and tech elite to an event.  The invitiation shows what is obviously an iPad, and the tagline is typically cryptic.  In typical attention-to-detail fashion, the picture shows exactly what they want you too see.  You see a bit of the dock, with a map icon, a calendar icon, and the a Keynote icon.  All you need to know.  Yerba Buena, March 7, you'll be seeing a Keynote presentaion.  Everything else is left to the wild imagination of the internets.

And wild it is.  There are rumors of the "iPad HD" as some are calling it, with the super-high resolution pixel-doubled (quadrupled?) Retina display.  There are rumors of an upcoming 7" version to compete with the popular Kindle Fire.  There are rumors of LTE data, different international versions, a haptic-feeback screen, and more.

Some of these will prove true, some will end up in John Gruber's Claim Chowder.  Here's my take:

The Hardware

The Retina display is a given.  Even the picture on the invitation shows a high-resolution screen.  A 7" version is probably in the works, but we won't see it today.  LTE data chips are in a ton of phones now, and could make their way into an iPad before iPhones for one reason:  iPads have a GIANT battery.  Android LTE phones have a change-your-battery-at-lunch lifespan, but the giant battery in an iPad could keep it running all day.  That Retina display also gobbles juice, so add a bigger battery to my list.

The tea-leaf readers are getting more and more convincing on the haptic-feedback screen.  Pocket Lint has reports that Senseg, a haptic-feedback touch screen manufacturer, has been working with "a certain company in Cupertino" and they won't make comments until "after the March Apple event".  So, even if they aren't announcing it now, they are more than likely working on a future tablet with Apple.

Then, there's the invitiation.  The iPhone 4S event's invitation read "Let's Talk iPhone".  Then, they introduced Siri, the sometimes-maddening "assistant" that you talk to and talks back.  Some are speculating that the "And touch" tagline refers to the haptic screen.

I'm inclined to agree, assuming the haptic layer of electro-magnetic mojo doesn't interfere with the clarity of the Retina screen.

I'm also expecting a new Apple TV that has 1080p streaming with AirPlay.  There have been rumors of content deals happening to bring actual channels to the AppleTV, but I think it's a little too early.  If Apple offers individual channels, including live news,  for monthly streaming fees, I'd go all in and drop cable.

The Software

Let's not be mistaken, there will be software.  You can't do a hardware-upgrade-only Keynote.  There's nothing to show off.  You can't see how clear a Retina display is on a computer monitor.  There are not enough pixels on the computer or TV to do the Retina display justice.  You can't demo extra memory.  You can't demo "thin".

You can demo software.  There will probably be the long line of high end software folks showing off things that show off the iPad.  Gaming companies will be up there showing off the increased speed and bragging about high-resolution graphics.  They will probably feature the new "Catalogs" section of the App Store, maybe with a haptic angle. "You can FEEL what that lacy underthing is like before you buy!  And all in-app purchases will net Apple 30% of your panties."  And then there is iPhoto.

Yep, that's my big software prediction/hope.  Apple has brought the entire iWork suite of Numbers, Pages, and Keynote to the iPad.  They have brought iLife in the form of iTunes, GarageBand and iMovie.  The only thing left is a REAL photo app.  The Photos app on the iPad is OK.  It lets you make albums and do basic editing, but it should do so much more.  I want Smart Albums, better tagging, iCloud album and tag syncing to Aperture on the desktop.  I want to create calendars and cards in the app and order them for mom for Christmas.  I want to edit more than redeye and cropping without third party apps.

It seems petty to complain about switching to Photoshop Touch or another photo editing app to fix color or apply a filter, but there's a reason I want it Apple-baked.  iPhoto and Aperture use non-destructive editing.  When I change a picture to black and white or crop something in Aperture or iPhoto, the app adds a meta-data file that explains the changes, but doesn't actually change the original file.  I can revert to the original years later if I want, after hundreds of edits.  None of the third-party apps can do this.  If I add a temporarily-cool hipster-wanna-be make-my-photo-look-old-and-ragged filter to a picture of my neice, I may want to have a real copy later.  Instead of two versions of the same picture in my camera roll, I can have dozens of versions inside one file in iPhoto.  And all of these changes and edits should sync over iCloud.

So, if we're scoring, iPad 3/HD will have a Retina display, a 50/50 shot at a Haptic screen, 4G LTE available, a bigger battery, possibly a tad thicker to account for more battery/haptic screen/LTE radio.  Apple will update iOS to 5.1, which recently hit Golden Master, and announce iPhoto for iPad.  I'll update after the Keynote to see how I did.  One question I still have:  Will they allow online orders this time, or will I be waiting in line?

Oh, and Apple, as a personal favor to me, can you please fix the UI bulemia that is the Music App?  Give me the sidebar and list back.  Give me big buttons.  I have a 10" screen with a 1/4" play button on it.  Give me a consistant UI with colors other than light gray and dark gray.  

Full Disclosure:  All of the app links in this post are iTunes affiliate links.  If you buy something through these links, or the Amazon sidebar on the left, I will get a little kickback to expand my Star Wars Pez dispenser collection.

Update on Wednesday, March 7, 2012 at 2:30PM by jimmy

So how did I do?  Retina display?  Check.  No 7"? Check.  LTE? Check.  Haptic? Nope, but we didn't really expect that, did we?  1080 Apple TV? Check.  Long, boring third party software demos?  Check.  Catalogs?  Not mentioned.  And my big personal win is iPhoto.  Pretty psyched about that one.

iPhoto and iOS 5.1 is available today, and you can pre-order an iPad later this afternoon.  They will ship on March 16.

Mountain Lion Is Coming

Today, Apple released the first developer preview of the next step in OS X, Mountain Lion.  First, let me say that Apple has once again proven it can work on software for months without a peep, then just let it loose to the surprise of everyone.

It brings more iOS features to the desktop. Messages replaces iChat, Calendar replaces iCal, Contacts replaces Address Book, and adds Notes and Reminders as separate apps.  All of this is consistent with Apple's push to integrate the computer and the mobile.  All of these apps (as well as new document-creation apps) will use iCloud to sync between computers and mobiles.

In Mountain Lion, Reminders are taken out of the calendar and Notes are taken out of Mail.  They are separate, just like they should be.  New App Store apps on the Mac will have the choice to save in traditional file system folders, or in a simplified iCloud interface.

One thing bothers me, as Gruber points out:

I’m interested to see how developer support for Mac App Store-only features plays out. Two big ones: iCloud document storage and Notification Center. Both of these are slated only for third-party apps from the Mac App Store. Many developers, though, have been maintaining non-Mac App Store versions of their apps.

 This could get very expensive.  I am a HUGE user of the Omni Apps.  I use OmniFocus, OmniOutliner, OmniGraffle, and OmniPlan extensively and daily.  I bought these apps long before the Mac App Store existed.  Thankfully, the fine folks at OmniGroup keep update in parity between App Store and in-the-wild versions of the software.  By Apple only allowing iCloud and Notification Center to App Store Apps, I will need to re-purchase $400-$500 in Apps so that notifications show up on my desktop.  This seems a bit anti-consumer and anti-developer, especially when alternate notification systems, like Growl, are available for nominal cost.