Digital Living

Where Is The Place For Windows (In The Future) ??

If today on desktop Mac OS is better than Windows, on server Linux/*nix is better than Windows, and on the web Google "OS" is better than Windows, then where is the place for Windows (in the future) ??

Now This Is A Truly Really Scarry Robot!! (We Don't Want To Run Windows In It) ...

In yesterday post we talk about how robot is getting even smarter -- resembling human -- strong, and powerful, and multiple times faster, stronger than human -- hence  the importance of making sure it never "hang" or catch virus, because we can "never" Ctrl-Alt-Delete it if it start acting "erratically" -- without significant effort on our side. (Hence NOT to install Windows on it). :-)

Today, such condition may be getting even more important, if we consider that one of the "today" and "future" robot might look and behave like this:

This is really "scarry" crazy little mean machine! We definitely don't want Windows (or even Vista) to ever run on it. The implication of "bug", "error", "hang" and "virus" is really serious in such circumstances.

For something really mission-critical and critically, sensitively important, may be Windows is not the option?.

Just a thought.

We'll see how the future goes. :-)

If Apple iPhone Is Not Moving Fast, Would Android Then "Take Over"?? (Ala Mac vs Windows In The 80s?)

Recent progress with handset around the world clearly shows one big trend and direction that handphone will go beyond talking and SMS, and will soon become our portable device to connect to the world and the virtual world we live in.

iPhone is one of the most innovative player in this segment. It surpass existing phone makers as one of the most advanced -- and perhaps one of the most preferred phone device to connect to the web.

But iPhone business model makes it a very exclusive device to connect to the web. In each country, seems iPhone only deal with ONE cellular operator that is willing and ready to embrace it.

Meanwhile, Google phones seems to take a totally different model. It strive to become the platform of choice for everybody that is willing to support it.

In the battle between exclusivity and commonality, usually the most common win. Platform that is most supported wins.

As such, it is a pretty big worry now to see whether iPhone in the future would be able to sustain its advantage, once more and more google-compatible-phones start to exist in the market.

This is something that we all might need to carefully see, study and watch. It would really be a pity if the old Macintosh story in the 80s repeat once again. Macintosh OS in the 80s was one of the most advanced operating system on earth. Everybody loves it. But Windows -- the "clunckier version" of the same OS -- step by step emerge and establish its presence in the market, actively making itself embrace-able by everybody, and then eventually emerging to become the "de-facto-standard" that even surpass Macintosh superiority and  exclusivity.

People sometimes say that history repeat. It would be a straggering experience to see and feel how the story and history of iPhone would be, as the google-phone (aka "iPhone inspired mobile OS" ??) embracement and penetration getting stronger and stronger momentum.

We will together watch, study, and see. All the best for Apple and its beautiful iPhone system. If there's ONE suggestion that we all probably could give to Apple iPhone, it would may be something like this:

"You're lovely, exciting, smart and beautiful indeed ... but MOVE fast please, MOVE FAST, the potential staggering alliances is coming soon, and they could be -- one day .. or soon -- surpass you, or at least potentially heading your way!".

Can I Help You?? -- See How Robot In The Future May Increasingly "Resemble" Human...

See how robot in the future may increasingly "resemble" human. They got "hands", "legs", "body", "neck", "head", "eyes" ... and most importantly (or most scarry-ly) "brain"!!

A "computer" most likely will indeed become the "brain" of the new device. We should really "grateful" today that at the moment this "brain" can only execute things that previously has been defined/programmed.

This makes the "robot" totally "safe" to be around!

But imagine what might happen if this "brain computer" suddenly "hang" and the "robot" start to behave erratically without anybody able to "reset" it -- because this "robot" will then fight back with their "hands", "legs", "arms", "eyes", "neck" and "head"? -- and in doing so they are 3,000 times stronger than the rest of us??

Hmmm ... seems definitely this robot's brain can not be made of operating systems that can catch virus! (e.g. Windows??). Because if such virus-attack happen, and the "robot" start to "hang" and "behave erratically", nobody will be able to do anything at all to Ctrl-Alt-Del it down.

Now replace this robot, take off its "arms", "legs", "eyes", etc, and what do we got? A "server computer" that can do all the automated and powerful computation and data processing scheme. A server computer that become totally mission critical to our business.

The key question towards this "robot without 'arms', 'legs', 'hand', 'neck'" would still be the same:

"Do we still want it to run on top of Windows?".

This kind of question, context and scheme probably something that we have to carefully consider and remember, as we automate our business through the powerful "arms", "legs" and "brain" of our server computer.

If we are careful with above aspects since now, our "robot"-center and our datacenter would be efficient and safe into the future.

But if we are not, one day perhaps fixing these "bug"/"virus" threat could be the biggest problem to solve around the world .. which is more "worrying" and "terrifying" than the "Y2K bug" that we all really "concerned" about back in 1999s.

Lets avoid that from happening. Let's start deciding that by choosing the right operating system for your "robot" ... and most importantly: for your business -- since day 1.

BTW, do take a look again how that robot "pose" for camera. And how real human such as Brooke Shields really pose for the camera in the 80s!

The robot's "brain" now seem "know" how to pose like a real model ... infront of a camera!!

Great luck!! :-) :-)

Sun Completes Acquisition Of MySQL

Today Sun completes acquisition of MySQL. This is I believe is a giant big step for OpenComputing community and OpenComputing economy as a whole.

With this, perhaps soon, the next exciting possibility of the future of computing (and cloud computing) would begin. OpenComputing now will not only reside at the heart of the giant internet and fastest web 2.0 economy, it also now have a great chance to enter into mission critical business environment.

Looking at this acquisition, may people might probably ask:

To understand the idea behind the acquisition, take a look at this great interview video:
http://www.viddler.com/explore/Scobleizer/videos/1/

You can also look at this:

Let's see how the next exciting things surrounding opencomputing and opentechnology reveals. And how it would all soon resonate perfectly and timely ... for mission critical business.

ps: go to http://mysql.com today, and see how the site has changed. It now has Sun logo in it:

Fascinating!

March 26: Document Freedom Day Initiative - Liberate Your Documents!

We believe on the importance of open document format, as a way to ensure that critical document, information, record, evidence of transaction and valuable knowledge asset can be read, retained, kept, accessed, and further processed in the future without limitations nor boundaries of what tools, operating systems, nor operating systems that the user used.

"The Document Freedom Day (DFD) is the global day for document liberation. It will be a day of grassroots effort to educate the public about the importance of Free Document Formats and Open Standards in general".

In that retrospect, we sincerely look forward to put our mutual effort together to try to make worldwide "documents" free from its current (yet deemed unnecessary) limiting front-end software boundaries. To make DFD (Document Freedom Day) initiatives a truly great success.

We sincerely hope and believe that the pure honest mutual spirit this initiatives one day might impact world-scale society and world-scale future generations after that significantly for the better.

Look here for more information on the world-scale Document Freedom Day initiatives -- coming soon: March 26, 2008. And do look forward to join and participate as well. The future of worldwide document format -- and future generation's access to open world-scale freedom document format and to innovation that will possible strive around it -- depends on it.

Worxcode at Document Freedom Day. Click the picture (above) to enlarge.

 

My MacBook Air Arrived Yesterday (And These Are Some Real Facts That You Might Need To Know)

My MacBook Air arrive yesterday. And this post just would like to highlight some of the important insight about the machine that you might want to know:

1. The machine is really lightweight. For those road-warriors that work and carry notebook everywhere, this machine is -- I think -- up to 60% lighter than MacBook. You can carry it everyday everywhere without having to be burdened by the weight.
2. It's amazingly thin as well. The first time you see it, you will notice immediately how thin it is. If paper is thin, then think of this machine as "almost as thin as 5 stacks of paper stacked together". Carrying it around really feels like that. Again this is wonderful experience and feature if you really live everyday with your computer/notebook around.
3. The mouse-pad is as precise as the Macbook Pro series. As you know, MacBook mouse-pad is NOT as smooth nor as accurate as the Macbook Pro's mouse-pad. But this tiny lightweight little wonder is different, it got mouse-pad that feel as "luxurious", as "cozy" and as "superbly precise" as the pro series mouse-pad.
4. The keyboard is feels almost as good as the iMac keyboard, and the keyboard back-light feature will really help you typing when the surrounding is dark. (e.g during flights inside the airplane).
5. The harddisk capacity is NOT really that big (mine is 74Gb) and the operating system is consuming 28-30Gb of it. So, the overall storage capacity is even less than the harddisk capacity that the PowerBook gives us 2-3 years ago (90Gb). Some of you might be "scared" about this fact. But if you really do "smart storage management" (e.g. managing data accordingly, backup or clean up unwanted files periodically, and do what Japanese people called "5S" -- continuous management, clean up and organization of everything) ... then having 50Gb as a "free" storage space is probably not that bad at all.
6. The size of the adaptor is 40% smaller, which I think is great, because then you can now carry the machine and its adaptor without having to carry a bag. For men, we can simply slip the adaptor inside our pocket. For ladies, I think, this could easily fit into your everyday bag as well.
7. The size of the RGB video adapter is the same, but the cable is 70-80% thinner, which means now you can slip the cable into your pocket more easily, rather than when we have to carry those "bulkier" RGB cable around.
8. This machine comes with 2Gb of RAM and enough processing power, which means if you want to run both Mac and Windows at the same time inside this machine, you can reliably do so -- e.g. by using Parallel software to do so.

Overall, my impression is:

"This is a machine that Apple really meticulously designed to become a "real portable machine". Everything -- from the ground up -- seem to be designed to become thinner, lighter, smaller and more compact than ever".

Do take a look here to hear a full guided review from Apple:

For those that value portability, this could be the machine that you would love to carry around everyday. But for those that value "completeness" of feature as well, you might want to be aware that:

1. This machine only come with 1 USB adaptor. So, if you get used to work with all your digital camera, external mouse, etc, etc attached to your machine, you might want to rethink and reconsider whether MacBook Air is fit or suitable for you, or not.
2. This machine does not have Ethernet adaptor built-in. So, if you need to access internet from your home or office, you might want to consider buying Apple Airport (WiFi) Express together -- or prior -- to buying the machine. Unless, you will have a lightweight and superbly tiny machine that you can not connect anywhere. (Which will make the machine totally useless anyway).
3. This machine does not have DVD/CD-ROM built-in. So, if you love watching movie daily, unless you download online video from YouTube or iTunes everyday, this machine might not be for you. You will need to attached external DVD/CD-ROM to do so.
4. This machine come up with a useful "Migration Assistance" program, but it will require Wifi. It also come with a useful utility that makes it easy for you to share DVD/CD ROM from your other Mac, so that the MacBook AIR can tap to it. But again, this would only be useful if you have Wifi or Airport Express connectivity to enable you to do so, because all these software, program and features only works across wireless network.

These are things that I would like to share with you today in regards with the MacBook AIR overall feature and capability. As I use this machine daily, I will try to post more information related with the experiences of using the machine, such as:

• Whether the machine is extremely hot after long time usage or not. And if it's getting hot, in which areas it is getting "extremely hot", and how to handle that, so we can still work mobile conveniently without having our hand or lap "burned".
• Whether living with "Machine" that has no "ethernet cable" is feasibly convenient or not. Or whether such "attempt" is reasonable, but a bit "too early" for daily working today.
• Whether -- after installing applications and documents (and emails) that we work on everyday -- the remaining 50Gb harddisk capacity becoming a problem or not. And if yes it becomes a problem, how to handle that.

We'll see how this beautiful magnificent machine will perform in the real daily living and working activity everyday.

My overall impression:

• MacBook Air comes with deep beautiful insight for great design, lightweightness, compactness, wireless-ness, and ultra-portability.
• But due to its "limitation" as well (such as smaller harddisk size, no ethernet cable, etc), probably this is also a machine that would require us to work with it with a new definition of "smart work".
• Perhaps no longer we shall "dump" all our data into one big harddisk kahuna (and see our harddisk capacity decreasing rapidly everyday).
• Perhaps no longer we shall "live in the older age", e.g. living without Wifi connectivity in our house.
• And so, and so.

"Overall MacBook Air might change the way we treat and value portability, and might also change the way we value and treat our computer,its "compact and limited size". This machine may be introduce us the concept of 'portability-with-NEW-attitude' in the way we shall treat and using it daily".

This by itself would make MacBook Air a very good machine to consider.

This machine is probably one of the sleekest innovative beautiful machine of our time today, the same way Sony ultraportables was feel like, 5-6 years ago.

MacBook Air is pretty. It's beautiful and lovely. But -- despite its pretti-ness, beauty and lovely feature -- you might want to think and carefully consider its "beautiful limitations" as well.

For those who need "superb power" in one ultraportable lightweight enclosure, or those who need "one super POWERFUL machine" for daily work and living activity ... while this machine might still fit in ... you might want to carefully consider.

With such careful considerations, you will then be able to determine and decide whether the machine is something that would really fit your working and living pattern (and "lifestyle" ?) or not. If it is ... do go and grab it immediately. If it's not ... then you can still choose ANOTHER MAC to go.

 

Enjoy! :-)

Beginning Of A New Era?

Rumors has it that Samsung is soon going to release a Google phone. Would this mark beginning of a new era?

Will Sony Design Excellence (Ever) Be Back?

Ever since the legendary Sony founder Akio Morita no longer lead Sony, we see tremendous drop in Sony design excellence.

Sony product that traditionally known as meticulously designed, exceedingly beautiful, and magnificently wonderful, turn to become "ordinary" product that people no longer cherish nor dream about.

The famous Sony Design Center which used to house some of the best designer that the world envy, seem to loose its magic touch, and overall Sony product, innovation and design feel "odd", "boring" and "less imaginatively fun to see".

While today many of Sony design are still feel awkwardly dull, there seem to be a hope that may be Sony design excellence have a chance to be back. Some of the latest Sony design seem to try to bring that "lust" back in Sony design aesthetic and excellence.

See some of:

• The latest Sony TV design today ...

• The latest Sony Video Walkman design today ...

• The latest Sony personal communicator device today ...

These are quite awesomely magical, although not quite that superbly stunning yet as Sony used to be in the past (Sony era in the 50s-80s).

Indeed, Sony team today seem has not yet find the "unique Sony design signature" that Sony definitely has during the 80s.

Sony's latest design seem still be trapped in its "signature aesthetics of the 80s". But if some of these early "rebirth" design being nurtured with deep care, perhaps some of the Sony's design magic and excellence might be back (?).

We don't yet for now. But if that ever happen; if Sony ever "rediscover" its magic-design touch back; such would be truly wonderful.

• A strong inspiring leader -- someone like Ken Kutaragi (the father of the famous "Play Station"; which once brings Sony 50% of its margin) -- might be needed to ever see that back.

• Take a look at Ken Kuntaragi latest PSP product and its aesthetics/ergonomics/functional design. Its totally beamed with aesthetics, spirit of new design-identity and significant beauty that is not "trapped" to the norm of the Sony 80s.

Ken Kutaragi - "the father of Sony Play Station"

• If these "new born signature" and "aesthetics" can be leveraged, embraced, shaped, extend and nurtured further to become new identity, design (and brand) signature for the whole Sony product, for sure Sony design aesthetics (and identity) would be back.

With such new, fresh and inspiring "brand, product and design identity" Sony then would have something that it can use as a foundation to get back in the retail market, to compete again with technical and design excellence that would be in par with Apple.

• The combination of Technical + Design + Innovation excellence afterall have been Sony "competitive magical signature" since the day it was born. It was "the elements of the magic touch" that makes Sony able to grow from a very tiny start-up to become a global giant of the industry a decade later -- in the past.

• Sony has lost such "technical breakthrough innovation + aesthetics & ergonomics" magic in the past few years as the digital era replaces the analog era, and as many Sony magical design veterans start to get old and "vanish" (or "inactive" in the industry) because of age.

• Unfortunately while the older Sony family are gone, many of the young, daring, inspiring and brave like Ken Kutaragi is not with Sony anymore. As Sir Howard Stringer -- current CEO of Sony -- once said about Ken Kutaragi:

“Ken Kutaragi is a rare combination of a powerful visionary and entrepreneur in one figure. Not only has he created a multi-billion dollar business for the Sony Group, he has brought the industry into a new dimension. Sony has benefited tremendously from his vision, his creative genius, and from the very strong team he assembled and nurtured".

• Meanwhile Sir Howard Stringer -- the current CEO -- doesn't seem to have enough engineering + marketing + branding + great innovation leadership instinct that is as strong, instinctive and as magical as the late Akio Morita; which is something that actually a great design+innovation+marketing company  like Sony (and Apple and other great innovation company) truly need actually.

So, we don't know how these seed of newly-born design-identity and design-aesthetics at Sony will be nurtured. If the late Akio Morita is still around, I think he will instinctively know how to leverage, focus, extend on this.

• But can the current Sony management do it on his behalf?
• Can we have the Sony design-magic "lust" back?

That's the biggest question that we all remain (and really hope) to see.

If Sony can get its design magic back, together with Apple, the world of the internet, digital media, mobility and games would significantly becomes collectively more beautiful than ever.

The world would probably become so much better because of that.

Microsoft Seem Will Take On Yahoo (Whether Yahoo Likes It Or Not)

As of today Microsoft seem determine to take on Yahoo and put it inside Microsoft, whether Yahoo likes it or not. To execute this, $44B is at stake.

My overall feel and impression looking at this "big and bold" move is as follow:

1. Seem Microsoft still has the passion to "bet the company" on something that they feel really important. Despite Microsoft's "dull innovations" (in the past few years), seem many of the old Microsoft veterans still have the passion to keep the company exist in important market. Such determination  makes this daring initiative look pretty fascinating indeed. Perhaps one day this would mark a "key milestone" and a "symbolic gesture" of the important time in history when the "big, fat, lazy" Microsoft suddenly seriously transformed again to become and "agile, aggressive and responsive" company once more; and throttle its full strength and energy to be "forcefully, competitively, heartfully, creatively and innovatively" be back again in the current (and future) biggest market possible.
   
2. But if I look at this initiatives from other perspective, I have these "disturbing feeling" and concerns that I can not still fully express:
   
   1. Has Microsoft been very "innovatively" retarded hence they can not catch up by creating their own innovation?
   2. Do they really so "behind" that they have to waste $44 billion just to embrace the yahoo brand?
   3. Or would this be another nostalgic attempt, the same way they did several years ago when Microsoft buy DOS and leverage on it very very smartly and build/enter a very big huge business and industry by acquiring something that other people made??
      1. Would these old Microsoft veterans try to "replay" the "old nostalgic history" that makes them a great legendary success in the past, and "copy-and-paste" such "magic formula for "today" and into the "future"??

We don't know yet why embracing Yahoo becoming a must-list for Microsoft to do, instead of trying to do something on their own.

Yet despite all these rumors, talks and speculations about the "take over" or "merger" -- the thing that relate with WHY Microsoft need to take this bet, the biggest key question into the future is probably this: WHAT is it that Microsoft really would like to do once it got Yahoo under its wings?.

Understanding WHAT Microsoft would possibly do "through" Yahoo once they get Yahoo under their wing probably would reveal WHY Microsoft really would like to take on Yahoo today -- under its wing.

Let's see and explore the possibility of WHAT Microsoft could/would do once they got Yahoo under their wings:

1. Would they use Yahoo as a vehicle for increased source of advertising revenue, so they can lower their Office price offering -- hence they can "hurt" Google in the Office space? -- which is Microsoft "home turf"??
2. Would Microsoft leverage Yahoo customer base (who are using Yahoo Mail and Yahoo Messenger Daily) as a base to launch and introduce "new add-on live services" to the market? e.g. for every yahoo mail and yahoo messenger user, now "suddenly" they can have "Office Live" at the click of a button too?? -- which comes at a very reasonable price as well? -- hence creating a "captive market" for their "Office Live" offerings?
3. Would Microsoft use Flickr, Delicious and other fascinating assets that Yahoo has as a leverage to build more advertising revenue, so they can lower the Office product (Office Live or Office Desktop) pricing, without hurting their stock valuation in the market?
4. Would Microsoft leverage Yahoo infrastructure and turn it to become more "programmable" and "API" ready, so it eventually become the "Web Operating System" that would/could become the homeground to ensure future brighter prospect for Microsoft Windows OS?
5. Would this actually be an attempt to win all these "4 key initiatives" at the same time??
   1. To turn Yahoo mail & Yahoo messenger customer base to become "captive" customer for Office Live?
   2. To turn Yahoo web advertising revenue + Microsoft web advertising revenue as a base foundation to leapfrog Google in the future?
   3. To wrap Yahoo services with "programmable" and "friendly" API that would make Yahoo services the first base foundation for Microsoft's future "Web Operating System" .. which eventually would become the future prosperous home ground for the "future Windows OS"?
   4. To complement Yahoo services (email + YM + flickr + delicious, etc) with Office Live offering, which if complemented with advertising revenue stream would enable Microsoft to lower its Office Live price -- which would enable it to compete agressively with Google Docs; yet at the same time also would enable Microsoft to do so (aka lower its Office systems price) without affecting its market stock valuation?

These questions and speculations are still yet to be seen. I was totally skeptic when I hear Mr. Ballmer or even Mr. Ozzie mention about the plan to take on Yahoo. But when Bill Gates start to stand up on on stage and provide perspective of the company determination to take on Yahoo, or to proceed with their "big bet" goal with or without Yahoo ... for sure this is something that -- may be, seems -- need to be more seriously considered and think about.

What is Microsoft really up to? Are we really going to see Microsoft feeding their "new" Office live offering through Yahoo customer base? Are we really going to see Microsoft using Yahoo's advertising revenue as a basis to lower their Office Live offering, hence it can "flexibly" and "adaptively" compete with Google offerings -- without hurting their stock market valuation?? Or would this just be one of Mr. Ballmer craziest useless ideas -- that one day will be remembered in the annal of CEO and great company leadership as the strangest and most pathetic decision a CEO could ever made?

As of now we don't know yet. Things are remain to be seen. But overall, the recent appearance of Bill Gates to provide support to the ideas is really make this "big-bet ideas" worth a more serious consideration. May be .. and this is probably a BIG speculative MAY BE ... MAY BE Microsoft is really up into something really BIG HUGE and WONDERFUL?

Let's say it's a yes, can Mr. Ozzie execute on that? Based on Mr. Ozzie track record, may be, but whether he will be able to do that in rapid timeline like Microsoft used to be able to do during the DOS, Windows, IE-Browser-War leadership of Bill Gates ... such remain to be seen.

After all, good idea could be a good idea, but ability to execute on those ideas usually will determine success, or failure.

Microsoft today is no longer the same Microsoft we use to know in the 80s or 90s. Its leadership team has changed. Mr. Ballmer, Mr. Ozzie -- and not Bill Gates -- is now in charge. No matter how good the idea is (if it is indeed later on happen to be known to be a "good" or "great idea") ... if the executive team's execution is lauzy, for sure such "big bet" have a very high risk of being a tremendous failure.

We can never predict the future. But we'll see how the future goes if this big-bold-"ugly" initiative eventually take place.

The WHAT (and WHY) Microsoft takes this big bold "seem intuitively crazy" bet to embrace Yahoo as one of its key strategic attempt to make itself relevant again in the future is something interesting and important that worth sometime to think upon.

The future of computing might be heavily influenced by it, one day.

ps: Additional readings related with the "Microhoo" initiatives can also be seen below:

• Microsoft: See the Yahoo, Take the Yahoo

• Gates on Microhoo: Offer very fair