Rating agencies must die. Now.

Rants - 18.5.2012 - permalink

Greece is a a country that went into a loop. An economic disaster loop. It’s been there for a while, it’s going to be there for another, it won’t go out of the crisis anytime soon. And after a couple of years of disaster, here comes Fitch, the rating agency, in 2012, downgrading Greece from B- to CCC. I mean, now. Just now. They probably got lightning struck and, suddenly, remembered about a never ending crisis in Greece. Wow!

I really think the time has come to kill rating agencies. I’ve written this about before, Standard & Poor’s screw it some many times, Moody’s was fired by Danish banks, the guys at Fitch thought Greece is a heaven… until now. My god.

The essence of blogging

Media - 18.5.2012 - permalink

Blogging is not about being stiff and rigid in your writing, but being flexible and flowing with ideas. It doesn’t matter if everyone agrees with your thoughts. In fact, that would be really boring — but you write it anyway. [...] Blogging is also about trust. If you’re readers know that you are writing from your heart, they will listen. They will engage you, and in the process you will learn something new. That, in turn, will help shape your opinions.

I do this since 2003. Jim Dairymple is right, that’s what blogging is all about.

MG Siegler got a new layout. An honest opinion

Design - 16.5.2012

Because I know he follows my tumblr (and all my posts here are crossposted on tumblr) and, most probably, he’s going to read this too: that new layout is no fun. First, it’s ugly. Second, there’s a reason why TechCrunch kept the blog structure after its most recent redesign: usability. There’s a reason why TNW quit the “frontpage sections format” for the traditional blog layout. I know news websites that owe their success to this blog “list” format. It’s easier for the human eye – and it’s already a habit – to follow news or articles in a list rather than in a fluid all-together-hell-knows-which-is-the-most-recent design. Simple as that.

MG, I hope you make the right decision for your readers.

The trouble with Retina Displays on Macs

Apple - 16.5.2012 - permalink

9to5Mac reported that Apple is working on adding Retina Displays to MacBooks. My first though would be “cool“. I don’t know how, but it always hits me the moment exactly after I find the news interesting: why would Apple do that? You can understand the decision when it comes to iPhones and iPads – a higher resolution on small displays is heaven, it’s not everyday you don’t have to zoom in your phone browser window to be able to read, and yet, you don’t have to do that on an iPhone unless you’re shortsighted.

The trouble with high definition large displays is that you don’t need them. If you don’t want to buy blu-rays, then a regular display is enough. For graphic designers obsessed with clear pixels, an iMac display is great. On a smaller screen, such as a MacBook’s, it’s rather irrelevant. Maybe I’m wrong, but Apple just doesn’t need to add Retina Displays on MacBooks unless they need new features for marketing purposes only. MacBooks don’t have the iPad’s marketshare to become the industry standard and designers won’t create high-res images for Macs only. Why would Apple bring Retina Displays to MacBooks when they don’t have the reason to do it?

Frank Zappa – Transylvania Boogie

Rants - 15.5.2012

You might wonder why the heck have I tagged this post as “tech”. Well, because the song called Transylvania Boogie, belonging to Frank Zappa, is one that I had never heard before I started to play the Progressive Rock radio station on the Apple TV I just received for a quick “experience” testing.

Right now, besides AirPlay and radio, I can’t do crap. I can’t watch Netflix, I can’t watch basically anything besides my own video content. It sucks, isn’t it? Well, that’s because none of those services are available in my country. I’d pay for them, but I’m not located in the US or in Canada.

Which leads me to cheating on Hollywood, Apple, Netflix and all those movie companies. I’m going to pirate movies and I won’t pay a dime. Let the crybabies cry because people use torrents to share their creations.

Is it fair? Not for them, because they don’t get a penny. Not for me, because I’d like to pay, but they won’t let me. I’d pay for Apple TV, but I don’t have any reasons to buy it unless Netflix and similar services open to other countries. I’d pay for Netflix, but they don’t want my money. Is pirating a solution? Hell, yeah! Who’s losing? Everyone’s losing.

PS: Actually, I’m going to use a proxy server to look like I’m from US, because, for art’s sake, I want to pay. Morons.

Apparently, you have to be Time magazine to be right when it comes to DigiTimes

Apple - 14.5.2012 - permalink

Finally someone bigger. It’s not like I didn’t write about how lame DigiTimes is when it comes to Apple sources. It’s not like I wasn’t writing a few days ago about how unprofessional writers there at CNet are when they copy/paste rumors from DigiTimes. Oh, well, I’m not Time magazine. But I’m so glad someone actually wrote about how full of crap DigiTimes is. Thank you!

PS: I hope they’ll make a list with all the big publications – CNet included – that took DigiTimes crap for good and published it. That’d be really fun to read.

Pebble: $10 million raised in two months. Now what?

Tech - 14.5.2012

A few weeks ago, when the Pebble watch was at “only” $5 million, I was tweeting that it’s going to pass 10 million. Then, when it got close to 15 days left and was barely getting over 7 million, I started to doubt my guestimate. But, as you can see, the Pebble watch passed, three days ago, the 10 million limit. The guys now have more than 67.000 backers and $10,181,600 to receive in their account in less than a week. Now, that’s something.

As far as I know, they tried to raise money from VCs and angel investors, but nobody cared. I was so close to say “those investors must feel so dumb right now“, when it hit me: it’s actually better they didn’t back Pebble, because they would most probably have lost their money. What the investors wouldn’t have been able to do is bring so many customers. Kickstarter added such a great traction and was such a PR booster, one that they wouldn’t have ever been able to get from investors.

This is a great example of “not all tech startups need investors to back them“. What I’m interested in though is how soon they’re going to run out of clients. After all, it’s just a watch. This business is not going to last unless they come up with new versions. We shall see.

One month old tech startup, already sold. Is it possible?

Tech - 14.5.2012

When I started this article, I remembered I read about Betteridge’s Law of Headlines, which states that Any headline which ends in a question mark can be answered by the word ‘no’. I’d normally say this is true. But here’s a nice story (another one) about three guys that met, one day, and thought about starting a small business. Long story short, they made their own hackathon, got in front of a whiteboard and sketched the concept, then they started to work. Three days later, they had a functional demo.

These guys created an Android app for designers. By the way, it will have an iPhone version in about a month or so. You take a picture (or select a picture from your phone’s library) and the app is going to extract a color scheme. For instance, let’s say you’re a designer and you go to work, in the morning. You see a garden and you love the colors. You take a picture, and here you go, a color scheme you can use in your next project. Cool, right? That’s not a half of it.

The three guys I’m talking about started working on their app in November 2011, as a side project. All in all, the time spent for the app is the equivalent of the time they’d have spent in a month on a 9 to 5 job. So, we can all agree that it would be correct to assume their startup is one month old. In terms of how much they worked, of course. The product is absolutely stunning. The app is called Real Colors and it already is in the Google Play store. And it was featured in Google Friday Apps Review (video here).

Every designer knows about Adobe’s Kuler. Think of a Kuler app for phones, but way better (by the way, the Kuler app for tablets is a failure). That’s what these guys have created. They will eventually add new features (in-app purchases.) Why the title? Why this story? Because for a month’s worth of work, they could go as soon as tomorrow and knock at Adobe’s door and kick their ass. And Adobe would ask to buy their startup.

Is it possible to sell a startup so soon? No, because the guys won’t sell everything, not in this stage. But if you feel like investing in their business, feel free to contact them.

Apple products in 40 percent of 2011′s top movies

Apple - 14.5.2012 - permalink

Now, that’s wowing.

The bottom line: Apple products were in more than 40 percent of top movies last year, an advantage as traditional advertising falls flat.

All the details, in BusinessWeek.

What can Apple lose after dropping Google Maps

Apple - 13.5.2012 - permalink

MG Siegler in TechCrunch:

Apple may be the largest user of the Google Maps API right now. It’s not clear if Google charges Apple for this or not. Or if they’re about to start, as they have with other third-parties.

I think Apple doesn’t pay a penny. First of all, because they don’t really have to. Second, because being the largest user, iPhone users will – doh! – use Google Maps. Companies buy ads on Google Maps. When Apple will switch to their own Maps, Google will lose some money.

What is really interesting to see is how Apple is going to be affected when they’ll drop GMaps. For instance, I open Maps and search like “hotel name, city”. I have no idea how Apple is going to replace that database. Hopefully, they’ll already have it backed up or something. Otherwise, they’re gonna regret it.

Apparently, Gmail hates Chrome

Tech - 10.5.2012

Funny thing how two Google products can’t stand each other. Of course, I’m kidding, but I kid you not publishing the image above. That’s a real GMail error shown in Google’s own browser, Chrome (which, by the way, has autoupdates turned on). For posterity (unless you want to click the picture for the larger size,) here’s what the error states:

We’re sorry. It seems there is a problem. Please try using Gmail with a supported browser. If you’re encountering this error while using a supported browser, we suggest alerting your Internet Service Provider (ISP) that a proxy is failing to accept cookies on HTTP redirects. Click here to return to Gmail. You’ll need to sign in to your account.

PS: No internet connection, no network nor proxy problems whatsoever. Just a Google error (The image was a bit edited: URL and bookmarks bar were photoshopped for privacy reasons.)

HP’s VP of Industrial Design is not a designer?

Apple - 10.5.2012 - permalink

Stacy Wolff is HP’s Vice President of Industrial Design. He holds a bachelor of fine arts degree in industrial design from Michigan State University. That pretty much makes him a designer. What doesn’t make him a designer is his lack of eye in design. Check this out:

I think if you look at the new Spectre XT, there are similarities in a way, not due to Apple but due to the way technologies developed. Apple may like to think that they own silver, but they don’t. In no way did HP try to mimic Apple. In life there are a lot of similarities.

Cool, huh? Is it me or a guy who can’t see the [lack of] differences between a Spectre XT and a MacBook Air isn’t supposed to be a designer?

[via]

PandoDaily is going so down

Media - 10.5.2012 - permalink

When I wrote, about a month ago, that PandoDaily is not going down, instead is just slowing down after kicking Mike Arrington and MG Siegler, I was such an optimist. Truth is, Sarah Lacy’s project is not based on journalism. Right now, it’s becoming some sort of tabloid. And Milo Yiannopoulos has a good analysis. However, I was right: it’s bad management. It’s just a matter of time before Sarah Lacy will either be replaced or will sell the gig.

Here’s another reason to trust DigiTimes

Apple - 9.5.2012 - permalink

Apple will launch the 7 inch iPad mini in August, will launch a 10 inch iPad before Christmas and the iPhone 5 is coming in September. This is what the great professionals working for DigiTimes.com are saying. Bullshit. I’m ashamed to see websites I trust quoting DigiTimes. What the hell, people? Are you kidding? It’s you saying DigiTimes is not a reliable source and you still publish their bullshit? Are you serious? What kind of journalism/blogging is this? Oh, yeah, I know: one that’s even more unprofessional than DigiTimes’.

And I thought CNet is a reliable news source. Nope, it isn’t

Media - 8.5.2012 - permalink

I do have a problem with news outlets like CNet when their editors trust unreliable news sources. As a journalist, I triple checked my info before writing an article. As a journalist, I know you’re cheating on your readers when you’re copy/pasting news from unreliable sources. It’s not fair to republish rumors and blame the source when you knew right from the start that the information has 99% chances to be wrong. Well, that’s exactly what CNet does when they quote DigiTimes.com, a news website that fails to inform people, that fails to bring valid information. I wrote about them before, I’ll do it again if necessary. Here’s an official request, if you need one:

Dear editors,

I know “Apple” is a good keyword and every piece of crap you publish about the company and/or its products brings you tons of traffic, but please stop advertising DigiTimes, a lousy news source when it comes to Apple, thus misleading people.

Sincerely,
All those people that actually care about the future of journalism

Thanks.

PS: For the guys at DigiTimes, here’s a valid information that every technology writer at CNet should have known. For your interest, Apple has never ever launched a low-price product. They lowered prices for old devices when new generations of products emerged. Apple will never launch crap. Stop reading DigiTimes, for news’ sake!

The “rule of the three” in technology

Tech - 8.5.2012

I might be writing an absolutely stupid rant here, but I find myself looking at a pattern. I’m reading tons of stuff about technology, both business-wise and technical-wise and I follow most of the trends news. And most of these news, if you’re looking at the big picture, led me to believe there’s an unwritten “rule of the three” in technology. This can only be demonstrated with examples.

When it comes to computer operating systems, there are exactly three of them dominating the market: Windows, OSX and Linux (yeah, I know there are a ton of different versions, but this is irrelevant). When it comes to smartphone operating systems, there are exactly three: iOS, Android and, most recently, Windows Phone 7 (yeah, there’s Blackberry and there’s Symbian, but they’re dying.) If we’re talking about smartphones producers, we only have three that we’ll continue to grow: Apple, Samsung and HTC. We can include in this technology domain a niche in which we’ll only have three big companies for financial products: Visa, MasterCard and AMEX.

So, this rule basically states that there will always be no more than three companies or products that will dominate one technology market. So, in any technology market, there will always be three important companies or products getting probably 90% of the market versus everyone else, without many chances to emerge.

Of course, I might be exaggerating a bit, but if you’re doing the math, the first three companies take the cream and everyone else is destined to fail in that market. For instance, in the mobile market, besides Apple, Samsung and HTC, we have Sony, a company that never actually sold enough to justify its smartphone division. Then, there’s LG, a company that invested in smartphones, but never really had any chances to grow because ~~their strategy~~ they had no strategy. When it comes to operating systems, LG had its own attempt, Samsung tried Bada, and, all in all, besides iOS, Android and WP7, all the others are doomed.

I think this is quite interesting.

Apple drops Google Maps, replaces it with OpenStreetMap

Apple - 4.5.2012 - permalink

Back in March, Apple shifted away from using Google Maps in its iPhoto for iOS map in favor of OpenStreetMap (OSM), the open-source mapping service that relies on the public for edits similarly to Wikipedia. [...] As of May 1st, the acknowledgements under iPhoto’s settings page now credits “OpenStreetMap contributors,” with a link back to the site.

It was about time. I didn’t pay much of attention to this topic, but I was actually thinking a couple months back why Apple still uses Google services. Well, it’s just a matter of time until they’ll drop all of them. As about Maps, OSM is a great choice, they have a great community.

Nope, iWatch won’t exist

Apple - 3.5.2012 - permalink

John Gruber has a point, the only way Apple can hurt business like Pebble or LunaTik is to launch similar products. MG Siegler, on the other hand, doesn’t. Because Apple shouldn’t be thinking about launching any wrist device. Not yet. It’s not something Apple would do, not this soon, at least. What Apple does is copying and improving stuff. LunaTik is merely a strap and Pebble is a watch. Yes, Apple could launch an iWatch, but it won’t. It will not create an iWatch unless they can actually miniaturize an iPhone, one of their core products. They’re not an accessories company – by the way, please name more than two accessories made by Apple. Exactly.

Plus, Apple is proud with the number of jobs *they* have created in the last few years, especially with the not-at-Apple jobs, but at companies who operate businesses such as Pebble or LunaTik. Just check the “job creation” page on the Apple website, this is info that has been pushed to the media when the iEconomy scandal emerged. They just won’t.

Do not be sad

Rants - 3.5.2012 - permalink

When you do something noble and beautiful and nobody noticed, do not be sad. For the sun every morning is a beautiful spectacle and yet most of the audience still sleeps.

John Lennon

Never say never

Rants - 28.4.2012 - permalink

I do not want and I will never ever be Traian Băsescu’s* prime-minister. I am not Emil Boc, nor Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu**, for Băsescu to appoint me in any [governmental] position, whenever he wants so, not even in a joke.

Victor Ponta***, March 19, 2012.
__

* Whenever a government ends its term, according to the state laws, the president has to appoint a new prime-minister. Traian Băsescu is Romania’s president since 2004.
** Emil Boc is a former prime-minister. He ran the government from December 22, 2008, to February 6, 2012, when he quit. Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu took his place until yesterday, when his government had to fall after a Parliament vote of trust.
*** Victor Ponta is one of the two Romanian opposition leaders and a vehement critic of the president and his last two appointed governments. On Friday, he was appointed as the new prime-minister. He took the job. The irony…

Farmers & video games

Tech - 26.4.2012 - permalink

If people were influenced by video games, then the majority of Facebook users would be farmers by now.

I have no idea who’s the author, but I’m sure I’ve seen this on a t-shirt.

Underestimating Apple

Apple - 25.4.2012 - permalink

Wall Street routinely underestimates Apple’s earnings. What’s interesting is how consistent the margin of error has been a year in advance. For instance, in December 2010, analysts expected Apple would deliver $6.20 of earnings a share for the quarter ended December 2011. A year later, Apple delivered $13.87. Ultimately, analysts underestimated by 55%. [...] In March 2011, analysts had forecast that Apple would deliver $5.97 of earnings for the quarter just ended. Factoring in the average underestimate of 53% implied Apple would report $12.79. While the ultimate result of $12.30 fell short of that, that was still way ahead of what analysts had expected as recently as yesterday — just $9.92.

Rolfe Winkler, in Overheard. You don’t really have to click, I took all the relevant info in the quote above.