tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-106367442024-03-07T20:50:14.377-06:00Not Quite RightTechnology. Business. Sports. Stuff.Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06409886039017693698noreply@blogger.comBlogger109125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10636744.post-53034843863878151982008-12-08T02:09:00.001-06:002008-12-08T02:09:48.437-06:00Testtesting...Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06409886039017693698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10636744.post-66741474718043076522007-04-21T16:06:00.000-05:002007-04-21T16:14:08.933-05:00New HomeI recently had to purchase a domain and some hosting space for work-related reasons. I decided that while I was at it, I might as well set up a WordPress installation. I've been thinking about doing this for a while, but I needed a good reason to do it. The new blog is up at http://www.bryanbartow.com. I'll also be hosting a portfolio there, along with some other good stuff. Come check it out.Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06409886039017693698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10636744.post-21962527091320992332007-03-19T00:08:00.000-05:002007-03-19T00:11:50.159-05:00Adobe Apollo Alpha Released<a href="http://www.adobe.com">Adobe</a> has finally given us developers something to work with. The <a href="http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/entitlement/index.cfm?e=labs_apollo">alpha version</a> of Apollo was released tonight on <a href="http://labs.adobe.com">Labs</a>. Download and rejoice. And love the fact that they're still not giving us file access.Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06409886039017693698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10636744.post-46117881687832480482007-03-18T20:37:00.000-05:002007-03-18T20:49:14.796-05:00Firefox + Adblock + FiltersetG Updater: Web Browsing BlissI've decided to create a series of screencasts I've dubbed "Tech Essentials" illustrating some of the applications and services I consider essential to keeping my PCs and other gadgets running at their best. The first-Firefox + Adblock-can be found by clicking the badge at the bottom of the post. I've always considered dedicating a blog just to this sort of thing. If there's enough interest in "Tech Essentials" I'll consider doing it on an ongoing basis. Are there any applications you consider essential for your OS to run its best?<br /><br /><a href="http://www.screencast.com/users/BryanBartow/collections/Default/media/a26ddbc1-46c2-47a2-a9c2-03380b35d372"><img alt="Click here to view the screencast" src="http://www.screencast.com/img/media_screencast.gif" border="0" /></a>Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06409886039017693698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10636744.post-58861520520029812172007-03-14T23:55:00.000-05:002007-03-15T00:21:27.705-05:00Google Reader Adds ButtonsUpon logging into <a href="http://www.google.com/reader">Google Reader</a> tonight, I immediately noticed that the team had added stylized buttons to some of the command links. Nothing major, but nice to see the Google Reader team at least giving some attention to UI. I've recorded a screen cast, which can be seen <a href="http://www.screencast.com/users/BryanBartow/collections/Default/media/b9b4d55a-e97e-493f-b5a7-22460c85c13d">here</a> or by clicking on the badge below. Again, nothing earth shattering; I just needed a good reason to test <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&ct=res&cd=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.microsoft.com%2Fwindows%2Fproducts%2Fwindowsvista%2Fdefault.mspx&ei=VNP4RaeMJY-QggS0mrjRBw&usg=__5tcN9nWf-MIqyRgLcjuEYwm43ok=&sig2=1XVPH2zfgtq9Zlomhmrwbg">Vista</a> and <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&ct=res&cd=2&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.techsmith.com%2Fcamtasia.asp&ei=ctP4RYOTGIrMgwSy5IXRBw&usg=__LzowNX81efdSdlFtgYD2QcbMZTM=&sig2=qYc9JkFGZuvWFj2_ByBYLQ">Camtasia Studio</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.screencast.com/users/BryanBartow/collections/Default/media/b9b4d55a-e97e-493f-b5a7-22460c85c13d"><img border="0" alt="Click here to view the screencast" src="http://www.screencast.com/img/media_screencast.gif" /></a>Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06409886039017693698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10636744.post-10301247071640168802007-03-09T11:58:00.000-06:002007-03-12T10:44:38.708-05:00Digg - gSyncit for Microsoft OutlookLooks like someone has finally been able to get <a href="http://calendar.google.com/">Google Calendar</a> and <a href="http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/FX100487751033.aspx">Microsoft Outlook</a> to play nice with each other, and by play nice I mean two way syncing. <a href="http://www.spanningsync.com/">Spanning Sync</a> has been doing this for iCal on the Mac, albeit in beta, for a while now. It's just a shame that somebody hasn't given us a one stop shop for multi-platform PIM syncing. Yes, I'm talking about you <a href="http://www.plaxo.com/">Plaxo</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://digg.com/software/gSyncit_for_Microsoft_Outlook">Digg - gSyncit for Microsoft Outlook</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Update:</span> Just saw <a href="http://gcaldaemon.sourceforge.net/index.html">this</a> over at <a href="http://www.macosxhints.com">macosxhints.com</a>. It looks like a Java daemon that runs on a user's local machine that allows them to sync iCal and Google Calendar. According to <a href="http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=200703080908446">the hint</a>, it also allows the user to use GMail as an LDAP server in Address Book.Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06409886039017693698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10636744.post-27621967317932273252007-03-07T11:08:00.000-06:002007-03-07T14:05:47.759-06:00Skype Prime: What took so long?Perusing through the <a href="http://share.skype.com/sites/garage/">Skype Garage</a> this morning, I noticed that a new beta of Skype 3.1 has been released today. Hot on the heels of <a href="http://share.skype.com/sites/en/2007/02/skype_31_beta_for_windows_skyp.html">Skype Find</a>, <a href="http://share.skype.com/sites/en/2007/03/skype_prime_beta_introducing_t.html">Skype Prime</a> is the beginning of the long overdue Skype-eBay-PayPal integrations so many have been waiting for since eBay purchased the two companies. Skype Prime allows Skype users to charge for services offered through voice and video calls on Skype.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/170/413640179_235460e3f4_o.png"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/170/413640179_235460e3f4_o.png" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This idea isn't new, however, as <a href="http://www.ether.com/">Ether</a> has been providing essentially the same service since last year. The big difference here, of course, is the integration with PayPal. Users' service fees are collected in their PayPal accounts where they can be transfered, spent or saved. The next logical step is for eBay to provide sellers with dedicated virtual stores from which services and/or goods can be provided. This seems to be the most logical implementation of the "power of three" integration. The question is, will people use this and will the average user be as apt to buy a conversation online as they are a good or product. I hate to toot my own horn, but I <a href="http://spudnik187.blogspot.com/2006/05/mashable-coming-soon-paypal-payments.html">predicted</a> <a href="http://mashable.com/2006/05/13/coming-soon-paypal-payments-via-skype/">this</a> some time ago. It's nice to be right sometimes.Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06409886039017693698noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10636744.post-80521206453586743732007-03-02T18:16:00.000-06:002007-03-03T22:21:27.166-06:00Digg - It's kind of official: Apple iPhone & JAJAH VoIP<a href="http://digg.com/apple/It_s_kind_of_official_Apple_iPhone_JAJAH_VoIP">Digg - It's kind of official: Apple iPhone & JAJAH VoIP</a><br /><br />Looks like someone is trying to ride the coattails of the iPhone's popularity. Even though this was announced on January 9th on the company's blog, there seems to be a bit of buzz today about <a href="http://www.jajah.com/">JAJAH</a> announcing official support for the <a href="http://www.apple.com/iphone">iPhone</a>. They even included an artist's rendition of<br />what the JAJAH application icon might look like on the iPhone Home UI.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://blog.jajah.com/uploads/Pictures/jajah_apple_iphone.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://blog.jajah.com/uploads/Pictures/jajah_apple_iphone.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Unless they have struck some sort of secret deal with Apple and/or Cingular, or whatever their name is now, this is a weak PR stunt which just oozes of desperation. Technically, JAJAH calls can be initiated from the iPhone through Safari and JAJAH's web-based dialer. Technically, the iPhone will support any website in which you can fill in two form fields and click a submit button to initiate an action. I fail to see why JAJAH had to announce this support. I guess it's time for me to announce that Not Quite Right will officially support the iPhone from day one. Look for a press release soon.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Update:</span> It seems as though a number of people have picked up this "story" and run with it. It seems to get even more unbelievable by the post. The latest I post I read claimed that all calls will truly be free because "...most providers don't charge for incoming calls..." Is this some kind of coordinated joke? First, which providers in this country don't charge for incoming calls? I have <a href="http://www.t-mobile.com">T-Mobile</a> and they sure as heck do. Of course, it only really matters if Cingular gives away incoming minutes since they'll be the provider all iPhoners are using, at least initially. However, I can't find anything in any of Cingular's documentation that makes any mention of free incoming calls. Can anyone show me where I'm wrong or might be missing something?<br /><blockquote></blockquote>Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06409886039017693698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10636744.post-75639845062421673392007-02-23T02:22:00.000-06:002007-02-23T02:36:58.914-06:00iPhone Deal Unprecedented?By now we've all heard about <a href="http://www.apple.com">Apple</a> and <a href="http://www.cisco.com">Cisco</a> agreeing to "share" the iPhone trademark. I'm not at all surprised that a deal was reached, even if it did take much longer than expected. What I'm wondering is this: has there ever been another case of a company (Cisco) agreeing to let another company (Apple) use its trademark to identify a product so similar to its own? I'm an unabashed Apple lover and <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&ct=res&cd=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FSteve_Jobs&ei=VqfeReSfJKbeggTY47ieBg&usg=__xeilOe0BMA1RZtZUqPaqxmBvabc=&sig2=A4075Y4pG-L7HRtFoWpeUg">Steve Jobs</a> fan, but I'm shocked that he has this much clout or could pull this off. I mean, he basically got <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&ct=res&cd=4&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FJohn_Chambers_%28CEO%29&ei=jKfeRZroHIWMgASb5IGjBg&usg=__J4Bz5DSSsWSVz6hPZY2TBORjHSw=&sig2=7LksIHBq1uT_ncvKBh_e6A">Chambers</a> et al. to pseudo-abandon the trademark, which Cisco clearly owned. Anyone know of any similar cases where this sort of agreement has been reached?Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06409886039017693698noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10636744.post-73823920858124530502007-02-06T23:37:00.000-06:002007-02-06T23:48:58.344-06:00WalMart Video: DOA?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJVsmEWTQFx3c4C1hd0xlSTshJ-ufwzbkV2Jcdzv1_Sutk41hDDvffzM3GWM3FvPzA_S8UzWfRg_F8T1CobC7kJONvAQYk47w4uRxeBQw3vss9npm_d3UXBIy3aJfS3X6mF4VNxQ/s1600-h/Picture+1.png"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJVsmEWTQFx3c4C1hd0xlSTshJ-ufwzbkV2Jcdzv1_Sutk41hDDvffzM3GWM3FvPzA_S8UzWfRg_F8T1CobC7kJONvAQYk47w4uRxeBQw3vss9npm_d3UXBIy3aJfS3X6mF4VNxQ/s320/Picture+1.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5028664797348073602" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />The webosphere was abuzz today, with the news of <a href="http://www.walmart.com/">WalMart</a> releasing a <a href="http://mediadownloads.walmart.com/">video download service</a>. According to the write up over at TechCrunch, it looks like someone forgot to test the CSS on Firefox. Simply amazing! Then again, does it really matter anyway? Didn't they learn their lesson with the music downloads? It doesn't matter if you can sell a movie for $0.02 less than your competitor (using the term very loosely here), if you can't match or beat Apple's ecosystem then you might as well throw in the towel. When are these people going to get it?Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06409886039017693698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10636744.post-5854376373438991532007-02-06T09:36:00.000-06:002007-02-06T10:20:30.448-06:00Google Reader Updated?I have been happily using <a href="http://www.google.com/reader">Google Reader</a> as my primary feed reader since its rebirth last year. I've been impressed with the responsiveness of the app, and while it hasn't always performed like a desktop counterpart, it's been pretty good. During the last several days, however, Reader has been cutting through my feeds like a hot knife through butter. It seems much more responsive now that it ever has at any point. I have not made any modifications to my MacMini, OS X or Firefox 2.01, which I use to browse my feeds. Does anyone know if the Reader team snuck in an update and hasn't told anyone?Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06409886039017693698noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10636744.post-29789260159997547642007-02-05T00:41:00.000-06:002007-02-05T00:56:04.496-06:00Super Bowl XLI: Decent Game, Bad AdsSo, the big game was mildly entertaining. Most Super Bowls don't live up to the massive hype machine that grows over the two week wait between the Conference Championship games and the Super Bowl itself-and Super Bowl XLI was no different. It was an OK game, but it was nothing great. Usually, however, one can count on the commercials being as or more entertaining than the game. In fact, some folks watch the game solely for the clever advertising and "flip-a-coin-maybe-good-maybe-bad" half time show. Now that the game is over and I have seen all of the commercials, I can honestly say that this year's crop of ads was among the worst I've ever seen. Sure, there was some novelty with <a href="http://www.doritos.com">Doritos</a> and the <a href="http://www.nfl.com">NFL</a> giving us user-generated content. I applaud them for taking a risk and being the first, and certainly not the last, companies to capitalize on the <a href="http://www.youtube.com">YouTube</a> phenomenon. But even those commercials were average at best. <a href="http://www.godaddy.com">GoDaddy.com</a> was unusually conservative and boring with their annual ad. Maybe I've just let my expectations get way out of whack or maybe there's something to my rant. Anyone else feel like they were let down this year?Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06409886039017693698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10636744.post-81471623910891255502007-01-16T18:03:00.000-06:002007-02-06T23:18:25.662-06:00I got an iPhone (But Not That iPhone)With the recent purchase of our first home, my wife and I decided that it was time to take the next big step in telephony and get a home phone. For the first 3+ years of our marriage, we have used only cell phones and the <a href="http://www.skype.com/">Skype</a> VoIP application to audibly communicate with others not in our immediate vicinity. This sufficed, but it was not an optimal solution, especially at our church, where they would only allow one phone number per household on the official roster. This meant that one of us had to endure call after call on our cell phone from someone looking for the other. Unfortunately, I drew the short stick and have been fielding those calls for the last several years, most of them at the most inopportune and/or inconvenient times.<br /><br />There were two options available to us as I saw it: regular old PSTN land line service through SBC-or-whatever-their-name-is-today or a Skype handset. (At our previous residence, we would have had a third option-Digital Phone service from <a href="http://www.timewarner.com/">Time Warner</a>-but our new provider, <a href="http://www.suddenlink.com/">SuddenLink</a>, does not yet have a digital phone service, or at least that's what they told me when I signed up for service a few weeks ago.)<br /><br />Being the technologist that I am, or at least consider myself to be, I went out and purchased the only Skype handset that I could find in stock after the Christmas rush: the <a href="http://www.linksys.com/">Linksys</a> <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&ct=res&cd=9&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FLinksys-Cordless-Internet-Telephony-CIT200%2Fdp%2FB000BD88RS&ei=m3mtRZ3INZ7SggTypb2mAg&usg=__f3R32Y3oAgdV8IYMA703xujbYX4=&sig2=efGK8HYU695YGxAGNMP7UA">CIT200</a>, or iPhone. Sure enough, this is the same model of handset that Linksys has been shipping for some time, although not under the iPhone moniker. I won't attempt to share my thoughts about the Apple <a href="http://www.apple.com/iphone">iPhone</a> or the Cisco and Apple trademark dispute here. More on those issues later. Rather I'll offer an honest assessment of the combination of Skype and CIT200 during our time with it.<br /><br />The first thing I did was buy a <a href="http://www.skype.com/products/skypein/">local phone number</a> from Skype. The process was painless and simple. It took about 2 minutes and 6 mouse clicks before I had my very own local number. (As an aside, I should like to invite any executive of any large telco to explain to me why I can't get a number from them as easily as I can from Skype. The last time I called and ordered service from a telco, I was on the phone for almost an hour. Truly pathetic. Granted, this was several years ago, but I can't imagine their archaic processes have changed much, if at all.) The next step was to procure a handset, which I did with relative ease. Setup of the CIT200 was very simple. I plugged in the USB "dock", or whatever it is they call the device which transmits data from the PC to the handset, and let the install CD do its thing. A few short minutes later, I was up and running.<br /><br />The call quality of the phone has been great. Walls and other obstacles between the PC and the handset have not caused any perceptible degradations in call quality. Battery life seems to be up to snuff. Using the <a href="http://www.skype.com/products/skypout/">Unlimited SkypeOut</a> plan, which I also purchased, we can easily make and receive unlimited calls in the US and Canada. My wife has not yet complained about its usability, which means it must be easy to use. All of those things are to be expected of any phone. The clincher is price.<br /><br />I payed roughly $50 for one year of SkypeIn and SkypeOut. That means I'm paying approximately $4 and some change each month for phone service. Any other service would have cost me on the order of between 5 and 10 times more per month. Not even <a href="http://www.vonage.com/">Vonage</a>, the alleged "Leader of the Itnernet Phone Revolution", can come close to offering that kind of price/value combination. Skype truly is a game changer, in my opinion. Would you ever abandon your local telco for Skype or another VoIP service? Have you already done so? Leave a comment.Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06409886039017693698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10636744.post-82251391052058268002006-12-22T16:43:00.000-06:002006-12-22T17:48:21.634-06:00Redefining ServiceUnfortunately, my <a href="http://www.hp.com/">HP</a> notebook's life is drawing to an end. Fortunately, it picked a great time to give up the ghost as the year is winding down and things aren't so hectic at the office. I started evaluating new machines several days ago and had narrowed my decision down to another HP or a <a href="http://www.dell.com/">Dell</a> Inspiron. I was on dell.com configuring a notebook, when I stumbled upon something that really struck me. One of the many support options available for the machine had the following accompanying visual in its description:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEize_jgm3LfYpJBTgv6RjSyUT2IA4aUhA9v5zr8JcDO82F_dJPsJ2AZep_jEep8lIMDeRx1Vj_3uOpcGcWAB9qa-gg-7WuwJLnVUcgZ9tr41msfAozQt7QSM-kerCFE2Jb3isYwpQ/s1600-h/ScreenJot+Cropped+12-21-2006+15+21+36.bmp"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEize_jgm3LfYpJBTgv6RjSyUT2IA4aUhA9v5zr8JcDO82F_dJPsJ2AZep_jEep8lIMDeRx1Vj_3uOpcGcWAB9qa-gg-7WuwJLnVUcgZ9tr41msfAozQt7QSM-kerCFE2Jb3isYwpQ/s320/ScreenJot+Cropped+12-21-2006+15+21+36.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5011487449623925250" border="0" /></a><br />Is it just me, or is Dell now admitting what we (including everyone at Dell) always knew all along: overseas tech support is an oxymoron of the highest order? My supposition is that that answer to that question in an undoubted yes. Assuming that is the case, what I really want to know is how they can get away with this.<br /><br />First, let's spell out what's happening here. Dell, and all other major PC manufacturers, provide support on their customers' purchases for a finite amount of time. If the customer would like to receive support beyond that time frame, they can purchase the service for another pre-determined period of time. From much experience, I can say the term support is used very loosely. Having someone read aloud to you the same service manual or other support documentation that shipped with your PC hardly fits most people's definition of support. Typically, however, after much effort and patience, most users' problems can be sorted out one way or another. Sadly, during the outsourcing bandwagon party which started early this decade, Dell and several other major PC manufacturers, sent this work to India. The only thing worse than having an American regurgitate your service manual to you is to have an Indian, who can't very well speak English and tries to call himself "Frank" or "Joe", regurgitate your service manual to you. This had made for some very frustrated customers over the past several years. I know people who have sworn off Dell because of their decision to outsource support, and who can blame them?<br /><br />So, in essence, Dell has taken a requisite service, degraded its quality severely over a period of time and started charging a premium for the original bare minimum level of service. Can you get away with this? I know my customers wouldn't be too receptive to the idea. How would my clients feel if I stopped answering emails or phone calls in any decently timely manner for the next year, and then offered to resume my timely responses in 2008, but only if they pay a premium? I have a feeling my they wouldn't be customers for very long.Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06409886039017693698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10636744.post-18929420241312699412006-12-20T00:50:00.000-06:002006-12-20T01:26:54.693-06:00Too LinkedIn?I've been thinking a lot about social networks recently. I can't say why, other than that it is motivated by business purposes. At any rate, I was engaged in a conversation with a co-worker the other day, in which LinkedIn came up. The conversation could be paraphrased thusly:<br /><br />Me: "You on LinkedIn?"<br />Him: "Yeah, isn't everyone?"<br />Me: "Yeah. How many people are in your network?"<br />Him: "People that I know: 15. Extended network: the entire planet."<br />Me: "Yeah. There are 5 people in a remote village in Swahili that aren't in my network...yet."<br /><br />So, that got me thinking. Am I really any better off or more connected that I was before I joined LinkedIn? If everyone is connected, doesn't that mean that no one is connected? Can I leverage a relationship that everyone else shares? If the value of a relationships is based on its exclusivity, aren't social networks like LinkedIn eroding that value? Now, to be fair, most, if not all, social networks that employ the "friend-of-a-friend" paradigm suffer from the same problem. LinkedIn is the particular network that I happened to be thinking about recently, but it be any number of them.<br /><br />To be sure, I think that LinkedIn is a winner. However, I think they've got to somehow segregate large groups of users and reduce the "degrees of separation" to limit the size of users' networks and put exclusivity, and therefore value, back into the relationship.<br /><br />Users of LinkedIn, or other similar social networks, let me know what you think. Can being too connected erode the value in your connections? I'm interested in thoughts on the subject, for purely selfish reasons, of course.Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06409886039017693698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10636744.post-28798398334391071442006-11-27T16:44:00.000-06:002006-12-11T01:07:32.858-06:00Video Games and Pissing Contests: Business Lessons Learned From Nintendo WiiAlthough real life has made substantial demands on my free time, I have been an active video game player since the age of seven, when my parents purchased a Nintendo Entertainment System for my half-brother and me. I remember spending countless hours playing our NES-as it was more well known then-until my mother would force us to go outside and play. Eighteen years later, the video game industry has matured beyond what most people could probably hav ever envisioned. By today's standards, the NES was a dinosaur, more fitting to be placed in the Smithsonian than in the living room entertainment center. For some reason, though, I didn't seem to care back then. I had as much or more fun playing video games as I did any other activity.<br /><br />Every new generation of game system would bring with it better visuals, better sound, larger worlds to explore and a generally better experience. I can always remember thinking to myself, "I can't believe how much more realistic the games on SystemNew look compared to the games on SystemOld." The holiday seasons in which new game systems were launched were spent with much anticipation and anxiousness. I could hardly wait for Christmas to find out what new experiences would be made possible by the new systems. It seemed like the experience just kept getting better and better and more and more fun.<br /><br />Somewhere between generations three and four (it is generally accepted that the current generation is the fifth), however, I stopped having fun. I still marveled at how great the new games looked, but I didn't enjoy playing the games nearly as much as I did several generations ago. Sure, I bought an Xbox 360 during its launch last year, but have probably only played it once or twice since then. I enjoyed mutli-player gaming on the PC with large groups of friends, but I think it had more to do with the good-natured verbal sparring than it did the game. For the most part, I had mostly tired of the gaming experiences that were available at the time.<br /><br />Then, earlier this year, Nintendo and Sony announced details of their upcoming systems. I was intrigued by Nintendo's Wii and its novel approach to the next generation of gaming. Instead of getting in a spec war (read pissing contest) with Sony and Microsoft, Nintendo decided to innovate in an area largely neglected by the other two: input. Since the original NES, video game controllers have remained largely unchanged and iterative. Nintendo seemingly started from scratch with the concept of input and its impact on game play. Using motion-sensing chips, the Wiimote, as it's affectionately referred to, lets users control games by more or less mimicking the motions of the desired move. <br /><br />Soon after it's public debut, gamers debated whether or not the Wii would be usable or too gimmicky. Nevertheless, it got people talking. Fast forward to November mid November of this year. Sony and Nintendo release both the PlayStation 3 and Wii within days of each other. Of course, both systems are in high demand and securing a system required camping out in front of retail establishments for hours. I had decided that I would not camp out for the Wii as I had done with the Xbox 360. Luckily, however, I was able to secure a Wii a week after its launch and only had to wait for several hours in front of a Best Buy. I believe it's worth mentioning that Best Buy is handling the PS3 and Wii much better than it did the Xbox 360 and forced bundles.<br /><br />It has now been approximately two weeks since I purchased my Wii. I have played it nearly every night since then. My son has played (with my help of course) and I'm sure my wife will play as soon as she's recovered from surgery. It's by far the most fun I've had playing a video game since my childhood. I haven't noticed the visuals one bit as I've been too busy admiring the experience. The Wiimote works flawlessly. I'm shocked at how realistically my bowling technique is replicated in Wii Sports Bowling. Sometimes, for just a split second or two, I forget I'm playing a video game. The experience is that good.<br /><br />So, what business lessons have I learned from the Wii and why the preceding six paragraphs chronicling my gaming experiences through the years? The second question is easy. Nintendo has completely restored the fun and enjoyment I had lost from video gaming. More importantly, and to answer the first question, they didn't get into a pissing contest with their competition. As a huge supporter of Seth Godin's writings, I firmly believe in the "Purple Cow". For so many years, the video game industry has been nothing more than an arms race. Nintendo knew that it would have a hard time competing with Sony and Microsoft and decided not to try and match firepower with its two heavyweight opponents. Instead, Nintendo changed the game by innovating and changing the conversation about game consoles. Suddenly, there is more for gamers to consider than just CPU speeds and hard drive sizes in their consoles. That Nintendo could pull this off, after all but being declared dead after the last generation of consoles, is nothing short of amazing. Consider also that Nintedo is actually making money-an unheard of achievement in the console wars-on every unit they sell. Microsoft just started making money on the 360 and Sony, as has been well documented, is losing a pretty penny on each of its PS3 systems sold.<br /><br />I am inspired by what Nintendo has done with the Wii. I feel obliged to look for ways to innovate in my company and to find ways to change the conversations in my industry. Apple has pulled off what I consider to be the greatest corporate comeback in big business history. Nintendo may end up giving them a run for their money with the Wii and their ingenious strategy should be the benchmark by which all others are measured. The question we should all ask ourselves concerning our businesses, our services, our products and our people is, "Do I have a slightly faster processor or do I have a Wiimote?"Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06409886039017693698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10636744.post-31903828318776655422006-11-17T22:55:00.000-06:002006-11-17T23:38:47.538-06:00Biting the Hand That FeedsIn an <a href="http://billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003380831">interview</a> with <a href="http://www.billboard.com">Billboard Magazine</a>, <a href="http://www.umusic.com">Universal Music Group</a> (UMG) CEO Doug Morris claims portable digital music players are "repositories for stolen music and they all know it". This, he mused, was justification for Microsoft paying royalties for the privilege to sell its Zune device. Something here just doesn't make sense to me. The amount of "pirated" music is dwindling by the day. File sharing application use is constantly dwindling. Legal digital music sales are constantly growing. CD sales are up, despite what the record labels and the RIAA would have you believe. So, if all of this music is in fact stolen, where is it coming from and how are the record companies still making billions of dollars every year? Unfortunately for Microsoft, Morris and his cronies are still bitter about Apple outsmarting them and are taking pent up frustrations out on them. Of course, this is chump change, or something less than and more insignificant than chump change, for Microsoft. In fact, I'm sure they'll be glad to pay the royalty because it will mean their device is actually selling. Microsoft's indifference to money aside, has anyone ever openly berated their customers like this? Personally, I will refrain from purchasing any music in any format of any UMG artists or labels and I hope many others will do the same. I guess I just have a hard time buying something from someone accusing me of stealing it in the first place.Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06409886039017693698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10636744.post-85029395838589706532006-10-04T23:10:00.001-05:002006-10-04T23:10:29.833-05:00YouTube - White & Nerdy<p>Someone recently sent me a link to this and I thought it was worth passing on. I particulary enjoyed this piece because I relate in some measure. Although some may write him off as merely a novelty, Weird Al has some serious talent. He also seems to be one of the few artists that "get it" concerning the digital media (r)evolution.</p> <p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xEzGIuY7kw">Link to YouTube - White & Nerdy</a></p>Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06409886039017693698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10636744.post-71627533440378427182006-10-03T00:45:00.001-05:002006-10-03T00:45:47.725-05:00DailyTech - McAfee Places Full-Page Ad in Financial Times Blasting Microsoft<p>I just don't get it. Wouldn't this be like plumbers taking out full-page ads deriding manufacturers for making more durable pipes? </p> <p><a href="http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=4403">Link to DailyTech - McAfee Places Full-Page Ad in Financial Times Blasting Microsoft</a> </p> <p> </p> <div class="wlWriterSmartContent" id="0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:7fb73ce1-fcdc-4cd9-b902-40284fb2f7e6" contenteditable="false" style="padding-right: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-top: 0px">Technorati tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Microsoft" rel="tag">Microsoft</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Vista" rel="tag">Vista</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/McAfee" rel="tag">McAfee</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Symantec" rel="tag">Symantec</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/spudnik187" rel="tag">spudnik187</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Bryan%20Bartow" rel="tag">Bryan Bartow</a></div>Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06409886039017693698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10636744.post-83899191817709930732006-10-02T22:52:00.003-05:002006-10-02T22:52:57.090-05:00GigaOM » Mobile ESPN: Grounded<p>In case you missed it, Mobile ESPN, or as I call it, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ESPN_8">"The Ocho"</a>, announced it will be shutting down operations in December of this year. I guess my only question is, what took so long? This ideas was doomed from the beginning. You had to know they were in trouble when they started airing commercials that stated you'd get a cash "signing bonus" for signing up. There are talks that they will license their content to other operators, which is not a bad idea at all and is what they should have done in the first place. I'm just glad I won't have to endure any more of those terrible commercials during my weekend football watching.</p> <p><a href="http://mobile.gigaom.com/2006/09/28/espn/">Link to GigaOM » Mobile ESPN: Grounded</a></p>Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06409886039017693698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10636744.post-23040131432326432362006-09-25T09:45:00.000-05:002006-09-25T09:51:52.057-05:00Not Quite Right BetaLast night I received an invitation to test the beta of Google's Blogger platform. After a painless few clicks of the mouse, I'm on the cutting edge Google blog hosting, albeit months after the initial release. Looks like much custom code was lost on the way over. I had forgotten how much I had customized my Blogger template. Hopefully, all can be restored to its former state.Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06409886039017693698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10636744.post-1157027674522022252006-08-31T07:34:00.000-05:002006-09-03T21:47:36.190-05:00Online Ads Aren't All BadSo, after spending some more time with my "Two birds" killer, I realized I had made an incorrect observation about it's capabilities, or, rather, Windows Mobile 5's capabilities. Whereas I thought I had set up true Outlook synchronization with my MDA, I had really only set up email pop access through the device. It turns out that, with the most recent iteration of Windows Mobile and ActiveSync, Microsoft had disabled wirelss syncing between PCs and mobile devices.<br /><br />This was not good for obvious reasons. After much "research" on the subject, the only answer I could some up with was to beg my IT department to move to a hosted Exchange service. You see, Microsoft didn't totally kill wireless sync, they just restricted it to Exchange-based networks. Granted, that accounts for a large majority of people who might use a device like the MDA, but it in no wise helped me.<br /><br />As I was using Google to launch one of my many searches on the subject, an ad on the results page caught my eye. It said something to the effect of "wireless sync for mobile without Exchange". Curious, I clicked on the ad, as I am not want to do very often. I sure am glad I clicked on this one.<br /><br />The company being advertised was <a href="http://www.emoze.com">Emoze</a>. Sure enough, they provide a plug-in for Outlook, with support for Lotus Notes and Mozilla Thunderbird promised, which provides "push" sync services with mobile handhelds, such as my trusty MDA. The service is in beta, according to the emoze website. After a simple registration, I downloaded and installed the beta client on the laptop on which I run Outlook. In no time at all, I was up and running. Next, I had to install the client on my mobile. Another easy painless install later and I was up and running.<br /><br />True to its word, Emoze delivers Blueberry-like "push" email to various handhelds. As soon as I receive an email in Outlook, I receive it on my MDA. Outlook calendar items, tasks and notes are instantly synchronized both ways. While this may be a beta product, I have yet to see anything wrong with it on my Windows XP SP2 / Outlook 2007 Beta combination. Everything works as advertised. This is an incredibly useful application and I'm sure many will find it useful. For the first time ever, I'm glad I saw a banner ad.<br /><br /><br /><div class="tag_list">Tags: <span class="tags"><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/T-Mobile+MDA" rel="tag">T-Mobile MDA</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Emoze" rel="tag">Emoze</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Blueberry" rel="tag">Blueberry</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Outlook" rel="tag">Outlook</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Microsoft" rel="tag">Microsoft</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Office+2007" rel="tag">Office 2007</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Microsoft+Exchange" rel="tag">Microsoft Exchange</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Bryan+Bartow" rel="tag">Bryan Bartow</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/spudnik187" rel="tag">spudnik187</a></span></div>Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06409886039017693698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10636744.post-1156653692703256222006-08-26T22:46:00.000-05:002006-08-26T23:41:32.766-05:00New ToyUpon my return from the city that never sleeps, I came to the realization that I had two major problems I needed to solve quickly. First, my trusty <a href="http://direct.motorola.com/ENS/web_producthome.asp?Country=USA&language=ENS&productid=30334">Motorola RAZR</a> had serious battery issues, which resulted in less than five minutes of talk time and an hour of standby. I should note that I have absolutely nothing against the phone. It's the best I've ever owned. I believe it was simply in need of a new battery. Second, I had an access problem. Whilst in New York, I was without network access for 8 or more hours per day. Unfortunately, this is not an option in today's business environment. This also isn't an isolated issue. All of my clients are Fortune 500 companies. They all take security seriously. This means no wired or wireless access when visiting them. Being the "kill two birds with one stone" kind of a guy that I am, I set out to find a solution to my quasi-related problems. <br /><br />I knew such a device existed that could give me "anywhere access" and more than 5 minutes of talk time. I also knew that I would almost assuredly stick with my current provider, <a href="http://www.tmobile.com">T-Mobile</a>. I surveyed the current offerings from T-Mobile and found I had a couple options. I could go with one of the ever popular <a href="http://www.blackberry.com">Blackberry</a> devices or, take a chance on a device I had previously not heard of; the <a href="http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/phones/Detail.aspx?device=8802ddeb-1ee4-477a-9608-d9cd1e2a903f">T-Mobile MDA</a>.<br /><br />Two things instantly drew me to the MDA. First, the device can slide open to reveal the keyboard. I've never liked the <a href="http://web.palm.com/">Treo</a> or Blackberry because of the keyboards. Yes, I do realize that there is a Blackberry that only has a numbered keypad but, then, how do you type messages with it? Sort of defeats the purpose in my mind. Second, the MDA runs <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/5/default.mspx">Windows Mobile 5</a>. Our salesforce uses Treos and I've seen their struggles with Outlook integration and synchronization. I know there are far fewer issues with Windows Mobile devices. So off to my local T-Mobile store I went. A few hours later, I was the proud owner of a T-Mobile MDA.<br /><br />Having owned the phone for about a week now, I can say that it's quickly in its way to supplanting my beloved RAZR as the "best phone I've ever owned". It syncs up with Outlook just beautifully, has Bluetooth, IR and WiFi connectivity options, has great call quality and decent battery life. Combined with T-Mobile's <a href="http://www.t-mobile.com/Business/Information.aspx?tp=Bus_Tab_DataSolutions&tsp=Bus_Sub_MobileInternet">Total Internet service</a>, I have high-speed network access via their <a href="http://support.t-mobile.com/knowbase/root/public/tm22696.htm">EDGE network</a> almost anywhere I go. I can even share the connectivity with my laptop via Bluetooth. Using the qwerty keyboard, I can send emails quickly from anywhere. I have, indeed, killed both birds with one stone.<br /><br />The phone is certainly not without its flaws, however. My biggest gripe is the lack of a numeric keypad. Of course, I can't really gripe about this. I knew this would be the case going in. It's a small price to pay for all of the features and benefits I've gained by moving to this device. All in all, I'm very pleased with my decision. I reccomend mobile business users who aren't sold on a Blackberry or Treo, for the same reasons I was, to give a Windows Mobile device like the MDA a try.<br /><br /><br /><div class="tag_list">Tags: <span class="tags"><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/T-Mobile+MDA" rel="tag">T-Mobile MDA</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/MDA" rel="tag">MDA</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/RAZR" rel="tag">RAZR</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Motorola" rel="tag">Motorola</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Motorola+RAZR" rel="tag">Motorola RAZR</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Blackberry" rel="tag">Blackberry</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/RIM" rel="tag">RIM</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Treo" rel="tag">Treo</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Palm" rel="tag">Palm</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Palm+Treo" rel="tag">Palm Treo</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/New+York" rel="tag">New York</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Bluetooth" rel="tag">Bluetooth</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/EDGE" rel="tag">EDGE</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Outlook.+Windows+Mobile" rel="tag">Outlook. Windows Mobile</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Bryan+Bartow" rel="tag">Bryan Bartow</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/spudnik187" rel="tag">spudnik187</a></span></div>Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06409886039017693698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10636744.post-1155747859820869312006-08-16T12:04:00.000-05:002006-08-16T12:11:55.953-05:00The Big Apple<p>I was alerted Friday afternoon that I would be making a trip to New York city on Sunday. This is the first time I've been here during the summer months and, I must say, it's much nicer during August than it is January or February. The weather has been tolerable during the day and incredible during the evening, with temperatures around 70 degrees. I'm amazed that a city with infrastructure of such size can operate so efficiently. It's really quite amazing. People all over the place all of the time, yet they're always moving quickly and with a purpose. It really is incredible to experience. </p>Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06409886039017693698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10636744.post-1153544852445484062006-07-21T23:53:00.000-05:002006-07-22T00:07:32.550-05:00iPod has Competition?The blogosphere has been a buzz recently with rumblings of an "iPod killer" from Microsoft. The guys over at Engadget have <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2006/07/21/microsoft-confirms-zune-project/">confirmed</a> the existence of said product and have <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2006/07/21/zune-what-we-know-think-we-know-and-dont-yet-know/">added their two cents</a> based on information from their sources. Admittedly, I am an unabashed Apple supporter and, the Zune, as it's being refered to, sounds like it could give the iPod a run for its money. I even caught myself thinking, as I was reading the scoop at Engadget, that this device would blow away any iPod currently on the market. However, I can't help but think about how badly Steve Jobs hates to be showed up. I have a feeling that the next generation of iPods, whenever they may be released, are going to blow us away and I'm not just talking about video. I think Steve's got something big up his sleaves. Back to the Zune, they're not going to call the jukebox software iZunes are they?<br /><br />Tags: <span class="tags"><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Apple" rel="tag">Apple</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Microsoft" rel="tag">Microsoft</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/iPod" rel="tag">iPod</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Zune" rel="tag">Zune</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Engadget" rel="tag">Engadget</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/MP3" rel="tag">MP3</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/spudnik187" rel="tag">spudnik187</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Bryan+Bartow" rel="tag">Bryan Bartow</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Bryan+Bartow" rel="tag">Bryan Bartow</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/spudnik187" rel="tag">spudnik187</a></span>Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06409886039017693698noreply@blogger.com0