Back in 2006, when I was sporting a nifty little Sony Ericsson. I had this desktop app called BluePhoneElite that would push notifications from my phone to my computer screen via bluetooth.

It was great! When I got a text message, I'd see an unobtrusive growl notification pop up. When someone called me, same thing; a casual little growl notification to nudge me and then fade away.

It was elegant. I could keep my eyes on the screen and not have to pick up my phone every time it beeped. And the notifications would only show up on my screen when my phone was nearby.

Fast forward to today.

Phones are way more capable. We have a hot new category of mobile devices in tablets. And with the announcement of iCloud, Apple clearly envisions consumers having more of these multiple devices.

We are now living in era of real-time information and always-connected mobile devices. Push notifications will continue to grow more and more a part of our lives.

So when you combine these two trends of push notifications and multiple devices, what do you get? I bet it's something like this:

• Text messages only beep on your phone.
• New emails beep on Sparrow, your iPhone and iPad (but sound different on each).
• IMs only beep on your Mac.
• @mentions beep on both your phone and Mac but not your iPad.
• Farmville beeps your iPhone and iPad but not your Mac.

Why do we have to look at different devices for different notifications? Why do we have to deal with different alert tones on each device for the exact same notification?

There has to be a better way. Something more elegant, like BluePhoneElite, but with that iCloud magic. Something that takes into account what device I am currently using. Maybe something like:

Proximity-Aware Push Notifications.

On Monday, Apple unveiled their new location-aware app, Reminders, which let's you assign locations to your tasks:

Say you need to remember to pick up milk during your next grocery trip. Since Reminders can be location based, you'll get an alert as soon as you pull into the supermarket parking lot.

Proximity-awareness is a similar idea. But instead of having your location defined as calculated GPS region, it'd be defined by where you are in relation to your other devices. Or specifically, where your mobile device is in relation to your primary computer.

Examples:

• When you get a new email and your iPhone is not within 5 feet of your Mac, the notification is only pushed to the iPhone.
• When you receive a text message and your iPhone is close to your Mac, the notification is only displayed on the Mac.

You get the idea.

A system like this means when we're at the desktop, we can keep our eyes on the monitor. When we walk away from the desk, we bring our notifications with us. (Hell, just for kicks: when we walk away from the desk, make our screensavers and lock screens go up as well.)

You see, with push notifications, we have signals that facilitate interactions in our digital lives. A few years ago, things were simple: new text messages beeped on our phones, new email notifications beeped on our PCs. But now we are in an age of information overload with multiple devices and too many social web services.

Push helped us keep up with important messages. But now we need help keeping up with the push notifications themselves. We need something smarter system.

And proximity-awareness is the perfect place to start.

Karol: The show starts at 7pm, right?

Mel: Yeah. I'm heading there 5:45ish with Marlo.

Mel: Ness, are we supposed to save seats for you or you guys gonna be backstage the whole time?

Nessa: We're in the first act, so we'll sit with you guys after intermission.

Krystal: Save two seats for Karol.

That is a texting conversation I had with my friends on Saturday with the group texting app, GroupMe. We actually started playing with the app a couple nights before, but Saturday we finally saw its true value.

GroupMe as a Utility

As shown in the conversation above, GroupMe comes in super handy when going out with friends. Simple situations like, "Hey, I just got parked. Where are you guys?" can be easily addressed with GroupMe.

Without a group texting app, how would you solve this situation?

Twitter? You can, but you'll easily piss off your mutual followers because you're spamming their timelines with a private conversation that doesn't concern them.

Call/Text people individually? Messy and inefficient. Plus, it leaves the possibility of someone accidentally getting left in the dark.

With group texting, you're in touch with everyone that needs to be informed. Everyone is on the same page. Everyone is in sync.

GroupMe as Entertainment

During the concert, GroupMe switched from being a utility to pure entertainment. In a setting where it's rude to talk to each other while the performer is on stage, GroupMe gave us the freedom we wanted.

(Okay, texting each other during a performance isn't exactly the most polite thing to do either, but hey, at least it's discrete.)

Because the chat is private and everything goes directly to everyone's phones, the experience is a lot more intimate than Twitter ever could be.

What about Beluga, Disco, Fast Society, etc?

One thing that made GroupMe stand out to me over its competitors: it's compatible with Google Voice.

Personally, I am a very, very loyal user of Google Voice. It's the only number that I give out. I am absolutely addicted to how I can type out & send text messages from my computer. And so far with all of the competing apps I've tested, GroupMe is the only app the lets me use my GV number.

This is important to me because when friends install GroupMe and the app scans their Address Books, I will actually show up as a suggested friend.

With the competing apps, I simply couldn't use my GV number; I was forced to use my cell phone number, which is the number that nobody has.

Closing Thoughts

With just one full day of using GroupMe in the real world, I can tell this app has serious potential for my nights out with friends.

Will it go mainstream? I hope so but I'm not sure.

There is always the possibility that Facebook might integrate their Messages 2.0 feature with Groups, Places, Events, etc. And we all know how Facebook has a knack for making early adopter ideas into mainstream hits.

Google has the opportunity to come up with something too. They have all the pieces: Gmail, GTalk, Google Voice, Disco for iPhone...I'd LOVE to see them integrate all of those technologies into one seamless experience.

Hell, Apple has the same opportunity as well, with Facetime, iChat, and iPhones. It'd be like adding that Steve Jobs magic to RIM's precious BlackBerry Messenger.

But those are all pipe dreams of mine; 100% speculation on my part based on zero insider information.

In the meantime, I've got a group of close friends on GroupMe. The cool thing is, if I want more friends to get on this, I don't even have to wait for them to install the app -- I can just add them to a group.

Even if the app never catches on with the rest of my friends, I've already got my closest friends on it.

That's good enough for me.

This isn't exactly breaking news...but man, Instapaper is a REALLY GREAT app.

For months I was hesitant about forking over $5 for this app. I constantly said to myself, "I already have Flipboard and Reeder...do I really need another reading app?"

A couple weeks ago, I said, "screw it" and finally bit the $5 bullet.

What happened? Instapaper quickly became my most-used app on the iPad.

I should note that I am addicted to RSS feeds. As of now, I follow 528 different feeds. So anything that helps me get through those feeds faster, I immediately fall in love with. In the past, that's been Firefox's tabbed browsing, Reeder for iPad, and somewhat recently, Flipboard for iPad.

A typical morning at the desktop, I will:

• load up Google Reader.
• go up and down the list with the "j" and "k" shortcut keys.
• when I find something I want to read, I open it as a background tab and continue skimming through Google Reader.
• once I finish going through Google Reader, I read each one of the background tabs.

Now with Instapaper for iPad, I have a similar routine while on the go:

• load up Flipboard.
• swipe through the pages, skimming through all of my Google Reader feeds AND Twitter feed.
• when I find something I want to read, I'll read it right away or send it to Instapaper.
• once I finish going through Flipboard, I load up Instapaper and read each article there.

And that's not all.

In the States, I spoiled myself with 3G plans for both my iPad and iPhone. During my recent 10 week trip to the Philippines, I didn't have that luxury for either device. But that was okay because Instapaper absolutely shines with offline reading.

Every time I was about to leave the house, I'd have several articles waiting for me. Hell, for my 16 hour flight back to Los Angeles, I queued up almost 100 articles. And when I came across an article that I wanted to come back to later, I'd file it under a folder like "Reblog Later", "Tweet Later" or "Watch Later".

Now that I'm back in the U.S., I really don't need to start up my iPad's 3G plan again. With Instapaper for iPad, I can enjoy my RSS feed reading list anytime, anywhere...with or without internet.

So thank you, Instapaper. Before I bought you, I had no idea how important you'd be to me. I was so hesitant on spending $5 for you...but you ended up saving me $25/month.

asked by @TheRayson.

Here we go:

Wake up.

Check notifications on Boxcar (iPhone). Notifies me of new @replies, followers, DMs, and emails. Also notifies me of breaking news about Apple.

Check text messages.

Catch up on my feeds with my Flipboard app (iPad). Tech News then links/pics from Twitter.

Check personal Twitter account on my iPad. (It's easier to skim through these since I've viewed all of the Twitpics with Flipboard already)

Promote with the @btvfam account. (Lots of the YouTubers like to promote late at night. I'll (re)tweet the morning after to give the information a little boost for the day.)

Catch up on Tumblr and other feeds with Google Reader at the desk.

Facebook.

Respond to text messages via Google Voice.

Respond to emails.

Take off DND from AIM, Skype.

Check professional Twitter account. If there's any breaking news that has been tweeted, I've probably already read about it from the news feeds.

I use Growl notifications on my Mac to passively update me with incoming tweets. Otherwise, I'll catch up with Twitter every few hours.

I also tend to load up a ton of background tabs on my browser for things to check out when I have time.

Inspired by Michael Arrington's 2009: Products I Can't Live Without, here are my vital tech products of last year:

• Google -- Chrome, Voice, Gmail, Reader
• Apple -- iPad, Magic Mouse, MacBook Air, iPhone
• Twitter -- Twitter for iPad, Hootsuite, TweetDeck
• Boxcar for iPhone
• Skype
• Tumblr
• Flipboard for iPad
• Foursquare
• Facebook
• BlogTV
• TokBox

Honorable Mentions: Adium, Mozy, Dropbox

Heating Up for 2011: Mac App Store, AT&T MicroCell

Lost That Loving Feeling: Firefox, Google Wave, Netflix, Hulu

Inspired by Michael Arrington's 2009: Products I Can't Live Without, here are my vital tech products of last year:

• Google -- Gmail, Calendar, Docs, Reader, Voice
• Mozilla Firefox
• Twitter
• Facebook
• Skype
• BlogTV
• Apple - iPhone + Push Notifications, iTunes
• TokBox
• Adium
• Wordpress

Honorable Mentions: Mozy, Dropbox

Heating Up in 2010: Foursquare, Tumblr, Google Chrome, Google Wave, Netflix, iPad

Lost That Loving Feeling: Blockbuster Online, Delicious, Digg, Flickr, MySpace

This, ladies and gentlemen, is why the iPad will be a game-changer.

The experience of flipping through a magazine is like having a entire website -- and not just any site but a beautiful, graphically-rich, totally interactive site -- in your hands. With ZERO downloading.

These days if you want to do research on something, you'll be clicking around, waiting for the page to load, clicking around, waiting for the page to load...etc. Rinse and repeat. But with entire book/magazine publications download in full, onto one device...you can experience the same thing with zero loading time between pages!

And it's not just magazines we're talking about. Imagine textbooks for colleges. Imagine being able to zoom in on a 3D model of a string of DNA. Move it around 360 degrees. Get a real good look at it and then zoom out. All of this and more, in your hands, with zero loading time.

You have kids? Just fire up an interactive book and let 'em knock themselves out. I know what you're thinking: why would I give my kid a $500 toy?? Just search up "baby games" for iPhone...you'll be surprised how popular the iPhone/iTouch is for kids.

Honestly, after watching this video, I'm really jealous of programmers and interactive designers now. Because this new concept of rich, truly-interactive digital pages is gonna be a LOT of fun...and it's the way of the future.

From http://forums.macrumors.com (via Garry):

iPoop... iCry. I was so hoping for something more.

Great just what the world needs, another freaking MP3 player. Go Steve! Where's the Newton?!

I still can't believe this! All this hype for something so ridiculous! Who cares about an MP3 player? I want something new! I want them to think differently! Why oh why would they do this?! It's so wrong! It's so stupid!

All that hype for an MP3 player? Break-thru digital device? The Reality Distiortion Field™ is starting to warp Steve's mind if he thinks for one second that this thing is gonna take off.

1. Not revolutionary. Big capacity mp3 players already exist. With Creative Labs' entrance into the firewire arena, future nomads will have similar specs and better prices.

2. A bad fit. This product is outside Apple's core competancy - computing devices. When many are calling for a pda, they release an MP3 player.

3. Without a future. This Christmas you will see mp3 players be commoditized. Meaning that the players from Korea will be way less expensive tha iPod. The real money is in DRM and distribution (ala Real Musicnet). If Apple were smart they would be focusing on high gross revenue from services rather than a playback device.

To you non-believers of the iPad:

• It's the software, stupid. Yes, out of the box, the iPad is just a giant iPhone (minus the phone). But wait a year for developers to write applications that'll take full advantage of the iPad's capabilities. The iPhone is a huge success and it took a full year before developers came up with some really awesome apps/games. Imagine what they could do with a bigger screen and stronger processor.

• Enterprises are starting to support iPhone technology. Isn't it expensive to transition an entire enterprise to Mac? Yes, but you wouldn't have to because the iPhone/iPad are increasingly building in support for today's most popular enterprise solutions. Are you a Blackberry User? Blackberry's are backed by Microsoft Exchange to do their push emails...and that is fully-supported by iPhone/iPad, out of the box.

• Medical fields, small businesses and universities can benefit from the iPad. Anyone that uses a clipboard or does paperwork -- college students, nurses, secretaries, etc -- imagine them with an iPad, having full access to any resource they need via the internet.

• It'll get cheaper. Remember, the iPhone was introduced at $600. Now you can get one for $100. When the iPad gets cheaper...watch out, world. Lemme ask you this: would you rather carry around a backpack full of $500 worth of textbooks or one light-weight, sub-$400 device that holds everything?

• It's for everyone. The iPad is to laptops the way the Nintendo Wii is to XBOX/PS3. Of course, the serious worker/gamer will need a real computer/console to do what they want. But an iPad/Wii is just so fun, so simple that anyone in the family can use it.

• Don't doubt Steve Jobs. Love him or hate him, he's one of the most influential pioneers and visionaries of our time. When he launches a product like this, he envisions the entire experience, top to bottom -- hardware + software + content. Steve has been working his ass off with major publishers to bring all of their books, magazines and newspapers to the iPad. This will take a while -- just as it did with the music labels, TV studios and movie studios -- but it'll happen.

Why is it that there are hundreds of iPod competitors out there with better hardware and specs, yet the iPod remains dominant? Good marketing? My ass. Yes, Apple has awesome marketing, but that alone won't keep a product dominant for nine f'ing years. What will keep you dominant is the seamless and constantly improving entire experience. Apple always works for the perfect marriage of hardware, software and content.

The iPad is a brand new category of product. It's easy to dismiss it right now but that's only because there are no applications out there that fully take advantage of its capabilities.

With the same formula that was used to make the iPod and iPhone into dominant forces, it'll take a couple years but Apple will surely (re)invent a new class of computing.

Josh S: Apple FAIL. There's no place in the market for a $1000 iPod touch. It won't even fit in my pocket. This will be a bigger flop than the Air.

I disagree. Strongly.

// Warning: This is a ridiculously long chat. This is more to reflect on in three years time when one of us will be proven stupid.

10:30:45 Josh S: What do you think?

10:31:00 Mel: they haven't ecven announced the price yet, man

10:31:05 Mel: where'd you get $1000 from?

10:31:16 Josh S: it's what people are projecting

10:31:23 Josh S: if an iPhone is $400

10:31:28 Mel: people are dumbasses

10:31:32 Mel: they never get the details right

10:31:34 Josh S: dude

10:31:35 Mel: just watch

10:31:45 Josh S: even if it's $600

10:31:45 Mel: i'm guessing

10:31:52 Mel: $500, $600, $700

10:31:52 Josh S: it's just a blown up ipod touch

10:32:06 Mel: dude, you're only thinking about now

10:32:08 Mel: think in three years

10:32:15 Mel: the iphone went from $600 to $100

10:32:20 Mel: in three years

10:32:25 Josh S: right

10:32:29 Josh S: it's not revolutionary

10:32:37 Mel: heh, we'll see about that

10:32:44 Mel: apple does what microsoft doesn't do:

10:32:53 Mel: apple plans out an entire experience for the product

10:32:56 Mel: not just the hardware

10:33:00 Mel: they plan out the content

10:33:03 Mel: the software

10:33:08 Mel: the distribution of the content

10:33:18 Mel: they plan out an entire vertical market

10:33:28 Josh S: so would you pay a service to have this and your iphone?

10:33:35 Mel: when all that microsoft ever did was make the hardware and tell people, "build shit for us!"

10:33:45 Mel: apple is proactive in getting content partners

10:33:46 Josh S: you're looking at this on a micro level

10:33:51 Josh S: like a developer

10:34:15 Mel: um no, i'm looking from a business standpoint

10:34:34 Josh S: in 6 months there will be an alternative that will do the exact same things but at a quarter of the price

10:34:38 Josh S: it won't look as pretty

10:34:58 Mel: you're not thinkinga bout the experience

10:35:02 Mel: you're just thinking about cheaper hardware

10:35:05 Mel: by other people

10:35:10 Josh S: it wont fit in my pocket is what i'm thinking about

10:35:16 Josh S: so it's a lap top

10:35:16 Mel: it's not meant to

10:35:35 Mel: it's meant to chill around the house, passed around the living room

10:35:38 Mel: and thrown in your backpack

10:35:41 Mel: and taken to the office

10:35:51 Josh S: why

10:35:54 Josh S: I have a computer at my office

10:35:58 Josh S: it's a nice mac

10:36:05 Mel: and what about nurses that have to walk around

10:36:06 Josh S: and I have a nice mac laptop at my house

10:36:10 Josh S: dude

10:36:13 Mel: doing paperwork and shit on a clipboard

10:36:21 Josh S: any business will buy the cheaper alternative

10:36:21 Mel: also you're forgetting the educational field

10:36:26 Josh S: especially government buildings and hospitals

10:36:29 Mel: apple is talking to all of the major textbook companies

10:36:38 Josh S: lowest bidder

10:36:51 Mel: yes but the price of this thing will go down in three years

10:37:03 Josh S: i know how you're thought process is going, but you'll see i'm right

10:37:17 Mel: how much money did you spend on textbooks in college?

10:37:28 Josh S: the only thing this product will do is push other manufacturuers to give us comparable technology at more affordable prices

10:37:42 Mel: i remember spending $500 for one quarter

10:37:48 Josh S: you'll still have to license the books

10:37:50 Josh S: buddy

10:38:20 Mel: apple is working with publishing companies to change all the old media (newspapers, magazines, textbooks) -- all three which are dying industries -- and move them into the future

10:38:30 Mel: yeah, and that's why they're talking directly

10:38:33 Mel: with the publishing companies

10:38:47 Mel: the same way that apple got AT&T to bend over

10:38:55 Mel: when AT&T had never even seen the iphone

10:38:57 Josh S: and now AT&T is suffering

10:39:07 Mel: and the iphone is the most successful mobile phone

10:39:09 Mel: in the world.

10:39:17 Josh S: because as soon as teh iPhone is free for all

10:39:32 Josh S: mass migration from at&t even if they're not at fault

10:39:58 Josh S: this is not the iPhone!!!!!

10:40:01 Josh S: that's what I'm saying

10:40:02 Mel: the argument about AT&T is moot

10:40:06 Mel: we're talking about the success of the iphone

10:40:16 Mel: and how it's the same gameplan as the success of the ipad

10:40:17 Josh S: there is no market for this particular product among the general population

10:40:25 Mel: i agree

10:40:27 Mel: which is why

10:40:34 Mel: they partnered with all these companies

10:40:38 Mel: to invent a new market

10:41:17 Josh S: and what makes you think that education and hospitals will pick the iPad?

10:41:34 Josh S: would a hospital or school choose an iPhone now

10:41:49 Josh S: over a less costly alternative?

10:42:01 Josh S: it will be a bidding war

10:42:07 Mel: have you seen the business apps for the iphone?

10:42:15 Mel: businesses are committing to it

10:42:23 Mel: major enterprise softwware companies

10:42:31 Josh S: RIM still pwn's apple on that

10:42:36 Josh S: on business

10:42:42 Mel: and we'll see about that in 3 more years

10:42:47 Josh S: hahah

10:42:52 Josh S: yeah, we will

10:42:56 Mel: i'ma quote this

10:42:59 Mel: and post it in my blog

10:42:59 Josh S: good

10:43:03 Mel: this'll be fujn

10:43:52 Josh S: what's to stop a school from taking a toshiba for half the price of an iPad?

10:44:13 Mel: because toshiba won't have the content and content distribution of apple

10:44:28 Josh S: so you're saying apple will go monoplistic?

10:44:36 Mel: apple will dominate

10:44:38 Josh S: and control content

10:44:42 Mel: at least for 3 years

10:44:48 Josh S: dude

10:44:59 Josh S: it will take longer than that to get this integrated into systems

10:45:10 Josh S: by then, there will be hundreds of cheaper alternatives

10:45:16 Josh S: I dunno

10:45:22 Josh S: I'm not saying I know more than apple

10:45:25 Mel: once again, you're only thinking price of hardware

10:45:31 Josh S: I think this is a risky endeavour

10:45:39 Mel: you're not thinking of the entire experience that involves hardware, software and content

10:45:45 Josh S: yeah yeah

10:45:47 Josh S: i get that

10:45:57 Josh S: You're saying apple will partner with McGraw Hill

10:46:01 Mel: yes

10:46:04 Josh S: and say they can only licnese their books through apple store

10:46:09 Josh S: or whatever it will be

10:46:10 Mel: for now, yes

10:46:14 Mel: i personally ahte that

10:46:15 Mel: but yet

10:46:18 Josh S: so

10:46:19 Mel: *yes

10:46:20 Josh S: effectively

10:46:35 Josh S: you're forcing a college student, or, heaven forbid, a hospital

10:46:40 Josh S: to buy an apple product

10:46:42 Mel: yes

10:46:43 Josh S: because without it

10:46:47 Josh S: you will not get the info you need

10:46:53 Josh S: sounds like anti-trust to me

10:46:58 Mel: beacuse without it you will have to use shitty software and content on a cheaper system

10:47:02 Josh S: won't take long for the govt to step in

10:47:38 Mel: because it is monopolistic

10:47:42 Mel: because it is successful

10:47:53 Mel: you just supported my argument

10:47:54 Mel: haha

10:48:03 Josh S: it's a good idea

10:48:04 Josh S: yes

10:48:06 Josh S: but i'm saying

10:48:11 Josh S: it's not going to pan out the way your thinking

10:49:15 Mel: how else will it pan out?

10:49:32 Josh S: I don't think business will be so quick to jump on bored

10:49:41 Mel: define "quick"

10:49:43 Josh S: I think they'll wait and see how well it does in the market

10:49:49 Mel: how much time is "quick"

10:50:08 Josh S: however long it takes to define whether or not the iPad is a good investment

10:50:13 Josh S: marketing plays heavily into it

10:50:24 Mel: and apple is fucking king in marketing

10:50:32 Josh S: but there is no market for this product

10:50:39 Mel: hence they are inventing a market

10:51:03 Josh S: right, it will take a long time to prove the model is sucessful

10:51:17 Josh S: by then, a countless number of things will and can happen

10:51:41 Josh S: and when you bring government operations, hospitals and schools into this?

10:51:56 Josh S: I can guarantee that there will be intense scrutiny on how business is conducted

10:52:07 Josh S: it's a tightly regulated market

10:52:20 Josh S: if what you're saying is true

10:52:33 Josh S: and that it's more than just a private toy

10:52:38 Josh S: it's a huge risk

10:52:46 Josh S: I'm not saying it wont work, but it's a huge risk

10:53:02 Mel: and that's why apple is taking steps to make their software optimized for enterprise

10:53:04 Josh S: I personally don't think it will work

10:53:18 Josh S: I could be wrong, but it's not like this is going to sink apple

10:53:18 Mel: just like with the iphone, they introduced built-in support of Microsoft Exchange

10:53:28 Mel: and they offer remote security features

10:53:43 Josh S: oh

10:53:47 Josh S: i can also say

10:53:51 Josh S: why not make another iphone

10:53:59 Josh S: with all that licensing and garbage youre saying

10:54:10 Josh S: you don't think in 3 years, the iPhone will be able to handle everything you're talking about?

10:54:40 Josh S: what if we don't even have to have screens in 5 years, what if we have holograpic techology like the movies?

10:54:57 Josh S: all these what ifs

10:55:07 Josh S: the way this conference is going, looks to me like its a toy for people at home

10:55:09 Mel: the iphone is purely limited on size

10:55:26 Mel: of course it'll be much better, stronger, faster in three years

10:55:33 Mel: but they're fixed on that form factor

10:55:36 Josh S: not true

10:55:46 Josh S: these flex screens coming out now

10:55:53 Josh S: wrap around your wrist, etc.

10:55:57 Mel: *size of screens

10:55:58 Josh S: why not make a foldable iphone

10:56:10 Josh S: it's not impossible

10:56:19 Mel: and i'm sure apple is already looking into that

10:56:23 Mel: just as the iphone was a 6 year project

10:56:24 Josh S: right

10:56:30 Josh S: there is no market for this

10:56:33 Josh S: is what im saying

10:56:35 Mel: and this tablet is 20 years in the making

10:56:46 Mel: right, and i'm saying apple is inventing a new market

10:56:53 Josh S: it's like the Air

10:56:54 Josh S: it's for show

10:57:09 Mel: um no, the air is just dumb because it's ridiculously expensive

10:57:17 Mel: the air's only niche is

10:57:29 Mel: rich fucks that want a travel-light secondary computer

10:57:33 Mel: it's not meant to be a primary computer

10:57:38 Mel: it's an apple netbook, if you will

10:57:40 Mel: it's just dumb because

10:57:43 Mel: it's retardly expensive

10:58:03 Josh S: so you're saying what will make the difference here is the intro price?

10:58:10 Josh S: of this pad

10:58:26 Mel: what will make the difference?

10:58:35 Josh S: nothing

10:58:37 Josh S: its fate is sealed

10:58:39 Josh S: haha

10:58:42 Josh S: it will fail

10:58:50 Josh S: it may break even

10:58:55 Josh S: it may start a revolution

10:59:00 Josh S: but the iPad is destined to fail

10:59:08 Josh S: this is coming from a 25 year old advertiser...

10:59:23 Josh S: so take it however you want

10:59:27 Josh S: but, all im hearing

10:59:29 Josh S: from everyone around me

10:59:36 Josh S: is that it doesn't make sense

10:59:44 Josh S: it's a giant iPod

10:59:51 Josh S: and it's not worth picking up

10:59:51 Mel: yes, it is

10:59:54 Mel: a giant ipod

11:00:06 Mel: with ebook functionality, media functionality

11:00:09 Mel: gaming functionality

11:00:27 Mel: gaming and e-publishing are the biggest points about this device

11:00:29 Mel: over the iphone

11:00:42 Mel: and then the enterprise software

11:00:48 Josh S: dude

11:00:51 Josh S: one point is all i have

11:00:52 Mel: which we'll be seeing in a year or so

11:00:59 Josh S: i'm going to end on this

11:01:04 Josh S: the world runs on Microsoft

11:01:08 Josh S: and for a reason

11:01:15 Josh S: apple has always been about the consumer

11:01:17 Josh S: not about businesses

11:01:25 Josh S: you're telling me that they're changing their business model entirely

11:01:28 Mel: and that's something they've realized and they're changing

11:01:35 Josh S: I don't buy it

11:01:37 Josh S: not for a second

11:01:38 Mel: no, their business model has always been the same:

11:02:06 Mel: make money on premium prized hardware, and invent content, software and content distribution to facilitate purchasing of the hardware

11:02:10 Mel: *priced

11:02:11 Josh S: dude

11:02:20 Mel: apple barely breaks even on selling music

11:02:25 Mel: same with apps

11:02:33 Mel: they make all their money selling expensive ass hardware

11:02:53 Mel: but they use amazing software adn content partnerships as their killer advantage

11:03:11 Josh S: they will not be able to effectively monopolize content, especially information

11:03:19 Josh S: it will never happen

11:03:23 Josh S: unless they move to China

11:03:23 Mel: ia gree

11:03:30 Mel: same way they don't monopolize music

11:03:39 Mel: but they dominate in the hardware category

11:03:47 Mel: sure, people have hundreds of ways to get music

11:03:51 Mel: but

11:03:52 Josh S: fiiine

11:03:54 Mel: the iphone and ipod dominate

11:03:58 Josh S: no

11:04:07 Josh S: itunes dominates

11:04:11 Josh S: and I can have that on any platform I wish

11:04:40 Josh S: haha, this is an entirely different discussion

11:04:55 Josh S: I like how you're a brand ambassador for apple

11:05:02 Josh S: in my opinion

11:05:06 Josh S: i think this product

11:05:06 Mel: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-10417825-37.html

11:05:09 Josh S: this one we're looking at

11:05:13 Mel: http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/28/apple-iphone-closing-in-on-blackberry-market-share/

11:05:14 Josh S: will not be sucessful

11:05:30 Mel: help me interpret those numbers then

11:05:32 Josh S: that is my point

11:05:47 Mel: your point that apple is closing in on blackberry?

11:06:01 Josh S: hold on, work

11:10:39 Josh S: that's not a projection

11:10:44 Josh S: that's historical

11:10:58 Josh S: trend, yes, apple is catching up

11:11:08 Josh S: what makes you think the iPad will effect these numbers?

11:11:29 Mel: apple is inventing a new market, so it won't matter for at least a year

11:11:34 Josh S: and yes a 10% share is pretty dominant

11:11:35 Mel: it'll be it's own chart

11:11:54 Josh S: this "new market" of yours...

11:12:02 Josh S: when I see it, then we'll have the discussion

11:12:17 Josh S: as of now, we're looking at a very expensive toy that doesn't have a home

11:13:04 Josh S: are they rolling out this new market now as well?

11:13:59 Mel: yes, new market was invented today

11:14:09 Mel: it's not meant to be a phone

11:14:11 Mel: or a computer

11:14:14 Mel: it's a tablet device

11:14:54 Mel: it's a new category

11:15:05 Mel: (actually, it's an old old category but this is the re-invention of it)

11:19:25 Mel: $499

11:19:29 Mel: my friend

11:19:42 Mel: http://c0581892.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/apple-tablet-keynote_177.jpg

11:25:01 Josh S: yeah

11:25:03 Josh S: without 3G

11:25:09 Josh S: so it's a giant iPod

11:25:12 Josh S: again

11:25:18 Mel: and again, that price will go down

11:25:29 Josh S: it's $700 for everything you need

11:25:32 Josh S: including the service

11:25:39 Mel: if it's for businesses, they won't need 3G

11:25:41 Mel: just wifi

11:25:47 Josh S: are you going to get one?

11:25:53 Josh S: not even the live blog people are impressed

11:25:53 Mel: i'll wait for 128GB

11:26:02 Josh S: yeah, 16gb?

11:26:07 Mel: right now it'll be early adopters taht'll jump on this

11:26:09 Mel: just like the iphone

11:26:11 Josh S: my phone has more than that

11:26:18 Mel: but once it gets cheaper, it'll be legit mainstream

11:26:28 Josh S: yeah, if it gets to about $200

11:26:30 Josh S: I'd get one

11:26:32 Mel: early adopters are willing to throw down $600 for a 8GB iphone when it came out

11:26:43 Mel: early adopters don't care about price

11:26:44 Josh S: iphone was revolutionary

11:26:44 Josh S: this

11:26:46 Josh S: not so much

11:26:50 Josh S: nothing "magical" about it

11:26:58 Josh S: it's a big ass iPod

11:27:04 Mel: i agree

11:27:10 Mel: but it comes down to the experience

11:27:13 Mel: of the software and teh content

11:27:16 Josh S: oh god

11:27:17 Josh S: here we go

11:27:32 Josh S: experience the 7 inch screen

11:27:33 Josh S: that's it

11:27:37 Mel: <---- i'm a software designer. user experience matters

11:27:50 Mel: it's not just about what a device can do, it's also about how easy it is to do it

11:27:50 Josh S: well

11:27:57 Josh S: we'll be able to tell in a few months if you are right

11:28:04 Josh S: because if it doesn't sell well

11:28:05 Mel: the iphone was a smartphone and smartphones have been around since the mid 90s

11:28:05 Josh S: they'll kill it

11:28:25 Josh S: and I just don't see smart people spending money on it

11:28:32 Mel: but when the price goes down

11:28:33 Mel: then what?

11:28:39 Josh S: dude

11:28:46 Josh S: haha

11:28:48 Josh S: actually

11:28:50 Josh S: i was just oging to say

11:28:55 Josh S: think of the R&D they have to make up

11:28:57 Josh S: then I just realized

11:29:04 Josh S: it's a big iPod...probably not much R&D

11:29:22 Mel: they invest a shit-ton in R&D

11:29:30 Josh S: right, so if it doesn't sell

11:29:33 Josh S: you kill it

11:29:37 Mel: watch, they're gonna put in RFID in these devices soon

11:29:40 Mel: that's a game changer

11:29:47 Josh S: you lower the price to get rid of the shit that never sold to recoup some costs

11:30:08 Mel: umm no, they use the R&D to provide the highest bang for your buck

11:30:15 Mel: so they can pass the price savings to the consumer

11:30:17 Josh S: yeah, I said

11:30:19 Josh S: if the product fails

11:30:29 Josh S: you sell it off to recoup costs

11:30:53 Josh S: there is no price savings to the consumer when it comes to apple

11:31:01 Josh S: it's high-end and it likes being there

11:32:01 Josh S: with 3G this thing is a big iPhone

11:32:10 Josh S: only my iPhone can sometimes make calls

11:32:24 Josh S: sometimes

11:32:40 Josh S: for the amount of press it's getting, I hope it does well

11:32:52 Josh S: we'll see in six months what unfolds

11:32:56 Josh S: should be interesting

11:34:20 Mel: yep, will be interesting

11:34:26 Mel: aight, i gotta go back to work

11:34:29 Josh S: haha

11:34:38 Josh S: $800 i can get a loaded lap top

11:34:45 Mel: i agree

11:34:46 Josh S: or a nice TV with a much biggers creen

11:34:49 Mel: i agree

11:34:49 Josh S: haha

11:34:59 Josh S: okay man

11:34:59 Josh S: seriously

11:34:59 Josh S: work

11:35:00 Josh S: peace

11:35:01 Mel: late

What apps do you guys have installed? I have a bunch but my favorites are:

TwitterFon

Let's me make a quick status update that'll push to my blog, Facebook status, Myspace profile and AIM profile.

Twinkle

Local chatting. I used this to chat with people within *x* miles of me. This came in real handy when I was looking for the best theater to watch Dark Knight.

Shazam

When you're listening to the radio and you wanna know what the song is, just run this program, let it listen for 12 seconds and it'll tell you all the song info.

Myspace

Cuz I'm a Myspace whore like that.

Facebook

Cuz I'm a Facebook whore like that.

AIM Mobile

Occassionally used to chat when I'm on the move. Add my mobile screenname: **mel so hungry**.

Cube Runner

Super simple and fun flying game that uses the whole device as a steering wheel.

Yelp

Uses your GPS to find nearby restaurants and bars.

Pandora

Streaming radio while on the move, cuz sometimes your music library isn't big enough.

Movies.app

Uses your GPS to find nearby movie theaters and movie times. Even tells you ratings from Flixster!

What about you guys?