Rhoneisms

About a week ago, I was subjecting Bethany to one of my regular rants. I am normally a pretty laid back guy but every fortnight or so I get a bugger up my bum to hop up on the nearest soapbox and start spouting on about some topic. On this particular occasion it was about what I believe will be the “Next Big Thing”. This is a million dollar opportunity to anyone with the power, influence or skill. So if anyone like that is reading, take out your notepad.
Here we have (via: Digg) a You Tube video of the launch of the original iPod. I remember seeing it at the time and just being floored by it. I wanted one immediately. Not just because of the Apple-flavored-kool-aid drinking fanboy that I was am. I got it. I understood right away was this meant. Although there were many at the time who were saying things like “I don’t understand what the big deal is. There are other hard drive MP3 players out there way better than that.” I responded with “Yes. But this is the first one you can actually use!”
What made the iPod different was the interface. Anyone could just pick it up and get right away how to get the music on the device (plug it into your Mac and let iTunes do the rest) and then how to navigate the interface. Kids, grandmas and geeks – anyone could just pick it up and “get” it. That was huge! Remember the other options? Having to use Musicmatch and Rio or some such thing. It sucked. The iPod just plain works. It doesn’t suck.
I believe I was number 3 in line once the Apple Store opened at Mall of America and I had my checkbook in hand. A revolution had begun and I did not want to be one of the guys drinking the tea. Now I, like millions of others around the world, use my iPod daily. I listen to podcasts and music and store files and look up contacts. It is indispensable.
Here is where to start taking notes… Mark my word, the person/people/multimillondollar corporation that comes up with a cell phone that is as easy to use and sync data to as the iPod will rule that market like Apple does with the iPod. Just like the music player market at the time the iPod was introduced, there are hundreds of cell phones… And they all suck! The ones that suck less are so crippled by the carriers, even for the most logical of data transfers (what do you mean I can’t sync over Bluetooth!?!), that they might as well not even offer the feature. Not to mention I have yet to see a cell phone interface that is intuitive and easy to navigate. I mean, it took me a half hour to find out how to assign voice recording to a button on my Verizon cheap piece of crap phone. And I am a fairly savvy tech guy. This is a market that is ripe for someone to come in and make a device that does not suck. Just like the iPod, it does not have to have larger storage or do anything functionally different than what any cell phone can now do. It just has to do it better. I just has to not suck.

Solution Watch has a great rundown of 50 online note taking apps that is worth looking into. There is something there for everyone. I prefer Backpack/Writeboard of course but even I found a few interesting items on this list worth a look.

Things are moving right along on the wedding front. We found a reception site – Yeah! Read all about it on the wedding page. Not only will you be able to read all about the recent goings on but it has also been updated with logistic and lodging information for our out of town guests.
We still have a ways to go but Bethany and I are feeling so much more hopeful that we will make it.

Blacktree, the makers of the über-launcher-love-tool Quicksilver, has a great listing of all of the Quicksilver tutorials to be found around the web. If you are new to Quicksilver or even an old hat looking for a new trick, this is a great place to start your search for nirvana.
If you are a Mac user and you have not tried Quicksilver, I can’t tell you how highly I recommend this application. It is really one of those things that Apple should just buy and build into the Mac OS. Seriously.

Update #3 of the ongoing wedding saga is posted up on the wedding page. Check it out.

Some of you may remember Fridays. It was a very thinly veiled attempt by ABC to copy and compete with Saturday Night Live. Only lasted for two years but it was a very memorable two years that was a starting ground for several now known faces and names. Despite that fact, the show really did try to have on a lot more cutting edge punk and new wave acts on that Saturday Night Live was not really booking at the time. Among those was an all time favorite of mine Devo. Thanks to the wonder and awesomeness that is YouTube, I give you Devo – Live on Fridays performing Girl U Want and Gates of Steal.
“Spank the pink who tries to drive you nuts.”
(via: WaxyLinks)

This is pretty amazing. Apple has come out with a public beta of Boot Camp. It is a collection of the tools needed to dual boot Windows XP on your Mac. Windows XP not included.
Go and check it out here.
I feel like this is some cruel post April Fools joke or something but it is very legit.
(via OS News)

Despite the tongue in cheek title, It was actually fascinating reading Bill Gates explaining his org-fu. Seems he subscribes to several of the leading edge workplace principles that many have been saying for years. Two screens increase productivity but research shows three screens are ideal. Check. Search for files instead of digging for them. Check. In e-mail, use filtering and rules to pick out the melody from the noise, respond with appropriate action and spend time on the ones that matter most. Check. Check. Check. He is not so big on paper but believes in the power of the whiteboard for brainstorming. All in all seems like he is on top of his game.
Go Billy. Play on playa! Don’t let Da Man hold you back… Oh, you are Da Man… My bad.
Go check out the article at CNN Money. It is worth the read.

Just a note to let my readership know that there is some testing going on with the server side of things. Therefore, if you see any strange posts, ignore them and they will be deleted soon.

I am back from vacation in Florida. We had a fabulous time. It was the first vacation that we have taken as a family since Bethany’s addition into it. Bethany and I also noted that it is the first “real” vacation that we have taken together as every other trip we have taken (and we have taken a lot) has involved work in some sort of way. Therefore, this was an extra special treat and I really feel rested for the first time in a while. Below is a link to some of the pictures taken. more will be going up soon.
Florida Trip 2006
Update: Second set of photos now posted – Florida Trip 2006 – Part 2