kuniform

How did I end up with a cold which has lasted two weeks? It’s moved from my head to my throat. Now, that’s progress. If I were to be reading this blog entry to you from behind some magic screen (TS Eliot, I love you), you would be convinced someone had taught a dog who smoked cigarettes to bark English. To put it more succinctly, I sound like Keith Richards does, I’d imagine, when he wakes up in the morning. Hmm. I’m glad this isn’t an audio blog.

Right now, there’s about 10 things swirling around in my life which are awesome, great things—my daughter, school, my job, web design, doin’ some pro-bono work for my sister’s restaurant, etc. These are all occupying a ton of time, though, and the cobwebs are piling up on kuniform.org. I really really really will finish doing the typography work on this design and will finish up the look of the other design very soon.

Man, I also need to get all my content up on this thing. Sheesh! time is flyin’ in 2005 for this Rabo Karabekian.

Huge news for those of us with cheese in/on/around the noggin: Thompson named Packers GM. It’s about time. I’m not sure Mike Sherman is the final answer at coach, but it’s clear he’s not a GM. He will have the time to grow into his role as a coach, and that’s alright by me (as soon as he hires a decent defensive coordinator).

Hmmm… Apple is pushing that share price this year in a good way. Apple said to ship PowerBook G5 in Q2 2005 points to the new PB’s either being G5 or a G4 Freescale chip and released over the summer.

So, from what I’ve seen from Apple so far in 2005, that means:

a) I can buy an iPod shuffle today
b) I can wait 3-6 months to buy one of the computers

Why the wait on option b? Because Apple always releases their products the same way at these trade shows: with the guts hanging out under the tables. That is only a figurative statement now, but there’s been too many little product features that go whacky in the wild (the crack in the g4 cube cases, hinges on titanium PBs, etc.) that it’s worth it to wait.

Another example: the mid-year feature ‘enhancement’ which comes out. I bought my 15” titanium PB in August of 2002, after trailing rumor sites for months I had to have it to do some contracting. In December of that year 17” for same price, 15” w/1ghz g4 and superdrive for less money than I paid. I know it’s pc’s and that is their nature, but when there’s only one manufacturer and you run your eq into the ground the way I do, every little bit upfront helps.

Apple v. Google: A Matter of Timing is an article by Tom Steinert-Threlkeld which argues the Mac mini is really another step towards conversion for Apple. If that’s the case, and it’s not just about adopting for PC users as Cringley argues in his predictions for 2005, then I think Apple stock could continue to rise.

It’s interesting to note the confluence of product design and business fundamentals. In introducing its two new products, the Mac mini and the iPod shuffle, some get it and some don’t.

Seth Jayson claims in Apple’s Magic Act that their stock numbers don’t add up and the iPod shuffle is a dud waiting to happen. I thought so, too, at first, but what it really is is a cleverly designed solution to a multitude of problems. Apple knows the low end mp3 market is ripe for their picking, they have to introduce a device which can compete in that space but not compete with the iPod, and they must do it cheaply. So, they reduce the interface and create a new way of listening to music. It lets them lower the price point even further since you don’t need a screen, and it makes the unit even smaller.

More over, I think the usage will be fundamentally different. The iPod is about storing your whole music collection, playlists, etc. As the variety of accessory products are put out (car adapters, special speaker bases, etc.), it’s obvious that device usage is occurring in a huge variety of settings, making it, as one reviewer in the Sun-Times called it (can’t remember where, so sorry ‘bout the paraphrase) one of the first cultural icons of the 21st century. Now that’s strong adoption. The shuffle’s usage seems like it will be more occasion-based, personal, and temporary to me. You’ll dump a playlist on there for the day or for a task—working out, a road trip, or taking a walk—and go. If you don’t like what’s playing, just hit skip. I think these types of design decisions show Apple has value above the earnings report—in the knowledge of how to produce products such as these.

WOW. I have no comment other than that. I knew most of the details of King’s life, but had forgotten them until they were vividly retold with footage by PBS. I came away both inspired and more cynical about the cavalier way we humans treat each other for such things as power and luxury.