Low-Hanging Fruit
Observations of Apple
Wednesday, July 17, 2002Do you have the time?
iSync: synchronize your digital life
- sync calendar & address books with new GPRS GSM phones from Sony Ericsson, with Palm, with iPod
- uses SyncML over Bluetooth, USB, FireWire — whatever transport is available
- suggests syncing photos with phone
- sync over .mac — will this work with any WebDAV server?
I never used a PDA because I would have to type the data in. I don't think OCR programs will recognize the scrawl in our phonebooks. I barely maintain the speed dial list in my phone for the same reason.
Nice Cingular advertisment, Steve, thanks!
10:33:14 AM # Google It!
categories: Low-Hanging Fruit
10:23:02 AM #
categories: Low-Hanging Fruit
Steve dwelled on the smart playlists, but the ratings may have the widest utility. Take the song ratings and pair them with Rendezvous and iChat, or with the simple XML-RPC/SOAP support of AppleScript. Find an attack-resistant trust metric with an exposed API. And what do you get?
10:14:24 AM #
categories: Low-Hanging Fruit
These are the Calendars of Our Lives
Aside from viewing multiple calendars, iCal can post calendars online, as HTML to WebDAV-enabled servers. But, Steve says, that's not cool enough. So, let's subscribe to calendars. iCal then polls for updates. But, Dave will say, that's not cool enough. Let's hook iCal into a notification service!Couldn't tell from the demonstration, but it probably exchanges data over iCalendar.
Groupware? From Apple? Anybody remember AOCE?
10:05:53 AM # Google It!
categories: Low-Hanging Fruit
- imap, pop3, web mail
- 25MB -> 100MB iDisk (AFP and WebDAV)
- backup software
- antivirus software
- web space
Ditch the chrome UI. It makes the pages load slowly, and it's ugly.
10:02:33 AM #
categories: Low-Hanging Fruit
iChat uses Rendezvous to build buddy lists. Now you know when your co-workers (who haven't talked to you in months) are online.
9:52:57 AM #
categories: Low-Hanging Fruit
Didn't we see this demonstration in every previous MacWorld?
Computer telephony integration is demonstrated every year. In 1996, IIRC, the demonstration had AppleScript tying incoming and outgoing phone calls together with Claris Emailer and FileMaker. This year it was Bluetooth phone dialing from the Address Book.Incoming calls use Caller ID information to pull up address book entry (c.f. Big Island's YoYo). This would partially satisfy Bob Frankston's request for Caller ID that works — as much as one can when dealing with inappropriate data.
In the summer of 1992, looking for money, I interviewed for the AT&T operator pool in Peekskill. It wasn't for me. But I did see something I found astonishing: the operator sat in front of a computer console, with a headset connected to the terminal. As the call came in, data on the number was displayed, including line status and the billing party's name and address. The operator knew where the call originated, yet asked anyway.
In 1997, we were attempting to do the same thing in our call center, integrating data about the incoming call with our records on the customer.
In 2002, I sit in front of a computer that, while it has a sound card, has no microphone, and no speakers. Next to it is a phone. They do not talk to each other. What's changed?
9:49:50 AM # Google It!
categories: Low-Hanging Fruit
cat * | grep -v viagra | less
Adaptive Latent Semantic Analysis: Let me trash your boss's e-mail for you.9:43:02 AM # Google It!
categories: Low-Hanging Fruit
The Ease of AppleTalk, the Ubiquity of IP
Rendezvous (zeroconf) is very important. Demonstrating w/ iTunes3, Mr. Jobs added a playlist automatically, and streamed the file over 802.11b.Epson, HP, and Lexmark are adding zeroconf to printers.
9:38:10 AM # Google It!
categories: Low-Hanging Fruit
The Sincerest Form of Flattery
Watching the MacWorld keynote. Started late.Sherlock 3 == Watson. Karelia Software has an answer to this frequently asked question.
9:32:03 AM # Google It!
categories: Low-Hanging Fruit