Bob’s World

No, it’s not what you think. Although, as happens at many trade shows, I was over SERVED a couple of times I’m not talking (this time) about “riding the porcelain bus.” What I mean is: “As a dog returns to his vomit - so have I returned to MacWorld.”

Ah, MacWorld - it’s one of THE most “interesting” people watching shows I’ve attended. It’s also one of the only places in the US you can see people using a computer while wearing a kilt.

A leather kilt.

With a talking sign belt buckle.

Not kidding.

Welcome to MacWorld - take your fan and leave! The show itself was OK. There was new technology and software, and some of the same old crap with a new version number.

To say the attendees were all in a titter about the iPhone would be an understatement. That thing does do a great demo. But it doesn’t exist. You can’t buy it. You can’t touch it. In fact, Apple only had ONE in a circular glass case that you could look at. Even then there was about 150-250 people around that display at any one given time.

I didn’t understand that until I went to the web site and it says: “This device has not been authorized as required by the rules of the Federal Communications Commission. This device is not, and may not be, offered for sale or lease, or sold or leased, until authorization is obtained.” Hmmmm…. interesting.

I tried to track down the product marketing manager, and lead developer - to ask them if the phone would have a JVM (Java Virtual Machine) - because if it did - and the phone really WAS a “full version” of OS X - that would mean that Servoy would run natively on it.

Which would be cool - to say the least. The answer: “No comment.” When asked if it is really a “full version” of OS X they said “As far as I know… probably… no comment.” You have to keep in mind these guys probably:

• Haven’t slept in 4 days
• Have had the same questions asked 4,000 times
• Have been told to keep their mouth shut
• Have been told to not speculate on non-shipping hardware
• ETC

We’ll just have to wait and see on the iPhone. I may just buy one when they come out - you never know.

The next big thing - besides iAnywhere bringing out SQL Anywhere 10 for MacIntel - was the Apple TV appliance. OK, so it’s a Mac Mini with wireless that lets you stream stuff to your TV. Nice, but something that only a true hard-core Mac person would love. I liked it, not loved it. There won’t be one in my house any time soon.

The BEST part of MacWorld was hanging out with the iAnywhere guys - and going to the Backbeat Media party in style. It was, well… ummm… no comment.

Thought For Today: What happens in San Francisco, stays in San Francisco… and Brenda, that Henna tatoo will wear off in a few days…

So, I’m a few days late. If you were at the New Year’s Party I was at - you’d just be coming alive as well.

Really. Not kidding. (Thanks Jaap and Lee!!!)

After taking a couple of days off to shake off the cobwebs and to get “that hungover taste” out of my mouth, I woke up to a bright new year, and a couple of interesting tidbits along the way:

1. Microsoft is bribing bloggers with laptops;
2. Hitachi is coming out with a 1 TERABYTE hard drive (under $400!);
3. Microsoft came out with a cartoon about their own crap software;
4. Amsterdam (the city) is ditching MS Office for OpenOffice;
5. The Crackberry is getting Push-To-Talk (PTT)

Microsoft is giving “evaluation” laptops with Vista on it to select bloggers in the hope they would write something nice about Vista. The only problem is - they didn’t give on to everyone with a blog, so the whiny 6 year olds who didn’t get one (i.e. “That’s NOT FAIR”) got their panties all in a bunch.

So, Microsoft, being the stand-up company (ah-hem) it is, then sent out a notice to all the people it gave the laptops out to saying when you’re done with the eval you can send them back, or keep them or give them away.

THAT’S NOT FAIR! (Hey, I can try….)

Hitachi has announced that they will ship the world’s first 1 terabyte hard drive in 2007 - get this - for $399! Damn. I remember when they came out with the first 20 MB hard drive and I didn’t know what I would do with all that space. With the Video and photo explosion, probably in 2 years that will seem like a 20GB drive does today.

Still, 1TB for less than $400?? Nice.

In a “bold” bid to help educate John Q Public understand why the hell they changed the UI on the world’s most-used office productivity software - Microsoft has created this jewel: The Enchanted Office. Much like Office 2007, the site is a cartoon. How fitting.

A cartoon. Really. Not kidding.

The city of Amsterdam (or the “country” of Amsterdam) in The Netherlands has announced that they are spending about $400,000 on servers, software, training and services to move their users from MS Office to OpenOffice (I’m still using it - and LOVING it). They are one of 5 Dutch cities that are working together to actively move users off MS Office - citing licensing costs and greater flexibility and greater “control over their own destiny.”

And finally, RIM has licensed the Java version of Kodiak Network’s Push To Talk application to inclusion in its new Pearl phone on Cingular wireless. The application offers BlackBerry Pearl users an array of features such as:

• Availability: Allows users to view the status of their business colleagues and see if they can receive a wireless call
• Call me alerts: Using the PTT button, a business professional can notify others that they need to talk to them
• Convert to cellular: Allows BlackBerry Pearl users to convert an individual or group PTT to a standard cellular call or instant mobile conference call by using the PTT button

Very, very hot! I know what I’m asking for next Christmas…

Thought For Today: If you need a frickin’ cartoon to explain the benefits of your software to your target audience, DO NOT sell to that target audience. They will NEVER get it - and you’ll just be more ridiculed than ever (remember the BOB OS?)…