Jot Kali

I find lack of power for distributed populations interesting. How much of local news in Canada centres around the local hockey team ? By pure numbers though the general audience for Blizzard’s StarCraft is larger in viewership than the entire NHL. Imagine the news covering that.

Another example : the Green Party in Canada gets around the same amount of votes as the Bloc Quebecois. Since its distributed though it gets hardly any press, and no seats in the house. 

News is heavily skewed around hyper local populations and events, regardless of what people’s interests actually are. This tends to set the tone for the national agenda even though it doesn’t reflect reality. Communities on the net illustrate actual interests, but its not represented in ‘normal’ media yet, nor reflected in the power base of society.

http://www.pcgamer.com/2013/04/04/blizzards-starcraft-2-wcs-2013-explained-by-company-ceo-mike-morhaime/

As a novice I was reading through a Bhuddist book that inspired Jobs, and trying to square it with how we the public see Steve Jobs, versus what he accomplished. Purely from the view of appreciating what he accomplished, there is value in trying to understand his take on what could be his core belief system.

Was Steve Jobs overall vision to bring Bhuddist concepts through technology ? Was his vision to create tools to shape society and the world, not just experience it? Not as passive passenger, but aggressive reshaping, flying in the face of common beliefs. Have a holistic understanding, but live in the now and what is possible now. We can see engineering and programming as art that is usable, not just understanding the world but reshaping it. His concept of programmers and engineers as artists, as in somewhat enlightened state, his appreciation of expert coders further along that state. One ness, being an artist, but being able to create real working things. His madness at poor ideas or implementation, what he saw as inferior creation, and anger at those he saw not living or seeing their own ability. Do not passively understand, but understand through action. Remove desire by creation.

So his concept of tech was a stepping through the teachings of Buddhism, his understanding the levels and applying it to technology. What he saw as the obvious path, pulled from above to below, concept to details. 

There is a clear difference between what he produced (understanding the whole concept, not parts), how he dealt with coworkers (prajna), how he dealt with the public (teaching beginners), waiting for “the gap” to explain his timing, and how he lived. While these parts are seemingly different at the appearance level, which is the level that is reported and discussed in popular media, it is perhaps not so disjointed if his take on philosophy is taken in its whole. 

A core Bhuddist principle is make peace. Get rid of desire by not wanting, through pure understanding. Jobs take on it perhaps was to get rid of desire by sheer will of force, causing things to be created which should be created, which reduces desire. Jobs was not to make peace with just everything that currently exists, but with everything that should exist, then his duty is to cause it to exist. Is that the path to enlightenment, not passive understanding, but full involvement ?

I do not profess an understanding of Bhuddism, and that is likely clear. I do think Jobs internalized its core beliefs however, but changed them to fit his world view. I believe the closest we can come to that is using a modified base of bhuddism - the fundamental change is understanding through creation. The statements given by Jonathan Ive at Steve Jobs eulogy speak to an alignment :  ”A victory for beauty.  For purity. And for he would say, giving a damn. ” …. “ Sometimes they took the air from the room. They  left us both completely silent. Bold crazy magnificent ideas. ” …. “ Or quiet simple ideas. Which in their subtly, their detail, they were utterly profound. ” …. “ The joy of getting there. His simply delight. “. Is that technology or art ? Is that technology, or the core concept of creation, of the path and process, of an attempt at understanding through creating.

I wish video games had an explore mode. The story would occur, puzzles would still be there (with hints if needed), but the enemies would have very little ability. No other relaxing popular past time frustrates its user to convey its enjoyment. I read a book, I read through the book. Same with a movies, songs, plays. None of these attempt to challenge my enjoyment of the thing, they just let me experience it. I wish the same for games. I’d love to experience classics such as Ocarina of Time without battling the last boss in Jabu Jabu belly for the 10th time. The game is rated the highest of all time. Let me enjoy it by experiencing it without frustration.

Apple’s iPod Nano has all the features to be a great 2nd screen to the iPhone. iOS6 bluetooth allows for information sharing between iPhone and the Nano, the screen is large enough to show useful amount of information, and it has a touch screen to quickly go through information. The connection would also remove the need to manually sync the iPod Nano with iTunes on a computer.

Benefits of a 2nd Screen Device

The iPod Nano would act as a second screen to select iOS applications. While it might seem minor to take out an iPhone from the pocket, sometimes the iPhone is not always accessible. The iPhone could be in pocket while sitting, you may want directions while biking, or the iPhone may not be near while exercising.

:: The Nano displaying SMS and iMessage alerts

:: A scrolling list of appointments. The next appointment is at the top.

:: Apple Map directions. The list would be scrollable.

Connecting the Nano to the iPhone

The iPod Nano has bluetooth 4. As compared to previous versions of bluetooth, this version uses a fraction of battery power. Battery life can be days instead of hours. Bluetooth 4 also makes the pairing process much quicker. If an iPhone uses the Nano as a second screen, the accessible apps iOS square icon would show up on the Nano. This would visually separate the linked apps from the built in ones on the Nano. If the connection is severed, the apps would disappear.

Wearing the Nano

The previous Nano was watch sized, and perfect for the wrist in a traditional sense. However clay tests with the current nano show it also wristable (ps. my wrist is very skinny). It could also be worn on a lanyard, which Apple offered with the original iPod Shuffle.

No More iTunes Syncing - Controlling Music on iPhone

The bluetooth connection between the Nano and iPhone would also let the Nano control the music on the iPhone. This would remove the hassle of having to sync the Nano with a computer in order to get content on it. Via iCloud the iPhone would auto-sync music and podcasts between the user’s iPhone, Macs, and other devices.

Why Current 2nd Screen Devices Fail

There is an attempt to take the current watch form and make it into a second screen.

:: While the Pebble watch is exciting, the screen isn’t the quality we expect from our devices. Given the screen shape and quality, the translation of iOS notifications isn’t of high quality.

:: The Cuckoo watch looks great. Only problem is the information has no value. Only indicating “You have an alarm, chat message, appointment, or call” provides no usable information.

Chances of the iPod Nano as a 2nd Screen

The current Nano is a curious device released by Apple. Typically Apple just doesn’t include technology in their products as a spec check point, but fully think out the potential of the new technology. Then combined with software they showcase the tech with an exciting new use (airplay being one example). The Bluetooth in the iPod Nano is vastly underused, having second screen devices would also show an exciting new side to iOS.

Topics :

1] Try to lose money, or at least just break even. Never indicate how you plan to eventually make money without fundamentally breaking your business model.

2] Never announce specific numbers. Vague dreamy answers are best. 

3] Crap out as many products as you can, in as many market segments. No focus is key. Dont forget rule 1, *dont* make money in these market segments

4] Do not have industry leading satisfaction rating scores. Junky products make users mad and post on forums requesting help. This is called “marketing”.

5] Always remember the one rule of design : More buttons, more bigger, is better.

6] Never control all aspects of your business. Instead have others create your software or design your hardware. That way you can always blame others.

7] Do not innovate or create new markets. Rest on past successes, even when they are way past their prime. Never disrupt yourself. Instead wait for others to do the work, then float for a few years in a deep slumber, then awake suddenly and pronounce your forthcoming market dominance purely based on past successes. 

8] Plan all future releases by what the market wants. You’ll end up with industry leading innovations such as the faster horse, and have marketing tag lines like “No wireless. Less space than a nomad. Lame”

9] Never save money. Instead buy companies that the author of this great book has already invested in.  Diversify into low margin industries, acquire random stuff, have a zillion redundant products, do not focus on quality. These are the things business school taught the author, so it must be right, therefore even though you’ve proven us wrong for over a decade, we are going to party like its 1997. 

10] It is still 1997 right?

[ In response to Apple constantly getting pounded in the stock market even after posting record breaking earnings ]

Heaven as a goal. Not one that exists now as a made up construct, but one we will eventually create. A conscience “conscience transfer” upon death. Imagine if a religion framed it like that. Improve humanity generation upon generation to reach an ideal of a place after death.

Google is trumpeting crazy Android adoption models that is not reflected in actual online usage. Google is just following the Microsoft model to world domination. Windows are used on 95% of all PC, thats always the number everyone hears. Its very likely that most of those are office PCs running one program on an ultra cheap PC. Who cares though? Certainly not Microsoft banding about the 95% number. So for now Google releases a free OS thats put on cheap phone regardless if Apple users would label them ‘smart’ or not. Few years down the road the cheap phones are now powerful enough to run the full gamut Android release with marketplace and apps (windows 3 to 95 to XP). Guess what people will upgrade to ? Apple is doing itself a HUGE disservice by not having a cheap pre-paid phone. Make an ultra cheap iPhone4 plastic model, stop labeling it as last years model (as it does with the 3GS) and maintain its market share. Otherwise it’ll be Windows all over again, this time though it will be plastered with ads.

Recent rumors of a new Nintendo to be announced at E3 in June 2011. The rumors indicate a controller with a touch screen. Its my guess the controller screens will be a killer feature, my guess is because its *not just one console*. I see the preannouncement as an admission that the console will be expensive, say $350 to $400. This new Wii HD will be sold along side the Wii following the Sony PS2/PS3. If the console is Xbox360 level power with high density discs I can’t see it costing Nintendo over $150 in parts. So why will it be expensive? 

There are currently plenty of rumors of a Wii replacement. My guess is the controllers are the return of the Gameboy. Nintendo is getting killed by the iPod Touch as the go to casual gaming platform. The touch is a simple straightforward basic game machine, you could imagine it as the direct successor of Gameboy. So yes the 6” screen will add functionality to the Wii HD, but it will also serve as a mobile gaming stripped down platform. The 3DS will be for 3D and relegated to special status.

The Wii HD controllers will cost $150 each but act as self contained, Nintendo virtual console connected, iPod touch competitor with real buttons. The Wii HD will act as the hub for the controllers, charging them, acting as the ‘referee’ to play multi-player games on a TV set, storing the games and settings. You could bring your WiiHD controller to a friends house and it will auto sync. 

I doubt the system will carry the Wii name at all. It could kill it old school and be called something like the Nintendo Entertainment System HD. 

Step 1: We get wide shiny ties back into fashion. Step 2: We make it the latest fashion to wear a tie backwards. Step 3: Make the ties a little wider and longer. Step 4: There is no step 4, everyone is now walking around wearing superhero capes. Success.