Smalltalk with James Robertson

With the rationales being offered by AT&T (and various consultants) for the changes to their data plans, I'm reminded of Vizzini's constant cry in "The Princess Bride":

But industry analysts said that when customers take “unlimited” literally, those plans rapidly become money losers for the companies — and lead to network congestion.

Gosh, how dare those pesky customers - taking the words the vendor used to describe the service seriously! Next thing you know, those pesky customers will also expect honest bills and polite service. The horror.

Technorati Tags: att, iPhone, stupidity

These iPhone/iPad rumors keep popping up:

According to a highly placed source of ours, Verizon Wireless is currently testing Apple iPad devices on their network.

I still have my doubts. I just don't see Apple going to CDMA at this point.

Technorati Tags: apple, iPhone, iPad, verizon

Along with a host of other changes to their billing plans for data, ATT will finally be rolling out tethering (although tethering will wait for OS 4). The big change - the "unlimited" data plan is gone, replaced by a 2 tier plan with - wait for it - reasonable overage charges. Engadget has the details.

Technorati Tags: iPhone, apple

This leaves a huge opening for Google (and eventually HP, if they get anywhere with WebOS):

I see now why people are so angry at the ‘murky’ nature of the App Store, and I’m starting to agree with them. My Frame was approved by Apple 3 times (once for each version we released), and then now, at version 1.2 they decide it’s to be removed? How can a company be prepared to invest into a platform that can change at any time, cutting you off and kicking you out, with no course of action but to whine on some no-name blog. There is no alternative platform, despite what others may say about Android, it’s immature and their app store(s) are a wild west nightmare. It really is Apple’s way or the highway, and that really stinks.

That kind of unpredictability isn't at all good for a business plan. It works for Apple now, because there's something of a void beyond them. However, all it'll take is for Google and/or HP to create something "good enough" to start luring developers across - because predictability will trump coolness....

Technorati Tags: apple, iPad, app store

There's good news and bad news. The good: Skype over 3G is finally available for the iPhone. The bad: as of August, Skype will charge for that feature:

After August 2010, Skype will start charging a “small monthly fee” for use of the 3G calling feature. You heard that right — even though you’re already paying AT&T (in the U.S., at least) for your data plan, Skype is throwing in an extra fee. At this point we’re not sure if the move is Skype’s own doing, or if the network operators had a hand in trying to make the Skype app a less desirable option.

I'd suspect AT&T demanded that....

Technorati Tags: iPhone, skype, 3g

Charles Stross makes some good points about the pros and cons of the iPad - his take on Flash is funny, but then I ran across this:

Secondary motive: I want to stay current. I have a bunch of O'Reilly nutshell books on Python. I would like to be able to open a terminal and run a python interpreter while I work through the tutorials. Ditto ruby, smalltalk, or whatever else I want to play with. The "no interpreters" rule in the app store gets right up my nose.

While average users neither know nor care about that rule, the tech influencers do care. I didn't think that mattered at first - which, given my role as a Smalltalk evengelist might be surprising - but I'm starting to think it will matter. As happened with PC's "back in the day", Android (or WebOS) tablets will eventually have a "good enough" user experience, and the open nature of them will matter. Apple lost that war once; they might be setting themselves up to lose a second time.

Technorati Tags: apple, iPad, tablet

Engadget reports that Microsoft is expecting to sell 30 million Windows 7 phones by the end of 2011:

We've got to hand it to Microsoft -- when it sets a goal, it really sets a goal. As you can see in the slide above shown during a ReMix event in Paris yesterday, Microsoft is apparently expecting to sell 30 million Windows Phone 7 devices by the end of 2011, based on IDC projections

Umm, how? The phone doesn't exist yet, Apple and Google have well defined products, HP may be breathing new life into Palm, and Microsoft is deeply, deeply confused about their integration story - how does this new device fit in with the XBox and Zune, for instance?

I expect Microsoft to end up very, very disappointed.

Technorati Tags: microsoft, windows phone

Engadget reports that the iPhone is pretty much "wide open", so far as accessing data goes:

Bernd and fellow security guru Jim Herbeck have discovered that plugging even a fully up-to-date, non-jailbroken iPhone 3GS into a computer running Ubuntu Lucid Linux allows nearly full read access to the phone's storage -- even when it's locked

This is why the meme about Macs being secure, while Windows is insecure has been so flawed. I do believe that Unix is a better basis for security than Windows, but - Apple has mostly gotten by on a "security via obscurity" model - Macs are still rare enough (in percentage terms) that it's simply not worth bothering with them. There are so many Windows boxes that it's just better target environment for bad actors.

However, over in mobile-land, things are different. iPhones are very common, so having this kind of vulnerability is the sort of thing that could end up giving Apple some real PR issues.

Technorati Tags: security

Watch the video and see - as PCWorld says:

For all this expensive posturing the one thing we still don't have is a version of Flash for smartphones that doesn't leech performance and battery life.

Thus far, it seems that having Flash on the phone is a problem. Admittedly, it's a beta, but - watch and make your own call.

Technorati Tags: flash, android, iPhone

I'm curious as to what Cisco plans to offer for $500 (or more) that will be better than skype:

The company gave a sneak preview of the new Telepresence terminals at its Cisco Networkers event in Cannes in February. The system will retail at around $500, a far cry from the six-figure sum that businesses expect to pay but probably higher than was expected.

For $500, you won't be getting a life sized video wall. If I want a video chat on my TV, all I really need is a cable. So... I have no idea what Cisco will be offering that will deliver more value than what I have already.

Technorati Tags: teleprescence, video chat