Roger Kemp's Net » Thoughts

This is shit.

Roger — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 11:43:19 +0000

Recently I received the advice from a dear friend to be more of an asshole again. Well, here goes.

Apple, what are you doing? iCloud, iTunes Match, iOS 5.0.1, all shit.

iCloud; I don’t understand it. How does it work, why do I need to know how it works? Why isn’t it immediately clear what iCloud does?

iTunes Match; why can’t I just stream all my songs? Why do I have to upload my songs, while you already have most of the songs in your library anyway? Why can’t I share my songs, discover new music through what others share? Why can’t I have a subscription and do I still have to pay per song?

iOS 5.0.1; why is my battery not going all the way to 100% anymore after the upgrade?

Are all these annoyances indicators that Apple is loosing its touch? I don’t know. What I do know is that Apple doesn’t have it in its DNA to create real solutions to most of these problems. Apple’s DNA is all about the closed software/hardware/experience system. What they need to do is combine that system with strategic partnerships or more strategic acquisitions and refocus themselves on their core business, the platform. The advice Jobs gave Page (Google) should be taken at heart within Apple. I think Apple should focus on creating the basic platform (software/hardware/experience) for others to build upon. Right now they want to do it all, while most of those (open) initiatives are not in their (closed) DNA.

iCloud: get rid of your iWorks software and partner with Google Apps and/or Facebook
iTunes: go back to the core (the platform), buy Spotify, partner with Facebook and Netflix
iOS 5.0.1: get your act together, focus on the platform

On top of that, use your platform to create real change. Make your partners think different again. The movie and record industry are slipping back into their old tricks and habbits. Use your refocused energy to pull them in line again, so they can get back on track, a track that will give us world wide rights management, subscription services, streaming anywhere anytime.

You’re good at knowing what the customer doesn’t know he/she wants. Now you just have to become good again at knowing what the customer does know he/she wants.

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Google+, more thoughts

Roger — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 19:23:33 +0000

I was hoping Google+ would be rolling out more features by now, but they haven’t. If they really want to become a viable social platform they need to add some essential functionality, and add it sooner, rather than later. Here are a couple of things I hope they add:

Integration with Google Apps
If my company or organization is going to use Google+ as their Social Platform of choice, we’d like to have full integration with Calendar and Docs. Share files and events, as well as tasks would be essential to coordinate and plan on a Social Platform
Groups
Right now it’s only followers and following. You can’t really organize a group of people (department, suppliers, clients, hobby group, etc.) and have real two way communication between members of those groups. Circles is only good for broadcasting and commenting on those broadcasts, not for real group communication, let alone set up events or meetings. Messages will get lost in the stream, people I’m following don’t know what circle of mine they’re in and I’m not even sure they’re following me and if so, have me in the same circle. Sure you can filter your stream to that particular circle, but I have no way of knowing if the rest of the people in my group do the same thing and see my posts.
Events
If I’d like to plan an event and invite people I’d like those people to know about it and be able to RSVP. Right now, that’s impossible on Google+. This should go hand in hand with the Google Apps integration.
Google+ Business and Organization Profiles
I thought this would have been the first new feature to be implemented fairly quickly, I guess I was wrong. It would be nice if this too would become a feature integrated with Apps. If you have your domain running under Google Apps (gMail, Calendar and Docs) it would be nice to control your Plus Profile from there as well.

Google has everything in house to make Google+ the best and most fully featured Social Platform for organizations and businesses, but it seems they don’t see what’s right under their noses. Or maybe I’m just too impatient.

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Motorola gadget consolidation

Roger — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 08:38:24 +0000

Never tought I’d see this coming from Motorola, but Engadget has a nice little hands-on piece, showing the Motorola Atrix 4G, HD multimedia dock, and laptop dock. This is coming close to what I refer to as gadget consolidation (they, Engadget refer to it as Continues Client). They have several options, both hradware and software based. I see it as a hardware based solution, where one device will act as PC / TV / Phone / Media Center / PA etc. And Motorola is heading in the right direction. I think Apple is heading in that direction as well, but they are taking their time, ironing out the kinks to make it perfect, both on the front end (hardware and software) as the back end (infrastructure, media). And that last part is I think where Motorola is lacking (no real app or media distribution platform), while the front-end isn’t really a given yet either… Wonder what Google thinks of their implementation…

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Regurgitated features instead of new ideas.

Roger — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 12:54:29 +0000

Today Facebook will announce its “gMail killer”. At least that’s what the rumor mill is claiming. Or should I call it echo chamber? Seems Silicon Valley is losing sight of the ball and is just lapping up the press releases and events, waiting for Twitter, Facebook or Google (or spin off) to announce “the next big fat feature”. That’s what’s wrong with the picture these days. It’s not about ideas that will change the world anymore, it’s about features added to an existing idea that will hopefully keep the masses happy. Or at least keep the hipster in-crowd happy. Or as with the latest PR blitz (@Path) keep the investors happy (by providing some “used to be part of Facebook” buzz). It’s all so similar to what was happening in the late 90′s. But now it’s not IPO’s, it’s who’s financing who and who will be bought by who. Product and/or idea doesn’t matter all that much, as long as there’s a healthy buzz so money can change hands swiftly and with a healthy profit. Can you say “Bubble”? If you can, say “Pop”. In the mean time, I hope to hear from the real innovators out there, announcing the next big ideas without the big events. Just a good product or service that catches on, fills a real need or solves a real problem.

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Tweet like it’s 1999

Roger — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 07:51:07 +0000

Man I miss San Francisco. Wish I could be there right now to witness the new internet bubble, Bubble 2.0, burst, or maybe inflate a little more, or maybe it isn’t really a bubble? It sure looks like it though, with the new Twitter coming out (it isn’t out here in the Netherlands yet…). But the press coverage, the video, the “new” features that should have been there in the first place, it’s all so 1999 as far as the hype factor goes. All this for a service that lets you type 140 characters and share it with perfect strangers. I know, it has a large user base, it is, for me at least, a great news reader. But come on, it’s a simple service, maybe a powerful service for some, but nothing earth shattering. I’m glad they are finally coming up with some useful features of their own though…

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Summer is over?

Roger — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:59:26 +0000

Seems like it, if you look at the weather here in the Lowlands. Seems more like early fall. Oh how I wish we had an indian summer coming up late September, early October. Who knows, we might have a climate shift in the right direction for a change… With summer vacation over though, it’s time to start working full time again, and not a minute too soon. Looking for a couple of new porjects, hopefully one or two in which we can implement our new CMS, which is looking better by the day, thanks to the great work of Patrick. So if you’re looking for a team of kick-ass developers, look no further and drop me a line. Also working on W24B, ramping up the marketing and aquisition part of that new venture. Site should be done this week, after which we’ll start knockin’ on some doors here and there. W24B is turning into an ever evolving network of people who know eachother and have their own specialties, and one thing in common; a strong vision on how to use the web as a solution for a meriad of problems, with an emphasis on Social Media.

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Update on the non updates

Roger — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 16:39:33 +0000

Lots of things going on at the moment. Just got an office space in Strijp-S here in Eindhoven. Started a new company with 2 friends and am working on our own CMS under my web development company. Fun fun fun… busy busy busy… Hope to be able to post some thoughts on the upcoming elections some time soon, maybe it will have to wait till after… we’ll see…

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Busy, busy, busy

Roger — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 11:34:00 +0000

I’ve been busy with several projects lately which will be done at the end of the month. Then it’s off to the UK for a week of hanging out with friends. It’s great to see so many random thoughts come together and actually amount to something tangible. Be it websites, applications, organizations or events. What follows is a collection of sources of inspiration I’d like to share;

Articles
- The Facebook Imperative
- The Facebook Imperative cannot be stopped
- Physorg.com (too many articles to list)
- TED

Movies
- Crazy Heart
- Precious
- Food Inc.
- Boy A
- Zombieland
- Capitalism, A love story
- The Big Lebowski

Plays
- Sluitertijd
- Fast Car

Music
- Gorillaz – Plastic Beach
- Bombay Bicycle Club – I had the blues but I shook them loose
- Broken Bells
- Fink
- OK Go

Books
- A whole bunch of Kurt Vonnegut books
- Dave Eggers – Zeitoon
- Geert Mak – De eeuw van mijn vader

And my friends.

Busy, busy, busy is what a Bokononist whispers “whenever [he] thinks about how complicated and unpredictable the machinery of life really is.”

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Social Consolidation

Roger — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 15:53:00 +0000

I have been thinking about Social Consolidation these past few days, following a conversation on Facebook. There are several projects in development which strive to gather all the information and communication streams of several social networking sites and tools into one place. I first began to think about this when I was irritated about having to update my profile picture at all the different sites and apps every time I thought I had a better image of my mug. Now, with Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, Foursquare, Yelp, etc. it’s becoming more and more of a chore to keep track of information and people.

I also see these sites and apps taking on more and more ideas of one another. Latest is Yelp adding a “Check in” function to their iPhone app, basically competing with Foursquare. Then I think about the fact that Yelp canceled their deal with Google. What are they planning? Or could another party have a better offer and be more suited? Could Facebook be interested?

Could there be a social consolidation wave coming? Where Facebook will go on a buying spree and thereby add more social functionality and consolidate the information stream? Or will they buy one of the social consolidation apps and provide a concentrated place for all your streams?

Social Consolidation Projects
Threadsy
Raindrop

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More developments towards gadget consolidation

Roger — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 13:48:48 +0000

A new Apple patent points towards using your iPod (and I think iPhone) as recording and playing device for TV media. Basically creating a great portable DVR. This falls nicely in line with my Gadget Consolidation thoughts. Just add streaming to the mix and we’re halfway there.

Apple Patent Shows iPods Capable Of Receiving and Recording Live TV (Gizmodo)

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