"iOS 7 Is Like Getting A New Phone You Already Know How To Use"

iOS for the car - WWDC 2013

That's a quote from the iOS portion of Apple's 2013 Worldwide Developers Conference, I listening to this afternoon. This sums up why I believe Apple gets its customers in particular, and device users in general, in ways the pundits don't.

For the last couple of months, I've read articles about the demise of Apple (yes again)...if it doesn't release something phantasmagorical, tomorrow; like the iFaucet. Yes, a bit of hyperbole on my part. One of the things I've learned from Apple, but before that in the schoolyard, is that there will be folks in life that want to goad you into a fight, or push you do something before you are ready, able, or willing to. If peer-pressure doesn't work, the next steps involve taunts, jeers, and political spin. When this occurs, it's even more important to do you, as Russell Simmons would say. I'm glad Apple, is being Apple.

I'm neither an Apple, nor a Google, nor a Microsoft, nor a Blackberry fanboy. I own at least one of each type of device, but for different purposes. To me, that's one of the great rewards of competition in the marketplace. I get my ease and efficiency of use from Apple, navigation and ubiquitous cloud integration from Google, works-with-most-of-the-stuff-I-already-know from Microsoft, and no-frills effectiveness and durability from RIM (now Blackberry).

I still like my iPod Touch 4. It's considered antiquated to a lot of people, although it's only 21 months old. I still use it everyday; from listening to LL Cool J's, Rock The Bells, to app quality assurance testing. When I bought it, it ran iOS 4.x. I eventually updated it to iOS 5.1, and was an early (for me) adopter of iOS 6.0.1. I also picked up some nice features along the way, like iMessage with iOS 5.x and better integrated social media sharing with iOS 6.x. I was worried I may have to retire my iPod Touch to an expensive chess tutor for my daughter.  Now I'm curious to see how long I can keep bringing my iPod back into the future.

Resolving The Family Problem

My dad doesn't volunteer wisdom to me often, but every time he has, it's been on point. Not sure on the attribution on the following but here goes:

A father left 17 camels as an asset for his three sons. When the father passed away, his sons opened up the will. The will stated that the eldest son should get half of 17 camels while the middle son should be given 1/3rd (one-third). The youngest son should be given 1/9th (one-ninth) of the 17 camels.

As it is not possible to divide 17 into half or 17 by 3 or 17 by 9, The three sons started to fight with each other. So, the three sons decided to go to a wise man.

The wise man listened patiently about the will. The wise man, after giving this thought, brought one camel of his own and added the same to 17. That increased the total to 18 camels.

Now, he started reading the deceased father's will.

Half of 18 = 9. So he gave the eldest son 9 camels.
1/3rd of 18 = 6. So he gave the middle son 6 camels.
1/9th of 18 = 2. So he gave the youngest son 2 camels.

Adding this up: 9 plus 6 plus 2 is 17 and this left one camel, which the wise 
man took back.

Moral: The attitude of negotiation and problem solving is to find the 18th camel.

Memorial Day - What Am I Supposed To Remember?

That question is from a movie I watched today called, Memorial Day, starring James Cromwell. On Memorial Day in the United States, we remember those who have given the ultimate sacrifice of their lives in military service.

Calendar-wise, it marks the unofficial start of Summer, and so a lot of folks go to the beach, have barbecues, and so on. Many attend parades to honor those fallen veterans, and others pay their respects at cemeteries and veteran monuments all over the country. Some try to do all of the above.

When I was a kid, I fell more into the beach and barbecue camp. Once I became a veteran, I found myself more and more asking myself, "what am I supposed to remember?" It never came in those words, but those words best capture the sentiment. I've never seen real combat. No one I knew personally (that I'm aware of) ever died in combat. Still, as someone who has served, all soldiers, past, present and future, are my comrades. I don't have to have known them personally, or even tangentially. All that is required is that they took the same oath I did.

I'm not much for parades, so I found myself at Oak Grove Cemetery paying my respects to some one hundred or so World War I veterans from Medford, Massachusetts. My habit as of the last few years is to see if I recognize a last name. It's a small world, so maybe I know one of their descendants. I think I might have today. Even if I didn't, so what?

After watching the movie, I too found myself looking at the "souvenirs" (for lack of a better word) of my time in the military, and more importantly the stories behind them.

While not all Americans are veterans, every American who isn't, knows, is related to, has seen, or is somehow connected to a veteran. These non-veterans may have never though to ask, "what am I supposed to remember?" If they are haven't, one day I pray they will.

Oklahoma Will Be O-K

The tornadoes' wrath across Oklahoma shown in news images of ravaged miles of buildings, reminds me of the Oklahoma City bombing of 1995. However, the fury of nature has no person or state to hunt, demonize, or prosecute. I can barely comprehend the vast carnage over such distances, and how those affected will rebuild. Although I know, rebuild they will. 

The courage of the victims, their friends and families and neighbors give me hope of our better nature as Americans, as human beings. Their grace amidst the chaos that seemed to take so many by surprise, is a stark reminder that it can all go to heck in an instance. Every moment is a gift.

Like we often hear after each of these life altering and shattering events, hug your children, tell them you love them. To this I add, hug your family, your neighbor, your friend, your dog, your cat, your fish. Give and receive love.

I pray that the departed are in peace. I pray those left behind continue to persist and persevere and take nothing for granted. I know from the determination in their eyes, and the conviction of their resolve, that the people of Oklahoma will be O-K.

Blackberry Messenger Coming to Android and iOS Devices - This Is Not A Drill!

Yes, it's true. Blackberry Messenger (or BBM to those Blackberry lifers) will be coming to Android and iOS (Apple) mobile devices. This is a win-win for Blackberry and non-Blackberry customers alike, but a real double-edged sword for Blackberry (once RIM). My wife, a long time Blackberry user, is ecstatic. She can finally move from her ailing Blackberry Bold to an iPhone or Android device, while not losing her extensive BBM family.

For Blackberry, it a dicey bet. On one hand, non-Blackberry users will have an incentive to care about Blackberry. However, BBM was the single reason a lot of Blackberry users I know stuck with their Blackberry devices. This puts a lot more pressure on the Blackberry Z10 and Q10 to really meet or beat the value proposition of the iPhone (possibly) and Galaxy Samsung S4 (I'm not optimistic). In all fairness, I have had neither Z10 nor Q10 in hand to determine if they have the right stuff to be and remain competitive.

Still, if Blackberry can find a really easy way to really get the Z10 and Q10 into people hands (like they did at their recent developer's conference in Florida), they may get back in the game in a significant way.

Personally, I've always loved the old school Blackberry Curves with the scroll wheel, track ball, and WAP browser. Heck, I still use one (OS 4.x) as my mobile when I travel internationally. It's as durable as a tank, batteries last forever, and if you're not picky about condition, you can get them on eBay for less than $20 USD.

My falling out with Blackberry was the move to the sleeker, all-black looking, but less durable Curve and Bold models. User experience was lost along the way. Still, I'm excited about the direction Blackberry is moving in, and look forward to road testing the Z10 and Q10.

Four and One

What I've learned:

• Choose your own adventure, or you may find yourself trapped in someone else's
• If history keeps repeating itself, there's something you haven't learned yet
• Acknowledge and respect who you are, and what you are made of
• Memory * Time = (Good | Bad) / Your Attitude
• Playing chess provides rewards beyond checkmate

Charles Ramsey, Keepin' It Real

Charles Ramsey - ABC News Interview

When I first saw pictures of Charles Ramsey, I suspected that the photos were selected because of the way they portrayed him. Still, Chuck made the joke on his would be critics. In spite of his perceived style of "storytelling" or maybe (in my view) because of it, Chuck was able to bring a rarely seen public authenticity and candid insight into issues of race and class in America. In simple and clear language, no less. Plus, Chuck (albeit unintentionally) gave the women he helped rescue, and their families, the privacy they craved. I doubt the media would have freely given such privacy otherwise.

Unfortunately, his most important comments were glossed over, ignored, or eschewed, primarily out of the fear of most of the media being unable to spin it into something other than one man's truth. This type of truth that most of us wouldn't have the courage to utter or hear amongst mixed company, yet alone on live television.

Thanks Chuck, for keepin' it real; from all of us who don't always have the courage to when the situation requires it.