Monday, April 12th, 2010

They review Apple’s newest gadget, the iPad, cover news of iPhone 4.0 OS multitasking capabilities, and location-aware apps.

A few highlights:

• iPad: trying to find a place to live (3 min)
• People believe in Steve Jobs & the magic he brings to Apple products (5 min)
• Closed platforms: good or bad (10 min)
• Basic computer usage with instant internet access (12 min)
• Apple won’t allow Flash on the iPhone, iPad (17 min)
• HTML 5 (20 min)
• iPad apps: more than just eBooks, but interactive ebooks are great (24 min)
• An iPad isn’t a phone replacement (28 min)
• Google Android & other tablet computers (34 min)
• iPhone 4.0 (38 min)
• Location-aware apps (40 min)
• Even people that bought an iPad aren’t sure how they’ll use it (43 min)
• 20 years from now (48 min)

Listen & download

If you haven’t already, be sure to follow KCUR Up to Date on Twitter and check out the KCUR site for a list of upcoming shows and links to subscribe to the podcast.

I had a few people comment back to me after the show that the iPad does have GPS (I said it doesn’t on the show). To clarify, the model I have (Wi-Fi only) does not a built-in GPS chip.

Apple’s New $499 – $829 iPad: GPS, Map, Navigation Features
Apple states: “iPad with Wi-Fi finds your location using known Wi-Fi hotspots, and Wi-Fi + 3G models use Wi-Fi, GPS, and cellular towers.”

Apple iPad: Does it have ‘real’ GPS? (updated: yes and no)

I also had a lot of interesting comments about Flash on Apple devices (Apple will not allow Adobe’s Flash on the iPhone or iPad). Apple wants to be able to change the OS without breaking Flash apps. It’s a lot more complicated than that, but that is the stance that Apple is taking. And banning Flash isn’t going to slow Apple down. One comment I got was: “Absence of Flash isn’t keeping anyone away with content that people want.”

Technorati Tags: mobile, KCUR, iPad, iPhone, Up to Date

Andy Huckaba & I presented on social media for Lenexa Chamber of Commerce members today. We had a great turnout and there’s a large amount of interest about social media for small businesses. Thanks to everyone that attended and to the Lenexa Chamber of Commerce for organizing & hosting the event.

Andy Huckaba is the President of the management consulting firm Huckaba & Associates. Andy works as a facilitator, speaker, social media expert, and strategic consultant for companies and organizations in telecommunications, architecture, finance, banking, manufacturing, publishing, Internet development, advertising, healthcare and government. Past clients include Sprint, Hallmark, Yellow Freight, H&R Block, First USA and Bank of America. In his role as a City Councilman for the City of Lenexa, Kansas, Andy serves as the Vice-Chair of the National League of Cities, Information Technology & Communications Committee dealing with national technology policies that affect cities.

Dustin Jacobsen, Director of Social Media & Technology at Barkley, leads the agency on interactive, mobile, social and emerging technology projects. He works on a variety of clients including Sonic Drive-In, Build-A-Bear Workshop, 24 Hour Fitness and Blue Bunny Ice Cream. Barkley is one of the top-ten independent advertising agencies in the US.

Dustin holds a BS from Iowa State University and an MBA, magna cum laude, from Baker University. He blogs about all things marketing and technology at shakegently.com and is on Twitter at twitter.com/dustinj.

Technorati Tags: social media, Lenexa, business

The smart phone revolution has changed how American views wireless communications. Now more than just a phone, cellular devices have determined how we search for information, how we store information, and how we are entertained.

We’ll look at who makes apps… why we choose a certain phone based on their apps… and how the apps we see as games retailers see as dollar signs.

Technorati Tags: mobile, KCUR, Steve Kraske, Up to Date

Bodies Revealed

In the tradition of Titanic and the Dead Sea Scrolls, Union Station Kansas City hosts another world-class blockbuster museum exhibition coming in the spring of 2008.

About Bodies Revealed

View the human body from the inside out at this awe-inspiring exhibition on display at Union Station spring 2008. Nowhere else can you take such an authentic look at what lies just under your skin. Through a unique process called polymer preservation, along with sensitive presentation, actual human bodies are displayed accurately for your observation, without any change or deterioration of the internal systems.

Examine everything that lies beneath your skin, from the bones to the muscles to the intricate nervous system. Learn more about the many complexities that make your own body into a flawless, life-giving machine

Bodies Revealed presented by Bank of America will feature at least 20 whole body specimens, as well as many individual organ specimens. See the devastating internal damages caused by smoking, breast and colon cancer, emphysema, arthritis, cirrhosis of the liver, osteoporosis and bone fractures.

Both fascinating and beautiful, this eye-opening exhibition is an unforgettable experience for inquisitive minds of all ages. Bodies Revealed will change the way you view yourself forever.

Lora and I saw Bodies … The Exhibition a few years ago in New York and it was amazing. While not for the queasy or faint at heart, it is a great educational resource into the human body.

These Exhibitions–which feature actual human specimens–allow people of all ages access to sights and knowledge normally reserved only for medical professionals. Take the opportunity to peer inside yourself, to better understand how your elaborate and fascinating body works, and how you can become a more informed participant in your own health care.

Technorati Tags: Bodies, exhibit, Union Station, Kansas City

Billboard Over Adult Store Raises Eyebrows
KMBC’s Chris Nagus reports on a billboard for the Department of Homeland Security that is posted above an adult entertainment store in Midtown Kansas City.

Technorati Tags: KMBC, TV, billboard, PSA, government, adult, bookstore, Kansas City

I was on my way to a friends house after work on Friday when I drove by a billboard that caused me to do a double take (above). To verify what I saw, I went back later that night and snagged a picture from across the street.

In case you were wondering and couldn’t tell by the name, Naughty but Nice is apparently an adult bookstore. The store is located at 38th & Main in Kansas City if you want to check out the billboard above.

The text of the billboard says:

You are here.
Where is your family?
Make an emergency plant at ready.gov.

I have passed by several of the ready.gov billboards around Kansas City and other major cities, but the irony of the placement was too much to pass up.

I’m not sure of the agency behind the campaign and the specific billboard placement, but based on this USA Today article, it appears to have launched about 5 years ago and has been produced and paid for by the Ad Council.

The Department of Homeland Security launched a public-education campaign Wednesday that urges Americans to put together emergency kits and communication plans so they can ride out a chemical, biological or radiological attack.

The multimillion-dollar campaign — produced and paid for by the Ad Council, which produces public service advertisements, and the philanthropic Alfred P. Sloan Foundation — has been in the works for nearly a year. Besides TV and radio ads, Americans will find brochures in their mailboxes and pamphlets in their Yellow Pages. The ads will direct people to a government Web site, www.ready.gov, that advises how to assemble a disaster kit and develop a communication plan with family members.

As the “About” page on the Ad Council website states:

A Mirror of Society
A review of the Ad Council’s campaign dockets through the years demonstrates the organization’s commitment to address the most pressing social issues of the day. To that end, the Ad Council campaign docket is adjusted to mirror changes in our society.

The Ad Council is positive in nature and as a non-profit, may not always have the resources to follow-up on every campaign. I’m assuming there wasn’t very much competition for the billboard above the adult bookstore, so the owner probably donated the space for a tax write-off. Once again, not necessarily a bad thing.

But putting a PSA above an adult bookstore doesn’t really fit with the primary activities of the Ad Council listed below.

Primary Activities
The Ad Council is a private, non-profit organization that marshals volunteer talent from the advertising and communications industries, the facilities of the media, and the resources of the business and non-profit communities to deliver critical messages to the American public. The Ad Council produces, distributes and promotes thousands of public service campaigns on behalf of non-profit organizations and government agencies in issue areas such as improving the quality of life for children, preventative health, education, community well being, environmental preservation and strengthening families.

Maybe the billboard was addressing more than meets the eye. Are you ready, America?

Technorati Tags: billboard, Ad Council, PSA, government, homeland security, Naughty but Nice, adult, bookstore, Kansas City

I’ve setup my DVR to record Austin City Limits and a variety of music related shows. I didn’t even know there was a VH1 Classic channel until I stumbled upon the Led Zeppelin concert recently (which was awesome, by the way).

So, on to my Ticketmaster rants. For those of you that aren’t familiar with Ticketmaster, the are the world’s leading ticketing company, providing ticket sales, ticket resale services, marketing and distribution of event tickets and information.

And there is no shortage of Ticketmaster complaints on the web. Not only from concert goers, but also concert promoters and facilities, where Ticketmaster chargers outrageous fees. In fact, it is the worst probably in Florida, where Ticketmaster is the exclusive agent for 95% of the seats in Florida’s arenas, stadiums and theaters.

Some groups, such as Pearl Jam, tried to fight Ticketmaster by allowing people to purchase tickets through different means, but eventually had to cave in to the Ticketmaster monopoly.

I was reading through my Live Nation email when I saw that B.B. King was coming to the Uptown Theater in Kansas City on January 25th.

After missing out on Buddy Guy recently, I knew this show was one I wasn’t going to miss.

None the less, I’m not a fan of Ticketmaster, but you don’t have many options. I try to purchase my tickets directly from the venue whenever possible, especially for general admission events.

So, let me break you down my receipt for 2 tickets. The ticket prices ranged from $55 to $125. I wanted good seats, so the pricing below was for the $75 tickets.

Ticket: $75.00 x 2
Convenience Charge: $11.10 x 2
Delivery (Standard Mail): No Charge
Order Processing Fee: $4.90
Total: $177.10

The convenience charges were even higher for the $125 tickets.

Ticketmaster has a page that explains their prices, but it sure doesn’t make me feel any better by adding another 18% to my ticket price.

But the delivery fee, if you wanted to print the tickets yourself, should not be more expensive then having them print the tickets and mail them to you.

Sure, they probably have to pay some fee for encoding the tickets, but I don’t see how that is any different then the bar code encoding they print on the tickets when they send them to you in the mail. And if you print the tickets at home, it saves them printing and delivery fees. So why is it more expensive? I’ve had to use the print on demand feature before because we bought tickets for concerts at the last minute and definitely weren’t going to pay the outrageous shipping fees.

Shipping Fees (click for larger size):

I got better seats than the example below (click for larger size), but this is the first screen that you see:

Problem 1: There was no countdown of the time limit. Sure, the page says there is a time limit on each step of the process, but unless you have a stopwatch handy, it doesn’t do you much good, and there is nothing more frustrating to get to the next step only to say that you have to start over. The amount of time is different for each page and also varies if you already have some information on file or an account. There are a variety of different ways to display a countdown, but any implementation would suffice.

Problem 2: I went to login, but the site said my account already existed, but of course since it was timed, I got kicked out of the system and lost my virtual place in line for tickets. To make matters worse, the reminder email with my temporary password got identified as spam, so I didn’t get it anyway until later. If there is a problem logging in, the site should just let you make an individual purchase (no account required). Do they want my money or not?

Problem 3: I was able to get my wife’s login for Ticketmaster.com (she has purchased tickets several times from them as well) and I was able to login. New problem: the tickets I was presented didn’t show up on the seating chart. Well, I surely wasn’t going to get those tickets, because that meant they were on the very far side and I wanted to be in the middle.

Problem 4: There system wasn’t very smart in handing out the tickets. Why don’t they allow you to select your tickets, just like the airlines? I realize there would be some complexities, but most people buy in blocks of 2 or more anyway, and I’m sure there are algorithms to sort that out. The Ticketmaster system simply went from right to left, starting at seat one to the end, and then going to the next row. So, even though I came back a minute later, I got better seats that were closer to the center.

Eventually, after a few more attempts, I got tickets in the 7th row by the aisle close to the center. Fortunately, I only got bumped back by a few rows with all of the madness, but still an absolutely horrible and frustrating experience.

Technorati Tags: music, BB, King, Ticketmaster, Uptown, Kansas City

But, on the other hand, I couldn’t help but share the obnoxiousness of the pricing on the vending machines outside the store in Overland Park.

Notice the nice 25 cent price in huge letters on the side with a clear 40 cent price on the front.

Who’s the genius that changed the price on the front but thought it would be ok to leave 25 cents on the side panel? Who knows how long the 2 machines at that location have had the price mismatch.

While we are on the topic of Sam’s Choice Cola, their product redesign was covered in the Oct 22 issue of Brandweek – Design: Wal-Mart Soft Drinks Add Some Needed Pop.

Dave Dolak posted some links and discussed a few of the new Sam’s Choice cola designs, including Mountain Lightning (aka Wal-Marts attempt at Mountain Dew). He was a bit more harsh than I would have been in regards to the agency that created the new designs and also Brandweek, but I do agree that there isn’t anything innovative about the designs. Since the goal is to make them at least look like their more expensive counterparts from Pepsi, Coke, etc, I think they achieved that goal, but failed at the stated strategy to not ‘knock off’ the traditional brands.

Technorati Tags: vending, Wal-Mart, cola, Sam’s Choice

Today I read an interesting idea about Google partnering with a few other Silicon Valley companies to partner / buy out some Sprint assets to build a WiMax network.

I live a few blocks from the Sprint headquarters, and with Sprint being the largest private employer in Kansas City, everything Sprint related impacts the whole metro area.

Obviously this is only a rumor at this point, but it makes for an interesting discussion.

Technorati Tags: Google, Sprint, WiMax, Android, telecom

I would like to create more movies in the future, and my digital camera has a movie feature that seems to work well enough to capture the moment without carrying around a whole bunch of equipment. In this particular case, it was pretty windy, and the microphone isn’t the greatest so I got a lot of wind noise. Also, a mini tripod wouldn’t be a bad idea. I had my other hand full with some stuff we picked up from the event, so I shot it one handed. A few things to keep in mind for my big video shoots in the future.

Originally written by Bob Dylan, Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door is one of the classics when it comes to a cover song played by everyone from Eric Clapton to Roger Waters to Avril Lavigne, made popular by Gun’s N Roses in the early 90′s.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/v/Sg9Mrzy_WDA]

So, sit back and enjoy my first iMovie, compliments of a bluegrass band at the Lousiburg Cider Mill Ciderfest.

Paul, this ones for you.

Technorati Tags: Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door, bluegrass, iMovie, Apple