"Magic Slates" of the Future

I keep hearing the endless blah blah blah of the blahgosphere chattering about Apple's rumoured eReader/magic device to be released in the second half of next year. Along with the hype surrounding the Kindle/Nook/Txtr/whatever the Sony thing is called, one feels a bit hit over the head with the marketing (news=marketing today) pushing the reader devices at the public.

This round, at least for me, there isn't an instant lust being generated like there was for the beloved iPhone. I have been wondering why that is. I mean, I am a tech geek and love all the tech toys...so why no "gotta-have-it" feeling for this rumoured contraption? I think I know, though. I am suffering from information overload. No matter how much I read these days, no matter how many videos I watch, simulations I look at, websites I click through, I always feel as though I am behind on information consumption. I know I am not unique here - far from it. But I guess what worries me about the eReaders is that they represent yet another format for information overload.

If you have a few minutes, take a look at these prototype videos (and if you're interested....). They show the potential direction that Apple's "iSlate" will be going in. Really amazing stuff, no question...





But...

Last night I downloaded a new app to the iphone - a freebie - a Sherlock Holmes ebook complete with text, words linked to definitions and related info, and videos to help set the scene in London during the Sherlock Holmes era. And...it was nice - well done and interesting - but it completely changes how one reads. When I get engrossed in a book, the pages turn seemingly automatically and images form in my head. I generally don't need a video to create a picture for myself. And in fact, it is nice to be able to concentrate on the actual language and words. Suddenly, I had blue links to click and video play buttons to press. And while I like the *idea* of all this extra information, it is incredibly distracting from the story itself. It distracts from the words. It limits my ability to create my own images in my head of how something might look.

So I am quite torn. While my tech-geeky side says "woo hoooooo! send me one now please!" my book-worm side says "no way, i want the feel and smell of a book, i want to enjoy the language without the constant pull to click a link or play a video." I know there must be a solution somewhere in the middle. Have the option to turn off all the gadgets while you read something the first time? Something of this nature. Hoping that the prototypes start to address this more as well soon...

Into the Woods

After a lot of chilly drizzily weater, the sun peeked out today so it
was time for a walk. Perhaps not quite as nice as walking on a beach
in 80 degree weather with the crash of the ocean as an undertone, but
still quite nice to crunch through the leaves and rocks with the dark
green moss and scent of pines as a backdrop.

Had Enough Of This Country

I mean...how much is a person supposed to deal with? Time to learn to build an igloo or something. I have on three layers and am wrapped in a down comforter and am sitting next to a heater...doing powerpoint slides. Will be happy when Wednesday evening rolls around and I can just stay in bed under three comforters. lol.

YES! THE THERMOMETER SAYS -18!!!!

Jack Russell

I think he's a Jack Russell terrior? Anyway he was pretty cute. I want
to take him home with me. Not sure if he would get along with Sammy
and Sophie though.

Winter Arrives

It snowed last night - an inch or two - and now Munich is a winter fairy land...at least until the sun melts away the powder.

And to celebrate...

Yesterday I was reading the reviews of the best iphone applications of 2009 (according to Apple) and ended up buying one that looked like fun - a panorama photo creator. And it works really well.

So I rode over to the gym on my bike through the English garden and tried it out. I need some practice, but playing around for now.

Turknstein

Sapient's Christmas video (and greeting) just went live and it's very cute. Take a look and consider helping support the charity we're giving to this year.

Turknstein flies again! from Turknstein on Vimeo.

Jingle Bells

Walking to work today, passed this flower shop with these beautiful bells made of branches and leaves and moss. They're huge and very lovely. I could imagine having one of these instead of a Christmas tree....not that we'll have a Christmas tree.

Too Late Turkey

Really it's a good thing these guys were nowhere to be seen last week.
I think they must have been in hiding in order to avoid turkey-loving
Americans.

This morning I ran outside to get a snap and they went running down
the hill in back of the house. Guess they must still be a little
nervous.

Ogilvy Snow

Nice! Silly little iphone App that is clever and simple. Ogilvy created an app that lets you make it look like it is snowing when you snap a pic with it. See - it'll even snow indoors for you or in sunny California when it is 60 degrees out (F). :-))) Nice holiday gimmick.

Nippy Napa

It is cooooold here, but beautiful. Tasted wine, biked all over the
place, but disappointed (a bit) by the food.

Time For Marshmallows

Sunny but chilly here, so the fire a welcome distraction

Morning Light

My Peeps

Nice to be home with my family. :-)

Table's Set

Ready to Roast

Into the oven Mr. Turkey goes...

Flowers from the garden

Nice to live in California and have wild flowers almost the whole year...

Here comes the pie

Can you smell it yet?



Something tells me this pie won't see tomorrow...

Cranberry sauce

done. with fresh cranberries, raspberries, maple syrup and pecans

Herb paste

Goes under the turkey skin.

Stuffing

done

Should we name him?

cooking with my mom. We are starting with the turkey. Next is the
apple pie.

US Recession - Animation

Pretty freaky to take a look at this (click the link to watch the animation):



The unemployment rates in the US by county - watch how they change over the last two years.

So after you finish watching, you see that things have pretty much faded to black by September of this year.

But perhaps even more interesting are the comments in the article over here. The commenters discuss how the animation can be totally misleading. Note that "alarm colors" like red and orange are used predominantly - even at only 4-5% unemployment (and 4% is considered normal.) Black is the end of the road (dead dead dead) - at 10% unemployment. But in essence, because of the colors, and because there is no interpretation or norms shown or averages over time before or after or in comparison to other countries, you just look at the animation and think: "oh shit." Pretty fascinating what a graphic can do to instill feelings of alarm and panic. If the same graphic had been shown in blues and pinks I am not so sure that it would have looked so terrible.

This said, I read that unemployment statistics from my former home state (Michigan) are over 15%. And Detroit....no big surprise...over 30%. Yesterday, I read a rather alarming article that advertising agency BBDO Detroit will lay off its ENTIRE staff (over 400 people) in response to losing the Chrysler account.

Foodspotter

I am a foodspotter now! ;-)
(Another beta...uh...i mean Alpha in this case...they are not even to Beta yet.)

But a fun one for me.



If you sign up to help test out foodpsotter you can post photos of food you have spotted (and even better--eaten). You can write a few words about the food and link it to a specific (physical) address. And then of course you can look at the food other people have spotted - and search for specific dishes or specific restaurants or specific locations. Nice.

More Augmented Reality

Just took a look at this video - a Ted Talk - by Pranav Mistry, who works and does his research over at MIT Media Labs. Reminds you (of course) of Minority Report a bit. But this is where Augmented Reality is going in the future. Don't want to watch the whole thing? Start watching at the 6'24 point (6 minutes, 24 seconds).

Augmented Reality in Esquire Magazine

I gotta say, that when I hear about Augmented Reality these days (the *new* *big* *up-and-coming* *thing* in the digital space), it is generally in conjunction with mapping and navigation. (All kinds of crazy cool stuff happening here and I can't wait to try out a bunch of it next week in San Francisco...).

So this little video surprised me a bit - I hadn't heard of people combining Augmented Reality and print....and digital...all in one. But Esquire magazine is doing it this month. Based on the clip, I have to say it still looks a bit more gimmicky than really useful (unlike the augmented reality for the mapping and navigation applications). But the potential is there.

It also looks like it might be a bit of a pain in the neck to experience. You have to download special software (I assume QR code reader software...) and install it, and then hold the magazine up to a web cam...and then you get the extra content. There should be a way to consume more easily. Of course...they need to offer the same content via the iphone...is the next obvious step.

Here's the promo clip:

Great Sushi Found in Munich

It does exist. Mallorie and I found it at the lunch table for 8 euros. Amazing. Salad, Soup, Sushi (well, Mal had tempura), little scoop of ice cream for dessert. Perfect.

It was Mallorie's 1-year anniversary with Sapient. :-)))

Doesn't she look happy?

You think I am gonna tell you where this place is? NO WAY. My secret. ;-)

(Mitani, over on Rablstrasse near Rosenheimer Platz. Place was FILLED with Japanese people...)

Sometimes you don't want to be part of the beta

I sign up for my own personal torture enough - you know, beta-testing new technologies so I can see what is up and coming. But the thing is...I SIGN UP. Sometimes, though, technology companies decide they are simply gonna sign you up whether you want to be signed up or not. So you get to read MORE stuff and feel even MORE behind than ever before when you don't manage it. Like Twitter. Who sent me this nice message this morning (and also a few mornings back....)

Can I turn it off? No.

AFAR

Just saw this video on AFAR magazine - a new travel magazine that writes about "experiential" travel. I don't like the little clip much, these guys don't feel authentic enough for me - I mean...if you watch the video, you'll see they came up with their idea on Goa...perhaps the least likely place in India to really "experience" India (at least from what I have heard and which they also readily admit in their promo video). Nonetheless, the idea has a lot of potential and a website that takes the idea further is the way to go. Like...links and articles about homestays around the world (NYTIMES just did a piece on this), real restaurant/hole in the wall reviews sort of like Singapore's "Makansutra" guide - which reviews food stalls telling you where to find the absolute best char kway teow, or even concepts like this one - where you can learn how to sail by working on a sailboat for a few weeks. If I look at their website (set to launch in full in spring of next year), it looks like they are at least thinking in this direction.



Hey guys, give me a ring - let me do your website....

Göreme

Was just having lunch at the favorite Pide place around the corner from us and rather than take the Pide to go, we decided to sit down and eat it there. Much better - then it is piping hot - fresh out of the oven. And they gave us tea while we waited for them to bake the Pide.

Most people in fact, just go to the place to pick up a Pide and take it with them. But if you venture inside and sit down to eat, you'll see the rather crazy model they have built up near the ceiling of the place in Turkey called Göreme.

I haven't been there yet, but have seen photos from friends who have been there. It is this city that has been built into natural volcanic rock formations.

It was an ancient Christian hideout - which can be seen by the elaborate churches built inside the mountains....


I think this place is definitely worth a visit. I wonder how cold it is in Turkey this time of year.