The (old) Small Wave.

The Move Is Complete, Come See My New Place.

Tom Reestman — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:46:40 +0000

Come to the new location or you’ll miss my posts. You can use an RSS feed, too.

[UPDATE:] On 3/30 I changed thesmallwave.com to point to the new site. If the move wasn’t official before, it sure is now.

The Small Wave Has Moved.

Tom Reestman — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 07:54:52 +0000

Beginning March 9th I stopped duplicating articles from the new site here. This site is officially dead, though I’ve no plans to take it down. Visit me at my new location:

Please join me at my new site.

I’m moving soon…

Tom Reestman — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:30:51 +0000

In the last few months you may have noticed this at the end of articles: “Posted via web from The Small Wave.” It’s from posting articles on a new site and then copying them here.

I’m happy enough with the new site to let this one go. Old articles have been migrated. I’ve changed the domain pointer to here, and switched RSS to here.

Apple, HTC, And A Few Good Patents

Tom Reestman — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 07:04:45 +0000

I read a contrarian view of the Apple/HTC lawsuit that wasn’t like the articles about invented sub-plots and psychoanalysis of what’s “really” going on. The odd thing is the latter articles don’t agree, so there’s no consensus from this group about what’s supposed to really be going on anyway.

As for me, I have no problem suggesting that maybe, just maybe, Apple thinks their IP is being stolen and is suing for it.

In any case, the contrarian article made me think of a certain speech from a movie we all know; I’ve modified it as appropriate below. Sure, it’s over dramatic, but then again…

Apple: You want answers?

Bloggers: We think we’re entitled to them.

Apple: You want answers?

Bloggers: We want the truth!

Apple: You can’t handle the truth! Boys, we live in a world that has patents. And those patents have to be protected by men with briefcases. Who’s gonna do it? You? You, Mr. Pundit? I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for “competition” and you curse the lawsuit. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know: that this lawsuit, while unwanted, probably saves innovation. And its existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves innovation. You don’t want the truth. Because deep down, in places you don’t talk about at parties, you want those patents. You need those patents. We use words like IP, innovation, design. We use these words as the backbone to a life spent producing something. You use them for page hits. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to people who rise and sleep under the blanket of the very ecosystem I provide, then question the manner in which I provide it. I’d rather you just said thank you, and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a new device/SDK and start writing. Either way, I don’t give a damn what you think you’re entitled to.

Posted via email from The Small Wave.

The Remarkable Transformation of the HTC Nexus One

Tom Reestman — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 02:00:07 +0000

HTC’s Nexus One has undergone an amazing transformation in the press the last couple of days.

Before The Apple Lawsuit

On March 1st, the general consensus about the Nexus One was that:

It’s the best Android phone to date; maybe a “Droid killer”, not an iPhone killer.
Android OS was copying more and more from the iPhone OS. Seemed multi-touch in the US was the only major feature not copied (it was added later).
It wasn’t selling that well. Google had two giveaways. It underwent a price drop. The ETF was lowered.
Android OS was appealing mostly to males. It’s a geek phone.
No one suggested Apple be afraid.

After The Apple Lawsuit

In the last 36 hours how things have changed. As of now we’re to believe:

It was almost as good as the iPhone, maybe better.
Copy, schmopy. We don’t discuss that. Boys will be boys.
No one gets specific, but it was apparently selling quite well.
Apple is afraid. Very, very afraid.

One of the above states is true, not both. I’ll believe the state as of March 1st, when there was little incentive to sensationalize a “rivalry” between the iPhone and Nexus One, and initial reviews agreed it was no real iPhone threat. The “new” state of the last 36 hours is hyperbole to make a court/ideological case for Apple against Google that doesn’t exist (Google was not sued).

Yes, Android is part of the suit, so Google is impacted. But so are all of HTC’s partners. I see no articles decrying Apple’s “war” with companies supplying other parts of the Nexus One.

Seems the press is disappointed that Apple went after a corporation that’s actually manufacturing and distributing devices Apple believes have stolen IP. It’s a smart move by Apple, but it doesn’t let the press write juicy headlines (not factual ones, anyway) to garner hits. So instead they elevate the Nexus One to a status few would have bestowed upon it two days ago, allowing them to pull Google into it as much as possible.

Posted via email from The Small Wave.

Questions and Answers On The Apple/HTC iPhone Lawsuit

Tom Reestman — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 18:02:52 +0000

Apple is suing HTC over patent infringements related to the iPhone. If the many forum commenters around the web are to be believed, it’s a “nonsense suit” or “about time”. In every case the commenter is certain Apple’s and HTC’s lawyers are morons, while the commenter himself — having woken up this morning as an expert in patent litigation — is brilliant.

I can’t determine the legitimacy of patents under dispute, but there are a number of questions floating around I believe can be answered with some semblance of sanity instead of the raving I’ve seen so far.

Why now? The iPhone’s been out nearly three years.

Some of the patents were granted fairly recently (some even this year). Further, it takes time to prepare a case. This isn’t that strange, look how long it took Apple to sue Psystar.

Isn’t this just because Apple is afraid of Android?

I don’t see a history in Apple of suing those they’re “afraid” of. They went after Apple II cloners (with success), and also after Windows (with no success) because they felt their IP had been stolen. I believe they feel that’s the case here as well.

No, they’re afraid of Android. Otherwise, why didn’t they go after someone like Palm?

I believe a “win” over Palm would have been great for them in the sense that the best thing to have in your pocket is precedent. Palm had no money and likely would have been amenable to a settlement. Armed with precedent, further lawsuits would have been easier.

Given the above, I think Apple did not go after Palm for two reasons:

The WebOS is not as obvious a “rip off” of the iPhone OS, or at least could be made to seem that way to a jury. With the card paradigm, local web-based apps, and Synergy, there may have been too many questions.
Palm did a lot of innovating in the 90s with handhelds and PDAs. They’ve amassed a lot of patents themselves, patents Apple may be using or, again, that a jury could be made to think Apple is using.

Just as a precedent is huge, a loss in your first case would be devastating. I think Apple passed until a better opportunity presented itself.

OK, then why not sue Google?

Lessons learned. 25 years ago Apple went after the source of their alleged IP theft (Microsoft) to no avail. Successful cases for the Apple II has been against specific manufacturers (e.g., Franklin).

I think Apple feels trying to kill the source of an OS used by so many makers presents too many chances for obfuscation to a jury (many different brands that are all somewhat different, etc.). So they chose to go after one maker, knowing full well the OS is implicated in the suit anyway. Put simply, they don’t have to go after Google directly to include Android.

OK, then why HTC and not someone else?

Because Google officially “blessed” the Nexus One, and is selling it. That makes it a pretty clear target. Further, perhaps Apple felt HTC had the smallest chance of whipping out a patent portfolio they need to be wary of.

Who wins?

Nice try, but I’m not biting.

OK, OK, what do you think about the suit?

I think it’s great for Apple to have the patents so they can defend themselves if necessary. However, I’m a bit leery of using them as a club against others. It’s not that I sanction stealing IP, but there’s a fine line between “stealing” and “standing on someone’s shoulders”. Of course, further details may show the alleged theft is more blatant, but at this very early stage I’m a bit disappointed to see the suit filed.

Posted via email from The Small Wave.

If there was ever a rumor to doubt, this is it.

Tom Reestman — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:23:11 +0000

Controversial Mahalo head Jason Calacanis heard from a “major publisher” that Apple CEO Steve Jobs has acquiesced to giving out an unspecified amount of customer data

via electronista.com

Jason Calacanis isn’t “controversial”, he’s nuts.

Posted via web from The Small Wave.

I’m usually wary of articles claiming to be “the straight scoop”…

Tom Reestman — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 21:13:42 +0000

The PC-or-Mac debate has been raging for more than a quarter-century, but making sense of it requires considering the situation as it stands at one moment in time.

via technologizer.com

Harry McCracken on PC vs. Mac. Though broad in scope, it’s one of the few articles I’ve read claiming no bias that manages to more or less pull it off.

Posted via web from The Small Wave.

Google Acquires Online Image-Editing Tool Picnik

Tom Reestman — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 20:49:50 +0000

Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Picnik will remain up and operational, at least for the foreseeable future.

via mashable.com

Google already has Picasa Web. Did they buy to beef up that product, or to keep others from acquiring? I wonder about the strategy. Sometimes it seems Google just can’t stand any eyeballs on the web not looking at one of their own.

Posted via web from The Small Wave.

Photographers to lose copyright and right to take photographs in public [u]

Tom Reestman — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 19:08:12 +0000

If they are not registered with this quango agency, your images can be plundered and used anywhere, by anyone – on the understanding that the thief makes a very minimal effort to find you – the author of the image.

via photoactive.co.uk

This is frightening proposed legislation. You can always tell when proponents know how much a bill stinks by the way they try to slide it in without definitive wording or real debate.

[UPDATE:] Account was suspended at original link; here’s a link to the cached page: http://bit.ly/cs89bW

Posted via web from The Small Wave.

Palm: on that slippery slope « Observatory

Tom Reestman — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:37:03 +0000

It’s going to take one hell of an effort, and possibly divine intervention, to right Palm’s ship.

via kensegall.com

Ken Segall “translates” Palm CEO Jon Rubenstein’s letter to employees last week.

Posted via web from The Small Wave.

Hipstamatic For The iPhone: One Fun App

Tom Reestman — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 21:56:24 +0000

See my mini-review of this great little app over at the in-progress and eventually-to-be-moved-to new site for The Small Wave.

Baby You Can Touch iPad (for misguided pundits, with apologies to The Beatles)

Tom Reestman — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 07:45:40 +0000

Asked Thurrott what he thought that it was.
He said a tablet, and that’s because
It’s unimpressive, and does nothing new
Than hardware he’s seen since 2002.

Baby you can touch iPad.
Experience you’ve never had.
Baby you can touch iPad,
And maybe you’ll love it.

He said in his mind it’s all just the same.
I said iPad shows those tablets are lame.
A desktop OS is all very fine,
But for a touch UI it’s not designed.

Baby you can touch iPad.
Experience you’ve never had.
Baby you can touch iPad,
And maybe you’ll love it.

I told him users could start right away.
Thousands of touch apps the very first day.
Apple’s not perfect, plans could fall apart,
But with their touch OS it’s a great start.

Baby you can touch iPad.
Experience you’ve never had.
Baby you can touch iPad,
And maybe you’ll love it.

The iPad and Future Shock

Tom Reestman — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 03:49:50 +0000

The Real Work is not formatting the margins, installing the printer driver, uploading the document, finishing the PowerPoint slides, running the software update or reinstalling the OS.

The Real Work is teaching the child, healing the patient, selling the house, logging the road defects, fixing the car at the roadside, capturing the table’s order, designing the house and organising the party.

via speirs.org

This is a great article. Read it. Twice.

Posted via web from The Small Wave.

Dear Apple iPad Haters: Please Get A Grip (And A Thesaurus).

Tom Reestman — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 17:01:44 +0000

Apple’s new device will inspire loads of techno-lust. But it looks more like a toy than a tool.

And so it begins. I chose the above quote from Salon.com out of numerous possibilities because it typifies the Apple-bashing mindset.

What always amazes me isn’t the bashers’ lack of vision or imagination, or their misreading of the target market, or not understanding Apple’s business models, or having learned nothing from previous Apple products’ successes, or even that maybe they need to bash Apple for a living. No, it’s the complete lack of originality in their arguments. I mean, it’s been 25 years since the Macintosh and they’re still calling Apple’s products “toys”. And those who like the iPad are “fanbois”. Yeah, another 25-year old misnomer. You need to work on your lexicon, guys, it’s hard to take you seriously.

Posted via email from The Small Wave.