When the first iPhone came out in June, 2007, I was in lust. I wanted one, but I just didn’t need one.

But I understood – even way back then – that this was a seismic event, an introduction that changed everything:

Do I think this changes everything about cellphones, as has been the general buzz?

Yep.

The one striking thing I note when I read reviews about this product is that the reviews are not about a cellphone, the reviews are about a mobile device that does A, B & C – oh, and you can use it as a phone, as well.

I do think this is a watershed moment in cell phones and all mobile devices; I’ll be interested to see what Apple does next (3G, for example) with this device.

And that’s the key – it’s not a cellphone.

It’s a device. A handheld computer.

— iYawn

I was thinking about my thoughts from that distant day when I recently ran across an excellent John Gruber article over at daringfireball.net. As part of a review of another article, he lays out his vision of the iPhone:

The iPhone is not and never was a phone. It is a pocket-sized computer that obviates the phone. The iPhone is to cell phones what the Mac was to typewriters.

[…]

The iPod’s success fooled almost everyone (including me) into thinking that Apple’s entry into the phone market would be similar. The iPod was the world’s best portable media player; the “iPhone”, thus, would likely be the world’s best cell phone.

But that’s not what it was. It was the world’s best portable computer. Best not in the sense of being the most powerful, or the fastest, or the most-efficient to use. The thing couldn’t even do copy-and-paste. It was the best because it was always there, always on, always just a button-push away. The disruption was not that we now finally had a nice phone; it was that, for better or for worse, we would now never again be without a computer or the Internet.

Well put.

And Gruber goes on to link to a story from back in the day saying how RIM was screwed, because the mobile market was moving to mobile computers, not phones or messaging devices. And look where Apple and RIM are today. Apple’s on top of the world; RIM’s in the crapper.

It really is stunning how fast this market has changed – smart phones today are not just devices with a phone, but they are cameras, instant messaging platforms, ereaders, gaming consoles, have Photoshop-like apps (Instagram, Camera Awesome) and thousands of other apps so you can make the device whatever it is you want. Even in the heady days following the iPhone launch, I don’t think many would have thought we’d be where we are today in just five short years. It’s mind-blowing.

What’ll the next five years bring? Well, faster connectivity, hopefully better battery life (thank god for Mophie cases!), probably thinner cases and better cameras…

But what’s the feature out there that is not just an improvement, but a radical departure – as the iPhone was from the other hot phones of the time, Motorola’s Razr and RIM’s Blackberry? Will the form factor change? I loved my flip phone, and I really don’t want a bigger phone (bigger screen is nice, but bigger form factor: no). What if very thin smart phones were flip phones? Or slide outs? So the carry-around form factor is half of what it is today, but opens to your typical smart phone form factor? That’d be interesting.

What else could be coming down the pike? I’ll bet that at least one of the disruptive ideas that comes along will seem obvious once it’s adopted. Like touch screens for phones.

It’s been a fun ride, and it’s not over yet…

Photo © Apple.com; cropped

As avid readers of this blog – both of you – know, I’m not a fan of embedding third-party content, especially videos. Because who knows when same will be pulled and … I gots a hole in my blog.

Whatever.

I first saw/heard Keb Mo perform “America the Beautiful” on the Season Seven episode of “The West Wing” that was part of the inauguration of Jimmy Smits.

Great voice giving a unique take to a well-known song. If you haven’t heard; give it a shot.

Enjoy.

Legal Grounds, near courthouse. Maywood, IL

Well, I got the letter a week or so ago saying I was a standby juror for June 27th.

Whatever.

So, I called the night before and, yep, I had to go in today.

It was to a courthouse in Maywood, IL – one that I’ve never been to before. I’ve had jury duty at 26th and California (lot of murder/gang trials there), as well as at the Daley Center downtown a couple (few?) times. Maywood is a bit of a haul – about 25 miles one way.

Maywood’s courthouse was pretty small – two stories and a basement (where the jury pool sat). From what the jury room foreperson detailed (what is the title?), Maywood mainly does criminal and civil lawsuits, and a good portion of the latter are settled on the day of jury selection. I guess once your back is up against the wall…

I didn’t even get to a courtroom: There were four groups; the first two groups went off in the morning. The other two – with myself included – waited until after lunch when the defendant decided on a directed verdict (judge only; no jury), so we were set free.

One of the the (many) things I found odd today was what we were told about our jury duty by the jury room foreperson (who, by the way, was great. Honest). She explained that Maywood was a small community, so they had to pull from far away to get enough for a jury pool.

Then why situate a courthouse there?

We were told in the morning that we were there for only two cases – and the jury room had approximately 80 seats, and we were at least three-quarters full.

Sixty bodies.

For a max potential of 28 bodies (12 jurors plus two alternates per trial times two trials). And, as the foreperson said, a high percentage of cases were settled sans jury. Either settled out of court, or the defendant went with a trial with a judge deciding (as was my potential trial).

Seems to be a bit of overkill, but I guess better that than reaching the end of the day needing one more body…

Certain things have changed since I last was called (about two or three years ago), at least at this facility:

• Going through security, you have to empty all your pockets – including wallet.
• Going through security, you have to take off your belt (with my baggy pants, that was dicey – don’t want to [accidentally] drop trou in a courthouse).
• Cameras are still off limits, but – at least in Cook County – smart phones are allowed. (Nope, no WiFi – yet.)
• iPads are announced as being allowed. They don’t say “tablets.”
• If in the jury pool, you can now bring food, drink and a laptop. Not if you’re on a jury, however.

These are all pretty reasonable requests – and I’m guessing the empty all pockets request is to cut down on additional screening of metal detector fails.

All in all, this was by far the best experience I’ve ever had as a potential jurist. Everyone in charge was very low-key and pleasant, and – as I’ve mentioned – the jury room foreperson made the time as painless and informed as possible.

One odd part of the day: Before we went through security for the first time, the director there mentioned that lunch could be had at a restaurant she pointed toward, about a block from the courthouse. The jury room also supplied lists of fast food locations, but this was the only place within walking distance, so it deserved mention.

So I went to the restaurant – Legal Grounds (Coffee:Bar:Grill). Haha. Get it?

Pics embedded here, but I was surprised at how disorganized this restaurant was. I was part of the wave of jurors coming over for lunch. It was like this had never happened before. Very inefficient. To their credit, they took custom requests (no butter), but it was presented backwards: I ordered a turkey club, and they rattled off all that was on it and asked what I wanted included. It should be, “Can I have that with extra mayo?” from the customer unprompted. Their method slowed the whole process – and I’m sure a lot of courthouse customers have small windows for lunch.

And halfway through my turkey club, I realized it had no bacon.

I didn’t even ask if this was a bug or a feature – it was good, but … it’s spozed to be a club sandwich. Bippity boppity bacon!

Was a nice place, next to a river with outdoor tables overlooking same. But a train wreck if you just want food and now. On the other hand, the ice tea I got was real tea – two shots, like espresso – chilled with water added (I watched the woman make it). Very good. Maybe I was dehydrated or something, but it was excellent.

I don’t think I’ve ever said that about ice tea before.

Well, that’s that for another year.

REVIEWED:
Mad Men Season 1
Starring: Jon Hamm, Elizabeth Moss, January Jones

OK, I’ll be the first to admit that I am woefully behind the curve on this one: They are currently in season five.

However, I have heard so many good things about this show – and really no knocks – that I kind of held off until I could find time to watch.

Worth the wait. A great – and somewhat complex – cut of American history (takes place around 1960). Mad Men are the Madison Avenue advertising sharks, and Hamm – as Don Draper – is one of the slickest of the bunch.

While Draper is the primary focus, this is an ensemble cast, and virtually all of the secondary characters are top shelf.

Yes, a dramatic series about ad execs, and it revolves around booze, cigarettes and unfaithfulness. The show’s probably not big in the Bible Belt.

But the best part is that I am behind the curve on this show – so I have a lot more to look forward to!

One nit to pick: What they did at the end of the season to Elizabeth Moss was, well, weird. Let’s hope season two explains same, because this one was really odd, flash for flash sake’s moment.

Otherwise, pretty solid.

All reviews

Nothing really to say right now, but I wanted to get the review of Mad Men – Season 1 out while it was still fresh in my mind.

Again – a non-network show that is just smokin’ whatever ABC/CBS/NBC has to offer.

Update 6/28/2012: I’ve now watched seasons 2 & 3 of Mad Men; have ordered season 4.

Some weak points in all seasons, but – overall – any episode is better than almost any other non-Mad Men episode that I’ve watched lately. At least network-wise.

REVIEWED:
Damages – Season 1
Starring: Glenn Close, Rose Byrne, Ted Danson

I had heard many good things about this show, but when I finally watched the entire Season One (13 episodes) this past weekend, I was blown away: This is good. Unusually good.

Good actors, good concept, well filmed.

But the best part – to me – was the non-linear plot line: The pilot opens with a pretty sensational event four months into the future … and then just jumps around for the entire series.

Without giving much away, some scenes are repeated but one sees them differently depending on where you are in the series. Hard to describe, but very well done. It keeps you guessing until the end and … Season Two is (I’m guessing) foreshadowed in some weird scenes in Season One.

Glenn Close is brilliant in this – a total bitch of a top-gun lawyer – and the supporting characters are solid, as well.

I don’t know if the show creators can keep this type of WTF? for more than one season; I look forward to the next installment to see what they do.

This is one of those shows that I could write almost endlessly about – it’s that remarkable – but I’ll leave it with what I said above: Can’t wait to see Season Two.

All reviews

Why are all the really inventive TV shows on the premium channels?

Think Mad Men, Damages, Weeds* and so on.

Network TV gives us a relentless spew of reality shows (cheap to produce, like game shows – I understand that part of the equation) and such.

Yet the runaway hits – the Emmy winners (that bring in ad dollars!) – are those that are different, that take chances.

Yet the networks keep trying to find another sitcom to replace Friends (Big Bang Theory anyone??).

See my review of Damages – incredible TV.

Why isn’t there more of this?

* Update: I just tossed out those three shows in the stream of writing, but without even thinking that hard, here are other solid shows that have been/are currently on non-network channels: Arrested Development, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Southland, 24, The Wire, Breaking Bad, One Big Love, Six Feet Under, Cougar Town, Sons of Anarchy, Sopranos, Monk – and this is just a cursory list. What has network TV given us (besides sitcoms/reality shows)? Many flavors of the very long-in-the-tooth franchises that are Law and Order and CSI. Whoopie.

As smartphones get smarter (and suck more battery power), there is a real need for a “flux capacitor” of phone/tablet batteries.

I finally broke down and got a Mophie Juice Pack for my iPhone – I don’t use my phone that much, but it is way worse (battery power) than any other phone I’ve had. When I have a couple calls; do some updates via the phone…10% is gone. What!! (Note: First smartphone for me).

The only color I could get (at the time) was magenta; I like magenta, but I thought it would look a little girlie. Maybe, but I like the power.

I now have a yellow Mophie Juice Pack on the way; yes, packs are heavier. Yes, they double iPhone life.

Kudos.

Won’t it be nice when battery life is not an issue?

Long story short, my iPhone and my calculator were next to each other on my desktop, and it got me to thinking:

• Yep, virtually the same size and perform the same functionality (calculating).
• Yet the iPhone can do much more.
• Yet the iPhone costs much more.
• Can’t put apps on the calculator.
• Calculator is solar powered.
• iPhone’s battery life sux (iPhone 4s)
• LED screen (calculator)
• Color touch screen (iPhone)
• Physical keypad (calculator)
• Virtual/touch keypad (iPhone)
• One’s rugged (calculator)
• One’s pretty…but can break (iPhone)
• And so on…

What does it all mean?

I dunno, I just thought that it was interesting that the same form factor – both of which are electronic tools – are so much different (functionality)/same (size/can calculate). Just drives home the point of the rapid evolution/revolution of such tools.

Imagine the difference between an iPhone (today) and [whatever it is] five years from now. Wow.

Update: Duh, yes, I realize this entry (old vs. iPhone vs. [whatever is next]) is not new – It just struck me with the two devices next to each other. I’m not claiming to be the first to say anything about the acceleration of technology. K?

Like any web developer, I have a hate-hate relationship with Microsoft’s Internet Explorer (IE). In my case, it goes all the way back to IE3 in the 1990s.

And things haven’t gotten (much) better since those times: IE always seems to be behind the curve in adopting standards. With the rise of Firefox, this really became pronounced.

The latest issue – for me – has to do with the work I’ve been doing with CSS3. There are a lot of new functionalities in CSS3, but – of course – IE doesn’t support same (Note: I’m on IE 8, I think IE 9 begins some support of CSS3 – but virtually everyone is on v7 or v8!).

There are two functionalities that CSS3 adds that are really huge, and of course IE doesn’t support: Drop shadows (I still don’t like the implementation) and rounded corners (no more rounded-corner GIFs – yay!).

So last week I started poking around for a work-around for these functionalities on IE, and I ran across the CSS3 PIE site. PIE stands for “progressive internet explorer.” The curator of the site – it appears to be one developer, Jason Johnston – has an .htc file that has Javascript goodness that will emulate some CSS3 functionality on IE. Hmm!

I downloaded the file, and while I couldn’t get it to work via an .htaccess file (weird…), I was able to use the PHP work-around. Here’s the test page, which intentionally goes overboard on CSS rounding/shadowing.

Works in IE, Firefox and Chrome on a Windoze box, as well as Firefox and Safari on a Mac. I didn’t test IE on a Mac because, well, I don’t care. If you’re running IE on a Mac, I really don’t care if my sites look as pretty as they could be…

I still want to get the .htc file working correctly with the server file – the PHP work-around could present issues, because it sets a content type for the .htc file in a header call. This blew up things for me until I stopped echoing out debug statements until hitting the actually HTML. But I image this could cause issues with sessions and header redirects.

But that’s the next step. For now, my IE pages can look pretty, for at least some of CSS3’s features. Progress.

Google came out with a new feature today – at least, new to me: Their Google Green section. There was a link to a subsection of the Google Green area on the Google home page today.

The subsection? An amazing, whimsical, virtuoso HTML5 “walk through” of how an email goes from one computer to another one, with all the pass-throughs at Google: The Story of Send.

Now, make no mistake about it: This is a commercial for Google – it touts its energy-efficient data centers, its carbon-neutral footprint, how it safeguards users’ personal info and so on. Nothing really about how an email gets from point A to point B.

But so what?

It’s fun, it’s informative, and it’s pretty unique. Embedded videos and slideshows and what-not. What’s not to like? And it’s effective – you come out of the interactive presentation admiring Google for all they’ve done (just the levels of security at various data centers, for example) and just being impressed with how much they are thinking ahead (investing in alternative energies, including a pig-manure plant that’s a win for Google and the farmer).

And this presentation had nothing to do with Google’s core business of search/ad words.

Note: View on a desktop for full effect, but the mobile presentation (Safari/iPhone) is pretty solid, as well.

I’m doing some coding that I have to have work across the major browsers, but hmmm….

My fav browser: Currently, Chrome.

Yet Firefox is good…

IE sux.

Yet – after a day in Chrome, FireFox looks/feels (the latter, just a little) like IE.

Yikes. And – reality.