Top Secret Business
Ok, so a couple of weeks ago my husband came running down from his office and gushed about this new “top secret” project they were working on. I was given explicit instructions not to tell anyone because the client really wanted to surprise the world with this revolutionary idea. Im not usually good at keeping secrets…well, not ones that are so lame. Give me a good piece of gossip and I am a vault. But I thought this may jeopardize a huge opportunity for the company, so my lips were sealed.
A couple of days later my mom asked me how the “Secret Project” was going….strange, I wonder how she knew about it. The next weekend my dad asked if they had sealed the deal yet with “Project X” . Hmmm. Soon my brothers were asking, friends were enquiring, and even our pastor knew about this “Top Secret” gig.
Apparently I missed something key in the disclaimer; it didnt matter if I told everyday people but I wasnt allowed to talk about it in teh tech community. Hmmmmm (insert head scratch). Since when do I ever talk to people in the tech world. Thats like me telling him not to tell anyone from my Moms Group abotu something….not really a task.
But it got me wondering…is the tech world really that cut throat? If it seriously is they should make a movie about it. And I choose Angelina to be the leading lady.
Tumblr
If you read my other blog posts you know that my husbands first love is my daughter and I, but a very close second is the wide world of technology. Thus, everyday (usually numerous times a day) he comes downstairs from his home office full of excitement and demands that i download a new app, check out a website, or watch a video. Typically I say that I looked at them and make up a general comment reflecting their usefulness.
This weekend he told me to check out Tumblr for my blogs. I gave him the usual, but he insisted I take a look and boy am I glad I did. Im really having fun playing around with Tumblr and I am so amazed at how easy it is to use. I love their mobile app for the iphone! As a new mom and blogger I never have time to sit at the computer and write a post, but the app makes it such a cinch! The dashboard is clean and easy to maneuver around too.
Im not ready to make the switch entirely, but I do have a new blog up there….rookiemom.tumblr.com
Check it out and let me know what you think.
Ipad
If you have read any of my previous blogs or if you know my husband at all, then you know he is an Apple/Mac Guru. This week he recieved a new toy…the IPAD.
My synopsis of the thin computer wonder is this: CRAP NAME!
I mean besides the reasonable price and the ingenious target marketing I cannot help thinking about two things when I think about apples latest product; a giant maxi pad or an ipod. And then I start letting my mind wonder and I see a giant ipod with a maxi pad application. Either way, its not a good thing.
Other possible names are so numerous, so I dont understand why they settled on the Ipad. Was it because of the ipods success? I seriously hope not…that just shows lack of creativity. But maybe they used all their creativity to make the device that by the time they got to the name they just asked the local drunk for his professional opinion.
Well, thats what I think about the Ipad.
Microsoft Zune
Last year we bought my mom a Microsoft Zune for her birthday. This year for Christmas we bought her an iphone….problem solved.
Running out of App
My husband and another 23/ employee work from our house each day, and pretty much everyday I provide them with a new and exciting iphone app idea. I come up with these ideas as I need them, and I am always thinking big money.
I used to think my ideas were ground breaking and sure things, but recently the boys have been shooting down each and every idea. Either the potential money maker has already been built or there is some technical controversy that I do not even try to understand. At first I thought that maybe my pregnant brain had vomited out all of its creativity, but then I started thinking that with statistics like these I cannot blame my lack of creativity.
There are close to 75000 apps in the app store
They are developed by nearly 15000 producers
There are roughly 50,000,000 downloaded apps thus far.
Only 4000 (+/- a few) have been removed from the app store
And for each idea you come up with, there is a 87.67% chance that the app has already been built or is in the process of being built.
Sorry to break the news everyone, but as far as I am concerned there is no hope for the lay person. We might as well leave it to the professionals.
Level 26 iphone App
Hey everyone
I dont know if anyone has caught Anthony Zuiker (creator of CSI) in the media the last few weeks promoting his new book “Level 26″ but if you have I hope you paid very close attention to the introduction of the iphone app for the book as well. Why? Because my precious husband worked his ass off to make this thing perfect….and it is! So check it out!
Computer says No
Sometimes this is what life it like…You want to do something and the computer says no. So you simply obey…
My review of ComiCon 09
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- This was a full size lego version of Buzz Lightyear!!! Insane
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- Catching a quick pic of Mr. Stan Lee on the red carpet…not big deal
Well, being that I went epecting to be bored out of my mind, it was actually pretty entertaining. Everybody dresses up! That is a little bit wacked, Im not going to lie. But there was some really cool stuff going on too.
1. The gave away amazing amounts of lot: free comic books, Shirts, stickers, autographs, pictures, pins, posters, bags…heaps of bags, etc…
2. We sat in on this session on “Comic Voices” which was really cool. It was all serious comic voices like the simpsons lady, Scooby Doo Guy, etc… and they read a random script with voices that they have previously done, it was really cool. Then they answered some funny/ serious questions regarding thier industry. Very interesting.
3. How to use comics in the Classroom- I though this was cool. Althoguh we never actually went, I thought it was cool to be able to integrate graphic novels into Education and vice-versa. As a teacher I thought that during university, ideas like this neede to be more prominent, in order to get kids intereacting with learning at a real level, so this was neat to see.
4. Level 26: Integrating the web into print books…or something like this. Anyway, the panel hosted by Anthony Zuiker (creator of CSI) gave us a preview of his new series Level 26. I didnt jsut think this was cool because My husband is working with him to put out his iphone App for the book, but I thought it was also very intelligent of him to integrate the two sources of media…Chech it out if you get the chance (www. level26.com).
5. Comics and Mobile Devices- This session discussed the new form of transfering comic stills to the iphone etc… It was actually interesting because of two reasons. I saw Stan Lee….and had no idea who he was. And Tyrees was there….HOT!
6. We got to go to an after party with Zieker!
7. Met Stan Lee!
8. Gene Simmons Son was the musical talent.
9. Gene Simmons was rockin out on stage with him!
10. Carrot Top showed up, lol!
Comic-con 09….here I come!
So, I still havn’t really figured out why our iphone and Product strategy based company needs to head to San Deigo for the epic Comic Convention, but I am super stoked to be going. I mean, I know that geeks rally at these things, and I am almost positive that there will be business relationships developed through going down there, but comic books just seem so far a tthe other end of the spectrum.
So I started doing my research into the thing they call Comic Con. These are the top 3 things I am excited for:
1. Twilight Saga: New Moon- I admit, I kinda got into these books. And the Vamp-mance has had me on the edge of my seat since I began the series. Its not that I have started wearing a cape and sharpening my teeth to imitate the vampire characteristics of the “Ohh sooooo dreamy” Edward, I just think they are easy to read and kind of a break from reality. So, at the chance to have a meet-and-great with the characters from the past and upcomming movie, plus a preview of New Moon….AHHHHHH.
2. Astro Boy- I watched this as a kid, and think that it is one of Saturday early morning cartoons greats. I am pumped that they are making a movie too, I hope they do it justice though…I guess I will see at the sneak preview!
3. Archie Comics: Archie marries Veronica- I was also a mega-fan of the Archie comics. I am sure my mom got uber sick of buying those things, especially since I read them in like 20 mins. But hte part that got me was Archies choice of ladies. I cant believe he choses Veronica! I guess if he wanted high maintainince and betrayal he made the right choice. Pfff. I cant wait to give him a peice of my mind at this panel.
So, those are probably pretty lame, especially for people who live and breath comics, but thats kind of my extent of the Comic culture. Ill make updates later as to what was actually good, bad, or indifferent.
There’s an App for that…
I have ranted and raved about Gigotron for long enough, and I thought I would let you all know that my super geek husband is pretty much a celebrity in my eyes now. Thats right, Gigotron is on an Iphone commercial!
If you watch the commercial and look really closely to the left of the finger at the 18th second, you will see the beautifully branded “G” logo.
Im so proud of the team…and this happened a while ago, so this glam has had a chance to fade, but it hasn’t.
It did make me think of something though….
“There’s an app for that…” Cleaver…but sometimes we have to weigh things qualitatively rather than quantitatively. Sometimes I find my self scraping the App store for a certain app only to try 5 different apps that are all crap. So even though there is an app for that, maybe that app sucks.
So, I hope for two things; 1) that the App team gets a better screening process going and 2) that developers don’t give up just because there is something similar out there. Make something better…PLEASE!
