Dan’s Blog (2.0)

So I got a reconditioned iMac G5 from the Apple store. It may be last year’s technology, but it’s still rocks. Especially when compared to our previous home computer - a “grape” iMac DV from 2000. Actually the iMac DV had slightly more personality — being grape and all — but the new iMac G5 at 1.9 GHz (compared to a 400 MHz G3) really screams. Gotta love the integrated iSight camera too.

Filed by Daniel Appelquist at 19:50 under Technology

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Just read a good News.com Article heralding the growth of mobile browsing. I predicted the Mobile Web would go mainstream this year (although this didn’t take a Nostradamus to figure out) and it looks like it’s starting to happen — or at least the tech press is starting to talk about mobile browsing, as opposed to “mobile content.” Either way, it’s a good sign and underscores the importance of the work we’re doing in the Mobile Web Initiative.

Filed by Daniel Appelquist at 22:35 under Mobile Web, Mobility

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So if you look at the New York skyline on Google Maps or Google Earth, it becomes aparant how some of these images are stitched together from different satellites. In particular, bits of Manhattan seem to have been taken at different angles. So if you zoom down on 50th street and 5th avenue, for instance, part of the map seems to bend upwards in an Escher-like fashion so that it looks like a huge office tower is looming alarmingly over St. Paul’s cathedral. Now I haven’t lived in New York for a while, but I’m fairly sure the buildings are mostly parallel to each other - unless there’s been a wave of postmodern architecture. The effect is actually very disturbing.

Filed by Daniel Appelquist at 15:19 under Web 2.0

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So I think I got attacked by a Bluetooth worm on my way to work this morning. I was innocently playing solitaire on my Nokia N70 when I got a message prompting me to “accept a message” from “Nokia 6630.” I selected “no” but then the message popped up again, etc… I had a hell of a time trying to get to the menu option to turn Bluetooth off in between getting these message requests. So at minimum it was a “denial of service” type attack and who knows what would have happened had I accepted the message… Scary stuff.

Filed by Daniel Appelquist at 9:55 under Mobility

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So last week’s Mobile Monday was interesting on a number of fronts. First off, I know now how not to do an interactive panel discussion. Having audience members SMS key words of phrases that then appeared behind the speakers was definitely more of a distraction than it was worth. altough I still think the concept is sound, I now realize the incoming messages need to be moderated and priortized off-stage (like a radio call-in show). More importantly, the topic of Mobile Web 2.0 seems to have touched a nerve - people are definitely interested in defining this space and exploring what it means. Great! There have also been some great discussions on the mailing list on this topic. I’m happy because this is exactly what I hoped Mobile Monday London would do: foster a community where issues like this could be discussed in an open environment. The next challenge: finding a host for 8 May.

Filed by Daniel Appelquist at 17:47 under Mobile Monday

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Here’s snapshot of my day:

1. Present some of the work we’ve been doing in Mobile Web Initiative and dotMobi to some important internal stakeholders
2. Go to Heathrow
3. Get my iris scanned
4. Fly to Düsseldorf
5. On the plane, write a use case for my friend Phil’s Web Content Labels working group
6. When I get off the plane, immediately jump into chairing the Mobile Web Best Practices weekly conference calls where we have to finally resolve to publish a “2nd last call” despite numerous contentious issues being raised from all quarters
7. Convene and host a conference call about innovation in Vodafone
8. Have a beer

At this writing, I’ve done steps 1-3, and in the mean time a company “restructuring” has been announced. Suffice to say: it’s one of those days. I can’t wait until #8.

Filed by Daniel Appelquist at 9:05 under Mobility, Travel

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