iMessage Beta: My Thoughts

Today Apple dropped a bomb and announced a new update coming to OS X this summer called Mountain Lion. Mountain Lions are both cool and a bit scary so I'm thinking that's where this update may stand, but we'll see.

We've all been expecting tighter integration between OS X and iOS and this appears to be a huge step in that direction. One of the applications that I've always thought would make the most sense in that connected state was iMessage. iChat is really a pretty awful application and the fact that it has remained essentially untouched for years is a good indicator that Apple has thought the same thing.

Today you are able to download the beta of iMessage for your Mac if you want to give it a try. Of course I grabbed it right away. I've been messing with it today and here are my initial day one thoughts. They're a bit mixed, but this is a beta version so a lot of these things could certainly change before final release so keep that in mind.

It's All Blurry

The line between texting, chatting, video calling, etc. is blurring. This is good, I think. It's a little strange and is taking some getting used to, but essentially iMessage appears to have the ability to sync message with all your devices.

If someone sends you an iMessage to an email address you have connected to iMessage (your Apple ID perhaps) that message will go to your Mac if you have iMessage open and it will also go to your iPhone. If you retrieve the message on either device the new message notification is gone on the other.

Nice, but sitting at a coffee shop with my phone on the table next to me and iMessage open on my Mac I get double notification for each message. It's kind of annoying actually. I'm sure the people sitting around me are super impressed that my phone keeps vibrating and I just keep ignoring it. A little notification customization may fix this, but I haven't found a way to pull it off just yet.

Also, if someone sends an iMessage to your iPhone number then you'll only receive that on your phone. Is that bad you ask? I don't know. Probably not, but that sort of un-blurs the line a bit.

A big positive to this is the ability to continue conversations through multiple devices. If I'm using iMessage on my Mac and need to leave the computer I can seamlessly continue the conversation on my iPhone without anyone knowing the difference.

Only Apple-ites

Now being able to text from the Mac is a big selling point for iMessage. That's awesome, but it only works with other Apple users. Specifically iMessage users. This isn't a major deal to me as a majority of the people I text heavily are iPhone users, but it puts some heavy restriction on its functionality and still forces me to use different services and methods for communicating with different people. That's a pain in the ass.

Video and No Voice, I think

iChat was able to do voice calls, which believe it or not I used from time to time. I'm not seeing a method for conducting a voice call with iMessage which bums me out a bit.

Video calls can be made via FaceTime which makes sense I think. Again, these are restricted to Apple users.

It seems like Apple is viewing FaceTime as the future of phone calls and that is probably a valid prediction.

Final Thoughts of iMessage Beta

So far I think it's pretty great, but for some reason it still doesn't feel quite right to me. It's not connecting the dots for me like I was hoping it would.

I've been thinking about this and to be honest I can't really figure out exactly what would be the ideal situation for me. I like some of the things that iMessage does and then others I don't. This is probably a good indicator that Apple is wandering off into uncharted territories once again. I don't even know what I want. Maybe I'll realize it if/when I get it. For now I guess it's cool to see something in a completely different direction (or multiple directions).

The restriction to only Apple users does kind of suck. If iMessage could be more open on some level it would immediately become at least twice as cool. FaceTime was built on open video standards but Apple still restricts its usage. Maybe there's hope of that service as well as iMessage opening up a bit the future.

Overall, it's fun to see some of the drastic things that Apple has in mind. They've got a pretty good track record of changing the way we do things. We'll see if they can pull it off again. For now, color me cautiously skeptical.

Next Generation Apple TV

The rumor mill that works around Apple products is hardcore (arguably to a fault) and correct probably less than 50% most of the time. I don't have any specific data to back up that claim, but that's just the feeling I get. As many times as I think the rumors are completely off base and just dumb, I'll admit, I still follow them quite closely. The rumor of late, the next generation Apple TV.

Jobs was quoted in Walter Isaacson's biography, as saying "I've cracked it" when talking about the Apple TV. Since that came to light there has been much speculation about the next generation of this device.

It now stands as a set top device and that has always made a lot of sense to me. The flexibility to connect to many different displays is a huge plus factor in my eyes. Along with that Apple still has the ability to control the environment and all while keeping the price point pretty darn low. The one thing you could argue is wrong with this is the control of the actual display. Is that crucial to the Apple TV viewing experience? I'd say, not really. A display with an HDMI connection will be plenty capable of creating a solid experience.

The current speculation is that the next iteration of the Apple TV will in fact be completely integrated with the display. Essentially like an iMac where the entire device is all bundled up in one package. I don't know if this makes sense for the reverse of the reasons I think the set top idea does make sense. While the control of the entire experience would be something right up Apple's alley, I think the price point will just be too great and a total 180 from their current strategy in that market. A 37" display with integrated Apple TV would have to come in at well over $2000 wouldn't it? Considering they sell the current generation set top box for $99 that seems crazy to me. Maybe we'll see both options offered. I wold argue there's a pretty solid chance of that happening actually.

I wonder if Jobs' comment that he "had cracked it" was maybe referring more to the software and licensing side of this device. Looking at iTunes, I can only imagine ridiculous amount of work done behind the scenes with record labels that we never heard much about. Getting record labels on board with the idea was a huge aspect to getting it to actually work and also to making iPods and now iPhones and iPads to be as successful as they are. One step further we could say that it was an industry changer. Couldn't we be looking at some similar arrangements with television and movie studios here? Couldn't that be where Jobs cracked it? Seems pretty likely there will be some major advancements in this area.

Whatever the new generation ends up as, I will say that I'm excited about it. Apple has been known to shake up entire industries and I'm sure they're just chomping at the bit to get at another one.

Jony Ive on Creativity

And just as Steve loved ideas, and loved making stuff, he treated the process of creativity with a rare and a wonderful reverence. You see, I think he better than anyone understood that while ideas ultimately can be so powerful, they begin as fragile, barely formed thoughts, so easily missed, so easily compromised, so easily just squished.

This is a quote from Jony Ive at Apple's Steve Jobs Tribute last week. I know it's posted all over the Web all ready, but it's just so great that I felt the need to throw it up here and add to the clutter anyway. It's a great statement about Steve coming from his good friend, but even more than that it is such an enlightening, elegant way to think about the creative process.

The entire event is worth the watch, but I found Jony's words especially touching, insightful and inspirational. He speaks at about the 47-minute mark.

Will Pay for App

A recent tweet by, developer of Instapaper, Marco Arment mentioned that he had been getting hit up for promo codes for his latest and most significant update of his application, Instapaper. The messages claimed that they "loved his application" and he was in turn questioning why they wouldn't just buy his application if they loved it so much. Valid argument.

I've had this discussion with a lot of people the last couple years regarding paying for applications and I've realized that I run up against a couple of common push backs to paying for applications. I've had mixed results in explaining the value in paying for the applications we use and love.

One is that of the younger person that inevitibly grew up in the Napster/Pirate Bay era of pirated music and software. They got crafty using what was a fairly new tool when they became interested (the Internet and World Wide Web) in locating what they wanted and downloading without repurcussion or thought of impact for free. This builds up an expectation that can be really harmful to artists and developers. That "why pay when I can get it for free?" mentality kicks in without the thought of what impact those decisions have on developers and artists.

The other is the flat out cheap person. The mentality seems similar, but the bottom line is that they just don't want to spend any money if they don't absolutely have to. In the beginning they get pissed at any additional cost past the device they just purchased on the recommendation from their tech savvy nephew. I've run into this one mostly with people of older generations.

Apple has done a great deal to "right the ship" so to speak. Platforms have been provided that make the process of selling and purchasing insanely easy for both sides of the transaction. Of course there are still a wide variety of methods for pirating, but at least now a simple, makes sense process is in place.

Apple has simplified the transaction so much that I've found it is easier to get people to see my side of the argument, which is that paying for the applications you use is incredbily beneficial to everyone. In the Appstore world applications are priced very competitively (in some cases I would argue too cheap) so the price of applications becomes less of a hurdle. It's easier to prove that a $0.99 app is worth the purchase to my 70 year old uncle than a $30 piece of software.

There will always be free applications and I have no gripe about those and I actually use a couple regularly. There are different strategies developers employ and reasons for offering applications for free and that is fine and an entirely different discussion all together. What I find interesting is when a developer decides to change their pricing model and start to say charge $0.99 for an app that was previously free and the user community (or at least some of it) is up in arms about it. I don’t have apps on my iPhone that I don’t use and if I use an application and it benefits me I just can’t see complaining about throwing a dollar at a developer who worked hard to create a useful tool.

I have absolutely no problem paying for an application if it in fact useful for me. If it isn’t then I don’t need it and won’t download it simply because it’s free. I have had some luck in swaying people to my side of the fence. New users will push back at first, but eventually see the validity in what I’m saying and how simple and affordable the Appstores.

Paying $4.99 for an application as amazing and useful as Instapaper is just a no-brainer. It’s a carefully designed and built application that serves a fantastic purpose for many people. Not only that, Marco is an independent developer (like many, many iOS developers) who puts a lot of care and time into making his application the best it can be. He cares and you can feel it. Paying for his work only encourages his continued efforts and judging by what he’s already done, the application will most definitely become even better. Marco gets compensated and his users continue to get a great product. It’s a win-win.

If the app is useful to you, cut back on one triple-caramel-mocha-latte (or whatever) this month and pay for it.

It's in Their Blood

The Web has been inundated with posts about Steve Jobs and his stepping down from Apple. This all comes with good reason as his influence over the company and multiple industries has literally shaped how we work and even given some of us new careers. I've been doing some thinking as I've been reading a lot related to this topic and I think what has become evident to me is that Apple has become an incredible product in and of itself. It is much larger than Steve Jobs.

Without Steve Apple would not exist in it's current capacity. There's no question about that. Apple has become a cultural entity. They have literally shaped industries and altered how we do things. They are more than just a company that sells electronic devices. Apple has a particular way of doing things and great products are merely a byproduct.

I don't think Apple will falter one bit in Steve's absence. Tim Cook has been a genius in his own right as the company has grown and I don't think what he's done on the operations side of the business is anything short of impressive. I would expect to see the industry shaping, bold decisions continuing to be made by Cook and the Apple team. That said, I really hope Steve's health improves and he's able to join the business community again. His impact has been so significant I have a hard time letting that go. I think there's a lot more we can learn from Mr. Jobs.

Apple Product Loyalty

Seeing this short post from Shawn Blanc this afternoon got me thinking about my Apple loyalty personally.

If Steve Jobs got on stage this fall and all he said was, “We’ve designed a new iPhone and we think it’s pretty great. It goes on sale next week.” Then I would still be in line to buy one. So would a third of those in this survey by eWeek.

I would be in line because: (a) I know I can sell my iPhone 4 on Craigslist to cover the cost of my iPhone upgrade; (b) using and being familiar with the latest tech (within reason) is a big part of my job; and (c) I’m a huge nerd (Big surprise, right?).

Good marketing may get people in the door the first time, but good product design gets them in the door the second (and third, and fourth, and fifth) time.

I don't love Apple products because I think they make me look like the cool kid when I'm at the coffee shop. I love them because they are the best devices you can buy. They are designed and built with such care and detail in mind that their overall quality is completely unmatched. I think that is barely even debatable. 

The loyalty that comes from building products like this is just as Shawn describes. He would stand in line for an iPhone 5 right now and buy one without even thinking twice because he trusts what Apple produces. It will be fantastic and a step forward. To me, it feels like they've reached this critical mass were this is a common sentiment among Apple users. It's a little scary to think of how much we've (Apple buyers) grown to trust Apple, but until something knocks them off the the track they've been on for years now, I see no reason to do anything but.

Macbook - Mar. 30

Macbook

Upgrade - Mar. 18

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Green Apple - Jan. 8

Green Apple