The internet is in its infancy stage. Granted, we’ve come a long way since Al Gore invented the internet in 1990, but the ways in which the information superhighway will affect our lives, the ways in which we will interact or transact with the rest of the world via technology, remains to be seen.

However, you can catch a glimpse of how the recent advent of HTML5 and CSS3 can impact our world of entertainment. Check this out: http://bit.ly/mywildernessdowntownsite

*FYI, you don’t necessarily need to use Google’s browser, but it does help with the experience.

…doesn’t mean it’s good.

We built web sites, and more than half of the work performed (from the design stage, to development and testing) is performed on Macs. Those on our team that use Macs typically do so because:

1) They’re high quality machines. Like them or not, you have to admit the high-resolution display, backlit keys, multi-touch trackpad, the single-piece aluminum body on the MacBook Pro!! — you just can’t beat the quality.

2) Multi-touch and keyboard shortcuts make us faster, giving us (and our clients!) the results they want, faster.

3) Let’s face it: they’re just cooler. Buying Mac still feels like I’m on the inside track on something that the rest of the world isn’t. Of course, with market share growing at a pace that will have every man, woman, child and family pet multi-touching by mid-2017, the feeling may subside, but for now, it’s cool.

However! Producing anything, be it a web site, a hard-hitting single, or video for the big screen, producing something “sans Windows” doesn’t guarantee it will be a hit. There’s still some semblance of talent or skill required.

Case in point: I stumbled upon a site (screenshot referenced above in this post) which shall remain nameless (and URL-less) and was floored, first by its severe lack of style, usability, and build; and second, by its proudly waving the Apple banner at the bottom of the page, like an apple-shaped sticker on the back window of a silver, small-form hybrid vehicle.

Far be it from me to point fingers, but the lesson to be learned:

1) Tools are nothing without Talent or Education. I can buy a Makita saw and a $70 hammer, but that doesn’t qualify me to build your house.

2) Attitude is great. Aptitude must follow. I’m a big fan of hiring talent with great, positive attitudes. In a technology company though, a bit more is necessary.

3) Macs are cool, but they can’t overcome all. Specifically, a propensity to deviate from established standards, or ignorance thereof (Ignorance is not an insult — it simply describes an unawareness).

Good stuff.
Rob

I’ve complained a bit about my personal experience with Clear Wimax in terms of signal, salespeople, and customer service, but have to admit they really came through for us this past weekend at our training event.

Jodey Smith, a long-time personal friend, was there to assist event attendees with technical problems or if our pace was a little challenging, but after internet issues from the venue (that’s another post in itself!), Jodey brought in several Clear WiMAX modems, a Clear Spot, and a few wireless routers. We were easily able to get every conference attendee online without problem. I promised to pimp his service if it went well, and sure enough, here i am…

Jodey Smith
design@gopublicdesign.com
404-538-2637

Thanks Jodey!

I’ve been a user of mobile internet for years, starting back in the days where my cell phone acted as a 14.4kbps modem. For a couple years, i’ve used a sprint card and have been fairly happy with service.

I’ve heard about the clear/clearwire technology for a couple years, how great it would be, etc. And a few months ago, on the recommendation of a friend (who just happened to be a reseller with clear wimax), i signed up for clear service. I set out to find faster download speed. After all, who couldn’t use 10mbps download speed, right? The wimax is technically 4g technology (4g simply means 4th generation — it’s no reflection on speed improvements from 3g. More in this nerdy yet somehow cool video explanation from craig matthias). Product showed up at my door the next day and i couldn’t wait to get started. Dreams of streaming video from the highway, or conference calling beside the pool, like the tv commercials tell us.

Fyi, clear is using atlanta as one of its flagship cities. Signal coverage everywhere in atlanta. In fact, they back that up with media coverage everywhere in atlanta, and salespeople coverage everywhere in atlanta. I live in atlanta. And not like the outskirts, like people in alpharetta say they live in atlanta. I live in midtown. I travel atlanta extensively.

Long story short… i have the clear home modem, which sits stationary. Signal meter says it’s good, but more often than not, page loads take longer than when i’m on my sprint card. If they load at all. I have the clear mobile modem. But sitting in a client’s office in the middle of buckhead (again, very much atlanta), i get zero bars. And when clear gets zero bars, guess how internet performs? It doesn’t.

Quick synopsis: clear 4g service runs on sprint towers. Where sprint offers 4g service, clear offers 4g service. Where sprint offers only 3g service, clear offers jack.

If they had told me that up front, i never would have bought. I tried to cancel service and return equipment within 14 days of signing up, only to have customer service show me the fine print that voided any chance of cancellation after 7 days. Marketing brilliance: misrepresent your product, lock people into a contract, and charge astronomical fees to get out of it.

So here’s my recommendation: use sprint. Sprint offers the 4g technology. Heck, sprint built the towers. They’re just letting clear leech. Get the Sprint 3g/4g card. This card downgrades where 4g signal is not available.

My hope is to spread the warning to souls in search of faster download speeds. Stick with the proven product on this one. And for the love of pete, read fine print.

Ok, I admit, I was a trekkie in high school. While my friends were out doing who knows what on friday nights, I was at home with a Domino’s pizza watching James T. Kirk pontificate a syncopated sililoquy. Partly because it satisfied that curiosity about what was out there, where no man had boldly gone before. Partly because of the gadgets. They had the coolest toys!

So within the past couple of weeks, i’ve seen star trek technology demonstrated right in front of me. I’m not talking about flying cars, jetpacks or microwave ovens that will hydrate my dinner in nanoseconds, but this is nice. First, #1 – a video phone. Yeah, those have been out for a while. But the handheld, wifi device I saw last week will hit mainstream within a year or two. #2 – security cameras that, upon sensing motion, will hit you with an sms (text message) and a link to watch the video stream. Impressive.

But today, my technological brook bubbleth over. Check out this new technology that will change the face of reading as we know it: http://vook.com/vook.php

Pretty cool, huh? It brings potential excitement to my bathroom reading. Looking forward to it.