Johnathan Zdziarski, blogger and author of iPhone Open Application Development (to be released book on how to hack your iPhone) was invited by Apple to speak at a conference held in a Cambridge Apple store, to talk about the history of hacking the iPhone and his thoughts on the device. Zdziarski was one of the first software engineers to hack the iPhone. Now, does this sound odd? One person wrote, “So for Apple to give Zdziarski the podium at an Apple retail location is a little like Steve Ballmer inviting Linus Torvalds to speak at a Windows product launch.”

So what does this got to do with Apple Getting It? Well, just the gesture of inviting Zdziarski to speak at the Software Development Kit (SDK) conference says a lot. Apple is finally not rebelling against change anymore, but beginning to embrace it. When the iPhone first came out, online open-source communities were trading hacks through third-party installer applications. Finally, a year later Apple understood the opportunity which could arise from creating it’s own SDK. By inviting Zdziarski and releasing it’s own SDK for iPhones, Apple is setting an example for other companies in the industry. It’s a lot easier to work with your customers to help them get what they want by giving them the tools to create their own customized product, then fight with them and give them the same old product. This just creates a hassle for both parties; the customer isn’t happy and the business isn’t profiting. It also gives a company’s development team a break, and creates many more product ideas and innovations that may never have been created without the help of SDK platforms.

Still iPhone’s SDK has its problems. It still doesn’t allow users to access low-level functions, like operate applications in the background and build certain types of objects, even though Apple insists it offers the same tools its programmers use to develop its software. But I’m sure hackers will come up with a way to fix that soon enough. Apple has however released a second version of their SDK, the Interface Builder, which is a visual editor that users can drag and drop items to create the user interface of their applications. Apparently this makes application creation a lot easier.

Oh and just a side note, remember how I wrote that post about the hacking contest for laptops (sure you do!) well it turns out the Macbook Air was the first one to be hacked.

So it’s getting close to that time of the year again, April Fools’. Who knows what Google and Facebook will come up with this year, here’s some early bird stuff to keep everyone entertained.

• There was a post on how to wreak office mayhem on your beloved co-workers, in which people commented listing pranks which they had done.
• A template predicting what Digg would look like in 2028.
  
• A complete list of April Fools’ pranks on the web since 2004.

I sure wish that Google Writer was legit, it would make this course a lot easier.

There has been a lot of coverage regarding successful companies like Google and Apple who have climbed the ladder of success using business models contrary to the traditionally proven models. Now that these companies are becoming more successful, other companies are beginning to emulate them, or are in the process of investigating how to become like them. A main component of this recent recognition stage is the documentation of these companies. Wired published an article on how Apple made it’s way to the top by breaking every rule. Siva Vaidhyanathan , media scholar at the Univeristy of Virginia, is in the process of writing a book called The Googlization of Everything. Also, Jeff Jarvis has recently been contracted to write a book about Google’s business strategy relating it to other businesses and industries, aptly named: WWGD – What Would Google Do? It is expected to be published next spring.

The method in which these publications are being or intended to be distributed is also relevant. Should the author choose methods analogous to the digital age which it is being written about, or by traditional paper-based methods? Jeff Jarvis is choosing to write his novel  book by taking and exploring topics covered in his blog, and getting as much input as possible from viewers. Using a discussioned based approach, Jarvis wishes to incorporate topics and comments which come about from this course of peer-review. Jarvis believes this approach will be more valuable to him, rather than posting finished chapters and asking for his readers’ reactions.

When the novel book is published, Jarvis intends to make it available solely in the form of a physical paper-based book. The writing process and development of the book will still be available on his blog. There was some commentary on his post announcing the contract, which believed that a PDF format release would be more appropriate to correspond to the material content, however Jarvis is opposed to this method of distribution. The reason why Jarvis is choosing to publish his book on paper, is that he wishes to “freeze-dry” the content of the digital age which he frequently discusses on his blog and thus make it available to an audience of readers who do not utilize his blog.

 With the rising popularity of publication moving online, will Jarvis’ book become lost amongst other innovative business model books? Unlikely. By incorporating a peer-aid writing process, Jarvis’ book will likely become a success. The comments on his contract announcement post were all offering positive congratulations and generous offers of help. Everyone seems to be in agreement with his book and wish to help join in the writing process, just as the peer process dictates.

So, should other authors take notice of methods which are being used to create works in the digital age? Yes! It will not only help ease the writing process itself spawning numerous ideas and topics which one author probably wouldn’t have given prior thought too, but it also opens up the potential to reach a larger market through increased distribution. The internet can reach more people than the bookstore down-street ever could!

While searching the Wired site for the article we were assigned last week, I came across apart of the site set up in a wiki format called “Wiki How-to Wiki”. It offers techie how-to’s on all kinds of topics. Here’s a couple:

Save YouTube Videos on Your Hard Drive

Watch YouTube on Your iPod

Watch Higher Quality YouTube Videos

Find Lost Web Pages

Make a Local Backup of Your Hotmail Account

Create Your Own Font

 Make Your Blog Popular

I just thought this site was really interesting to scroll through. If it continues to grow I imagine every hack available will be archived here. Enjoy!

   Chris Anderson’s popular Wired article, Free! Why $0.00 is the Future of Business, covered the various characteristics of free in relation to our ever-growing technology savvy society. One of the areas discussed stated that the question surrounding infinite storage was not if it would happen but when it would happen. And the answer is that it is already here, it’s just not all online services choose to embrace it. However the ones which have choose to embrace infinite storage, like Yahoo, are profiting from cooperation and collaboration with what their consumers want and will find a way to get. Other increasingly prevalent obstacles to the digital environment today, like free music, bandwidth, and processing power, are being considered by dominant firms like Google and in-turn are profiting the most from the predicament. It may appear to be free to the user, but someone else is picking up the tab; whether it is the company offering the “free” product, or the rule of 1% which claims that 1% of users support the remaining 99% through advertisements. Companies are no longer specializing in selling products, but selling advertisements or cheaper products which entice the consumer to purchase something else located in their store.

         The first example I came across of a company, other than Yahoo, offering unlimited mail storage to its clients, was Verizon. Verizon Communications Inc., an internet service provider, announced it now plans to help its users download shared files quicker by collaborating with file-sharing software makers. This will increase download speeds for peer-to-peer files by an estimated 60%. Before most internet service providers would ban, block, or greatly slow down peer-to-peer file sharing, thus discouraging it, but as Chris Anderson’s article suggests, the companies which embrace supporting free products will profit the most from it. Another aspect to create benefits for Verizon, is to alter the method which the files shared are delivered. Traditionally only 6.3% of the shared files would come from other users within close distance to the user. Verizon hopes to change this system to 58% locally derived files; through a system they are calling, P4P. This P4P trial would save the company money because when files are transferred from far distances like the remaining 93.7% of files, the ISP’s long distance carrying costs are higher than local.  Verizon is hoping to show ISPs that there isn’t a problem with P2P file sharing, but that it can be used to their advantages. File sharing accounts for 1/3 of all internet traffic, and by working with and not against the file sharing, Verizon hopes to create an advantage for themselves amongst the numerous internet service providers and set an example for other ISPs.

        In relation to infinite storage, I came across an alternative method to store your music files on a music server, instead of keeping the files on your computer. I think this is a great idea and definitely pertains to this topic. Let your data be stored digitally on a lone hard drive, or on an external drive, instead of your main computer drive. Creating your own private music server not only stores all your physical music saving shelf space, but also increases accessibility. You could access your music all over you house or connect the server to the internet and have access all over the world. Now this sounds a lot easier than dragging boxes of CDs around the world. A full version of the steps to creating your own music server is posted here.

        And it can even be done with the music in your iTunes library! It’s like serving up your own personal iTunes library, without iTunes.  I think the example of creating your own music server is an indication of potentially how music could be also distributed in the future. Companies selling digital music over the internet could take this finding into consideration, because if people are able to serve up music on the internet, its possible as another method of obtaining free music they could distribute it this way too.

In closing, I think Chris Anderson brought up a lot of excellent points regarding free; the most predominant being that it is only a matter of when free products will become globally acceptable and companies will stop fighting the consumer by embracing free and reaping the benefits already gained by some.

 Also as a side note…It seems that Radiohead is going to try and continue to ride the wave, requesting that fans create their own music videos for the In Rainbows album. Who needs to pay for making a video, when someone else can do it…for free. (actually, I lied…Radiohead plans on giving out a prize of $10,000) Here’s a link to an interview with David Byrne and Thom Yorke on Radiohead’s distribution strategy and what other companies and artists can learn from it. 

Bitstrips is a “create your own comic strips online” site, that does just that. I found it on Jeff Jarvis’ blog about the Zuckerberg/Lacy episode that rocked SXSW. Here’s the bitstrip which basically sums up the fiasco. I was going to make my own bitstrip, but it may would have turned out as dreadful as my infamous Daft Hands impression.

The whole topic of a marketplace filled with ideas was derived from chapter four of our Wikinomics text, but unfortunately the main examples the text listed were regarding scientists and businesses looking for innovative answers to their unsolved problems. The real question is, what can a marketplace of ideas do for the average person? The answer is: everything !

The average person, who may not qualified as a retired nuclear physist using sites such as innocentive or yet2.com to make a little extra cash answering large company’s product dilemmas, may be looking for a problem to be fixed for themselves, but doesn’t have the available resources to do so. Say you run a small craft shop on PEI in the summer months and you want to create a digital logo for your shop and internet site. You don’t know any artists and want a faster solution than posting in the Buy, Sell and Trade which may not be answered. Before your options may have been limited, now you can obtain your answer through the internet using an online marketplace. Or say you had a special piece of irreplaceable jewerly which was lost or broken. You could use an online marketplace to fix your problem, by posting an advertisement requesting someone to recreate your once irreplaceble jewerly. Now not only businesses can solve their unique problems, but normal consumers too!

A perfect example of an online ideagora is Esty’s Alchemy. Alchemy is a divison of the Esty site, a site which specializes in buying and selling handmade objects. Alchemy is an online marketplace which requests for custom items can be listed that potential sellers can bid on the custom items being requested. The site coins Alchemy (no pun intended) as, “the pursuit of transforming your creative ideas and designs into tangible items“. Most of the items which are listed on the site range from logos, jewerly, clothing & bags, and custom-requested artwork. There are lots of examples of idea marketplace sites, here’s a post listing a bunch of them.

After finding about a million different items I wanted on this site (like crazy shoes! and rad mp3 cozys), I discovered the different pay methods available range from pay-pal like options, to credit, to money orders and checks. It depends on the seller. I didn’t realize before how amazing this type of website could be while reading about it in the chapter, but after visiting this site it definitely seems like ideagoras may be the wave of the future. Just think about how easy it would make gift shopping! There are sooooo many ideas out there, listed under just about every imaginable category (ie even pirate and ninja categories), so there is basically something for everyone listed on the site. Some of the items are kind of pricey, but custom made, one-of-a-kind objects do make the best gifts!

I had originated the idea for this post while scanning A VC’s blog, which boldly stated, “Alchemy is Back!”. Of course, my first thought was, “Who’s the next wacko that thinks they can turn common objects into precious metals? Micheal Jackson?”. Fortunately, I was pleasently surprise with Alchemy and am now in the process of saving upwards of $250 for crazy customized high heels. Shopping is the Devil’s Spawn.

Remember how we were all discussing the new Mac Air when it first came out, and complaining about how the lack of features was particularly concerning? Well here’s what How to Change the World’s blogger’s new Mac Air looks like. Just looking at it makes me think it’s going to spontaneously combust!

In class, we have briefly discussed topics concerning how to organize your web content through the use of bookmark sites (Del.icio.us) and RSS feeders. Competitors Yahoo! and Microsoft have taken content management to a new level by answering the need for management of mobile content. Yahoo! announced today its mobile-content management solution, onePlace. The tool’s objective is to create a better system to organize web information, similarly to RSS and bookmarks tools.

onePlace’s main objective is to strive for simplicity; the tool operates using a system similar to tagging and grouping, which allows users to create a category folder and link all relating information to that folder. The example Yahoo! is promoting is for traveling. Say you were traveling to Europe, you begin by creating a Euro-Trip folder. Then you can link to all the travel sites (ie recommended places to visit), related music, video clips, photos, search queries, etc. It’s like having your Del.ici.ous account only with more features, all available on your mobile phone. onePlace facilitates content portability even more, because now if you want to add useful information to your trip folder, and a computer is not close, you can just use your cellphone tool to add to the folder. Being that the phone is connected to the internet, onePlace also keeps information updated. So if your flight time was altered, onePlace would make an automatic update. Here’s a link to the press release, it includes all of onePlace’s anticipated features. Below is an idea of what the screen will look like.

I definitely think onePlace sounds like a useful content management tool for mobile users, aiding the issues concerning personal content management on the web by sorting the info in an extremely portable way (via a cellphone).  Since the tool has not been launched yet, I can’t give a review of the pros and cons, but I expect it to be covered regularly over blogs, once it is released. However, I’m rather surprised that no other companies have released a product similar to this sooner. Microsoft is releasing it’s Sliverlight tool, to be used with the newly partnered Nokia brand.  Google is beginning to launch it’s Google Gears application.

onePlace is expected to be available during this year’s second quarter. I found onePlace being covered by Techcrunch and Scobleizer blogging about Silverlight.

Tasia

Well RIAA doesn’t agree with that statement, but music that is freely available for download does create some perks for music artists. Take what South by Southwest (SXSW) has done. SXSW is a music and film festival in Texas which started out as a battle of the bands and eventually grew into one of the largest music festival events in the US. After the festival is over, SXSW offers a large MP3 file over Bittorrent for free of most of the artists which participated in the events. More than 1,400 this year.  This is especially convenient for those of us who can’t make it down to Texas for the week.

Scobleizer brought the availability of the torrent file to my attention from one of his posts. I knew about SXSW going on this month, but I didn’t know that there was a file for download. I definitely agree with Scoble saying this isn’t “stolen” music, but a gift from the artists. Freely available music is great for start-up indie bands, to become better known; look at Feist, for example. Bittorrent is a great way to distribute large files (even full seasons of television shows) across the internet. Although it is always associated with controversial downloading issues and recent malware issues.

SXSW is just trying to help out startup bands. Almost reminds me of Robin Williams helping out the boys at the TED conference yesterday with some comic relief.

I hope that new music breakthroughs keep happening on the web, like Hypemachine now being able to upload tracks from Lastfm.com accounts. Sweet!

Tasia