Life On the Wicked Stage: Act 2

Like a Moth to a Flame

Ok, I admit it. I almost completely succumbed to the hype and the hoopla surrounding the iPhone launch and plunked down some cash I didn't have to pick one up. Almost. The wife was out of town. The local AT&T Store still had a few in stock this morning. The geek urges were flowing.

 I didn't go there and I think now that the furor is dying down, I'll probably not for quite some time, if ever. Nothing against the iPhone. By most accounts folks are really taken with the device. There are a few bugs in the system with activation, and some reports of problems here or there, but I guess when all is said and done, so far this can indeed be called one of the most successful product launches, both from the technology in the device and the sure power of the marketing and promotion. P.T. Barnum has got nothing on Steve Jobs. I mean face it, Apple has never met a product launch without a problem they didn't have fun denying, But they seemed to have made it largely work this time.

Several things, now that sanity has returned, keep me from being attracted. I'm not impressed with the lock down nature of the device. The EDGE network here is pitiful. I actually had a store rep show me some web browsing on another device. My PPC 6700 on 1X beat his on EDGE hands down. Should have seen his face fall.

I also have to get some work done occasionally. The PPC 6700 is serving me quite well there, along with my other gear, and not being able to tether up will be a hindrance when I'm out of town, or require an additional expense. No thank you.

Kent Newsome's 5 Stages of Blogging

Kent Newsome continues to write some interesting stuff about blogging. (Should that be blog some interesting stuff about blogging?) He's listed his 5 Stages of Blogging which include Excitement, Expectation, Frustration, Alienation, and Abandonment.

Kent couches most of his arguments within the context of "regardless of motivation" which makes sense and is accurate. That said, IMHO blogging is fundamentally no different than any other human endeavor that requires patience and persistence to achieve whatever rewards you are looking for, with a couple of exceptions.

Bloggers like to talk and share a lot. If they find success they share it. Some call that bragging. Some call it ego gratification. Some call it smart PR. It does create an expectation factor for those reading from the sidelines that anyone can do the same. That window closed long ago and like any other endeavor, last in usually means first out. And of course there are quite a few blog resources that list the same "How to succeed in blogging rules" that really don't help anyone do anything but get a start and I think create a shorter path to Kent's later stages. No matter how patient and how persistent you might be, it takes a little assistance to get things moving in the right direction. (Read friend. Read Link Love.) I don't believe that "blog good content and they'll come" maxim.

Patience and persistence also don't pay off if you aren't willing to play the game. Like all other endeavors blogging has its rules and game play. Folks can deny it all they want, but it is true. That kind of game playing takes more than patience and persistence, it takes paying attention to what's going on. And in my mind that's the single biggest investment in time you have to make.

New York City Wants To Charge You To Take a Picture

This goes into the stupid file. Of course the rationale behind it security issues (amazing how you can use it for anything these days.) NYC wants to force those who want to photogaph or video on public property to get a license. The way the proposed law reads at the moment is that any two people using a camera or tripod. The city wants to keep the language vague so their can be broad discretion. Can't you just imagine how the cops will react to this?

Stupid.

Winchester Launches the iPhone

After seeing a few folks in line this morning I decided to swing by after work and see just how many folks in our area were going to be standing and waiting. I pulled in about 5:30pm and sure enough the line was a bit larger. There were 65 folks to my count. I pulled out the video camera and talked to a few. At least those who wanted to talk. One guy says he didn't want to be on camera because he had cut from work early. The video speaks for itself to a degree as we hear from some real folk about their expectations. No celebrities here, although there were quite a few coolers, and at least one fender bender.

I did talk to the store manager a bit and he said he wouldn't be able to satisfy everyone there tonight. That will be painful I'm sure. The store was letting 10 customers in at a time and you had to be buying in order to get in. If you just wanted to look you couldn't. If you had questions they would answer them in front of the store.

I had to leave right as they were opening the store to get back to the theatre but saw the first 10 get in. (They wouldn't let me film through the door. And as they were let in they were asked how many they were purchasing and that was shouted to a rep who then took them to a register.

If I'm not too tired I might swing back after the show tonight to see how they are doing.

Fascinating stuff.

And for more iPhone video fun, check out my buddy James Kendrick's experience. Hysterical.

UPDATE: I swung by the AT&T Store after work later. No lines, but also no browsing. I have no idea what the Apple Store experience is like but at this AT&T Store they have no iPhones on display and aren't allowed to. No lookie unless you are going to plop down some cash. The customer makes his purchase and can't even take the phone out of the box. Has to leave the store with it sealed or so they say. They tell me that they don't know when they will have them on display. I find that interesting.

Also, the AT&T guys tell me they can't purchase one for six months. If a family member purchases one they can't bring it on the sales floor.

Hearing rumors that the EDGE service has been upgraded to coincide with the launch I asked one of the sales guys to demonstrate it on another device. He does, and knowing how poorly the Telcos treat our area I'm not surprised that it is pretty slow going to load a web page. Of course the sales guy could neither confirm or deny that the EDGE service has been upgraded. If that's corporate crap, it is more than silly.

Resisting the Urge

Ok, this looks interesting and almost makes me succumb to the hype. Reports are circulating that AT&T customers in some areas are seeing a boost in EDGE speeds. A nice surprise for the iPhone release? Confirmation that the Telco's can give the US Euro-like browsing it they wanted to? Who really knows at the moment. So far, I'm resisting the urge, unlike a lot of my geek buddies. Check out jk, Matt Miller, Josh Bancroft, Scoble, and others.

Gonzales Is Still Attempting To Thwart Attempted Piracy

Antonio Gonzales, you know everyone's favorite Attorney General, is still going after those who "attempt piracy." Apparently in a speech in Seattle he continued to beat that drum. I guess it drowns out the noise from all of the other crap he's stepped in lately.

In any regard, I love this part from a report by CNET.

In addition to the provisions mentioned above, that bill would allow more ready seizure of computers and other assets used to commit copyright crimes, punish certain "intended" copyright crimes, and require Homeland Security to alert the Recording Industry Association of America about attempts at importing "unauthorized fixations of the sounds, or sounds and images, of a live musical performance."

Can anyone out there tell me what an unauthorized fixation is? Maybe it is like chaining your political career to someone who continually screws the pooch? I'm just asking.

Russia Grabs at the North Pole

Fascinating. Russia is now claiming territorial rights (read grabbing for oil and mineral rights) over a large swath of the Arctic. You got to admire the brazenness of it all. I just wonder what Santa is going to say.

Kent Newsome on Fear and Loathing in the Blogosphere

Kent Newsome has been taking a beating lately. I've been busy but I've been watching as he has been doing his viral blogging/tagging experiment and also as he has kind of inserted himself into the latest blogosphere flap. I enjoy reading his stuff and his thinking is usually pretty spot on. If you're wondering what a cold, harsh, place the blogosphere can be, or wondering how it might just be made a little warmer, you might want to check out some of his recent posts.

Fighting Back Against the RIAA

It's now secret that I think the pirates at the RIAA are the scourge of the earth. Apparently this woman thinks so too. She got wrongly called on the carpet, did everything in her power to prove she wasn't guilty, still got sued and harassed. Now she's fighting back with a federal lawsuit of her own.

I hope she sucks them dry.

Via The Oregonian

So They Found The Mummy Queen

So, they think they've found the mummy of Egyptian Queen Hatshepsut. She was the one who wore a beard (can you say complex) and liked to build lots of things. What I found fascinating about this story is that all records of her rule disappeared, supposedly because here son was ticked at her. Just goes to show that a mother will always win out in the end.

Via MSNBC