Mobile Apps - Boom or Bust? Sherman, please set the Wayback Machine for 1994, and then 1853

In the last few days, I’ve seen reports that Mobile Apps are repeating the 1996 expansion, and reports that Mobile Apps don’t provide a viable business model. I think that  there are elements of truth in both articles, but I don’t think either is an adequate depiction of what I’m seeing. Let me see if I can explain.

Like others, I feel like I’ve been here before, but for me the year wasn’t 1996, but 1994. That year, I was a consultant in Dallas Texas, mostly hooking up Internet connectivity and web servers for companies that nothing to do with technology. At one point I literally couldn’t introduce myself to people without having them say, “Did you say that you do websites? I’ve got to get a website for my business. Can you help me?”

Published at March 9, 2011 ·  2 min read

We have a Winner! (so far) - the Battle of the iPad Styli

 

A long, long time ago, I bought the first US Robotics Pilot 5000. Using Graffiti, I could actually take notes for the first time in a meeting that I wouldn’t have to type in later (although I did have to correct missed letters periodically).

 

I used PalmOS and a Stylus to take notes up through my Kyocera 7135, which I loved. But when it died, I couldn’t bring myself to get another phone with that outdated OS, so I made the jump to Windows Mobile with a Verizon xv6600 in 2004 or so. And up until recently, I still didn’t have a device I could take good notes on. I still take notes writing much faster than I do typing with my thumbs, so once I got my iPad, I went looking for a way to take notes.

Published at September 26, 2010 ·  2 min read