Way Out Of Social Bounds

So on the 10th anniversary of the iPhone…

I want to say that the iPhone is probably one of the greatest inventions of all times…congratulations to Apple and especially to Steve Jobs!

I also want to say how far people have gone crazy in using these smartphones without any filters as to privacy or propriety. 

HERE IS A TRUE STORY THAT JUST HAPPENED :

We are in this building waiting for an elevator to come. 

A man comes around the corner speaking into his smartphone held at chest height with the speaker on blast!

He sees us, but apparently doesn’t even think to pause the conversation or turn off the speaker and put the device to his ear.

Instead, we hear from the phone from what is apparently his immediate family member.

“That’s right, it’s a yeast infection!”

We are looking at each other like is this really happening or are we on Candid Camera or something.

And he respond still on with the speaker as we get on the elevator:

“A yeast infection, yeah, yeah, you better not let it get any worse.”

Then from the phone:

“With these yeast infections, you know how it can be. I’ll try to take care of it today,”

Him again, now as he’s getting off the elevator:

“Well anyway, hope I’ll be seeing you over later today.”

My wife and I look at each other, and I blurt out after the elevator door closes:

“Yeah, yeah, I guess we’ll be seeing you later today–with that yeast infection and all–hope it’s not contagious!”

And we both start cracking up at how insane people are. 

While we can’t (completely) help what people are over-hearing -and seeing through surveillance mechanisms on our smartphones, this guy with his phone, he didn’t even flinch at the conversation he was having in the open on the speaker. 

It’s a different day and age, and some people have no sense of boundaries anymore. 😉

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Technology Hope For The Future

Ok, this gives me tremendous technology hope for the future. 

This 4-year old kid is working diligently on her smartphone, while her mom is shopping not far away in the clothing store at the mall. 

She didn’t seem to care about the clothes hanging all around her or the fun in the mall or really anything else at all…she was content with her tech!

And while I certainly believe in work-life balance and in kids being able to really jsut be kids, there was just something so amazing about the promise of technology, especially for those who are now growing up with it. 

After all, it was very cute how intent this kid was with all the technology power right in the palm of her hands, and I could easily see a budding CIO in the making here. 

And of course, with even better and more capable technology in the future. 

Through technology and belief, we can find hope in the impossible. 😉

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Fashion As Art

I took this photo today in Washington, D.C.–although it seemed for a moment like I was magically transported to downtown Beijing. 

What an stunning outfit this lady is wearing!

Fashionable yet modest, with brilliant colors, and contrasting patterns and solids–more like art than clothing. 

She is walking with a complete fluid grace–even while she’s reading on her smartphone. 

Don’t tell Dossy–Oh, she’s right here! 😉

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Apple Desperately Needs Some New Fruit

I love my Apple iPhone, but this core product debuted in January 2007.

We’re going on almost 9 years!!!

Don’t get me wrong, the iPhone is enormously successful:

– It accounts for 92% of the smartphone industry’s profits (even though it only sells 20% of the smartphones). 

– The iPhone bring in almost 2/3 of Apple’s total revenue now going on almost $200 billion. 

But, the new growth that Apple seeks in not based on any real exciting innovation.

Take for example Apple’s announcements this week:

– A new larger 12.9 inch iPad with a stylus (the Apple Pencil).

– A revamped Apple TV set-top box. 

– Apple’s iPhone 3-D Touch that controls the smartphone based on how hard you press. 

Uh, ho-hum–this is all V-E-R-Y boring!

Google has a similar problem with their core business of advertising on Search and YouTube accounting for 89% of their revenue.

But at least Google continues working towards their next moonshot, and has reorganized their innovation labs into a separate entity called Alphabet–working on everything from:

– Self-driving cars

– Delivery drones

– Internet balloons

– Smart thermostats (Nest)

– Broadband services (Google Fiber)

– Longevity research (Calico)

– Smart contact lenses

– Robotics

Unfortunately for Apple, the death of Steve Jobs in 2011 has meant the loss of their driving force for innovation. 

Despite a workforce of about 100,000 and a gorgeous new flying saucer-looking headquarters, can you think of any major new products since Jobs?

Apple is a fruit in it’s prime–ripe and shiny and hugely smart and successful, but without any new fruits going forward, they are at risk of becoming a stale mealy apple, versus a bountiful and delicious fruit salad. 

Apple is very secretive, so maybe the fruit is coming. 

I hope for our sake and theirs that Apple is seriously planting for the future and not just harvesting on the past. 😉

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Light Up Your Life

We’ve seen colored light bulbs before…very hippie.

However, I like the Misfit Bolt, which is a multi-colored bulb, whose combinations are controlled by an app on your smartphone or -watch. 

It’s was introduced at the Consumer and Electronics Show (CES) in Vegas this week. 

And it has lighting that simulates landscapes such as a beach sunset, forest, island volcano, rainbow, and more. 

It can also be set as an alarm to wake you up to a simulated sunrise.

At $50, it’s more than a mood ring–how you feeling today, buddy?

But how nice to relax to, wake up with, and to create some pick me up feeling lighting around you. 😉

Happy Hanukkah

Happy Hanukkah everyone!

Hanukkah is the holiday of lights and miracles. 

It has special meaning for me as it was many years ago now on the first night of Hanukkah that I went on my first date with my lovely wife, Dannielle.

When I came home, I said to my parents, “This is the one!”

And so it began…

On another note, many of you are probably aware of the famous miracle of Hanukkah that in the ruins of the Jewish Temple, which had been desecrated by the Greeks more than 2,000 years ago, a single vial of oil was found, and although it would normally only last for 1 day to keep the menorah lit, instead it lasted for 8 days (the time it took to prepare a new supply).  

Apparently, the oil supply shocks of the 1970’s really weren’t that new a phenomenon after all…

Similarly, I recently saw a funny comic that said that the miracle of Hanukkah today is that the smartphone battery that normally last 1 day (or less if you use it a lot during the day) lasts for 8 days.

Clearly, the miracles of ancient times are still fresh with us in modern times as well. 😉

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Smartphone or Kitty Litter

Interesting…Bloomberg Businessweek ran a special anniversary issue with a countdown of the 85 most disruptive ideas (in the last 85 years), and guess where they think the smartphone fell in that?

#78!!! 

Right up there with the white board (#82) and good ‘ol high frequency trading (#80).

But not as important as get this…the corporate campus (#77), the VCR (#74), Kitty Litter (#73), Singapore, literally–{Uh, and how about Israel?} (#71), bottled water (#56), High-fructose corn syrup (#48), Air Jordan sneakers (#45), Napster (#43), and junk bonds (#7).

They ranked the smartphone so low in disruption, even after giving it a two-page spread with no less than 32 “things the smartphone killed” and they probably missed a few hundred!

There is no need to list everything the smartphone does for you, because you use these functions every moment of every day. 

To most people now, the smartphone is one of their most prized possessions and they don’t go anywhere without it and rarely do you see anyone not “on it.” (Uh, I know more than a few people who even dropped them in the toilet!)

Honestly, Businessweek…I think you missed the significance of the smartphone big time. 

Yeah maybe Starbucks (#68) and the Pill (#9) are competitors, but not as important or disruptive as Kitty Litter…shame on you!  😉

(Source Photo: here with attribution to Lonely Bob)

Making The Transition

Came out of the hospital yesterday.

Able to walk with a walker–thankful for this miracle already.

Thanks to good ‘ol technology, I was able to send my surgeon a photo from my smartphone this morning, so he could see for himself what was going on and advise me.

Later today, having nursing and physical therapy to the house and am glad to have yet another set of eyes on me, while I heal up.

Emotionally, it’s trying.

I am a very active and structured person, and for now I am just physically limited–no getting around it.

As I push myself to walk, I can see my body pushing back to give it more time.

Overall, I am determined to get back to myself with G-d’s merciful help.

I’ve already logged onto work–telework–and been in touch with my team trying to keep things moving forward.

I’m also here, on the blogosphere, sharing my experience.

While in the hospital orthopedic unit, I got to meet many others with similar or even worse situations.

One guy had a knee replacement in January and was already back and had his hip done.

Another, I was told had one hip done, followed about 2 weeks later, by the other one.

All sorts of amazing stories of people fighting to recover and get back on their feet, literally.

One more time, I just want to say how my wife has been amazing through all of this, and I can’t thank her enough.

And truly, as my parents told me, “If you have your health, you have everything!”

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

The Dancer and The Tablet

So we are at this Mediterranean Restaurant next to the beach.

We are sitting outside–it is a little chilly and we cozy up next to one of the fire poles to keep warm.

We weren’t eating much; just a drink for our anniversary and something to munch on.

All of a sudden, my wife points to this lady from the next table who gets up and starts dancing provocatively.

You can see the sliver of ocean behind her, the night sky, and the cars and pedestrians are going by behind her.

There are multiple realities going on here:

She is in her own world–dancing to the music, swaying this way and that, and enjoying her femininity.

On the other hand, the guy she’s with is taking a video of her on his tablet computer–he seems more concerned with capturing the moment with his technology than enjoying his girlfriend.

We are conscientious observers–I sort of wondered if the guy should’ve been paying more attention to the women who was wooing him than playing with his tablet.

The other lesson that I can’t help reaching is that cameras and microphones are truly everywhere–privacy is a complete myth!

He is recording her, we are videoing them on our smartphone, and the restaurant is taping all of us on CCTV cameras, and NSA is laughing at us from Fort Meade.

So if you want solitude, book a flight with Virgin Galactic. 😉

The Sony Wig Nut

Sony has so missed the mobile technology revolution.

In desperation, Sony has filed a patent for the SmartWig.

How incredibly useful (uh, not)?

Your faux hairdo can dial your hairdresser and make your next appointment for you.

It can locate via GPS the nearest salon.

And the SmartWig can even take selfies while you admire yourself in the mirror.

While Sony is goofing around again, and hasn’t had a hit since the to die for Sony televisions of yore (and let’s not forget the Walkman from 1980s), Google is moving out with bravado on Glass.

Google is getting display space for Glass in eyeglass retailers, and working with opticians to make prescription lens eye-Glass.

Let’s just say one company gets wearable technology and the other is hiding under wigs in The Technology Hall of Shame.

Then again, one customer may be interested in talking with Sony—the CIA for undercover operations.

Maybe a Smart Groucho Marx mustache that automatically shakes out the soup after you eat would be a cool new product, as well–go for it Sony!

(Source Photo: here with attribution to Annetta)