via FBU

Are you thinking to yourself,
“Man, I need some hip-hop from 1988 to listen to while I work.”
Me too. So good.
(Thanks, Craig.)

via Devour

On August 28, Apple was granted a patent for, “Apparatus and methods for enforcement of policies upon a wireless device.” It was originally filed June 26, 2008.
From the United States Patent Office (via Natural News):

Apparatus and methods for changing one or more functional or operational aspects of a wireless device, such as upon the occurrence of a certain event. In one embodiment, the event comprises detecting that the wireless device is within range of one or more other devices. In another variant, the event comprises the wireless device associating with a certain access point. In this manner, various aspects of device functionality may be enabled or restricted (device “policies”). This policy enforcement capability is useful for a variety of reasons, including for example to disable noise and/or light emanating from wireless devices (such as at a movie theater), for preventing wireless devices from communicating with other wireless devices (such as in academic settings), and for forcing certain electronic devices to enter “sleep mode” when entering a sensitive area.

What this patent means is Apple has been granted the ability to determine when and where you can use particular functions on your iPhone. I’m curious who or what determines what a “sensitive area” is.
This doesn’t give me warm, fuzzy feelings.

I’ve been hearing a lot of good things about the new iPhone and iOS 6. I was originally planning on upgrading my iPhone 4 in a month or two, but I don’t like what Anil Dash is saying about Maps:

The classic criticism that thoughtless Apple haters use against the company is that it makes products that are pretty but dumb. Usually those criticisms are by people who don’t understand the value of a comprehensible Human Experience, frustrated by the reality that many people will eagerly trade the open-ended technologies of competitors for the simple and satisfying experience that Apple provides.

But this time, they’re right: Apple’s made a new product that actually is pretty but dumb. Worse, they’ve used their platform dominance to privilege their own app over a competitor’s offering, even though it’s a worse experience for users. This is the new Maps in iOS 6.

I use maps a lot. I used them a lot living in Manhattan and I use them a lot living in LA. Apple needs to step it up real quick on this.
I definitely won’t be upgrading my current iPhone to iOS 6. I don’t feel like being a guinea pig on this.

Wow, how much more do I prefer the Ferrari F12 to the 599 it replaced?
…no disrespect to the 599, but the F12 has those sexy 458 eyes now.

Quick post.
I just started reading Steven Johnson’s new book, Future Perfect: The Case for Progress in a Networked Age and I’m liking it a lot so far (my emphasis):

The popular response to the Miracle on the Hudson encapsulates just about everything that is flawed in the way we think about progress in our society. First, the anomalous crash landing (fatal or not) gets far more play than the ultimately more important story of long-term safety trends. As a news hook, steady, incremental progress pales beside the sexier stories of dramatic breakthrough and spectacular failure.

This point Johnson brings up is especially relevant in light of all the “boring” news around the iPhone 5.
Apple made a dramatic breakthrough with the original iPhone in 2007 and has since been making incremental progress on it ever since. But that incremental progress hasn’t been good enough for the tech press.
One final though before I get back to reading: If the iPhone 5 is boring, what Android phone is making huge breakthroughs?

via 37Signals

via Pinterest

I was digging through the Daily Exhaust archives and came across the entry in 2008 where I retired my Palm Treo 650 after getting the original iPhone.
As I mention in the post, the syncing kept me loyal to Palm. The fact that my 2008 Treo 650 identity, contacts and applications originated on a 1999 Palm Vx is kind of incredible.
Also from 2008 is my first wish for the iPhone:

I want a program that will cache my RSS feeds so I can read them offline.

Yes, people, there was day before Instapaper existed (It was one of the first apps in the App Store in July 2008).
I also think my response to “what is the iPhone’s killer app?” still holds up well:

One answer is that the iPhone itself is the killer application. The way Google Maps integrates with Contacts which integrates with Calendar which integrates with Mail which integrates with Photos and Camera.

The fact that I can get an email from my friend Bryan, click on his name, get taken to his contact page, select his mobile number to call him, and while I’m on the phone with him, click on his address to find out where his apartment is, and then go back to his contact page to get the URL to his site so I can read his most recent entry.

That’s the killer app for me. All of it. Together.

Or:

The other way I could answer the question is – the App Store is the killer app.

To reference my first answer above, the iPhone has solved integrated communications. Every other app is just along for the ride and will be inherently derivative, only able to tap into the various Core Services (email, browser, maps, media playback) and since the App Store is the gatekeeper to all the apps, it’s the most popular application, by design.

Now that I think about it, ‘The App Store’ is a very appropriate name, since what you’re getting with most of the apps is just that – an appetizer.

The iPhone is the whole meal.

Comments are a way to come in and pinch a loaf on somebody else’s couch.

—Merlin Mann, Back To Work

It’s our function as designers to see things others don’t see.
—Don Chadwick