Thursday, May 26, 2005

5GHz Computers?

Well, I just had to bring this to your attention -- while you probably won't see this in Wal-Mart anytime soon, check it:

http://www.tomshardware.com/cpu/20031230/

Clocked at 5GHz at -190 c .... you go boyzzzzzzz..... ;-)

Sunday, May 15, 2005

Jellingspot for Windows ...

Just a quick notice, if any bloggers out there want to try out the Windows version of Jellingspot, write to info {at} midletsoft {dot} com, tell us the hardware you're going to use (which of these phones, BT USB device, and type of processor you have), and we will send you the link. We'll go public with the link soon, but need to finish the new page -- in the meantime, some of you guys can crash test it if you want ... the more feedback, the better. This will only come with the AdPusher and TextBroadcast services ... the more powerful fServer service will have to wait (few bugs to work out on the Windows version -- you can always try the Linux version if you want to test this service...)

Consider yourself a pre-Beta tester if you ask for the link ... so, be nice if you have problems .... report them.

Thursday, May 12, 2005

Surgical Sales vs. Community Development ...

Recently, I had a very good discussion with a pretty successful Sales guy about ways which Jellingspot should be pitched (since the Windows version will be on the site shortly...) ... naturally, being a sales guy, he's of the opinion that starting with large organizations who can thus push the product down the chain is the way to start, whereas my vision is to build a much larger user base and pick of smaller sales as the community grows and once the user base is larger, then hit up larger franchises, etc...

Both have their goods and bads and I'm not blind to them. For starters, being an unfunded company, getting a few (but large) customers would really help with accelerating development since their initial investment goes toward building and improving the product. Consider it "seed money" from them ... you give them a competative advantage ... a change agent as it's called, they tend to invest into you (since you're doing them a favor, even if your technology isn't mainstream ... doesn't generally matter, since these types of customers are of the Innovator class anyway). The problem with this approach is that you can then become slaves to these few companies, and while making money, the product itself can become neglected, and eventually, some other similar product with more vigor might surplant you. Having only time and an extremly large amount of my personal time involved in our product (no investors to pay back...), I'm not in a hurry to be enslaved (however, a few big customers also help nab additional customers ... kinda a bowling pin approach -- hit the first head right, and other customers/pins begin to fall).

The second approach (which I favor) is the "community" approach, which is to build up the user base FIRST and worry about the money later. Obviously, Jellingspot works fine ... it's not a concept technology but something people are using everyday now ... the problem is, it still needs some polishing and some new features we have planned just haven't made it in yet (time/resources...) ... our goal (soon) is to simply make it available to the community to use it .... period. We'll make steady improvements, but while the community uses it, we'll get feedback, and can make necessary changes when needed. The more people that use it, the better ... if people are using it, there is more reason for locations to install it, etc.... the chicken vs. egg argument is always coming up, and the best way to really get to the chicken or the egg is to get users. This also quickly helps you dominate (from a user perspective) the market ... just imagine now: You go to some location, each "big customer" has their own point server solutions (Jellingspot, Bluepulse, Kameleon, etc...) .... that is essentially 3 different client applications you have to have on your phone ... even being a phone geek, I'm not sure I'd even install 3 different ones. Since Jellingspot is not tied to any specific hardware solution, it would be foolish for us to ignore the greatest distribution tool on the planet (the Internet) to spread Jellingspot around the planet. This is what we're gonna do. Unfortunately, this industry is still in its infancy ... there is not going to be any compatibility between solutions (mainly because they're all a bit different ... however, if something gets similar, we'd be willing to make our application cross-compatiable ...) anytime soon, so expect a lot of cools things from different people, but expect to have a few apps on your phone until the industry consolidates itself ...

It's gonna get exciting soon ... stay tuned!

Wednesday, May 11, 2005

Nokia Sensor ...

Well, it seems Nokia is always doing something last, but since they have the hardware and a massive market, looks like their Sensor application might just move "toothing" (P2P Proximity Social Interaction) into the mainstream. Unfortunately, they don't have the app for my N-Gage or 7650 so I can test it ... which doesn't make munch sense (maybe they're trying to drive new phones?), but IMO this is the kinda application that can really change how people interact. Just the otherday, some 13 year old girl was bluejacking everybody on a tram in Prague (I of course accepted the incoming .jpg ... it was the X-ray of Homer Simpson's brain) ... normally I'm the one doing it to everybody else, but this time I got it... seems like this sorta thing could become fun with such an application ....

Of course, I have already written about these apps before ... MobiLuck, CrowdSurfer, ProxiDating, and even my own (started, but not finished) P2P Proximity applications have been around for a while, but seems Nokia just might have the power to make it mainstream. Looks like we'll find out ... now if I can only get it working on my 7650 (Yeah, I know, I'm old school ... but Nokia (here comes the catch) doesn't make a S-E P900 client ... guess I gotta test it some otherway.


[ Technorati Tags: Bluetooth Nokia Sensor
bluejacking Social Networking ]

Tuesday, May 03, 2005

Bluetooth vs. UWB: No more ...

While I never really believed the hype some corners yapped about (whether it was Bluetooth vs. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth vs. wUSB, Bluetooth vs. [Add Technology]), this is good news for both Bluetooth and UWB in particular and the industry as a whole:

I am excited to inform you that the Bluetooth SIG will be announcing its intent to work with Ultra-wideband (UWB) developers to combine the strengths of both technologies. The uniting of WPAN will enable high-speed applications, reduce fragmentation and bring organizations together for the greater good of short range wireless technologies. The ultimate goal is to work towards an architecture that allows devices to take advantage of UWB data rates for scenarios requiring that speed while maintaining backward compatibly with both existing Bluetooth devices on the market and future products not requiring the higher data rate.

Joint development between Bluetooth technology and UWB is the fastest and most economical pathway for both technologies to meet the future demands of manufacturers and end users. This collaboration of technologies will allow manufacturers to maintain existing Bluetooth core values like low power, low cost and unique ad hoc connectivity. At the same time the WPAN user experience will be improved by offering applications with higher data rates, which will make new scenarios and enhancing existing scenarios possible. Bluetooth wireless technologys brand equity, market penetration, and technical and organizational maturity will allow UWB to skip costly time-intensive obstacles in technology and market development by joining forces with a technology that is past that stage.

We are aware that challenges still exist - two UWB technologies, the need for global regulatory approval, as well as interference, interoperability and testing protocols - but, we are certain that this architecture is the best move for the wireless community as a whole. Not only do companies want to leverage investments in Bluetooth technology, but 250 million consumers have also made an investment in Bluetooth technology and will want those devices to work with future high data rate WPAN products.

The SIG and its over 3,400 members should be proud of their past accomplishments and look towards future ones. This public announcement will be the first step in a process to make this effort, and its benefits, a reality. The past has shown that the Bluetooth SIG members and staff can work together successfully to further the technology through programs and initiatives like the new qualification program and testing tools. We will continue to work together in coming months to estimate the timing and requirements necessary to achieve these cooperative goals. As our first priority we will keep its members abreast of all major milestones that occur related to this work.

Sincerely,

Michael Foley Ph.D.
Executive Director


-----------------------

Not Earth shattering, but it does give hope to extend Jellingspot to every single PC on the planet with (eventual) native support for wireless technologies compatiable with our technology.... that can't be a bad thing, can it?


[ Technorati Tags: Bluetooth UWB wUSB
Zigbee Wi-Fi ]

Sunday, May 01, 2005

Alive and well .... in GPL Hell

Yeah, it has been a few weeks since my last post ... just busy as heck. First, the Windows stuff is done. It's working (small bugs, I hope releasing it to the public will help us tune things a bit) ... we will release it to some pre-Beta early adpators soon (people who have been waiting for a while) ... I've just been writing some "copyright" stuff for some of the open source stuff we've written (which works with some GPL components we've used). I need to make sure all of the GPL software stuff we've used to get Jellingspot working on Windows has all of the proper disclaimers, copyright info, etc.... and we need to comment, add our copyright info, etc... to those things we've written from scratch. All of it will be released once we go public. Let me say from the outset that the GPL community is pretty wacky ... I've never seen so many zealots in one place. My original view of the GPL community as a "take a penny give a penny" bunch was completely warped ... many of the people in that community (not the stuff we're using, thank god) are nothing but bullies and vultures ... the GPL is more like a pyramid scam than anything. But, I digress.

Also, we're exploring running Jellingspot from a CD (with a Linux distro), so that you can pop in a CD on your Windows PC and use Jellingspot (if that CD boots into that Linux distro ran off that disk) ... I've been reading bunches, but if anybody knows some good distributions to use for this, drop me a line! Basically, we wanna make some image availble on our website, so you can just burn that Linux image to disk, and go ... otherwise, Linux is worthless for most people, since they cannot install, re-compile the kernel, etc... it's crazy (however, our larger customers have dedicated system admins for this, so it's fine -- but, you definately cannot conquer the world riding on the back of Linux). Speaking of Linux, this is why it will NEVER be usuable like Windows, because it's basically open source -- it's meeting the needs its individual developers, not REAL users (ie... the masses) ... I've seen "little" improvement in the last 7 years or so on usability ... pretty poor if you ask me.