Mobile DogRescuing Users from Mobile Jams
Mobile Dog: Gorillaz on the Mobile Road Again; iPad as Recording Studio
March 15, 2011 by Edward Dekema
Mobile Gorillaz in North America!
Late last year the popular alternative rock group Gorillaz released a new album, named The Fall, that was recorded almost entirely on an iPad during their 2010 North American tour. Using both apps downloaded from iTunes and real instruments, the band was able to record when and where they wanted, with every track captured by their tiny iPad mobile recording studio. By selling millions of songs worldwide, the Gorillaz definitely had the finances to book regular music studios or bring along more expensive ‘mobile’ recording equipment…
Why then use an iPad?
Well, listen to the album and you won’t know that it was recorded differently than any of their other albums. This is a great example where the quality of the apps and devices don’t suffer from much, if any, of a discounted experience because they are ‘mobile’. In fact, part of the appeal for a band like the Gorillaz is the mobility.
So what’s next? Great user experiences!
Well, Apple has upped the ante by releasing a new version of it’s recording app GarageBand for the iPad 2. While GarageBand is not new, it’s just frosting on the cake for both casual and serious musicians wanting the ability to record cheaply at home or on the road. The list price for this wonderful piece of software – only $4.99 (plus the cost of your iPad 2, of course). What do you get for the money?
Lots of touch sensitive instruments – keyboards, pianos, guitars, strings, horns, drums, organs, and almost anything else you could want for your musical masterpiece. Amps – for plugging in a real guitar and adding that Clapton like solo. Effects – to make it sound like you are playing in a large concert hall or an intimate coffee shop. Audio Recorder – for plugging in that mic and letting the fat lady sing. Recording Studio – to mix and master your tracks so they are ready to upload to iTunes.
In other words, everything you need to get the job (or gig) done, all bundled into an engaging device and software package. The mobile products we produce should take note and strive for the same excellent user experiences.
What this means to bands today:
Anybody can now take their music to a deeper level. Previously bands would work on perfecting their songs and then head into a costly studio to record. Under this paradigm a highly trained engineer would attempt to capture the band’s sound, to tape or digital form, to the best of his/her abilities and then a highly skilled music producer would mix and master the songs for release, and ultimately the top of the pop charts. Because of a lack of experience and money, this process usually left the bands out in the cold during the most important stages of creating an album.
The Beatles would have sounded very different had George Martin, their famed producer, not become the informal 5th Beatle and taught them how to use a recording studio to enhance their creativity. Think Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
Now, thanks to the iPad 2 and GarageBand, any musician or band member can become the skilled sound engineer and/or music producer. The software is easy to learn, does not charge by the hour, and is forgiving of mistakes.
Again, all elements of the perfect user experience. While Apple did not create the first mobile studio or device, it has done what is usually does, it nearly perfected it.
How iPad 2 & GarageBand will change an industry:
Of course digital downloads, legal and illegal, have changed the music industry forever, but I think another wave will be coming in the near future. Big stars like U2, Jay-Z, Lady GaGa, and others will always be around because we need super-sized personalities in pop culture, but I’m thinking music markets will start growing in size at a local level.
Previously local music was usually a code phrase for poorly recorded, with no talent, and destined for dust bin oblivion. Imagine now my little town of Bothell, WA and it’s good sized population of high school and college students. Lets say five bands, a small percentage of those that currently exist here, start recording using their iPad’s and releasing songs for sale. iTunes will need to create tracking charts for small markets so we can tell who is #1 in my town. Local bands will compete against each other for the top of the local charts and the sophistication of their tools will enable them to produce music as if George Martin has joined their band as well.
Coming to the coda:
All of this because a group of Gorillaz used Apple technology to show us a sweet spot in the mobile universe. We should all strive to compete at this level…
∞
Mobile Dog: 10 Things I’d Love About Mobile, Part 2
March 8, 2011 by Edward Dekema
Back to not working…
Time to put the feet back up on my desk and finish off the mobile brainstorming I started in my previous post. To recap, in that post I decided to challenge myself while hiding out from work during a snowstorm. By the way, the storm never materialized and I was the butt of a few jokes from my co-workers when I sheepishly returned to work two days later. Now back to the main topic. My goal? I work on mobile projects, but I’m also a mobile user, so what are ten things I can envision being useful when I am out and about? You’ll have to read last week’s post for my first five ideas, but the following finishes out the top ten.
6. Digital cards – I’m tired of trying to juggle which cards I carry in my wallet at any given time. Credit/debit cards, memberships (gym, Costco, etc.), healthcare provider, proof of insurance, driver’s license, and so many more. I want my iPhone to replace all of them. In fact, I want my iPhone to entirely replace my wallet. I’m a guy, so it only holds cards and cash. Both of which should quickly become things of the past. Imagine that, the next generation will never open up a shiny new wallet from Grandma during the holidays.
7. Enhanced sporting events – Plug me in coach. Instant replays, multiple camera angles, live stats, interaction with other disgruntled fans – all while sitting in the stadium. Make me feel like I’m in the control room, up in the booth, down on the sidelines, in the huddle, hanging out in the locker, up to bat, or at a large party with 50,000 like minded friends. Show me a traffic congestion map for the food lines, let me have food delivered to my seat. Make it worth the $100 ticket price.
8. Historical GPS – Like everyone else, I love GPS maps, but they are so current and today. Think instead about walking around NYC, a favorite city of mine, starting up the GPS app and selecting a year from the past. Set the date to 1776 and start walking around. Where did Washington maintain his headquarters? No problem, right over there on the street corner next to that Starbucks. Where did the British land in Manhattan after chasing the rebels out of Brooklyn? In between the apartment complexes across the way. What path was used for the retreat into New Jersey? Let me find out by going back in time and wandering thru history.
9. Document review and guidance – we all sign documents on a regular basis, but we usually have no lawyer, guidance, thoughtful interpretations, or explanation of the potential risks. This happens when we rent cars, check into hotels, apply for jobs, borrow money, find a new doctor, hire a maid, or simply send a kid into the batting cage. What if these types of agreements became standardized or individually cataloged with bar codes. This would enable me to sign up with a legal service provider I trust and receive guidance, tailored for me based on information I have provided, before I sign any new document, no matter how big or small. I’ll be able to show up at the doctor’s office, pull out my iPhone, and scan each document’s bar code as I read through them. Instantly, because my legal app has previously seen and analyzed the document, and they also know who I am, I’m given a list of potential issues I might encounter once I have signed my life away. A legal eagle in my pocket.
10. Here comes a regular – I want to be able to let certain retail or service providers know that I’m a regular. For example, I love Starbucks and am usually recognized when I walk into my local store. I’m asked if I want my typical venti unsweetened iced green tea. It’s a nice touch. But what if I want this type of recognition nationally at all of their stores? It sure would make me feel important if I walked into a Starbucks down in California and the staff immediately greeted me by name and asked if I wanted my usual drink. I wouldn’t want this everywhere I went, just the places where I want to feel special.
And that’s the way it is, my thoughts on what the mobile world should be working on to make me happy…
∞
Mobile Dog: 10 Things I’d Love About Mobile, Part 1
February 22, 2011 by Edward Dekema
I’m not just a mobile program manager, I’m also a mobile user.
I’ve noticed that it is easy to get deeply involved in my day-to-day activities and never stop to put my thinking cap on. Usually the last items on my task list, the ones I never seem to have time for, are those related to thinking forward, developing strategies, or creating visions. It seems most people, including myself, feel guilty about putting the feet up and staring at a small spot on the ceiling while switching the brain into deep processing mode. In addition to this being a matter of not breaking routine, I also believe it can be comforting to work on the tactical and logistical stuff and avoid stepping out into empty space where our minds can run free.
Well, I decided to challenge myself today while hiding out from work during a snow storm. The goal? I work on mobile projects, but I’m also a mobile user, so what are ten things I can envision being useful when I am out and about? Please note that this can be the space for dumb ideas or capturing one that already exists, but when done regularly it can produce some truly visionary items that can be potentially added to your current or future projects.
1. In-store GPS – my iPhone can get me to the store, but can it actually help me when I am in the store? Imagine having a lists of twenty items you need to buy at the local big box store and when you walk in the door a map suddenly appears to guide you to each destination. In and out in less than five minutes. Stores might not like this because I would no longer randomly wander down the aisles throwing unnecessary junk into my cart, but it sure would be a nice differentiator between available shopping experiences.
2. Point of sale negotiations – I’m in Best Buy and I’m finally ready to buy that tablet. Three contenders sit right in front of me and it’s time to make a decision. Considering that the devices are close in quality and feature sets, which manufacturer really wants my business? I want to bring each of them into a virtual bidding war for my business. I’m ready to spend today, so who is more motivated to move inventory and give me the best price or bundle in a few extras.
3. Audio streams at concerts – lousy sound systems and screaming fans no longer work for me. Ticket prices are high and I want to hear the music. I saw Bob Dylan a few months back and couldn’t hear a word he sang. Classic songs went by and I had no idea. It’s time to let me slip on the iPhone headphones and hear Bob sing Maggie’s Farm. Heck, for an additional price, sell me live tracks and let me take home a real souvenir.
4. Video streams at movies – sorry, there are many bad seats at your local movie theater. Stream the movie to my iPad and let me switch back and forth between big and little screen depending on the scene playing. The streaming version could also answer ‘hey – who is that actress and what has she been in before?’. It would be fun to see other ways movies could be augmented, more so if they fit the category of never going to contend for a best picture nod.
5. Track routine activities – everybody else has my data but me. I’d like an app that automatically logs specific events and data about me, for my use. Get an oil change – logged with date/time and type of oil used. Go to the dentist – logged with procedures performed, copies of my x-rays, and date of my next appointment. Go to a restaurant – remember what I ordered and the cost of the final tab. I know I can manually enter this information, but I’d rather have my device capturing data while I’m on the run getting things done.
I’ve got five more ideas, but that will need to wait for my next blog. In the meantime, take a few minutes and run through a similar exercise. I’d love to hear what you come up with…
∞
Reporting From The Front Lines…
February 15, 2011 by Edward Dekema
Around the world freedom loving citizens are rising up and speaking out against oppressive regimes. For the latest, we now take you to our fearless reporter at the epicenter of the latest battle…
Thanks Jim. Protests continued Wednesday as the Apple corporation moves forward with a plan to enact free content reform. If ratified the measure will add a surcharge to the previously free internet content enjoyed by millions of people around the world.
In response to the protests, a small group of angry birds were pulled away from clashes with insurgent pigs in nearby San Jose and redeployed to disperse about 200 protesters outside Apple’s Cupertino headquarters, state media reported. The iProtestors were demanding that the ‘one-click experience for auto-renewable digital subscriptions’ not be enacted by the company.
Meanwhile, the once free content industry has formed an apolitical and independent constitutional committee to propose their own constitutional free content reforms within 10 days, according to activist Andy Droid.
While no public statement has been made, it is believed that content producers will band together to ensure no member steps out of line and continues providing free content. It is known that several former OPEC Oil Ministers have been consulted to help determine how the new content consortium will conduct business. When trying to assess the potential implications of paid content, one critic, as an example, predicted that the cost of NFL related stories would soar in the lead up to the Super Bowl and slowly decline back to normal levels during the long summer months.
Banks and the stock market have also closed amid fears Apple will begin looking at financial applications as additional means to boost the kingdom’s finances.
Noticeably absent from public view during the current controversy is Steve Jobs, who is currently rumored to be lobbying behind the scenes to create another new mandate requiring all citizens to purchase an iPhone at birth. If successful, Jobs will reportedly demand an Apple tax be added to the purchase of any product not starting with the letter ‘i’.
Now back to the studio for the latest on the protests breaking out in the Duchy of Grand Fenwick over the government attempts to silence the mouse that roared…
∞
2011 – The Year of the Device Database?
February 8, 2011 by Edward Dekema
Is 2011 the year of the tablet as many have proclaimed?
I actually think it will be remembered as the year of the device database. In my view, we are finally nearing the point where those of us in the software world finally get pushed over the edge by the number of new devices and platforms that we are required to support and we begin looking for a true long-term solution.
Unlike a few years ago, when we just had the web, the lack of a single standard is allowing the device manufacturers to push the high cost of supporting the current ‘device war’ between Apple, RIM, Android, Microsoft, and others, down to the individual companies producing the software. Potentially, in the long run, increasing the cost of goods and services to the end customer.
To measure the impact, I recommend looking at each device/platform combination your team supports and try to calculate a rough cost per user for each one. For example, you might have an application that runs on an early version of Android, but what is the cost to support that potentially small group of your users? A good comparison might be the cost to support a web user vs. the cost to support a “device/platform” user. I’m guessing that across the board, supporting web based applications is the most cost effective manner for interacting with your customers.
The more fragmentation that occurs, as this year will show, the higher your cost of support will be.
Back to the Device Database
A device database, which can be purchased from various sources, captures useful attributes about all devices, past and present. These attributes can be used to define the user experience based on a device’s capabilities. Small screen and only a keyboard? Your application should adapt and present an optimized experience. Large screen and motion detection? Your application can provide a much richer and more enjoyable user experience. What’s important is that your application changes based on potentially a handful of device attributes that you deem important, such as screen size, input methods, bandwidth, and etc. Doing this will allow you to look at a device as being abstract, not as an iPhone, Android, or Blackberry. With this you can create categories based on similar attributes of any devices and present an optimized user experience.
A Proposed Strategy
- Don’t think in terms of having separate web and mobile strategies, develop a device strategy.
- Get back to supporting broad standards, such as HTML or HTML5.
- Identify and group valuable device attributes (screen size, inputs, etc.) on which you will create your various user experiences.
- Purchase a device database or service.
- Sit your web application down and teach it to adapt to any device it will interact with.
I know this is over simplified, but I believe it is necessary to reduce the increasing cost of supporting every new device and platform created in the next few years.
∞
Edward Dekema
Ed is a Mobile Program Manager for a large Financial Services company. I've spent over 20 years living in Seattle, drinking coffee, working on large software projects, and releasing music on my very low profile record label. From Windows 2000 to a 1993 grunge CD featuring Nirvana's former record producer and drummer, I'll tackle any kind of project. You can even find my name buried in the book, Loser - the History of the Seattle Music Scene. I don't think there is anything left for me to do except blog about mobile.
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