Noooooooooo!!!

George Lucas announced yesterday that Lucasfilm will be acquired by Disney. As the sole owner of the production empire, Lucas will receive $4.05 billion in cash and Disney stock. In other words, George Lucas gave away Star Wars. $#%@! For what, Republic Dactaries?!? That currency has no value in places like Tatooine and other separatist sectors--not counting far, far away galaxies where planet Earth belongs. And speaking of far, this is by far the most foolish act of rebellion in the galaxy.

George, I find your lack of faith disturbing. Expect Darth Vader's chokehold anytime now. In fact, Obi Wan never told you what happened to your father... No George, Steven Spielberg is your father. Noooooooooo!!!

Okay, serious mode. What exactly did Disney buy? Lucasfilm, rights to both Star Wars and Indiana Jones properties (and others), videogame developer-publisher LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic (the largest visual effects vendor in the motion picture industry), and Skywalker Sound (known for developing the THX standard, sold in 2001).

That's the bad news.

Now the good news. George Lucas revealed that the Star Wars saga will continue forward with another trilogy, this time the much speculated story behind Episodes 7, 8 and 9. Scheduled for release in 2015, Episode 7 is both exciting and perplexing. Speaking, again, of far, far away, this is forever. Then again, if George Lucas taught us geeks one thing, it's patience--Episode 1 happened 22 years after Episode 4.

The other good news, well, is Disney. My initial reaction upon hearing the news was fear. Fear that the Star Wars vision will be lost. Everyone who loved the series to death probably had the same apprehension. Then it occurred to me where Pixar and Marvel landed--companies Disney bought in 2006 and 2009, respectively.

Pixar continuous to have creative independence while under Disney ownership. (Interestingly enough, George Lucas created Pixar in 1979, then called the Graphics Group. He sold it to Steve Jobs, who in turn sold it for Disney stock in 2009 and making him its single largest shareholder.) So is Marvel. In fact, the Marvel flicks have never been as fast-producing and profitable. (Like Pixar and Marvel, Lucasfilm will continue to be run separately with its own president who reports to the Disney board.)

Having looked at this perspective, I now believe that the future of Star Wars is secured. Not counting faster productions to expand the universe canon. And the occasional bashing when it comes to critiquing the new works versus the classics (the original trilogy).

Which is what we geeks want ultimately. And through this, Star Wars lives on.

One billion and counting

A few hours ago, Mark Zuckerberg officially announced a breach in the global phenomenon that is Facebook. On September 14th at 12:45 PM Pacific Time, they hit a species level event previously unheard of in the technology industry. Yes, there are now one billion monthly active users on Facebook.

As a celebratory remark, Mark had this to say on his page:

This morning, there are more than one billion people using Facebook actively each month.

If you're reading this: thank you for giving me and my little team the honor of serving you.

Helping a billion people connect is amazing, humbling and by far the thing I am most proud of in my life.

I am committed to working every day to make Facebook better for you, and hopefully together one day we will be able to connect the rest of the world too.

Coupled with this milestone is a first-ever brand video released by the company. Personally, it isn't as compelling as what I hoped it to be. But just the same, the message is clear that Facebook knows its importance in the universe of people.

600 million or 60% of all Facebook users access the service through mobile devices. 265 billion is the number of photos that have been uploaded since Facebook launched in 2005. 22, the median age of the user. Good numbers indeed.

Now if only FB's stock price reflect that same promise. Mark is probably not that worried about market value right now. I wouldn't too. The fact remains that today is all about connections. And in this realm, Facebook is the high king period.

Godspeed you, spacewalker

We've learned that Neil Armstrong had died yesterday, August 25.

As commander of Apollo 11, he was the first person to walk on the Moon. And as Neil stepped out of the lunar module, he uttered the following; words that will be remembered for all time: "That's one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind." Neil was 82.

As an aerospace engineer and test pilot at NASA, Neil was also part of the same technology organization that pioneered an abundance of technologies that humankind enjoys today: solar energy, light-emitting diodes or LEDs, water purification, freeze drying, analysis software, and many more. (Visit this and this to learn more.)

In his intensity to bring man on the moon before the end of the decade, JFK addressed the United States Congress in 1961 with an ambitious goal to end the Space Race. He later added these memorable words--one that has been my favorite to this day: "We do this not because they are easy, but because they are hard."

I cannot imagine a more important milestone than the one thing we've looked upon every time we left the confines of our home--the high heavens. Conquering this frontier has advanced our humanity with great significance. And we applaud our voyagers for their passionate curiosity and iron will. Their level of courage is beyond any words can ever justify. I genuinely wish we were all like them.

Together with your colleagues in space, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins, we bid you godspeed, spacewalker.

We choose to go to the Moon.

Part 2: Windows stratagem

Sorry this continuation took way too long. Now is definitely the time to recognize this resumption, get back to the story, and finally, reveal the intricacies of this Windows stratagem.

Let's refresh a bit and gather a summary of Part 1 from memory. (Or you may do so to check the last post too!) We've described Microsoft's lost opportunities in a variety of areas, particularly mobility and the Cloud. We've defined where these lost opportunities went and how competitors outplayed and outranked them in these contests. We've touched on how Google reaped most of the things that Ray Ozzie dreamed about, delivered in his titanic memo to Microsoft ranks, but to minuscule organization-altering effects.

And now, back to regular programming.

3. Apple. Last Monday, the storied innovation machine breached a record market value of $623.5 billion, making Apple the most valuable company ever. (Well, the previous record holder was Microsoft and its $621 billion high--a perfect fit to the conditions of our subject matter.) To put it another way, they're more than twice as valuable as Microsoft (current value: $258 billion). To put it in another, another way, Apple is more valuable than Microsoft + Google + Facebook + Yahoo combined. That is just crazy!

So what happened here? We all know of Steve's genius (that would be Jobs, not Ballmer) and how he transformed/revolutionized industries with consistent success. While Microsoft is credited for bringing computers inside just about every home, Jobs took it further by placing devices in other places: the living room, our pockets, handbags, public spaces et cetera. Before Apple came in with touchstone devices we now use everyday, Microsoft had every opportunity to pull off a lasting victory. During that time, devices that were "smart" were quite uncommon. True, these resided on personal digital assistants, or PDAs, but they were largely a category that could be described as experimental--only a few people you knew would be armed with them. Heck, people bought PDAs for the luxury it brought them but they were largely unusable. There was nothing much you could do with it!

Well, this is effectively the main reason PDAs never went mainstream--and the very reason most of us have smart devices in this day and age: apps variety. With apps numbering by the hundreds of thousands, there's no way you won't get your money's worth: as versatile as a Swiss army knife--and more. And right now, Apple leads the pack here with absolute kingship. In hindsight, Microsoft failed to put developers to work in their PDA soirée. And another reason--but definitely still a debatable one--was the reliance on OEMs to do the hardware magic (i.e. insistence on using a clunky stylus, poor battery life). Apple's desire to work on everything--lock, stock and barrel--proved to be a success over the long term. And to cut the long story short, Apple now usurps a position of power that no company has been able to achieve since the days of Standard Oil.

So where to from here? Does Microsoft have a chance to get back into the game?

I think so.

In the past three months, Microsoft has unleashed significant movements in their Windows product arsenal. Let's look at each one.

Microsoft Surface. In what is considered a break from tradition, Microsoft unveiled their very own tablet on June 18th at the surprise of most tech pundits. CEO Steven Ballmer was there to introduce the product with Windows President Steven Sinofsky. (At one point during the demo, the tablet would indadvertedly fail in Sinofsky's hands, causing him a mild panic as he ran to get a new unit. In a way, this has been known as the typical Microsoft product demo: something would always prove to be glitchy at the face of an amused audience.) The Surface, of course, has Apple's unified product strategy written all over it, a flattery that was concealed through Ballmer's presentation that Microsoft had always been in the hardware business, i.e. mouse and Xbox. Okay fine!

I think--and more than anything--the Surface is a direct output to compete directly with Android and iOS on Microsoft's own terms. There is also a standing bet here that a transformative tablet, one that ultimately replaces the PC, can exist as opposed to the "3rd device" principle behind the iPad. One thing is certain here: Microsoft's OEMs did not like this move at all. But here's the other thing that's certain. Microsoft doesn't really care if this move alienates them. The OEMs are not doing enough hardware innovation to stop Windows' market share on mobile devices from dropping to a measly 1-2%. The Surface is a great move and has every potential to succeed if it performs exactly as advertised. Most especially if you couple it with this one below. (Surface arrives on October 26.)

Windows Phone 8. Two days after unveiling Surface, Microsoft tells all about their upcoming phone OS. There are many remarkable things shown in the demo, but I'd like to highlight one thing that sets it apart: all Windows devices--from desktops and laptops to touch-enabled tablets and phones--will have shared code. This is mind-blowing as this would make development across all device types easy enough for developers to make the switch. Games developed for desktops/laptops would also run on native code--with "minor" tweaks--on tablets and smartphones with ease. This, if true, is huge.

The subject of tight-knit integration between all Microsoft devices is now clear and, interestingly enough, there are a lot of eager carriers who's in on the potential of the whole eco-system. (Mobile carriers are the single most critical piece of any smartphone distribution model.) Windows Phone 8 may not be sufficient for the time being (I personally think the UI is gorgeous), but the partner and developer prospects will be very significant. I can see this one putting up a lot of hurt for Android and iOS. Windows 8 will be available in 180 countries later this year.

Okay, what else?

Windows 8 Upgrade: $39.99 by October 26. The pricing took me by surprise. Knowing Microsoft, we were all expecting an upgrade fee somewhere between $100 to $250 for Windows 8. Instead of a complex upgrade model, Windows 8 will be available for all Windows XP, Vista and 7 users in 131 markets for $39.99 until January 31, 2013. This, while throwing in Media Center for free, is quite a steal. Looking at Apple's recent Mac OS X Mountain Lion upgrade, Windows 8 is twice as expensive. But for traditional Microsoft users, this offer will be too much of a good deal to pass up. On timing, it's not perfect but it will do. In fact, the cheap upgrade path will be a great start for Windows 8 sales. The upgrade path for XP and Vista machines also means that a good number of people will buy new computers to keep up with the hardware demands of version 8. It's almost ingenuous, except, well, it keeps reminding me about how Apple is--unofficially--feeding them their next moves.

Office 15. While not part of the Windows product family, Office 15 (also known as Office 2013), announced on July 16th at an invitation-only event, is definitely part of Microsoft's Windows stratagem. The biggest item of note here is the uniformity of Office across all Windows 8 devices including very promising integrations with the Cloud (through Office 365) and social networks (Microsoft and Facebook are close friends; FB uses Skype, which MS owns), even touch capabilities through Windows 8-enabled tablets. Office 15's UI was also demonstrated to take advantage of Windows 8 capabilities, showing how it was written up to work seamlessly with Microsoft's upcoming OS.

Used by at least 1 billion people around the world, Office is easily the most prevalent productivity software used anywhere. This is definitely positioned to arm Windows 8 with what Microsoft claims to be the best software productivity suite available in the market today. (On a sad note, XP and Vista users will not have access to Office 2013. A version for the iPad will also take some time before coming out.)

There's a lot more going on here but it's pretty clear that Microsoft intends to fight Apple and Google head-on. There's a retail strategy that aims to do something similar to Apple's beautifully crafted stores. (Microsoft plans to build 44 outlets by mid-2013; Apple currently has about 300 stores worldwide). There's also a recent attempt to unseat Google Apps through Outlook.com, Hotmail's eventual successor.

Overall, Microsoft has a lot of work on their hands before they can come out positive. But if this is where they're planning to go, Microsoft's current customers would find their way staying, if not reinforcing altogether by buying more devices. Those who aren't, well, I suppose Ballmer and Co. will need to do more to make the switch worthwhile. Which makes this really interesting--Microsoft is fighting back strong. And it sounds like they're getting their groove on--finally.

The Windows stratagem and why Microsoft still has a shot (part 1)

I am still a big fan of Microsoft. Most particularly, my fanaticism is about the intricacies of the character that is Bill Gates, co-founder, chairman and former chief software architect. This is not an understatement, I can tell you: I read Paul Allen's biography Idea Man to understand how Bill operated from the perspective of his founding partner. (But indeed, Paul turned out to be much much more of a genius than people gave him credit for). Apart from Microsoft is the other side of William Gates III that deals with things infinitely more noble--the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. But as fanatics are, I'm still much obsessed with the idea that Mr. Gates will one day return to set things right back again. Fine, that might not happen anymore! But definitely, if Microsoft wants Windows 8 to succeed, there are three things they need to control well enough.

1. Steven Ballmer. As always, leadership has to go first. The issue that I'm most uncomfortable with is the fact that a geek isn't in charge of Microsoft anymore. And I find it so wrong for someone with a different specialty altogether (he holds an MBA) to be leading the affairs of a technology company. I'd argue that no amount of marketing, supply chain and operational ability can outdo technology leadership longterm. Microsoft is of course very lucrative still--revenues and profits are holding quite well year-on-year. The fundamental problem is they lack a person that defines Microsoft's vision and direction, both of which are core ingredients of companies that endure despite dramatic shifts in civilized progress.

Ray Ozzie, then chief software architect and handpicked by Bill himself, used to be that person. Well, until he left (which interestingly, continues without a replacement). The proof of Ray's thoughts were very much ingrained in two major memos addressed to Microsoft employees--The Internet Services Disruption and Dawn of a New Day. These two pieces of literature are, without a doubt, must-reads whoever and wherever you are in the IT profession. Okay, back to Steve. Not everyone likes him that's for sure: a good portion of the tech world has been calling for his ouster for the longest time. Why? Definitely not his legendary antics caught on camera (this one, that one and, yup, this too). The case is relatively more simple I'm afraid: If there was any company that should be ruling two categories in computing--the Internet/cloud and mobility/connected devices--it should be Microsoft. They don't; Google and Apple hold dominion on each, respectively.

The Microsoft leadership must not allow themselves to be distracted with current successes at the expense of the coming horizon. And that means putting all they have on getting the future to work with more courage in truly wanting to be more ingenious and inspirational than ever before. Either that or they lose everything. The awful truth: If Windows 8 does not sell, Microsoft is done.

2. Google. Being the most significant force in the Internet right now, Google controls most of the dreams Microsoft failed to realize despite many efforts. The Netscape debacle, buying Hotmail for cheap, the uncanny MSN, rebranding to Live/Passport, unleashing Bing and the later partnership with Yahoo!, are but a few of the adventures Microsoft endured in the hopes of getting a lion's share of the Internet. Obviously, they have failed that.

And now that the industry is deep in bed with cloud computing, Microsoft continues to be lagging, an aftermath that's almost shameful when you think about it. Ray Ozzie warned everyone about the gathering of clouds 7 years ago. Regrettably, Microsoft made no significant haste to steer towards this direction until it was too late. Again. It was as if Ray addressed the memo to Google employees instead. Google itself, however in different battlefields right now (search/advertising, productivity/collaboration, mobility, social/geo-social, apps/gaming market, and cloud/hosted services), continues to be as dynamic, innovative and unrelenting as they said they would be. They are pretty much proving to be the company that Microsoft has failed to become. Hmmm... The funny thing about that statement is that Microsoft is nowhere near Google's belief system, which says a lot about how Microsoft's core values are miles off from what top tech companies are expected to have become by now: fast, iterative and cool. Wait, is the last word really necessary? YES.

Google Apps, for example, is the paragon of cloud productivity that truly goes the distance. Microsoft Office 365 is fully intent in doing something similar, it's years behind Google's maturity model--continuous regular improvements, vast amount of third party applications, mobile augmentation/add-ons (i.e. Google Drive), strong SLA, etc. The difference between Google Apps and Office 365 is huge in a variety of areas and it really reflects on how Microsoft placed too much attention on client software--and the profits to be had on it--even though the cloud industry was growing up to be a more effective platform. I'd go as far to say that this illustration was heavily repeated in a good number of Microsoft products that have only been recently cloudified through a SaaS model. Google has eaten them alive on the web ever since. And I can say this because our clients (about 3,000 of them) use Google Apps. No one wants to look back!

Whew! let's end there for now. Stay tuned for part two and let's dive straight into the last item (Apple) and the Windows stratagem itself.

The very best of Steven Ballmer.

Apple's new, insane stuff (WWDC)

It has been a very long and annoying morning really. As early as 0100 hours today, I primed myself in getting right into the action of things at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in San Francisco. To clarify, I was only tuned in on Engadget.com for three hours. You might think, is this the behavior you'd expect from an Apple fanboy? While a lot of people at Singularity would be inclined to agree, I'd like to think that it isn't an accurate assessment. First of all, I love oranges more than apples. Sober or not, orange juice is--hands down--my "killer app." See? Thought so. Now I urge everyone not to muddle the issue by assuming the wrong things. :)

Let's dive into Apple's new stuff, updates and upgrades:

MacBook Pro.
It was indeed disappointing at the start: Marketing boss Phil Schiller announces mere spec upgrades to both the Air and Pro line. Better processors, memory, graphics and storage (i.e. 512 GB flash). Borrring. And then Phil starts talking about a new device. Kablam! The crowd starts getting excited again. The next-generation MacBook Pro sports an all new design in a smaller chassis almost as thin as the Air. It utilizes a 15.4" Retina display with a stunning 2880-by-1800 resolution--3 million more pixels than a regular HDTV. (He also claims 75% less glare.) Aperture, Final Cut Pro, iPhoto, and later, Photoshop and AutoCAD, as well as the upcoming Mountain Lion OS upgrade (more on this after), have been updated to meet the new demands of what looks to be the best display available on any notebook in the market.

Internals have also been souped up to dominate the professional notebook category: up to 768 GB of flash storage with read speeds up to 500 MBps, the latest Intel i7 processors (Ivy Bridge series) up to 2.7 GHz coupled with up to 16 GB of memory, all-new NVIDIA 650M graphics processor (Kepler architecture), USB 3.0 support via 2 universal USB ports, dual-Thunderbolts, a thinner MagSafe 2, and first-ever HDMI slot for a Mac to accommodate external display connectivity. Okay, this is one very mean machine. Interestingly enough, every Mac they mentioned this morning ships today as well. It costs a bunch though, entry level at $2,199. Ouch.

Mountain Lion.
We've known about this one for a while now so there's nothing much new here. Nope, not really. Apart from the previously announced items like foundational iCloud integration, Messages, Notes, Reminders, and Notification Center, Apple added several great things that makes the Mac a much greater investment than ever before. Features like Power Nap that lets your Mac run updates, sync photos via Photo Stream, download messages, update email, calendar and contacts, while on sleep-mode is a truly great addition (sadly, not available on older generation Macs). Dictation is also added for apps that utilize text input, i.e. Microsoft Word, among others. New social capabilities such as Sharing, Facebook and Twitter are also big hits. With Sharing, you can share anything socially from where you are (Safari, iPhoto, Mail, Messages, etc.). Facebook and Twitter are tightly integrated on Mountain Lion and allows for a more seamless experience with the world's largest social networks. Post your status from anywhere and receive updates via Notification Center alongside other alerts.

What else? AirPlay Mirroring with Apple TV, Gatekeeper for better security, new version of Safari (unified search!), and a bunch of support with the most popular Internet services from China. My favorite is Game Center--it integrates with the iOS in a special way, i.e. multiplayer with iPads and iPhones! There are other features but there's too much to cover. Is it really 200? Well, you know Apple. They love to use large numbers. In any case, Mountain Lion launches this July and I'm more than willing to pay $19.99 to get my hands on it. In fact...

iOS 6.
Everyone in Apple keeps calling the iOS the most advanced mobile operating system in the planet. I tend to agree with that assessment if the metric is accessibility. iOS chief Scott Forstall mentioned something staggering involving the difference in adoption of the latest versions of both iOS and Android. (Both launched almost at the same time.) While iOS 5 is being enjoyed by a majority of iPad and iPhone users, only 7% is reportedly using Ice Cream Sandwich. I think this is a critical mention, though a discouraging shot at the competition, as this creates a distinction on who's in the right direction.

There's an enormous amount of stuff to look for in iOS 6. Siri is now more remarkable than ever before with answers to more advanced queries in sports (game scores, player stats), movies (with Rotten Tomatoes), finding the best restaurants (Yelp) and reserving restaurants (OpenTable). Siri is now also opening up directional search worldwide--we've all been waiting for this. She also has the ability to open dictation direct to Facebook and Twitter, as well as to launch apps directly. Apple is likewise working with the top car manufacturers to include a button on steering wheels called Eyes Free to completely remove distractions on the road. Shared Photo Streams is a welcome addition that would enable easier sharing of photos with a larger group. FaceTime is now open for cellular, nice!

A new Passbook app that puts together all your coupons, virtual cards and airline and event tickets in one app is another interesting addition. This issure to be a precursor to a future NFC and mobile wallet add-on to the next iPhone, which I expect is coming out later this year. With CEO Tim Cook's announcement that Apple is now managing more than 400 million accounts with credit card numbers, this is definitely the next step--and something every virtual currency operator ought to pay attention to. iOS 6 will be out as early as September. And right, Siri will make a debut on the new iPad by then.

Maps.
I singled this one out as it represents a significant shift in how Apple competes in certain categories. In this case, content. We all know the dictum of Steve Jobs about not entering a market that they won't be the best at. And while announcing their own Maps is not necessarily the surprise, the fact that it looks good--and in some respects--better than Google's, was quite the phenomenon indeed. It meant that iOS engineers really put their heart into coming up with something that challenges the cartographic standard that Google currently dominates on all digital formats.

Google has been in the map business for a while now and is arguably the more skillful and experienced in the area. Holding on to that fact is important at a certain degree. The difficult part is even when you think you've figured it all out (Google produced a Maps event a few days ago), a new entrant in the game comes up with something that has every potential to upset your leadership. Considering how Apple intends to replace Google Maps with their own on a few hundred million iOS devices, this will devastate Google's progression. They may not see it yet, but it will. And beyond Maps--and even Siri's participation--is a master plan that we can't really put a handle on right now. Apple is in new territory, but their first try is definitely brilliant. Wow.

I look forward for WWDC 2013. And I'm really not an Apple fanboy, only a huge enthusiast for tech companies who surely knows what they're doing.

The mobilization of our age

Much to the enduring wisdom of technology advancement, IT is no longer confined simply in the aspects of hardware and software (and services). Today, these are defined as very broad categories that aim to emancipate our generation from the world of the technical and the complex. Current usage of technology now span from the largest and most diversely connected organizations to the least connected singular individual. It is everywhere.

And with everywhere, the first thing that comes to mind is mobility. Consider what hardware has been molded into as we enter the post-PC era: smart devices in the form of the most intelligent phones and tablets that deliver unparalleled portability and ease of use, while at breakneck speeds that rival the most powerful desktop computers. The diverse options available for every way of life is unbelievable--there is literally a device type, not counting several platform varieties, for every type of character. As one tribute to the late Steve Jobs put it: While Bill Gates put a PC in every home, Steve placed a smart device in every bag and pocket.

Okay, what about software? This is the more interesting part if you ask me. Lately, in the universe of software, something had been brewing while traditional software remained idle in our client workstations and on-premise infrastructure. Apps and the Cloud have taken over development as hundreds of thousands are written onto mobile and web platforms, unseating the longheld domination of desktops in software variety and availability. The push is essentially by--and for--consumers increasingly demanding the most awe-inspiring user experiences. This, while utilizing some of what are now key foundations in application usability--simplicity in design, geo-social plug-ins and gamification elements. You must certainly agree: There is not a better time than now to be a developer.

Now what do these really mean for all of us? For one thing, none of us will ever be the same--in fact, none of us are anymore. As mobility progresses alongside the increase in bandwidth speed and accessibility coverage, we will be more connected to one another than we've ever been in our entire history as a race. Everything we do can be shared with anyone we choose instantaneously. Our individual histories are now indexed so comprehensively, we will be less forgetful; our best moments--albeit the worse ones--in life accessible on-demand.

The business realm will also be forever transformed, if not already. Now, employers and employees alike have access to better tools that enable smart productivity regardless of time and place. Collaboration--a word largely misunderstood by organizations--is now finally (and truly!) in reach. We now have access to tools that allow us to work on documents all at the same time while keeping track of every piece of information for later retrieval. Digital maps are now infinitely more capable and hav practically removed the possibility of any of us from getting lost ever again. And with it, we find out more about our world and our surroundings, every stunning bit of it. Oh what great things are in store at that road yonder!

But with all of these around, there is something we ought to never forget. However our means to connect has expanded a great deal, we shall never--and I make my case so exponentially so--never, ever cease to converse on analog. And as much as we can, let's always go for face time.

After all, the best mobile experience is the one when we move forward together. Both literally and figuratively.

Are you kidding? Facebook is worth $100 billion (at least)

The things happening on Facebook's corner lately are very exciting. In fact, I think we should start describing Facebook as a country instead of a company. Would you agree that it is now politically correct to say so? CEO Mark Zuckerberg is furiously debating this transition endlessly with the leadership team. In fact, a "leaked" Facebook stratagem last April described their plans for world domination in just 13 moves. (Mickey, our senior specialist in Enterprise 2.0, found it lurking in the net.) COO Sheryl Sandberg is even said to be the mastermind behind Facebook Government. Amazing.

Right, my frustration as a fictional writer emerges. Here's what's really going on.

901 million. This is the number of monthly active users Facebook enjoys as of April 2012, which by the way is the largest user base in existence. The same user base includes a comprehensive life story of all their 901 million users--a feat not even the FBI nor the KGB has accomplished. (The Time Person of the Year article mentioned that FBI director Robert Mueller met with Mark for the purposes of "ensuring" a relationship; go figure.) Brazil has also emerged as #2 after the US on user count, unseating India. More than any other country, Brazil is a victory for Facebook as it is (or used to be, depending on who says it) ruled by Orkut, a similar social media service owned by their arch-villain, Google.

Is 1 billion users achievable this year? I think so; pundits predict the breach sometime early Q4. But I think this is the better question to ask: Where does it go from there when Facebook reaches--as Lev Grossman describes--a species level event? (Hmm let's answer this one in another blog.)

526 million. These are users who log-in everyday (daily active users). I can't help being exceptionally amazed with this figure. People are helplessly hooked into the service! 3.2 billion comments/likes and 300 million photos daily. That is a lot of interaction, not counting what I'd like to call as excessive use of cameras. Sometimes it's annoying to hear about privacy issues when the fact remains that we, proud users, agree to be subject to Facebook's rules everyday. Every time we put our photo up there, we let Facebook know more about who we are. This is a choice we're all making everyday. All 901 million of us, apparently.

488 million. Perhaps the most admirable figure of them all. This is how many users access Facebook on their mobile device. Incredible. It goes without saying that Facebook is the most-downloaded mobile app in the world. Now why is this important? We know that mobility is the future of just about everything. Zuckerberg and Co. being part of that means the continued relevance of Facebook in the continuing massive expanse of smart devices.

They've also been busy in acquiring companies that would help them ensure a mobile foothold. Instagram's $1 billion price tag was a huge shock to the app community. It meant very clearly how important being in the mobile space mattered to Facebook. Surprising likewise to find that it had 13 employees, considering that around 60 photos are uploaded to the very popular service every second. About less than a week ago, Facebook picked up Glancee, a mobile 'friendly stalking' app. And only a few days ago, Facebook unleashed App Center to centralize their app offerings. The App Center will be integrated to mobile devices using the Facebook log-in, an official entry in the world off app stores that are currently ruled by the Apple App Store and Google Play. Exciting times.

Ahead of their upcoming IPO, the debate continues if a $100 billion market cap is too much for a company who's not making enough revenue/profit to deserve such a valuation. There can be no doubt, however, that Facebook's control over Internet and mobile air-time is nothing short of dominance. They also have the deepest insight about consumer behavior, arguably the most important chess piece of them all--and the one thing that naysayers don't understand very much.

One thing's for sure. Facebook is a force. And the power they wield--which increases by the day--is undeniable.

A huge payout is imminent. Many Facebook employees will be instant millionaires.

Facebook's recent purchases--Instagram and Glancee.

 

Facebook's new App Center service.

The iPad acceleration, Draw Something's ugly sketch (and yes, the SIII)

In an earnings call last April 24, Apple CEO Tim Cook mentioned some staggering numbers about the iPad's continued rise as a global phenomenon. Here's a piece of those awesome figures from Q1 2012, straight from Steve's successor. (I must say though, I'm not yet fully convinced that Tim's the right leader. Well, we won't find out if we don't keep watching Apple's progress, won't we?)

"Through the last quarter, I should say, which is just 2 years after we shipped the initial iPad, we’ve sold 67 million. And to put that in some context, it took us 24 years to sell that many Macs and 5 years for that many iPods and over 3 years for that many iPhones. And we were extremely happy with the trajectory on all of those products. And so I think iPad, it’s a profound product."

This says a lot about a tablet market that didn't exist two years ago, which surely enough created a tablet race that got every single manufacturer joining the fray. When the dust settled, the iPad's first-mover advantage is still in control of majority of the market--with Amazon's Kindle Fire, a relative newcomer (November 2011), being the only one who is able to compete in total units sold.

A recent article from CNET talked about some really tough facts about the iPad's disruption of the PC market. For one thing, people are buying iPads when they should be buying PCs! That must really be annoying HP and the rest of the computer industry--a lot.

(Credit: Apple Outsider)

In other news, Zynga's $180 million purchase of OMGPOP/Draw Something last March is starting to draw a lousy picture. A month after the acquisition, the sketching game lost 5 million Daily Active Users (or DAUs). That is a LOT. What happened exactly? Reports suggest that the decline happened instantaneously after the buyout. Wait, is everyone starting to hate the Zynga behemoth--which by the way has a habit of gobbling up promising game developers?

Don't think so. Well, the thing is, I've played Draw Something last April and it was quite addictive. A few days later, and after the botched 'pegasus' guess with Dhinno (our CFO) among others, I started realizing that there were better things to do. It means people lost interest in the game, plain and simple. And this happens to a lot of games in both the Android Market and Apple App Store. One day they're at the top of the charts and the week after, gone. Bottom line, Zynga bought too soon. But that doesn't mean OMGPOP won't be churning out other hits (this is what Zynga bought remember?). Draw Something is just a start.

...

Okay, let's not put off Samsung's new toy any longer. Set to be available before month's end in 'pebble blue' and 'marble light' (okay, I hate that part), the SIII is a stunning piece of a device. It sports a huge 4.8" Super AMOLED HD screen at 1280x720 resolution, way over the iPhone 4S (960x640). (Pixel density is still very close: 306 versus 326 in favor of Apple.) A quad-core 1.4 GHz processor with a gigabyte of memory powers this Ice Cream Sandwich machine. There's a bunch of other mighty specs inside: up to 64 GB internal storage, 8 and 1.9 megapixel (front) cameras at 1080p video recording, up to 21 mbps 4G HSPA+ connectivity, 2,100 mAh user-replaceable battery (iPhone 4S: 1,420 mAh), a barometer (!), near-field communication/NFC chip. Yeah, yeah.

But those are just specs. The cool stuff is what happens inside. Let's start with the coolest bit: eye-tracking. Most smartphones have this annoying 'feature' where the display dims while you're still looking. The SIII takes care of that by constantly keeping track if your eyes are still open. It won't go on standby until you doze off. Nice one. The new Galaxy is also voice-controlled (called S Voice, to launch in eight languages), which together with face-tracking, is the most 'natural' device yet according to Samsung. On-device encryption is available for business users looking for better email security. The NFC chip, partnered with Visa, will allow for tap-to-pay as a mobile wallet. Also, the Pop up Play feature will allow multi-tasking, i.e. watch a video while composing a message (hmmm why would I want to do that though?). Finally, a wireless charging kit (sold separately) is available to do away with wire clutter.

There's clearly a significant amount of new things that other devices don't have. And Samsung really did a good job, I must admit. Samsung boss JK Shin said it: "The Galaxy S3 is the best-in-class smartphone in the world." He may be right.

But it's also a matter of time until Apple catches up. Samsung will definitely need every bit of their strength to take this one home.

Burst-shooting up to 20 frames per second (which is very fast).

Apple-style launch party in Earls Court Auditorium, London.

Took an arrow in the knee

You've probably heard about this one from a friend, stranger, office colleague, or worse, an offspring belonging to you. It starts when (insert person's name) reminisces about being somebody previously--skateboarder, track athlete, stage performer or simply an adventurer--that is, until they Took an Arrow in the Knee. Ridiculous. Ludicrous. Preposterous. You've probably used any of these. Or perhaps all of them. I mean, who in the world will play archer and injure anyone for real? And then you realize it's nothing really but a catchphrase that people got from a video game. But of course, parents didn't know that. And it has parents all over the place confused when they hear their children invoke the phrase. Before this gets any crazier, it's what everyone calls an Internet meme. And this one came from Skyrim of The Elder Scrolls series developed by Bethesda Game Studios, an adventure role playing game that's so enormous, (if you're playing it) you probably haven't finished it yet. Like yours truly.

So how come this meme caught on just like that? Well, I mentioned how this game is amazingly long. And like all lengthy games, there are zounds of repetitive stuff. The guards that roam the entire game world have, at one point or another, uttered the phrase. It was okay at first, then it got somewhat annoying. And since you continue to play it, annoying became stuck. Stuck became habit. You realize that later when you're already hanging out with friends, hours after closing the game console. Then you say it. Boom! Wildfire.Okay, let's dissect this piece a bit. An Internet meme isn't designed in the first place to be a meme. It has to catch attention first over the social web. Then it either gets vilified, ridiculed, commented, imitated, parodied or a combination of sorts. What's interesting about memes is their lasting effect. The potency of the catchphrases to be used as part of advertorials are strong--and it doesn't cost marketers anything to use it. The potential spread is likewise phenomenal. A known piece, one that sounds or looks familiar to the original, catches on pretty quick. In marketing parlance, this is known as viral marketing. And if you're after 'buzz', look no further. Here's an example, the source or applied usage of which, are found in a variety of places.

The preceding image is an edited version of the original meme--All Your Base Are Belong to Us. The phrase is an Engrish translation gone wrong that appeared in the introduction dialogue of Zero Wing, a 1989 16-bit game. The full dialogue is provided below for your enjoyment.


Captain: What happen ?
Mechanic: Somebody set up us the bomb.
Operator: We get signal.
Captain: What !
Operator: Main screen turn on.
Captain: It’s you !!
CATS: How are you gentlemen !!
CATS: All your base are belong to us.
CATS: You are on the way to destruction.
Captain: What you say !!
CATS: You have no chance to survive make your time.
CATS: Ha ha ha ha …
Operator: Captain !!
Captain: Take off every ‘ZIG’!!
Captain: You know what you doing.
Captain: Move ‘ZIG’.
Captain: For great justice.

My favorite meme is one coming from Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. During the Council of Elrond, Boromir delivers a line that will forever live in the hearts of most--okay some--netizens: One Does Not Simply Walk into Mordor. The phrase has been snowcloned (a phrase template, i.e. X is the new Y) into the most absurd forms. I wonder how Sean Bean (actor who played the character) feels about his face being in just about every backdrop? Here's one of the more notable ones.

Okay, it's a silly piece like everyone else. But that's the point isn't it? As citizens of the Internet, this and all its many forms have become a way of life. In fact, our collective silliness powers all web phenomena because we agree to be part of the folly. As long as the Internet is in the hands of humans, the Internet will always be dominated by content intended for human entertainment. It's being able to take part. In other words, It's the Community, Stupid! (Yup, another meme.)

And one more thing... Let's talk about this one soon.

It's between the Kindle and iPad after all

Before anything, I wanted to honor Engr. Michael Valenzuela Tecson, father of my dear friend Jude, who passed away a few hours ago. Michael is the grandson of Pio Valenzuela, one of the founding leaders of the revolutionary effort that brought the Philippines independence. In his own way, Engr. Tecson served in public works with great integrity and ability. He passed along his wisdom and perseverance to his son Jude, a distinguished architect whose character and vision in the craft is unequalled in my view. Michael was 74.

The Avengers. There's tons of stuff to write about, i.e. the very satisfactory execution of balance despite the character-rich amalgamation of what I originally thought were too many superheroes in one flick. Without giving away anything, nothing could have prepared me for what--or should I say who--appeared at the credits (well, Marvel does have a reputation to uphold). To cut this short (as we have our main topic to talk about), The Avengers is the bar in Marvel film productions. And our simple wish is that all others after this is either as good or better. Yeah... Like Gauntlets.

...

In a recent report published by comScore, the Kindle Fire was declared the supreme victor in a platform where it has managed to capture 54% market share. The race we are referring to is the huge Android tablet market that has virtually exploded in the past year. It spans an incredible amount of "possibilities," permutations that include (of course) the most incredible, cheapest and utterly disappointing devices ever created by man. What's staggering about the Kindle Fire's market share is the time it took to get there--5 months since it was first released last November. Here below elaborates the report.

What's clear in the preceding figures is that there are other players that are clearly being eaten alive by Amazon's product, a device whose primary function (at least as advertised) is to be the perfect e-reader device. The other tablets, i.e. Samsung Galaxy Tab family, were supposedly (again, at least as advertised) superior in feature set capabilities. Another one that's quite obvious is the inability of certain brands to come out with anything near the meaning of success.

The Sony Tablet S (pictured above) is one of them; a shining example of a poorly defined product. The table below explains the mishap. Can anyone share their excitement over these Sony technologies: Clear Phase, xLoud, TruBlack, Exmor? Nah, no excitement whatsoever--we don't even know what they do! Also, are these mundane, petty and irrelevant feature comparisons affecting your purchasing tendencies any bit? Nope, they don't strike a tune at all! The fact remains that Sony keeps forgetting that the race is no longer about specs but user experiences. I think they fouled up what otherwise looks to be an impressive tablet design.

There's something brewing in the horizon against the Android OS: the Google-Motorola deal. Industry insights suggests that Google acquired it in order to compete with Apple. The realization goes that it must be deep in bed with the hardware that powers the OS in order to achieve a fully engaging product. Is this a great move? It's complicated. True, Google's acquisition of Motorola would secure the Android's future. The technology portfolio of Motorola would prove to be a monstrous arsenal against patent suits from the likes of Apple. While this transaction has good intentions, the hardware prowess of Motorola isn't sitting well with some. In fact, it is pissing off their handset partners. And who wouldn't be? It is quite logical that the best Android phones would eventually be the ones designed and integrated onto the Motorola chassis from the ground up.

But there's more. Developer interest in building Android apps is starting to decline according to a recent article. It also cites the Android OS being too fragmented to be even called a single platform; at least 10 different versions are running all over the place. (More than 90% of the Android base is still using Gingerbread or an earlier version given the barring of upgrades on most handsets.) On top of this are telecom partners looking to support an old friend in their upcoming mega-launch--Microsoft Windows 8.

But what of the Kindle? Well, the Kindle's success isn't really helping the Android's cause as we originally thought it would. Its operating system is an Android fork, a message to handset makers that you don't really have to use the default Android builds to be successful. The problem is it erodes the Android model ultimately. And as the previous article suggests, it means losing control over the mobile realm.

As our title suggests, the veil of time has been removed in favor of Amazon being the only tablet maker right now that stands a chance against Apple. As for the rest, it is never really too late to start thinking about bundling great marketing with great manufacturing. For real now guys! We're starting to get really tired of lousy products.

A single SKU versus the world

Our emerging technologies manager, David, shared this really interesting infographic about the ascendancy of both Apple and Samsung in the smartphone game. It shows how a single, meticulously crafted handset model can "rule them all" if executed well enough. It also shows how significantly complex manufacturers can get to realize a comfortable market share. Let's look at it further.

The general thought is that Samsung's strength in diversification is evident in most of their product lines. It is in their televisions, home appliances, digital cameras and other electronic gadgets. So much so that they are actually the reigning--and defending--consumer electronics champion in the world, a title they stole from the only company that taught them to be that way--Sony, once a true pioneer and idol.

When Apple entered the phones category with a singular product, Samsung completely ignored Steve's methodology. They thought, "there is absolutely no way that one product can sell more than an entire series of products." In short, no one believed that such strategy would work. Fast forward to now from the iPhone's launch in 2007, Apple's formula has clearly proven itself to work. In fact, it worked more that anyone expected. Can companies such as Samsung emulate Apple's principle in minimal SKU thinking?

I do not think they can do it. Here are a couple of reasons.

Samsung's organizational structure won't allow it. The fact that Samsung's passion in product development is diversity, it is very improbable to get to a point where they'll slash product teams in favor of one superphone. Their line of refrigerators, for example, show how much options are available to meet different consumer expectations. This method isn't exactly wrong or improper. In fact, everyone outside of the Apple universe--albeit a few notable ones here and there--continue to play by this manner. The immediate takeaway with having so many SKUs is cost. There's too much overhead running about on design, manufacturing, redesign, maintenance, restocking, retirement, et cetera--for one model! Consider 100. How about 1,000 or 5,000? Compare how many different final products Apple has versus Samsung's. The difference is massive.

Samsung wants to touch on all walks of life. As much as the preceding, Samsung is not alone in feeling the need to have different models for different consumer types. As market segments are defined, behaviors and characteristics must level with specific needs and expectations. The end result is a plethora of models that have been created to satisfy the sporty type, the professional, the chic and hip (which can actually be two different things), the pop and musically-inclined, the average adult, the average kid, the social media phenom--the list goes on. Interestingly, the iPhone seems to be answering all of these in one model.

Only a deep sense of belief in great products--the kind that Apple has--would work. Well let's go direct shall we? Samsung does not have this soul in their DNA, period. Apple lives and breathes in perfecting the human experience in a product that redefines a category. Note that difference versus building a category that defines products in meeting certain human experiences. This comparison is vast and one that puts Apple in its own class. Steve Jobs once said: "We do no market research... We just want to make great products." Challenging this piece is hard when a singular product brings dozens--hundreds even--of products to their knees.

Ultimately, both companies have their strengths. Only, Apple's is clearly on a stronger, more financially feasible, and less complicated path. Earlier this April, Apple met a valuation barrier they've never been to before--a monumental $600 billion market cap. (The record holder, Microsoft, capped at about $619 bilion last 1999.) With Apple's latest revenue report last quarter, it's harder to resist the truth about its value. In fact, one analyst hinted of the possibility of $1 trillion.

$1 trillion.

Okay. iPad, iPhone, iPod, Mac. That's a fairly small list of SKUs (apart from others of course). It works, doesn't it? This is a lesson every manufacturer ought to internalize really deeply.

Rule of two

I'm a Star Wars geek. You have to believe it. Otherwise, I shall find it disturbing enough to send you a remote-controlled choke hold.

But on a more serious note, most of us who have been alive long enough to have watched everything, either on film or home video, remember the characters and the lightsabers they wielded well enough. But the entire story of Star Wars isn't necessarily told in both the Trilogies only. There are other canons that are so significant in volume, the Star Wars expanded universe is easily one of the largest collections of galactic lore to be found anywhere. But no worries. We're not about to talk about Star Wars for hours on end. Well, just a bit.

"I find your lack of faith disturbing." -Darth Vader

Allow me to write about one Star Wars tenet that relates to things more important: Rule of Two. In the saga, the Rule of Two is a principle held by the Sith Lords which states that, at any given time, there shall only be two Sith in the whole galaxy--a master and an apprentice. Its creation, as instituted by Darth Bane, was an act to control unnecessary infighting among the brethren. (Well, part of the problem was that the Sith race are power-hungry by default.) Included in the rule is how the power transfer (also called succession plan in organizational dynamics) works by original design, which I must say is the coolest part of the lore. To be worthy of the title of Master, the apprentice must take the life of the former. The new master, in turn, must find a new student to repeat the process. Talk about a vicious cycle--the practice survived a thousand years.

Now to my point (yes, my introductions keep getting longer and longer, but hopefully not to your dismay).

As business organizations grow and mature into an industrial force, it becomes truly essential to have a leadership program that is fully supported by the business. We all know that a leader is a leader not because he is given the role to lead. On the contrary, a leader earns the role. In most respects even, this is earned everyday. There's also the fact that a good leader is (and should be) a good mentor, one who understands what it means to be a true role model, or better yet, one who is in a position to introduce significant change in a person's life forever.

A couple of days ago, we began putting together a mentoring program aimed at our leaders. The objective is to ensure that the individual expertise and experiences of our senior leads and managers are shared with everyone, particularly those whom we feel have what it takes to be a leader in the not so distant future. We've devised that the mentor must have a goal in the exercise, particularly on what he/she would like to have the protege learn, build or overcome during the period. We've agreed that the best way to do it is to have regular face time with their chosen telemachuses (another word for protege, from the name Telemachus, son of Odysseus, mentored by Mentor, and the origin of the word) and to talk more about personal principles alongside organizational interests. The program is our way of readying the persons we expect to step up, and perform what's necessary, when the circumstance shows itself. But more than that is a vital element of our everyday labors: push people growth.

Our own version of Rule of Two means that there are only two people in a mentoring relationship, a mentor and a protege (which unlike the Sith, we can have as many mentoring relationships existing simultaneously as necessary). Either the mentor chooses the protege or the protege chooses the mentor, we maintain the freedom--not counting the cool mysticism--akin to how Lucas penned it: finding someone is "the will of the Force."

We have to find ourselves in a position to "bring balance" and "restore order" in favor of the people we serve. The takeaway I want to make is that leaders do not necessarily need to inspire their subordinates all the time. Leaders need only show the way. From there, it is through our commitment to grow them that they begin to understand their ability to inspire others, including their own leaders. So that when the time comes, an apprentice who is ready will have the courage to eliminate his master. Wait, strike that. Again! So that when the time comes, an apprentice who is ready will be better equipped to handle all challenges--and opportunities--that lay ahead.

And as mentors, we never cease to learn "the way of the Force." Everyone never ceases learning. Everyone is a student.

Enduring memory: people and ships

We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.

The above piece is an excerpt from Four Quartets by T. S. Eliot. It's a dedication to Sherwin, our tech specialist whom last Friday bid his goodbye to begin his journey yet again to find new experiences in new places. He was one of our best consultants, full of vigor, zeal and passion in the realm of technology leadership. What Sherwin dreamt about, he made sure was translated into action.

Vaya con dios Sherwin! (Second from left.)

Yesterday, I sort of knew it would be necessary to invest some time to watch a blockbuster flick. With two people in tow, we saw Battleship, a Hasbro property that made film debut for the first time since creation in 1931 (originally published by the Milton Bradley Company). Perhaps the most annoying part about the film was the intense use of the technology of another Hasbro property, Transformers. The accusation goes that Hasbro exploited the current 'Transformers void' by introducing another property that had nothing to do with robots. It was after all a battle of ships, not human ships versus alien machines.

The movie's concept would not sit well with me throughout. And so did the choice of actors. But I won't dwell on those any further. Instead, let's talk about what we enjoyed about it.

(Spoiler alert.)

USS Missouri. As superior modern ships eventually replaced mighty battleships, the Missouri in its analog technology became the only ship that had the ability to finish the fight. The advanced ships had superior capabilities but were rendered useless. Guidance systems were in disarray, they were completely blind, and, well, they were utterly destroyed. The mechanical design of the Missouri would mean it would go to war with pure brawn. Put it another way, its technology was unadulterated strength. Historically, the Missouri is the last battleship of its class to be constructed. Before it was finally decommissioned, it went to war in many places, the last at the Persian Gulf in 1991. The most significant event in its history though would be a document that will be signed aboard the Missouri in 1945--the Japanese Instrument of Surrender, a two-page document that would end World War II.

Honoring veterans. The heartwarming part of this episode is that the Missouri couldn't be operated given its 'inferior' technology. This is where veterans came in. Even if this was simply a sci-fi rendition, seeing honorable warriors in their golden years take the helm of the ship was a great sight. I have personally not seen any film that honored their heroism. And I keep going back to the fact that Battleship didn't need to talk about it. But it did. It is a proud moment to any midshipman. And to anyone for that matter who understands how wars are won.

Wounded warriors. Battleship talked about so many things that are hard to ignore. This is another portion where, apart from showing how improvements in prosthetics enabled continuity with broken soldiers, it tackled the psychological elements of disability, depression and sense of purpose.

Old foes. The setting was Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, the place where it all began. Initially, two officers belonging to the US and Japan were at odds with each other. To cut the long story short (and the usual cliche in movies), fighting together against a superior race while forgetting the past, was another of those subjects Battleship talked about. It is not greatly represented but I think it did it satisfactory.

Battleship gameplay. My favorite part. When I was a kid, I owned a Battleship board game. I cherished having one as I played it with anyone who was "man enough." What took me by complete surprise (when I've just about dismissed that this had nothing to do with the original game) is the intelligent use of the old gameplay in making you (if you've played the original Battleship) feel that they have not forgotten the game board after all. It was no less than orgasmic to see how the old gameplay unfolds as each side predicts the next move through buoys and water displacement. Brilliant.

At the end, this flick resonates well because it managed to respect two technologies, the obsolete and the modern. In the event of an alien attack--okay fine, let's be real--in the event of a catastrophic disaster, the obsolete things are the one that would continue to run, i.e. analog radio, old Morse code. Through this, we know that advancements in tech never truly replace their predecessors. More like enhancements if I may put it. And the enduring lesson that the most basic technology is the one that wins wars is always there because the basic, by default is designed to outwit the advanced (i.e. Game of the Generals).

Games can get enormously complicated as it can be, but like Battleship, it starts and ends with the same essence it began with.

We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
-T. S. Eliot

The original pencil and paper game.

The tech milestone of Marshall, Porsche, Castro and the Christ

The past few days saw the death of a few distinguished people--among others of course--that helped shape industries in their own way. The last person in the title space is someone the world knows as the Son of an Almighty, whom arguably would create the largest of the industries this world has ever known.

Why would I talk about any of them in a technology blog you might ask? Well, apart from the fact that they are pillars of certain industries, they are, without a shadow of a doubt, heroes of technology. Doubtful? Let me state my case one-by-one for your appreciation. And let me know if it does, or does not satisfy.

First off, Jim Marshall. Nope, he is neither the person with the microphone nor the guy up in the air with a uniquely dark hat. The former, I'm not too sure who he is actually. The latter is Slash, the legendary guitarist of Guns N' Roses. But enough about them, we're talking about the insignia from the amp box in the background, a product made by a company founded by Jim Marshall a long time ago. It's such a long time that Jim is actually called The Father of Loud and enjoys to be part of a very short list of forefathers in the realm of rock music equipment, such as Leo Fender (the Stratocaster).

During the time, there were already amps around but nothing as loud as what The Who's Pete Townshend was looking for. Seeing the opportunity, Jim worked on a series of amps that would eventually be Marshall Amplification, a company that stands to this day. His amps were quite popular--quite. Hendrix, Clapton and Jimmy Page are known customers. Jim's signature would grow more in popularity as his amps would later establish itself as "the Marshall sound." Likewise a vertical arrangement of amps would be known as "the Marshall stack." The rest is really history; Jim was 88.

Ferdinand Alexander (F.A.) Porsche, the grandson of "the great engineer" and Porsche founder Ferdinand Porsche, is no ordinary scion of the renowned manufacturer. He wasn't exactly an engineer but more of a designer, a trade he didn't see himself in at first despite all his early successes. F.A. would be best known for designing one of the better automotive beasts of its time, the Porsche 911, an instant classic from the time it was unleashed in 1968 until the time of this writing. In a poll in 1999, the 911 was ranked 5th among other greats for Car of the Century (Ford's Model T, perhaps the most influential car in history, took the top spot).

F.A.'s talent in design would later inspire him to found a company, Porsche Design, which apart from automobile design would be in the business of chronographs (meticulously exact time pieces), a series of very interesting spectacles, and an impressive line of home furnishings and other personal devices. F.A. Porsche was a design legend, 'nuff said. He was 76.

When I was young, I loved watching the news. I loved it so much that I remember watching Angelo Castro Jr., a much-celebrated long-time broadcaster of ABS-CBN, at least two decades ago. Fast-forward to now, I still watch news as often as I could during weeknights. And since I hardly reach TV Patrol (which Angelo Castro created) in time, The World Tonight became the regular staple. But Angelo was nowhere to be found for a long time, leaving Tina Palma as the sole anchor for a long while. November 7, 2011, I was fortunate to watch Angelo Castro return to The World Tonight, finishing the show with his trademark, "and the final word tonight." It was a classic piece. Little did I know that he was dying, and a few days ago, his death would be announced. Angelo Castro is a pillar of Filipino broadcasting; he was 67.

And certainly not the least. Jesus of Nazareth, son of John the carpenter, was an industry giant. Not to malign or anything, I meant industry in a good way. His ministry would stretch from to the farthest regions of this sphere--and more. The Christ's words, after two millennia, still hold the greatest truth, a fact that continues to be certain even in the most trying times. In the events of the Holy Week, as practiced by Catholics, Christ would undergo death and resurrection, the latter event a culmination, a victory over death. Easter. His milestone is relatively simple, yet the most profound of them all: he loved you and me so much, that he would not mind dying to redeem our sins. By expert accounts, Christ was three decades old on his final milestone; he was (est.) 30.

And so, we have Marshall, an engineer by trade who ceased the opportunity to provide a technological upgrade to the most demanding audiophiles. His ingenuity shaped music tech. Porsche, a meticulous designer who would put his name in as many places as possible, and whose working designs proved the balance of form and function. His craftsmanship rattled the foundations of technology design. Castro, a broadcaster who was good in two things: spreading the word and being consistent about it. He would be instrumental in improving the structure in news programming during his time. His effect on broadcast technology cannot be underestimated.

And Christ, the most significant technological pioneer of his day, still teaches us a few tricks about how magnificent life can be. During his day, a few loaves of bread can feed thousands of people. His technology is magical. And today, even though we've all multiplied in significant numbers, His telephony can still take it. At the end, the best technology is the one that can't be seen. Because technology is an experience first and foremost. The same way that Marshall's experience was sound, or Porsche's excellent drive, or the memory of Castro's benevolence, we've all enjoyed being part of their show. The same way we continue to be believers in Christ's magnum opus.

That sounded nice.

The madness that is Yahoo! (for real now)

Before anything, let me declare one thing that we can all probably agree on. We, who during the early days of the Internet age had Yahoo as our home page, search engine, news portal, instant messaging service, personal website (GeoCities anyone?), and everything else that it helped advance at the time. To Yahoo!'s credit, they pretty much dominated the Internet boom. It is arguably the most important and most successful web destination of its time.

Of its time. That's the wickedly difficult part. It was the top website in rankings and had dominion over Internet traffic like no other. Now, that title is owned by Google, with Facebook trailing not very far behind. They're still there alright (No. 4 in Alexa as of this writing after YouTube, a Google-owned portal). But in their key markets, Yahoo is starting to lose its strength. In fact, it has bled global market share severely over time--Yahoo! search has less than 11% (even with Bing combined); Google has at least 75%.

A bit of history. Yahoo! was founded in 1994 by Jerry Yang and David Filo, both coming from Stanford U (interestingly, so did Google founders Sergey and Larry). Their first run was an Internet directory called "Jerry and Dave's Guide to the World Wide Web," which for some unknown, mysterious reason had to be changed in favor of Yahoo! eventually. Okay, I'm sarcastic. With its early successes, Yahoo!'s valuation rose all the way over $100 billion before the dot-com bubble burst. Around 2006, they peaked at about $43 billion, where Microsoft would offer to buy the company out for $44.6 two years later. Jerry Yang resisted it at utter disappointment of most Yahoo! shareholders. Yahoo!'s stock plummeted immediately afterwards; Jerry would be forced out before the end of the year. And in a move to rekindle the idea, Yahoo! would join forces with Microsoft over the Bing search engine in 2009. To compete with Google together. They have yet to make any significant dent in search.

After all the hullaballoo, including the short and disastrous term of CEO Carol Bartz, Yahoo!'s current valuation stands at just a little more than $18 billion, a far cry from its heyday. A few days ago, recently appointed CEO Scott Thompson announced the layoff of 2,000 employees (they have 14,000 worldwide), a move he says would generate "significant savings" and provide more focus in their core business. Wait. Does anyone know what that core business is?

By now, it's downright crystal that Yahoo! has lost its luster from its previous status as being the darling of the Internet. Now, it is an also-ran. And as much as a company can be revered for being a key player in shaping how the Internet is now, we have to admit the fact that Yahoo! is no longer a great company. Do you recall any big thing they've done in recent years? Have they excited you with anything lately? When was the last time you used Yahoo! Messenger? Do you have a Yahoo! app in your smartphone? The simplest questions are enough to say that they're just about done.

Unless Yahoo! finds their soul. The problem is, I can't for the life of me remember--what are they best at doing again? This question only confirms a looming disaster.

A failed merger that would not have worked anyway.


Co-founder Jerry Yang with the popular tagline.

The madness that is Yahoo! and why we won't talk about it yet

Before I talk about Yahoo!'s latest brouhaha, let's dwell on a few items here and there. This is important because it's not good to start with bad news. All the more, horrifying news. The stuff of 'whyyy?!?' But let's not prolong this one shall we?

Anyway, this first item of interest is nothing short of an "oh my god" realization. A realization that however irritated we've all been on Nokia's phone lineup in the past years, this one (below) is actually turning heads--my head included. Now, I am in absolute agony in having to admit something that I thought I'd never say in light of the iOS and Android revolutions that took platforms by complete surprise, i.e. BlackBerry. But did Nokia know what to do all along, merely playing dead? And why in the world would you do that, Stephen? (Nokia's CEO is formerly a Microsoft executive.) You're making me and Miguel, our insanely gifted technology specialist who has _________ machines, look like a fool.



I think the Nokia Lumia 900 is--here goes nothing--an excellent phone, one worthy enough to go toe-to-toe with the iPhone 4S and the latest Android flagship (which by the way keeps changing given the unholy amounts of Ice Cream Sandwiches that are about to hit the market). It sports the Windows 7.5 Mango, which in a recent preview blew away my un-fanboy status in anything that has a Microsoft product on it. And to think this is 7.5, not 8. Back to the phone (let's talk about Microsoft again in the future). It's a 4G/LTE device (which tethers up to 5 devices!) that's priced in the mid-range despite it being a mighty looking device. Every review site seems to be agreeing that the workmanship of this phone is outstanding. The entire casing is actually crafted from a single piece of durable material which makes it sturdy as hell. There's a few other items here and there: great battery, impressive camera. And with all that stuff, you'd ask if it is even heavy? You're absolutely right. One reviewer praised it for it being "built like a tank," except that "it weighs like one too." Oh well.



But enough with this one lest we be described as a product reviewer. (Though yes, this felt quite fun actually. Let's try this again one time.) There's always a takeaway whenever a new product is introduced. We can talk endlessly about how they changed certain elements in the device, but what's really important is what the manufacturer is doing right this time around, specifically, what they've learned. If there's one think we can agree on, Nokia is starting to do things right again. And that means trouble to those who think they are done.

In tech, you can be done but you can also be undone. A kindergarten student can answer how to get undone pretty easily. Stop being undone. Hence, Nokia strikes back.

(But whether Yahoo! can get back, well that's a different matter. And we'll take that up very soon. Promise.)