iPad creates more questions than answers

With the iPad, it's not why, but "why not?" There’s a lot of debate as to whether or not the iPad is a game changer. After all, isn’t changing the game what Apple does best? The iPod changed the media consumption game. iTunes changed the media purchase game. The iPhone changed the mobile game. Macs are an ongoing effort to change the PC game. Apple invades thriving markets and smoothes out the edges, giving consumers a simplified way of approaching familiar problems.

What game is the iPad playing? It’s a tablet PC in form factor alone. Is it an e-reader? Is it a web browsing tool? Is it a laptop replacement? Is it a desktop supplement? Is it for productivity? Entertainment? Is it for Millenials? Boomers? Toddlers? Is it for everybody? Is it supposed to do everything? What makes the iPad a truly unique Apple product may be the fact that it subverts Apple’s successful change-the-game model – this time, Apple might actually be inventing games as opposed to changing them.

Rather than asking if the iPad changes the game, maybe we should ask why the iPad exists. Is it possible that Apple might have developed a product without knowing exactly what problem they were solving? Continue reading “iPad creates more questions than answers”

New media solutions for new mamas

Lab Director Lori Schwartz and SadieFor those who know Lab Director Lori Schwartz, it’s not a shock that she’d bring her love of emerging media home with her. Lori’s been an evangelist of advanced TV and video, interactive content, and industry partnerships for as long as anyone would listen.

So we were not surprised when she emailed from her Blackberry on the table minutes before giving birth; or that we got the first Facebook photo of Sadie within minutes of her arrival this past month.

And now, Lori is proving that like innovative brand campaigns, child rearing is also an excellent opportunity to integrate new media solutions. We’ve highlighted the use of new media previously for weddings, and for other important life milestones. But for those who are considering or who will soon make the leap into parenthood, here are some of the best bets from an “emerging media mama:” Continue reading “New media solutions for new mamas”

Hottest trends in gaming

PSP Go video demo

Here are continued impressions from E3.  They are, as promised, thoughts on Sony offerings and the larger gaming trends.

Sony: I got a “hands-on” with the new PSP Go.  I think this device is less a competitor to the Nintendo DSi, and much more of a competitor to the iPod Touch.  The device centers on the concept of digital distribution for games and video – no more UMD disks.  Getting rid of a disk drive has certainly made the device more portable, but it still doesn’t seem as pocket friendly as the iPod.  The ability to leverage a control pad is great, as are the tie-ins between the PS3 and the PSP devices, but I see the device as primarily appealing to the existing PSP owners, much as the DSi has been an upgrade to the Nintendo DS. Continue reading “Hottest trends in gaming”