Tag Archives: iPad Blog

Controlling a PC from an iPad Turns Tablets Into Genuine Work Devices

I have a problem with the whole “Post-PC Era” thing. The problem is that trying to do any real work on a tablet is a miserable experience. Typing and keyboard issues aside, there is so much that you can’t do on a tablet that we take for granted on PCs. Much of that has to do with the limited tablet interface and the fact that desktop applications are so much more full-featured than apps. Also, file management doesn’t exist at all on tablets, which can be absolutely maddening. In my opinion, the only serious “work” that users can do on a tablet is email, web browsing, note-taking, and perhaps writing (if you can live with the touch interface or a flimsy add-on keyboard). I call my iPad my “couch computer.” It’s a handy little device to have around, but it’s good for little else.

What would be nice is a way to access and control a desktop computer and all its applications and files from a tablet. The only remaining obstacle to doing real work would be the tablet interface. But full functionality and access to files could be re-established if the tablet simply served as a portal to a full computing experience.

Such solutions have existed for a while, such as GoToMyPC and LogMeIn. But these run into interface problems as well since PCs rely on precise control of a mouse, which is difficult to emulate with finger-controlled tablets. However, a new product, called Parallels Access, may have solved these problems. Reviewed by Walt Mossberg, Parallels Access claims to turn the desktop experience of a computer into a full-screen tablet experience that makes controlling a PC remotely quite easy.

Unlike many others, [Access] doesn’t force you to constantly try and emulate the precise mouse pointer for which most of these computer programs were designed. It runs them like iPad apps, in full screen and at the iPad’s resolution, yet preserving full functionality and the ability to switch among open apps and windows on the computer. It works over both Wi-Fi and cellular connections.

File sharing is still a bear, but Parallels is said to be working on a solution. Also, the program is quite pricey — $80 PER YEAR, PER COMPUTER accessed. Ouch! But it may be worth it for the ability to do real work on the road. Read the article, check out the accompanying video, and be sure to read the comments, where a less expensive program with similar capabilities called Splashtop is discussed (with Splashtop’s CEO providing some interesting notes).

The “Post-PC Era” may be a clever marketing take, but at this point it requires better “Post-PC” apps and a remote PC, too.

Read full article: http://on.wsj.com/17kK3Xf

Internet Trends Report

Knowing how and where people get information tells us how and where to deliver our messages and services. With that in mind, Kleiner Perkins analyst Mary Meeker’s annual Internet Trends report is a valuable compilation of research and observation. It sheds light on these areas to help us keep up with the ever-changing business/tech landscape. This year’s report, delivered at the recent “All Things Digital” conference, highlights several notable trends.

The move to mobile is in full throttle. Laptop and desktop sales will continue to decline as smartphones and tablets become the devices of choice in the “Post PC” era. Apple and Samsung claimed a combined 51% market share of global smartphone unit sales in Q4 2012, making them the dominant players in the field.

  • Tablets are being adopted even more quickly than smartphones. For the first 12 quarters after launch, iPads have sold 3-times faster than iPhones. Tablet sales also eclipsed sales of desktops and laptops for Q4 2012, and projections are that annual tablet shipments will surpass laptops in 2013 and total PCs in 2015.
  • Mobile Internet traffic is now 15% of total global internet traffic.
  • Time spent with print and radio continues to trend downward while TV and Internet remain steady. Mobile, on the other hand, continues to trend upward. Interestingly, the money that advertisers spend on print is 4-times greater than the time users spend there, while money spent on mobile advertising is one-fourth of the time spent, pointing to a $20B opportunity as advertisers catch up.

The entire presentation is 117 slides and provides information on media, global browsing, and wearable tech.

View full report: [no longer available]

iPad Takes Significant Lead as e-Commerce Shifts to Mobile

A study by RichRelevance illustrates the power of Apple’s tablet platform in e-commerce (m-commerce?). Accounting for “68% of all mobile shoppers,” the iPad has put a charge into the move from desktop to mobile for buying things online. The larger screen undoubtedly helps consumers view full web pages better than smartphones for a more comfortable shopping experience. iPads may also make shopping online more casual since purchases can be made from the couch or kitchen table. Also, people may find that shopping on the go on smartphones is challenging timewise. True m-commerce implies “buying while flying,” which, apart from technologies like Near Field Communications that allow instant purchases, may currently be unrealistic if shoppers want to research and compare when shopping online.

Whatever the case, there’s no denying the iPad’s impact on the all-important activity of spending.

The report, the 2012 Q1 Shopping Insights Mobile Study, finds a steady rise in mobile share of revenue from 1.9% in April 2011 to 4.6% in March 2012, with the iPad driving nearly all shopping, browsing and purchasing in this emerging channel.

According to March 2012 data, iPad users spent significantly more time and money on retail sites than other mobile users, account for 68% of all mobile shoppers, and show the strongest conversion rates (1.5% for iPad vs. 0.57% for other mobile devices).

Read full article: http://bit.ly/HQxXH3

Worthy of the Mantle: Disney and Jobs

Our family recently made the pilgrimage to Disney World. It was the first-ever trip to the renowned resort for myself and our two grandsons. The boys were wide-eyed as they took in the rides and attractions (although the lines tried their patience a bit). It was all fun, but as we went through the day, I began thinking more and more about the power of customer experience.

Everyone is familiar with “Disney perfection.” The pleasant on-site accommodations are conveniently linked with the various parks by an efficient transportation system. The parks are clean, the staff friendly, and the ample restrooms, food services, and souvenir shops are easy to find throughout the expertly designed grounds. In an era where “customer experience” rules, Disney holds the high ground.

One detail that stood out for me is how they tactfully block off areas under construction. Painted fences surround the building sites. Alongside are benches where visitors can take a break. And on the fences at regular intervals are little plaques with quotes from Walt himself, politely reminding everyone not to feel too inconvenienced. After all, the parks are all about turning dreams into reality.

One particular quote from Walt stuck with me. “I only hope that we don’t lose sight of one thing — that it was all started by a mouse.” I recalled the cartoon “Steamboat Willie,” with Mickie happily at the wheel, and how that mouse became the character that launched Disney to fortune and fame.

Of course, it wasn’t just Mickey that made Disney successful. And the long-lasting fame wasn’t automatic. The success of Mickey Mouse opened a door that allowed Walt Disney to express his whole vision, which included pushing the technology and business of animation forward, and giving his customers something that he knew would delight them. And this got me thinking about Steve Jobs.

Both Steve and Walt valued customer experience. Both pushed technology to deliver products that customers love. Both were in touch with the ethereal world of dreams (Disney: “When you wish upon a star,” Jobs: “Think Different”). Both maintained complete control of their products, companies, and brands. Both brought ground-breaking innovation to their fields. Walt pushed the limits of cell animation, perfecting “multi-plane” camera techniques. This early 3D-like experience delivered the first animated feature film, “Snow White,” despite the trepidations of everyone around him. On the other hand, Jobs brought computers to the masses with the highly successful Apple II and then delivered game-changing products like the Mac, the iPod, and the iPhone. Add to that inspired marketing, and he effectively married his gadgets into our daily lives.

But perhaps what’s most interesting is how Disney came to technology through entertainment while Jobs came to entertainment through technology. Walt, the entertainer, envisioned Epcot, the techno- “City of Tomorrow,” while Steve, the “tech guy,” became CEO of Pixar, the award-winning 3D animation studio, and brought the music industry into the 21st century with the iTunes store. It’s as if Jobs and Disney were both born with the ability to bring us treasures from the future. Whatever it was, their paths seemed destined to converge. Pixar inevitably was bought by Disney, and Steve ended up on Disney’s board as its largest shareholder.

You could say that Steve Jobs became the heir of Disney’s legacy. Connecting with customers’ most fundamental wants, and delivering unexpectedly satisfying experiences, link the two visionaries. Fans love their products because they’re delighted by them. Indeed, customers stand in long lines to ride “Pirates of the Caribbean” or get the latest iPhone. Their success isn’t the result of cold, calculating computer algorithms but the expression of a gift bestowed on only a few. It’s high-level creativity expressed in business, technology, innovation, and art, with unquestioned success as the result.

Today, the work of Disney and Jobs lives on, guided by the embedded philosophy of innovation and customer experience that’s in their companies. The world needs companies that can give us what was previously unimaginable — extraordinary products provided in exceptional ways. Perhaps a “sorcerer’s apprentice” is somewhere in the wings, waiting to take up this mantle at just the right time. The job description includes an unfettered imagination, an iron will, and a love for delighting the masses. “Thinking different” will help, too. Qualified candidates, however, need not apply. We’ll know you when we see you.

10 Things Apple Doesn’t Want You to Know About the iPad

I must admit, the iPad has taken me. It’s another beautiful device from Apple that comes with a world of promise. But it’s not without detractors, many of whom have insightfully pierced the hype to point out some notable weaknesses. A Flash presentation from eWeek, below, summarizes the arguments against becoming enamored with the iPad.

For my money, the real test will be whether the content deals Apple finds for the device makes iPad invaluable. Everyone knows that Apple excels at producing beautifully designed, eminently usable products. But they’re also adept at finding markets for their products. The fact that iTunes and the iPod turned illegal file-swapping into a billion-dollar business begs the question, can they do the same thing for video and print publishing?

Newspapers and magazines are languishing with steadily declining circulation and lame efforts on the web. A killer reading and media experience on the iPad that goes well beyond what’s currently available, and a viable advertising model could make tablet devices like the iPad indispensable for consumers and publishers alike. Of course, prices must come down before the masses will wholeheartedly adopt them — but isn’t that what happened with smartphones once the iPhone launched?

View presentation: http://bit.ly/dsY3nP