iZoho Web Apps for iPhone
June 28, 2007
Moving us even closer to life in the cloud, online app company Zoho intruduced iZoho today. Users will be able to 
access specially developed and formatted versions of Zoho Writer, Sheet, and Show on the new Apple iPhone. Zoho competes with Google in the online app space, but here the smaller and maybe more nimble company outmanuvers Google to optimize their web apps for the iPhone first.
Google Calendar Goes Mobile! Yes!
June 26, 2007
There is a God, and she is good. Google finally released a mobile version of their on-line calendar. One more step toward living full time in the cloud. Now if they can just add some todo features. You know from my last post I am using Socialtext for notes on-line and it’s working really well, but Google does have Google Notebook which is a fairly good web-based note taker itself. People have already been clamoring for an online version of that one. Ok, I admit it, I have become a Google fanboy. Damm.
The Ultimate Notepad is a Wiki
June 24, 2007
I have been searching for a long time now for a solution. What I want is a place to store all my notes, random thoughts and ideas. I want to be able to access them from any computer and via a mobile device as well. I have tried various programs on Mac and PC and played with different syncing senarios on Windows Mobile and Palm based devices. I have tried several web-based systems; Nothing has cut the mustard. Every solution worked on one level, but left something out.
I did come to one conclusion; the solution had to be web-based. That is the only way I could have access from any computer, anywhere. No complex sync routines needed. That just left out the mobile component. I began thinking a Wiki might be the best way to go and finally I found what may just be the Holy Grail, Socialtext. The Socialtext wiki is simple and easy to use and most important of all, it was built for mobile access. Socialtext also supports tagging, rss, email into the wiki and more. So far, I’m digging it.
Elvis Costello Podcast
June 21, 2007
As part of the promotion for his new best of retrospective CD, Elvis Costello has released a podcast. It’s a 10 part weekly series with Elvis telling personal stories from his first 10 years in the music business. Short, simple and well produced, it’s a must listen for any fan. It’s not well promoted on his website; hopefully bloggers will pick up on it and spread the word.
Unfortunately this is a promo-cast with a limited run and a specific purpose. I would love to see more artists embrace podcasting as a open venue to connect with their fans. Why not hear short cast from the road? Whip out an acoustic guitar and play a special version of a hit song for the podcast audience. Let fans send in audio comments and play some once and awhile.
Rocker Dave Navarro has a live streaming Internet radio show called Spread Radio Live on which he plays music and talks to fans. It’s a one of a kind direct connection with his fans. Dave controls the station and makes the rules, no corporate interestes need apply. I only wish he would release it as a podcast after the live show. Rebroadcasts are streamed from iTunes continuously.
New Media Firehose
June 21, 2007
It’s exausting to keep up with, the flood of new apps and services pouring out of the tech world these days. I’ve never 
seen such fast moving and creative innovation. It’s a great time be around. One new service I learned about today via Twitter, a place I learn so many new things these days, is Kyte.tv. Kyte is an online video site for user generated content. Somewhat like YouTube but with a better user interface, one feature that grabbed my attention is the ability to open a channel and allow anyone or a selected group of people to upload videos. It’s almost like comments on a blog but in video. With all the notebooks with built in video cameras, we’re going to see more and more user generated video.
YouTube Comes To The iPhone
June 20, 2007
Google and Apple are at it again with regard to the iPhone. First a slick Google Maps app and now a custom YouTube app that will bring online video to the iPhone. It’s nice I guess, but I would be even more interested in an app that allowed me to watch tv shows from the various networks now streaming shows online. Oh but that would go against Apple selling shows on iTunes. I have no interest in buying shows I have already paid for via my satellite bill when they are available for free as a stream with ads.
Oh, and just one more thing… remember when Steve Jobs said at the recent WWDC conference that building web 2.0 apps for the iPhone was such a sweet deal for developers? Not sweet enough for Apple as the new YouTube app is a full native app for the iPhone. Let’s not kid ourselves, web 2.0 apps for the iPhone might work out resonably well but they’ll never be as good as a native app.
Google Gears Is The Bomb
June 13, 2007
Wow,
I’ve been playing around with Google Gears and it’s amazing. Gears allows offline access for web-based applications. One of the biggest drawbacks to using an online app is that with no net connection, you can’t access the application or your data; you’re dead in the water. With a Gears enabled web app, you can cut the cord and still do everything you need to do. Changes are sync’ed back to the server when you do get back online. Some of my favorite apps are already working with Google Gears including Google Reader and Remember The Milk. Kudos to the Remember The Milk guys who thought it was cool and implimented it in a weekend. Everyone is really foaming at the mouth for offline Gmail now. Yeah, I’d be into that.