apple – Search marketing with ventureN

What’s up Apples Sleeve at WWDC. More pain for Adobe?

There is a lot of chatter about Apples’s WWDC on 6/7/2010-6/11/2010. Most in the tech crowd feel that there won’t be much new news announced. An iPhone 4G was lost/leaked/stolen, etc. and a 2nd version turned up overseas giving us a little more insight into the case (perhaps).

One of the more interesting bits of speculation that has come out in the last couple of days is that a Microsoft presentation may be in the works. In fact, it may be part of the keynote. What I am hearing is that it has to do with Microsoft Visual Studio and would be considered pretty big news. According to the news, VisualStudio will allow developers to write native applications for the iPhone, iPad and Mac OS. This could be great for Microsoft and bad for… Adobe

A Slap in the Face to Adobe (ADBE)

My take on the backing of the VisualStudio platform has a lot to do with the battle with Adobe. Apple and Adobe aren’t exactly getting along. Steve Jobs has gone out of his way to disparage Flash and Adobe and even went so far as to call them ‘lazy’ for not working to improve Flash. For those who don’t know, it is a resource hog. By enlisting Microsoft to work on tools to develop for Apple’s platforms they are needling the current leader in the development space.

Adobe owns a couple of markets right now and one way to put another dagger in their heart (or back) would be to push into their market. The fact that Apple would consider doing this with Microsoft is a surprise. Imagine if Microsoft is able to move Visual Studio (or some variation of) toward becoming a product that web developers would consider in lieu of Adobe’s Creative Suite (Dreamweaver). That would put them back on their heels a bit more. As a developer, I would have to look long and hard (and probably wouldn’t waste the time to do so) after Microsoft’s past attempts to build tools for the web space. Microsoft’s Frontpage was an early leader in this area and lost the game due to the horrific code output and some of the non-standards compliant touches that Microsoft allowed in the product.

In the end, there is a chance that Apple is simply using Microsoft to tighten the screws on Adobe. After all, the cultures at Adobe and Apple are much closer than those at Apple and Microsoft.

Apple’s WWDC could be a big event, or it could simply be another one of their events that make you say “That is about what we thought they would come out with…”.

As always, time will tell!

The power of COOL! iPad, or these 7 alternatives?

In marketing and advertising, you need to hook somene emotionally to get a strong response. Google proved that with a simple yet effective Superbowl Ad. I must admit, it gave me chills the first time that I saw it. I showed my wife and found her headed for the tissues after viewing. The picture that they painted, the story, etc. They hooked people with emotion about a story. Apple uses their marketing and brand to convey cool and uses that hook.

Apple does cool better than anyone RIGHT NOW. There can be a shift from time to time, but if you want a fantastic gadget or device that will tell others “I’m Cool”, or I care about great products, an Apple device accomplishes that in one fell swoop.

Will the desire to be part of the “IN” crowd with an iPad be too much for people to avoid? Prior to the product launch, I convinced myself that this device would be $899 and I wouldn’t need to touch it at that price. Well, Apple hit a price point where I am saying that I have to have one. Now I ask myself the question… is it a desire to be “cool” or a desire to have a product that has all of the functions that I want, and does them well?

Here is what Apple does.

Their products convey cool.
They make the best stuff! Hands down. Simple to use out of the box. Well thought design and interface.

Forget the fact that some of the rival “pads” or “slates” will have more features. What Apple is doing is providing a terrific price point and what is likely to be a terrific product. I can say that since the iPhone is a terrific product and this is essentially a larger take on the iPhone…for now.

Will you buy just for the cool factor? We always have choices. Gmail or Hotmail, iPod or Zune, Tivo or DVR, Nike or Adidas, Coke or Pepsi… you get the picture. One interesting factor is whether the product used to convey who and what you are is in public view, or just in view of a select group of friends (private view).

Public View Example: iPod vs. Zune. Both very nice products.
Winner: iPod (cool)
Loser: Zune (not so much)
Private View Example: Tivo vs. cable co. DVR. Tivo is head and shoulders above the DVR’s provide by your cable company, however, it is in private view and cool is not one of the deciding factors. Cost and function are enough.
Winner: Any old DVR
Loser: Tivo

If you are considering a rival to the iPad, for price, OS, or functions you need, consider the list put together by TechCrunch.com. My hunch is that Apple will have another winner on their hands. At least in terms of market share. How big the ‘Pad’ market is has yet to be determined.

Apple May Be on the Verge of Kneecapping the Cable Industry

I have a theory… the new apple tablet device that has been rumored for quite some time. Will not only do everything that the iPod does, but will also do everything the Kindle does (but better) and everything the Nook does (but better) and everything that….

It feels like convergence is here. I watched a football game on my iPhone while trying to get to sleep the other day. I would have loved to have a device with 2x screen size. I would love a tablet that allowed my eyes (quickly getting old) to read with a little less strain.

Apple is working with the content providers just as they did with the record labels pre-itunes. Once you have the content, the device makes sense.

Apple may be on the verge of gaining two key television network agreements, according to The Wall Street Journal. Specifically, CBS and Walt Disney DIS which runs ABC are said to be considering a proposal by Apple to offer a subscription-based TV service over the Internet.

How would you like a portable TV that allows you to time shift and watch your shows anytime anywhere? The tablet could be many things and also a portable TV. A good one. A good one with top tier content, not the limited stuff you find on a Media Center PC. I checked out the media center content 4 years after getting my first media center PC and it was pretty disappointing. An apple tablet that worked with the Apple TV device much the way a Slingbox works with your devices is not a stretch.

Have you noticed the number of portable (over the air) TV’s that have come out across the past 6 months? Coincidence? Why is Comcast scrambling to offer your content in unique ways?

Kindle was able to get a flat fee, all you can eat wireless plan. It it possible that Apple is going to be offering the same? Will this need 4G? If so, we are just about there.

A lot of questions. I can’t wait until the answers start rolling in.

via Apple May Be on the Verge of Kneecapping the Cable Industry — Seeking Alpha.