aaronbiggs.com » Technology

Apple Case Study

aaron biggs — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 22:14:15 +0000

Why, hello. It’s been quite some time since an update. Apologies — much going on. Hell, I may just be talking to myself here. Either way, here’s a lovely little presentation on where Apple’s at, some thoughts on how they got there, and how they can continue to protect that position.

Digital Media != Mass Media for Cheap

aaron biggs — Tue, 26 May 2009 04:18:52 +0000

Quick, short presentation that caught my eye – Not the most intense inspection of the subject, but the ideals still hold true.

New Harry Potter Trailer

aaron biggs — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 05:42:12 +0000

I link this here, because Hulu sold it to me. And boy do I love some good viral marketing.

The Fan Economy

aaron biggs — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 21:59:37 +0000

The Fan Economy: Becoming Fan Focused

View more presentations from Bud Caddell.

Great Reads

aaron biggs — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 19:03:08 +0000

Racing the Beam

A new book from Nick Montfort and Ian Bogost studies the relationship between the technological challenges faced in designing for the Atari VCS and what that led to in terms of the game design and the evolution of an entire industry from both computational and cultural perspectives.

An oft-overlooked and quirky platform is given a deep inspection in what looks to be the first in a series of books analyzing a platform’s impact on the industry of gaming, not just the cursory glances we’ve seen them given in the past.

Available for purchase @ MIT Press.

The Road Not Traveled #2

aaron biggs — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 15:46:15 +0000

Again visiting the world of “What Could Have Been Apple” this time I bring you a product that is a bit like the white whale amongst Apple collectors/fans. The Apple Interactive Television. It was designed to be Apple’s foray into a developing market for Set-Top Boxes, featuring WebTV-style interactivity, connectivity and functionality. It’s important to remember that this was before Motorola had really taken the Set-Top market by storm and Apple saw it as a unique chance to buy themselves into every living room in the US (There was also a European prototype built and outfitted with the appropriate SCART interface).

Apple Interactive TV (Front)

Apple Interactive TV (Back)

The Real Reason I Like the Kindle

aaron biggs — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 17:58:40 +0000

I knew I liked the Kindle for some reason I couldn’t put my finger on. I’m not a huge xkcd fanboy, but this one was just too appropriate for me to pass up sharing it.

The Road Not Traveled #1

aaron biggs — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 02:34:56 +0000

Thought I’d make it a habit of sharing some of the paths Apple tried to trod down and then thought better and backed out of.

First up, the digital camera market.

Apple Quicktake Digital Camera

Dancing Technology

aaron biggs — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 06:57:58 +0000

Now I think it’s important to mention that I am, for most accounts, a gigantic Apple fanboy. I do my best to objectively evaluate their products and releases, and I am not so blind a zealot (hah!) that I cannot appreciate that even the mighty Apple does reach too far or assume too much. That said, I find the culture and history of Apple to be a great modern tale and no character plays a bigger role in that than Steve Wozniak.

To me, it is a shame that so few people are able to recognize this name. In addition to being a quirky, great-hearted individual, Woz is for all intents and purposes one of the few men throughout history who have singlehandedly have pushed society forward. While I think it may be too much to say the Personal Computer as we know it wouldn’t exist today without his efforts, they surely would have been far removed in terms of agility and efficiency. And I definitely do not believe they would have so quickly reached the consumer market without the advances of his Apple I.

That said, since his days at Apple have unofficially been over for decades (he still holds a position there which will most likely remain for his life) he has meandered through various technology startups and the public eye. Working in several raw, new technology areas throughout the years (releasing the world’s first universal controller in 1987, work on GPS systems in the early 2000′s, and even on Danger, Inc’s Board of Directors) his influence seems to still be high, at least within the Valley.

Interestingly, I heard a couple months ago that in ABC’s latest attempt to expand the audience for their populist reality show “Dancing with the Stars” they had extended an invitation to Steve Wozniak to come compete on the show. Now, I don’t know what sort of image you have of the man who invented the Personal Computer, but he surely does not bring to my mind images of the most agile and dexterous of men.

From his Wikipedia article:

Joey Slotnick, left, poses with Steve Wozniak. Slotnick portrayed Wozniak in the film Pirates of Silicon Valley.

I am not one to judge, and I will definitely be watching this show (for the first time, honest!) simply because Woz is going to be on it, so I can see why ABC would be extending offers to those outside of their previous competitors (mostly B-list actors, athletes, etc). I invite you all to view the show, vote for Woz, and enjoy a small collision of old-technology icon and pop culture.

“Dancing with the Stars” airs on ABC, Monday Nights at 8PM EST/7PM CST.