We decided to embed the complete Wall Street Journal video -- advertisement included (no AdWords/AdSense necessary). We did this because the content related to the subject is the most descriptive we found on the subject. It also takes the discussion about Category #2 (Seeing Through the Clouds) exactly in the direction we wanted to go without belaboring the point about the operating system, which, surprise, surprise was about MorphOS, AROS and OS4 on a new low-cost SoC Power Architecture based platform.
Amazon Kindle
The Kindle's greatest contribution may well be to break some conceptions many have about "consumer electronics." The technology has been designed to be invisible to the experience. Good work. The hardware/unique user ID, the operating system/application (you can read Word documents), the mobile network/no monthly bill data plan and vast selection of material (bundled, subscription or a la carte) all contribute the the ultimate objective, which is reading. We have never understood why the New York Times or any other newspaper did not do this for themselves (As the World Turns). Congratulations and admiration to Amazon (Public, NASDAQ:AMZN).
It is not about just being an Android. The bar has been raised for Google and all the rest of the Open Handset Alliance members. Just a few more thoughts...
We like the ten cents an email. It costs postage to send a letter. Perhaps, people will think more about what they send and we will have less spam. Text messaging has driven a bunch of revenue over mobile networks. Good move. The written word is a good thing.
Removing the delivery complexity from the medium of experience. The Kindle is a publishing environment and the end of the supply chain in Amazon's new digital distribution business. If writers, publishers and Amazon can tune the medium with the message they get back it will continue to be genius.
You see, folks, the conventional wisdom is wrong. You would have thought the iPod was enough proof being where it is today when it only got started at little over six years ago. It's the End User Device!
Amiga Award 2002
If Amazon can kindle an interest, there will be a successful bplan. The opportunity for genesi has finally arrived. The next EFIKA will support all the Amiga operating systems, as well as Linux and others. The devices to be made and what they will be able to do will be remarkable!
The Community is the Computer - a Super Computer. Go Zig!
6 comments:
BB & RV,
A couple of things to note:
1. Intel's pushing x86 down into the UMPC/Mobile Phone arena with their latest chips.
2. AMD is stretched to capacity with their processors. Buying ATI actually hurt them a lot due to the fact that partnerships with companies like TSMC get messed up due to partnerships and loyalties to Nvidia and other companies like that. It also hurt them because it screwed over their partnership with Nvidia, and ATI's Intel partnerships.
3. AMD has the Geode, but Intel's pushing the Core technology down to the mobile phone level.
4. Intel's also pursuing integrated graphics on-chip. Don't let them fool you :).
And for OS #2:
1. Intel's backing Linux for this effort from what I have seen.
2. Two words: EEE PC. This is using a custom Xandros build, and is the first of many Linux variants I expect to see.
3. Palm had a shot at this, but failed miserably with the Folio. Access, on the other hand, with their Access Linux Platform (ALP), which has a PalmOS emulator (that now runs on the Nokia platform), has a big shot due to the fact that the Nokia/Linux combination can pull off the hardware/software integration better than Palm does.
4. X86 is going to end up being the chip for this OS of choice due to the fact that there's so much corporate software written for it. Unless, of course, someone manages to pull off the impossible and gets Flash, Java with a decent GUI library, and the multitude of Internet Explorer plug-ins (think SSL VPNs, Citrix, and the thousands of bespoke apps out there for IE) to run decently with no issues.
5. Whatever platform it is will need VPN and SSL VPN support from the big vendors (Citrix, Cisco, Microsoft, Nortel, Sun, RSA/EMC). Otherwise, the product will be useless (see Folio).
6. Linux is going to need really good power management support. Intel's going to build this in.
7. Microsoft is also playing in this arena with their Softgrid product. This is like Citrix, but is a bit more involved. However, Citrix has the advantage here because they run on Linux and Java.
8. Apple may be switching the iPhone to x86 soon as well. Wouldn't surprise me :).
9. Microsoft is apparently utilizing the patent threat as a way to grant/deny access to interoperability to Linux. And by interoperability, I mean Exchange connectivity (again, this is critical).
10. Microsoft can also leverage their Office monopoly to get the corporate market. Honestly, the corporate market needs Windows. High-end and home users can use Linux and OpenOffice.
I wouldn't be surprised to see the following bifurcation for OS #2:
1. Personal Use PC-type devices like the EEE PC running either x86, ARM, or possibly POWER processors using Linux or OS X as the base OS.
2. Corporate Use devices running x86, Linux, or a cut-down version of Windows Vista or Windows CE.
The reason why is because the corporate world is so married to x86 due to multiple dependencies. Unfortunately, IBM is steering POWER away from this, and more toward video game systems and high-end servers.
Otherwise, I think that AMD screwed themselves badly by buying ATI. The duopoly (Intel/Microsoft) is now multiple duopolies and tri-opolies (Microsoft/Nvidia/Intel, Intel/Linux/Nvidia, Intel/Nvidia, Microsoft/Nvidia).
Whoa! Who are you, "anonymous"? Great comment!
That is a great comment.
I just never understood why bbrv wasted so much time on Amiga. The IP is owned by a collection of fraudulent people and companies. The community is populated with old people that could not adjust or young people who are freaks. For sure there are intelligent developers too, but they survive without Amiga. Why try to support a platform that will never EVER will be relevant again? I still admire your persistence and I hope you all succeed.
Dirk
I personally think that the Amiga as a platform cannot survive without its parent sibling Commodore to re-introduce the Amiga (and Commodore) to the mass market. The one cannot survive without the other. Yeah, sure Commodore is back making Windows gaming machines to follow the niche that is Alienware, Voodoo, etc... But whomever made the decision (back in the '90s) to split the Commodore and Amiga IPs was not very forward thinking in the idea of the two entities needing each other for the ultimate survival against Wintel. If Apple can make great success with its brand and buzz worthy products, I think Commodore could easily do the same, but not as another PC maker shipping Windows like everybody else. I mean really, what value do you get when comparing oranges against oranges (HP versus Dell, etc...)?!
Commodore today is not the same company it was. CBM bankrupted in 1993/4. The folks that own the name now don't have any connection to the past. The same holds true for Amiga. The Amiga patents are actually owned by Gateway and licensed to the Amiga software owners who bought the OS from Gateway some years ago with venture money. Neither company involved in the 'name' today of Commodore or Amiga has anything to do with the past.
"The next EFIKA will support all the Amiga operating systems, as well as Linux and others. The devices to be made and what they will be able to do will be remarkable!"
That would be great! Especially the first words for Amiga-fans like me.
I don't want a high-end super computer with an OS that can compare to Windows, MacOS X or Linux. Amiga is a hobby and with another good&cheap board (like the 2nd Efika could be) for a lightweight OS like AmigaOS4 or MorphOS I and many other would be very happy.
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