It definitely was a fun & educational weekend a couple weeks ago here in Boston for 2009’s Voices That Matter: iPhone Developers Conference. The hundred or so attendees all had their MacBooks out, taking notes, downloading presentations, and even coding as some of the speakers demonstrated the challenges of tomorrow and the best ways to tackle them. It was great to be in a building full of smart people — mostly developers, some designers, and some business folks — and be able to get different perspectives on where the iPhone and mobile in general is headed.

There were 20 presenters in total covering topics  ranging from app submission best-practices, to advanced accelerometer techniques, to hybrid app development, and more. I thought it would be a good idea to highlight some of my favorite presentations and share some of the documentations (if available). Read more →

Contrary to what Gizmodo posted today, I actually think this Verizon ad is somewhat clever. It may seem like the marketing execs over at VZW are getting a bit desperate with this obvious attack at the iPhone, but I think — despite it’s corniness —  it’s pretty smart and targeted.

Of all the US carriers, it’s safe to say that VZW has the collection of the least exciting mobile devices. AT&T, Sprint, & T-Mobile all have flagship smarphones, and perhaps Verizon is now ready to put some money behind their own, The Motorolla Driod. The specs are impressive and so is the Android 2.0 OS. Personally, I think the iPhone is still the device to beat, but not everyone buys into what Apple’s selling. And with this new Moto supposedly being “the Android device to beat,” I think this is a clever attempt at wooing all the smartphone users with contracts expiring and also those people that haven’t yet found something exciting enough to buy that isn’t an iPhone.

You’ll get a different response depending on who you ask, of course. The Google camp is definitely pushing the idea that browser-based applications will be the future of how people interact with and use the web, especially on mobile devices, but not everyone agrees. Seeing the incredible success of app stores (especially Apple’s) and the lukewarm excitement around web apps, it’s a tough position to take. Ultimately, I think Google’s predictions are correct but way premature.

There are many benefits of developing for the browser but also some big drawbacks. As the big picture of the mobile platform battles pans out, we’ll surely still a variety of options to develop for. Apple’s iPhone Google’s Android OS, and Blackberry will likely lead the pack with Win Mobile, Palm’s Web OS, Symbian, and others still fighting for a slice of the action. With such a fractured landscape, a browser solution would allow companies and individuals to develop a single application that’ll work across all platforms with powerful — most likely WebKit — browsers. This would not only ensure a consistent experience from device to device, but also greatly reduce the amount of time and money required for design, development, and maintenance. Although this sounds great, a lot still needs to happen before we’ll begin to see a browser-based app strategy really reach its potential.

I think two key things need to happen in the mobile ecosystem before the browser will be a real competitor to native apps:

1. The code needs to evolve. Although mobile browsers have made huge strides in the last couple of years, basic html, css, & javascript still wont be able to accomplish many of the more complex functions and visualizationsthat native apps currently support. With HTML 5 being right around the corner, that divide will still exist but it’ll be much less apparent.
2. Mobile data network connections need a boost. 3G networks are now fairly widespread across the planet, but downloads at around 1000kbps still wont cut it for most folks. The 4G speeds that WiMax and and other standards promise will be the boost many of us are looking for, but we’re still many years away from the painstaking roll-outs of these networks.

So is the future of mobile in the browser? Read more →

Will Apple be releasing a tablet device? Given all the rumors circling the blogosphere, it seems likely but very little is known.

The mock-up image (courtesy of Gizmodo) depicts what many people are guessing the new product will look like. Most evidence points towards a 10″ screen, and iPhone-like design, and most likely a modified version of the iPhone OS (not OSX). Pricing is estimated to be under $800 and there may be more than one model to choose from. Release date is hazy — I’ve heard everything from Sept. 2009 to possibly 2010.

With all this buzz, I can’t help but think way back to time long ago: A time when televistion was still analog, the U.S. had an illiterate president, and the Jonas Brother were still breastfeeding… Yes, this was the world right before Jan 7th, 2007 when Apple announced the iPhone. Rumors were aplenty but good evidence was hard to find. Everyone had an idea of what it would look like, be capable of, etc. but most guesses were way off.

Will the new Apple iProduct(s) be what all the guessers are guessing? I seriously hope not. If Cupertino releases what basically looks like a 10″ iPhone then I probably won’t be waiting on any lines come launch day. Sure, the large screen will be a plus for video & possibly games, but with the lack of pocket-portability and a gimpy OS, I’d much rather throw my cash at a Netbook.

But I have faith in Apple. I’m sure they’ve got some game-changing features in the works. Some possibilities: music, ebooks, Mac-integration, teleportation? I guess I’ll just have to wait and see…