Tuesday, September 28, 2010
BlackBerry Announces 'PlayBook' Tablet at DevCon
San Fransisco, September 27th, 2010
The BigTinCan team were present at BlackBerry DevCon2010 today where RIM Co-CEO Mike Laziridis announced the BlackBerry 'PlayBook' ultra-thin tablet. This 7 inch tablet was announced with the tag line "Everyone needs a great PlayBook". We've been told by RIM that the device, which features True HD video, true multitasking, dual core processors and HDMI out will be released early in 2011.
When asked to comment on the 3G/4G capabilities, Mike Laziridis wouldn't comment but was heard to say "You do the math".
The BigTinCan team is about to attend the first developer session at DevCon2010 which will feature the new tablet OS, and will keep you posted during the week as we get more information.
Exclusive photos and video after the jump
http://tinyurl.com/2vqgkx2
The BigTinCan team were present at BlackBerry DevCon2010 today where RIM Co-CEO Mike Laziridis announced the BlackBerry 'PlayBook' ultra-thin tablet. This 7 inch tablet was announced with the tag line "Everyone needs a great PlayBook". We've been told by RIM that the device, which features True HD video, true multitasking, dual core processors and HDMI out will be released early in 2011.
When asked to comment on the 3G/4G capabilities, Mike Laziridis wouldn't comment but was heard to say "You do the math".
The BigTinCan team is about to attend the first developer session at DevCon2010 which will feature the new tablet OS, and will keep you posted during the week as we get more information.
Exclusive photos and video after the jump
http://tinyurl.com/2vqgkx2
Free vs Paid Apps
The First session at the BlackBerry DevCon 2010 is all about Free vs Paid apps. And whilst listening to the leaned speakers telling us that "having a free app helps you get you more downloads than just a paid apps" - I was thinking "What is the future for the freemium model?".
We have successfully operated a "freemium" service with our BuzzMe Product since April 2009 - and its worked quite well for us - and for our users, but it that what people really want? The commercial alternative seems to be to introduce advertising into the apps, but I personally don't really like apps that include lots of ads - unless there is a real benefit to me and my use of the device - which most apps are just not able to provide.
What about a model where (a bit like what Pandora has done to the music market) where users pay a regular monthly fee to download any number of utility style apps - now that is something that I as a user might actually pay for - and that is also something that could reward developers for their work.
Challenge there is that might provide a way for developers to make a "hobby living" but can it create sustainable businesses? I doubt it.
For developers to grow to scale and create real value in their companies there needs to be a service that users are willing to pay regularly for in a way that the service actually either a) gives them a real cost saving over other commercial alternatives, or b) provides them with a lifestyle benefit that is worth paying for.
We have some ideas about this - but how about you? We would love to hear your comments
We have successfully operated a "freemium" service with our BuzzMe Product since April 2009 - and its worked quite well for us - and for our users, but it that what people really want? The commercial alternative seems to be to introduce advertising into the apps, but I personally don't really like apps that include lots of ads - unless there is a real benefit to me and my use of the device - which most apps are just not able to provide.
What about a model where (a bit like what Pandora has done to the music market) where users pay a regular monthly fee to download any number of utility style apps - now that is something that I as a user might actually pay for - and that is also something that could reward developers for their work.
Challenge there is that might provide a way for developers to make a "hobby living" but can it create sustainable businesses? I doubt it.
For developers to grow to scale and create real value in their companies there needs to be a service that users are willing to pay regularly for in a way that the service actually either a) gives them a real cost saving over other commercial alternatives, or b) provides them with a lifestyle benefit that is worth paying for.
We have some ideas about this - but how about you? We would love to hear your comments
Friday, September 24, 2010
BigTinCan in San Francisco
So its DEVCON time again, and we are in San Francisco (well today in University Ave, Palo Alto).
Its going to be a great ride with lots of news about new BlackBerry products already in the rumour mill - check out this story on Engadget reported initially on the WSJ.
Its also a great chance for me to "eat my own cooking" , as I am using all the features of BigTinCan Connect this trip. So far so good.
What I have done is forwarded my Aussie mobile number to a BTC inbound number in Australia and then pointed that number at my ATT prepaid SIM card (that is not sitting nicely in either my Bold 9700 or iPhone - depending on what apps I want to run;). So people at home can call my mobile and it will ring here in the USA - but even better I have created a time of day rule that means that people who call me outside of normal hours here in the West Coast will just get sent to a voice mail - which is then sent to my email.
Then from my ATT SIM I have setup BigTinCan Connect to add this number as my callback number - so now when I call Australia I am calling at US domestic incoming rates. Pretty cool huh! Oh and it shows my Australian mobile number as the caller ID when I call someone in Aus - so they know its me!
COST?
I purchased a $25 pre paid credit pack for my SIM here.
I then used $4.99 of that credit to purchase a 1Mb data pack - to send the call requests to the BTC server.
And now I've got $20 left over for the minutes - which actually gives me plenty of minutes for the calls.
Compared with roaming charges this is going to save me I think hundreds of dollars!
I will post back here on my experiences with the US cell phone network - but for now its working great!
Its going to be a great ride with lots of news about new BlackBerry products already in the rumour mill - check out this story on Engadget reported initially on the WSJ.
Its also a great chance for me to "eat my own cooking" , as I am using all the features of BigTinCan Connect this trip. So far so good.
What I have done is forwarded my Aussie mobile number to a BTC inbound number in Australia and then pointed that number at my ATT prepaid SIM card (that is not sitting nicely in either my Bold 9700 or iPhone - depending on what apps I want to run;). So people at home can call my mobile and it will ring here in the USA - but even better I have created a time of day rule that means that people who call me outside of normal hours here in the West Coast will just get sent to a voice mail - which is then sent to my email.
Then from my ATT SIM I have setup BigTinCan Connect to add this number as my callback number - so now when I call Australia I am calling at US domestic incoming rates. Pretty cool huh! Oh and it shows my Australian mobile number as the caller ID when I call someone in Aus - so they know its me!
COST?
I purchased a $25 pre paid credit pack for my SIM here.
I then used $4.99 of that credit to purchase a 1Mb data pack - to send the call requests to the BTC server.
And now I've got $20 left over for the minutes - which actually gives me plenty of minutes for the calls.
Compared with roaming charges this is going to save me I think hundreds of dollars!
I will post back here on my experiences with the US cell phone network - but for now its working great!
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