Comments for Coldstreams.com by Edward Mitchell

Comment on Trade Shows, Conventions, Etc by Anya

Anya — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 11:29:47 +0000

Dear Edward ,

We enjoyed your trade show blog post http://coldstreams.com/?page_id=578

Would you be interested in adding a quick note about our company in that post?

We’d be happy to compensate you $10 for your time via paypal!

Let me know!

Thank you,

Comment on Is Asperger’s Syndrome the secret behind high tech success? by Steve

Steve — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 23:53:44 +0000

I try to answer this in my book.

“Asperger Awareness: A Key to Success for IT and Technical Managers”

I disagree with the comment that it is anti social. After 30 years in the industry, I find that many the traits associated with Aspergers are “normal” in our work environment. We have a great feeling of belonging and acceptance, and social interaction, that we rarely find in the less tolerant wider community.

Comment on Contact by Mike Cambridge

Mike Cambridge — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 19:29:35 +0000

Just read your post on 3d and the Hobbit movie. I agree with you that it will be huge for 3d. Have you seen the trailer on youtube. Looks amazing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eI3f4b-b8ig&feature=fvst

Comment on Nokia Lumia 710 running Windows Phone by I switched to a Windows Phone | Coldstreams.com by Edward Mitchell

I switched to a Windows Phone | Coldstreams.com by Edward Mitchell — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 04:34:58 +0000

[...] a little keyboard for text. I also have a low end Android phone (on month by month service) and an iPhone 3gs (no service). Both are used for software dev and [...]

Comment on Are computers following the cellphone “replace every two years” model? by Microsoft goes after the 99 percenters with Windows Phone | Mobile World Congress – CNET Reviews | Coldstreams.com by Edward Mitchell

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 18:32:00 +0000

[...] Last week I said Microsoft‘s marketing focuses on the pragmatic versus the emotions-based approach of Apple‘s effective consumer marketing – and then I see this today: Microsoft wants to be known as the people’s smartphone company. [...]

Comment on Consumer advertising for Windows Phone by How to Fix Microsoft With Marketing | Coldstreams.com by Edward Mitchell

How to Fix Microsoft With Marketing | Coldstreams.com by Edward Mitchell — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 19:25:08 +0000

[...] This echoes what I wrote a few days ago! [...]

Comment on Are computers following the cellphone “replace every two years” model? by Consumer advertising for Windows Phone | Coldstreams.com by Edward Mitchell

Consumer advertising for Windows Phone | Coldstreams.com by Edward Mitchell — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 18:49:58 +0000

[...] Yesterday I wrote that Microsoft had not done a good job of consumer-level marketing, such as for the Windows Phone. Apple, by comparison, is very effective at marketing to consumers’ emotions to attract repeat and frequent purchases of high end techie toys. Has Microsoft figure out consumer marketing – yet? This week, the company will launch another such campaign: “Smoked by Windows Phone,” a series of online ads challenging those who use iPhones, Android phones or other mobile devices to beat the speed of a Windows Phone in doing a browser search, sharing with their social network or shooting and posting a photo. [...]

Comment on Mac OS X 10.8 restricted to App Store, signed apps by default by Mac OS X 10.8 will obsolete slightly older hardware | Coldstreams.com by Edward Mitchell

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 02:39:44 +0000

[...] Newsfeed ← Mac OS X 10.8 restricted to App Store, signed apps by default Googlorola: Motorola May Make Android a Closed OS [...]

Comment on 32-bit Arduino boards – the chipKIT by Fun little Arduino project | Coldstreams.com by Edward Mitchell

Fun little Arduino project | Coldstreams.com by Edward Mitchell — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 04:04:58 +0000

[...] 32-bit Arduino boards – the chipKIT (coldstreams.com) [...]

Comment on Costs $1.81 to get someone to run a free app more than three times by Edward Mitchell

Edward Mitchell — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:54:35 +0000

Yep. I just read a peer reviewed paper this morning having to do with the software ecosystem and what it all means for the development community. It did not paint a very pretty picture of the future for individual software developers, suggesting the field has become project oriented and no longer job or career oriented. The typical app producer, they suggest is or soon will be, someone that is juggling conventional contract programming jobs, writing their own mobile apps for distribution, and possibly trying to start, run or be involved with a small start up all at the same time. Even a “regular job” is just an extended contract that lasts 2 or 3 years before hopping to some where else. Don’t know that I will post any comments on here about that but the paper was interesting.

I am sensing some push back from developers as to whether it makes sense to write mobile apps. You can see it in the online forums where many are asking questions about the financial viability. Most think its necessary to write some apps to demonstrates skills in that area, but many do not see the return on investment justifying pursuing much in the field.

I do think tablet apps look more promising. Like you said, its hard to create a useful app but the tablet form factor opens up more possibilities. Plus customers are showing a willingness to pay for tablet apps that they are not showing for smart phone apps. For one thing, most people buy apps but don’t use them very much or for very long. Most apps are used in the first 30 days and then not much after that. The “average” app is used about 1 minute per day (except for standards like mail, browsers and games). At 1 minute per day, the value perception might not be real high for the customer!

I am deep into looking at some concepts (have built a working prototype that runs on 3 platforms and have shown to some vendors at CES) but am still working on creating a viable business case and plan. I think I may have an idea that works and one key is to not sell these ideas as “apps” but as something else, as well as a scalable service that helps others create similar solutions.

Comment on 19% of Americans own a tablet computing device by Edward Mitchell

Edward Mitchell — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:46:33 +0000

True – still surprised me to see that many already. This is no longer just a niche market!

I’ll contact you offline – good to talk to you again!

Comment on Costs $1.81 to get someone to run a free app more than three times by Karl Schulmeisters

Karl Schulmeisters — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:26:40 +0000

Well I’d say its also that it is hard to make a really useful mobile app.

Comment on 19% of Americans own a tablet computing device by Karl Schulmeisters

Karl Schulmeisters — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:25:20 +0000

Sure. But remember a large portion of that is the original Kindle. Hardly a “computing platform” beyond its web browsing capability

Comment on Are mobile web apps more lucrative than native phone apps? by Costs $1.81 to get someone to run a free app more than three times | Coldstreams.com by Edward Mitchell

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:23:01 +0000

[...] three times Posted on January 31, 2012 by Edward Mitchell After looking at the top 200 free iPhone App Store for December, the average cost to get someone to run an app more than three times is [...]

Comment on Enhanced E-Books to require teams of media specialists by Edward Mitchell

Edward Mitchell — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 21:04:54 +0000

Good thoughts. There are also other types of ebooks such as instruction manuals, nonfiction which may make more sense as enhanced ebooks.

Time will tell what works!