iPhone, my opinion.

A lot is on the web about iPhone so I will keep this short.

Sure, every function available was formerly available either on a PDA (it reminds me of my old Sony Clie) or on a phone itself but this is a new product and as such looks impressive.

Announcing a product which is not existent has been an old strategy of Microsoft many years ago to prevent customers to invest in non-Microsoft products. Apple made the phone and shows it, so this is not Vaporware.
So what is remarkable? The fact that so much was done at the same time.

1. Apple entered a new market, apparently mobile phones.
2. They used their own Operating System to do this (instead of deciding to use Palm or Symbian).
3. They say it´s the best Ipod ever made (improved and kind of merged an existing product)
4. And the customer interface is completely new, which means that the look and feel of the telephony functions were reinvented. Something the other participants are years of experience ahead which should theoratically give them an advantage on usability issues or customer feedback (new feature here: selective voicemail playback).

As far as I have read software development is is going to be resctrictive and is expected to include some sort of certification process.
Market availability is in six months and then we´ll see how the other manufacturers and or platform providers will pimp up their products to catch up.
My opinion so far; Apple changed the mobile phone market by adding a category of it´s own; traditional smartphones and Windows Mobile devices have 6 months to improve quality and think of new features to impress customers.
Until then look at this:

Apple representant showing features of the device:
http://gracefulflavor.net/2007/01/13/best-demo-of-iphone-yet-phil-schiller-on-cbs-news/

Steve Ballmer criticising the iPhone :)
http://gracefulflavor.net/2007/01/20/ballmer-hyperventilates-mocking-the-iphone/

No comment on pink Zune.
Initially found via graceflavour.net

Whoppering IT infrastructure?

Cem Basman posted today an analisis of requirements on how to create an IT Outsourcing business for small and medium businesses.
So what could reasonably be outsourced for SMB, and how?

1) IT Infrastructure
2) Business Applications
3) Accounting
4) Advertising
5) CRM/VRM
6) Administration
7) Software development

I think mainly IT infrastructure and generic workflows for every company or industry specific workflows.
Since IT is said to be no longer a differential I think that this only is true in the sense of basic services that are just expected to be functional and where cost is really an issue.
What could specifically be provided?

-IT Infrastructure
eMail
Domain & Web Site
Filesystem
Telephony
WebConferencing
Workgroup functions(calendar, task tracking, milestones)
-Business Applications
Calculations
Documents
-Accounting
Accounting
Banking (Invoices, Payments)
-Advertising
Online advertising
Newsletter management
Community building tools
Plug In for third party service provider (Call Center & Mailings)
-CRM/VRM
Client & vendor data management.
-Administration
Workflow engine for defining business processes.
Web Applications Framework for rapidly creating Web Applications.
-Software Development
Centralised outsourcing software development where necessary.

-What is the benefit for new clients?
The startup time is drastically reduced. The cost should be low. The client is free to focus on tasks which generate or are expected to generate income.

-Why could existing companies use this?
Migration of their IT to reduce costs and enhance the service quality at the same time.

-How could an ecosystem be created on such a basis?
By franchising migration services to map existing infrastructure and processes to the available tools and services (standardisation)?
By offering a framework where highly specialised service providers could participate and provide "building blocks" (market creation)?
By offering a local service directory where physical goods and services are provided based on the defined interfaces?
By offering defined interfaces and ensuring the functionality of those interfaces?

Anything more that makes sense?

First post 2007!

So this is the first post this year after a fabulous week in London.
Sunday is always good for reading, writing and a little napping :)

Links noticed so far:
Seth Godin quotes an article form the Guardian on How to be remarkable. I prefer to post the link to the original article because what´s most important is what is said after the obligatory 10 bullets. Read yourself.

The second one is also from Seth but handles another topic. Tactic & Strategy but maybe it´s just about thinking or life planning. Mainly it says that it depends more on doing the right thing than on doing something right. What is which is as always in the eye of the beholder.
A good book on thinking and success bought this week: Tactics by Edward de Bono.

The third one:
ITU Report on digital.life.
A lot has been written on wikis, social networks, IM and other technical solutions on how to communicate or collaborate. My parents still don´t have internet access and my mother rejects to start blogging from a distance, which I consider a plausible alternative to start it, so still some miles to go.

Mass media this week: iPhone, therefore I am.