| "You write down the problem. You think very hard. Then you write the answer."- Richard Feynman |
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| THINK Page 2 |
I took these photos all in the space of five
minutes. Live Cams is an app for the iPhone
that is at once thrilling and scary.
it links you to thousands of live world-wide web
cams, and in some cases, you can control the
zoom and pan.
These images are from Romania, Hawaii,
London, Germany, Australia. There is even a
shot of Sushi chefs working quickly in Tokyo
(below). The first shot of the Chrysler Building
is taken from a cam set atop the Empire State
Building.
minutes. Live Cams is an app for the iPhone
that is at once thrilling and scary.
it links you to thousands of live world-wide web
cams, and in some cases, you can control the
zoom and pan.
These images are from Romania, Hawaii,
London, Germany, Australia. There is even a
shot of Sushi chefs working quickly in Tokyo
(below). The first shot of the Chrysler Building
is taken from a cam set atop the Empire State
Building.
| Why I don't want a Kindle, and how newspapers will be saved |
We have predicted the death of Radio for at least 50 years. TV will kill it, or Satellite programs (!) or
the Internet. Yet it lives on, albeit as a different animal than it once was.
So, too, will newspapers and magazines, despite the assumption that hospice is now required.
This is part of the reason why I don't want a current e-reader. I travel over 100k miles a year, and
an e-reader would make sense for me. But Nooks and Kindles just do too little.
I want to read Gutenberg Project books (just like I do on my iPhone, using Stanza). And I want a
wireless connection to download and buy what I want. The screen needs to be color, and reactive
as a touch screen (or better, gesture-based...see the Design page). The Kindle and others don't
come close to the experience that I am looking for.
That's why I believe the Apple Slate, and the Google version and soon many others will
revolutionize communications, and in particular, the way we read. And I believe that newspapers
will, in a way, be saved.
Not saved in their present form (I like newsprint, but I liked elevators with mechanical push buttons
and dial phones) and distributing newsprint is just not sensible in the long run.
Yes, we need professional news-gathering organizations, not just bloggers - and we need to pay
for it somehow (subscriptions, ads, or unit purchases). These new devices will make it easy for
everyone to sample all sorts of 'printed' media. Soon, the devices will be cheap.
In fact, if I were to start a business, I'd go to all sorts of world-wide newspaper publishers. How
about if they combined as a digital package - would you pay $2.99 a month to read, search and
scan 20 papers in your language from Singapore, London, Egypt, and Brazil? Of course you would
- along with comics and magazines...this represents the true future of print publishing, and I, for
one, cannot wait for it to arrive.
the Internet. Yet it lives on, albeit as a different animal than it once was.
So, too, will newspapers and magazines, despite the assumption that hospice is now required.
This is part of the reason why I don't want a current e-reader. I travel over 100k miles a year, and
an e-reader would make sense for me. But Nooks and Kindles just do too little.
I want to read Gutenberg Project books (just like I do on my iPhone, using Stanza). And I want a
wireless connection to download and buy what I want. The screen needs to be color, and reactive
as a touch screen (or better, gesture-based...see the Design page). The Kindle and others don't
come close to the experience that I am looking for.
That's why I believe the Apple Slate, and the Google version and soon many others will
revolutionize communications, and in particular, the way we read. And I believe that newspapers
will, in a way, be saved.
Not saved in their present form (I like newsprint, but I liked elevators with mechanical push buttons
and dial phones) and distributing newsprint is just not sensible in the long run.
Yes, we need professional news-gathering organizations, not just bloggers - and we need to pay
for it somehow (subscriptions, ads, or unit purchases). These new devices will make it easy for
everyone to sample all sorts of 'printed' media. Soon, the devices will be cheap.
In fact, if I were to start a business, I'd go to all sorts of world-wide newspaper publishers. How
about if they combined as a digital package - would you pay $2.99 a month to read, search and
scan 20 papers in your language from Singapore, London, Egypt, and Brazil? Of course you would
- along with comics and magazines...this represents the true future of print publishing, and I, for
one, cannot wait for it to arrive.
I picked up a book called "1001 Inventions". It is a chronological reference
to inventions with brief histories, anecdotes about the inventors, and some
pretty terrific images of early versions of these things.
It was interesting to see a number of items that have retained the name of the
inventor - mostly from the 19th century, it shows how closely we identified a
new concept with someone's personal ideas.
Macadam (street covering) 1820
Macintosh (raincoat) 1823
Guillotine 1791
Geiger Counter 1901
Braille 1824
to inventions with brief histories, anecdotes about the inventors, and some
pretty terrific images of early versions of these things.
It was interesting to see a number of items that have retained the name of the
inventor - mostly from the 19th century, it shows how closely we identified a
new concept with someone's personal ideas.
Macadam (street covering) 1820
Macintosh (raincoat) 1823
Guillotine 1791
Geiger Counter 1901
Braille 1824
The Locks of the Rhine. In Cologne recently, I walked over the main
city bridge, past a long metal fence covered with small locks. At first, i
thought school kids put their locker units up at the end of the school
year, rather like tossing sneaker pairs up over the phone lines.
On inspection I realized that each lock bore an inscription - usually an
expression of young love. This was not a wall of pranks, it was the
local monument of affection. This was an updated repository of the
initials carved in tree trunks. It is marvelous.
Some locks were etched crudely with a knife or tool. Others were
inscribed with indelible marker. Many had inscriptions made pro-
fessionally. Some inscriptions were simply initials of lovers. Some
professed friendship of two or more people. Some locks were
ancient, with inscriptions on their rusty backs. Others were new, and
obviously purchased for this use alone.
The first lock says, 'This padlock is for the special connection
between you and me'.
city bridge, past a long metal fence covered with small locks. At first, i
thought school kids put their locker units up at the end of the school
year, rather like tossing sneaker pairs up over the phone lines.
On inspection I realized that each lock bore an inscription - usually an
expression of young love. This was not a wall of pranks, it was the
local monument of affection. This was an updated repository of the
initials carved in tree trunks. It is marvelous.
Some locks were etched crudely with a knife or tool. Others were
inscribed with indelible marker. Many had inscriptions made pro-
fessionally. Some inscriptions were simply initials of lovers. Some
professed friendship of two or more people. Some locks were
ancient, with inscriptions on their rusty backs. Others were new, and
obviously purchased for this use alone.
The first lock says, 'This padlock is for the special connection
between you and me'.