iPhone Was Just The Start: Peek at Android Device

VP of Engineering Vic Gundotra delivered an Android demonstration during his keynote at Google I/O conference today at the SF Moscone Convention Center. There’s a fair amount of flattery to the Apple iPhone/iTouch user interface and definitely signals progress for handset makers, content providers/media and perhaps carriers. My verdict’s out on the carriers as their data plans make little sense to the consumer, add little value (not much benefit over wifi) and feel short-term–lots of dislocation potential within these technologies demonstrated today.

And a quick demo of “streets” view–check out what happens when he flips it into compass mode. Location based content gets a big boost when this becomes the expected consumer outcome.

More on the Andriod platform here:

iPhone Clone from China

Slashdot brought to light a Popular Science articleon the amazing practice at work in China to appropriate intellectual property in the form of design, architecture, brand, packaging–you get the picture, nothing is off limits. It’s stealing and there seems no stopping it, so my attention shifted to other implications. The one that caught my eye was the iPhone clone b/c it includes open-source applications over Linux with the same fancy-schmancy interface. This generation may lack the yummy, bouncy “physics-IA” operating system perks of the iPhone, but give it time. Something like this may force Apple to reconsider its “walled garden” techniques to give consumers the choice they want.

iPhone Buzz Chart

I thought this chart was pretty telling in terms of Apple’s ability to generate, maintain secrecy (otherwise you would have seen more spikes between 1/03 and 6/29) and ramp awareness before street date. In entertainment marketing, this graph would approximate an idealized “event/tent-pole” movie that becomes a blockbuster. What I find more interesting than the advertising and PR flighting is that this is nearly all UGC. It’s the ultimate case study on buzz/WOM and value-generation through cultivating a measured dialogue with all influencers and consumers in an ecosystem.

iPhone on Twitterverse

Twitterverse has been down, but threw together this image from an old screencap to sum up 6/29.

People in line ageraged 35 posts (unscientific poll of three folks I follow–tbrunelle: 52; steverubel: 30; rexhammock 25). Even the people who weren’t in line joined the party as evidenced by my posts and others backlashing.

iPhone links in honor of Day1

As your Outlook Calendar most certainly says, tomorrow is iPhone day one. Colbert Report last night regarding Transformers movie and his robophobia paraphrased: “God help up when we fall blindly in love with machines.” Cut to image of iPhone. Cut back to Colbert hands in prayer smiling desperately like a good boy entreaty to Steve Jobs. In honor of of this historic moment, some good reads on the subject:

• too funny: the iSmudginator–an app that replicates your iPhone getting used
• Where/How to Buy
• Side-by-side reviews from Newsweek, NYT, USAToday & WSJ
• Calacanis buying iPhone based on Mossberg/WSJ demo
• CNET calls what’s real new ground for iPhone. Read the comments, which basically say that any single feature may not be original (altough some are) but its the quality experience from integration that makes this a game changer.

I’ll repeat that last point because it’s a 2.o and digital marketing theme that can’t be overstated:

• It seems “just new” feature isn’t the key, integration of smart, leading-edge stuff working together seamlessly is key. Agency and client folks, doesn’t that sound familiar? It’s what we’re all working towards and when successful can move and change markets.

Jobs: What is Great?

So Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer takes out the iPhoneby laughing and calling names. I suspect iPhone will have the last laugh on him. If not, enjoy these fine examples of behavior that would cost you a presidential candidacy:

• Totally pitted out. Developers, Developers, Developers, developers, dev–you get the idea…
• Get on your feet psycho dance

But that’s not actually the point. This kid, Matt Ledger, from the UKposts a video of Steve Jobs as if it’s in response to Ballmer’s comments on the iPhone. But it’s actually from back when Jobs had long hair.

And, the comment is a perennial comment on excellence and establishing a different standard for winning. I think it’s brilliant, if you replace “Microsoft” for “Mediocrity” of any brand, thinking, product or service. Job’s recipe for excellence:

• Original Ideas
• Bring Culture Into Product
• Expressed in Quality of Execution

Here’s a minute of Jobs: