What devices I should have?

With the struggle of devices that even manufacturers are facing, we may ask our selves what the best set of devices we should have?. The funny thing is that manufacturers are watching our preferences as an input to their direction. It is not any more derived by manufacturer. The struggle between smart phones and tablets, which generate a new product class some call phablet. The struggle between tablets and notebooks. And the old battle between desktops and laptops!. For sure the desktops and laptops are going away as the tablet is more satisfying consumers need. I could say that desktops and laptops will stay for some time but with small portion of people with professions that need a very good computer processing power and spending long times working in very powerful apps. People like programmers. But, the majority though will shift to tablets.

So, what options we have? Should we try many of those till we know the answer?

We are more attached to our devices than ever. And we are more mixing our personal life with work. Even technology trends are designed around this. The concept of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) is sort of adopted concept in most of business solutions in addition to cloud computing.
The technology trend is pushing us more to have the old concept of dummy terminals and mainframes. Where we have thin client and most of the processing power is in the cloud.

I have designed a new bar for smartness need. The selection also look to what you need in your office. What impact your position in the bar is the apps you attached with. And wither your more to work or personal.

So, looking the the smartness bar, if you are only interested in communication and social networking then you are in the A zone. If you are also having more apps to do other personal interested apps like reading books and accessing bank accounts, do some writing, etc then you are in B zone. If you are more to the business and productivity apps like building analysis data, presentation, projects, notes, etc then you are in C zone. If you are doing more business work, like accessing your work systems and documents, do sales, or other business related tasks, then you are in D  Zone.

Now what device you need.
A Zone: smartphone will be enough for you.
B Zone: larger screen smartphone will be Ok in case you would like to have your devices with you all the time.
C Zone: simple small smartphone and a tablet will be Ok with you.
D Zone: you need a laptop in addition to simple small smartphone and a tablet.

Simple smart phones should be small like the mini size of some large screen smartphone devices. The tablet size can be any of 7 or 10 inch tablets. I prefer 10 inch tablet.

Let me know what you think about these options.

Apple and Innovation

Apple Innovation

It is will known that Apple and Steve Jobs was innovation symbols last few years since the iThing started: iPod, iPhone, iPad. Innovation of how simple things should be, which is clear in the operating system OS design, Apps, iTune and App Store. The iTune and App Store where a good marketing model established and pioneered by Apple. Prices of music, apps books are good and reasonable for consumers. Even though, the devices is not as technology level as same consumer product category, the package was worth shifting to from the consumers. The iPhone for example, was not as good cellular phone as other cellular phone. But, the simplicity, the Apps, and the iTune made the difference. It was a good combination of hardware, software, style and functionality. So, we could say the innovation is not in the technology, but in the total solution that Apple offered to the consumers.

Looking to Apple products, we could expect the iPad to last longer as the competition is not that far. However, the iPhone is still in hot competition especially with Samsung Galaxy S4. iPod and iTouch though is small market comparing with phone and tablets.

Why Apple was successful so far?

The key of success for Apple was the innovation and loyalty of consumers. The strategy that Apple was doing extremely well is the first to market strategy. Where Apple put a new innovation in the market with a price that it could profit well from and then work on the next innovation. However, Apple is very slow to first to market as it takes time to satisfy users globally with their new gadgets. Apple start with the US market first and spend very long time before moving to next global market. It was working well at the beginning but when its competitor Samsung start moving fast leaving them with limited slack of time to gain profit then Apple start worrying about how their strategy works. Samsung on the other hand start to work more on the innovation part of the strategy to be first to the market. And its competitive advantage which is ability to reach all markets and consumers very fast helped them to reduce the gap with Apple. The competitors are gradually working on missing parts of the package. But still, the package of the solution that Apple provide is dominating the market.

But, will this continue? New generation of young people is coming and more competition in the market. Samsung, Microsoft, HTC, Google, Nokia and others are making it hard for Apple. But still there is a chance to adopt. The main issue Apple should work on very fast is how fast it should be to market globally. And to add more global focus to its global consumers. Apple should focus more in how to perfect its product. And get more loyal consumers globally. For the iPhone, I doubt the ability of Apple to stay first to market with current innovation status. However, the iPad is a very good product to focus on. iPhon is Ok too, but the innovation need is very high to stay on the top on this market, in addition to the agility to the market. I could say the iPad product cycle is more slow comparing to the iPhone. Microsoft Surface is new to the market. But, the Apps in Microsoft need time to reach the level to compete with iPad. Samsung tablets is still not cool as the iPad.

Next blog I will talk about what devices every one could have. See you then :)

The smartness struggle 1

Smart devices start invading our lives. Started by smart phones around 10 years ago. But, social networking, and communication drove it exponentially with wide usage of Internet around the world. The wifi feature is a standard in all handheld devices nowadays from cellular phone to our children game devices. Now the talk is more about smart TVs, and devices that attached to us like glasses (google glass), watches (smart watch) and even shoes! and other smart gadgets.

As an example of current struggle is our option between having smartphone, tablet, or a laptop. Even manufacturer don't know what to do. You can find a phone and a tablet having same functionalities. It will be a while tell this struggle come to an end.

With the new Internet of things, any device cost more than 10$ will be connected to the Internet. By this, we will be overwhelmed by smartness where ever we go. Is it  a good thing? What about our privacy? Who can keep things under control? And many other questions that we may ask. But the truth is that it is coming very soon. And it will drive a lifestyle that we will like and enjoy in the beginning and then we will struggle with.

It is like trial and error innovation. Innovators will go ahead with a smart device then will think if it was a smart idea in the first place.

The challenge is that market race is too fast for innovators. Will they ever catch the race!?